Ukiah Daily Journal from Ukiah, California • Page 2

2 -THURSDAY, JUNE 16, 2005 DAILY DIGEST Experts say with tsunami better safe than sorry Associated Press CRESCENT CITY Coastal dwellers in far northern California and southern Oregon knew to take it seriously when tsunami sirens sounded after a 7.2-magnitude offshore earthquake, and thousands of people were safely evacuated within minutes. Many here still remember the 1964 tsunami that killed 15 people along this stretch of the Pacific Coast. And while there were no destructive waves after Tuesday night's temblor, experts Wednesday praised the decision to announce a tsunami warning for the entire West Coast better safe than sorry, they said. Emergency managers in coastal communities in California, Oregon and Washington also praised the tsunami warning. More than any planned drill ever could, it gave them a chance to test out their systems, and see what needs fixing should true disaster strike, they said.

The quake actually did generate a tsunami of 1 centimeter, roughly the width of an adult finger. It wasn't detected by any equipment on shore, but registered on an ocean pressure- measuring buoy located about 350 miles off the coast of California. "This was the perfect tsunami it was small and it tested the system," said Costas Synolakis, director of the Tsunami Research Center at the University of Southern California. "Now, people know how quickly they need to respond." Officials in Oregon were glad the warning was issued so quickly, particularly given the devastation from a tsuflami triggered by a quake near Sumatra on Dec. 26.

The waves killed more than 176,000 people in 11 countries. "Along the Pacific Coast in that area, a tsunami could make landfall in 20 minutes; if (tsunami forecasters) wait for validation from seismological community, that could take 15 minutes or longer," said Jay Wilson, the Earthquake and Tsunami Program Coordinator in Oregon's Office of Emergency Management. "Based on everything that we saw in the Indian Ocean, it is critical to get the message out to people." In Crescent City, there were several reported car accidents as people jammed the roads, trying to make their way out of town, said resident Calvin Maready. Others went to the beach, to wait for the waves. "I don't know what was going through their heads," he said.

Six minutes after the quake struck at 7:50 p.m. about 90 miles southwest of Crescent City, the West Coast Alaska Tsunami Warning Center issued the first warning, for the West Coast from Mexico to Canada. A tsunami watch was issued for parts of southeast Alaska. The warning for the West Coast not a watch or an advisory was issued because policies dictate such action for quakes greater than a magnitude 7 located so near the coast, said Greg Romano, a National Weather Service spokesman. "Minutes count in these situations, particularly for those on the coast closest to the tsunami," Romano said.

"The need to get the word out, even without knowing specifically whether a tsunami will be created, is important and that's the reason it was done." At 7:59 p.m., the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in Hawaii issued art advisory stating that no tsunami watch or warning was in effect for coastal Hawaii, and by 9:09 PDT, the West Coast warning and watch were canceled. Responses to the West Coast warning varied. While sirens sounded and evacuations took place in Crescent City and parts of Oregon's coast, peo-r pie elsewhere heard the warnings through radio reports and informational crawls on TV. Many others heard nothing. "Crescent City did very well," Synolakis said.

"The rest of die coast, it was wait and see. But I don't know had there had been a big tsunami if this wait and see attitude would have carried the day." Ultimately, it's state and local emergency management officials who determine whether to broadcast alerts or order evacuations. At California's Office of Emergency Services, officials quickly warned counties of the potential for a tsunami, said OES spokeswoman Sheryl Tankersley, "and then we polled the counties to make sure they all received the warning." In Brookings, a retirement community just over the Oregon border from California, police Lt. John Bishop said the city needs to work on how to keep emergency 911 telephone lines open should a real tsunami hit. The warning "almost shut our 911 system down, and we don't want people to call asking if we had an quake," he said.

"We need to leave those lines open for services." Some far-flung coastal residents complained that no one had alerted them to the possible disaster. "The radio stations weren't telling us," Hammond, Ore. resident Ned Kirsher told The Daily Astorian newspaper. "I'm the most northwest house in Oregon. There's one dune between me and the ocean." County Continued from Page 1 future action on the matter.

It was perhaps Supervisor Hal Wagenet who best addressed the difficulty of the situation and the subsequent decision. "I received a call from a constituent who shall remain nameless, who said that he was opposed to the asphalt plant for various environmental concerns. In the same phone call, he asked for pavement on the county road by his site. Just leave it at that." To provide a bit of context, this story began when Northern Aggregates, otherwise known as Hot Rocks, began the lengthy bureaucratic process of trying to open an asphalt manufacturing facility in the county. Oddly enough, the idea for the Willits quarry surfaced in response to opposition of a North State Street Ukiah site.

Objections and the Planning Commission's eventual denial of the application stemmed from a concern with proximity to residential areas. Northern Aggregates appealed the Planning Commission's decision to the Board of Supervisors, but withdrew the appeal after a discussion with the board about potentially opening asphalt facilities at the Harris site. While prior and present zoning law only allows for the construction of such facilities on a temporary, project- specific basis, the board instructed staff to prepare an amendment that would allow for more permanent construction. After Frank Lynch, chief planner for the county, presented this information, Chairman Mike Delbar opened the public hearing. Most comments from the sizable crowd were distinctly opposed to the change.

Concerns ranged from the added truck traffic to potential impacts on La Vida Charter School to decreases in property value, but were generally environmental and aesthetic. 'Several speakers also addressed California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) concerns and spoke to the need of an environmental impact report (EIR) for the change in zoning law. A few people voiced their support of the proposed zon- ing law change. John Dickerson, of the Employers Council of Mendocino County, and Peter Bradford, president of the Mendocino County Farm Bureau, spoke in favor of the change. Their arguments tended toward gamed efficiency and lower costs of asphalt in the county.

After the public hearing was closed, discussion turned toward the potential need of an EIR. In response to a question from Supervisor Jim Wattenburger, acting County Counsel Frank Zotter recommended an EIR be completed before passage of the ordinance. "I think, given the number of comments, 'the range of comments, the credentials of the people who have brought them forward, that it dbe'sri't take much to raise a fair argument (to merit an EIR for this ordinance). Unfortunately, the way CEQA works, even if you have a feather on one side and a mountain of crushed gravel rock on the other side, it doesn't really matter. You still have to go with the fact that there's just enough evidence on this side.

That feather outweighs everything else that would otherwise support the idea of not using an EIR." With the sides clearly laid out Supervisors Wagenet, Kendall Smith and David Colfax leaning against the amendment Delbar made a laissez-faire argument supporting the removal of bureaucratic red-tape, particularly for Northern Aggregates, a local company. Wattenburger, who was admittedly straddling the fence on the issue, still maintained his "roots," sharing his colleague's free market desires and wanting to see this zoning change passed. Ultimately, Smith moved that the ordinance be denied without prejudice, hoping that Northern Aggregates or any other business interested in opening asphalt facilities would conduct a site-specific EIR. The motion passed, 3-2, with Wattenburger and Delbar in the minority. Call Today 462-4719 Cannabis Continued from Page 1 will focus on what he says is his right to cultivate and distribute marijuana as written in the Bible.

"We are going to stay open. They can't take from us what God gave us. It appears to me that the Supreme Court will uphold more of the Bible and people's religion than they will scientific proof," Crane said. "We were hoping that the medical marijuana would work because scientific proof is better than anything, else, but it doesn't look like that matters." With some 500 current patients and approximately 800 on file who have been customers in the past, Crane said patients from Ukiah have been directed to his co-op for medical marijuana. "The one club in Ukiah has been sending patients to us because they are not serving them any more.

They want to help the patients and people are stopping in from Ukiah," he said. "I can't be scared. I just have to keep trudging on. I don't believe that the government has any right to take away what God has given us." Dane Wilkins, executive director for the Northern California National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, said it's important for dispensaries to stay open and serve patients until the situation is clarified by state officials. "I think the dispensaries should stay open until we have a definitive answer from the state attorney general as to the legal point of view of the state.

I know they are investigating and studying it and doing the legal work," Wilkins said. "It is very important that the patients who are utilizing their services for medical marijuana still have the resource to get their medical marijuana, but at the same time there are many legal issues surrounding this and we want to do things the right way." United Medical Caregivef Clinic on North State Street closed last week after warnings that federal agents may come to close dispensaries, but Crane said he has not received any phone calls or cautions that his cooperative is in jeopardy. "When the government pulled cannabis out of the circle, they messed up the whole world. It is all a part of the circle that is the world," Crane said. "We are changing the name and I am talking to people about the Bible and spirituality of it.

It is a sacrament and it always has been; we just haven't been distributing it as that." Crane, who is now referring to himself as a "reverend," said deeming mari-' juana illegal violates his religious rights, which he said he will take to court if federal agents try to close his ll will i try 46 get an injuiictibh against them (federal agents) coming. We are going to the church and I am slowly checking into other religions and I am sure it is hi the King James version in many instances," he said. "We will go to the Supreme Court and we hope that the Supreme Court will uphold our right to have religion and interpret the Bible the way we. are interpreting it." "It says (in the Bible) that they are using cannabis. It is the tree of life that will heal all of the nations.

It is the only plant out there that could cure all of the world." Through his experiences from owning and operating a cannabis club, Crane said he thinks cooperatives should be regulated by the government, and the right to distribute marijuana should be his religious privilege. "There should be regulations and the government should be doing this whole thing, but they aren't so I have to do it. If they are selling alcohol and cigarettes, how dare they say no to cannabis," Crane said. "God gave us all of the roots and the things to take care of us. Everything we need is right here on earth; all we have to dp is use it.

I am trying to make a difference and I am trying to change it." IAMONDS CLEARANCE SALE on all Inventory In stock only Located at 102 School St. CA POLICE REPORTS The following were compiled from reports prepared by the Ukiah Police Department. To anonymously report crime information, call 463-6205. ARREST Jestin Bo Gott, 20, of Ukiah, was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence and probation violations at 10:08 p.m. Tuesday in the 200 block of Leslie, Street.

ThOM arrested by law enforcement' off leers are Innocent until proven guilty. People reported as having been arrested may contact the Dally Journal once their case has been concluded so the results can be reported. Those who feel the Information Is In error should contact the appropriate agency. In the case of those arrested on suspicion of driving under the Influence of an Intoxicant: all DUI cases reported by law enforcement agencies are reported by the newspaper. The Dally Journal makes no exceptions.

CORRECTIONS The Ukiah Daily Journal reserves this space to correct errors or make clarifications to news articles. Significant errors in obituary notices or birth announcements will result in reprinting the entire article. Errors may be reported to the editor, 4683526. LOTTERY NUMBERS DAILY 3: night: 8, 3, 9. afternoon: 3, 7, 0.

FANTASY 5: 06, 07, 15, 16,26. DAILY DERBY: 1st Place: 12, Lucky Charms. 2nd Place: 06, Whirl Win. 3rd Place: 04, Big Ben. Race time: 1:47.85.

LOTTO: 34-40-42-4445. Meganumber: 12. Jackpot: $10 million. Autopsy shows Schiavo was in persistent vegetative state Associated Press LARGO, Fla. The autopsy released Wednesday on Terri Schiavo backed her husband's contention that she was in a persistent vegetative state, finding she was severely and irreversibly brain-damaged and blind as well.

It also found no evidence that she was strangled or otherwise abused before she collapsed. Yet medical examiners could not say for certain what caused her sudden 1990 collapse, long thought to have been brought on by an.eating disorder. The findings vindicated Michael in his long and vitriolic battle with his in- laws; who insisted her condition was not hopeless and suggested that then- daughter was die victim of violence by their son-in-law. In its report, the medical examiner's office cast doubt on both the abuse and eating disorder theory. The autopsy results on the 41-year-old woman were made public more than two months after Schiavo died of dehydration on March 31 following the removal of her feeding tube 13 days earlier.

The death ended an extraordinary right-tordie battle that engulfed Congress and the White House. The autopsy showed that Schiavo's brain had shrunk to about half the normal size for a woman her age and that it bore signs of severe damage. "This damage was irreversible, and no amount of therapy or treatment would have regenerated the massive loss of neurons," said Pinellas- Pasco County Medical Examiner Dr. Jon Thogmartin, who led the autopsy team. He also said she was blind, because the "vision centers of her brain were dead." George Felos, attorney for Michael Schiavo, said the findings back up dieir contentions made "for years and years" that Terri Schiavo had no hope- of recovery.

He said Michael Schiavo plans to release autopsy photographs of her shrunken brain. "Mr. Schiavo has received so much criticism throughout this case that I'm certain there's a part of him that was pleased to hear these results and the hard science behind them," Felos said. Nevertheless, attorney David Gibbs HI said Schiavo's parents, Bob and Mary Schindler, continue to believe she was not in a vegetative state and questioned the conclusion that she was blind. Spa Pedicures 12 00 IMah Beauty College Supervised itudent work only, 1040 IV.

State The Ukiah Switchboard Jeff H. Caspersen, Jr. Sports Editor, 468-3518 Yvonne Bell-Office 468-3506 Circulation 468-3533 Richard Rosier Features Editor 468-3520 circulation Manager 468-3532 Chief Photographer ..,,,.,.,468.3534 Advertising 468-3529 Ertka Fierce-Advertising UDJ Web Kevin McConnell Publisher 468-3500 Ann Everett K.C. Meadows-Editor 468-3526 Joe Chavez-Advertising 468-3513 Cindy Delk-AdvertisingDirector 468-3510 WXSALLy OPERATED MEMBER Sue Whitman Group Systems Director EmUy MedlaNews Group. Published Dally by The Ukiah Dally Journal at 590 S.

School Ukiah, Mendocino County, CA. Phone: (707) 468-3500. Court Decree No. 9267 Periodicals Postage Paid at Ukiah', CA. to report a missed newspaper, call the Circulation Department between 5 and 6:30 p.m.

Monday through Friday, or between 7 and 9 weekends, POSTMASTER: Send address change? to: The Ukiah Dally Journal, Post Office Box 749, Ukiah, CA. 95482. Subscription rates tor home delivery as of March 1,2005 are 1 month for 3 months for and 1 year for Sunday- Friday 3 months (or $10.00, $3.34 (or 1 month. All prices do not include sales tax. Publication.