FEBRUARY 9-15, 2023 MONTEREYCOUNTYWEEKLY.COM LOCAL & INDEPENDENT CRUISE SHIPS CANCELED 10 | CARDROOM GAMES 14 | DISASTERS IN TRANSLATION 34 | FOOD FOR LOVE 36 Diablo Canyon was set to close in 2025, but state lawmakers voted to extend that timeline. Now with federal regulators also involved, it might not be that easy. p. 20 By Jean Yamamura NUCLEAR FALLOUT
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www.montereycountyweekly.com FEBRUARY 9-15, 2023 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 3 Change is coming to Salinas Valley Memorial Healthcare System Good health uncovers the path to a strong and vibrant community. Since 1953, we have served the Salinas Valley with advanced medical treatments, state-of-the-art technology and specialized care. Decades of leadership and evolution have led us to today as we announce our upcoming rebrand. A new name and look will reflect our broad, bold and holistic approach to healthcare, your healthcare. Stay tuned and see how we’re rising at svmh.com
4 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY february 9-15, 2023 www.montereycountyweekly.com february 9-15, 2023 • ISSUE #1802 • Established in 1988 Karen Loutzenheiser (iPhone 12) Rock climbers make the most of a break between rainstorms at Pinnacles National Park. Monterey County photo of the week Send Etc. submissions to etcphoto@mcweekly.com; please include caption and camera info. On the cover: Diablo Canyon in San Luis Obispo County is California’s last remaining nuclear power plant. It was set to close in 2025, now 2030 with an extension. What happens beyond that date remains unclear. Cover Photo Courtesy of PG&E etc. Copyright © 2023 by Milestone Communications Inc. 668 Williams Ave., Seaside, California 93955 (telephone 831-394-5656). All rights reserved. Monterey County Weekly, the Best of Monterey County and the Best of Monterey Bay are registered trademarks. No person, without prior permission from the publisher, may take more than one copy of each issue. Additional copies and back issues may be purchased for $1, plus postage. Mailed subscriptions: $120 yearly, pre-paid. The Weekly is an adjudicated newspaper of Monterey County, court decree M21137. The Weekly assumes no responsibility for unsolicited materials. Visit our website at http://www.montereycountyweekly.com. Audited by CVC. Founder & CEO Bradley Zeve bradley@mcweekly.com (x103) Publisher Erik Cushman erik@mcweekly.com (x125) Editorial editor Sara Rubin sara@mcweekly.com (x120) features editor Dave Faries dfaries@mcweekly.com (x110) associate editor Tajha Chappellet-Lanier tajha@mcweekly.com (x135) Staff Writer Celia Jiménez celia@mcweekly.com (x145) Staff Writer Pam Marino pam@mcweekly.com (x106) Staff Writer Rey Mashayekhi rey@mcweekly.com (x102) Staff Writer Agata Pope¸da (x138) aga@mcweekly.com Staff Writer David Schmalz david@mcweekly.com (x104) DIGITAL PRODUCER Kyarra Harris kyarra@mcweekly.com (x105) Staff photographer Daniel Dreifuss daniel@mcweekly.com (x140) contributors Nik Blaskovich, Rob Brezsny, Paul Fried, Jeff Mendelsohn, Adrienn MendonçaJones, Jacqueline Weixel, Paul Wilner Cartoons Rob Rogers, Tom Tomorrow Production Art Director/Production Manager Karen Loutzenheiser karen@mcweekly.com (x108) Graphic Designer Kevin Jewell kevinj@mcweekly.com (x114) Graphic Designer Alexis Estrada alexis@mcweekly.com (x114) Graphic Designer Lani Headley lani@mcweekly.com (x114) SALES senior Sales Executive Diane Glim diane@mcweekly.com (x124) Senior Sales Executive George Kassal george@mcweekly.com (x122) Senior Sales Executive Keith Bruecker keith@mcweekly.com (x118) Classifieds business development director Keely Richter keely@mcweekly.com (x123) Digital Director of Digital Media Kevin Smith kevin@mcweekly.com (x119) Distribution Distribution AT Arts Co. atartsco@gmail.com Distribution Control Harry Neal Business/Front Office Office Manager Linda Maceira linda@mcweekly.com (x101) Bookkeeping Rochelle Trawick rochelle@mcweekly.com 668 Williams Ave., Seaside, CA 93955 831-394-5656, (FAX) 831-394-2909 www.montereycountyweekly.com To read Monterey County NOW in your inbox daily, sign up at mcweekly.com/signup. We’d love to hear from you. Send us your tips at tipline.montereycountyweekly.com. MAKE A DIRECT IMPACT INSIDER MAKE AN IMPACT AT $15 PER MONTH Become an Insider today. montereycountyweekly.com/insider Our work is continuing to be made possible through the support of readers like you. Delivering local and independent journalism takes a lot of resources. Whether it’s for investigative reporting, covering the arts scene or offsetting the costs of distribution every dollar makes a difference.
www.montereycountyweekly.com FEBRUARY 9-15, 2023 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 5 Finding Families for Children in Monterey County in 2023 Our goal is to find forever families for ALL teens currently placed in group homes. Help us find a home for our incredible teens CALL: (831) 755-4475 | VISIT: FCSMC.ORG At any given time there are many children and teens right here in Monterey County waiting for a home in a family setting. Spread your love to a child or teen who needs you by giving them a safe and loving place to call home. It is our Vision that in 2023, every child in Monterey County is living in a safe, stable, permanent home, nurtured by healthy families and strong communities. School districts recruiting for teaching and other certificated positions. On-site interviews! 2-6 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 23 CSUMB University Center 4314 Sixth Ave., Seaside Learn More csumb.edu/teach/events Monterey, San Benito and Santa Cruz Counties Teacher Educational Fair 2023
6 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY FEBRUARY 9-15, 2023 www.montereycountyweekly.com THE BUZZ FREE SPEECH It takes humans to moderate online comments, to cull through the spam and the personal attacks that can quickly escalate in a digital space. That’s something the newspaper company Gannett has observed and, as a result of its continued staffing cuts, prompted Gannett to eliminate online commenting platforms on roughly 200 newspaper sites it owns. The USA Today network of newspapers announced on Jan. 30 that, effective Feb. 1, “The ‘View Comments’ button will disappear from our articles…While we continue to believe in the importance of comments, we had to make the hard choice to move away from the space due to changes in staffing and the time investment necessary to bring you a safe, moderated and productive discussion space.” At Gannett’s local newspaper, The Salinas Californian—where there are no longer any local, Monterey County-based staff members—online commenting has been disabled. “We feel strongly that public discussion and civil debate are crucial to our society,” the company’s statement reads. “But for all their benefits, we also know that comment sections across the internet can quickly devolve when they’re left unmonitored.” Good: Good news for Monterey Regional Airport and the region’s tourism economy is scheduled to arrive at 1:12pm on Thursday, Feb. 9 in the form of American Airlines flight 1128, the first Airbus A319 to take the route from Dallas-Fort Worth to MRY. That route kicked off with 76-seat Embraer 175 planes in 2020. The larger aircraft (up to 128 passengers) is a sign from airline officials that popularity has remained steady. “This significant upgrade of aircraft to Dallas-Fort Worth by American Airlines further validates the strength of the Monterey market and our partnership with American Airlines,” MRY Executive Director Michael La Pier said in a statement. “For the first time in nearly three decades, our region will enjoy daily nonstop service on a mainline aircraft.” The new aircraft will increase available seats by nearly 40,000 per year in the DFW market, and nearly doubles the daily number of available seats to 128. GREAT: A baby African penguin joined the colony at the Monterey Bay Aquarium on Feb. 1. That was good, but what made it great was naming the chick “Gerry” after Gerry Low-Sabado, a direct descendant of Chinese immigrants who over 100 years ago lived and labored near where the Aquarium is now located. LowSabado worked for years as a kind and patient activist to bring recognition to the many Chinese residents who made significant contributions to the community. She collaborated with the Aquarium to develop an educational program about her ancestors, and gave presentations there before her death in 2021. Gerry the penguin hatched at the Aquarium on Nov. 30, weighing less than 2 ounces, but had grown to nearly 5 pounds on the day they joined the rest of the penguins in the Aquarium’s exhibit. It’s too early to know Gerry’s sex, but keepers already know Gerry’s personality, described as “independent and feisty.” GOOD WEEK / GREAT WEEK THE WEEKLY TALLY The number of European professionals who have won the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, thanks to Justin Rose, who claimed the title at this year’s event which wrapped up on Monday. The Pro-Am has been played at Pebble Beach since 1947. Source: PGA Tour 1 QUOTE OF THE WEEK “It was the hardest thing I ever had to do. Coaching football is easy.” -Ron Rivera, head coach of the NFL’s Washington Commanders, after completing play at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am on Sunday. Rivera was paired with professional Kevin Roy. ♦ 3 Card Poker ♠ Century 21st No Bust Black Jack ♣ Texas Hold’em ♥ Baccarat FULL BAR! BLACKJACK BONUS POINTS PAYS UP TO $20,000 SMALL TOWN BIG PAYOUTS! 1-800-Gambler • Gega-003846, Gega-Gega-003703, Gega-000889 Gega-000891 Gega-002838 The Marina Club Casino ensures the safety and security of all guests and team members at all times, while providing exceptional service. 204 Carmel Ave. Marina 831-384-0925 casinomonterey.com ♠ ♣ ♥ ♦ Just minutes from Downtown Monterey Where Monterey Comes To Play ANTIQUES & COLLECTIBLES Stop By To Shop And Find Your Vintage Treasure OVER 100 DEALERS 21,000 SQUARE FEET The Largest Antiques and Collectibles Mall on the Central Coast 471 WAVE STREET MONTEREY (831) 655-0264 P M canneryrowantiquemall.com Open Daily 11am-6pm ’22 Voted Monterey County's Best Antique Shop
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8 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY FEBRUARY 9-15, 2023 www.montereycountyweekly.com 831 Sara Ardinger and her 3-year old cat, Wall-e, live in Castroville. Wall-e has a beloved sister, Beastie, and Ardinger—a single mother—has a 15-year-old son. Their house has always been full of pets, thanks to Ardinger’s mother, a big animal lover, who died in 2021. Her death left the family with less income, a prelude to Wall-e’s troubles. Wall-e got sick in October 2022. “He is very loving and he loves to cuddle,” Ardinger says. But one Friday morning, he was nowhere in sight. They finally found him under the bed, but even then he wouldn’t come out. Ardinger knew something was really wrong and after some online research she decided it could be urethral obstruction, a life-threatening blockage of the lower portion of the urinary tract. She was right, but it took most of Friday night to find a veterinarian who would see them. When Wall-e was finally diagnosed, in Santa Cruz, the estimated cost of the surgery he needed immediately was $7,000. No one is more aware of the gaps in the animal health care system than Merrianne Burtch, who founded the BirchBark Foundation in 2013. As a veterinary internal medicine specialist who worked in 24-hour hospitals on the Central Coast, she knew a lot of local doctors. She also knew that with only two emergency centers for urgently ill animals, pet owners from Monterey, Santa Cruz and San Benito counties needed more options. A simple pyometra, an infection in the uterus of a female dog or cat, can be thousands of dollars, and people face the choice—let their pet die or go bankrupt, she explains. When Wall-e was being examined, the vet told Ardinger about a few financial options. She didn’t qualify for most of them, as she lives in a familiar gap. While barely making ends meet, Ardinger still earns too much to qualify for support programs such as food stamps. But then the vet told her about BirchBark, which provides 50-percent coverage for the pets that qualify. Additionally, vets working with BirchBark commit to lowering the original price of the procedure. Ardinger submitted the application and went home. Wall-e had to stay, and she cried all night worrying about her “cuddle buddy,” as she calls him. The weekend was hard, but on Monday, she was contacted by BirchBark to submit more financial information. Ardinger says she ended up with a $700 bill. “I’d never heard about BirchBark before,” she says, “but now I tell everybody I know.” BirchBark helps people who earn up to 300 percent of the federal poverty level, with each case considered separately. “There’s this poodle, Linda, who has Addison’s disease,” Burtch explains as an example. “Her medication is being donated by a pharmacy.” Burtch’s path as a veterinarian has been clear since she was 4 years old, she says. “I tend to think big,” she says, hoping that one day BirchBark can operate its own animal hospital. As of now, the organization doesn’t have a physical office. Until 2017 the work was being done by only one person. Now they have two full-time employees and a portal for applications. Moreover, BirchBark is celebrating its 10-year anniversary with a gala in Carmel Valley on Thursday, Feb. 9. In addition to helping with the cost of medical help, Birch Bark also offers grief support—after or even in anticipation of losing an animal. “People are often ashamed of their grief and they feel like they can’t talk about it to other people,” Burtch says. The foundation has two groups that meet each month, on Zoom. “Some people connect with their cameras off. They are just too devastated.” In addition to group sessions, BirchBark offers three mini-sessions with a specialist, 10 minutes each. As for Wall-e and Ardinger, the family lives happily ever after. The only change is that Wall-e is now on a wet food diet. “I had no idea that there are cats like that,” Ardinger says. “I had cats in the past. They ate dry food and they were fine.” Wet food is expensive, but Ardinger says each day with her cuddle buddy is worth it. “I’m his person,” she says. Pet Saviors A small foundation that helps with medical costs for urgently ill animals has found its niche. By Agata Pop˛eda Sara Ardinger and Wall-e, who is now on wet food after a urethral obstruction he experienced last year. It serves him well and he became quite big, Ardinger says. They both love BirchBark Foundation, which helped with Wall-e’s medical bill. “He is very loving and he loves to cuddle.” TALES FROM THE AREA CODE DANIEL DREIFUSS
www.montereycountyweekly.com FEBRUARY 9-15, 2023 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 9 Custom Designed Jewelry in Platinum, White or Yellow Gold Fine Swiss Watches Forever Gifts and Lladro Porcelain Ring Sizing, Polishing and Jewelry Repair Watch Repair, Battery Replacement and Watch Bands Jewelry Appraisal for Insurance Treasures for a Lifetime 447 Alvarado Street, Downtown Monterey 831.375.5332 • gaspersjewelers.com Mon-Sat l0am to 6pm ’19 is Valentine’s Day, get your sweetheart the perfect gift. Voted Monterey County’s Best Jewelry Store 18 years! e Monterey Peninsula’s Premiere Jewelers Since 1989 Spirituality, Kinship, and the Human Condition: Works by Carole A. Pavlo Curated by Amalia Mesa-Bains and Angelica Muro Feb 13 - Mar 10 1 - 5pm Visual and Public Art Gallery Building 70 CSUMB 3127 Intergarrison Rd. Marina, CA Day-use visitor parking permit is required and may be purchased at permit dispensers on campus. WE LOVE OUR SUPPORTERS AND VOLUNTEERS! HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY FROM Gathering for Women 147 El Dorado St., Monterey, CA (831)241-6154 gatheringforwomen.org info@gatheringforwomen.org Thanks to supporters like you, in 2022, we served over 20,000 meals to unhoused and housing insecure individuals and helped 41 individuals find homes! Looking to volunteer? Contact us at: info@gatheringforwomen.org
10 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY february 9-15, 2023 www.montereycountyweekly.com news For over 200 years, ships at sea have used colorful flags to communicate with passing vessels or a nearby shoreline. Monterey City Manager Hans Uslar flew his own flag to the cruise ship industry, signaling his belief the city should stop providing shore services to disembarking passengers. Uslar says the $1.5 million the visits generate annually aren’t worth it in the face of a possible environmental “Black Swan” disaster that could shut down the city’s hospitality industry. Uslar’s concern over the presence of cruise ships in the ecologically sensitive Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary grew as the city was coming out of the Covid-19 pandemic shutdowns that crippled local hotels and visitor-serving businesses, costing the city millions in tax revenues. “This is not a risk we should take anymore,” Uslar remembers thinking. He weighed the estimated annual economic benefit of $1.5 million brought in through cruise ship passengers visiting against the potential of hundreds of millions in damages to the city should the hospitality industry shut down for an extended period. In a report to the Monterey City Council in January, he asked for the authority to end providing shore services—the cost of which is reimbursed by the cruise ship companies— which include following required U.S. Department of Homeland Security procedures for checking passengers as they disembark for a few hours. His request drew an immediate response from Cruise Lines International Association President and CEO Kelly Craighead. “Our cruise line members set a high bar for themselves, and they attest to follow policies for practices related [to] shipboard Signal Flag Fear of ecological disaster prompts Monterey City Council to end cruise ship services. By Pam Marino Tuesday, Feb. 7 was chilly for an outdoor meeting, but that did not deter dozens of parents from attending a 9am discussion of the board of the Carmel Unified School District. Many remarked upon the cold while most of the meeting took place behind closed doors, with just one item on the day’s agenda: a discussion about a personnel matter. The board unanimously voted in closed session to remove Jon Lyons as principal of Carmel High School by the end of the 2022-23 school year. He remains employed by the district, but has been on leave since Dec. 16. He will be reassigned to a different position pending the outcome of an external investigation, in which two investigators are looking into accusations of the mishandling of complaints related to alleged misconduct, one looking at staff, one at students. “This internal investigation uncovered behavior that is detrimental to the safety of Carmel High students and staff,” CUSD Superintendent Ted Knight wrote in a letter to the campus community after the board meeting. With a subsequent external investigation still ongoing, details remain sparse. The initial investigation was forwarded to the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing, the District Attorney’s Office and the Sheriff’s Department. In 2021, the school newspaper The Sandpiper reported that dozens of former and current students shared allegations of sexual assault and harassment on social media, and that many students felt their allegations were overlooked. Itzél Rios-Ellis, a 2020 graduate, sparked a conversation on sexual abuse and harassment when she shared her story on Instagram while she was a sophomore at Carmel High, and encouraged others to do the same. “Carmel Unified has, unfortunately, been plagued with a longstanding, systemic issue of failure in both the reporting and investigation of employee, student and community complaints involving sexual harassment,” Knight, who is also CUSD’s Title IX coordinator and civil rights compliance officer, wrote in his letter. “I was asked to come in here and fix this and put processes in place,” Knight says in an interview. “What I’ve uncovered is years of neglect, years of systemic failure. I am not going to allow it to continue. “I think that’s making some people uncomfortable; they would rather defame me.” That’s where what looks like a personnel matter detours into broader divisions in the CUSD community. About 20 parents spoke to the board, mostly in support of keeping Lyons; some claim Lyons is facing retaliation for proper handling of student and staff complaints. Several parents are calling upon the board to terminate Knight. A sheriff’s deputy was called at the end of the meeting to ask people to leave. Knight says he is in the process of looking for an attorney to represent him, for potential defamation and also for his own employment at CUSD. The district is no stranger to turnover: Knight was hired in 2021, the sixth superintendent in six years. Lyons also attended the meeting on Feb. 7 and sat in the first row, stone-faced and wearing a gray blazer. He says he is disappointed by the board’s decision and doesn’t know what he will do next. “I’m worried about my own children,” Lyons says of his kids, who are current CUSD students. Jon Lyons attends a Feb. 7 meeting of the Carmel Unified School District board regarding his employment status. He served as CHS principal from 2019 to 2022. School Blues Carmel High School principal removed from his position, amid uproar from parents. By Celia Jiménez Cruise ship visits increased in Monterey Bay between 2018 and 2019. Some used skiffs to deliver passengers to Fisherman’s Wharf, where city staff followed federal check-in procedures. “What I’ve uncovered is years of systemic failure.” Daniel Dreifuss nic coury signal continued on page 12
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12 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY february 9-15, 2023 www.montereycountyweekly.com With January’s onslaught of storms now past, Monterey County officials are counting the toll of rain and flood damage on the local water infrastructure—and hoping that federal relief funds will help them shore up the main rivers, dams and reservoirs. Both during and after the storms, the Monterey County Water Resources Agency has been focusing on three primary areas of water infrastructure under its jurisdiction: the county’s two main dams and reservoirs, at Lake Nacimiento and Lake San Antonio; the Pajaro River’s levees; and the Old Salinas River slide gate, which connects that channel to the Salinas River Lagoon. The good news is that, on all three fronts, the county was able to monitor the damage and act accordingly, according to Lew Bauman, interim general manager of the Water Resources Agency. However, there was millions of dollars worth of damage sustained, and officials will be leaning on Federal Emergency Management Agency funds to help cover the costs. While ongoing drought conditions meant the reservoirs were previously “at very low levels,” Bauman says the storms dumped enough rain to prompt the Water Resources Agency to release water from Lake Nacimiento in order to preserve a buffer against potential overflow. Those releases caused further erosion to the reservoir’s plunge pool, where the dam’s spillway dumps water into the Nacimiento River, so the agency “engaged a contractor to retrofit the sides of the plunge pool with riprap to prevent erosion,” Bauman notes. At the Pajaro River’s levees, the agency installed roughly 3,000 feet worth of muscle wall, concrete K-rail barriers and other flood prevention infrastructure “to ensure that the levee didn’t overtop,” Bauman says. “Those activities were successful in preventing the flooding of the [Pajaro] community,” he adds, with the agency continuing improvements to the levees during the wet season. At the Old Salinas River channel, a combination of swelling river flows and high tides crashing in from Monterey Bay caused serious damage to both the slide gate and an access road. The damage was enough that the county has engaged a design firm to draw up the requisite repairs. In total, the various repairs could cost the county up to $7.5 million, according to Bauman: $3.5 million for the reservoir’s plunge pool, $2.5 million for the slide gate and access road, and $1.5 million for the Pajaro River levees. Immediate repairs through February are fully reimbursable by FEMA, Bauman notes, with longer-term improvements 75-percent covered by the federal agency. The county will also look to California disaster assistance funding to help with the work. safety, security, environmental stewardship, and more, which often exceed requirements of international law,” Craighead wrote in a letter to Mayor Tyller Williamson. Craighead asked the city to engage in “a constructive dialogue” with the industry before making any decisions. The concern of even the remote potential of a spill of toxic chemicals or human waste into the sanctuary, along with air pollution generated by the ships, was what drove Brent Allen, a founder of Protect Monterey Bay, to organize protests against cruise ships a few years ago. On Feb. 10, 2019, over 100 people showed up to San Carlos Beach in Monterey with surfboards, paddleboards and kayaks to paddle out in protest. Allen now lives in Oklahoma, but remains active with the group, now organized as a nonprofit. “There wasn’t one good part to that decision [to allow cruise ships] other than someone needs the courage to just say ‘no,’” Allen says. Despite the protests, the position of the city in 2019 was that the ships were following strict federal protocols designed to protect against damage to the environment. Several months after the paddle-out protest, 175 people attended a city-sponsored meeting about cruise ships amid growing concern over an increase in visits—from 11 ships in 2018 to 18 in 2019, although three were canceled due to dangerous water conditions. Eight experts on the city’s panel assured the public that the ships were safe, with the overall impact to the marine sanctuary being mostly benign. After Covid-19, Uslar changed his mind. “The key question I have for the industry is, can you guarantee nothing will happen? They cannot guarantee it,” he says. On Feb. 7 local business interests, including the Fisherman’s Wharf Association, argued against ending services. The council sided with Uslar 3-2, councilmembers Ed Smith and Kim Barber dissenting. Companies could find another way to have shore services provided. A schedule of ship visits on the city’s website shows the Discovery Princess is expected to arrive in Monterey on March 14. Water Bill The county counts millions in damage to water infrastructure from storms. By Rey Mashayekhi news Saving Lives Help give back to people facing medical challenges by donating blood. Donating takes about an hour and can save up to three lives. 1-5pm Friday, Feb. 10. Monterey Church, 401 Alvarado St., Monterey. Free. 877-258-4825, vitalant.org. On a Stroll Join the monthly Walk with a Doc program to do what the doctor says—get out for a hike—while chatting with a medical clinician. This month, the group is headed to Fort Ord National Monument. Jennifer Rodriguez, an RN, is a heart care coordinator and will address what is cardiac arrest versus a heart attack. 9am Saturday, Feb. 11. Fort Ord National Monument, Badger Hills Trailhead, Toro Creek Road, Salinas. Free. 759-1890. For more information and to reserve your spot, email healthpromotion@svmh.com. Sea Groupies Monterey Bay Aquarium is looking for people who are passionate about a thriving ocean and educating others to become new volunteer guides. Volunteers must be at least 18, and bilingual speakers are especially encouraged to participate. Sign up for one of three informational sessions to learn more about training and what volunteers do. Virtual sessions at 7pm Monday, Feb. 13 and Thursday, Feb. 16 (Zoom links will be sent one week prior to meetings, for those who RSVP). In-person session 8:30am Monday, Feb. 18 at Monterey Bay Aquarium, 886 Cannery Row, Monterey. Free. 648-4800, montereybayaquarium.org/volunteer. Critter Care Hitchcock Road Animal Services is looking for volunteers to help support shelter duties. There are an array of jobs available, including dog walking, web support and adoption services. (Volunteers are required to complete an application, attend an orientation and follow the Health Department onboarding process that includes fingerprinting and a TB test.) 1-5pm Tuesday-Saturday. Hitchcock Animal Services, 160 Hitchcock Road, Salinas. Free. 769-8798. Email your interest form to the volunteer coordinator at bradyk1@co.monterey.ca.us. GOVERNMENT SPENDING The city of Pacific Grove has launched a new financial transparency portal. Click through to view a check register by vendor and date, status updates on capital projects, and a dashboard to track the status of city council goals. Free to use. Viewable online at pacificgrove-ca.cleargov.com. The Monterey County Water Resources Agency shored up the Pajaro River’s levees during January’s storms, with the infrastructure work costing up to $1.5 million. e-mail: publiccitizen@mcweekly.com TOOLBOX The damage could cost up to $7.5 million to repair. Daniel Dreifuss signal continued from page 10
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14 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY FEBRUARY 9-15, 2023 www.montereycountyweekly.com The prospect of a second cardroom, which allows legalized gambling in the form of games like blackjack and poker, has become a lightning rod of controversy in Marina. On Jan. 18, the City Council considered an ordinance to amend the city code to allow for a second cardroom in the city. The meeting stretched past 1am, with the vast majority of public speakers in opposition. Despite that, a motion to make the amendments passed 3-2 (Cristina Medina Dirksen and Brian McCarthy dissented). But it’s not a done deal yet: Passing ordinances requires two votes by the council at two separate meetings, and the council considered the issue once again on Feb. 8. Mayor Bruce Delgado, speaking by phone on Feb. 7 while driving down from Sacramento, where he visited various cardrooms, says he’s heard the outsized public opposition over the past several weeks and that he has kept an open mind. “We don’t have a call to action very often on issues, and we need to respect that,” he says. “My personal opinion is that it’s not going to survive tomorrow night.” Marina, a former military town, had two cardrooms when it incorporated in 1975, and in 1996, passed an ordinance limiting the total cardrooms to two. One of those, Mortimer’s, shuttered in 2015, and only Marina Club remains. Also in 1996, the state legislature enacted a cardroom moratorium, prohibiting local jurisdictions from allowing new or expanded gambling operations. But that moratorium expired at the end of 2022, as a bill to extend it did not pass last year. Enter Parkwest Casinos, which applied for ordinance amendments that would allow the company to open a cardroom in the city. Founded by John Park in 1997, Parkwest operates five upscale cardrooms in the state, mostly around Sacramento and Stockon. Delgado sees the opposition to the cardroom in two camps: those opposed to any gambling, and those concerned about its impact on Marina Club. Marina Club owner Frank Calamia says that since the closure of Mortimer’s, he’s expanded his staff from 20 to 41, and if a “big, fancy ass cardroom” is allowed to go in, “I’ll lose half my employees right off the bat. I am very, very concerned about the viability of my company.” The tax revenue his cardroom generates isn’t nothing, but it’s also a rounding error in the city’s roughly $35 million budget. In 2022, Marina Club generated $211,466 in tax revenue to the city. (By comparison, in 2015, when both rooms were open, they generated $139,586 combined.) But Delgado says an upscale cardroom could also attract visitors to a downtown in dire need of revitalization. He adds, however, that need shouldn’t necessarily trump public opinion. Among residents opposed is Jeff Markham, who created a website— nocardroom.org—imploring residents to make their voices heard on Feb. 7. Those voices were heard loud and clear, and a motion to not approve the ordinance passed 5-0. It’s toast. Card Count After voting in January to allow a second cardroom, Marina City Council reverses with a 5-0 vote. By David Schmalz The Marina Club is Marina’s only remaining cardroom since Mortimer’s shuttered in 2015. Owner Frank Calamia’s family founded the establishment in 1970. NEWS “I am very, very concerned about the viability of my company.” DANIEL DREIFUSS The Prostate Cancer Self Help Group of the Central Coast will be hosting a zoom session on Thursday, February 9th, 2023, from 5:00pm-6:00pm discussing The Spiritual Aspects of Coping with Cancer with Community Hospital Chaplain, Laine Julian. For more information, call (831) 915-6466 We Speak German… CARS! Mercedes, BMW, Porsche, Audi, Volkswagen and Mini-Cooper Using current modern technology our experienced staff will diagnose, maintain and repair your German car. Certified Monterey Bay Green Business 373.5355 249 DelaVina, Monterey www.ccrepairmonterey.com
www.montereycountyweekly.com FEBRUARY 9-15, 2023 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 15 As travel began picking up again in earnest after Covid-19 shutdowns, Monterey County hoteliers found themselves losing the race against other California tourist destinations like Napa, San Luis Obispo and San Diego when it comes to attracting high-value guests—the ones who stay more nights and spend more money than day visitors, says Monterey County Convention and Visitors Bureau President and CEO Rob O’Keefe. Making sure those guests choose Monterey County as a destination takes marketing dollars, of which the county has about half as much to spend compared to competitors like Napa Valley. Last year, the county’s hotel industry had around $7.5 million to spend on marketing, generated by guest room fees that range from $1 to $2 per night per room. With 12,000 rooms in Monterey County, $7.5 million comes to $649 per room. Napa has $1,300 to spend per room. Sonoma County has $1,100 per room. “It’s extremely difficult to market against those kinds of odds,” O’Keefe says. “We’ve been getting our butts kicked competitively, even before Covid.” The guest room fees are possible because, in 2006, hotel owners in the county agreed to form a tourism improvement district (TID) in order to collect the fees and use it on marketing expenses. The money is collected by the city and county governments—with each jurisdiction retaining 1 percent of fees collected to reimburse administrative costs—and deposited with the TID. The MCCVB uses the money to market the area and specific hotels. The district was renewed in 2018 for five years and its leaders—hotel owners who sit on a committee with the MCCVB—are now asking for a 10-year renewal. The biggest change the TID is asking for is a new $7-per-room, per-night fee for luxury hotels like the Lodge at Pebble Beach and Post Ranch Inn in Big Sur. Limited-service hotels would be raised from $1 to $1.50 and full-service hotels from $2 to $4.50. The point, says O’Keefe, is not to bring a higher number of tourists to the county, but to bring higher-value visitors who will spend more, like international travelers. Increasing hotel stays by one more night over the average could bring in more than $877 million annually in incremental tourism spending, O’Keefe estimates. The renewal must be approved by each participating city council and the Monterey County Board of Supervisors. While most jurisdictions are in favor, on Feb. 7 Sand City’s city council delayed a vote in order to gather more information. The city currently pays $2,000 a year to be included in marketing materials by MCCVB. It does not have a hotel yet, but is slated for two in the future. If it does not join the TID it will not be able to join for 10 years and the city’s new hotels will not be included in MCCVB marketing materials. The goal is to send the renewal with approvals to the city of Monterey, the lead agency of the TID, by Feb. 21 for final approval by the Monterey City Council. It would take effect July 1. To Market Hoteliers agree to higher guest room fees in a race against other tourist destinations. By Pam Marino The Lodge at Pebble Beach is one example of a luxury hotel, defined as a full-service hotel with additional amenities like a golf course or spa, with an average rate of over $500 per night. NEWS “We’ve been getting our butts kicked.” DANIEL DREIFUSS NEW HOURS WEDNESDAY - SUNDAY: 4PM TO 10PM | MONDAY & TUESDAY: CLOSED LOCATED BEHIND THE PORTOLA HOTEL & SPA | COMPLIMENTARY PARKING (831) 649-2699 | PETERBSBREWPUB.COM SPORTS ON 18 HDTV’S & PET-FRIENDLY HEATED PATIO HAPPY HOUR 4PM TO 6PM & 9PM TO 10PM ALL NIGHT HAPPY HOUR WEDNESDAY FOR COLLEGE NIGHT | THURSDAY FOR MILITARY NIGHT ALL NEW
16 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY february 9-15, 2023 www.montereycountyweekly.com Safe Space Terrifying! Too damn many guns!! (“Gun threat against San Carlos School sends Monterey Peninsula schools into lockdown,” posted Feb. 1.) Karen Warner | via social media Thank god for the Monterey Police Department and all the law enforcement officers that helped out, thank god for AR-15s and thank god for the NRA. This squashes the narrative that we need to defund the police. The way to fix it is making sure you vote Republican. Jaime Del Real | via social media The MPD should be given a pay increase. This is more reason to protect all schools. Criminals will always find a way to acquire guns, regardless of what the gun laws are. Greg Grycner | via social media Fixer Uppers I’ve lived in Big Sur for nearly the past 50 years and watched the steady decline of [public] agencies (“The storm damage tally brings up questions about funding climate resiliency projects,” posted Jan. 30). Gone are the days when I could ask the local forest or parks ranger to identify a plant on a trail. The rangers now carry guns rather than a taxonomy text. Oh, and there are no (as in none) rangers on trails. The parks have been turned over to concessionaires. Volunteers now solely maintain the trails. The few agency employees that are left come and go, the head of the forest, the parks superintendent generally last a few years before their career path leads them off to a bigger forest in Montana or Utah. God bless all those who volunteer, but they should be an adjunct not a replacement. Steve Beck | Big Sur Hole in One Big thanks for highlighting the amazing work performed by all the volunteers who have the fun and privilege of working the AT&T Pro-Am (“An army of volunteers make the Pro-Am possible, and one person brings it all together,” Feb. 2-8). This would have been my fifth year as a walking scorer for the tournament had not health matters intervened. One small correction: Walking scorers record each shot taken, what type and where the shot is hit and the final score on each hole. We even record what the players are wearing so they can more easily be identified by broadcast cameras and people watching online. The people carrying signs in the fairway indicating that foursome’s individual strokes above or below par so the spectators along the fairway can track the group, are known as “standard bearers.” The article seemed to combine the two jobs into one. Gary Bolen | Prunedale ScHoolboy Q is a legend! (“Musicians— including the country chart’s finest—are drawn to golf and the Pro-Am,” Fe. 2-8.) Maddox Haberdasher | Monterey Service Central I would like to express our pride that Spreckels Veterans Memorial Building worked so well as the FEMA, State of California and Monterey County Disaster Recovery Center (“In Spreckels, Monterey County’s storm relief center forms the frontline of recovery efforts,” Jan. 26-Feb. 1). This center was pulled together with just a few days’ notice. Special thanks to our Facilities Manager Joe Velasquez who was on the clock from 6:30am-8:30pm for seven straight days. Built under the state military and veterans code for establishing veterans memorial facilities, SVMB proved the perfect fit for every service this center needed to provide. The post-flood, gorgeous weather made possible the food distribution effort on the front steps and lawn. Thanks to County Supervisors Lopez and Alejo for stopping by and getting the word out. Located at the crossroads of highways 101 and 68, this facility is the most centrally located venue for countywide meetings. Through the Covid lockdowns, our board took the opportunity to upgrade most of our facilities to where all systems were functioning at the highest level. So glad the town of Spreckels had this opportunity to shine. Paul J. Ingram | Carmel Valley Village Note: Ingram is general manager of the Spreckels Memorial District. Playing Politics It’s so great Monterey had the opposite of these dramas with our open seat and 11 applicants (“City councils in Del Rey Oaks and Greenfield are stuck in gridlock,” Feb. 2-8.). We got a great candidate appointed unanimously [Councilmember Gino Garcia], which will hopefully be the first of many future decisions. Esther Malkin | Monterey SCHOOL BELL This is by far the most accurate article published about this subject in my opinion, and our experience as a [Carmel Unified School District] family (“Carmel High School principal removed from his position, amid uproar from parents,” posted Feb. 7). Stacey McAlpine Bucher | via social media Six superintendents in six years!? Michael Knoll | via social media Seeing Green As the CEO of an ag supply business, I’d like to add that by our estimate, legal cannabis operators have invested over $1 billion in the county (“County supervisors will vote on another tax break for cannabis growers—who say it’s still not enough,” Jan. 19-25). This is ancillary spending including rebuilding abandoned greenhouses and warehouses, fencing and security systems, buying forklifts and cargo vans, restaurants and hotels, soil and scissors, and more. The $70 million collected by the county in cultivation tax doesn’t even consider the sales taxes, property taxes, employment taxes, and all other taxes paid by these businesses as any other. Please support the county’s decision to give much-needed relief to our emerging green industry who have invested so much to operate here. Chris McGrowin | Salinas Note: McGrowin is CEO of GrowBIGogh, Inc. BREW FOR ALL Love it! Natalie is awesome! (“Natalie Mika never intended to make craft beers her life, but she found a niche at Peter B’s,” Feb. 2-8.) Lauren Cohen | via social media Letters • CommentsOPINION Submit letters to the editor to letters@mcweekly.com. Please keep your letter to 150 words or less; subject to editing for space. Please include your full name, contact information and city you live in.
www.montereycountyweekly.com february 9-15, 2023 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 17 The idea that California’s coast should be a public resource was not always a given. Amid concerns that private development would cut off public access, citizen-led Proposition 20 appeared on Californians’ 1972 ballots. ThenState Sen. Jim Mills led a bicycle tour down the coast, from San Francisco to San Diego, to rally support. “It is the policy of the state to preserve, protect, and where possible, restore the resources of the coastal zone for the enjoyment of the current and succeeding generations,” the initiative stated. It passed, creating the California Coastal Commission, later codified by the State Legislature with the Coastal Act of 1976. It would be the job of the Coastal Commission to enforce its principles. In the half-century since, the Coastal Commission has come to wield great influence, with decision-making authority over a region larger than Rhode Island, spanning 15 counties. In recent memory, it’s considered Cal Am’s desalination plant in Marina; beach fire rules in Carmel; affordability deed restrictions for the Moro Cojo development in Castroville; and the American Tin Cannery hotel project in Pacific Grove. The agency is governed by 12 commissioners, with four each appointed by the governor, the Senate Rules Committee and the Speaker of the Assembly. And Monterey County leaders are eyeing a vacancy. The Central Coast region— comprising Monterey, Santa Cruz and San Mateo counties— has not had a Monterey County representative since 2009 when Dave Potter, now mayor of Carmel, was ousted. He was succeeded by Mark Stone of Scotts Valley (a Santa Cruz county supervisor at the time, later an assemblymember), then Carole Groom, who termed out in 2022 after three terms as a San Mateo County Supervisor. Monterey County held the powerful seat for 40 years until losing it for the past 24. Now there is an opportunity to get it back. Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon sent letters on Jan. 17 requesting nominations for the appointment. Each of the three counties has 45 days to submit nominations, by March 3. Rendon then has 30 days to review those nominations and either appoint someone, or ask the counties to send more names. The timing might seem obnoxiously bureaucratic, but it matters not just because it is spelled out in statute. It matters in that Rendon is set to hand the speakership to Assemblymember Robert Rivas, D-Hollister, on June 30. That makes Rendon and Rivas political rivals within the Democratic Party. While local nominees would stand a great chance to get Rivas’ blessing, might Rendon might pass over qualified Monterey County nominees, just because of their de facto affiliation with Rivas? In the coming weeks, each of the three boards of supervisors and city selection committees—a group of mayors from each city within the county—are expected to nominate at least one supervisor and at least one city councilperson or mayor. There is not a limit, which means two Monterey County supervisors who are interested could find themselves on the list of nominees. Those are Chris Lopez and Mary Adams. While Lopez’s District 3 is outside of the coastal zone, he sees that as an asset: “I believe a diverse body of members makes organizations stronger, especially when it comes to protecting our coastlines and guaranteeing access for all residents.” (The Coastal Commission’s purview includes protecting public access for all, not just coastal residents.) Adams is Potter’s successor to the coastal District 5, which she says has more coastal land than any other supervisorial district in California. “I believe the Coastal Commission is the most effective commission we have as far as protecting, and being the watchdog,” Adams says. “The Coastal Commission really has the opportunity to forge the future of our county.” Who is Rendon looking for, geographically or politically? I don’t know. But spokesperson Katie Talbot writes, “The Speaker is looking with particular interest at candidates with a strong environmental record, who support coastal preservation, restoration and access for all Californians.” Whether or not it’s a Monterey County representative entrusted with that mission remains to be seen. Sara Rubin is the Weekly’s editor. Reach her at sara@mcweekly.com. Going Coastal Coastal Commission vacancy means a chance for influence—and politics. By Sara Rubin Stop the Squeal…Squid does not waste time watching right-wing propaganda about voter fraud. Some people spend too much time watching it and now imagine fraudulent voting everywhere. In Pacific Grove the leader of the conservative group PGLIVES, Micheal Gibbs, attempted his own version of “Stop the Steal” on Feb. 1 at a meeting of the P.G. City Council. Gibbs was upset over a council vote on Jan. 18 regarding Mayor Bill Peake’s appointments to the P.G. Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Task Force. One of Peake’s picks—Marie Hunter, who in her application questioned the usefulness of the task force and was backed by Gibbs—was protested by other residents as unqualified, as Peake excluded the experienced incumbent Kim Bui. Responding to public comment, councilmembers amended the list, voting to include Bui and in the process excluding Hunter. Gibbs told the council that he and others gathered over drinks to commiserate after the vote on Jan. 18, deciding it had to be illegal since changing the list of appointees wasn’t spelled out as an option in an accompanying report. He demanded a re-vote. Peake replied he believed the vote was proper, then turned to City Attorney Brian Pierik to ask if he had any further comments about the vote’s legitimacy. Without looking up from some work in front of him, Pierik issued a succinct analysis: “No.” Swing and a miss. Move along. Dollars and Sense…One way Squid procrastinates on filing Squid’s taxes is looking at other people’s money. Specifically, Squid took a look at campaign finance forms to wrap up last year’s election that were due to the Monterey County Elections Department on Jan. 31. And Squid’s biggest takeaway: A lot of money was spent on local races. In the race for county supervisor for District 2, where Glenn Church spent $271,508 to beat Regina Gage, he ended in the red and gave himself a $20,000 loan to make things pencil out. He’s also already started a 2026 re-election campaign committee. (Gage outspent Church slightly, $280K. She ended the campaign not only without the supervisor’s seat but $67,768 in debt.) In one contentious countywide race, now-Sheriff Tina Nieto spent $282,904, leaving her campaign $28,422 in debt at the end of the year. Nieto won despite being outspent by over 40 percent with $406,458 reported in expenditures by challenger Joe Moses, a captain in the Sheriff’s Office. But Moses only raised $295,233, which appears to leave him in a very deep hole, as in $111,225 deep. Campaign season might be over, but Squid won’t be surprised to see bake sales (shrimp-flavored cookies?) pop up to help politicians cover their costs. the local spin SQUID FRY THE MISSION OF MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY IS TO INSPIRE INDEPENDENT THINKING AND CONSCIOUS ACTION, ETC. “It has the opportunity to forge the future.” Send Squid a tip: squid@mcweekly.com
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