10 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY october 5-11, 2023 www.montereycountyweekly.com news Going for a walk, spending a day in the grass and playing basketball are part of the routine for people who live near Closter Park, the most-visited park in Salinas. Unfortunately, it isn’t only a place where people socialize or exercise; the area has a history of gang activity and drug and alcohol abuse, contributing to visitors feeling unsafe recreating there. To address this, Salinas is looking to private security. On Sept. 26, the City Council approved a oneyear contract for up to $80,000 with Salinas-based Kysmet Security & Patrol, following a pilot program. The pilot began in April, with Kysmet patrolling the area daily from 3-11pm for 90 days. Council extended that for two additional months, for a total cost of $31,136 for the pilot. During the pilot, city officials logged 50 incidents related to alcohol and drug use and vandalism. But residents who use the park regularly, including members from Salinas Boxing Club and National Little League, report that the security presence has had a positive impact. Pablo Guerrero, who has sold Mexican snacks at the park every day for three years, says more people have been visiting the park since April when security started patrolling. “Kids didn’t go to the kiosk before, and now you see a lot of kids there,” Guerrero says in Spanish. “There is a lot of happiness and love for the kids, and people in the community are happier.” City Councilmember Tony Barrera says the security presence makes visitors feel safer, but he continues to hear concerns from constituents, particularly moms taking children to the bathroom. He’d like to see a guard positioned specifically near the bathrooms regularly in the year ahead. Park Protection After a pilot program, Salinas agrees to a one-year private security contract at Closter Park. By Celia Jiménez The suspected overdose death of Monterey pub owner Christine Kerr has triggered a police investigation that saw a Seaside man arrested on suspicion of providing the drugs that may have killed Kerr. Kerr, 49, was found dead on Aug. 20, a Monterey County Sheriff’s official confirms, at a home in the Deer Flats neighborhood in Monterey. Kerr was co-owner of the popular Bulldog Sports Pub on Lighthouse Avenue, which announced Kerr’s passing on Aug. 29. The Monterey Police Department subsequently launched an investigation to determine where the drugs that may have caused Kerr’s death originated. On Aug. 25, Monterey and Seaside police officers arrested 42-year-old Carlo Aiken in Seaside, where they say they discovered him in possession of 16 suspected counterfeit oxycodone tablets believed to contain fentanyl, as well as large quantities of cocaine, MDMA, psilocybin mushrooms, lorazepam tablets and a homemade “ghost gun” assault rifle. Aiken was booked at Monterey County Jail on felony charges including possession of a controlled substance while armed, possession of controlled substances for sale, and possession of an assault weapon, according to Monterey County Chief Assistant District Attorney Berkley Brannon. Though Monterey PD said Aiken was also arrested for involuntary manslaughter in connection to Kerr’s death, Brannon says authorities have yet to “establish the timing of a sale to the victim” and that no such charge has been filed. The absence of an involuntary manslaughter charge saw a judge reduce Aiken’s bail, initially set at $1 million, to $200,000 at an Aug. 29 arraignment hearing in which he pled not guilty, according to Aiken’s attorney Kimberly A. Barnett. Aiken was released on bail on Aug. 31. A preliminary hearing in his case is set for Nov. 3. “I think the facts will show that my client was not supplying [Kerr with drugs] in any way,” Barnett says. “My client was good friends with her and adored her.” Kerr’s cause of death will not be determined until the final results of an autopsy and toxicology report are received, according to authorities. What is clear is that drug overdoses have become a worsening problem, both locally and nationwide, amid an ongoing opioid epidemic that saw nearly 110,000 overdose deaths in the U.S. in 2022, per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That rising toll is widely attributed to the proliferation of fentanyl, a powerful synthetic opioid found in the form of counterfeit pills or mixed into drugs like methamphetamine, heroin and cocaine. There have been 52 fentanyl-related deaths in Monterey County in 2023 to date, according to data provided by the Sheriff’s Office—up from 41 in 2022 and only 12 in 2019. Seaside Police Chief Nick Borges says his department has already made 35 fentanyl-related arrests this year, up from 28 arrests in 2022. Those who knew Kerr say the England native and longtime Monterey resident was beloved by friends and Bulldog patrons, many of whom will gather at the pub at 611 Lighthouse Ave. for a celebration of her life from 4-8pm on Saturday, Oct. 7. “She was a beloved person and dynamic force behind Bulldog, and will be greatly missed,” the pub said in an announcement. A photo display on the wall at the Bulldog Sports Pub honors Christine Kerr, who died suddenly at age 49 in August. Tragic Loss Monterey pub owner’s suspected overdose death sparks police investigation and arrest. By Rey Mashayekhi Closter Park is being upgraded, thanks to nearly $7 million from California’s Outdoors For All Initiative in 2021. Construction will start next year on new sidewalks, a recreation center and more. “My client was good friends with her and adored her.” Daniel Dreifuss Daniel Dreifuss
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