6 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY JUNE 25-JULY 1, 2026 www.montereycountynow.com THE BUZZ FREE SPEECH The California News Publishers Association revealed the winners of its 2025 California Journalism Awards on June 22, and the Monterey County Weekly team was well-represented. The Weekly took second place for General Excellence, the top prize in its division. Of the 17 awards the Weekly received, seven of those were first-place honors. Those included best newsletter for the daily Monterey County Now, as well as for Editor Sara Rubin’s and Staff Writer Katie Rodriguez’s breaking news coverage of the December 2025 fatal shark encounter at Lovers Point; a collaborative story on the amount of federal dollars that pours into Monterey County; and Staff Writer Celia Jiménez’s series of articles on the local impacts of the federal immigration crackdown. Features Editor Dave Faries’ coverage of the wine grape industry, Rubin’s investigation into alleged nepotism in the local Head Start program and weekly Local Spin columns rounded out the first-place awards. The honors also included five second-place awards for public service journalism and business reporting, among other categories. Good: Monterey County residents are losing access to Medi-Cal due to changes at the federal and state levels, but it is a good week for 500 of them because the County of Monterey’s Esperanza Care is back, starting July 1. The Monterey County Board of Supervisors voted in January to revive the program, which previously ran from 2013 to 2015, before the Affordable Care Act took effect. Esperanza offers medical care through Natividad Medical Center, which is administering the program, and Monterey County Health Department clinics. Adults who make less than 138 percent of the poverty level, do not have insurance and do not qualify for Medi-Cal are eligible. People must apply in person at Natividad, 1441 Constitution Blvd., Salinas. More information is available by calling (831) 755-4165. Anyone who applies once the 500-person limit is reached will be placed on a waiting list. GREAT: In celebration of Juneteenth and the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, California State Parks is offering a special free version of its Historian Passport, normally $50 for the year, for admission of up to four people per pass at more than 30 state historic parks across the state. Visit local historic parks for free for the remainder of 2026 including Monterey State Historic Park and Pigeon Point Light Station, as well as some further away like Shasta State and Fort Humboldt state historic parks. The state historic parks offer a way to immerse oneself into nature and explore a new place, while gaining a deeper understanding of the history that defines our state. Californians can download the pass for free until Monday, July 6 at parks.ca.gov, and use it for an unlimited number of visits to participating historic parks. GOOD WEEK / GREAT WEEK THE WEEKLY TALLY That’s the County of Monterey’s budget for fiscal year 20262027, passed by the Board of Supervisors on June 16. It represents a balanced budget, despite the County’s $40.6 million structural deficit. Source: County of Monterey $2.35 billion QUOTE OF THE WEEK “It’s a win for caddies across the country.” -Pebble Beach caddie Danton McMullin, after 76 percent of caddies voted in favor of unionizing on June 18 (see story, montereycountynow.com/ news). 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 We’re continuing to build something special at MRY. Through the MRY Metamorphosis, the airport team is working every day to deliver nonstop flights, facilities, services, and amenities to transform your travel experience. Follow us as we deliver a world-class experience with a hometown airport feel. Monterey Regional Airport (MRY) thanks our community for trusting and supporting us for your business and leisure travel needs over the past 85 years. montereyairport.com/transform Scan the QR code and join the journey!
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