Carmel Pine Cone, March 14, 2014
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VolumeThe 100 No. 11 Carmel On the Internet: www.carmelpinecone.com Pine Cone March 14-20, 2014 TRUSTED BY LOCALS AND LOVED BY VISITORS SINCE 1915 Friends of Spike get OK to dedicate bench Woman arrested By MARY SCHLEY bridge 2007-2009 and befriended everyone who crossed for killing friend it.” CARMEL IS world famous for being friendly to dogs, According to Linda Smith, one of the group of more but isn’t exactly hostile to cats. than 30 Friends of Spike and the woman with whom he in DUI collision The city’s planning commission unanimously voted took up residence when he began feeling his age, the cat Tuesday to allow a group of residents to dedicate a bench started hanging out around the bench on the footbridge By MARY SCHLEY on the Lincoln Street footbridge to a cat named Spike who between Third and Fourth avenues after his family moved had made the bridge his home for several years before he downtown in 2007. Carmel police identified the apparent- CARMEL Valley woman was arrested early Saturday died in a nearby home in 2012. The 6-by-8-inch bronze A ly stray cat’s owners and returned him, but he repeatedly morning on suspicion of driving drunk and hitting and plaque will be etched with an image of the cat and read, escaped, preferring to live in “the semi wild and magical killing 25-year-old Kate Thomas, who was walking home on “In Memory of Spike, 1996-2012, A legend in his own environs of the footbridge, a place more in tune with his Esquiline Road after the two were drinking alongside others time … The neatest, best-est, coolest, brightest, sweetest, at the Running Iron in Carmel Valley Village. most savvy and friendly cat ever … who lived at the foot- See SPIKE page 22A Police suspect Breezie Anne Snyder, 28, was intoxicated when she struck Thomas with her Toyota Highlander at around 2 a.m. March 8. The victim, known to many as the cheerful, bespectacled woman who worked at the Carmel Valley Market and Grove Market in Pacific Grove, died at Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula at 2 a.m. “I can’t confirm it, but somebody told one of the investi- gating officers that they did know each other. They were both coming from the Running Iron,” California Highway Patrol public information officer Jaime Rios told The Pine Cone. See DUI page 12A Spike (left) moved away from his home in 2007, preferring to live in the semi-wild environs of the Lincoln Street bridge, where he captured the hearts of many. His fans are dedicating a bench to him. Family to file suit against man who took their dog n One last search for Candy Cane found a week later. But the dog remains missing after the sec- ond time she was stolen in August 2013. By KELLY NIX Perkins, a Hartnell College math teacher, was charged with the crimes and in February pleaded no contest (which is Kate Thomas Breezie Snyder THE MONTEREY family whose Labrador retriever was the same as a guilty plea) to one felony count of animal cru- stolen and left for dead in the Carmel Highlands is in the elty and a misdemeanor count of theft of a dog. He is sched- process of filing a civil lawsuit against the neighbor who uled to be sentenced in April. took the animal. In the meantime, the Daltons’ Carmel attorney, Lyn City finance specialist Melissa Dalton’s Lab, Candy Cane, was twice taken by Woodward, told The Pine Cone she’s preparing to file suit neighbor Gregory Perkins and dropped off in the Carmel against Perkins to seek monetary and non-monetary damages guilty of food stamp fraud, Highlands, about eight miles away from their house, accord- for the loss of the beloved family dog. She is seeking more ing to police. The first time, in summer 2012, the dog was than $25,000. “The reason for the lawsuit is that the restitution in the has three bankruptcies criminal case is much more narrow than what [the Daltons] $24,000 water bill could get in civil court,” Woodward explained. n Stilwell says reporting is ‘bullying’ cut to just $100 See DOG page 25A By MARY SCHLEY DEANNA ALLEN, who was hired at city hall in 2010 By KELLY NIX Is it nice to fool a condor? and is in charge of Carmel’s finance and payroll departments, was convicted last year of fraudulently receiving almost WHEN MONTEREY resident Gervaise Davis got a $5,000 in food stamps. She has also filed for bankruptcy California American Water bill for a staggering $24,000, he three times — in 1997, 2008 and 2011 — according to court was stunned, to say the least. records. “My wife handed it to me and said ‘Oh my goodness, we City administrator Jason Stilwell defended Allen, saying must have a problem,’” Davis, a semi-retired attorney, told he can assure taxpayers that her crime and bankruptcies have The Pine Cone. “And I said, ‘Yes, I think so.’” not “impacted her ability to serve the city and its citizens Davis, whose water bills typically run from a low of $30 honestly.” to a high of $180, depending on his landscaping needs in a Mayor Jason Burnett also came to her defense and said he particular month, immediately contacted Cal Am to find out was glad she worked at city hall. the problem. His bill reflected that he used almost 229,000 “If the biggest mistake that somebody has made involves gallons. working to get food on your kids’ table, frankly that’s the sort “You would have to have the equivalent of a miniature of employee that we want,” Burnett said. “I’m obviously not Niagara Falls in your backyard,” Davis said. condoning any particular activity, but you need to look at the Davis acknowledged he discovered a “significant” leak specifics, and a lot of people were in really tough situations from an irrigation line in his backyard on Christmas Day and during the Great Recession, and a lot of people got them- that his son-in-law cut and capped the line to stop the flow. selves in situations that in hindsight they wish they had not While he’s not sure how long the leak existed, he scoffed at entered into, but I think people deserve a second chance pro- the amount his meter showed he used. vided they have handled the situation after the fact.” “That is absurd,” he said. PHOTO/COURTESY VENTANA WILDLIFE SOCIETY According to prosecutors, however, Allen and her hus- However, an underground break in a water supply line can Female condor No. 171 (above) tends to an egg in her nest last band, Wayne, committed fraud to obtain public funds from easily leak that much without showing any evidence on the year. But is it really hers? Condor researchers have employed clever November 2009 to March 2011 — starting just before she tricks — including switching eggs — to boost the population of the See BILL page 27A endangered birds. See 5A. See FRAUD page 12A Have the complete Carmel Pine Cone delivered every Thursday evening to your iPad, laptop, PC or phone. Free subscriptions available at www.carmelpinecone.com 2A The Carmel Pine Cone March 14, 2014 Sandy Claws By Lisa Crawford Watson speeds, careening around corners and crashing into For the love of Kramer walls. Then he straightens himself up and slides into place like curly-haired Kramer from, “Seinfeld.” Which is exactly where he got his name. AFTER THE loss of their Standard Poodle, Yoshi, Kramer, now 5, loves the kids in his family, both of their grief made them believe they didn’t want another whom have moved away from home. When they visit, dog, until they realized the painful silence, hanging like he hangs out in the hallway between their bedrooms, a shroud throughout the house, was prolonging their and waits for them to wake up, and then gets so sad sadness. when they leave, he lies on one of their beds with his At first, they weren’t sure what to do with the head on the pillow. adorable puffball they brought home, a little “Kramer loves the beach,” says his person, “but he Labradoodle they could cup in their hands, who doesn’t get there often. It’s a real commitment to take seemed sweet and shy and all about affection. Yet, as a 98-pound white Labradoodle to the beach. It takes he grew and grew and grew, they watched the little planning – and a big bathtub.” dog who they imagined would stay sorta small devel- Kramer also loves to watch TV. He is particularly op the awkward, long limbs and exuberant energy of attracted to animal shows. Once he viewed almost an an oversized adolescent. entire documentary on sea lions and wept as he Now 98 pounds, he races into rooms at break-neck watched. His family had to turn off the Westminster Dog Show; he was beside himself. He just couldn’t take all the emotion. Kramer’s also loves the lady who delivers newspa- pers in the neighborhood. She doesn’t stop at his house, but she gets an exuberant greeting every time she drives by. JAMES E. RHEIM, M.D. • JOSEPH R. RHEIM, M.D. MPC play brings together Shakespeare and Prohibition Eye Candy Just for You! REIMAGINED AS a “brawling, boozy Prohibition era really related to it. I just thought it would be a kick to see It Takes Two! Two kits for longer, thicker, darker lashes.