THE POSSIBILITY OF VOTER FRAUD IS ONCE AGAIN BEING INVESTIGATED IN MONTEREY COUNTY. COUNTY REGISTRAR OF VOTERS, TONY ANCHUNDO, SAID A FIRM (THAT WAS HIRED TO COLLECT SIGNATURES FOR STATE INITIATIVE PETITIONS) TURNED IN HUNDREDS OF VOTER REGISTRATION FORMS WITH INCOMPLETE OR WRONG INFORMATION. THE CONCERN IS THAT FRAUDULENT VOTER REGISTRATION APPLICATIONS ARE BEING USED TO PAD THE NUMBERS ON THE PETITION DRIVES.

IN 2002, SOME MEN FROM A CONTRACTING COMPANY IN FRESNO WERE PLACED ON PROBATION FOR PUTTING PHONY NAMES ON REGISTRATION APPLICATIONS IN MONTEREY COUNTY.

THE 2005 BIRD-A-THON WILL BE TAKING PLACE FROM FRIDAY AFTERNOON, UNTIL SATURDAY AFTERNOON. JILL He-MOAN-iss, THE OWNER OF THE WILD BIRD CENTER IN MONTEREY, SAID THE COUNTY IS TRYING TO GET BACK A SPECIAL DESIGNATION??AND THE PUBLIC IS INVITED TO HELP. THE COUNT WILL RUN FROM 4 P.M. TOMORROW (FRIDAY) AFTERNOON, UNTIL SATURDAY AFTERNOON AT 4 P.M. THE PUBLIC IS INVITED TO DO INDIVIDUAL OR TEAM BIRDING. FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE 2005 BIRD-A-THON, CALL THE WILD BIRD CENTER (IN THE DEL MONTE CENTER), OR THE VENTANA WILDERNESS SOCIETY?S BIG SUR ORNITHOLOGY LAB.

BACKYARD BIRD-FEEDER WATCHERS CAN CALL (831) 373 - 1000 WITH THEIR OBSERVATIONS (FROM 3 UNTIL 5 P.M. ON SATURDAY AFTERNOON).

A SALINAS MAN WAS ARRESTED YESTERDAY, BUT NOT UNTIL AFTER HE THREATENED HIS GIRLFRIEND WITH A KNIFE, AND RESISTED ARREST. 31 YEAR-OLD DAVID OLIGSCHLAGER REPORTEDLY HAD A LARGE KNIFE, AND A WITNESS HEARD HIM YELL "somebody's going to get stabbed, somebody's going to get shot", BEFORE OLIGSCHLAGER STABBED (AND PUNCHED) A MAILBOX NEAR HIS RESIDENCE. HE WAS BOOKED INTO MONTEREY COUNTY JAIL.

CALIFORNIA ATTORNEY GENERAL BILL LOCKYER HAS CHANGED DIRECTION AND ANNOUNCED HIS PLANS TO RUN FOR STATE TREASURER. LOCKYER SAID THAT ALTHOUGH HE WAS SURE HE COULD HAVE GOTTEN THE DEMOCRATIC NOMINATION TO RUN FOR GOVERNOR, HE DROPPED THOSE PLANS WHEN HE REALIZED CHARACTER ATTACKS AND A MONEY CHASE WOULD BE REQUIRED TO TAKE ON GOVERNOR SCHWARZENEGGER. HE SAID HE HAD LITTLE APPETITE FOR A NASTY CAMPAIGN SINCE HE WAS FED UP WITH PARTISAN BICKERING.