Monterey County Supervisors voted 3-2 to require all persons to wear masks indoors regardless of their vaccination status. The ordinance is due to take effect at the end of October.

Rumours you may have heard recently are true.

Fifteen years ago, when I founded Cedar Street Times, I told myself that I would sell it and retire when I got to That Age. I got there.

The paper is now 15 years old and I am 70. It’s time. After struggling through bouts of lymphoma and kidney stones and trying to nurse Neil back to health, I need to sell it. The pandemic did a job on our bottom line as well. If you or anyone you know is interested in purchasing or sharing Pacific Grove’s NEWSpaper, please get a hold of me and let’s talk. We have a deadline of Oct. 31 to sell it, bring on a partner(s), or close the door.

Marge Ann 831-324-4742

The applicants for the Legends of the Autobahn, which was to be located at the Carmel Valley Village Community Park on August 14, have withdrawn their request. The event will not taking place at the previously planned location. The organizer may be looking for alternative sites.

At 10:25 Wednesday morning, Marge Ann Jameson, Editor and Publisher of the Cedar Street Times newspaper, was rushed to the emergency room of Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula with severe abdominal pain. She was examined but no apparent cause of her pain could be found. She was discharged a few hours later after her pain subsided. Marge’s partner Neil, who has been ill for some time, had just had orthopedic spine surgery on Monday.

Marge Ann Jameson, publisher of the Cedar Street Times newspaper, was hospitalized Sunday with tremors, dizziness, and confusion. After a brief stay, she was sent home with medication.

Lydia Darragh:
An Important Revolutionist

Lydia Barrington Darragh was born in Dublin, Ireland in 1729. Lydia Barrington married William Darragh, a friend of her family, in 1753. After a few years, the Darragh’s moved to a Quaker community in Philadelphia. William worked as a tutor while Lydia stayed at home and, together, they raised 5 children. During the American Revolution, most Quakers were neutral and did not support either side, but the Darraghs secretly agreed with the Patriot’s freedom cause.

James Armistead
How James Armistead went from slave to spy.

Some time in the 1760’s James Armistead was born on a plantation in Virginia. In 1781 James Armisted became a spy for the French and Americans. He was sent to go into the British camp in Yorktown, Virginia while the Americans and the French were planning to attack Yorktown.

Molly Pitcher: American Patriot
If you were a woman in the 1700s, you were either a nurse, tending to the soldiers’ wounds, or staying at home, continuing to raise your children. However, sometimes women wage wars between men. Mary Ludwig Hays McCauley, better known as Molly Pitcher, was one of these ladies 

Some low-life scammer is trying to rent 1210 Montecito, a 3-Bedroom house with a 2-car garage in Pacific Grove for $1950. His pitch is smooth. He even uses the last name of the owner as his own. He will try to get you to send the deposit and first month’s rent to him by wire. Don’t fall for it! I spoke to him on the phone and by the voice delay and his accent I suspect he’s actually in Russia.

Potential Scams Should be Reported to rumors@cdph.ca.gov or 1-833-993-3873    

SACRAMENTO – The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) is asking Californians to be aware of and to quickly report any indications of possible fraudulent or other questionable activities by individuals attempting to take advantage of the state’s recently announced COVID-19 vaccination incentive programs.

Pacific Grove Police reported on June 5, 2021, at approximately 1:04am, a vehicle collision occurred at 2100 Sunset Dr., the City of Pacific Grove Public Works Yard and damaged the main office building of the Public Works Department.

A vehicle traveling southbound on Grove Acre Ave. left the roadway after crossing Sunset Dr. The vehicle struck the curb and continued to travel south crashing through the Public Works chain link fence and collided with the Public Works building. The collision caused the vehicle and building to become engulfed in flames. The fire caused major damage to the building and destroyed the vehicle. 

In an exclusive interview with Cedar Street Times reporter Gary Baley, Congressman Jimmy Panetta, who has made two trips to the Mexican border recently, discussed immigration at the southern border. “More border wall needs to be built where it makes sense to meet the crisis at the border” Panetta said. When pressed on what specific areas should or should not be walled in, he had no immediate answer, but promised to get that information.

Amid calls for more stringent research into the origins of the Covid-10 pandemic by scientists around the world, there is increasing evidence that the Covid-19 virus had escaped from research at the Chinese Wuhan Institute of Virology funded by the United States through organizations at the time controlled by Presidential Advisor Dr. Andrew Fauci and colleague Peter Daszak who has ties to several Chinese scientific organizations including the Wuhan Institute.

Read the full story in this week’s issue of the Cedar Street Times 5/28/2021

Congratulations to Pacific Grove High School senior Elle Defensor who was awarded a $2,500 STAR Scholarship from the Philanthropic Educational Organization (PEO) Sisterhood during the school’s Senior Awards Night May 18^th. STAR Scholarships are for women “who exhibit excellence in leadership, academics, extracurricular activities, community service and potential for future success” according to PEO.

Pacific Grove Police Officer Michael Gonzalez is appealing his January firing by Police Chief Madalone due to a social media post expressing his antipathy toward the Black Lives Matter organization, which has expressed hostility toward police (see BLM vs First Amendment – Cedar Street Times Jan 28, 2021). In the midst of his appeal, social activist and founder of pgcitywatch.com, Randy Fairgarden has sent flyers to police departments in the area warning them not to hire Gonzalez or face political consequences. This vigilante-style tactic trying to prevent Gonzalez from ever working again seems to be effective. Read the full story in the current edition 2021-05-21 Cedar Street Times online this Friday.

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Cedar Street Times is proud to announce our next scholastic English essay contest is open to Pacific Grove High School students, Pacific Grove Middle School Students, and Monterey Bay Charter School students.

The theme of this contest is “Lesser-known figures of the American Revolution”. Each essay will be a short biography of some person who is not well known that participated in the American Revolution from 1770-1783. You can choose anyone – Patriot or Loyalist, young or old, male or female, free or slave. Tell us who they are, where they lived, what they did and why they did it.

Essays must be no more than 600 words, must contain at least 3 paragraphs; and all references (at least 2) should be listed at the end, followed by your name, grade, school and date.

You may not plagiarize nor cut and paste text from any source. The writing must be your own. You cannot get help from parents or teachers except to understand the rules. You all agree to abide by these rules under the honor system. We trust you.

Essays will be graded 1/3 on grammar and punctuation, 1/3 on style and syntax, and 1/3 on story-telling and “lesser-knownness” (if you write about George Washington, you will not win!)

Essay entries must be emailed to Cedarstreettimes@gmail.com with a Subject Line of “Essay Contest” no later than noon Tuesday June 22. Winning entries will be printed in the June 25 issue of the Cedar Street Times—in time for Independence Day celebrations.

We now have sponsors for $100 First Prize, $50 Second Prize, and $25 Third Prize. We may also solicit prize money for Honorable Mentions. If you are interested in being a sponsor, call Gary at 831-324-4742 or email cedarstreettimes@gmail.com. Sponsors will receive recognition in print along with the essays.

“If you were vaccinated, you don’t have to wear a mask outside,” Dr. Andrew Fauci, President Biden’s chief medical adviser, said to CBS reporters Thursday on “CBS This Morning”. “If you were going into a completely crowded situation where people are essentially falling all over each other, then you wear a mask. But any other time, if you’re vaccinated and you’re outside, put aside your mask. You don’t have to wear it.”

Students in Mr. Ibrahim’s 4th grade class were sent home today, Wednesday, at noon when it was learned one student had tested positive for Covid-19 last week. Ibrahim and his students will be in quarantine until next Tuesday and perhaps longer if anyone develops Covid symptoms. While in quarantine, students will resume distance learning.

Picking winners for this contest was very difficult. They were all truly winners. Every entry showed excellent command of the English language and an optimistic winning spirit. We at Cedar Street Times were impressed with the maturity, originality, and passion, found in every essay. The essays ranged from the philosophical to the practical. It’s no wonder our Middle School was named a 2021 California Distinguished School. We encourage our subscribers to read the full text of the essays in the current edition of the Cedar Street Times. Our apologies to Isabella Jones that her name was accidentally omitted from the end of her essay in the newspaper.

$100 First Prize goes to Ella Williamson, eighth grade, for her essay Look, a World! It is a wonderfully personal account of moving to Pacific Grove a year ago and becoming aware of the beauty of the planet as her 3-year-old sister challenged her to look at the natural wonders of this special place. The essay was perfectly written with no grammar errors. Great Job Ella, and thank you Aurelia’s Boutique for your sponsorship.

$50 Second Prize goes to John Schuchard, 6th grade, for his essay My New Perspective on Earth Day. John had lived in five other states before coming to Pacific Grove one an a half years ago. His essay gives a historical perspective of the formation of Earth Day which began in California in 1970. Nice work John, and thanks to Cafe Guarani for your sponsorship.

$25 Third Prize goes to Isabella Jones, 8th grade, for her essay Our Chance. Isabella describes how daily activities of ordinary people contribute to the degradation of the environment, and she calls for a “deeper dedication and true passion” to enact lasting change for the good of the planet. Excellent writing Isabella, and thanks to The Treasure Grove for your sponsorship.

$20 Honorable Mention prizes are going to Claire Tulley (Earth: our Wonderfully Beautiful Home), Ersi Kullolli (How we can stop the Pacific Ocean garbage patch), Grace Miller (To Celebrate the Earth), Khamiah Quinones (The Interesting History and Importance of Earth Day), and Lilah Del Castillo (Earth Day Beauty).

Thank you Pacific Grove Rentals for your sponsorship.

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Pacific Grove Unified School District

Earlier this afternoon, we were notified that a student attending school via in-person instruction at Robert Down was diagnosed with COVID-19. The family is taking the necessary precautions to keep the student home and is in regular communication with me. The student wore their mask while in attendance and only removed it during snack and lunch for a limited time within their designated eating area. In addition, I conducted follow-up communication with the Monterey County Health Department for reporting and guidance. All families whose children are in the same class as the student diagnosed with COVID-19 have been notified separately.

April 23, 2021; Monterey, Calf. – Monterey Bay Aquarium welcomes individuals with interest in the ocean and conservation to participate in its second virtual job fair on Tuesday, April 27, from 2:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Seasonal and limited full-time positions available include guest experience representatives, guest support services (custodial), and security officers. Job descriptions, applications and more information can be found on our website.

The Aquarium’s business partner SSA will also be in attendance, seeking to hire retail associates and office operations associates. Those interested in interviewing with SSA will also need to apply for the position at SSA’s website. 

Event details follow:

Monterey Bay Aquarium Virtual Job Fair

• Date: April 27, 2021
• Time: 2:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. PT
• How to participate:
  • Apply for an open position listed at the Aquarium’s website or SSA’s website.
  • Sign up for the virtual job fair and book a 10-minute Zoom interview time.
    • Monterey Bay Aquarium interview sign up link
    • SSA interview sign up link
  • Registered participants will receive a Zoom link two days before the event via email.
  • A functioning computer or mobile device camera is recommended for the interview.

Monterey Bay Aquarium reopens to the public on May 15, 2021. The Aquarium seeks to fill 40 open positions, and SSA looks to fill 10 open positions through the virtual job fair. Learn more about the fair and current opportunities by visiting MontereyBayAquarium.org/Jobs.

A rally to protest the rise in racism against and attacks on members of the Asian-American and Pacific Islander communities (AAPI) will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, April 24, on the lawn in front of historic Colton Hall at Monterey City Hall, 580 Pacific Street.

Rally organizers have lined up speakers representing various local Asian-American communities. Congressman Jimmy Panetta and Monterey City Councilmember Tyller Williamson will also speak.

The first ever aircraft to fly on another planet, NASA’s Ingenuity helicopter, took off from the Martian surface at 3:46 am Monday morning. The craft rose to about 10 feet, hovered for about 30 seconds then descended to a soft landing roughly 200 feet from the Perseverance rover which carried Ingenuity to the red planet in it’s undercarriage.

While airborne, Ingenuity took a photo — a selfie of it’s shadow cast on the barren Martian surface. Although it didn’t carry any scientific payload, the four-pound copter did establish a proof-of-concept for controlled autonomous flight on distant worlds, a feat we are sure to see more of in the not-so-distant future.

Photo: NASA, JPL, Cal-Tech

Pfizer CEO claims a booster shot may be needed 12 months after the second vaccination and perhaps every year thereafter. Moderna also announced they are readying a boosters to better combat new variants. The Johnson & Johnson vaccine is now on hold while rare blood clots which occurred in six patients (out of almost seven million) after receiving the J&J vaccine are investigate. Meanwhile Covid infection rates nationwide are climbing again and three Covid variants of concern have been identified.

Pacific Grove Middle School named a Distinguished School under the 2021 California Distinguished Schools Program. Amid the backdrop of uncertainty and hardship facing all California schools this past year, this recognition is especially remarkable. The only other school in Monterey County to be so recognized is San Benancio Middle School.

PG Middle School Principal Sean Roach said: “Being one of only two schools in Monterey County to receive this award is quite an honor. It is entirely a team effort, our faculty and staff all pulling in the same direction, with our eyes on the same prize! We’re especially proud of reducing the achievement gap and seeing big improvement in our at-promise students! PGMS is Proud!”