Ukiah Daily Journal from Ukiah, California • Page 1

Commerce Industry's throwaways given new life Page 3 Donrey Media Group 16 pages, Volume 134 Number 176 25 cents tax included MENDOCINO COUNTY'S LARGEST NEWSPAPER Wednesday, Nov. 9,1994 GOP juggernaut hits Hambur Riggs takes back district Jane Daily Journal Frank McMichael lost the battle but his Republican party won the war Tuesday. McMichael, a Mendocino County supervisor, unsuccessfully challenged state Sen. Mike Thompson. By GLENDA ANDERSON The Dally Journal Rep.

Dan Hamburg, D-Ukiah, was swept out of office and his challenger from Windsor, Frank Riggs, was swept in by voters apparently fed up with incumbents, especially Democratic ones. Riggs, who Hamburg beat two years ago, garnered 100,825 votes, or 53.4 percent districtwidc, compared to Hamburg's 88,242 votes, 46.6 percent. In Mendocino County, Hamburg was better supported, receiving 13,953 votes, or 49.5 percent of the vote compared to Riggs' 14,186 votes, or 50.4 percent. Neither Riggs nor Hamburg were available this morning for comment. The 1st Congressional race was wrought with dirty campaigning and false statements on the part of both candidates.

The two candidates were diametrically opposed on many issues: Riggs supported Proposition 187, a controversial anti- immigrant initiative, while Hamburg opposed it. Hamburg favored a single-payer medical plan which Riggs opposed. See CONGRESS, Page 5 GOP leader savors win WASHINGTON A strong grass-roots campaign and voter opposition to big government policies helped Republican Frank Riggs defeat Rep. Dan Hamburg, D-Ukiah, the chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee said this morning. "He had a strong campaign, a grass-roots campaign across that district," said Rep.

Bill Paxpn, who along with his wife, Rep. Susan Molinari, campaigned for Riggs in the 1st Congressional District. The NRCC, which helps Republican candidates nationwide through direct contributions and organizational help, "supported Frank Riggs with maximum contributions" allowed for the party organization, Paxon said. However, he added, Riggs "also raised the majority of his support within the region in that race." Sec WASHINGTON, Back Page No surprise in schools IT 1L ij Tichinin By EMILY VIGLIELMO The Dally Journal A candidate who withdrew from the race received almost a third of the vote for Mendocino County superintendent of schools, but Paul Tichinin was the apparent victor by a wide margin. Tichinin, director of the county schools Regional Occupational Program, won the race easily with 16,430 votes, or 67.8 percent Tuesday.

"Even though it's raining, it's a sunny day for me," Tichinin said. "The president of the board already called to congratulate me." Tichi- nin's term will be for four years. Sally Biggin, who had withdrawn from the contest but not in time for her name to be taken off the ballot, received 7,775 votes, or 32.1 percent. Biggin is the superintendent of the Round Valley School District. Tichinin has been ROP director for three years.

The program is in charge of vocational and technical training in the county. The superintendent's seat was vacated when the former Mendocino County superintendent of See SCHOOLS, Back Page index Ann Landers 12 Classifieds 13 Comics 11 Commerce 3 Crossword 12 More election results 4 Forum 6 Jeane Dixon 12 Jumble 11 Lottery 16 Sports 8 Summary, local 16 Summary, world 2 TV 12 Weather 16 Journal phones Main Numbers 468-3500, 468-0123 Circulation Number 468-3533 Classified Numbers 468-3535, 468-3536 The Daily Journal is made from at least 40 percent recycled newsprint. Low rub ink is also used. Complete the loop and recycle your newspaper. Pinches, Peterson win in their county districts By GLENDA ANDERSON The Daily Journal Despite heavy financial opposition from the timber industry and a last-minute smear campaign against him, Charles Peterson won the 5th District supervisor race, beating his timber-supported rival, George Hoi- lister by 378 votes, 3,709 to 3,331.

"I have definite proof you can beat a negative campaign with a positive one," Peterson said this morning. Hollister could not be reached this morning for comment. In the 3rd District, the timber industry's choice, John Pinches, beat environmental activist Ellen Drell 3,746 votes to 2,217 votes. Pinches had been considered the favorite in that race well before Louisiana- Pacific and the Campaign for Mendocino's Future started an independent campaign promoting him and Hollister. The independent campaign raised more than S80.000 to promote the two candidates, making the races two of the county's most expensive.

The Pinches-Peterson win means the Board of Supervisors will continue with its 3-2 liberal-leaning majority. It also means that the board will continue to support local timber rules. Peterson said that, if anything, L-P's support for Hollister helped his campaign. "I expected to win with less than 1 percent," he said. "I personally feel the other percent or two was bought for me by Louisiana-Pacific, I can almost name the 200 voters who said they voted for me because they were sickened" by Hollister's smear campaign and L-P's money, Peterson said.

Pinches, who criticized L-P's support, said this morning he doesn't think the timber industry contributions made a difference in his campaign and should not affect how people view his actions on the board. In fact, he claimed earlier that L-P's support would hurt him. Drell agreed L-P's money probably had little effect on the results of the 3rd District race. However, she said L-P's interference took the emphasis off the issues. "The L-P money poisoned our campaign," Drell said.

Drell said her loss to Pinches had more to do with voters' desire to go back to the past rather man look to new options for the future. She said the majority of voters are acting like children looking for a quick fix rather than dealing with reality and taking responsibility for their lives. Pinches noted that the 3rd District campaigns were run without mudslinging, unlike in the 5th District. "We tried to stick to the issues," Pinches said this morning. Louisiana-Pacific and other timber interests spent more than $72,000 to promote Pinches and Hollister.

In their own campaigns, Hollister raised around $47,000, Peterson $38,170, Pinches $9,873 and Drell $30,000. State reps keep seats By K.C. MEADOWS The Dally Journal Along with Republican sweeps nationwide, GOP candidates for the California Assembly made substantial gains and as of press time, the state secretary of state's office was calling the California Assembly split right down the middle, with 40 Democrats and 40 Republicans. That could change as absentee ballots are counted. Democratic Assemblyman Dan Hauscr (D-Arcata) and Sen.

Mike Thompson (D-Napa Valley) both were re-elected easily with more than 60 percent of the vote. Both were challenged by Mendocino County Republicans. Hauser won with 81,992 votes, or 61.2 percent. His challenger, Mendocino County Republican Party chairman John Baird, of Willits, got 45,202 votes or 33.2 percent. Third party candidate Charles J.

Harris took 6,792 votes, or 5 percent. With no majority of either party in control in the Assembly, it is unclear how important committee chairmanships will be doled out and who will get the coveted speaker's chair held by Willie Brown. "That's a good question," said one source in the state Assembly It's now time for the Republicans to prove that the time is right for change and I mean positive change, not to fight against the president. We can work togther, we can. BAIRD clerk's office.

"Everyone's been asking that this morning." Generally, the Assembly votes on such positions, and those votes tend to follow party lines. But with an equal number of Democrats and Republicans in the Assembly, the voting could get interesting with both political parties looking for just one defection from its counterpart. Depending on how the political tides turn in the Assembly, Hauser could lose his post as chairman of the Assembly's Housing and Community Development Committee. Hauser was not available for comment this morning. Thompson took 60.3 percent of the vote to Mendocino County Supervisor Frank McMichael's 35.6 percent.

Voters gave Thompson 149,968 votes, while McMichael received 88,574 votes, 75,000 from outside Mendocino County. Third party candidate Pamela Elizondo received 10,413 votes, or 4.1 percent of the vote. The race between Thompson and McMichael was closer in Mendocino County, where McMichael, a Ukiah resident, got 43.2 percent of the vote, to Thompson's 51 percent, with Elizondo pulling 5.4 percent. Thompson, who has served in the state Senate since 1990, said this morning Uiat his goals haven't changed: "To make government work better for Californians," he said. He said he had some specific goals for the 2nd District, including legislation to ijelp fisheries and agricultural communities.

Thompson, who opposed Prop. See STATE, Page 5 Jane FrcumanATie Daily Journal Sheridan Malone, right, and Jim Mastin wait at the county courthouse In Ukiah for election results. Malone, Mastin beat Reid in one of day's quietest election races By GLENDA ANDERSON The Dally Journal Voters elected two appointed incumbents to the Ukiah City Council Tuesday. Jim Mastin and Sheridan Malonc said this morning they were pleased voters felt confident enough in their abilities to vote them in. "It's nice to win one for a change," Malone said.

"It's nice to get that kind of endorsement," Both Mastin and Malone in the past had run for City Council and lost. Both were both appointed to the board two years ago. Malone replaced Fred Schneiter when he was elected mayor, and Mastin replaced Frank McMichael when he was elected to the Board of Supervisors. The third candidate running for the two open City Council seats was former planning commissioner Robert Reid. He lost by a narrow margin to Mastin, who received the second most votes.

Malone received 2,407 votes; Mastin received 2,257 and Reid received 2,117 votes. Now that the all-consuming race is over, Reid said he plans to spend lime working on his house. Malone and Mastin said they plan to continue their efforts of the last two years. "I'm looking forward to the next four years and getting on it It's nice to win one for a change. It's nice to get that kind of endorsement.

MALONE I'm looking forward to the next four years and getting on with various projects and committees and resolving some of our problems here in the city and regionally as well. MASTIN .99 with various projects and committees and resolving some of our problems here in the city and regionally as well," Mastin said. Malonc lias lived in Ukiah since 1972. Mastin has lived in Ukiah since 1973..