February 16-22, 2023 montereycountyweekly.com LOCAL & INDEPENDENT Road Rage 15 | ceramic spirits 30 | new leader, old music 32 | strong drink 37 The Weather Report Meet the National Weather Service meteorologists who interpret the weather for an 11-county region of 8 million people. p. 20 By Sara Rubin and David Schmalz
2 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY FEBRUARY 16-22, 2023 www.montereycountyweekly.com y Endocrinology y Family Medicine y Infectious Disease y Internal Medicine y Neuropsychology y Psychiatry y Pulmonology y Rheumatology y Sleep Medicine y Urology Learn more about all of our doctors — primary care and specialists: montagemedicalgroup.org/besthealth You deserve a doctor who gets to know you and provides personalized care for a healthy, happy life. CARMEL 275 The Crossroads, Suite A, Carmel | (831) 718-9701 y Family Medicine y Internal Medicine y Psychiatry CARMEL HILL PROFESSIONAL CENTER 23845 Holman Highway, Monterey Suite 203 and 210 (831) 620-0700 y Neurology y Palliative Care y Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Suite 220 (831) 241-9170 y Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery Suite 227 (831) 624-3579 y Obstetrics and Gynecology MARINA 2930 2nd Avenue, Suite 200, Marina | (831) 582-2100 y Family Medicine y Psychiatry GARDEN COURT 30 Garden Court, Suite B, Monterey | (831) 647-1123 y Cardiology y Electrophysiology y Interventional y Advanced Lipid Clinic y Device Clinic y Heart Failure Clinic y General and Bariatric Surgery RYAN RANCH 2 Upper Ragsdale Drive, Building A, Monterey | (831) 333-3040 2 Upper Ragsdale Drive, Building B, Suite 230, Monterey | (831) 649-0808 Reach your best health
www.montereycountyweekly.com FEBRUARY 16-22, 2023 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 3 Healthy, how you want it. Let us help you reach your best health. Choose the health and wellness services that are right for you — when and where you want it. z Emergency care z Urgent care z Virtual visits z Primary and specialty care z Preventative programs z And much more Visit: montagehealth.org/care
4 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY february 16-22, 2023 www.montereycountyweekly.com february 16-22, 2023 • ISSUE #1803 • Established in 1988 Judi Clayton (Sony RX10iv, 1/3200; f4; ISO 1250) It’s winter, which means the berries are ripe on the trees, and the cedar waxwings are back in town. Monterey County photo of the week Send Etc. submissions to etcphoto@mcweekly.com; please include caption and camera info. On the cover: A team of meteorologists at the National Weather Service’s regional office, located in Monterey, use satellite images like this one to forecast the weather. This image, from Jan. 4, shows a big storm arriving from the Pacific. It landed on Jan. 5, causing widespread flooding. Cover Photo Courtesy of NOAA 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 16-22, 2023 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 5 PAID ADVERTISEMENT Montage Medical Group welcomes three new urologists, increasing access for community By Lisa Watson T he urologists at Montage Medical Group brought their experience, practice, passion for the field, and family to Montage Health because they want to be part of an institution that provides quality care to its patients, community, and staff. And, because they have the opportunity to make significant and profound differences by improving their quality of life. Urology is a surgical specialty involving management of the urinary system, treating all aspects of health and function, from the kidney down to the bladder, including sexual function. It encompasses voiding dysfunction, kidney stone disease, sexual health, cancer of the kidneys, bladder, and prostate, as well as urinary tract infections, infertility, and vasectomies. “Urology has such a deep meaning. It affects all of us in our daily lives. It can be as simple as quality of life and as dramatic as quantity of life,” says Dr. Craig Stauffer. “Whether we are addressing cancer or just bothersome symptoms, urology is personal. We’re all honored to be taking care of people in some of their most sensitive moments.” Dr. Stauffer completed coursework at St. Mary’s College of Maryland and Johns Hopkins universities before attending medical school at the University of Maryland. His residency at Stanford brought him to California, where he enjoys an active outdoor lifestyle. Dr. Harsha Mittakanti was studying biomedical engineering at the University of Texas at Austin when he realized he wanted to go into medicine. After graduating magna cum laude, he headed to Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, followed by a residency at Stanford, training alongside Dr. Stauffer. “I became very interested in minimally invasive surgery through robotics,” says Dr. Mittakanti, “so I did a fellowship in robotic urologic surgery at Swedish Medical Center in Seattle, with Dr. James Porter, a world leader in robotics, which was a great way to learn and advance my skillset,” he says. “Montage Medical Group wanted to start a robotics surgery program at Community Hospital. The opportunity to start a program from scratch was very enticing, and it’s so gratifying to know we are saving our patients from having to travel to undergo complex operations. This is not a typical community hospital. We have some phenomenal surgeons, with tremendous skills and expertise.” What Dr. Kyla Velaer appreciates most about moving to the Monterey Peninsula is the sense of community she feels here. “It reminds me of home,” she says, “I’ve always wanted to work in the community where I live. I can feel the closeness of it here, and it’s so special to be part of it and find ways to contribute, give back.” A graduate of the University of Kansas with a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry, driven by “a love of math and science and the constant pursuit of the underlying explanations for everything,” she went on to the University of Iowa College of Medicine. During her Stanford residency, with both Dr. Stauffer and Dr. Mittakanti, Dr. Velaer developed special interests in pediatrics, neurogenic bladder, voiding dysfunction, and robotic surgery. “What I really like about the field is that when we treat a patient, we address super sensitive topics, things we can do something about to improve quality of life. But first we need to help patients feel comfortable, so we can help them.” Dr. Jon Soble grew up in Los Angeles and did his undergraduate and medical schooling at Northwestern University in Chicago. He then completed his residency at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri, followed by fellowship training in advanced minimally invasive cancer and kidney stone disease at The Cleveland Clinic. After an academic teaching position in urology at the University of Chicago, Dr. Soble and his wife moved to California where he practiced in San Luis Obispo for several years before joining Montage Medical Group in January. “The things I appreciate most about urology are really getting to know my patients and having the ability to change their lives for the better,” he says. Outside of his pursuit of excellence in urology, Dr. Soble enjoys local food and wine, travel and art, and scuba diving and flying. Board-certified with the American Board of Urology, Dr. Evan Rosen joined Montage Medical Group in January, after spending more than 20 years in clinical practice in South Florida, where he served eight years as chief of surgery and spent 10 years on the medical executive committee. A love of interacting with, connecting with, and helping people led him to pursue a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Emory University in Georgia, before going on to Georgetown University School of Medicine. A two-year general surgery program, followed by a three-year residency, anchored the Long Island native at Beth Israel Medical Center in Manhattan for five years. “I knew by the end of medical school,” he says, “that I wanted to be a urologist, a surgical specialty that incorporates a large amount of medicine to create a patient connection, long term.” Montage Medical Group’s urology team: (from left) Harsha Mittakanti, MD; Jon Soble, MD; Rebecca Singh, NP; Kyla Velaer, MD; Evan Rosen, MD; Craig Stauffer, MD; and Jennifer Panning, NP For more information about Montage Medical Group visit montagemedicalgroup.org or scan QR code Urology has such a deep meaning. It affects all of us in our daily lives. It can be as simple as quality of life and as dramatic as quantity of life. — Dr. Craig Stauffer
6 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY February 16-22, 2023 www.montereycountyweekly.com THE BUZZ FREE SPEECH The California News Publishers Association held its annual conference—for the first time since the pandemic started—in Sacramento from Jan. 31-Feb. 2, inviting publishers and editors from news outlets big and small to share their latest ideas and tips (for more, see story, p. 17). CNPA, a trade association of which the Weekly is a member, also lobbies the California Legislature on behalf of newspapers, and legislative priorities for 2023 range from protecting access to public records to preserving business provisions related to running newspapers. As far as public access, priorities include advocating to allow public access to police radio transmissions—despite a trend (including in Monterey County) of agencies encrypting such communications—as well as expanding the criteria to view California State Bar complaints, which currently are minimally accessible. On the business side, CNPA will be advocating for a longer-term exemption to AB 5, California’s gig economy law, that otherwise would treat newspaper delivery workers as employees rather than contractors. The current exemption expires on Jan. 1, 2025. Good: Dennis the Menace is back home again. Monterey County authorities announced Feb. 8 that they had recovered the famous statue of the comic strip-turned-TV-and-movie character, which was stolen (not for the first time) from Dennis the Menace Playground in Monterey’s El Estero Park. Monterey County Sheriff Tina Nieto said police discovered the 3-and-a-half-foot-tall bronze statue submerged in a canal by Roberts Lake in Seaside—near the In-N-Out Burger on Del Monte Boulevard—after receiving an anonymous tip about its location. (Those responsible for the theft are still at large.) Dennis the Menace was created in the early 1950s by the late cartoonist and Monterey County resident Hank Ketcham, who was inspired by his own young son Dennis. Ketcham also designed the playground, which opened in 1956; the statue, by artist Wah Ming Chang, was installed there in 1988. GREAT: Carmel Valley’s Connal Jones, a film producer and editor, is nominated for an Academy Award for his latest short film. Stranger at the Gate is the 30-minute true story of a former Marine who wants to bomb a mosque in his hometown and ends up visiting the house of an Afghan refugee—ultimately delivering a message against Islamophobia and any kind of extremism. “The film is a moving story about community and the power of love to conquer hate,” Jones writes. He is nominated along with director Joshua Seftel for Best Documentary Short Film. Jones started his career overseas, working with international co-productions in the Czech Republic and South Korea. He then worked in New York City’s nonfiction film and TV industry and produced Michael Moore’s film, Fahrenheit 9/11, among other projects. Stranger at the Gate is now streaming free on YouTube and newyorker.com. GOOD WEEK / GREAT WEEK THE WEEKLY TALLY Estimated number of trees that died in 2022 in Monterey County, a tiny fraction of the estimated 36.3 million trees that died statewide. According to a Feb. 7 statement from the U.S. Forest Service, that trend is expected to continue. “Even with the recent storms from atmospheric rivers, increased tree mortality should be expected in forests until precipitation returns to normal or above normal for a few years,” the statement reads. Source: U.S. Forest Service 6,300 QUOTE OF THE WEEK “It’s short-term rentals masquerading as timeshares.” -Carmel Mayor Dave Potter, speaking Feb. 7 about fractional vacation home ownership, which companies like Pacaso have used to avoid a short-term rental ban. City Council voted 5-0 to prohibit the concept (see story online). 42 years TIP OF THE WEEK! Be Scam Safe! Beware of fake caller ID calls. Never open an email/message from an unknown sender or click on unknown sources. Protect your personal information - never give it to someone who calls you on the phone. If you have questions, call us. We are here to help. 831.899.0492 Legal Services for Seniors Kellie D. Morgantini Interim Executive Director Legal Services for Seniors is a 501(c)(3) organization. EmErgEncy Food and ShEltEr grantS availablE Funds are available for 501(c)3 nonprofits, faith based, and government organizations that provide emergency food, shelter, rental assistance and other eligible expenses. The Monterey County Emergency Food and Shelter program has been awarded $267,147. This grant is made possible by the Emergency Food and Shelter Program Phase 40. Requests for applications are due by March 3rd at 5:00 p.m. Applications may be obtained from the United Way Monterey County website at https://www.unitedwaymcca.org/efs-grants Eligible organizations can contact: Josh Madfis, Vice President, Community Investments, at (831) 318-1996 with any questions. United Way fights for the financial stability of people throughout Monterey County. 232 Monterey St. Suite 200, Salinas www.unitedwaymcca.org
www.montereycountyweekly.com FEBRUARY 16-22, 2023 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 7 Something is up in the Valley Good health is the ground in which a strong community takes root and grows. Since 1953, we have supported and encouraged better health for the people of Monterey County. Over the decades we have evolved, innovated and expanded. Today, we are excited to announce our upcoming rebrand. Our leadership and care teams will remain the same, as will our commitment to exceptional healthcare – only our name and look will change. Stay tuned and see how we’re rising at svmh.com
8 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY FEBRUARY 16-22, 2023 www.montereycountyweekly.com 831 Travis Pratt will be the first to tell you that comic books are not all fun and fantasy. “That’s the misconception,” he insists—and he says this earnestly, amid the beckoning, colorful swirls that leap from the covers of Harrower #1, X Factor #209 or any of the thousands of titles that surround him in Current Comics’ Monterey location. From the day he opened his first issue at the age of 7, he was hooked on the medium. He follows certain characters—Spiderman in particular—keeps an eye out for issues missing from his personal compilation and loves chatting with customers. Yet there is purpose to his hobby. As owner of Current Comics, with two locations, much of his day is distracted by the mundane tasks of running a small business, such as accounting and inventory management. “Working here, you’d think it would be easier to read,” he says. “But we don’t have time.” There are over 40,000 comic books in stock, both current and collectible, along with trading cards, action figures and a corner set aside for local prose. A new batch of comics and graphic novels arrives each week, and the industry is as uncertain as it is diverse. The number of releases ebbs and flows—5,919 new books in 2017, dropping to 3,876 in the lockdown year of 2020, back to 4,711 a year ago, according to Comichron, a company that compiles and tracks industry performance. Marvel, the publisher responsible for introducing characters like Wolverine and Black Panther, filed for bankruptcy in 1996. On the other hand, comic book sales in the U.S. topped $2 billion in 2021. “It is hard to keep up,” Pratt admits. “We can’t read everything we want.” There is, however, no pang of regret in his tone. Looking around the shop again, a smile sweeps across his face. “I’m still a fan.” Current Comics celebrates its 20th anniversary this month. Pratt’s ability to keep his interest in comics and his professional acumen separate is one reason for the shop’s success. Yet he never imagined himself as a shop owner—even after he began collecting seriously while in high school. The shop had just opened its doors. Started in 2003 by Bobby Gore with an old metal cash box and items from the owner’s personal collection in a Salinas storefront, Current Comics found an audience then expanded, adding the Monterey location in 2008. After graduating from Seaside High in 2005, Pratt earned a degree in business and computer information systems from Fresno State University. Becoming part of the shop’s story was not on his mind. “I never thought about it,” Pratt says. “I didn’t know what I wanted to do, but I knew I wanted to stay around here. One day I found out they were hiring.” The skills he learned in college applied neatly to the business. Pratt redesigned the Current Comics website, launched social media platforms to further engage with customers and launched an email newsletter. Ten years ago, Gore decided to step down and offered Pratt the opportunity to buy the operation. He took over on Jan. 1, 2014. “Comics are an escape—they’re supposed to be,” he explains. “But Spiderman’s whole thing is he didn’t act when he should have. Serious, emotional things can happen to characters.” Any series becomes a soap opera, in a sense. Fans can follow a storyline, a cast of heroes or villains, all the dramatic elements, over decades. Although the characters tend to retain their youth, pages change over time. Characters and titles that last rely on core personalities and belief systems that bind the storyline. So Pratt keeps an eye on the numbers. But he never lost the sense of anticipation and wonder that comes with a new edition. “I couldn’t imagine any other job— it’s constant nostalgia,” Pratt says. “It’s the community. People of all ages come in. It’s great to see young kids get their first comic.” Current Comics is at 1287D N. Main St., Suite D, Salinas (443-3900) and 400 Lighthouse Ave., Monterey (3331085). stores.comichub.com/current_comics_monterey. Turning Pages As Current Comics turns 20, owner Travis Pratt continues to balance work and fun. By Dave Faries Travis Pratt checks out one of the titles on the shelves of Current Comics. His personal collection amounts to some 5,000 comic books and climbing, including almost every edition with his favorite character, Spiderman. “I couldn’t imagine another job.” TALES FROM THE AREA CODE DANIEL DREIFUSS
www.montereycountyweekly.com FEBRUARY 16-22, 2023 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 9 In 2022, Montage Health Foundation awarded 18 local doctors $181,214 in grants to strengthen healthcare for our community and make a difference around the world. Learn more about how their grant-supported efforts are enhancing patient care. Physician scholars Congratulations Class of 2022 Physician Scholars and Clinical Volunteers Ryan Casserly, MD, an otolaryngologist, and Robert Keszler, MD, an anesthesiologist, were each awarded grants to visit New York University’s Langone Medical Center to learn an innovative, safer way to restore hearing for patients through cochlear implants using only local anesthesia. Montage Health will be proud to offer this new life-changing procedure. Lawrence Chen, MD, a podiatrist, was awarded a grant to complete an advanced course on treating complications from diabetes, where he learned new techniques to expand complex foot and ankle limb salvage options for diabetic patients at Community Hospital. Martha Douglas-Escobar, MD, a neonatologist, was awarded a grant to access comprehensive expertise from the American Association of Pediatrics on rare newborn illnesses, improving critical care for newborns and their families in our community. Anthony Filly, MD, a diagnostic radiologist, received a grant to develop a free online teaching site for healthcare practitioners to access world-renowned lectures on ultrasound techniques. The curriculum will be open to all specialties, including sonographers, physicians and mid-level providers worldwide. Lisa Kroopf, MD, a pain medicine and physical medicine and rehabilitation physician, received a grant to attend the North American Neuromodulation Society’s Annual meeting, showcasing the latest advances in the field of pain management. Stella Legarda, MD, a neurologist, was awarded a grant to finalize a research project on infra-low frequency neuro-modulation treatment response for persistent post-concussion syndrome. Daniel Luba, MD, a gastroenterologist, and Lulu Zhang, MD, an oncologist, both received grants to attend a conference at the University of Chicago covering the latest research in hereditary cancer and genetics. As co-directors of Community Hospital’s Cancer Genetic Risk Assessment Program, this conference will help doctors Luba and Zhang identify, screen and treat patients with hereditary cancer syndromes. Devi Mahendran, MD, an anesthesiologist, was awarded a grant to attend “Healthy Kitchens Healthy Lives” held in collaboration between the Harvard School of Public Health and the Culinary Institute of America. This course will help Dr. Mahendran expand Health and Wellness initiatives for physicians and patients. Srjuana Rallabandi, MD, a neonatologist, received a grant to attend the Society of Critical Care Medicine “Critical Care Ultrasound: Pediatric and Neonatal” training. Dr. Rallabandi intends to bring the skillset to Community Hospital’s neonatal team to significantly enhance our ability to care of fragile newborn infants. Jayme Rock-Willoughby, MD, a cardiologist received a grant to attend the Ohio State University's Master of Business and Operational Excellence (MBOE) program to achieve an MBA with a focus on operational excellence in healthcare. Jeremy Silk, MD, hyperbaric medicine, plastic and reconstructive surgery, and wound care received a grant to attend a symposium and present as a speaker on Advanced Wound Care. Sara Sorci Steele, PsyD, a psychologist, received a grant to attend a two-day training to receive her Components of Care Certificate and the Advanced Perinatal Mental Health Psychotherapy Training at Postpartum Support International. Douglas Sunde, MD, a hand surgeon and plastic and reconstructive surgeon, received a grant to support his mentorship of Stanford medical students, residents, and fellows at the Palo Alto Veterans Hospital. Clinical volunteers Richard Alexander, MD, obstetrician/gynecologist, received a grant to support his volunteer service with Westmont Bethel Hospital in Guatemala, where he provides medical care to impoverished communities. Graciela Wilcox, MD, pediatrician, received a grant to support her volunteerism with Extra Mile Pediatrics in Esquintla, Guatemala, providing wellness care and health education for communities with limited access to healthcare. To read more about our 2022 Physician Grantees visit montagehealth.org/classof2022 To make a gift to support local physicians, or one of Montage Health Foundation’s many other community health initiatives, visit montagehealth.org/donate
10 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY february 16-22, 2023 www.montereycountyweekly.com news When the four-member Del Rey Oaks City Council convened for a special meeting on Feb. 9, they were faced with two options: appoint one of two applicants to fill a vacant seat on the council created when Mayor Scott Donaldson—a former council member with two years left in his term—unseated former mayor Alison Kerr last November. Or, at a cost up to about $25,000, they could let the voters decide in a special election next November. When the council considered six applicants for the vacant seat in January, four of them withdrew their applications during the meeting, as the council was unable to reach a consensus. Only Bill RagsdaleCronin—a planning commissioner—and Louise Goetzelt, who ran for city council last year and lost, remained. With a deadlocked council, a special election to fill the vacancy seemed probable. But Donaldson, who ran on a platform of healing the city’s divisions, extended an olive branch to councilmembers Kim Shirley and John Uy, saying he would accept a motion to appoint Ragsdale-Cronin, Shirley and Uy’s preferred candidate. Ragsdale-Cronin was sworn in minutes later. (He was appointed 3-1, with Councilmember Jeremy Hallock dissenting.) Donaldson says he came to that compromise after reflecting on what it means to be mayor: “I thought it was ultimately doing what’s best for the city as a whole.” He was also cognizant of the fiscal impact of a special election for a cash-starved city. Ragsdale-Cronin, who positioned himself as a “centrist,” says he figured he would stay in the race and see how it played out, but was “caught completely off-guard” when he was appointed. Odd Number Del Rey Oaks City Council appoints Bill Ragsdale-Cronin to a vacant seat, avoiding election. By David Schmalz For the official ceremony installing her as president of CSU Monterey Bay on Friday, Feb. 10, Vanya Quiñones and her administrative leadership team walked into the World Theater to the tune of “One Love” by Bob Marley and The Wailers, with the message of “Let’s get together and feel all right.” During her first six months as president beginning in August, the love apparently did not extend to one member of her management team, Larry Samuels, who was serving as vice president of strategic initiatives. In an email sent Dec. 1, Quiñones announced to faculty and staff that she was streamlining operations by eliminating Samuels’ vice president position and shuffling him back to a lower-level position he previously held for a time under former CSUMB president Eduardo Ochoa, special assistant to the president. Samuels was no longer a member of the president’s cabinet and no longer executive director of University Corp., a legally separate nonprofit that manages grants and contracts for CSUMB and manages housing, dining and other campus services. No announcement was made to the public about the reorganization. Quiñones put Glen Nelson, vice president of administration and finance and CSUMB’s chief financial officer, in charge of University Corp., with over $68 million in assets reported to the IRS in 2021. CSUMB’s director of strategic initiatives, Anya Spear, was moved to the Division of Administration and Finance. Quiñones announced other changes to her administration as well. Within days, Samuels was gone from CSUMB. He took a job with UC Santa Cruz Chancellor Cynthia Larive as special adviser for economic development and partnerships, a similar role to the one he had for years at CSUMB: fostering relationships with local governments and partnerships with private businesses to pursue projects designed to further the educational mission of the university. Samuels confirmed his new job, but declined to comment on his departure from CSUMB. One of Samuel’s public/private partnership development projects announced in October is now off, according to an email sent to faculty and staff on Jan. 24 by Nelson. The planned 72-acre development at the corner of 2nd Avenue and 8th Street in Marina included up to 1,700 apartments for families and senior citizens and a town center with shops and restaurants, open space, trails and a gathering and entertainment space. Nelson said that after a review of feedback from the CSUMB community, the financial needs of the project and its possible benefit to students, the CSUMB “leadership team has determined development of the site is not an option at this time. “Given our need to focus resources and attention on increasing enrollment and improving the student experience on campus, we want to direct our collective energy and resources on projects” directly related to students and the campus community, Nelson wrote. Like the rest of the California State University, which is down 7-percent in enrollment this year, CSUMB has seen a decline in student enrollment by at least 5 percent since 2020. Nelson added that the parcel “remains an important part of CSUMB’s future and we are open to pursuing the appropriate development of the site, with campus input, at some point in the future.” Larry Samuels on the CSUMB campus while he was still employed in the President’s Office. After losing his job as a vice president in December, he left for UC Santa Cruz. Second Thought CSUMB’s new president shakes up her administration and a big building project is shelved. By Pam Marino New Del Rey Oaks City Councilmember Bill Ragsdale-Cronin says he looks forward to connecting with all DRO residents, not just the “vocal minority” who often speak up at meetings. “Development of the site is not an option at this time.” nic coury Daniel Dreifuss
www.montereycountyweekly.com FEBRUARY 16-22, 2023 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 11 Presented By Congressman Jimmy Panetta 2022 Ruth Vreeland Memorial Public Official of the Year California's 19th Congressional District U.S. House of Representatives Sabu JR Shake 2022 Citizen of the Year Restaurant Pacific Group, LLC Kenneth Gordon 2022 Robert C. Littlefield Award for Lifetime Achievement Montage Health Julie King 2022 Volunteer of the Year Pierce King, P.C., Professional Law Group 2021 Business of the Year To Be Announced at Event In CelebrationOf: EVENT SPONSORS PRINT | WEB | MOBILE Call today to get your message into this full color, glossy annual magazine celebrating our delicious county. 831-394-5656 sales@mcweekly.com Best of Monterey Bay® Eat+Drink Published by Best of Monterey Bay® Eat+Drink 2022-2023 | FREE Sand dabS at OSteria al Mare cover_E+D_22.indd 1 3/31/22 12:59 PM food and drink in Monterey County ADvErtising DEADlinE: March 20 PublicAtion DAtE: April 6 the ultiMate guide to
12 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY february 16-22, 2023 www.montereycountyweekly.com That the United States military has its sights clearly fixed on China as a threat was no more evident than in the recent shooting down of a Chinese balloon that the U.S. calls a spying tool and Chinese officials played off as a weather balloon. Along with Russia’s war against Ukraine and the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021, American military forces are shifting away from training soldiers in the Afghan language of Pashto and instead increasing focus on Mandarin and Russian. That means the Defense Language Institute’s Pashto program with 37-39 instructors is coming to an end this year. “It’s always a shifting requirement here based on the needs of the Department of Defense,” says DLI Chief of Staff Steven Collins. Most of the instructors originally from Afghanistan are on a fixed term of employment, with terms ending at staggered times. A few have permanent positions at DLI. When the announcement was made to staff last year, the president of the American Federation of Government Employees Local 1263, Dennis Hickman, began lobbying administrators to give employees whose terms were ending in the fall and winter as much time as possible to transition into other jobs. Some instructors worked as translators for U.S. military forces during the war in Afghanistan, meaning it’s too dangerous for them to return there, Hickman says. Instructors’ options for jobs in this country are limited. After getting no response from administrators, Hickman filed a grievance on Jan. 13. The union is asking that employees whose terms end prior to June 24, 2023 be allowed to remain through that date. The union’s rationale includes giving instructors more time to find employment, some within DLI, as well as allowing their children to be able to finish out the school year. “I feel bad for them. They should be given a safety net when they leave,” Hickman says. One instructor who spoke to the Weekly on the condition of anonymity out of fear of being fired before his term ends, said he regrets having come to the U.S. to teach at DLI. “Because they are treating us in a way that they use us and are throwing us away,” he says. He adds that he was denied a job in another language he is qualified to teach and has no current job prospects elsewhere. Collins says the institute has no choice but to end the Pashto program because the need is now over. “We’re doing the best we can under the circumstances,” he says. The city of Gonzales started the new year with a new city manager. Gonzales City Council selected Trevin Barber, former assistant city manager in Seaside, from 35 candidates to fill a vacancy that long-time city manager Rene Mendez left last summer. Mayor Jose Rios says Barber was unanimously selected in December; Barber started his new job on Jan. 17. Mendez, who led Gonzales for 17 years, resigned last year to take over as city manager in Watsonville on July 1. Since his departure, longtime community leader Carmel Gil served as interim city manager, after working for two-and-a-half years as Gonzales’ director of community engagement and strategic partnership. (Gil was among the candidates for the full-time job.) Barber has over 12 years of management experience, including in economic development and policy initiatives. He worked in Seaside for a little over a year, and at the end of his tenure there as assistant city manager, was on administrative leave for unspecified reasons. Before that, he was a senior management analyst in Gilroy, developing public forums and relationships in the community with different interest groups. (Barber did not return calls from the Weekly for this story.) According to Rios, Barber was terminated from his position in Seaside once Jaime Fontes took over as Seaside’s new city manager last year and restructured his administration. Barber worked in Seaside from June 6, 2021, to Sept. 1, 2022. It is unclear why he was on administrative leave and if he was paid or not during that time. Rios says the Gonzales City Council was aware of Barber’s administrative leave. Rios says Barber reminds him of a young Mendez. “He is so committed to this community,” Rios says, adding that Barber has relocated to Gonzales. Barber’s starting salary is $194,000/year, and he will receive a $1,500 monthly rent allowance for living within city limits. Safety Net DLI eliminates classes in an Afghan language, leaving some instructors in the lurch. By Pam Marino news Dance Date A special evening is planned for fathers and their daughters with the city of Seaside hosting its annual father-daughter dance. The event features music from DJ Dance Trax, snacks, punch and a photo booth. The first 25 registrants receive a special gift. 6:30-8:30pm Friday, Feb. 17. Oldemeyer Center, 986 Hilby Ave., Seaside. $10 per couple, $5 per additional adult, $3 per additional child. 899-6800, bit.ly/ SeasideFatherDaughterDance. DIY Planting The Friends of Seaside Parks Association is asking for coat hangers they can use to turn into plant signs. Join the group for a session of park upkeep by weeding and picking up litter. Each Saturday, FOSPA volunteers meet in a different neighborhood park. 10am-noon Saturday, Feb. 18. Capra Park, 1530 Sonoma Ave., Seaside. Free. fospa.info@gmail.com, friendsofseasideparks.org DEMOCRACY IN ACTION Monterey City Council meets and, as always, accepts comments from the public. Tell your elected officials what they are doing well and what they can do better. 4pm Tuesday, Feb. 21. Colton Hall, 580 Pacific St., Monterey. Free. 646-3799, monterey.org City SPEAKS Pacific Grove Mayor Bill Peake presents the State of the City address, listing P.G.’s top priorities and challenges. Questions are encouraged and may be sent in advance to citycouncil@cityofpacificgrove.org with “State of the City” as the subject line. Tune in in-person or online. (The remarks will be posted afterward on the city website as well.) 6pm Wednesday, Feb. 22. Pacific Grove City Hall, 300 Forest Ave., Pacific Grove. Free. For Zoom link, visit https://bit.ly/PGStateoftheCity. More at cityofpacificgrove.org. Rodeo Royalty Young women who are passionate about the western lifestyle and promoting rodeo can compete for the title of Miss California Rodeo Salinas 2023 this July. The competition is open to young women between 18 and 24 years of age. The winner will get to attend community events and parades during her reign, in addition to receiving a $3,000 academic scholarship. Entries open Feb. 14 and close May 1. California Rodeo Salinas, 1034 N. Main St., Salinas. Contact Mandy Linquist for more information: 775-3102, mlinquist@carodeo.com, carodeo.com/p/ about-us/mcrs/misscaliforniarodeocontest2023. Top Dog A short-timer in the ranks of Seaside City Hall lands a job as Gonzales’ new city manager. By Celia Jiménez The Defense Language Institute in Monterey currently offers courses in 14 languages; the Pashto program is set to end this year. e-mail: publiccitizen@mcweekly.com TOOLBOX “They use us and are throwing us away.” Daniel Dreifuss
www.montereycountyweekly.com February 16-22, 2023 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 13 Former and current employees of the Pebble Beach Company are receiving settlement checks as a result of a class action lawsuit that accused the golf resort operator of wage theft in violation of California labor laws. In September, PBC finalized a $630,000 settlement to resolve a complaint filed in Monterey County Superior Court by two former employees, William Davis and Sabrina Pellegrini, who alleged a “systemic pattern” of wage violations. Allegations included a failure to pay accurate wages by “rounding time punches in [PBC’s] favor,” requiring employees to work “off the clock” while “failing to compensate [them]...for those hours,” and “regularly [denying employees] the ability to take any meal or rest breaks,” among other claims. While PBC denied all of the allegations in court and made no admission of wrongdoing as part of the settlement, the company has since begun disbursing money to employees who worked there between November 2020 and September 2022. Among those employees is Alan Estrada of Carmel, who says he recently received a settlement check in the mail for $6.38 related to his previous part-time work as a bartender at events like the AT&T Pro-Am and the Concours d’Elegance. “They were changing people’s hourly wages without them knowing it, and [paying them] lower wages than they were supposed to be,” Estrada says. “I noticed that they were changing what I was making every hour, [and] the way they started taking our tips and giving us what they wanted out of the tip jar.” Estrada says supervisors on occasion would not provide a meal period as employees are entitled to by law— “They wouldn’t let you sit down; you couldn’t take a break,” he recalls. These experiences were part and parcel of a “really gross” overall culture at Pebble Beach that treated service workers like him poorly, Estrada says. “They break you like a horse. You’re watched and judged extremely closely…They have a mold, and they make their employees fit their mold.” In a statement, the company says it “believes it fully complied with the law in these matters but elected to settle the lawsuits to avoid the time, costs and distraction of litigation,” and had awarded eligible employees with payments ranging from $2 to $72. The lawsuit was brought against PBC through the Private Attorneys General Act, which allows aggrieved employees to recover civil penalties but not the actual wages they may have wrongly lost. The bulk of the $630,000 settlement was awarded not to employees, but plaintiff law firms Aegis Law Firm and Frontier Law Center—who received nearly $242,000 in fees and litigation costs—and the California Labor and Workforce Development Agency, which received 75 percent of $376,750 in PAGA penalties, or roughly $282,500. Employees were awarded the remaining 25 percent of PAGA penalties, or roughly $94,000, while plaintiffs Davis and Pellegrini received their own individual settlements: $10,000 to Davis, according to court filings, and an undisclosed amount to Pellegrini. In The Rough Pebble Beach Co. employees are receiving settlements from a wage theft lawsuit. By Rey Mashayekhi Court filings do not specify the exact number of employees included in the class, but they detail more than 41,000 pay periods, meaning hundreds, if not thousands, of employees may be eligible. NEWS “They break you like a horse.” DANIEL DREIFUSS Carmel RiverSteelhead Rescued in the lower river in late spring Sorted by size and reared during summer/fall Released in the winter when the rain comes Nurturing the Watershed WATER MATTERS Every winter, the MPWMD fisheries team releases thousands of steelhead to migrate to the Pacific. The marine nutrients they accumulate from the ocean will nurture the Carmel River watershed when they return to spawn. Sign up for our Water Supply Newsletter. MPWMD.net We care for them. They care for us.
14 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY February 16-22, 2023 www.montereycountyweekly.com Theoretically, the extraordinary series of atmospheric rivers that doused the Central Coast in late December and early January should have been a boon for efforts to divert water from the Carmel River and store it in the Seaside Basin for future use, a mechanism known as aquifer storage and recovery (ASR)—essentially, injecting water into an underground reservoir, where it can then be extracted during dry years. That has not been the case. Due to a number of factors, those efforts have run up against constraints. The Monterey Peninsula Water Management District’s ASR program was launched in the 2000s as part of an effort to shore up that water supply, and in 2017—its record year of performance—it diverted and stored 2,345 acre-feet of water, about one quarter of the Peninsula’s annual water demand. In a perfect world, MPWMD could divert up to 26 acre-feet per day when the Carmel River is flowing at sufficient levels. But it’s not coming anywhere near that number: During one week in the recent storms, MPWMD was only able to bank about 4 to 5 acre-feet per day. Here’s why: There are four ASR injection wells in Seaside, two owned by MPWMD—two owned by Cal Am. But this winter, Cal Am hasn’t been using its injection wells for their express purpose. Instead, one of those wells is extracting water from the Seaside Basin and sending water south, now that it has to abide by legal pumping limits, imposed by the state, on the Carmel River. Ideally, Cal Am would have already had extraction wells in place in Seaside, but instead is using one of its injection wells. (Its other injection well is linked, and also not being used for injection.) That means instead of four ASR injection wells functioning this winter, there are only two in operation. Cal Am spokesperson Josh Stratton says Cal Am is actively pursuing permitting and design for four new extraction wells, but meanwhile, the water being extracted—rather than pumped into the ASR system—is being sent south toward Pacific Grove via the Monterey Pipeline, which was completed in 2018 at a cost of around $57 million. One of the purposes of that pipeline was to send Carmel River water north in the winter (maximizing ASR), and then south to deliver to users during dry months. Instead, Cal Am has only been using that pipeline to send water south. There is also the fact that some Cal Am wells in Carmel Valley had to be shut down during the storms due to flooding—which could potentially inundate them with untreated water, or create an electrical shortage—so less water was able to be sent over the hill to Seaside for injection (via the smaller Segunda-Crest pipeline, which travels through Tehama). So far this year, MPWMD has been able to store just over 400 acre-feet via ASR, far less than its designed potential, and less than 5 percent of the Peninsula’s annual water demand. This year—which should have been a banner year for ASR—has mostly been a wash. Out to Sea Despite the recent storms, water storage efforts on the Peninsula underperformed. By David Schmalz Between Oct. 1, 2022 and Jan. 31, 2023, 91,512 acre-feet of water flowed out to sea from the Carmel River, nearly tenfold of the Peninsula’s annual water demand. NEWS Instead of four injection wells, there are only two in operation. DANIEL DREIFUSS
www.montereycountyweekly.com FEBRUARY 16-22, 2023 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 15 Smooth roads are not just an aesthetic issue, they are a safety issue: They influence the routes drivers take and how fast they can go. And in Salinas, residents are complaining that damage to roads is negatively impacting their quality of life. Street conditions were a hot topic during a budget meeting Salinas City Council held on Jan. 25, where several residents questioned why streets are in a state of disrepair. They said Boronda Road and Towt Street have so many severe potholes and cracks it is difficult to drive or walk when taking kids to school. The issue is not new in Salinas. In 2021, the Pavement Condition Index (PCI) showed Salinas had a failing grade of 55 points on a scale of 0 to 100. Public Works Director David Jacobs says he thinks the PCI has gotten even worse since then, including in the past month of heavy storms, with 4.4 inches of rainfall recorded at the Salinas Municipal Airport between Dec. 27 and Jan. 24. “The amount of water that came down created a lot of potholes,” Jacobs says. In January, residents submitted 270 pothole alerts through the Salinas Connect app. As of Jan. 26, 170 of those were repaired. The city currently has one crew filling cracks once a week, and two groups filling potholes. Jacobs says some types of street repairs on specific problem areas, such as crack-filling and chip seals, are relatively cheap. But grinding and repaving a mile of two-lane street costs about $3 million. Meanwhile, there are three sinkholes that are currently fenced off. Another sinkhole near Los Padres Elementary School was repaired during the storm, but a battle over payment is underway (see story, p. 17). Councilmember Andrew Sandoval says the city should develop a different system for repairs, otherwise “We’re going to cause more road hazards and wasting taxpayers’ money.” Early estimates show the winter storms did at least $1 million worth of damage. That comes on top of existing prior needs. In 2021, the city of Salinas had a backlog of $169 million in street repairs, which could increase to $341 million by the end of 2025. That is more than the city’s entire annual operating budget of $232.4 million for the last fiscal year. “We’re working at a deficit. We just don’t have the money that we need,” City Manager Steve Carrigan says. “It’s not that the council won’t give it to us. We just don’t have that kind of money.” Public Works, which maintains streets, sidewalks and trees, has a $7 million annual budget, far less than the $24 million it needs to maintain its current PCI and the $36 million needed if it wants to improve. Thanks largely to federal Covid relief funds and Salinas’ surplus of about $10 million, Public Works does have additional cash for specific projects. Those include $6 million for traffic safety, including paving local streets ($3.5 million of which has already been spent), and another $5.5 million for a Boronda Road congestion relief project between Dartmouth Way and Independence Boulevard, plus $1.3 million from countywide Measure X. Bumpy Road Winter storms worsen the already poor quality of streets in Salinas. By Celia Jiménez Salinas has 292 miles of streets to maintain. Its Public Works Department was slashed in half during the 2008 recession, and has yet to catch up to a growing backlog of road repairs. NEWS “We just don’t have that kind of money.” DANIEL DREIFUSS Federally Insured by NCUA | Equal Housing Lender 831.479.6000 or toll-free at 888.4BAYFED, ext. 304 www.bayfed.com/HomeLoans * An example Annual Percentage Rate (APR) for a 5/5 ARM is 6.285%. 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