Features

Search continues for fishermen 

GUADALUPE — Authorities were searching for two men who were fishing on the beach when treacherous surf pulled them out to sea. 

A trio of fishermen were on Guadalupe Beach near Point Sal when a wave caught two of them just after 3 p.m. Monday, police Chief Jerry Tucker said. The third man unsuccessfully tried to save his companions, then made his way out of the water to run for help, Tucker said. 

Fifteen-foot waves were reported on Monday, and the sea temperature was 56 degrees. 

In addition to a ground and water search, helicopters from the Santa Barbara County Fire Department, Vandenberg Air Force Base and the Coast Guard scanned the sea for the missing fishermen. 

UC Davis deciding athletic status 

DAVIS — Students at the University of California, Davis, began voting Tuesday on whether to bump up its sports program to Division I status. 

The two-part initiative includes the move to Division I athletics, as well as improvements to student facilities, such as the coffeehouse and health center. Students will be voting on the initiative online through Thursday. 

UC Davis wants to make the move because its student population and athletic budget have outgrown most Division II standards. Most Division II schools, for instance, have an average athletic budget of $3 million, while UC Davis spends about $7.6 million on its sports program. 

Opponents, however, say the initiative puts a significant financial burden on students. If passed by a simple majority, it would increase student fees by $20 per quarter beginning in 2003 and rise incrementally to $173 per quarter by 2008. 

Jury challenging law 

SACRAMENTO — A Sacramento jury is challenging a law that bans adults who aren’t with kids from hanging out at playgrounds. 

Last month, jurors acquitted three people arrested for sitting on a bench near a playground at a North Sacramento park. 

Now, the jurors have written a letter to the city challenging the law’s clarity and fairness.  

Officials say the code is usually used to warn people to move away from play areas, and citations are rarely issued for code violations. 

“I’m sure it’s original intent was to make sure we don’t have child molester-types at the playground,” said Greg Narramore, public safety officer for the Sacramento’s parks and recreation department.