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
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