Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/67657
TUESDAY MAY 29, 2012 www.redbluffdailynews.com See Page 6A Breaking news at: Vitality Pain Disk May Mean Relief RED BLUFF Wonder Women SPORTS 1B Weather forecast 10B Sunny 86/57 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 Some gave all Deal gives cops raises By ANDREA WAGNER DN Staff Writer Police Department employees will no longer have furloughs at the end of June and are in line for a raise next year. The Red Bluff Peace Officers Association agreed on a three-year labor contract with the city this week. Terms of the agreement include officers returning to 40-hour work weeks after June 30. The city has also agreed to give officers a raise in the second two years of the contract, contingent upon sales tax revenue. Association members are slated to get a 2 percent raise the second year, beginning July 1, 2013, and a 4.5 percent raise the third year, beginning July 1, 2014, if tax revenues are sufficient. Officers will continue to pay the employees portion See COPS, page 9A Homecomings American Daily News photos by Chip Thompson Above: A visitor stops to reflect over at veteran's grave Monday morning at Oak Hill Cemetery in Red Bluff, prior to ceremonies commemorating those who have died in service to their country. Below:The colors are presented by the Marine Corps League 1140, American Legion Post 167 and VFW Post 1932, while the Young Marines salute. By CHIP THOMPSON DN editor More than 100 turned out Monday morning at Red Bluff's Oak Hill Cemetery to pay tribute to those who have died in service to their country. The cemetery was fully adorned with American flags for the occasion, including the traditional Avenue of Flags stretch- ing the length of the cemetery. Each veteran's grave was posted with a flag. Prior to ceremonies conducted by American Legion Post 167, VFW Post 1932 and Marine Corps League 1140, the Red Bluff Community Band played a selection of military and patriotic music for about an hour. Master of Ceremonies Kevin Benson, Sr. intro- duced Lisha Goings, who sang the National Anthem, led the pledge of allegiance and introduced Ray Edwards of the VFW, who offered the invoca- — asking members and veterans of each branch to stand when their branch's song was per- formed. Wreaths were laid by D'Lorah Hurton, of the Native Daughters of the Golden West; American Legion, VFW and Marine Corps League, with mem- bers representing WWII, Ray Mott, Korea, Joaquin Cruz, Vietnam, Benson, Desert Storm, Nathan England and Iraq, Buddy Male. Taps was performed by Ray Edwards of the American Legion before Benson delivered his clos- ing remarks. The choir joined with the band to perform Blades of Grass and Pure White Stones before the introduction of the main speaker, Milton Goings, who spoke on the theme "All gave some." tion. A crowd favorite, the Community Baptist Silicon Valley entrepreneur lived at AOL office PALO ALTO (AP) — Some of Silicon Valley's most successful entrepre- neurs are known for their humble beginnings. Inter- net startup founder Eric Simons is following that tradition. Simons, 20, spent two months living secretly at the Palo Alto office of AOL Inc. to save money. His story — first reported by the technology website CNET last week — has generated buzz on social media sites. AOL after receiving a $20,000 grant for his site, ClassConnect, from a business incubator that used AOL's Palo Alto Simons ended up at office. ClassConnect helps teachers create and share lesson plans. When he was no longer able to pay rent, he made the office his home. He kept clothes at the AOL gym, where he showered, slept on couches in sever- al office rooms and grabbed snacks that were set out for everyone in the morning. ''I'd grab two cups of Ramen noodles and trail mix for lunch and dinner, and cereal for breakfast,'' he told the San Jose Mer- cury News. He would then work on the site for hours. ''It was pretty hellish,'' he said. ''In some respects, it totally sucked.'' He also occasionally stayed on a sofa at a Palo 7 5 8 5 5 1 6 9 0 0 1 9 See AOL, page 9A Band performed a Salute to the Armed Forces — a medley of service songs was offered following Monday's ceremonies at the Veterans Hall at Oak and Jackson streets. Project follows veterans as they return to life at home By GREG WELTER MediaNews Group CHICO — As Nick Wright was pulled through the twists and turns of losing his mother at 15, a failed marriage, war, a severe brain injury and the ravages of post- traumatic stress disorder, he never lost touch with his sense of honor. Wright joined the Marines at 18, and went on to volunteer for three frontline tours in Iraq. With three children by he says. Now the decorated combat soldier from Chico is adding his voice to "American Homecom- ings." The experience is likely to expose the scars he desperately wants to keep from the outside world, but it's one he's willing to endure if it helps other veterans. Wright, 29, left the bat- tlefield five years ago with a traumatic brain injury and plenty of emo- tional baggage. Several months later he was back home. Finding work was tough. "It seemed like there was an actual con- spiracy against veterans," he recalled. A call to serve A spaghetti luncheon his first wife while still in the service, Wright has had two more since get- ting remarried nearly three years ago. He is a devoted father and has made his family the center of his universe. Struggling to regain his footing, Wright's moral compass keeps him look- ing inward for the answers to his emotional problems from PTSD. "I blame no one but myself for what has happened," the way shortly after high school graduation, Wright decided the military was the best way to support his family. He said he wanted to go to Iraq for humanitarian reasons. "Some said it (the war) Married with a child on was about oil, but I went because I wanted to help people," Wright said. "I honestly thought that the situation needed to be taken care of." See PROJECT, page 9A Big rig burns, spills fuel on I-5 Sunday Daily News photo by Ross Palubeski Red Bluff Fire, CalFire and Tehama County Fire departments responded around 11:20 a.m. Sunday to a reported commercial big rig on fire on Inter- state 5 behind St. Eliza- beth Community Hos- pital. About 150 gal- lons of diesel fuel leaked into a nearby waterway. The fire was contained at 12:17 p.m. an effort to learn some- thing about the religious Wright said he made Smog Inspection $ COMPLETE AUTO REPAIR Pass or FREE retest (MOST CARS & PICK-UPS) 2595 195 S. Main St. Red Bluff 530 527-9841 + cert.