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Stanford REMINISCE defeats SUNDAY Elusive Images photo contest Oklahoma ..........Page A-8 March 26, 2006 ................................Page A-3 INSIDE Mendocino County’s World briefly The Ukiah local newspaper .......Page A-2 Monday: Increasing cloudiness Tuesday: Breezy with showers $1 tax included DAILY JOURNAL ukiahdailyjournal.com 60 pages, Volume 147 Number 351 email: [email protected] HOUSING GAP Library improvements OK’d No money in budget term, the conundrum can be even saw $14,000 in funding. Other tar- focusing on physical improve- California tougher. geted areas included a doubling of ments over updating the book col- to add to book collection So it was for new Library the landscaping budget and a dou- lection. “But if the building’s By SETH FREEDLAND Director Melanie Lightbody, bling of janitorial hours. falling down around you…” The Daily Journal whose budget for an unspent Not to be found, however, was The Ukiah branch will also trails nation Budget issues are never easy to $53,000 carried over from 2004- any money for new reading mate- continue to see a paint job and an resolve. But when there’s new 05 was approved by the supervi- rial. up-tick in utility expenses to leadership, and a vast array of sors this week. The focus is clear: “It was a tough call,” Light- in ownership possible priorities to start the new structural maintenance, which body admitted, in reference to See LIBRARY, Page A-14 of housing A PLAY THAT TELLS THE ‘TRUTH ABOUT TEENAGERS’ More and more of state’s residents lifelong renters By EVE MITCHELL ANG Newspapers With Mendocino County officials facing major decisions regarding home creation ‘Driving Lessons’ policies, a recent study says that the state needs massive housing growth to reach By LAURA CLARK Oceanea DeBisschop said. “normal” national levels. The Daily Journal Brandie Rankin, who California’s home ownership rate is the Sex, drugs, alcohol and has acted in seven other second lowest in the United States, a trend other issues teens cope plays, said: “This (play) is that can only be reversed by easing up on with is the theme of completely different than land-use regulations and passing bonds for “Driving Lessons,” origi- any other play. It’s our own roads and other infrastructure, an industry nal theater based on the stories and we get closer to group said this week. lives of the cast. the other actors ’cause The home ownership rate is 70 percent The play -- written, we’re being ourselves and nationwide but only 57 percent in California directed and produced by ... ” and the Bay area, according to a report Leslie Rich -- was per- “It’s our lives on stage,” released by the California Building Industry formed earlier this month Kylee Zimmerman-Pearn Association, which represents the home in Willits, and will be said, finishing Rankin’s building industry. The report ranked staged Thursday and sentence. California 49th nationwide in terms of home Friday nights at the Ukiah The play is the “truth ownership. Only New York, with a home High School Little Theater. about teenagers,” Roseann ownership rate of 55 percent, is lower. “‘Driving Lessons’ Bath said. “I never realized “There was a time when California was gives us a glimpse of how how easy it is to communi- on par with the U.S. during the ’50s and people today, in a small cate with people if they are ’60s,” said Alan Nevin, the Building Northern California town, willing to listen.” Industry Association’s chief economist. “But make their way through the Rankin agreed. “It’s during the ’70s a long list of state, federal teen years,” Rich states in a amazing how many people and local regulations have cumulatively rel- leaflet about the play. opened up with us after egated too many Californians to a lifetime of “Every day we’re faced they saw the play,” she renting.” with limits, choices and said. “They had the same California needs to increase by 1.6 mil- their consequences. Some experiences we’d had, or lion its number of homeowners to be on par are predictable; some are something close to it,” she with the country’s 70 percent home owner- like deer suddenly leaping added, referring to both ship rate, the report found. across the road. Along the teens and adults. (Jon Beck If that happened, it would result in more way there are bound to be is the fifth cast member.) than $4 billion a year more paid in local and traffic jams, wrong turns, “Experiences” such as state property taxes. and accidents. Many times driving too fast, or under Only 12 percent of Bay area and sur- we are tempted to take an the influence of alcohol, rounding areas’ households have the mini- alternate route; sometimes are addressed in the first mum yearly household income of $174,460 a detour seems to be the scene of the play. to afford a single-family home with the only available option. “I’ve been in a car with median price of $712,940, according to the “Our Lifelines Theater someone that’s been drink- California Association of Realtors. process encourages the cast ing and driving,” So what kind of housing must be built to to explore and share their Zimmerman-Pearn said address Northern California’s needs? personal choices and mean- Thursday during rehearsal. “We need to build all types of housing ... ingful life experiences. We “It was only a beer,” she so we can get a better balance and ultimate- began our ‘road trip’ in added. ly less pricing pressure,” said Layne November at our seven- As the dialogue contin- Marceau, Building Industry Association hour marathon. This was ues, cast members share chairman and president of the Northern followed by individual their stories. California Division of Shea Homes. “The interviews and journal “Last night, I had dinner only way to do that in the long term is to entries. These sources pro- at my friend’s house. There have all types of housings -- an increased vided the material on were three adults and they supply from condos in Oakland to single- which the script is based. In were all drinking wine. family homes in Tracy.” early January we began our They polished off a couple twice-weekly rehearsals. Isaac Eckel/The Daily Journal of bottles. And then they To turn more renters into homeowners, Jon Beck rehearses for Lifelines theater’s upcoming production of the group is pushing for legislation that We worked hard, laughed drove home afterwards,” and cried, overcame unex- “Driving Lessons,” as David Hulse-Stephens coaches him in the fore- Bath said. would ease land-use regulations that home ground. builders say make it hard for them to put up pected roadblocks, ate, and Alcohol is also the topic new homes. eventually created the of discussion in a scene But the builders group might find opposi- play,” Rich writes. five Willits High School “I did it because the play always wanted to be a part called “Wrong Way.” tion to such changes. Prior to Thursday’s students -- shared their has always been a really of it ’cause I think it’s an rehearsal, cast members -- thoughts on the production. good influence on me. I’ve awesome experience,” See 'DRIVING,' Page A-14 See HOUSING, Page A-15 Few campaign contributions suggest a race of ideas Some fans of Major League Baseball say the baseball season It seemed the June election first made itself part of everyday never really ends. Sure, the regular-season games are played conversation in December after Interim Sheriff Kevin Broin from April to October. But with Spring Training in March and was appointed to the job simply because he wasn’t running. off-season trade rumors dominating the winter, baseball never MATTER OF FACT Later, when Undersheriff Gary Hudson dropped out, Broin really leaves our consciousness. threw his hat in the ring to much community discussion -- and Local elections are kind of like that. We won’t see those signs if anyone didn’t know it was campaign season, they knew it in front lawns for a while still, but Mendocino County’s elec- then. tions are quite already upon us. SETH Some supervisor hopefuls have been jockeying for position This month saw the close of the first filing period, ending on FREEDLAND for many months, and the incumbents are well aware of the March 17. Only nine of the 16 candidates in competitive races competition. In the 5th District, for example, current Chairman submitted campaign contribution reports, which are required David Colfax will face opposition in June from three chal- when collected contributions exceed $1,000. A slow start? Perhaps. But living in a small community aligns sonal relationships with those in the public sector and let’s be itself for a more permanent campaign season. Many have per- honest, Ukiahans love to talk. See FREEDLAND, Page A-14 Backyard RELAXATION SALE PATIO POOLS 509 S. State St. • Ukiah Furniture TUBS 462-7305 A-2 – SUNDAY, MARCH 26, 2006 DAILY DIGEST Editor: Jody Martinez, 468-3517 The Ukiah Daily Journal [email protected] FUNERAL NOTICES Buck Owens, CORRECTIONS The Ukiah Daily [\ husband of 60 years, Joe R. [\ store at the Orchard flamboyant Journal reserves this ELVA INEZ HOLSTINE Holstine, by her sister Ruby GERRY GOWAN Shopping Center before space to correct errors or Funeral services for Elva Hall, children Joseph, Gerry Gowan passed moving to Arizona. He is country music make clarifications to Inez Holstine will be held on Theodore and Mammie, away March 19, 2006 in survived by his mother news articles. Significant Wednesday, March 29, 2006 daughters-in-law Gail, Arizona with his family by Marguerite, brother Jim star, dies at 76 errors in obituary notices at 2 pm at the Eversole Amon and Sundy, son-in- his side.