A look back with a ‘2025 Wrapped’ for Monterey County Now.

This year’s “Wrapped” was inspired by the Spotify-induced excitement in my own home. While my wife (Gen X) and son and daughter (Gen Z) were flexing their stats, my own were too low to mention – so I’m turning the spotlight on you, our readers. The stats below reveal a few takeaways about 2025.

The Grind Was Real. In 2025, 2,733 stories were published on montereycountynow.com. (That includes stories from the print edition of Monterey County Weekly, which are all also published online.)

The Tea Was Spilled. Our most-read story of the year dropped just last month, the wine influencer drama that broke the internet. You can find this Dec. 11 story still buzzing on Instagram or Reddit at r/MontereyBay.

The Ghosting Award. Mi Tierra market in Seaside. We miss you, tacos.

The story with the most Main Character Energy. You, our readers, stared at a story about a failed waterfront shopping center, Heritage Harbor in Monterey, for an average of 4 minutes and 31 seconds. That’s a long time in internet minutes.

Vibe Check 2025. Looking back at the stories that shaped us, the theme “revival” stands out. In 2025 we marked new beginnings, from a refreshed Lighthouse Cinema to an Osio Theater comeback effort, to Segovia’s and Amapola reopening to the return of roller skating. Fresh starts were everywhere last year.

The G.O.A.T. issue. On Oct. 9, the whole county played to win. Our annual Best of Monterey County® Readers’ Poll hit a massive milestone with over 60,000 views in a single day. The most viewed category: Best Place to Work.

Inbox Stats. We sent a total of 11.2 million emails (we’ve been busy!) leading to a total of 560,000 total clicks. We know your inbox is a crowded place, so thanks for choosing to click on us.

Lives Remembered. This year, we said goodbye to neighbors and icons who shaped our community. We honor the legacies of people we lost in 2025: James Vincent, the heart of Aquarius Dive Shop; Seth Pollack, who led CSUMB’s Service Learning Institute for 25 years; and Denny Levett, the Carmel hotelier who truly defined “village spirit.” We also remember Joshua Hostetter, a 23-year veteran of the Salinas Fire Department; Butch Kronlund, a tireless force for Big Sur leadership; culinary legend Chef Ted Walter of Passionfish; Helen Rucker, civil rights activist and educator in Seaside; and Erica Fox, a founder of the open-ocean swimming group the Kelp Krawlers. Their impact remains. Rest in peace.

Fresh starts were everywhere last year.

Stars stuck. Thousands of you turned to the stars in 2025. One of Rob Brezsny’s astrological oracles alone pulled in 29,000 views, proving that even in a digital age, we’re all looking for a sign. Mercury in retrograde, anyone?

Seek and ye shall find. The most searched term on our website was “editorial,” followed by “lithium fire,” “Pajaro” then “Astrology.”

Foodies Fight: The food story with the most legs was “End of an Era: Carmel’s iconic Forge in the Forest closed,” rivaled by a positive story about an opening, “A new spot in Monterey travels the culinary world, offering something for everyone – with a surprise or two,” about Lighthouse Bistro Global Cuisine.

Our “Hot Take.” The most-read opinion story of the year: “Middlebury’s announcement to end MIIS – a moment many described as a devastating blow to the heart of Monterey,” published on Sept. 4.

Eye Candy. While our “ETC Photo” is a daily favorite in the newsletter, our online galleries stole the show this year. The standout? Kevin Ludwig’s moody shot of a dog chasing a ball into the morning mist at Del Monte Beach – our most-viewed photo of 2025.

The Cyberpaper Stats. Our digital flipbook remains a powerhouse, totaling 1.4 million page views this year. You aren’t just clicking – you’re reading, with an average engagement of 6 minutes 4 seconds.

Mapping the Readership. Our web traffic is driven by the regional power of Salinas, San Jose, Los Angeles and Monterey in that order.

So, that’s our year in review. What stories caught your attention in 2025?

KEVIN SMITH is the Director of Digital Media at Monterey County Weekly and Monterey County Now. Reach him at kevin@montereycountynow.com