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TUESDAY JULY 20, 2010 Breaking news at: www.redbluffdailynews.com Travels that teach See Inside American Profile RED BLUFF Little League updates Sports 1B Sunny, hot 101/67 Weather forecast 8B By TANG LOR DN Staff Writer Quick action from the sher- iff has saved the community from being the future home of a convicted killer who is being released from state prison. Tehama County Sheriff Clay Parker became aware of a convicted killer’s pending release into Tehama County after receiving an e-mail from a San Joaquin County newspa- per Friday, he said. In December 2001, Loren Herzog now 44, of Linden, was sentenced to 78-years-to-life — three consecutive 25-to-life terms plus three years — for being an accessory to a felony, for the murders of three peo- ple, Cyndi Vanderheiden, Paul Cavanaugh and Howard King, 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 Convicted killer not coming to Tehama over 14 years. In 2004, a state appellate court threw out the three mur- der convictions and much of the evidence against Herzog. It led to a plea bargain and Her- zog pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter in the 1998 killing of Vanderheiden. He was sentenced to 14 years for voluntary manslaugh- ter, three counts of being an accessory to a felony, and one count of giving a controlled substance to Vanderheiden. Herzog was given credit for time served in county jail and state prison and is being released for time served, Cali- fornia Division of Adult Parole Operations spokesman Luis Patino said. While serving parole for the next three years, Herzog will be prohibited from having any contact with the victim's family or be around alcohol. He will be supervised by a parole agent. Parker spent Monday morn- ing making phone calls to the California Department of Cor- rections and Rehabilitation, he said. After giving his input on the situation and voicing his concern, the department has decided to not send Herzog to Tehama County. “I’ve been working on this all morning, and he’s not com- ing anymore,” Parker said Monday afternoon. Parker declined to recount the specific input he gave to the department or say he alone swayed the department to reconsider its decision. Since speaking with Parker on Monday morning, the cor- A tight squeeze By JULIE ZEEB DN Staff Writer The Cone & Kimball Plaza was filled with hugs and people, Mon- day, for the third annual One- Minute Hug held at noon in honor of National Hug Your Kids Day. When asked how many were attending the event for the first time more than half the crowd raised their hand. “It’s easily doubled in size (since last year),” said Faydra Rector of Faydra and Company who put the event on. The company, whose goal is to awaken human potential, began sponsoring the event after Rector met Michelle Nichols, founder of National Hug Your Kids Day, who had lost her 8-year-old son in 1998 to brain cancer. The day and the one-minute hug were founded with the idea of encouraging working parents to take time out of their busy sched- ules to celebrate the kids in their life and having a balance between work and home life. Monday’s event also honored the families who lost their children within the last year including the Botells who lost 9-year-old Tommy in a rock slide in July 2009 and the Schoelens who lost 10-year-old Braden to meningitis in January. Tess Hulseman, who lost her 25- year-old son Davin Diaz in a train accident in February, was in atten- dance with her son Aza Bravo. Hulseman said having events like Monday’s One-Minute Hug is important, adding that she and Aza hug each other every day. “It’s a way to bring something positive back to our community that has suffered such great losses this year,” Jennifer Botell said. While Botell did not attend last year’s event since she was out of town she said it is very important to have events like the One-Minute Hug. “I still miss my son every day,” Botell said. “It’s a way of honoring my son and showing my girls just how much I love them and how glad I am they survived.” Botell said she is thankful to Faydra and Company for putting on the event and for honoring her son as well as other children lost in the past year. She said she is thankful for the sponsors in the community who really pulled together for the event. Several friends of those who had lost loved ones were also in atten- dance including Bianca Williams, Daily News photo by Julie Zeeb Bianca Williams of Red Bluff and her 11-year-old son, Kylan, release a balloon Monday at the One-Minute Hug event at the Cone & Kimball Plaza in honor of Tommy Botell who died in a rock slide July 29, 2009. whose son Noah was Tommy Botell’s best friend. “I came to support my children and the Botells,” Williams said. “To remember Tommy and to show love to my kids. It’s so hard because it could be any of us (who could lose someone).” While Williams’ son Noah was not able to be present, Williams’ 11-year-old son Kylan was in atten- dance. Michelle Kinner and her son Adam, who was friends with both See HUG, page 7A Corrections officer placed on administrative leave A Tehama County Corrections officer has been placed on paid administrative leave 7 5 8 5 5 1 6 9 0 0 1 9 after charges of welfare fraud were filed by the Tehama County District Attorney’s Office. Charges were filed sometime within the past one to two months, but no discipline has been taken at this point since the man has been charged, said Tehama County Sheriff Clay Parker. Parker said Social Services was not inter- ested in prosecuting the case, but charges had still been filed by the District Attorney’s office. Parker referred ques- tions for more informa- tion to the District Attorney’s Office and a call was made Monday, but District Attorney Gregg Cohen was unavailable for com- ment. — Staff Report COMPLETE AUTO REPAIR Smog Inspection $ 2995 + cert. (MOST CARS & PICK-UPS) Pass or FREE retest 195 S. Main St. Red Bluff 530 527-9841 ARTHRITIS, AND POST SURGERY. DR. SWAIM’S PAIN CREAM NOW AVAILABLE IN OUR OFFICE AT 2530 SR MARY COLUMBA DR. RED BLUFF, CA 96080 (530) 527-7584 STOP THE PAIN FROM NEUROPATHY, SHINGLES, release date is still set for July 26. Loren Herzog rections department’s has determined that Herzog will be released back into San Joaquin County, said Patino. His Two stipulations had to be considered in deciding where Herzog would be released. While the corrections depart- ment is sympathetic toward the concerns of the victim’s family and would like to abide to a family member’s request to not allow Herzog within 35 miles of the family, the department also has a legal obligation to release him back to the county of his last legal residence, Pati- no said. Herzog will now be placed in a location within San Joaquin County that abides by both stipulations. ——— Tang Lor can be reached at 527-2153, Ext. 110 or by e- mail at tlor@redbluffdailynews.com. Man found dead at RB apartment By JULIE ZEEB DN Staff Writer Red Bluff Police are investigating the death of a 31-year- old man whose body was found after having been shot Sun- day morning at an apartment complex in the 400 block of Jackson Street. Officers were sent at 2:11 a.m. Sunday to the apartment where they found Michael Steven Gregg who was unre- sponsive and appeared to have suffered a gun shot wound. Officers started CPR, continuing until members of the Red Bluff Fire Department and paramedics from St. Eliza- beth Community Hospital arrived on scene. The lifesaving efforts were unsuccessful and Gregg was pronounced dead at the scene. At that time, police investiga- tors responded to the scene and took over the investigation. The Tehama County District Attorney’s Office and the California Department of Justice assisted police investiga- tors at the scene. The case is still under investigation and a press release with more information will be released as it becomes avail- able, said Sgt. Michael Graham. Anyone with information is asked to call the Red Bluff Police Department at 527-3131. The friends and family of Gregg will be holding a car- wash from noon to 3 p.m. Saturday at Lariat Bowl, 365 S. Main St., in Red Bluff to help with funeral expenses. Mystic Garden Party to be held in Shasta By TANG LOR DN Staff Writer Tehama County residents planning to attend the Mystic Garden Party will have to travel a little further than expected. In a last minute change of venue, the festival will not be held at the Tehama District Fairgrounds or anywhere else in Tehama County. On Monday, event promoter Jason Gallagher con- firmed with the county Planning Department that the event will now be held at the Water Wheel Park in Manton, Planner II Bob Halpin said. The park location on Wilson Road is on the Shas- ta County side of Manton. This comes as a relief to planning officials who had denied an event permit for the five-day festival that had originally been planned for the Flournoy area. “We’re relieved that we don’t have to go serve a restraining order and be the bad guy,” Halpin said. “We’re glad they found a suitable place for their fes- tival.” On Saturday, Gallagher had said he was 99 percent sure the festival would be held at the fairgrounds. Fairgrounds CEO Mark Eidman had expressed a desire to accommodate the festival though he said there would be other events happening at the fair- grounds during the same time. The festival was scheduled to run Wednesday through July 26. Neither Gallagher or Eidman could be reached for comment Monday.