THE SANTA CRUZ AREA CALIFORNIA HIGHWAY PATROL IS PARTICIPATING IN THE ?CHiP?S FOR KIDS? TOY DRIVE. PEOPLE ARE ENCOURAGED TO BRING NEW (UNWRAPPED) TOYS TO THE APTOS C.H.P. OFFICE. A COLLECTION BARREL HAS BEEN PLACED IN THE LOBBY THERE. THE C.H.P. IS ALSO PARTNERING WITH THE CENTRAL FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT IN COLLECTING TOYS FOR CHILDREN AT THE CAPITOLA MALL, TOMORROW THROUGH DECEMBER 11TH.

2 PEOPLE WERE KILLED IN AN ACCIDENT ON SOUTHBOUND HIGHWAY 101, IN THE SOLEDAD AREA LAST NIGHT. A CHILD, AND AN ELDERLY WOMAN, WERE PRONOUNCED DEAD AT THE SCENE, AFTER THEY WERE EJECTED FROM THE VEHICLE IN WHICH THEY WERE RIDING WITH 3 OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS (WHO SUSTAINED SERIOUS INJURIES). THE FAMILY?S MINIVAN WENT OUT OF CONTROL WHEN IT WAS SIDESWIPED, AFTER ANOTHER DRIVER REPORTEDLY LOST CONTROL OF HIS VEHICLE WHILE RACING DOWN HIGHWAY 101. ALTHOUGH THE DRIVER WHO CAUSED THE ACCIDENT RAN FROM THE SCENE, HE WAS ARRESTED A SHORT TIME LATER. HE WAS BOOKED INTO MONTEREY COUNTY JAIL ON CHARGES OF FELONY D.U.I., HIT AND RUN, AND VEHICULAR MANSLAUGHTER.

A 19 YEAR-OLD SALINAS MAN HAS BEEN SENTENCED TO SPEND 19 YEARS BEHIND BARS. THAT AFTER JORGE RUIZ GONZALES JUNIOR ADMITTED THAT THE FIRING OF A SEMI-AUTOMATIC PISTOL, AT A MONTEREY COUNTY SHERIFF?S DEPUTY, WAS ?FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE SURENO CRIMINAL STREET GANG?. THE SHOOTING INCIDENT OCCURRED IN SEPTEMBER OF 2003, WHEN THE TEEN (AND A JUVENILE CO-DEFENDANT) FIRED SHOTS AT THE SHERIFF?S DEPUTY, WHILE FLEEING IN A STOLEN VEHICLE.

SANTA CRUZ CITY WORKERS WILL BE VOTING ON A TENTATIVE CONTRACT AGREEMENT, THAT WAS REACHED YESTERDAY. MEMBERS OF LOCAL 415 (OF THE S.E.I.U.) ARE SET TO BEGIN VOTING TONIGHT AT 5 P.M., AND THE VOTING TIME WILL END NEXT WEDNESDAY. THE MOST RECENT CONTRACT OFFER APPEARS TO HAVE ADDRESSED WORKERS CONCERNS REGARDING WAGES AND BENEFITS.