november 7-13, 2024 montereycountynow.com LOCAL & INDEPENDENT Local election results 8 | master of Mushrooms 26 | Rethinking mental health 32 First Place General Excellence • 2024 CA Journalism Awards • Throughout her career, Belle Yang has channeled suffering into beautiful paintings. Now, she is ready to reveal her secrets. p. 16 By Agata Pope˛da Portrait of an Artist
2 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY november 7-13, 2024 www.montereycountynow.com november 7-13, 2024 • ISSUE #1893 • Established in 1988 Mike Sheehan (Nikon D850 / 600mm) A flock of turkeys parades around in Prunedale with a bit of fanfare for turkey season. Monterey County photo of the week Send Etc. submissions to etcphoto@montereycountynow.com; please include caption and camera info. On the cover: Artist Belle Yang, with her parrot, Ruby, at her house in Carmel. It has been her home, her refuge, her studio and also her father’s art studio—he posthumously now shares an exhibit with her at Monterey Museum of Art. 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 Katie Rodriguez (California Local News Fellow) katie@montereycountynow.com (x102) Staff Writer David Schmalz david@montereycountynow.com (x104) Staff photographer Daniel Dreifuss daniel@montereycountynow.com (x140) 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 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
www.montereycountynow.com NOVEMBER 7-13, 2024 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 3 Salinas Valley Health General Surgery | 236 San Jose Street, Salinas | 831-424-7389 Accepting New Patients! Call 831-757-DOCS or our clinic for more information. QUALITY HEALTHCARE DELIVERED LOCALLY FOR EVERYONE SalinasValleyHealth.com INTRODUCING MARK HEALY, MD, MSc • Offers patients the best and most current data-driven cancer treatments while setting clear and appropriate expectations of results • Provides highly skilled surgical care to remove or treat cancers of the stomach, liver, gallbladder, bile duct, pancreas, small intestine, spleen and colon • Delivers expert surgical treatment for neuroendocrine tumors, peritoneal malignancies, melanoma, soft tissue sarcomas and retroperitoneal sarcomas FELLOWSHIP The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center Houston, TX University of Michigan Center for Healthcare Outcomes and Policy Ann Arbor, MI RESIDENCY & INTERNSHIP University of Michigan Ann Arbor, MI MEDICAL EDUCATION University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine Chicago, IL Specializing in Surgical Oncology Dr. Healy is a cancer surgeon who strives to provide patients with the most advanced and personalized treatment available. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
4 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY November 7-13, 2024 www.montereycountynow.com THE BUZZ FREE SPEECH California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo agreed to a settlement on Nov. 1 with a student journalist who filed a Public Records Act lawsuit earlier this year. In 2022, Elizabeth Wilson, a journalist at Cal Poly’s student paper, Mustang News, was researching stories about sexual assault and labor violations alleged by student employees. She filed three public records requests for emails and other documents from administrators, but when she followed up after months of no communication, Cal Poly officials “assured” her that they were processing her request, according to the suit, which she filed in April 2024. Cal Poly released 236 emails to Wilson in July. The settlement requires Cal Poly to hold a training session for staff who process public records requests, as well as gives Mustang News reporters the opportunity to meet with records staff every academic term for the next three years. “I’m so pleased Cal Poly has agreed to a settlement, but it shouldn’t have required a lawsuit to assert my—and the Cal Poly community’s—right to this information,” Wilson said in a press release. Good: On Oct. 23, the board of the Transportation Agency for Monterey County voted unanimously to approve funding a pilot study with Caltrans to install adaptive AI technology to all nine traffic signals along Highway 68 between Josselyn Canyon and San Benancio roads. TAMC staff had proposed to the board to start with just four signals in order to expedite the launch of the study. The cost, which will come from Measure X funds, is estimated to be less than $500,000, while doing just four would have cost up to $300,000. The idea behind the initiative is to see how much of a substantive impact the AI signals will have on mitigating traffic— reducing travel times and greenhouse gas emissions—and how it would compare to TAMC’s proposal to add nine roundabouts to those intersections, which is estimated to cost at least $210 million. GREAT: More than $6.2 million is on its way to the region for housing and homelessness programs through the state’s Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention program, part of $827 million heading to 37 grantees across the state, the Governor’s Office announced on Oct. 29. The County of Monterey was awarded $2.5 million; Coalition of Homeless Services Providers, which coordinates services in Monterey and San Benito counties, was awarded $3.1 million; and San Benito County is set to receive over $496,000. The funds will be used for rapid rehousing, subsidized housing, shelter services, street outreach, service coordination and administrative costs. Gov. Gavin Newsom said the money is tied to stronger accountability and reporting requirements. “These new funds represent the hard work, accountability and strategic planning needed to address homelessness with real, long-lasting results,” Newsom said. GOOD WEEK / GREAT WEEK THE WEEKLY TALLY The acre-feet of water pumped into Cal Am’s service area in the greater Monterey Peninsula this past water year, which ended Sept. 30, to meet customer demand. It’s the first time since 1977—a drought year with water rationing—the number has dipped under 9,000 acre-feet; prior to that, the last year was 1957. Source: Monterey Peninsula Water Management District 8,972 QUOTE OF THE WEEK “Even if we cry a little bit or feel sad, we also are feeling that our loved ones are at peace.” -Esmeralda Montenegro of Salinas, reflecting on Día de los Muertos (see story, montereycountynow.com). DR. BRYNIE KAPLAN DAU, MS, DVM COMPASSIONATE CARE WITH EXCEPTIONAL MEDICINE. 1023 Austin Avenue, Pacific Grove • 831-318-0306 www.pacificgroveanimalhospital.com VOTED MONTEREY COUNTY’S BEST VETERINARIAN FOUR YEARS IN A ROW! ’23 ’24 ’22 ’21 SURGERY DERMATOLOGY FELINE & CANINE MEDICINE PET BOARDING PREVENTATIVE CARE REGENERATIVE MEDICINE PRP (PLATELET-RICH PLASMA) LASER THERAPY EXOTICS AND MUCH MORE ♥ PeoPle are Shopping LOCAL this holiday season ♥ For more info call (831) 394-5656 or email sales@montereycountynow.com invite Weekly readers to your business. advertise in our Shop Local Guides
www.montereycountynow.com NOVEMBER 7-13, 2024 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 5 World Affairs Council of the Monterey Bay Area November Event The Story of GPS How the Global Positioning System transformed life on earth for 8 billion people and 195 nation states. Tuesday, November 19 Dr. Bradford Parkinson Co-Director, Stanford Center for Position, Navigation, and Time GPS, originally Navstar GPS, is a satellite-based radio navigation system owned by the United States Space Force. Beyond helping you in your car each day, GPS provides critical positioning capabilities to military, civil, and commercial users around the world. In many surprising ways, GPS has transformed life on our planet. Dr. Bradford Parkinson, is a world renowned American engineer and inventor widely known as the “Father of GPS.” He will discuss the development of the Global Positioning System and its international applications. www.wacmb.org or call (831) 643-1855 11:30 am Registration • 12 pm Luncheon • 12:45 pm Speaker Presentation Reservations Required • Deadline is Tuesday, November 12 $55 for members • $65 for guests WACMB will accept auditors to this event Monterey Marriott, 350 Calle Principal, Monterey Visit our website www.wacmb.org for information and reservations
6 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY NOVEMBER 7-13, 2024 www.montereycountynow.com 831 The San Antonio Valley Historical Association keeps history alive in South Monterey County by attracting enthusiasts from across the county and neighboring areas. It does this by offering tours to different places in the region, as well as sharing old photographs and stories of residents who lived in the area. SAVHA formed in 1968, when a group of residents came together with the goal to save Dutton Hotel, a two-story adobe in Jolon that was a stagecoach station on Camino Real—a 600-mile route that connected the 21 missions in California, where travelers from San Diego and San Francisco stopped to rest. The group didn’t save the hotel (its remains can still be seen), but it was the beginning of a historical association that has spent time and resources to make sure local history is shared and preserved for generations to come. For a long time, the focus on the organization was on the San Antonio Valley. “Jolon was at one point in time almost one of the largest towns in central California back in the mission days,” says Paul Getzelman, SAVHA’s president. “But that’s not the whole of the historical value of South County, so we’re just trying to include more.” In recent times, the group has expanded its scope to include a larger portion of South Monterey County, including Greenfield, King City, Jolon Valley, San Ardo and San Lucas. “There’s so much more history in this area to be explored,” Getzelman says. All SAVHA members, including those working on any historical project, are volunteers. “I’m still recruiting people as I can find them, who are interested in history and would like to contribute [to] projects,” Getzelman says. He’s trying to broaden the range of historical projects and people who collect historical information. For instance, the group has an oral history archive with recordings that date as far as 1971. “What inspired me the most about this organization is that about 40 years ago, they made a sincere effort to interview and record old-timers, and so they have about 50 interviews that were recorded,” says Karen Jernigan. She and her husband, John Jernigan, are both members of SAVHA and they lead history tours in King City. Jernigan says there is a lot of information people can learn from these recordings. Nowadays, the Jernigans are leading the effort to continue this work by interviewing new people and digitizing old interviews. These interviews are also accessible at the King City branch library. Interviews, old and new, include Wilma Rose, a King City resident who lived on Bassett Street; Darnene Maggini, a Bitterwater resident; and Ernest Clement, a rancher who farmed Spreckels sugar land and died in 2023. “We just want to make sure that those memories are available to the future generations,” says Patricia Woodfill, SAVHA’s photo archivist. For the past five years, SAVHA has invested in digitizing the King City Rustler, a newspaper that has been around since 1901, and making it part of the California Digital Newspaper Collection, a project of the Center for Bibliographical Studies and Research at UC Riverside. So far, the issues from 1901 to 1948 have been digitized. “It’s free to anybody that wants to get on there and search, so it’s great for history,” Jernigan says. There is also a large photo collection available on SAVHA’s website including painted caves, agriculture, people and churches. SAVHA’s physical collection is at the Monterey County Agricultural & Rural Life Museum in King City. Woodfill says many documents and photos in the archive come from donations. “SAVHA has one-of-a-kind images,” Woodfill notes. “A lot of people just drive by these historical buildings, but they don’t know anything about them. SAVHA is trying to promote [local history] and preserve [it] for future generations so that they can connect with the past.” San Antonio Valley Historical Association hosts its annual fundraising event and fall lecture, “Fall at Hesperia Hall,” at 11:30am Saturday, Nov. 16. Hesperia Hall, 51602 Hesperia Hall Road, Bradley. Reservation required by Nov. 8. $20/members; $25/nonmembers. (805) 472-2780, savha.org. Living History A local historical association shares and safeguards the history that shaped South Monterey County. By Celia Jiménez During a San Antonio Valley Historical Association tour earlier in 2024, the group stopped at Tully Hall, a historical building built before 1900 which has been a school, Grange Hall and community center in Bitterwater. “There’s so much history in this area to be explored.” TALES FROM THE AREA CODE CELIA JIMÉNEZ
www.montereycountynow.com NOVEMBER 7-13, 2024 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 7 CELEBRATE THANKSGIVING Join us at The Monterey Plaza Hotel & Spa for a bountiful buffet of seasonal favorites specially prepared by Chef Michael Rotondo on Thanksgiving Day, or take home one of our thoughtfully prepared dinners available for pickup throughout the week. Thanksgiving Day Buffet 1pm - 7pm 400 Cannery Row, Monterey montereyplazahotel.com Thanksgiving-To-Go Pick up 10am - 1pm For reservations and to order To-Go montereyplazahotel.com/dining/thanksgiving-dining $135 ADULTS $49 CHILDREN (Ages 6-13; free under 6) $365FOR A DINNER SERVING 6 GUESTS Order by Sunday, November 19
8 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY november 7-13, 2024 www.montereycountynow.com news Minutes after 8pm on Tuesday, Nov. 5, Seaside City Councilmember Alex Miller thrust a fist into the air. “Yes,” he exclaimed. “We’re up 300 votes. Pop the Champagne, spray it all over the house.” The house was not his. But the issue–Seaside’s ballot measure CC, to ban the sale of “safe and sane” fireworks in the city–was a contentious issue he initially brought before the council. In early results, 52.8 percent of voters favored the ban. Updated results, as of 8am on Nov. 6, showed a smaller margin, 50.8 percent, but it appears the measure will prevail. Otherwise, election night in Seaside was without drama. According to the count as of 8am Wednesday, Nov. 6, incumbent mayor Ian Oglesby held a commanding lead with 57 percent of the vote. Challengers Dennis Volk captured 27 percent and Karla Lobo 14 percent. It was a good night to be an incumbent in Seaside. With two City Council seats open, existing councilmembers Dave Pacheco (41 percent) and Alexis Garcia-Arrazola (26 percent) held clear edges over Diana Ingersoll and Shanda LeBoeuf. The issue of illegal fireworks was on the minds of many Seaside voters. On the campaign trail, Pacheco noted that voters were concerned first with a candidate’s general political philosophy and second with their thoughts on fireworks. Another measure on the ballot—BB—that would extend the mayor’s term from two to four years met with approval to the tune of 57.7 percent, as of 8am on Wednesday, Nov. 6. While votes are still being tallied, for some, the campaign is over. Pacheco, who spent a quiet night with family on Tuesday evening, says he plans a relaxing outing following Election Day. “I’m going on a boat ride in Elkhorn Slough,” he says. “I’ve never done that before–relax and look at sea otters.” Boom Ban Incumbents sail to victory in Seaside council races, and voters approve a fireworks ban. By Dave Faries Gloria De La Rosa knows how to throw a party. To the sound of live mariachi, TexMex and cumbia music, she awaits the results of the Nov. 5 election. Even before the results come in, the atmosphere is festive with drinks flowing and supporters dancing on the dance floor at 201 Main in downtown Salinas. When the results do come in, they show De La Rosa in the lead in a three-way race for Salinas City Council District 4—a seat she previously occupied for 22 years before retiring and endorsing Orlando Osornio as her successor. Osornio was elected in 2020, and now De La Rosa is challenging him—successfully—for her old position. Early election results show De La Rosa leading with 44 percent of the vote, or 1,124 votes; Osornio is in second with 38 percent, or 979 votes; and in third is Albert Lomeli with 18 percent (471 votes). De La Rosa is not the only former Salinas councilmember to win a previous seat this election. Dennis Donohue gathered with a small group of about 25 supporters at a Mountain Mike’s Pizza. Early results showed him with a commanding victory in a three-way race, with 60 percent of the vote, or 12,368 votes, followed by Chris Barrera with 26 percent (5,405 votes), and Ernesto González García, with 13 percent or 2,809 votes, as of 8am Nov. 6. “It was more than I anticipated in terms of initial percentages so I was delighted to see that,” Donohue says. Despite the margin, Barrera is optimistic on Tuesday night: “We still have ballots to count,” he says. Current Mayor Kimbley Craig did not seek re-election, and endorsed Donohue as her successor. “People understand that we are a growing city. It’s important to make sure that we have a broad perspective (farmworkers, businessmen, renters, etc.) on the city council,” Craig says. “With these early results, [they] have indicated they want a change.” That applies not just in District 4, but across the board. District 6 incumbent Anthony Rocha was losing by a large margin to challenger Aurelio Salazar, Jr.; District 4 incumbent Jesus Valenzuela was trailing in third place, with Margaret D’Arrigo nabbing victory with a healthy lead of 59 percent in a four-way contest; and in District 1, an open seat, Alex Ayala was trailing Jose Luis Barajas by 50 votes as of 8am Wednesday. D’Arrigo was celebrating just down the street from De La Rosa on election night, with live music, wine and a large charcuterie board at Portobello’s. The lineup of likely winners signals a different direction for council, returning to a more moderate politics than the current council that has leaned far left, including approving controversial policies like rent control. If the results hold, Barrera says he hopes the council works as a team. “They must work together for the betterment of Salinas and for all Salinans,” he says. Dennis Donohue, center, looks at election results showing him with a massive lead for mayor. Current Mayor Kimbley Craig, left, shares the celebration. Shake Up Preliminary results show a dramatic change of direction at Salinas City Council, with incumbent ousters. By Celia Jiménez and Agata Pop˛eda Seaside Mayor Ian Oglesby talks to supporters at his election night party at Deja Blue in Seaside. Oglesby is sailing to victory over two challengers. “They have indicated they want a change.” celia jiménez Daniel Dreifuss
www.montereycountynow.com NOVEMBER 7-13, 2024 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 9 PROGRAMS FOR ALL AGES ALL YEAR LONG! THE CITY OF MONTEREY FOR MORE INFO + REGISTRATION MONTEREY.GOV/REC (831) 646-3866 SCAN ME! play! MONTEREY PRESCHOOL ADULT & SENIOR PROGRAMS ADULT SPORTS LEAGUES GYMNASTICS YOUTH DANCE CLASSES SCHOOL BREAK & SUMMER CAMPS YOUTH SPORTS LEAGUES & CAMPS AND MUCH MORE! TransformativeJusticeCenter.org The Transformation Justice Center 439 Tyler Street, Monterey Thursday, November 14 • 4:30-6pm Followed by a discussion panel of formerly incarcerated individuals sharing their lives pre, during, and post imprisonment. Contact: Megan McDrew ~ 831.220.4141 TransformativeJusticeCenter.org We have created a space for incarcerated voices where the public can learn about Empathy in Action, a program that brings people into CTF Soledad weekly. Enjoy artwork, crafts, poetry and literature created by currently incarcerated folks. Watch videos of the incarcerated talk about their lives and experiences inside the pen, and step inside a real 6x9 prison cell with the sounds of the prison echoing around you. It’s an experience not to be missed! Thanksgiving Meal pick ups are available on both Tuesday 11/26 and Wednesday 11/27. THANKSGIVING MENU $130 PER TICKET (TICKET FEEDS TWO PEOPLE) OVEN-ROASTED TURKEY BREAST seasoned with Orange, Black Pepper & Cinnamon (GF, DF) ROASTED TURKEY GRAVY (GF, CONTAINS DAIRY) APPLE-SAGE STUFFING (CONTAINS GLUTEN, EGGS, BUTTER) (NOT VEGETARIAN) STRING BEAN CASSEROLE with Shiitake Miso Cream Sauce & Crispy Shallots (GF, VEGETARIAN, CONTAINS SOY) GINGERED SWEET POTATO CASSEROLE (GF, CONTAINS DAIRY) RAW CRANBERRY-ORANGE RELISH (GF, VEGAN) BUTTERMILK-WHIPPED POTATOES (GF, CONTAINS DAIRY) DINNER ROLLS served with Sorghum-Pumpkin Butter (CONTAINS GLUTEN & DAIRY) To place your order visit www.elroysfinefoods.com or scan this QR CODE! Quantities are limited, so order soon! LIMITED QUANTITIES, SO PLEASE ORDER SOON! Organic, Free-Range & Heritage Turkeys available for pre-order! Please call or visit our Meat Department to place your order now. @ELROYSFINEFOODS WWW.ELROYSFINEFOODS.COM 15 SOLEDAD DRIVE (831) 373-3737 MONTEREY, CA 93940 LET Elroy’s Prepare YOUR THANKSGIVING DINNER. DON’T Wing IT This Thanksgiving.
10 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY novmber 7-13, 2024 www.montereycountynow.com Approaching Monterey around 7:30pm on election night, the crescent moon, waxing at 17 percent, hangs over the horizon like a rust-hued sickle. The power was knocked out for at least 5,000 customers in Monterey and Pacific Grove, but it remained on in New Monterey, where at Oscar’s Playground a slate of City Council candidates—Tyller Williamson, Gino Garcia and Eric Palmer—are hosting their election night party. The atmosphere is lively. There’s a live band with four female, local high school students—Three Twenty-Five, they’re called—and they are crushing a cover of Fleetwood Mac’s “Dreams.” The place is packed, about 50 people talking excitedly, but a latent tension hangs in the air as results of the national election play on three screens. But the attendees are here for this election, and they joyously greet the candidates they’re there to support: Mayor Williamson, who is running for reelection; Garcia, an appointed councilmember now running for District 4; and Palmer, a former city employee running for District 3. In front of a cloud of balloons, Williamson is standing for photos with many of his supporters, who include Rep. Jimmy Panetta, D-Carmel Valley, and former state senator Bill Monning. When the results come in just after 8pm, Palmer takes the mic and announces them: Garcia was up 54-46 over challenger Brian Perez, eliciting cheers. Then Palmer announces the results of his race against Jean Rasch—both are first-time candidates vying for an open seat. Not thrilled, he says he’s down 13 votes. “Boo!” come cries from the crowd. “You got this!” Next comes Williamson’s race against challenger Monique Kaldy— Williamson has 68 percent of the vote, and cheers erupt. Williamson says, “I’m excited. It is very much in alignment with conversations with residents I had throughout the campaign. I think it gives reaffirmation toward the work we’ve been doing on the council to keep moving Monterey forward in a positive direction.” Rasch is having a party at Sarita’s restaurant, which is also lively. As of 8am Wednesday, Nov. 6, her lead was up slightly, to an 18-vote edge. Kaldy, who was at home, lost power around 6:43pm. Just minutes earlier, she was asked by the Weekly, as part of a slate of prepared Election Day questions, whether she believed in ghosts. She said no. She texted a few minutes later, after her power went out, saying that she had changed her mind. Hopes were high, but so were nerves, early in the evening on Tuesday, Nov. 5, Election Day. At the Center for Change in Seaside, the Monterey County Democratic Party’s headquarters, volunteers gathered for food and wine and to watch MSNBC projected on the wall. “I’m super nervous,” says Elena Loomis. “I have to have a female president for my grandchildren, and in my lifetime.” She adds that she took her granddaughter with her to the voting booth earlier—a granddaughter who was born on Nov. 16, 2016, just after Donald Trump was elected for the first time. Windsor Lindor of Monterey arrives with his poodle, Xena. He’s here mostly to support his wife, Rebecca Lindor, a candidate for Monterey Peninsula Water Management District board of directors (who won her race handily). “I’ve seen so many people voting for Trump, it just breaks my heart,” he says. “It’s about democracy, it’s about truth. People are angry.” A Seaside family arrives for their first-ever political watch party, after getting roped into working on politics. Sharmisa Taylor, an English teacher in Salinas, got involved canvassing in that city for city council and school board candidates, and for Kamala Harris. Her family—husband David Torres, and their teenage children, Cameron and Shae—joined in at the Democratic headquarters. “It’s the first time we got involved,” Torres says. “This election is important for us. We believe in change. Trump said he was going to drain the swamp, but all he did was add to the swamp.” As newscasters called various races (such as Ted Cruz clinching the Senate seat for Texas), the room erupted in boos. For this groups, the bad news trickled in all evening, with swing state after swing state called for Trump. By the next morning, it was clear Trump had won, even as counting continues. As of 8am Nov. 6, the Monterey County Elections Department count showed that locally, 53,914 voters cast their ballot in support of Harris, and 26,596 voted for Trump. Sit In Early Monterey results show incumbents winning, with District 3 too close to call. By David Schmalz news Boosting Business Monterey County Business Council presents the inaugural Central Coast Procurement Expo. The event includes networking and workshops on contracting opportunities. 9am-3pm Thursday, Nov. 7. National Steinbeck Center, 1 Main St., Salinas. Free. mcbc.biz. Health Matters Monterey County Behavioral Health hosts a community listening session on the proposed Mental Health Rehabilitation Center adjacent to the Natividad Medical Center Campus in Salinas. 6pm Thursday, Nov. 7. Alisal Integrated Health Center, 331 North Sanborn Road, Salinas; or via Zoom at montereycty.zoom.us/j/92325403820. Free. Environmental Review The County of Monterey’s Housing and Community Development Department invites the public to share input on environmental topics to include in the Housing Element’s environmental impact report. 6-7:30pm Thursday, Nov. 7. Virtual via Zoom. Free. montereycty.zoom. us/j/94189045104. Building a Legacy Monterey Bay Chinese Association hosts a fundraiser for a pavilion and garden to honor Chinese immigrants in Pacific Grove’s history. 6-9pm Saturday, Nov. 9. Chef Lee’s Mandarin House, 2031 N. Fremont St., Monterey. $100. ruiqi.ma@att.net, montereychineseassociation.org. Salute to Veterans Honor those who served during a Veterans Day ceremony. 10:30am Monday, Nov. 11. California Central Coast Veterans Cemetery, 2900 Parker Flats Road, Seaside. Free. Seasonal Coping Hospice Giving Foundation hosts a presentation in Spanish about how to manage feelings of grief and loss during the holiday season. 5-6:30pm Wednesday, Nov. 13. Cesar Chavez Library, BHC Room, 615 Williams Road, Salinas. Free. hospicegiving.org/talleres-en-espanol. Funds for Fish The County of Monterey seeks applications for the Fish and Game Propagation Grant Program. The funds are geared toward projects that protect, preserve, enhance and promote fish and wildlife resources in the county. Deadline is 5pm Nov. 17. Free. 7554985, bit.ly/4feLqPC. Behind the Scenes The registration deadline is approaching for Monterey Police’s Community Police Academy. Deadline is Nov. 30. Free. 646-3805, krichard@monterey.gov. Red Tide Local Democrats were optimistic about a Harris victory, only to see Trump as the likely victor. By Sara Rubin After serving his first two-year term as mayor, Tyller Williamson, right, is on a glide path to reelection with 68 percent of the vote as of 8am Wednesday, Nov. 6. e-mail: toolbox@montereycountynow.com TOOLBOX “It gives reaffirmation to keep moving Monterey forward.” Daniel Dreifuss
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12 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY November 7-13, 2024 www.montereycountynow.com Fittingly, in a town known for having more restaurants per capita than any other small city in America, many Carmel City Council candidates held their election watch parties at local eateries with the exception of Mayor Dave Potter and challenger Jeff Baron, who retreated to the comfort of their homes to watch the numbers roll in on election night, Nov. 5. Foreshadowing, perhaps. Dale Byrne, the only mayoral candidate to host a gathering, met with supporters at Anton & Michel restaurant on Mission Street and 7th Avenue. Guests, many affiliated with Carmel Cares, began arriving around 7:30pm. Conversations swirled about power outages possibly affecting polling stations in P.G. and Monterey (they did not), while others focused on the national results as battleground states were called. To calm their nerves—and add to the celebration—many sipped “Dale-tinis,” apple-cosmopolitan martinis crafted especially for the occasion. While Potter ran unopposed in the last election, this year he faced two challengers. He had hoped to complete one last term. Baron, a current midterm councilmember frustrated with the pace of problem-solving, advocated for practical changes like introducing street addresses. Byrne, though inexperienced in politics, brought experience working with the city through Carmel Cares, a nonprofit dedicated to beautifying the town. Byrne and his wife Margaret entered the night energized and excited, sitting in the corner with their two dogs, greeting people as they walked in. “I’m feeling pretty darn hopeful,” Byrne says. “I think he’s gonna win, I believe we’re in good shape,” adds Margaret. As Byrne checks the initial numbers, he announces to a crowd they’re in the lead, followed by a roaring cheer. Early results show Byrne leading with 572 votes, or 39 percent; Baron, in second, had 498 votes, or 34 percent, as of 8:30pm Tuesday; and Potter was trailing with just 395 votes, 27 percent. (The numbers remained unchanged as of 8am Wednesday, Nov. 6.) The issues top of mind are affordable housing, a police station in need of a major tune-up, a vacancy tax, and of course, street addresses. Not to mention, fixing up the street itself. Nearby at Little Napoli, council candidate Hans Buder is hosting his own party, taking the lead followed by Bob Delves for two new city council seats. “We met him at a meet and greet, and saw him at a city council meeting,” says resident Mollie Nelson. “He’s smart. We were impressed by his understanding of the issues, how articulate he was, and that he brings a nice, friendly dynamic to the conversation.” Buder, chair of the Housing Authority for the County of Monterey has pushed to create access to housing for low-income families. Delves, a former software CEO, spent the last four years on the Carmel Planning Commission. “It’s humbling, you feel the weight of the responsibility sitting in,” Buder says. He chuckles, adding what’s next. “Every sidewalk I look at…” Change Up First-time candidate Dale Byrne ousts Carmel Mayor Dave Potter. By Katie Rodriguez “I think it’s time for a change,” Dale Byrne said during the campaign, and Carmel voters agreed. He leads the way in a three-way race over a current councilmember and mayor. NEWS “He brings a nice, friendly dynamic to the conversation.” NIK BLASKOVICH From our Farm To Your FamilY Fresh, locally grown, certified organic produce. Join our CSA now, and get your customized share of the harvest delivered each week. We deliver every Thursday to: Carmel/Carmel Valley: Hidden Valley Nursery Pacific Grove: Happy Girl Kitchen South Salinas, North Monterey, Watsonville: At the farm! Watsonville LiveEarthFarm.net Low cost vaccination clinic for dogs & cats. Microchipping. 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www.montereycountynow.com November 7-13, 2024 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 13 The lights went out for a big swath of Pacific Grove and Monterey during an outage on Election Night about an hour before the polls closed at 8pm, but thankfully power was still on downtown where two watch parties were happening, one at Pop and Hiss for P.G. City Council candidates Chaps Poduri and Tina Rau, the other at Hops & Fog for Councilmember Nick Smith, in his first run for mayor. As about 20 people at Pop and Hiss nervously watched national election results on MSNBC, someone yelled, “Keep hitting refresh! Give us some good news, Tina!” Just after 8pm, as Rau hit refresh on her phone and the initial Monterey County results were posted online, the news was good for fellow candidate and incumbent Poduri, who was in second place in the early results. It was more challenging for Rau, who found herself in fourth place amid a field of six candidates seeking three seats, just 42 votes behind incumbent Luke Coletti, who was in third place. She was holding out hope to catch up to Coletti in the next round of votes announced at 10pm, but she was still behind by 41 votes. This was the second time for her to be in this position: When Rau ran for council in 2022, she came in fourth behind Debby Beck by 52 votes, decided in a recount weeks after the election. In first place in the early results was Paul Walkingstick, a newcomer to P.G. politics, with 21 percent, or 2,604 votes, as of 8am Nov. 6. Poduri followed with just under 20 percent of the vote, with 2,441 votes. Coletti had 19.4 percent with 2,396 votes and Rau remained at 19 percent with 2,335 votes Wednesday morning. Former P.G. mayor Carmelita Garcia was in fifth and Chilla Kartalov in sixth. Walkingstick wasn’t feeling well and wasn’t around to celebrate. “I’m incredibly grateful for the broad community support,” he says via text. Down the street and around the corner at Hops & Fog, a jubilant Smith was celebrating with friends and family his first-place finish with over 44 percent of the vote. It was unlikely that his challengers Dan Miller (31 percent) and Dionne Ybarra (24.5 percent) would catch up. His friend and campaign manager, Seaside Councilmember Alex Miller, showed up to the pub a little before 9pm, his arms raised in victory and shouting congratulations to his friend. In the room were current Mayor Bill Peake and two former mayors, Bill Kampe and Jeanne Byrne. “I had really strong support from former councilmembers and mayors, and people in the community with young kids,” Smith says, adding he plans on continuing progress Pacific Grove has made in repairing infrastructure, environmental stewardship, financial stability and youth recreation. He plans on focusing on affordable housing, among other issues. P.G.’s Measure Z to shrink the council from seven members to five is headed for defeat for the second time. Results as of 8am Wednesday show the no votes prevailing 53.3 percent to 46.7 percent. The same measure was narrowly defeated in 2022. Dark Horse A political newcomer bests two P.G. council incumbents; Nick Smith takes first in mayor’s race. By Pam Marino After two terms on council, Nick Smith (far right, celebrating at Hops & Fog) was elected as mayor. “In the past eight years, I learned how the city operates, what works and what doesn’t work,” he says. NEWS “Keep hitting refresh! Give us some good news!” NIK BLASKOVICH thanksgiving AT THE PORTOLA HOTEL & SPA THURS | NOV 28, 2024 | 1 PM - 8 PM Join us for a festive Thanksgiving feast with family & friends in the De Anza Ballroom, accompanied by live piano music from David Conley. THANKSGIVING DISPLAYS California Cheeses, Cured Meats, Veggies, Shrimp, Local Baby Greens, Tortellini Salad, Beets with Feta TRADITIONAL FARE Stuffing, Whipped Potatoes, Yams, Squash, Green Beans, Fisherman’s Sustainable Catch CARVED TO ORDER Prime Rib, Free Range Turkey, Maple Glazed Ham DESSERTS Pecan & Pumpkin Pies, Cookies, Fruit Tarts & much more... menu highlights Adults $89.95 Seniors $79.95 (65 +) Children $39.95 (6-12) 20% gratuity and tax will be added Reservations required (831) 649-7892 or BrianHein@portolahotel.com pricing & reservations (831) 649-4511 | Portolahotel.com
14 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY november 7-13, 2024 www.montereycountynow.com The Next Election? Since Andrew Sandoval was elected to represent Salinas City Council District 5, he has worked hard for the interests of the residents of the district (“A recall effort emerges against midterm Salinas City Councilmember Andrew Sandoval,” Oct. 31-Nov. 6). Just the most recent has been that he pushed through funding to replace the long-dilapidated playground equipment in Northgate Park, a short distance from where I live. For the past several terms, District 5 has been represented by people more interested in things other than District 5. The result has been traffic issues, as well as other matters. Andrew is working to make our area better! A recall attempt funded by wealthy out-of-Salinas interests who want to control Salinas is, quite frankly, angering. We are quite capable of governing ourselves, and Andrew is a leader in that. Eric Petersen | Salinas As a constituent, I wholeheartedly endorse Sandoval’s advocacy for District 5. He is consistently responsive. He listens. He provides information and suggests ways for citizens to provide input. He expects city staff to engage with citizens. Sandoval has led on finally addressing neglected infrastructure. He’s also shone a bright light on how tax dollars have been spent. He is foremost a change agent, unafraid to ask necessary but sometimes unpopular questions. Holding city government to account and seeking transparency are indispensable in good governance. This is why he’s unfairly the target of a wholly unwarranted recall effort. Peter Szalai | Salinas I am writing this with a bit of schadenfreude mixed with disappointment after reading the article about the recall petition. The disappointment has to do with the coverage that the Weekly provided [in 2017-18] about the situation at Oasis Charter Public School and Mr. Sandoval’s role in it. Your paper took everything he said at face value. Was any mention made of the accusations being disproved? You may notice a similarity in Sandoval’s approach to City Council. File petitions, harass and bully people who disagree with him or in whom he finds a weakness he can exploit until they leave. It is hoped that you have a more critical eye toward this man and his attitude and tactics. Because the stakes here are much higher. It is a sad reality that journalists are stressed and overworked in this age of new media. I, and many others, often look to the Weekly for information I don’t find in other media. So my disappointment is twofold. Are we to consider ourselves well informed if we don’t get the full story? Can we count on you to get adequate coverage of this man, lauded by your paper for his confrontational attitude? Michael S. Roberts | Salinas The Rent Is Too Damn High The area’s “market rate” is going up for all renters, thanks to one-bedroom units at Seagrove starting at $3,796 (“Seaside voters are faced with candidates aware of the city’s challenges, if not how to fix them,” Oct. 24-30). Esther Malkin | Monterey It’s worth noting that Ascent [now named Seagrove] was specifically presented to the Planning Commission as a workforce housing project but now is being leased as “luxury coastal living.” Brian Cade | Monterey Wild World Thanks for your excellent report on the current invasion of the large schools of anchovies (“Massive numbers of anchovies show up in Monterey,” posted Oct. 28). As reported, this happens every so many years. It reminded me of Monterey sport fisherman, J. Parker Whitney, who wrote about his adventure fishing salmon on Monterey Bay in the late 19th century: “…coming in the summer and the early autumnal months into and adjoining Monterey for spawning are largely anchovies and sardines. These fishes are about the size of herrings, though there are two sizes of the sardines smaller than the regular full size. These come in countless numbers, as well as the anchovies, swimming near the surface, and often cover acres in extent…” In a later fishing trip to Carmel Bay in 1895, Mr. Whitney made this observation: “…the great body of anchovies moved on toward the beach shore of the bay, driven on by their relentless pursuers (salmon), followed by the circling clouds of shags, Muir’s and gulls…” Tim Thomas | Seaside Note: Thomas is a fisheries historian who leads regular tours on the wharf. To the Lighthouse I fully support retired Congressman Sam Farr’s recent piece, urging a national historic district designation for the Point Pinos Lighthouse area (“Giving a historic piece of Pacific Grove the designation it deserves will help preserve a unique legacy,” Oct. 17-23). The Pacific Grove City Council should throw its weight behind this designation without further delay. Dwight Palmer | Pacific Grove Put a Bird On It After seeing Martin Metzger’s lovely picture of an Anna’s Hummingbird as the Etc. Photo of the Day, I just wanted to say thank you for so often featuring birds as the subjects of these community pictures (“Etc. Photo,” posted Oct. 11). Birds give us an immediate and direct connection to nature, taking us out of our election-addled brains for a moment, and allowing us to feel wonder and amazement. We all know that being in nature improves our physical and mental health, and birds pop in randomly to say, “Hey, have you marveled at the beauty of nature today?” Thanks for another reminder about how amazing our planet is. Amanda Preece | Monterey Correction An article about a recall committee included the incorrect number of signatures needed to qualify for a recall election (“A recall effort emerges against midterm Salinas City Councilmember Andrew Sandoval,” Oct. 31-Nov. 6) It is 2,275, not 437; it is calculated based on the number of registered voters, not the number that participated in the last election. 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 november 7-13, 2024 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 15 After so much anticipation leading up to Election Day, it might feel like it’s time to take a breath. But even as I write this, before polls close, I realize the real work is ahead of us. Roughly half of us will feel like winners, and half like losers. The result won’t heal a divided country—in fact, it may leave many people feeling disenfranchised. I sat down with Beryl Levinger to ask where we go from here. “You can’t do repair without reconciliation,” she says. Levinger has a lengthy career in the practices of reconciliation and repair. She is a professor emerita at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies, where she taught international development for decades. That work took her to more than 50 countries, including Rwanda and South Africa and Colombia. Four years ago, she turned her focus toward her own country when she began working for Root Change, a Washington, D.C.-based group seeking to strengthen democracy and civil society. Clients include the Carter Center, which has long been interested in safeguarding elections, with an initiative to train election monitors worldwide. “It wasn’t long ago they decided that work was relevant to our country,” Levinger says. “The international work informs the domestic work. In the past, it used to be the other way around—it used to be that our experience, we would try to export to the rest of the world.” What experiences, then, might Americans import from elsewhere? How can we cross the divide to engage with people with whom we disagree? A spoiler alert is that Levinger does not know the answer. But she does have some insights, drawn from her decades of experience. “Information is not the path,” Levinger says. “Empathy and listening is better than debunking.” That’s not to say facts don’t help, but they help most when they are delivered by trusted messengers—neighbors or faith leaders or news outlets that already have earned trust. Imagine, say, Fox News delivering the message that our election system has integrity and should be trusted—it would be a game-changer. “It may not be trustworthy but they are trusted, which is an important distinction,” Levinger adds. The “trusted messenger” approach was widely applied to public health during the Covid19 pandemic, quite successfully. Community health workers— trusted messengers—were trained by experts, and then disseminated information to their communities. “The idea is we are not delivering information. We are delivering support to people who might be delivering information,” Levinger says. The metaphor to public health extends only so far though—who are the trusted messengers in politics? A 2023 paper published by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, titled “Polarization, Democracy, and Political Violence in the United States: What the Research Says,” notes an underlying transformation in how we perceive these issues, a “scholarly shift from thinking of polarization as an ideological, policy-based phenomenon to an issue of emotion, as well as the emerging understanding of polarization as both a social phenomenon and a political strategy.” How we begin to reconcile with each other, and how people begin to reconcile with institutions and systems they feel betrayed by, is an important and necessary step. But there is also a political solution to part of this political problem. And that solution is ranked choice voting. This practice gives voters the ability to list candidates in order of preference, instead of choosing one—and by design, means the candidate who appeals to the most people, rather than to either extreme, stands to win. “What’s the smallest thing we can do today that would make the biggest difference?” Levinger says. “Truth and reconciliation commissions, or whatever the American branding of that would be, would take a long time to make a big difference. For rankedchoice voting, there is a kind of a critical mass right now. If we want a political solution, ranked choice voting is the political solution.” Of course, that is also a big undertaking and will take some time. There is another option, available to all of us. “Listening, not hearing—it does move the needle,” Levinger says. Sara Rubin is the Weekly’s editor. Reach her at sara@montereycountynow.com. Across the Great Divide Election Day is just a starting point. Where do we go from here? By Sara Rubin Name Calling…Leading up to Election Day, Squid couldn’t keep Squid’s tentacles off social media. The anticipation was everywhere, with politicians and voters weighing in, voicing their endorsements—and, sometimes, calling each other names. The Salinas Valley Democratic Club endorsed two out of three candidates for Salinas mayor, Dennis Donohue and Ernesto González García. Affordable housing advocate Matt Huerta jumped on the dual endorsement, posting on Facebook: “Looks a lot like trying to intentionally split the LatinX vote?! Prove to me I’m wrong?” He got an answer, but perhaps not the answer he was expecting. County Supervisor Luis Alejo, a member of the SVDC, responded: “Maybe because both are club members, burro! Both are good candidates too!! Why you worried?!!” Squid double-checked Squid’s Spanish-English dictionary to confirm yes, burro means donkey—it’s also Mexican slang to call someone dumb, similar to “jackass.” Alejo wasn’t done. “Instead of whining, go walk for your candidates. Stop making silly excuses! You sound like Trump and sounds like you’re scurred too.” Squid’s all for vigorous debate, IRL and on social media, but calling people animal names is definitely not in Squid’s etiquette book. Fired Up…There are also odd things arriving in Squid’s snail-mailbox during election season. Amid that heap, one recent mailer sent out to thousands of Seaside residents caught Squid’s attention. It advocated for a “yes” vote on Seaside’s Measure CC, which would ban the sale of so-called “safe and sane” fireworks. Problem is, there’s no registered number from the state Fair Political Practices Commission on the mailer, which just reads “Paid for by Seaside Residents.” Squid’s colleague found out who was behind the mailer, Seaside resident Tim Duran, who says he’s spent around $10,000, maybe more, in the past year in an effort to battle the illegal fireworks. That included a series of mailers, hiring a private investigator on July 4, and contributing to the official Yes on CC campaign committee. After moving here with his wife in 2012, Duran, a Vietnam veteran, says about the fireworks going off year-round by his house in the middle of the night, “It’s driving my wife crazy, it’s driving me crazy.” He believes some sort of organized crime is involved with smuggling illegal fireworks into the city, even though they merely need to be driven across the stateline from Nevada, where they are legal. As to whether Duran’s mailers are legal, Squid’s pretty sure they are not—any independent committee expenditures of more than $1,000 related to a ballot measure (in this case, by “Seaside Residents”) must be reported to the FPPC. Squid will have popcorn ready to see how it all shakes out. the local spin SQUID FRY THE MISSION OF MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY IS TO INSPIRE INDEPENDENT THINKING AND CONSCIOUS ACTION, ETC. “Empathy is better than debunking.” Send Squid a tip: squid@montereycountynow.com
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