The Californian from Salinas, California • 13

l-BuCldsUcymW) Slruclonl lisulilcd Huok fKkjiKt Local Km Obituaries: Raymond ARay' Lopez, asacarpenter2C rre-EnglfwtreilWjIls-flouriRoofSviltmi FRIDAY May 31, 2002 Calif or nian www.U-Buildliumet.cum www.califomianonline.com MICHELLE MAITRE, ASSISTANT CITY EDITOR Phone: 754-4279; Fax: 754-4293; E-mail: mmaitresalinas.gannett.com Datelines 22M Ceuiumtly Mdtet $7 IT KEEPS FUNDING AT CURRENT LEVELS What's next Monterey County supervisors will hold a hearing on the county's proposed 2002-03 budget starting at 9 a.m. June 10 in the Salinas county courthouse. Compiled from staff reports SEASIDE Drug sweep nets arrests of 13 Thirteen people were arrested and several pounds of drugs were confiscated Thursday during an "arrest warrant sweep" in several Monterey Peninsula cities. The arrests were the culmination of a eight-month investigation by Seaside and Monterey police in conjunction with members of the federal Drue Thursday is short on big bells or whistles. On the other hand, the 506-page spending plan, which would keep county government operations at current levels, could prove a little long on wishful thinking.

"Everything is pretty much on a status quo basis," said Supervisor Lou Calcagno, a member of the Board of Supervisors' Budget Committee. That stability may be "It can be said with little doubt that the state's deficit is huge and will result in program reductions at the county level," County Administrative Officer Sally Reed warns in her budget message. The proposed 2002-03 budget an increase of $30.2 million, or 4.4 percent, from this fiscal year is set for a June 10 hearing before the supervisors. The budget proposes spending levels over the entire spec trum of county government, from hospital and jail operations to parks, libraries and welfare programs. Because the massive state budget gap won't be closed until this summer, the supervisors have scheduled only a single day for preliminary budget hearings.

After the Sacramento picture clears, the supervisors will revisit the budget. "I would bet we don't get down to the real nitty-grit ty until after the (November) election," Calcagno said. Already, county officials say Gov. Gray Davis' proposed budget would cost the county almost $13 million, with most of the cuts coming in health, social service and criminal justice programs. "We're in pretty good financial shape, but the pass-through (revenue) See BUDGETPage 2C State deficit likely to take big bite from programs By Larry Parson The Californian A proposed $722 million budget for Monterey County government unveiled shaken hard, if the county takes a major funding hit because of the $24 billion state budget shortfall that has the governor, Legislature and lobbyists scrambling in Sacramento.

Residents protest costs Driver in fatal crash pleads guilty Property owners speak out on bond Measure A would pay for Greenfield community center Renee Brooks was driving when her car mm- i V.1. What's next Renee Brooks will be sentenced June 14 in a Salinas courtroom for her involvement in a 2001 auto accident that killed her two teen-age friends. 0 Renee Brooks faces sentencing on charge of manslaughter By Kelly Nix The Californian A 20 -year-old Salinas woman involved in a fatal car accident in 2001 that killed her two close friends pleaded guilty Thursday to vehicular manslaughter. Renee Brooks entered the plea in a Salinas courtroom to charges stemming from a 2001 crash that killed Rose Marie Ruiz, 19, and Mary Rachel Montoya, 17. Brooks faces up to seven years in prison, but she could avoid prison and receive felony probation when sentenced June 14.

Chief Assistant District Attorney Terry Spitz said Superior Court Judge Wendy Duffy indicated Brooks likely will receive a lesser sentence. Brooks, then 19 years old, was driving more than 70 mph on Arroyo Seco Road on May 6, 2001, when she lost control of her car, a 1991 Pontiac Grand Am. It spun off the road and into a fatal roll. Ruiz and Montoya were killed instantly. A third passenger, 18 -year-old Jesse Guerra, was seriously injured and spent at least two weeks recovering in a Fresno hospital.

On Feb. 22, Superior Court Judge Maria O. Anderson denied Brooks probation, in part because Anderson said she wasn't convinced Brooks was remorseful for the accident. Because of that, Anderson said prison is more appropriate than probation. Enforcement Agency, the Monterey County Sheriff's Department and other local agencies.

Officers seized 6.5 pounds of methampheta-mine, more than 4,000 grams of powder and crack cocaine, $6,500 in cash, four vehicles and 25 firearms in the sweeps. Arrested on warrants were Lanorah Austin of Pacific Grove and Tracy Corbett, Paul Dickens, Flora Robinson, Arthur Ayers, Diego Legaspi, Bradley Woodruff, Edwin Harris, Elgie Hayes, Eugene Garner, Mua Nguyen, Michele Chioino and Lawrence Castro, all of Seaside. SAUNAS Mom who left baby sentenced A Seaside woman who abandoned her baby on a stranger's doorstep was sentenced Thursday to three years probation and 12 days in jail, the Monterey County District Attorney said. Anna Aguilar, 28, was sentenced for deserting a child with intent to abandoa Aguilar gave birth at Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula on Feb. 1 and was discharged about 430 After wandering a Seaside neighborhood for several hours, she eventually abandoned the baby at a home on Mendocino Street SALINAS Coroner IDs girl who died in cash The Monterey County Coroner's office on Thursday released the name of the 9-year-old girl who died Wednesday in a car accident on Abbott Street and Harris Road.

Emeryl Negrete died about 830 p.m. after her mother's 1886 Mazda Sedan was broadsided by a big rig. The coroner said Emeryl's mother, Raquel Ruiz, was trying to turn onto Harris Road from Abbott Street Ruiz and her 4-year-old son also were injured in the accident and were transported to Salinas Valley Memorial Healthcare System for treatment. NORTH COUNTY Water board likely to raise fee The Pajaro Valley Water Management Agency Board is expected to adopt a $30 per acre-foot increase in augmentation charges at a special board meeting at 1 p.m. today at Watsonville City Hall, 250 Main St, Watsonville.

The special meeting is the third of three hearings the PVWMA board will bold on the increase irom the current $50 per acre-foot charge on water pumped in the agency's boundaries. With the increase, if adopted, city water users would see their bills go up about 75 cents per month, effective July 1. By Glenn Cravens The Californian GREENFIELD About 40 Greenfield residents came together Thursday to talk about a measure that will decide the future of recreation and tourism in the city. Residents are voting through a mail-in ballot process on Measure a $5.8 million bond to be paid off in 30 years. It will provide funding for a community center, a museum to honor first Mayor Tom Rogers and sports fields.

i If the measure is approved, a flat tax will be levied on homeowners and landowners' property taxes. Homeowners will pay $175 per year; landowners will pay $475 per acre. About 30 percent of the payment will pay operating expenses at the community center. Two-thirds of the voters must approve the measure for it to pass. A community forum at Greenfield High School drew voters on bom sides of the issue, although all agreed the city needs a community center.

"There is no permanent structure for organized recreation," said Councilman Ezechiel Banales, event moderator. Measure A will help the city raise funds to build its first community center on Seventh Street and Elm Avenue. City officials already have received a $1 million community block grant from the state to build the center, but without additional funds from Measure the community center may never be built City leaders must raise additional capital by November, or the block grant will be lost See BONDPage 2C What's next June 1 1 is the last day for Greenfield residents to mail in their ballots on Measure A. him THinimiimiiiiinj STATE NEWS INSIDE: DORIAN HANNERTHE CALIFORNIAN Protesters prepare to march along Kilbreth Avenue Thursday evening over rising rents in Salinas. Salinas rents on rise 1 ft- Jj, 'A THE ASSOCIATED PRESS already paid the higher rents.

Protesters Thursday marched through east Salinas, carrying signs protesting the increases. The march followed on the steps of a March 7 protest on the steps of Salinas City Hall in which the Center for Community Advocacy asked the City Council to draft an ordinance requiring landlords to negotiate with tenants before raising rents. Center lawyers will soon present the city attorney with proposed language for the ordinance. workers living in this county" Landlord Randy Grooms notified tenants in 90 units he owns that their rent would go up 10 percent as of May One-bedroom rents increased from $625 to $685 and the rent for a two-bedroom unit went from $725 to $800 in apartments at 776 Kilbreth Ave, 1054 Atlantic St, 5021 Fremont St and 788 Garner Ave. Grooms' attorney, Bob Taylor, said the increases are consistent with market rates and that more than half the residents have Staff report More than 200 people, many of them farm workers and their families, took to the streets of east Salinas on Thursday to protest what they called rent-gouging by a Salinas landlord.

Sabino Lopez, deputy director of the Center for Community Advocacy, which organized the march and rally, said, "We have a big problem. Rents are going up and up and up, and there's not a lot of affordable housing, which is a big need for farm Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca is holding off on the release of 400 prisoners to deal with budget woes. STORY, 5C MOST WANTED: 8 on patrol's listPage 3C POT BUST: 3 tons found on truckPage 5C Rape conviction leads to life prison sentence Mother says son's trial was unfair Background Prior to Thursday's sentencing, George Jonathan Alvarez pleaded guilty in a Santa Clara County courtroom to the May 10, 2001, rape of a gas station employee in Gilroy. George Jonathan Alvarez was convicted by a jury in March. IV separately to North Salinas High School.

One girl said that Alvarez threatened her with a gun. Prior to Thursday's sentencing, Alvarez had also pleaded guilty in a Santa Clara County courtroom to a May 10 rape in Gilroy in which a gas station employee said he forced her to a back room and raped her. The Gilroy case carries a maximum of 21 years in prison. He must serve at least 26 years in prison before he is eligible for parole on the Salinas case. she had been raped was dismissed during jury deliberations after the matter was researched, he said.

During the trial, the 35-year-old victim, a mother of three, said Alvarez approached her in her driveway and forced her into her home at gunpoint. While inside, she said Alvarez took her to her upstairs bedroom and repeatedly assaulted her. Alvarez also faced charges stemming from a May 10 incident in which he made suggestive and threatening comments to two 15-year-old girls who were walking and robbery, two counts of child molestation and one count of criminal, threats stemming from several incidents on May 4 and May 14 200V Before Superior Court Judge Gary Meyer sentenced him, Alvarez addressed the court, saying the "DA (Deputy District' Attorney Charlie Keeley) manipulated its case" against him. Alvarez's mother, Linda Sanchez, said Meyer should have allowed the case to be retried. "If they can convict my By Kelly Nix The Californian The mother of a former Hartnell College student body president who was sentenced Thursday to life in prison for rape said her son did not receive a fair triaL George Jonathan Alvarez, 23, was found guilty by a jury March 21 on charges including rape, kidnapping with the intent to commit rape, residential burglary 0BITUARIES2C case, one of whom said she had been raped and another whom Alvarez said was an acquaintance of his from Hartnell.

Chief Assistant District Attorney Terry Spitz refuted at least one of Sanchez's claims. The juror who said son with no evidence," Sanchez said, "then they can convict anyone's son with no evidence." She said Meyer should have immediately addressed problems with two jurors who heard the Lawrence Dizon 'Lair Ignacio Raymond Mtey' Lopez Jesus Delima 'Jess' Raneses DomenicP.Rizzo.