GOOD WEEK / BAD WEEK

GOOD:

As its staff travelled south this past week to attend the 31st Annual National College Journalism Convention in L.A., the Otter Realm, CSU Monterey Bay’s student-run newspaper, was showered with accolades. The Realm garnered seven awards from the California College Media Association and a second place in the national Associated Collegiate Press Best of Show awards March 1. In CSUMB’s Humanities and Communications March newsletter, Otter Realm Editor-in-Chief Elizabeth Hensley (a former Weekly intern), says “it may seem cliche, but it is such an honor to be nominated.” The newsletter also states what impressed judges about the Realm was “coverage of hard news and issues impacting students. Presentations stood out in an appealing way.” The second place Best in Show award was for a four-year university, less than weekly publication.

BAD:

Ken Cusson, local theater actor/director and founder of Saltshaker Theater, on Feb. 27 filed an Americans with Disabilities Act Title II discrimination complaint with the U.S. Department of Justice against the city of Carmel’s renovations of the Forest Theater. Among the complaints: inadequate and dangerous emergency exits, undue embarrassing restroom access, inadequate handicapped parking and lack of nearby accessible dressing rooms. “This discrimination will extend to every disabled person who would ever attend, perform or work at Outdoor Forest Theater.” Cusson also says he tried to address these issues with the city at several meetings, but claims he was ignored. The Forest Theater was shut down last April for safety code violations. Renovations had been fast-tracked to get the venue open for part of the summer 2015 season, but now projected opening is in 2016.