Frequently Asked Questions

How do I submit a story idea?

We welcome story ideas. Please use our Tipline by clicking here. You can also send us snail mail or drop off documents to Monterey County Weekly, 668 Williams Ave., Seaside, CA 93955. You can also send us a fax at 831-394-2909. If your story requires follow-up, please be sure to include contact information—we will not publish your contact information. 

For more information on sharing sensitive tips, we recommend you read this guide from the Freedom of the Press Foundation. 

Can I submit an anonymous tip?

Yes, you can submit an anonymous tip by using the Whistleblower section of our Tipline or by sending us snail mail. We encourage you to include your contact information so that a reporter can contact you to follow up with questions and to verify the facts, but your identity will not be shared. 

We make every effort to protect our sources; for more suggestions on sharing secure information, we refer would-be whistleblowers to this guide from the Freedom of the Press Foundation. 

How do I submit a Letter to the Editor?

Please use our Tipline by clicking here. You can also send snail mail to the editor at 668 Williams Ave., Seaside, CA 93955, or email letters@mcweekly.com. Please keep letters to 150 words or shorter. Letters may be edited for length or clarity.

How do I submit a tip to Squid?

Please use our Tipline by clicking here. You can also send paper mail to Squid at 668 Williams Ave., Seaside, CA 93955.

How do I share a juicy tip about restaurants, food or wine?

Please use our Tipline by clicking here, or send an email to eatanddrink@mcweekly.com.

How do I submit an event for the Weekly's Arts & Entertainment Calendar? Is there a cost?

You can post your event to the Weekly's online calendar by clicking here, and creating an account with our partner CitySpark. Event listings submitted here will be posted for free on our website, and considered for inclusion in our daily email newsletter, Monterey County Now, and our weekly print Hot Picks calendar. 

You can also tell us about upcoming events by emailing calendar@montereycountynow.com, faxing us at 831-394-2909 or snail-mailing us at Monterey County Weekly c/o Calendar, 668 Williams Ave., Seaside, CA 93955. There is no fee to submit your listing.

Please note: Due to limited space, we can't guarantee all events will appear in print although we do our best to get them posted online. All print listings run the week of the event. If you need to promote your event several issues in advance, please consult our advertising department—we have options to suit all needs and budgets. (For more information on advertising, see below.)

How do I submit a PSA?

You can use our Tipline, or send an email to publiccitizen@mcweekly.com for consideration for our weekly Public Citizen column. We also invite you to post your PSA to our digital Calendar of Events (see question above for more detail on how to post events to our digital calendar).

How can I comment on stories in the Weekly?

You can comment by submitting a Letter to the Editor (see guidelines above), posting a comment on our website, or on any of our social media platforms. Monterey County Weekly encourages discussion and welcomes different points of view, and we aim to create a space for community discussion. Our comment policy includes guidelines to advance a meaningful space for discussion; comments that do not abide by this policy will be removed.

How can I get my photograph published?

We publish reader-submitted photographers in our ETC. section daily. You can submit photos (horizontal, please) using our Tipline, or by sending an email to etcphoto@mcweekly.com. Please include caption information about where and when the photo was taken and the camera you used. 

What is Monterey County NOW?

Monterey County NOW is our daily e-newsletter. Sign up here to receive Monterey County NOW. You can also view past editions of Monterey County NOW on our website.

What is Salinas Valley Now?

Salinas Valley Now is a digital news site that is a project of Monterey County Now/Monterey County Weekly. We publish stories online at salinasvalleynow.com daily, and publish an email newsletter (also available on WhatsApp) every weekday. Stories on Salinas Valley Now are published in English and Spanish. This companion publication to Monterey County Now focuses on the news of the day affecting communities in the Salinas Valley.

If I advertise, do I automatically get a story written about my business?

No. The Weekly does not sell stories, and advertising does not ensure you will receive any editorial coverage for your event or business. The best way to get your message out your way is through paid advertising. We offer advertising to fit just about any advertising investment budget. Please contact our advertising department for more information at 831-394-5656.

Does Monterey County Weekly offer internships?

The Weekly does not currently offer internships. 

Can I write for you?

The Weekly works with freelance writers on occasion. Feel free to pitch us stories by contacting an editor or using our Tipline. When we are recruiting freelancers or hiring for an open position, we will post a listing in our online jobs section and the Classifieds section of the print edition.

What is your AI policy? 

Our stories are written and edited by humans. For more information, read our AI Policy here. 

Where can I pick up the print edition of Monterey County Weekly?

The Weekly is distributed at high-traffic locations throughout Monterey County. New issues come out every Thursday. The paper is free.

View our interactive map here.

You can also view this week’s Monterey County Weekly (and past issues) page-by-page in a digital format on our website. 

Can I subscribe to the Weekly?

Yes, you can purchase a mailed subscription for $120/year. Please give us a call to set up your subscription at 831-394-5656 or send an email to mail@mcweekly.com.

How do I place an ad for my business in Monterey County Weekly?

Print ad? Digital ad? Classified ad? E-newsletter ad? The best thing to do is give us a call to set up an in-person appointment to go over the many options available to you. Call us at 831-394-5656 to set up an appointment today.

How much do you charge to publish a Fictitious Business Name notice?

A Fictitious Business Name notice (for one business name and one owner name) will be published over four consecutive weeks in Monterey County Weekly for $68. Additional names are $5 each. You can submit your stamped form from the County Clerk by emailing it to mail@mcweekly.com, or by mail or in person to our offices at 668 Williams Ave., Seaside, CA 93955. 

Monterey County Weekly is adjudicated to publish legal notices throughout the Monterey County Judicial District. Give us a call at 831-394-5656 for a rate quote on your legal notice. Prepayment is required for all legal notices, including fictitious business names.

How much do you charge for Legal Notices?

Monterey County Weekly is adjudicated to publish many types of legal notices throughout the Monterey County Judicial District including Trustee Sale Notices, ABC License notices, Petition to Administer Estate notices, Summons, Order to Show Cause for Change of Name notices, lien sale/auction notices and public hearing notices. Give us a call at 831-394-5656 for a rate quote on your legal notice.

How do I submit a Bulletin Board ad?

30-word Bulletin Board ads are $30/week; extra words are $1 each. Classified display ads are available for $50/single or $100/double. Discounts are available for nonprofit organizations and long-term advertisers. For a rate quote, email your ad text to classifieds@mcweekly.com with your contact information, or call 831-394-5656.

Does the Weekly offer media sponsorships?

We support our local community and the many worthy local programs and events by offering discounted advertising packages for most organizations and events. Call our sales team today at 831-394-5656 for more information.

Can I reprint a story or photo from the Weekly?

You may not republish any content from the Monterey County Weekly on any platform without our written permission. We take our copyright very seriously.

If you wish to republish a story or photo, it requires a license granted by us. The terms of a license and potential fees will be based upon your specific use and size of your audience. In general, we do not license our journalistic content for commercial purposes. If you want to republish a story or photo in a news outlet, book or for any other purpose, please ask the editor, reachable at 831-394-5656, or email editor@mcweekly.com. 

How do I get into Best Of Monterey County®?

The winners of our Best Of Readers’ Poll® are selected by our readers. Voting takes place in two rounds: nominations followed by multiple-choice-style voting on finalists. Look for information in the paper and on our website for when voting begins—some winners do a campaign and encourage your fans or customers to vote for them!

Does the Weekly have its previous issues archived somewhere?

Yes, you can view the digital archives going back to 1988. You can also make arrangements to view the hardbound copies in our office. Give us a call at 831-394-5656 to set up an appointment. The Monterey and Carmel public libraries also have many of our past issues archived.

What is the Monterey County Gives! program?

More than a decade ago, we decided we could better support the Big Ideas of local nonprofits by creating a program to bring needed attention to these organizations, and through our own and your—philanthropy. We established the Weekly’s Community Fund in 2000 at the Community Foundation for Monterey County, and have held an annual appeal to our readers since, from Thanksgiving to New Year’s Eve. 

You can make a tax-deductible contribution to Monterey County Gives! online during every year-end campaign. Please visit the website starting in mid-November: www.mcgives.com. To coincide with the website, we also publish a print guide to all participating nonprofits. 

Nonprofits interested in being part of Monterey County Gives! should complete the Request for Proposal (RFP), which runs in the Weekly every summer.

Monterey County Gives! is a partnership of the Monterey County Weekly, Community Foundation for Monterey County, Monterey Peninsula Foundation, Posey Family Foundation, Neumeier Poma Investment Counsel, Cannery Row Company and the Colburn & Alana Jones Foundation (at CFMCO).

How can I help support the Weekly?

Thanks for asking! The Monterey County Weekly and Monterey County NOW are free. We encourage you to support our advertisers (and tell them that you saw them in the Weekly). We also welcome direct financial support through our Weekly Insider program, and invite readers to contribute in any amount with a one-time or recurring gift. Thank you for your support.