10 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY july 11-7, 2024 www.montereycountynow.com Just as the sun was going down July 4, dozens of people gathered atop a stairwell in Seaside’s Mescal Heights neighborhood to take in the view. For hours, onlookers gathered to watch illegal fireworks, which fired into the sky in haphazard salvos all across the city, and even some being shot off in Monterey’s North Fremont District, while nearby at the top of stairs on Skyview Drive someone would periodically ignite legal, groundbound “safe and sane” fireworks. The spectators gathered offered numerous oohs and aahs after the particularly impressive explosions, and a vibe of celebratory chaos infused the air, as did the faint smell of sulfur. Seaside Acting City Manager Nick Borges, also the police chief, was up at Mescal Heights for a time as well, and he struck up a conversation with a woman from the South Bay who heard, while at a conference in Monterey, that Seaside was a great place to watch fireworks. “She said, ‘It’s so beautiful,’” Borges says. But he told her that’s not the situation down on the often narrow neighborhood streets, where there are parties of 50 to 60 people, sometimes in the road blocking passage, while fireworks are popping off and there’s possibly debris on the street. While Borges has heard from some residents this was the worst year ever, he believes the past two years have shown a decrease in fireworks— Seaside PD’s detection technology logged over 500 explosions on July 4, he says (they’ve since decreased to about 30 to 35 a day). And as for the 335 pounds of illegal fireworks Seaside PD confiscated from a residence last week, he says it made only a slight impact in that specific neighborhood. In all, Seaside PD issued 55 citations for illegal fireworks on July 4, but footage captured by drones pinned every address where fireworks were sent off, so that number is expected to climb in the coming two weeks. Salinas Fire Division Chief/Fire Marshall Chris Knapp, who’s been with the department about 16 years, says this was the busiest Fourth of July for the department for the last three or four years. Two structure fires could not be determined to have been caused by fireworks, though at least one of four vegetation fires is believed to have been. Additionally, two of seven trash can fires were confirmed to be fireworks-related. Knapp says the department hasn’t yet processed all its data, so he can’t yet speak to how many citations will be issued as a result. Leslie J. Flores, 58, of Monterey, has been on the run since Feb. 14, when he was supposed to appear in Monterey County Superior Court on multiple misdemeanor and felony warrants. When he didn’t show, the judge issued a no-bail arrest warrant, and the search was on. Flores managed to escape Monterey Police on three separate occasions in April and June but he finally lost his independence on July 4, after literally holing himself up under his house, requiring chainsaws to extricate him. Efforts to finally capture Flores began around 6:15pm, July 3, after officers confirmed he was at his home on Cielo Vista Drive, according to an MPD press release. After realizing the police were there, Flores ran out the back, where he was confronted by an officer. Flores climbed a tree at the back of the house and disappeared through an open window. MPD called on mutual aid, and over 30 officials responded from eight law enforcement agencies, as well as the Monterey Fire Department and Monterey County Behavioral Health. Officers used loudspeakers to advise Flores he was under arrest and needed to come out. A crisis negotiations team attempted to contact him, to no avail. After several hours they breached the front door and used indoor drones to help clear the home, finding no Flores. A roomto-room search yielded nothing as well, including inside a hiding area under the house. Then an officer noticed a fresh handprint on a wall of the hiding area. They discovered a tunnel, but it was blocked. It took a chainsaw to remove several floorboards of an adjacent room to find Flores in a sixfoot hole. Flores was arrested at around 2:15am, July 4, and was taken to Monterey County Jail. He was returned to court on July 8. His next hearing is scheduled for July 17. Flores has other troubles. In February, Monterey officials filed for a receivership of apartments he owns on Larkin Street, after he reportedly refused to make repairs to dilapidated units condemned by the city. Boom City Illegal fireworks continue to dazzle and terrorize local residents. By David Schmalz news Housing for All City of Monterey presents a workshop on how to improve access to housing. The gathering will discuss factors such as cost and discrimination. 6-7pm Monday, July 15. Gathering for Women, 147 El Dorado St., Monterey. Free. 646-3995, monterey.gov/housing. Temporary Spot County of Monterey Department of Social Services is remodeling its community benefits lobby in Salinas, and is moving into a temporary location with limited services. The remodel begins Monday, July 15 and will take two months to complete. Temporary lobby is located at 1000 S. Main St., Suite 216A. 877-410-8823, countyofmonterey.gov/government/ departments-i-z/social-services. Gears of Government Monterey City Council meets and accepts public comment. Tell your elected officials what they are doing well and what you think they can do better. 4pm Tuesday, July 16. Colton Hall, 580 Pacific St., Monterey. Free. 646-3799, monterey.gov. Get a Job Monterey County Works hosts an online job fair to give employers a chance to meet job seekers. 1-4pm Wednesday, July 17. Virtual. Advance registration is required. 7963335, montereycountyworks.com. Police Equipment Soledad Police Department discusses the military equipment in its inventory and related training and costs. The annual report is required by state law. 6pm Wednesday, July 17. Soledad City Council Chambers, 248 Main St., Soledad. Free. 223-5120, cityofsoledad.com/police-department. Going Electric Monterey Bay Air Resources District launched its electric vehicle incentive program for the upcoming year. This year’s program also includes rebates for those who qualify for the purchase of used fully electric and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles. Online applications are available at mbard.org/electric-vehicle-incentive-program. Ride up The Greenfield Community Science Workshop is hosting a bike repair shop. People will have access to tools to repair and adjust their rides. The event accepts bike donations and will have a stock of used bikes to fix and take. 4-7pm Friday, July 12. 220 Elko St., Greenfield. Free; all ages welcome. 233-8335. Got ‘Em Monterey Police use wits and a chainsaw to extricate a wily felony suspect from a secret hole. By Pam Marino Seaside Police Chief Nick Borges says the 1500 block of Yosemite Street, seen above in 2023, is an annual hotspot for illegal fireworks; it’s just a block from the fire station. e-mail: toolbox@montereycountynow.com TOOLBOX A vibe of celebratory chaos infused the air. Daniel Dreifuss
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