mmIEY PETIVE[ it will from the Bu//etin Staff Fort Ord Receives National Monument Designation On Friday, April 20, President Barack Obama signed a proclamation des- ignating 15,000 acres of the decommissioned Fort Ord military base as a national monument. During its peak, Fort Ord encompassed 28,000 acres. With its status as a national monument, Fort Ord will receive federal protec- tion to preserve a major swath of the rare Central Coast maritime chaparral ecosystem. This habitat is home to mountain lions, deer, eagles, and the protected California black legless lizard. The official proclamation signed by the President cites Fort Ord's ecological and historical significance. One and seven-tenths million soldiers trained at the post from the beginning of World War I through Operation Desert Storm (the first Gulf War). The official designation is the Fort Ord National Monument. This is the second national monument designated by President Obama. In November, Virginia's Fort Monroe was made into a national monument because of its important role in the nation's slavery history. Dutch traders first brought en- slaved Africans to Fort Monroe in 1619. Pizza Robber Arrested On Tuesday, April 17, Pacific Grove Police detectives arrested 19-year-old Urielo Ruvalcaba for the armed robbery of a pizza delivery driver. This arrest stems from a March 16 Pacific Grove robbery of a pizza delivery driver who was held up at gunpoint by four suspects and robbed, not only of the pizza, but of his personal belongings and pizza delivery proceeds. The robbery oc- curred on the 900 block of Piedmont Avenue. Ruvalcaba had three accom- plices and police are asking for leads in this case and in two similar robberies in Seaside. The investigation is still active. Monterey Appoints Assistant City Manager On Monday, April 24, Monterey City Manager Fred Meurer announced the appointment of Mike McCarthy as assistant city manager, effective July 6. He will replace Fred Cohn, who- will be leaving the city after nearly 28 years of service. Mr. McCarthy has served Monterey City for more than 10 years and has been human resources director since 2009. Prior to his employment by Monterey, he worked for the city of San Jose and NASA's Office of the In- spector General. He has also been a police officer for the city of Lake Forest Park, Washington. He holds a BA degree from San Jose State University and a Master of Public Administration degree from the University of Washington. Guilty Plea in Olinger Murder In 1997, 17-year-old Kristopher Eric Olinger, a Monterey High School stu- dent, was murdered on Pacific Grove's recreation trail. In 2005, palm-print matches connected the Ruelas brothers, Angelo and his older brother Ja- cobo, to the death. On Tuesday, April 24, Angelo, 17 at the time of Olinger's death, admitted to a role in the murder, just prior to a jury being chosen for his trial. Now the trial will proceed only against Jacobo Ruelas. Angelo pleaded guilty to first-degree murder during the commission of car- jacking, a special circumstance that carries a term of life without possibility of parole. As a minor at the time of the crime, he avoids the possibility of a death sentence. Angelo admitted the commission of carjacking and kidnapping with the use of a knife for the benefit of the NorteAo gang. Jacobo Ruelas, an adult in 1997, maintains his innocence. Natividad Regains Certification Natividad Medical Center received a letter from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid that an inspection by inspectors from the state Department of Public Health last month found no deficiencies at the Salinas hospital. A De- cember inspection had found deficiencies which could have endangered their participation in Medicare and Medicaid programs. The hospital responded ' almost immediately to correct procedural and personnel problems and a rein- spection on March 22 revealed that the problem areas had been successfully addressed by Natividad. MAY 2, 2012 -1 - .0-_t L 2£2652; 69 042 ghi 2 1- 1 -6-4 All letters should be 250 words or less in length. We reserve the right to edit all letters. Letters may be mailed to the Bulletin at 620 Lighthouse Ave., Ste. 135, Pacific Grove, CA 93950 or email your letters to editor@thehometownbulletin.com. All letters must be signed and include the writer's home town and a contact phone number (which will not be published). Unsigned letters without this information will not be published. Point Pinos Grill, Praise from Outer Banks For the past several months, I have enjoyed living in Pacific Grove while visiting my€ns and their families here. I have enjoyed your beautiful seen- ery, your interesting architecture, and gorgeous flora, your shops, and your diverse restaurants. To you residents who haven't tried it, I want to recommend a restaurant that I fear isn't widely known. Point Pinos Grill is located in the Pacific Grove Golf Club on Asilomar Boulevard. Its small sign is not lighted and is not easily seen. You have to look for it. My home area, the Outer Banks of North Carolina and tidewater Virginia, has many fine restaurants. Point Pinos Grill compares favorably with any of them and with other local restaurants at which I've dined. It offers delicious food, fine wine, and excellent service. Please do yourselves a favor, and try this hidden gem. You'll be glad you did. 84'rot e,itchpx Kill Devil Hills, NC Friends of Point Pinos If you attended Pacific Grove's "Good Old Days" festival, as I did, you were aware of the myriad people from everywhere who came to help our city cel- ebrate its annual tradition. It was a perfect event which gave us an opportunity to promulgate infor- mation to the citizens of our community about another critical environmental issue. With our table, maps and petitions, "Friends of Point Pinos" hoped to focus attention on the urgency of protecting the Point Pinos headlands open space from becoming just another commercial money-making enterprise. Do we really need a late night roadhouse with a hard liquor bar for an en- tertainment destination in a quiet area zoned open space and set aside for scenic vistas, forest preserves, public recreation (golf), waterfront and beach areas, public parks or similar open space uses? All this is stated in the Mu- nicipal Code, Title 23. Remember the "Tidepool Coalition" and 1,700 Pacific Grove voters who stopped the unbridled exploitation of the Point Pinos tidepools with a ballot initiative in the year 2000? Yes, we did it before and it can be done again, if need be, to preserve and protect the Point Pinos headlands from the intrusion and encroachment of commercialism into the city's irreplaceable open space. We thank all the residents of Pacific Grove and those from other areas who signed the Friends of Point Pinos petition and/ or gave us a 'thumbs up' encouragement to preserve and protect one of the city's most valuable treasures. 72•ti \Dit,KiA#Y Pacific Grove Questions Abound About the PG - Agha Partnership PG has agreed to partner with Agha to build and operate a desalination plant at Moss Landing costing an estimated $128,000,000. I could write thousands of words on problems leading to delays, damages, change or- dem, claims and litigations resulting from construction projects. Will there be excess quantities of pesticides or fertilizers flowing into the ocean from the Salinas River? Will the desalination process remove toxic contaminants? Would a plant further south with a longer input system be better? What is the Coastal Commission position? Who is going to manage the facility and where do you find competent technicians to operate a desali- nation plant? The Moss Landing site has been touted as favorable because of existing facilities including inlet and outlet systems plus an existing building. Existing facilities more often than not prove to be inadequate. Changes often cause delays and higher costs than if they were implemented in the original design. Pacific Grove seems to believe that we can profit from desalination. It is more likely to lose millions of dollars as a defendant in litigation. Why would a city that contracted out its fire department, museum, cut hours on the library, and cut staff want to run a regional water agency? How is the city qualified to design, construct, and operate a desal plant? Is Pacific Grove more com- petent than Cal-Am in reverse osmosis? Does the city management of the golf course qualify the city? Is Agha an expert in desalination? 250* Re'llt,·Ack Pacific Grove PGBULLETIN.com 1 HometownBulletin , OCR Text: mmIEY PETIVE[ it will from the Bu//etin Staff Fort Ord Receives National Monument Designation On Friday, April 20, President Barack Obama signed a proclamation des- ignating 15,000 acres of the decommissioned Fort Ord military base as a national monument. During its peak, Fort Ord encompassed 28,000 acres. With its status as a national monument, Fort Ord will receive federal protec- tion to preserve a major swath of the rare Central Coast maritime chaparral ecosystem. This habitat is home to mountain lions, deer, eagles, and the protected California black legless lizard. The official proclamation signed by the President cites Fort Ord's ecological and historical significance. One and seven-tenths million soldiers trained at the post from the beginning of World War I through Operation Desert Storm (the first Gulf War). The official designation is the Fort Ord National Monument. This is the second national monument designated by President Obama. In November, Virginia's Fort Monroe was made into a national monument because of its important role in the nation's slavery history. Dutch traders first brought en- slaved Africans to Fort Monroe in 1619. Pizza Robber Arrested On Tuesday, April 17, Pacific Grove Police detectives arrested 19-year-old Urielo Ruvalcaba for the armed robbery of a pizza delivery driver. This arrest stems from a March 16 Pacific Grove robbery of a pizza delivery driver who was held up at gunpoint by four suspects and robbed, not only of the pizza, but of his personal belongings and pizza delivery proceeds. The robbery oc- curred on the 900 block of Piedmont Avenue. Ruvalcaba had three accom- plices and police are asking for leads in this case and in two similar robberies in Seaside. The investigation is still active. Monterey Appoints Assistant City Manager On Monday, April 24, Monterey City Manager Fred Meurer announced the appointment of Mike McCarthy as assistant city manager, effective July 6. He will replace Fred Cohn, who- will be leaving the city after nearly 28 years of service. Mr. McCarthy has served Monterey City for more than 10 years and has been human resources director since 2009. Prior to his employment by Monterey, he worked for the city of San Jose and NASA's Office of the In- spector General. He has also been a police officer for the city of Lake Forest Park, Washington. He holds a BA degree from San Jose State University and a Master of Public Administration degree from the University of Washington. Guilty Plea in Olinger Murder In 1997, 17-year-old Kristopher Eric Olinger, a Monterey High School stu- dent, was murdered on Pacific Grove's recreation trail. In 2005, palm-print matches connected the Ruelas brothers, Angelo and his older brother Ja- cobo, to the death. On Tuesday, April 24, Angelo, 17 at the time of Olinger's death, admitted to a role in the murder, just prior to a jury being chosen for his trial. Now the trial will proceed only against Jacobo Ruelas. Angelo pleaded guilty to first-degree murder during the commission of car- jacking, a special circumstance that carries a term of life without possibility of parole. As a minor at the time of the crime, he avoids the possibility of a death sentence. Angelo admitted the commission of carjacking and kidnapping with the use of a knife for the benefit of the NorteAo gang. Jacobo Ruelas, an adult in 1997, maintains his innocence. Natividad Regains Certification Natividad Medical Center received a letter from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid that an inspection by inspectors from the state Department of Public Health last month found no deficiencies at the Salinas hospital. A De- cember inspection had found deficiencies which could have endangered their participation in Medicare and Medicaid programs. The hospital responded ' almost immediately to correct procedural and personnel problems and a rein- spection on March 22 revealed that the problem areas had been successfully addressed by Natividad. MAY 2, 2012 -1 - .0-_t L 2£2652; 69 042 ghi 2 1- 1 -6-4 All letters should be 250 words or less in length. We reserve the right to edit all letters. Letters may be mailed to the Bulletin at 620 Lighthouse Ave., Ste. 135, Pacific Grove, CA 93950 or email your letters to editor@thehometownbulletin.com. All letters must be signed and include the writer's home town and a contact phone number (which will not be published). Unsigned letters without this information will not be published. Point Pinos Grill, Praise from Outer Banks For the past several months, I have enjoyed living in Pacific Grove while visiting my€ns and their families here. I have enjoyed your beautiful seen- ery, your interesting architecture, and gorgeous flora, your shops, and your diverse restaurants. To you residents who haven't tried it, I want to recommend a restaurant that I fear isn't widely known. Point Pinos Grill is located in the Pacific Grove Golf Club on Asilomar Boulevard. Its small sign is not lighted and is not easily seen. You have to look for it. My home area, the Outer Banks of North Carolina and tidewater Virginia, has many fine restaurants. Point Pinos Grill compares favorably with any of them and with other local restaurants at which I've dined. It offers delicious food, fine wine, and excellent service. Please do yourselves a favor, and try this hidden gem. You'll be glad you did. 84'rot e,itchpx Kill Devil Hills, NC Friends of Point Pinos If you attended Pacific Grove's "Good Old Days" festival, as I did, you were aware of the myriad people from everywhere who came to help our city cel- ebrate its annual tradition. It was a perfect event which gave us an opportunity to promulgate infor- mation to the citizens of our community about another critical environmental issue. With our table, maps and petitions, "Friends of Point Pinos" hoped to focus attention on the urgency of protecting the Point Pinos headlands open space from becoming just another commercial money-making enterprise. Do we really need a late night roadhouse with a hard liquor bar for an en- tertainment destination in a quiet area zoned open space and set aside for scenic vistas, forest preserves, public recreation (golf), waterfront and beach areas, public parks or similar open space uses? All this is stated in the Mu- nicipal Code, Title 23. Remember the "Tidepool Coalition" and 1,700 Pacific Grove voters who stopped the unbridled exploitation of the Point Pinos tidepools with a ballot initiative in the year 2000? Yes, we did it before and it can be done again, if need be, to preserve and protect the Point Pinos headlands from the intrusion and encroachment of commercialism into the city's irreplaceable open space. We thank all the residents of Pacific Grove and those from other areas who signed the Friends of Point Pinos petition and/ or gave us a 'thumbs up' encouragement to preserve and protect one of the city's most valuable treasures. 72•ti \Dit,KiA#Y Pacific Grove Questions Abound About the PG - Agha Partnership PG has agreed to partner with Agha to build and operate a desalination plant at Moss Landing costing an estimated $128,000,000. I could write thousands of words on problems leading to delays, damages, change or- dem, claims and litigations resulting from construction projects. Will there be excess quantities of pesticides or fertilizers flowing into the ocean from the Salinas River? Will the desalination process remove toxic contaminants? Would a plant further south with a longer input system be better? What is the Coastal Commission position? Who is going to manage the facility and where do you find competent technicians to operate a desali- nation plant? The Moss Landing site has been touted as favorable because of existing facilities including inlet and outlet systems plus an existing building. Existing facilities more often than not prove to be inadequate. Changes often cause delays and higher costs than if they were implemented in the original design. Pacific Grove seems to believe that we can profit from desalination. It is more likely to lose millions of dollars as a defendant in litigation. Why would a city that contracted out its fire department, museum, cut hours on the library, and cut staff want to run a regional water agency? How is the city qualified to design, construct, and operate a desal plant? Is Pacific Grove more com- petent than Cal-Am in reverse osmosis? Does the city management of the golf course qualify the city? Is Agha an expert in desalination? 250* Re'llt,·Ack Pacific Grove PGBULLETIN.com 1 HometownBulletin , Heritage Society of Pacific Grove,Historical Collections,Names of People about town,A through B Name file,Agha,Van Protz,AGHA_008.pdf,AGHA_008.pdf 1 Page 1, Tags: AGHA_008.PDF, AGHA_008.pdf 1 Page 1