MARCH 27-APRIL 2, 2025 MONTEREYCOUNTYNOW.COM LOCAL & INDEPENDENT LEGAL DRAMA FOR CALI ROOTS 8 | SPENDING SCHOOL BONDS 11 | TARIFFS HIT WINE AND BEER 42 FIRST PLACE GENERAL EXCELLENCE • 2024 CA JOURNALISM AWARDS • BATTERY STORAGE IS PART OF THE RENEWABLE ENERGY FUTURE. WHAT SAFETY LESSONS CAN WE TAKE FROM A CATASTROPHIC FIRE IN MOSS LANDING? P. 16 By David Schmalz POWER DOWN
2 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY MARCH 27-APRIL 2, 2025 www.montereycountynow.com MARCH 27-APRIL 2, 2025 • ISSUE #1913 • ESTABLISHED IN 1988 Charles Briscoe-Knight (Sony RX10 mk4) Big waves crash over the headland rocks at Point Pinos in Pacific Grove, creating a dramatic scene as the last of the sunset glows. MONTEREY COUNTY PHOTO OF THE WEEK Send Etc. submissions to etcphoto@montereycountynow.com; please include caption and camera info. On the cover: Vistra’s Moss Landing battery energy storage facility that caught fire Jan. 16 was at one time the biggest such facility in the world, and it was all under one roof. 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
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4 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY MARCH 27-APRIL 2, 2025 www.montereycountynow.com THE BUZZ FREE SPEECH A delegation of Monterey County supervisors including Luis Alejo visited Washington, D.C. in February and March to advocate for the needs of the state and county. While Alejo has made many similar trips before—in all his nine years on the board, he’s served on the Legislative Committee—this trip was different in a few ways. One was intangible: “I have never seen the dismay on the faces of congressional members,” he says. Another was more specific. On Feb. 28, a delegation of about 10 members of the California State Association of Counties, on which Alejo serves as second vice president, was set to meet with federal officials from the Office of Intergovernmental Affairs, in the Eisenhower Building on the White House campus. Alejo and crew were waiting outside the security gate to enter, when the CSAC lobbyist got a phone call: Preclearance was granted to everybody in the delegation except Alejo. “It was surprising but I thought, maybe this is the new reality in Washington, that if you’re too vocal, you won’t even get access to public buildings,” he says. No explanation was provided; the White House did not respond to the Weekly’s inquiries seeking an explanation. Good: There is good community work coming out of many local Rotary chapters all the time. But this week marks a milestone for the Carmel-by-the-Sea Rotary, which celebrates 75 years of service with a gala event at 5:30pm on Saturday, March 29 at Quail Lodge. Since the club’s founding in 1950, volunteers have contributed over $4 million in donations; $90,000 in scholarships to Carmel High School seniors; and impossible-to-count service hours on projects including maintenance at Mission Trail Nature Preserve, cleanups of Carmel Beach and helping nonprofits like Tatum’s Garden Foundation and Rancho Cielo. “We are incredibly proud of what we’ve accomplished over the years, but our work is far from over,” President Mark Grancolas said in a statement. “We remain steadfast in our dedication to supporting local organizations, students and community projects that strengthen the fabric of our community.” GREAT: It was a great week for local fans of professional baseball, even if on a small scale. On Tuesday, March 18 the Monterey City Council voted unanimously to approve a proposal bringing the Monterey Amberjacks back to Sollecito Ballpark—with the possibility of beer sales, should league organizers complete the licensing process. The city last hosted the Pecos League team in 2023. While the agreement is for one season, there is the possibility of an extension (the Amberjacks called Monterey home starting in 2017, receiving an extended contract that ended in 2023). The independent minor league plays a 56-game regular season that runs from May 19 through July 27, followed by playoffs. Because Sollecito Ballpark is used by city recreational programs, it is available for 20 Amberjacks home games—all on Saturdays and Sundays, with the exception of a Friday contest on July 4. Tickets are set at $10. GOOD WEEK / GREAT WEEK THE WEEKLY TALLY That’s the number of acres in the City of Monterey deemed to be in a “very high” fire severity zone. An updated map from Cal Fire shows the number has increased from 1,106 in 2011. Source: Monterey Fire Department 1,220 QUOTE OF THE WEEK “Looking at a giant wall can seem intimidating. But once you get into it, it’s not.” -Lisa Haas, on her new Salinas mural (see story, montereycountynow.com). Monterey County Bank’s 12-month CD Offering Grow your savings with a secure 12-month Certificate of Deposit at 4% Interest Rate. 4% Interest Rate / 4.07% APY* Minimum Deposit: $100,000 Opening Your CD Is Easy! Visit any of our locations or call our branch managers for assistance: Carmel Valley: Nam Nguyen, Branch Manager Salinas: Diana McColl, Branch Manager Monterey: Karen Speed, Branch Manager Pacific Grove: Simi Johnson, Branch Manager montereycountybank.com *APY info: The annual percentage yield assumes interest will remain on deposit until maturity. A withdrawal will reduce earnings. Early Withdrawal Penalty: If your Account has not matured, any withdrawal of all or part of the funds from your Account may result in an early withdrawal penalty. Available to new funds only. Annual Percentage Yield is accurate as of 2/18/2025. 2020 INFORMATIONAL SESSIONS AND INTERVIEWS TO BE HELD AT 2:00 PM AT THESE LOCATIONS THE SUPERIOR COURT URGES YOU TO PARTICIPATE IN IMPROVING YOUR LOCAL GOVERNMENT! Greenfield Tuesday May 12 Monterey Wednesday May 13 www.monterey.courts.ca.gov/grandjury (831) 775-5400 Extension 3014 Salinas Thursday May 14 Monterey Courthouse Wednesday, May 7 at 2:00 pm Salinas Courthouse Thursday, May 8 at 2:00 pm King City Courthouse Friday, May 9 at 10:30 am www.monterey.courts.ca.gov/general-information/grand-jury (831) 775-5400 Extension 3014 The 2025–2026 Civil Grand Jury Needs You! 2025 INFORMATIONAL SESSION AND INTERVIEWS TO BE HELD AT THESE LOCATIONS
www.montereycountynow.com MARCH 27-APRIL 2, 2025 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 5 831 Certain things in life seem impossible to describe. Spirituality—what it means to a person and why one feels connected to a belief or guiding path—is often one of them. The feeling or emotion itself might be as clear as day, but the reasoning or justification behind it can be indescribable, yet knowable. Lynette Smick describes herself as a pagan, a witch and a crystal collector, defining it as a way of “listening, bringing in the signs, the sights, the feelings, everything that comes in from the Earth and from your spirit.” Five years ago, she and two friends opened a shop they named Untamed Fire nestled off the street in Sand City. The shop shares the space with a few others—a tattoo parlor and a salon. Out front sits a garden with tables that surround it, creating a community gathering space for many to enjoy tea, chat, discuss the known, the unknown, and their feelings about the present and future. On Sundays, psychics and tarot readers often come to offer their services, meeting with guests at the tables out front. All of these services operate off of energy, or the relationship between one’s internal thoughts, feelings and the world around them. The ethos is such that everyone exists on a spectrum of sensitivity to things like spirits, ghosts and intuition—a belief that Smith, along with many who visit the shop, holds to be true. This is where energy healers, mediums and psychics come in; they are attuned to different aspects of this sensitivity, whether it’s emotions, the afterlife, or the future, in one way or another. When asked whether or not Smith and friends found the space, or if the space found them, she says, without question: “The space most certainly found us.” She describes how her friend saw the place for rent while she was getting a tattoo next door, and together they decided to create a space not only to share their collective love for healing through energy and herbs, but to provide for the community. The shop is home to all things metaphysical. It is a dispensary of stones, each believed to offer healing properties for those seeking support. On any given day, you might see someone buying rose quartz to aid in fertility, or prehnite, the “healer stone” to prevent empathy from exhausting you. Another customer might be seeking a grounding stone to ease anxiety and empower them through hardship or enlightenment. That is the magic of the shop—wherever you are in life, there is an energetic way to support that journey. “There’s some crystals that are hard to source, like moldavite,” Smick says, explaining that years ago a TikTok influencer created a video about how it changed her life, which went viral. Today, Smith is the sole person who runs Untamed Fire on weekends, working her day job during the weekdays. In addition to stones and crystals, her shop offers everything from tarot cards and candles to homemade oils and incense. She is careful about where and how she sources her products—the wrong intention in creating a product can damage its worth to those who use it. She handpicks her stones from personalized vendors in Tucson, Arizona; Oregon; and Los Angeles. Her tarot cards are sourced directly from the artists or the publisher. “There’s a huge issue with counterfeit tarot decks; it’s a big deal,” Smith says. “If I walk into your shop and you have counterfeit tarot, I don’t trust you. I don’t trust your crystals. I’m leaving.” Signs of a counterfeit tarot deck? A flimsy deck, often with smaller cards, or one that lacks a guidebook explaining the card meanings. “I’ve built a great community here,” she says. “There’s so many people that just come to sit and have tea or sit in the garden and hold a crystal or get a reading or just stop by for a hug. It’s a very safe environment.” Untamed Fire, located at 490 Orange Ave., Suite D in Sand City, hosts an event every solstice and change of the seasons, in addition to a spring vendor market on April 13 and the West End Celebration Aug. 23-24. Life Energy For all of your metaphysical needs, a self-described witch has created a one-stop shop and gathering place. By Katie Rodriguez Lynette Smick is a firm believer that crystals provide healing properties. Her Sand City shop, Untamed Fire, is outfitted with all types of stones, oils, candles and more for those intrigued by the metaphysical. “The space most certainly found us.” TALES FROM THE AREA CODE DANIEL DREIFUSS Call today to get your message into this annual glossy magazine celebrating our delicious county. FOOD AND DRINK IN MONTEREY COUNTY THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO BEST OF MONTEREY BAY® Eat+Drink Published by Best of Monterey Bay® Eat+Drink 2024-2025 | FREE cover_E+D_24.indd 1 4/19/24 11:49 AM ADVERTISING DEADLINE: April 14 PUBLICATION DATE: May 2 FOR MORE INFO: 831-394-5656 sales@montereycountynow.com
6 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY MARCH 27-APRIL 2, 2025 www.montereycountynow.com NEWS Ad Astra is set to open a second location, this one in Carmel Valley’s Mid Valley Shopping Center. According to Reese Stanley of The Stanley Group, the San Josebased property company that owns the center, Ad Astra plans a retail shop with beer and wine. The popular bakery completed lease arrangements in late March. Renovation is expected to take eight weeks. Stanley says that the company has wanted Ad Astra as an anchor for the shopping center for several years; the group first reached out in 2022. At the time, however, owner Ron Mendoza was in need of a larger kitchen, eventually moving from Seaside to his current location in downtown Monterey. “We’re really excited to have them in,” Stanley adds. “We try to find tenants that the community wants.” A second location of the Pacific Grove cleaners Sudz Cyber Laundry is also slated for Mid Valley. Ad Astra fills the space vacated by The Beerded Bean. A lawsuit filed in February by Mid Valley Partners alleged that owners of the coffee shop and tap room stopped paying rent in August of 2024. The Beerded Bean was four years into a seven-year lease agreement. In February, Mid Valley listed the property as available. It was the owners of the Salinas coffee shop—the original location remains consistently busy—who put The Stanley Group in touch with Ad Astra. Renovation is currently underway in the space at 319 Mid Valley Center. Stanley notes that the work is largely cosmetic, and though there are often unforeseen delays, the 60-day target date for Ad Astra’s opening is feasible. “TBD, but I think they will do it,” Stanley says. Astra-Nomical The Monterey bakery Ad Astra is rolling out a retail location in Carmel Valley’s Mid Valley. By Dave Faries Earlier this month, Zulieka Boykin, executive director of the Housing Authority of the County of Monterey, sat before the Monterey County Board of Supervisors with some good news—finally. Three years earlier, the board and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development were eyeing the agency for possible takeover. Among the many troubling issues was that HACM was failing to issue thousands of housing vouchers to those who needed them. Boykin was hired in October 2022 with a mandate to turn things around. Boykin told the supervisors on March 11 that voucher utilization was up 40 percent over the past two years, in part due to innovative methods that included two large-scale events in Salinas where would-be renters who had long sat on waiting lists were invited to come take care of all the necessary steps at once and walk out with a voucher in hand. Over time, the number of issued vouchers increased from about 3,200 to the current level of approximately 4,600. (There were 5,117 available.) Other pieces of good news included that relations with HUD officials have improved, funding has been secured to reopen the previously shuttered Pueblo Del Mar housing in Marina, as well as partnerships that will bring 450 new affordable units to the county in the next three to five years, among others. What Boykin didn’t share was that several days earlier, on March 6, HUD officials issued a mandate that HACM stop issuing any new vouchers, citing a possible HACM budget shortfall in September. The shortfall, if it happens, would be due to uncertainty at the federal level as the Trump Administration makes deep cuts. HACM’s budget depends on reimbursement from HUD to cover the cost of vouchers used in the county—come September, there may not be any additional funds available to cover an increase. Monterey County’s high rental costs only compounds the challenge. “When I came in, one of the things from the [HUD] field office, to keep the agency from getting in trouble, was to get utilization up,” Boykin told the HACM board. “However, this is a high rental market.” HUD was giving HACM enough money to cover 3,200 vouchers, even after utilization went up past 4,000. HUD did eventually give HACM more money to cover the difference, she said, but now, at 4,600 vouchers issued, it’s unclear if HUD will have the money to reimburse HACM further. Boykin emphasized HACM will not issue new vouchers, because going against the mandate could jeopardize the existing 4,600 voucher holders. “I’m not trying to scare [anyone], but HUD can tell you to terminate people from the program,” Boykin said. “We’ve got to do what’s best for the 4,600 existing families.” She expressed relief that 1,400 more voucher-holders have housing now compared to two years ago due to the agency’s efforts. The last vouchers issued were in September, which means they will soon expire if the holder has not found a place to rent. (Recipients have six months to find a residence.) Previously HACM would issue extensions, but no more. Those eligible will be able to remain on a waiting list for vouchers. Zulieka Boykin, of the Housing Authority of the County of Monterey, is telling partner agencies HACM must honor a HUD mandate or risk losing existing vouchers. Vouch For The Housing Authority finally issued more vouchers, but HUD now wants it to stop. By Pam Marino The former Beerded Bean space in Mid Valley Shopping Center is undergoing renovations to become Monterey-based Ad Astra’s second location. The landlord hopes for a late May opening. She emphasized they will not issue new vouchers. PAM MARINO DANIEL DREIFUSS
www.montereycountynow.com MARCH 27-APRIL 2, 2025 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 7
8 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY MARCH 27-APRIL 2, 2025 www.montereycountynow.com The California Roots Music and Arts Festival has come a long way from humble beginnings in 2010. “When it first started it was meant to just be your backyard barbecue type of event,” says founder Jeff Monser, who lived in Santa Cruz at the time. He started first with a clothing line, then live music. “It turned into a festival—a lifestyle, you could say.” In 2012, its third year, producer Dan Sheehan joined the team and took the festival to another level. It continued to grow from there, regularly drawing big crowds for three or four days around Memorial Day to the Monterey County Fairgrounds. It also draws big musical acts; this year’s lineup from May 23-25 includes Rebelution, T-Pain, Buju Banton (“a big one for us,” Sheehan says) and Atmosphere and more headliner-worthy names in hip-hop, roots and reggae. During the pandemic, Cali Roots offered online music, keeping fans connected. Along the way, things between co-producers Monser and Sheehan took a turn for the worse. Eventually, they saw an opportunity to sell their successful festival to a big producer. In 2023, Sheehan was in talks with representatives of entertainment company LiveCo. Discussions priced Cali Roots as high as $13 million. In April, Sheehan bought out Monser’s 50 percent stake for over $1.6 million, and says he then expected to sell Cali Roots to LiveCo. But the sale to LiveCo fell through after the 2023 festival lost money, following a post-Covid resurgence in 2022—a disappointment to Sheehan, as he tells it. “Jeff got his money from us, we were left holding the bag on a festival that lost a whole bunch of money.” But Monser tells a different story. He thought he’d sold to LiveCo, and didn’t realize it was Sheehan who bought him out; it was only the next year during the 2024 festival that he says he realized that the deal to LiveCo never materialized—and he believes Sheehan never expected it to. In June 2024, Monser filed a lawsuit against Sheehan (and his wife, Amy Sheehan, and their company Good Vibez Presents) then filed a renewed complaint in January 2025. Monser, who now lives in the East Bay and runs the Brentwood Emporium, alleges Sheehan never intended to close the sale, and used a fake email address to docu-sign documents on Monser’s behalf. He is seeking at least $1 million in damages and renewed ownership of Cali Roots. The parties are in settlement talks, with a trial date set for June 8, 2026. Isaura Arreguin says she had her two daughters in mind, as well as many other Latina girls and young women, when she applied to fulfill an unexpired elected term on the Salinas Valley Health Board of Directors. “My goal is to lead by example,” she says. On March 20, the board chose Arreguin over two other candidates to take over the seat for Zone 3, which covers much of North Salinas, with a large Latino population. She steps into the position previously held by Juan Cabrera, who was elected in 2018 and again in 2022. He resigned in February citing personal reasons. The term ends in December 2026. “Ms. Arreguin brings fresh perspective and a wealth of community experience to the role,” an announcement from the SVH board and CEO Allen Radner to staff states. “Her professional career has focused on community development, program development, grant writing and management, with a commitment to her Latina heritage and community engagement.” Arreguin is the development director for the Salinas Community Science Workshop. She also serves as president of Latina Professionals Central Valley. She worked for over 10 years in different positions at Hartnell College. Coming to the U.S. from Mexico at age 17, Arreguin says she had to navigate both the education system and the medical system, which is inspiring her to bring greater awareness of SVH and its services to her constituents during her term. “I want to ensure that, especially since I’m representing District 3, that the community has access to all of [SVH’s] services,” she says. Arreguin will be sworn in at an SVH board meeting at 4pm Thursday, March 27, in the Downing Resource Center, Salinas Valley Health Medical Center, 450 E. Romie Lane, Salinas. Instructions for attending virtually are available at salinasvalleyhealth.com/ virtualboardmeeting. She asked Soledad Mayor Anna Velazquez, another Latina leader, to swear her in. Roots Bind After a failed sale of Cali Roots to a big producer, the founder sues, alleging fraud. By Sara Rubin NEWS FIND A SPOT The City of Monterey seeks feedback on its residential parking program. Residents are encouraged to share their input. 5:30pm Thursday, March 27. Monterey City Council Chamber, 580 Pacific St., Monterey. Free. 646-3953, monterey. gov/parking. WITH OPEN EARS Monterey County Supervisor Chris Lopez hosts a listening session to hear thoughts and concerns from Lockwood residents. 6pm Thursday, March 27. Lockwood Community Center, 65951 LockwoodJolon Road, Lockwood. Free. 755-5033, district3@countyofmonterey.gov. DIVVY UP The City of Marina seeks input on how to spend a potential $3 million. The funds may be available to the city if Cal Am’s desalination project is built, part of a set of conditions for its approval. 10am-noon Saturday, March 29. Marina City Council Chambers, 211 Hillcrest Ave., Marina. Free. cityofmarina.org/ ForMarinaByMarina. GREEN THUMBS The public is invited to a community gardening day organized by the City of Gonzales and other organizations. No experience is required. 10am-noon Saturday, March 29. Gonzales Community Garden, corner of Elko Street and Fairview Drive, Gonzales. Free. (541) 778-4243, amanda@savethewhales.org. HEALTHY CHECK-UP Salinas Valley Health hosts a community health event during the Marina Farmers’ Market, offering free health screenings and flu shots. 10am-2pm Sunday, March 30. Marina Farmers Market, 215 Reservation Road, Marina. Free. bit.ly/ MarinaHealthDay. PROJECT PLANNING The Salinas Planning Commission meets to discuss various community development projects. Public input is accepted. 4pm Wednesday, April 2. City Hall Rotunda, 200 Lincoln Ave., Salinas. Free. 758-7381, cityofsalinas.org. LAST HOMETOWN The Pacific Grove City Council meets and, as always, welcomes public comment. 6pm Wednesday, April 2. City Hall, 300 Forest Ave., Pacific Grove. Free. 6483100, cityofpacificgrove.gov. A CLOSE EYE Volunteers are encouraged to apply for the County of Monterey’s Civil Grand Jury. The grand jury serves as a watchdog over local agencies. The next term runs June 13-30. Deadline to apply is May 2. bit.ly/ MCGrandJury. Role Model Isaura Arreguin steps up to represent her community on the Salinas Valley Health board. By Pam Marino Dan and Amy Sheehan’s company, Good Vibez Presents, hosts events including Cali Roots, Sand City First Fridays and Holo Holo in San Diego, Las Vegas and Sacramento. E-MAIL: toolbox@montereycountynow.com TOOLBOX “We were left holding the bag on a festival that lost money.” DANIEL DREIFUSS
www.montereycountynow.com MARCH 27-APRIL 2, 2025 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 9 DON’T MISS MONTEREY MUSEUM OF ART’S 3RD ANNUAL BLOCK PARTY! Free and open to all, this vibrant arts festival transforms downtown Monterey into a bustling hub of art and creativity. INTERACTIVE ARTS ACTIVITIES | LOCAL ARTISANS | DAZZLING PERFORMANCES DELICIOUS FOOD AND DRINK | FREE ADMISSION 559 PACIFIC STREET | MONTEREY, CA 93940 | MONTEREYART.ORG BOOK NOW! *Cannot combine. 10% off labor only. Must present coupon at check-in. Shop supplies and any additional parts extra. Limited time only. 831-230-0910 1730 The Mall | Seaside SullivansAutoService.com
10 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY MARCH 27-APRIL 2, 2025 www.montereycountynow.com Although it has been months since the new Carmel Unified School District board was elected and seated, former board member Anne-Marie Rosen is just beginning to reckon with her charges of election fraud in the lead-up to the 2024 election. On Thursday, March 20, a Monterey County Superior Court judge denied a demurrer—an effort to dismiss the case—which argued against all counts that the District Attorney’s Office filed against her. In October of last year, one month before the election, Rosen was charged with four felony counts for falsely declaring her candidacy and submitting false voter registration related to election fraud for misrepresenting her address. She has since said that the charges were filed to damage her chances at getting re-elected to the CUSD board. The confusion, according to her attorney and case documents, lies in the fact that Rosen’s family owns multiple properties in the county. Rosen bought a home in 2021 just 1.2 miles away from where she was registered to vote. At that time, school board members were elected at-large. However, new district lines drawn in October of 2022 cut through Carmel Valley, placing the new home in Trustee Area 5 and her old home in Area 4, which is not up for election until 2026. Rosen maintains that when she registered to vote and then to run in Area 5, she intended to reside there by Election Day. “A demurrer is a pretty unusual motion,” says Chief Assistant District Attorney Berkley Brannon. “It’s hard for the defense to win that.” With the motion denied, the rest of the case will proceed, getting to the sufficiency of the evidence; the next scheduled court appearance is April 3. Court documents filed by the defense state that Rosen’s opponent, Jason Remynse, who was appointed to fill a vacancy mid-term, hired a private investigator. He then contacted the Monterey County Registrar of Voters, which then referred the private investigator’s report to the District Attorney’s Office. Rosen’s attorney, Juliet Peck of Lawrence & Peck, claims the charges amount to a violation of Rosen’s constitutional right to run for office. Peck believes that in public statements, the DA’s Office should have disclosed Remynse’s identity, rather than refer to him anonymously as a “concerned citizen.” “This is a fact voters should have known,” Peck says. “The DA’s Office allowed itself to be used as a tool in the school board election.” In the 2024 November election, Remynse won the Area 5 CUSD seat against Rosen in the first-ever district elections with nearly 60 percent of the vote, or 1,425 votes over Rosen’s 965. (Remynse says his focus is on serving CUSD. “Ms. Rosen’s case is a legal matter that is between her and the legal system,” he says.) “I just find this to be a baffling prosecution,” Peck says. “Everyone knew she would be fully occupying her Area 5 home by the time of the election.” Demurrer Denied Election fraud case against a former CUSD member trudges forward. By Katie Rodriguez Former CUSD board member AnneMarie Rosen (above) before her court hearing on March 20. “She should be fully vindicated,” says her defense attorney, Juliet Peck. “That is my commitment.” NEWS “I just find this to be a baffling prosecution.” DANIEL DREIFUSS Special Limited Certificate APY= annual percentage yield. Minimum opening deposit $100,000. Maximum $999,999.99. Funds to open this certificate must be new to Monterey CU. New to Monterey CU means the funds must not have been on deposit with Monterey CU in the last six months. Limit to one promotional share certificate per member. Offer available for limited time starting 01/15/2025, and subject to change or cancellation without notice. Early withdrawal penalties apply. LIVE FULL For more information, visit us at www.montereycu.com or call us at 831.647.1000 or stop by a branch nearby Salinas | Monterey | Hollister | Carmel
www.montereycountynow.com MARCH 27-APRIL 2, 2025 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 11 Salinas Union High School District is working on updating its facilities master plan across its 13 schools. Officials so far have hosted several town hall meetings, tours and study sessions, identifying numerous projects including new classrooms, air conditioning, ADA accessibility improvements and more. There is $130 million available, just a fraction of the $546.3 million needed for SUHSD’s project priority list. That means it will have to pick and choose which projects move forward. The proposed plan has raised concern from teachers and parents at El Sausal Middle School, the second-oldest school in the district. El Sausal lacks accessibility—people with mobility issues can access the school from a side entrance, but not the front door—and there are leaky roofs, lack of air conditioning in some buildings, substandard bathrooms with rusted soap dispensers and hand dryers, among other issues. El Sausal staff members provided a detailed document with feedback on the proposed master plan. Safety is another concern. “Ceiling tiles are falling literally inches from students and staff,” it reads. The document also reads: “Without a ramp in the front, the district is continuing the segregation of students with mobility disabilities from the rest of the student body,” it reads states. Older buildings that were built up to code during construction are required to fulfill current ADA compliance when they undergo renovations, meaning the 1949 building would require extensive attention if other projects are approved. SUHSD boardmember Nathalia Carrillo’s daughter attends El Sausal. During a March 18 study session, Carrillo said, “I see the neglect that is happening in that site.” Voters in Salinas have generally been supportive of school bonds in the past two decades. Since 2002, voters have passed five bond measures totaling $472 million. With these monies the district has modernized classrooms, upgraded sports facilities, built a new high school (Rancho San Juan) in North Salinas, and opened workforce housing on Abbot Street, among other projects. Each school has received a piece of the pie, but some received more than others. From 2002 to March 18, 2025, SUHSD has invested $421 million across its facilities, including funding from the state and other sources. Of those expenditures, El Sausal— which has a student population of 1,051—received less than $7 million and Mount Toro High School—an alternative school with 204 students— received $2.8 million. High schools received the most. Rancho San Juan was primarily funded with Measure B, receiving $129.8 million for land acquisition, design and construction. Alisal High received $55 million over the 23-year period. According to SUHSD boardmember Mitch Huerta, the master plan is still in its early stages. The next study session is in May. Administrators hope the board approves a short-term plan before summer. School Economics Salinas Union is working on how to spend $130 million on facility upgrades across its schools. By Celia Jiménez Ana Aguillon, manager of business services at SUHSD, presents an update on the facilities master plan on March 18 during a study session, suggesting a $100 million cap to leave $30 million for contingencies. NEWS “Ceiling tiles are falling literally inches from students.” CELIA JIMÉNEZ
12 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY MARCH 27-APRIL 2, 2025 www.montereycountynow.com BUSINESS PLAN I favor applying sound business principles to government—not Muskian actions (“Government is not a business—and should not be run like it is,” March 20-26). Strong businesses engage in sustainability planning. While cutting USDA grants saves $10 million in the short term, it eliminates the proven $20 economic gain from every dollar invested. A smart businessperson would make that strategic investment over immediate savings every time. The inability to weigh the relative value of various programs, treating each cut as though the long-term benefit is equal, is bad business. Susie Brusa | Salinas MAKE SOME NOISE That new lil brewery and pizza spot [Hops and Fog Brewing Co.] has been jumping—I hadn’t seen people outside at night time in Pacific Grove in a long time (“A P.G. Council majority signals it’s ready to raise decibel limits for music downtown,” posted March 21). James Ryan | Monterey I don’t know, people who live around there might want it quiet. Scotty Swoleson | via social media Pacific Grove is known as “America’s Last Hometown” for a reason—it is a peaceful, family-friendly community, not “America’s Party Town.” The town’s charm lies in its quiet, smalltown atmosphere, which residents and visitors alike appreciate. If people want to experience live music, there are plenty of nearby options just minutes away. They can visit Sly’s on Cannery Row, Pearl Hour on Lighthouse, or Deja Blue in Seaside. Residents willingly pay a premium in rent and mortgages to live in a quiet, relaxed setting, free from excessive noise and disruptions. Thomas M. Chavarria | via social media I work, live, own and pay a mortgage and taxes in Pacific Grove. You’d be surprised how many people enjoy the vibrancy of P.G. these days. It really is a good thing for the community. Molly Nance | Pacific Grove SNAIL MAIL Bring it (“Local mail carriers plan a rally with the message: Don’t privatize the post office,” posted March 21). I’m a 40-year postal veteran here. This happened twice in my career… failed miserably each time and it will again. This is the second-strongest Union behind the Teamsters. Bob Graves | Salinas The USPS had opportunities to become as efficient as UPS or Federal Express but missed the bus by their leaders. They failed us and private companies took up the slack! Cheri Gray Lyons | Fresno They are actually more efficient for much lower costs to consumers. Stop listening to the liars and grifters who want to privatize every government service so the oligarchs can charge us twice or more for less than half the service. Joe Wassmann | Monterey With email, FedEx, UPS, DHL and Amazon, the era of the USPS has run its course. Time to move on into the 21st century. All I get via USPS now is junk mail. Constantino L. Lozano | via social media COUNT THE CHANGE I am so impressed by the federal funding story (“As leaders in Washington take a sledgehammer to federal funding, here’s a look at local expenditures,” March 20-26). I understand what an “all-hands-on-deck” effort it must have been. What a great way to let readers know how the national government they are constantly told is so awful benefits their lives! This sort of work reminds readers why local journalism is so important. Keep up the good work! Rick Moore | via email Your article is an excellent example of research journalism at its best. Thanks to the many contributors for their detailed examination of a vital subject. Once again, Monterey County Weekly scores. Carl Alasko | via email CASE CLOSED When I graduated in 1972 with a degree in biology, this DNA technique was not yet available, but we were all optimistic we’d be able to use such in the future. That future has arrived, and it is wonderful to see it applied nowadays in so many cases, not just this one (“Nevada man sentenced to life for the 1982 murder of Seaside girl,” posted March 21). May her spirit rest in peace. Walter Wagner | Salinas DEMOCRATIC PRINCIPLES As the daughter of a World War II vet, I’ve lived through many political crises in this country—but I have never seen our democracy so endangered. Congress is broken, and the guardrails are being dismantled before our eyes. We must sound the alarm (“It’s Sunshine Week, at a time when sunlight is needed more than ever,” posted March 16). Mary Jane Perna | Monterey “The government you elect is the government you deserve” is so telling of the Democratic Party’s attitude (“Constituents press U.S. Rep. Jimmy Panetta to be bolder,” March 13-19). They have failed to run inspiring campaigns the last few elections and they keep trying to appeal to conservatives. In the last campaign they paraded around Liz Cheney as if that was going to change undecided or conservative voters’ minds. Republicans energize their base and feed into their most dedicated voters, meanwhile the most dedicated Democratic voters get told to compromise their values and reach across the aisle and that we deserve this government for not voting hard enough. I don’t see why Monterey County needs Panetta, this is not a time for passivity. Julian Torres | Marina OUT FOXED It gives off a modern art nouveau vibe, absolutely on fire (“A giant fox mural now graces the Fox Theater, part of a Salinas City Center Improvement Association initiative,” posted March 20). Sam Al-Maqtari | via social media Wow, that is so freakin’ cool. Congrats! Julia Townsend | via social media 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 MARCH 27-APRIL 2, 2025 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 13 It’s rare to see activists seeking to restrict pesticides cheering for pesticide regulators. But on Monday, March 24, dozens of activists from all over the state gathered in Shafter, in the Central Valley, to cheer along the California Department of Pesticide Regulation for its launch of a new statewide notification system. “Today is a good day,” said Erika Alfaro, a public health nurse and a member of the Monterey County group Safe Ag Safe Schools, one of some 200 member organizations that comprise Californians for Pesticide Reform, at a livestreamed press conference. “This will allow farmworker communities to take precautions. I can tell my patients to close their windows, take down their clothes [from a line], to do the proper things to protect themselves and their families.” It’s not that pesticide usage— which chemical, on which crop, on how many acres—is a secret. Applying agricultural pesticides is a closely regulated activity in California, and in advance of usage, growers submit notices of intent to county ag commissioners within four days of an intended application. This all leads to publicly accessible data—but only after the fact. For years, farmworkers and organizers have been urging regulators to produce a notification system before the fact. The new system, called SprayDays, provides notifications of fumigant applications 48 hours in advance, and of other chemicals 24 hours in advance. As of Feb. 24, farmers must file notices of intent electronically to provide data to the system—otherwise, their process is unchanged. Users can view a live map, and have the option to sign up to receive emails or text messages at spraydays.cdpr.ca.gov. The map does not disclose the exact location but gives a 1-mile radius, and does not name the grower—steps that should assuage industry concerns. It’s an incredibly user-friendly, intuitive tech experience that paints a clear picture of what is happening where. On March 25, I could see pesticide applications planned overnight in Monterey County—the insecticide methomyl on 26 acres in Chualar and on 19 acres in Marina. (SprayDays lists all intended applications, not actual applications—notices of intent are just that, and may not proceed based on factors like weather or pest presence.) The tool was developed based on four 2022 pilots in communities around the state, including Watsonville. (Notably, Monterey County and Kern County are the only two counties that previously had advance notification tools.) DPR pitched the $10 million idea to state lawmakers in 2021, arguing the budget allocation would enhance transparency, health and safety, and environmental justice. In a statement accompanying the launch, DPR Director Karen Morrison said, “This system is a significant step forward for DPR in fostering awareness and transparency. We look forward to continuing to refine SprayDays with feedback and engagement from all Californians.” To that end, DPR will release a report in three years on the system’s effectiveness; a public comment period is coming later this year or early in 2026. “DPR encourages growers, applicators, all interested parties and the public to provide comments to… inform any future adaptations necessary to meet the goal of increased transparency and continued safe, legal pesticide use in California,” an info sheet from the agency reads. Of course, that’s where DPR’s goal diverges from activists, who may hope that more transparency leads to less pesticides. Those two divergent visions are exactly why transparency is so important. Will more information lead to more restrictions? Or will the public realize how prevalent chemicals are and get more comfortable with them? The answer remains to be seen. “What happens down the road is a question for the community,” says Cesar Lara, a labor leader and member of Safe Ag Safe Schools, who also spoke in Shafter. “The industry says everything is safe. If everything is safe, what’s the harm with information and knowledge?” Knowledge is power, and this is a major milestone in equipping the general public with knowledge. As members of Californians for Pesticide Reform chanted in Shafter, “si se pudo”—not yes we can, but yes we could. Sara Rubin is the Weekly’s editor. Reach her at sara@montereycountynow.com. Get the Drift California launches a first-ever statewide pesticide notification system. By Sara Rubin BIG LITTLE LAWSUITS…As they say on land, everyone poops, and the same thing is true in the sea. Luckily for Squid, it’s a well designed ecosystem and Squid does not have to pay a sewer bill. But for the 6,500-plus connections within Carmel Area Wastewater District, there are fees. The district last raised those fees three years ago, so ratepayers—who approved the increase via Proposition 218—had to get used to it. Not so for ratepayer Hunter Leighton, who objects to CAWD’s fee for accessory dwelling units, arguing it should be lower than full-size homes. Now he’s taking CAWD to small claims court over three years of fees, totaling $2,858.46, for his ADU, alleging the sewer district is violating Prop. 218 “in many ways.” Building an ADU, he tells Squid’s colleague, “You assume your taxes will go up a little bit, but not a large amount.” CAWD General Manager Barbara Buikema says she’ll be in court on May 15 to defend the district’s basic premise of setting then collecting fees. Meanwhile, Leighton has a second court date coming. On March 19 he filed his small claims case, plus another case at traffic court in Marina; he’s appealing a parking ticket issued by the City of Monterey in November. Funny how a working government—sewer systems, parking garages—costs money. So too does forcing public officials to show up in court. POOR POSER.…Squid knows most denizens of Monterey Bay pretty well, which is why Squid’s beak dropped when a supposed local sea creature was introduced as the new Monterey Bay Union FC mascot. The creature’s name is Kelpie but looks nothing like kelp, which has brownish-green blades and bulbs. Kelpie is primarily blue and has some sort of Medusalike “hair,” with bulging eyes, a bright green face and, for some weird reason, scaly fins. Kelpie inexplicably wears a brown hat. To Squid, Kelpie looks kind of like a blue and green version of Gritty, the Philadelphia Flyers’ nonsensical, bright orange mascot. One local Reddit user called Kelpie a “West Coast Gritty.” Kelpie comes with its own faux backstory. Kelpie supposedly has been living amidst the kelp forests as a “proud protector” for centuries, but is also somehow made of kelp—in reality this algae is amazing, but not immortal. The team’s tale goes on to offer that Kelpie was so attracted to the “new and buzzing energy” at the Union games that Kelpie stepped on dry land for the first time to join the team. Squid only has this to say—borrowing from a famous vice presidential debate quote by Lloyd Benson to Dan Quayle: Squid has served with Monterey Bay’s creatures. Squid knows Monterey Bay’s creatures. Those creatures are Squid’s friends. You, Kelpie, are no such creature. THE LOCAL SPIN SQUID FRY THE MISSION OF MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY IS TO INSPIRE INDEPENDENT THINKING AND CONSCIOUS ACTION, ETC. “If everything is safe, what’s the harm with information?” SEND SQUID A TIP: squid@montereycountynow.com
14 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY MARCH 27-APRIL 2, 2025 www.montereycountynow.com Side Step The left also must examine its own role in enabling Trumpism to take hold. By Jeff Faux FORUM Donald Trump is already overreaching, and Democrats may well rebound in the next election merely by default. But behind the megalomania of Trump and Elon Musk lies a formidable reactionary movement intent on permanent political domination. In this long game, Democratic Party leaders are simply not up to the task of halting the national economic and social decay upon which the right feeds. Ever since the 2016 debacle, Democrats have pledged to listen to working Americans—the majority of voters—only to repeatedly ignore what they say. It’s not clear where the working class fits in to the Democratic Party’s platform other than assurances that the Democrats’ hearts are with them. By now, the story of the party’s long shift away from class-based politics is widely understood. Weakened by the division over the Vietnam War and the defection of the previously solid South over civil rights, Democrats under Carter, Clinton and Obama cultivated support from traditionally Republican Wall Street. The party had always taken money from big business. But the New Deal balanced its influence with organized labor. Then, in the early 1970s, corporate leaders launched an all-out attack on labor and Democratic leaders looked the other way. They refused to strengthen enfeebled labor law. Carter’s privatization paved the way for Reagan’s attacks on civilian government. Clinton’s financial deregulation undercut workers’ bargaining position and job security. Clinton and Obama’s free trade policies devastated the party’s unionized industrial base. Political blowback was dismissed by portraying the disaffected working class as a shrinking demographic of white, male, racist “deplorables.” The future belonged to a new Democratic coalition of college-educated women, minorities and the young. So far, so familiar. Less understood is the way the Wall Street alliance affected the party’s progressive wing. In part, the left’s political weakness is rooted in the way its larger activist base is financed. When Democrats became more business-friendly, liberal staffs and board members of foundations (themselves creatures of corporate tax breaks) had more ideological room to help progressives by funding local organizing. Opposing polluters, slumlords and racist police are core political functions of the left. But these fights do not challenge the oligarchic power that rules America. One issue voters said was important to them—but not to Democrats—was rising prices. But last year, when Harris even mentioned the role of “price gouging,” implying the need for government intervention, she was told by her Wall Street advisers to shut up. Ironically, the left’s failure to defend big government created a vacuum that was filled by the right. Despite its ugly and incoherent answers, the radical right is addressing a question that the left does not: Where is this country headed? Jeff Faux was founding president of the Economic Policy Institute. A longer version of this story first appeared in The Nation. OPINION Kamala Harris was told by Wall Street advisers to shut up. * 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!
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