12 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY january 5-11. 2023 www.montereycountyweekly.com It’s going to take a few years before dirt gets broken, but the bike and pedestrian connection from central Marina to CSUMB, and the former Fort Ord, got a major boost in late 2022 with the awarding of two grants—one state, one federal—that will help fund two segments of the Fort Ord Regional Trail and Greenway in Marina. For CSUMB professors Fred Watson and Scott Waltz, the two architects of FORTAG—a planned 28-mile bike and pedestrian loop from Marina to Del Rey Oaks and Seaside—it represents a major milestone for the project. “This segment coming to fruition is really huge,” Watson says. “It’s doing the very first thing we envisioned, these two segments here—there are a ton of connections being made.” And what they envisioned—initially, before the greater FORTAG vision took root—was preserving open space connections between Marina’s residential neighborhoods, the university and the Fort Ord National Monument. One of the segments, which will span 1.8 miles, mostly on a trail west of California Avenue, will be largely funded by an $8.4 million State Active Transportation grant awarded to the Transportation Agency for Monterey County in December. It creates a bikeway off California Avenue—which currently has narrow, harrowing bike lanes—and a bike and pedestrian bridge over Imjin Road. From there, the next segment begins, which is being made possible by a $7.8 million federal grant awarded to TAMC in December (TAMC will provide $5.01 million in matching funds through Measure X, a 2016 county ballot initiative). That segment will span 2.26 miles and include boardwalks as it passes through habitat of federally protected sand gilia and end near the intersection of Schoonover and Inter-Garrison roads. From there, the Jerry Smith Access corridor provides an off-road path into the Fort Ord National Monument. Todd Muck, TAMC’s executive director, credits the grants to the agency’s staff’s persistence, and openness to learning from mistakes in past failed grant applications, and asking the awarding agencies—state or federal— why those applications failed. Unfortunately though, both projects will have to wait: State funding for the California Avenue segment is budgeted for the 2024-25 fiscal year, and the federal funding for the eastern segment is not expected to kick in until 2027, though Muck is hopeful it could happen sooner if TAMC makes good progress on the western segment. Last year the Federal Emergency Management Agency launched a program to reimburse up to $9,000 of the cost of a funeral for a loved one lost to Covid-19, but it came with a catch. Namely the loved one applying had to be a U.S. citizen or in the country legally. In Monterey County, where undocumented farmworkers and their families suffered and died from Covid more than any other population group, that left needed funds just out of reach. On July 12, 2022 the Monterey County Board of Supervisors voted 5-0 to create the county’s own Funeral and Burial Assistance Program to offer grants to those not eligible for the FEMA grants. “We know there are a lot of workers that are not able to access the FEMA grants because of immigration status. This is for them,” says Daniel Gonzalez, an emergency services planner for the county. “Especially with the hardship that our community has gone through… Those hardest hit are those who have the least.” The county’s program went into effect on Nov. 14, with approximately $300,000 available. It mirrors FEMA’s program, offering up to $9,000 for expenses incurred from Jan. 20, 2020 to the present. (The county will continue its program until funds are gone.) There is no proof of immigration status or citizenship required, but those applying—as well as the person who died— must be (or have been at the time of death) residents of Monterey County. Applicants must also be low-income, and the death certificate must list Covid as the cause of death. The only caveat to the county program is that applicants must not qualify for the FEMA program, Gonzalez says. Anyone who does qualify for FEMA grants will be referred there. The Monterey County of Emergency Services is taking applications from 8-11am, Monday through Wednesday, by phone at (831) 356-3137. More information about both the county and FEMA programs is available at bit.ly/ MoCofuneralassist. Roll On Marina residents will have a smooth—and safe—bike trail to CSUMB, and beyond. By David Schmalz news Planning Ahead The city of Soledad is seeking volunteers to serve on the Planning Commission, which is in charge of reviewing and adding revisions to the city’s general plan. This includes assisting in zoning ordinances, administrating specific plans and more. Learn about what’s entailed at this informational session. 6pm Thursday, Jan. 5. Virtual meeting at bit.ly/SoledadPCInfo. Free. Applications available at the Soledad Gateway Center (502 Front St.) or online at bit.ly/SoledadPCApp. For more information, 223-5020. New Leaders Monterey County supervisors and the new Monterey County sheriff are sworn in during a public ceremony. A reception follows to congratulate new leaders. 11am Tuesday, Jan. 10. Monterey County Board of Supervisors chambers, 168 W. Alisal St., Salinas. Free. 7555066, co.monterey.ca.us. High Court The League of Women Voters of Monterey County presents a talk titled “Examining the Supreme Court: Local Implications of Recent Rulings” at a lunch-and-learn meeting with guest speaker Michelle “Mickey” Welch, adjunct professor of constitutional law at Monterey College of Law. 11:30am Wednesday, Jan. 11. Unitarian Universalist Church, 490 Aguajito Road, Carmel. Free/talk; $25/ lunch; reservations required. For reservations, call Beverly Bean at 236-1611 or email beverlygb@gmail.com. Going Green Sustainable Pacific Grove presents an introduction to the Blue Zones Project, and explains its potential benefits to the community. BZP Monterey County is partnering with local companies and cities around the county to “promote the health and well-being of residents.” Veronica Plascencia, of Blue Zones, is the guest speaker. 7pm Thursday, Jan. 12. Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History, 165 Forest Ave., Pacific Grove. Free. sustainablepg@gmail.com, montereycounty. bluezonesproject.com. Critical Training Suicide Prevention Services of the Central Coast offers a two-day training program called ASIST, teaching participants how to help those at risk of suicidal thinking, behavior, and attempts. The first two-day training session kicks off this month. Participants must attend both days; pre-registration is required. 10am-6pm Tuesday and Wednesday, Jan. 24-25. Family Service Agency, 104 Walnut Ave., #203, Santa Cruz. Contact sps24hr@fsa-cc.org with questions. Chipping In Monterey County picks up where FEMA left off in providing Covid-19 funeral funds. By Pam Marino FORTAG founders Fred Watson (left) and Scott Waltz (right) stand at the terminus of the Patton Parkway bike path, which ends at California Avenue (behind them). e-mail: publiccitizen@mcweekly.com TOOLBOX “This segment coming to fruition is really huge.” Daniel Dreifuss
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