Kiosk In This Issue

April 16-22, 2010 Pacific Grove Community News Vol. II, Issue 30

Ongoing MondaysCertified Farmers Market

4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Lighthouse Ave., Pacific GroveFree, For Info: 831-384-6961

•

Opinion

Good Old Day(s) Pages 8-11

Times

Beginning March 7Sundays at 2 p.m.

Cable Channel 25Broadcasts of

PG City Council•

March 28-September 2810 a.m.- 5 p.m.

Exhibition,The Liturgical Arts ofE. Charlton Fortune

1885-1967Mora Chapel Gallery

3080 Rio RoadSunday’s are Complimentary

•

Friday, April 308:00 p.m.

I Cantori di CarmelFirst United Methodist Church

Pacific GroveGeneral Admission $20

See PENSION Page 2See LIGHTHOUSE Page 3

Monday, April 124:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.

Youth California CondorWorkshop

Farmers MarketLighthouse Avenue

17th street & Forest AvenueFor info call 384-6961

Free•

Friday, April 233:00 p.m. & 7:00 p.m. Feature DocumentaryFEAT: 63 Marathons

in 63 DaysGolden State Theatre417 Alvarado Street

Monterey$10

•

Saturday, April 248th Annual Bowl-a-ThonPGHS ASB Breast Cancer

Assistance GroupCall Sean Keller

646-6590 ext. 289•

Friday, April 30Deadline for

Monterey County Film Student Scholarship

Awards Programinfo@filmmonterey or call 831

646-0910(2) two $500 awards or (1) one

$1000 award•

Friday, April 306:30 p.m. Reception

7-9 p.m.Dinner & ProgramWine, Word, & Song

Community Foundation Tribute to

Todd LeudersHyatt Regency Conference

CenterMain Ballroom, One Golf Course

Road, Mtry Person $60 / Table $450

Kathryn Hart 375-9712 X109kathryn@cfmco.org

April 16 – May 9Hooray for Hollywood

Friday & Saturday 7:00 p.m. Sunday Matinee 2:00 p.m.

The Carl Cherry Center,Carmel Seats $30.00

Call (831) 601-5816 or ticketguys.com

•

By Marge Ann Jameson

A recent report by the Monterey Bay Area Managers’ Group warned city councils and comunities that the high cost of the CalPERS retirement system has escalated to a point where “the ballooning costs of pensions represent a fiscal threat to our communities.” The report pointed out that recent losses by the Public Employee Retirement System will cause employer rates to increase significantly – by as much as 10 to 15 percent – in the next two years, and to stay high for the next 10 years.

The Pacific Grove City Council, stating that the “future funding of public employees retirement benefits will divert

Council calls for pension reform

Report: Pension costs a fiscal threat

to communities

By Marge Ann Jameson

One of Pacific Grove’s “irreplaceable treasures” is in sad need of repair, and a committee consisting of interested – and talented – citizens, plus the Golf Course Superintendent, Public works and CDD staff have collaborated on a plan to see that it gets done.

T h e L i g h t h o u s e P r e s e r v a t i o n Committee, made up largely of people who are members of the Heritage Society, have been doing their best to repair and maintain the lighthouse with limited funds over a period of years. The committee approached the City Council on April 7 with a plan to implement the Preservation Plan for the Point Pinos Lighthouse. They were seeking designation by the city to take the lead role, but they need to “move forward with comprehensive fund solicitation and restoration efforts,” according to the staff report prepared by Daniel Gho, Golf Course Superintendent.

“This is a fabulous proposal,” said councilmember Robert Huitt. “We have got to say ‘yes.’” And they did.

The formal designation and public/private partnership with the City will allow the Lighthouse Preservation Committee to seek alternative funds through fund-raising activities, donations and grants. Restoration and preservation of lighthouses doesn’t come cheaply. A 2004 plan presented by the Naational Parks Service was used as a guideline for restoration costs, and though it was pointed out that the plan as out of date and called for a large amount of labor to be provided by the Park Service, costs are currently estimated at between $500,000 and $1,000,000 depending on how much work could be done by volunteers. There is currently $50,414.08 in the Lighthouse Improvement Fund.

Dennis Tarmina of the Lighthouse Preservation Committee said that the group is currently seeking its own 501 ( c) 3 (non

Robert Lewis

Pt. Pinos Lighthouse, where the Fresnel lens has been flashing

continuously since February 1, 1855

Lighthousepreservationgroup getsthumbs up

Bob Davis dead at 79

Former Pacific Grove City Council Member Bob Davis has died at the age of 79. He died on Wednesday, April 14.

Mr. Davis served the citizens of Pacific Grove on the City Council and on the Planning Department as well as on the Pacific Grove Police Citizen’s Academy.

He was a member of the Heritage Society.

Mr. Davis had requested that no services be held.

Cedar Street Times was established September 1, 2008 and is published weekly at 311A Forest Ave., Pacific Grove, CA 93950.Press deadline is Wednesday, noon. The paper is distributed on Friday and is available at various locations throughout the city as well as by e-mail subscription.

Editor/Publisher: Marge Ann Jameson News: Cameron Douglas • Jon Guthrie

Contributors: Betsy Slinkard Alexander • Catherine Badin • Guy ChaneyRhonda Farrah • Neil Jameson • Mary Albert • Dixie Layne

Photography: Cameron Douglas • Skyler Lewis • Nate Phillips • Catherine BadinAdvertising Sales: Stacy Loving

Distribution: Kristi Portwood and Stacy LovingHolder of Kite Strings: Katie Shain

831.324.4742 Voice831.324.4745 Fax

editor@cedarstreettimes.comEmail subscriptions: subscribe@cedarstreettimes.com

Page 2 • CEDAR STREET Times •April 9, 2010

p PENSION From Page 1

Pacific Grove’s Rain GaugeData reported by Guy Chaney

Week ending 04/12/10 .................................... 1.1Total for the season .................................... 18.32To date last year (2009) .............................. 15.36Wettest year ............................................................ 47.15during rain year 7/1/97-6/30/98*Driest year ................................................................. 9.87during rain year 7/1/75-6/30/76**Data from http://www.weather.nps.navy.mil/renard.wx/

New additions to PG’s finestPolice Chief Darius Engles introduced the five most recent additions to the

department at the city council meeting on April 7. They are:Jennifer Morais, born and raised in Pacific Grove, Officer Morais went

through the Citizens’ Academy and worked in Carmel as a community services officer. She’s been on the PG force for 16 months.• Yma Garcia, from Mountain View, served as a community services officer

in Salinas. She’s been on duty here for a year.• Ryan Anderson, from Salinas, has been on the force here for 10 months.• Daniel Deis, originally from PG, put himself through the South Bay

Regional Academy.• Joshua Tracy worked in Redding before joining the PG police department

one month ago.Engles expressed pride in his new officers. “We work real hard to get the

best candidates.”

funding away from essential city services and programs,” voted April 7 to adopt a resolution supporting reform of the CalPERS retirement system.

Pointing out that public agencies across the state of California are in various stages of adopting guidelines and principles to deal with pension reform, Mayor Carmelita Garcia urged passage of the resolution.

The city managers group favors more flexibility in future pension programs and called for reform of the current retirement system in the form of a two-tier formula. CalPERS, they point out, has restrictive rules which prevent agencies and their employees from negotiating solutions other than the established formulas, resulting in severe unfunded liablities for participating agencies.

Existing employees’ pension benefits are vested benefits and cannot be reduced by government agencies, but pension formulas for future employees can be changed, according to the report, by:

The newest additions to the Pacific Grove Police Department (L-R) Jennifer Morais; Yma Garcia; Ryan Anderson; Daniel Deis; and Joshua Tracy are introduced to City Council by Chief Engles.

In view of the recent serious accident involving five Pacific Grove teenagers and the fatality in Salinas, parents and community members have invited the California Highway Patrol Start Smart program to make a presentation in hopes of preventing more serious injuries and deaths.

The Pacific Grove Police Department has offered their training room to host the talk.

The California Highway Patrol's Start Smart program is a driver safety education class which targets new and future licensed teenage drivers between the age of 15 - 19 and their parents/guardians.

Did you know that he leading cause of death for Americans 15 - 20 years old is motor vehicle collisions. Start Smart will address the dangers typically encountered on the road by our teenagers.

Parents please join us and bring your children of driving age (15-19) to a Start Smart Presentation being held on

Saturday May 15, 2010 at the Pacific Grove Police Department Training Room

at the back of the police department building at 10:00 a.m.

Space is limited so please call to reserve your seats.Ask for Public Information Officer

Robert Lehman, (831) 796-2130

Teens and parents:

Start driving smart

Pacific GroveFeast of Lanterns

invites the public to

2010Royal Court Presentation

andHigh Tea andFashion Show

featuring entertainment bypianist Michael Martinez and

Harpist Amy KrupskiLocal notables will model fashions from:

Marita’s BoutiqueMarita’s Shoes

The Clothing StorePrim & Proper

Dress For ChangeThe Nest

Saturday May 81:00 Court Presentation

free to the public2:00 Tea & Fashion Show

atCanterbury WoodsSpace is limited

Tickets for the tea$20at

Cedar Street Times311A Forest Ave.

andThe Works

667 Lighthouse Ave.

Canterbury Woods will cater the event with tea sandwiches, fresh scones and fruit tarts. Join the Royal Court for an elegant High Tea, beautiful fashion and fabulous entertainment.

www.feast-of-lanterns.org831-920-1643

PGHS Young Writers’ Club

Young Writers’ Corner

PACIFIC GROVE MASONIC LODGE #331Established 1897

2B1ASK1130 Congress Ave. Pacific Grove CA 93950

Telephone: 831-649-1834

PACIFIC GROVE MASONIC LODGE #331Established 1897

2B1ASK1130 Congress Ave., Pacific Grove CA 93950

Telephone: 831-648-1534

Desire is PoisonBy Kelsey Klockow

He speaks with a soft divine voiceHe speaks with confidenceGiving me meaning to every question I haveHis wise words make sense to meThey give me hopeThey give me courageHis voice lifts me out of the cold dark hole I dug for myselfI desired his voice to tell me anythingAnd all he had to say was, “desire is poison.”I knew exactly what he meant

Sin in Every Breathby Kelsey Klockow

We both knew it was wrongAs our bodies became oneOur lips lined with poisonOur minds lined with sordid thoughtsWe wanted it for the wrong reasonsThere was no loveThere was no romanceOnly the feel of wantOnly sin in every breath we gasped for

Deceitby Kelsey Klockow

If only you knew how much you really hurt meI look at the invisible scarsAnd trace them with a bladeI loved, I hated, I screamedNot for you, noBut for the next girlThe one who would fall like I didFall for your twisted liesAnd your gorgeous faceWho can resist that gorgeous face?And your innocent lookThe one you give me when you know you’re wrongBut you believe you are rightYou tell yourself these lies to make yourself believeYou can never loveLove is an act of generosity and sacrificeYou are not and you cannotYou are selfish to the coreDeceit flows through your bloodSo if you knew how much you hurt meWould you care?

April 9, 2010 CEDAR STREET Times• Page 3

Mum’s Cottage. . . a delightful furniture store

•

EUROPEAN COUNTRYFurnishings • Fabrics • Accessories

510 Lighthouse Avenue • Pacific Grove

831-920-2022

Friends & Family coming to town? Sun.-Thurs.Rates starting $59 Perfect location for

your wedding,family reunionor overnight getaway

Lighthouse Lodge & Suites 1150 Lighthouse Avenue831-655-2111 • www.lhls.com

profit) designation.The commi t tee

e n v i s i o n s h e a v y use of vo lun teers , hired contractors and business participation to see the job through. They propose to raise funds through entrance fees, a gift shop, and the golfing community as well as fund-raising dr ives and gran ts . Grants may be available from the National Parks Service, the Department of Transportation, state grants, historic museum grants, county and city grants. Some 26,500 people v i s i t ed the Lighthouse in 2009.

The commi t tee proposes restoration to a certain period of significance of 1939-1945. “If we went back farther, we’d have to remove some of the structure,” said Tarmina. During World War II, the lighthouse played a more vital role in protection of the coast than perhaps in had in peace time. From a lookout tower on the grounds, watch was kept 24 hours against enemy invasion.

Extensive documentation exists to guide the restoration process, including photos and plans. The committee proposes restoring the gardens and a fence that once existed which has the double benefit of funneling paying visitors through a gate and guiding them past outbuildings where a gift shop will be staffed. There will also be an ADA-compliant rest room. The vision, according to Steve Honneger, a member of the committee, includes a City park, a location for weddings, picnics and memorials, and a peaceful walking path.

Tarmina pointed out to the Council that, while the overall condition of the Lighthouse doesn’t pose an immediate safety issue, there are items on the “repair list” that could eventually become serious safety problems. The first three years of the Committee’s plan call for repair of any critical areas, such as the metal flashings around the lantern room (which are corroding due to a slow process of electrolysis), leaking pipes, and windows. The building would be weather-proofed with caulking and reconstruction of flashings. The landscaping plan would be implemented and the grounds made ADA compliant.

In the fourth and fifth years, less critical items would be undertaken, such as roofing, painting and stucco repair.

In years 6 through 10, a maintenance plan would be implemented and historic buildings would be rebuilt.

The Lighthouse was deeded to the City by the Coast Guard after more than 100 years of operation. While the actual lantern is the responsibility of the Coast Guard still, the deed calls for the City to maintain the rest of the structure and states that it could be reclaimed by the U.S. Government if the City fails in its responsibility.

p LIGHTHOUSE From Page 1

The Fresnel lens of the lighthouse is maintained by the U.S. coast Guard but the rest of the lighthouse is the responsiblity of the City. Photo by Robert Lewis.

How much are you willing to risk for a few kind words? A One Trillion dollar health care bill that will probably actu-ally cost us about Eight Trillion dollars…. Is that what we needed? Bank and car company bailouts which you will pay for… How does that help us? How is it that Sam Farr, President Obama and Nancy Pelosi know less than we do about economics? The unions have our leaders under their thumb and We The People will pay. Taxes are sure to go up.Please help me put a stop to it. Vote for Mary Larkin for Congress in November. Please learn about me at my website:http://www.marylarkinforcongress.com.

Paid for by Mary Larkin for Congress Candidate # H0CA17128

Vote forMary Larkinfor Congress

Page 4 • CEDAR STREET Times •April 9, 2010

Jon Guthrie

High Hats & ParasolsThe News … from 1910.

Candidate visits GroveFrank H. Mouser of Los Angeles, who is deputy assessor of that county, was

in town yesterday meeting friends and gaining new acquaintances. Mr. Mouser is a candidate on the Republican ticket for Secretary of State. Mouser is on his return trip home by train to Los Angeles. He is completing a two-month long campaigning tour of northern and central California.

In the opinion of this editor, Mr. Mouser stands out as a man of strong personality and a fine gentleman. His qualifications for the position he hopes to attain are endorsed by the most prominent men of Southern California. We in Monterey county should get behind him. 1

This gentleman is assured of making a strong running.

Dan DeQuille books at Chautauqua 2

Arrangements have been made with the American Publishing Company for Mr. Dan DeQuille’s literary properties to be available for purchase by attendees at this year’s Chautauqua Institute.

DeQuille is well-known as a writer. As a young man, he moved to Nevada from West Liberty, Iowa, and was employed by the Territorial Enterprise newspaper in Virginia City under the mentoring of Editor Joseph Goodman. He is considered an authority on the state of Nevada and the Northern Paiute Indian tribe. He has contributed considerable to awareness of the past and of the wild west on both sides of our continent. This enterprising author wrote numerous books and a considerable number of articles and columns that continue to be admired for humorous content. After the Enterprise ceased publication in 1893, DeQuille returned to West Liberty in ill health where he resided with a daughter until his death on the 16th day of March in 1898.

More about the contents of DeQuille’s various writings will be published as available.

Sewer going inPacific Grove trustees have approved letting a contract for work on a six-inch,

vitrified-iron, stone-pipe sewer along the center of Third street from Laurel avenue to Pine avenue. This vote is identified as Resolution No. 1571 and is entitled “Resolution of Intention: Construction of sewer.”

The City Clerk has published this resolution, as required by law. The Superintendent of Streets duly posted notices of the law at locations about the Grove.

The Clerk stated that no objections or complaints of any kind have been received. Work is expected to begin as soon as bids are reviewed and the contract is let.

Monterey post office block purchasedMr. James Martin of Monterey has purchased from Colonel E. A. Preble, Pacific

Grove, the entire post office block in the old capital city of Monterey.Besides the post office block, there are two additional blocks on which are

positioned various stores. These are included in the parcel. Col. Preble stated that he sold his Monterey property to gain hard capital to invest in his cigar-manufacturing business which is located in San Francisco.

Grove directory now availableThe Pacific Grove Review has just issued the first directory of Pacific Grove. The

booklet is now ready for delivery to advertisers, and will be provided to residents in the near future. The price of this very valuable directory is 10¢. Call for your copy at the Review office on Lighthouse.

Dissolution of partnershipThe partnership heretofore existing between F. J. Wyeth and Joseph Wilks is this

day dissolved by mutual agreement. All accounts due the partnership are now payable to Mr. Wyeth, who also assumes all the liabilities of the former partnership.

Signed in Pacific Grove, California. Witnessed by Attorneys-at-law Treat and Hudson. 3

Notes from around the area…• Shop at the Fair Market for all sorts of materials needed by artists including

brushes, canvas, and paints.• Mrs. F. J. Salsman will receive and audition piano pupils in her studio located at

208 Fifteenth street, Pacific Grove.• The funeral of J. C. Storm took place yesterday at the family residence on

Central avenue. The afternoon service, which began at two, was largely attended. 4

• Membership tickets admitting holders to Chautauqua lectures and events are now available at the Pacific Grove Museum. See J. P. Pryor, Vice President, or any member of the board.

• W. B. Fitcher has been named agent for Francher Creek Nurseries. Mr. Fitcher will help you choose from all varieties of fruit trees, shade trees, ornamental trees, and shrubbery. He will help you live up to the letter of the new ordinance requiring all property owners to keep the Grove well planted in trees.

For sale or rent…• Potatoes! Just $1.75 per 50# sack in Buckingham’s grocery section.• The T. A. Work theater offers patrons a special! A medley of first-run, living

pictures. 10¢ each seat.• J. K. Paul’s has just gotten in a new line of rugs. Small, woven throw-rugs start

at $1.50.• Imperial Dyeing and Cleaning House in the care of G. R. Higsby is offering

a 5¢ special on the cleaning of ladies blouses. 310 Grand avenue. Telephone number is Black 761.

• Safe deposit boxes at the Home Savings are being let for $2.50 per year.• Swift’s premium, smoked hams. Special at 20¢ pound. Johnston Bros. &

Campbell’s.• ºYes, you can advertise in these columns. See the Review editor. Just 50¢ per

week.

(Endnotes)1 Grammar at the turn of the past century strictly dictated that proper nouns be

capitalized and common nouns not. Monterey got the nod as a proper noun; county failed to acquire that honor. The same applied to most street names, such as Cherry street. A grammar book of the era indicates that this distinction can be made by determining whether the word in question can be used alone. Thus … “at Cherry” would be proper. “…at street,” common.

2 Dan DeQuille was the tongue-in-cheek byline of writer William Wright. A mildly stalwart supporter of the South, Dan and another Southern sympathizer turned writer, Samuel Clements, became companions and DeQuille served as Cement’s mentor. It was DeQuille who encouraged Clements to chose and write under a byline, which Clements did, first as Josh and later as Mark Twain. DeQuille authored several history books including A History of the Comstock Silver Lode Mines which was published in pocket size for sale to passengers on stage coaches and aboard passenger trains.

3 Was this Attorney Tom Hudson, who earned himself a cenotaph in the traffic island across from the Monterey post office? Research continues.

4 In 1910, the word largely referred to the quantity of people attending.

NASA robotics expert Dr. John Phillips has been to the International Space Station three times. Above, Dr. Phillips hands out material to students.

PeepsBrag a little! Send your achieve-ments, be they awards, engage-ments, weddings, births, gradu-ations, to Cedar Street Times. If it’s about Pacific Grove, we want to hear it -- and so does everyone else!Email: editor@cedarstreettimes.com. Color pictures at 200 dpi preferred but we’ll work with what you’ve got. Or send us a letter to 311a Forest Ave., Pacific Grove, 93950. Our fax number is 831-324-4745 or call us at 831-324-4742.

Your achievements

Peeps

April 9, 2010 CEDAR STREET Times• Page 5

By CONTACT _Con-3A0AFFD41 \c \s \l Cameron Douglas

There’s something about an astronaut. Maybe it’s their superb physical fitness. Or their sharp eyes — many of them have been pilots. Perhaps it’s the knowledge and brainpower they carry from years of extensive education. Whatever it is, meeting an astronaut is an experience you’re not likely to forget.

Cedar Street Times rarely ventures out of Pacific Grove; but when we heard that three-time space traveler Dr. John Phillips was coming to the Stevenson School campus in Carmel, well, we just had to go, knowing there are students from Pacific Grove at Stevenson.

Phill ips has flown out to the International Space Station aboard the shuttles Endeavour and Discovery, and aboard a Russian space capsule.

In the Stevenson school gym, approximately 200 people including students, staff, parents and volunteers came to hear about the International Space Station. The ISS operates 250 miles above our planet. It orbits the Earth every 90 minutes at a speed of 17,000 mph. Electrical power comes from a set of huge, 16-ton solar panels. Phillips showed slides and talked about life in space:

Floating: Many people think there is “zero gravity” around the ISS, but that’s not really the case. Gravity is what keeps the space station in orbit. But the station’s rate of travel is so fast that everything inside it floats. This is good for work, as it is easy to get in and around the equipment. It also relieves sore knees and joints that are bothersome here on Earth. But just try to pour a bowl of Cheerios. Or brush your teeth. You get the picture.

Exercise: People aboard the ISS spend 2-3 hours a day exercising. The weak gravity that relieves achy joints also unloads muscles, leaving them nothing to resist in normal activity. Without regular,

vigorous exercise, those muscles can quickly deteriorate.

Shower: None. At all. For up to six months. Hmmm.

Refrigerator: None. All canned, dried food.

Laundry: None. No way to do dishes either. New clothes are put on every 4-5 days, and used clothes are discarded.

Typical day: Busy, lots of work.When it came time for questions

and answers, more than half the hands in the room shot up — so many hands that Phillips wisely asked Ron Provost, the Head of Campus, to identify questioners by name to speed up the process. One student asked if there is TV reception aboard the ISS. (There is none, but there is some Internet.) How does one use the rest room? “Good question,” Phillips said with a smile. “Very carefully.”

Can you really see the Great Wall of China from space? “I’ve never seen it from up there,” said Phillips. “It kind of blends in with the terrain. But I have seen lots of smaller things like airstrips and bridges. It’s easier to see something that’s in a straight line.”

When it came time to leave, Phillips handed autographed pictures and memorabilia to each class. One student exclaimed, “Whoa, this is really signed! It’s not just a copy.”

The following day, April 10, the Stevenson Robotics Team and other Stevenson students went to the Naval Postgraduate School for a live “Teaching from Space” downlink with members of the Discovery crew in orbit. Phillips, an expert in robotics, is currently teaching “Physics of the Space Environment” at the NPGS. Students from other Monterey County schools also attended Saturday’s event, and were able to converse live with the crew. It was the final such teaching downlink of the Shuttle program. Learn more at: www.spaceflight.nasa.gov

Astronaut visits Stevenson School

Local chiropractormeets the governor

Pacific Grove chiropractor Dr. Shawn Lasko was recently invited to participate in the 18th Annual Symposium of Natural Fitness which was held March 5-6 in Colombus, OH. The event is held annuall in conjunction with the Arnold Schwarzenegger Sports Festival. and hosts hundreds of attendees.

Dr. Lasko was pleased to take advantage of the opportunity to meet the governor, who spoke to the symposium on role of chiropractic in health care reform.

Shawn Lasko is a 2002 graduate of the Palmer College of Chiropractic in Davenport, IA. He earned postgraduate certification credentials as a Chiropractic Biophysics Fellow and also holds certification credentials both as a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist and as a Certified Personal Trainer.

He has been in practice for more than eight years. He has served as president of Monterey LTip for the past year and is a member of the Pacific Grove Chamber of Commerce. He is a Naval Postgraduate School Foundation member as well.Left: Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Dr. Shawn Lasko

Cameron Douglas, Freelance WriterArticles & Stories

Editing & ProofreadingPress Releases Pacific Grove

Phone: 831-333-1421E-mail: autodoug2002@yahoo.com

Mary Albert

Watching Movies

April 8-9 The Wizard of OzApril 15-16 Citizen KaneApril 22-23 Pillow TalkApril 29-30 The Birds

Schedule of films

Doris and Rock in Pillow TalkPage 6 • CEDAR STREET Times •April 9, 2010

Some movies are great because of the singular vision of a director. Some are built around a central powerhouse performance. Others bring epic histories to life. A select few shine because of the chemistry of a partnership. Like Bogart and Bacall, Hepburn and Tracy, or Newman and Redford, Doris Day and Rock Hudson are as acclaimed as a double act as they are individually. The easygoing charm of their performances together show they were genuinely enjoying themselves and each other, a

fact confirmed not just by the publicity material from the time but from subsequent memoirs and interviews. Doris Day and Rock Hudson made three movies together between 1959 and 1964, all huge hits. Pillow Talk, the first, and best, of these is playing at the Lighthouse Cinema this week.

Being a big star in that time was not always easygoing; Hollywood, like the country, was changing and the traditional roles were being challenged by new ideas. After building successful careers for a decade, each of them was in need of a bit of a jump-start. Doris Day had starred mostly in musicals, and Rock Hudson had never been in a romantic comedy, so this was a new venture for them both.

The result was superstardom; after Pillow Talk, Day topped the list of moneymakers for the year, and Hudson came in second. Together they dominated the Golden Globes’ “World Film Favorite” categories for the late 50s and well through the 60s. They went on to make two more films together, Lover Come Back (1961) and Send Me No Flowers (1964) and together these three films form the Doris Day-Rock Hudson legacy.

They were helped by a sparkling screenplay, which won the Oscar that year. A clever device of a shared phone line sets in motion a feud, a deception, a seduction, and, well, hilarity ensues, with sexual text and subtext loaded into every scene.

Rock Hudson plays two parts, essentially. First the playboy, Brad, the other half of Doris Day’s party line, who woos a different woman every night, much to the annoyance of Day’s character, Jan, who is forced to overhear these conversations every time she picks up the phone. Then Hudson assumes the role of Rex Stetson, the naïve Texan gentleman he invents in order to get closer to the woman who loathes him

over the phone but has never seen him in the flesh. It’s a wonderfully funny performance by Hudson – and Brad – that hits just the right notes as he waxes on about cows and chuck wagons, and awkwardly compares her to a warm pot-belly stove on a frosty morning. He uses his dual access to Jan to plant ideas in her head and set up situations to move in for the kill, romance-wise, while pal Tony Randall, also in love with Jan, scrambles to compete with the fictitious oil-man.

Split screen is used ingeniously in the film. While it’s not the first film to use this device, Pillow Talk director Michael Gordon found a new way to incorporate it into the narrative, to tell the story visually, by using it to depict

the telephone conversations throughout the film. To establish the set-up, the frame is split in three, with Jan in her apartment in the middle between Brad and his current lover, who are trying to talk on the phone. Then later, as Brad as Rex is trying to seduce Jan, the two of them are simultaneously separated (in their own apartments, in their own beds or bathtubs) and together, on the screen and, of course, on the telephone. In

1959 an unmarried couple could never share a bed or a bathtub, but there they are, not actually touching, but placed in the widescreen frame as if they are.

In popular culture, Doris Day is an emblem of a type of patriarchy in which women were wholesome, perky and rule-following. It’s a bit of a bad rap, though. In Pillow Talk, she plays a single, professional woman, living on her own and supporting herself. She has a number of men pursuing her and she is capable of juggling them easily. When she does fall in love with Rex, she agrees to go away for the weekend with him in pretty short order, even telling him, “We’re both over 21, you know”. It is a brilliant performance, and the wholesome side is played for laughs right from the start, when she ties her dressing gown right up to her chin while, in split screen next to her, Brad’s latest conquest reclines seductively in a loose negligee. Jan expects to be treated decently, but she’s not above some hanky panky with the right man. Doris Day both embraces and plays off her image, and becomes something new as a result.

Rock Hudson had spent most of the 1950s playing dramatic leads in big films such as his Oscar nominated role in Giant, and A Farewell to Arms, and in a string of meaty melodramas directed by Douglas Sirk, appreciated now more than originally, including Magnificent Obsession, All That Heaven Allows, and Written on the Wind. Pillow Talk, then, was a big departure for him, and the new, breezy, funny, sexy, urban Rock Hudson was a big hit. I wonder if enough time has gone by, that we can focus on Rock Hudson the actor without being blinded by the revelations and ultimate tragedy of his personal life. In the 70s, the Rock Hudson Doris Day movies seemed old fashioned and dated, because they had moved on to TV, and because they were emblematic of the Hollywood that the new generation of filmmakers rebelled against. Then, Hudson’s private life eclipsed his professional one in such a huge way, it was impossible to see the films, or his performances in them, in any other light.

Now, though, I think when we see Pillow Talk on the big screen this week, what will shine through is the chemistry of the stars, and the strength of the performances. See you there, Thursday night or Friday afternoon, at the Lighthouse Cinema.

April 9, 2010 CEDAR STREET Times• Page 7

Bananas and wine: Oh, why not?Richard Oh

Oh, have a taste!

Richard Oh has made banas into an elegant dessert. Using his signature OhZone, here is his recipe for

Bananas Foster

Ingredients:2 sliced bananas2 tbsp. butter2 tbsp. brown sugar1 tsp. caramel sauce2 scoops vanilla ice cream or frozen yogurtAll you need is an ounce to two ounces to flame it. Then just drizzle some Ohzone before serving.sprinkle cinnamon

Preparation: Melt butter and brown sugar over medium heat, add caramel sauce, stir. Add Ohzone and let it flame (be careful of flames and keep all alcohol away from stove).

Add bananas and let cook for a minute while stirring, then add a sprinkle of cinnamon. Serve with ice cream and a splash of Ohzone over the ice cream. Add whipped cream.

The OhZone is an amazing new spirit made from wine grapes. It is derived from a cold distillation process, which is a non-invasive process that is smooth and

The odds are that when Alexander the Great found bananas in India and had them carried off to the Western world, he had no idea what a favor he was doing for his troops on the long march home. Bananas are rich in potassium, which is essential for helping muscles to contract properly during exercise and reduces cramping of muscles – very important for marching soldiers.

Like other fruits and vegetables, bananas contain no fat, sodium or cholesterol. A low fat, balanced diet rich in vegetables and fruit may reduce the risk of heart disease and certain types of cancer. Bananas are rich in vitamin B6 and they are a good source of fiber, vitamin C and magnesium.

Bananas probably originated in Malaysia, and were carried to India as early as the 6th Century B.C. They had made it to China by 200 A.D. and eventually reached Madagascar. Beginning in 650 A.D. Islamic warriors traveled into Africa and were actively engaged in the slave trade, along with ivory and bananas. Bananas eventually reached Guinea and by 1402 Portuguese sailors discovered the luscious tropical fruit in their travels to the African continent and populated the Canary lslands with their first banana plantations. Rootstocks were packed onto a ship under the charge of a Portuguese Franciscan monk who took them to the Caribbean island of Santo Domingo in the year 1516. It wasn’t long before the banana became popular throughout the Caribbean as well as Central America.

Three hundred and fifty years later Americans tasted the first bananas to arrive in their country. Wrapped in tin foil, bananas were sold for 10 cents each at a celebration held in Pennsylvania in 1876 to commemorate the hundredth anniversary

of the Declaration of Independence. Instructions on how to eat a banana appeared in the Domestic Cyclopaedia of Practical Information and read as follows: “Bananas are eaten raw, either alone or cut in slices with sugar and cream, or wine and orange juice. They are also roasted, fried or boiled, and are made into fritters, preserves, and marmalades.”

versatile. The OhZone will replace vodka, gin, rum, and tequila as a main ingredient in your cocktail.

We have come up with some unique new drinks and as well as twists on traditional cocktails. Go to www.ohzonespirits.com and find out what it’s all about. And check out the recipes of the drinks and food section.

I would pair the Bananas Foster with the OhGasm. Have fun with it.

TipsGreen tipped bananas should

be selected for cooking or ripening, yellow ones should be selected for eating and brown-specked ones should be selected for baking breads, muffins and cookies. As the bananas ripen, they will taste sweeter because the starch in the fruit will turn to sugar. You can toss bananas to your cereal, salads, yogurt, salsa, smoothie or shakes.

You should store your bananas over the counter at room temperature until they reach the ripeness you want, then you can store them in the refrigerator. The peel of the fruit will darken in the refrigerator but the banana inside will remain firm and delicious. To ripen a banana faster, it should be put in a brown paper bag with an apple or tomato overnight.

Editor:

As far back as 1998, it was apparent to many residents the City and its BNRC (Beautification and Natural Resources Committee ) were not serving the environmental protection needs of this coastal community. For this reason and over time, three ad hoc citizens’ committees were created. First, the Tidepool Coalition, later the Committee for a Reasonable and Compatible Tree Ordinance and recently, the Committee for Responsible Change which went public in local newspaper ads. The Tidepool Coalition members did what the BNRC would not do to protect the city’s preeminent tide pools and marine refuge. They went to the streets, post office and recreation trail circulating a successful citywide ballot Tidepool Initiative with 1700 voter signatures which later resulted in a tide pool protection ordinance, Pacific Grove Municipal Code 00-12.

As to the criminalized city tree ordinance, unfortunately over the last seven years it has caused a great deal of anger and distanced city government from the people to the extent many are simply feeling discouraged and disenfranchised.

Lately, the contentiousness and

Opinionunfriendly atmosphere of the BNRC meetings have been widely promulgated in our local press. Hundreds of private property owners, especially those who have trees have been frustrated by the city ignoring individual concerns and their property rights.

On April 10, 2010 during the annual Good Old Days celebration, the Committee for a Responsible and Compatible Tree Ordinance circulated a survey petition to residents and property owners which will be submitted at a later date to the City Council and NRC at the Town Hall meeting, yet to be announced. Our purpose was to obtain information from the residents on their feelings and experiences with the city on its restrictive and punitive tree ordinance. We collected information on three specific questions.

1. Is there a general disapproval in our community with the current P.G. Tree Ordinance and its enforcement?

2. Do citizens want to regain their constitutional and property rights by keeping the city and its overzealous representatives out of private property?

3. Is there enough concern and frustration among the residents to gather 1500 +/- voter signatures to change the

criminalized and antiquated current tree ordinance by the democratic initiative process?

In three afternoon sessions, one at Good Old Days and two at the post office our committee gathered a multitude of comments from residents about their thoughts regarding the tree ordinance. We also collected their signatures on a petition survey to amend the tree ordinance. Again, people want a decriminalized tree ordinance and the city to stay out of private property.

In summary, we gathered 162 resident signatures in favor of a revised tree ordinance in a very short time. The next and final step would be to accomplish a citywide ballot initiative to bring the tree ordinance into compliance with voter and resident approval.

Jim Willoughby

Committee for a Reasonable and Compatible Tree OrdinanceP.O. Box 433, Pacific Grove,

California 93950

Your letters

Editor,

As our city officials move through the difficult task of preparing the budget for the next fiscal year, it would be helpful for them to understand P.G. voters’ priorities.

In a country in which a vote of 53% in favor of a candidate or issue is considered a landslide, in the last election Measure J, a ballot measure to secure funding dedicated to the P.G. library, garnered 65.91% of the vote. Clearly the library is of great importance to P.G. voters.

Unfortunately, library supporters tend to be invisible. Even though approximately 500 people a day attend the library, more people than any other city building, city officials can’t tell by looking at someone whether they are a library supporter or not.

At Good Old Days, the Friends of the Library were selling “I [Heart] P.G. Library” buttons and book bags. If everyone who supports the library makes a point of wearing such buttons and/or carrying the book bags, the visible presence of supporters, as well as the knowledge of the strong support of the library by the voters, may influence the outcome of the budget discussions and continue to keep our library alive.

If you didn’t buy a button or book bag at Good Old Days, you can purchase one at the library circulation desk.

If you [Heart] P.G. library, say so!

Linnet HarlanPacific Grove

Survey tells that the Community wants a decriminalized tree ordinance

If you [heart]the Librarytell city council

Page 8 • CEDAR STREET Times •April 9, 2010

The Tradition Begins . . .Pacific Grove Golf Links

at the Point Pinos GrillFriday, April 9, 2010 • Tee Off 12 noon

FLAT SCREEN TVs • SPECIAL GREEN JACKET MENU

$1 OFF BEER & WINE • TWILIGHT GOLF SPECIALS831-648-5775 • www.PGGOLFLINkS.com

presents a

Live MastersCoverage

starting at 1:00 pm

Selected Golf Shop

Merchandise

30%OFF

Good Old DayBoth participants and spectators braved the predicted storm to bring together a spectacular parade for Good Old Days. The wind drove some vendors to scramble for their displays, but Saturday crowds seemed enthusiastic nonetheless. Sunday, however was a different story. Though the storm didn’t materialize until late, it did so with a vengeance. Streets were empty and performances were driven indoors.

Photos bySkyler Lewis

April 9, 2010 CEDAR STREET Times• Page 9

The Tradition Begins . . .Pacific Grove Golf Links

at the Point Pinos GrillFriday, April 9, 2010 • Tee Off 12 noon

FLAT SCREEN TVs • SPECIAL GREEN JACKET MENU

$1 OFF BEER & WINE • TWILIGHT GOLF SPECIALS831-648-5775 • www.PGGOLFLINkS.com

presents a

Live MastersCoverage

starting at 1:00 pm

Selected Golf Shop

Merchandise

30%OFF

Photos bySkyler Lewis

From the mayor on down to the smallest child, parade partici-pants strutted their stuff for the crowd.

Page 10 • CEDAR STREET Times •April 9, 2010

Perennial Good Old Days Parade favorites: Kids, mop brigade, Jeeps, horses, bagpipes and stagecoaches

Photos bySkyler Lewis

April 9, 2010 CEDAR STREET Times• Page 11

They advised him to wear a wet suit when he sat in the dunk tank. Well, that’s just what he did. Middle School teacher Brice Gamble helped the lacrosse team’s fund-raising ef-forts by being a good sport.

Photos bySkyler Lewis

Stevenson School Performing Arts presents

“The Tempest”By William Shakespeare

Dates & Times: Friday, April 16, at 7:30 pm Saturday, April 17, at 7:30 pm

TicketsEvening PerformancesGeneral: $12 Students, Seniors & Military: $6

Matinee Performance on Sunday, April 11General: $6 Students, Seniors & Military: $3

Purchase tickets online at:www.seatyourself.biz/stevensonschool

Box office and information line: (831) 625-8389

Location: Stevenson School - Pebble Beach Campus 3152 Forest Lake Road Pebble Beach, CA 93953

Evening performances - Keck Auditorium

Page 12 • CEDAR STREET Times •April 9, 2010

Small Business WebsitesPROFESSIONAL, PERSONAL, ECONOMICAL, EASY.

PacificGroveWebsites.cominfo@pacificgrovewebsites.com

POSTCARD DESIGNAND PRINTING

FOR YOUR SALES AND MARKETINGView examples at

www.pacificgrovewebsites.com/postcards.htmlINFO@PACIFICGROVEWEBSITES.COM

The Arts

Now ShowingOngoing

Pacific Grove Art center568 Lighthouse Ave., Pacific Grove

Art Center Open Wednesday-Saturday 12-5 p.m

At Artisana Gallery309 Forest Avenue

Carolyn Moore: Fine Art Photos on CanvasAdrianne Johnson: Photography

PG Feast of Lanterns 2010 Art Competition – call for art entries

The Pacific Grove Feast of Lanterns has issued an open call for entries to all artists for this year’s art competition. Artists’ entries that celebrate this 105 year old festival may be in the form of paintings, photography,

fabric art, or mixed media. Entries must be received no later than 5:00 pm on June 5, 2010. Cash grand prize’s will be awarded winners.

Art submitted must be original work and represent this year’s theme: Keeping the Lanterns LitAll entries must be received by the Pacific Grove Feast of Lanterns via Cedar Street Times, Friday through Thursday by appointment 831 324 4742. Office

located at 311A Forest Avenue in Pacific Grove by 5:00 pm Saturday, June 5, 2010. Artists may also contact Larry Wagner at 831 655 4563

Accepted entries will be displayed from July 1 through July 31. Winners will be announced at the artists reception. There will be cash grand prizes for the winners of this year’s competition along with 2 honorable mention awards. The panel of judges will be made up of local art aficionados that will judge the work based on how well it represents the traditions of the Festival and this year’s theme. All work entered must be available for sale by the Pacific Grove Feast of Lanterns, Inc.

Complete entry rules are available at folpublicity@gmail or in person at the Pacific Grove Chamber of Commerce.

.

Art Classes at Pacific Grove Art Center

Children's Art Classes“Capture Your Vision” for Middle School Students. Mondays, April 26-May 24,3:30-5 pm. $60 per 6-week session. 2-dimensional, painting, pastel,colored pencil. Call Julie Heilman at 831-920-2318.

“Wild Wednesdays” for Ages 8-12. Wednesdays, April 28-May 26, 3:30-5:00pm. $60 per 6-week session. A fun mid-week break to unleash your creativeabilities. Call Julie Heilman at 831-920-2318.

“Creativity Unlimited” for Grades 2-5. Fridays, April 30-May 28, 2010,3:30-5 pm. $60 per 6-week session. 3-dimensional art, working with clay,glue guns, fabric, and mixed media. Call Julie Heilman at 831-920-2318.

Adult Art Classes and WorkshopsGo Figure! Open Draw. Ongoing Tuesdays, 9 am-12 noon. $10 model fee. ContactTim Sloan, 394-5490 or Annie Bushey, 831-373-4575.

"Overview of Watercolor" for Adults. Basics of limited palette method toexperimental, including watercolor printmaking. All skill levels welcome. 6weeks, 6-9 pm. $90. Tuesdays, April 20-May 25, 2010. Must pre-register oneweek prior to class. Call Jane Flury at 831-373-1494 or emailartnants@aol.com.

“Fruits & Veggies (& A Few Nuts,)” an ongoing class for adults in watercoloror acrylic. Wednesdays, 1-3 pm. $60 per 6-week session. Call Julie Heilmanat 831-920-2318.

Life Drawing, ongoing Wednesdays, 6-9 pm. Drop-in model fee $10. CallInstructor Mark Farina at 831-373-0886.

Figure Drawing Workshop, First Saturday of each month, 9:30 am-12:30 pm.Drop-in model fee $10.

SERVICEAt Your

Greg’s Gardening ServiceReliable Lawn & Garden Maintenance

Free Estimates/Reasonable Ratesfenton.gj@gmail.com

383-9635

Book PuBlishing servicesFree consultation • 27 Years Experience

All types of books • Consulting & developmentPatricia Hamilton, Publisher • 831-649-6640

publishingbiz@sbcglobal.netwww.ParkPlacePublications.com

Call to ArtistsThe nonprofit Pacific Grove Art Center seeks donations to the Tiny Treasures

2010 Miniatures Show. This event is one of our majorfundraisers, and the income it generates will help us to continue to serve the

community.Donations of artwork will be accepted through May 21, 2010. Work should be

no larger than 7 inch x 9 inch including frame, and not exceed 7 inches in depth.Each piece must be ready to hang on a wall, with hooks or wires already

attached. The opening reception for the show will be held on Friday, June 4, 2010, from

7-9 pm. The exhibit will continue through Wednesday, July 14, when the drawing will take place at 7 pm. Each miniature will be displayed above a box in which patrons may deposit tickets. One ticket will be drawn from each box, and the holder of that ticket will receive the art piece.

Ticket sales will begin at 7 pm on June 4th. Tickets will be $3 each or 10 for $25, and ticket holders need not be present to win.

“We hope that you can participate in this event and help the Art Center to raise funds to support its programs. Thanks to the ongoing support of donors like you, the Art Center is now in its 40th year.” said Director Joan McCleary.

Donation Forms are available at the Art Center office, and may be completed donations are delivered. Artwork donations must be received by May 21, 2010.

Friends of the Pacific Grove Library 550 Central Avenue., Pacific Grove

presenta“Meet the Author” Event

Tuesday, April 277 p.m.

Laura Courtney Headley“Cinderella before Disney:

The dark and surprising past of a folk tale heroine”.

You know Cinderella - the hard working, beautiful young girl, neglected and mistreated by her step-mother and step-sisters who, with a little help from her magical fairy godmother, becomes the princess of the kingdom, loved and admired by all. This is the modern, American Cinderella. But who was Cinderella before she became “Walt Disney’s greatest star” in 1950? There are more than 700 versions of the story stretching back to medieval China and Ms. Headley will explore the major archetypes and draw connections between ancient oral traditions and our modern lives.

The event is free and open to the public. For more information call 648-5762.

Laura Courtney Headley

Peninsula Christian Center520 Pine Avenue, 831-373-0431

First Baptist Church of Pacific Grove246 Laurel Avenue, 831-373-0741

St. Mary’s-by-the-Sea Episcopal ChurchCentral Avenue & 12th Street, 831-373-4441

Community Baptist ChurchMonterey & Pine Avenues, 831-375-4311

Peninsula Baptist Church1116 Funston Avenue, 831-647-1610

St. Angela Merici Catholic Church146 8th Street, 831-655-4160

Christian Church Disciples of Christ of Pacific Grove442 Central Avenue, 831-372-0363

First Church of God1023 David Avenue, 831-372-5005

Jehovah’s Witnesses of Pacific Grove1100 Sunset Drive, 831-375-2138

Church of Christ176 Central Avenue, 831-375-3741

Lighthouse Fellowship of Pacific Grove804 Redwood Lane, 831-333-0636

Mayflower Presbyterian Church141 14th Street, 831-373-4705

Central Presbyterian Church of Pacific Grove325 Central Avenue, 831-375-7207

Seventh-Day Adventist Church of the Monterey Peninsula375 Lighthouse Avenue, 831-372-7818

First United Methodist Church of Pacific Grove915 Sunset @ 17-Mile Dr., Pacific Grove - (831) 372-5875

Worship: Sundays @ 10:30 a.m.

April 9, 2010 CEDAR STREET Times• Page 13

Hooray for Hollywood!“In olden days a glimpse of stocking was looked on as something shocking but now, God knows, anything goes.” - Cole Porter

If you haven’t been to Hollywood lately or have never been to the Roxy, look out. It has come to you. Emmy Award-winning Peter Baldwin is back in the limelight directing an Irving Bijou presentation with music from the era of 1930’s -50’s by George Peterson.

Perhaps there are no glimpses of stockings or anything else to look at as something shocking but heaven knows Michelle Boulware is one to see and hear live at The Cherry Center for the Arts in Carmel. This year Tom Parks has concocted Hooray for Hollywood, a new musical review to feast fill your eyes and enrapture your ears for a brief evening of notable songs and fables from the days of old.

If you remember romance you will love being bathed in a night bubbling with real life Hollywood memories, April 16 – May 9, Friday and Saturday at 7:00 p.m. The Sunday Matinee will be at 2:00 p.m. Seats are $30.00. Call (831) 601-5816 or ticketguys.com.Pacific Grove High School Dance Team's

5th Annual Spring SpectacularFriday April 16th

at the Pacific Grove Performing Arts Center835 Forest Ave

Show begins at 7:30pm$7 at the door

Featuring the Pacific Grove Breaker Girls as well asmany local performers including dancers from both

Robert Down and Forest Grove elementary schools!

Donation will be made to account for Chelsie Hill

The exhibit of the work of Gabriele Hahn which will open at the Art Center on April 16 will feature works created while she and her husband Nicolas, of Hahn Vineyards, spent time at their ranch, game reserve, and school in Kenya. Gaby donated the proceeds of sales from her previous show at the Art Center to their school in Kenya, and she plans to do the same in 2010.

Since the 1970s, Gabriele Hahn and her husband Nicolas have lived in Africa for several months of the year. They became involved in a game ranch and reserve in Kenya in the mid 1990s and created a black rhino conservancy on the property in 2005. They also developed a school in their Mugie Ranch for over 150 children from kindergarten through eighth grade. Her paintings of the Omo People of southern Ethiopia, northern Kenya and Sudan are based on the photographs of German master photographer Hans Silvester.

Three minute walk to the beachFree wireless internet

Wine & cheese reception nightlyBreakfast included

Conference roomwww.pacificgardensinn.com

701 Asilomar Blvd., Pacific Grove • 831-646-9414

Local Special $89 + tax

“The Omo Tribe Paintings”

Marvin Sheffield, DVM.

Living Wild in PG

Page 14 • CEDAR STREET Times •April 9, 2010

Thanks to the ethical regard for future Californians and other Americans, the Desert Protection Act of 2010 has been a strong point in the vision and management of our public lands for Sen. Dianne Feinstein. Although the Mojave desert region, had National Monument status for the past 15 years, along with Joshua Tree and Death Valley, conservation activists were recently able to add a 29,000 acre portion that had been previously gouged out of it, as the Castle Mountain Gold mine.

Castle Mountain had been active until 1994; however with closure of that 700 acre mine, and some limited restoration of the land, by the former mining company, Sen. Feinstein’s legislation proposed adding this missing component to the Greater Mojave National Park. The mining company has begun some plantings of cacti, and Joshua Trees, for a start.

The Senator’s legislation, along with strong conservationist support also proposed adding 344,000 acres of wilderness and 76 miles of wild and scenic rivers, including expansion of Death Valley and Joshua Tree. This addition would create essential wildlife corridors for wildlife by connecting Joshua Tree National Park to the San Bernadino Mountains, thus allowing wildlife to obtain access to the year round springs at the Big Morongo Preserve.

If you have never visited the Big Morongo Wildlife preserve, I can recommend it highly. It has offered me the best and most frequent sightings of the beautiful little Vermilion flycatcher, and its cottonwood trees offer nesting and refuge for Long Eared Owls. Its cattail marsh and abundant tules offer Red Winged Blackbirds, swallows of several species; plus some of our endangered amphibians.

With the lovely Castle Mountains as a backdrop for portions of the Mohave Desert, the beleaguered Desert Mountain Bighorn Sheep are now able to sample the unique grasslands normally not found in a desert. One of the mammals missing from this region where they once existed are Pronghorn antelope. Negotiations are ongoing between the Fish and Game Personnel in California, Nevada, and Arizona, to consider the reintroduction of a small herd of pronghorn antelope, to one of its ancestral homes.

Additional raves are due to the efforts of the Center for Biological Diversity, a conservation group that has multi-state membership and concerns about Surprise Canyon, which straddles Death Valley and adjacent BLM land just outside of Death Valley. They sued to stop the most extreme lunatic off road vehicle drivers from winching their vehicles up almost vertical waterfalls, thereby spilling gasoline, antifreeze and other toxic pollutants into the water. The off-roaders also chopped down cottonwood trees to make illegal fires, and created a most aversive effect upon the native wildlife, that depend upon that year round stream. Thanks to the Center for Biological Diversity, the cottonwood trees are beginning to sprout, and wild orchids are returning too. Tourism is now permitted only on foot, but it has increased greatly. Hopefully Surprise Canyon will be designated as a scenic river, if the river Canyon continues to show signs of increased healing.

There are specific areas for off road vehicle use, designated by the legislature. Some of the areas have been in existence for many years; however, the lunatic fringe in the off roaders loves to defy regulations; and could not care less about the wildlife and native vegetation they destroy in their drunken, drugged, malicious obsession with destruction. In summary it is pathetic that such people are so stupid, ignorant, and blind to existing beauty.

-- Marvin J. Sheffield, DVM

Monterey Regional Parks’ new catalog of classes is out

The new Let’s Go Outdoors! guide of the Monterey Peninsula Regional Park District is arriving now in area mailboxes, providing a mother lode of information on dozens of nature programs and classes that are available to people of all ages – from tots through senior citizens. The spring/summer schedule stretches from late April through September and is the fifth in a popular series. Classes, outings, workshops and special events, led by expert instructors and guides, are described in the 16-page color publication. Hiking, art, outdoor photography, geocaching, whalewatching, kayaking, birding, horseback riding, sandcastle building and star gazing are among the wide variety of programs for nature lovers of all interests. “We are offering many new and exciting programs while also retaining others from our past guides,” said Joseph Narvaez, who coordinates environmental education programs for The Park District. “We are looking forward to first-time participants and welcome back those who have enjoyed our programs for some time.” Locales where programs will be held are diverse and widespread. They include Garland Ranch Regional Park, Palo Corona Regional Park, Santa Lucia Conservancy, Frog Pond Wetland Preserve, Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History, Marina Library, Locke-Paddon Park, Monterey Bay, Moss Landing, MY Museum, Pebble Beach Equestrian Center, Monterey Regional Waste Management District, Mill Creek Preserve, Sanctuary Rock Gym, Pinnacles National Monument West, Big Sur coast, and the Watershed Institute at CSUMB. Classes are free or of low to moderate cost, with residents of The Park District receiving a discount. Another feature of the new Let’s Go Outdoors! guide is information about The Park District’s Community ALIVE! (Act Locally In Volunteer Endeavors) program, which describes community action and service projects that are organized by The Park District. The guide also includes a listing of some of the many hikes, all free, that will be offered. For information on Community ALIVE! and the hikes, please call 659-6065. Area voters created the Monterey Peninsula Regional Park District in 1972.

The Green Page

Monterey joins PG, others by banning PS packagingand plastic bags

Monterey County has banned polystyrene (PS) take-out packaging, and Santa Cruz County has taken the first step toward a ban on plastic bags and a fee on paper bags.

Monterey County supervisors on April 13 approved its ban on PS take-out packaging in all unincorporated areas of the county. The ban will apply to all disposable food service items, including plates, cups, bowls, trays, straws, cup lids, utensils and hinged or lidded containers and cartons. It will take effect Nov. 10, as the county built in a grace period for restaurants to deplete their current supplies.

The county’s PS ban will apply to approximately 170 restaurants, grocery stores and food vendors that operate within the county’s unincorporated areas. In all of Monterey County, there are an estimated 2,200 restaurants, grocers and food vendors with PS bans already in effect in Monterey, Pacific Grove, Carmel, Del Ray Oaks, and Seaside.

The Monterey County ban exempts PS ice chests and coolers, and PS packaging used for raw meats, poultry, fish and eggs. There also is an exemption for food prepared or packaged outside the unincorporated area of the county but sold within the unincorporated area of the county.

In Santa Cruz, supervisors agreed to go ahead with the recommendation of the county’s public works department to ban plastic bags and place a 10-cent fee on paper bags that would escalate to 25 cents in the second year.

However, before Santa Cruz officials draft their bill, the county will conduct an environmental impact review, at a budgeted cost of $100,000, in an attempt to ward off any lawsuit from the Save the Plastic Bag Coalition, which has successfully sued to prevent other plastic bag bans from going into effect in California.

There are currently 12 plastic bags bans in the United States, four of them in the California cities of San Francisco, Fairfax, Palo Alto and Malibu. The District of Columbia also has a 5-cent tax on single-use plastic carryout bags.

April 9, 2010 CEDAR STREET Times• Page 15

"Bringing Dead Things to Life!"

Ever wondered about the museum's extensive collection of stuffed and mounted birds, reptiles, and mammals? Who made them? When? How? Why? Find out from Jim Covell, an experienced taxidermist, President of the National Association for Interpretation, and Manager of Interpretive Programs at the Monterey Bay Aquarium.

Volunteers with the PG Museum receive monthly enrichment talks, such as this, from experts in various fields of natural history. This talk is open to anyone interested in possibly becoming a volunteer. Volunteer opportunities include hosting, gardening, being in the museum store, or helping with educational programs and events.

The talk will be held on Thursday, April 29, 2:00 pm at the Museum, and is free of charge.

WHERE: PG Museum of Natural History, 165 Forest Ave, Pacific Grove

COST: FreeEVENT INFO: Annie Holdren,

Educational Programs Director Telephone 648-5716,

ext. 17; email holdren@pgmuseum.org

Bees, Wasps, Honey and Hives

The Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History presents the next Science Saturday, entitled Bees, Wasps, Honey, and Hives, on Saturday, April 24 from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Both children and adults are invited to learn about bees, wasps, honey and hives. Taste honey made from different kinds of flowers, roll beeswax candles, discover how paper wasps make their nests, examine stingers under microscopes. Dale Hillard from Hillard Hives will be on hand to show bee-keeping gear and to talk about the roles and life cycles of honey bees.

Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History is located at 165 Forest Avenue in Pacific Grove. The event is free and donations are appreciated.

For more information call the museum at 831-648-5716 Ext. 17.

The Green Page is sponsored by:

Funded by the City of Pacific Grove • For Additional Information, Call 831-648-5722

“WIPES” are Not FlushablePlease discard wipes in the trash to avoid sewage overflows.

Wipes are a drain on our city’s valuable resources.

Protect TheMonterey BayWipes are now the leading cause of sewage line blockages in the City of Pacific Grove. Even “flushable” wipes do not dissolve readily. They collect in the lines, which leads to sewage overflows into the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary.

HouseholdCleaning

Towelettes

Baby Wipes

Personal Care Wipes

The Green Page

Page 16 • CEDAR STREET Times •April 9, 2010

The Green Page

skyl

er L

ewis

49th Annual

Wildflower Show

Pacific Grove Museum of Natural HistoryFriday, April 16- Sunday, April 1810:00 a.m. $3 donation

Earth Day 2010

Earth Day at Pt. LobosThursday, April 22 is Earth Day and why not spend it

at Pt. Lobos State Reserve? Free guided walks and talks have been scheduled all day, from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on a variety of topics and on the most breath-taking trails at the reserve. Take the day off, pack a picnic lunch and go tide-pooling at Weston Beach, explore Cypress Grove with a trained docent or exlore the Whaler’s cabin at Whaler’s Cove. Some trails are wheelchair accessible.

Entrance fee per passenger car is $10 dollars; $9.00 dollars for seniors. Parking is free along Highway #l.

To learn more about the Earth Day guided walk schedule and meeting places at Pt. Lobos, please call Carol at 375-2235 or the Entrance Station at 624- 4909.

Sustainability practicestopic for SPG meeting

A program program highlighting the extensive sustainability practices currently in force at CSUMB, resulting in considerable dollar savings through reduced use of energy, water and other resources will be the topic for the May 4 Sustainable PG meeting. Other topics include the green projects promoted by the Student Government Environmental Committee.

Bob Brown, CSUMB Director of Facilities, and Chair of CSUMB Campus Climate Commitment Committee, and Duane Lindsay, Environmental Senator for CSUMB Associated Students will be the presenters.

The meeting will be held at the P.G. Museum of Natural History on Tuesday, May 4, at 7 p.m. The public is welcome at no charge.

By Cameron Douglas

Created to show a commitment to environmental protection, Earth Day gives each of us a chance to learn, teach and share our ideas and methods of caring for the earth; to renew personal commitments to use less water and electricity, commute without polluting, reuse and recycle. It’s a day to show the earth we care and to get our young people involved. This year marks the event’s 40th anniversary. Earth Day began as one man’s vision for a better world.

In the waning days of 1969, a Wisconsin senator named Gaylord Nelson was determined to awaken the Federal government to the fact that industrial pollution, gas-guzzling cars and waste had the earth at grave risk. Nelson envisioned a large-scale, grassroots environmental demonstration to shake things up. He announced the Earth Day concept at a conference in Seattle and called upon the entire nation to get involved.

On April 22, 1970, Earth Day kicked off with rallies in many major American cities. In Washington, D.C., thousands of people came to hear speeches and musical performances. Congress went into recess so its members could speak with constituents at the event.

Things kept rolling. In December of that year, The Environmental Protection Agency was founded for the purpose of protecting human health and safeguarding the natural environment — air, water and land.

Public support increased. A poll taken in May of 1971 found 25 percent of the American public declared protecting the environment to be an important goal. That was a 2500 percent increase over a similar poll conducted in 1969.

Earth Day went global in 1990, with 200 million people participating in more than 140 countries. Earth Day Network now claims more than 1 billion people are involved with Earth Day, making it “the largest secular civic event in the world.”

To appreciate the changes that have happened, let’s go back to how it was in the U.S. when the movement began. In 1970, factories and foundries released tons of pollutants into the air and waterways with little or no legal consequence. The average automobile weighed 3,500 pounds and got around 14 mpg. The corner gas station gave full service at no extra cost. The attendant(s) filled it up for you, cleaned your windshield and checked under the hood. All the gasoline they sold contained lead and carried a maximum octane rating of 95 to 98. That fuel cost around 44 cents a gallon.

If you liked sporty cars and owned, say, a Chevrolet Chevelle SS454 with the LS-6 option, that engine was rated — from the factory — at 450 brake horsepower. Starting the car produced a heavy, rich gasoline smell from the big Holley racing carburetor. Gas mileage for such a machine was a single-digit figure to grouse about over the fence with your neighbor. Parts of California required some basic smog controls: the rest of the nation did not.

Today, sporty types are filling up computerized, fuel-

injected, 118-horsepower Mini Coopers with 91-octane unleaded at $3.50 a gallon. A gallon goes 35-40 miles. Biennial smog checks show emission numbers lower than the gas mileage on that old Chevelle. Quite a difference.

Despite remarkable progress in the automotive field and other industries, the Earth Day Network maintains the world is in greater peril than ever due to climate change. However, EDN adds, this also presents a wealth of opportunities for climate policies, energy efficiency, renewable energy and green jobs.

Whi le Ear th Day’s official date is April 22, many advance events are scheduled so more people can participate. Locally, t h e M o n t e r e y C o u n t y Illegal Dumping and Litter Abatement Task Force will engage in a countywide cleanup of public lands, parks and property on April 17. You can help. Call (831)755-

4579. The Earth Day Network reports it is currently

in collaboration with more than 17,000 partners and organizations in 174 countries.

Sources: History.com; EarthDay.org/