4 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY JANUARY 16-22, 2025 www.montereycountynow.com THE BUZZ FREE SPEECH Meta’s decision to scrap its third-party fact-checkers will open its platforms—Facebook, Instagram and Threads—to even more disinformation, critics say, which even CEO Mark Zuckerberg admitted. On Jan. 7, Zuckerberg announced Meta is replacing its fact-checkers with “community notes” generated by users. “Fact checkers have been too politically biased and have destroyed more trust than they’ve created,” Zuckerberg said. “What started as a movement to be more inclusive has increasingly been used to shut down opinions and shut out people with different ideas, and it’s gone too far.” Meta launched its fact-checking program in 2016 in an attempt to cull the spread of disinformation, especially in light of the election season. But critics view Meta’s recent announcement as an attempt to curry favor with President-elect Donald Trump, who has long railed against fact-checkers as being biased against him. The move also puts some journalists out of work, whose fact-checking organizations relied on funding from Meta. Good: The simple act of sending a card to someone can make them feel loved and not forgotten—something that many living in care facilities, nursing homes and other assisted living facilities are missing. Active Seniors, Inc. and the Alliance on Aging have teamed up to help lessen the isolation these residents may be experiencing during the Valentine’s Day season. For the past several years, the two organizations have put out a call to the public to hand-craft Valentine’s cards to be distributed to facilities across the county. The cards range from pre-school students making scribbled notes to seniors crafting elaborate art projects—but all have the same positive impact on the recipient. About 3,000 people are typically given a card during the season, according to Active Seniors. Cards must be mailed or delivered to the Alliance on Aging, 247 Main St., Salinas, 93901 by Feb. 5. GREAT: The Long Valley, a 13-minute documentary on the people of the Salinas Valley, is one of 57 short films that will be part of the Sundance Film Festival in Utah from Jan. 23-Feb. 2. 433 Pictures’ film is directed and produced by Rodrigo Ojeda-Beck and Robert Machoian, who both have deep roots in Monterey County. “We wanted to document the Salinas Valley and its people because we both have personal connections to the area,” said Machoian, who grew up in King City. The daily lives of Central and South American immigrants in the valley’s agricultural community are portrayed through a series of tableaus. “This film continues our ongoing exploration of rural communities in the U.S. using a photobook aesthetic, bridging the space between still photography and film,” Ojeda-Beck said. The Long Valley was one of 57 short films selected, out of 11,153 submissions from throughout the world, according to the festival. GOOD WEEK / GREAT WEEK THE WEEKLY TALLY That’s how many firefighters from the Monterey Fire Department are currently in Los Angeles fighting the Palisades Fire, which has so far destroyed more than 9,000 structures. Dozens of firefighters from agencies across Monterey County, including Salinas, Seaside and Cal Fire BEU, are battling the massive blazes consuming areas of Southern California. Source: Monterey Fire Department 8 QUOTE OF THE WEEK “You don’t plop or expand these sorts of things into critical wildlife corridors.” -Andy Hsia-Coron of Protect San Benito County, whose group joined an appeal of the Big Red Barn’s permit to expand events (see story, montereycountynow.com). 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 Quantities are limited! Call ahead for availability and variety. Del Rey Oaks 899 Rosita Rd, del Rey oaks 831-920-1231 seasiDe 1177 san Pablo ave, seaside 831-393-0400 Bare Root season Has arrived! Come and check out our selection of fruit trees and roses. save 25% Off tHe RegulaR pRiCe By Buying DuRing tHe DORmant seasOn. Purchasing early in the season means better selection, price, and success for the home gardener. g Sale StartS January 17th. h KL New Year, New Leadership, New Vision With new leadership, Monterey County Bank aims to strengthen partnerships that support local businesses, promote sustainable development, and enrich the overall quality of life in Monterey County. montereycountybank.com We invite you to come visit us at one of our locations in Monterey, Salinas, Carmel and Pacific Grove.
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