An amendment by U.S. Rep. John Garamendi to require further study before moving a planned maintenance facility from Beale Air Force Base has been defeated on an 8-1 vote.
The defense bill amendment, which Garamendi, D-Walnut Grove, introduced earlier in the week, was defeated on an 8-1 vote Thursday in the House Rules Committee, with U.S. Rep. James McGovern, D-Mass., the only vote in favor.
Garamendi’s amendment would’ve required a study before a planned maintenance facility for a sister program to the Global Hawk could be transferred and built at Naval Air Station Point Mugu rather than Beale.

U.S. Rep. John Garamendi has submitted an amendment asking for further study for a maintenance training facility to be built at Point Mugu Naval Air Station rather the Beale Air Force Base.
The training facility would be for the Broad Aerial Maritime Surveillance system, a variation on the Global Hawk, which is based at Beale.
Garamendi, D-Walnut Grove, offered the study requirement as an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act earlier this week. As of Thursday, the House Rules Committee had the amendment listed only as submitted on its website.

Banks continue to move toward foreclosure on fewer homes in Yuba-Sutter, with all three stages of the process dropping last month in the region compared to a month earlier.
Notices of default were down by 18.4 percent in Yuba County and 15 percent in Sutter County, with higher percentage drops for notices of sale and actual back-to-the-bank foreclosures.
In Sutter County last month, for example, only 23 homes went back to the bank, compared to 48 in April 2011. Yuba County had 27, down from 52.
Those numbers also continue to drop statewide, as ForeclosureRadar.com noted the margin is also closing between the figure for sales on the courthouse steps and the actual value of homes, making such sales less of a bargain.

Still endorsement season, and local candidates are reeling them in. This is also an opportunity for a plea: If you’re getting campaign materials for local races, either by mail or phone, please get in touch with the Insider to let us have a look. My direct line is 749-4786. Onto the latest parade of shoulder pats:

• Two Southern California Assemblymen have endorsed Vacaville pilot Rick Tubbs in the 3rd Congressional District race.
Assemblymen Tim Donnelly, R-Diamond Bar, and Brian Jones, R-Santee, have both given their backing to Tubbs, one of five candidates, and four Republicans, in the district race.
A squadron commander at Travis Air Force Base, Tubbs, a Republican, said in a press release announcing the endorsements he was happy to receive support from legislators with common sense, fiscally responsible stances.

• Colusa County Supervisor Kim Vann has picked up the support of the California Rice Industry Association in her bid to win a seat in Congress.
In a press release, association chair Frank Rehermann cited Vann’s family background in agriculture and knowledge of regulatory issues as the reason for the backing.
Vann is seeking the seat in the 3rd Congressional District, which stretches from Solano County to the Yuba-Sutter region.

• Listing his record of pro-gun rights votes in Sacramento, the National Rifle Association is supporting Assemblyman Dan Logue for a final term in the state Assembly.
Since his first election to the state Assembly four years ago, Logue, R-Loma Rica, has a lifetime “A” rating from the association on his votes as a legislator on issues pertaining to firearms.
The Gun Owners of California have also endorsed Logue, who is running against two opponents for the 3rd Assembly District seat.

• 0Former Yuba County Sheriff Gary Tindel and former Marysville Police Chiefs Jack Beecham and John Simpson are endorsing Benjamin Wirtschafter for a Yuba County Superior Court seat.
Tindel said Wirtschafter, the county’s public defender, had a good relationship with his office, and was a qualified successor to past county public defenders who’ve become judges. The endorsement was announced in a press release from Wirtschafter’s campaign.
In his support letter, Beecham said Wirtschafter was a strong supporter of the police department when Wirtschafter was a member of the Marysville City Council.
Wirtschafter is one of three men running to replace retiring Judge Dennis Buckley.

Yuba County is making another move into local real estate, this time by presenting a program to help qualified first-time homebuyers receive a “silent second” loan toward a home in the county’s unincorporated areas.
To qualify, applicants must make below 80 percent of the county median income, or $33,250 for a single person. They must also contact a lender to learn how much they would qualify to receive in a primary loan, and complete a program through California Rural Legal Assistance or Neighbor Works.
If all conditions are met, buyers can receive a second loan of up to $60,000, with a 3 percent interest rate. A lender submits an application to the county’s Housing and Community Services Division after the first loan amount is determined.

Local comments are being solicited for a meeting Wednesday evening on the proposed trash train from San Francisco to the Ostrom Road landfill near Wheatland.
A public scoping meeting is set for that day on two parts of the plan: A change for the landfill’s operating permit and construction of a new rail spur leading there, and the definition of alternative daily cover, the materials used to cover the trash pile.
The meeting will be at 6 p.m. in board chambers at the Yuba County Government Center, 915 Eighth St., Marysville. Comments must be received by the county by May 21.

Environmentally minded Yuba County voters can go the next step in making their elections carbon footprint smaller, by opting to receive an electronic version of the sample ballot booklet for the June 5 primary.
By signing up at www.myvoteinfo.com or going to the county clerk-recorder’s office, registered voters can get a booklet containing all races sent to their email address. The booklets are available now, and voters can go back to printed copies of the booklet later, according to Yuba County.
In addition to cutting down on paper usage, the electronic booklets will result in cost savings for county clerk-recorder’s offices.

Big promise, these will be done in, oh, about a month:

• Butte County Sheriff Jerry Smith is backing Tehama County Supervisor Bob Williams in his bid for Assembly District 3.
Smith, whose county is the largest by population in the district, said in a press release from Williams’ campaign that Williams understands the issues facing rural law enforcement and other issues pertinent to the area.
Williams, a Republican who lives near Corning, is competing with incumbent Assemblyman Dan Logue, R-Loma Rica, and Democrat Charles Rouse for the Third District seat.

• Sutter County residents Barbara LeVake and Al Montna have been named delegates for former Massachussetts Gov. Mitt Romney for the 2012 Republican National Convention later this year.
LeVake, a former Sutter County supervisor and current Levee District 1 board member, and Montna, also an LD1 board member, will represent the Third Congressional District from California’s delegation for Romney, the presumptive GOP presidential nominee.
Mark Pruner, from Yolo County, is the other CA-03 delegate for Romney. Other prominent California delegates include former Gov. Pete Wilson, U.S. Rep. Kevin McCarthy and state Board of Equalization member George Runner.

Some election brief notes for a Tuesday:

• Sutter County Fire Chief Dan Yager is backing Mike Johnston in his quest for a judgeship on Sutter County Superior Court.
Johnston’s campaign provided a copy of the endorsement Tuesday and stated a full list of endorsements can be found at Johnston’s website, www.johnstonforjudge.com.
The Yuba City attorney, who is married to Sutter County Clerk-Recorder Donna Johnston, is one of nine candidates seeking the seat being vacated by Judge H. Ted Hansen.

•The Yuba-Sutter Chamber of Commerce and the North Valley Hispanic Chamber of Commerce will present a series of forums over the next two weeks featuring candidates in Yuba and Sutter county supervisors’ and judges’ races.
Beginning next Tuesday at 6 p.m., the chambers will host a forum for Yuba County Superior Court Judge – Office 1 candidates in Marysville, followed by a forum for candidates in all three contested Yuba County Board of Supervisors races at the same time next Wednesday. The forums are at the Laughing Lotus Event Center, 103 C St., Marysville.
On the following week, Yuba City Council chambers will host a forum beginning at 6 p.m. on May 21 for candidates in Sutter County Supervisor District 1 and 4, and on May 22 at 6 p.m. for Sutter County Superior Court Judge, Dept. 2 candidates. Chambers are at 1201 Civic Center Boulevard, Yuba City.
All four events are free, with doors opening at 5:45 p.m. Those attending will be able to submit questions.

The Sutter Butte Flood Control Agency has gotten a $25 million loan to begin work on levee upgrades next year along the Feather River.
Rabobank North America announced the loan through its Roseville branch Tuesday. State funding is expected to cover as much as 77 percent of the project’s costs, with a property assessment approved by voters two years ago paying for the rest.
Under the project, 44 miles of levees on the Feather, from the Thermalito Afterbay in Oroville to the Sutter Bypass south of Yuba City, will be brought up to 100-year flood protection.