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Monterey

Your Community, More Completely.
Thursday, October 15, 2026 · Permanent link to this edition
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Trunk or Treat Saturday, October 17Twin Peaks panel at Golden State Theatre Sunday, October 18Patrick Ball at Colton Hall Wednesday, October 21Budget Brews drop-in Saturday, October 24
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Today in Monterey

The Zoning Administrator meets today at 3 p.m. on a use permit for a fast-food restaurant with a walk-up window at 601 Wave Street.
Monterey Peninsula College's world premiere of Margaret and the Wampus Cat opens tonight at 7 p.m. and runs through October 25, Monterey County Weekly reported.
Military-connected MPUSD families receive Federal Survey Cards today; La Mesa and Marshall elementary families return hard-copy cards Friday, October 16.
The city's Halloween Movie Night and Trunk or Treat is Saturday, October 17, starting at 5 p.m. on Pacific Street.
Salinas defeated Monterey High 43-14 on Friday, October 9; the Toreadors are 4-2.
The next Budget Brews drop-in is Saturday, October 24, at Plumes Coffee.

NEW: newly reported developments or upcoming opportunities. UPDATE: later substantive information on a covered story. ONGOING: continuing useful information. RESOLVED: the reported issue has ended. BACKGROUND: dated historical context, not a new development or confirmation of current availability. UNCONFIRMED: a story, continuing story or detail that could not be confirmed against its cited source on the edition date; the note under the headline says what is not confirmed. Today and countdown lines carry "(unconfirmed)" for the same reason. All local times are Pacific Daylight Time.

City, Roads & Planning

NEWCouncil Chamber, 580 Pacific Street

Zoning Administrator considers fast-food permit for 601 Wave Street today

The city's Zoning Administrator meets today, Thursday, October 15, at 3 p.m. in the Council Chamber at 580 Pacific Street. The only public hearing on the agenda is use permit application UP-26-0185, which would allow a fast-food restaurant with a walk-up window in an existing commercial tenant space at 601 Wave Street.

The agenda lists the City of Monterey as the property owner and Jon Rasmussen of Craft Design-Build, Inc. as the applicant. The permit has not been decided. The agenda says Zoning Administrator decisions may be appealed within 10 days, and the meeting can be joined on ZoomGov or watched on the city's YouTube channel.

NEWPlumes Coffee

Budget Brews drop-in set for October 24 at Plumes Coffee

The city's next Budget Brews drop-in session on its $11.7 million structural budget deficit is Saturday, October 24, from 10 to 11:30 a.m. at Plumes Coffee. Later drop-ins are listed for November 7 at La Sala's Bi-Rite Market, November 19 at Starbucks Coffee on Lighthouse and December 8 at Nece's GF Bakery.

The next in-person Budget Resilience Workshop is Monday, November 16, at 6 p.m. at El Estero Park Center, followed by Thursday, December 3, at Monte Vista School. The city says community feedback will be shared with the City Council in early 2027, ahead of budget adoption in June 2027.

ONGOING

Federal grant funds review of infrastructure serving military installations

Monterey says it accepted $635,900 in federal funding for an 18-month review of infrastructure supporting the Presidio of Monterey and Naval Support Activity Monterey.

The review is scheduled for August 2026 through January 2028, covering energy, water and wastewater, transportation and evacuation, and communications. The city describes a study intended to guide future investment. The award does not establish that resulting construction projects have been funded or begun.

ONGOING

Measure S would extend the existing street-infrastructure tax

Monterey voters will consider Measure S on November 3. The city says the proposal would continue the existing one-cent-per-dollar special transactions and use tax for eight additional years, changing the expiration from March 31, 2027, to March 31, 2035. Proceeds would remain restricted to street infrastructure such as roads, sidewalks, accessibility improvements and storm drains. The measure requires two-thirds voter approval and has not been adopted.

  • Publication date: Release datelined August 18, 2026
  • Event date: November 3, 2026 election
  • Last movement: Ballot-letter assignment announced in August
  • Source: Measure S ballot-letter announcement
ONGOING

Monterey mayoral candidates report 2026 fundraising totals

Year-to-date campaign filings for 2026 show challenger Vince Malfitano has raised $38,725 and Mayor Tyller Williamson has raised $27,863 in the race for Monterey mayor, Monterey County Weekly reported. The latest reporting period covered in those filings ran through September 19.

The mayoral race is on the November 3 ballot. Read the Weekly's report for contributor details and spending.

Public Safety & Courts

ONGOING

Police chief's retirement is set for November 15

Police Chief Dave Hober will conclude his service on November 15, 2026, the city announced September 3. Its notice says the city will begin identifying a successor over the next few months.

The city has not named a successor.

ONGOING

Former Casanova Plaza residents began retrieving belongings in October, Weekly reported

Former residents of Casanova Plaza, the 800 Casanova Avenue complex damaged in the March 9 fire, began going back into the building to retrieve their belongings the week of October 5, Monterey County Weekly reported. The Weekly reported that the Housing Authority allowed entry by appointment, with All-In Monterey County volunteers and a moving company helping residents. Read the Weekly's report for more from the people involved.

The City Council's October 6 closed-session agenda listed a conference with legal counsel on the receipt of 54 government claims pertaining to the fire. The agenda does not describe what the claims seek, and a closed-session listing is not a council decision.

The city's latest dated recovery entry is an August 20 update from Community Homeless Solutions describing help finding housing, counseling, weekly check-ins with tenants and essential goods for displaced residents. It says some tenants are doing fine and don't need services, while others are more impacted by the trauma of the fire, and it does not say recovery is complete.

Community & Culture

ONGOING

Two weekly Wednesday food distributions are listed in Monterey

The Food Bank for Monterey County lists a weekly Wednesday drive-through at the Dennis the Menace parking lot, 777 Pearl Street, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., by reservation at (831) 646-3866 or monterey.org/rec. It also lists a Wednesday distribution at Monterey Peninsula College, 980 Fremont Street, Parking Lot A, from 3 to 5 p.m.

The next occurrence of both is Wednesday, October 21.

  • Event date: Recurring Wednesdays; next on October 21, 2026
  • Last movement: Recurring schedule; last schedule-change date not stated
  • Source: Find Food, Monterey listings
NEWPacific Street and Colton Hall Lawn

City hosts Halloween Movie Night and Trunk or Treat October 17

The city's 5th annual Halloween Movie Night and Trunk or Treat is Saturday, October 17. Trunk or Treat runs from 5 to 6:30 p.m. on Pacific Street between Madison and Jefferson streets, with themed trunks from city departments, invited nonprofits and local businesses.

The movie portion begins at 6:30 p.m. with a showing of Scooby Doo on the Colton Hall Lawn, and food will be available for purchase from local vendors, according to the Monterey Public Library and Museums listing.

NEWWindow on the Bay, 717 Del Monte Avenue

No Kings rally planned at Window on the Bay October 17

Monterey organizations plan a voting-themed No Kings rally on Saturday, October 17, from 2 to 4 p.m. at Window on the Bay, 717 Del Monte Avenue, the Monterey Herald reported October 13. Read the Herald's report for more details.

Business & Commercial Development

ONGOING

Produce shop adds a neighborhood option on Lighthouse Avenue

Farm Fresh Produce Est. 1964, at the corner of Lighthouse and David avenues, opened at the beginning of August, Monterey County Weekly reported September 17. Randy Moreno opened the market with partner Debbie Weberg.

Read the Weekly's original reporting for the owners' plans and background.

ONGOINGMonterey Regional Airport

Delta Air Lines plans return to Monterey Regional Airport

Monterey Regional Airport announced September 18 that Delta Air Lines will return with nonstop service to Los Angeles International Airport and Salt Lake City International Airport. The airport says it will be Delta's first Monterey service in nearly two decades.

The announcement does not give a start date. The airport said Delta would announce service schedules, aircraft details and booking information.

Arts, Culture & Events

NEWMPC Studio Theatre, 980 Fremont Street

MPC stages world premiere of Margaret and the Wampus Cat

The Monterey Peninsula College Theatre Company opens the world premiere of Katie Myers' play Margaret and the Wampus Cat tonight, Thursday, October 15, at the MPC Studio Theatre, Monterey County Weekly reported. River Navaille directs.

Performances are at 7 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays and 2 p.m. Sundays through October 25. Tickets are $22, or $12 for students and seniors, at (831) 645-1360 or mpc.vbotickets.com. Read the Weekly's preview for more on the play.

NEWGolden State Theatre, 417 Alvarado Street

Twin Peaks cast panel comes to Golden State Theatre October 18

Twin Peaks: A Conversation with the Stars, a video presentation and panel with cast members Sheryl Lee, Ray Wise and Dana Ashbrook, is at 8 p.m. Sunday, October 18, at the Golden State Theatre, 417 Alvarado Street, Monterey County Weekly reported.

Tickets are $53 to $95 through the theater at (831) 649-1070. Read the Weekly's preview for more on the program.

NEWColton Hall, 570 Pacific Street

Patrick Ball performs Celtic harp and story at Colton Hall October 21

Celtic harpist and storyteller Patrick Ball performs Come Dance With Me In Ireland: A Pilgrimage to Yeats Country on Wednesday, October 21, from 6 to 8 p.m. at Colton Hall, 570 Pacific Street. The performance draws on the life and works of poet William Butler Yeats.

Registration is required through Monterey Public Library and Museums, and the listing is for adults.

ONGOING

Museum exhibition presents Dugan Aguilar's Native California photographs

Monterey Museum of Art lists Born of the Bear Dance: Dugan Aguilar's Photographs of Native California through December 20. The exhibition draws from the Oakland Museum of California's permanent collection and documents contemporary Indigenous life and its history.

Aguilar (1947 to 2018) was from the Mountain Maidu, Pit River and Walker River Paiute tribes, and his work documents Indigenous communities in California and Nevada. The museum's website lists hours, admission and accessibility information for planning a visit.

Sports

NEW

Salinas defeats Monterey 43-14

Salinas defeated Monterey High's varsity football team 43-14 on Friday, October 9, in a league game at Monterey, according to MaxPreps. The Toreadors are 4-2 overall and 1-2 in league play.

NEW

Former coach and mayor Dan Albert enters state football Hall of Fame

Former Monterey High football coach and former Monterey mayor Dan Albert will be inducted into the California High School Football Hall of Fame on October 18, the Monterey Herald reported. Albert is a Monterey High alumnus. Read the Herald's report for his career and the induction.

AI in Your Community

CogniLocal tracks where artificial intelligence and related automated systems are already entering the institutions that serve this community, who is deploying them, what they are being used for and what changes next.

ONGOINGMonterey County

County policy manual lists a generative-AI policy

The County of Monterey's Board Policy Manual lists O-10, Generative Artificial Intelligence Policy, marked as new. The listing covers how county government approaches generative-AI tools; it does not show which departments use a particular AI product.

ONGOINGMonterey

NPS has an AI Task Force focused on military deployment, not just research

The Naval Postgraduate School's AI Task Force says its mission is to accelerate the research, development, deployment and integration of artificial-intelligence solutions for military applications.

Its public program includes the DGX GB300 supercomputer and AI education and policy resources. NPS lists research uses for the supercomputer that include large-language-model fine-tuning for naval planning, intelligence and operations, multi-agent AI for fleet tactics, cybersecurity, weather modeling and logistics.

BACKGROUND

Monterey Police's Flock license-plate reader system has operated since late 2024

Monterey's primary records show that the City Council approved the police department's automated license-plate-reader program on April 2, 2024, and approved the procurement contract with Flock Safety on September 17, 2024. The police department's annual report says installation began in November 2024 and the system was functional by the end of December 2024. It also says the department created a transparency portal. This is an active law-enforcement surveillance system, not a proposal or pilot.

The available annual reports do not spell out current retention and sharing rules or search-audit access. Both reports point to the department's transparency portal, and the 2025 report says the department gives the City Council an update every April.

ONGOING

NPS is operating the first DGX GB300 AI supercomputer in the U.S. military

The Naval Postgraduate School commissioned an NVIDIA DGX GB300 in Monterey on July 22. NPS describes it as the first such system in the U.S. military and says it enables students and faculty to train models, analyze data and explore complex problems. NPS lists uses including weather modeling, ocean research, cybersecurity, disaster resilience and response planning, and says the system operates within the school's existing power and water infrastructure.

NPS estimates the system's compute components draw roughly 135 kilowatts at peak use, with daily operations expected to average 50% to 80% of peak.

ONGOINGPresidio of Monterey

Defense Language Institute reviews class materials with help from an AI agent, Weekly reports

The Defense Language Institute in Monterey is reviewing class materials for terms related to diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility, or deemed critical of the U.S. government, Monterey County Weekly reported September 24. The Weekly ties the review to President Donald Trump's 2025 executive orders.

According to emails the Weekly obtained, a Microsoft 365 Copilot AI agent was developed to search supplemental materials and label them as compliant or out of compliance with the directives. A DLI spokesperson told the Weekly the institute is committed to complying with executive orders and federal directives. Read the Weekly's report for instructors' concerns and further detail.

Schools & Youth

NEW

MPUSD military-connected families receive Federal Survey Cards today

Monterey Peninsula Unified School District's annual Federal Impact Aid survey goes out today, Thursday, October 15. The district says the survey identifies federally connected students and helps it qualify for federal Impact Aid funding for its schools.

Most families receive the survey electronically through ParentSquare and are asked to complete it the same day. Because of their high numbers of military-connected students, families at La Mesa Elementary School and Marshall Elementary School receive a hard-copy card to return to school by Friday, October 16.

NEW

La Mesa and Monte Vista teachers among MPUSD Reading is Key honorees

MPUSD announced its third annual Reading is Key awards on October 14, recognizing educators, grade-level teams and schools for student literacy growth during the 2025-2026 school year.

Honorees at Monterey schools include La Mesa Elementary teacher Greta Huang, recognized for the most stretch growth in second grade, and La Mesa's second-grade team of Sharlene Linnevers, Sabrina Aliotti, Sheila Fierro and Huang. Monte Vista Elementary's first-grade team of Caitlyn Cowardin, Crystal Nimmons, Maria Mateo and Jaimie Adamson was recognized for foundational literacy achievement.

ONGOING

MPUSD YouthTruth survey is open through October 30

Monterey Peninsula Unified School District's 2026 YouthTruth survey is open through October 30. The district describes the survey as an annual way for students, families, teachers and staff to share feedback about their schools, and families receive the survey link through ParentSquare. Monterey city schools are part of MPUSD.

  • Publication date: YouthTruth notice dated September 23, 2026
  • Event date: September 28 through October 30, 2026
  • Last movement: Survey opened September 28
  • Source: MPUSD, YouthTruth Survey 2026

Still Developing

The latest confirmed movement, the open question and the next checkpoint.

OPEN

Roadmap to Resilience budget choices

The city identified an $11.7 million structural deficit and scheduled budget workshops for September 29, October 7 and October 12 (on Zoom), with more set for November 16 and December 3. The city has not posted a recap of any workshop or any resulting budget direction.

Still unresolved: Specific balancing choices and final budget action.

Next checkpoint: Official workshop record, meeting video, recap or budget recommendation.

Sources: Roadmap to Resilience; Roadmap to Resilience workshop schedule
OPEN

Monterey police-chief succession

Police Chief Dave Hober’s retirement takes effect November 15. The city said it would begin identifying a successor. The city has not announced a successor.

Still unresolved: Interim leadership, recruitment and permanent appointment.

Next checkpoint: City announcement naming interim or permanent leadership.

Source: Chief Hober retirement announcement
OPEN

Casanova fire recovery

Former residents began retrieving belongings from the fire-damaged building at 800 Casanova Avenue the week of October 5, entering by appointment, Monterey County Weekly reported. The City Council’s October 6 agenda lists a closed-session conference with legal counsel on the receipt of 54 government claims pertaining to the March 9 fire. The city’s latest dated recovery entry remains an August 20 update; it does not establish how many former tenants still need assistance or that recovery is complete.

Still unresolved: Current displacement, rebuilding and assistance status.

Next checkpoint: Any public report out of the October 6 closed session, the building’s future, or a current city, county or relief-agency housing update.

Sources: Monterey County Weekly, Casanova Plaza residents retrieve belongings; City Council agenda for October 6, 2026; 800 Casanova Avenue recovery information
OPENUNCONFIRMED

Flock transparency and policy update

Not confirmed against the source as of October 15, 2026: the statement that no current 2026 camera inventory or policy update has been published; the police department's Flock transparency portal lists 35 cameras, and Monterey County Weekly reported in April 2026 that the city has 35 cameras. Check the source before relying on it.

The police annual report established that Monterey’s Flock system became functional in late 2024 and that a transparency portal was created. A current 2026 camera inventory and policy-status update have not been published.

Still unresolved: Current retention, sharing and audit rules and the 2026 camera inventory.

Next checkpoint: Current MPD policy, transparency portal, annual review, contract amendment or council action.

Sources: 2024 MPD Annual Report; 2025 MPD Annual Report

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