The Californian from Salinas, California • 2

FROM PAGE ONE 2 AMONDAY, October 27, 2003 ESTABLISHED IN 1871 FIREScripps Ranch area hit hard 2ff Californian The project's final environ SERVING THE SALINAS VALLEY AND MONTEREY COUNTY Published Monday-Saturday morning by Salinas Newspapers, 1 23 West Alisal Street. P. 0. Box 81091, Salinas, CA 93912 Phone (831 424-2221 or 649-6626 A Gannett Newspaper 3 .4 4' Management TimDowd, President and Publisher 7544100 tdowdsalinas.gannett.com Scott Faust, Executive Editor 754-4261 staustPsalinas.gannett.com Jmnirw Ptrkinson, Advertising Director 754-41 30 jperkinsonipsalinas.gannett.com Dawn Woodruff, Circulation Director 7544170 dwoodrurfpsalinas.gdnnett.com Joseph Hansen, Production Director 754-4241 jhansenesalinas.gannett.com Jtnin Paul, Human Resources Director 754-421 1 jpaul0salinas.gannett.com Robin Montoya, Market Development Director 754-4105 robin.montoya9PNI.com Louise Buttler, Assistant Controller 754-4110 lbuttlersalinas.gannett.com Albert Kemp, Online Manager 754-4107 albertkempgannett.com Customer service (831)424-2221 or 649-6626 Firefighters, including 25 strike teams and 125 engines, tried to make a stand at the town of Crestline high in the San Bernardino National Forest according to US. Forest Service fire information officer Stanton Florea.

About 25 homes burned in the area. A dangerous fire covering more than 80,000 acres was burning near suburbs late Sunday northwest of Los Angeles in Ventura County. Six homes were destroyed. Meanwhile, 250 firefighters were battling a fire north of Temecula in southern Riverside County that damaged or destroyed at least two homes. Evacuations were ordered for 300 homes near the Lake Skinner Recreation Area, and the blaze was 15 percent contained, CDF spokeswoman Rick Vogt said Tight resources Firefighters were spread thinly around threatened communities, focusing on saving what homes they could Winds prevented air tanker drops of retardant and use of backfires that are key tactics of fire containment The area is vulnerable because drought and an infestation of bark beetles have left millions of dead trees.

"If the fire starts to crown, racing from one tree to the next, it will be an extreme situation," Florea said Brandy DeBatte, 21, stayed at her Crestline home until the electricity went out and the smoke started to thicken. "I got our animals. I got insurance papers. I didn't want to be up there if the town was going to burn down," she said Hours later, she was having second thoughts as she realized how much she had left behind "I should have gotten more out and I didn't" Gov. Gray Davis, who visited the San Bernardino fire on Friday, returned Sunday to announce he was extending the state of emergency to Los Angeles and San Diego counties.

"This is a terrible situation," Davis told a San Bernardino news conference. "These are the worst fires that we've faced in California in 10 years." From Page 1 A "I was grabbing wet towels. Fire was at our feet," Pontes said "It was blazing over our heads and burning everywhere." About 260 homes were destroyed by the Cedar fire, which started Saturday near the mountain town of Julian when a lost hunter set off a signal fire, authorities said. The hunter was detained and may face charges. Hardest hit were the Scripps Ranch area, where at least ISO homes were burned, and Ramona, where flames swept through about 100 homes.

Another fire near San Diego that started Sunday killed two people and destroyed 57 homes while burning through about 15,000 acres, authorities said. It also prompted evacuations in northeastern Escondido. A fire near the U.S.-Mexico border prompted voluntary evacuations in eastern Chula Vista. The fire skipped over the international border into eastern Tijuana, but was not threatening any structures, said Antonio Rosquellas, director of the city's civil protection office. Game moved The National Football League moved tonight's game between the San Diego Chargers and the Miami Dolphins game from Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, which being used as an evacuation center, to Tempe, because of the wildfires.

Chargers general manager A.J. Smith said he told the league the game shouldn't be played in San Diego. "I just can't see us turning around and going to our stadium and playing Monday night football," he said. "There's too much devastation going on for that Too much." Fire also forced the evacuation of a Federal Aviation Administration control center in San Diego, disrupting air travel across the nation. Some airlines canceled flights into the region.

The flames drew much of their strength from the fierce Santa Ana winds, whose gusts of up to 70 mph moved the fires along. Around the congested suburbs News 8 a.m. to 1 a.m 754-4260 Opinionline phone 754-4299 FAX machine 754-4293 Sports J54-4265 Features J54-4270 If you have a news tip, wish to place a public announcement concerning local events or publish articles in The California please contact the news department at the above numbers. We will not be responsible for unsolicited manuscripts or photos mailed to The Californian. If you have a concern, a question or a correction on a news story, call 754-4260 and ask for the city editor or news editor.

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Ventura County firefighters react Sunday as a Los Angeles City Fire helicopter drops water on a back fire in Simi Valley. mental-impact report, which Novo said was completed last week, outlines the entire scope of the project, including its effects on the environment and purpose. The quarry, proposed for grazing land on the L230-acre Hand-ley Ranch, would provide a 113-year supply of rock, sand asphalt and concrete needed for local construction, said Granite, which applied for the EIR in November 200L demand analysis shows that we have to import a lot of rock into Monterey County," Grace said "So there's a deficit of rock that's available." The site would include an aggregate processing facility, hot-mix asphalt plant, concreteasphalt recycling facility, administration complex and parking areas, according to the project's EIR. Alison and Dick Stewart, who live in Chualar Canyon and whose property borders Hand-ley Ranch, are members of Preserve Our Valley, a group of Chualar residents that formed to stop Granite Construction's quarry plans. "We want to see south county kept rural and not paved over like Gilroy, Morgan Hill and San Jose," Alison Stewart said The noise is a big issue, Alison Stewart said "You can hear cars from three miles down the road" she said "Sounds are amplified in the canyon at night They are asking to work 365 days a year, 24 hours a day." Melanie Horwath of Chualar, who is not a member of Preserve Our Valley, said dust from the plant would affect local agriculture, and noise is a big concern.

"We hear coyotes from five miles away. Don't you think we would hear rock crushing from five miles away?" Horwath asked "On top of that, there is the impact on local agriculture. It will impact the crops, no doubt." But Grace said the site was carefully chosen with noise and other concerns in mind "We were very sensitive to that," Grace said "We had our noise guys look at it, and they determined it not to be an impact" Granite crews would constantly water down the plant to prevent dust from harming row crops and vineyards in the area, Grace said Granite also would pave the roads to cut down on the dust produced A ridge separating the plant from the canyon plus noise baffling and insulation would significantly reduce noise levels, Grace said Grace said Granite Construction is willing to field the community's concerns regarding the project. "The other thing we've advocated is a community-advisory group to work with us that is made up from people in the area," he said "We want to make this work for them." Circulation Customer service Salinas (831)758-2000 Free In California (800) 300-6397 Monday-Friday 5 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Saturday 6 a.m. to noon holidays 5 a.m. to 9 a.m. Missed deliveries Monday-Friday 6 a.m. to 1 1 a.m.

Saturday 8 a.m. to noon 'Holidays 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. Suggested subscription rates Home delivery Monday-Saturday 510.25 for 4 weeks 'Plus tax where applicable 'Newsstands 'Monday-Friday 50 cents Saturday Weekend SI 'Plus tax where applicable of San Bernardino, a city of 185,000 about 50 miles east of Los Angeles, one flank of a merged fire burned through four towns while the other flank destroyed more than 450 homes. Men sought The Sheriffs Department said late Sunday that detectives were seeking two men, both about 20, who were seen in a van on a road north of San Bernardino Saturday morning.

A witness saw one occupant throw something into roadside brush that started a fire and the van then made a U-turn and fled, officials said. Two deaths were reported during the fire, which could mean "the suspects may face felony murder charges when apprehended," a sheriffs statement said. The county coroner said one man collapsed as he was evacuating his canyon home and the other as he watched his house bum. The victims were identified only as 93-and 70-year-old men, according to the sheriffs statement The 30-mile-long fire in the San Bernardino area was formed when two smaller fires merged, covering the region with thick smoke and ash. Mail Fire delays flights CAR other From Page 1A Three other blasts co Three other blasts could be heard throughout the city follow in advance) 4n Monterey County 1 6.

1 6 for 4 weeks Outside Monterey County $18.44 for 4 weeks Plus tax where applicable The Californian (USPS 478-1 20) is published daily except Sunday by Salinas Newspapers 1 23 W. Alisal P.O. Box 81091, Salinas, CA 93912-1091. Periodicals postage paid at Salinas, CA. Postmaster: Send address changes to The Californian, P.

O. Box 81091, Salinas, CA 93912-1091 Copyright 2003, Salinas Newspapers Inc. All rights reserved. Radar center forced to close Advertising Classified Monday-Friday 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Salinas 424-2222 From the peninsula 649-6626 Out of the area (800) 300-6397 FAX 754-4140 After hours messages 424-2222 Display Monday-Friday 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Salinas 424-2221 From the peninsula 649-6626 Out of the area (800) 300-6397 FAX 754-4159 hours, but the longest delays had grown to more than 16 hours. About 100 flight cancellations were recorded by major airlines at Los Angeles International between rnidmorning and 5 pm, said Nancy Castles, spokeswoman for the city airports department The problem began about 9 am PST when a fire on the Marine Corps' Miramar Air Station in San Diego forced evacuation of the FAAs Southern California Terminal Radar Approach ControL The facility's functions were transferred to a center near Palmdale in the Mojave Desert that normally handles high-altitude traffic. "The net effect is a somewhat reduced ability to fake in traffic," Turk said Citing dense smoke and impaired air traffic control operations, Southwest Airlines temporarily suspended service into and out of Los Angeles International, Burbank, Ontario, San Diego, and Orange CountyJohn Wayne airports for the day.

By midafternoon, 152 Southwest flights had been canceled, the Dallas-based carrier said The blast caused extensive damage inside the building of the International Committee of the Red Cross, employees said Ghani Kadim, 50, a cigarette vendor, said he watched an ambulance move down the street toward the Red Cross building. "As it entered the front gate of the compound it exploded" he said American troops and Iraqi police streamed into the neighborhood Red Cross spokeswoman Nada Doumani said there were casualties among Iraqi staffers of the Red Cross but she gave no figures and did not say if they were dead or injured She said the building normally has about 100 people, mostly Iraqis, working there. "Of course we don't understand why somebody would attack the Red Cross," she said "It's very hard to understand" She said the international Red Cross has been working in Iraq since 1980 and "has not been involved in any politics." Asked if the organization would remain in Iraq, she replied "I don't even know what we're going to da" ing the Red Cross blast which occurred after 830 am Witnesses said one blast was in the al-Khadra neighborhood where the relief organization CARE is located Another was in the al-Shaab district another witness said The blasts occurred one day after a rocket attack on the Al Rasheed Hotel where U.S. military and coalition officials lived An American colonel was killed and 18 people were injured in the Sunday attack. Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz was in the building but escaped injury.

In one of the other bombings, a vehicle exploded in front of the al-Khadra police station in northeastern Baghdad killing three or four people, according to Iraqi police officer Saad Abdullah. He said about 50 people were injured and 10 cars were damaged The unprecedented wave of bombings occurred on the first day of the Islamic holy month Ramadan in the Iraqi capital. Muslims abstain from food drink, cigarettes and sex during daylight hours during the holy month, and religious feelings run high. By John Antczak The Associated Press LOS ANGELES Air traffic nationwide was disrupted Sunday when a wildfire forced evacuation of a Federal Aviation Administration control center and some airlines canceled flights in and out of smoke -shrouded Southern California. Aircraft scheduled to fly to Los Angeles International Airport, San Diego's Lindbergh Field and other regional airports were ordered held on the ground for varying lengths of time, FAA spokesman Paul Turk said in Washington, D.C.

The "ground delay" program involved flights originating throughout the United States and Canada, he said By early afternoon Los Angeles-bound flights were delayed an average of about six hours, FAA reported on its Web site. By late afternoon the average delay was down to just over three i3 Member of Audit Bureau of Circulations About Granite Construction Watsonville-based Granite Construction builds projects such as roads, tunnels, bridges and airports. The company also produces construction materials such as sand, gravel and asphalt concrete. Corrections The Californian strives to maintain accuracy and fairness in all stories, graphics, photographs and other materials that appear in the newspaper. It is our practice to correct errors in the issue immediately following their discovery.

If you have a correction or clarification request, please call the newsroom at 754-4260. DIA Sugar skulls are part of the celebration; events are slated locally From Page 1A SATURDAY To attend National Steinbeck Center's Day of the Dead Celebration and Community Free Day: 4 to 7 p.m. Saturday. Twilight procession, 6:30 p.m. from National Steinbeck Center, One Main Salinas, to Sacred Heart Church, corner of Market and Stone streets, followed by a Mass for the dead conducted in Spanish.

Admission: free. Hartnell College: Free reception and Frida Kahlo look-alike contest, 6 to 9 p.m. Saturday at the college's art gallery to celebrate the "Bailando con la Muerte Dancing with Death" exhibit. The exhibit runs at the Hartnell College Gallery from Oct. 27 to Nov.

8. California State University, Monterey Bay: Free Dia de los Muertos celebration, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Sunday, University Center.Theme is "Music of the Dead: The Underground Unity Tour" in honor of recently departed musicians such as Johnny Cash, Celia Cruz and Barry White. The gathering was a joint project of the Center for Community Advocacy and CSUMB; this is the second year families have gathered to make decorations. "It's beautiful He's got glasses, huh?" said NerL who oversaw the afternoon's artwork, of one participant's decorated skull.

The 120 colorful sugar skulls will be the centerpieces at the National Steinbeck Center's Day of the Dead Celebration and Community Free Day, which will take place on Saturday from 4 to 7 p.m. The event, sponsored by Macy's West is a free-admission day for Monterey County residents that will feature food and craft booths, music and dancing and the altar exhibit "Smoking MirrorsReflections of Peace," part of the center's larger Dia de los Muertos exhibition. The evening will also feature a twilight procession at 6:30 p.m. from the center to Sacred Heart church, followed by a Mass for the dead, conducted in Spanish. "Death is not something to be feared but part of the continuum of life," he said Because Dia de Los Muertos is an occasion for celebration, there is never a shortage of parties, and this year is no exception.

Area farm workers and their families gathered Sunday afternoon at CSUMB, preparing for Dia de los Muertos by using colored frosting and paper to decorate sugar skulls. Fantasy 5 5 15 25 27 30 03 (mid) 2 1 3 Daiy3(ev?) 0 7 Dairy Demy 1st 12, Lucky Charms 2nd: 04, Big Ben 3rd: 10, Solid Gold Time: 1.45.43 Super Lotto Plus mJt 43 7 47 32 18 10 Jackpot $7 million SUNDAY Take the time to get checked. Busy. Busy. Busy.

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