GOVERNOR ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER TODAY (YESTERDAY) ANNOUNCED HIS DECISION TO PARDON 3 INDIVIDUALS WHO COMMITTED NON-VIOLENT CRIMES DECADES AGO, AND SINCE THAT TIME HAVE BECOME CONTRIBUTING MEMBERS OF THEIR COMMUNITIES. AMONG THEM IS ALEC WEBSTER OF SANTA CRUZ. IN 1975 AT THE AGE OF 24, WEBSTER WAS CONVICTED OF ONE COUNT OF POSSESSION OF MARIJUANA FOR SALE AND ONE COUNT OF TRANSPORTATION/SALE OF A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE IN SANTA CRUZ COUNTY. HE SERVED APPROXIMATELY TWO YEARS, EIGHT MONTHS ON PROBATION. SINCE HIS DISCHARGE FROM PROBATION MORE THAN 26 YEARS AGO, WEBSTER HAS CONTRIBUTED TO THE COMMUNITY IN WHICH HE HAS LIVED FOR MORE THAN 20 YEARS THROUGH HIS ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENTS AND EXTENSIVE VOLUNTEER AND PHILANTHROPIC ACTIVITIES.
THE CALIFORNIA CONSTITUTION EMPOWERS THE GOVERNOR TO GRANT EXECUTIVE CLEMENCY, INCLUDING PARDONS, AT HIS DISCRETION AND ON CONDITIONS HE DEEMS PROPER. PARDONS FORGIVE A CRIME BUT DO NOT ERASE A CONVICTION. TO DATE GOVERNOR SCHWARZENEGGER HAS ISSUED THREE PARDONS, GOVERNOR DAVIS GAVE NONE, GOVERNOR WILSON PARDONED 13, GOVERNOR DEUKMEJIAN PARDONED 328 PEOPLE, GOVERNOR BROWN PARDONED 403, AND GOVERNOR REAGAN PARDONED 575 INDIVIDUALS

THE CALIFORNIA HIGHWAY PATROL HAS PUT THE BLAME FOR A RECENT CRASH , ON THE DRIVER OF A SCHOOL BUS. THE DECEMBER 7TH CRASH INVOLVED 2 SCHOOL BUSES ON HIGHWAY 1 NEAR MOSS LANDING, WHEN 1 REAR ENDED THE OTHER. ALMOST 80 PEOPLE, INCLUDING 15 STUDENTS, WERE INJURED IN THE CRASH . CHP OFFICIALS SAY THAT THE DRIVER OF ONE OF THE 2 NORTH MONTEREY COUNTY SCHOOL BUSES WAS DRIVING TOO FAST FOR THE CONDITIONS, EVEN THOUGH SHE DID NOT VIOLATE ANY LAWS.

A 29 YEAR-OLD MAN HAS PLEADED NOT GUILTY TO KIDNAPPING A GILROY WOMAN NOVEMBER 13TH. BENJAMIN MICHAEL TEUTSCH IS SCHEDULED TO BE BACK IN A SAN MARTIN COURTROOM JANUARY 5TH FOR HIS PRELIMINARY HEARING. TEUTSCH HAS BEEN HELD (WITHOUT BAIL) IN SANTA CLARA COUNTY JAIL, SINCE HIS NOVEMBER 18TH ARREST. IF CONVICTED, HE COULD FACE 8 YEARS IN PRISON.

A LAWSUIT FILED BY SANTA CLARA COUNTY, AGAINST CASA DE FRUTA, HAS BEEN SETTLED. ALTHOUGH IN COMPLIANCE NOW, THE SUIT ALLEGED THAT CASA DE FRUTA HAD VIOLATED STATE ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATIONS AT THEIR GAS STATION (OVER A 5 YEAR PERIOD). OF THE 105 THOUSAND DOLLARS (CASA DE FRUTA AGREED TO PAY), 80 THOUSAND DOLLARS WILL BE PAID IN CIVIL PENALTIES AND INVESTIGATIVE COSTS. THE OTHER 25 THOUSAND DOLLARS WILL BE CONTRIBUTED TO THE LAND TRUST, TO HELP OUT THE PAJARO PROJECT (WHICH ENCOMPASSES THE PAJARO RIVER WATERSHED IN SOUTH SANTA CLARA COUNTY, AND WESTERN SAN BENITO COUNTY.

THE PAJARO PROJECT SEEKS TO PROTECT THE WILDLIFE CORRIDOR, MAINTAIN THE FLOOD PLAIN, AND PRESERVE AGRICULTURAL LAND IN THE UPPER PAJARO RIVER AREA.