News in brief from California's North Coast

By: Associated Press | Tuesday, December 9, 2003 10:22 PM PST ∞

SAN QUENTIN -- Plans for a $220 million expansion of San Quentin State Prison's death row are moving forward, despite opposition from a number of elected officials.

Public comment will be sought this month on issues that should be addressed in the project's environmental impact report.

Funding was included in this year's state budget for the project, which calls for construction of a 535,000-square-foot death row complex with 1,024 prison cells on the southwestern portion of the 432-acre prison.

Prison officials for years have asked for improvements in the prison's ancient death row, which was built in 1934.

The crowded, antiquated section holds more than 600 condemned men, and its inadequate size and facilities pose security risks to staff members and inmates, officials say.

Assemblyman Joe Nation, D-San Rafael, and other Marin officials, such as Marin County Supervisor Steve Kinsey, are opposed and are working to derail it.

"One of the things that has never been demonstrated to me is that San Quentin makes economic sense," Nation said. "In fact, I think that San Quentin probably does not make economic sense because it is such an old facility and the operating costs are so high."

Nation and Kinsey look at the prison and see the perfect place for a ferry terminal that could be linked to an envisioned Sonoma-to-Marin commuter rail line.

Earlier this year, Nation persuaded the Joint Legislative Audit Committee to order a thorough analysis of the San Quentin plan and compare it with potential costs and benefits of moving death row to Folsom.

The committee is scheduled to issue its report in April.

ROHNERT PARK -- An Indian tribe has donated $1.5 million to Sonoma State University.

The Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria, which plans to build a casino on the outskirts of Rohnert Park, gave the money to fund a faculty position in Native American studies.

The money was advanced by the tribe's partner, Station Casinos Inc. of Las Vegas, which plans to finance and oversee operation of the casino-hotel resort.

"We are extremely pleased with the generosity of the tribe and its decision to invest in the academic excellence of the students and faculty of Sonoma State University," SSU President Ruben Arminana said.

The gift was immediately criticized by casino opponents, including the Rev. Chip Worthington of the Assembly of God Church in Rohnert Park.

"Who cares if kids get addicted to gambling? They're trying to buy off everybody," he said.

But Arminana said that as long as the money comes from a legitimate business it is "perfectly acceptable."

PETALUMA -- Two men wearing gloves and disguised with ski masks shot and injured a Longs Drugs employee who kept the gunmen from entering the store during an attempted robbery.

As two workers began opening the store Monday, the thieves ran up and tried to barge into the store, police said

However, an assistant manager held the glass door shut and wouldn't let them inside, according to Petaluma Police Sgt. Mark Hunter said. A bookkeeper ran to call police.

After trying to force the door open, one of the men pulled a gun and fired through the glass, hitting the assistant manager in the arm.

He was taken to Petaluma Valley Hospital, where he underwent surgery and was in stable condition, police said.

"He's recovering rapidly," said Andy Dabbas, a department manager at the store.

The thieves escaped.