APRIL 9-15, 2026 MONTEREYCOUNTYNOW.COM LOCAL & INDEPENDENT MARKET PRICE 10 | GLIDERS GROUNDED 12 | UP FOR ANYTHING 31 | PEBBLE BEACH ROCK STARS 38 FIRST PLACE GENERAL EXCELLENCE • 2025 CA JOURNALISM AWARDS • Reducing food waste is becoming a priority. Now there are apps for that. p. 20 By Dave Faries APPetizing
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www.montereycountynow.com APRIL 9-15, 2026 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 3 If you know Community Hospital, you know Montage Health. montagehealth.org The fact is, we’ve always been here. You’ve just known us by a different name. The people at Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula created Montage Health to deliver exceptional care to more people, by expanding our services beyond the hospital. Today, we’re urgent care centers, wellness centers, primary care doctors, health insurance plans, and a groundbreaking mental health program for youth. Still independent, nonprofit, locally owned, and accountable only to the community we serve.
4 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY APRIL 9-15, 2026 www.montereycountynow.com APRIL 9-15, 2026 • ISSUE #1967 • ESTABLISHED IN 1988 Bonna Kauffman (iPhone 12 mini) Springtime is greentime, as shown on this beautiful day for a run at Palo Corona Regional Park in Carmel. MONTEREY COUNTY PHOTO OF THE WEEK Send Etc. submissions to etcphoto@montereycountynow.com; please include caption and camera info. On the cover: A produce box from Lucky in Sand City serves as the background for the app used to make the purchase, Too Good To Go. The app is one of several that try to divert food that is still edible from landfills at a discounted price to consumers. Cover photo: Daniel Dreifuss 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
INSIDER SQUID SAYS: SUPPORT LOCAL & INDEPENDENT JOURNALISM Join your neighbors and become an INSIDER HOW TO JOIN Go online at insider.montereycountynow.com Or by mail: 668 Williams Ave., Seaside, CA 93955 Your contribution level: $500 $150 $50 $20 $15 $10 Other $_ ______ Contribution schedule: Monthly (dollar match special) Annual One-time Name_________________________________________________________________________ Address_ ______________________________________________________________________ City, State_ ____________________________________________________________________ Email_ __________________________________ Phone________________________________ May we include your name in public acknowledgements? Yes How would you like your name to appear?__________________________________________ No, I would prefer to be anonymous Payment: Credit card number_ ____________________________________________________________ Expiration date __________________________CVV code_ _____________________________ Name/Billing address (if different from above)_ _____________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ DOLLAR MATCH SPECIAL Sign up as a monthly supporter by April 30 and your first month’s donation will be matched dollar for dollar. www.montereycountyweekly.com APRIL 9-15, 2026 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 5 040926 Local News Day: A national day of action connecting communities with trusted local news. APRIL 9, 2026 localnewsday.org @localnewsday
6 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY APRIL 9-15, 2026 www.montereycountynow.com THE BUZZ FREE SPEECH Artificial intelligence company Nota hailed its bilingual local news websites as an initiative to restore journalism in news deserts. A little more than six months later, the company shut down all of its websites in 11 counties across the United States for plagiarism. The AI-generated articles were intended to pull from publicly available information, such as city council meeting videos and press releases. Instead, an investigation by Poynter found that more than 70 stories included content from local journalists without attribution. Nota CEO Josh Brandau told Poynter that the sites will be shut down permanently. “We don’t want to misinform the public, and we certainly don’t want to misattribute the companies and the journalism we serve,” he said. The incident highlights the troubles of using AI for journalism, making it all the more critical to support local outlets (see p. 17 to learn about Local News Day, a first-ever initiative observed on Thursday, April 9). Good: Melissa Nothnagle, director of the Family Medicine Residency Program and chief of family medicine at Natividad, received what is considered the most prestigious honor in her field. Nothnagle was awarded the Nikitas J. Zervanos Outstanding Program Director Award from the Association of Family Medicine Residency Directors and the American Academy of Family Physicians. The award recognizes Nothnagle for her work with Natividad’s family medicine residency program. To be eligible for the award, nominees must have directed such a program for at least 10 years and shown leadership at the national level. “One of the greatest privileges of my career is helping train the next generation of family physicians at Natividad,” Nothnagle said. “Our residents are learning not only excellent clinical care, but also how to serve their communities with compassion and purpose.” GREAT: South County residents and vendors have a new place to gather and sell their wares. On Saturday, April 4, the City of Soledad launched El Mercadito, a monthly market with local vendors on Front Street, in the place where a future container village will be located. El Mercadito came to life thanks to community input and the city’s partnership with the Soledad Chamber of Commerce, the Monterey County Business Council and the Monarch Small Business Development Center. The market’s goal is to provide entrepreneurial opportunities in the community, strengthening small businesses and boosting the city’s economic development. “If we want those sales taxes to stay local, then we have to bring more amenities for our community,” Mayor Anna Velazquez says. She notes this project is part of the city’s strategic plan, approved by City Council last year: “It’s part of a vision.” GOOD WEEK / GREAT WEEK THE WEEKLY TALLY That’s how many Chinook salmon can be caught during the recreational fishing season in Monterey Bay, which opens April 11. Source: California Department of Fish and Wildlife 21,000 QUOTE OF THE WEEK “He was a complicated Brooklyn Jew, with a huge heart and a love for people and food.” -Jerad Spilfogel, speaking about his father Ken, a prominent Carmel resident and restaurateur who died on April 2 (see story, montereycountynow.com/news). Transform Your Life w i th Break through Men ’s Community This time of year many men resolve to be a "better version" of themselves. For 28 years, Breakthrough has offered tools that help men create lasting change. It starts right here. Spring 2026 Workshops – In-Person & Online In-person starts April 2026, On-line starts March 2026 Monterey, CA in person & Virtual Worldwide Financial aid available Free weekly introductory sessions on-line. “At is core Breakthrough is about being the best man you can be.” – Program Graduate Sign up at: breakthroughformen.org Saturday, May 2, 2026 - 9AM Toro Park namiwalks.org/montereycounty Monterey County
www.montereycountynow.com APRIL 9-15, 2026 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 7 RUN ROSES for the t foh r e A Kentucky Derby Event Benefiting Catholic Charities Diocese of Monterey The spirit of the Kentucky Derby is coming to the Monterey Bay, and you’re invited to the starting line! Saturday, May 2nd | 1:30 PM InterContinental The Clement Monterey Special Guest & MC: Dan Green EXPERIENCE Curated Tastings Silent & Live Auctions Southern-inspired Fare Live Dixieland & Blues Races on the Big Screen Derby-themed attire! Thank you to our Sponsors! Buy Your Tickets Today! Need Race Day Information? 831.393.3110 | development@catholiccharitiesdom.org TICKETS: Hyatt Regency Monterey Hotel And Spa 1 Old Golf Course Road, Monterey, CA Complimentary Valet Parking at Mark Thomas Drive Entrance JOIN US! $75 per person Sponsor a table of 10 for $1,250 Additional Levels Available Purchase tickets online by April 24, 2026 give.cfmco.org/WomensFund2026 Questions? 831.375.9712 x120 • events@cfmco.org Keynote Speaker Christina Bellantoni Professor of Professional Practice of Journalism at USC Annenberg, Christina is a longtime national journalist and political analyst covering all levels of government. • • • • • Mistress of Ceremonies, Erin Clark News Anchor, KSBW Action News 8 Standing Strong for Women and Girls 19th Annual WOMEN’S FUND LUNCHEON Friday, May 8, 2026 11:00 a.m. Networking Reception 12-1:30 p.m. Program & Luncheon The Women’s Fund invests in women and girls now for a better future for us all. “I brought my Subaru to Hartzel on advice of a friend and I was so pleased with the service & attention I got from them. Not only finished on time, but under the estimate I was given. Very rare these days. So pleased with the whole experience & great peace of mind knowing it was done correctly. Highly recommend this guy.” —David F., Seaside 2/14/19 510 California Avenue | Sand City | 394.6002 hartzelautomotive.com EXPERT SERVICE WHEN YOU NEED IT. Subaru Mazda Lexus Infiniti Saab vintage MG SCHEDULE YOUR NEXT SERVICE ONLINE TODAY 2026 Orbea Wild - In Stock OPEN TUESDAY THROUGH SATURDAY In Downtown Santa Cruz – 585 Pacific Ave, Santa Cruz See website or phone for details • 831-621-2309 • www.currentebikes.com EVERY BIKE INCLUDES: • 2 YEARS FREE TUNE-UPS • PROFESSIONAL ASSEMBLY • ASSISTANCE WITH SIZING & ADJUSTMENTS • DISCOUNTS ON ACCESSORIES, RACKS, ETC. • COMPLETE POST SALE SERVICE MENTION THIS AD FOR AN ADDITIONAL $50 OFF ANY BIKE IN STOCK ELECTRIC BICYCLES
8 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY APRIL 9-15, 2026 www.montereycountynow.com 831 On a sunny Monday afternoon, a group of young men are warming up on the grass at Monterey County Juvenile Hall in Salinas, jogging and stretching before touching a soccer ball. They are part of the Twinning Project, an intervention program aimed to improve inmate rehabilitation through sports. It pairs professional sports teams with correctional services to provide training, coaching and mentoring to incarcerated individuals. Juvenile Hall staff learned about the program through the California Department of Corrections’ partnership with the Golden State Warriors, a professional basketball team. But basketball isn’t as popular in the region as soccer is. “Soccer is a big part of the community here, and so we asked if there would be the possibility of teaming with a soccer program,” says Michael Palmer, Juvenile Hall division director. “Soccer is such a low barrier to entry. You just need a ball.” Juvenile Hall partnered with the San Jose Earthquakes to bring the Twinning Project to Salinas, which began in January. Josue Salgado, a coach at Christopher High School and Gavilan College in Gilroy, partnered with the Earthquakes to bring structured soccer instruction inside Juvenile Hall. “I’ve added a little bit of a twist showing these boys how to be leaders,” he says. Salgado adds he wants to share “soccer fever,” since the World Cup takes place this year and the U.S. is one of the hosting countries. For Salgado, coaching at the high school level and at Juvenile Hall has made for a special soccer season. “They’ve helped me with my breakdown of film and game planning for certain teams,” Salgado says of the players. “They’ve been able to see firsthand behind the scenes of what it takes to be a coach and how you approach your season, your games and your practices.” Palmer says enrollment priority was given to those in the Secure Track Program, a program focused on rehabilitating high-risk youth, who will be at Juvenile Hall for the duration of the program and are interested in coaching and mentorship. In total, there are 14 young men and teens participating with ages ranging from 16-25; all of them committed violent crimes. RG, 22, has been at Juvenile Hall since he was 16. (The Weekly agreed to keep the participants’ identities confidential, consistent with the juvenile justice system.) He grew up in Salinas and says he never played soccer formally, seeing the program as a chance to improve his skill with the ball. “I’m always down to try something new and see what we can learn,” he says. RG says the team helped him gain leadership skills and learn more about himself and his character. Not all participants were into soccer in the beginning. IS, 25, says he played football and rugby. Soccer, he adds, is challenging. “I’m very tall, big, so it helps me keep my balance on my feet,” he says. “The part that I like the most is the team bonding. It’s good to see my peers grow themselves and just continue to challenge each other in a positive way.” The Twinning Project began in the United Kingdom in 2018 and has since expanded across the globe. This is the first time Juvenile Hall has had a structured sports program. Palmer notes Palma High School basketball players come in occasionally and have matches with detainees. “We do sports tournaments on our own, but there hasn’t been this kind of curriculum, drill play,” he says. The goal of the program is to use a sport as a common ground where inmates can collaborate, despite their backgrounds or gang affiliation, obtain skills, be mentored and gain confidence. Palmer says an important act was “giving them the uniforms, giving them this sense of identity outside of just being inside of the facility,” he says. “You take for granted the fact that sports keeps a lot of people out of trouble and that access to sports isn’t available to everybody,” Palmer says. The program ended on Monday, April 6. “Everybody’s been out there on the field playing together,” Palmer says. “The youth that really wanted to be mentors and coaches are really getting more insight on how to lead.” Team Works A global program teaches soccer and leadership to those incarcerated at Juvenile Hall. By Celia Jiménez “It’s good to see my peers grow themselves.” TALES FROM THE AREA CODE DANIEL DREIFUSS Coach Josue Salgado teaches the ins and outs of coaching while breaking down a soccer game film with Monterey County Juvenile Hall inmates participating in the Twinning Project. Salgado says he teaches leadership skills in his classes. TO SENIORS AND THEIR FAMILIES Monterey County Weekly in partnership with the Monterey County Area Agency on Aging will publish a directory of local professionals who provide services to seniors, people with disabilities and family caregivers. Living Well: Aging and Disability Resource Guide highlights agencies and companies in many fields including healthcare, housing, financial services and education. REACH OUT AREA AGENCY ON AGING FOR MORE INFO: 831-394-5656 sales@montereycountynow.com Living Well BEST OF MONTEREY BAY ® Living Well 2025-2026 BEST OF MONTEREY BAY® BILINGUAL GUIDE AGING AND DISABILITY RESOURCE GUIDE GUÍA DE RECURSOS SOBRE ENVEJECIMIENTO Y DISCAPACIDAD Published by AREA AGENCY ON AGING FREE | GRATIS cover_LW25.indd 2 5/15/25 12:58 PM BILINGUAL GUIDE AD DEADLINE May 8
www.montereycountynow.com APRIL 9-15, 2026 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 9 SATURDAY, JULY 4TH, 10am DOWNTOWN MONTEREY ALVARADO STREET & CALLE PRINCIPAL For information about the parade including event details, volunteering, entry applications and sponsorship opportunities Visit oldmonterey.org or Call 831-655-8070. PRESENTS THE Job No. Customer Job Description 29607 Power Over Parkinsons Monterey Invitation Qty Page Version 100 1 1 7 in Job No. Customer Job Description 29607 Power Over Parkinsons Monterey Invitation Qty Page Version 100 1 1 5 in 7 in Job No. Customer Job Description 29607 Power Over Parkinsons Monterey Invitation Qty Page Version 100 1 1 5 in 7 in Job No. Customer Job Description 29607 Power Over Parkinsons Monterey Invitation Qty Page Version 100 1 1 5 in 7 in Insured by NCUA 1The dividend rate and Annual Percentage Yield (APY) are accurate as of 03/03/2026. There is no minimum balance required to earn the stated APY. The minimum opening deposit for the 7-month certificate is $500. The APY is based on an assumption that dividends will remain in the account until maturity. Any fee, withdrawal, or transfer reduces earnings and there may be penalties for early withdrawal. Call 1-877-GOLDEN 1 (1-877-465-3361) for current rates. We reserve the right to change or discontinue this program at any time. Rates and term are subject to change without notice. 0226-MTW 3.60% APY1 for 7 months Visit a branch, call 1-877-465-3361 or scan to learn more Limited time offer Earn more with a Term Savings Certificate
10 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY APRIL 9-15, 2026 www.montereycountynow.com NEWS The cannabis industry continues to wobble. At a meeting of the County of Monterey’s Cannabis Committee on Thursday, April 2, Program Manager Michelle House and Accounting Auditor Kevin Tweedy gave updates on business tax collections and overall performance measures of the industry. There are currently 49 active operators: 37 farms, seven dispensaries and five categorized as “other businesses,” including manufacturing, distribution or processing in unincorporated Monterey County. Of the 37 farms, five are nursery-only operations. At least one business recently shut down, and no new land use permits have been approved for this fiscal year. The County revised its original revenue target from $3.5 million to $3.2 million for fiscal year 2025-26, with $3 million projected for 2026-27. “We are still seeing farms close,” House said. “The revenue is probably going to take another little sweep down.” The committee update also touched on what may end up being the county’s first fully outdoor commercial cannabis cultivation site. The project is scheduled to go before the Board of Supervisors on April 28. If approved, an amendment to the Central Salinas Valley Area Plan would allow up to 20,000 square feet of outdoor cannabis cultivation. The landowner, John Cumming of King City, has been involved with the outdoor pilot program since its inception in 2019. Officials in the County’s Cannabis Program, in cooperation with the Housing and Community Development, hosted a pilot project focus group to discuss pathways forward. The program has yet to see a successful outdoor cultivation project. Highs and Lows Monterey County’s cannabis industry still struggling, committee reports. By Katie Rodriguez Groups of people huddle beneath trees at picnic tables near the farmers market in Seaside on Thursday afternoon, April 2. It is a blustery bluebird day, the chilly wind keeping people bundled. Alex Hernandez, a market program manager with Everyone’s Harvest—a nonprofit dedicated to improving access to healthy, local produce and host of the farmers market—hops atop a picnic table beside a stack of 90 boxes filled with produce. “Today is our last day of produce boxes,” he bellows to the waiting crowd. Within 30 minutes, the boxes have disappeared. Every week for the past two-anda-half years, Everyone’s Harvest has offered free produce boxes to low-income residents as part of the Farms Together initiative, a California program funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Local Food Purchase Assistance cooperative agreement program. The USDA terminated the grant in spring 2026. The funding, originally intended to last two more years, had been effectively cut off, according to Everyone’s Harvest Executive Director Hester Parker. The grant had been awarded to the California Association of Food Banks to connect food aggregators with smaller-scale farmers who lack access to larger buyers. “Now we’re asking the State Legislature to put it in the budget to offset the lack of federal funding to keep it going,” Parker says, “because it’s been so successful.” Everyone’s Harvest distributed these boxes weekly at its Seaside and Alisal markets. At the height of the program, about 380 boxes valued at about $26 a box were given out per week. Everyone’s Harvest received $890,000 in grant funds over two years, which the nonprofit used to buy produce from vendors; residents with proof of eligibility (like a MediCal or EBT card) then collected the boxes for free. “I’m not working right now, so these boxes have helped a lot,” says Alma Vasquez at the Seaside market. She stands with about 10 other women who say the produce has helped supplement their groceries. After the program ends, they add they’ll continue to come to this market to support their neighbors, many of whom are local farmers. The program had also been a boon to farmers: around $653,000 worth of produce was purchased from growers (primarily in the tri-county area) and passed on to low-income households. Many farmers made investments expecting the program to continue. For Lupita Quintero, a first-generation farmer with a 5.5-acre organic farm in San Benito County, the Farms Together program helped her hire a full-time employee from Prunedale, bringing her workforce from two (herself and her husband) to three. “I needed help with the flowers and harvesting peas. After starting the program, this money [enabled] me to buy necessary equipment and hire an extra worker,” she says. The program also allows her to sell her produce at a better price because it gives her an incentive to show up at the market, with a guaranteed buyer thanks to the LFPA funding. A broker would pay her $7 for about 24 bundles of celery, she says, whereas at the market she can sell each bundle for $2.50. “The program buys at the right price,” she says, “and it also keeps farming doing good by the people.” Alex Hernandez, market program manager with Everyone’s Harvest, announces the last of the free produce boxes to a crowd at the Seaside farmers market on April 2. Last Call End of USDA-funded ‘Farms Together’ program impacts farms and low-income communities. By Katie Rodriguez A County Cannabis Committee meeting on April 2 included an update on the budget and performance measures, which showed a decline in revenue and stalled growth. “These boxes have helped a lot.” ROBERT DANIELS DANIEL DREIFUSS
www.montereycountynow.com APRIL 9-15, 2026 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 11 559 PACIFIC STREET MONTEREY, CA 93940 MONTEREYART.ORG SATURDAY, APRIL 11TH 11 AM–4 PM SAVE THE DATE FOR MONTEREY MUSEUM OF ART’S 4TH ANNUAL Free and open to all, this vibrant arts festival transforms downtown Monterey into a bustling hub of art and creativity. MyMCB Mobile Banking Made Simple. Secure. Wherever You Go. Download MyMCB Mobile Today! With MyMCB Mobile, you can: • Check balances and transactions. • Deposit checks with your phone. • Transfer funds quickly. • Pay bills on the go. • Set custom account alerts. • Use secure biometric login. Disclosure: MyMCB Mobile requires Online Banking enrollment and a compatible mobile device. Certain features such as Mobile Check Deposit may be subject to eligibility, daily limits, or processing times. Message and data rates may apply. Some account restrictions may apply. [MCB. 2026.0311 montereycountybank.com
12 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY APRIL 9-15, 2026 www.montereycountynow.com Along the south side of the dunes in Sand City, on a property that has been under development for decades, there are ideal flying conditions for paragliding instructor and owner of Raven Wolf Sky Sports, Cynthia “Cyn” Currie. “Because of the Salinas Valley behind us, the wind turns on every day at about noon and so Monterey is a place where people travel from all over the world to come and fly here,” Currie says. “It’s a very consistent and beautiful place to fly.” Currie moved to Monterey in 2012 as a skydiving instructor and paraglider. In 2016, she opened her own school, which offers tandem paragliding, among other experiences such as parakiting. The areas where Currie can operate in Monterey County are limited, as Marina State Beach is a regulated site, where only more advanced pilots are allowed to paraglide and must follow strict rules to protect the environment. Another rule bans anyone from accepting compensation for tandem paragliding instruction. Because of this, Currie has been launching with permission for the past decade from a property owned by developer Ed Ghandour, who has long had plans to develop an eco-resort on the site. While that project was mired by legal and regulatory obstacles over the years, it allowed Currie and others to paraglide there. Now, it is back under development. (Ghandour did not respond to a request for comment by the Weekly’s deadline.) “It seems like he is building again and he has asked us not to fly,” Currie says. “I am not able to take people tandem or teach them to fly anymore.” Sand City City Manager Vibeke Norgaard says the development is fully entitled by the city and the California Coastal Commission, but she does not yet know when construction will begin. Currie says the cease-and-desist letter from her landlord came as a shock, but she understands that business is business. She says she is in talks to potentially purchase a portion of the property not under development. But the sale would take time, and to continue operating her business, she has to travel elsewhere, likely to Chile. She says she would like to return to Monterey County but isn’t sure when or where. “I am going to have to figure out a new path,” she says of her business, “and so I am.” The economic five-year forecast presented to the Carmel City Council on March 24 was grim. Rising costs are outpacing projected revenues and there’s a $100 million deferred maintenance budget conundrum to solve. The city will effectively run out of money in its general fund in three years. It was time, said City Administrator Brandon Swanson, for the Council to begin pulling different economic levers to bring in new revenue. On Monday, April 6, the council heard a full array of levers they might decide to pull, including asking voters to agree to an increase in sales tax, issuing bonds, paid parking, a real estate transfer tax, forming a special district for infrastructure maintenance, even becoming a charter city to garner more control over revenue measures. Councilmembers leaned toward placing a possible sales tax increase on the November ballot. In February, a Council majority signaled a desire to put a transient-occupancy tax (TOT) measure on the November ballot as well, potentially raising the tax levied on hotel guests’ bills from 10 percent to 12 percent. Concerns were raised that voters might hesitate with two tax measures, but nevertheless, on Tuesday, April 7, the council voted 4-1 to continue the process toward putting the TOT measure on the ballot, with Mayor Dale Byrne voting no. The Carmel Innkeepers Association made a hard push against the proposed ballot measure, arguing that raising the tax would potentially decrease overall revenue and discourage hoteliers from renovating aging hotels. Councilmember Bob Delves said he understood their arguments, but he was still in favor of raising TOT, because of deferred maintenance and other financial pressures. “Our product hasn’t kept up with your product and we need to improve our product,” Delves said. Wording for both a sales tax measure and a TOT measure is expected to come back to the council in May. Blow Away Paragliding instructor loses access to Sand City eco-resort property. By Aric Sleeper NEWS GET SCHOOLED North Monterey County Unified School District Board of Trustees meets and accepts public comment. 6pm Thursday, April 9. North Monterey County High School library, 13990 Castroville Blvd., Castroville. Free. (831) 633-3343, nmcusd.org. WOMAN POWER Women leaders convene at the Unlock Your Power Women’s Summit. The event includes speakers, workshops and networking under the theme “Overcomer Energy.” 9:30am-4:30pm Saturday, April 11. Monterey Church, 401 Alvarado St., Monterey. $55. unlockyourpower831. com. COASTAL ACCESS The California Coastal Commission meets in Gonzales for a three-day public hearing. The commission examines land use and environmental policies across the coastal zone throughout the state of California. 9am Wednesday-Friday, April 15-17. Dennis and Janice Caprara Community Center, 620 Fifth St., Gonzales. Free. (831) 427-4863, coastal.ca.gov. TAX TIME Learn how Measure G tax dollars are used in the City of Salinas. A community meeting focuses on the 2014 voter-approved tax. 6-7pm Wednesday, April 15. Community Center, Santa Lucia Room, 940 N. Main St., Salinas. Free. (831) 758-7381, salinas.gov/measureg. THIS IS THE WAY Seaside City Council meets to discuss modifying various one-way streets, among other city business. Public comment is accepted. 5pm Thursday, April 16. City Council Chambers, 440 Harcourt Ave., Seaside. Free. (831) 899-6700, ci.seaside.ca.us. HOUSING PLAN The City of Seaside released its Annual Action Plan for the Community Development Block Grant Program, which outlines how federal funds will be used to develop low- and moderate-income housing. Public comment is accepted. Review period runs through Thursday, April 30. (831) 899-6726, ci.seaside. ca.us/CDBG. ELECTION SEASON The nomination period to qualify as a write-in candidate for the June election is underway. Candidates must meet the requirements of the office and file nomination forms. Nomination period runs through Tuesday, May 19. Monterey County Elections Office, 1441 Schilling Place, North Building, Salinas. Free. (831) 796-1499, countyofmonterey.gov/ elections. Up Sell Facing future budget deficits, the Carmel City Council considers tax increases on the ballot. By Pam Marino Spring, the windy season, traditionally draws paragliders to the dunes in Sand City. After a decade of teaching seasonally, a paragliding school was evicted. E-MAIL: publiccitizen@montereycountynow.com PUBLIC CITIZEN “It’s a very consistent and beautiful place to fly.” DANIEL DREIFUSS
www.montereycountynow.com APRIL 9-15, 2026 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 13 americanleisurepatio.com 944 Blossom Hill Rd San Jose | 1118 Ocean Street Santa Cruz COME SEE US TODAY! (831) 423-2425 (408) 446-9350
14 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY APRIL 9-15, 2026 www.montereycountynow.com Peeling paint, leaky roofs and unregulated temperatures are part of the classroom experience for many students in North Monterey County Unified School District. Some of its schools are over 70 years old (Castroville Elementary and Prunedale Elementary were built in 1948 and 1949, respectively). To address aging facilities, the board is considering placing a $40 million bond measure on the November ballot. “Without a bond, [improvements] are just not possible. We want the best facilities for our school and for our community and for our students, because if students aren’t safe, warm and dry, they can’t learn,” Superintendent Matt Turkie says. This amount is one-fifth of what district officials forecast would be needed to upgrade all facilities; according to a 2025 feasibility study, NMCUSD needs nearly $200 million. True North Research, based in Encinitas, conducted a survey at different bond amount thresholds. A bond of $30 per $100,000 in assessed value is the maximum amount the firm recommends. Eric Stover, 40, is a NMCUSD alum and a dad of two kids, David, 17, and Cheyenne, 13, both attending schools in the district. His youngest graduated from Castroville Elementary last year, in the same school Stover did. He says he saw a hole in the wall when he was a fourth-grader that is still there. “The only thing different now is that there are now wires passing through it because it’s being used to bring ethernet into that classroom,” Stover says. Stover recognizes a bond could be challenging for some property owners who live on a fixed income, but he sees it as an investment. “If I was going to vote no on it—which I’m not going to—that’s saying, ‘I’m sorry kids…your education isn’t worth an extra $200 a year in property taxes.’” In 2024, voters throughout Monterey County passed 11 out of 15 school bond measures, including an ambitious $340 million one from Monterey Peninsula Unified School District to upgrade facilities and build staff housing. Turkie says NMCUSD is on the same path as MPUSD was in 2010. MPUSD has been upgrading schools over the past 15 years after passing three bond measures providing a combined $663 million. Rural districts like NMCUSD struggle to pass bonds. During its last attempt in 2017, voters said no to Measures E and F, for $76 million combined, that would have gone toward facilities upgrades and reopening Moss Landing Middle School. (In 2013, they approved Measure H for $23.8 million. Some voters may still be skeptical after the district didn’t deliver a second middle school after passing a bond in 2002.) NMCUSD officials will host a meeting on the proposed measure from 5:307:30pm on Thursday, April 16 at North Monterey County High School, at 13990 Castroville Blvd., Castroville, to gather community input. Campus tours will follow in the coming weeks. School Blues North Monterey County Unified explores a bond measure to upgrade schools. By Celia Jiménez If voters reject a facilities bond, “All we’re doing is punishing our kids,” says Eric Stover, a parent of two NMCUSD students, including at North Monterey County Middle School in Castroville (above). NEWS A hole in the wall when he was a fourth-grader is still there. DANIEL DREIFUSS 2020 INFORMATIONAL SESSIONS AND INTERVIEWS TO BE HELD AT 2:00 PM AT THESE LOCATIONS THE SUPERIOR COURT URGES YOU TO PARTICIPATE IN IMPROVING YOUR LOCAL GOVERNMENT! Greenfield Tuesday May 12 Monterey Wednesday May 13 www.monterey.courts.ca.gov/grandjury (831) 775-5400 Extension 3014 Salinas Thursday May 14 Monterey Courthouse Wednesday, May 6 at 2:00 pm Salinas Courthouse Thursday, May 7 at 2:00 pm King City Courthouse Friday, May 8 at 10:30 am www.monterey.courts.ca.gov/general-information/grand-jury (831) 775-5400 Extension 3014 The 2026–2027 Civil Grand Jury Needs You! 2026 INFORMATIONAL SESSION AND INTERVIEWS TO BE HELD AT THESE LOCATIONS
www.montereycountynow.com APRIL 9-15, 2026 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 15 Losing a loved one under any circumstances is never easy. But when a family member or friend dies by a violent act, the grief associated with the death may never subside, as is the case with the family of Francis DeAlvis, who was stabbed to death in his Monterey apartment in August 1984. His murderer was never found. “I was living literally six blocks away when it happened and it was devastating,” says DeAlvis’ nephew Peter Gaudoin. “Personally, I haven’t been able to get over it. I haven’t gotten over it because of how it happened and we still don’t know why it happened and we still don’t know who did it.” The 42-year-old case is being investigated by retired Monterey Assistant Chief of Police Bill Clark, who volunteers with the nascent nonprofit Cold Case Project of Monterey County, which raises funds to investigate unsolved crimes in partnership with the District Attorney’s Cold Case Task Force. (The group has identified more than 600 unsolved homicides.) “This case has evolved as modern forensics has evolved,” says Clark, who adds that forensic genetic genealogy and a device called an M-VAC could be vital in finding DeAlvis’ killer. “It’s basically a forensic wet vacuum that injects a fluid and vacuums it back up with all of the DNA in the process. It’s given us some success in other old cases and I am working on that right now with several items of his clothing.” DeAlvis was a single, 58-year-old sixth-grade teacher at Echo Valley Elementary School when he was killed. His niece and nephews describe their uncle as a kind and gentle man who would go out of his way to help anyone. DeAlvis’ niece, Mary Grove, remembers how in the days before his body was discovered, her mom became worried about DeAlvis and went to his apartment on Hawthorne Street. “They saw his car was parked there and they asked the manager to check on him,” Grove says. “The manager went in and came out and said, ‘You don’t want to go in there.’ My mom knew right away that he was gone.” Another nephew, Keith Gaudoin is Peter Gaudoin and Grove’s brother. He became a teacher after his uncle’s death and recalls attending a ceremony years ago honoring DeAlvis at Echo Valley Elementary School with a plaque. “His peers there called him a master teacher,” Keith Gaudoin says. “I’ll never forget that. And years later, I became a teacher. I would have loved to sit there and talk to him about teaching because he was called a master teacher and I was just a rookie. He could have given me advice but it all got snatched away.” Clark says that if and when the case is solved, it’s going to be solved with DNA. “I have not given up on the DeAlvis case at all. We are using all of the latest techniques that we can.” DeAlvis and other crime victims will be honored at the 27th annual victims’ dedication ceremony at noon on Friday, April 10 at the Monterey County District Attorney’s Office at 142 W. Alisal St., Salinas. Long Lost Over 40 years after a Monterey man was murdered, investigators continue looking for leads. By Aric Sleeper Francis DeAlvis was 58 when he was murdered in his Monterey apartment in 1984. His niece Mary Grove keeps a collection of photographs of her uncle. NEWS “Personally, I haven’t gotten over it because of how it happened.” COURTESY OF MARY GROVE
16 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY APRIL 9-15, 2026 www.montereycountynow.com FLOCK OF CAMERAS They don’t help us (“Is the monitoring of license plates in Monterey County and beyond a boon for policing or another step closer to a mass surveillance state?” April 2-8). I asked one time for footage of a road incident and they told me I would have to go to court and get a subpoena for it. I don’t want to pay for toys I don’t get to play with and might be used to harm me. Denica De Foy | Pacific Grove I think these things are unconstitutional, and it will take lawsuits to phase them out, which has already happened in other states. I give props to the City of Monterey for being transparent about them and their locations. Joey Espinoza | Monterey Flock might be useful for spotting and tracking stolen vehicles. James L. Baker | via social media SB34 and SB54 should be repealed. Both were designed to protect illegal immigrants and other lawbreakers like people with over-stayed visas. If you are a law-abiding citizen or documented resident, what do you have to hide? Both bills are purely politically driven. Robert McGregor | Salinas FINAL TOAST I am so sad. He was truly a kind person who looked for the good in all of us (“Carmel restaurateur Ken Spilfogel dies at 75,” posted April 3). I hope his beautiful spirit will continue to help shine light and love that we can continue his legacy. Annee Hayden Martin | via social media Shocked by this news. He’ll be missed tremendously. Jason Hackforth | via social media The best of the best. Rest in peace, my friend. Jon Karlo | Carmel TRIP ADVISERS Salinas is also, without question, the friendliest town in Monterey County, with the best weather (“Tourists often overlook Salinas. Local leaders want to fix that,” April 2-8). Years ago, a friend and I met a couple on a trail in Monterey. He was a new chef at a large hotel, she a scientist. After a lovely conversation, we said goodbye—they said, “Wait. Just so you know, we have lived here for three months and you are the first people to say hello to us.” That incident reflects a certain uptightness Salinas does not have. Denise Kay | Seaside With CalTrain expected to arrive in 2028, progress is being made on the remaining footprint of the Heritage Center in the historic Southern Pacific freight building. Discussions are also in progress with the City of Salinas on two critical issues: formalizing a site name for what is now commonly referred to as Salinas City Heritage Park (“Salinas inches toward heritage designation of its transit center, hoping to increase tourism,” March 5-11), and developing signage to guide visitors to the site. Located on this historic national trail, this new destination is poised to build momentum and advance our plans for economic development initiatives in our region through heritage tourism. Craig Kaufman | Carmel Valley Note: Kaufman is executive director of the Salinas Valley Tourism & Visitors Bureau. A cannabis lounge in Salinas wouldn’t just be a novelty—it’s a strategic tourism play (“Monterey County planning commissioners discuss next steps to allow on-site cannabis consumption,” March 5-11). Under AB 1775, lounges can now function as full “Amsterdamstyle” social venues serving food, hosting live music, and creating a curated cultural experience. That matters because tourism today is driven by experiences, and Salinas currently lacks a signature draw compared to Monterey or Carmel. A well-designed lounge—especially one tied to the region’s agricultural identity (think “Salinas Valley terroir” for cannabis, much like wine country)—could position the city as a distinct destination rather than a passthrough, capturing visitors who are already coming to the Central Coast but looking for something unique and social to do in the evening. Just as important, cannabis lounges are often less problematic than traditional nightlife. They are strictly 21-plus, prohibit alcohol and operate under tight regulation, which tends to reduce the kinds of disturbances commonly associated with bars and clubs. Salinas could expand its hospitality footprint without importing the typical downsides of nightlife. John Thomas | Salinas LIGHT IT UP They should consider using overhead power lines before expanding the solar pilot program (“Struggling with copper wire theft, Salinas explores a solar streetlight pilot program,” March 26-April 1). Overhead might be a low-cost way to deter theft instead of putting heavy batteries and a solar panel sail up top that each require a stronger and more expensive pole. Also remember that current state law restricts private property lights from shining into the public right of way, even though extra light would also be helpful here. Ryan Zimbauer | Seaside STITCH TOGETHER The article’s subject is too modest (“Artist J. Kai Maeda discovers a love of working with fiber and a particular type of power in making things,” March 26-April 1). To turn a photograph into the crocheted image of a bufflehead shows incredible talent. Bravo on taking crochet into new realms! Paul Fleischman | Monterey SPOT LIGHT Thank you for the shout-out and working with local artists to highlight what we’re organizing in the community (“A new performance series invites the audience into the minds of local songwriters,” March 26-April 1). Peter Barnes Martin | Monterey Note: Martin is the creator of ‘Portraits in Song.’ POWER STEERING I want to do this! (“New to Laguna Seca, a program from Porsche gives people a chance to drive the track,” April 2-8.) Rory Montenegro | via social media 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 APRIL 9-15, 2026 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 17 I’ve written in this space before about challenges facing the media industry, but this week I am here to report good news about a groundswell of support for community news happening statewide and nationally. Thursday, April 9, is the first-ever Local News Day. It is a national day of action connecting Americans to local, independent and trusted news sources. It is the result of a grassroots campaign dreamed into existence by John S. Adams, the executive director of Montana Free Press. In just the last three months, the initiative has enlisted over 1,300 local newsrooms nationwide to participate. Adams explains that the program is inspired by the success of Giving Tuesday and Earth Day. “This is a model we can replicate. We want to build an organic mass movement where everyday Americans are coming together to make it a national day of celebration around local news,” he says. Here at Monterey County Weekly and Monterey County Now, our goal is to gain 3,000 new subscribers this week. At present, we have just shy of 30,000 subscribers to the daily Monterey County Now e-newsletter. To get to our goal, we are asking for your help. If you think local health care reporting is informative, culture writing evocative or reporting on a city council vote is important, then it seems like you are a believer in local news. If you’re a reader who thinks knowing about Monterey County’s food and wine scene or where to go to hear live music makes you more connected, then you’re already engaged with the mission of Local News Day. The fact that you are reading this column shows you’re interacting with our coverage—for that, thank you. This week, I’m asking you to step up and become an ambassador. If you hand over this edition of the paper or forward a Monterey County Now e-newsletter this week to three people in your network and suggest that they subscribe to the newsletter, together we can help make the local information ecosystem healthier and more sustainable. There is no cost to subscribe to the newsletter. The same is true of our website and the print edition of the paper—all are entirely free to readers. In Sacramento, there is also a flurry of activity taking place to help shore up the news industry. In October, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Senate Bill 155 into law, establishing the California Civic Media Program and authorizing the economic development agency GO-Biz to empanel a nine-person advisory board to propose how to distribute $20 million this year to eligible California journalism entities. (I am one of those nine board members.) The $20 million is the first tranche of what I hope will become an annual allocation. It comprises $10 million in state funds matched by $10 million from Google. GO-Biz has hired the James B. McClatchy Foundation to act as a third-party administrator and establish guidelines for how newsrooms can qualify, and then distribute the state money. The board has had general agreement that news organization needs to be based in California, have the vast majority of its audience in California and have had media liability insurance for the past 12 months. In addition, all applying newsrooms will have to publicly disclose ownership, have an established media ethics and corrections policy, and not be affiliated with a political entity or lobbying organization. The board reviewed two options for distribution of the money. One is based on prorated funding of newsrooms based on the number of journalists employed; the other is akin to a grant process where newsrooms would apply to fund a specific journalism project. I am strongly in favor of distributing the money based on newsroom headcount as that levels the playing field for all organizations, as opposed to pitting them against each other in a competitive process. The hang-up remains that while the state knows how much money it has to distribute, the best estimate for the number of journalists is imprecise, somewhere between 2,400-3,700. So while the money will be impactful, it will not be transformative. It should be distributed this fall. The good news is that just like you on Local News Day, the State of California believes in supporting local news. Erik Cushman is the Weekly’s publisher. Reach him at erik@montereycountynow.com. News Match Local News Day uplifts the reader side of the community news equation. By Erik Cushman SAFETY FIRST…Squid was oozing around Seaside recently and saw recent improvements to San Pablo Avenue—new medians, new double-yellow lines, new pavement—and thought the two-lane road looked spiffier and safer. But the pedestrian-only bridge between Lincoln-Cunningham Park and Manzanita-Stuart Park remains dangling there in the sky, closed for three years due to unsafe infrastructure. The budget to demolish and rebuild the bridge ballooned to $1.5 million, and the City was counting on U.S. Rep. Jimmy Panetta, D-Carmel Valley, to bring home $850,000 worth of federal bacon in the latest federal appropriations package to make that possible. On April 3, Panetta did, and local officials gathered around to praise the funding for the bridge. “This investment represents more than infrastructure,” said Monterey Peninsula Unified School District board member Bettye Lusk, noting the Safe Routes to School alignment. “It’s an investment in our students and families.” According to Jessica Allen, head of school at International School of Monterey, “Its restoration represents not just safety but also belonging, connection, and opportunity to be with people and places in our local community.” That’s a lot of hype (and money) for a bridge that Squid never missed anyway. Squid thought it would have been fun to paint a bright crosswalk between the two parks, and with just a couple of cans of paint and a two-figure budget, Squid would have lent a tentacle to help. BRIDGE TOO FAR…Speaking of bridges, Squid oozed Squid’s way into the County of Monterey Health, Housing, Homelessness and Human Services Committee meeting on March 26 and caught a plea by a weary supervisor over one of the world’s most famous of all bridges, Bixby Bridge in Big Sur. A staff presentation on some mundane government decision was about to begin and up on the screen flashed an image of Bixby Bridge—Squid can’t even count how many county presentations, plus other local entities, use the image ad nauseam in slide presentations—when Supervisor Kate Daniels, whose district includes the Instagram-famous landmark, felt compelled to speak. “I cannot let it pass that in District 5 I struggle very much with the Bixby Bridge and all of the visitation on the Bixby Bridge,” she said, sounding exasperated. Couldn’t they find another image? “I’m sorry to be the one to say that, but I’m tortured.” Squid sympathizes with Daniels’ lament. As beautiful as it is, the image of the bridge is overused and needs to be retired. Especially in a meeting focused on helping people who live under too many bridges in Monterey County—it’s the one bridge that no one can live under but way too many visit. THE LOCAL SPIN SQUID FRY THE MISSION OF MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY IS TO INSPIRE INDEPENDENT THINKING AND CONSCIOUS ACTION, ETC. “We want to build an organic mass movement.” SEND SQUID A TIP: squid@montereycountynow.com
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