OPERATION CHRISTMAS CHEER HAS BEEN GROWING DAILY, AND AT THIS POINT HAS RAISED OVER $60,000 THIS HOLIDAY. THAT INCLUDES THE MONTEREY PENINSULA FOUNDATION'S DONATION OF $10,000 ON WEDNESDAY. THE MONEY GOES TO THE NEEDY WHO HAVE ASKED THE SALVATION ARMY FOR SPECIAL HOLIDAY SUPPORT. OPERATION CHRISTMAS CHEER IS AN ANNUAL PROJECT OF THE MONTEREY COUNTY HERALD NEWSPAPER, THE SALVATION ARMY AND FIRST NATIONAL BANK OF CENTRAL CALIFORNIA. SINCE IT STARTED 18 YEARS AGO, IT HAS RAISED MORE THAN $1.6 MILLION.

BOY SCOUT TROOP 654 OF BEN LOMOND WILL BE HOSTING A FOOD DRIVE FOR CHRISTMAS AT THE FELTON SAFEWAY ON SATURDAY FROM 10 TO 3. THEY WILL WELCOME ANY DONATIONS OF NON PERISHABLE FOODS FOR DISTRIBUTION TO THE LESS FORTUNATE.

PATH 15 IS CALIFORNIA?S NEWEST POWER TRANSMISSION LINE. THE 84-MILE LONG LINE WAS BUILT THROUGH A PUBLIC AND PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP. GOVERNOR SCHWARZENEGGER COMMISSIONED THE PATH 15 LINE AT A SPECIAL CEREMONY WEDNESDAY, WHERE HE SAID THE COST OF PATH 15 CAME IN ABOUT 50 MILLION DOLLARS BELOW BUDGET. ON TOP OF THAT (HE SAID) THE NEW LINE WILL SAVE CALIFORNIA 100 TO 300 MILLION DOLLARS A YEAR. IT ALSO GIVES THE STATE THE ABILITY TO TAP INTO RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES LIKE SOLAR AND WIND POWER, AS WELL AS HELP ELIMINATE BLACKOUTS IN THE FUTURE.

A POPULAR SANTA CRUZ COMMUNITY EVENT IS BACK THURSDAY NIGHT. CAROLING AT THE WHARF WAS CUT FROM THE CITY BECAUSE OF BUDGET PROBLEMS. BUT SOME LOCAL BUSINESSES AND NEIGHBORS ARE BRINGING IT BACK, AND EVERYONE?S INVITED. LYNN ROBINSON FROM "SANTA CRUZ NEIGHBORS" TOLD KSCO NEWS THE CAROLING WILL TAKE PLACE AT THE COMMONS AREA NEAR MARINI'S. LYNN SAYS THERE WILL ALSO BE HOT CHOCOLATE, HOT CIDER AND OTHER REFRESHMENTS ON HAND.