The Buzz 08.07.25

FREE SPEECH

As the federal government works to attack journalists in the courtroom, those on the ground report a growing number of physical attacks, primarily during coverage of protests against the current presidential administration. In July, the U.S. Press Freedom Tracker, a project of the Freedom of the Press Foundation, documented 14 arrests or detentions of journalists, 64 assaults by federal officers or police, eight instances of equipment being damaged and two where they were searched. Another two dozen other reports are also being investigated. Of the 75 affected journalists, most reported being exposed to a chemical irritant at least once, according to the Tracker. Independent journalist Mason Lake told the Tracker that federal agents intentionally shot him with a crowd-control munition while he was covering a protest against ICE in Oregon. “They were aiming specifically down the barrel of my lens,” Lake said. “They see me. They just want to get rid of me.” Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Press Club was granted a temporary restraining order against the Los Angeles Police Department, which prevents the police from limiting journalists’ ability to do their job at protests.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

“It feels like the right time to pass the torch.” - Mario Catalano, Cibo’s owner for 35 years, on selling the downtown Monterey restaurant to Carmel restaurateur Dudley Ashley (see story, montereycountynow.com)

GOOD WEEK / GREAT WEEK

GOOD:

Despite uncertain federal funding, the Monterey County Preschool Service Corps will continue for another year. The board of United Way Monterey County approved a plan that will see up to 30 Corps members tutoring young children enrolled in Head Start programs in classrooms throughout Monterey County in the 2025-26 school year. The program had been humming along normally since 2020, but earlier this year, abrupt federal cuts to AmeriCorps meant shutting down the program midyear. The feds notified the state which notified the local grant recipient (United Way) that the funding stream was over. United Way scrambled to find money to keep the tutors paid through the end of the school year, but weren’t sure about what was next. They’ve now won a grant from the state for up to $500,000 and are recruiting on an accelerated timeline, hoping to get people trained and into classrooms by Oct. 1.

GREAT:

A plan to turn a former hotel in King City into housing for the unhoused was in danger of falling through, after its then-owner Shangri-La went into foreclosure on the property. But earlier this year, King City officials agreed to purchase the hotel for $4.4 million, selling it to the Housing Authority of the County of Monterey for $1.1 million. On July 30, officials gathered to break ground on the project, now known as Casa de Esperanza. The hotel will be converted into 46 studio apartments for primarily those who were relocated from encampments along the Salinas River. The Housing Authority now seeks a contractor for the project, which is estimated to be completed by January. The estimated $16.7 million cost of the conversion is coming from local and state sources. Once complete, the Housing Authority will oversee operations and contract with an outside agency to provide supportive services.