6 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY SEPTEMBER 24-30, 2026 www.montereycountynow.com THE BUZZ FREE SPEECH It’s no secret President Donald Trump hates news coverage that doesn’t gush over his administration, so on Sept. 18, he announced a ban on three organizations from entering the White House: CNN, MS NOW and Politico. Reporters from the news outlets had their press badges revoked by the Secret Service the day after. On Monday, Sept. 21, the outlets filed a lawsuit in federal court, calling the ban not only a “direct assault on the First Amendment,” but also a “blatant violation of our most fundamental constitutional principles.” “Without notice or process, the White House revoked our journalists’ credentials because it objected to our reporting,” the outlets said in a statement. “Left unchallenged, this threatens press freedom and the public’s right to independent journalism free from government interference.” Major TV networks ABC, CBS, Fox News and NBC announced they would suspend pooled coverage of the White House in solidarity. Trump has tried to restrict press coverage of the White House multiple times during his second term, which have been overturned by the courts. Good: Called the “bike lane to nowhere” by some locals and officially a Class IV bike lane by transportation planners, the separated bike lanes in the middle of North Fremont Street may soon be connected to the county’s broader biking infrastructure after the City of Monterey locked down approximately $2.9 million in grants from the Transportation Agency for Monterey County’s Regional Surface Transportation Program to support the construction of the North Fremont Gap Closure Project. The project would close the bike lane gap between Casanova Avenue and Canyon Del Rey Boulevard and connect to the Fort Ord Regional Trail and Greenway. The project, which is currently at roughly 90-percent design, has a total cost of about $3.65 million. City officials will seek community feedback in the coming months and hope to have a final project design within the next six to 12 months. GREAT: After a nearly 20-year hiatus, Delta Air Lines is returning to Monterey Regional Airport with new nonstop flights to Los Angeles International Airport and Salt Lake City International Airport later this year, airport officials announced Sept. 18. “Welcoming Delta Air Lines to Monterey Regional Airport is a major achievement for our community and reflects the growing demand for air service in the Monterey Bay region,” Monterey Regional Airport Executive Director Chris Morello said. Beginning Dec. 19, Delta will launch its twice-daily nonstop flights to LAX and one daily nonstop flight to SLC. According to a Delta spokesperson, “The new flights come as Delta expands its position at LAX ahead of summer 2027, when the airline and its partners will offer more than 200 daily departures from Los Angeles, creating the largest and most premium operation in Delta’s LAX history.” GOOD WEEK / GREAT WEEK THE WEEKLY TALLY That’s how many battery modules remain at Vistra’s Moss Landing Power Plant, about 5 percent of the total prior to the 2025 fire. A battery ignited on Friday, Sept. 18, leading to a shelter-inplace order in the vicinity (see stories, montereycountynow.com/news). Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 5,000 QUOTE OF THE WEEK “Art has just been a great icebreaker.” -Texas artist Brian Keeper on his preferred approach to painting on location. An exhibit of his work is now open in Carmel (see story, montereycountynow.com/ entertainment). Two Cubic Yards of Mulch per Service Address • Only California American Water or Monterey Peninsula Water Management District customers are eligible to participate. • Must bring California American Water bill and photo ID showing where mulch will be used. • After entering ReGen Monterey on Charlie Benson Road, turn right at the four-way stop, follow Mulch Madness signs to Keith Day Landscape Supply. Stay in vehicle and drive through verification station before proceeding to loading area. Mulch will be loaded into pick-up trucks with assistance from a tractor. Bring your own tarp to cover mulch during transportation. • Bagged mulch will also be available in smaller quantities for those without a truck. Supplies may be limited and are on a first-come, first-served basis. For personal use only. Not for resale. Saturday, Oct. 3, 9am to Noon 14201 Del Monte Blvd. (one mile north of Marina) 831.658.5601 MULCH MADNESS FREE Truckload or Bags OCT3
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