The Californian from Salinas, California • 2

Saturday, September 30, 2006 HO off expires 11 1506 i 1 expires nn UOL COMMUNITY IE Teen honors memories of World War II veterans Facials Waxing Make-Up EXECUTIVE CITY EDITOR: Mike Nemeth PHONE: 754-4280 FAX: 754-4293 E-MAIL mnemeththecalifornian.com www.thecalifornian.com HIGHER EDUCATION Astronaut relates space stories He speaks to students at Hartnell College I 1 using a portable foot restraint while spacewalking which his brother peddled to Surfer Magazine as "space surfing." It landed Newman, a native of surf-centric San Diego, in a feature story in the magazine. "That was when I peaked," Newman joked. Yvonne Arellano, a Hartnell student in the audience, relished the talk because it gave her an opportunity to relay the experience to her 9-year-old son Nikko, a budding astronomy buff. "It was very interesting," Arellano said, "to meet somebody who's actually been in space." Contact Robert Salonga at rsalongdthecalifornian.com. man, aimed at inspiring his audiences toward careers in math, science and engineering.

Newman, an instructor at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, brought with him an impressive array of photographs and videos that gave students an inside-the-space-helmet look at the construction of the International Space Station and repair of the Hubble Space Telescope. In his 40-minute talk, he also described trials experienced by a very-select few, such as performing tasks while adjusting to weightlessness in space. "Whether you're right-side BACKGROUND James Newman, an instructor at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, has logged more than 43 days in space, including six spacewalks lasting a total of 43 hours and' 13 minutes. up or upside down, whether you feel great or not so great, you have to do your job," Newman said. Other tidbits Newman shared included how to interpret the patches astronauts wear during each launch, in which multiple symbols represent key features of the missioa Newman earned the most laughs for a photo of himself By ROBERT SAL0NGA The Salinas Californian About 100 Hartnell College students got an extraterrestrial lesson Friday when James Newman, an astronaut involved with some of NASA's most significant missions of the past 15 years, shared his experiences during a late-morning talk.

The presentation was part of a day-long series of campus appearances for New ROBERT SAL0NGATHE SALINAS CALIFORNIAN Astronaut James Newman, an instructor at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, speaks Friday at Hartnell College. NORTH COUNTY Zl Castroville opens new Castro Plaza In Brief Compiled from staff reports MONTEREY Man attacked with bat; police seek suspect Monterey police are searching for a male suspect in his 20s who they say hit another man's head with a baseball bat late Thursday, sending the man to a local hospital. The attack happened about 11:30 p.m. near Franklin and Alvarado streets. To report information, call Monterey police at 646-3840.

SALINAS Repaving project begins Sunday on Highway 101 Work crews Sunday night will begin resurfacing Highway 101 at locations from Sanborn Road to Echo Valley Road. The $2.7 million improvement project will close one lane in each direction from 7:30 p.m. to 6 a.m. Mondays through Thursdays and from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m.

Sundays through December. One lane in each direction will remain open at all times. Motorists can expect some delays. Information: 372-0862 or www.dot.ca.govdist05maintroadA pmon.htm. CENTRALC0AST More high school students can work polls More high school students can work at polling places during elections, thanks to a bill signed into law Thursday.

Assembly Bill 2671 by Assemblyman Simon Salinas, D-Salinas, drops the requirement that only high school seniors can serve as poll workers, effective Jan.l. The bill is intended to give students more first-hand elections experience and help recruit poll workers. MONTEREY Aquarium to hold volunteer guide meetings The Monterey Bay Aquarium will host volunteer guide information meetings from 7 to 9 p.m. Oct. 12 and Oct.

17, required for the training course scheduled for 6 to 9 p.m. Oct. 30 through Nov. 2 or Nov. 13 to 16, all at the aquarium.

Volunteer guides, ages 18 and older, help interpret galleries and exhibits to nearly two million visitors a year at the aquarium, and continually rotate stations throughout the site. Especially welcome are bilingual speakers and individuals who can work with the aquarium's culturally diverse audience. Information: 648-4867 or visit the "About Us" pages at www.montereybayaquarium.org. 1 Political Digest Locals against Prop. 87 Proposition 87 would raise gas prices, increase dependence on foreign oil, cut money for public safety and create a state bureaucracy run by political appointees, opponents said Thursday.

"Not many of us would disagree with the stated goal of this measure, which is to develop more alternative energy," said Beverley Mernaber, president and chief executive officer of the Salinas Valley Chamber of Commerce "But Prop. 87 simply isn't the way to get us there." According to a "No on 87' press release, other local opponents include Abby Taylor, president of the Salinas chapter of California Women for Agriculture, and Chapala Mexican Restaurant owner Lucy Pizarro. The Big Question, THIS WEEKEND'S QUESTION: Is it too soon for officials to lift the ban on spinach grown in the Salinas Valley? Yes No FRIDAY'S QUESTION: Will the federal terrorist interrogation bill provide better protection for Americans? As of 5 p.m. Thursday, 73 votes had been received. The results: Yes 62 percent No 38 percent The Salinas Californian's Big Question appears daily on our Web site, www.

thecalifornian.com. Results are published in the next day's newspaper. 4 I -m. SCOn MAD0NALDTHE SALINAS CALIFORNIAN People gather Friday at the opening ceremony for Castro Plaza in Castroville, which includes the Andy Ausonio Library and Family Resource Center. County Library, Family Resource Center housed in Speegle Street facility ONLINE PHOTOS dirts r-ihi GALLERY: See more photos online at www.

thecalifornian.com. Birthdays TO HELP. "7 Si FRIDAY SCOn MA00NALLVTHE SALINAS CALIFORNIAN Sept. 30 Albert Alvarado of Salinas, 24. Bernardo Arreola of Gonzales, 26.

Johnny Cortez of Gonzales, 36. Tiffany Martin of Salinas, 38. Oct. 1 Ricardo Estrada of Salinas, 38. Deisy A.

Lomeli of Salinas, 23. Dolores Lee of Salinas, 63. Kelly "Nicole" Smith of Salinas, 20. To submit a name to BIRTHDAYS, call 754-4260 or e-mail newsroomSalinas. gannett.com in care of BIRTHDAYS.

Deadline for submissions is noon the day before publication date. Provide first and last name, birthday, age and city of residence. Correction North Monterey County High School senior Jessica Hayashi, right, plays with the school's jazz ensemble Friday at the opening ceremony for Castro Plaza in Castroville. 'Words probably can't describe the importance of this plaza it 11 be like a magnet to people.9 Cosme Padilla, Monterey County I'lanning Commission director By SUNITA VIJAYAN The Salinas Californian CASTROVILLE Even the chilliest of days couldn't dim the smiles and good cheer of the Castroville community Friday. Just more than a year after its groundbreaking, more than 200 people celebrated the grand opening of the long-awaited Castro Plaza at 11160 Speegle St.

on Friday afternoon. The construction of the plaza fulfills a 142-year-old promise made to establish a central gathering place for families, said Monterey County Supervisor Louis Calcagno. The California mission-style plaza, developed by the Monterey County Redevelopment Agency, encompasses one city block. It includes the Andy Ausonio library, the Child and Family Resource Center, which houses Monterey County's Head Start program, and a 1.9-acre open-air plaza. The land they sit on was originally donated by Don Manuel Castro, one of the community's founders, in 1863.

"The important thing is it's put together by a community that wanted to make this center a part of (Castroville)," Calcagno said. Friends of the Castroville Library President Nancy Ausonio, who was instrumental in spearheading the Fantasy5 5 7 18 27 29 DaJy3(mid) 6 3 7 Dairy3(eve) 1 5 7 Daily Derby 1st 10, Solid Gold 2nd: 09, Winning Spirit 3rd: 12, Lucky Charms Time: L4L25 The Castro Plaza still needs money to complete its kiosko or bandstand, and is holding a "Buy-A-Brick" program to raise the funds. For more information or to support the cause, contact Cosme Padilla at 905-3540. bandstand, whose tiles will be handcrafted by artisans from Apaseo el Alto, said Cosme Padilla, director of the Monterey County Planning Commission. The Commission helped jumpstart the project about 10 years ago.

The event was attended by delegations from the Mexican cities, as well as Assemblyman Simon Salinas, D-Sali-nas; Sen. Jeff Denham. R-Merced; and the county's supervisors. While the fountain has already arrived and will be ready for installation soon, Padilla said Castroville will have to wait another year for its kiosko, as money for its completion is still needed. "Words probably can't describe the importance of this plaza it'll be like a magnet to people," Padilla said.

Contact Sunita Vijayan at svijayanthecalifornian.com. MEGA Millions MEGA of this community of about 7,000 people, was one of the first to utilize the library. She said she was excited the wait for computers will be shorter now. The $5.4 million Castro Plaza project received funding from federal grants and contributions from the local community as well as its sister cities, Apaseo el Alto and Jerecuaro in Guanajuato, Mexico, said Jerry Hernandez, the county's redevelopment analyst The plaza grounds will soon include a 14-foot-high fountain donated by the city of Jerecuaro and a kiosko, or library project, said she was glad the community finally has a place it can be proud of for generations to come. "I'm just so thrilled that it's here," said librarian Shirley Dawson.

"It's the fact that everybody had to come together to make this happen." Prior to its new location, the Monterey County Free Libraries branch operated from the Castroville Station Shopping Center. Some of its services include a homework center and computer lab. Roberta Frank, a sales representative and 19-year resident 3 25 43 45 55 40 Jackpot $12 million 0BITUARIES6-7A Leonal S. Acevedo Morris Chester Cassinelli Frona Clark Cook Espinosa Aiko Fortugaliza Lula Mae Gutteriez Hope Leonore Monares Kathleen 'Kitty' Rozalia Paluck Henry Douglas Powell Joseph 'Joe' Romero Sandoval Under proposed changes to Monterey County's inclu-sionary housing rules endorsed this week by the Planning Commission, an affordable home could be sold at market rate after 30 years of ownership, with the owner keeping 85 percent of the appreciation and the county receiving 15 percent. An article on Page 1A of Thursday's newspaper was incorrect..