NOVEMBER 20-26, 2025 MONTEREYCOUNTYNOW.COM LOCAL & INDEPENDENT BLOWING THE WHISTLE 8 | SHOWTIME AT HARTNELL 34 | GIVING BACK AT THE THANKSGIVING TABLE 42 FIRST PLACE GENERAL EXCELLENCE • 2025 CA JOURNALISM AWARDS • A neighborhood north of Salinas floods every winter. County officials hope to finally fix it. p. 20 By Celia Jiménez OVER FLOW gifts for Next Gen p. 26
2 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY NOVEMBER 20-26, 2025 www.montereycountynow.com NOVEMBER 20-26, 2025 • ISSUE #1947 • ESTABLISHED IN 1988 Pam Marino (iPhone 14 Pro) A group of birders zoom in on some of the birds of Garland Ranch Regional Park during a rainy-day hike sponsored by the Monterey Peninsula Regional Park District’s Let’s Go Outdoors program on Saturday, Nov. 15. MONTEREY COUNTY PHOTO OF THE WEEK Send Etc. submissions to etcphoto@montereycountynow.com; please include caption and camera info. On the cover: Every winter, Bolsa Knolls residents prepare for the rainy season by having their rain gear at hand and piling sandbags to protect their homes from flooding. Resident Raul Quineil clears debris to help the water drain after a flood in 2023. 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 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 NOVEMBER 20-26, 2025 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 3 If you know Community Hospital, you know Montage Health. montagehealth.org The fact is, we’ve always been here. You’ve just known us by a different name. The people at Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula created Montage Health to deliver exceptional care to more people, by expanding our services beyond the hospital. Today, we’re urgent care centers, wellness centers, primary care doctors, health insurance plans, and a groundbreaking mental health program for youth. Still independent, nonprofit, locally owned, and accountable only to the community we serve.
4 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY NOVEMBER 20-26, 2025 www.montereycountynow.com THE BUZZ FREE SPEECH Marion County in Kansas must pay more than $3 million to three journalists and a city councilmember after its sheriff’s office raided a small-town newspaper and multiple homes in 2023. Receiving the biggest sum of the payout—$1.5 million—is Eric Meyer, the owner and editor of the Marion County Record, whose home was raided by deputies. In August 2023, deputies stormed the newspaper’s office, seizing reporters’ computers and cell phones, claiming the Record illegally obtained driving records of a restaurant owner. The Marion County Sheriff’s Office released a statement apologizing for the raid: “This likely would not have happened if established law had been reviewed and applied prior to the execution of the warrants.” The raid received widespread condemnation from First Amendment advocates, calling it a chill on free speech that could have widespread implications across the country. “The most important consequence was that, you know, if you act like a bully, you try to weaponize the criminal justice system against the press, there’s going to be a price to pay, and that price is now measured in millions,” Meyer told CNN. Good: The Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion outdid itself in 2025—and people took notice. The annual Car Week gathering of vintage race cars earned Motorsport Event of the Year honors at the International Historic Motoring Awards in London on Friday, Nov. 14. Judges selected the Reunion over such prestigious events as the Le Mans Classic in France and England’s Silverstone Festival. “Each year our team invests endless time and energy to make the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion even better than years past,” said WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca President and General Manager Mel Harder. “This year’s event truly set a new bar for excellence.” Car Week was well-represented at the IHMA award ceremony. IROC was a finalist for Race Series of the Year and The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering, was a finalist in the Motoring Event of the Year category. GREAT: Carmel High School’s athletic teams put in the work every time they step onto the field and court. They also do the same in the classroom. The Central Coast Section of the California Interscholastic Federation recognized three of Carmel High’s varsity teams for their high collective grade point averages during the fall season. The girls tennis team earned the highest GPA in CCS at 3.945, while the flag football team was the fourth highest at 3.718 and football the fifth at 3.439. “Our student-athletes continue to inspire us with their drive, discipline and teamwork,” Carmel Unified School District Superintendent Sharon Ofek said. “Earning top academic honors while competing at a high level shows the strength of their character and the support they receive from our teachers, coaches and families. Congratulations to these student-athletes and to their coaches and teachers.” GOOD WEEK / GREAT WEEK THE WEEKLY TALLY That’s how much remains unfunded for safety upgrade projects at the San Antonio and Nacimiento dams in South Monterey County and North San Luis Obispo County, respectively. About $22.2 million in state grant funds have been secured. Source: Monterey County Water Resources Agency $166.8 QUOTE OF THE WEEK “Kids nowadays are deep in their llama phase.” -Bookseller Danielle Cumberland, speaking on the Llamanoes game available at Bookworks as holiday shopping season is underway (see story, page 28). million ’25
www.montereycountynow.com NOVEMBER 20-26, 2025 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 5 For more information, scan the QR code. We Believe VACCINATIONS SAVE LIVES. Last winter, Salinas Valley Health cared for more than 200 patients who were very sick with the flu or RSV (respiratory syncytial virus). There are safe vaccines that can help protect you or make these illnesses less serious. Ask your doctor or healthcare provider if getting a vaccine is right for you. Salinas Valley Health providers, staff and members of the Board of Directors
6 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY NOVEMBER 20-26, 2025 www.montereycountynow.com 831 Maria Ugaz spent her summer slicing apart hydras— not the mythical creatures but microscopic freshwater organisms—and monitoring their incredible ability to regenerate after being severed. (Fortunately for everyone involved, including the hydras, they do not have pain receptors.) Her research focused on genetic sequencing, hoping to glean evolutionary insight into what enables these jellyfish-like animals to regenerate quickly, with potential lessons down the road for biomedical research on human tissue regeneration. She’s a student at CSU Monterey Bay, one of 10 to earn a spot in a fall undergraduate research symposium hosted by the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Center (UROC) on Thursday, Nov. 13. And like many of the presenters, her work sounds sophisticated beyond her years. Another biology student, Addison Ryne, experimented with using holography to measure algal blooms in the waters of Lake Okeechobee in Florida and Lake Erie in Michigan. The traditional method for counting cells of cyanobacteria is labor-intensive and slow, and her research question has potentially significant implications—she wanted to find out if holographic images could be used to efficiently calculate the number of cells and predict a coming bloom of harmful algae. (Her answer was a partial yes. It worked in the Lake Erie water, where the cyanobacteria are more solid; the Okeechobee cells are more mushy and spread out. For the former, Ryne came up with a predictive equation: 1.65 million x colony volume - 38,647 = the estimated cell count.) The students presented in succession and were scored by a panel of six judges (including this reporter), rated on factors like their ability to articulate the purpose of their research and respond to audience questions. Ryne placed third, winning a cash prize of $100. Max Johnston Gomez placed second for his research on rockfish genetics, sampling larvae gathered from water off Baja California, for a $150 prize; and in first ($250) was Aaron Wickware, who worked at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography in San Diego to engineer solar panels to improve the power capability of a vehicle deployed to Antarctica where it collects water samples from melting ice. “Our components were using a lot more energy than we originally thought,” he said. His task was to design a system that could provide more power, enabling collection of more data—and it worked. His design, he said, was being shipped to Antarctica as he presented on campus. Johnston Gomez’s research question focused on the diversity of rockfish species. While he can easily identify different species just by looking at them, they don’t develop identifiable features until adulthood. So he experimented with 166 larval samples to see if genetic information could accurately identify the species of rockfish before it is identifiable to the human eye, with the potential to transform conservation strategies and the fishing industry by understanding rockfish populations early in their life cycle. He showed a photo of the subject of his work on screen, a lumpy white rockfish larvae: “This barely looks like a fish—it might as well be a hangnail,” he said. The good news for rockfish conservation down the road is that the hypothesis worked out. While it’s too soon to use in fisheries management, it is promising, he said: “We can really fill a knowledge gap that is going to help with conservation.” The presenters tended toward quantitative results—Cesar Ojeda measured heart rates of e-sports athletes— with a couple focused on more qualitative research. Navid Amariou set out to evaluate the effectiveness of peer-led math instruction on student outcomes in introductory calculus and statistics classes at CSUMB by measuring their drop-fail-withdraw rates. Sam Minard surveyed emergency managers in Florida about how they respond to misinformation in potentially life-threatening situations. “They kept identifying misinformation as one of their most serious concerns,” he said. “Almost no research has investigated how they actually deal with this problem.” While finding the answers could be another project for another summer, the UROC students are perhaps the best antidote to misinformation—they’re doing original research and finding data to support or refute their claims. Big Ideas Ten CSUMB students present their latest research with answers to big scientific questions. By Sara Rubin “We can really fill a knowledge gap.” TALES FROM THE AREA CODE DANIEL DREIFUSS Aaron Wickware won first place in the symposium for his presentation on a power system engineering design that attaches solar panels to a vehicle that collects Antarctic water samples. Our Big Idea catalyzes FOOD IS MEDICINE in Monterey County through nutrition programs and farmers’ markets providing local, sustainably grown fruits and vegetables to families in need. Support Access to Affordable Nutritious Food! montereycountygives.com/harvest Nov. 13 - Dec. 31, 2025 Our Local Impact: 2,900+ Families served weekly $3.5M in Healthy Food Incentives provided over the past 10 years 243 Farmers’ Markets hosted annually 2,420+ Fresh Rx produce prescriptions filled $923K Paid To Local Farmers through our programs this year Please donate!
www.montereycountynow.com NOVEMBER 20-26, 2025 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 7
8 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY NOVEMBER 20-26, 2025 www.montereycountynow.com NEWS Dozens of people gathered at the Japanese American Citizens League Hall in Monterey on Friday, Nov. 14 to assemble whistle kits for distribution in the community. Indivisible Monterey hosted “Whistlemania.” The movement originated in large cities like Chicago and Los Angeles to alert people about the potential presence of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in their communities. “It doesn’t really matter the size of the city, because our whistles are very loud, and they can be heard up to two miles away,” says Megan Whilden, one of the organizers. Jack Holmgren, a former immigration attorney and Carmel resident, spearheaded Whistlemania locally, saying a whistle is a tool people can use to alert others of ICE presence in real time. “It’s also a tool that can be used for nonviolent, civil disobedient resistance by the community that doesn’t have any concern about documentation,” Holmgren adds. Over 70 volunteers showed up, including Monterey Mayor Tyller Williamson and County Supervisor Wendy Root Askew. “Our immigrant community is the hardest-working community in Monterey County,” says Catherine Fanoe, a volunteer from Big Sur who attended the event and whose husband and son are agricultural growers. “Trump is the real threat to this country, not immigrants working to feed their families to make a better life for their kids,” she added. Each kit includes a whistle; a red card with information about one’s rights; and information on the Solidarity Network, which runs a hotline and deploys teams of volunteer observers to verify suspected ICE presence. Whistle Back Monterey County joins the Whistlestop campaign to alert people of potential ICE presence. By Celia Jiménez After a 40-year run as the Monterey County Jail’s health care provider, Wellpath’s tenure is coming to an end. The search for its successor has been a focus of County officials in recent months, but the real test—whether the next contractor can right a system long criticized for inadequate medical care—is yet to be determined. On Tuesday, Nov. 18, the Monterey County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a five-year and fivemonth $139 million contract with Correctional Healthcare Partners (CHP), a San Diego-based company founded in 2020. It was the top contender among seven health care providers that submitted bids. It will begin implementing services in the Salinas jail on Jan. 1, 2026. “This is the most significant change in the county jail in my nine years as a county supervisor,” Supervisor Luis Alejo said. “This is a very unique area of health care when it comes to inmates: [providing] medical, dental, pharmaceutical, mental health, psychiatric care services. There’s not a lot of companies running forward to do this kind of work. And it is expensive.” In a tight budget year, which has led to shrinking several departments’ budgets and operations, the looming question is how to pay for it. The new contract with CHP will require $4.2 million in augmentation funds in fiscal year 2025-26, in order to cover a staffing increase from 54 to 90 fulltime employees. Supervisor Wendy Root Askew underscored the need to identify ongoing additional funding to cover expenses, and suggested returning to the board to discuss the possibility of hiring an inspector general to oversee the contract implementation and ensure transparency in how county dollars are used. “We’re looking at a significant additional cost,” Askew said. “I think the cost of an inspector general would be relatively small, but it could help make sure we get this right.” Beyond providing care, both the county and the health care provider are required to continue demonstrating improvements in compliance with a legal agreement known as the Hernandez Settlement, which requires operations to meet certain legal obligations or face increasingly higher penalties based on a class action suit filed in 2013 by prisoners. The previous provider was found in civil contempt just last year for failing to provide adequate care under such monitoring agreements. “The [staffing] count isn’t an increase that is random,” CHP CEO Dr. Peter Freedland said. He added that the company’s experience working with San Diego’s incarcerated jail population—which is seven times the size of Monterey County’s—provided a model for where staffing is most needed. Freedland told the supervisors that reducing suicide rates has been a top priority for CHP, noting they reduced morbidity and mortality by over 50 percent at their San Diego facility in the first year. “We’re not looking to be a large company,” Freedland said. “We don’t have a business model that seeks tremendous growth. We chose Monterey because we’ve had opportunities to see your facilities over the last couple years. We want to work with places that want a partnership.” After the vote, County Supervisor Chris Lopez said, “I am not expecting perfection, but I am expecting improvement.” “This contract brings us to a position to provide a better level of health care services in the jail than we currently have,” Undersheriff Keith Boyd said on Tuesday, Nov. 18. Health, Anew Board of Supervisors approves a contract with a new health care provider for the county jail. By Katie Rodriguez More than 70 volunteers showed up on Nov. 14 and assembled 1,600 kits that include a silver whistle and a guide on how and when to use it. They hope to make and distribute 100,000 kits locally. “We want to work with places that want a partnership.” DANIEL DREIFUSS DANIEL DREIFUSS
www.montereycountynow.com NOVEMBER 20-26, 2025 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 9 Pebble Beach Company and Pebble Beach Company Foundation are proud to announce... The 2025 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance raised $4 million for local charities! Proceeds will benefit our charitable partners: Boys & Girls Clubs of Monterey County Montage Health Foundation MY Museum Natividad Foundation Rancho Cielo Youth Campus Salinas Valley Health Foundation Seneca Family of Agencies United Way Monterey County ...along with 120 other non-profit organizations supported by Pebble Beach Company Foundation For more information about Pebble Beach Company and Pebble Beach Company Foundation, please visit pebblebeach.com For more information about Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, please visit pebblebeachconcours.net © 2025 Pebble Beach Company. Pebble Beach®, Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance®, The Lone Cypress™, The Heritage Logo and its respective distinctive images are trademarks, service marks and trade dress of Pebble Beach Company. Photos courtesy of Pebble Beach Company Foundation.
10 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY NOVEMBER 20-26, 2025 www.montereycountynow.com Juan Heredia learned about the tragedy unfolding in Big Sur while he was at home in Stockton. As he watched the news on TV with his wife about the 15- to 20-foot waves that swept a 7-year-old away from her family at Garrapata State Park on Friday afternoon, Nov. 14, he believed with certitude that he would be able to locate her, even after other searches had so far been unsuccessful. So, he drove. It took him about three hours to get to the scene of the incident on Sunday, Nov. 16 after two full days of searching during daylight hours. He had never been to Big Sur before, and it was his first time conducting a recovery mission in the ocean. The waves were big and the storm was steady; a multi-agency largescale operation had been suspended the night prior. When he arrived, local lifeguards tried to prevent him from going out for his own safety. “I’m the one that chooses the risk. They have to somehow understand that I’m doing this for the family,” he says. “But I understand that they don’t want more tragedy.” The risk, however, extends beyond his own safety. In incidents like these, there is a careful process and protocol that are followed out of respect for the family, according to sources familiar with such procedures. For self-appointed missions in unfamiliar places, it is a fragile space for Heredia to enter—and one he is still relatively new to. His first recovery was in March 2024, where he helped a family locate their son who drowned in a river in Stockton. A hobby diver (both a free diver and a scuba diver), that was his first time helping with such a search, and what he thought would be his last. Five more requests of similar nature led him to create the nonprofit Angels Recovery Dive Team in August that year. Since, he’s helped recover 15 people. “We never say body,” Heredia says. “We always say son and daughters, because that’s what they are.” At about 1:20pm on Nov. 16, two days after she was swept out by the surf, Heredia located Anzi Hu of Calgary, Alberta, about a half-mile north of where she was last seen. Her father, 39-year-old Yuji Hu, drowned in an attempt to rescue her, and was recovered by an off-duty peace officer. The child’s mother, who followed her husband and daughter into the water was able to return to shore. She survived and was treated for hypothermia. A 2-year-old child on the beach was unharmed. Salinas City Council voted 6-1 on Tuesday, Nov. 18 to move forward with transferring ownership of two downtown city-owned properties to Taylor Fresh Foods. The development agreement for the properties would include a hotel, commercial space and housing. These properties are across from Salinas City Hall, at the intersection of Lincoln Avenue and West Gabilan Street. Parking Lot 8 is primarily used by downtown visitors, while Parking Lot 12 is mainly used for city employees during the week. For Lot 8, Taylor envisions building a hotel and commercial area, and making Lot 12 into a multi-family residential area with 66 units. Estimated timelines— after project approval— range from three to eight years and one to five years, respectively. Since the residential area would have more than 10 units, it should meet the city’s inclusionary housing requirements. The affordable units could range from 12 to 20 percent of the total, or the developer could pay in-lieu fees. Taylor representatives said they would prioritize the housing project since the city has a long-standing housing crisis. Lisa Brinton, the city’s community development director, says this step locks the potential project into abiding by current laws and regulations, but notes it won’t be a done deal until it closes escrow. “Either party can walk away and terminate the agreement,” Brinton says. Some residents and council members shared concerns about potential parking issues. The housing project proposal includes 90 parking spaces and city staff added they could look for alternatives, like turning the old police station next door into parking. In 2020, both properties became surplus and went up for grabs for private developers. Next steps include appraising the properties, agreeing to a purchase price and environmental assessments. The agreements are expected to come back to council for final approval on Dec. 2. If it moves forward, Taylor Fresh Foods would pay in cash. Deep See The diver who found a 7-year-old lost at sea describes his process. By Katie Rodriguez NEWS PUBLIC PROCESS North Monterey County Unified School District Board of Trustees meets and accepts public comment. 6pm Thursday, Nov. 20. North Monterey County High School media center, 13990 Castroville Blvd., Castroville. Free. (831) 633-3343, nmcusd.org. SHOPPING FOR GOOD Goodwill Central Coast opens its new, and largest, store in Salinas. Family activities take place throughout the day. 9am-7pm Friday, Nov. 21. Goodwill Central Coast, 1425 N. Davis Road, Salinas. Free. ccgoodwill.org. HELPING HANDS Survivors of suicide loss are encouraged to attend the third annual Hope and Healing in Monterey County event. Support and resources will be offered. 10am-1pm Saturday, Nov. 22. United Way Community Impact Center, 232 Monterey St., Salinas. Free. (831) 4008673, salinas-california.isosld.afsp.org. IN DEVELOPMENT Monterey Planning Commission meets to consider proposed projects. Public comment, as always, is welcome. 4pm Tuesday, Nov. 25. Colton Hall, 580 Pacific St., Monterey. Free. (831) 6463885, monterey.gov. FESTIVE VOLUNTEERING California State Parks is looking for wayfinding volunteers for the 41st annual Christmas in the Adobes. Wayfinders provide direction and help to eventgoers. Event runs Dec. 12-13. 20 Custom House Plaza, Monterey. isabella. brown@parks.ca.gov. POWER UP Association of Monterey Bay Area Governments is creating a plan for electric vehicle charging stations to best meet needs while being more resilient to climate change. Public input is welcome. Provide feedback by Dec. 31. ambag. org/plans/electric-vehicle-planning. GIVE BACK This year, 213 local nonprofits are part of Monterey County Gives! Read about their Big Ideas and donate to help their efforts. Donations accepted through midnight on Dec. 31 at montereycountygives. com. WATER WISE Salinas Valley Basin Groundwater Sustainability Agency offers free home water efficiency assessments to rural residents in northern Monterey County. Residents could receive free devices to help save water and energy. Assessments run through Jan. 31. Free. svbgsa.org. Infill Rising Housing and commercial projects in downtown Salinas move one step forward. By Celia Jiménez Juan Heredia is a hobby freediver and scuba diver from Stockton. He began conducting self-appointed recovery missions in the spring of 2024. E-MAIL: toolbox@montereycountynow.com TOOLBOX “I’m the one that chooses the risk.” MIKE MCCLINTIC
www.montereycountynow.com NOVEMBER 20-26, 2025 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 11 Join us at The Monterey Plaza Hotel & Spa for a bountiful buffet of seasonal favorites specially prepared by Chef Michael Rotondo on Thanksgiving Day, or take home one of our thoughtfully prepared dinners available for pickup. THANKSGIVING BUFFET THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 27TH 12:00 PM - 7:00 PM $145 ADULTS $49 CHILDREN (Ages 6-13) Free for children under 6 Tax and service not included THANKSGIVING TO-GO Available for pick-up Thanksgiving Day PICK UP 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM $365 FOR A DINNER SERVING 6 GUESTS For reservations and to order To-Go https://montereyplazahotel.com/dining/thanksgiving-dining-2025 Celebrate Thanksgiving 400 Cannery Row, Monterey montereyplazahotel.com (831) 645-4058 Meals on Wheels Salinas Valley No ni ld e r hun y l al - To r, t’s aure at n’t hapen. D a day Donate: montereycountygives.com/mows Join us! 831.375.9712 | cfmco.org/yearendgiving GIVE Where You Live Leverage your Year-End Gift 11/13/25-12/31/25 through MontereyCountyGives.com. IRA or stock gifts are welcome to benefit multiple nonprofits with a single gift. Thank you to our donors and nonprofit partners for creating health, safe, vibrant communities. Donor Advised Funds, Charitable Estate Planning (CGAs, CRTs), IRA Charitable Distributions, Scholarships and More
12 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY NOVEMBER 20-26, 2025 www.montereycountynow.com A year-long investigation into the high cost of hospital care in Monterey County by the California Office of Health Care Affordability has concluded that a lack of competition between the three main hospitals—Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula, Salinas Valley Health and Natividad—is the chief reason why they are some of the highest-priced hospitals in the state. Previous national studies placed the three hospitals within the top 10 most expensive in California, with CHOMP in first or second place. New data used for the investigation showed that inpatient admission prices for the 10 most common reasons are 31-percent above the San Francisco Bay Area average. Outpatient prices for the most common procedures are 47-percent above the Bay Area average. The investigation was launched in the wake of complaints by residents and local union members, as well as a meeting held in Seaside in 2024, in which experts came to a similar conclusion that market concentration was driving up costs. Local hospital leaders bristled at the suggestion, claiming that the data used painted an inaccurate picture and contending that there was “robust” competition between the three facilities. They blamed high labor and operating costs and caring for a high number of patients on Medicare and Medi-Cal, among other factors. The new report, released on Nov. 13 and discussed at an OCHA board meeting in Sacramento on Nov. 19 (after the Weekly’s deadline) rejects those explanations. Investigators said labor and operating costs were not sufficient to explain the county’s high hospital prices, nor the number of subsidized patients. The report cited one possible cause— insurance companies consider all three hospitals as “must-haves” in their networks due to the county’s geographic isolation and state network adequacy requirements, “giving the hospitals immense negotiating leverage.” Other contributing factors are a consolidation of physicians with large medical groups, and the possibility of referrals within a network, steering patients away from lower-cost alternatives. Local hospital leaders continue to reject OCHA’s assertions. “We take issue with the accuracy of the data used in this report,” says Mindy Maschmeyer, director of communications for Montage Health, CHOMP’s parent company. “The research does not reflect the realities of the cost of providing care in Monterey County.” She says Montage leaders remain “deeply sensitive to the cost of care,” and are committed to working to ensure care remains accessible. Gary Ray, SVH chief legal officer, said in a statement that the state agency “has repeatedly disregarded our efforts to engage in factual and thoughtful evidence-based dialogue on the many complex issues” surrounding the cost of care locally. He cited the high cost of living and a challenging payer mix. “Nearly 80 percent of residents rely on government insurance plans that reimburse far below the cost of care,” he said. Test Results A state investigation concludes a lack of competition is behind the county’s high hospital costs. By Pam Marino Dr. Mark Ghaly (left), California secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, and Elizabeth Landsberg, who oversees OHCA, during a 2024 board meeting in Seaside. NEWS Outpatient prices are 47-percent above the Bay Area average. DANIEL DREIFUSS HISTORIC DOWNTOWN MONTEREY SPONSORS OldMonterey.org (831) 655-8070 FRIDAY, DECEMBER5 5:00PM Colton Hall Lawn 570 Pacific St. Monterey SMALL BUSINESS SATURDAY Shop & Dine Downtown Monterey! SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 29
www.montereycountynow.com NOVEMBER 20-26, 2025 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 13 We are honored and look forward to working with you to support your pets best health and quality of life. 1023 Austin Avenue, Pacific Grove • 831-318-0306 • www.pacificgroveanimalhospital.com ’24 ’23 ’22 ’21 Four years in a row! A Gold Certified Cat Friendly Practice montereycountynow.com/bestof BEST OF MONTEREY COUNTY® 2024 XX We are honored and look forward to working with you to support your pets best health and quality of life. 1023 Austin Avenue, Pacific Grove • 831-318-0306 • www.pacificgroveanimalhospital.com ’24 ’23 ’22 ’21 Four years in a row! A Gold Certified Cat Friendly Practice montereycountynow.com/bestof BEST OF MONTEREY COUNTY® 2024 XX We are honored and look forward to working with you to support your pets best health and quality of life. 1023 Austin Avenue, Pacific Grove • 831-318-0306 • www.pacificgroveanimalhospital.com ’24 ’23 ’22 ’21 Four years in a row! 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14 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY NOVEMBER 20-26, 2025 www.montereycountynow.com MC GIVES Girls Inc., a nonprofit that works to empower 130,000 girls nationwide (and in Canada) began 161 years ago in Waterbury, Connecticut. Originally the Girls Club of America, their aim, at that time, was to help young women during the Industrial Revolution who were moving from rural areas to work in factories or textile mills. The organization has evolved with the times, working to close the opportunity gap for young women through a variety of programs that tackle structural barriers—poverty, sexism, access to leadership roles—through mentorship and education. “We provide a safe environment where they can be themselves,” says Patty Fernandez, executive director of the Central Coast chapter, which serves Monterey, Santa Cruz and San Benito counties. In practice, the organization’s tagline—“inspiring all girls to be strong, smart and bold”—looks different depending on the program, the age group, the school and the city. Girls Inc. of the Central Coast operates at 41 school sites across 10 cities, offering programs that help girls with things such as financial literacy, job and résumé preparation, stress management and public speaking. Say a girl expresses interest in a path in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math). If she is younger, she might participate in “Operation SMART,” getting to experiment by building projects, coding games or exploring robotics. For high schoolers, Girls Inc. might bring in a woman professional working in a STEM career (an engineer, a doctor or a marine biologist) to speak or serve as a mentor. For girls as young as 8 years old, the nonprofit often works with mothers and their daughters on things like communication skills, reproductive health and encouragement of academic curiosity. For girls up to 18, programs can focus on academic planning, career goals and media literacy. Fernandez adds that understanding how social media shapes self-perception and self-esteem has become an increasingly popular topic. Girls Inc. creates space for girls to discuss the role social media plays in their lives. “We want to provide information to these young women about what choices they have in life,” Fernandez says. Girl Power For 161 years, Girls Inc. has been helping break down barriers to empower young women. By Katie Rodriguez Girls Inc. intern Melissa Duenez-Ramirez (left) guides a seventh-grader building a battery-powered car, part of a hands-on engineering challenge for girls. How to Donate Go to www.mcgives.com and click the Donate button. Mental health, substance use, and homelessness often intersect. Community Human Services delivers care tailored to each person’s unique journey. Donate now to support those navigating life’s toughest crossroads. at the intersection of crisis and care. Our Monterey County Gives Big Idea, Safe Teens Empowerment Project, prevents underage alcohol and drug use by engaging over 7,000 Monterey County youth in leadership, education, and community projects that build confidence, life skills, and resilience against high-risk behaviors. MontereyCountyGives.com/SunStreet Our Monterey County Gives Big Idea, Safe Teens Empowerment Project, prevents underage alcohol and drug use by engaging over 7,000 Monterey County youth in leadership, education, and community projects that build confidence, life skills, and resilience against high-risk behaviors. MontereyCountyGives.com/SunStreet Our Monterey County Gives Big Idea, Safe Teens Empowerment Project, prevents underage alcohol and drug use by engaging over 7,000 Monterey County youth in leadership, education, and community projects that build confidence, life skills, and resilience against high-risk behaviors. MontereyCountyGives.com/SunStreet Our Monterey County Gives Big Idea, Safe Teens Empowerment Project, prevents underage alcohol and drug use by engaging over 7,000 Monterey County youth in leadership, education, and community projects that build confidence, life skills, and resilience against high-risk behaviors. MontereyCountyGives.com/SunStreet
www.montereycountynow.com NOVEMBER 20-26, 2025 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 15 THIS SEASON, A LITTLE LOVE GOES A LONG WAY. 700 Jewell Avenue, Pacific Grove, California 93950 • MOWMP.ORG • 831.375.4454 MOWMP is a 501(c)(3) exempt organization. EIN 94-2157521 mowmp.org/mcgives Give from the heart. Help us deliver hope. 2025 MEMBER SEEDS OF CHANGE 42 days 213 nonprofits Goals for 2025 8,000 donors $14,000,000 in donations HOW TO DONATE 1. Visit www.mcgives.com 2. Choose your favorites 3. Click on DONATE button Totals as of 11/19/25 1,656 donors $5,810,400 in donations MAJOR PARTNERS Monterey County Gives! is a special project of Monterey County Weekly in partnership with the Community Foundation for Monterey County and Monterey Peninsula Foundation PRINT | WEB | MOBILE
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