Brooks has Miss California ON THE MARKET Raiders Scholarship Guide to local real estate on the move Pageant ...................................Inside .............Page 6 ..............Page 3 INSIDE Mendocino County’s World briefly The Ukiah local newspaper ..........Page 2 Tomorrow: Mostly sunny and cooler 7 58551 69301 0 FRIDAY Aug. 4, 2006 50 cents tax included DAILY JOURNAL ukiahdailyjournal.com 42 pages, Volume 148 Number 117 email: [email protected] Sex offender’s presence at mobile home park brings complaints By BEN BROWN convicted sex offender Jacob Walters was released from a state that he is out there,” said Mendocino brother’s home at the mobile home The Daily Journal Walters. hospital earlier this month. He was County Sheriff’s Office Detective park. Pullian said the park’s policy Some residents of the Western “We just want him to go,” said placed in the hospital after complet- D.J. Alvarado. says guests are only allowed to stay Hills Mobile Home Park are not Patti Winnie, Walters’ niece. “He ing his prison sentence. Park resident Diane Pullian said comfortable with their new neighbor, doesn’t belong out.” “We want the public to be aware Walters is currently staying at his See WALTERS, Page 18 BICYCLE HELMET CLINICS Jurors find library worker was ‘not guilty’ Pitman was on trial on Deliberations charges that she embezzled lasted one day $65,000 from the county library system between 2000 The Daily Journal and 2005, when she was mak- Jurors in the case of former ing deposits of the library’s Ukiah Library employee Linda Pitman deliberated for money as part of her job as an one day before finding her not administrative assistant. guilty on all charges. Pitman was arrested in Pitman was found not May of 2005, after an audit of guilty of: grand theft; embez- library finances by the county zlement, computer crimes and treasurer revealed inconsis- charges that she filed false tax tencies between the amount of returns in 2003 and 2004. The money taken in by the county jury also denied a special alle- and the amount of money gation that the embezzlement taken in by the library and the cost the county more than amount deposited in the $50,000. library’s accounts. Elections office Isaac Eckel/The Daily Journal Student Intern Tod Harrison helps fit a bike helmet on William Ferguson at the Mendocino County clarifying changes Department of Public Health on Wednesday. Public Health is distributing bike helmets for $8. By KATIE MINTZ The Daily Journal Amid complaints and con- Analysis of voter fusion from voters across turnout for June Mendocino County following Primary Election the primary election in June, Public Health working Overall the elections office has stepped up its voter education in hopes of a smooth 50.66 November election. percent turnout of regis- On Tuesday, County tered voters, 17 percent to improve rider safety Assessor/Clerk-Recorder higher than the Marsha Wharff released an statewide average By JAMES ARENS and distribute helmets to people,” said analysis of absentee voting in The Daily Journal ‘We want to make sure that people are Guadalupe Chavez, prevention ser- Polling Precincts the form of a press release, (37 consolidated total) Each year, more than 700 people are riding with helmets and they are vices coordinator at the Mendocino one of many that are expected killed in bicycle crashes in the U.S. and County Department of Public Health. to follow in the weeks leading almost 50 percent of those deaths could properly fitted.’ “We want to make sure that people are up to the election. 13 have been prevented if riders had worn riding with helmets and they are prop- precincts had a turnout GUADALUPE CHAVEZ, prevention services “They will explain things of less than 50 percent helmets, according to AAA. erly fitted.” such as when ballots will be Regardless of how short or long of a coordinator at Public Health “When a helmet is used and fitted mailed, why (absentees) are ride you’re taking, you should always properly, then the person wearing it is 21 still secret as well as broad- precincts had a turnout wear a bicycle helmet, stresses the National Highway much safer than without one,” she said. cast any changes that are Traffic Safety Administration. When a helmet is properly “People sometimes buy a helmet at stores just by the of between 50 and 59 made,” Wharff said. “We percent fitted, it can prevent head injuries, which are the primary size, and after that they don’t have the helmet fitted cor- want people to feel secure cause of death and disabling injuries from a cycling crash. rectly,” Chavez said. “And we want to make sure that the with how it’s working.” Locally, there are programs that aim to keep people safe helmets fit them safely and snugly.” The release this week lists 3 and save lives. precincts had a turnout percentages for voter turnout, of more than 60 percent “The whole purpose of this program is to correctly fit See HELMETS, Page 17 differentiating between mail only precincts and those with Absentee Only polling places. Wharff said Precincts she released the figures to (171 consolidated allow citizens to draw their total) own conclusions about the Art Stroll recent reorganization of 75 precincts that left the majority precincts had a turnout of the county voting by mail. of less than 50 percent downtown In the reorganization, Local residents enjoy glasses precincts with more than one 70 of wine as they admire Nicole special district were eliminat- had a turnout of between Martensen’s silk panels at the ed, increasing the number of 50 and 59 percent Tierra wine bar during precincts from 274 to 388, 19 Thursday’s art stroll. The Wharff said. Then, to ease the transition for operating feder- had a turnout of between monthly “Art Stroll” which 60 and 69 percent occurs on the first Thursday ally required TouchScreen of every month between 5 p.m machines at polling places, 5 and 8 p.m., gives local artists precincts with fewer than 250 had a turnout of between a venue to showcase their voters were changed to mail 70 and 99 percent work in downtown Ukiah at ballot only, eliminating 28 polling places. 2 local businesses. The free had 100 percent turnout event gives the public a “We felt by having less (polling places) we would chance to meet the artists as Source: Mendocino County well as purchase works of art. have a better chance of suc- Elections Office Isaac Eckel/The Daily Journal See ELECTIONS, Page 17 HOT TUBS •• FAIRFAIR PRICESPRICES EVERYDAY!EVERYDAY! 509 S. State St. 15 Models Loaded With Top Value Features *Limited Stock Ukiah 2 – FRIDAY, AUG. 4, 2006 DAILY DIGEST Editor: Jody Martinez, 468-3517 The Ukiah Daily Journal [email protected] POLICE REPORTS fire rockets into Tel Aviv if Israel strikes Beirut prop- Blaze rages in remote Eskimo er. Israeli warplanes have repeatedly bombarded The following were Hezbollah strongholds in southern suburbs of Beirut. village without fire department, compiled from reports The world briefly “If you bomb our capital Beirut, we will bomb the 250 people evacuated prepared by the Ukiah capital of your usurping entity... We will bomb Tel Police Department. To Aviv,” he said in a taped televised speech. ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — A school in a anonymously report Two of the top U.S. generals say In issuing the threat, Nasrallah offered his first remote Eskimo village caught fire Thursday and the crime information, call violence in Baghdad means Iraq opening toward diminishing the 3-week-old conflict, blaze quickly grew out of control, engulfing several 463-6205. which has taken more than 500 Lebanese lives and homes and buildings and forcing 250 people to flee. ARREST -- A 17-year- may be descending into civil war killed more than 50 Israelis. No injuries were reported among the 1,100 resi- old girl from San Luis WASHINGTON (AP) — Two of the Pentagon’s “Anytime you decide to stop your campaign dents of Hooper Bay, where the roaring fire contin- Obispo was arrested on most senior generals conceded to Congress on against our cities, villages, civilians and infrastruc- ued to threaten homes in its path. suspicion of driving under Thursday that the surge in sectarian violence in ture, we will not fire rockets on any Israeli settle- “There are no roads or a formal fire department the influence in the 100 Baghdad in recent weeks means Iraq may descend ment or city,” he said in a taped video statement with big shiny red fire engines here,” said Alaska block of West Perkins into civil war. broadcast on Hezbollah’s Al-Manar TV and carried Public Safety Commissioner Bill Tandeske. “The Street at 11:09 p.m. “Iraq could move toward civil war” if the vio- simultaneously on all other Lebanese and Arab satel- water supply is also a challenge. All the things we Wednesday. She was lence is not contained, Gen. John Abizaid, the top lite channels. take for granted in urban areas are not there, which released after being cited. U.S. commander in the Middle East, told the Senate makes everything so much more difficult.” Armed Services Committee. Heat wave rages in East and Authorities were busy battling the blaze and did “I believe that the sectarian violence is probably not yet know the fire’s cause. as bad as I have seen it,” he said, adding that the top Midwest but relief could The school and nearby buildings burned to the SHERIFF’S REPORTS priority in Iraq is to secure the capital, where fac- arrive overnight or Friday ground, Tandeske said.