IN BRIEF

ALTERNATIVE FUELS INITIATIVE

Pickens gives millions of dollars to campaign

Billionaire Texas oilman T. Boone Pickens has now contributed more than $10 million to an alternative fuels bond initiative on California's November ballot.

Pickens' company, Clean Energy Fuels Corp., gave another $3 million to the campaign for Proposition 10 on Thursday, boosting its total donations to $10.75 million.

Proposition 10 would authorize the sale of $5 billion in bonds to give rebates of up to $50,000 to buyers of vehicles that run on alternative fuels and to pay for research and production of alternative-fuel vehicles.

PARK'S FIRST FATALITY THIS YEAR

Rock climber dies at Zion National Park

A 34-year-old Colorado man fell to his death while rock climbing Friday at Zion National Park.

James Martin Welton of Durango, Colo., was scaling a popular climbing route called Touchstone in the evening when he fell about 300 feet, according to the National Park Service. His two climbing partners witnessed the fall.

According to the park service, Touchstone, across the canyon from Angel's Landing, is usually a two-day climb requiring an overnight stay on a cotlike device attached to the rock wall.

Welton was considered an experienced climber, according to the park service.

The Washington County Sheriff's Office in Utah is investigating the cause of the death. The climber's death was the first fatality at the park in 2008 and the sixth climbing fatality since 1983.

MAYOR REBUKES ANNOUNCEMENT

Budget cuts force cutbacks in patrols

Sacramento, Calif., Police Chief Rick Braziel says residents will wait longer for 911 calls to be answered and see slower responses to robberies, sexual assaults and burglaries.

Braziel says budget cuts have forced him to scale back patrols. The city cut the police budget 8 percent this year to help address an overall shortfall of $58 million. The department already has cut more than 80 officers since last summer.

Mayor Heather Fargo rebuked the chief's announcement. She said she would take a 10 percent pay cut of about $11,000 and wants every other department head to do the same.