COMMISSIONERS (WITH MONTEREY COUNTY?S LOCAL AGENCY FORMATION COMMISSION) VOTED YESTERDAY TO REQUIRE AN ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES STUDY, REGARDING THE POSSIBLE INCORPORATION OF THE CARMEL VALLEY. THE 6-TO-2 VOTE MEANS THAT A REVIEW OF THE POSSIBLE ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS OF FORMING A CITY (IN THE MOSTLY RURAL VALLEY), WOULD HAVE TO BE PAID FOR BY PROPONENTS OF THE PLAN TO MAKE CARMEL VALLEY INTO A CITY. COMMISSIONER ANNA CABALLERO (WHO IS ALSO THE MAYOR OF THE CITY OF SALINAS) SAID THERE IS A LOT MORE TO ESTABLISHING A CITY, THAN JUST CHANGING ITS NAME. A CITY IS RESPONSIBLE FOR PROVIDING CERTAIN SERVICES, SUCH AS PUBLIC FACILITIES FOR MEETINGS AND CITY BUSINESSES, MEETING AFFORDABLE HOUSING QUOTAS, AND HOLDING ELECTIONS. THE INCORPORATION ISSUE IS EXPECTED TO COME BACK BEFORE THE COMMISSION AT ITS MARCH 28TH MEETING.

A LOCAL ASTROPHYSICIST HAS BEEN HONORED ONCE AGAIN FOR HIS RESEARCH. U.C.S.C.?S STAN WOOLSEY HAS BEEN GIVEN THE BRUNO ROSSI PRIZE, BY THE AMERICAN ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY. IT RECOGNIZED HIS WORK ON GAMMA RAY BURSTS. 3 MONTHS AGO, WOOLSEY RECEIVED THE HANS BETHE PRIZE, FOR HIS WORK ON SUPERNOVAS.

AWARDS RECOGNIZING THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND ORGANIZATIONS WERE GIVEN OUT OVER THE WEEKEND. THE PAJARO VALLEY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE HELD IT?S 43RD ANNUAL AWARDS DINNER AND AUCTION SATURDAY NIGHT. KATIE MAHAN WAS RECOGNIZED AS THE ?WOMAN OF THE YEAR?, WHILE GARY D?ARRIGO WAS CHOSEN AS THE ?MAN OF THE YEAR?. THE ?ORGANIZATION OF THE YEAR? WAS THE PAJARO VALLEY COMMUNITY HEALTH TRUSTS DIABETES CENTER; AND THE ?EVENT OF THE YEAR? WAS THE RODGER?S HOUSE CRAB FEED. THE AWARDS EVENT WAS HELD AT THE SANTA CRUZ COUNTY FAIR GROUNDS.

AN ACCIDENT (THAT TOOK THE LIFE OF AN 8 MONTH-OLD WATSONVILLE BOY, AND INJURED SEVERAL OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS OVER THE WEEKEND) REPORTEDLY OCCURRED AFTER THE FORD BRONCO 19 YEAR-OLD JANET CORNEJO WAS DRIVING BLEW A LEFT REAR TIRE. 8 MONTH-OLD ROMEO CORNEJO WAS PARTIALLY EJECTED, AND PRONOUNCED DEAD AT THE SCENE. A 2 YEAR-OLD BOY SUFFERED LACERATIONS TO HIS HEAD, AND WAS AIRLIFTED TO AN AREA HOSPITAL. THE DRIVER AND A 12 YEAR-OLD MALE PASSENGER WERE TREATED FOR MINOR CUTS. 18 YEAR-OLD CARLOS CORNEJO RECEIVED MINOR LACERATIONS, AND 24 YEAR-OLD HUMBERTO CORNEJO WAS TREATED FOR A SKULL FRACTURE AND CUTS. THE ACCIDENT (THAT TOOK PLACE SUNDAY EVENING ON HIGHWAY 101 IN MORGAN HILL) IS STILL BEING INVESTIGATED BY THE C.H.P. BECAUSE IT WAS A FATALITY, A REPORT WILL BE SENT TO THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY?S OFFICE. THE DECISION ON WHETHER OR NOT TO FILE CHARGES RESTS WITH THE D.A.