San Ramon Man Kidnapped

U.S. officials say a San Ramon retiree has been kidnapped and is being held for half a million dollars ransom in the Central American nation of El Salvador. The State Department said yesterday that 68 year old Mauricio Gonzalez was taken from his vacation home near the beach community of Sonsonate Friday. He was supposed to pick up his wife Kathleen at the airport on Saturday for a week´s vacation. A hostage negotiator has been stationed at the house in case the kidnappers call. Gonzalez is the fourth U.S. citizen kidnapped in El Salvador since January of 2000. The State Department says the other cases have been resolved, and none of the kidnappings appears to be politically motivated.