PID Considers Water Restrictions

Paradise Irrigation District Officials say water storage levels are higher than other water agencies, but they are considering a series of restrictions for users.  At a May 21st meeting, the water board will consider prohibiting outside water uses between noon and 6 pm everyday, and the use of excessive outside watering which causes runoff onto [...]

Budget Analyst: Schwarzenegger’s Lottery Plan Too Rosy

     SACRAMENTO (AP) – California’s legislative analyst says Gov.
Arnold Schwarzenegger’s plan to pump up lottery sales and borrow
against that future revenue is overly optimistic.
     The analyst says the result could be less money going from the
lottery to public schools.
     Last week, Schwarzenegger proposed raising $15 billion by
selling future lottery proceeds to investment firms. He wants [...]

Child Porn Law Upheld

     WASHINGTON (AP) – The Supreme Court has upheld criminal
penalties for promoting child pornography.
     The court, in a 7-2 decision, is brushing aside concerns that
the law could apply to mainstream movies that depict adolescent
sex, classic literature or innocent e-mails that describe pictures
of grandchildren.
     The ruling upholds part of a 2003 law that also prohibits
possession of [...]

38 Charged in International Phishing Scheme

WASHINGTON (AP) – Federal authorities have charged 38 people with stealing names, Social Security numbers, credit card data and other personal information from unsuspecting Internet users.  Indictments unsealed in Los Angeles and New Haven, Conn., say a global crime ring sought to rip off thousands of consumers and hundreds of financial institutions. The Justice Department [...]

Blaze Damages Butte County Building

Fire crews battled flames at a Butte County rendering plant this weekend. The fire apparently broke out Saturday night at North State Rendering on Highway 99 near Shippee Road. The blaze caused an estimated 200 thousand dollars in damage. At last report, the cause of the fire was under investigation.

Gas Prices Up 17 Cents in Last 2 Weeks

CAMARILLO, Calif. (AP) – Gas prices have climbed again. A nationwide survey finds the average for self-serve regular has climbed 17 cents from two weeks ago to $3.79 a gallon. Analyst Trilby Lundberg says that’s 61 cents higher than it was about a year ago. Lundberg says for the first time, the average price for [...]

CA Lawmaker Wants Ban On Pay Raises During Deficits

     SACRAMENTO (AP) – A Republican lawmaker wants to ban pay raises
for the governor and state legislators when California is strapped
with a budget deficit.
     Sen. Abel Maldonado of Santa Maria says it makes no sense to be
slashing programs during a fiscal crisis while elected officials
get rewarded with raises. He called it a “common sense thing.”
     [...]

North State Pot Grower Sentenced

A 26-year old Mexican man is spending the next ten years in prison for growing pot in Shasta County.   Francisco Sanchez was caught by Shasta County Sheriff’s deputies last August in the middle of a 6,000 marijuana plant garden in the Whiskeytown National Recreation Area…Sanchez was armed with a handgun.  In a press release, California’s District [...]