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THURSDAY APRIL 14, 2011 Breaking news at: Army Band Coming to RB Pastimes www.redbluffdailynews.com See Page 4A RED BLUFF Spartans Soccer SPORTS 1B Partly cloudy 66/46 Weather forecast 8B DAILYNEWS TEHAMACOUNTY DAILY 50¢ 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 Body found in slough By ANDREA WAGNER DN Staff Writer The body of a 36-year- old man who disappeared into flooding river waters in March was found Tues- day, the same day work crews were cleaning up the camps he had been living in. The Tehama County Coroner was requested at 6:44 p.m. Tuesday to examine a body found near Sale Lane, on the west shoreline of the East Sand Slough, according to a sheriff’s press release. A retired search dog named “Rusty,” who was in the area with two members of the search and rescue team, found the body about a mile south of the Ante- lope Boulevard bridge, the release said. The body was later identified as Philip Paul Rice, a man who went missing March 23. Rice was last seen being carried downriver after returning to rescue his puppy from a homeless encampment in the slough that had flooded. Deputies tried to rescue Rice and called for him to swim toward the shoreline, but he disappeared from sight minutes before a res- cue boat and California Highway Patrol helicopter were on scene. A missing person report was filed and deputies returned several times, con- tinuing to search for Rice, the release said. Rice and his girlfriend Rosie Marie Lander, 39, as well as Michael Thorton Profant, 47, had been res- cued a few days before the disappearance when rising waters in the Sacramento River flooded the area and trapped them. The trio’s dogs were left behind initially, but one was rescued after Rice dis- Downtown carnival nixed By JULIE ZEEB DN Staff Writer Organizers for this weekend’s carnival have some bad news: there will be no carnival in downtown Red Bluff or at the Tehama District Fairground during the weekend of Red Bluff Round-Up. The effort to bring the carnival downtown instead of having it at the fairgrounds was a team effort from the city and community and business leaders to draw more people downtown, said Round-Up Director Corky Kramer. See CARNIVAL, page 7A Corning puts faith on display Photo courtesy of Jake Hickok One of three people rescued from flooding river waters in March disappeared into the slough days later while trying to get his dogs from a homeless encampment. The man’s body was recovered Tuesday evening. The above photo shows one of the initial rescued parties with emergency personnel, March 20. appeared. Rice’s encampment and others were being cleaned up Tuesday as part of a sheriff’s department com- munity effort to clean-up homeless camps in the Sacramento River Slough area. More than two tons of garbage and debris were removed from the camps, including old mattresses, couches, tarps and other items, a release said. Sheriff Dave Hencratt ordered a clean-up of the site after receiving several complaints about the garbage accumulating at Law enforcement backs tax extensions SACRA- MENTO (AP) — Califor- nia’s major law enforce- ment organi- zations and the sheriff of its most popu- lous county rallied Wednesday behind Gov. Jerry Brown’s call for extending tax increases to pay for a new law that shifts responsibility for thousands ‘This year, without this state constitutional amendment, we are looking at financial amputation’ Merced Co. Sheriff Mark Pazim of criminals from the state to local governments. Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca and offi- cials representing prose- cutors, police chiefs and probation officers joined Brown at the Capitol to urge Republican lawmak- ers to approve a special election during which vot- ers would be asked to extend tax increases set to expire this year. Brown’s plan calls for $5.9 billion of the vehicle and sales taxes to fund the realignment. It’s part of his effort to bridge the state’s $26.6 billion budget deficit with- out resorting to an all-cuts budget. He already has signed bills cutting the budget by $11.2 billion by reducing spending and transferring funds. Baca, whose county accounts for 30 percent of state prison inmates, said local law enforcement can do a better and cheaper job of punishing and reha- bilitating criminals than the state but needs law- makers to secure the money for jails and edu- cation programs if the realignment is to succeed. Several law enforce- ment associations were angered when Brown signed the realignment law last week without having the funding in See TAX, page 7A 7 5 8 5 5 1 6 9 0 0 1 9 POWER PRODUCTS DOLMAR Red Bluff Outdoor Power the encampments, said Assistant Sheriff Phil John- ston. Hencratt spoke with city of Red Bluff officials about the project before ordering work to start. The property is within Red Bluff city limits, the release said. Sergeant Frank Bach- meyer set up an inmate work crew that used equip- ment from the sheriff’s office to clean up the debris, Johnston said. The area, commonly known as Spider Island, just north of Antelope Boulevard on the east side of Interstate 5, is a popular campsite for transients during summer months and the sheriff’s office is working with state and local officials to find solu- tions to the problem, John- ston said. Rice’s body was exam- ined and drowning was the determined cause of death, the release said. The victim’s next of kin were notified Wednesday, Johnston said. ——— Andrea Wagner can be reached at 527-2153, extension 114 or awagner@redbluffdailyn ews.com. Daily News photo by Julie Zeeb Corning residents Jerry Lequia and Dean Blankenship, who were instrumental in raising funds for the logo, unveil the new wall showing the city’s logo with the words “In God we Trust” at Tuesday’s City Council meeting. By JULIE ZEEB DN Staff Writer CORNING — A new wall adorned by the city logo with the words “In God We Trust” was unveiled Tuesday by Corning residents Jerry Lequia and Dean Blankenship in the coun- cil chambers at the City Council meeting. “I’d like to thank the community for their sup- port,” said Mayor Gary Strack. “The community See FAITH, page 7A Firefighters’ boot drive kicks off Friday By JULIE ZEEB DN Staff Writer The Red Bluff Volun- teer Fire Department will be out 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Fri- day on the corner of South Main Street and Luther Road for the ninth annual Relay For Life Boot Drive. “We just ask that the public come down and have a good time while contributing to a good cause,” said coordinator Engineer Matthew Shobash. “Every little bit helps including pennies nickels and dimes.” Capt. Dom Catona said now is a perfect time to clean out ash trays and couch cushions or any other place where spare change might be lying around. The boot drive is the main fundraiser for the department for Relay For Life and all donations will stay local, Shobash said. “Last year we made $3,481.36,” Shobash said. “This year we are hoping the community will help us match it or bring in more.” Over the last nine years, the fundraiser has raised more than $81,300, he said. “Some of our members have had family who have had cancer and we know plenty of people in Red Bluff have struggled with Daily News photo by Julie Zeeb Red Bluff City Account Clerk Pam Maria makes the first donation to the Red Bluff Volunteer Fire Department Relay For Life team, accepted by Engineer Matthew Shobash. the disease, so we’re just trying to give back to the community of Red Bluff,” Shobash said. For those who cannot make it to the boot drive, donations can be made at the Red Bluff Fire Depart- ment front counter at 555 Washington St. or by visit- ing: RelayForLife.org/red- bluffca. PHYSICIAN REFERRAL A FREE SERVICE QuickBooks Class Six Wednesdays (4-20-11 to 5-25-11) Time: 5:15 pm to 7:15 pm Cost: $99.00 per person Job Training Center, 718 Main St., Red Bluff Call 529-7000 PROVIDED FOR YOUR CONVENIENCE 1-800-990-9971 CHW North State Region