Pearson, Sundays in HOW TO GUIDE Chapman the Park Special section drafted to MLB special section ...................................,,,,Inside ............Page 6 ................Inside INSIDE Mendocino County’s World briefly The Ukiah local newspaper ..........Page 2 Tomorrow: Mostly sunny and warm 7 58551 69301 0 THURSDAY June 8, 2006 50 cents tax included DAILY JOURNAL ukiahdailyjournal.com 16 pages, Volume 148 Number 60 email: [email protected] HIT-AND-RUN New federal regulations slow election results County working not posted to Mendocino The delay, according to “This was the first time we the election office rather than Arrest County’s Web site until 1:54 Mendocino County Asses- used the touchscreen equip- sent by modem directly from to speed process for a.m. Wednesday, notably sor/Clerk-Recorder Marsha ment,” Wharff said. “There polling places as done in the November election later than in previous elec- Wharff, was due in part to are new processes that are in past. This allows election tions. But by later the same new regulations following place now for checking the workers to manually verify made in By KATIE MINTZ morning, county officials had the move to electronic touch- memory cards from (these) that memory cards storing the The Daily Journal already begun work toward screen machines at polling polling machines.” votes have not been tampered The final unofficial results speeding up the process for locations as required by fed- One change, she said, is death of for Tuesday’s election were the November election. eral law. that results must be driven to See RESULTS, Page 16 walker Suspect arrested after going to CHP FUEL PRICES MAY DRIVE INCREASE office over ticket By BEN BROWN The Daily Journal Sanisidro Pedro Navarro, 21, of Ukiah, was booked into MTA ponders fare hike county jail on suspicion of manslaughter, hit-and-run causing death or injury, driving Riders asked under the influence and destroying evidence at 10:01 to provide input p.m. Monday. By BEN BROWN Navarro was arrested in con- The Daily Journal nection with the hit-and-run The Mendocino Transit death of Richard Swafford, 38, Authority is seeking public input of Ukiah, who was killed on into a potential fare increase at April 22. public meetings held concurrently According to police reports, in Ukiah and Fort Bragg at 1:30 Swafford was walking in an p.m. today. unknown direction on the The goal is to gather input from shoulder of North State Street, those who use both the bus and north of Parducci Road, when Dial-a-Ride, said MTA General he was struck by a vehicle trav- Manager Bruce Richard. eling south on North State “We’re trying to find out from Street . the public how much of an CHP officer Robert Simas increase we should have,” he said. said evidence collected at the The Ukiah meeting will be held scene, including vehicle parts at the Public Health building at that had broken loose in the 1120 S. Dora St. in conference collision, led CHP officers to room 2. The Fort Bragg meeting believe they were looking for a will be at the Police Department at 1996 Mazda 626. 250 Cypress St. “We were able to determine According to a report prepared the type of vehicle and what by Richard, the cost per hour of color it was,” Simas said. operating MTA vehicles has On Monday, the suspect, increased 47 percent since the last Navarro, came to the CHP time fares were increased in June office to take care of a traffic of 2000. ticket relating to mechanical “A significant portion of that is problems with his car. due to gas increases,” said MTA Isaac Eckel/The Daily Journal In dealing with those issues, Marketing and Planning Director Mendocino Transit Authority driver Jim Nunn collects a fare from Jack, a regular bus rider, an officer went out to look at Glenna Blake. on Wednesday afternoon. MTA is asking riders to voice their input regarding potential fare Navarro’s vehicle, which was According to Richard’s report, increases at a public meeting at 1:30 p.m. today. found to match the make, the price of bulk gasoline pur- model and color of the suspect chased by MTA has increased In one of the plans proposed by car. Navarro’s vehicle was also from $1.40 per gallon to $3 per MTA, the price of travel in a sin- missing some of the parts gallon since the last fare increase. gle zone would increase to $1, but found at the scene of the hit- The cost of bulk diesel has also the price of travel to additional and-run, Simas said. risen, from 97 cents per gallon to See MTA, Page 16 Based on statements made $2.58 per gallon, in that time. In during an interview and physi- addition, the cost of health insur- cal evidence found at the scene, ance, labor and other factors have Riders disembark an MTA CHP officers believe that also risen. bus at the Mendocino Col- Navarro was driving the vehi- MTA is required by state law to lege bus stop Wednesday cle at the time of the accident, recoup a certain percentage of its afternoon. MTA will hold a Simas said. operating cost through revenue public meeting today at the The CHP is not releasing generated from fares, Richard Public Health building to any statements Navarro may said. discuss how much fares have made as to why he The current fares are broken up should increase due to high allegedly fled the scene after by zone. Riding the bus in a single fuel prices, and is asking its the accident. Simas said the zone costs a rider 75 cents; riding riders for their input either at case remains under investiga- into a second zone will cost an the meeting or through tion. additional 75 cents for every addi- mailed or e-mailed com- Navarro was booked into the tional zone. ments. county jail, where he is being held on a $75,000 bond. Ben Brown can be reached at [email protected]. COMMISSION WAITS FOR WORD ON GRANT Local Albertsons not affected Western Hills trail the goal By JAMES ARENS the trail) has been going on for about two by nationwide store closures The Daily Journal years.” The Daily Journal Northern California will be happening in the The Paths, Open Space and Creeks The POSCC has been trying to connect Albertsons Grocery Stores has announced Bay Area, and Albertsons will be closing Commission met last week to discuss its trails, on two parcels of land about 40 acres it’s closing some of its supermarkets, but none approximately 100 stores nationwide. recent application for a grant to build a new each, in Low Gap Park to trails on city land of its local stores are on the chopping block. The reason for closing Albertsons Grocery trail in the Western Hills. north and west of the golf course. The land is “We have no closures in Mendocino Stores is to make the stores more efficient for “We hope to hear an answer for the grant zoned rural residential and the POSCC is try- County,” said Stacia Levenfeld, spokeswoman its customers and for the company, she said. in about two weeks,” said commissioner for the Northern California Albertsons stores. Jamie Connerton. “This process (building of See TRAIL, Page 16 The brunt of the 37 store closures in See ALBERTSONS, Page 16 SaberFAST DSL for $1195* p/m 800-989-8851 • www.saber.net * Terms & conditions apply. M Y C K 2 – THURSDAY, JUNE 8, 2006 DAILY DIGEST Editor: Jody Martinez, 468-3517 The Ukiah Daily Journal [email protected] ambulance to Ukiah Valley FUNERAL NOTICES POLICE REPORTS Medical Center for treatment. The following were Nordin detained the two [\ United States, Gap Road, Kevin Maxwell, Judy and compiled from reports suspects a short distance from Canada and the Ukiah, on Friday, June 9th, Carlos Fagundes, prepared by the Ukiah the store and arrested them on Philippines. She is preceded 2006, from 4:00 to Kathryn and Sonny Hoese , Police Department. To suspicion of the listed in death by her son, James 8:00 p.m. The memorial son Robert Lee anonymously report charges. They were booked Bruce Dean and service will be held at and Cheryl Smith, sixteen crime information, call into county jail on a $75,000 parents, Lorne and Beulah 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, grandchildren, six- 463-6205. bond each. Hilts. June 10th, 2006, at teen great grandchildren ARREST -- A juvenile ARREST -- Salvador She graduated from the Church of Jesus Christ and 3 great great boy, age and hometown not Garcia Lemus, 22, of Willits, Modesto High School in of Latter-Day grandchildren also survive. listed, was arrested on suspi- was arrested on suspicion of 1956 and, after two years at Saints, 1337 S. Dora, in She was preced- cion of battery of a school inflicting corporal injury, vio- Modesto J.C., Ukiah. Interment will ed in death by her grand- official in the 1000 block of lating a court order and parole she attended San Jose State, follow at 1:30 p.m. at children Robert W. Low Gap Road at 2:36 p.m. violations at 1:47 p.m. where she Evergreen Cemetery on Smith and Margaret Dollene Tuesday. Tuesday. earned her B.A. and Anderson Valley Way in Ferguson. Elementary Teaching Boonville, California. The Eversole Mortuary is Those arrested by law enforcement officers are innocent until proven guilty. Credential in June of 1960. Arrangements are under in charge of SHERIFF’S REPORTS People reported as having been arrest- On June 30th, the direciton of the arrangements.