GILROY CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED THE 100-PLUS PAGE HECKER PASS SPECIFIC PLAN. ITS THE 1ST AREA-SPECIFIC PLAN ADOPTED BY THE CITY. A TASK FORCE (CHARGED WITH DEVELOPING THE GUIDELINES) WAS FORMED IN THE LATE 1990?S, AFTER GILROY ACQUIRED THE 423-ACRE HECKER PASS AREA, AS (PART OF THE BONFANTE GARDENS ANNEXATION). CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED A DOCUMENT THEY HOPE WILL PRESERVE THE AREA?S RURAL CHARACTER FOR GENERATIONS TO COME. AS PART OF THE PLAN COUNCIL MEMBERS DEVISED A HOUSING FORMULA THAT REDUCED THE TOTAL NUMBER OF HOMES TO BE BUILT FROM 530 TO 506, BUT A NUMBER OF THESE HOMES COULD BE IN EXCESS OF 6 THOUSAND SQUARE FEET A PIECE. A FINAL, BOUND COPY OF THE HECKER PASS SPECIFIC PLAN, WHICH COUNCIL MEMBERS SAY WILL ENSURE DEVELOPMENT GUIDELINES THAT WILL PROTECT LARGE SWATHS OF FARMLAND ALONG THE CITY?S WESTERN APPROACH ON HIGHWAY 152, WILL BE AVAILABLE AT GILROY CITY HALL IN THE NEXT MONTH.

IN AN UPDATE ON THE RESULTS OF WEDNESDAY?S B.A.D.G.E.S. ENFORCEMENT DAY, THE TEAM REPORTS ABOUT 200 CITATIONS WERE GIVEN OUT FOR VARIOUS OFENSES. THE TARGETED AREA WAS THE CITY OF SANTA CRUZ. TEAMS DIRECTED THEIR EFFORTS TOWARD MOTORISTS, BICYCLISTS, AND PEDESTRIANS WHO COMMIT COLLISION CAUSING VIOLATIONS IN THE CITY.
THE B.A.D.G.E.S. ENFORCEMENT TEAM INCLUDES MEMBERS FROM THE SANTA CRUZ, WATSONVILLE, CAPITOLA, U.C.S.C., AND SCOTTS VALLEY POLICE DEPARTMENTS, AS WELL AS THE C.H.P., AND SANTA CRUZ COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE.

CASTROVILLE FARMERS SAY THEIR ARTICHOKE CROPS ARE BEING PILFERED DURING THE NIGHT. OUR AREA SUPPLIES MOST OF THE COUNTRY'S ARTICHOKES. DURING THE WINTER MONTHS, PRICES ARE AT THEIR HIGHEST, MAKING THE TIME RIPE FOR THIEVES. AS A RESULT AREA FARMERS REPORT THE LOSS OF TENS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS IN CROPS. GROWERS BELIEVE THE BLACK MARKET ARTICHOKES END UP AT FARMERS MARKETS, FLEA MARKETS, AND ROADSIDE STANDS.

GOVERNOR ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER TODAY ANNOUNCED APPOINTMENTS OF 10 PEOPLE TO STATE POSSITIONS, AND AMONG THEM WAS A LA SALVA BEACH MAN. THE JOBS WERE ALL IN THE BUREAU OF INDEPENDENT REVIEW'S OFFICE OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL. 50-YEAR OLD LANCE "GORDON" ISEN, OF LA SELVA BEACH, HAS BEEN APPOINTED SPECIAL ASSISTANT INSPECTOR GENERAL. HE MOST RECENTLY SERVED AS ASSISTANT DISTRICT ATTORNEY FOR SANTA CRUZ COUNTY. ISEN ALSO SERVED AS DEPUTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY FOR SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY PRIOR TO HIS SERVICE IN SANTA CRUZ COUNTY. THIS POSITION DOES NOT REQUIRE SENATE CONFIRMATION AND THE COMPENSATION IS $105,576. ISEN IS A REPUBLICAN. THE OFFICE OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL IS RESPONSIBLE FOR INDEPENDENT OVERSIGHT OF THE YOUTH AND ADULT CORRECTIONAL AGENCY, AND ITS SUBORDINATE DEPARTMENTS, BOARDS, AND AUTHORITIES.