BEGINNING THURSDAY, THE CITY OF SANTA CRUZ WILL START ENFORCING THEIR DOWNTOWN RESIDENTIAL PARKING PERMITS ONCE AGAIN. RESIDENTS WHO DON?T HAVE THEIR 2005 DECAL CAN PURCHASE THEM FROM THE PARKING OFFICE IN THE LOCUST STREET PARKING GARAGE. WITHOUT A PERMIT AFFIXED TO YOUR VEHICLE, PARKING DOWNTOWN BETWEEN 7 A.M. AND 6 P.M. CAN YIELD A 40 DOLLAR TICKET. THE NEW, 20 DOLLAR, DECALS WILL BE GOOD THROUGH NEXT DECEMBER.

A 41-YEAR-OLD WATSONVILLE MAN WAS ARRESTED AFTER A WOMAN SAID SHE WAS SEXUALLY ASSAULTED BY HIM. THE ASSAULT REPORTEDLY OCCURRED IN THE 900 BLOCK OF EAST LAKE AVENUE, AFTER LEAVING THE VILLAGER BAR. BOTH WITNESS IDENTIFICATION, AND PHYSICAL EVIDENCE LINK RICHARD MACIAS TO THE CRIME. MACIAS WAS BOOKED INTO SANTA CRUZ COUNTY JAIL AND HIS BAIL WAS SET AT 50 THOUSAND DOLLARS.

A SALINAS POLICE OFFICER SPOTTED A STOLEN VEHICLE THIS MORNING IN AN ORCHARD AVENUE PARKING LOT. 22-YEAR-OLD JESUS ZAVALA WAS LODGED INTO MONTEREY COUNTY JAIL FOR VEHICLE THEFT, POSSESSION OF A LOADED FIREARM, AND PROBATION VIOLATION. HIS 30-YEAR-OLD PASSENGER WAS RELEASED WITHOUT CHARGES.

INTERNATIONAL RELIEF AGENCIES ARE ASKING PRIVATE AND CORPORATE DONORS WHO HAVE ALREADY PLEDGED MONEY TO HELP VICTIMS OF THE ASIAN TSUNAMI, TO EXPEDITE TURNING IT IN. NEARLY $2 BILLION IN INTERNATIONAL AID HAS BEEN PLEDGED. IF THE DONOR GIVES ON A CREDIT CARD THE MONEY IS MADE READILY AVAILABLE, BUT UNTIL THOSE WHO PLEDGE CASH OR CHECKS ACTUALLY DELIVER IT TO THE AGENCIES, THEY CAN NOT HELP VICTIMS. U-N UNDERSECRETARY GENERAL FOR HUMANITARIAN AFFAIRS, JAN EGLAND, CONCLUDED HIS DAILY TSUNAMI BRIEFING TODAY WITH THE PLEA. "IT WOULD BE THE ULTIMATE IRONY IF WE STARTED THE YEAR WITH UNPRECEDENTED GLOBAL GENEROSITY, AND WOULD END THIS YEAR WITH NO MONEY."