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THURSDAY MAY 5, 2011 Breaking news at: RBUHS Glee Pastimes www.redbluffdailynews.com See Page 4A RED BLUFF Lights Out SPORTS 1B Sunny 89/54 Weather forecast 8B By ANDREA WAGNER DN Staff Writer Three people involved in a county bus collision in Novem- ber 2010 have filed a claim against the county for negli- gence. Tehama County Supervisors 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 Three sue county over bus crash addressed the claim Tuesday referring each to counsel, the first step in the process toward litigation. The claimants, Jeremiah Root, Natasha Root and Marsha Marie McVey, have enlisted the legal help of Halkides, Morgan & Kelley of Redding for the case. Natasha Root, formerly Natasha Christie, was the driver of a 2001 Nissan Xterra, Nov. 9, 2010, who pulled onto High- way 99E from a private drive- way into the path of another vehicle. The Xterra was struck on the driver’s side and thrown into the southbound lane, south of Eldrid Avenue. Following the accident, a witness, Marci Grell, 31, of Cottonwood stopped to help Natasha and her passenger, Jeremiah Root, out of the vehi- cle. It was then that a county bus, driven by Carol A. Lasora, Ruff house open 68, of Los Molinos drove through the scene and into Grell and the disabled vehicle, where the couple was. Grell, 31, who is still recov- ering from severe damages to her scalp from being dragged underneath the bus, filed a $7.1 See SUE, page 7A Grower gets nine years By TANG LOR DN Staff Writer A man convicted by jury in Tehama County Superior Court on marijuana charges was sen- tenced to nine years in state prison Monday. Michael Bruce Pryor, Jr., 39, was found guilty of cultivating marijuana and possession of marijuana for sale, transporta- tion of marijuana, driving with a suspended license and conspira- See NINE, page 7A City hires new finance director By TANG LOR DN Staff Writer Red Bluff has hired a Daily News photo by Julie Zeeb Tehama County Animal Care Center Manager Mark Storrey and Otto, a 6-year-old pomeranian mix, along with Tehama County 4-H All Stars Jessica Foss and Ashton Hubbard invite the public to an open house at the care center Saturday in Red Bluff. Foss and Hubbard are pictured with two 12-week-old collie mix puppies who have yet to be named and are awaiting adoption. By JULIE ZEEB DN Staff Writer The Tehama County Animal Care Center and the Tehama County 4-H All-stars will be host- ing an open house Saturday at the Animal Care Center, 1830 Walnut St, in Red Bluff. “This is the first event like this since I’ve been here,” said Care Center Manager Mark Storrey Scheduled for 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, the event will have a live band, free food and carnival games for the kids. “When Ashton Hubbard and Jessica Foss, the Tehama County 4-H All-stars, came in a few months ago looking for a project, I ACLU, tea party unite in Redding over free speech SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A free-speech dis- pute in Redding has forged an unlikely alliance between two strange politi- cal bedfellows: the region- al chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union and a local tea party group. The ACLU of Northern California and the North State Tea Party Alliance are often at opposite ends of the ideological spec- trum, but they have come together in their opposition to new restrictions on leafleting in front of the library. The policy requires reservations for leafleting at the library and restricts the activity to about 10 per- cent of the main entrance. It also prohibits pamphle- teers from approaching patrons or placing materi- als on car windshields in the library parking lot. The two groups filed parallel lawsuits last week claiming the new regula- tions are unconstitutional. Shasta County Superior Court Judge Monica Mar- low on Wednesday issued a temporary restraining order blocking implemen- tation of the Outdoor Pub- lic Forum Policy, which was approved last month by the Redding city coun- cil. The plaintiffs acknowl- edge that the two groups are unexpected allies, but say free speech is an issue that unites people of all political stripes. “We have differences of opinion, but on this issue we agree,” said Don Yost, a plaintiff in the ACLU law- suit and chair of the organi- zation’s Shasta-Tehama- Trinity chapter. “First Amendment freedoms aren’t just for people you agree with.” Tim Pappas, the attor- ney for the North State Tea Party Alliance, which See SPEECH, page 7A 7 5 8 5 5 1 6 9 0 0 1 9 Red Bluff Outdoor Power knew this was the right time and they were the right people to make this open house and art contest work,” Storrey said. “They have worked very hard to plan and pre- pare for this wonderful event and the entire Care Center team is extremely pleased to have them See RUFF, page 7A new finance director to fill the position that has been vacant since September. Sandy Ryan, started her position as the finance director Wednesday, but she is not new to the city’s finances. She has been working for the city as a consultant since November. Ryan previously worked as an auditor for Nystrom & Company, the company that performs the city’s financial audit, so she is familiar with the city’s accounting system, City Manager Martin Nichols said in November when considering her for the consultant position. Since that time, Ryan has done an exemplary job, so he offered her the finance director position, and she accepted, Nichols said. The City Council gave its approval Tuesday, with members saying they were pleased with the work Ryan has been doing and looked forward to further working with her on the budget. The city has been with- out a finance director since September when See CITY, page 7A Hospital celebrates record run By CHIPTHOMPSON DN editor Only one hospital in California has been named a Thomson Reuters 100 Top Hospital five consecu- tive years, and the adminis- tration at St. Elizabeth Community Hospital took time to thank the staff for its part in the success. President John Halfhide said the record fifth award is especially meaningful to the hospital. “There are a lot of awards out there, but this one is objective,” Halfhide said, at a barbecue lunch for the hospital staff Wednesday. Based on numerical data, the Thomson Reuter award is based strictly on results, and winning it con- secutively means there can be no drop off in scores across the board. “The quality you’ve achieved here, it doesn’t happen by accident,” Halfhide said during brief remarks to the staff. “Is your work a job or a call- ing? If it wasn’t a calling, you wouldn’t be getting the results you are.” To make sure as many staff members as possible get to share in the honor, Halfhide said nine employ- ment for acid reflux. “They’re bringing new things to the area that help Tehama County stay on the cutting edge,” Halfhide said. The hospital is in the process of fundraising for a fetal heart rate monitoring system that will allow doc- tors to monitor heartbeats via smart phones. The system is in place at Mercy Medical Center in Redding and fundraising events are being planned in Tehama County for the local need. Daily News photo by Chip Thompson St. Elizabeth Community Hospital President John Halfhide addresses staff members Wednesday during a luncheon to celebrate a record-setting fifth year on the Thomson Reuter 100 Top Hospital list. ee forums are being held this week — National Nurses Week. Among the improve- ments over the last year are Dr. Riico Dotson and the Orthopedic Sports Medi- cine clinic, which works with high school athletes to promote injury prevention; Dr. Curtis Wong, who offers plastic surgery; and a minimally-invasive treat- Halfhide read a state- ment from Catholic Healthcare West President and CEO Lloyd Dean, who was unable to attend. “You have demonstrat- ed what CHW stands for: Excellent care, delivered with compassion, for all in need,” Dean’s letter said. Pryor