Celebrating a Artist’s unique A sprinkler hunt half century view of Big Sur’s will be initiated of jazz greats birds — INSIDE THIS WEEK BULK RATE U.S. POSTAGE PAID CARMEL, CA Permit No. 149 Volume 93 No. 37 On the Internet: www.carmelpinecone.com September 14-20, 2007 Y OUR S OURCE F OR L OCAL N EWS, ARTS AND O PINION S INCE 1915 African pup left for dead lives up to her name LATEST GPU INCLUDES By MARY BROWNFIELD AFFORDABLE HOUSING ‘I RESCUED her, but she totally saved FOR ARMEL ALLEY me,” Anna McCloskey said of the tiny, scabby, C V filthy, pest-infested puppy she found beside a road in Guinea, West Africa, last summer. ■ A homesick Peace Corps volunteer working 1,500 units are too many, LandWatch says as a health educator in a rural village, By KELLY NIX McCloskey nursed the abandoned dog back to health — despite the derision of locals. HE LATEST version of the county’s proposed general plan — “I was in culture shock, and she pulled me T GPU5 — calls for up to 1,520 units of workforce housing in Carmel out of it,” she recalled. Valley. But almost before the ink was dry on the affordable housing plan, McCloskey, a Marina resident who works in it drew sharp opposition from LandWatch Monterey County and a group Carmel, found the little dog in June 2006 while of residents who want no more than 250 new affordable units throughout bicycling to a market near the African village Carmel Valley and don’t want any of them built until a new water project where she was teaching residents about nutri- has been brought online. tion, malaria, AIDS and HIV, immunization, While praising GPU5 overall as a “meaningful compromise” between hygiene and other critical health issues in a two earlier general plans that were rejected by voters in June, LandWatch nation where average life expectancy is just 48 took issue with the proposal to add so much housing in Carmel Valley, years. because it would “surpass our ability to provide the necessary infrastruc- “She was really small — her eyes weren’t ture in these areas,” according to LandWatch executive director Chris Fitz. even open yet — but she had a green infection Another letter to the planning commission, from Glenn Robinson, on her forehead, and was covered with fleas and president of a local residents group, said the plan for affordable housing ticks.” she said. “I was in awe someone had in the scenic, rural valley, “cannot be justified by logic or facts on the thrown her in the woods to die, to be eaten.” ground.” PHOTO/MARY BROWNFIELD When the pathetic puppy saw McCloskey The committee which developed GPU5 recommended nearly 200 acres O Waawi — whose name means “She can do it,” — sur- peering down at her, she “cried and rolled over and peed on herself, she was so scared.” vived abandonment in West Africa as a tiny pup to thrive See AFFORDABLE page 11A in her new Monterey Peninsula home thanks to her rescuer, Anna McCloskey. See O WAAWI page 19A 1 Carmel- 1 by-the- hway g Proposed affordable housing zones Fundraiser leaves two bicyclists with head injuries Sea Hi Ca rm e By CHRIS COUNTS scene of the ride as “total chaos.” l R Carme iver l Valle The accidents took place on stretches of the high- Rio Road y Road TWO BICYCLISTS participating in a fundraising way near the Nepenthe restaurant, which is located Rancho ride through Big Sur Saturday — including one who about 30 miles south of San Carlos Road was developmentally disabled and not wearing a hel- Carmel. The first met — suffered head injuries in two separate acci- occurred just before 8 Robinson Canyon Road dents, according to emergency medical workers who a.m. when 59-year-old A disabled rider responded to the scene. Both riders were airlifted to a Chuck Ingrao of PINE CONE GRAPHIC trauma center in San Jose, CHP officials said. Pleasant Hill swerved who reportedly Meanwhile, Big Sur residents criticized organizers to his right to allow a had no helmet GPU5 includes two “affordable housing overlays” in Carmel Valley, one of the 2007 Best Buddies Challenge for creating vehicle to pass, accord- 150-acre area at the mouth of the valley and another 40-acre section in unsafe conditions on Highway 1. One described the ing to California is airlifted to mid-valley. LandWatch believes that’s too much. Highway Patrol officer a San Jose Art Carbonel. Ingrao then inadvertently trauma center veered into a ditch and Miracle rescue from Lawsuit over tax measures was “launched over his handlebars,” Carbonel threatens election timetable reported. He was flown by a CalSTAR helicopter to remote Big Sur ridge San Jose Regional Medical Center. By KELLY NIX The second accident happened shortly after 10:30 a.m. when 28-year-old John Jordan of Port Hueneme By CHRIS COUNTS A LAWSUIT filed last week to stop three Pacific lost control on a steep downhill grade and crashed, Grove tax measures from being placed on the ballot Carbonel said. THERE ARE few people in Monterey County who live as far away could make it difficult for the Monterey County According to James Barrow, assistant chief of the from civilization as historian and botanist Jeff Norman. So when Norman Elections Department to have voter materials ready on Big Sur Volunteer Fire Brigade, Jordan appeared to be suffered what appeared to be a heart attack Sunday, Sept. 9, at his remote time, according to the county registrar. developmentally disabled and wasn’t wearing a helmet home — about halfway between the Ventana Inn and the Esalen Institute Monterey lawyer and Pacific Grove resident Carl when he crashed. The rider was airlifted by a CHP heli- — the longtime Big Sur resident was in a truly perilous situation. Mounteer filed the suit last week seeking to put a stop copter to San Jose Regional Medical Center. Yet, thanks to a cell phone, a weak but usable signal from a distant to three tax measures — including a parcel tax that Both riders were airlifted from the nearby Post antenna and the persistence of emergency workers, Norman survived his would cost property owners about $120 per year. Ranch Inn. life-threatening ordeal and is now at Salinas Valley Memorial Hospital, “The City of Pacific Grove is trying to avoid the where he is listed in fair condition. requirements of Proposition 13,” Mounteer said, refer- Is the fundraising ride safe? For much of the past three decades, Norman has lived more than 3,000- ring to the 1978 voter-approved law that limits proper- That fact that one of the riders was disabled per- feet above sea level on a piece of property that can only be accessed by ty taxes. plexed Barrow, who responded to both accidents. trail. But county registrar Linda Tulett said the lawsuit, “Why would they even have developmentally dis- Health problems have recently required him live in Carmel Valley part- which comes during crunch time for the elections abled riders on this treacherous and unforgiving high- time, but he was home in Big Sur Sunday morning when his health took a office, could delay sample ballots from being mailed. way?” he asked. severe turn for the worse. See TAX page 21A See INJURIES page 24A See RESCUE page 25A Get your complete Carmel Pine Cone every Thursday evening in convenient pdf format as an email attachment. Free subscriptions available at www.carmelpinecone.com. 2A The Carmel Pine Cone September 14, 2007 Red Cross Monterey, Carmel chapters consider merging By MARY BROWNFIELD how they are stewards of the donor dollar and the valuable Nix started working for the American Red Cross in the time and effort that volunteers put in,” she said. 1980s, it included about 3,000 chapters, many of which were THE AMERICAN Red Cross’ Carmel and Monterey- A Pacific Grove consultant was hired to assist in the plan- little more than outposts. “Over the years, to ensure we were San Benito counties chapters could consolidate by next sum- ning, and members of the two chapters’ boards are working providing vital Red Cross services where they were needed, mer, but people who donate blood, learn lifesaving skills in on an agreement the directors will likely consider before the there have been consolidated chapters,” she said, with the CPR classes, become adept in pet first aid or receive help end of the year. total number currently about 760. after a house fire probably won’t notice the difference, Linda Calafiore, chair of the Carmel chapter’s board of One of the benefits is standardized responses to disasters, according to Jeannie Nix, interim executive director of the directors and a member of the committee working on the training and care, she said, as well as not having borders chapter at Dolores and Eighth. consolidation, said one board of directors would be in charge between chapters interfere with providing services. “The local community may not see any changes,” said of the entire region. Merging would centralize business oper- She also said putting the Red Cross offices in Carmel and Nix. “But it’s important for them to know we will still be in ations, while the chapter houses would continue serving the Salinas, as well the Monterey-San Benito counties chapter’s Carmel and providing services.” public as they do now. The combination could also present current service centers in Monterey and Hollister, under one For years, the two chapters have considered combining more opportunities for volunteers eager to take a variety of umbrella would not negatively affect donations, which can be their efforts on some level, according to Nix, and have assignments locally and nationally.