SEPTEMBER 5-11, 2024 MONTEREYCOUNTYNOW.COM LOCAL & INDEPENDENT WORKING ON THE RAILROAD 6 | A LONG-TERM PLAN FOR SHORT-TERM RENTALS? 8 | CSUMB AT 30 14 Lawmakers and police are looking for ways to increase gun safety, but face a host of challenges. p. 16 By Erik Chalhoub and Sara Rubin ARMS RACE A disassembled ghost gun.
2 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY september 5-11, 2024 www.montereycountynow.com September 5-11, 2024 • ISSUE #1884 • Established in 1988 Stephen Smaby (Nikon D850) A crashing wave rolls in toward the beach, as seen from Fort Ord Dunes State Park in Marina. Monterey County photo of the week Send Etc. submissions to etcphoto@montereycountynow.com; please include caption and camera info. On the cover: Privately made firearms often become known as “ghost guns” when they lack serial numbers and are untraceable. The ghost gun parts shown on the cover are being held in evidence at the Seaside Police Department as part of an investigation. Cover photo: Daniel Dreifuss, designed by Alexis Estrada 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, Robert Daniels, Tonia Eaton, Paul Fried, 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 SEPTEMBER 5-11, 2024 www.montereycountynow.com THE BUZZ FREE SPEECH In September 2022, Las Vegas Review-Journal reporter Jeff German was stabbed to death outside of his Las Vegas home. Four days later, former Clark County Public Administrator Robert Telles was arrested and charged with murder with a deadly weapon. German had written stories with allegations of bullying and turmoil in Telles’ office, and also about allegations that Telles was having an affair with a subordinate staffer. After German’s findings were published, Telles went on to lose in a primary election, prompting him to post a letter on his campaign website attacking the Review-Journal’s reporting. On Aug. 28, a jury convicted Telles on the murder charges; he maintained during the trial that he was innocent and had been framed, but could not explain how his DNA had been recovered from under German’s fingernails. Review-Journal Executive Editor Glenn Cook said after the verdict, “In many countries, the killers of journalists go unpunished. Not so in Las Vegas.” After further deliberations following the verdict, the jury sentenced Telles to life in prison with eligibility for parole in 20 years. Good: Another Monterey County Fair is in the books, featuring five days of thrilling carnival rides, mesmerizing magic shows, a live performance from a Billboard chart-topper, deep-fried foods and frisbee-catching dogs. Plenty of checkbooks opened as well: On Saturday, Aug. 31, the junior livestock auction generated $690,000, giving the young people who spent countless hours raising the animals over the summer a boost for their college dreams and other future plans. Funds also support the Monterey County Fair Heritage Foundation’s youth programs, such as scholarship opportunities, and improvements to the fairgrounds. The animals were definitely back to greet fair-goers, as the 2024 event marked the first year since the Covid-19 era that the auction was held during the same time as the fair after taking place a week prior in recent years. GREAT: It was great news for 96-year-old Jean Jacques, who learned she has a place to live and be cared for the rest of her life, two weeks after the owners of Pacific Grove Senior Living served her with a three-day eviction notice on Friday, Aug. 16. Jacques bought into the community, formerly called Forest Hill Manor, 22 years ago and paid approximately $5,000 a month until her savings ran out about six years ago. Under the contract she had with the former owners, she would be allowed to continue living there and receive care at no cost. When the facility was sold to Pacifica Senior Living, the California Attorney General’s Office specifically said the new company must honor existing contracts. The Weekly and other news outlets covered Jacques’ predicament and the story went viral around the world. Pacifica reversed its decision and told her on Aug. 30 she could stay. GOOD WEEK / GREAT WEEK THE WEEKLY TALLY That’s how much nearly 15,000 Pacific Gas and Electric customers reported in losses to scammers this year. Utility scams are on the rise and the average victim lost over $600—157 victims have been reported in Monterey County. Source: Pacific Gas and Electric $334,000 QUOTE OF THE WEEK “When I started, California had 350 wineries. Now it has a gazillion.” -Roxanne Langer, co-owner of LadySomm in Carmel with her sister Tamara Carver, speaking about the wine industry (see story, page 28). * Borrowers must be members of Bay Federal Credit Union and your business be eligible for Bay Federal membership. Qualification of membership is defined as the business headquarters is located within Santa Cruz, Monterey, or San Benito Counties. Must meet membership and account criteria, all loans subject to approval. Only commercial properties located within the state of California are eligible for financing. Rates and terms will vary based on collateral and credit. Programs, rates, terms, conditions, and services are subject to change without notice. Other restrictions may apply. 831.479.6000 • www.bayfed.com • 888.4BAYFED Federally Insured by NCUA | Equal Housing Lender 1524 N. Main Street | Salinas Now Offering Commercial Real Estate Loans No pre-payment penalties Purchase or refinance Loan amounts up to $5,000,000 Multi-family units, farm & agriculture, office space, warehouses and other properties Visit a branch today!
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6 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY SEPTEMBER 5-11, 2024 www.montereycountynow.com 831 Mark Dorman flips on the lights inside an old freight building at the Salinas train station, illuminating a large, two-tier diorama that spans the entire length of what is the Monterey & Salinas Valley Railroad Museum. The curvy structure snakes around from one end to the other, serving as the foundation for a never-ending, HO-scale model train loop, carefully painted and designed to look like Monterey County circa 1953. Dorman, superintendent of the museum, leads a visitor past miniature versions of the region, starting from the northern terminus of the Logan Quarry in Aromas, and heading through Watsonville in Santa Cruz County, and then southward into Monterey County, through Elkhorn Slough and Castroville and all the way down past King City to Bradley, including the spur that hugged the coast to Monterey, Cannery Row and Pacific Grove. The model trains that run the track whir past miniature train stations, farms, factories, homes and churches. Tiny farmworkers are harvesting crops in the fields and over at Fort Ord, troops are marching in formation. The tiniest details are shown using different materials, like using fennel seeds to represent sugar beets piled up in train cars. A small broken piece of scenery catches Dorman’s eye. “Oh dear, oops. I’ll have to show that to our scenery guy,” he says. The model version of Monterey County and the transportation system that allowed it to prosper and grow in significance as an agricultural powerhouse and tourist destination came to life, thanks to thousands of hours of volunteer time by members of the Monterey & Salinas Valley Railroad Historical Society, which formed in 1993. The diorama is an ongoing project of the club, which currently has around 35 active members. The group meets every Thursday evening to tackle new projects. “It’s a combination of working on small projects or sitting back to relax a little bit,” Dorman says. There’s always work to be done to keep the model trains running—the electrical system that operates the track is always a challenge—plus maintenance on the building and on the full-scale engine and train cars that sit just outside of the museum’s entrance that includes a rare 1918 S-10 super-heated Southern Pacific Switcher steam locomotive and a vintage wood 1916 Southern Pacific caboose. The society found its home in 1998 inside what was once the Railway Express Agency building, a former national delivery system, after entering into an agreement with the City of Salinas, which owns the building. The society maintains the building and the engine and railcars in exchange for rent, with the proviso that they focus on the historical aspects of Salinas Valley’s railroad system. While crafting an intricate diorama and running model trains might be fun for members, the real delight comes from sharing it with others, which is why the first full weekend of each month the volunteers open up the museum to the public for free, in addition to hosting special events, tours and school field trips. The society also sponsors a junior engineering program, where young students can come and learn how to run the trains. One student remained in the program all the way through high school, went to UC Santa Cruz and became an electrical engineer and today is an adult member, Dorman says. “We have several junior engineers now but we want some more,” he says. “The future is the junior engineers.” Those future model train engineers will have much to do: Dorman says there are plans for installing a prototypical signaling system that will mirror the one the full-scale railroad used in the 1950s. “It’s a massive project,” he says, one that will take several thousand dollars or more to build. The group relies on grants and donations to pay for expenses and regularly raises money by working at races at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca in exchange for a donation. The Monterey & Salinas Valley Railroad Museum is open 10am-4pm Saturday, Sept. 7 and Sunday Sept. 8, and the first full weekend of every month. 15 Station Place, Salinas. Free. 789-8097, msvrr.org. Rail Ways Monterey County’s railroad past comes to life inside an all-volunteer Salinas museum. By Pam Marino Dana Peterson adjusts a model train that traverses through Monterey & Salinas Valley Railroad Museum’s miniature version of Monterey County’s rail system. The diorama is a depiction of the railroad at its height, about 80 years after it was originally built. “The future is the junior engineers.” TALES FROM THE AREA CODE DANIEL DREIFUSS EXPO BUSINESS monterey bay 2024 presented by CLAIM YOUR BOOTH! EXHIBITOR REGISTRATION NOW OPEN Connecting businesses throughout Monterey County THURSDAY, OCTOBER 10, 2024 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM EMBASSY SUITES - MONTEREY BAY REGISTER NOW AT MONTEREYCHAMBER.COM
www.montereycountynow.com SEPTEMBER 5-11, 2024 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 7 JOIN US FOR FREE CONSERVATION WEBINARS Tuesday, September 10 Eat Your Garden 6 p.m.–7 p.m. Thursday, September 26 Rainwater Capture 6 p.m.–7:15 p.m. Join us for free, interactive workshops in September, presented by Green Gardens Group via Zoom. The Monterey Peninsula is a leader in water conservation. Thank you for your commitment to being water wise! Learn more at: montereywaterinfo.org/events H I L LT O P 871 JESSIE STREET 831-646-3975 EL ESTERO 777 PEARL STREET 831-646-3873 Pre-registration by appointment only. Please call the Preschool location of your choice for a registration appointment. Visit www.monterey.gov/rec for more info. learn - engage - play - socialize Tuesday – friday, 3 hours per day THE CITY OF MONTEREY must be “potty” trained years 3-5 for ages preschool p r o g r a m E S T E RO L LT O P L ESTERO H I E E S T E RO L E ociali y - engag - pl ar gag learn - - pl y - ze en arn - le a ocialize ay - y - sociali n - en e - play - sociali s arn - en learn - ar engage - pl lear en learn - engage - play - s e - pl
8 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY september 5-11, 2024 www.montereycountynow.com news Taking about 14 years of work, the County of Monterey is a step closer to having a short-term rental ordinance, after the Board of Supervisors voted 3-2 on Tuesday, Aug. 27 in favor of draft versions that had been vetted and unanimously approved by the Planning Commission in June. If the board approves it on a second vote on Sept. 10, it will bring a 4-percent cap on the rentals in unincorporated areas of the county. It would also mean a ban on commercial vacation rentals in the areas of Big Sur, Carmel Valley and Moss Landing’s commercial district, where housing units are limited. All vacation rental operators would be required to obtain an annual license costing $965, to offset staff time in administering the program. The operators and commercial hotels would also have to obtain and pay for a newly created business license, the amount to be determined, from the Monterey County Treasurer-Tax Collector. Vacation rentals could also be allowed in areas preserved for agriculture. “This ordinance is not perfect but it’s been worked on by a lot of people for a long period of time to get it as close as we can,” said Supervisor Mary Adams. Supervisors Luis Alejo and Chris Lopez said they could not support it, in part due to the proposed fees. Lopez warned of “unintended consequences,” including a “professional corps of Airbnb operators” instead of families who depend on the income to maintain and keep their homes. Vacation Days The Board of Supervisors approve short-term rental ordinances after years of work. By Pam Marino On Friday, July 26, when California Coastal Commission staff released a report regarding MontereySalinas Transit’s proposed SURF! busway from Marina to Sand City, the surf was looking down—the report said in no uncertain terms that the project was “not approvable” under the law, in this case, the Coastal Act. Central to the concerns were the project’s expected impacts on environmentally sensitive dune habitat, notwithstanding that habitat being located in a derelict rail corridor. On Saturday morning, July 27, State Sen. John Laird, D-Santa Cruz, called Carl Sedoryk, MST’s general manager. It was just after 9:30am, and Sedoryk, a second-degree black belt, was teaching a class at American Karate in Pacific Grove, a volunteer gig he’s done for the better part of the last decade. Sedoryk took the call. Laird’s goal was to pull a victory from the jaws of bureaucratic defeat for a project he’d been involved in for years—aside from its other state funding, Laird had used his power to get an additional $2.5 million in state money appropriated to the $91.5 million SURF! project. That culminated in a four-hourplus meeting on Aug. 16 at Laird’s office in Santa Cruz that included Coastal Commission Executive Director Kate Huckelbridge and members of her staff; Sedoryk; Transportation Agency for Monterey County Executive Director Todd Muck; Laird’s staff; and staff of Assemblymember Dawn Addis, D-Morro Bay. “When you have a project that’s all but fully funded, it’s hard to let that go,” Addis says. In the first hour, Laird says, things were going off the rails, so he called a recess and then brought in each of the principal parties to identify their specific concerns. Coastal Commission staff didn’t want to disturb dune habitat, TAMC didn’t want to sacrifice the viability of rail along the corridor going forward, and MST didn’t want to lose a project it considered fundamental to its goals, one that was fully funded at some $92 million and that was more than five years in the making. Then Laird brought them all back together again and they hashed out a compromise: How about, instead of a 4.3-mile paved busway that runs parallel to the existing rail tracks, let’s put the busway on the tracks instead? A remaining hurdle was whether the board of TAMC, which owns the rail easement, would agree to the revised plan, due to concern it would preclude future use of the corridor as a railway. To that end, Kevin Kahn, the Coastal Commission’s Central Coast district manager, sent a letter to the TAMC board, assuring them “it will not preclude such potential future rail use, and will actually help facilitate it in the future.” The TAMC board unanimously approved the realignment on Aug. 28. Now, the project will finally go before the Coastal Commission for a permit on Thursday, Sept. 12. The agency’s report to the commissioners now recommends approval, but with conditions. As of Sept. 3, Sedoryk is still working his way through those conditions to see what, if anything, MST will advocate to soften or remove. As for the fact the project will be coming before the agency with essentially a plan without any final engineering designs—though engineers have already started working on it— Sedoryk says building SURF! over the rails will be easier, and perhaps cheaper, than the original alignment. State Sen. John Laird has been a crucial proponent of MST’s proposed SURF! busway project, which will come before the Coastal Commission on Sept. 12 in Monterey. SURF’s Up Monterey-Salinas Transit’s embattled SURF! project is now riding a wave toward approval. By David Schmalz County Supervisor Mary Adams, whose district includes Carmel Valley and Big Sur, has advocated for years to bring vacation rentals under control. His goal was to pull a victory from the jaws of bureaucratic defeat. Daniel Dreifuss Daniel Dreifuss
www.montereycountynow.com SEPTEMBER 5-11, 2024 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 9 The exclusive benefit gala featuring Michelin chefs returns to The Inn at Spanish Bay on Sunday, November 3 ARE YOU READY? Meals on Wheels of the Monterey Peninsula is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization Tax ID # 94-2157521 MOWMP.ORG/CLASSIQUE REGISTER TODAY EVENT GALLERY Memory Care with Compassion Inspire Connection (831) 718-9041 • merrillgardensmonterey.com 200 Iris Canyon Rd, Monterey, CA 93940 M O N T E R E Y Lic #275202591 Our Inspire Connection Program embodies what is important to you and your loved one. With our special approach designed for memory care, we create an atmosphere where residents continue to enjoy life one moment at a time. Call Today To Learn More
10 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY september 5-11, 2024 www.montereycountynow.com There are 24 school districts within Monterey County, and 12 of them are asking voters to approve 14 different bonds in the Nov. 5 election. While 14 may seem high, Monterey Peninsula Unified School District Superintendent PK Diffenbaugh isn’t surprised. He notes that beyond MPUSD—which is asking voters to approve Measure A for $340 million—districts have aging infrastructure. “We are now training kids for 21st-century challenges with facilities that were built in the 1900s,” he says. That is not exclusive to classrooms and technology; for example, the Monterey High School pool was built in the 1920s. “Unfortunately in California, there isn’t a dedicated funding stream for school facilities,” Diffenbaugh notes. In February, attorneys representing several groups including Building Healthy Communities - Monterey County, wrote to Gov. Gavin Newsom demanding changes to how school are funded, seeking greater equity. “We have been extremely disappointed by the state’s response to what is a very straightforward case of educational inequality. Given the lack of progress, we are actively considering next steps, which may include litigation,” counsel write by email. The local school bond measures are concurrent with Proposition 2, a statewide measure that, if approved, would provide $10 billion for school facilities; $8.5 billion would be for K-12. Diffenbaugh notes that might look like double dipping, but that if approved, larger school districts get the biggest pieces of the pie. “It’s not a system that benefits smaller districts,” he says. If approved, qualifying districts can apply for matching funds. MPUSD recently spent $9 million from Measure I, approved by voters in 2018, to renovate Crumpton Elementary in Marina; it’s on the district’s list to seek matching funds if Prop. 2 passes. MPUSD’s measure also calls for building staff housing, which administrators hope improves employee retention. On average, the district loses about 100 teachers every year. Salinas Union High School District voters will decide on Measure G, a $115 million measure. This comes four years after voters approved Measure W, which SUHSD used in part to develop 50 units of employee housing that opened in 2023. Pacific Grove Unified is asking voters to approve Measure B for $78 million to renovate and expand facilities. All of the 14 measures require 55-percent voter approval to pass. Capt. Mathias Roth likens the U.S. Navy’s previous computer system in Monterey that predicts the weather and ocean patterns to that of an iPhone 8. It still can do the job, but it’s about 6 years old, which in technology terms, might as well be from the stone age. On Aug. 28, the Fleet Numerical Meteorology and Oceanography Center (FNMOC), based in Monterey, celebrated the arrival of a new supercomputer after a three-year process from planning to implementation, and a partnership officials say will put the Navy on the cutting edge of technology to support its mission. FNMOC joined forces with Hewlett Packard Enterprise and M2 Technology to add a supercomputer known as an HPE Cray to its operations, which predicts weather conditions from the depth of the ocean to the tip of the atmosphere. Roth, who is the commanding officer of FNMOC, says the agreement between the Navy and the tech companies does away with the old model of procurement, where the Navy would buy new systems as it was able, often struggling to maintain older computers as well as making sure mismatched systems were compatible with each other. Now, the Navy can leverage its partnership with HPE and M2 to update its computers on a more frequent basis, Roth says, adding that they are all under one system, increasing efficiency and aiding staff. Sensors from around the world feed data into the supercomputers, which then create models that predict everything from wave heights in the ocean to water temperature, humidity and countless other variables. These models are shared across the entire Department of Defense, and used for global humanitarian assistance efforts, natural disaster relief, war-fighting and other purposes, such as for searchand-rescue operations in the Monterey Bay. “This is such a game-changer for us,” Roth says of the new supercomputer. “It’s huge for the Navy.” Bake Sale Local school districts are asking voters to approve 14 bond measures for upgrades. By Celia Jiménez news Government in Action Seaside City Council meets and accepts public comment. Let your elected officials know what issues you want them to address. 5pm Thursday, Sept. 5. Seaside City Hall, 440 Harcourt Ave., Seaside. Free. 899-6700, ci.seaside.ca.us. Human Needs The Monterey County Health, Housing and Human Services Committee meets to conduct regular business, as well as receive an update from the Department of Social Services on the Aging and Adult Services programs. 1pm Friday, Sept. 6. County of Monterey Government Center, Monterey Room, 168 West Alisal St., second floor, Salinas; District 3 Office, 599 El Camino Real, Greenfield; or via Zoom. Free. countyofmonterey.gov. Clean out the Closet The City of Soledad hosts its fourth annual City Wide Garage Sale from Sept. 14-15, and registration to be added on the map is approaching. Monday, Sept. 9 is the deadline to be added on the map; registration is not required to host a garage sale. Free. 223-5000, cityofsoledad.com. Coffee with the Boss The public is invited to coffee with Sand City Manager Vibeke Norgaard to discuss the latest happenings in the city. 10-11am Tuesday, Sept. 10. Sweet Elena’s, 465 Olympia Ave., Sand City. Free. 394-3054, sandcity.org. measure for measure Monterey voters will decide on three ballot measures this November to amend the city’s charter. Learn more about measures V, W, X and Y at this informational meeting. 6-7pm Wed, Sept. 11. Conference Center, 1 Portola Plaza, Monterey. Free. 646-3799, monterey.gov. Donate Blood Vitalant urges eligible donors to give blood at upcoming drives for National Preparedness Month. 1-5pm Thursday, Sept. 12 at Montage Health, Hartnell Professional Center, 576 Hartnell St., Monterey. 1-5pm Monday, Sept. 16 at Del Monte Shopping Center, Monterey. Free. Make an appointment at vitalant.org or 877258-4825. Turn it in Monterey County Sheriff’s Office partnered with the Inmar Intelligence Consumer Drug TakeBack Program to place containers for the public to safely dispose of unused or expired medications. Bins are located in the lobby of Sheriff’s Office locations at 1414 Natividad Road, Salinas; 1200 Aguajito Road, Monterey; 250 Franciscan Way, King City. Free. 755-3700, countyofmonterey.gov/sheriff. From Sea to Stars A new supercomputer in Monterey boosts the Navy’s ability to predict the weather. By Erik Chalhoub Work is still underway on MPUSD campuses such as Monterey High School, shown above, using funds approved from previous bonds in 2010 and 2018. e-mail: toolbox@montereycountynow.com TOOLBOX “Unfortunately, there isn’t a dedicated funding stream.” Daniel Dreifuss
www.montereycountynow.com September 5-11, 2024 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 11 In what could be a watershed moment in Monterey County health care, members of the state’s Office of Health Care Affordability Board signaled in a daylong meeting on Wednesday, Aug. 28 that they want to reign in high costs at the three main hospitals—Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula, Salinas Valley Health and Natividad. The meeting included emotional stories from people impacted by high hospital costs, as well as testimony with data outlining just how expensive the county’s hospitals are, presented by OHCA staff, Covered California, CalPERS and a university professor. By the end of the day, it was clear those hospitals will remain under scrutiny of the regulatory agency and could face strict spending limits in the future. Some board members raised the specter of forwarding future data to the California Attorney General’s Office to investigate whether there had been any antitrust activity among hospitals resulting in higher prices. Some of the data collected by OHCA staff stunned the audience in Seaside, the first time the board had met outside of Sacramento, motivated by workers who had trekked to the capital to speak at earlier meetings since last year. The audience was taken aback by hospital administrator salaries, which were found to be higher than those in the San Francisco Bay Area between 2018 and 2021. Multiple members of the audience could be heard uttering “wow” when a slide came up showing CHOMP administrators being paid $183 an hour in 2021, in comparison to the Bay Area average of $116 and the statewide average of $108. (Natividad’s hourly average for administrators was $97 in 2021; SVH’s was $114.) One OHCA board member later pointed out that executive salaries are probably a small percentage of hospital budgets. However, between 2018 and 2022, CHOMP and SVH had “significantly higher” operating margins than the statewide average. “Where does the money go?” asked board member Ian Lewis, policy director for Unite Here Local 2. The answer offered by staff and others was that it probably goes into reserves and endowments. Christopher Whaley of Brown University School of Public Health, who did his own study of the region’s hospital prices, suggested that it was market concentration by the three hospitals that was creating a high-price atmosphere. He rejected hospital officials’ arguments that they have to make up for the low rates paid by Medicare and Medi-Cal, as well as making up for uninsured patients who cannot pay. Montage Health, parent company of CHOMP, released a statement that included an admission by Mindy Maschmeyer, director of marketing and communications: “We recognize that health care costs are too high.” She said they are planning $50 million in cost reductions over the next 24 months, “which will allow us to lower our expenses and return those dollars to the community via lower rates.” They are also working on agreements with large employers and unions, she said. A longer version of this story appears online at montereycountynow.com. Market Watch Pricey Monterey County hospitals go under the microscope at a state hearing in Seaside. By Pam Marino Dozens of people filled the room for the OHCA board’s meeting at Embassy Suites in Seaside, many holding signs in English and Spanish about the high cost of health care locally. NEWS “Where does the money go?” DANIEL DREIFUSS FRESH. LOCAL. TASTY. Fisherman’s Wharf FRESHEST SEAFOOD with PANORAMIC VIEWS Open Daily at 11:30am • At the end of Fisherman’s Wharf #1 www.rockfishmonterey.com • 831.324.4375 carmel plaza • carmel-by-the-sea khakisofcarmel • 831.625.8106 shop fall arrivals
12 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY september 5-11, 2024 www.montereycountynow.com Keeping the Key It should be illegal for these nonprofit senior life care providers to convert to for-profit operations and evict residents (“P.G. Senior Living seeks to evict a 96-year-old tenant, despite her lifetime contract,” Aug. 22-28). Michelle McGurk | via social media So now she’s able to stay, as per the terms of her original contract (“Pacifica Senior Living reverses eviction of 96-year-old woman from its Pacific Grove facility,” posted Aug. 30). If this hadn’t created such a public stink the facility would have gotten away with it. Which tells me that in the past, they’ve pushed people out mercilessly. It’s truly criminal. Sandy O’Keefe Lalino | via social media The power of the press! Good job! Walter Wagner | Salinas Thank you, Monterey County Weekly, for publishing this. It’s about time this nation starts taking care of its elderly. Lina Vital | via social media Cost of Care I attended the [Office of Health Care Affordability] board meeting and can attest that Pam Marino’s article accurately describes what went down (“A state hearing about health care prices puts local hospitals under the microscope,” posted Aug. 30). The torrent of data and related commentary depicted, as reported, “market failure” in this region, resulting in the highest hospital charges in the state. The question is whether and how soon the board will act on this information. James Rice | Carmel Home Team I cannot speak as to whether the Weekly is biased regarding the housing plight in Monterey County (“Letters,” Aug. 29-Sept. 4). I can say that affordable housing is crystallizing now as the major issue facing Monterey County and much of California, as evidenced by a proposition on the November ballot trying to improve affordability by stabilizing rents statewide. In terms of your perception of the coverage, it’s certain that the most rent-burdened groups in Monterey County are the agricultural and hospitality labor populations. From my observation, these populations are receiving the lion’s share of the coverage. Rightfully so; their affordability plight is the most inequitable and abused, and as a result they have organized and are speaking up! The population of non-ag renters does not seem to be so organized. In terms of bringing more voices into the discussion, I have heard several local property managers and developers and Salinas Chamber of Commerce. They mention supply-and-demand imbalance, as well as the unintended consequences of rental caps, yet for some reason they are not convincing. As a result they do not seem to have a public following. Perhaps more tenant support, outreach and education is needed from outfits like the Monterey County Association of Realtors. Roy Campy | via web Tomorrow and Today I was surprised and a bit worried when I read the letter asking you to remove the cartoon “This Modern World” from your pages (“Letters,” Aug. 29-Sept. 4). Cartoonist Tom Tomorrow, like all good jesters, tackles issues and opinions that can upset some people, but are vital contributions to the discussion about America’s future. Your position in the public forum should include such offerings, which, like strong coffee, can agitate, but also impel to action. I hope you continue to find room for “This Modern World” and the controversies that are so vital to the future of our society. Bruce Merchant | Carmel Hanging History Thank you for letting us know about the opening of this wonderful exhibit at Colton Hall, which seems to me to be the perfect place for Pat Hathaway’s collection to be displayed (“A unique exhibit featuring historical photos of Monterey debuts at Colton Hall,” Aug. 29-Sept. 4). And a big thank you to all those involved in helping to preserve and share this long hidden gem of Monterey’s history. Derek Dean | Monterey Speed Limit You said out loud what many of us have been thinking (“The many variables make Car Week’s carbon footprint difficult to map,” posted Aug. 23). Why do the citizens of Monterey County spend a week either gridlocked in smoggy traffic or fleeing to escape just so people can descend upon us to worship automobiles? Why is it about automobiles? Why must it be here? Why don’t they have it in the middle of the desert somewhere? From what sources do these car people think the climate crisis emanates? Do they not know that the internal combustion engine makes pollution? We could do a lot better finding a worthwhile reason to celebrate and raise money for charitable causes. Margaret Lilley | Carmel You raise good questions that many locals ask themselves out loud to no one in particular—since it probably would make little difference even if we could calculate the environmental cost of the month-long events that now make up “Car Week.” Too much money is at stake. Too many special interests. There are other costs too, like the fact that vintage cars are exempted from EPA rules on unleaded gas. Or the possibility of fire. Overtime costs go up too for local law enforcement and fire department officials, subsidized by taxpayers, just like the tax breaks the event organizers get when they make “charitable” donations. I’ve lived here since the ’60s, and remember the excitement of the races at Laguna Seca, as well as the threeday Concours auction. I understand we’re dependent on tourism. But Car Week seems to become more intrusive every year, just as community concerns become less important. Christina Lund | Pacific Grove Swim Team What a lovely and inspiring article (“Samuel Anaya-Álvarez recently taught himself how to swim. Now, he’s training for the English Channel,” Aug. 29-Sept. 4). It brought a big smile to my face. Brita Bruemmer | Monterey 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 september 5-11, 2024 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 13 Back in 2015, a grassroots group of Monterey County residents launched a campaign, originating with a desire to ban fracking in Monterey County. It was a preemptive effort, as fracking has never been widely deployed in the San Ardo Oil Field. But when the Monterey County Board of Supervisors declined to implement a moratorium on fracking, it galvanized the group into action—they would take local land-use policy governing oil industry practices into their own hands. The group, called Protect Monterey County, authored a ballot measure that expanded beyond the original vision, and included a prohibition on new wastewater injection wells (a standard operating practice for the oil industry), and a ban on drilling new oil wells. In 2016, Protect Monterey County celebrated a landslide victory with 56 percent of the vote supporting Measure Z. Despite being outspent by the industry by a margin of about 33-to-1, their campaign prevailed. But then came a yearslong slog through the courts. A coalition—led by Chevron and including property owners who hold mineral rights and local school districts—sued, seeking to block implementation of Measure Z. Eventually, after taking their case all the way to the California Supreme Court in 2023, they lost. It was up to state regulators, not local government, to regulate oil and gas, the court ruled. Enter state lawmakers representing the region. Assemblymember Dawn Addis, D-Morro Bay, says the motivation to legislate a solution to this issue came from Monterey County constituents. And the battle, with a heavy presence of oil industry lobbying, repeated in Sacramento. Late on Saturday, Aug. 31, just about 10 minutes before midnight and before the year’s legislative session ended, state lawmakers passed Addis’ Assembly Bill 3233, which “would authorize a local entity, as defined, by ordinance, to limit or prohibit oil and gas operations or development in its jurisdiction.” In essence, the law enables local initiatives or ordinances like Measure Z, handing decision-making authority to local government. AB 3233 passed 46-15 off the Assembly floor, and 21-12 off the Senate floor. It’s an interesting moment when it comes to local versus state decisions about land use. There’s been lots of hand-wringing about housing goals set forth by the state, which is directing local jurisdictions to deliver on new units. I asked Addis what makes this different—isn’t it useful for the state to have consistent oversight? “This is not a controversial issue unless you’re in the oil and gas industry,” she says. “You have nurses, teachers, counties, an environmental coalition—a broad group of supporters—say, ‘We want to uplift the health and welfare of our communities.’ It was a surprise to many when Measure Z was overturned, and a dangerous precedent to overturn the will of the voters.” Since she was elected in 2022, Addis created a Central Coast Caucus, bringing together the 10 state senators and assemblymembers who represent five counties: Monterey, Santa Cruz, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara and Ventura. All 10 supported AB 3233. “When I got elected, one of my main goals was to make sure the Central Coast really had a voice in the Legislature,” Addis says. The bill isn’t law yet; it is still awaiting Gov. Gavin Newsom’s signature or veto. Even if it is chaptered into law, it may not yet be out of the woods on litigation. The opposition argument from the Western States Petroleum Association states, “By allowing local governments to adopt ordinances that may prohibit or significantly restrict an operator’s right to operate its existing oil and gas production wells or other facilities, AB 3233 has the potential to expose these local governments to significant liability. Operators hold valuable property rights in their existing operations.” If the bill does become law— and I hope it does—California’s oil-producing future will likely be a patchwork. Some counties will implement stronger restrictions; others will codify the right of industry to operate. What we do know is the landscape of the country’s third-largest oil- and gas-producing state, with over 242,000 wells, will look different. And it will be thanks to a group of local Monterey County residents. Sara Rubin is the Weekly’s editor. Reach her at sara@montereycountynow.com. Oiled Up Assemblymember Dawn Addis scores a big victory against Big Oil. By Sara Rubin Let Them Eat Cake…Squid recently came across a press release from the Soledad Community Health Care District labeled “Exciting News.” The “news” was that SCHCD CEO Ida Chan had been nominated for “CEO of the Year,” for the Association of California Healthcare Districts. It turns out nominations can come from an executive colleague or board member, which made the news less exciting and dubious at best. The press release said in her four years as CEO she had transformed the district into “a beacon of hope and progress.” For a district that is running at a deficit and where employees regularly complain about pay and work conditions, this seemed extremely dubious. On Aug. 30, SEIU 2015 announced that a majority of SCHCD workers voted to form a union. According to union leaders, workers want to bring attention to “unsustainable turnover,” low staffing levels and burned-out workers. They plan on negotiating for a “liveable wage, adequate health coverage, safe staffing and freedom from fear and repercussions.” On Aug. 27, Chan declared to her employees she won CEO of the Year, and everyone got cake. The kicker is that it’s possible her announcement was premature—the ACHD posted information about voting online before the final tally was tabulated. The winner will be announced on Sept. 25. Squid will be standing by, with cake, awaiting the result. Vote Count…Squid has been watching as the Democratic Party coalesces around the presidential race, but Squid usually doesn’t ooze too far from the lair, and prefers to keep Squid’s eyes on the Monterey County Democratic Central Committee. It’s endorsement season—“the most important work we do,” Chair Karen Araujo told members on Aug. 27, when they convened to make endorsements for the Nov. 5 election—so Squid is listening in. Endorsements are a matter of math (it takes 60 percent of voting members to get the party’s blessing), and first came a debate about the number of voting members, which requires them to be in good standing. State Sen. John Laird was paid up, but his alternate, Sean Edwards, who was appointed to represent Laird in case of an absence, was not—Edwards is completing a partial term vacated by former alternate Pris Walton, who had paid through the year. Advocating not to let Edwards vote was Alan Haffa: “We are a democracy, not an oligarchy,” he said. “Elected officials at the state level are no more important than other members of this body.” Others advocated to allow Edwards to vote on Laird’s behalf: “We are the party of allowing people the right to vote,” said Cristina Medina Dirksen. The dues rule was eventually overridden, but it didn’t matter anyway—almost every endorsement vote was a landslide, anyway. the local spin SQUID FRY THE MISSION OF MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY IS TO INSPIRE INDEPENDENT THINKING AND CONSCIOUS ACTION, ETC. “We want to uplift the health of our communities.” Send Squid a tip: squid@montereycountynow.com
14 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY SEPTEMBER 5-11, 2024 www.montereycountynow.com Town and Gown As CSUMB celebrates its 30th anniversary, it’s time to think ahead for the next 30 years. By Vanya Quiñones FORUM Last week, on Aug. 29, CSU Monterey Bay marked its 30th birthday. This milestone allows us to reflect on the impact we’ve had on our students and the community across three decades. Since our founding, we have graduated 30,000 students, many of whom have gone on to work in leading industries in our region and across the state. This birthday is a celebratory moment for us (we have an anniversary event planned on Oct. 12), and it is also a moment to consider how we need to evolve to stay relevant to students and to the community for the next 30 years, and beyond. We have heard the debates about the cost of a college education and its value. Earlier this year, the Pew Research Center published a report titled “Is College Worth It?” Nearly a third of respondents said they didn’t think it was. Yet I am a firm believer in the power of education to transform the lives of each student, as well as the families and communities around them. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, people with a bachelor’s degree earn about 60 percent more annually than those with just a high school degree, resulting in a lifetime of higher earnings. College graduates land higher-quality jobs with more benefits. Once in those jobs, they have more avenues to advance. And when ready to leave, they have more options—they have more social and career mobility. College graduates experience lower incarceration rates, and less poverty and unemployment. But it’s not just about career achievement and earnings. College degree holders experience greater well-being, security, health, and maybe even happiness, according to the National Institutes of Health. The true value of a university education is that it allows students an opportunity to challenge themselves and step out of their comfort zone—in a space with a strong network of people dedicated to their success. College graduates learn to think critically, to be engaged citizens and to be adaptable in a world that continues to move at an ever-faster pace. At CSUMB, at least half of our students are first-generation, 66 percent receive full tuition from non-loan sources, and we ranked No. 50 in the nation for graduating the most Hispanic students. A CSUMB education provides social mobility to our students. The only way CSUMB will be successful as we embark on this next decade of our institution will be through deepening our collaboration and connections in our community. As a university, we are looking to evolve our programs to ensure we are meeting the needs of our regional and state economies, seeking partnerships that will allow us to provide more internships for our students, and providing clear career pathways and outcomes for our graduates. While we are still a young institution, it is critical that we think ahead and continue adapting to best serve our students in an ever-evolving economic landscape. Vanya Quiñones is the president of California State University, Monterey Bay. She is also a neurobiologist, biopsychologist and noted researcher. OPINION A CSUMB education provides social mobility. 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 ♦ 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
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