Community Soroptimists’ ON THE MARKET sports digest spirit of giving Guide to local real estate ...................................Inside ..........Page A-7 ............Page A-3 INSIDE Mendocino County’s World briefly The Ukiah local newspaper .......Page A-2 Tomorrow: Mostly cloudy with a shower 7 58551 69301 0 FRIDAY Dec. 8, 2006 50 cents tax included DAILY JOURNAL ukiahdailyjournal.com 48 pages, Volume 148 Number 243 email: [email protected] Live grenade left at law office By BEN BROWN office. tacted police at 2 p.m. after a person The man brought the device to the tacted the Sonoma County Sheriff’s The Daily Journal “It was a metal can that contained entered his office with the device. lawyer because he was afraid he Department Bomb Squad to dispose Police responding to a call in the a military explosive device,” said The man told the lawyer the canister would get in trouble if he turned the of the grenade. The bomb squad con- 400 block of North School Street Ukiah Police Detective Sgt. John contained a grenade he had found in grenade over to the police, tained the grenade and took it to a Tuesday afternoon found a live McCutcheon. his house while looking through a McCutcheon said. grenade in a canister behind a law McCutcheon said the lawyer con- former roommate’s belongings. Police sealed off the area and con- See GRENADE, Page A-10 Warning issued due to high surf Madam mayor said Morgan Zeitler, visitor Beach enthusiasts services superintendent of urged to use Mendocino District California extreme caution State Parks. “It should be fairly extraor- The Daily Journal dinary and quite hazardous,” Beachcombers and other Zeitler said. “If people are ocean enthusiasts are advised interested in looking at it, fine, to stay out of the sea and away but stay away from the water from the shoreline for the next and admire it from afar. If you several days. are planning on a weekend to An intense storm system in go out and do water contact the Western Pacific is expected activities, you might want to to generate large surf into the plan it for another weekend -- coastal waters of California or at least keep abreast of con- starting today, and continuing ditions,” Zeitler said, noting into next week, according to people can check the National the California Department of Weather Service Web site at Parks and Recreation, which www.weather.gov. called this the “first significant This swell is forecasted to swell of the winter.” be large and powerful, with Forecasted surf heights of wave periods between 16 and 14 to 18 feet are expected in 18 seconds. some areas of Northern “Park visitors may be California, and waves may fooled into thinking that the reach up to 12 feet, according waterline is safer than it is due to State Parks. to long lulls between sets of While swells of this nature waves,” said Alex Peabody, are not uncommon this time of year, they are very hazardous, See SURF, Page A-10 Isaac Eckel/The Daily Journal Mari Rodin, a member of the Ukiah City Council since 2002, was selected as mayor by fellow coun- cil members Wednesday evening, succeeding outgoing Mayor Mark Ashiku. With the passage of Measure V in the June primary, the City Council chooses Ukiah’s mayor from within the council. UKIAH DAILY JOURNAL HOLIDAY FOOD BANK FUND DRIVE Council chooses Rodin for mayor By KATIE MINTZ Food Bank drive The Daily Journal Mari Rodin, a council- woman since 2002, was Ashiku honored for his service selected to serve as mayor By KATIE MINTZ “Most people see us up halfway to goal Wednesday night by the The Daily Journal here two evenings a The Daily Journal Lamb; $50, Ruth Sander; $50, Ukiah City Council. Before passing the month. That’s just the tip The latest donations to the Bernie & Phyllis Harrison; A mother of two and gavel Wednesday of the iceberg,” UDJ Holiday Food Bank $50, Keith & Ann Tiemann; partner in Hopper and evening, outgoing Mayor McCowen said. “Mark Fund Drive include: $300, $50, Anonymous; $50, was always willing to Rodin Associates – a con- Mark Ashiku was hon- Anonymous; $250, Beverly Anonymous; $50, Anony- ored at a reception in the block out the time avail- sulting firm that writes H. Robison; $200, Roger mous; $40, Shirley & Robert grants and conducts pro- Ukiah Civic Center, able to fulfill his respon- Foote & Holly Brackmann; receiving praise and sibilities as mayor. He Wright; $30, Nancy Nanna; gram evaluations for coun- $200, David Nelson & Judith $30, Thomas & Donna Cropp; ty agencies and nonprofits thanks from fellow public was always willing to Fuente; $200, Norm & Karen servants and city staff for step forward and be of $30, Margie & Hal Fuffridge; – she said she is honored to Rosen; $200, Anonymous; $30, Lucinda May & Thomas take the position. his two years of service to service, and in his case, I $100, Kenneth & Brenda “I’d like to be an active the city. know it was done with a Segar; $30, Kay Kinder; $25, Hoek, M. D.; $100, Clifford Loretta Engman; $25, Robert mayor who participates in Mendocino County lot of sacrifice, given his & Constance Smoot; $100, initiatives that benefit the 2nd District Supervisor professional responsibili- & Lila Milender; $20, Alec & Cathy Pacini; $100, Dorothea M. Parsons; $20, economy, the environment Jim Wattenburger said ty.” Darlene & Anthony Tooley; and the residents of the Ashiku “brought a level Ashiku City Manager Candace Gertrude M. Soeth; $20, Eve- $100, Miriam Gruver/White lyn P. Hiatt; $20, Wallace & Ukiah Valley,” Rodin said of transparency to the city Horsley presented Ashi- Wolf; $100, Ronald & Her- Thursday. and county government Councilman John ku, who has been highly Laura German Jr.; $15, Allan melinda Cole; $100, Doug & & Dolores Toivonen; $10, “There are incredibly that hasn’t existed in McCowen praised Vondalee Weston; $100, David & Terry Mayfield; $10, rich opportunities for us in quite a period of time.” Ashiku for his dedication. See ASHIKU, Page A-10 William & Shirley Hansen; the coming year,” she said, $100, Kathleen Stone & Fam- Madelyn Vega; $10, Anony- “for example, building on ily; $100, The Allende Fami- mous; totaling $3,765. The the collaborative relation- there are a lot of overlap- policies on housing as one by approximately 55 per- ly; $50, Ed & Barbara Fund Drive total now stands ship the City Council has ping interests between example. cent of voters -- was intro- Schweitzer; $50, Wade & at $46,066.84. established with the Board businesses and people who Rodin moved to Ukiah duced by Rodin and Myrtle Burns; $50, Margaret The goal for this year’s of Supervisors that would have been interested in the 15 years ago with her hus- Councilman John Baxman; $50, Halle & Mike drive is $85,000. result in a tax-sharing quality of life in Ukiah, and band, Clay Brennan, who McCowen to remedy a situ- Brady; $50, Lee Anne Mer- To give to the Food Bank agreement in this coming I’d like to be a catalyst in was recently elected ation in which people were naugh & Douglas D. Kuper; this year, write your check or year and a successful Ukiah aligning those groups.” Superior Court judge. being appointed, rather $50, Margaret J. Cooper; $50, money order to: UCC Food Valley Area Plan process.” She also mentioned that She is the first mayor to than elected, to the council Lyle & Jean Vincent; $50, Bank and bring it to the Daily Rodin said that as mayor “there are policies that the be chosen by the council to fill vacancies left by Bernadette A. Byrne; $50, Journal at 590 S. School St. or she will also be the City city can enact that will since Ukiah citizens voted councilmembers opting to David & Melissa Schantz; mail it to us at P.O. Box 749, Council’s liaison to the enable lower- and middle- in June to do away with the run for mayor (previously a $50, David & Judith Peck; Ukiah, 95482 and we’ll be Chamber of Commerce and class residents to be full, process of separately elect- two-year term) before their $50, Deborah L. Harrison; sure to get it to the Food the Main Street Program, participating members of ing a mayor. $50, Harry R. Allagree; $50, Bank. You can also send your “and I’ve come to realize our community,” citing The measure -- approved See MAYOR, Page A-10 Sara Dockins/Scissorhands; check directly to the Ukiah $50, Mario & Maxine Frac- Community Center at 888 N. chia; $50, Edward & Virginia State St., Ukiah, 95482. Catch the Christmas Spirit in Historic Downtown Ukiah! Festive Fridays 4 - 6 P.M. Musicians, carolers, choirs, dance skits, and other entertainment. Create cherished memories to last a lifetime at HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS Santa • Candy Canes • Gift Wrapping • For more information call 463-6729 A-2 – FRIDAY, DEC. 8, 2006 DAILY DIGEST Editor: Jody Martinez, 468-3517 The Ukiah Daily Journal [email protected] Autopsy shows missing San Francisco The world briefly father died of hypothermia DEATH NOTICES CENTRAL POINT, Ore. (AP) — Lost in the snowy wilder- • Marjorie June Woodson, 89, of Ukiah, died Tuesday, ness and seeking help for his stranded family, James Kim prob- Dec. 5, 2006. Arrangements are under the direction of Senators question Iraq panel’s blueprint ably traveled more than 10 miles on foot before he died, believ- Eversole Mortuary. for changing policy; authors urge unity ing he could find a nearby town, authorities said Thursday. An autopsy released Thursday showed that he died alone of Death notices are free for Mendocino County residents. WASHINGTON (AP) — Senators sharply questioned an hypothermia.