Petaluma Argus-Courier from Petaluma, California • 5

PETALUMA ARGUS-COURIER, Petaluma CA, Friday, Nov. 20, 1998 5 A Sewer plant, employees win regional awards ii i iMuwMwmwwjuw I'll wmM i mmm I .1 EXT CZZZ f.U mm 1 fcllniii.m Leena HintsanenArgus-Courier staff Man arrested for waving gun, making death threats A Petaluma man upset about his car being vandalized was arrested after he allegedly confronted a homeless man and threatened him with a gun. Police said Richard Lang, 47, went to a shed in the 3600 block of Petaluma Boulevard North about 5 a.m. Tuesday and confronted a 33-year-old man sleeping inside. The victim said he awakened to find Lang yelling at him and accusing him of tampering with his car.

Lang allegedly reached behind and pulled a handgun out of the small of his back and made threatening statements to the other man. The victim said he told Lang he didn't know who had damaged his car, but that Lang made death threats against him, then walked away. Officers went to Lang's home nearby and questioned him. They found three firearms inside his home, although he denied that he had a gun when he confronted the homeless man. Lang was placed under arrest for brandishing a weapon and making death threats.

He posted $10,000 bail and was released from the city jail. Stress reduction workshop at Petaluma Center On Nov. 24 Santa Rosa Junior College's Petaluma Center is offering a free stress management workshop for those looking to reduce their stress levels before holiday madness takes over. The session is being conducted by Lake McClen-ney of SRJC's Student Psychological Services. The workshop is from 5:30 to 7 p.m.

in room 191 at the Petaluma Center. The center is located at 680 Sonoma Mountain Parkway. For further information, call City wastewater employees show off their awards. From left, Sandy Mondo, Rusty Hall, Tom Evans, Janice Mandler and Bill Toci. Rusty holds a plaque with a photo of Bud the duck and Janice holds the award for Safety Plant of the Year.

Dead duck named top mascot them," McAuliffe said. Tom Evans won the Operator of the Year award for his dedication to Petaluma's plant. As the operator, he does everything from monitoring and adjusting biological and chemical processes to ensure the machinery is functioning efficiently. "He's one of our hardest workers and always willing to go beyond the call to participate in anything," McAuliffe said. Sandy Mondo won the Opera-tor-in-Training of the Year after switching careers to take him from the laboratory to the actual processing plant.

Last year, Mondo decided to change careers to be an operator. After courses and training, Mondo has made remarkable progress and brings a valuable insight from his laboratory knowledge, McAuliffe said. Toci and Evans will be considered for statewide honors at the end of.April. The plant, itself, also will be considered for the statewide safety facility of the year honor. The Petaluma facility won both regional and state honors two years ago: "And we believe our program is even better now," McAuliffe said.

The regional awards banquet was held Nov. 13 at the Adobe Creek Golf Course in City facility named Safety plant of the Year SUSAN LAUER Argus-Courier Staff The city's wastewater plant and three of its employees have earned five regional awards for outstanding performance and dedication to the job. The wastewater facility, operated by U.S. Filter for the past 20 years, was pamed Safety Plant of the Year by the Redwood Section of the California Water Environment Association last Friday. The award is given to the plant which has excellent compliance with safety regulations and maintains regular safety programs.

The Petaluma plant has not experienced an accident causing an employee to miss work in more than 2.5 years. What's more, in the 20 years U.S. Filter has operated the plant, only six loss-time accidents have occurred, according to Chris McAuliffe, plant manager. Bill Toci earned the Supervisor of the Year honors. McAuliffe called Toci a "multi-talented" supervisor who reaches out to other employees.

"They look up to him as someone who doesn't just supervise but gets in there to work with Although loyal to the plant, Bud's constant presence and tendency to peck people made a decision easier to release him into the natural wilds of the treated wastewater ponds on Lakeville Highway in the Petaluma River watershed. However, a day after Bud went to his new home, tragedy again struck. "He had one happy day and then turned into fox dinner," McAuliffe said. McAuliffe did say the plant has a replacement already in a mallard duck to ventured to the same unit as Bud and his partner. Bud was announced as recipient of the Mascot of the Year during the Nov.

1 3 awards banquet. partner were anonymously dropped off at the plant. The pair took a liking to one of the wastewater treatment units, but tragedy soon struck after the female duck apparently drowned in the unit. The male duck continued to stay at the plant and workers began feeding and paying attention to it. The duck began following workers around and even venturing into the front office.

Management sponsored a contest to name its newest mascot, and although several fine names were offered, all agreed the duck was most deserving of a name that aptly described its appearance. "Bud" is a acronym for "Butt-ugly duck," McAuliffe explained. The wastewater plant's pet muscovy duck earned a regional award for Mascot of the Year but, sadly, it was a post-humous honor. The Redwood Section of the California Water Environment Association named Petaluma's duck "Bud" outstanding mascot of the year, which was deserving, say wastewater personnel, but last week's grand announcement came too late for the waterfowl to bask in any type of glory. "He was a fine mascot," said Chris McAuliffe, the sewer plant's manager, of the greenish-black waterfowl with red folds of skin on its body.

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