The Buzz 03.08.18

WHO’S IN TOWN?

There are few more precious childhood memories than those of the beloved books that delighted, entertained and engaged the imagination. Children’s book authors are also beloved and revered – for Dr. Seuss’ March 2 birthday, schools everywhere served up green eggs and ham in his honor. This week, 120 authors and illustrators are in town for the 35th annual Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators Golden Gate Conference. Keynote speakers include Gennifer Choldenko, author of the Tales From Alcatraz series, which has sold more than 2 million copies; and illustrator Vanessa Brantley Newton, who was inspired as a child by one of the great children’s authors, Ezra Jack Keats, creator of Snowy Day.

Fri-Sun March 9-11. Asilomar Conference Grounds, 800 Asilomar Ave., Pacific Grove. $375 (sold out). sfsouth.scbwi.org/events/2018-golden-gate-conference.

FREE SPEECH

Happy Sunshine Week, from the American Society of News Editors and the Reporters Committee. The annual tradition runs March 11-17 this year, and includes of events around the nation focused on transparency and access to public information. It kicks off March 9 with presentations at the Newseum in Washington, D.C. On March 10, an exhibit opens in the San Francisco Public Library’s Government Information Center displaying U.S. Freedom of Information Act requests and redacted documents. The exhibit, titled “Confirmed and Denied,” highlights high-profile cases including an unsolved Alcatraz escape and Cold War espionage. Even closer to home, a panel convenes from 2-5pm Wednesday, March 14 at CSUMB University Center for a discussion about “the ethics of fake news and who controls the future of our democracy.” Speakers include Renee Diresta from the Data for Democracy and David Greene from the Electronic Frontier Foundation; the Weekly’s publisher,Erik Cushman, moderates.

GOOD WEEK / BAD WEEK

GOOD:

On March 6, the Monterey City Council approved revisions to the city’s sexual harassment policy to bring it into compliance with state standards. The changes will require supervisors to report all complaints, and states that complaints should be investigated in a fair, complete and timely manner. Other changes to the policy: explicitly including unpaid interns and volunteers working for the city, and most notably, a “zero-tolerance” policy regarding harassment. A report about the changes from Human Resources Director Allyson Hauck states the current code only classifies “actionable misconduct” and something considered “severe and pervasive,” which is the legal standard to bring a harassment case to court. The changes remove the “severe and pervasive” clause and institute a zero-tolerance policy, in keeping with “most California public agencies.”

BAD:

The Earth is warming, and the consequences over the next several decades promise to be devastating in ways that humans cannot yet fully comprehend. Among the coming changes that are better understood is how precipitation patterns will continue to transform the American Southwest – think long droughts, extreme floods and higher temperatures. That’s bad news for Monterey County’s biggest industry: agriculture. A University of California study published Feb. 26 in the academic journal Agronomy states that, on account of numerous factors like increased temperatures, highly variable precipitation, pests and disease, the Salinas Valley and the San Joaquin Valley “are two of the most vulnerable agricultural regions” in California. Farming regions further north are projected to become the most hospitable to fruits, such as wine grapes, and nuts.