THE 31ST ANNUAL FUNGUS FAIR WILL BE TAKING PLACE IN SANTA CRUZ THIS WEEKEND. PEOPLE ARE ENCOURAGED TO COME TO THE EDUCATIONAL?.AND TASTY EVENT. WHEN ASKED THIS MORNING ON K.S.C.O.?s ?GOOD MORNING MONTEREY BAY? IF PEOPLE CAN BRING IN MUSHROOMS, AND GET THEM IDENTIFIED BY EXPERTS, PHIL CARPENTER SAID ?YES, ABSOLUTELY." THE SANTA CRUZ FUNGUS FAIR IS SCHEDULED TO RUN FROM 10 A.M. UNTIL 5 P.M. TOMORROW AND SUNDAY, IN THE LOUDEN NELSON CENTER, WHICH IS LOCATED AT 301 CENTER STREET IN SANTA CRUZ.

SERVICES WILL BE HELD THIS SATURDAY, FOR 3 SANTA CRUZ COUNTY TEENAGERS WHO DIED IN THE PAST WEEK. 19 YEAR-OLD GATO TONGE DIED DECEMBER 31ST, 18 YEAR-OLD BRENDON STUART DIED IN A SNOW-BOARDING ACCIDENT JANUARY 1ST, AND 18 YEAR-OLD ERIC McLEAN SPROUL DIED JANUARY 2ND. SERVICES FOR SPROUL ARE SCHEDULED FOR 2 P.M., AT OAKWOOD MEMORIAL PARK?S CRYSTAL CHAPEL ON PAUL SWEET ROAD IN SANTA CRUZ. SERVICES FOR STUART WILL BEGIN AT 11 A.M. SATURDAY AT TWIN LAKES BAPTIST CHURCH IN APTOS. TONGE?S BURIAL WILL BE PRIVATE, HOWEVER A CELEBRATION OF HIS LIFE WILL BE HELD AT SESTRI RESTAURANT AT 655 CAPITOLA ROAD, AT NOON ON SATURDAY, AND FAMILY AND FRIENDS ARE INVITED.

A MONTEREY WOMAN DIED AS THE RESULT OF BEING EJECTED FROM HER VEHICLE. 39 YEAR-OLD ELLEN SHAPIRO WAS PRONOUNCED DEAD AT COMMUNITY HOSPITAL OF THE MONTEREY PENINSULA AFTER HER VEHICLE WENT OFF FOREST AVENUE IN PACIFIC GROVE. THE CAUSE OF THE ACCIDENT IS STILL BEING INVESTIGATED.

CUTS IN STATE FUNDING (AND A DRASTIC REDUCTION IN DONATIONS) HAVE LEAD TO THE LAYOFF OF 5 PEOPLE AT THE SANTA CRUZ A.I.D.S. PROJECT, AND THE REDUCTION IN PROGRAMS (SUCH AS EQUINOX AND THE NEEDLE-EXCHANGE PROGRAM) AS WELL. EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR CHRISTOPHER SMITH, WHO STEPPED INTO THE JOB ONLY 10 MONTH AGO, SAID THE 20 YEAR-OLD AGENCY WILL NOW FOCUS ON RE-ORGANIZING, AND REBUILDING. THE SANTA CRUZ A.I.D.S. PROJECT WAS ONCE A MODEL PROGRAM (THAT WAS DUPLICATED NATIONWIDE).