A MARINA RESIDENT WHO WAS REPORTED MISSING, HAS RETURNED HOME. TAXI DRIVER SANJAY RAM WALKED INTO HIS HOME AROUND 6:30 P.M. SUNDAY, UNHARMED. MARINA POLICE REPORT THAT THE 32-YEAR-OLD APPARENTLY DECIDED TO TAKE AN UNPLANNED TRIP TO LOS ANGELES, AND DIDN'T TELL ANYONE HE WAS LEAVING TOWN.

TRIPLE A OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA CONTINUES TO MONITOR GAS PRICES, AND REPORTS ANOTHER DROP IN THE PRICE PER GALLON, EVEN THOUGH AT THIS SAME TIME LAST YEAR, GAS WAS 25 CENTS PER GALLON CHEAPER. TRIPLE A SPOKESPERSON MICHAEL GEESER SAYS GAS PRICES ARE DOWN, FOR THE THIRD MONTH IN A ROW. HE SAYS THE AVERAGE PRICE FOR A GALLON OF GAS IN CALIFORNIA IS $1.94, WHILE THROUGHOUT NORTHERN CALIFORNIA, THE AVERAGE PRICE IS $1.88.

THE CITY OF SALINAS HAS FORMALLY COMMENCED LITIGATION AGAINST THE COUNTY OF MONTEREY CHALLENGING THE COUNTY'S APPROVAL OF THE RANCHO SAN JUAN PLAN AS WELL AS THE BUTTERFLY VILLAGE PROJECT . IT IS THE CITY'S POSITION THAT THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORTS ARE FLAWED AND DO NOT PROVIDE AN ADEQUATE ANALYSIS OF THE PROJECTS. SPECIFICALLY THEY SITE SIGNIFICANT TRAFFIC, WATER, LAND USE, AIR QUALITY, AGRICULTURAL AND OTHER PUBLIC SERVICE IMPACTS, ON THE CITY OF SALINAS. THE LAWSUIT ALSO ASSERTS THAT THE EIR FAILED TO PROPERLY ANALYZE FEASIBLE MITIGATION MEASURES AND ALTERNATIVES FOR THE IMPACTS DESPITE DETAILED COMMENTS AND SUGGESTIONS BY THE CITY AND OTHERS.

WATSONVILLE COMMUNITY HOSPITAL HAS NAMED THEIR 2004 EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR. GRACE MORENO HAS WORKED AT THE HOSPITAL FOR 14 YEARS IN SEVERAL POSITIONS. THE AWARD HAS SPECIAL MEANING SINCE MORENO WAS CHOSEN BUY HER PEERS. THE HOSPITAL IS PAYING ALL THE EXPENSES FOR HER AND HER HUSBAND TO TRAVEL TO TENNESSEE FOR AN AWARDS BANQUET IN FEBRUARY.