A DANGEROUS SALVAGE OPERATION IS TAKING PLACE TO RAISE A 62-FOOT YACHT CALLED THE ALBION FROM THE DEPTHS OF MONTEREY BAY. THE ALBION SANK OFF DEL MONTE BEACH ON MONDAY MORNING WITH ABOUT 1,700 GALLONS OF FUEL ON BOARD. DIVERS WITH SPECIAL HARD-HAT EQUIPMENT BEGAN WORK AT DAWN TODAY, ATTEMPTING TO ATTACH FLOAT BAGS TO THE HULL. THE PROCESS COULD TAKE UP TO 4 DAYS WITH EFFORTS TO BRING THE BOAT UP IN ONE PIECE, WHICH WILL MINIMIZE POTENTIAL POLUTION.

RESEARCHERS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SANTA CRUZ, AND THEIR COLLABORATORS AT OTHER INSTITUTIONS ANTICIPATE NEW INSIGHTS INTO THE MYSTERIES OF HIGH-ENERGY ASTROPHYSICS, AS PLANS FOR AN INNOVATIVE X-RAY TELESCOPE PROGRESS TOWARD FINAL APPROVAL BY NASA. THE TELESCOPE SHOULD BE ORBITING EARTH BY THE END OF THE DECADE, AND TAKING THE FIRST FOCUSED HIGH-ENERGY X-RAY PICTURES OF MATTER FALLING INTO BLACK HOLES AND SHOOTING OUT OF EXPLODING STARS. NAMED THE NUCLEAR SPECTROSCOPIC TELESCOPE ARRAY ( OR NUSTAR), THE PROJECT HAS JUST BEEN PEGGED BY NASA FOR DETAILED STUDY IN THE COMPETITIVE SMALL EXPLORER PROGRAM, WHICH SEEKS OUT NEW TECHNOLOGIES AND NEW PROPOSALS WITH A LOW COST LAUNCH. PENDING A FINAL NASA REVIEW NEXT YEAR, NUSTAR WILL BE SCHEDULED FOR LAUNCH IN 2009.

A TEENAGE GIRL INVOLVED IN THE RECENT STABBING OF A 13-YEAR-OLD GIRL AT SANTA CRUZ HIGH SCHOOL, WAS RELEASED TO HER GRANDMOTHER'S CUSTODY. SHE WAS ALSO ORDERED TO DO 250 HOURS OF COMMUNITY SERVICE. THE 14-YEAR-OLD ADMITTED TO ASSAULT CHARGES IN THE ATTACK WHICH TOOK PLACE IN NOVEMBER. SHE SAID SHE STRUCK THE VICTIM AND PULLED HER HAIR, WHILE ANOTHER 13-YEAR-OLD FRIEND STABBED THE VICTIM 3 TIMES IN THE BACK. THEY WERE ARRESTED NOVEMBER 29TH . THE YOUNGER ASSAILANT WAS SENT TO A GROUP HOME, WHERE SHE ALSO WILL PERFORM 250 HOURS OF COMMUNITY SERVICE.

A WOMAN?S BODY WAS FOUND SLUMPED OVER THE WHEEL OF HER CAR, NEAR THE INTERSECTION OF HECKER PASS HIGHWAY AND POLE LANE ROAD IN GILROY YESTERDAY. THE CARS HEADLIGHTS WERE ON, AND THE MOTOR WAS STILL RUNNING. THE INCIDENT IS BEING INVESTIGATED AS A POSSIBLE HOMICIDE.