Our Journalism Needs Your Support

By Eric Johnson
Published Apr 03, 2023

As their fundamental journalistic service, legacy local news organizations, most of which are struggling, help stop the spread of disinformation.

Democracy & Journalism

Happy Monday, and happy belated Cesar Chavez Day. Before moving on to this week’s featured news, I would like to take a moment to honor the man who tried to bring economic justice and dignity to California’s farmworkers and their families.

That work remains unfinished, and I invite you to remember that la lucha continua.

Journalism as a Force Against BS

We editors are generally happy when a news story breaks that aligns with a project we're already working on. Such a story broke this week, but it did not make me happy.

California Local contributor Graham Womack spoke this week to Assemblymember Buffy Wicks, author of a bill that would help fund the state's local news media, which is in serious trouble. The day before that story came in, we read a piece in the LA Times headlined ‘The California newspaper that has no reporters left.’

The story of the Salinas Californian, which lost its last reporter in December, was made more poignant by the floods that the region experienced in January, which went unreported. Sadly, cities throughout California and the rest of the nation find themselves in similar circumstances as their main news sources essentially disappear.

You probably already know that the internet effectively killed the newspaper industry, as most local news outlets were slow to figure out how to publish effectively online. You may also know that advertisers who once supported their local paper sent most of their money online.

You might not know that two companies—Google and Meta (Facebook)—suck up fully half of the total dollars spent on online advertising. Much of that revenue is built on content generated by legacy media outlets.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Asm. Buffy Wicks’ bill, the Journalism Preservation Act, would make the big platforms pay for the content that they suck from online news outlets—along with vast sums of advertising revenue.

Making Online Media Giants Pay for the Industry They Crushed

Assemblymember Buffy Wicks' bill would make Google, Facebook, et al, pay when their ads appear alongside content generated by legitimate news media.

Asm. Buffy Wicks' AB 886, the Journalism Preservation Act, would require Google, Facebook, et al, to share advertising revenue with news media organizations.

The Ghost of a California Newspaper

Historic downtown Salinas, California, capital of Monterey County, and the hub of "America's Salad Bowl."

James Rainey reports that the Salinas Californian, the daily newspaper serving the capital of Monterey County, has completely emptied its newsroom.

	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!

Here's Why We Need Local Journalism

In Placer County, three local school boards banned a nonprofit from all of their campuses because they were tricked by a malicious spreader of disinformation.

Editor Brings Truth to Placer County

Pastor Casey Tinnin has come under attack following a hit-piece by a notorious spreader of disinformation.

Last week Carol Feineman, managing editor of four Gold Country Media papers, provided her readers with an important piece of information that should reverse a hasty and ill-informed decision.

Get to Know a Group

Community Emergency Response Volunteers

Community Emergency Response Volunteers of the Monterey Peninsula's mission is “to support local CERT programs, build public awareness about emergency preparedness, and promote the community's capacity to respond to natural disasters and man-made emergencies.”

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From Our Media Allies

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	New Member Appointed on Carmel Unified Board
	With 14 candidates vying for one vacant seat on the board of the Carmel Unified School District, things might have gotten testy March 31, as the board set out to select a new board member.

	Greenfield City Council Backs Safe Routes to School Plan
	At its March 14 meeting, Greenfield City Council has approved funding for projects recommended by the Greenfield Safe Routes to School Steering Committee.

	County Resident Gets Appointed to the Coastal Commission
	Earlier this winter, a briefly hot topic in local politics was: Which elected officials to nominate for a vacant seat on the California Coastal Commission? But the newly appointed local is not an elected official.

	Soledad mayor discusses gun violence with middle schoolers
	Soledad Mayor Anna Velazquez visited Main Street Middle School on to talk with students about gun violence and possible solutions, as well as hear their suggestions and ideas.

	Community Food Pantry Announces Collection Drive in King City
	Community Food Pantry of King City is again partnering with Goodwill Industries for another household goods collection drive in April.

	Judge Orders State Pesticide Regulator to Redraw Guidelines
	A court battle rages on over California’s regulation of the cancer-causing pesticide 1,3-dichloropropene, with a judge ruling that the state must provide greater protection to exposed farmworkers.

	MST’s SURF! Project Faces the Coastal Commission
	Is the surf up, or down? In the case of Monterey-Salinas Transit’s SURF! project—a six-mile, bus-only roadway contemplated west of Highway 1 from Marina to Sand City—that remains an open question.

	Pajaro Residents Return Home to Face an Uphill Battle
	As cleanup continues in the community of Pajaro, the town looks anything but clean. Streets are full of mountains of trash, with broken furniture, refrigerators and toys covered in mud.

	PGUSD Superintendent Ralph Porras Resigns, Effective June 30
	After 16 years at Pacific Grove Unified School District, Superintendent Ralph Gómez Porras announced his resignation to the board of trustees.

	$150K Raised to Support Resident in Need of Liver Transplant
	Hundreds of South Monterey County residents gathered to raise thousands of dollars for a good cause while showing what it means to support one of their own.

	Newsom Requests Federal Disaster Declaration for Monterey County
	The governor sought federal assistance for Monterey County and other California communities impacted by recent storms by requesting a presidential major disaster declaration from the Biden Administration.

	Monterey County Supervisors Adopt Eviction Moratorium in Pajaro
	Pajaro residents who were flooded out due to winter storms will not have to worry about facing evictions, after the Monterey County Board of Supervisors voted 5-0 for an eviction moratorium.

	Salinas Valley Health Unveils Rose River Memorial
	Salinas Valley Health and Healing Together hosted the Monterey County dedication of the Rose River Memorial art project to recognize the impact of Covid-19 and promote community healing.

	Spring Tour Highlights South Monterey County Bridges
	Am outing called “The Bridges of Southern Monterey County” is being planned for April 22, and will be the featured portion of the San Antonio Valley Historical Association’s annual spring tour.

	Cal State Monterey Bay President Visits South County
	To boost the presence of CSUMB in South Monterey County, President Vanya Quiñones and other university officials toured the region and met with students and members of the community.

Recent Local News

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• Residential Debris Removal Program: Question and Answers

Debris removal is in full swing in Pájaro and adjacent areas but many residents still have questions about how the process works and who is organizing and coordinating the effort.

(03/30/2023) → Voices of Monterey Bay

• Aerial Fire Retardant Drops Attacked as Ineffective, Harmful

For most Californians, the sight of aircraft spewing neon pink liquid over flaming trees and brush has become a hallmark of aggressive wildfire suppression campaigns. But some forest advocates say the substance does more harm than good. A federal lawsuit could reshape how the U.S. Forest Service battles wildfires throughout the western United States.

(03/29/2023) → Los Angeles Times

• Rare Beetle Named After Former Governor Jerry Brown

Bembidion brownorum was last seen in 1966, but it had not been named or described until one was collected near a creek on Brown’s ranch in Colusa County.

(03/29/2023) → Monterey Herald

• Brad Pitt Moving to Carmel After Selling L.A. Compound

Could Pitt's plans for 'a peaceful life' including spending time at Seaward, the castle-like, oceanside home he purchased in the Carmel Highlands last summer?

(03/29/2023) → Monterey Herald

• Did Lack of Funding Contribute to Levee Break?

Nearly five times as much was spent on levee maintenance and flood management on the Pajaro River's northern bank in Santa Cruz County than on its southern bank in Monterey County, where the levee failed and flooded the town.

(03/27/2023) → Monterey Herald

• New Bill Would Limit Sprawl in Disaster-Prone Areas

Sprawl has allowed Californians to live closer to nature and buy homes where it is cheaper to build. But it has also left millions vulnerable to wildfires and flooding.

(03/27/2023) → Monterey Herald

Government Announcements

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City of Pacific Grove (03/03/2023)

Community Meeting - AB 481 Military Equipment Annual Report

City of Pacific Grove (02/02/2023)

Financial Transparency Center

City of Pacific Grove (01/20/2023)

Disaster Loans Available from SBA

City of Pacific Grove (01/04/2023)

Helpful Storm Event Links & Resources!

City of Gonzales (12/01/2022)

2022 California Building Code

City of Pacific Grove (11/29/2022)

Updated ADU Guidance

City of Pacific Grove (11/18/2022)

Skatepark Project Community Survey - NOW AVAILABLE!

City of Pacific Grove (10/31/2022)

11/9 & 11/10 Workshop Series Event with Smart Growth America

City of Pacific Grove (10/28/2022)

Submit your interest for a "Makers Space" or "Craftsman Collective"

City of Gonzales (10/13/2022)

Request for Proposals for Staff Assistance with LAFCO

Democracy & Journalism

Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Monterey County's Homepage

Here's Why We Need Local Journalism

Get to Know a Group

From Our Media Allies

Recent Local News

Government Announcements