The Buzz 01.30.25

FREE SPEECH

It’s no secret that women’s rights over their own bodies are under attack with the new administration, so many weren’t surprised when the federal website, ReproductiveRights.gov, disappeared shortly after the Jan. 20 inauguration. The website was created by the Biden administration in 2022 after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, ending abortion as a federal right. The team at theSkimm, an online news outlet, noticed that the website had been preserved by the Internet Archive. So, with the thumbs-up from their attorneys, theSkimm copied all the information and pasted it to their new website, reproductiverightsdotgov.com. In an interview with Marketing Daily, theSkimm Executive Editor Margaret Wheeler said the response to the move has been overwhelming. “Our position is that we always want to give women information about their health, and they can then make the right decisions for them,” she said. “We are just doing what we’ve always tried to do: present information in a non-biased, fact-checked, science-based way, regardless of the politics surrounding it.”

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

“He touched a lot of people with his music.” -John Tallon, drummer of Jonah and the Whalewatchers, reminiscing on Alexander “Bammy” Shirley, the founding member and vocalist/bassist of the band who died on Jan. 12 (see story, montereycountynow.com)

GOOD WEEK / GREAT WEEK

GOOD:

National and statewide accolades continue for Chef Jonny Black of Chez Noir in Carmel. On Wednesday, Jan. 22, Black was named as a semifinalist for the James Beard Award for Best Chef: California, one of 11 regional awards given out by the organization. In its first year, the restaurant not only earned a Michelin star, but was also nominated for the James Beard Award for Best New Restaurant. Black is among 20 chefs from California restaurants so honored. The final nominees will be named on April 2, with the winner announced at the official ceremony on June 16 in Chicago. Black graduated with honors from the Culinary Institute of America Hyde Park in 2007. From there he joined the culinary A-list, including stints at Per Se in New York, Governor in Brooklyn, as well as San Francisco destinations Quince and Atelier Crenn. Jonny and Monique Black opened Chez Noir in October 2022.

GREAT:

Farmers markets operated by Everyone’s Harvest throughout Monterey County have returned from their winter slumber. Also back: free produce boxes in Seaside. Everyone’s Harvest announced that the Farms Together program has been extended through 2025, with boxes of fruits and vegetables worth $26 available for pickup at the Seaside Farmers Market at Laguna Grande Park every Thursday at 5pm. To receive a box, available on a first-come, first-served basis, residents need to show an ID verifying that they come from a low-income household, such as an EBT or Medi-Cal card. “This extension of the Farms Together program underscores our commitment to ensuring that everyone in our community, regardless of income level, has reliable access to fresh produce,” Everyone’s Harvest Executive Director Hester Parker said.