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
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MjAzNjQ1NQ==