10 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY october 3-9, 2024 www.montereycountynow.com At any home game of Monterey Bay F.C. at Cardinale Stadium, fans fill the bleachers. There is one fan no one can miss: Dan Devlin, known as Superfan Dan. He stands out with a colorful hat and rainbow cape and fires up the crowd with his portable drum and leads chants of “Let’s go Union,” or the call and response “MB!” “FC!” He also leads a parade of the youngest fans around the stadium, part of the experience for many of the children who attend games. For the past few weeks, the spirit at the stadium has been duller. On one hand, the team is facing the worst outcome since its inception, with seven wins, nine draws and 14 losses so far in its third season. The losing streak prompted changes on the coaching staff; MBFC parted ways with head coach Frank Yallop and hired Jordan Stewart in August to replace him. Despite the changes, the team’s performance has not improved. That dampened the moods of some fans, but so has Devlin’s presence. While he has still attended home games, he was missing his colorful costume and drum at two. He wore regular clothing and stayed in the stands until Sept. 28, when he was back, but in a more muted form. This odd behavior has sparked controversy among fans wondering why he wasn’t energizing the spirit at the stadium. Some have been showing up to games wearing T-shirts with the slogan “I stand with Superfan Dan.” Some regulars are even starting to wonder if it will be worth it to buy season tickets for next year. Devlin declines to speak about the circumstances that led him to the sidelines, and MBFC officials are vague in their explanations. On Sept. 26, MBFC released a statement calling it a misunderstanding. “Superfan Dan has always had the support of the club,” it read. According to MBFC, no one from the club has shared negative remarks about Devlin and his fandom, and MBFC leaders have talked to him. The team claims a third party “made terrible, untrue and unsubstantiated claims from the club towards Superfan Dan,” a spokesperson writes via email. “The club fully supports and enjoys the Superfan Dan parade and the excitement that it brings to our young fans each home match,” MBFC adds. MBFC’s regular season ends on Oct. 26. Their next game takes place on Oct. 4 against Phoenix Rising FC in Arizona. Just one home game, against Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC, remains on the calendar for this season, on Saturday, Oct. 19. On Sept. 24, the board of Salinas Union High School District unanimously approved contracts for two top administrators. There’s Zandra Jo Galván, the newly hired superintendent, who brings 31 years of experience in education, most recently eight years as the superintendent of Greenfield Union School District. There’s also Dan Burns, the newly retired SUHSD superintendent, who will continue in a leadership role on “special assignment.” “This [special] assignment will support the elimination of multiple outside consultants, saving a district over $300,000 each year,” Board President Tracy Filice said during the meeting. In these two roles combined, the district will spend $615,172. Burns will continue with his current salary, $307,172 annually for three years, while Galván will earn $308,000 per year, also on a three-year contract. These salaries raised questions at Salinas Valley Federation of Teachers. The union is now beginning negotiations, and President Kati Bassler indicated in a letter to members that it will be a talking point. “Yes, you have read that correctly—$615,000 in salary for two people to do the work of one,” she wrote. Burns announced last spring he would step down, citing a health issue. During his eight-year tenure, Burns oversaw the construction and opening of Rancho San Juan High School, built wellness centers on campuses across the district and faced several race-related controversies that brought the district national media attention after a video showed students stomping on or posing with a mutilated Black doll. In his new role, Burns will help with the leadership transition, represent the district at state meetings and advise the district on staff and facilities needs. Galván’s position includes making recommendations to the board on personnel matters, and dayto-day management. “I can’t wait to listen and learn from our Spanishspeaking community as well as our English-speaking communities and agencies,” Galván said to the board. Fan Club Monterey Bay F.C.’s Superfan Dan is on the bench, infuriating regulars. By Celia Jiménez news Marine Matters Candidates running for Congress, State Senate and State Assembly will respond to questions about marine science and policy at the Ocean Candidates Forum. 5-8pm Thursday, Oct. 3. CSU Monterey Bay, Otter Student Union Ballroom, 3118 Inter-Garrison Road, Seaside. Free. RSVP at bit.ly/4dn8E4s. Shape the Future The City of Soledad hosts a workshop on its 2045 General Plan. The public is invited to assist in decisions about future growth. 5:30-7:30pm Thursday, Oct. 3. Soledad Community Center, 560 Walker Drive, Soledad. Free. soledadgeneralplan2045.com. Assisting Landlords Housing Resource Center of Monterey County hosts a workshop for landlords. The event covers how landlords can work with nonprofits to benefit both tenants and property owners. 6-7:30pm Thursday, Oct. 3. Pacific Grove Community Center, Lebeck Room, 515 Junipero Ave., Pacific Grove. Free. davidf@hrcmc.org. Promoting Peace The annual March for Peace remembers those who died due to violence. Following the march will be entertainment, food and resources. 1-4pm Saturday, Oct. 5. March begins at Vineyard Church, 1122 E. Alisal St., Salinas; ends at Closter Park, 401 Towt St., Salinas. Free. 758-7396, cityofsalinas.org. Careers in Ag CSU Monterey Bay, the GrowerShipper Foundation and Western Growers invite ag industry professionals and job seekers to a forum and job fair. 11:30am-4pm Monday, Oct. 7. CSUMB Otter Student Union, 3118 InterGarrison Road, Seaside. Free. csumb. edu/greatervision. Meet the Candidates Candidates for Pacific Grove mayor and city council take part in a forum moderated by students and the League of Women Voters. 6-8pm Tuesday, Oct. 8. Robert H. Down School Ottertorium, 485 Pine Ave., Pacific Grove. Free. my.lwv.org/california/monterey-county. Pros and Cons League of Women Voters of Monterey County presents a talk titled “California State Ballot Propositions Pro and Con.” Marilyn Maxner and Marianne Gawain present arguments for and against the 10 California state ballot propositions for the Nov. 5 election. 11:30am Wednesday, Oct. 9. Unitarian Universalist Church, 490 Aguajito Road, Carmel. $25/lunch; free/presentation. 236-1611, beverlygb@gmail. com. Double Pay Salinas Union High School District will spend over a half-million dollars on two leadership roles. By Celia Jiménez Dan Devlin, aka Superfan Dan, is a regular presence at MBFC home games. But for two of the past three games, he attended as a regular audience member, minus the cheer. e-mail: toolbox@montereycountynow.com TOOLBOX “Superfan Dan has always had the support of the club.” Daniel Dreifuss
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