August 26 - September 1, 2011
| Dear Readers, Even while he's hosting a festival in Carmel Valley, one of the country's most renowned composers announced this week he's planning to turn an historic Big Sur ranch into a performing arts center. But will the coastal commission let him? Chris Counts reports. Every senior citizen's nightmare -- that someone will cheat them out of the estate they plan to leave their children -- came true for a Pebble Beach man, according to a Monterey County judge. Kelly Nix has that story. Neighborhood opposition could derail a proposed condo project on the outskirts of town, but it doesn't have a chance if it can't get water, and according to the SWRCB, it won't. Chris reports that one, too. Five people had to be rescued from a cliff near Bixby Creek Bridge in two separate incidents this week. Should they have to pay for their own foolishness? And a man who jumped off the bridge last year has officially been declared "dumb" by a cable TV channel. We have all the fascinating details. Downtown shop owners are annoyed at the way a bankrupt Pierre Deux is handling its "Going out of Business" sale. Two local high schools are undertaking major building projects, even as the state reports SAT scores for them and all the other high schools in the county. And my editorial takes on critics of Concours Week who think it's a mindless and revolting display of self-indulgent, callous, pretentious, vulgar and ostentatious wealth. (Check your thesaurus for more damning adjectives.) Don't forget that this week voting begins for the 2011 Golden Pine Cones, which give you a chance to support your favorite local shops, restaurants and service providers. Since you're a subscriber to our email edition, you'll soon receive your ballots by email. Don't take them lightly, because in the three years since we launched the GPCs, we've learned that winning means a lot. Voting continues through September 6 with winners announced September 23. Meanwhile, if you want to learn about the news story this week that's a real embarrassment for President Barack Obama, be sure to check out my hot Internet links. To get this week's complete Pine Cone, please click here. If you have an informed opinion about one of our stories and would like to submit a letter to the editor, please click here. To comment on our Facebook page, click here. Of course, you can also contact me personally if you have questions, comments or concerns about this week's paper. Paul Miller, Publisher |