SEVERAL ROADS WILL BE CLOSED IN DOWNTOWN SANTA CRUZ FOR THE ANNUAL NEW YEAR’S EVE COUNTDOWN, AND MOST OF DOWNTOWN WILL BE A TRIPLE-FINE AREA AS WELL. THE COUNTDOWN WILL BE HELD AT THE TOWN CLOCK (AT PACIFIC AVENUE AND WATER STREET). THE INTERSECTION WILL BE CLOSED FROM 11:30 P-M, UNTIL 12:45 A-M. THE TRIPLE FINES (FROM 5 P-M TUESDAY NIGHT, TO 5 A-M WEDNESDAY MORNING) COULD GET A NEARLY 300 DOLLAR TICKET FOR LITTERING, AND ALMOST 600 DOLLAR TICKETS FOR GRAFFITI AND URINATING IN PUBLIC. DESTROYING PLANTS COULD COST THE DESTROYER MORE THAN 1 THOUSAND DOLLARS. THE UNAUTHORIZED, BUT ANNUAL, DO-IT-YOURSELF PARADE, WHICH IS NOT SANCTIONED BY THE CITY, IS EXPECTED TO STEP-OFF AT 5:30 P-M.