AUGUST 21-27, 2025 MONTEREYCOUNTYNOW.COM LOCAL & INDEPENDENT A CENTURY OF WOMEN’S EMPOWERMENT 8 | THE COST OF GROWING FOOD 15 | WEST END, REVISITED 32 FIRST PLACE GENERAL EXCELLENCE • 2025 CA JOURNALISM AWARDS • Japanese Americans helped shape the Monterey Peninsula. Their struggle holds lessons that have never been more critical to confront. p. 20 By David Schmalz WINDS OF CHANGE
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4 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY AUGUST 21-27, 2025 www.montereycountynow.com AUGUST 21-27, 2025 • ISSUE #1934 • ESTABLISHED IN 1988 Stephanie Trost (iPhone 13 Pro) A radiant you-pick field of snapdragons at The Farm in Salinas invites flower fans to take in the colors (and take some home). MONTEREY COUNTY PHOTO OF THE WEEK Send Etc. submissions to etcphoto@montereycountynow.com; please include caption and camera info. On the cover: The mural by the entrance of the JACL Heritage Museum in Monterey, painted by Pacific Grove native Heather Seavey, shows koinoburi, carp-shaped windsocks traditionally flown on Children’s Day in Japan. Cover photo: Mural by Heather Seavey; photographed by Jerry Takigawa 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 AUGUST 21-27, 2025 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 5 NOW HIRING AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM LEADERS Whether you are looking for a role that is part-time and purposeful or you’re passionate about helping kids learn and grow, this is the perfect fit. Various School Sites Openings at: • Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. School of the Arts • Monte Vista TK-8 • Ord Terrace Elementary WHY YOU’LL LOVE IT: Inspire and Mentor: Be a positive role model and guide for students. Fun and Engaging: Lead games, activities and enrichment programs. Serve Your Community: Make an impact right here at home. Competitive Pay: $23 - $27/hour to mentor and engage with kids. Great Hours: Work only 12:30-6 p.m. $23-$27/HOUR Competitive pay range APPLY NOW BE THE DIFFERENCE OUR STUDENTS NEED the.mpusd.net/programleadermcw 831-645-1283
6 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY AUGUST 21-27, 2025 www.montereycountynow.com THE BUZZ FREE SPEECH The Trump administration’s investigation into an advocacy group was an act of retaliation against its reporting on Elon Musk’s X, a federal judge said Aug. 15. In November, Musk sued Media Matters, alleging the liberal group was colluding with advertisers in order to chill speech by conservative actors. Since Musk took over X and many advertisers have fled, Media Matters has published reports on the Nazi propaganda and other hate speech that is prevalent on the social media platform. Soon after President Donald Trump took power, the Federal Trade Commission opened an investigation into Media Matters, prompting the group to file a suit against the FTC. Judge Sparkle L. Sooknanan granted a preliminary injunction in favor of Media Matters, writing, “Media Matters is likely to succeed in its First Amendment retaliation claim, which is all it needs at this stage.” In a statement, Media Matters President Angelo Carusone said, “The court’s ruling demonstrates the importance of fighting over folding, which far too many are doing when confronted with intimidation from the Trump administration.” Good: Five more Rancho Cielo recent graduates now have cars to get to college and work thanks to the trade school’s Rancho Cielo Invests in Driving Equity (RIDE) car scholarship award. The scholarship was created earlier this year after the Rancho Cielo Board of Directors’ Equity Committee recognized the barrier that not having transportation creates for graduates. Three grads received the first donated cars in February. The new awardees—Kenia Perez, Isaiah Barajas, Severiano De Jesus, Serenity Lucas and Melissa Torres—received their cars at an assembly the first day of school, Aug. 12. Eligible students first complete driver’s education, provided free in partnership with Drive Carmel, and receive their driver’s license. A panel interviews each candidate. “The RIDE program has the largest return on investment of anything we do here,” CEO Chris Devers said. GREAT: For those with disabilities, getting from point A to point B can be a difficult task, especially if they are unable to drive themselves. Life Line, a program of nonprofit Community Bridges, provides rides for income-eligible people for medical appointments and other places. But until now, only those who qualified could access the service. Community Bridges announced Aug. 15 that it is expanding its Access for All service into North Monterey County, giving rides to people with disabilities with no income restrictions. For a $5 fare per ride, people can be picked up in a fully ADAaccessible vehicle and transported to any destination within Monterey and Santa Cruz counties. The program is funded by a California Public Utilities Commission grant and administered by the Transportation Agency for Monterey County. The service launched in Santa Cruz County in 2023. GOOD WEEK / GREAT WEEK QUOTE OF THE WEEK THE WEEKLY TALLY “It’s a sad day, but you sometimes have to do the right thing.” -Scott Caraccioli, speaking for the Monterey County Vintners and Growers Association, about the decision to shutter the organization that advocates for local vineyards (see story, montereycountynow.com). $26 million That’s how much a 2025 Ferrari Daytona SP3 sold for during the RM Sotheby’s Monterey auction on Saturday, Aug. 16, with all proceeds going to the Ferrari Foundation. Source: RM Sotheby’s Voted Monterey County’s Best Antique Shop ’24 ♦ 3 Card Poker ♠ Century 21st No Bust Black Jack ♣ Texas Hold’em ♥ FULL BAR! BLACKJACK BONUS POINTS PAYS UP TO $20,000 SMALL TOWN BIG PAYOUTS! 1-800-Gambler • GEAR-000383, GEAR-000376, GEAR-000375 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 AUGUST 21-27, 2025 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 7 We’re proud to be ranked among the top-performing banks in the nation by American Banker, Newsweek, S&P Global and the Independent Community Bankers of America. Now that’s strength you can bank on when you put your money where your life is. 300 Bonifacio Place | Monterey 480 S. Main Street | Salinas 831.457.5000 | wccb.com Local Strength. National Recognition. From the Central Coast to Silicon Valley, businesses trust West Coast Community Bank because we deliver. Niraj Maharaj SVP Regional Manager Vern Horton Client Relations Manager Lillian Mulvey AVP Loan Portfolio Manager Member FDIC Equal Housing Lender
8 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY AUGUST 21-27, 2025 www.montereycountynow.com 831 It was a Sunday in early December 1925, when 54 women of Carmel made their way down and across the forest pathways and unpaved streets of the little village to the Pine Inn on Ocean Avenue, where one by one they signed their names as charter members of the Carmel Woman’s Club. Their stated goals included “mutual help, intellectual advancement, social enjoyment and united effort for the welfare of the community.” A century later those goals remain the same. And while women’s clubs across the country have faced decline since the late 20th century as women’s roles in society have evolved, something happened in Carmel during the pandemic—the club actually saw its membership double to more than 460 members, both men and women, with robust participation at programs and events. Their ages range from 20s to over 100. (The club welcomed men “in a spirit of inclusiveness,” according to a brochure.) “I’m not quite sure what the secret sauce has been, but suddenly we’re very popular,” says the club’s president, Christina DeMaria. It could be that with remote work people have more flexible schedules, she theorizes. Their meetings are at 2pm the first and third Mondays of the month, between October and May, a schedule that was set when the club started and hasn’t wavered. DeMaria thinks that new people to the area are looking for ways to meet others and word of mouth is bringing new members to the clubhouse at the corner of San Carlos Street and 9th Avenue, directly across from the Sunset Center. It was built in 1949 with funds raised by members. Since the beginning of the club’s existence to the present day there’s been a focus on inviting high-caliber speakers for programs—in 1926 members planned to sponsor the Institute of World Affairs in Carmel to bring nationally recognized leaders and speakers to town. Recent programs have covered topics such as artificial intelligence, Alzheimer’s and dementia, the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary and local history. The ladies in the early days also focused on beautifying the town and surrounding area. In 1928 the club was successful in eliminating billboards on Highway 1 and signs around town, perhaps the forerunner of today’s “village character” heard so often at recent Carmel City Council meetings. The women definitely had an opinion, says DeMaria, “and they got their way.” The club members were “all about beautification and keeping Carmel really beautiful.” During the Great Depression they hired unemployed men to beautify the streets of the village. The club had a hand in the beginnings of other Carmel institutions, DeMaria says, including the Outdoor Forest Theater and the Carmel Art Association. Their interests extended beyond Carmel into the world—they raised enough money to send to Great Britain for the purchase of an ambulance in 1941. A couple of years before that, they raised money for Chinese refugees in the Sino-Japanese war zone. Their philanthropy over the decades has helped dozens of local nonprofits. In recent years fundraising has been focused on the education of women, in particular women whose education was interrupted. They are usually older than typical college students. Since the first scholarship was awarded in 2011, they’ve given out $108,000 through Monterey Peninsula College, DeMaria says. Club members have set an audacious fundraising goal of $100,000 for the scholarship fund from their centennial celebration, “Journey Through the Decades,” set for noon-4pm on Saturday, Sept. 20. They’ll be blocking off a section of 9th Avenue next to the clubhouse for live music, food, historical exhibits, games and a classic car show. As for the future, DeMaria says they’ll keep doing what they’ve been doing, while accommodating their growing membership. Five years ago they launched a lobster feed fundraiser. Their popular luncheons, held twice a year, long outgrew the clubhouse, which can seat 140 people. They moved the event to a space at Palo Corona Regional Park. “We’re just busting at the seams because they’ve been so popular,” she says. Centennial Celebration The Carmel Woman’s Club is still going strong after 100 years, bucking a national trend. By Pam Marino “Suddenly we’re very popular.” TALES FROM THE AREA CODE DANIEL DREIFUSS Carmel Woman’s Club President Christina DeMaria holds up a 1925 photo showing the club’s charter members. The number of women’s clubs across the U.S. grew in the late 1800s to late 1920s. SAVE THE DATE Friday, September 12 • Monterey Marriott Annual Leadership Luncheon Thursday, October 16 • TBD Monterey Bay Business Expo UPCOMING EVENTS See the full schedule of events and register today at montereychamber.com REGISTER TODAY!
www.montereycountynow.com AUGUST 21-27, 2025 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 9 All year long! PROGRAMS FOR ALL AGES THE CITY OF MONTEREY Scan QR code for more info + registration MONTEREY.GOV/REC (831) 646-3866 play! MONTEREY • Preschool Programs • Youth Sports Leagues & Camps • School Break & Summer Camps • Gymnastics & Dance • Art Classes • Adult Sports Leagues • Adult & Senior Programs And much more! 1458 Riata Road, Pebble Beach .71 acres • $3,550,000 • www.1458Riata.com Contingent | 27465 Loma del Rey, Carmel Valley 4 beds, 4 baths • $2,500,000 • www.ViewsInMidValley.com 301 Euclid Avenue, Monterey 5 beds, 4 baths • $1,795,000 • www.301Euclid.com 32 Southbank Road, Carmel Valley 2 beds, 1 bath • $875,000 • www.32Southbank.com Interested in a property? Contact us to schedule a showing! 831.624.2300 MontereyCoastRealty.com CalDRE #01871677 Locally Owned. Globally Connected. View all available listings by scanning the code Digital Rendering
10 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY AUGUST 21-27, 2025 www.montereycountynow.com NEWS There are a handful of animals in California synonymous with conservation efforts. Among them are condors, a beloved scavenger and one of the world’s rarest birds. Once brought to the brink of extinction partly due to lead poisoning from eating carcasses containing bullet fragments, condors are now protected through regulations requiring hunters and ranchers to use non-lead ammunition. Mike Stake, a senior wildlife biologist with the Ventana Wildlife Society, says hunters are the solution. “Their ability to follow the law is complicated by the availability of the ammunition,” he explains. “They want to see non-lead available in the store, that will be a big part of solving this problem.” In July, Kevin Kreyenhagen, chair of the Monterey County Fish and Game Advisory Commission, sent a letter to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and others seeking support to address the shortage of non-lead .22 LR (long rifle) ammunition. Last year, the only two manufacturers on the market discontinued their products, making compliance difficult. The Ventana Wildlife Society has identified one reputable manufacturer of .22 LR cartridges, but at roughly a dollar per round, the price is too steep, says Kreyenhagen, especially for squirrel hunting, which often requires higher rounds of shooting. Kreyenhagen has not yet heard back from any of the state agencies. On Aug. 12, County Supervisor Chris Lopez joined in, writing to the State Fish and Game Commission in support of state action. “There might be still a couple boxes [of .22 LR non-lead ammo] on the shelf,” Kreyenhagen says, “but that’s going to be coming to an end.” Up in Arms Limited supply of non-lead ammunition is making it difficult to comply with state laws. By Katie Rodriguez In the end, it was 15 years of public input, research and tinkering that saved the County of Monterey’s short-term rental ordinance at the California Coastal Commission. A majority of commissioners on Aug. 13 said they were wary of denying or further tweaking an ordinance that the county and the public had collaborated on extensively, even though Commissioner Chris Lopez, also the chair of the county’s Board of Supervisors, opposed the ordinance. “The solution the county came up with really does appear to be a middle ground,” said Commission Chair Meagan Harmon, pointing to the “very robust public engagement process” as part of why she was voting in favor of certifying an amendment to the county’s local coastal plan to include the ordinance passed by the supervisors nearly a year ago. The commission voted 6-2, with Lopez and Commissioner Jose Preciado voting no. (Commissioner Ann Notthoff from Carmel Valley recused herself. Notthoff is chair of the LandWatch board of directors, which supported the ordinance.) Lopez suggested making changes to the ordinance before approval. He said he was concerned for families that may need the income the rentals bring and the high cost of obtaining the necessary permits and licensing. A coastal development permit review could run approximately $12,000. Lopez also said he worried that by limiting the number of vacation rentals it would hamper access to the coast, one of the main goals of the Coastal Commission. “I don’t know that I’m ready to vote ‘yes’ today,” Lopez said. “I’m worried about access for [this] valuable part of California.” Last September the Board of Supervisors voted 3-2 to approve the ordinance for inland unincorporated Monterey County, Lopez and Supervisor Luis Alejo against. They also voted on an intent to approve the ordinance in the coastal zone, pending Coastal Commission approval. The ordinance caps STRs at 4 percent of the housing stock in unincorporated areas and eliminates commercial vacation rentals in Big Sur and Carmel Highlands. (Commercial rentals are also banned inland in Carmel Valley.) Unlimited homestays—where the property owners are present in the home—are allowed, as are limited vacation rentals, whole-house rentals for up to 30 days, three times a year. The elimination of commercial rentals in Big Sur and Carmel Highlands became a sticking point for the Coastal Commission. Others pointed out there would still be homestays and limited rentals. An attorney for the Monterey County Vacation Rental Alliance, STR owners and others argued that commissioners would be abdicating their legal commitment to promote access, but those in favor of the ordinance pointed out that access included protecting housing for people who work along the coast. Commissioners acknowledged the ordinance wasn’t perfect, but said it was crafted by the local government and the public attempting to balance coastal access with housing needs. County planning staff are tentatively planning to bring the ordinance to the supervisors on Sept. 23. If adopted, the regulations would go into effect on Oct. 24. Unpermitted rentals would have two months from that date to either apply for permits or cease operations. Monterey County Board Chair Chris Lopez, at a past board meeting in Salinas. He was appointed to the California Coastal Commission in May. Local Control The Coastal Commission approves Monterey County’s vacation rental ordinance in a major win. By Pam Marino An X-ray photo depicts a lead .22 LR bullet ingested by a condor that died of lead toxicosis. Lead ammunition in carcasses left behind by hunters is the leading killer for condors. “It really does appear to be a middle ground.” DANIEL DREIFUSS VENTANA WILDLIFE SOCIETY
www.montereycountynow.com AUGUST 21-27, 2025 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 11 FUNDED BY A GRANT FROM sortwithheart.org Put food scraps in your green cart WARNING: 1-800-523-3157 8-25 Crude oil, gasoline, diesel fuel, and other petroleum products can expose you to chemicals including toluene and benzene, which are known to the State of California to cause cancer and birth defects or other reproductive harm. These exposures can occur in and around oil fields, refineries, chemical plants, transport and storage operations, such as pipelines, marine terminals, tank trucks, and other facilities and equipment listed here: The foregoing warning is provided pursuant to Proposition 65. This law requires the Governor of California to publish a list of chemicals “known to the State to cause cancer or reproductive toxicity.” This list is compiled in accordance with a procedure established by the Proposition, and can be obtained from the California Environmental Protection Agency. Proposition 65 requires that clear and reasonable warnings be given to persons exposed to the listed chemicals in certain situations. For more information go to www.P65Warnings.ca.gov/petroleum or call: https://www.wspa.org/proposition-65-notice-information/ COMPLIMENTARY SELF OR VALET PARKING | LOCATED BEHIND PORTOLA HOTEL & SPA (831) 649-2699 | PETERBSMONTEREY.COM | ARE YOU READY FOR FOOTBALL? at monterey’s favorite sports bar $5 HAPPY HOUR 4PM to 6PM & 9PM to 10PM NEWLY RENOVATED 25 HDTV’s Revitalized Menu & Craft Beer Prime Rib Nachos, Pizza, Burgers, & More FOOTBALL BREAKFAST Saturday & Sunday 9:30AM-11:30AM Breakfast Burritos, Huevos Rancheros, Tito’s Vodka Bloody Mary, & More
12 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY AUGUST 21-27, 2025 www.montereycountynow.com In 1986, the City of Marina and the Monterey Peninsula Regional Park District formed a partnership with the Coastal Conservancy to acquire the wetlands around the KIDD radio tower. Core to that partnership was a “wetland enhancement plan,” approved by both agencies, that was to guide the 12-acre property’s future. MPRPD would get the funds for land, the City would operate the park. Together with a few other parcels, that property became part of LockePaddon Wetland Park, which MPRPD dedicated in 1991. In 1994, the city reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining the property’s habitat value when it approved a Vernal Pond Management Plan. In 2004, MPRPD acquired another 6.5 acres behind the Marina library and adjacent to Del Monte Boulevard for habitat preservation. In 2005, the two agencies funded a master plan for the park that was adopted by MPRPD, but not the city. That has recently come to light as both agencies are taking a fresh look at Locke-Paddon because the Marina City Council has been pushing for a series of projects in the park, including an elaborate Asian Community Garden, that are on property owned by MPRPD, not the city. That property—the 6.5-acre “Isakson” parcel the district bought in 2004—is also the site of a thriving community garden built up over the last decade by volunteers for Citizens for Sustainable Marina. That garden grew after volunteers started watering oak trees MPRPD planted in 2013, and along with raised beds volunteers have planted, there are also now fruit trees. Meanwhile, the wetlands portion of the park—the purpose of the park’s formation—continues to fall into further disrepair. And per the agreement MPRPD and the City reached in 1987, the City entered into a 25-year lease agreement for the park’s property at a rate of $1 annually. That lease has since expired, and the two agencies have no formal agreement over who is responsible for operations and maintenance. The two agencies held a joint meeting in April to start sorting things out, and on May 6, the Marina City Council approved asking MPRPD to enter into a lease agreement on the Isakson property to create a 1-acre Asian Community Garden. They reaffirmed that ask at a July 1 meeting. On July 2, MPRPD hired Eric Morgan as general manager. He says he’s going to be looking for direction from his board, given that the 2005 master plan had a “pretty dramatically different vision…than what is there.” A 2.75-percent annual cap on rent increases, a rent registry and two other tenant protection ordinances are headed to Salinas City Council, again. The council voted in June to overturn the four ordinances, and instead advance a rental assistance program. But a petition for a referendum was certified on Aug. 15 after organizers with the group Protect Salinas Renters obtained enough signatures to send the matter back to council. (Early in the referendum effort, the council’s repeal ordinance was suspended, pending the outcome of the petition. That means the ordinances at issue remain in effect for now.) Salinas City Council is set to discuss next steps on Tuesday, Aug. 26. They have three options: undo their vote; send the matter to the voters in a special election; or combine it with a general election in 2026 (when there is a lower cost to place a referendum on the ballot). Members of Protect Salinas Renters are urging the council to repeal their vote. “That’s our preference, and then there will be relief for renters,” says John Silva, a physician and member of the group. Property owners, who have been vocal throughout the process, are backing a special election. “Families, renters and property owners deserve certainty and resolution now, not years from now. Delaying until a general election only prolongs uncertainty at a time when Salinas’ housing crisis demands immediate action,” Audrey Wardwell of 36 North Properties said in a statement. Others continue to advocate for rental assistance, part of an alternate package put forward by the mayor. “Rental assistance actually helps the renters who need help the most with housing affordability,” says Adam Pinterits of the Monterey County Association of Realtors. The four ordinances are rent stabilization; a rental registry, creating a database of all rental units in Salinas; just-cause eviction, requiring landlords to provide three months’ relocation assistance in evictions; and a tenant anti-harassment ordinance. Locke-d Up Projects in Locke-Paddon Park are on hold as officials assess a Marina park’s future. By David Schmalz NEWS OPEN DOORS Meet City of Monterey staff and learn about the variety of programs and services offered. Officials from various city departments will be on hand to meet residents. 5-8pm Thursday, Aug. 21. Hilltop Park Center, 871 Jessie St., Monterey. Free. 646-3799, suggest@monterey.gov, monterey.gov/inyourcorner. PUBLIC SERVICE Salinas City Council meets and, as always, accepts public comment. Tell your elected officials what they are doing well and what you think they can do better. 4pm Tuesday, Aug. 26. Salinas Rotunda, 200 Lincoln Ave., Salinas. Free. 758-7381, cityofsalinas.org. CLASS IN SESSION The Salinas Union High School District Board of Trustees meets and accepts public comment. 6:30pm Tuesday, Aug. 26. SUHSD District Office, 431 West Alisal St., Salinas. Free. 796-7000, salinasuhsd. org. IN THE WORKS Monterey County Planning Commission meets to discuss a proposal to construct a single-family home in Carmel. Public comment is accepted. 9am Wednesday, Aug. 27. Board of Supervisors chambers, 168 West Alisal St., first floor, Salinas. Free. 755-5025, countyofmonterey.gov. MAKING HISTORY Pacific Grove Historic Resources Committee meets to consider removing a Folk Victorian style home on Forest Avenue from the city’s Historic Resources Inventory. 3pm Wednesday, Aug. 27. City Hall, 300 Forest Ave., Pacific Grove. Free. 648-3183, cityofpacificgrove.org. HOUSING HELP The County of Monterey Health Department’s Behavioral Health Bureau hosts a one-year anniversary for Hope Housing, which provides housing services for those suffering from mental illness or substance use disorders. 1-2:30pm Thursday, Aug. 28. Nancy Dodd Community Center, 3043 MacArthur Drive, Marina. Free. 7554500, countyofmonterey.gov. STATE OF SALINAS Mayor Dennis Donohue gives the State of the City Address. The event will also include a city services resource fair, food and childcare. Spanish interpretation provided. 5-7pm Thursday, Aug. 28. Sherwood Hall, 940 N. Main St., Salinas. Free. 758-7407, salinas.gov. Rental Whiplash Salinas City Council to decide what’s next on referendum over housing-related ordinances. By Celia Jiménez Areas of Locke-Paddon Park go unmaintained, including the wetlands. There is no current agreement between the City of Marina and MPRPD for operations/maintenance. E-MAIL: toolbox@montereycountynow.com TOOLBOX The wetland portion of the park continues to fall into disrepair. DANIEL DREIFUSS
www.montereycountynow.com AUGUST 21-27, 2025 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 13 Insured by NCUA 1The dividend rate and Annual Percentage Yield (APY) accurate as of 08/01/2025. The dividend rate and APY may change at any time. 4.40% APY, 8-month Term Savings Certificate must be opened by phone or in-branch with new money. New money is defined as funds not on deposit at Golden 1 in the 30 days prior to the certificate account opening. There is no minimum balance required to earn the stated APY. The minimum opening deposit for this 8-month certificate is $500. The APY is based on an assumption that dividends will remain in the account until maturity. Any fee, withdrawal or transfer reduces earnings and there may be penalties for early withdrawal. Call 1-877-465-3361 for current rates. We reserve the right to change or discontinue this program at any time. Rates and term are subject to change without notice. 0825-MTW 4.40% APY1 for 8 months Visit a branch, call 1-877-465-3361 or scan to learn more Limited time offer Earn more with a Term Savings Certificate Please help sustain shelter and supportive services for women & families experiencing homelessness. DOUBLE YOUR IMPACT NOW! All donations will be matched up to $50,000. Scan the QR code or go to www.chservices.org. Your Heart for Change SHUMAN HEARTHOUSE CHANGED EVERYTHING
14 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY AUGUST 21-27, 2025 www.montereycountynow.com The 21st century has been knocking on Carmel’s door, demanding the city finally adopt street addresses, despite some residents in town determined to preserve “village character.” On Aug. 5, it knocked yet again, in a detailed report by Councilmember Bob Delves, who serves on an ad hoc committee studying the issue. The committee reaffirmed the current system doesn’t conform with state law and then went further, developing a possible new system that would pass muster with the United States Postal Service. That system and other details will be laid out in two upcoming public workshops, where residents will get a chance to air their opinions for and against, as they have off and on for years since the issue first surfaced. The debate over street addresses heated up last year, after a former Carmel City Council ad hoc committee reported that the current system runs afoul of state law. (An example on the city’s website is, “West side of San Antonio Street, 3 houses south of 12th Avenue.”) While some residents continued to object to adopting addresses, a growing number began speaking out, with worries over first responders not being able to find them and sharing stories of troubles applying for Real IDs or insurance coverage, receiving package deliveries and using rideshare services. The prior council decided the voters should weigh in with an advisory vote in 2025. The November 2024 election ushered in a new council that pushed a vote to 2026, then created a new ad hoc committee with Delves and two residents—one in favor of addresses and one against—plus city staff members. Delves said the committee met with police and fire representatives who shared that not having standardized addresses does cost the city in response time, up to three minutes, although he said response times were still “excellent.” They also met with representatives of utility companies—California American Water, PG&E, AT&T and Comcast. “I can tell you they showed up with their A team, all of them,” Delves said. “PG&E is delivering flammable and volatile products to our homes and it bothers them that they can’t find us.” The committee created examples of possible address systems and floated them by a USPS official. Their goals were to not change street names or add more signage. They also wanted the system to be logical and intuitive, “and to the extent we can, protect traditions,” Delves said. The example the USPS official approved of entailed numbering homes by starting at 0 at the north end of the city, increasing by 100 each block to the south, and starting at 0 at the ocean and numbering similarly to the east. The first public workshop is scheduled for 1-4pm Wednesday, Aug. 27 in Carpenter Hall (inside the Sunset Center). The second will be held from 5-8pm Thursday, Sept. 4 in the same location. An agenda with details on how to participate remotely is available at bit.ly/CarmelAddressWorkshop. Mail Call Carmel residents to hear an option for street addresses, should they agree to accept them. By Pam Marino Carmel City Councilmember Bob Delves, who serves on an ad hoc committee examining the potential for street addresses in Carmel, called a 0-100 numbering proposal “a good test.” NEWS “It bothers them that they can’t find us.” DANIEL DREIFUSS 4 Beds, 3.5 Baths ■ 3,809 Sq. Ft. ■ 1.81 Acres ■ $1,750,000 ■ 27812CrownePointDrive.com Market Knowledge | Ethics & Integrity | Commitment to Community Geoff 831.297.3890 REALTOR® | DRE#02036451 Rebecca 831.241.2600 REALTOR® | DRE#01706104 Danielle Germain 303.502.6477 REALTOR® | Monterey Coast Realty DRE#02154598 Arnold-Team.com | Arnold-Team@CarmelRealtyCompany.com A Collaborative Approach to Real Estate The Arnold Team Just Listed | 27812 Crowne Point Drive, Salinas Elegant Las Palmas Ranch Home TRY OUR NEW Tapas Happy Hour & Mid-Week Specials 4:30 - 6:00pm daily #Tapas! A Happy Hour Beyond Compare. Adjacent to the Casa Munras Garden Hotel & Spa | 700 Munras Avenue, Monterey Reservations Recommended | 831-375-0176 | estebanrestaurant.com DELIGHTFULLY ALFRESCO Please Vote Us BEST Gourmet Burger Bloody Mary Outdoor Dining Dog-Friendly Dining Appetizers/Small Plates
www.montereycountynow.com AUGUST 21-27, 2025 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 15 Nearly two decades ago, agricultural industry groups requested that a study be done to compare California’s regulatory costs to other states. Researchers with Cal Poly agreed to examine these costs and were connected with a large Salinas Valley lettuce grower. Cal Poly then followed up with updates to this study, one 12 years later in 2018, and again in 2024, asking the same questions about production costs and taking stock of the regulatory landscape with the same Salinas Valley lettuce grower. In that period of time, they found that costs had grown drastically—mostly in the realm of regulatory compliance—without corresponding increases in revenue. Regulatory costs increased by 1,366 percent since 2006, versus a 44.4-percent increase in total production costs. The grower, who was promised anonymity because they shared proprietary data, had over 1,000 acres in lettuce, Monterey County’s second most valuable crop after strawberries in 2024. According to the report, regulatory costs are now 12.6 percent of total production costs, while the amount the farmer receives for the product at the farm gate (not including transportation processing, distribution or retail markups) for lettuce increased only 0.37 percent from 2017 to 2024. Among the drivers: changes to water quality and management, labor requirements, emissions regulations and, precipitated by the E. coli outbreak in spinach in the Salinas Valley after the original 2006 report, changes to food safety compliance. E. coli outbreaks led to the Leafy Greens Marketing Agreement, requiring growers to conduct environmental risk assessments, test water and soil amendments and follow food safety plans, among other requirements. These rules got tighter over time, reinforced federally in 2011, with more updates after outbreaks in lettuce in 2018 and 2019. Costs jumped from $0.64 per acre in 2006 to $244.15 per acre in 2024, one of the steepest proportional increases, accounting for 15 percent of compliance costs. Among the other top drivers of cost increases are labor regulations. Workers’ compensation, required by all California employers to cover workplace injuries, have risen dramatically over time, even though the rules for calculating premiums haven’t changed since 2017. For example, workers’ compensation costs for the grower increased from $58.94 per acre in 2006 to $428.40 per acre in 2024. And the agricultural landscape continues to change rapidly, as operational expenses are starting to be reshaped with automation and the use of AI in specialty crops. A recent study published by Western Growers Association found that farms adopting laser weeder technology cut costs by around 40 percent in their first year in crops like spinach, cilantro and other leafy greens. Norm Groot, executive director of the Monterey County Farm Bureau, adds that the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act, which aims to bring overdrafted basins into balance by 2040, is expected to add financial constraints in the near future. Crop Cost A Cal Poly study follows one Salinas Valley lettuce grower to reveal cost increases squeezing farmers. By Katie Rodriguez One of the top cost drivers, according to the Cal Poly study, was labor regulations related to sick leave, overtime and wages. Labor costs per acre rose from $1.36 in 2006 to $425 in 2024. NEWS Regulatory costs increased by 1,366 percent since 2006. PARKER SEIBOLD
16 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY AUGUST 21-27, 2025 www.montereycountynow.com CAR TALK Thank you for this article! The whole Car Week experience seems completely out of control, and you helped clarify how it got that way (“It’s time to rethink the ever-growing series of Car Week events,” Aug. 14-20). I’m to the point of wanting the whole thing eliminated, but I recognize that my frustration is a result of our apparent inability to set any reasonable boundaries. It would be possible to have a Car Week without the gridlock, chaos, noise and general obnoxiousness that we see now, but it would require our community leaders to have the gumption to work together to develop (and enforce) a plan. Even people who love old cars should be able to see that the current havoc is unacceptable. Corey Brunson | Monterey I despise Car Week. It’s a slap in the face to planet Earth, increasing climate change with all the gas burning and jet fuel burned in bringing cars in from all over the world. Materialism, ostentatious displays of wealth, rich old guys gunning their engines. Yes, cars can be beautiful works of art. Put them in museums, offer video shows for people to see them all. Bob Gotch | Carmel Thank you for your piece. How do we balance good business with negative consequences? Today, needing to access our post office box, we were turned away and told access was closed. That is a bit much, if we cannot even get to our mail. Gina Gianfala | Pebble Beach The community has managed to figure out how to manage other large events that have grown in scope over time. Pebble Beach Co. long ago booked off-site parking for its staff, volunteers and attendees to the Pro-Am and U.S. Open. It’s clear that organizers of Car Week events have to take responsibility for managing the crowds they attract so they don’t get to enjoy all the economic benefits while leaving the community at larger to shoulder the costs. Ken Peterson | Monterey MELTING POT Thank you for the excellent article about the danger to our county’s immigrant community (“Immigration raids have not yet come to Monterey County, but the fear that they could is changing people’s lives,” Aug. 7-13). Their fear of being arrested, imprisoned and deported is legitimate. Every day, all over the country, President Trump is authorizing more sweeps, even threatening the citizenship of children who were born to immigrants. Our Latino friends, relatives, coworkers, and employees are in danger. That means our community is in danger, also. Peggy Michael |Monterey I worked for the UFW from 1972-77 and have tried to help farmworkers in Salinas through ESL Spanish GED and citizenship classes for 30 years. The Dreamers had a chance when moderate Republicans still existed like Jeff Flake and John McCain in Arizona. The situation with ICE now is outrageous. Thank goodness for the Solidarity Network and the Watsonville Law Center! An McDowell | Monterey Thank you, thank you, thank you. What a wonderful and hugely important story, filled with heart and soul as well as straight out facts. Nothing nearly so good in the New York Times. Steve Henrikson | Carmel Thank you for your fabulous reporting (“Immigrants are living in fear. But this is nothing new in this country’s history,” posted Aug. 10). This is a succinct, fact-based and really helpful timeline on immigration. Joanna Gallagher | Monterey CHURCH AND STATE You nailed it. Nice read on an ongoing problem in our country (“Salinas City Council considers a sponsorship that violates the church/state separation,” posted Aug. 11). Keep up your fine work. Jim Vanderzwaan | Del Rey Oaks The church did a huge service to this community. This is a shame (“Salinas City Council delays a decision on Compass Church Fourth of July event sponsorship,” posted Aug. 13). No one else is stepping up to do this! So what, a sermon was given, what did you think was gonna happen when a church is the host. Common sense, people. Rosemary Maldonado-Barron | Salinas Bless you for an awesome, warm inclusive shout-out for separation of church and state. Clear, fair, holding the City Council’s feet to the fire— good journalism. Hats off, keep up the excellent work! Elaine Lalancette | Monterey Supreme Court precedent shows cities like Salinas can—and should—financially back such community-focused events, provided they serve secular purposes and benefit all residents. Church-hosted events like this deliver clear public benefits. The Fireworks Extravaganza was free, inclusive and boosted local businesses. Supporting such events isn’t just goodwill—it’s an economic investment. Compass Church pledged that city funds would cover only secular costs—fireworks, safety, security— with transparent accounting. Other cities, like Colorado Springs, fund similar events without issue, proving boundaries can be maintained. Excluding churches from funding risks alienating community partners. Brian Higgins | Salinas RIGHT OF WAY So a child was hit by a driver and we are blaming the child? I am so tired of this narrative (“There’s no law barring kids from riding e-scooters and e-bikes. But there should be,” posted Aug. 13). What about the terrible cycling and walking infrastructure in Pacific Grove? What about the people who drive oversized SUVs at high speeds through residential neighborhoods and school zones? Kids zooming around the neighborhood are behaving poorly, yes. But they are children, and unlikely to hurt anyone but themselves. What excuse do the adult drivers have? Samuel Winter | Monterey I’m so glad someone is paying attention to this. I see accidents waiting to happen every day! Susan Clark | Carmel 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 AUGUST 21-27, 2025 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 17 Even before it was easy to be a performative activist on social media, Seth Pollack’s instinct has been to do something, not just talk about it. “You can’t just have these great dreams,” he says. He volunteered for the Peace Corps in Mali, and then in 1997 arrived at still-new CSU Monterey Bay, where he was the founding faculty director of the service learning program, bringing students into the community. After he retired in 2022, he decided to pursue a social justice project himself. “I thought, maybe where I should be doing work is in Israel-Palestine, and working within my Jewish community,” he says. Before the brutal Hamas attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023 rocked the foundations of a chilly status quo, prompting a war of devastation that continues to this day and is still upending global alliances, Pollack made understanding modern Israel his project. He became a member of J Street, a national lobbying organization that defines itself as “pro-Israel, pro-peace, pro-democracy”—with the premise that such goals can only be achieved with Palestinian buy-in. The Washington-based group, which formed in 2009, is sometimes described as a more liberal, expansive alternative to AIPAC (the American Israel Public Affairs Committee). Pollack felt like he had finally found an ideological home. “You can be pro-Israel and still be critical of the policies of the Israeli government; you don’t have to be an anti-Zionist and reject Israel’s ‘right to exist,’” he says. In a world that was already deeply polarized even before Oct. 7 and now, nearly two years later, with tens of thousands of Palestinians killed, “J Street is able to really respectfully offer a middle ground,” Pollack says. He and Karen Paull, both members of Congregation Beth Israel in Carmel Valley, are members of the local J Street chapter, both advocating for a humane middle ground. Paull describes her personal journey beginning on a trip to Israel in the early 2000s, shortly after the Second Intifada, when she saw the occupation of the West Bank in person. “I was reminded of the ways Jews were treated in Europe where they were confined to ghettos and humiliated daily,” she says. “I thought, oh my god, Jews are treating people the way they were treated themselves. That feeling was so intolerable to me that it came into my head: Not in my name. As an American Jew, I have to do something. I have a role to play.” That role is being an active member of J Street’s Silicon Valley chapter, where Paull and Pollack interface with both congressional members who represent Monterey County (Jimmy Panetta, D-Carmel Valley, and Zoe Lofgren, D-San Jose). Pollack serves as synagogue liaison to Congregation Beth Israel (where recently retired rabbi Bruce Greenbaum joined the J Street rabbinical cabinet, which counts over 1,000 members). Pollack and Paull both describe a mission that is much more about morality than religion, but J Street embraces both. In late July, J Street convened a virtual meeting just a few days before the Jewish holiday of Tisha B’Av, a solemn occasion that commemorates the destruction of the second temple in Jerusalem in 70 CE. “This is not just a political issue, this is a moral issue,” Rabbi Jill Jacobs said. “I really believe that as we’re crying today, God is up above also crying, both over the deaths of Palestinians and Israelis. Our hearts are big enough to cry for everybody. The good news is that more and more of us are crying out.” That includes groups like the Union for Reform Judaism, which on Aug. 8 issued a statement opposing Israel’s expansion of the war against Hamas. Pollack believes that most American Jews share his and Paull’s views that their hearts are big enough to cry for everybody, that there is a middle ground, and that groups like AIPAC—despite their influence—are not representative. “The more we are able to help our elected officials hear that from us,” Pollack says, “the more willing they are to advocate to support policies to help us to get there.” “Getting there” is built upon old-fashioned organizing. Whether informed by divinity or humanity, the desire is the same: to find a solution that acknowledges the dignity of all. Sara Rubin is the Weekly’s editor. Reach her at sara@montereycountynow.com or follow her at @sarahayleyrubin.bsky.social. Voices Rising Faced with a crisis in Gaza, local Jews organize for a different approach. By Sara Rubin BIG BROTHER…Like any journalist, Squid is often nagged by doubts—did Squid remember to double-check a certain fact, or the spelling of someone’s name? There’s no edit button once ink hits the page. One might think that a governing body, tasked with making decisions that affect the public, would be even more concerned about getting the facts right. But if that governing body is the California Public Utilities Commission, you would be wrong. After two administrative law judges spent more than a year wrestling with just two questions—what the current water supply in the Monterey Peninsula is, and what the water demand will be in 2050—the commissioners approved at least one answer they knew to be wrong. The current supply, as determined by the judges in their proposed decision earlier this year, was to be 11,204 acre-feet. But on Aug. 14, the CPUC approved a current supply of 11,114 acre-feet, 90 acre-feet less, due to a typographical error that had been brought to their attention but still went uncorrected. Oh well, too bad, it’s now legally binding! It was a fitting coda to a farcical process that Squid has been watching unfold over years. BACK TALK…Squid doesn’t like to dwell in the past, but there are some who cannot let it go. Former Pacific Grove councilmember Luke Coletti is hanging on to his animosity toward former city manager Ben Harvey. Harvey, now city manager of Ojai, and the P.G. City Council parted ways in July 2023, with Harvey resigning and both sides agreeing not to disparage the other in a separation agreement. Coletti, Harvey’s biggest critic, was a member of the council at the time. (He later lost reelection in 2024.) In July, Coletti popped up on a Facebook post by the Ojai Valley News, which was reporting a lawsuit filed by a former Ojai city finance director, alleging Harvey and others discriminated against her. “I am a former Pacific Grove City Council member who served during Ben Harvey’s time as city manager. Harvey’s tenure was fraught with controversy,” Coletti replied. He wrote a similar letter to the Ojai City Council, saying the complaint “sounds very plausible.” Coletti himself was a source of controversy— Harvey and others filed complaints with P.G. alleging Coletti mistreated them, costing the city a pretty (undisclosed) penny. Squid’s colleague reached out to Harvey, who says he’s abiding by the non-disparagement clause and he would hope the city would too. (Coletti did not respond to a request for comment.) Squid is predicting a cease-and-desist letter in Coletti’s future, but is not sure if Coletti can ever help himself from ceasing or desisting in running his mouth. THE LOCAL SPIN SQUID FRY THE MISSION OF MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY IS TO INSPIRE INDEPENDENT THINKING AND CONSCIOUS ACTION, ETC. “Our hearts are big enough to cry for everybody.” SEND SQUID A TIP: squid@montereycountynow.com
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