Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/6574
SACRAMENTO (AP) — Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger on Wednesday won the right to cut Lincoln's Birthday and Columbus Day from state workers' list of paid holidays. San Francisco Superi- or Court Judge Peter Busch ruled that the Schwarzenegger admin- istration did not violate a labor contract when it began enforcing the change. The number of state holidays was cut from 14 to 12 last year. California Attorneys, Administrative Law Judges and Hearing Offi- cers in State Employment — the union that repre- sents state attorneys and administrative judges — had argued that the state could not enforce the cut because the terms of their expired contract remained in place. Busch disagreed, say- ing the Legislature can change the number of holidays. It did so as part of budget cuts last year to save $27 million a year. Washington's Birth- day still counts as a paid day off for state workers. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statis- tics, the average number of paid holidays for state and local government employees nationwide is 11 days a year. The aver- age private-sector employee receives eight paid holidays. ''It doesn't make sense for state employee unions to fight to go from 12 paid holidays to 14 in today's tough economy when the rest of state government and the pri- vate sector is cutting back,'' Schwarzenegger spokeswoman Rachel Arrezola said. Pat Whalen, attorney for the union, said the union will consider an appeal once Busch issues his written ruling. The judge issued his decision Wednesday. Other unions are chal- lenging holiday reduc- tions on different grounds. The lawsuits are on top of two dozen suits unions have filed against the administra- tion over furloughs and pay cuts. PITTSBURGH (AP) — A San Francisco man claims he was high on a double dose of medical marijuana cookies when he screamed, dropped his pants and attacked crew members on a cross-coun- try flight, forcing its diversion to Pittsburgh, the FBI said Wednesday. Kinman Chan, 30, was charged in a criminal complaint with interfering with the duties of a flight attendant on allegations that he fought with crew members of US Airways Flight 1447 from Philadelphia to Los Ange- les on Sunday. His federal public defender, Jay Finkelstein, declined to comment. Crew members said Chan made odd gestures before he entered the plane's rear restroom shortly after takeoff and began to scream, accord- ing to the complaint. Chan told the FBI that he ''came back to reality'' and exited the restroom, at which point the crew noticed his ''pants were down, his shirt was untucked and all the com- partments in the restroom were opened.'' When crew members tried to get Chan to sit, he fought them and had to be subdued in a choke hold, the complaint said. Chan told agents who interviewed him in Pitts- Red Bluff Outdoor Power POWER PRODUCTS DOLMAR Weather forecast 6A Cloudy with a chance of rain 52/44 N EWS D AILY DAILY 50¢ THURSDAY FEBRUARY 4, 2010 Chico jazz for Valentine's Day Texas Swing Breaking news at: www.redbluffdailynews.com N EWS D AILY RED BLUFF TEHAMA COUNTY 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 See Page 4A SPORTS 1B Pastimes 7 5 8 5 5 1 6 9 0 0 1 9 Learn Intermediate EXCEL Tues., Feb. 16 TH 8:30 am to 12:30 pm Cost: $65.00 per person Job Training Center 718 Main St., Red Bluff Call 529-7000 to register Jack the Ribber 1150 Monroe St. 527-6108 Full Rack of Ribs $ 15 GET MOM OUT OF THE KITCHEN OPEN SUPER BOWL SUNDAY 11am to 8pm Man stabbed, killed in Paynes Creek area By GEOFF JOHNSON DN Staff Writer PAYNES CREEK — A woman was arrested Tuesday night on suspicion driving a 10-inch butcher knife into her live-in boyfriend's abdomen and killing him in the process. Sheriff's Deputies arrested Susan Amelia Childs, 49, also known as Susan Amelia Fish- er, around 7:30 p.m. outside her Plum Creek Road resi- dence, which she shared with the victim, 39-year-old Larry Lee Arnel. Arnel's father, 68-year-old Larry Elsworth Arnel, who also lives at the residence, made the 911 call, though how much of the dispute he wit- nessed is unclear, Tehama County Sheriff 's Capt. Paul Hosler said. According to logs, the crime took place in the den, and Childs was on her way out as the father called. Attempts to revive the younger Arnel were unsuccessful, and he was pronounced dead at the scene. The couple was arguing before the murder, but specifics were unclear Wednesday afternoon, includ- ing whether alcohol played a role in the argument and whether the fight was just ver- bal. The investigation is still in its early stages, Hosler said. Childs had several out- standing warrants at the time of her arrest, including failing to appear in court, and is thought to have assaulted a peace officer in a separate incident. Bail was set at $1,136,500. ——— Geoff Johnson can be reached at 527-2153, extension 114 or gjohnson@redbluffdailynews. com. Train kills man Daily News photo by Julie Zeeb A 25-year-old man who was hit by a southbound freight train Wednesday afternoon near the Willow Street Overcrossing died from his injuries. By JULIE ZEEB DN Staff Writer A man died from his injuries Wednesday evening after being hit shortly before 3 p.m. by a south- bound freight train near the Willow Street Overcrossing. The 25-year-old man, whose identity was confirmed late Wednes- day, was taken to St. Elizabeth Community Hospital with signifi- cant injuries about 3:30 p.m., said Red Bluff Police Sgt. Jason Bee- man. The man's name is being held pending notification of the next of kin, said Sgt. Quintan Ortega. The incident was reported around 2:51 p.m. with the conductor of the train being one of several original reporting parties, Ortega said. The conductor and witnesses at the scene said the man, whose age was uncertain earlier in the day due to the severity of his injuries, was walking alone, Ortega said. The conductor said that as the train was coming down the tracks the man, who had his back to the train, never turned around. Whether or not the man heard the train approach is unknown, Ortega said. "When we get all the information we'll better be able to determine what happened," Ortega said. Traffic came to a near standstill and was only blocked off from the corner of Madison and Willow streets to just past the overcrossing until just before 3:30 p.m. It remained slow for at least another hour. According to scanner reports, traffic also was blocked at Aloha and Jackson streets and on Walnut Street. The train was delayed while offi- cers investigated the incident, but it was expected to be on its way about 4:30 p.m., Ortega said. Red Bluff Fire personnel were on scene to assist with the incident. Pipe bomb found, disarmed off 99E LOS MOLINOS — A pipe bomb found in a resi- dential area was disabled and removed by the Butte County Bomb Squad Wednesday afternoon. The 10-inch-long pipe bomb was found around 2 p.m. on the side of the road on Fourth Avenue near Highway 99E by a Tehama County Sheriff's animal regulation officer who was performing a routine call. How long the bomb had been there or who placed it there is unknown, said Capt. Danny Rabalais. Compared to other pipe bomb eradication there is nothing unusual about the case, but it was fortunate that the bomb was found because children do play in that area, he said. This is the third pipe bomb in less than a month local law enforcement have dealt with. — Tang Lor Lawmaker wants pot growers, sellers to get licenses SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A California law- maker is proposing to require all marijuana growers and sellers to be licensed by the state as a way to increase sales tax revenue. Democratic state Sen. Ron Calderon said Wednesday he plans to introduce a bill requiring all legal and illegal mari- juana businesses to regis- ter with the Board of Equalization, the state agency that collects sales tax. The bill would not legalize marijuana beyond current state law. Supporters say the measure is intended main- ly to provide a system of regulation for medical marijuana dispensaries. Such dispensaries already are required to pay sales tax like other businesses, but board vice chair Jerome Horton says many don't comply. ''There is a clear indi- cation that many dispen- saries are intentionally evading their taxes, dis- tributing illegal products and may be laundering illegally acquired money,'' Horton said in a statement. Licensees would have to pay a fee, prepay part of the sales tax and pay an excise tax similar to man- ufacturers, distributors and retailers of tobacco products in the state. Calderon spokesman Rocky Rushing said the lawmaker estimates full compliance from legal medical marijuana sellers could generate $168 mil- lion in revenue. The Board of Equaliza- tion estimates that $1.3 billion worth of marijuana is sold legally in the state every year but only $8 million in sales tax are FBI: Unruly passenger blames medical pot Schwarzenegger wins right to cut 2 holidays 'It doesn't make sense for state employee unions to fight to go from 12 paid holidays to 14 in today's tough economy...' Spokeswoman Rachel Arrezola See POT, page 3A See FBI, page 3A