STATE DOCUMENTS OBTAINED LAST WEEK SHOW THAT A SALINAS VALLEY STATE PRISON LIEUTENANT HELPED COVER-UP AN INMATE?S BEATING. THE LIEUTENANT, CLARENCE VANHOOSE, WAS FIRED FOR HELPING TO COVER-UP THE BEATING OF INMATE RAFAEL SERRANO. VANHOOSE WAS NOT DIRECTLY INVOLVED IN THE ASSAULT, BUT IS ALLEGED TO HAVE KEPT SILENT ABOUT THE INCIDENT AND TOLD THOSE UNDER HIM TO LIE TO INVESTIGATORS. HIS DISMISSAL WAS OFFICIALLY FILED LAST WEEK AND IS BEING APPEALED TO THE STATE PERSONNEL BOARD. EIGHT OTHER DISMISSALS RELATING TO THE INCIDENT ARE ALSO BEING APPEALED.

THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, CALTRANS, IS SEEKING INPUT FROM THE PUBLIC. CALTRANS IS SURVEYING THE PUBLIC TO FIND WHAT THEY CONSIDER TO BE THE MOST IMPORTANT ISSUES REGARDING THE STATE HIGHWAYS? CONDITION. THE SURVEY CAN BE FOUND ONLINE AT WWW.DOT.CA.GOV/CGI-BIN/ROADS.CQI.

A MEETING WILL BE HELD TO CONSIDER EXTENDING SOLEDAD?S MORATORIUM ON BUILDING PERMITS REQUIRING SEWER CONNECTIONS. THE SOLEDAD CITY COUNCIL WILL CONDUCT A PUBLIC HEARING AT A SPECIAL MEETING ON DECEMBER 3RD. THE 4 O?CLOCK MEETING WILL BE HELD IN COUNCIL CHAMBERS. IF ADOPTED, THE ORDINANCE WOULD EXTEND THE 45 DAY MORATORIUM BY 10 MONTHS AND 15 DAYS. CONTACT THE SOLEDAD CITY CLERK FOR MORE INFORMATION.

TWO MEN WERE BOUND AND ROBBED AT GUNPOINT LAST WEEK IN LIVE OAK. THE INCIDENT STARTED WHEN A WOMAN CAME TO THEIR DOOR AND ASKED ONE OF THE RESIDENTS TO USE THE PHONE. AFTER BEING LET IN, TWO MEN FOLLOWED CARRYING GUNS. THE INTRUDERS ORDERED THE RESIDENT TO THE FLOOR. A FOURTH INTRUDER ENTERED, AND THE RESIDENT WAS HOGTIED. TWO OF THE MEN SEARCHED THE HOUSE. ANOTHER RESIDENT WAS FOUND SLEEPING UPSTAIRS, AND WAS ALSO BOUND. THE BURGLARS HELD GUNS TO THE MEN?S HEADS AND STOLE AN ESTIMATED 3 THOUSAND DOLLARS WORTH OF BELONGINGS AND A 2004 NISSAN MAXIMA. THE CAR WAS LATER FOUND NEAR SAN JUAN BAUTISTA. DESCRIPTIONS OF THE BURGLARS WERE NOT AVAILABLE. DETECTIVES WERE PLANNING ON RE-INTERVIEWING THE VICTIMS.