Dear Readers,

Some stories can only happen in a small town, and this is one of them: An outspoken Carmel resident practically burst an artery over the fact that attractive girls in skimpy clothing were used to help advertise a party at a downtown restaurant. Mary Schley has the story.

About 50 Big Sur residents who've been cut off from civilization for weeks will soon get their road back, thanks to high explosives. Chris Counts has the details.

A Pebble Beach family trying to undo 30 years of silly water district regulations is taking its fight to an appeals court. Kelly Nix has that one.

Local residents are being asked to register their cell phones so they can be notified of emergencies. Public restrooms at the south end of Carmel Beach have been talked about for years ... are they finally about to happen? Valentine's Day is coming, and we have a lot of suggestions for where to take your sweetie for dinner. In the meantime, this year's AT&T Pro-Am is underway, and our special section offers comprehensive coverage, including your guide to attending or watching on TV, and even what you should wear. Joe Livernois has a look at the basics of being a Pro-Am fan, especially what you're not allowed to do. And my editorial takes a look at the wide-ranging implications of Phil Mickelson's recent statement that high taxes might force him to move away from California.

To get this week's complete Pine Cone, please click here. If you have an informed opinion about one of our stories and would like to submit a letter to the editor, please click here. And please don't hesitate to contact me if you have questions, comments or concerns.

Paul Miller, Publisher
paul@carmelpinecone.com

To return to the download page for the February 8, 2013, edition, please click here.