DECEMBER 11-17, 2025 MONTEREYCOUNTYNOW.COM LOCAL & INDEPENDENT MUSHROOM HAZARDS 10 | UNDER THE INFLUENCE 13 | ART IMMERSION 36 FIRST PLACE GENERAL EXCELLENCE • 2025 CA JOURNALISM AWARDS • BudgetFriendly Gifts p. 26 SPECIAL FEATURE As layoffs are set to begin at MIIS, a group of faculty are searching for a potential buyer to save the school. p. 20 By Sara Rubin It’s holiday gift season. Our shopping guide offers ideas for how to support local businesses. p. 26 MAKING A LIST
2 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY DECEMBER 11-17, 2025 www.montereycountynow.com DECEMBER 11-17, 2025 • ISSUE #1950 • ESTABLISHED IN 1988 Suzy Matsubara (iPhone 15) Paddling into the sunset on a calm, reflective night outside of Moss Landing Harbor. MONTEREY COUNTY PHOTO OF THE WEEK Send Etc. submissions to etcphoto@montereycountynow.com; please include caption and camera info. On the cover: Squid is not the best consultant on gift-giving, but Squid’s colleagues are far more generous—and have been preparing lists of holiday gift ideas every week. Cover illustration: Annie Cobb 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, Jesse Herwitz, Luz Rimban, 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
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4 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY DECEMBER 11-17, 2025 www.montereycountynow.com THE BUZZ FREE SPEECH The California Press Foundation hosted the 148th annual California Journalism Symposium on Thursday, Dec. 4 at the Monterey Plaza Hotel in Monterey, bringing together professional journalists, student journalists and others for a day of conversation about the state of the industry and how to build up the next generation of reporters. “Sometimes it feels like I spent the first 10 years of my career getting really sourced up on the basket weaving beat,” said the keynote speaker, Ben Mullin, who covers media for the New York Times. “As more and more newsrooms drop away, the more precious the ones we have remaining are.” (Mullin was once a recipient of what he described as a “life-changing” internship grant from Cal Press.) Panel discussions included topics such as how to use artificial intelligence ethically and appropriately for newsgathering and analysis, news literacy and journalism education. The Journalism Education Collaborative aims to connect student journalists through a directory of more than 1,000 school media outlets. Good: Good news for Salinas residents who are struggling to pay for rent. The Salinas City Council on Dec. 2 unanimously approved a $1 million pilot rental assistance program to assist families with up to three months of rent or $9,000. The city also set aside $250,000 for Monterey County Office of Education to aid families with schoolaged kids. “It is an eviction prevention initiative,” Kayshla Lopez, Salinas’ homeless services manager, told the council. “It is a cross collaboration with the Monterey County Office of Education aimed at strengthening homelessness prevention efforts within our community.” The rental assistance program is funded with the general fund and family homelessness challenge grant funds from California Department of Housing and Community Development. The program will run until June 2026, or once funds are exhausted. It could aid up to 111 families. GREAT: Providing easy access to overdose-prevention tools is critical to saving lives, and Soledad has taken a step toward that goal. The County of Monterey Health Department and City of Soledad celebrated the installation of a kiosk that contains naloxone and fentanyl test trips on Monday, Dec. 8. The kiosk is stocked with about 250 doses of naloxone and 250 sets of fentanyl test strips. Naloxone, known as Narcan, counteracts the effects of an opioid overdose within minutes, while fentanyl test strips give people the ability to test drugs for the presence of fentanyl. The kiosk, the first of its kind in South Monterey County, is located next to the Soledad Fire Station at 525 Monterey St., between the old jail and new fire apparatus bay. Earlier this year, more kiosks were installed at transit centers in Marina and Salinas, as well as the jail and a clinic in Salinas. GOOD WEEK / GREAT WEEK THE WEEKLY TALLY That’s how many barrels of oil and toxic wastewater spilled in a San Ardo oil field on Dec. 5, estimated at more than 4,000 gallons. The spill, which is under investigation, occurred just over a mile from where Sargent Creek feeds the Salinas River, which provides drinking and irrigation water for the Salinas Valley. Source: Governor’s Office of Emergency Services 96 QUOTE OF THE WEEK “I won’t be scared into not sharing what’s really going on in our city.” -Salinas City Councilmember Andrew Sandoval in a social media video, speaking about the postponed censure vote against him (see story, montereycountynow. com/newsletter).
www.montereycountynow.com DECEMBER 11-17, 2025 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 5 Voted Monterey County’s Best Antique Shop ’25
6 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY DECEMBER 11-17, 2025 www.montereycountynow.com 831 One night earlier this fall, California’s First Theatre in Monterey is filled to near-capacity, and the draw—aside from the historic theater itself—is the chance to learn more about shipwrecks in and around Monterey Bay. State Parks Interpreter Aaron Gilmartin welcomes the crowd of about 100, and introduces State Parks Guide Stuart Thornton III (a former staff writer for the Weekly), who will “be taking you through the rough seas of Monterey Bay as we hopefully make it safely to shore by the end of the presentation.” Thornton begins: “This region posed many problems for mariners…” Those problems include rocky points that ship captains might mistake for the entrance to Monterey Bay, causing them to cut toward shore too soon. There are the big waves, which can get up to 30 feet tall in the winter, and the coastal fog, shrouding the horizon. Thornton’s presentation is focused on wrecks of which he could find images to help illustrate, and he starts with the Natalia, a ship sailing north from Mexico that had anchored in Monterey when the waves picked up suddenly, causing the ship’s anchor chain to break and setting it adrift toward Seaside before meeting the seafloor. “If it wasn’t for the valiant efforts of a young cook, many people would have lost their lives,” Thornton says, before quickly adding, “Three people did in fact lose their lives.” It being 1834, there’s no photo of the Natalia, but Thornton shows a painting of the boat sinking, waves crashing over it. “If the deck of your boat is under so much water you can’t see it,” Thornton says, “you’re probably in serious trouble.” Monterey resident Jose Abrego salvaged wood from the Natalia to build a home in Monterey—Casa Abrego, which still stands today. The list of vessels is long. Thornton moves on to the Commodore Rodgers, a wounded whaling ship that was intentionally grounded in Monterey in 1837 in order to save its cargo of sperm whale oil, and then the St. Paul, a steamer full of cattle bound for San Simeon that ran aground at Pt. Joe in Pebble Beach in 1896. Thornton’s voice picks up in excitement as he gets to the Rhoderick Dhu, which ran aground at Asilomar in 1909 and became a shortlived shoreline attraction, with onlookers picnicking on the beach alongside a horse and buggy. But perhaps the wreck that most tickles the crowd is the Frank H. Buck, an oil tanker that got stuck on the rocks at Pt. Pinos in 1924—the Buck had previously run aground twice elsewhere—which likewise became a shoreline attraction until it was successfully refloated, before sinking near San Francisco Bay more than a decade later after its captain ran the Buck into the President Coolidge. A fun fact surfaces with the story of the Flavel, a steamer loaded with lumber from Washington state that wrecked at Cypress Point in Pebble Beach in 1923. Commercial fishermen were nearby and “when they saw the quality of this lumber in the water, they stopped fishing for fish and started fishing for lumber.” Thornton moves forward through history until ultimately reaching the present, and he offers an opportunity for discovery. If one walks a mile to the beach at the Salinas River National Wildlife Refuge, then about a 20-minute walk north on the beach from there, one can see a wreck of a barge that ran aground in the early 1980s when the Salinas River was flooding. “Luckily there wasn’t a lot of fuel in the vessel, so it’s just been left there ever since,” he says. “If it’s a low tide, you can actually jump up onto the vessel. I’ve seen fishermen there just casting away.” After Thornton wraps up, he launches into a short, easy quiz for the audience—correct answers are awarded with a Monterey State Historic Park pencil. He’s asked whether it was the same captain on the Frank H. Buck during its repeated mishaps; Thornton says he’ll look into it. Right as everyone’s getting up to leave, someone asks Thornton whether he has any good shipwreck-related advice. “Always wear a life preserver.” The theater fills with smiles. The hope from officials at Monterey State Historic Park is to repeat those smiles. Gilmartin says they are working to organize more events like this at the First Theatre, which is open to the public for special events. Sinking In State Parks brings old stories of local shipwrecks to life, and more such talks are on deck. By David Schmalz “Always wear a life preserver.” TALES FROM THE AREA CODE ANTON CHARLES HEIDRICK, VIA POINT LOBOS LIGHTHOUSE COLLECTION The S.S. Frank H. Buck is shown wrecked on the rocks near Point Pinos in May 1924. The oil tanker was eventually refloated and back in service before colliding with another ship in March 1937. SHOP. EAT. STAY. LOCAL Find local businesses at montereychamber.com/list SHOP SMALL spread cheer & shop local this holiday season!
www.montereycountynow.com DECEMBER 11-17, 2025 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 7 Reservations are required. For more information please visit quaillodge.com or call 831.620.8860 appetizer desSert entrÉe
8 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY DECEMBER 11-17, 2025 www.montereycountynow.com NEWS After nearly two terms on Sand City City Council, Elizabeth “Libby” Sofer announced she is resigning on Dec. 31. Sofer notified her council colleagues and City Manager Vibeke Norgaard in an email on Nov. 7. “I regret that I will be unable to complete the last year of my elected term which would have been the last of 2026,” she wrote. “It has become untenable financially for me to remain in Sand City.” Sofer says the main reason she is forced to move is the cost of housing. After the death of her partner, former Sand City city manager Kelly J. Morgan, she says members of the community rented housing to her at below market rate, but that has become unsustainable. “I have a whole lot more I want to do for Sand City,” Sofer says. “I cannot afford to live on the Monterey Peninsula.” The city charter states that the remaining councilmembers are to appoint a new member in the event of a vacancy. The seat must first be declared vacant, a procedural step that council is expected to take on Tuesday, Dec. 16 during Sofer’s last council meeting. “Council gets to choose how they interview and locate the person they appoint,” Norgaard says. The City Council will open an application process for interested parties. The appointee will finish Sofer’s term, ending Dec. 31, 2026. (The seat is scheduled to be up for election in November 2026 for a four-year term.) Sofer says she is proud of the work she did in seven years on council. She highlights work on the Recreation Trail and a plan to build 60 housing units where the Sand City Art Park is now located. She plans to move to Paradise, California with family. Priced Out Sand City City Councilmember Libby Sofer resigns, citing high housing costs. By Sloan Campi After several months of meeting quietly with organizers from the California Nurses Association, registered nurses of the Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula made it known publicly on Dec. 5 their intentions to unionize. Some posted up at entrances to CHOMP for two hours each night over the weekend, passing out information to coworkers about the effort. If successful, it would be the first union at CHOMP in its 91-year history. “It’s all about patient safety,” one nurse said, before Monterey County Now broke the story online on Dec. 4, the day before the CNA, affiliated with National Nurses United, filed with the National Labor Relations Board requesting an election to form a union. The CNA is now awaiting authorization from the NLRB to begin an election among nurses on whether to unionize. (The NLRB typically first investigates a petition.) “Registered nurses at [CHOMP] are committed to providing the highest quality care for the people of Monterey. That’s why they’ve taken this first step toward forming a union—filing for an NLRB election— so they can advocate as a collective for contracts that will ensure safe working conditions, protect nurses’ rights, and allow nurses to do what they do best, which is care for our patients,” Sandy Reding, an RN and CNA president, said in a written statement. The CNA already represents nurses at other regional hospitals, including Salinas Valley Health in Salinas, Mee Memorial in King City, Watsonville Community in Watsonville, Dominican in Santa Cruz and Hazel Hawkins in Hollister. Montage Health, parent company to CHOMP, issued a written statement from Mindy Maschmeyer, director of communications for Montage, saying that CHOMP “has always been proud of our strong, collaborative relationship with employees, the positive work environment we provide, and our history as a union-free organization. We believe this partnership, along with competitive compensation and benefits, gives our team a meaningful voice in shaping the organization without the need for union representation. “That said, we respect the right of our nurses to explore unionization and remain committed to open, constructive communication. Our priority continues to be supporting our nursing team and delivering exceptional care to our patients.” Organizing began earlier this year as nurses sought representation from at least two union organizations, choosing CNA. Meetings took place over the summer, and signature cards asking for CNA to represent them were collected from nurses. Nurses contend that their concerns about patient safety have been ignored by management and allege cuts in the number of aides working in the hospital, putting more pressure on nurses. Montage officials say that its “Community Affordability Initiative,” launched a year ago with a goal of making $50 million in cost reductions over 24 months, has not negatively impacted quality of care. In recent months CHOMP has come under scrutiny by state officials over two surgery incidents, followed by its safety score by Leapfrog, a nonprofit rating organization, dropping from a B to a C. Montage leaders have pledged system-wide changes to ensure safe practices. CHOMP nurses say concerns about patient safety, not salaries, are driving an effort to unionize. Above, a nurse’s vehicle was seen around town after the news broke. Union Label CHOMP nurses are organizing to form a union, citing patient safety as their main concern. By Pam Marino Libby Sofer was elected in 2018 and re-elected in 2022 to four-year terms on Sand City City Council. She is resigning on Dec. 31 after serving for seven years as she prepares to move out of the area. “It’s all about patient safety.” COURTESY OF LIBBY SOFER
www.montereycountynow.com DECEMBER 11-17, 2025 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 9 CHS 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 MONTEREY PENINSULA Col lege NEW YEAR. FRESH START. SPRING AHEAD! mpc.edu/findaclass Spring Classes Start January 27th ENROLL TODAY! *Early Spring Classes: Jan 6-25 MONTEREY PENINSULA Col lege NEW YEAR. FRESH START. SPRING AHEAD! mpc.edu/findaclass Spring Classes Start January 27th ENROLL TODAY! *Early Spring Classes: Jan 6-25 MONTEREY PENINSULA Col lege NEW YEAR. FRESH START. SPRING AHEAD! mpc.edu/findaclass Spring Classes Start January 27th ENROLL TODAY! *Early Spring Classes: Jan 6-25 26 MONTEREY PENINSULA Col lege NEW YEAR. FRESH START. SPRING AHEAD! mpc.edu/findaclass Spring Classes Start January 27th ENROLL TODAY! *Early Spring Classes: Jan 6-25 *Early Spring Classes: Jan 5-24 Mental health, substance use, and homelessness often intersect. That’s why Community Human Services delivers flexible care tailored to each person’s unique journey. at the intersection of crisis and care. Crisis doesn’t wait. Donate now to support those navigating life’s toughest crossroads.
10 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY DECEMBER 11-17, 2025 www.montereycountynow.com At least 13 people in Monterey County have been sickened after consuming what are believed to be highly toxic death cap mushrooms since Thanksgiving week, prompting local officials to sound an alarm about the dangerous fungi on Dec. 2. A few days later, the California Department of Public Health reported 21 cases in the state identified by the California Poison Control System, some resulting in severe liver damage with one death reported. After the clusters of cases in Monterey County and the Bay Area, officials are advising the public statewide to forgo foraging altogether this year. With recent fall rains, the mushrooms are proliferating in forests, parks and backyards, particularly around oaks and other hardwood trees. “Because the death cap can easily be mistaken for edible, safe mushrooms, we advise the public not to forage for wild mushrooms at all this high-risk season,” Dr. Erica Pan, CDPH director and state public health officer, said in a statement. Five of the 13 in Monterey County were treated at Natividad Medical Center, with two hospital admissions, both since released. Of the eight remaining patients seen by emergency doctors at Salinas Valley Health, several developed signs of liver damage and even fulminant liver failure, which includes brain dysfunction in someone with a previously healthy liver. At least two people who consumed the mushrooms showed no symptoms. The remaining six required hospital admission, according to Dr. Kimberly Moulton, an emergency physician at SVH. To protect patient privacy, Moulton described their ages as starting from pediatric age through middle age. As of Dec. 9, some of the six were making a recovery after intensive treatment, some were still hospitalized. “It’s expected when we see that many cases that someone will require a liver transplant, and it would not be unexpected to see a death,” she says. The fatality rate is at least 10 percent. People who become ill can feel like they’re improving and delay seeking treatment, while serious damage is actually underway, Moulton warns. Symptoms include nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain and watery diarrhea. “If people do develop symptoms they need to seek treatment right away,” she says. Washing, cooking or freezing the mushrooms does not eliminate the toxins. Students in Youth Orchestra Salinas had been busy getting ready for their winter concert on Friday, Dec. 12 when organizers learned they would need a new venue less than two weeks before showtime. The original venue was a popular multi-purpose space owned by the City of Salinas, Sherwood Hall. The 50-year-old venue has folding seats on moveable risers so that it can transform from a theater to an open floor plan and host different types of events from cultural performances with a stage to community gatherings with small group tables, and more. YOSAL’s show needed a theater-like seating configuration, but city staff discovered issues with the riser seating as they prepared to get the venue ready. “It got stuck as the staff was making a shift from a full riser to a flat floor,” says Kristan Lundquist, Salinas’ library and community services director. Lundquist says the city’s team contacted about five event organizers that had rented the venue in December and January, including YOSAL, to inform them about the issue and aid them to find a different venue. (YOSAL successfully relocated to the Fox Theater downtown, and is set to perform at 5pm on Dec. 12; see details on p. 30.) This isn’t the first time the city had issues with the seating in Sherwood Hall. A similar situation happened in 2017 and was repaired a year later. Lundquist said those repairs guaranteed another 10-15 years of use. While city officials wait for a contractor to evaluate the issue and find out what repairs are needed now, the venue won’t be able to host large gatherings. “The events that are really impacted are the largescale kind of events that need that theater seating,” Lundquist notes. With the risers, the center can host events with up to 1,500 people. Any event larger than 700 people gets a theater-like setting, for a temporary size limit. The site is still available for floor events that don’t require a stage, such as the State of the City address or Breakfast with Santa. Toxic Taste Officials warn against foraging potentially dangerous mushrooms. By Pam Marino NEWS HOUSING RIGHTS A panel of experts present on rights related to housing. Learn what documentation must be included in a rental termination notice, and whether relocation benefits must be offered. 6-8pm Thursday, Dec. 11. Salinas City Hall, 200 Lincoln Ave., Salinas. Free. (831) 566-0824, echofairhousing.org. ISSUES UPDATE This District 5 community meeting provides North Salinas residents with updates on the police department, fire department and code enforcement. 6-8pm Thursday, Dec. 11. Kamann Elementary School, 521 Rochex Ave., Salinas. Free. (831) 758-7306, monica. sardina@salinas.gov. PROTECTING THE PUBLIC The North County Fire Protection District Board of Directors meets to discuss district business. Public comment is accepted. 10am Tuesday, Dec. 16. Castroville Branch Library, 11160 Speegle St., Castroville. Free. (831) 633-2578, ncfpd.org. ON THE DAIS Marina City Council holds its regular meeting to discuss city business, including extending a temporary prohibition on new firearms businesses. Public comment is accepted. 6:30pm Tuesday, Dec. 16. Council Chambers, 211 Hillcrest Ave., Marina. Free. (831) 884-1278, cityofmarina. org. COASTAL LIVING The City of Monterey is updating its state-mandated plan that guides development in the coastal zone. Members of the public are invited to take a survey to share how they use the coast and what they would like to see in the future. Survey ends Dec. 31. Free. bit.ly/ MontereyCoastalSurvey25. THE BIG GIVE 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. montereycountygives.com. WATER WISE Salinas Valley Basin Groundwater Sustainability Agency offers free home water efficiency assessments for rural North Monterey County residents. The assessment could include installing water-efficient shower heads, irrigation controllers for the garden and more. Assessments are free. (831) 471-7519, SVBGSA.org. Show Must Go On Riser problems at city-owned Sherwood Hall lead to canceled or relocated Salinas events. By Celia Jiménez The proliferation of death cap mushrooms this season prompted state health officials to ask the public to forgo foraging for any wild mushrooms. E-MAIL: toolbox@montereycountynow.com TOOLBOX “The death cap can easily be mistaken for safe mushrooms.” SHUTTERSTOCK
www.montereycountynow.com DECEMBER 11-17, 2025 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 11 Protecting the Heart of California’s Coast Our work defending the Big Sur Land Use Plan helps keep this world-renowned coastline accessible, unspoiled and natural for everyone. By safeguarding these protections, we preserve Big Sur’s rustic character, ensure enjoyable public access to the coast, and defend against the growing pressure of commercial overdevelopment. KEEP BIG SUR WILD KBSW members doing trash cleanup at Hurricane Point Your donation supports: • Safeguarding the policies of the Big Sur LUP • Education & advocacy for responsible land use • Equitable access for all residents and visitors • Protection of wildlands, trails and water resources Help us preserve the natural beauty and public safety of the entire coast. KENNAN and KAREN WARD Photography. Donate to Keep Big Sur Wild through Monterey County Gives! (“Maintenance of the quality of the natural experience along the Big Sur Coast has precedence over development…” — BSLUP § 3.1) montereycountygives.com/kbsw LOCATED BEHIND PORTOLA HOTEL & SPA | COMPLIMENTARY SELF OR VALET PARKING (831) 649-2699 | PETERBSMONTEREY.COM | $5 Happy Hour 4pm to 6pm & 9pm to 10pm Voted Monterey’s Favorite Sports Bar Bar & Happy Hour Dec 19 Mean Green One is Back | Dec 25 Two Holiday Dinner Plates 25 HDTV’s & Craft Beer | Pet-Friendly Heated Patio & Fire Pits Public Notice: Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute Learn More: Emergency Permit to Manage Hazardous Waste The California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) has issued an Emergency Permit to Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI) valid November 22, 2025, through January 21, 2026. DTSC has determined that expired chemicals at MBARI must be treated prior to transport because they are an imminent and substantial risk to human health and the environment. What will be treated: • 1-liter container of diethyl ether • 0.5-liter container of Collodion solution 4-8% ethanol/diethyl ether • 2.5-liter container of tert-butyl methyl • 1-liter container of Tetrahydrofuran Where: 7700 Sandholdt Road, Moss Landing, CA 95039 Duration: About 6 hours to set up, treat, and ensure that all hazardous waste is stable and safe for transport to a permitted waste facility. The applicant is required to certify that no hazardous materials remain in the treatment area. Veolia Environmental Services (Veolia) will perform the treatment according to the workplan reviewed and approved by DTSC. The following safety measures will be taken: • All expired chemicals are stored in a secure location away from the public until treatment occurs. • Qualified staff from Veolia will perform the treatment. • Treatment will happen in a secure, ventilated area not accessible to the public. • Expired chemicals will be tested to confirm the treatment is successful. • Treated materials will be transported to a permitted disposal facility. For more information: To see the electronic files for this project, contact the Project Manager using the information below. You can also view the physical files by appointment only at the DTSC Sacramento Regional Office: 8800 Cal Center Drive, Sacramento, CA 95826; (916) 255-3758, Monday through Friday, 8:00am to 5:00pm. Contacts: Project Manager Hai-Yong Kang Project Manager (916) 255-6522 Hai-Yong.Kang@dtsc.ca.gov Public Outreach Tammy Pickens Public Participation Specialist (916) 255-3594 Tammy.Pickens@dtsc.ca.gov Media Media.Relations@dtsc.ca.gov About us: DTSC protects California’s people, communities, and environment from toxic substances, to enhance economic vitality by restoring contaminated land, and to compel manufacturers to make safer consumer products.
12 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY DECEMBER 11-17, 2025 www.montereycountynow.com It takes money to make money, as the old saying goes, describing how it takes an investment of cash to earn a return. In the case of Salinas, the City has been investing millions in loans to developers—more than $38.4 million over the past 10 years—for a return of 800 affordable housing units, some already completed with most on track to be completed over the next several years. Developers leverage those loans to raise the rest of the funds needed for construction. The most notable projects already completed include the 90-unit Moongate Plaza in Chinatown in 2018, 50-unit Haciendas Phase III in 2020 and the 80-unit Parkside Manor Phase I last year. The city loaned developers a combined $7.5 million. The developers raised a combined $118 million to pay for construction. In November, the Salinas City Council considered making $8.4 million in loans to create 130 new units and rehabilitate 40 more, using $4.4 million in federal money from the Home Investment Partnerships Program, known as HOME, and $3.6 million from California’s Local Housing Trust Fund program, among other government programs. “This is a very exciting time and moment,” Orlando Reyes, assistant director for the Salinas Department of Community Development, told the council on Nov. 18. He said the loans represent about 8 percent of the total development cost of each project, adding that for every dollar borrowed, developers raised $11 million more. The city put out a Notice of Funding Availability in June and received five applications asking for nearly $18 million, $10 million over what was initially available. The proposed sixunit Republic Café in Chinatown, purchased by the city in 2022, became the sixth project under consideration. City staff used a review process that prioritized how ready projects were for development. In the end the staff recommended four of the six that were further along in planning: a rehabilitation project of 40 Vista de la Terraza apartments owned by CHISPA at $960,000; 88-unit Casentini Street Apartments by Milestone Housing at $3.8 million; 36-unit St. George Apartments senior housing by CHISPA at $2.3 million; the city’s Republic Café project needing $1.3 million. Some council members expressed concern that the city’s six-unit project and a rehabilitation project were recommended over two larger projects. Reyes said the latter two were farther away from being ready to construct. “There’s an art to this sometimes, and it cannot be science,” City Manager René Mendez said, encouraging councilmembers to trust the process, adding that the city needed to balance available funds that come with required uses. Larry Hirahara is a co-founder of nonprofit Asian Cultural Experience, which is proposed to occupy the first floor of the Republic Café as a museum and cultural center. He called the project the “cornerstone” of a greater and much-needed revitalization of Chinatown. The council approved the loans without further amendments by a vote of 7-0. Seed Money Salinas’ strategy of making loans to developers is paying off with more affordable housing. By Pam Marino The old Republic Café property is in need of stabilization after a recent fire. Salinas city officials propose building six units of housing there, with nonprofit Asian Cultural Experience on the first floor. NEWS “There’s an art to this.” DANIEL DREIFUSS 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 PREVENTION•EDUCATION TREATMENT•RECOVERY EMPOWER YOUR RECOVERY THROUGH EXERCISE! Regular running supports brain healing and, along with high-intensity exercise, helps reduce cravings and the risk of relapse in individuals with Substance Use Disorder. WWW.SUNSTREETCENTERS.ORG
www.montereycountynow.com DECEMBER 11-17, 2025 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 13 Dylan Blau of Pacific Grove claims a combined 51,000 followers on two Instagram accounts. He has been using that in a pitch to local restaurateurs with a proposal to use those followers to promote their business as a social media influencer. But multiple business owners say that when they declined Blau’s services or terminated a contract, he instead used his social media following to share a different message, shaming local restaurants or wineries. In a video Blau posted on Instagram on Nov. 26, he films himself on a 19-minute-long tirade in which he says he intends to report various alleged restaurant violations to multiple government authorities. In the video, he suggests a plan to publish a comprehensive list of local eateries that he will grade on a A-F scale. He goes on to say he’s teamed up with U.S. Immigration and Customs and Enforcement (ICE) to remove illegal immigrants from restaurants. “I will be informing ICE of any restaurants…Plain and simple: I don’t support illegal immigrants working in America. They shouldn’t be here,” he said on his Instagram story. Blau confirms that he intends to do this by emailing the agency. Blau also makes accusations of health code violations for food trucks in Monterey County, claiming that some unlicensed food trucks are serving, “rat, dog and cat meat disguised as chicken.” “I think we need to be critical,” Blau says. “People deserve to know the truth.” But multiple restaurateurs who have come in contact with him, many speaking on the condition of anonymity because they say they fear retaliation, say the truth is that he intimidates them if they do not hire him or do not renew a business contract. “He’s saying he’s trying to help the industry, but how is that helpful when he says [the wine industry] is failing at every turn?” says local sommelier Andi Wrede. Blau claims he is still focused on helping businesses. “Me talking negatively about a business and my negative experience shouldn’t make me a bad person,” Blau says, claiming that he’s also never left a negative review for a restaurant or winery. “That’s the obligation of an influencer, to be ethically honest, to have integrity and sometimes be outspoken about problems, even if that makes you look like an asshole,” Blau adds. Of course, anyone can post a negative review of a restaurant or other business on social media. But multiple members of the local food industry claim Blau is leveraging his influence against them in retaliation if they do not hire him. Some people report that Blau has represented himself as working for A Taste of Monterey (he does not), or as a wine broker, a title that customarily entitles someone to receive complimentary wine tastings at tasting rooms. One restaurateur who hired him says he was given complimentary food for the duration of their contract. Blau disputes that and says he’s always paid for his meals and services. Blind Side A wine and restaurant influencer promises to help local restaurants, but then they say he turns on them. By Sloan Campi Dylan Blau claims his approach is reasonable, but multiple restaurant owners describe a pattern of intimidation if they do not hire him or terminate a contract. NEWS “That’s the obligation of an influencer, to be ethically honest.” DYLAN MAXWELL BLAU DECEMBER 17-25, 2025 3:30 AM - LAST DEPARTURE ADMINISTRATION OFFICE SECOND FLOOR OF TERMINAL BUILDING For active duty along with your traveling companion(s). Complimentary meals, snacks, beverages, comfortable seating, and Wi-Fi will be available. MONTEREY REGIONAL AIRPORT WELCOMES OUR MILITARY TRAVELERS HOLIDAY MILITARY LOUNGE DETAILS. The Military Lounge will be available to active duty U.S. military traveling on orders or for personal reasons during the December holiday traveling season. The Lounge will be provided as a courtesy of the airport, and community partners. Overnight accommodations will not be available. FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT US AT (831) 648-7000. To make arrangements for large group accommodations, please email operations@montereyairport.com THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE DECEMBER 17-25, 2025 3:30 AM - LAST DEPARTURE ADMINISTRATION OFFICE SECOND FLOOR OF TERMINAL BUILDING For active duty along with your traveling companion(s). Complimentary meals, snacks, beverages, comfortable seating, and Wi-Fi will be available. MONTEREY REGIONAL AIRPORT WELCOMES OUR MILITARY TRAVELERS HOLIDAY MILITARY DETAILS. The Military Lounge will be available to active duty U.S. military traveling on orders or for personal reasons during the December holiday traveling season. The Lounge will be provided as a courtesy of the airport, and community partners. Overnight accommodations will not be available. FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT US AT (831) 648-7000. To make arrangements for large group accommodations, please email operations@montereyairport.com THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE DECEMBER 17-25, 2025 3:30 AM - LAST DEPARTURE ADMINISTRATION OFFICE SECOND FLOOR OF TERMINAL BUILDING For active duty along with your traveling companion(s). Complimentary meals, snacks, beverages, comfortable seating, and Wi-Fi will be available. MONTEREY REGIONAL AIRPORT WELCOMES OUR MILITARY TRAVELERS HOLIDAY MILITARY LOUNGE DETAILS. The Military Lounge will be available to active duty U.S. military traveling on orders or for personal reasons during the December holiday traveling season. The Lounge will be provided as a courtesy of the airport, and community partners. Overnight accommodations will not be available. FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT US AT (831) 648-7000. To make arrangements for large group accommodations, please email operations@montereyairport.com THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE DECEMBER 17-25, 2025 3:30 AM - LAST DEPARTURE ADMINISTRATION OFFICE SECOND FLOOR OF TERMINAL BUILDING For active duty along with your traveling companion(s). Complimentary meals, snacks, beverages, comfortable seating, and Wi-Fi will be available. MONTEREY REGIONAL AIRPORT WELCOMES OUR MILITARY TRAVELERS HOLIDAY MILITARY LOUNGE DETAILS. The Military Lounge will be available to active duty U.S. military traveling on orders or for personal reasons during the December holiday traveling season. The Lounge will be provided as a courtesy of the airport, and community partners. Overnight accommodations will not be available. FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT US AT (831) 648-7000. To make arrangements for large group accommodations, please email operations@montereyairport.com DEC 3:30 ADM SEC TER For a trav Com beve and MO AIR MIL H M LO DETAILS. The Military Lounge will be available to active duty U.S. military traveling on orders or for personal reasons during the December holiday traveling season. The Lounge will be provided as a courtesy of the airport, and community partners. Overnight accommodations will not be available. FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT US AT (831) 648-7000. To make arrangements for large group accommodations, please email operations@montereyairport.com DETAILS. The Military Lounge will be available to active duty U.S. military traveling on orders or for personal reasons during the December holiday traveling season. The Lounge will be provided as a courtesy of the airport, and community partners. Overnight accommodations will not be available. FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT US AT (831) 648-7000. To make arrangements for large group accommodations, please email operations@montereyairport.com S AT (831) 648-7000. ngements for large mmodations, please email montereyairport.com DECEMBER 17-25, 2025 3:30 AM - LAST DEPARTURE ADMINISTRATION OFFICE SECOND FLOOR OF TERMINAL BUILDING For active duty along with your traveling companion(s). Complimentary meals, snacks, beverages, comfortable seating, and Wi-Fi will be available. MONTEREY REGIONAL AIRPORT WELCOMES OUR MILITARY TRAVELERS HOLIDAY MILITARY LOUNGE DETAILS. The Military Lounge will be available to active duty U.S. military traveling on orders or for personal reasons during the December holiday traveling season. The Lounge will be provided as a courtesy of the airport, and community partners. Overnight accommodations will not be available. FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT US AT (831) 648-7000. To make arrangements for large group accommodations, please email operations@montereyairport.com THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE
14 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY DECEMBER 11-17, 2025 www.montereycountynow.com MC GIVES Losing a loved one to suicide is painful enough, but this particular type of loss and grief can be an isolating experience. The team at Suicide Prevention Service, a program of Family Service Agency of the Central Coast, works to reach loved ones left behind after a loss. The group approaches both suicide prevention and “post-vention” as a shared responsibility. The organization connects with survivors through its Survivor Outreach Team. Members of this team are people who have also endured suicide loss, providing compassionate support from volunteers who “truly understand their grief,” Program Manager Carly Cuevas says. “We help individuals feel less alone and more supported during the most vulnerable time in their lives.” Suicide Prevention Service operates across Monterey County to raise awareness. “Our presence means that people in Monterey County have a local, caring voice who listens without judgment and connects them to hope and safety,” Cuevas says. “Without that, our community would lose a vital safety net that saves lives every day.” The nonprofit offers a full continuum of support, from one-on-one counseling to public education campaigns with schools and parents on topics like mental health first aid (enabling all of us to support each other’s mental health) and 988, the suicide and crisis lifeline. Through partnerships with other local agencies like hospitals and law enforcement, Suicide Prevention Service can respond to people in trouble more nimbly. “Mental health is health, and suicide prevention is a shared responsibility,” Cuevas says. “Every effort ensures that Monterey County residents know that help is available 24/7, confidentially and without judgment.” For Cuevas, this responsibility can appear in profound, everyday ways. After one “Let’s Talk About It!” presentation at a local school, a student volunteer stepped up to help their struggling friend. “[They] remembered what we learned and asked if their friend was OK. [The student] ended up calling 988 and later reported the talk helped their friend feel less alone,” Cuevas says. Every life saved is a success story: “We’re not just preventing suicide,” she says. “We’re promoting life.” DANIEL DREIFUSS Local Life Line Suicide Prevention Service offers a continuum of programs to help save lives and support survivors. By Caitlin Fillmore Andrea Nunez, outreach coordinator at Suicide Prevention Service, on the phone. The nonprofit’s team responds to local calls made to the national 988 crisis hotline. How to Donate Go to www.mcgives.com and click the Donate button. Because of you, thousands of pounds of trash have been removed, new protections against litter and offshore drilling are advancing, and students are discovering what it means to be ocean stewards. When you give through Monterey County Gives!, you’re supporting clean beaches, strong ocean protections, and the next generation of coastal defenders. Join us—protect our coast, protect our future. Save Our Shores protects our coast through advocacy, education, and community action—creating a clean, healthy Monterey Bay for all. From beach cleanups to bold policy victories, your support has made waves for our coast this year. 831.462.5660 345 Lake Ave, Suite A. Santa Cruz www.saveourshores.org Join us for a cleanup on January 24th at Moss Landing State Beach. Register at saveourshores.org/events/ WACMB sponsors Academic World Quest (AWQ) Support our AWQ Scholars to compete for the National AWQ “DC Experience”. montereycountygives.com/wac Donation Deadline 12/31/25 World Affairs Council of the Monterey Bay Area Creating our Leaders of Tomorrow Join WACMB to broaden your world perspective. Learn More: www.wacmb.org Please donate to support World Affairs Council of the Monterey Bay Area • The World Affairs Council of the Monterey Bay Area hosts monthly programs and speaker events focused on global issues. • Empower Future Global Leaders • Create Opporunity For Local Students • Promote Cross-Cultural Understanding • Strengthen Next Generation Diplomacy
www.montereycountynow.com DECEMBER 11-17, 2025 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 15 Help protect and restore the lands we love from Ferrini Ranch to Ensen Park in Salinas, and throughout Monterey County—for all of us to enjoy. Your donation helps Big Sur Land Trust—in partnership with the Trust for Public Land—care for the 869-acre Ferrini Ranch, a vital open space and wildlife corridor along HWY 68, connecting the Monterey Peninsula and the Salinas Valley. © Donate now at: montereycountygives.com/bslt 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
16 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY DECEMBER 11-17, 2025 www.montereycountynow.com MONTEREY’S MENSCH This man was such a special man who had a sparkle in his eye and kindness in his heart. What shocking news (“Seth Pollack, who led CSUMB’s Service Learning Institute for 25 years, dies in a bicycle crash,” posted Dec. 8). You are loved by many, Seth. You are a beautiful spirit, and I will miss you. Christian Mendelsohn | Seaside My heart is broken reading this. This is an absolutely tragic unimaginable loss for our county and I am devastated for Seth’s family and so many who loved him. He gave so much to our students and this county is a better place because of his leadership. Wendy Root Askew | Marina A sad day for our community. I am privileged to have worked with Dr. Pollack for a almost a decade representing the City of Salinas in Chinatown. We mastered the “town-gown” partnership and helped many people. He taught me the true meaning of public service. Don Reynolds | Salinas Note: Reynolds is a retired Salinas Public Works director. Seth was bigger than life and made such an impact in my life, this community and beyond. Rest in peace. Jessie Betancourt | Seaside Thank you for building the Service Learning Institute, Seth. Your legacy lives on in all of us who have found our life’s calling in service of others. Sending my condolences and love to his family. Rest in power, my friend. Marissa Serna | via social media Seth did so much good in this world and in our community. I had the good fortune to host and mentor many service learners, and witness firsthand the impact on students, as well as the organizations and communities where they served. I was very inspired by his recent work focused on the Israel/ Palestine conflict. Brett Melone | Prunedale I feel so angry that his life was cut short by such a horrible accident. What a wonderful human being he was. Karen Araujo | Salinas He will always be remembered for his passion for and dedication to making the world a better place. He left us too soon. Ellen Boudreau Collord | Monterey HOSPITAL STAY This appears to be an example that one cannot rest on the laurels of past accomplishments (“CHOMP leaders have more work to do after seeing a national safety rating grade drop,” Nov. 27-Dec. 3). I trust CHOMP administration will soon bring this back to the A grade. Walter Wagner | Salinas Not really surprised. Had some pretty bad experiences at this hospital. The staff always seemed super overworked and stressed too. Edward Selph | via social media Health care everywhere is horrible and out of control cost-wise. Janis Spencer | via social media SPLASH BACK The Weekly’s celebration of the inter-agency memorandum of understanding to monitor the deep aquifers ignores repeated failures to manage this resource (“A multi-agency agreement offers a hopeful moment for groundwater,” Dec. 4-10). The deep aquifers need pumping controls, not just more monitoring. Agency studies in 2003, 2017, 2020 and 2024 recommended pumping reductions and a moratorium on new deep aquifer wells. Despite this, since 2003 Monterey County permitted dozens of new agricultural wells in the deep aquifers while upper aquifer wells salted up from overpumping. Pumping tripled. Predictably, groundwater elevations fell. When the Groundwater Sustainability Agency staff presented the MOU at its November meeting, the board chair expressed frustration, not celebration, at the long history of management failure. Both the GSA and Monterey County have the responsibility and authority to limit pumping. When they do, that will be the time to celebrate. Agreeing to think about agreeing on an issue in the future isn’t action, it’s optics. Michael DeLapa | Carmel Valley Note: DeLapa is executive director of LandWatch Monterey County. PUPPY LOVE What a fantastic program! (“Service dogs trained through Canine Companions work for the District Attorney’s Office, helping victims of crime,” Dec. 4-10.) Susi Allen | via social media Great article! My fourth-grader kiddo, who’s not a big independent reader, picked up the Weekly this week to read the service dog story (we are raising a guide dog puppy) and also was delighted to see the article about sign language interpretation at PacRep shows (“ASL-interpreted performances at PacRep open the theater experience to new audiences,” Dec. 4-10). He’s in Rudolph! Kim Smith | Monterey GOLF GAME Mina was also in First Tee of Monterey County (“Monterey native Mina Harigae wins TaylorMade Invitational, setting a record along the way,” posted Nov. 24). This program takes kids from 4 to 18 years old and teaches them nine “core” life skills; at the golf course in Salinas, there are only nine holes, each named for one of the core life skills. It costs $20 a year for each kid. What a fabulous way to give a child the skills and guidance to be better people as they head into their future. Check it out! Lee Whitney | Monterey CORRECTION A story about heavy metals detected in Moss Landing after a battery energy storage system caught fire referred inaccurately to the agency that collected soil samples (“Moss Landing researchers release findings on heavy metals from battery fire,” Dec. 4-10). It was the California Department of Toxic Substances Control, not the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, which handled air samples. 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.
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