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Cohen announces re-election bid By GEOFF JOHNSON DN Staff Writer Vowing to "do more with less," Tehama County Dis- trict Gregg Attorney Tuesday formally announced his candidacy in the June election as he seeks to renew the seat he has held for 10 years. "This term will prove to be my most challenging," Cohen said on the steps of the Tehama County Court- house in front of more than a dozen supporters. Budget forecasts for the county, state and his office all point to greater budget cuts, even as drug cases and methamphetamine sales increase. Yet Cohen said he will continue to prosecute "all levels of crime," with a particular emphasis on sex offenders and gang crime. "This job is about experience," he said. "[And] the ability to handle the most complex cases, the most egregious cases involving violent, repeat offenders and the ability to continue to manage the ever-growing caseload." Cohen used the opportunity to deny interest in run- ning for a Superior Court Judge position. With the bulk of his experience in both law school and work centered around prosecution, Cohen said the idea was flattering, but that he would rather continue his work as a DA. "I remain deeply committed to my job and would be A 100 mph chase along Toomes Avenue ended Monday in an olive tree. Corning police officers reportedly tried to pull over Corning resident Tad Gene Harris, 41, for dri- ving with an expired reg- istration near Houghton and McKinley avenues, according to a press release. Instead of pulling over Harris reportedly turned south onto Toomes Avenue and accelerated to 100 mph, leading police to Flournoy Avenue, where he aban- doned the vehicle and fled into a nearby olive orchard. Tehama County Sher- iff's deputies, California Highway Patrol officers and police searching for Harris in the orchard found him hiding in an olive tree. He was arrest- ed without further inci- dent, according to the release. In Harris' vehicle, authorities found what they described as a "large amount of marijuana," a concealed knife and drug paraphernalia. Harris, discovered to be on parole, was arrested on suspicion of evading a peace officer, unlawful possession of a weapon, possessing marijuana for sale, possessing drug paraphernalia and violat- ing parole. —Staff report Red Bluff Outdoor Power Weather forecast 8B Partly cloudy 58/37 N EWS D AILY DAILY 50¢ WEDNESDAY MARCH 10, 2010 Youth plant 1,000s of trees Season Opener 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 Page 3A SPORTS 1B Local 7 5 8 5 5 1 6 9 0 0 1 9 PHYSICIAN REFERRAL A FREE SERVICE PROVIDED FOR YOUR CONVENIENCE 1-800-990-9971 CHW North State Region DA: No charges in juvenile center case By GEOFF JOHNSON DN Staff Writer Tehama County District Attorney Gregg Cohen will not be filing any charges against former Juvenile Justice Center employees in what marks the closure of a year-long investi- gation. Investigations into allega- tions of abuse at the center began in March 2009 at the request of Chief Probation Officer Dan Emry, after which Probation Officer Alicia Allen, Counselor Melissa Lynn Jones and, though he was never investigated for criminal wrongdoing, Emry himself all resigned. Among those interviewed in investigations was former employee Barry Clausen, Cohen said. Clausen has long accused the center of allowing inmate abuses, and claims he was attacked at gun point by Jones in May 2009. Jones awaits trial. Some of Clausen's accusa- tions have been backed by for- mer Interim Chief Probation Officer Renny Noll, who later told the Daily News he would have sought criminal charges for unspecified actions. Nothing in Cohen's investi- gations suggested probation employees were responsible for criminal activity, save for an unnamed piece of "potential evidence" sent to the Depart- ment of Justice, Cohen said. It was thought the item might back the allegations of an unnamed, former probation officer who was accused by another former probation offi- cer of "inappropriate conduct" with a female ward. On March 2, the department returned its test results, which did not substantiate those alle- gations, Cohen said. 'We followed up any and all leads that we received, we contacted and interviewed all suspects and witnesses, we collected and analyzed any and all evidence, and put it all together in an investigative report' Sheriff Clay Parker Winning hearts... One goat at a time Photo Courtesy of Staff Sgt. Gary Witte Combined Joint Task Force - 82 PAO U.S. Army Spc. Kathy S. Tanson, of Corning, an animal specialist with the 40th Infantry Division's Agricultural Development Team, helps an Afghan girl with her goat during a Veterinary Inoculation Training Operation at Shamir Kowt mosque, in eastern Afghanistan's Kunar province, Feb. 10. By STAFF SGT. GARY WITTE Special to the DN KUNAR PROVINCE, Afghanistan – The waiting room was a long line beside the road, there were no magazines and the patients did not seem thrilled with the promise of free health care. Many of the patients complained loudly as they were secured into pens for their shots. Their owners, on the other hand, appeared satis- fied. Members of the U.S. Army's 40th Infantry Division, including Kathy S. Tanson of Corning, have been assisting efforts to improve livestock health in Afghanistan. Residents arrived continuously at the Shamir Kowt mosque in east- ern Afghanistan's Kunar province throughout the morning of Feb. 10, bringing with them more than 900 animals – including cattle, goats and sheep. The turnout was the largest of nearly a dozen Veterinary Inocula- School's out for summer RBUHS cancels summer session By TANG LOR DN Staff Writer When students at Red Bluff Union High School leave for summer break in June, they will be gone for the whole summer. The district will not be offering sum- mer school this year. By not offering a summer session the district expects to save $150,000 in teacher salaries and facility fees, Superin- tendent Dan Curry said. The school will be taking measures to make sure students who need credit recovery get their credits during the reg- ular school day and in after school pro- grams. The decision to not have summer school was made at the beginning of the year, so seniors who are at risk of not graduating have already been identified and will be helped, making sure they meet the requirements, Curry said. The high school is looking at ways for students to get credit recovery, Associate Principal Jody Brown- field said. The staff will meet today to discuss credit recovery options that could be offered through after school programs. "We don't want to leave them hanging," Brownfield said. "We have to find an alternative to give them with- out offering the full length summer school." Summer school is not just for students who need credit recovery. There are a number of students who attend summer classes to get ahead. Students will get 'It's not something we want to do. But it's necessary the way things are. Again, there are no easy cuts. All our programs serve the students' Superintendent Dan Curry Daily News photo by Geoff Johnson District Attorney Gregg Cohen reads from a prepared statement Tuesday at the Tehama County Courthouse as he announces his bid for re-election. Corning chase ends at top of olive tree See JUVENILE, page 7A See GOAT, page 7A See SUMMER, page 7A See COHEN, page 7A