The Buzz 07.03.25

FREE SPEECH

President Donald Trump has targeted various media outlets for reports he feels treat him unfairly. Now, Gov. Gavin Newsom appears to be taking a page out of the Trump playbook, but instead targeting a conservative outlet. On June 27, Newsom sued Fox News over alleged defamation, stemming from the timing of a phone call he had with Trump earlier in June when the president sent the National Guard to Los Angeles to crack down on protesters. The lawsuit alleges that Fox News edited videos of Trump talking about calling Newsom, and used cherry-picked clips to claim Newsom lied about the phone call. The requested $787 million in damages is the same figure Fox News paid Dominion Voting Systems to settle a defamation case over the outlet’s false allegations regarding the 2020 election. “If Fox News wants to lie to the American people on Donald Trump’s behalf, it should face consequences – just like it did in the Dominion case,” Newsom said in a statement. A Fox News spokesperson called Newsom’s lawsuit a “transparent publicity stunt” that is “designed to chill free speech critical of him.”

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

“Community standards are expected – and they’re not cheap.” - Monterey County Sheriff’s Chief Deputy Timothy Lanquist, on the rising health care costs in the jail (see story, montereycountynow.com)

GOOD WEEK / GREAT WEEK

GOOD:

Donations can sometimes prove challenging for nonprofit organizations. If they come in as restricted for certain programs or recipients, it could lead to struggles in paying for the basic operation of the organization. Which is why it’s a good week for nonprofit Harmony at Home, which recently received a grant of $48,000 specifically for operations from the Lenore and Dale Meyer Fund of the Community Foundation for Monterey County, the group announced recently. Julianne Leavy, founder and CEO of Harmony at Home, said it was “not only a financial investment in our mission – it’s a reaffirmation of the importance of trauma-informed care and violence prevention in our community.” The group offers community and school-based counseling, bullying prevention, parent education and more. The money will be used to strengthen core operations, sustain programs and expand outreach.

GREAT:

The City of Salinas is launching a Youth Council. “The Youth Council will help build a stronger connection between the City and the next generation of local leaders,” the application states. Students who are selected will serve as liaisons between the City and other youth and school districts. Every year, they will develop a community service project. Teens can apply for different positions, including chair, clerk, diversity and inclusion officer, and more. The youth council has been successful in South County cities for increasing teen involvement and making policy changes in the community, such as creating a teen center or adding resources to aid students facing mental health issues. Gonzales Youth Council won the 2022 Ruth Vreeland Award for Engaging Youth in City Government from the Helen Putnam Awards. The last day to apply is July 6 and it’s open to all high school students in Salinas.