Weekend SPORTS entertainment Thursday UHS volleyball ...................Page 6 .............Page 3 Oct. 2, 2008 INSIDE Mendocino County’s Obituaries The Ukiah local newspaper ..........Page 2 Friday: Rain H 66º L 53º 7 58551 69301 0 Saturday: Cool, with rain; H 63º L 46º 50 cents tax included DAILY JOURNAL ukiahdailyjournal.com 14 pages, Volume 150 Number 176 email: [email protected] VIGILANT VOLUNTEERS: REDWOOD VALLEY/CALPELLA FIRE DEPARTMENT Innkeeper Season preceded lightning suspected By ZACK CINEK The Ukiah Daily Journal of stealing The Redwood Valley-Calpella volunteer fire department had recently been on the go when the bed tax Mendocino Lightning Complex fires ignited. The Daily Journal Normally, Tom Hession, The owner of the Heritage House Redwood Valley-Calpella fire chief Inn, Little River, has been charged said, “we do not get out on a strike with taking Mendocino County occu- team until Cal Fire decides to pancy tax money, the District downsize for winter.” But this year, Attorney’s Office stated Wednesday. before the lightning fires, Redwood David Wilk, Heritage House owner, Valley-Calpella contributed to two was doing business as Lantana fires outside of Mendocino County, Mendocino, LLC, and has been Hession said. He said about one charged with suspicion of grand theft week later, his department was and embezzlement of $313,697, a responding to fires in the early District Attorney’s Office report stat- stages of the Lightning Complex ed. and “getting them put out.” Charges against Wilk also include Hession said he’s been with the grand theft and embezzlement of fire department since March of $31,368 from the Mendocino County 1982, and moved up to the position Lodging Business Improvement of fire chief in 2002. District, according to the report. During the lightning strike fires, In addition to the charges regarding Hession said firefighters had to pri- occupancy tax money and oritize the fires they fought. Improvement District money, the You have to reprioritize your fire county is pressing a charge against and how thoroughly you want to Wilk for alleged theft of more than attack it, Hession said, “knowing $200,000. that you have no backup.” The tax in question is the transient On a wall of the fire house’s occupancy tax, described as “a debt quarters, a poster reads, “If there owed by the innkeeper guest to the was a fire in hell, we’d put it out.” county. It is trust money belonging to But like other fire departments, the county.” literal front-line fire fighting is not “When these funds are collected the only contribution a department from visitors and not remitted to the can make in an event as big as this Treasurer-Tax Collector, it is a theft of summer’s lightning fires. public funds,” a portion of the report Hession noted the value of vol- stated. unteer firefighters to any communi- ty. It is what holds most communi- ties together, Hession said, adding New law to “without them it is probably just another business.” It is volunteer firefighters who aid veterans make up nearly all fire departments in the county, Hession said, “We Sarah Baldik/The Daily Journal in business definitely appreciate the thoughts (top right) Redwood Valley-Calpella Fire Department Chief Tom Hession stands outside the behind putting on a public event fire house Wednesday morning. (middle left) Firefighters’ fire gear is hung up and ready for Governor signs (benefit concert) to honor the vol- use with their boots inside their bibs for a quick change in case of a fire. (bottom left) Fire unteer firefighters.” Rescue in large print on the side of a fire emergency vehicle inside the garage of the RVCFD. Patty Berg’s AB 1952 Tracy Boudreaux, Cal Fire (Bottom right) A firefighter’s helmet hangs on a rack next to one of the department’s engines The Daily Journal spokeswoman, talked about the Wednesday morning in Redwood Valley. SACRAMENTO -- When Gov. ways volunteer departments such Arnold Schwarzenegger signed his as Redwood Valley-Calpella con- Redwood Valley-Calpella became name to Assembly Bill 1952 by Patty tributed this summer. a Cal Fire station in Ukiah Cal Berg over the week- Each volunteer department has Fire’s response area. ‘Lightning Jam’ benefit concert end, he put into law obligations to its community, and Now, months removed from the The concert will raise funds for area volunteer fire departments. an idea about fair- each fulfilled that obligation, lightning fires, it was a regular A pre-concert barbecue starts at 2 p.m. The concert begins at 4 p.m. ness and gratitude Boudreaux said. She said Cal Fire Wednesday afternoon in Redwood championed by pulls from those departments to Valley. When: Sunday, Oct. 5 Fortuna resident cover for Cal Fire. Several firefighters took a break Where: Redwood Empire Fairgrounds, Ukiah Carl Young. Boudreaux said volunteer to eat in the fire-house kitchen and Tickets: $25 advance, $30 at the gate. Young, 56, a dec- departments were there to respond answered the phone when it rang. To purchase tickets from the Ukiah Chamber of Commerce, call orated Vietnam War to a structure and grass fire that Working on equipment is one 462-4705; or go to the Mendocino Book Company on School Street veteran, offered his happened during that time, for part of the daily routine at the fire in downtown Ukiah. idea to Assembly- example. For event info, call 462-2596, ext. 110 In effect, Hession said, See RVCFD, Page 13 See VETERANS, Berg Page 13 Harold’s Square paying city $60,000+ for water, sewer TOP 5 ONLINE Other Ukiah mobile home he, in turn, pays the city of Ukiah a Rancho Del Rey charges for, the figure fixed commercial rate for the same FOLLOW-UP the park residents collectively pay RT parks’ payments far less sewer at a level calculated in February, Enterprises and then, in turn, the city By ROB BURGESS traditionally the lowest usage time of something,” he said, looking over for water and sewer comes to Tuesday the year. $3,738.24 per month and $44,858.88 The Daily Journal Harold’s Square’s most recent yearly 1. BREAKING NEWS - David Vilner is one of around 20 totals for water and sewer service from per year. City billing records obtained by The residents of Rancho Del Rey mobile the city of Ukiah. “I mean, these are On the other hand, Harold’s Square Dump truck accident Daily Journal Monday confirm that home park who are currently elderly people on fixed incomes who currently pays the city $64,293.48 per closes 101 claims by Harold’s Square mobile embroiled in a legal battle with their don’t normally use this much water.” year for water and sewer service, near- 2. Hopland man dies after home park owner William Nicolet of landlord, RT Enterprises, over the Currently, Rancho Del Rey uses a ly $20,000 more. stabbing water and sewer bills of more than coming installation of individual water simple, steady breakout of charges to Rancho Del Rey has 37 more $60,000 a year are true, but also show and sewer meters similar to those cur- bill residents for the water and sewer spaces than Harold’s Square’s 59, yet, 3. Don’t panic! he’s paying far more than other Ukiah rently in place at all Harold’s Square they use. Under the system now in when broken up evenly, Harold’s 4. Local homeschooler mobile home parks pay for the same residences. place, residents of Rancho Del Rey Square residents pay around $50 more back to own classroom service. Vilner said the figures for water pay a flat rate of $28.69 per space for a month for the same services. Since the installation of the meters consumption at Harold’s Square didn’t sewer and $10.25 per month for water Helen Wike, a resident of Harold’s 5. Freoek’ variety show will at Harold’s Square, Nicolet has begun match the comparable usage rates for service, bringing the monthly total to Square, said she was upset by the benefit SPACE charging his tenants a month-to-month residents of Rancho Del Rey. $38.94. ukiahdailyjournal.com residential rate for their sewer while “It looks as though there is a leak or When multiplied by the 96 spaces See SEWER, Page 13 2 – THURSDAY, OCT. 2, 2008 DAILY DIGEST Editor: Jody Martinez, 468-3517 The Ukiah Daily Journal [email protected] stance and possession of a FUNERAL NOTICES POLICE REPORTS firearm at 12:43 p.m. Tuesday. The following were BOOKED -- Jon Nicholas [\ utmost important to him helping to bring him [\ compiled from reports Farhat, 21, of Willits, was and he kept in close touch out of the grief he had over PHILIP ALLEN WEST prepared by the Ukiah booked into jail by the with distant rela- the loss of his A Memorial Recitation of Police Department. To Mendocino County Sheriff’s tives from Oklahoma. Sam brother and father. the Rosary was said anonymously report Office on suspicion of culti- attended Ukiah Sam had cultural ties for Philip Allen West of crime information, call vating marijuana, possession High School and graduated with the Ponca Tribe of Ukiah on Wednesday, 463-6205. of marijuana for sale, manu- in 2000. He was Oklahoma and the Pomo October 1, 2008 at 6 pm at ARREST -- Jesus Ruiz facturing a controlled sub- an admired basketball Tribe of which he Saint Mary of the Garcia, 30, of Ukiah, was stance and possession of a player and received was a member. Angels Catholic Church. arrested on suspicion of dri- firearm at 3:52 p.m.