MAY 28-JUNE 3, 2026 MONTEREYCOUNTYNOW.COM LOCAL & INDEPENDENT SEARCHING FOR SHARKS 5 | CARMEL’S MASS EVACUATION PRACTICE RUN 11 | CHALK IT UP 22 FIRST PLACE GENERAL EXCELLENCE • 2025 CA JOURNALISM AWARDS • How paid influencers are flooding into the California governor’s race. p. 16 By Jeanne Kuang, Yue Stella Yu and Maya C. Miller
2 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY MAY 28-JUNE 3, 2026 www.montereycountynow.com MAY 28-JUNE 3, 2026 • ISSUE #1974 • ESTABLISHED IN 1988 Todd Howerton (Canon Rebel 55/250 lens) Nearly two dozen sailboats departed from Monterey Harbor on Memorial Day, May 25, competing in the Coastal Cup race to Santa Barbara. MONTEREY COUNTY PHOTO OF THE WEEK Send Etc. submissions to etcphoto@montereycountynow.com; please include caption and camera info. On the cover: Have you seen political posts on social media? You’re not alone—lots of influencers with a lot of reach have opinions about who to support in the California governor’s race, and many of them are getting paid to post about that support. Cover photo: Designed by Karen Loutzenheiser 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, pre-paid. 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) EDITOR/SALINAS VALLEY NOW Joseph Treviño joseph@salinasvalleynow.com STAFF WRITER/SALINAS VALLEY NOW Royvi Hernandez royvi@salinasvalleynow.com (x140) 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
www.montereycountynow.com MAY 28-JUNE 3, 2026 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 3 Magnet® designation is the gold standard for nursing excellence, awarded by the American Nurses Credentialing Center to hospitals that demonstrate superior patient care, innovation, and leadership. It recognizes organizations where expert nurses are empowered and committed to delivering the safest, highest-quality care. Choosing a Magnet hospital means choosing a culture of excellence, collaboration, and continuous improvement. Salinas Valley Health Medical Center has earned Magnet® with Distinction The Gold Standard of Nursing Excellence APPROXIMATELY 10% of U.S. hospitals have achieved Magnet designation ONLY ABOUT 1% of U.S. hospitals have earned Magnet with Distinction as of March 2026 MAGNET WITH DISTINCTION is an elite recognition that places our organization among the highest-performing hospitals in the nation “I’m immensely proud of our nurses and every member of our team whose contributions made this possible.” — Carla Spencer, MSN, RN, NEA-BC Chief Nursing Officer
4 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY MAY 28-JUNE 3, 2026 www.montereycountynow.com THE BUZZ FREE SPEECH In the latest attempt by the Trump administration to rewrite history it deems inconvenient, the Department of Justice announced it has removed press releases from its website related to the Jan. 6, 2021 assault on the U.S. Capitol by Trump supporters. A post on X by the Justice Department stated the move strips the “DOJ’s website of partisan propaganda.” “We are proud to reverse the DOJ’s weaponization under the Biden administration,” the post states. “We will do everything in our power to make whole those who were persecuted for political purposes.” Eight people died, including five police officers, during and after the riot. More than 1,500 people were charged with crimes related to the attack, but Trump pardoned or commuted the prison sentences of all those people during his first day back in office. Some of the posts removed from the website included those announcing charges against members of far-right groups Proud Boys and Oath Keepers. The Justice Department in April was granted a request to vacate those convictions. Good: Good news for parents of young children and for entrepreneurs interested in providing care to those children: The Monterey County Business Council, nonprofit Nurture and Bright Beginnings Early Childhood Initiative have launched a program to aid new, at-home child care businesses. The goal is to address a need in Monterey County, with a focus on South County. The Business Council is investing $150,000 of American Rescue Plan Act funds via the County of Monterey. “We are not only creating jobs and businesses but also providing the essential support systems that allow working parents in Monterey County to participate in the local economy,” said Richard Vaughn, County economic development manager. The program provides training and technical assistance for entrepreneurs; the first cohort will finish a 12-week program in June. New cohorts begin in August and November. GREAT: Do you know what to do with that moldy cheese or stale bread? Thanks to an outreach campaign by ReGen Monterey, Salinas Valley Recycles and consultant Blue Strike Environmental, you should. Out of more than 500 entries statewide, their Sort With Heart campaign took home three awards at the 2026 Annual California Association of Public Information Officials conference in San Diego on May 12, recognized for bilingual public service announcement, best communications campaign in California, and the big win, best in show across all categories. The $266,000 campaign on how and what to compost included newspaper ads, TV commercials, murals painted in Seaside and Marina, and more, funded with grants from CalRecycle. If somehow you missed all of that outreach, the answer to the question above (but we know you know it): Put in the green bin. GOOD WEEK / GREAT WEEK THE WEEKLY TALLY Number of students who graduated on May 22 from Hartnell Community College, the largest cohort in the school’s history. They are mostly earning associate degrees, but this graduating class included seven bachelor’s degrees in respiratory care, the first BA program at Hartnell. Source: Hartnell Community College 2,347 QUOTE OF THE WEEK “This was a radical change.” -Tony Malokas, who has worked as a caddy at Pebble Beach for 26 years, speaking about a change in which caddies became employees rather than independent contractors of Caddiemaster. The group will vote on whether to unionize in June (see more, 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 Monterey County Weekly County Employees Management Association (CEMA) ELECTED OFFICIALS 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 Councilmember Rita Burks, City of Seaside Councilmember Alex Miller, City of Seside Councilmember Rosalyn Green, Monterey Peninsula College Trustee Ben Caldera, City of Seaside Councilmember Brad Imamura, Marina Coast Water District Director
www.montereycountynow.com MAY 28-JUNE 3, 2026 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 5 831 Sean Van Sommeran is at the wheel of a speed boat in Soquel Cove, a place known as “shark park,” as two young great white sharks circle the vessel. These sharks congregate here each year for the shallower, warm waters and the rocky bottom filled with prey. For many people, this would be a frightening situation, but for Van Sommeran, it’s just another day in the office. Van Sommeran is the director of the Pelagic Shark Research Foundation, based in Santa Cruz, and he is tired of being called for salacious quotes about great white shark encounters. “People always want to talk about a growing population [of white sharks] and just want me to back up their theories,” he says, rolling his eyes. There is another shark that Van Sommeran desperately wants the public to pay attention to. Basking sharks are the second largest fish in the sea, smaller only than the whale shark. Similarly, they cruise at the surface, mouth agape, gills flaring, as it filters through water to capture krill and the like. Beginning in the 1980s, Van Sommeran began an effort to tag basking sharks in order to learn more about their habits. In the following 40 years he and other scientists were able to tag 83. Like great whites, basking sharks are pelagic, traveling long distances in the open ocean throughout their lives. Unlike white sharks, their population has never shown any signs of rebounding from the decades of overfishing. There have been no documented sightings in Monterey Bay in nearly four years. Van Sommeran himself hasn’t seen a basking shark in Monterey Bay waters for more than 12 years. The most recent documented local sighting is a YouTube video of a slow-swimming basking shark cruising under a boat off of Point Pinos. The video is dated May 14, 2022. Van Sommeran is not happy about the situation. “They’re the most endangered shark in the eastern Pacific,” he says, “and nobody even cares that they’re gone.” It wasn’t always this way. In the 1800s into the mid-1900s, there were large schools of basking sharks all over the bay. “It got so bad they were deemed a danger to navigation and commerce,” Van Sommeran says. In those days it was not uncommon for them to be shot and killed once seen near fishing boats. Due to their size and habit of cruising near the surface, basking sharks became easy targets for humans. Monterey fisheries historian Tim Thomas wrote about the story of fishermen taking out tourists to spear basking sharks. Once the shark is killed and brought alongside the boat, one of the fishermen would climb onto the dead fish and do a dance on its belly. In 1913, Otto Ernest Dolter, a local chef and restaurateur in Monterey, began to take eager visitors out to harpoon the sharks, often employing retired Portuguese whalers to help the guests shoot the harpoon, according to Thomas. In 1930, when the population was first recorded, fishermen reported seeing giant schools of basking sharks with more than 500 in the Monterey Bay. The size of the population supported a fishery each year. The number of sharks would peak in early June and come to a close around September. By the end of the 19th century, the basking shark was prized for its liver oil. But the population declined—along with the price of their liver oil—and fishing operations for the basking shark came to a halt in October 1950. These days, while basking sharks are protected from fishing in waters off of the U.K., Ireland and other areas, they have not been officially named an endangered species in the United States. (The Atlantic population of basking sharks is designated as a “species of concern.”) Van Sommeran’s main goal in his scientific efforts is to convince NOAA and other organizations to create protections for the dwindling populations of basking sharks in the Pacific. Until he can grab the attention of federal officials to help create protections for the once-abundant sharks, he will just keep looking for more of them. “I’m not going to stop until they are designated as an endangered species,” Van Sommeran says. “We still have so much to learn about them and it’s nearly impossible at this rate.” Vanishing Giants How the second-largest fish on the planet all but disappeared from Monterey Bay. By Marvin Green IV “Nobody even cares that they’re gone.” TALES FROM THE AREA CODE SEAN VAN SOMMERAN Curtis Craver roams the waters of the Monterey Bay in an attempt to tag basking sharks. The sharks have not been documented locally in four years. Join us for an informative update from the Fleet Numerical Meteorology and Oceanography Center. From the bottom of the ocean to the stars and a new generator too! Find out what's new with FNMOC. Presented by the City of Monterey, the Monterey Bay Defense Alliance, and the Monterey Peninsula Chamber of Commerce. GET TICKETS! PRESENTED BY THURSDAY, JUNE 11, 2026 7:30 AM - 9:00 AM FERRANTE’S AT MONTEREY MARRIOTT TICKETS: $45/MEMBERS • $65/NON-MEMBERS • INCLUDES BREAKFAST QUARTERLY BUSINESS INSIGHTS BREAKFAST Join us for an informative presentation titled “Special Districts, Big Impact”. Enjoy a panel discussion moderated by Richelle Noroyan of the California Special Districts Association with representatives from Castroville Community Services District, ReGen Monterey, Monterey Peninsula Airport District, and Monterey County Mosquito Abatement District.
6 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY MAY 28-JUNE 3, 2026 www.montereycountynow.com NEWS An intake at Monterey County Jail can take anywhere from an hour to eight hours, according to a report by the Monterey County Civil Grand Jury released on May 7. On busy days, the queue of vehicles holding inmates waiting to be booked can be down the street, according to the report. Booking is a multi-step process, including photographing and fingerprinting the individual and conducting a medical screening. In addition, inmates must be processed twice, first by the police agency then at the jail, since data entry systems don’t communicate with each other, according to the report. “We all really have to make sure we’re doing everything absolutely correctly, otherwise we know we’re going to get sued, so it tends to slow the whole process down,” King City Police Chief Robert Masterson says. Doing it slowly also has impacts, the grand jury found. “This can affect emergency response and routine public safety coverage, as well as increase overtime costs. Extended wait times also affect arrestees, who remain in vehicles or holding areas until booking is completed,” the report states. Long waits reduce officer availability for patrolling the streets while they wait in line. Police chiefs in South County cities say booking can keep an officer away for hours at a time. To make the process faster, King City and Greenfield police regularly take arrestees to Mee Memorial Hospital for medical screening and clearance. In Greenfield, 5 to 10 percent of the police department’s overtime budget is spent on booking arrestees. “I’ve had reports from my officers that say they Jail Time Monterey County Jail delays in booking inmates are impacting local police agencies. By Celia Jiménez After 15 years of working toward alternative locations for a trash dump site, Salinas Valley Solid Waste Authority closed its former transfer center at 139 Sun St. in Salinas in 2022, transitioning trash disposal services to Madison Lane. But the property, long envisioned as a key component of the City of Salinas’ Alisal Vibrancy Plan, approved in 2020, remains vacant. As of May 12, the former Sun Street Transfer Station has a new owner. Monterey-Salinas Transit acquired the property from SVSWA, also known as Salinas Valley Recycles, for $6 million. “It was very serendipitous. We had been looking to get a property for over a decade since our Salinas property is so old,” MST CEO Carl Sedoryk says. “We have absolutely no room, yet our ridership in Salinas is 110 percent of pre-Covid levels and Salinas is growing. We don’t have the infrastructure to grow with it.” (The existing Salinas Transit Center, located at 110 Salinas St., is more than 45 years old. Originally designed for 33 buses, 50 buses now operate out of the transit center.) MST is planning a facility on Sun Street that includes maintenance shops, a fuel yard and wash lanes where buses will enter from Sun Street. It would also have an employee patio plus a community garden and gathering space with visitor parking at its Griffin Street entrance. Speaking at an MST board meeting on May 11, Salinas City Councilmember and MST board member Tony Barrera recommended extensive community engagement. “This is fantastic, but I am concerned about making sure that happens.” MST officials plan to conduct outreach in the coming months. Sedoryk envisions not just a bus operations center but also a training facility that could advance the economic development vision laid out in the Alisal Vibrancy Plan. He recently traveled to Sacramento to ask lawmakers to help fund what he says could be a $150 million project if it becomes a training center for students on technologies like batteries and hydrogen fuel cells. “We are hoping to be a catalyst for economic development,” Sedoryk says. The former dump site occupies seven acres in the middle of what city planners call the Alisal Marketplace, envisioned as a mixed-used commercial and residential area. Salinas Mayor Dennis Donohue, who serves on the SVSWA board, says he was initially skeptical about a bus facility there. “At first I wen, ‘hmm,’” he says. “But you are talking about several hundred employees going there, and you begin to get kind of a circular economy…Salinas is scheduled to continue growing.” Population growth also means more garbage, something SVSWA is gearing up for. “Garbage touches all of us and with more growth in the community comes people with more garbage,” SVSWA Assistant General Manager Mandy Brooks says. SVSWA staff propose using $2 million of the sale price toward a future project at the closed Crazy Horse Landfill, where a facility would accept and transfer up to 400 tons of municipal solid waste per day, recyclables and organics. That material will be shipped offsite to recycling markets or to the Johnson Canyon Landfill in Gonzales. Brooks says it could start operating in summer 2027. A rendering shows a potential design concept for MST’s proposed operations and maintenance facility in Salinas that was presented to the board on May 11. Dump Bump MST acquires former dump from Salinas Valley Recycles, envisioning a central transit hub. By Royvi Hernandez Officials at the Monterey County Jail in Salinas have worked to improve booking procedures to account for inmate safety and welfare, but the Monterey County Civil Grand Jury found long wait times. “It was very serendipitous.” COURTESY MST DANIEL DREIFUSS JAIL continued on page 8
www.montereycountynow.com MAY 28-JUNE 3, 2026 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 7 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 PAID POLITICAL AD | AUTHORIZED BY JIMMY PANETTA FOR CONGRESS | P.O. BOX 103, CARMEL VALLEY, CA 93924. FEC# C00592154 JIMMYPANETTA.COM Fighting for our values in the 19th Congressional District ON JUNE 2ND OR VOTE BY MAIL
8 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY MAY 28-JUNE 3, 2026 www.montereycountynow.com In a bid for a cattle grazing lease on a coveted parcel, five applicants were vying for the keys to Palo Corona Regional Park. Now, some bidders are questioning whether the recommended contract in the parcel’s first competitive selection process was selected fairly. Following a request for proposals issued on Feb. 13, the Monterey Peninsula Regional Park District recommended Renz Livestock, a family-run cattle and rangeland management company based in San Benito County, for a five-year lease for $1/ year. The lease would begin July 1, replacing Emily and Luke Gardner of Paddock Land & Cattle (also called L&E), whose family has operated at Palo Corona since the 1980s. The recommendation goes to the MPRPD board on June 3. “There has been no transparency,” says Hannah Moon of Lonely Bull Cattle Company, one of the applicants. “The way it’s playing out, it looks like there’s some pretty significant inconsistencies with their stated scoring process.” Each proposal was evaluated on criteria including technical experience, land stewardship and natural resources management, with applicants receiving scores out of 100. Top candidates advanced to an interview process. In what Moon describes as a last-minute change, the District decided to not conduct on-site visits, placing greater weight on interviews—a shift she argues tipped the scale to favor Renz Livestock over Monterey County producers. Questions over scoring and the omissions of one MPRPD panelist’s scores from the evaluations have also sparked confusion among bidders. Luke Gardner, the current operator and also an applicant, says he’s concerned about finding new land for the 121 cattle currently at Palo Corona, saying the RFP came too close to the end of the lease. “The reality is, most of our cows will probably go to auction and be slaughtered, which is sad,” he says. At a time where beef prices are at record highs and grazing land is shrinking, more ranchers are chasing good grazing land, Gardner adds. The Park District has maintained that the process was fully transparent, adding that interviews and site visits were entirely optional elements. District officials say one of the panelists withdrew due to a conflict before the final evaluation, and an internal audit found the final selection remained unchanged with or without that panelist’s scores. “We’re directed by our board to open it up and get proposals to do something special out there,” MPRPD General Manager Eric Morgan says. “It was a competitive process.” spent up to six hours in the jail,” Masterson says. KCPD’s average staffing is two to three people per shift; taking a suspect to Salinas means the agency will be one officer down for at least half a shift. Masterson is sympathetic to the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office in working to comply with its obligations, including those required by a class-action settlement agreement concerning health care at the jail. “There’s a lot of liability for the Sheriff’s Department in receiving inmates, and they want to make sure they’re doing it right,” Masterson says, noting the process has changed a lot since the time he started working 40 years ago. Soledad Police Chief Patrick Valenzuela has been on the job for under a year, after working in a more populated area in Maricopa County in Arizona. “My officers there got to the process a lot quicker than they do here,” Valenzuela says. In Arizona, he says, officers from the Sheriff’s Department might meet halfway to pick up arrestees. Fourteen law enforcement agencies, including California Highway Patrol, book suspects at Monterey County Jail, and they have to transport them to Salinas where the jail is located. In January, the jail switched its health care provider from Wellpath to Correctional Healthcare Partners, which has increased staffing. Since then, the booking process has two nurses instead of one on staff during daytime and has increased its intake stations to accelerate the process. “The booking times are getting better,” says Greenfield Police Chief Guillermo Mixer, noting the queue has dropped from eight hours to the three-to-five-hour range. “I haven’t had an eight-hour wait in a few months.” The civil grand jury recommended developing a guide on standard booking procedure and a comparative analysis between the current and former health care providers, as well as streamlining data collection among law enforcement agencies (or an analysis of why this is infeasible). Mixer says several police departments and the sheriff have already talked about a streamlined data system. “It would make everybody’s job so much easier, because we can input all the information here at once,” he says. The Sheriff’s Office is reviewing the report and declined to be interviewed, but will produce a written response to the report. Got Beef Questions surface over Palo Corona grazing lease recommendation. By Katie Rodriguez NEWS POLL POSITIONS Monterey County Elections hosts a series of voting opportunities throughout the county. “Books & Ballots” is a chance for residents to vote in-person, drop off ballots or register conditionally to vote. 3-6pm Thursday, May 28 at Big Sur Library, Highway 1 at Ripplewood Resort, Big Sur. 2-4pm Friday, May 29 at Pajaro Community Park, 24 San Juan Road, Pajaro. Free. (831) 796-1499, countyofmonterey.gov/elections. BUILDING BLOCKS Salinas City Council meets to adopt a plan that steers how to spend an estimated $2.2 million in federal Community Development Block Grant funds. Also, the council considers renaming the Intermodal Transit Center as the Salinas City Heritage Park. 4pm Tuesday, June 2. City Council Rotunda, 200 Lincoln Ave., Salinas. Free. (831) 758-7381, salinas.gov. ON THE DAIS Monterey City Council meets and, as always, accepts public comment. 4pm Tuesday, June 2. Colton Hall, 580 Pacific St., Monterey. Free. (831) 6463799, monterey.gov. GOVERNMENT IN ACTION Carmel City Council meets and accepts public comment. Learn about the latest in city government and share your feedback. 4:30pm Tuesday, June 2. City Council Chambers, Monte Verde Street between Ocean and 7th avenues. Free. (831) 620-2000, ci.carmel.ca.us. RATE ADJUSTMENTS Monterey One Water proposes changes to monthly wastewater service rates. Upcoming meetings provide information on the changes. 6pm Tuesday, June 2 at El Gabilan Library, Community Room, 1400 N. Main St., Salinas. 6pm Wednesday, June 3 at Community Center at Soper Field, 220 Coe Ave., Seaside. 6pm Monday, June 8 at Marina branch library, 190 Seaside Circle, Marina. Free. (831) 372-3367, montereyonewater.org/rates. STATE OF STAFFING Pacific Grove City Council meets to discuss staffing vacancies as well as recruitment and retention efforts. 6pm Wednesday, June 3. City Hall, 300 Forest Ave., Pacific Grove. Free. (831) 648-3181, cityofpacificgrove.org. COMMUNITY SERVICE Monterey County Supervisor Luis Alejo’s Young Supervisors Program is now accepting applications. High school and early college students learn how government works and gain leadership skills. Applications due June 20. Free. Apply at bit.ly/YoungSupervisors2026. (831) 755-5011, GomezJ@countyofmonterey. gov. Cattle grazing is viewed as an important ecological management tool at Palo Corona Regional Park, located near the mouth of the Carmel River. E-MAIL: publiccitizen@montereycountynow.com PUBLIC CITIZEN More ranchers are chasing good grazing land. SARA RUBIN JAIL continued from page 6
www.montereycountynow.com MAY 28-JUNE 3, 2026 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 9 CARNIVAL PARTY FREE ADMISSION ALL DAY Monterey Sports Center May 31, 2026 12 p.m. - 4 p.m. Games, Food, Raffle Prizes, Zumba WIBIT water obstacle course 301 E FRANKLIN ST, MONTEREY, CA 93940 MONTEREY.GOV/SPORTSCENTER | (831) 646-3730 HOURS: MON–FRI 5:30 AM–9 PM SAT & SUN 8 AM–5 PM CITY OF MONTEREY
10 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY MAY 28-JUNE 3, 2026 www.montereycountynow.com Driving along Highway 101 from Chualar to Airport Road, just south of Salinas, making a lefthand turn during high traffic is a daunting task. Brief gaps in highway traffic provide drivers only seconds to make a move, leading to numerous collisions along the corridor, which was not designed to handle so many vehicles traveling at such high speeds. “The corridor currently includes 11 at-grade intersections,” says Caltrans District 5 Project Manager Meg Henry. “What that means is that vehicles can turn left or right onto or off of Highway 101 mainline. As the county has grown—specifically points south of Chualar like Gonzales, Greenfield and Soledad—there are a lot more cars on the road.” Henry describes how, during peak traffic hours, vehicles trying to turn left or make a U-turn off of the 101 have to wait longer as the line of cars behind them also grows, causing drivers to feel rushed and misjudge how fast the incoming traffic is traveling. “They then will make riskier moves because they feel they’re in a hurry,” Henry says. “In tracking the collision history through that corridor, we found that, especially with the fatal collisions, they tend to involve trucks turning through those intersections.” To enhance traffic flow and improve safety, Caltrans and the Transportation Agency for Monterey County have teamed up on the long-term, roughly $350 million South of Salinas Corridor Improvement Project. The project also includes the near-term South of Salinas Access Management Project or safety project, which calls to block left-hand and U-turns at 11 intersections along the dangerous eight-mile stretch of Highway 101, while right turns into and out of the side streets will remain. What the intersections will be transformed into by the end of the project is still to be determined. Construction on the short-term safety project, weeks from going out to bid, is tentatively set to begin in fall 2026. Caltrans’ goal is to install temporary metal barriers at the intersections before March 1, 2027, when the busier traffic season begins. “The safety project is a preliminary move toward what will become a full corridor improvement to stop those turns because we have an above-average amount of fatal collisions,” Henry says. “To be safe, we have to close all of the intersections through the corridor because otherwise we are just pushing the problem around.” The long-term project, currently in the environmental review phase, includes relocation and reconstruction of the existing left-hand ramps at Abbott Street and the existing Chualar interchange. The project also calls for the development of a new frontage road on both the east and west sides of the highway and the closure of six railroad crossings on the west side of Highway 101, which will ultimately be transformed from an expressway to a freeway by eliminating the left-hand and U-turns along the stretch. “My hope is that this is a project that the community supports,” Henry says. Turn On Caltrans and TAMC prepare to begin long-awaited Highway 101 safety projects, moving away from left turns across traffic. By Aric Sleeper A conceptual design of one of the possible ways that the problematic intersections along Highway 101 could be transformed through the South of Salinas Corridor Improvement Project. NEWS “There are a lot more cars on the road.” TAMC 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
www.montereycountynow.com MAY 28-JUNE 3, 2026 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 11 When Carmel Police Chief Todd Trayer suggested to local law enforcement and emergency response colleagues that the tiny town of 3,100 residents mount a major disaster evacuation drill, some looked at him askance. Was he sure? He was, and eight months later that drill is set to come to fruition at 9am on Saturday, May 30. “I had to buy a lot of people lunch,” Trayer jokes about the quest for buy-in from numerous local partners. The idea for the drill originated from Carmel Councilmember Hans Buder, who initiated a Wildfire Preparedness Committee in the months after the Los Angeles fires last year. He suggested the drill, with the goal of testing the city’s emergency evacuation systems “and build muscle memory,” Buder says. Trayer bought into the idea and began working on it in earnest last September. “I had no idea how much work it would be,” he says. He looked for an example of a similarly sized town that had done such an exercise and found one in Mill Valley in Marin County, which has a larger population but a similar geography. He reached out to Mill Valley Police Chief Ignacio “Rick” Navarro, who told him it would be a tremendous task but worth it to expose cracks in the system. Trayer began reaching out to groups and agencies inside and outside of Carmel, including neighboring law enforcement agencies, Monterey Fire, the County of Monterey’s Department of Emergency Management and the Sheriff’s Department, the California Highway Patrol, plus many others including SPCA Monterey County, for 19 stakeholders in all. They met weekly online to plan. As of mid-May, nearly 60 households had signed up, representing two to four people each. Some of the participants will walk to a meeting location at the corner of Ocean and Junipero, where Monterey-Salinas Transit buses will take them to a designated safe zone. Others will drive, meeting at Monte Verde and Ocean, and will be escorted by police in a caravan to the zone. The city is using reverse 911 alerts to send notices to the town both in advance of the drill and at 9am. Participants will leave their homes or businesses and gather at the meeting spots. Forty-five volunteers from the Community Emergency Response Team and Volunteers in Police Service, plus Carmel police officers, will be on hand to help. Trayer, his team, and County emergency personnel will be in the City’s Emergency Operations Center monitoring the exercise, which he expects will take about 45 minutes. The drill is followed by a community safety fair at Devendorf Park from 11am-2pm. Open to the entire community, it will feature free hot dogs and 14 booths from safety agencies. Trayer says one important outcome is that he now has contacts from neighboring cities, the county and other agencies on speed dial. Buder thinks those relationships will be invaluable. “Honestly, we’ve already won,” Buder says. Bug Out Carmel prepares for disaster with a full-scale drill in quickly evacuating the entire town. By Pam Marino Carmel Police Chief Todd Trayer spent eight months preparing for the evacuation drill with the goal of finding cracks in the emergency system and building muscle memory for an actual emergency. NEWS As of mid-May, nearly 60 households had signed up. DANIEL DREIFUSS Grove Market proudly carries only the freshest meats and produce. Time to Celebrate! 242 Forest Avenue, Pacific Grove (831) 375-9581 Mon-Sat 8am-7pm • Sun 9am-6pm Voted BEST NEIGHBORHOOD MARKET and BEST BUTCHER SHOP CONGRATULATIONS 2026 GRADUATES!
12 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY MAY 28-JUNE 3, 2026 www.montereycountynow.com OFF ROAD It really is the best news (“Supes move forward with Bixby Bridge parking moratorium; start date uncertain,” posted May 20). For every person who lives locally and has the need to drive up and down the coast, and/or wants to just to enjoy it, it’s not just about getting to Big Sur or to Bixby Bridge. It’s about going to all the big stopping points and going to visit friends in communities along the coast. It’s not just for locals, but it does need to be kept safe for everyone. Caroline Perry | Monterey Smart idea. However, I feel that cars are going to go exceptionally slow/stop so they can catch pictures rather than park. I also hope there isn’t a barrage of metal no-parking signs all over the place. Michele Marchese | via social media Yes, please shut it down (“County Supes will consider a 12-month moratorium on parking at Bixby Bridge in Big Sur,” May 14-20). I was there this weekend and people [were] running into oncoming traffic. Beatriz Lopez Minjarez | via social media I support that for sure! It is a constant cluster-F and truly dangerous. Jennifer Haydu | via social media BREAK THE ICE I have had my many disagreements with [County Supervisor Luis] Alejo’s decisions and comments, but I am very proud that he immediately started focusing his energy to protect immigrant families (“Monterey County Board of Supervisors to discuss opposing proposed ICE detention center,” posted May 18). Thank you, Alejo. Diana Lopez | Seaside THOUGHT LEADER Extraordinary and wise visionary (“Thinker Riane Eisler is finally right on time,” May 14-20). Patricia Qualls | Carmel Kudos on the fantastic cover story about Riane Eisler. What an amazing woman and clairvoyant thinker with amazing insights she has to offer. I am astonished that I did not know she lived in our midst. I clearly need to make a trip to the library to check out some of her books and catch up on the brilliant ideas she has put forth. Thank you for sharing her story with your readers. I’m encouraging lots of people to get a copy and read about her. Joseph Hertlein | Carmel Valley BREAKING GROUND I love this for our community. What a blessing (“Affordable housing development at Greater Victory Temple in Seaside poised to break ground,” May 14-20). Rose Thomas | via social media This is good to hear. Michelle Brooks | Seaside RUN TO WIN The Weekly definitely got it right by endorsing Jimmy Panetta for Congress District 19 (“Our endorsements for local, state and federal races in the June 2 primary election,” May 7-13). From the instant he stepped into office, Jimmy has fought for us, and not just against Trump and this destructive administration, but here at home. The dude is everywhere in the district and consistently brings in major federal investment for things that affect our community, from a pedestrian bridge in Seaside to helping fix our wharf in Monterey. Jimmy continues to stand up to this administration’s plan to drill for oil off of our coastline, and opposes Republican cuts to health care and nutrition assistance. Jimmy repeatedly voted against funding for ICE and Border Patrol and continues to support our immigrant community. Jimmy gets it and gets what we need and value on the Central Coast. Tracey Blackhill | Seaside I support Sean Dougherty for Congress. Dougherty is for abolishing ICE, and Panetta thanked them last summer. Dougherty is truly committed to ending our forever wars, unlike Panetta, who just says he is. Dougherty rejects all PAC money, whereas Panetta’s biggest organizational donor is AIPAC. Dougherty is solidly pro-choice and a committed environmentalist. Panetta is also pro-choice, but his loyalty to establishment agendas keeps health care inaccessible. On the environment, Panetta will make gestures— but our military is the world’s largest polluter. Dougherty represents us regular people. No Kings means no local dynasties either. Jessa Rego | Pacific Grove Our Congress is failing us. Republicans and Democrats are focused on power grabs and blame games, not improving lives. I am running as an independent candidate to bring the change people seek. We must think beyond Republicans and Democrats. Congress needs people with realworld experience solving problems. Too many elected officials spend their careers inside political systems that reward partisanship more than effectiveness. Leaders like me who worked outside politics know how to incorporate viewpoints, make difficult decisions and bring negotiated outcomes. My campaign is built on a simple idea: Representatives should answer to communities, not political parties. Chris Demers | Gilroy Note: Demers is a candidate for Congressional District 18. FOX NEWS This is not OK. I didn’t know Erica, but her death was not like everyone else who might request a memorial (“A statue designed to commemorate swimmer Erica Fox, who died in a shark encounter, is denied by a P.G. commission,” posted May 20). It happened there and it could happen again. This was a tragedy that people should remember. Mary Jane Perryman | Pacific Grove Such a shame they can’t see the benefits of more public art at that amazing place. Lisa Jensen | Seaside INSTANT CLASSIC You’re missing out if you don’t see this show. It is incredible (“Paper Wing Theatre continues to prove its worth, bringing a cherished yet thoughtful musical to the stage,” May 14-20). Marianne Zabbo | 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 MAY 28-JUNE 3, 2026 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 13 Back in March, members of Marina’s transgender community reached out to Marina City Councilmember Jenny McAdams suggesting a resolution in support of Transgender Day of Visibility, observed on March 31. McAdams read aloud a mostly feel-good proclamation. “Whereas Marina values dignity, equity and inclusion for all residents,” she read. “The City of Marina recognizes the transgender residents are valued members of our community.” Councilmembers applauded and gathered for a photo op with members of the trans community. The whole discussion, if you’d even call it a discussion, was over in just a few minutes. Two months later, some of the same proponents suggested language for a similar resolution, declaring Seaside, like Marina, to be a sanctuary city for transgender people and gender-affirming health care. The resolution appeared on Seaside City Council’s meeting agenda on May 21, and I expected it would generate no discussion. It was not even scheduled for discussion, instead grouped with two-dozen other items, including authorizing grant applications and declaring June to be Pride Month. I thought a change order for $153,000 for a cement contract might generate more controversy. I was surprised when people, spoke up first to oppose the Pride Month designation, then even more vociferously to oppose the transgender sanctuary measure. “I think it’s just a waste of breath,” said Tiffinie Meyer, who also serves on the city’s Neighborhood Improvement Commission. Ray Riordan, who chairs the commission, spoke out passionately. “My big thing is, why?” he said. “You don’t do it for the Irish who have been crucified for years, that’s me. I went to Vietnam and fought for this, for freedom, not picking certain groups to get special benefits just because they’re transgender, or gay, or Irish, or Hispanic. We’re all equal here.” Pastor Jimmy Welch was even more direct: “There’s levels of wickedness…It’s sin.” This in California, in the year of our lord 2026. If you needed proof that there is a compelling need for a resolution declaring Seaside is a sanctuary for transgender people, the proof showed up right there in the room. Not that the trans community needed proof. “The community is under attack, that is the reality,” says Mel Zaragoza, president of Monterey Peninsula Pride and an ally to trans members. “Rights are being stripped away.” Athena Burciaga, a trans woman who lives in Marina and supported both cities’ declarations, says a symbolic resolution matters: “Having your city affirm they are on your side and looking out for you really does make all the difference.” Burciaga, a senior studying computer science at CSUMB, says that most of the time when she encounters transphobia it turns out the person has never knowingly met a trans person before. “Especially now, it’s more important than ever that we educate our neighbors about these issues,” she says. “A lot of transphobia is coming out of ignorance.” Councilmember Alexis García-Arrazola, who introduced the resolution, was, like me, surprised by the comments he heard from the public. Councilmember Alex Miller heard those comments and says he found them persuasive. In his remarks, Miller echoed some of Riordan’s sentiment that sounded a lot like the “all lives matter” rebuttal to Black Lives Matter. “We have many groups in Seaside and we must support all the groups,” Miller said. He abstained from voting. The resolution passed 4-0. But it passed with powerful endorsement from the other four members of council. Mayor Ian Oglesby noted the flaw in Miller’s argument—you can uplift the rights of one group without disadvantaging other groups—and defended the resolution, even as Riordan started shouting from the audience. “We have all kinds of people who live in our city. We should treat them all with dignity and respect,” Oglesby said. Seaside will raise its Pride flag at 4pm on Monday, June 1. The rainbow colors will fly for everyone, whoever you are—the choice is yours whether to be an ally of those who face discrimination and violence simply for being who they are. Sara Rubin is the Weekly’s editor. Reach her at sara@montereycountynow.com. Rainbow Colors Seaside council stops short of unanimous support for trans community. By Sara Rubin TAKE TWO…Squid believes in second chances—not every first draft turns out just right. In Salinas, Daniel Muñoz, also known by his rapper name Cal Paradox, is swinging hard with his second chance at recall attempts against two of his elected representatives, Salinas City Councilmember José Luis Barajas and County Supervisor Luis Alejo. This attempt comes about three months after Muñoz tried it once before, but failed to gather enough signatures, not because he didn’t have enough haters in the district willing to sign, but because he misread the Elections Code. Even if this first phase of the notice of intention to recall survives, he has a high bar ahead: To get a recall election against Barajas it will require at least 2,463 signatures of registered voters, and against Alejo, 7,070 signatures. That’s a lot, but Muñoz is confident he will pull it off. Of course he could wait until 2028 when both are up for re-election and challenge them at the ballot box, but this method—if it works—is faster. Oh, and Muñoz is running for mayor. It’s all a rather strange way to start a political career. And also a mean one. Especially given that Barajas is currently on medical leave as he recovers from a series of seizures that left him unable to speak or write, even ink-squirting Squid suggests a little grace. KEEP YOUR ENEMIES CLOSE…Squid is proud of Squid’s self-replenishing ink—it allows Squid to riff on the bizarre world of Monterey County (on land and below the sea) in this column. But not all sea creatures take a liking to Squid’s work. Ollie the Octopus, for instance, once squirted black ink—imagine inverted WhiteOut—all over Squid’s writing 10 minutes before deadline. Squid felt the attack was politically motivated by a species that thinks some cephalopods are better than other cephalopods. Squid may now have a path for financial resolution thanks to President Donald Trump. The administration announced a $1.8 billion “anti-weaponization” fund for those who have felt they have been attacked for their political views. The fund was part of a settlement to resolve a $10 billion civil lawsuit Trump filed against the IRS. The worst of the worst are rushing to file claims, such as U.S. Capitol rioters and far-right extremist groups, according to news reports. But just to troll Trump, many of his perceived enemies are also filing claims. Squid has so far been unable to verify how Trump himself feels about sea-dwelling creatures, but if Squid collects, Squid will use Squid’s cash to keep printing in ink about how consistently awful this administration’s policies are, for ocean- and land-dwellers both. THE LOCAL SPIN SQUID FRY THE MISSION OF MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY IS TO INSPIRE INDEPENDENT THINKING AND CONSCIOUS ACTION, ETC. “Transphobia is coming out of ignorance.” SEND SQUID A TIP: squid@montereycountynow.com
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