6 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY DECEMBER 19-25, 2024 www.montereycountynow.com THE BUZZ FREE SPEECH It’s tick-tock for TikTok, which on Dec. 13 had its request to delay a federal law forcing its sale be denied. Earlier this year, President Joe Biden signed a law requiring ByteDance, the China-based owner of the social media platform, to sell TikTok to an American entity or face a ban in the U.S., over fears the company could turn over user information to the Chinese government. ByteDance argued that the Jan. 19 deadline should be delayed as it awaits to hear if the Supreme Court will review its challenge of the law. The company said the app, which is used by more than 170 million Americans, would shut down if the law is not overturned. Free speech groups have decried the law as censorship, with attorneys for ByteDance saying it violates the First Amendment rights of its users. President-elect Donald Trump has promised to “save” the social media platform, but his plan is unclear—the deadline takes place a day before he assumes office. Good: Christmas is coming early this year to 1,500 children and their families— specifically, families who are short on resources and might otherwise have to skip or pare down Christmas. On Dec. 19, Operation Santa brings toys, posole kits and holiday cheer to families of children in South County who are experiencing homelessness or are at risk of homelessness. The fourth annual event is the brainchild of County Supervisor Chris Lopez, who wanted to create a joyful space—none of the usual resources and information about assistance, just celebration. “It’s just magic,” Lopez says. “When you hit winter, things get really tight and resources get thinner. What often goes by the wayside is Christmas.” Festivities include a camouflage-clad Santa flying in via helicopter from Fort Hunter Liggett (err, we mean the North Pole), supported by a long list of sponsors, chiefly California Water Service, and volunteers. GREAT: Friday the 13th is generally considered unlucky. And it was on Dec. 13—but only for the opponents of Carmel High School. The Padres pulverized El Capitan 48-7 in the California Interscholastic Federation 5-AA state championship game, played in Fullerton. The win gave Carmel its first state football title, capping a perfect 15-0 season for head coach Golden Anderson’s squad, as well as a great week of postseason play. The El Capitan Vaqueros, from Lakeside, were riding a 10-game winning streak and were even with Carmel in the early going. But Padres running back Ashton Rees broke loose behind the big offensive line and the defense stood firm. Carmel piled on 41 points after the first quarter to secure the lopsided victory. While the Padres have only one loss in two years, reaching the title game was not as easy. In the regional finals they edged a tough Acalanes squad, 42-41. GOOD WEEK / GREAT WEEK THE WEEKLY TALLY That’s how much two projects in Salinas will receive in federal funding, Rep. Zoe Lofgren announced. The Sam Farr Crop Research Center will get $200,000 from the U.S. Department of Energy to design a solar energy system, while Hartnell College will receive $199,951 from the National Science Foundation to upgrade STEM research equipment. Source: Rep. Zoe Lofgren’s office $399,961 QUOTE OF THE WEEK “I put the best team in place so I can also do the big stuff.” -Supervisor-elect Kate Daniels, announcing she had hired former Salinas Mayor Kimbley Craig as her chief of staff (see story, montereycountynow.com). OCEAN LEARNING AVAILABLE FOR ALL YOU CAN MAKE MONTEREYCOUNTYGIVES.COM/OSO THE OCEAN IS YOUR CLASSROOM El océano es tu aula Support a Student at Rancho Cielo! With your generosity, we can continue to fund 100% of students’ academic and vocational education, preparing them for higher education and full-time employment. SCAN TO DONATE TODAY NOVEMBER 14 - DECEMBER 31 Rancho Cielo is a 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization. Federal Tax ID #77-0555859
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