A LOCAL WATER COMPANY IS ASKING ITS CUSTOMERS TO TRY AND REDUCE THEIR WATER USAGE FOR THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS. AS A RESULT OF DISCOVERING THAT 6 OF ITS WELLS (THAT PROVIDE 25 PERCENT OF THE COMPANY?S SUPPLY) CONTAIN HIGH LEVELS OF NITRATES AND M.T.B.E., OFFICIALS WITH THE CALIFORNIA WATER SERVICE COMPANY URGED SALINAS CUSTOMERS TO AVOID WATERING LAWNS DURING PEAK USAGE HOURS. CAL WATER SERVES ABOUT 100 THOUSAND CUSTOMERS IN THE SALINAS AREA.

ALTHOUGH STRAWBERRIES ARE A MAJOR CROP IN SANTA CRUZ AND MONTEREY COUNTIES, THEY ARE FREQUENTLY THE TOP CROP IN SANTA BARBARA COUNTY, AND LAST YEAR WAS NO EXCEPTION. BROCCOLI WAS SANTA BARBARA COUNTY?S 2ND BIGGEST CROP, WHILE WINE- GRAPES WERE IT?S 3RD , AND LETTUCE IT?S 4TH LARGEST CROPS. AGRICULTURE WAS ONCE AGAIN THAT COUNTY?S LEADING INDUSTRY (AS IT STILL IS IN MONTEREY COUNTY AS WELL).

THE AREA BETWEEN POINT CONCEPTION (IN THE SOUTH) AND PIGEON POINT (IN THE NORTH) HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED AS THE GENERAL REGION FOR A MARINE PROTECTED AREA. M.P.A.?S ARE THE EQUIVALENT OF CREATING A STATE PARK?ONLY IN THE WATERS OFF THE COAST OF CALIFORNIA. THESE AREAS HAVE DIFFERENT LEVELS OF RESTRICTIONS, INCLUDING MARINE RESERVES, (WHICH PROHIBIT FISHING). OTHER TYPES OF PROTECTED AREAS MAY ALLOW RECREATIONAL FISHING, OR FISHING OF CERTAIN SPECIES (WITH RESTRICTIONS ON OTHERS).

MEMBERS OF A GROUP, THAT WANT TO LIMIT THE GROWTH OF U.C.S.C., MET LAST NIGHT TO PLAN A DEMONSTRATION DURING THE UNIVERSITY?S UPCOMING ALUMNI DAY. DON STEVENS SAYS MEMBERS OF THE COALITION FOR LIMITING UNIVERSITY EXPANSION (KNOWN AS C.L.U.E.) PLAN TO HAND OUT LEAFLETS TO PEOPLE WHO COME TO THE ANNUAL EVENT.
STEVENS WENT ON TO SAY THAT THE PLAN TO DOUBLE THE STUDENT ENROLLMENT (AND NEARLY DOUBLE THE SQUARE FOOTAGE OF CAMPUS STRUCTURES) WOULD HAVE A NEGATIVE IMPACT ON NEARBY COMMUNITIES.