AN APTOS HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR WILL HAVE (WHAT SHE CALLS) "THE OPPORTUNITY OF A LIFETIME" TO ATTEND THE JANUARY PRESIDENTIAL INAUGURATION. 17-YEAR-OLD MERI WALL TAKES COLLEGE CLASSES AND WORKS IN A LOCAL LAW FIRM, BUT SHE REALLY DOESN'T HAVE ANY POLITICAL CONNECTIONS. HER INVITATION TO THE SWEARING-IN CEREMONY OF PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH CAME THROUGH THE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM "PEOPLE TO PEOPLE." SHE WILL ALSO ATTEND THE INAUGURAL BALL ON JANUARY 20TH . WALL, WHO SAYS SHE IS THRILLED TO BE A PART OF THE INAUGURATION, IS ONE OF 600 STUDENTS, GRADES 6 THROUGH 12, PICKED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE INAUGURATION.

AT LEAST 3 AMERICANS ARE BELIEVED TO BE AMONG THE APPROXIMATELY 22 THOUSAND DEAD, AFTER AN 8.9 EARTHQUAKE OCCURRED IN SOUTHEAST ASIA SUNDAY MORNING. THE QUAKE, WHICH IS THE LARGEST THAT HAS HIT IN ABOUT 4 DECADES, WAS FOLLOWED BY A TSUNAMI THAT DESTROYED FISHING VILLAGES UP AND DOWN THE COAST, ALONG THE INDIAN OCEAN.

THE CALIFORNIA CONDOR RECOVERY PROGRAM HAS BROUGHT THE BIRD'S POPULATION FROM ZERO TO OVER A HUNDRED IN THE LAST DOZEN OR SO YEARS, BUT CONDORS CONTINUE TO DIE FROM A HOST OF PROBLEMS. THE LEADING CAUSE OF CONDOR DEATH IS FROM LEAD POISONING. CONDORS EAT THE CARCASSES OF ANIMALS KILLED BY GUNSHOT, CONSUMING LEAD BULLET FRAGMENTS ALONG WITH THE MEAT. LEAD SWALLOWED BY A CONDOR IS QUICKLY ABSORBED INTO THE BIRD'S BLOODSTREAM, AND IT TAKES ONLY A PEA SIZE AMOUNT TO KILL A BIRD. IN ADDITION TO LEAD, MANY CONDORS HAVE BEEN KILLED AFTER CRASHING INTO POWER LINES. HUNTERS ARE BEING ASKED TO BURRY ANY GUT PILES LEFT BEHIND AFTER CLEANING A KILL, OR TO THROW THEM INTO DENSE BUSHES OR DOWN A STEEP SLOPE WHERE CONDORS WILL NOT BE ABLE TO REACH THEM.

ALTHOUGH MONTEREY COUNTY SUPERVISORS RECENTLY APPROVED THE HUGE RANCHO SAN JUAN PROJECT, OPPONENTS ARE TRYING TO GATHER ENOUGH SIGNATURES TO PUT THE 4 THOUSAND-HOME GROWTH PLAN TO A PUBLIC VOTE. THOSE SIGNATURES MUST BE TURNED IN TO MONTEREY COUNTY OFFICIALS BY MID-JANUARY.