Dear Readers,

A big crowd turned out at city hall Monday for a workshop on the possibility of getting a share of Clint Eastwood's Odello water for Carmel homeowners and businesses, and the unanimous sentiment seemed to be, "We want some." With almost no new water available since 1995, it's certainly an understandable sentiment. Kelly Nix reports.

A long-awaited oceanfront restaurant in Pacific Grove has finally opened to rave reviews. The owners would like to open for lunch, as well as dinner, but the coastal commission says they can't. What environmental damage, pray tell, might be done by people eating lunch in a beautifully renovated historic building with a nice view? Kelly Nix tries to explain.

A "census" of the local homeless population came up with some surprising conclusions, including the fact that, at least when the survey was taken, Carmel had none. That story is Kelly's, too.

Alien fish have been turning up in the Carmel River Lagoon -- fish which are, unfortunately, eating the natives. The city has resolved its disagreements with the nonprofit that operates Sunset Center. Droves of musicians bearing strange instruments have arrived in town, as final rehearsals get underway for this summer's Bach Fest. And my editorial explains how a regular citizen, with no special knowledge of what the NSA's up to, is supposed to decide whether Edward Snowden is a traitor.

Thank you very much for your support of our newspaper. Please feel free to email me with your questions, comments or concerns about its content, or about how best to read it on your computer, smartphone or iPad.

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Paul Miller, Publisher
paul@carmelpinecone.com

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