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MARCH 31-APRIL 1 2012 WEEKEND Glory Days Page 4A RED BLUFF Breaking news at: www.redbluffdailynews.com likely Weather forecast 12B Rain 55/41 DAILYNEWS TEHAMACOUNTY $1.00 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 Hospital parent company to consolidate operations Dignity Health, the parent company of St. Elizabeth Community Hospital, announced Friday that it will be consolidating business office functions to its Sacra- mento location over the next 20 months. This decision, which is being made to better support efficient operations and reduce overall costs, will impact busi- ness offices in Redding, Glen- dale and San Mateo. Dignity Health is committed to ensuring that all employees who will be impacted by the consolidation are treated fairly and equitably throughout the transition, according to a press Man dumps truck, flees By JULIE ZEEB DN Staff Writer Law enforcement was still looking Friday after- noon for a man who eluded them following a crash and a morning pur- suit by the Tehama County Sheriff's Depart- ment in the Bowman Road area of Cotton- wood. Sheriff's Deputy Ryan Frank attempted to stop a white 1989 pickup for a violation and the driver failed to yield, resulting in a pursuit, said Deputy Eric Patterson. The pursuit started at 9:21 a.m. on Bowman Road and continued on private property at the Holiday Ranch, near the Cottonwood Creek Bridge at Main Street, going eastbound parallel to the creek, Patterson said. Frank said he got out of his patrol car and chased the vehicle on foot for about half a mile prior to coming upon it. The vehicle had rolled over and the man was no longer visible, he said. Several deputies along with personnel from the Shasta County Sheriff's Office, Tehama County District Attorney's Office, Red Bluff Police and California Highway release issued by the company. Employees who are willing to move to Sacramento will be See HOSPITAL, page 11A Jobless rate ticks upward By JULIE ZEEB DN Staff Writer Tehama County Unemployment has risen 0.7 per- cent between January and February, dropping down to rank 41 out of 58 counties, according to numbers released by the Employment Development Department. Tehama County went from 14.9 percent unemploy- ment in January to 15.6 percent for preliminary Febru- ary numbers. Only Glenn County, at 17.1 percent, is higher in the See RATE, page 11A City at odds with union rep By ANDREA WAGNER DN Staff Writer Daily News photo by Julie Zeeb The CHP helicopter searches Friday morning for a man who eluded law enforcement following the crash of a vehicle involved in a sher- iff's pursuit in the Bowman area of Cottonwood. Patrol were called in to set up a perimeter and search the area. CHP sent its H-16 helicopter to assist in locating the man. According to scanner reports about 9:30 a.m., the pickup had a punched ignition. Following the pursuit, deputies discovered the truck had been reported stolen to the Redding area CHP, Tehama Coun- ty Sheriff Dave Hencratt said. Since the truck was reported stolen to CHP, it will do any follow up investigation of the case, he said. The driver had not been located as of 3:30 p.m. Friday, Hencratt said. Red Bluff city officials are appealing to the state hoping to get the attention and cooperation of union business agent Art Frolli, who they said won't meet with them for three more months. ——— Julie Zeeb can be reached at 527-2153, extension 115 or jzeeb@redbluffdailynews .com. Follow her on Twitter @DN_Zeeb. Frolli said it is simply too early to start negotia- tions and he hasn't violat- ed any laws. Frolli is the business agent for the Miscella- neous Unit for the Operat- ing Engineers Local No. 3, which represents employees in the public works department and various clerical support positions. As of Monday, that meant 27 employees. City officials requested labor negotiations begin for a new labor agree- ment, that by law should take effect on or about July 1, but Frolli refused to meet for at least three more months, according to a city notice issued Thursday afternoon. The city is getting ready to begin negotia- tions with other bargain- ing units and wanted to get them all started at the See UNION, page 11A Law enforcement to target distracted drivers Special to the DN A statewide zero-toler- ance task force will be out for Distracted Driving Month from Tuesday, April 3, through April 18. Danger lurks behind the wheel when a driver redirects their attention from the road to some other distracting behavior, like talking on a cellular telephone or text messag- ing. During the month of April, law enforcement agencies throughout Cali- fornia will be especially focused on taking enforcement action on these inattentive, "zom- bie"drivers. The California High- Check Tuesday's edition for the Chompionship way Patrol (CHP), the California Office of Traf- fic Safety, Impact Teen Drivers and law enforce- ment agencies statewide are preparing to launch the second annual Nations Distracted Driving Awareness Month cam- paign, "It's Not Worth It! During the campaign kickoff month in April 2011, more than 52,000 citations were issued by law enforcement Photo courtesy of Thora Chaves of the California Highway Patrol CHP officers corral the "zombies" during the Distracted Driving media event on Thursday at Sacramento's Memorial Auditorium. statewide, four times the monthly average. A first time citation will cost a minimum of $159, with a second violation at least $279. "Drivers need to ask themselves, -Is that phone call or text message worth my life or the lives of those around me?," Red Bluff Area CHP Com- mander, Lieutenant Todd Garr. "The answer is sim- ple, it's not worth it. Every distraction affects a driver's reaction time and things can change without notice." In recent years, hun- dreds of people have been killed in California, while thousands were injured as the result of collisions that involved at least one driver who was distracted. This distraction can be any activity that diverts the driver's attention away from the primary task of driving. According to a study See LAW, page 11A