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ByAmyTaxin TheAssociatedPress SANTA ANA Awomanwho taught English classes at a Southern California jail was arrested Thursday on sus- picion of helping three in- mates — including an al- leged killer — escape the lockup, and the men are be- lieved to be riding around in a stolen van. Nooshafarin Ravaghi, 44, of Lake Forest, was ar- rested nearly a week af- ter the men — one an al- leged killer — cut their way through steel bars, climbed through plumbing tunnels, made their way to the roof, cut razor wire and, using rope made of braided bed- sheets, rappelled four sto- ries to freedom from the roof of the Orange County Central Men's Jail. The es- cape on Jan. 22 wasn't no- ticed for 16 hours. It was the first escape from the maximum-secu- rity lockup in more than 20 years. Ravaghi was taken into custody about an hour be- fore the arrest was an- nounced Thursday after- noon and remained jailed. It was unclear whether she had an attorney. Ravaghi worked for the Rancho Santiago Com- munity College District, which provides free non- credit classes as a com- munity service. A spokes- woman for the college dis- trict declined immediate comment. Ravaghi had taught Eng- lish as a second language to inmates at the jail for about six months, sheriff's Lt. Jeff Hallock said. One of her students was Hossein Nayeri, who was awaiting trial on charges that he kidnapped and tor- tured a marijuana dispen- sary owner — finally cut- ting off his penis — in a bid to learn where he might have cached money. "There was some type of relationship that developed between the two" that was close, Hallock said, but he didn't know whether it was a romance. Ravaghi denied supplied any tools to the inmates, but investigators suspect she provided Google maps that potentially could have helped the inmates plan their route after fleeing the jail, Hallock said. Sheriff Sandra Hutchens has said that Nayeri, 37, is believed to be the master- mind of the escape. Hallock said investiga- tors believe he and the oth- ers — alleged killer Bac Du- ong, 43, and Jonathan Tieu, 20 — are living in a white GMC Savana van that was stolen on Sunday in south- ern Los Angeles. Duong apparently stole the vehicle from someone after responding to a sales ad and taking it for a test drive, Hallock said. "They may be driving around and potentially living in the back" of the van, he said. Hallock said the ongoing manhunt has led to about 10 arrests so far in connec- tion with the escape, with several other arrests made in connection with unre- lated arrest warrants or probation violations. None of those arrests were of jail employees. The investigation has centered on a Vietnamese gang in the nearby cities of Westminster and Garden Grove with ties to two of the inmates. PRISON BREAK Orange County jail teacher arrested for helping 3 escape JEFFGRITCHEN—THEORANGECOUNTYREGISTER Orange County Sheriff Sandra Hutchens answers a question on three inmates who escaped the Central Men's Jail during a news conference in Santa Ana on Wednesday. PAUL RODRIGUEZ — THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER A wanted sign is displayed for the reward for information on the three escaped inmates from Orange County Central Men's Jail in Santa Ana. Hossein Nayeri, Jonathan Tieu and Bac Duong are believed to be dangerous, authorities said. The Associated Press SAN FRANCISCO San Francisco's iconic Dolores Park is now home to the city's first open-air urinal, the latest move to combat the destructive scourge of public urination in the City by the Bay. The cement circular urinal is out in the open, though plants and a screen offer some privacy. It's a welcome addition for the park that had just three toilets, which led many to relieve themselves in bushes and on buildings. "Honestly,wewereready to go pee anywhere," San Francisco-resident Aaron Cutler said. "So any facil- ity is better than none." The park now features 27 toilets, including the outdoor urinal, thanks to more than $20 million in renovations. They were the park's first upgrades in 60 years. San Francisco Rec- reation and Park Depart- ment spokeswoman Sarah Madland said she wasn't aware of any other cities with such a public urinal. San Francisco has long, sometimescreative,history of dealing with public uri- nation. In 2002, the city in- creasedthepossiblefinefor the crime up to $500, but that did little to deter it. Last summer, the city painted close to 30 walls with a repellant paint that makes pee spray back on the offender, said San Fran- cisco Public Works spokes- woman Rachel Gordon. PUBLIC POTTY SF p ar k re op en s wi th new outdoor urinal By Don Thompson The Associated Press SACRAMENTO Gov. Jerry Brown is betting that the pendulum has swung from the days when Californians fed up with high crime rates approved the nation's harshest three strikes law and other get-tough mea- sures. The Democratic gover- nor announced this week that he will ask voters to reverse a 2000 ballot mea- sure that let prosecutors send juveniles as young as 14 directly to adult court. In addition, the proposed mea- sure would further soften the 1994 three strikes law and weaken victims' rights laws approved by voters as recently as 2008. More recently, voters have been willing to ease criminal penalties. They reduced penalties for some drug and property crimes in 2014 and in 2012 re- quired that a third convic- tion that can send a crim- inal to prison for life must be a violent or serious fel- ony. Brown's proposal is in line with what voters have approved in recent years, said Lizzie Buchen, an advo- cate with the reform group Californians United for a Responsible Budget, who thinks Brown's proposals don't go far enough. "This is something that's happening around the na- tion, reducing our incarcer- ated population," she said. Brown has $24 million in campaign funds he can spend this year. Pollsters said Brown also could ben- efit from several trends in public opinion as he pro- motes the plan to reduce sentences and cut the prison population to com- ply with a federal court or- der. A Public Policy Institute of California poll released Wednesday found a 7 per- centage-point drop in the past year in Californians who perceive violence and street crime as a problem in their communities. And following a year of nationwide protests draw- ing attention to police treatment of minorities and the high-profile shoot- ings of several unarmed black men, the percent- age of Californians who think the justice system is biased against blacks and other minorities increased 6 percentage points, the poll found. "Californians seem to be in a frame of mind of re- forming the criminal jus- tice system," said PPIC Pres- ident and CEO Mark Bal- dassare. Brown may also benefit from the public's interest in reducing prison spend- ing, said Field Poll Direc- tor Mark DiCamillo. The initiative Brown will take to voters would let nonviolent offenders re- quest parole earlier and would increase credits for time served for inmates who complete rehabilita- tion programs behind bars. BALLOT MEASURE Brown hopes Californians' views on crime have eased By Brian Melley and Ellen Knickmeyer The Associated Press LOS ANGELES The utility that owns a natural gas well that has leaked uncontrol- lably in California for three months knew a devastating blowout was possible be- cause of its age, design and the way it was being oper- ated, according to state re- cords and testimony. And state regulators were aware of the situation at the largest gas storage field in the West but said they were limited in their ability to stop it. "There are no rules that prevent it or no law that pre- vents you from doing what they were doing," said An- naliese Anderle, a former inspector and supervisor at the state Division of Oil, Gas and Geothermal Resources, which regulates the field. The blowout near Los Angeles has spewed more than 2 million tons of cli- mate-changing meth- ane and forced thousands of residents to flee their homes amid a sickening stench. Gov. Jerry Brown has declared an emergency and some environmental- ists have called it the worst U.S. disaster since the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Southern California Gas Co. has apologized for the ongoing leak and defended its safety practices, though public records and testi- mony from executives show repeated gas leaks and cor- rosion in wells it operates that average more than a half-century old. The wells in the Aliso Canyon facility near Por- ter Ranch were being taxed near capacity in the months and days before the blowout — even as the utility sought permission to increase the rate at which gas is pumped into a vacant oil field a mile- and-a-half beneath the Santa Susana Mountains. The blown out well, Ses- nonStandard-25,wasdrilled in1953topumpcrudeoiland found a second career when the field was converted in the 1970s to store gas when prices and demand were low and provide it to heat homes during cold months or fire gas-fueled electric plants when usage soared. In addition to its age, sev- eral factors put the well in jeopardy of a blowout, said Anthony Ingraffea, a Cor- nell University engineer- ing professor who worked in the oil and gas industry 25 years and studied the well's records. The well was built with two outer steel casings that surround and protect an inner steel pipe, or tub- ing, just under 3 inches in diameter, designed to carry gas in and out of the stor- age reservoir. However, So- CalGas was pushing gas through the 7-inch casing surrounding that pipe, en- abling it to move large vol- umes. SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA Gas blowout happened in well regulated by old rules Rapozo: Christopher Rapo- zo, 43, of Cottonwood died Saturday, Jan. 23at his residence. Arrangements are under the direction of Blair's Cremation & Burial. Published Friday, Jan. 29, 2016in the Daily News, Red Bluff, California. Schmitz: Alfred J. Schmitz, 89, of Red Bluff died Wednesday, Jan. 27 in Red Bluff. Arrangements are under the direction of Hoyt-Cole Chapel of the Flowers. Published Friday, Jan. 29, 2016in the Daily News, Red Bluff, California. Death notices must be provided by mortuaries to the news department, are published at no charge, and feature only specific basic information about the deceased. Paid obituaries are placed through the Classified advertising department. Paid obituaries may be placed by mortuaries or by families of the deceased and include online publication linked to the newspaper's website. Paid obituaries may be of any length, may run multiple days and offer wide latitude of content, including photos. DEATH NOTICES DONALDE.WALKER August 5, 1940 ~ January 25, 2016 Donald E. Walker, born on 8/5/1940. Went to be with the Lord on 1/25/2016. Survived by Sue, his wife of 54 years. Also survived by his 2 children, 5 grandchildren and 5 great-grandchildren. He will be greatly missed by all who loved him. He is preceded in death by his pa- rents James and Eunice Walker, his brother Edward Walk- er and his sister Jamie Lou (Walker) Williams. Services are Monday, February 1, 2016 at 11am at the Rancho Tehama Community Church in Corning, with a graveside service at 1pm at the Tehama Cemetery. A reception will follow at the Recreation Hall in Rancho Tehama. ROBERT "ROB" EUGENE RODRIGUEZ September 4, 1950 ~ January 7, 2016 Robert "Rob" Eugene Rodriguez passed away surround- ed by family and friends on January 7, 2016. Rob was born on September 4, 1950, in Roseville CA to Bob and Mary Rodriguez. Rob was preceded in death by his moth- er Mary, sister Barbara & brother Craig. He is survived by his father Bob, his sisters Jennie, Karen, Christine & Ra- chel, brothers George & Paul, his wife Ann, his children Robert "Bobby" (Heather), Jeremy (Mayra) & Shauna (An- dy). his stepchildren, Edmond Masson (Heather) & Jeanne Marie Patton (Ryan), 14 grandchildren & 1 great grand- son. Rob graduated from Roseville High School in 1968 and went to work for Pacific Bell in Sacramento as a lineman. While working full-time, Rob attended and graduated from American River College & California State University Sacramento, receiving his bachelor's degree in Psycholo- gy. Rob also attended Lincoln Law School in Sacramento. Rob was active in his local CW A Union, serving as a shop steward. Rob retired from the phone company start- ing Bigfoot Tree Service. He later went back to work for AT&T in Sacramento and then Redding before finally real- izing his dream, operating his ranch with Ann and their dogs, Butch and Rocky, in Red Bluff Rob loved life to the fullest and truly enjoyed meeting and talking with anyone within earshot. A larger than life character, from his cowboy boots to his dark sunglasses and black cowboy hat, Rob was unmistakable. Rob was funny, intellectual and full of stories. Rob was always the first to lend a hand to a friend or a stranger in need. Rob opened his home and his heart to all. Rob will be missed by his wife and love Ann, with whom he shared his life, love and adventures with. He will also be missed by friends from Sacramento to Redd- ing. He will be fondly remembered by his friends in Red Bluff; as "Machete" and "Prez" of the "Dirty 5-30". Rob loved his children, grandchildren and great grand- child so very much. To all of them he was affectionately called Pal and they love and miss him terribly. A celebration of his life will be held on Saturday January 30 from 1- 4:00 at the Red Bluff Moose Lodge 11745 State Highway 99w, Red Bluff, CA Red Bluff, CA. Obituaries FRIDAY, JANUARY 29, 2016 REDBLUFFDAILYNEWS.COM | NEWS | 9 A