FEBRUARY 19-25, 2026 MONTEREYCOUNTYNOW.COM LOCAL & INDEPENDENT A LASTING LEGACY OF OIL WELLS 10 | MAN IN BLACK 24 | A HOTEL RESTAURANT FULL OF SURPRISES 30 FIRST PLACE GENERAL EXCELLENCE • 2025 CA JOURNALISM AWARDS • The path to condor conservation success lies in non-lead ammunition, making scientists into unlikely gun rights proponents. p. 14 By Sara Rubin GUNNING FOR SURVIVAL
2 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY FEBRUARY 19-25, 2026 www.montereycountynow.com FEBRUARY 19-25, 2026 • ISSUE #1960 • ESTABLISHED IN 1988 Lori Mazzuca (iPhone 15 Pro Max 2x zoom) As seen from Del Monte Beach, sailboats race on Monterey Bay as storm clouds gather in the distance. MONTEREY COUNTY PHOTO OF THE WEEK Send Etc. submissions to etcphoto@montereycountynow.com; please include caption and camera info. On the cover: Condor #840, named Tyrion (after a Game of Thrones character) hatched in captivity on May 21, 2016. He was released at 1 year old and is shown flying in Big Sur in June 2025. Cover art: Ventana Wildlife Society / Photographer Meredith Evans etc. Copyright © 2026 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 aga@montereycountynow.com (x138) STAFF WRITER Katie Rodriguez (California Local News Fellow) katie@montereycountynow.com (x102) STAFF WRITER Aric Sleeper aric@montereycountynow.com (x127) 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. NEWS • ARTS • ENTERTAINMENT • FOOD • DRINK • CALENDAR Subscribe to the newsletter @ montereycountynow.com/subscribe READ MORE NOW ONLINE NEWSLETTER Go to montereycountynow.com LOCAL NEWS EVERYDAY AT MONTEREY COUNTY NOW
www.montereycountynow.com FEBRUARY 19-25, 2026 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 3 A landmark hospital. And so much more. montagehealth.org Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula is the beating heart of Montage Health. Today, we’re much more than a hospital. We’re urgent care centers, wellness centers, primary care doctors, health insurance plans, and a groundbreaking mental health program for youth. Through it all, we remain an independent, nonprofit healthcare organization. Locally owned. And accountable only to the communities we serve.
4 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY FEBRUARY 19-25, 2026 www.montereycountynow.com THE BUZZ FREE SPEECH Journalist Don Lemon pleaded not guilty to federal civil rights charges on Feb. 13 for covering a protest at a Minnesota church where an ICE official is a pastor. Also pleading not guilty was activist Nekima Levy Armstrong, who was arrested during the protest and was subjected to a fake AI-generated image posted by the White House showing her crying during her arrest. Prosecutors claim the protesters interfered with the First Amendment rights of the worshippers during the Jan. 18 service. The arrest of Lemon and another journalist during the protest may have a chilling effect on coverage of the Trump administration, legal experts warn. “Charging journalists for being there covering the disruption does not mean they were part of the disruption,” David Harris, a University of Pittsburgh law professor, told the Associated Press. “The message that is being sent is that journalists like Don Lemon and others should feel intimidated from doing this.” Meanwhile, a White House communications official posted on X that “the memes will continue” in response to the backlash over the altered image of Levy Armstrong. Good: Krista Snelling, chairman and CEO of West Coast Community Bank, will now give Monterey County and the region a voice in national banking policy. She was recently elected to the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco’s (FRBSF) Head Office Board of Directors. The nine-member board is responsible for overseeing the FRBSF’s management, budget and more. “At a time when many community banks are struggling, it is encouraging to see the strong performance of WCCB be recognized and its leaders asked to serve as advocates for community banking on the Central Coast and beyond,” Snelling said. West Coast Community Bank, based in Santa Cruz, has branches in King City, Monterey and Salinas. “We are here to serve Monterey County with deeper resources, stronger relationships and more powerful voices in regional and national banking conversations than ever before,” Snelling said. GREAT: Great news for the Salinas Soccer Complex and the residents of Monterey County (and beyond) who utilize this sports facility, which draws an estimated 18,000 young players and their families every week. The complex received $500,000 from the federal government to continue with its expansion, with Congress recognizing its achievement of transforming an underdeveloped space into a sports and recreational center. U.S. Rep. Zoe Lofgren, D-San Jose, included the complex as part of her community funding requests this year. “This is a big investment in Salinas’ future as a regional cultural hub, and I am thrilled that Californians of all ages will get to enjoy this complex for generations to come,” Lofgren said. The grant will help with the facility’s expansion plans, which include adding eight turf soccer fields, a 35,000-square-foot indoor soccer arena and 2,000-seat outdoor stadium. GOOD WEEK / GREAT WEEK THE WEEKLY TALLY That’s how many vehicles traveled Highway 1 on Jan. 18, the Sunday before Martin Luther King Jr. Day, 3,000 more than the same Sunday in 2025. The region saw an influx of traffic following the reopening of Highway 1 after three consecutive years of closure. Rock slides on Feb. 16 prompted Caltrans to close the highway again between Lucia and Esalen Institute. Source: Community Association of Big Sur 8,400 QUOTE OF THE WEEK “I’m just going to clean it up. It’s very old. It’s outdated.” -Carmel restaurateur Bashar Sneeh, who is the new tenant of the location that housed Sade’s Cocktail Bar in Carmel. He is also the new tenant of the former Cantinetta Luca space (see story, montereycountynow. com/news). Camp Quien Sabe Overnight Camp >> Whispering Pines Day Camp >> Tiny Tots Summer Camp >> Summer Fun Playground Program >> Sports Camps >> Specialty Camps >> LEGO® Camps >> Gymnastics Programs >> And so much more! SUMMER REGISTRATION NOW OPEN! MONTEREY.GOV/REC WHERE SUMMER BUILDS MORE THAN MEMORIES. Scan here for more info + online registration. Whispering Pines Day Camp and Camp Quien Sabe Overnight Camp ADVENTURE good vibes good vibes o v Camp Counselors at Summer Programs LEADERSHIP POSITIVITY CONFIDENCE THE CITY OF MONTEREY friendship friendship f h COMMUNITY
www.montereycountynow.com FEBRUARY 19-25, 2026 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 5 831 Rory McIlroy leans forward and pauses, considering the 10th hole at Pebble Beach. “I love that you can see the entire beach going into Carmel there,” the PGA Tour veteran says. “I love that house at the back of the green, as well. It’s like the prettiest house in the world.” Those who follow the tour know the precision demanded of professional golfers. On television, fans can watch as players and caddies discuss the intricacies of a shot—distance to the hole, club selection, type of swing, wind direction, the characteristics of poa annua or other grasses. There is a computer-like quality, as if the game is a set of equations to be solved. Yet with more than 200 reporters representing some 80 different media outlets across the spectrum—print, television, radio, online—from around the world interested in more than numbers, conversations before and after a round reveal a very human game. Justin Rose took a week off after winning at Torrey Pines, returning to England to celebrate with his family. A reporter was curious what that homecoming might look like. “Do you throw yourself a party?” he wondered. “No,” Rose responded, shaking his head. “Basically got a smile out of my teenagers, and that was about it. That’s winning in the world of raising teenagers. Just any recognition is like, ‘Oh my god, that was pretty cool.’” Keith Mitchell, who was paired with NFL star Travis Kelce during the rounds on Thursday and Friday, fielded more questions about Kelce’s fiancée Taylor Swift than at any other point in his career. Mitchell wisely avoided the subject, observing only that there were a lot of Swifties following him around the course. But the invisible presence gave his first two days a different vibe. Collin Morikawa won the 2026 ProAm in thrilling fashion. Afterward he told CBS Sports’ Amanda Balionis—as well as fans crowded around the 18th green and those watching on television—that he and his wife are expecting. Earlier in the week, Chris Gotterup recalled playing Pebble Beach as a teenager and the emotion of the moment. “Are you a big crier?” came from the pool of reporters around him. “I don’t know what happens in those interviews,” Gotterup said. “Amanda or whoever is interviewing me gets me every time. My girlfriend was like, ‘You’ve never cried in the two years that we’ve dated—only when you’ve won.’” He suggested that during play a golfer suppresses outside noise. “And then all of a sudden when the putt drops, it’s just like your brain lets everything back in and it’s an overwhelming amount of stuff hitting you at the same time,” he said. At Pebble Beach Golf Links, the PGA Tour media team assembles two areas for interviews by reporters. One is in the Media Center, a more formal setting with a stage and tables. A moderator directs the questioning. The second is known as the flash interview area, located behind the 18th green, next to the CBS tent. If CBS’ Balionis wants to speak with a golfer, he is led to her first. Next the golfer is taken to satellite radio before being presented to those waiting in the flash interview tent. Reporters understand that much of the questioning will be redundant. Mitchell, for example, almost aced the iconic 7th hole, so asking him to recall the moment is rather obvious. So many of them work around the fringes. What did you say while watching the ball? for instance. “Travis said he’d tackle me if it went in, so maybe it was a good thing it didn’t,” Mitchell said with a grin. There was talk of Morikawa’s putter, borrowed from fellow pro Kurt Kitayama. The Pro-Am winner says he did nothing in Phoenix but hang out in his hotel room, “putting, putting, putting.” Morikawa acknowledged that his wife had run a marathon. “Yes, she is an absolute psychopath,” he added. “How many marathons have you run?” a reporter asked. “Zero, Doug. Thank you,” Morikawa responded. “Zero in the future, as well.” The Q&A from the flash area is broadcast to the media center for other reporters to access. Apart from photographers, many media members spent much of the tournament in either location, keeping up with the action on TV, perhaps trying to catch a glimpse of Taylor Swift. “What’s the vibe now that they’re gone?” Mitchell was asked on Saturday. He smiled: “Business as usual.” From Taylor to Teens Golfers at the Pro-Am speak with reporters about their game—and just about anything else. By Dave Faries “How many marathons have you run?” “Zero.” TALES FROM THE AREA CODE DAVE FARIES Journalists from Japan speak with Ryo Hisatsune after Friday’s round of the Pro-Am. In the background, other reporters wait in the flash interview tent, one of two areas set up for reporters by the PGA Tour. SATURDAY, MARCH 14, 2026 MONTEREY CONFERENCE CENTER WITH MASTER OF CEREMONIES DAN GREEN, KSBW ACTION NEWS 8 ANCHOR Annual Awards Dinner Presented By montereychamber.com In CelebrationOf: 2025 Citizens of the Year Kelli Uldall and Steve Snider Carmel Magazine 2025 Ruth Vreeland Memorial Public Official of the Year Robin McCrae Community Human Services 2025 Robert C. Littlefield Award for Lifetime Achievement Keith Severson GraniteRock 2025 Community Impact Award Dan Baldwin Community Foundation for Monterey County Business of the Year Award To Be Announced During the Event GET TICKETS!
6 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY FEBRUARY 19-25, 2026 www.montereycountynow.com NEWS A convenience store proposed on Reservation Road was approved by the Marina Planning Commission on Feb. 12. But the business is awaiting a decision by the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control on its pending liquor license, which was protested by a member of Marina City Council (participating in this matter solely as a resident) looking for a clearer policy on such stores in the area. Owner Rashad Ahmed plans on offering various grocery items and other products at Marina Mini Mart, with 15 percent of the floor space dedicated to alcohol sales. Assistant Planner Brian Kim said that the city’s code doesn’t require the commission to determine if the store is a public necessity since its alcohol sales are considered “incidental.” Planners interpret that to be less than 20 percent of the total floor area. Brian McCarthy says the number of alcohol licenses in the area already meets the ABC’s definition of “undue concentration” on the census tract. McCarthy filed a protest of the license to the ABC as a private citizen. That protest is under review, according to an ABC spokesperson. Mini Mart business manager Gabriel Villa said by offering alcohol for sale, it helps give the business a competitive edge. The commission added a number of conditions in its approval, including prohibiting the sales of single-serving spirits and requiring the business to review its hours of operations with the police department after one year. McCarthy doesn’t plan on appealing the commission approval, citing a pricey process. He adds that he hopes the protest starts a discussion about clearer standards for alcohol establishments. Grab and Go A Marina convenience store is approved despite concerns about alcohol saturation in the area. By Erik Chalhoub When Airbnb emerged on the scene in 2007, it was described as an industry “disruptor,” drastically changing the way travelers book accommodations. Nearly 20 years later, the presence of short-term rental platforms is proving to be a major disruption in Monterey County, as a fight over a vacation rental ordinance continues to confound nearly everyone involved. The ordinance, passed by the Monterey County Board of Supervisors on a 3-2 vote in September 2024, took over a decade to create and was hailed as a compromise between vacation rental owners and those who fought against the rentals, in part arguing that the rentals further exacerbated the housing crisis. The Monterey County Vacation Rental Alliance took the county to court in November 2024. A year later, the MCVRA filed an amended complaint asking for damages on the basis that owners’ rights had been violated. The County is asking a judge to strike it down. The move sparked a flurry of activity on the County’s part. Officials announced they would not enforce two provisions of the ordinance, one requiring owners to be present during homestays, the other prohibiting corporations from owning vacation rentals. Supervisor Kate Daniels, fearing homes could be snapped up as STRs by corporations, asked the board to ban the rentals altogether in residential areas. In January the board voted 3-2 in favor of drafting an ordinance that included no STRs in residential zones, except in agricultural areas. For Daniels’ predecessor, Mary Adams, who previously represented District 5—home to the majority of vacation rentals—the fight boils down to one question: “What comes first, benefiting corporations or community?” On Wednesday, Feb. 11, county staff presented the draft ordinance to the Planning Commission. They were asked to either recommend the new ordinance to the supervisors, or not. They were not to make further changes, according to Deputy County Counsel Reed Gallogly. “Today my encouragement for the commissioners is to keep the train on the tracks, keep your focus on what’s in front of you in making a recommendation,” Gallogly said. “Because we have outstanding litigation it is helpful to keep a clear record and not muddle the waters further.” Some commissioners appeared stymied by the request, unwilling to go along with what the board asked for. “I’m probably going to muddy the waters here,” said Commissioner Christine Shaw, who asked if they could just remove the two portions of the current ordinance regarding homestays and corporate ownership and move on, adding that while she doesn’t love the idea of vacation rentals in neighborhoods, she wanted to strike a compromise with STR owners. Commissioner Ramon Gomez also said he wanted to remove the two provisions and stick with the rest of the current ordinance. Chair Paul Getzelman cited the decision as “a political decision that should be left to the politicians.” The commission voted 7-1 against recommending the draft ordinance. The County and MCVRA are due back in court Friday, Feb. 20, on a motion by the county to strike down MCVRA’s complaint. On Wednesday, Feb. 11, the Monterey County Planning Commission voted 7-1 against recommending the draft ordinance. It will next return to the Board of Supervisors. Step Back The future of the county’s short-term rental ordinance remains unknown amid struggles. By Pam Marino Marina Mini Mart is set to open at 320 Reservation Road, with 15 percent of floor space dedicated to alcohol pending a decision by ABC on a protest. “My encouragement is to keep the train on the tracks.” DANIEL DREIFUSS DANIEL DREIFUSS
www.montereycountynow.com FEBRUARY 19-25, 2026 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 7 Harlan Grogin, MD Cardiac Electrophysiology Your heart deserves exceptional care. At Salinas Valley Health, our experts combine advanced technology with personalized support to help you take charge of your heart health. Attend our Ask The Experts presentation and gain the knowledge you need to live well and protect your heart. Learn about: • AI in Heart Care • Treating Afib with Pulsed Field Ablation • Minimally-Invasive Valvular Intervention Innovations in Cardiac Care FREE COMMUNITY EVENT Panelists Wednesday, February 25, 2026 Hartnell College, Steinbeck Hall 411 Central Avenue, Salinas 5:00pm Reception Community health and resource tables, appetizers and beverages 6:00pm Presentation Seating is limited. Register now by scanning the QR code. For more information, call 831-759-3206, or email jmartin3@SalinasValleyHealth.com Tim Albert, MD, MHCM Chief Clinical Officer Cardiology Rikin Kadakia, MD Interventional Cardiology LOVE YOUR HEART. WE DO.
8 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY FEBRUARY 19-25, 2026 www.montereycountynow.com With Monterey County’s population projected to grow about 21 percent over the next 25 years, the number of cars on the road will likely continue to increase, leading to even more traffic congestion. With this in mind, the County of Monterey and the Association of Monterey Bay Are Governments hired the consulting firm Mobycon Inc. to author the grant-funded Monterey County Zero Emissions Shared Mobility Study. By zero emissions, the study’s authors mean modes of transportation that do not use internal combustion engines. Shared mobility refers to everything from public transit to services like Uber and Lyft to e-bike and scooter sharing. The study was presented to the Monterey County Board of Supervisors on Feb. 10. It includes six recommended actions including the establishment of multimodal mobility hubs of various sizes, which the study’s authors see as forming “the backbone of Monterey County’s zero-emission shared mobility network,” and would serve as connecting points where people could securely store a bicycle before hopping on a bus, for example. “They function as ‘mobility centers’ that support easy transfers between transit, shared EV cars, vanpool fleets, e-bikes and walking,” the study reads. Alongside the mobility hubs, the study recommends creating e-bike libraries, which provide free or lowcost long-term lending for those who can’t afford an e-bike of their own. The study says the libraries would be ideal for farmworker communities and those with physical limitations who would benefit from a bike with an electric assist. The estimated startup cost for a library with a small fleet of e-bikes is about $282,000. To cut traffic congestion, the study suggests expanding the Monterey Trolley’s service beyond the summer months and potentially extending and adding trolley routes to “new corners of the Peninsula, creating a central transit network for car-free Peninsula travel.” Another idea includes establishing a scenic corridor shuttle service for Big Sur, which would connect Monterey to major trailheads and other key destinations in Big Sur and would operate like the free shuttle service in Yosemite National Park. Launching the program would cost an estimated $4.5 million. Although none of the projects in the study are currently funded, the document provides a framework for county and transportation officials. Declining student enrollment and one-time funding drying up are two main factors that are driving local school districts to tighten their belts. Pacific Grove Unified School District is no exception, projecting a deficit for the second year in a row, this year of more than $2 million. (Declining enrollment doesn’t impact PGUSD financially since it’s funded by property tax revenue, rather than state compensation per-pupil.) “Incremental adjustments are no longer sufficient. Addressing this deficit requires meaningful, difficult action,” according to a presentation by administrators to the PGUSD board on Thursday, Feb. 12. The board is considering two options that could save $1.1 million or $881,773. Both eliminate three teacher positions—two in elementary, including a Spanish teacher, and one high school teacher from Pacific Grove Community High School, an alternative school for teens 16 and older—as well as reduce summer school for elementary students. Option A would also cut librarian and digital arts media teacher positions, while Option B proposes keeping both. The district would maintain its mental health technician for one more year by using MediCal funds. “The priority and criteria have been to protect and prioritize core and necessary instruction and programs,” Superintendent Linda Adamson says. Cutting a full-time teacher from P.G. Community High means the school would lose 40 percent of its teaching staff. At a PGUSD board meeting on Thursday, Feb. 12, some students spoke up in opposition, saying that attending the school was a life-changing experience. Hunter Hopkins said she attended several schools and had a 1.4 GPA before enrolling at PGCHS. “From the beginning, I felt included, challenged and excited about my learning career,” Hopkins said, noting she’s graduating soon with a 3.9 GPA. District officials host a community forum at the PGHS library from 6-7:30pm on Tuesday, Feb. 24, before the board votes on cuts on Feb. 26. Move On Zero Emissions Shared Mobility Study explores modes of alternative travel. By Aric Sleeper NEWS HOUSE RULES Salinas City Councilmember Tony Barrera and the Housing Authority of Monterey County provide an update on the Fairview housing project, which is converting a former motel into supportive housing. 6-8pm Thursday, Feb. 19. Los Padres Elementary School multipurpose room, 1130 John St., Salinas. Free; dinner provided. (831) 758-7096, lizbeth.garcia@salinas.gov. MARINE MATTERS The Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary Advisory Council meets to discuss various items, including an update on kelp beds and annual report. Public comment is accepted. 9am-1pm Friday, Feb. 20. Marina Branch Library community room, 190 Seaside Circle. Also virtually at meet. google.com/iyp-xzvw-ojw. Free. montereybay.noaa.gov/sac/sacma.html. TALKING TRASH The City of Del Rey Oaks is planning its next garbage collection contract. Residents are invited to share ideas on how to improve services. 5:30-6:30pm Tuesday, Feb. 24; Noon-1pm Wednesday, Feb. 25; 5:30-6:30pm Thursday, Feb. 26. Via Zoom. Free. (831) 394-8511, bit.ly/ DROGarbageContract. WELL WATCH Learn about a state mandate to collect data on small wells in the Salinas Valley groundwater basin. Well owners are asked to register their wells to help create an inventory that assesses their vulnerability in times of drought. 5:30-7pm Tuesday, Feb. 24 at Prunedale Grange Hall, 17890 Moro Road, Salinas. 5:30-6:30pm Wednesday, Feb. 25 via Zoom at bit.ly/ GMP-Workshop-Feb. Free. (831) 7554860, svbgsa.org/gmp. COFFEE AND SUPE Meet Salinas Union High School District Superintendent Zandra Galvan over coffee. Share thoughts and ask questions about the district. 8:30-10am Wednesday, Feb. 25. Gold Leaf Spice & Teas, 8 1/2 W. Gabilan St., Salinas. Free. (831) 796-7000, salinasuhsd.org. GET HIRED Monterey County Works hosts a job fair focused on health care. 1:30-4pm Wednesday, Feb. 25. Career Center, 344 Salinas St., Suite 203, Salinas. Free. (831) 796-3335, montereycountyworks.com. TOOL KIT Salinas Police Department hosts a meeting to discuss its use of military equipment. The meeting and report are required annually by the state. 6-6:30pm Wednesday, Feb. 25. City Hall, 200 Lincoln Ave., Salinas. Free. View the report at bit.ly/2025SalinasAB481. (831) 758-7286. School Dues For a second year in a row, P.G. Unified School District braces for budget cuts. By Celia Jiménez Monterey-Salinas Transit operates the free Monterey Trolley in summer. Running it yearround would cost $2.4 million and the capital cost of a new line would be $5 million. E-MAIL: publiccitizen@montereycountynow.com PUBLIC CITIZEN It would operate like the free shuttle service in Yosemite. MONTEREY-SALINAS TRANSIT
www.montereycountynow.com FEBRUARY 19-25, 2026 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 9 ♦ 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 Voted Monterey County’s Best Antique Shop ’25
10 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY FEBRUARY 19-25, 2026 www.montereycountynow.com California’s oil industry is over 150 years old, with its commercial beginnings traced back to the fittingly named Petrolia in Humboldt County. Production peaked in the 1980s before entering a steady decline, with wells falling out of production and creating a scattered and increasingly difficult problem to manage throughout the state. Today, there are more than 30,000 idle oil and gas wells, defined as wells that have been inactive for at least 24 months. Although these wells are no longer commercially productive, they can still leak oil and emit pollutants, including carcinogens like benzene and formaldehyde, air emissions including methane and pose physical hazards. In California, at least 4,449 of these wells are within 3,200 feet of a school, hospital, playground or elder care center, according to an analysis conducted by the nonprofit Center for Biological Diversity. The threats posed by idle wells in Monterey County, however, raise different concerns: The risk is less about neighboring hospitals or other actively used sites and more about drinking water reserves. Monterey County has at least 474 idle wells, according to the analysis, 97 percent of which are located above groundwater sources, including many that supply drinking water to residents and irrigation water to farmers. “A major determinant of an idle well’s risk level, in terms of being a pollution pathway, is its age, or how long it’s been sitting unplugged,” says Emily Diaz-Lore, staff scientist with the Center for Biological Diversity. “Age matters because the internal well infrastructure that is supposed to mitigate the migration of gases can deteriorate over time. If there’s not frequent monitoring of the well integrity, we don’t know how much of a risk the well poses to the surrounding groundwater sources, soil or air.” In Monterey County, at least 35 percent of the idle wells have been unplugged for more than eight years, and around 10 percent have remained unplugged for more than 20 years. Statewide, at least 168 idle wells have been unplugged for more than 10 years. Oversight of these wells, how they are maintained and who is responsible for paying for cleanup, can be tricky. Many operators, whether businesses or individuals responsible for the wells, go bankrupt, dissolve, die or become difficult to locate. The California Department of Conservation’s Geologic Energy Management Division (CalGEM) is responsible for regulating and overseeing idle, deserted and orphaned wells, coordinating with operators and contractors depending on whether a liable party has been identified. The differences in the classification—idle, deserted or orphaned— depend on whether or not a responsible party has been identified and can maintain the well. Idle wells have an identified operator who remains responsible for maintenance and eventual plugging; deserted wells are one step closer to becoming orphaned, meaning an owner may still be identified but compliance is uncertain. Orphan wells, or those with no solvent responsible party, are the outcome that the state seeks to prevent. In those cases, the state assumes responsibility for environmental cleanup and bears the financial cost of plugging a well. About 12 percent of Monterey County’s oil and gas wells are located within 200 feet of a river or creek. This includes the Salinas River, which runs through the San Ardo oil field, and is a critical source of the county’s groundwater. In December 2025, over 4,000 gallons of oil and toxic wastewater spilled in the San Ardo oil field, just over a mile from where the Sargent Creek feeds the Salinas River. It is unconfirmed whether that spill was connected to an active or idle well, although the location on the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services Hazardous Materials Spill report matches a few idle wells listed in CalGEM’s well tracker system. A notice of violation CalGEM sent to Aera LLC, the operator connected to the spill, on Dec. 19 shows the spill came from a pipeline, although it’s unclear which well (or wells) that pipeline is connected to. “When we went and checked it out we were concerned, and found out it was much to do about nothing,” says Mary Orradre, wife of Mike Orradre, whose family leases out rights to oil operators in San Ardo. She’s unsure whether or not the spill that occurred is associated with an idle well. “There have been regulations with the oil industry, some are necessary, but nobody gives us credit for all the compliance that we do. Are environmentalists and regulators being realistic? That’s a question that has to be asked and it isn’t.” San Ardo is a hotspot in the county, with a cluster of both active and idle wells, according to CalGEM data. Maps also depict clusters of idle wells just south of Greenfield near Monroe Creek, and just north of the San Ardo field along Paris Valley Road. The San Ardo oil field is operated by Chevron and Aera Energy LLC, which merged into California Resources Corporation in 2024. (The company did not respond before the Weekly’s deadline.) The cost to plug an individual well isn’t cheap, with recent costs ranging from $220,000 per well up to $900,000 per well, depending on the well’s location, condition and depth. A 2025 report published by Carbon Tracker estimates it could cost upward of $21.5 billion to plug the state’s wells. “One of the problems with wells being orphaned, is no one’s watching them,” says Cooper Kaas, staff attorney with the Climate Law Institute, “except for the communities that are directly affected by whatever is coming out of them …when there’s no responsible operator, then no one really knows what’s happening with the well until there’s a problem.” Spud Out Hundreds of unplugged oil wells sit on top of groundwater sources in Monterey County, a study finds. By Katie Rodriguez NEWS Above: The Center for Biological Diversity created an interactive map to show where idle wells are located throughout the state, depicting a cluster of idle wells just south of San Ardo (shown above). Below: The San Ardo oil field is the center of the industry’s operations in Monterey County. “We don’t know how much of a risk the well poses.” CENTER FOR BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY NIC COURY
www.montereycountynow.com FEBRUARY 19-25, 2026 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 11 Oak Knoll 2 SE of Forest, Carmel-by-the-Sea 3 Beds, 2.5 Baths • $3,695,000 • www.OakKnoll2SEofForest.com 9805 Carmel Valley Road, Carmel 3 Beds, 2 Baths • $1,550,000 • www.9805CarmelValleyRoad.com 585 Santa Lucia Way, Marina 4 Beds, 3 Baths • $1,695,000 • www.585SantaLuciaWay.com 18599 McClellan Circle, East Garrison 4 Beds, 3 Baths • $1,049,000 • www.18599McClellan.com Interested in a property? Contact us to schedule a showing! 831.624.2300 MontereyCoastRealty.com CalDRE #01871677 Locally Owned. Globally Connected. View all available listings by scanning the code PREVENTION•EDUCATION TREATMENT•RECOVERY NATIONAL MEDICINE ABUSE AWARENESS MONTH According to the 2022 Monitoring the Future Survey, 1 in 31 teens report misusing over-the-counter OTC cough medicine to get high. Let’s continue to educate the public about the dangers of abusing prescription and OTC drugs. WWW.SUNSTREETCENTERS.ORG
12 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY FEBRUARY 19-25, 2026 www.montereycountynow.com TIMBER TOPS Great article, and good thing they are turning wood waste into biochar (“Researchers are banding together to turn fire-prone eucalyptus into biochar for use by local growers,” Feb. 5-11). The “could be better” thing is that this method of making biochar (an open, staged-air system that creates a pseudo-low-oxygen zone) puts 70-75 percent of the carbon in the wood, as well as most of the heat, back in the atmosphere. A sealed pyrolysis retort system with a closed burn chamber can flip those numbers around which means much of the carbon is locked away from the atmosphere for several thousand years and does not contribute to greenhouse gases, plus it captures much of the heat which can be used for space heating, making electricity, etc. It is possible to take a sealed pyrolysis retort system to the wood, just a bit longer setup. Jeff Turner | Seaside The Weekly’s horrifying article on the Elkhorn Slough devastation failed to report the scientific issues and environmental damage in this land destruction—killing of trees and wildlife, destroying food sources and habitat, damaging the land—instead, giving a few sentences of “everyone knows”-type statements and hyperbole, with no factual justification for the project. It was like reading a 1950s cigarette ad. This project is in line with ICE abuses, American racism and xenophobia. It happens due to a dearth of nature exposure, respect and love, and the poor quality of education in American schools. This article, as others in the past, provides PR and cover for government agencies, special interests and a pet project, despite the known negative impacts and loss of life. What a tragedy for these trees and the wildlife they benefit. Nina Beety | Monterey The Elkhorn Slough project to eliminate eucalyptus trees invites disaster. Those trees do nothing but suck up the carbon we pump out daily, create clean air, rainfall, shade, groundwater replenishment, habitat for birds, monarchs and bees. This witch hunt of blame needs to be placed on wooden houses. Not trees. Lorna Moffat | Monterey ON THE MENU So excited for this news! Even more excited to visit his new business ventures (“Dametra owner takes over former Sade’s and Cantinetta Luca locations in Carmel,” posted Feb. 12). Ramy Husseini | via social media Great news! Mark Valentino | Salinas Hopefully it’ll be a high-end cocktail lounge open later than 9pm, LOL. Johnna Regan | Carmel Bashar [Sneeh] has both a heart for giving and a mind for business. So happy to hear of his growing success. Jennifer Burton-Kuyper | Monterey UNHEALTHY CARE Absolutely unacceptable this veteran did not receive more timely medical assistance without having to go through extraordinary lengths to get the help she is entitled to (“An Army veteran waiting for surgery highlights issues with VA Community Care,” Feb. 5-11). Our veterans should be a priority. Susi Allen | via social media INKED UP Your article on the steady erosion of local journalism was very sobering, and troubling (“Print publishers face rising costs, wealthy competitors and the whims of the federal government in 2026,” Jan. 29-Feb. 4). We are witnessing on a daily basis the growing societal costs of an uninformed, or misinformed, public. The staggering loss of resources devoted to gathering and reporting the news we need for effective self-governance, at all levels, should concern all of us, especially with so much disinformation and nonsensical distraction all over social media and cable TV. But all is not lost. One recent Bay Area event drew some 6,000 credentialed journalists and generated wallto-wall coverage for nearly two weeks. Advertisers spent a fortune to be part of the production. OK…it was just a football game with some much-ballyhooed halftime entertainment, but at least it proves there’s still an appetite for massive spending when the public is fully engaged. How to refocus some of that engagement on events that actually matter is the question. Maybe news outlets should stage their own Super Bowl and sell tickets? Until then, please keep sounding the alarm bells. Roy Verley | Pacific Grove PRESENT TENSE Apparently, Republicans were thinking ahead in preparing for Black History Month (“The 100th Black History Month revisits many familiar themes,” Feb. 5-11). At a recent Window on the Bay protest against ICE, a white man was walking through the crowd occasionally handing out folded papers. The crude fliers directed people to conspiracy theories questioning the veracity of former President Obama’s birth certificate. On the national level, Donald Trump launched Black History Month with a racist video of the Obamas. Clearly, he was signaling to Republicans: “We will no longer hide behind dog whistles. Your president thinks it is time to take off the white hoods and show the MAGA movement’s fascist face.” Trump is now showing us who he really is: an authoritarian with a whites-only vision for America. With no respect for the Constitution, he is determined to forcefully impose his immoral and racist agenda. Unifying the country is of no interest to him. Nazario Martinez | Prunedale DINING IN Better food than today’s fast food. Probably not any less sanitary (“Monterey County pushes for a crackdown on unpermitted food vendors,” Feb. 12-18). Joe Ash | Prunedale CLARIFICATION A story about efforts to update the City of Monterey’s tree ordinance implied that city staff are waiting for Cal Fire before presenting a draft (“Citing safety concerns, Monterey residents advocate for flexibility in the city’s tree ordinance,” Feb. 12-18). These processes are simultaneous. 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 JANUARY 19-25, 2026 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 13 As candidates start campaigning for elections this year, voter outreach is already underway. But there is another election currently happening for a position that wields considerable local influence, even if it’s not in the spotlight. The Local Agency Formation Commission of Monterey County (LAFCO) regulates boundaries of cities and other government jurisdictions, like water boards and fire districts. Its decisions are rarely uncomplicated, and sometimes quite political. The seven-member commission is composed of a specific mix of representatives: two are members of the Monterey County Board of Supervisors; two are city council members from Monterey County’s 12 cities; one is a public member, unaffiliated with any local government agency; and two are from one of Monterey County’s 42 special districts. Each of these positions is selected in its unique way. With a four-year term coming to an end this May, there are four candidates on the ballot seeking a special district position on LAFCO. Each special district is invited to vote for a candidate and the highest vote-getter will become the next special district commissioner. (After that, a second ballot will circulate for an alternate. David Kong, the current alternate on LAFCO and a member of the Greenfield Cemetery District and the Greenfield Public Recreation District, is seeking reappointment as an alternate—while his name is one of the four that appears on the ballot, he is running for second place, something he almost definitely will win. Bill Lipe, of the Resource Conservation District, is also seeking appointment as an alternate.) Mary Ann Leffel of the Monterey Regional Airport District board of directors is seeking another four-year term, even after she drew criticism after voting against granting authority to the Monterey Peninsula Water Management District to become a water retailer in its journey to take over California American Water. That vote on LAFCO prompted a halfhearted (and failed) attempt to recall her from the MRY board, and she was reelected to that seat in 2024. But now she faces a challenge from one of her own MRY colleagues, Jonathan Ahmadi. The relative newcomer to Monterey County was elected in 2024 to the airport board, and now is seeking a seat on LAFCO. “I knew it could create a bit of a stir,” Ahmadi says—but he decided to throw his hat in the ring anyway. He joined his own special district board, MRY, in voting for Leffel on their ballot—a class act in expressing solidarity after he realized she was a shoo-in. “It’s important that people run for the positions they believe they are qualified for,” Leffel says. She is so far the clear front-runner, earning votes from at least 10 districts including Castroville Community Services, Monterey County Regional Fire, Mosquito Abatement District and others. Ahmadi has secured votes from just three, Salinas Valley Health, Cypress Fire and Marina Coast Water District. Ahmadi would bring a different kind of politics to LAFCO than Leffel, a more progressive vision for what the county can look like. His campaign platform, however, is focused less on politics and more on listening: As he addresses special district boards—which have until March 6 to return their ballots—he says he’s found some special district reps seem to have no idea that they even have two LAFCO seats. “I have an opportunity to try to make a difference,” Ahmadi says. “I am not going to sit on the sidelines, even if there’s a political cost. The stakes are too great. We’d be a lot better off if more people stepped up.” You too can step up and self-nominate to serve on LAFCO. The public member term ends in May, and the deadline to apply is Friday, Feb. 20. The only qualification is that you “have an interest in the operation and organization of local governments,” according to LAFCO’s criteria. “It is not enough for us as voters to just vote,” Ahmadi says. “We need to be engaged in the power structures in our community if we want to make meaningful change.” Nowhere is that more true than right here at the local level, in the sometimes esoteric corners of government. Sara Rubin is the Weekly’s editor. Reach her at sara@montereycountynow.com. Special Powers A surprise challenge for a LAFCO seat stands to shift the balance of power. By Sara Rubin SUITE LIFE…During the AT&T Pro-Am, Squid likes to ooze around Carmel to check out the golf crowd. (With all those pastel polos, however, nobody was winning at fashion.) Thanks to Squid’s underwater lair, there was no need to book a hotel in the village. If Squid did stay overnight, Squid would have paid one of the lowest percentage transient occupancy rates around, 10 percent compared to an average of 12 percent at other Monterey Peninsula hotels. With aging infrastructure and other pressing budget issues in mind, the Carmel City Council on Feb. 3 discussed putting a measure on the November ballot to raise the TOT to 12 percent. Hotel owners predicted disaster—Hofsas House Hotel owner and former councilmember Carrie Theis warned visitors would stay in neighboring cities and morph into “dreaded daytrippers” (hey!) who spend less than overnight guests. Pointing to competition from newly opened Kimpton Mirador in Pacific Grove and other future hotels, she claimed, “This is the worst possible timing for a TOT increase.” Councilmember Jeff Baron pointed out it’s never the right time—a similar failed attempt less than two years ago was also met with loud objections from owners. The council voted 4-1 to move forward toward a ballot measure, Mayor Dale Byrne dissenting. Would a traveler enamored by the cache of Carmel’s village character flinch at a 2-percent increase? Squid bets no. INTO THE SPOTLIGHT…The rain has been keeping Squid inside Squid’s lair with extra time for thinking about deep questions, like: Why do octopuses get all the credit for intelligence, leaving other cephalopods out to dry? How much shrimp-flavored popcorn is too much? What does it take to make it onto national television via Fox News? Squid has some answers to that last question courtesy of Pajaro Valley Unified School District, and the answer is: talking about politically contentious topics including immigration, homelessness and antisemitism. Fox News featured PVUSD three times in the past year, two of those just this month. One recent mention was when Board Clerk Joy Flynn expressed her discomfort with the use of the word “homeless” instead of “unhoused” at a Jan. 14 board meeting. The second came before the board voted on a 14-day stay-away letter from Pajaro Valley High School against PVUSD trustee Gabriel Medina—a polarizing figure on the board whom, depending on who you ask, was either intimidating staff or defending students when they walked out of school during a nationwide protest against ICE. Squid’s colleague reached out unsuccessfully to Medina, but can just as easily follow along on Fox News—these storylines, from blue California, fit a readymade narrative. Reality is far murkier. THE LOCAL SPIN SQUID FRY THE MISSION OF MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY IS TO INSPIRE INDEPENDENT THINKING AND CONSCIOUS ACTION, ETC. “We’d be better off if more people stepped up.” SEND SQUID A TIP: squid@montereycountynow.com
14 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY FEBRUARY 19-25, 2026 www.montereycountynow.com To save condors, conservation biologists take on a new role of advocating for easier access to ammo. By Sara Rubin It’s within the 60-plus-year lifespan of a California condor that the entire species was on the brink of extinction. In 1967, the first time the U.S. released a list of endangered species, the birds were critically endangered. By 1982, just 22 of them remained in the wild. Hoping to save North America’s largest flying bird from disappearing entirely, biologists began capturing the wild birds and by 1987, all known California condors were in captivity at zoos. Scientists began breeding them and a decade later, started releasing those young condors into the wild. Another decade after that, condors again started nesting in the wild in Central California. It was the beginning of a remarkable comeback story. Today, there are 117 condors in the wild on the Central Coast. (In three other populations, Arizona, Baja and Northern California’s Yurok tribal area, there are another 247 California condors.) That is a success story that conservation organizations love to tell. But scientists see another milestone within reach—getting the California condor to be self-sustaining in the wild, instead of relying on human intervention of breeding in zoos and then releasing chicks as a continuously conservation-dependent species. “It’s all about overall mortality. You want the population to be sustainable—you want more chicks in the wild to be born than to die,” says Myra Finkelstein, a professor of microbiology and environmental toxicology at UC Santa Cruz. The condor success story so far has relied on the birth part of the equation. The death part is in the works, but solutions are surprisingly attainable. “Just reducing mortality by 1 percent could take the population from declining to slightly growing,” Finkelstein says. Even modest growth could tip the scale for the species from reliant on human intervention to sustaining itself in nature, and being able to withstand catastrophic events like wildfires. (The 2020 Dolan Fire killed 12 condors.) Even more encouraging for advoMAGIC BULLET Condor 550 (unnamed, left) was hatched in the wild in 2010 in Pinnacles National Park and successfully treated at the LA Zoo for lead poisoning. She and Condor 652 (Ferdinand), shown in Big Sur, are now a breeding pair. Ferdinand is the son of Topa Topa, the oldest known living condor, who will turn 60 this year. VENTANA WILDLIFE SOCIETY / MEREDITH EVANS
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