January 2-8, 2025 montereycountynow.com LOCAL & INDEPENDENT A decade of trauma care 10 | New laws for 2025 12 | drinks for dry january 33 First Place General Excellence • 2024 CA Journalism Awards • A woman of many names, Mrs. Carl Cherry cemented her artistic legacy in Carmel with an homage to her love. p. 16 By Agata Pop˛eda The Bohemian
2 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY JANUARY 2-8, 2025 www.montereycountynow.com JANUARY 2-8, 2025 • ISSUE #1901 • ESTABLISHED IN 1988 Eric Palmer (Nikon D7500) A landfill scraper cuts a wavy pattern into sandy soil during golden hour in the afternoon. These heavy-duty earthmoving machines scrape the ground to pick up and collect loose soil or sand for landfill applications at ReGen Monterey’s facility in Marina. MONTEREY COUNTY PHOTO OF THE WEEK Send Etc. submissions to etcphoto@montereycountynow.com; please include caption and camera info. On the cover: “Portrait of Jeanne Cherry, 1962” shows the poet and painter known as Jeanne D’Orge (aka Mrs. Carl Cherry), who was one of the founding mothers of bohemian Carmel. Cover photo: Wynn Bullock © 1962/2024 Bullock Family Photography LLC; all rights reserved. etc. Copyright © 2025 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
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4 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY JANUARY 2-8, 2025 www.montereycountynow.com THE BUZZ FREE SPEECH ABC News will pay $15 million toward Donald Trump’s presidential library to settle a defamation lawsuit over host George Stephanopoulos’ incorrect claim on air that the president-elect was found civilly liable for raping writer E. Jean Carroll, when a jury had found him liable for sexual abuse and defamation. The settlement, which was reached Dec. 14, also required ABC News to post a note on its website expressing regret for the remarks that Stephanopoulos made during a March 10 segment on This Week. The network also agreed to pay $1 million in legal fees to the law firm of Trump’s attorney, Alejandro Brito. Some critics interpreted the network’s decision as caving into the president-elect’s demands as a way to curry favor. A report by the New York Times, however, stated ABC News decided to settle rather than risk taking the case to the Supreme Court, where legal protections for the press could have been eroded. “We are pleased that the parties have reached an agreement to dismiss the lawsuit on the terms in the court filing,” ABC News spokeswoman Jeannie Kedas said. Good: Salinas native Everett Alvarez Jr. has been honored with the signing of the Everett Alvarez Jr. Congressional Gold Medal Act by President Joe Biden, recognizing Alvarez’s heroism and service to the country, U.S. Representative Jimmy Panetta, D-Carmel Valley, announced on Dec. 27. “With this legislation, our country formally recognizes Cmdr. Alvarez’s unparalleled courage, resilience and dedication to our democracy during his time as one of our nation’s longest-serving prisoners of war,” Panetta said in a press release. Alvarez, serving in the Navy, was the first U.S. pilot to be shot down during the Vietnam War, spending eight-and-a-half years as a POW. Everett Alvarez High School in Salinas was named after the hometown hero, who later served in multiple government roles. He’s the recipient of the Silver Star, two Bronze Stars and two Purple Hearts, two Legions of Merit and the Distinguished Flying Cross. GREAT: A recent study published in the scientific journal Biological Invasions reports on some good news, not only on the recovery of the southern otter population in Elkhorn Slough, but their ability to keep populations of the globally invasive green crab at bay. It’s a win-win for the estuary as far as effective conservation strategies go, where an endangered apex predator is offering a way to control the green crab which, when out of control, can decimate native populations. “I think what differentiates this current study is that now we’re looking at the effects of the otters on an invasive species,” says Rikke Jeppesen, an estuarine ecologist at Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve who spearheaded the study. “They’re so important for a healthy ecosystem. There has just been study after study documenting that if you remove that species, everything can change. They’re kind of like estuary assistant managers.” GOOD WEEK / GREAT WEEK THE WEEKLY TALLY That’s the estimated number of customers that will be served by a new transformer Pacific Gas & Electric is installing near the Monterey/Seaside border. It’s expected to improve power reliability for Monterey Peninsula residents. Source: Pacific Gas & Electric 28,400 QUOTE OF THE WEEK “You have to take the forecasts with a bit of a grain of salt.” -Keaton Browning, a forecaster with Surfline, on whether there will be a La Niña event this winter (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 -Tire Rotation & Air Pressure Check -Test Battery, Starter, & Alternator -Clean Battery Terminal -Inspect All Bulbs -Inspect All Belts & Hoses for Cracks -Inspect All Fluids Levels (excludes oil) -Test Heating System -Inspect 4WD & AWD System (if applicable) -Suspension Check -Test Drive 831-230-0910 1730 The Mall | Seaside SullivansAutoService.com BOOK NOW! $87 *Most vehicles. Cannot combine with any other offer. Some restrictions may apply. Additional diagnostics not included. Must present coupon at check-in. Limited time only.
www.montereycountynow.com JANUARY 2-8, 2025 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 5 SalinasValleyHealth.com HEALTHY HABITS, HEALTHY YOU At Salinas Valley Health, we are dedicated to improving the health and well-being of everyone in our community. Join us! START YOUR JOURNEY TO A HEALTHIER YOU TODAY! Scan the QR code to learn more. Pathways to Wellness Resources designed to help you live your best life. Programs include: Events Community Activities Support Groups Yoga Flow Classes Mindful Meditation Well-Being Activities Free cooking demos and online well-being classes that help build resiliency into your life. For more details and to register, visit MontereyCounty.BlueZonesproject.com/events or scan the QR code. Scan the QR code to learn more.
6 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY JANUARY 2-8, 2025 www.montereycountynow.com 831 In 1981, Phil VanderKraats was the father of a young son. He started a small business in his single-car garage in Marina with one customer: He would make a sign for a photography business on Alvarado Street in Monterey. VanderKraats had no formal art training, but he was recently inspired by a friend who used sandblasting to sculpt. The Army veteran had taken high school art classes plus wood shop and metal shop, then learned tools of the trade in a foundry job for a bronze sculptor. “It’s a learn-as-you-go thing,” he says. “This is just what I like doing— it’s a journey, one that’s been great to be on.” The learn-as-you-go journey has taken him 44 years later to a company called Signs By Van, now with 12 employees. Those include the CEO who is that formerly baby son, Jeremy, who eight years ago, after a detour— including delivering pizza, firefighting, real estate—returned to the family business to take over from his father. “They were just hell bent on making cool stuff,” Jeremy says. Unafraid to go over budget, they’d just go for it. “Should we be dimensionalizing for an $800 project? No—but it’s an opportunity to knock somebody’s socks off.” That’s still what excites this team, motivated by superlatives—they go for big, they go for durable and sure, they even inlay gold. They work in wood, metal and more, but prefer high-density urethane. “There’s no better material on the planet to us—it lasts outside almost forever,” Jeremy says. In the early days, projects were low-tech. To get an idea of how a sign would work on a wall, VanderKraats would use an overhead projector. Now, designs are made digitally using Adobe Illustrator, but still require a human eye to decide what will work and how it will translate to reality. It’s less art than it is design, transforming a concept into a successful three-dimensional installation. Does it need to be mounted on a post, or will it hang from the ceiling? How will it hold up to rain? Will an image stretch if it’s wrapped on a vehicle? These are the sorts of questions that consume them. There have been a few massive technical leaps forward along the way, including a 5-foot-wide printer and a giant CNC machine for routing and other tasks “that would unlock our capability of doing anything we wanted to do,” Phil says. “It was a big, big step.” They work out of an old auction barn in Prunedale, part workshop-part office. There are recognizable signs they’ve made (Cannery Row Co., Ocean Mist Farms) and materials and tools stacked around them. (The CNC machine takes up an entire room.) A group of employees stands outside, sanding wooden letters. When clients’ marketing budgets dried up during the pandemic, Jeremy came up with the idea that got the business through. He knew they could use their equipment to design and fabricate sneeze guards; they did more than 450 for the UCSF hospital system, all custom sizes. “I said, ‘Thank you God—there couldn’t have been a better answer to my prayer.’ That saved our business,” Phil says. They are undaunted by scale, with several big projects underway. Clients include The Dunes in Marina, where the team built a 42-foot-wide steel structure mounted over the street with signage to welcome visitors, and they are working on a giant seascape mural on the wall of the cinema; they recently fabricated the signs for the new Trader Joe’s. A new side business, Old Growth Lumber Co., makes use of 130,000 board feet of giant sequoia from a fallen tree on Tule River Reservation in Porterville. They’ve done signage for California’s Great America, and are about two-thirds finished with a project to replace horses on the Santa Clara theme park’s giant carousel—each needs two clear coats, intended to help them last in the elements for at least 10 years. Those carousel horses are just one example of a theme. “Once we build something badass,” Jeremy says, “it’s there almost forever.” Signs by Van is located at 16130 Highway 156, Prunedale. 663-2663, signsbyvan.com. Signs of the Times A father-son team turns a simple idea of catchy business signs into a thriving business. By Sara Rubin Phil VanderKraats inside the converted auction barn that is now home to Signs By Van, which is also part gallery, displaying work from previous clients. About two-thirds provide their own designs that need to be transformed into durable signs. “Once we build something badass, it’s there forever.” TALES FROM THE AREA CODE NIK BLASKOVICH
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8 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY january 2-8, 2024 www.montereycountynow.com news For more than a year, Soledad-based Sitos Group has operated a pilot program at ReGen Monterey’s waste management facility in Marina, transforming wood waste and other organic materials into a usable product while removing carbon that would otherwise end up in the atmosphere. The end product is biochar, a charcoal-like substance that results from a slow pyrolysis process that sequesters carbon and can be used to improve soil health. Sitos Group co-founder and CEO Mayo Ryan says the goal of the pilot program is not only to perfect the use of the pyrolysis machine, but also show that such a process is commercially viable. In late October, Sitos Group announced its first commercial biochar facility with Treehouse California Almonds in Delano. The $9 million, 25,000-squarefoot facility, expected to go online by the end of 2025, will process 6,000 pounds of almond shell feedstock per hour. For every ton of biochar put in farmland soil, 2.5 tons of CO2 is prevented from entering the atmosphere, according to Ryan. Sitos Group was co-founded by Mayo, who has experience in agribusiness firms, and Steve McIntyre, owner of vineyard management company Monterey Pacific, which manages 20,000 acres of vineyards across the state, including in Monterey County. The pilot program at ReGen will end in July 2025, and is estimated to absorb 20,000 tons of carbon through its lifecycle. “We’ve accomplished many of our goals, which is to improve the process so we get the very best biochar quality we can out of the machine,” Mayo says. “We’re very grateful we have this partnership with ReGen. We’ve learned so much.” Sealing the Deal A company that uses tech to absorb carbon lands its first commercial project. By Erik Chalhoub The U.S. Department of Education has been around since the mid-1800s, but it’s relatively new in the modern era as a cabinet-level agency. In 1980, Congress split the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare into two: Education, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Since its creation, Presidents Ronald Reagan and Donald Trump have called for its elimination. During his first term, Trump proposed combining the Department of Education with the Labor Department, but the idea didn’t take off. During the 2024 election, Trump again voiced his idea to eliminate the department. As he prepares to begin his second term on Jan. 20, local educators are considering what federal changes could mean. “My first thinking was, ‘Oh my, how is that going to impact our programs?,’” Monterey County Superintendent of Schools Deneen Guss says. The federal government funds key local programs such as Early Learning for 3- to 5-year-olds and Migrant Education. (Monterey County has the largest such program in the state.) “If we do not begin to provide that early education to our youngest learners, they may not have the same resources and support as children coming from higher-income families,” she says. In November, State Superintendent of Schools Tony Thurmond urged Congress and Trump to reiterate their commitment to public education. According to a California Department of Education analysis, abolishing the Department of Education could reduce the funding for California schools by $7.9 billion, greatly impacting special ed and jeopardizing federal financial aid for postsecondary education. In December, Thurmond met with about 20 congressional representatives, including Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-San Francisco, and Rep. Zoe Lofgren, D-San Jose, to plan strategies to support the department. “Eliminating the U.S. Department of Education would have devastating consequences for public education, especially for students with disabilities and families in low-income communities,” Thurmond said in a statement. “The stakes couldn’t be higher. Every student deserves access to a quality education.” Trump plans to nominate business executive Linda McMahon as Secretary of Education. In a statement on social media, Trump said McMahon “will fight tirelessly to expand ‘Choice’ to every State in America, and empower parents to make the best Education decisions for their families.” School choice programs allow students to choose alternatives to traditional public education settings, such as private and charter schools, using public school funds through voucher programs or other arrangements. Trump has yet to voice a detailed plan for dismantling the Department of Education, such as what would happen to federal programs such as Title I, which supports low-income students, and the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act, which provides services for special education. Noelle Ellerson Ng, associate executive director for advocacy and governance at the School Superintendents Association, says moving education programs to other agencies would cost money, and that local agencies might need to reach out to multiple departments instead of one. “One thing the Department of Education does is centralized contacts for state educational agencies,” Ellerson Ng says. The loss of the U.S. Department of Education would hurt the youngest students in Monterey County, Superintendent of Schools Deneen Guss says. School Test As Donald Trump pledges to eliminate the Department of Ed, local educators brace for impact. By Celia Jiménez Sitos Group’s pilot pyrolysis machine at ReGen is capable of converting organic material into 3,000 tons of biochar annually. The program ends its two-year run in July. “The stakes couldn’t be higher.” Daniel Dreifuss Daniel Dreifuss
www.montereycountynow.com JANUARY 2-8, 2025 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 9 MONTEREY PENINSULA Col lege NEW YEAR. FRESH START. SPRING AHEAD! mpc.edu/findaclass Spring Classes Start January 27th ENROLL TODAY! *Early Spring Classes: Jan 6-25 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!
10 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY january 2-8, 2024 www.montereycountynow.com The first weekend after Natividad hospital’s Level II trauma center in Salinas opened on Jan. 5, 2015, patients with major injuries were showing up for care, so much so, the radiologist on duty was astonished. “This place went from zero to 60 overnight. Where were all these people going?” Dr. Alexander Di Stante, trauma medical director and surgical services director, recalls the radiologist saying. Before Natividad earned the designation there were no trauma centers between San Jose and Santa Barbara, which meant precious time lost transporting people to emergency care, usually in the San Francisco Bay Area. The Weekly reported in 2013 that nearly 400 patients a year were flown by helicopter to that region annually, most of them the result of traffic collisions or gunshot wounds. Over the 10 years since, the Natividad Trauma Center, owned and operated by the County of Monterey, has treated over 14,000 patients, about 1,400 per year. Di Stante believes the center’s presence has resulted in “thousands of lives saved.” He also believes it has transformed the hospital as a whole, with the introduction of advanced technology medical equipment and highly trained staff. Natividad won the trauma center designation in a contest with Salinas Valley Health, scoring higher after a review by a panel of independent medical experts. Natividad spent approximately $12 million in upgrades and staffing costs at the time to qualify, expecting to recoup costs through the influx of new patients. Natividad’s center is staffed 24/7 by surgeons and other professionals—trauma surgeons must be able to respond within 15 minutes. There are many memorable cases that have come through the center’s doors, with the 2022 shark encounter of Steve Bruemmer in Pacific Grove perhaps most memorable, Di Stante says. Bruemmer was bitten across the thighs and abdomen by a great white shark off Lovers Point, and he required 28 pints of blood. He left Natividad three weeks later, grateful for the lifesaving care he received. Bruemmer is expected to be part of a Stop the Bleed class the center is offering to the public on Jan. 26, which will teach participants how to stop major bleeding in accidents. Public education classes like Stop the Bleed, fall prevention and violence intervention are just another aspect of Natividad’s mission as a trauma center. The County Board of Supervisors will meet Tuesday, Jan. 7 and will consider adopting the 2024 Cannabis Program Strategic Plan, which updates management strategies to reflect the county’s evolving cannabis industry. Following the legalization of marijuana for recreational use in 2016 in California, the board established the Monterey County Cannabis Program to set out an initial list of goals and guidelines when it came to regulation, policy, enforcement, education and health. The initial strategic plan was created in 2018, with revisions scheduled every two years to reflect industry changes. Although the 2022 revision was delayed until 2023, representatives from seven county departments and industry members met in July and August 2024 to get the process back on track. The new plan’s goals are to help local growers transition from provisional cannabis licenses to annual licenses, as the California Department of Cannabis Control will no longer be issuing provisional permits starting in January 2025. “We’re trying to get people to the finish line,” says Michelle House, the new manager of the County’s Cannabis Program, succeeding Joann Iwamoto. “If they are unable to do that, they will have to close down because the state will not allow them to be in business after this next year.” Managing the cannabis industry has been tough— since the initial plan was adopted, regulations and policies have changed dramatically. The industry, once valued at $618 million in 2021 in Monterey County, dropped to $283 million the following year. Cannabis businesses in the county have faced struggles, with cultivators citing excessive taxation and regulation, compounded by falling marijuana prices. Much of these price declines have been attributed to overproduction and a lack of legal retail outlets. According to a civil grand jury report, annual funding allocations from the county’s Cannabis Tax Fund for community services declined from a high of $23 million to $100,000 for fiscal year 2023-24. Top Ten Natividad’s trauma center marks a decade of service and thousands of lives saved. By Pam Marino news Funding Focus The City of Monterey seeks input on how to spend $250,000 in federal funds. Community Development Block Grant funds are used for public social services programs and housing projects for those considered low- and mid-income. Information booth 4-6:30pm Tuesday, Jan. 7 at the downtown farmers market, Alvarado Street, Monterey. Online survey available through Jan. 31. Free. haveyoursaymonterey.org/cdbg-conplan. Higher Ed The Hartnell College Board of Trustees meets to discuss college business and accept public comments. 5:30pm Tuesday, Jan. 7. Hartnell College, Building C, Room 124, 411 Central Ave., Salinas. Free. hartnell. edu/about/hccdgb. growing green What exactly is Big Sur Land Trust up to, and what has it been up to for the last 46 years? Recent and current projects include the creation of Ensen Community Park in Salinas, the in-progress acquisition of Ferrini ranch along Highway 68 and more. Hear from President/CEO Jeannette Tuitele-Lewis about the nonprofit’s expanding role. Noon Wednesday, Jan. 8. Unitarian Universalist Church, 490 Aguajito Road Carmel. Free to attend; $25/lunch. 236-1611, lwvmryco.org. Drawing the Districts Learn how the City of Pacific Grove is creating its first-ever voting districts and help create future district maps in this interactive public workshop. 6pm Wednesday, Jan. 8. Pacific Grove City Council Chambers, 300 Forest Ave., Pacific Grove. Free. 638-3100, cityofpacificgrove.org. Preserving History The Monterey County Historic Resources Review Board meets to discuss the remodel of a historic home in Carmel as well as review the county’s Mills Act program. 11:30am Thursday, Jan. 9. Virtual via Zoom. Free. 755-5025, countyofmonterey.gov. Civic Life The City of Carmel is accepting applications to fill one open seat on both the Planning Commission and Forest and Beach Commission. The Planning Commission assists the City Council on planning issues, policies and projects. The duties of the Forest and Beach Commission include developing a management plan for the urban forest, parks and beach. Applications are due at 5pm Friday, Jan. 10. Free. ci.carmel.ca.us. Cannabis Crossroads County Supervisors will discuss updates to a strategic plan for the cannabis industry. By Katie Rodriguez From left to right: Trauma Program Director Julie Ramirez, and trauma nurse practitioners Pawanjit Dhillon and Scott Weyland are part of Natividad’s trauma team. e-mail: toolbox@montereycountynow.com TOOLBOX “This place went from zero to 60 overnight.” Daniel Dreifuss
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12 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY january 2-8, 2024 www.montereycountynow.com On Dec. 2, California Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas, D-Hollister, addressed his fellow Assembly members, informing them of a new rule he was implementing for the 2025-26 legislative session: The number of bills each member will be allowed to introduce will be limited to 35, down from 50, over the two-year period. In a statement quoting his remarks to his colleagues explaining the purpose for the new rule, he says, in part, “We want every leader in this room to have the greatest possible bandwidth to focus on laws that uplift affordability and prosperity.” It wasn’t a new law, but it was notable, and indicative of Rivas’ role since becoming speaker—not so much carrying bills, but helping to guide and shape the legislative process in the Assembly. State Sen. John Laird, D-Santa Cruz, also made a substantive impact on Monterey County that didn’t involve a law he passed—he lent his substantial influence to help persuade the California Coastal Commission to hammer out a compromise to approve Monterey-Salinas Transit’s SURF! Busway project, which the Coastal Commission ultimately approved in September, despite an initial report stating they could not approve it. (The compromise was to pave over the Monterey Branch Line rail tracks, which the Transportation Agency for Monterey County acquired in 2003, as opposed to building a busway parallel to the tracks—sometimes east, sometimes west—in order to reduce the impacts on dune habitat.) Assemblymember Dawn Addis, D-Morro Bay—who had 12 bills she authored this year signed into law—is the third state legislator who represents Monterey County constituents, and like both Rivas and Laird, her district stretches beyond the county’s borders. That said, while state laws apply to everyone, here’s a roundup of some of the most notable, in terms of their impact in Monterey County, the three lawmakers authored in 2024 that were signed into law. AB 1147 (Addis) There are more than 450,000 Californians with developmental disabilities, and the state contracts with 21 privately owned regional centers to support them to the tune of over $15 billion annually. This bill provides that these centers be subject to the California Public Records Act, providing transparency for the public to see how they’re spending all the money. AB 1960 (Rivas) This bill was introduced in response to the surge of retail theft in some parts of the state, and enhances the sentencing for those committing felony theft—thefts exceeding $50,000, $200,000, $1 million and $3 million will, respectively, now have an additional one-year, two-year, three-year and four-year term added to the sentence. A statement Rivas sent out following the signing of the bill reads, in part, “I authored this new law to hold appropriately responsible those who damage stores and property, because our business owners and workers should not have to live in fear that these crimes will come to their doorstep.” He visited Salinas, along with other lawmakers, retail industry leaders and law enforcement officers, to announce this legislation as part of a 10-bill legislative package meant to address retail theft. AB 2240 (Rivas, co-authored with Assemblymember Joaquin Arambula, D-Fresno) This bill, among other things, calls for the state to produce a study, to be submitted to the legislature by July 1, 2027, about the feasibility of transitioning state-funded farmworker housing units—like those in King City—into permanent ones. The hope is to be able to offer workers and their families more stability, like not having to have their kids constantly switch schools. AB 2830 (Rivas) Rivas, a foster parent, introduced this bill to streamline the process for would-be foster parents to take into their care children they are related to. It also requires the state to track whether the placement of children or youth with relatives increases, decreases, or remains the same over time, after Jan. 1, 2023. “I understand that children in foster care live their best lives when they stay with family,” Rivas said in a statement following the bill’s signing in September, “and research shows keeping kids with relatives or loved ones also improves behavioral and mental health outcomes, not to mention greater academic success, stability and a stronger sense of belonging.” AB 3233 (Addis) In 2016, Monterey County voters approved Measure Z, a ballot initiative that called for banning fracking, new oil wells and ending wastewater injection in the county. The measure was subsequently struck down by the courts, which ruled that the regulatory authority over oil and gas development were solely under authority of the state and federal governments, not a local municipality. This bill changes that, and establishes the right of local control over oil and gas development. It wasn’t clear it was going to pass— the bill passed just 13 minutes before the deadline for the session. Addis even garnered the help of Jane Fonda, a noted celebrity environmentalist, whom Addis met with, to make calls to fellow state legislators to ensure the bill would pass. SB 1117 (Laird) It’s important for both the “organic” label, and to keep a level playing field, to test and verify “organic” crop fields to ensure they are complying with federal laws to qualify as such. This bill aims to help tighten up the stringency of the enforcement, and among other things, makes it so that growers can’t ask to be refunded for the cost of inspectors collecting samples. SB 1188 (Laird) This bill requires the State Water Resources Control Board to develop and adopt standards for small water systems—those serving less than 10,000 people or 3,300 service connections—to ensure they have the technical, managerial and financial capacity to keep their system ship-shape. SB 1280 (Laird) Those propane cylinders you may take on camping trips and are never quite sure what to do with then they’re empty? This bill seeks to simplify that question, while reducing waste, and requires that by Jan. 1, 2028—three years out—it would no longer be legal to sell propane cylinders that aren’t recyclable or refillable. In a statement after the bill was signed, Laird touted that taxpayers would no longer be on the hook for dealing with single-use propane cylinders, while also estimating there were between 4 million to 7 million of them sold in California each year. “For years these propane cylinders have placed a great burden on our park systems, beaches, material recovery facilities and local governments,” Laird said in a statement. Law School Here are some of the laws our local legislators authored last year. As for their impact, time will tell. By David Schmalz news Robert Rivas was unanimously re-elected by his Democratic Assembly colleagues in December to serve another term as Speaker of the California Assembly. The bill passed just 13 minutes before the deadline. Daniel Dreifuss
www.montereycountynow.com JANUARY 2-8, 2025 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 13 Resistance Is Futile It’s time for the Democratic Party to abandon staid resistance to Trumpism and get ready to fight. By Elie Mystal FORUM No more deals. No more games. No more parliamentarian parlor tricks designed to dull the roughest edges of Donald Trump’s unconscionable policies. My greatest wish for the shambolic political party known as the Democrats is that they abandon the cloying institutional response to Trump that they have deployed to such little effect. I am not suggesting that the Democrats should help Trump; I’m not recommending that they join in the evil he is about to unleash. But they should not spend another four years holding a “center” that has already shifted so far to the right that it makes George W. Bush look like a benign moderate. We’ve already seen how little that approach achieves. Since 2016, the Democrats have deployed institutional responses—lawsuits, hearings, impeachment efforts, Republican allies—to try to stop Trump, while Trump has used raw political power, billionaire buddies and captured media to bend the political universe to his will. Democrats have spent their emotional and moral energy on defending the institutions Trump attacks instead of the human people he threatens. This cycle has to stop. We cannot defeat Trump or, more importantly, his racist, misogynist, know-nothing movement by propping up institutions and systems that so many millions of people have come to despise. When Trump moves to destroy an institution, the Democrats should do nothing. But when he moves to destroy people, the Democrats should do everything under the sun, including taking the “resistance” directly to the streets in the form of extrajudicial maneuvers and civil disobedience. The best possible political outcome of this approach would be for the Republicans to own everything Trump does. The government is not divided; Republicans have won one-party rule. So force them to rule. Trump shouldn’t be able to get a single cabinet appointment with the help of Democratic votes. He shouldn’t be able to pass a single piece of legislation with their support. He shouldn’t be able to pass a budget with their help. The Republicans should be on their own. I don’t want to hear a word about “friends from across the aisle” when those “friends” are trying to banish 20 million people. Instead, I want to see Democrats doing sit-ins and being carried out of Congress by the sergeant at arms. I want Democrats lying down on train tracks. As important, I want the American people to see the Democrats doing it. The Trump media will cover a lawsuit as just that: legal mumbo jumbo where both sides have a credible argument but Republican jurists get to decide who is right. The people need to see that at least the Democrats are not punks. At least the Democrats have the courage of their convictions. Trump drove around in a garbage truck for a day; the least Democrats could do would be to actually get their hands dirty. Elie Mystal is the justice correspondent at The Nation, where this story first appeared. OPINION I don’t want to hear about “friends from across the aisle.” Try Us First. We Pay The Highest! MONTEREY COIN SHOPPE Since 1970 same street for 40 years Open Mon-Thur 11am-4pm and Friday by appointment only. Call for an appointment: 831.646.9030 449 Alvarado St., Monterey www.montereycoinshoppe.com WE BUY GOLD AND SILVER, JEWELRY, COINS, DIAMONDS, WATCHES, ART & RARE ANTIQUES Landscape • Hardscape • Irrigation 831-624-4991 insideout1design@outlook.com f InsideOut Landscape Design CA LIC# 960809 w Landscape Design From An Interior Perspective Eliza DeCiantis believes that your landscape should be an extension of your interior space. Having received her Master Gardener’s Certification over 28 years ago, Eliza combines her 22 year career in television set design with her life-long passion for gardening to create beautiful custom landscape. Eliza is conscientious of our water management issues while creating a drought tolerant, deer resistant environment custom to your personal taste and budget. With a keen sense of attention to detail, Eliza will spruce up your existing landscape for a special event or create a new landscape to enjoy for years to come. InsideOut Landscape Design, Inc. can increase the value of your home, while enhancing the natural potential and beauty of your exterior space for your home or business. Real Men, Real Life, Real Results We’ve been there, and we’ll be there for you. January Workshop Registration Open Now LIFE TOOLS FOR MEN For 37 years Breakthrough has been the premier workshop for men to create the lives they want. Visit www.breakthroughformen.org or email enrollment@breakthroughformen.org Thanks to Breakthrough I'm a better friend, better partner and better father.
14 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY january 2-8, 2025 www.montereycountynow.com Help On the Way It appears that 10 percent of the money spent went for administration, which seems high, particularly when it is not being administered quickly enough (“A year after the County approved $10 million for Pajaro aid, just $2.6 million has been spent,” Dec. 19-25). They need their money now, not years from now. Walter Wagner | Salinas Thanks to Celia Jiménez for her piece on the exceptionally poor progress being made in disaster relief distribution for residents of Pajaro fully two years after the flood! Reading the Bureaucratic Speak excuses (i.e., BS) from Department of Emergency Management Director Kelsey Scanlon was enraging. Here is an idea to get the process moving: Residents in Pajaro can temporarily switch housing accommodations with Scanlon and she can go live there. She might then be able to be even more “very mindful about the time and attention necessary to get these families back on their feet.” Michael Baer | San Jose Whose Country? This nonsense talk on mass deportation needs to stop, which is causing panic and fear (“In his final days in office, President Joe Biden should defend Donald Trump’s most vulnerable targets,” Dec. 12-18). Trump is looking to deport people who will do harm and are not in the USA to be part of the American dream. Marilyn Galli | Carmel Celebrating Squidmas You nailed the year from your first paragraph to the very last word (“Squid Fry: Naughty or Nice,” Dec. 19-25). Actually put me in a much better mood after reading. Thank you. Barbara Perry | Pacific Grove Made me smile, OK chortle, OK maybe a little laugh! Happy holidays/solstice! James C. Jeffery III | Carmel Valley Squid, you have it completely wrong. I have shopped at Trader Joe’s at least six times since the opening and there is always plenty of parking available. During the first week, yes, it was a challenge getting into the parking lot because there were only two ways in. The other access roads were not yet open because of the construction. And the traffic lights at 2nd and 10th had not been turned on. Since that time, more access has opened up. This TJ’s has far more parking spots than either the Pacific Grove or Monterey stores. Plus, the building is large, the aisles are wider, and the staff is excellent. Kathy Gallagher | Marina All very good. Clever gifting to the recipients, and to Squid readers. Thanks much. Barbara Cole | via email In Deep Beautiful story on tidepools (“There’s magic to be found in tidepools—if you look closely and slow down,” posted Dec. 10). Many years ago I was with a friend exploring some excellent tidepools in Southern California. I was careful to stay only where the huge flat rock I was on was dry, so I knew (I thought) no waves would come over. As I was staring down I heard my friend yell and looked up to see a huge wave approaching that was clearly going to wash over us. I had time to lay down flat, put my head down, and get a really good hold on some big bunches of mussels. When the wave hit it peeled me off that rock like a wet rag. I remember being upside down in an area next to the rock, in turbulent water, with no control over where I went and no idea which way was up. My head went into the sand, and when I came up my ears were full of sand. Had my head hit a rock instead of sand I would not be writing this. My back was bloody as it had been raked by sharp mussel shells, but other than that, I was OK. When I read stories like yours, I think you should also let people know that sleeper waves are a real danger and can do them harm, and that as beautiful as tidepools are, they need to pay attention to waves at all times. Best is to go with at least one other person. Michael Caplin | Big Sur Power Up I understand your frustration (“PG&E fails this community yet again, and nobody seems willing or able to change it,” Dec. 26-Jan. 1). No one seems to think about their electricity very much until the lights don’t come on as expected when you flip the switch first thing in the morning. No one wants that, including PG&E. I can tell you that the men and women who work for PG&E put in a lot of time and effort to make their infrastructure dependable and resilient. They respond to outages as quickly as possible and with as much equipment and manpower as necessary to get the power restored. There is no one at PG&E who doesn’t care about your electricity being out. Some of the things that contribute to outages are high winds, trees falling into lines, animals and birds getting into lines and equipment, vehicles hitting poles and wildfires. I would highly recommend buying a generator. Portable generators capable of powering lights plus your refrigerator and freezer cost less than $1,000, and are simple to operate. I look at having electricity in my home as a privilege instead of a guarantee. No matter how much money you pay and no matter where you live, no one can guarantee you will never have an outage. William Fisher | via web Missing the Mark Prior to the Sunday, Dec. 15 matinee of the 65th Nutcracker Ballet in King City, Mayor Mike LeBarre praised Sloan Campi’s article (“The Nutcracker returns to King City for its 65th year of celebrating the holiday season,” Dec. 5-11) about such a milestone and suggested we submit letters to the editor also in praise of his words. I cannot do that. I know Mrs. Sterelli, who is quoted in the article, and am assured she told your reporter about the founding of the Pauline Hall Dancers in 1959 and how her daughter Jan Harkness is now artistic director of the Monterey County Dance Theatre, but no mention of these important figures in King City dance history appeared. Either the reporter failed to understand the importance of these two individuals, or the article fell victim to an overzealous editor; either way it was not as informative as it should have been. Steve Wilson | King City 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 january 2-8, 2025 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 15 The beginning of January is a traditional time to take stock, firm up some plans and even make a resolution or two. It’s a time of opportunity; part of the symbolism of the new year is that there is much that is unknown, and in that mystery, maybe there is some promise. Or dread. Donald Trump’s second term as president presents itself similarly. While I’m an optimist by disposition, I am a skeptic by occupation. The voters have spoken, and Trump will be inaugurated in a few short weeks. I want to give him the benefit of the doubt. We all heard during the campaign that where everything is broken, Trump will fix it. I am not naïve, and Trump’s recent lawsuit against The Des Moines Register newspaper, its parent company Gannett and the pollster Ann Selzer—for publishing the results of a poll before the election showing Trump trailing Kamala Harris in Iowa—is a clear indication of what is in store for media outlets that publish stories the president-elect deems unfavorable. I’m also doubtful that Trump’s definition of fixing the legal status for undocumented immigrants in Monterey County, reproductive rights for women in this country or the threats that climate change poses for the planet are anything like what I’d consider a repair. But rather than foretell bad things that might happen, I am going to do a long-range study on some of what does happen. It is my opinion that the election was fundamentally about the prices people are paying for stuff at the store. Trump’s proposed economic fixes so far are tax cuts and tariffs. So I’m going to focus my long-range study on those economic policies. Here’s the plan: I’ll track the prices and rates of a select range of products and indicators every three months and report back in two years on what I’ve found. It’s a not quite random list of products, as they are of personal interest to me. My hope is that by indexing the prices of tequila and avocados from Mexico, solar panels from China, newsprint from Canada and the Ford F-150 Lightning—as well as the rate on 10-year U.S. Treasury bonds and the California unemployment rate—I can offer a snapshot in data form of what “Trump fixing it” means. I have enlisted experts to help me compare apples to apples. It’s a tricky exercise; avocados are seasonal and the price of some bottles is always on special at the liquor store. The same holds true with trucks—rebates and discounts fluctuate constantly and right now there is a generous tax credit when buying an electrical vehicle manufactured domestically. The treasury rate and the California unemployment rate are, by contrast, publicly reported, routinely updated data points. I’ve recruited the national newsprint broker who supplies the paper to the San Francisco Examiner, the plant where the Weekly is printed, to track the price of paper. The regional sales manager of the largest liquor distributor will track the wholesale price of a case of Patron (less incentives). I’ve got a local solar provider to offer me the industry newsletter showing the price of modules for largescale (but not utility-sized) solar module purchases. In conversations with these industry pros, it was suggested repeatedly that I also track the price of domestic products in the same categories, because although they may not be subject to tariffs, it is likely that their prices will be influenced by the market. As a result, I’m going to expand my list to include newsprint from Washington and Oregon. (The reason much of the newsprint in this country comes from Canada is that the mills that used to produce that product have retooled to make cardboard to satisfy online retailers.) I’m also adding solar panels produced domestically, as well as those finished in Malaysia and Singapore, plus Makers Mark bourbon from Kentucky. I’m going to check the price of the Tesla Model Y, as it is the bestselling electric vehicle—not to mention that Elon Musk now occupies a central place in Trump’s orbit. And because immigration policies may well have economic impact, I’m also going to track the wholesale price of a case of romaine lettuce from the Salinas Valley. I look forward to reporting back midterm in 2027, after I’ve collected the data. And in the meantime, Happy New Year. Erik Cushman is the Weekly’s publisher. Reach him at erik@montereycountynow.com. Price Point A new year and new president present a chance to measure policy impacts. By Erik Cushman Hot Commodity…Squid drinks plenty of seawater just by oozing around the lair, but next up in Squid’s list of preferred beverages at this time of year is hot tea. It warms the tentacles simply by holding it, which is a bonus. For that reason, Squid prefers Squid’s tea served piping hot. But in an incident a year ago at the Starbucks on Vierra Canyon Road in Prunedale, super-hot tea ended badly for customer Consuelo Nava who, according to a lawsuit filed on Dec. 23 in Monterey County Superior Court, received a cup of tea on which the lid was not properly attached. The drink spilled onto Nava, injuring both of her feet. “Starbucks provided no warning that the tea content was dangerously hot,” the complaint reads. (Squid thought that part was implied—the exception, of course, being the coffee shop mega-chain’s frothy drinks like lattes, which are almost always too cool for Squid’s liking.) Represented by San Jose-based attorney Timothy Gill, Nava is now suing Starbucks for negligence and seeking damages for emotional distress, medical expenses, loss of earning capacity and more, in an amount of at least $35,000. That should go far enough to purchase a whole lot of cups of tea; Squid suggested ordering them iced, to avoid any future issues. Best of the Rest…In the undersea world where Squid lives, whoever is the best is determined by survival of the fittest. On land, humans like to crow about who is the best of the best, to the extent that it loses all meaning. Leading up to year-end, a number of “best” lists were published online about seaside towns, including local spots making rank. HGTV named Carmel as the most charming small town in all of California for its fairytale-style cottages, boutiques, art galleries, white sand beach and other attractions. Not so fast, according to The Travel website, which on Dec. 9 put Carmel below Pacific Grove in a story that touted eight Northern California towns as better than Southern California bergs. Carmel was seventh on the list, described as a place to head to instead of Laguna Beach. Pacific Grove was number four on the list, considered a better spot to visit than Malibu. “In contrast to Malibu’s exclusive and polished scene, Pacific Grove exudes warmth and authenticity. This idyllic retreat offers a peaceful retreat infused with timeless beauty.” (Carmelites, Squid thinks, might take offense on the authenticity point.) Murphys in Calaveras County was ranked first, the place to be instead of Santa Ynez, which, come on now, how can you top the most beautiful coastline in the world? Which proves Squid’s point: These internet “best” lists are totally meaningless. the local spin SQUID FRY THE MISSION OF MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY IS TO INSPIRE INDEPENDENT THINKING AND CONSCIOUS ACTION, ETC. I can offer in data form what “Trump fixing it” means. Send Squid a tip: squid@montereycountynow.com
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