Community COMMUNITY sports digest Friday Local happenings .................................Page A-3 ..........Page A-6 July 25, 2008 INSIDE Mendocino County’s World briefly The Ukiah local newspaper .....Page A-10 Saturday: Sunny H 92º L 54º 7 58551 69301 0 Sunday: Mostly sunny H 94º L 53º 50 cents tax included DAILY JOURNAL ukiahdailyjournal.com 40 pages, Volume 150 Number 107 email: [email protected] Arson arrest in Covelo fire 4 arrests in meth bust The Daily Journal A Covelo woman has been arrested on charges of arson for allegedly setting fire to an uninhabited building on Lovell Street in Covelo Monday afternoon, according to reports from the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office. According to sheriff’s reports, Allison Low, 49, of Covelo, went into an uninhabited build- ing at 76201 Lovell Street to scavenge for items the previous tenants may have aban- doned. When she was unable to find what she was looking for, Low allegedly set fire to the build- ing, according to sheriff’s reports. Firefighters from the Covelo Volunteer Fire Department and Cal Fire were summoned to See FIRE, Page A-10 FOLLOW-UP Willits man, 26, killed in collision By BEN BROWN The Daily Journal The Mendocino County Coroners Office has identified the driver of a 1994 Ford pickup who died when the truck collided with a tree off Eastside Road Monday night. Myhrlin Joseph Dionne, 26, of Willits, was driving the truck with an unnamed woman from Scotts Valley when, for unknown reasons, the truck crossed the center divider and left the southern edge of the roadway, where it collided Sarah Baldik/The Daily Journal with a tree, according to reports from the Jonathan Cisneros, 19, is placed under arrest on four outstanding warrants Thursday afternoon, after officers from the California Highway Patrol. Mendocino Major Crimes Task Force served a search warrant on a South Ukiah apartment. Dionne suffered fatal injuries and was pro- nounced dead at the scene. The passenger suf- fered major injuries and was taken by air ambu- By BEN BROWN lance to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital for The Daily Journal treatment. Four people were arrested Both driver and passenger were wearing seat Thursday afternoon and two chil- belts at the time of the accident, according to dren were taken in by Child CHP reports. Protective Services in a drug raid at a South State Street apartment that yielded an ounce of metham- phetamine. Smoke in Ukiah Officers with the Mendocino Major Crimes Task Force kicked in the door of apartment 19 at again fouling air 2221 S. State St. Thursday after- By ROB BURGESS noon after hearing that the inhab- The Daily Journal itants may have been dealing Yep, it’s still smoky. methamphetamine. The air quality in Ukiah and other parts of “We’ve been getting informa- An ounce of methamphetamine packaged for sale the county remained questionable Thursday as tion that they’ve been dealing out and several hundred dollars were seized from the the Mendocino County Air Quality of this place,” said Task Force apartment. Management District issued yet another air Commander Bob Nishiyama. quality advisory. Inside, officers found four “Smoke accumulation from wildland fires in adults. the Mendocino National Forest may occur in “Three of them were high,” parts of the county today,” read a portion of a Nishiyama said. MCAQMD statement issued Wednesday. In the apartment were husband “Satellite imagery shows heavy smoke over and wife Luis Lopez Gonzalez, Mendocino National forest lands in Northern 28, and Maria Lopez Martinez, (Above) Maria Lopez Martinez, 21, Lake County, Glenn and Colusa Counties and 21, who rent the apartment, as was arrested on charges of drug lighter smoke over Mendocino County at this well as Jorge Martinez, 20, and sales and child endangerment time. Smoke is likely to travel generally south Jonathan Cisneros, 19. Thursday, at her south Ukiah resi- of any fires today -- however terrain and local Officers searched the apart- dence. (Left) Luis Lopez Gonzalez, winds will also impact smoke dispersion.” ment with a drug dog from the 28, was arrested on drug charges at Based on a “unhealthy for sensitive groups” Mendocino County Sheriff’s his south Ukiah apartment Thursday reading taken in Ukiah at 1 p.m. Wednesday, an Office and found a safe that con- afternoon. air quality alert has been extended until further tained an ounce of methampheta- notice. mine as well as packaging mate- “Mendocino County is likely to be impacted rials, a scale and several hundred by smoke until the fires are extinguished,” stat- dollars in cash, Nishiyama said. ed a portion of the release. “The district is con- The drugs had been broken up were charged with narcotics next to it,” he said. Task Force to leave the children ducting continuous monitoring in Ukiah and into “eight-balls,” packages sales. Jorge Martinez was Nishiyama said the children of drug suspects with neighbors. monitoring in other locations as needed.” weighing an eighth of an ounce, charged with being under the were taken by Child Protective “Now we get instant response Rob Burgess can be reached at [email protected]. which Nishiyama said are com- influence of a controlled sub- Services as part of the county’s from CPS,” he said. monly sold to others who may stance and a probation violation Drug Endangered Children Nishiyama said this bust was break up the drugs further to sell and Cisneros was arrested on Program, which works to remove not the first time the Task Force them. four outstanding warrants. children from the custody of had visited the apartment com- A dose of methamphetamine Also found in the apartment those charged with drug crimes plex. is one-tenth of a gram; an eight- were Maria Martinez’ two chil- until the situation can be evaluat- “We’ve probably been in two- ball contains approximately 35 dren: a 2-year-old and a 2-month ed by CPS. thirds of them in my time,” doses. old. Nishiyama said the younger “Unfortunately, we’re seeing Nishiyama said of the apart- Nishiyama estimated the street child was found lying alone on a this more and more,” Nishiyama ments. “Every time we come in, find activities at value of the drugs at between bed in the bedroom. said. we take meth out.” ukiahdailyjournal.com $1,500 and $2,000. “There was a baby bottle on In previous years, Nishiyama Ben Brown can be reached at Gonzalez and Maria Martinez the nightstand and a line of meth said it was not uncommon for the [email protected]. A-2 – FRIDAY, JULY 25, 2008 DAILY DIGEST Editor: Jody Martinez, 468-3517 The Ukiah Daily Journal [email protected] FUNERAL NOTICES [\ (LRP). He was still voluntarily served 33 member and spent the next for life and had a curiosity Dionne, age 3, and Sa- MICHAEL DUANE FRAZIER 18 years of age when he was months in Vietnam, 21 six months sailing that never ended. tori Guinevere Dionne, 18 (1948-2008) promoted to months over and above his the South Pacific in a 56- His fund of knowledge was months. Memorial Michael was born on Staff Sergeant, which may original voluntary foot wooden sailboat amazing and he services are yet to be November 30, 1948, in have made him tour of 12 months. He was named “Rejoice”. It was to could speak to just about arranged, but anyone Bakersfield, California, the youngest Staff Sergeant awarded the Na- be the adventure any subject. interested in attending can and entered the final in the US Army tional Defense Service of his life and he credits it There will be a contact Erin at passage of his life on July at that time. He was Medal, Vietnam Serv- as the turning point Celebration of Life for (707) 367-9046. Please keep 21, 2008, at home, Reconnaissance & Com- ice Medal, Vietnam in curing the emotional Michael at their family him in your with his loving wife Sharon mando qualified by the 5th Campaign Medal, Viet- wounds he received home on Peterson Pond hearts, as he so generously at his side. Special Forces nam Tet Counter Offensive upon returning to the Lane in Redwood Valley on kept all who When Michael was about Group (Airborne) located Medal (Phases States after Vietnam. Sunday, July 27, be- knew him. He is dearly eight years old, he at Nha Trang, Viet- 1,2,3,4,), two Bronze Star In about 1987, Michael tween 2-4 p.m. Anyone who loved and will be dear- and his mother moved to nam. The men who volun- Medals, The Purple came to Ukiah and, as knew Michael ly missed. Namaste. San Francisco and teered for this ex- Heart, The Army soon as he saw the valley, and would like to celebrate [\ he has many fond memories tremely dangerous type of Commendation Medal, The he fell in love. He his life is wel- WALTER JACOB SELLMER of growing up duty became Air Medal, Combat enrolled in classes at the come. White balloons will In loving memory of ruling the streets of San known as “Lerps”. Infantry Badge (CIB), Par- Mendocino Com- mark the way. Walter Jacob Sellmer Francisco and most The infant Long Range achutist Wings, Good munity College and, after In lieu of flowers, please born May 1, 1914 passed especially Playland at the Patrol program Conduct Medal, Recon- 18 years, finally send donations to In- away on Sunday Beach and Golden proved to be a huge success naissance & Commando completed the requirements Home Health/Hospice, July 20, 2008. Walter was Gate Park. They moved to militarily. In certificate, and a and received his Cancer Resource 94 years old.