Raiders New owners NATIONAL FOREST FIRE regroup at Jepson 16,000-plus acres burned after shutout Vineyards ..................................Page 1 .............Page 6 ..............Page 3 INSIDE Mendocino County’s Obituaries The Ukiah local newspaper ..........Page 2 Tomorrow: Windy and much cooler 7 58551 69301 0 WEDNESDAY Sept. 13, 2006 50 cents tax included DAILY JOURNAL ukiahdailyjournal.com 16 pages, Volume 148 Number 157 email: [email protected] ATTEMPTED MURDER TRIAL STATE LEGISLATION Peacock Minimum found COMMET Raid wage hike guilty bill signed The Daily Journal By BEN BROWN Gov. Arnold Schwarzeneg- The Daily Journal ger on Tuesday signed the A jury found Richard minimum wage increase bill Peacock, 54, of Citric into law, marking the first time Heights, guilty on all charges in more than four years all Friday in connection with the minimum wage-earners in attempted murder of Alan California will get a raise. Simon. Currently, California’s min- Peacock was charged with imum wage is $6.75 an hour. attempted first-degree mur- The passage of AB 1835, first der, personal use of a firearm, by both houses of the Legisla- shooting at an inhabited ture and then the governor, dwelling and being a felon in means an increase of $1.25 possession of a firearm for fir- that will be done in two steps. ing nine-rounds from a .22 On Jan. 1, 2007, the mini- caliber handgun at Simon at mum wage will go up 75 Simon’s Westport home on cents, and then another 50 June 17, 2005. cents on Jan. 1, 2008, bringing Simon suffered wounds to the state’s minimum wage to his wrist and the top of his $8 an hour -- the highest in the head during the attack, but his nation. wounds were not serious. Assemblywoman Sally It is alleged that Peacock Lieber (D-Mountain View), was hired to kill Simon by who authored the bill, Kenny Rogers, former addressed the crowd gathered Westport County Water to witness its signing, stating District commissioner, after that the $50 per week, or Simon was elected to the Isaac Eckel/The Daily Journal $2,600 per year increase will position following Rogers’ A team member of the Campaign Against Marijuana Planting steadies a load of seized marijuana as greatly help minimum wage- recall by voters. it is lifted by helicopter during a raid on Tuesday. earners, who currently strug- Rogers is expected to go to gle to put food on their tables trial sometime later this year. and gasoline in their cars. Peacock is scheduled to be “This is about respect for sentenced Sept. 29, and is Marijuana eradication their hopes and dreams, their expected to receive 51 years efforts and for the work that in prison before becoming eli- they do on our behalf every- gible for parole. He could effort tops 190,000 plants day,” Lieber said, mentioning face a maximum of life By BEN BROWN that everybody in California imprisonment because of a The Daily Journal ‘Usually, when we’re working in depends on the labor of these number of prior felony con- It’s harvest season again and for another garden nearby with the workers. victions. those with apples and pears it is a According to U.S. Census Ben Brown can be reached at time of difficult labor as they try to helicopter, they’ll come in and cut Bureau data, more than 1 mil- [email protected]. get their crops out of the fields and lion workers earned the mini- to the market. For members of the off the buds and run.’ mum wage in California in County of Mendocino Marijuana SGT. RUSTY NOE 2004, making up 7 percent of UPDATE Eradication Team it means taking COMMET COMMANDER the state’s wage and salaries to the sky in helicopters to seek out workers. illegal marijuana gardens before green nestled within the duller col- “Today is the perfect time the drugs make it to the market. ored underbrush. In this garden, to sign this bill,” Schwarze- Hunter On Tuesday, officers from the plants were spread out across negger said Tuesday, citing COMMET set off into the hills east several hillsides with drip-line irri- that California’s economy is Fire now of Willits to continue work started gation running to each plant from a better than in prior years when Friday on a number of gardens cistern, made from a tarp, high on he vetoed similar legislation. found on private property. COM- the hill. “Since I came into office, controlled MET was supported in these “This is unusual, the way we have added nearly 600,000 efforts by National Guard mem- they’re planting this,” said COM- new jobs, unemployment is 16,296 acres in bers from Humboldt County and MET Commander Sgt. Rusty Noe. less than 5 percent and the state’s revenues are up by Mendocino National members of the Department of Noe said spreading out the gar- County of Mendocino Marijuana Forest consumed Justice Campaign Against Mari- dens can make them harder to spot almost $20 billion,” Eradication Team Commander Sgt. Schwarzenegger said. “The juana Planting. from the air and more difficult to Rusty Noe sorts through a bag The Daily Journal California economy is a rag- Seen from the air, the garden found at a makeshift camp used by The Hunter Fire in the looked like small dots of bright ing, roaring success, and now Mendocino National Forest See COMMET, Page 2 marijuana field workers. is the time to make sure that has been declared controlled everyone is getting to share in at 16,296 acres. Roads and this prosperity.” areas closed during the fire are now reopened to the pub- lic. The Hunter Fire was start- Potter Valley school board vacancy to be filled ed July 23 by lightning strikes. It burned on national Applications available Johnson -- whose term expires in Qualified citizens interested in serving own. .. It’s a service for the communi- forest lands in Mendocino one year -- resigned from the board can submit a letter of interest for con- ty, so generally people who are ser- and Glenn counties. By LAURA MCCUTCHEON Aug. 22, citing “personal reasons.” sideration. vice-minded will apply for a position. When a fire is controlled it The Daily Journal Superintendent Gary Barr said Barr said the reward of being on the It’s good to have broad-minded per- means the likelihood of fire Potter Valley Community Unified Johnson simply had “too many irons in school board “is being a service to the son, rather than someone with an escaping the fire line is mini- School District is seeking board mem- the fire.” school and community. In Potter agenda -- that serves the community ber applicants to fill a seat recently There are currently four board Valley, the school is the major institu- See FIRE, Page 16 vacated by Tim Johnson. members; one more is needed. tion in town, and it has a status of its See POTTER, Page 16 Compromise attempted over traffic complaints at winery By KATIE MINTZ The Daily Journal BOARD OF SUPERVISORS Wine tastings and special events at Colfax chooses Gualala resident as planner Esterlina Vineyards and Winery near Philo senting, to modify a use permit granted in By JAMES ARENS community activist Britt Bailey is an environmental will go on, but with a couple conditions. 2000 that allowed a limited number of on-site The Daily Journal Bailey to succeed attorney policy teacher, the director of On Tuesday, the Mendocino County Board wine tastings and other events on the proper- Fifth District Supervisor Don Lipmanson as his the Environmental Commons, of Supervisors voted 3-2, Supervisors David Colfax has nominated appointed planning commis- Michael Delbar and Jim Wattenburger dis- See WINERY, Page 16 Gualala environmentalist and sioner. See PLANNER, Page 16 UP TO 75% OFF Come See Our High Quality Summer Clothing Clearance Children’s Toys & Clothing 463-0628 211 S. State St., Ukiah 2 – WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 13, 2006 DAILY DIGEST Editor: Jody Martinez, 468-3517 The Ukiah Daily Journal [email protected] POLICE REPORTS FUNERAL NOTICES The following were MCOE board rejects compiled from reports [\ Chorus for over 25 [\ prepared by the Ukiah years. She is survived by Police Department. To her 4 children and arts charter school anonymously report 12 grandchildren. Bob and Applicant says quite a bit and the discipline crime information, call Maja Reid of fee concern would have to be 463-6205. Ukiah, their children- she’ll go to the state completely taken out, war- ARREST -- Andrew Sam, Brent, Shaun and By JAMES ARENS ranting a “material change.” Albert Pirart, 25, of Sausalito, Carrie. Marie and Rick Logan was not ready to was arrested on suspicion of Vear of Hillsdale, MI., The Daily Journal The county school board of comment on the board’s deci- driving under the influence at their children- Joe, Pat, sion Monday but was appre- 1:49 a.m. Tuesday, in the Brian & Dan. Art and education has turned down an arts-based charter school for ciative of the time MCOE 1200 block of North State Stella Reid of Lake took on this petition. Street. Oswego, Or., their chil- Ukiah and upheld Ukiah Unified School District’s “We would really just like dren Ryan and Reagan. to thank the board,” Logan Those arrested by law enforcement Patty and Bob Hug- rejection of Kim Logan’s officers are innocent until proven guilty. Ukiah Academy of the Arts. said. “We have really appreci- People reported as having been arrest- gett of Sacramento, their ated the focus on the children children- John and Logan, director of the ed may contact the Daily Journal once Charter Academy of the and the seriousness that they their case has been concluded so the BONNIE JO REID Ellen.