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WEEKEND JUNE, 1-2 2013 Breaking news at: www.redbluffdailynews.com Mercy Grads See Below DAILY NEWS RED BLUFF Sunny 99/68 Weather forecast 10B TEHAMA COUNTY $1.00 T H E V O I C E O F T E H A M A C O U NTY S I N C E 1 8 8 5 Own journeys, one goal Agents seize hundreds of pot plants in busts A Tehama Interagency Drug Enforcement task force investigation turned up 343 marijuana plants and five pounds of processed marijuana in three residences in the Corning area. TIDE agents served a search warrant on 5395 and 5405 Burton Ave. in Corning Thursday, according to a press release. During the search of 5395 Burton 116 growing marijuana plants in various stages were found inside and outside the residence. Agents arrested Charles Roy King, 28 and Savannah See POT, page 9A Woolbert named Jr. Rodeo Queen Daily News photo by Rich Greene Members of the Red Bluff Joint Union High School District's Independent Study High School's graduating Class of 2013 prepare to receive their diplomas Thursday. By RICH GREENE DN Staff Writer They each had their own journey, but the destination for all was the same — a high school diploma. Red Bluff Joint Union High School District's Independent Study High School graduated 64 students Thursday night at a ceremony at the Performing Arts Center. Department Chairman Rick Whetstone said some students were graduating as early as their sophomore or junior years. Others, he joked, had to be led to water. In the end they all achieved a high school diploma, something District Superintendent Lisa Escobar reminded them not everyone earns. "This diploma will definitely open doors for you," she said. Whetstone said one of the benefits of the independent study program is that teachers develop one-on-one relationships with students they often wouldn't have in traditional classroom settings. "Life is all about relationships," he said. Whetstone presented a Sierra Pacific Foundation scholarship to Neika Valle. Director J Howell was the keynote speaker for the ceremony. "The path some of you have traveled has been rough at times, for others it's gone as planned," Howell said. While a high school diploma is a great achievement in life, Howell urged the graduates not to make it their final act of greatness. "That is all it is, a memorable moment in your journey — not the end." For teacher Dan Backstrom it was the end of one of his journeys. The retiring educator led the Pledge of Allegiance at his last graduation ceremony. The Red Bluff Joint Union High School District Independent Study High School Class of 2013 is: Kayla Aaserude, Devin Anderson, Shaylee Austin, Alisha Banks, Melissa Barth, Cristal Bobadilla, Tabitha Bradley, Paige Bundy, Alexis Bush, Janaya Chacon, Cynthia Cisneros, Wyatt Crash causes fire Coulter, Magon Cox, Courtney Crisel, Dianna Davies, Ivan Downs, Kirsten Erickson, Joshua Ferrero, Alyssa Fry, Laney Garner, Dana Hair, Travis Heaney, Diana Hollingsworth, Hannah Hungate, KC Jacobsen, Monica Jevne, Sandra Jimenez, Kelly Johnson, Kayla Larsen, Allyson Manning, Preston Maston, Shyann McCullough, Raquel Melgoza, Dillon Milton, Hannah Moldenhauer, Morghan Moore, Trenton Morway, Nicholas Mulcahy, Austin Murphy, Deborha Ortiz, Matthew Parker, Paige Pearce, Shayla Pettit, Rafael Pinto, Daniel Pitts, Daja Potter, Kyanna Pratt, Gregory Prinz, Kaitlin Raetz, Benjamin Robertson, Melissa Ryan, Autumn Shelnutt, Brittany Smith, Andrew Surtees, Magaly Tapia Rodriguez, Alex Torres Garcia, Berenice Torres, Cyrstal Torrey, Neika Valle, Matthew VanSickle, Samantha Waddell, Megan Walker, Christina Winters and Sage Woods. Rich Greene can be reached at 527-2151, ext. 109 or rgreene@redbluffdailynews.com. Courtesy photo Michell Woolbert, 15, of Los Molinos was selected Thursday evening as the Corning Jr. Rodeo Queen. By JULIE ZEEB DN Staff Writer A 15-year-old Los Molinos girl, Michell Woolbert, was crowned Corning Jr. Rodeo Queen at Thursday's pre-rodeo mixer. Michell, the daughter of Hope and Berry Woolbert, is a freshman at Red Bluff High School. Michelle plans to attend a four-year college and would like to participate on a college rodeo team before transferring to a veterinary school to become a licensed vet. She enjoys basketball and track and spending time with her family and friends. Michell competed against Codi Baer, 13, of Cottonwood who was first runner up and Kelsey Kruse, 18, of Red Bluff who was second runner up. Thursdays mixer was See QUEEN, page 9A Mercy graduates Class of 2013 By JULIE ZEEB DN Staff Writer DN photo by Rich Greene A vehicle collision around 4:40 p.m. Friday knocked out a power pole near Luther Road and Airport Boulevard in Red Bluff, which kick started a fire in the grassy area near the Red Bluff Airport. PG&E reported 1,813 customers lost power throughout the GerberLas Flores area. It estimated power should be restored by 8 p.m. Firefighters were working to put out the fire, which neared the back of some residences on Luther Road. A water pipe in the area burst as a result of the fire. No details were available regarding the injury status of a woman involved in the collision. A class of 25 graduated Thursday from Mercy High School at the State Theatre in Red Bluff. Seniors Mark Zunter, Francesca Aguilar, Gina Rae Garibaldi and Harlow Johnson served speakers while Aguilar and Nick Feser provided musical entertainment. English and Language Arts teacher Helen Arbini provided the commencement address and earlier in the day Bishop Jamie Soto from Sacramento gave the Baccalaureate Mass for the high school's 128th graduating class. A Baccalaureate Breakfast, put on by the school's freshman, was See MERCY, page 9A Daily News photo by Julie Zeeb Madison Coelho, center, adjusts Harlow Johnson's graduation cap as Stefanie Cheek, left, adjusts hers in preparation for Thursday's graduation ceremony at the State Theatre.