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MONDAY NOVEMBER 8, 2010 Breaking news at: www.redbluffdailynews.com See 7A RED BLUFF Sports 1B Mostly Sunny 60/44 Weather forecast 8B 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 Atasty new home Walther turns 100 Special to the DN Maxine H. Walther of Red Bluff turned 100 on Oct. 30, and a large num- ber of family members and fellow residents at Lassen House, the assist- ed care center where she lives, as well as other friends, attended a cele- bration for her. Asked if she ever expected to live so long, she answered: “I had a sneaking suspicion I would, but I never told anyone.” She said her father’s mother, whom she never knew, lived to be 100. “I was told I was something like her,” she added. Asked to say to what she attributes her longevity, she had no immediate answer, but acknowledged that she has always been physically active and has always kept her mind going about the world around her. But she said she is not into looking back. “I like to think of the future; we’re in a revolution -- things are changing.” She went on to explain that she thinks or at least hopes that people will become more environmen- tally conscious. “Like native Americans, we need to take care of Mother Earth,” she said. Walther is the widow of the late Louis R. Walther, who is a past editor of the Daily News and who worked in the newspaper business for some 50 years. In her retirement she has enjoyed writing she has done in a local creative writing class, but her eyesight does not allow her to write anymore, although she still sometimes attends. But she does listen to recorded books. In her younger days she was an avid reader of popular fiction, but has taken more interest in non-fiction these days. Mrs. Walther was born at home in Modesto. She said Maxine H.Walther Daily News photo by Julie Zeeb Tamela Dahlgren of Corning looks at one of several varieties of olive oil available Saturday at the Lucero Olive Oil grand opening of the tasting room and store, located in the building next to the mill at 2120 Loleta Ave. in Corning. By JULIE ZEEB DN Staff Writer CORNING —Cars lined Loleta Avenue and parts of Highway 99W, Saturday, for Lucero Olive Oil’s grand opening of its store and tasting room. “This whole process (of opening the store) started a year ago,” said owner Dewey Lucero. “Everyone has worked really hard for this and we’re excited to unveil it.” The store and tasting room are located at the Lucero mill at 2120 Lole- ta Avenue. Lucero said he is most excited about having the mill room that will allow visitors to watch the process of making olive oil for themselves. “It’s our biggest accomplishment,” Lucero said of the mill room, which serves the purpose of helping to edu- cate the public about the process of producing olive oil. “I’m here on behalf of the City of Corning,” Turner said. “This operation will have major economic impact, especially for growers with olives that are undersized or over ripened,” Corn- ing Vice-Mayor Ross Turner said. “They will have the economic opportu- nity for recovery of their investments.” It will also impact the community as it brings more jobs to Corning with 25 people employed, he said. “We’re so excited to send people your way to something so wonderful,” Corning Chamber of Commerce Man- ager Valanne Cardenas said. Lucero is a third generation olive grower, but has ties to olives on both sides of the family with many of the local olives in Tehama County coming from a nursery owned by Lucero’s maternal grandfather. Lucero’s paternal grandfather was a part of bringing the first mechanical mill to California. The Lucero family has cultivated olives since 1964 and until opening the olive oil company sold most of them for canning, pressing only a few of the olives for their own use. In 2005, Lucero, who was previous- ly employed as a mechanical engineer and had been laid off, came up with the idea to start the company. Visitors had the chance to try sever- al varieties of olive oil, including one of the newest — chocolate flavored olive oil. The first 100 people received a 750 ml bottle of Anthony’s blend, named for Dewey Lucero’s grandpa. The bottle, which pictures Dewey, his father, Bob, and grandfather, See TASTY, page 7A a woman was hired to care for her mother, but a doctor came to the house to perform the delivery. She grew up primarily in town, but did live for a time in the country with her grandparents on her mother’s side. Her grandfather raised vegetables on a small acreage, and her grandmother drove a horse and buggy into town to sell them, she said. When the Great Depression hit in 1929 she was a young married woman and she and her husband worked in fruit canneries in Modesto and other areas of Northern California, and then during the depths of the Depression farmed a place across the road from his family’s small farm, or “ranch” as they always referred to it. She had to adjust somewhat to farm life, but fortu- nately “the boys (her husband and his brother) installed indoor plumbing” just before they moved onto the place, she noted. Part of her duties there were to drive a team of mules, she recalled. Much of her time, though, was spent caring for a baby, preparing meals, and washing clothes on a washboard. While they did not have things a rough as many dur- ing the Depression, she said, she has no fond memories of it. In fact, she bristles at the idea that people were in some ways better off in that hardscrabble time because they enjoyed simple pleasures. “There’s nothing fun about being poor; it’s awful,” she said. She did say, however, that while growing up in Modesto, although her folks were of modest means and there was no television, and not even radio until about the time she entered high school, people found things to do with their free time. “They sat on the front or back See 100, page 7A Jordan named CowBell of the Year By JULIE ZEEB DN Staff Writer At the Fabulous Fifties themed Tehama County CattleWomen’s annual luncheon, fashion show and boutique Red Bluff resident Una Jordan was named CowBelle of the Year. “I was very shocked and very, very surprised,” Jordan said. “I feel there are other members who have contributed just as much to the Cattle- Women’s functions.” While Jordan was sur- prised her friend Cindi Keller, who has known her since the age of two, was not. Daily News photo by Julie Zeeb Joan Hemsted, right, helps Una Jordan unwrap her CowBelle of the Year award, presented Saturday. 7 5 8 5 5 1 6 9 0 0 1 9 “She calls me her kid because she helped raise me,” Keller said. “She has always been very good to me and my family. We’ve survived three floods and one fire and Una was always there to lend a hand. I’m not surprised that she has received many awards.” Jordan, who was born in North Fork in Madera County in 1928, said she joined the Tehama Coun- ty CattleWomen 11 years ago after retiring from her business Flower Boutique and Gift Shop in Red Bluff. “I opened my doors in 1970 and was in business for 25 years,” Jordan said. “I gained all my friend- ships in Tehama County from my business and if friends were money I’d be a millionaire because I feel so lucky to have so many friends in this coun- ty.” Jordan said she did not join CattleWomen until after retiring because she didn’t want to join until she knew she would have the time to contribute. Among her many groups she has been involved with over the years are the Tehama County Rotary Club of Red Bluff, the Sacramen- to River Discovery Cen- ter, Blues for the Pool, helping with the Red Bluff Round-Up Chili Cook-off and the Salva- tion Army Board. Jordan helped start the Tehama County Special Olympics in 1976 and received Most Inspira- tional Rotarian Award in 2010, Business Woman of the Year in 1986 and Tehama County Farm Bureau Volunteer of the Year in 2002. “Una has always been a great asset to the Tehama County Cattle- Women’s group and is always there to lend a hand with her many tal- ents and inspirational ideas,” said Joan Hemst- ed, who presented Jordan with her award. “Una dec- orated the table center- pieces and stage for many years for the Cattle- Women’s Beef Luncheon and Fashion Show. She also contributed to many committee projects within the organization.” Hemsted also pointed out that Jordan was an All See JORDAN, page 7A Love at First Crush Playoff bound