Sharks trade Paying for FATAL ACCIDENT ON GRADE for Guerin long-term care Four vehicles involved ............Page 6 ..............Page 3 ...................................Page 1 INSIDE Mendocino County’s World briefly The Ukiah local newspaper ..........Page 2 Tomorrow: Mostly cloudy and cool 7 58551 69301 0 WEDNESDAY Feb. 28, 2007 50 cents tax included DAILY JOURNAL ukiahdailyjournal.com 16 pages, Volume 148 Number 325 email: [email protected] County injunction against lawyer strike denied By BEN BROWN would have barred the Mendocino instances in which the health and ty but no specific suspects or cases “It’s simply a matter of keeping The Daily Journal County Public Attorney’s safety of Mendocino County resi- cited. the court system flowing,” Losak Mendocino County Superior Association from striking as it voted dents would be threatened if the Deputy County Counsel Douglas said. Court Judge Cindee Mayfield on to do earlier this month. MCPAA were to go on strike. Losak said specifics are hard to Andrew Baker, from the firm of Tuesday ruled against granting an Mayfield found that the county She said there were “a number of determine because there is a constant injunction sought by the county that was unable to provide specific vague allegations” of threats to safe- influx of new cases. See LAWYER, Page 16 BERG TO RESIDENTS: Fun for frolicking students; Fight to SNOW: misery for area motorists secure By LAURA MCCUTCHEON The Daily Journal Snowballs were flying Tuesday during morning break at Eagle Peak bypass Middle School, chains were required to travel over the Willits Grade, vehicles were off the roadway and trees were down, due to falling funding snow. By KATIE MINTZ Many Redwood Valley residents - The Daily Journal - and those living in higher eleva- In a last-ditch push of sup- tions throughout the county -- awoke port, Mendocino County and to winter’s white blanket. The snow, North Coast representatives which started falling in the valley at are urging residents to stand about 5:30 a.m., dusted trees, up for funding of the Willits grapevines and former fields of bypass, which today faces a green, creating a picturesque, winter final decision by the wonderland type of scene. California Transportation Later in the morning, snowmen Commission. were built and then destroyed, by The commission -- the children who were happy but same panel that last week soaked. asked for staff recommenda- “It’s awesome,” Eagle Peak tions, like the $177 million Middle School eighth-grader Sonia Carmona said as she ran amongst a See BYPASS, Page 2 throng of students dodging snow- balls. “We get to hit people with it,” she added of the snow, just before being clobbered by a hunk of it. Medical “It’s great. This is the first time it’s snowed like this in years,” said seventh-grader Chris Hardwick, also marijuana playing in what would leave his clothing soaking wet. What’s the best part about the cards to snow? “Well ... ” Hardwick began. Isaac Eckel/The Daily Journal “Snowballs,” seventh-grader Gamalyel Valenzuela, Wendy Velasco and Dellanira Fuentes play in the snow during recess at cost more Tyeson Hayes, answered before his Eagle Peak Middle School Tuesday morning. friend could. Higher state fee “I love it,” seventh-grader “Snow tastes good,” said a boy to be passed on Melinda Andrews said, echoing the running past her. excited voices of many other stu- “It’s snowed before, but not like to cardholders dents. “It’s so fun out here,” she said. this,” Portillo said. By KATIE MINTZ Eighth-grader Norma Portillo, Eagle Peak Principal Carolyn The Daily Journal wet mascara smeared below one eye, Johnson, standing a safe distance Mendocino County med- took bites out of a large handful of away from the festivities, said it’s ical marijuana patients and snow. been five or six years since caregivers will soon be hit Redwood Valley has seen this much with a heavy fee if they want snow. to carry a state-issued medical At the ring of the bell, students marijuana identification card 1 dead, 4 hurt headed back to class, but one boy (MMIC). paused to ask Johnson a question: “If Currently, in Mendocino in four-vehicle we were to go home would it be after County, the annual cost for a lunch?” he said. card is $70 -- $57 of which crash on Grade “You aren’t going home. Give it covers the county’s cost for up; the roads are open,” Johnson The Daily Journal One person was killed and said with a chuckle. See MARIJUANA, Page 2 four injured in a four-vehicle As of noon, all roads in the coun- accident on Highway 101 just ty were in fact still open, according to Ann Jones, Caltrans public infor- south of Willits at 4:34 p.m. On his way from Sacramento to Eureka, Randy Delgado stops 4 injured Tuesday. mation officer. “All the roads are open; we do before the Willits grade to apply chains to his semitrailer before The four injured, one of continuing on North Highway 101. whom was a California have some areas where chains are in shooting required unless you have a 4-wheel Department of Transportation By BEN BROWN employee, were taken to drive,” Jones said, referring to areas Snow fell such as the Ridgewood Grade heavily in The Daily Journal Howard Forest Memorial Fort Bragg Police arrested Hospital for treatment, but the between Willits and Ukiah. Caltrans the morning crews also spread cinders on some of hours along two boys Tuesday morning, in extent of their injuries wasn’t connection with a shooting known at press time. the icy roadways to provide traction, the 101 cor- she said. ridor near injuring four people that Neither circumstances of the occurred at an apartment accident nor the names of the While it’s not unheard of to see Redwood snow in these parts during the win- Valley, creat- complex at 311 Walnut St. at victims were available at press 10:06 p.m. Monday. time. tertime, it’s been several years since ing challeng- it’s stuck like this, according to local ing driving According to FBPD Responding agencies includ- reports, witnesses said the 17- ed CalFire, the Willits/Little residents. About 2 inches covered conditions. Redwood Valley’s floor by 10:30 year-old suspect approached Lake Fire Department, Ukiah the apartment complex armed Ambulance Service and Willits a.m. and it was still snowing. Around the same time in Willits, with a handgun and fired sev- Ambulance Service. eral rounds into an apartment See SNOW, Page 16 See SHOOTING, Page 16 Look For Our New GREAT TOYS Party Area Coming children’s shop 463-0628 211 S. State St., Ukiah in March 2 – WEDNESDAY, FEB. 28, 2007 DAILY DIGEST Editor: Jody Martinez, 468-3517 The Ukiah Daily Journal [email protected] bility in the region,” Rice told the Senate Appropriations Bush may veto antiterror bill if Committee in a hearing on the administration’s request for addi- The world briefly TSA labor provision is included tional war funding. Rice said the diplomatic initiative is aimed at building more WASHINGTON (AP) — President Bush and his Senate support, both within the Middle East and beyond, for peace and allies will kill a Sept. 11 antiterror bill if Congress sends it to the prosperity in Iraq. She added that U.S. and Iraqi officials agree Dow finishes down 416 at 12,216, White House with a provision to let airport screeners unionize, that success in Iraq — after four years of war — “requires the Nasdaq finishes down 97 at 2,408 the White House and 36 Republicans said Tuesday. positive support of Iraq’s neighbors.” on global market plunge “As the legislation currently stands, the president’s senior At the same time, Sen. Robert Byrd, D-W.Va., chairman of advisers would recommend that he veto the bill,” said White the committee, lambasted the administration’s past approach in NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks had their worst day since the House spokesman Scott Stanzel. Iraq. Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks Tuesday, briefly hurtling the Senate Republicans swiftly backed up the threat with a Dow Jones industrials down more than 500 points on a world- pledge by more than enough senators to block any veto override Suicide attack kills 23 outside wide tide of concern that the U.S. and Chinese economies are attempt. stumbling and that share prices have become overinflated. “If the final bill contains such a provision, forcing you to U.S. base during Cheney visit The steepness of the market’s drop, as well as its global veto it, we pledge to sustain your veto,” they wrote to the pres- BAGRAM, Afghanistan (AP) — In what the Taliban claimed breadth, signaled a possible correction after a long period of ident. Sen. Jim DeMint, R-S.C., planned to offer an amendment was an assassination attempt, a suicide bomber attacked the stable and steadily rising stock markets that had not been shak- to strip the provision from the bill. main gate of a U.S. military base Tuesday within earshot of en by such a volatile day of trading in several years. Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said that Vice President Dick Cheney. The explosion killed 23 people, A 9 percent slide in Chinese stocks, which came a day after allowing screeners to unionize would impede the department’s including two Americans, and delivered a propaganda blow that investors sent Shanghai’s benchmark index to a record high quick response to possible threats. Fast redeployment of screen- undercut the U.S. military and the weak Afghan government it close, set the tone for U.S.