DECEMBER 4-10, 2025 MONTEREYCOUNTYNOW.COM LOCAL & INDEPENDENT THEATER IN SIGN 6 | HEAVY METALS BAND 10 | A CHARLIE BROWN CHRISTMAS 36 | AD ASTRA’S RISE 42 FIRST PLACE GENERAL EXCELLENCE • 2025 CA JOURNALISM AWARDS • Service dogs help survivors of crime get through court proceedings. p. 18 By Daniel Dreifuss COURTHOUSE CANINES Gifts for the significant other p. 26
2 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY DECEMBER 4-10, 2025 www.montereycountynow.com DECEMBER 4-10, 2025 • ISSUE #1949 • ESTABLISHED IN 1988 Stephanie Trost (iPhone 13 Pro) The morning light makes magic in an otherwise invisible dewy spider web at Toro County Park. MONTEREY COUNTY PHOTO OF THE WEEK Send Etc. submissions to etcphoto@montereycountynow.com; please include caption and camera info. On the cover: Armani is one of two service dogs trained to support survivors and witnesses of crime at the Monterey County District Attorney’s Office. Cover image: 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 PHOTOGRAPHER Daniel Dreifuss daniel@montereycountynow.com (x140) DIGITAL PRODUCER Sloan Campi sloan@montereycountynow.com (x105) CONTRIBUTORS Nik Blaskovich, Rob Brezsny, Robert Daniels, Tonia Eaton, Jesse Herwitz, Luz Rimban, 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 Annie Cobb annie@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. Subscribe to the newsletter @ montereycountynow.com/subscribe Go to montereycountynow.com We Deliver… NEWS • ARTS • ENTERTAINMENT FOOD • DRINK • CALENDAR Local news everyday
www.montereycountynow.com DECEMBER 4-10, 2025 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 3 We are rooted here. We just branched out. montagehealth.org Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula created Montage Health to deliver exceptional care to more people, by expanding our services beyond the hospital. Today, we’re much more than a hospital. And as we’ve grown, we’ve remained true to our deep roots — nonprofit, independent, locally owned, and accountable only to the community we serve.
4 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY DECEMBER 4-10, 2025 www.montereycountynow.com THE BUZZ FREE SPEECH Even if you wanted to, it would be physically impossible to attend every meeting of every special district in Monterey County—there are 42. (That’s not to mention other city and county agencies, and school boards.) But time and day can make it easier for members of the public to show up and the Monterey Peninsula Airport District is moving its meeting time in 2026 to hopefully become more accessible to more people. In response to concerns from the public about the meeting time making it difficult for them to attend, board members Dino Pick and Jonathan Ahmadi convened an ad hoc committee in October to review the options and recommended switching from 8am weekday meetings to an evening time of 5:30pm. On Nov. 19, the board voted 5-0 to adopt that recommendation, switching its monthly board meeting time. Tellingly, no members of the public attended the 8am meeting on Wednesday, Nov. 19 to weigh in, something Ahmadi said demonstrated the problem. Good: It’s a win-win-win for tackling food waste, creating renewable energy and saving money. Monterey One Water is taking steps toward creating a circular economy—a system which keeps materials in use for as long as possible by regenerating, reusing and recycling. On Dec. 2, M1W celebrated the launch of a new co-digestion program designed to turn food waste—up to 51,000 tons annually—into clean energy. The project, supported by a $4.2 million CalRecycle grant, combines food waste with wastewater biosolids to increase biogas production, which will be cleaned and converted into renewable natural gas that will help move M1W closer to net-neutral operations. The facility, which sits adjacent to ReGen Monterey in Marina, will produce up to 800 cubic feet of biogas per minute, and support compliance with Senate Bill 1383, a state mandate for all jurisdictions to reduce organic waste. GREAT: When a city is small—population 350—a little chunk of money can potentially make a big difference. That was the logic guiding Vibeke Norgaard, city manager of Sand City, in recommending a $10,000 allocation to support food relief back in November when it was unclear how long the federal government shutdown would last and what that would mean for CalFresh recipients. City Council agreed and on Nov. 4 approved up to $10,000 for a program for Sand City residents. “Our thinking was, even if there’s only one family, we want to be able to help,” Norgaard says. The week before Thanksgiving, city officials started passing out bilingual flyers encouraging eligible people to apply for an amount up to what they lost out on during the shutdown. If the city does not expend all of the funds, it will put it toward another allocation of $10,000 to the Food Bank for Monterey County. GOOD WEEK / GREAT WEEK THE WEEKLY TALLY That’s how many years Mark Silberstein has led the Elkhorn Slough Foundation as executive director. He announced his retirement on Nov. 20. Source: Elkhorn Slough Foundation 42 QUOTE OF THE WEEK “Kids walking by would say, ‘we really like your painting’— that was the best thing ever.” -Artist Hanif Wondir, on a new mural he completed near Los Arboles Middle School in Marina (see story, montereycountynow.com/ newsletter). Storytime with Mrs. Claus Happy HOLIDAYS December 10th 11am - 12pm December 17th 11am - 12pm December 24th 11am - 12pm At Macy’s Court Scan QR Code for More details
www.montereycountynow.com DECEMBER 4-10, 2025 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 5 Questions about vaccines? Talk with your doctor or healthcare provider, or scan the QR code. COVID can still cause serious illness in young children and in women who are pregnant. The American Academy of Pediatrics and the California Department of Public Health recommend that children ages 6 to 23 months get the COVID vaccine. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, along with the California Department of Public Health, also recommend the vaccine for women who are pregnant or breastfeeding. VACCINATIONS SAVE LIVES Anastasia Klick, MD | Family Medicine
6 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY DECEMBER 4-10, 2025 www.montereycountynow.com 831 The lights are the brightest on the Founders Theatre stage inside the Golden Bough Playhouse in Carmel, where actors are grooving to the beat inside a makeshift diner and belting out the high notes with expertise. The high energy of Pacific Repertory Theatre’s performance of Waitress is infectious. And the audience doesn’t need the ability to hear to be part of the party. On this particular night this past summer, there were two other performers just off to the side of the stage, with their own lights shining down on them. For a section of audience members, these two people were critical to their understanding of the show. They are American Sign Language (ASL) interpreters, silently capturing the dialogue, lyrics and overall energy of the show using hand signals, facial expressions and other body language cues. They are every role in the performance rolled into two people. Trevor Tuell and Damiana Kelsey have interpreted three PacRep shows so far, beginning with Waitress in July. Both are thrilled they have the opportunity to bring theater to an audience that historically has been left out of such an experience. Stephen Moorer, founder and executive director of PacRep, says the theater company has experimented with ASL interpretation over its more than 40 years, but committed to the offering this summer. The deaf and hard-of-hearing community is “a community that needs to be represented just like everyone else,” Moorer says. “This is making the theater even more accessible than it ever was.” He adds that after the ASL performance of Waitress, PacRep received word from Monterey County Bank that it wanted to support the offerings through a sponsorship, which allowed the nonprofit theater company to offer such interpretation at its following shows throughout this year. More ASLinterpreted performances are coming: Gypsy on Dec. 5 and Rudolph the RedNosed Reindeer The Musical on Dec. 14. Tuell says typically, the interpreters will watch the performance twice before it’s showtime for them. For the first viewing, they will decide which characters to interpret. That involves setting a balance between the team of two: if one takes on a major character or two, the other will take on more side characters, to help even out the dialogue load. During the second viewing, they will be in the background practicing their self-assigned roles. Kelsey says she works to match the energy of the actors on stage in order to give the deaf viewer the same experience as the rest of the audience. “I really try to get into the mindset of that world that they’ve created on stage,” she says. Tuell adds that he captures different body language cues to differentiate the characters that he’s interpreting. “I generally interpret with a lot of emotion and a lot of facial expressions,” he says. “I’ve been told by deaf consumers that I’m not shy.” While Tuell has been a professional ASL interpreter since 1998, the last decade serving as an interpreter for K-12 students, it’s something he’s done his whole life. He grew up with a deaf mother and was her interpreter. He landed a job as an interpreter in college and never looked back. “As the years went on, it became my passion and something I was meant to do,” Tuell says. Interpreting Waitress was the first time he had done so for a theater performance, and he found the experience to be perhaps simpler than traditional interpretation, despite constantly having to keep up with what’s happening on the stage. “It goes with the experience from interpreting and the ability to keep conversation and dialogue at a consistent flow,” he says. “With theater, we know what will be said beforehand. We’re used to interpreting on the fly. Who knows what’s going to be said?” Moorer says the goal is to continue growing the program, adding that the work the interpreters put in during the show is an art form in itself. “We are all in awe,” he says. “I am just astounded at the talent and the commitment of these interpreters.” ASL-interpreted performances for PacRep’s Gypsy and Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer The Musical are held Dec. 5 and Dec. 14, respectively. For tickets, visit pacrep.org. Sign On ASL-interpreted performances at PacRep open the theater experience to new audiences. By Erik Chalhoub “It’s a community that needs to be represented.” TALES FROM THE AREA CODE NIK BLASKOVICH Trevor Tuell and Damiana Kelsey practice interpreting PacRep’s Gypsy in American Sign Language before a recent performance of the show. The two watched the performance twice for their rehearsal. Our Big Idea catalyzes FOOD IS MEDICINE in Monterey County through nutrition programs and farmers’ markets providing local, sustainably grown fruits and vegetables to families in need. Support Access to Affordable Nutritious Food! montereycountygives.com/harvest Nov. 13 - Dec. 31, 2025 Our Local Impact: 2,900+ Families served weekly $3.5M in Healthy Food Incentives provided over the past 10 years 243 Farmers’ Markets hosted annually 2,420+ Fresh Rx produce prescriptions filled $923K Paid To Local Farmers through our programs this year Please donate!
www.montereycountynow.com DECEMBER 4-10, 2025 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 7 Medi-Cal changes are coming in January 2026! Get the facts. Call for more information. ¡Habrá cambios en Medi-Cal a partir de enero de 2026! Scan To Learn More 1-877-410-8823 Escanee para más información 211 Monterey County Powered by United Way Monterey County Infόrmese. Llame al FUNDED BY A GRANT FROM sortwithheart.org Put food scraps in your green cart Food is tradition. Family. Culture. Just like Grandma used to say— nothing goes to waste. Every peel, husk, and leftover has a purpose. When we throw food in the trash, we waste more than a meal, we lose the love and labor that went into it. But when we put food scraps in the green organics cart, we honor that labor of love while protecting our future. California’s SB 1383 law keeps food out of landfills, reducing pollution and turning scraps into compost that nourishes local farms and gardens.
8 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY DECEMBER 4-10, 2025 www.montereycountynow.com NEWS In a meeting punctuated by raucous clapping, angry words and threats of legal action by pickleball players, the Carmel City Council voted 5-0 on Tuesday, Dec. 2 to ban the sport at Forest Hill Park, with councilmembers collectively saying the park in a small canyon surrounded by homes is the wrong spot for a game that can get noisy. “It’s just a bad spot for pickleball and we’re all sad that it’s true, but it’s true,” Mayor Dale Byrne said. “The answer is just somewhere else.” In the leadup to the vote, pickleball players were bitter, upset that the Council veered away from a compromise crafted by the city’s Forest and Beach Commission that limited play to three days a week, as well as backing away from ideas previously discussed in September and October like conducting a sound study to consider noise mitigating measures or requiring the use of quiet balls. In November, councilmembers came to the conclusion that the small city, with no parks department and limited funds, would be unable to enforce rules requiring quiet equipment or limited play. Signaling they would ban pickleball at the park, council’s decision attracted media attention from around the world. “Unfortunately pickleball has become synonymous with conflict in this town,” Councilmember Bob Delves said on Tuesday, describing himself as an avid player. “This decision is unpopular with many of you but it’s the right decision.” Byrne said he wants to work with pickleball players to find a solution at an alternate location, possibly on courts developed by the Carmel Unified School District. “Let’s work as a team to figure this out,” Byrne said. Pickled Picklers The Carmel City Council bans pickleball at Forest Hill Park while suggesting alternatives. By Pam Marino The student population has been increasing at CSU Monterey Bay, and so is demand for on-campus housing. To meet that need, the University Corporation at Monterey Bay (a nonprofit that manages business operations, housing and more at CSUMB), is moving forward with turning Gavilan Hall, a three-story office building, into housing for about 200 students. The project is set to break ground on Thursday, Dec. 4, with a timeline of fall semester 2026 for students to move in. “I’m happy that we have the ability to provide these additional spaces and make the reality of folks attending here come to life,” says Crystal Lay, director for student housing and residential life at CSUMB. “Our students, if they’re coming from far away, they want a place to call home.” Natalie Navarro, a junior and president of Associated Students, has lived on campus since her freshman year. “We have been kind of overdue for some new housing,” she says. She notes there are advantages of living on campus: “It really enhances your college experience just because you have such close proximity to on-campus activities like events, clubs, sports, everything that CSUMB has to offer.” Demand for housing at CSUMB has increased over the years. In the fall of 2023, enrollment was 6,742 students; it climbed to 8,233 in fall 2025. Student applications for on-campus housing went from 3,915 to 4,544 over the same time period. Housing availability, meanwhile, has lagged—it went from 3,607 units available to 3,880 (including 57 temporary housing units). In October of last year, the board approved a $1 million feasibility study to transform Gavilan Hall. In July, the plan moved forward with an $18 million budget (which was later increased to $20 million in October). The development is funded through the CSU Systemwide Revenue Bond Program, which finances projects such as student housing, cafeterias and parking. Gavilan Hall will house sophomore students. Renovations include upgrading plumbing and heating and 2,600 square feet of common space, which will include a kitchen and study room. Each unit will have four rooms, a private bathroom and shared living room. “The idea is they’re going to feel like residential living pods,” Lay says. One challenge, Lay notes, has been bringing a sense of community to students who live in the same space since CSUMB’s housing is in old military barracks. “Some of the infrastructure looks and feels different than on a campus that had college students living in mind,” Lay says. “We have to work a little bit harder to get folks out of their rooms.” Navarro says responsiveness to students from the Student Housing and Residential Life Department has improved in recent months, after a glitch in the system last spring left some students on a waitlist without a notification as to whether they had housing. “They’re pushing everything earlier, so that way students can know whether or not they have a spot before they leave for summer,” Navarro says. A rendering of the design for Gavilan Hall, which is currently office space, after it is converted into housing for about 200 students. Homing In CSUMB breaks ground on transforming an office building into on-campus sophomore housing. By Celia Jiménez A man plays pickleball at Forest Hill Park in Carmel. Players contended the game isn’t as loud as neighbors report, but members of the City Council said the canyon location amplifies sounds. “They’re going to feel like residential living pods.” COURTESY CSUMB DANIEL DREIFUSS
www.montereycountynow.com DECEMBER 4-10, 2025 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 9 $87 HOLIDAY TRAVEL SPECIAL BOOK NOW! -Tire Rotation & Air Pressure Check -Test Battery, Starter, & Alternator -Clean Battery Terminal -Inspect All Bulbs -Inspect All Belts & Hoses for Cracks -Inspect All Fluid Levels (excludes oil) -Test Heating System -Inspect 4WD & AWD System (if applicable) -Suspension Check -Test Drive 831-230-0910 1730 The Mall | Seaside SullivansAutoService.com *Most vehicles. Cannot combine with any other offer. Some restrictions may apply. Additional diagnostics not included. Must present coupon at check-in. Limited time only. Art Department Winter Sale CERAMICS • GLASS • JEWELRY • PHOTOGRAPHY Explore a curated collection of unique, handcrafted treasures, perfect for the season! Discover unique and stunning jewelry, exquisite ceramics, captivating glasswork, mesmerizing photography AND support our creative community. Dates: Thursday, December 4 (5:00 - 7:30 pm) Friday, December 5 (11:00am - 6:00 pm) Place: Monterey Peninsula College, 980 Fremont Street, Monterey Art Ceramics Building (no permit required in Lot B) *Subscribe to our newsletter to hear more news from the MPC Art Department mpc.edu/artsnewsletter
10 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY DECEMBER 4-10, 2025 www.montereycountynow.com The scientists at Moss Landing Marine Labs were not wellversed in studying batteries, nor how they break down in soils or estuarine wetlands. But after a lithium-ion battery fire erupted on Jan. 16 at the world’s largest battery energy storage system (BESS)—only a mile from the Moss Landing facility, evacuating 1,200 residents and sending smoke and ash across swaths of North County— researchers got to work collecting samples three days after the fire to assess concentrations of heavy metals deposited from the plume. Lead researcher Ivano Aiello presented the results, published in Nature Scientific Reports on Nov. 26, at Moss Landing Marine Labs on Tuesday, Dec. 2. “I knew very little about batteries about 10 months ago,” he told an audience of colleagues and community members. The study, conducted by Aiello and seven other researchers alongside a list of collaborators, provides a snapshot of how manganese, nickel and cobalt were dispersed among soil sediments in several areas of Hester Marsh in Elkhorn Slough. The team found initially high concentrations of these metals following the fire. It was found in patches, with levels that declined rapidly over three months due to precipitation and tidal inundation. In other words, if they hadn’t sampled quickly, and sampled in large amounts, they could have missed finding the battery metal fallout across the landscape. Aiello emphasized that they only looked at bare soil samples, not plants—an important distinction, he noted. “There is a whole story about plants, that’s where the stuff really fell on. When we started measuring plants, we freaked out,” he said, “and it happens to be that there are agricultural fields all around.” Plants, aquatic environments and animals all take up heavy metals differently, requiring continued study. Amanda Kahn, an invertebrate ecologist at Moss Landing Marine Labs, is currently researching whether or not these metals could be moving into food webs. Their research contrasts sampling done by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, which reported much lower concentrations of heavy metals. Aiello explained this difference stems from sampling: The EPA dug deeper into the soil to collect samples, reducing the amount of heavy metals largely found on the surface. “I kept telling [EPA], you’re diluting it,” he said. “The sampling is key to detect these metals. Protocols are made for a specific reason.” Starting Jan. 1, 2026, the Public Guardian, an office under the Monterey County Health Department, will use the expanded definition of “gravely disabled” as referring to those unable to provide basic care and safety for themselves, because of chronic alcoholism or substance use disorder. Senate Bill 43 amended the definition of “gravely disabled.” The previous language covers only those who, due to mental health disorders, are unable to provide food, shelter, clothing and safety for themselves. The Public Guardian steps in to care for people who are deemed unable to care for themselves, including people who are held involuntarily in mental health care facilities. If a court ruling is granted, the Public Guardian takes over decision-making and financial assets of a person in conservatorship. Chief Deputy Public Guardian Sarah Solano says, “With what’s happening with the government shutdown impacting people, we have the holidays around the corner, we absolutely see an uptick in referrals.” The Public Guardian’s 17-person staff serves some 630 clients. Solano says the Public Guardian’s Office has hired additional staff “to absorb those potential effects that we may have from SB 43.” During a public briefing on Nov. 5, Solano addressed the anticipated increase. “I am predicting we are going to see a huge increase of referrals because, unfortunately, there is a large homeless population who have a severe substance use disorder and who need help and will most likely need our services,” she said. Referral to a CARE Court could be one option for these clients, Solano says. CARE Court refers to the Community, Assistance, Recovery and Empowerment Program which includes civil court proceedings “to connect individuals in crisis with treatment and supportive services.” SB 43 was approved in 2023 but allowed counties to defer implementation to Jan. 1, 2026, to give them time to accommodate the increase in referrals. Soil Test Moss Landing researchers release findings on heavy metals from battery fire. By Katie Rodriguez NEWS ROUTE PLANNING The Transportation Agency for Monterey County seeks input to help shape road investments in North County. A drop-in event provides information on how climate change affects transportation and helps TAMC determine which roads and routes should be prioritized for upgrades. 5-7pm Thursday, Dec. 4. Castroville library meeting room, 11160 Speegle St., Castroville. Free. (831) 775-0903, bit.ly/NorthCountyAssessment. CONSULATE UPDATES The Mexican Consulate organizes a meeting with local leaders and Indigenous communities from Monterey, Santa Cruz, San Benito and Santa Clara counties. The goal is to increase access to its services across all counties. 5-8pm Thursday, Dec. 4. 207 N. Sanborn Road, Salinas. Free. In Spanish. (408) 856-2840, consulmex. sre.gob.mx/sanjose. HEALTH PLAN Monterey County Behavioral Health proposes a mental health rehabilitation center in Salinas. The public is invited to a listening session to learn more and ask questions. 10am Saturday, Dec. 6. Health Department, Whitney Conference Room, 1270 Natividad Road, Salinas; also virtually on Zoom. Free. (831) 7554578, mtyhd.org/MHRC. CLOSING TIME Salinas City Council meets to discuss regular business. The agenda includes dissolving the Salinas United Business Association. 4pm Tuesday, Dec. 9. Salinas Rotunda, 200 Lincoln Ave., Salinas. Free. (831) 758-7381, cityofsalinas.org. SCHOOL SESSION Monterey Peninsula Unified School District Board of Education meets and accepts public comment. 6:30pm Tuesday, Dec. 9. District Services Center, 540 Canyon Del Rey, Del Rey Oaks. Free. (831) 645-1200, mpusd.net. PUBLIC SAFETY Salinas Police Department will discuss the Neighborhood Watch program and holiday safety. 5:30-6:30pm Tuesday, Dec. 9. Salinas Police Department, 312 E. Alisal St., Salinas. Free. Register at tinyurl. com/2025Salinas. (831) 758-7166, karinas@ci.salinas.ca.us. COMING CLEAN The U.S. Army wants to hear from the public on how it can improve its community outreach program for the Fort Ord cleanup. Share your thoughts through a survey. Survey runs through Wednesday, Dec. 31. fortordcleanup.com. Care Team A new law expands the definition of ‘grave disability’ and who will qualify for conservatorship. By Luz Rimban The smoke plume on Jan. 17, day two of the fire at Vistra’s 300-megawatt battery energy storage system in Moss Landing. The entire Moss 300 facility was consumed. E-MAIL: toolbox@montereycountynow.com TOOLBOX “When we started measuring plants, we freaked out.” DANIEL DREIFUSS
www.montereycountynow.com DECEMBER 4-10, 2025 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 11 We are honored and look forward to working with you to support your pets best health and quality of life. 1023 Austin Avenue, Pacific Grove • 831-318-0306 • www.pacificgroveanimalhospital.com ’24 ’23 ’22 ’21 Four years in a row! A Gold Certified Cat Friendly Practice montereycountynow.com/bestof BEST OF MONTEREY COUNTY® 2024 XX We are honored and look forward to working with you to support your pets best health and quality of life. 1023 Austin Avenue, Pacific Grove • 831-318-0306 • www.pacificgroveanimalhospital.com ’24 ’23 ’22 ’21 Four years in a row! A Gold Certified Cat Friendly Practice montereycountynow.com/bestof BEST OF MONTEREY COUNTY® 2024 XX We are honored and look forward to working with you to support your pets best health and quality of life. 1023 Austin Avenue, Pacific Grove • 831-318-0306 • www.pacificgroveanimalhospital.com ’24 ’23 ’22 ’21 Four years in a row! 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A Gold Certified Cat Friendly Practice montereycountynow.com/bestof BEST OF MONTEREY COUNTY® 2024 XX We are honored and look forward to working with you to support your pets best health and quality of life. 1023 Austin Avenue, Pacific Grove • 831-318-0306 • www.pacificgroveanimalhospital.com ’24 ’23 ’22 ’21 Four years in a row! A Gold Certified Cat Friendly Practice montereycountynow.com/bestof BEST OF MONTEREY COUNTY® 2024 XX We are honored and look forward to working with you to support your pets best health and quality of life. 1023 Austin Avenue, Pacific Grove • 831-318-0306 • www.pacificgroveanimalhospital.com ’24 ’23 ’22 ’21 Four years in a row! A Gold Certified Cat Friendly Practice montereycountynow.com/bestof BEST OF MONTEREY COUNTY® 2024 XX PACIFIC GROVE ANIMAL HOSPITAL Thank You So Much for Voting Us BEST VETERINARIAN Dr. Brynie Kaplan Dau, MS, DVM SURGERY • DERMATOLOGY • FELINE AND CANINE MEDICINE PREVENTATIVE CARE • REGENERATIVE MEDICINE, PRP (PLATELET-RICH PLASMA) • LASER THERAPY • EXOTICS AND MUCH MORE – CONTINUITY OF CARE – NOW SEEING URGENT CARE+CASES We are honored and look forward to working with you to support your pets best health and quality of life. 1023 Austin Avenue, Pacific Grove • 831-318-0306 • www.pacificgroveanimalhospital.com ’24 ’23 ’22 ’21 Four years in a row! A Gold Certified Cat Friendly Practice montereycountynow.com/bestof BEST OF MONTEREY COUNTY® 2024 XX We are honored and look forward to working with you to support your pets best health and quality of life. 1023 Austin Avenue, Pacific Grove • 831-318-0306 • www.pacificgroveanimalhospital.com ’24 ’23 ’22 ’21 Four years in a row! A Gold Certified Cat Friendly Practice ntereycountynow.com/bestof BEST OF MONTEREY COUNTY® 2024 XX We are honored and look forward to working with you to support your pets best health and quality of life. 1023 Austin Avenue, Pacific Grove • 831-318-0306 • www.pacificgroveanimalhospital.com ’24 ’23 ’22 ’21 Four years in a row! A Gold Certified Cat Friendly Practice montereycountynow.com/bestof BEST OF MONTEREY COUNTY® 2024 XX PACIFIC GROVE ANIMAL HOSPITAL Thank You So Much for Voting Us BEST VETERINARIAN Dr. Brynie Kaplan Dau, MS, DVM SURGERY • DERMATOLOGY • FELINE AND CANINE MEDICINE PREVENTATIVE CARE • REGENERATIVE MEDICINE, PRP (PLATELET-RICH PLASMA) • LASER THERAPY • EXOTICS AND MUCH MORE – CONTINUITY OF CARE – NOW SEEING URGENT CARE+CASES We are honored and look forward to working with you to support your pets best health and quality of life. • 831-318-0306 • www.pacificgroveanimalhospital.com ’23 ’22 ’21 A Gold Certified Cat Friendly Practice montereycountynow.com/bestof BEST OF MONTEREY COUNTY® 2024 XX and look forward to working with you to support your pets best health and quality of life. 1023 Austin Avenue, Pacific Grove • 831-318-0306 • www.pacificgroveanimalhospital.com ’24 ’23 ’22 ’21 in a row! A Gold Certified Cat Friendly Practice montereycountynow.com/bestof BEST OF MONTEREY COUNTY® 2024 XX We are honored and look forward to working with you to support your pets best health and quality of life. 1023 Austin Avenue, Pacific Grove • 831-318-0306 • www.pacificgroveanimalhospital.com ’23 ’22 ’21 A Gold Certified Cat Friendly Practice montereycountynow.com/bestof BEST OF MONTEREY COUNTY® 2024 XX Dr. Brynie Kaplan Dau, MS, DVM SURGERY • DERMATOLOGY • FELINE AND CANINE MEDICINE PREVENTATIVE CARE • REGENERATIVE MEDICINE, PRP (PLATELET-RICH PLASMA) • LASER THERAPY • EXOTICS AND MUCH MORE – CONTINUITY OF CARE – NOW SEEING URGENT CARE+CASES We are honored and look forward to working with you to support your pets best health and quality of life. 1023 Austin Avenue, Pacific Grove • 831-318-0306 • www.pacificgroveanimalhospital.com ’23 ’22 ’21 A Gold Certified Cat Friendly Practice montereycountynow.com/bestof BEST OF MONTEREY COUNTY® 2024 XX and look forward to working with you to support your pets best health and quality of life. 1023 Austin Avenue, Pacific Grove • 831-318-0306 • www.pacificgroveanimalhospital.com ’23 ’22 ’21 in a row! A Gold Certified Cat Friendly Practice montereycountynow.com/bestof BEST OF MONTEREY COUNTY® 2024 XX We are honored and look forward to working with you to support your pets best health and quality of life. 1023 Austin Avenue, Pacific Grove • 831-318-0306 • www.pacificgroveanimalhospital.com ’23 ’22 ’21 A Gold Certified Cat Friendly Practice montereycountynow.com/bestof BEST OF MONTEREY COUNTY® 2024 XX Dr. Brynie Kaplan Dau, MS, DVM SURGERY • DERMATOLOGY • FELINE AND CANINE MEDICINE PREVENTATIVE CARE • REGENERATIVE MEDICINE, PRP (PLATELET-RICH PLASMA) • LASER THERAPY • EXOTICS AND MUCH MORE – CONTINUITY OF CARE – NOW SEEING URGENT CARE CASES We are honored and look forward to working with you to support your pets best health and quality of life. 1023 Austin Avenue, Pacific Grove • 831-318-0306 • www.pacificgroveanimalhospital.com ’23 ’22 ’21 A Gold Certified Cat Friendly Practice montereycountynow.com/bestof BEST OF MONTEREY COUNTY® 2024 XX We are honored and look forward to working with you to support your pets best health and quality of life. 1023 Austin Avenue, Pacific Grove • 831-318-0306 • www.pacificgroveanimalhospital.com ’23 ’22 ’21 in a row! A Gold Certified Cat Friendly Practice montereycountynow.com/bestof BEST OF MONTEREY COUNTY® 2024 XX We are honored and look forward to working with you to support your pets best health and quality of life. 1023 Austin Avenue, Pacific Grove • 831-318-0306 • www.pacificgroveanimalhospital.com ’23 ’22 ’21 A Gold Certified Cat Friendly Practice montereycountynow.com/bestof BEST OF MONTEREY COUNTY® 2024 XX Dr. Brynie Kaplan Dau, MS, DVM SURGERY • DERMATOLOGY • FELINE AND CANINE MEDICINE PREVENTATIVE CARE • REGENERATIVE MEDICINE, PRP (PLATELET-RICH PLASMA) • LASER THERAPY • EXOTICS AND MUCH MORE – CONTINUITY OF CARE – NOW SEEING URGENT CARE CASES We are honored and look forward to working with you to support your pets best health and quality of life. 1023 Austin Avenue, Pacific Grove • 831-318-0306 • www.pacificgroveanimalhospital.com ’24 ’23 ’22 ’21 Four years in a row! A Gold Certified Cat Friendly Practice montereycountynow.com/bestof BEST OF MONTEREY COUNTY® 2024 XX We are honored and look forward to working with you to support your pets best health and quality of life. 1023 Austin Avenue, Pacific Grove • 831-318-0306 • www.pacificgroveanimalhospital.com ’24 ’23 ’22 ’21 Four years in a row! A Gold Certified Cat Friendly Practice montereycountynow.com/bestof BEST OF MONTEREY COUNTY® 2024 XX We are honored and look forward to working with you to support your pets best health and quality of life. 1023 Austin Avenue, Pacific Grove • 831-318-0306 • www.pacificgroveanimalhospital.com ’24 ’23 ’22 ’21 Four years in a row! A Gold Certified Cat Friendly Practice montereycountynow.com/bestof BEST OF MONTEREY COUNTY® 2024 XX PACIFIC GROVE ANIMAL HOSPITAL Thank You So Much for Voting Us BEST VETERINARIAN Dr. Brynie Kaplan Dau, MS, DVM SURGERY • DERMATOLOGY • FELINE AND CANINE MEDICINE PREVENTATIVE CARE • REGENERATIVE MEDICINE, PRP (PLATELET-RICH PLASMA) • LASER THERAPY • EXOTICS AND MUCH MORE – CONTINUITY OF CARE – NOW SEEING URGENT CARE+CASES and look forward to working with you to support your pets best health and quality of life. 1023 Austin Avenue, Pacific Grove • 831-318-0306 • www.pacificgroveanimalhospital.com ’23 ’22 ’21 Four years in a row! A Gold Certified Cat Friendly Practice montereycountynow.com/bestof BEST OF MONTEREY COUNTY® 2024 XX and look forward to working with you to support your pets best health and quality of life. 1023 Austin Avenue, Pacific Grove • 831-318-0306 • www.pacificgroveanimalhospital.com ’23 ’22 ’21 Four years in a row! A Gold Certified Cat Friendly Practice montereycountynow.com/bestof BEST OF MONTEREY COUNTY® 2024 XX and look forward to working with you to support your pets best health and quality of life. 1023 Austin Avenue, Pacific Grove • 831-318-0306 • www.pacificgroveanimalhospital.com ’23 ’22 ’21 Four years in a row! A Gold Certified Cat Friendly Practice montereycountynow.com/bestof BEST OF MONTEREY COUNTY® 2024 XX PACIFIC GROVE ANIMAL HOSPITAL Thank You So Much for Voting Us Dr. Brynie Kaplan Dau, MS, DVM SURGERY • DERMATOLOGY • FELINE AND CANINE MEDICINE PREVENTATIVE CARE • REGENERATIVE MEDICINE, PRP (PLATELET-RICH PLASMA) • LASER THERAPY • EXOTICS AND MUCH MORE – CONTINUITY OF CARE – We are honored and look forward to working with you to support your pets best health and quality of life. 1023 Austin Avenue, Pacific Grove • 831-318-0306 • www.pacificgroveanimalhospital.com ’24 ’23 ’22 ’21 Four years in a row! A Gold Certified Cat Friendly Practice montereycountynow.com/bestof BEST OF MONTEREY COUNTY® 2024 XX We are honored and look forward to working with you to support your pets best health and quality of life. 1023 Austin Avenue, Pacific Grove • 831-318-0306 • www.pacificgroveanimalhospital.com ’24 ’23 ’22 ’21 Four years in a row! A Gold Certified Cat Friendly Practice montereycountynow.com/bestof BEST OF MONTEREY COUNTY® 2024 XX We are honored and look forward to working with you to support your pets best health and quality of life. 1023 Austin Avenue, Pacific Grove • www.pacificgroveanimalhospital.com ’24 ’23 ’22 ’21 Four years in a row! A Gold Certified Cat Friendly Practice montereycountynow.com/bestof BEST OF MONTEREY COUNTY® 2024 XX PACIFIC GROVE ANIMAL HOSPITAL Thank You So Much for Voting Us BEST VETERINARIAN Dr. Brynie Kaplan Dau, MS, DVM SURGERY • DERMATOLOGY • FELINE AND CANINE MEDICINE PREVENTATIVE CARE • REGENERATIVE MEDICINE, PRP (PLATELET-RICH PLASMA) • LASER THERAPY • EXOTICS AND MUCH MORE – CONTINUITY OF CARE – NOW SEEING URGENT CARE+CASES PACIFIC GROVE ANIMAL HOSPITAL Thank You So Much for Voting Us BEST VETERINARIAN Dr. Brynie Kaplan Dau, MS, DVM Five Years In A Row! SURGERY • DERMATOLOGY • FELINE AND CANINE MEDICINE • PREVENTATIVE CARE REGENERATIVE MEDICINE, PRP (PLATELET-RICH PLASMA) • LASER THERAPY • EXOTICS AND MUCH MORE – CONTINUITY OF CARE ’25 ’24 SEEDS OF CHANGE 28 days 213 nonprofits Goals for 2025 8,000 donors $14,000,000 in donations HOW TO DONATE 1. Visit www.mcgives.com 2. Choose your favorites 3. Click on DONATE button Totals as of 12/03/25 3,254 donors $7,982,202 in donations MAJOR PARTNERS Monterey County Gives! is a special project of Monterey County Weekly in partnership with the Community Foundation for Monterey County and Monterey Peninsula Foundation PRINT | WEB | MOBILE
12 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY DECEMBER 4-10, 2025 www.montereycountynow.com MC GIVES Where some people might see struggle, leaders of the nonprofit Mujeres en Acción see opportunity. “Our main focus is to help women become economically self-sufficient and develop their leadership, so they can change issues that affect their families, so they can advocate for themselves,” says Maria Elena Manzo, founder and executive director of the nonprofit, which launched in 2015. (The name is Spanish for Women in Action.) Their goals are big and small, from getting a driver’s license to starting a business, enrolling in school or becoming community leaders. “They talk about their goals and their dreams and then we help them overcome obstacles that stop them from achieving their goals,” Manzo says. Women sign up and receive peer support in areas including education, leadership skills and emotional well-being. They also get connected to other nonprofits or institutions that can help them advance. Manzo says she’s inspired when she sees women reaching their goals, like transitioning from being a farmworker picking strawberries to becoming a community health worker: “We have talents, and we have all that it takes. We just need somebody to invest in us.” There are many success stories that started at Mujeres, including Celsa Ortega, a mother of four and a former farmworker. She is now a business owner who started her own organic farm, Induchucuiti Organic Farms. Another woman is Claudia Reyes, a Mixteco woman from Salinas. She joined Mujeres as a participant during the pandemic. A year later, she became a community health worker with the VIDA Project. Now she leads Mujeres’ cohorts for Mixteco speakers. Reyes says when she joined the group she didn’t have any set goals. Little by little, while talking with other women and learning new skills, she saw herself doing something other than working in the fields. “Those opportunities made me feel like I could do it,” Reyes says in Spanish. “Working in the fields isn’t a bad job, but it’s hard.” Reyes adds that being part of Mujeres changed her and her family’s lives. Her eldest daughter, Maria Alexandra, 21, is one year away from graduating from university and is more involved in her community. DANIEL DREIFUSS Women Rising Mujeres en Acción helps women overcome obstacles and achieve their goals. By Celia Jiménez When she first immigrated to the U.S. from Mexico and saw injustices, Maria Elena Manzo (left) says she felt powerless. Now she helps others leverage their power. How to Donate Go to www.mcgives.com and click the Donate button. Our Monterey County Gives Big Idea, Safe Teens Empowerment Project, prevents underage alcohol and drug use by engaging over 7,000 Monterey County youth in leadership, education, and community projects that build confidence, life skills, and resilience against high-risk behaviors. MontereyCountyGives.com/SunStreet Our Monterey County Gives Big Idea, Safe Teens Empowerment Project, prevents underage alcohol and drug use by engaging over 7,000 Monterey County youth in leadership, education, and community projects that build confidence, life skills, and resilience against high-risk behaviors. MontereyCountyGives.com/SunStreet Our Monterey County Gives Big Idea, Safe Teens Empowerment Project, prevents underage alcohol and drug use by engaging over 7,000 Monterey County youth in leadership, education, and community projects that build confidence, life skills, and resilience against high-risk behaviors. MontereyCountyGives.com/SunStreet Our Monterey County Gives Big Idea, Safe Teens Empowerment Project, prevents underage alcohol and drug use by engaging over 7,000 Monterey County youth in leadership, education, and community projects that build confidence, life skills, and resilience against high-risk behaviors. MontereyCountyGives.com/SunStreet Mental health, substance use, and homelessness often intersect. Community Human Services delivers care tailored to each person’s unique journey. Donate now to support those navigating life’s toughest crossroads. at the intersection of crisis and care.
www.montereycountynow.com DECEMBER 4-10, 2025 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 13 Central Coast Veterans Cemetery Foundation HONOR • REMEMBER • SUPPORT Cremation placement and burial services are offered at little or no cost to eligible Veterans and their spouses. However, many families face unexpected expenses for the legally required initial preparation of their loved one’s remains. The Central Coast Veterans Cemetery Foundation Final Placement SupportProgram provides education and financial assistance to help with some of these uncovered costs at the California Central Coast Veterans Cemetery located at former Fort Ord. Your donation directly supports local Veterans and their families in their time of need. Thank you for honoring and supporting those who have served our country. info@ccvcf.com (831) 218-1780 www.ccvcf.com LOVER’S POINT PACIFIC GROVE LOUIS & ROBERTA HUNTINGTON RUN RU RUN RUDOLPH THANK YOU SPONSORS! THE FUQUA FAMILY FOUNDATION Opportunities to Run, Walk, Volunteer, Donate, or Sponsor are available. For inquiries, visit our website for further details: ArthritisResearchCoalition.org/rrr 2025 FOR ARTHRITIS RESEARCH 5KOR 1K RUN WALK PACIFIC GROVE SATURDAY DEC.13 FUN FOR ALL AGES. BRING YOUR FURRY FRIENDS, TOO! SCAN TO REGISTER & GET MORE INFO THIS SEASON, A LITTLE LOVE GOES A LONG WAY. 700 Jewell Avenue, Pacific Grove, California 93950 • MOWMP.ORG • 831.375.4454 MOWMP is a 501(c)(3) exempt organization. EIN 94-2157521 mowmp.org/mcgives Give from the heart. Help us deliver hope. 2025 MEMBER
14 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY DECEMBER 4-10, 2025 www.montereycountynow.com COST OF CARE I am no expert, but the high cost of living means those hospital workers need to make higher wages (“A state investigation concludes a lack of competition is behind the county’s high hospital costs,” Nov. 20-26). Debra Gill | via social media And they should [pay higher wages]. But the corporate greed runs rampant. The chief of surgery at Natividad made just under $1 million [$871,400 according to the California State Controller] last year. J.R. Walker | East Garrison [Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula] could lower the prices. Cashpaying patient here—my husband’s [pulmonary function test] was $4,700 at CHOMP; at SVH, $500. An MRI $3,000; SVH $400. Cheryl “Rebelle” Robinson | Prunedale Is this why Blue Shield of California is quoting nearly $3,000 for a high-deductible bronze plan for our self-employed family of three in order for us to have access to Montage and CHOMP? We have looked into Kaiser but they don’t seem quite established here yet. I don’t love the idea of having to drive a sick kiddo to Watsonville for urgent care through Kaiser. Erin Drake-Prior | via social media SOUND UP Thank you for highlighting the Whistlemania event that took place at JACL (“Monterey County joins the Whistlestop campaign to alert people of potential ICE presence,” Nov. 20-26). As volunteer Catherine Fanoe put it, “Our immigrant community is the hardest-working community in Monterey County. Trump is the real threat to this country, not immigrants working to feed their families to make a better life for their kids.” There will be many more of these events where volunteers can assemble kits with whistles and know your rights information to do their part to stop the Trump administration’s racist and short-sighted targeting of immigrants. Joanna Gallagher | Monterey WATER WAY Thank you for your outstanding article (“Politics, law and reality collide in pursuit of relief on Peninsula water woes,” Nov. 27-Dec. 3). This whole water issue has been so confusing but thanks to your article, I think I now understand. Everyone has been so eager to add new water meters and build, build, build but the State Water Board has yet to lift the cease-anddesist order. I was under the impression that one can now get all the water they want. Questions remain but at some point there must be a solution. I wonder when that will be. Nancy Ponedel Parsons | Pacific Grove Your article about the tangled mess of Cal Am and all the other water actors is superbly written. That level of journalism is rare. Especially clever was Tyller Williamson’s quote about aliens. I’m continually impressed with your paper’s excellent reporting. Carl Alasko | Monterey GIFT GIVING Since at least early adulthood, I’ve not been a gifts person (“Today is Black Friday, but you can rethink gift-giving as a charitable endeavor,” posted Nov. 28). I’ve never given birthday or Christmas gifts to my children, now adults. I’m confident that my children nonetheless firmly believe that I love them. As an extended family, we stopped exchanging gifts years ago. Once my basic needs are met, I think my charitable giving should exceed my self-indulgent spending. This practice does not feel sacrificial, but joyful and liberating. Eugene Loh | Pacific Grove I am 85 and homebound. Last year my family told me I had to give gifts. I resisted and then realized I did have something to give. I read a lot and went through my books to pick out detective stories from foreign countries. So I wrapped 11 books and gave them out on Christmas Eve. We talked about each book as it was opened. Wonderful conversations happened. My family loves to travel and I was sharing how I travel through reading. This year I plan to give out some of my medical books. I am sharing what I have learned about medical care as an old person. I really don’t expect them to read them, but I like the conversations that come up when the gifts are opened. Kathy Whilden | Monterey GIVING IT ALL What began 25 years ago as the Monterey County Weekly Community Fund and now exists as MCGives! deserves a shout-out (“Monterey County Gives!,” Nov. 13-Dec. 31). The MCGives! effort loves its numbers— days, hours, minutes remaining to donate, total donors, amount raised and number of nonprofits as examples. What is probably an unidentifiable and massive number is the actual number of individual people, and animals, in the County of Monterey who have directly benefited in some way from what was originally the “Big Idea” of one person, Weekly Founder & CEO Bradley Zeve. What Bradley has nurtured to blossom in our county is reflected in Margaret Mead’s quote, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” Bravo and thank you. Peter Hiller | Carmel WAVE MACHINE Thank you to Ellie Salameh for such an informative article (“Elementary school students are putting into practice what it means to be environmental stewards,” Nov. 13-19). Ocean Guardians is an ongoing program at Forest Grove Elementary School, thanks to NOAA and Ms. Kari Serpa, a fourth-grade teacher. Ms. Serpa has worked tirelessly, with countless hours of her own time, to bring and keep this program going for the students at Forest Grove (and beyond). The program’s student-to-community connection is changing lives, as Ellie wrote, and it takes a dedicated educator like Ms. Serpa to make it happen. Thank you, Ms. Serpa and NOAA. Jeanie De Tomaso | Pacific Grove 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.
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