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TUESDAY Flu Shot: Yes or No? OCTOBER 22, 2013 Homecoming Comeback Vitality Breaking news at: www.redbluffdailynews.com See Page 4A SPORTS 1B DAILY NEWS RED BLUFF Sunny 84/49 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 Bealer hearing pushed to January By RICH GREENE DN Staff Writer Quentin Ray Bealer, the man accused of murdering 14-yearold Marysa Nichols, was back in Tehama Superior Court Monday afternoon for a confirmation of his upcoming preliminary hearing. That hearing was scheduled to occur this week, but on Monday Judge Todd Bottke granted a 90- day extension request filed by Bealer's attorney, Shon Northam. Tehama County District Attorney Gregg Cohen did not object to the request. The preliminary hearing is now scheduled for Jan. 23-24. Bealer once again waived his time rights to have the hearing delayed. Northam said he was seeking the extension so he could interview and hire DNA and forensics experts. Northam also requested that once he has hired experts for the defense, that they be allowed to observe future DNA testing. Cohen said at issue is that future Department of Justice DNA testing may lead to the final consumption of some testing samples. Bottke said he would have expected the issues at hand to have been addressed in the past six months, since Bealer's arraignment. He granted the time request, but said there would be status conference updates during the coming months with Cohen and Northam both required to attend. He scheduled the first for Nov. 12. Nichols went missing Feb. 26 shortly after leaving the Red Bluff Union High School campus. Her body was found two Celebrating the harvest days later in a creek bed near the school. Bealer turned himself in to authorities on March 2 and was arrested later that day for murder. Bealer has entered a not guilty plea. Rich Greene can be reached at 527-2151, ext. 109 or rgreene@redbluffdailynews.co m. Bird fined for fishing violation By RICH GREENE DN Staff Writer Don Bird went to court Wednesday morning hoping to get arrested. He didn't, but he did leave with a $460 fine, which he said he wouldn't pay and the likelihood of another $300 civil assessment fee added to his court owed dues once he refuses. The Rancho Tehama activist had been fighting a citation for fishing without a license, which he went out of his way to receive in an attempt to prove a point. Bird claims such licenses are unconstitutional, furthermore so was his entire court trial. The court trial began with Department of Fish and Wildlife Officer Mitch Carlson detailing how Bird contacted him over a 2-day period in August and asked to See BIRD, page 7A Career Day set at fairgrounds Daily News photo by Andre Byik Trevor Sousa, 7, gets a look at pumpkins that weighed upward of 500 pounds at the 16th annual Dairyville Orchard Festival on Saturday. By ANDRE BYIK DN Staff Writer In its 16th year, the Dairyville Orchard Festival on Saturday attracted thousands in a celebration of this season's harvest at Lassen View School. By about 3 p.m. the festival's produce booth, where organizers sold walnuts, pistachios and almond to name a few, was nearly sold out. "If you're not here sometime between nine and noon you proba- bly won't get a walnut," said Cyndi Gilles, who has been a member of the Dairyville Orchard Festival Committee since its start 16 years ago. Gilles said about 3,000 to 4,000 pounds of product was sold in a four-hour period. When organizers got together to create the Orchard Festival, they knew it had to be sometime in October to celebrate the harvest and to showcase locally grown products, said Kathy Garcia, a spokeswoman Calif. prison crowding deadline extended 1 month SACRAMENTO (AP) — Federal judges on Monday gave California an additional month to reduce its prison population, as negotiations continue over a longer-term delay. The judges said in a one-paragraph order, without comment, that a court-appointed mediator needs more time to seek agreement on how the state should reduce inmate crowding. The delay could signal that the judges see some progress in talks orchestrated by state Appellate Judge Peter Siggins, based on his confidential report and recommendations to the court. It came a week after 7 5 8 5 5 1 6 9 0 0 1 9 the U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear the state's appeal of a lower court's order requiring California to reduce crowding to improve conditions for sick and mentally ill inmates. However, Michael Bien, an attorney representing inmates, said that to his knowledge there have been no meetings with Gov. Jerry Brown's administration and none were scheduled. ''Justice Siggins is a very experienced mediator and we assume that he sees a reason to continue the process. Based on that, we're hopeful,'' Bien said. Deborah Hoffman, a spokeswoman for the administration and state corrections department, said she could not immediately comment. See PRISON, page 7A for the festival. "There are still a lot of people that don't understand how important ag is to Tehama County," Garcia said. "As an economic driver it's a lifeblood. So it's not just that we have those nuts sitting on the counter, it's what they mean for us." Coming into the festival, which featured craft booths, live entertainment and a giant pumpkin contest, organizers had raised more than See HARVEST, page 7A More than 200 presenters will provide insight into their chosen careers to more than 1,000 Tehama County 8th grade students during the 2013 Career Day Nov. 7 at the Tehama District Fairground. Each attending student will be given a passport to visit four distinct career paths. Ranging from nursing to welding, police to counseling every student will have an opportunity to speak one on one with the presenters to gain insight into their career. The Tehama County Education Foundation sponsors the event with the help of countless volunteers to provide this award winning event. If you are interested in par- ticipating as a presenter, call the Tehama County Office of Education at 530 527-5811. Career Day began more than 25 years ago and was held at a local church. At that time a few business people offered a classroom view into their field of work. From there, it has grown to the event it is today. Not only do the students have an opportunity to talk with the presenters, in some cases they will get hands on experiences. The chance to be exposed to so many opportunities in one location is very helpful to the student as they look forward to high school and the career they may want to pursue. Corning park open for business By ANDRE BYIK DN Staff Writer CORNING — Hundreds gathered Saturday morning at the Corning Community Park on Toomes Avenue, where city officials held a ribbon-cutting ceremony and declared the park officially open. The construction of the 18-acre park, which broke ground in April, has been split into two phases, the first of which was opened Saturday and includes a playground area, gazebo, walking trails and a skate and bike park. The proposed plan for the second phase of the park includes two soccer fields, a playground area and picnic tables. City Manager John Brewer said to cheers that when the second phase of the park is completed Corning will have doubled its area of parkland. The project is being funded by a $4.2 million state grant that was awarded in 2010, and the first phase cost about $1.9 DN photo by Andre Byik Hundreds skated and biked to the Corning Community Park on Saturday when city officials opened the grounds in a ribboncutting ceremony. million. Brewer said the city was pleasantly surprised by the award, and began acquiring property shortly after. Trent Construction Inc. out of Gerber was awarded the contract for construction of the park. "I know some of the kids Smog Inspection $ 2595 +$825 certificate (MOST CARS & PICK-UPS) • Members Welcome 530 See PARK, page 7A 527-9841 195 S. Main St., Red Bluff