FREE SPEECH
In vast swaths of the country, local journalism has all but disappeared over the past 15 years. In these so-called news deserts, fake news websites are stepping in to sell partisan coverage. A bipartisan effort is trying to reverse the decline of local news by putting money into the hands of individuals. The Local Journalism Sustainability Act was introduced in Congress over the summer and it has attracted 76 cosponsors, including 20 Republicans and 56 Democrats. Rep. Jimmy Panetta, D-Carmel Valley, is among the supporters. Former presidential candidate Andrew Yang is promoting the bill as well. The bill would give taxpayers a credit of up to $250 per year to subscribe or donate to a local news outlet. In other words, the local press would see an injection of cash, only if it convinced readers its coverage was worthwhile. Another provision would give news outlets a tax break to hire local journalists. Small businesses would also benefit from tax credits they can spend on advertising in local media.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
“It’s probably 100 percent of my clients that have some form of mental illness.” -- Defense attorney Scott Erdbacher on the prevalence of mental illness in defendants in Monterey County Superior Court (see cover story).
GOOD WEEK / GREAT WEEK
Good:
Amid a crisis for leafy green growers in the Salinas Valley due to Canadian import restrictions, an industry’s trade association is tapping Tim York of Salinas as its new CEO. The Leafy Greens Marketing Agreement, founded in 2007 in response to an E. coli outbreak, selected York weeks after Canadian food safety officials targeted Salinas Valley romaine for increased regulation. York will replace Scott Horsfall to become the LGMA’s second-ever CEO. He starts work at the LGMA job on Dec. 1, soon after stepping down from his role as president of Markon Cooperative, a produce buyer for foodservice companies in North America. His background includes considerable experience in food safety, having served on the board of the Center for Produce Safety and the Produce Traceability Initiative. “Food safety is both a priority and a passion for me,” York said in a statement.GREAT:
Ciclovía Salinas kept rolling despite the pandemic, with a mix of in-person (socially distant) and virtual events from Oct. 30-Nov. 1. “We had to make the decision back in July if we wanted to keep it going,” said 17-year-old Erick Rocha, press captain for Ciclovía, a youth-led initiative. “Everyone wanted to.” So they proceeded, and adapted. Ciclovía aims to educate and help Salinas reimagine their streets as more bike – and pedestrian-friendly, usually with a one-day event blocking motorized traffic on Alisal Street, “helping connect a more privileged part of the community with a more underprivileged community,” Rocha says. Zumba classes and a relay race capped the celebrations. “I didn’t know Salinas had a high obesity rate until I joined,” 17-year-old volunteer Zaira Hernandez says. Given the pandemic, she adds, “I think everyone really wanted something to do.”
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