Category Archives: Coast Weakly

No Cakewalk For Council Seat

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Not even a coin flip to fill resigning Debbie Beck’s chair.

 

The city’s charter allows for the mayor to choose a new councilmember, but newly elected Mayor Nick Smith wisely declined, instead saying that he wanted a majority of the council to choose from a field of applicants.

The applicants include some with previous city experience, including two current members of the Planning Commission (Ross Davison and Donald Murphy), a former councilmember (Cynthia Garfield), the chair of the P.G. Architectural Review Board (Anna Bornstein) and a member of the Economic Development Commission (Michael Gibbs).

The remaining three citizens who applied include a man with an extensive background in the federal government (Melvin Dubee), an entrepreneur with a law degree (Jennifer Kelly) and a software engineer and community volunteer deeply concerned about climate change (Eugene Loh).

No Cakewalk For Council Seat

Did Pop N Hiss Violate Alcohol Rules?

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Plop And Miss desperately trying to be a bar/nightclub.

plop hiss front

Pacific Grove Police Department issued a citation on Friday, Nov. 29, after receiving six complaints related to violations of the business’ license from the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC), which prohibits any audible music outside the premises after 10pm. (“Multiple subjects contacted dispatch to complain about the loud music and alcohol consumption beyond the allotted ABC permit time frame,” Cmdr. Brian Anderson says.)

Did Pop N Hiss Violate Alcohol Rules?

Parklets Pending Expunction

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Tell the band at Wild Fish to get paid in advance.

Parklett Parking

In 2023, a P.G. City Council parklets subcommittee charged with reviewing guidelines and design standards for all parklets instead took a hard turn in the name of “safety first,” according to a report to council. Subcommittee members Luke Coletti, Debby Beck and Lori McDonnell recommended eliminating the three parklets at Lighthouse and Fountain and replacing them with sidewalk dining areas. The council voted 5-2 in favor of the plan. (The council was scheduled to decide on draft design guidelines on Nov. 20, after the Weekly’s deadline.)

The Jacobses are planning to “go out with a bang,” inviting musicians who have played at Wild Fish in the past to bring their instruments and musician friends for a party and jam session from 6:30-9:30pm on Saturday, Nov. 23.

Parklets Pending Expunction

So Long, Sloat

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Sold you out to the hotel barons, commodore.

ATC Sloat

The Pacific Grove City Council voted 7-0 on Wednesday, Oct. 16 to vacate Sloat Avenue and sell it to landowner Foursome Development for $1.9 million, a crucial step toward the construction of a 222-unit luxury hotel where the American Tin Cannery currently sits along Ocean View Avenue at the gateway to the city.

The vote came after opposition from some residents who argued that Sloat Avenue would be a critical escape route in the rare instance of a tsunami or other disaster, among other arguments for why the street was still necessary to the city, or why the city hadn’t followed proper procedures to vacate.

Their arguments were rebutted point by point by City Attorney Brian Pierik and Community Development Director Karen Vaughn. Using maps of the city’s road system, Vaughn said the road that runs behind the ATC between Dewey and Eardley avenues was a minor street that would not be impacted during a tsunami, nor necessary for escape.

So Long, Sloat

Weakly Endorses Poduri

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Shocked? Couple of errors in that gushing review. The citizens of P.G voted for the hotel at ATC and the potato round about is not behind PG High.

Also endorses Tina Rau, the hateful DEI Chairperson.

Vote Machine

Since being elected to the City Council in 2020 as a freshly minted U.S. citizen, Chaps Poduri has proven to be to be a bright light among local politicians. He rightfully voted in
favor of the hotel project at the former American Tin Cannery, pledged his support for the takeover of Cal Am, voted for establishing a cannabis dispensary in P.G., advocated for a skate park in town, he has sought to add support and defense for the much-maligned Diversity Equity and Inclusion task force, voted against requiring restaurants to dismantle their parklets and using city funds to replace them. He spearheaded the process to study the dangerous five-way intersection behind P.G. High School, and that work has produced a $5 million grant from TAMC and approved plans for a teardrop-shaped roundabout.

Weakly Endorses Poduri

Agha To “Donate” Window

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$250,000 eh? Is it an antique just like the fake clock he sold?

Holmans Stained Glass

Developer Nader Agha wants to donate a stained-glass butterfly window to the City of Pacific Grove but finding a location is a challenge. He says an appraisal valued it at $250,000.

Over 20 years ago, developer Nader Agha decided to adorn the Holman Building in Pacific Grove with a large, half-moon shaped, Tiffany-style-stained glass window depicting Butterfly Town’s beloved monarch butterflies.

Agha To “Donate” Window

Tipsy Putt Handicap? $600,000

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The mini golf and bar concept cost 1.2 million dollars to build.

The new sports-bar-meets-indoor-miniature-golf-course concept opened in February in the space that was formerly Cannery Row Brewing Company. In the year leading up to the much-anticipated opening, Deacon had a construction contract for $1,278,914 – Squid’s seen the contract language in black and white, because it’s attached to the company’s court case.

On July 30, Deacon sued Tipsy Putt, alleging the bar has failed to pay nearly half of the contract amount, $599,561.25 (plus interest)

Tipsy Putt Handicap? $600,000

Weak Peake, Mayor’s Seat He Does Not Seek

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Vote for Miller.

WeakPeake

Pacific Grove Mayor Bill Peake seemed determined to run for a fourth term—he took out candidate filing papers on the first day of the nomination period, July 15, according to the P.G. City Clerk’s office—but about a week later he returned those papers, withdrawing from the race.

Two days later, on July 24, former P.G. councilmember Dan Miller took out papers to run for mayor as well. He ran in 2016 for mayor after serving several years on council but lost to Bill Kampe, but since then has been a town firebrand, voicing his disagreements at city meetings and through the now-defunct P.G Press newspaper.

Weak Peake, Mayor’s Seat He Does Not Seek