TODAY?S PRESS CONFERENCE, REGARDING THE DEATH OF A SALINAS MAN, WILL BE HELD IN THE SALINAS CITY HALL ROTUNDA. POLICE CHIEF DANIEL ORTEGA WILL HOLD THE CONFERENCE AT 3 P.M., TO INFORM PEOPLE OF THE SITUATION SURROUNDING THE DEATH OF 40 YEAR-OLD ROBERT HESTON. THAT AFTER HESTON WAS HIT BY POLICE TASERS 5 TIMES, AFTER HE ATTACKED HIS FATHER, AND THREATENED SALINAS POLICE OFFICERS.

STATE SENATOR JEFF DENHAM THIS MORNING INTRODUCED 2 MEASURES AIMED AT FURTHER RESTRICTING THE STATE'S RELEASE OF SEXUALLY VIOLENT PREDATORS. SENATE BILL 722 WOULD ORDER THE DEPARTMENT OF MENTAL HEALTH TO FORMULATE A PLAN TO HOUSE RECENTLY RELEASED SEXUALLY VIOLENT PREDATORS IN A REMOTE AND SECURE LOCATION. DENHAM'S 2ND MEASURE, SENATE BILL 723, IS AIMED AT BLOCKING THE DEPARTMENT OF MENTAL HEALTH (OR THEIR CONTRACTOR) FROM PLACING SEXUALLY VIOLENT PREDATORS NEAR SCHOOLS. DENHAM HAS PERSONALLY BATTLED AGAINST THE ATTEMPTED PLACEMENT OF CARY VERSE (NEAR A SCHOOL IN MERCED COUNTY), BRIAN DEVRIES (NEAR FARMWORKER HOUSING IN MONTEREY COUNTY), AND SPOKE OUT AGAINST THE PLACEMENT OF PATRICK GHILLOTTI IN AN UNSUSPECTING RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD IN SOLANO COUNTY.

NO ONE WAS INJURED IN 2 SEPARATE SHOOTINGS IN SALINAS LAST NIGHT. IN THE FIRST INCIDENT, 4-6 GUNSHOTS WERE HEARD JUST BEFORE 5:30 P.M., AND AN UNOCCUPIED VEHICLE (ON ATLANTIC) SUFFERED DAMAGE TO ITS WINDSHIELD. IN THE SECOND SHOOTING, ABOUT 6 SHOTS WERE FIRED INTO A RESIDENCE ON VALENCIA, JUST AFTER 10 P.M.

2 MEN HAVE BEEN SENTENCED FOR BEATING A 54 YEAR-OLD DISABLED HOLLISTER MAN WITH A BASEBALL BAT IN 2003. 24 YEAR-OLD ALDO SOLORIO, AND 21 YEAR-OLD EDGAR CORTEZ, COULD HAVE EACH FACED 38 YEARS IN PRISON, BECAUSE THEY WERE INITIALLY CHARGED WITH ATTEMPTED FIRST DEGREE MURDER. INSTEAD, SOLORIO AND CORTEZ ACCEPTED A PLEA BARGAIN , AND SO EACH MAN HAS BEEN SENTENCED TO SPEND 17 YEARS IN PRISON.