6 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY SEPTEMBER 11-17, 2025 www.montereycountynow.com THE BUZZ FREE SPEECH A federal appeals court rejected President Donald Trump’s attempt to have a defamation case against him thrown out on Monday, Sept. 8. In early 2024, a jury found that Trump must pay $83.3 million to columnist E. Jean Carroll for repeated social media attacks and other statements, after she accused him of sexual assault in her 2019 memoir. After the U.S. Supreme Court granted expanded presidential immunity in 2024, Trump sought a new trial. But the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals disagreed, calling the damages awards “fair and reasonable.” A spokesperson for Trump called the case a “witch hunt” and “Democrat-funded travesty,” while Carroll’s attorney Roberta Kaplan told the Associated Press the decision affirmed that “Carroll was telling the truth, and that President Donald Trump was not.” It is likely that Trump will now ask the Supreme Court to weigh in on the decision. Good: A massive blank wall in the heart of Pajaro will soon become a vibrant display of the small agricultural town’s identity. Salinas-based Hijos del Sol, headed up by artist José Ortiz, has been chosen to create a mural on the side of an industrial building on the 400 block of Salinas Road. The 160-by-25-foot mural will feature a woman rising from the Pajaro River, standing against a backdrop of farmland and mountains. The mural is funded by Assembly Bill 102, which allocated $20 million to the County of Monterey to help Pajaro recover from the 2023 flood. Through the Community Foundation for Monterey County, nonprofit Community Bridges received funding, and directed $30,000 toward the mural project. Hijos del Sol was also awarded $45,000. “Like birds, the people of Pajaro have grown wings to fly, and we are honored to bring forth this mural as a reflection of their strength, beauty and hope,” Ortiz said. GREAT: Rural hospitals are facing immense challenges, but despite those challenges, the Mee Memorial Healthcare System in King City is working toward expanding its offerings. On Sept. 4, MMHS officials announced Mee is the first hospital in California to introduce a full-body X-ray and fluoroscopy imaging system, part of the modernizing of the diagnostic imaging department. “Bringing this groundbreaking technology to Mee Memorial is a remarkable milestone,” CEO Rena Salamacha said. “It shows that rural hospitals can be leaders in innovation, bringing world-class care to patients right here in their own community.” The next phase of renovations includes adding a state-of-the-art CT scanner and a new mammography system. The hospital is also renovating its emergency department. GOOD WEEK / GREAT WEEK THE WEEKLY TALLY That’s how much money has been secured for Monterey County children under CalKIDS, a children’s savings account program launched by the State of California in 2022. A total of $33 million has been set aside for Monterey County, with 25 percent of eligible children so far registered. Source: Hartnell College Foundation $9,327,350 QUOTE OF THE WEEK “We are not going to back down on this one.” -Monterey Assistant City Attorney Karin Krattli, after the city refused to pay out the plaintiff in a 2022 slip-and-fall lawsuit. A jury found the city was not at fault on Aug. 27 (see story, montereycountynow.com).
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