On March 11, a peaceful marine conservation rally sponsored by the Tidepool Coalition was held on the 17-foot-wide sidewalks in front of the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Our purpose was to gather signatures protesting proposals before the Fish and Game Commission to commandeer our city-owned Pacific Grove Marine Garden Refuge.
We met no less than three times with the department to obtain necessary permits. We had a permit, and permission for keyboard music. Amplification was less than 60 decibels.
At 1:15 p.m. police appeared, responding to an aquarium complaint. The sergeant in charge had a single purpose — to intimidate and trash the event. He purposefully made conditions so restrictive, it was impossible to gather signatures or continue the assembly.
Monthly Archives: March 2006
Mountain Lion Seen At Golf Course
The cat was spotted twice on Friday and police shut down part of the course while officers searched the area.
“We were on the 12th hole and a Fish and Game officer with a high-powered rifle told us we had to vacate the course immediately, there was a mountain lion sighting,” golfer George Roe said.
The same cat was spotted on the course again on Saturday.
The animal is believed to be the same one first spotted in the Pacific Grove area about a year ago. It apparently has found an abundant food source in the deer in the area that are more used to people than predators.
Golfers. Yum, taste like chicken . .
Man In Drag Robs Gas Station
Must have needed money for a makeover.
Michael Leslie Clouse
A Salinas man dressed in woman’s clothing was arrested early Monday after he allegedly held up a Monterey gas station.
Police said Michael Leslie Clouse, 26, of Salinas, was arrested on a charge of suspicion of armed robbery and held without bail for alleged parole violations.
Police said a robber described as an unshaven white man, wearing a black wig, a black evening dress, fishnet stockings, calf-high boots and carrying a black purse, entered the USA gas station at 2338 Del Monte Ave., shortly before 1:15 a.m., drew a handgun and demanded money, then fled with an undisclosed amount of cash.
Two Arrested On Drug Charges In Pacific Grove
Police said officers conducted a parole search at the apartment of Jeffrey McCormick, 33, and found methamphetamine in the residence.
McCormick and a house guest, Sarah Turner, 46, of Salinas, were arrested on suspicion of possessing methamphetamine, police said, and McCormick was booked into Monterey County Jail on a parole hold. Turner was booked in lieu of $10,000 bail.
Stolen Property Recovered In Traffic Stop
Pacific Grove police found $10,000 in stolen computer equipment Friday in the trunk of a car driven by a Marina man during a traffic stop in the 2800 block of David Avenue.
Jeremy Cullen, 26, was driving without a license and with an open can or bottle containing alcohol when police stopped him at 12:30 p.m., Cmdr. Tom Uretsky said.
Police searched the car and found the trunk filled with stolen computer equipment linked to two separate burglaries in Pacific Grove earlier this month. Cullen was arrested on suspicion of possession of stolen property, Uretsky said.
Miniature Golf Opens At ATC As Other Shops Close
Oceans 18, a Monterey Bay-themed course — complete with sea otter and sea lion obstacles and a swirling starfish in place of the traditional toy windmill — is scheduled to open in early May.
While one of the three buildings that comprise the Tin Cannery is filled with tenants, a second building is about half vacant, Grimm said. In 2000, The Herald reported that the center had 40 shops. There are now 25, Grimm said.
As outlet tenants leave, the plan is to bring in more entertainment and fitness-related businesses, casual dining spots, and maybe even a microbrewery and a cafe to tie the American Tin Cannery closer to the tourist- and family-oriented Cannery Row, Grimm said.
PG Man Arrested For Stealing Dead Roommate’s ID
An elderly Pacific Grove man was arrested on charges he stole the identity of his dead roommate and used the man’s name to make fraudulent transactions.
Police captured 73-year-old Ralph Lee Guttormsen Friday after serving a search warrant at his home in Pacific Grove.
Investigators say he assumed the identity of Robert Sterling, who died in 2002.
PG Man Arrested For Stealing Dead Roommate’s ID
PG’s High Tech Parking Meters
This story was on CNet shortly after a local newspaper reported it. I walked down to the ATC and took a few pictures of Pacific Grove’s first ever parking meters. This ain’t like Hooterville I grew up in. There are 5 stoplights in town – all on the same street, Forest Avenue. All the parking downtown is timed, the parking by the beach is also timed. Seems that the meters were installed without some of the proper permitting, causing one citizen to blow the whistle and have the meters covered. But today they operate, and ring up more money.
The meters are installed only on streets surrounding the American Tin Cannery Outlet Mall. One large block consisting of Ocean View, Sloat, Dewey and Eardley. Google Map, click to see. They are also on Ocean view behind Nob Hill Foods, but the city limit is in the middle of the block, when you step over to Monterey, the meters turn to normal.
Sensor wires embedded in road.
The sensor wires are similar to the ones that control traffic signals, wires embedded into the street, feeding a signal to the meters to determine when a car leaves, and then resets the remaining time to zero.
Close up of wiring route
The coin feed side view.
A car with 12 minutes left on the meter pulled away, and it reset, putting it to EXPIRED.
Here’s a whole street of empty spaces
This was taken on Sunday, July 10. We have the MotoGP Motorcycle races in town that should be bringing thousands of visitors. Where are they parking?
Not parking just beyond Dewey Street
After Dewey Street, the ocean side of the road is too narrow and is a resident only permit parking area.
Those in search of free parking are just steps away.
Just after Second Street the parking is free, all it takes is a 2 block walk to the Fish Jail
There’s a trail that takes you to the Aquarium. Stay off the trail at night.
P.G. Senior Housing Lottery List Invalidated
City Manager Jim Colangelo issued a press release Friday saying the nonprofit developer, Gilroy-based South County Housing, made mistakes when it held a lottery to decide the order of priority for 273 applicants vying for 48 units in the Vista Point Apartments at 650 Jewell Ave.
“They said ‘We did it, we messed up,'” Colangelo said.
Biggs said it was not clear if the list for all 48 units had to be re-drawn, or just the 13 local-plus slots, but said South County Housing promised it would be sorted out early next week.
“The best thing is to do a new drawing and follow the process,” Biggs said.
P.G. Newspaper Publisher Pleads No Contest In Sex Assault Case
McRee also published a Gazette paper P.G.
The former publisher of the Marina Gazette pleaded no contest Friday to sexually assaulting two women in the newspaper’s offices in 2001 and 2003.
Jaryd Cade McRee, 61, entered what is called a “West plea,” agreeing the evidence against him would likely have resulted in a guilty verdict at trial, according to defense attorney Susan Chapman. He was scheduled to go to trial Monday on charges including forcible rape, false imprisonment, sexual battery and other sexual conduct by restraint.
PG Newspaper Publisher Pleads No Contest In Sex Assault Case