4 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY JANUARY 9-15, 2025 www.montereycountynow.com THE BUZZ FREE SPEECH Journalists in the United States were arrested or detained by police at least 48 times in 2024, according to a new report by the U.S. Press Freedom Tracker. That’s more than the previous two years combined, and nearly 90 percent of those incidents stemmed from the Israel-Gaza war protests, data from the Freedom of the Press Foundation shows. (The foundation operates the tracker.) Any year with sustained national protests sees arrest numbers spike, the report stated, such as the 137 arrests in 2020 following nationwide unrest over the murder of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer. Kirstin McCudden, managing editor of the tracker, said each arrest “has serious consequences for our free press,” as these journalists are “often unable to freely cover stories deemed important by the public.” Despite a contentious election year, a relatively small number of five arrests of journalists were related to the election nationwide. Good: The Haute Enchilada’s resident barn owls welcomed 2025 with a rare occurrence for this time of the year: an egg. Employees of the Moss Landing restaurant, which has a camera livestreaming the barn owls’ box, noticed the egg on New Year’s Eve, unusually early in the season. Typically, barn owls don’t lay their eggs until February or March. The egg marks the first clutch for the new owl pair, named TJ and Tina. In 2016, the Haute Enchilada partnered with Humane Wildlife Control Inc. to install the nesting box as a way to control rodents. One family of owls can consume an estimated 4,000 rodents annually, according to Humane Wildlife Control. Through a livestream viewable on YouTube and inside the restaurant, diners have followed along the lineage of the barn owls since the original denizens, Teco and Lotte, took up residence and raised numerous owlets until Lotte died in 2018. GREAT: Three years in the making, great news arrives for pediatric South County patients this week in the form of a new clinic opening on Jan. 14 at Mee Memorial campus in King City. While pediatrics are not new for these rural clinics, this is Mee’s first dedicated center, and is expected to shorten wait times for adult patients at other locations. The Children’s Health and Wellness Center will be staffed by one full-time pediatrician, one-and-a-half equivalent pediatric nurse practitioners, one licensed vocational nurse and six additional front and back office support staff; the clinic is accepting new patients. “The opening of this center is a significant milestone in our mission to build a healthier, stronger community,” CEO Rena Salamacha said in a statement. “It is more than just a building—it’s a testament to our commitment to ensuring that our children’s future remains a top priority.” GOOD WEEK / GREAT WEEK THE WEEKLY TALLY That’s how much the County of Monterey Health Department received from the California Office of Traffic Safety to fund a campaign about the dangers of driving while high on cannabis. Source: County of Monterey Health Department $206,065 QUOTE OF THE WEEK “In my nearly 20-year medical career, I have only seen one other case like this.” -Dr. Erica Locke, Salinas Valley Health emergency room physician, after three people were poisoned by death cap mushrooms purchased from a mobile vendor in Salinas (see story, montereycountynow.com). * Borrowers must be members of Bay Federal Credit Union and your business be eligible for Bay Federal membership. Qualification of membership is defined as the business headquarters is located within Santa Cruz, Monterey, or San Benito Counties. Must meet membership and account criteria, all loans subject to approval. Only commercial properties located within the state of California are eligible for financing. Rates and terms will vary based on collateral and credit. Programs, rates, terms, conditions, and services are subject to change without notice. Other restrictions may apply. 831.479.6000 • www.bayfed.com • 888.4BAYFED Federally Insured by NCUA | Equal Housing Lender 1524 N. Main Street | Salinas Now Offering Commercial Real Estate Loans No pre-payment penalties Purchase or refinance Loan amounts up to $5,000,000 Multi-family units, farm & agriculture, office space, warehouses and other properties Visit a branch today!
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