6 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY OCTOBER 29-NOVEMBER 4, 2026 www.montereycountynow.com THE BUZZ FREE SPEECH Three news organizations—CNN, MS NOW and Politico—have taken the Trump administration to court over the president’s decision to bar reporters from the White House. Now, a new group has entered the fight: the general public. On Oct. 26, six citizens filed a lawsuit against Trump over the ban, saying the ban violates the public’s right to independent reporting about the government. The Knight First Amendment Institute filed the lawsuit on behalf of the citizens, along with the Media Freedom & Information Access Clinic at Yale Law School. “The First Amendment protects the public’s right to know what its government is doing,” Katie Fallow, deputy litigation director at the Knight First Amendment Institute, told the Associated Press. “The White House cannot decide what information Americans receive by punishing critical reporting.” The suit calls for an injunction that protects news outlets against retaliation from the White House. A statement from the White House contended that the media “are completely capable of reporting their manufactured stories from directly outside.” Good: South County residents now have closer access to legal services, thanks to the Monterey County Public Defender’s Office opening a satellite location in Greenfield on Oct. 27. The office, located within Greenfield’s Civic Center, assists clients with cases, conducts interviews/ investigations and connects them to other services, including expunging records or immigration guidance. The public defender’s office chose Greenfield for several reasons: It’s relatively central among South County communities, experiences high crime rates and has a large immigrant population. “South County residents have faced a lot of transportation and access barriers when trying to reach our Salinas office,” Chief Public Defender Raymond Buenaventura says. The new location, he says, “ensures that people can receive timely legal assistance, along with the support that promotes stability in their lives.” GREAT: The Soledad Unified School District reached a milestone on Oct. 27 when it celebrated the opening of its first workforce housing. The 20-unit staff housing development is located in Soledad’s downtown area and within walking distance of some schools. It also has several amenities, including a residents’ lounge, a library room and private on-site parking. “This is in the perfect location to get you to anywhere you want to go in town,” SUSD Superintendent Deborah Gorgulho says. The district’s housing was funded by Measure N, a $13.75 million bond voters approved in November 2020. The units will be available for district employees and will be rented out below market rate. The district received more than 50 applications. New teachers and coworkers rooming together were placed higher on the priority list to get a home. The new tenants will move in to their new digs in November. GOOD WEEK / GREAT WEEK THE WEEKLY TALLY That’s how much the arts and culture sector in Monterey County is estimated to contribute in economic activity, supporting 8,000 full-time jobs. Nationwide, the arts are a $1 trillion industry. Source: Arts Council for Monterey County $1.6 billion QUOTE OF THE WEEK “President Donald Trump has actually done worse things and he isn’t punished.” -Elizabeth Reyes of Salinas, speaking on an effort to rename City of Salinas facilities named after the embattled Cesar Chavez (see story, salinasvalleynow.com). WHAT IS A TRANSIENT OCCUPANCY TAX? Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) is a local tax levied on travelers who stay in temporary lodgings like hotels, motels, and short-term rentals. This tax is paid by visitors and supports vital community services. 5 Key Community Benefits • Supports Roads, Bridges, and Waterways Upkeep • Funds Local Emergency Services • Helps Create a Strong Economic Climate • Encourages Investment & Local Job Growth • 100% of these Funds Stay Local The Transient Occupancy Tax ensures our county thrives, funded almost entirely by the people who come to visit. Learn more at CountyofMonterey.Gov Scan QR Code to learn more about the Transient Occupancy Tax Dawn Addis, California State Assembly Senator Bill Monning (Ret.) California State Senate Majority Leader Emeritus Chris Lopez, Supervisor District 3 Wendy Root Askew, Supervisor District 4 Kate Daniels, Supervisor District 5 David Pacheco, Seaside, Mayor Pro-Tem Alexis Garcia Arrazola, Seaside, City Council Rita Burks, Seaside, City Council Mary Ann Carbone, Mayor, Sand City Scott Donaldson, Mayor, Del Rey Oaks Anna Velazquez, Mayor, Soledad Tyller Williamson, Mayor, Monterey Tina Nieto, Monterey County Sheriff Mary Ann Leffel, Monterey Peninsula Airport District Mary Claypool, Monterey County Board of Education, Trustee Area Six Rosalyn Green, MPC Trustee, Area 1 Jeff Uchida, MPUSD Trustee, Area 1 Dr. Bettye Lusk, MPUSD Trustee, Area 3 Dr. PK Diffenbaugh, MPUSD, Superintendent Alvin Edwards, MPWMD Trustee, Div. 1 Susan Schiavone, MPWMD Trustee, Div. 1 (Elect) George T. Riley, MPWMD Trustee, Div. 2 Darryl Choates, Fmr. Seaside Council member Bennie Copper, Fmr. Seaside Police Chief Ruthie Watts Joy Anderson Marieta Aranda Samantha Chioino Silia Foliaki Linda Gardner Ron & Maria Guth, (Ret.SPD) Judy Huynh Henry Junsay Michelle Rubio Moore Miriam “Cissie” Mull Brian Pratt Experienced Leadership VOTE OGLESBY FOR MAYOR Paid for by Oglesby for Mayor 2026 #1471515 United for Seaside: Trusted Leaders, Neighbors and Organizations endorse Mayor Oglesby
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