Two new faces on City Council

The unofficial final results are in, and it looks like two new faces are going to be sworn onto the Corning City Council on Dec. 4.

Incumbent John Leach lost his bid for re-election by eight votes against challenger Willette “Willie” Smith, 63, who earned 793 votes.

Retired police Chief Tony Cardenas, 61, ran away with the race with 1,009 votes.

“I’m thankful for the way it turned out and I look forward to serving the community,” Cardenas said.

He said he looks forward to serving with Smith and the rest of the council, Darlene Dickison, Dave Linnet and Mayor Gary Strack, who ran unopposed for another two-year term.

“I’m glad it is over. I’m excited to get started,” Smith said. “First thing I plan to do start studying all the things I need to learn and attend a three-day seminar in Sacramento specifically for first-time city government officials.”

After learning of the news on Monday morning, Smith said she started to cry.

“They were tears of relief and happiness,” she said.

Smith plans on continuing her volunteer work as director of Corning Christian Assistance as she serves on the City Council.

Leach, 70, was seeking a second full term on the council.

“Well, that’s politics,” Leach said. “I congratulate Willie (Smith) for her win. The people of Corning voted who they wanted on the council and that’s that.”

Leach said he won’t be seeking a recount of votes.

“It’s too expense and I don’t have the money to pay for it. I accept what has been given me.

I trust in the Lord for whatever direction he wants me to go,” he said.
The councilman believes the new City Council will have a lot of issues to deal with over the next four years.

“I hope they will continue to make the right decisions and move in the right directions,” Leach said. “I’m really glad this was a clean election. I would have liked to have served another four years. The people have spoken.”

Cardenas said he believes the first issue the new council will take on concerns the city budget and meeting the city’s obligations, while moving forward in a positive direction.
Cardenas, who has lived in Tehama County since 1972 and in Corning since 1981, has an associate’s degree from Shasta College and is a graduate of the Sacramento Law Enforcement Academy.

He began his career in law enforcement in 1982 as a part-time reserve deputy for the Tehama County Sheriff's Department and became a full-time deputy in 1984.

In 1990, Cardenas was hired as a police sergeant by the Corning Police Department, and in 1993 was appointed chief of police, a position he held until his retirement on Feb. 29.

Prior to law enforcement, Cardenas was a psychiatric technician in the U.S. Army for two years. Between the military and police career, he worked for two years as a housing specialist, managed a construction company for six years building single- and multi-family residences, and for three years he was an insurance agent.

Cardenas is a member of the Corning Rotary Club, Hometown Revitalization, Park Improvement Committee, Friends of the Theatre, Corning Community Foundation, Tehama County First 5 Commission, Corning Chamber of Commerce, and Harvest Christian Center.

Smith earned her GED and then went to nursing school earning her LVN license. Smith worked at the Los Angeles County Hospital for seven years then moved to Alaska, where she worked in a home for at-risk youth for nine years.

After retirement, Smith continued to live in Alaska for 21 years.

She moved to Corning with her husband, Jim, and opened a restaurant which she operated for two years.

In 2004, Smith became the manager of Corning Christian Assistance food bank where she continues to serve writing grants, ordering food and making sure clients with special needs are referred to the right organizations for help.

She served on the Chamber of Commerce board for 12 years.

UNOFFICIAL FINAL ELECTION RESULTS

Tehama County Elections Department
Unofficial final Nov. 6 results
31,174 Voters
      
                Votes     Percent
Election Day Turnout     8,032     25.77%
Votes By Mail Turnout     15,229     48.85%
Total                23,261    74.62%

President
                Votes     Percent
DEM - BARACK OBAMA     7,934     34.43%
REP - MITT ROMNEY     14,235     61.78%
GRN - JILL STEIN         125         0.54%
AI - THOMAS HOEFLING     190         0.82%
LIB - GARY JOHNSON     244         1.06%
PF - ROSEANNE BARR     186         0.81%
Write-In             129         0.56%

U.S. Senator
                    Votes     Percent
DEM - DIANNE FEINSTEIN     8,349     36.96%
REP - ELIZABETH EMKEN     14,241     63.04%

Congress 1st
                Votes     Percent
DEM - JIM REED         8,646     38.41%
REP - DOUG LA MALFA     13,866     61.59%

State Senator District 4
                    Votes     Percent
REP - JIM NIELSEN         12,818     57.54%
DEM - MICKEY HARRINGTON     4,905     22.02%
NON - BENJAMIN EMERY         543         2.44%
NON - DAN LEVINE         999         4.48%
REP - DAN LOGUE             1,803     8.09%
NON - JANN REED         1,184     5.32%
Write-In                 23         0.10%

State Assembly District 3
                Votes     Percent
REP - DAN LOGUE         12,847     58.80%
DEM - CHARLES ROUSE     9,001     41.20%

ORLAND UNIFIED
                    Votes     Percent
NON - CONNIE CARTER         13         14.77%
NON - JEFF AGUIAR         16         18.18%
NON - BEN W. KRAEMER         28         31.82%
NON - LARRY A. DONNELLEY     15         17.05%
NON - VANGIE PORRAS         16         18.18%

RED BLUFF JOINT UNION HIGH
                    Votes     Percent
NON - ROGER COX         3,908     16.35%
NON - LIDA SHARON CHASE     5,703     23.86%
NON - JACK D. HANSEN         5,500     23.01%
NON - ROD MOORE         4,554     19.05%
NON - RHONDA JOHNSON     4,203     17.58%
Write-In                 36         0.15%

CORNING UNION
                            Votes     Percent
NON - LIZETT S. ARRIAGA             2,012     39.95%
NON - MARTIN H. (MARTY) MATHISEN     2,256     44.80%
NON - JESUS A. ROSAS                 756         15.01%
Write-In                         12         0.24%

EVERGREEN
                    Votes     Percent
NON - BRADLEY CONSTANT     1,998     37.10%
NON - TAYNA R. KING         1,182     21.95%
NON - JAMES TOMASINI         2,181     40.49%
Write-In                 25         0.46%

CAPAY JOINT UNION
                    Votes     Percent
NON - NANCY OSBORNE         96         29.45%
NON - LORINDA STRIEBY     97         29.75%
NON - JENNIFER S.N. BOONE     131         40.18%
Write-In                 2         0.61%

RED BLUFF UNION
                    Votes     Percent
NON - MICHELLE L. KINNER     4,457     44.92%
NON - CAREY KOEBERER     2,767     27.89%
NON - STEVE PIFFERO         2,683     27.04%
Write-In                 15         0.15%

CORNING MAYOR
                Votes     Percent
NON - GARY R. STRACK     1,384     94.73%
Write-In             77         5.27%

CORNING COUNCIL
                        Votes     Percent
NON - TONY CARDENAS             1,009     38.93%
NON - “WILLIE” WILLETTE SMITH     793         30.59%
NON - JOHN H. LEACH             785         30.29%
Write-In                     5         0.19%

CORNING CITY CLERK
                Votes     Percent
NON - LISA M. LINNET     1,507     98.56%
Write-In             22         1.44%

CORNING TREASURER
                Votes     Percent
NON - PALA CANTRELL     1,465     98.12%
Write-In             28         1.88%

RED BLUFF CITY COUNCIL
                    Votes     Percent
NON - ROBERT SHEPPARD JR.     1,967     34.70%
NON - LISHA GOINGS         1,569     27.68%
NON - CLAY D. PARKER         2,121     37.41%
Write-In                 12         0.21%

RED BLUFF CITY CLERK
                Votes     Percent
NON - JO ANNA LOPEZ     2,984     98.00%
Write-In             61         2.00%

RED BLUFF TREASURER
                Votes     Percent
NON - D. J. GORDY     2,882     97.53%
Write-In             73         2.47%

Measure 30
    Votes     Percent
YES     8,548     37.73%
NO     14,106     62.27%

Measure 31
    Votes     Percent
YES     9,402     43.44%
NO     12,241     56.56%

Measure 32
    Votes     Percent
YES     12,012     53.66%
NO     10,372     46.34%

Measure 33
    Votes     Percent
YES     10,561     47.71%
NO     11,577     52.29%

Measure 34
    Votes     Percent
YES     6,027     26.98%
NO     16,310     73.02%

Measure 35
    Votes     Percent
YES     17,822     79.76%
NO     4,522     20.24%

Measure 36
    Votes     Percent
YES     12,913     57.81%
NO     9,424     42.19%

Measure 37
    Votes     Percent
YES     7,773     34.53%
NO     14,738     65.47%

Measure 38
    Votes     Percent
YES     4,769     21.36%
NO     17,562     78.64%

Measure 39
    Votes     Percent
YES     9,551     43.21%
NO     12,553     56.79%

Measure 40
    Votes     Percent
YES     14,821     69.02%
NO     6,651     30.98%

Measure A Red Bluff Hotel Tax
    Votes     Percent
YES     1,510     39.62%
NO     2,301     60.38%