MONTEREY COUNTY OFFICIALS PLAN TO HOLD A PRESS CONFERENCE IN SALINAS TUESDAY, TO KICK-OFF OPERATION CEASE-FIRE. IT WILL BE THE 8TH ANNUAL COUNTYWIDE EFFORT TO REDUCE AND ELIMINATE GUNFIRE DURING THE NEW YEARS EVE CELEBRATION. IT WILL BE IN EFFECT THE WEEK OF DECEMBER 25TH THROUGH JANUARY 1ST. OPERATION CEASE-FIRE VOLUNTEERS WILL DISTRIBUTE APPROXIMATELY 100,000 FLYERS IN THE SALINAS AREA, ADVISING PEOPLE NOT TO SHOOT THEIR GUNS ON NEW YEARS EVE. THE PROGRAM IS BELIEVED TO HAVE REDUCED GUNFIRE ON NEW YEARS EVE BY SEVENTY-FIVE PERCENT. THE ULTIMATE GOAL IS TO HAVE NO GUNFIRE AT ALL, SO EVERYONE IN THE COMMUNITY CAN HAVE A SAFE CELEBRATION.

A NEW OFFICER HAS JOINED THE GREENFIELD POLICE DEPARTMENT. MAX IS A GERMAN SHEPHERD DOG FROM THE CZECH REPUBLIC. HE IS WORKING WITH OFFICER FRANK CEJA, AND IS CERTIFIED AS BOTH A GENERAL SERVICE POLICE DOG, AND A DRUG-DETECTION DOG.

A TEENAGE GIRL WAS TAKEN TO DOMINICAN HOSPITAL, AFTER SHE WAS INJURED IN A SURF CONTEST OFF THE COAST OF SANTA CRUZ YESTERDAY. THE 15 YEAR-OLD WAS PART OF THE INTERSCHOLASTIC SURFING FEDERATION?S HIGH SCHOOL COMPETITION AT THE ?HOOK?, WHEN THE BOARD STRUCK HER IN THE HEAD, NECK, AND BACK. SHE WAS REPORTEDLY CONSCIOUS, BUT A BIT DISORIENTED AFTER THE 3 P.M. ACCIDENT.

A NEGLIGENCE SUIT HAS BEEN SETTLED FOR NEARLY 2-AND-A-HALF MILLION DOLLARS. FORMER U.C.S.C. POLICE CAPTAIN, ROBERT JONES, WHO SUFFERED LIFE CHANGING INJURIES AFTER HE WAS STRUCK BY AN S.U.V., (WHILE BICYCLING ON HIGHWAY 1 NEAR DAVENPORT), FILED A CLAIM AGAINST SANTA CLARA VALLEY MEDICAL CENTER. THAT CLAIM ALLEGED THAT A RESPIRATORY THERAPIST FAILED TO PROPERLY CONNECT JONES TO A VENTILATOR, WHEN HE ARRIVED AT THE TRAUMA CENTER. THAT LOSS OF OXYGEN IS BELIEVED TO HAVE CAUSED JONES TO GO INTO CARDIAC ARREST. JONES IS STILL IN A WHEELCHAIR, AND REQUIRES 24-HOUR CARE AT HOME.