California Your health: LETTERS bicycle race Ask Dr. Gott On city campaign finance under way ..............Page 3 ...................................Page 4 .............Page 6 INSIDE Mendocino County’s World briefly The Ukiah local newspaper ..........Page 2 Tomorrow: Mostly sunny 7 58551 69301 0 TUESDAY Feb. 21, 2006 50 cents tax included DAILY JOURNAL ukiahdailyjournal.com 16 pages, Volume 147 Number 318 email: [email protected] ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN? Wes Chesbro endorses for his Senate seat Termed out Senator Chesbro. “She has picks Wiggins six years The Daily Journal and wire experience in the services Speaking at a press confer- Assembly, ence on Monday at the demo- and has cratic headquarters in Eureka, served as a State Senator Wesley Chesbro city coun- (D-Arcata), Assemblywoman Chesbro cilwoman. Patty Berg (D-Eureka), and In both Congressman Mike those posi- Thompson (D-St. Helena) tions she has shown a strong Monday announced their commitment to the environ- endorsement of former law- ment, public health, and our maker Pat Wiggins for the 2nd schools.” District Senate seat being Wiggins founded the vacated by Chesbro when his Legislature’s Smart Growth term expires. Caucus back in 2000, which “I am endorsing Pat has since grown to include 47 Wiggins because I believe she of the body’s 120 members. will do a great job represent- ing the North Coast,” said See SENATE, Page 16 Indoor growing rule Amy Wellnitz/The Daily Journal Susan Sher and her daughter Haddie walk on a railroad bridge across Orr Creek between Ford and Clara Streets. costly say medical MJ patient advocates Bridge raising safety concerns By LAURA CLARK ing system -- or the electricity The Daily Journal bill that comes with just such By SETH FREEDLAND As the planting season an operation. The Daily Journal nears, medical marijuana “It’s very cost-prohibitive Parents worried about a dangerous patients on fixed incomes to a lot of folks on fixed railroad bridge over Orr Creek may could be hard-pressed for the incomes,” said Ukiah soon see their concerns alleviated. money it takes to operate an Morrison, communications The small trestle, which last saw indoor growing system, consultant at Northern train usage in 1996, is often used as a required under a city ordi- California NORML, a nation- walking path for residents in and nance passed last year. al organization supporting the around the Wagenseller neighbor- The Ukiah City Council in reform of marijuana laws. hood. But holes the size of shopping July voted to adopt recom- “Most of us are struggling carts -- one, in fact, lies prone on the mendations from the city’s to survive and don’t have an riverbed -- have caused parents and Planning Commission and extra grand to build a green- other concerned residents grief for finalize a marijuana cultiva- house ... the same thing goes months. tion ordinance. On Feb. 1, with not having enough Yellow construction tape recently because of concerns over pri- money to buy the lighting sys- encircled the safety hazard, located vacy issues, safety issues, air tem ... and there are safety just north of Clara Avenue at the end quality and odor issues, the issues involved,” Morrison of Mason Street, but the meager pro- City Council voted to confirm said, referring to the electrical tection proved short-lived. its stance that all cultivation hazards of such an elaborate Residents have contacted the city take place indoors. The city’s set-up. Ventilation and securi- ty are also issues, he said. to repair the dilapidated bridge, but The bridge, marked as a dangerous pathway, is frequently used definition of “indoors” direct- by pedestrians. ly means within a “fully The majority of legitimate Rick Seanor, of the city’s Public enclosed and secure struc- medicinal marijuana patients Works Department, said he has told borhood sees many homeless people council, Christopher J. Neary, said ture,” which could include a are elderly and/or ill, thus all callers on the issue that responsi- who use the trestle at all hours of the that on March 16, the authority will greenhouse with lockable adding to concerns over use of bility falls to the North Coast day, Sher noted. apply for California Transportation doors. heat lamps and complex glass Railroad Authority. The holes could easily be filled by Commission funds to make “these The city ordinance allows equipment, advocates say. Susan Sher, a member of the a dozen 2-by-12 wooden planks, kinds of repairs,” he said. 12 mature plants per parcel. Asked if city staff has any Wagenseller Neighborhood officials said, which might prevent a The authority has previously lob- The indoor growing ordi- concerns over the safety of Association, penned a letter to the theoretical million-dollar lawsuit. bied for such money from the com- nance pleased some neighbor- indoor pot cultivation equip- authority on behalf of the group to “I’ve seen plenty of kids on bicy- mission to no avail. The railroad hood activists who objected to ment, Planning Director request repair construction before a cles,” Sher said. “I’ve seen families organization has been oftentimes the smell and presence of Charley Stump said: “I will serious accident occurs with “a walking across. In daylight you can hindered by the limited size of the marijuana in backyard gar- speak for the City Council pedestrian walking in the dark, a see the gaping holes, but at night two-man staff responsible for 200- dens but frustrated marijuana who adopted the ordinance, child falling off a bicycle” or an ine- maybe not. It’s amazing nothing’s plus miles of track. advocates who give voice to and the answer is ‘yes,’ they briated person falling several feet happened already.” Seth Freedland can be reached at poor and elderly medical mar- are concerned about that.” through a into the creek. The neigh- The railroad authority’s legal [email protected]. ijuana users who may not be able to afford an indoor grow- See PATIENTS, Page 16 Brooktrails to ask state for more water connections By CLAUDIA REED revealed in a study of the communi- determined by dividing the predicted Even without the additional 10 “An argument can be advanced to The Willits News ty’s water system, prompted the water supply by the number of water homes, he said, residents would be the Department of Health that the BROOKTRAILS - By a 3-2 vote, state’s Department of Health connections. required to cut water usage down to district can accommodate the (10 the Brooktrails board has voted to Services to impose a moratorium on “We all have to make major sacri- about 134 gallons a day. Ordinarily, new homes) with its existing sup- ask the state to allow 10 more water new water connections. Adding 10 fices (in water usage) in a dry year,” he said, residents use about 256 gal- ply,” Neary wrote in an opinion to connections to the community’s new connections, then, will require Estabrook said. “Where is the water lons a day in August and about 198 the board. overtaxed water system. DHS approval. going to come from for 10 more gallons the rest of the year. In short, He advised the district to advance If approved, the addition will A dry year will happen again, houses? From all of us.” lawns would go dry and gardens the argument in order to demonstrate leave the community with 1,520 warned engineer Richard Estabrook, He predicted the addition of 10 would fail. tangible progress on the issue, satis- homes connected to the water system whose annual predictions of dry sea- houses would require all houses to For Brooktrails attorney Chris fy the district’s legal obligation to and the ability to supply only about son water supply are used by the cut back an additional two gallons of Neary, however, Estabrook’s early provide water service and establish a 986 homes with enough water to board to determine the need for vol- water usage a day in a low water warning model and the related con- model for phased growth as infra- meet ordinary household needs in a untary or mandatory conservation year. servation ordinance mitigate the con- structure capacity is developed. year of low rainfall. measures. “In a month that’s six less show- cerns relative to a two-year drought Despite Neary’s position, On February 28, 2003, the short- The conservation measures, in ers, or four loads less laundry,” he forecast in the study that forms the fall in meeting existing needs, effect, water rationing, would be said. basis for the moratorium. See WATER, Page 16 Ukiah Beauty College ENROLL NOW! Cosmetology Classes Supervised student work only. 1040 N. State St., Ukiah • 462-8831 2 – TUESDAY, FEB. 21, 2006 DAILY DIGEST Editor: K.C. Meadows, 468-3526 The Ukiah Daily Journal [email protected] The world briefly FUNERAL NOTICES [\ at Ukiah Cemetery. School’s Head Start her nephew Lonnie EULAH MAY ALLSUP Born August 20, 1911 in Program for 9 years. Chapman both of Graveside services for New Mexico, Eulah mar- Eulah is survived by her Oklahoma. Eight grandchil- Bush: Nation is on Official: Eulah May Allsup of Ukiah, ried Delmar Allsup in sons Delmar Allsup of Blue dren, eleven great-grand- verge of energy Underground who passed away on Friday, 1936. He preceded her in Lake, John Allsup of Ukiah, children and one great- February 17, 2006 at a local death in 1987. She has William Lee Allsup of Los great-grandchild also sur- breakthroughs sounds sustaining convalescent hospital, will resided in the Ukiah area Angeles, daughter Ruby vive. MILWAUKEE (AP) — hopes for survivors be held on Wednesday, for the past 46 years and Lucille Jones of Lakeport, The Eversole Mortuary is February 22, 2006 at 2 pm volunteered at Frank Zeek her niece Pearl Shipley and in charge of arrangements.