Thursday, February 25
Monterey County government prepares for Y2K.
More and more stories surface about people who are preparing for the Year 2000 computer disaster as if it will trigger nuclear winter. But administrators and computer experts are confident--if cautious--that systems throughout Monterey County ...
Marines are Americans, Too--Our armed forces need to keep prepared so they can do what we pay them to do.
The broad generalizations made in "Guess Who''s Coming to Dinner" >(CW Jan. 28) were one-sided. First, I agree with Mr. Cohn, Monterey''s deputy city manager, who supports the Marines'' March 13 training exercise in Monterey. ...
Nick Nolte shines in movie that explores the emotionally imprisoned male psyche.
"Some days I feel just like a whipped dog," says Wade Whitehouse (Nick Nolte). The sad, uncomprehending look in his eyes both confirms his words and foreshadows the ones that follow: "...someday, I swear, I''m ...
Pacific's Edge
Last year was Lincoln Carson's first time as a participant in the annual Masters of Food and Wine event. Looking back a year later, he remembers it as the best week of his life, spent ...
CSUMB unveils a new, state-of-the-art theater on Wednesday.
When the curtain goes up next Wednesday for the Dee Dee Bridgewater show at CSUMB''s World Theater, it will reveal more to audiences than a stellar jazz singer. Although most eyes will be focused on ...
Chris Wall--Singer/songwriter takes hardboiled, rootsy approach.
While Nashville radio gazes at its collective navel and trots out a parade of anemic pretenders, Austin-based Chris Wall remains one of country music''s most durable and inspired talents. In a more sensible era, his ...
Words of Warning
Ever hear ''bout the time I took buckshot in the noggin? My mailbox has been glowing lately with abundant correspondence from 28th District Assemblymember Peter Frusetta, (R-Tres Pinos.) One hand-scrawled, communiqu detailed Frusetta''s disappointment with ...
Officials say turn of the millennium won't jeopardize public safety.
It''s 12:00:01, Jan. 1, 2000. Suddenly, the power shuts off and the dark night drops in like a "friend" who eats all your food, drinks all your beer, hogs the remote and won''t leave. Suddenly, ...
Don Burge says the traffic lights in Monterey will control traffic as usual.
Traffic Lights Don Burge, Monterey''s traffic signal technician, is not worried about the upcoming Y2K changeover predicted by some to wreak havoc on our computer-based society. Burge, the sole member of Monterey''s traffic signal maintenance ...
The Monterey Airport wings into the new millennium.
So what if your microwave or automobile show signs of the millennium bug? But what if the airplane you are in--or the control tower guiding your plane homeward--on Jan. 1, 2000 is infected? According to ...
Scrap the Marine Invasion --The proposed March 13 operation encroaches on civil rights as well as the environment.
In what is being reported as a done deal, Saturday, March 13 will witness hundreds of U.S. Marines being water transported on six amphibious landing crafts, covering a 1,000-yard swath, to their landing on Monterey ...
A World of Music--This week''s line-up will take you boldly where you''ve never gone before.
Let''s take a trip across the world. When I think of Arabia, I think Aladdin, exotic belly dancers with jingling bracelets and anklets, and fairy tales. Greece and Turkey conjure up endless days of sunshine, ...
The Masters
Commitment to perfection. That''s how Pacific''s Edge pastry chef, Lincoln Carson, describes the adrenaline-charged atmosphere that electrifies the air at the Highlands Inn Annual Masters of Food and Wine extravaganza. This year marks number 13 ...
Officials say improvements in Salinas'' infrastructure are strangled by lack of funds and planning.
Talk to city officials and you''ll learn that regardless of the way it''s couched, no one can tell you how Salinas will fix its ailing infrastructure, much less how the city will provide for long-term ...
From The Editorial Desk
The reports of a looming computer disaster at the stroke of midnight on Jan. 1, 2000 started hitting the press last year. Although technology experts had been aware of the potential problems created by computer ...
Soul and Guts --Nina Storey, The Blazers and Little Jonny and the Giants deliver a soulful weekend.
The voice coming out of my speakers was distinctly at odds with the photo on the cover of Nina Storey''s debut solo release, Shades. The photo was delicate, innocent, young; the voice was big, sultry, ...
Too Smooth--Max Bragado Darman wields a polished baton.
Max Bragado Darman gave his Sunday afternoon Monterey Symphony audience a visual treat. His oil-smooth baton technique conveyed both elegance and authority. But he did not use it to stamp his performance with originality or ...
Salinas' historic Fox Theater searches for a preservationist angel.
There''s an old joke--not a very funny one--that goes, when a historic theater dies, it becomes a parking lot. That bit of wisdom comes from Terrance Demas, executive director of the League of Historic American ...
Local water utilities say electricity is key to maintaining service--but PG&E is making no promises.
Hope for the best but plan for the worst. That, in essence is the modus operandi of Monterey County''s major water providers, who say that all precautions and contingency plans are essentially in place in ...
Letters
Corporate Sacrifice One of the Pebble Beach Company's current public relations ads carries this heading, "We've protected this forest for 80 years. For the next century, we'll do the same." How can this statement be ...
Can a proposed new historic preservation ordinance save what's left?
Peninsula This weekend, John Steinbeck fans congregate in Monterey County to pay homage to the late author on what would be his 97th birthday. Coincidentally, the party comes in the wake of a decision by ...
New Millennium--The End is Near?
The Fin de Sicle is on its way and the world might end, or our modern electronic systems could crash, leaving us to forage in the forest and wash our clothes in the river. Some ...
Kid Picks
16tuesday Irish Songs As part of her themed concert series, local children's musician MaryLee Sunseri performs Irish songs and stories at the Children's Experimental Theater (CET). Little leprechauns should enjoy this pre-St. Patrick's Day concert, ...
Thursday, February 18
The Universal Life Church Isn't The Only Non-traditional Church That Ordains Ministers By Mail.
Longtime Big Sur resident Penny Vieregge, 70, paid $25 for her mail-order ordination from the Oregon-based Church of the Divine Immortality almost 20 years ago. Like Steve Webster, she became ordained initially to marry friends ...
Sign on at the Universal Life Church's Website, and you, too, can perform legal marriages in these United States.
Steve Retsky is an instructional technician in the drama department at Monterey Peninsula College. Lari Witt is assistant to the provost of Monterey Institute of International Studies. Steve Webster is a senior marine biologist at ...
Jazz Messengers--Local musicians keep the spirit of jazz alive.
As host to the world''s preeminent jazz festival, one would think that jazz is a thriving musical art form here on the Monterey Peninsula. Yet, except for that one special weekend each September when thousands ...
Every bride wants her bower bedecked with blooms.
One of the most important features of any wedding, whether it''s on a mountaintop, in Las Vegas, or in the family church, is the flowers. Whether a bride creates the floral arrangements on her own ...
City leaders know Salinas needs another library, but where should it go?
As a city with almost 130,000 residents, Salinas is woefully underserved when it comes to libraries. Between the main John Steinbeck Library, and its two smaller branches--El Gabilan on North Main Street and Cesar Chavez ...
Walking down the aisle with your offspring--keeping everyone happy.
It was a wet foggy June day when Connie Breiman and Jeff Watts got married. The air was so moisture-laden, their outdoor ceremony was moved indoors to the Pebble Beach Lodge, according to the back-up ...
You might be too busy to eat at your own reception, but your guests will be ready to dive in.
Your wedding day is your special day. And after you''ve said your "I do''s," sealed the deal with a kiss, and been pronounced man and wife, it also becomes a special day for all your ...
Letters
Cheaper Option In response to two items in the Feb. 4 edition of CW concerning airline service, I offer the following comments: Last September I had the occasion to go to Colorado Springs on a ...
The Big Day--Wedding Ceremonies
We asked how married folks remembered their big day, and most smiled fondly. Whether people in the ''90s still want traditional ceremonies is less clear, with wedding dreams ranging all over the spectrum in Monterey ...
Not the Licks --Slide guitarist Roy Rogers leads a parade that includes Bill Bourne and Eric Bibb.
"It''s not about the licks," says slide guitarist Roy Rogers. "What I''m interested in is if it''s music that moves me. The deeper I dig, hopefully it gets you in touch with your inner emotions." ...
Monterey County is just the place to make your wedding dreams come true.
"Anytime anything can be done differently [so that it] means something to the special couple, well, that''s what they should do," says Elena Young of Special Moments Bridal Consultants. And Elena should know. After four ...
Road Shows--From the travelling Mick Overman to touring Dread Zeppelin, the road is a musician''s best friend.
Mick Overman is busy, to say the least. The first thing I pulled from his publicity package was a full page (small print!) listing of places where he has performed--I counted about 400. In a ...
Monterey Joe's
After passing through the hands of several owners and more than a few chefs, Monterey Joe's now appears to be sitting squarely in the saddle of the restaurant community. Under the proprietorship of Chris and ...
Disappearing Strings--Brawny performance by pianist Robert Levin obscures his string accompaniment
The smooth-talking Robert Levin advised the Chamber Music Monterey Bay audience at Sunset Center to forget all about Beethoven''s fourth piano concerto. He then proceeded to play Beethoven''s fourth piano concerto on a modern Steinway ...
Weddings--planner
Nine Months or Longer: Decide budget. Research premarital requirements. Decide style and size of wedding. Reserve date and location for wedding and reception. Select attendants. Start shopping for rings. Compile guest list. Select bridal gown, ...
Roberto Benigni delivers a moving, unsentimental comedy set against an unlikely backdrop.
Life Is Beautiful is the drama every comic probably wishes he had made. This Italian "concentration-camp comedy" believes that the powers of humor and joy are strong enough to overcome any adversity, even that of ...
Carmel author meets neighbors who could be straight from his WWII thriller about stolen artworks.
Sometimes nature imitates art, and truth is more implausible than fiction. Last August, Edgar Award-winning author Aaron Elkins moved to Carmel after putting the finishing touches on his latest novel, an international art thriller called ...
Three Sides to Every Story
Excuse Me, What Exactly Did You Mean By That? The Cannery Row Marketplace struck gold when they dug up a letter last week from Thomas Myles Steinbeck (John''s son) to the Monterey City Council, touting ...
Castroville steps forward with a new revitalization plan.
North County It is Monterey County''s second oldest city and, as the world''s largest agricultural producer of artichokes, the county''s second largest income-producing region. Yet, for residents of the self-styled "Artichoke Center Of The World," ...
The Dress may become the biggest decision a bride makes--next to choosing the groom.
On your wedding day you want to look special and unique, but many haute couture designs advertised in magazines and displayed in bridal salons are too much of a financial stretch for most peoples'' budgets. ...
Kiddie Show--Monterey City Council is playing games with historic preservation.
When I was a child, Kukla, Fran, and Ollie mesmerized me. As an adult I am experiencing a case of deja vu watching the Monterey City Council. In early January, the council, at the direction ...
Thursday, February 11
Developing History
The word "development" sounds an alarm in the minds of many. But the Cannery Row Marketplace could revitalize a neglected part of the Row. What do folks really want? Matthew Wilson Age: 21 Occupation: Job ...
Miracles--Clemente Trio provides rich musical feast for Santa Catalina students.
What a pleasure to see fine classical chamber music squandered, like youth itself, on the young! Despite blustery weather, a few of us intrepid oldtimers joined a full house of Santa Catalina School students in ...
Disco, Love and Lust--Celebrate weekend of love with Disco Inferno, Tuck and Patti, The Fingers and Erotic Art Show.
Everything celebrates a comeback sooner or later. Undoubtedly, you''ve pulled some wrinkled old item from your closet, only to discover that it had become the latest in fashion--again. Over the years, the one fad continuously ...
Frankenstein's father provides fodder for exploration of love and friendship.
In 1957, Golden Age of Hollywood director James Whale was found dead--a suicide--in the swimming pool of his Pacific Palisades home. By that point, the English migr director of some 21 feature films had not ...
Letters
Knickers in a Knot It was about a year ago we all got our knickers in a twist over the proposed monstrous Cannery Row Mall (Marketplace). Petitions were signed by thousands and letters sent to ...
Will the proposed Cannery Row Marketplace invigorate the Row or ruin it?
Two years ago, the Monterey City Council and the Coastal Commission authorized the Cannery Row Marketplace LLC (limited liability company) to "deconstruct" the crumbling San Xavier Cannery warehouse. The decision to destroy the historic, cannery-era ...
McGarrett's has started a "party bus" for CSUMB students, but is that something the school should be providing?
Even before Cal State Monterey Bay (CSUMB) opened its doors four years ago, the word went out among club and bar owners in downtown Monterey: Prepare for the weekend student onslaught. "That influx onto Alvarado ...
Out of Place and Out of Line
Now, Where Did We Put Those Frozen Dinners? At last. America West, which started regular daily jet service between Monterey and Phoenix as of Feb. 1, has lifted Monterey Airport out of its stunning provincialism ...
The Monterey County grand jury takes the county planners to task.
The biggest problem with the recently released 1998 Monterey County grand jury final report may be figuring out just where the problems lie. The report, issued last month, takes the Monterey County Planning and Building ...
John Lennon's art still conjures images of the '60s--30 years later.
In the long and turbulent history of the Beatles much has been said and written about their music and other creative endeavors. And probably none of the other bandmates received more scrutiny than their spiritual ...
Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? heads this year's line-up at MPC's tiny SRO theater.
Working on a play in the 42-seat SRO theater at Monterey Peninsula College gives actors and directors a certain sense of freedom. Partly it''s because the space is consciously set up as a venue for ...
Grand Jury Travesty --Monterey County's 1998 grand jury report fails to meet standards of impartiality.
California law requires that each county have a grand jury. Each civil grand jury defines and decides what local agencies it will examine and what issues it will look into. Because of the multiplicity of ...
Grace Notes--Jazz pianist Lynne Arriale creates beautiful sounds from silence.
It''s what you don''t hear as much as what you do hear that characterizes the lovely, mellifluous sound of jazz pianist Lynne Arriale, who returns to the Monterey Peninsula in a trio setting for two ...
Make Mine Sake
Used to be, it was a drink that couldn''t get no respect. At least here in this country, back when Japanese restaurants were considered a novelty, and where the sake that was served was always ...
In search of new sources of inspiration for Valentine's Day? Try these.
The symbiotic relationship between food and love is as old as time. From the first moment that a baby suckles its mother''s breast, the connection between food and love is set for a lifetime. It''s ...
Carmel Beach Cafe
Sitting squarely on one of the busiest thoroughfares in Carmel-By-The-Sea, Carmel Beach Cafe is privy to the view of a steady tide of passersby, a flow that on most days seems without end. Unless you're ...
Musical Outpouring --Whether you're celebrating dead presidents or Cupid, there's a helluva weekend ahead.
It''s a long weekend with a squishy pink holiday in the middle of it, and the local clubs are vying for our after-dark attention. Sounds like good news all the way around. Start out at ...
Thursday, February 4
Residents of Salinas' "safe neighborhood" start to worry about crime.
Normally peaceful South Salinas reeled two months ago when 77-year-old Mildred Walker was shot and wounded during an armed robbery on the sidewalk near Salinas Valley Memorial Hospital. Soon after, 72-year-old Manuel Garcia was shot ...
Most opt out of choosing new power companies.
In March of last year, California''s public electricity industry was deregulated by Assembly Bill 1890. At the time, the buzz on deregulation was that the move would open the market to competition from other energy ...
Sweet and Clear--Cho-Liang Lin delivers concert of the season.
Smooth as silk and crystal clear, Cho-Liang Lin''s Guarneri violin also sounded sweeter than anything heard so far this season in Carmel. Thanks to his large discography, Lin''s reputation preceded him. But even that did ...
Sleeping Around
I''d Like The Corner Suite Where Mickey Stayed, Please City officials travel. We pick up the tab. That''s how it''s ever been. But municipal expenses may have hit new highs (lows??) with Seaside''s former City ...
Lugano Swiss Bistro
Just a month ago, Lugano marked its third anniversary, one more reason for celebration at this cozy Barnyard bistro. Of course, this is the kind of place that doesn't require such a momentous occasion as ...
Public agency analysis reveals major flaws in the proposed Carmel River Dam.
Proponents of a new Carmel River dam have tried for years to portray their anachronistic behemoth as a benefit to the river and the threatened steelhead trout. Now, however, scientific review of the draft environmental ...
Flying in Monterey --Too high to fly?
It''s a well-known fact that flying in or out of the Monterey airport ups the price of already costly plane tickets. With other airports offering more flight alternatives and cheaper prices, do travelers see the ...
The Watts Prophets rap their rage and hope in Carmel.
In the summer of ''65, the Watts section of South Central L.A., a desperately poor ghetto, exploded in long, terrifying nights of rioting, fires, and pitched battles with police. Out of the rubble arose the ...
Recruitment on for two Salinas safety posts.
Sticking with tried-and-true recruitment methodology, the city of Salinas has again hired the Sacramento management consultant firm of DMG-Maximus to find the city a new police chief and a new fire chief. "We''re looking for ...
Bedside Matters
My bedside has amassed such a shocking palette of florescent flags sticking out from dog-eared pages of books and papers--most of them having to do with food--that I take it as a signal from the ...
Pigeonhole This--A collection of eclectic musicians fill clubs around town this week.
You want to hear one of the greatest under-recognized guitarists around? Check out Martin Simpson at The Media Room on Sunday. Here in the Monterey area, we were lucky to have Simpson as a neighbor ...
Despite broad demand for more jet flights and better service, the future of commercial air travel in Monterey County remains up in the air.
Among the many high profile public events that help make the Monterey Peninsula one of the West Coast''s top visitor destinations, none stand out more than the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am golf tournament. Part ...
Sharon Stone stars as a tough-talking gangster's moll in an ill-advised remake.
Sharon Stone looks like a hooker by way of drag queen in the ill-advised remake of Gloria: You can''t take your eyes off her, but for all the wrong reasons. Dolled up in oversized sunglasses, ...
Letters
Lone Cypress History A couple of historical notes about The Lone Cypress as logo: Throughout the 1920s, and even before, the logo that was included in Pacific Grove High School's yearbook was a drawing of ...
Rock Movement--Train roars into Doc''s; bus service delivers students to McGarrett''s.
In 1994, two guys got together in San Francisco and did what many other musicians do. Patrick Monahan (vocals/percussion), formerly of a Los Angeles band called The Apostles, and Rob Hotchkiss (guitar/vocals) began playing together ...
