4 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY APRIL 17-23, 2025 www.montereycountynow.com THE BUZZ FREE SPEECH Gannett, the largest newspaper chain in America that owns the Salinas Californian, will no longer publish information about its workforce demographics and has eliminated references to diversity on its website. The move comes after President Donald Trump’s pledge to eliminate initiatives that promote diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) in the federal government. When asked by a writer from Nieman Lab about the decision, a Gannett spokesperson said the company is “adapting to the evolving regulatory environment” and referred to Trump’s Jan. 22 executive order on DEI. In 2020, Gannett announced it would publish annual staff diversity reports, and in 2023, about 34 percent of its hires were people of color. In February, Gannett changed its “Inclusion” page to “Culture,” and changed a quote from CEO Mike Reed, which previously read, “If we don’t have an inclusive and diverse culture, we’ll fail at everything else.” “While we will no longer publish workforce demographic metrics or sustainability and inclusion reports, Gannett is deeply committed to our ethical business model,” spokesperson LarkMarie Antón told Nieman Lab. Good: Good news for outdoorsy people who live in Salinas and Marina—both cities broke ground for park enhancement projects in April. In Salinas, Closter Park, one of the most popular in the city, will get a makeover that includes fitness stations, new ball fields, an event space and more. The project will cost nearly $10 million and will be funded with a combination of Proposition 68, American Rescue Plan Act and city funds. In Marina, the second phase of Glorya Jean Tate Park has begun and includes basketball and pickleball courts, an exercise area and other amenities. The project has an $8 million price tag, and construction is expected to take less than a year to complete. Marina is also embarking on a process to develop an inclusive playground for children of all abilities, and a designer from Playgrounds by Leathers and Associates visited schools and the Community Center on April 14 to gather feedback. GREAT: Renowned conservationist Jane Goodall visited multiple venues across the Monterey Peninsula during the week of April 7 to celebrate the launch of Wildlife Conservation Network’s Sea Otter Fund. One visit included a ride on Monterey Bay Eco Tours’ electric catamaran, where she spoke on the importance of protecting the southern sea otter as guests cruised the waters of Elkhorn Slough. The Sea Otter Fund aims to support efforts to restore the otter’s populations among its coastal habitats. “Jane Goodall is my all-time hero,” Monterey Bay Eco Tours Wendy Kitchell said in a statement. “The work she does, and the people she surrounds herself with, inspire me to be a better person every single day. Her visit to Moss Landing—and touring the slough on our electric boat, designed to have minimal environmental impact—was an absolute dream come true.” GOOD WEEK / GREAT WEEK THE WEEKLY TALLY That’s the new course record in the women’s 66-mile Fuego XL cross-country race, set by Haley Batten of Utah on Saturday, April 12 during the Life Time Sea Otter Classic. Batten, who beat the second-place finisher by more than 26 minutes, also won the Life Time Grand Prix gravel race on Thursday, April 10. Source: Life Time Sea Otter Classic 4 hours, 33 minutes and 34 seconds QUOTE OF THE WEEK “My goal is to not sway the deck, but heavy the deck toward Seaside residents.” -Danny Bakewell Jr., developer of the Campus Town project, on giving priority of the new homes to Seaside residents (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
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MjAzNjQ1NQ==