DECEMBER 25-31, 2025 MONTEREYCOUNTYNOW.COM LOCAL & INDEPENDENT JOURNEY TO THE CENTER 5 | CHARTING NEW SCHOOLS 6 | MERRY SQUIDMAS 13 | LEGEND OF TSO 42 FIRST PLACE GENERAL EXCELLENCE • 2025 CA JOURNALISM AWARDS • LIT 101 The spotlight shines on the winners of the Weekly’s annual 101-Word Short Story Contest. p. 16 OFFICIAL FIRST NIGHT MONTEREY PROGRAM INSIDE www.montereycountynow.com DECEMBER 11-17, 2025 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 37 9 ® Carmel
2 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY DECEMBER 25-31, 2025 www.montereycountynow.com DECEMBER 25-31, 2025 • ISSUE #1952 • ESTABLISHED IN 1988 Lori Mazzuca (iPhone 15 ProMax) A beachgoer walks under a fog-bow on a magical misty day on Del Monte Beach. MONTEREY COUNTY PHOTO OF THE WEEK Send Etc. submissions to etcphoto@montereycountynow.com; please include caption and camera info. On the cover: Have you discovered the power of flipping the on/off switch—or of telling a story in just 101 words? Our readers have, and their winning super-short stories are published in this week’s edition. 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) SENIOR STAFF WRITER Pam Marino pam@montereycountynow.com (x106) STAFF WRITER Celia Jiménez celia@montereycountynow.com (x145) 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
www.montereycountynow.com DECEMBER 25-31, 2025 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 3 Did you know there are more than 500 unaccompanied homeless women on the Monterey Peninsula? Thank you for your support! The Fund for Homeless Women is a field of interest fund of the Community Foundation for Monterey County. montereycountygives.com/fhw Often, these women blend seamlessly into our community, and you might never know they are without shelter. Many sleep in cars, tents, or benches, while still going to work, attending school, and contributing to the fabric of our community—often under the radar. The Fund for Homeless Women provides the expertise to leverage the power of your gift to create lasting impact, targeting the unique needs of unaccompanied homeless women in our area. By donating through Monterey County Gives! before December 31st, your gift goes even further, with a portion of all donations matched to amplify its reach. They are a mosaic of all of us. They are our neighbors, our sisters, our mothers, our grandmothers. Now – Dec. 31, 2025 SEEDS OF CHANGE 8 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 12/23/25 5,561 donors $13,216,656 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 LAST WEEK TO DONATE
4 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY DECEMBER 25-31, 2025 www.montereycountynow.com THE BUZZ FREE SPEECH As more journalists cite social media posts in their reporting, they may as well not cite any sources at all. That was one of the takeaways from a new study that set out to determine what readers view as credible. The study, conducted by Auburn University Assistant Professor Jessica Sparks and published in the International Journal of Press/Politics, surveyed 1,210 people, gauging their thoughts on an article’s credibility when it sourced public records versus social media or academic experts. Readers, according to the study, found stories more informative and credible when they attributed sources obtained through freedom of information requests. The same stories, citing social media, were considered the least credible, equivalent to stories with no sources. “It confirmed our expectations that audiences see value and credibility in information obtained through open records requests,” Sparks told the Joseph L. Brechner Freedom of Information Project. “It also showed that quoting social media diminishes audience perceptions of credibility in journalists’ work, which pushes back on some recent practices in the industry.” Good: There’s good news for those who need to find their way to the Central Coast Veterans Cemetery, opened in 2016 on Parker Flats Road in Seaside. It hasn’t always been easy to find the cemetery and it didn’t help that there was no sign on Highway 1 marking the exit at Lightfighter Drive. Hy Libby, a member of the American Legion Riders, pointed out the need, and so for the last five years members of the County of Monterey Military and Veterans Affairs Office, CalVet representatives and other local and state leaders have lobbied Caltrans for the sign. It was finally installed in mid-December. “This may seem like a small change, but it matters. Clear signage helps families, caregivers and visitors find the cemetery with dignity and ease—especially during moments of remembrance,” an announcement in Supervisor Wendy Root Askew’s newsletter dated Dec. 18 states. GREAT: Santa Claus arrived early for 1,500 children in South Monterey County, as he flew in by helicopter and landed at the Salinas Valley Fairgrounds on Dec. 18. The annual event is organized by County Supervisor Chris Lopez and California Water Service, with the helicopter provided by Fort Hunter Liggett, hence Santa ditching the red suit for Army fatigues. The event is now in its fifth year, with more than 500 families receiving gifts and meals as the children met Santa. The families were selected by school districts based on financial need. “We thank Santa Claus, for once again, prioritizing the children of Southern Monterey County,” Lopez said. “With families from Lockwood to Soledad participating this year, the magic we can make together is growing. With over 100 elves from the community joining our partners, it shows that this is a community where we look out for one another.” GOOD WEEK / GREAT WEEK THE WEEKLY TALLY Somehow resulting in a round number, this is the amount of submissions to this year’s 101-Word Short Story Contest, sent online and through the mail. Check out the winners and runners-up beginning on p. 16. 200 QUOTE OF THE WEEK “I’m going to ride my bike a shit ton more.” -Frank Pinto, owner of Work Horse Bicycles in Monterey, on his retirement. The shop closes Dec. 31 (see story, montereycountynow.com/ news).
www.montereycountynow.com DECEMBER 25-31, 2025 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 5 831 Unlike mazes, which are designed to confuse, labyrinths are deliberate circular paths that, when followed, bring the traveler into the center of the circle and back out again. It’s an invitation to think, reflect and take an inward journey with each outward step. The congregation of St. Mary’s by-the-Sea Episcopal Church in Pacific Grove is extending its own invitation to the community to take that journey on a new labyrinth they recently completed. Previously just a 1,700-squarefoot blank square space covered with bark at the corner of Central Avenue and 13th Street, the 30-foot diameter, eight-circuit labyrinth was a dream of some in the congregation for many years, says Rev. Kristine A. Johnson, the church’s rector since 2019. “It was very much a leap of faith,” Johnson says of making the dream into a reality. “We believe dreams have a purpose.” Labyrinths are ancient and universal, older than Christianity, dating back more than 4,000 years, thought to be created as sacred spaces. The oldest recorded labyrinth is the seven-circuit (a circuit is defined as the number of times the path passes between the center and outside edge) or classical labyrinth, also known as the Cretan Labyrinth. The design was found etched on the back of a clay tablet from Pythos, Greece around 1200 BCE, according to the nonprofit Labyrinth Resource Group. Similar designs have been discovered on every continent except Antarctica. Along the way, these pagan pathways were incorporated into the Christian tradition. During the Crusades, labyrinths were built into European cathedrals as “Roads to Jerusalem” for people unable to make a Holy Land pilgrimage. Today they can be used for prayer and contemplation, yet they are open to anyone of any spiritual background, or no background at all. Studies have found that focused walking meditations reduce anxiety, lower blood pressure and breathing rates, which in turn translates into long-term health benefits. St. Mary’s members tried a temporary labyrinth using tape during the pandemic, to see what one would look like, Johnson says. Between 2023-2024 they engaged in fundraising within the congregation and the local community, as well as applying for grants. They raised approximately $117,000 and spent a little over $95,000. Nearly 100 people, organizations and companies are listed as donors on the church’s website. “It was very much a community effort,” Johnson says. They purchased a paver brick kit from the Labyrinth Company, based in Greenville, South Carolina, and selected the “Vision Quest á la Chartres,” a reference to the famous labyrinth inside Chartres Cathedral in Chartres, France. The pavers are pre-cut and come in four color combinations. When completed, the labyrinths are compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act, which means even someone in a wheelchair can use it easily. In addition to the labyrinth itself, a garden surrounding the pavers was designed, using drought-tolerant plants. They were also meant to be deer-resistant due to the many deer that wander throughout town, but deer will eat whatever they want, as they found out after planting dwarf olive trees around the perimeter. Attractive handmade wooden cages cover some of the trees now, with netting protecting a line of trees to one side. Purple echinacea, yarrow, penstemons and dwarf bottlebrush plants adorn the rest of the garden. There are benches and low walls to sit and relax. The project was completed at the end of September and the congregation held a grand opening on Nov. 2, inviting the entire community to see it. Since then it’s been used constantly by people from pre-schoolers on up. The church, founded in 1886, is a hub of community activity already, with a food and clothing pantry open 1-2pm Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, and as a meeting place for support groups. The Pacific Grove Public Library Friends and Foundation runs a bookstore on campus, as well. Johnson invites people to walk it by themselves, or share the journey with others, “sort of like life,” she says. Each way creates a very different experience. Walk About A new labyrinth and garden in P.G. comes with an invitation for a contemplative journey. By Pam Marino “It was very much a leap of faith.” TALES FROM THE AREA CODE DANIEL DREIFUSS Rev. Kristine A. Johnson of St. Mary’s by-the-Sea Episcopal Church stands in the church’s newly completed labyrinth. “I’ve seen people out here walking with umbrellas in the rain,” she says. ”It’s been a great community space.” SHOP. EAT. STAY. LOCAL Find local businesses at montereychamber.com/list SHOP SMALL spread cheer & shop local this holiday season!
6 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY DECMBER 25-31, 2025 www.montereycountynow.com NEWS A lot has happened since an owner of Blue Fox Cellars filed a complaint against their Carmel Valley landlord and neighbor, Pelio Estate— although none of it has taken place in a courtroom. Blue Fox began moving equipment and other items from the tasting room in late November, also advertising an “everything must go” sale on social media Nov. 22 and listing some items on Facebook Marketplace. The process was not without acrimony, although again not from Blue Fox’s Carmel Valley landlord. On Dec. 5, a man purporting to be the owner of the moving company took to online sites with detailed posts alleging that owners Julia Keller and Edward Lovaas had paid only a portion of what was owed for his crew’s services. Junk—storage bins, buckets, kitchen and winery appliances, signs and more—began piling up on the grounds and porch of Blue Fox’s Monterey tasting room on Wave Street near Cannery Row. On Dec. 23, an apparent note to the owners of Blue Fox was taped inside the window of the front door declaring, in part, “We are enjoying some family time.” Blue Fox’s Keller and co-plaintiff DrJChardonnay filed suit in Monterey County Superior Court in October alleging that Pelio and Pilot Road—an entity established by Pelio to maintain the lease with Blue Fox—acted to “strangle plaintiffs’ business.” Calls and messages to both Blue Fox and Pelio were not been returned by deadline. Real estate attorney Brian Liddicoat, representing Blue Fox in the Carmel Valley case, says he is unaware of anything to do with the Monterey tasting room. A court hearing regarding the complaint is scheduled for Feb. 24. Blue Notes After filing a lawsuit, a winery leaves Carmel Valley as junk accumulates at its Monterey space. By Dave Faries Right before winter break, more than 100 people showed up at a meeting of the Monterey County Office of Education Board of Trustees on Wednesday, Dec. 17 for a hearing on a proposed countywide charter school. Roughly three-quarters of the 40 people who spoke were opposed, including many who work in education. Opponents argued a countywide charter school would further segregate kids across the county. Others noted the proposal doesn’t bring innovative services and that it is already advertised as “coming soon” on its website before its approval. “They really don’t have anything new to offer,” Oscar Ramos, a longtime elementary school teacher, told the MCOE board, adding the Salinas City Elementary School District (where he works) and other districts “already offer robust, innovative and successful programs.” “Charter schools [are] trying to usurp the local control because they feel they have a better chance at going at the county rather than the local level,” says PK Diffenbaugh, superintendent of Monterey Peninsula Unified School District, noting the decision will be up to MCOE’s board, rather than MPUSD and others. In October, the MCOE received an application from Navigator Charter Schools, a network of public charter schools based in Hollister, to create Monterey County Prep, which would have three TK-12 charter schools serving Salinas, Marina/Seaside and Soledad/Greenfield, starting in the 2026-27 school year. Navigator, which currently operates charter schools in cities including Hollister, Gilroy and Watsonville, reports it has $18 million in grants to launch locally. In a decade, its intent is to serve 3,300 students divided among the three campuses. “Our goal is to provide a high-quality opportunity for all of those students to have an education that will allow them to go to college,” says Navigator Superintendent Caprice Young. They selected the areas based on low test scores and that have a large population of low-income and English learners, Young says. California’s funding for public schools is based on students’ attendance. Fewer pupils mean less money coming in, especially for those that are primarily funded by the state. (Seventy-four percent, or $131.2 million, of MPUSD’s budget and 71 percent, or $112.8 million of SCESD’s come from the Local Control Funding Formula or daily student attendance.) If the Navigator petition is approved and moves forward, MPUSD and SCESD are projected to lose $12 million and $9 million, respectively. “That would be devastating,” Diffenbaugh says. It could translate to losing 120 teacher positions at MPUSD. SCESD Superintendent Rebeca Andrade says, “If that happens, that means that we will have to close programs. There will be less staff, there will be less opportunities than we already are providing.” In a comment letter she submitted to the MCOE board, Andrade added, “This proposal is not a grassroots effort driven by local need; rather, it reflects the expansion efforts of a growing charter management organization seeking to extend its corporate footprint at the expense of existing public schools and the students we currently serve.” The MCOE board will vote on the petition on Wednesday, Jan. 14. MPUSD Superintendent PK Diffenbaugh was one of many educators who spoke to the MCOE board expressing opposition to a three-campus charter school proposal. Inter District County Office of Education to decide on a countywide charter school proposal. By Celia Jiménez In December, crates, boxes, appliances and other items began appearing on the lawn, porch and back areas of 499 Wave St. in Monterey, the location of Blue Fox Cellars’ tasting room. “They really don’t have anything new to offer.” CELIA JIMÉNEZ DANIEL DREIFUSS
www.montereycountynow.com DECEMBER 25-31, 2025 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 7 693 Lighthouse Ave • Monterey 646-9283 • onthebeachsurfshop.com Kelly Sorensen Owner/Founder and Family UGG BOOTS • BODYBOARDS • RENTALS • CLOTHING • SHOES • SNOWBOARDS SUNGLASSES • SWIMWEAR • SURFBOARDS • SKATEBOARDS • WETSUITS • SANDALS Happy Holidays From Our Family To Yours MONTEREY BAY’S LIFESTYLE STORE SINCE 1986 PROUDLY SERVING OUR COMMUNITY FOR 39 YEARS Learn your way. Because Not All Great Minds Think Alike! Chartwell changes lives by empowering students with learning differences like dyslexia and ADHD to reach their full potential. Your support helps provide innovative programs, scholarships, and a nurturing environment where students thrive academically, socially, and emotionally. Together, we turn challenges into opportunities and transform “IMpossible” into “I’M Possible.” Donate today to make a lasting impact! www.mcgives.com/chartwell Chartwell School • 2511 Numa Watson Road • Seaside, CA 93955 www.chartwell.org
8 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY DECMBER 25-31, 2025 www.montereycountynow.com Meals on Wheels of the Monterey Peninsula is outgrowing its space. In the last five years, demand for its meal services has more than doubled, pushing beyond the capacity of its existing 1,000-square-foot kitchen in Pacific Grove, which produces around 300-500 meals daily. For the first time in its 53-year history, the nonprofit has considered waiting lists. “It just wasn’t built or designed to ever do anything like that,” says Jacob Shafer, senior director of advancement. Now, after a year of searching for the right location, they’re making moves to expand operations to the former Monterey Peninsula Power Sports’ building at 1020 Auto Center Parkway in Seaside—over 15 times the size of the current facility and in a more accessible location to volunteers and drivers closer to Highway 1. After purchasing the building in July for $3.4 million and getting the green light from the City of Seaside, they’re beginning to work with an architect to redesign and rebuild. “We’re definitely building this kitchen with the future in mind,” Shafer says. “We’re going to hit the ground running and produce more meals here than we do there, but we also want to grow into its capacity. So we’re planning, thinking 25, 50 years ahead.” The organization manages several core programs: It provides home-delivered meals and wellness checks to seniors; it operates group dining sites that offer meals in a social, restaurant-like setting; and supports nonprofit partners by supplying food. Operations during the pandemic grew dramatically as people were unable to leave their homes. Over time, MOWMP has not only retained those customers, but now has more visibility in the community, according to CEO Christine Winge. “We had to really readapt the entire kitchen, put in new equipment, reorganize, but then also get two new freezers, add more storage, and that place wasn’t built for a ton of storage,” Winge says. She adds that they’ve been at the Pacific Grove location for the last 50 years, and that it’s storage, more than the kitchen, that needs to expand. With permitting and construction ahead, the timeline is still unknown. But, Shafer says two years is their current, admittedly ambitious, goal. “It’s a crazy time right now. We just keep going forward because that’s what we know to do,” Winge says. “We’re here to help. Nobody should go hungry.” A statewide initiative to lower hospital costs is now playing a role in a conflict between the Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula and Anthem Blue Cross. The insurance company announced on Dec. 22 that customers on commercial and employer-sponsored plans by Anthem will lose network access to CHOMP by Feb. 1, if an agreement cannot be reached with parent company Montage Health by the end of the current contract on Jan. 31. According to a statement by an Anthem spokesperson, company officials are “asking CHOMP to work with us to improve affordability and align future cost growth with statewide benchmarks,” referring to spending caps imposed by the California Office of Health Care Affordability board. CHOMP and six other high-cost hospitals are required to limit spending growth to 1.8 percent in 2026, compared to 3.5 percent by lower-cost facilities. In response, Montage Director of Marketing and Communications Mindy Maschmeyer said that Montage is committed to, and working toward, complying with the spending cap. “Despite these efforts, Anthem is using OHCA as a justification to impose [reimbursement] rates that fall below medical inflation,” she said. “Anthem’s threat to terminate our agreement jeopardizes access to essential health care services for thousands of families on the Monterey Peninsula.” The action would not impact Medicare patients, the Anthem spokesperson confirms. Anthem members would still have access to Montage providers outside of the hospital—only CHOMP would be out-ofnetwork. Exceptions may be available for ongoing care or procedures already scheduled. In the past two years, Anthem members with Salinas Valley Health and Aspire have each experienced separate disruptions in coverage when contract negotiations faltered between Anthem and the organizations. In both cases, contracts were eventually agreed to and coverage was restored. More Meals Meals on Wheels of the Monterey Peninsula secures a Seaside building to expand. By Katie Rodriguez NEWS CIVIC DUTY City of Pacific Grove has openings on various boards, commissions and committees. Pacific Grove residents are encouraged to apply. Deadline to apply is Jan. 2. (831) 6483181, cityofpacificgrove.org. ’TIS THE SEASON GreenWaste is taking holiday trees curbside for composting. Remove decorations and non-wood stands and cut the tree into sections of 6 feet or less. Flocked trees are not permitted. Curbside collection begins Jan. 2 and runs for three weeks. Multi-family communities can drop off trees for free at ReGen Monterey, 14201 Del Monte Blvd., Marina. (831) 920-6707, greenwaste.com. ELIMINATE EMISSIONS The draft Monterey County Zero Emissions Shared Mobility Study is now available for public review. The study aims to identify sustainable transportation options, especially in rural and low-income communities. Review period ends Jan. 5. Free. bit.ly/ ZEVStudy2025. WATER LEADERS Salinas Valley Basin Groundwater Sustainability Agency launches the Water Leadership Institute in January. The program focuses on helping residents better understand groundwater issues in the Salinas Valley. Applications due Jan. 15. Workshops held Jan. 31, Feb. 21, March 7 and March 28 at the Salinas Sports Complex. Free. waterleadershipinstitute.com/California. ADD UP The Coalition of Homeless Services Providers is recruiting volunteers for the 2026 Homeless Point-in-Time Count that takes place on Jan. 29. Teams of volunteers will conduct early morning street counts. (877) 728-4545; register at bit.ly/ PITCount2026. HELP WITH RENT City of Salinas’ Pilot Rental Assistance Program is now taking applications. The program provides short-term financial relief to Salinas residents facing eviction due to non-payment of rent. Program runs through June 30, or until funds are exhausted. Free. (831) 775-4269, bit.ly/ SalinasPilotRentalProgram. SHARE THE OUTDOORS Pinnacles National Park Foundation is searching for volunteers to staff the Bear Gulch Nature Center. Volunteers welcome visitors and share park information. info@pinnaclesfoundation.org. Power Play Thousands of Anthem customers may lose access to CHOMP by February. By Pam Marino Jacob Shafer and Christine Winge of Meals on Wheels of the Monterey Peninsula in the organization’s new building in Seaside, which will be built out into a kitchen. E-MAIL: toolbox@montereycountynow.com TOOLBOX “We’re here to help. Nobody should go hungry.” DANIEL DREIFUSS
www.montereycountynow.com DECEMBER 25-31, 2025 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 9 After seven years of operating Del Rey Gardens on cityowned land in Del Rey Oaks, Mitsugu Mori must leave the property by Dec. 31, after officials discovered he had capped the nursery center’s California American water line and instead tapped into a city line carrying non-potable well water. It was not the first time Mori had performed work without notifying the city. In 2019, city officials discovered he had pushed the boundaries of the nursery located on Rosita Road off of Canyon Del Rey Boulevard beyond what was allowed on the lease, as well as extended a dirt road between the back of the nursery to the Safeway for hauling materials, among other changes. “When I got here four years ago, the city was already in the process of moving to evict the garden center for breaches in the lease and violations of the conditional use permit,” City Manager John Guertin told the Del Rey Oaks City Council on Dec. 16. He said they “got to a point where we still weren’t in love with everything that was happening down there, but we got to sort of an equilibrium where we could co-exist and it was working.” As Mori’s $3,000-a-month lease was coming up for renewal at the end of December, Guertin said they were negotiating with Mori, until the inspection when they discovered the capped Cal Am line. Under the lease agreement, Mori had permission to use city well water to irrigate plants only. City workers also found that there was no signage inside the building alerting people to the non-potable water, as required by the County of Monterey Environmental Health Department. It’s not known if anyone became sick as a result, according to a report by city staff. “That, and a few other things, really became a bridge too far in seeing any way going forward,” Guertin said. Since the lease was up within about a month, the city chose to let it end, rather than pursue immediate eviction. In a Dec. 2 letter to Mori, City Attorney Alex Lorca outlined seven material violations of the lease, including using the property in a manner that causes a nuisance or isn’t maintained in a sanitary manner, using well water beyond irrigating plants, making alterations to city property without permission and failing to comply with all laws. Lorca said the city expects the property to be returned to its original state, including removal of an unpermitted truck scale and other unpermitted items like fences and storage buildings. Mori could not be reached for comment. On Dec. 23, a manager overseeing the move-out says operations are moving to the Seaside Garden Center, which Mori also owns, along with Lakeside Nursery in Salinas. Earlier this year Mori purchased property in Monterey on Perry Lane, behind El Estero Car Wash, from the Monterey Museum of Art for $2.3 million. The site was the location of another nursery that closed several years ago. It’s currently under construction and is expected to open this summer. Cut Off Del Rey Oaks tells nursery owner to leave after crossing a ‘bridge too far’ with lease violations. By Pam Marino The garden center in Del Rey Oaks permanently closed recently, after the city declined to renew the lease. Operations are moving to a Seaside location. A Monterey location opens next summer. NEWS “The city was already moving to evict the garden center.” DANIEL DREIFUSS Two Portola Plaza | Monterey, CA 93940 (831) 649-4511 | Portolahotel.com For more information and hotel accommodations, visit portolahotel.com Open Bar Buffet Dinner Live Music Photo Booths Yacht Rock NEW YEAR’S EVE 2026 Active military with a valid ID | $220 per person General Admission and at the door | $250 per person *Pricing is inclusive of taxes, gratuity and Eventbrite fees. Purchase Tickets Now On Eventbrite
10 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY DECEMBER 25-31, 2025 www.montereycountynow.com MC GIVES It starts with meeting basic needs, including serving as a “safe space” for thousands of young people. Boys & Girls Clubs of Monterey County (BGCMC) serves more than 6,000 children and young adults at two clubhouses in Seaside and Salinas. Last year, they provided 80,000 meals to make those safe spaces nourishing. They offer homework help, career counseling and more to people ages 6 to 24. “Kids get to be kids here, while gaining the support they need to thrive,” BGCMC Chief Advancement Officer Natasha Pedroza says. Young people face pressure both in and outside of typical school settings, Pedroza says. BGCMC’s mission includes providing academic support and a safe haven in the midst of a chaotic world, but also helping meet additional needs, including the caring attention of a trustworthy adult. “[Youth] need mentors who listen, meals they can count on and initiatives that build confidence, skills and hope,” Pedroza says. “The Clubs provide consistent support that meets kids where they are and helps them grow into who they’re meant to be.” Outside of the clubhouses, BGCMC reaches across the county with wellness programs like Girls Health in Girls Hands and Triple Play. These programs operate in 15 after-school sites, including in Gonzales, Greenfield and Soledad. The target audience is primarily children ages 6 to 18, but some services focus on young adults ages 19 to 24 for continuity. “We deliver these services because youth in underserved communities deserve every opportunity their peers receive,” Pedroza says. The nonprofit operates by the mantra that “Every dream needs a plan.” They rely on kids to come in with big dreams, and then help give them the skills and tools—whether it’s an afterschool meal, a conversation with an adult who will listen or academic support—to make those dreams real. “Without the Boys & Girls Clubs, too many kids would go home to empty houses, empty fridges and empty afternoons,” Pedroza says. “[Without BGCMC], our schools, families and neighborhoods would feel the weight. We don’t just support kids—we strengthen the systems around them.” DANIEL DREIFUSS Join the Club Boys & Girls Clubs of Monterey County are here to help 6,000 local young people thrive. By Caitlin Fillmore Academic enrichment is just one offering at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Monterey County, which has clubhouses in Salinas and Seaside. How to Donate Go to www.mcgives.com and click the Donate button. INSIDE YORK JAN 13, 2026 6:00-7:30 PM go.york.org/insideyork26 DISCOVER WHAT MAKES YORK SCHOOL AN INSPIRING PLACE TO LEARN, GROW, AND BELONG. More information and registration here: 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
www.montereycountynow.com DECEMBER 25-31, 2025 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 11 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 SALINAS VALLEY COMING SPRING 2026 A NEW FREE, DAILY, DIGITAL NEWS SOURCE. Donate today at montereycountygives.com/journalism Help us reach our MC Gives! goal of $150,000 to pay reporters, editors and digital producers in order to launch Salinas Valley Now. • Telling the stories of Salinas and Salinas Valley • Community news, professionally crafted, available in Spanish
12 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY DECEMBER 25-31, 2025 www.montereycountynow.com LOVE AND LOSS AND OCEAN Your story about Erica Fox was deeply moving even for those of us who only very rarely swim in the ocean (“Today’s big local news story has been about a shark attack, but it’s really about loss,” posted Dec. 22). Your quiet eloquence allowed me to understand and appreciate the purity of Erica’s daily embrace of human life, other species who share this world and the elements which engulf us all. I hope you keep sharing your writing with the rest of us. Philip H. Coelho | Greenfield I grew up in Carmel Valley, and now live in San Francisco where I swim, paddle and row in San Francisco Bay on most days. Open water has been instrumental to navigating my own experience with grief and loss and it has given my life profound meaning, and an extraordinary community. Madeleine Crow | San Francisco So sorry to read about your friend. It was a beautiful piece. Scott Caplener | Muir Beach I am heartbroken and yet also enriched by your profoundly beautiful and unaffected words about your friend Erica and the loss you and your community have suffered. All that you have shared with her (and now with us, your readers) during your intertwined lives and swims is inspiring and galvanizing. I will never think of swimming in the same way again. I continue to be deeply grateful for your publication, which keeps me in touch with the Monterey Peninsula where I spent 25 years of my life, and, in the process, gathering friendships that will “stick to my ribs” forever! Adele Negro | El Cerrito I am so sorry for your loss. Not being able to get mad or blame the shark must be an incredibly frustrating feeling. I highly respect the decision to refrain from villainizing sharks in their native habitat. Diana Lopez | Seaside The Lovers Point area is obviously a beautiful popular spot in Monterey County loved and enjoyed by locals and visitors. But it is becoming obvious that it is also loved and enjoyed by sharks (“Search continues for Kelp Krawlers co-founder after suspected shark attack in Pacific Grove,” posted Dec. 22). Perhaps it is time to reevaluate the safety of water recreation in that area, without some sort of safety measures being put into place. Australia has had some success with installing shark nets in situations like this. It’s time for some community brainstorming involving local officials, first responders, swimmers, and all those concerned about safety at Lovers Point. Jane Carey | Carmel Valley Condolences to her loved ones and family. She sounds like an amazing person who died doing what she loves. To live a full life means to accept inherent risk. Surfers, kayakers, free divers, divers, the risk is there. There’s been plenty of deaths getting caught in sneaker waves lately. I commend anyone who accepts risk and chooses to live a full life. Keyboard couch warriors need to check their ego and remember compassion. Rest in peace. Wendy Leah Waters Barton | Big Sur My heart goes out to her husband, family and friends. I understand the draw of open water swimming and give her so much credit for pursuing her passions and co-founding the group so many years ago. Truly a tragedy. Katie Thomsen | via social media Sending prayers to her community. Life is so fragile. Andrea Woodhall | via social media FISH DINNER What a timely article (“No crab for Christmas, but local fishers still have catch to sell. Here’s what to look for,” Dec. 18-24). I don’t normally eat much fish, but decided to make a crab bisque and was surprised the Monterey Fish Co. on Wharf 2 had none. Thanks to your thorough and well written article I now know why. I’ll try for the crab next month. I’m on a mission to create every dish from the Seinfeld “Soup Nazi” episode, so there is plenty to keep me busy in the kitchen until then. James Macfarlane | Big Sur PAY BUMP Good to see the police officers in Salinas getting a salary boost (“Salinas City Council approves wage increases for police officers,” posted Dec. 22). They deserve every penny they get! Robert McGregor | Salinas OPEN ROAD Just in time for the next storm to close the next section (“Highway 1 at Regent’s Slide in Big Sur is expected to reopen early, potentially by the new year,” Dec. 18-24). Peter Waligora | via social media HEALTH CARES Rising health insurance premiums would hit working families the hardest, especially when preventive care and transparency already feel out of reach (“Health insurance premiums could spike soon, if Congress doesn’t act,” posted Dec. 18). If Congress doesn’t act, people may delay care and rely more on self-education for health decisions. We’re already seeing this with questions like “does CBD oil show up on a drug test,” where people turn online for clarity before making choices. Policy stability matters more than ever. Brendon Mooney | Seaside IN THE SHELVES Really enjoyed your article about MIIS (“Middlebury College’s board decided to close the Monterey Institute, but some faculty are hoping to rehome it,” Dec. 11-17). I love their library and a few years ago when I was writing my second Milan Series thriller, No One Sleeps, I found great resources about international terrorism at the MIIS library. Not just books, but government and military documents. I certainly hope another university will step forward and revive MIIS. Jack Erickson | Monterey CORRECTION A piece about watercolorist R. Mike Nichols’ work on display at Carmel Art Association inaccurately stated he is based in Riverside (“Visuals,” Dec. 18-24). He is based in 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 DECEMBER 25-31, 2025 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 13 As a storm rolled in on Tuesday, Dec. 23, I spent part of the afternoon at Lovers Point in Pacific Grove, looking at the expanse of gray ocean and dramatic clouds beyond. The sea was flat, and a pair of otters swam by. It was beautiful, and strangely peaceful from this vantage point. I say strangely because even as I took in the scene, a handful of divers were underwater, searching for a swimmer who never returned to shore two days prior. Erica Fox co-founded the ocean swimming group the Kelp Krawlers 20 years ago. Fox, a successful triathlete who excelled at not just swimming but also bicycling and running, was an effervescent presence, always smiling and quick to laugh. She appreciated and loved the ocean deeply, through an intimacy obtained only with many hours and many miles of immersion. And she shared it with many of us, including me. On a regular Sunday swim at Lovers Point on Sunday, Dec. 21, a group of 16 swimmers left the beach at 11:30am. As we returned to the beach, a gaggle of firefighters were waiting for us; they’d received a 911 call reporting a shark sighting just off the point, and wanted to make sure everyone out recreating was accounted for. We quickly realized that everyone was not, and that Fox was missing. I have spent many hours in the days since then trying to make sense of something I always knew could happen, but have also spent hours actively willing out of my mind while swimming. Like the others I was with in the water on Dec. 21—a calm day in the ocean, and exceedingly clear—I was shocked only after returning to shore to learn that a fellow swimmer was gone. There had been no hullabaloo, no chaos to react to. Of course I know that in the vast ocean, cycles of life and death are always playing out—I’ll never know how many times while swimming acts of predation were happening right around while all I heard was the sound of the water. I am acutely reminded that in this vast food web, we humans are ultimately just biological organisms too. It’s a startling reminder of that to enter the water with a friend and then to exit the water without them. Chris Villanueva had been swimming with Fox since just about the very beginning of Kelp Krawlers. He is not only a regular fixture of ocean swims multiple times per week, but also a prone paddler who takes his board out, often alone, often miles from shore. “There’s nothing else out there besides you and the water,” he says. “To some degree you feel vulnerable, but you get a sense of individualness when you are by yourself out there.” Fellow Kelp Krawler Steve Bruemmer survived a shark bite in 2022, and as I sat gazing out at the horizon on Tuesday, he joined me to reflect. His story is quite different—it became a story of recovery and resilience, and the luck of survival, in which a millimeter’s difference could have changed everything. Bruemmer has also spent some time thinking about the fundamentally fleeting nature of life, and what it means to live knowing that we cannot take tomorrow for granted, like the complex food web happening just offshore all the time. Some of it is lending the same kindness that helped him through a lengthy recovery: “Anything you say is valuable, if it’s from the heart,” he says. “Say something, do something, send a card, make a call—it will be appreciated by the grieving person or the recovering person.” Fox lived a life she designed very much in keeping with her own values and vision for how to be, a template I think all of us can emulate. She chose a career path in healthy and organic food, most recently working at Elroy’s. She pushed her limits as an athlete, and encouraged others to push theirs. She helped many of us learn to love the ocean and its wildness. A community is grieving for her and also for what it will mean for the Kelp Krawlers, as members of the group reassess whether to swim, where to swim and when to swim. “I hung up my wetsuit on Sunday and thought, I’m done for now,” says Jeffrey Weekley. “I am grieving for Erica, and for our experience as Kelp Krawlers. I’ll deeply miss the privilege of sharing the ocean with her and my fellow swimmers, but I can’t continue.” Sara Rubin is the Weekly’s editor. Reach her at sara@montereycountynow.com. Below the Surface After a beloved swim group founder is killed, her community regroups. By Sara Rubin MERRY SQUIDMAS…It’s the season when Santa and Squid both take stock of who’s been naughty or nice—everyone gets something delivered down the chimney. For Hans Uslar, Monterey’s retiring city manager, Squid gives a book of local coupons so he can spend money in the city and help bridge the massive budget gap as a private citizen. To Carmel residents near Forest Hill Park, a hotline for every time an illegal pickleball game pops up. To the Pacific Grove City Council, Squid offers cannabis gummies once a retail store opens up so they can mellow out when the usual suspects get feisty. For members of Salinas City Council (except Andrew Sandoval) Squid gifts a social media training so they can increase their presence online— and respond to Sandoval’s jabs right there. For Sandoval, Squid gives the book Empathy in Politics and Leadership by Claire Yorke so he can improve his relationships with others, virtually and IRL. For Marina City Council, Squid gives aversion therapy. Unsure of what that is? Think of the scene in A Clockwork Orange where the main character is forced to watch ultra-violent scenes. In this case, however, council members will be forced to watch their own long-lasting meetings. Hopefully, that will make them more aware of people’s attention spans and end meetings in a timely manner. For County of Monterey code enforcement officials, Squid gives a catalog featuring the newest McLaren automobiles. They can peruse its pages after hand-delivering a citation in the middle of a Car Week party (at a Carmel Valley home owned by an OpenAI exec) for $505,359 for an unpermitted event. The lawsuit the property owners filed is still pending in Monterey County Superior Court, but County officials can always hope there’s a settlement that includes a new high-end fleet of government vehicles. For Joby Aviation, Squid offers an encrypted hard drive, so company secrets can’t be so easily stolen. (Squid will be watching in 2026 to see what happens with allegations that an ex-employee brought trade secrets to a new job at competitor Archer.) For Seaside Police Chief Nick Borges, Squid gives a subscription to A&E Crime Central, so he can continue to solve cold cases. For the Monterey Jazz Festival, Squid gives a new groove to take the festival to a more swingin’ time in 2026, after a few bumps in the road throughout 2025 left some fans feeling flat. For the business owners of Castroville, lifetime memberships to the spa to soothe their nerves, because much more road work is coming in 2026. For energy company Vistra, Squid would give them a lump of coal—that’s an old-fashioned way to make power—but Santa is already on it, if members of the group Never Again Moss Landing have made themselves heard. THE LOCAL SPIN SQUID FRY THE MISSION OF MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY IS TO INSPIRE INDEPENDENT THINKING AND CONSCIOUS ACTION, ETC. She helped many of us learn to love the ocean. SEND SQUID A TIP: squid@montereycountynow.com
14 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY DECEMBER 25-31, 2025 www.montereycountynow.com Endless Season Winter is here, but fire season never ends. A look back at a devastating year for California. By Julie Cart FORUM As climate change warms the planet, wildfires have become so unpredictable and extreme that new words were invented: firenado, gigafire, fire siege, even fire pandemic. California has 78 more annual “fire days”—when conditions are ripe for fires to spark—than 50 years ago. When is California’s wildfire season? With recurring droughts, it is now year-round. Arson and power lines are the major triggers. Scientists say to expect more lightning as the planet warms. And, aided and abetted by drought, more than 163 million trees have been killed by drought or insects. The three largest utilities— Pacific Gas & Electric, Southern California Edison and San Diego Gas & Electric—all have plans to spend billions clearing brush and trees away from transmission lines, insulate or underground power lines, install or maintain a network of remote cameras and weather stations to detect wind, smoke and other dangers. But a state audit found that some of the wildfire plans were “seriously deficient” and concluded that state officials are failing to hold California’s electric utilities accountable for preventing fires caused by their equipment. Hundreds of thousands of miles of transmission lines and other electrical equipment are strung across California, drawing little attention—until authorities name utility equipment as the cause of a wildfire. One in 10 California wildfires is related to energy equipment, according to the state’s chief utility regulator. Lawmakers have ordered that utility companies put safety measures in place, hoping to ensure that their equipment won’t spark future fires. None of these or other fire-mitigation efforts will come cheaply. Early estimates place the cumulative economic cost of Pacific Gas & Electric’s huge 2019 blackout in Northern California at up to $2.5 billion. And consumers can be expected to foot much of the fire-mitigation bill as utility companies pass costs along to them. Not surprisingly, California’s wildfire tab is growing. The state routinely exceeds projected fire suppression costs. In 2018, the state spent nearly $1 billion on fire suppression and emergency response, surpassing the budgeted $450 million. Put another way: Cal Fire’s total funding for fire protection, resource management and fire prevention has grown from $800 million in 2005-06 to an estimated $3.7 billion in 2021-22. The job of battling larger, more stubborn California wildfires has become more costly, complicated, fearsome and deadly, straining the state’s already overworked firefighters. Insurers keep raising premiums and canceling policies, even if homes have been fire-hardened. California’s landscape evolved with fire. What remains is for its inhabitants to adapt to the new reality. And that requires yet another new term: Welcome to the “Pyrocene,” coined by fire scientist Stephen J. Pyne. The age of fire. Julie Cart is a reporter on the environment team at CalMatters, where this story first appeared. OPINION Welcome to the “Pyrocene.” Voted Monterey County’s Best Antique Shop ’25 ♦ 3 Card Poker ♠ Century 21st No Bust Black Jack ♣ Texas Hold’em ♥ FULL BAR! BLACKJACK BONUS POINTS PAYS UP TO $20,000 SMALL TOWN BIG PAYOUTS! 1-800-Gambler • GEAR-000383, GEAR-000376, GEAR-000375 The Marina Club Casino ensures the safety and security of all guests and team members at all times, while providing exceptional service. 204 Carmel Ave. Marina 831-384-0925 casinomonterey.com ♠ ♣ ♥ ♦ Just minutes from Downtown Monterey Where Monterey Comes To Play
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MjAzNjQ1NQ==