Santa Cruz County leaders have launched a campaign to explore implementing a new tax to support fire-protection services in certain rural areas of the county. The Board of Supervisors this week approved spending 63-thousand, 5-hundred dollars on a political consulting firm out of San Francisco, to help educate the public about fire and funding issues. The funding is being sought to provide fire services in the areas of Bonny Doon, Davenport, the Summit and Loma Prietta areas, South Skyline, and Corralitos. Supervisors are unsure what the measure would look like, and when it would go before voters, but it would likely be in the form of an increased special district fee, or implementing a new parcel tax on property owners. A similar measure failed to pass in 2007.
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UC Santa Cruz has a new official in the university’s number-2 post. Forensic anthropologist Alison Galloway was appointed yesterday(Thurs), to serve as UCSC’s Executive Vice-Chancellor and Provost. Galloway, a 56-year-old Live Oak resident who was born in England, will oversee day-to-day operations at the university, as the top official in charge of academics and finances. Galloway replaces David Kliger, who left the post after 5-years, to return to teaching. The position draws a 265-thousand dollar-a-year-salary.
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A murder trial has been delayed for 3-men accused of killing a Los Angeles man in Santa Cruz last year. 32-year-old Stewart Skuba, 30-year-old Adam Hunt, and 40-year-old Kenneth Clamp have all pleaded not guilty to killing 29-year-old Elias Sorokin in July of 2009. The 3-suspects were scheduled to appear in court on Monday, to face the murder charges, as well as kidnapping and robbery charges. They are now set to appear next Thursday, the 23rd, and the attorney for Stewart Skuba is expected to ask for a separate trial for his client, so that he can testify against the other defendants. The 3-are accused of attempting to rob Sorokin of marijuana, before using chloroform on him, and throwing his body off of a cliff north of Santa Cruz. Sorokin’s body has still not been found. The suspects remain jailed on 1-million dollars bail each.
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Young Salinas residents are scheduled to hold a rally tomorrow(Sat), to promote a message of peace. The Salinas Youth Rally for Peace comes a week after another wave of shootings in the city, during which the victims were all younger than 25. The free peace rally is expected to include free food, music, and prizes. The event is scheduled for tomorrow at 11 a.m., at the Vineyard Church field on East Alisal street. Organizers encourage residents of all ages to come out and rally in support of peace.
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