The Buzz 10.16.25

FREE SPEECH

The New York Times scored a victory for the First Amendment Oct. 8 when a U.S. District Judge ruled the Pentagon must provide the newspaper with a list of Elon Musk’s security clearances, after the Times sued to obtain them back in March. In court documents, the feds argued that the disclosure “could reasonably be expected to constitute an unwarranted invasion of personal privacy.” However, the judge ruled that Musk, who was a “special government employee” earlier this year, had forfeited his privacy interests in the matter by boasting about his top secret clearances on social media. Additionally, the judge found that Musk has made public disclosures about his use of controlled substances like ketamine and his contacts with foreign leaders, specifically referring to a post about Russian President Vladimir Putin. The court ruled “the list of Musk’s security clearances, including any conditions or waivers, could provide meaningful insight.” If the government wants to make any redactions to the two-page list of clearances, the judge ruled they must submit them to the court for review by Oct. 17.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

“I can’t continue like this. It doesn’t make any sense.” - Tamie Aceves of La Créme Hospitality Inc., operator of the Grill at Point Pinos, speaking about how rent costs from the City of Pacific Grove is forcing her to shut down the restaurant (see story, montereycountynow.com).

GOOD WEEK / GREAT WEEK

GOOD:

It’s a good week for a local inventor, Dr. David Craig Wright of D4 Labs, LLC., located in downtown Pacific Grove. Wright was accepted as a keynote speaker at the prestigious ninth edition of the World Congress on Infectious Diseases and fifth edition of the International Vaccines Congress, taking place Oct. 23-25 in Orlando, Florida. He’ll be presenting on his breakthrough invention, a way to administer vaccines for different types of influenza subcutaneously, or under the skin, instead of into muscle; his method is less painful. In February 2024, Wright received his 20th patent in his 40-year medical research career for the invention. The patent included a modification of the SARS-CoV-2, or Covid-19 virus, and a vaccine against the virus itself. In addition, Wright says he’ll be introducing a new line of topical products that treat first-degree burns by carrying medicine in tiny particles called liposomes.

GREAT:

There is a narrative that environmental protections and critically needed housing development are in direct conflict with each other, particularly in California’s carefully regulated Coastal Zone. State Sen. John Laird, D-Santa Cruz, believes there can be a middle ground, and his Senate Bill 484 shows it. The bill was approved unanimously by the legislature and signed into law by Gov. Gavin Newsom on Oct. 6. The law, which takes effect Jan. 1, will streamline infill housing that is 100-percent affordable, and compels the California Coastal Commission by July 1, 2027 to select at least three areas for a 10-year exemption from onerous permitting requirements. The bill received support from both environmental and development groups. “California does not have to choose between affordable housing and protecting our coastal resources,” Laird said. “We can and must do both.”