Warriors win REMINISCE over 76ers SUNDAY This Was News in overtime ..........Page A-8 Nov. 25, 2007 ................................Page A-3 INSIDE Mendocino County’s Daily digest The Ukiah local newspaper .....Page A-14 Monday: Partly sunny; H 65º L 34º Tuesday: Clouds & sun; H 66º L 38º $1 tax included DAILY JOURNAL ukiahdailyjournal.com 52 pages, Volume 149 Number 230 email: [email protected] TODAY: City of 10,000 Buddhas YESTERDAY: State Hospital Fuel prices taking a toll on residents By ZACK SAMPSEL The Daily Journal The woes at the pump continue for Ukiahans Places as unleaded gasoline prices hover between with a past $3.37 and $3.43 a gallon citywide -- more than 30 cents above the national average of $3.09. Part 3 of 4 In October 2006, the statewide average for a Today The Daily Jour- gallon of gasoline was $2.60. nal continues a series of According to the Energy Information articles that provide a glimpse into the previous Administration, in statistics compiled Nov. 19, lives of a few local land- the average price for a gallon of unleaded gaso- marks. line in California is $3.39, with prices increas- ing as you travel from the south to the north. MacLeod Pappidas/The Daily Journal The $3.39 average is a 90-cent increase over Tourist David Huang of this time last year, according to the EIA. Fremont takes a snap- San Francisco residents pay the highest shot of his family in front average price for gas in the nation at $3.50 per of the Jeweled Hall of gallon, while the average price in Los Angeles 10,000 Buddhas Saturday is $3.36 per gallon -- and it appears crude oil on the grounds of what prices aren’t expected to dip anytime soon. The was once the Mendocino cost of oil continued its march toward $100 a State Hospital. barrel Friday, rising to a new record close in light holiday trading, and Ukiah residents are feeling it. “Well it hasn’t changed much other than my budget,” said Jay Fordster at the Shell station on Airport Park Boulevard. “But that doesn’t Buddhist city at hospital site mean I’m happy with it either.” By ROB BURGESS Fordster continued to voice his thoughts on The Daily Journal gas prices while filling up his truck with $43 worth of unleaded gasoline. He lives in n Saturday afternoon, David Redwood Valley and said that while working Huang’s family stopped on their construction jobs all over Mendocino County O way to the Chun Kang Vegetarian it’s hard not to be on the road. He went on to Restaurant at the City of 10,000 Buddhas explain that while his gas budget continues to in Talmage to snap a quick family photo change he sometimes grudgingly makes up for in front of the Jeweled Hall of 10,000 it by buying fewer groceries or cutting back on Buddhas. other things. “We’re from Fremont,” he said, Aimee Othesby faced a similar situation, crouching in front of the smiling group in with driving to work a necessity in her life. She front of him. “The last time I came here said the frustration over climbing gasoline was in 1999.” prices was almost too much for her as she filled If it were 40 years ago though, when up her Toyota Camry Friday afternoon. the Mendocino State Hospital still called “The gas prices haven’t changed how much this complex home, it’s safe to say the I drive to work, but it sure has changed what I Huangs probably wouldn’t even have do in my free time,” she said. slowed down their car as they passed, let To view the national averages for gasoline alone stopped to capture a family prices online, visit http://www.eia.doe.gov. memory in front of it. Zack Sampsel can be reached at udjzs@pacif- The hospital, originally called the ic.net. Mendocino State Asylum for the Insane, was founded in 1889, and the facility’s original main building was completed Willits supports four years later where it stood until 1952. Debra McCann, who operates the Sonoma County Genealogy Site, said that plastic bag ban at times the hospital held up to 3,000 A statue of the Buddha sits on top of the Jeweled Hall of 10,000 Buddhas, By LINDA WILLIAMS See PLACES, Page A-3 protected by one of two lion statues. The Willits News WILLITS - Plastic carryout bags will be banned throughout Mendocino County if the sen- timent of the Willits City Council is echoed by other county jurisdictions. Mayor Tami Jorgensen requested input from VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES IN MENDOCINO COUNTY citizens and the council prior to the vote. Willits was the first county jurisdiction to discuss carry- Hopland, Redwood Valley, Ukiah Senior Center Mendocino County Releaf out bags as an agenda item. The Mendocino Solid • Volunteers to help with their Thrift Store - • Tree planting in the Ukiah area during the Waste Management Authority will likely wait to Willits, and Ukiah - some lifting, sorting and pickups. months of December, January and February. vote on the ban until early 2008, after all other • volunteers who can fill in for dishwashers, For more information, contact Miles Gordon jurisdictions in the county have reviewed the Lake Mendocino issue. Army Corps of Engineers set up and take down tables and chairs. at 462-0244. •Any volunteer who may have experience Members of the public who spoke at the coun- • Volunteers wanted for outdoor work at in local soliciting and fund-raising for special The Salvation Army cil meeting supported a future ban, although Lynn Lake Mendocino. For more information, con- events. Contact volunteer coordinator Carmen • Volunteer bell ringers for the Temporary Kennelly of the Willits Chamber of Commerce tact Volunteer Coordinator Laura Smith at Lucchesi at 462-5933 or the center at 462- requested businesses be given time to transition to 467-4232. 4343. See VOLUNTEERS, Page A-4 the new requirement. A Pine Mountain resident spoke of his constant efforts to remove litter from the area, citing three areas in particular where the flimsy bags tended to congregate. Others spoke of the desire for every- INSIDE UDJ one to transition to reusable bags. One person A sample of this week’s blog posts wrote a letter to the council, describing creeks in By Editor K.C. Meadows the area after winter rains being festooned with Posted Friday don’t want to deal with the vicious dogs and handy the bags. Gerry Ward of Solid Wastes of Willits Pot activity heating up weapons the growers harbor at their city addresses advised one council member that he supported a Marijuana growing and the burgeoning backlash and who can blame them? So making it a criminal ban; the plastic bags fouled machinery and were against the marijuana industry that is taking over offense gives the Ukiah Police something to hang nuisances when placed in recycle containers. Mendocino County are going to be under discussion onto legally in order to go in and take illegal outdoor Most of the discussions by the council centered again both at the county and city levels in the coming plants. You may recall that the city acted on its ordi- on global issues associated with the plastic bags. couple of weeks. nance when former DA Norm Vroman was in office. Allowing retailers to charge customers a fee of 10 On Dec. 5 the Ukiah City Council plans to make Vroman made it clear he wouldn’t be prosecuting any to 12 cents for each paper bag used to recover growing pot outdoors a criminal offense. Already the of the city's proposed pot restrictions. Now, however, their increased costs was considered a reasonable council has by ordinance required that all pot be the city feels it may have a better chance. future step. grown indoors or inside locked garden sheds and (How I’m not sure, when DA Meredith Lintott's limited growing to 12 plants per parcel. own employee is found with 39 pounds of pot and If MSWMA votes to support the proposed The blog is at The problem is that since this ordinance isn’t she gets administrative leave rather than a trip to the countywide ban on plastic carryout bags in early much more than a zoning code, it’s being widely booking room ....) 2008, the next steps will be to pass ordinances at ukiahdailyjournal.com ignored by the pot growers and city zoning enforcers the county level and within each city to make it See BLOG, Page A-4 the law in Mendocino County. 2 – SUNDAY, NOV. 25, 2007 THE UKIAH DAILY JOURNAL FUNERAL NOTICES [\ During that time, Mick years near her daughter Selzer Realty, Dr. Peebles Valentine, Nebraska, and and received her teaching became a member of Rhonda, Ruth and the State Em- grew up in Purdum and credential from the International Order of moved to Carlsbad, ployees Credit Union. Thedford, Nebraska. San Francisco State in Odd Fellows, and California, where she Then, her life changed After her discharge, she 1938. She later re- Ruth joined the Rebekah passed away peacefully on again and she found returned to Oregon ceived a Masters Degree at Lodge. Ruth also re- September 26, the job she would hold until to resume her nursing Sonoma State as turned to her career during 2007. she retired with career and met James a reading specialist. Beth the ‘50s, working Ruth will be remembered the City of Ukiah, as a Richard Layne whom she started her teaching as a legal secretary with for her dedication to Police and Fire Dis- married and moved career in a one room school B&M Lumber Com- her family and community, patcher.