Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/53759
FRIDAY JANUARY 27, 2012 Breaking news at: Only the Best Geldings Bull Sale www.redbluffdailynews.com See Pages 6A and 7A RED BLUFF Gomes Comes Home SPORTS 1B Weather forecast 10A Sunny 65/37 By JULIE ZEEB DN Staff Writer Preliminary numbers for unemployment released by the Employment Development Department show Tehama 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 Jobless rate ticks up, but down over year County's rate at 14.6 percent in December 2011. While this is a 0.7 percent increase, it is lower than the December 2010 rate of 15.6 percent. State unemployment stayed at 10.9 percent for the second month in a row, down from 11.2 percent in October and 12.3 percent in December 2010. National unemployment saw a 0.1 percent increase going to 8.3 percent, but is still lower than the 8.5 percent of October 2011 and 9.1 percent of Decem- ber 2010. The biggest change for the year was a 9.1 percent decrease in mining and logging, which also had the biggest percent Water wariness change for the month with a 23.1 percent decrease. All changes in the measured indus- tries were less than 10 percent for the year. See RATE, page 9A Stock horse classic coming to RB The Tehama District Fairground will host the 2012 National Stock Horse Association (NSHA) Classic in Febru- ary. With more than 230 outstanding horses, this premiere equine event is expected to bring $1.6 mil- lion to the area. These types of events have tremendous positive economic impact on their host cities, according to Tanna Dilday, NSHA pres- ident. During the four-day show, scheduled for Feb. 23-26, exhibitors and own- ers not only purchase feed, shavings and tack, but buy fuel, dine at local restau- rants, shop in local stores, lodge in hotels and have their clothes dry-cleaned. Using formulas that measure the number of people that accompany each horse and their aver- age daily spending, $402,500 will be directly deposited into the Red Bluff economy during the event. Multiply that by four, the estimated number of times each tourist dollar turns over, and the NSHA and the Tehama District See HORSE, page 9A Indian tribes see economic growth beyond casinos By BARBARA ARRIGONI Daily News photo by Andrea Wagner Del Reimers of Orland speaks to "allies" at a Tehama County Tea Party Patriots meeting Tuesday evening about water issues in rural Northern California. By ANDREA WAGNER DN Staff Writer The Tehama County Tea Party Patriots began dialogue with water rights advocates during the group's Tuesday night meeting. More than 80 people edged onto folding chairs set up on the dance floor of the Red Bluff Grange Hall on Walnut Street, eager to share questions and concerns, after coffee and cookies. The Patriots were ready to talk peacefully Tuesday evening, in con- trast to a riled up group of individuals that stirred up conflict at a public meet- ing the week before. Representatives of the group had made apologies to the Board of Supervi- sors Tuesday morning and through the Daily News' opinion page about the actions of Tea Party affili- ates from Redding and other towns at a water plan meeting Jan. 18. Water rights were the topic of the night and many wanted to know more about the Jan. 18 meeting. Del Reimers, an Orland rancher and landowner who has been fighting for agricultural water rights for decades, Assembly bills expand health coverage SACRAMENTO (AP) — The state Assembly on Thursday passed a set of bills intended to broaden the mental health and health care services covered by pri- vate insurance plans. Lawmakers approved AB154, which would require insurers to cover the diagnosis and treatment of mental illnesses, and AB171 for coverage of develop- mental disorders such as autism. They also approved legislation to cover oral chemotherapy treatments and mammograms regard- less of age. The bills now move to the Senate ahead of a Tues- day deadline to pass legisla- tion that was introduced last year. Supporters say many people with mental illness and substance abuse prob- lems are unable to obtain treatment and end up in pub- lic health care programs, emergency rooms and state and county jails. ''The bill is a cost-effec- tive way to help people who are paying for health insur- ance actually to get (the) full-scope health insurance they need,'' said Assembly- man Jim Beall, a San Jose Democrat who authored the mental health and autism bills. ''Mental health and substance abuses are treat- able, and treatment reduces incarceration, homelessness, and most importantly human suffering.'' Getting people treated earlier also will save taxpay- er money, he said. Republican lawmakers said the legislation will drive up insurance costs, particu- larly as government broad- 7 5 8 5 5 1 6 9 0 0 1 9 See BILLS, page 9A Daily News photo by Julie Zeeb Red Bluff Union High School Band students practice Wednesday under the direction of Gabriel Sakuma for Notes and Noodles, an annual event that supports the band program.The dinner event is tonight at the Red Bluff Community Center, 1500 S. Jackson St. There will be two shows, at 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. Cost is $7 and tickets can be purchased at the door. was invited to speak. What started the dis- cussion was a public out- reach meeting of the Northern Sacramento Val- ley Integrated Regional Watershed Management Plan, a state grant-funded, six-county project estab- lished to create a water plan for the area. Reimers and others who tried to speak at the water management plan meeting were interrupted and stalled by several boisterous guests, report- edly from Redding, who effectually halted any substantive discussion. Tuesday's meeting was a different story. It began with announcements about community events and a call for volunteers to col- lect donations for the Tehama District Fair- ground during the Red Bluff Bull & Gelding Sale. Reimers took to the lectern and began to tell tales of his own water fight in Glenn County and how it relates to the Northern Sacramento Val- ley Integrated Regional Water Management Plan. His advice was to go to every meeting and keep it civil. See WATER, page 9A MediaNews Group OROVILLE — Even through difficult economic times, American Indian tribes are a growing economy and there are many opportunities for them to branch out beyond gaming. Those were two of the main points addressed Jan. 12 at the Economic Forecast Conference at Gold Country Casino in Oroville. Tracey Stanhoff, who represented the American Indian Chamber of Commerce of California, was one of five guest panelists for a session entitled "Native Amer- ican Economic Development: what are the keys to building sustainable Native American businesses?" Stanhoff said she was excited to have the opportuni- ty to share "what we're doing here in Indian Country." "We have a great need to have American Indian peo- ple speaking on Native American businesses," she told the audience. "We're trying to develop ourselves into world-class global entrepreneurs." The session, attended by people from Chico, Oroville, Willows and North Highlands, was led by Don Krysakowski, assistant director of the Center for Economic Development at Chico State University. The Center for Economic Development is currently working on two efforts for Indian tribes: developing the infrastructure to get high-speed Internet to the 111 tribes in California, and working with the U.S. Eco- See TRIBES, page 9A Notes and Noodles fundraiser tonight