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WEDNESDAY AUGUST 4, 2010 Breaking news at: Readers’ Photos Oh Snap! www.redbluffdailynews.com See Page 5A RED BLUFF Football set to return to Mercy SPORTS 1B Sunny 99/65 Weather forecast 8B By GEOFF JOHNSON DN Staff Writer A Red Bluff man and a Mex- ican man were arrested this week in eastern Tehama County in connection with a pair of marijuana gardens worth more than $40 million. Officials hit the first garden, about 8,000 plants, just after 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 Busts yield more than $40M in pot midnight Friday near Paynes Creek in the Tehama Wildlife Area, an outdoor recreation area managed by the Depart- ment of Fish and Game. The garden was worth between $24 and $32 million, DFG Lt. Scott Willems said. Guillermo Cruz Lopez, 23, Chiapas, Mexico, was arrested on scene on suspicion of culti- ‘It’s always marijuana season in California, isn’t it?’ Heidi Perry, Lassen National Forest vating marijuana, possessing marijuana for sale and being armed in the commission of a felony. Bail was set at $60,000. Helser closes It was not clear Tuesday whether he is in the United States legally, Willems said. A second man escaped from the scene, according to a press release. In addition to the marijuana, authorities found a pair of 9 mm handguns. Lopez may face additional charges from illegal water diversion, pollution and envi- ronmental damage. The garden tenders used an See BUSTS, page 7A Murder probe takes officers to Kentucky By GEOFF JOHNSON DN Staff Writer What was a Kentucky man, reportedly visiting fam- ily in Red Bluff, doing near Jellys Ferry Road, where he died? The answer may have been in his Radlciff, Ky. home. Law enforcement searched the home of Larry Arthur King last week, Sheriff Clay Parker said. King, 66 at the time of his death, was found stabbed See PROBE, page 7A Whooping cough shots to be given By GEOFF JOHNSON DN Staff Writer Whooping cough is on Daily News photo by Tang Lor A hand written sign on the doors of the service department at Helser Chevrolet Tuesday announces the official closure of the auto dealership. By TANG LOR DN Staff Writer With little word to the public, Helser Chevrolet closed its doors for good Monday. Letters posted at each entrance of the building on Adobe Road offer the only explanation. “After many years in business we deeply regret that we must close our doors. We thank everyone that has supported us, our employees and our families. This is a sad time for Helser Chevrolet and our community. Thank you and God bless.” On Tuesday afternoon the lot was still filled with a few cars. Music blasted from speakers and lights in the buildings were on, but all the doors were locked, and no one was inside. Two people — a long-time customer and a potential customer — stopped by. The first customer, hearing of the closure, came to confirm for himself and hoped to squeeze in a last minute deal if it was not true. The lat- ter, a Bay Area resident, was passing through the area, saw the dealership and stopped wanting to purchase a hitch for his Chevy. The closure of Helser Chevrolet leaves Growney Motors as the only new auto dealership left in Red Bluff, as the city struggles to close a $1.3 million deficit, mostly attributed to declining sales tax revenue. See HELSER, page 7A Governor appoints two county judges to bench Go v . Arnold Schwarzeneg- ger Tuesday announced the appointments of C.Todd Bot- tke and Jonathan Skillman to judgeships in the Tehama County Supe- rior Court. Bottke, 38, of Red Bottke Bluff, has been a partner at McGlynn, McGlynn and Bottke since 2004. Previously, he served the Tehama County District Attorney’s Office as a deputy district attorney from 2002 to 2004 and in 1999. From 2001 to 2002, Bottke was an attorney for Feeney, Kellett, Wienner and Bush and, from 1999 to 2001, he was manager of legal affairs and compliance for Thyssen Krupp Materi- als. He worked for Thelen Reid and Priest as an attorney from 1997 to 1998. Bottk e earned his law degree from Pepperdine University School of Law and a Bachelor of Arts degree from the Ohio State Universi- ty. He was elected in June to fill the vacan- cy created by the retirement of Judge Dennis E. Murray. The gover- nor’s appoint- ment allows Bottke to take his posi- tion on the bench when it 7 5 8 5 5 1 6 9 0 0 1 9 Red Bluff Outdoor Power becomes vacant on Sept. 9. Skillman, 41, of Cot- tonwood, has served as assistant district attorney for the Tehama County District Attorney’s Office since 1999, where he pre- viously served as a deputy district attorney from 1995 to 1999. Skillman earned his law degree from Cal Northern School of Law and a Bachelor of Sci- ence degree from Bob Jones Uni- v ersity . Skillman was elected in June 2010 to fill the vacancy cre- ated by the retirement of Judge Edward J. King. Skillman Skillman will take his position on the bench when it becomes vacant on Sept. 12. The compensation for each position is $178,789. Courtesy photo Downtown Red Bluff business members Karen Harvey, California Kitchen, , Irene Fuller, Heartfelt Designs, and Joanne Ehorn, Ehorn’s Antiques, prepare for the Hawaiian Days Sidewalk Sale scheduled for 9 a.m. Aug. 6-7 in downtown. All crafters and non-profit organizations are welcome to participate. Call Ehorn at 527-0360 for more information. EARN EXTRA MONEY work your own hours, quick pay, must be 18 yrs+, have drivers license & insured vehicle. (866) 906-8036 Job Ref#26044 Deliver new telephone directories in the Glenn-Tehama area. FT/PT, PHYSICIAN REFERRAL A FREE SERVICE PROVIDED FOR YOUR CONVENIENCE 1-800-990-9971 CHW North State Region its way to breaking a 50- year record for infections in California, but low cost vaccines are available locally. Tehama County’s Pub- lic Health division will offer whooping cough vaccines for $4 a person or $8 a family 3-6 p.m. Thursday at the Corning Veterans Hall. Additional clinics are scheduled for 3-6 p.m. Aug. 9 at the Los Molinos Veterans Hall and 3-6 p.m. Aug. 16 at the Red Bluff Community and Senior Center. Infants, with fragile immune systems, are par- ticularly at risk — all seven deaths in California attributed to the disease this year were children younger than two months old. Anyone who has reg- ular contact with infants is advised to get the vaccine, Public Health Director Sydnei Wilby said. Priority groups include parents, caregivers, fami- ly members of infants, women of childbearing age, pregnant women and those who have recently given birth, children 7 years or older and people older than 54. “That way, they can provide a cocoon of pro- tection around (the infant),” Wilby said. But the vaccine only lasts five years and Wilby recommended it to any- one who has not had the shot or whose shot has since expired. “We’re not going to See COUGH, page 7A Say aloha to shopping locally