Category Archives: Pacific Grove

Interim City Manager Appointed

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From out of town, been fired from last city manager job. What could go wrong?

After a two-hour interview in closed session followed by an open selection process at a special meeting Saturday, the City Council named former Avalon City Manager Ben Harvey to the Pacific Grove post.

Harvey, 45, was dismissed from his position with the Santa Catalina Island city. When asked about the dismissal, Pacific Grove Mayor Bill Kampe said he had no qualms about Harvey’s new appointment.

Harvey, who had served as Avalon’s city manager since September 2013, was dismissed in November on a 3-2 vote of the City Council after a performance evaluation that was closed to the public. Harvey said he was not fired for cause and that the council decided to exercise its option to pick a different leader.

Interim City Manager Appointed

Minimal Monarchs

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Maybe the cost of housing is keeping them away.

Monarch Cluster

Volunteers and officials with the Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History recently counted 11,000, down from 18,000 this time last year. That count seems to buck a coastal trend, although not all the counts are in.

Sarina Jepsen, the director of the Xerces Society’s endangered species program, said that from the 145 sites counted so far, the monarch count actually seems to be up from last year. Jepsen’s program aims to raise awareness about the plight of invertebrates that are declining.

Minimal Monarchs

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.