SANTA CRUZ COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY BOB LEE ANNOUNCED TODAY THAT GREGORY GUNN WAS DENIED PAROLE THIS WEEK. THE DECISION WAS MADE BY THE STATE BOARD OF PRISON TERMS, AT A MEETING AT FOLSOM STATE PRISON. IN 1991 GUNN WAS CONVICTED OF FELONY ASSAULT, AS WELL AS THE 2ND DEGREE MURDER OF JOHN RATLIFF. GUNN WAS SENTENCED TO 21 YEARS IN PRISON, FOR THE CRIMES. THE BOARD FOUND THAT GUNN WOULD PRESENT AN UNREASONABLE RISK OF DANGER TO SOCIETY IF RELEASED, AND ORDERED THAT GUNN BE GIVEN A NEW PAROLE HEARING DATE IN 5 YEARS.

A BUDGET ADVISORY COMMITTEE FOR THE SALINAS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL DISTRICT URGED THE BOARD TO CONSIDER SCHOOL CLOSINGS AND OTHER DRASTIC STEPS TO BALANCE THEIR BUDGET. THEY RECOMMEND THAT THE $3 MILLION SHORTFALL MUST BE REDUCED. THE BOARD CUT $1.5 MILLION RECENTLY, BUT FURTHER REDUCTIONS ARE NECESSARY IN ORDER TO AVOID STATE INTERVENTION. THEY DON'T HAVE MUCH TIME TO FINISH THE TASK, THEY MUST COMPLETE THE CUTS BY DECEMBER 13TH IN ORDER TO SHOW A BALANCED 2004-5 BUDGET BY FEBRUARY.

THE MAN SUSPECTED OF ONE KIDNAPPING, AND ANOTHER ATTEMPTED KIDNAPPING, IS NOW IN CUSTODY. 29 YEAR OLD BENJAMIN TEUTSCH, WAS APPREHENDED IN MILPITAS AT 8 A.M. THIS MORNING. BUT GILROY POLICE THIS AFTERNOON, AT A PRESS CONFERENCE SAID THEY ARE STILL LOOKING FOR EBONY CARTER. THE 16 YEAR OLD DISAPPEARED SUNDAY, AFTER BEING DROPPED OFF AT THE GILROY CALTRAIN STATION. SHE WAS THOUGHT TO BE WITH TEUTSCH. EBONY IS DESCRIBED AS BEING AN AFRICAN-AMERICAN, 5 FEET 9 INCHES TALL AND ABOUT 300 POUNDS, WITH BLACK SHOULDER LENGTH HAIR AND BROWN EYES.

GOOD NEWS HAS BEEN DEVELOPING FOR 6 YEARS ON HIGHWAY 17, BECAUSE OF A SAFETY CAMPAIGN. SINCE 1999, OVER $62 MILLION HAS BEEN SPENT ON THE HIGHWAY BETWEEN SANTA CRUZ AND LOS GATOS, THROUGH A COMBINATION OF 6 AGENCIES WORKING TO REDUCE ACCIDENTS. ORIGINALLY SAFE ON 17 WAS DESIGNED TO CUT ACCIDENTS 10 PERCENT, BUT ACTUAL NUMBERS SHOW A WHOPPING 46 PERCENT REDUCTION IN COLLISIONS ON THE 18 MILE STRETCH OF WINDING ROAD. AN INCREASED CHP PRESENCE AND THE WRITING OF OVER 1 THOUSAND TICKETS A MONTH, ARE BEING CREDITED WITH A LARGE SHARE OF THE SUCCESS.