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WEEKEND MAY 29-30, 2010 Breaking news at: Memorial Day Reflections USA Weekend www.redbluffdailynews.com See Inside RED BLUFF Masters Track SPORTS 1B Sunny 80/57 Weather forecast 8A By GEOFF JOHNSON DN Staff Writer Three local men were arrest- ed in conjunction with a knife attack Thursday night that spilled into the Palomino Room in Red Bluff. Police were still uncertain on Friday afternoon about what led Omar Farias-Mora, 23, Gerber, Josef Ryan Oakes, 21, and 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 Man stabbed after fleeing toward downtown bar Johnathan Ross Henry Oakes, 23, both of Red Bluff, to attack Ignacio Rojo Vargas, 28, Red Bluff, Sgt. Kevin Busekist said. From what police can tell, the fight began in another bar, elsewhere in town, before the fight picked up again in the parking lot at Pine and Wash- ington streets, Busekist said. As Vargas headed down a hallway connecting the parking lot to the Palomino Room, the three attackers jumped him, Manager Tamra Leak said. The bartender, seeing that Vargas was shirtless and bleed- ing, called 911 as customers rushed to him with towels, Leak said. By the time police arrived, Vargas’ attackers had fled, and Vargas had suffered lacerations to his back consistent with a knife attack, Busekist said. He was treated for his injuries at St. Elizabeth Community Hospital and later released. A joint search by Tehama County Sheriff’s Deputies and California Highway Patrol offi- cers turned up the three sus- pects, all of whom have since been arrested and booked into the Tehama County Jail on sus- picion of assault with a deadly Mercy moves on weapon. As of Friday evening, both the Oakeses were listed in cus- tody on the Tehama County Jail website. Bail for each was set at $35,000. ——— Geoff Johnson can be reached at 527-2153, extension 114 or gjohnson@redbluffdailynews.c om. Corning votes to put planner out for bid By JULIE ZEEB DN Staff Writer CORNING — The City Council looked at two con- tracts Tuesday for an independent contractor Planning Director and an Avoid the Five DUI Task Force Public Information Officer. The council voted 3-1, with Councilman Ross Turn- er voting no, to allow City Manager Steve Kimbrough to put out requests for proposal for the planning direc- tor position. “Gary (Strack) and I worked many hours on this, but the city has two accredited planners (on staff already),” Turner said. “I am wholeheartedly sorry (to lose Plan- ning Director John Stoufer), but I’m hesitant to adopt this with the budget not adopted.” Kimbrough at one time oversaw city planning as part of his duties and Public Works Director John Brewer was city planner prior to moving to his current position, Turner said. Stoufer will be taking early retirement to work as an See CORNING, page 7A Daily News photo by Tang Lor The 2010 graduates of Mercy High School enjoy their last moments together as a community during their commencement ceremony at the State Theatre on Thursday night. By TANG LOR DN Staff Writer As the Mercy High School class of 2010 gets ready to move on, the graduates reflected on the commu- nity they have been a part of for the last four years. All 24 graduates will be attend- ing college in the fall. Some will leave the community to continue their education at Shasta College while others will go as far as San Diego and even Idaho. In his sometimes humorous yet serious speech, teacher Scott Matthews spoke of the community the graduates have created and taught them one last lesson on how they can use the tools they learned at Mercy to create better communi- ties. Matthews told the graduates that if they have found that their Mercy High School experience has been unique, it is because of the commu- nity they have built. They triumphed, shared their suffering, empowered each other and celebrated together. Their com- Memorial Day Weekend at Lassen National Park munity was built during every dance, picnic and game, or in how they all dressed up during spirit week. They knew each other very well. They knew where someone was going on the weekend, who was dating who and when someone got in trouble, everyone knew about it by the next period. Within communities there are often pockets of communities. At other schools students in these See MERCY, page 7A Sides to negotiate over pump limits FRESNO (AP) — Cal- ifornia farmers and envi- ronmental groups are poised to meet next week to discuss a potential compromise over how to manage pumping limits from the freshwater delta. In an agreement bro- kered Friday, the two sides will meet with fed- eral scientists about the current water restrictions in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta aimed at safeguarding the delta smelt. Federal scientists rec- ommended water cut- backs to protect the fish, but farmers argue the lim- its have caused millions of dollars in crop losses and damaged the local environment. Thursday, a judge ruled that water officials must consider humans along with the fish in lim- iting water use. He also said the government’s sci- ence didn’t prove that increased pumping alone imperiled the smelt. Hemp festival off to quiet start By GEOFF JOHNSON DN Staff Writer A triumphant Steve Hager, High Times Magazine creative director, yelled, “Let there be rock!,” launching his jean jacket-clad arms into the air as he overlooked some 500 people below, not nearly enough to fill the acres stretching out before him. It was 3 p.m. Friday, and the music Photo courtesy of Ranger Shanda Ochs The Kohm Yah-mah-nee Visitor Center, taken Friday, show the amount of snow awaiting vistors for Memorial Day weekend. Memorial Day week- end visitors to Lassen Volcanic National Park can take advantage of a break in the passing storms and enjoy the snowy mountains under beautiful blue skies. "We anticipate this last storm to move through the area by Friday, which will create ideal condi- tions for those visitors interested in cross country skiing, snow play or snowshoeing throughout the weekend," said Park Superintendent Darlene Koontz. Camping in snow cov- See PARK, page 7A Please Join RUSS & VENITA PHILBRICK in support of CLAY PARKER FOR SHERIFF Paid Political Advertisment 7 5 8 5 5 1 6 9 0 0 1 9 Is now accepting applications for the 2010-2011 school year. Grades 6-12 Public school with small classes WASC accredited Visit us at 1660 Monroe St., Red Bluff CA. or Call: 530-529-1650 for an application As Local As.... CALL TODAY (530) 529-1222 237 South Main Street was playing at the World Hemp Expo Extravaganja 2010. Across the center stage were banners for Corning’s Tehama Herbal Collective, Redding’s River Valley Collective —and a Re- elect Sheriff Clay Parker sign. Asked about the latter, Event Orga- nizer Donna Will said the sign was there because of Parker’s promise to enforce the county’s new, complaint- driven medical marijuana ordinance personally, applying individual solu- tions and only acting when someone complains about a marijuana garden that violates the county’s policies. Will’s endorsement comes after See HEMP, page 7A • “Main Street or Wall Street” banking, which do you want • Still offering better than free checking • Now offering Health Savings Accounts • Local decision making • Community Support A massive bong is on display at a vendor booth Friday evening during World Hemp Expo Extravaga nja 2010 in Red Bluff. Daily News photo by Chip Thompson