Petaluma Argus-Courier from Petaluma, California • 1

Petaluma mmimr rf ARGUS Gridders in action this weekend Page 8A vf.w. vr l- if 1 1 Ksiik v. People love to play old pf games today Page 1 yr 1 1 in i''imiiii' COUR IER A Pulitzer Community Newspaper Cyberscoop: The Argus online Page 2A Circus is in town Pages 1A, 4B WEEKEND EDITION September 26-29, 1997 50 Cents Working toward healthy habitat ouncil faces tough call on police staffing Detective division is stretched thin Spilman said the council would be asked in November to debate the priorities facing the city in the context of deciding on the supplemental budget requests from the police, parks and recreation and the personnel department. Asked what city priority could be higher than getting the police department the detective manpower it needs in the domestic violence and child abuse areas, CapL Dave Long answered with a long silence. Prodded to answer, Long said, "The city manager and the City Council are faced with quality-of-life decisions, very difficult decisions involving fire protection, crime victims and park needs.

"It's times like these that you're faced with the question of what came first, the chicken or the egg," said Long. (See Police, page 6A) ByDAVEALCOTT Argus-Courier Staff The City Council is facing a hair-raising discussion of priorities for supplemental funding in this year's budget because of the police manpower increasingly committed to domestic violence, child abuse and child sexual assault cases. The department's request for two additional detectives this year to deal with its manpower crisis was passed over without recommendation one way or the other by the City Manager's Office during the recent budget approval for the current year. Finance Director David Spilman said Thursday the City Manager's Office was waiting to see what additional state funding might be forthcoming before making a decision on the detectives. But now the state funding option is looking doubtful.

A uCKT 1 i I 1 1 i'l 't' I 0 di 1 1 1 "I i -it I p. 1111 Vf tic'' --f i fl1'-1 I 1 1 LAl.A.a. Eric Reed Argus-Courlor start An egret thrives in wetland habitats around the Petaluma River. Efforts are being made to ensure wildlife and humans continue to enjoy the river through pollution prevention and clean-up effortsAj jrJUxi. Plan to restore bay wetlands Vallejo beckons Petaluma Queen Mayor wants to keep riverboat here Chafee bill would bring improvements to Petaluma River million acres of habitat nationwide.

For the Bay Area the bill could generate thousands of jobs, boost declining fisheries, preserve wildlife habitat, "and, most important, save our Bay heritage for our children," said Barry Nelson, a senior fellow with Save the Bay and chairman of Restore America's Estuaries. The San Francisco Bay has lost 95 percent of its original tidal wetlands with economic and cultural effects, he noted. The Chafee Bill could mean the restoration of wetlands at such popular North Bay locales as 700-acre Hamilton Field in Novato and the San Pablo Baylands. Improvements along the Petaluma River would fall right into step with the legislation: "This would absolutely include areas along the Petaluma River," said Mark Holmes of Save the Bay. "There are literally thousands of tidal marshes along the Petaluma River which have been managed as pastureland or hayfields.

From strictly a land-type point of view, there is a phenomenal opportunity to restore much of this land" through conservation easements and land sales to public entities by willing property owners, he added. The bill, as it will be proposed, would provide federal funding with local communities providing matching funds for estuary projects. Estuaries are defined as bodies of water formed when fresh water from rivers and coastal streams flows and mixes with salt water from the ocean. Certain species of fish, (See Wetlands, page 6 A) By DAVE ALCOTT Argus-Courier Staff The Petaluma Queen riverboat might become part of a transportation link that would carry San Francisco tourists to Marine World in Vallejo and on up the Napa River to the increasingly popular "wine country" train service. That's the dream of certain movers-and-shakers in Vallejo, but it would mean losing the classic replica of an old-time pad-dlewheeler from its current berth in Petaluma's turning basin where By SUSAN LAUER Argus-Courier Staff A habitat restoration bill, soon to be introduced in the Senate, could mean a "phenomenal opportunity" to bring back wetland acres around the Petaluma River, according to the Save San Francisco Bay Association.

The Habitat Restoration Partnership Act, to be introduced by Sen. John Chafee, would amass federal resources to restore one 0( Murdered girl had found shelter here I 4 it is a top tourist attraction. Not so fast, says Mayor Patricia Hilligoss. "I don't want to see it go," the mayor said Thursday. "It's a wonderful thing for the turning basin and if we put it at the marina on weekends, more people would see it.

I would like to keep the Queen here." The boat's operators, Bill and Neil Barker, are being prosecuted, however, on a complaint from the (See Queen, page 6A) Casa music grant payments suspended By CYNTHIA DYER-BENNET Argus-Courier Staff The Casa Grande Music Association has put a hold on continuing education grants to Casa High School graduates now in college, leaving numerous parents distraught and CGMA board members in a quandary. The payment of grants is suspended until the current board can determine whether the structure under which they are awarded adversely affects the group's nonprofit status. "I'm not thrilled to be in this controversial position," said Cindy Moore, president of CGMA. "But I'm here now and I need to go forward and try to resolve these problems." Children of CGMA parents who work at a dozen fund-raisers per year have been awarded CGMA grants the students can claim once they enter college. Letters acknowledging the grants earned are mailed to the students at the end of each school year.

In order for a former Casa band student to collect grant money, the student must show proof that he or she is enrolled in college and is taking no less than six units. Grant (See Music grants, page 10A) the Petaluma freeway ramp, once found shelter with her mother Ida at the COTS Family Shelter. The mother, homeless and fated to suffer a progressively deteriorating mental disability, got help at COTS in 1991 and eventually found housing in Rohnert Park. When she lost that rental, the family moved in with a boyfriend named Eddie Pope in Santa Rosa. It was in Santa Rosa that young Georgia Moses was on the verge of young womanhood, both for her younger sister Angel, 7, and her mother.

But Georgia's friends have acknowledged that the group of girls were starting to "get with the boys" and take risks they shouldn't have. This was the message her distraught friends left at the memorial (See Georgia, page 6A) Georgia Moses, mom were helped by COTS in 1991 By DAVE ALCOTT Argus-Courier Staff In an ironic twist of fate, a second Santa Rosa child recently murdered has been traced to Petaluma where it appears she fell through the. cracks despite the best intentions of people willing to help. All that's left now is a makeshift memorial to the dead girl on a private side road just before the Highway 101 on-ramp at the end of Petaluma Boulevard South and just outside the city limits. Georgia Moses, a 12-year-old killed last month and dumped near Eric ReedArgus-Courter staff Sparkilee the Clown is an instant celebrity at the Boys and Girls Club on Maria Drive.

This clown has credentials Sparkilee trades corporate job for life with circus By SUSAN LAUER Argiu-Courler Staff With a silly sing-song squeak and a great big grin, Sparkilee the Clown is getting the word out the circus will be in town Monday. "Did 'ja know the circus is coming to town? Yup, it is," she told a swarm of kids at the Boys and Girls Club on Maria Drive this week. Minutes into the room Sparkilee froze in front of the group, giving the kids a good look at her orange afro hair highlighted with a big gold bow, giant yellow tie, bright red clown pants and size 16 rubber shoes. The kids couldn't help but chuckle. With a whappity-whap she tottered toward the group and made a funny face.

The kids burst out laughing. Life may be a hoot for a professional clown, and wherever Sparkilee goes giggles follow, but don't estimate the likes of this particular buffoon. As Lee Gentry, she holds a bachelor's degree in marketing, a master's degree in human resource and development and a doctorate in social and educational change. (See Clown, page 6 A) IndeK Ann 6B Bill Soberanes 2A Business 11 A Classified 8B Connections 7B Crossword 6B Editorials 2B Entertainment 4B Features 6B Horoscope 6B Obituaries 4 A Real Estate 12B Religion Ethics'. 3B Seniors 5B Shorelines 6B Sports 8A Theaters 43 Weather.

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