The Buzz 07.29.21

FREE SPEECH

Journalists live in the world that we cover, and there’s no escaping that fact. Increasingly, the expectation from the public is not to be “unbiased,” an impossible bar, but to approach reporting with an acknowledgment of how one’s own lived experience may influence a story. For Washington Post reporter Felicia Sonmez, that tension came to a head when Post editors twice barred her from covering stories related to sexual assault, such as allegations against Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, because Sonmez had publicly spoken about her experience as a sexual assault survivor. Sonmez was also briefly placed on leave after tweeting about rape charges Kobe Bryant had faced, hours after the NBA star’s death. Now, Sonmez has sued the Post, alleging retaliation and discrimination. In the suit, filed July 21, she claims the Post “chastised, silenced and subjected to humiliation on a repeated basis for being a victim of sexual assault, for defending herself against false accusations and for her opposition to defendants’ attempts to depict her as unworthy or unable to perform the duties of her position.”

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

“No one even knows it’s burning.” -Diver Keith Rootsaert, comparing the devastation of Monterey Bay’s kelp forests to terrestrial forest fires. He is part of an effort to destroy urchins, which eat kelp.

GOOD WEEK / GREAT WEEK

Good:

Eighteen months after breaking ground on renovations, much-needed work on the 192-unit affordable housing development Del Monte Manor is complete. (It’s also about to get a new name, to be announced at a rededication ceremony at 11am on Saturday, July 31.) The $30 million project—completed on budget and six months ahead of schedule— is the first major renovation at the Monterey Peninsula’s largest affordable housing complex since it was built in 1969. Terrex Development Corporation, based in Lafayette, California, was hired to oversee the construction. In a statement, Terrex President Matt Locati said, “The Del Monte Manor renovation will help to fulfill the community’s need for high quality affordable housing.” In addition to upgrades to residential units, renovations include a new basketball court, a 10-station computer learning center and a community garden.

GREAT:

After more than a year-long closure, Last Chance Mercantile is back. The secondhand store, located at the Monterey Regional Waste Management District in Marina for 30 years, offers a practical take on the “reuse” principle of reduce, reuse and recycle, with everything from clothing and furniture to mulch, plumbing equipment and backyard compost kits. The 8,000-square-foot facility has been renovated and will be under new management by the nonprofit Veterans Transition Center. The beloved store routinely wins Weekly readers’ love as “Best Eco-Friendly Business in Monterey County” in our annual Best Of Readers’ Poll. Last Chance Merc reopens on Saturday, July 31, this time with a new mission beyond helping to keep trash out of the landfill: helping homeless veterans. The location (14201 Del Monte Blvd., Marina) is unchanged and hours are 9am-4pm Tuesday-Saturday.