Category Archives: Off Topic

Newest TAMC Silliness – Put Buses On Railroad Right Of Way

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And who really thought that Measure X was going to improve roads for cars? Better spent on substainable things like slow empty buses and more unused bicycle lanes.

Would it not be easier to use those metal ribbons and come up with some sort wheeled vehicle that could ride people from one end to the other faster and safer than MST buses?

For Monterey County, the study concluded that a “bi-directional” busway along the branch line between Fremont Boulevard and Reservation Road would be the “most cost-effective alternative,” noting that it is supported by TAMC’s Measure X funding (about $15 million designated for bus rapid transit, along with potential grant funding). The project cost is currently estimated at about $33.4 million, according to a TAMC staff report.

Newest TMC Silliness – Put Buses On Railroad Right Of Way

Think You Are Saving The Planet By Recycling?

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Think again, substainable people.

Recycle The Cedar St Times

Feeling pleased that your conscientious recycling is helping to save the environment? Not so fast. Your yogurt container or takeout clamshell might end up in a dump thanks to a ban on discarded items that the United States had been sending to China for processing.

This year, China followed through with its threat to prohibit the import of U.S. plastics, mixed paper and other materials that it says were turning the country into the world’s garbage dump. The repercussions from the new policy have been quick and nowhere close to sorted out in communities across the U.S.

Think You Are Saving The Planet By Recycling?

Oregon: Recycled Materials End Up In Landfill

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Why bother?

Oregon is serious about recycling. Its residents are accustomed to dutifully separating milk cartons, yogurt containers, cereal boxes and kombucha bottles from their trash to divert them from the landfill. But this year, because of a far-reaching rule change in China, some of the recyclables are ending up in the local dump anyway.

In recent months, in fact, thousands of tons of material left curbside for recycling in dozens of American cities and towns — including several in Oregon — have gone to landfills.

Oregon: Recycled Materials End Up In Landfill

Uh, About All That Tax Revenue From Legal Weed

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Looks like it will be less than promised.

In a split vote Tuesday, the Monterey County Board of Supervisors cut marijuana businesses’ tax rates, in some cases by two thirds, said Luis Alejo, the board’s chairman.

Greenhouse growers, who had been staring at a $15-per-square-foot tax, will instead pay $5 per square foot while indoor cultivators will pay $8 a square foot, he said.

Uh, About All That Tax Revenue From Legal Weed

Anyone Want To Move Silicon Valley Industry To Marina?

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Didn’t think so, it didn’t work the first time.

For the first time in over 15 years, open land at the University of California Monterey Bay Education Science and Technology (UC MBEST) Center is up for sale and ready for development.

In 1994, UC Santa Cruz received almost 1,100 acres of Fort Ord land from the Army. UCSC slated 500 acres for collaborative research-business development and positioned the other 600 acres as protected habitat. After developing the UC MBEST Center and infrastructure on the Central North Campus as a hub for research and development, the area stood mostly idle while the local economy was hit first by the burst of the dot-com bubble in the early 2000s, then the economic collapse beginning in 2008.

And the expected overflow of light industry from Silicon Valley to the Monterey Peninsula never materialized to the degree many had envisioned.

Anyone Want To Move Silicon Valley Industry To Marina?

Oh Those Carmel Jay Walkers

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(Not yet) Mayor Clint Eastwood almost makes his day with an MPTV Cable van in Play Misty For Me.

Eastwood and MPTV van

For decades, pedestrians have been cutting through the five little midblock pathways in Ocean Avenue’s center median, but a couple of weeks ago, city officials declared that “jaywalking is dangerous,” and installed potted plants in the paths to try to discourage the behavior.

“Pedestrians who cross at these passageways are jaywalking, and there have been recent reports of people stepping out into traffic causing near accidents with passing automobiles,”

Oh Those Carmel Jay Walkers

Beaches Close As Millions Of Gallons Of Raw Sewage Dump In The Bay

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From those fine people that brought you ongoing sewage spills at Lovers Point We have another one by Monterey Wonder Water, better known as Monterey Regional Water Pollution Creation Agency.

Monterey One Water says as much as 4.9 million gallons of wastewater spilled into the Monterey Bay. The leak was caused by an equipment failure at their wastewater treatment facility in Marina. The beach coastline between Marina State Beach and Stillwater Cove, Monterey, California are closed as a result.

Beaches Close As Millions Of Gallons Of Raw Sewage Dump In The Bay

Headline Of The Month

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No happy ending to this massage parlor.
Monterey rubs out suspect massage parlor

The Massage Envy in Monterey closed this week with no explanation.

The permanent closure comes just weeks after the national chain faced allegations of sexual assault at location across the nation.

In November a Buzzfeed report uncovered claims from 180 people had been filed against the company alleging sexual assault in its massage rooms. In November when the news broke there had been no reports of employee misconduct at the Monterey location.

Headline Of The Month

Park In Parker’s Park?

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Not many van dwellers willing to take up offer. Why? Because there are rules? Because it’s easier to park on city streets?

$150,000 spent. Six people served. Tax and spend.

According to a report to the county Health and Human Services committee, a total of six participants have signed up so far for the program, including its access to case management services aimed at providing links to jobs and housing. But none had actually parked at the site as of last week

Park In Parker’s Park?