Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/671362
The Associated Press LAQUINTA A100-year-old woman evicted from her apartment has a new home in the Southern California desert after a newspaper reported on her plight and motivational speaker Tony Robbins and a local con- gressman joined in help- ing her. The Desert Sun newspa- per says on April 1 Evelyn Heller lost a trial in which her Palm Desert landlord sought her eviction on grounds she had loud, dis- ruptive arguments with one of her daughters. "I have four grandsons, but I don't want to be de- pendent on them," Heller told the judge at the time. "I can't be a burden to my family. They don't have room for me. That happens in life." When the story ran, Robbins and U.S. Rep. Raul Ruiz contacted the newspaper, which put them in touch with each other. Ruiz sent social workers to help Heller find a new apartment and Robbins do- nated $24,000 — $1,000 a month for two years. She now lives in La Quinta, where Ruiz, his wife, Monica Rivers, and Robbins visited her Fri- day. Rivers brought a pot of homemade chicken noo- dle soup. "That's wonderful!" Heller said, inviting them in. "How sweet of you." Robbins arrived a few minutes later and the group spent 20 minutes chatting. "I don't know how any- one my age can have a big- ger day than today," Heller said. "I just don't know how." The benefactors sought to reassure her that she would be looked after. "You have a lot of peo- ple who are going to keep an eye on you now," Ruiz said. The congressman, a phy- sician and Democrat repre- senting California's 36th District, told the newspaper as he left that Heller repre- sents a larger problem. "I think our seniors are struggling. Their so- cial security isn't going far enough. Some of them don't have family or friends," he said. "And it breaks my heart." SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA Ev ic te d ce nt en ar ia n woman gets new home GABBYFERREIRA—PALMSPRINGSDESERTSUN Tony Robbins, a celebrity motivational speaker and philanthropist, kisses the hand of Evelyn Heller, 100, in her apartment in La Quinta. FRANK BELLINO — THE PRESS-ENTERPRISE A water tender makes his way back to the the Mountain Fire near Lake Hemet. The Associated Press CABAZON Vast wildfires have created lengthy gaps in Southern California sec- tions of the famed Pacific Crest Trail, which hikers must bypass via shuttles or alternate routes to avoid dangerous conditions like unstable trees and loose rocks. Long-distancebackpack- ers must be shuttled by van around the closures or risk incurring $2,500 fines, the Riverside Press-Enterprise reported Monday. To get around a 15.5- mile gap caused by a wildfire last year in the San Bernardino National Forest, hikers are driven from the Whitewater Trail House in Cabazon to Onyx Summit on State Route 38, where the trail reopens. About 14 miles of the trail approaching the mountain town of Idyll- wild are closed three years after a blaze scorched more than 27,000 acres. Each year, thousands trek sections of the 2,650- mile Pacific Crest Trail, which runs from Mexico to Canada. Some of the adventurers — who often take on nick- names for their journeys — aren't thrilled with the idea of getting into a van after retreating into the wilderness. Last week in Idyllwild, Bruce "Man in Black" Cornish of San Di- ego planned to research an alternate hiking route to bypass the closed section while waiting for friends. At 59, he retired early from a job as an eighth- grade science teacher to hike the entire route after dreaming about the trip for 20 years. "The philosophy of this trail is, 'Hike your own hike,' " he told the news- paper. "If people want to hitch ahead, that's cool. It's just not for me." Danger in the unsta- ble areas can come from falling branches dubbed "widow-makers," dead gi- ant trees with weak roots that can fall and crush hik- ers, the U.S. Forest Ser- vice said. Loose rocks, debris including rolling logs, flash floods, trailside stump holes and slippery ash can also pose a danger. Crews are working to re- move charred trees and fill in holes to make the trails passable again. While some hikers are impatient for the work to finish, oth- ers don't mind catching an occasional ride. "I know some other peo- ple who are what we call 'purists' — want to hike ev- ery inch of the trail," said Robert "Bobcat" Donnel- lan, 38, of Asheville, N.C., sitting at a picnic table outside the Whitewater home where he was stay- ing April 13. "I personally don't care." Fires create gaps in the Pacific Crest DANGEROUS CONDITIONS By Alison Noon The Associated Press SACRAMENTO Democratic lawmakers called Monday for California to spend $1.3 billion next year to help workers afford housing and to shelter homeless people in response to the growing statewide issue. "People literally cannot afford to live where they work and some folks can't afford to live in any com- munity at all," said Assem- blyman Tony Thurmond, D- Richmond. He and Assemblyman David Chiu, D-San Fran- cisco, were flanked by nine other Democratic legis- lators, including Speaker Anthony Rendon of Para- mount, as they announced their proposal to use an un- expected tax windfall to ad- dress what they termed a housing crisis. In January, Senate Dem- ocrats, joined by some Re- publicans, proposed a $2 billion bond measure to build permanent housing to help the nation's largest homeless population. Democratic Gov. Jerry Brown was noncommittal on supporting either plan before budget negotiations get under way next month. "We have heard loud and clear that, if it's a priority of the Legislature during the budget process, that is something the governor and his staff will consider," Chiu said, citing meetings he has had with the gover- nor's staff. Brown spokeswoman Deborah Hoffman declined comment Monday. In Janu- ary she said the administra- tion would review the Sen- ate plan to redirect money from Proposition 63, the 2004 ballot measure that added a 1 percent tax on incomes over $1 million to pay for mental health treat- ment. Most of the funds in the Assembly plan would be distributed through com- petitive grants to help pri- vate organizations build multi-family housing and allow local governments to assist homebuyers with down-payments or mort- gages. A portion would pro- vide emergency shelters for transient people and rent- als for farmworkers. Housing California Ex- ecutive Director Shamus Roller, whose organiza- tion lobbies for affordable housing, said the proposal is the most significant push for low-income home development since a 2006 bonding measure provided more than $2.8 billion for similar investments. Most of that money has been spent. "Our high housing costs are making it difficult for people to be successful," Roller said. "Rents are go- ing up, housing costs are going up and there are just too many people who are in some form of housing crisis right now." Assemblyman Marc Steinorth, R-Rancho Cu- camonga, objected to us- ing state funds to create "a new generation of renters." CALIFORNIA Lawmakers eye $1.3B for housing By Alison Noon The Associated Press SACRAMENTO The Califor- nia Assembly on Monday approved banning tobacco use on all California State University and community college campuses, building on a package of restrictions already awaiting Gov. Jerry Brown's signature. Assemblyman Kevin McCarty's proposal for to- bacco-free campuses re- ceived just enough votes to clear the lower legislative chamber, passing 41-23. AB1594 now heads to the state Senate. It would prohibit chewing, dipping, smoking or vaping natu- ral or synthetic tobacco products on 136 California campuses. About 2.5 mil- lion students attend those schools that have a total of about 100,000 staff and fac- ulty members. "This measure will pro- mote a safe and healthy en- vironment for students to learn and make campuses a more education-friendly environment and tobacco- smoke-free," said McCarty, D-Sacramento. The proposal would al- low school trustees and board members to decide whether to fine campus smokers up to $100. The money would go to support education programs at the campus where the violation occurred. Supporters said the bill would help decrease the harmful effects of nicotine and secondhand smoke. Others questioned whether it is necessary, given that campus officials can al- ready ban tobacco. Assemblyman Donald Wagner, R-Irvine, opposed the bill and rebutted Mc- Carty's argument that uni- fying all campus policies would be beneficial. "We do in fact have lo- cal governments that are charged with making these decisions," Wagner said. "That is not a hodgepodge; that is democracy natu- rally." The Legislature sent six different tobacco restric- tions to Brown on Friday, including a plan to raise the legal age to buy tobacco from 18 to 21. The other proposals would regulate electronic cigarettes, allow local to- baccotaxes,establishannual tobacco license fees, encour- age all charter schools to be tobacco free and expand ex- isting tobacco-free work- places to include small busi- nesses, break rooms and ho- tel lobbies. SACRAMENTO Assembly OKs tobacco-free campuses The Associated Press SAN FRANCISCO Authori- ties say two San Francisco police officers were trans- ported to the hospital Sun- day evening after a driver ran a red light and hit their patrol car. The San Francisco Chronicle reports that po- lice spokesman Carlos Man- fredi says the officers suf- fered non-life-threatening injuries. One had a head injury and the other had chest pain. Manfredi says the driver of the SUV who ran the red light remained on the scene. It was not immedi- ately clear if the driver re- ceived a citation. No arrests were made. The accident occurred around 6 p.m. at Evans Ave- nue and Phelps Street in the Bayview district of the city. BAY AREA SUV hits patrol car, 2 San Francisco officers injured | NEWS | REDBLUFFDAILYNEWS.COM TUESDAY, APRIL 26, 2016 8 A