For the second time in a weekend, parts of Monterey and Pacific Grove were plunged into darkness Sunday night.
“It just happened to have affected a lot of the same people,” a PG&E spokeswoman said.
The latest outage was caused by fallen wires at David Avenue and Fillmore Street at the Monterey-Pacific Grove border, and was apparently unrelated to a power loss Saturday.
At 7:30 p.m. Sunday, more than 4,000 Monterey residents and most businesses on Cannery Row were again left without power after a similar outage the night before.
When Saturday’s outage first occurred, there was some speculation that a car that had struck a power pole on Asilomar Avenue might have been the cause, the PG&E spokeswoman said, but that scenario was quickly ruled out.
Repair crews determined, she said, that a below-ground equipment failure caused a transformer to explode near Fremont Street and Ramona Avenue in Monterey.
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Science Prevails Over Doubt In Round Up Controversy
Tidepool Nazis favor erosion instead?
Pacific Grove has halted spraying invasive iceplant with a well known herbicide because of concerns by environmentalists the chemical could harm endangered species and the coastal environment.
P.G. City Council requested Rana Creek, the Carmel Valley environmental planning company hired to restore the dunes, provide a report that includes the effects of Roundup, a commercial herbicide, on the environment.
“To kill this much iceplant,” said Lee Willoughby, one of several Pacific Grove residents concerned with the use of Roundup, “there has to be some runoff, and it goes right into the tidepools. I think it’s a major concern.”
Former Pacific Grove City Councilwoman Susan Goldbeck wrote a letter to the city requesting more information about the use of the herbicide.“Of particular interest is,” Goldbeck wrote, “who is doing the Roundup and when are the planned applications?”
Rana Creek is currently preparing the report, which will be presented to council members March 7.
Bruce Cowan explains in great detail in a letter from the Carmel Pine Cone
What does glyphosphate do? It is an enzyme inhibitor in the photosynthetic pathway (shikimic acid pathway) that prevents the formation of lignins. Plants normally convert sugars (simple carbohydrates made in photosynthesis) to complex chains of carbohydrates (cellulose, lignin). Animals do not make cellulose or have cellulose in their tissue structure; it is only found in plants, fungi and bacteria. Without cellulose or lignins, plants collapse and die. Animals don’t have cellulose or that photosynthetic pathway, so glyphosphate is without effect.
Union Pickets Leave Without Making A Difference
Dan McAweeney of DMC Construction, a company that’s been the focus of intense picketing by the local carpenters union for nearly two years, is calling for an end to the protest.
Since July 2005, Carpenters Union Local 605 has been involved in a picketing campaign against DMC, because DMC pays its employees based on merit and skill, as opposed to a “prevailing wage,” something the union objects to.
“We want it to stop,” said Dan McAweeney, president of DMC Construction Inc. “It’s obnoxious and embarrassing, and it’s gone on long enough.”
The picketers, mostly immigrants from Mexico and other Latin American countries, are not union members and are paid solely to picket.
They are gone. Thankfully.
Tough Times Equal Tough Decisions
Eighteen people in the mostly silver-haired audience of about 100 offered their thoughts after the Jan. 24 presentation. Suggestions ranged from hiking golf fees to shopping locally to keep profits close to home. Several speakers preferred cutting city staff to raising taxes; others said they’d gladly pay higher taxes to improve city services. Many agreed that the property transfer tax—a fee of $10 per $1,000 of value on homes sold—may be the best option. It would raise about $2.5 million per year and only affect homeowners who sell on the open market.
Bike permits.
Pet Licensing.
Garage Sale Licensing.
Parking meters.
New Monterey Police Blotter – January 2007
1/1/07 Citizen fell on the recreation trail adjacent to the Lighthouse Curve.
1/1/07 MPD aided the Secret Service in the investigation of a counterfeit $10 bill from 886 Cannery Row, The Aquarium.
1/2/07 KALEEF, JAMES was cited for driving on a suspended license and stop sign violation at Cannery Row and Prescott.
1/3/07 KENYON, JOHN was arrested for public intoxication on Lighthouse at Drake.
1/3/07 Valero gas station, 700 Lighthouse reports theft of $42 in gas.
1/4/07 Citizen reports unknown to have stolen his 30 GB IPOD from his vehicle at 400 Cannery Row on 12/30/06 between 0030 hours and 1300 hours.
1/5/07 MPD towed a 1991 Geo, from Foam and David for expired registration.
1/6/07 Citizen reports someone to have slashed his tire while at 701 Wave.
1/7/07 Hit and run accident 1500 block of David
1/8/07 QUIGLEY, PETER was cited for driving on a suspended license, throwing a cigarette onto the roadway and speeding at David and Lily.
1/9/07 Citizen 300 block of Drake, reports unknown to have burglarized her detached garage and taken luggage and other unknown items.
1/9/07 MPD towed a black 1999 Lincoln Towncar (Limo) for being parked more than 72 hrs in the 500 block of Newton.
1/9/07 Battery reported 800 block of Hawthorne.
1/11/07 Mountain lion sighting Alice and Withers.Ruttschow
1/12/07 LOUIS ALBERT SANDOVAL, EDWARD JOSEPH HYER, and DMITRIY, DAVID KHAYKIN were arrested for public intoxication at 214 Lighthouse, Ocean Thunder. POLD: Ocean Thunder.
1/13/07 Citizen 300 block MCCLELLAN reports vandalism in the form of window smash to the driver’s side window of her vehicle while parked outside her residence.
1/14/07 Citizen 700 block of Newton, reports the theft of his motorized gardening tool from his unlocked vehicle.
1/15/07 WHITEHURST, JOSHUA LEE was cited for discharging solvents into the storm water system while repairing a vehicle in the 600 block of Belden.
1/15/07 MCSO was aided in the arrest of WHITEHURST, JOSHUA on warrant for FTA on 166(C)(1) PC with $10,000 bail.
1/15/07 Citizen 400 block of Belden reports a couch to be abandoned on the sidewalk.
1/15/07 CHIOINO-CROCQUET, SHEENA MARIE was arrested for DUI.
1/16/07 MPD investigates graffiti on the Hilltop Community Center building, 871 Jessie.
1/16/07 MONTEREY PLAZA HOTEL, 400 Cannery Row reports embezzlement of $1,230.
1/16/07 Monterey Public Works reports vandalism to the rear of 497 Lighthouse. Vandalism consists of black spray-paint graffiti.
1/17/07 Juvenile male fell on the sidewalk on the 700 block of Cannery Row causing injury.
1/18/07 Citizen 600 block of Terry advised that the dogs belonging in the 600 block of Parcel barked all night and disturbed the peace.
1/18/07 Citizen 200 block of Mar Vista reports a blue Mercedes to have struck and damaged her vehicle and fled in the 100 block of Lighthouse.
1/18/07 MARTIN, KENNETH was arrested for public intoxication at Lighthouse and Prescott.
1/21/07 MICHAEL SLYE was arrested for DUI and driver in possession of marijuana at Foam and Drake. JOHN KLAIBER was arrested for public intoxication at Foam and Drake.
1/21/07 MPD towed a black 1986 Lincoln LSC for registration expired over 6 months from 400 block of Hawthorne.
1/22/07 625 Cannery Row, graffiti found on the Hoffman side of the building.
1/22/07 City of Monterey had graffiti in the men’s restrooms of Hilltop Park.
1/22/07 Citizen 600 block of Archer advised that a neighbor’s dog was running loose in his yard barking and charging at him.
1/22/07 Citizen 1100 block McClellan reports burglary to his vehicle.
1/22/07 PROVE, MATTHEW was cited for possession of marijuana while driving and broken tail lights at David and Foam.
1/23/07 Citizen, 600 block Grace St., reports finding a set of keys on the walkway to his home.
1/23/07 Found passport at 800 block of Cannery Row.
1/25/07 Citizen 400 block of Larkin reports fraud of $3000 via the internet
1/26/07 Michael VENUTI, Beau SCHOCH, and Seth SCHOCH were arrested for public intoxication at Hoffman & Wave.
1/26/07 RAUSHNOT, NICHOLAS was arrested for DUI at Pacific and Scott.
1/26/07 City of Monterey Public Works employee turned in one men’s 24 speed 18″ Schwinn mountain bike found the bike in the Coast Guard lot area near the bushes.
Divers Find Torpedo Off Point Pinos
The circa 1945 torpedo was not packed with explosives and was likely left behind from training exercises in Monterey Bay during World War II, said Tim Thomas, Monterey Maritime and History Museum historian.
During that era, the U.S. Navy conducted war games, shooting nonexplosive torpedoes in the water and practicing beach landings. The Navy chose Monterey Bay in particular, Thomas said, because the conditions were similar to those farther out in the Pacific Ocean.
What’s more hazardous, fuel from dud torpedoes or Round Up
Seaside Auto Mall Renovation To Start
The renovation area, bordered by La Salle and Broadway avenues and Del Monte and Fremont boulevards, will get updated roads, new light fixtures, a repaved central access street and new curbs and gutters.
City officials said Seaside receives about $3 million in tax revenue from the auto mall each year. That represents 60 percent of the city’s total annual sales-tax revenue and more than 20 percent of the city’s general fund revenue.
Maybe Seaside should pay Monterey a fee for every car sold What’s with the dealerships calling themselves “Monterey . . .” and being in Seaside?
Some dealerships skirt around the ID by using “Monterey Peninsula” in the name. Look at a map, Seaside is not on the peninsula.
Ford:
Honda
Lexus
Toyota
Volvo
VW
Chrysler
Dodge
Lincoln
Mazda
Subaru
Some don’t hide behind the Peninsula name and brazenly just say “Monterey”
Cadillac
Land Rover
“Monterey” Rover’s spare tires are even more visible
Acura
Jaguar
Jeep
The Cardinale dealerships proudly display the town they are in:
Nissan
GMC
As does BMW
Porsche used to represent Seaside
Guess they could sell enough boxters being in da ‘hood. They have followed the crowd now:
The odd lot out is Chevy – never mind the location, put the owner’s name everywhere
Traffic Solutions Sought
The third project — and likely to be the most contentious — will tackle traffic problems on Lighthouse Avenue, a burgeoning business district where many shopkeepers want more convenient parking and clean, attractive sidewalks.
Deal said the city has explored three options for this stretch of Lighthouse Avenue: do nothing; reinstate left-hand turns and make parallel Hawthorne Avenue a one-way street eastbound; or make Lighthouse a one-way street eastbound with a bus-only lane.
The latter two projects would cost from $2.5 million to $5 million.
The best thing that happend was when Foam Street went one way. Face it, residents of Hawthorne – that’s the best thing to do there too.
Then take out half of the curbside parking, reduce some sidewalks and buy up vacant lots and vacant properties for parking off street. Look at Pacific Garden Mall in Santa Cruz as a model.
Man Threatens To Blow Up Art Gallery With Book
Philip Beeber, 58, entered the Classic Art Gallery at 6th Avenue and San Carlos Street around 6 p.m. and told the clerks to put their wallets in a Louis Vuitton bag or he would blow up the store, police said. He made the threat using a book, police officer Mike Calhoun said.
Louis Vuitton? A label conscious robber, no less.
Snick Farkas’ Colossus Of Gold
Snick Farkas couldn’t take the kind of heat he throws around Pacific Grove.
For 12 years, the hardware store employee has lampooned the politics of Butterflyland in his comic strip, “Colossus of Gold.” In his black and white drawings, he chronicles the happenings of a small seaside town called Specific Groove. Here, a faux-gold statue of John Steinbeck, our colossus, has been struck by lightning and expanded to massive size — and is raising a ruckus.The havoc in Specific Groove is familiar to anyone following Pacific Grove: rampant raccoons, budget problems and former mayors trying to play free golf.
Familiar, too, are the faces of Specific Groove’s movers and shakers, who are much like the City Council members, mayors, department heads and shopkeepers of Pacific Grove.
The Colossus Of Gold comic strip can be seen at http://www.93950.com/cog and the biweekly live renditions are often posted on Youtube.
