ABOUT 70 SUPPORTERS OF THE $100 MILLION HOTEL AND CONFERENCE CENTER PROJECT RALLIED OUTSIDE THE CIVIC AUDITORIUM IN SANTA CRUZ TODAY. THEY ARE ASKING SANTA CRUZ VOTERS NOT TO SIGN A PETITION THAT WOULD CREATE A SPECIAL ELECTION ON THE ISSUE. THEY HAVE THE SUPPORT OF MAYOR MIKE ROTKIN WHO SAID "WE NEED TO GET THIS PROJECT GOING." SANTA CRUZ WOULD LOSE ABOUT $700,000 A YEAR IN TAX REVENUE WHILE THE HOTEL IS BEING BUILT, BUT ONCE COMPLETE UNION REPRESENTATIVES SAY IT WILL ADD MUCH-NEEDED EMPLOYMENT IN THE AREA.

A RECENT INVESTIGATION OF A NATIONAL DATA WAREHOUSE FOUND SERIOUS I.D. THEFT, AND THE HIGHEST NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS AFFECTED WAS IN CALIFORNIA. ALMOST 150 THOUSAND PEOPLE HAD PERSONAL INFORMATION COMPROMISED, AND THE LARGEST SHARE WAS IN CALIFORNIA. MORE THAN 34 THOUSAND CALIFORNIANS HAD WARNING NOTICES SENT TO THEM FROM THE ATLANTA-BASED CHOICE POINT CORPORATION. THE CREDIT REPORTING AGENCY HAS 19 BILLION PUBLIC RECORDS IN ITS DATABASE. LOCAL AUTHORITIES REPORT IDENTITY THEFT AS ONE OF THE FASTEST GROWING CRIMES.

MOUNTAIN BIKES COULD SOON NOT BE ALLOWED IN NISENE MARKS PARK. A JUDGE RULED THAT MOUNTAIN BIKES AT THE SANTA CRUZ COUNTY PARK WOULD PROMOTE EROSION. HE COMPARED THE BIKES TO HORSES WHICH WERE BANNED FROM THE PARK YEARS AGO DUE TO EROSION CONCERNS. BIKERS SAY THE IMPACT IS MORE LIKE A PEDESTRIAN, THAN A 1000 POUND HORSE. THE BAN IS NOT EXPECTED TO GO INTO EFFECT FOR AT LEAST A COUPLE OF MONTHS, WHILE THE PROSPECTS OF AN APPEAL ARE STUDIED.

ENVIRONMENTALISTS ARE CONCERNED ABOUT PLANS TO IMPROVE CALIFORNIA'S RANKING AS ONE OF THE LEAST AFFORDABLE PLACES TO LIVE IN THE U.S. OUR STATE IS 48 OUT OF THE 50 STATES, IN TERMS OF AFFORDABILITY. THE GOVERNOR'S PLAN (DUE OUT IN THE SPRING) IS EXPECTED TO REMOVE SOME ROADBLOCKS TO NEW HOME CONSTRUCTION. ONLY 59 PERCENT OF CALIFORNIANS OWN THEIR OWN HOME, WHILE THE NATIONAL AVERAGE IS 68 PERCENT. CLEARING THE WAY FOR BUILDERS WOULD ENCOURAGE URBAN SPRAWL ACCORDING TO ENVIRONMENTALISTS. OUR TRI-COUNTY AREA HAS BEEN CONSISTENTLY BEHIND IN STATE MANDATED HOUSING LEVELS. IN 2002 THE LITTLE HOOVER COMMISSION REPORTED TO GOVERNOR DAVIS AND THE LEGISLATURE, THAT THE HOUSING SHORTAGE IS SO SEVERE, IT THREATENS TO MUTE THE STATE'S ECONOMIC POTENTIAL BECAUSE OF CONSISTENT UNDER-BUILDING. THE REPORT FOUND THE PROBLEM CHRONIC AND GETTING WORSE, SAYING THE GREATEST BURDEN FALLS ON THE POOREST CALIFORNIANS.