www.montereycountynow.com MARCH 26-APRIL 1, 2026 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 15 Over the past couple of years, as the price of copper has climbed, so too has a related issue in the Salinas cityscape: streetlight outages. Thefts of copper wire usually happen at night, with wires ripped out, affecting multiple fixtures. “We’ll lose seven, eight lights when they do that,” says David Jacobs, Salinas’ public works director. City officials have replaced the wire, and added heavy-duty handholds and lids to prevent theft. Public Works doesn’t have a dedicated crew to address street maintenance, but this issue became a need. “The city manager wanted us to increase the rate of fixing lights so he said, ‘Let’s get a contractor on board,’” Jacobs adds. The uptick began in 2023 in industrial areas, such as the intersection of Work Street and Elvee Drive. Now it is more widespread, impacting major streets including Laurel Drive, Constitution Boulevard and Sanborn Road. “They tend to hit the bigger streets—the collectors and arterials— because they have the bigger wire in it,” Jacobs points out. Repairs cost $8-$10 per linear foot (to Public Works) and $12-$14 to Francis Electronics LLC, the contractor. They can repair up to 600 linear feet per day; repairing a mile can take up to a week-and-a-half. “There’s almost no way to make anything theft-proof and we’re spending a lot of money to replace this copper wire,” City Councilmember Andrew Sandoval says. This fiscal year alone the city has spent $359,203 on streetlight repairs with more on the way, budgeted at a $136,000 price tag. Copper theft isn’t unique to Salinas; it’s impacting cities across the country including Los Angeles and San Jose. Many affected cities are exploring or transitioning to solar street lights. While switching to solar seems like a straightforward solution, it comes with a higher up-front cost. Replacing the wire between two street lights 300 feet apart costs between $1,800-$3,600 per light. A solar light ranges from $5,000 to $9,000 each, and might need additional foundation or a new pole. Salinas has 6,750 streetlights citywide and turning to solar could cost in the range of $120 million to $150 million. Still, Sandoval says he wants to see a plan to switch solar soon, noting several parks are in the dark. “We’re looking at some pilot solar options, one to see how they perform, and two, to see if they’re scalable,” Mayor Dennis Donohue says, while noting that meanwhile, repairs of traditional lights are underway. The city is in the process of preparing to launch a pilot program with 27 solar streetlights at a cost of $515,000. The lights will be on Roosevelt between Kern and Madeira streets, in an area that is experiencing increased prostitution and human trafficking. Jacobs says one reason they chose this area is because they expect it to be relatively faster to bring lights in that don’t require electrical connections— with the added benefit that it might mitigate criminal activity. “It was the best of both worlds,” he says. Light It Up Struggling with copper wire theft, Salinas explores a solar streetlight pilot program. By Celia Jiménez Crews have replaced lids on the handholds of streetlights in Salinas with sturdier versions in an effort to prevent copper wire theft. NEWS “We’re looking at pilot solar options to see if they’re scalable.” DANIEL DREIFUSS CHEF ATTENDED STATIONS Build your own Omelette Bar Slow Roasted Brown Sugar, Black Pepper, Fennel Dusted Brisket with a Red Wine BBQ Sauce New Zealand Rack of Lamb with Red Pepper Chimichurri BRUNCH ENTREES Broccoli Cheese Egg Frittata Bacon and Chicken Apple Sausage Chicken & Waffles with Maple Syrup and Hot Honey Herb Roasted Red Potatoes Penne Pasta with Heirloom Tomatoes, Mushrooms, Spinach, Artichokes in a White Wine Butter Sauce Chipotle Butter Basted Grilled Chicken Breast, Black Beans, Pico de Gallo Hoisin Glazed Skin on Salmon Lemon Herb Orzo SALADS & COLD CONTINENTAL Poached Prawns, Oysters on a Half Shell, Champagne Mignonette, Cocktail Sauce Smoked Salmon, Capers, Red Onion, Cream Cheese, and Lemons Deviled Eggs Tuna Ahi Poke, Toasted Sesame Seeds, Green Onions, Sweet Chili Soy Sauce, Grilled Pineapple Grilled Vegetable Board Pearl Couscous Salad with Mixed Herbs, Arugula, Cucumbers and Orange Vinaigrette Jicama Salad with Cilantro Lime Chili Vinaigrette Classic Caesar Salad with Croutons and Parmesan Spring Greens and Frisee Salad with Assorted Berries, Pickled Red Onions, Cherry Heirloom Tomatoes, Candied Pecans, Cucumbers, Dried Cranberries, Feta Cheese PACIFIC’S EDGE Easter Brunch Buffet SUNDAY, APRIL 5, 2026 9AM-3PM SIDES Assorted Breads, Bagels & Butter, Fresh Fruit & Berries Yogurt and Granola Parfaits, Assorted Cheese Display DESSERTS Assorted Petit fours, Macarons, Pastries and Easter themed candy Reservations on Opentable $125* per adult / $55* per child over 4 Does not include 20% service charge and tax CHEF ATTENDED STATIONS Build your own Omelette Bar Slow Roasted Brown Sugar, Black Pepper, Fennel Dusted Brisket with a Red Wine BBQ Sauce New Zealand Rack of Lamb with Red Pepper Chimichurri BRUNCH ENTREES Broccoli Cheese Egg Frittata Bacon and Chicken Apple Sausage Chicken & Waffles with Maple Syrup and Hot Honey Herb Roasted Red Potatoes Penne Pasta with Heirloom Tomatoes, Mushrooms, Spinach, Artichokes in a White Wine Butter Sauce Chipotle Butter Basted Grilled Chicken Breast, Black Beans, Pico de Gallo Hoisin Glazed Skin on Salmon Lemon Herb Orzo SALADS & COLD CONTINENTAL Poached Prawns, Oysters on a Half Shell, Champagne Mignonette, Cocktail Sauce Smoked Salmon, Capers, Red Onion, Cream Cheese, and Lemons Deviled Eggs Tuna Ahi Poke, Toasted Sesame Seeds, Green Onions, Sweet Chili Soy Sauce, Grilled Pineapple Grilled Vegetable Board Pearl Couscous Salad with Mixed Herbs, Arugula, Cucumbers and Orange Vinaigrette Jicama Salad with Cilantro Lime Chili Vinaigrette Classic Caesar Salad with Croutons and Parmesan Spring Greens and Frisee Salad with Assorted Berries, Pickled Red Onions, Cherry Heirloom Tomatoes, Candied Pecans, Cucumbers, Dried Cranberries, Feta Cheese PACIFIC’S EDGE Easter Brunch Buffet SUNDAY, APRIL 5, 2026 9AM-3PM SIDES Assorted Breads, Bagels & Butter, Fresh Fruit & Berries Yogurt and Granola Parfaits, Assorted Cheese Display DESSERTS Assorted Petit fours, Macarons, Pastries and Easter themed candy Reservations on Opentable $125* per adult / $55* per child over 4 Does not include 20% service charge and tax CHEF ATTENDED STATIONS Build your own Omelette Bar Slow Roasted Brown Sugar, Black Pepper, Fennel Dusted Brisket with a Red Wine BBQ Sauce New Zealand Rack of Lamb with Red Pepper Chimichurri BRUNCH ENTREES Broccoli Cheese Egg Frittata Bacon and Chicken Apple Sausage Chicken & Waffles with Maple Syrup and Hot Honey Herb Roasted Red Potatoes Penne Pasta with Heirloom Tomatoes, Mushrooms, Spinach, Artichokes in a White Wine Butter Sauce Chipotle Butter Basted Grilled Chicken Breast, Black Beans, Pico de Gallo Hoisin Glazed Skin on Salmon Lemon Herb Orzo SALADS & COLD CONTINENTAL Poached Prawns, Oysters on a Half Shell, Champagne Mignonette, Cocktail Sauce Smoked Salmon, Capers, Red Onion, Cream Cheese, and Lemons Deviled Eggs Tuna Ahi Poke, Toasted Sesame Seeds, Green Onions, Sweet Chili Soy Sauce, Grilled Pineapple Grilled Vegetable Board Pearl Couscous Salad with Mixed Herbs, Arugula, Cucumbers and Orange Vinaigrette Jicama Salad with Cilantro Lime Chili Vinaigrette Classic Caesar Salad with Croutons and Parmesan Spring Greens and Frisee Salad with Assorted Berries, Pickled Red Onions, Cherry Heirloom Tomatoes, Candied Pecans, Cucumbers, Dried Cranberries, Feta Cheese PACIFIC’S EDGE Easter Brunch Buffet SUNDAY, APRIL 5, 2026 9AM-3PM SIDES Assorted Breads, Bagels & Butter, Fresh Fruit & Berries Yogurt and Granola Parfaits, Assorted Cheese Display DESSERTS Assorted Petit fours, Macarons, Pastries and Easter themed candy Reservations on Opentable $125* per adult / $55* per child over 4 Does not include 20% service charge and tax
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