Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/219270
FRIDAY NOVEMBER 29, 2013 Students Learn Guitar Raiders Cowboys Education Breaking news at: www.redbluffdailynews.com See Page 8A SPORTS 1B DAILY NEWS RED BLUFF Sunny 67/43 Weather forecast 10A TEHAMA COUNTY 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 Author! Author! See LOSMO, page 9A Diversion dam decommissioning to begin in January Special to the DN book," and "This book was such fun to read…Started reading it on Saturday morning and couldn't stop until it was done. Can't wait for the next one." "Spending my life cre- Calif jail violence rises on reforms SACRAMENTO (AP) — County jails that account for the vast majority of local inmates in California have seen a marked increase in violence since they began housing thousands of offenders who previously would have gone to state prisons. Many of the 10 counties that account for 70 percent of California's total jail population have experienced a surge in the number of inmate fights and attacks on jail employees, according to assault records requested by The Associated Press. The spike corresponds to a law championed by Gov. Jerry Brown in which lower-level offenders are sentenced to county jails instead of state prisons. Some jails have seen violence dip, but the trend is toward more assaults since the law took effect on Oct. 1, 2011. Brown sought realignment of the state's penal system in response to federal court orders requiring the reduction of prison overcrowding as the main way of improving medical and mental health treatment for state inmates. But the change has shifted many of the same problems the state had experienced to local jails. Nearly 2,000 more jail 7 5 8 5 5 1 6 9 0 0 1 9 LosMo medical center to open The grand opening and ribbon cutting ceremony for Ampla Health Los Molinos Medical is scheduled for 45:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 5. The ceremony will be open to the public. Ampla Health Los Molinos Medical will provide hors d'oeuvres, music and gift bags for the occasion. The business will be opened to the general public for a celebration of the new medical facility. The celebration will include appearances by the Ampla Health Board of directors, dignitaries and mascots. The general public is encouraged to enjoy this introduction and celebration of the new medical facility at Local writer publishes third book Red Bluff author JB Hawker recently published her third book: Seadrift, the most recent edition of the Bunny Elder Mystery series. "I've made up stories my whole life," Hawker said. "While other children might need a flashlight to read under the covers after bedtime, I simply made up my own stories, many of which lasted multiple nights, having intricate details and characters drawn both from my life and my imagination." The first book, Hollow, was released on Amazon.com late last year and was an instant success. The next two books came along and sales are now nearing 1,000 books in just a year's time. "I never dreamed I would publish a new book every six months," Hawker said. The reader response was so encouraging she was spurred on to publish the next two books — Vain Pursuits and Seadrift — in record time. An exploration of the three books on Amazon.com will lead you to reviews like, "If you enjoy sitting down for an afternoon or evening and reading a book from cover to cover this is your DAILY 50¢ inmates were assaulted by other inmates in the first year after the realignment law took effect, up about one-third over the previous year, the figures compiled by the AP show. Attacks on jail employees increased by 165 during the same period. A rise in the level of violence in jails was likely to be inevitable under the law because of the higher number of additional felons being sentenced to counties. Yet the increase significantly outpaces the overall growth in the jail population for the 10 counties surveyed during the same time period. On average, the combined population grew 14 percent through 2012 while inmate-oninmate assaults rose 32 percent and inmate-onstaff assaults rose 27 percent. By June, the 10 counties' jails held nearly 58,000 inmates, about 7,600 more than their rated capacity. Beyond the realignment law adding to jail crowding, county sheriffs say it also changed the nature of the inmates they are overseeing. ''You're seeing a little more gang influence inside the jails and a little more violence,'' said San Bernardino County Sheriff John McMahon, whose county has seen attacks on jail employees more than double. ''Certainly, the See JAIL, page 9A ating stories for myself and my family has been preparation for sharing with a much wider audience," Hawker said. "Reading the enthusiastic reviews of my books is unimaginably gratify- ing." Hawker says she's not sure where she will go from here but one thing is certain, she will continue to deliver written work that is imaginative, fun and pleasing to her readers. Kevin Jacobs of the Bureau of Reclamation's Willows Construction Office was the speaker at the recent Sacramento River Discovery Center's Thursday Evening program. Jacobs shared the various aspects of the Diversion Dam's decommissioning project. These include securing the dam gates in the fully open position, the removal of the research pumps; the west side fish ladder will have a concrete wall added to block water flow to keep fish from being trapped during high water events. Additional project features include the removal of the interim pumps and making them available to the San Joaquin River Restoration Program; the removal of all fish screens, the barricading of the East side fish ladder to stop fish entrapment. All pumps and screens must be removed from the water to meet environmental regulations. Additional activities include rehabilitating Altube Road by rebuilding the sub-surface and adding double chip seal. All of these items are part of a $3.2 million contract awarded to E.C. Smith Contracting of Anderson. The work will begin in January 2014 and be completed within a year. The audience had a number of questions about the diversion dam See DAM, page 9A Changes take hold at Vista Special to the DN A sea of purple transitioned over the summer into blue and gold on campus as the move from Vista Middle School to Vista Preparatory Academy began unfolding for the 2013-2014 school year. An eagle, the new mascot, graces the campus along with an arch bearing the name of the school and a new electronic billboard replaces the bulletin board. With the click of a button, staff can give out updated information or congratulate the volleyball team on a win as they leave a game. A move meant to strengthen the school's camaraderie and sense of community, the transition has gone well, Dean of Students Connie Holland said. "The biggest change has been a solid connection between the staff and students and the addition of sixth grade to the campus," Holland said. "The climate is very energizing." The school's schedule was redone as a sevenhouse structure with a self-contained classroom style, which has been great for building a sense of community, Principal Isaac Scharaga said. "For the eighth-graders not changing teachers is not nearly as fun, but they are definitely learning more," Scharaga said. "They love the changes and feel more successful. The kids realize that teachers know who they are and are realizing it's a Courtesy photo good thing. It's a different sense of community." Under the new scheme the eight-graders have, on their own, taken on being role models and leaders in building the sense of community, Scharaga said. "The connections within the house structure have become like a family Smog Inspection $ 2595 +$825 certificate (MOST CARS & PICK-UPS) • Members Welcome 530 527-9841 195 S. Main St., Red Bluff within a family," Scharaga said. "Each one has a sixth, seventh and eighth grade. The students are helping select the names, which will be collegeaffiliated, and establishing new traditions. They're very excited about that." Students are enjoying the new electives such as photography, video production and engineering, he said. Several of the past students have been by to visit and commented on how nice the school looks. "They ask 'why didn't See VISTA, page 9A The Daily News office will be CLOSED Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, Nov. 28 & Friday, Nov. 29 Classified deadlines: Retail advertising deadlines EDITION DEADLINE EDITION DEADLINE Thur. 11/28: Tues. 11/26, 10am Thur. 11/28: Wed. 11/ 27, noon Fri. 11/29: Tues. 11/26, 3pm Fri. 11/29: Wed. 11/27, noon Sat. 11/30: Wed. 11/27, 10am Sat. 11/30: Wed. 11/ 27, noon Tues. 12/03 Wed. 11/27, 3pm Tues. 12/03 SEE BELOW Friday, November 23 for placement of classified ads to start Tuesday, 11/27 dial 1-855-667-2255 DAILY NEWS RED BLUFF TEHAMA COUNTY 527-2151 • FAX 527-3719 545 DIAMOND AVE., RED BLUFF