OCTOBER 23-29, 2025 MONTEREYCOUNTYNOW.COM LOCAL & INDEPENDENT RANCHO CIELO AT 25 10 | PLAN YOUR HALLOWEEN 29 | SADE LIVES ON 33 | BURGERS, A SMASH HIT 38 FIRST PLACE GENERAL EXCELLENCE • 2025 CA JOURNALISM AWARDS • Jimmy Panetta talks about the threats of authoritarian power and other existential issues facing Congress during Trump’s second term. p. 16 By Bradley Zeve VIEW FROM THE HILL
2 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY OCTOBER 23-29, 2025 www.montereycountynow.com OCTOBER 23-29, 2025 • ISSUE #1943 • ESTABLISHED IN 1988 Elrond Lawrence (Nikon D500 with a 70-200mm f2.8 lens, shot at 1/400 sec. at f20) Thousands of protesters gathered at Window on the Bay in Monterey on Oct. 18, 2025 as part of a national day of action under the banner of No Kings. Topping this group was an inflatable Donald Trump. MONTEREY COUNTY PHOTO OF THE WEEK Send Etc. submissions to etcphoto@montereycountynow.com; please include caption and camera info. On the cover: United States Representative Jimmy Panetta, D-Carmel Valley, first ran for Congress in 2016, expecting to serve alongside a Democrat in the White House. His first four years and current term have defined in large part by rethinking what it means to be part of the resistance to President Donald Trump’s agenda. Cover image: Steve Souza 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 23-29, 2025 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 3 Drop Box ° In-Person ° Vote-By-Mail Special Election NOV 4th DON’T DELAY. VOTE TODAY! Hey California! Most Californians vote early. Join them! To find out more visit: vote.ca.gov Drop Box ° In-Person ° Vote-By-Mail Special Election NOV 4th DON’T DELAY. VOTE TODAY! Hey California! Most Californians vote early. Join them! To find out more visit: vote.ca.gov Drop Box ° In-Person ° Vote-By-Mail Special Election th Hey California! Most Californians vote early. To find out more visit: vote.ca.gov Drop Box ° In-Person ° Vote-By-Mail th Most Californians vote early. Join them! To find out more visit: vote.ca.gov Drop Box ° In-Person ° Vote-By-Mail Special Election DON’T DELAY. California! Most Californians vote early. Join them! To find out more visit: vote.ca.gov
4 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY OCTOBER 23-29, 2025 www.montereycountynow.com THE BUZZ FREE SPEECH If you’re reading this newspaper, you’re already a step ahead in celebrating Free Speech Week (Oct. 20-26) and Media Literacy Week (Oct. 27-31). The Monterey County Board of Supervisors celebrated the former with a resolution adopted on Oct. 21, proclaiming, in part: “The County of Monterey reaffirms its commitment to uphold, defend and protect these constitutional freedoms for all who live, work and visit here…Free Speech Week provides an opportunity to reflect on the vital role of free expression in our schools, workplaces, media and civic institutions, and to encourage respectful discourse in our communities.” On Friday, Oct. 24 the Monterey County Media Literacy Coalition welcomes high school students from various districts to the second annual MisInfo Day with a curriculum meant to help participants discern truth from misinformation and disinformation. Among the activities: an escape room concept designed by media literacy experts at the University of Washington (you can check out their latest games at lokisloop.org) that requires assessing the credibility of information to advance—and, ideally, “escape.” Good: For nearly a decade, students, teachers and staff at Fremont Elementary School in Salinas have had to contend with active construction zones on their campus. But when the newly reconstructed school was unveiled on Wednesday, Oct. 15, all of those headaches were worth it. Alisal Union School District celebrated the grand reopening of its second oldest school, which originally opened in 1941. The phased project included a rebuilt two-story classroom building in 2021, followed by demolition of its oldest building in 2023. The project is paid for by Measure M, a $70 million bond approved by voters in 2016, which also funded the renovation of Alisal Community School. That school celebrated its grand reopening in September. The third phase, with a price tag of $17.6 million, included a new administration building and more classrooms. GREAT: Thanks to quick thinking and being in the right place at the right time, Seaside resident Jonathan Ahmadi prevented a home from being destroyed by fire. He was out knocking on doors in Seaside on Saturday, Oct. 18 to encourage residents to get out and vote in support of Proposition 50, the redistricting ballot measure. Ahmadi, an elected official serving on the Monterey Peninsula Airport District board, says he had a list of 50 doors to knock on and was approaching his last on Trinity Avenue around 11:30am when he heard a smoke alarm inside and then smelled burning. Ahmadi quickly called 911 after no one responded to his shouts and says Seaside police and fire responders were there in just a few minutes. They broke down the door and came out of the house with a burnt pot. No one was home. Seaside Fire Chief Paul Blaha confirmed Ahmadi’s account. GOOD WEEK / GREAT WEEK THE WEEKLY TALLY That’s how much the California Strategic Growth Council recently awarded to the Esselen Tribe of Monterey County to preserve 9,818 acres of land. The Sustainable Agricultural Lands Conservation Program grant was among $128 million distributed across the state. Source: California Strategic Growth Council $6 million QUOTE OF THE WEEK “This is a blatant attempt to try to change the rules of the game.” -Amanda McAllisterWallner, executive director of Health Access California, on a lawsuit filed by a hospital group against spending caps (see story, montereycountynow.com). This project is supported by the Administration for Community Living (ACL), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award totaling $57,688 with 100 percent funding by ACL/HHS. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by ACL/HHS, or the U.S. Government. 2026 MEDICARE UPDATES Worried about next year’s premiums, deductibles, or out-of-pocket costs? Curious if more affordable Medicare coverage is available? Medicare costs—including Medicare Advantage (Part C) and Prescription Drug Plans (Part D)—change every year. Join one of our free seminars to explore your options and find out if it’s time to re-evaluate your coverage! King City: King City Library - Tues. 10/28 at 2pm (English) and 3:30pm (Spanish) Salinas: Alliance On Aging (The HUB) - Wed. 10/29 at 3:00pm (English) Salinas: Alliance On Aging (The HUB) - Thurs. 10/30 at 3:00pm (Spanish) Monterey: Scholze Park Center - Mon. 11/3 at 10:00am (English) Pacific Grove: Meals on Wheels of the Monterey Peninsula - Tues. 11/4 at 12:45pm (English) Call to learn more about our FREE service in your area! 800-434-0222 www.allianceonaging.org Health Insurance Counseling and Advocacy Program - ‘HICAP’
www.montereycountynow.com OCTOBER 23-29, 2025 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 5 831 Old Monterey has its fair share of alleyways. Walking down the brick-lined sidewalks as the fog rolls in gives an eerie feel. Head down Bonifacio Place off of Alvarado Street and one storefront can’t help but catch your eye. An old bookshop, with tall single-pane windows, called The Rose Books & Obscurities seems like it was transported from London and mysteriously positioned in the narrow one-way street. But there is more to this tiny shop than just books, and like several of the tomes that co-owner Ernest Rose has on display, you have to look inside. The smell of old pages and wood fills the air when stepping through Rose’s door, adorned with tasteful lamps and trinkets on display. This is no ordinary bookshop because placed on the bookshelves and eclectically arranged glass hutches are books that are centuries old, where this October you’ll also find gothic classics fit for a collector. Rose curated and collected rare books, then built an online business by selling them over a span of six years. He then opened The Rose in 2023, after a previous bookstore there closed post-Covid. Since the location itself has been a bookshop for almost half a century, Rose’s mission is to preserve that experience. “By honoring physical media, [collectors] dwell on these quiet edges of culture,” Rose says. “In an age where everything is drifting toward digital, book collecting becomes an act of preservation.” October is a prime time for Rose to emphasize gothic literature. He has copies of classics such as Dracula, Frankenstein, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and more this year. But collector books like these are not limited to the season—“These are novels that we get requested on a weekly basis,” Rose says. Rose also acknowledges that people collect books for different reasons. His personal collection includes editions of the classics, but his interests fill his shelves with philosophical works, alchemy and other esoteric subjects such as metaphysics. “The reason I got into it was discovery of the self,” Rose says. “Why someone collects is an individual question. “I enjoy the hunt of looking for a collectible book,” he adds. Bookshops like Rose’s are hard to come by in the modern age. He understands why some booksellers have moved to online book sales, and it’s thanks to a mutual belief from the building owners in preserving the shop that The Rose is able to exist still. Much like the books he’s displaying for October, the magic is in the place. “[Gothic literature] is characterized by setting: Haunted castles, ruins, the atmosphere of dread or the presence of supernatural events,” Rose explains. The setting inside the two-story, stacked high bookshelves that makes up the interior of The Rose wouldn’t necessarily inspire dread or supernatural presence, until you perhaps look inside an edition of Frankenstein published in 1870. Such an old book does require careful handling, but Rose is quick to point out that these antique pages are engineered to be handled. “No two copies are bound alike,” Rose says. “There’s a personal essence of holding a book of this age when it’s passed through god-knows-how-many hands.” Aside from 19th-century copies of Frankenstein or the first photoplay edition of Dracula published in the 1930s are other archaeological items, which some would call obscurities— hence the latter part of the bookshop’s name. Some of his books are more than 400 years old, and Rose’s passion for ancient texts inspired him to create his own publication, called The Mystic Rose, which customers can acquire in the shop. In it, Rose writes that the periodical is produced in homage to more cryptic writings from the late 19th and early-20th centuries in the United States and Europe. To his delight, Rose sees younger generations taking an interest in books as old as his, with gothic novels always in demand. He’s heavily involved in the rare book trade and one of the few Latinos involved in the Antiquarian Booksellers’ Association of America. “We get to see who is reading these books,” Rose says. “It’s a testament to where collecting is headed.” The Rose Books & Obscurities is located at 136 Bonifacio Place in Monterey. (831) 275-2066, roseobscurities.com. Old Thorns The Rose Books & Obscurities emphasizes collectible gothic novels for October. By Sloan Campi “I enjoy the hunt of looking for a collectible book.” TALES FROM THE AREA CODE DANIEL DREIFUSS The collection at The Rose Books & Obscurities includes many books that are centuries old. “It’s essentially the oldest technology that we have,” co-owner Ernest Rose says. “They’ve survived the ravages of time.” FREE Flu Vaccine Clinics 16 CASTROVILLE 11261 Crane St. 4 pm - 7 pm OCT 18 GREENFIELD Albert & Donna Olivera Clinic 10 am - 1 pm OCT 20 SALINAS Boys & Girls Club 85 Maryal Dr. 4 pm - 7 pm OCT 27 SAN ARDO San Ardo Elementary 62428 Center St. 4 pm - 7 pm OCT 25 GONZALES Taylor Farms Family Clinic - 850 5th. St. 10 am - 1 pm OCT 15 MARINA CSUMB OSU Room 208 1 pm - 4 pm OCT 21 CHUALAR Chualar Fire 24181 Washington St. 4 pm - 7 pm OCT CARMEL Carmel Valley Fire 8455 Carmel Valley Rd. 4 pm - 7 pm 30 OCT MONTEREY - MPC 980 Fremont St. Sam Karas room 11 am - 2 pm No Appointment Needed. Vaccine available to individuals 6 months and up. 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6 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY OCTOBER 23-29, 2025 www.montereycountynow.com NEWS The clock is ticking for the County of Monterey to distribute $20 million in state funds for the benefit of Pajaro. The funds come from Assembly Bill 102, secured by Pajaro’s state representatives to help its residents recover from the 2023 flood. That money needs to be spent by the end of December. Near the end of 2023, the County Board of Supervisors, with public input, agreed on how to divvy the money, with $10 million going toward direct aid to residents and businesses, and the rest being used for other means such as infrastructure projects, including for the renovation of the 1850s-era Porter Vallejo Mansion. In total, a little over $4 million of the state funds still needs to be spent by the end of the year. The third and final phase of direct financial assistance to residents launched in October. Across the first two phases, about $5.3 million has been spent, including nearly $500,000 in administrative costs. For businesses affected by the funding, $4.1 million has been spent on repairs and beautification projects, minus $290,841 for administrative costs. A little more than $1.5 million has also been spent on street upgrades throughout Pajaro, including streetlights, radar speed signs and curb ramps. Emergency Management Director Kelsey Scanlon told the supervisors on Tuesday, Oct. 21 that the money is well on its way to being spent by the deadline, and for some projects, will be fully expended by November. “This really is an example of a graceful and elegant balance of meeting the acute needs of the community but also investing long-term in the overall resilience of the community of Pajaro,” she said. Running Dry Millions in state funding for Pajaro’s flood recovery is nearly spent as deadline approaches. By Erik Chalhoub As Jeffrey Becom, president of the nonprofit Carmel Art Association, stands in the center of the Segal Gallery room, he leans over and carefully places a golf ball on the wood floor. The ball begins rolling slowly toward the wall several feet away, then picks up speed. It hits the wall with a thud. “This whole room has tilted,” Becom says. It’s just one clue of many that Carmel’s oldest art gallery, founded in 1927 by artists, has got a problem, one that no one seems willing to take responsibility for, leaving CAA with a possible $400,000 repair bill, equal to the nonprofit’s annual operating budget. Besides the sloping floor, there are cracks in walls inside and outside the historic building. The lobby floor made up of redwood end cuts, installed by artists in 1947, is filled with gaps—pieces of floor keep popping up. The issue began about seven years ago, less than a year after a major excavation next door at the corner of Dolores Street and Fifth Avenue in 2018. That was for a multi-use building that never got built due to the original owners, Leidig Draper Properties, running out of funds. (Locals dubbed the large hole “The Pit.”) In January 2020, a forensic engineering firm hired by CAA, GeoForensics Inc., concluded the 1- to 2-inch drop of the gallery’s northern wall was caused by the excavation. “It’s very clearly the fault of driving the pilings next to us, because we’re on a sand dune,” Becom says. The I-beams visible in the soil along the property line were temporarily placed, with no concrete added for support. CAA’s insurance company declined to pay for repairs, assigning blame to others. Leidig Draper Properties denied responsibility for the damage and instead blamed CAA for its own earlier renovation project that added a new roof and improvements on the south side of the gallery. (A representative for Leidig Draper did not respond for comment by the Weekly’s deadline.) Neighboring nonprofit Carmel Foundation, which owns a small apartment complex directly behind The Pit, suffered greater damage. One apartment was red-tagged by city officials, forcing its tenant, a low-income senior citizen, to move out. A laundry room had to be shuttered. The repairs, which will be completed in November, will likely cost around $800,000, says President/CEO Kim Stemler. She expects they will get some reimbursement from insurance. Efforts by CAA and the Carmel Foundation to enter into mediation with Leidig Draper’s insurance company have been frustrating. “They’re delaying and waiting for us to just give up. We can’t do that, we’re 98 years old and we aren’t going to go away,” Becom says. In addition to the upcoming $400,000 bill, CAA paid $70,000 for a new roof and $10,000 for a tall fence to prevent possible falls over a temporary fence between the two properties. They’ve also spent about $100,000 in legal fees. A fundraising campaign is underway. The new owner of the property with The Pit, Esperanza Carmel, owned by Monaco developer Patrice Pastor, is about to start construction of a 38,000-square-foot mixed use building. Pastor sent a letter to Becom on Oct. 10 stating that construction will begin Nov. 24. Jeffrey Becom, president of the Carmel Art Association, explains how the Segal Gallery room is tilting by 1 to 2 inches on the north wall, causing damage elsewhere. Sinking Feeling Carmel’s oldest art gallery is stuck with the bill after no one claims responsibility for damages. By Pam Marino Salinas-based Hijos del Sol is in the process of creating a mural on the side of an industrial building on Salinas Road in Pajaro, paid for by flood recovery funds. “They’re delaying and waiting for us to just give up.” NIK BLASKOVICH ERIK CHALHOUB
www.montereycountynow.com OCTOBER 23-29, 2025 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 7 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 BOOK NOW! *Cannot combine. 10% off labor only. Must present coupon at check-in. Shop supplies and any additional parts extra. Limited time only. 831-230-0910 1730 The Mall | Seaside SullivansAutoService.com ’25
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
www.montereycountynow.com OCTOBER 23-29, 2025 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 9 In 2022, an educational robot was born: the “Amiga”—a modular, all-electric mini tractor developed by Farm-ng (now Bonsai Robotics). Looking to get the robot into the hands of researchers to explore its potential, the startup joined forces with the UC Agriculture and Natural Resources Office of Innovation, which saw an opportunity for students to work with high-profile tech in more meaningful ways, beyond just experimenting with simulations. The Farm Robotics Challenge emerged as an experiment of sorts, a competition where teams of students at colleges and universities across the country could test various ways to use this technology, working directly with farmers to solve real-world problems. Hartnell College, the only community college with an agricultural mechatronics degree in California, has been involved since the competition’s inception, adapting the Amiga to be used on artichoke fields. “I always tell people, look at carbon robotics. They’re literally using AI and lasers to kill weeds,” says Richard Chapman, a professor of agricultural engineering at Hartnell who advises their school’s team. “That’s ag today, that’s not ag in like 20 years. You’ll see them everywhere in South County.” This year, with funding from Gov. Gavin Newsom and the California Jobs First Council, and in partnership with the Monterey Bay Economic Partnership, four schools from the Monterey Bay region will receive a grant to participate in the inaugural Farm Robotics Academy, an expansion of the Farm Robotics Challenge to include younger participants from high schools and middle schools. MBEP is stepping in as the regional coordinator, identifying schools that have an interest in participating. Project proposals—including a problem statement, an agriculturalist partner and a planned solution—are due Oct. 30. Four schools from this pool will be selected to receive $20,000 in funding to support participation for two years. Kelly Scott, director of the Farm Robotics Challenge, says a challenge for high schools and middle schools has been the lack of existing curriculum in contrast to higher education. “How we start to integrate these lessons, and what we choose to teach— that’s a bigger conversation,” Scott says. “But maybe our little project can be a spark that gets people’s attention.” The Farm Robotics Challenge, now in its fourth year, has grown from 12 university teams in its first year to over 40 in 2024. At Hartnell, the student team has zeroed in on artichokes, recognizing both a gap in data collection and the heavy physical labor involved in harvesting. With the help of a state grant, they purchased their own Amiga robot and have since been working with Ocean Mist Farms in Castroville, focusing on autonomous artichoke data collection and harvesting. “Two team members came in day one, totally fresh, no experience. They got on the team, got internships and are now full-time employees at local companies,” Chapman says. “Ag today doesn’t look like what it did five years ago.” Cutting Edge Local schools join a competition to develop robotic and AI solutions for agricultural challenges. By Katie Rodriguez Hartnell College students stand next to a Farm Robotics Challenge project: an autonomous robot designed to improve crop evaluation for artichoke farmers. NEWS “Ag today doesn’t look like what it did five years ago.” RICHARD CHAPMAN A CUT ABOVE THE REST IN CUSTOMER SERVICE Monterey County’s MERCEDES, BMW, AUDI, SPRINTER and MINI Specialist are ready for you! We’re fully staffed, accepting new clients, and proud to serve our community with: SKILLED TECHNICIANS HONEST REPAIRS FRIENDLY & FAMILY OWNED LOCAL SERVICE Call and we’ll answer, willing and ready to help. Monday – Friday 8:00am - 5:30pm 684 Ponderosa St, Seaside, CA 93955 www.MarlowMotorWerks.com (831) 394-6600 HOLIDAY JEWELRY/FASHION EVENT Friday-Sunday • November 3-5 • Jewelry: silver, vintage, heirloom & quality costume • Designer clothing (some with tags still on) • Designer shoes and handbags • Holiday decor...and so much more! SPCA Benefit Shop 26364 Carmel Rancho Lane, Carmel near the Barnyard Shopping Village 831-624-4211 Open Mon-Sat 10-4 • Sun 12-4 Glitz & Glamour Designer clothing - Some with tags still on! Glitz &Glamour Holiday Jewelry/Fashion Event Friday-Sunday • Oct 31st - Nov 2nd 26364 Carmel Rancho Lane, Carmel HOLIDAY JEWELRY/FASHION EVENT Friday-Sunday • November 3-5 • Jewelry: silver, vintage, heirloom & quality costume • Designer clothing (some with tags still on) • Designer shoes and handbags • Holiday decor...and so much more! SPCA Benefit Shop 26364 Carmel Rancho Lane, Carmel near the Barnyard Shopping Village 831-624-4211 Open Mon-Sat 10-4 • Sun 12-4 We will be closed Wednesday and Thursday, Oct 29 & 30 to set up for this exciting event!
10 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY OCTOBER 23-29, 2025 www.montereycountynow.com A little over 25 years ago, Monterey County Superior Court Judge John Phillips was told his idea for a school for young probationers wouldn’t work—a feasibility study said so. Phillips wouldn’t listen. After sending too many young teens caught up in gangs to prison time, he thought there had to be a better way. “Admittedly, I became kind of obsessive about it, especially when they tell you you can’t do something. But probably that was the best thing,” Phillips says, sitting in the lobby of the Ted Taylor Ag Vocational Center, a tall, red barn-style building that serves as the school’s training hub. It sits on the sprawling 100-acre campus east of Salinas at the base of the Gabilan Range foothills. Since retiring from the bench, Phillips spent much of his time supporting the nonprofit. The school launched on Oct. 25, 2000, with two classrooms built by volunteers and is now a multi-building campus focused on preparing young people up to age 24 for careers and a successful life. The budget has grown from $75,000 a year to $7.5 million, and from two permanent staff to 56. Offerings include the Drummond Culinary Academy; Construction and Sustainable Design Academy; Ag Technology and Mechanics; Auto and Diesel Repair; Welding and Fabrication; and the newest addition, Classic Car Restoration. There’s also the Silver Star Youth Program, run in partnership with the Monterey County Probation Department and Children’s Behavioral Health, and John Muir Charter Schools, for youth ages 14-18, as well as a job readiness program for teens and an after-school program. With mentoring, case management and counseling added to the mix, Rancho Cielo has helped thousands of students—over 2,250 students were served in 2024-2025 alone—proving the doubters wrong. On Saturday, Oct. 25, the school is throwing a sold-out anniversary party, honoring the legacy of Phillips, as well as toasting to the next 25 years and beyond. In the late 1990s Phillips had his eye on a piece of County of Monterey property once the home of Natividad Boys’ Ranch, a juvenile incarceration facility closed in 1982. By 2000 the buildings had deteriorated and there was no water or sewer system. Phillips and other community leaders came together, along with donors and an army of volunteers working weekends for six months to develop the property, which was leased from the county for $1 per year. Teens on probation, so-called “bad kids,” were assigned to work on the project as part of their probation. As Phillips and his team worked sideby-side with the teens, they came to recognize that they weren’t bad at all. “They were just kids that had been raised in a community that was controlled by the gangs,” Phillips says. “These kids had come to believe that they’d never graduate from high school, they would never get a job, they were just destined to gang bang and they actually thought they would end up in prison,” he says. Rancho Cielo opened their eyes to new possibilities. “It always amazed me—these kids could get turned around so quickly, if you could get them in a positive environment with positive people.” Rancho Cielo started as a school for youth who were offered entrance to the school over jail or prison. It’s since opened up to other community youth in need of an opportunity. Alumna Lorie Sanchez had always wanted to go to culinary school, but there was no way to afford it after she graduated from Alisal High School in Salinas in 2013. The Drummond Culinary Academy gave her the opportunity she needed. Grateful for the free education, Sanchez took advantage of every opportunity, working all the events and Friday night dinners she could. That enthusiasm and determination led Sanchez to receive a $25,000 scholarship to the prestigious Auguste Excoffier School of Culinary Arts in Colorado after she graduated from Rancho. It opened up a new world, including a trip to France and a job at an Idaho resort as a pastry chef. Sanchez now works as a server at the Flying Artichoke in Castroville and The Brass Tap in Marina. She makes her own cakes, cookies and pastries for a growing social media account and special events. Although she left Rancho years ago, whenever she needs help, she can call her former counselors and teachers for advice. “They always give me hope,” Sanchez says. Over the years, the school has continued to add subjects that fit the needs of the local economy, like the culinary academy that feeds into local restaurants and hotels. For Monterey County, home to world-renowned Car Week, the newest subject is preparing the next generation of skilled auto restoration experts. On a recent morning in the Classic Car Restoration program’s makeshift auto shop, students Eddie Chambers and Manny Rojas are piecing together a puzzle, a deconstructed 1929 Ford Model A. Instructor Marcus Evans, a retired auto shop teacher who worked at Seaside High for over 30 years, lets the two students struggle a bit as they figure out how to attach an engine pan splash guard. With coaxing from Evans and a little jiggering, they figure it out. The program’s goal is to show a restored car at Concours d’ Elegance in Pebble Beach within three years, but along the way students like Chambers and Rojas are learning problem solving, how to work with others and how to work on a deadline, among other skills that will serve them in future careers. Soon, the makeshift garage under a large canopy supported by two shipping containers will be replaced by a large, permanent building, yet another expansion of the growing campus. To take Rancho Cielo into the next 25 years, the board of directors has been working on a strategic plan with the objective of seeing 100 percent of graduates achieve a fulfilling career five years after graduation from Rancho, CEO Chris Devers says: “We don’t want to leave anyone behind.” On Oct. 25 they are relaunching an endowment fund named after Phillips, the John Phillips Legacy Circle. Phillips believes Rancho Cielo has done more than just help set youth on a successful life path: It’s brought the community together in a common goal. “It’s been a good run,” he says. Silver Lining Rancho Cielo was an idea that wasn’t supposed to fly. Today, the school is soaring. By Pam Marino NEWS Above: Eddie Chambers (left) helps Manny Rojas with attaching an engine pan splash guard to a 1929 Ford Model A. They’re part of a new Classic Car Restoration program at Rancho Cielo. Below: Founder John Phillips in front of the Taylor Ag Vocational Center. “It amazed me—these kids could get turned around so quickly.” NIK BLASKOVICH
11 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY OCTOBER 23-29, 2025 www.montereycountynow.com Schedule a meeting to learn more here! MPUSD Teacher Residency at Alder GSE IMAGINE To apply visit www.aldergse.org/apply For more info please email Sebastian Franco at sfranco@aldergse.edu or to schedule a phone call use QR code Becoming a highly effective educator through a supportive teacher-training program with an emphasis on social justice and equity. Earning your Master’s Degree and Teaching Credential in just one year from Alder GSE. Pairing theory with practice in a yearlong apprenticeship alongside a Mentor Teacher. COST - $23,970 for 2026-2027 cohort BENEFITS Living stipend provided to all residents State/federal grants Up to $49K in federal financial aid/loans Master's Degree and Credential in 1 year Tuition Reimbursement Priority hiring upon completion of program MPUSD Low-Cost Student Housing Bachelor's degree earned by June 2026 2.65 min (can appeal if your GPA is lower) Eligible to work in the U.S. ADMISSIONS REQUIREMENTS To learn more contact: Sebastian Franco sfranco@aldergse.edu Applications open (the first of 3 rounds): September 1, 2025 Why apply at the first deadline? Sometimes certain grade levels/subject areas can fill up after the first round. Applying in the first round means no subject/grade level is filled yet!
12 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY OCTOBER 23-29, 2025 www.montereycountynow.com PROTEST POWER A terrific turnout of neighbors from all walks of life, passionately committed to protecting our democracy! (“Thousands rally in Salinas and Monterey for No Kings Day,” posted Oct. 19). Megan Whilden | Monterey He’s not going anywhere no matter how many hours you waste on the street with a sign. I preferred DeSantis 100 percent but I am not going to cry about it for four years. Annette Perez | via social media Monterey was an amazing success with 8,500-9,000 showing up and representing for the cause. Marilyn Lucas Parmley | via social media Worthless cause. Didn’t change anything. Al Macks | via social media Keep shouting it from the rooftops and the streets. Dump Trump!, the rapist, crook, oligarch. Yay Monterey! Be Astengo | via social media What a bunch of misguided people, including Jimmy Panetta. How quickly they forget all the things the do-nothing Biden administration did and/or didn’t do to keep our nation safe: a botched Afghanistan withdrawal that killed 13 of our soldiers; defund the police; open borders; downsize and liberalize requirements for the military, just to name a few. If you don’t like what is happening in this country you certainly have a right to voice your opinion and even protest; but don’t forget—with that right comes responsibility, and sadly that is what is lacking today amongst the liberal far left. We need both parties and there certainly are extremes on both sides and extremes are never good for anybody. Instead of wasting energy protesting, do something to make things better. Robert McGregor | Salinas So proud of our community and all the freedom-loving Americans across the country exercising their First Amendment rights. We far out number the MAGAs who stick with this demented president and are on the wrong side of history. Jan Hufnagl | via social media BAD FOR BUSINESS It’s devastating to hear that the Salinas United Business Association will be dissolving (“Salinas United Business Association to dissolve by the end of the year,” Oct. 9-15). This administration’s immigration policies are bad for small businesses, bad for our communities. Thank you for helping us face these realities. Joanna Gallagher | Monterey HEALTH PLAN This is wonderful timing (“A new HMO is launched, offering coordinated care for those on Medicare and Medi-Cal,” Oct. 16-22). I am being filled left and right by expensive providers because my Medicare benefits no longer cover healthcare here. I’m sure everyone else is going through this too. After paying my deductible, I am paying at least that much again and rethinking everything. Montage has a lock on this Peninsula and I simply can’t afford them anymore. Thanks so much for reporting on this. I have received nothing in the mail. I hope they will reach out to people soon so they can enroll. Leigh Fitz | Monterey Hospitals across California face serious financial pressures, but balancing budgets cannot come at the expense of patients (“The California Hospital Association sues the state over spending caps, including those impacting CHOMP and SVH,” posted Oct. 16). Monterey County already ranks among the highest-cost hospital regions in the state, and shifting more costs onto working families threatens the health of the entire community. Montage Health pledged to improve the health and lives of Monterey County residents. Honoring that mission requires leading with compassion and prioritizing affordability. Hospitals and policymakers must work together to ensure financial sustainability never outweighs patient well-being. Svetlana Tauzhnyanskaya | Berkeley FED UP A clear violation of the Hatch Act. They need to take that post down immediately (“Squid Fry: Working for Who?” Oct. 9-15). Phil Candreva | via social media WATER FIGHT John Tilley ignores the fact that with the Pure Water Monterey expansion, the Peninsula now has plenty of water for decades of growth, no desal needed (“Letters,” Oct. 9-15). Our water woes are history. We now have 11,204 acre-feet per year of supply for current demand and decades of future development. Our public agencies have solved our long-standing water shortage. That should be celebrated by everyone. Cal Am’s proposed desal provides no benefit, takes coastal recreation areas, inflicts severe environmental damage, and possibly damages Marina’s groundwater resources. It would more than double our water bills. Mr. Tilley is a dedicated Cal Am cheerleader who refuses to see that Cal Am is too late. The problem has been solved and for a fraction of the cost. Susan Schiavone | Seaside READ ON For Banned Books Week, my family went to the Steinbeck House gift shop in Salinas and bought several John Steinbeck books including Grapes of Wrath (“Read a banned book today and celebrate free speech,” posted Oct. 10). I actually think East of Eden is more controversial and love it that it was assigned reading in my AP English class in high school in Detroit. Ruth Paget | via email AS SEEN ONLINE He’s a great creator. I love learning about local food from him (“Jesus ‘Jebus’ Soto of Salinas goes all in on local content and finds success on TikTok,” Oct. 16-22). Gina Bianchi | via social media Oh wow, That’s my TikTok buddy, how awesome! Ranae McDougal | via social media He [does] great reviews! Victor Rey | Salinas LETTERS • COMMENTSOPINION Submit letters to the editor to letters@montereycountynow.com. Please keep your letter to 150 words or less; subject to editing for space. Please include your full name, contact information and city you live in.
www.montereycountynow.com OCTOBER 23-29, 2025 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 13 There was one unremarkable day back in June when Sam Messenger of Salinas took his usual walk to the Cherry Bean coffee house on a Saturday, during the Oldtown farmers market. He noticed a sign about rent control; he knew there was an effort to gather signatures for a referendum seeking to restore rent control and other tenant protections in Salinas, and he supported it. So he approached a signature-gatherer, engaged in a brief and not particularly memorable discussion, signed the petition, and walked on. Fast-forward four months to another unremarkable day, Monday, Oct. 13. Messenger was at home when a stranger knocked on the door, who introduced herself as District Attorney Investigator Rebecca Ayala. Messenger was immediately curious. “It was a remarkable occurrence on an otherwise unremarkable day,” he says. Mostly, he says, Ayala wanted to know if the petition team had offered him anything in exchange for his signature. “She asked me questions about date, time, place,” Messenger says. “I told her a whole lot of, ‘I don’t really remember.’ I certainly was not offered cash or a cash equivalent.” The District Attorney’s Office declined to speak about this pending investigation, or even to acknowledge its existence. But City Councilmember Andrew Sandoval—who supported the suite of renter protections that his council colleagues later overturned—says he has heard from multiple signatories that they’ve been approached with similar questions by investigators. While the DA is investigating what is presumably a credible complaint, if they’re knocking on many doors—thousands of people signed—Sandoval sees a worrisome potential impact. “These recent actions risk creating a chilling effect on democracy by discouraging residents from participating in the petition process,” he says. “This could suppress voter turnout and deter people from exercising their constitutional rights.” Messenger was not intimidated, although it’s easy to imagine how others could be; months after you sign a petition, an officer shows up at the door to ask some questions. It’s also easy to imagine how the snacks that often accompanied organizers from the group Protect Salinas Renters could have been offered up to somebody signing. Free tacos and loaded baked potatoes at one event might have been meant to fuel volunteers for signature-gathering—but then got handed out to a petition-signer. It’s hard to imagine it was ever intended as a quid-proquo—someone would sign only if they got a potato?—or that it constitutes actual bribery (the California Penal Code on commercial bribery defines the amount as at least $250). On the other hand, if it did happen, it crossed a line. In a letter dated June 30, Jamie Estrada filed a complaint with the Fair Political Practices Commission against Protect Salinas Renters. Estrada described attending a public event around 3:30pm on Saturday, June 28 at 335 East Alisal St. (the location of a furniture store). According to the letter, Estrada spoke to Matt Huerta, a housing advocate and member of the group pursuing the referendum. “Mr. Huerta offered me free food after I began asking questions and discussing the referendum,” Estrada wrote. “However, when my friend—who did not engage or sign the petition— attempted to receive food, she was told she had to pay and that the free food was only available to individuals who ‘sign or participate’ in the referendum.” If true—I was unable to reach Estrada, and Huerta did not respond—it’s certainly a cringe-worthy misstep. Even more cringe-worthy: Luci Rodriguez (who I also could not reach) wrote an identical letter on the same date. It makes the whole thing feel like a coordinated campaign, perhaps politically motivated, more than a goodfaith effort to raise an alarm about the bribery potential of a baked potato. As Messenger says, “It seems as equally likely to me as the committee did something untoward as they are being retaliated against by some powers that be. I am beyond being surprised at this point.” Everything advocates say and do will be scrutinized as this long-running political battle comes to a head. This is just the beginning of this chapter, with the referendum set to appear on Salinas ballots in 2026. Sara Rubin is the Weekly’s editor. Reach her at sara@montereycountynow.com. Potato-Gate Investigation into petition signatures in Salinas casts suspicion all around. By Sara Rubin TO BUY, OR NOT TO BUY…Squid is no fan of tug-ofwar, associating it with a frustrating chase for shrimp (Squid gets hangry). So when Squid stumbled upon a real-life tug-of-war—this one involving a $5.3 million Big Sur property—Squid wondered: What gives? Santa Clara County residents Jennifer DiBrienza and Jesse Dorogusker are suing Michelle H. Mackay and associated trusts after four years of back-and-forth negotiations over a home known as “Teapot.” The one-bedroom, 900-square-foot home is on Clear Ridge, with a real estate listing promising it is “undoubtedly one of the best home sites in all of Big Sur.” That’s if you can get it. According to the lawsuit, filed in Monterey County Superior Court, the initial offer was made in April 2022. Over the next few years, Mackay repeatedly changed her mind—first agreeing to sell, then backing out, then rejecting DiBrienza and Dorogusker’s $5.3 million all-cash offer, believing a higher bid would come. It didn’t. Eventually, Mackay accepted the offer on Sept. 11, 2025. But even after preparing a contract she attempted to back out again—twice. First, Mackay wrote, “It is with humility and sincerity that we ask if you would consider releasing us from the contract…” Two days later, Mackay pivoted, citing a clerical error that made the contract invalid. Squid, exhausted by just reading about this battle, will just stay cozy in the lair. NUMBERS GAME…Squid is no math genius, but Squid can count to 420,000. That’s the amount of money Seaside City Council had budgeted for community social services grants this year to give to community-based organizations and faith-based organizations with projects that benefit Seaside residents. Sounds easy enough, except 22 organizations applied seeking a combined total of $1,067,303—obviously more than the amount allotted. So councilmembers reviewed the applications and each made recommendations on who should get funding and how much. “Of course it’s not enough money to go around to every agency,” Mayor Ian Oglesby said, offering an olive branch. “It does not mean I don’t value those nonprofits in our community.” But when the council set out to divvy up the money on Thursday, Oct. 16, the numbers analysis went on—and on, and on. The number-crunching took more than two hours to get to $420,000 allocated to 12 organizations. Some of the discussion focused on which groups were most deserving, but most of it was the excruciating process of adding, subtracting, averaging and moving numbers around on a spreadsheet—a little bit like counting sheep. The council agreed to fund wide-ranging initiatives from plants in parks to youth ambassadors building trust with police officers. Nowhere on the list was improved math skills. THE LOCAL SPIN SQUID FRY THE MISSION OF MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY IS TO INSPIRE INDEPENDENT THINKING AND CONSCIOUS ACTION, ETC. “I certainly was not offered cash.” SEND SQUID A TIP: squid@montereycountynow.com
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