Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/539878
ByPaulRogers progers@mercurynews.com Twitter.com/PaulRogersSJMN AsPacificOceantemperatures continue to warm and trade winds shift, federal scientists now say that the El Niño weather event that's emerging could be one of the strongest on record. With California desperate for relief from its punishing four- year drought, the trend is signifi- cantly increasing the chances that storms will drench the state this winter, according to a new re- port released by federal scientists Thursday. And scientists say the conditions are lining up in ways not seen since the winter of 1997- 98, when downpours filled reser- voirs and sent rivers raging dur- ing the last major El Niño. "That's good news for Califor- nia," said Mike Halpert, deputy director for NOAA's climate pre- diction center in College Park, Maryland. "There are obviously no guarantees, but above-normal rainfall is becoming more likely." The chances are now "greater than 90 percent" that El Niño conditions that began in March will remain through this winter, according to the monthly El Niño report from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. That's up from 85 percent last month and 50 percent from four months ago. "We are on the right path now. We want to see it continue to strengthen and build, and cer- tainly to not weaken any time be- fore the new year," said Califor- nia's state climatologist, Michael Anderson, who is with the state Department of Water Resources. El Niño is a disruption in the weather patterns over the Pacific Ocean, when the ocean's surface warms more than normal. Those warm waters release heat, chang- ing wind directions and the jet stream. Strong El Niños, when the wa- ter is the warmest, have histori- cally been linked to wet weather in California and South America — and droughts in Australia and Asia. As El Niño conditions have con- tinued to grow this year, Peru in recent weeks declared an El Niño emergency, warning of flooding that could begin there this sum- mer. Citigroup and the United Na- tions have issued warnings about potential price spikes in wheat and other food staples that would result from reduced harvests in Australia and other countries. DROUGHT Possible record El Niño weather event emerging RED BLUFF The Tehama County Animal Care Center will be hold- ing a Free the Felines cat adop- tion event starting Friday, July 10. During the three day event the care center will waive all adoption fees for adult cats and reduce the adoption fees for kit- tens to $10. Staff are hoping to adopt out more than 40 cats and kittens during this upcom- ing event. This event is the second of five scheduled Free Cat Friday events held by the center this summer. Felines ready for adoption are current on vaccinations and have been tested for feline leukemia. Additionally, all spay and neuter and rabies vaccina- tion fees for cats adopted dur- ing the event will be paid for by PETS — Providing Essentials for Tehama Shelter. "Kitten season is in full swing and here at the Animal Care Center our goal is to get all of our cats and kittens placed in forever homes," said Animal Care Center Manager Christine McClintock. "Our fosters, volun- teers, care center staff and PETS members have done a fantastic job raising and caring for our kittens until they were ready for adoption and we want to show- case their hard work and com- mitment with this adoption event." The center is at 1830 Wal- nut St. in Red Bluff. Hours are 8 a.m. to noon and 1-5 p.m. Mon- day through Friday and 10 a.m. to noon and 1-5 p.m. Saturday. Adoption hours are 10 a.m. to noon and 1-4:30 p.m. If you would like more information regarding adopting, fostering or becoming a care center vol- unteer, call 527-3439 or send an email to cmcclintock52@sbc- global.net. ANIMAL CARE CENTER Staff report CHICO Human remains found in March along the west bank of the Sacramento River across from Scotty's Landing have been identified as a missing Red Bluff man. The man was identified through DNA analysis as Eugene Warren Shepherd. Shepherd was 65 at the time he was reported missing to the Red Bluff Police Department on Feb. 3, 2006, ac- cording to a Butte County Sher- iff's Office press release issued Thursday. No evidence of foul play was found. About noon on March 8, the Sheriff's Office responded to the river after the state Department of Fish and Wildlife reported that part of a human skull was found exposed in dirt, accord- ing to the release. A U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service officer came across the remains when he was working in the area with his dog. At the time, detectives and fo- rensic anthropologists from Chico State University said it appeared the remains had been in the area for at least a year. Shepherd had been listed as a voluntarily missing adult, and there was some indication that he had last been seen in Red Bluff at the Sacramento River near Gilm- ore Road, according to the re- lease. According to Daily News re- ports at the time of his disap- pearance, it was believed Shep- herd entered the river near How- ell Avenue and Gilmore Road and drowned, Red Bluff Police Lt. Scott Capilla said Feb. 6, 2006. Four different search and rescue dogs had followed Shep- herd's scent to the edge of the river. Shepherd was last seen in Red Bluff the afternoon of Feb. 3, 2006 walking with a cane and a dis- tinctive limp, the Daily News re- ported. It was believed he took a local TRAX bus to Gilmore near Howell and he was seen sitting on a bench next to the Sacramento River at the then Idle Wheels trailer park. Shepherd's cane was found Feb. 8, 2006 near the spot the search and rescue dogs indicated he may have entered the river. No further reports were found. BUTTE COUNTY HumanremainsfoundnearriverID'd Man,whosebodywasrecoveredontheSacramentoRiver, had been reported missing from Red Bluff in 2006 Lifestyles........A5 Comics............B4 Community.....A3 Religion...........A7 Opinion............A4 Sports..............B1 INDEX The Junior Lifeguard Program at Whiskeytown is designed to teach ages 10and up water and beach safety. PAGEA5 LIFESTYLES JuniorLifeguard Program starts Monday Gleaners will distribute food starting Monday in Rancho Tehama, then Los Molinos, Corning and Red Bluff. PAGE A3 COMMUNITY Food distribution dates set for next week South Carolina's governor relegates the Confederate flag to the state's "relic room." PAGE B8 NEW LAW South Carolina taking down Confederate flag Greece offers a series of sweeping proposals to its creditors in an effort to stave off a financial collapse. PAGE B5 CASH CRISIS Greece offers sweeping proposals to creditors CORNING On a day when much of the county saw rainfall, a new water ordi- nance, voted in by the City Council on June 9, went into effect Thursday. The city declared a stage II drought condition May 26 that will require reg- ulations restricting cus- tomers to watering out- doors no more than twice a week. Stage II conditions indicate a need for a 25 percent reduction of wa- ter use in the area. It is up to the custom- ers which two days they choose to water outdoors but watering will be lim- ited to after 8 p.m. and be- fore 8 a.m. Excluded from the wa- ter restrictions are fruit and shade trees, vegeta- ble gardens and orchards. The new rule is intended only for ornamental land- scapes. "Upon a customer's vio- lation of (this restriction) the Public Works Direc- tor for the City of Corning shall provide an advisory letter of the violation," the ordinance states. "Every subsequent violation oc- curring in the following 12-month period shall be assessed a penalty of $50 per day for each violation." "People have been pro- active so far," said Pub- lic Works Director Dawn Grine. "If a sprinkler is broken and spraying in the street, they let me know. People have also been fix- ing their own water leaks at home." Parks, cemeteries and other properties will have the same restriction as res- idential and commercial customers. There is one exempted public area that is new to the city. The new soccer park, completed last year, still has new seeds and growing grass that needs to be established. This property is tempo- rarily exempt from com- pliance with the provision and will still be bound to abide by the water con- servancy measures such as limiting over spray and over watering, according to the ordinance. The watering restriction is necessary to protect the supply of water for human consumption, sanitation and fire protection. The council passed the amendment to the water ordinance with a 5-0 vote. Corning watering restrictions start Residents can water two nights each week DROUGHT DAILY NEWS FILE A kitten is pictured at the Tehama County Animal Care Center in this file photo. Cat adoption event starts this Friday PHOTOS BY HEATHER HOELSCHER — DAILY NEWS Top le : The grass in front of the apartments on the 1100block of Butte Street is already experiencing the effects of the drought. Top right: A home on the 600block of Fripp Avenue, slowly losing green grass as the current drought continues. Bottom le : A sidewalk in Corning is surrounded by dried up grass as a result of the drought. Bottom right: A home on Fi h Avenue affected by the drought. "People have been proactive so far. If a sprinkler is broken and spraying in the street, they let me know. People have also been fixing their own water leaks at home." — Public Works Director Dawn Grine DROUGHT PAGE 9 » redbluffdailynews.com Friday, July 10, 2015 50CENTS AN EDITION OF THE CHICO ENTERPRISE-RECORD 7 58551 69001 9 Volume130,issue166 Good morning, thanks for subscribing Velvet Peterson SOROPTIMIST New officers installed for coming year Community A3 LITTLE LEAGUE Red Bluff 11-12 All Stars take district Sports B1 FORECAST High: 85 Low: 64 A10 LiketheDailyNews on Facebook and stay in the loop on local news, sports and more. VISITFACEBOOK.COM/ RBDAILYNEWS LIKEUSON FACEBOOK