Folksinging Principal honored May I offer you legend plays for athletics, a damp shoe? Sunset Center academics — INSIDE THIS WEEK BULK RATE U.S. POSTAGE PAID CARMEL, CA Permit No. 149 Volume 93 No. 38 On the Internet: www.carmelpinecone.com September 21-27, 2007 Y OUR S OURCE F OR L OCAL N EWS, ARTS AND O PINION S INCE 1915 Pot bust, gunfire Ready for GPU may thwart at Garland Park her closeup ... Rancho Cañada By MARY BROWNFIELD housing project FIVE MEN suspected of a cultivating marijuana near Garland Park were arrested at gunpoint late By KELLY NIX Monday morning in the park’s parking lot following a night of strange occurrences that included gunfire, a THE AFFORDABLE housing “overlay” at the mouth of chase and hikers trying to flag down motorists at mid- Carmel Valley outlined in the newly revised county general night on Carmel Valley Road, according to Monterey plan could jeopardize the area’s most promising affordable County Sheriff’s Deputy Tim Krebs. housing development, its backers contend. The saga began Sunday afternoon, when a pair of The Rancho Cañada Village project, a vision of the late hikers saw two men with duffle bags and weapons walk Nick Lombardo, would provide 281 homes at the mouth of out of a nearby canyon. Afraid, one of the hikers yelled, Carmel Valley, constructed on land which is part of the “Police!” prompting the men to drop the bags and run, Rancho Cañada golf course. according to Krebs. According to the plan, half the homes would be sold at The duffles were full of freshly cut marijuana, market prices, subsidizing the which the hikers decided to take, according to the sher- other half, which would be iff’s department. But they didn’t want to carry the con- “workforce housing.” traband out in broad daylight, so they returned around But because a portion of An affordable 11:30 p.m. to retrieve the bags. Rancho Cañada Village’s land housing Their plan went awry when they heard voices in the lies within the proposed “affordable housing overlay,” requirement See POT page 11A which requires that 100 per- might end up cent of the homes be afford- able in that area, the develop- making it er contends it could make the harder to build project too costly to build. Shoplifters hit more “It normally takes market- rate housing to subsidize the than a dozen stores affordable housing,” said Alan Williams, Rancho Cañada Village’s managing partner. He and former Carmel Mayor By MARY BROWNFIELD Clint Eastwood acquired the project from Lombardo’s fami- ly last year. “The county is trying to create an affordable A PAIR of Nevada women who indulged in a two- housing overlay as an incentive to do things. In our case, it’s day shoplifting spree — and used a pair of teenage not an incentive, it’s a penalty.” boys to help them steal — were arrested Saturday after Without having market-rate homes to help pay for the less an eagle-eyed store owner recognized something was PHOTO/PAUL SCHRAUB expensive ones, Williams said at the very least, the Rancho amiss and helped identify the suspects, according to Cañada project would have to be redrawn, costing valuable Carmel Police Sgt. Mike Calhoun. Who could resist a diminutive mini-Dachshund named Ellie time and money. Michael Hirst, who owns Laub’s Country Store on Jelly Belly? Certainly not the judges at this month’s Carmel Dog “To restructure the project in what they envisioned in the Ocean Avenue, alerted police to the suspicious shop- Calendar Casting Call who selected Barbara and Darin Barr’s affordable housing overlay,” he said, “it would put me back to pers Sept. 15 when officer Jeff Watkins entered the sweater-clad pup as one of the dozen canines who will square one. I’m talking about millions of dollars invested. To store to inquire about an unrelated matter. appear in the 2008 Carmel-by-the-Sea calendar. The city’s ad According to the police officer, Hirst said, “Thank man, Jeff Burghardt, reported more than 175 candidates, See HOUSING page 15A God you’re here ... these women are ripping me off!” accompanied by their human assistants, competed for a chance at fame and fortune at the Sept. 8 event on Carmel Hirst first noticed one of the women in his store Beach. The fortunate 12 are set to be photographed at Friday, and then saw the other with an older teenage notable downtown locations next week, with the calendar slat- boy there Saturday. Outside, he spotted both women ed for release in October. It will be sold online and in local CITY HOPES ‘ANGEL’ carrying bags full of stuff. stores, and promoted on the pages of its key sponsor, BARk See STEAL page 26A magazine, with some of the proceeds benefiting the SPCA. WILL REVIVE FILM FEST Photo exhibit celebrates return of Big Sur’s condors By MARY BROWNFIELD THE FLEDGLING Carmel film festival — which was stopped in its tracks after founder Scott Brown was accused of fabricating the support of Hollywood celebri- Once close to extinction, the ties — would be a nice event for Carmel-by-the-Sea, but California condor has become taxpayers should not foot the bill, the city council decid- a common site as it swoops and soars over the magnificent ed last week. Monterey County coast. This Council members didn’t completely shut down the weekend, an exhibit of condor concept when they discussed it Sept. 11. They expressed photographs by Daniel hope an “angel” with time, money and desire will come Bianchetti opens at The Big forward to revitalize the effort. Sur Lodge. See the Art Brown, who had enthusiastically promoted the event Roundup on page 16A. in anticipation of an October 2008 debut, earlier briefed city staff on his accomplishments, city administrator Rich Guillen told the council. “When Scott stepped back, we lost the founder and all the enthusiasm that went with it,” Guillen said. “To his credit, he had stirred up a lot of enthusiasm,” includ- See FESTIVAL page 25A Get your complete Carmel Pine Cone every Friday morning in convenient pdf format as an email attachment. Free subscriptions available at www.carmelpinecone.com. 2A The Carmel Pine Cone September 21, 2007 River School principal wins bronze medal in state competition By MARY BROWNFIELD And he wasn’t surprised to place third among the three Its mission “is to get Californians of all ages to be more finalists. active, setting the stage for California to become the nation’s JAY MARDEN — the head of Carmel River School and “I listened to the bios of the other two ‘Fitness State.’” one of three finalists for Principal of the Year in the gentlemen, and if anything, they gave me Candidates were judged on their “use of California Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports some ideas,” Marden said of gold-medal innovation, inspiration and initiative to Spotlight Awards — learned Tuesday he won the bronze winner Kurt Suhr of Newport Heights impact positively the physical activity, fit- medal and a $1,000 gift for his school. The money won’t go Elementary in Orange County, who took ness levels and well being of California far in his efforts to improve the health and well being of all home $10,000 to spend on fitness programs children and youth.” Awards were granted River School students, but Marden said he was grateful for at his school, and silver-medal winner in seven categories: principal, teacher, the award and honored by the recognition. David Sciarretta from Albert Einstein organization, company, event, park and Academy Charter Middle School in San recreation program, and school. Diego County, who received $2,500. In addition to finding innovative means Marden, an accomplished competitive of encouraging his students to be active, khaki’s . runner who has long emphasized the impor- including participation in the Internet- tance of physical fitness and health in chil- based Just Run program and competitive the best dren’s education, said he was “in excellent events, Marden founded the annual Kids of company,” and was inspired by the other Carmel Track Meet for students from in men’s principals’ work — at their own schools and schools all over the Peninsula to complete at other schools in their districts. in a day of track and field events. clothing Though he didn’t take gold or silver, At River School, he also hopes to devel- Marden beat out hundreds of other nominees Jay Marden op means of “creating support for kids we to make it to the final stage of the awards know are in desperate need of greater new offered annually by the the Governor’s Council on Physical attention, not just in physical education, but in nutrition and Fitness and Sports, which was formed in 2005 in collabora- health,” he said, and while the state’s $1,000 award is useful arrivals tion with some of the state’s “greatest sports legends,” to help and appreciated, “it will take an unusual investment to suits combat obesity in children. achieve that.” leathers sweaters Did you know... sport coats In April and May of 1848, everybody in San Francisco heard about the gold YOUR AUTO strike in the Sacramento Valley. Monterey, the capital, “somehow COLUMN remained ignorant all this time of its Presented by Kevin & Sue Anne Donohoe INCREASE EFFICIENCY, LOWER FUEL COSTS Randi Greene country’s transformation,” writes historian J.S. Holliday. This changed Vehicle owners should be Correct tire pressure, properly abruptly on May 29. A Monterey resident recorded the aware that there are factors functioning o2 sensor, an efficient within their control that can help exhaust system, an air filter, and moment: “Our town was startled out of its quiet dream them save money at the pump.