The Californian from Salinas, California • 25

HUHtNTOJIR STEREO Thursday, February 5, 2004 nnnn ii Mil ii If i fc-4 fj mm mm 751-3333 MAOTT ST.SALI.,4.3 uuuuuu Health Care2D Classifieds3D CITY EDITOR; Mike Nemeth PHONE: 754-4280 FAX: 754-4293 E-MAIL mnemethfsalinas.gannett.com www.thecalifornian.com CLOSE-UP SOUTH SALINAS SOUTH SAUNAS Toastmasters meets tonight Steinbeck Toastmasters Club will celebrate its 25th anniversary from 6 to 7:30 pjn. tonight at Chef Lee's Mandarin House II, 1616 N. Main St, Salinas. Officer installation, fun speeches will be featured The public is invited. The club meets weekly from 6 to 730 pm Thursdays, usually at Villa Serra, 1320 Padre Drive, Salinas.

Toastmasters International is a nonprofit group devoted to the improvement of individual communication and leadership skills. Information: Carol Ryan, 484-9167 or Www.D4TM.org. NORTH SALINAS Event to benefit veterans hospital The American Legion Auxiliary Salinas Unit 31, 14 W. Laurel Drive, Salinas, is sponsoring a Valentine's Day dinner and dance to benefit the Palo Alto Veteran's Hospital. The event is open to the public and begins with dinner from 6:30 to 7:30 Sun.

followed by dancing to Vintage rom 9 pan. to 1 a.m. A dessert auction follows the dinner. Tickets are $20 per person in advance only and may be purchased in the lounge at the post. Dance-only tickets are $10 and will be sold only on the date of the event at 8:45 jn.

1 I I TmT I hj Ji.i. ff i-inmi'iir, Tijj jllMMiiMMMmi I ltl'Tllim'-nril'AiftiifiB-l'iM-lrii Marlys Maher pets her dog, Buddy, on Monday in her Salinas home. She's helping to organize a 'Voluntary Simplicity' discussion and study group Saturday aimed at exploring ways to makes one's life more simple. bCUfl MACUUNALOIHt bALINAi UALII-UKNIAN Make your life simple Group holds its meeting Saturday Monterey County real estate sales The following are recorded home and property sales in Monterey County by ZIP code from Jan. 20 to 23, according to county records.

See the Community section, Monday through Thursday, for rotating Salinas 93906 1678 Cambrian Drive for $398,000 1752 Lennox Way for $620,000 1978 Gladstone Way for $440,000 Salinas 93907 17389 Mc Guffie Road for $475,000 8021 Vierra Meadows Place for $595,000 19031 Beatrice Drive for $495,000 9534 Pollock Lane for $395,000 Salinas 93908 22575 Toreador Drive for $760,000 234 San Benancio Canyon Road for $775,000 26 Paseo Her-moso for $485,000 3 Mesa Del Sol for $899,000 25636 Creekview Circle for $879,000 San Lucas 93920 Agricultural land for $2,166,500 Carmel 93923 26310 Valley View Avenue for $1,570,000 4 NE Camino Real 13th Avenue for $1,316,500 Carmel Valley 93924 30 Via Contents for $425,000 49 Holman Road for $450,000 really living," Maher said. The Northwest Earth Institute supplies the course material, a book of readings on topics as varied as deep ecology, voluntary simplicity, globalization and sustainable living. Maher, 75, has lived in Salinas for 30 years, and worked as a librarian at Hartnell College before she retired. She drives a hybrid electricgas-powered car, recycles and tries to bicycle when she caa The home she shares with her terrier, Buddy, is decorated in soft earth tones with simple wooden furniture. See SIMPLE, Page 2D The group will meet for eight sessions to discuss readings and examine their personal values and habits.

South Salinas resident Marlys Maher is helping to organize the group, modeled after a meeting she attended at the Unitarian Universalist Church in Monterey. The meeting is open to anyone interested, and is free aside from a $15 book charge. "I think it's a good way to look at your values and how you're TO ATTEND A Voluntary Simplicity group is holding an organizational meeting from 7 to 8 p.m. Saturday at the First National Bank community room, 307 Main Salinas. Information: Marlys Maher, 758-0729; or Sera Hirasuna, 442-8151.

meeting from 7 to 8 p.m. Saturday at the First National Bank community room at 307 Main St in Salinas. By MEGAN WILLIAMS The Salinas Californian Life can be so hectic, so cluttered. But those who want to free themselves from the usual tethers can soon join a group aimed at living simply. A Voluntary Simplicity group is holding an organizational PEOPLE SOUTH SALINAS Drax puts his face on radio WO NORTH SAUNAS TODAY WINE CLUB, 6:30 p.m., Pajaro Street Grill, 435 Pajaro Salinas.

$25 per person, pinot noir. 754-3738. TODAY BLOOD DRIVE, 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., California State University, Monterey Bay, campus, off Third Street between the Dining Commons and Media Learning Center. 582-3965.

TODAY TRANSPORTATION AGENCY FOR MONTEREY COUNTY BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN FACILITIES ADVISORY COMMITTEE, 6 p.m., TAMC conference room, 55-B Plaza Circle, Salinas. FRI. 26 1 CLAM CHOWDER FEED, takeout, 3 to 7:30 p.m., and sit-down 5 to 7:30 p.m., Orradre building, Salinas Valley Fairgrounds, King City. Monterey County Agricultural and Rural Life Museum. 385-8020.

FRI. 26 1 LESS CRIME IS NO ACCIDENT, breakfast featuring Jack Calhoun, executive director National Crime Prevention Council, 7:30 a.m., First Baptist Church, San Vincente and Blanco Road, Salinas. Salinas Valley Chamber of Commerce and Partners for Peace. 424-7611. 26-7 1 STUDIO AUDITIONS, Western Stage auditions for 2004 season: "Our Town," "The Cripple of Irishman," "All My Sons" and "Tartuffe." 759-6037, www.westemstage.org.

SAT. 27 1 MONTEREY PENINSULA BRANCH NAACP LIFE MEMBERSHIP BANQUET, 6 to 9 p.m. Monterey Beach Resort Hotel. Willis Edwards, known as Mr. Hollywood and Mr.

Star Maker, keynote speaker. R.S.V.P.: Jan, 394-0754 or Carolyn, 384-6533. NEIGHBORHOODS CALENDAR appears Monday through Thursday in Community. We welcome news and events regarding Salinas-area neighborhoods and towns, including neighborhood groups, new businesses, community services and more. Send in cart of NEIGHBORHOODS.

See "Share your news" on this page for details. EAST By CLAUDIA S. MEU-NDEZ The Salinas Californian He has to be at work bright and early 5 a.m. in Pacific Grove, but Salinas resident Benihard Drax doesn't wake up until 430 a.m. Clearly, he does not need IS 1011 SOUTH SALINAS South County Community, presenting another layer of local news, appears Monday through Thursday in the opening pages of the classified section.

In appreciation of the varied neighborhoods and communities that make up the Salinas area, the Close-up and People articles on this page are from daily rotation of geographic areas. Inside is a rotation of community-news topics. The weekly schedule: Monday: South Monterey County, including Chualar, Gonzales, Soledad, Greenfield and King City. Inside: Public Safety. Tuesday: North Salinas, including north Salinas neighborhoods, plus Moss Landing, Castroville, Prunedale and Aromas.

Inside: Schools. Wednesday: East Salinas, covering east Salinas neighborhoods. Inside: Our Kids. Thursday: South Salinas, including south Salinas neighborhoods, plus Toro Park, Spreckels, Las Palmas Ranch, Corral de Tierra and San Benancio Canyon. Inside: Health Care.

Friday: Automotive classified section. Share your news To contribute news items, photos and story suggestions for Community and its daily topics, send them in care of COM- much primping time. "I'm on radio. I don't have to go through make-up," said the morning show host of KAZU 90 FM, the Pacific Grove affiliate of National Public Radio operated by California State University, Monterey Bay. A native of Munich, Germany, Drax arrived on the Central Coast in 2001, refit I I i THE SALINAS CALIFORNIAN and soon after his arrival, he took over Bernhard Drax the news department of the station, which was on the verge of being sold to a commercial broadcaster.

"In the beginning, we all worked 15-hour days, everybody," he said. "We built this station from nothing." Drax is proud not only of having turned the station around, but also of encouraging more Salinas residents to listen to the station and join as members. "I succeeded because in the last pledge drive, we had a tremendous response from the Salinas area," he said. MUNITY: by fax to 754-4293; by e-mail to newsroomSalinas.gannert.com; or in person or by mail to The Salinas Californian, 123 W. Alisal Salinas, 93901.

Information and questions: 754-4260. Online: For profiles of Sahnas-area communities, school districts and schools, click on "communities" at www.thecalifornian.com. fi THTAI yr ink Jj ffkmuniccmki 18275 Meadow Song Way Mariner 101 Palmas BEAft fttl St 1 1 I -i 1 E.i FULL SERVICE MLS "SAVE YOUR EQUITY' South Salinas ri I 1 LlLIJ 1 I iM I If I 27540 IAVCLIA tCe 2773 CPOWNE i 22175 MWYDR WAIT KJINIDB RIVER RD LAS PALMAS RANCH -I, LAS PALMAS HWY 66 $609,000 'T 1,495,000 659,500 "72 25203 WAIFACT rT5 25324 JASM'NE CT IAS MIMAS LAS PALMAS fl LAS PAIMAS 1-3 ACRE LOT Jer-- SUMMERHIU 1 SUMMERHIU I 1 LAS PALMAS, VE ARE HERE FOR YOU! STOP BY OUR NEW OFFICE AT 18275 MEADOW SONG WAY LOCATED AT THE ENTRANCE OF LAS PAIMAS! 757.3333.