Community Your health: FORUM sports digest Ask Dr. Gott Why Measure V? .............Page 6 ..............Page 3 ...................................Page 4 INSIDE Mendocino County’s World briefly The Ukiah local newspaper ..........Page 2 Tomorrow: Sunny and very warm 7 58551 69301 0 TUESDAY May 16, 2006 50 cents tax included DAILY JOURNAL ukiahdailyjournal.com 16 pages, Volume 148 Number 37 email: [email protected] City looks for Death on Highway 20 ways to curb sewer bills The Daily Journal The Ukiah City council this week will be looking at how it might give seniors and low-income resi- dents a break on the new higher sewer and water fees that went into effect in December. Because state law prohibits the city from reducing rates for one sector of the public by increasing rates to, say, larger users, the city is trying to find inven- tive ways to help seniors and low income residents. Among the things they’ll look at: • Using General Fund monies to subsidize the cost to these seniors and low-income residents. However, it’s unknown how that would impact the city’s bud- get. See AGENDA, Page 14 Votes in on winegrape commission By BEN BROWN The Daily Journal The polls have closed on the vote to approve or deny the Mendocino Wine and Winegrape Isaac Eckel/The Daily Journal Commission and the required 40 percent of ballots The remains of a Toyota truck and debris line Route 20 after it collided with a semi truck Monday, killing the driver of from grape growers and wine makers have been col- the Toyota and closing the road in both directions. See Page 2 for more photos. lected. Ballots were sent out on April 14 to a voter roll determined by the California Department of Food and Agriculture and voters had 30 days to respond. By May 7, more than 40 percent of winemakers Road closed, traffic diverted had responded but only 27 percent of grape growers had. If 40 percent of ballots had not been returned by Death on Highway 20 bound on Highway 20 when she approximately 55 miles-per- “It just exploded,” said May 12, the Mendocino Winegrowers Alliance By BEN BROWN made a sudden left turn across a hour when he struck the uniden- Peterson said of the camper. “It would have had to ask CDFA to extend the voting an The Daily Journal solid yellow line for unknown tified woman’s Toyota. Brett was like a special effect.” additional 30 days. One woman was killed in a reasons. slammed on the brakes and No one else was hurt in the The commission can be approved one of two head-on collision on Highway Joanne Peterson, who was pulled his vehicle over to the accident, the cause of which ways; either a majority of the voting roll responsible 20 Monday when her Toyota following behind the unidenti- North side of the road, Benedetti remains under investigation. for 65 percent of the total tonnage of grapes grown in camper-truck was hit by a semi fied woman, said she thought the said. Traffic on Highway 20 was Mendocino County can vote to approve, or a 65 per- truck at around 3:25 p.m. truck may have blown a tire. The Toyota tumbled along the backed up in both directions. cent majority of the voting roll responsible for a California Highway Patrol “It was like she was turning a side of the semi truck, throwing The line in the westbound lane majority of the grapes grown in the county must vote Officer Patty Benedetti said the corner in front of him,” Peterson off debris, and came to a rest extended approximately 3 miles. to approve. woman, who at press time had said. between the eastbound and Highway 20 was reopened at John Enquist, executive director of the not yet been identified but is The driver of the semi truck, westbound lanes. Peterson’s car about 5:30 p.m. Mendocino Winegrowers Alliance said CDFA was believed to have been from Brett Clary of Star City, was struck by a piece of that Ben Brown can be reached at allowing a few days for the final votes to arrive and Clearlake, was traveling west- Arkansas, was traveling at debris. [email protected] then would begin counting. Enquist said he expected to have a final tally of votes by the end of the week. It’s Bike To Work Week, ride on two wheels and get fed By BEN BROWN A cyclist himself, Schat said he get back into it. The Ukiah Daily Journal will probably save $25 or more “This may be all it takes to get Zack Schat, owner of Schat’s on gas this week by riding his me going again,” Lefebvre said. Courthouse Bakery and Cafe, bike to work from his home in Randy Goodman, stopping in stands in two blocked-off parking Redwood Valley. with his son David, said he was spaces behind a card table full of Mechanics from Denny’s Bikes riding his bike a lot more since muffins, coffee and tea. He offers and Dave’s Bike Shop will also gasoline prices topped $3 per gal- food and drink to those who be on hand during the week to lon. approach on bicycle and good- tune-up riders’ bikes while they Goodman said he remembered naturedly heckles those who eat breakfast. his first job delivering newspa- come in on foot. Schat said he is This is the first year Schat has pers on heavy Schwinn when he doing his part to promote aware- been directly involved with Bike was a child. He said he used to ness of bicycles and bike com- To Work Week. He said in previ- see bikes everywhere in Ukiah muting during national Bike To ous years he was approached by and the bike racks at schools were Work Week. fundraisers who were organizing always full, but now it is less and The League of American their own event. When none less the case. Bicyclists announced that showed up this year, Schat and According to the 2000 census Monday, May 15, through Friday his friends decided to take matters there are between 450,000 and May 19 is national Bike to Work into our own hands. 750,000 regular bicycle com- Week. “We took it upon ourselves to muters in the United States, In commemoration of this keep it going,” Schat said. between 106,000 and 134,000 in event, and in order to encourage Only a few riders showed up California. people to ride more and drive the first day but Schat was opti- Ben Brown can be reached at less, Schat’s courthouse Bakery mistic that there would be more [email protected] and Cafe will be offering free cof- as the week progressed, especially Isaac Eckel/The Daily Journal fee and muffins between 7:30 on Friday which is National Bike Brian Pollaccia (left), and a.m. and 9 a.m., through Friday, to Work Day. Zack Schat, talk bikes with to anyone riding their bike to Among those who did show up Steven Guss as he drinks a work. were Helen Lefebvre, a teacher’s cup of coffee. Schat’s will be “This is usually the time peo- aide at Yokayo school. Lefebvre giving away early morning ple start breaking their bikes out said she used to ride more than coffee and muffins to bicy- of storage,” Schat said. she does now but was hoping to clers to work this week. 2 – TUESDAY, MAY 16, 2006 DAILY DIGEST Editor: K.C. Meadows, 468-3526 The Ukiah Daily Journal [email protected] The world briefly MORE ON HIGHWAY 20 ACCIDENT Rove blames Iraq says is a lack of support by Flooded New President Hugo Chavez’s gov- war for low ernment for counterterrorism. England hit Bush numbers The announcements came with more rain as the West grasps for carrots WASHINGTON (AP) — or sticks to counter what it HAVERHILL, Mass. (AP) Presidential adviser Karl claims is a growing risk of — Emergency crews used Rove blamed the war in Iraq nuclear proliferation in Iran. boats to rescue people trapped on Monday for dragging Although the United States is in their homes and sewage down President Bush’s job not now dangling the promise systems overflowed Monday approval ratings in public of normal diplomatic relations as rain pounded New England opinion polls. “People like for the fourth straight day in this president,” Rove said. with Iran, it pointed to Libya’s decision as an international what could prove to be the “They’re just sour right now region’s worst flooding in on the war.” example. “The United States hopes decades. Rove said that Bush’s like- The rain totals could hit 15 that states with even more ability ratings are far higher inches by Monday afternoon, threatening WMD and missile than his approval ratings. triggering the worst flooding “There is a disconnect” programs will see Libya’s in some areas since 1936, the because of the Iraq conflict, experience as a model to emu- National Weather Service Rove told the American late,” a State Department fact said. Enterprise Institute. sheet on the Libya deal said. In the Merrimack Valley, “I think the war looms over north of Boston on the New everything. There’s no doubt 7 GIs killed Hampshire line, the about it,” Rove said during a Merrimack and Spicket rivers question-and-answer session over the overflowed their banks and after a speech on the economy weekend in Iraq forced the evacuations of hun- at the conservative think tank.