Category Archives: Carmel Pine Cone

CSUMB Prof Assaults Student At P.G. Middle School

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Social Sciences, eh?

PGMS J Woods Flowers

A man was arrested on suspicion of battery after witnesses saw him knock a hat off a student’s head in front of Pacific Grove Middle School as children were being let out for the day.

On Jan. 15 at about 2:05 p.m., Frederik Vermote, 44, of Marina, confronted a P.G. Middle School student “for throwing books on the ground that came from a free library box located in the front lawn of the school,” police Cmdr Brian Anderson told The Pine Cone last week. “During the confrontation, Vermote struck the child,” who was not injured.

Vermote is listed as an associate professor of social sciences and global studies at Cal State Monterey Bay. Police did not specify Vermote’s relationship to the student. On Jan. 23, the Monterey County District Attorney’s Office charged Vermote with  misdemeanor battery, claiming he used “force and violence upon John Doe while on school property.’

CSUMB Prof Assaults Student At P.G. Middle School

Tina Rau Gets Fines For Not Filing

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The Pacific Grove myth of a good ol’ boys council is alive and well.

Tina Big Jacket

City Councilwoman Tina Rau — who is under investigation by a state agency for an alleged conflict of interest — was fined last year by the same regulator for failing to disclose her financial investments, as elected officials are required to do, according to documents obtained by The Pine Cone.
The Fair Political Practices Commission concluded in May 2025 that Rau failed to report her ownership of a commercial building on Forest Avenue that houses music venue Pop & Hiss and more than $ 100,000 in annual rental income from the business, her $1 million-plus home on 19th Street, a $100,000 loan, and other financial interests.

Tina Rau Gets Fines For Not Filing

Correction
Last week’s story, “P.G. official fined for late filing,”
mischaracterized a March 19, 2025, Pacific Grove City
Council vote. On that day councilwoman Tina Rau and
three of her council colleagues — who were in favor of
increasing the entertainment noise threshold downtown —
directed the city attorney to return to the council with an
ordinance to modify the Pacific Grove Municipal Code as
it pertains to sound amplification.

More Parks Go To The Dogs

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Kind of goes with the change of come-heres that have dogs instead of children. Arnett Park is the baseball field behind Arkwright Court.

No Barking

On Jan. 22, four members of the city’s recreation board voted to endorse the concept of a dog park. The panel listened to numerous proponents who envision Arnett Park, just off David near the Lucky supermarket, as its location. “I think all of us agree a dog park would be wonderful, and we would all benefit from it,” P.G. recreation board chair Jay Tulley said before the vote.

More Parks Go To The Dogs

Stakes Are High For P.G. Pot Permits

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So much that one company files eight applications for a chance at a license.

it was revealed that eight of those applications were submitted by one company — Off The Charts, which  operates a cannabis shop just over the hill on Lighthouse Avenue.

The Southern California-based company filed eight nearly identical applications under different owners, according to public records, including Norman Yousif—Off The Charts’ founder and CEO — Yousif’s wife and sons, three of their  employees, and their legal representative, Sean Maddocks of Green Consulting Partners. Yousif applied under the  name OTC Pacific Grove, and the others under various limited liability corporations: OTC, ADM Biz Dev, Marogy RE, MRJE, PG Retail, Ravvy Rogers, and Robbinhood

Stakes Are High For P.G. Pot Permits

Finally Open, The Holman Garage Hotel Is Here

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A “luxury boutique hotel” like this is a sure sign that the town has been disposed and given to the tourist trade. And dang! We no longer can make a free left turn from Central and go up Fountain. It’s a 4 way stop where they could have had a roundabout (LOL).
Kimpton Hotel

At least its not the great wall of the grove as seen in an early depiction.Durrel Hotel Super Size

The “luxury boutique hotel,” as Kimpton Mirador describes itself, hasn’t offered an official opening date, but its website is accepting bookings beginning Feb. 4. Room prices start at $350 for a 372-square-foot layout with a a king bed and top out at $950 for a 774-square-foot Bay View Fireplace suite, the website says.
“Like a breath of fresh coastal air, Kimpton Mirador Pacific Grove welcomes guests with a spirit of ease unique to California’s spectacular Central Coast, both restorative and revitalizing,” says Kimpton. While pets aren’t allowed to stay overnight, and there’s no pool or spa, hotel amenities include a health and fitness center, vehicle EV charging and valet parking.

Finally Open, The Holman Garage Hotel Is Here

Shark Victim’s Body Found Across The Bay

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The body of a missing swimmer that a witnesses said was attacked by a shark in Pacific Grove Dec. 21 was recovered near Santa Cruz last weekend.
Erica Fox, 55, was swimming near Lovers Point Dec.21 when witnesses said a shark attacked her. She was with a group of other swimmers known as the Kelp Krawlers when she disappeared. On Dec. 27, CalFire and Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s deputies recovered a body from the ocean south of Davenport Beach in Santa Cruz County.

Shark Victim’s Body Found Across The Bay

Still Looking For New Housing Builds In P.G

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More anti auto ideas like taking out parking lots on Forest Hill (Trader Joe’s Will gladly forfeit their lot to make it even more crowded), Sunset and in the woodsy area by Sinex and Dennet, there the nimbies cry out for less density. If you ever look down there, there are condos and hotels all over.

Dennet Density

Possible locations for new apartments or mixed residential-commercial buildings include several blocks downtown, on Sunset Drive between Asilomar and the high school, between Central and Eardley avenues, and in the upper Forest Avenue commercial district, “which has large parking areas and additional buildout potential.’
Other neighborhoods required significant rezoning to help the city meet the state’s housing target — most controversially, a 3-acre triangle bounded by Sinex, Dennett, and Grove Acre near Asilomar. There, the plan suggests a “conservative” 67 new homes could be built in the scenic neighborhood

Still Looking For New Housing Builds In P.G

Lovers Point Swimmer Killed In Shark Attack

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Just after noon on Sunday, Monterey Fire and Pacific Grove Police were notified of a missing swimmer. Two witnesses said that the swimmer, Erica Fox, 55, “may have encountered a shark,” police said. The United States Coast Guard, Monterey County Sheriff’s Office, California State Parks and other agencies searched for Fox

The last shark encounter in Pacific Grove that caused injuries was June 22, 2022,when Monterey resident and then-Kelp Krawler member Steve Bruemmer was bitten while swimming.

Lovers Point Swimmer Killed In Shark Attack

Dreaming Of A Christmas Massacre, Mr. Wachs?

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Trustee later hid the assault rifle behind a yippiekaeyay (missing the MF ending) banner. While somewhat humorous it’s over the line of tastefulness and conduct unbecoming of a school trustee

Many residents of the popular P.G. neighborhood go all out this time of year, decorating their homes with elaborate holiday-themed displays and light shows, which draws thousands of visitors to the neighborhood.
But one rooftop exhibit, featuring a machine-gun toting character and a dead guy, was all the buzz this week on social media.

Pacific Grove Unified School District trustee Mike Wachs is behind the display, which features a wooden cutout of actor Bruce Willis’ character, John McClane, in the 1988 movie “Die Hard”. The McClane cartoon, done in the style of The Simpsons animated series, is covered with blood and holds a machine gun. Other nearby displays include an exploding building and a dead man, both of which also depict scenes
from the movie.

Dreaming Of A Christmas Massacre, Mr. Wachs?

Council Spends $140,000 To Find More Money

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What kind of wild hiss quackery is this? Say no if you get polled.

City Hall

The Pacific Grove City Council has approved paying a consultant more than $140,000 of taxpayers’ money to come up with ways to collect more from taxpayers.

After councilmembers in May gave themselves a 130 percent pay hike to significant public criticism, the group Transparent Pacific Grove led a successful citizen referendum to challenge the raise — something noted by former city councilman and group leader Luke Coletti in a Nov. 29 letter to the city. “As you know, Pacific Grove voters recently rejected [the pay raise] through the referendum process, clearly expressing opposition to increasing council compensation,” Coletti wrote. “This makes the inclusion of council stipends within a taxpayer-funded consulting contract especially concerning.”

Council Spends $140,000 To Find More Money