0216| Feb 16

Steppes to Heaven

Amir’s guides a sublime journey to Afghanistan.

It had been months since Felix and I had last gotten together, so we knew when we stepped into Amir’s Kabob House on Lighthouse in Monterey that we would be lingering a few hours. You ...

Limbo No More

This could be the year when county politics finally gets us somewhere.

>> THE LOCAL SPIN One perk of my job is that on deadline day, a guy comes in with a massage chair and sets up shop outside the classifieds department. We all take turns—10 minutes ...

Wrong Direction

Director Joe Roth heads into shakey territory with the tense racial drama Freedomland.

Over the past 20 years, Freedomland director Joe Roth has been head of production at 20th Century Fox and Disney, and created his own production shingle, Revolution Studios. As such, his primary job has been ...

Letters

NAME-CALLER IS PARANOID Jeffrey Van Middlebrook’s letter [Letters, Feb. 9-15] is regrettably typical of those who attempt to shout down the overwhelming scientific consensus regarding global warming. The “pseudo-science,” and “so-called evidence of this errant ...

Carmel Parties Down

After 70 years, live music has returned to Carmel-by-the-Sea.

According to local lore, an occurrence back in the 1930s caused the Carmel-by-the-Sea City Council to adopt an ordinance forbidding live entertainment at any venue where alcohol was sold or served. Back then, Carmel had ...

ArtListings

Public Citizen for Feb 16, 2006

Thursday 2|16 Day Laborer Update SEASIDE—Two weeks after insinuations were made that Mayor Ralph Rubio hid a potential conflict of interest, and after fireworks flew regarding the day laborer issue, the City Council reconvenes. 7pm. ...

Another World

Parents and schools struggle to find a place for more and more autistic kids.

He looks like a normal 12-year-old boy at first glance. But a mystery rages behind Felix Salaiz’ brown eyes. For the first two years of his life, Felix grew up as most children do. He’d ...

Lutes readies for tough campaign

Salinas City Councilwoman looks to rally anti-sprawl vote.

Jyl Lutes realizes that she is taking a risk by challenging long-time County Supervisor Lou Calcagno for his District 2 seat, which encompasses North County and parts of Salinas. “I’m the David, he’s the Goliath,” ...

High Stakes Word Problems

Beginning this year, all high school seniors must pass state exit exam to receive a diploma.

Anyone who has thought today’s generation of California teenagers are intellectually challenged—or just plain dumb—may want to rethink that assumption. More than 90 percent of the state’s high school seniors have already passed at least ...

Foodchain

Wall-to-Wall Goodness

IT’S LIKE A FANTASY…I am in it baby. I’m writing this during AT&T week and it’s appearing during Masters of Food and Wine week…Eeeeaggghhhh. You can feel the excitement in the very molecules of matter ...

Real Estate

Wood and Sun

An enclave tucked into Seaside’s southernmost boundary is home to a real sleeper. Sonoma Avenue may appear to be just another unremarkable street, but in fact it’s an established, cohesive neighborhood replete with long-time, proud ...

Golf in God’s Kingdom

Life’s lessons felt sweet at the best Pro-Am ever.

Humility and great golf go together. Just ask any golfer who’s tried to bridge the cliffs at Pebble’s eighth hole without the right club or concentration—like Arron Oberholser, who did just that at the AT&T ...

Child's Play

The big screen adaptation of Curious George does the popular children’s books right.

It’s not perfect, but this big-screen debut of H.A. Rey’s lovable monkey is worth recommending to audiences of all ages, especially fathers and sons. Lovingly rendered by executive producer Ron Howard’s Imagine Entertainment, the production ...

A Turning Point

Washington Republicans adopt a demeanor of brazen shamelessness as they attack the rule of law.

understand that all the folks at the Conservative Political Action Conference this weekend are busy celebrating their accomplishments. Since they live in the same overextended, widely hated, and increasingly impoverished nation that I do, where ...

SquidFry

PG PUB CRUSADE… Squid was enjoying a pleasant stroll around PACIFIC GROVE on Saturday morning when the comely-yet-sarcastic Squidette let fly with a typically funny bit of meanness. Regarding some “Road Closed” signs posted around ...

Poison of Choice

EPA looks to beef up ban on methyl bromide and replace it with another pesticide.

Methyl iodide causes cancer. Some scientists say this pesticide fumigant is more dangerous than methyl bromide, another chemical which was supposed to be phased out years ago. But now, as it scrambles to find a ...

DiscSpace

ACEYALONE | Magnificent City | Decon/Project Blowed Magnificent City features a team-up worthy of legendary status—journeyman Freestyle Fellowship MC Aceyalone and DJ-savior-extraordinaire RJD2—not that you’d be able to tell from the cover. Instead, it’s Acey ...