Ukiah golf The FORUM undefeated Commerce Our readers write in NBL File .......................................Inside .............Page 6 ..............Page 3 INSIDE Mendocino County’s World briefly The Ukiah local newspaper ..........Page 2 Tomorrow: Variable clouds; may rain 7 58551 69301 0 WEDNESDAY April 12, 2006 50 cents tax included DAILY JOURNAL ukiahdailyjournal.com 16 pages, Volume 148 Number 3 email: [email protected] Alcohol and drug treatment often delayed By BEN BROWN drug programs for public health, said the prob- like Laytonville, Gualala and Covelo. A short- The Daily Journal COMMUNITY HEALTH STATUS REPORT lem is not always access to a treatment center age of funding is also an issue, but Cybulska The Community Health Status Report, the but rather access to residential care, which is said everyone who asks for treatment receives county’s report card on a number of health- The report found that only 10 percent of often a must for those addicted to methamphet- it. related issues, was released last week by youth and 17 percent of adults are able to get amine. “We’re not turning people away,” she said. Mendocino County Public Health, and the the alcohol and drug treatment they need in a Cybulska cited “geographic barriers” as the In an effort to address the funding issue, marks for alcohol and drugs are less than timely manner. primary impediment to treatment. Treatment impressive. Margot Cybulska, director of alcohol and centers are often not available in remote areas See TREATMENT, Page 15 AAA BOARD OF SUPERVISORS Advisory RAINS WREAKING HAVOC WITH LOCAL CROPS County Council adopts BID revived resolution First meeting held Polling places for since rechartering election also discussed By SETH FREEDLAND By SETH FREEDLAND The Daily Journal The Daily Journal After years of ineffective- The Mendocino County Board of ness, and then extinction, the Supervisors adopted a resolution at Mendocino and Lake county its Tuesday meeting to establish the Area Agency on Aging long-proposed lodging Business Advisory Council celebrated Improvement District. its own rebirth this week dur- The immediate next step will ing its first meeting since the include the county sending the reso- rechartering. lution within seven days to the 550- With the specter of the odd hotel business owners in the Baby Boomer generation proposed district. Earlier this month, about to enter retirement the supervisors discussed the looming, the diverse 10-mem- process and documentation neces- ber council -- which includes sary for the BID. Months earlier, the medical, business, hospice, four cities -- Ukiah, Fort Bragg, legislative and psychology Willits and Point Arena -- voted to backgrounds, as well as per- provide their consent to operate the sonal experiences with care- countywide project. giving -- largely took care of A public comment period, sched- procedural issues during the Isaac Eckel/The Daily Journal uled for May 9, will directly precede get-together. With all of the recent rains, farmers are facing delays and problems with crops. Pear orchards, final action. Newly appointed AAA like these on Talmage, face the possibility of an increase in fungus once the rain ends and the County officials announced they Director Charles Berg, taking weather warms. received the first written protest over from interim Director against the BID, from a Vichy Susan Era from the Springs owner who declared he had Department of Social Shortened not been properly informed of the Services, helped the council BID’s nuances and was also unsure learn about the Brown Act, how the funds could benefit a decide how to choose one- or diverse county like Mendocino. two-year terms and appoint season, leaders. Election update Jacque Spiker, of Lake County, was elected chair- Also at the meeting, County woman and Mendocino fungus a Assessor/Clerk-Recorder Marsha County’s Patricia Jauregui- Wharff presented to the supervisors Darland vice-chairwoman. some logistical matters regarding Jim Coomes was tabbed for concern the election. She noted the high compliancy of Mendocino voters secretary. The council select- By BEN BROWN ed 2 p.m. April 16 in Lakeport registering, with for its next meeting. The Daily Journal only 2 percent or 3 Meetings will alternate Wet weather across Northern percent still run- POLLING between the two counties, and Central California has raised ning into various PLACES since the membership is even- doubts of a successful planting sea- problems, Wharff ly divided. son this year. Agricultural said. Mendocino The first order of business, Commissioner Dave Bengston said She also noted County an- after developing bylaws, Mendocino County has escaped the that the Diebold nounced its appears to be an area plan, worst of the damage, but the rain is Heavy rains have delayed blooming and could mean a short- touchscreen voting voting loca- with a hoped-for completion aggravating existing problems. ened season for grape growers. machines, which tions for the date of the end of April. The “We’re haven’t been hurt as bad are optional for June 6 pri- council also plans to intro- as other parts of California, yet,’ Bengston said many pear growers and irrigation systems and scattered use, arrived last mary elec- duce itself to both Boards of Bengston said have been using a lot of fungicide debris across fields and vineyards. Friday with accep- tion on Tues- Supervisors. He said Mendocino County had on their trees, and he didn’t know if “The cleanup was quite expen- tance testing begin- day. Due to In July 2005, the California not suffered as much damage from the sale price this year will be high sive,” Bengston said. “It was well ning at the end of the consoli- Department of Aging took the wet weather because farmers in enough to cover their costs. over a million dollars.” this week. Staff has dation, more control of the program from the area don’t plant many ground Grapes have also been having That rain has made it difficult to yet to fully under- mail-in bal- North Coast Opportunities, a crops like tomatoes, rice and beets problems. The heavy rains have affect, or even assess the damages stand the machines, Ukiah nonprofit, and the local that need dry ground for planting. kept the vines from blooming, in some of those areas because Wharff admitted, See In some counties, planting will be delaying the grape crop, said John damaged roads have made it diffi- but assured the POLLING, AAA took over in October for Page 15 Lake and Mendocino coun- delayed by two weeks even after Enquist, executive director of the cult for workers to reach the afflict- supervisors prog- ties. Era, from the the rain stops. Mendocino Winegrowers Alliance. ed areas. ress was being Department of Social Bengston said those most likely “It’s making for a real short “I’m really worried about the made. Services, ran the program to have problems would be smaller growing season,” Enquist said. infrastructure,” Bengston said. Many staff hours were spent until March 2006, when Berg growers who sell their produce at A shortened growing season The National Weather Service is ensuring voting precincts would not was appointed. farmers markets. The rain is mak- means grapes might not be avail- predicting rain through Wednesday overlap with various special dis- It is unclear when the ing it difficult for them to get an able for harvest until late with some clearing to follow at the tricts, Wharff said. Last election saw NCO’s advisory council early start, even if they grow in September or October, when end of the week. some polling places including up to ceased to function -- Berg greenhouses. autumn rainfall could do real dam- “We just want some sunshine seven different ballots. (The 22 said it “just died out” -- and The major problem facing larger age to the crop, Enquist said. and blue skies like everyone else,” polling locations this year were various officials described it growers is the fungus that may The rain is also aggravating Bengston said. announced Friday and accompany as poorly functioning before begin to grow when the rain ends problems caused by the New Year’s Ben Brown can be reached at this article.) The reduction in its demise. and warm weather sets in. floods that damaged roads, culverts [email protected]. precincts is due to new federal law See AAA, Page 15 See COUNTY, Page 15 2 – WEDNESDAY, APRIL 12, 2006 DAILY DIGEST Editor: Jody Martinez, 468-3517 The Ukiah Daily Journal [email protected] FUNERAL NOTICES The world briefly [\ You were an inspiration the Kingdom Hall of to us all, and a guiding light Jehovah’s Witnesses on to those you knew best. Orchard Ave. in Ukiah on Iran insists Sunni Muslims marking the ment. Meanwhile, the U.S. You are deeply missed, Sat, April 15, 2006 at 2 PM. birth of Islam’s Prophet military reported the deaths of Mom, Grandma, friend, Larry was born in Omak, enrichment goal Muhammad. Several leaders five more soldiers, including sister, aunt. WA on June 15, 1945 to Mr. is peaceful were killed. three killed Tuesday in a road- A pink dogwood has been & Mrs. Eugene Barnes. “The bomber used about 5 side bombing north of the cap- planted in your name, He married Ruth Smith TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — kilograms (11 pounds) of ital. alongside a white one for on June 26, 1965. He was a Iran’s hard-line president said explosives obtained locally, The latest casualties raised dad. dedicated servant of Tuesday that the country has and we have collected his the U.S. death toll so far this You would have loved the Jehovah. He will be missed joined the club of nuclear body parts,” Siddiqui told The month to at least 31 — the trees, and how the grand- by all of us until the day he is countries by successfully Associated Press.