CRA News May 2005

Selected articles from the newsletter of the Carmel Residents Association

CRA members sitting in the amphitheater at Carmel Middle School's Hilton Bialek Biological Sciences Habitat were given an overview of this ambitious undertaking by Project Director Craig Hohenberger before setting out for a walking tour of the facility. Hohenberger was peppered with questions about birds (he is an expert!), plants, trees and activities sponsored by the Habitat.

Carmel Residents Association's First
Festival of Artists and Writers
Celebrating the Artist Amongst Us

Art Exhibit • Readings • Music • Refreshments

Live music ordinance coming to council in June

As we go to press, a mailed notice says that an ordinance, which will change the municipal code for the commercial district to allow live music where alcohol is served, will be voted on by the City Council at its June 7 meeting. The Planning Commission scheduled a hearing on May 11 to discuss the ordinance, an outgrowth of the Chamber of Commerce Economic Development Committee, which collaborated with the city in framing the proposal. The ordinance was not available to the public by press time, so we are unable to provide details.

Because this proposal would constitute a major change in our village and because there are 600 people living in the commercial district, we hope that the City Council will proceed carefully and thoughtfully. By the time you receive this newsletter, you should be able to obtain a copy of the ordinance at City Hall. We hope you will attend the council meeting on June 7 and give the council members your thoughts and suggestions.

President's Message
Re-creatingCarmel

by Sherry Shollenbarger

As you read the letter, arriving soon, enclosed with our membership renewal envelope, I hope that you will dwell a moment on the quote from Harold and Ann Gilliam's Creating Carmel and observe that we propose to insure that any change here is a change for the better.

A neighbor recently received a letter addressed: "Dear Sir," which offered $3,000,000 cash for a three bedroom, two bath home south of Ocean. It appears that there is a very active real estate investment market in Carmel. We have a sought-after commodity--a pristine environment and a deep, rich history which we have managed to protect and maintain up to this point. How, now, do we proceed to invest in our future? How do we as residents provide support for a business community greatly stressed by nearby competition and maintain ourselves as a "primarily, essentially and predominantly residential community?"

Today fewer than 50% of the homeowners live here permanently. This places a great responsibility on full-time residents to be very aware of ongoing change. For those members not living here full time, you can check the city's website, www.carmelcalifornia.com, for notices regarding budget, ordinance or municipal code changes. I ask that we all be aware of how our council members vote, and what changes they are supporting for Carmel.

In a previous message I referred to how important it is to be part of any changes in our city. An example: lights left on the medians of Ocean Avenue were taken down after the strong objections of residents. Perhaps a vote of support would have been given for money to be allocated to bring new, indigenous plantings and better maintenance of the medians had it been presented.

You have been mailed a notice of a draft ordinance to change the live music code. Please let your feelings be known, offering constructive suggestions if appropriate, by writing or phoning the city or attending the June 7 City Council meeting.

We hope, but can no longer assume, that all new home buyers understand our historical heritage and concern for the environment, or that they intend to retire here. I believe that it is time to ensure the following:

1. That the budget is realistic, not hopeful, and that it can sustain a safe firehouse, healthy urban forest, longer library hours, safe infrastructure and strong police and fire departments.

2. That we, the residents, will continue when possible to work with government and business for the wellbeing of Carmel.

3. That our voices be fair and non strident, that our criticism be well informed and constructive and that our efforts reflect the wisdom of the CRA's founding charter.

I wish one and all a delightful summer, reminding everyone that there is much fun and lively conversation to be enjoyed at the upcoming outings listed above. And I wish to especially thank the board members for all of their hard work in making this a successful year for our organization, and you the residents for your support.

DID YOU KNOW?

According to city design guidelines, protecting views is "an important community concern. This includes views from public ways as well as those through properties." However, this is a balancing act in that maximizing the view from one property has to be balanced with the views of other properties nearby.

The guidelines say that "Designs also should preserve reasonable solar access to neighboring parcels. Designs should protect and preserve the light, air and open space of surrounding properties, when considered cumulatively with other buildings in the neighborhood."

The city reminds homeowners that "trees are part of the view and that views are often filtered or transitory because of the urban forest. City policy prohibits trimming trees for views."

CRA PROFILES
by Walter Gourlay

Gene McFarland--banker, sailor and more

How to describe Gene McFarland? It's not easy to do in a few words. For one thing, he's a banker who has helped minorities cope with what to them is an alien world. For another, he's a sailor with a deep and abiding interest in maritime history. And there's much more.

His roots are embedded deep in the soil of Carmel. In 1934, when he was born, his parents lived in our village in a group of dwellings known collectively as the "Lincoln Green Cottages." The cottage is still there, almost unchanged.

Gene began his education at the Sunset School. After one year he attended school at the Monastery, known at the time as "Villa Angelica," then Junipero Serra School. He loves to recount how in the fourth grade his thirst for adventure impelled him to climb the bell tower and scandalize the Mother Superior by ringing all the bells.

He helped Harry Downie, the man responsible for the modern restoration of the Carmel Mission, and molded some of the bricks used to build the Mission school. "Downie," Gene recalls, "helped to keep me and the other kids in line." He has vivid memories of the machine gun emplacements at Carmel Beach in 1942, "to repel Admiral Yamamoto if he dared to invade us."

Gene attended Carmel High, and then MPC. He was far from being a spoiled rich kid. He took a summer job working in a sardine cannery on the "Row." "I was so pungent after a shift that I had to leave my work clothes outside and dash for the shower." At about this time he began a lifelong love affair with sailing, using a variety of sloops at Stillwater Cove.

While attending MPC, in 1956 he married, his high school sweetheart, Juliene Echelberger, with whom he would have two sons and a daughter. (One son, Jeffrey, is now an artist in Southern California; Jason is a technician who designs alarm systems, and daughter Katrina is an accomplished artist and sculptor living in Pebble Beach.) But before settling down, he and Juliene spent eight months in Europe "On the staggering budget of eight dollars a day."

After MPC, Gene went to San Francisco State, as a major in business with a marketing focus. With a wife and three kids in tow, he had to work nights, and landed a job as night teller for Bank of America. (He built ship models in his spare time.)

Fortunately for his restive spirit, the bank put him in a training program, after which he had several assignments in San Francisco and in 1970 was named Training Director for Southern California.

"This was an entirely new world for me," he recalls. It was also a time to grow. Working with "JOBS" (Job Opportunities in the Business Sector), he interfaced with school districts to train minority youths for jobs in banks. This led to other community activities such as United Way. In addition to his banking job, for eleven years he taught finance and business courses at Los Angeles Valley College in Van Nuys.

In 1982 Gene had a second marriage, to Constance Kirby, a management consultant who frequently traveled. Wanting to stay home with their daughter, Meghan, born in 1983, Gene retired from the Bank of America to join Security Bank, as their adviser on maritime affairs. "It was the ideal match," he observes. "They let me work at home and I also had an office on my boat."

Gene involved himself closely with Meghan's education from kindergarten on. In 1992 he retired from banking and the family moved to Carmel. Meghan enrolled in Carmel River School and her father was a volunteer aide there until 1997.

For a while the family moved to Los Gatos to enable Meghan to take advantage of the Sports Program at the high school there. When she enrolled at Stanford, majoring in urban studies, Gene and Constance moved back to Carmel, to a house on Fourth Avenue that his parents had owned.

Here, shaded by a large redwood that he planted years ago, McFarland recalls the Carmel that he fears is being lost. "Barbers, physicians, local shopkeepers, and teachers, everybody who worked here, lived in town. It was a genuine community. Now Carmel has become a trophy destination, part of an investment folio. Teachers, for example, can't afford to live here. This detracts from the nature of a community. We have no interaction with the kind of people who could contribute so much to the vitality of our Carmel."

He bemoans the "sometimes corrosive suburban values" of many of the new arrivals--their "phobias" about tall trees, their "paving over every spot of earth" and their "endless appetite for 'kitsch' to achieve that 'old world' look." He wonders whether Sunset Center really serves the residents, since many Carmelites can't easily afford to attend its events.

He has joined the CRA, he says, because it's resident oriented. He enjoys a variety of activities with Carmel Schools, St. Bernards, Friends of Carmel Forest, YES! For Carmel, and two pets - one a Sheltie, "the other a vintage Porsche."

Constance still travels frequently, and has recently returned from China.

Among his other accomplishments, Gene is a talented photographer. And by the way, he also loves to cook.

Fire Extinguishers
from "Public Safety" on the
Carmel Fire Department website

Every fire begins with a single spark, which can either dissipate immediately or grow in proportion with the available fuel and oxygen supply. In other words, all fires start small. Learning how to safely use a portable fire extinguisher with confidence is a matter of investing a few minutes of your time. With this knowledge, and a few dollars, you will have the ability to extinguish small fires in your home and workplace, thus protecting yourself and your surroundings.

Fire extinguishers come in a variety of sizes; the Fire Department recommends that you purchase one that you can comfortably handle. Sizes of portable extinguishers by weight start at about one pound and progress to units that need to be mounted on a stand with wheels in order to be maneuverable. We recommend one that you can comfortably hold in your hands and easily store.

Fire extinguishers can be found at any hardware store, home and building center or possibly in larger drug stores and department stores. The Fire Department suggests that, when purchasing a fire extinguisher, you choose one that is made entirely of metal. It is more durable, will hold air better and can be re-filled with dry chemical after being used. If you cannot find an all-metal extinguisher in one of the outlets just mentioned, look in the yellow pages of the phone book under Fire Extinguishers. These companies specialize in fire protection equipment for home, business and industry, and have service programs available, which is a requirement for fire extinguishers in the business district. Fire-extinguisher companies guarantee their work and will replace, free of charge, any extinguisher that will not hold its air, or otherwise not maintain readiness after purchase or service. Servicing an extinguisher involves removing the existing chemical and replacing it with new powder, lubricating valves and replacing gaskets. The main motivation for servicing extinguishers is to ensure that the chemical is in good condition. If an extinguisher sits idle for long periods of time the chemical has a tendency to cake up and not maintain its powdery consistency to allow proper discharge.

An important thing to note is that if you discharge your dry chemical extinguisher, even for an instant, it must be serviced. At this point the powder is slightly holding the discharge valve open, causing a small air leak in the unit which, within a couple of days, will empty out all of the air.

The most important part of having a fire extinguisher is knowing how to operate it. All modern fire extinguishers have directions on them, which is good. However, the Fire Department believes that the best way to learn how to safely and confidently use an extinguisher is to put out a large fire. You have the opportunity to train with Carmel Fire Department firefighters in the practical use of fire extinguishers. Please call 620-2030 and ask for Mitch Kastros to arrange this.

In any event, never attempt to put out a fire using a fire extinguisher unless you are 100% certain of your safety and your ability to operate the unit. If there is any doubt whatsoever, get out of the building and call 911.

Please log on to the website carmelfiredepartment.com and click News Now and Public Safety to obtain more information on springtime fire safety preparation, plus other important seasonal and general information.

OLD CARMEL
by Connie Wright

Ella Winter: Gallant Fighter

Ella Winter, interpreter of post-Revolution Russia to the U.S., was born in Melbourne, Australia, in 1898, the daughter of emigrant German Jews. The family moved to London when Ella was eleven. She attended the London School of Economics and was thus exposed to liberal politics. Sidney and Beatrice Webb, Bernard Shaw and H.G. Wells, all Fabian Socialists, were teaching there at the time. In 1918 she was chosen as an assistant to Dr. Felix Frankfurter at the Peace Conference in Paris. There she met Lincoln Steffens, muckraking reporter, the "best journalist in the world," and 32 years her senior. After the disappointing end of the conference, Ella returned to London where she took First Class Honors, despite having gone out every night with Steffens and doing no studying. They decided not to marry because of the disparity in their ages, but in 1924 they did marry, in Paris. Son Pete was born shortly thereafter. Their life at that point consisted of travel, friends and work. Their villa on the Italian Riviera at Alassio was the stopping point for many artists and writers: Hemingway, Sinclair Lewis and Jo Davidson, the sculptor, for example. Encouraged by her husband to write, she contributed to the New Masses, the Nation and the Manchester Guardian.

In 1927 they came to the U.S. and by chance to Carmel, where Stef, looking for a quiet place to work, decided to settle. They bought a house from the artists Cornelis and Jessie Arms Botke on San Antonio near Ocean, which they called the Getaway. Stef referred to it as a "refuge for any poor s.o.b. in a jam." They lived there from 1927 to 1936. Typically, having avoided all of his friends by moving to a remote locality, he next invited them all to come visit. Their house became a gathering place for intellectuals far and wide. Robin and Una Jeffers became their close friends. Ella and Stef became contributing editors to the Carmelite from 1928 to 1930, then a liberal newspaper, as opposed to the Carmel Sun and the Pine Cone.

In 1930 and 1931 Ella went to Russia to observe the Five Year Plan in operation. These visits resulted in Red Virtue, a book depicting the new roles of Soviet women.

The 1930's were extremely difficult for workers in California. Okies and Mexicans picked crops in the California valleys for miniscule wages and under appalling conditions. In Carmel public spirited people joined to help the workers. Noel Sullivan, local philanthropist, Langston Hughes, Francis Whitaker, Ella and others went to Tulare to see the conditions of the workers. Their publicity helped to ameliorate this situation.

In 1933, Stef lectured at Harvard and was besieged, without Ella to protect him, for interviews, speeches and articles. He suffered a coronary thrombosis. After successfully settling him, Ella received an invitation from the New Masses, the official organ of the John Reed Club, and controlled by the Communist Party, to report on the waterfront strike in San Francisco, which had tied up shipping on all of the West Coast. She accepted the invitation and met the radical strike leader Harry Bridges. Someone, possibly W.R. Hearst, told industrialists that the money for the waterfront strike and for all the agitation for higher wages in the valleys came from Moscow and that the Soviet Consul brought it to Carmel and gave it to Stef, who gave it to Harry Bridges. People in Carmel split into two factions. American Legionnaires wrote down the license numbers of cars parked in front of the Getaway. A drunk Legionnaire threatened on the phone to burn the house down. The Pine Cone and the Carmel Sun wrote scurrilous remarks about Ella and Stef such as that Ella had slept with 29 Negroes. "Why not 30?" Stef asked ironically.

Stef died in 1936. Ella's life changed radically. She was lonely in Carmel and, at a congress dedicated to Steffens, she met Donald Ogden Stewart, a Hollywood actor, script writer and playwright. Ella and her liberal friends provided a contact with a world he knew nothing about. They were married in 1939. She moved into a Hollywood world, different from her former one, but which, like it, felt the impact of events in Europe and Asia and the rise of the modern world. Ella devoted herself to peace congresses in the late 1940's. Donald was blacklisted during the era of Sen. Joseph McCarthy's anti-Communist witch hunt, and to escape this harassment, they moved to London in 1960. She published her autobiography And Not to Yield in 1963. She died in 1980, three days after Donald. The last lines of her autobiography read: "If my life has taught me anything, it is that one must fight."

Denise Sallee, local historian at the Local History Room, Harrison Memorial Library, is writing a biography of Ella Winter. This is a project never undertaken before. I look forward to reading it. Please get in touch with Denise if you have any ideas about this projected work.

Ivy -- in a league all its own
by Greg D'Ambrosio

Because so many private and public trees in Carmel are in increasing danger of damage from the choking grasp of ivy and because the Forest and Beach Department does not have the manpower to tackle this problem, we asked and received permission to reprint this informative article from author Greg D'Ambrosio and Friends of Carmel Forest for whom the article was written.

Ivy, that tenacious luxuriant vine that grows with abandon throughout Carmel and the Monterey Peninsula, can be a very serious problem. When maintained as a fixed landscape ground cover or planted to protect steep slopes and embankments, it can be very functional and serves to control soil erosion. Ivy may appear attractive, but it also chokes the life out of trees. Left unchecked, these vines become aggressive wanderers, climbing walls, home siding, any vertical surface. At first, slowly extending its tips to the highest reaches of any tree, ivy eventually will engulf the trunk, limbs and entire crown, blocking sunlight and air circulation so essential to the development of healthy foliage and vigorous growth.

As vine stems continue to thicken and leaves grow more dense, this plant hides the tree so that it is often difficult to assess its true state of health or structural stability until it starts to break apart. To properly manage and maintain a tree, you must be able to see it in its entirety, from the tree's base and root collar, where roots dive into the soil from the trunk, up the entire trunk to the limbs and all the branches and foliage of the crown. A tree free of ivy allows you to closely examine and consistently monitor every surface for telltale signs that might indicate structural defects or subtle changes, including soil uplift, loose or split bark plates, wood fractures to roots, trunk or branches, insect infestations or disease.

Removing ivy may require only a few minutes' attention when it first begins to climb or far greater time and expense when left unattended. It is better to invest that small amount of time and money now and improve the health and safety of all your trees.

If you are one of those unlucky ones whose tree(s) are already plagued, and the cost of removing the vines would be prohibitive, you may choose to cut the stems of each vine at the base of the tree trunk and remove them to a height of 6-10 feet. Taking this action will kill the ivy and at least clear the tree's trunk so you are once again able to observe the structural condition of the trunk, roots and surrounding soil. Over time, the ivy leaves will die, turn brown and drop, exposing more of the trunk, branches and foliage for visual inspection. The results of your efforts won't be pretty because of the mess created by dead leaf fall over time and the unsightly ivy stems that will remain on the trunk and in the crown. But it's still a better alternative if the tree is saved and you are able to monitor the entire structure. To help out the Forest and Beach Department, you might also want to remove ivy from public trees in your neighborhood. It is a good idea to take a trash bag to collect the ivy you cut. Be sure you notify the resident adjacent to the tree and explain why it is necessary to remove the ivy.

Call a professional tree consultant for advice if you are not certain about what to do.

Remember that your City Council is on T.V.

City Council meetings are taped and re-broadcast
Sundays, 8 a.m. - 12 noon on
KMST Channel 26