A CARRIAGE BELONGING TO THE OWNERS OF THE SANTA CRUZ CARRIAGE COMPANY WAS FOUND VANDALIZED LAST WEEK. THIS OCCURRED AFTER THREE INCIDENTS OF HARRASSMENT AND VANDALISM. THE CARRIAGE COMPANY IS OWNED BY RANDY AND CHRIS CLAYTON ? THEY OPERATE A HORSE-DRAWN CARRIAGE DURING THE HOLIDAY SEASON IN DOWNTOWN SANTA CRUZ. A CORROSIVE LIQUID WAS POURED OVER THE CARRIAGE, CAUSING DAMAGE ESTIMATED AT LESS THAN 1 THOUSAND DOLLARS. THE CLAYTONS HAD EARLIER FOUND SOMEONE HAD FED JUNK FOOD TO THEIR HORSES WHILE IN THEIR CORRAL. IN A SEPARATE INCIDENT, THE DOOR TO THE CORRAL WAS LEFT OPEN. THEY HAVE ALSO REPORTED RECEIVING THREATENING PHONE CALLS. POLICE ARE INVESTIGATING THE INCIDENTS. THE SANTA CRUZ SENTINEL HAS RECEIVED AN EMAIL FROM AN ANONYMOUS GROUP CLAIMING TO BE ANIMAL RIGHTS ACTIVISTS WHO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR SABOTAGING THE CARRIAGE.

AN AREA WOMAN RECENTLY PARTICIPATED IN THE IRON MAN COMPETITION IN HAWAII FOR THE 4TH TIME. CATHY FRANK SAYS THE GRUELING RACE TOOK HER 15 HOURS AND 39 MINUTES TO COMPLETE. FRANK , WHO'S 57-YEARS-OLD, CAME IN 4TH IN HER AGE DIVISION. LIKE MANY ATHLETES SHE SUFFERED INJURIES IN TRAINING, AND HAD A SORE LEG FROM RECENT SURGERY. SHE SAYS SHE WAS HAPPY JUST TO HAVE FINISHED. EACH YEAR SHE HAS COMPETED WITH ANOTHER WOMAN, MANY MIGHT CONSIDER ELDERLY. CATHY SAYS THE DAY AFTER THE RACE, HER 69-YEAR-OLD FRIEND IS UP FIRST, AND MAKES BREAKFAST FOR EVERYONE.

A CONVICTED CHILD MOLESTER HAS BEEN SENTENCED TO SPEND 32 YEARS IN PRISON. THAT AFTER FORMER BONNY DOON RESIDENT JON PIERRE PAILLE ADMITTED TO 6 COUNTS OF MOLESTING A BOY. PAILLE WAS SERVING A 16 MONTH PRISON TERM FOR VIOLATING HIS PROBATION IN SANTA CLARA COUNTY, WHEN HE WAS CHARGED WITH THE NEW OFFENSES IN SANTA CRUZ COUNTY. PAILLE?S PRIOR MOLEST CONVICTION DOUBLED THE TERM HE FACES.

A MONTEREY COUNTY MAN WAS ONE OF THE 22 PEOPLE KILLED IN MONDAY'S SUICIDE BOMBER ATTACK IN IRAQ. 23-YEAR-OLD STAFF SERGEANT ROBERT JOHNSON, OF SEASIDE, IS THE FIRST PENINSULA RESIDENT TO DIE IN IRAQ. HE HAD BEEN THERE FOR ONLY 2 MONTHS. PREVIOUSLY JOHNSON SERVED ANOTHER TOUR OF DUTY IN KOREA. JOHNSON GRADUATED FROM SEASIDE HIGH SCHOOL ABOUT 4 YEARS AGO. HIS MOTHER MINA SHROCK SAID HER SON KNEW THE VALUE OF FREEDOM AND WAS WILLING TO FIGHT AND PROTECT OUR COUNTRY TO KEEP IT.