A STUDENT (AT A PRIVATE SCOTTS VALLEY CHRISTIAN COLLEGE) HAS PLEADED ?NO CONTEST? TO HITTING A FEMALE FRIEND IN THE HEAD WITH A CANE, AND CHOKING HER. 25 YEAR-OLD JOSHUA MARK STEWART NOW FACES UP TO A YEAR IN JAIL UNDER THE TERMS OF HIS PLEA BARGAIN. STEWART WAS INITIALLY CHARGED WITH 2 COUNTS OF ASSAULT WITH A DEADLY WEAPON, WHICH CARRIES A MAXIMUM 8 YEAR PRISON SENTENCE.

DURING AN EMERGENCY MEETING THE SALINAS CITY COUNCIL HAS ASKED CALTRANS TO CUT DOWN FEWER TREES IN A STREET REHABILITATION PROJECT. 30 MAGNOLIA TREES ON JOHN STREET ARE ALREADY REMOVED, BUT NOW CALTRANS HAS AGREED TO CUT ONLY 20 OF THE 40 REMAINING TREES MARKED FOR REMOVAL. THE PROJECT INCLUDES REPAVING HIGH-TRAFFIC AREAS, LANE WIDENING AND ADDING SIDEWALKS ON JOHN AND MAIN STREETS. THE $13 MILLION PROJECT IS SCHEDULED FOR COMPLETION BY SPRING.

A 25 YEAR-OLD WATSONVILLE MOTHER WAS KILLED IN YESTERDAY MORNING?S 3 A.M. ACCIDENT, THAT CLOSED HIGHWAY 1 IN THE MOSS LANDING AREA. RITA MARIE VALENZUELA REPORTEDLY LOST CONTROL OF HER VEHICLE, WHILE HEADED NORTHBOUND ON HIGHWAY 1. OFFICERS HAD BEEN TRYING TO STOP THE SPEEDING WOMAN SINCE THEY SPOTTED HER DRIVING MORE THAN 90 MILES PER HOUR ON HIGHWAY 183 IN CASTROVILLE. SHE LED THEM ON TO NORTHBOUND 1, BUT SHE APPARENTLY MISCALCULATED A CURVE IN THE MOSS LANDING AREA, AND WENT INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC, WHERE SHE HIT A BIG-RIG AT HIGH SPEED. OFFICERS REPORTED SHE DIED INSTANTLY.

SHE IS SURVIVED BY HER MOTHER AND SISTER, AND WELL AS HER 5 YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER (WHO ATTENDS GREEN VALLEY CHRISTIAN SCHOOL). VISITATION FOR VALENZUELA WILL TAKE PLACE SUNDAY AT MEHL?S COLONIAL CHAPEL ON EAST LAKE AVENUE IN WATSONVILLE, AND A MASS OF CHRISTIAN BURIAL IS SCHEDULED FOR 11 A.M. MONDAY AT OUR LADY HELP OF CHRISTIAN VALLEY CHURCH.

LAST WEEK WAS THE DEADLINE FOR PEOPLE TO FILE BRIEFS TO THE CALIFORNIA SUPREME COURT, REGARDING A LAWSUIT BETWEEN DAVENPORT-BASED BIG CREEK LUMBER COMPANY, AND THE COUNTY OF SANTA CRUZ. AT ISSUE IS WHETHER OR NOT LOCAL GOVERNMENT CAN PRE-EMPT STATE LAW, AS IT APPLIES TO TIMBER HARVESTING. THE RULING IN THIS CASE (WHICH IS EXPECTED TO COME SOMETIME THIS SUMMER) COULD SET A PRECEDENT IN THE LOGGING INDUSTRY THROUGHOUT THE STATE.