PLUG-INS COULD POWER JOBS

Salinas mayor seeks economic boost from hybrid technology By EMMANUEL ROMERO Herald Staff Writer Advances in technology have paved the way to make plug-in hybrid electric vehicles available to consumers in two to three years, an innovation set to take global warming and high fuel costs by storm. And, judging by the comments of Salinas Mayor Dennis Donohue last week, Monterey County intends to be in the thick of the action. "We have to get ready for the future," said Donohue, speaking at the U.S. Green Building Council meeting last week. Donohue sees a lot of economic possibilities in the county. Its location can make it a key player in the advent of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs). "We're a major trucking area," Donohue said. "So are we a place to set up... [read full story]