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WEEKEND JUNE, 29-30 2013 104/77 Weather forecast 10B www.redbluffdailynews.com DAILY NEWS RED BLUFF Sunny Breaking news at: 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 TIDE makes 2 Music City calling out to local singer large drug busts By JULIE ZEEB DN Staff Writer CalFire units responded with the first unit reporting a fully involved structure fire at a house that appeared vacant, Fire Chief Jon Bennett said. Red Bluff Police and PG&E assisted. Heavy fire was extending into the attic of the small single story wood Red Bluff's Stacy Stone was one of three finalists in Chico radio station KZFR's fourth annual Celebration of Song, which held a showcase June 5 at Sierra Nevada Big Room. The songwriting competition was a first for the local singer who has been writing her own songs for several years. Stone entered her song "Bein' Someone's Mine" of which a video is posted on her website stacystonesmusic.com. As part of her being a finalist, Stone was invited to sing at the California Music Festival in Grass Valley on July 12, which she was unable to attend due to a scheduling conflict, she said. Along with the performance, winners received a $100 certificate. Stone used hers for three hours of recording time at Chico's Electric Canyon Studios. Stone, who graduated June 6 from Red Bluff Union High School, will be moving to Nashville, Tenn. to take the next step in her musical career. "I'm officially moving to Nashville in August," Stone said. "I feel like I've gotten a great start here in California thanks to a couple of people in Sacramento who believe in me and want to see me make it. They have given me many opportunities and mentored me for a while now." Over the years, Stone has sang at many venues in Tehama County and beyond, including the Tehama District Fairground during the fair and the Cone and Kimball Clock Tower for community events such as Beef n' Brew. She has also been an opening act at Country in the See FIRE, page 9A See MUSIC, page 9A By JULIE ZEEB DN Staff Writer Tehama Interagency Drug Enforcement Task Force arrested four people in connection with drugs found at two separate incidents between Tuesday and Thursday. On Thursday, agents found two commercial marijuana growing operations, one of which had 4,926 plants, leading to the arrest of two Mexican men, according to a TIDE press release. See BUSTS, page 9A Fire burns vacant house on Hickory Street Photo courtesy of Ross Palubeski A home burns on Hickory Street Friday morning. By JULIE ZEEB DN Staff Writer Red Bluff Fire is trying to determine the owner of a possibly vacant Hickory Street residence that caught fire early Friday. The fire was reported at 6:10 a.m. Friday in the 700 block of Hickory. Red Bluff Fire and Courtesy photo Red Bluff's Stacy Stone, pictured here at the 2013 Chowchilla Fair, was one of three finalist in a Chico songwriting contest. World's ugliest dog happy to be home in Chico By ASHLEY GEBB MediaNews Group CHICO — It's been a whirlwind week for Walle. A sweet caricature of a canine, the boxer-beaglebasset hound mix is happily back to sofa snoozing and begging for biscuits in between publicity stunts. The last few days have been exhausting, running from New York talk show to talk show after winning the title last week of the World's Ugliest Dog. "We always get asked to have his picture taken," said his owner, Tammie Sue Barbee. "He's kind of used to it by now. Huh, Walle? You're not a snob." Hearing his name, he looks up with big almond eyes in excitement and wags his tail. Barbee has heard many comments about Walle over the years — "That's weird!" and "What is that?" and "Do you put your dog on steroids?" Someone once even called him deformed and said she should euthanize him. But Barbee and her hus- band, Walter, who Walle is named after, love him dearly. His strange build is just one more endearing trait. He has the giant pigeontoed paws of a basset hound, a beagle tail, and a boxer's arched back, protruding ribcage and muscular hind legs. His oversized bassetboxer head would trip him as a puppy but he's long since mastered a quick waddle that allows him to "run with the best of them," Barbee said. Walle has been a Chico celebrity for years, at least in dog circles. In 2009 and 2010, he was named "Most Unusual" at an Elks Lodge competition and in 2009, he was crowned king of Butte Humane Society's canine carnival. The 4-year-old mutt also has his own Facebook page and several YouTube videos. Entering the World's Ugliest Dog competition in Petaluma last week was a last-minute whim, Barbee said. She figured Walle would lose to a Chinese crested dog, which are known for hideous hairstyles and bad teeth. But when Walle took the stage, people cheered, she said. Among 29 dogs, he may have not been the ugliest but the judges agreed he was the most unusual. "None of those dogs are ugly," Barbee said. "They are just unique in their own way." The next morning, they flew to New York to be on "The Today Show," followed by appearances on "Fox & Friends," "Kathie Lee and Hoda" and "The View." They were supposed to go on "Jimmy Kimmel Live" Wednesday but a plane snafu delayed them and they decided they were homesick. Back they came to Chico, where Walle's 4foot-tall World's Ugliest Dog trophy joins other awards, golden chalices and blue ribbons. As a reward for the competition's $1,500 prize, he has had his fill of treats in the last week and was treated to a T-bone dinner, Barbee said. He's always been spoiled, ever since joining the family at 5 weeks old. He in the family photo, rides shotgun and sleeps on their bed. And when Barbee and her husband tied the knot after 18 years together, it was Walle they took to Reno to be best man. "He's been our baby," Barbee said. "He's easygoing, mellow, a people pleaser." NOW HIRING - MULTIPLE GREAT LOCAL OPPORTUNITIES Millwrights, HVAC Technician, Maintenance Tech and Electrician, Quality Control Staff, Experienced Lunch Cook, Bi-Lingual Associates and more. Want to get out of the heat? Apply for several positions at a Mountain Restaurant and Lodge! MediaNews photo by Jason Halley/Chico Enterprise-Record Tammie Sue Barbee talks about her dog Walle, a boxer-beagle-basset hound mix who was just named the World's Ugliest Dog, at her home in Chico on Thursday. Visit www.jobtrainingcenter.org or come in Monday-Friday, 9am to 5pm. Come ready for a prescreen interview. 718 Main Street in Red Bluff 529-7000