SANTA CRUZ RESIDENTS (ALONG WITH CITY OFFICIALS) EXPRESSED CONCERN AT THE WEDNESDAY NIGHT PUBLIC MEETING, THAT DISCUSSED PLANS TO EXPAND U.C.S.C. IT TOOK PLACE AT THE UCSC INN AND CONFERENCE CENTER ON OCEAN STREET THE UNIVERSITY WANTS TO ADD ANOTHER 6,000 STUDENTS AND 2,000 FACULTY AND STAFF, BY THE YEAR 2020. AT ISSUE IS THE IMPACT OF MORE TRAFFIC, A LACK OF HOUSING, AND ADDED WATER DEMANDS. UCSC SPOKESWOMAN LIZ IRWIN SAYS THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT WILL BE THE NEXT PHASE OF THE PROPOSED 15-YEAR-PLAN. BUT SHE TAKES EXCEPTION WITH THOSE THAT SAY HER SCHOOL HAS NOT BEEN OPEN TO COMMUNITY INPUT.
SHE SAY PUBLIC MEETINGS ARE PRESCRIBED BY LAW, AND HER SCHOOL MEETS AND EXCEEDS ALL REQUIREMENTS. SHE SAYS IT SHOULD NOT BE AN "US-THEM" SITUATION, BUT THE COMMUNITY MUST WORK TOGETHER TO MOVE FORWARD. IRWIN SAYS FOR FUTURE MEETINGS, THE PUBLIC SHOULD KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR ADDS PURCHASED IN THE PRINT MEDIA, OR ANNOUNCED IN THE CAMPUS NEWSPAPER NAMED ?THE CURRENT? WHICH IS AVAILABLE ON LINE TO EVERYONE, AS WELL AS ON THE SCHOOL HOME PAGE AT:
WWW.UCSC.EDU

A HIGH SPEED CHASE THURSDAY MORNING, ENDED SAFELY WITH THE DRIVER TAKEN INTO CUSTODY. THE PURSUIT BEGAN ON THE NORTH COAST OF HIGHWAY 1, WHEN A C-H-P OFFICER ATTEMPTED A STOP, AND ENDED IN THE SANTA CRUZ CITY LIMITS. 34-YEAR-OLD JEFFERY PAULINE LED THE CHASE AT SPEEDS AS HIGH AS 125 MILES PER HOUR. HE PASSED OTHER MOTORISTS AT OVER 100 MILES PER HOUR, CROSSING THE DOUBLE YELLOW LINE, AND EVEN DRIVING ON THE RIGHT SHOULDER. PAULINE IGNORED TRAFFIC SIGNALS AND FINALLY CRASHED HIS VEHICLE AND FLED ON FOOT. A CITIZEN THEN DIRECTED OFFICERS TO PAULINE'S HIDING PLACE IN A BACKYARD. HE WAS CHARGED WITH A VARIETY OF OFFENSES, INCLUDING RECKLESS EVADING, AND POSSESSION OF A STOLEN VEHICLE.

A FORMER PRISON GUARD WAS SENTENCED TO PRISON TIME THURSDAY. LEON HOLSTON PLED GUILTY LAST NOVEMBER TO 2 FELONIES WITH GANG ENHANCEMENTS. HE FILED A FALSE REPORT AFTER OPENING A LOCKED CELL DOOR TO ALLOW 4 KUMI GANG MEMBERS TO ASSAULT ANOTHER INMATE. THE OFFENSE OCCURRED IN 2003 WHEN HOLSTON WAS A CORRECTIONAL OFFICER AT SALINAS VALLEY STATE PRISON. HE WAS SENTENCED TO 2 YEARS AND 8 MONTHS OF INCARCERATION.

THE READY PAC SPRECKELS PLANT WILL BE CLOSING ITS DOORS THIS SPRING. THAT WILL FORCE ABOUT 70 (YEAR-ROUND) WORKERS OUT OF JOBS, UNLESS THEY CHOOSE TO SPLIT THEIR TIME BETWEEN WORKING AT THE SALINAS PLANT (OVER THE SUMMER), AND THE ARIZONA PLANT (IN THE WINTER). THE ANNOUNCED CLOSURE OF THE READY PAC FACILITY COMES ABOUT 3 MONTHS AFTER THE J. M. SMUCKER COMPANY ANNOUNCED IT WILL SHUT DOWN ITS FRUIT-SPREAD AND ICE CREAM-TOPPINGS PLANT IN SALINAS.