AN 85-YEAR-OLD WOMAN WAS RESCUED FROM HER SALINAS HOME AS FLAMES LEAPED OUT OF WINDOWS LAST NIGHT. SALINAS POLICE OFFICER JASON SCOTT HEARD MARY HARRINGTON'S CRY FOR HELP, AND CRAWLED UNDER THICK SMOKE TO A REAR BEDROOM TO SAVE HER. HE CARRIED MARY OUT AS HE RUSHED THROUGH THE THICK CHOKING SMOKE TO SAFETY. THE STRUCTURE FIRE STARTED AROUND 8:30 THURSDAY NIGHT AT 32 PINE STREET. MS. HARRINGTON WAS TRANSPORTED TO A LOCAL HOSPITAL AND TREATED FOR SMOKE INHALATION. OFFICER SCOTT SUFFERED NO ILL EFFECTS FROM HIS ACTIONS. FIRE OFFICIALS CALLED OFFICER SCOTT'S ACTIONS HEROIC, AND CREDITED HIS SWIFT RESPONSE WITH SAVING THE ELDERLY WOMAN'S LIFE.

A MAN IS BEING SOUGHT IN CONNECTION WITH YESTERDAY?S SHOOTING DEATH OF A SEASIDE MAN. AUTHORITIES BELIEVE THAT 23 YEAR-OLD OSCAR NICKOLAS CRUZ KILLED 20 YEAR-OLD JOSE LUIS VASQUEZ AROUND 3:30 P.M. IN SEASIDE. CRUZ WAS REPORTEDLY SEEN LEAVING THE INTERSECTION OF CONTRA COSTA AND PALM IN A 1999 BLACK JEEP CHEROKEE. THE MURDER WEAPON IS BELIEVED TO BE A .45 CALIBER PISTOL. CRUZ IS A KNOWN NORTENO GANG MEMBER. ANYONE WITH ANY INFORMATION ABOUT THIS MURDER, OR THE SUSPECT IS ASKED TO CONTACT THE SEASIDE POLICE DEPARTMENT.

A NEW BANKING LOCATION IS EXPECTED TO OPEN NEXT SPRING ONCE CONSTRUCTION OF A NEW BUILDING IS COMPLETE. AN ALMOST 10 THOUSAND SQUARE FOOT COMMERCIAL BUILDING WILL BE BUILT AT SOQUEL DRIVE AND TROUT GULCH ROAD ON THE SITE OF AN OLD GAS STATION. IF ALL GOES AS PLANNED IT WILL ALSO BE THE 1ST APTOS LOCATION FOR THE BAY FEDERAL CREDIT UNION.

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY VOTERS HAVE BEEN REQUESTING A VOTE-BY-MAIL BALLOT IN RECORD NUMBERS RECENTLY. COUNTY CLERK GAIL PELLERIN SAYS THE ELECTIONS DEPARTMENT IS WORKING FURIOUSLY TO PROCESS THE OVER 48 THOUSAND THEY'VE ALREADY RECEIVED.
PELLERIN SAID VOTERS HAVE UNTIL TUESDAY TO REQUEST A VOTE-BY-MAIL BALLOT. THEY ARE AVAILABLE BY FAX AT (831) 454-2445, ONLINE AT WWW.VOTESCOUNT.COM , OR AT THE CITY CLERKS OFFICES IN CAPITOLA, SANTA CRUZ, SCOTTS VALLEY, AND WATSONVILLE. VOTE-BY-MAIL APPLICATIONS CAN ALSO BE FOUND ON THE BACK COVER OF THE COUNTY SAMPLE BALLOT BOOKLET.