june 13-19, 2024 montereycountynow.com LOCAL & INDEPENDENT Can Salinas schools solve racism? 8 | portrait of an artist 31 | Celebrate Juneteenth 28 As new development means Marina is growing and changing, city leaders look for a feeling of cohesion. p. 16 By Celia Jiménez A City Rises
2 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY june 13-19, 2024 www.montereycountynow.com June 13-19, 2024 • ISSUE #1872 • Established in 1988 Sara Rubin (iPhone SE) A blooming dudleya, a type of succulent, emerges from a rock in the Ventana Wilderness. Monterey County photo of the week Send Etc. submissions to etcphoto@montereycountynow.com; please include caption and camera info. On the cover: Final plans for The Promenade in The Dunes development in Marina were approved in 2021, nearly 30 years after Fort Ord closed. The idea is now developing into commercial buildings and housing, after the decades-long lull in redeveloping Marina. Cover photo: Daniel Dreifuss etc. Copyright © 2024 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: $300 yearly, prepaid. 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.montereycountynow. com. Audited by CVC. Founder & CEO Bradley Zeve bradley@montereycountynow.com (x103) Publisher Erik Cushman erik@montereycountynow.com (x125) Editorial editor Sara Rubin sara@montereycountynow.com (x120) associate editor Erik Chalhoub ec@montereycountynow.com (x135) features editor Dave Faries dfaries@montereycountynow.com (x110) Staff Writer Celia Jiménez celia@montereycountynow.com (x145) Staff Writer Pam Marino pam@montereycountynow.com (x106) Staff Writer Agata Pope¸da (x138) aga@montereycountynow.com Staff Writer David Schmalz david@montereycountynow.com (x104) Staff photographer Daniel Dreifuss daniel@montereycountynow.com (x102) Digital PRODUCER Sloan Campi sloan@montereycountynow.com (x105) contributors Nik Blaskovich, Rob Brezsny, Michael Dadula, Robert Daniels, Tonia Eaton, Jesse Herwitz, Jacqueline Weixel, Paul Wilner Cartoons Rob Rogers, Tom Tomorrow Production Art Director/Production Manager Karen Loutzenheiser karen@montereycountynow.com (x108) Graphic Designer Kevin Jewell kevinj@montereycountynow.com (x114) Graphic Designer Alexis Estrada alexis@montereycountynow.com (x114) Graphic Designer Lani Headley lani@montereycountynow.com (x114) SALES senior Sales Executive Diane Glim diane@montereycountynow.com (x124) Senior Sales Executive George Kassal george@montereycountynow.com (x122) Senior Sales Executive Keith Bruecker keith@montereycountynow.com (x118) Classifieds business development director Keely Richter keely@montereycountynow.com (x123) Digital Director of Digital Media Kevin Smith kevin@montereycountynow.com (x119) Distribution Distribution AT Arts Co. atartsco@gmail.com Distribution Control Harry Neal Business/Front Office Office Manager Linda Maceira linda@montereycountynow.com (x101) Bookkeeping Rochelle Trawick rochelle@montereycountynow.com 668 Williams Ave., Seaside, CA 93955 831-394-5656, (FAX) 831-394-2909 www.montereycountynow.com We’d love to hear from you. Send us your tips at tipline.montereycountynow.com. now [nou] adverb at the present time or moment Monterey County Now Local news, arts and entertainment, food and drink, calendar and daily newsletter. Subcribe to the newsletter: www.montereycountynow.com/subscribe Find us online: www.montereycountynow.com
www.montereycountynow.com JUNE 13-19, 2024 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 3 GET TICKETS WeatherTechRaceway.com
4 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY JUNE 13-19, 2024 www.montereycountynow.com THE BUZZ FREE SPEECH The Prospector, a student-run newspaper at C.K. McClatchy High School in Sacramento, frequently runs a column titled “What Did You Say?” with quotes from students purportedly overheard on campus. Recently, the column published a quote allegedly spoken by a student in a government class: “Hitler’s got some good ideas.” The newspaper and its adviser, Samantha Archuleta, faced immediate backlash, with Archuleta being placed on administrative leave by the school district shortly thereafter. The First Amendment Coalition, among other journalism organizations, sent a letter to Sacramento City Unified School District Superintendent Lisa Allen, stating that Archuleta’s First Amendment rights were being violated and the state’s Education Code protects teachers from retaliation over defending students’ editorial control. “The kids did nothing wrong,” Archuleta wrote in a June 8 column in the Sacramento Bee. “They were brave to include this. They held up a mirror to their community, showing not only the innocence, humor and childishness of our kids, but also the plague of apathy and ignorance that creates fear and hatred on our campus.” Good: Pacific Grove’s own inventor with 20 U.S. patents to his name, Dr. David C. Wright, is on his way to the International Vaccines Congress in Baltimore this October, after his paper detailing his and his team’s latest inventions—a modification of the SARS-CoV2, or Covid-19 virus, a Covid vaccine and a new way to deliver vaccines subcutaneously—was accepted to the IVC. The gathering of the world’s vaccine experts was first convened virtually in June 2020, and has evolved into a three-day event, providing an in-depth platform for scientists and researchers to share the latest vaccine research. Wright, with his team at D4 Labs, LLC, was awarded the latest patent on Feb. 24, only seven months after submitting it. The team worked for four years inside the small, downtown P.G. lab researching the Covid virus and conducting experiments to create the modified virus, vaccine and delivery system. GREAT: Great news for artists and aspiring artists in Seaside comes in the form of a 3,200-square-foot building, formerly a Salvation Army preschool and now the home of Palenke Arts. The nonprofit is still in the process of moving in with a grand opening set for August, but is already hosting a variety of classes, including mural-painting starting this week; the group’s canvas is the blank wall of one room that will become the center’s “loud room” for classes in hip-hop, jazz, baile folklórico and more. (There’s also a quieter meeting space, and an editing room.) Since launching in 2016, Palenke had been housed in Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary School, with the intent to develop a freestanding hub. “The issue of dignity is at the heart of what we do,” Executive Director Juan Sánchez says. “There is a continued search for dignity in our work.” Getting a dedicated space is a milestone in that search. GOOD WEEK / GREAT WEEK THE WEEKLY TALLY Total calls for service the Salinas Police Department received in 2023. Officers were on the scene within four minutes or less in 90.5 percent of those calls. Source: Salinas Police Department 2023 annual report 138,080 QUOTE OF THE WEEK “What you did, Mike, was really stupid, and I think you know it.” -Pacific Grove City Councilmember Luke Coletti, speaking to Economic Development Commissioner Mike Gibbs, who avoided removal from his post after sending an email disparaging the DEI Task Force (see story, montereycountynow.com). Federally Insured by NCUA | Equal Housing Lender 831.479.6000 • www.bayfed.com • 888.4BAYFED Business Loans to Help You Grow Vehicle Loans Equipment Loans Lines of Credit Proudly serving the businesses that build our community. Visit a branch today! 1524 N. Main Street | Salinas
www.montereycountynow.com JUNE 13-19, 2024 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 5 QUALITY HEALTHCARE DELIVERED LOCALLY FOR EVERYONE SALINAS VALLEY HEALTH BOARD OF DIRECTORS APPOINTED ALLEN RADNER, MD PRESIDENT/CEO We have a bright future ahead and I look forward to this new chapter in our legacy of leadership in Monterey County. I am confident in our continued ability to grow in meeting the expanded needs of our diverse community. – Allen Radner, MD President/CEO “ ” The Board of Directors announced that after an extensive recruitment process, they selected Allen Radner, MD, as President/CEO of Salinas Valley Health. Dr. Radner has successfully served in the interim role since December 1, 2023. With three decades of service at our healthcare system, including clinical care and multiple leadership roles, Dr. Radner has a deep understanding of our community’s evolving healthcare needs. Congratulations to our seventh President and CEO, Dr. Allen Radner. SalinasValleyHealth.com Salinas Valley Health consistently earns awards and recognitions for high quality. Scan the QR code to learn more or visit SalinasValleyHealth.com/in-the-news
6 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY JUNE 13-19, 2024 www.montereycountynow.com 831 Fate tried to slow Carmela Cantisani down, but she refused, always wanting to go faster. Born on a rural and primitive farm in Southern Italy with a degenerative eye disease that eventually left her blind, Cantisani would go on in life to conquer a new culture and language in the U.S. and eventually the ski slopes, where she would reign as a world champion Alpine skier. “I love speed, and because I can’t drive, [skiing] was my next best thing,” Cantisani says. The 73-year-old gave up on using a cane at age 25 in favor of guide dogs, because dogs allow her to walk as fast as she likes. She currently lives in Del Mesa Carmel with her husband Gilbert Converset and her standard poodle guide dog, Seymour. Cantisani was one of five children born on the small farm in Italy. “We had no running water and no electricity, and no roads, so everything was very rural, everything was made by scratch, made by hand,” she says. “I just really loved it.” The family was not without hardships. One sibling died at birth, and three of the children, including Cantisani, were born with retinitis pigmentosa, a hereditary disease that breaks down the retinas over time. “That was pretty disastrous for the family because they had no idea what to do,” Cantisani says. “On the farm everybody contributed in some way. Whether it was to fill up a jar of water, to go to the field and deliver something, everybody worked as a team.” At age 5, Cantisani was sent with her siblings to a boarding school for the blind in Naples, about seven or eight hours away by donkey ride and trains. It was traumatic to be separated from her parents and the farm life she grew to love, she says. “But little by little I started growing up and managing my life just like everybody else. One way or another, you make do with what you have.” Cantisani came to the U.S. with family at age 13, yet another traumatic event having to learn a new language not just verbally, but also in braille. It was like being “encapsulated in a dark tube of gibberish,” she says. Cantisani went on to college and later came to Monterey to attend the Middlebury Institute of International Studies. She worked many years teaching Italian at the Defense Language Institute. Her world widened more when someone invited her to Lake Tahoe where a group was teaching people with disabilities how to ski. Within two years, Cantisani was winning competitions. She won three gold medals representing the U.S. in the Winter World Championship for the Disabled in 1986. She won two bronze medals in the 1988 Winter Paralympics representing Italy. She retired, but for years helped train guides for other blind skiers. In addition to her many other achievements, Cantisani added specialty food entrepreneur to the list in 1996. “In the ’90s everybody was crazy about nonfat, so to make people happy I created four low-fat vinaigrettes that were made with puree of fire-roasted vegetables,” she says. The puree replaced the fat, while still giving the vinaigrettes mouthfeel and a depth of flavor. She and her husband launched their company, Carmela’s Gourmet, and began manufacturing and selling the vinaigrettes. They ran the company for about 12 years, until the Great Recession began in 2008. Cantisani detailed her triumphs as well as her life’s struggles in a memoir published in 2022, I Can See the Moon, But Not the Stars. She took the title from a time when her father, seeing a very young Cantisani pointing at the moon when she was able to see shapes and light, expressed hope she would be able to see. Her mother said, “She can see the moon but she’ll never be able to see the stars.” Cantisani never let her disability stop her. “I consider myself to be very fortunate for a lot of reasons,” she says. This story is an extended version of a profile in the 2024-2025 Living Well magazine, a resource guide created by the County of Monterey Area Agency on Aging in collaboration with Monterey County Weekly. Copies are available at the AAA office (730 La Guardia St, Salinas), most local senior-serving nonprofits, community centers and care centers, as well as at the Weekly headquarters (668 Williams Ave., Seaside), and online at montereycountynow.com. Need for Speed Blindness did not stop Carmela Cantisani from a love of the ski slopes—or life itself. By Pam Marino Carmela Cantisani at home with her guide dog Seymour. She jokes that her dog is “Seemore” and she is “See-less.” Her positive outlook on life contributed to a career as a teacher, championship skiier, specialty food innovator, author and more. “You make do with what you have.” TALES FROM THE AREA CODE DANIEL DREIFUSS LET' S CELEBRATE! 2024 BUSINESS EXCELLENCE AWARDS Monterey Peninsula Chamber of Commerce GET TICKETS! BUSINESS EXCELLENCE AWARDS 2024 Celebrating Excellence in the Monterey Peninsula Chamber of Commerce Business Community! Thursday, July 18, 2024 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM Monterey Conference Center VOTING BEGINS JUNE 3!
www.montereycountyweekly.com JUNE 13-19, 2024 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 7 MONTEREYCOUNTYGIVES.COM NOVEMBER 9 - DECEMBER 31, 2023 CULTIVATING COMMUNITY Monterey County Gives! 2023 invites you to support 206 local nonprofits’ uplifting and inspiring efforts to strengthen people and places. PRINT | WEB | MOBILE THANKS TO OUR KEY PARTNERS MONTEREY COUNTY GIVES! 2024: Request for Proposals About Monterey County Gives!: Monterey County Gives! supports big ideas and demonstrated impact from local nonprofits. MCGives! is a partnership of the Monterey County Weekly, the Community Foundation for Monterey County and the Monterey Peninsula Foundation. The Fund has raised and contributed over $68.5 million for local nonprofits, including over $11.9 million last year. Over $600,000 in Matching Funds: Thanks to our key partners, we have commitments of $600,000 to kick-off the campaign, which runs mid November to midnight Dec. 31. APPLICATION DEADLINE JULY 26 Apply online at: mcgives.com/rfp Nonprofits— Apply to MCGives! PRINT | WEB | MOBILE
8 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY june 13-19, 2024 www.montereycountynow.com news Joby Aviation may have passed on Marina as the spot for its massive production facility—instead opting for Dayton, Ohio in 2023—but the Santa Cruz-based air taxi company has stated it remains committed to California, having recently broken ground on a manufacturing facility at the Marina Municipal Airport. The $50 million, 226,000-square-foot facility is expected to pump out 25 electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft annually, and employ about 360 people. A consultant’s report estimates the new facility will have an economic impact of $243 million annually for Monterey County. Joby is asking the City of Marina and County of Monterey to distribute new property tax revenues created by the facility to help offset construction costs. Known as an Enhanced Infrastructure Financing District (EIFD), the program would distribute a portion of new property tax revenues back to Joby over 25 years. A report by consultant Keyser Martson and Associates expects such revenues to be $162,000 annually, split between the City and County, and amount to $5.1 million over its lifetime. City officials will soon send a formal request to the County asking for its participation in the EIFD, according to a report by City Manager Layne Long. A coalition of local government officials and others in 2023 attempted to convince Joby to construct its planned 580,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in Marina with property tax rebates and other incentives, but the company instead chose Dayton’s offer. Joby received a $9.8 million grant in November from the California Competes program to help finance its Marina expansion. Taking Flight Joby Aviation asks for new tax revenues to help finance its Marina expansion. By Erik Chalhoub In 2021, videos and photos of Salinas High School students stomping on and mutilating a Black baby doll circulated in national news. That incident may have faded from the collective memory, but for students in Salinas Union High School District, it’s still there. Rayanna Pasqual, a Black 13-yearold, says classmates at Harden Middle School regularly call her a monkey or the N-word. “When I say I don’t feel comfortable hearing that, then they just go off on me or make it seem like I’m the one in the wrong,” she says. Pasqual says she has reported several incidents, but the racist slurs haven’t stopped. “I feel like there’s not enough consequences for them,” she adds. The constant racist name-calling and bullying have affected her. She feels unsafe and disrespected on campus. “Sometimes I don’t like to go to school because I have to constantly hear things [that are] rude to my culture,” the seventh-grader says. She adds that some of her Black friends report similar circumstances on other campuses. “This happens [at] most of the schools out here. There’s always racism,” Pasqual says. Chastidy Frymire says her 14-yearold son, a top-grade student, has experienced bullying and targeting at school for being Black. Frymire moved her son from Harden to Washington Middle School, but she says the attacks and harassment continue, despite her reports to the administration and board of trustees. “I’ve been contacting people to help me with my child…he’s just trying to survive. He’s just trying to make it,” Frymire says. “He shouldn’t have to go to school and have to watch his back.” After a fight during the 202324 school year that just ended at Washington Middle, her son ended up with a fractured nose, a hematoma under his left eye and ruptured blood vessels. On April 23, Artis Smith, a senior pastor at New Home Missionary Baptist Church in Salinas, spoke to the SUHSD board highlighting the persistent issue of racism. “We need to figure out what we need to do to make sure our Black kids feel safe,” he said. Lyndon Tarver, president of the local chapter of the NAACP, says once issues are out of the spotlight, “They go back to their old ways.” Superintendent Dan Burns writes via email, “The Salinas Union High School District has committed to establishing a more inclusive, tolerant and anti-racist school climate with a variety of preliminary efforts to reflect, build awareness and collaboratively design best practices to support our students.” District efforts include hiring two district-wide Justice, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (JEDI) managers to develop opportunities and research and address racist incidents on campus. It also partnered with organizations including the National Compadres Network and School Yard Rap to promote diversity, inclusion and conflict resolution. In addition, it established an Anti-Racist Coalition, a group of staff, teachers and parents, to create a plan. Tarver says the district needs to do more than check the box for providing diversity training, and instead undertake transformational change. Smith says parents are considering filing a class-action civil rights lawsuit against SUHSD: “We want our children to be safe.” Artis Smith works as a Black Power Builder with Building Healthy Communities, and is helping coordinate parents in pursuing legal recourse against SUHSD. Black and White As issues of racism persist in Salinas schools, parents consider a civil rights lawsuit. By Celia Jiménez Joby unveiled its second prototype aircraft in April, and is aiming to launch commercial passenger service in 2025. The company’s 120,000-square-foot R&D facility in Marina opened in 2019. “He shouldn’t have to go to school and have to watch his back.” Daniel Dreifuss Daniel Dreifuss
www.montereycountynow.com JUNE 13-19, 2024 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 9 4.50%APY 22 MONTH CERTIFICATE 5.29%APY 9 MONTH CERTIFICATE 5.64%APY 4 MONTH CERTIFICATE APY = annual percentage yield. Minimum opening deposit $10,000. Maximum opening deposit $999 999.99. Funds to open this certificate must be new to Monterey CU. New to Monterey CU means that funds have must not been on deposit with Monterey CU within the last six months. Limit one promotional share certificate per member. This offer is available for a limited time starting 06/01/24 and subject to change or cancellation without notice. Early withdrawal penalties apply. Open a Special Summer Certificate! Visit us at montereycu.com or call us at 831.647.1000 July 4th - Rancho Cielo - Salinas EST 2024 All Proceeds Benefit the Veterans Transition Center of California Flyover performance by American World Champion Aerobatic Aviator, Sean D. Tucker vtcofcalifornia.org/4thofjuly Special Guest Speaker: Congressman, Jimmy Panetta Celebration of Freedom! Casey Frazier Wild at Heart The Carolyn Sills Combo Live Musical performances by: Live Music, BBQ, Craft Beer, Local Wine, Raffles, and More Tickets include: GET FREE MULCH For additional eligibility requirements and to receive your voucher for FREE natural mulch, visit montereywaterinfo.org/mulch-madness. FREE MULCH FOR YOUR GARDEN California American Water (CAW) and the Monterey Peninsula Water Management District (MPWMD) are sponsoring a free mulch giveaway.* We are offering: • A voucher for five (5) FREE bags of prebagged natural mulch OR two (2) FREE cubic yards of natural mulch. • A 25% discount on natural mulch purchased beyond the first five bags/ two cubic yards of mulch. *Supplies are limited and offered on a first-come, first-served basis. WHY MULCH? Mulch helps soil retain moisture and reduces water use by up to 25%. It also impedes weed growth and improves the health of your soil. ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS • Must be a CAW water service customer or a resident living within MPWMD’s jurisdiction. • For personal use only; not for resale.
10 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY june 13-19, 2024 www.montereycountynow.com Oftentimes, change happens when feathers get ruffled. Such is the case in Seaside, where Etienne Constable had a fishing boat—in perfectly fine condition—parked in his driveway for years. But after the city brought on a code enforcement officer in recent years, often enforcing codes that have long been ignored, Constable received a letter in July 2023, informing him that the boat parked in his driveway violated Seaside City Code 17.34.150— Parking Of Other Than Passenger Vehicles. Per the code, Constable is required to screen the view of his boat with a 6-foot-tall fence. Constable, who’s owned his home in Seaside for 29 years, was pissed off. But instead of shouting about it (although he says he did leave an angry voicemail, then another to apologize), he took a more creative approach—he commissioned his next-door neighbor, artist Hanif Panni, aka Hanif Wondir, to paint a facsimile of the boat on the fence he built. In May, Panni came through with a masterpiece, a detailed rendering, including the plants on the sides of the driveway, of exactly how the boat would look if the fence wasn’t there. Images of the mural went viral on social media, and the story was picked up by newspapers across the country. When Nick Borges, Seaside’s police chief and acting city manager, heard of the drama, he went and met with Constable on May 16 and literally gave him a high-five. And Borges got to thinking about enforcement without adversarial letters. A few ideas swam through his mind. One that stuck, after talking to a resident who was complaining about uncut weeds on medians and private property—unsightly to some, but a fire risk to all—was: Helping Improve Gardens & High Weeds 5 times a year. It’s not a perfect acronym for HIGH 5, nor is the new initiative limited to five, but it gets to the spirit of what Borges is going for. The idea is that instead of sending code violation letters to residents for overgrown weeds, the City will instead send a letter inviting them to apply to a lottery for public works to clear their weeds for them. Initially, it will be five residents per year, which could later expand. The new program is all inspired by Constable and Panni’s work, after which Borges asked himself: “How do we honor that and be inspired ourselves and get creative?” Borges expects the project will launch by the end of June. On Tuesday, June 11 the Salinas City Council unanimously approved a $259.7 million budget for fiscal year 2024-25, $10.9 million larger than 2023-24. Major city departments like police, fire, public works and libraries received comparable funds to last year. Salinas PD got the largest single piece of the pie with $60.5 million, or 35 percent of the general fund (down proportionally from 41 percent in 202324), followed by the fire department with $28.9 million, or 17 percent. The city once again set aside $300,000 for prevention and wellness grants for community organizations. Councilmember Andrew Sandoval said there is “a false narrative being pushed” regarding council’s support for public safety. He highlighted that the council has approved funds to recruit police officers. (There are 30 vacancies in SPD.) The council has also championed equity, as seen through a road repair effort to spend equally in each of the six districts. “We want to make it even. We want the entire city to look great,” Sandoval said. Streets and sidewalks got a $7 million allocation from the capital improvement program. Overall the budget sustains and slightly expands services. Libraries expect to extend hours of operation and increase programming, One additional position was funded in the Community Development Department. The future outlook is less certain. Acting Finance Director Selina Andrews said in May that projections show a deficit of 1.3 percent next year, growing to 7.7 percent by 2029-30. In addition, the City relies on revenue from voter-approved measures E and G, which are expected to generate $13.2 million and $24 million, respectively, in 2024-25. Measure G— which funds 116.5 staff positions—is set to sunset in 2030. “That’s obviously a key component to keeping the city’s success running and providing the services we need successfully,” Mayor Kimbley Craig says. In the future, Craig says the city should focus on economic development opportunities to increase revenue. Set Sail Inspired by an epic piece of art, Seaside rethinks how it does code enforcement. By David Schmalz news Free Furniture The County of Monterey is holding a surplus donation event, where teachers and nonprofit organizations can grab used office furniture and equipment for free. Organizations and educators must submit proof of their status to receive items at no cost. 10am-noon Friday, June 14. County of Monterey Contracts & Purchasing Division, 1488 Schilling Place, Salinas. 755-4990, countyofmonterey.gov. Best in Business Voting is underway for the Monterey Peninsula Chamber of Commerce’s Business Excellence Awards. The public is invited to participate in the first round, and the top three businesses in each category with the most votes will advance to a final round of voting by chamber members. Voting ends June 14. bea.montereychamber.com. Pet Services SPCA Monterey County is hosting a low-cost spay and neuter clinic for dogs and cats residing in Gonzales. The clinic also includes a microchip and rabies vaccination for pets. Appointments only, Saturday, June 15. Gonzales Police Department, 109 Fourth St., Gonzales. $55/dogs; $45/ cats. spcamc.org/gonzales. Land and Housing The County of Monterey holds a community meeting on the Big Sur Land Use Plan update. Residents are invited to ask questions and share feedback on opportunities for affordable and employee housing in the Big Sur community. 4-6pm Tuesday, June 18. Big Sur Lodge, 47225 Highway 1, Big Sur; also on Zoom at montereycty.zoom. us/s/94456711368. Free. 784-5730, pricet1@co.monterey.ca.us. democracy in action Monterey City Council meets and, as always, accepts public comment. Tell your elected officials what they are doing well and what you think they can do better. 4pm Tuesday, June 18. Colton Hall, 580 Pacific St., Monterey. Free. 646-3799, monterey.gov. Clear the Air Tobacco control advocates discuss public health concerns from secondhand and third-hand smoke in multiunit housing. The Spanish-language event will emphasize tobacco’s impact on the Latino community. 6-8pm Thursday, June 20. Bread Box Recreation Center, 745 N. Sanborn Road, Salinas. 279-4620, coronadog@ countyofmonterey.gov. Fully Funded Salinas approves a rosy 2024-25 budget, but near-term projections show a tougher future. By Celia Jiménez In a photo taken by Seaside Police Cmdr. Matt Doza, Acting City Manager Nick Borges high-fives homeowner Etienne Constable for his creative solution to a code violation. e-mail: toolbox@montereycountynow.com TOOLBOX He came through with a masterpiece, a detailed rendering. Courtesy City of Seaside
www.montereycountynow.com JUNE 13-19, 2024 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 11 As Siobhan Greene was approaching retirement as CEO of the Hospice Giving Foundation, the board of directors wanted to do something to honor Greene’s legacy as a change agent in Monterey County. Her long list of accomplishments over 11 years led to a strengthening of the local safety net for endof-life situations and grief support. Wanting to create a fund named in her honor, board members asked her: What would she want the fund to be used for? Greene had an answer, something she had sensed was missing in the community. Over the years, the foundation received requests for funds to cover situations that were just outside their usual scope. Like the man who wanted to be buried in Mexico but his family lacked the funds to fulfill his wish, the woman who desired to go home before she died but her house needed to be thoroughly cleaned first, or the children in foster care whose mother died but there was no money for a funeral. The result was the creation of the Siobhan Greene Care and Dignity Fund, started with $50,000 contributed by individual board members to cover the first year of operation, with a goal of raising an additional $500,000 over three years to make the fund permanent. “The fund was established because all of us have grown in our awareness of the hardships and the challenges people are facing when their loved ones are at end of life,” Greene says, adding that while they can encourage people to seek hospice care, “there are gaps in that care that fall on in-home caregivers.” The money could be used to pay for respite care for someone in hospice while their caregiver family member takes time off, or paying for temporary care in a skilled nursing facility. Hospice benefits don’t always pay for such support, Greene says. The fund could also be used for things like delivered meals or house cleaners so caregivers can take time to relax. “People get really, really strapped at this period of time in their lives,” Greene adds. After a nationwide search for a new CEO, the board found someone close to home, Erin White, who previously worked as director of philanthropy and community partnerships at York School and director of development at Santa Catalina School. White is now charged with raising the additional $500,000 between now and 2027, with a goal of distributing a minimum of $50,000 annually to requesting nonprofits. (The way the foundation is set up, it cannot distribute funds directly to individuals.) White expects they will be able to start answering requests by this fall. Greene says that while the fund is in her name, “nothing happens in a vacuum.” She credits the HGF staff and board for working on the foundation’s many initiatives that included providing critical support and guidance during the pandemic and creation of the Heal Together project, offering grief counseling and other support to the community, among others. Living Legacy A new fund to support families facing end-oflife challenges honors an outgoing hospice leader. By Pam Marino Incoming CEO Erin White began on April 1. She has been working side-by-side with Siobhan Greene, whose last day will be June 30, after 11 years at the helm of Hospice Giving Foundation. NEWS “People get really, really strapped at this time in their lives.” DANIEL DREIFUSS
12 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY june 13-19, 2024 www.montereycountynow.com Trade Up This will be the icing on the cake for this upscale living, shopping, dining, development called The Promenade on the Dunes (“Trader Joe’s is opening in Marina’s new Promenade development,” June 6-12). Chris Sierra | Monterey Grrrrr, what about Salinas!? Jay Donato | Salinas Closer, so awesome! Kymm Navarrette | Salinas Did they pick a spot with the smallest parking lot ever? Carolyn Davi | Carmel Of course it will have yet another horrible parking lot situation. Dougie Hampton | via social media Damn, so they actually design and build the parking lots to be the worst you’ve ever encountered in your life? Ruby Sprengle | via social media YESSSSSSS, who cares about the parking? Be grateful it exists! Francine Fernandez | King City Why do all these damn companies go to the “fancier” areas and not to where people actually need them like SALINAS!!! It’s the most populous city in the county, yet we’re always getting overlooked. Javier Flores | Salinas Many Trader Joe’s fans are excited about a new Trader Joe’s coming to Marina. That would have described me until recently, when I learned about the company’s hostility to labor unions. Having seen a decline in hours and wages, a group of Trader Joe’s workers started an independent labor union in 2022, Trader Joe’s United. The union faced retaliation from Trader Joe’s, which sued TJU for trademark infringement. The U.S. District Court rejected the company’s claim. Soon after, the National Labor Relations Board criticized Trader Joe’s anti-union tactics. Workers at multiple stores faced heavy union-busting efforts. These efforts ranged from intense surveillance tactics to threats of job termination. Local customers might wish to think about these things before their next trip to Trader Joe’s. Arlen Grossman | Del Rey Oaks Paddle Hard Amazing group of women! (“A team of four women gets ready to row from Monterey to Hawaii, hoping to set a world record,” June 6-12.) Dionne Ybarra | Pacific Grove In Context In On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century, Timothy Snyder says the exact same thing and urges us to support our institutions! (“A conviction for a former president proves that no one is above the law,” posted May 30.) I would add that to the wonderful words you had in Monterey County Now. Thanks so much for reminding readers to trust their government! Not saying it’s not fallible, but we must trust in the systems we have set up for the rule of law. It’s not who you know or who you are, it’s what you do in life that is judged. Great article! Keep up the good work. It matters. Cheri Miller | Monterey History, Revisited I had no idea [of the Indigenous village in downtown Monterey], thanks so much. Let there be a fruitful resolution to this (“Indigenous history doesn’t always look the way you might expect it to,” posted June 4). James C. Jeffery | Carmel Valley For Freedom Thank you for your thoughtful reminder to all of us about the sacrifices made on D-Day (“News of the allied landings in France caused a noticeable response on the Peninsula,” posted June 6). Onnette McElroy | Pacific Grove On the Road The problem is overuse and over population in general (“Who and what is Highway 1 in Big Sur for? It depends on who you ask,” posted June 2). The only solution is regulated access. The suggestion that Highway 1 through from Big Sur be made into a toll road is one with which I disagree. An alternative is day-use permits for Big Sur so that the total number of stopping visitors does not exceed the real “carrying capacity” of the area. This cannot be such that one needs months or years in advance to get a permit, nor that the permit be priced so that many simply cannot afford it. Yasha Karant | via email Oil and Water I support incentivizing renewable energy sources, and I believe that overuse of fossil fuels harms God’s creation (“Monterey County’s Measure Z was approved by voters but killed by the courts. State law could change that,” May 30-June 5). However, some industries will be dependent on fossil fuels for decades to come. California produces the mostly highly regulated petroleum in the U.S., probably on the planet. If we shut down California’s oil production, we will import oil from places where environmental and human rights regulations are far looser, like Saudi Arabia or Texas. Which is worse for God’s creation? Let’s continue to diminish our dependence on fossil fuels, but eliminating them altogether isn’t realistic. Susie Brusa | Corral de Tierra short and sweet The practice of trimming and stunting a tree so it stays tiny—I don’t admire the result, in fact it breaks my heart (“For over 60 years, a local club has been learning about the ancient art of bonsai trees,” May 30-June 5.) These trees are not allowed to reach their true height, potential and beauty. Women’s feet were once stunted too. Both practices are/were barbaric. Nancy Tuckwab | Monterey Correction A column about the Taylor Farms building in Salinas going up for sale (“Squid Fry: Shark Tank,” June 6-12) inaccurately stated that Taylor Farms is selling the building. The company sold the building to an unaffiliated investment firm called Taylor Salinas Property Management Co. in 2015; that company is now selling it, asking the same amount they paid for it, as reported. Letters • CommentsOPINION Submit letters to the editor to letters@montereycountynow.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.montereycountynow.com june 13-19, 2024 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 13 June is Pride Month, which at this point in our American history is widely celebrated in a variety of ways. That includes family-friendly festivities, sexier adult-only festivities, parades, and corporations marketing products with rainbow flags. It also includes government jurisdictions raising rainbow pride flags and issuing proclamations. When Carmel City Council convened on Tuesday, June 4, the night’s agenda included a read-out of a proclamation recognizing June as Pride Month. Councilmember Jeff Baron first shared a brief story about how he’d met his husband at a pride party years ago—the occasion for him is not just about pride, but his own anniversary—then read the proclamation aloud. “Whereas, continued discrimination against LGBTQ persons makes it important for cities to stand up and show solidarity and support for our LGBTQ residents and those in the community at large,” Baron read. “Whereas, it is of great importance to respect one another and appreciate our differences…” Then Mayor Dave Potter opened the microphone for public comment. There were remarks about Carmel Culinary Week, housing, bus transportation—standard stuff. Then a speaker (who called in rather than showing up in person) criticized the pride proclamation. “There is Black History Month, [Asian American] Pacific Islander Heritage Month, Arab American Heritage Month, Jewish American Heritage Month. There’s not one for white men…Everyone else deserves recognition except for them. I find that disgusting,” the caller said. “We really need to stand back and appreciate our white, straight men.” What the caller missed—and if you’re reading, I’m happy to share, as a straight, white, able-bodied, American-born woman who enjoys 99 percent of the privileges available in this world—is that every day, every month, every year is effectively that month. The zero-sum idea that equity harms white people is wrong—and harmful. But never mind my dreams, because the pro-hate agenda is alive and well. The next caller to Carmel City Council stated his objections to the LGBTQ+ rights movement, then said: “I’m an actual, literal Nazi.” Potter quickly (and rightly) muted him. “Nazi speech is unacceptable,” Potter said. Of course, the most extreme and explicit remarks like these are easy to shut down. People can call in from far away in an orchestrated attempt to troll the public and disrupt a meeting; it would not be the first time such hateful conduct has happened locally, prompting some cities to rethink the opportunity to allow remote public participation. Speech like this is theatrical by design. The more insidious comments and ideas that reinforce homophobia and antisemitism and racism are harder to isolate and address. (For more on ongoing efforts—and failures— to tackle anti-Black racism in Salinas schools, see story, p. 8.) Irit Perla of Salinas was raised in Israel, and moved to the U.S. some 30 years ago. She is Jewish, and met her ex-husband, an Arab Muslim, when both were working in hospitality in Egypt. She remembers people were suspicious as they courted, who thought (wrongly) she was recruiting him as a spy. She became suspicious of the reasons people are so divided by race: “If you are next to Arabs, you can fall in love with an Arab. So they separate Jews from Arabs.” Perla was visiting family in Israel during the Hamas attack on Oct. 7, and has been back since—she describes PTSD symptoms like waking up screaming in the middle of the night. But she’s also observed something more subtle in the past few years, here at home: “After Trump became president, it became more extreme—people would talk out loud, say what they think.” Since Oct. 7, discourse has become more heated. One man spit at her, she says, and told her: “I hate you all.” Interjecting to say, “That’s not acceptable” is hard to do even from the mayor’s seat. It’s harder to do in relationships, in conversations, but we must—it’s something Baron strives to do to advance awareness, instead of tacit permission. And it’s the way we must behave in our shared world. Perla turns to a biblical reference, the story of Isaac and Ishmael, as a guide for Jews and Muslims. “They are brothers, and brothers always fight,” she says. “At the end of the day, it is family—one big, stupid family.” Sara Rubin is the Weekly’s editor. Read her at sara@montereycountynow.com. Haters Hating It’s 2024, and yet—people are still identifying as Nazis. By Sara Rubin Tune In…Many sea creatures think Squid is odd for watching public meetings as a source of entertainment. But with a never-ending supply of shrimp-flavored popcorn, Squid is always on the edge of Squid’s kelp forest to hear what comes out of our local elected officials’ mouths. Squid recently found out that, thanks to the proliferation of artificial intelligence, Squid is not alone. One day, Squid searched for Monterey City Council meetings on Google, and felt vindicated by the results. At the top of the page, Google lists the council as a “TV program” that aired its first episode on Dec. 30, 2018. A prompt on-screen asks viewers if they like this TV show by clicking on either a thumbs-up or thumbs-down icon (no tentacle options, unfortunately). Squid can also check if Squid has already watched the show, or add it to Squid’s queue to watch later. In mid-May, Google showcased its new AI capabilities to answer questions that are typed in the search bar. But like anything with AI, it had unintended consequences, and has come under fire recently for providing advice such as encouraging humans to eat at least one rock a day or mix glue into their pizza sauce. Squid, though, hopes the AI-driven results hang around for a little bit longer. Squid plans to scalp tickets for the Monterey County Board of Supervisors, since Google encourages its searchers to “buy tickets and watch it live,” according to the top result. Letter of the Law…Election season is gearing up, and that means Squid is oozing around the county to campaign launch events, and to the Monterey County Elections Department to see how campaign fundraising is going. The Salinas Valley Leadership Group got off to a strong start early in 2024, raising $4,700 just from Jan. 1-Feb. 17 (the most recent reporting period available), leaving a balance of over $32,000 in the bank. Cash came from leaders in construction (Pete Scudder, Don Chapin Jr.), real estate (Jim Gattis, Catherine Kobrinsky Evans) and agriculture (John Massa, David Pedrazzi). Then along comes the California Fair Political Practices Commission, responsible for policing campaign fundraising activity, with a proposed fine of $670 for failures to file forms for this same early 2024 time period on time. Turns out Squid is not the only one poking around for such records. So is Andrew Sandoval, a Salinas City Council member and perma-watchdog who filed a complaint with the FPPC about these missing forms. (Five other complaints Sandoval has filed since 2020 have been rejected by the FPPC.) When the FPPC convenes on June 13, Squid expects they’ll approve the SVLG penalty as a routine action. But Squid will get the popcorn out—Sandoval himself is also under investigation by the FPPC. the local spin SQUID FRY THE MISSION OF MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY IS TO INSPIRE INDEPENDENT THINKING AND CONSCIOUS ACTION, ETC. “Nazi speech is unacceptable.” Send Squid a tip: squid@montereycountynow.com
14 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY JUNE 13-19, 2024 www.montereycountynow.com Iron Fist Russia aims to expand its influence and power in African countries, edging out the West. By The Arab Weekly FORUM Russia’s top diplomat pledged help and military assistance while on a whirlwind tour of several countries in Africa’s sub-Saharan region of Sahel in early June, as Moscow seeks to grow its influence in the restive, mineral-rich section of the continent. Russia is emerging as the security partner of choice for a growing number of African governments in the region, displacing traditional allies such as France and the U.S. Sergey Lavrov, who has made several trips to Africa in recent years, recently stopped in Guinea, the Republic of Congo, Burkina Faso and Chad. Moscow has aggressively expanded its military cooperation with African nations by using the private security company Wagner and its likely successor, Africa Corps, with Russian mercenaries taking up roles from protecting African leaders to helping states fight extremists. Moscow is also seeking political support, or at least neutrality, from many of Africa’s 54 countries over its invasion of Ukraine. African nations make up the largest voting bloc at the United Nations. Russia-linked entities also spread disinformation to undermine ties between African states and the West, the Africa Center for Strategic Studies (a U.S. DoD institution) wrote in a March report. Moscow has been “sponsoring 80 documented campaigns, targeting more than 22 countries,” it said. Russia has thrived in countries where governance is limited, and has signed mining deals through companies it controls. An EU parliament study showed that Russia secured access to gold and diamonds in the Central African Republic, cobalt in Congo, gold and oil in Sudan, chromite in Madagascar, platinum and diamonds in Zimbabwe and uranium in Namibia. The nonprofit Democracy 21 reported last December that Wagner and Russia may have made about $2.5 billion through the African gold trade alone since invading Ukraine in February 2022. The first reports of Wagner mercenaries in Africa emerged in late 2017, when the group was deployed to Sudan to provide support to then-President Omar al-Bashir, in exchange for gold mining concessions. Wagner’s presence soon expanded to other African countries. Coups in Mali in 2020 and 2021, in Burkina Faso in 2022 and in Niger in 2023, brought military juntas critical of the West to power. All three eventually ordered French and other Western forces out, and instead turned to Russia for military support. The U.S. has lost its footing with key allies for forcing issues, including democracy and human rights, that many African states see as hypocrisy, given Washington’s close ties to some autocratic leaders elsewhere. Niger ordered the U.S. to withdraw its troops and close its multimillion dollar flagship investment in a sprawling military base in Agadez earlier this year, after a meeting with a U.S. delegation ended poorly. Weeks later, Russian trainers arrived in Niger with new defense equipment. This story first appeared in The Arab Weekly. OPINION The U.S. has lost its footing with key allies. ♦ 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 ’23 Voted Monterey County's Best Antique Shop
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16 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY june 13-19, 2024 www.montereycountynow.com As Marina is growing, city leaders look for ways to give the old and the new a sense of place. By Celia Jiménez A City In Transition In 2021, the Promenade was still just a concept, shown in the rendering at left. At the time, Don Hofer of developer Shea Homes said this area would become the core of The Dunes and could become a destination similar to Monterey’s Cannery Row. At right, this mixed-used area is now being built around the Century movie theater Two projects that have been stalled in Marina are City Hall, which occupies dated, double-wide trailers that were supposed to be temporary, and Cypress Knolls (right), a dilapidated neighborhood in Marina’s core. Courtesy of City of Marina Daniel Dreifuss Daniel Dreifuss Daniel Dreifuss
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