A NUMBER OF PRISONER?S HAVE BEEN ?EXTRACTED? FROM THEIR CELLS AT SALINAS VALLEY STATE PRISON, AND GUARDS THERE EXPECT TO ?EXTRACT? A NUMBER MORE BEFORE THEY ARE DONE. THE INMATES WHO ARE BEING ?EXTRACTED? HAVE COVERED UP THE WINDOWS OF THEIR CELLS, AND ARE REFUSING TO TALK TO PRISON EMPLOYEES. TO ?EXTRACT? A PRISONER, GUARDS FORCE THEIR WAY INTO THE CELL, AND REMOVE THE INMATE. THE GUARDS THEN CLEAR OUT ANY OBJECTS THAT CAN BE USED TO BLOCK THE WINDOWS, AND THEN RE-INSTALL THE PRISONER IN HIS CELL. THE PRISON WARDEN BELIEVES THE COVERED WINDOWS ARE A GANG-RELATED PROTEST, ALTHOUGH REPORTEDLY NO PRISONERS HAVE EXPLAINED WHAT THEY ARE PROTESTING.

SERVICE EMPLOYEES AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SANTA CRUZ ARE SET TO VOTE LATER THIS WEEK ON A POTENTIAL STRIKE. THEIR CONTRACT EXPIRED IN JUNE OF 2004, AND NEGOTIATIONS ARE NOT MAKING PROGRESS. THE UNION WANTS A NEW 2 -YEAR CONTRACT TO GUARANTEE WAGE INCREASES. UC NEGOTIATORS SAY THE CURRENT BUDGET PROBLEMS MAKE THE AMOUNTS THEY ARE ASKING FOR ARE UNREASONABLE. ABOUT 7,000 UNIVERSITY SYSTEM WORKERS ARE EXPECTED TO VOTE ON CAMPUSES ACROSS THE STATE IN THE COMING DAYS. A UNION VOTE IS SCHEDULED ON THE UCSC CAMPUS THURSDAY, AND ON SATURDAY IN DOWNTOWN SANTA CRUZ.

A FORMER MONTEREY COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE EMPLOYEE WAS SENTENCED TO 1 YEAR IN JAIL. LUCY VILLAREAL WAS TAKEN TO JAIL TUESDAY, IMMEDIATELY AFTER HER SENTENCING HEARING. SHE WILL DO HER TIME IN ANOTHER COUNTY, TO PROTECT HER SAFETY. VILLAREAL ADMITTED TO EMBEZZLING THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS FROM THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT. SHERIFF MIKE KANALAKIS SPOKE AT THE SENTENCING SAYING SHE BETRAYED THE PUBLIC TRUST, AND TARNISHED THE DEPARTMENT'S REPUTATION. THE SHERIFF HAS NEVER BEFORE SPOKEN AT THE SENTENCING OF A FORMER EMPLOYEE. HER RESTITUTION HEARING WILL BE IN MAY.

TOMORROW IS THE DEADLINE TO TURN IN SIGNATURES, THAT OPPONENTS (TO A LOCAL PLAN) HAVE GATHERED. BOTH SIDES SAY IT IS LIKELY THAT ENOUGH VALID SIGNATURES HAVE BEEN COLLECTED, TO PUT THE CONTROVERSIAL PLAN FOR THE COAST SANTA CRUZ HOTEL ON A CITYWIDE BALLOT. SO NOW WHAT?S LEFT IS BOTH SIDES TRYING TO CONVINCE SANTA CRUZ VOTERS THAT THEY ARE RIGHT.