Rick Lopez Karl Pallastrini
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PHOTO/CHRIS COUNTS
Linda R. Abbott, who is competing in this year’s plein aire contest, set up hereasel Thursday morning at Lovers Point in Pacific Grove.
Artists gather for 16th festival, contest Flanders salebound forNovember ballot
By MARY BROWNFIELD
HAVING COMBED through voluminous reports, readhundreds of letters, listened to hours of public comment anddiscussed the issue of Flanders Mansion ad infinitum at hear-ings over the past several years, the Carmel City Councilruminated no longer Tuesday. During a special meeting, themayor and council membersadopted five resolutionsenabling the city to ask votersif they want the historic housesold.
The May 12 meeting was acontinuation of an April 28hearing during which a stand-ing-room-only crowd at cityhall spent more than twohours opining on the disposi-tion of a house that has beenlargely unused by the public since the city bought it in 1972.
Preservationists, including members of the FlandersFoundation, argued the city should retain the mansion, whichis on a residential street but surrounded by Mission Trailpark. Built in a majestic Tudor style more than 80 years ago,the home is on the national register of historic properties, andsale opponents sale say its returning to private hands would
■ Mystery sculpture, pleinaire competition are highlights
By CHRIS COUNTS
FOR MORE than a century, thecharms of Carmel-by-the-Sea have drawnartists from around the globe, transform-ing it into the celebrated town it is today.Those charms — as well as the talents ofmany local and visiting artists — will beon display this weekend when it hosts the16th annual Carmel Art Festival.
The three-day festival will feature aplein aire painting contest, a sculpturedemonstration and exhibit in DevendorfPark, live music and a host of relatedevents at participating galleries.
The centerpiece of the event is its pleinaire competition. More than 60 artists willset up their easels before the weekendseeking to capture a prize-winning slice of
See ARTISTS page 29A
By MARY BROWNFIELD
AFTER MORE than two decades of working for theCarmel schools he attended as a kid, Carmel High Schoolprincipal Karl Pallastrini is retiring at the end of June.
And another man with local roots, Carmel-born RickLopez, will take his place.
“I’ve been a real survivor in this district, and I think Imight be the only alumnus to become a principal,” saidPallastrini, who attended Tularcitos when it offered kinder-garten through eighth grade and graduated from CarmelHigh School.
After obtaining undergrad and graduate degrees fromCalifornia State University Chico, Pallastrini went to work as
Pallastrini retires, newCHS principal named
See PRINCIPALS page 25A
See FLANDERS page 31A
After 37 years,a decision may finally be at hand
PHOTO/JACK ELLWANGER
By CHRIS COUNTS
THEY LOOK like a cross between a UFO and a waterbug, but two high-tech devices that float on the surface ofLos Padres reservoir are working overtime to bring MontereyPeninsula residents better water.
The devices, known as SolarBees, were designed and pro-duced by SolarBee, Inc. of Dickinson, N.D. By continuouslycirculating the water in the reservoir, the SolarBees make itdifficult for blue-green algae to bloom.
Since the algae are harmful to humans and animals, thedevice not only makes water safer to drink, but also creates ahealthier environment for fish and other aquatic life forms toprosper.
By MARY BROWNFIELD
WITH REVENUES dropping and the state threateningto raid city coffers, Carmel City Administrator Rich Guillenpresented a draft budget last Thursday that calls for cutting afew jobs, reducing costs and drawing from reserves. The citycouncil is set to discuss the 2009/2010 budget Wednesday,May 27.
Guillen opened his May 7 budget message describing thetough economic conditions facing the state and the nation.The City of San Jose is firing 150 workers and demotinganother 100, he said, while the City of Vallejo has filed for
WATER ‘BEES’ NEVER STOP City may cut staff, raidreserves to balance budget
Pfeiffer parkgets its bridge
Just in time for the summer tourist season, crewsthis week began installing a vital bridge to theentrance of Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park.
“The bridge is being put together and beingpushed out over the river,” said C.L. Price, superin-tendent of the Big Sur sector of the CaliforniaDepartment of Parks and Recreation. “Our goal isstill is to get the park open by Memorial Day week-end.”
The park’s bridges were removed last fall afterstudies showed they could be undermined by poten-tial mudslides caused by erosion from last summer’sdevastating wildfires. Big Sur shop and restaurantowners were concerned that if the bridge wasn’t inplace by summer, they could lose sales from theroughly 1,000 people who visit the park per dayduring the season.
See BEES page 11A See BUDGET page 24A
Plein Aire Event • Sculpture in the Park • Kids Art DayArt Festival
C o m p l e t e s c h e d u l e o f e v e n t s i n s i d e
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