Saturday, July 31
Stir It Up
The 15th Annual Monterey Bay Reggaefest rolls up a big fat 3-day music jam.
Monterey County Fairgrounds was home to a teeming mass of colorful people who turned out Friday, July 30, for the 15th Monterey Bay Reggaefest. Music by J-Boog and Katchafire emanated from the impressive main stage ...
Friday, July 30
County OK's streamlined solar permitting.
At least there's some good news for local property owners who want to go solar. In the wake of a federal move to squash an innovative financing program for home solar and energy-efficiency projects, Monterey ...
Marina airport scores $1.5 million federal grant.
Monterey Peninsula's other airport is getting a makeover. A $1.5 million grant from the Federal Aviation Administration will hook the Marina Municipal Airport up with runway and lighting upgrades, with the goal of enhancing aircraft ...
Thursday, July 29
What is your weirdest hobby?
Asked at Beverly Fabrics on Fremont.
Follow-up: What is the most satisfying thing you do when no one is looking? CAROLYN SALUSKY | Barista/student | Monterey A: I like to play with knives. In particular I like to throw them at ...
Squid Fry for Jul 29, 2010
Squid Fry for Jul 29, 2010
PRINT EM… Squid bows to no one as an aficionado of art scandals, but even Squid was surprised when news broke on the wires that a treasure trove of the “lost work” of Ansel Adams ...
Sherrod story illuminates what’s poisoning politics.
“There’s an old saying that life is a grindstone, but whether it grinds us down or polishes us up depends on us,” Shirley Sherrod said, at the end of the now-famous speech to the National ...
Get Involved
Public Citizen
ONGOING ACCESSIBLE WORK PLACE? | COUNTYWIDE—The Monterey County Committee for the Employment of People with Disabilities seeks nominations of outstanding employers who hire disabled people. Nominations due by Aug. 7; forms at www.montereycountywib.org FRIDAY 7/30 ...
Brezsny's Astrology
Free Will Astrology
Aries (March 21-April 19): Success coach Tom Ferry says our ability to pursue our dreams can be damaged by four addictions: 1. An addiction to what other people think of us; 2. An addiction to ...
Letters to the Editor for Jul 29, 2010
HIP-HOP TO IT I appreciate you shining a light on what’s going on (“Despite obstacles, the Monterey County hip-hop scene keeps the faith,” July 22-28). I also really appreciated how you looked at it from ...
How the gaming addiction feeds into the Tea Party movement.
The numbers are daunting. The Entertainment Software Association reports that in 2009, 68 percent of American households played video games. According to Grabstats, 41 percent of all video gaming involves mission/action/narrative and enacted violence, while ...
A New Wave
Concerts on the Bay Summer series splashes down at Monterey Plaza Hotel.
Last weekend, live music and the sound of ocean waves simultaneously tickled the ears of Monterey Plaza Hotel patrons – and a few nearby sea lions – with the first concert of the hotel’s new ...
The best of our web exclusives.
Election in Gear…Salinas Mayor Dennis Donohue is back on the campaign trail, and he filed papers to make it official. The Mayor faces two challengers, Margaret Serna-Bonetti and William J. Freeman in the November 2 ...
Quinoa Sushi and Such
The Homesteader’s Kitchen makes healthy hippie cooking tasty and accessible.
I admit. I’m a whole foods virgin. I’ve never sprouted alfalfa seeds. I’ve never made spelt flour pie crust. Yet, I find Robin Burnside’s The Homesteader’s Kitchen (Gibbs-Smith, August 2010) intriguing. Burnside’s approach to food ...
Cats&Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore
Mediocre Menagerie:
Although it’s great fun for the under-8 set and for those of us monitoring the chaos theory that is Nick Nolte’s career of late, Cats&Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore is otherwise mediocre and features ...
Art Listing for Jul 29, 2010
Art Listing for Jul 29, 2010
HAPPENING THIS WEEK BACK PORCH FABRICS This event will feature quilts by local artist Elizabeth Olney and Heidi Woods. They will be serving refreshments for the reception 1-3pm Sunday, Aug. 1. | 157 Grand Ave., ...
Driver of Change
Monterey Bay Electric Vehicle Alliance plugs cleaner cars.
The goggle-eyed hood and snug hatchback are reminiscent of a Volkswagen Beetle. But the Th!nk City battery-electric car is a lot quieter, smoother and greener. Members of the Monterey Bay Electric Vehicle Alliance test-drove the ...
Terms of Endearment
Guillen’s emails appear to contradict statements to investigators in the harassment case.
The long-running sexual harassment lawsuit that turned Carmel-by-the-Sea into Monterey County’s own Peyton Place ended earlier this month with a payout of more than $600,000 to former city human resources manager Jane Miller. But questions ...
Little Obsessed
How a local lady creates a fascinating miniature Old England in Carmel.
At first sight shoppers see a doggie in the window, complete with the waggly tail. That is, if they have 20/10 vision – the collie is tiny enough to fit in a tablespoon. A second ...
Compassionate Caring
Monterey center offers offers badly needed help to elderly.
Daycare isn’t just for children. The organizers at Central Coast Visiting Nurse Association Adult Day Centers are hoping caregivers in Monterey will embrace that idea. Since the CCVNA’s first adult daycare center opened in Salinas ...
Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore
Mediocre Menagerie: Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore is a spoof that lacks the talented Pixar touch.
Although it’s great fun for the under-8 set and for those of us monitoring the chaos theory that is Nick Nolte’s career of late, Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore is otherwise mediocre ...
Downtown Redo
Blue-ribbon committee tries to cut through red tape.
M onterey Mayor Chuck Della Sala has appointed a blue-ribbon committee to guide city and private interests as they take on a much-discussed downtown revamp. The committee includes former mayors Dan Albert, Clyde Roberson and ...
Reggae Fame
Sly and Robbie, Barrington Levy and Third World lead 15th Monterey Bay Reggaefest.
This has been a special year for reggae music: Jimmy Cliff became the second reggae musician – after some guy named Bob Marley – to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. ...
Sabado Gigante
A wideranging trifecta of music sets off Monterey County this Saturday.
From nerdy backpack rap at the library to a Deadhead celebration in Pacific Grove to a folk act in the redwoods, Saturday will be a hell of a versatile day for live music in Monterey ...
Solar Perplexus
Been there, done that
California’s first Property Assessed Clean Energy program, BerkeleyFIRST, launched to great fanfare in 2008. But the pilot only produced solar panels on 13 roofs – a let-down East Bay Express attributes to high interest rates. ...
Dinner For Schmucks
Unlikely sidekicks Paul Rudd and Steve Carell display impeccable comic timing in Dinner for Schmucks.
Great comic pairings don’t come along often. Yet, Steve Carell and Paul Rudd strike a snappy chemistry as straight man Tim Conrad (Rudd) to funnyman Barry Speck (Carell) in this adaptation of Francis Veber’s Le ...
Real Estate
By The Numbers
$4,525,000 Recent Sale 18 Touche Pass, Carmel Valley Built: 1986 Size: 6,466 square feet Features: 5 bedrooms, 4.5 bathrooms, 3-car garage Amenities: Guest house, fireplace, view of Santa Lucia Mountain Range, large deck Seller: Henry ...
The Good News
Appetizing reports from Salinas to Carmel to Cannery Row.
First, three-pronged Salinas excitement: The National Steinbeck Center opens easily its most ambitious and diversified Steinbeck Festival outing ever – its 30th annual – on Thursday, Aug. 5, with a world cuisine highlight reel directed ...
Wednesday, July 28
Judge blocks toughest parts of Arizona's new immigration law, but protests still on.
On Wednesday, July 28, just before Arizona's SB 1070 was set to go into effect, a federal court in Phoenix blocked several key provisions, including: A requirement that police investigate the immigration status of those ...
Tuesday, July 27
Revealing Emails
"Your Secret Admirer" —That's how Carmel City Administrator signed emails to former staffer Jane Miller; Miller recently agreed to settle her sexual harassment suit.
The City of Carmel-by-the-Sea agreed to pay Miller, the city's former Human Resources Manager, a settlement of more than $600,000 earlier this month to put her long-running sexual harassment and age discrimination lawsuit to rest. ...
Peninsula mayors press for stronger voice in desal project.
Monterey Peninsula mayors want a stronger voice in the oversight of the proposed regional desalination plant. And a seat or two on the project's advisory board might not be enough. Last night, the Monterey City ...
Sunday, July 25
Faster Pace
Jorge Lorenzo wins his sixth Grand Prix of the MotoGP season at Laguna Seca.
Jorge Lorenzo was the fastest man on a bike all weekend and brought that feeling into race day, winning after qualifying in the front spot on Saturday. This marks Lorenzo's sixth GP win in the ...
Saturday, July 24
Big Lead
Jorge Lorenzo wins fifth consecutive first position for Sunday's race.
The Fiat Yamaha rider and World Championship leader is starting in first position on the grid during Sunday's premier class race. Jorge Lorenzo battled hard with Marlboro Ducati's Casey Stoner, overtaking his fastest lap in ...
Friday, July 23
Water board dampens "eco-resort" permit request, again.
Monterey Bay Shores just can't get a break from the Monterey Peninsula Water Management District. In March 2009, the water district board denied a water permit for the proposed Sand City eco-resort and ordered the ...
Fast Pace
Casey Stoner tops the time sheets after Friday's first practice session.
The Australian currently holds the track record for fastest lap time and won both the United States Moto GP and the World Championship in 2007, so it is no surprise that Ducati's Casey Stoner had ...
City of Monterey hires two new managers.
The City's current library director gets a promotion. Kim Bui Burton will head a new Community Services Department, with many of the city's highest profile facilities in her portfolio, including the Monterey Conference Center, Monterey ...
Local Podium
Hawk Mazzotta places second in the Monterey Challenge at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.
Hawk Mazzotta battled from fifth place on the starting grid with a few nice attack moves to take second in the 10-lap race. His best lap on the Yamaha R1—at 1 minute, 30-second—put his just ...
Thursday, July 22
Salinas Mayor Dennis Donohue runs again; faces at least two challengers.
Donohue wants two more years—and he's turned in the paperwork to prove it, officially filing for re-election this week So far, he faces at least two opponents—Hartnell College Trustee William J. Freeman and Margaret Serna-Bonetti, ...
The best of our web exclusives.
Ya Basta…The Board of Supervisors July 13 denounced Arizona's harsh new immigration law, alleging it violates the constitutional right to due process. Lou Calcagno abstained, but the board unanimously approved a second resolution urging Obama ...
Homegrown Hip-Hop
What’s next
MC Lars. Monterey County Free Libraries: 3:30pm July 29, at Carmel; 11am and 3pm July 31 at Marina and Seaside, respectively. 899-2055, www.mclars.com. The Stanford student and ambassador of the “nerdcore” hip-hop subgenre performs and ...
Squid Fry for Jul 22, 2010
Squid Fry for Jul 22, 2010
PHOTO FINISH… Squid is street-wise enough to know that to the victor go the spoils, but Squid hears County Superintendent of Schools Nancy Kotowski has taken things way too far. She’s forbidden the display of ...
Brezsny's Astrology
Free Will Astrology
Aries (March 21-April 19): Revenge fantasies would pollute your consciousness. I advise you to repress them. Wallowing in resentment would have an equally deleterious effect. Don’t you dare give that emotion a foothold. On the ...
The Fruits of Compromise
Pacific Grove farmers market debuts its new digs.
Teenage girls in the Feast of Lanterns Royal Court glided among their admirers. Readers browsed a book sale to benefit Pacific Grove Library. The Microtonic Harmonic plucked spry bluegrass tunes while shoppers picked up fresh ...
Salt
Tasty Spy Stuff: Angelina has a Jolie old time in retro, but timely, flick about Russian double agents.
I had to snort with something like derision when I heard the premise: “Angelina Jolie is a Russian spy! Or maybe not!” Russian spies? What is this, 1982? Is this a missing James Bond movie? ...
Letters to the Editor for Jul 22, 2010
SUPERVISORS’ STAND Ithink it is great that the Board of Supervisors adopted the resolution (“Monterey County supervisors denounce Arizona immigration law,” July 13.) Supervisor [Fernando] Armenta is to be commended for his courage to bring ...
Think Pink
A Floyd show fit for Henry Miller Library.
No one knows better than Mark Showalter how difficult it is to recreate the ethereal and cosmic experience of a live Pink Floyd show. But for the past five years, the veteran musician has been ...
Cloudy Vista
Bay View Elementary charter plans hit roadblock with teacher opposition.
When the Monterey Peninsula Unified School District announced last year it would close Bay View Elementary as part of a district-wide reorganization, parents sprung into action. Many cherished the idea of a small neighborhood school ...
Different Reality
Lady Gaga’s cousin and family play Jose’s – and film for an E! Television pilot at the same time.
When Aaron Jones pitched an idea for a reality television show to E! Television, he came armed with an advantage: His cousin is Stefani Joanne Angelina, aka Lady Gaga. Jones – the singer-guitarist of the ...
Art Listing for Jul 22, 2010
Art Listing for Jul 22, 2010
HAPPENING THIS WEEK CUSTOM FRAMING AND GALLERY Justin Ward: Local artist Justin Ward’s etchings are created in the traditional style and are produced using a small hand etching press. His style reflects the classical renditions ...
Never let facts get in the way of a good immigration scare.
Arizona, apparently, is a hellhole. Just listen to the state’s Republican governor, Jan Brewer: “Our law enforcement agencies have found bodies in the desert either buried or just lying out there that have been beheaded.” ...
In what strange places do you find fashion inspiration?
Asked at Carmel Plaza on Ocean Avenue.
Follow-up: What was your worst fashion moment? JANA CHAN | Teacher | Hawaii A: In architecture, because I’m into forms and color not so much prints. I like the classic and retro styles. C’mon Dude: ...
California school crisis requires willpower.
In May of this year, the Board of Trustees of San Luis Coast Unified School District, the largest district in San Luis Obispo County, voted unanimously to inform the California School Boards Association that no ...
Tasty Eight
Indispensable insights for local people who eat.
I get it. You’re busy. And late for your bikram. Just for you, the Weekly is going to save you time with a streamlined list of what you need to know: 1. Smarter organic shopping ...
Chopstix
Chopstix packs ’em in for bubble teas and sturdy Vietnamese at bargain prices.
You either love ’em or hate ’em. I’m talking about those chewy, coffee-colored, gelatinous orbs known as boba or pearls. I, for one, love them. So I was thrilled to find out that boba drinks ...
Blog Togs
Local fashionistas are part of a growing trend to liberate what you wear.
The fashion blogging movement is sprouting local roots. Krystal Simpson, a 27-year-old Salinas native who now lives in New York, received initial industry attention from her appearances on MTV’s I’m From Rolling Stone. She parlayed ...
¡Ask A Mexican! for Jul 22, 2010
One man's take on his culture's stereotypes
Dear Mexican: I heard Mormonism is a quickly spreading religion down in ye olde Mexico. What is it about this religion that a lot of Mexicans find so fascinating? --Jack Mormón Dear Gabacho: Historically? Mexico ...
Turning Points
Motorcycle champions discuss the curves MotoGP racers will face at Mazda Laguna Seca.
When the premiere class of world championship motorcycle racing returned to the United States in 2005, Marco Melandri said the twisty track of Laguna Seca was far too dangerous for the 990cc 4-stroke race machines. ...
The Brown Act
Computer consultant’s role at County Office of Education questioned.
The Monterey County Office of Education, an agency with a $100-million-plus annual budget that oversees local district finances and educates the county’s most vulnerable kids, is tightening its belt this year – cutting hours and ...
Going Deep
Former MBARI president Marcia McNutt is tough cop in BP cleanup.
Thousands of miles from its home in the Monterey Bay, a robot gulped oily Gulf of Mexico water and sent information about the oil plume to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. And in June, ...
Get Involved
Public Citizen
THURSDAY 7/22 HOTEL WORKERS PROTEST | MONTEREY – Hotel workers protest in Monterey and 14 other cities in the US and Canada. 6pm. Hyatt Regency Monterey, 1 Old Golf Course Rd., Monterey. 375-2246 ext. 17. ...
Real Estate
By The Numbers
$1,655,000 Recent Sale 25220 Pine Hills Dr., Carmel Built: 1986 Size: 3,293 square feet Features: 4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, 2-car garage Amenities: View of Pt. Lobos, 2 fireplaces, back deck with hot tub Seller: Robert ...
Wednesday, July 21
Special Edible
Seven things you should know if you like to eat and drink: from farmer market movements to new pizza joints.
Two of the best winemakers in this hemisphere are teaming with arguably Monterey County's best chef for a knockout wine dinner at Bernardus. That's just the first of seven great grubbin things to learn at ...
Monday, July 19
Special Edible
The most important produce to buy organic and a happy hour to fight recession panic.
Not all fruits and vegetables are created to combat pests and disease equally. So that means some get a lot more chemicals applied. For a look at which ones make the dirtiest and cleanest lists ...
Obama to sign landmark ocean legislation.
This afternoon, President Obama is expected to sign an executive order on ocean policy, based on recommendations from the Ocean Policy Task Force. “We already have a Clean Air Act and a Clean Water Act. ...
Saturday, July 17
Lasso Lessons
A Weekly intern's view of her first rodeo experience.
A first-timer at the California Rodeo Salinas has a lot to learn—and not a lot of time to learn it. For anyone not familiar with the deep Americana of the Salinas Rodeo, here's a quick ...
Friday, July 16
GO!
Valentino Rossi on schedule to race at Laguna Seca following a broken leg six 6 weeks ago.
Next weekend, local motorcycle race fans will be treated to the second-race return of one of the best riders in the history of the sport: Valentino Rossi. Rossi—a nine-time world champion—will ride this weekend in ...
Thursday, July 15
Students at the state's 1000 worst schools can now transfer to better ones; 17 County schools make the list.
A new law allows students in California's lowest performing schools to not only switch schools, but to jump district boundaries so they can get better educations. Seventeen Monterey County Schools appear on the 1000 worst ...
15th District Senate Candidate Blakeslee accepts Laird debate challenge...or does he?
Assemblyman Sam Blakeslee (R-San Luis Obispo), who faces off against Democrat John Laird and two minor party candidates in the special state senate election August 17, has accepted two invitations to debate: August 5 in ...
Chunk Light Red-Listed
Aquarium adds most canned tuna products to Seafood Watch "avoid" list.
Tuna is confusing enough for sustainable seafood consumers. Bluefin and tongol are always no-nos, while skipjack is usually OK, according to the Seafood Watch Pocket Guide. But albacore, bigeye and yellowfin depend on how they ...
Load of Bull
The 10th annual Professional Bull Riding kicks off big rodeo action at the California Rodeo Salinas.
Eight seconds is a good ride and handful of riders did just that. A few riders also failed at that too and hit the ground. Hard. View more photos at the Weekly's photo blog. View ...
Special Edible
Big Barnyard news: an institution gets new owners and a new pub stays open till 2am (yes, in Carmel).
After months of swirling rumors, Bahama Billy's has new chiefs in place ready to refresh the popular island steakhouse spot. And across the flowering shopping complex, a bustling Flanagan's Pub looks like it's here to ...
Salinas crime is down, but so are crimefighters.
There’s good news and bad news in Salinas. The 100th anniversary of the California Rodeo Salinas, celebrated in our cover package this week, is an annual event that combines rowdy fun with badly needed revenue ...
The best of our web exclusives.
School Suit…A lawsuit filed in Alameda County Superior Court could bring relief to cash-strapped local schools. The Campaign for Quality Education contends the state’s school finance system violates the state constitution by failing to provide ...
Shopping for Shopette Developer
Seaside considers assisted living facility for Fort Ord parcel.
The site of an abandoned Army/Air Force gas station and convenience store could become a home for senior citizens, or a new housing development, on the former Fort Ord. On Thursday, the Seaside City Council ...
Positive thinking is not optional.
Bullfighter/Barrel Man Don “Hollywood” Yates
When a mountain with horns charges at full speed, a grin splits Don “Hollywood” Yates’ face. That’s also the moment when the seasoned bullfighter and barrel man says to no one in particular, “Bring it ...
Letters to the Editor for Jul 15, 2010
HOPE OR FEAR This Aug. 17 special election plays on the hopes and fears of local voters. We hope that our voters will elect a candidate who can catalyze positive changes in California. But for ...
No Easy Ride
Cowboys take hard spills on bulls and horses Friday night at the California Rodeo Salinas.
One thing is for sure: there is no easy way off one of these animals. Cowboys get tossed and thrown during the wild rides on bucking bulls and horses. It is just how the sport ...
Squid Fry for Jul 15, 2010
Squid Fry for Jul 15, 2010
SALVAGED ART… Just when Squid thought it was safe to go back in the water, the Pebble Beach art heist makes news again. Investigators from Farmer’s Insurance are digging in to figure out whether Angelo ...
Get Involved
Public Citizen
THURSDAY 7/15 PREVENT DRUNK DRIVING | MARINA—Sun Street Centers hosts the monthly meeting of PARTS, Preventing Alcohol Related Trauma in Salinas. Parents, police, teenagers and professionals come together to discuss the issues. Noon. Sun Street ...
Frontier Food
Sniffing out new salad bars at Jersey’s and secret root-beer floats at In N Out.
In the name of chain warfare, there is a weapon available against the Subway onslaught that waits cocked and loaded between Verizon and Marshall’s in Sand City: locally-owned Jersey’s Subs (899-7677). I’ve been meaning to ...
Conference Call
Critics say downtown Monterey needs expanded conference center as tourism lags.
Downtown Monterey is hurting, and there is plenty of blame to go around: The economy, the city center’s lackluster main drag, and a city government with too many demands on its threadbare budget to do ...
Kombucha’S future: 21 and over?
Regulators tea’d off over alcohol content of popular health drink.
Blame it on Lindsay Lohan. Maybe it’s just a coincidence, but health food store owners have been pulling their kombucha stocks after speculation the actress’ recent brush with the law came about because her court-ordered ...
Real Estate
By The Numbers
$554,700 Recent Sale 2095 Mendocino St., Seaside Built: 1953 Size: 3,360 square feet Features: 5 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, 2-car carport Amenities: 1-bedroom 1-bathroom granny unit, landscaped, patio Seller: Chase Bank Buyer: Michael Waxer Broker: Michael ...
Striking Rich
Carmel fined in settlement of long-running harassment suit.
Nearly two years after former Carmel Human Resources Director Jane Miller shocked placid Carmel-by-the-Sea with allegations of an out-of-control City Hall, she has inked a $600,000 plus settlement with the city, likely the largest in ...
A New Day
A long-awaited debut gives Forrest Day reason to celebrate in Monterey.
Forrest Day has mastered the art of playing live and consistently draws sell-out crowds when they play in Monterey County. Their debut LP that they will celebrate at Planet Gemini this weekend undeniably captures that ...
Keep your cowboy hat on.
World-class bareback bronc riders Bobby Mote and Ryan Gray
These cowboys spend year-long seasons preparing for an eight-second ride. Their event takes a huge physical toll on their bodies, but bareback riders say that rodeo success depends upon mental agility. It’s these kinds of ...
Frutti De Mar Grill
Loving the mini sensation next to a Marina laundromat, Frutti De Mar Grill.
You’ve probably driven by it unknowingly, given its humble hideout between an industrial-sized Vietnamese market and a laundromat in an unassuming, pink Del Monte Boulevard strip mall in Marina. In that way, it’s easy for ...
Brezsny's Astrology
Free Will Astrology
Aries (March 21-April 19): “Thou shalt not kill” is a crucial rule for you to follow, and not just in the literal sense. According to my reading of the astrological omens, you should also be ...
Inception
Presents of Mind: Christopher Nolan gives the gift of another brainy blockbuster with
For weeks – nay, months – I played along with the coy refusals by writer/director Christopher Nolan and the cast members of Inception to reveal too much about its premise. I resisted the urge to ...
Art Listings for Jul 15, 2010
Art Listings for Jul 15, 2010
HAPPENING THIS WEEK ALTERNATIVE CAFÉ Dr. Sketchy’s Anti Art School: Founded in 2005 by artist Molly Crabapple, Dr. Sketchy’s is a drawing movement that asked a simple question: Why can’t drawing naked people be sexy? ...
Wheels Turning
Get on the Bus does profound things for families with imprisoned parents.
It was the afternoon before Father’s Day in deep south Monterey County when 11 busses filled with children and their guardians pulled into the Soledad Correctional Facility’s parking lot. Some families had come from as ...
The show must go on.
Miss California Rodeo 2009 Brittany Slaton
On one of her very first promotion events for the California Rodeo Salinas, Hollister’s Brittany Slaton arrived early, so she and her mom decided to kill some time by taking her car through a nearby ...
Carmel Classical Crossroads
Weil’s departure from Bach Fest marks the end of an era – and a new beginning.
Anyone who has followed Bruno Weil’s programming in the two decades since he became music director of the Carmel Bach Festival will instantly recognize the Weil touch in this his final season. From his Saturday ...
Fish Feed
Start-up Monterey company turns local fish guts into fresh fertilizer.
The nastiest part of Brian Gorrell’s job inspired him to become an entrepreneur. The Pacific Grove native developed a saltwater passion as a kid, when his parents took him sailing to Australia. He came of ...
The Century Club
On its 100th anniversary, California Rodeo Salinas and its stars share lessons from the arena.
Wayne Brooks knows his saddles from his stirrups. For more than a quarter century, he has been the voice of events from Florida to Calgary, Canada, collecting a Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association announcer of the ...
How can you tell someone’s really a cowboy?
Asked at the California Rodeo Salinas chamber mixer.
Follow-up: What would you want on your belt buckle? NICK CUNNINGHAM | Olympic bobsledder | Monterey A: A real cowboy, no matter what fancy boots he might have, also has really dirty work boots and ...
Take the Reins
Lassoing the 2010 Big Week Schedule.
Th. July 15 11am Arena Slack | During this time, competitors who are not scheduled during the regular rodeo times will compete in steer wrestling, tie-down roping, barrel racing and team roping. 11:30am Hall of ...
Stay Real
Country music legend Dwight Yoakam
There’s a line in “Streets of Bakersfield,” a dusty ballad inspired by Steinbeck’s chronicling of the Dust Bowl refugee migration, that might best define Dwight Yoakam’s career. “I’m not trying to be nobody,” it goes. ...
The Girl Who Played With Fire
Tattoo You: Second film adaptation of best-selling crime series is heavy on atmosphere, light on excitement.
“Played with fire” may be misleading, playfulness not being one of the leading characteristics of Lisbeth Salander, the black-leathered, dragon-tatted, hog-riding hacker – bisexual, to boot! – who has, almost improbably, beguiled an international legion ...
Child’s Play
The Forest Theater Guild’s Alice in Wonderland is a feast for the eyes, and the intellect.
Something happened during Forest Theater’s sumptuous production of Alice in Wonderland Saturday night – it split in two. One narrative is aimed squarely at kids; some of the characters are based on (and the story ...
Opinion: One man’s take on his culture’s stereotypes
¡Ask a Mexican!
Dear Mexican: Most Mexicans I know (myself included) feel it’s a terrible disrespect to keep old photos around of you and your ex, and vice versa. I’d never keep pictures of me and an ex ...
Wednesday, July 14
Highlights of the Seaside police log
Pirated Toy Story 3 videos, hide-n-seek with Oxycontin and a lake-dunked parolee - it's just another week in the life of the Seaside Police Department. Excerpts from the Seaside police log for June 18-July 2: ...
The City of Carmel pays $600,000 to settle sexual harassment suit.
The City has spent thousands of dollars in legal fees to defend itself against a sexual harassment and age discrimination lawsuit filed last year by its former Human Resources Manager Jane Miller. Miller alleged that ...
Tuesday, July 13
Marina sales tax hike makes the November ballot.
After weeks of heated bickering, the Marina City Council voted last Wednesday to put a 1 percent sales tax hike on the November ballot. The 4-1 vote, with Frank O'Connell dissenting, reflected a last-minute change ...
Monterey County supervisors denounce Arizona immigration law.
The Monterey County Board of Supervisors has approved a resolution denouncing Arizona's strict new immigration law, which allows police to question any suspected illegal immigrants - language many civil rights activists interpret as legalized racial ...
Special Edible
More mouthwatering morsels: Jerry Regester shines, Gilroy garlic gets some love from L.A. and secrets and updates on In N Out.
Stag's Leap does some incredible wines. At last week's C Restaurant wine dinner, Jerry Regester summoned some stunning couses to match. Meanwhile, In N Out's secret menu might have more options than even veteran fans ...
Bruce is Loose
Marina Mayor Bruce Delgado announces plans to run for re-election.
Two score supporters, including County Supervisor Jane Parker, MPUSD board member Dianne Creasey and sheriff candidate Scott Miller, turned out to see Bruce Delgado announce that contentious local politics won't keep him from seeking another ...
Monday, July 12
Activists sue the state; demand better education funding.
A group of low income students and parents filed suit in Alameda County Monday July 12 in a case that could affect public education in all of California's cash-strapped school districts. Attorneys for the Campaign ...
Election season in the city of Monterey kicks off this week
Monterey voters will elect a mayor and two city council candidates in November, and beginning this week, candidates can request nomination papers from the City Clerk's office. The two year term of Mayor Chuck Della ...
Friday, July 9
Big Dogs
Los Lobos will perform at Sand City's West End Celebration.
A "VERY, VERY special guest" performance was promised for Sand City's 8th West End Celebration, taking place Aug. 20-22 this year, extended to celebrate Sand City's 50th anniversary. At a press party Thursday, July 8, ...
Thursday, July 8
Sewage spill of as much as 70,000 gallons closes Monterey Municipal Beach.
The Monterey County Health Department issued the closure notice Thursday July 8 at 3:45 pm after the city of Monterey reported the spill along Pacific Street where a storm drain empties in the bay at ...
Just Krilling Time
Gray whales are lingering past season in Monterey Bay.
The solitary gray whale swam up to the boat, opened its mouth and dove through a rust-colored cloud of krill, delighting the humans aboard. “It was almost like he was using the boat as a ...
Mayor says Asian capital may help local businesses.
Times are tough, but business is booming in China, and Salinas Mayor Dennis Donohue hopes his city can cash in. The mayor, along with redevelopment head Don Reynolds and a delegation of local Chinese-Americans, recently ...
Squid Fry for Jul 08, 2010
Squid Fry for Jul 08, 2010
BAIT AND SWITCH… Fishermen are still pissy with the Monterey Bay Aquarium and its friends, judging by an e-mail urging Squid to join a boycott of Hewlett-Packard products. “[Aquarium CEO] Julie Packard uses millions to ...
Despicable Me
Totally Gru-vy: Despicable Me is an animated feel-good summer movie that delivers on its promise.
I’m still considering whether I’m ready to blaspheme… No, wait: I’m coming to a decision… Yes, I shall blaspheme: Despicable Me is better than Toy Story 3. There. I said it. Only a little bit ...
Lofty Summit
Dubwize, Cali Nation and The Joint Venture headline first Salinas Music and Arts Summit.
“It’s really truly grassroots,” Vanisha Evans Douvon says. “Everybody’s coming together. Even my brothers and sisters are coming out to set up a stage.” Douvon – orchestra programs manager for the nonprofit Youth Music Monterey ...
Get Involved
Public Citizen
THURSDAY 7/15 PREVENT DRUNK DRIVING | MARINA—Sun Street Centers hosts the monthly meeting of PARTS, Preventing Alcohol Related Trauma in Salinas. Parents, police, teenagers and professionals come together to discuss the issues. Noon. Sun Street ...
Foreclosed Options
Hurting homeowners find loan modification relief is increasingly elusive.
“This is my home – your home,” Melchor Molina says, in a variation of the old saying, mi casa es su casa, as he opens the door of his light yellow ranch house. It sits ...
Crunchy Credit
Farmers markets grow with electronic food stamps.
Everyone’s Harvest takes its name seriously: Since the Marina-based nonprofit began running local farmers markets, it has allowed low-income people to use electronic benefit transfer cards (EBTs) – the modern version of federal food stamps ...
Questions and solutions for the regional water plan.
Alot of people on the Monterey Peninsula know a lot about the proposed Regional Desalination Project. The Public Participation Hearings held last week by the California Public Utilities Commission proved this beyond doubt. People from ...
Red Hot Blues
Lavay Smith and company launch an inspired Blues in the Park summer.
Lavay Smith credits public radio for tuning her in to great music she may not have heard otherwise. Some of her favorite shows were “The Johnny Otis Show” on KPFA in Los Angeles and “Nothin’ ...
Letters to the Editor for Jul 08, 2010
UNHEALTHY POLICIES During a visit on July 2 to my preferred provider, a medical doctor, for my annual physical I was told I needed to complete and sign an authorization form which stated that if ...
Hope Floats
Reigning in locavore extremists with help from a different “slow” food movement.
Locavore fundamentalists might call it blasphemy, but there’s no reason why a meal made with local foods can’t also contain ingredients from the other side of the world. Homegrown vegetables like broccoli and garlic stir-fried ...
The best of our web exclusives.
Museum Makeover…The Monterey City Council gets a sneak preview of the ongoing remodel at the Monterey Maritime Museum at its July 6 meeting, including plans for the lobby and first floor, and a museum finance ...
Brezsny's Astrology
Free Will Astrology
Aries (March 21-April 19): Have you added some bulk and stability to your foundation any time recently, Aries? Have you grown your roots deeper and asked for more from your traditional sources and recommitted yourself ...
Photo Finish
Ansel Adams show at MMA is an aesthetic – and historic – treasure trove.
There is no way of getting around the work of Ansel Adams in American photography, nor should there be. His reputation stands as steadfast as the iconic rendering of Half Dome in Yosemite, which helped ...
Trashy Romance
How a misdirected love story speaks to the crisis in the Pacific.
Late last month, as the sun set on the beach at Spanish Bay, Trish Landon cried. Her love life was in ruins, and she had just lost a job she loved. Landon figured new love ...
Real Estate
By The Numbers
$1,600,000 Recent Sale 26273 Ocean View Ave., Carmel Built: 1950 Size: 1,190 square feet Features: 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 2-car garage Amenities: Ocean views, fireplace, permit to add on 1,200 more square feet Seller: Stephan ...
Shopping for Shopette Developer
Seaside considers assisted living facility for Fort Ord parcel.
The site of an abandoned Army/Air Force gas station and convenience store could become a home for senior citizens, or a new housing development, on the former Fort Ord. On Thursday, the Seaside City Council ...
On the Down Under
Australian delis, picture-perfect new pastries and cowboy boots.
‘Tis a tongue twister and a seasonal truth: Prime picnic packing places are at a premium come summer. The new Down Under Deli (625-DELI) in the Mid-Valley Shopping Center on Carmel Valley Road deserves to ...
Borderline Debate
Local attorney hopes immigration reform brings relief.
It’s on – another round in the ongoing national debate about immigration. Speaking at American University in Washington, D.C., on July 1, President Barack Obama launched the opening salvo, urging Congress to take action on ...
If you put a love letter in a bottle, what would it say?
Asked at Carbone’s in Monterey.
Follow-up: What the worst thing you could do on a first date? GIANNI GRECO | Promoter | Monterey A: Why would I want to put a letter in a bottle nowadays? If I’m having to ...
Fostering Help
New legislation aims to shelter youths facing difficult circumstances.
Every year some 5,000 teenagers “age out” of foster care in California – the largest number of any state in the union, according to the state’s Child Welfare Services. This means the teens reach the ...
¡Ask A Mexican! for Jul 08, 2010
One man's take on his culture's stereotypes
Dear Mexican: I’m a (poor) white girl myself, but I have to ask: What’s the deal with all the rich white girls playing such a big role in Fiesta? Why is it always rich white ...
Art Listing for Jul 08, 2010
Art Listing for Jul 08, 2010
HAPPENING THIS WEEK ALTERNATIVE CAFÉ Pao Pao Nest: Two of Brooklyn’s lowbrow heavyweights are put on display as Kevin E. Taylor curates the Gallery’s 23rd exhibit. The art of Aya Kakeda and Fumiha Tanaka uses ...
Sweet honeymoon
Local female “super group” constellation includes four stars.
Lauren Shera, Andrea Blunt and sisters Christina Bailey and Sara Bollwinkel have been dominant musical forces on their own for several years. Last November, the four united and became a super group. Like the dictionary ...
Wednesday, July 7
City of Monterey says yes to regional taxi regulation.
The Monterey Peninsula's fledgling Joint Powers Authority for taxicab regulation gained some heft as the Monterey City Council, which controls the area's richest taxi turf voted four to one to join amid protests by Yellow ...
Tuesday, July 6
Take a Bow
Joan McCleary to step down as executive director of the Pacific Grove Art Center
Joan McCleary, Pacific Grove Art Center's executive director for nearly eight years, tendered her resignation last month and will step down Dec. 31 this year. The move had been expected by many of the PGAC's ...
$2,500 reward for info on sea otter shooting.
Two weeks ago in Morro Bay, someone shot a threatened sea otter with a pellet gun, killing the young female. The crime may have happened at sea or along the shoreline. The animal's body was ...
Monday, July 5
Monterey City Council considers Monterey Maritime Museum re-model progress.
On Tuesday, July 6, the Monterey City Council will get a glimpse of what the Monterey Maritime Museum will look like when it re-opens in 2011. According to a report submitted to the council, the ...
Saturday, July 3
The August 17 state senate race opens with press release war—and debate challenge
Republican Sam Blakeslee's camp says rival Democrat John Laird's positive spin on his performance in the June 22 primary—he came in eight percentage points behind Blakeslee—is "just plain silly". Democratic blogger Steven Maviglio has hit ...
Friday, July 2
Shell Shocked
Monterey Bay Aquarium acquires ten turtle tots.
The Monterey Bay Aquarium is rotating through its sea turtle lineup, and this time it’s out with the old, in with the new—and adorable. The Aquarium acquired 10 six-inch long two-pound juvenile green sea turtles—roughly ...
Thursday, July 1
Seaside invites candidates for City Council, mayor.
Seaside's looking for folks to do the often thankless but important work of mayor and city councilmember. Open for contest are Mayor Ralph Rubio's two-year term and Councilmen Tom Mancini and Dennis Alexander's four-year terms. ...
¡Ask A Mexican! for Jul 01, 2010
One man's take on his culture's stereotypes
SPECIAL POETRY EDITION Dear Readers: The Arizona pendejas emboldened hundreds of Know Nothings to boast that they’re not racist if they support SB 1070. I’ll indulge the protestations with apologies to Kipling… If you can ...
So Damn Cute
Miss Delish’s gets a storefront and the C Restaurant delivers the deals.
They appear at weddings as a stylish substitute for mighty (and once mandatory) $2,000 confections. Folks flock to ’em at farmers markets. A cupcake trailer at this year’s South by Southwest in Austin had a ...
For the Record
Vinyl in the Woods rides the rebirth of the classic medium.
According to the Recording Industry Association of America, record sales are booming: From 2007 to 2008, vinyl LP and EP sales rose by 124 percent – digital sales, meanwhile, rose just 30 percent – and ...
Marina Morass
City Council budget bickering – and heated rhetoric – intensifies the political rift.
After Jersey Shore and The Bachelor, the newest reality TV show could be Marina City Hall. The chamber is rife with drama as the deeply divided council haggles over the city’s out-of-whack budget and potential ...
Clay Play
Jars of Clay leads another lofty lineup at Spirit West Coast.
Jars of Clay are probably the best-known alt-rock Christian band out there. For the past two decades the Nashville quartet has sold more than 6 million albums, won three Grammys and sold out hundreds of ...
New Testimony
Indie Highlights
As Christian indie acts grown increasingly prevalent Spirit organizers are funneling them onto the stage. Here’s a look at 10 of the most magnetic up-and-comers to take the Partner & Play Celebration Stage. DE LA ...
Cyrus
Baby Love:
With Cyrus, the transition of the Duplass brothers (Jay and Mark) from their germinal Austin filmmaking roots into full-blown Hollywood filmmakers is complete – even though their new comedy will not be mistaken for any ...
2010 Best Of Monterey Bay Visitor Guide
Art & Culture: Getting in touch with finer things.
Cultures clash, collide and collaborate in the journey of discovery. For residents and packs of visitors alike, that makes life in Monterey County exciting. Not content to live on the legends of the past, from ...
Public Citizen for Jul 01, 2010
Public Citizen
THURSDAY 7/1 FIERY FUNDRAISER | SALINAS – Fireworks sale to benefit the Rancho Cielo Youth Campus. 9am-10pm through July 4. Costco/Wal-Mart parking lot, N. Davis Road, Salinas. 444-3506. SUNDAY 7/4 MARINA STREET FAIR | MARINA ...
Water Logged
Peninsula residents speak out about regional desalination project.
The crowd spilled out of Monterey City Hall’s door on June 28, when the state Public Utilities Commission heard the first public comments about the proposed desalination project. Two more hearings on the proposal, which ...
Independence Thinking
Esalen and Big Sur Spirit Garden collaborate on a potent three-day festival.
To toast Independence Day, the Esalen International Arts Festival celebrates not one country, but the world’s 192 nations. The three-day explosion of arts, music and culture represents a typically unique approach for the Big Sur ...
Pooch Pampering
Monterey’s new Dawg Gone It takes kenneling to customized heights.
P rincess is a 12-pound Bichon, a bundle of fluff and curls. She prefers the company of people over other pups, the more spoiling the better, and loves peanut butter. Those tendencies help make Princess ...
Squid Fry for Jul 01, 2010
Squid Fry for Jul 01, 2010
POISONED BERRIES… Fireworks are a Fourth of July cliché. Monterey’s canned them this year anyway, so Squid proposes a new holiday icon: strawberries. What’s an Independence Day party without berry-topped ice-cream pie to chase the ...
What animals would you splice into one creature?
Asked at the SPCA on Highway 68.
Follow-up: What animal have you been told you look like? GRACE MULCAY | Retiree | Carmel Valley A: A tortoise and a dog, so my tortoise can find its way back home. Poof Patrol: A ...
Taking a Village
Salinas needs a community effort to stop gang violence, activists and police agree.
Halfway through the year, Salinas has tallied up a small fraction of last year’s record-breaking homicide count.June 20 marked the city’s third murder of this year, in what passes for good news in the troubled ...
New Chapter for Salinas Arts
Mayor Dennis Donohue hustles to attract literary museum.
The American Writers Foundation wants to build a museum and is looking for a host city. Salinas Mayor Dennis Donohue wants Salinas to be it. Donohue says the process is still “very, very preliminary… I ...
Jacks Restaurant
Portola Hotel’s restaurant succeeds with an impressive and increasingly conscious upgrade.
In five years, I’ve eaten several times at Jacks in the Portola Hotel. This last time, I dined. Congratulations to Chef Jason Giles, who is a true prandial artist. From design to execution, choice of ...
Neighborhood activists oppose housing plan off Highway 68.
Toro-area residents are gearing up for another battle in a decade-long fight over a planned 17-lot subdivision on 344 acres of grazing land in the Encina Hills off Highway 68 near San Benancio Road. “I’m ...
Smooth Operator
Abel Maldonado is playing the angles in his long shot race to be elected lieutenant governor.
California Lieutenant Governor Abel Maldonado doesn’t particularly like “moderate.” “Pragmatic Republican,” he corrects. Oh, OK. How about “maverick?” “Yes – ‘maverick’ is good,” he says, seemingly unmindful of the associations with Sarah Palin’s ill-fated campaign. ...
Real Estate
By The Numbers
$441,000 Recent Sale 964 Paloma Road, Del Rey Oaks Built: 1951 Size: 1,400 square feet Features: 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 2-car garage Amenities: Wood-burning fireplace, large backyard, patio Seller: R. Griffin Buyer: G. and H. ...
Brezsny's Astrology
Free Will Astrology
Aries (March 21-April 19): How well are you capitalizing on this year’s unique opportunities, Aries? Since we’re halfway through 2010, let’s take an inventory. I’m hoping you’re well underway in the heroic task of conquering ...
Art Listing for Jul 01, 2010
Art Listing for Jul 01, 2010
HAPPENING THIS WEEK ALTERNATIVE CAFÉ Fables and Follies: The new show by the risk-taking folks of Alt Cafe is curated by Creep Machine, which is a website (and, we’re guessing, some people) who curated the ...
THE TWILIGHT SAGA - ECLIPSE
Bloodless Wonder: Bringing in a horror director still doesn’t make
They keep trying, the producers of the Twilight films; you’ve got to give them that. For 2008’s Twilight, they hired Catherine Hardwicke (Thirteen) to direct, suggesting they were aiming for edgy teen drama. Then they ...
Sacramento stalls while anger boils.
So I was sitting in the optician’s office, innocently waiting my turn, when a middle-aged guy came flying in, obviously out of sorts. Without my asking what the problem was, he volunteered that he was ...
Why Americans should stop whimpering, and start fighting back.
In 1967, animal researchers conducted an interesting experiment. Two sets of dogs were strapped into harnesses and subjected to a series of shocks. The dogs were placed in the same room. The first set of ...
Letters to the Editor for Jul 01, 2010
NO CAKEWALK That was very disingenuous by [running my] letter that alludes to the Weekly being so left that conservative or Republican letters are rarely answered, or in my case, three-quarters of the content removed. ...
The best of our web exclusives.
Missed by a Nose…Republican Sam Blakeslee narrowly missed all-out victory in the special election called to fill now-Lieutenant Governor Abel Maldonado’s 15th District state Senate seat. He’ll face off against Democrat John Laird and Libertarian ...
2010 Best Of Monterey Bay Visitors' Guide
Bars & Nightlife: Music and libations from Big Sur to Moss Landing.
For every traveler energized by Point Lobos’ storied meeting of land and sea, there’s a visitor equally energized by Sly McFly’s dance floor. Big touring acts and independent superstars descend upon venues like Carmel’s Sunset ...
