Noteworthy Events

Settlement with neighbor clears way for Paraiso Springs resort project in south Monterey County.

Asaf Shalev of the Monterey County Weekly

Only 20 minutes by car west of Arroyo Seco.

The location of the proposed Paraiso Springs project, in the foothills of the Santa Lucia Mountains near Soledad. c/o Google Earth After 15 years, the last remaining challenge to a proposal to build a massive resort in South Monterey County was a neighbor of a project who sued the developer and asked the County Board of Supervisors to reverse its approval. But on Jan. 27, the night before the board was set to decide on the Paraiso Springs resort project, Cynthia Pura suddenly withdrew her appeal. Pura and the developer, Thompson Holdings LLC, reached a last-minute settlement, according to Mike Novo, a county planner handling the project. The terms of the agreement remain unknown as attorneys for both sides did respond to requests for comment.

The site of the project at the foothill of the Santa Lucia range near Soledad hosted a historic resort which shut down in 2003 after decades if disrepair due to fire and floods. The resort will include about 180 units with extensive amenities for tourism, with the hope that the site’s natural hot springs and surrounding wine country will attract visitors. Political and business leaders in South County see the resort as a potential economic engine for an area with limited employment opportunities. The Monterey County Planning Commission approved the project unanimously in October 2019.

The new local company Arroyo Seco Internet (ASI), has just begun offering high speed internet service in the Arroyo Seco area. The first three customers were (1) Valarie and Andy Klingelhoefer, (2) Erin Melchior both who live in Jorgenson Flats and (3) Chad and Sami Dietz who live on Olivia Drive. Those that have interest in this new local service may want to contact these households to see if they are satisfied with the performance.

Gregg Garcia, ASI CEO remarked that “For the last 8 months ASI has been securing sites and building microwave towers (six (6) to date) that should eventually provide high speed internet service to nearly all households with addresses on Arroyo Seco Road, Sycamore Flats Road, Olivia Drive and Carmel Valley Road with the Greenfield zip code of 93927. Currently able to receive service are households in Jorgenson Flats, Sycamore Flats, Olivia Drive and the dozen or so homes close to Massa Vineyards and Mesa Del Sol. By the end of this year, towers are projected to be constructed that will allow service to households in Arroyo Seco Resorts and northwest along Carmel Valley Road about a mile from the intersection.”

Gregg Garcia, ASI CEO further noted “We are a local Company that wants to earn a reputation for providing reliable, high performance, internet at a fair price, with excellent customer service. We are planning to add subscribers at a slow enough rate that we can be sure the existing subscribers are happy with their service and that each tower site is durable throughout the year, including the rainy months. Customers are enjoying the ability to use their cell phones in and around their homes as well as streaming their favorite videos and movies.”

For those wanting more information, please call (831) 674-4075, email Info@ArroyoSecoInternet.com , visit www.ArroyoSecoInternet.com , or write us at Arroyo Seco Internet, PO. Box 2253, Greenfield, CA 93927.

Members of the Arroyo Seco Fire Department are not only “First Responders”

(Fireman Chefs provide $20 breakfasts for $10)

The hearty breakfasts served at the Arroyo Seco Community Center each Spring and Summer month by the volunteer members of the Fire Department are classic and delicious: Scrambled eggs, hashed potatoes, French toast & pancakes with a wide choice of syrups, bacon and sausage coupled with fruit, coffee, orange juice and more. There simply is no better way to enjoy a first-class meal while mingling and catching-up with your neighbors, especially those who step-up and volunteer to man the fire and rescue equipment that is so important to the entire community.

Preparing and serving the food this last Saturday, July 27th, were Fire Chief Dawne Funkey (2nd from L) joined by (L to R) Firemen Chad Dietz, Les Millard III and Kyle Barnett. These First Responders show up at 6:30 AM in order to begin serving at 7:30 AM and continue until 10:00 AM. No one leaves hungry and everyone should mark their calendar now as there will be two more this year: Saturday, August 31, 2019; Saturday, Sept. 28, 2019.

As long as you are marking your calendar, continue on to next year:

Sunday, April 26, 2020 (the morning following the 2020 Duck Race/Festival, on April 25th

Saturday, May 30, 2020

Saturday, June 27, 2020

Saturday, July 25, 2020

Saturday, August,29, 2020

Saturday September 26, 2020

ASCA Honors Past President & Contributes $5000 to Arroyo Seco Fire Station during

June 22nd ASCA BOD meeting & Barbecue

Dee Heckman’s tenure with the ASCA began in 1990 and was marked by seminal events: forming a non-profit corporation, building the firehouse & community center, providing education scholarships to local students, providing a center of critical information during threatening fires, and building the community through potlucks, Halloween parties, and helping local families in dire need. Over the same timespan, Dee became a Greenfield elementary school teacher and her innovative efforts to teach students who were speaking English only as a 2nd or 3rd language led to a long and laudatory article published in the Monterey Herald. Retired now, Dee is committed to simplifying her life and focusing all her energies on battling non-Hodgkins lymphoma, originally diagnosed in 2013 and treated since with numerous chemotherapy regimens.

Considering Dee’s fondest wish has been to teach her students to love reading, ASCA placed a compact library in her honor in front of the Community Center that will be continuously stocked with books, available for free, to all Arroyo Seco children, and their families.

Valarie Klingelhoefer and Supervisor Chris Lopez present library to Dee

The 2019 Duck Race Festival fundraising event drew so many attendees that the directed donations of $3,200.00 could be supplemented by an additional $5,000.00 raised from the net proceeds provided by those who enjoyed the barbecue, swimming, horseshoes& darts competitions and watching the conventional Rubber Duck Race and the unique “Unlimited” Rubber Duck Race that featured creatively powered, remotely controlled, large rubber ducks designed and operated by student engineering teams.

ASCA BOD presents $5,000 check to fire chief Dawne Funkey

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Video provided by Alex Rauber: https://vimeo.com/270199319

2018 Arroyo Seco Duck Race Fest

Read the full article here.

2018 AMGEN tour of California
passing through Arroyo Seco

One minute after the start of the race.

The leaders nearing the Arroyo Seco Rd. & Carmel valley Rd. intersection.

Photo by Luke Dietz.

The Arroyo Seco Fire Department in their dress uniforms prepares to participate in the funeral of Bruce Dodson, a beloved and well respected member of the SoMoCo Board of Directors.

From left to right (Fire Chief, Dawne Funkey, fireman Daniel Dietz and new recruits Kyle Barnett and Les Millard)