Monthly Archives: July 2006

2006 Feast of Lanterns – Can You See It

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. . through the thick fog?

FOL 2006

First held in 1905 to celebrate the end of an annual Christian retreat in Pacific Grove, the feast maintains much of its original flavor, including Chinese lanterns on display around town, and Saturday night’s lighted boat parade and fireworks.

Compared to last year’s climactic day, the crowd was not as bustling at Lovers Point on Saturday.

Might have been the weather. Does drippy weather cause people to have beach blanket rage?

We witnessed at least two feuds over ‘reserved’ spaces, one party telling a huge lie about not knowing that the space was saved (earlier in the day, they laughed about picking up and the first party’s blankets and chairs, dropping them in a crumpled pile by a trash can).

2006 Feast of Lanterns – Can You See It . .

Angel Ruelas To Be Tried As Adult In Olinger Slaying

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Angel Ruelas
Angel Ruelas

A former standout South County high school wrestler will be tried as an adult for the 1997 slaying of a Pacific Grove teen, though he was 17 when the killing took place, a judge ruled Wednesday.

Angel Ruelas, 26, is charged along with his older brother Jacobo Ruelas Jr., 27, with killing Kristopher Olinger, 17, who was found stabbed and beaten to death on the Pacific Grove Recreation Trail.
Coaches who knew Angel Ruelas a decade ago, when he was a promising wrestler, expressed surprise and dismay over his alleged role in the killing. “No doubt about it,” Simon Jimenez said of Angel Ruelas’ scholarship chances. “He was definitely going go be considered one of the best wrestlers in the state.

The opportunity was lost over a stolen car, the coaches recalled.

“He didn’t even return to school that summer,” Jimenez said. “We were definitely looking forward to him coming back his senior year.”

Yah, jocks are always winners. NOT

Angel Ruelas To Be Tried As Adult In Olinger Slaying

Sell Out The Mvsevm? Is Willoughby Nuts?

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Excerpts of a commentary by Gene Barnes

So what Mr. Willoughby has in mind is not really a museum, but only a commercial gallery or an art co-op, which would probably go out of business in a few years, leaving the city with no museum and a large empty building.

Mr. Willoughby does not seem to appreciate the fact that our Natural History Museum is more than just a historic building. It is a local institution that continues to serve our community well after 123 years.

Willoughby

Sell Out The Mvsevm? Is Willoughby Nuts?

Cort, Davis Fill Mayor & Council Seats

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Cort was chosen as mayor last month by fellow council members to complete the term of Jim Costello, who resigned in May for health reasons.

Davis got the minimum of four votes needed for election. Councilwoman Lisa Bennett was absent.

The other applicants were David Dilworth, executive director of Helping Our Peninsula’s Environment; Victoria Stilwell, owner of The Woodenickel; Lee Willoughby, co-director of the Pacific Grove-based Tidepool Coalition; and residents Carmelita Garcia, Albert Zuniga and Mitchell Matthews.

Dilworth withdrew his name from consideration as his interview began and threw his support behind Willoughby.

C’mon Dilworth, don’t cut and run, try and finish what you start.

Cort, Davis Fill Mayor & Council Seats

Seven To Interview For Appointment To P.G. Council

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The applicants are former Councilman Dan Davis; environmental activists David Dilworth and Lee Willoughby; local business owner Victoria Stilwell; and residents Carmelita Garcia, Albert Zuniga and Mitchell Matthews.

Davis, 63, served from 2000 to 2002. He recently retired after nearly 20 years of combined service as a senior engineer with the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute and as an associate professor of computer science at the Naval Postgraduate School.

Dilworth, 53, is executive director of Helping Our Peninsula’s Environment, which promotes open government and environmental protection.

Willoughby, 71, along with her husband Jim, is head of the Pacific Grove-based Tidepool Coalition.

Stilwell, 47, is owner of The Woodenickel, a gift and home decor store in Pacific Grove.

Garcia, 52, is vice president of the Pacific Grove Police Citizen’s Academy Alumni Association board of directors.

Zuniga, 28, is a salesman and a recent graduate of CSU-Monterey Bay.

Matthews, 48, is a Pacific Grove native.

Seven To Interview For Appointment To P.G. Council

Tidepool Police Want To Shut Down Mvsevm

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Willoughby
Jim Willoughby writes:

We have a budding community of artists and citizens who appreciate art and want a facility to have their work displayed. It would be an art museum that would work to bring traveling displays of the world’s great masters. Let’s face it, competition is healthy, and we can show Carmel and Monterey that Pacific Grove has its eye on an art museum as well.

Certainly the Pacific Grove Art Center with its membership of more than 500 could utilize the museum’s prime location at the heart of the city. It would be a center for artists to display and perhaps sell their work with a small commission to the city that would ease the tax burden. It would also serve as an educational center for schools with workshop space for hands-on activities.

Many small museums require a mandatory donation to help defray costs. This would – be greatly appreciated by the city fathers. Although I strongly support not doing away with a Pacific Grove community museum, I think its purpose and direction need to be redefined.

Tidepool Police Want To Shut Down Mvsevm

Area’s Hospitality Workers Barely Eke Out A Living?

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More and more, hospitality workers face heart-wrenching decisions.

For example, Juana Enriquez, a pregnant housekeeper at the Monterey Bay Travelodge, where the workers have no health insurance, has had to forgo expensive doctor visits.

Alex Guillen works three jobs, including as a waiter at the Pacific Edge restaurant. Most days he only sees his two daughters when he kisses them on the cheek as they sleep.

James Hood works banquets at different area hotels, hoping he can save enough money to help provide his youngest son with what his older ones could not afford: a college education.

Other hospitality workers have cut back on family food budgets. They have reduced spending on school supplies and clothes for their children, or, like Sal, moved away.

While I bet the Local 483 directors live a very comfortable life . . they should suspend dues for a few years to ‘help out’ those workers.

The November 17 Hear-Old reports that the unionized workers at the La Playa agreed to accept an increase of wages and benefits amounting to $5 an hour over the next 4 years. That’s all? $1.25 per hour a year? Bet the union gets at least the .25 of it.

In the auto industry, the non union companies are out pacing US union made marques in sales. Toyota became # 2 in the US.

Area’s Hospitality Workers Barely Eke Out A Living?

Lisa Bennett Running For Mayor?

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Recently appointed Mayor Pro Tem Lisa Bennett announced this week that she will run for mayor of Pacific Grove in November.

She said the city is dealing with many serious issues, including budgetary constraints, an aging infrastructure and protecting historic resources and the natural environment.

Bennett was appointed to the City Council in May 2005 to fill the vacancy left when John Stidham resigned.

The Hear-Old later corrected this story – Lisa Bennett is not running for mayor – she is running for reelection to city council.

Lisa Bennett Running For Mayor?

Salinas Vice Arrests 12 In Prostitution Sting

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The charges included solicitation of prostitution, police said, and other, lesser offenses.

Those arrested were: Nestor Montesiros, 32; Victor Ventura, 33; Reynaldo Lopez, 22; Antonio Baltazar, 20; Saul Pineda, 22; Santos Peraza, 26; Gasper Hoil, 30; Dennis O’Connor, 35; Jose Cruz Rodriguez, 21; Jeremilla Rodriguez, 19; Jose Santos Garcia 28; and one teenager.

Salinas Vice Arrests 12 In Prostitution Sting