Author Archives: admin

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

Pebble Beach Home Found Growing Marijuana

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Law enforcement officers Thursday afternoon searched a Pebble Beach home in the 3000 block of Stevenson Drive and seized marijuana plants that had an estimated potential street value of $15,000, the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office reported.

According to Dahmen, deputies with the County of Monterey Marijuana Eradication Team (COMMET) and detectives from the Narcotics Enforcement Unit County Of Monterey (NEUCOM) arrived at a single-family home at about 2:30 p.m., where they served a narcotics search warrant.

One of the home’s two occupants denied knowledge of the marijuana, and the other occupant has not yet been located, according to Dahmen.

Pebble Beach Home Found Growing Marijuana

Taser Stops P.G. Escape Attempt

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Officers said they arrested Matthew Mickel, 23, of Monterey on suspicion of a probation violation about 5:30 p.m. in the 800 block of Sunset Drive, Pacific Grove.

Mickel was booked into the Pacific Grove Jail, pending transport to the Monterey County Jail. When arresting officers escorted him to his holding cell at the Pacific Grove facility, Mickel broke away and attempted to force his way out of the jail by slamming his body against an exterior door, police said.

Officers gave several warnings, but said Mickel continued to aggressively attempt escape. One officer used his Taser to fire a shot at Mickel, who immediately submitted to arrest, police said.

And Mickel lived.

Taser Stops P.G. Escape Attempt

Recreation Trail Attack, 4 Arrested

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Rec Trail Open2

Four 18-year-old men were arrested in Pacific Grove on suspicion of assaulting three people on the Recreation Trail early Saturday, police reported.

Police arrested Charles Clifton, John Mercurio and Joseph Thomas, all of Monterey, and Tyler Roy of Seaside. The four men were arrested in Del Rey Oaks and processed at the Pacific Grove Police station.

Recreation Trail Attack, 4 Arrested

Lillian King’s Testimony – A Charmer

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Bejeweled with diamonds, a dozen jangling gold bracelets and a gold Krugerrand coin around her neck, the diminutive woman was ushered to the stand by Peninsula businessman Nader Agha, a family friend who is the co-conservator of her estate.

Upon questioning, she told prosecutor Lisa Poll she moved to California with her husband in 1954. Poll then asked her birth date.

“Dec. 29,” she said.

“What year?” asked Poll.

“Oh, I don’t want to give it,” she said smiling, sparking laughter in the courtroom.

But we need to know your age, Scott told her.

“I’m over 39,” she said, before whispering her true age to the judge.

Using headphones and an assisted-listening device, King was less lighthearted when asked to identify her grandniece, who was shackled nearby in orange-and-white-striped jail garb. King, forced to look at the defendant, briefly broke into tears.

“I’ve never had anyone look after me,” she said. “I’ve always had to paddle my own canoe and I was glad to do so.”

On the contrary, she testified, she tried to take care of Hurley by buying seven rentals on four properties and signing over 30 percent to Hurley. In return, Hurley was to manage the properties and “be self-sufficient.”

Lillian King’s Testimony – A Charmer