Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/465892
ByAndreByik abyik@redbluffdailynews.com @andrebyik on Twitter REDBLUFF» ThecountyofTehamacouldprovide a roughly $170,000 loan to the 30th District Ag- ricultural Association to pay off its solar system. The Tehama District Fair Board of Directors on Tuesday voted to ask the county to pursue a loan agreement. "We sincerely appreciate the county's willing- ness to assist us in this manner," fair board Pres- ident Linda Durrer said. The potential loan could satisfy a settlement reached between the 30th DAA, the California Fairs Financing Authority and PNC Equipment Finance for money owed for the solar project, ac- cording to county documents. A loan would still need to be approved by the Tehama County Board of Supervisors and the fair board, County Counsel Arthur Wylene said, dur- ing the fair board meeting. The loan could be paid over a 10-year period at an interest rate of 2 percent, Wylene said. Similar terms would have been a part of a proposed joint powers authority agreement between the county and the 30th DAA that was recently shelved. The proposal to form a JPA, which was ap- proved by the county in May 2013, would have released the fair and fairgrounds from state con- trol. However, the proposal needed approval from the state, and the board of supervisors on Feb. 10 revoked its offer to form a JPA after receiving no indication of approval in nearly two years. FAIRGROUNDS Possible loanfor solar project TehamaDistrictFairBoard pursues the agreement By Andre Byik abyik@redbluffdailynews.com @andrebyik on Twitter RED BLUFF » The City Council on Tuesday was di- vided on a land-use matter that could have split the lot at 2800 N. Main St. in two. The City Council, after taking no action at its Feb. 3 meeting, voted 2-2 on a request by the owner of the AMPM convenience store at the lo- cation to create a roughly .11-acre parcel within an existing 1.55-acre parcel for potential con- struction of a retail store next door to the AMPM. Council members Rob Schmid and Daniele Jackson voted no while Suren Patel and Mayor Clay Parker voted in favor of the split. "It's not part of what we have said that we want for the city of Red Bluff as far as parcel size," Jackson said. "And I don't think that we should change and set a precedent that now other peo- ple could jump on the bandwagon and say, 'Well RED BLUFF CityCouncil divided on parcel split Community.....A3 Opinion............A6 Sports..............B1 Life...................A4 Puzzles............B3 A+E ...............A5 Index...............## INDEX The Count Basie Orchestra is scheduled to perform March 17at the State Theatre in Red Bluff. PAGEA5 A+E CountBasieOrchestra swinging into Red Bluff Cascade Theatre in Redding will host a celebration of Black History Month with a special program Feb. 28. PAGE A4 LIFESTYLES Tehama County black pioneers to be honored There might be more fruit and vegetables available than ever before, but the world is mostly hungry for junk food. PAGE B8 HEALTH New study finds the world loves junk food An explosion devastated a section of a major refinery on Wednesday morning, raining down ash in the area. PAGE A8 CALIFORNIA Blast at refinery leaves 4 with minor injuries By Kristin J. Bender The Associated Press SAN FRANCISCO » At a time when California is gripped in one of the worst measles outbreaks in recent history, several lawmakers are push- ing for new legislation that would ensure more children are protected against mea- sles and other transmittable diseases. California Sen. Barbara Boxer joined state Sen. Rich- ard Pan, D-Sacramento, a pediatrician, on Wednesday on a tour of a Head Start center in Emeryville, where every child is vaccinated, to address the importance of vaccinations for children as young as preschool. "When we take our chil- dren and grandchildren to school, to a park, to a day- care center, or to a Head Start program, we deserve to know that they will be safe, especially if the child has a weakened immune system," Boxer said. Public health officials said 119 people in California have contracted the highly con- tagious respiratory disease that can cause pneumonia, brain damage and death in rare cases. About two-thirds visited or worked at Disney- land or had contact with somebody who was there. Some two dozen other mea- sles cases tied to Disneyland have also been confirmed in six states, Mexico and Can- ada. Also troubling, Boxer said, is that in more than one quarter of California schools, the measles immu- nization rate for kindergar- teners is below the 92 per- cent threshold that doctors say is critical to protect pub- lic health. To end that, Boxer wrote the Head Start on Vacci- nations Act to ensure that the more than one million children in Head Start and Early Head Start nationally are fully vaccinated, includ- ing more than 100,000 chil- dren in California. The only exception will be for children who have a medical condition that would prevent them from being vaccinated, such as an autoimmune deficiency, chemotherapy treatment or a recent transplant. "And this isn't just about measles — last year, there were more than 10,000 cases of whooping cough in the state of California," Boxer said. "At the same time, we are seeing troubling signs here in California that a growing number of parents are not getting their chil- dren fully vaccinated." There will be critics, in- cluding plenty of parents who choose not to vaccinate their children amid worries that shots trigger autism in children. Along the same lines, Pan and state Sen. Ben Allen, D- Santa Monica, will soon in- troduce legislation to re- peal the state's personal-be- lief exemption that allows parents to opt out of vacci- MEASLES OUTBREAK California lawmakers address importance of vaccinations Staff Reports Students in Red Bluff and surrounding areas will have the opportunity to learn about rodeo when a free camp comes to town. The PRCA is hosting a free one-day roughstock camp Saturday, March 28, in Red Bluff. The camp is or- ganized by the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association and hosted by the Red Bluff Round-Up. The PRCA hosts a series of about 20 camps nationwide each year. This camp is geared to- ward those competitors who are just starting out in the sport, and those with some experience who want to learn about fundamen- tals from PRCA champion cowboys. "Some cowboys may not have a parent or older sib- ling with ProRodeo experi- ence and may not have ac- cess to instruction," said Ju- lie Jutten, industry outreach manager at PRCA. "We want to provide future ProRodeo athletes free opportunities to learn how to use rodeo equipment and to be around livestock." Camp curriculum in- cludes an introduction to roughstock events with an emphasis on safety, tech- nique, chute procedures, livestock safety, riding equipment, injury preven- tion, management, fitness, nutrition and business. There are no live buckouts. New this year, the Red Bluff camp will offer in- struction in steer wrestling as well as roughstock events. "We are excited to be in- volved with a program that gives young athletes an op- portunity to learn about ro- deo from some of the sport's top contestants for free," said Harvey Camacho, with the Red Bluff Round-Up. To learn more or get reg- istered for this camp, visit prorodeo.com/prorodeo/ro- deo/youth-rodeo. ROUND-UP A FREE RODEO CAMP COMING TO RED BLUFF COURTESY John Growney greets the attendees at the PRCA Rodeo Camp for youth in 2014. "When we take our children and grandchildren to school, to a park, to a daycare center, or to a Head Start program, we deserve to know that they will be safe, especially if the child has a weakened immune system." — Barbara Boxer, senator LOAN » PAGE 7 COUNCIL » PAGE 7 MEASLES » PAGE 7 » redbluffdailynews.com Thursday, February 19, 2015 50CENTS AN EDITION OF THE CHICO ENTERPRISE-RECORD ★ 7 58551 69001 9 Volume130,issue65 Good morning, thanks for subscribing » Ronald Fox BASKETBALL Mercy sweeps Bulldogs Sports » B1 WILDLIFE Junior duck stamp contest Lifestyles » A4 FORECAST High: 73 Low: 45 » B8 Checkoutourcontinuous news feed, short Tout videos, photo galleries and more. VISITREDBLUFFDAILYNEWS.COM EVENMORE ONTHEWEB