Retirements will help, but more cuts coming in VacavilleBY IAN THOMPSONDAILY REPUBLIC

VACAVILLE — TwentyVacaville employees agreedto an early retirement in-centive plan that will savethe city $5.8 million duringthe next five years, but it’snot enough to avoid more

budget cuts in early 2010.“We are assessing the

budget numbers now andwill be reporting back to thecouncil in January regard-ing the need for furtherspending reductions,” CityManager Laura Kuhn said.

In October, when the re-tirement incentive plan was

approved, the council wastold Vacaville will spend $5million more than it makesduring the 2009-10 fiscalyear if nothing is done to cutcosts or find new revenue.

Vacaville expects to saveabout $800,000 in personnelcosts from the retirementsduring the remainder of this

fiscal year.The council approved the

plan contingent on having atleast 20 city employees takeup the city’s offer by a Dec.8 deadline.

“I believe the programwas well received by ouremployees,” Kuhn said. “Wehad hoped for more partici-

pation, however, participa-tion was voluntary.”

Along with 10 other em-ployees who retired thisyear, this makes 70 employ-ee positions that Vacavillehas emptied through cir-cumstances that included ahiring freeze and layoffs.

“There will be impacts to

service,” Kuhn said. “Weare doing our best to mini-mize the impacts, but withover 20 percent reduction instaffing, there will be im-pacts.”

Mayor Len Augustinecalled the incentives a good

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

OSLO — Newly en-shrined among the world’sgreat peacemakers, Presi-dent Barack Obama offereda striking defense of war.

Eleven months into hispresidency, a fresh Obamadoctrine.

Evil must be vigorouslyopposed, he declared as heaccepted the Nobel PeacePrize on Thursday. At thesame time, he made an im-passioned case for buildinga “just and lasting peace.”

“I face the world as it is,and cannot stand idle in theface of threats to the Amer-ican people,” Obama toldhis audience in Oslo’s soar-ing City Hall. “For make nomistake: Evil does exist inthe world.”

Pronouncing himselfhumbled by such an honorso early in “my labors on

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

SACRAMENTO — On amountaintop clearing in theSierra Nevada stands a tallmetal platform holding acrude furnace and a box ofsilver iodide solution thatsome scientists believecould help offer relief fromsearing droughts.

This is a cloud-seedingmachine designed to in-crease rainfall by sprayinga chemical vapor into theclouds. Under the rightconditions, it can help wa-ter droplets grow heavy, co-alesce and fall to theground.

Faced with water short-ages, growing populationsand the threat that climatechange could make mattersworse, governmentsaround the globe have in-

Scaled-back projectin the works forDunnell property

BY BEN ANTONIUSDAILY REPUBLIC

FAIRFIELD — Nearly 12years after Adey Dunnell do-nated six acres on HilbornRoad to the city, officials arecloser than ever to doing

something with her colorfulproperty.

A new plan would build asmall neighborhood centeron Rolling Hills land, but do

‘Sweet savior’ to Berlin children

Brad Zweerink/Daily Republic

Retired Air Force Col. Gail Halvorsen, center, speaks with Chaplain (Capt.) John Harris, right, before the start of a ceremonyhonoring Halvorsen’s contributions to the Berlin Airlift and the opening of an exhibit about the mission Thursday at Travis.

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WORTH MENTIONINGCoach Rodney Bass teaches life lessons.

SEASON’S SHOWCASEHoliday lights fill the night airaround Solano County.

BEHIND THE SCENESBowels of factory on display onnew Anheuser-Busch tour.

SATURDAY LIVING SUNDAY LIVING SUNDAY BUSINESS

Rain around all day.Complete forecaston B12

5447

Hillridge Drive

Hilborn RoadNorthTexasStreet

Six-acreDunnellproperty

See Retirements, Page A10

States turn tocloud seedingto fight drought

The ‘Candy Bomber’ recalls Berlin Airlift at Travis exhibitionBY IAN THOMPSONDAILY REPUBLIC

TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE —When Lt. Gail Halvorsen landed hissupply-laden aircraft in blockadedBerlin in late 1948, he was still notsure how he felt about the Germans

who America just finished fightingthree years earlier.

But when the German porterscame up into the plane to thankHalvorsen and shake his hand inheartfelt gratitude for flying in foodthey needed to survive, “from thatday we were on the same page.”

“The Berlin Airlift showed that afriend can be made from an enemy,”Halvorsen told those who gathered atthe Travis Air Museum Thursdaynight to dedicate a permanent exhibithonoring the Berlin Airlift.

Brad Zweerink/Daily Republic file

A peacock feeds on seeds at the Dunnell property earlier this year.

See Bomber, Page A10

See Dunnell, Page A10

The Associated Press file

In this photo taken Nov. 12,Pacific Gas and ElectricMeteorological TechnicianSteve Tissot inspects acloud-seeding machine nearLake Almanor.See Seeding, Page A10

NOBEL CEREMONY

Obama delivershawkish messageat Peace ceremony

The Associated Press

Barack Obama poses withhis medal and diploma.

See Peace, Page A10