Little Caesars Entrepreneur FORUM takes NULL academy Our readers write championshp at college ............Page 6 ..............Page 3 ...................................Page 4 INSIDE Mendocino County’s World briefly The Ukiah local newspaper ..........Page 2 Tomorrow: Breezy and hot 7 58551 69301 0 WEDNESDAY June 13, 2007 50 cents tax included DAILY JOURNAL ukiahdailyjournal.com 16 pages, Volume 149 Number 65 email: [email protected] 43% pay raise a done deal By KATIE MINTZ from the consent calendar, which is The Daily Journal County supervisors give themselves $20,000 more; typically acted upon in one motion, The Mendocino County Board of for a separate vote. Without discus- Supervisors adopted an ordinance sion, the board voted 3-1, Tuesday morning that links board controversial increase approved without discussion Wattenburger dissenting and Delbar salaries to 40 percent of what The item was placed on the con- Hall after being introduced May 22 senting. absent by prearrangement. Mendocino County Superior Court sent calendar for adoption at the with a 3-2 vote, Supervisors Michael On Tuesday, Wattenburger judges make. meeting held in Fort Bragg Town Delbar and Jim Wattenburger dis- requested that the item be removed See RAISE, Page 16 UKIAH HIGH’S SCHOOL YEAR WINDS DOWN MURDER TRIAL Seniors out, juniors in DA’s case presented; Be ready for ‘realities of Raff likely life,’ principal to testify to advise class By BEN BROWN The Daily Journal The Daily Journal Retiring Ukiah High School Deputy District Attorney James Nerli Principal Ken Montoya will have a rested his case in the murder trial of Howard clear message to graduates when he Raff Tuesday on the testimony of several gets up to speak at Saturday’s gradua- forensic experts, including a firearms expert tion ceremony. and the contract county coroner. “Life is curly; don’t try to straight- Contract Coroner Dr. en it out.” Jason Trent testified that That sentiment the victim, Virginia comes from a book Larkin, died of a single he’s reading at the gunshot wound to the moment called head. “Fierce Conversa- The bullet entered tions,” by Susan Larkin’s head at the right Scott, a book that temple, traveled through has given Montoya her brain and lodged on inspiration for the the left side of her neck. Class of 2007. Larkin was taken from He wants to Ukiah to Santa Rosa Raff Memorial Hospital and impress upon this Montoya year’s graduating transferred from there to class that life will UC Davis Medical Center, where she bring changes and challenges and that remained in a coma for almost a week before they should be ready to face the “real- she died. ities of life.” Trent testified that the autopsy he per- Scott’s book discusses how people formed did not show any cause of death in the business world can vastly other than the bullet wound. improve their skills and successes “It is my opinion that this is a lethal injury simply by knowing how to communi- from which this person would never have cate effectively, including knowing recovered,” Trent said. one’s strengths and weaknesses. “In my opinion, she died in Ukiah,” he “Have a fierce conversation,” said. Montoya advises students getting out The bullet, a .380 round, was removed into the world. “And that doesn’t from Larkin’s neck by doctors at UC Davis. mean something bad. It means California Department of Justice Firearms engage, be prepared, because India Expert Toby Baxter testified that the bullet and China are not far behind.” removed from Larkin matched those he test- K.C. Meadows/The Daily Journal fired from a .380 Lorcin handgun that was The senior parking area at Ukiah High School was nearly deserted by lunch found at the scene. Tuesday. Police have alleged that Raff shot Larkin once in the head, removed the clip from the gun, and left the gun at the scene. When Raff turned himself in to Ukiah Seniors rush for the exits; Courthouse Security, he was carrying a loaded clip. Baxter said the clip surrendered at the courthouse matched the gun found at juniors prepare to move up the scene. By K.C. MEADOWS during his senior year and expects that to Ukiah Police Department Detective The Daily Journal mean “more freedom.” Glenn Stark testified that the Department of His friend, junior Brittany Kuny, also Justice Lab in Sacramento did not find any ne minute there’s a parking area thinks being a senior will be pretty fun. prints on the handgun and that the only print full of cars, SUVs and pickups “As a senior you have more options. on the clip was not identifiable. O sitting in the sunshine and the next, And only three classes,” she noted. “I Jurors also heard testimony from Los an empty lot. don’t know any seniors with a full Angeles County Criminalist Steven Dowell, In what seems like a scene from “Gone schedule.” who is an expert in gunshot residue, which in 60 Seconds,” seniors poured out of Meanwhile, Corcoran and Kuny are Juniors Brittany Kuny and Kiki are particles expelled from a gun when it is Ukiah High School Tuesday on the looking forward to a fun summer, Corcoran are looking forward to fired. countdown to their last day of high school. Corcoran volunteering at the Humane summer fun, followed by a school Dowell said two “highly specific” parti- There were slamming car doors, some Society shelter and working at Auto year when it’ll be their turn to be cles of gunshot residue were found on sam- calling to friends and a few honking horns Dismantlers, Kuny spending her time on part of Ukiah High’s senior class. ples taken from the back of Raff’s left hand. and then they were gone. It’s a sight that the coast “hanging out” and teaching her Raff is right-handed. has become familiar this week. boyfriend to surf. be above two other classes.” “This would not be an unusual find from But while seniors are movin’ on, juniors And as for sophomore Timmy Baker, The Class of 2008 is considerably someone who fired a firearm,” Dowell said. are movin’ up. And the thought of being a who will be working this summer for his bigger than this year’s graduating group. He said it is not uncommon to collect very senior is almost as good as graduation day. Mom at Scotty’s hot dog stand on North The Class of 2008 has 429 students few particles of gunshot residue when doing “I’m pretty much going to rule the State Street and then relaxing at the compared to this year’s senior class of collections in the field. school,” joked junior Kiki Corcoran as he driving range, there are two years yet to go 370. On cross-examination, Dowell testified relaxed on the Ukiah High campus during to graduation. that Raff could have gotten gunshot residue lunch Tuesday.” Corcoran will turn 18 But at least next year, as a junior, “I’ll See SCHOOL, Page 16 on his hands if there were any on surfaces in the police interview room where he was See RAFF, Page 16 2 – WEDNESDAY, JUNE 13, 2007 DAILY DIGEST Editor: Jody Martinez, 468-3517 The Ukiah Daily Journal [email protected] FUNERAL NOTICES [\ Eugene, Oregon, where brother. Milly be- any time between 1:00 p.m. Paving of 20 on Friday, June 15, their daughter Kerry came involved with helping to 5:00 p.m. In years. Donald loved to 2007 for 12 noon to 8:00 was born in 1965. After in the literacy for lieu of flowers a donation to work on his cars. He PM at the Eversole completing her bach- adults program, and the American will remembered for the Mortuary. A Funeral elor's degree, Milly went on enjoyed her participation Cancer Society will be love he had for his Service will be held on to law school at in the local play reading appreciated. family, and how much he Saturday, June 16, 2007 at the university of Oregon group. She also en- Arrangements under the loved to watch Den- 2:00 PM at the where she received joyed knitting and donating care of Eversole ny race. Eversole Mortuary. her Doctor of blankets for new- Mortuary. Donald is survived by his Entombment will take Jurisprudence in 1969. born babies. wife Marge Casha- place at Evergreen She began her legal She is survived by her [\ da of Ukiah, daughters Memorial Gardens. career working for the daughter, Kerry Gar- Brenda Martin, Mi- Arrangements are under Oregon State Supreme rett, and granddaughters, chelle Cashada, Lori the direction of the Court in Salem. After Corinne and Han- Cashada-Shoffeitt and Eversole Mortuary. several years she returned nah, of Salem, Oregon, as husband Keith all of Ukiah, to Eugene where well as her moth- son Denny Cash- [\ she taught law at the er, Elsie Walker of Ukiah, ada and wife Veronica of DARREN WILLIAM BURDEN University of Oregon for sister Marilyn Aicar- Redwood Valley, Darren William Burden, three years. She then di of Las Cruces, new sisters Eileen Conrad of went to be with our returned to Salem and Mexico, brother Walter Hamilton, Montana, Lord on June 8, 2007. Born MILDRED JEAN CARMACK resumed working for the Brown of Montgomery Carol Cashada and hus- January 7, 1966 September 3, 1938 - Supreme Court. In Village, Maryland, band Jeff Hernandez in Vallejo, CA. Darren June 7, 2007 1980 she moved to step-sister Wini Claiborne of Ukiah, Nancy Sacco and lived most of his life in Mildred Jean Carmack Portland, Oregon, joining of Wrightwood, husband Dave of Manteca, CA working as a was born on Septem- the law firm of Schwabe, California, and step-broth- Folsom, Ca.