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. 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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
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