VolumeThe 100 No. 18 Carmel On the Internet: www.carmelpinecone.com Pine Cone May 2-8, 2014 TRUSTED BY LOCALS AND LOVED BY VISITORS SINCE 1915 Report: House exploded 37 minutes after gas leaked Candidate’s campaign By MARY SCHLEY wonder why the company didn’t respond more quickly and claims raise hackles prevent the explosion. PG&E WORKERS drilling into a gas line March 3 That’s just one of the questions emerging from an inde- n immediately knew they caused a serious leak, but it was 37 pendent consultant’s analysis of the explosion that destroyed Serrano Williams says she’s only candidate minutes later that a nearby house blew up, and the gas con- a house at Guadalupe and Third. The report prepared by with ‘judicial experience,’ but opponent has tinued leaking for an additional half hour — leading some to Exponent was released this week, and while it draws accurate conclusions about the causes, it doesn’t go far presided over hundreds of court hearings enough in analyzing how future accidents can be By KELLY NIX prevented, according to Carmel Mayor Jason Burnett. AMPAIGN CLAIMS made by a judicial candidate It will be the subject of a special meeting at C running for a seat in Monterey County Superior Court are 3:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 6, and Burnett said offi- drawing fire from some of the area’s most respected judges cials from the California Public Utilities and attorneys, who say the Commission, Exponent and PG&E will be there. statements go beyond elec- Investigators concluded the root cause was tion-time hyperbole and are “inadequate verification of system status and misleading. configuration when performing work on a live Corral de Tierra resident line.” In other words, workers didn’t know the Luma Serrano Williams, 49, gas line they were tapping into contained a plas- is challenging Heidi tic insert, so when they cut into it, gas leaked Whilden, 51, for a Monterey between the plastic and surrounding metal pipe, County Superior Court seat migrated through the soil into a sewer line run- to be left vacant by Judge ning into the house, which fortunately was unoc- Kay Kingsley. cupied, and accumulated until it was ignited, Voters will decide June 3 probably by the pilot on a kitchen stove. The who’s the most qualified for consultant still has not found any plans or draw- the job. ings indicating the steel line had a plastic insert. But Williams is being PHOTO/MARY SCHLEY After determining the cause, the consultant criticized for making false This house at Guadalupe and Third was destroyed by a gas explosion in March. A and misleading statements in study shows that PG&E responded slowly after causing the leak that led to it. See LEAK page 11A her campaign. In a colorful Luma Serrano Williams 8.5-by-11-inch mailer sent out this week, Williams — Planning commission Inmate says guards who works in San Jose for the state’s Unemployment Insurance Appeals Board — calls herself “The Only Candidate with Judicial Experience,” an assertion Superior calls for fracking ban wanted him to get HIV Court Judge Thomas Wills called an “egregious overstate- ment.” By CHRIS COUNTS By KELLY NIX “Heidi Whilden has real judicial experience,” said Wills, who defeated Williams in the 2008 judicial election. “To say WADING INTO a subject that has sparked debate in AN INMATE serving time in a Monterey County peni- that Heidi Whilden does not have judicial experience is many communities across the country, the Monterey County tentiary is suing the California prison system claiming cor- absolutely false.” Planning Commission voted 7-0 April 30 to recommend a rectional officers moved a transgender HIV-positive prisoner Monterey County Deputy District Attorney Todd Hornik, two-year moratorium on fracking in the county. into his cell hoping he would have sex with the transgender another candidate in the 2008 judicial election, also chal- The delay would give county officials time to study the man and get AIDS. The scheme was retaliation for an argu- lenged the claims in Williams’ mailer. issue while the state develops regulations for the practice. ment the inmate had with a guard, he claims. “The idea that Heidi doesn’t have judicial experience is The planning commission also endorsed a zoning ordi- In a lawsuit filed in Monterey County Superior Court on just not true,” Hornik told The Pine Cone. nance that would create greater county oversight of the oil April 17, Daniel Alvarez alleges that while an inmate at the Monterey County Superior Court Judge Elisabeth Mineta and gas industry. The ordinance would prohibit the explo- Correctional Training Facility in Soledad, officers moved the responded Thursday to the claim, saying Whilden — who is ration and removal of oil and gas in residential districts, move HIV-positive man into his cell with the “malicious intent” of a Monterey County court commissioner and in that capacity the power to approve permits from the zoning administrator causing him harm. has presided over hundreds of emotionally charged family to the planning commission so the public could have greater “My sexual preference is not a secret to [correctional offi- law cases — performs the same functions as a judge. input, and require a special permit and environmental review cers],” according to Alvarez, who filed the suit pro per. “They Williams “is totally incorrect,” Mineta said. for “well stimulation treatments,” which include hydraulic knew that I’m [bisexual] and knew that by not warning me “Commissioner Whilden has over three years of judicial fracturing, commonly known as fracking. about [the cellmate] having HIV, most likely I was [going to experience in Monterey County Superior Court.” See FRACKING page 24A See PRISONER page 25A See JUDGE page 29A FOUR VIE FOR SHERIFF’S BADGE DURING CAMPAIGN’S HOME STRETCH By MARY SCHLEY nents — as the June 3 election approaches. Absentee voters million annual budget, 400 employees, 1,000 inmates, three will have the opportunity to choose their favorite candidates stations and jail are Sheriff Scott Miller, who is running for a THE INCUMBENT Monterey County Sheriff and three within a few days, as mail-in ballots are being sent out start- second term, deputy Steve Bernal, and former sheriff’s com- challengers are pushing their messages and stumping for ing on Monday. manders Mike Richards and Fred Garcia. votes — and aren’t shy about sharply criticizing their oppo- Seeking to oversee the countywide agency, with its $85 n Scott Miller Elected sheriff in 2010 after serving on the Pacific Grove City Council from 2004 to 2008 and being chief of police there from 1997 to 2003, Miller has been involved in law enforcement since 1976, when he started a four-year stint as a deputy in Santa Clara before moving to Salinas P.D. in 1980. The Pacific Grove resident said he has more command and administrative experience than any of his opponents and is best suited to continue making positive changes at the agency. “When you just look at my education and accomplish- ments and experience, it shouldn’t really be a contest, but we’ll see,” Miller said. “We would be going backward if I’m not reelected — there are so many critical things that are in progress.” Scott Miller Steve Bernal Fred Garcia Mike Richards See SHERIFF page 30A 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 May 2, 2014 By Lisa Crawford Watson SPCA seeks charges for Sandy Claws woman who crammed Cajun is a yellow Labrador retriever, although his 14 dogs into crates Ragin’ Cajun coat is definitely a gutsy gumbo red. Born into abuse and neglect, he was returned to his breeder, with PINE CONE STAFF REPORT HE’S BIG and bold and beautiful. He’s muscular whom he lived until age 5, when his new person and lean beneath a soft layer of golden-orange fur. At came to collect him. Having recently lost her springer THE SPCA for Monterey County this week forwarded 13, he’s still active and athletic, loving and affection- spaniel, she was looking for another loving compan- the results of its investigation of a woman who kept more ate. He’s devoted to family, friends and his ball. ion. She found it in Cajun. So did the whole family. than a dozen dogs in terrible conditions to Monterey County Everything about him led to his name, Ragin’ Cajun, When not in his active outdoors mode, Cajun is prosecutors with hopes they will file criminal charges against and he’s lived up to it since the day he came home. inside, under foot or leaning into laps, waiting to be her. The unidentified woman, who will be named if the petted. They call him an 80-pound lap Monterey County District Attorney’s Office files charges, dog. was found by SPCA humane officers to be keeping 14 adult “Cajun really enjoys upland game dogs and puppies in cramped and filthy conditions. The hunting,” his person says. “Even at 13, woman was trying to sell the dogs. he goes out pheasant hunting with my SPCA spokeswoman Beth Brookhouser told The Pine husband and son, and his natural Cone that details of the SPCA’s investigation will be dis- instinct to find birds comes out. When closed when the DA’s office files charges. we see it play out in the wild, it’s really When contacted by human officers, the uncooperative something. We can see how much he woman said she was hoping to sell the dogs in Carmel for $2,000 each, according to the SPCA.