4 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY MAY 14-20, 2026 www.montereycountynow.com THE BUZZ FREE SPEECH Public records requests are a vital tool not only for journalists but for any member of the public concerned with government transparency and accountability. For journalists working under tight deadlines, the timeliness of a government agency’s response can make the difference between a story that merely scratches the surface and one that reveals the truth. Under current law, a public agency in California has 10 calendar days to determine whether it has the requested information and whether it is public, according to the California Public Records Act. For requests that call for numerous or complex records, an agency can kick the can 14 more calendar days down the road. Assembly Bill 1821, introduced earlier this year by Assemblymember Blanca Pacheco, D-Downey, would change the request time from 10 calendar days to 10 business days, potentially delaying responses further. The bill is supported by the Monterey City Council and other jurisdictions, and faces opposition from many organizations including the California News Publishers Association and ACLU California Action, among others. Good: Sketchy turns in Carmel Valley be gone—the roundabout at Laureles Grade and Carmel Valley Road is fully operational. The roundabout replaces a one-way, stop-controlled “T” intersection. The Grade connects Highway 68 to Carmel Valley Road, one of only three ways for drivers to connect to Carmel Valley. Construction on the roundabout began in June last year and continued mostly on schedule, delayed a few times due to inclement weather, taking roughly 10 months to complete, and causing frequent traffic delays for commuters. A priority project for the Carmel Valley Road Advisory Committee, the $6.5 million project is funded by a mix of sources, including a grant from the Monterey Bay Air Resources District and Transportation Agency for Monterey County (TAMC) Measure X funds. Safety lighting will be installed sometime in the next couple of months. GREAT: It’s a great week for three hospitals in the region: Natividad, Salinas Valley Health and Watsonville Community Hospital. All three achieved “A” grades in the Spring 2026 Leapfrog Hospital Safety Survey, a leading independent evaluation of U.S. hospitals, that was announced May 6. Grades are issued in the spring and fall, based on safety protocols, errors, accidents and infections. This is the fourth A in a row for Natividad, the County of Monterey’s hospital, rising from a C and Bs a few years ago. SVH has consistently scored As and one B in recent years. The most dramatic result was at Watsonville Community Hospital, which services part of North Monterey County. It received a D in 2023, during a time of transition from a for-profit hospital to ownership by the newly created Pajaro Valley Health Care District. The hospital received high marks in following safety procedures. GOOD WEEK / GREAT WEEK THE WEEKLY TALLY The score in the first official game, for the Monterey Bay Sirens, a pre-professional women’s soccer team, which played to a draw against the Stockton Cargo SC on May 9 at Cardinale Stadium in Seaside. Brianna Castleberry scored the team’s first-ever goal in the 38th minute. Source: USL W League 1-1 QUOTE OF THE WEEK “I want to run for reelection, but I should not run for reelection.” -Marina Mayor Bruce Delgado, announcing that he will not seek reelection in November (see story, montereycountynow.com/news). The only CPA in this race! Vote on or before June 2 nd BURCU MOUSA, CPA Accountability. Integrity. Transparency. FOR AUDITOR-CONTROLLER MONTEREY COUNTY ELECT MOUSAFORAUDITOR.COM E-mail: burcu@mousaforauditor.com Phone: (831) 321-8606 PROUDLY ENDORSED BY County Employees Management Association (CEMA) Michael J. Miller Monterey County Auditor-Controller (Former) Mary Zeeb Monterey County Treasurer-Tax Collector (Former) Jane Parker Monterey County Board of Supervisor (Former) Mary Adams Monterey County Board of Supervisor (Former) Dave Potter Monterey County Board of Supervisor (Former) Mayor of Carmel-by-the-Sea (Former) Dr. Deneen Guss, Monterey County Superintendent of Schools Alexis Garcia-Arrazola City of Seaside Council Member Rita Burks City of Seaside Council Member Ben Caldera City of Soledad Council Member To view the full and growing list of endorsements visit: www.mousaforauditor.com Trusted Experienced Leadership for Monterey County With 17 years of specialized experience in governmental accounting, auditing, and financial reporting, I am ready to ensure transparency and accountability on day one. Proven Qualifications Licensed Certified Public Accountant (CPA) Former Assistant Auditor-Controller, County of Monterey Former Chief Deputy Auditor-Controller, County of Monterey Former External Auditor (Specializing in Government & Nonprofits) B.S. in Business Administration (Professional Accounting), Magna Cum Laude – CSU, Chico Paid for by Burcu Mousa for Monterey County Auditor-Controller (FPPC#1486536) FOR MONTEREY COUNTY AUDITOR-CONTROLLER Accountability. Integrity. Transparency. The only CPA in this race! Vote on or before June 2nd The only CPA in this race! nd BURCU MOUSA, CPA Accountability. Integrity. Transparency. FOR AUDITOR-CONTROLLER MONTEREY COUNTY ELECT MOUSAFORAUDITOR.COM E-mail: burcu@mousaforauditor.com Phone: (831) 321-8606 County Employees Management Association (CEMA) Michael J. Miller Monterey County Auditor-Controller (Former) Mary Zeeb Monterey County Treasurer-Tax Collector (Former) Jane Parker Monterey County Board of Supervisor (Former) Mary Adams Monterey County Board of Supervisor (Former) Dave Potter Monterey County Board of Supervisor (Former) Mayor of Carmel-by-the-Sea (Former) Dr. Deneen Guss, Monterey County Superintendent of Schools Alexis Garcia-Arrazola City of Seaside Council Member Rita Burks City of Seaside Council Member Ben Caldera City of Soledad Council Member To view the full and growing list of endorsements visit: www.mousaforauditor.com Trusted Experienced Leadership for Monterey County With 17 years of specialized experience in governmental accounting, auditing, and financial reporting, I am ready to ensure transparency and accountability on day one. Proven Qualifications Licensed Certified Public Accountant (CPA) Former Assistant Auditor-Controller, County of Monterey Former Chief Deputy Auditor-Controller, County of Monterey Former External Auditor (Specializing in Government & Nonprofits) MOUSAFORAUDITOR.COM E-mail: burcu@mousaforauditor.com Phone: (831) 321-8606 PA in this race! r before June 2 nd MOUSA, CPA ntegrity. Transparency. FOR CONTROLLER REY COUNTY LECT OR.COM rauditor.com 8606 ENDORSED BY gement Association (CEMA) Controller (Former) r-Tax Collector (Former) f Supervisor (Former) f Supervisor (Former) f Supervisor (Former) ea (Former) tendent of Schools ember ember ember ing list of endorsements visit: usaforauditor.com eadership for Monterey County nce in governmental accounting, auditing, to ensure transparency and accountability n Qualifications (CPA) County of Monterey er, County of Monterey PROUDLY ENDORSED BY County Employees Management Association (CEMA) Michael J. Miller Monterey County Auditor-Controller (Former) Mary Zeeb Monterey County Treasurer-Tax Collector (Former) Jane Parker Monterey County Board of Supervisor (Former) Mary Adams Monterey County Board of Supervisor (Former) Dave Potter Monterey County Board of Supervisor (Former) Mayor of Carmel-by-the-Sea (Former) Dr. Deneen Guss, Monterey County Superintendent of Schools Alexis Garcia-Arrazola City of Seaside Council Member Rita Burks City of Seaside Council Member Ben Caldera City of Soledad Council Member Steve Vagnini Monterey County Assessor/Clerk-Recorder (former) To view the full and growing list of endorsements visit: www.mousaforauditor.com Trusted Experienced Leadership for Monterey County With 17 years of specialized experience in governmental accounting, auditing, and financial reporting, I am ready to ensure transparency and accountability on day one. Proven Qualifications Licensed Certified Public Accountant (CPA) Former Assistant Auditor-Controller, County of Monterey Former Chief Deputy Auditor-Controller, County of Monterey Former External Auditor (Specializing in Government & Nonprofits) B.S. in Business Administration (Professional Accounting), Magna Cum Laude – CSU, Chico Paid for by Burcu Mousa for Monterey County Auditor-Controller (FPPC#1486536) Monterey County Weekly County Employees Management Association (CEMA) Michael J. Miller Monterey County Auditor-Controller (Former) Mary Zeeb Monterey County Treasure-Tax Collector (Former) Steve Vagnini Monterey County Assesor/Clerk-Recorder (Former) Jane Parker Monterey County Board of Supervisor (Former) Mary Adams Monterey County Board of Supervisor (Former) Dave Potter Monterey County Board of Supervisor (Former) Mayor of Carmel-by-the-Sea (Former) Dr. Deneen Guss Monterey County Superintendent of Schools Dr. Kim Barber City of Monterey Council Member Alexis Garcia-Arrazola City of Seaside Council Member Rita Burks City of Seaside Council Member
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