Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/7470
By TANG LOR DN Staff Writer Maureen Lasley entered Room 2 at Jack- son Heights Elementary School led by two class representatives who hap- pily introduced her to their classmates as the guest reader. The fourth-graders in Mrs. Janeen Benedet's class, who had gathered on the floor, welcomed Lasley, who they became more impressed with when they found out she had been a librarian. Lasley was one of many community mem- bers who read to students Tuesday as part of the nationwide Read Across America tradition held on Dr. Seuss's birthday. "I have a problem," Lasley said as she unloaded her books. "Does anyone know what that problem is?" "You have too many books," said the fourth- graders in unison as they watched for which book she would pull out of her bag next. The reason she has so many books is because she wants the students to know they have a choice of what to read, Lasley said. "It's called exposure," she said. "The good thing about books is you can shop for the one you want. Every teacher wants Red Bluff Outdoor Power Weather forecast 8B Cloudy with light rain 53/38 N EWS D AILY DAILY 50¢ WEDNESDAY MARCH 3, 2010 Kitchens of Yesteryear Warriors Heat 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 Page 2A SPORTS 1B Kelly-Griggs House 7 5 8 5 5 1 6 9 0 0 1 9 PHYSICIAN REFERRAL A FREE SERVICE PROVIDED FOR YOUR CONVENIENCE 1-800-990-9971 CHW North State Region Corning looks to cut hours, benefits By JULIE ZEEB DN Staff Writer CORNING — The City Council received good and bad news this week, when it received the 2008-2009 audit and began mid-year budget dis- cussions. "So far the city's been very diligent," said Donald Reynolds, who performed the audit. "Overall, the city has improved over the last year and it wasn't a benchmark year across the board. It's a time when belt tightening is the only alternative and the city's done well. The city is being fiscally prudent." Vice Mayor Ross Turner was quick to point out that the report ends on June 30, 2009. "Things have gotten a hell of a lot worse since then," Turner said. Mayor Gary Strack said he hopes the council can continue to do an excellent job. According to the staff report for the mid-year budget, the city had initially expected an almost $732,000 shortfall. The latest information, which shows projected rev- enues are not as expected, means the estimate may have been off by about $85,000 with the shortfall jumping to $823,000. The general fund is expected to have revenues that are about $156,000 lower than those pro- jected in July 2009. The Transient Occupancy Tax is expected to be $35,000 lower and the Vehicle License Fees have been lowered about $101,000. There is another $20,000 that won't be available, as the state is keeping all the State Gaming Funds collected from casinos. The staff report shows that the city believes it is too early to tell whether or not its furlough plan is working. Beginning in October 2009, City Hall is closed every other Friday, which equals a 10 per- cent cut across the board. Discussion on the matter was tabled until the March 9 meet- ing. Turner said he thought the building and planning depart- ments should be 20-hour posi- tions with no benefits, since there is not a lot of building going on and the position of Planning Director should revert back to the City Manager. Public Works should elimi- Back off Bend MediaNews file photo A proposal is being considered that would designate a large portion of public land in the Bend Area as a National Recreation Area. By GEOFF JOHNSON DN Staff Writer Tehama County residents are pushing against a con- gressional proposal to turn public land in the Bend Area into a National Recreation Area. Public sentiment at a Tuesday meeting of the Board of Supervisors was overwhelmingly negative, with only one speaker out of more than a dozen expressing full support for a bill drafted by Sen. Barbara Boxer. It was enough that Chief Administrator Bill Good- win, who has long represented the county in its negoti- ations with Boxer's office, and Rep. Wally Herger, R- Chico, reminded the board that it could decide to drop the project altogether at any point. The board had not scheduled a vote Tuesday, how- ever, and chose instead to allow Goodwin to continue negotiations. Community members read to students Daily News photo by Tang Lor Maureen Lasley reads to the fourth-graders at Jackson Heights Elementary School Tuesday in celebration of Dr. Seuss' birthday. Sara Evans pulls out of concert Staff report Country music star Sara Evans cancelled tonight's concert appear- ance slated for the Red- ding Convention Center, which was slated to fea- ture Red Bluff Union High School student and singer Stacy Stone. The performance was to be a benefit and food drive for Redding's Good News Rescue Mission, according to a press release issued Tuesday afternoon by Ken White, director of community relations. "Heartbroken," White said in the release. "We're just heartbroken." The mission's 10th Annual March to End Hunger Food Drive will go on as planned. "We've had to make some changes to the staffing schedules, but other than that, we're moving forward," White said. "We've got work to do and people to feed." In the course of finaliz- ing event details, the mis- sion was informed at around 2:30 p.m. Tuesday that Evans had to cancel for personal reasons. Food drive organizers are determined to move ahead with the drive despite the setback. White said he hopes that in spite of the bad news the food drive will still meet organizers' goals of 5 tons of food and $5,000 in monetary donations, which would help the mission serve about 12,000 meals to the area's homeless and poor. Corning schools limit job losses Staff report CORNING — One assistant principal position in the Corning Union Elementary School District has been eliminated for the upcoming school year. The Board of Trustees voted 4-0 for the cut at a spe- cial school board meeting Monday. The district avoided any teacher layoffs because of retirements, resignations and the elimination of tempo- rary teacher positions, said Superintendent Steve Kelish in a press release. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's proposed budget Students squat in Nielsen's office Staff report Following a 45-minute meet- ing Monday with student repre- sentatives and University of Cal- ifornia administrators for the annual UC lobby day, Assem- blyman Jim Nielsen, R-Gerber, a separate group of students entered Nielsen's office and refused to leave unless Nielsen conceded to their demands. Nielsen, vice chairman of the Assembly Budget Committee, refused to do so, according to a Tuesday afternoon press release from his office. The initial meeting is described in the release as a wide-ranging discussion about higher education fund- Nielsen See CUT, page 7A See SCHOOLS, page 7A See OUT, page 7A See BEND, page 7A See READ, page 7A See SQUAT, page 7A