14 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY June 29-July 5, 2023 www.montereycountyweekly.com Since January of 2021, the VIDA program has provided resources to the most vulnerable communities in Monterey County. The initiative, launched as a public health effort with $4.9 million in county funds during the Covid-19 pandemic, developed around the idea of reaching people where they are, via community health workers. It is a system that works, health officials say. “We’re already talking about keeping VIDA as a brand because people recognize it,” says Krista Hanni, a policy manager in the Monterey County Health Department. Now, using the VIDA framework, a new effort is taking shape. The Farmworker Resource Center will utilize community health workers— within organizations such as Mujeres en Acción, Centro Binacional para el Desarollo Oaxaqueño and Center for Community Advocacy—to communicate about health resources with farmworkers and their families. Of about 20 community health workers still active in VIDA, up to nine will transition to focusing on farmworkers’ needs starting July 1. “The organizations are out and active and doing their work, and it’ll be a matter of building upon that work,” Hanni says. Funds come from Assembly Bill 941, signed into law in 2021, which created a matching grant program for counties to establish farmworker resource centers. The state provides 75 percent of funds while counties contribute the remaining 25 percent. (Locally, the state provided $834,000 and Monterey County contributed $208,225, coming from cannabis reserves.) The model for the bill was Ventura County’s farmworker resource program which started in 2019 and has three offices. They provide services in English, Spanish and Mixteco, an indigenous Mexican language. In Monterey County, community health workers will also provide resources in Spanish, Mixteco, Zapoteco and Triqui. Sarait Martinez, executive director of the Centro Binacional, says resources in rural areas are scarce and the pandemic highlighted that indigenous populations were overlooked. “We will continue to prioritize our indigenous communities to make sure they have access to information and the resources they need,” she says. During floods in March, community health workers helped connect Pajaro residents to resources. Hanni says VIDA is an effective framework for emergency response: “We could utilize this model to quickly respond and provide support for our community.” Hold your “safeand-sane” fireworks—they are not allowed in most of Monterey County, including all unincorporated areas. They are permitted only in the cities of Marina, Seaside, Salinas, Gonzales, Soledad, Greenfield and King City. On the Monterey Peninsula, particularly in Seaside, the police department will be taking a more hands-on approach to shutting down illegal fireworks activity. This year, setting off illegal fireworks in Seaside can land you with a fine of $1,000, or even a trip to jail. In Salinas, getting caught with illegal fireworks can cost you a minimum of $1,500. (Salinas is sticking to administrative citations only this year.) “There’s a split in our community. We have a large portion of people that love [illegal fireworks] and you have the other sector that are traumatized by it,” Seaside Police Chief Nick Borges says. “Some people leave for weeks because they cannot stand to be in the area. It can get uncontrollable.” Borges says the department has tried to move away from criminal citations in previous years, and officers will still hand out administrative citations, but activity has only been getting worse. This year, on the days before, during, and after the Fourth of July, the department will partner with the fire department and have a command post dedicated solely to illegal firework activity. They will deploy drones in known problem areas, have undercover officers sussing out fireworks activity, and there will be a reward system for those who call in with information that leads to an arrest. “Of course there are other things our resources could be better spent on,” Borges says, noting that there will still be extra officers on duty to handle the uptick in DUIs, violent crime or large parties that happen with any holiday. “I don’t want to mislead anyone—there will be fireworks this year—but we’re tapping into all our resources to see a reduction in the future,” Borges adds. “It’s not going to happen overnight.” Field Work Monterey County rolls out a farmworker resource center using a Covid-era model. By Celia Jiménez news Future Housing The City of Salinas adopted a rental registry ordinance that applies to all residential rental properties including single-family and multi-family. Moving forward, all vacant, on-market properties must be registered with the city. Learn more at a virtual information session before the registration process starts on July 1. 1pm Thursday, June 29. Virtual meeting; use Zoom ID: 859-5051-7551. Fees vary by number of units on parcel. 758-7365, Beatrizt@ci.salinas.ca.us, cityofsalinas.org. Tide Territory Underwater enthusiasts are invited to a Monterey Bay Tritons meeting, a local freediving and spearfishing group focused on underwater hunting, sustainable foraging and community gatherings. The club invites local divers to meet buddies, take courses and plan trips. 4pm Sunday, July 2. Bamboo Reef, 614 Lighthouse Avenue, Monterey. Free. 372-1685, bambooreef.com. Freedom Flapjacks Join the Monterey firefighters for a charity pancake breakfast benefiting MY Museum. There will be activities for kids, music, a chance to meet local firefighters, and a hearty breakfast with all the fixings. Reservations are required. 7:30-10:30am Tuesday, July 4. Fire Station #11, 600 Pacific St., Monterey. $15. 649-6444, mymuseum.org/july4. Protection Plan King City is accepting proposals to create a Riverbed Wildlife Protection Plan along portions of the Salinas River and San Lorenzo Creek. This would be a long-term plan to help keep the area clear of wildfires and be used as a framework for adjacent areas. Deadline to submit proposals is 4pm Monday, July 10. King City City Hall, 212 S. Vanderhurst Ave., King City. Free. 805-441-5892, diberto@kingcity. com, kingcity.com. Sea Groupies Monterey Bay Aquarium is looking for people who are passionate about a thriving ocean and educating others to become new volunteer guides. Volunteers must be at least 18, and bilingual speakers are especially encouraged to participate. Sign up to save your spot, with more details about an information session coming in August to learn more about onboarding and what volunteers do. Ongoing. Monterey Bay Aquarium, 886 Cannery Row, Monterey. Free. 648-4800, montereybayaquarium.org/ volunteer. Flare Up Seaside police hope to quell illegal fireworks boom with more enforcement this July Fourth. By Kyarra Harris Jennifer Rivas, left, and Krista Hanni of the county Health Department see community health workers as resources not just for emergencies but also chronic health issues. e-mail: publiccitizen@mcweekly.com TOOLBOX “We could utilize this model to quickly respond.” Daniel Dreifuss
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