Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/395923
ByAndreByik abyik@redbluffdailynews.com @andrebyik on Twitter RED BLUFF Four of the seven candidates running for spots on the Red Bluff Joint Union High School District board of trustees fielded questions Wednesday eve- ning during a forum at Red Bluff High School. Candidates who participated in the event — which was held by the district's chapter of the California Teachers Association and the Cal- ifornia Employees Association — included Joy Nelson, James Kef- fer, Frank Perino Jr. and Rodney Thompson. Elsa Martinez, Joe Hutchens and Chris Hurton also will appear on the Nov. 4 ballot. The seven candidates are vying for three open seats on the board. Questions touched on priorities the district must address, balanc- ing a budget in tough financial RED BLUFF HIGH SCHOOL Votersvet school board candidates MINERAL Darlene Koontz, super- intendent at Lassen Volcanic Na- tional Park since 2007, announced that she will retire on Oct. 31 after 31 years with the National Park Service, according to a press re- lease from the park. "The past 31 years have been the best adventure I could ask for," Koontz said in the release. "I have met and had the privilege of working with wonderful and in- spirational people throughout my career. The National Park Service is a special community, of which I feel lucky to have been a part of for so many years." As superintendent at Lassen, Koontz oversaw the preserva- tion and protection of cultural and natural resources including designated wilderness, 150 miles of backcountry trails including a section of the Pacific Crest Trail and the Nobles Emigrant Trail, eight campgrounds, two visi- tor centers, 65 housing units, six water treatment systems and 30 miles of the Volcanic Legacy Sce- nic Byway. Koontz led efforts in the con- LASSEN PARK Pa rk h ea d announces re ti re me nt By Rich Greene rgreene@redbluffdailynews.com @richgreenenews on Twitter REDBLUFF The first day of Quen- tin Ray Bealer's change of venue hearing in Tehama County Supe- rior Court Judge focused on the testimony of the defense team's expert trial consultant Dr. Bryan Edelman. Edelman testified he reviewed local media coverage of the crime and had conducted a survey to gauge the public's knowledge and pre-held beliefs about the murder of 14-year-old Marysa Nichols in February 2013. Tehama County Assistant Dis- trict Attorney Randy Alvey was in the middle of cross examination of Edeleman when the Judge John Garaventa recessed the hearing until 9:30 a.m. Friday. The prosecution is also ex- pected to call its own expert wit- ness. Edelman researched every mention, direct or indirect, in the Daily News and also ana- lyzed some media reporting in other outlets. Mentions ranged from news articles about the case to letters to the editor to passing mentions made in crime or bud- get stories. He said he believed there was a reasonable likelihood Bealer could not get a fair trial in Te- hama County. Edelman testified that there was a theme of media coverage about how the community was changing as a result of the crime and an increase of ex-convicts be- cause of Assembly Bill 109. He said that these were consis- tent throughout the media and in- direct communications such as word of mouth and social media sites. A survey of 290 jury eligible residents found that 87 percent of respondents across the county recognized the case. In Red Bluff that number rose to 91 percent. Among Daily News subscribers 98 percent were likely to recog- nize the case. Of the 252 respondents who knew of the case, 40.9 percent believed Bealer was guilty and 13.5 percent not-guilty. The rest fell in a range of different degrees of probably. Of Daily News readers polled, MARYSA NICHOLS Bealerchangeofvenuehearingbegins Defenseexpertsaysreasonablylikelihood could not get fair trial in Tehama County By Andre Byik abyik@redbluffdailynews.com @andrebyik on Twitter CORNING Twopeoplewerekilled Thursday in a pair of separate car wrecks that occurred within hours of each other. About 12:30 in the afternoon, a motorist died after crashing head-on into a walnut tree about eight miles east of Corning. California Highway Patrol of- ficers responded to a report of a vehicle into a tree on South Av- enue, near Stephens Road, said CHP Sgt. Michael Arpaia. Arpaia said the driver, only described as a female, was trav- eling east on South Avenue in a 1991 Ford Explorer at about 55 miles per hour and, for an un- known reason, crossed into the westboundlane, went off theroad and slammed into a tree. The vehicle then became en- gulfed in flames, and the driver, whose name and age have not been released, was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver was traveling alone and suffered "traumatic" burns, Arpaia said, but a cause of death was not yet determined. Noothervehicleswereinvolved inthewreck,anditwasunknown whether alcohol or drugs were factors in the crash, he said, add- ing that the incident is under in- vestigation. Earlierintheday,an18-year-old Gerberwomanwaskilledinatwo- vehicle accident on San Benito Av- enue, north of Holmes Road, the CHP said in a press release. The woman, identified as Adilene Barriga, was traveling south in a 1998 Honda on San Benito Avenue about 6:30 a.m. when, for an unknown reason, the right side of her car struck the front of a northbound vehicle, according to the release. Barriga suffered fatal injuries in the crash after her car rotated in a "coun- terclockwise manner," coming to a rest on its wheels. The driver of the northbound vehicle, Margarito Duran, 47, of Tehama, and his passenger, An- dres Garcia, 27, of Tehama, suf- fered moderate injuries in the crash, according to the release. They were transported to Enloe Medical Center in Chico. Barriga's speed at the time of the crash was not yet determined, according to the release. Duran was said to be traveling at about 50 miles per hour. No arrests were made. TEHAMA COUNTY TWO KILLED IN PAIR OF TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS PHOTOSBYANDREBYIK—DAILYNEWS A driver was killed Thursday a er slamming head-on into a tree Thursday a ernoon on South Avenue, near Stephens Road. The driver's name and age were not immediately known, California Highway Patrol officers said. No other injuries were reported. Community.....A3 Opinion............A4 Lifestyles........A5 Education........A8 Weather ........ A10 Sports.............. B1 Index............... ## INDEX Tehama County Clerk and Recorder Beverly Ross provides a reminder to vote-by-mail voters. PAGEA3 NOV. 4 ELECTION Vote-by-maildropbox locations announced Sacred Heart School's annual Fun Run fundraiser will be held Saturday at the Tehama District Fairground. PAGE A8 EDUCATION Sacred Heart readies for Fun Run fundraiser Sparks from hot metal frag- ments touched off blaze that killed firefighting pilot; inves- tigation ongoing. PAGE A6 CALIFORNIA Vehicle sparks caused Yosemite wildfire President is all in with his economic pitch touting a recovery. The American public is not yet sold. PAGE B4 POLITICS Obama wants election focused on economy VENUE PAGE 9 PARK PAGE 9 Separate car wrecks occurred hours apart VOTE PAGE 9 » redbluffdailynews.com Friday, October 10, 2014 50CENTS AN EDITION OF THE CHICO ENTERPRISE-RECORD 7 58551 69001 9 Volume129,issue231 Today's web bonus Sports photos. redbluffdailynews.com SWIMMING Spartans swim vs. Foothill Sports B1 4-H Local youth celebrate with new fair sign Lifestyles A5 FORECAST High: 89 Low: 59 A10 FollowtheDailyNews on Twitter to keep pace with breaking news and events @REDBLUFFNEWS FOLLOWUS ONTWITTER