Author Archives: Admin

Think That Those Measure X Funds Are For Smooth Safe Streets?

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Think again. Crosswalks, sidewalks and bike lanes. I thought bike lanes were the same as sidewalks.

Traffic Calming

The City Council on Wednesday unanimously approved the Pacific Grove Highway 68 corridor study and adopted the report’s recommended findings. The yearlong analysis of the city’s major thoroughfare was done to determine how to make it more pedestrian-friendly and suitable for all forms of transportation.

Launched in 2015, the 190-page report looked at ways to improve two streets that are part of the Holman Highway route through Pacific Grove; Forest Avenue from the city limit to Sunset Drive and Sunset Drive from Forest Avenue to Asilomar Avenue. Specifically, it addressed ways of implementing bike ways, sidewalks and making crossing improvements.

“It’s a very important opportunity for us to begin improving that corridor and these two streets, Sunset and Forest, to make them serve the community better,” said Councilman Robert Huitt.

Huitt said he hopes for the passage of Measure X, the transportation sales tax, because funding from the measure could help pay for the project.

Think That Those Measure X Funds Are For Smooth Safe Streets?

Miller Time For Mayor

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Miller Time

Dan Miller would be way better than STR loving K(r)ampe

Kampe’s opponent, Dan Miller said there is another challenge more pressing than water.

“Financial stability mainly, and I have tried to do that for years, even before I was on the city council, and trying to convince the councils to keep control of spending,” Miller said.

Miller is a third generation Pacgrovian and has served six years on the city council.

Pacific Grove has long been burdened with problems related to the public employee retirement system and Miller said as mayor he would be against exorbitant pay raises and retirements for city staff. Currently the city has about $4.7 million a year budgeted annually for public employee retirement related expenses.

Miller Time For Mayor

Downtown Deplorables

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A little news from the runaway mayor’s home base.

Stockton’s Silva stepping up. But can’t keep his firearms from getting stolen

Mayor Anthony Silva on Thursday outlined a nine-step proposal to curb gang violence and seek justice for a 3-year-old girl killed by gunfire last weekend.

“I hereby declare war on active gang members within the city of Stockton,” he said at a news conference at City Hall.

“Everyone here, you know we can think of all sorts of (homicide victims),” the mayor said. “Tim Egkan just last year, I can think of all sorts — Ray-Ray (Rashawn Harris), we should all have these people in custody.”

Egkan was a force in downtown Stockton redevelopment before he was fatally stabbed in early on Sept. 13, 2015, just blocks from his downtown home.

Harris, 13, was gunned down at 7 a.m. Feb. 23, 2015, in his driveway in the 2200 block of South Sacramento Street by a .40-caliber Beretta Px4 Storm semi-automatic pistol.

According to the District Attorney’s Office, the Beretta was legally registered to the mayor, one of two guns stolen from him in separate thefts. Silva did not report that gun stolen until March 22, 2015 — 27 days after Harris’ killing. The D.A.’s Office said in August that Silva refused to cooperate with investigators seeking information about the recovered gun, although the mayor has denied that claim.

Downtown Deplorables

Now Ex-Cop Suing PGPD And The DA

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Strange Night In Pacific Grove

Prosecutors closed the investigation for lack of evidence.

In May 2013, Gill was terminated from his position at the Seaside Police Department. Six months later, he sued the Pacific Grove Police Department and the Monterey County District Attorney’s Office, the two agencies charged with the investigation of the stabbing, for lost wages, slander and allegedly botching the investigation with malicious intent. In essence, he’s alleging his firing was based on prosecutors’ “feelings and suspicions” that he made up the story.

Now Ex-Cop Suing PGPD And The DA

Salinas Cops Are Peeping For Cellphone Using Drivers

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It’s not like anything else in happening in Salas, eh? How many people die of cellphone accidents compared to gang shootings?

Salinas Police said an undercover officer looked for drivers using their cellphone and then informed a uniformed officer in a marked patrol car of the violation. Ten stops were made 3 hours.

“It has been shown time and time again that using your cellphone while driving is very dangerous,” said Sgt. Gerry Ross. “It’s very tempting to answer that phone when someone calls but it is not worth someone getting hurt or killed. Find a place to pull over and call the person back.”

Ross said drivers are keeping an eye out for police, and officers are having to get more creative to enforce cellphone laws.

Salinas Police said they are also sending plainclothes officers out on foot, to look into cars to spot illegal cellphone use.

Salinas Cops Are Peeping For Cellphone Using Drivers

Cross Bay Swimmer Gives Up

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No wetsuit. Swimmer got cold, no kidding.

Eric Gutierrez was swimming through the darkness, in chilly ocean waters, with only swim trunks and a head-mounted light.

His goal was to become the first person to ever cross the Monterey Bay while swimming without a wetsuit.

“I’m really optimistic that I might be able to do this. It’s a long way, straight across it’s 24 miles. It’s really a mind game to endure that long,” Gutierrez told KSBW before diving in.

Gutierrez swam 17 miles as a support crew followed him in a kayak. At one point, he was surrounded by a school of dolphins.

He abandoned his cross-bay attempt around noon when he was a few miles offshore from Moss Landing.

Cross Bay Swimmer Gives Up

Monterey Wants More Wharf Money

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Fishermans Wharf

Last year, the city decided to change its policy, after negotiations on rental agreements failed. Those changes caused several businesses to get eviction notices.

“When leases are up we want to get to market rate that doesn’t mean that it has to go from where it is today to market rate tomorrow and we expressed interest and council expressed interest in taking some time and ramping up market rate over a period of years,” said city manager Mike McCarthy.

Last month, Balesteri’s Wharf Front was evicted after being in its location for nearly 40 years. Owner Sam Balesteri said he had been paying $4,000 in rent on a month to month basis for the past two years.

Monterey Wants More Wharf Money

Wharf Lease Program Draws 200 Protesters

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Wharfs 1960s

Is Haffa comparing a residence where the landlord maintains everything to wharf pilings? If the toilet at the Grotto backs up does Haffa call and pay for the plumber?

major issue is that last year the council voted to shorten lease agreements to 10 years. City Manager Mike McCarthy has repeatedly said, however, that they are not strict policies, but guidelines and that the council will negotiate. The city has offered lease terms that exceed that time period if tenants commit to make improvements to the premises on which their business resides. Also at issue is the cost of leases and whether they are fair market value.

“Leaseholder(s) pay $405 or $680 per month rent for waterfront properties,” Councilman Alan Haffa said Tuesday. “How much does a one-bedroom cost per month?”

Wharf Lease Program Draws 200 Protesters

Cops Want Higher Salaries AND Health Care

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Can’t they remember that they chose $$ rather than health insurance originally?

PG Hpol Police

“They’ve been operating under our old contract that’s now expired,” said Kampe, noting that the decision to cut medical benefits goes back to 2006 when during labor negotiations with the department, employees were given the choice whether to give up health care benefits in exchange for a higher salary. They opted for the higher salary.

“Part of the reasoning was because many on the force had spouses who were providing health care coverage,” explained Kampe. “For most of the police force, it was better deal to get a higher salary.”

But Kampe also noted the move has been controversial.

“Now, they’ve been provided with higher salaries but some are saying they really need health care,” said Kampe, who noted that city administrators are now working to make some accommodations for health care coverage at slightly lower than market cost.

Cops Want Higher Salaries AND Health Care

Protest March Over Wharf Leases

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The real soul of Monterey history. Don’t lose it.

wharf night

The protest and review of policies comes on the heels of the eviction of longtime business Balesteri’s Wharf Front gift shop earlier this month. That was after the store, the Paluca Trattoria Italian restaurant and The Coffee House, all located on the wharf and part of property leased by Sam Balesteri, were sent lease termination letters notifying them that their current leases were up at the end of August. Despite that, both the gift shop and coffee shop have remained open pending a lawsuit between Balesteri and the city. Balesteri wants compensation for the many improvements he has made to his building.

In June, Chris Shake, owner of Old Fisherman’s Grotto restaurant, complained about the negotiation process with the city, which led him to request a demolition permit to tear down his building when its lease expires in summer 2021.

Both Shake and Sam Balesteri’s son, Ben, said that they plan to join the march on Tuesday. In fact, Shake is closing his restaurant from 3 to 6 p.m. that day.

“My employees and families — they want to support it and be a part of it,” said Shake, who applauded Barrett for, as he put it, “having the common sense to bring this back for consideration.”

Protest March Over Wharf Leases