Pacific Grove would be a better place if the city’s unsightly newspaper racks were replaced with uniform, less conspicuous ones. That’s the opinion of the city’s Beautification and Natural Resources Committee, which will tell the city council in February it should change its eight racks, a move which will cost P.G. about $4,000 per year for maintenance.
Take out the sandwich board signs, too.
“Now that we have our coastal permit, that is the door that opens us to get all of the plans finalized and get the project ready to go to bid and begin construction” said Steve Leiker, P.G.’s public works director.
Now that we have our coastal permit, do we have the funds?
. . owners of Griggs Nursery in Pacific Grove plan to shut the business and sell the land for eight homes. The city’s planning commission has recommended amending the city’s general plan so the houses can be built.
Allowing for homes to built on the property at 1021 David Ave. would not only benefit the Griggs, who could sell the water-ready lots for $465,000 to $495,000 each, but would be an advantage to the city since it would receive property tax revenue, Silkwood said. And the neighbors would benefit as well, she maintained.
Susan Goldbeck is quoted in the Carmel Pine Cone as saying she would pay $1,000 to any Pacific Grove resident who could prove she ever raised her voice or had been rude during a City Council meeting.
“It was a joke. The idea people would call in and ask for a reward is ridiculous. Soon I will be a private citizen, let my people go,” Goldbeck said.
That is so stupid, first to say it and second to deny that it was a promise. So glad to have her gone.
Goldbeck Was Not Really Serious About That $1000
Former Pacific Grove councilwoman and two-time mayoral candidate Susan Goldbeck said she won’t run again for public office because she’s tired of dirty politics.
The 58-year-old Goldbeck, who served on the council for four years and just lost a bid for mayor to Dan Cort, said she’s done.
“I will give anyone in this town a $1,000 if they can show I have ever raised my voice or been rude to anybody”, Goldbeck said.
Shades of Richard Nixon’s resignation in his failed bid for the California Governorship in 1962.
A Plastic cutting board left on top of a stove caught fire in a 14th Street house last week. The resulting flames charred the kitchen and left most of the house and its contents smoke damaged.”The resident indicated she was cooking something in the morning and left the cutting board on the stove, left the burner on warm and went off to work,” said Fire Chief Gunter, who would not identify the homeowner but said she is a “very well known,” longtime Pacific Grove resident.
In an emotional outpouring, Cindy Hurley, the grand niece of a wealthy elderly woman who filed a restraining order against her last week, said she loves her great aunt and didn’t steal more than $1 million in cash and precious coins or put her life at risk.
“She accused me of being a thief, and that hurts,” Hurley said.
“I had to sell some gold coins to pay for labor, for taxes, and materials,” Hurley said. “I got a little out of hand. There are some things I probably spent a little more than I should of.” She said she was referring to a $2,000 used motorhome and landscaping tools.
Alatini Saulala, 37, is charged with with three counts of financial elder abuse and two counts of grand theft, all felonies.
“He goes door to door saying, ‘I see your trees are overgrown, do you need them trimmed?’” said Monterey County Deputy District Attorney Lisa Poll. “He was not a licensed contractor at the time.”
Saulala, who faces up to four years in prison if convicted, is accused of fleecing four residents, ranging in age from 77 to 94, who have dementia, Alzheimer’s and failing memory.
The most serious allegation involves a 77-year-old woman from Carmel Valley who paid Saulala $50,000 during a six-month period for tree work that Poll said should have cost about $5,000.
The owner of The Old Bath House Restaurant in Pacific Grove, which closed Nov. 5, owes the city $30,000 in back rent, according to Pacific Grove’s city manager.
David Bindel, who ran the restaurant in the city-owned, oceanfront building overlooking Lovers Point, was being charged $5,000 a month.
“He hasn’t paid us since May,” said Pacific Grove City Manager Jim Colangelo. “The lease expired in the spring, and we’ve been on a month-to-month with him. We don’t know why he hasn’t paid.”
Bindel said he slacked on paying rent because he was frustrated with the city since it wouldn’t help pay for the necessary upgrades to comply with the Americans With Disabilities Act.
Bindel has since moved on to real estate management.
Whether to avoid the cops who know they’re violating probation or to hang out without fear of attack by rivals, gang members from other Monterey County cities are being spotted more and more in Pacific Grove and Carmel.
“This is not an area where they need to constantly watch their backs. They’ll drink alcohol and go to the beach with their girlfriends,” said PGPD Lt. Tom Uretsky. “They come to P.G. because in many cases it’s considered neutral territory by the Salinas gangs.”
And police say locals should beware: A volatile situation can easily ignite if warring gang members find themselves on the same stretch of sand.
I do not shop at stores that support gangs. If there is gang graffiti on the walls, I stay away. If the workers look anything like a gang member or even imitate the look and behavior I stay away. Hear that Northridge Mall? Safeway? ATC?