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Tuesday, February 23, 2010 – Daily News – 7A Obituaries DANIEL H. DENK Daniel H. Denk went to be with his Savior on Feb. 18, 2010. He was 91 years old. Dan and his late wife Katie lived in Red Bluff, CA for 23 years. He was born in San Diego County, CA (Olivenhain, CA) on 12-15-1918. He is survived by his four children: Linda G. Small of Pahrump, NV., Sandra K. Gass of Leavenworth, WA., Daniel B. Denk of Corona, CA. and Anna Michelle Cheek of Anderson, CA., 10 grandchildren, 24 great grandchildren and 4 great great grandchildren. He is also survived by his sister June S. Dealy of Sahuarita, AZ. Dan was the eldest of three children. He worked on the family farm until 1958. He was an electrician techni- cian, and owned a TV Re- pair Shop in Westwood, CA. He attended the First South- ern Baptist Church where he was a Deacon. He enjoyed piloting small aircrafts. In lat- er years he enjoyed bowling at Lariet Bowling Alley in Red Bluff, crossword puz- zles, reading (favorite book was his Bible), and tending his rose garden. He was a solid example to his family with his patience, calming strength & wisdom. There will be a Memorial Service to celebrate his life at the First Southern Baptist Church, located at 585 Kim- ball Road, Red Bluff, CA at 11:00 am on February 27, 2010. Officiating pastor, John Bohrer. The family would like to thank friends who came to visit and sent cards. A Big thanks to St. Elizabeth Hospice. MYRTLE JOY KNOWDLEN FLANAGAN Joy was born March 16th, 1940 in Memphis, TN. Her and her husband lived in Red Bluff for over 30 years, and ran a successful business. They were members of First Bap- tist Church. On January 24, 2010 she went to be with God and her husband, and sister Wanda, she leaves behind brothers Chuck, Howard and sister Judy, many nieces and nephews, children, Lester, Cindy and Angel, grandchildren Danielle, Chase, Amanda, Chip and Cory, great grandchildren Andrea, Kobe, Charlie and many other children that were in her life, she will be greatly missed. There will be a small memorial in her honor on February 27th, 2010 at 2pm at Jackson Heights School - Multipurpose Room & Cafe, 225 Jackson St., R.B. Donations gladly accepted to help pay for cremation. Flowers and cards can be sent to 1144 Franzel Rd, R.B. classes at the Tehama Campus could mean more funding for the campus. Transportation for Tehama County students could have ceased when the campus opened in fall 2009, but the board decid- ed to wait until the com- pletion of the third build- ing, a science lab. That building should be com- pleted soon. Bus routes that were offered for eastern Shasta County and Trinity Coun- ty ceased operation when campuses opened in Bur- ney and Weaverville. Another reason the board decided to cease the bus operation was because it is no longer financially feasible to run the bus, as ridership has decreased, Lewis said. The college is working with the local bus opera- tion, TRAX, to offer ser- vices that were eliminated or will be eliminated. There also are plans to set up a means for students to facilitate car pooling. ——— Tang Lor can be reached at 527-2153, Ext. 110 or by e-mail at tlor@redbluffdai- lynews.com. Continued from page 1A BUS music stereotypes, claiming she keeps her Christmas lights on all year long and has never been the "Barbie-doll type." "Her look just kind of catches you," Stone said. Stone has met Wilson several times since then, thanks to her mother. A retired policewoman, her mother keeps an eye on Wilson's fan contests, especially when the prize is a meeting with Wilson. After one winning entry that took them to Austin, the mother-daughter team slept in the car on a return trip. By now, the team has won so many contests that Stone had to turn down a barbecue with Wilson so she could go to church camp instead. But Stone has more on her resume than a few encounters with a country star. She's been booked for the Sacra- mento County Fair; won the country competition for her age group in the USA World Showcase in Las Vegas; performed in Reno for Stew Stewart and signed a contract with Dirtbag Records to put out four songs — one country, one country-pop, one rhythm and blues and one rock — on iTunes. Most recently, Stone took home first place in the Junior Category at the Fourth Annual Red Bluff Exchange Club Search for Talent. Despite all the attention, Stone said she still finds the time for tradi- tional teenage activities, like soft- ball, volleyball and snowboarding. Her decision to pursue a music career so far has not disrupted what she considers a normal high school life, she said. Which may be just as well for Stone, who still remembers the advice her idol Wilson gave her. As she remembers it, Stone was on her way out when Wilson called out to her. "She was like, 'Hey. Take your time,'" Stone said. It was advice Stone did not understand at the time. But she gets it now, she said. More information on Stone's upcoming performance and tickets is available at reddingconvention- center.com or by calling 225-4130. ——— Geoff Johnson can be reached at 527-2153, extension 114 or gjohnson@redbluffdailynews.com. Continued from page 1A STAR about $200 million a year. The Assembly began passing the same bills and pushed through one bill on the gas tax swap on a majority vote. Republican lawmakers supported parts of the package to cut spending and shift money but criti- cized the legislation for not doing enough to cut spending. ''This is a sorry way to run government,'' said Assemblyman Jim Nielsen, R-Gerber, about lawmakers' decision to wait until the last day of a 45-day deadline to take up midyear budget cuts. Both houses were expected to resume voting Tuesday but have not scheduled a time for ses- sion. ——— Associated Press Writ- ers Cathy Bussewitz and Don Thompson con- tributed to this report. Continued from page 1A DEFICIT munity. "It's probably 10 years overdue," Wilson said of the south wall. "We may only have another five years with this group since everyone's get- ting older. Everyone who walks past the building can see the exterior needs help." While venturing to repair one of the five major sections already com- pleted, the association was shocked to discover that much of the base put in to support the house was missing. "The sand and gravel base was being washed out by leaks from the window," said Maggie McCornick, head of the grant writing committee. The costs to replace the founda- tion under the main portion of the south wall, which will be done by Steve Downey of Acorn Construc- tion, is between $13,000 and $15,000, Wilson said. "The good news is even with all of that, the house is still standing 130 years later," said Marilyn Gittings. Gittings is serving as the director of the research task force assigned to look into the building's needs and the costs of materials needed for repairs. "Our plan is to get this (founda- tion) going, but also develop research on where wood is milled and how we can get the windows replaced efficiently," Gittings said. "While one group is getting the money for the foundation, another is working on replacing the siding and windows." Gittings said the group is plan- ning to split the job of fixing the exterior into phases, similar to the way the foundation is being done. "We know the south wall is phase I," Gittings said. "Part of the expense of the wall is that it is made of pine. Pine back then was good quality. We'd like to put in something that will last another 130 years." Today's pine does not have the same density as that available when the house was built by Sidney Allen Griggs in the 1880s, Gittings said. "That leaves us with fir or red- wood," Gittings said. "Whatever we chose it will have to be hand milled." Other members of the research task force include Curator Bev Hartshorn, Liz Moule-Forsberg, Tom Gano and Bill Moule. Several fundraisers are in the works, including another parlor sale in the near future and an upcoming film event. Proceeds from the State Theatre screening of The Money Pit, featur- ing Tom Hanks and Shelley Long, will benefit the museum. Tickets for the event are $5 and can be bought at the door for the May 7 show, scheduled to start at 7 p.m. They can also be purchased from museum guides. The evening, which is in celebra- tion of 40 years as a museum, will include artworks and photos, which will be for sale, on display from community members, Wilson said, and a silent auction. Donations to the non-profit group are always welcome and tax deductible, and can be sent to the Kelly-Griggs House Museum Asso- ciation, P.O. Box 9082, in Red Bluff. The museum, at 311 Washington St., is open for tours Saturdays and Sundays with the first tour at 1 p.m. and the last tour of the day starting at 3 p.m. Volunteering and group tours, including schools, can be arranged anytime by calling 527-5895. ——— Julie Zeeb can be reached at 527-2153, extension 115 or jzeeb@redbluffdailynews.com. Continued from page 1A REPAIRS ''Complaints just keep coming in and increasing over time. When it gets into the hundreds, it gets my attention,'' Poizner said at a state Capitol news conference. ''It's only when a health care compa- ny doesn't take corrective action or is belligerent or uncooperative with us that we take this type of action, and that's the case with Anthem Blue Cross.'' The 732 violations include allegations of 277 failures to pay claims in 30 days, 143 failures to respond quickly to regula- tors during complaint investigations, 66 instances of misrepresenting facts or insurance policies to con- sumers, 25 failures to pay interest on claims, 21 fail- ures to pay or contest a claim within 30 days, 22 unreasonably low settle- ment offers, and 178 other miscellaneous delays and claims violations. ''As the largest insurer in California, our respon- sibility is to pay the many millions of claims on behalf of our members each year fairly, fully and promptly,'' company spokeswoman Binns said in a written statement. ''While this review repre- sents a small fraction of those claims, it is nonethe- less very important to us to make sure we take any corrective action that may be necessary.'' In February 2009, the company agreed to pay a $1 million fine and rein- state 2,330 people whose insurance was rescinded after they submitted bills for expensive care. The company also agreed as part of last year's settlement with the Califor- nia Department of Insurance to reimburse the dropped patients for medical costs they paid after their policies were terminated. The com- pany said that would cost another $14 million. Anthem's proposed rate increases will be the focus of an oversight hearing at the Capitol Tuesday. Anthem President Leslie Margolin is scheduled to appear before the Assem- bly Health Committee, along with several insur- ance regulators, health care experts and consumer advocates. Continued from page 1A BLUE STATE BRIEFING Chico man to finish prison term for pot SACRAMENTO (AP) — A federal judge on Monday sent back to prison a Chico man who was the first medical marijuana dispensary grower to be tried in federal court. Bryan Epis, 42, was told by U.S. District Judge Frank Damrell Jr. that he had exhausted his appeals and was ordered back to prison after a six-year hiatus. Epis received a 10-year sen- tence in 2002 after a federal jury convicted him of growing 100 plants and planning at least 1,000 more. The sentence was the man- dated minimum because the grow house was within 1,000 feet of a high school. In 2004, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals freed Epis after he had served two years as the U.S. Supreme Court, in a separate case, considered whether the fed- eral Controlled Substances Act trumps state medical pot law. Under that federal law, mari- juana is an illegal substance. In California, users with a doctor's recommendation can buy pot from dispensaries. The nation's high court in 2005 ruled that California's medical marijuana laws were overruled by federal law, so Epis was ordered to serve the remainder of the 10 years. Since then, Epis had remained out of prison while his lawyer challenged other aspects of his conviction. The 9th Circuit ruled in the government's favor on those issues last year, paving the way for his return to prison. Epis' case has become a cause among medical marijuana advo- cates, who have used it to demon- strate the contradictions between state and federal statutes govern- ing medical marijuana. Panel probes police abuse allegations WOODLAND (AP) — A citi- zens' panel led by a former Cali- fornia Supreme Court justice is examining allegations of civil rights abuses by gang enforce- ment officers in Yolo County. The panel was formed after a Woodland farmworker was fatally shot last April by deputies on an anti-gang task force. The panel heard testimony over the weekend from witnesses of Luis Gutierrez's killing and other cases. Former state Justice Cruz Reynoso says the panel of politi- cal activists, lawyers and former officers is needed because only law enforcement and prosecutors review cases under the current system. Officials have concluded that Gutierrez's shooting was justified. Yolo County District Attorney Jeff Reisig says the panel is politi- cally motivated and aren't follow- ing proper procedures in taking evidence. Senate bill would speed energy projects SACRAMENTO (AP) — A bill approved by the state Senate could help the California Energy Commission speed up permits for 11 large renewable energy pro- jects to help draw more federal stimulus money. Sen. Alex Padilla says swift action is needed because the pro- jects must break ground by year's end to qualify for the federal money. Among other provisions, the bill lets developers of the solar thermal power plants pay the com- mission's costs of hiring indepen- dent consultants to review the pro- posals. The projects are in Fresno, Imperial, Kern, Riverside and San Bernardino counties. The bill by Padilla, a Democrat from Los Angeles, was approved on a 33-0 vote Monday. It now goes to the Assembly. Owner of pot club charged with money laundering LOS ANGELES (AP) — The owner of a Los Angeles medical marijuana dispensary has pleaded not guilty to money laundering and other charges stemming from his arrest last week. Jeffrey Joseph was charged with 24 counts Monday and was being held on $520,000 bail. He is scheduled to return to court March 4. If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in prison. Joseph's attorney, Eric Shevin, said his client was being unfairly targeted. Joseph ran Organica, a pot clin- ic that prosecutors say brought in an average of $400,000 a month. Authorities say people associated with Organica passed out flyers advertising the dispensary near a high school last year and some students apparently purchased marijuana from the outlet. While pot remains illegal under federal law, California allows it for medicinal use. The city attorney's office filed a lawsuit against Organica last week. Authorities ID fisherman on Sonoma beach SANTA ROSA (AP) — Sono- ma County authorities say the man found dead near a remote beach over the weekend was a San Francisco man who was fishing. Authorities say 55-year-old Chin Shaun Tom was fishing with a friend near Horseshoe Cove on Saturday morning. Sheriff's officials say Tom either was swept into the ocean by the 10- to 12-foot swells reported that day, or fell off a cliff into the water. Tom's body was recovered by a sheriff's helicopter crew. Arts news? Arts news may be submitted to clerk@redbluff- dailynews.com. Include name and phone. Digital pictures should be attached as .jpg files. Info is available at 527-2151.