The Californian from Salinas, California • 15

mm Authorized Airless RepairCenter Mm figgij Local Obituaries: Scott Riedinger, 33, of Salinas, died Wednesday at his home2C e's 2ic SATURDAY March 23 2002 Californian www.californianonline.com MICHELLE MAITRE, ASSISTANT CITY EDITOR Phone: 754-4279; Fax: 754-4293; E-mail: mmaitresalinas.gannett.com toppik ggaumg 0 -I IT'S EVERYONE'S LEADERS, POLICE SAY 1 ht I Agencies in the fray need volunteers 111 1 By Kelly Nix The Californian From stuffing envelopes to working directly with at-risk youth, community leaders, volunteers and police say everyone in Salinas can help prevent gang violence. Heightened awareness of Datelines Compiled from staff reports SALINAS Gang forum set for Tuesday The Salinas City Council on Tuesday night will hold the second of two community forums prompted by last week's wave of gang violence. The meeting is scheduled from 7 to 9 p.m, in the multipurpose room at Virginia Rocca Barton School, 680 Las Casitas Drive. About 300 people attended the first forum, held Wednesday at Santa Rita Elementary School in north Salinas. SALINAS City announces talent winners After reviewing more than 20 performances, judges chose nine winners in Thursday night's Teen Talent Challenge organized by the Salinas Youth Commission.

Winners received $100 for first place, $75 for second and $50 for third. Vocal: Yolanda Alvarez, first place; Magdalena, second place; Jasmine Morales, third place. Dance: Daniel Garcia, first place; La Paz Middle School, second place; the group Red Rose, third place. Instrumental: Kip Maras, first place; Aaron Moquia, second place; Matt Sullivan, third place. MONTEREY COUNTY United Way fund-raiser today "United Way Agency Day," a one-day fund-raiser, will be held from 11 a.m.

to 3 p.m. today at two locations: Westridge Shopping Center, in front of Wal-Mart in Salinas. the critical need for such emerged last week I f3f'i TTi 7 1 IM SEEKING from a series of peace RICHARD GREENTHE CALIFORNIAN Sophia Benavidez, a youth leader at Northside Assembly of God Church in Salinas, runs a program that offers young people an alternative to gangs. With her is her 6. Two women who make a difference shootings, which from March 11-15 left two teen-agers dead and an 8-year-old boy with a gunshot wound to his back.

On Wednesday, about 300 people attended a public meeting to express their concern and offer solutions about the recent wave of violence. But what can the average citizen do to help? Salinas police Officer Bobby Phillips said all it takes is a phone call to be part of the solution. "They can join volunteer organizations," Phillips said. "They can get involved with Partners for Peace, Second Chance Youth Program, PAL (Police Activities League), as mentors, coaches." He said people from a cross-section of the community need to take part in the gang effort: "It's a global approach, not just a neigh-See VOLUNTEERPage 4C Inside WHO NEEDS HELP: A list of agencies seeking volunteers4C They help young people make positive changes Sandra Rodriguez mentors a 1 5-year-old girl. zations and agencies that need it, it gives them a sense of self-worth and empowerment.

Sandra Rodriguez, a 24-year-old junior at California State University, Monterey Bay, is a volunteer mentor for a 15-year-old girl who's had lots of family problems. Rodriguez tutors the girl on her homework and offers an ear to her cares and concerns. them away from gangs. The troubled girl, who has had ties with gang members, has shown 100 percent turnaround since joining the program, Rodriguez said. The CSUMB student says she has equally benefited from the volunteer mentoring.

"It's gratifying to know that you are helping some-See WOMENPage 4C Rodriguez works for the Monterey County Sheriff's Department's Juvenile Impact Leadership Program, directed by Frank DiPaola, who ran a similar program in Los Angeles. The program works with troubled youth and steers By Kelly Nix The Californian Two Salinas women are proving that all it takes to volunteer is a little get up and go. They say that not only does volunteering provide invaluable help to organi "I try to consult her and give her advice," Rodriguez said. "She was really quiet and now she opens up." Jury convicts man of rape, burglary, robbery Former Hartnell College student leader faces prison sentence What's next George Jonathan Alvarez is scheduled to be sentenced May 1 5 for raping a woman and harassing two teen-age girls in Salinas. George Jonathan Alvarez was arrested May 10.

fh Alvarez stole a ring she owned. On May 10, A week after the Salinas rape, a Chevron employee in Gilroy said a man with a gun forced her to the back room of the gas station about 4 a.m. and raped her. The victim also picked out Alvarez in a photo lineup, police said. On the same day, just several hours later, two teenage girls said a man made suggestive comments to them as they were walking to North Salinas High School.

The girls, who were not walking together, were approached several minutes apart. One girl said that Alvarez threatened her with a gun. He was arrested shortly after the incidents when the girls ran to school and told officials. Neither girl was injured. Police connected Alvarez to the Gilroy rape after receiving several phone calls from people who said they recognized him from TV news coverage of a man caught on security cameras at the gas station.

George Jonathan Alvarez, 23, on charges of rape, kidnapping with the intent to commit rape, residential burglary and robbery, two counts of child molestation and one count of criminal threats stemming from several incidents on May 4 and May 10, 2001. Alvarez also is scheduled to stand trial May 25 in Santa Clara County on separate rape charges there. He served as the Salinas college's student-elected trustee in 1998-99 and was elected to a second term By Kelly Nix The Californian A former Hartnell College student body president faces 25 years to life in prison when sentenced in May for raping a Salinas woman in her home last May. A- Monterey County Superior Court jury on Thursday convicted the next year. Student trustees at Hartnell are paid about $200 a month.

During testimony, a 35-year-old woman and mother of three said Alvarez approached her at her driveway and forced her into her home at gunpoint. While inside, she said Alvarez took her to her upstairs bedroom, where he repeatedly raped and sodomized her. She later identified Alvarez as her attacker from a photo line-up. After raping the woman, Del Monte Shopping Center, in front of Macy's in Monterey. Representatives from 43 Salinas-area community agencies will be on hand to explain how donations to the United Way help them to help people.

The United Way is trying to reach its fund-raising goal of $3 million for 2001-02 by April 1. SALINAS Van hits light, injuring driver A Salinas man received major injuries Thursday when a mini van he was driving collided with a streetlight, police said. Samuel Gonzales, 30, remained in critical condition Friday at Natividad Medical Center. Gonzales was driving westbound on Boronda Road about 10 pjn. when his Ford Aerostar clipped a signpost, forcing it into a streetlight Salinas firefighters worked an hour and a half to extricate Gonzales from the wreckage, said Salinas police Lt.

Kelly McMillin. SOUTH COUNTY MST bus fares to be discussed Monterey-Salinas Transit officials will hold a March 28 hearing on proposed fares for new south county service to start May 4. Under the proposed fare schedule, regular one-way fares from Salinas would range from $1.75 to Chualar to $5.25 to King City. Discount fares would range from 85 cents to $255 The 7 p.m. hearing will be at the Salinas Community Center.

0BITUARIES2C RoyW.BIackwell MamertoJ.Jorvina Helen M.Kalstrom Scott Riedinger Robert Williams SOUTH COUNTY Court rejects appeal of man found guilty of '99 murder Annexations poised for approval acre middle school. But the King City to gain To attend The Local Agency Formation Commission meets at 4 p.m. Monday at the Salinas county courthouse, 240 Church St. Martin S. Salcido killed victim outside Oldtown bar What's next Martin S.

Salcido is serving a 40-year-to-life prison sentence for murder and attempted murder in an April 1 999 bar shooting in Salinas. 216 acres, Gonzales 81 acres By Larry Parsons The Californian The cities of Gonzales and King City will get bigger soon with two annexations expected to win easy OKs Monday. The city growth proposals are recommended for approval by the Local Agency Formation Commission of Monterey County The five-member commission, which has authority over local government boundaries, is poised to OK the 216-acre Meyer and Mills Ranch addition to King City and the 81-acre Meyer annexation to deal requires another 361 acres of adjacent farmland to be permanently preserved for agricultural operations. That move essentially would seal King City's northern border against further growth. LAFCO staffers say the commission should establish study areas for future growth to east and southeast of King City's current borders.

It will take three or four months for the proposed annexations to officially be transferred to the cities, West said. The commission is made up of county Supervisors Lou Calcagno and Edith Johnsen, Salinas Mayor Anna Caballero, Seaside Mayor Jerry Smith and Pacific Grove resident Can-dace Ingram. letter in court, complaining that the jury was biased against him. In their decision, the appellate justices said there was no basis for his contention that he received an unfair trial. The appeals court also rejected Salcido's contentions that he didn't have effective counsel and that a 25-year-to-life sentence enhancement for use of a firearm was cruel and unusual punishment.

The court said Salcido deserved his 40-year-to-life sentence because he was "extremely violent and dangerous." "(His) actions were vicious and not rash or unsophisticated," the court said. There's no controversy about the annexations, which won earlier approval from their respective city councils, LAFCO Executive Officer Catherine West said Friday. The Gonzales addition has been planned to become part of the city since 1997. The property, located on the southwest side of the city, is envisioned to give Gonzales more room for light industry, which would brings more jobs. The new land on the north side of King City is proposed for up to 800 new homes, open space and a 22- By Larry Parsons The Californian A state court rejected the appeal of a Salinas man imprisoned for killing one man and shooting another during a 1999 downtown bar fight.

Martin S. Salcido, 43, contended the aquittal of a co-defendant of murder during their trial prejudiced the jury against him. In a ruling this week, the Sixth District Court of Appeal rejected Salcido's appeal, saying the trial judge had properly instructed the jury about the midtrial acquittal. Salcido was convicted of second-degree murder and attempted murder for an April 18, 1999, burst of violence at the now-closed Margarita's Cafe in Old-town Salinas. He fatally shot Jorge Rios outside the bar, and then wounded Rios' friend, Rudy Falcon, as he fled through the bar.

When he was sentenced, Salcido read a two-page.