The Buzz 06.28.18

WHO’S IN TOWN?

The late Speaker of the House Tip O’Neill famously said, “All politics is local.” Washington Post columnist Paul Kane argued last year that in the era of cable news and social media that’s no longer true nationally, but local politics are still a going concern on the ground in Monterey County, and hard work for the many people who volunteer. This week the League of California Cities is in town with its Mayors & Council Members Advanced Leadership Workshops. Two day-long sessions are offered: “City Finances – What You Need to Know” and “Exceptional Council for Exceptional Times: Creating a Governance Culture of Civility and Purpose.” Speakers include Mike Kasperzak, former mayor of Mountain View, and Shelly Masur, a council member from Redwood City, among others.

8:30am-3pm Friday, June 29. Monterey Conference Center, 1 Portola Plaza, Monterey. $195/members, elected officials and staff; $1,195/non-members. cacities.org.

FREE SPEECH

On April 17, 2017, the California Attorney General’s office announced it was suring Wounded Warriors Support Group and Central Coast Equine Rescue and Retirement, Carmel-based nonprofits the AG claimed were raising funds under the auspices of charity, but instead financing a private showhorse hobby. TheWeekly, among other media outlets, wrote about the case, which is still pending in Alameda County Superior Court. Fast-forward a year, when Matthew Gregory – who ran the organizations – sued Monterey County Weekly, as well as KSBW and the Carmel Pine Cone, alleging defamation in our coverage. (And alleging, in a bizarre twist, that his phone interview was illegally recorded and shared with KSBW.) In a June 22 decision by Fresno County Superior Court JudgeKimberly Gaab, the Weekly prevailed in tossing out the case on an anti-SLAPP basis, or strategic lawsuit against public participation. Gaab agreed with theWeekly’s anti-SLAPP motion, ruling that Gregory’s suit would effectively chill free speech.

GOOD WEEK / BAD WEEK

GOOD:

The day in February 2017 when cracks appeared in two of Pfeiffer Canyon Bridge’s support columns was nervewracking for Big Sur, as its main link to the world was teetering – mudslides to the south had already shut off its other paved access point. It seemed an impossible task, but eight months later, a new $21.7 million bridge was complete and Big Sur’s island status was no more. The engineering feat is now reaping big awards, Caltrans announced June 22. So far there are six: Transportation Agency for Monterey County’s Transportation Excellence; Excellence in Partnering from Caltrans; 2018 Project of the Year, American Public Works Association, Monterey Bay Chapter; Project of Special Recognition, California Transportation Foundation; National Public Works Project of the Year, APWA National; and Best Use of Technology and Innovation, American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials.

BAD:

A wild time is ending for the city of Marina. Well, make that Wild Thyme Deli & Café. Chef and owner Terry Teplitzky says he’s shutting down Wild Thyme on June 29, ending a 16-year run. That’s bad news for Marina fans of the deli’s Veggie Panino (see story, page 40) and other sandwiches, as well as its bountiful catering offerings by Michael’s Catering. But there’s good news for Salinas: Teplitzky is moving Wild Thyme to South Main Street in Salinas, right next to Zeph’s One Stop, with a planned mid-July opening, an expanded menu and longer hours (6:30am-8:30pm daily). The new digs will become the main kitchen forBoardwalk Sub Shop (Teplitzky’s newer venture, with locations in Salinas and Monterey). He says he also intends to search for a new spot somewhere on the Peninsula.