march 30-April 5, 2023 montereycountyweekly.com LOCAL & INDEPENDENT What’s next for Pajaro 10 | parklet progress in P.G. 17 | Inside the Aquarium’s octopus tank 34 What our pets—from fish to cats and dogs—say about us, and what experts say about them. p. 20 • Does CBD work? • Financial aid for pets • Raw food diets • Dog-friendly menus The Pet Issue
2 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY MARCH 30-APRIL 5, 2023 www.montereycountyweekly.com WORLD'S PREMIER CYCLING FESTIVAL MONTEREY | CALIFORNIA | USA | SEAOTTERCLASSIC.COM
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4 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY March 30-april 5, 2023 www.montereycountyweekly.com March 30-April 5, 2023 • ISSUE #1809 • Established in 1988 Susan Lambert (Sony a7r5, 200-600mm lens) A California long-tailed weasel at Toro Creek on Fort Ord National Monument. They are famously aggressive hunters, and do not make good pets—but they sure are adorable. Monterey County photo of the week Send Etc. submissions to etcphoto@mcweekly.com; please include caption and camera info. On the cover: Whether pets are fluffy and cuddly or rather more scaly—like this goldfish—they can be lovable to their humans. The annual Pet Issue looks at how we care for a variety of creatures, big and small. Cover Photo Shutterstock 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 30-APRIL 5, 2023 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 5 FORMERLY SALINAS VALLEY MEMORIAL HEALTHCARE SYSTEM Celebrating our doctors who provide care for our community with compassion and skill. In recognition of National Doctors’ Day Thursday, March 30 Doctors’ Day celebrates physicians once a year. Our staff and patients are grateful every day. We’re here so you keep rising.
6 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY MARCH 30-APRIL 5, 2023 www.montereycountyweekly.com THE BUZZ FREE SPEECH What if a letter of no confidence is submitted to a public agency, but never acknowledged—was it really even received? That is the question nine medical providers at Soledad Community Health Care District are asking four months after first hand-delivering a letter to board members at their homes on Nov. 25, 2022. The signatories voiced concern about CEO Ida Lopez Chan: “Despite numerous concerns expressed by patients, employees and providers, the CEO has not…been open to any clinical input regarding decisions affecting patient safety, and has created a hostile working environment,” they wrote. (Lopez Chan declined to comment, writing via email that the issue is a personnel matter.) The letter was re-delivered by email on Feb. 22, but still has not been publicly acknowledged. The board next meets Thursday, March 30, and no such correspondence appears as part of the agenda, nor is the receipt of correspondence reflected in the minutes of the board’s Feb. 23 meeting. Board President Graig Stephens did not respond to a request for comment.. Good: The redevelopment of parts of Marina on the former Fort Ord continues. On March 21, Marina City Council got to weigh in on a long-planned community park, to be located just south of 8th Street and west of 2nd Avenue, that was part of The Dunes development plan the council first approved in 2005. Now that the derelict military barracks have been cleared from the area, a vision for the 11.5-acre park can finally be realized. A consultant for the city presented four options to the council ranging from roughly $23.8 million to $27.7 million. They all had a lot of common elements— an amphitheater, a playground, beach volleyball, bocce and tennis and pickleball courts—but the main difference between them was whether they had ballfields, or how many. The option the council selected, in a 4-1 vote, has one ball field that will be able to field baseball, softball and soccer games. GREAT: In the face of recent disasters, there is hope for a countywide relief program for farmworkers who are not eligible for state or federal disaster relief. On March 21, the Board of Supervisors voted 5-0 to recommend approving a pilot program that would authorize a community organization to distribute $500 cash payments to up to 300 people, and to make $800 payments directly to landlords for up to 100. The county would spend up to $340,000 for the pilot, which would last 90 days or until funds are exhausted, whichever comes first. The initiative returns to the board on April 11 for a final vote. “We need to put the resources out there at soon as possible,” Supervisor Luis Alejo says. If approved, Catholic Charities will administer the program; the nonprofit received 2,000 requests for assistance after January’s storms, with the largest portion (48 percent) seeking rent assistance. GOOD WEEK / GREAT WEEK THE WEEKLY TALLY Capacity to which Lake Nacimiento is full, as of March 27. Rainfall at the reservoir this winter is 17.58 inches and counting, compared to 7.5 inches the same date last year, and 9.11 inches for the entire season in 2022. Source: Monterey County Water Resources Agency 91% QUOTE OF THE WEEK “This is the way the company repays them.” -Luis Argüello, a spokesperson for Laborers’ Local 270, speaking on behalf of striking trash haulers employed by Waste Management. The union went on strike on March 27, in response to the union’s claim that management had threatened to fire some members if they went on strike (see story, mcweekly.com). 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!
www.montereycountyweekly.com MARCH 30-APRIL 5, 2023 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 7 CALAM BUYOUT BEGINS. Public Presentation and Q&A Water District reveals valuation, methodology, public benefits, and next steps Monday, April 3, 5:30 pm City of Monterey City Council Chambers, 580 Pacific Street, Monterey Participate on Zoom: https://tinyurl.com/2s46ff34 / Live on Comcast Channel 24 Stream on YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/yeyzuw62 In November 2018, Monterey Peninsula voters passed Measure J by 56%. Measure J directed that, if and when feasible, the Water District acquire all assets of California American Water for the benet of District ratepayers. In November of 2019, consultants concluded it was feasible and presented their ndings in a public presentation. Stay Current on Buyout Progress / Sign up for our Newsletter: MPWMD.net
8 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY MARCH 30-APRIL 5, 2023 www.montereycountyweekly.com 831 Shea Treat was a senior in high school when she went with her mom to the animal shelter just to browse. They were still grieving for their previous dog, Athena, and didn’t plan to adopt. But they met a terrier-chihuahua mix (scrawny at the time, who later grew into a stockier build) who had one ear pointed upright and one floppy. She barked when she saw them, and went quiet upon being picked up. “My mom was like, ‘I can’t leave without her, there’s no way,’” Treat says. That was 12 years ago, and Bella has since become a part of the family. (They were later joined by Chloe, a leggier, younger chihuahua.) Fast-forward to 2022, when Bella developed a nasty cough. Treat was determined to get her beloved pup care, but she’d just lost her job, and her mom’s only source of income is Social Security. Treat was sitting with Bella in the waiting room trying to sort her options when someone at the vet’s office suggested she apply for funds from Max’s Helping Paws Foundation. Treat did, and was approved for up to $1,000. The vet billed the nonprofit directly for Bella’s care—which included an echocardiogram, revealing an enlarged heart, and subsequently a small tumor. The cough turned out to be minor, and she’s now taking medicine for it; the more major condition turned out to be the heart, which Bella has been treated for. “Even though she’s old, she still acts like a puppy,” Treat says. “She’s my baby.” In six months, Bella will go back for a follow-up on the tumor, but Treat is at least no longer stressed about the bills—her veterinarian has billed Max’s for $940.99. This was exactly the kind of support that Dyana Klein and Jonathan Fradkin envisioned in 2017 when they created the nonprofit, named after their beloved miniature pinscher. Despite a series of health challenges, including an adrenal tumor as a puppy, chronic pancreas problems, diabetes and eventually cancer, Max had a good life, Fradkin says: “He lived with parents that would literally do anything that was promoting a quality of life.” It didn’t hurt that Fradkin is a now-retired veterinarian, and that he and Klein were able and willing to invest in the dog’s care. After Max died, they decided to do something in his memory to help other animals with health issues. In 2017, that became the foundation which, after just six years, crossed the $1 million threshold in March in funds awarded to cover medical expenses of Monterey County cats and dogs. (Treat says she looks forward to a time when she can donate.) “The goal is to give every pet owner at least the ability to know what the problem is, what the options are,” Fradkin says. In his career as a vet, Fradkin became familiar with the consistently escalating costs of care and hard decisions for patients. An endoscopy for a pet uses some of the same equipment as for humans, inserting a camera into the gastrointestinal tract to view what’s inside on a screen—an expensive procedure that generally starts at $3,500, but is less invasive and less risky than surgery to slice open the abdomen and look inside that way. (It’s also kind of fun: “When I was practicing, it was one of my favorite procedures,” Fradkin says. “It’s like a living video game.”) One recent Max’s client was Bodie, a regular with his fisherman human at Wharf 2 in Monterey. Bodie ate a fishing line, hook and all. Bodie’s vet didn’t have an endoscope, so the plan was surgery; Max’s approved funds. Fortunately, by the time Bodie went in for surgery, the next morning a follow-up X-ray showed the hook was gone—“it came out in his poop,” Fradkin reports— which is the best-case scenario in what can be a fatal event for a dog. Still, the veterinary bills for X-rays and an overnight stay cost about $1,500. Bodie is back to fishing. “Families are making decisions: Do I go to the vet, or do I feed myself tomorrow?” Fradkin says. “We are not just helping pets, we are helping the people that love them.” Max’s Helping Paws Foundation is at 26388 Carmel Rancho Lane, Carmel. 704-6473, maxshelpingpaws.org. Puppy Love Max’s Helping Paws has given away $1 million and counting to help pet parents cover veterinary bills. By Sara Rubin Shea Treat with her terrier-chihuahua mix, Bella. A vet discovered Bella’s energy level was low not due to a cough, but an enlarged heart. She is now on medicine for the cough, has been treated for the heart issue and has gotten her energy back. “Do I go to the vet, or do I feed myself tomorrow?” TALES FROM THE AREA CODE The Pet Issue Breakthrough Men’s Community is a nonprofit organization founded in1987 to provide men with the skills to free themselves from non-productive, painful, or unworkable patterns in their lives. Donate at: www.breakthroughformen.org LIFE TOOLS FOR MEN Transforming lives and communities better dads, better partners, better friends This popular workshop fills fast. Next workshop begins April 27, 2023! For more information, email enrollment@breakthroughformen.org
www.montereycountyweekly.com MARCH 30-APRIL 5, 2023 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 9 DANCE PARTY $25 AGES 21+ | DJ, Light Experience | Cash Bar BLOCK PARTY THE NANCY ECCLES AND HOMER M. HAYWARD FAMILY FOUNDATION PRESENTS UNDER THE STARS FROM 7 -9 PM 559 PACIFIC STREET | Learn more at montereyart.org FOLLOWED BY A SATURDAY, APRIL 15TH | 12 - 4 PM MONTEREY MUSEUM OF ART’S INAUGURAL PURCHASE DANCE PARTY TICKETS HERE FREE ENTRY | LIVE MUSIC | FOOD | KIDS ACTIVITIES | ARTISTS | VENDORS ART CONNECTING COMMUNITY
10 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY march 30-april 5, 2023 www.montereycountyweekly.com news Is the surf up, or down? In the case of Monterey-Salinas Transit’s SURF! project—a six-mile, bus-only roadway contemplated west of Highway 1 from Marina to Sand City, that remains an open question. Hanging in the balance is a plan for rapid transit, on zero-emission buses, from Marina to Sand City that would bypass Highway 1 traffic going south the morning and north in the evening and, hopefully, provide hospitality industry and other workers who live in Marina or Salinas a reliable and faster option to reach their jobs via public transit. MST’s board approved the project in 2021, along with exemptions from the California Environmental Quality Act, aka CEQA, that would allow the project to move forward without an environmental impact report. Those exemptions, however, were predicated on state Senate Bill 288, which sunsetted at the end of 2022. However, another state law, SB 922, took effect Jan. 1 of this year, and among other things, it allows for CEQA exemptions for rapid transportation projects. MST’s board adopted new CEQA exemptions for the project pursuant to SB 922 on March 13, but MST General Manager Carl Sedoryk says that wasn’t a reapproval of the project—it was making sure those new exemptions were applied to it. (MST is currently defending itself in litigation with two parties over its approval for the project under CEQA.) But perhaps the most consequential buzzsaw ahead for SURF! is the California Coastal Commission, which enforces a different law: the California Coastal Act. And while the board of the commission is an inherently political body—it’s composed of appointed Choppy Waves MST’s embattled SURF! project is entering a decisive gauntlet: the Coastal Commission. By David Schmalz As cleanup continues in the community of Pajaro, where evacuation orders lifted on Thursday, March 23, the town looks anything but clean. Streets are full of mountains of trash, with broken furniture, refrigerators and toys covered in mud blocking parking spaces and making it difficult for cars to transit. That is the aftermath of the widespread flood that left much of Pajaro underwater on March 11 after the Pajaro River levee broke, leaving many residents away from their homes for 12 days, and effectively stranding those who refused to leave. On Monday, March 27, farmworker Marisela Ortiz Merino is on Cayetano Street taking pictures of her dad’s truck before calling the insurance company. She and her parents, with her sister’s family, lived in a garage that was converted into a two-bedroom, which they rent from relatives. The small home now is bare bones: no appliances, furniture, exposed wall frames. The kitchen cabinets and several mugs and glasses on a fixed table are the only traces that someone lived here. Their home is uninhabitable. Ortiz Merino says in Spanish they are all staying in a room in Salinas. “We lost everything,” she says. “We have no place to live.” The family has been looking for a new home for over a week, but rents are through the roof: $2,500 or more per month. Ortiz Merino says it is hard to see everything they worked so hard for gone in a second: “It breaks my heart.” “The government knows that thanks to us [farmworkers], the country stands up,” Ortiz Merino adds. “Without farmworkers, the country collapses.” On March 23, dozens of families returned to check on their homes and belongings for the first time since the flood. Ruth Ruiz and her mom, Maria Ponce, opened the gates and walked into their homes. Ponce’s home, which is at a higher elevation, had only a little water in the laundry area. Ruiz and her mom removed sandbags in front of Ruiz’s apartment door. They went inside, and Ruiz wasn’t as lucky: Water had gotten into her one-bedroom unit. The place has a musky smell, mud and water on the carpet, and mold was growing on her shoes. “I can’t come home,” Ruiz says. She thinks it will take months before she can again occupy her unit. The insurance company has to come in and assess the damage—something that won’t happen until the beginning of April. Ruiz was keeping her emotions in check, but breaks down when she reunites with her sisters. They hug each other and cry. Despite the swirling emotions, Ayerette Ruiz has a narrow smile—she is relieved to discover her home is OK. “We are happy to be home and start our cleanup process,” she says. “You never really realize what Pajaro means to you until you don’t have Pajaro.” While residents and business owners face challenges moving back in, the Monterey County Board of Supervisors voted on March 28 to approve a temporary eviction moratorium for Pajaro tenants impacted by the flood, in effect through Aug. 31. Also on March 28, Gov. Gavin Newsom asked President Joe Biden to issue a federal disaster declaration for Monterey County—more than two weeks after the flood. With no federal aid presence, the county opened a disaster assistance center in Watsonville on March 29, that will operate until at least April 7. Ruth Ruiz, left, and Maria Ponce, right, remove sandbags in front of Ruiz’s door on March 23 in Pajaro. Ruiz’s one-bedroom apartment had water and mud inside. Flood Stage Pajaro residents return home to face an uphill battle in resettling their old homes. By Celia Jiménez An image from Monterey-Salinas Transit shows what the SURF! busway would look like, running parallel to Highway 1 along six miles of the Monterey Peninsula. “We lost everything.” Daniel Dreifuss Courtesy MST Waves, continued on page 12
www.montereycountyweekly.com MARCH 30-APRIL 5, 2023 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 11 JOIN US FOR FREE CONSERVATION WEBINARS Join us for free, interactive workshops in April, presented by Green Gardens Group via Zoom. Tuesday, April 4 Garden Design - Shade and Other Challenges 6 p.m.–7 p.m. Thursday, April 20 Resilient Alternatives to Lawn Removal 6 p.m.–7 p.m. The Monterey Peninsula is a leader in water conservation. Thank you for your commitment to being water wise! Learn more at: greengardensgroup.com/g3-events/tags/Monterey In-person or virtual visits at Pediatrics – Monterey genpeds.stanfordchildrens.org Location. Location. Location.
12 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY march 30-april 5, 2023 www.montereycountyweekly.com In the anxiety over the never-ending war on drugs, one opioid called buprenorphine was caught up in the fervor, severely restricting its availability. This, despite the drug’s ability to stop the pain of withdrawal, save people from overdoses and help them regain stability in their lives. In December, Congress loosened restrictions, and just four months later, on April 1, paramedics in Monterey, Santa Cruz and San Benito counties will have the ability to administer buprenorphine to patients suffering from the pain of withdrawal in the field—the first region in California to have that ability. “I’m excited to make people feel better so they don’t feel so awful,” says Rachel Kneeland, a paramedic and the clinical education supervisor for American Medical Response, the ambulance contractor for Monterey County. Kneeland says the patients they encounter in opioid withdrawal are in a lot of pain, and moving forward she and other AMR paramedics in the tri-county region will be able to relieve that pain using “bupe,” as it’s been nicknamed, in the field after communicating with doctors. Dr. Reb Close, an emergency physician at Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula and co-founder of Prescribe Safe, an initiative to curb drug use, led the charge in bringing buprenorphine to the region after Contra Costa County was the first county in California to train paramedics to use it. Close says patients in withdrawal will no longer have to wait for pain relief while being transported to an emergency room. “Withdrawal is agony. Leaving someone in agony for 10 minutes when you have a safe and effective treatment like this, I can’t follow that thought process,” Close says. The drug works by tightly binding to opioid receptors in the brain, partially activating the receptors, but not fully, and in the process blocking other opioids from getting to the receptors. “It has a sealing effect. It’s just a wild medicine,” Close says. It’s been successfully used for years to help people stop using other dangerous opioids. Another benefit is that it prevents people from overdosing on another opioid like fentanyl, says Dr. Casey Grover, also a CHOMP emergency physician, a co-founder of Prescribe Safe and Close’s husband. He says parents of children with opioid use disorder are grateful. “They know if their child is on it they’re not going to have an overdose,” he says. Kneeland says all 170 people in AMR’s regional workforce have been trained to use the drugs, including emergency medical technicians, who cannot administer it themselves but can assist paramedics. All seven regional hospitals are on board, and each has substance abuse experts who will refer patients for treatment. officials—its staff is not. And in written communications in 2021, since-retired Coastal Commission planner Mike Watson made quite clear that, as approved, the SURF! project is not compliant with the Coastal Act. Precisely, his words were: “not approvable.” Among other things, the Coastal Commission has asked for documentation on mitigations for impacts on sensitive habitat, and for alternatives to the project as proposed. To date, it has yet to receive either, but Sedoryk says his agency will be submitting a coastal development permit application to the Coastal Commission by Friday, March 31. Both Sedoryk and Lisa Rheinheimer, MST’s assistant general manager, say that all of those concerns will be addressed in the application. Much of the project area is within the scope of Marina or Sand City—both of which have Coastal Commissionapproved local coastal plans, which allows the cities to approve coastal permits—but there is a part of it outside of both, so Sedoryk says MST will apply directly to the Coastal Commission first, as approvals—or denials— from either city could be appealed. “The Coastal Commission seems logically to be the place for us to go to first get that determination,” Sedoryk says, adding that the process is the “most complicated and most intensive” of the three applications. And while the Coastal Commission has yet to see any of the work MST has been doing to address Coastal Act concerns, both Sedoryk and Rheinheimer say a team of consultants—engineers, planners, scientists—have been working for several months to address them. Sedoryk says that Coastal Commission staff can take a “narrow” view regarding impacts on sensitive habitat, but he’s hopeful that the commissioners take “a broader view of things like equity or access.” Rheinheimer adds that she hopes the commissioners will determine “on the balance” that the positive impacts of the project—like, theoretically, reducing greenhouse gas emissions— will outweigh whatever negative impacts there may be on habitat. The fate of the project, which is budgeted at $66 million and is fully funded, will ultimately come down to what the 12 voting members of the Coastal Commission decide. Pain Relief Regional paramedics lead the way in using an old drug that offers new hope. By Pam Marino news Dialect Delegates Are you interested in becoming an interpreter, or wanting to help your community get access to information? Centro Binacional Para El Desarrollo Indígena Oaxaqueño is looking for bilingual and trilingual people who are fluent in Indigenous languages. They are looking for speakers of Mixteco, Triqui, Zapoteco, Tlapaneco, Chatino, Amuzgo and more. Learn more at this virtual meeting. 5:30 Friday, March 31. Call (559) 499-1178 for the Zoom link. administration@centrobinacional.org, centrobinacional.org. Save the Oaks Help Monterey County forests combat Sudden Oak Death (SOD), threatening the survival of tanoak and several oak species in California. The SOD Blitz Survey Project informs the community about the disease and gets locals involved in identifying it. Attend a training online, then participate in a local survey effort. 10am Saturday, April 1-noon Tuesday, April 4. Monterey Peninsula Regional Park District, 4860 Carmel Valley Road, Carmel. Free. kfrangioso@ucdavis.edu, bit.ly/SODBlitz2023. Water Rights The Monterey Peninsula Water Management District is preparing to make an offer to acquire California American Water’s system on the Monterey Peninsula. The district holds a public presentation and Q&A session to reveal the valuation, discuss the methods used, and review public benefits. It is expected that an offer to purchase the system will be made to Cal Am on or about the same time. 5:30pm Monday, April 3. Monterey City Hall, 580 Pacific St., Monterey. Free. 658-5650. mpwmd.net. Fireworks Season The city of Seaside is accepting applications for the sale of safe and sane fireworks. Seaside-based nonprofit groups can submit their applications and the required documents to the Seaside Fire Department. Deadline 4pm Friday, April 28. Seaside Fire Department, 1635 Broadway Ave., Seaside. Free. 899-6791, bit.ly/ SeasideFireworkSale2023. Storm Relief With evacuation orders lifted in Pajaro, the county has closed temporary shelters. A local assistance center is now in operation to provide information about storm recovery resources. 9am-7pm daily until at least Friday, April 7. Veterans Memorial Hall, 215 E. Beach St., Watsonville. Free. Call 211 for more; co.monterey.ca.us. Rachel Kneeland has worked 15 years as a paramedic, most of them in Monterey County. She’s excited to be able to offer pain relief to patients experiencing opioid withdrawal. e-mail: publiccitizen@mcweekly.com TOOLBOX “Withdrawal is agony.” Daniel Dreifuss Waves, continued from page 10
www.montereycountyweekly.com MARCH 30-APRIL 5, 2023 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 13 CONGRATULATIONS! 2022 Citizen of the Year Sabu JR Shake Restaurant Pacific Group, LLC 2022 Ruth Vreeland Memorial Public Official of the Year Congressman Jimmy Panetta California's 19th Congressional District 2022 Robert C. Littlefield Award for Lifetime Achievement Kenneth Gordon Montage Health 2022 Volunteer of the Year Julie King Pierce King, P.C., Professional Law Group 2022 Business of the Year CalCoastal SBDC Inaugural Community Impact Award Dan Green KSBW Action News 8 Members Save More! Certificate Special Become a Member Today 4.10% APY* 18-Month Term *Terms and conditions apply. Annual Percentage Yield (APY) is accurate as of January 17, 2023. The Dividend rate and APY may change at any time. The APY is based on the assumption that dividends will remain in the account until maturity. Any fee, withdrawal, or transfer reduces the earnings and there are penalties for early withdrawal. The minimum deposit for this 18-month certificate is $10,000.00. Does not Automatically renew. NMLS# 786119 Members Save More! Certificate Special At CCFCU, Membership Means More Become a Member Today 4.10% APY* 18-Month Term *offer limited to new deposits of $10,000+ *Terms and conditions apply. Annual Percentage Yield (APY) is accurate as of January 17, 2023. The Dividend rate and APY may change at any time. The APY is based on the assumption that dividends will remain in the account until maturity. Any fee, withdrawal, or transfer reduces the earnings and there are penalties for early withdrawals. The minimum deposit for this 18-month certificate is $10,000.00. Does not automatically renew. Call 831-393-3480 or visit your local CCFCU branch to take advantage of our Special Certificate rate. Seaside: 4242 Gigling Rd. | Salinas: 900 S. Main St. | Soledad: 315 Gabilan Rd. | King City: 510 Canal St. centcoastfcu.com NMLS# 786119 Members Save More! Certificate Special At CCFCU, Membership Means More Become a Member Today 4.10% APY* 18-Month Term *offer limited to new deposits of $10,000+ *Terms and conditions apply. Annual Percentage Yield (APY) is accurate as of January 17, 2023. The Dividend rate and APY may change at any time. The APY is based on the assumption that dividends will remain in the account until maturity. Any fee, withdrawal, or transfer reduces the earnings and there are penalties for early withdrawals. The minimum deposit for this 18-month certificate is $10,000.00. Does not automatically renew. Call 831-393-3480 or visit your local CCFCU branch to take advantage of our Special Certificate rate. Seaside: 4242 Gigling Rd. | Salinas: 900 S. Main St. | Soledad: 315 Gabilan Rd. | King City: 510 Canal St. centcoastfcu.com NMLS# 786119 Certificate Special At CCFCU, Membership Means More Become a Member Today *offer limited to new deposits of $10,000+ *Terms and conditions apply. Annual Percentage Yield (APY) is accurate as of January 17, 2023. The Dividend rate and APY may change at any time. The APY is based on the assumption that dividends will remain in the account until maturity. Any fee, withdrawal, or transfer reduces the earnings and there are penalties for early withdrawals. The minimum deposit for this 18-month certificate is $10,000.00. Does not automatically renew. Call 831-393-3480 or visit your local CCFCU branch to take advantage of our Special Certificate rate. Seaside: 4242 Gigling Rd. | Salinas: 900 S. Main St. | Soledad: 315 Gabilan Rd. | King City: 510 Canal St. centcoastfcu.com NMLS# 786119 Members Save More! Certificate Special At CCFCU, Membership Means More Become a Member Today 4.10% APY* 18-Month Term *offer limited to new deposits of $10,000+ *Terms and conditions apply. Annual Percentage Yield (APY) is accurate as of January 17, 2023. The Dividend rate and APY may change at any time. The APY is based on the assumption that dividends will remain in the account until maturity. Any fee, withdrawal, or transfer reduces the earnings and there are penalties for early withdrawals. The minimum deposit for this 18-month certificate is $10,000.00. Does not automatically renew. Call 831-393-3480 or visit your local CCFCU branch to take advantage of our Special Certificate rate. Seaside: 4242 Gigling Rd. | Salinas: 900 S. Main St. | Soledad: 315 Gabilan Rd. | King City: 510 Canal St. centcoastfcu.com Call 831-393-3480 or visit your local CCFCU branch to take advantage of our Special Certificate rate. 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14 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY March 30-April 5, 2023 www.montereycountyweekly.com A court battle rages on over California’s regulation of the cancer-causing pesticide 1,3-dichloropropene, or 1,3-D—with a superior court judge ruling that the state must revise its rules to provide greater protection to farmworkers exposed to the pesticide. On March 9, an Alameda County Superior Court judge ordered that the California Department of Pesticide Regulation has until September to propose new regulations protecting both residents and farmworkers from the potential risks of 1,3-D. Manufactured by Dow Chemical under the brand name Telone, 1,3-D is a pre-planting soil fumigant that, despite being banned in 34 countries, is the thirdmost heavily applied pesticide in California, and frequently used in berry fields across Monterey County. At issue is that DPR’s previously proposed 1,3-D regulations were “designed to protect only ‘non-occupational/residential bystanders,’ and are not designed to protect occupational bystanders” like farmworkers, according to the court order. Those guidelines would have permitted 1,3-D exposure levels 14 times the “No Significant Risk Level” determined by the California’s Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA), which implements the state’s Proposition 65 chemical regulations. DPR is required by law to work with OEHHA on pesticide regulations that affect workers; both agencies operate under the California Environmental Protection Agency. According to Jane Sellen, co-director of Californians for Pesticide Reform, which is a plaintiff in the lawsuit, DPR attempted to “[get] around this by developing a regulation that specifically excludes occupational bystanders, so farmworkers are not included in the regulation.” Sellen points out the influence on DPR’s process by agro-industrial companies like Dow, which is an intervenor and appellant in the lawsuit on behalf of DPR, and notes that the agency gets a majority of its revenue through taxes imposed on pesticide sales. Under that dynamic, she claims, “It becomes clear why [DPR is] so interested in maintaining a blockbuster fumigant like 1,3-D— it literally funds them.” DPR monitors air levels of 1,3-D at locations near farming communities across the state, one of which is at Ohlone Elementary School in Royal Oaks, near Las Lomas. That monitoring station has recorded annual 1,3-D air concentrations above OEHHA’s guidance, but below DPR’s, every year from 2012 to 2021, the most recent year on record. Monterey County Agricultural Commissioner Juan Hidalgo says the county follows DPR’s guidelines on 1,3D, citing the agency’s own research and studies on pesticide exposure. “I understand there are concerns when you have two different agencies giving you different data, but I think it’s up to DPR to decide,” Hidalgo says. Sellen says it is possible that DPR appeals the court ruling. A DPR spokesperson says the agency “is currently evaluating [the court order] to determine next steps.” Representatives for Dow declined comment. Running On Fumes A judge orders California’s pesticide regulator to redraw guidelines around the cancer-causing Telone. By Rey Mashayekhi Ohlone Elementary School in North Monterey County is host to one of the California Department of Pesticide Regulation’s air monitors, which detect pesticide concentrations. NEWS “It literally funds them.” CELIA JIMÉNEZ Low cost vaccination clinic for dogs & cats. Microchipping. Prescription flea/tick medication. OPEN SAT 3:30PM-5:30PM • SUN 10AM-1PM Baby Chicks are here! 101 W. Laurel Dr, Salinas • (831)443-6161 Mon-Sat 9am-6pm Sun 10am-5pm $5 OFF Any purchase of $25 or more $10 OFF Any purchase of $50 or more $20 OFF Any purchase of $100 or more CANNOT BE COMBINED WITH OTHER OFFERS. LIMIT 1 COUPON PER CUSTOMER. NOT VALID ON HAY SHAVINGS, FRONTLINE/ADVANTAGE, OR SERESTO COLLARS. MUST PRESENT COUPON AT TIME OF PURCHASE. Ready for your Chick Up? Quality feed & pet supplies • DIY dog & cat vaccines • Premium hay at great prices www.gocatrescue.org • 831.200.9700 • goldenoldiescats@gmail.com PING PONG Ping Pong is a rather dashing 11-year-old orange gentleman of a cat with an independent and introspective demeanor. His guardian died and now he needs a new home where he will once again be loved and cherished. Ping Pong has lived with other cats, but not dogs or children. Won’t you give this handsome boy a second chance by opening your home and heart to him? If you are interested in Ping Pong, please fill out an adoption application at www.gocatrescue.org. If you would like to sponsor our next ad, please contact us! TRASH Cooking oil and grease ACTION REQUIRED GREEN CART Food scraps without a bag Skip the drain and the disposal to help protect your critical infrastructure & the environment! ClogBusters.org Monterey One Water • ReGen Monterey • Southern Monterey Bay Dischargers Group
www.montereycountyweekly.com MARCH 30-APRIL 5, 2023 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 15 Living on a pension can be challenging for retirees. For over two dozen retired teachers from Monterey County, managing their finances became even more challenging after losing a significant court battle. Retired teachers from Salinas Union High School District got letters in 2014 saying their pensions were calculated incorrectly. Their benefits would be readjusted and they would have to return overpayments. “We were notified that our pensions would be immediately reduced—drastically, by hundreds of dollars—because we had been overpaid,” Ann Jaramillo says. California teachers don’t pay into Social Security; instead, they use the California State Teachers Retirement System (CalSTRS). Two groups of retired teachers from SUHSD sued CalSTRS over the after-the-fact change. Their legal battle continues. In 2014, a group of retirees sued CalSTRS (William Baxter vs. CalSTRS) in Monterey County Superior Court. They didn’t challenge the miscalculation, but they contested that the time to recover overpayments and recalculate their benefits was over. In 2015, the court ruled in their favor and teachers received back the money CalSTRS retained from overpayments. In 2016, another group of 31 retired teachers—this time in a case called Steven Blaser vs. CalSTRS—sued over reducing pensions and recouping overpayments. The Monterey County Superior Court decision in 2017 was also in the teachers favor. Two appeals followed the superior court rulings, one ending in favor of the retired teachers and one in favor of CalSTRS. The former teachers had been hoping their case would be heard at the California Supreme Court. But on March 16, they learned the appellate ruling will stand. The story began in 1999 when SUHSD and the Salinas Valley Federation of Teachers had a tentative collective bargaining agreement for a sixth teaching period. Normally, fulltime teachers work five periods, and the sixth was a time to prepare their lessons; several teachers opted to teach instead and say administrators asked them to help fill in for needed classes. Teachers say they were told this income would count for their retirement. In 2008, the firm Mayer Hoffman McCann P.C. audited SUHSD, and concluded the district improperly reported teachers’ earnings, thereby inflating their retirement benefits. This triggered several actions, including pension recalculation plus an additional 5-percent reduction from future payments for teachers to reimburse CalSTRS for previous overpayments. Linda Mayr recalls thinking that it would be a good idea to take on an extra period. “It will help you,” she recalls her principal saying. “For me, it was, ‘Oh, gee, that’d be nice to have that extra money.’” Sandra Eucker, a retired art teacher and one of the plaintiffs, regularly receives shiny brochures from CalSTRS that say: How will you spend your future? She says whatever the vision was, it wasn’t spending it on lawyers or overpayments. Pension Plan The California Supreme Court is the last resort for retired teachers who want to keep their full pensions. By Celia Jiménez Ann Jaramillo is a retired English language development teacher and one of the plaintiffs in a case against CalSTRS. She taught at Harden, La Paz and El Sausal middle schools. NEWS “We were notified our pensions would be reduced, drastically.” DANIEL DREIFUSS 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
16 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY March 30-April 5, 2023 www.montereycountyweekly.com Water War Who does the Cal Am takeover benefit? (“Monterey Peninsula Water Management District moves forward with an attempted public buyout of private water utility Cal Am,” posted March 22.) This is a hostile takeover of a private company by a public agency, and regardless of whether you think that is a good thing or a bad thing, it isn’t going to be quick, easy or inexpensive. The one guarantee is lawyers are going to make a lot of money. The district needs to operate Cal Am’s current activities more efficiently than Cal Am for this to actually be a benefit to ratepayers, so the burden is on the district to outline clearly to ratepayers and the community how exactly they are going to accomplish this. Five years ago a group of advocates were successful in getting a ballot initiative passed. It is now their and the district’s responsibility to make the case clearly that this initiative is in the best interests of the community, and not just an effort to put a corporate trophy on their shelf. John McPherson | Salinas Having served as executive officer of four LAFCOs—Ventura, Santa Barbara, Contra Costa and San Benito—and provided professional services for 20 others such as preparing municipal service reviews, spheres of influence and local government reorganizations, I continue to have an interest in local government organization throughout the state. I have pretty much ended my consulting business and certainly don’t have a dog in this fight. I commend you on your writing style and your ability to keep local government organization issues in perspective. The overarching question for all LAFCOs should be what is in the overall best public interest. Water supply, water quality and water distribution issues in California are becoming much more relevant, or at least much more apparent. Bob Braitman | Ventura Doctor Done Thank you Dr. Hulstedt for having the integrity to be educated and truthful about the harms vaccines are causing our children. You are truly a hero (“A Monterey doctor loses his license for anti-vax views that factored into a deadly custody case,” March 23-29). Heather Chang | Seaside Doctors take a Hippocratic Oath to vow to defend the health of their patients, which includes defending them against Big Pharma’s for-profit model that overrides common sense. It is a disgrace that Dr. Hulstedt has lost his license, and all the pharmaceutical-pushing doctors keep theirs. It is a disgrace that media has sided so blindly with Big Pharma’s cascade of lies. We live in a backwards world. “Trust” the “science,” indeed. Chad Balester | Monterey Screen Time We loved the theater, but it desperately needed an update (“The family who built and owns Lighthouse Cinema in Pacific Grove is determined to give it another go,” March 23-29). The bathrooms were pretty disgusting. Updated seating, a new state-of-the-art screen, new bathrooms and some new paint and flooring—it would be a gem. If the theater were updated, I think they could charge “normal” prices as well. It doesn’t have to be a discounted experience. Fingers crossed they can revive this space. I think it would be a huge hit. Curt Konrad | Pacific Grove Though it is not the closest screening venue to my home, I have opted to see films at the Lighthouse 4 whenever I could because it offers a neighborhood theater vibe that a mall cineplex cannot. It also retained open seating, which became essential to me given that I am severely immuno-compromised and must avoid crowds. While I appreciate the need for expanded housing options on the Peninsula, the Enea sisters’ commitment to maintaining a family business when they could probably sell the building to a developer for a princely sum demonstrates a personal investment that is disappearing as fast as movie screens. Fingers crossed. Elizabeth Bowditch | Seaside Weather Report I had just moved to Monterey from Santa Barbara in 1998 and it was a crazy wet year (“Where does this winter stack up in terms of historical rainfall?” posted March 21). Same for the ‘82-’83 winter. But in 1998, it was more like drenching, tropical El Niño rain. Lots of wet storms followed by another wet storm. What definitely feels different about this winter—and I have lived in California since 1970—is the amount of intense wind. This year, it seems every atmospheric river is more windy than it is wet. That’s what is causing so many of the healthy trees to fall over. It would be good to know the combination of wind gusts and rainfall totals. Bill Douros | Carmel Into the Woods It is reassuring that someone else has the same questions I do, and that I’m not just some old crank (“The U.S. Forest Service’s approach to storm damage denies public access,” March 9-15). If U.S. Forest Service or other agency liability is the concern, then laws and regulations have to be changed. [Ventana Wilderness Alliance] has a good website that describes trail conditions and that should be good enough. What feel like arbitrary closures can be frustrating and lead to non-compliance with other regulations that are important. Henrik Kibak | Seaside Nice article. I could not agree more, and I also find it very frustrating. Dave Erickson | Corral de Tierra Taco Time Love this place, glad we found it! (“A first-time restaurant owner finds success at Mission 19 Taqueria in Monterey,” March 16-22). We go two to three times per month and take new customers. Monica Iribe Rivera Cisneros | Salinas Correction A story (“The family who built and owns Lighthouse Cinema in Pacific Grove is determined to give it another go”) incorrectly reported when the theater first opened. It was 1987, not 1988. 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 30-april 5, 2023 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 17 When the board of the Pacific Grove Unified School District met on March 16, one of the first orders of business was to honor the culinary arts teacher at P.G. High School. Imogen Erickson had been recognized by the California Restaurant Association as educator of the year, and is on the shortlist for a national award, which will see her traveling to Dallas in July. PGHS Assistant Principal Shane Steinbeck gave remarks, and presented Erickson with flowers. “Thank you, Chef Erickson, for all you do for students in and outside the classroom,” Steinbeck said, commending her for creating a “brave, safe space” for students, which has proven to be wildly popular. “Enrollment has tripled—not even a pandemic could slow her class down.” The only thing, it seems, that could slow Erickson down is a big pile of bureaucratic red tape and a superintendent throwing shade her way. Less than an hour after receiving her commendation, Erickson stood up to tell the board about her dealings with Superintendent Ralph Porras. She read aloud from a selection of emails obtained via California Public Records Act requests. “We all wish and hope that she will curtail the histrionics and get back to her work, which she performs very well,” Porras wrote in 2019 to board member Brian Swanson. Swanson to Porras: “I hope [Erickson] chills on the ‘I’m horribly oppressed and live in fear’ vibe. I think most people love her and that we would just prefer they fall back in line with standard operating procedure.” The use of such explicitly sexist and dismissive language is remarkable to me, but not to Erickson. “I never like to assume the worst of people. There’s always this glimmer of hope that my gut is wrong, that I simply misunderstood someone’s actions,” she says. But her gut told her that somehow she’d offended Porras, and she believed that he was retaliating against her. Erickson was first hired in 2014 to teach culinary arts, part of PGUSD’s career technical education (CTE) program. A former baker, she uses the National Restaurant Association’s curriculum and says one year gives a student all of the basics they need to work in the industry, from an introduction to food safety and knife skills to basic principles about food cost and business. Within two years, she started fighting for tenure, and raising questions about whether other CTE teachers in programs like art should be reclassified. When her inquiries fell short, the California Teachers Association eventually sued on her behalf on Oct. 13, 2022. PGUSD sought to get the suit thrown out; in February, Monterey County Superior Court Judge Thomas Wills ruled the case should proceed. Erickson and the district settled in March, and the district agreed to reclassify Erickson. Part of why she wanted tenure, she says, is so that she could speak up—like she did on March 16, her first opportunity to flex that newfound security. “We are completely vulnerable without tenure,” she says. After Erickson spoke at the board meeting, two board members, Carolyn Swanson (no relation to Brian) and Jennifer McNary, urged her to formally request the board discuss the matter; Erickson says she has since filed such a request. Porras declined to comment on the tone in his 2019 emails, because he says they pertained to a personnel matter—a 2019 investigation that was opened and closed later that year, concerning the use of alcohol in Erickson’s classroom. (She told the board that alcohol was used for legitimate culinary purposes. Porras will not speak about specifics, but says no policies were developed or modified based on the investigation. Erickson believes the investigation was a form of retaliation against her.) “I believe that our school district has a duty to safeguard the dignity of those who advocate,” Carolyn Swanson, currently the board president, says by email. “I want to improve district culture.” In her remarks, Erickson said she was grateful to be recognized especially during March, which is Women’s History Month. But that also makes it all the more jarring to see this type of language used by a top official, wishing that a woman teacher would just go be quiet. I, for one, am glad that Erickson wasn’t, and hope that her success inspires others to speak up. Sara Rubin is the Weekly’s editor. Reach her at sara@mcweekly.com. Off Flavor A culinary teacher’s battle at P.G. High reveals a troubling culture. By Sara Rubin Over Cooked…Last December, Squid was sad that party poopers in Pacific Grove—namely members of the P.G. Planning Commission—were actively seeking to hamstring outdoor dining parklets, despite overwhelming support from the community. A commission subcommittee developed an onerous list of guidelines which the commission voted 6-1 on Dec. 4 to send to P.G. City Council. One member of that subcommittee, Debby Beck, now serves on the council. On Dec. 22, the council seemed to steer away from the strict guidelines, especially after being bombarded with emails from parklet supporters. The council asked city staff to come back with a new ordinance and guidelines, which staff did on March 22. All seemed to be going well, until Beck, along with councilmembers Luke Coletti and Lori McDonnell, suddenly wanted—wait for it—a subcommittee! Coletti insisted they needed to do “a deep dive” to “strengthen” the staff guidelines by incorporating some of the Planning Commission’s suggestions. Beck, Coletti and McDonnell were joined by Councilmember Nick Smith in a 4-3 vote to approve formation of the subcommittee, with the former three as its members. They must complete their work before the current emergency ordinance sunsets on May 31. Coletti also called the “deep dive” a “slogfest.” Squid suspects a better term would be “clogfest.” Squid just wants to eat Squid’s calamari-free dinner al fresco in downtown P.G. in peace. Straw Draw…Squid’s not a fan of games of chance. Losing to a limpet if the dice turn up snake eyes? No thanks. Squid likes to outsmart Squid’s opponents, which in the sea, admittedly, isn’t that hard. But for the Del Rey Oaks City Council at a March 28 meeting—after Squid’s deadline—it was pure chance as to who could vote on an agreement to fund the ongoing maintenance of the first-funded (but not yet built) segment of the Fort Ord Regional Trail and Greenway (aka FORTAG), a 28-mile bike and pedestrian trail loop connecting Del Rey Oaks and Seaside to Marina. Because the city is so small, it was expected that deciding who could vote on it would require putting the names of all five councilmembers in a hat, then drawing three at random. The issue: They all lived within 500 feet of the project, and per state law, have to recuse themselves from voting. But then on March 27, Mayor Scott Donaldson confirmed that the project had recently changed because PG&E wouldn’t allow the trail to go along its easement on Plumas Avenue in Seaside—it is instead moving toward the sidewalks—which puts his house just outside of the 500-foot limit (he thinks). Squid will be oozing around town, checking for measuring tapes to see who really gets to vote or not. the local spin SQUID FRY THE MISSION OF MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY IS TO INSPIRE INDEPENDENT THINKING AND CONSCIOUS ACTION, ETC. “We have a duty to safeguard those who advocate.” Send Squid a tip: squid@mcweekly.com
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