Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/169569
WEDNESDAY Sept. 11, 2001 SEPTEMBER 11, 2013 Wilcox Invite Never Forget Breaking news at: www.redbluffdailynews.com SPORTS 1B DAILY NEWS RED BLUFF Sunny 94/64 Weather forecast 8B 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 Ranchers upset over inaction on pot growers By RICH GREENE DN Staff Writer A pair of Tehama County residents questioned the Board of Supervisors Tuesday about the lack of enforcement regarding illegal activity stemming from marijuana grows in the Red Bank Road area west of Red Bluff. "It's not so much the growing of marijuana that is the problem as it is the other lawlessness that goes along with it," Merle Newton said. The men said they have had cattle killed by dogs, seen illegal fires in areas likely to get out of hand as well as have fears about the illegal pumping of water from creeks and pollution in the area. Both men said they have called various county and state departments including Fish and Wildlife, Animal Control and fire departments to deal with a variety of illegal activity in the area. The men said whoever they speak to at those departments tells 'You're asking me to play by one set of rules and these bad guys just don't have to play by the same set' — Larry Galper them they will not enforce rules in the area because they are afraid to do so and would need to be accompanied by armed law enforcement. Meanwhile law enforcement agencies, including the Sheriff's Department and the Tehama Interagency Drug Truck takes out hydrant Enforcement team, have told the men they don't have the resources. "Everyone is aware of this grow. Everyone is aware of the illegal activity that is going on and we can't get any help to deal with this," Larry Galper said. Newton and Galper said when they have burns on their land they go through the proper channels and fill out the proper paperwork and are apparently held to a differSee POT, page 7A Man hit by train in critical condition A 25-year-old Red Bluff man remains in critical condition at Enloe Medical Center in Chico after being hit by a train early Tuesday morning in Red Bluff, according to a Red Bluff Police Department release. The engineer of an Amtrak train reported seeing a man sleeping near the tracks between Oak and Willow streets around 3 a.m. Tuesday. An officer responded and found Derek Coltrain lying near the east rail of the tracks with major traumatic injuries from being hit by a train. No further information is available. RBFD personnel help fight Clover Fire Daily News photo by Andre Byik Red Bluff police investigate a single-vehicle crash Tuesday on Main Street near the Red BluffTehama Chamber of Commerce building. By ANDRE BYIK DN Staff Writer A 31-year-old Red Bluff woman was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence after crashing a white Toyota pickup truck into a fire hydrant Tuesday on Main Street near the Red Bluff-Tehama Chamber of Commerce building. Witnesses told Red Bluff police that Brandi Rapley was traveling south on Main Street at a rate of speed of about 65-70 miles per hour when she ran a red light, swerved and hit a curb, Cpl. Kevin Hale said. Rapley then reportedly backed up and accelerated back onto the curb and into the fire hydrant about 3:17 p.m. The Toyota pickup sustained major front-end damage in the single-vehicle crash. Hale said Rapley was arrested Man gets 6 months for connection to pot ring SACRAMENTO —Jose Sergio Espindola, 41, of Delhi, was sentenced Monday by U.S. District Judge William Shubb to six months in prison and six months home detention for concealing a felony, U.S. Attorney Benjamin Wagner announced. Espindola was the last of 11 defendants to be sentenced in a case that focused on his cousin, Uriel OchoaEspindola, who was sentenced earlier this year to 17 years in prison. According to court documents, Ochoa-Espindola was the leader of one of the largest marijuana trafficking operations in Northern California. Based in the Merced County town of Delhi, Ochoa-Espindola and his partners grew tens of thousands of marijuana plants in El Dorado, Tehama and Placer counties and shipped it by truck to South Dakota, Colorado, Illinois, Massachusetts, Washington, North 7 5 8 5 5 1 6 9 0 0 1 9 Carolina and elsewhere. Investigators seized more than 100 pounds of marijuana in Colorado, more than 300 pounds of marijuana in Illinois, and more than $100,000 in cash. The cash was being shipped from North Carolina to California for Ochoa-Espindola. Investigators seized an additional $315,000 in cash at the time of Ochoa-Espindola's arrest. Investigators seized three handguns and nearly 11,000 marijuana plants at the El Dorado County site, nearly 17,500 marijuana plants at the Placer County site, and nearly 2,000 marijuana plants at a grow site in Tehama County. In all, investigators seized 24 firearms, including four AK-47 rifles and two M-16/M-4 style rifles, many with high-capacity magazines. "This case represented all the worst aspects of marijuana trafficking in this district: multiple grow sites, environmental harm, highcapacity firearms, huge amounts of money, shipments to multiple states," Wagner said. for suspicion of being under the influence of drugs or alcohol. She was arrested at the scene and was to be booked into Tehama County Jail. Gallons of water flowed toward the Red Bluff River Park parking lot, with water still spilling from the hydrant about 4:10 p.m. Authorities had closed one lane of traffic on Main Street for a time as they investigated the crash. REDDING (AP) — Firefighters gained the upper hand Tuesday on a wildfire in Northern California that destroyed 30 homes and forced about 600 people out of their homes, fire officials said. The Red Bluff Fire Department sent four personnel and an engine early Tuesday to help fight the Clover Fire burning in Shasta County off Cloverdale Road in Happy Valley. Dom Catona, a strike team leader trainee, Mark Moyer, Wes Morgan and Casey Hickok join the more than 1,100 fire personnel fighting the 7,400-acre blaze, which, according to the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, has destroyed 80 structures, damaged 30 and threatens 300. The Clover Fire broke out Monday near the rural community of Happy Valley in Shasta County and was quickly fanned by gusty winds, growing to more than 11 square miles. However, lighter winds on Tuesday allowed firefighters to focus on corralling the blaze. ''The fire is not doing much and that is what we call very good news,'' California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection spokesman Mike Witesman said. Officials said that at its peak, the flames spread at 500 acres an hour. Some residents were given just minutes to evacuate as the fire jumped roads and engulfed residences, the See FIRE, page 7A Red Bluff Jr. Round-Up results The results from this weekend's Red Bluff Jr. RoundUp Rodeo are as follows. Top winners Saturday Mutton Bustin Tracen Taylor Saturday Dummy Roping Ilan Davis Sunday Mutton Bustin Hunter Maxwell Sunday Dummy Roping Ryan Wells Sr. Boys All Around Quincy Crum Sr. Reserve Boys All Around Clayton Bacon Sr. Girls All Around: Bailey Bean Sr. Girls Reserve All Around: Chelsey Bushnell Jr. Boys All Around: Cody Stewart Jr. Boys Reserve All Around: Brandon Green Jr. Girls All Around: Brooklyn Quisenberry Jr. Girls Reserve All Around: Mackenzie Moore Youth Boys All Around: Zane George Youth Boys Reserve All Around: Travis Cadwell Youth Girls All Around: Shelby Dunning Youth Girls Reserve All Around: Miley Bunting Individual events Sr Boys Saddle Broncs 1 75 Crum, Quincy $40 Sr Boys Bulls 1 76 Bacon, Clayton $69 2 75 Redamonti, Wyatt $53 3 74 Demo, Colby $39 Sr Boys Chute Doggin 1 3.02 Spencer, Wyatt $121 2 3.25 Pfister, Luke $90 3 4.3 Bravos, Kolby $60 4 4.35 Chambers, Colby $30 Sr. Boys Calf Roping 1 10.04 Crum, Quincy $129 2 11.84 Bacon, Clayton $96 3 13.2 Bankus, Wyatt $64 4 13.5 Minton, Brushton $32 Sr. Girls Barrel Racing 1 18.147 Clendenen, Erin $265 2 18.304 Eldenberg, Lauren $199 3 18.309 Bushnell, Chelsey $133 4 18.338 Vaughan, Keeley $66 Sr. Girls Poles 1 21.874 Larsen, Peyton $225 2 21.972 Clendenen, Emily $169 3 21.985 Bean, Bailey $113 4 22.085 Clendenen, Erin $56 Sr. Girls Breakaway Roping 1 3.79 Clendenen, Emily $188 2 3.82 Wemple, Kattie $139 See RODEO, page 7A Smog Inspection $ 2595 +$825 certificate (MOST CARS & PICK-UPS) • Members Welcome 530 527-9841 195 S. Main St., Red Bluff