Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/6806
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Strict salmon fishing restrictions off the California coast are likely again this year after feder- al regulators recorded a new record low of chi- nook salmon returning to rivers in Central Valley last year. The Pacific Fishery Management Council's newest report posted online Thursday reported that 39,530 natural and hatchery chinook or ''king'' salmon adults were estimated to have returned to the Sacramen- to River basin in 2009 to spawn. ''The 2009 adult escapement estimate is the lowest on record and continues the declining trend in the (Sacramento River chinook run),'' the council's report states. The 2009 numbers were down from the 66,264 counted the previ- ous year and showed an even greater drop from 90,000 counted in 2007. In 2002, more than 750,000 adult salmon were counted in the Sacramento River basin. The numbers help the council determine if it should recommend limits on commercial and recre- ational fishing. ''This year's Sacra- mento River fall Chinook adult return is a terrible disappointment,'' said Neil Manji, the California Department of Fish & Game fisheries branch chief. ''Salmon have a complex life cycle in both fresh and saltwater." Weather forecast 10A Cloudy, rain 56/45 N EWS D AILY DAILY 50¢ FRIDAY FEBRUARY 12, 2010 Greenberg's America Season Finale 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 Inside SPORTS 1B Select TV 7 5 8 5 5 1 6 9 0 0 1 9 MOULE'S TEHAMA COUNTY GLASS 515 Sycamore St. 529-0260 for Fireplace Glass 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 Ribeye Steak Dinner $ 14 00 while they last Love Bug Special for your Valentine Sat., Feb. 13 • 5-9pm Canal Authority sues feds over water rights By TANG LOR DN Staff Writer A major agriculture water supplier is trying to put a plug in the leak that is draining the North State's water supply. The Tehama-Colusa Canal Authority alleges the Bureau of Reclamation has been exporting water to other regions before serving the needs of those in the area of origin. The canal authority is suing to stop the bureau from violat- ing water law in hopes that the agriculture community will get its full share of water, General Manager Jeff Sutton said. "In a time of scarcity and drought situation with a dimin- ishing supply, we felt we had to assert this right to protect farm- ers and agriculture in the regional community," he said. In 10 of the last 33 years, the bureau has exported water before all contractors received their full water allocations. In 2008 and 2009, the bureau reduced water delivery to the area north of the San Joaquin Delta by 40 percent of the con- tract supply for agricultural water and 75 percent for munic- ipal and industrial water, according to the suit. The water was sent south, primarily to areas in the San Joaquin Valley. The suit, filed in federal court, is an attempt by the canal authority to stop the bureau from taking the water from the Central Valley Project out of its area of origin. The project sup- plies waters to the agricultural community north of the delta. The state created the Central Valley Project in 1933 and enacted the area of origin water code, a law that states water would serve the area where it originates before being export- ed. The project was later taken over by the federal government and operated through the bureau, at which time the feder- al government agreed to uphold the state law. Other defendants, besides the bureau and its Commissioner Michael L. Connor, named in the suit include the US Depart- 'We don't want to see the Northern Sacramento Valley area become synonymous with Owens Valley' Jeff Sutton, general manager Tehama-Colusa Canal Authority Corning OKs attorney funds Daily News photo by Julie Zeeb Corning resident Bucky Bowen talks to City Attorney Mike Fitzpatrick after Tuesday's City Council meeting. By JULIE ZEEB DN Staff Writer CORNING — With a 3-2 vote, the City Coun- cil Tuesday approved the release of retirement funds to City Attorney Mike Fitzpatrick . The no votes were councilmen John Leach and Ross Turner. "The contract was illegal and the City Attorney wasn't entitled to PERS," Leach said when asked why he voted no. Turner read a statement in which he said the vote to include PERS retirement was done during his time as a Tehama County Supervisor and he was not able to ask council to pursue a $2,000 retainer plus on call as needed instead of the con- tract approved. "I have had nothing but a good personal rela- tionship with Mike both as a City Attorney and personal friend, but this is economics," Turner said. "I acknowledge that Mike has provided ser- vice on two major cases but how long do we con- tinue to reward him for that with this salary? Based on the above comments I will not support the city payment of $46,970.18 as this is the city's money, nothing was contributed by Mr. Fitz- patrick." Mayor Gary Strack responded by saying the city owed Fitzpatrick the money and he could not face the people of Corning if he did not fulfill his obligation. "I would like to say that these were funds that were contractually committed to (Fitzpatrick)," Projects picked for Trainor By TANG LOR DN Staff Writer Additions to Trainor Park have been finalized with the Parks and Recreation Commis- sion deciding Wednesday the projects they will include in a $5 million grant application. About 200 survey cards for suggestions were turned in fol- lowing a January open house at the Red Bluff Community and Senior Center and from other meetings held throughout the community. Most of the sugges- tions included projects that the commission had been dis- cussing. It's nice to see that everybody is on the same page, Parks Direc- tor Debbie Carlisi said. One addition that most people wanted that had not been dis- cussed by the commission was a dog park. Commissioner Fred Avila said he spoke to a resident who said she did not like having kids at the park, but would be OK with a dog park. The commissioners decided they would add the dog park on the proposed list of projects in the grant application. Other major infrastructure changes at the park would include a third softball field, a concession stand, new restrooms, spray park and walking or bike trails. The list will include projects for solar lighting and a timed sprinkler system, as one of the requirements of the grant is sus- tainable projects. Having solar panels at the park could create a source of revenue for the parks County ups Drug Court capacity By GEOFF JOHNSON DN Staff Writer A plan to more than triple the number of Tehama County inmates in Adult Felon Drug Court now depends on federal approval. The Board of Supervisors unanimously voted Tuesday morning to approve an applica- tion by the Health Services Agency to apply for about $1.3 million in grant money to dras- tically increase the county's AFDC, which places emphasis on getting criminals off drugs. With more than 80 percent of criminals in Tehama County harboring drug addictions at the time of arrest, officials believe the program can reduce crime by stripping away one of its most common motives. Variations of the program have been used across the coun- try for decades, and both mem- bers of local law enforcement and public health say it has proven more effective and effi- cient than traditional methods. One proponent is Tehama County Probation Chief Richard Muench. Sheriff Clay Parker and Tehama County judges, includ- ing Dennis Murray, also support the program, Parker said. Muench was guarded when asked whether a program that pairs convicted felons with ser- vices like day care and job training would be popular in Tehama County. He has not been around long enough to tell, he said. But from a public safety per- spective, the program has lower recidivism rates and is better for South of the border, north of Red Bluff By TANG LOR DN Staff Writer Another option for Mexican food will be available when Burrito Bandito opens today on the north side of town. The restaurant focuses on fresh and fast food, said owner Paul Lababera. This is the fourth store in 7 years for the family- owned business. There are two locations in Redding and one in Anderson. Lababera decided to expand to Red Bluff because of people's demand for his food, he said. "I think they chose us," he said. "There's lots of people who will drive up (to Redding or Anderson) and they always say, 'you need to come to Red Bluff.'" Daily News photo by Tang Lor A mural of mascot Juan Mean Burrito on a Juan Deere tractor greets customers as they enter the Burrito Bandito, which opens today in north Red Bluff. Returning chinook salmon a record low See WATER, page 9A See TRAINOR, page 9A See DRUG, page 9A See CORNING, page 9A See SOUTH, page 9A