montereycountynow.com/bestof BEST OF MONTEREY COUNTY® 2026 13 BEST RADIO STATION 101.7 The Beach 80 Garden Court, Monterey (831) 658-5200, 1017thebeach.com Just like the best circus performers, radio stations need a nickname. Aerial gymnast Lillian Leitzel was known as Dainty Miss Leitzel, for example. Human cannonball Rosa Richter took Zazel as her stage name. Those are OK, but KCDU nailed it with The Beach. They spin today’s hits by the likes of I-Yaz (another good nickname), PinkPantheress (yep) or Taylor Swift (not cutting it, nickname-wise, but musically…). This is music you want to hear at or near the beach. BEST RADIO DJ The Morning Madhouse KDON 102.5 FM 1550 Moffett St., C, Salinas (831) 755-8181, kdon.iheart.com Life’s a circus, people say. That means some amount of thrill, but also chaos. How are you going to summon the courage to do the trapeze while also taming a lion—while also getting your kid dressed for school, making coffee, preparing a healthy lunch and feeding the dog? Mornings are at least as complicated as the circus, and thank goodness we have The Morning Madhouse from 6-10am Mondays-Fridays to help power us through it. Sam Diggedy and Showbiz have the kind of clever, joyful banter (with lots of laughs) interspersed with high-energy hits to help pump you up to take on the high-wire act, and anything else the day throws your way. BEST LOCAL PODCAST KRML’s Pub Talk with Alvarado Street Brewery “Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, children of all ages...” These are the words that you’d want to hear at the beginning of any act and the one to announce them would be none other than the hosts of KRML’s Pub Talk with Alvarado Street Brewery: Jeff White and Kevin Wright. These guys are true ringleaders—Wright is a longtime homebrewer who recently turned pro—with friendly voices to ride the airwaves. And it’s nothing short of a modern miracle that they bring this bestest podcast to you from not one but three rotating locations across Monterey County. BEST SCHOOL BEST PROFESSOR - RENEE PENALVER BEST COLLEGE TEAM - WOMEN’S SOCCER CSU Monterey Bay 6013 General Jim Moore Blvd., Seaside (831) 582-3000, csumb.edu Adding new acts helps keep a circus and universities relevant. CSU Monterey Bay serves thousands of local students in the tri-county area. This year, it has new leadership with Carlos Vargas as interim president, new student housing and new programs for undergrads and graduates for the upcoming school year. Renee Penalver, an assistant psychology professor at CSUMB, doesn’t introduce acts in her classroom, but she’s its ringmaster, engaging and supporting her students and it shows because she won Best Professor for a second time in a row. Being a teammate is crucial in a circus itinerant’s life to produce a great performance. The women’s soccer team puts on great performances, particularly in recent years under head coach Laura VanWart. While the Otters may not win every match, their combined effort keeps them in every match. BEST K-12 TEACHER Beth Cina Forest Grove Elementary, 1065 Congress Ave., Pacific Grove (831) 236-7018, forestgrove.pgusd.org For the last 16 years, Beth Cina has been teaching second graders at Forest Grove Elementary School. With a total of 23 years of teaching experience both in the county and out of state, Cina does more than just teach, she asks the students every day how they are feeling and discusses any topic they wish to speak with her. She goes beyond the second grade curriculum and makes sure her students are prepared for any topic they wish to explore in the future, whether that be mathematics or juggling. BEST REAL ESTATE OFFICE Carmel Realty Company 745 Dolores St., Carmel (831) 622-1000, carmelrealtycompany. com When the circus rolled into town, the procession often included trailers to house the performers. These were temporary rigs, and not very comfortable—which is just the opposite of the type of housing Carmel Realty Company represents. And they are both prompt in response and reliable, which is why they are once again the readers’ choice for Best Real Estate Office. Carmel Realty Company can find you the perfect permanent big top. Around Town Best Realtor | J.R. Rouse Properties Group
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