14 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY FEBRUARY 12-18, 2026 www.montereycountynow.com MASTER PLAN What a waste (“An application to build 90 units on the Carmel Valley airfield alarms neighbors,” Feb. 5-11). If we are going to lose the open space of the airport, let’s put the land to real use. The Orosco plan lacks vision and will only lead to more gentrification of the Valley. What we need is a county initiated collaboration with developers to put 500 high-density (two- or three-story) housing units on the site with at least half of it dedicated to providing low-cost rentals, This will help with the housing crisis, and stoke the local economy more than a bunch of boring houses for rich people could ever do. These units could be self-sufficient, converting sewage to water, while generating its own power via solar. Innovation is better than gentrification. Barkley Smith | Carmel Valley OPEN DOORS Rent is probably too high (“Seaside Councilmember Alexis García-Arrazola is on a mission to fill vacant commercial spaces,” Feb. 5-11). Tim Walters | via social media I’m fairly certain every landlord would rather have a good tenant than an empty building. William Sterling | Monterey BUDGET BLUES Mayor Tyller Williamson has run Monterey into the ground while ignoring residents and neighborhoods (“Monterey City Council advances two tax measures to curb budget woes,” Feb. 5-11). The City now faces a $10 million budget shortfall after reserves were largely depleted—something that would trigger bankruptcy in the private sector. While having a spending problem, instead taxes are raised and $4 million intended for neighborhood projects is taken back, even though many of those projects were years in planning and ready to begin. At the same time, the mayor changed the [Neighborhood and Community Improvement Program] process so neighborhood associations no longer select their representatives. The mayor and vice mayor now decide who speaks for our neighborhoods, undermining local representation and democratic norms. Why have an NCIP at all if residents no longer choose their voices? Monterey needs stronger neighborhood representation, responsible budgeting, pension reform and smart staffing—not higher taxes, depleted reserves and rising permit fees. Uwe Grobecker | Monterey Didn’t they just hire a city manager making [$320,000] a year? Now asking for more money! People, wake the heck up! Amanda Castro | via social media ON THE NEWS The cover story on the shuttering of hometown dailies left a strain on my heart that felt like when lettering was removed from the Salinas Californian iconic building (“Print publishers face rising costs, wealthy competitors and the whims of the federal government in 2026,” Jan. 29-Feb. 4). I wrote for them for seven years and was proud to have ink in the presses that roared to life every day. It was a time long before cubicles, cell phones and slim laptops and I loved the camaraderie and competition there. I created hundreds of feature articles. I remember how we were given T-shirts that said “I survived the ’89 quake” and when the Earth was still twitching, I returned to finish my stories. After I left, I wrote a column for the Monterey Herald for nine years. Daily watchdog newspapers are critical to our democracy and I will continue to get my daily news once a week from your newspaper where reporters still do honest archaeological digs on important stories. Susan Cantrell | Carmel EN ESPAÑOL What a timely article to the frustrations I’ve been feeling in the lack of Spanish language media and content (“Many Spanish-only speakers prefer to watch or listen to their news. But locally, those options are drying up,” Jan. 29-Feb. 4). I grew up in the U.S. and have made an effort to practice my Spanish but with few local resources or programs that feel authentic. As a response I’ve been organizing a Spanish language book club. The book club will focus on Latin American writers and we will be reading their works in the original Spanish. The goal is to create a space for the Spanish speakers in our community to participate in reflection and discussion. Interesados manden mensaje a mi correo: Natalyrayasx@gmail.com. Natalie Rayas | Seaside BORDER WARS Hopefully people can see the difference it makes when local law enforcement cooperates with ICE as happened since Tom Homan took the reins in Minneapolis (“In a Minneapolis under siege, community bonds are holding strong through crisis,” Feb. 5-11). Illegal is still illegal whether they are good neighbors or not. Unfortunately many are criminals. There are legal ways to get into the USA which should be followed and I would be the first to welcome people that come here legally. Local law enforcement should never ignore federal law enforcement. Robert McGregor | Salinas I know people who support Trump and have no problem with his cruel deportations. Here’s what I wrote to one such person: “If ICE were abusing you, you would feel differently. If your group were targeted and terrorized, you would feel differently. Then it would matter to you what they are doing. U.S. citizens of color are having their cars rammed in because of the color of their skin, being demanded to give ID because of the color of their skin, sent off to be detained because of the color of their skin, beaten and killed because of the color of their skin. If this were happening to you, you would care and be more informed. It will matter to you when it affects you.” Bryan Rosen | Monterey STAR STUDDED I was excited for the showing at Golden State Theatre (“Rapper GZA brings a classic hip-hop album—and a backing band—to the Central Coast,” Feb. 5-11). James Ryan | Monterey 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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