Monterey County Resilience Articles

2023’s torrential rainstorms have eased California's drought conditions. But there’s a lot more to drought than the amount of rain, and this drought isn't over yet.

During the succession of atmospheric rivers that swept over the Central Coast around the turn of the year, the Monterey County Water Resources Agency, per a Jan. 13 statement, increased its “extremely small water releases” from Lake Nacimiento “to reduce…

Cannabis has been king in this rural area of northern California. As prices plummet, communities and small businesses are hurting, Many blame Prop 64.

During the three wildfires that hit Monterey County in the summer of 2020 – resulting in evacuations in Carmel Valley, along Highway 68 and communities along River Road south of Salinas – there was little risk to the Peninsula forest…

David Schmalz here, thinking about the weather, and how remarkably accurate weather forecasting has become over the past century-plus. It’s not a stagnant science, either—forecasting continues to become even more accurate.

MONTEREY COUNTY — Community Foundation for Monterey County (CFMC) created the Monterey County Storm Relief Fund on Jan. 10 to assist communities impacted by the 2023 winter storms. The fund is a trusted repository for donations and 100% of gifts …

MONTEREY COUNTY — Monterey Bay Economic Partnership (MBEP) has secured a $1 million California Public Utilities Commission broadband development grant to support the Central Coast Broadband Consortium (CCBC)’s efforts to expand broadband in Monterey, Santa Cruz and San Benito counties. …

MONTEREY COUNTY — Disaster assistance for those impacted by winter storms is going mobile and in person to South Monterey County starting Friday. While nearly 2,000 residents have registered for disaster assistance at the County of Monterey’s Local Assistance Center, …

It’s not that unusual for Carmel Beach to temporarily lose some of its iconic white sand during rough storms in the wintertime. What was unusual was how much sand was lost during the string of atmospheric rivers in January, something…

Surveying the flood damage at his family’s farm outside of Castroville, Mike Scattini is relieved things weren’t any worse. The Scattinis have farmed their land near the Salinas River Lagoon for more than 100 years and have seen their share…

MONTEREY COUNTY — Additional disaster relief from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has been approved for Monterey County to make permanent repairs to county roads, bridges and other infrastructure. On Jan. 17, President Joe Biden amended his Major Disaster …

David Schmalz here, thinking about natural disasters. That phrase has now become a loaded term, because the so-called “natural” disasters we’re experiencing are often exacerbated, and made more frequent, by humans burning fossil fuels.

Where an aging, low-income, 40-unit apartment building once sat at 1115 Parkside St. in Salinas, there are now two gleaming buildings featuring 80 units for low-income seniors. At one time, the old building that was torn down was connected by…

For people who live in Big Sur—accessible via Highway 1, the region's lonely paved artery on the edge of a cliff, and a series of rugged dirt roads—highway closures come with the season. They are expected at the edge of…

As Monterey County residents and business owners take a breath after the storm, it's time to begin the next phase: recovery.

As parts of the Carmel Valley flooded last week, it highlighted the stark risks of living in a floodplain, and for some residents, perhaps, was a reminder that they indeed live in a floodplain. But for residents and businesses in…

Even before the recent wave of winter storms hit, some local jurisdictions began declaring emergencies.

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

Celia Jiménez here, remembering the language barriers I faced when I first came to the U.S. in 2010—the feeling of isolation, and the time I spent reading lips to make sure I understood what others were saying. It’s a memory…

SALINAS VALLEY — Severe winter storms have resulted in road closures, evacuation orders and water rescues over the past week due to major flooding throughout the Salinas Valley region, with possibly more rain to come this weekend. The latest storm, …