8 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY OCTOBER 23-29, 2025 www.montereycountynow.com The Monterey County Health Department presented to the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday, Oct. 21 on progress toward launching an indigenous language pilot program that aims to improve healthcare services for residents who speak Mexican indigenous languages at the Alisal Health Clinic in East Salinas. For the past couple of years, Centro Binacional para el Desarrollo Indígena Oaxaqueño has worked with indigenous people in Monterey County to improve their access to healthcare. The pilot aims to increase those concerns by hiring four new positions, including a trilingual English, Spanish and an indigenous language in-house interpreter and a part-time social media intern to disseminate information and create videos to inform patients about topics like billing. Prashant Shinde, bureau chief for clinic services at the Monterey County Health Department, says it’s also on the books to add two community health workers to help people navigate the healthcare system and fill out paperwork. He expects the new hires by the end of the year. The pilot also calls for additional cultural training for staff. The first cohort started on Oct. 15. Indigenous people have reported discrimination at Monterey County health clinics, a lack of cultural awareness and access to interpretation, and their appointments being changed or cancelled in retaliation. “Staff recognize the urgent need to improve language access and delivery of culturally appropriate services for our indigenous communities,” Shinde wrote in a June report to the board. Maricela Ramirez, coordinator of financial justice for CBDIO, says this is the first step to improve healthcare access for indigenous people. She hopes the 12-month pilot becomes permanent, and expands to include the Chatino language. The Alisal Health Center reports that in 2024 it served 11,062 people, with only 29 who indicated they spoke Mixteco or Chatino. Still, Shinde estimates about 500 patients are Mexican indigenous speakers. Shinde says clinics have already implemented changes to their system to flag patients’ preferred language. Once the new staff joins the Alisal clinic, he expects to attract more patients from the indigenous community. “We expect by providing these services, patients and families will be more comfortable, and there may be an increase in utilization of services for preventive and primary care,” he says. Twenty years. That’s how long ago Seaside officials approved moving forward with plans for the Seaside Resort project with 125 residential lots and a hotel on the Bayonet and Black Horse golf course property. A lot has happened since then with the project—the hotel is currently on its third developer, SKDG, which purchased the hotel parcel in 2021. Since then, SKDG has been subject to the same performance schedule as the previous developers, with some extensions granted given the change in ownership. And though city officials held a groundbreaking ceremony in September 2024 for the hotel—a Grand Hyatt with 330 rooms and a conference center—that celebration was arguably premature. Among the milestones included in the schedule was that a construction loan to build the hotel be secured by July 31, 2025. That date was missed despite being the third extension of that deadline. Seaside City Council approved the extension in May after SKDG missed the April 30 deadline for a construction loan, and extended the deadline to July 31 with a caveat: SKDG would have to pay $40,000 a month for every month of the extension unless the July 31 deadline was met, which it was not. Seaside City Manager Greg McDanel says that SKDG has been able to get some work done since the groundbreaking in spite of the loan not yet being secured, including additional infrastructure and necessary, preliminary site work. McDanel says the City remains “cautiously optimistic” the financing terms will be closed soon. Upon that happening, McDanel says shoring for the hotel will start, followed by a maintenance facility that will also include a model hotel room. If the financing is done soon, McDanel expects that construction will begin in early 2026. City Council approved the first extension to SKDG in June 2024, extending the loan deadline from July 2024 to Jan. 31, 2025. Per a city report from that time, SKDG said didn’t it need to draw from the loan until February 2025. Speak Up Pilot program for indigenous language interpretation moves forward. By Celia Jiménez NEWS ON VACATION The County of Monterey hosts a webinar to help the public learn about its recently adopted vacation rental ordinances. The ordinances address the unincorporated coastal areas of the county. 1-2pm Friday, Oct. 24. Via Zoom at bit. ly/VacationRentalOct24. Free. countyofmonterey.gov CELEBRATE HEALTH Salinas Valley Health celebrates the 10th anniversary of the Taylor Farms Family Health & Wellness Center with health-related activities for the family. Community Health Day includes free flu shots, a cooking demonstration, soccer ball giveaway and more. 11am-2pm Saturday, Oct. 25. Taylor Farms Family Health & Wellness Center, 850 5th St., Gonzales. Free. (831) 757-4333, salinasvalleyhealth. com/community-health-day. FOOD FOR ALL Community Builders for Monterey County hosts a conversation on food security. Guest speakers include Niaomi Hrepich of CalFresh, Hester Parker of Everyone’s Harvest and Christine Winge of Meals on Wheels of the Monterey Peninsula. 11am-1pm Saturday, Oct. 25. Monterey Public Library, 625 Pacific St., Monterey. Free. RSVP at bit.ly/ FoodSecurityOct25. (831) 402-0298, hello@combuildersmc.org. LISTEN AND LEARN Monterey County Behavioral Health hosts a community listening session on mental health, substance use and housing services. This session will be with Partners for Peace. A survey is also ongoing. 6-7:30pm Monday, Oct. 27. Via Zoom at tinyurl.com/kzpr2r9e. Survey available at tinyurl.com/mpmb9fpn. IN THE WORKS Monterey County Planning Commission meets to discuss a proposal to remove six oak trees in Carmel Valley and a project to add a gas station at the corner of Highway 68 and Corral De Tierra. Public comment is accepted. 9am Wednesday, Oct. 29. Board of Supervisors chambers, 168 W. Alisal St., first floor, Salinas. Free. (831) 7555025, countyofmonterey.gov. GET A JOB Monterey County Works hosts a job fair to connect local employers with job seekers. Attendees are encouraged to bring their résumés and dress to impress. 1:30-4pm Wednesday, Oct. 29. Career Center, 344 Salinas St., Suites 205206, Salinas. Free. (831) 796-3335. Register at montereycountyworks.com. In the Rough Seaside has started collecting fines for missed deadlines in Grand Hyatt construction loan. By David Schmalz On July 8, members of CBDIO held a press conference outside the county supervisors’ chambers demanding better treatment and interpretation services at health clinics. E-MAIL: toolbox@montereycountynow.com TOOLBOX “We expect patients will be more comfortable.” CELIA JIMÉNEZ
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