3 Vehicles Involved in Ridge Collision

A Paradise street was shut down for several hours Saturday, while police investigated a three vehicle collision. The accident happened on Pearson Road. Police say one driver was arrested for D-U-I resulting in injury. 38 year old Kimberlie Mazzagotte was booked into the county jail. Officers say a passenger in her vehicle was not wearing a seatbelt and was ejected during the crash. The unnamed passenger suffered non-life threatening injuries.

Cal-Fire Looking for Lookout Volunteers

With fire danger high and resources stretched thin, Butte County Cal Fire is looking for volunteers. The local Cal Fire agency will train paid volunteers for the seasonal work of staffing fire lookouts, mainly Sawmill Peak and the Bald Mountain Lookout above Stirling City. Training includes how to pinpoint fires and radio use. Cal Fire says it will staff the lookouts until heavy rain sets in this year. More acres have already burned this year in California than in any other year, and 89-THOUSAND acres have burned in Butte County.

Chico Police Arrest Teen in Stabbing Case

One teenager hurt, another arrested for a stabbing in Chico. A large fight with one person stabbed was reported late Friday night on Mechoopda Street. The victim was a 19 year old man who suffered stab wounds to his upper body and arms. He was taken to Enloe Hospital. Police say their investigation led them to the Esplanade, where the 17 year old suspect was arrested early Saturday morning. No word yet on a motive for the stabbing. Police say as they were placing the teen into a patrol car, another man charged the officers. That man was arrested for interfering and resisting arrest.

State Republicans Shoot Down Democrats Budget Plan

     SACRAMENTO (AP) - State Assembly Republicans Sunday night rejected a Democratic proposal for $6.6 billion in tax increases on the wealthy and corporations despite an offer to boost the state’s
rainy day fund.
     The failed vote now pushes California’s budget impasse into its eighth week with no compromise in sight.
     Assembly Minority Leader Mike Villines, R-Clovis, said economic incentives would work much better than tax increases and demanded a spending cap.
     The 45-30 vote was the first since the state began its new fiscal year July 1 without a budget.
     Democrats ahd offered a revised tax plan that’s smaller than the $8.2 billion package they proposed last month. Under the new proposal, Democrats called for imposing top income tax brackets of 10 percent on joint filers making more than $321,000 per year, and 11 percent on the portion above $642,000. The highest tax bracket is currently 9.3 percent.

Volunteers To Staff Fire Lookouts

Butte County Cal Fire is looking for a few good men and women to staff fire lookout towers.  The local Cal Fire agency will train paid volunteers for the seasonal work.  The two main lookouts are the Sawmill Peak and the Bald Mountain Lookout above Stirling City.  Training includes radio use and how to pinpoint fires.  More acres have already burned this year in California than in any other year, and 89-THOUSAND acres have burned in Butte County.  Cal Fire says it will staff the lookouts until heavy rain sets in this year.

KPAY Weekend News Update

Flynn To Face Charges,  Chico Police Make Arrests In Violent Robberies, Red Bluff Takes Water Agencies To Court. 

Click here for KPAY weekend news on demand: weekendkpay

Environmental Group Questions Firefighting Tactic in Backcountry

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - In the wake of last week’s fatal crash of a firefighting helicopter in Northern California, some environmentalists are asking why the U.S. Forest Service has been sending crews in to battle backcountry blazes that pose no obvious threat to lives or property. The Forest Service says fighting the stubborn Buckhorn wildfire and others that are nowhere near homes or business was necessary because massive plumes of smoke were threatening the health of residents. A spokesman for the Shasta-Trinity National Forest pointed out that a decision had been made early on to attack even remote wilderness fires because experience showed that fires in that part of the state grew large if they not beaten down. Rich Fairbanks, a wildfire expert with the nonprofit Wilderness Society, says a better strategy would have been to set controlled burns during the winter and spring to create buffer zones around communities that might otherwise be threatened.

Russia: Poland risks attack because of US missiles

MOSCOW (AP) - A top Russian general says Poland’s agreement to accept a U.S. missile interceptor base makes the ex-communist nation open to attack, possibly by nuclear weapons. The statement reported by the Interfax news agency is the strongest threat that Russia has issued against the plans to put missile defense systems in former Soviet satellite countries. The U.S. says the missile defense system is aimed at blocking attacks by rogue nations. But Russia thinks it’s designed to block Moscow’s missile force. Earlier today, the Russian general repeated a warning that placing missile-defense elements in Poland and the Czech Republic would provoke an unspecified military response. U.S. officials say the timing of the deal wasn’t meant to antagonize Russia at a time when relations between the it and the U.S. are already strained over Russia’s fighting with Georgia.

Democrats Could Put CA Budget to a Vote this Weekend

SACRAMENTO (AP) - Assembly Speaker Karen Bass says Democrats will put a budget up for a vote Sunday even though they haven’t reached a compromise with Republicans or the governor. Bass says she feels compelled to put a spending package up for a vote before the filing deadline to get a measure on the November ballot. The Secretary of State says technically, that deadline is Saturday. Bass says Democrats will propose to raise income taxes to bridge California’s 15.2 billion dollar deficit rather than a 1 percent sales tax they were negotiating with Governor Schwarzenegger. The plan is expected to contain a rainy day fund but not a hard spending cap Republicans would like. Schwarzenegger spokesman Matt David says the governor won’t sign a budget that doesn’t include some spending reforms.

Enloe Discloses Medication Error

Enloe Medical Center disclosing a medication error to state health officials and a national accrediting agency for hospitals. That medication error happened in July. In a news release, Enloe says staff gave too much intravenous medication to a patient. The California Department of Public Health began an on-site review at the Chico hospital last week. State surveyors also reviewed the Conditions of Participation the medical center must meet as required by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Enloe says it is OUT OF COMPLIANCE in four categories. The hospital says it will complete a Plan of Correction to address those compliance issues. Enloe’s Chief Operating Officer released a statement, saying when errors occur, staff will “first act to protect the patient, and secondly, learn how to improve.”