6 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY December 5-11, 2024 www.montereycountynow.com THE BUZZ FREE SPEECH The all-important algorithms that determine what you see and when you see it on social media is largely kept under wraps and constantly being tweaked by the tech companies that control them. A new study suggests that X may have modified its algorithm to boost posts by its owner Elon Musk around the time he endorsed Donald Trump for president in July. According to the study by Queensland University of Technology, Musk’s posts received 138-percent more views and 238-percent more “retweets” since July 13, the day he posted his support for Trump. Other conservative-leaning accounts on X saw boosts in engagement, but Musk’s numbers “outpaced the general engagement trends observed across the platform,” the report found. The authors of the report noted, however, that since X ended free access to its data in 2023, the report was limited by the “relatively small amount of data” it could access. The Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post also recently noted potential right-wing bias on the platform since the richest man in the world purchased it. GOOD: Every evening the Interfaith Homeless Emergency Lodging Program, or I-HELP, transports people who need a safe place to sleep for the night from pick-up points in Monterey to participating churches around the Peninsula, helping 150 to 175 people each year. Their two buses have seen better days—each has more than 370,000 miles on the odometer. Recently the door flew off of one of the buses and the I-HELP board knew they had to replace it, says I-HELP Board Chair Tom Chapman. They found a used passenger van from a Salinas couple for $12,000. One week later another nonprofit, Interfaith Outreach of Carmel, offered to cover the cost of the van and its branding. The group’s members are excited for the “new” van, but still need to replace the other bus. It’s their Big Idea in this year’s Monterey County Gives! GREAT: Good news for Salinas residents and soccer lovers in Monterey County: The Salinas Regional Sports Authority is celebrating the completion of Phase 2A at the Salinas Regional Soccer Complex. In this phase, unused land was transformed into soccer fields and recreational areas, including a new entrance/ exit on Constitution Boulevard. “Our focus is on creating spaces that enhance the well-being of our community,” said Jonathan De Anda, SRSA’s general manager. The SRSC is also launching the She Kicks Classic Soccer Tournament in partnership with North Salinas High School. “This tournament is a celebration of our community’s future,” said Ana Gutierrez, tournament director. “It’s about showcasing the incredible talent of our young women while strengthening connections through competition.” The celebration and kickoff game is on Saturday, Dec. 7 at 10am. GOOD WEEK / GREAT WEEK THE WEEKLY TALLY That’s how many hours per day were restored to the Spreckels Post Office after advocacy from Rep. Jimmy Panetta. In September, the post office reduced its retail service hours from 9am to 2pm, prompting a petition from Spreckels residents that noted the change “has caused significant disruption to the lives of many in our community.” As of Dec. 2, the weekday hours have returned to 10am to 4:30pm. Source: Rep. Jimmy Panetta’s office 1.5 QUOTE OF THE WEEK “One day I want barbecue, one day I want New Orleans.” -Valentina Rapisarda of Bon Ton L’Roy’s Lighthouse Smokehouse, speaking about the Monterey spot’s varied offerings (see story, page 46). (831) 649-4511 | Portolahotel.com Experience the magic of the Holiday Season at Portola Hotel & Spa Calendar of Events SANTA IS COMING TO TOWN Dec 8 | 8:30AM to 11:30AM Breakfast with Santa at Jacks Monterey THE MEAN GREEN ONE IS BACK! Dec 21 & 24 | 6PM to 8PM Meet & greet at your leisure at Jacks Monterey Reservations recommended CHRISTMAS EVE Dec 24 | 4PM to 10PM Cioppino Dinner Special at Jacks Monterey Reservations recommended CHRISTMAS DAY Dec 25 | 2PM to 7PM Christmas Dinner Buffet | De Anza Ballroom Full menu available online Reservations required LIVE PERFORMANCES Dec 6 | 5PM to 6PM York High School Choir in the hotel lobby Dec 9 | 5PM to 6PM Marina High School String Orchestra in the hotel lobby Dec 10 | 5:30PM to 6:30PM Monterey High School Vocal Arts ensemble in the hotel lobby Dec 12 | 5PM to 6PM Monterey High School Instrumental Group “Tons of Jazz” in the hotel lobby Dec 13 | 5PM to 5:30PM San Carlos School Children’s Choir in the hotel lobby Dec 20 | 5PM to 8PM Evergreen Duo with Lisa Marie Bohn and Scott Slaughter at Jacks Monterey Dec 21 | 5PM to 8PM Evergreen Duo with Lisa Marie Bohn and Scott Slaughter at Jacks Monterey Dec 24 | 5PM to 8PM Peninsula Harmony Company Trio Carolers KP at Jacks Monterey
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MjAzNjQ1NQ==