The Buzz 05.15.25

FREE SPEECH

Local newspapers being gobbled up by large conglomerates is nothing new – on May 1, investment firm Alden Global Capital, which owns the Monterey Herald, announced it purchased The Press Democrat in Santa Rosa and its affiliated publications. Assembly Bill 611 by Assemblymember Alex Lee, D-San Jose, aims to require news companies to notify the public at least 120 days in advance of a sale. Legacy news organizations, defined as those that have operated for at least 10 years, among other requirements, must publish a notice in their county’s newspaper of general circulation stating its intention to sell, under the pending bill. On May 8, the bill passed in the Assembly by a 41-14 vote, and now heads to the State Senate. The California News Publishers Association opposes the bill, stating in an analysis that it would worsen a paper’s finances as “employees and advertisers head for the exits” while waiting for a sale to complete. “The proponents have no evidence that government-compelled notice of a sale of a local news organization will arrest the decline of local journalism in California,” the CNPA wrote.

Editor's note: The "Free Speech" section has been updated to reflect the following correction. As of 2021, Alden Global Capital is now an investment firm, not a hedge fund, as it was originally described.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

“[It’s] deeply troubling.” - Supervisor Glenn Church, writing about PG&E’s plans to take its Moss Landing battery energy storage system online June 1, months after Vistra’s nearby facility caught fire. Church said the company should wait until the investigations are complete and “stronger emergency protocols are in place” (see story, montereycountynow.com)

GOOD WEEK / GREAT WEEK

GOOD:

Everett Alvarez High School’s under-construction performing arts center hit a milestone this week. As the facility goes skyward, on May 14, Salinas Union High School District officials and others had the chance to sign a steel beam that will become part of the structure. Avila Construction Company was chosen as the contractor for the $25 million, nearly 20,000-square-foot facility, which broke ground in the summer of 2024. It will include a 600-seat theater with stage, a music classroom, ticket booth, lobby, restrooms and a prop shop. The facility comes at a time when other major projects are being constructed across SUHSD, including new classroom buildings for Salinas, North Salinas and Alisal high schools. The upgrades at the district’s schools are funded by two bond measures passed by voters in 2014 and 2020.

GREAT:

The work by the staff of skilled nursing facilities takes plenty of mental and physical fortitude – just like athletes. For National Skilled Nursing Care Week, Carmel Hills Care Center held its ninth annual Skilled Nursing Facility Olympics on May 13. Dozens of staff members competed in a series of challenges inspired by the work and experiences within the facility. Staffers took part in such activities as a wheelchair obstacle course, a food delivery challenge where they wore vision-impairing goggles while holding a meal tray, and the “commode toss,” which is exactly as it sounds: throw a roll of toilet paper into a bedside commode. “The SNF Olympics is more than just a fun event – it’s a chance for our staff to come together, build camaraderie and gain deeper insight into the daily experiences of our residents,” said Jarrod Christensen, administrator at Carmel Hills Care Center.