A 74 YEAR-OLD CHUALAR MAN WAS KILLED, AND A 43 YEAR-OLD SOLEDAD MAN WAS INJURED, IN A FRIDAY EVENING CRASH ON FOLETTA ROAD NEAR CHUALAR RIVER ROAD IN MONTEREY COUNTY. THE 2-VEHICLE CRASH OCCURRED AROUND 6 P.M. THE 74 YEAR-OLD MAN WAS PRONOUNCED DEAD AT THE SCENE.

THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION IS TRYING TO TRAP ABOUT 100 REMAINING WILD PIGS, CAUSING TROUBLE ALONG THE CARMEL COAST. PROFESSIONAL HUNTERS STARTED TRAPPING ABOUT A MONTH AGO, AND SO FAR THEY CAUGHT ABOUT 50 WILD PIGS ON ODELLO RANCHLAND. THE 134-ACRE FORMER ARTICHOKE RANCH IS BEING REPLANTED WITH NATIVE VEGETATION. AS SOON AS WILLOW TREES AND OTHER PLANTS WERE PUT INTO THE GROUND, THE FERAL PIGS UPROOT AND EAT EVERYTHING. THE WILD PIGS ARE A NON-NATIVE SPECIES, MANY OF THEM DESCENDED FROM RUSSIAN WILD BOARS. THE ANIMAL WAS INTRODUCED AT RANCHO SAN CARLOS SOUTH OF CARMEL VALLEY. BREEDING WITH FERAL DOMESTIC PIGS, THE ANIMALS HAVE SPREAD ACROSS CALIFORNIA.

THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA, AND ITS PARTNERS HAVE CLOSED ESCROW ON A CONSERVATION PLAN FOR THE HISTORIC 82,000 ACRE HEARST RANCH. THE HEARST CORPORATION, AMERICAN LAND CONSERVANCY AND CALIFORNIA RANGELAND TRUST HAVE PARTNERED WITH THE STATE TO PRESERVE 128 SQUARE MILES OF PRISTINE RANGELAND THAT INCLUDES 18 MILES OF SPECTACULAR COASTLINE ALONG SCENIC HIGHWAY ONE. COMPLETION OF THE AGREEMENT FOR $95 MILLION, AFTER MORE THAN SIX YEARS OF PLANNING, MARKS ONE OF THE LARGEST LAND CONSERVATION TRANSACTIONS IN STATE HISTORY. VALUED AT $230 MILLION, THE PROPERTY INCLUDES ONE OF THE MOST SIGNIFICANT COASTAL LAND GIFTS EVER MADE TO THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA.

STATE SENATOR JEFF DENHAM HAS INTRODUCED SENATE BILL 449, A MEASURE TO CRACK DOWN ON SEXUAL PREDATORS WHO USE THE INTERNET TO TARGET CHILDREN.
SPECIFICALLY, THE MEASURE WOULD CLOSE LOOPHOLES IN THE CALIFORNIA PENAL CODE AND PAVE THE WAY FOR MORE VIGOROUS PROSECUTION AND INCREASED JAIL TIME FOR PREDATORS ATTEMPTING TO HAVE SEX WITH CHILDREN BY USING THE INTERNET.