The Weekly Tally 06.30.16

WHO’S IN TOWN?

There are about 430 foster children in Monterey County, and they face a number of challenges: Foster kids graduate high school at half the rate of their peers, have a 30-percent increased risk of developing addiction, and nearly half are homeless after they age out of the foster system. Among the strategies for helping them succeed is pairing kids ages 5-18 with court-appointed special advocates, volunteers who serve as steady adults in children’s lives and represent their interest in court placement decisions. There are 125 CASA volunteers with the nonprofit Voices for Children, not enough to serve the waitlist of more than 100 kids.

Next volunteer training runs 6-9pm Tuesdays and Thursdays July 12-Aug. 11. Free; $85 background check required. 455-6800, www.voicesforchildrencasa.org.

WHAT’S UP WITH THAT

A reader wonders what’s the deal with “cuddle services” – and whether they exist in this area. Research reveals cuddling services are actually a thing. As one pro who cites 750,000 minutes doing it, in sessions lasting 15 minutes to five hours, says: “During a session we can hug, sit, lie, dance, sing, read or play games. This is your time to receive the love and attention that you deserve.” Only problem: She’s based in Portland. Cuddle groups reportedly gather in Big Sur, as well as Santa Cruz and the South Bay through MeetUp.com, and a group called The Playful Circle.

OVERHEARD

“I’ve worked on meth mouth, but what really grosses me out is people who eat before coming and don’t brush.”
- A dental hygienist talking to her friends at Chesebro Winery tasting room in Carmel Valley

GOOD WEEK / BAD WEEK

GOOD:

After two decades of talks about restoring the lower Carmel River’s floodplain, the project took a major step forward this week when Clint Eastwood andMargaret Eastwood donated the 79-acre Odello East property to the Big Sur Land Trust. The project, known as the Carmel River Floodplain Restoration and Environmental Enhancement Project, or Carmel River FREE, is designed to minimize potential damage from flooding while also improving wildlife habitat. A section of Highway 1 will be replaced with a new causeway, allowing floodwater to flow underneath, and a new trail will connect Carmel River State Beach toPalo Corona Regional Park, a win for recreation. The land trust has raised $14 million toward its $25 million goal to fund project construction costs. The trust hopes to complete construction by 2019.

BAD:

When 7-Eleven, Inc.decided to purchase 76 CST Brand, Inc. convenience stores in California earlier this year, employees at Valero Corner Stores – owned by CST – did not know what was to come. On July 5, about 100 employees working at Central Coast Valero stores – 52 of those workers in Monterey County – got layoff notices. The affected stores are all over the county, with locations in Moss Landing, Salinas, Sand City, Monterey, King City and Castroville. The stores in King City and Sand City were hit hardest, with 15 and 13 employees, respectively, out of a job. The $408 million acquisition underscores a wave of corporate consolidation sweeping the country’s convenience store sector, where retailers are trying to cope with low profit margins by increasing scale.

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