Month: November 2019

Paul’s Slide now two-way

While this is still an extremely active slide, and will be subject to close scrutiny this winter — by not just Cal Trans, but by Rock Knocker, Brendon, and me, also, Cal Trans is turning off the traffic lights and allowing two-way traffic for now.

Today’s Date: Thursday, November 21, 2019

District:   05 – Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, Monterey, San Benito and Santa        

                        Cruz Counties                                                  

Contact:                  Susana Z Cruz (bilingual) or Colin Jones

Phone:                             (805) 549-3138 or 549-3189

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

HIGHWAY 1 AT PAUL’S SLIDE OPENS TO UNRESTRICTED TRAFFIC TODAY; DE-ACTIVATING EXISTING TRAFFIC SIGNAL BUT LEAVING HARDWARE IN PLACE

MONTEREY COUNTY – Construction at Paul’s Slide (PM 21.6), about 25 miles south of Big Sur, has been completed so the temporary traffic signal in place since the winter of 2017 is being turned off but will remain in case it needs to be activated, Caltrans officials announced today.

Although a major slope cut has been completed, Paul’s Slide remains an active landslide and continues to be closely monitored.

Paul’s Slide, near Limekiln State Park, suffered major storm damage in January 2017, losing part of its embankment including the southbound lane and closing for several months. Highway 1 there has been operating under one-way control with a temporary traffic signal for over two years.

John Madonna Construction of San Luis Obispo was the contractor for this repair project. Having the traffic signal turned off but still in place at Paul’s Slide will ensure a safer environment for all travelers.

Caltrans reminds motorists to move over and slow down when driving through

Highway work zones.

For more information on this project and for traffic updates on other Caltrans projects in Monterey County, residents may call the District 5 Public Affairs Office at (805) 549-3318 or visit our website at: https://dot.ca.gov/caltrans-near-me/district-5.

BSK MIA & New Voices Article

I apologize for my lack of blogging this week, but several things converged at once, and since Saturday, I have had to be selfish. First I was sick and ended up sleeping most of three days. Then, I had a deadline to make for Voices (see below), and finally, the winter power issues have hit, which means no internet, among other things.

I have recovered from that nasty bug (thanks in part to the Elderberry tincture I made last year), I made my deadline, and will give you the lead-in and a link below, and today, I am, hopefully, resolving my power issues, by making sure my batteries are fully charged after having replenished them with two gallons of distilled water.

From Voices of Monterey Bay:

“Big Sur is the greatest meeting of land and sea. It is where the mountains are constantly marching to the ocean. It is a place to which the word “iconic” has been applied much too often. It is a place that has been “discovered” and Instagramed into a cliché.

We have come to experience ‘LA-type traffic‘ here in paradise, and thus, we are in need of a plan.

Just in the last few days the magazine Fodor’s Travel put Big Sur on its 2020 NO GO list. It is in good company, along with Bali, Barcelona and 10 other popular destinations. With its beauty and all the promotion it gets, the chickens ’have come home to roost,’ according to Fodor’s.

Big Sur is past the point of needing to be ‘managed.’ Any plan that attempts to do this ‘managing’ will be, by necessity, complex and difficult. In the end, it is Mother Nature who determines much of what happens here. That is the allure and the draw. We humans must be careful to consider the needs of this place — her environment —  before our own. And a proposed plan meant to tackle the problem acknowledges that Big Sur’s terrain and remote location make solutions even more difficult.”

Please take a few minutes and read about the Traffic Demand Management Plan and the formation of the Byways Organization that will be charged with designing and implementing any possible solutions to our highway issues here: https://voicesofmontereybay.org/2019/11/21/traffic-demands-management-plan-for-the-highway-1-corridor-in-big-sur/

Drainage Work at Garrapata State Park

CALTRANS TO PERFORM DRAINAGE WORK ON STATE ROUTE 1 SOUTH OF CARMEL HIGHLANDS ON THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 21

MONTEREY COUNTY – Caltrans will perform drainage work (ditch line cleaning) each way on State Route 1 at Garrapata State Park, south of Carmel Highlands on Thursday, Nov. 21 from 8:30 am to 3 pm with one-way traffic control.

Electronic message boards we be activated to alert the public about this roadwork

performed by the Monterey Maintenance crew and is necessary for roadway storm preparation. 5-10-minute delays are anticipated and roadwork should be complete by that afternoon.

No roadwork will be scheduled during the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday.

Caltrans reminds motorists to move over and slow down when

driving through highway work zones.

For more information on this project and for traffic updates on other Caltrans projects in Monterey County, residents may call the District 5 Public Affairs Office at (805) 549-3318 or visit our website at: https://dot.ca.gov/caltrans-near-me/district-5

Fuel Moisture levels dangerous

Do not be fooled by the thick fog these last few days. It is not rain, and won’t lower the fire danger risk.

From Daniel Swain, Weather West (https://weatherwest.com/) : “Strong warming trend across California into weekend & next wk, w/record highs possible (into 80s & even 90s in few spots). Still no rain next 7-9 days. Beyond that, mixed signals. Modest possibility of precip, but also of offshore wind events. Which will come first?”

I finally bought myself a personal “weather station” like the ones firefighters carry. I got the 3000 because that is what a fire photographer online friend uses. Next time, the 3500. Here is what it will measure:

Long cord for hanging around neck, and a protective cover. This is what it looks like:

Now I need to figure out how to use it!

Do you know these dogs?

This notice was found by a reader on FB. There has been a lot of talk about missing or found Great Pyranees. Looks like the original post may have been 11/10 or Sunday?

Prescribed burn planned

Trust me, I get the irony of posting the severe fire restrictions by the Unites States Forest Service for Los Padres National Forest yesterday , and then Cal Fire sending this prescribed burn notice and my publishing it today. At 6800 acres, this will be a big one, and the smoke will be visible in many areas.

Extreme Fire Danger campfire restrictions

Only once or twice before do I remember campfires being banned inside the developed campgrounds of Plaskett Creek and Kirk Creek. This should give everyone an idea about how bad it is.

Los Padres National Forest officials raise fire restrictions
GOLETA, Calif. – Due to extremely dry vegetation and an increasing fire danger, Los Padres National Forest officials announced that Extreme Fire Danger fire restrictions will go into effect immediately and remain in effect through December 31, 2019. The following restrictions will be rigorously enforced:

  • Wood and charcoal fires are prohibited in all areas of Los Padres National Forest, including designated Campfire Use sites. Persons with a valid California Campfire Permit are allowed to use portable stoves and lanterns using gas, jellied petroleum or pressurized liquid fuel only within the Designated Campfire Use Sites listed on Exhibit A. California Campfire Permits are available for free download from the Los Padres National Forest website (http://www.fs.usda.gov/lpnf).
  • Recreational target shooting is prohibited in all areas of the National Forest unless specifically authorized by a special use permit with the Forest.
  • Hunting with a valid State of California hunting license during open hunting season is exempt from the target shooting prohibition.
  • Smoking is prohibited in all areas of Los Padres National Forest except within an enclosed vehicle, building, or designated Campfire Use Site.
  • Operating or using any internal or external combustion engine without a spark arresting device properly installed, maintained and in effective working order on roads and trails specifically designated for such use. (This restriction is in effect year-round.)

Violators may face a fine of $5,000 and/or six months in jail.
For further information regarding current conditions and safety tips, please contact your nearest Forest Service office. A list of designated Campfire Use Sites is available on the Los Padres National Forest website at http://www.fs.usda.gov/lpnf or by contacting the Forest Service district office nearest you.

Veterans Day, 2019

I was honored to be a part of a dinner and award ceremony for Monterey County Veterans of the Year with 2 other women, and 9 other men — all continuing their service through volunteer work for our community.

kate 1
Photo by Martha Karstens
kate 2
Congressman Panetta, himself a former Veteran of the Year

Then, I joined the staff and friends of Voices of Monterey Bay for a joyous birthday bash for Voices and a celebration of the First Amendment on Sunday night at the Haute Enchilada Social Club in Moss Landing. The evening was full of music, performance, readings, good food and good company. This was one of the musical performances: a family that played and sang for us.

Finally, we are wrapping up our weekend with Veterans Day free-admission-for-vets at the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Photos later, I hope.

I hope yours was as blessed and filled with warmth and smiles as mine was.