STIMULATING SCHOOLS… Monterey County school districts will get a boost of federal stimulus money to serve disadvantaged and disabled students. Central Coast schools are expected to receive approximately $11.5 million for Title I and $22.6 million for Individuals with Disabilities Education Act programs, according to Rep. Sam Farr’s office. The stimulus bill includes more than $2.6 million for Alisal Union School District and $3.5 million for Monterey Peninsula Unified School District. Monterey County agencies will also be eligible to receive Department of Justice law enforcement grants totaling $940,602, according to Farr’s office. Marred by recent gang violence, Salinas could get $523,314 for hiring more cops. [ZS]

GAY MARRIAGE BACK IN COURT… Like a drawn-out custody battle, California’s gay marriage question – unable to find consensus among the people – is back in court. After voters narrowly passed Proposition 8 last fall, amending the state Constitution to ban gay marriage, supporters of same-sex marriage filed a legal challenge with the state Supreme Court, arguing that stripping one group of rights amounts to a revision of the Constitution. The Supreme Court hearing began March 5 in San Francisco, while people on both sides of the debate demonstrated outside. (First quote in The New York Times coverage came from Monterey-based civil rights crusaders Michelle Welsh and Katherine Stoner.) Judges have 90 days to issue a ruling. [KA]

ALISAL PROJECT PROGRESSES… An infill development planned for east of Salinas’ downtown has potentially overcome one stinky roadblock. The Salinas City Council on Tuesday, March 10 agreed to sell 12.7 acres of city property to the Salinas Valley Solid Waste Authority for building a new transfer station. The Waste Authority is expected to buy the property at 721 Work St. and 655 Elvee Drive for $5.5 million, minus $1.3 million in Sun Street Transfer Station expansion costs. This will allow developer Sean Cooley to move forward with his 52-acre Alisal Marketplace and the Waste Authority to build a long-term recycling and trash facility to offset the May closure of Crazyhorse Landfill. [ZS]

Comment on cal am… Don’t miss your chance to comment on Cal Am’s Coastal Water Project – the 60-day period ends April 1. Download a copy of the DEIR and presentation at www.cwp-eir.com/ceqa.html [JL]