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ByFenitNirappil TheAssociatedPress SACRAMENTO Waterusein Californiaplunged27percent in June, marking a strong start for unprecedented, mandatory conservation tar- getsimposedoncitiesduring the relentless drought, regu- lators said Thursday. Data released by the State Water Resources Con- trol Board shows 265 of the 411 local agencies in the state hit or nearly reached the savings targets imple- mented after Gov. Jerry Brown ordered an overall 25 percent savings. The heightened conser- vation came during the hot- test June on record in con- ditions that would normally lead to an uptick in water use. Prior savings have oc- curred during unusually wet months. "The June numbers tell a story of conscious conserva- tion, and that's what we need and are applauding today," said Felicia Marcus, chair- woman of the water board. "We need to save as much as possible. That is water essen- tially in the bank for a future dry year or more." The report issued con- firmed figures for June pre- viously released by Los An- geles, San Diego, San Jose and San Francisco showing strong water conservation. The agencies that met or came within 1 percent of their mandatory water conservation target serve 27 million Californians. Under the water board's mandatory savings order, communities have nine months to hit individual conservation targets as high as 36 percent. Water savings are com- pared to 2013, the year before Brown declared a drought emergency. Water waste enforcement also shot up drastically in June, with agencies issuing more than 9,500 penalties compared to about 1,900 in May. Regulators have the power to impose fines on agencies that consistently miss targets, but they say that's a last resort. Some agencies opposed the targets, saying the rules were unfair, unrealistic and failed to give credit for pre- vious attempts to save wa- ter. Many agencies that ob- jected managed to reach the targets anyway, includ- ing San Diego, which saved 24 percent in June. Robyn Bullard, a spokes- woman for the city's public utilities department, cred- ited widespread messag- ing that included an e-mail blast to customers and tele- vision commercials. The water board said it will contact every agency that didn't come close to its targets and ask for more information about what it's doing to conserve. The worst performers in- cluded water districts serv- ing wealthy desert areas in Coachella Valley and Tem- ecula in Riverside County. The state intends to tell those areas to ramp up wa- ter waste enforcement or limit the days residents can water lawns. June was the month con- servation went from a po- lite request to an unprece- dented demand by the gov- ernor to let lawns go brown, take shorter showers and implement other measures. Programs in Southern Cal- ifornia offering millions of dollars to residents who rip out lawns have been ex- hausted. CONSERVATION California says water use fell by 27 percent in June By Stephen Baxter Santa Cruz Sentinel SANTA CRUZ A.J. Gonza- lez, the 15-year-old Santa Cruz boy accused of rap- ing and killing 8-year-old Madyson Jordan Middle- ton at his apartment com- plex in Santa Cruz, ap- peared in court for the first time Thursday but did not enter a plea. Gonzalez appeared in court solemn and quiet, wearing a green T-shirt and khaki long pants issued to minors at Santa Cruz County Juvenile Hall. With reporters and TV cameras packed in the courtroom, Santa Cruz County Supe- rior Judge Timothy Volk- mann ordered Gonzalez back in court Sept. 21 to set a preliminary hearing date. Gonzalez has been charged with murder with a special allegation of lying in wait, kidnapping, forci- ble rape, lewd acts with a child younger than 14 and rape by instrument, which are all felonies. He faces life in prison if convicted, Santa Cruz County District Attorney Jeff Rosell said Wednesday. Santa Cruz police have said that Gonzalez on Sunday lured 8-year-old Maddy into his apart- ment in the Tannery Arts Center where they live with their families. Gon- zalez then tied her up, sexually attacked her, beat her, killed her and dumped her body in a large recycling bin in the park- ing garage of the apart- ment building, according to police and prosecutors' criminal complaint. Maddy is believed to have been dead even be- fore her mother reported her missing about 5:05 p.m. Sunday, said Santa Cruz Police Chief Kevin Vogel. The call triggered a mas- sive, 26-hour search with hundreds of volunteers who scoured wooded ar- eas along the San Lorenzo River near the apartments. In court Thursday, Gon- zalez was appointed public defender Larry Biggam and Leila Sayar of the Santa Cruz law firm Biggam, Christensen & Minsloff. When Volkmann asked Gonzalez if he would waive his right to a speedy trial, Gonzalez softly said, "Yes." Defendants often waive time so defense attorneys can gather information and build their cases. Outside court, Biggam said he needed to review facts of the case before he could comment on a poten- tial defense. "This case is extremely tragic and devastating to two families and the Tan- nery Arts community and many more people in this county and beyond," Big- gam said. Biggam said he was just appointed to the case. "I think at this point you in the media know far more about the case than we in the public defender's office do," Biggam said. "Our job is to review the evidence and conduct our own in- vestigation." Biggam and district at- torney Rosell declined to comment on how Gonzalez was doing in Juvenile Hall. When asked about de- tails of the case, Rosell said, "In order to ensure a fair trial for him, the Dis- trict Attorney's Office is un- der certain obligations. So we're not really at liberty to talk about specifics of the case." Rosell declined to say whether Gonzalez suffers from mental health prob- lems. When asked if Mad- dy's families wanted a life sentence, Rosell said, "Maddy's family is trying to deal with a horrible sce- nario and situation that's confronted them." Authorities have not de- scribed his motive in the killing. Gonzalez report- edly was contemplating sui- cide and killed Maddy to see how everyone would react. Gonzalez was set to en- ter 10th grade at Santa Cruz High School in the fall. TANNERY HOMICIDE Teen charged in child's death appears in court DANCOYRO—SANTACRUZ SENTINEL A.J. Gonzalez, 15, the accused killer of 8-year-old Madyson Middleton, enters Judge Timothy Volkmann's courtroom Thursday flanked by Public Defender Larry Biggam and attorney Leila Sayar. BETTERCHOICEREALESTATE WOW! PRICE DROP! $196,900 716 Walnut, St, Corning • 4BR 2BA Thisonewillstealyourheartwithallit'scharm. Pest clearance done. 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