A SAN FRANCISCO HOTEL LABOR DISPUTE SPREAD TO MONTEREY COUNTY OVER THE WEEKEND. ON SUNDAY UNION WORKERS (LOCKED OUT FROM 2 SAN FRANCISCO HYATT HOTELS) PICKETED IN FRONT OF THE MONTEREY HYATT REGENCY. THE MONTEREY HOTEL SENT SOME NON-UNION EMPLOYEES TO SAN FRANCISCO, TO HELP OUT DURING THE STRIKE. UNION WORKERS CAME TO MONTEREY TO PROTEST THE MOVE, AND GET THEIR MESSAGE OUT. THEY SAY THE FIGHT IS OVER ELIMINATING MEDICAL BENEFITS FOR MORE THAN A THOUSAND WORKERS. A NEW SESSION BETWEEN UNION AND HOTEL OFFICIALS IS SCHEDULED FOR WEDNESDAY. SUNDAY'S PICKET LINE OF ABOUT 20 PEOPLE DID NOT AFFECT BUSINESS OR SERVICE AT THE MONTEREY HYATT.

A HOLLISTER MAN WAS ARRESTED ON CHARGES OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. THAT AFTER 32 YEAR-OLD SONTU GARCIA ASKED A FRIEND TO HELP HIM KILL AN EX-GIRLFRIEND; AND ALSO AFTER GARCIA LED POLICE ON A HIGH-SPEED CHASE THROUGH HOLLISTER LAST WEEK. HE FACES THE FELONY CHARGES OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, SOLICITATION TO COMMIT MURDER, AND EVADING POLICE. GARCIA IS EXPECTED TO RETURN TO COURT NOVEMBER 16TH.

TO GIVE ADMINISTRATORS MORE TIME TO FIND WAYS TO INCREASE THE CAPACITY OF SOLEDAD?S SEWAGE-TREATMENT PLANT, THEY ARE EXPECTED TO EXTEND A 45-DAY BUILDING MORATORIUM. THE MORATORIUM, WHICH WAS INITIALLY IMPOSED ON OCTOBER 20TH, COULD BE EXTENDED FOR UP TO 2 YEARS. ITS EXEMPTS 218 BUILDING PROJECTS THAT ALREADY HAVE PERMITS. THE COST TO UPGRADE THE SEWAGE TREATMENT SYSTEM COULD START AT ABOUT 7 MILLION DOLLARS.

A MEMBER OF A LOCAL AMERICAN LEGION POST IS ASKING FOR DONATIONS, SO THEY CAN GET SOME MORE BLUE STAR SERVICE BANNERS MADE. MARV SHAW SAID THE BANNERS ARE GIVEN TO PEOPLE, WHEN SOMEONE IN THE HOME IS SERVING IN THE UNITED STATES ARMED FORCES. THE BANNERS ARE TRADITIONALLY DISPLAYED IN THE WINDOWS OF THOSE HOMES. DONATIONS CAN BE MAILED TO P.O. BOX 418, AT THE SANTA CRUZ MAIN POST OFFICE ON FRONT STREET. THE ZIPCODE THERE IS 95061. MARV WILL ALSO BE ACCEPTING DONATIONS IN PERSON ON THURSDAY (VETERAN?S DAY), AT THE SANTA CRUZ VETERAN?S HALL ON FRONT STREET. HE REQUESTS THAT DONATIONS BEING MADE BY CHECK, BE WRITTEN TO AMERICAN LEGION POST 64, AND THEN IN THE LOWER LEFT CORNER PEOPLE SHOULD WRITE ?BLUE STAR BANNERS?.

the Blue Star Service Banner tradition reminds us all that war touches every neighborhood in our land.