MARCH 9-15, 2023 MONTEREYCOUNTYWEEKLY.COM LOCAL & INDEPENDENT MONTEREY BAY F.C. KICKS OFF 32 | AT THE OSCARS 37 | NEW SHERIFF IN TOWN 38 | ON THE KIDS’ MENU 40 Street, road or ‘stroad,’ a streetscape can make or break a downtown. A look at urban planning in Monterey, Salinas, Seaside and King City. p. 14 STROAD RAGE Published by 2023-2024 Wedding GuideFREE Best of Monterey Bay® cover_WG23.indd 1 2/16/23 2:32 PM Best of Monterey Bay® Wedding Guide magazine inside
2 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY March 9-15, 2023 www.montereycountyweekly.com March 9-15, 2023 • ISSUE #1806 • Established in 1988 Judi Clayton (Samsung S22 Ultra) A moment of zen (and abstraction) looking at a reflection in the koi pond at Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula. Monterey County photo of the week Send Etc. submissions to etcphoto@mcweekly.com; please include caption and camera info. On the cover: A rear-view mirror captures the view of Oldtown Salinas, where a new streetscape on Main Street—now a twoway street, instead of the former one-way—accompanies a revitalized neighborhood. Cover Photo Daniel Dreifuss 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 MARCH 9-15, 2023 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 3 Monterey Spine & Joint is hiring! We are looking for individuals ready to contribute to a positive and rewarding culture. At MSJ, we strive for excellence by providing the highest quality musculoskeletal care possible in a patient-focused environment as care and concern for the patient is at the core of all we do. ✓ Revenue Cycle Manager ✓ Physical Therapist ✓ SCulipnpicoarltaRnodleAsdministrative Visit us online at www.msjhealth.com/careers Ryan Ranch Office Park · 12 Upper Ragsdale Drive · Monterey, CA Ryan Ranch Office Park • 12 Upper Ragsdale Drive • Monterey, CA Visit us online at www.msjhealth.com/careers
4 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY March 9-15, 2023 www.montereycountyweekly.com THE BUZZ FREE SPEECH Every year, the George Polk Awards recognize some of the best journalism. The awards were established in 1949 by Long Island University to commemorate George Polk, a CBS correspondent murdered in 1948 while covering the Greek civil war. The awards recognized winners in 15 categories this year, from 515 submissions. “We were deluged with so many worthwhile entries it was difficult to choose,” awards curator John Darnton said in a statement. “Interestingly, a lot of reporters went after large, thematic stories. And the war in Ukraine produced superb war reporting, done at great peril.” Winners include a team from the Associated Press for war reporting on Russia’s siege of Mariupol, and for foreign reporting, the New York Times for coverage of the war in Ukraine. The award for national reporting went to a team at Politico for revealing Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito’s draft opinion overturning Roe v. Wade. A team at The Miami Herald won for political reporting for exposing Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ political stunt of flying migrants to Martha’s Vineyard. That team of four reporters includes Monterey County Weekly alum Ana Ceballos—congrats! Good: The Seaside Fire Department is boasting a freshly painted mural on a 35-by-9-foot wall at 1635 Broadway Ave. The project was initiated by the city of Seaside’s public art program, which announced a call for artists in 2022. Proposals came from artists in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Florida, Colorado, South Carolina and more. La Neta Murals, a crew of five from the Monterey Bay area, was selected from a pool of 13 applicants. La Neta set to work on Feb. 19, and an official unveiling took place on March 2. A depiction of Martin Luther King Jr. was chosen because he exemplifies change and hope. The scope of the project included celebrating the culture and history of Seaside, history and connection to Fort Ord, its residents and, of course, the fire department. The mural also features the American flag, a fire department logo, a firefighter’s face with a mask reflecting flames, a fire truck and the motto: “Service Above Self.” GREAT: Star Wars is arriving at Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula—at least its loveable droid-like technology—in the first robot hospital assistants of their kind in Northern and Central California. Two Moxi robots, designed by Diligent Robotics, based in Austin, Texas, are being deployed at CHOMP to complete tasks like fetching supplies, delivering lab samples, picking up medicines from the pharmacy and more. Diligent’s co-founder, Dr. Andrea Thomaz, said in a press release that nurses “can spend an astonishing 30 percent of their time fetching and gathering supplies. That’s a lot of time spent away from patients, so we designed Moxi to be the perfect teammate for nurses and healthcare workers.” The four-foot-high robots, with heart eyes on their faces, have an array of sensors that map the hospital and a mechanized arm to open doors. The robots’ first official day on the job at CHOMP is Wednesday, March 15. GOOD WEEK / GREAT WEEK THE WEEKLY TALLY Number of native plants planted at Hilltop Park in Marina as a result of the first four planting events held this winter. Volunteers with Citizens for Sustainable Marina began the effort in spring 2021 to collect and sow seeds. The project was in coordination with the Habitat Stewardship Project, Blue Zones and several other organizations. Source: Blue Zones Project Monterey County 2,239 QUOTE OF THE WEEK “I don’t know what it tastes like. I don’t want to know.” -Bartender Marcos Zemponcteca at Monterey Cookhouse after customers ordered dirty martinis with grenadine (see story, posted at mcweekly.com). ♦ 3 Card Poker ♠ Century 21st No Bust Black Jack ♣ Texas Hold’em ♥ Baccarat FULL BAR! BLACKJACK BONUS POINTS PAYS UP TO $20,000 SMALL TOWN BIG PAYOUTS! 1-800-Gambler • Gega-003846, Gega-Gega-003703, Gega-000889 Gega-000891 Gega-002838 The Marina Club Casino ensures the safety and security of all guests and team members at all times, while providing exceptional service. 204 Carmel Ave. Marina 831-384-0925 casinomonterey.com ♠ ♣ ♥ ♦ Just minutes from Downtown Monterey Where Monterey Comes To Play ANTIQUES & COLLECTIBLES Stop By To Shop And Find Your Vintage Treasure OVER 100 DEALERS 21,000 SQUARE FEET The Largest Antiques and Collectibles Mall on the Central Coast 471 WAVE STREET MONTEREY (831) 655-0264 P M canneryrowantiquemall.com Open Daily 11am-6pm ’22 Voted Monterey County's Best Antique Shop
www.montereycountyweekly.com MARCH 9-15, 2023 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 5 Available through LPL Financial, Member FINRA/SIPC Investment Services at Bay Federal Credit Union Investment Services at Bay Federal Credit Union Investment Services at Bay Federal Credit Union Securities and advisory services are offered through LPL Financial (LPL), a registered investment advisor and broker-dealer (member FINRA/SIPC). Insurance products are offered through LPL or its licensed affiliates. Bay Federal Credit Union and Investment Services at Bay Federal Credit Union are not registered as a broker-dealer or investment advisor. Registered representatives of LPL offer products and services using Investment Services at Bay Federal Credit Union, and may also be employees of Bay Federal Credit Union. These products and services are being offered through LPL or its affiliates, which are separate entities from, and not affiliates of, Bay Federal Credit Union or Investment Services at Bay Federal Credit Union. Securities and insurance offered through LPL or its affiliates are: Not Insured by NCUA or Any Other Government Agency Not Credit Union Guaranteed Not Credit Union Deposits or Obligations May Lose Value Your Credit Union (“Financial Institution”) provides referrals to financial professionals of LPL Financial LLC (“LPL”) pursuant to an agreement that allows LPL to pay the Financial Institution for these referrals. This creates an incentive for the Financial Institution to make these referrals, resulting in a conflict of interest. The Financial Institution is not a current client of LPL for advisory services. Please visit https://www.lpl.com/disclosures/is-lpl-relationship-disclosure.html for more detailed information. Here for Your Future Relax and enjoy the now! The Financial Advisors with Investment Services at Bay Federal Credit Union can help plan your future and set you up for retirement. Schedule a complimentary appointment today! bayfed.com/invest MARCH 2 – APRIL 3 OPENING RECEPTION: MARCH 11, 4-7pm Dolores St. between 5th & 6th Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA 93921 carmelart.org 831-250-3347 58 ARTIST MEMBERS CONTRIBUTE THEIR LATEST AND GREATEST TO THIS MUCH-ANTICIPATED ANNUAL MARCH CATALOG SHOW. COME BY THE GALLERY FOR YOUR COMPLIMENTARY COPY TO USE AS YOUR GUIDE TO ART BY CAA’S LOCAL ARTIST MEMBERS! MARCH CATALOG SHOW CARMEL ART ASSOCIATION
6 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY MARCH 9-15, 2023 www.montereycountyweekly.com 831 It’s 9:30 on a Friday morning. Normally Daniel Washington would be on his way home. After all, his day starts early—very early. “My alarm is set for 3:04,” he says. Those four minutes of extra sleep are a gift of sorts. As Washington scrolled through the clock settings, he accidentally skipped past 3am. He just shrugs at the mistake. “Close enough,” he says with a grin. Washington is a driver with Monterey City Disposal Service, running a route that takes him from the facility at Ryan Ranch in Monterey, along Fremont Boulevard, as well as the apartment blocks along Casanova and Ramona avenues, and eventually to the landfill at ReGen Monterey in Marina—about 100 stops each day over the course of four hours or so. “When you’re done, you’re done— that’s the beauty of it,” Washington explains. “Once you finish your route, that’s the day.” Even though he obeys the alarm, the Seaside native is on his own for the rest of his stint. Drivers get an early start, but they are not ruled by the clock. “You set your own pace,” he explains. He has been collecting garbage in one role or another with Monterey Disposal for 33 years, which is hardly unusual—at least at this place. Washington is one of seven drivers who have been with the company for at least 30 years. The average tenure is 20.8 years. Monterey Disposal’s general manager, Tom Parola, can’t explain the longevity. “It’s tough for me to answer because I haven’t worked for another garbage company,” says Parola, who started in 1988. “A lot of us have been here a long time.” One could easily imagine that after so many years of early mornings, Washington would head home for some rest, and he does take a break. In the afternoons and evenings, however, Washington coaches youth basketball in Seaside—boys and girls, 12 and under, in the Police Activities League. With his wife, Claudia, Washington also oversees the youth football program in the city. Some 200 kids and 35 volunteer coaches take part. He remains involved, even though his own children—two boys and a girl— are grown. It’s his way of giving back. Hauling trash is not glamorous. Residents pay notice only when trucks rumble through the neighborhood or when drivers momentarily stall traffic to collect curbside bins. Yet with Americans tossing almost five pounds of waste material per person per day, according to the Environmental Protection Agency, it is one of the most important tasks. Still, Washington was reluctant to become a garbage man. After graduating from Seaside High School, where he played football, basketball and ran track, he spent a year at Monterey Peninsula College. But he was not a serious student and felt guilty about his father shelling out for more education. Deciding he should find work instead, Washington took a job with what was then Carmel Disposal. “I figured I’d do garbage for a couple of years,” he says with a laugh. Collecting refuse is an elaborate operation. Monterey Disposal employs 39 people. Drivers are the most visible, detailed to commercial or residential routes, devoted to either garbage or recyclable materials. To keep trucks on the road requires a team of mechanics and fabricators. Other staff sort the recycling. And there are people doing accounting, payroll and necessary office tasks. Trucks may roll through neighborhoods once a week, but garbage is collected every day, even on weekends and holidays. “I wouldn’t say it’s clockwork, but it’s fairly smooth,” Washington says. Over the years, Washington has seen change—no more working in teams with a collector or two riding on the back to hoist the cans into the truck, and trucks now have cruise control. But there is a constant, besides the 3:04am alarm. And it solves the question of why so many trash collectors stay on the job for decades. “You’re always going to have trash,” he says. “It’s good, steady work. What more could you ask for?” Talkin’ Trash Daniel Washington has been driving a garbage truck for decades, and it’s a great job. By Dave Faries Like many of the kids he meets along his route, Daniel Washington was fascinated by garbage trucks as a youngster. “They were my heroes,” he says. “When you’re done, you’re done.” TALES FROM THE AREA CODE DANIEL DREIFUSS
www.montereycountyweekly.com MARCH 9-15, 2023 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 7 Super Saturday March 18, 2023 from 8:30 a.m. to Noon at CSUMB University Center • CSUMB President’s Welcome • Guest Speaker • Support Programs • Student Panel • Campus Tour Confirmed registered attendees who fill out our short survey will be entered into a drawing for a chance to win an iPad. Participants will also be invited to apply for a $1000 scholarship upon enrollment at CSUMB. Register 1012934146 Super Saturday Flyer 2023 v3_Print.indd 1 2/7/23 10:15 AM Super Saturday March 18, 2023 from 8:30 a.m. to Noon at CSUMB University Center • CSUMB President’s Welcome • Guest Speaker • Support Programs • Student Panel • Campus Tour Confirmed registered attendees who fill out our short survey will be entered into a drawing for a chance to win an iPad. Participants will also be invited to apply for a $1000 scholarship upon enrollment at CSUMB. Register 1012934146 Super Saturday Flyer 2023 v3_Print.indd 1 2/7/23 10:15 AM Super Saturday March 18, 2023 from 8:30 a.m. to Noon at CSUMB University Center • CSUMB President’s Welcome • Guest Speaker • Support Programs • Student Panel • Campus Tour Confirmed registered attendees who fill out our short survey will be entered into a drawing for a chance to win an iPad. Participants will also be invited to apply for a $1000 scholarship upon enrollment at CSUMB. Register 1012934146 Super Saturday Flyer 2023 v3_Print.indd 1 2/7/23 10:15 AM MONTEREY SPORTS CENTER SPRING SPORTS CAMP March 20-31 • Two One-Week Sessions WINTER SPORTS CAMP: AGES 6-12 TEEN WORK EXPERIENCE: AGES 13-17 9:00am - 4:00pm Early drop-off and extended pick up available for minimal additional fees Registration: $210.00 or $189.00 / week for City of Monterey Residents Register at the front desk or online at montereysportscenter.org Stay active over winter break! Swimming, Basketball, Soccer & more: Gain work experience and build your resume assisting counselors with Winter Sports Camp: 9:00am - 4:00pm Registration: $115.00 or $103.50 / week for City of Monterey Residents Register at the front desk or online at montereysportscenter.org Monterey Sports Center 301 E. Franklin Street, Monterey (831) 646-3730 | montereysportscenter.org December 19th-23rd & December 26th-30th WINTER SPORTS CAMP SPRING SPORTS CAMP: AGES 6-12 TEEN WORK EXPERIENCE: AGES 13-17 Stay active this spring! • 9:00am – 4:00pm • Early drop-off and extended pick up available for minimal additional fees • $220 per week • City of Monterey residents receive 10% discount • Register NOW at montereysportscenter.org Gain work experience and build your resume assisting counselors with Spring Sports Camp: • 9:00am – 4:00pm • $115 per week • City of Monterey residents receive 10% discount • Register NOW at montereysportscenter.org
www.montereycountyweekly.com MARCH 9-15, 2023 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 7 Super Saturday March 18, 2023 from 8:30 a.m. to Noon at CSUMB University Center • CSUMB President’s Welcome • Guest Speaker • Support Programs • Student Panel • Campus Tour Confirmed registered attendees who fill out our short survey will be entered into a drawing for a chance to win an iPad. Participants will also be invited to apply for a $1000 scholarship upon enrollment at CSUMB. Register 1012934146 Super Saturday Flyer 2023 v3_Print.indd 1 2/7/23 10:15 AM Super Saturday March 18, 2023 from 8:30 a.m. to Noon at CSUMB University Center • CSUMB President’s Welcome • Guest Speaker • Support Programs • Student Panel • Campus Tour Confirmed registered attendees who fill out our short survey will be entered into a drawing for a chance to win an iPad. Participants will also be invited to apply for a $1000 scholarship upon enrollment at CSUMB. Register 1012934146 Super Saturday Flyer 2023 v3_Print.indd 1 2/7/23 10:15 AM Super Saturday March 18, 2023 from 8:30 a.m. to Noon at CSUMB University Center • CSUMB President’s Welcome • Guest Speaker • Support Programs • Student Panel • Campus Tour Confirmed registered attendees who fill out our short survey will be entered into a drawing for a chance to win an iPad. Participants will also be invited to apply for a $1000 scholarship upon enrollment at CSUMB. Register 1012934146 Super Saturday Flyer 2023 v3_Print.indd 1 2/7/23 10:15 AM MONTEREY SPORTS CENTER SPRING SPORTS CAMP March 20-31 • Two One-Week Sessions WINTER SPORTS CAMP: AGES 6-12 TEEN WORK EXPERIENCE: AGES 13-17 9:00am - 4:00pm Early drop-off and extended pick up available for minimal additional fees Registration: $210.00 or $189.00 / week for City of Monterey Residents Register at the front desk or online at montereysportscenter.org Stay active over winter break! Swimming, Basketball, Soccer & more: Gain work experience and build your resume assisting counselors with Winter Sports Camp: 9:00am - 4:00pm Registration: $115.00 or $103.50 / week for City of Monterey Residents Register at the front desk or online at montereysportscenter.org Monterey Sports Center 301 E. Franklin Street, Monterey (831) 646-3730 | montereysportscenter.org December 19th-23rd & December 26th-30th WINTER SPORTS CAMP SPRING SPORTS CAMP: AGES 6-12 TEEN WORK EXPERIENCE: AGES 13-17 Stay active this spring! • 9:00am – 4:00pm, Mon.– Fri. • Early drop-off and extended pick up available for minimal additional fees • $220 per week • City of Monterey residents receive 10% discount • Space is limited, Register NOW at montereysportscenter.org Gain work experience and build your resume assisting counselors with Spring Sports Camp: • 9:00am – 4:00pm, Mon.– Fri. • $115 per week • City of Monterey residents receive 10% discount • Space is limited, Register NOW at montereysportscenter.org
8 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY march 9-15, 2023 www.montereycountyweekly.com news A year after Monterey Bay F.C. kicked off its first season in Seaside, the team announced its second team for USL Two—a pre-professional team—on Feb. 6. “There’s an exceptional amount of talent here at the youth level,” says Neil Diaz, MBFC’s development officer. Boys’ soccer teams from Alisal, North Salinas and Seaside high schools were in the California Interscholastic Federation Central Coast Section playoffs; Alisal and North Salinas qualified for the CIF Northern California Soccer Regional Championship. Last year, the Hartnell College men’s soccer team qualified for the California Community College Athletic Association’s playoffs (in 2021 the team played the CCCAA championship game and lost 2-1 against Mt. San Antonio). Mark Cisneros, head soccer coach at Alisal High School and Monterey Peninsula College, says the creation of a farm team opens opportunities for local players to show their talents and, hopefully, play on a professional team. Cisneros says players and teams will benefit because they will play year-round: “Their soccer development is just going to improve greatly if they get this opportunity to train with the pros.” Cisneros says some of his players will sign up for tryouts for MBFC2. For the next three weeks, Monterey Bay F.C. will offer pre-tryouts at Alisal High School’ stadium—those slots sold out in 24 hours—for players 16 and older. Open tryouts will come right after (dates will be released March 13). Monterey Bay FC2 will train in Salinas and their home games will be at Rabobank Stadium. MBFC2’s first home game is on May 6 against San Francisco City FC. Home Team Monterey Bay gets ready to build its second team, but time is ticking. By Celia Jiménez Over 175 years ago, in 1846, English sailor Jack Swan cobbled a house together a little up the hill from the Custom House in Monterey, using pieces of lumber gathered from a shipwreck. A year later he attached an adobe boarding house and saloon. In 1848, former Army officers convinced Swan to construct a small stage where they could put on plays, and thus California’s first theater was born. It was a theater for only two years, producing 10 plays, followed by a series of uses including a lodging house, whaling station, tea room and museum, before returning to a theater once again in the late 1930s. In 1992 the theater went dark, a victim of too many needed repairs and retrofits to keep the building usable and safe. It took 30 years and a determined group of volunteers raising money toward the $2 million needed for fixes, but California’s First Theatre, part of Monterey State Historic Park, is preparing to reopen. “At long last, we are getting some work done there,” says Eric Abma, a local State Parks superintendent. “State Parks had plans to repair it but not all the funding to complete the plans.” The volunteers of nonprofit Monterey State Historic Park Association have raised a combined $350,000 in grants from the Community Foundation for Monterey County, Monterey Peninsula Foundation and Department of Interior’s Save America’s Treasures. MSHPA’s board matched that amount with association funds for a total of $700,000. President Lee Henderson, who writes the grants for MSHPA with help from other volunteers, says the theater’s story helped raise the money. “What makes it compelling to me is I talked to a lot of local people who were here in the ’70s, ’80s and ’90s and remember going to performances at the First Theatre,” Henderson says. Their memories, combined with the building’s interesting history and MSHPA’s goal of involving children in learning about history and theater, proved to be a winning combination in attracting grant dollars. Retrofitting the building to meet earthquake safety standards was already completed using $579,000 in state funds, says Abma. With money raised by the nonprofit, the fire suppression system was recently repaired and in the last few weeks work began to make the building meet Americans with Disabilities Act standards. The ADA upgrades are expected to take a few months, at which point the building can be reopened for tours and possibly event rentals. “We could use a new roof, but that won’t stop us from opening the building,” Abma adds. More will be needed to ready the theater for performances, including mechanical work. “The main thing is to get it open so people can get to enjoy it,” Henderson says. He and other MSHPA volunteers will continue to fundraise for renovations to come. They see the theater’s revival as part of an overall plan to bring in programs that engage the public. Abma says long term, they hope to partner with a theater company to produce plays and manage food and beverage concessions. He’s already looking forward to the annual holiday event Christmas at the Adobes, when the theater will be prominently featured. “Everybody loves the First Theatre,” Abma says. Lee Henderson, a scientist and entrepreneur experienced in writing grants for drug development, put those skills to work raising money for California’s First Theatre. Revival House After going dark for over 30 years, California’s First Theatre is on the cusp of reopening. By Pam Marino Salinas native Ramiro Corrales, current assistant coach for Monterey Bay F.C., will lead Monterey Bay FC2. There will be about 120 spots for players at tryouts. “At long last, we are getting some work done.” Daniel Dreifuss celia jiménez
www.montereycountyweekly.com MARCH 9-15, 2023 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 9 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 march 9-15, 2023 www.montereycountyweekly.com Since the dawn of social media, Big Sur, if it wasn’t already, has become a bucket-list destination for tourists the world over. And among the destinations within Big Sur, there is none more iconic than the Bixby Creek Bridge. If you don’t have a picture of yourself next to Bixby Bridge, were you really even there? With that popularity has come a perpetual cluster around the bridge’s northern end, where cars park chaotically, often double parking and sometimes even parking on the highway so drivers and passengers can get out of their car and get a photo. For years it has been maddening to locals, and just how to prevent the backup has remained a vexing question. Caltrans launched a pilot project at the Bixby turnout, and on Feb. 22 installed 25 “delineators”—which are soft posts, and which can be driven over—at the turnout. They mean, per state highway code, those who stop must park parallel. Bixby is the first location along the coast where this approach has been attempted, and Caltrans spokesperson Kevin Drabinski writes by email that Caltrans crews—aside from monitoring the state of delineators themselves (10 have been replaced as of March 6)— will be assessing its overall effectiveness in improving traffic flow. As of now, it’s the only plan Caltrans has got, as Drabinski writes, “The space is limited which makes it challenging to find a permanent solution.” Though he adds that observations by Caltrans crews “indicated the partial success of the installation almost immediately,” and that vehicles were “largely adhering to the parameters of the delineators.” Butch Kronlund, executive director of the Community Association of Big Sur, isn’t sure if it will help solve the problem, but says, “I’m a fan of doing something.” He adds, “[Caltrans is] recognizing there’s a problem and taking some kind of step to address it. Is it the right answer? I don’t know, but it is some kind of answer.” County Planning Commissioner Martha Diehl, who lives near the Bixby turnout, is likewise happy Caltrans is taking “substantive” action. “I applaud their experiment,” she says, adding that she hopes going forward there is a more holistic, collaborative approach that involves county public works, which manages the Coast Road entrance just across the street that regularly fills up with cars parked illegally. “I don’t think it’s a long-term solution, but for the interim, it’s fabulous,” Diehl says. Back in 2017, Andrew Sandoval started raising concerns about issues at Oasis Public Charter School in Salinas. At the time, with four children enrolled there, he was a concerned parent; he went on to become a board member of Santa Rita Union School District, then in 2022, a member of Salinas City Council. Along Sandoval’s journey, his curiosity about Oasis’ dysfunction grew well beyond the classroom to governance, and eventually expanded into a lawsuit over public records against Hartnell Community College District. Augustine Nevarez was a board member at Oasis who also works as director of student affairs at Hartnell; he and Sandoval communicated about Oasis via email. Sandoval’s concerns grew. In 2019, he filed a complaint with Hartnell alleging misconduct by Nevarez. In 2020, he received a letter from Hartnell stating, “The District has conducted an appropriate investigation, and any potential personnel issues have been addressed…the information you have brought forth is important and informative.” But when Sandoval sought records from Hartnell related to his complaint, plus Nevarez’s emails related to Oasis business (using his Hartnell email account), the college demurred—even after finding 842 relevant emails. In 2021, Sandoval sued in Monterey County Superior Court. He won; the college appealed. In a Feb. 28 decision, the Court of Appeal upheld Sandoval’s victory. “Nevarez’s Oasis emails—the contents of which [Hartnell] concedes ‘pertain solely to Oasis business’—relate to the public’s business,” the court found. Just because they relate to a different agency, they are still public records. Hartnell board president Aurelio Salazar Jr. said in a statement: “[Hartnell] understands its responsibility to balance public transparency and personal privacy as outlined in state law…While the court’s opinion presents new challenges, we respect the process.” A local judge is scheduled to rule on March 24 to set a deadline for Hartnell to disclose the records. Selfie Stop After years of complaints, Caltrans is finally addressing congestion at Bixby Bridge. By David Schmalz news History Tour Take a journey into Monterey’s past, with a tour of Pacific Biological Laboratories. The building played a pivotal role in the life and work of marine biologist Ed Ricketts. 9am-4:30pm Saturday, March 11. Pacific Biological Laboratories, 800 Cannery Row, Monterey. Free; registration required. 646-5648, montereypl. libcal.com/event/9993643. Purifying Parks Volunteer to help keep local parks clean. Sustainable Pacific Grove is hosting a trash pickup at Lovers Point. Meet near the Stillwell Children’s Pool. Trash grabbers, buckets and gloves are provided, but supplies are limited. Volunteers are encouraged to bring their own supplies if they have them. 9am-11am Saturday, March 11. Lovers Point, 631 Ocean View Blvd., Pacific Grove. Free. 648-5722, acolony@cityofpacificgrove.org, bit.ly/PGParkCleanup. Phone Home The Carmel Planning Commission is asking for public input on the first draft of the city’s revised wireless ordinance package. The commission is hosting a special meeting to hear residents’ feedback. A short reader’s guide has been created for convenience, and the public is encouraged to read it as a starting point. 4pm Wednesday, March 15. Carmel City Hall, Monte Verde Street, between Ocean and 7th, Carmel. Free. 6202000, planning@ci.carmel.ca.us, bit.ly/ CarmelWirelessOrdinanceFirstDraft. LEADERSHIP ROLE King City is accepting applications to fill a vacant seat on City Council. To apply, you must be at least 18 years of age, a resident of District 1 (north of King Street from Mildred Avenue to the west and Beech Street to the east) and a registered voter. The council will hold a special meeting to select a candidate on March 22. March 14 deadline to apply. King City City Hall, 212 S. Vanderhurst Ave., King City. Free. 386-5971, bit.ly/ KingCityCouncilApplication. Storm Relief The deadline to apply for storm relief assistance loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration is approaching. Homeowners and renters may be eligible for up to $200,000 at interest rates as low as 2.13 percent; businesses and nonprofits may seek up to $2 million at rates as low as 2.4 percent. March 16 deadline to apply. (800) 6592955, disastercustomerservice@sba. gov, disasterassistance.gov. Open, Shut Hartnell, seeking to withhold public records about an administrator, loses a lawsuit on appeal. By Sara Rubin Some of the delineators, creating parallel-parking only at a turnout just north of Bixby Creek Bridge on Highway 1, are down on the ground on Thursday, March 2. e-mail: publiccitizen@mcweekly.com TOOLBOX “I’m a fan of doing something.” Daniel Dreifuss
www.montereycountyweekly.com MARCH 9-15, 2023 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 11 The past month has seen local cities double down on automated police surveillance equipment that promises to reduce crime and assist short-staffed forces—but which has also raised privacy concerns among citizens and civil liberties advocates. On March 1, Pacific Grove became the latest local city to approve the use of automated license plate reader (ALPR) technology, after its city council voted unanimously in favor of entering a two-year agreement with vendor Flock Safety to install 12 of its cameras in strategic locations around P.G. That vote came just a couple weeks after Seaside City Council voted in favor of its own deal with Flock, which will see Seaside police deploy 25 ALPR cameras around the city, as well as the company’s Raven gunshot detection technology in an unspecified, onesquare-mile area. Salinas, meanwhile, has used Flock’s ALPR cameras since late 2021 and a similar gunfire detection system by ShotSpotter since 2016. The Salinas Police Department is now using nearly $1.17 million in recently awarded federal funding to double its number of Flock ALPR cameras, to 40, and adopt other technologies meant to aid a significantly shorthanded police force. Flock’s ALPR cameras automatically detect and scan every vehicle they come across, instantly alerting authorities to any vehicles associated with a reported crime and also providing them with a database of vehicles searchable by make, model, color, license plate and other details. Flock has looked to assuage privacy concerns. The company says it does not use facial recognition or capture personally identifiable data about vehicle occupants, and insists all of the data stored by its cameras is deleted after 30 days, with the exception of footage flagged as evidence. That data is also “fully encrypted” and stored on a secure cloud database, according to a Flock spokesperson, who adds that the company doesn’t own or access data captured on behalf of its customers. But those safeguards haven’t spared Flock from scrutiny by civil liberties advocates as well as local residents. A March 2022 report by the ACLU describes Flock as “building a form of mass surveillance unlike any seen before in American life.” At the Pacific Grove City Council meeting, computer scientist and P.G. resident Joshua Kroll criticized the city’s use of “dragnet surveillance” and voiced his belief that “the government should not be tracking us unless it has individualized suspicion that we’re engaged in wrongdoing.” But those concerns aren’t stopping other local agencies from taking a look at adopting such technology, with Monterey and Carmel among the police departments currently considering ALPR cameras. Monterey Chief Dave Hober cites the appeal of being “connected with other regional [law enforcement] partners on the Peninsula” via the same system. Carmel Sgt. Michael Bruno notes that Flock “appears to be more technologically advanced” than Carmel’s existing six-camera surveillance system, provided by Morgan Hill-based company SurveillanceGrid since 2017. Eye in the Sky Automated police cameras put Monterey County at the frontline of the debate over safety vs. privacy. By Rey Mashayekhi Atlanta-based Flock’s technology is increasingly popular. The company works with more than 200 police agencies in California, plus schools and businesses. A license plate reader is shown above. NEWS “The government should not be tracking us.” COURTESY FLOCK SAFETY CAN YOU SOLVE THE MYSTERY BEFORE TIME RUNS OUT? Follow the rabbit. Rob the bank. Travel through time to save the world....and many more. A 60 minute adventure, 9 rooms to choose from each with a different theme. Great for birthdays or special events. Kid friendly. All locations surrounded by great local restaurants. 4 MONTEREY LOCATIONS 765 Wave St, Ste A2 • 599 Lighthouse Ave • 700 Cannery Row, Ste DD and Oscar’s Playground 685 Cannery Row 831.241.6616 BOOK TODAY! Escaperoom831.com Voted Monterey County’s Best Place For a Birthday Party Two Years in a Row ’22 Old Fisherman’s Wharf Saturday & Sunday March 18 & 19 | 11am-5pm whalefest.org FISHERMAN’S WHARFASSOCIATION PRESENTS A FREE EVENT Fun and Education for the Whole Family! Old Fisherman March montereywharf.com 831-238-0777 Pacific Grove Hardware 229 Forest Avenue • 646-9144 Locally Owned and Operated BEST Hardware Store THANKS FOR YOUR VOTES! Your Hometown Hardware Store ’09-’22 take $5 OFF ANY $25 or more regular items With this ad. Exp 3/31/23 One discount per transaction We’re Open! Mon-Sun 8am-5pm SEASIDE’S FINEST THIN CRUST PIZZA SOURDOUGH PIZZA SALADS & CALZONES DINE IN OR TAKE OUT Tues – Sat 11am – 9pm Sunday 11am – 8pm 720 BROADWAY AVE. SEASIDE Phone 831-899-1762 DELIVERY AVAILABLE
12 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY MARCH 9-15, 2023 www.montereycountyweekly.com RULES OF PLAY I am not remotely in favor of altering the Pro-Am format to keep celebrities and amateurs out of final round play if they make the cut (“PGA Tour may name Pro-Am a designated event, bringing possible changes,” posted March 3). This is all about money and 100-percent not what Bing intended when he started the Clambake. Reason #5 I don’t resent his widow stripping the Crosby name from the tournament when AT&T came knocking. It’s not the Pro Am if these changes go through. Don’t kid yourself. Art Fernandez | via social media LEADERSHIP ROLES It was great to see the many women who hold important positions in Monterey County and to see their names in print. Thanks for doing that (“Monterey County celebrates its women in leadership as Women’s History Month begins,” posted March 1). Renee Franken | Monterey WATER WAY It appears to be a question of priorities (“As the proposed Interlake Tunnel project advances, the question is: Is it worth it?” Match 2-8). Repairs to the dams should take first priority. The second-priority tunnel to share water between our two reservoirs sounds like a good idea, but quite expensive. The water-injection wells for the Peninsula should take priority before the tunnel. The estimated cost for the tunnel, amortized over 20 years, is about $20/year per Monterey County citizen, and should be affordable in the long run. I’ve frequently waterskied on both reservoirs in times past, and keeping the reservoirs near capacity makes for better skiing, too! Walter Wagner | via web ONE FOR ALL In regard to the letter saying, “I’m guilty too, support your local businesses” (“Letters,” Feb. 23-March 1)—If this continues, big companies like Target, Walmart and Costco will begin to take over every small business that’s trying to thrive and grow. More needs to be done trying to support smaller businesses and promoting their sales. In Monterey there is an abundance of small businesses trying to survive. First it starts with PigWizard, then other small businesses will follow suit. PigWizard always sold the best sandwiches with the finest ingredients. Mario Ortega | Castroville STORM DAMAGE I was shocked at how much land was damaged (“Monterey County farmers report $336 million in damages from January’s storms,” posted Feb. 24). We’ve always had floods, but the weather of 2023 has affected thousands of acres of agriculture. That affects the farm workers and the supply of food. Workers losing days of work means no money on the table for their families back home. Sandra Valdivia | Castroville [These losses are] completely devastating. My parents have been farmworkers, and agriculture is essential for immigrant families to make a living. It is devastating to hear about such losses; it’s hard for someone who works in the fields to not work and pay for my necessities. Jose Lopez Salvador | Royal Oaks SAFETY FIRST To create a safer and better environment for kids, I believe there should also be cops surrounding the area (“Despite a rise in reports of violence among teens, schools say it isn’t reflected on campus,” Feb. 23-March 1). That way the rate of violence decreases rather than increases. Cops should be at the skate park watching out for violence. Aurora Guillen | Castroville SAFER STREETS An article (“Seaside PD clamps down on speeding drivers on Hilby and other residential streets,” Feb. 23-March 1) states that Seaside Police had 1,635 traffic citations in 2022, which was 62-percent more than in 2021. As locals know, Hilby is a long street with lots of churches, schools, a community center. I think this should be the reason for more enforcement, with kids running around and pets since there are a lot of apartment complexes and houses there. I agree with what the police are doing to keep Seaside safer. Sandra Pavon | Salinas HEROES’ STORY Well done, Nick Tomb! What a great, inclusive dynamic duo with an equally updated cause (“When Maritime Awareness man meets Ocean Advocate girl, things can get pretty environmental,” March 2-8). Esther Malkin | Monterey TO THE BEAT It was delightful to read an article about jazz (“As an artist and an activist, Maria Schneider is fascinating,” posted Feb. 26). The picture of a Sunday morning with Gil Evans brought a smile to my face and a part of my life I do not visit often enough. I grew up with jazz through my father. As a little kid running around the park at the Concord Jazz Festival (before they held it in a venue) I thought it was OK. It was not until years later having moved from R&B (Tower of Power, still a favorite), listening to Grover Washington Jr. in college, that I went back and listened to some of the things I heard as a kid. A whole beautiful world opened up. Now I understood why there was no background music for him. Jazz is art, painting with passion, direct expression of emotion and human experience. It was a world that we could talk about and explore together. I saw some of the greats as a child: Basie, Ellington, Getz and many more. Thank you for your writing—I would love to learn who else you love in jazz. Berj Amirn | Seaside FIT FOR A DINNER Really good meals! (“What began as a supplement store for gym rats has become a culinary giant in prepared meals,” March 2-8.) Lia V.S. Paredes | via social media FULL FLAVOR Lobster thermidor is amazing and should have a comeback! (“A look at old menus shows just how much culinary times change,” Feb. 16-22.) Gretchen Andersen Baldwin | via social media LETTERS • COMMENTSOPINION Submit letters to the editor to letters@mcweekly.com. Please keep your letter to 150 words or less; subject to editing for space. Please include your full name, contact information and city you live in.
www.montereycountyweekly.com march 9-15, 2023 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 13 The massive winter storms of January were no time for outdoor recreation—it was weather that beckons even the most intrepid outdoor adventurers to hunker down by the fireplace with a cup of tea. Amid consistent rains, high winds and widespread evacuation orders along Monterey County’s various swollen rivers, the closure of public lands was reasonable. After the worst of the weather, various agencies quickly assessed the damage and reopened parks. County parks were all closed, then reopened as officials conducted damage assessments; only Jacks Peak, where more than 30 trees came down, remains closed since Jan. 4. (They tallied some $3.7 million worth of damage.) The U.S. Forest Service took a different approach, issuing a full-on closure of the entire Los Padres National Forest— which spans multiple counties along 220 miles—for 60 days. The order, issued by Forest Supervisor Chris Stubbs on Jan. 13, meant no portion of the forest’s 1.8 million acres—land owned by the public, for the public—would be open for public access. Violators would face a $5,000 fine. “We’re taking this precautionary step to ensure visitor safety as we determine the extent of the damage,” Stubbs said in a statement at the time. “My intention is to re-open closed areas as soon as it’s safe to do so.” But as the 60-day order comes to an end on March 14, no portion of the forest has yet been reopened, even those deemed to be safe for public access. And it all begs the question—in difficult terrain and in wilderness areas (like the Ventana and Silver Peak wilderness areas of Big Sur), what is safe for public access anyway? “You assume a certain amount of personal risk and responsibility when you go into these wild areas—that’s the whole point of it,” says USFS spokesperson Andrew Madsen. “When we have sections of trail that have washed away, that’s when we close. If it’s safe to reopen, we are going to reopen.” It’s understandably impossible for USFS officials themselves to make such a determination on miles of trail. Instead, the USFS contracts with various groups, such as nonprofit Ventana Wilderness Alliance, to do that work. VWA trail crews get boots on the ground to look for damage (like slides and fallen trees) and also start clearing hazards. What they found was that the Monterey Ranger District fared surprisingly well, an opinion handed along to USFS officials. “Our opinion is that the forest can be open,” says Maria Ferdin, who leads VWA’s volunteer wilderness rangers. Of course, offering public access to these public lands can be tricky. Big Sur, as well as other portions of the Los Padres Forest, face overuse challenges, and it is difficult to enforce rules meant to curb the negative impacts of overuse (things like illegal campfires and littering are serious problems). Many trails are impassable to hikers even in non-emergency times. “The thing about the Ventana is the forest itself is highly productive,” Ferdin says. “What we cut in one year grows back very fast the following year. It takes a lot of people and time to get trail cleared. Then when it’s done, you have to go back and maintain it.” But emergency closures that encompass the entire forest and last for months on end seem to be the new normal. Such orders are issued after wildfires in summer, and slides in winter; bad roads in Santa Barbara County might be keeping Big Sur trails closed. Forest closure orders require a sunset date, hence the 60-day mark. Stubbs expects to issue a superseding order before March 14 that will reopen what is accessible and safe. “I don’t take closing the forest lightly,” Stubbs says. “I’ve never seen anything like it in my 30-year land management career, damage this extensive and widespread.” A preliminary estimate shows $100 million worth of damage to Los Padres National Forest, much of it to roads. For an agency with multiple goals—recreation is competing with wildfire prevention and suppression— getting that massive funding is quite a long shot. Meanwhile, trails and backcountry camps that exist only on old maps continue to get overgrown and disappear. “We have a forest that can potentially be the jewel in the crown of the Forest Service, and we’re not there,” Ferdin says. “It’s unfortunate.” Meanwhile, lands that belong to the public remain closed. Sara Rubin is the Weekly’s editor. Reach her at sara@mcweekly.com. Into the Woods The U.S. Forest Service’s approach to storm damage denies public access. By Sara Rubin Un-Pastor-ized…Squid has no sea dog in the fight over what gets built on dry land but Squid has learned that when it comes to Carmel, fighting over buildings is in the village DNA. One such fight has led to an appeal from Monaco billionaire developer Patrice Pastor, who’s crying he’s being treated unfairly. Pastor, who has snapped up a considerable number of Carmel-area properties—including the Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Mrs. Clinton Walker House for $22 million—purchased the former bank building at the corner of 7th and Dolores—home to 7th & Dolores Steakhouse—plus a community room annex and another property on Dolores in hopes of constructing a multi-use building next to the restaurant. When Pastor bought the properties in 2020, the buildings were less than 50 years old and not eligible for historic designation. Nevertheless, the Historic Resources Board stood in Pastor’s way, resulting in over two years of delays. The restaurant building and annex hit the 50-year-old mark in October; in January, the board voted to add them to the historic resources list. A frustrated Pastor filed a formal appeal that will go to Carmel City Council for a hearing. Pastor called the “inexcusable delays” a convenient way for HRB to get what it wanted all along— the clock never stopped ticking conveniently forward. No Coasting…Squid is an admirer of the California coast, despite its function as a ramp that conveys human detritus straight into Squid’s backyard. Still, Squid understands the appeal the coast holds to land-dwellers. It’s no surprise, then, that things are heating up over which public official should represent the region (Monterey, Santa Cruz and San Mateo counties) on the California Coastal Commission, as witnessed at a March 3 meeting of the Monterey County Mayors’ Association. What’s usually a friendly chat over lunch between the county’s 12 mayors quickly tensed up, as members of the public turned out to protest the Board of Supervisors’ decision to nominate Supervisor Chris Lopez, and urged the mayors to not do the same. Melodie Chrislock of Public Water Now slammed Lopez for having “betrayed” coastal communities due to his vote against a public buyout of Cal Am on the Local Agency Formation Commission. The mayors representing those coastal communities seemed to agree—yet no one could agree on who else they did want to nominate. Eventually, Marina Mayor Bruce Delgado suggested the mayors use the board’s slate (which also included himself, plus Supervisor Mary Adams and Carmel Councilmember Jeff Baron) minus Lopez, plus…well, all seven coastal mayors. That’s what they recommended, by a 7-5 vote. It’s ultimately up to California Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon to decide, but local mayors decided to draw a battle line in the coastal sand. the local spin SQUID FRY THE MISSION OF MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY IS TO INSPIRE INDEPENDENT THINKING AND CONSCIOUS ACTION, ETC. “Our opinion is that the forest can be open.” Send Squid a tip: squid@mcweekly.com
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