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SACRAMENTO (AP) — California lawmakers began chiseling away Thursday at a $20 billion deficit as part of a special legislative session ordered by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. The Senate approved cutting the state govern- ment payroll by 5 percent, a move that could force agencies to trim costs through attrition and possi- ble layoffs. Members also voted to trim spending on inmate health by $811 million and continue a 3 percent cut for regional developmental centers that care for people with disabilities such as cerebral palsy. The votes came as law- makers hoped for an eco- nomic rebound that might let them avoid more drastic cuts later this year. Democrats, who hold a majority in both houses, also pushed through tougher tax collection poli- cies. One bill would require out-of-state retailers to col- lect sales and use tax on items sold to California residents. In all, Senate Democrats have proposed measures designed to reduce the deficit by more than $5 bil- lion. After approving half the measures Thursday, the Senate put off the tougher votes until Monday. The Assembly was expected to act on similar measures next week. Republicans said two- thirds of the Democrats' package involved fund shifts and cash deferrals that don't address the struc- tural budget gap. GOP law- makers said they calculate the plan would only achieve $1.6 billion in pro- gram reductions. ''We are not hitting the mark when it comes to what we need to be doing,'' Senate Minority Leader Dennis Hollingsworth, R- Murrieta, said before vot- ing began. ''You will find our opposition to many of these measures because they are headed the wrong way.'' Sen. Denise Ducheny, D-San Diego, chair of the Senate Budget Committee, said Democrats weren't willing to make more cuts to schools and social ser- vices when those programs have already been cut. Democrats plan to put up for a vote a Schwarzenegger proposal to impose a 4.8 percent sur- charge on residential and commercial property insur- ance to raise about $200 million for emergency fire protection. Ducheny said the Legis- lature needs time to study the impact of more cuts that could be done later in the year. An economic recovery and increased federal aid could help narrow the size of California's budget gap but exactly how much won't be known until the governor updates his bud- get in May, Senate Presi- dent Pro Tem Darrell Stein- berg has said. The state Finance Department reported Janu- ary revenues came in $1.4 billion above the gover- nor's budget forecast. Added to December's fig- ures, the state is nearly $1.8 billion above the forecast for the fiscal year. An early spring warm spell has started, and along with it starts the annual Anopheles Mosquito flight. The wet and cold winter has had only a slight effect on this hibernat- ing mosquito and the recent warm weather has brought them out of hibernation as hungry as ever, according to a press release issued by the Tehama County Mosquito and Vector Control District. These long legged mosquitoes hatched late last summer and migrated long distances to find a suitable place to hibernate for the winter. If it turns cold again they simply will go back into a conve- nient attic, barn, woodpile, hollow tree or other protected place and wait for some warm days. Anopheles Mosquitoes hatch from rice fields, river seepage, stream bed potholes and other rela- tively clean water sources with algae and weed growth present. Toward the end of summer and the rice growing season, the females develop a migratory urge and dis- perse over the entire Sacramento Valley. They are strong flyers and it has been shown that they are able to fly 20 miles in a 24 hour period. They then find suitable hibernation sites that provide some protection from the winter weather These nasty biters are all female mosquitoes hungry for blood, which they will use to produce their next batch of eggs. The eggs are laid in a suitable water source to hatch later on in the spring and carry on the summer generations. Recent flooding and rains have left plenty of sources for breeding sites and the potential for increased risks from West Nile Virus later on this year. The district has increased sur- veillance and service calls due to the warm weather and will begin spraying larval sources when neces- sary. Once this early flight is fin- ished, in three or four weeks, this mosquito species will not be much of a problem until late summer and fall when it starts moving again. Controlling adults is very diffi- cult because the pests are spread over such a large area and weather conditions in the spring often pre- vent fogging. Spraying only kills those contacted by the spray and it doesn't take long for replacements to fly in. If large numbers are found in closed areas like garages, storage sheds and porches, a household aerosol spray will help for a short period. If these mosquitoes are a prob- lem in your area, wear clothing to cover as much skin as possible and use insect repellent when outdoors. Home owners should have screens in good repair and keep doors closed in order to keep these pesky mosquitoes from invading the house and biting while you sleep. The good news is that after a couple weeks or so of good weath- er they will be gone. If you have any questions or need help in control call the district at 527-1676. Friday, February 19, 2010 – Daily News – 7A Red Bluff Simple Cremations & Burial Service Family owned to provide you the best service & pricing in the area. It's what you can expect from family. 722 Oak Street, Red Bluff, CA 96080 (530) 527-1732 • FD Lic. 1931 Red Bluff Garden Center 766 Antelope Blvd. (next to the fairgrounds) 527-0886 Free Class Feb., 27 @ 10am Gearing up your yard for What you can be doing now in your yard and what you can be expecting in the coming months Please call to reserve a seat Death Notice David L. Lawson David L. Lawson of Corning died Tuesday, Feb. 16, 2010 in Chico. He was 55. Affordable Mortuary is handling the arrangements. Published Friday, Feb. 19, 2010, in the Daily News, Red Bluff, Calif. The show tests the horses' abilities in multi- ple classes and include reining, barrel racing, cut- ting, roping and pole bending, an AQHA release said. Halter classes judge horses on balance, muscling and breed char- acteristics. Classes are split into amateur, open, youth for those 18 and younger and senior, West said. Tingle has been show- ing horses with the NCQHA since 1978 and has been involved with the board more than 25 years, he said. While the economy and costs of putting on the event may be effecting the show, Tingle said the group is "still plugging along." Tingle's daughter, Dar- lene Tingle of Corning, has been showing for some time and is compet- ing in open reining this year, she said. "I love the thrill of the chase and the agony of defeat," Darlene Tingle said. Debbie Lamson of Corning has only been back for a few years after having taken a 17-year hiatus while raising her daughter Rylee, who is attending school in Texas on a rodeo scholarship. "I showed here as a youngster so I'm being reincarnated," Lamson said. "I'm seeing if I can still do it." Lamson said she enjoys the show because every- one is supportive. She is competing in amateur cut- ting, amateur healing and green cowhorse working on her horse named C o m e H o n k y - TonkWithMe. While Thursday was a little slow for the competi- tion, both Lamson and Tingle said things should pick up. "It'll be better Saturday with more people here because everyone's still working today," Tingle said. The event is free to spectators. Food available on site from Buds Jolly Kone. For information, call West at 865-7311 or Tin- gle at 824-4511. ——— Julie Zeeb can be reached at 527-2153, extension 115 or j z e e b @ r e d b l u f f d a i - lynews.com. Continued from page 1A FIRST er, Saralysette Ballard, Amanda Davidsen, Briana Shirer, Amy Hen- derson, Maureen Greer, Liz Link, Ashley Ledbetter and Yuliana Boga- rin. "This year's performance is truly a show by women, for women," Swanenberg said. "I am really excit- ed to have women in every facet of the show — including the tech booth." The Vagina Monologues are based on a series of interviews by Ensler with women of all ages, races, professions and economic sta- tus. They were first performed 12 years ago off-Broadway by Ensler and have since been seen all over the world, performed both by local and celebrity casts. The Red Bluff cast will perform some of the most popular readings, some poignant, many hilariously funny, a few showing the devastat- ing pain of abuse, rape and intoler- ance. Each monologue tells the story of one woman's experience. The content is mature; parental guidance is suggested. Tickets are $10 in advance or $12 at the door, and may be purchased at The Big Picture, Alternatives to Violence, Discover Earth, and Plum Crazy in Red Bluff, or Toucan Tans in Redding. For more information, send an e- mail to VDayredbluff@yahoo.com or call 528-9464. Continued from page 1A BENEFIT Courtesy photo The Vagina Monologues were first performed in Red Bluff's State Theatre in 2009. can feel it," Martinez-Rios said. "They responded greatly to the music. This is the type of work classical musicians should be doing to get the younger genera- tion involved and bring them over." Freshman Christiam Montes de Oca said she admires the music that the quartet performs. She likes the sound of the violin because it is pretty and soft, she said. Though she is not a musician, the quartet inspired her to reach for something more "I admire that they're from Mexico," she said. "Seeing this inspires me because as a Latina I want to know that I can be some- thing big like them and to be able to travel and do great things like that." The concert at the school was part of Tehama County Community Concerts Association music outreach program. The association likes to take visiting musi- cians to schools to give stu- dents a chance to see the performances, President Marvin Locke said. It just so happened that Corning was one of the few schools in session this week. Schools in Red Bluff are closed for intersession. The quartet performed at a more formal concert for the rest of the community at the First Church of God in Red Bluff Thursday evening. ——— Tang Lor can be reached at 527-2153, Ext. 110 or by e- mail at tlor@redbluffdai- lynews.com. Continued from page 1A CLASS Sunny days bring mosquito risk Senate starts whittling $20B budget deficit Bill limiting state furloughs passes SACRAMENTO (AP) — The state Senate on Thurs- day approved the initial pieces of a legislative package designed to create jobs in recession-racked California, including a measure that would end three-day-a-month furloughs for tens of thousands of state employees. Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg, D-Sacra- mento, said furloughing employees at agencies that col- lect taxes is costing the state more than $300 million a year in lost revenue. He said his bill would ''make a practical, common sense change'' by putting certain employees back to work full-time. The furloughs translate into a 14 percent pay cut for state workers. Steinberg's bill also would end furloughs for employ- ees at agencies that receive most of their budgets from fees or the federal government. Those include the Department of Motor Vehicles, where customers have seen their wait times increase since furloughs began last year. The bill would affect about 80,000 of the nearly 200,000 state workers who have been staying home three Fridays each month. ''Sen. Steinberg has spent a lot of energy reversing himself on the furloughs he voted for,'' said Aaron McLear, a spokesman for Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. ''What we haven't heard is what other savings, such as layoffs or pay cuts for state workers, he is proposing instead.'' The budget supported by senators last year was based in part on $1.3 billion in savings from furloughing all 200,000 state employees, McLear said. He could not definitively say if Schwarzenegger would veto the bill if it reaches his desk. The bill was approved on a 30-6 vote and heads to the Assembly. It was the first of three bills approved in the Senate on Thursday, part of a 27-bill package prepared by Senate Democrats. The legislation is designed to promote job growth by tapping federal stimulus money and stream- lining the approval process for state construction per- mits. Republicans have their own proposals awaiting com- mittee hearings. Their measures focus on reducing bureaucracy and assisting small businesses, which Sen- ate Minority Leader Dennis Hollingsworth, R-Murrieta, said is the key to creating jobs. Schwarzenegger proposed his own job-creation mea- sures last month and urged lawmakers to work together on a comprehensive plan to revive the state's economy, which has seen unemployment above 12 percent for months. ''I expect in the next week or so we will reach some bipartisan package that will have some good things in it for stimulating jobs and the economy,'' Hollingsworth said before Thursday's Senate votes. ''These measures today are basically more government jobs that have to be sustained by taxpaying jobs. That's just not the answer.'' He was one of six Republicans voting against the fur- lough bill by Steinberg, whose capital-area district is home to thousands of state employees. State moves to expand solar market for homeowners SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — More Californians who put solar panels on their roofs could sell the excess electricity they generate under legislation sent to the governor. The bill by Democratic Assemblywoman Nancy Skinner of Berkeley allows utilities to buy up to 5 per- cent of their energy from customers. Current law limits those purchases to 2.5 percent. The Assembly adopted the bill Thursday on a 53-1 vote. Rachel Arrezola, a spokeswoman for Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, says the governor intends to sign it. Supporters say the measure will increase the use of solar technology and offset high electricity costs. Critics say the bill is flawed because none of the renewable energy homeowners sell to utilities would count toward the state's renewable-energy mandates.