The Buzz 05.01.25

FREE SPEECH

Bill Owens, longtime executive producer of 60 Minutes on CBS News, tendered his resignation on April 22, telling his staff in a memo that “over the past months, it has become clear that I would not be allowed to run the show as I have always run it, to make independent decisions based on what was right for 60 Minutes, right for the audience.” This comes after Donald Trump sued CBS News for $10 billion last November for election interference because of the show’s editing of its October interview with Democratic candidate Kamala Harris. That led to increased oversight from CBS News executives over the show, which Owens called “a slippery slope.” Meanwhile, Paramount, CBS News’ parent company, has reportedly discussed settling the lawsuit despite legal experts saying the lawsuit has no merit, and comes as Paramount seeks federal approval for a multi-billion dollar merger with Skydance, an entertainment company bankrolled by tech billionaire Larry Ellison.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

“We should not let perfect housing be the enemy of the good.” - Seaside Mayor Ian Oglesby, speaking to the price point of the available units at the new Seagrove Apartments (see story, montereycountynow.com)

GOOD WEEK / GREAT WEEK

GOOD:

The County of Monterey Health Department is launching an initiative to provide free naloxone and fentanyl test strips through public vending machines at four locations in Salinas and Marina. Naloxone, also known by its commercial name Narcan, works to counteract the effects of an opioid overdose within minutes. Fentanyl test strips give people the ability to test drugs for the presence of fentanyl so they can take steps to reduce the risk of overdose. The machines, stocked with 250 units of each item, come with instructions in both English and Spanish. They are located at the county’s new Behavioral Health Access Outpatient Clinic at 30 Pearl St., Salinas; the Monterey-Salinas Transit Center in Salinas, at 110 Salinas St.; the MST Marina Transit Center, 280 Reservation Road; and the Monterey County Jail, 1410 Natividad Road, Salinas. A ribbon-cutting ceremony is scheduled for 1pm Thursday, May 1, at the MST Salinas Transit Center.

GREAT:

It’s great news for Monterey County families: The Maternal Mental Health Task Force has recruited and trained 43 new birth doulas, with the help of partners and an $800,000 grant last year from the region’s Medi-Cal provider, Central California Alliance for Health. Doulas have been shown to increase positive birth outcomes and reduce anxiety in mothers. The Task Force’s efforts will be highlighted by the Monterey County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday, May 6 (at 10:30am) in honor of Maternal Mental Health Awareness Week. Other events include a forum coupled with a Birth & Family Resource Fair on Sunday, May 4, at the Community Impact Center (at 232 Monterey St., Salinas). The forum runs from 9am-4pm, and a resource fair from 11am-4pm. A community walk in Salinas is set for 5pm Wednesday, May 7 at Closter Park (401 Towt St.) and another walk in Castroville at 5pm Thursday, May 15 at North County Recreation and Park District (11261 Crane St.).

Editor's note: The Great Week writeup has been updated to reflect the following correction; the location is named the Community Impact Center, not the Salinas Impact Center. The community walk in Castroville is taking place May 15, not May 8.