AUGUST 28-SEPTEMBER 3, 2025 MONTEREYCOUNTYNOW.COM LOCAL & INDEPENDENT BACK TO AFRICA 8 | A LOCAL FAMILY ENDURES TALIBAN CAPTIVITY 17 | COCKTAILS AND CAKE 39 FIRST PLACE GENERAL EXCELLENCE • 2025 CA JOURNALISM AWARDS • Big Sur Energy Generations of Big Sur creatives drew inspiration from the singular place. Monterey Museum of Art shows how. p. 20 By Agata Popęda and Wendy Van Wyck Good California’s Second County 175 YEARS Chartered 1850 MONTEREY County of The County of Monterey 175th Anniversary History booklet inside
2 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY AUGUST 28-SEPTEMBER 3, 2025 www.montereycountynow.com 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
www.montereycountynow.com AUGUST 28-SEPTEMBER 3, 2025 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 3 Like a lot of you, we were born at Community Hospital. montagehealth.org It was the doctors at Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula that brought Montage Health into the world. Our goal was to deliver exceptional care to more people, more effectively, by expanding beyond the hospital and into the community. Today, we’re much more than a hospital. We’re urgent care centers, wellness centers, primary care doctors, health insurance plans, and a groundbreaking mental health program for youth. Community Hospital is still our beating heart and a great place to be born.
4 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY AUGUST 28-SEPTEMBER 3, 2025 www.montereycountynow.com AUGUST 28-SEPTEMBER 3, 2025 • ISSUE #1935 • ESTABLISHED IN 1988 Maurice Druzin (Nikon Coolpix 1100) A throng of sea lions on San Carlos Beach prompted Monterey city officials to close the area to humans as of Friday, Aug. 22. These mostly young males follow their food source (fish) seasonally, bringing them in large numbers to Monterey Bay this summer. MONTEREY COUNTY PHOTO OF THE WEEK Send Etc. submissions to etcphoto@montereycountynow.com; please include caption and camera info. On the cover: “Bixby Creek Bridge,” an undated watercolor by Emil White (1901–1989). Austrian-born White, who settled in Big Sur, was a longtime friend and confidant of writer Henry Miller. White was also known for his primitive-style paintings of the rugged coast. This work will be exhibited in the Monterey Museum of Art. Cover image: Emil White, courtesy of the Henry Miller Memorial Library 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 28-SEPTEMBER 3, 2025 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 5 For more information, scan the QR code or call 831-759-1951. Comprehensive cancer care in our community. When you or your loved one is diagnosed with cancer, finding care is fundamental. Salinas Valley Health offers comprehensive, quality care to support you anywhere in your journey. Our dedicated team of local experts provides optimal treatments and compassionate cancer care close to home. SALINAS VALLEY HEALTH MEDICAL CENTER 450 East Romie Lane OUTPATIENT INFUSION 515 East Romie Lane SUSAN BACON CANCER RESOURCE CENTER 501 East Romie Lane GENERAL SURGERY 236 San Jose Street IMAGING 559 Abbott Street HEMATOLOGY & ONCOLOGY 505 East Romie Lane NANCY AUSONIO BREAST HEALTH CENTER 240 San Jose Street COASTAL RADIATION ONCOLOGY 1069 Los Palos Drive Geetha Varma, MD Hematology and Oncology
6 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY AUGUST 28-SEPTEMBER 3, 2025 www.montereycountynow.com THE BUZZ FREE SPEECH Israel has killed at least 192 journalists in Gaza since its war with Hamas began in 2023, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists. By comparison, the CPJ reports that 18 journalists have died since Russia invaded Ukraine in early 2022. The deadliest day for journalists in Gaza was Aug. 10, when Israel targeted and killed an Al Jazeera correspondent in an airstrike that also killed five other journalists. Israel followed that up by striking a hospital that killed five reporters on Aug. 25, along with at least 20 other people. One of the journalists killed, Mariam Dagga, had freelanced for the Associated Press, reporting about children being treated for starvation in the same hospital. “They are doing everything they can to silence independent voices that are trying to report on Gaza,” Thibaut Bruttin, the director general of Reporters Without Borders, told the AP. The Israeli prime minister’s office has bemoaned international coverage of its war, as news organizations rely on Palestinian journalists since Israel bans international media from entering Gaza to cover the war. In a statement, the Israeli military said it “regrets any harm to uninvolved individuals and does not target journalists as such.” Good: Eat cake, give cake. Cake4Kids and Freedom Bakery will set up at the Monterey County Fair from Aug. 28 to Sept. 1, selling 1,020 cake slices and 100 cupcakes to raise funds for the organization. Proceeds support Cake4Kids’ mission to provide personalized birthday cakes to children in foster care and homeless shelters. Freedom Bakery, the Watsonville-based business with a pickup location in Monterey, is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year and donating all baked goods at the booth. “We admire the incredible work Cake4Kids does to bring joy to local kids and their families,” Freedom Bakery owner Anna Liu said. “This collaboration is truly built on community, celebration and a shared love of making every moment a little sweeter.” Cake4Kids is a national organization with a Monterey County chapter that launched in 2020. GREAT: All summer, officials at the Transportation Agency for Monterey County had been waiting for guidance from PG&E regarding one of its utility poles at the Frog Pond Wetland Preserve. Crews are currently constructing the 1.5-mile segment of the Fort Ord Regional Trail and Greenway, aka FORTAG, that passes through Del Rey Oaks. Before crews started building a retaining wall at the Frog Pond, TAMC needed assurance from PG&E that its utility pole would not be impacted by the wall’s construction. Finally, after months of waiting, TAMC announced Aug. 22 that PG&E has confirmed the plans are good to go, and added that work on the wall would begin within a week. The exact timing of the segment’s completion remains unknown, though now that it’s not delayed, it is still slated for the fall of 2026. GOOD WEEK / GREAT WEEK THE WEEKLY TALLY Total number of citations issued by the Monterey, Carmel and Pacific Grove police departments during Car Week. Together they made 32 arrests. Carmel and P.G. issued a combined 510 parking citations. Source: Monterey, Carmel and Pacific Grove police departments 238 QUOTE OF THE WEEK “The DNA is overwhelming.” -Assistant District Attorney Matthew L’Heureux, speaking to the jurors in the closing statements of a trial for a 1991 murder case in Prunedale. Ira Bastian was convicted for double murder on Tuesday, Aug. 26 (see story, montereycountynow.com). THANK YOU TO OUR VOLUNTEERS! 147 El Dorado St., Monterey, CA (831)241-6154 gatheringforwomen.org info@gatheringforwomen.org Thank you for sharing your time and talents. Your presence brightens our guests’ day and lifts their spirits. Visit our website at gatheringforwomen.org/volunteer for more information!
www.montereycountynow.com AUGUST 28-SEPTEMBER 3, 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. Bill Hernandez SVP Senior Relationship Manager Penny Morris VP Deposit Relationship Manager Clay Larson Client Relations Manager Member FDIC Equal Housing Lender
8 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY AUGUST 28-SEPTEMBER 3, 2025 www.montereycountynow.com 831 On a recent afternoon, Mel Mason, a retired social worker and community leader in Seaside, says he’s enjoying life’s slower pace since retiring just over two years ago, and hopes to enjoy it a while longer—he turns 83 next January, and wants to make it to 100. And he sounds full of life as he recounts a trip he took to Ghana in July with a group of 30 people with The Village Project, a Seaside nonprofit Mason and his wife Regina co-founded in 2008. The trip was life-changing, he says, but before he can get into it, he says he must start from the beginning. He has a lot of African friends, and some are Kenyans from the Maasai tribe. From them, Mason learned about Maasai leadership structure, and how future leaders—Maasai warriors, the protectors of the tribe—are chosen in their youth to go to warrior camp. “They talked about how rigorous this warriors camp was, how you have to be studious like a scholar,” Mason says. “They learn the history of the Maasai people, their identity in the broader sense of the African continent’s history, and the tribal nations and societies in Africa.” He adds when they graduate from warriors camp, they become responsible for the well-being of the Maasai people. “They come out of there with a broad consciousness,” he says. Inspired, Mason decided to try a “warriors camp” at The Village Project. In 2016, he and Regina stayed up nearly all night for a month filling out paperwork to apply for state funding. In 2017, the state granted The Village Project’s nascent Emanyatta program (warriors camp, in Maasai) $250,000 annually for five years. It launched that September—about 45 Black kids from kindergarten through fourth grade joined—and right away, Mason says the impact was noticeable. They were learning that Africa was the cradle of civilization, and that a place the Greeks named Egypt was formerly called Kemet—which means “black land”—and was where learning came from, where the great Greek philosophers were schooled. Then just a few months later, in December 2017, a friend of Mason’s, a Maasai artist from Kenya living in Spokane, said that his Maasai warrior friends were visiting from Kenya and were swinging through Monterey to perform. A plan was hatched, and when the young Village Project warriors later arrived on Saturday morning for Emanyatta, the Maasai warriors were there to greet them. Mason says the kids and adults alike were transfixed. “At the end of the day, no one wanted to see them leave,” he says. “I was one of them.” Then Regina got a call from a mother whose son had been at Emanyatta, and said he was crying with joy over meeting the warriors. It was then, Mason says, that Regina said they had to go to Africa. She started organizing a trip and raising funds. And in July 2025, The Village Project was able to send 30 people—15 kids and 15 adults—to Ghana. It was the Masons’ first trip to Africa. Their destination was a tossup between Ghana and Kenya; Ghana was chosen because it was the first African nation to achieve independence from colonial rule, and its founder, Kwame Nkrumah, a leader of the Pan-African movement, was a hero of Mason’s since he was a kid. Ghana was also the resting place of W.E.B. Du Bois, an African American historian who became a Ghanaian citizen in the early 1960s. They visited Du Bois’ house, a national monument, and Nkrumah’s tomb. They also visited dungeons where enslaved Africans were kept in captivity, and saw cell walls with claw marks of fingernails. “That was really emotionally almost devastating for many of us,” Mason says. “It brought up anger in me that our people had to go through that.” And then they walked through the “Door of No Return,” the symbolic passage for those forced to leave home forever as enslaved people. This trip brought the local “warriors” back through that door which, from the other side, is named the “Door of Return.” “They were clear when they went over there,” Mason says. “They were Africans that had come home. They know who they are. They have pride that exudes when they walk somewhere. They have the pride of being someone of African ancestry.” Door of Return For Seaside nonprofit The Village Project, a recent trip to Africa felt like a homecoming. By David Schmalz “They were Africans that had come home.” TALES FROM THE AREA CODE COURTESY OF MARIA ELENA MEJIA CONTRERAS At the end of their tour, The Village Project group posed for a picture—taken by their young guide Prince—in front of “The Door of Return,” a monument built in 2017 commemorating the transatlantic slave trade. SAVE THE DATE Friday, September 12 • Annual Leadership Luncheon presented by California Resources Corporation Portola Hotel & Spa Thursday, October 16 • Monterey Bay Business Expo presented by Rayne Technology Solutions Del Monte Shopping Center SAVE THE DATE UPCOMING EVENTS See the full schedule of events and register today at montereychamber.com REGISTER TODAY!
www.montereycountynow.com AUGUST 28-SEPTEMBER 3, 2025 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 9 *Cannot be combined. Must present coupon at check-in. Most cars/ light trucks. Excludes exotics. Includes up to 5 qts. of Synthetic oil and new oil filter. Some vehicles extra. Tax and shop supplies extra. Limited time only. 831-230-0910 1730 The Mall | Seaside SullivansAutoService.com 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
10 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY AUGUST 28-SEPTEMBER 3, 2025 www.montereycountynow.com NEWS The Marin Countybased Marine Mammal Center serves a 600-mile stretch of California coastline, including the Monterey Bay. The nonprofit left its longtime Moss Landing location at the end of 2024 and moved into a new site in an industrial park in Castroville that accepted its first animal on June 1. “The timing could not be better,” says spokesperson Giancarlo Rulli. “There’s a real need right now.” That’s because of a leptospirosis outbreak. In July alone, the Castroville facility accepted 75 animals, mostly sea lions with leptospirosis. “This is the hot zone,” Rulli says, referring to the Monterey and San Francisco bays. The outbreak began in early July in San Luis Obispo County and has been moving north. The bacterial infection had been largely unseen in the region from 2012-17, when ocean temperatures ran warmer than usual. Since then, it’s been constant. “From 2018 on, we have seen leptospirosis [outbreaks] every single year. That’s a concern,” Rulli says. The bacterial infection is zoonotic, meaning it can spread between species through bodily fluids, primarily urine. For that reason, Rulli emphasizes it’s important for dog owners to keep their pets leashed so they do not approach live or recently dead animals at the beach. About two-thirds of the animals rescued by the Center’s army of volunteers will die or be euthanized due to organ failure. On, Aug. 26 a group of volunteers guides Preaches, a sea lion found on a dock in Moss Landing on Aug. 25, into a crate to be transported to Sausalito for diagnosis and treatment. Afterward, volunteers grab three body bags—two sea lions and a dolphin—to load into the van. Sick Time A leptospirosis outbreak is killing sea lions earlier in the season than normal. By Sara Rubin For the first time since 2010, the position of Monterey County superintendent of schools will be a contested election. Superintendent of Schools Deneen Guss plans to retire in January 2027 after two fouryear terms leading the Monterey County Office of Education. Two local education administrators have already filed candidacy paperwork with the Monterey County Elections Department to run for the seat: Ralph Porras, currently a deputy superintendent at MCOE, and Dan Burns, formerly the Salinas Union High School District’s superintendent. Porras and Burns have 36 and 34 years of experience in education, respectively. Porras led the Pacific Grove Unified School District for 16 years before moving to MCOE. Both have moved up through the ranks. Porras started as a bilingual teacher and has worked in Santa Cruz and Monterey counties, while Burns started his career at Seaside High School as a campus supervisor, then went on to lead the largest school district in Monterey County for seven years until he stepped down in 2024 due to health issues that have since been diagnosed and treated. Porras says he would prioritize support for immigrant families and English learners: “I want to continue this work, it’s very important, especially now, and it lines up directly with my entire educational background,” he says. Burns says, “I’m running because I’ve always believed that every child in Monterey County deserves access to excellent, equitable educational opportunities, no matter what their zip code or background might be.” MCOE is the bridge between TK-12 school districts and colleges. It also provides services for the county’s 24 school districts and eight charter schools, as well as programs for migrant and special education students, and administers the Early Learning Program (combining federal Head Start and state preschool). Both candidates say they would focus on early literacy, making sure students learn how to read and write. Other priorities for Porras are closing the gap in math and getting youth involved in decision making. Burns emphasizes his interest in making education more accessible for special needs students in South County (some programs are only offered in Salinas or on the Peninsula), increasing teacher retention and student wellness. Whoever is elected will run MCOE during a generally challenging time. President Donald Trump’s administration is dismantling the U.S. Department of Education. Earlier this year, the administration caused chaos, freezing about $6.8 billion in education funding, including $25 million for MCOE, specifically threatening the migrant education program. Monterey County has the largest such program in the state. During the 2023-2024 school year, 75,393 students enrolled in K-12 in the county; 4,361 of them, or 6 percent, were enrolled as migrant students. According to MCOE, there are about 10,000 migrant students in the county, ages 3 to 21. “I hope the next county superintendent will continue to prioritize academic excellence, mental health and equity, ensuring every child has a chance to shine,” says Guss, who announced her retirement on Aug. 26. She hasn’t endorsed any candidate at this time. Two former superintendents—Dan Burns of Salinas Union High School District, left, and Ralph Porras of Pacific Grove Unified—are running for county superintendent. School Bell Two longtime school administrators prepare for a competitive election for county superintendent. By Celia Jiménez Volunteers guide Preaches, a 130-pound sea lion, into a crate for transport from the Marine Mammal Center’s Castroville facility to Sausalito. The animal put up a fight, a good sign for its prospects. “I hope the next superintendent will prioritize excellence.” DANIEL DREIFUSS DANIEL DREIFUSS
www.montereycountynow.com AUGUST 28-SEPTEMBER 3, 2025 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 11 EMPOWERING WELLNESS, ONE SOAK AT A TIME! LABOR DAY TENT SALE Monday-Saturday 10-5, Sunday 12-4 2090 N. Fremont Street, Monterey Monday–Saturday 10–5 (831)392-1111 www.spasbythebay.com No Sales Tax on all Hot Tubs and furniture Now until 9/1/25 ca carmel- by- the- sea (831)625-8106 new fall arrivals carmel-by-the-sea sport coats soft coats outerwear trousers knitwear shirting FROM OUR FARM TO YOUR FAMILY Fresh, locally grown, certified organic produce. Join our CSA now, and get your customized share of the harvest delivered each week. We deliver every Thursday to: Carmel/Carmel Valley: Hidden Valley Nursery Pacific Grove: Happy Girl Kitchen South Salinas, North Monterey, Watsonville: At the farm! Watsonville LiveEarthFarm.net
12 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY AUGUST 28-SEPTEMBER 3, 2025 www.montereycountynow.com Last year, voters in unincorporated Monterey County approved Measure AA, a 1-percent sales tax. As the County Board of Supervisors held budget hearings throughout the first half of 2025, the question of how much money AA would generate and how exactly that money would be used came up frequently, but was never answered. The answer began coming into focus on Tuesday, Aug. 26 from an ad hoc committee, led by supervisors Glenn Church and Chris Lopez. They confirmed that the funds would be directed toward new projects (rather than ongoing commitments) and would be assessed quarterly starting in fiscal year 2026-27. “We’re still developing a process,” Church said. He explained that the funds must be spent in unincorporated parts of the county and can be used for any general government purpose, such as roads, parks and public safety. Projects prioritized this year include $1.5 million to support AXON body cameras for the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office; $50,000 to support initiatives led by the new ag tech startup The Reservoir; and $50,000 to support Regenerative California’s blue economy and fisheries programs. Lopez emphasized that, although the funds are not legally restricted to specific uses, public polling identified clear priorities that he believes the county should respect. Among the top priorities cited by voters in support of the sales tax were road repairs, reducing homelessness and water and sewer infrastructure improvements. As the Aug. 26 meeting progressed, first-quarter revenue numbers were coming in in real time. County Administrative Officer Sonia De La Rosa informed the board that while the original projection for April and May was $2 million, updated figures showed revenue was actually between $5 and $6 million for the first quarter. The annual revenue estimate, initially projected at $29 million, was revised down to $24 million. “We’re breaking even now,” Lopez said. Though there was some disagreement about whether funds should be allocated quarterly or annually, the board unanimously voted for a quarterly schedule, arguing it allows for more strategic planning and avoids committing funds prematurely. “There’s a lot that is fluid here,” said Church, anticipating a possible boost over Christmas. “We really just don’t know how much we’re going to get this year, [but] these funds are going to be essential.” An elementary teacher in San Ardo Unified School District who was previously a supervisor of academic instruction at the Correctional Training Facility in Soledad is facing criminal charges. Gaige Bailey faces four felony charges for allegedly transporting, bringing to prison, and intending to sell a controlled substance (methamphetamine), and a misdemeanor for communicating with inmates without authorization. The alleged crimes happened over a span of four months, from March 1 to June 28, 2024. Bailey pleaded not guilty of all counts. Her case isn’t the only one, says defense attorney William Pernik. He says his firm receives calls about similar cases regularly and there is common denominator: professional women with no prior criminal record, some facing mental health issues, history of trauma or low self-esteem. “The government dismisses these cases as for-profit operations,” Pernik says. “Our experience has shown that that’s oftentimes not the case.” According to an article titled “Professional Boundaries in Corrections” published on the Journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law, several factors contribute to inappropriate relationships between inmates and staff, such as shared feelings of being unappreciated. Chief Assistant District Attorney Berkley Brannon says the maximum sentence for a similar case is four years in jail. That changes if the person, like Bailey, has no criminal record. In her case, the maximum sentence is felony probation, which may include less than a year in jail or home confinement. According to court documents, Sudhanva Rajapopal, a licensed clinical psychologist, evaluated Bailey and diagnosed her with PTSD and bipolar disorder. Bailey is seeking a mental health diversion. “If they complete diversion, the case is dismissed. There is no conviction, no jail time, no probation,” Brannon notes. A hearing on the diversion request is scheduled for Sept. 4 in Monterey County Superior Court. Flex Funds County approves a process for deciding how to spend money from Measure AA. By Katie Rodriguez NEWS ON THE DAIS The North Monterey County Unified School District Board of Trustees meets and accepts public comment. 6pm Thursday, Aug. 28. North Monterey County High School media center, 13990 Castroville Blvd., Castroville. Free. 633-3343, nmcusd.org. GET EQUIPPED The County of Monterey is donating surplus office equipment to nonprofit organizations and teachers. Organizations and educators must submit proof of nonprofit or current teaching status in order to receive items for free. 11am-noon Friday, Aug. 29. 1488 Schilling Place, Salinas. Free. 7554990, countyofmonterey.gov. OVERDOSE AWARENESS In recognition of Overdose Awareness Day, Community Human Services hosts two events to learn about life-saving resources. Narcan, the medication that reverses overdoses, will be handed out. Noon-2pm Friday, Aug. 29 and noon2pm Sunday, Aug. 31. Genesis House, 1152 Sonoma Ave., Seaside. Free. 6583811, chservices.org. GREEN THUMBS The City of Gonzales and local organizations host a community gardening day. All ages are invited to help clean garden beds, paint rocks, learn about invasive species and more. 10am-noon Saturday, Aug. 30. Corner of Elko Street and Fairview Drive (next to the community pool), Gonzales. Free. 675-4206, gonzalesca.gov. PUBLIC PROCESS The Hartnell College Board of Trustees meets to discuss college business and accept public comments. 5:30pm Tuesday, Sept. 2. Hartnell College, Soledad Education Center, 1505 Metz Road, Soledad. Free. hartnell.edu/about/hccdgb. LOOKING TO HIRE Monterey County Works hosts a job fair to connect local employers in finance, insurance and real estate with job seekers. Attendees are encouraged to bring their résumés and dress to impress. 1:30-4pm Wednesday, Sept. 3. Career Center, 344 Salinas St., Suite 203, Salinas. Free. 796-3335. Register at montereycountyworks.com. GETTING AROUND The County of Monterey Sustainability Program asks residents how they use transportation services. The survey is part of a study that aims to identify accessible and sustainable transportation options. Survey ends Sept. 6. tinyurl.com/ MontereyZEV. Prison Time Teacher faces charges of four felonies for alleged crimes at Soledad prison. By Celia Jiménez Glenn Church, a member of the Measure AA committee, noted flexibility in spending: “The big thing we’re bound by is that it’s unincorporated areas and public benefit.” E-MAIL: toolbox@montereycountynow.com TOOLBOX “These funds are going to be essential.” DANIEL DREIFUSS
www.montereycountynow.com AUGUST 28-SEPTEMBER 3, 2025 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 13 We are honored and look forward to working with you to support your pets best health and quality of life. 1023 Austin Avenue, Pacific Grove • 831-318-0306 • www.pacificgroveanimalhospital.com ’24 ’23 ’22 ’21 Four years in a row! A Gold Certified Cat Friendly Practice montereycountynow.com/bestof BEST OF MONTEREY COUNTY® 2024 XX We are honored and look forward to working with you to support your pets best health and quality of life. 1023 Austin Avenue, Pacific Grove • 831-318-0306 • www.pacificgroveanimalhospital.com ’24 ’23 ’22 ’21 Four years in a row! A Gold Certified Cat Friendly Practice montereycountynow.com/bestof BEST OF MONTEREY COUNTY® 2024 XX We are honored and look forward to working with you to support your pets best health and quality of life. 1023 Austin Avenue, Pacific Grove • 831-318-0306 • www.pacificgroveanimalhospital.com ’24 ’23 ’22 ’21 Four years in a row! A Gold Certified Cat Friendly Practice montereycountynow.com/bestof BEST OF MONTEREY COUNTY® 2024 XX PACIFIC GROVE ANIMAL HOSPITAL Thank You So Much for Voting Us BEST VETERINARIAN Dr. Brynie Kaplan Dau, MS, DVM SURGERY • DERMATOLOGY • FELINE AND CANINE MEDICINE PREVENTATIVE CARE • REGENERATIVE MEDICINE, PRP (PLATELET-RICH PLASMA) • LASER THERAPY • EXOTICS AND MUCH MORE – CONTINUITY OF CARE – NOW SEEING URGENT CARE+CASES We are honored and look forward to working with you to support your pets best health and quality of life. 1023 Austin Avenue, Pacific Grove • 831-318-0306 • www.pacificgroveanimalhospital.com ’24 ’23 ’22 ’21 Four years in a row! A Gold Certified Cat Friendly Practice montereycountynow.com/bestof BEST OF MONTEREY COUNTY® 2024 XX We are honored and look forward to working with you to support your pets best health and quality of life. 1023 Austin Avenue, Pacific Grove • 831-318-0306 • www.pacificgroveanimalhospital.com ’24 ’23 ’22 ’21 Four years in a row! A Gold Certified Cat Friendly Practice montereycountynow.com/bestof BEST OF MONTEREY COUNTY® 2024 XX We are honored and look forward to working with you to support your pets best health and quality of life. 1023 Austin Avenue, Pacific Grove • 831-318-0306 • www.pacificgroveanimalhospital.com ’24 ’23 ’22 ’21 Four years in a row! A Gold Certified Cat Friendly Practice montereycountynow.com/bestof BEST OF MONTEREY COUNTY® 2024 XX PACIFIC GROVE ANIMAL HOSPITAL Thank You So Much for Voting Us BEST VETERINARIAN Dr. Brynie Kaplan Dau, MS, DVM SURGERY • DERMATOLOGY • FELINE AND CANINE MEDICINE PREVENTATIVE CARE • REGENERATIVE MEDICINE, PRP (PLATELET-RICH PLASMA) • LASER THERAPY • EXOTICS AND MUCH MORE – CONTINUITY OF CARE – NOW SEEING URGENT CARE+CASES We are honored and look forward to working with you to support your pets best health and quality of life. 1023 Austin Avenue, Pacific Grove • 831-318-0306 • www.pacificgroveanimalhospital.com ’24 ’23 ’22 ’21 Four years in a row! 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A Gold Certified Cat Friendly Practice montereycountynow.com/bestof BEST OF MONTEREY COUNTY® 2024 XX PACIFIC GROVE ANIMAL HOSPITAL Thank You So Much for Voting Us BEST VETERINARIAN Dr. Brynie Kaplan Dau, MS, DVM SURGERY • DERMATOLOGY • FELINE AND CANINE MEDICINE PREVENTATIVE CARE • REGENERATIVE MEDICINE, PRP (PLATELET-RICH PLASMA) • LASER THERAPY • EXOTICS AND MUCH MORE – CONTINUITY OF CARE – NOW SEEING URGENT CARE+CASES We are honored and look forward to working with you to support your pets best health and quality of life. 023 Austin Avenue, Pacific Grove • 831-318-0306 • www.pacificgroveanimalhospital.com ’24 ’23 ’22 ’21 Four years in a row! A Gold Certified Cat Friendly Practice tynow.com/bestof BEST OF MONTEREY COUNTY® 2024 XX We are honored and look forward to working ith you to support your pets best health and quality of life. 023 Austin Avenue, Pacific Grove • 831-318-0306 • www.pacificgroveanimalhospital.com ’24 ’23 ’22 ’21 Four years in a row! 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A Gold Certified Cat Friendly Practice montereycountynow.com/bestof BEST OF MONTEREY COUNTY® 2024 XX PACIFIC GROVE ANIMAL HOSPITAL Thank You So Much for Voting Us BEST VETERINARIAN Dr. Brynie Kaplan Dau, MS, DVM SURGERY • DERMATOLOGY • FELINE AND CANINE MEDICINE PREVENTATIVE CARE • REGENERATIVE MEDICINE, PRP (PLATELET-RICH PLASMA) • LASER THERAPY • EXOTICS AND MUCH MORE – CONTINUITY OF CARE – NOW SEEING URGENT CARE+CASES We are honored and look forward to working with you to support your pets best health and quality of life. • 831-318-0306 • www.pacificgroveanimalhospital.com ’23 ’22 ’21 A Gold Certified Cat Friendly Practice montereycountynow.com/bestof BEST OF MONTEREY COUNTY® 2024 XX and look forward to working with you to support your pets best health and quality of life. 1023 Austin Avenue, Pacific Grove • 831-318-0306 • www.pacificgroveanimalhospital.com ’24 ’23 ’22 ’21 in a row! A Gold Certified Cat Friendly Practice montereycountynow.com/bestof BEST OF MONTEREY COUNTY® 2024 XX We are honored and look forward to working with you to support your pets best health and quality of life. 1023 Austin Avenue, Pacific Grove • 831-318-0306 • www.pacificgroveanimalhospital.com ’23 ’22 ’21 A Gold Certified Cat Friendly Practice montereycountynow.com/bestof BEST OF MONTEREY COUNTY® 2024 XX Dr. Brynie Kaplan Dau, MS, DVM SURGERY • DERMATOLOGY • FELINE AND CANINE MEDICINE PREVENTATIVE CARE • REGENERATIVE MEDICINE, PRP (PLATELET-RICH PLASMA) • LASER THERAPY • EXOTICS AND MUCH MORE – CONTINUITY OF CARE – NOW SEEING URGENT CARE+CASES We are honored and look forward to working with you to support your pets best health and quality of life. 1023 Austin Avenue, Pacific Grove • 831-318-0306 • www.pacificgroveanimalhospital.com ’23 ’22 ’21 A Gold Certified Cat Friendly Practice montereycountynow.com/bestof BEST OF MONTEREY COUNTY® 2024 XX and look forward to working with you to support your pets best health and quality of life. 1023 Austin Avenue, Pacific Grove • 831-318-0306 • www.pacificgroveanimalhospital.com ’23 ’22 ’21 in a row! A Gold Certified Cat Friendly Practice montereycountynow.com/bestof BEST OF MONTEREY COUNTY® 2024 XX We are honored and look forward to working with you to support your pets best health and quality of life. 1023 Austin Avenue, Pacific Grove • 831-318-0306 • www.pacificgroveanimalhospital.com ’23 ’22 ’21 A Gold Certified Cat Friendly Practice montereycountynow.com/bestof BEST OF MONTEREY COUNTY® 2024 XX Dr. Brynie Kaplan Dau, MS, DVM SURGERY • DERMATOLOGY • FELINE AND CANINE MEDICINE PREVENTATIVE CARE • REGENERATIVE MEDICINE, PRP (PLATELET-RICH PLASMA) • LASER THERAPY • EXOTICS AND MUCH MORE – CONTINUITY OF CARE – NOW SEEING URGENT CARE CASES We are honored and look forward to working with you to support your pets best health and quality of life. 1023 Austin Avenue, Pacific Grove • 831-318-0306 • www.pacificgroveanimalhospital.com ’23 ’22 ’21 A Gold Certified Cat Friendly Practice montereycountynow.com/bestof BEST OF MONTEREY COUNTY® 2024 XX We are honored and look forward to working with you to support your pets best health and quality of life. 1023 Austin Avenue, Pacific Grove • 831-318-0306 • www.pacificgroveanimalhospital.com ’23 ’22 ’21 in a row! A Gold Certified Cat Friendly Practice montereycountynow.com/bestof BEST OF MONTEREY COUNTY® 2024 XX We are honored and look forward to working with you to support your pets best health and quality of life. 1023 Austin Avenue, Pacific Grove • 831-318-0306 • www.pacificgroveanimalhospital.com ’23 ’22 ’21 A Gold Certified Cat Friendly Practice montereycountynow.com/bestof BEST OF MONTEREY COUNTY® 2024 XX Dr. Brynie Kaplan Dau, MS, DVM SURGERY • DERMATOLOGY • FELINE AND CANINE MEDICINE PREVENTATIVE CARE • REGENERATIVE MEDICINE, PRP (PLATELET-RICH PLASMA) • LASER THERAPY • EXOTICS AND MUCH MORE – CONTINUITY OF CARE – NOW SEEING URGENT CARE CASES We are honored and look forward to working with you to support your pets best health and quality of life. 1023 Austin Avenue, Pacific Grove • 831-318-0306 • www.pacificgroveanimalhospital.com ’24 ’23 ’22 ’21 Four years in a row! 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A Gold Certified Cat Friendly Practice montereycountynow.com/bestof BEST OF MONTEREY COUNTY® 2024 XX PACIFIC GROVE ANIMAL HOSPITAL Thank You So Much for Voting Us BEST VETERINARIAN Dr. Brynie Kaplan Dau, MS, DVM SURGERY • DERMATOLOGY • FELINE AND CANINE MEDICINE PREVENTATIVE CARE • REGENERATIVE MEDICINE, PRP (PLATELET-RICH PLASMA) • LASER THERAPY • EXOTICS AND MUCH MORE – CONTINUITY OF CARE – NOW SEEING URGENT CARE+CASES and look forward to working with you to support your pets best health and quality of life. 1023 Austin Avenue, Pacific Grove • 831-318-0306 • www.pacificgroveanimalhospital.com ’23 ’22 ’21 Four years in a row! A Gold Certified Cat Friendly Practice montereycountynow.com/bestof BEST OF MONTEREY COUNTY® 2024 XX and look forward to working with you to support your pets best health and quality of life. 1023 Austin Avenue, Pacific Grove • 831-318-0306 • www.pacificgroveanimalhospital.com ’23 ’22 ’21 Four years in a row! 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14 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY AUGUST 28-SEPTEMBER 3, 2025 www.montereycountynow.com When Nancy Runyon bought her house in New Monterey in 1998, she imagined retiring there. Planes were not something she thought about—they occasionally flew by, no big deal. But she started noticing an uptick in flight traffic over her house in 2019. Though she didn’t realize it at the time, it was because the Federal Aviation Administration had implemented its NextGen air system that, among other things, altered flight paths. She realized her house was now in the “instrument flight path,” where planes have to rely entirely on their instruments as they approach the runway when it’s socked in by clouds, which is often. She says planes “fill the sky” above her house on a regular basis as they’re coming out of the fog bank. “I’ve lost a lot of sleep over this, because of plane noise, but also because of worry,” Runyon says. “I usually don’t go to bed until the last plane has landed.” Over the past couple of years, Runyon and a group of New Monterey residents formed the Monterey Fly Safe Coalition to organize and exert pressure on the Monterey Peninsula Airport District board to mitigate the problem. Through Public Records Act requests, MFSC resurfaced three ordinances, two passed in December 1978 and one in January 1979, that collectively purport to limit the airport’s hours and regulate altitudes and touch-and-go landings, the latter coming from flight school planes. Upon review, MPAD Counsel Scott Huber determined the three ordinances were preempted by federal law, and that parts of them were unconstitutional—the federal government has total control of U.S. airspace—and therefore, they were unenforceable and should be taken off the books. In a presentation to the MPAD board in July, Huber said he could find no evidence the ordinances had ever been enforced, therefore, repealing them would not require any environmental review—there would be no impact. The board voted unanimously in July to repeal the ordinances, but it takes two rounds of votes to do so. The second vote was scheduled for Aug. 20, but MFSC sent a letter Aug. 18 asking the board not to repeal the ordinances, and asserted doing so requires environmental review. The letter threatens litigation, and includes a separate, two-page list of concerns about airport operations. MPAD’s board wanted to give the airport’s staff time to respond to each of MFSC’s concerns, so they pushed the intended second vote to a special meeting scheduled for Friday, Aug. 29. “I think we should try to get it done next week and get it put to bed,” board member Mary Ann Leffel said. But MFSC followed up with a letter on Aug. 22 asking that the special meeting be delayed. For one, MFSC’s attorney couldn’t be present, and two, there was no urgency for a special meeting to repeal ordinances from 1978 and 1979, the group wrote. The second vote is now scheduled for an MPAD board meeting on Wednesday, Sept. 17. Eyes on Skies Seeking relief from constant plane traffic, a group of Monterey residents have lawyered up. By David Schmalz The FAA’s NextGen system changed flight paths at Monterey Regional Airport, affecting New Monterey resident Nancy Runyon. “I can’t just let this happen to me,” she says. NEWS “I’ve lost a lot of sleep over this.” DANIEL DREIFUSS GIFT One GET One MONTEREY LANES 2161 N. Fremont St., Monterey 373.1553 VALLEY CENTER BOWL 1081 S. Main Street, Salinas 422.9031 STOP IN TODAY AND RELIEVE THAT HOLIDAY STRESS! *Promotional gift card valid 1/2/15-3/31/15. Not valid for alcohol of for league fees. is Holiday Season, spread a little cheer …and keep some for yourself! Buy $100 worth of gift cards and get a $20 Promotional Gift Card FREE* Buy $50 worth of gift cards and get a $10 Promotional Gift Card FREE* Give the perfect gi that can be enjoyed by everyone on your holiday list, PLUS get a gi card for yourself! MONTEREY LANES 2161 N. Fremont St., Monterey 373.1553 VALLEY CENTER BOWL 1081 S. Main Street, Salinas 422.9031
www.montereycountynow.com AUGUST 28-SEPTEMBER 3, 2025 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 15 A grant program meant to lift Monterey County’s young adults out of homelessness over the past year was held up for months after the original agency in charge of the program left the county, followed by federal uncertainty that ensued after President Donald Trump took office in January. It’s now safely in the hands of the City of Soledad, but with only a few months left to expend over $1.6 million in funds to those in need. “It’s a very tight deadline,” says Beatriz Trujillo, Soledad’s community and economic development director. “We’re going to do our best to get as much money out the door as possible.” The Youth Homelessness Demonstration Program grant (YHDP), awarded through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, is designed to assist eligible “transition-aged” young adults, including those with children. The grant money can be used for rental assistance, rapid rehousing costs and covering basic household expenses. It can also be used by the city for program costs and case management. The services are available to any eligible adult between the ages of 18-24 in Monterey County. Oakland-based nonprofit Bay Area Community Services was originally awarded the grant of around $2.4 million in 2022. At the time, BACS was operating the SHARE Center, a homeless shelter in Salinas, co-owned by the County of Monterey and City of Salinas. The city and county awarded a management contract to BACS in 2021 as the SHARE Center’s first operator. Cracks in the relationship between BACS and the city and county appeared in 2023, with city and county officials raising concerns, according to a CalMatters investigation published in February. After the BACS contract ended in June 2024, the city and county awarded a new contract to Monterey-based Community Human Services to operate the center. With BACS leaving the county, it was unclear what would become of what was left of the YHDP grant. As a solution was being hammered out, the Department of Government Efficiency launched, throwing doubt on whether the funds would be available at all. HUD eventually gave the go-ahead to transfer the money, and a sub-recipient agreement was worked out between BACS and Soledad. The South County city was chosen in part because former BACS employee Kimberly Herrera was hired as Soledad’s homeless services coordinator and had previously administered the grant. The Soledad City Council voted on July 2 to approve administration of the program. It’s no small commitment, says Soledad City Manager Megan Hunter. The city must spend the money up front, then seek reimbursement from HUD. “Soledad is proving that we really want to provide housing at all levels of affordability, including the deepest levels,” Hunter says. A YHDP pre-screening application is available at bit.ly/soledad-yhdp. More information is available at 223-5179 or programs@cityofsoledad.gov. Out of Limbo Money to help young adults facing homelessness is finally available after delay and uncertainty. By Pam Marino The City of Soledad team has just four more months to distribute grant money to young adults facing homelessness. From left to right: Beatriz Trujillo, Megan Hunter and Kimberly Herrera. NEWS “We’re going to get as much money out the door as possible.” DANIEL DREIFUSS Vista Harden Ranch Senior Living is a stunning, locally owned, vibrant community in the heart of Salinas that offers: Independent Living, Assisted Living, and Memory Care. 290 Regency Circle, Salinas CA 93906 VistaHardenRanch.com • (831) 443-6467 Want to find out more? Call us today! We would be happy to schedule a personal tour Seaside’s Premier European Auto Service Experts and Dealership Alternative (831) 230-8031 Monday – Friday 8:00am - 5:30pm 684 Ponderosa St, Seaside, CA 93955 www.MarlowMotorWerks.com Proudly servicing Mercedes, Sprinter, BMW, Audi and Land Rover with precision and passion!
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