SALINAS AREA FAMILY AND FRIENDS WILL MOURN THE MAN WHO DIED IN A SATURDAY FIRE , AT HIS CORRAL DE TIERRA HOME. 81-YEAR-OLD GENE ROLAND BEGAN AS A CALIFORNIA CATTLEMAN AT THE AGE OF 17, AND TENDED HIS HERD RIGHT UP TO THE DAY HE DIED. THE FIRE THAT TOOK HIS LIFE IS TENTATIVELY BEING BLAMED ON A WOOD STOVE. HIS WIFE OF 50 YEARS, BETTY ROLAND, DIED IN 2000. HE IS SURVIVED BY HIS SONS STEVE, RON AND GERALD ROLAND WHO LIVE IN THE AREA, TWO SISTERS, 8 GRANDCHILDREN, AND 3 GREAT-GRANDCHILDREN. MEMORIAL SERVICES WILL BE HELD AT 7 P.M. THURSDAY AT WHITEHURST MULLER FUNERAL SERVICE CHAPEL IN SALINAS. VISITATION WILL BE FROM NOON TO 9 P.M. AT THE MORTUARY. THEN ON FRIDAY, GRAVESIDE SERVICES WILL TAKE PLACE AT 11:15 A.M. AT THE GARDEN OF MEMORIES CEMETERY, AFTER BRIEF RITES AT THE MORTUARY AT 11 A.M.

THE MONTEREY CREDIT UNION ON FOUNTAIN AVENUE IN PACIFIC GROVE WAS ROBBED YESTERDAY AFTERNOON,AND NOW SEVERAL AGENCIES ARE LOOKING FOR THE THIEF. THE LONE SUSPECT, IS DESCRIBED AS A DARK SKINNED MALE IN HIS 30'S, ABOUT 5 ' 5 " TO 5 FEET 8 INCHES TALL, WITH A MEDIUM BUILD. HE REPORTEDLY FLED ON FOOT CARRYING A BANK BAG, AFTER GIVING THE TELLER A NOTE . THE FBI IS WORKING WITH LOCAL AUTHORITIES TO DETERMINE IF IT WAS THE SAME PERSON INVOLVED IN OTHER RECENT ROBBERIES.

THE CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL HAVE DETERMINED THAT A NEW FLU STRAIN WAS FIRST FOUND IN SAN JOSE. THE NEW STRAIN CALLED INFLUENZA-A CALIFORNIA, WAS FIRST SEEN BY SANTA CLARA COUNTY HEALTH OFFICIALS, ABOUT 4 MONTHS AGO. SINCE THEN THE VIRUS HAS BEEN PASSED ON AND BEEN FOUND IN OTHER AREAS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

A 22 YEAR-OLD MALE, WAS MUGGED AS HE CROSSED SOME RAILROAD TRACKS ON FRONT STREET, CARRYING A SHRIMP COCKTAIL THIS AFTERNOON. THE SALINAS POLICE DEPARTMENT REPORTS THAT 26-YEAR-OLD ANDY ORTIZ-DIAZ, SUDDENLY JUMPED THE MAN, TAKING AWAY HIS SHRIMP, AND UNSUCCESSFULLY TRYING TO GET HIS WALLET. IN THE STRUGGLE POLICE SAY DIAZ SLASHED THE VICTIM ON HIS LEFT EAR. THE VICTIM EVENTUALLY BROKE FREE AND GOT AWAY, AS DIAZ THREATENED HIM, IF HE CALLED THE POLICE. DIAZ WAS LATER SPOTTED BY A PAROLE OFFICER WHO HELPED POLICE LOCATE AND ARREST HIM.