30 TEDDY BEARS HAVE BEEN DONATED TO THE SALINAS POLICE DEPARTMENT. THE STUFFED BEARS WILL BE GIVEN TO PATROL OFFICERS, WHO WILL THEN BE ABLE TO DISTRIBUTE THEM TO CHILDREN IN THE FIELD. THE SPIRIT OF SALINAS IRISH DANCERS PRESENTED THE BEARS TO SALINAS POLICE CHIEF DAN ORTEGA YESTERDAY, AND WILL BE GIVING ANOTHER 30 BEARS TO OTHER MONTEREY COUNTY PUBLIC SAFETY ORGANIZATIONS.

INSTEAD OF SERVING 8 MONTHS IN JAIL, A CONVICTED MARIJUANA DEALER HAS AGREED TO SERVE 2 YEARS IN AMERICORPS, (WORKING IN A CALIFORNIA FOOD BANK). 24 YEAR-OLD BRIAN BARR WAS CHARGED WITH FELONY POSSESSION OF MARIJUANA FOR SALE, AND AN ENHANCEMENT FOR ADMITTED USE OF A FIREARM. THE NIGHT HE WAS ARRESTED (ON THE DRUG-RELATED CHARGES), BARR SHOT AND KILLED A HOME-INVASION ROBBER. THAT SHOOTING WAS RULED TO BE A JUSTIFIABLE HOMICIDE. THE JUDGE REMINDED BARR YESTERDAY, THAT UNTIL HE COMPLETES HIS 4 YEARS OF FORMAL PROBATION, BARR WILL HAVE A 12-YEAR SUSPENDED SENTENCE HANGING OVER HIS HEAD.

AFTER BEING THE HEAD OF TRANSPORTATION IN SANTA CRUZ COUNTY FOR 19 YEARS, LINDA WISLHUSEN IS RETIRING. SAYING THAT HER PRIORITIES HAVE CHANGED, WILSHUSEN SAID IT?S TIME FOR HER TO TAKE A BREAK. SHE LEAVES BEHIND A LEGACY OF A COMMISSION POISED TO BUY A 32-MILE RAIL LINE, THE PLANS TO IMPROVE THE INTERCHANGE AT HIGHWAYS 1 AND 17, AND CALL BOXES ON HIGHWAY 17.

A INMATE AT SALINAS VALLEY STATE PRISON WAS CONVICTED WEDNESDAY FOR POSSESSION OF A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE. INMATE RUDY RAMOS WAS IN JAIL FOR AN ARMED ROBBERY CONVICTION. TESTS CONDUCTED BY THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE CONFIRMED THAT THE SUBSTANCE FOUND IN RAMOS' CELL, WAS 1.16 GRAMS OF HEROIN. THE MAXIMUM PENALTY FOR THE CONVICTION IS 8 YEARS IN PRISON. SENTENCING IS SCHEDULED FOR DECEMBER 17TH.