THE PHARMACY IN WALGREENS ON SOQUEL AVENUE WAS ROBBED EARLY WEDNESDAY MORNING.   AT ABOUT 8:00 A-M DEPUTIES WERE DISPATCHED TO A ROBBERY WHERE THE SUSPECT WORE A WHITE BAG ON HIS HEAD, JUMPED OVER THE PHARMACY COUNTER AND DEMANDED DRUGS.   THE SUSPECT FLED ON A SKATEBOARD WEARING A WHITE SWEATSHIRT AND JEANS.  A SHORT TIME LATER DEPUTIES STOPPED STEPHEN HILL WHO MATCHED THE DESCRIPTION AND HAD ON LATEX GLOVES AND A SKATEBOARD.   HILL WAS FOUND TO BE IN POSSESSION OF 27 BOTTLES OF METHADONE, 3 BOTTLES OF ALPRAZOLAM, 1 BOTTLE OF MORPHINE AND A CANVAS BAG.  HE WAS ARRESTED FOR ROBBERY AND BOOKED INTO SANTA CRUZ COUNTY JAIL.

A NEW GROUP AIMING TO HALT THE SAFEWAY EXPANSION IN APTOS HAS FORMED.    APTOS LOCAL ECONOMIES (OR A.L.E.) OPPOSE THE EXPANSION AT THE RANCHO DEL MAR SHOPPING CENTER AND “PROMOTE LOCAL ECONOMIES.”  A.L.E. HAD ITS FIRST MEETING AT THE APTOS GRANGE TUESDAY EVENING WITH AROUND 60 IN ATTENDANCE

IN A MEETING TUESDAY WATSONVILLE RESIDENTS URGED THE CITY COUNCIL TO AVOID PUBLIC SAFETY CUTS.   ONE ALTERNATIVE TO RIGHT THE CITIES BUDGET PROBLEM SEES THAT THREE POLICE OFFICERS AND THREE FIREFIGHTERS ARE LAID OFF.    IN ADDITION THE LAYOFFS WOULD HIT TWO LIBRARY ASSISTANTS, TWO CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS AND MORE.   IT IS EXPECTED THE PROPOSED LAYOFFS WOULD SAVE THE CITY MORE THAN A MILLION DOLLARS.

A POPULAR REGGAE FESTIVAL THAT WILL TAKE PLACE ON THE MONTEREY PENINSULA THIS MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND HAS SOLD OUT.   THE FOURTH ANNUAL CALIFORNIA ROOTS FESTIVAL INCLUDES SOME OF THE BIGGEST HEADLINERS IN THE REGGAE WORLD AS WELL AS FOOD AND CRAFTS.  IT STARTED FOUR YEARS AGO AS JUST A SMALL ONE DAY EVENT, AND NOW EXPECTS AS MANY AS 7,000 PEOPLE TO ATTEND EACH DAY.