JANUARY 30-FEBRUARY 5, 2025 MONTEREYCOUNTYNOW.COM LOCAL & INDEPENDENT MEASURING BATTERY FIRE’S IMPACT 6 | RAISE THE (FIRE-PROOF) ROOF 11 | CELEBRATE BLACK HISTORY 27 FIRST PLACE GENERAL EXCELLENCE • 2024 CA JOURNALISM AWARDS • A year ago, Wyndham Clark broke the course record at Pebble Beach Golf Links. We take a look at how he did it. p. 14 By Dave Faries PLUS: A new look for the old Lodge. p. 20 HITTING THE MARK AT&T PEBBLE BEACH PRO-AM 2025
2 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY JANUARY 30-FEBRUARY 5, 2025 www.montereycountynow.com JANUARY 30-FEBRUARY 5, 2025 • ISSUE #1905 • ESTABLISHED IN 1988 Karen Loutzenheiser (iPhone 12) Oak trees cast shadows across radiantly green grass on the River Trail at Garland Ranch Regional Park. A canine hiker takes in the lovely scene. MONTEREY COUNTY PHOTO OF THE WEEK Send Etc. submissions to etcphoto@montereycountynow.com; please include caption and camera info. On the cover: Wyndham Clark gives a thumbs up to the crowd at the 18th green after setting a new course record in 2024 at the Pebble Beach Golf Links during the AT&T Pro-Am. Clark fired a 60 on the par-72 layout. Cover photo: Daniel Dreifuss 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
www.montereycountynow.com JANUARY 30-FEBRUARY 5, 2025 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 3 Cancer affects everyone, impacting our personal lives and workplaces. Beyond the personal toll, it remains a leading healthcare cost for employers, challenging productivity and well-being in the workplace. This World Cancer Day, February 4th, the American Cancer Society calls upon the Montery County's business leaders to partner with us. Together, we can create healthier workplaces and communities, uniting to end cancer as we know it, for everyone. Monterey County : Leading the Fight to End Cancer this World Cancer Day and Beyond Thank you to these companies for joining us in the fight against cancer locally: Partner with the American Cancer Society to make a meaningful impact on patients and families in our community. Contact Nancy Valdez at nancy.valdez@cancer.org to explore partnership opportunities and drive change together. Hartnell College Foundation International Paper Natividad Foundation Santa Cruz County Bank Peartree + Belli Architects Jim Gattis Investment Properties One Workplace Alvarado Street Brewery Kobrinsky Group 1st Capital Bank Alvarez Technology Group MP Express Green Rubber Kennedy Ag Anthem Principal L & J Farms Enza Zaden 831 Tacos Guadalajara Markon Cooperative Pebble Beach Company Star Sanitation Stages Unlimited Monterey Bay Boatworks Humana Kool Inc Entertainment Tristan’s Cookies & Cream Crumbl – Salinas
4 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY JANUARY 30-FEBRUARY 5, 2025 www.montereycountynow.com THE BUZZ FREE SPEECH It’s no secret that women’s rights over their own bodies are under attack with the new administration, so many weren’t surprised when the federal website, ReproductiveRights.gov, disappeared shortly after the Jan. 20 inauguration. The website was created by the Biden administration in 2022 after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, ending abortion as a federal right. The team at theSkimm, an online news outlet, noticed that the website had been preserved by the Internet Archive. So, with the thumbs-up from their attorneys, theSkimm copied all the information and pasted it to their new website, reproductiverightsdotgov.com. In an interview with Marketing Daily, theSkimm Executive Editor Margaret Wheeler said the response to the move has been overwhelming. “Our position is that we always want to give women information about their health, and they can then make the right decisions for them,” she said. “We are just doing what we’ve always tried to do: present information in a non-biased, fact-checked, science-based way, regardless of the politics surrounding it.” Good: National and statewide accolades continue for Chef Jonny Black of Chez Noir in Carmel. On Wednesday, Jan. 22, Black was named as a semifinalist for the James Beard Award for Best Chef: California, one of 11 regional awards given out by the organization. In its first year, the restaurant not only earned a Michelin star, but was also nominated for the James Beard Award for Best New Restaurant. Black is among 20 chefs from California restaurants so honored. The final nominees will be named on April 2, with the winner announced at the official ceremony on June 16 in Chicago. Black graduated with honors from the Culinary Institute of America Hyde Park in 2007. From there he joined the culinary A-list, including stints at Per Se in New York, Governor in Brooklyn, as well as San Francisco destinations Quince and Atelier Crenn. Jonny and Monique Black opened Chez Noir in October 2022. GREAT: Farmers markets operated by Everyone’s Harvest throughout Monterey County have returned from their winter slumber. Also back: free produce boxes in Seaside. Everyone’s Harvest announced that the Farms Together program has been extended through 2025, with boxes of fruits and vegetables worth $26 available for pickup at the Seaside Farmers Market at Laguna Grande Park every Thursday at 5pm. To receive a box, available on a first-come, first-served basis, residents need to show an ID verifying that they come from a low-income household, such as an EBT or Medi-Cal card. “This extension of the Farms Together program underscores our commitment to ensuring that everyone in our community, regardless of income level, has reliable access to fresh produce,” Everyone’s Harvest Executive Director Hester Parker said. GOOD WEEK / GREAT WEEK THE WEEKLY TALLY That’s the amount the Marina City Council approved for the second phase of Glorya Jean Tate Park. Monterey Peninsula Engineering will be in charge of the project, which includes a dog park, basketball court, picnic areas, electric vehicle charging stations and more. Source: Jan. 22 Marina City Council agenda $4.5 QUOTE OF THE WEEK “He touched a lot of people with his music.” -John Tallon, drummer of Jonah and the Whalewatchers, reminiscing on Alexander “Bammy” Shirley, the founding member and vocalist/bassist of the band who died on Jan. 12 (see story, montereycountynow.com). million * 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. 1524 N. Main Street | Salinas 831.479.6000 • www.bayfed.com • 888.4BAYFED Federally Insured by NCUA | Equal Housing Lender Now Offering Commercial Real Estate Loans No pre-payment penalties Purchase or refinance Multi-family units, farm & agriculture, office space, warehouses and other properties Visit a branch today!
www.montereycountynow.com JANUARY 30-FEBRUARY 5, 2025 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 5 831 Pebble Beach may be at the epicenter of the golf world during this time of the year, but there’s another type of golf that’s exploding in popularity throughout the country, especially so in the northern end of Monterey County. There are no clubs or balls here, only discs and baskets. This is disc golf, where many of the same rules of traditional golf apply—the goal is to hit the target in as few strokes, or in this case, throws, as possible. A new disc golf course at Royal Oaks Park, which opened on a trial basis in October, is a hit, with players from throughout Monterey, Santa Cruz and San Benito counties, as well as out of state, converging to try out what some local enthusiasts are calling a unique experience. Monterey County Chief of Parks Bryan Flores says when county staff asked the public what projects they would like to see, following voters’ approval in 2018 of state Proposition 68 (which provides funding for parks), there was one constant: The county needs more disc golf courses. Pickleball may be getting a lot of press about how quickly the sport is growing in the United States, but disc golf is right there with it. The Professional Disc Golf Association, which was founded in 1976, took 40 years to hit 100,000 total members since its formation. However, in the past decade, it has grown to nearly 300,000, most of those coming during the pandemic years. According to UDisc, an app that allows disc golf players to track their stats, more than 450 rounds have been played on the 21-hole course as of Jan. 9—and that’s just from those who use the app. Flores estimates that number makes up less than half of the total number of players. “People are really happy to have a new course,” he says. “It’s a really close-knit community. Everybody looks out for each other.” Credit for the course design goes to disc golf enthusiasts Nick Kite and Kelly Stracke, two Monterey County Parks commissioners who met over their shared love of disc golf. Kite got involved when the City of Monterey shut down an informal disc golf course at Ryan Ranch in 2018, which was maintained by the Monterey Stinging Jellies Disc Golf Club. The course eventually reopened in 2022, sanctioned by the city, but during that time, Kite joined the board of the club. He was also appointed to the County Parks Commission. Stracke was also appointed to the commission around that time, and the two worked with their fellow commissioners and county staff to find ways to accommodate the growing sport by adding more courses. The 122-acre Royal Oaks Park on Maher Road—the oldest in the county system, having opened in 1966—was viewed as a possibility not only for its central location in the region, but also for its unique landscape. “It’s got an amazing landscape, with different types of terrain and elevation,” Kite says, adding that the amenities of the park, including barbecue areas and playgrounds, add to the experience. “You’re throwing through oak trees, through nicely manicured grass fairways. That’s what really makes this course unique.” “It really challenges not only the beginner, but the professional player,” Stracke adds. Disc golfers from the tri-county area volunteered to help install the course, while the baskets were loaned by Watsonville-based disc golf manufacturer Disc Golf Association and local clubs. Flores says he expects the trial run to last through the summer, and based on the response, it’ll very likely become permanent, pending county approval. After that, tee pads and signage will be installed. Kite notes that he follows the usage statistics of all the courses in Monterey County on the UDisc app. CSU Monterey Bay’s Oaks course is one of the most popular, yet in December, the Royal Oaks course had more rounds scored on it by comparison. “That’s a pretty cool accomplishment in such a short time,” Kite says. Fling of Things A new disc golf course at Royal Oaks Park is attracting players from throughout the region and beyond. By Erik Chalhoub Nick Kite plays a round of disc golf at the new course at Royal Oaks Park. Kite, along with fellow Monterey County Parks Commissioner Kelly Stracke, designed the course, which is currently in a trial run. “Everybody looks out for each other.” TALES FROM THE AREA CODE DANIEL DREIFUSS FOR MORE INFO: 831-394-5656 sales@montereycountynow.com Photo: Michael Dadula Published by 2024-2025 FREE Best of Monterey Bay® Wedding Guide cover_WG24.indd 1 2/22/24 10:53 AM Connect with eager couples and their families to make their Monterey County wedding even more memorable. HAPPILY EVER AFTER BEGINS IN MONTEREY COUNTY Best of Monterey Bay® Wedding Guide Coming March 2025
6 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY JANUARY 30-FEBRUARY 5, 2025 www.montereycountynow.com NEWS After 97 years, Carmel’s historic Harrison Memorial Library, designed by famed architect Bernard Maybeck and constructed by master builder Michael J. Murphy, is on track for a major interior renovation to bring it into the 21st century. It will be done with private money—already $2 million has been raised, with $3 million needed to catch up with a $5 million matching gift. The building belongs to the City of Carmel, its operation is overseen by the Harrison Memorial Board of Trustees and supported by the Carmel Public Library Foundation and Friends of the Carmel Public Library. A study commissioned by the Carmel City Council last year concluded that the historic building was in need of a major overhaul, including electrical, plumbing, technology and Americans with Disabilities Act requirements. “We realized it would cost a lot to do all this and we knew the city does not have the funding for it, or the bandwidth. So we stepped up and said we’ll provide the funds,” says Alexandra Fallon, the foundation’s executive director. One estimate is that it could cost as much as $15 million. They formed a 19-person architect selection committee and selected the firm of Moore Ruble Yudell for its experience in sensitive restorations of historic buildings. All that’s left is approval from the council. The multi-year project will hopefully be complete in time for the library’s anniversary on March 31, 2028. “It’s a cherished institution and we want it to be here for the next 100 years for generations to come,” Fallon says. Novel Idea Carmel’s historic library is due for its first major interior renovation since 1928. By Pam Marino While the lithium ion battery-induced fire at the Vistra power plant in Moss Landing is no longer burning, nearby residents still have burning questions about what kind of pollution they may have been exposed to, particularly those who experienced symptoms such as headaches, nosebleeds and a metallic taste in their mouths. Questions remain, but an announcement made Jan. 27 by San Jose State University marine geologist Ivano Aiello, chair of the Department of Geological Oceanography at Moss Landing Marine Laboratories, may provide some insight. Aiello has been testing sediments around Elkhorn Slough for over a decade, and in the days immediately following the fire, he and others got to work taking marsh soil samples within a two-mile radius of the Vistra plant. What they found is that concentrations of nickel, manganese and cobalt—heavy metals, known together as “NMC,” are often used as cathode material for lithium ion batteries—were about 1,000 times their normal concentrations. “All these three metals are toxic to terrestrial and aquatic life,” he says. “Those things are very tiny, they can lodge into your lungs.” As for whether the amount of exposure would have health impacts on humans and other animals, Aiello can’t say. He and other scientists will be tracking how the metals move through the food chain and groundwater. “We haven’t done this study before, but in two months, we’re going to know exactly if the metals move from soil to oysters or red legged frogs,” he says. A silver lining, perhaps, is that instead of conducting such a study in a lab, “Now we can do it in a natural environment.” Michael Polkabla, an industrial hygienist based in Pacific Grove, is volunteering alongside other scientists to gather 125 soil samples since the fire. Their results could be processed within about a week. As for potential impacts to crops in the area, “every plant metabolizes [the metals] to some degree,” Polkabla says, “spinach in particular.” Asked whether growers should be concerned, he adds: “Absolutely.” The Monterey Bay Air Resources District reported the particulate matter around Moss Landing during the fire and aftermath never exceeded a “moderate” air quality index reading. But MBARD doesn’t have the equipment to measure for the most dangerous chemical released by the fire, hydrogen fluoride, an acidic gas commonly referred to as “HF,” which can cause deleterious health impacts from skin and respiratory irritation to tissue damage, among other things. Officials from the federal Environmental Protection Agency deployed to Moss Landing immediately in the wake of the fire, and set up nine stations to monitor for HF, two inside the Vistra facility and seven in the area around it. In only one of those stations was HF detected in air—a few hours on Jan. 18, Jan. 19 and Jan. 20—but the amounts did not exceed the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment’s level that would be considered harmful for even the most vulnerable individuals. Prunedale resident Ed Mitchell, who’s been active in organizing a community response team to the fire, could see the smoke column from his house, rising straight up, and says it’s lucky there was little wind in the days after the fire, as it could have easily blown to the Monterey Peninsula. “It isn’t a small issue that affects a small town,” he says. Luis Solano and Tonya Rivera are Moss Landing residents who are concerned about the possible health risks associated with the battery fire that started on Jan. 16. Up in the Air Two weeks after Vistra battery plant fire in Moss Landing, residents are still seeking answers. By David Schmalz Carmel Mayor Dale Byrne (left) and Carmel Library Foundation board president Marci Meaux, shown at the Harrison Memorial Library, hope to have renovations completed by 2028. “Those things are tiny, they can lodge into your lungs.” DANIEL DREIFUSS DANIEL DREIFUSS
www.montereycountynow.com JANUARY 30-FEBRUARY 5, 2025 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 7 Rose Romance Singles $160 / 60 mins. Couples $320 / 60 mins Celebrate love & relaxation with a luxurious massage for couples or singles. Enhance your senses with essence our signature rose. Radiant Rose $160 / 60 mins Restore your skin’s radiance with a hydrating rose infused facial including a moisturizing hand treatment. Gifts Certificates can be purchased on-line at spaontheplaza.com and printed from home, and there is no expiration date. Guests can enjoy complimentary Champagne and Truffles on Valentines Day Voted Best Skin Care in 2024 for the 13th time and Best Spa 7 Times ValentineS’s pecials Specials STEAM ROOMS - POOL - JACUZZI - FITNESS CLUB MEMBERSHIPS - WELLNESS CENTER - FREE PARKING 201 ALVARADO ST. DOWNTOWN MONTEREY • 831-647-9000 SPAONTHEPLAZA.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
8 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY JANUARY 30-FEBRUARY 5, 2025 www.montereycountynow.com There are only so many ways to respond to rising seas: accommodate, protect, retreat or do nothing. These options fall on a scale, ranging from simply buying more time to longer-term solutions. They can include infrastructure changes, like elevating structures or building floating homes; or they can focus on redirecting or dissipating water, like constructing sea walls, levees or restoring wetlands. The most aggressive approach is managed retreat: moving structures and people away from the coast to give the sea space to rise, allowing the environment to adapt and restore itself. On Wednesday, Jan. 22, Marina City Council voted to take a significant step toward enacting a more progressive option to coastal management planning to address rising seas in approving a draft of coastal hazards policies for the Local Coastal Land Use and Implementation Plan. These documents, which will go to the California Coastal Commission for certification this spring, detail a plan to respond to sea level rise using managed retreat as well as soft armoring methods that include nature-based approaches to addressing erosion. “This is not an evacuation. I’m not saying everybody move right now,” said David Revell, a coastal geomorphologist who advises cities on sea level rise. “But we’re going to monitor and observe where erosion is happening and when certain things need to be relocated before they end up as a big mess on the beach.” Most of Marina’s coastline remains in its natural state and has been protected against “armoring,” or building structures like sea walls or bulkheads. While these methods can stabilize shorelines, they can create other problems by disrupting the natural movement of sediment. Four main stakeholders are involved in this plan. There are three public entities—California State Parks, Marina Coast Water District and Monterey Peninsula Regional Parks District— and one private, the Sanctuary Beach Resort. Within 5 feet of sea level rise, 32 structures and 22 parcels were identified that may be exposed to coastal erosion. Cemex, a sand mining operation which has contributed to coastal erosion, began phasing out in 2020. “Marina has a longstanding commitment to responsible stewardship,” says Councilmember Brian McCarthy. “The [plan] will safeguard against irresponsible development within the Marina coastal boundary, helping ensure that our region remains protected from unsustainable practices.” Since 2022, the County of Monterey has received nearly $3 million in funds stemming from several opioid settlement lawsuits, with a total of $13 million expected over the next 20 years. After a slow start in distributing funds to agencies and nonprofits to fight opioid use and addiction in the community, county officials are finally designating cash to several programs, totaling over $1.56 million. The highest award thus far is to nonprofit Central Coast Overdose Prevention for $627,609, to create a pilot mobile outreach program called the Substance Use Response Team. It’s designed to send doctors, peer counselors and others into encampments aimed at preventing overdoses and providing recovery support. The program is being led by CCODP’s president, Dr. Reb Close, who’s been on the forefront of the fight against opioids through her work as an emergency room physician at Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula, Montage’s Prescribe Safe program and street medicine programs. For several years Close and partners in treatment and law enforcement had been interested in creating the mobile outreach team, modeled after a successful Ohio program. The County agreed to pay for the pilot through July with a focus on South County cities. CCODP purchased a truck and supplies, and compensates doctors who spend one day a week in the field. They launched in Soledad a few months ago, adding King City in December and Greenfield in mid-January. Close says she and the peer counselors have already established a connection with people living by the Salinas River in Soledad, bringing them socks, snacks and other items, many donated. They offer supplies to those they know recently overdosed and guide them, if they ask, to medical treatment through Clinica de Salud’s mobile clinic. Close is hopeful the program will prove itself and be extended beyond July. “We’re figuring out how best to serve each community while learning from other communities,” she says. Sea Space Marina City Council approves a draft Local Coastal Plan addressing sea level rise. By Katie Rodriguez NEWS MONEY MATTERS Small business owners and entrepreneurs are invited to a workshop on financing programs and how to create business plans. The workshop is presented by the Central Coast Small Business Development Center, California Coastal Rural Development Corporation and the Salinas Valley Chamber of Commerce. Noon-1pm Thursday, Jan. 30. Salinas Valley Chamber of Commerce, 119 East Alisal St., Salinas. Free. linktr.ee/ CentralCoastSBDC. TALKING CIVIL RIGHTS The NAACP Monterey County Branch hosts the Ministers/Stephen E. Ross Awards Breakfast. This year’s theme is: “The Church’s Role in Today’s Civil Rights Movement: Keeping the Dream Alive,” featuring guest speaker Rev. Dr. Amos C. Brown of the Third Baptist Church in San Francisco. 8:30am Saturday, Feb. 1. Embassy Suites Hotel by Hilton, 1441 Canyon Del Rey Blvd., Seaside. $65. Register at montereynaacp.org/2025-ministers-breakfast. EVENT BOOST The City of Monterey is accepting applications for its Special Event Support Program. Grants are awarded to not-for-profit events that are free to the public, and focus on, for example, educational opportunities and cultural experiences. Applications accepted Feb. 1-27. monterey.gov/events/grant-program. PUBLIC PROCESS Monterey City Council meets and accepts public comment. Tell your elected officials what they are doing well and what you think they can do better. 4pm Tuesday, Feb. 4. Colton Hall, 580 Pacific St., Monterey. Free. 646-3799, monterey.gov. DRAWING THE LINES Pacific Grove City Council meets to go over draft maps outlining the future council district boundaries. Public comment is accepted. 6:15pm Wednesday, Feb. 5. Pacific Grove City Hall, 300 Forest Ave., Pacific Grove. Free. 648-3181, cityofpacificgrove.org. OPEN SEAT Carmel Area Wastewater District is recruiting to fill an open seat on its Board of Directors. The person appointed to fill the position will take the office on Feb. 26, and will be up for election in November 2026 if they wish to continue serving on the board. Applications are due at 3pm Feb. 14. All candidates will be invited to make a statement during the board meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 26 at 9am. cawd.org. Teaming Up Pilot program to guide people into drug treatment gets underway with opioid settlement funds. By Pam Marino Marina has about three miles of coastline and has experienced some of the highest rates of erosion in the state, thanks largely to the Cemex sand mine that is no longer mining. E-MAIL: toolbox@montereycountynow.com TOOLBOX “It will safeguard against irresponsible development.” DANIEL DREIFUSS
www.montereycountynow.com JANUARY 30-FEBRUARY 5, 2025 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 9 To support art education in K-12 schools, California voters approved Proposition 28 in 2022, providing $800 million to $1 billion per year to support existing arts programs. It requires schools to use 80 percent of the funds to employ certified teachers and 20 percent for training and materials. Schools have three years to spend their annual allocation; if they don’t, they need to return the remainder to the state. “A lot of our students are not going to piano lessons privately, or to theater privately or dance privately, because it’s cost-prohibitive. Being able to have it in the public school setting allows for greater equity in terms of student opportunity and access,” Monterey Peninsula Unified School District Superintendent PK Diffenbaugh says. Funds from Prop. 28, also known as the Arts and Music in Schools Funding Guarantee and Accountability Act, started to arrive in February 2024. (The legislation allocates 1 percent of the K–12 portion of Prop. 98 funding, or minimum funding levels for schools, for the arts.) School districts are at different stages of implementation, and are taking different approaches. This year, for example, Alisal Union School District received $1.3 million and MPUSD received $1.5 million. At MPUSD, the funding supports existing art teacher positions in elementary schools and existing art classes in middle and high schools. The district expanded its arts programming in previous years using one-time Covid relief funds, and increased part-time art teacher positions to full time in elementary schools, as well as expanding elective art classes at all high schools. Alisal Union is fully rolling out its visual and performing arts programming this year with an itinerant art program. Seven teachers with art backgrounds were reassigned to develop and implement the district’s art curriculum, and provide demos to teachers they can integrate into their classes. AUSD also organized its first student poetry contest last year, drawing participation from all 13 schools in the district. Edi Porter, AUSD’s director of curriculum and instruction, says art programming has increased student, parent and staff engagement. At Salinas City Elementary School District, the program is still under development but the goal is to integrate art into everyday instruction. “We can make it part of our science lessons. We can make it part of our social studies discussions. We can make it part of our reading,” says Ron Dillender, SCESD’s associate superintendent of educational services. Porter offers an example: A theater activity in elementary school could be students interpreting a scene of Peter Pan during an English lesson. Kids can practice reading skills, build confidence and improve communication skills by incorporating performing arts into an existing curriculum module. “Art is more than just producing a product,” Dillender adds. “It’s about creative thinking.” Art Works Local school districts take different approaches to supplement art programs using state funds. By Celia Jiménez Students in Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary School in Seaside take photos during a photography class led by the nonprofit the Weston Collective. NEWS “Art is more than just producing a product. It’s about creative thinking.” DANIEL DREIFUSS ONLY $32.99 EVERYTHING YOU NEED Quality feed & pet supplies • DIY dog & cat vaccines • Premium hay at great prices Low cost vaccination clinic for dogs & cats. Microchipping. Prescription flea/tick medication. Open Sat 2:30pm-4:30pm • Sun 10:30am-12:30pm 101 W. LAUREL DR, SALINAS • (831)443-6161 Mon-Sat 9am-6pm Sun 10am-5pm $5 OFF Any purchase of $25 or more $20 OFF Any purchase of $100 or more CHICK SEASON IS COMING! $10 OFF Any purchase of $50 or more CANNOT BE COMBINED WITH OTHER OFFERS. LIMIT 1 COUPON PER CUSTOMER. NOT VALID ON HAY SHAVINGS, PETLOCK, ADVANTAGE/ADVANTIX, OR SERESTO COLLARS. MUST PRESENT ENTIRE PHYSICAL COUPON AT TIME OF PURCHASE. CHICKS FOR SALE: STARTING FEBRUARY 13, 2025 OUR CHICK BREEDS: RHODE ISLAND RED BARRED ROCK AMERAUCANA GOLDEN SEX LINK BLACK SEX LINK CORNISH CROSS WITH THE BEGINNER POULTRY KIT! 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.
10 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY JANUARY 30-FEBRUARY 5, 2025 www.montereycountynow.com PEOPLE POWER So good to see that Weekly reporters have not just sat on their asses and presumed “protest fatigue” and “a nation exhausted,” like so many other lazy news outlets (including some local ones), but instead have found The People rising up at every corner. I’ve been heartened to read of the Aquarium workers unionizing; Natividad physicians fighting to reinstate their union brother; protests of Trump’s inauguration; “know your rights” workshops for immigrants; the 1,000-person MLK Jr. march; public demands for investigations into and cleanup of the Vistra battery fire; and the “die-in” by farmworkers and their allies protesting the racist policies of the State that allow our communities to continue to be poisoned by a pesticide banned in 40 countries. And 2025 is just starting. It’s a fight, and it will likely get harder, and I’m pleased at least one local media source is paying attention. Mark Weller | Salinas Note: Weller is campaign director at Californians for Pesticide Reform. FIRED UP I absolutely agree that the fire at Vistra’s Moss Landing battery storage facility requires a rethink about replacement of those batteries and any expansion elsewhere (“Yes, we need safeguards—but we also need battery storage technology,” Jan. 23-29). However, that discussion should recognize that the batteries which caught fire were early generation grid scale batteries from LG Energy which are based upon NickelManganese-Cobalt (NMC) chemistry. This battery chemistry is prone to thermal runaway unless properly managed, and LG Energy has the worst reputation for properly manufacturing and managing NMC batteries. Few companies still use NMC chemistry for grid-scale batteries because there is a much safer, longer-lasting, and cheaper alternative based upon Lithium-Iron-Phosphate (LFP) chemistry. LFP batteries are not prone to thermal runaway because they operate at lower voltages and their electrolytes are far less volatile. Aengus Jeffers | Monterey Lithium-ion battery manufacturing defects cannot be detected and cause battery fires. Until these problems can be resolved, all battery storage systems should be shut down for both financial and safety reasons and for grid reliability. Donna Gilmore | via web Good report, and needed (“When disaster strikes, who should we believe?,” posted Jan. 22). In general, we know that we can not fly with lithium batteries in our aircraft. Think asbestos, tetraethyline (lead) in aviation and automotive fuels. Oh, and lead in housepaint. Even red dye #2! It took decades to discover the tragic effects of these chemicals. Your writing does a good job to inform and get the general public active. Leslie Rice | Garden Grove There is absolutely no doubt that something toxic was in the air that Thursday night and the next day. It may have been held close to the coast by the heavy marine layer. But it was there. Would be interested to know what the “safe” limits are for human exposure. Will bet you a pizza that those limits are set by people who have never been exposed to toxins in the air. Curt Chaffee | Seaside IMMIGRATION REFORM I can understand why there is a sense of dispiritness and resignation among Democrats, because I too feel defeated with Trump’s election (“The second Trump administration is beginning. The fear is already here,” Jan. 16-22). However, I also believe in our laws, and our laws stipulate you must have authority to enter our country legally. Our elected officials created this mess by not enforcing our laws, and by allowing undocumented people into our country with access to benefits that were paid for by taxpayers thereby eliminating or reducing programs for law-abiding taxpaying citizens, people were bound to get fed up and angry and elect someone like Trump. I get it that we need foreign workers to work in the agriculture, hospitality and service industry, but our elected officials need to find a bipartisan solution to our immigration problem. Other countries manage foreign worker programs, so why can’t we? I am not optimistic about the next four years. Maybe people will feel the effects of Trump’s mass deportations and finally do something to fix our immigration issue. Tiffinie Meyer | Seaside FOOT WORK Thanks to Pam Marino for bringing to our attention Walk Every Street PG, and kudos to founders Ashley Edge and Amy Burkman (“A new group in Pacific Grove seeks to walk every street while building community,” Jan. 23-29). As Edge said, “You can drive all you want but to really know a place, you need to walk it.” That’s similarly true for people who bike vs. drive. We encourage walking groups to consider including “walk audits” to identify for cities where infrastructure improvements are needed. As highlighted in the Resources section on bikemonterey. org, AARP teamed up with the League of American Bicyclists to create bike audit toolkits, in English and Spanish, and AARP has a walk audit toolkits too. Anyone can do a walk or bike audit. In fact, the best are done by people with varying perspectives and mobility needs. Mari Lynch | Highway 68 corridor Note: Lynch is founder of Bicycling Monterey. UP STAGE Thanks for highlighting this weekend’s performances of two Samuel Beckett plays at the Carl Cherry Center for the Arts (“Two actors from either coast bring two of Samuel Beckett’s one-act plays to the same stage,” Jan. 23-29). They were both excellent. It’s another example of the amazing variety of programs available at this jewel of a local venue: These Beckett plays and other theater in the Cherry’s intimate auditorium, local jazz ensembles, music from near and far, art exhibits of all sorts, youth programs, poetry, a sculpture garden, and delightful receptions. Roberta Myers | Monterey 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 30-FEBRUARY 5, 2025 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 11 It was perhaps fitting that Carmel’s community planning and building director, Brandon Swanson, missed the first part of the city Planning Commission’s meeting on Wednesday, Jan. 15. He’d been in a separate meeting with the fire chief and other officials talking about a local response to a potential event like the Los Angeles fires. (There will be a presentation to Carmel City Council on Monday, Feb. 3.) They’d been discussing the Community Wildfire Prevention Plan, completed in November 2023. The extensive plan covers the cities of Carmel, Monterey and Pacific Grove. (You can find the plan online at monterey.gov/ fire.) It covers emergency notifications and also actions that can help buildings survive a wildfire, such as landscaping, building materials and clearing defensible space around the perimeter. This plan exists primarily on paper, a broad guiding document. There are some tangible outcomes—for instance, in 2024, the Monterey Fire Department conducted 864 defensible space inspections. But a lot of what a plan like this accomplishes is education and awareness. How to translate that awareness into tangible action puts a finer point on the broad idea of fire resilience. Architects, city planners, homeowners and policymakers are asking: Can we design our way out of the problem? A partial answer was the subject of a lengthy conversation at the Carmel Planning Commission on Jan. 15, after Swanson arrived. It was the first in what will be a series of conversations about updating the small city’s design guidelines to reflect more contemporary needs for alternative roofing materials—in short, out with the flammable shake roof options made of wood shingles, in with composite and metal. Most members of the public who spoke to the commission urged them to embrace alternatives to the shake roofs that have, for roughly a century, been associated with looking very Carmel. Carmel is famous for embracing and strictly adhering to design standards that uphold what is generally described as “village character.” Sample shingles may be passed around the room for public inspection at a Planning Commission meeting— and opinions about those shingle styles and how they fit in, or not, is a hot topic. Architect Daniela de Sola (of the firm de Sola.Barnes) urged the Planning Commission to update ideas about acceptable roofing designs. “The problem is that guidelines are in direct conflict with the Wildland Urban Interface codes and standards,” she said. “I do agree that aesthetics play a vital role in creating a sense of place and identity. However, it’s essential we should ensure safety is never compromised in favor of visual appeal.” Not everyone in Carmel is ready to go for it. Neal Kruse, a member of the Carmel Preservation Association, spoke specifically about standing seam roofs, which have a decidedly industrial look, with visible seams along a uniform surface, rather than shingles layered on top of each other. “Are we so afraid of fire that we’re willing to lose the character of Carmel? I don’t think so,” he said. I disagree—it’s time to accept that the future is here. On Jan. 10, as the Los Angeles fires raged, NASA announced an analysis showing that in 2024, the Earth’s temperature was 2.65 degrees Fahrenheit above 1850-1900. “The long-term trend is clear,” said Gavin Schmidt, director of NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies. “We’re already seeing the impact in extreme rainfall, heat waves and increased flood risk, which are going to keep getting worse as long as emissions continue.” We are at a transformational point on our planet and in our local communities. And as commissioners see it, also for design. “We’re at a pivotal point right now—we could ultimately change the entire aesthetic of the community,” Commissioner Erin Allen said. “We can’t have every single roof metal here, it will change the look of our community.” Indeed it will change that look—and we must envision what those communities of the future will look like. Planning Commissioner Michael LePage seemed to see and embrace the reality. “We have to acknowledge we’re up against a situation that’s going to change that architectural character of our residential community,” he said. “We’ve got to make a change.” Sara Rubin is the Weekly’s editor. Reach her at sara@montereycountynow.com. Pam Marino contributed to this report. Safety First Carmel wrestles with what a fire-safe community looks like. By Sara Rubin MONEY PROBLEM…Despite its age making it a classic, no auction house is interested in Squid’s jalopy. But when none other than Jerry Seinfeld consigned a car from his collection to Mecum Auctions, the excitement was palpable. Squid was there when Mecum unveiled the vehicle in Monterey during Car Week in 2024 and understood the interest. The car in question was the 1969 Porsche 917K owned and driven by Steve McQueen in the film Le Mans. Never had a Porsche of this magnitude been on the auction block, although another used in the film sold for more than $14 million. Bruce Canepa, vice president of Friends of Laguna Seca, pegged its value at $25 million. So Squid could not help being transfixed in front of the TV on Saturday, Jan. 18. Following months of hype and in front of a crowd of cell phone cameras at Kissimmee, Florida, bidding for the star car opened at $15 million and topped out right on Canepa’s mark, $25 million. Only it didn’t sell—it seems the seller was expecting a higher figure. To a chorus of disbelief, Mecum auctioneer Jimmy Landis said, “Don’t hate me, I’m going to close the bid.” There are rumors that it was all a stunt, or that Seinfeld had already sold the car to Dana Mecum. But Squid thinks the auction served a purpose. Now we know what the car is not worth. DISS ORDER…Squid wasn’t surprised when President Donald Trump, after getting sworn into office for the second time Jan. 20, signed a slew of executive orders that rewarded his supporters—he pardoned all the Jan. 6 insurrectionists, including violent offenders who assaulted police officers—and punished his political enemies. Trump 2.0, as he’s made clear both in his campaign and first week-plus back in office, provides the blueprint for the spoils system that will define his second term. And as for punishing his political enemies, Trump issued an executive order revoking the security clearances of 51 former national security officials who signed in a letter in the run-up to the 2020 election that argued the emails recovered from a laptop once owned by Hunter Biden bore “all the classic earmarks of a Russian information operation.” Among the signatories of that letter, and whose name was included in Trump’s order, is Leon Panetta of Carmel Valley who has held a number of prestigious positions in Washington over his storied career, and retired as Secretary of Defense in 2014. Squid wondered: Did Panetta even still have a security clearance? Squid’s colleague called up the Panetta Institute to ask, and confirmed that he hasn’t had a security clearance since he retired over a decade ago. But hey, at least the price of eggs is going…up. THE LOCAL SPIN SQUID FRY THE MISSION OF MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY IS TO INSPIRE INDEPENDENT THINKING AND CONSCIOUS ACTION, ETC. “We should ensure safety is never compromised.” SEND SQUID A TIP: squid@montereycountynow.com
12 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY JANUARY 30-FEBRUARY 5, 2025 www.montereycountynow.com Turning the Page How we teach reading can improve learning outcomes for life. It’s time to change the curriculum. By Susie Brusa FORUM More than half of American third-graders do not read at grade level. In third grade, a student transitions from “learning to read” to “reading to learn.” If one cannot read, one’s learning slows significantly. While significant learning losses during the pandemic exacerbated the crisis, the trend was established pre-Covid. The root cause of the problem is how we teach reading. The most popular curricula used in schools nationwide teach students to guess words based on context and pictures, rather than how to decode text. This methodology, known as balanced literacy instruction, was promoted by educators who believed, without research, that boring phonics instruction would interfere with a child’s love of reading. There is a solution supported by decades of global research on how the brain processes language, known as the “Science of Reading.” This structured literacy instruction works for English-language learners also. It is brain science, not English language-specific. Importantly, the Science of Reading is not exclusively decoding (phonemic awareness and phonics). It includes fluency, vocabulary and comprehension. In fact, when a student is identified as needing reading intervention assistance, specialists use a curriculum drawn from this science to help that student get back on track. Why don’t we just start with that methodology in the first place? Several states have done so, and with remarkable results. The “Mississippi Miracle” refers to the rising test scores in one of our poorest and least educated states. In Tennessee, the Department of Education has mandated both curriculum change and teacher training, and the results are improving. California does not proscribe curriculum because the voters determined that local districts would know best what their communities need. Although the Monterey County Office of Education cannot mandate curriculum changes for districts, they have made evidence-based curriculum available for districts to review and pilot. They have also created and delivered a Science of Reading Academy for teachers, underwritten by a $1.5 million grant from Taylor Farms, for professional development. Parents and guardians can ask administrators in your school district whether they are using English/Language Arts curriculum aligned with the Science of Reading, and if not, insist they do so. Frustrated Massachusetts parents have gone so far as to file suit against the creators and publishers of the current failed methods. People become teachers because they want to help kids succeed; yet, we are not teaching our children to read. The solution is evidence-based and easily accessible. We need to train and equip our teachers with what they need, so our future workforce can be successful. Susie Brusa was Rancho Cielo’s CEO for 12 years after leading large statewide sales organizations in telecom. Salinas Valley Chamber of Commerce named her the 2017 “Businesswoman of the Year.” She consults for Taylor Farms’ charitable efforts. OPINION The solution is evidence-based and easily accessible. Lifting Up Our Community Thank you for supporting our MCGives! campaign. Together we raised over $54,000 to provide essential services to our Monterey County neighbors. Because of YOU, families are finding stability, individuals are tackling challenges with renewed strength, and our community is growing more connected and compassionate. Together, we’re building brighter futures filled with hope and opportunity! Get involved today and join us in Providing Help and Creating Hope! CatholicCharitiesDoM.org | 831.393.3110 | 922 Hilby Ave. Ste. C. Seaside, CA 93955 Give Help Get Help
Sand City is quickly becoming known as the most creative town on the Monterey Peninsula! From the quirky and Instagram-worthy murals scattered throughout the city, to the legendary West End Festival, Sand City is a must-see destination year-round. There’s always something worth seeing in Sand City. See Sand City! www.montereycountynow.com JANUARY 30-FEBRUARY 5, 2025 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 13 Find us at your local Farmers Market The Barnyard Tuesdays 9-1 Del Monte Shopping Center Fridays 8-12 Aptos at Cabrillo College Saturdays 8-12 Carmel on Ocean Avenue Thursdays 10-2 465-D Olympia Ave, Sand City sweetelenas.com 831.393.2063 Open Monday-Saturday from 8am-4pm Phone orders available Valentine Treats Decorated Sugar Cookies, Jam Hearts, & Pavlovas ’23 Best Restaurant Sand City 490 Orange Ave, Unit D Sand City P: 831-582-1724 www.UntamedFire.net 490 Orange Ave, Unit D Sand City P: 831-582-1724 www.UntamedFire.net 490 Orange Ave, Unit D Sand City P: 831-582-1724 www.UntamedFire.net 490 Orange Ave, Unit D Sand City P: 831-582-1724 www.UntamedFire.net 490 Orange Ave, Unit D Sand City P: 831-582-1724 www.UntamedFire.net 490 Orange Ave, Unit D Sand City P: 831-582-1724 www.UntamedFire.net 490 Orange Ave, Unit D Sand City P: 831-582-1724 www.UntamedFire.net 490 Orange Ave, Unit D Sand City P: 831-582-1724 www.UntamedFire.net Service and Repairs on: VOLKSWAGENS TOYOTAS HONDAS JUST ANDY Satisfying Local Customers for 30 Years! 394-4212 465-A Olympia, Sand City (Back exit of Home Depot) HOME OF THE FREE 6 WEEK WEIGHT LOSS CHALLENGE MONDAY - FRIDAY: 5-10AM & 4-8PM SATURDAY 7-10AM 325 ELDER AVE, SAND CITY (831) 233-9321 • THECAMPTC.COM SAVE-ON Mon-Fri7am-7pm•Saturday7am-6pm Sunday Closed 840 Playa Ave Sand City 831.394.3161 35 Plaza Cir. Salinas 831.757.3535 SAME DAY SERVICE in by 10am, pick-up 4pm 3 Doors Down from Costco Limited Time Special CLEANERS $4.00 $3.00 Pre-paid cash only. expires 2/28/2025 Excludes leathers, downs, gowns, and jumpsuits. Any Garment Dry Cleaned Any laundry shirt
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MjAzNjQ1NQ==