The Buzz 06.29.17

WHO’S IN TOWN?

The rockets’ red glare may be pretty to watch, but the noise fireworks make means a lot of frightened pets are in town this week. “Local shelters see an uptick in lost pets and pets hit by cars right around now,” says Beth Brookhouser of the SPCA for Monterey County. That’s especially true in Seaside and Salinas, where the sale of fireworks is legal. Some tips: keep pets indoors, turn on music or the TV to muffle sound, and make sure your pet is wearing ID and has a microchip. Call your local animal shelter immediately if your pet is lost.

Thursday-Tuesday June 29-July 5. The SPCA is open July 4 for pet intake, emergencies and lost pets. 373-2631, spcamc.org.

WHAT’S UP WITH THAT

The Truth About Carmel Restaurants was published in 1982 by Michael B. Smith and includes defunct spots like Billy Quon’s, The Clam Box, Fishhouse on the Park, The Grunion Run, Paolina, Rendez-Vous Cafe and El Topo. There are a handful of surviving eateries like Anton & Michel, Casanova and Flaherty’s – and longtime Clint Eastwood spot, The Hog’s Breath Inn. “Inside, the decor is rough and wooden,” the description reads in part, “much like Mr. Eastwood’s acting.”

FREE SPEECH

At a contentious May 31 Monterey Peninsula College Board of Trustees meeting, a long line of speakers lined up – mostly to talk about how unhappy the faculty is with ongoing labor negotiations and MPC President and Superintendent Walt Tribley. So faculty antennae went up when the board announced on June 23 it was changing its public participation policies for meetings. The fear was that the new policies would restrict speakers, but the new rules appear to be right in line with state open meeting laws. The board is using boilerplate language, vetted by attorneys from the Community College League of California, and is expected to adopt the new policies at a meeting on Thursday, June 29. If adopted, members of the public who wish to speak will be asked to submit a speaking request in writing at the beginning of the meeting, and have three minutes each to make their comments. At the board’s discretion, trustees may also allow people who did not submit a written request to make comments.

GOOD WEEK / BAD WEEK

Good:

It’s been a good few weeks for affordable housing. On June 20, Monterey Bay Housing Trust announced its first loan: $500,000 to Salinas nonprofit housing developer CHISPA toward the Castroville Oaks Affordable Housing Community. Construction of 124 apartments and 90 homes on 44 acres is expected to begin in 2019, and units will be available to low – and moderate-income households. And in New Monterey, Montage Health (Community Hospital’s parent company) acquired two under-construction apartment buildings on Lighthouse Avenue and Foam Street for a total of $9 million. They’ll use the 32 apartments as short-term rentals for doctors, nurses and other clinicians. CHOMP hopes to use the housing as a way to recruit prospective employees to town while they search for more permanent housing. They face a current worker shortage, and hope to double their physician employee base to 80 by 2021. “This will play an important role in assisting us in recruiting talented people,” Steven Packer said in a statement.

Bad:

If you went to the city-sponsored fireworks show in Salinas last Fourth of July, and thought it might become a fun family-friendly tradition, brace yourself: So-called “safe and sane” fireworks are back, and the city-sponsored show is no more. After banning personal use of fireworks, City Council last year agreed to host a free fireworks show on July 5, in partnership with the California Rodeo Association. After voters passed a ballot measure overturning that ban, fireworks sales are back. The rules on when and where fireworks are allowed: June 29-July 5, from noon-10pm, but not within 10 feet of a residence, or within 50 feet of a fireworks stand or near dry grass or trees. Fines start at $1,000 and go up to $50,000.