PACIFIC GROVE?S BUTTERFLY GROVE HAS BEEN CLOSED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE. THAT AFTER A 30 FOOT SECTION OF PINE TREE FELL ON AN 85 YEAR-OLD WOMAN AS SHE WALKED IN THE SANCTUARY WITH RELATIVES ON SATURDAY. REPORTEDLY HIGH WINDS CAUSED THE 60-FOOT TALL PINE TREE TO BREAK. ALTHOUGH WITNESSES CONDUCTED C.P.R. UNTIL MEDICS ARRIVED, THE NEW YORK WOMAN (WHO WAS VISITING FOR THE HOLIDAYS) WAS PRONOUNCED DEAD AT AN AREA HOSPITAL.

A POPULAR WALKING PATH IN WATSONVILLE HAS BEEN DEEMED UNSAFE BY CALTRANS. THE NARROW DIRT PATH ALONG SIDE MAIN STREET IN WATSONVILLE IS NOW MARKED WITH A SIGN ASKING PEDESTRIANS TO USE A SIDEWALK ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE STREET. THE WATSONVILLE CITY COUNCIL VOTED LAST WEEK TO BUILD THREE NEW ROUTES THROUGH STRUVE SLOUGH, AND ONE OF THESE WILL BE BUILT ON THE PATH NOW CONSIDERED UNSAFE. CONSTRUCTION FOR THE NEW ROUTES WILL BEGIN THIS WEEK.

A FIRE LAST WEEK RENDERED ONE RESIDENCE A TOTAL LOSS, AND DAMAGED AN ADJACENT RESIDENCE. THE FIRE STARTED AT A 2 STORY HOUSE ON BROWN COURT IN MARINA. IT WAS STARTED BY CHILDREN PLAYING WITH MATCHES AND A CANDLE. THE BLAZE LEFT SEVEN PEOPLE OUT OF THEIR HOMES. FIRE CREWS FROM SEASIDE, NORTH MONTEREY AND THE PRESIDIO OF MONTEREY RESPONDED TO THE FIRE.

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.