Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/6220
By JULIE ZEEB DN Staff Writer GERBER — After months of debate and research, the Gerber-Las Flores Community Ser- vices District voted 5-0 Thursday to raise both its sewer and water rates. "I feel pretty confi- dent with the numbers now and that we're on the road to recovery," said District Manager Mike Murphy. Murphy said the move to raise the rates was a result of previous boards' failure to do so, with sewer rates remain- ing unchanged for 16 years and no changes to the water since at least 2004. "The reserves have been hit every year for the last several years because the rates weren't raised," said Board Chairman Larry Long. Rates did not take into account depreciation for the $5.1 million sewer Weather forecast 8A Partly cloudy 50/35 N EWS D AILY DAILY 50¢ WEEKEND JANUARY 23-24, 2010 Getting older and feeling better Red Bluff Hoops Breaking news at: www.redbluffdailynews.com N EWS D AILY RED BLUFF TEHAMA COUNTY 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 See Inside SPORTS 1B USA Weekend 7 5 8 5 5 1 6 9 0 0 1 9 CALL TODAY (530) 529-1222 237 South Main Street As Local As.... Are you tired of being Nickel and Dimed by your current bank? It's time to move around the corner to Cornerstone Community Bank. • With our Better Than Free Checking • No Fees • No Monthly Service Charges • No ATM fees • No Minimum balances required Re-elect Sheriff/Coroner Clay Parker Tri-Tip & Chicken Dinner • Auction FEBRUARY 20, 2010 • 6:00PM $ 20 00 Donation • No Host Bar • Door Prizes Tehama District Fairgrounds Cafeteria FOR TICKETS CALL 527-9129 or www.sheriffparker.com Paid Political Advertisement Paid for by Sheriff/Coroner Clay Parker Re-Election Committee Shirley Wheeler, Treasurer 595-4418 105 mph chase ends in Red Bluff By JULIE ZEEB DN Staff Writer A Washington man led Wil- lows area California Highway Patrol Officers on a chase in a stolen Oregon vehicle into and through Tehama County early Fri- day morning. The chase, which started on northbound Interstate 5 just north of the Tehama-Glenn County line, crossed into Tehama at 12:10 a.m. and had reached I-5 at Sourgrass Road by 12:13 a.m., said Willows CHP Officer Joe Stokes. Spike strips were set up near Flores Avenue in the Gerber area and, according to Red Bluff police logs, may have hit one tire, how- ever, the chase continued toward Red Bluff. The man, later identified as Harlan Butler, 41, of Vancouver, Wash., drove at speeds as high as 105 mph according to logs. Butler pulled into the south- bound lanes of I-5, continuing in a northerly direction, about 12:24 a.m. somewhere north of Flores Avenue, He continued driving against traffic in the southbound lanes until exiting at the South Main Street off ramp at 12:27 a.m. Logs show Butler continued north on Main Street in the wrong lanes until he turned back to the freeway about 12:29 a.m. At 12:30 a.m., Butler stopped and ran from the vehicle and was detained shortly thereafter by CHP. RBPD and Tehama County Sheriff's Department assisted in the pursuit. Butler was arrested and booked into the Glenn County jail on charges of resisting arrest, posses- sion of marijuana, driving under the influence, possession of methamphetamine and possession of stolen property. ——— Julie Zeeb can be reached at 527-2153, extension 115 or jzeeb@redbluffdailynews.com. Birthday bash Daily News photo by Tang Lor Debbie O'Connor and Donna Eirish, two of the four D Butt Sisters, perform a skit on how to get involved with Relay For Life. By TANG LOR DN Staff Writer CORNING — A message of celebration, remem- brance and resilience was relayed to the crowd that attended the Relay For Life Kickoff Thursday. "Together it's you that will fight back against can- cer," said emcee, Judge Richard Scheuler, pumping up the crowd. Survivors were honored while a happy birthday song played — "A birthday with less cancer is a world with more birthdays." Care givers were honored for their support, and a luminaria remembered those who had passed. Honorary Survivor Chairwoman Lois Gwin shared her story about surviving cervical cancer. When she got the news that her test had come back positive for can- cer "(her) mind just went crazy." It was one of the worst weeks of her life, she said. Luckily she was forced by coworkers and family to get tested and the cancer was detected early. Doctors were able to get rid of the cancer with one surgery. Gwin encouraged men to get prostrate-specific anti- gen tests and women to get pap smears. "I have been blessed with 35 cancer free birthdays," 2 arrested on child porn By GEOFF JOHNSON DN Staff Writer A 17-year-old runaway girl was just one of dozens to be pho- tographed in obscene situations in what police are treating as a case of child pornography. Melissa Anne Iford, 21, Weaverville, and Kenneth Lamar Jenkins, also known as Bryson Maurice Harper, 39, of Hender- son, Nev., were arrested in their vehicle at the Red Bluff Motel 6 when police received a tip from the California Multi-jurisdic- tional Methamphetamine Enforcement Team that the pair had obscene images on a cell phone and computer. Accompanying Iford and Jenkins was a 17-year-old run- away who was depicted nude in the couple's photos, Red Bluff Sgt. Jason Beeman said. By GEOFF JOHNSON DN Staff Writer New statistics from the California Employ- ment Development Department show an increase in unemploy- ment for Tehama Coun- ty in December. The number of people looking for work in December grew at the same time that available jobs decreased, pushing the unemployment rate from a revised 14.7 per- cent in November to a preliminary 15.1 per- cent in December. Farming jobs saw the most growth in Decem- ber, with about 80 more farm jobs available than were available in November, followed by Jobless rate up in December Iford Jenkins Gerber increases water, sewer rates Peace Out for after school leaders By JULIE ZEEB DN Staff Writer While Safe Education and Recre- ation for Rural Families students may have been home for the day Friday, their site instructors were having fun learning at the second annual training day. "SERRF is dedicated to promot- ing improved health and wellness for its 1,700 students and it starts with the staff, which is why we brought the Kid Tribe trainers today," said recreation specialist Beth Birk. Birk said SERRF was looking for a fun way to keep students active while they participate in after school programs. "It's vital to keep the interest of the students with unusual, new Daily News photo by Julie Zeeb Cassie Pope and Lujuana May battle it out in a Peace Out battle in which each tries to knock the other's Hula Hoop down. See PORN, page 7A See RATE, page 7A See BASH, page 7A See GERBER, page 7A See PEACE, page 7A