November 4 - 10, 2011
Dear Readers, The sale of La Playa Hotel closed Tuesday and almost immediately the controversy over the fate of its employees moved to city hall, even as the hotel's new owners began to lay out their plans for renovating the historic place. Mary Schley has two stories. The next election for mayor and city council is five months away, but candidates are already lining up. Mary has that story, too. The caregiver who agreed to pay $1 million to settle a lawsuit by an elderly Carmel resident he allegedly ripped off now says he can't make the payment because he's broke. He's even filed for bankruptcy, though the elderly man's attorney says the bankruptcy is fake. Kelly Nix has the sordid details. A father and daughter were hospitalized after visiting a Carmel Valley park and being bitten by a baby rattlesnake. Chris Counts has that one. Employees at the Monterey County Herald got some devastating news Wednesday when the paper's publisher informed them he's decided to outsource most of their ad design work to India. Kelly has the scoop. A major change at Hearst Castle has made it a much more interesting place to visit. Pacific Grove voters will soon answer the question: Can the town tolerate more hotel rooms? A local elementary school is taking extra steps to forestall intruders. A driver who survived a rollover crash in Big Sur also escaped serious injury when he stepped away from his damaged vehicle and fell down a cliff. School board hopefuls are explaining to voters why they'll be best for local students. My editorial explains why employees have no more right to their jobs than bosses have a right to them. And if you're interested in the difference between left-wing "peaceful" protesters and right-wing "angry" ones, be sure to visit 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 |