Dear Readers,
Christmas was ruined for thousands of Peninsula residents when the big storm that began Tuesday night stretched into Christmas morning, knocking out power for as long as four miserable days. I have that byline.
No trace has been found of a woman who was apparently attacked by a shark off Lovers Point in Pacific Grove Sunday. Kelly Nix reports.
Monterey School District teachers say they’re among the lowest paid in the county, and they say a loophole in state law is keeping them there. Lily Patterson has the story.
The state’s new law on phone-free schools isn’t having the impact many parents thought it would — and Caitlin Conrad says that’s because the law doesn’t even try to eliminate cell phones from schools.
Carmel’s new design rules, which are supposed to make it easier to build ADU’s and other types of housing without going through an exhaustive permit process, will be presented to the public Jan. 14. Despite dueling lawsuits between landlord and tenant, Barmel remains open. A Seaside resident has been arrested for allegedly stalking a woman he randomly encountered on a Carmel street.
A charming antique sign was stolen from the outside of the Carmel Valley history museum. Porch pirates will face tougher penalties under a proposed federal law. After Democrats in Sacramento reversed course, California’s only nuclear power plant will be allowed to keep operating until at least 2030.
The lone diver who searched in vain for a DLI student who went missing in Big Sur Nov. 22 is helping look for the woman who was the victim of a shark in Pacific Grove. An uptick in mountain lion attacks is keeping Carmel Valley residents on edge. Volunteers are playing a key role helping keep Big Sur’s backcountry trails open.
Carmel’s hotel tax revenues are still rising. The coastal commission approved the city’s plan for protecting historic buildings. Santa Claws was first mentioned in The Pine Cone on Dec. 15, 1915.
We have a complete rundown of all the best places to celebrate New Year’s Eve. Dennis Taylor reports on the playoffs hopes of the girls soccer teams at Carmel High, Stevenson and Catalina. Our Healthy Lifestyles special section says being active is one of the best ways to protect your mental wellbeing — especially for older adults — and introduces you to one of the Peninsula’s most remarkable outdoor athletes. Jerry Gervase reminisces about Y2K and says the upcoming New Year will be especially significant for him. And my editorial warns that the Peninsula’s longstanding no-growth policies have led to the loss of almost all of the area’s former political clout.
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