march 23-29, 2023 montereycountyweekly.com LOCAL & INDEPENDENT Lights out at Lighthouse Cinema 10 | anti-vax doctor gets axed 15 | A sweet high 38 Congress authorized a restoration of the Pajaro River levee in 1966, but nothing happened. What’s next—for the levee, for the community? p. 20 By David Schmalz and Celia Jiménez When the Levee Breaks
2 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY MARCH 23-29, 2023 www.montereycountyweekly.com 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
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4 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY March 23-29, 2023 www.montereycountyweekly.com March 23-29, 2023 • ISSUE #1808 • Established in 1988 Mike Sheehan (Nikon D7100, 8mm, ISO 320, 1/3200 @ F8) North Monterey County’s foothills look surreal—almost like the Windows XP wallpaper—as bright green grass blankets the rolling hills under blue skies on St. Patrick’s Day, March 17. Monterey County photo of the week Send Etc. submissions to etcphoto@mcweekly.com; please include caption and camera info. On the cover: Crews continue to work 24/7 on the Pajaro River levee after patching a breach that occurred on March 11. The initial repair began the next day, and was completed on Tuesday, March 14. 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.
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6 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY March 23-29, 2023 www.montereycountyweekly.com THE BUZZ FREE SPEECH There is still free television, even in this era of streaming. Through his company Cocola Broadcasting, TV veteran Gary Cocola owns Channel 19 (KMBY) and offers a variety of content from old movies to music videos to gameshows. Three hours on Sunday nights (6-9pm, viewable at kmbytv.com) are set aside for Cocola’s own show, Monterey on Tonight with Gary Morris. (Morris is his middle name, and the name he used when he appeared on the original KMBY starting in 1962 while stationed at Fort Ord—before a detour to Fresno and a return to the Monterey Peninsula in 2005.) The show features three short interviews with local personalities, such as recent appearances by Monterey Mayor Tyller Williamson, photographer Steve Zmak and restaurateur Chris Shake. Cocola, now 83, first got into TV broadcasting at age 17. After a Covid infection in 2022, he set his sights on making his own show: “It was a near-death experience. When I came out of that, I decided what I wanted to do with the rest of my life was something that would be fun. A Sunday night TV show is fun.” GOOD: Good news is ahead for anyone in search of a spot to grab a refreshing, post-shopping beer and a meal in The Dunes shopping center in Marina. A franchise location of the Tampa-based craft beer bar The Brass Tap is opening soon at 99 General Stilwell Drive, building out the food and beverage options in the mall. The location will be led by Marina-native Karl Waller. After nearly 40 years away and a career in supply chain management, Waller is poised to build a business in his hometown—a place he envisions as a local destination for social gathering, with live music, TVs, an outdoor game area and 60 beers on tap. The bar will be the first of its kind in Monterey County, and The Brass Tap’s fifth location in California. A groundbreaking takes place on Thursday, March 23, with estimated opening in the late summer or early fall of this year. GREAT: Great news for all Monterey Peninsula water users comes as California American Water reaches a compromise with the California Public Utilities Commission’s Public Advocates Office. The agreement has Cal Am signing a water purchase agreement, in which the utility commits to the wholesale purchase of recycled water from Monterey One Water’s Pure Water Monterey system. The expansion of Pure Water Monterey—which will generate up to 2,250 acre-feet of additional water per year—had been approved by various entities but still needed a water purchase agreement before construction could begin. Cal Am had been seeking an additional $21 million in reimbursement in the agreement, but settled for $10 million toward the cost of two wells in Seaside. The total cost of the expansion project is estimated to be $141 million. GOOD WEEK / GREAT WEEK “Rather than try to prove any culinary point, why don’t I give people what they want?” -Chef Klaus Georis on his Seaside restaurant Maligne, which closed after just nine months in operation, and will reopen with a revised menu including wood-fired pizza (see story, mcweekly.com). Libraries in California that have received a collective $300 million in facilities improvement funds from the Building Forward Libraries program. An additional $175 million in grants are now available, with a deadline of May 18 for libraries to apply for funding for capital projects, which can include expanded digital access. Source: California State Library QUOTE OF THE WEEK THE WEEKLY TALLY 246 ♦ 3 Card Poker ♠ Century 21st No Bust Black Jack ♣ Texas Hold’em ♥ Baccarat FULL BAR! BLACKJACK BONUS POINTS PAYS UP TO $20,000 SMALL TOWN BIG PAYOUTS! 1-800-Gambler • Gega-003846, Gega-Gega-003703, Gega-000889 Gega-000891 Gega-002838 The Marina Club Casino ensures the safety and security of all guests and team members at all times, while providing exceptional service. 204 Carmel Ave. Marina 831-384-0925 casinomonterey.com ♠ ♣ ♥ ♦ Just minutes from Downtown Monterey Where Monterey Comes To Play ANTIQUES & COLLECTIBLES Stop By To Shop And Find Your Vintage Treasure OVER 100 DEALERS 21,000 SQUARE FEET The Largest Antiques and Collectibles Mall on the Central Coast 471 WAVE STREET MONTEREY (831) 655-0264 P M canneryrowantiquemall.com Open Daily 11am-6pm ’22 Voted Monterey County's Best Antique Shop
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8 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY MARCH 23-29, 2023 www.montereycountyweekly.com 831 At first light on Saturday, March 11, members of the SPCA Monterey County’s disaster response team were on the ground in Pajaro, wading into flooded chicken coops to retrieve backyard flocks or rescuing dogs from the floodwaters that filled the town after an upstream levee breached just after midnight. The town of around 2,900 people had been under an evacuation order since the previous day, but the water came all at once, leading to a hasty and chaotic evacuation for many. Calls rolled in from worried owners, telling the organization exactly where and how to find their beloved pets, or from concerned neighbors who heard barking. It wasn’t immediately possible to get to every animal, but as of Thursday, March 16, SPCA Vice President of Marketing and Communications Beth Brookhouser says the team has responded to every single animal they’ve received a call about, and expects they may find more as they continue to work in the area. That adds up—on Thursday, March 16, the SPCA was playing temporary home to 212 evacuated pets. Most are from Pajaro, though a few are from Chualar or other low-lying areas near the Salinas River that were hit with evacuation orders during the March storms. The majority of the animals—75 total—are chickens. Next comes parakeets (56), dogs (33), cats (19), canaries (eight), finches, cockatiels and doves (five of each), pigeons (two) plus one cockatoo, one macaw, one rabbit and one iguana. “Thankfully we have a large shelter,” Brookhouser says. The Hitchcock Road Animal Services shelter (jointly run by the county and city of Salinas) is providing extra space for all those chickens (with SPCA staff on hand over there to help with care). The Marin Humane Society took six adoptable pets up to Marin County to help make room—a show of mutual aid that the SPCA for Monterey County has and will return when disaster strikes elsewhere in California. And local volunteer fosters are helping by housing some animals as well. The number of pets in need of sheltering will change, of course. Dozens of animals have already been reunited with their families, while other people might not be able to house or care for their pets for a while still. “Unfortunately, we have been through this a lot between fires and floods in our community,” Brookhouser says. “We have gotten very good at being able to reunite pets with their families following disasters. We will work with each individual family for their needs and their pets’ needs to reunite them all.” In addition to sheltering pets who cannot go home yet, the SPCA is providing free pet food and supplies to flood evacuation centers and anyone else who needs it. For those not in the path of floodwaters who wish to help, the SPCA is accepting monetary donations as well as donations of pet food and towels for keeping rescued animals clean, dry and fed. The organization is also asking all pet owners to create a disaster preparedness plan that includes their pets and livestock. After the fact it’s always hard to say why, exactly, certain animals get left behind in an evacuation, Brookhouser says. “I think some people felt that this could never happen, so when they were woken in the middle of the night they just had to leave immediately and did not have time to get all their pets,” she offers. “It’s possible that other people thought it would just be shortterm—they left food for their pets thinking they would be gone for a couple of days.” As those days stretched out to 10 as of March 20, and even if the animals weren’t at immediate risk from the flooding, they began to need food and fresh water. “We want people who are reading about this to use it as inspiration to prepare for a disaster,” Brookhouser says. On its website, the SPCA offers disaster preparedness resources and tips for what to include in an emergency response kit for any type of pet— from the family dog to horses and fish. “This could happen to any of us, and we want people to be prepared.” Safe and Dry The SPCA has been hard at work rescuing and sheltering pets from the Pajaro flooding. By Tajha Chappellet-Lanier An SPCA disaster response team with chickens from a flooded Pajaro home. Of the 212 animals rescued as of March 16, 75 were chickens, the most common rescued animal. “Thankfully we have a large shelter.” TALES FROM THE AREA CODE C/O SPCA FOR MONTEREY COUNTY
www.montereycountyweekly.com MARCH 23-29, 2023 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 9 You can help people impacted by storms and flooding. Grants support immediate relief and recovery. MONTEREY COUNTY Storm Relief Fund 100% of donations support nonprofits assisting local individuals, families and communities. cfmco.org/StormRelief 831.375.9712 | cfmco.org | Paul Wylde DMT Imaging (Option: specify “Pajaro” in donation comments) The Community Foundation for Monterey County is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Tax ID #94-1615897. 2020 INFORMATIONAL SESSIONS AND INTERVIEWS TO BE HELD AT 2:00 PM AT THESE LOCATIONS THE SUPERIOR COURT URGES YOU TO PARTICIPATE IN IMPROVING YOUR LOCAL GOVERNMENT! Greenfield Tuesday May 12 Monterey Wednesday May 13 www.monterey.courts.ca.gov/grandjury (831) 775-5400 Extension 3014 Salinas Thursday May 14 Monterey Courthouse May 9 at 2:00 pm Salinas Courthouse May 10 at 2:00 pm King City Courthouse May 11 at 10:30 am The 2023–2024 Civil Grand Jury Needs You! 2023 Informational session AND INTERVIEWS TO BE HELD AT THESE LOCATIONS JOIN US FOR AND EGG HUNT EASTER Brunch Two Portola Plaza Monterey, CA 93940 (831) 649-4511 portolahotel.com SUNDAY, APRIL 9, 2023 FROM 10AM-2PM DAVE CONLEY ON PIANO EASTER EGG HUNT AT 10AM & NOON VISIT WITH THE EASTER BUNNY RESERVATIONS & PRICING Join us on Easter Sunday inside the Portola Hotel & Spa for a spectacular Easter brunch celebration. Indulge in a lavish brunch buffet featuring holiday favorites like Cinnamon Swirl French Toast Bake, Wild King Salmon, Maple Glazed Pit Ham, Apple Crisp and so much more. $89.95 adults | $74.95 Seniors (over 65) $45.95 for children 12 and under Prices exclude tax and gratuity | 20% Service charge for all parties Reservations are required, please call (831) 649-7870 or email mmares@portolahotel.com
10 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY march 23-29, 2023 www.montereycountyweekly.com news Sometime late last year, Eric Tynan, general manager of the Castroville Community Services District, started noticing an unwelcome trend: The caps on the sides of fire hydrants in and around Castroville were starting to get stolen. Many of them were brass, and cost $249 to replace, but Tynan estimates they bring in only $9 in scrap value. The rash of thefts, he says, has recently cost the district about $5,000. Caps typically are made from the same metal as the hydrant—brass, or cast iron—but there are missing caps on hydrants everywhere, or in some cases, replacement caps made of plastic, which have no scrap value. Seaside Fire Chief Mary Gutierrez says she’s heard of cap theft issues in Del Rey Oaks, Sand City and Monterey, but hasn’t seen it in Seaside. (There’s at least one missing cap, and one plastic replacement cap, on Hilby Avenue.) Law enforcement leaders in Monterey and Seaside say they have not heard about the issue. But Monterey Fire Chief Gaudenz Panholzer says he’s seen it for years, and surmises that people rarely file police reports about it. The caps are important to replace, Panholzer says, because they not only protect the threads that firefighters screw their hoses into, more importantly they keep the outflow free of debris. The maintenance of caps is the responsibility of water providers. On the majority of the Monterey Peninsula, that falls on California American Water. Cal Am spokesperson Josh Stratton says he is “painfully aware of the cap stealing,” adding that because the rate of thefts has increased, Cal Am will be replacing stolen caps with plastic ones going forward. Cap and Trade Local officials wrestle with a growing annoyance: the theft of fire hydrant caps. By David Schmalz The sign on the Lighthouse Cinema in Pacific Grove says “We will be back soon,” and the Enea family, who built the theater in 1988 and owns both the cinema and the property at 525 Lighthouse Ave., is pushing to reopen the theater that closed abruptly on Sunday, March 19. “We plan to reopen but we are not ready yet,” says Sally Servidio, one of three Enea sisters, whose father, Salvatore Enea, and uncle, John Enea, built the theater in 1988. She has been the one spearheading the project on behalf of her two sisters. “The previous tenant was not paying rent since Covid,” says Servidio, who now lives in Napa. That tenant was Santa Rosa Cinemas, a Santa Rosa-based company that has been running the theater since 2008. The company is not coming back to P.G., they say, and the company declined to comment for this story, except for CEO Dan Tuccini confirming they “terminated the lease.” Despite not paying, as Servidio alleges, Santa Rosa Cinemas kept the theater open even after Covid, at the same time appealing to the family to take the theater over. The company stopped screening on the weekend of March 18-19. “We would hope to improve [the theater],” Servidio says. She envisions seat renovations and a shift to a coffee- and tea-serving menu. They are thinking about issuing coupons for screenings with local restaurants, or perhaps the Monterey Bay Aquarium. The Eneas are a longtime Monterey fishing family, who came from Sicily and were involved in the movie business since the silent-movie era. “The show must go on,” Salvatore Enea used to say, according to his daughter. He died a year after the theater was built, and the endeavor was later led by the next generation of Eneas. Lighthouse Cinema was never an indie theater (unlike the Osio Theater in Monterey, which closed in March 2020) and, despite its small size, competed with larger local theaters in terms of commercial films. It got in serious trouble when Cinemark Monterey 13 opened in the Del Monte Center in 2006. Around 2007, some members of the Enea family wanted to remodel the cinema and change it into a restaurant. The partnership with Santa Rosa Cinemas prevented that. “We are obviously sad to see it close,” says Jenny MacMurdo, CEO of the P.G. Chamber of Commerce. “Arts and culture is important to any city, and we were the lucky ones to have [a theater] here.” Nationally, the number of movie screens continued to decline in 2022 and the cost of tickets went up, according to a 2023 report released by the Cinema Foundation, a nonprofit that monitors the industry. Built in 1988, the building’s painstaking attention to detail and Victorian architectural style allows it to blend in with existing structures three times its vintage. What makes the space especially coveted is its location and access to a city-owned parking lot with approximately 150 spaces, which for years city leaders have been eyeing as a potential location for much-needed housing in P.G. Ultimately, it seems, it will depend on the residents of Pacific Grove to decide if they care enough to have a movie theater. “Support us,” Servidio appeals to the community, if they want to have a “nice, little theater” downtown: “Go to the movies if you want to keep it open.” She adds they are open to prospective partners who might want to manage a theater. There are no firm plans to reopen after former tenant Santa Rosa Cinemas screened its last films, but the sign says Lighthouse Cinema will be back. Back Soon The family who built and owns Lighthouse Cinema in Pacific Grove is determined to give it another go. By Agata Pop˛eda This hydrant in Ryan Ranch has been stripped of its caps; about 30 feet up the road, a different hydrant’s caps have all been replaced with plastic. “Go to the movies if you want to keep it open.” Daniel Dreifuss Daniel Dreifuss
www.montereycountyweekly.com MARCH 23-29, 2023 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 11 A FULL SERVICE LAW FIRM DEDICATED TO INDIVIDUALIZED REPRESENTATION. OFFICE 831-625-5193 | MOBILE 831-601-9376 WWW.JSRATTORNEYATLAW.COM HAPPY DOCTORS’ DAY for serving the people of our community with excellence and compassion, every day. to our Monterey County doctors WHERE TO APPLY: MONTEREY.ORG/SUMMERJOBS The City of Monterey is an Equal Opportunity Employer. THE CITY OF MONTEREY Now Hiring! APPLY Today! Do you enjoy helping children? Are you flexible and adaptable? Do you have a positive attitude? SUMMER JOB OPPORTUNITIES • Playground Recreation Leader • Day Camp Counselor • Field Sports Recreation Leader • Camp Quien Sabe Resident Camp Counselor, Support Staff (Kitchen Helper, Handyperson, Crafts Assistant), Crafts Leader, Lifeguard and Cook
12 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY march 23-29, 2023 www.montereycountyweekly.com On the morning of Friday, March 17—nearly a week after the people of Pajaro were forced to flee their homes as floodwaters swept through their community in the dead of night—Ruby Gouker and two other volunteers from the Volunteer Center of Santa Cruz County canvassed the several dozen displaced residents milling around on the Watsonville side of the Pajaro River Bridge. In Spanish, Gouker and the volunteers took requests: for underwear, shoes, hygiene products and other necessities left behind in the flood. Residents spoke of their kids having to go to school in the same clothes for multiple days, telling her they had “no clue” when they would be able to return home. “Our concern is the children—where are they sleeping?” Gouker said. About 90 minutes later, she and her fellow volunteers returned to the bridge in a white pickup truck loaded with goods from the nearby Westview Presbyterian Church, provided by donors like Watsonville-based agriculture giant Driscoll’s, Gouker said. They passed out clothes, shoes, toiletries and bottled water to Pajaro residents who lined up, many with children in tow. In the wake of the flood, much of the relief work aiding the residents of Pajaro has been left to local nonprofits, many of them predominantly staffed by volunteers like Gouker. With state and federal governments proving slow to get aid out the door, and the county governments of Monterey and Santa Cruz limited beyond their ability to provide immediate shelter, the onus has fallen on nonprofits to provide everything from food and clothing to health care and direct financial assistance. Many of these nonprofits have been active in the area for decades and “have a connection to the community” that enables them to work more effectively, says Daniel Gonzalez, an emergency services planner with the Monterey County Department of Emergency Management. Gonzalez was on the Pajaro River Bridge on Friday, March 17, working to set up a mobile relief van operated by the Pajaro-based nonprofit Casa de la Cultura Center. Sister Rosa Dolores Rodriguez, who founded Casa de la Cultura in 1989, says her organization has previously provided such mobile services for farm workers in the Pajaro Valley’s bountiful strawberry fields. In addition to the van, she adds that they are working to help Pajaro families find accommodations at local hotels. “I’m just doing a supportive role for our community because people are really stressed out,” Rodriguez says. “They’re out of their homes, there are so many needs. They’re trying to be patient.” Casa de la Cultura is among the local groups to receive grant funding from the nonprofit Community Foundation for Monterey County, which has raised around $1.1 million for its Storm Relief Fund launched in the wake of January’s floods, according to president and CEO Dan Baldwin. The Community Foundation has since disbursed roughly $500,000 through the fund, with another $100,000 in recently approved grants on the way. “Philanthropy is very nimble,” according to Baldwin, who says the Community Foundation’s focus has turned toward “getting direct financial support to people impacted” by the Pajaro flood by backing nonprofits able to provide that help. Among such groups is Community Bridges, the Watsonville-based nonprofit predominantly serving Santa Cruz County but also active in North Monterey County. Community Bridges CEO Raymon Cancino notes that Pajaro’s location on the border of Monterey and Santa Cruz counties places Pajaro residents in an awkward position as far as public services are concerned—making them even more reliant on organizations like his. In many respects, “the infrastructure of Monterey County ends in Castroville,” Cancino says. “The reality is these folks use services in Watsonville and are more dependent on Santa Cruz County, and that’s what makes it tricky.” Community Bridges has already disbursed more than $75,000 in direct cash aid to displaced residents seeking refuge at the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds in Watsonville, in the form of $500 grants per household. Cancino expects that figure to eventually reach around $110,000 once the nonprofit completes its program at the fairgrounds and other local shelters, but notes that the work only starts there; Community Bridges’ triage-based approach will follow up with residents in the coming months and years to ensure they’re accessing all the help available to them, including federal aid from FEMA and other agencies that may eventually arise (see story, p. 14). In addition to financial relief, the organization is also facilitating transportation to help the displaced access shelters and providing services like a mobile laundry trailer at the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds. Cancino says this work is particularly urgent given the limited support being provided by the government on the ground in Pajaro. “The federal and local resources aren’t here. These are our communities, and we need to be providing the resources they need as much as we can,” he says. “Right now, we have a makeshift group of scrappy nonprofits that are holding it down. That’s what we’ll continue to do.” Team Work In lieu of government support, local nonprofits step up relief efforts in Pajaro. By Rey Mashayekhi news Cuisine with Cops Take a moment to get to know the police officers of your neighborhood. The King City Police Department will be available for conversation and delicious tortas this week, presenting Tortas with a Cop where you can ask questions and engage in a friendly environment. 4pm Thursday, March 23. King Kora, 611 Canal St., King City. Free. 3854848. bit.ly/KingCityTortasWithCops. Compost Culture Salinas Valley Recycles is hosting a workshop about composting. Come and learn about worm composting, backyard composting, and how to convert your kitchen scraps into nutrient-rich soil. Contact event organizer Estela Guerrero with any questions. Families are welcome. 10am Saturday, March 25. Jardin El Sol, 139 Sun St., Salinas. Free. 7753017, estelag@svswa.org, svswa.org/ free-compost-workshops. Earth Hour Monterey Sustainability Program supports and encourages the public to participate in Earth Hour. Supporters in over 190 countries will unite to raise awareness of the issues facing the planet. After switching off your lights, spend the hour with friends and family—whether at home, outside, online or in person—to make it an impactful evening to remember. 8:30pm Saturday, March 25. Free. bit. ly/3JtUuS5. Gratitude Grandeur Santa Catalina School is performing Grand! A Concert of Gratitude. The school’s piano teachers perform a program of favorites, including works of Bach, Mozart and Chopin. Featured pianists are Eun Ha Chung, Lucy Faridany, Lisa Spector and special guest Lyn Bronson. The concert celebrates Bronson’s gift of a Steinway concert grand piano (featured in this performance) to Santa Catalina School. 3:30pm Sunday, March 26. Santa Catalina School, Mary Johnson Recital Hall, 1500 Mark Thomas Dr., Monterey. Free. 655-9366, crystal.boyd@santacatalina.org, santacatalina.org. helping hands In addition to cash, you can donate needed goods to Pajaro evacuees. All In Monterey County is operating a fulfillment center for items like new socks, towels, shampoo and gas money. Check the website first to make sure your items are usable. Fulfillment center is open 11am-7pm daily at Monterey County Fairgrounds, 2004 Fairgrounds Road, Monterey. Donations also accepted at District 2 county office, 11140 Speegle St., Castroville. List at allinmonterey.org. Maricruz Villalba, right, distributes food and clothes on Front Street in Watsonville for Pajaro evacuees on March 15. She volunteers independently, and with friends. e-mail: publiccitizen@mcweekly.com TOOLBOX “We have a makeshift group of scrappy nonprofits that are holding it down.” celia Jiménez
www.montereycountyweekly.com MARCH 23-29, 2023 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 13 400 Cannery Row Monterey, CA 93940 montereyplazahotel.com/dining/easter-buffet EASTER BUFFET Join us for Easter fun for the whole family with a visit from the Easter Bunny, an Egg Hunt and more fun kids activities! Sunday April 9th 10AM - 2:30PM RESERVATIONS The Salinas City Elementary School District is seeking applicants to fill the important role of serving as a member of the Citizens’ Bond Oversight Committee. This committee exists to ensure that the proceeds from Measures G&H—the two general obligation bonds passed in 2022—are spent in accordance with the will of the voters. This committee satisfies the accountability requirements of Prop 39. Among the duties of this committee: Reviewing quarterly expenditure reports produced by the District to ensure that bond proceeds are expended only for the purposes set forth in the ballot measure and no proceeds are used for any teacher or administrative salaries or other operating expenses of the District. Recruitment for this committee is ongoing and will remain open unless and until four new members are approved. If you are interested, please visit this link: bit.ly/3YrZhsE to download and print the application, or you may obtain a paper copy of the application between the hours of 8:30am–4:30pm, Monday-Friday, at the front desk of the District Office, 840 S. Main St., Salinas. Please email your completed application to jcardenas@salinascity.k12.ca.us or return it to the District Office. Scan QR code to download application SEEKING APPLICANTS FOR THE CITIZENS’ BOND OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE BEST SUMMER EVER! THE CITY OF MONTEREY FOR MORE INFO + REGISTRATION MONTEREY.ORG/REC OVERNIGHT CAMP DAY CAMPS TODDLER CAMPS SPORTS CAMPS AND MORE! REGISTER NOW SCAN ME!
14 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY MARCH 23-29, 2023 www.montereycountyweekly.com In the wake of the flooding that forced more than 2,000 people in Pajaro from their homes and into nearby shelters, motels and even their own cars, on-the-ground federal and state assistance has been conspicuously absent. This is in contrast to the response seen after January’s floods, when officials from federal bodies like the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and Small Business Administration (SBA), as well as numerous California state agencies, flocked to sites like Monterey County’s local assistance center in Spreckels, delivering aid and resources to thousands of households across the region. Instead, that work has largely fallen to county agencies, which despite their efforts lack many of the resources that can be provided by better funded federal and state bodies. In turn, Monterey and Santa Cruz counties have outsourced much of the work to local nonprofits, which are being relied upon to deliver food, water, clothing and other aid to displaced residents. It has raised questions about the government response to Pajaro—an economically underserved community left at the mercy of a failed, 74-year-old piece of public infrastructure in the Pajaro River’s levee system. County officials say they have requested greater state and federal support, while those at the state and federal level say they’re still waiting for all the damage to be assessed before moving to provide that support. The onus appears to be on Gov. Gavin Newsom, who toured Pajaro on March 15. Like in January, Newsom must request a federal disaster declaration from the White House, which would free up greater FEMA resources. “States must meet damage thresholds to be eligible for certain forms of federal support,” a spokesperson for the governor says in an email. “When it is determined that California has met these thresholds, we will act swiftly to request a Presidential Major Disaster Declaration.” In a statement, U.S. Rep. Zoe Lofgren, who represents Pajaro, said she has “urged the state to make such a request,” and would “urge the [Biden] administration to approve it.” While a disaster declaration would free up federal funding for individuals, businesses and public infrastructure repairs, Monterey County is already eligible for FEMA’s Category B “emergency protective measures”—the kind of on-the-ground aid that relief workers and community members say is sorely lacking for displaced Pajaro residents. But FEMA spokesperson Brady Penn notes that the agency’s Category B measures are “a response mechanism” designed to “help support the state if the need outpaces the state’s capabilities.” In lieu of that support, local agencies and nonprofits are left to pick up as much of the slack as they can. “We can’t wait for federal and state dollars to come in and provide these services,” says Community Bridges CEO Raymon Cancino, whose Watsonville-based nonprofit is providing direct financial support and other aid to impacted locals. “The short answer is that it takes a long time for the federal government to show up.” Waiting Game Why wasn’t FEMA on the ground in Pajaro after the floods? By Rey Mashayekhi Gov. Gavin Newsom, left, and Assemblymember Robert Rivas (whose district includes Pajaro), take a tour of the broken levee and flooded area on Wednesday, March 15. NEWS “We can’t wait for federal and state dollars.” THE OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR OF CALIFORNIA ARE YOU PASSIONATE ABOUT YOUR CAREER? Join Our Team In Bloom Salon and Spa is always in search of professional and passionate team members. Our team is wildly creative, passionate about our craft and plays well with others. You must have a strong work ethic, dedication to customer service, and want to never stop learning and trying new trends. Sound like you? Let’s talk! WE ARE HIRING: Stylists, Estheticians and Massage Therapists Check out job details on our website inbloomsalonandspa.com/join-our-team where you can schedule a Meet and Greet. 498 Foam St, Monterey (831) 375 - 3299 www.inbloomsalonandspa.com Try Us First. We Pay The Highest! MONTEREY COIN SHOPPE Since 1970 same street for 40 years Open Mon-Thur 11am-4pm and Friday by appointment only. Call for an appointment: 831.646.9030 449 Alvarado St., Monterey www.montereycoinshoppe.com WE BUY GOLD AND SILVER, JEWELRY, COINS, DIAMONDS, WATCHES, ART & RARE ANTIQUES 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
www.montereycountyweekly.com March 23-29, 2023 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 15 A Monterey pediatrician known for his anti-vax beliefs, Douglas Hulstedt, has lost his medical license in the wake of a dramatic custody battle case Hulstedt was a part of, one that even he publicly called “fairly grisly.” In that case, a 9-yearold boy was shot and killed by his father who in turn killed himself, after the father was ordered by a judge to present his son for routine childhood vaccinations in 2021. Hulstedt advised the father that such vaccinations were dangerous. The California Medical Board filed an accusation against Hulstedt last year for gross negligence due to “lacking basic medical knowledge” and repeatedly providing written vaccine exemptions for the boy between 2014 and 2020. On Nov. 8, 2022, the board held a hearing resulting in his license revocation, which included ordering Hulstedt to pay $20,000 in fines and $49,560 in reimbursement of the board’s investigation costs. Hulstedt tried and failed to stop the revocation, which delayed it being formally entered and announced publicly until Feb. 27. Hulstedt, representing himself, argued during the hearing that his actions caused no harm to the child. “To the contrary,” Administrative Law Judge Juliet E. Cox wrote in her decision, “respondent not only delayed [the child’s] receipt of immunizations that would have protected” the child and community from diseases, “but also contributed to conflict between [the child’s] parents.” Last fall Hulstedt filed two lawsuits against the Medical Board in which he claimed numerous miscarriages of justice using an explosion of nonsensical legal terms. The case is pending a motion by the state to dismiss. Hulstedt continues to file documents—in one filed March 16, Hulstedt made “criminal-claims” against California Secretary of State Rob Bonta for allegedly lying and denying Hulstedt due process. He copied myriad state and federal officials, including U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland and, inexplicably, a military post office in Virginia. Hulstedt followed a similar playbook prior to and during the Medical Board hearing in November, according to the revocation decision written by Cox. Hulstedt “barraged” attorneys representing the state by mail “with documents that did not state any cognizable pre-hearing motions,” she said. During the hearing Hulstedt demanded the judge and the state’s attorney answer “irrelevant or incomprehensible questions, and asserted the same objections over and over.” Attempts to reach Hulstedt were unsuccessful. During the Medical Board’s investigation last year, Hulstedt repeatedly refused to hand over medical records, another violation. “The Medical Board has been out looking for scalps for anyone that has written medical exemptions,” he said during a podcast in April 2022. Hulstedt said that he was justified in writing exemptions for the child based on his medical history. In the decision, Cox pointed out that other doctors who had examined and tested the child found there was no reason he couldn’t be safely vaccinated. Vax Axe A Monterey doctor loses his license for anti-vax views that factored into a deadly custody case. By Pam Marino In an anti-vax podcast last year, Douglas Hulstedt said he stopped giving vaccinations because he came to believe he was “wounding or maiming a population.” NEWS “The Medical Board has been out looking for scalps.” NIC COURY
16 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY march 23-29, 2023 www.montereycountyweekly.com Charged Up We’ve been begging PG&E to put their lines underground for more than 30 years (“A new storm means deja vu for Monterey area communities that just came out of an extended power outage,” posted March 14). We’ve known about climate change for equally long. This is on PG&E—they cost our community here in Monterey County tens of millions with every storm. All commerce stops, and every household is throwing away hundreds in spoiled goods. The stress of it is causing added health issues for residents already ill or infirm. Why are we normalizing this failure to perform? Trish Sohlé | via social media Breach of Trust As of March 20, President Joe Biden has not approved federal disaster assistance for the residents of the devastated town of Pajaro (“Pajaro residents call on county officials to lift evacuation orders, but timeline to return remains uncertain,” posted March 17). Unlike the last storm, where federal disaster assistance was approved, only an “emergency declaration” has been approved. This means Pajaro residents can’t get individual assistance grants, and all local relief efforts and shelter beds are greatly limited, done by charities like the Red Cross rather than FEMA. It’s worth pointing out the Pajaro flood happened the same week as the Silicon Valley Bank bankruptcy. What else do they have in common? Both are in U.S. Rep. Zoe Lofgren’s congressional district. Silicon Valley Bank received swift, massive federal aid. Pajaro is still waiting. Jason Johnston | Prunedale All the leftist politicians that have controlled Pajaro and this part of California for decades must really be enjoying looking like heroes right now, coming to rescue Pajaro residents from the trouble that those same politicians once again created; this time ignoring the Pajaro levee and the entire Pajaro community for almost 30 years now since the last flood! They had almost 30 years to get off their socialist tax-and-spend butts and build up a strong and secure levee, and instead chose to ignore it and the community to pursue bigger, more woke ambitions. Gavin Serrano | Prunedale This is a good way to build a bridge over flooded areas, but it will not stop water from passing from one side to the other (“First phase of Pajaro River levee repair is complete, closing the 400-foot breach,” posted March 15). The material they are using is still porous; granitic material is strong and heavy, but not so great at stopping water. I get it that it is temporary, but not really sure how beneficial it will be in the long run. I guess the next storm will tell us. Jeffery Olms | via social media High End That’s good, because $60 for chicken is crazy (“Seaside’s Maligne restaurant to be scaled down, with plans to reopen in two weeks,” posted March 15). Crystal Gonzales | via social media I’m sorry to hear this. It was refreshing to have an original, fine-dining restaurant that was not in Carmel. The food was exceptional, as was the service. I’m sure his new endeavor will provide the same high quality and attention to detail. A pivot to appeal to more of a locals’ place will surely pay the bills. It’s a shame to see it go. Margie Fithian | via social media One of the best restaurants I’ve been to. Food was excellent. Alexander Miller | Seaside Too pricey for me. Maybe the new menu will be more budget-friendly. John Crisan | via social media It’s Seaside. I’m sure the property was more affordable than opening in Carmel. First, the building was completely rebuilt save for the front facade, it sat empty for two-plus years, there’s no signage, it doesn’t look very appealing from the street. It’s a bit out of place, sadly. The city of Seaside needs to compel property owners to put up or shut up to bring their vision of what “downtown” could be to fruition, so that this business would not be such an anomaly across from a car wash and a thrift store. They put all this effort into beautifying Broadway, but we still have derelict and vacant properties. Trying to attract a certain clientele and operate a high-end restaurant amidst all of that does seem futile. Arno Featherstone | Seaside Just the Messenger I want to thank you for your editorial (“As the storm impacts persist, Monterey County’s messaging is surprisingly lacking in urgency,” posted March 14). I also noticed the change here in March from January; I think they did better in January for the most part. I do think the sheriff made some mistakes and she needs some more experience with dealing with the media and messaging in general. The county could do more to keep us informed about the reality of the danger. We have just seen a record-setting flood event. Andrea Mackenzie | Salinas follow the flow Since January, the Monterey County Water Resources Agency has been required to release more than 204,500 acre-feet of water from the Lake Nacimiento reservoir to prevent overfilling and possible dam failure (“As the proposed Interlake Tunnel project advances, the question is: Is it worth it?,” March 2-8). That’s at least four times the amount of water needed to balance the Salinas Valley groundwater basin, sent directly to the ocean because we didn’t have the infrastructure in place to store it. It’s time to get serious about paying for repairs at our reservoirs and funding the interlake tunnel so we can bring much-needed resilience to our water-weary region. George Fontes | Salinas Correction A listing about a new tasting menu at The Sardine Factory (“Morsels,” March 16-22) transposed the dates the special menu is offered. It is available Sunday through Thursday, not Thursday through Sunday. 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 23-29, 2023 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 17 Democracy is, by design, messy. The political party machines that operate mostly behind the scenes are also plenty messy. (For recent examples, see: the Republican presidential primary of 2016, the Speaker of the House appointment of 2023.) In theory, most of the sausage-making is done out of sight, and what is presented to the public is a polished party platform, a unified front in support of one candidate. Sometimes, however, that is not the case. It’s certainly not the case currently for the Monterey County Democratic Central Committee. While the committee could be focusing on candidates or ballot measures for upcoming elections, its members are instead reduced to fighting with each other. Meetings can barely proceed because there is a debate about who is or isn’t a voting member (members must be current on their dues). Members are filing harassment complaints against each other, claiming they are belittled and insulted during meetings. But all of this is relatively petty. Meanwhile, the party is likely to close down its physical headquarters, the Center for Change in Seaside, because it’s out of cash. When the committee last met on Zoom on Feb. 28, it was reported that $5,931.62 remains in the bank—an especially problematic sum after the California Secretary of State notified the Central Committee it owes a penalty of $6,798 for the late electronic filing of campaign finance documents. Of course, like any political entity, the party can hold a fundraiser to pay its fines, but asking people to donate to pay penalties is a little less glamorous than asking them to support a candidate who promises to fight for what they believe in. Yes, politics is messy, but there’s supposed to be something inspiring in it. The current state of the county Democratic Party is anything but. It’s mostly name-calling and bickering about procedure, and trying to figure out how to mete out punishment to each other. One fundamental debate: Whether the committee’s executive board is a public body or not, and whether minutes of the executive board’s meetings should even be kept. Party Chair Karen Araujo argued no: “We are not a public body,” she said on Feb. 28. Amit Pandya, a committee member representing a Salinas district, pushed back: “We are not secretive, in black, smokefilled rooms making decisions,” he said. “Transparency and openness [are] very important.” Never mind that most members of the Democratic Central Committee, like its Republican counterpart, are publicly elected by voters; local Democratic clubs also send members, and elected partisan officials are automatically appointed, and generally ask an alternate to attend in their stead. (For example, U.S. Rep. Jimmy Panetta, D-Carmel Valley, does not attend meetings; instead, Vinz Koller, a former party chair, serves as his alternate.) Pandya recorded part of a past executive board meeting, for which he was publicly reprimanded in February. But Pandya is unashamed, and says creating a public record—even of the tough discussions about finances and fines for late filings or overdue bills—is intrinsically important for the party. “There has to be a bottom line to any public-facing organization. That’s transparency, openness and honesty,” he says. If the Democrats at any level, local to federal, are going to advocate for better governance, shouldn’t they be able to at least govern themselves like adults? The party is likely going to have to make some adult decisions in the near future so it can get back to trying to do what a political party is supposed to work on. They may give up the Center for Change, which costs $1,500/ month in rent. They may update their bylaws. Araujo, meanwhile, hinted in February that she is hopeful about raising funds and moving forward—she envisions a coffeehouse series of events at the Center for Change and is at work on a forthcoming fundraising letter, about two months after the previous development director, Pris Walton— who remains a member of the Central Committee—resigned. In her resignation letter, Walton wrote: “The current leadership is chaotic, dysfunctional, non-transparent and autocratic.” These are exactly the values Democrats are supposed to be fighting against. It’s discouraging if they can’t even figure out how to do that at the local level. Sara Rubin is the Weekly’s editor. Reach her at sara@mcweekly.com. Party Foul The county Democratic Party gets stuck on issues big and small. By Sara Rubin White Meat…Squid is quite fond of lobster, but finds the steamed and boiled varieties consumed onshore to be overdone—not to mention absurdly overpriced for a bountiful bottom-dwelling snack. Regardless, Squid is amused by the escalating kerfuffle between Maine’s lobster lobby and our very own cathedral of marine life, the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Last year, the Aquarium’s Seafood Watch program placed the American lobster on its “red list” of seafood to avoid, citing the risk posed by fishing gear to endangered species like the North American right whale. (Squid generally does not care for whales for obvious reasons, though Squid can make an exception for benevolent baleen whales like Righty.) The fishermen of Maine objected, and it has led to a deepening bicoastal feud: On March 13, a coalition of Maine lobster industry groups filed a defamation lawsuit against the Aquarium in U.S. District Court in Maine, accusing it of besmirching their industry’s good name on the back of allegedly bad science. The folks at the Aquarium are standing by “the extensive evidence that these fisheries pose a serious risk” to Righty, and accusing the lobstermen of trying to curtail the Aquarium’s First Amendment rights. What Squid wants to know is: When will calamari appear on everyone’s red list? Money Counts…The town of Pajaro is empty at the moment, but the area has been host to lots of hustle and bustle lately. Not only are construction workers from contractor KW Emerson, doing 12-hour shifts, out repairing the broken levee 24/7, but politicians are thronging the place for photo ops. Gov. Gavin Newsom, donning a classic popped collar, came to visit the mostly Latino, heavily farmworker community on March 15. Newsom spoke about how proud he was of serving the state that is doing the most for farmworkers, and he was eager to share that $42 million for farmworkers was headed this way—but it turned out to be a bit more than a rounding error. The $42 million Newsom boasted about was funding approved by the U.S. Department of Agriculture to distribute to farmworkers impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic, and is just finally making its way, in the form of $600 checks, to people who suffered economic hardship three years ago. Just $300,000 of that sum is destined for United Way Monterey County, one of many United Ways across the state to distribute funds. “It’s not fair to say that’s what’s available for farmworkers, because this is a new crisis,” says Antonio De Loera-Brust, communications director for United Farm Workers. Fairness is one thing, but good PR is another. Squid doesn’t know whether or not Newsom will run for president, but Squid knows a pair of muddy boots probably helps the look. the local spin SQUID FRY THE MISSION OF MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY IS TO INSPIRE INDEPENDENT THINKING AND CONSCIOUS ACTION, ETC. “We are not in black, smoke-filled rooms.” Send Squid a tip: squid@mcweekly.com
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