Exhibitions, performances, neighborhood venues and noteworthy food news—selected for usefulness, verified against first-party sources and presented without turning the section into an advertisement.
CURRENT COVERAGE
From the live feed.
Stories remain governed by the same chronological feed and 88-hour archive rules. This page simply gathers the reporting relevant to this section.
Local Business665 Lighthouse Avenue, downtown Pacific Grove
The Block Wine Bar opened August 12 at 665 Lighthouse Ave. after receiving Monterey County Health Department sign-off the day before. Owner Coby Shammas says the bar opens daily at noon, closing at 8 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Because the original August 13 report was first found after MyPG.news' 88-hour live window, this verified item was added directly to the archive as a backfill.
Pacific Grove Police says officers recorded 22 traffic stops, 144 parking citations, 13 other citations, seven arrests and two vehicle tows during August 9–16. The department published the aggregate figures after Car Week ended. It did not provide incident-level outcomes in the recap; an arrest is not a conviction.
California American Water says it filed testimony supporting a temporary easing of the Monterey Peninsula's state-ordered water-connection moratorium—but only with safeguards for drought supply, Carmel River restoration and new-source projects. The filing is advocacy by the water company, not a State Water Board decision. The state says it is considering the Monterey Peninsula Water Management District's application to modify the cease-and-desist order and will take public comment November 5.
Pacific Grove is asking residents to complete a short survey about the experience, leadership qualities and priorities they want in the city's next permanent city manager. The city says its executive-search firm, Bob Murray and Associates, will use the responses during recruitment. The survey closes Sunday, September 6; it is public input, not a selection vote.
Pacific Grove Public Library says students in grades 6–12 can earn community-service hours at five Teen Zone sessions beginning September 3. The one-hour sessions continue November 5, January 7, March 4 and May 6. Registration and a completed volunteer application are required; signups open one month before each session.
Pacific Grove Recreation says registration remains open until 5 p.m. Friday, Aug. 14, or until spaces fill. Openings remain for girls' soccer ages 5–6, 7–8 and 9–10 and co-ed soccer ages 7–8. The city has also opened free Youth Center after-school membership for Pacific Grove students in grades 6–12, covering weekday drop-in access and special events throughout the school year. The department is seeking volunteer coaches; head coaches receive a 75% discount for one child on their team.
Monterey County Now reporter Aric Sleeper reports that a civil complaint alleges Pacific Grove resident Christopher Darnell accepted money toward a 2024 Porsche 911 S/T that the plaintiff says did not exist. The report says Darnell is separately charged with obtaining money by false pretenses and embezzlement after a Pacific Grove Police investigation. Darnell pleaded not guilty and denies the civil allegations. Both matters remain pending; no court has found him criminally guilty or civilly liable. A public docket index independently confirms the related civil case, Jose Moreno v. Exclusive Collection MRY LLC et al., No. 25CV004040.
KSBW reports that smoke from the Timber Fire reached parts of the Monterey Peninsula Wednesday evening as outdoor Car Week activity increased. Monterey Bay Air Resources District confirms the fire can affect regional air quality and directs residents to its live particulate-sensor network because conditions can vary by location and change with the wind. MBARD says people should use common sense when smoke is visible: reconsider running or children's outdoor play, and limit exposure if readings reach unhealthy levels. PGUSD is monitoring conditions under its color-coded school activity protocol. No single Peninsula-wide AQI value is stated because local readings vary.
The Monterey County Sheriff’s Office said investigators recovered a beige 2010 Mercury Milan and asked anyone who saw the vehicle or its occupants on August 1 or 2 to come forward. This verified regional item was moved from the live feed because no direct Pacific Grove impact was established; it is preserved here rather than deleted.
The downtown event was held Friday, August 7, as part of a full weekend of Pacific Grove community activities. The event has ended. This verified listing moved to the archive after its 88-hour live window closed.
The outdoor series at the Social Hall deck ran from 6 to 9 p.m. Friday with live music, food, local beer and wine, and s’mores. The August 7 event has ended. This verified listing moved to the archive after its 88-hour live window closed.
Police said a community service officer's observation led officers to a reported victim, who identified a Pacific Grove resident as the person who allegedly threatened him. Officers reported recovering three knives, including the folding knife believed to have been used in the incident. The allegations have not been adjudicated. This verified item moved to the archive after its 88-hour live window closed.
An infant was found near Struve Road and a second set of remains was found near Old Stage Road. Authorities said the incidents were being actively investigated. This verified regional item was moved from the live feed because no direct Pacific Grove impact was established; it is preserved here rather than deleted.
Pacific Grove police said officers conducting a warrant and probation search in the 300 block of 12th Street arrested Thomas Nichols on an outstanding warrant. Police reported finding suspected methamphetamine, suspected psilocybin mushrooms, drug paraphernalia and metal knuckles. The listed offenses are allegations; the investigation was described as ongoing.
A City of Pacific Grove public hearing notice says the Architectural Review Board will meet August 11 at 3 p.m. to consider Architectural Permit, Coastal Development Permit and Variance application 25-0253. The proposal would remodel the existing residence, connect it to the garage with a first-floor addition, and add a second floor and ADU above the garage. The notice is dated July 30 and was added directly to the archive after its 88-hour live window had closed; the upcoming hearing is separately previewed on the Local Business desk.
KSBW reported that former Pacific Grove High School girls basketball coach Marquis Pickrom was arrested on suspicion of sexual misconduct involving a student. The report concerns allegations, not a conviction. It was published February 2, 2026 and is archived here after resurfacing in the live search on August 7; it is not a new incident.