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TUESDAY DECEMBER 20, 2011 Breaking news at: www.redbluffdailynews.com Working holidays See Inside American Profile RED BLUFF 49ers on MNF Sports 1B Sunny 63/35 Weather forecast 8B By TANG LOR DN Staff Writer While the $79.6 million trig- ger cut to schools statewide that was recently announced by Gov. Jerry Brown will not be as devastating as predicted, local school districts are now left with having to pull from their general funds and dip into reserves. School districts countywide were at risk of losing 4 percent in general funds, an amount equal to about $2.8 million, and up to 50 percent or just over $1 million in transportation funds. Instead, the cuts came in closer to around 0.2 percent, which is a huge savings to local schools, said Kate Lane, assis- tant superintendent of business services at the Tehama County Department of Education. DAILYNEWS TEHAMACOUNTY DAILY 50¢ T H E V O I C E O F T E H A M A C O U N T Y S I N C E 1 8 8 5 Despite size, school cuts still a blow Still, the statewide elimina- tion of $248 million for the home-to-school transportation fund is a huge lost that will be especially tough for local dis- tricts, she said. Rural districts will feel the effect of the trans- portation cut more so than in other areas. While families in urban areas can turn to public transportation or other ways to get their children to school, those means are not as readily available here. "This cut is horribly unfair to rural districts," Lane said. "Here in the rural areas we're very dependent on school buses more so than in urban areas." The majority of students in the Los Molinos Unified School District ride the bus to school. The district runs three routes that make multiple trips, Super- intendent Charles Ward said. "If I had one request of the governor it would be to overhaul the education funding system and to encourage the legislature to quit playing games with money for our students. We have phenomenal programs to offer children and families, but we cannot sustain these programs without the government placing a priority on education." —RB Elementary District Superintendent William McCoy "We are small but we are spread out," Ward said. "With- out busing, our students would- n't make it to school." Ward said, buses are already running in the leanest and most efficient way. The district will lose about $77,000 for the remainder of the year, but cut- ting a bus route or choosing to spend less on transportation is not an option. The state is essentially holding school dis- tricts hostage because future funding is based on the amount districts spent the previous year. "If we don't continue to fund transportation from our own general fund, we would not only be making cuts this year but also into the future," Ward said. "There's a certain strong- arm tactic that is going on here." Despite losing close to $170,000 in transportation funding, the Red Bluff Joint Union High School District will not be making any cuts in trans- portation expenses. The district has to keep the same level of funding to ensure future fund- ing, Director of Fiscal Services DeAnn Grimes said. See CUTS, page 7A Erecting honor Fire destroys 3 residences By JULIE ZEEB DN Staff Writer Three residences were rendered unlivable fol- lowing an early morning fire, Monday, at the Bend RV Park, 21795 Bend Ferry Road, that sent one person to St. Elizabeth Community Hospital. The fire, reported at 4:30 a.m., completely destroyed the first residence whose occupant had significant injuries that were caused by the fire, said CalFire Public Information Officer Kevin Col- burn. The fire then spread to two additional nearby residences, whose occupants were able to escape without injury, Colburn said. No damage estimate was available, however both had significant enough damage to deem them uninhabitable, he said. Red Cross has been called upon and will be making contact with the victims. The fire, which was contained at 5:13 a.m., is believed to have been caused by a heater being placed too close to a combustible material, Colburn said. It is unknown if the residence had working smoke detectors, but CalFire would like to remind Tehama County residents of the importance of hav- ing the devices in a home, Colburn said. Smoke detectors are available free to individuals who do not have them at CalFire headquarters, 604 Antelope Blvd., in Red Bluff. CalFire responded along with the Antelope, Daily News photo by Julie Zeeb Members of the Tehama County Military Family Support Group pose for a picture Friday in front of the Gulf War era monument being constructed next to the Tehama County Adminis- tration Building. Pictured are Kathy and Chuck Peters, Donna Setterlund and Beth and Bob Chaney. By JULIE ZEEB DN Staff Writer The construction going on next to the Tehama County Administration building at 727 Oak St. is the beginning of a Gulf War-era monument. The proposal for the monument, which will honor military personnel from all branches serving during the Gulf War era, starting Aug. 2, 1990 to pre- sent, was brought to the Board of Supervisors by the Tehama County Military Family Support Group. "We started trying to get something together in 2007," said Chairman Bob Chaney. "It was one of the first things we thought of doing. We chose the Gulf War era because most of us had someone who was involved in it." The group first formed in 2006 as a way to support the soldiers who were deployed, he said. Approved in September by the supervisors, the group hopes to start putting names on the monument by Febru- ary, Chaney said. The total cost is expected to be between $15,000 and $20,000, said Beth Chaney. "It's really exciting," said Treasurer Kathy Peters. "This has been a long time coming, but the community has been so supportive. There are so many who have helped I'm afraid I'd leave someone out." Several community members have donated labor or supplies to the groups efforts including Donna Setterlund who cre- ated the artist concept from which Tim Coombs did the mechanical drawing. Glynn Phelps has stepped forward to do the rock work and Jim England will be doing the concrete work while Ken Morris is doing the engraving on the tiles. All of them are volun- teers for which the group is very thankful, Peters said. The group also is grateful to the supervisors for donating the land. "It is only with the sup- port of the community at large and our contributors and volunteers that we have 7 5 8 5 5 1 6 9 0 0 1 9 POWER PRODUCTS DOLMAR Red Bluff Outdoor Power been able to make progress on the monument," Peters said. Support has come in not just for the monument, but for the groups efforts to send care packages, which it does about every other month, usually trying to tie it in to a holiday, Chaney said. The group's next pack- age is scheduled to be sent at the end of January for Valentine's day, she said. "Everyone in the county has been so supportive of our military," Chaney said. "It's almost overwhelming." The group is in need of between $12,000 and $15,000 to complete the rest of the monument, which includes the face of the monument and the engrav- ing of granite tiles with the names. "This is really about our community recognizing the service men and women," Peters said. "Each member's name and branch of service will be engraved on granite tiles with special recognition to those who gave their life serving our country." The monument is an extension of the group's mission statement: "To honor active Tehama Coun- ty military personnel and to provide support by way of care packages and letters filled with energy and imag- ination to bring a smile to each service member we touch." The group strives to pro- vide emotional support to military families at home, Peter said. "We try to live by the mission statement," Bob See HONOR, page 7A Bowman and Dibble Creek units of the Tehama County Fire Department. ——— Red Bluff woman arrested following assault with rock A 32-year-old Red Bluff woman was arrested Friday evening in the area of Sand Slough at Ante- lope Boulevard on charges of assault with a deadly weapon after hitting a man with a rock. Deputies were sent at 11:23 p.m. to the area of Del Taco for a victim of assault, according to a Tehama County Sheriff's press release. After interviewing the victim, Manuel Keith Leon, 48, deputies learned Rochelle Reanna Bur- nett had allegedly hit Leon in the head with a large rock, causing a laceration. Leon was taken to St. Elizabeth Community Hospital for treatment and released. Burnett, who was located in another homeless encampment in the same area, was interviewed and admitted to hitting Leon with a rock, but said it was self defense. No other evidence suggests it was self defense, according to the release. Burnett was booked into Tehama County Jail on the charges of assault with a deadly weapon, not firearm: great bodily injury likely and work release program violation. Bail was set at $32,500. — Julie Zeeb COMPLETE AUTO REPAIR Smog Inspection $ 2595 + cert. (MOST CARS & PICK-UPS) Pass or FREE retest 195 S. Main St. Red Bluff 530 527-9841 Christmas Holiday, Monday, Dec. 26 New Years Holiday, Monday, Jan. 2 Advertising deadline for these editions & the Tuesdays following is 10am the previous Thursday. D NEWSAILY RED BLUFF TEHAMACOUNTY 527-2151 • FAX 527-3719 545 DIAMOND AVE., RED BLUFF The Daily News office will close at noon Friday, Dec. 23 & closed Julie Zeeb can be reached at 527-2153, extension 115 or jzeeb@redbluffdailynews.com.