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Graphic which spells out The Newsletter.


By Eric Johnson
Published Sep 09, 2024

The council chambers in Santa Cruz City Hall has been the scene of countless heated political battles, and at least one melee. The council chambers in Santa Cruz City Hall has been the scene of countless heated political battles, and at least one melee. Image credit: Crystal Birns, Contributed

It Takes a Village to Run a Village: Leadership vs. Partisanship

In November, 2021, more than 2,000 people gathered in the bucolic Silicon Valley suburb of Los Gatos for what was called the United Against Hate March. They did so in part because the town's mayor and elected council had been subjected to a slew of attacks in the wake of vaccination mandates and policies promoting diversity, equality and inclusion (DEI). Similar incidents had already happened during public meetings throughout the state and nation, and they have continued ever since. And last Jauary, my friend Fred Keeley, mayor of Santa Cruz, received a death threat following a contentions city council meeting during which protesters stormed the council dais and broke windows in the chambers.

Last month, the Los Gatos town council voted unanimously to cancel its November election because nobody filed to run against the incumbents for two seats that would have been in contention. We've noticed that the same thing has happened in multiple towns and cities throughout Northern California. In this week's edition of The Newsletter, Chris Neklason examines the trend and posits some reasons people might find running for a public office or advisory board—an admitedly serious conmmitment to civic duty—increasingly daunting.

But first, Chris talks with Ryan Coonerty, a former veteran Santa Cruz elected official and, not incidentally, co-host of the podcast "An Honorable Profession," which is about (you guessed it) elected public service. 


The Business Community Steps Up

When we talk about how California works here at CALocal, we frequently point out that the civic infrastructure in most cities and towns is made up of a multitude of individuals beyond elected officials and public employees. They include, for instance, the employees and volunteers at nonprofit community groups. In every instance I know of, the local business community is also involved in the work of civic betterment.

One of the best examples of business leaders stepping up to nurture community involvement are local programs such as Leadership Santa Cruz—there are similar organzations in many counties throughout California and beyond, and they are generally founded by local Chambers of Commerce. 


Building a Civic Engagement Pipeline

Democracy works better when more people actively participate.
We look at one of many local efforts to cultivate the local civic engagement talent pool.

The Simmering California Public Service Crisis

Democracy is all about having a seat at the table.
What happens if you have a democracy and nobody shows up?


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Monterey County's Homepage

Direct your browser to https://monterey.californialocal.com/ to catch up on the latest news in California and Monterey County. Bookmark the link and visit often, there's a lot happening in your community!


Recipe of the Week

Our friends at Sacramento Digs Gardening publish a recipe from their gardens every Sunday, which we feature here so you can start your week with some yum.

See more recipes in their Taste Fall! cookbook.


This fruity syrup makes most of late-season harvest

A mix of berries, plus a few other random summer fruits, go into the fruit syrup.
New! Very Berry Syrup mixes strawberries, blueberries, blackberries -- or whatever you have


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Max's Helping Paws Foundation logo Max's Helping Paws Foundation

Pets aren’t just furry, four-legged friends, but members of the family. Max’s Helping Paws Foundation believes in keeping pets and their owners together, which is why it assists guardians of sick or injured animals with medical costs.

→ Learn more

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Upcoming Community Ally Events

Arts Council of Monterey County logo Open Studios Art Tour
Saturday October 12 2024   All Day
Arts Council of Monterey County logo Open Studios Art Tour
Sunday October 13 2024   All Day
Arts Council of Monterey County logo Open Studios Art Tour
Saturday October 19 2024   All Day
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From Our Media Allies

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Salinas Valley Tribune logo Soledad Becomes First in Region to Adopt New Housing Plan

The City of Soledad is the first South Monterey County community to adopt the 2023-2031 Housing Element, a document that will ensure Soledad adequately plans to meet the housing needs of all community members.

Monterey County Weekly logo A Trailer Fire Consumes Another Rare Vehicle Leaving Pebble Beach After Car Week.

Another million-dollar vehicle shown at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance on Aug. 18 was destroyed by fire after it was being transported by trailer, this time on Wednesday, Sept. 4 on Highway 68.

Monterey County Weekly logo A Mountain Lion’s Visit to Downtown Salinas Reminds Us We Live in Their Habitat.

Why did the mountain lion cross Main Street in Oldtown Salinas?

Monterey County Weekly logo Homelessness Is Up 16 Percent Since 2022 After Pandemic Programs End and Housing Prices Rise.

The number of people experiencing homelessness in Monterey County during the 2024 point-in-time count conducted in January increased by 16 percent over 2022 totals, the Coalition of Homeless Services Providers announced Thursday, Sept. 5.

Salinas Valley Tribune logo Greenfield CSW’s BikeMobile Gets New Paint Job From Local Teacher

Greenfield Community Science Workshop (Greenfield CSW) has long been a beacon of education in South Monterey County, engaging young minds with the wonders of science through hands-on projects.

King City Rustler logo King City Elementary Students Begin Dual Language Immersion Program

Students from three classrooms at Santa Lucia Elementary School in King City have completed their first month of the Dual Language Immersion (DLI) program.

Monterey County Weekly logo The Board of Supervisors Approve Short-Term Rental Ordinances After Years of Work.

Taking about 14 years of work, the County of Monterey is a step closer to having a short-term rental ordinance, after the Board of Supervisors voted 3-2 on Tuesday, Aug. 27 in favor of draft versions that had been vetted …

Monterey County Weekly logo Local School Districts Are Asking Voters to Approve 14 Bond Measures for Upgrades.

There are 24 school districts within Monterey County, and 12 of them are asking voters to approve 14 different bonds in the Nov. 5 election.

Monterey County Weekly logo Monterey-Salinas Transit’s Embattled SURF! Project Is Now Riding a Wave Toward Approval.

On Friday, July 26, when California Coastal Commission staff released a report regarding Monterey-Salinas Transit’s proposed SURF! busway from Marina to Sand City, the surf was looking down – the report said in no uncertain terms that the project was …

KSQD logo John Hunt Plays Key Role in Bringing $71 Million in Climate Adaptation Grants to the Monterey Bay Area

John Hunt is a collaborator at the California Marine Sanctuary Foundation and a research toxicologist at the University of California, Davis.

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Recent Local News

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• Two Nonprofits Benefit From Community Estate Sale

A two-month running "estate sale" sale in Carmel Valley of items donated by community members raised over $43,000 to benefit the Housing for Kids Fund of the Community Foundation for Monterey County and Center for Spiritual Awakening in Pacific Grove.

(09/06/2024) → Monterey Herald

• CSUMB Ranks 23rd of Top 500 Colleges

Learn more about the survey ranking by social mobility placing California State University Monterey Bay at 23rd in the top 500 colleges nationally.

(09/06/2024) → Monterey Herald

• Salinas City Council Proceeds With Tenant Protection Statutes

In their August 20 meeting, the Salinas City Council approved development of three new tenent protection ordinances following years of complaints from local renters.

(09/05/2024) → Voices of Monterey Bay

• Pacific Grove Council Moving to District Elections

In their September 4 meeting, the Pacific Grove City Council voted unanimously to begin the process of moving from at-large to by-district representation.

(09/05/2024) → Monterey Herald

• CSUMB Enrollment Up, Juggling With Housing

With enrollment up for the first time in years, Cal State Monterey Bay had to work hard to find enough student housing.

(09/03/2024) → The Lutrinae
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Recent Statewide News

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• California "30x30" Conservation Efforts Make Progress

The California state goal to conserve 30% of its land and coastal waters has advanced, with conserved lands reaching 25% and coastal waters 16%.

(09/08/2024) → Los Angeles Times

• Reparations Supporters Plot Comeback After Bitter Defeat in California Legislature

The controversial idea of cash reparations divided even Black advocates in the legislature this year. Here’s what’s next.

(09/06/2024) → CalMatters

• CA Rent Control Battle Goes to the Ballot

Amid a Southern California heat wave, about 300 advocates for rent control — with two 10-foot “greedy landlord” puppets — rallied Thursday in downtown Los Angeles, chanting: “The rent is too damn high!”

(09/06/2024) → CalMatters

• Should California Community Colleges Offer Bachelor’s Degrees in Nursing? Universities Say No

Lawmakers approved two bills to allow some community colleges to provide bachelor’s degrees in nursing. That’s setting up another conflict with the California State University, which already offers these bachelor’s degrees.

(09/05/2024) → CalMatters

• Are CA Gig Workers Getting Promised Pay and Benefits?

California voters passed Proposition 22 four years ago. The ballot initiative, backed by Uber, Lyft and other gig companies, promised the state’s more than 1 million gig workers new benefits, such as guaranteed minimum earnings, health care stipends, occupational accident insurance and accidental death insurance.

(09/04/2024) → CalMatters

• More Extreme Heat + More People = Danger in These California Cities. ‘Will It Get as Hot as Death Valley?’

Inland communities with big population booms will experience the most extreme heat days under climate change projections. The combination puts more people at risk — and many cities are unprepared.

(09/04/2024) → CalMatters

• California Schools Release a Blizzard of Data, and That’s Why Parents Can’t Make Sense of It

Information about how the state’s K-12 students are performing is located on several sites and is difficult to understand, a new report finds.

(09/04/2024) → CalMatters

• California School Dashboard Lacks Pandemic Focus, Earns a D Grade in Report

The California School Dashboard makes it hard for the public to see how schools and districts are performing over multiple years, concludes the report's lead author.

(09/04/2024) → EdSource

• California Has Spent Billions on Homelessness but Lacks Hard Data on Outcomes

California has allocated more than $20 billion to alleviate the state’s homelessness crisis since Gavin Newsom became governor in 2019, but there’s precious little data on how the money was spent and what effect it’s had, other than the number of unhoused people has continued to climb.

(09/04/2024) → CalMatters

• Health Care in California: How the State Made Almost Everyone Eligible for Coverage

Almost everyone in California has health insurance. That trend reflects about a decade and a half of policymaking designed to expand access to health care. The state’s average uninsured rate has dropped from nearly one in four Californians in 2009 to less than one in ten today.

(09/03/2024) → CalMatters

• CalFire Deploys New Air Tanker

CalFire received the first of five planes promised by the federal government, a former Coast Guard C-130 Hercules air tanker.

(09/02/2024) → https://www.sacbee.com/news/california/fires/article291844345.html

• California’s Economy Lags Behind Other States, Here’s Why It’s So Sluggish

California’s unemployment rate, 5.2% of its labor force in July, is no longer the nation’s highest after months of having that dubious distinction.

(09/02/2024) → CalMatters
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Government Announcements

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Image of City of Seaside seal. City of Seaside   (09/07/2024)

Invitation - Seaside CDBG 2025-2029 ConPlan Kick-Off Meeting

The City of Seaside invites all interested parties to attend a virtual kick-off meeting regarding the City's 2025-2029 Consolidated Plan (ConPlan) for the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program.
Image of State of California seal. State of California   (09/06/2024)

Robert Rivas CA Assembly 29:
Speaker Robert Rivas and Legislative Colleagues Deliver Farmworker Protections for Housing and Extreme Heat to Governor

Speaker Robert Rivas and Legislative Colleagues Deliver Farmworker Protections for Housing and Extreme Heat to Governor valilajj Fri, 09/06/2024 - 12:06 Title Press Secretary Email Cynthia.Moreno@asm.ca.gov Phone 916-319-2029 Friday, September 6, 2024 SACRAMENTO, CA Speaker Robert Rivas (D-Salinas) and colleagues in both the Assembly and Senate passed significant bills in the Legislature this past week that will support Californias migratory …
Image of City of Monterey seal. City of Monterey   (09/06/2024)

Historic Vehicle Destroyed inTrailer Fire on Highway 68 and York Road

Image of State of California seal. State of California   (09/05/2024)

Robert Rivas CA Assembly 29:
Speaker Robert Rivas honors fallen CAL FIRE Firefighter Christopher Ward

Speaker Robert Rivas honors fallen CAL FIRE Firefighter Christopher Ward valilajj Thu, 09/05/2024 - 15:44 Title Press Secretary Email Cynthia.Moreno@asm.ca.gov Phone 916-319-2029 Thursday, September 5, 2024 SACRAMENTO, CA Speaker Robert Rivas (D-Salinas) issued the following statement to honor fallen CAL FIRE Apparatus Engineer Christopher Ward: I am deeply saddened by the death of engineer Christopher Ward, who passed while serving …
Image of State of California seal. State of California   (09/05/2024)

Dawn Addis CA Assembly 30:
Tour of the Ohana Center & Celebration of Assembly District 30 Woman of the Year - Dr. Susan Swick

Tuesday, September 3, 2024 Assemblymember Addis toured Ohana Center for Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health at the Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula and honored Dr. Susan Swick as District 30's 2024 Woman of the Year.
Image of City of Seaside seal. City of Seaside   (09/05/2024)

Ribbon Cutting - Havana Soliz Revitalization Project

The City of Seaside's Engineering & Public Works Department invites you to a Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony at Havana Soliz Park on Saturday, September 21st at 12 PM.
Image of City of Del Rey Oaks seal. City of Del Rey Oaks   (09/05/2024)

South Boundary Road Closed for Road Work Friday 9/6 From 10 - 11AM

South Boundary Road Closed for Road Work Friday 9/6 From 10 - 11AM LauraBatra01 Thu, 09/05/2024 - 9:38 AM Microsite Public Works Department Please note that South Boundary Road will be closed on Friday September 6th due to road work. News Release Date 09-05-2024 News Type Announcement Page Features News Hide FAQ Title Off Placement Left Back to News Show/Hide …
Image of State of California seal. State of California   (09/05/2024)

Robert Rivas CA Assembly 29:
Speaker Rivas Announces Committee to Address Gasoline Price Spikes During Special Legislative Session

Speaker Rivas Announces Committee to Address Gasoline Price Spikes During Special Legislative Session hagamasc Thu, 09/05/2024 - 07:42 Title Press Secretary Email Cynthia.Moreno@asm.ca.gov Phone 916-319-2029 Wednesday, September 4, 2024 SACRAMENTO, CA Today, Speaker Robert Rivas (D-Salinas) announced the Assemblymembers who will serve on the Petroleum and Gasoline Supply Committee during the 2023-24 special session to address gas price spikes: Assemblymember …
Image of City of Del Rey Oaks seal. City of Del Rey Oaks   (09/04/2024)

Rosita Road Closures Thur 9/5, Fri 9/6 and Mon 9/9 for Road Work

Rosita Road Closures Thur 9/5, Fri 9/6 and Mon 9/9 for Road Work LauraBatra01 Wed, 09/04/2024 - 10:33 AM Microsite Public Works Department Please be advised that there will be road closures on Rosita Road between Paloma Road and Angelus Way on Thursday, September 5th, Friday, September 6th and Monday, September 9th. News Release Date 09-04-2024 News Type Announcement Page …
Image of State of California seal. State of California   (09/04/2024)

Robert Rivas CA Assembly 29:
Speaker Rivas Announces Assembly Legislation to Address Gasoline Price Spikes and Save Californians Money

Speaker Rivas Announces Assembly Legislation to Address Gasoline Price Spikes and Save Californians Money valilajj Wed, 09/04/2024 - 10:00 Assembly leadership ensures legislation receives the public hearings and consideration that Californians deserve Title Press Secretary Email Cynthia.Moreno@asm.ca.gov Phone 916-319-2029 Tuesday, September 3, 2024 SACRAMENTO, CA On Tuesday, Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas (D-Salinas) announced a plan for legislative action by the …