APRIL 24-30, 2025 MONTEREYCOUNTYNOW.COM LOCAL & INDEPENDENT TRADING UP 10 | THE FEDS AND THE SEA 12 | IMMIGRANT VOICES RISING 37 | DINNER AND A SHOW 46 FIRST PLACE GENERAL EXCELLENCE • 2024 CA JOURNALISM AWARDS • BENDING THE KNEE AS OLIGARCHS GAIN POWER IN AMERICAN GOVERNMENT, LOCAL PEOPLE ARE LOOKING FOR WAYS TO VOTE WITH THEIR WALLETS. P. 24 By Pam Marino
2 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY APRIL 24-30, 2025 www.montereycountynow.com Join our dedicated group of volunteers in one of a variety of fulfilling & flexible positions 831.375.4454 mowmp.org/volunteer Share your heart, Change a life Help us nourish more than meals Every hour given helps build a stronger, healthier community Be the light in Someone’s day Together, We drive change Volunteers power our mission Creating connections that matter We are creating a ripple of kindness Fueling compassion, One volunteer at a time MEALS ON WHEELS OF THE MONTEREY PENINSULA ’21 ’22 ’23 ’24 A heartfelt thanks to ALL our volunteers for their incredible dedication. Each volunteer has made a profound di erence in the thousands of lives we serve. Join the heartbeat of our community VOTED BEST VOLUNTEER ORGANIZATION THANK YOU!
www.montereycountynow.com APRIL 24-30, 2025 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 3
4 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY APRIL 24-30, 2025 www.montereycountynow.com BE QUEER HERE Join the LGBTQIA+ and ally community for a joyful, all-ages celebration of pride, identity, and unity in the heart of Monterey! Pride Parade kicks off at 11AM on Polk Street near Alta Bakery, led by Grand Marshalls Glodean Champion & Paul Richmond! Post-parade celebration starts at 12PM with live music, drag performances, speakers, and over 65 local organizations. Honoring youth with our Queer Youth Recognition Scholarship. Food trucks, resources, and fun for everyone! Follow @montereypride on Instagram www.montereypeninsulapride.org Monterey Peninsula Pride 2025 Saturday, June 28, 11AM – 4PM Monterey State Historic Park’s Custom House Plaza FREE & open to all ages.
www.montereycountynow.com APRIL 24-30, 2025 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 5 Our incredible 300 plus volunteers at Salinas Valley Health make a difference every day in the lives of our staff, patients and community. To them, we express our heartfelt gratitude. FOR GIVING YOUR TIME. FOR SHARING YOUR TALENTS. FOR YOUR COMPASSION AND COMMITMENT. Learn how you can get involved by scanning the QR code or by calling 831-755-0772. Pet Therapy Volunteer John Karnofel with Dixie-Lu Telecare Volunteer Veronica Polovneff Patient Experience Volunteer Itzarely Godinez NATIONAL VOLUNTEER WEEK | APRIL 20-26, 2025
6 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY APRIL 24-30, 2025 www.montereycountynow.com APRIL 24-30, 2025 • ISSUE #1917 • ESTABLISHED IN 1988 Khiem Do (Nikon Z7, with a 24-120 f4 lens) It’s not just people who like to visit Point Sur Lighthouse in Big Sur. Condors #470 and #962 joined a group of visitors and docents on Saturday, April 19. MONTEREY COUNTY PHOTO OF THE WEEK Send Etc. submissions to etcphoto@montereycountynow.com; please include caption and camera info. On the cover: Several billionaire corporate executives attended President Donald Trump’s inauguration, including Elon Musk (pictured), Mark Zuckerberg, Sundar Pichai and Jeff Bezos. Their actions, and others, have moved consumers across the country and Monterey County to boycott certain companies. Cover illustration: Vicente Martí 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. 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 APRIL 24-30, 2025 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 7 Thank you, volunteers Volunteers have always been an integral part of the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Before we even opened our doors in 1984, over 350 volunteers were already on board! Divers kept exhibit windows sparkling, while our volunteer guides studied up to welcome two million guests that first year. Since then, over ten thousand passionate people have collectively given nearly five million hours of their time in service of our mission. From assisting in the rescue and release of stranded sea otters to inspiring students to become ocean leaders—and countless other roles in between—our volunteers have made the Aquarium a place of wonder for over forty years. We wouldn’t be here today without our dedicated community of volunteers and we’re forever grateful. Thank you, volunteers, for your continued support of our mission: to inspire conservation of the ocean!
8 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY APRIL 24-30, 2025 www.montereycountynow.com THE BUZZ FREE SPEECH Patrick Soon-Shiong, the billionaire owner of the Los Angeles Times who’s been accused of currying favor with President Donald Trump, is working to get more right-wing voices into the newspaper by using artificial intelligence. In March, the Times debuted “Insights,” which not only judges an opinion piece on its political bias, but also offers an AI-generated opposing viewpoint. The move quickly generated backlash, with the AI in one early instance appearing to defend the Ku Klux Klan by referring to the white supremacist group as “‘white Protestant culture’ responding to societal changes rather than an explicitly hate-driven movement.” The comments have since been removed. In an interview with Fox News, SoonShiong, who blocked the Times from endorsing Kamala Harris for president, said he wanted to overhaul the editorial board. “If you just have the one side, it’s just going to be an echo chamber,” he said. Three of the six people who wrote editorials have resigned since the fall. Good: Embark on another colorful journey with Alka Joshi of Pacific Grove. The New York Times best-selling author is celebrating the release of her fourth novel, Six Days in Bombay. Inspired by the story of free-spirited 1930s painter Amrita Sher-Gil who died at age 28, the novel is a travelogue of a young Indian nurse traveling to Istanbul, Prague, Paris, Florence and London to uncover the mysterious death of a famous painter and the dangerous secrets she was hiding. A book launch and author’s talk take place at 6pm Tuesday, April 29 at Santa Catalina School (1500 Mark Thomas Drive, Monterey) to celebrate. The event includes performances by violinist Tien-Hsin Cindy Wu and cellist Tanya Tomkins of Sunkiss’d Mozart, who will debut their newly commissioned pieces inspired by the novel. The book and tickets to the event are available for purchase online and in local bookstores. GREAT: Good luck to the Sand City-based Sand City Volleyball Club 18 Gold girls team, which is headed to the national championship in Salt Lake City from April 25-27. It’s the fourth consecutive year this local team qualified for the USA Volleyball Girls Junior National Championship, this time after a victory in Sacramento in March. It was a rough go leading up to the finals, with multiple players becoming ill the day before the competition, with one requiring an overnight visit to the emergency room, but they pulled together for three consecutive victories. “This team has shown great resilience,” Head Coach Kit Moore said. “I’m proud of how they came together and fought through adversity to achieve this goal.” Seven players hail from Salinas High School, Carmel High School, Palma School, Stevenson School, and another five from high schools in San Luis Obispo County. GOOD WEEK / GREAT WEEK THE WEEKLY TALLY That’s how many Gibson guitars were donated to 16 Monterey County school districts by Guitars Not Guns. The Monterey County chapter raised $40,000 through Monterey County Gives! to purchase the guitars, which were distributed on April 18 to be used to provide free guitar and music lessons for students. Source: Guitars Not Guns and MCOE 250 QUOTE OF THE WEEK “The structural deterioration worsens with each passing storm.” -From a report by the Monterey County Civil Grand Jury, released April 18, outlining the repairs needed for the City of Monterey’s two wharves. A 2024 estimate from the city showed at least $17 million would be needed for two years (see story, montereycountynow.com). Mistress of Ceremonies, Erin Clark News Anchor, KSBW Action News 8 JOIN US! $75 per person Sponsorships Available Purchase tickets online by May 2, 2025: give.cfmco.org/WomensFund2025 Questions? 831.375.9712 • events@cfmco.org 18th Annual WOMEN’S FUND LUNCHEON Friday, May 16, 2025 11:00 a.m. Networking Reception • 12-1:30 p.m. Program Hyatt Regency Monterey Hotel And Spa Strength. Resiliency. Hope. TICKETS: The Women’s Fund invests in women and girls now for a better future for us all. A conversation with artist and author René Romero Schuler Don’t miss this inspiring and uplifting event. Proceeds benefit grants and scholarships for local women and girls. Domenico’s on the Wharf features Cioppino–a house specialty, Boat to Table Wild Alaskan Salmon, Oysters Rockefeller are a sample of the many great menu choices. Also enjoy Fine Wines and Cocktails, Desserts and Great Service. A local favorite celebrating 43 YEARS on Old Fisherman’s Wharf. 50 OLD FISHERMAN’S WHARF MONTEREY • 831-372-3655 www.domenicosmonterey.com Open Daily 11:30am to close Fresh Seafood, Italian Classics, Prime Steaks, with Beautiful Harbor Views. Make Mother’s Day Reservations!
www.montereycountynow.com APRIL 24-30, 2025 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 9 World-Class Care LIFESAVING TRAUMA CENTER When minutes matter most, expert care is close to home. Since January 2015, Natividad's Level II Trauma Center has been here for Monterey County during life's unexpected moments, providing healing and hope right in your community. Natividad Celebrates a Decade of Trauma Care 1441 Constitution Blvd., Salinas, CA 93906 (831) 755-4111 natividad.com
10 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY APRIL 24-30, 2025 www.montereycountynow.com 831 On a Saturday afternoon in March, dozens of people gathered in the community room at the Monterey Public Library to engage in the oldest form of commerce: bartering. Bartering is not as widespread as it once was, but it’s still a way people around the world trade goods with each other without exchanging money, especially when resources are limited. Shannon Hughes, the Monterey Peninsula Barter Fair organizer and a Marina resident, says she was part of a barter group in Seattle before moving to Monterey County. She tried to find her tribe but didn’t find any barter groups in the area. “I looked high and low to see if there was any kind of a bartering community, and didn’t find one so I just took the initiative and decided to start one myself,” she says. Hughes began sharing the concept with others, who were intrigued. After finding a location, she sent invitations to people who were interested and posted the event online at Eventbrite. In the beginning, she thought it would just be a family affair since most of the people who RSVP’d online were family members. But later, the event took off and 70 signed up, most of them coming from across Monterey County. “That was really encouraging that the concept resonated with people,” Hughes says. Hughes brought dark chocolate truffles and strawberry jam, which she exchanged for oranges, homemade greeting cards and sourdough flatbread, among other items. Before bartering, Hughes says people should think about what types of products or services they would like to provide or obtain. The possibilities are nearly endless—such as services like teaching a class or helping someone build their résumé, and goods can be homemade, like cookies. Participants should also have an estimated value of the service or product they are bringing to the fair. “I saw several people who came in, and they’re like, ‘I’m not used to negotiating. It feels uncomfortable.’ By the end, they seemed like seasoned salespeople,” Hughes says. One of the challenges for Hughes has been finding a place to host the fair at a low or no cost. She estimates she contacted about 50 locations trying to find a home. She finally found a spot at the Monterey Public Library, where she hosted the first two fairs. A third returns to the same venue; she hopes to host at other locations in the future. During a recent barter fair, people from different backgrounds—including crafters, teachers and bakers—gathered from various parts of Monterey County and beyond, bringing products ranging from photographs to tickets for Spanish classes and art classes, to books, automotive services, handmade jewelry, crocheted hats, baked goods and more. Crafters chatted with each other; people exchanged photos for cookies; and others swapped yarn for a scented room spray. They also had the opportunity to talk about their craft for a few minutes. The event is also an opportunity for people to showcase and share their art and skills with others. Before the trading begins, everyone introduces themselves to the group and talks briefly about their products or services. Johnali Westmoreland, a small business owner, says she barters regularly when at different fairs selling her products, and was excited when she learned about the local barter fair. “It’s a really good way to cultivate your community, also with people going through a lot of financial challenges,” Westmoreland says. She brought candles, lip balms, aromatherapy room sprays and other products to the fair. She took home lemons, an art book and treats. “I have so many baked goods. I think I got a baked good from every person that was selling baked goods,” Westmoreland says. Barter Fair. 2-4pm Saturday, April 26. Monterey Public Library, 625 Pacific St., Monterey. 206-548-8329, prkskh@ yahoo.com. Fair Exchange A barter fair lets crafters and professionals trade goods and services with no money required. By Celia Jiménez Johnali Westmoreland (left) trades an aromatherapy room spray for a skein of yarn from Erika Rosenberg during the Monterey Peninsula Barter Fair in March. “It’s a really good way to cultivate your community.” TALES FROM THE AREA CODE CELIA JIMÉNEZ Shelter From the StormS The barrage of disasters and ugly politics have separated us. Many of us feel small and ineffectual. We don’t know where to turn and have withdrawn from the world. Unitarian Universalists offer a safe harbor for you and your family. We believe in community. We say YES to JOY, to LOVE, to COURAGE, and to HOPE. Our Sunday service, at 10:30 a.m., and our many community activities show how to face our days with a positive spirit. We strive to do good and to improve the world a little every day—focusing on social justice, environmental, LGBTQ+, and immigration issues. We welcome everyone, and we know that it is going to take all of us to thrive! To learn more, come to a Sunday service, check out our website at www.UUCMP.org, or call 831-624-7404. Unitarian Universalist Church of the Monterey Peninsula, 490 Aguajito Road, Carmel CA 93923
www.montereycountynow.com APRIL 24-30, 2025 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 11 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. SPCA MONTEREY COUNTY thanks our caring and compassionate volunteers who make all our programs possible. THANK YOU for your love! spcamc.org ’24
12 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY APRIL 24-30, 2025 www.montereycountynow.com NEWS In October 2024, a humpback whale, named “Check” by researchers, was found entangled in gear left behind from the Dungeness crab fishery. Whale-watching groups first spotted and reported the humpback near Moss Landing, and again noticed the whale entangled in two new and additional crab traps in March of this year. Searching for and untangling a 35-45 foot marine mammal from a mess of rope and buoys is a complicated business. Roughly 75 percent of reported whale entanglements are fatal, according to the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), where fishing lines can cause lesions and lead to infection, impeding a whale’s ability to feed. On April 5, a trained team with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Large Whale Entanglement Response Network freed Check, in collaboration with the Marine Mammal Center, after tracking the animal for six months. “This was a sustained effort by a lot of people to get there and help this animal,” said Justin Viezbicke, California stranding coordinator with NOAA. “Fortunately we did.” The success story came alongside disjointed news. On April 14, NOAA Fisheries announced it would reduce the scope of the upcoming West Coast Take Reduction Team—a group tasked with creating a plan to reduce whale entanglements in several West Coast fisheries—by excluding the fishery most commonly linked to confirmed entanglements: the Dungeness crab fishery. A 2023 settlement between the state and the Center for Biological Diversity required the formation of this team to develop a plan to limit entanglements, initialMurky Waters Groups within NOAA remain flexible amid federal policy and budget uncertainties. By Katie Rodriguez The health care landscape in Monterey County could look different in the next few years, after the state’s Office of Health Care Affordability board voted 5-0 on Tuesday, April 22, to label Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula and Salinas Valley Health as highcost outlier hospitals, requiring them to cap their spending growth at a lower rate than over 400 other hospitals in the state, starting with a 1.8-percent cap in 2026. While advocates hailed the vote as a step toward lowering health care costs, executives at both hospitals warned before the meeting that the cap, combined with forces beyond their control—labor and material costs, tariffs and uncertainties in Medicare and Medicaid at the federal level—could lead to cuts in care that will limit patient access, as well as a reduction in community programs and other services. Dr. Mike McDermott, the new CEO of Montage Health, parent company of CHOMP, told the OHCA board the cap will have “catastrophic impacts” on patient care. In addition to the 1.8-percent cap next year, CHOMP and SVH—along with seven other “high-cost” hospitals in the state determined by OHCA— will face a 1.7-percent cap in 2027 and 2028, landing on 1.6 percent in 2029. All hospitals are currently operating under a cap of 3.5 percent, approved by the OHCA board last year. That rate, which applies to all California hospitals, decreases to 3.2 percent in 2027 and 2028 and 3 percent in 2029. “We are disappointed by OHCA’s decision to label Salinas Valley Health a high-cost outlier, especially given our long-standing commitment to make health care more affordable and more accessible for everyone in our community,” SVH officials said in a written statement. They called the methodology to determine highcost hospitals “flawed” and narrowly focused on the hospital, not the entire system that includes clinics subsidized by hospital income. In his remarks to the board, McDermott said Montage absorbs $35 million in annual losses by operating Montage Medical Group. One of the main union organizers who has been lobbying OHCA for two years, Steve McDougall of the California Federation of Teachers (also president of the Municipalities, Colleges, Schools Insurance Group, or MCSIG), calls the decision a positive step for working families and employers statewide. “Bad actor hospital providers shall be outed and held to account moving forward,” he says. “The era of outlier-costing hospitals raiding households’ economic security is coming to an end.” Former Montage Health CEO Steven Packer, in a letter written just days before he retired last month, said if the board proceeds with “premature, arbitrary and capricious cost caps,” public health programs Montage supports addressing diabetes and overdose prevention would be cut, adding that they would be forced to hold off on hiring two new physicians in dermatology and primary care. OHCA board member Dr. Richard Pan suggested that public health and social service programs that hospitals take on shifts the burden away from taxpayers and puts it on patients who have commercial insurance. The challenge is for communities to get resources for those services from other entities, including local and state governments, he said. The Office of Health Care Affordability board met at Embassy Suites in Seaside in August 2024 to gather data that led to a vote on April 22 to limit hospital spending. Surgical Cuts State’s Health Care Affordability board tells CHOMP and SVH to limit future spending even further. By Pam Marino A team of trained responders attempt to cut gear wrapping the flukes of an endangered humpback whale off the coast of Monterey on April 5. “The designation could jeopardize essential services.” DANIEL DREIFUSS COLLECTED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE MARINE MAMMAL CENTER, MARINE LIFE STUDIES AND CASCADIA RESEARCH COLLECTIVE WATERS continued on page 14
www.montereycountynow.com APRIL 24-30, 2025 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 13 Scan QR code for tickets, VIP packages, and camping info. or visit WeatherTechRaceway.com LET’S REDLINE YOUR RACING FANTASIES MAY 9-11
14 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY APRIL 24-30, 2025 www.montereycountynow.com In the three decades since Fort Ord closed, the City of Marina—despite its government still operating out of mobile trailers since it was incorporated in 1975—has grown along with its population, adding educational facilities such as Marina High School, and more recently, the large-scale Dunes development in its southern end. “All these things other cities take for granted, Marina has lacked those amenities,” Mayor Bruce Delgado says. “Slowly but surely, we’re clawing back to modernity.” Near the Dunes, on Second Avenue and Ninth Street, are two former military buildings that were transferred to Marina after Fort Ord’s closure—an indoor pool and gym, the former of which has sat abandoned since 1994, the latter since 2020. Roughly 20 years after residents voiced their support in a survey for a recreation center in Marina, that facility is close to becoming a reality. Final designs are nearly complete for the Marina Aquatic and Sports Center, after the city council approved schematic designs for the project in March. On Saturday, April 26 at 1pm, city officials will open the doors of the vacant buildings to the public to gather feedback on what they want to see in the future complex. Delgado says city officials hope representatives of various sporting groups attend and share what type of space they need for events. These include the roller derby community, which used the gym space for years when it was known as Water City Roller Hockey. That business shuttered in 2020, and later the building was red-tagged due to various fire code and other violations. Once anticipated to cost $22 million, the project has ballooned to roughly $41.4 million as costs have increased and features added. Project amenities include adding a 25-yard competition pool, a 20-yard lap pool, a water play area and volleyball and basketball courts. A two-story building will connect the pool and gym, which will house office space, restrooms, a cafe and more. A combination of funding will go toward the project, including from the former Fort Ord Base Reuse Authority, impact fees from developers and an $11 million loan from the city’s general fund. The project could go out to bid this summer, with construction starting in late spring 2026. “It’s important that we build these first-class recreation centers for quality of life,” Delgado says. “It’s also important that we clean up Fort Ord. This is going to be an important step.” ly scheduled to begin in spring 2025. While the team has yet to be established—it is set to convene in November— its original focus included three whale stocks and five commercial fisheries in California, Oregon and Washington. Now, NOAA will scale back, narrowing its focus on two whale stocks and instead of five fisheries, it will focus on just one: sablefish. NOAA says this reduction is less about federal governmental changes and more about effectively meeting the terms of a legal settlement. They note the sablefish fishery is federally managed and already has an established bycatch estimation method, making it a logical starting point for developing a system that could later include more fisheries. “This [decision] was intentional to allow time for the development of the bycatch estimates for properly addressing the state-managed fisheries,” says Lauren Saez, the West Coast Take Reduction Team coordinator. “It also pushes back our timeline, which gives us a chance to see what unfolds over the next few months with all the executive orders.” Saez adds that while they are “holding their breath” to see what happens with the administration, the reduction was ultimately driven by science. But Geoff Shester, senior scientist with the nonprofit Oceana, says many had counted on the team to include all five fisheries as part of a proactive whale entanglement strategy. “I mean, this was due to the cuts—there’s no real way around it,” he says. “They were on track…Then we get a new administration. Now there’s no plan, no timeline.” In February, the administration cut at least seven personnel in local NOAA offices, with more cuts under consideration. Language in Project 2025 calls to “Break Up NOAA,” describing the agency—which includes the National Weather Service and NMFS—as a “colossal operation” driving “the climate change alarm industry” and calling for it to be downsized. As of press time, no additional layoffs have been confirmed, but tensions are high. Officials at NOAA’s headquarters in D.C. declined to comment. Officials at the local Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary office also declined to comment. All 12 Monterey-based employees there remain on staff, but one remote worker, the only archaeologist supporting sanctuaries from Washington to Southern California, was terminated. On Deck As a Marina sports center inches closer to construction, the public is invited on a tour. By Erik Chalhoub NEWS FAMILY FESTIVITIES North Monterey County Unified School District hosts a celebration in honor of Dia del Niño (Day of the Child). The event includes family-friendly activities, health services, entertainment and more. 1-5pm Sunday, April 27. North Monterey County Middle School, 10301 Seymour St., Castroville. Free. 7065396, nmcusd.org. SAFE ROUTES Help decide how to spend $1 million in North Monterey County on projects that make it safer for children to get to and from school. Online ballot is live April 27-May 10. Free. bit.ly/NorthCountyPB. ASK THE ELECTEDS Monterey County Supervisor Glenn Church, Salinas Mayor Dennis Donohue and Salinas City Councilmember Aurelio Salazar host a town hall meeting. Residents are invited to ask questions about issues in North Salinas and Boronda. 5:30-7pm Wednesday, April 30. Everett Alvarez High School Library, 1900 Independence Blvd., Salinas. Free. 7555022, district2@countyofmonterey.gov. GOING EAST The City of Salinas is in the process of developing the East Area Specific Plan, which will provide a vision for development of a new neighborhood in the eastern portion of the city. The public is invited to a workshop to learn more. 6-8pm Wednesday, April 30. La Paz Middle School, 1300 North Sanborn Road, Salinas. Free. RSVP at bit.ly/ EASP430. visionsalinas.org/eastareaspecificplan. CLIMATE READY The City of Seaside released its Draft Climate Action and Adaptation Plan, providing a vision for addressing climate change. Public comment is accepted. Feedback accepted through April 30. 206-371-8458, ci.seaside.ca.us. WOMEN’S VOICES The Monterey County Commission on the Status of Women is conducting a survey to gather information on women in the county and the challenges they face. Survey available in English: forms. office.com/g/sJqAUeDyd7. In Spanish: forms.office.com/g/Xv2N1WJq9J. Free. co.monterey.ca.us/csw. WATER HABITS The Salinas Valley Basin Groundwater Sustainability Agency is conducting a survey to understand the water use needs of rural residents on private wells and small water systems. Survey is available online through June. 471-7519, svbgsa.org. A rendering shows the exterior design concept for the athletic center, renovating existing, empty buildings that the City of Marina maintains on the former Fort Ord. E-MAIL: toolbox@montereycountynow.com TOOLBOX “Slowly but surely, we’re clawing back to modernity.” COAR DESIGN GROUP WATERS continued from page 12
www.montereycountynow.com APRIL 24-30, 2025 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 15 Salinas Valley Health Specialty Clinic | 1033 Los Palos Drive, Suite A, Salinas | 831-757-2058 Accepting New Patients! Call 831-757-DOCS or our clinic for more information. QUALITY HEALTHCARE DELIVERED LOCALLY FOR EVERYONE INTRODUCING NIMA BEHESHTI, DO • Highly skilled in diagnosing and treating Parkinson’s disease, as well as other forms of parkinsonism, Dr. Beheshti’s approach to care involves managing diet and exercise, mood and mental health and gastrointestinal health. • Specializes in evaluating all types of tremors, including those of the hands, legs, face, and torso. • Adept at managing multiple conditions with a Deep Brain Stimulator (DBS), a surgical implant that can help control symptoms of Parkinson’s disease, essential tremor, and more. Additionally trained in botulinum toxin (Botox) injections for spasticity and dystonia. FELLOWSHIP University of California, Davis Davis, CA RESIDENCY University of California, Davis Davis, CA Specializing in Neurology Dr. Beheshti is a neurologist who specializes in Parkinson’s and Huntington’s diseases. These neurological movement disorders affect tremors, balance issues, stiffness and rigidity of the muscles. Fluent in English, Spanish and Farsi, Dr. Beheshti’s experience includes studies in breaking down barriers to wellness in healthcare. MEDICAL EDUCATION Rocky Vista University Englewood, CO GRADUATE EDUCATION University of California, Berkeley Berkeley, CA SalinasValleyHealth.com Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
16 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY APRIL 24-30, 2025 www.montereycountynow.com It was a good week for libraries on Monterey County’s northernmost tip and its southernmost point. On Tuesday, April 22, the Monterey County Board of Supervisors voted 5-0 to move forward with adding a new library in Bradley. The week prior, on April 15, the board approved funding to repair the flood-damaged Porter Vallejo Mansion in Pajaro, which previously housed a North County branch of the Monterey County Free Libraries. Bradley has been without a library branch since 2017, when the county’s lease of a Dixie Street building ended. The Porter Vallejo Mansion, meanwhile, has been off-limits to the public since 2023 flood damage. The Monterey County Free Libraries’ Bookmobile visits both towns on a regular basis, but in the case of Bradley, its distance to the nearest physical library location makes it difficult to effectively serve the community. The new, 2,500-square-foot Bradley library will be located next to Bradley Elementary School, on land donated to the County of Monterey by the Bradley Union School District that is currently being used as a school bus parking lot. So far, the county has spent $586,042 on design and planning, while construction funding will be sought in the 2025-26 budget cycle, which is currently in discussions. Also requested in the budget mix for next fiscal year is roughly $4 million needed to fully complete the proposed upgrades to the Porter Vallejo Mansion. But whether or not that wishlist gets funded, the library will reopen thanks to the board’s April 15 decision. Months after the Pajaro River levee breached and flooded Pajaro, the state allocated $20 million toward the town’s recovery through Assembly Bill 102, with the caveat that the funds be expended by the end of 2025. In 2023, the supervisors agreed on how to divvy the money, with $10 million going toward direct aid to residents and businesses, and the rest being used for other means such as infrastructure projects, including for the renovation of the 1850s-era Porter Vallejo Mansion, which was listed as one of the priorities from residents. According to Monterey County Chief of Facilities Florence KabwasaGreen, the county originally allocated $3.2 million of its reserves to repair the damage to the building and get it back to its previous state before the flood. The plan was to later use $3.5 million from the state’s $20 million to upgrade the mansion by building access to the second and third floors, which have historically been closed to the public due to ADA issues; expanding the outside play area; and restoring the water tower onsite, among other things. But emergency repairs to the building proved more extensive and expensive than originally thought, more than doubling the cost to $7.1 million. The board decided to use the $3.5 million originally set aside for proposed upgrades for the urgent repairs instead. That leaves nearly $800,000 unfunded for water tower repairs and $3.2 million for the full upgrade project. Those projects are on hold pending budget allocations. Stacking Up In North and South County, long-awaited library upgrades are coming soon. By Erik Chalhoub The Porter Vallejo Mansion, home to the Pajaro branch library, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. NEWS Whether or not that wishlist gets funded, the library will reopen. ERIK CHALHOUB Breakthrough Men’s Community Spring 2025 Workshops In-person (May 1) & Online (May 7) Monterey, CA & Virtual Worldwide Sign up now: breakthroughformen.org Tools. Support. Real change.
www.montereycountynow.com APRIL 24-30, 2025 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 17 On file at the Monterey Public Library is an undated pamphlet from the Seaside Chamber of Commerce that appears to have been published in the 1950s or early ’60s. It’s titled, “Laguna Grande as a Recreation and Entertainment Project,” and sowed the seeds for what would ultimately become Laguna Grande Regional Park which, after years of planning, finally opened to the public in 1982. This came after Seaside, Monterey and the Monterey Peninsula Regional Park District formed the Laguna Grande Regional Park Joint Powers Agency in 1976 with the express purpose of developing and maintaining the park “for the use and benefit” of the region’s residents. But the park’s master plan was never fully implemented, and the marshland on the south side of the park gradually filled up with sediment and became an overgrown forest of willows and brambles. The only trails cutting through it were unofficial, and over time, homeless encampments became an increasing problem. After years of dormancy, the Laguna Grande JPA reconvened in 2019, and its first order of business was to create a trail and vegetation maintenance strategy for the park and finish the work left undone decades ago. The JPA hired consultants BFS Landscape Architects to draft that plan, which was first presented to the JPA’s board in December 2021 and was approved in March 2023. But implementing the plan would require a slew of environmental permits from various state and federal agencies that JPA staff initially considered handling internally, but the contract with BFS was amended so that consultants would handle that as well. That process inched along until last October when Seaside was awarded a $1.6 million state Active Transportation Program grant to renovate the multiuse trail along the park. And because that funding flows through Caltrans, the agency took the lead to expedite the permits. The idea is that the process will clear all the necessary permits for trail work in the park as a whole, so that each individual project won’t have to again go through permitting with environmental regulators. To that end, Dan Meewis, Seaside’s recreation director and assistant city manager, says Caltrans has been helpful and “wants to get this project started so they’re speeding it up.” But at an April 14 meeting of the Laguna Grande JPA, Meewis revealed a new wrinkle: Regulators have been informed that this summer, the western pond turtle will become a federally listed species. While it’s not known to currently inhabit the park, it is possible. Meewis says the plan will be adding further mitigations that address the potential presence of the turtles so that if they are found, a project already under construction wouldn’t have to grind to a halt pending consultation with regulators. (That could delay a project indefinitely, potentially jeopardizing a project’s funding.) Meewis expects the permits will be in hand by July. When that happens, the park’s long-awaited transformation can finally begin. Turtle Hurdle A plan for trails in Laguna Grande Park nears permitting; just have to mind the turtles. By David Schmalz At Laguna Grande Park, the land and water are under the jurisdiction of various state and federal agencies, and getting all the permits to do work there is onerous. NEWS Seaside was awarded a $1.6 million grant to renovate the trail. NIC COURY WE LOVE OUR VOLUNTEERS! A special thank you to our volunteers for the time and talent they share with us. Each moment you spend with our guests brightens their day and lifts their spirirts. Come join our amazing team of dedicated volunteers at Gathering for Women! Visit our website at gatheringforwomen.org/volunteer or email volunteer@gatheringforwomen.org to learn more! 147 El Dorado St., Monterey, CA (831)241-6154 gatheringforwomen.org info@gatheringforwomen.org
18 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY APRIL 24-30, 2025 www.montereycountynow.com FEE FORWARD I’m a landlord and these “administrative fees” should be covered as part of your “business” of being a landlord not charged to a tenant (“A new law requires landlords to be upfront about charges and limits certain tenant fees,” April 3-9). It’s the cost of doing business. I understand applicant fees as it includes running credit checks, etc. but fees to draw up the lease… come on, that’s ridiculous. The property management company is already getting a flat monthly fee or percentage of the rent charged. Shannan Watkins | via social media It also shouldn’t take 30 hours. It is usually a boiler plate document that they make a few changes to. Eliza Jaros | Salinas If you’re going to make a profit from a basic human need, planning your costs and absorbing them is part of that business model. Nona Childress | Salinas I had to leave the area a year ago. The house I rented was sold, they told us we could stay if we could afford the new price after refinishing, of $4,000 a month. We had been paying $1,750. We couldn’t afford all the move-in costs elsewhere in Monterey. We decided if we had to go in debt to move (we did) and move so far inland that we could no longer readily see the water, we may as well move home where rent is one-third of what it is in Monterey, and where our landlord doesn’t lie to us about returning any of our deposit or honoring a promise to help with moving costs if we would leave before closing. Jan Brown Lane | via social media STRIKE A BALANCE It is feasible to build low-impact housing that won’t negatively impact the wildlife corridors, which is utilized primarily in the night by those critters (“After 24 years, a controversial Harper Canyon subdivision comes back for a vote,” April 10-16). However, this would place serious restrictions on the kind of housing to be built, and the access roads. I-80, for example, utilizes large “bridges” for wildlife to travel over the freeway. Similar construction might be required for the roadways this will entail. We should probably have some of those over Highway 68 and elsewhere, which would be a boon to the construction industry, and leave less roadkill and fewer damaged vehicles. Indeed, we even need wildlife corridors traversing the Salinas Valley! Walter Wagner | Salinas Before we add to the problem, I’d love to see a real solution for the extreme backups on Highway 68 during commute hours. It gets worse every year. What used to be a 30-minute commute can now take up to an hour and 30 minutes. Joaquin Turner | via social media Seems like an awfully flammable place to be building homes. Sam Winter | via social media SLOW BUILD Very well done—a good summary of why our housing costs are out of reach for the average family (“Development is a long, slow road—and recent projects in Monterey County are examples of it,” posted April 19). Ben Heinrich | via email ROLLING ON Great news and good work Todd Clark! (“A federal judge rules the handcars in Marina can remain operating indefinitely,” posted April 17.) Alex Stewart | via social media Good for him. There’s plenty of room on the current freeway right of way to add a bus lane if the empty buses really need their own lane. Pat Camara | via social media What is the point of making a bus lane from Marina to Seaside? More power to these guys for utilizing the tracks for entertainment! Phil Carroll | via social media DOWN THE DRAIN May not look like a lot, but with everything going up this is gonna hurt people (“Salinas City Council prepares to vote on sewer rate increases, potentially tripling rates,” April 17-23). People are already feeling the squeeze. Amanda Castro | via social media POLITICS AND PEOPLE I believe that you have confused liberal with progressive (“The Monterey County Democrats vacated their office in Seaside, and Progressives moved in,” April 10-16). The last administration was not progressive. The progressive leadership is currently on the road, attracting thousands of supporters. These supporters have also been disenfranchised and are ready for change too. I just hope the Democratic Party is watching and learning because this is part of the lesson. Colleen Ingram | Pacific Grove A LIVING LEGACY Thank you for reminding us of the tragic deaths of so many bracero farmworkers at Chualar (“A stunning new mural in Chualar captures the beautiful, painful legacy of bracero farmworkers,” April 17-23). As you recount, Juan Martinez placed the wooden cross at the site of the accident, as part of his many years reminding us of this historic event and its importance to our local farmworker community. In partnership with the late activist Gary Karnes, Juan established a memorial of this poignant Monterey County history and other local events in a collection of artifacts gathered in their People’s Oral History Project. It has been temporarily hosted by the Monterey County Historical Society. Juan and Gary both wished that it would find a permanent and appropriate home in the old county jail in Salinas, where it would serve as a crucial civil history lesson to all of us. Heidi Feldman | Pacific Grove SPREAD YOUR WINGS One of the new hotels should take it and place it inside (“A developer wants to find a home for a stained glass window in Pacific Grove, but there are no takers, so far,” posted April 15). Roxane Viray | via social media How about making it a freestanding art installation rather than find a building window to put it into, which limits the options greatly? It could go in one of our parks or other public spaces. Beth Kuperman | 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 APRIL 24-30, 2025 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 19 Here’s something most of us can agree on: The health care system in America is broken. It’s too expensive; there’s a shortage of doctors, particularly primary care providers; government insurance—primarily Medicare and Medicaid—doesn’t reimburse practitioners at a high enough rate, leaving them overly reliant on commercial insurance companies. Into this web of problems, California has added oversight. In 2022, the state’s Office of Health Care Affordability was created, and its board convened for the first time in March 2023. Per statute, “The office shall be responsible for analyzing the health care market for cost trends and drivers of spending, developing data-informed policies for lowering health care costs for consumers and purchasers, creating a state strategy for controlling the cost of health care and ensuring affordability for consumers and purchasers, and enforcing cost targets.” These are grand and important goals, implemented in a painstaking public process through thousands of pages of analysis and spreadsheets, and through hundreds of hours of deliberation. Staff writer Pam Marino, who covers health care, has attended many dozens of those hours of deliberation virtually or in person. As Marino has reported, that led OHCA to implement a 3-percent cap on annual spending increases at hospitals across the state. Even before that cap phases in—and as hospitals face a barrage of challenges, including the looming prospect of $880 billion in Medicaid cuts from the feds—OHCA has moved on to evaluate an even more stringent cap on what it has defined as high-cost hospitals. Two local hospitals, Salinas Valley Health and Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula, made OHCA’s list of 11. (For more about the board’s vote on April 22, see story, p. 12.) Officials at SVH and Montage, the parent company of CHOMP, are on the defense. OHCA has played a much-needed public forum for people to vent about high hospital bills, and the hospitals have been cast as villains; correspondence to OHCA weighing in for and against the cap came in at 528 pages long. While hospital leaders acknowledge there are opportunities to find more efficiencies, they are deeply frustrated by what seems like a misunderstanding of their accounting. A big part of SVH and Montage officials’ frustration comes from OHCA’s classification of these institutions as “hospitals” rather than as “systems.” Both hospitals make money, but other operations— like clinics and outpatient care—are money losers, and they are subsidized by the hospitals’ positive balance sheets. Just this month, Montage announced it was absorbing Monterey Spine and Joint; it will reopen on April 28 as Montage Orthopedics and Sports Medicine. “Sustainability of private practice has really become a thing of the past,” Dr. Samera Kasim, an orthopedic physician at MSJ, told Marino. And in Salinas, SVH is taking over Pacific Coast Pediatrics on May 1 as part of PrimeCare. That two giants continue to consolidate medical practices presents obvious problems, but it also illuminates the even bigger problem: That it’s too expensive to run an independent medical office in Monterey County. What’s even more frustrating is that even if hospitals can and do shrink their margins, there is a link missing: the behemoth in-between entities in this equation, insurance companies, are under no obligation to pass along those savings to patients. As OHCA was taking shape, state lawmakers were considering whether to implement single-payer health care in California. The concept known as CalCare, introduced by Assemblymember Ash Kalra, D-San Jose, would have saved an estimated $42 billion annually in administrative costs alone. In 2024, the Assembly Appropriations Committee pulled CalCare off the table. “We must remain committed to advocating for a more inclusive and equitable health care system for all,” Kalra said in a statement. That is part of OHCA’s mission, but even cost caps won’t get us there—and they might backfire. “We rely heavily on SVH for the specialty services we cannot offer,” Clínica de Salud del Valle de Salinas CEO Dr. Max Cuevas wrote, listing cardiology, wound care and oncology. “Penalizing SVH would undermine the health and well-being of our most underserved patients.” Sara Rubin is the Weekly’s editor. Reach her at sara@montereycountynow.com. Bleeding Out The health care system is broken. Efforts to fix it are missing the mark. By Sara Rubin TRACK SUIT…Squid oozes around the courthouse regularly, but not being a trained lawyer and all, Squid’s never had a good sense for which side holds a stronger hand. It probably doesn’t help that when Squid reads the word tort, Squid initially thinks of cake. So Squid kept an open mind last year when Todd Clark, co-owner and founder of Museum of Handcar Technology, the Marina-based business that offers handcar tours on the rails of the Monterey Branch Line, sued the Transportation Agency for Monterey County and the City of Marina in federal court for violating the company’s First Amendment rights, arguing the agencies didn’t renew Clark’s lease on the tracks— which TAMC owns—because of retaliation against his vocal opposition to Monterey-Salinas Transit’s SURF! busway. But April 14, Squid got some clarity when a federal judge granted the museum a partial, preliminary injunction against TAMC that will allow the company to remain operating on the tracks until TAMC can show evidence that the SURF! project is fully funded, has all the necessary permits and that construction cannot begin until the museum is evicted. The judge cited statements posted on Nextdoor by Marina Mayor Bruce Delgado, a TAMC board member, in validating Clark’s claim: “TAMC hasn’t handled handcar lease termination well but from my inside view I’m not surprised. You poke the bear and bear is not always kind.” That may be true, but a bear—unlike TAMC—doesn’t have to abide by the U.S. Constitution. BIG AND BIGGER…Squid’s lair is a simple place. That was especially evident to Squid upon attending a Monterey County Board of Supervisors meeting, where Squid quickly realized that lair means different things to different people, most notably Amy McDougall and Rene Peinado, who want approval to build a six-story, single-family dwelling on Oakwood Circle in Carmel Valley. There were conflicting claims about the size of the lair, hovering around 15,000 square feet, as well as differing interpretations of builder’s remedy, a state policy intended to spur low-income housing projects forward. Laura Strazzo, the attorney representing McDougall and Peinado, threatened litigation, but the supervisors were unimpressed. “I always think it’s a weak argument when you’re trying to make the threat of litigation override all the many concerns we have about the substance of the application itself,” Luis Alejo said. Maybe McDougall and Peinado thought Chris Lopez would be a sure yes vote, but they would have thought wrong. “I was recently accused of never seeing a housing project I didn’t like,” Lopez said. “Well, here we are today. That day has arrived.” The board voted unanimously to send the project back to the Planning Commission, where there’s a second chance at a smaller lair. THE LOCAL SPIN SQUID FRY THE MISSION OF MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY IS TO INSPIRE INDEPENDENT THINKING AND CONSCIOUS ACTION, ETC. “Private practice has become a thing of the past.” SEND SQUID A TIP: squid@montereycountynow.com
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