4 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY SEPTEMBER 3-9, 2026 www.montereycountynow.com THE BUZZ FREE SPEECH A bill intended to provide some relief to news organizations across California—and encourage them to expand—passed the state Senate on Aug. 30 with amendments the Assembly also approved. Assembly Bill 2222, which now awaits Gov. Gavin Newsom’s signature, was introduced earlier this year by Assemblymembers Chris Ward and Buffy Wicks. It would create tax credits for news organizations based on how many journalists they employ, with an extra boost to those that create new jobs. Under the bill, an organization would receive a tax credit of $20,000 per full-time journalist up to five positions, with $15,000 for every additional journalist. The bill defines an eligible organization as one that is not controlled by a Political Action Committee, among other requirements, so as not to fund partisan operations. “This bill creates a common-sense model to support the sustainability of journalism in California that lawmakers in other states should want to adopt, and its ‘news neutrality’ is its greatest strength,” said Danielle Coffey, president and CEO of the News/Media Alliance. Good: After years of playing “home” games at other venues across Salinas, including Rabobank Stadium, Hartnell College football will play on its own campus on Saturday, Sept. 5. It’s the first home game played at Hartnell in the college’s history, according to Hartnell, and the first played on the renovated Bill Elliott Football Field, which underwent renovations alongside the Gary Shaw Track and reopened in late 2024. “We’re bringing our community together on a field we’ve dreamed of calling home for years,” Dean of Athletics Ivan Guerrero said. “For so many of us, this is a full-circle moment, one that honors generations of Panther pride while creating new memories for generations to come.” The field is named after Salinas native and Hartnell alumnus Charles “Bill” Elliott, who, along with his wife Barbara, supported scholarships and other programs of Hartnell Athletics. GREAT: Monterey Regional Airport is in the midst of a $200 million construction project of a new terminal, and this week marks a milestone. On Aug. 27, the board voted 5-0 to approve a TIFIA loan application for $38.2 million from the Build America Bureau in the U.S. Department of Transportation. The agency already accepted the application and is expected to approve it in September, making MRY the second airport in the country (after Sacramento) to receive one of these transportation loans, traditionally reserved for roads and bridges. The interest rate will be 50 percent of the U.S. Treasury rate at the time of signing, which MRY Executive Director Chris Morello expects will save roughly $20 million. In addition, the board accepted a $2.4 million grant, bringing the grant total to nearly $136 million. “We have all of the funding in place,” Morello says. “It’s great.” GOOD WEEK / GREAT WEEK THE WEEKLY TALLY That’s the cost of a more than year-long renovation of Closter Park in Salinas, which celebrated its reopening on Aug. 29. Source: City of Salinas $10 million QUOTE OF THE WEEK “The name is going to stay here for 100, 200, 300 years.” -Rais Abassi, associate superintendent and chief business official for Alisal Union School District, on the importance of choosing a new name for César Chávez Elementary School in Salinas (see story, salinasvalleynow. com). 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 Cornucopia Community Market offers quality nutritious and environmentally safe products, free of artificial additives and preservatives. Curated Food From the heart Your Local Health Food Store Open MOn-Fri 9aM-7pM Sat & Sun 10aM-6pM 831-625-1454 26135 Carmel Rancho Blvd, Carmel (at the mouth of Carmel Valley) • Natural, Organic Produce • Fresh Bakery and Deli • Olive Oil/Vinegar/ Local Honey • Wine, Beer, Juice, Coffee and Tea • Fresh, Organic Dairy Products • Healthy Snacks • Vitamins and Nutritional Supplements • All Natural Bath and Body Products • Gifts and Gift Basket Ideas
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