09-25-09 |

09-25-09

It’s Cuneo, Huitt

No coin flipping this time, but it took five roll call votes for the sitting councilmembers to finally seat Ken Cuneo and Robert Huitt to fill the vacancies left when Vicki Stilwell resigned and Carmelita Garcia was appointed mayor to fill Dan Cort’s position. And no wonder — there were 15 very qualified candidates, any one of whom would be an asset to the city. It took three rounds of nominations and votes to appoint Cuneo, and when the council appeared (on the fourth vote) unable to garner the four votes necessary to fill the vacancy left, they swore Cuneo in and added his vote. He promptly nominated two additional candidates — Dan Miller and Richard Ahart, both of whom ran unsuccessfully in the November, 2008 election with Cuneo — but when it came down to the vote, Cuneo went for Robert Huitt, as did the rest of the council. Huitt previously served on the council for eight years but was ‘term-limited’ out seven years ago.

Woman, 63, beats her mother to death

Jean Danvers

A 63 year-old Pacific Grove woman has been charged with homicide in the beating death of her mother, 96. Jean Danvers allegedly called in a medical emergency on Thursday evening, September 24, and told the communications center that she had beaten her mother. The mother, Charlotte Danvers, was found lying on the floor when medical personnel and police arrived.

She was taken to Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula where she later died. The younger Danvers was arrested and charged with assault by force likely to produce great bodily injury, battery against an elder and crimes against an elder. The homicide charge was added after her mother succumbed.

Jean Danvers was unable to post bail and was lodged in Monterey County Jail.

Planning fee recovery: Community input is vital

Pacific Grove’s Community Development Department (CDD) set a goal of “preserving services through the economic storm,” meaning that, after large budget cuts, staff layoffs, contracting with other agencies, reducing staff by 43 percent and instituting voter-approved taxes, there is still a budget gap of $1.5 million.

One area being examined is the large general revenue subsidy for fee-based services that Pacific Grove has, particularly in the planning department. Staff estimates that 73 percent of the cost for service, on average, is borne by General Revenues – the public.

Staff, looking for ways to recover costs, reached out to the community for input. Read more…»

Loading zone on Lighthouse is going away

Parking on the north side of Lighthouse Avenue between 13^th Street and 12^th Street will soon be converted to 90-minute parking. Currently, it is a mixture of 90-minute parking, loading zones and 20-minute parking. Read more…»

New 4-way stop coming at Gibson and Fountain

At its July 14 meeting, the Traffic Safety Commission decided to ask staff undertake a study of the intersection of Fountain Avenue and Gibson Avenue. Gibson had previously been designated a through street from Eardley Avenue to Alder Street while traffic on cross streets, including Fountain Avenue, were required to stop at Gibson.

“A lot of times people (traveling on Fountain) think that you (traveling on Gibson) are coming to a stop,” said resident Karen Sheppard at that meeting. She also expressed concern for middle school students going home at the end of the day.

Conversely, there was also testimony that traffic on Gibson does, in fact, stop as if there were already a stop sign there.

Staff took traffic counts, a peak-hour hand count and an accident analysis. They noted that the presence of many senior citizens from Canterbury Woods and Forest Hill Manor, the presence of a medical office and the fact that the area is a walking route for students from Robert Down and Pacific Grove Middle School result in higher than expected vehicle traffic and pedestrian traffic at the intersection.

The installation of four-way stop signs at the intersection was approved on the consent agenda at the city council’s September 16 meeting.

They’re on their way

Jack Beigle was the first to report a Monarch sighting in Pacific Grove — a single “scout” seen last week.

“It would be interesting to know if the Monarchs sort of glide down a freeway route to the Sanctuary, or if it is a random distribution of arrival all over town” said Helen Johnson of Monarch Alert.

Anyone spotting a Monarch in Pacific Grove over the next few weeks is urged to call Monarch Alert at 1-877-7740, Mailbox 7. If the butterfly is tagged, the tag number would be helpful but it is not vital. Or spotters may call Cedar Street Times at 831-324-4742. We’d like to know where it was seen.

Monarchs were seen last week in coastal Marin as well. There were five sightings in one day at Muir Beach and three in the Marin Headlands.

Butterfly bond renewed

Debt service on the 1990 Butterfly Habitat Bonds has come up again, and the City Council voted unanimously to renew the special property tax with a levy of .004 percent on assessed value.

Based on a median assessed valuation of about $260,000, a property in Pacific Grove would pay $10.40 per year at that rate.

The funds can only be spent on debt service of the Butterfly Habitat Bonds, which were issued in 1990 to acquire and rehabilitate the Monarch Sanctuary.

Police log

A good son?

The word was that a young man from Pacific Grove had acted poorly toward his mother. The subject had struck mom in the head, causing injury. After a PGPD officer arrived and gave the subject an order, the young man refused to comply. Eventually, a jolt of pepper spray was required to get the subject in line. The young man was then transported to Monterey County Jail where he is being held in lieu of bail. Whether mom would be interested in posting bail is questionable.

Faulty alarm?

PGPD responded to a business alarm. After arrival on site, officers toured the area, inspected the building, and found … nothing. They reported the incident as a false alarm. And then came a second alert. Better to respond and be right than to not respond and be wrong. Off went the officers, with the same results. Asking to have the alarm repaired may be next on their list.

Need to listen while we play

A mother called PGPD in behalf of her daughter. It seemed that the family car had been broken into during the night. The daughter was most concerned about what had been stolen. It was the young lady’s iPod. In another break-in, the victims also reported a theft. This time is was a Nintendo.

Need more security?

A woman called who identified herself as a full-time care provider. She works for a disabled individual who is confined to a wheelchair. The provider pulled on an apron and prepared to fix dinner. She lit a fire, and then stepped out of the kitchen for a minute. While she was absent, the kitchen filled with smoke and an obnoxious smell. She called the police. Working with the caretaker, officers discovered that chili peppers had been placed on and around the burners. The provider was as surprised as were the officers. PGPD offered the provider suggestions for improving home security.

We were just talking … again!

PGPD responded to reports of a quarrel taking place between a man and woman who are married. The man was located standing on a corner near the given address. He said he had left his home to get away from his wife. But he also said that the couple had just been talking, and their dispute had been only verbal, a heated discussion of work-related problems and stress. After being contacted, the wife agreed. She admitted having had a drink, but was not obviously intoxicated. The couple admitted to having experienced a similar incident, several years ago.

Ladies only

A female caller complained about a male “Peeping Tom” who had been standing outside her apartment at about four o’clock that morning watching while the woman used the toilet. She advised police that another apartment dweller had experienced the same thing. After contacting a knowing informant, police learned that all residents in the apartment complex are female.

All’s well that ends well

A mother telephoned PGPD to advise that she was very worried. Her son, who was on probation for another matter, had not returned before the hour set by terms of his release. Later, mom called again. Everything was okay. The lad had returned home … just a little late.

Gone missing

A juvenile requested and was granted permission to participate in a party. The youngster was dropped off at Forest Grove School at about 11:30 a.m. Unfortunately, the lad failed to return home at the appointed hour. He is still missing. He whereabouts are unknown.

On the lam

Another mother reported that her son had run away from home. She also reported that the boy was out later than the terms of his probation allowed.

Make certain adult has not been drinking, too?

A concerned citizen reported that a male subject had been at an Ocean View address, drinking. In spite of being intoxicated, the subject departed on foot. While searching the area, the subject was found. He was too drunk to care for himself. Officers transported him to the station where he was held until a sober adult could be found to take custody.

Too many pills

A husband telephoned to report that he was concerned about his wife. She had taken too many prescription pills and was now lying on the floor, semi-conscious. Officers summoned AMR to take the subject to CHOMP for treatment and mental evaluation.

Want the entire building mailed?

Vandals got busy the other night. They decorated the side of the U. S. Post Office with graffiti that read: “Donkeys for Life!” No stamps were attached.

Was it your imagination?

A woman from a residential home telephoned PGPD and stated that she had been alarmed after hearing two loud noises that might have been gunshots. Then she reported seeing a male, about 50 years of age, dressed in blue jeans, a blue shirt, and white tennis shoes. She said the man appeared to be “retarded.” A search of the area revealed nothing. Staff at the home said no one had been “missing” right then, nor was there a resident who answered the woman’s description.

Didn’t want to hear it

Officers were summoned to Prescott Lane to check on a verbal domestic dispute in progress. Rather than communicate with police, the male half of the dispute turned and walked away. The subject had to be physically restrained so that the investigation could be finished.

Retrospective

When we set out to start a weekly newspaper, we did it because we believe that Pacific Grove needs and wants an unbiased, locally-run, Pacific Grove-oriented newspaper. We weren’t running for City Council, we weren’t backed by anyone who was; we just wanted to provide Pacific Grove with straight news, photos, and events coverage. We didn’t reckon on an economic meltdown, either locally or on a national level, but we’ve been able to keep our heads above water.

Cedar Street Times has been very well received. We have more than doubled our original press run and we have picked up a number of subscribers to our email version. We have a number of contributors, regular and not-so-regular, who offer us news of interest to the city’s population of all ages and interests.

We’re pleased to offer a regular “Green Page” on ecology and nature issues and a regular page on arts events. We have provided, joyously, space for student poets, writers and photographers. We have reported on every City Council meeting and many committee meetings. We’ve offered profiles of local businesses and reviews of restaurants, plus regular food columns on cooking. We responded to requests for a police log, and we happily provide a look in Pacific Grove’s past on a weekly basis. We’ve offered some outstanding photo essays, if we do say so ourselves.

We’re proud of what we’ve done and how far we’ve come, and we look forward to a long and . . . is “interesting” the word we want? . . . tenure.

The following are examples of the stories we covered during our first six months, though this is certainly not the entire gamut. We hope you will join us in our future endeavors.

Where I Call Home

by Jade Hage

Pacific Grove, deemed by some as the “Last Hometown,”

Where I can wander through downtown,

Running into everyone I know.

Pacific Grove, where all of the students can

Fondly recall elementary school music class with

Ms. Sanfort;

And where every student has had the experience

Of Mr. Bell as their principal, and Ms. Anton’s

Riveting exploration through world history.

Pacific Grove, where the innate rivalry between

The Otters and the Falcons can be noticed even

At the high school;

And where Breaker pride is thick in the air on

Every spirit day, and at every athletic event.

Pacific Grove, where the sweet aroma of kettle

Corn wafts through the brisk April air at the

lively Good Old Days celebration;

Where the Feast of Lanterns and its Royal Court

Are the highlight of the fog-blanketed summers;

And where each kindergartener marches through

Town dressed as a proud monarch butterfly in the

Lively Butterfly Parade.

Pacific Grove, the sweetest little town, where I call

Home.

Jade Hage is a member of the PGHS Young Writers Club which submits its best poetry during the school year to grace the pages of Cedar Street Times. We thank all the students as we use Jade’s poem for our retrospective.

Retrospective: The first 6 months

Vol 1 Issue 1, 09/05/08

Ikana plane helps on the Basin fire

Reservoir could solve some of PG’s water woes

Candidate profiles: Carmelita Garcia, Deborah Lindsay

Steve Hauk: Steinbeck’s conceal/carry permit

Vol 1 Issue 2, 09/12/08

City finds water for most on Water Waiting List

Introducing Daniel Gho at the golf course

Anne Meyer Cook joins Gateway Center

Recidivist great whites

Candidate profiles: Bill Kampe, Richard Ahart

Feature on Sparky’s Root Beer

Profile on the Herzog family’s summer vacation in their Winnebago

Vol 1 Issue 3, 09/19/08

Police equipment grant

Progress on Breaker Stadium

Profile of Lori Mannel, PG Museum’s new director

Mountain lions seen in town

Lectures on climate change

Photo essay: Triathlon

Candidate profiles: Daniel Miller and Ken Cuneo

Blake Russell back from the international Olympics

On our website 09/26/08

B’s Coffee profile

PG Alumni annual meeting 9/20

Heritage Bird House contest

Firefighters get to see the AMA free

Letter Jim Willoughby on public nuisances

Butterfly etiquette

Vol I Issue 4, 10/03/08

Fire department merger with Monterey

AFRP gets 4-legged victims of Katrina

Asilomar cleanup stats

Picture essay: Heritage houses for the birds

Council candidates David Dilworth and Susan Goldbeck

Rags to Riches car show quits PG

Vol I Issue 5, 10/10/08

Museum financial woes

Picture essay: Butterfly parade

Leatherback turtles in the bay

Candidate profiles: Mark Hood, Todd Hornik

Vol I Issue 6, 10/17/08

Tagging Monarchs, growing milkweed

Fiction: Lady G of PG

Bath House lease

Farmers Market review

NOAA’s mural

Coyotes

Candidate Profile: Dan Cort, Ted Hollister

On our website 10/24/08

Rods on the Wharf benefit for Gateway

Patron’s Show is coming to the Art Center

Process for hiring a new city manager

Monarch Update introduced

Vol 1 Issue 7, 10/31/08

Reconfiguration of grade schools not happening

Rec Trail repairs

Measure X

MST rate increase

Gardening Angels

Carmel River Steelhead Association

Art Center’s show

Vol. I Issue 8, 11/7/08

Election results: Dan Cort, Bill Kampe, Carmelita Garcia, Deborah Lindsay

Citizens want to get out of CalPERS

City’s budget update

Young Writers corner begun

Big Sur Half Marathon

Seafood Watch profile

Deep Sea photography exhibit

Online issue, 11/14/08

Meet Pierre Dulaine - Dancing classrooms

Downtown Holiday schedule

Proposed raises for city staff

Parking on Ocean View Blvd.

Measure Y, Measure Z

In lieu water fee

Vol I Issue 9, 11/21/08

McIndoo Bequest apportioned

Staff pay raises denied

PG Liquors

Half Marathon

Review: Henry’s BBQ

Julian Collingwood handmade chocolates

Patron’s Show

Vol. 1 Issue 10, 11/29/08

Phil Bowhay’s book on growing up in Pacific Grove

Wearable Art at Back Porch Gallery

Annie Holdren, new Education & Volunteer Manager at PGMNH

Poetry House - repairs to begin

Charlene Wiseman staying around as interim city manager

A Celtic Winter’s Eve

Revisions to the Museum’s Mission Statement

Vol. 1 Issue 11, 12/05/08

Nov. 4 election votes certified, new council seated

Exit interview with Jim Colangelo

Introducing High Hats & Parasols

Mad about Monarchs Museum Event

Frank Penner, Association’s new president

Tsunami zone in PG

Garland Thompson: PG’s Poet in Residence

D.A.R.E. students visit police department

Vol. 1 Issue 12, 12/12/08

Holman Building up for sale

Holiday activities downtown

Jayne Gasperson goes on an airship ride

PGPD breaks up a mail theft and check fraud ring

PG rotary fixes up the gazebo

Vol 1 Issue 13, 12/19/08

Snow in Pacific Grove

Reservoir update

Ad hoc water committee established

Introducing Max Perelman and Jeff Edmunds as commissioners

Holiday goings-on

Vol 1 Issue 14, 12/26/08

Early morning fire tests the new consolidated fire department

PG Art Center’s new exhibits

Monarch tagging

All the committee and commission members

Vol 1 Issue 15, 01/02/09

PGPD joins regional “tactical team”

Guy Cheney joins as rain gauge person

A look at PG’s economy

Breaker Stadium progress

Ice cream parlor v. the military

Vol 1 Issue 16, 01/09/09

Emergency funding for the library

Coyote on the loose

Arrests in counterfeiting ring

Mike Nilmeier profiled

Lunchroom recycling begins

Feast of Lanterns looking for a volunteer craftsperson to make a sedan chair

Vol 1 Issue 17, 01/16/09

Dog park

City will hire CalPERS consultant

Profile: Cypress Cleaners green machine

Raising the flag

by Ashley Cameron

February 19, 1945

The day of invasion…

Staring at the battleships swarming the harbor of Iwo Jima,

Overcome by fear,

He tries to get her out of his mind - but fails!

Intricate tunnels underground, enable an “element of surprise”

Volcanic ash fills his lungs, making matters worse.

Pictures of her flash through his mind, refusing to dissolve.

His vision obscured,

His defenses weakened,

He refuses to give up.

Flamethrowers shoot death into the air while grenades fly like metal birds -

The atmosphere - a blur of confusion.

He watches as countless lives wither into crimson pools,

Into dust and smoke.

Ghosts advance slowly, risking what the day will eclipse.

His breathing deepens.

His heart pounds through his chest.

The image of her remains,

Not in his mind,

Amidst the confusion of death, and blood, and artillery,

But in his pounding heart,

As he fears not death,

But life without her.

Compelled by this love, he drifts forward with remaining troops,

The sinews of their hearts woven together

To create a force strong enough to vanquish this enemy,

To bring down the Rising Sun,

To watch it set behind the hills of Mt. Suribachi

On February 23, 1945.

He never wanted to let her go.

The tears he cried,

While watching his comrades stab his country’s flag into the soil

Of the mountaintop -

A star-spangled banner,

Standing proud above the sunset -

Were tears of hope,

For the daughter he left behind

On this triumphant day.

PG birders: Raptors on view locally

Fortunately, Pagrovians do not have to take lengthy or expensive trips to see multiple species of birds. I combine my birding with my photography walks in our Marine Sanctuary in P.G., and Spanish Bay. Raptors are among my favorite birds, and for those of you who can turn your head away from our splendid beach and Ocean and look inland, there are several raptor species of note which you may see. Of course, being in the right place at the right time is happenstance too. Birds will not be waving their wings at you, in anticipation of your visit; some days are more productive than others.

A pair of Red Shouldered Hawks may be seen fairly frequently, as they perch at lower levels in shrubs and trees, and they have three color phases, all of which are beautiful. Their larger Buteo cousin is the Red Tailed Hawk, which some of you may be familiar with. Red-tails soar more than the smaller red shouldered hawks do, but often can be spotted perched in trees near Pt. Joe. Another raptor of beauty is the White-Tailed Kite of which there are at least one or possibly two pairs. This predominantly white (crow sized) raptor has black on its wing shoulders ( it once was called the black shouldered kite). Almost the size of the Red-shouldered hawk, but more streamlined, it has black wing plumage, and an almost translucent white tail. Capable of hovering high up in the air like a helicopter, it can remain stationary as it searches for suitable rodents to prey upon. When seen with back lighting from the sun shining on its back as it hovers, it is a most beautiful bird to see. I have watched it plummet down and seize a gopher fat and large enough to make me wonder if it could get airborne carrying its prey. It is one of my favorites to photograph and “capture on slide film” as are the other two species.

Unlike the other two species, the kite plucks most of the fur from its prey before consuming it. Clamorous crows, in groups, frequently like to dive bomb kites and the other hawks, in the hope of chasing them from their perch, and hopefully getting the raptor to drop its prey. I witnessed an encounter of this type for 20 minutes before the very likely exasperated Kite raised one foot off its perch and held it with talons extended at the crows. The crows got the message and immediately veered off and away. A Coopers hawk, a fast flying accipitor, gave me the pleasure of photographing it, after it chased a frightened male quail into my picture window. The quail hit my window with a resounding thud and fell to the ground, but escaped the predator; however the Coopers hawk perched in one of my juniper trees as it scanned the area where the quail had fallen, and even hopped down to peer into the small crawl space where the quail had scrambled, before it flew off. It was a juvenile Coopers, based upon its eye (iris) color, but it was a beauty. The quail might not have been so lucky had the Coopers hawk been a more experienced adult. This sighting occurred when I was a resident of Carmel Valley, where quail were quite plentiful.

A most thrilling encounter was seeing a Peregrine Falcon flying rapidly at low altitude, and actually zooming over the Bay, before it banked like a jet fighter, and turned landward at great speed. Luckily I had my camera set at 1/4000th of a second and took several slides of it, before it was out of sight and telephoto range.

Another raptor, the American Kestrel, is the smallest member of the falcon family. This pretty little robin sized “Beau Brummel” of a tiny hawk has light and airy wing beats and is also capable of hovering. It feeds upon grasshoppers, and small mice, or other small rodents. The male is the gaudiest little fellow, with a chestnut/rufous-colored back and blue on the upper side of his primary wing feathers, with a boldly marked white face marked with dark feathers resembling sideburns, and more short dark feathers near the base of his beak as if he had a drooping moustache. This Kestrel has a habit of pumping his tail when perched. The females are more subdued in color, as are the immatures. Decades ago, he was also known as the sparrow hawk.

Watch for migrating species

As autumn is almost upon us, the migration season is about to begin. Many of the song birds such as the warblers will be passing through here in the weeks to follow.

My favorites among these Northern breeding birds are the Townsend’s Warbler, who will over winter here wherever pines and dense conifers afford them suitable cover. Primarily insectivorous, these perky little guys are delightful to watch as they dart around in their boldly striped yellow and black striped plumage, with the males having a black throat patch like an ascot, and olive colored feathering on their backs, and on the faces of the females. They often will come down from shrubs to search for insects on lawns, along with another small warbler, the Yellow Rumped Warbler, which is minimally larger. The Yellow-rumped Warbler is often easier to see, as it will frequent more exposed shrubbery; however it too will hunt for insects on lawns in the company of the Townsend’s Warbler. The Yellow- rumped Warbler will often perch on tall shrubs from where it will pursue flying insects. Its plumage is less flashy than the Townsend’s Warbler, but the bright yellow rump patch color is unmistakable, and it also has a small narrow yellow sash on its flanks. Unlike the Townsend’s Warbler, it is less dependent upon dense conifers for nesting sites and cover, however it will inhabit in willow thickets and similar sized shrubs in more open habitat.

Among the more familiar wintering birds will be the chicadees, nuthatches, and many other species, including waterfowl which will be discussed next time.

Coastal cleanup results for 2009

At Lover’s Point beach there were 27 volunteers who picked up 50 pounds of trash and 31 pounds of recyclables according to Jill Poudrette, Monterey County Coordinator of the Coastal Cleanup Day and Adopt-a-Beach Manager for the California State Parks, Monterey District.

At Asilomar State Beach 80 volunteers picked up 130 pounds of trash and 50 pounds of recyclables. Once again, it appeared that most of the trash was purposefully dumped or left as litter.

In 2008, Asilomar had 75 volunteers who picked up 36 pounds of trash.

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