ALTHOUGH INITIALLY A SUPREME COURT RULING ON MEDICAL MARIJUANA WAS THOUGHT TO BE IMMINENT, THE CASE KNOWN AS RAICH VS. ASHCROFT COULD BE DECIDED BY THE U.S. SUPREME COURT ANYTIME BETWEEN NOW, AND THE END OF JUNE. THE DIRECTOR OF DRUG POLICY ALLIANCE AND LEGAL AFFAIRS, DAN ABRAHAMS, SAID IF THE DECISION COMES DOWN BADLY FOR RAICH, THE SANTA CRUZ-BASED WOMEN?S ALLIANCE FOR MEDICAL MARIJUANA, (WHICH FOR YEARS HAS GIVEN TERMINALLY (AND CHRONICALLY) ILL PATIENTS IN THIS AREA ACCESS TO THE HERBAL MEDICATION), WILL GO BACK TO COURT ON SEVERAL OTHER ISSUES.

A BABY GIRL IS SAFE AND SOUND WITH HER PARENTS AGAIN. THAT AFTER A CAR-JACKING AND KIDNAPPING THAT TOOK PLACE IN CHUALAR LAST NIGHT. THE INCIDENT BEGAN AT THE CHUALAR TACO BELL (AROUND 7:30 P.M.) WHEN THE SUSPECT PUSHED THE LITTLE GIRL'S FATHER AWAY FROM HIS TRUCK, JUMPED INTO THE VEHICLE AND DROVE AWAY WITH THE LITTLE STILL IN THE TRUCK. THE GIRL'S FATHER THEN GAVE CHASE (DRIVING HIS WIFE'S VEHICLE). AFTER HITTING SPEEDS OF UP TO 100 MILES PER HOUR ON HIGHWAY 101 NORTHBOUND, THE CHASE ENDED IN SALINAS WHEN THE FATHER RAMMED THE VEHICLE HE WAS DRIVING, INTO THE TRUCK THE SUSPECT WAS DRIVING. THE SUSPECT FLED THE SCENE ON FOOT AND HAS NOT BEEN LOCATED. THE FATHER RETRIEVED HIS DAUGHTER FROM THE TRUCK. SHE SUFFERED ONLY MINOR FACIAL SCRATCHES AND A BUMP ON THE HEAD.

A CENTRAL COAST SENATOR HAS INTRODUCED LEGISLATION THAT WOULD SEGREGATE CALIFORNIA'S SEXUALLY VIOLENT PREDATORS. STATE SENATOR JEFF DENHAM IS SPONSORING SB 722 THAT WOULD KEEP THE MOST VIOLENT SEX OFFENDERS TOGETHER IN A REMOTE AND ISOLATED LOCATION, AFTER THEIR RELEASE. WASHINGTON STATE ALREADY HAS A PROGRAM, WHERE PREDATORS ARE HOUSED IN A FACILITY LOCATED ON AN ISLAND JUST OFF THE COAST. THE BILL WOULD REQUIRE THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF MENTAL HEALTH TO ESTABLISH A "SECURE AND REMOTE" FACILITY THAT IS FAR AWAY FROM COMMUNITIES AND SCHOOLS.

THE ATTORNEYS GENERALS OF 47 STATES INCLUDING CALIFORNIA, HAVE REACHED AN AGREEMENT WITH BLOCKBUSTER INCORPORATED, TO SETTLE ALLEGATIONS THEY MISLED CONSUMERS IN ADVERTISING ITS "END OF LATE FEES" OR "NO LATE FEES" PROGRAM. THE SUIT STATED THE ADVERTISING DIDN'T DISCLOSE THAT CUSTOMERS WHO KEEP THE ITEM MORE THAN 7 DAYS (AFTER ITS DUE DATE), ARE AUTOMATICALLY CHARGED THE RETAIL PRICE, UNLESS THEY RETURN IT WITHIN 30 DAYS. EVEN IF THE ITEM IS RETURNED WITHIN 30 DAYS, THEY STILL MUST PAY A "RESTOCKING" FEE. CUSTOMERS WRONGLY THOUGHT THEY WOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY ANY LATE FEES. NOW ALL BLOCKBUSTER STORES WILL HAVE TO CLEARLY AND CONSPICUOUSLY DISPLAY THEIR POLICY. ALSO CUSTOMERS CAN OBTAIN REFUNDS OF SOME FEES. A REQUEST FOR RESTITUTION MUST BE MADE IN WRITING AND ALLEGE A FAILURE TO UNDERSTAND THE "NO LATE FEE" PROGRAM. REFUND FORMS ARE AVAILABLE AT BLOCKBUSTER STORES.