Petaluma Argus-Courier from Petaluma, California • Page 2

Friday, April 14. 1989 2A ARGUS-COURIER, Petaluma, Time for spring clean-up Napa Valley wine train investment now $11 million expensive dream to carry 500,000 people a year through the famous wine valley from Napa to St. Helena faces tough court tests soon. McCormack pictured DeDomen-ico as "committed to get this show on the road, hanging in there to get it going." DeDomenico, who was cited in Paris this year as a prince of pasta and originator of the alleged "San Francisco treat," Rice-A-Roni, wants to carry people through the valley in luxury as they sip fine wine and dine on food prepared by gourmet chefs. In Washington, the Court of Appeals is scheduled to set a hearing on a CPUC effort to overturn an Interstate Commerce Commission ruling that the ICC, not the state agency, is the NVWT's regulator.

The ICC effectively held that although NVWT's entire 21.3-mile right of way is within the state, the rail line is considered an interstate carrier. DeDomenico bought the stretch from Southern Pacific, which never reliquished its interstate operating status, NVWT attorney argue. McCormack said the line has been in "all interstate freight operation," for more than a year, delivering assorted furniture along the Highway 29 including wine hardware to Skalli Winery, a new winery. The line is considered interstate because it picks up freight that originates outside California, said McCormack. In California, the PUC and the rail line are headed to the state Supreme Court to argue the validity of a PUC order that the rail line submit an environmental impact report of train operation.

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) As the rail line's investment rises to $11 million, opposition is weakening among wineries to the often-delayed start of the legally entangled Napa Valley Wine Train, said company President Jack Mc-Cormack. "I have discussed it privately with most all of them (wineries), and there's even a couple in the core (opposition) group who have told me, 'well, if you're going to deliver passengers, of course we'll take McCormack said in a telephone interview Thursday. Valley critics have included most wineries and the political establishment, led by St. Helena. They claim a train would increase crowding and pollute the environment with daylong tootling at many crossings.

McCormack's sunny outlook that there is quiet willingness for the line's operation came as workmen put the finishing touches on two lounge cars, a dining car and a kitchen car, painted in burgundy, gold and green at the Napa train yards. Another 16 cars are planned. "For the first time we're mechanically ready to run," said McCormack. "The furniture is in, the drapes are up, the curtains are in we're in a position to run." Despite court fights on the horizon, McCormack said, he still had hopes of arriving at some kind of settlement with the California Public Utilities Commission to clear the way for passenger service. However hopeful the expressions, Golden Grain Macaroni Co.

Chairman Vincent DeDomenico's Assembly OKs new helmet bill SACRAMENTO (AP) A motorcycle helmet bill like the one vetoed last year has won an Assembly vote, with supporters saying it would save brains and opponents saying it would curb freedoms. "Any simpleton knows the helmet protects the brain," said Assemblywoman Delaine Eastin, D-Union City, before the barely passing 41-24 rollcall Thursday. Countered Assemblyman Gil Ferguson, R-Newport Beach, "Even if it works, the real thing here is we're going to tell adult Americans what they're going to do with their heads." The bill, AB8 by Assemblyman Dick Floyd, D-Carson, went to the state Senate. Current law requires motorcyclists 15Vfe years or younger to wear safety helmets. Floyd's bill would require all motorcycle drivers and passengers to wear federally approved helmets.

The Legislature last year passed a virtually identical bill but it was vetoed by Gov. George Deuk-mejian, who questioned "the need to mandate all motorcycle riders and passengers to wear helmets." Floyd maintains that a mandatory helmet law would reduce motorcycle deaths and injuries and cut health-related costs since many cyclists who suffer massive head injuries end up on Medi-Cal or welfare. Opponents contend that helmet use does not necessarily reduce injuries or deaths and can cause more neck injuries. The California Highway Patrol says the 674,742 motorcycles were 3.2 percent of the registered vehicles in the state last year, but motorcycle-related deaths were 13.5 percent of the total. A 1980 National Highway Traffic Safety Administration study compared injuries for helmeted and nonhelmeted riders in 900 motorcycle accidents and found "spectacular benefits from helmet use for reduction of head and face injury, with subtle advantage for reduction of neck injury." San Diego County studied victims and found that costs for nonhelmeted patients in 1986-87 were $7 million, twice those for helmeted patients.

ABAG (Continued from page 1) in their communities, according to a recent San Francisco Chronicle poll. In a recent California Poll, 79 percent of the state's residents said they were extremely concerned about illegal drug use, up from 73 percent in 1986. The cost of drug abuse is also extracting a heavy toll on local budgets. The annual cost of fighting drugs in the City of San Francisco has been estimated at approximately $100 per household, according to a city report. Nearly 20 percent of all infants born in California's county hospitals last year came into the world suffering the pains of withdrawal from rock, or crack, cocaine.

Honig and Susswein will address questions relating to drug abuse problems, law enforcement, public policy, educational and treatment programs, and funding. Honig, the featured luncheon speaker, will report on the progress made in his campaign to improve public education, and he will outline his future goals for education. "Dealing with the drug abuse 3 cars ransacked at one site Ron Bath It's time for Petalumans to spiff up the household and toss out those unwanted items. To facilitate the process, Empire Waste Management is joining with the city of Petaluma in the annual spring From left, Mike Saitone of Empire Waste Management, Mayor Patricia Hilligoss and Fire Marshal Clyde Thomas invite Petalumans to dump their items beginning Monday at a designated location in the field behind the Petaluma Swim Center on East Washington Street. The program runs through April 23.

Household hazardous and toxic materials may be dropped off April 22 and 23 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. People dropping off items will be asked to show their driver's license to prove they are Petaluma residents. For more information, Three cars were broken into Hall Wednesday night, but the would didn't make off with any goods. The apparent burglary attempts p.m., according to Petaluma police.

A 73-year-old Petaluma man and was wing window on the passenger side of his car had been shattered and the car ransacked, but nothing was stolen. Police took the report and left, Grocery bags carry anti-tax message minutes when a young farming couple discovered the entire wing window and window frame had been removed from their vehicle. Again, no property was stolen. Police took the report and left, but they were back on the scene again by 10:48 p.m. a third car had been ransacked.

Transformer leaks oil on car An electrical transformer leaked a pint of oil onto a car on Jess Avenue Wednesday morning, prompting a hazardous materials cleanup by Pacific Gas and Electric crews. A resident of the 80 block of Jess Avenue noticed the oil dripping from a transformer onto a parked car and called said Betsy Hans, spokeswoman. "We determined it was transformer oil, and prepared to replace the transformer and post a hazardous materials clean-up," she said. A test revealed the oil contained 336 parts-per-million of PCBs, or polychlorinated biphenyls, which is considered by the government to be a hazardous substance, Hans said. Federal law requires that any substance containing more than 200 parts-per-million of PCBs be cleaned up using special equipment, and properly disposed of, said Hans.

Kenilworth students' day off problem also means improving education to assure a literate and productive work force and society in the future," Honig said in a press statement. Susswein will outline New Jersey's model law-enforcement programs born out of bipartisan cooperation between the governor and the state legislature. Other scheduled speakers include: Joe Mattox, director of the University of California at San Francisco's employee support programs and former director of Pacific Gas and Electric's drug abuse program. Mattox will provide some insight into drug abuse in the workplace, and its impact on budgets for drug testing and counseling. Tamara Cagney, a registered nurse and owner of a firm specializing in chemical dependency problems and employee assistance programs.

Cagney will describe the kinds of policies local governments should adopt to deal with this problem and how to fund the efforts. "We still have many hurdles to get over," said Phil Tucker, spokesman for 11 of the unions. "But we have membership meetings scheduled for Sunday and Monday at which we hope to bring a contract for the members to vote on." But Linda Ashcraft, spokeswoman for the Food Employers Council, is not certain a weekend settlement is possible, saying "a lot of hard work has yet to be done." ransacked at the Hermann Sons be burglar or burglars apparently took place between 8 p.m. and 10 the first to call the police. The but they were called back within 15 Plan in the following criteria areas: language arts, school culture, improvement processes, integrated skills, and implementation of the new state frameworks.

Parents who have questions may call the school at 778-4710. Interment will be at Cypress Hill Memorial Park. The family prefers that memorial contributions be made to the Petaluma Christian Academy, 705 N. Webster Petaluma 94952, or to a favorite charity. Alberta Heaney MARYSVILLE Former Pe-taluman Alberta Jeane Heaney, 63, died April 5 in Rideout Hospital here.

Mrs. Heaney was born in Pomona and was a homemaker all her life. She was a longtime resident of Petaluma before moving to Marysville, where she lived seven years. She is survived by two sons, Robert Winiger and Mike Heaney, both of Ukiah; two daughters, Roberta Boots of Scotia and Cathy Cheever of Marysville; a brother, Leon Boggs of Rosamond and two sisters, Delores Favedra of Grand Prairie, Texas, and Carol Henline of Turlock; and 13 grandchildren. Private family services were held under the direction of the Lipp and Sullivan Chapel in Marysville.

Mrs. Heaney was buried in the Mojave District Cemetery in Grocery labor pact expected BENICIA (AP) The owner of a chain of grocery stores where checkers once tossed items into bags bearing a "don't vote" message has turned the weapon on taxes. John Roscoe has supplied his Food Liquor stores about 100 throughout California, including one in Cotati with sacks imprinted with "Taxation Is Theft!" in l'-inch type. The bag also tells customers that "the government's slice of the pie is getting so big that it ruins everything." Roscoe isn't telling anybody not to pay taxes. "We pay our taxes.

There really isn't any choice," says the bags' text, written by Ned Roscoe, Ros-coe's son. The message also says there is no known "good reason to lie or Tax (Continued from page 1 year must estimate the amount and include a check with one or both extension forms. Failure to get these payments in by the 17th deadline may mean a fine. Pozzi said one of the popular tax savings programs she has seen this past year has been shared equity, the co-ownership of real estate. Her company has given out a lot of information on this.

The method is popular with those who can afford some, but not all, of the costs of home ownership. And as a formal arrangement it gives tax benefits to both partners, she pointed out. Under a shared equity one partner may pay the down payment and the other make reliable monthly payments, both owning the property. Pozzi reminded home owners to remember they have a $7,000 exemption on their tax bill. Many people just drop this or have never filed for it, but "it can mean several hundred dollars in some cases," she pointed out.

Pozzi said even if a person can't get the money together in time to pay taxes by Monday he should send in the tax forms anyway. theat in order to reduce the size of the taxman's bite." They just don't want taxes to get any greater, John Roscoe said. "Enough is enough." The government now spends 44 percent of the national income, he said. "I'd be happy if they said 44 percent is enough." Last fall the Roscoes had Food Liquor bags printed with a message urging people not to vote, contending it would only encourage politicians. The Roscoes' solution for putting a brake on taxation is to have individuals refuse to take money from the government, reducing the need for taxes.

"Don't be part of the problem," the bags say. "If the government -offers you a payment, a subsidy, a grant, a guarantee, a job, or a handout, just say no." "Failure to file is a very steep fine." The individual should make arrangements with the federal and state tax offices to pay if he is financially strapped, but not just ignore the required filing, she said. The accountant has found that "a lot more" people are filing for extensions past the Monday midnight deadline. Unlike past years, the taxpayer doesn't have to give a reason for requesting the extension. Those who need information assistance can call an IRS office at 1-800424-1040 and an FTB office at 1-800-852-7050.

These offices will be open until 10 p.m. today and from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday. Saturday the IRS number will be manned from noon to 5 p.m.

and the FTB number from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. As of April 7 the IRS had received almost 65 million returns and processed over 53 million of them. Three-fourths of those filing get refunds, said IRS spokesman Paul Nirdlinger In Washington. The average refund is $824, down from $829 last year.

(Information from the Argus-Courier Washington bureau was used In compiling this report) SAN FRANCISCO (AP) Negotiators on both sides of a grocery store labor dispute in Northern California are cautiously optimistic that an agreement will be reached soon, perhaps over the weekend. The statements released Thursday eased fears of a strike that could paralyze most of the region's major supermarket chains, including Safeway, Lucky, Alpha Beta, Albertson's, Fry's and Kenilworth Junior High School students will get the day off Wednesday, April 19. A full day of in-service for staff development is planned Wednesday. Staff members will assess the school's Coordinated School obituaries Orla Davenport Friends are invited to attend funeral services for Orla J. (Jack) Davenport, who died Wednesday morning in a local convalescent hospital after a short illness.

He was 94. Mr. Davenport was born, raised and educated in New York, N.Y. He was an electrical engineer for many years, owning Lenz Electric in Portland, Ore. He later moved to California, settling in Eureka, where he was a salesman for Everybodies Furniture Mart.

He moved to Sonoma County in 1959, when he retired. He was a member of the First Baptist Church of Petaluma. Mr. Davenport was preceded in death by his wife Dorothy Davenport. He is survived by four children: Opal Hamilton of Brookings, James R.

Davenport of Petaluma, Barbara Coffee of La Grange, and Mahlen Davenport of San Diego. He was the grandfather of 14 and the great-grandfather of 18. Friends are invited to services Monday at 10 a.m. in the Parent-Sorensen Mortuary, Magnolia Avenue and Keokuk Street. Visitations at the mortuary may be made after 8:30 a.m.

Monday. Petaluma Member California Newspaper Publishers' Association Associated Press (Established Auaust 15, 1855) Petalumo'j Only Local Daily Newspaper 830 Petaluma Blvd. North SUBSCRIPTION RATE P.O.Box 1091. Petaluma, IZ California motor Itowte. an month 5 SO tin ic Motor tome, one yeor 66-00 02-4341 Motf, one month 6 25 795-9556(7) on mar 75 00 The ArpnvCoMrier ho member ot the CktmfHJSfmMor Sovnlor 4HoWoytee to 5 00 m.

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