MAY 29-JUNE 4, 2025 MONTEREYCOUNTYNOW.COM LOCAL & INDEPENDENT SPENDY SHERIFF 10 | CARMEL’S BUDGET BLUES 12 | SONG BIRDS 31 | PLAY BALL 33 FIRST PLACE GENERAL EXCELLENCE • 2025 CA JOURNALISM AWARDS • A PATH TO HOPE A coalition is rethinking addiction treatment and intervention. p. 18 By Daniel Dreifuss
2 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY MAY 29-JUNE 4, 2025 www.montereycountynow.com MAY 29-JUNE 4, 2025 • ISSUE #1922 • ESTABLISHED IN 1988 Daniel Dreifuss (Canon r5 Mark II 24-105mm 1/400 at F/5) There were big names and also a lot of local love at the California Roots Music & Arts Festival at the Monterey County Fair & Event Center. Local band Sensory Tribe made their debut on Sunday, May 25 at the three-day festival. MONTEREY COUNTY PHOTO OF THE WEEK Send Etc. submissions to etcphoto@montereycountynow.com; please include caption and camera info. On the cover: Aidan Pettit-Miller is a volunteer in AmeriCorps’ VISTA program, working with the nonprofit Central Coast Overdose Prevention. He is shown walking the streets of the Chinatown neighborhood in Salinas handing out Narcan and demonstrating how to use it to reverse the effects of overdoses. Cover Photo: Daniel Dreifuss etc. Copyright © 2025 by Milestone Communications Inc. 668 Williams Ave., Seaside, California 93955 (telephone 831-394-5656). All rights reserved. Monterey County Weekly, the Best of Monterey County and the Best of Monterey Bay are registered trademarks. No person, without prior permission from the publisher, may take more than one copy of each issue. Additional copies and back issues may be purchased for $1, plus postage. Mailed subscriptions: $300 yearly, prepaid. The Weekly is an adjudicated newspaper of Monterey County, court decree M21137. The Weekly assumes no responsibility for unsolicited materials. Visit our website at http://www.montereycountynow. com. Audited by CVC. FOUNDER & CEO Bradley Zeve bradley@montereycountynow.com (x103) PUBLISHER Erik Cushman erik@montereycountynow.com (x125) EDITORIAL EDITOR Sara Rubin sara@montereycountynow.com (x120) ASSOCIATE EDITOR Erik Chalhoub ec@montereycountynow.com (x135) FEATURES EDITOR Dave Faries dfaries@montereycountynow.com (x110) STAFF WRITER Celia Jiménez celia@montereycountynow.com (x145) STAFF WRITER Pam Marino pam@montereycountynow.com (x106) STAFF WRITER Agata Pope¸da (x138) aga@montereycountynow.com STAFF WRITER Katie Rodriguez (California Local News Fellow) katie@montereycountynow.com (x102) STAFF WRITER David Schmalz david@montereycountynow.com (x104) STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Daniel Dreifuss daniel@montereycountynow.com (x140) DIGITAL PRODUCER Sloan Campi sloan@montereycountynow.com (x105) CONTRIBUTORS Nik Blaskovich, Rob Brezsny, Robert Daniels, Tonia Eaton, Paul Fried, Jesse Herwitz, Jacqueline Weixel, Paul Wilner CARTOONS Rob Rogers, Tom Tomorrow PRODUCTION ART DIRECTOR/PRODUCTION MANAGER Karen Loutzenheiser karen@montereycountynow.com (x108) GRAPHIC DESIGNER Kevin Jewell kevinj@montereycountynow.com (x114) GRAPHIC DESIGNER Alexis Estrada alexis@montereycountynow.com (x114) GRAPHIC DESIGNER Lani Headley lani@montereycountynow.com (x114) SALES SENIOR SALES EXECUTIVE Diane Glim diane@montereycountynow.com (x124) SENIOR SALES EXECUTIVE George Kassal george@montereycountynow.com (x122) SENIOR SALES EXECUTIVE Keith Bruecker keith@montereycountynow.com (x118) CLASSIFIEDS BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR Keely Richter keely@montereycountynow.com (x123) DIGITAL DIRECTOR OF DIGITAL MEDIA Kevin Smith kevin@montereycountynow.com (x119) DISTRIBUTION DISTRIBUTION AT Arts Co. atartsco@gmail.com DISTRIBUTION CONTROL Harry Neal BUSINESS/FRONT OFFICE OFFICE MANAGER Linda Maceira linda@montereycountynow.com (x101) BOOKKEEPING Rochelle Trawick 668 Williams Ave., Seaside, CA 93955 831-394-5656, (FAX) 831-394-2909 www.montereycountynow.com We’d love to hear from you. Send us your tips at tipline.montereycountynow.com. Subscribe to the newsletter @ montereycountynow.com/subscribe Go to montereycountynow.com We Deliver… NEWS • ARTS • ENTERTAINMENT FOOD • DRINK • CALENDAR Local news everyday
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4 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY MAY 29-JUNE 4, 2025 www.montereycountynow.com THE BUZZ FREE SPEECH Google, which for years has profited off the backs of journalists free of charge, is scaling back on its promise to help fund newsrooms. After lobbying heavily against a bill that would have required Alphabet, the multibillion conglomerate that owns Google, to pay newsrooms for using their content, Google and the State of California came to an agreement in August to form a fund for journalists and artificial intelligence research over the next five years. But on May 14, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced that the state was cutting back on its first-year contribution from $30 million to $10 million, citing California’s $12 billion budget deficit. Google followed suit a week later, cutting back on its initial contribution from $15 million to $10 million. The California Civic Media fund will be overseen by the California State Library, and an advisory board will make recommendations on how the money should be spent. Google will provide matching dollars if more donations are raised in the future, according to the office of Assemblymember Buffy Wicks, D-Oakland, who spearheaded the original effort to get Big Tech to pay its fair share. Good: The Salinas Public Library now has 40 laptops for loan to members of the public, who can take them home for 30 days. “We’ve been loaning internet hot spots to people,” says deputy librarian Tim Kuelker. “Now they can take the internet home with them.” This experiment comes with some risk since it’s easy to damage a computer, but the Windows laptops are of a sturdy kind and not the most expensive. A laptop can be loaned with the understanding that the person will not do anything nefarious, for example, using it for criminal activity. Anybody with a full access library card can try this new offer. Borrowed laptops also include a case and a charging cable. What’s even more impressive is that in times when libraries are losing funds and cutting services across the nation, the Salinas library is expanding its services. GREAT: After six years in the works, the King City Downtown Plaza and Visitor and History Center are finally here. The city is organizing a celebration of these two linked projects located on Broadway Street and Vanderhurst Avenue. “We’re very excited about it,” says City Manager Steve Adams. “We’re just trying to create ways to bring people together and to help people be proud of their community.” Adams adds these projects are part of the city’s efforts to revitalize the downtown area. The visitor center will house the Chamber of Commerce and provide information for tourists. It will have historical archives and exhibits curated by local historians John and Karen Jernigan. The celebration is on Saturday, May 31 from 11am to 1pm. Attendees can expect live music, a historical tour and free food. GOOD WEEK / GREAT WEEK THE WEEKLY TALLY $81 Thousand What the State of California considers low income for an individual living in Monterey County in 2025. For a family of four the amount is $115,700. The figures are used in determining eligibility for housing assistance and other aid. Source: California Department of Housing and Community Development, Division of Housing Policy and Development QUOTE OF THE WEEK “They were specific and selective about how they went about it.” -Greenfield Police Chief Guillermo Mixer, speaking about the May 22 arrest of a man by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (see story, montereycountynow.com). Life doesn’t have to be a struggle. Breakthrough offers tools that help men live with more clarity, connection, and purpose. You can create the life you want. It starts here. Transform Your Life with Breakthrough Men’s Community Summer 2025 Workshops – In-Person & Online In-person starts June 18 / Online starts June 18 Monterey, CA & Virtual Worldwide Financial aid available “This group has been life-changing for me. I'm so glad I tried it.” – Eric Ferguson. Registration closes soon! Sign up at: breakthroughformen.org Be WELL Be SAFE Be HEALTHY Be HAPPY Cornucopia Community Market offers quality nutritious and environmentally safe products, free of artificial additives and preservatives. Our produce is always fresh and organic. Come to Cornucopia, you deserve it! Open Mon.–Fri. 9am-7pm Sat. and Sun. 10am-6pm 831-625-1454 • 26135 Carmel Rancho Blvd, Carmel at the mouth of Carmel Valley
www.montereycountynow.com MAY 29-JUNE 4, 2025 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 5 MOTHER Ramy Brook SABLYN VERONICA BEARD Ulla Johnson Isabel Marant EQUIPMENT A.L.C. Rails Rag & Bone NILI LOTAN giada forte BROCHU WALKER VINCE Ganni alice + olivia Velvet IRO theory ELIZABETH and JAMES L’Agence Smythe HANDBAGS Jerome Dreyfuss Clare V. HENRY CUIR SHOES Isabel Marant VINCE Golden Goose ANINE BING Loeffler Randal pedro garcía Rag & Bone girl boy girl Mon-Th 11-6, Fri-Sat 10-6, Sun 11-5 Mission St. & 7th Avenue Carmel ~ 831-626-3368 COMPLIMENTARY PARKING paloosh Mon-Th 11-6, Fri-Sat 10-6, Sun 11-5 Ocean Ave & Dolores St. Carmel ~ 831-626-2773 We’ve renovated the entire store. Come see what’s new.
6 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY MAY 29-JUNE 4, 2025 www.montereycountynow.com 831 The Carmel Highlands house Keith Lindberg shares with his wife, ceramic artist Kathleen DeBord, is full of his paintings, often large pieces, but there are another 2,000 in the shed by the house. The location is idyllic, just off Highway 1, the vibe is country-like, with ocean views. Not particularly interested in selling his stuff—pieces in the house are off-limits—if someone pursues him and insists, Lindberg pulls out something from the shed. Lindberg’s works are unique, immediately recognizable after one sees a few, and made according to the method the artist created for himself and still follows. The subject matter is not important; Lindberg doesn’t consider himself a realist and thinks of realistic paintings as decorations. It’s all about the color and composition and the balance and dynamics between them. It’s a rare thing to see a detailed human face in his painting, even when he painted his children. The scenes he ends up composing are capturing leisure—figures sitting, never facing the viewer, busy with their worlds. The painter likes to put color first—colorful, round-in-shape fruits are one of the favored sources of colors such as red and deep yellow—with even brighter backgrounds. That applies to pieces such as “Umbrella,” “Summer Retreat” or “Car with Blue Jars.” Elements of still nature are also an important addition to Lindberg’s art. Occasionally, he reverses the technique, like in his painting “The Gathering,” where white-clad figures play at the backdrop of dark trees. “They are not figures but symbols,” he says, pointing out to human figures, often trios, that inhabit his works. A big believer in “the method,” Lindberg says that artists, e.g. impressionists, were very clear about their process, but people don’t seem to listen. “There’s no secret,” he says about artistic methods. “Artists often tell you exactly what they do, step by step.” Lindberg, 87, still paints, but not at the speed of previous years. Otherwise, he has all the time in the world to read Hemingway (his favorite), contemplate his satisfying artistic life and reminisce on times past. “It was a community for the locals,” he says about Carmel of the 1960s and ’70s. It was a time of artistic independence and “starving” artists, except poverty was a choice, part of the lifestyle and not the housing “famine” that chases out so many young, talented people from the area. One could get by. “No weekenders and no empty houses,” Lindberg says. “There were more grocery stores and hardware stores. A new gallery would open each week, selling inexpensive paintings. We had exhibits in gift shops and bars, and people would come to Carmel looking for art. Now all the professionals are gone. The town [Carmel] doesn’t support painters anymore and we have only amateurs left.” Born in Kansas City, Missouri, Lindberg grew up in San Diego. Before he chose the Kansas City Art Institute, he was considering a military career. Later, Lindberg studied at the Art Institute of Chicago and even though he was told that only 1 in 100 students becomes a successful painter, he never looked back. “I was a terrible painter,” he says about his beginnings. He has been painting since 1960 and his career took off circa 1965 when he joined the Carmel Art Association that “opened it all” for him (he remains the association’s oldest member). He praises the times when he was able, as a young painter, to find and afford a cottage on Mission Street, with two other young artists. They paid $45 for a room and shared their meals. “Select a group of limitations for yourself,” he recommends to young artists. “And stick to them. Find your niche.” This story is an extended version of a profile inside the 2025-2026 Best of Monterey Bay® Living Well magazine, a resource guide created in collaboration by the County of Monterey Area Agency on Aging and the Monterey County Weekly. Copies are available from the AAA office, 730 La Guardia St, Salinas, most local senior-serving nonprofits, community centers and care centers. Plus at the Weekly, 668 Williams Ave., Seaside, and online at montereycountynow.com. Method Matters In the Carmel Highlands, painter Keith Lindberg sits on a treasure of his own creation. By Agata Popęda Keith Lindberg is surrounded by his work at his Carmel Highlands home. He says he sees art as a language and a main tool in self-development, which has been teaching him about himself. “Artists often tell you exactly what they do.” TALES FROM THE AREA CODE DANIEL DREIFUSS Join us for an informative update from the Fleet Numerical Meteorology and Oceanography Center. From the bottom of the ocean to the stars and a new generator too! Find out what's new with FNMOC. resented by the City of Monterey, the Monterey Bay Defense Alliance, and the Monterey eninsula Chamber of Commerce. GET TICKETS! PRESENTED BY FRIDAY, JUNE 6, 2025 7:30 AM - 9:00 AM FERRANTE’S AT MONTEREY MARRIOTT TICKETS: $45 • INCLUDES BREAKFAST Join us for an informative panel discussion on AgTech: What Do Opportunities Look Like and Can Monterey County Be A Leader? Panelists include: Monterey County Farm Bureau: Norm Groot (Moderator); Monterey County Supervisor: Chris Lopez; Stout Technology: Ryan Mazzuca; The VINE at UCANR: Gabe Yountsey; Western Growers Association: Walt Duflock
www.montereycountynow.com MAY 29-JUNE 4, 2025 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 7 (831) 646-3730 MONTEREY SPORTS CENTER CELEBRATES 33 YEARS FREE ADMISSION JUNE Whether you relax in the saunas, swim laps or splash with the family, the renovated pool area is more inviting and functional than ever. A FULLY REMODELED POOL AREA Ride into the future in the NEW cutting-edge Cycling Studio, designed for energy, motivation, and performance. NEW CYCLING STUDIO COMING SOON Recharge and refuel post-wor out or grab a healthy bite with friends. CAFE COMING SOON COME EXPERIENCE WHAT’S NEW AND BE PART OF WHAT’S NEXT MONTEREY SPORTS CENTER 33 YEARS STRONG AND GETTING STRONGER 301 East Franklin St., Monterey montereysportscenter.org Recreational Swimming with Water Slide and Obstacle Course from - pm* Food for purchase, activities, performances, face painting, and more from - pm Zumba Party from - pm *Refer to montereysportscenter.org for pool activity requirements
8 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY MAY 29-JUNE 4, 2025 www.montereycountynow.com NEWS Where there was once a simple burger joint, the Maiden Publick House, there is now an elegant, upscale restaurant. Solstice soft-opened in June 2024, the flagship business of the property previously called “The Village Shops” and retitled simply “The Village” by developer Patrick Orosco. The restaurant is flanked on one side by a cafe called The Bodega and an event venue on the other. There are also yoga studios offering regular classes. Orosco’s company purchased the property, on Highway 1 just south of River Inn, for $1.65 million in 2017 from Jali and Cynthia Morgenrath, according to Monterey County property transaction records. He spent the next seven years overseeing its construction, design and concept development. Eight years later, he sold the property to Esperanza Carmel, a real estate company owned by Monaco billionaire Patrice Pastor, for $4 million, as first reported by the Carmel Pine Cone and confirmed in county property records. The current businesses will remain as long-term tenants with no changes planned. “I was pleased when I was made aware of this opportunity as I already knew the property well as I had dined there recently,” Pastor said in a statement. “I was impressed by the property and the operation so was of course delighted our company had the opportunity to purchase the property.” Ondine Gorton owned a store in The Village Shops called Local Color for over 17 years selling locally made goods until Orosco acquired the property in 2017. “Big Sur changed that day when he kicked us all out,” she says. “It was for both the community and tourism. Big Sur does not need another overpriced restaurant and general store.” Price Hike Monaco real estate mogul Patrice Pastor buys The Village in Big Sur for $4 million. By Sara Rubin For the first time in over 50 years, there will be no town Fourth of July celebration in Spreckels. The decision made in April by the Spreckels Veterans Memorial District Board to cancel the event— that featured 10K, 5K and fun runs, a parade, a firefighters’ muster, craft vendors, live music and food—was a hard one, but the reality was that expenses had become unmanageable. “It’s sad that it’s not happening this year,” says Rick Magno, chair of the district board. It came down to money. The district—which owns and operates Spreckels Veterans Memorial Park, as well as the Veterans Memorial Building in conjunction the Post #6849 Veterans of Foreign Wars—lost $8,000 on last year’s event and was facing another possible deficit. It is just one more event in a series of small to mid-size events canceled, postponed or nearly canceled. The reasons range from rising expenses to loss of sponsors to volunteer fatigue, or a combination of those factors. The Salinas Holiday Parade of Lights was abruptly canceled last November, just two weeks before it was supposed to run, after organizers said they were short of both volunteers and funding. They had $6,400 in the bank but needed $11,000 for insurance, portable toilets and other expenses. Then-mayor Kimbley Craig hit the phones to collect sponsorships and volunteers. The parade went on as originally scheduled on Dec. 1. In April, the organizers of the Salinas Valley Food and Wine Festival announced they would take a year off. Joel Panzer, chair of the August festival, blamed volunteer fatigue, as well as a softening in donor support. The event required at least 75 volunteers the day of the festivities. “Many of the volunteers have been doing it for six years. They are tired, that is the big piece,” Panzer says. In addition, rising costs had driven up ticket prices in 2024, which resulted in 300 tickets they couldn’t sell. Panzer says they had already taken measures to cut costs, but prices kept increasing. “The goal is to raise money for local nonprofits,” Panzer says. “If you’re losing money, you’re not doing that.” He is optimistic for next year— the plan is to reach out to other nonprofits to find the next generation of volunteer leaders to take over. What is likely not coming back is the Artichoke Festival, a June event canceled after 65 years. Originally held in Castroville, it was moved to the Monterey County Fairgrounds around 10 years ago, which Executive Director Linda Scherer says saved the festival at that time. In recent years attendance had begun to fall. Sponsors fell by half and prices increased. They tried moving the event again this year to the Monterey County Sheriff’s Posse Grounds in Salinas but when they couldn’t get enough sponsorship money, “it was time to pull the plug,” Scherer says. The Fourth of July celebration in Spreckels may return in 2026. Magno says there are talks at the county level of waiving some of the permitting fees, and volunteers have come forward offering to help bring the event back next year. Organizers fighting to save their events say it’s worth doing because something is lost when such community events disappear. “You lose community, you lose a sense of place, you lose pride in your community,” Panzer says. The Salinas Valley Food and Wine Festival operated for over 10 years in downtown Salinas each August. Organizers are taking a pause to rebuild volunteer leadership. Cancel Culture Financial and volunteer challenges are pushing out small to mid-size community events. By Pam Marino The innovative menu at Solstice, led by Chef Tim Eelman, emphasizes woodfired fare. The restaurant reopened on May 2 after a seasonal closure. “It was time to pull the plug.” MAG ONE MEDIA DANIEL DREIFUSS
www.montereycountynow.com MAY 29-JUNE 4, 2025 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 9 WWW.SUNSTREETCENTERS.ORG PREVENTION•EDUCATION TREATMENT•RECOVERY NARCAN (NALOXONE) CAN SAVE LIVES! NARCAN AND FENTANYL STRIPS ARE AVAILABLE FOR FREE AT OUR DIFFERENT OFFICE LOCATIONS.
10 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY MAY 29-JUNE 4, 2025 www.montereycountynow.com The County of Monterey is facing a tight budget year. On Wednesday, May 28, after the Weekly’s deadline, the County Board of Supervisors was set to begin hearings to adopt a budget for the 2025-26 fiscal year, which begins July 1. They will be voting on a proposed $2.3 billion spending plan, without some of the one-time solutions (like federal Covid relief) that eased the pressure in recent years. Several department heads were asking for more than was proposed, including Sheriff Tina Nieto, requesting a $27.6 million augmentation, including $10 million for 47 new positions. (County finance staff recommended against these expenditures; they did recommend allocating $3.2 million to restore three positions.) In an email to staff on May 14, she argued that at least a $17.5 million augmentation was required just to meet status quo services next year. But even before the new fiscal year kicks in, the Sheriff’s Office is looking at a $7.6 million deficit for the current fiscal year, which ends on June 30. This is attributed mostly to unbudgeted wage increases of 2 to 4 percent negotiated with labor unions ($5.4 million) and $1.3 million in retirement and separation payouts. Unbudgeted payroll costs for the year, mostly due to overtime, were $5.5 million. The department has been able to cover part of the shortfall but not all, and on March 21, Chief Deputy Jason Smith presented to the County Budget Committee, asking for a $3.6 million increase to the 2024-25 budget in order to make payroll. Budget committee members (supervisors Wendy Root Askew and Chris Lopez) gave direction to authorize part of the request—$2.8 million—as Smith thought further cost controls would be possible; that recommendation will come to the full board for a vote. “As budget committee chair I take seriously the responsibility to manage our taxpayer funds and look forward to continuing to work with the Sheriff’s Office to manage their cost overruns,” Askew says. “This board is committed to public safety,” she adds. The current year’s shortfall is just a taste of what’s to come. The Sheriff’s Office projects a deficit of $29.6 million in fiscal year 2025-26, growing to $44.4 million in 2027-28. According to the county budget report, this is due primarily to salaries, workers’ comp, and cost of medical services provided to jail inmates. (The contract for the latter is out to bid; Nieto expects that cost to increase by $7.2 million next year.) Vinyl record stores are making a comeback as multi-purpose rooms in the entertainment world. Monterey County’s latest opened at an unassuming location in Marina on May 16. But S.A.G.E. Collective owner Eric Huerta and Harmonie Vibes owner Delic Tillman (who goes by his DJ name Samory Touray) get that it’s more than just records bringing people in. “We want to showcase the locals,” Huerta says. Tillman adds, “Our overall vision is to create community.” One side of the twoin-one business houses S.A.G.E. Collective, a craft and vintage seller created by Huerta and his wife and kids, hence the titular acronym: Samantha, Andrew and Georgia. The other side houses Harmonie Vibes, a similar vintage market that was popping up every third Sunday at The Power Plant Coffee in Moss Landing; it also includes e-bike rentals. Inside, it’s a loungey space with a couch, records, sage and incense. The collective will begin hosting events that include collaborating with tattoo shop Cali Ink Therapy next door, and bringing in food trucks. Before the storefront on Del Monte Avenue, Huerta sold wares at popups around the Monterey Peninsula and in the Bay Area, including at Night Market 831 and the Monterey Bay Record and Vintage Expo last April. Now that they’re open, pop-up appearances at other venues will continue, but they also plan to host events onsite. A live vinyl DJ set featuring local artist Micolibri is scheduled in-store at 2pm on Saturday, May 31. Other events that Tillman and Huerta envision are open mics, small concerts and a podcast series. Tillman hopes to host a series called “tacos and turntables” on Tuesdays, but for now the store is starting small, with future events pending conversations with Marina city planners. “It’s the first time doing this for me,” Huerta says. “It was a big thing to take on. But we love it.” The S.A.G.E. Collective and Harmonie Vibes are located at 3074 Del Monte Ave., Suite A, in Marina. Coin Toss Sheriff asks for extra cash after going overbudget in the 2024-25 fiscal year. By Sara Rubin NEWS SAFE STREETS Transportation Agency for Monterey County is creating a plan to help eliminate fatal and serious injury collisions on county roadways, and seeks public input. The Vision Zero Action Plan aims to identify programs that prioritize safety, education and enforcement. 5:30-7pm Thursday, May 29. City Council Chambers, 650 Canyon Del Rey Blvd., Del Rey Oaks. Free. 775-4404, tamcmonterey.org/monterey-county-vision-zero. PANCAKES WITH POLICE Meet Carmel Police officers and volunteers over a pancake breakfast. 9-11am Saturday, May 31. Carmel Youth Center, Torres and 4th, Carmel. Free. RSVP at tinyurl.com/4peudujb. 624-6403, ttrayer@ci.carmel.ca.us. OPEN DOORS Monterey County Regional Fire Protection District hosts an open house. The public is invited to tour the Village Station with various demonstrations and activities. 10am-2pm Saturday, May 31. Village Station, 26 Via Contenta, Carmel Valley. Free. 455-1828, mcrfd.org. REPAIR AND REUSE The Repair Café helps reduce waste by fixing broken items. Volunteers will repair a variety of things, such as electronics, small appliances, bicycles, clothing and more. 11am-3pm Saturday, May 31. Rocky Han Community Center, 211 Hillcrest Ave., Marina. Free. 769-6383, repaircafe.org. FITNESS FOR FREE In recognition of its 33rd anniversary, the Monterey Sports Center is offering free admission with various activities, including swimming at its newly renovated pool. 8am-5pm Sunday, June 1. Monterey Sports Center, 301 East Franklin St., Monterey. Free. 646-3730, montereysportscenter.org. PERSONAL SPACE Monterey Fire Department hosts a town hall to discuss defensible space inspections and emergency evacuation routes. The event is geared toward residents of New Monterey and Old Town. 6-7pm Monday, June 2. Monterey Council Chamber, 580 Pacific St., Monterey. Free. 646-3900, monterey. gov. NORTH NEWS District 2 Supervisor Glenn Church hosts a town hall meeting for the Moss Landing community. 5:30-7pm Wednesday, June 4. Moss Landing Marine Labs, 8272 Moss Landing Road. Free. 755-5022, glennchurch.com. In the Groove A new record shop opens in Marina, doubling up as a venue and more (like an e-bike rental). By Sloan Campi Sheriff Tina Nieto sent an email to staff encouraging them to advocate to the Board of Supervisors for additional funding. “Each of you has the right to speak,” she wrote. E-MAIL: toolbox@montereycountynow.com TOOLBOX “I take seriously the responsibility to manage taxpayer funds.” DANIEL DREIFUSS
www.montereycountynow.com MAY 29-JUNE 4, 2025 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 11 EDIT FRAME may 30–june 7, 2025 Discover the Art of the Plate at participating restaurants in Carmel-by-the-Sea with immersive food experiences, curated menus, special offers, and village-wide events set in some of Carmel’s most scenic and whimsical locations! Presented by Lead Sponsor Media Sponsors Local Sponsors Find the event calendar, participating restaurants, purchase tickets, and more at CarmelCulinaryWeek.com or scan for details! party at the plaza Carmel Plaza, Mission & Ocean Ave May |VIP : / : – : pm $ per person, $ VIP Enjoy amazing food, regional wines and live music in this beautiful outdoor setting! la dolce vita on dolores st Dolores St between th & Picadilly Park June | : –: pm | $ per person Experience the “joys of the table” at a familystyle Italian dinner along with experiential food and wine activities. pub crawl-by-the-sea May –June | $ per person Take a delicious journey to Barmel, Links Club, Vesuvio, and Flaherty’s Seafood & Oyster Bar. Enjoy a specialty cocktail and yummy snack at each location! soirée-by-the-sea La Playa Hotel, Camino Real & 8th June | VIP : / : –: pm $ per person, $ VIP Indulge in an unparalleled, one-of-a-kind food and wine experience set against a stunning coastal backdrop. culinary showdown Devendorf Park, Junipero & Ocean Ave June | : am- : pm | $ per person Bringing together chefs, fresh ingredients, and a food lover’s day of fun competition at Carmel Farmer’s Market! boho bites & beats Dolores St between 6th & the Art Association June 6 | VIP : / : –: pm $ per person, $ VIP Step into a street fair-style world of flavors, global cuisine, and a bohemian experience! th ar o th plat Village-Wide Events Produced by Carmel_Culinary_Week_2025_Weekly_FullPg_9.5x11.32_Final2.indd 1 5/14/25 7:59 AM
12 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY MAY 29-JUNE 4, 2025 www.montereycountynow.com After every expense was tallied and weighed against projected revenues, the City of Carmel was still facing a $5 million deficit. Was it time, city leaders asked themselves in a special budget workshop on May 21, to make some tough choices? With healthy reserves of over $40 million, the city could take the money from there and call it square for 20252026. Or, they could implement a hiring freeze and cut funds for tourism marketing, citywide mail delivery and other expenses. The council chose the former, directing city staff to bring a balanced budget back on June 3. The $5 million deficit was largely driven by needed capital improvement projects, Finance Manager Jayme Fields told councilmembers, including unfinished projects from the 2024-2025 budget year like paving, shoreline infrastructure repairs and a coastal engineering study projecting needs due to sea level rise. Nine potential new projects to add or replace vehicles rounded out the list. Another list of 30 potential projects were presented by staff, many due to deferred maintenance. Sales, property and transient-occupancy taxes comprise 82 percent of the city’s projected $34.9 million in revenues. Tax revenue had been trending upward in recent years, Fields said, “but the growth is slowing.” While other cities were seeing decreases, she said Carmel had not felt the impact yet. The housing market is softening, sales tax is expected to stagnate and TOT could decrease slightly, by 2 percent, she said. The proposed 2025-2026 budget “reflects uncertainty and instability.” In the past year the council had made changes to budget policy, including committing to spending only 90 percent of revenue and putting the remaining 10 percent into capital improvements; this year’s proposed budget reflects spending 91.6 percent of revenues. Mayor Dale Byrne suggested they live with that, and push the 90-percent goal to next year. Before giving direction, the council debated whether to make cuts—$180,000 for Visit Carmel and $339,400 for See Monterey for tourism marketing were at the top of the list. In the end there was general agreement that the city sees a return on investment in the form of tax revenue, so they set that aside. They also nixed the idea of a hiring freeze for now. There was a push from residents and business leaders to focus on bumping up revenues. Hotelier Mark Stillwell said the city should incentivize hotel owners to upgrade aging rooms as a way of increasing TOT revenue. One of his recently renovated hotels had seen a $100,000 increase in TOT flowing toward city coffers. Former councilmember Karen Ferlito urged the council to double parking in-lieu fees, paid into a city fund by businesses when they cannot provide onsite parking. She also advocated charging for parking and increased weekend parking enforcement. Byrne mentioned data estimating that the city could be losing up to $1 million in sales tax revenue due to people staying away because they are not able to find parking. Squeeze Play Facing a $5 million deficit and deferred maintenance, Carmel leaders consider belt tightening. By Pam Marino Carmel City Council is set to vote on the city’s 2025-26 budget on June 3, dipping into reserves—with the direction to city staff to look at cuts starting the year after. NEWS “The growth is slowing.” DANIEL DREIFUSS Voted Monterey County’s Best Antique Shop ’24 ♦ 3 Card Poker ♠ Century 21st No Bust Black Jack ♣ Texas Hold’em ♥ Baccarat FULL BAR! BLACKJACK BONUS POINTS PAYS UP TO $20,000 SMALL TOWN BIG PAYOUTS! 1-800-Gambler • Gega-003846, Gega-Gega-003703, Gega-000889 Gega-000891 Gega-002838 The Marina Club Casino ensures the safety and security of all guests and team members at all times, while providing exceptional service. 204 Carmel Ave. Marina 831-384-0925 casinomonterey.com ♠ ♣ ♥ ♦ Just minutes from Downtown Monterey Where Monterey Comes To Play
www.montereycountynow.com MAY 29-JUNE 4, 2025 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 13 In the 20 years since Moss Landing Middle School closed, North Monterey County Unified School District officials have explored options to repurpose or sell it. In 2023, the property was in escrow with the soccer club Santa Cruz Breakers F.C., but that deal never materialized. Now the district is exploring turning the abandoned Highway 1 campus into employee housing. In March, the board approved a $42,000 feasibility study. It makes NMCUSD the latest local school district to push for workforce housing, in an effort to find solutions to recruiting and retaining teachers and staff. On May 9, Soledad Unified School District held a groundbreaking for a 20-unit apartment complex. (The $13.5 million project is expected to be complete in summer 2026.) In 2023, Salinas Union High School District opened a 50-unit workforce housing project on Abbott Street. In November, voters in Monterey Peninsula Unified School District passed Measure A, a $340 million bond that includes funding for a workforce housing project. “That is the trend because everyone is dealing with the same crisis,” says Martha Chavarria, a board member for NMCUSD, of the ongoing staff shortage. NMCUSD has had a librarian position open since February. Superintendent Matt Turkie says they found the right candidate, but she turned the job down because housing options were scarce and expensive. “We lose a good few people every single year for the exact same reason, and these are people who explicitly turn around and say: ‘I can’t afford to move to your area,’” Turkie says. The Moss Landing concept is still in its early stages. A survey among current staff found that most expressed interest in two-bedroom units. To move the project forward, the district will need to work with the county and state agencies, including Caltrans and the Coastal Commission. Preliminary conversations with Coastal Commission staff about a soccer stadium at the site focused on issues of water, traffic and habitat impacts, according to a Coastal Commission spokesperson. Turkie hopes the housing proposal is more straightforward: “If you think of about 15,000 people coming in and out [for soccer], that’s very different from workforce housing. That’s what they were against,” he says. Especially with the recent appointment of Monterey County Supervisor Chris Lopez to the Coastal Commission, Chavarria is hopeful the housing project will advance. (Lopez has voiced interest in streamlining affordable housing projects.) “I’m feeling now even more confident that we’ll be able to push this through,” Chavarria says. Permitting is one thing, funding is another. School districts generally rely on voter-approved bond measures to construct housing. NMCUSD’s most recent facilities bonds, Measure E and F, failed at the polls in 2017. Chavarria thinks a project like this could change public support: “I think the community will come to back us up on [housing], because they want us to hire qualified staff,” she says. Teach In North Monterey County Unified School District explores building workforce housing at an abandoned middle school. By Celia Jiménez Moss Landing Middle School has been vacant since 2005. The latest concept under discussion by North Monterey County Unified School District is to build workforce housing on the 20.5-acre site. NEWS “These are people who say: ‘I can’t afford to move.’” DANIEL DREIFUSS Bring in this ad for a FREE WASH & DRY! *ONE PER HOUSEHOLD = 30 LB WASHER AND DRYER EXP. 06/30/25 SELF SERVICE & WASH-DRY-FOLD SAVE MONEY, TIME, WATER & ENERGY! New High Efficiency Washers and Dryers Free Wi-Fi ’14-’24 OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK - 8AM-8PM #201 Mid Valley Center, Carmel Valley (near Safeway) Telephone: 831-250-7511 Visit our website: sudzcyberlaundry.com NOW IN CARMEL VALLEY BEST LAUNDROMAT IN MONTEREY COUNTY JOIN US Board of Supervisors to consider Groundwater Monitoring Program Regulatory Fees for the Salinas Valley Basin Tuesday, June 3 Hearing time 1:30 p.m County Government Center Board Chambers, 168 W. Alisal Street Salinas, CA 93901 The Agency is seeking Board adoption of a proposed regulatory fee to fund groundwater monitoring, ensuring compliance with state groundwater sustainability laws and preventing the need for a separate program or state intervention. Join by Zoom: https://montereycty.zoom.us/j/224397747 For more information, please scan the QR code or visit www.mcwater.info.
14 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY MAY 29-JUNE 4, 2025 www.montereycountynow.com LIVE TO WORK Shit, we barely make that as a couple (“What is considered low income in Monterey County rises to over $115,000 for a family of four,” posted May 22). Kara McMullen | via social media My husband and I made good money for customer service workers in Monterey, but still couldn’t afford it when the new landlord wanted to charge $4,000 a month for a 2-bedroom/1-bathroom where I had been paying $1,750 for eight years without ever missing rent once. I’m still waiting for my deposit and the $4,000 I was promised for vacating quickly so they could close the sale. It cost us $10,000 to move to the East Coast. Jan Brown Lane | via social media Something that was not specifically called out in the article is that in every category of household size, the county median income is below what is considered low income for housing assistance. This means the majority of people are low-income. This is not sustainable. (Nothing new here, just more documentation that most people are struggling.) Disclaimer: with a white-collar job, I’m still “low income” and below median. And I’m fortunate enough to have that secure job and share housing costs with roommates. Nona Childress | Salinas GETTING OLD Thanks to Pam Marino for following this story (“A senior living company facing bankruptcy spins an elaborate web of companies,” May 22-28). I have lived at Park Lane for more than 10 years, watching it deteriorate. The food is terrible (I cook for myself), the maintenance appalling; the staff do not stay for long. I openly advise would-be residents to look across the street! Pacifica is a huge, multinational company. The owners (headquartered in San Diego) have no interest in Monterey—except to pull out the profits and build their empire. Jean Duff | Monterey CLASS WAR Gabriel Medina has demonstrated that he is more interested in his own political agenda than the welfare of the school district that he was elected to represent (“Pajaro Valley Unified School District brings back ethnic studies consultant, but faces internal rift,” May 22-28). His lack of respect for fellow board members, and the public are Trumpian. He has insulted members of the PVUSD and anyone who has the courage to speak against him and his agenda. Worse for us in the PVUSD, the current board has ratified this behavior by refusing to censure him. Now he threatens a lawsuit against his own district. I hope that the district stands firm and refuses to be intimidated by these tactics. If not, it will only get worse. Gilbert Stein | Aptos PENNY PINCHING Better not ask for more taxes. Learn to budget like the rest of us (“Monterey is facing a budget crisis with the costs needed to fix its aging city infrastructure,” May 15-21). Cheryl Robinson | Prunedale We need some DOGE over here! AnnaMarie Amaral Silva | via social media What would YOU do if your expenses exceed your revenue? Cut your expenses? Maybe get a second or third job? The City needs to cut out non-necessities. Things like the $400,000plus rental registry. Staff salaries in excess of $100,000 need to be reduced. Unused and under-used real estate should be sold. The Rental Assistance Program, while it is a nicety, helps a very limited amount of individuals per month. Cuts hurt, but are sometimes necessary. Taxpayers can only bear so much of the never-ending burden. Bonds enslave our grandchildren to repayment for decades. Susi Allen | Monterey HOME REPAIRS As a former tenant who lived at 359 Larkin St. for 20-plus years, it’s truly heartbreaking to see this once beautiful property falling into such a state (“Monterey property owner maneuvers to delay sale of his blighted property from prison,” May 15-21). I was there until the very end, slowly watching other tenants leave because of mold or other issues. Even though I’ve since moved, I’ll be interested to follow the progress of this situation, as I have fond memories of the many nice neighbors who came and went during my stay there. Best wishes to all involved. Derek Dean | via web BIG STAGE So excited for Sensory Tribe—they’re amazing (“Monterey band Sensory Tribe’s Cali Roots debut has its members fired up,” May 22-28). Lori Zaknich Bala | via social media KINDERGARTEN CLASS This is a heartwarming report, as I attended Monterey Park from first to fifth grades, and it’s nice to see the continuity (“Younger students have different options to enroll in transitional kindergarten programs,” May 15-21). It opened to students in 1956, when I entered first grade, and had only four classrooms, K-3. The following year, additional classrooms had been completed and served grades K-6. Let’s do all we can for our youngsters! Walter Wagner | Salinas DOG DAYS That is a beautiful tribute to an unsung hero (“RIP to Odie, a courthouse service dog who helped hundreds of crime victims,” posted May 26). Laura Bianchi Payne | Salinas FEDERAL FUNDING Such a clear and distinctive view of not only the impact federal cuts will have on our local community, but how uncaring and indifferent the people behind them are (“As they talk trillions in Washington, D.C., a look at the much smaller line items that matter locally,” posted May 21). How necessary a free press in this age of misinformation and intimidation. The Monterey County Weekly is doing a terrific job! Elliot Ruchowitz-Roberts | Carmel Thank you for your tireless work. Thank you for being a journalist and reporting news that matters and affects all of us on the Central Coast. Heidi Towne | Salinas 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 MAY 29-JUNE 4, 2025 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 15 All the trappings of the end of the school year are here—graduation parties, cakes, report cards. For 242 third-graders in Salinas City Elementary School District, this school year will also end with $250 in cash. The funds, awarded through the Golden Ticket Reading Incentive Program (and handed over to parents), are going to the 20 percent of students who meet or exceed the state’s English/ language arts standards. “It’s not a reward, it’s really an investment,” says SCESD Superintendent Rebeca Andrade. “I think the message we send to the children is, ‘We believe in you, we are putting our resources behind you. We are recognizing what you do is work, and your work is valued.’” The value for this inaugural program is $60,500, paid by Taylor Farms. CEO Bruce Taylor has long fixated on early literacy as a philanthropic focus because of how much it matters. “Success in reading leads to success in everything else,” he says. “It’s just the key.” He was first alerted to the issue decades ago, recalling a meeting with now-State Sen. Anna Caballero when she was mayor of Salinas, and learning about the correlation between low literacy rates and high incarceration rates. “I am just shocked that in a very liberal community, we allow the educational outcomes to be as poor as they are,” Taylor says. A quick look at how poor they are: Countywide, only 27.7 percent of third-graders last year met or exceeded literacy standards, compared to 42.8 percent statewide. Andrade says kids who aren’t reading at grade level by third grade are 4 times more likely to drop out of high school. “It is a strong predictor of future academic success,” she says. A self-described “middleof-the-road conservative” in a liberal state, Taylor has grown frustrated over the years with education reform efforts. He says a top-down approach starting with state leadership isn’t working because of influence by teachers unions. Instead, he says, “The way to move the needle is to start at the bottom, start with the kids and the kids’ parents.” He expects to expand the Golden Ticket program across the entire county, projecting it could become a $2 million a year program. (He hopes to draw other partners, but adds, “We are prepared to fund it ourselves if we need to.”) You’re not alone if the idea of compensating kids with cash makes you squirm—there’s a lot of literature about child psychology and whether it’s a help or hindrance in developing intrinsic motivation. Andrade acknowledges the concern: “Hopefully this might spark that desire from within,” she says. Taylor himself remembers learning in grade school that other kids were getting cash for their As, and asking his mom if she would oblige. (That was a no—the grades were their own reward, he recalls her saying. Something worked; he’s still a big reader and just completed The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese.) And of course, no number of golden tickets address the systemic issues that track with poor academic performance; for example, poverty is correlated with lower literacy. Those systems are much harder to fix, but an existing local network of nonprofits provides a range of literacy initiatives. Among other things, they help kids develop a home library; the presence of books in the home is known to help encourage reading. Taylor and his philanthropic point person, Susie Brusa, hope that the golden tickets are also a motivator to parents to read at home to their future third-graders. Beyond the golden ticket program, Taylor Farms has funded over $1.5 million in teacher training at Monterey County Office of Education on what’s known as “the science of reading.” He’s also optimistic about pending state legislation to expand the science of reading. “There are lots of different folks engaged in this, trying to help,” Taylor says. “We don’t seem to be moving the needle.” So he’s trying something audacious, drawn from what works in the business world. “Let’s try an incentive—it tends to work across a capitalist economy,” he says. “We just want to be a catalyst.” Taylor and SCESD share a worthy goal: to get 100 percent of third-graders reading at grade level. Sara Rubin is the Weekly’s editor. Reach her at sara@montereycountynow.com. A Novel Idea Bruce Taylor is betting that cash can help incentivize kids to learn to read. By Sara Rubin DIVIDE AND CONQUER…Like many creatures who move with ocean currents, Squid is a go-along, get-along sort of cephalopod, and mostly wants everyone else to get along too. But alas, some humans just aren’t wired that way, and are always trying to gin up controversy. Last week Squid wrote about how the Monterey County Republican Party has been sending out emails lately attacking Gavin Newsom, seemingly an attempt to distract people from the most lawless, brazenly corrupt president in American history. Just after that column went to print, Squid got another GOP press release, this one attacking Monterey Mayor Tyller Williamson for his “manipulative move” to call a special meeting on a Friday to allegedly fasttrack a proposed rainbow crosswalk in downtown Monterey, bashing the use of public funds for his “divisive crosswalk agenda.” Now, Squid’s always liked rainbows. People love to take pictures of rainbows. Who doesn’t love rainbows? Sure, they’re a symbol of the gay community, and June is Pride month, but so what? A good number of folks showed up to the meeting, with many questioning the process and using public money to show solidarity with a specific group, and others spoke in support, highlighting its welcoming nature—the opposite of divisive. Staff clarified it could be done in-house for $2,000, and Williamson moved that it be paid for with private funds. But still, the vote deadlocked 2-2. Council will consider it again on June 3. For those who might be offended by a rainbow crosswalk, Squid would just like to point out that, if approved, it will be straight. MORAL CODE…Squid recently heard an ad on the radio from Land Rover Monterey, announcing the new Range Rover Carmel Edition, inspired by “Carmel’s natural beauty.” Only 17 were made, and for nearly $400,000 customers can get a massive SUV with 24-carat gold accents. Apparently, not everything with the Carmel name is associated with beauty, even among some Carmelites. In February, Philip and Banu Searle received approval from the Monterey County Zoning Administrator to rebuild their home in unincorporated Carmel on Bay View Avenue. Almost immediately, neighbor Jeanie Sears appealed the decision. In the appeal, Sears outlines her issues with the project, contending that the two-story residence would hurt the “morals” of those who live in the neighborhood. Seemingly the biggest issue is the “proposed massive wall” to be built around the property with Carmel stone, which, as the appeal notes, will block the “pubic [sic] view shed, thereby destroying the harmony of the nature [sic] scenic character of the area.” Sears dropped her appeal before it went to the Board of Supervisors on May 20. Maybe she realized that nothing fits the Carmel “character” better than the cream-colored “Carmel” stone. THE LOCAL SPIN SQUID FRY THE MISSION OF MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY IS TO INSPIRE INDEPENDENT THINKING AND CONSCIOUS ACTION, ETC. “The message to children is, ‘we believe in you.’” SEND SQUID A TIP: squid@montereycountynow.com
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