6 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY JUNE 8-14, 2023 www.montereycountyweekly.com THE BUZZ FREE SPEECH At least 700 civilians have been killed in Sudan since fighting began in April between former allies, the Sudanese Rapid Support Forces paramilitary group and Sudanese Armed Forces. Journalists covering the conflict have also been caught in the violence. On May 1, freelance photographer Faiz Abuakar was shot in the back then detained and beaten by RSF. “I was ready to die, he told the Committee to Protect Journalists. “They accused me of being a spy for the Sudanese Army.” On May 16, RSF soldiers detained Al-Jazeera journalists Ahmed Fadl and Rashid Gibril at a checkpoint in Khartoum and held them overnight. On May 30, journalist Nader Shulkawi was detained by the RSF, according to CPJ. Shulkawi works as a correspondent for multiple channels operated by the state-run Sudan National Broadcasting Corporation, and CPJ reports he was detained at a checkpoint upon identifying himself as a journalist. “By detaining journalists covering the historic events taking place in Sudan, the Rapid Support Forces are showing their desperation to control the media narrative and prevent news from reaching people in the country and abroad,” said Sherif Mansour of CPJ. Good: After a challenging time for Pajaro residents impacted by flooding, it’s a good week for those seeking new jobs. Two dozen local employers were on hand at a job fair held on June 7, at Our Lady of the Assumption Church in Pajaro (after the Weekly’s deadline). The response was better than organizers—Monterey County Workforce Development Board and Workforce Santa Cruz County—anticipated. Some of the largest agricultural companies were represented, including Ocean Mist, Taylor Farms and Tanimura & Antle. Representatives from luxury hotels in Monterey, Carmel Valley and Big Sur were also on hand. Other employers included school districts and law enforcement agencies. “Unemployment in our county is trending downward; we want to be sure residents in Pajaro can take advantage of this trend,” said Christopher Donnelly, MCWDB executive director. GREAT: Great news for people who enjoy outdoor dining comes thanks to the Salinas City Center Improvement Association and Blue Zones Project, which contributed funding to purchase tables and chairs for the neighborhood, no restaurant purchases required. Greg Hamer of SCCIA says it’s motivating people to spend more time in the area and instead of opting for grab-and-go options, invites people to sit down to enjoy a meal. The chairs and tables are mobile and people can rearrange them as desired. ”When you have permanent furniture, you really block what people want to do with it,” Hamer says. The first blue table appeared in the 300 block of Main Street in February; there are now 15 tables and 30 chairs on the 200 and 300 blocks. Currently, the tables and chairs are available for use from 9am-5pm Monday to Friday; pull up a seat and dine out. GOOD WEEK / GREAT WEEK THE WEEKLY TALLY Total of federal grants awarded from the Department of Health and Human Services to two nonprofit health clinics—Salud Para La Gente and Clinica de Salud del Valle de Salinas—to expand services in the region. Source: Office of U.S. Rep. Zoe Lofgren, D-San Jose $2,856,385 QUOTE OF THE WEEK “Change everything? Why?” -Chef Fabian Di Paolo speaking about his minor tweaks to the menu at Shearwater Tavern in Carmel, rather than reinvention (see story, posted at mcweekly.com). PRESENTED BY
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