february 23-MARCH 1, 2023 montereycountyweekly.com LOCAL & INDEPENDENT Wildfire safety plans come to town 8 | Drama in Carmel Unified 15 | Crepes make a meal 32 Composer & Big Tech adversary Grammy-winning composer Maria Schneider leads a big band—and a big copyright battle against tech giants. p. 18 By Agata Pop˛eda
2 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY february 23-March 1, 2023 www.montereycountyweekly.com february 23-March 1, 2023 • ISSUE #1804 • Established in 1988 Keely Richter (iPhone SE) Did you know California has not just a state flower, but also a state lichen? In July 2015, then-governor Jerry Brown designated lace lichen as the California state lichen. Here, lace lichen is seen on a blue-sky day 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: Composer Maria Schneider brings the 18-member Maria Schneider Orchestra to Sunset Center in Carmel on March 1, and the program includes songs from her newest album, Data Lords. Cover Photo Jimmy Katz 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 23-MARCH 1, 2023 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 3
4 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY February 23-March 1, 2023 www.montereycountyweekly.com THE BUZZ FREE SPEECH When Elon Musk completed his buyout of Twitter last October for $44 billion, he said in a statement, “I did it to try to help humanity.” Shortly after his takeover, thousands of Twitter employees were fired, including content moderators, and several formerly suspended accounts were reinstated. Fast forward to Feb. 12, when Musk, while watching the Super Bowl between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Kansas City Chiefs, fired off a tweet in support of the Eagles, which he later deleted. According to a Feb. 14 report from tech journalism website Platformer, Musk was frustrated his tweet only had about 9.1 million impressions, while President Joe Biden’s tweet supporting the Eagles had nearly 29 million impressions. Musk, early the next morning, instructed a team of Twitter engineers to boost impressions for his tweets—and only his—which they did, by a factor of 1,000. Musk tweeted Feb. 17 that the report was “bogus,” and sourced from a disgruntled former employee. Platformer reporter Casey Newton, who co-wrote the piece, responded on Twitter, writing, ”This is completely false. We stand by our reporting.” Good: The race is on in California to build much-needed housing, and to that end, the state Department of Housing and Community Development awarded over $825 million to 58 communities as part of a new funding process that eliminates the need for a developer to submit separate applications for grants for multifamily units. The new process is the result of 2020’s Assembly Bill 434, and this round of funding will support development of 9,500 affordable homes, including 35 units in the 110-unit Greenfield Commons II in Greenfield. Developer EAH Inc. received $9.2 million. “The [new multifamily funding process] transformed a once burdensome and lengthy funding application process into an accessible and smart one-stop shop that will get more housing built faster,” California Business, Consumer Services and Housing Agency Secretary Lourdes Castro Ramírez said in a statement. GREAT: It’s been a great week for the Academic WorldQuest team at Monterey High School, which took first place in a countywide competition Feb. 11 in Salinas where teams from local high schools fielded trivia questions about global affairs (Seaside High’s team took second). Hosted by the nonprofit World Affairs Council of the Monterey Bay, the competition was one of several nationwide, and WACMB will be funding the MHS team’s trip to Washington, D.C. to compete in a national WorldQuest contest April 28-29. MHS coach William Pace wrote afterward that the competition exposed his students to new subject matter, and “allowed them to engage in a collaborative effort that built teamwork and camaraderie.” MHS senior River Valdivia wrote that his “favorite part was when we could all sit down and watch each other strive to be our best academic selves.” GOOD WEEK / GREAT WEEK THE WEEKLY TALLY Size of a grant from the California Department of Water Resources’ Urban Community Drought Relief Program to the city of Soledad to build a recycled water pipeline across the city. It will irrigate parks and athletic fields, replacing 59 million gallons of groundwater per year. Source: City of Soledad $16 million QUOTE OF THE WEEK “Our common ground is our students.” -Former Carmel Unified School District president Tess Arthur reflecting on her resignation on Feb. 15, during a divisive time for the district (see story, posted Feb. 16 at mcweekly.com). 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 ♦ 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
www.montereycountyweekly.com FEBRUARY 23-MARCH 1, 2023 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 5 Your care, our focus since 1953 On April 20, 2023, we celebrate 70 years of serving the diverse community of Monterey County. The next chapter in our legacy starts with the revitalization of our name and look to reflect the exceptional healthcare we provide every single day, renewing our commitment to help our community rise in good health. Stay tuned and see how we’re rising at svmh.com
6 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY FEBRUARY 23-MARCH 1, 2023 www.montereycountyweekly.com 831 If you made a weekend trip to the Monterey Public Library recently and were almost certain you detected the scent of vegetables, your nose was not mistaken. The library’s community room is one of many locations where the Kids Eat Right workshop by Montage Health Foundation took place after the program resurfaced in the post-pandemic- shutdown world. When conducted at schools, the program lasts five weeks. Part of it is understanding what “a healthy plate” is (proportions of fruits, grains, protein and vegetables with a side of dairy); another part is some practice with a real cooking skill. Physical education is the third element, so prepare for jumping jacks between chopping. “At some point we started doing workshops for the whole family because healthy eating starts at home and adults can lead by example,” Raquel Santillan Maldonado says about the pop-up workshops the team has been running. (The next one is on March 25 at the Marina Wellness Center, but registration is closed.) Santillan Maldonado is one of the team of three who run the program, launched in 2011. They do a community pop-up usually once a month, depending on their workload with schools. And it is, as I found out, fun for all ages. The Jan. 27 workshop in Monterey gathered about 18 people—half of them kids, from toddlers to teenagers. They came with a parent, a grandpa, sometimes as many as four or five people per table, each marked as a “banana table,” “avocado table” or “strawberry table,” with the help of a suggestive table stand. There are crayons and paper to keep little hands busy, and the two program leaders, Abbey Mason and Jacqueline Barnes run the show. They arrived with all the produce and equipment. They have more produce to give out afterward, as well as big trash bags—after all, this is a very hands-on workshop. Barnes starts with an inquiry on behalf of grains and proteins. She asks children to list all the fruits they know, then veggies. “Pineapple” and “cherries” are being thrown vocally around the room. It’s a playful way to find out that tofu and beans are an excellent source of protein, and to discuss the importance of fiber. Then the real action starts—canned black beans are tossed with chopped tomato, green onion, cilantro and lime juice, then topped with shredded cheese and served on tostada shells. Shahi says the “Batman tostada” is popular among fourth graders, but it tastes good enough that any adult will want one. It is truly surprising that something so rich in fiber and prepared with the aid of just a soft, plastic knife can be so tasty. “We brainstorm the recipes here,” Santillan Maldonado says. “But all recipes are approved by a registered dietitian.” The emphasis is on simple, healthy recipes that adults and children can prepare together, as a family activity. She adds that kids get a sense of pride from making things successfully, and also that in a new environment many children try something they had previously rejected—a tomato, for instance, or the most common nemesis, broccoli. Afterward, the workshop is approved even by a boy who actually refused to try the tostada—Batman or no Batman—because beans are “yuck.” Still, he says, he had fun preparing the simple dish. Participants leave with a folder full of tips, information and a few more recipes, as well as bags of bell peppers and pretty much all the ingredients to repeat the Batman tostada the following day. (I know I will.) One serving of this salad on a tortilla is 130 calories and could be easily served as a restaurant appetizer. The things people learn at kids’ workshops these days. Kids Eat Right is willing to travel with their bowls, produce, recipes and cleaning supplies to wherever they are needed. “We are happy to consider any request for a workshop,” Santillan Maldonado says. “The goal is to reverse obesity trends and diabetes among children.” To bring Kids Eat Right to your school or organization, call 649-7218 or visit www.chomp.org/health-in-action. Smart Food A workshop designed for fourth and fifth graders wins hearts and minds with a tostada. By Agata Pop˛eda Are we really going to make tostadas in a library? Yes, we are. While Kids Eat Right programs are most often offered to schools, they also provide workshops to youth organizations and the general public. The things people learn at kids’ workshops these days. TALES FROM THE AREA CODE COURTESY OF MONTAGE HEALTH
www.montereycountyweekly.com FEBRUARY 23-MARCH 1, 2023 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 7 Your Friendly Local Lumber & Hardware Store Call 831.655.7750 | Fax 831 655 7777 msbuild@msbuildingsupply.com www.msbuildingsupply.com Family Owned and Operated Since 1962 Monday - Friday (6:30am - 5pm) Saturday (7:30am - 4:30pm) 2456 Del Monte Ave, Monterey, CA 93940 FIND US: BUSINESS HOURS: Thank you Central Coast for over 60 years of your continued support! Thank you to our customers, staff, and community members for your dedication and patronage throughout these wonderful years. We couldn't have done it without you! WARNING: For more information, please call: 1-800-523-3157 2-23 Crude oil, gasoline, diesel fuel, and other petroleum products can expose you to chemicals including toluene and benzene, which are known to the State of California to cause cancer and birth defects or other reproductive harm. These exposures can occur in and around oil fields, refineries, chemical plants, transport and storage operations, such as pipelines, marine terminals, tank trucks, and other facilities and equipment. For more information go to: www.P65Warnings.ca.gov/petroleum. The foregoing warning is provided pursuant to Proposition 65. This law requires the Governor of California to publish a list of chemicals “known to the State to cause cancer or reproductive toxicity.” This list is compiled in accordance with a procedure established by the Proposition, and can be obtained from the California Environmental Protection Agency. Proposition 65 requires that clear and reasonable warnings be given to persons exposed to the listed chemicals in certain situations. VALERO Refining and Marketing Company, Ultramar Inc., and their affiliates and subsidiaries AERA ENERGY LLC PBF Energy Western Region LLC its affiliates and subsidiaries EXXON MOBIL CORPORATION its affiliates and subsidiaries PHILLIPS 66, including its divisions and subsidiaries (and under the trademarks 76) SHELL OIL PRODUCTS US Tesoro Refining & Marketing Company LLC (a subsidiary of Marathon Petroleum Corporation) and its affiliates (and under the trademarks ARCO, USA Gasoline, Shell, Thrifty, and ExxonMobil)
8 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY february 23-march 1, 2023 www.montereycountyweekly.com news In the story of the lower Salinas Valley’s groundwater—which is the sole source of water for agriculture and residents—history repeats itself: groundwater levels continue to get lower, and seawater intrusion in that water continues its inexorable march inland. On Feb. 21, hydrologists from the Monterey County Water Resources Agency presented the county’s 2022 seawater intrusion maps to the agency’s board, and they came bearing bad news. The valley’s main aquifers—the 180-foot, 400-foot and deep aquifers, named for their depths—saw varying degrees of groundwater level decline. The worst was in the 400-foot aquifer, on account that many wells in the 180 have been taken offline due to seawater intrusion. MCWRA staff assess groundwater levels every August for 143 wells stretching from Chualar to the coast. In the Espinosa Lake area between Castroville and Salinas— which is at risk of seawater intrusion into the 400-foot aquifer—groundwater levels declined by an alarming 20-25 feet between 2021 and 2022. Seawater intrusion samples, meanwhile, are taken from 120 wells in June and then again in August, and in one year the amount of land overlying seawater intrusion in the 400-foot aquifer increased by 365 acres. Much of the increase happened on borders of “islands” that are disconnected from the coastal pressure of seawater, and are thought to be from vertical migration of seawater from the 180-foot aquifer into the 400-foot. MCWRA Associate Hydrologist Tamara Voss told the board there is likely no way to reverse the intrusion, and the best attainable outcome is to stop it from getting worse. Rinse, Repeat County’s latest seawater intrusion maps reveal an intractable problem that’s getting worse. By David Schmalz During the three wildfires that hit Monterey County in the summer of 2020—resulting in evacuations in Carmel Valley, along Highway 68 and communities along River Road south of Salinas— there was little risk to the Peninsula forest shared by the cities of Monterey, Pacific Grove and Carmel. Nevertheless, the fire departments that protect those cities, plus neighboring Pebble Beach, got together to ask themselves a question. “If we become at risk, how will this work?” Monterey Fire Chief Gaudenz Panholzer remembers thinking. In the back of everyone’s minds was the Morse Fire that struck Pebble Beach in May 1987, when drought, weather conditions and a forest overburdened with fuel combined to create prime conditions for a 160-acre fire that consumed 31 structures, causing approximately $18 million in damage. In 2020, fire officials worked from a document, the Monterey County Community Wildfire Protection Plan, that had been undergoing an update prior to the pandemic. Work had stopped on the plan but it was complete enough to be “test driven” during 2020, Panholzer says. In November 2022, Monterey, P.G. and Carmel—the latter two cities contract their fire services with Monterey—joined together to start work on their own community wildfire protection plan. Having such a plan will make the cities eligible for grants to pay for fuel reduction, helping homeowners with making their properties safer, public outreach and more. “There’s a lot of money out there for wildfire protection,” Panholzer says. The community plan will focus on preparedness planning, staffing and resources, evacuation plans and where the risks of ignition are greatest. Fuel mitigation could include pulling out dead trees from the forest. Any work would be preceded by going through the California Environmental Quality Act process, Panholzer says. Nature’s way of reducing fuel— fire—is obviously not available in neighborhoods, so there has to be human intervention in a balanced way. “Cutting down trees is not the solution,” Panholzer says. “What we need to do is manage the forest. A managed forest is a healthy forest.” Besides forest management, enacting the plan could include services like free wood-chipping for residents clearing their yards or subsidies to replace wood-shingled roofs. There is a survey (online at bit.ly/ monterey-pg-carmel-wildfire-survey) seeking public input that asks residents questions about their greatest worries about a potential wildfire in their community, including evacuation routes and concerns about protecting the environment versus removing trees and other sources of fuel. A California-based consulting firm, Dudek, is working on the plan at a cost of approximately $60,000, shared among the three cities. After community meetings this spring, all the cities and agencies involved will gather in June, before the plan is finalized in July. Although Pebble Beach is not officially included in the planning since it is in unincorporated county land not covered by Monterey Fire, officials from there “are 100-percent involved,” Panholzer adds. He says the Pebble Beach Company has already done a good job of clearing problem areas in Del Monte Forest. Monterey Fire Chief Gaudenz Panholzer shows an area above Quarry Park where brush has been thinned for fire protection. Be Prepared Three Peninsula cities are preparing a single plan to reduce future wildfire risk. By Pam Marino The county Water Resources Agency’s 2022 map for seawater intrusion in the 400-foot aquifer shows an expansion of intrusion in the areas around the Salinas River, highlighted in dark brown. “A managed forest is a healthy forest.” Daniel Dreifuss Monterey County Water Resources Agency
www.montereycountyweekly.com FEBRUARY 23-MARCH 1, 2023 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 9 Preparing a students f clege and career! MONTEREY PENINSULA UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT ANNUAL TEACHER RECRUITMENT FAIR 2200 Noche Buena St. Seaside, CA 93955 MARCH 4, 2023 | 9AM-12PM SEASIDE HIGH SCHOOL • Special Education • Science • Spanish • Bilingual Teacher • Music • Math • And more... NOW HIRING FOR • Meet school principals • Same day interviews available WHAT TO EXPECT For information: 831-645-1292 the.mpusd.net/teachatmpusd2023 PRE-REGISTER AT PRE-REGISTER BY MARCH 2 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
10 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY february 23-march 1, 2023 www.montereycountyweekly.com Seaside police are cracking down on speeding drivers, particularly on residential streets, in response to concerns from residents and in advance of a city-commissioned traffic calming plan currently in the works for Hilby Avenue. Police in Seaside have ramped up enforcement of moving violations considerably, doling out 1,635 traffic citations in 2022—up by 62 percent from the 1,012 citations handed out in 2021 and more than double the 812 citations issued during the height of the pandemic in 2020. While it’s predictable that traffic tickets would escalate as lockdown measures receded and more drivers hit the road, last year’s number was also higher than the number of citations issued pre-pandemic in 2019 (1,233 citations) and 2018 (1,382 citations). Hilby Avenue has been a particular area of emphasis for police amid concerns from residents who say that speeding and collisions have gotten out of hand on the residential street, which connects Fremont Boulevard and General Jim Moore Boulevard. On social media, the Seaside Police Department has talked up both its traffic enforcement efforts on Hilby as well as enhanced signage and speed trailers encouraging motorists to slow down. Seaside Police Chief Nick Borges says reckless driving on Hilby is a particular worry given the number of schools, churches and community centers on the street. There were 17 traffic collisions recorded on Hilby in 2022— the highest number among Seaside’s residential streets—with two of those accidents being “rollovers” that saw vehicles flipped off their wheels. By contrast, the higher-trafficked thoroughfare of Fremont Boulevard saw 72 collisions last year. “For a residential street, 17 [collisions] is high, and a lot of these accidents are based upon speed,” Borges says. While officers are instructed to “be reasonable” in enforcing moving violations, he adds that “without enforcement, a stop sign is just a suggestion.” While Hilby has drawn much of the attention, Borges says Seaside police are also keeping a close eye on other residential streets, including La Salle and Kimball avenues. But he acknowledges that, long term, traffic tickets are no substitute for reconfiguring the streets to make them harder to speed along. To that end, the city of Seaside commissioned Parisi Transportation Consulting in January to devise a traffic calming plan. But with that work expected to take about 10 months, Borges says it’s up to police to enforce the rules in the meantime— rather than “sit back and wait for more crashes and violations to occur.” A few weeks ago, when the Chinese balloon that flew into U.S. airspace made national headlines, a team of graduate students at Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey was quietly working to answer a question: Where did the balloon launch from? The story for them started when journalists at the Wall Street Journal reached out to Planet Labs, a satellite imagery company that students and teachers at MIIS work closely with, hoping to use its imagery to find where the balloon launched from, working off a tip that it was somewhere in northeastern China or Inner Mongolia. Sam Lair, who’s working toward a master’s degree in nonproliferation and terrorism studies, took that tip and ran with it, and with a colleague, set about using the Planet Lab imagery to hunt it down. Lair ultimately succeeded in finding a launch site, and it got written up in the Journal. Then, as a journalist with Rolling Stone was working with Lair and his colleagues on a follow-up story, the Washington Post broke the news that U.S. intelligence believed the balloon in question launched from Hainan Island, China, so the MIIS students started hustling to find a launch site there. Lair says they all work independently, then reconvene to reach a consensus; in the case of Hainan Island, it was Lair’s colleague Michael Duitsman who first identified what the team would later agree was the likeliest launch site—a concrete pad 140 meters wide, in a facility encompassed by a security fence. The whole purpose of the students’ work, Lair says, “is to replicate the functions of an intelligence agency for the purposes of civil society.” Lair isn’t yet sure what he’ll do with his degree when he graduates next spring, but he’s enjoying himself in the meantime. “It was pretty cool,” he says. “It’s always fun chasing down mysteries with your friends.” Slow Down Seaside PD clamps down on speeding drivers on Hilby and other residential streets. By Rey Mashayekhi news Cultural Conversation You may have heard people introduce where they live along with a land acknowledgment as to Indigenous people who lived in the same place before them. Louise Miranda Ramirez, tribal chair of the Ohlone Costanoan Esselen Nation, speaks about the land acknowledgment process, local research and current issues on this topic. She also addresses the history of slavery at local missions and what happened during the post-mission era. 9am-3pm Saturday, Feb. 25. Unitarian Universalist Church of the Monterey Peninsula, 490 Aguajito Road, Carmel. Free. To register or for more information, contact Karen Brown at 917-2042 or karenb1115@yahoo.com. Bright Beaches Keep Monterey County beaches beautiful. Save the date for the next beach cleanup hosted by the Monterey Surfrider Foundation. Bags, gloves and tabulating sheets to keep track of your haul will be provided, in addition to water and fruit. No sign-up is required ahead of time, and kids of all ages are welcome if an adult accompanies them. 10am Sunday, Feb. 26. Municipal Beach, 201 Municipal Wharf 2. Free. info@surfrider.org. Celebrating Two Casa de Noche Buena is celebrating its two-year anniversary of serving unsheltered women and families. This online event features a virtual tour of the shelter, a keynote speech from CSU Monterey Bay President Dr. Vanya Quiñones, testimony from a former shelter guest and comments from County Supervisor Wendy Root Askew. Noon Tuesday, Feb. 28. Free. To pre-register for the virtual event, visit bit.ly/ CasadeNocheBuenaCelebration2023. For more information, call 658-3811 or visit chservices.org/homelessness/ casa-de-noche-buena. Democracy in Action The Monterey County Board of Supervisors meets and, as always, accepts public comment. Weigh in with this opportunity to address your elected officials directly. 10:30am Tuesday, Feb. 28. Board chambers, 168 W. Alisal St., Salinas. Free. 755-5066, co.monterey.ca.us. Fire Proof The cities of Monterey, Pacific Grove and Carmel are asking residents to help create a community wildfire protection plan by taking an online survey about wildfire concerns. Survey participants can choose to be entered into a prize drawing. (For more, see story, p. 8.) The survey is available at haveyoursaymonterey.org/cwpp. Hot Air A Chinese spy balloon prompted a team of grad students at MIIS to get to work. By David Schmalz Seaside police have ramped up traffic enforcement amid concerns over speeding on Hilby Avenue, which is home to multiple schools, churches and community centers. e-mail: publiccitizen@mcweekly.com TOOLBOX “Without enforcement, a stop sign is just a suggestion.” Daniel Dreifuss
www.montereycountyweekly.com FEBRUARY 23-MARCH 1, 2023 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 11 Fear can seem inevitable— part of who we are. But understanding God’s all embracing love can overcome fear, reveal peace, and move life forward. Moving past fear to healing Saturday March 4, 2023 11:00 am PST First Church of Christ, Scientist 780 Abrego Street, Monterey An in-person talk on Christian Science by Lisa Troseth, CSB Member of the Christian Science Board of Lectureship For more information, please call 831-920-2300 www.christiansciencemonterey.org Sponsored by First Church of Christ, Scientist, Monterey, California Visit our website to download Clean Wood Burning Tips mbard.org | 831.647.9411 BURN DRY FIREWOOD TO SAVE MONEY AND HEALTH A properly installed and operated wood-burning stove should produce little smoke. IF YOU MUST BURN WOOD FOR HEAT: REDUCE AIR POLLUTION DON'T DAMPER DOWN ONLY BURN DRY SEASONED WOOD DON'T BURN TRASH PRESENTED BY
12 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY February 23-March 1, 2023 www.montereycountyweekly.com Reports of fistfighting and group fighting have increased among teens in Monterey County. Law enforcement says calls to schools remain low, but street violence among young people has increased. “People are getting hurt with these fights,” says Seaside Police Chief Nick Borges. In Greenfield, police report a similar trend. In December, three 14-year-olds were arrested for attacking a 13-yearold and leaving him unconscious after attempting to rob him. From Jan. 1 through Feb. 20, Greenfield police made 29 arrests of people under age 18, in a variety of cases. In Salinas, police arrested four teenagers ages 15 to 17 on Feb. 1 in connection with the murder of Andrew Parker, 19, and the attempted of murder a second victim, an underage teen, in November. School administrators say incidents like these don’t necessarily spill over into schools. Superintendents PK Diffenbaugh at Monterey Peninsula Unified and Dan Burns at Salinas Union High say reports of violence remain similar to previous years. Instead, they describe an increase in behavioral misconduct among students, which they attribute at least partly to the pandemic and lack of social interaction among students during that time. Burns says students’ behavior was somewhat different when they returned to the classrooms: “They didn’t have the same type of structure at home as they did in schools.” Diffenbaugh says they’ve seen more young kids running out of the classroom, throwing things or biting other students. Burns describes defiance among middle and high school students. School officials remain vigilant when it comes to weapons and threats on school campuses. A student stabbed another student, resulting in minor injuries, at Community Day Middle School in Seaside on Jan. 6. At North Monterey County High School, a 15-year-old student was arrested on Jan. 25 for bringing a rifle scope and 9mm ammunition round to school. A week later, on Feb. 1, San Carlos School, a Catholic school in Monterey, received a gun threat, triggering a search and a lockdown among nearby MPUSD and Pacific Grove Unified School District campuses. In that case, police never located either a suspect or a weapon. In 2021, in the course of three weeks, SUHSD had two incidents of students bringing loaded guns on campus, prompting a community conversation about installing metal detectors at school. District leadership ultimately opted not to, but did start using metal detector screening at football and basketball games. Instead, school administrators say the bigger challenge and the place where intervention is needed is in addressing behavioral issues among students, especially given pandemic pressures and isolation. In Seaside, Borges says his department is working with MPUSD, local organizations and community groups to tackle this issue of teen violence with a mentorship program. “There has to be a form of consequence that does not involve going to jail,” he says. Jumped Street Despite a rise in reports of violence among teens, schools say it isn’t reflected on campus. By Celia Jiménez The Seaside Police Department receives calls to break up fights at Cutino Park (pictured) at least every two weeks, as well as regular calls near Seaside High School. NEWS The bigger challenge is behavioral issues among students. DANIEL DREIFUSS Enjoy tastings in Carmel-by-the-Sea Wines by the glass and bottles in Greenfield Music every Sunday afternoon Make a New Years Resolution to visit Scheid’s tasting rooms more often Estate Winery & Tasting Room 1972 Hobson Ave., Greenfield 831.386.0316 Pouring from 11 AM Daily Carmel-by-The-Sea San Carlos & 7th 831.626.WINE (9463) Pouring from 12 noon Daily Carmel-by-the-Sea San Carlos & 7th 831.626.WINE (9463) Pouring from 12 noon Daily Estate Winery & Tasting Room 1972 Hobson Ave., Greenfield 831.386.0316 Pouring from 11 AM Daily Visit Scheid Tasting Rooms
www.montereycountyweekly.com FEBRUARY 23-MARCH 1, 2023 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 13 WE BRING OUR MOBILE SHOWROOM TO YOU! We are the #1 Customer Rated In-Home Flooring Company in America. Locally Owned and Operated. Mention this ad to get $250 OFF of your proposal CALL 831-583-8031 to make an appointment! Visit FloorMB.com to learn more Fully licensed and insured CSLB# 1051783 CARPET – LUXURY VINYL – HARDWOOD – LAMINATES 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.
14 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY february 23-march 1, 2023 www.montereycountyweekly.com Principal Principles The disturbing chaos at Carmel Unified School District should not be a surprise to anyone (“Carmel Unified board president resigns amid a divided community and a scandal at Carmel High,” posted Feb. 16). Since Superintendent Ted Knight’s arrival two years ago, his style of leadership has been divisive, deflecting and destructive. Pair that with an inept school board, this most recent disaster surrounding an unsafe culture that supports sexual harassment was predictable and reflects the tip of the iceberg of the systemic failures that still need to be cleaned up within CUSD. Since October 2021, the community has been asking: Is Carmel High School safe? Public safety includes transparency of emergency access plans. When the community tried to access this basic critical information, we were met with anger, roadblocks and public name-calling. Our kids and community deserve better. Time to clean house. Fran Dillard | Carmel It seems rather ironic that Superintendent Ted Knight is alluding to potential defamation of his own character, considering how information about Principal Jon Lyons is being handled by Knight. Whatever the findings of the investigations, the school district and Knight are losing credibility in the process. Until the school district gets the right leaders in the administration, so much time, energy and money will be wasted at the expense of educating our students. Meica Bruno | Carmel Valley Ships Ahoy Vigorous, stand-up applause to Monterey City Manager Hans Uslar for protecting Monterey Bay by not renewing cruise ship services (“Fear of ecological disaster prompts Monterey City Council to end cruise ship services,” Feb. 9-15). Whether it be one big catastrophe or “death by a thousand cuts,” it’s just not worth having cruise ships here in our unique and precious Monterey Bay. Gail Bower | Monterey Water Fall Classic California American Water screwing us over again (“Despite the recent storms, water storage efforts on the Peninsula underperformed,” Feb. 16-22). They don’t have our longterm best interests at heart. I hope for everyone’s sake that the Monterey Peninsula Water Management District buyout is successful. Julian E. Torres | Marina Thanks Cal Am…It’s a shame we don’t have a regulatory agency to hold malfeasant utility companies to account. Oh wait, we do. Or do we? Can’t tell, they’re irrelevant. Arno Featherstone | Seaside Pork Barrel Very sad. An excellent place to eat (“PigWizard to close, with Feb. 26 the last day of regular service according to its owner,” posted Feb. 16). Amber Kohler | via social media I’m gonna miss that chorizo salami. Adam J. Lincoln | Monterey Those pork rinds and that sauce! Leslie Abney Price | Salinas Everyone wishes they supported them more now, huh. Good thing Starbucks and In-N-Out lines never let up… I’m guilty too. Support your local businesses. Rick DeNoyer | via social media PERFECT PITCh I want to thank you for the beautiful writing (“The new artistic director of Chamber Music Monterey Bay is fearless when it comes to music,” Feb. 16-22). It was tremendously meaningful and humbling to read the kind words about myself. And even more importantly, what you have written to represent the character of an artist— strength and integrity—is incredibly important to the artist community. Tien-Hsin Cindy Wu | Carmel Valley Weather Report I’ve often marveled at how accurate weather forecasts have gotten over the last couple of decades, even to the hour (“A team of National Weather Service meteorologists in Monterey predicts the weather for an 11-county region of 8 million people,” Feb. 16-22). I recall many days when growing up in Miami that we regretted being miles from the shore on our boat, and found ourselves frantically outrunning an unexpected summer storm. I guess those of us who remember those days of blaming the weather forecasters getting it wrong can add that to the growing list of things that make us seem ancient, like landlines, pay phones and Blockbuster Video… “OK, Boomer.” Esther Malkin | Monterey no vacancy Yep, cater to the wealthy—who wants average blue-collar tourists anyway? (“Hoteliers agree to higher guest room fees in a race against other tourist destinations,” Feb. 9-15.) Chad Sutter | via social media Both Sides I started 35 years in the broadcast news business, from which I am retired. Your piece on Bill Barr did not surprise me because it accurately portrayed him as he is and what I have read about him and his reticence to speak with reporters (“Former Attorney General Bill Barr blames a culture of lying on the press,” Feb. 16-22). I read Barr’s book cover-to-cover in one sitting. I agree that public trust of the so-called legacy media is at an alltime low. How does it feel to be rated lower than lawyers and used car salesmen? So, we journalists have a hard climb back to relevancy. Over the many years I covered city councils, school boards, street crime, fires and politics, I found that objectivity was hard, if not impossible to attain. I simply tried to be fair. You were fair in your piece. You could have been snarky when describing Barr’s remarks, but you avoided alienating half of your potential readership by being fair. Could a return to believability actually be that simple? Lee Schell | King City Correction A story about a ceramic artist, Pam Murakami (“A long-time Hartnell ceramics teacher shows off her treasures spanning more than two decades,” Feb. 16-22), misstated her first name. It is Pam, not Pat. 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 23-march 1, 2023 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 15 All politics are local, as they say, and nowhere is that more true than in schools. Monterey County’s 24 school districts are not immune from national controversy, including arguments from the right criticizing schools for being too “woke” when teaching ugly parts of history or using inclusive gender pronouns. From Salinas to Spreckels, Carmel to Monterey, school administrators in recent years have found themselves in the middle of the chaotic culture wars. On the local level, those wars happen in school gyms or libraries where trustees meet; normally staid board meetings, with updates on attendance rates and upcoming band concerts, become heated showdowns about which direction American culture is heading. That is the already-divisive backdrop against which the latest drama at Carmel Unified School District is unfolding. For quite a while, some outspoken parents, aggrieved by the district’s inclusion of LGBTQ-friendly library materials, have been angling for a fight against the administration. They have found, in recent months, some unusual allies. There are neighbors who are suing CUSD over a plan to install stadium lights at Carmel High School. More recently, there are teachers and families of CHS students who really liked principal Jon Lyons, and who have rallied to his defense. Lyons was placed on leave in December amid vague allegations, then removed from the role on Feb. 7. According to his attorney, Fresno-based Barry J. Bennett, the basis for discipline remains vague even to Lyons, who learned about it along with everyone else at a Feb. 7 school board meeting. “My reaction and Mr. Lyons’ was more one of surprise than anger,” Bennett says. “Like, where did this come from?” Superintendent Ted Knight wrote a letter to the campus community later that day offering context: “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 added that the findings of an initial investigation had been forwarded to the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing, the Monterey County District Attorney’s Office and the Sheriff’s Department. What’s unfolded since then is mostly a bizarre state of unknowing. “The issues that were disclosed to [Lyons] in the investigation were really trivial,” Bennett says. “We get no sense of this traumatic, quasi-criminal conduct that the superintendent alluded to.” Where there is a gap in information, it is easy for the public to fill it in with anger. And that is exactly what they did when the board met again on Feb. 15 in a packed Carmel Middle School library, where many angry community members spoke. Board president Tess Arthur announced her resignation, then left the room. Mic drop. At the end of the meeting, after about three-and-a-half hours of closed-door deliberations, the remaining board members announced they had decided to hire an investigative firm to look at Knight’s actions related to recent personnel decisions—presumably referring to reassigning Lyons from CHS. “[Knight] requested that his actions be reviewed by an independent third party to vindicate his name and actions and to counter claims made by others,” according to a statement provided by CUSD. Knight has also retained an attorney. Selfpreservation is perhaps intuitive for a CUSD superintendent; Knight is the district’s sixth superintendent since 2015. Lisa Brazil of the California School Employees spoke to the board, urging them not to succumb to the noise. “Factions of our community would distract you from the real issues you hired this superintendent to address,” she said. “You chose a superintendent you thought would be courageous in the face of change and enormous challenge.” Meanwhile, Arthur leaves a leadership void. “Part of my decision was made because there are many divisions in our community and I am a unifier,” she writes by email. “The community needs to breathe, trust and find common ground instead of differences.” The board meets on March 8 to discuss a process for filling Arthur’s vacant seat. Hopefully, whoever comes next will also be a unifier—but at the moment, it feels like the CUSD community is more interested in dividers. Sara Rubin is the Weekly’s editor. Reach her at sara@mcweekly.com. School Daze As chaos unfolds in Carmel Unified School District, everyone is on defense. By Sara Rubin Fault One…Despite Squid’s outsized creativity, Squid’s never had the chance to name anything except for Squid’s beloved bulldog, Rosco P. Coltrane. And because humans, in their infinite wisdom, don’t ever turn to cephalopods for advice, that will likely remain the case. (Like, who thought it was a good idea to suddenly add an “e” to the end of Seaside’s Campus Town project? Is Squid really supposed to associate a modern apartment complex with Elizabethan-era England?) But Squid nevertheless follows along when something is being named, because in a name there can also be a story. So Squid has been quite curious what the new, yet-to-be-built Monterey County Superior Court courthouse in Seaside will be called. Could it be a nod to Seaside’s founder, Dr. John Roberts? Or perhaps a former mayor, county supervisor or even state legislator? All of those seem plausible. Or maybe it could be regionally focused, like “Monterey Peninsula” courthouse? Squid could also see a nod to Seaside’s history as a West Coast civil rights hub in the 1960s, so perhaps Martin Luther King Jr. courthouse? Or maybe an ode to Seaside’s past, present and indefinite future: Auto-town USA courthouse? Drivethru City courthouse? Well, Seaside Mayor Ian Oglesby sent a letter Feb. 3 to Presiding Judge Pamela Butler, informing her the Seaside City Council proposes the name be: Seaside Superior Court. Clap. Clap. Clap. Fault Two…Speaking of infinite wisdom, the folks at LawnStarter, a company devoted to landscaping, pest control and research into the depths of the American soul, have published yet another study. In this case, the folks who can guide you to the proper tools for aerating a lawn turned to aerating wine. They found that Monterey County ranks 10th on a list of Best California Wine Counties. How did they come to such a conclusion? According to a press release sent to Squid’s colleague, through a rigorous study of “publicly available data”— read: Google—on such factors as number of wine producers and blenders, nice accommodations, the availability of tours and “consumer ratings.” Now, Squid could see where actual tasting might confuse the data. Squid’s colleague tells of a Lake County (no. 12 on the list; their accommodations are pretty lackluster) winemaker who admitted the winery’s Lake County Cabernet Sauvignon was far better than its Napa version, but at less than half the price. Name recognition matters. Squid has a suggestion for local winemakers if they wish to improve their ranking in such a scholarly report. It’s folly to worry about quality wines, clearly. Instead, spend more time clicking the keyboards. Unless LawnStarter’s methodology is steeped in fertilizer, this will put Monterey in the top three. the local spin SQUID FRY THE MISSION OF MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY IS TO INSPIRE INDEPENDENT THINKING AND CONSCIOUS ACTION, ETC. “The community needs to breathe.” Send Squid a tip: squid@mcweekly.com
16 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY FEBRUARY 23-MARCH 1, 2023 www.montereycountyweekly.com Prosecuting Putin The double standards of international justice create obstacles for justice in Ukraine. By Reed Brody FORUM As the war in Ukraine enters its second year, crimes by Russian forces continue to shock the world. But will Russian leaders, including President Vladimir Putin, ever be held to account? Ukrainian prosecutors have already opened 60,000 war-crime files. The International Criminal Court, under hard-charging British prosecutor Karim Khan, has opened its largest field operation ever in Kyiv and raised unprecedented contributions from Western governments to support its probe. A dozen other states have opened criminal investigations in their own courts, and even more, including the U.S., have sent forensic experts and financial support to Ukrainian prosecutors. The United Nations has created a commission of inquiry. Everyone, it seems, is getting into the act. While some have complained of a “circus,” this is precisely the kind of overwhelming judicial response that all mass atrocities should elicit. Victims in places like Ethiopia and Yemen can only hope they will now get the same attention, not to mention Palestinians or the victims of the Bush administration’s torture program in Afghanistan. What will come out of all these Ukraine probes? Kyiv is already putting captured Russian soldiers on trial, but Ukraine and the ICC are of course aiming higher. The big debate now is over Ukraine’s insistent call for an international tribunal to judge Russian (and Belarusian) “aggression.” It is a compelling idea. Since the end of World War II, however, no one has been prosecuted for aggression, and indeed until 2018 no international court even had jurisdiction over the crime. An aggression tribunal could decisively rehabilitate the criminal prohibition of illegal war. The rub is double standards. The only reason the ICC cannot look at Russia’s aggression is because the UK, France and the U.S. won a limitation which, in the absence of a Security Council referral (where they all, like Russia, have a veto), permits the ICC to prosecute aggression only by leaders whose states are ICC parties. For Western countries to create a special tribunal to prosecute a crime by Russian and Belarusian leaders for which they are unwilling to submit their own leaders would “consecrate selective justice,” in the words of Luis Moreno Ocampo, the first ICC prosecutor, reinforcing a perception that international justice only kicks in against “enemies or outcasts.” That has undermined the legitimacy of the ICC and the entire justice project in the eyes of much of the world. Ocampo proposes instead an amendment to the Rome Statute so that the ICC could prosecute aggression on the same basis as it addresses other war crimes— an amendment that is cumbersome and will take time, however. Putin should be prosecuted for presumptive war crimes and aggression, and even if he is not arrested today, these crimes have no statute of limitations. The question is whether judgment will also be applied to crimes committed by powerful Western actors. Reed Brody is a veteran war crimes prosecutor. His latest book is To Catch a Dictator: The Pursuit and Trial of Hissène Habré. OPINION Justice only kicks in against “enemies or outcasts.”
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