CALTRANS CREWS BEGIN STAGE 3 OF THE HIGHWAY 68 REHABILITATION PROJECT FRIDAY IN SALINAS. THE LIMITS OF STAGE 3 EXTEND FROM STEPHANIE DRIVE TO BLANCO ROAD ON HWY. 68 (OR MAIN STREET). SIDE STREET ACCESS ACROSS AND TO HWY. 68 WILL BE LIMITED; TRAFFIC WILL HAVE TO FOLLOW POSTED DETOUR SIGNS AROUND CLOSURES. THE ROADWAY WILL BE REDUCED TO ONE LANE IN EACH DIRECTION. A GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE WORK IS PAVEMENT REHABILITATION. WITHIN THE CITY OF SALINAS, THE PROJECT WILL INCLUDE REMOVAL AND REPLACEMENT OF THE SIDEWALK AND UPGRADING SOME SIGNALS. STAGE 3 IS SCHEDULED TO LAST UP TO 2 MONTHS AND IS EXPECTED TO BE COMPLETE BY JUNE.

THE 21ST ANNUAL WATSONVILLE POLICE DEPARTMENT INSPECTION AND AWARDS CEREMONIES WERE HELD WEDNESDAY. CHIEF TERRY MEDINA HELD THE EVENT AT THE GREEN VALLEY CHRISTIAN CENTER COMMUNITY HALL. ON TUESDAY THE WATSONVILLE ANNUAL CRIME REPORT WAS RELEASED, SHOWING THE CITY HAD A DROP OF 14 PERCENT IN THEIR OVERALL CRIME RATE IN 2004. AT THE SAME TIME ARRESTS INCREASED IN THE CITY BY 9 PERCENT.

STATE SENATOR JEFF DENHAM TESTIFIED AT THE SENATE RULES COMMITTEE CONFIRMATION HEARING IN FAVOR OF MONTEREY COUNTY REAL ESTATE BROKER JEFF DAVI AS THE CALIFORNIA REAL ESTATE COMMISSIONER TODAY. HE WAS APPROVED BY THE COMMITTEE 5-0. DAVI, WHO HAS BEEN WORKING IN THE REAL ESTATE BUSINESS FOR OVER 15 YEARS, HAS SERVED AS A MEMBER OF THE CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS BOARD OF DIRECTORS, IS A PAST PRESIDENT AND HAS SERVED AS A BOARD MEMBER OF THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING CORPORATION OF MONTEREY COUNTY, AND IS A PAST BOARD MEMBER OF THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION OF MONTEREY. DAVI, WHO WAS APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNOR IN OCTOBER OF 2004, WILL MANAGE THE DEPARTMENT OF REAL ESTATE, WHICH REGULATES REAL ESTATE TRANSACTIONS AND OVERSEES THE LICENSING OF AGENTS AND BROKERS. THE POST PAYS $123,255 ANNUALLY AND REQUIRES FULL STATE SENATE CONFIRMATION.

THE SANTA CRUZ CITY PLANNING DEPARTMENT CLOSED DOWN THE PACIFIC COAST MARIJUANA COOPERATIVE. THE DOWNTOWN CLUB OPENED ONLY 6 WEEKS AGO, BUT ACCORDING TO CITY OFFICIALS, MISREPRESENTED ITSELF AS A PROFESSIONAL CONSULTING BUSINESS. THEY SAY IT VIOLATES CITY ZONING ORDINANCES BY NOT BEING LOCATED IN AN INDUSTRIAL AREA. THE COOPERATIVE IS NEGOTIATING TO REOPEN. THERE ARE CURRENTLY ABOUT 4,000 MEDICAL MARIJUANA PATIENTS IN SANTA CRUZ COUNTY.