Nathan Abel Augustine, 35, is charged with purposely setting fire to Creative Visions tattoo parlor in New Monterey on July 13 and Lattitudes Restaurant in Pacific Grove on July 15. He is also charged with being a felon in possession of ammunition.
According to a press release, Monterey and Pacific Grove detectives linked Augustine to the fires after he was arrested in an unrelated vandalism case Oct. 20. After releasing him on a citation, police learned he was on probation for vandalism and weapons violations in Ventura County and was subject to search and seizure.
Author Archives: admin
“Art Theft” Victims Speak After Weeks Of Silence
Do they really want the FBI in on this? Careful what you wish for..
Two men who say millions of dollars’ worth of art were stolen from their rented Pebble Beach home have asked the FBI to investigate the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office for possible “corruption, collusion and cronyism.”
Nearly three weeks after a sheriff’s spokesman declared that Angelo Benjamin Amadio and Dr. Ralph Kennaugh had become suspects in their own case, an attorney for the men is asking federal authorities to look into why the department’s response to the theft was “to victimize the victim.”
Letters From The Editor – ‘Does Your High School Matter’
Letter published aimed at the Carmel Valley city-or-not voters:
If you need proof that newcomers usually don’t have the veteran residents’ welfare and concerns in their hearts, witness the recent past in Pacific Grove.
Hopefully, Pacific Grove is back on the right track. Residents do care where their leaders went to high school.
Reference to Deborah “Debt” Lindsay, one of our short time residents elected to council slamming longtime local Carmelita Garcia in the recent mayoral choice debate. See the You Tube video for “the speech”.
City Comes Out On Top In Gay Cop Harassment Case
Smolinski sought an unspecified amount of money in damages. He claimed the police department’s email system was used to “circulate information which utilized derogatory terms and statements relating to homosexual and bisexual individuals.”
One joke, entitled, “Time for your annual “Am I Gay” self examination,” included seven offcolor, disparaging questions, he said. The sender included a disclaimer that the message was intended as a joke.
Was going to add a photoshopped picture of a lavender police car but decided not to.
Even though the city won this (it must have cost a lot of library $$ to defend) whomever was using the city’s email to send jokes needs a days suspension or better. What other city resources are the highly paid public safety employees wasting our money on?
$10,000 Goes To Study Of The Obvious
Pacific Grove has a golf course. It’s good.
There, save money and let some ‘consultant’ find another business to scam.
City Director of Management and Budget Jim Becklenberg said the number of rounds played at the course was down 13 percent in 2008, but a 13 percent increase in greens fees and restructuring of the golf course’s discount card system brought revenues up to the previous year’s level.
“Marketing is needed,” he said, “to boost (golf) rounds.”
The city will budget $10,000 to hire a professional golf marketing consultant, Frutchey said, and the committee members will be volunteers.
Lynne Nicole Feurer Pleads Guilty To Manslaughter
Teacher gets 11 years detention at most.
Monterey County District Attorney Dean D. Flippo announced Monday that Lynne Nicole Feurer, age 66 of Pacific Grove, entered a guilty plea to the charge of voluntary manslaughter for the death of her cohabitant, Joseph Cupita.
The defendant will be sentenced on December 11, 2009, by Judge Larry E. Hayes and faces three, six or eleven years in the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.
Colorado Boy Aboard Runaway Balloon Found To Be A Hoax
So – Just what is happening on the Pebble Beach “stolen art” story? It’s dropped from all forms of media faster than a, a well empty balloon. What are Benjamin Amadio and Dr. Ralph Kennaugh planning next?
The parents of a six-year-old boy they claim had stowed aboard a runaway balloon face felony charges for what sheriff’s investigators say was merely a publicity stunt.
“It has been a hoax,” said Larimer County Sheriff Jim Alderden. “It was a publicity stunt done with hopes of better maneuvering themselves for a reality TV show.”
(San Jose Mercury)
Colorado Boy Aboard Runaway Balloon Found To Be A Hoax
Kalisa, Queen Of The ‘Row, Passes
Moore, who operated Kalisa’s in a historic building that John Steinbeck made famous as the bordello where Mack and the boys drank in “Cannery Row,” died Wednesday afternoon at Stanford Hospital, said Michael Hemp, president of the Cannery Row Foundation.
Kalisa, thanks for making my world an amazing place. Hi Riga, luv ya!
What Recession? Fish Jail Reels ‘Em In
It wasn’t expected, but Monterey Bay Aquarium is on pace to match last year’s attendance.
And considering what a big impact the aquarium makes on the local economy, that’s good news for Monterey County as well.“It’s flat out been a good year,” said Ken Peterson, the aquarium’s communications director.
The aquarium had projected a drop of nearly 250,000 from last year’s 1.9million attendance, Peterson said, based mainly on the weak economy.
Election 2009
Two No On J Votes
Another tax request, again for city services. I cannot support this or any other begging from the city until they show that they can manage what they have already.
Need a start?
– End all city supported funding of the ineffective Chamber Of Commerce.
– Cut all ties with “ICLEI”, the Local Governments for Sustainability.
Think that this added tax will benefit the library only? Wrong. The city will be able to draw money away from the library to fund other things. Say forinstance, sustainable seagull repellent for the roof of city hall.
Monterey Hear-Old, 8/25
“It is a way to set the library up with a base outside of the city’s general fund,” Becklenberg said.
Passage of the measure, he said, could secure the future of the library and provide general fund savings of approximately $400,000 toward the $2 million city budget deficit, since Measure J funding would allow the city to use its regular library budget for other purposes until the budget can be balanced.