Community Impeding DVD FORUM sports digest technology Our readers write ............Page 6 ...............Page 3 ..................................Page 4 INSIDE Mendocino County’s World briefly The Ukiah local newspaper ..........Page 2 Tomorrow: Clouds give way to sunshine 7 58551 69301 0 WEDNESDAY Aug. 22, 2007 50 cents tax included DAILY JOURNAL ukiahdailyjournal.com 16 pages, Volume 149 Number 135 email: [email protected] ILLEGAL DUMPING BOARD OF SUPERVISORS’ CHOICES FOR ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STUDIES Alternative B for Masonite site Residential zoning chosen for study on Lover’s Lane BY ROB BURGESS The Daily Journal Tempers flared, T-shirts emblazoned with slogans were sported and nearly 60 community members stepped up to the podium to voice their opinions at Tuesday’s Mendocino County Board of Supervisors meeting. The Mendocino County MacLeod Pappidas/The Daily Journal Planning Team introduced Rebecca Kress, who has several options for zoning of been organizing cleaning the old Masonite site and a missions along the Russ- site on Lover’s Lane to the ian River for 17 years, board, asking supervisors to inspects the dipstick on choose one to be selected for a dumped engine. The an environmental impact piece of trash – which study. will take specialized The preferred alternative equipment to remove – to the existing zoning the sits in the side channel board chose to study for the of the river, which sees Lover’s Lane section was water during the winter Alternative C, which would months. reallocate the land as residen- tial. In reference to the old Russian Masonite site, the board selected Alternative B to be studied, which would reas- sign the previously industrial MacLeod Pappidas/The Daily Journal River land to half “Mixed Use: Workers at the Masonite site sort and process steel and concrete as demolition continues on the main fac- Masonite” on the western tory building. By law, at least 50 percent of recyclable materials from the project must be sorted and sent to side and half industrial on the appropriate facilities. Project managers expect to surpass 90 percent. trashed eastern. The Mendocino County sion was made. Spectators New dump described Planning Team’s report spilled into the building’s as ‘really bad’ defines this as allowing hallway and a separate con- “mixed-use development ference room, where the tele- A Bingo wheel By BEN BROWN with commercial uses encour- vised meeting was being that was salvaged The Daily Journal aged at street level, retail and simultaneously broadcast. from one of the Engine blocks, rusted service businesses, residential Some audience members Masonite build- appliances, children’s toys, uses and large-format retail.” wore bright green T-shirts ings sits on the spoiled food, tires and liquor “We want to take the embossed with the words desk of project bottles. These are just a few worst-case scenario and see “Stop The Leakage, Support manager Ron of the things found aban- where the facts lead us,” said Mixed Use: Masonite,” while Rinehart. “No one doned on the banks of the 2nd District Supervisor Jim others pinned slips of white gives a thought to Russian River by cleanup vol- Wattenburger before the paper to their shirts saying recycling the unteers Saturday. board decided on the Lover’s “No rezoning.” memories,” he Rebecca Kress, organizer Lane section. “I can’t be Fourth District Supervisor said. of the Russian River Clean- expected to make a decision Kendall Smith reprimanded up, said she found the dump one way or another on this the audience several times for on Saturday while picking up without knowing if we have reaction, both positive and trash along the banks with enough water.” negative, to the speaker’s volunteers. When she walked Fifth District Supervisor J. statements. “We are limiting the area two weeks before the David Colfax said he dis- comment to the podium,” she cleanup, she said the dump agrees with Wattenburger’s said. “If this continues I will was not there. approach and that he worries clear the room.” Maybe it’s a memory of a special co- Kress, who has been trying that not paying enough atten- The Ukiah Valley Area Masonite memories worker, a not-to-be-forgotten Christmas to clean and maintain the tion to the best course of Plan preferred alternative The Daily Journal party or the day the plant’s final closure Russian River for 17 years, action could be dangerous in decision was regarded by sev- As demolition progresses at the former was announced. Maybe it’s the thoughts said this is one of the worst the long run. eral members of the public Masonite plant, which once employed gen- that occur to you while you watch the dumps she has ever seen. “The logic of this com- who attended the meeting as a erations of local residents, we invite those buildings being reduced to rubble. Photos pletely escapes me,” he said. “This is really bad,” she first indication as to the who worked there – or whose family mem- are also welcome. “If we study the worst-case board’s intentions for the If you are a former employee, please said. bers were employed at the mill – those who The trash sits in several scenario and then come back area. also let us know what you’re doing now. different piles on the banks of and still don’t want it we “This is like the movie remember waking to the smell of sawdust Submissions may be mailed to: Jody the river, down a dirt drive- won’t have enough informa- ‘Field of Dreams,’” said in the air (or for a time linseed oil) and any- Martinez, Ukiah Daily Journal, P.O. Box way off Eastside-Calpella tion on the one we do want.” Guiness McFadden during one else with memories of Masonite and its 749, Ukiah, CA 95482; faxed to 468-3544; Road. A sign no more than a During the public com- the public comment portion. role in our community to send us their e-mailed to [email protected] (please type quarter-mile away notifies ments portion of the proceed- “If you build it they will Masonite memories for publication in The ‘Masonite’ in the subject line) or dropped ings, 57 speakers requested come.” Daily Journal. off at our office at 590 S. School St. and were granted up to three Barry Vogel, who also See TRASHED, Page 2 minutes at the microphone spoke during public com- before the board’s final deci- ment, echoed McFadden’s though the judgment the present a difference between board’s decision at the meet- sentiments. board handed down at the a Hobbit shire and Los ing. ‘Today is a decision point...but “The idea before you is meeting was significant, it Angeles.” “The completion of the absurd,” he said. “Before now was not the end of the line. MIG Inc. Principal Daniel UVAP doesn’t mean the it is not the beginning of the it was hard to tell if what you “Today is a decision Iacofano presented the approval of any projects on thought was absurd was us or point...but it is not the begin- options to the board during that land,” he said. process or the end.’ the idea.” ning of the process or the the morning session and said County Assistant CEO end,” she said. “The alterna- no construction would be Reporter Rob Burgess can be ALISON GLASSEY, assistant CEO Alison Glassey said that tives for land use does not approved based on the reached at [email protected]. Bill would lessen seismic standards at colleges The Daily Journal independent construction inspection. from the legislature.” Got family? Earthquake standards and how they The bill follows a February 2007 Enacted after the 1933 Long Beach relate to community colleges throughout report by the Seismic Safety Commission earthquake destroyed dozens of local California are on the line today as the that studied this issue in field hearings school buildings, the Field Act imple- Assembly Appropriations committee around the state and concludes mented tougher building, plan review and considers legislation to exempt commu- “California community colleges should inspection standards for K-12 and com- nity college construction from the Field be subject to the Field Act. No public munity college construction. According Act, which requires seismic construction school should be exempt from it, nor find activities at ukiahdailyjournal.com standards, independent plan review and should any public school be exempted See COLLEGES, Page 16 2 – WEDNESDAY, AUG. 22, 2007 DAILY DIGEST Editor: Jody Martinez, 468-3517 The Ukiah Daily Journal [email protected] FUNERAL NOTICES DEATH NOTICES [\ housekeeping at the old Jessica, Constance, Jack- A.J., J.C., Rodney Jr, •Deborah Lynn Clippinger, 54, of Ukiah, died Monday, ELVA OPAL JONES General Hospital and ie, Jared and Amanda, Megan, Layton and Aug. 13, 2007. No services are planned. Private services will be has resided in the Ukiah step-grandchildren Zachary. She was preceded area for the past 37 years. C.J. and William, great in death by her Death notices are free for Mendocino County residents. Death held at later date for notices are limited to name of deceased, hometown, age, date of Elva Opal Jones of Ukiah, She is survived by her grandchildren Kagen son Kenny, parents Oscar death, date, time, and place of services and the funeral home han- who passed away sons Mike Jones and and Dylan, brother Charles Snider and Gladys dling the arrangements. For information on how to place a free death on Monday, August 20, partner Downna Jaco, Jeff McCord, sister McCord and brothers Bert notice please call our editorial department at 468-3500. and Kim Jones, Alice Stone, her long time and Forest Snider.