Monterey County Blog Articles


Image caption: Voters have many decisions to weigh before March 5.
One Citizen, One Vote

A year from now we’ll be choosing the next U.S. president. But there are many important decisions to be made before then. Now’s the time to start getting ready for the March 5 primary.

Image caption: California is one of the most complex political entities in the world. California Local’s upcoming book explains it all in 46 fascinating chapters.
‘How California Works’—a Synopsis of California Local’s First Book

California Local enters the world of book publishing with its upcoming book, ‘How California Works,’ explaining the inner workings of this ‘most American state.’

Image caption: As the news desert fades, the information islands come into view.
News Deserts and Information Archipelagos

In which we contemplate the demise of the "newspaper of record" at the hands of private equity, and the rise of the small newsroom network to replace it.

Image caption: Time to step up and speak out.
Conveniently Contacting Your Elected Representatives

We've made it one-click convenient for members to contact their elected representatives.

Image caption: A screenshot from “Modern Times” (1936), Charlie Chaplin’s meditation on the vicissitudes of labor.
Working Man’s Blues

They were odd jobs, but somebody had to do them. On International Workers’ Day, one peripatetic laborer shares his career lowlights.

Image caption: For local philanthropic or service organizations, communication is key.
Getting the Word Out

Nonprofits and other groups play an important role in every community, yet people are often unaware of this work. Getting the word out is vital. We can help.

Image caption: We're working to make it easier for you to find your way around this awesome state by improving our site architecture and User Interface, and building out two new editorial products.
California Local's Spring 2023 Roadmap

Several projects are underway to make California Local beautiful and more functional. We're working hard to make it even easier for our members to citizen. (And remember: 'Citizen' is a verb!)

Image caption: Valerie Jarrett with the commander in chief in the Blue Room of the White House in 2010.
What Is Civic Engagement?

President Obama’s closest advisor, Valerie Jarrett, created and ran the White House Office of Public Engagement. Because democracy.

Image caption: Collage of images generated by DALL-E with the prompt “An ink drawing in the style of Ralph Steadman of a group of creatures with human bodies dressed in business attire but with lizard heads, outside Twitter corporate headquarters.”
Eschewing Enshittification

Ever wonder why things go wrong in our country and economy? We learned a new word from Cory Doctorow, and found a solution to this menace in the Fediverse.

Image caption: Former U.S. Attorney General William Barr (right) and the man to whom he remains loyal.
Barr Attacks Media at News Publishers Conference

The title of CapCon 2023 was 'Rebuilding Trust in an Age of Disinformation.' Barr’s response to that prompt was unambiguous: You do not deserve to be trusted.

Image caption: View of the flooded San Lorenzo River Park Benchlands in Santa Cruz, California on New Year's Eve 2022.
Communicating During Disaster and Crisis

How to effectively communicate actionable information for preparation before extreme events, and to disseminate vital information during and after disasters.

Image caption: We are tied to friends and family despite our differences. And when we listen to each other, we can find common ground.
Looking Forward to 2023

A note from our publisher: California Local invites you to listen—and contribute.

Image caption: Winter moon rises over Lake Tahoe.
If You Love Tahoe, Step Right Up!

Wherever you live in California, you are likely to have strong feelings about Lake Tahoe. I want you to know that the Tahoe Truckee Community Foundation’s annual Give Back Tahoe campaign is at the tail end of another record-breaking year.

Image caption: Don’t be a dummy; go out there and citizen responsibly.
CALocal: Making an Impact

A review of our web metrics reveals a lot of growth in site visitors. But we’re happiest to see that we are helping connect people with their communities.

Image caption: Don't get stomped.
Could Mastodon Become the New Twitter?

Following Elon Musk's purchase of Twitter, droves are fleeing the social network and joining Mastodon, an open-source federated service in the 'Fediverse.'

Image caption: The Giant Sequoia, like this one in Yosemite National Park's Mariposa Grove, is one of the two fastest growing trees in the world. The other is the Coast Redwood. Ahhh ... California.
Two Years of Virtual Community Building

Publisher Mike Gelbman delivers a report on our media allies, local directories, marketing services, and more.

Image caption:
TTCF: Delivering Impact in North Lake Tahoe

California Local is helping a powerful organization tell a big story about confronting problems that threaten the soul of the North Lake Tahoe community.

Image caption: UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres addresses the United Nations.
International Day of Democracy

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres defends "the cornerstone of democratic societies—free, independent, and pluralistic media.”

Image caption: Dig into daily tips provided by two master gardeners.
Welcome to Sacramento Digs Gardening

We’ve made our proprietary content management platform available for fellow publishers.

Image caption: Nothing to see here, just folks working together.
See You at the Barn Raising

The headlines have been screaming lately. Meanwhile, the quiet work of building a better world goes on.

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