A MAJOR STATE AND FEDERAL CRACKDOWN ON UNSCRUPULOUS MARKETERS OF WORK-AT-HOME SCAMS HAS PRODUCED RESULTS. ATTORNEY GENERAL BILL LOCKYER TODAY ANNOUNCED THAT 200 OPERATIONS HAVE BEEN CHARGED WITH CRIMINAL OR CIVIL VIOLATIONS OF FRAUD AND CONSUMER PROTECTION LAWS, IN AN ENFORCEMENT SWEEP, KNOWN AS PROJECT BIZ OPP. FLOP. CONSUMERS ARE BEING WARNED TO BE WARY OF TELEVISION, RADIO OR NEWSPAPER ADVERTISEMENTS THAT PROMOTE CAN?T-MISS ?BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES? THAT WILL BRING THEM LOTS OF MONEY IF THEY BUY A PRODUCT AND RESELL IT TO THE PUBLIC. IN THE CALIFORNIA CASES, THE DEFENDANTS DEFRAUDED VICTIMS OUT OF MORE THAN $250,000. IN MANY CASES A LIFETIME OF SAVINGS WAS WIPED OUT. CALIFORNIA EFFORTS TO FIND THE FRAUDULENT MARKETERS WERE JOINED BY LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES IN 13 OTHER STATES, THE FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION, THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, AND THE U.S. POSTAL INSPECTION SERVICE.

4 PEOPLE WERE INJURED IN A 2-VEHICLE CRASH ON HIGHWAY 17 SUNDAY EVENING. THE 6:30 P.M. ACCIDENT OCCURRED NEAR VINE HILL ROAD, AFTER A 22 YEAR-OLD MAN LOST CONTROL OF HIS P.T. CRUISER, AND SLAMMED IT INTO A FORD F-350 PICKUP TRUCK. BOTH DRIVERS SUFFERED MAJOR INJURIES, WHILE 2 PASSENGERS IN THE PICK-UP TRUCK SUFFERED MINOR- TO-MODERATE INJURIES.

A FATAL ACCIDENT OCCURRED ON HIGHWAY 1 EARLY THIS MORNING. 1 PERSON HAS BEEN CONFIRMED DEAD, WHILE 2 MORE WERE AIRLIFTED TO STANFORD MEDICAL CENTER, AFTER THE 3:46 A.M. ACCIDENT (JUST NORTH OF STATE PARK DRIVE) IN APTOS.

YESTERDAY?S HIGH WINDS CAUSED A NUMBER OF TREES TO FALL AND BLOCK ROADWAYS AROUND THE TRI-COUNTY AREA. AT LEAST ONE OF THOSE TREES WAS A LARGE EUCALYPTUS, THAT CLOSED PORTER GULCH ROAD IN APTOS AROUND 4 P.M. THE TREE KNOCKED DOWN POWER LINES, THAT LEFT 114 P. G. & E. CUSTOMERS WITHOUT POWER FOR ABOUT 3 AND A HALF HOURS.