A Special Section inside this week’s Healthy Lifestyles Carmel Pine Cone ON THE MONTEREY PENINSULA JANUARY 20, 2012 Volume 98 No. 3 On the Internet: www.carmelpinecone.com January 20-26, 2012 Y OUR S OURCE F OR L OCAL N EWS, ARTS AND O PINION S INCE 1915 P.G. mayor drops bid April ballot set with six candidates for Assembly, will By MARY SCHLEY A LATECOMER kept the city’s staff working into the evening challenge Potter instead Wednesday verifying that all six candidates for the April 10 Carmel municipal election had enough valid signatures to get their names on By KELLY NIX the ballot, assistant city clerk Molly Laughlin said Thursday. The latest candidate to enter the race, Bob Profeta, met with THE MAYOR of Pacific Grove, Carmelita Garcia, has Laughlin Wednesday morning to pick up his nomination papers for dropped her bid for State Assembly and turned her attention the city council race and managed to get the required 20 to 30 sig- toward a political office closer to home. natures by the 5 p.m. deadline the same day. Garcia announced this week she intends to run against Profeta, who co-owns Alain Pinel Realtors in Carmel with his incumbent Dave Potter for supervisor of the 5th District, an wife, Judie, said he extensively discussed a potential run for council area that includes Carmel, Carmel Valley, Pebble Beach and with her before deciding to commit to the effort. With decades of Pacific Grove. experience helping to start nuclear power plants all over the world, When Garcia disclosed in November 2011 she was run- and having lived in Carmel for more than 20 years, Profeta said he ning for Assembly, she said, “It’s time for a new leadership has the management skills and time to give back to the city he appre- and an honest discussion about our state’s priorities.” She ciates so much. cited the state’s education system among her concerns. He will face three other candidates in the fight for two council As a candidate for county supervisor, Garcia, a Democrat, seats. Incumbent Ken Talmage is running for reelection, while coun- is citing the poor economy as her primary motivation to run cilwoman Karen Sharp will give up her seat in April, opening it for for the political office. one of the newcomers. Mayor Sue McCloud is also not running “I am running for supervisor because in these tough eco- again, leaving the spot at the head of the dais open for one of the two nomic times, we need new ideas and vision to bring better men seeking it: councilman Jason Burnett and restaurateur Rich paying jobs to our local community,” she said, “while at the Pepe. same time striking a balance in order to protect our environ- ment.” Burnett v. Pepe Garcia also said the Peninsula needs a “final resolution” PHOTO/PAUL MILLER Burnett, the 35-year-old owner of Burnett EcoEnergy LLC, was to its water problems and to “provide [water] at a reasonable More than 200 people, including U.S. Rep. Sam Farr (left), elected in 2010 and is therefore running for mayor from a safe seat. cost so our local economy does not suffer any more than it “I am running for mayor of Carmel-by-the-Sea to build on the already has.” jammed the the Charles Sumner Greene Studio Wednesday evening as Jason Burnett (right) officially launched his cam- progress we have made by working together for the community we See CHALLENGE page 8A paign for mayor. See ELECTION page 30A CAL AM GIVES UP ON REGIONAL DESAL PLAN Woman thrilled to be n With cutback deadline looming, ping its support of the plan this week, company officials and politicians are viewing the move as a positive step toward a company says there’s no time to waste new water solution for the Monterey Peninsula. reunited with lost parrot On Tuesday, Cal Am withdrew its support of the three- By KELLY NIX party agreement it forged with Marina Coast Water District By KELLY NIX and the Monterey County Water Resources Agency to build THOUGH WATER provider California American Water the proposed $400 million regional water project, which WHAT BEGAN as a relaxing day in a Pacific Grove gave the regional desalination project a death knell by drop- includes a desalination plant in Marina. park for a Seaside family ended in sorrow when a treasured While Cal Am’s president, member, a parrot named Digga, went missing. But less than Rob MacLean, said the regional one week later — in almost unbelievable happenstance — the project would no longer be the family was reunited with City knows art when it sees it vehicle to deliver Peninsula resi- the bird. dents water, he said desalination The mini-saga began on would still be a part of the plan. Jan. 13, when Laura “Recognizing the severity of McKinnon left her 14-year- the state’s cutback order,” old African grey parrot in MacLean said, “we must now her car while she and her move forward on an alternative son, Cody, visited water supply project as quickly as Caledonia Park. When possible.” McKinnon returned to the Cal Am spokeswoman car, Digga was gone. Catherine Bowie said the urgency “I cracked my window to surrounding a 2009 cease and give him air, because it was desist order imposed by the state an especially warm day,” water board requiring Cal Am to McKinnon told The Pine stop diverting most of its water Cone this week. “He wasn’t from the Carmel River by 2017 happy when we left. I know was the company’s primary rea- he climbed through the son for backing out of the region- window and was making al project. his way to the park to find “We are very cognizant of how us.” If you’re looking to pick up an abstract piece of art for your living room, the city will soon be serious the cutback schedule is,” While McKinnon franti- offering “Passage” by Lee Waisler. The canvas work, 65 inches by 101 inches, which is made Bowie said. “The project clearly cally searched the park try- Digga the parrot escaped from of “acrylic sand glass, walnut shell & white oak wood,” is one of six the city council decided to his family’s car and was then part with. See page 3A. See CAL AM page 14A See PARROT page 8A nabbed by somebody else. 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 January 20, 2012 Sandy Claws By Lisa Crawford Watson with the 1-year-old child in his coastal fog and have a hike in Outward Bound home. This mostly means the Garland Park. As they ride along baby picks up the ball and gently in the car, Miles rests a paw on PICKED by a local woman who wanted a dog that places it in Miles’ mouth. Grandma’s arm, just to be sure of wouldn’t trigger her allergies, Miles is an agile young But on Saturday, Miles was at her. Once they get to the park, the golden doodle whose main recreation is to play ball Carmel Beach, wallowing in the doodle races out the open door attention of older children who but never runs off. At least not stopped to pet his soft, dark head; until he gets to the pond up at the joining them at picnics spread Mesa. Then the golden retriever in SALE across the sand; or jumping to him kicks in, and he plunges into catch a fly ball, not with his mouth the pool. but between his paws. His family His retriever instincts also are 20-50% didn’t know he was at the sweet and affectionate, while the OFF seashore, but likely they could poodle part of Miles is bright and, have guessed. Whenever they go according to Grandma, intuitive. on selected shirts, out of town and leave Grandma sweaters, jackets, He knows his family members by sport coats, to mind Miles, the two tend to set name, she says, and always dress trousers out on adventures. seems to sense how they’re feel- and more During the week, Miles’ family ing. works, and he goes to doggy day- Miles’ favorite place is any- care in Seaside. But when they where he finds water or a willing travel, Grandma steps in. playmate. Saturday, that was the Sometimes they head out to beach. And, since Grandma was 40-70% OFF Carmel Valley to escape the available, he was good to go. in lower level time. But the Padres’ offense exploded in the second half, CHS girls basketball outscoring the visitors 34-13. Carmel High guard Sarah Anderson, led all players with 21 new points, nearly outscored the Cougars all by herself. Anderson is team wins 5th straight averaging over 16 points a game. Center Emma Fuzie, mean- location while, continued her excellent play inside, adding 11 points, The Carmel High School girls basketball team contin- hauling down 11 rebounds and anchoring the stingy defense. ued its winning ways Jan. 13, easily outscoring Santa The Padres won their 5th straight league game Jan. 18 as they Catalina School of Monterey, 46-26. cruised to a 52-38 win on the road against Greenfield High. Remarkably, the Padres were shut out in the first quar- Anderson put 22 points on the scoreboard, while Fuzie ter. Santa Catalina, though, was unable to take advantage racked up another double-double — her 4th straight — adding of the scoring drought and managed just three points in 10 points, 16 rebounds and blocking a pair of shots.