OCTOBER 9-15, 2025 MONTEREYCOUNTYNOW.COM LOCAL & INDEPENDENT GET WORDY 8 | ADDRESS THE MATTER 12 | KEEPER OF THE FIELD 36 | HAPPY TIMES 38 FIRST PLACE GENERAL EXCELLENCE • 2025 CA JOURNALISM AWARDS • ’25 BEST OF MONTEREY COUNTY® GAME TIME Local leaders reveal if they’ve bent the rules while playing their favorite childhood games. p. 20 INSIDE RESULTS OF OUR ANNUAL READERS’ POLL
2 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY OCTOBER 9-15, 2025 www.montereycountynow.com THANK YOU Senator John Laird for your leadership to advance energy affordability and cut pollution. Paid for by EDF Action MRY Metamorphosis Open House Y u e Invi ed OCTOBER 22, 2025 Wednesday 4:30–6:30 p.m. Monterey Regional Airport Location Details: 200 Fred Kane Drive Monterey, California 93940 Learn the latest updates to the airport's Safety Enhancement Program. Speak directly with subject-matter experts and sign up for a tour of the construction site. RSVP for the open house and a tour of the construction progress by October 17. montereyairport.com/event/open-house DO YOU WANT TO GO INSIDE PRISON AND LEARN WITH THE INCARCERATED? Members from the public engage in weekly discussions with inmates, sharing life stories related to empathy-building topics. Anyone over 18 is welcome to join! Come by the Transformative Justice Center! 439 Tyler Street, Monterey Offered Mondays from 4pm-6pm over 8-week cycles at CTF Soledad Prison - a voluntary commitment is required. Contact Program Director – Megan McDrew for more information and to sign up. Space is very limited! mmcdrew@transformativejusticecenter.org TransformativeJusticeCenter.org
www.montereycountynow.com OCTOBER 9-15, 2025 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 3 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. Rich Aiello SVP Regional President Sun Shine Hohman VP Deposit Relationship Manager Chris Illig SVP Senior Relationship Manager Member FDIC Equal Housing Lender v
4 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY OCTOBER 9-15, 2025 www.montereycountynow.com OCTOBER 9-15, 2025 • ISSUE #1941 • ESTABLISHED IN 1988 William Liss (iPhone 14) Natural wonders in the sky and on land greet these bicyclists during a late afternoon ride with the Monterey Off Road Cycling Association (MORCA) on Fort Ord National Monument. MONTEREY COUNTY PHOTO OF THE WEEK Send Etc. submissions to etcphoto@montereycountynow.com; please include caption and camera info. On the cover: As one of the most popular board games of all time, Monopoly features throughout the cover story, in which local leaders tell of their favorite games, as well as in this year’s Best Of Monterey County readers’ poll, inserted inside. The theme to this year’s Best Of issue is games. Cover image: Daniel Dreifuss etc. Copyright © 2025 by Milestone Communications Inc. 668 Williams Ave., Seaside, California 93955 (telephone 831-394-5656). All rights reserved. Monterey County Weekly, the Best of Monterey County and the Best of Monterey Bay are registered trademarks. No person, without prior permission from the publisher, may take more than one copy of each issue. Additional copies and back issues may be purchased for $1, plus postage. Mailed subscriptions: $300 yearly, prepaid. The Weekly is an adjudicated newspaper of Monterey County, court decree M21137. The Weekly assumes no responsibility for unsolicited materials. Visit our website at http://www.montereycountynow. com. Audited by CVC. FOUNDER & CEO Bradley Zeve bradley@montereycountynow.com (x103) PUBLISHER Erik Cushman erik@montereycountynow.com (x125) EDITORIAL EDITOR Sara Rubin sara@montereycountynow.com (x120) ASSOCIATE EDITOR Erik Chalhoub ec@montereycountynow.com (x135) FEATURES EDITOR Dave Faries dfaries@montereycountynow.com (x110) STAFF WRITER Celia Jiménez celia@montereycountynow.com (x145) STAFF WRITER Pam Marino pam@montereycountynow.com (x106) STAFF WRITER Agata Pope¸da (x138) aga@montereycountynow.com STAFF WRITER Katie Rodriguez (California Local News Fellow) katie@montereycountynow.com (x102) STAFF WRITER David Schmalz david@montereycountynow.com (x104) STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Daniel Dreifuss daniel@montereycountynow.com (x140) DIGITAL PRODUCER Sloan Campi sloan@montereycountynow.com (x105) CONTRIBUTORS Nik Blaskovich, Rob Brezsny, Robert Daniels, Tonia Eaton, Paul Fried, Jesse Herwitz, Jacqueline Weixel, Paul Wilner CARTOONS Rob Rogers, Tom Tomorrow PRODUCTION ART DIRECTOR/PRODUCTION MANAGER Karen Loutzenheiser karen@montereycountynow.com (x108) GRAPHIC DESIGNER Kevin Jewell kevinj@montereycountynow.com (x114) GRAPHIC DESIGNER Annie Cobb annie@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 OCTOBER 9-15, 2025 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 5 Salinas Valley Health Nancy Ausonio Breast Health Center | 240 San Jose Street, Salinas | 831-759-3091 Call today for more information or to schedule an appointment. At our breast health center, you’ll be met by our experienced, compassionate team who offer the utmost care and support in a warm and relaxing environment. Our advanced breast imaging and diagnostic technologies give you the most accurate results possible. In partnership with your physician, we provide complete, personalized care every step of the way. For more information, talk with your doctor or reach out to our experts at Salinas Valley Health Nancy Ausonio Breast Health Center, a Designated Comprehensive Breast Imaging Center. SalinasValleyHealth.com/mammography For more information, scan the QR code. Awareness is power. Early detection can save lives. Schedule your annual mammography screening today. Celebrating our dedicated mammography team during Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
6 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY OCTOBER 9-15, 2025 www.montereycountynow.com THE BUZZ FREE SPEECH Mario Guevara, the Spanish-language journalist who was arrested while covering an Atlanta protest against President Donald Trump, was deported Oct. 3 to El Salvador after more than 100 days in immigration detention. Despite all charges being dismissed and having authorization to live and work in the United States, according to his attorneys, the Department of Homeland Security contended he was in the country illegally. Guevara was livestreaming a “No Kings” rally on June 14 when police arrested him for allegedly failing to disperse. “The only thing that journalists like Guevara threaten is the government’s chokehold on information it doesn’t want the public to know,” said Seth Stern, director of advocacy for the Freedom of the Press Foundation. “That’s why he’s being deported and why federal agents are assaulting and arresting journalists around the country.” Meanwhile, a group of Chicago journalists joined others in suing the Trump administration for reportedly violating reporters’ First Amendment rights as they cover activities at an immigration detention center. The suit claims there are “acts of brutality by federal officers too numerous to catalogue.” Good: When a loved one is ill or dies, support for patients and their families can be crucial. Enter Central Coast Visiting Nurse Association and Hospice, which has been providing that support to local families for more than 74 years. Recently the VNA received a $200,000 grant from the Hospice Giving Foundation to strengthen its hospice and palliative care programs, with an emphasis on outreach to the Latino community, as well as expanded bereavement services and caregiver self-care education. The VNA also plans on introducing new services to patients such as music therapy, acupuncture and a virtual reality platform, all with a goal of enhancing the well-being of the people the organization serves. The grant “ensures our patients and families receive not only the highest quality of medical care, but also additional emotional, spiritual and cultural support they deserve,” said Jane Russo, VNA’s CEO. GREAT: The Salinas Regional Soccer Complex has completed another milestone: removing arsenic-contaminated soil, paving the way for its expansion. “Now we have the opportunity to build something that will create lasting benefits—from youth development and health to economic vitality—for Monterey County,” said Jonathan De Anda, SRSC’s manager. The complex will add seven full-size soccer fields and sand courts for sand soccer and sand volleyball. With the expansion, SRSC will be the largest facility of its kind between Los Angeles and San Francisco. The soil project took six years to complete and had a $2 million price tag. Part of the funding for the project, $1.1 million, comes from the state’s Equitable Community Revitalization Grant. The remediation involved scraping 12 inches of soil from the area and replacing it with clean soil to make the site suitable for recreational use. GOOD WEEK / GREAT WEEK THE WEEKLY TALLY That’s the square footage of an upcoming Ace Hardware store, which recently signed a lease to open in a vacant storefront in Laguna Plaza at 1130 Fremont Blvd. in Seaside. The location has been empty since Outdoor World closed during the pandemic in 2020. Source: Economic Development Director Jose Bazua, Oct. 2 Seaside City Council meeting 10,000 QUOTE OF THE WEEK “The reality is dire, the reality is stark.” -Monterey County Supervisor Wendy Root Askew, after the board received a report on the health care impacts from the “One Big Beautiful Bill” (see story, montereycountynow.com). HEATABLE EATABLES! ELROY’S PRESENTS @ELROYSFINEFOODS WWW.ELROYSFINEFOODS.COM 15 SOLEDAD DRIVE (831) 373-3737 MONTEREY, CA 93940 TANTALIZING TRANSYLVANIA TICKET=$140 EACH (1 TICKET SERVES TWO PEOPLE) To place your order visit www.elroysfinefoods.com or scan this QR CODE! Quantities are limited, so order soon! From Elroy’s Fine Foods Executive Chef & Culinary Director David Hardie A pre-ordered, fully prepared meal to heat & eat at home. Offered on the last Thursday of every month. GLOBALLY INSPIRED & LOCALLY SOURCED ZACUSCA Charred eggplant, tomato, and pepper dip served with a baguette (DIP - GF, VEGAN) (BAGUETTE - CONTAINS: GLUTEN) CIORBA ARDELENEASCA DE PORC Sour soup with smoked pork, tomatoes, tarragon, and sour cream (GF, CONTAINS: DAIRY) MITITEI Garlicky pork, lamb, and beef sausage (GF, DF) BALMOS Creamy polenta with cheese & sour cream (GF, CONTAINS: DAIRY) SAREMALE Stuffed cabbages with pork, sauerkraut, and grape leaves topped with cultured cream (GF, CONTAINS: DAIRY) CIOLAN AFUMAT CU FASOLE Braised smoked pork shank with white beans & tomatoes (GF, CONTAINS: DAIRY) HENCLES A sweetened leavened dough with a creamy custard, and apples & grapes (CONTAINS: GLUTEN, DAIRY) All items will also be available à la carte for purchase at the Prepared Foods counter on Thursday, 10/30 until sold out! *ORDER BY: THURSDAY, 10/23 PICK UP: THURSDAY, 10/30 NEXT MONTH: THANKSGIVING DINNER! * *
www.montereycountynow.com OCTOBER 9-15, 2025 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 7 60% of the Monterey Peninsula’s drinking water will now be provided by Pure Water Monterey. Thank you to everyone who has worked so hard to make a sustainable recycled water supply a reality on the Peninsula for decades to come. MPWMD.NET MORE WATER as PROMISED Pure Water Monterey Expansion OnTime,On Budget,On Line Next Week
8 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY OCTOBER 9-15, 2025 www.montereycountynow.com 831 Bruce Sterten has many television and board games to his name—Jumping to Conclusions, Rapid Recall and 25 Words or Less, just to name a few, with the latter now in its seventh season as a televised game show. Yet, the Carmel Valley inventor doesn’t play board games that much. He’d rather be making them. “I was never really a board game fanatic, nor am I today,” Sterten says. “I enjoy creating.” He loves puzzles, and uses that same mindset when it comes to developing his games. First, the idea must not have been done before, or rather, it should be a unique variation on something based in the familiar. Sterten notes, “It’s hard to create something totally new.” He’ll sketch out an idea on a legal pad (one of which came to him in his sleep one night), and then test the concept with neighbors and friends around the living room table. Once he incorporates feedback, and feels that he has a “pretty solid game,” then he’ll reach out to the marketplace and pitch the game to major distributors such as Hasbro or Mattel. If a company does pick it up, it will run its own tests and determine if the game is ready for prime time. Then, the market will decide. “Once they hit the market, some sell well, some don’t,” Sterten says. For Sterten, all of his games must have one thing in common: a communal aspect. “I like games where you can sit around the table and laugh and joke and be interactive with each other,” he says. In 25 Words or Less, two players on different teams must get their teammates to guess five words by using clues. Yet the clues are limited to 25 words or less, hence the title. (Sterten notes he developed the game by creating the title first.) In the television show, hosted by Meredith Vieira, two celebrities face off with their teams of two contestants, betting on how few words they will need. On a recent episode, for example, American Ninja Warrior host Matt Iseman’s team guessed four out of the five answers using only 10 words. Sterten says he discovered his penchant for creating games while working in the television industry. He first worked for ABC’s Wide World of Sports in 1968, and later landed a job with Chuck Barris’ television game show company, learning about what it takes to develop TV games. In the early ’80s, he created the original game of Taboo as a TV game show. That version of Taboo never made it to air. It was later licensed to a board game developer who later sold it to Milton Bradley (Hasbro). Sterten, who moved his young family to Carmel Valley in 1989, eventually retired as the vice president of development at Dick Clark Productions— although he never fully retired, as he’s still active in game development and television today. With the advent of the internet and smartphones, people can play games from the palm of their hand, wherever they may be, without having to worry about losing all the small pieces that may come with a board game. As a result, the industry has changed, Sterten says, adding that while he has thought about developing a digital game, he never pursued it. “The market for board games, although still large, is more of a struggle to get product out there,” he says. “There’s all that competition for people’s time.” Sterten says he decided early on that he didn’t want to be a manufacturer of board games, and inherit the headaches and financial pressures that come with it. It’s among the advice he gives to inventors: focus on creating. “Make sure your idea is original,” he says. “Go into stores and look at what’s on the shelves, what’s been done before and what hasn’t been done before.” Game companies are always looking for new ideas, Sterten notes, advising to start small. And the ideas are there— it’s difficult to come up with something unique, yet “every year a game comes out that seems to be original. Whether it takes off, you just don’t know.” Sterten pauses when he’s asked if any of the games he’s developed stand out as his favorite. “At the time I’m developing a game, they’re my favorite kid,” he says. Word Games A Carmel Valley game inventor brings people together with his creations. By Erik Chalhoub “I like games where you sit around the table and laugh.” TALES FROM THE AREA CODE COURTESY OF BRUCE STERTEN Bruce Sterten stands with some of the board games that he’s developed over the years. Although retired, the Carmel Valley resident remains active in the television and game industries. CLAIM YOUR BOOTH! EXHIBITOR REGISTRATION NOW OPEN Connecting businesses throughout Monterey County THURSDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2025 1:00 PM - 4:30 PM DEL MONTE SHOPPING CENTER EXPO BUSINESS monterey bay 2025 PRESENTED BY REGISTER NOW AT MONTEREYCHAMBER.COM
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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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10 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY OCTOBER 9-15, 2025 www.montereycountynow.com NEWS The nonprofit National Steinbeck Center has gone without an executive director position since the pandemic began in 2020. About nine months ago, the board brought on John Holland on an interim basis—first for 90 days, extended twice—only to realize maybe they had been too optimistic. “Financially we are not quite there yet,” says Steve Emerson, board president. Holland’s last day was Sept. 30, and he is already diving into a new effort. He is planning to launch a nonprofit called The Steinbeck Experience centered on Cannery Row in Monterey, hoping to draw tourists in larger numbers than visit the Steinbeck Center in Salinas. “Everyone would say to me: The Steinbeck Center really needs to be in Monterey,” he says. As a docent at Pacific Biological Laboratories (where Steinbeck hung out with Ed Ricketts, among others), Holland sees the volume of tourists who show up for a tour. Even during peak tourist season, a Saturday at the venue now named One Main Street in Salinas might draw just two dozen visitors. He hopes to launch walking tours in Monterey as early as late October. He’s looking for a space to lease from Cannery Row Co. starting in 2026, with aspirations to grow and to include digital components, including virtual reality. He expects all offerings to be free. The concept is a “huband-spoke” model, in which institutions like the Steinbeck Center in Salinas (also home to Steinbeck’s archives) and the Western Flyer Foundation, among others, would be engaged as “spokes,” focused on experiences instead of exhibits. “The ultimate vision is to be the un-museum,” Holland says. Plot Points National Steinbeck Center’s former interim director strikes out to start a new nonprofit. By Sara Rubin On Tuesday, Sept. 30, the Marina City Council held a special meeting to review its 2010 policy on rents in Preston Park and Abrams Park, two former military housing developments the city inherited from the closure of Fort Ord. The issue: annual rent increases for long-term residents since then have been capped at 3 percent or the Consumer Price Index, whichever is lower, creating an increasing disparity with newer residents. The City Council has been discussing closing that gap for more than two years. Hanging over it all is the desire to find the money to build a proper City Hall and a new fire and police station, estimates of which have run over $50 million, but there is no real plan yet proposed. (In November 2024, Marina voters rejected Measure U, a $50 million bond measure to fund facilities for police, fire and the city.) The meeting also included an update on the loan coming due for Preston Park—the city was initially only given a 50-percent share of Preston Park in 1998, and the other 50 percent was held by the Fort Ord Reuse Authority. The City of Marina bought out FORA’s share in 2015 for $35 million, the loan for which is coming due next February. The meeting got off to an unusual start when City Manager Layne Long announced that, because he is a tenant at Abrams Park, he would be stepping out of the meeting. Mayor Bruce Delgado then introduced Finance Director Tori Hannah (who started with the city in June 2024 after coming over from Pacific Grove) and said she was acting city manager when Long was “out of town.” Hannah then delivered a 20-plus-minute presentation, mostly about the granular details of rental rates, the delta between long-time tenants and newer ones, and how much revenue the city could potentially capture. Toward the end, she got into the refinancing options for the $35 million Preston Park loan based on information she had gotten from consultants, and explained the options, which she had laid out in a table. The takeaway was that the city has been setting aside money for years to repay the loan, and has $13 million in the coffers for it. In three scenarios Hannah laid out for repaying the loan, the city could own Preston Park in 30 years, free and clear, while keeping the same debt payments and rent structure. Those scenarios include using the previously earmarked $13 million and instead putting it toward city facilities. Currently, Preston Park is feeding about $2 million annually into the city’s general fund, and there’s nearly $2 million more coming in above expenses. Former councilmember Gail Morton, who also served on the FORA board and has institutional knowledge of the properties, pointed this out to the council—she thought the council was “piggybacking” the refinancing issue with the rent stabilization, when in fact they aren’t related except in that they involve Preston Park. Public comment, all opposed to rent increases, lasted nearly an hour, and the council deliberated for nearly another two. Toward the end, Delgado asked, “Staff, how are you sensing our direction?” Hannah said some of it was “a little unclear.” Ultimately, nothing was decided. Preston Park (above) and Abrams Park provide a combined 548 city-owned housing units in Marina. City Council is now questioning a 2010 rent stabilization policy. All Talk Seeking revenue, Marina City Council discusses rent increases at Preston and Abrams developments. By David Schmalz “We have the bronze, but where’s the experience?” John Holland says of the John Steinbeck monument on Cannery Row. He hopes to bring the experience to the busy tourist area. The city could own Preston Park in 30 years, free and clear. DANIEL DREIFUSS STEVE SOUZA
www.montereycountynow.com OCTOBER 9-15, 2025 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 11 The McIntyres like to give where they live through their donor advised and company charitable funds. Create your giving plan. We can help. Donor Advised Funds • IRA Charitable Distributions • Charitable Estate Planning (CGAs, CRTs) • Family Philanthropy • Scholarships & More 831.375.9712 | cfmco.GiveBack | We appreciate the flexibility and support to easily give where we live and work.” – Steve and Kim McIntyre Kim and Steve McIntyre Fund and Monterey Pacific Company Fund Plan your GIVING Steve & Kim McIntyre Insured by NCUA 1The dividend rate and Annual Percentage Yield (APY) accurate as of 10/01/2025. The dividend rate and APY may change at any time. 4.15% APY, 6-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 6-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. 1025-MTW 4.15% APY1 for 6 months Visit a branch, call 1-877-465-3361 or scan to learn more Limited time offer Earn more with a Term Savings Certificate
12 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY OCTOBER 9-15, 2025 www.montereycountynow.com On Tuesday, Oct. 7, even Carmelites once adamantly opposed to the idea of adopting street addresses had come around. Nancy Twomey, who told the Carmel City Council that she previously was in favor of the status quo by retaining the practice of naming houses and using an antiquated identification system, said she had changed her mind. “If you do move forward on this tonight you have my support big time,” Twomey said. Even Councilmember Alissandra Dramov, who was opposed when the last council tried to adopt addresses, had changed her mind. So when the vote was taken at the end of Tuesday’s discussion, she voted yes on a resolution to begin the process of identifying an address system for the city. The 5-0 vote was met with a loud round of applause from residents. Four years ago, when Councilmember Jeff Baron suggested it was time for a conversation about addresses, it seemed improbable the day would come. There was strong opposition and despite the fact that Carmel’s old system was against state laws for building and fire safety, vocal residents clung to the argument of protecting village character. The difference came with the formation of a five-member citizens’ group in April led by Councilmember Bob Delves. (Twomey was also a member.) They met once a week for six months, gathering information from the U.S. Postal Service, first responders, utility companies and others. In August, Delves gave a detailed report to the council laying out what they learned, followed by two town halls. The evidence was overwhelming: Carmel had to comply with state laws; it had to catch up with technology that increasingly demands actual street addresses; there were health and safety reasons to adopt them; and more. The committee also allayed some fears that the post office would go away, or that residents would be forced to have home delivery. Not true, Delves said. What they would have to do, based on USPS Address Management System requirements, was adopt AMScompatible addresses and display 4-inch-tall numbers on buildings, fences or gates. Next steps include city staff returning with a comprehensive plan for implementation of addresses. Twomey ended her comments by encouraging those who had named their homes with whimsical names to keep them, “because this is a cultural tradition worthy of retaining.” For over 20 years, the Salinas United Business Association has been part of the landscape in East Salinas, helping business owners with permitting, offering seminars and marketing and so on. It also collects annual, mandatory assessments from businesses to support beautification, landscaping, clean-ups and special events. But this is about to change; the board decided on Sept. 29 that it will phase out the organization. “The main reason for it really had to do with how the economy has been really, really bad in the last two years,” says Alejandro Chavez, SUBA’s executive director. Most recently, an increase in anti-immigrant sentiment, fear of deportation and increased tariffs have dwindled revenue for small businesses in East Salinas and beyond. Since its inception, SUBA has struggled to keep afloat and collect assessments. In 2019, Chavez was trying to figure out how to keep the organization in existence while facing opposition from business owners. Chavez was the only remaining employee of SUBA, working part-time. According to a 2024-25 annual report by SUBA, only 40 percent of 420 businesses paid their dues for the year, meaning SUBA only collected $40,550 of $100,440 projected in revenue from dues. That is not an isolated figure: Chavez estimates that business owners owe over $1 million in assessments cumulatively. While SUBA will go away, Chavez says business owners are looking for a different approach, perhaps similar to the Salinas City Center Improvement Association in downtown Salinas, which would entail shifting from a business-led to a property-owner-led association. On Sept. 23, Salinas City Council was set to vote on levying and collecting SUBA’s annual assessment for the year 2025-26, but the matter was postponed indefinitely. Chavez, who now works for the Pajaro Valley Unified School District, plans to help sunset the organization. Mail Call The Carmel City Council says yes to street addresses in a historic 5-0 vote. By Pam Marino NEWS FOR THE TREES The City of Monterey hosts a town hall on plans to update the city’s tree ordinance. Monterey residents are encouraged to share input. 6pm Monday, Oct. 13. Monterey Conference Center, Colton Room, 1 Portola Plaza, Monterey. Free. (831) 646-3860, monterey.gov/trees. IN THE PUBLIC VIEW Salinas City Council meets and accepts public comment. Tell your elected officials what they are doing well and what you think they can do better. 4pm Tuesday, Oct. 14. Salinas Rotunda, 200 Lincoln Ave., Salinas. Free. (831) 758-7381, cityofsalinas.org. EDUCATION MATTERS The Salinas Union High School District Board of Trustees meets and accepts public comment. 6:30pm Tuesday, Oct. 14. SUHSD District Office, 431 West Alisal St., Salinas. Free. (831) 796-7000, salinasuhsd.org. NOW HIRING The Hospitality and Tourism Career Fair offers students a chance to connect with employers in the industry. Representatives from Pebble Beach Company, Monterey Bay Aquarium, Carmel Valley Ranch and others will be on hand. 1-3pm Thursday, .Oct. 16. Otter Student Union, 3118 Inter-Garrison Road, Seaside. Free. RSVP at bit.ly/ CareerFairOct16. CIVIC DUTY Voting is now underway in the statewide special election. Registration deadline is Oct. 20. (831) 796-1499, registertovote.ca.gov. READY TO SERVE Monterey County Regional Fire Protection District has a vacancy on its board of directors. Those interested in applying need to be a resident of the district’s service territory, which includes areas of unincorporated Salinas and Carmel Valley. Applications due Oct. 25. cob@countyofmonterey.gov, tinyurl.com/mcrfdboard. LAND WATCH Multiple land use advisory committees seek applications to fill vacancies. They are the Greater Monterey Peninsula, Carmel Unincorporated/ Highlands and Castroville Unincorporated/Highlands committees. Recruitment is ongoing. (831) 7837091. GO FISH Applications are now open for the County of Monterey’s Fish and Game Propagation Grant Program. Deadline to submit applications is 5pm Friday, Nov. 7. (831) 755-4895, bit. ly/46hR8y7. Business Plan Salinas United Business Association to dissolve by the end of the year. By Celia Jiménez A committee that reviewed implementation of street addresses allayed some fears, including that the downtown post office (shown above) would go away. E-MAIL: toolbox@montereycountynow.com TOOLBOX The evidence was overwhelming: Carmel had to comply. STEVE SOUZA
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14 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY OCTOBER 9-15, 2025 www.montereycountynow.com First, the good news. A recent study found that the use of organophosphates—a broad spectrum of insecticides widely used in agriculture on fruits, vegetables, grains and fiber crops—decreased by 54 percent in California between 2016-2021. Now, the alarming news. Despite this statewide decrease, one county stood out for going in the opposite direction: Monterey County saw a 26-percent increase in OP pesticide use during the same time frame. The study, conducted by the UC Berkeley Center for Environmental Research and Environmental Health, specifically looked at the proximity of OP pesticide use in California to pregnant women. Researchers analyzed the number of births from women who lived within 1 kilometer of agricultural fields where OP pesticides had been applied during their pregnancy. Coinciding with the increase in OP pesticide usage, Monterey County had the highest proportion of pregnant women—50 percent—living within 1 kilometer of pesticide application areas during pregnancy. “I was startled by the numbers,” Jacob Sandoval, California director of the League of United Latin American Citizens, said at a press conference on Sept. 30. “Nearly 30,000 babies born in California in 2021 [were exposed to] brain-harming pesticides. “The picture in Monterey County is many times worse,” he added. “Six in 10 Latino babies are born in Monterey County already exposed to OP chemicals that may have already damaged them for the rest of their lives.” The synthetic chemicals used to eradicate a wide range of insects by disrupting the nervous system have a similar effect on humans when absorbed through diet, workplace contact, water or air contamination for those living near treated fields. Excessive exposure can cause muscle spasms, dizziness, paralysis and seizures. Growing concerns over the health risks they pose, most critically to children, led to the ban of chlorpyrifos products in 2020 except under special circumstances. “I’m concerned when I see studies like this,” says Monterey County Agricultural Commissioner Juan Hidalgo. “We want to make sure state agencies take the steps to review and reevaluate pesticides in the marketplace.” Following the 2020 chlorpyrifos ban, the regions that saw significant decreases in total OP pesticide use were those that had relied most heavily on it, particularly in the Central Valley, where chlorpyrifos was historically used on tree nuts and citrus. In contrast, in Monterey County— where strawberries, lettuce, broccoli and Brussels sprouts dominate the cultivated landscape—farmers have relied less on chlorpyrifos and more on other OP pesticides that remain legal, such as malathion, naled and dimethoate. As these patterns persist, so do the disparities. Young Latina women in Monterey County, in particular, were five times more likely to live near OP applications than their counterparts statewide. “We need to do better,” Sandoval said. “This is environmental racism.” Toxic Proximity Monterey County is worst in the state for exposure to pesticides among pregnant women, a study finds. By Katie Rodriguez Jacob Sandoval, California director of LULAC, joined dozens of community members calling for restrictions on organophosphate applications in Salinas on Tuesday, Sept. 30. NEWS “This is environmental racism.” YANELY MARTINEZ CHAMBERMUSICMONTEREYBAY.ORG | 831 625 2212 FOR OUR 2025 2026 SEASON! ESCHER STRING QUARTET WITH LUKE FLEMING NOV 01 2025 “Truly exceptional” – The Guardian LUKE FLEMING LYSANDER PIANO TRIO JAN 10 2026 “Polished and spirited interpretations” – The New York Times MORGENSTERN TRIO FEB 28 2026 “Breathtaking virtuosos” – Kleine Zeitung, Austria DOVER QUARTET MAR 28 2026 “One of the greatest quartets of the last 100 years” – BBC Music Magazine CALIDORE STRING QUARTET MAY 02 2026 “Deep reserves of virtuosity and irrepressible dramatic instinct” – The New York Times 59th Season | Sunset Center | 7:30 pm
www.montereycountynow.com OCTOBER 9-15, 2025 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 15 About three months after the California Legislature passed a budget that will limit access to Medi-Cal, California’s version of Medicaid, to undocumented workers beginning Jan. 1—and after President Donald Trump signed his “One Big Beautiful Bill” that is expected to further complicate access—the chair of the Monterey County Board of Supervisors, Chris Lopez, was at a community meeting in Greenfield with about 70 residents when he realized something was amiss. An offhand comment by a woman caught Lopez’s attention. “‘We’re all losing our health insurance,’” he remembers her saying. He realized that people had missed the nuances of the news about Medi-Cal and what it means for people with varying degrees of immigration status. “Actually, that’s not what’s happening. You’re still eligible,” he told her. She wasn’t the only one in the room who thought they were losing MediCal, or the ability to apply for benefits. Lopez knew there was more work to do to counter the misinformation. “I immediately started my wheels turning on how we could help address this,” Lopez says. “One small town in the Salinas Valley isn’t going to be enough. We need to reach further.” Under the 2025-26 California budget, adults aged 19 and above considered to have “unsatisfactory immigration status,” or UIS, will be ineligible to apply for Medi-Cal beginning Jan. 1, 2026. (Those ages 18 and under can still apply.) Anyone who is already enrolled will remain so, as long as they follow new federal rules under Trump’s bill that include verifying eligibility every six months, instead of the previous annual review, and comply with new work requirements. Several days after the meeting in Greenfield, on Sept. 30, Lopez and his four colleagues on the Board of Supervisors raised the idea of a threemonth community outreach campaign to help as many people as possible enroll in Medi-Cal before the Dec. 31 deadline. It came after a grim report by the directors of the departments of Social Services and Health Services, and the CEO of Natividad, the county’s hospital, of the impacts to residents and county government from the “One Big Beautiful Bill.” Up to 22 percent of residents, approximately 38,000, could lose Medi-Cal over four years. The County could lose millions in federal funds as well as clinic and hospital reimbursements. Supervisor Luis Alejo asked the directors how quickly they could come back with a request for funds to pay for outreach, including through Spanishlanguage radio and social media. Elsa Jimenez, director of Health Services, seized the moment, requesting $250,000. “Short term, these next three months are really critical to get people to stay enrolled and get enrolled,” she said. A formal request for the funds is expected to come back to the supervisors on Tuesday, Oct. 14. Lopez says it’s part of the county’s mission to keep residents healthy, for themselves and the financial health of the county. Town Criers Confusion over Medi-Cal rules spurs supervisors to consider investing $250,000 in outreach. By Pam Marino The Monterey County Board of Supervisors is supportive of outreach efforts to help residents understand their Medi-Cal eligibility before Dec. 31. NEWS “These next three months are really critical.” DANIEL DREIFUSS 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 carmel- by- the- sea (831)625-8106 carmel-by-the-sea outerwear knitwear sport coats soft coats new arrivals made in italy World Affairs Council of the Monterey Bay Area August Event Ukraine Endgame Wednesday, October 22 William Taylor U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine 2006 – 2009 Drawing on his extensive experience in Ukraine, Ambassador Taylor will assess the consequences of the war in Ukraine, the path toward a durable peace, and diplomatic efforts to end it. He will also discuss what the war means for Europe’s security and the United States’ leadership www.wacmb.org or call (831) 643-1855 11:30am Registration • 12pm Lunch • 12:30pm Presentation Reservations Required • Deadline is Wednesday, October 15th $55 for members • $65 for guests Monterey Marriott - Ferrante’s Bay View Room Visit our website www.wacmb.org for information and reservations
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