December 2 - 8, 2011
Dear Readers, We hate to intrude on your holiday vibe, but for a slow news week, we have a lot of important stories for you. The former county water official accused of betraying the public trust when he lobbied for a new water project, and of cheating an employer by submitting phony invoices, says he's not guilty of any of the charges. His lawyer also said Steve Collins is facing an uphill battle just paying for his defense. Kelly Nix reports. Would the public irreparably lose confidence in its government if a local golf course clubhouse were allowed to stay open a few hours later one day this week? The judge who was presented with that question Wednesday said she doubted it and declined to issue an emergency restraining order. Kelly and I have that byline. Carmel High School has perhaps its most important football game ever Saturday — an event that brought the mayor of Salinas to Devendorf Park Thursday with a challenge for Carmel Mayor Sue McCloud. Chris Counts was there for the smackdown. A Carmel Highlands condo caught fire Wednesday, causing serious damage and forcing the evacuation of many. A wildlife expert who was instrumental in the reintroduction of condors to Big Sur was killed this week when a tree fell on him. A piece of the World Trade Center is on its way to Carmel as a memorial. A local photographer's exhibit contains unique images of some of the biggest names in rock 'n' roll. My editorial explains the real reason why the public frequently loses faith in its courts. And if you're interested in the latest outrage at the U.S.-Mexico border, 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 |