Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/134628
Tuesday, June 4, 2013 – Daily News BLAZE WATER Continued from page 1A Continued from page 1A Fire units were being called in from throughout Tehama County and beyond to battle the blazes. CalFire and United States Forest Service personnel responded with Tehama County Sheriff's Department and Red Bluff Police helping with traffic control and evacuations. Witness reports some units at the 111 Sale Lane apartment complex were burned. Red Bluff Police Cpl. Kevin Hale said at least one building had several units burned to the point of being uninhabitable. An ambulance was called for at least two people, one with a diabetic complication and another with smoke inhalation, but it was unknown whether they were transported from the scene, Hale said. Several elderly persons were having trouble with breathing. There were no serious injuries that Hale was aware of, but the area under the slough is known to be heavily populated by transients and there could be injuries there, Hale said. Just before 4 p.m., the fire was moving down Sale Lane in the heavy vegetation, some of which Tehama groundwater aquifers and is pumped to the surface through 11 operating city wells. The aquifers have been known as an excellent source of drinking water, but the city's system contains miles of aging pipelines. Red Bluff is one of the last municipalities not to alter or treat its water prior to distribution. In April the city collected 17 samples to test for coliform bacteria. Three samples showed the presence of total coliform bacteria. All were absent of fecal coliform. Five of 20 samples taken in May showed the presence of total coliform bacteria, with one positive test showing the presence of fecal coliform. However the presence of fecal coliform bacteria was not confirmed in follow-up testing. Red Bluff must meet a water standard of no more than one sample per month showing signs of total coliform bacteria. The Department of Public Health's citation requires the city to comply with state regulations in future testing and monitoring and notify domestic water users of the violations. The city could also be fined $1,000 per day, however no monetary penalties have been issued yet. The city has taken offline the well that showed positive tests and done some water system flushing. "CDPH appreciates the ongoing efforts of city staff to remediate condi- was close to the sidewalk, sending thick smoke and ash toward Gilmore Ranch Road. Antelope Boulevard was closed at Sale Lane with no one from the Cabernet Apartments, where the front grass leading into the complex had several small spot fires, allowed out even on foot due to the proximity of the fire. Air drops were called in by firefighters with at least seven to 10 coming from a tanker plane and helicopter. Antelope was reopened to traffic about 5:45 p.m. and residents were allowed back in to the Cabernet complex about 5:30 p.m. The cause of both fires is under investigation. A Red Bluff Police car assigned to Sgt. Kevin Busekist caught fire while parked on the side of Sale Lane, but the damage was minimal and he was able to get out, Det. Brett McAllister said. The fire did get into at least two other buildings including the Rockin' R Restaurant and the Super 8 Motel, but the extent of damage was unknown, a Tehama County Sheriff's deputy said. A group of students was at the Sacramento River Discovery Center at the end of Sale Lane on a field trip at the time of the fires, but reports say the children were removed safely from the area. Jessica Macdonald was at the Tehama County Farm Bureau doing her Senior Make A Difference Day Project with her mother, Shelley, at work next door at the Northern California Farm Credit when the fire broke. "It looks like our project may involve cleanup tomorrow," Macdonald said. ——— Julie Zeeb can be reached at 527-2153, extension 115 or jzeeb@redbluffdailynews. com. Follow her on Twitter @DN_Zeeb. RODEO Continued from page 1A 20.896; 2, Shelby Dunning, Proberta, 23.342; 3, Mackenzie Moore, Red Bluff, 23.993; 4, Emily Kramer, Bieber, 24.649. Jr. Girls Goats: 1, Grace Swift, Live Oak, 16.59; Shelby Dunning, Proberta, 21.930. Jr. Girls Barrels: 1, Nicole Tomasello, Cottonwood, 17.394; 2, Shelby Dunning, Proberta, 17.451; 3, Grace Swift, Live Oak, 17.658; 4, Regan Shannon, Los Molinos, 17.840. Girls Breakaway: Chelsey Bushnell, Red Bluff, 3.03; 2, Emma Swift, Live Oak, 3.22; 3, Emily Clendenen, Cottonwood, 3.38. Jr. Boys Goats: 1, Bryar Byrne, Gridley, 15.03; 2, Kolton King, Red Bluff, 17.38; 3, KC Moore, Red Bluff, 18.63. Jr. Boys Poles: 1, KC Moore, Red Bluff, 25.954; 2, Tyler Schorovsky, Los Molinos, 26.505; 3, Jake Alexander, Corning, 27.916. Jr. Boys Barrels: 1, Chance Kramer, Bieber, 19.366; 2, Casey Moore, Red Bluff, 19.637. Jr. Boys Calf Riding: 1, Lane Vaughan, Klamath Falls, Ore., 3.69. Steer Riding: 1, Kolton King, 7A tions that may result in coliform positives, but does acknowledge that the city should consider implementing system disinfection as a precautionary measure to prevent bacteriological problems in the future," a letter from the Department of Public Health to the city reads. Among Public Works Director Bruce Henz's recommendations are fitting each of the city's 11 active wells with a standalone sodium hypochlorite feed system that will operate only as the well is being pumped. The equipment will cost $23,000. Yearly chemical costs are expected to be around $18,400 and it will costs $53,315 a year in maintenance for the improvements. A staff report says adequate funds are available to implement the use of chloride of the city's drinking water in the Water Enterprise Fund with no impact to the General Fund. People with severely compromised immune systems, infants and some elderly may be at increased risk with the presence of coliform bacteria. They should seek advice about drinking water from a health care provider. Guidelines on ways to lessen the risk of infection by microbes are available from the federal Environmental Protection Agency's Safe Drinking Water Hotline at (800) 426-4791. Rich Greene can be reached at 527-2151, ext. 109 or rgreene@redbluffdailyne ws.com. Man charged in assault Red Bluff, 71; 2, Mason Meadows, Red Bluff, 70. Tie Down Roping: 1, Quincy Crum, Little Valley, 11.87; 2, Mason Mardesich, Gridley, 13.75. Steer Stopping: 1, Mason Mardesich, Gerber, 3.69; 2, Wyatt Spencer, Corning, 3.78; 3, Chelsey Bushnell, Red Bluff, 4.31; 4, Quincy Crum, Little Valley, 4.35. Bareback: 1, Cody Ellis, Cottonwood, 59. Saddle Bronc: 1, Mason Mardesich, Gridley, 63. Jr. Bulls: Zack Harrison, Live Oak, 71. Sr. Bulls: Cody Ellis, Cottonwood, 72. Senior All-Around Cowboy: Mason Mardesich, Gridley Senior All-Around Cowgirl: Courtney Wood, Chico Jr. All-Around Cowboy: KC Moore, Red Bluff Jr. All-Around Cowgirl: Shelby Dunning, Proberta A 49-year-old Red Bluff man was arrested for assault with a deadly weapon after getting into a fight with his 55-year-old brother. Around 2:40 p.m. Sunday Tehama County Sheriff's deputies responded to the 400 block of Ross Road, according to a department press release. Larry Matthew Whatley reported his brother, Donald Nicholas Whatley, had threatened him with a small knife and was breaking things at the residence. Larry told deputies Donald was angry with him and had charged at him, knocking him down, while holding the knife. Larry suffered minor bruising due to being knocked down, but was not cut with the knife. Donald was found in his camp trailer and had a fresh cut on his hand. A small, broken kitchen knife was found near where he was standing. Neighbors who witnessed the assault corroborated Larry's story. Donald Whatley was arrested for assault with a deadly weapon and booked on $30,000 bail. Feds OK new balance State parks system launching makeover study The parks ''They have to intellectually SACRAMENTO — The for Klamath water California state parks(AP)scandal, is honest andespeciallybecoming up with icized in the leadershipahas been critpast for lack of revcreative in system, beset solutions, in how we are enue-generating innovation. Conseby financial problems and GRANTS PASS, Ore. (AP) — A new plan for balancing scarce water in the Klamath Basin between fish and farms won't harm salmon or other fish protected by the Endangered Species Act, federal scientists said Monday. The NOAA Fisheries Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service issued what is called a biological opinion for operations on the Klamath Project, a federal irrigation project straddling the Oregon-California border. It covers the effects of the irrigation project's operations on shortnosed suckers and Lost River suckers in Upper Klamath Lake and other reservoirs, as well as coho salmon, green sturgeon and eulachon in the Klamath River. The evaluation represents a ''landmark'' level of coordination between the federal agencies, as well as integration of the needs of the different fish species, with an eye toward trying to keep the irrigation project supplied with water, said Laurie Sada, field supervisor for the Klamath office of Fish and Wildlife. Water levels in lakes for suckers and releases down the Klamath River for salmon are tied to natural events, such as rain and snowmelt. That allows for storing more water in the winter, and provides that winter flows will not be static, said Irma Lagomarsino, supervisor for the NOAA fisheries northern California office. ''In general, it's a huge departure from the past water management system,'' she said. ''It is one that provides more certainty in terms of water for the (farmers). It provides a block of water for the river. And it provides lake levels to help protect endangered suckers.'' The Bureau of Reclamation said this new plan gives them far more flexibility than they had in 2001, when they had to shut off irrigation to farms to maintain water for fish. ''In the past, volume and distribution of water for coho salmon, the Klamath Project and suckers were not coordinated,'' said Jason Phillips, Klamath Area manager for the Bureau of Reclamation. ''We factored into our analysis when the coho are needing water and when farmers are likely to take water and when suckers need habitat.'' Phillips said low snowpack in the mountains and little rain this spring left them with less water than in 2010, when they had to start irrigation late due to lack of water. But the new plan, implemented before it gained formal approval, allowed them to start water deliveries on time in the spring. Irrigators said they were unhappy there was not enough water this year but happy the new plan is in place to deal with the shortage. launching a study commission that leaders hope will reshape the system and restore public confidence and financial stability. The group of private sector business leaders will study everything from how big the park system should be, to whether individual parks can do a better job generating revenue, and if the current practice of promoting only law enforcement rangers to leadership positions has led to a lack of innovation at the top. ''Everything is going to be on the table,'' John Laird, secretary of the Department of Natural Resources, told The Associated Press. On Monday, Laird announced formation of the independent Parks Forward Commission, a privately financed panel that will study how to revamp the parks system for 18 months. It comes a year after scandals and problems threatened to shutter a quarter of the state's 280 parks. Laird will appoint up to a dozen leaders from business, finance, public policy and arts communities to examine the structure of the department and assess future needs for a state of 38 million people and growing. organized,'' said Anthony Jackson, a retired Marine Corps major general appointed last fall to lead the parks department out of its troubles. Jackson already has hired new top management and is looking at other changes. Staff is testing technology that allows visitors to swipe credit cards to pay for entrance and parking, rather than collecting cash and driving it to the bank as is done now in what Jackson called ''1950s technology.'' Jackson also is looking at making park passes more accessible by selling them at retail sporting goods outlets, as fishing and hunting licenses are. And he's looking to undo the culture that said only rangers with law enforcement backgrounds were eligible to become superintendents, leaving behind naturalists, archeologists and others who might be innovative managers. It's something the commission will examine. ''If you look at regional parks and the national parks, they don't require that someone go through the law enforcement academy to go into leadership,'' Jackson said. The staff at Red Bluff Simple Cremations would like to thank all of the families who trust us with their loved ones needs. Red Bluff Simple Cremations & Burial Service 527-1732 722 Oak Street, Red Bluff, FD Lic. 1931 quently the department has allowed millions of dollars in maintenance problems to pile up as it struggled with shrinking state budgets. Critics also say managers were slow to figure out how to generate money. Last year, a $22 million cut from the system's $779 million budget threatened the closure of 70 parks. Then the discovery of $54 million, which was hidden from the governor and Legislature in two special funds, damaged the public's faith in the system of towering redwoods, breathtaking beaches and old Gold Rush sites. The Legislature ordered the formation of the advisory group being formed. Laird introduced commission chairman Lance Conn, a venture capitalist and former investor for Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen. Conn said the report should be complete by the end of 2014. ''Our goal is not to write a love letter to the parks or to create a theoretical white paper that gathers dust, but to come up with a bold and innovative plan to create a sustainable future for our parks,'' said Conn, who also sits on the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation's board.