View in Browser Our Journalism Needs Your Support Please Donate Today
California Local Logo
Graphic which spells out The Newsletter.

By Eric Johnson
Published Dec 18, 2023

JP Reese, a registered nurse, stands with a couple of Ukranian soldiers near the front lines of the war zone. The photo was taken by JP's bride, Dawn Davidson, two weeks after they were married in Sacramento. JP Reese, a registered nurse, stands with a couple of Ukranian soldiers near the front lines of the war zone. The photo was taken by JP's bride, Dawn Davidson, two weeks after they were married in Sacramento.

Californians Supporting Ukraine

In one of his final acts as the most powerful California Republican, then-House Speaker Kevin McCarthy capitulated to radical members of his party and refused to allow Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to address a joint meeting of Congress. Last week, as the brutal dictator Vladamir Putin predicted that Americans will grow weary of helping Ukraine defend itself against his murderous war, the same group of House members seemed to prove him right.

Meanwhile, as the progressive Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) has pointed out, House Democrats are being unhelpfully obstinate by refusing to even discuss the situation on our southern border as a condition of funding the war, making things more difficult for Zelenskyy.

In this week's edition of The Newsletter, we bring our focus to Californians who are standing with the Ukrainian people. 

Nurses on the Front Lines

My friend JP Reese is a wound nurse who has worked for the past decade as a home healthcare provider. Most Tuesday evenings we sit in a men’s group together, and occasionally JP will tell a story about visiting one of his patients, most of whom are house-bound and in serious need of his skills as a healer. It’s a powerful gift to witness the depth of his compassion—in my judgment, he was already a hero before he decided to spend his honeymoon in a warzone. 

JP and his bride, Dawn Davidson, who is also a nurse, hoped to spend the weeks after their wedding helping wounded Ukrainian soldiers. As you will see in Graham Womack's wonderful telling of their story, they were unable to accomplish that, but they found other ways to help.

While very few Californians will manage to deliver aid to Ukrainians directly, plenty are doing what they can. Tamara Warta presents here a nunber of organizations that deserve your support.

A Honeymoon in Ukraine

JP Reese (left) and Dawn Davidson (right) celebrated their union with a honeymoon spent serving others.
After their October wedding, registered nurses Dawn Davidson and JP Reese spent their honeymoon in Ukraine, where they distributed humanitarian aid.

From California to Kyiv


With the war between Russia and Ukraine dragging on, California organizations are continuing to take action in support of embattled Ukrainians.

California Local logo

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!

Ambition and Luck

How former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy became Califonria's most powerful Republican leader—and how it all suddenly and predictably came to an end.

Kevin McCarthy: A Look Back

Kevin McCarthy, the Bakersfield Republican whose fall from power was even more rapid than his rise, gave a farewell speech on Dec. 14.
Many conservatives believe success is achieved through hard work. So how did California’s most prominent conservative politician reach the top? Kevin McCarthy won the lottery.

Impact Report Image for decorative use

Get to Know a Group

Community Emergency Response Volunteers logo 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.”

→ Learn more

California Media Alliance logo

From Our Media Allies

 → View All
Monterey County Weekly logo When Looking for Gift Inspiration, Think Local

Each year, Monterey County Weekly publishes a series of guides themed around gifts you can buy from local retailers.
Salinas Valley Tribune logo Gonzales Police Officers Complete ABLE Training Program

The entire Gonzales Police Department completed the Active Bystandership for Law Enforcement program on Nov. 30.
Salinas Valley Tribune logo Pinnacles Celebrates 10th Anniversary as National Park

A public celebration took place at the Soledad Historical Society for the 10th anniversary of the Pinnacles becoming a national park and the 20 years of the Condor Recovery Program.
Monterey County Weekly logo Supervisor Root-Askew Faces Challenger; Alejo Will Run Unopposed

Three of five seats on the Monterey County Board of Supervisors are up for election in 2024, but only two are contested. In District 1, Supervisor Luis Alejo will run unopposed.
Monterey County Weekly logo Caltrans Estimates ‘Late Spring’ Reopening for Paul’s Slide in Big Sur

There may be light at the end of the long Highway 1 closure tunnel—in 2024.
Monterey County Weekly logo Soledad Council Votes to Put District Map Referendum on March Ballot

After they were locked in a 2-2 split on Dec. 6, the Soledad City Council reconvened Dec. 8 to revisit the politically divisive question of how to draw a district map for the city.
  California Local Pin Marker  

Recent Local News

 → View All

• Carmel Unified Community Weighs in on Next District Leader

The Carmel Unified School District community is looking for a leader who will manage the governing board and rebuild trust and collaboration, a recent stakeholder survey showed.

 (12/18/2023) → Monterey Herald

• New Boutique Hotel to be Considered by Sand City Council

An application will be considered by the Sand City Council for a conditional use permit for a multi-room boutique hotel near the West End artists’ district.

 (12/13/2023) → Monterey Herald

• Monterey Airport District Board Selects Design Concept for New Terminal

“The original concept that was selected was the Treehouse. After reviewing the conceptual cost estimates, it became apparent that the original concept was going to be too expensive.”

 (12/12/2023) → Monterey Herald

• New Fish Market Debuts in Moss Landing

Sea Harvest, the family-owned fishing outfit with boats on the water and a constellation of market-restaurants on shore, has a new market that just opened in Moss Landing.

 (12/11/2023) → Edible Monterey Bay
  California Local Pin Marker  

Recent Statewide News

 → View All

• SF Hits New Record for Overdose Deaths

The fentanyl epidemic has pushed San Francisco to a grim milestone: a new record for overdoses. A total 752 people overdosed in the first 11 months of this year, surpassing 2020’s record number of 726.

 (12/14/2023) → SFGate

• Newsom Touts California to Seth Meyers

Gov. Gavin Newsom defended his work and that of current or former California leaders like Rep. Nancy Pelosi and Vice President Kamala Harris during an appearance on “Late Night with Seth Meyers.” Newsom suggested conservatives focus unduly on California's failures.

 (12/14/2023) → SFGate

• Commute Times Highlight Income Divide

Higher-income workers are more likely to work from home, analysis of recent census data shows. Lower-income workers can face long and solitary commutes to get to work.

 (12/13/2023) → Los Angeles Times

• Michelin Guide Adds Seven California Restaurants

Three restaurants in San Francisco, three in Los Angeles and one in San Diego have been added to the Michelin Guide. Two of the SF eateries also made Esquire’s list for best new American restaurants in 2023.

 (12/12/2023) → SFGate

• Assembly Group on Retail Theft to Hold First Hearing

A new select committee in the California Assembly dedicated to retail theft will hold its first hearing on Dec. 19. This allows the committee to get to work before the next legislative session on an issue that’s drawn much press for California in recent years.

 (12/12/2023) → Sacramento Bee

• Supreme Court Upholds California Ban on Conversion Therapy

By declining to hear a conservative group’s challenge, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld a California ban on conversion therapy for LGBTQ youth. California is one of 22 states to ban this practice.

 (12/11/2023) → Sacramento Bee

• Yosemite Trying New Strategies to Reduce Food Packaging Waste

An estimated 100,000 pizza boxes have been removed from Yosemite’s waste stream. This is because the famed park now serves pizza on trays and puts to-go portions in compostable bags, part of a move to reduce food-related waste.

 (12/11/2023) → SFGate
  California Local Pin Marker  

Government Announcements

 → View All
Image of City of Pacific Grove seal. City of Pacific Grove   (12/18/2023)

NOW AVAILABLE FOR REVIEW - Proposed Changes to PGMC Title 12, Trees & the Urban Forest
Image of City of Del Rey Oaks seal. City of Del Rey Oaks   (12/16/2023)

FREE Oak Tree Vouchers available at City Hall
Please come down to get yours, instructions included.
Image of City of Marina seal. City of Marina   (12/15/2023)

Volunteer for the 2024 Unsheltered Point In Time Count
The Coalition of Homeless Services Providers would appreciate your support in making it possible by volunteering with us.
Image of City of Pacific Grove seal. City of Pacific Grove   (12/15/2023)

UPCOMING COMMUNITY MEETINGS - SUNSET DR/SR 68 IMPROVEMENTS
Image of County of Monterey seal. County of Monterey   (12/14/2023)

County of Monterey Awarded Grant from the Office of Traffic Safety for Drugged Driving Awareness Campaign
County of Monterey Health Department’s Public Health Bureau is the recipient of a $210,799 grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) to support the Public Health Cannabis Education Program. Grant funds will support the expansion of...
Image of City of Greenfield seal. City of Greenfield   (12/13/2023)

PUBLIC NOTICE - UNCLAIMED FUNDS
Image of City of Monterey seal. City of Monterey   (12/11/2023)

City of Monterey Announces the Retirement of Fire Chief Gaudenz Panholzer
Image of City of Seaside seal. City of Seaside   (12/08/2023)

Winter Storm Preparation & Coordination with Monterey County
The City of Seaside will be partnering with the Monterey County Department Of Emergency Management. La Ciudad de Seaside se asociará con el Departamento de Manejo de Emergencias del Condado de Monterey.
Image of City of Monterey seal. City of Monterey   (12/08/2023)

Hate Crime Arrest
Image of City of Marina seal. City of Marina   (12/06/2023)

Joby Aviation Awarded $9.8 Million Dollar Grant to Support Facility and Jobs Expansion in Marina
The $9.8 million grant will assist in expansion of Joby’s facilities in Marina by the construction of a new 200,000 square foot building that will increase production capacities at the Marina Municipal Airport.