Category Archives: Pacific Grove

City Leaders’ Greed Affecting Quality Of Life

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Residents be dammed, we want the tax money.

After 4½ hours of public comment and debate about if and how short-term rentals should exist in Pacific Grove, the City Council voted 4-3 to continue to allow them.

That decision was just the first followed by a series of amendments discussed to determine future standards and restrictions on the complex topic.

Among the changes to be instituted are:

• Safety and health inspections will be required of short-term rental applicants.

• Neighbors within 300 feet be notified about a short-term rental.

• A cap of 260 short-term rental units in the city was agreed upon. There are currently more than 180 registered units in town.

“The task force doesn’t safeguard the quality of life of residential areas,” said resident Regina Doyle. “… Instead of seeking (transient occupancy taxes), please ask residents if (short-term rentals) are in our best interest.”

City Leaders’ Greed Affecting Quality Of Life

P.G. Cougar Gets Evicted

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Frightened resident calls 911 to report a wild animal.

Mountain Lion If Attacked

On Monday morning, residents were surprised when they spotted a cougar climbing up trees and over the rooftops of homes along Acacia Street, Eardley Avenue, and Line Street. The mountain lion chose a large oak tree to lounge in.

Some observers were nervous, because a day care with small children inside was nearby. “When I called 911, the first dispatch operator told me to call a biologist! I kept calling back,” resident John Kendrick said.

Pacific Grove police officers were eventually dispatched, and wildlife wardens decided to tranquilize it.

“The mountain lion was unharmed and transported away from the scene for relocation,” Acting Police Chief Rory Lakind said.

P.G. Cougar Gets Evicted

Fruit Cheese Goes South

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Brought us that disaster called Project Bella and the sewer vapor Fiber Internet SiFi Network.

City Manager Tom Frutchey will leave his job with Pacific Grove for a similar position in Paso Robles, Mayor Bill Kampe announced Saturday.

Frutchey has been Pacific Grove city manager since October 2009. Under Frutchey, the city has seen a budget surplus each year for six years and has made progress in finances, services and operations, Kampe said.

Fruit Cheese Goes South

Homeowners Sue Builders

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Said to be 176 Sloat. Probably just going to sell it in a few years.

The lawsuit identifies 167 “defects and damages” in the
construction, and the plaintiffs say it will cost $1.3 million
“to pay another contractor to complete, correct and repair
[the contractor’s] work.”
Craig Holdren told The Pine Cone he is aware of the lawsuit, and predicted his firm will be vindicated.
“While disappointing, this is not surprising,” Holdren
explained. “This is part of a larger lawsuit that the Gerstens
filed against the general contractor and all sub-contractors
almost three years ago.”
Holdren said the court has already denied the Gerstens’
attempt to add Holdren + Lietzke in that lawsuit.
“The Gerstens now filed this new lawsuit in order to avoid
the statute of limitations and to increase the demands that
they are making against the general contractor and subcontractors,” he added. “The allegations against Holdren + Lietzke have no factual merit whatsoever and we intend to vigorously assert our rights.”

Homeowners Sue Builders

When The Fish Fight Back

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Fish kicked three fishing buddies butts.

The three men, who were not injured, fell from the dinghy after failing to navigate the beach’s rocky outcrop, said Suzanne Guzzi, a schoolteacher from Modesto who witnessed the accident. The passengers were not identified.

The men managed to carry their fishing gear ashore, though the boat remained in the water, bobbing upside down, hooked on a rock about 11 a.m. The Pacific Grove Police Department responded to the call, and was followed by the Monterey Fire Department.

When The Fish Fight Back

Moe Hates The New Garbage Company

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Greenwaste’s mandatory recyclables sorting rules are not making the trash creators happy. Was he old way any better?
Dumpster Hollys cafe 071216

And what a typo – Ron Shank!

Ron Shank with St. Vincent De Paul Thrift Store said a centralized location to deal with the cardboard isn’t what the businesses are paying for.

Shank said he’s paying more money under GreenWaste for less service.

“I don’t mind paying a few more dollars, I realize costs are going up. I expected that,” he said. “I did not expect to have poor service and in my opinion, it’s poor service.”

Moe Ammar, president of the Pacific Grove Chamber of Commerce, said a lot of work needs to be done for the sides to reach an agreement. He criticized GreenWaste’s claims of being environmentally friendly, saying some businesses will end up just driving to the dump or putting recyclables in the trash.

“The only thing that’s green about that company is money,” Ammar said.

Moe Hates The New Garbage Company

Mountain Lion Warning

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Always beware of P.G. cougars.

Mountain Lion If Attacked

Pacific Grove police are warning residents to be alert about2015 mountain lions.
Within the last two weeks, three deer were found dead. Police said the attacks happened along Ocean View Blvd. and on a trail near the American Tin Cannery.

If you come face to face with a mountain lion, don’t run, make noise, and try to look as big as you can.

Mountain Lion Warning

‘Mrs. Doubtfire’ Robber Arrested Again In P.G.

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Uncle Frank and Aunt Jack, and this is just a body suit, I didn’t have any surgery.

Mrs Doubtfire Bank Robber

A Sand City man convicted of robbing a bank in Santa Cruz while dressed as a woman in April, is back behind bars after leaving a probation program interview in San Francisco, police said Friday.

The Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office said Calantoc was convicted on the bank robbery case but a judge allowed him to interview at a probation program in San Francisco. Deputies said while was there, he walked out of the program, initiating a search for his arrest.

 

Investigators with the Peninsula Regional Violence and Narcotics Team said Calantoc, 31, was located in the 1100 block of Seaview Avenue in Pacific Grove Thursday night. Calantoc was arrested on a no bail felony warrant, a $240,000 felony warrant and four misdemeanor warrants totaling $95,000.

‘Mrs. Doubtfire’ Robber Arrested Again In P.G.

Mrs. Doubtfire Robber Arrested In P.G.

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Look at this! My first day as a woman and I’m getting hot flashes. Oh, you wicked, wicked man! Isn’t there enough flesh here to feast your eyes on?
Mrs Doubtfire Bank Robber

Brandon Alfred Calantoc

About 4:30 p.m. Thursday, detectives with the Regional Violence and Narcotics Team in Monterey County acted on a tip and went to a home on the 1100 block of Seaview Avenue in Pacific Grove where Calantoc was believed to be living, said Michael Bruno, acting commander of the team.

Calantoc was found in the home and was arrested without incident for the warrant and other misdemeanor warrants, Bruno said. A wig that belonged to Calantoc also was found in the home, Bruno said. As Calantoc was being booked into Monterey City Jail, he was found in possession of 2.1 grams of heroin packaged individually for sale, Bruno said.

Calantoc originally came to the attention of Santa Cruz police on April 3, when he robbed a bank on Morrissey Boulevard while dressed as a woman with a wig, purse and necklace. Police dubbed him “Mrs. Doubtfire” in reference to the 1993 Robin Williams movie in which Williams portrayed a woman.

A cross-dressing man also believed to be Calantoc went into a bank in Capitola the same day but did not rob it, Santa Cruz police Lt. Bernie Escalante said at the time.

Later in April, Carmel police were investigating vehicle burglaries and mail theft from the Carmel post office when they found Calantoc with stolen mail, stolen credit cards and a purse and locket necklace believed to have been worn during the Santa Cruz robbery.

Mrs. Doubtfire Robber Arrested In P.G.

Flush Twice For Tourists, Nothing For Replenishment

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The recycled water plan was a bait and switch.

Dollar Water

 

City Manager Tom Frutchey explained during the October council hearing that it was always the plan to eventually make most of the saved potable water available for city allocation to new uses. He did, however, also note the allocation process can be lengthy and most of the water would remain in the river when the plant opens. The city’s plan calls for construction to begin in the spring and be finished and operational by late next year or early 2017.

Pacific Grove activist Luke Colletti called the city’s maneuvers on the project to make water available for new projects such as the New Bella hotel proposal at the American Tin Cannery instead of offsetting illegal diversions from the river a “major deception.” He argued the city was risking its state funding. Colletti alleged that city officials had lied to the Coastal Commission, which he said believed the recycled water would go back to the river to help the environment.

Flush Twice For Tourists, Nothing For Replenishment