Eagles FORUM baseball action SUNDAY Anton Stadium won’t be the same ..........Page A-8 Feb. 18, 2007 ..................................Page A-4 INSIDE Mendocino County’s World briefly The Ukiah local newspaper .......Page A-2 Monday: Clouds and some sun Tuesday: Mostly sunny $1 tax included DAILY JOURNAL ukiahdailyjournal.com 54 pages, Volume 148 Number 315 email: [email protected] SPECIAL ELECTION 2007 “The single best thing that’s ever happened is the video cameras in the cars.” - UPD Sgt. Greg Heitkamp Wharff details estimated costs By KATIE MINTZ The Daily Journal Just what does an election cost the county? According to Mendocino County Assessor-Clerk- Recorder Marsha Wharff, the figure depends on the number of contests on the ballot, and the jurisdictions they are sponsored by. “Every election is differ- ent,” Wharff said. This week, she explained to The Daily Journal how her office computed the estimated $150,000 cost the county Wharff stands to incur from the District Attorney Special ordered for the special elec- Election set for April 3. tion. That’s 3,250 less than “When we make an esti- were ordered for November mate, we base it on what past general election. elections have cost us,” “We can order less for a Wharff said. special election because the Here’s how the $150,000 turnout is generally less,” breaks down: Wharff said. “We base our • Sample and official bal- orders on what we believe lots: $60,000 we’re going to need.” According to Wharff, 63,750 ballots have been See COSTS, Page A-14 SPOTLIGHT ON MENTAL ILLNESS Isaac Eckel/The Daily Journal Recording the actions of suspects and police officers, all Ukiah Police Department Patrol cars have dash mounted video cameras that can later be used if there is a dispute. Along with the camera is a New superagency seeks small screen where officers can observe what the camera sees. to repair system cracks By FRANK HARTZELL mental illness and drug or Fort Bragg Advocate-News alcohol abuse was picked as UPD gets the picture FORT BRAGG - The the top problem facing the mother of the man accused of giant new county agency that falsely accused of misconduct. patrol car. The videos are uploaded making a bomb threat that covers both public health and Cameras reduce “There’s accountability,” he said. wirelessly to a secure server at the closed down the county court- mental health. complaints, help “The single best thing that’s ever UPD station. From there the videos house made an impassioned For Health and Human happened is the video cameras in the can be accessed on computer. public plea for better services Services (HHS) Director Ana both sides in court cars,” Heitkamp said. “I can call up any incident on the for people who have a “dual Mahoney, the gathering at the The videos can also be used for server,” Taylor said. diagnosis.” Department of Social By BEN BROWN Tracy Howson told a horror Services’ Fort Bragg office The Daily Journal training purposes when they show an Videos can be burned to CD and officer doing everything right, Taylor turned over to the prosecution and story in which her son sought was the 14th community They see you when your speeding, help but instead fell through meeting in a traveling road- they know when you’ve had too said. defense attorneys to help with crimi- The cameras are mounted on the nal cases. the proverbial cracks, a tale show designed to help the much to drink, and because of cam- that a gathered group of fami- county partner with communi- eras mounted in every patrol car, the dash of the patrol vehicle and point “Sometimes I get 30 or 40 requests out the front windshield. The cameras a week,” Taylor said. lies of the mentally ill and ties on solutions Mahoney Ukiah Police Department now has it local nonprofit leaders found promised to be “transparent all on tape. come on as soon as the overhead Deputy District Attorney Brian lights are activated, or manually by Newman said videos taken by police all too familiar. and inclusive.” Potter Valley, “They’re one of the most valuable “My son is in jail for the Round Valley and the things we have in the car,” said UPD the officer in the car. Each officer cameras are an invaluable tool for wears a receiver that transmits sound prosecutors. Officers commonly take bomb scare right now because Anderson Valley were recent Capt. Trent Taylor. he didn’t have anyone who stops. In addition to creating a record of to go with the image. the stand to describe a suspect’s The first cameras were installed in actions but it doesn’t have the same would listen to his pleas for The meeting input is the suspect’s actions, cameras also help. (Mendocino County expected to be formed into record the officer, decreasing the 2001 and were VHS recorders that impact as when you show them, ran constantly while the cars were in Newman said. Department of) Mental Health priorities by the end of the number of instances in which officers said he wasn’t a client any- month with action groups then are accused of misconduct, Taylor operation, creating an enormous log “When you can show a person staggering around, it’s not just no rea- more. This is a person who is being formed and Mahoney said. of tapes. using that input to influence sonable doubt, it’s no doubt,” He said. mentally ill who can’t go to “There’s been a reduction in the “It was a logistical nightmare,” Mental Health for help,” the county budgeting process. number of complaints,” he said. Taylor said. “A picture is worth 1,000 words,” Howson said. The local event was co- UPD Sgt. Greg Heitkamp said In 2005, the VHS recorders were Newman said. Howson’s example of the sponsored by HHS, arrest videos allow him to stand replaced with digital recorders that Ben Brown can be reached at [email protected] difficulties facing those who Mendocino Coast Clinics, Inc. behind his officers when they are save the video on a hard-drive in the have been diagnosed with See HEALTH, Page A-12 College financial aid plans can get complicated say experts By LAURA MCCUTCHEON vey. system works, as far as financial aid, The Daily Journal And while some would argue it’s well before their student hits college Going to college? age. Freshman “never too late,” at Ukiah High high school Don’t hesitate to learn all the par- School freshman students are “It’s a very complicated process,” Sandler said. “It’s currently a system students and ticulars about a postsecondary edu- encouraged to talk to their coun- their parents cation well in advance of the day you selors and create a four-year plan that rewards the grasshopper and punishes the ant. When it comes to should be plan to step on campus, suggest which outlines the student’s general thinking those who have done their home- goal, whether it be to attend a two- financial aid, the system takes into account what you have at the about work. year college, a four-year college, or a college. A recent survey by Next Step moment. You actually have a greater trade school, for instance. eligibility for financial aid if you Shown here, Magazine found that almost 30 per- “And then we create a rough aca- students cent of parents waited until their (haven’t) saved a lot of money,” she demic blueprint that will get them to said. at the teen’s junior year of high school where they want to go,” Ukiah High According to Next Step University before mapping out a plan for col- School Dean/Counselor, Marcia Magazine, half of the parents in the of lege. Sandler said. She also encourages Tennessee. “Which is too late,” states the sur- parents to find out about how the See COLLEGE, Page A-2 95* SaberFAST DSL for $11 Per Month 800-989-8851 • www.saber.net * Terms & conditions apply. A-2 – SUNDAY, FEB. 18, 2007 DAILY DIGEST Editor: K.C. Meadows, 468-3526 The Ukiah Daily Journal [email protected] the mother of three of the children. Robert Husner, who was staying in the home, said Joshua Stabbing Saturday The world briefly Arthur Sr., the father of three of the children, woke him and the two of them tried to rescue all six children, who were sleeping in at least two rooms. apparently over woman “The flames were just too high,” said Husner, 27. “I couldn’t The Daily Journal ment, according to In Iraq, Rice says U.S. debate over get in, there was so much smoke.” A woman was allegedly the McCutcheon. war reflects doubts about democracy source of contention between The suspect -- Ruben French Nazi-era collaborator dies two Ukiah men who fought it Antonio Rojas, 28 of Ukiah -- BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) — Secretary of State Condoleezza out in the street early Saturday Rice told Iraqi government leaders Saturday that the con- was arrested on suspicion of ’peacefully in his sleep,’ lawyer says morning. assault with a deadly weapon. tentious debate in Washington over President Bush’s war strat- At around 3:45 a.m., Ukiah Witnesses at the scene told egy reflects U.S. doubts that democracy will prevail over vio- PARIS (AP) — Maurice Papon, a former Cabinet minister who was convicted of complicity in crimes against humanity Police officers responded to officers that the two men were lence. reports of a fight in the 700 fighting because of a relation- “Some of the debate in Washington is in fact indicative of the for his role in deporting Jews during World War II and became a symbol of France’s collaboration with the Nazis, died block of South Dora Street.