Warriors drop The COUNTY FISCAL YEAR 2006-07 Montgomery Commerce File Budget decisions made ...................................Page 1 .............Page 6 ................Page 3 INSIDE Mendocino County’s World briefly The Ukiah local newspaper ..........Page 2 Tomorrow: Mostly sunny and hot 7 58551 69301 0 WEDNESDAY Aug. 30, 2006 50 cents tax included DAILY JOURNAL ukiahdailyjournal.com 16 pages, Volume 148 Number 143 email: [email protected] Ex-tribal officials face federal charges By BEN BROWN seven former tribal officials from the “In this case, tribal leaders Ryan. “We are committed to enforc- are: former Tribal Chairwoman The Daily Journal Coyote Valley Band of Pomo Indians allegedly used funds of the tribe for ing federal law intended to protect Priscilla Hunter, 59 of Ukiah; former After more than four years of in federal court, on 39 counts related their own personal benefit or for tribal members from the misuse of Tribal Historian Michael Hunter, 32 investigation, the United States to the misuse of tribal funds between unauthorized political contribu- their funds.” Attorney’s Office today will arraign mid-2001 and 2004. tions,” said U.S. Attorney Kevin Those named in the indictment See TRIBAL, Page 16 CRIME LOG Vandals For the love of song hit UHS By LAURA MCCUTCHEON Women’s The Daily Journal It may have been all fun chorus finds and games for whoever inspiration tagged Ukiah High with black in music See VANDALS, Page 16 By ZACK SAMPSEL Sentence The Daily Journal uesday will mark the beginning of the 13th for fraud year for the Inland T By LAURA MCCUTCHEON Valley Women’s Chorus. This volunteer-based The Daily Journal singing group has spent Two Ukiah residents have much of its history been sentenced to federal spreading the message of prison for their part in a music as an empowering scheme to defraud the Cali- and healing tool at events such as Project Sanctuary’s See FRAUD, Page 16 Clothesline Project, Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Diversity Day. In 1993, Artis Spriggs and Lisa Bregger were members Permeable of Judy Fjell’s chorus in Napa. Spriggs and Bregger pavement both loved being in a chorus and wanted to bring the opportunity to Ukiah. project They asked Fjell to help them begin a chorus in Ukiah. She agreed and completed directed the group for the Isaac Eckel/The Daily Journal By JAMES ARENS next three years. During The Daily Journal Fjell’s tenure, membership Members of the Inland Valley Women’s Chorus practice at the Center for Positive Living. The group meets once a week and has sung at events throughout the community, using music as a means of It’s not often that the envi- totaled more than 30 women ronment and construction with ages ranging from 30 to empowerment and healing. Left to right, back row, Mary Buckley, Carol Gottfried, Jan Moore. Front Row, Madge Strong, Esther Siegel, Margo Selleck. practices can work together in 70 years old. perfect harmony, but in a spe- Fjell later moved on to cial case they’ve made their other activities and current intimidated,” Esther Siegel reluctant to drag myself back seven years, said she Hebrew songwriters. But said. “But now I know to town for choir, I usually enjoyed the camaraderie and beyond the high seas, the way into a parking lot to make member Margo Selleck beautiful music. contacted Madge Strong to everyone is welcome. We’re go anyway,” Selleck said. “I beautiful music. Moore also group also looks locally for really trying to create a sense come home feeling happy enjoys the performances and music. Strong, Bregger and “This is a new thing in the become the chorus’ director area,” said Robert Clark, in 1997. Since then, Strong of community with ourselves and rejuvenated. It’s good cited the local Martin Luther Mary Buckley help to write and within ourselves.” for the body and soul to King Jr. Day celebration as a new music for the chorus. owner of Clark Construction. has created a sense of “I believe this is the first pro- community within the The sense of community make beautiful sounds.” time when the chorus really The chorus’ season is so strong that even in the Many of the women in “raised the roof.” normally spans from Septem- ject done with permeable chorus that exudes from the pavement here in Ukiah, and members. All of the women worst of weather conditions the chorus have been Strong said the practices ber to June, but Bregger and most of the members said members for many years and are casual and the chorus is Buckley said many of the it might even be the first pro- in the chorus maintain a ject in Mendocino County, close bond and try to stay they would prefer to come to consider practices and always open to new song women still meet once a practice. Some even find the performances a home away ideas. The chorus currently month during the summer for but I am not sure.” involved with each other’s Permeable pavement, or lives. group to be therapeutic. from home. Jan Moore, a sings songs from African, “If I’m too tired and member of the chorus for Balkan, French, Spanish and See CHORUS, Page 16 porous pavement, refers to “I first came in a little paving methods for roads, See PAVEMENT, Page 2 County debt ‘not expanding’ BOARD OF SUPERVISORS New budget adopted Monday. “We are making progress in paying all obligations.” Construction recycling By KATIE MINTZ The pension obligation bond debt service took The Daily Journal $839,000 as part of the county’s five-year amortiza- Mendocino County’s new budget for the Fiscal tion schedule. Two of the county’s other major, long- Year 2006-2007 approved Monday projects overall term liabilities received payments as part of their ordinance introduced appropriations of about $203 million and more than seven-year schedules. The Teeter Plan, which stems By KATIE MINTZ the Construction and Demolition $57 million in county revenues, up $3.7 million -- or from unpaid property tax, got $450,000 as planned, The Daily Journal Ordinance despite some concerns that 7 percent -- from 2005-2006. as well as an additional $275,000 interest payment. The Mendocino County Board of an accompanying recycling incentive The budget was tracked on a quarterly basis for The mental health deficit was credited with Supervisors reluctantly introduced an program for all dumps in the county the first time this year, making for few surprises at $250,000. ordinance Tuesday that would require was not also brought forward. the final budget hearings. According to Assistant However, it was noted that for the 2005-2006 fis- construction and demolition companies “I’m not interested in supporting the Chief Executive Officer Alison Glassey, all county cal year, the Mental Health Fund exceeded its avail- doing business in the unincorporated ordinance without the incentive pro- departments were told to submit budgets maintain- able resources by $404,000, causing the Board of areas of the county to recycle or reuse gram in place,” Supervisor Hal ing current staffing levels and with a 6.5 percent cut Supervisors to approve, from the General Fund, an at least half of the waste produced at Wagenet said, despite later changing to county cost to allow for focus on priority areas. additional appropriation in that amount to keep every site. his mind. “I think that they should not One such area was the continued dedication to amortization on track. With a vote of 3-2, Supervisors just be worked on independently, but paying down county debts and liabilities. Michael Delbar and Jim Wattenburger “The debt load is not expanding,” Glassey said See BUDGET, Page 16 dissenting, the board voted to introduce See RECYCLING, Page 16 Across from We’ve Moved! Ukiah Ford, and Reddings Redding’s Reddings • More Rental Trucks Behind Lost Coast Car And Truck Rentals • Larger Location Motorcycles 468-0902 • NEW LOCATION • 1125 So. State Street, Ukiah • More Convenient 2 – WEDNESDAY, AUG. 30, 2006 DAILY DIGEST Editor: Jody Martinez, 468-3517 The Ukiah Daily Journal [email protected] Johnson, 24, of Fort Bragg, FUNERAL NOTICES POLICE REPORTS was arrested on suspicion of The following were driving under the influence in [\ 26 at Ukiah Valley team, the San fortable as possible. compiled from reports the 40000 block of Little Lake Medical Center after a Francisco Giants. Funeral services will be prepared by the Ukiah Road at 5:29 p.m. Monday. three-month illness. He was preceded in held Thursday, Au- Police Department. To ARREST -- Genice L. Harold was born death by his wife Eliza- gust 31, 2006 at 10:00 am anonymously report Armstrong, 44, of Ukiah, was November 5, 1915 in Far- beth in 1978, and all of his at the Eversole crime information, call arrested on suspicion of dri- num, Nebraska. He mar- brothers and sis- Mortuary. Interment will 463-6205. ving under the influence at the ried his wife Elizabeth ters. He is survived by be in Ukiah Ceme- intersection of Highway 101 in 1944, and they adopted daughter Cheryl Bun- tery. ARREST -- A 17-year-old and North State Street at 8:59 their only child, yan and her husband Jason [\ boy was arrested on suspicion p.m. Monday. daughter Cheryl in 1959. of Ukiah, a sis- ANNIE MARIE JENNÈ of fighting in a public place, ARREST -- Ruben A. He worked for the ter-in-law in Nebraska and Annie Marie Jennè, born participation in a criminal Villagomez, 24, of Sea Ranch, railroad for 38 years as a numerous nieces Febuary 2, 1920, street gang and parole viola- was arrested on suspicion of track foreman until and nephews.