august 1-7, 2024 montereycountynow.com LOCAL & INDEPENDENT Parenting by the dozen 6 | No phone zone 12 | writing the big western 30 | Meatloaf rocks 36 Carmel Valley-based animator Julie Harvey reflects on a life well lived with many friends, including Scooby-Doo and Doris Day. p. 18 By Pam Marino Jinkies, Julie!
2 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY august 1-7, 2024 www.montereycountynow.com august 1-7, 2024 • ISSUE #1879 • Established in 1988 Gil Lucero (iPhone 14 Pro) Rays of sunlight streak through the redwood forest along the Tan Bark Trail in Big Sur. Monterey County photo of the week Send Etc. submissions to etcphoto@montereycountynow.com; please include caption and camera info. On the cover: As Velma from the Scooby-Doo shows and movies would say, “Jinkies!” Julie Harvey, 90, was one of the first people to animate the beloved cartoon dog in the late 1960s. The Carmel Valley resident also rescued dogs for 30 years with Doris Day. 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. Subscribe to the newsletter: www.montereycountynow.com/subscribe Find us online: www.montereycountynow.com
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4 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY AUGUST 1-7, 2024 www.montereycountynow.com THE BUZZ FREE SPEECH The Ralph M. Brown Act declares that California’s public commissions, boards, councils and agencies “exist to aid in the conduct of the people’s business” and the intent is that the actions of such public agencies “be taken openly and that their deliberations be conducted openly.” What if you call publicly elected officials of different boards and councils together for a meeting? State Sen. John Laird, D-Santa Cruz, invited mayors from the Monterey Peninsula, Monterey County Supervisor Mary Adams, and others, to a “Water Roundtable” on Friday, July 26 in downtown Monterey, specifically to discuss the Peninsula’s lack of water, an impediment to new housing. The Monterey County Weekly requested an invitation and was told there wasn’t enough room. Staff writer Pam Marino attempted to enter and was told it was a “closed meeting.” Laird says he wanted local officials to be able to speak freely about the issues and avoid a situation where electeds might be tempted to “grandstand” for the press. Good: Thanks to an anonymous donor, more veterans with special needs will receive aquatic therapeutic exercise, and at no cost. The Josephine Kernes Pool in Monterey received the donation, facilitated through the Community Foundation for Monterey County. While the dollar amount is not public, Lynn Young, executive director for Kernes Adaptive Aquatics, says it is enough to provide a year of free services for as many as 10 veterans. Water’s buoyancy alleviates the physical demands of movement, making it accessible for those who may struggle with muscle control, balance or strength, according to Kernes Pool. “We are very grateful for this gift, and appreciate the Community Foundation for Monterey County for being a bridge between this donor’s generosity and the needs of our veterans,” Kernes said. “This contribution will make a tremendous difference in the health and quality of life of those who have served and their families.” GREAT: It’s never too early to start saving for college. The Hartnell College Foundation and Bright Futures of Monterey County announced that registration recently opened for the California Kids Investment and Development Savings Program (CalKIDS), a fund created by the State of California in 2022 that provides free college savings accounts. In Monterey County, there are an estimated 64,000 children who qualify with $33 million available. Eligible newborns and low-income public school children could qualify for up to $1,500 to start their college savings account, which accrue interest and can be accessed when they reach 17 years old. “This seed money is a great starting point for students in preparation for college/university or a vocational training opportunity upon graduating from high school,” said Irma Lopez, manager at the Alisal Family Resource Center. GOOD WEEK / GREAT WEEK THE WEEKLY TALLY The number of people, from nine different countries, who became American citizens during a naturalization ceremony on July 26 at Asilomar Conference Grounds in Pacific Grove. U.S. Rep. Jimmy Panetta, D-Carmel Valley, presented the new citizens with certificates. Source: Rep. Jimmy Panetta’s office 36 QUOTE OF THE WEEK “I knew I had made a mistake as soon as I saw those red and blue lights flashing behind me.” -Monterey County Sheriff Tina Nieto, responding to footage showing her getting pulled over by the California Highway Patrol for reportedly speeding (see story, montereycountynow.com). Try Us First. We Pay The Highest! MONTEREY COIN SHOPPE Since 1970 same street for 40 years Open Mon-Thur 11am-4pm and Friday by appointment only. Call for an appointment: 831.646.9030 449 Alvarado St., Monterey www.montereycoinshoppe.com WE BUY GOLD AND SILVER, JEWELRY, COINS, DIAMONDS, WATCHES, ART & RARE ANTIQUES
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6 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY AUGUST 1-7, 2024 www.montereycountynow.com 831 Bob Vanderslice was a 35-yearold single man when he faced a Monterey County Superior Court judge in the early 1990s seeking a license to become a foster parent to a young boy. Despite having been thoroughly vetted, the judge was convinced there must be something untoward about the situation. “He was quite outspoken about it,” Vanderslice remembers. The judge, however, granted the license. The boy, Alphonso, was Vanderslice’s first official foster child, but Vanderslice was already a dad by that time to another boy named Danny, who became his first unofficial foster child a few years earlier through a family situation. When Danny’s parents gave up their parental rights, he became Vanderslice’s first adopted son. Vanderslice saw the foster system as a way to give Danny a brother. “He is just a great man,” says Alphonso Vanderslice, now 41, his father’s first of 33 foster children. “He changed my life.” Vanderslice adopted Alphonso at age 10. He is now on track to adopt his 11th son, currently living with him in foster care and about to enter high school. He never thought he would foster and adopt so many. “Especially now, I’m retired, I will be 67 this year and I have a new 13-year-old. My hair is growing gray, it’s not falling out, but it’ll keep me young. Keep me on my toes.” The journey to fatherhood began after Vanderslice came to Monterey in 1981 while in the Navy. He felt a drive to give back to his new community, so he volunteered for a local program similar to Big Brothers Big Sisters. Then a friend suggested he volunteer as a suicide prevention counselor, and Vanderslice spent five years counseling despondent teens over the phone. It was that background that made family members think of him when Danny needed a new home around 1988. Vanderslice had already left the Navy by then and was working as the lead software engineer for a Monterey computer consulting firm. It was a heavy load for a single parent, and the small firm didn’t offer benefits, so he applied for and was hired by the County of Monterey for an IT job. As Vanderslice attempted to add Danny as a dependent, he discovered he didn’t have any documentation to prove he was the boy’s guardian. He called what was then the county’s adoption unit. When a social worker learned that a single man had a young boy, essentially given to him, “all sorts of red flags went up in their minds,” he says. The next day social workers were at the house to investigate. They found a healthy 12-year-old boy well-bonded with his stand-in dad and were satisfied all was well, but, they said, because Danny had never been in the foster care system, Vanderslice would have to go through the state. He hired an adoption attorney. In the meantime, Vanderslice was encouraged by the head of the county’s adoption unit to consider becoming a foster parent. With a proven track record, officials began approaching Vanderslice with other boys. “It just kind of snowballed,” he says. Some of the boys asked Vanderslice to adopt them. He also became a community resource, including teaching parenting classes and serving as president of the local chapter of a foster parents’ association. Vanderslice credits his engineer’s mind—analyzing problems, shifting his thinking when necessary—to working through behavior issues. Keeping everything in a calendar was crucial to keeping everyone’s schedules straight. Having understanding supervisors and an ability to work remotely was also helpful. Now retired after more than 32 years with the county, Vanderslice spent July packing up the rental home he’s shared with his sons and foster children for a move to North Las Vegas, Nevada, where he purchased his first home and his retirement income will stretch farther. Vanderslice is heartened by the fact that today there are many single parents, including single fathers, who are welcomed as foster and adoptive parents. He advocates for others to at least consider following in their footsteps. “I encourage everyone to go to an orientation and find out, because you can always say no,” he says. Father of the Decades Fate made Bob Vanderslice an instant dad—he went on to adopt 11 sons and foster 33 boys. By Pam Marino Around 34 years ago, Bob Vanderslice said “yes” to bringing children in need of care into his home. Now, Vanderslice is an advocate for foster and adoptive parents. “It’ll keep me young. Keep me on my toes.” TALES FROM THE AREA CODE DANIEL DREIFUSS
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8 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY August 1-7, 2024 www.montereycountynow.com news The man accused of assaulting a teenager on Scribble Hill in Sand City in 2023 was convicted of the crime on July 26. Max Steiner, 38, is set to be sentenced for the misdemeanor on Aug. 30. He was in custody at Monterey County Jail as of July 30, and bail was set at $5,000. On Oct. 12 in Sand City, Steiner approached three young PalestinianAmerican women who wrote on a sand dune a message that read: “Free Palestine.” During the trial, which began July 22, both sides agreed that Steiner saw the sign, got off his bike and during a heated exchange proceeded uphill and destroyed the sign. Thirteen-year-old Maryam Khalil started recording the incident with her phone that Steiner eventually took away from her and threw on the ground. Steiner represented himself in the courtroom of Judge Ian Rivamonte, while Monterey County Deputy District Attorney Laura Batcha prosecuted the case. During a cross-examination on July 23, Steiner had questions regarding the number of videos taken by Maryam Khalil and submitted to the police and the District Attorney, and whether they were edited in any way. District Attorney’s Office Digital Forensic Investigator Natalie Dill confirmed that she examined Khalil’s phone and prepared the video to serve as exhibits in court. Per Steiner’s request, she also confirmed the type of damage to the iPhone (back shattered under the phone case, front screen cracked at the bottom) and the software she used to examine the phone and extract the data. The victims have also sued Steiner in civil court, seeking damages connected to the confrontation. Sending a Message A jury convicts a man of assaulting a teen during Scribble Hill confrontation. By Agata Pop˛eda If the walls could talk…in school bathrooms they don’t need to. In many cases, students leave behind graffiti in the bathroom. Sometimes, those messages are not just gossip, but hate. The bathroom walls were just one canvas for hate speech and symbols in recent years at Carmel High School, according to a report released on July 26 by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights (OCR). Students, teachers and custodians discovered swastikas and the n-word, written or etched in the bathroom and also on desks, a ruler, a bench, a person’s skin. Administrators knew about 15 instances of hate graffiti during the 2021-22 and 2023-24 school years, the investigation found. Beyond the graffiti, the report describes a student telling another student they wanted to “kill all Jews and burn them in their homes,” a student referencing Hitler and vandalism of a poster. (Some details are not provided due to redactions in OCR’s publicly released report.) “The frequency with which the swastikas and other antisemitic expressions or incidents occurred establishes that the incidents of antisemitic graffiti and conduct were pervasive and not isolated,” OCR reported. And there may be more: “The district’s nonexistent recordkeeping raises the likelihood that additional incidents occurred.” For the 2022-23 school year, the district had no records regarding harassment. The resulting determination by OCR is that Carmel Unified School District violated Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color or national origin. OCR determined that although CUSD took some disciplinary actions against students, the district failed to adequately address the concerns of Jewish students on campus. The school created an Anti-Hate Speech Task Force, which met at least 10 times from 2021-22. But the issue did not die down. In 2022, a student spoke publicly at a Board of Education meeting to say the official response was limited. “All we received was an unhelpful five-minute spiel in class. The five-minute spiel just said that hate speech was happening and that the consequences would be suspension and possibly expulsion.” CUSD entered into a resolution with OCR, which calls for the district to review and revise policies and procedures; disseminate a statement that it does not tolerate discrimination; in the 2024-25 school year, conduct a survey about harassment and the district’s handling of it; provide training; and more. These steps can be meaningful, but it takes something more to make them effective, says Teresa Drenick, deputy regional director for the AntiDefamation League’s Central Pacific Region. “What they need to do is be sincere in their desire to fix it,” she says. “No child should ever have to face hatred when they attend school. But the failure of a school to act when they know this hate is taking place is entirely unacceptable,” Drenick adds. In a statement, Superintendent Sharon Ofek said, “I am fully committed to creating a safe environment for all of our students, as a school needs to be a place for growth and learning, not trauma. As a Jewish-American, I support this major step toward ensuring that antisemitism is completely eradicated from the classroom.” A race relations survey in 2023 at Carmel High School found that 9 percent of students had seen hate graffiti; 41 percent heard about it and were distressed by it. Hate Speech Federal investigation finds repeated acts of antisemitism created a ‘hostile environment’ in Carmel Unified. By Sara Rubin Max Steiner represented himself at trial, and after his misdemeanor conviction has retained an attorney. He attempted to persuade the jury that phone footage of the incident was manipulated. “The failure to act is entirely unacceptable.” Daniel Dreifuss Daniel Dreifuss
www.montereycountynow.com AUGUST 1-7, 2024 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 9 summersplasH! NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. Void where prohibited. The sweepstakes is open only to California-American Water Company water customers in the Monterey County District of California who complete and submit a Summer Splash Water Challenge Giveaway entry form (“gameboard”) with correct answers by mail postmarked by August 17, 2024 to MPWMD Summer Splash, P.O. Box 85, Monterey CA, 93942 or online at www.montereywaterinfo.org/waterchallenge by August 17, 2024 and who are at least 18 years of age as of the date of entry. Start: 12:01 a.m. PDT on 7/1/2024; deadline: 11:59 p.m. PDT on 8/17/2024. Prizes: Two (2) Winners will receive a High Efficiency Clothes Washer (ARV $650), one (1) Winner will receive a High Efficiency Dishwasher (ARV $600), two (2) Winners will receive an Apple iPad (ARV $470), two (2) Winners will receive a $200 gift certificate/card to a local plant nursery (ARV $200), two (2) Winners will receive a $200 Home Depot Gift Card (ARV $200), eleven (11) Winners will receive a $150 Visa Gift Card (ARV $150) OFFICIAL RULES: www.montereywaterinfo.org/waterchallenge_officialrules.pdf SPONSORS: Monterey Peninsula Water Management District, 5 Harris Ct, Building G, Monterey CA 93940 and California-American Water Company, 511 Forest Lodge Road, Pacific Grove CA 93950 WinBIG! play now! get started! MontereyWaterInfo.org/Water Challenge High Efficiency Clothes Washer 2 winners (ARV $650) Apple iPad 2 winners (ARV $470) High Efficiency Dish Washer 1 winner (ARV $600) $200 Gift Card 2 winners - Low water use plants at local nursery $200 Gift Card from Home Depot - 2 winners $150 Gift Card from Visa - 11 Winners ENDS 8.17
10 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY August 1-7, 2024 www.montereycountynow.com The County of Monterey and its health care contractor in the jail, Wellpath, continue to be “substantially” out of compliance with the terms of a 2015 settlement, according to a neutral third-party monitor’s report. In advance of an Aug. 1 court date where Wellpath could face fines, its attorney is questioning the validity of the monitor’s data. Incarcerated people in the jail filed a class-action lawsuit over health care conditions in 2013. Two years later, the plaintiffs settled with the County of Monterey and Wellpath. The terms of the settlement include ongoing third-party monitoring; monitors’ reports were filed under seal until last year, when a federal judge ruled they could be made public. A total of 27 inmates have died in custody since the settlement, including six in 2023. There have been no deaths so far this year. In 2023, a federal judge ruled that issues in the jail remained unresolved and the County and Wellpath were violating the settlement by not being in “substantial compliance” with most of the 44 requirements spelled out in the settlement agreement, and gave them until March 2024 to meet them or face fines. The most recent medical monitor report, filed by Bruce Barnett in June, covered visits in February and March to the jail. Among the findings, Barnett wrote that those incarcerated were not timely screened for sexually transmitted diseases—estimating that half of the people booked into jail during those two months were screened—and chronic medical conditions were not consistently addressed. In addition, staffing was inadequate to meet the demand for services. Barnett added that he found the care “inadequate” for 22 out of the 30 patients he reviewed. As an example, one inmate complaining of “10/10 pain” from a dental infection was given Tylenol, which “did not comport with nursing protocols that require immediate contact with medical or dental provider,” according to Barnett. Another man who was admitted to jail intoxicated did not receive immediate care, Barnett wrote, which reportedly led him to later be admitted to the hospital for delirium “that might have been avoided by earlier, timely medical attention.” Of the eight inmates who Barnett considered received “adequate care,” a man with diabetes received “appropriate treatments” for chronic kidney disease, and a woman who “complained of fluid retention and other somatic symptoms” was examined “frequently.” Barnett concluded that while medical care in the jail improved compared to previous audits, medical services were still out of compliance in 11 of the 12 categories. In a joint report filed on July 26 by all parties, Wellpath’s attorney Allison J. Becker wrote the health care contractor “has made significant strides towards compliance, specifically in staffing, intake and training.” However, Becker wrote that the compliance reports, which also include separate filings for mental health and dental reviews, were not based on the level of compliance at the end of March 2024, the deadline given by the court to resolve the issues. Two of the reports were released within the last week, not giving all parties a chance to review them, she wrote. “This tactic is unfair to the court, monitors, and defendants, because it ignores the monitor’s authority to make changes to their draft reports after consideration of input from the parties,” Becker wrote. Becker argued that the patients included in the report were “identified by plaintiffs’ counsel rather than choosing sample charts in an unbiased manner. “By reviewing charts in this way, it is difficult to know whether such cases are anomalies in an otherwise well-functioning system, or whether such cases represent larger systemic problems with compliance,” Becker wrote. Wellpath did not respond to a request for comment. All parties are due in court on Aug. 1, at which time the court could decide to impose fines on Wellpath for noncompliance. This year, the County of Monterey and Wellpath settled lawsuits brought forward by the families of four men who died while in custody at the jail. The County agreed to settle with the families of Antonio Billante for $2 million, Juan Carlos Chavez for $1.2 million, Matthew Medina for $875,000 and Carlos Patino Regalado for $500,000. The terms of the settlement with Wellpath are private, says Jamie Goldstein, an attorney with Arias Sanguinetti who represented the families. In a statement, County officials said providing health care to those incarcerated is complex not only in Monterey County Jail, but across the country. “Many individuals present with intricate medical and mental health conditions, often compounded by society’s ever-growing substance abuse issues; lack of veracity from patients; and patients who have not regularly seen a medical provider,” the statement reads. “We continue to actively collaborate with medical and mental health monitors and our contracted correctional health care provider to implement improvements, and we remain steadfast in our commitment to continually enhance our services.” Monterey County Sheriff Tina Nieto said she continues to work with the Board of Supervisors “to address the high number of mental health and substance addictions associated with our incarcerated population. “Together our goal is to bring positive change,” she said. Rocky Path County jail’s health care provider could face fines for noncompliance. By Erik Chalhoub news Rent Control The City of Salinas hosts a meeting to discuss its draft rent stabilization ordinance. The public can provide input before the ordinance goes to City Council later in August. 6-7:30pm Thursday, Aug. 1. PAL Center, 100 Howard St., Salinas. Free. 758-7334, housingwebmail@ci.salinas. ca.us. Ag Work Join a discussion about what changes are needed to improve farm jobs. Agriculture worker José Anzaldo, consultant James Nakahara, Alianza Nacional de Campesinas Executive Director Mily Treviño-Sauceda and retired attorney Juan Uranga speak. 6pm Monday, Aug. 5. Sherwood Elementary School, 110 South Wood St., Salinas; online at zps.la/youtube. Free. zps.la/agriculture. Milk It The 17th annual Breastfeeding Walk and Health Fair provides resources for nursing mothers. 11am-3pm Tuesday, Aug. 6. Women, Infants and Children, 632 East Alisal St., Salinas. Free. 796-2888. community cops National Night Out provides a friendly forum for community members and public safety officers to interact, complete with vehicle tours, drone demos, live music and free tacos. 4-7:30pm Tuesday, Aug. 6. Salinas Sports Complex, 1034 N. Main St., Salinas. Free. 758-7019, jessicac@ ci.salinas.ca.us, cityofsalinas.org. Traffic Flow Monterey County’s Department of Public Works hosts a workshop to discuss a proposed roundabout at the intersection of San Miguel Canyon Road and Castroville Boulevard in Prunedale. 6:30-8pm Tuesday, Aug. 6. Prunedale Grange, 17890 Moro Road, Prunedale. Free. 755-4972, ramos-perediam@ countyofmonterey.gov. bus way MST envisions a 4.3-mile dedicated bus lane adjacent to Highway 1 between Marina and Sand City. The project, called SURF!, heads to the California Coastal Commission for a vote. Staff to the commission recommend denying the project. 9am Wednesday, Aug. 7. In-person meeting in Calabasas; virtually at coastal.ca.gov. Free. Submit speaker requests at coastal.ca.gov/meetings/ request-testimony/wednesday. Job Hunt Monterey County Works hosts a job fair to give employers a chance to meet job seekers. 1-4pm Wednesday, Aug. 7. America’s Job Center, 344 Salinas St., Salinas. Free; RSVP required. 796-3335, montereycountyworks.com. A common area is shown in Monterey County Jail. A third-party monitor found the jail’s health care provider continues to be out of compliance with a 2015 settlement. e-mail: toolbox@montereycountynow.com TOOLBOX Medical services were out of compliance in 11 of the 12 categories. Daniel Dreifuss
www.montereycountynow.com AUGUST 1-7, 2024 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 11
12 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY August 1-7, 2024 www.montereycountynow.com Smartphones have become an essential tool for everyday life, from calling and texting to purchasing goods or reading the news. But they can also cause distraction if people spend too much time scrolling, or become an instrument for cyberbullying. On July 22, the Salinas Union High School District announced it will join the “no phone” movement. It will ban cellphone use at all of its four middle schools starting at the outset of the 2024-25 school year. “SUHSD has made our middle schools phone-free spaces to improve teaching and learning,” the announcement said. Mixed reactions from the SUHSD community were reflected on social media (perhaps expressed via smartphone). Some show their support for this measure while others worry about their children’s safety (parents will have to call the main office to communicate with students). The district invested $200,000 in Yondr, a program focused on creating cellphone-free spaces. Students will be permitted to bring phones to school, but will be required to turn them off and lock them away during the school day in a gray pouch. Students will have the pouch with them at all times and phones will be unlocked at the end of the day. If students have medical needs, like diabetes, they will have access to clear pouches if they use smartphones to monitor glucose levels. There are several reasons why the program will begin in middle schools. The student population is smaller than high schools (on average, SUHSD’s middle schools have about 1,000 students compared to the high school average of 2,300), and administrators say middle school students are spending more time on their devices during class and it has increased aggressive behavior, including cyberbullying, on campus. “It really stimulates the conversation about what options we have to be able to support students being safe, but also allow them to participate fully in school. This was one of those ways,” Superintendent Dan Burns says. According to Yondr surveys, the program increases student engagement, positive behavior and academic performance. Fights have reduced 25 percent in schools since students can’t engage in cyberbullying and social media harassment during school hours. Several countries including France, China and Australia, and some American states including Florida, have banned cellphones in schools. Assembly Bill 272 took effect in California in 2020, allowing school districts to implement policies to limit the use of cellphones during the school days. Last year, the Global Education Monitoring Report, an annual report published by UNESCO that monitors education worldwide, advocated for the use of technology in the classroom, including cellphones, when they support students’ learning outcomes. Burns says the cellphone-free middle schools are a pilot. “If it works out really well, and it meets the expectation—which for us is it will reduce distractions in the classroom—then there’ll be a conversation about scaling up at high school.” Phone Free Salinas Union High School District to implement a cellphone-free campus in middle schools. By Celia Jiménez Middle school students at SUHSD schools will each place their smartphone in an opaque Yondr pouch that remains locked throughout the school day, including lunch and break time. NEWS “It will reduce distractions in the classroom.” DANIEL DREIFUSS Hay, Hay, Hay! 101 W. Laurel Dr, Salinas • (831)443-6161 Mon-Sat 9am-6pm Sun 10am-5pm $5 OFF Any purchase of $25 or more $10 OFF Any purchase of $50 or more $20 OFF Any purchase of $100 or more Cannot be combined with other offers. Limit 1 coupon per customer. Not valid on hay shavings, Frontline/Advantage, or Seresto collars. Must present coupon at time of purchase. Alfalfa $24.99 Alfalfa Grass Mix $26.99 Forage Mix $17.99 Wheat Straw $14.99 “I brought my Subaru to Hartzel on advice of a friend and I was so pleased with the service & attention I got from them. Not only finished on time, but under the estimate I was given. Very rare these days. So pleased with the whole experience & great peace of mind knowing it was done correctly. Highly recommend this guy.” —David F., Seaside 2/14/19 510 California Avenue | Sand City | 394.6002 hartzelautomotive.com EXPERT SERVICE WHEN YOU NEED IT. Subaru Mazda Lexus Infiniti Saab vintage MG SCHEDULE YOUR NEXT SERVICE ONLINE TODAY new fall arrivals carmel plaza carmel-by-the-sea (831)625-8106 shirting outerwear sport coats trousers and more!
www.montereycountynow.com AUGUST 1-7, 2024 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 13 About one month after the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Grants Pass v. Johnson granting more power to local governments to clear homeless encampments, Gov. Gavin Newsom issued an order on July 25 stating that all state agencies must remove encampments from stateowned properties while simultaneously respecting the dignity of their residents. The order only applies to state agencies, but he encouraged counties and cities to follow suit. “There are simply no more excuses. It’s time for everyone to do their part,” Newsom said. In Monterey County, two of the state agencies charged with following the order are Caltrans and State Parks, but they cannot do it without help from local agencies—including the County of Monterey, cities and nonprofit agencies—to provide outreach services to displaced residents and, if available, shelter beds or hotel vouchers. The county’s homeless services director, Roxanne Wilson, says she is still sorting out what the impacts of the order will be. “Ultimately, having guardrails in place to help us determine when an encampment requires services, what types of services should be provided, and even if an encampment cleanup is warranted, is not necessarily a bad thing,” Wilson says, referring to the procedures and protocols required by Newsom’s order, already in use by Caltrans. Those protocols include determining in advance whether an encampment poses an imminent threat to health and safety, giving residents as much notice as possible, or at least 48 hours notice, contacting service providers to request outreach services and collection and storage of personal belongings for at least 60 days. Wilson says she’s reviewing them to see if there are any that can be incorporated locally. “But more than that, now we actually have the push to reevaluate our systems: Do outreach teams have the tools that they need to perform the appropriate services for people who are unsheltered?” she says. The City of Salinas has already been using many of the same protocols, says Sophia Rome, the city’s community relations manager. Several years ago the city created the Salinas Outreach and Response Team, or SORT, to build relationships with people living on the streets and encourage them to seek services. There are now two teams that go out ahead of encampment cleanups to prepare residents at least two weeks in advance. No promise of funding to pay for services came with Newsom’s order other than encouraging local governments to apply for competitive Proposition 1 grants focused on behavioral health services. “We still lack the amount of resources necessary to serve the population,” Wilson says, adding the county and partner agencies need to look at resources that already exist, as well as whether there’s a pathway for displaced encampment residents to shelter beds and other services. No Camping Gov. Newsom’s order to clear encampments means more work ahead for local governments. By Pam Marino An encampment cleanup in Salinas’ Chinatown in 2021. The city plans “health and safety days” when officials determine if there is a hazard to either encampment residents or the wider community. NEWS “We still lack the amount of resources necessary.” DANIEL DREIFUSS LOCATED BEHIND THE PORTOLA HOTEL & SPA | COMPLIMENTARY PARKING (831) 649-2699 | PETERBSBREWPUB.COM 18 HDTV’S | HAPPY HOUR 4PM TO 6PM & 9PM TO 10PM ENJOY WATCHING THE SUMMER GAMES AT MONTEREY'S FAVORITE SPORTS BAR PETER B'S BREWPUB DRINK SPECIALS STARTING AT $7 THE OLYMPIAN ANGUS BEEF MELT $15 Welcomes pacificvalleybank.com as Vice President/Branch Manager HELEN DUNSTON (831) 771-4319 Please join us in welcoming Helen Dunston to the Pacific Valley Bank team. I am proud to be back in my hometown and working for a locally owned and managed community bank. My passion for community involvement and serving my clients makes Pacific Valley Bank a perfect fit! - Helen Dunston
14 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY august 1-7, 2024 www.montereycountynow.com Cop Stop So disappointed in her outrageous and dangerous displays of privilege (“Monterey County Sheriff vows to ‘set a better example’ after she gets pulled over for speeding,” posted July 26). Top law enforcement officer in the county is a poor example of leadership. Krista Carey | via social media I’m disappointed that she did not address the one stop where she refused to identify herself and asked for a supervisor to come out. Very disappointing behavior. Pamela Reese | via social media The type of cop who gives them all a bad reputation. James Tarhalla | via social media School Dues As a proud parent and alum of Monterey High School, I know firsthand the improvements that have been made at the school (“MPUSD board votes to add a bond measure for staff housing on the ballot,” July 25-31). I could not be more proud of the new science and innovation center, upgrades to the library and little theater, and the improvements to Dan Albert Stadium which just broke ground. But there is more work to do. Much of Monterey High’s campus, including its pool, was built in 1920 and desperately needs investment. Though the pool still works, it has not changed much since my parents swam in it 60 years ago. As a community we have always invested in our kids and we should continue to do so. Go Dores! Heather Robson | Monterey MPUSD’s $340 million bond measure for the November ballot includes “staff rental housing,” 60-80 units estimated at $60 million. A million dollars per rental unit? Since MPUSD owns the land, these units are worth a whole lot more. MPUSD’s own surveys show that 76 percent of teachers would prefer a salary increase to have the flexibility to live where they choose. This is a complex issue, as we need affordable housing on the Peninsula, but not million-dollar rental units. MPUSD becoming a developer, landlord and commercial property manager diverts the focus from school responsibilities. What this bond would do is increase the value of MPUSD’s property at renters and taxpayer expense. As a first step, MPUSD should raise teacher pay to a rate equitable to our neighboring cities, then, separate affordable housing development from the priority of school repairs and upgrades. Vote no on MPUSD’s bond measure. Julie Conrad | Monterey Crossing the Line All I see is a hateful person in [defendant] Max Steiner finding any which way to get away with his hatred by finding technicalities in a system designed to allow him to take them (“Trial gets underway over possible assault of a PalestinianAmerican teenager on Scribble Hill,” posted July 25). It’s obvious the hate-filled Steiner views his bicycle possession as more valuable than the lives of the young women he attacked. He should have minded his own business and kept pedaling. But we all know people like him and his ilk can’t help but interfere to make their hateful opinions known. M. Watney | Seaside Up in the Air Well, I once lived in the fields area of the county with one little school. Now I have three schools in total. Traffic and some of the issues that come with it sucks. You live by an airport! (Complaints about flight noise around the Monterey Regional Airport have inspired activism,” July 25-31.) Amanda Castro | via social media All Around Great solution! (“A divided Pacific Grove City Council votes in favor of proceeding with a roundabout at a problematic intersection,” posted July 23.) I’ve lived in places where this was such a relief, especially during busy hours and before/after school. If the roundabout off of Highway 68 can work, this will definitely be a game changer. Marq Abril | via social media $800,000 on the initial design….in what world does that make any sense? Kelsea Richmond | via social media Living History The Alliance of Monterey Area Preservationists was thrilled to see your cover story highlighting Salinas’ heritage and historic buildings (“Salinas at 150: From breadbasket to salad bowl, Salinas draws on its history to drive its future,” July 18-24). AMAP has been involved with Salinas history for decades, notably pursuing the successful listing of the Old Monterey County Jail on the National Register of Historic Places. The California Welcome Center, often overlooked, is a must-see attraction, highlighting the Valley’s agricultural history. The station area, also known as Heritage Park, also includes a unique railroad exhibit and the restored First Mayor’s House. The Art Deco buildings described by AMAP member Michael Mazgai are illustrated in an attractive brochure and map found on the AMAP website (“Salinas’ extravagant past can still be seen through countless buildings in the city,” July 18-24). Anyone interested in working on preserving Salinas’ history, check out our website at amap1.org. Mimi Sheridan | Pacific Grove Note: Sheridan is president of the Alliance of Monterey Area Preservationists. Recipe for Success Judge John Phillips was concerned about the lack of job opportunity for our youth, whom he saw in a revolving-door situation at the courthouse (“Paid internships for Rancho Cielo culinary grads offers experience and a promise of jobs,” July 25-31). He chose to do something positive, and founded Rancho Cielo to assist those youth. We need more of our people in governance to inspire similar programs to create good jobs, not just sitting back and “governing.” Walter Wagner | Salinas Sing Out I love karaoke but haven’t been able to join in anywhere since the pandemic. If someone comes up with outdoor karaoke, I’m all in! Margaret Piper McNulty | Cupertino/Carmel 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 august 1-7, 2024 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 15 Let’s ignore, as propaganda taught us to, the immediate death of an estimated 129,000 to 226,000 Japanese people, most of them civilians, and let’s not bother with countless deaths that occurred in the following days, months and years. The question is: Was it worth dropping nuclear bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki on the 6th and 9th of August 1945 and provoking an international nuclear race that remains, next to climate change, the most serious threat to humanity? What was perhaps even more shocking than the usage of the atomic weapon was the reaction of American and European people—no reaction at all. Fortunately, there were and are exceptions, people who care to get adequate knowledge of facts and refuse to forget, also in the context of the existing nuclear arsenal the world has now that could easily cause the extinction of the human race. For the 20th time, the Monterey County branch of the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom and Veterans for Peace Chapter 46 refuse to forget the anniversary of the events and host a commemorative ceremony with music, remarks and a peace lantern ceremony. “We are extremely critical of the U.S government, a country that has never not been at war and continues to flex its military might,” says Beverly Bean on behalf of the WILPF. “Even today you have [U.S. Senator] Lindsey Graham calling for dropping nuclear bombs on Gaza.” There is only one country in the world that has actually dropped an atomic bomb. While the U.S. let its allies possess the nuclear arsenal—the U.K., France and unofficially Israel—it is hypocritically condemning the countries that developed their arsenals as a deterrent, to not share the fate of Japan: the USSR (now Russia), North Korea or China. These countries may be extremely dangerous to their own citizens, but none has ever attacked the U.S. with bombs. The common American line is that while HiroshimaNagasaki events were unfortunate, it had to be done to save American lives by forcing Japan to surrender. Yet, documents from Japanese archives indicate that the reason the Japanese gave up was the Russian invasion of Japan on Aug. 8. Speaking of “unfortunate” and “necessary,” ultimate proof of the savagery of the U.S. military was the “grande finale” after the nuclear bombs dropped and American planes finished the job by bombing Japanese civilians again—just in case. “We in this country have a special responsibility for nuclear weapons because the U.S. is the only country in the world that ever used nuclear weapons,” says Sharat Lin, a physicist, economist and member of the San Jose Peace and Justice Center, who is the keynote speaker at the Aug. 3 commemoration. “There’s a mythology in this country that these atomic bombs helped to end war sooner. But Japan delivered a message to Stalin and Truman that Japan was ready to surrender already in June… The U.S was determined to test these weapons to see the bioeffects. It’s dark and sad that they decided to test on the civilian population.” Denuclearization was at some point not only a plan, but a self-embraced legal obligation of the U.S., with not only Bertrand Russell and Albert Einstein, but also right-wing hawks such as Henry Kissinger calling for its elimination, to no avail. WILPF advocates for ratification of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW), the first international agreement to make nuclear weapons illegal. It is an explicit international law that went into force on Jan. 22, 2021. As of January 2024, 70 members of the United Nations have ratified or acceded to the treaty. The U.S. has not yet signed the treaty, nor is it thinking about doing so. While President Barack Obama visited Hiroshima in 2016, the Japanese are still waiting for an apology. In the meantime, under Obama’s administration, the U.S. only modernized its nuclear arsenal. Honor those who perished in the atomic bombings, as well as those who survived, at the remembrance ceremony. On the treaty, visit treaties.unoda. org/t/tpnw to make your voice heard. Annual Hiroshima-Nagasaki Remembrance Ceremony takes place at 7-9pm Saturday, Aug. 3 at Lovers Point beach cove in Pacific Grove. Free. eventbrite.com. Agata Pop˛eda is a staff writer at the Weekly. Reach her at aga@montereycountynow.com. Bombs Away Seventy-nine years after the bomb, the U.S. still clings to nuclear weapons. By Agata Pop˛eda Deep Breath…One thing Squid appreciates about Squid’s undersea lair is that many amenities are free. While it costs a few sand-dollars to get shrimp-flavored popcorn, the shrimp cost nothing—it just requires your own hard predatory work to get them. Last Squid checked, the natural world above-water was also free to enjoy. Air, sunshine, listening to the sound of the wind—no charge, and besides, who would you pay? The folks at Alila Ventana Big Sur have figured out how to cash in on nature with a series of new offerings billed as “Alila Experiences.” These include sessions such as Tea & Tarot ($160), which naturally requires a trained tarot card reader— goods and services exchanged for U.S. dollars, Squid gets it. But offerings also include sessions like Cold Stream Bliss ($120), which invites participants to hike a half-mile to an exhilarating cold plunge. Squid just recently hiked from Alila to a cold stream and took a plunge—all at no charge. There’s also “Breathe with the Trees,” which invites people to surround themselves with the redwoods common in this part of Big Sur. “You’ll leave feeling grounded, refreshed and connected to yourself and the natural world,” the organizers promise, for a mere $40. Squid may start leading Squid’s own workshops, starting with how to plant your very own money tree. Scoring High…The first day of school is quickly approaching, giving parents some much-needed reprieve after being with their kids 24/7 over the summer break. Squid’s only experience with schools is of the traveling fish kind, so Squid can’t relate. Apparently, it’s not only the weather that heats up around this time. Squid’s colleagues received an email listing the 100 sexiest beaches in the world (Cable Beach in Australia is number one), with Pfeiffer Beach in Big Sur coming in as the third sexiest in the United States. “Diving deep into the data to surface shores boasting solitude, sunshine, swoon-worthy sunsets and more, the ranking reveals the top destinations where couples can retreat to turn up the heat around the world,” it reads. The rankings, crafted by sexual wellness brand Lovehoney and vacation rental marketplace HomeToGo, were determined based on how secluded the beaches are, how hot they are (based on the temperature, not the number of people getting it on there—maybe they didn’t realize Pfeiffer Beach calls for a sweater much of the year) and how Instagramworthy their sunsets are, among other things. The email also included handy tips on how to travel with sex toys. Squid quickly realized that Lovehoney is implying that sex on the beach isn’t just the name of a cocktail. the local spin SQUID FRY THE MISSION OF MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY IS TO INSPIRE INDEPENDENT THINKING AND CONSCIOUS ACTION, ETC. “There’s a mythology that these bombs helped.” Send Squid a tip: squid@montereycountynow.com
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