Bearcats open RELIGION tournament Saturday Faith community news with wins ...................................Page 3 .............Page 6 Dec. 13, 2008 INSIDE Mendocino County’s World briefly The Ukiah local newspaper ..........Page 2 Sunday: Mostly cloudy; H 42º L 33º 7 58551 69301 0 Monday: Cold to linger; H 42º L 33º 50 cents tax included DAILY JOURNAL ukiahdailyjournal.com 14 pages, Volume 150 Number 248 email: [email protected] UDJ HOLIDAY ‘We’re open on Christmas Day for both lunch and dinner because the home- Court FOOD BANK less really have nowhere to go on Christmas.’ – JANETT WRIGHT, Buddy Eller Center manager FUND DRIVE fees Food Bank HOMELESS WITH CHILDREN headed drive now halfway higher By ZACK CINEK The Daily Journal to its goal Break the law or go to court The Daily Journal and it will cost you more in The Ukiah Daily Journal 2009 as Mendocino County Holiday Food Bank Fund Superior Court fees increase. Drive is continuing. Increased fees for civil and Donations recorded on Dec. criminal cases take effect Jan. 10 included: Kathleen 1. Fee changes can be attrib- Hopper, $400; In Memory of uted to Senate Bill 1407, which Martha Comstock Holden, gives permission for $5 billion $365; Gilbert Simmons Jr., in lease-revenue bonds aimed $300; Roger W. Foote, $300; to finance upgrades to court- George Antemoff, $200; houses, a portion of a report Jorge Allende, MD, $200; St. from the court stated. Mary’s 3rd Grade Class, According to the report, the $100; Tollini Family In bill calls for financing con- Memory of Bill Clary, $100; struction, rehabilitation, reno- Paul Shimmin, $100; vation and replacement of court Anonymous, $100; Susan facilities. Jordan, $100; V.L. Fitch, $50; Documents obtained from Barbara Francis, $50; Toril court Auditor Janice Hayden, $50; Joan de Conti, Marmon list some current $50; Lyle Vincent, Sr., $50; E. fees and what they will increase Galletti, $50; Robert Cannon, to when the clock strikes mid- $50; Irene Young, $50; night at the end of the year. Marion Tupy, $50; Forrest Unlimited civil filing fees of Awtry, $50; Xi Zeta Alpha, Rob Burgess/The Daily Journal more than $25,000 and probate $50; E. Wise-Andres, $25; A baby doll sits atop a pile of luggage Wednesday at the Buddy Eller Center. Manager Janett Wright and family law filing fees Lillian Atkission, $25; James said the center has served an increasing number of homeless families this winter. increase by $30 to $350. That Foucault, $25; Frank Hunter $30 increase will be going to III, $25; Terry Mack, $25; ness rises and the number of the State Court Facility totaling $2,940 for the day. Families affordable housing units Construction Fund’s Donations recorded Dec. shrinks, families are subject Immediate & Critical Needs 11 included: Elaine Herring & turning to to much longer stays in the account. In the case of some of James Glotz, $1,000; shelter system,” stated a the fees, all of the increased Chevalier Vineyard Buddy Eller portion of the report. “For amount goes to the fund. Management, Inc., $500; instance, in the mid-1990s Fees regarding limited civil Gary DeCrona, $200; S. Center in New York, families filings, appeal or petition for a Margo Frank and Marc D. stayed in a shelter an aver- writ, probate, and family law Levine, $100; Valley Paving, By ROB BURGESS age of five months before will see increases of $20 to $25. $100; Evelyn and J.L. Spear, The Daily Journal moving on to permanent According to county $100; Lisa Hillegas, $50; With the holiday season housing. Today, the average Superior Court documents, Concepcion Rains, $25; in full swing, Ukiah’s stay is seven months, and several non-first filing probate Dorothy Breitweiser, $15; Buddy Eller Center has some surveys say the aver- fees go up $170 and $160 to Sharon Knivila, $10; totaling been gearing up to serve not age is closer to a year.” $350 and $200. only single adults, but an Wright said there are Some of 2009’s fees are $2,100 for the day. new. A criminal conviction Donations recorded Dec. increasing number of fami- some misconceptions about lies as well. This pile of new shoes was donated to the center the homeless she hoped assessment fee appears at $35 12 included: Anonymous, by Shoefly & Sox in Ukiah. Wright said the center and another criminal assess- $1,000; Anonymous, $200; “Seeing as the economy could be corrected. is so poor we’re expecting is always in need of twin-sized bedding and toi- “We’ve had an increasing ment fee appears at $30. Both Robert and Diane Shugart, letry items. criminal assessment fees go to $200; Randall E. and Jan M. more families,” manager number of families,” she Janett Wright said said. “It’s not just single the construction fund. Woesner, $200; Rick and Jane Traffic violator school fees Cupples, $150; Joan & Jo Wednesday. “We just Christmas,” she said. 2005 survey of 25 American men. A lot of them are dis- housed two families and “Usually everyone leaves cities, the U.S. Conference placed. They’re not all dirty. also increase. The old traffic Ann M. LaDelle & Gerald school fee is $24 and the new Wade, $100; First Baptist we’ve got another one on by 8:30 a.m. and then we of Mayors found that fami- I was homeless and so are the way.” open back up at 4 p.m.” lies with children comprised other staff members here, so fee will be $49. Documents Church, $100; Michael L. state that 51 percent of the traf- Shapiro, $100; Richard & Wright said that since the Although most studies 33 percent of the homeless we know what it’s like.” center’s opening in June show that single homeless population, a definite Wright said that while fic school fee will make its way Judith Carter, $100; Harry & to the construction fund. Verna Richardson, $100; 2004, it has housed more adults are more likely to be increase from previous donations of toiletries and than 2,400 people. male than female, the num- years. These proportions are socks are always welcome, A criminal proof-of-correc- Walter & Lisa Kelly, $100; tion fee of $10 rises to $25 in Patrick Taylor, $100; “They can stay for up to ber of homeless families likely to be higher in rural the center is also in need of six months,” she said. “The with children has increased areas. Research indicates twin-sized bedding, sleep- the new year. Documents state Anonymous, $100; Christine collection of the fee will Price, $50; Jean Chubon, $50; average stay is between significantly over the past that families, single mothers ing bags and comforters. three and four months.” decade, according to a and children make up the “People remember the change from a per-citation to Barbara Webster, $25; Keith per-correction basis. On the & Gail Leland, $25; D. M. Wright said the center report published by the largest group of people who toiletries, but we also need was particularly important National Coalition for the are homeless in rural areas.” sheets and things like that,” first correction, $15 goes to the Musser, $15; totaling $2715. fund and on additional correc- The Fund Drive total now during this time of year. Homeless in August 2007. Families are also likely to she said. “We’re open on “Families with children spend more time in shelters For more information on tions the full amount goes to stands at $44,422.72. the fund. This year, the goal is once Christmas Day for both are among the fastest-grow- before being permanently donations, the center can be again $85,000. lunch and dinner because ing segments of the home- placed. reached at 462-6290. Donations can be made by the homeless really have less population,” stated a “As the number of fami- Rob Burgess can be reached sending checks or money nowhere to go on portion of the report. “In its lies experiencing homeless- at [email protected]. TOP 5 ONLINE orders (made out to the UCC Food Bank) to UDJ Food Bank Fund Drive, Ukiah Community Center, 888 N. State St., Ukiah, CA 95482. Thursday Snow on the horizon through Thursday 1. Fight leads to arrest of The Daily Journal Snow levels are expected to drop to Reports from the National Weather Snow levels are expected to drop to 1,500 1,500 feet this afternoon. The Weather boy, 17, on gun charge Service call for cold weather that may feet this afternoon. The Weather Service Service warns of slick driving conditions 2. Pedestrian injured in high Got family? yield snow through Thursday and is and recommends applying your car’s expected to cause hazardous seas for the warns of slick driving conditions and brakes gradually to avoid losing control speed chase weekend. of your vehicle. 3. Supes talk possible cuts The report issued Friday morning from recommends applying your car’s brakes the NWS’s Eureka station stated that gradually to avoid losing control of your North of Mendocino County, along the 4. Winter storm on its way from today through Thursday rain and Humboldt and Del Norte coast, waves as isolated thunderstorms may drop hail in vehicle. high as 22 feet are expected tonight. The to Ukiah find activities coastal areas. NWS urges those on the coast during the 5. Gas prices decline and so at ukiahdailyjournal.com Snow levels are predicted to be drop- storm to exercise caution. Waves, the ping over the course of the day. this morning at locations north of Cape weather report stated, can suddenly rise does driving According to NWS reports, snow lev- Mendocino to about 2,500 feet in south- up and sweep a person into rough and ukiahdailyjournal.com els are expected to be at about 1,000 feet ern reaches of the county.