Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/149295
FRIDAY Senate Races On The Line AUGUST 9, 2013 Timmy Stellar World Briefing Breaking news at: www.redbluffdailynews.com See Page 3B SPORTS 1B DAILY NEWS RED BLUFF Mostly sunny 89/60 Weather forecast 8A TEHAMA COUNTY DAILY 50¢ 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 Sixth arrest made in high school hate crime Tehama County law enforcement made another arrest Wednesday in connection with a June 29 hate crime committed at Red Bluff Union High School. Victor Manuel Moreno, 18, was arrested Wednesday morning for felony assault with a deadly weapon, two counts of participation in a street gang and violating someone's civil rights. The Tehama County District Attorney's Office tweeted Tuesday that it was the sixth arrest in connection with the June 29 beating of an 18-year-old black woman. The woman said she was walking across the high school's football field when a group of eight to 10 white juveniles approached her. One of the juveniles made derogatory racial comments towards her then struck her several times in the face and head with a hammer. A second juvenile hit the woman with his fist, before the group fled in different directions. The woman sustained several Jail receives good marks contusions and abrasions to her head and face. The DA has previously announced through its Twitter account the arrests of four juveniles as part of a gang sweep in connection with the crime's investigation. Hearing set for man charged with baby's murder Staff Report A Red Bluff man charged with murder in the Mother's Day death of a near-8-month-old boy is scheduled for a preliminary hearing at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday at Tehama County Superior Court. Brandon Branscombe, 22, on June 25 pleaded not guilty to the charge. Authorities said they responded at 1:50 p.m. May 12 to a report of an infant that wasn't breathing at 65 Byron Ave. The boy's mother reportedly lived with her boyfriend and Branscombe, and had left the boy in Branscombe's care when she left for work that morning. The boy's mother returned home about 1:45 p.m. for lunch and found her son's lifeless body in a playpen. Red Bluff police officers on the scene attempted CPR on the boy, who was transported to St. Elizabeth ComSee BABY, page 7A Daily News photo by Rich Greene By RICH GREENE DN Staff Writer The Tehama County 2012-13 Grand Jury gave the County Jail a relatively clean bill of health in its annual report. The jury's recommendations included providing more blankets and reading material for inmates, and finding a funding solution to construct an additional Sobering and Safety Cell. In its report the jury wrote that it found the facility "well kept, neat and clean" and the staff "professional and courteous." The only area where the jury found the jail to be out of compliance was the number of inmates being housed being higher than the rated capacity. However the jury found that is not an uncommon occurrence and it does not mean the jail was breaking the law, as rating capacity is not a hard ceiling. The jury interviewed a number of inmates who said they felt safe and were being treated fairly. Although inmates did voice concerns about dental health, lack of work opportunities, lack of reading material and the occasional need for additional blankets. The Grand Jury recommended jail staff issue extra blankets during colder conditions and seek sources for the contribution of reading material from service clubs and library overstock. Jail staff told the Grand Jury of the need for an additional Sobering and Safety Cell for inebriated individuals or for those needing a protective environment. The situation is a level of concern for inmate and officer safety, according to the report. The Grand Jury was told there are tentative plans for renovation to address the situation outside of the proposed jail expansion being worked on. Rich Greene can be reached at 527-2151, ext. 109 or rgreene@redbluffdailynews.com. Youth ransack pool buildings Three teens were arrested early Thursday morning after they were found inside the locker rooms of the City Pool at River Park. Police were called to the park just before 3 a.m. Thursday after an officer spotted several people running from the area of the pool, according to a press release issued by Red Bluff Police Department. The roll up door of the snack bar had been forced open, Officers searched the pool complex and found Dennis Gunn, Jr., 19, and a 16- and 17-yearold hiding in the locker rooms. The office and snack bar had been ransacked. Damage was estimated between $800 and $1,000, the release said. Gunn was booked into Tehama County Jail on charges of burglary and felony vandalism and the juveniles were booked into Juvenile Hall. Calif. farmers sue New sheriff's patrol vehicles hit streets over water releases By RICH GREENE for salmon DN Staff Writer FRESNO (AP) — Farmers in California's San Joaquin Valley are suing the federal government over the planned release of water from a Northern California reservoir to prevent a salmon kill in the lower Klamath River. The suit alleges the release from the Trinity Reservoir would be unlawful and would further decrease the little water available to farmers for irrigation. It was filed Wednesday by the Westlands Water District and the San Luis & Delta-Mendota Water Authority against the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. The Trinity River is the main tributary of the Klamath. A large portion of Trinity water usually is sent south into the Sacramento River and is piped to farmers in the San Joaquin Valley through the Central Valley Pro- 7 5 8 5 5 1 6 9 0 0 1 9 ject. Farmers in the Westlands Water District, the nation's largest federal irrigation district, and others on the west side of the San Joaquin Valley say they desperately need the Trinity water to help deal with severe water shortages next year. The farmers have received just 20 percent of their water deliveries this year, leading them to fallow thousands of acres of land and rely on groundwater. And next year, unless a very wet winter restores nearly empty reservoirs, the farmers predict they might get little or no water — and the lack of Trinity River water would further reduce their deliveries. Bureau of Reclamation spokesman Pete Lucero said the agency could not comment on the pending lawsuit. But federal authorities said they planned to release the Trinity water to the Klamath River to prevent a repeat of a 2002 fish kill that left See WATER, page 7A That SUV with the flashing lights and siren patrolling the streets isn't a vigilante soccer mom, it's the latest law enforcement vehicle. The Tehama County Sheriff's Department rolled out its first Police Interceptor Utility Vehicle Thursday. The vehicle is based on Ford's Explorer and replaces the Crown Victoria vehicles law enforcement has heavily favored in recent years. Ford retired the iconic Crown Victoria police package in 2011 in favor of a Taurus-based model that has fallen flat with law enforcement across the country, who complain the vehicle is too small. Instead they've gravitated toward Ford's SUV model, which passed acceleration, breaking and handling tests by the California Highway Patrol and other agencies with flying colors. The sheriff's department took delivery of six 2013 Ford Police Interceptor Utility Vehicles in April. The vehicles are equipped with a fuel injected V-6 motor. The efficient turbocharged fuel injection system Courtesy photo The Tehama County Sheriff's Department first Police Interceptor Utility Vehicle hit the streets Thursday. offers deputies greater power and handling than the older Crown Victoria police sedans with the V8 engine. In addition, better fuel economy for the day to day usage is expected. With the Sheriff's Auto Shop being fully operational, Sheriff Dave Hencratt ordered the vehicles with minimal emergency equipment from Ford to save costs to the county. The sheriff's department went out to bid for equipment to outfit the patrol vehicles and saved about $3,000 per vehicle in labor costs to install the equipment. The first vehicle was completed Thursday and released to the sheriff's patrol. In addition to the new style of patrol vehicle, the sheriff has added new graphics to the vehicles and, through attrition, there will be a new look to the fleet of patrol vehicles. The other five vehicles will begin to roll out of the Sheriff's Auto Shop over the next few weeks. The Red Bluff Police Department purchased a Police Interceptor in February. It is still being equipped and may be street-ready by next week.