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
ONGOINGWave Street
Wave Street paving between Hoffman and Dickman listed for the week of October 21
The city's construction-updates page lists the major paving operation on Wave Street between Hoffman and Dickman for the week of October 21, part of the curb-ramp work along Wave Street.
The page's schedule section is dated the week of September 7 and says the schedule may be subject to weather conditions and is subject to change. The city has not posted a newer schedule for the work.
ONGOINGPlumes 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 Saturday, November 7, at La Sala's Bi-Rite Market, Thursday, November 19, at Starbucks Coffee on Lighthouse and Tuesday, 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.
NEWNorth Fremont Street
Council accepts regional funding for North Fremont sidewalk gap project, Herald reports
The Monterey City Council accepted Transportation Agency for Monterey County funding for a pedestrian and bicycle lane on North Fremont Street, the Monterey Herald reported October 21. The Herald reported that the project would close the gap along North Fremont Street between Casanova Avenue and Canyon Del Rey Boulevard.
The item on the council's October 20 agenda covered accepting $2,862,000 in regional surface transportation funds and transferring them to the North Fremont Street Sidewalk Gap Project. Read the Herald's report for more on the project.
Public Safety & Courts
ONGOING
Assistant Chief Mike Bruno named interim police chief
Assistant Police Chief Mike Bruno has been appointed interim police chief effective November 16, the city announced October 15. Police Chief Dave Hober, who announced his retirement September 3, concludes his service November 15.
Bruno has been with the Monterey Police Department since 2005 and was promoted to assistant chief in 2021, according to the city. He will serve until a permanent chief is appointed. The city says it will begin a nationwide recruitment for its next police chief in early November, an effort expected to conclude in early 2027.
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.
- Publication date: Monterey County Weekly, October 5, 2026; council agenda for October 6, 2026; city recovery page last updated August 20, 2026
- Event date: Fire March 9, 2026; building access began the week of October 5, 2026; closed session listed for October 6, 2026
- Last movement: Former residents allowed in to retrieve belongings, Monterey County Weekly reported October 5
- Sources: Monterey County Weekly, Casanova Plaza residents retrieve belongings; City of Monterey, City Council agenda for October 6, 2026; City of Monterey, 800 Casanova Avenue recovery information
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 airport's announcement does not give a start date and says Delta will announce service schedules, aircraft details and booking information. AeroRoutes reported September 17 that Delta filed schedules starting December 19, with two daily Los Angeles flights and one daily Salt Lake City flight on SkyWest Embraer E175 aircraft.
NEW845 Wave Street
Judge denies bid to halt Wave Street dispensary construction; lawsuit continues
A Monterey County Superior Court judge on October 20 denied a temporary restraining order sought to halt construction of a planned cannabis dispensary at 845 Wave Street, Monterey County Weekly reported. Monterey Organics LLC plans to open the dispensary once permits are finalized and construction is complete, the Weekly reported.
Brent Waldman, property manager for the neighboring building that houses Bistro Moulin, sued the city October 15, claiming it improperly issued zoning clearances and building approvals for the project. In court, City Attorney Christine Davi pointed to a years-long public process, begun in 2020, that set up the city's four cannabis retail zones, including Wave Street, the Weekly reported. The court has not ruled on the lawsuit itself. The next hearing is Tuesday, November 17. Read the Weekly's report for the arguments made in court.
Arts, Culture & Events
ONGOINGMPC Studio Theatre, 980 Fremont Street
MPC's world premiere of Margaret and the Wampus Cat closes Sunday, October 25
The Monterey Peninsula College Theatre Company's world premiere of Katie Myers' play Margaret and the Wampus Cat opened Thursday, October 15, at the MPC Studio Theatre, 980 Fremont Street, Monterey County Weekly reported. River Navaille directs.
The final performances are at 7 p.m. tonight, Friday, October 23, 7 p.m. Saturday, October 24, and 2 p.m. Sunday, 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.
ONGOINGOld Fisherman's Wharf; El Encinal Cemetery, 798 Fremont Street
Steinbeck walking tour October 24; El Encinal cemetery tour October 25 is full
A Walking with Steinbeck tour of Cannery Row, hosted by The Steinbeck Experience in support of Cannery Row Days, starts at Old Fisherman's Wharf on Saturday, October 24, from 10 to 11:30 a.m. Registration is required through Monterey Public Library and Museums, and the listing showed three seats available.
Library and Museums Director Brian Edwards leads a walking tour of El Encinal Cemetery, 798 Fremont Street, on Sunday, October 25, from 1 to 2:30 p.m. It is full, with a waiting list. The library's free one-hour Colton Hall and Old Jail tours are held on the third Monday of each month; the next is Monday, November 16.
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, who died in 2018, was from the Mountain Maidu, Pit River and Walker River Paiute tribes, and his work documents Indigenous communities in California and Nevada.
ONGOINGMonterey Museum of Art
Rex Ray retrospective on view at Monterey Museum of Art through January 17
Rex Ray: We Are All Made of Light, a retrospective of the late Bay Area artist, is on display at the Monterey Museum of Art and stays up until January 17, Monterey County Weekly's Agata Popęda wrote October 18, following her cover story on the show.
The museum describes Ray (1956 to 2015) as a critically acclaimed Bay Area artist known for mixed-media paintings. Cydney Payton guest curated the exhibition. Popęda's column also points to a museum workshop, How to Make a Rex Ray with Scout Luketich, on Saturday, October 24, and an afternoon with the curator on Saturday, November 14.
ONGOINGCasa Gutierrez Community Art Gallery, 590 Calle Principal
Casa Gutierrez exhibit shows posthumous portraits and mourning keepsakes
Monterey State Historic Park's exhibit Though Lost to Sight, In Memory Dear: An Exploration of Memento Mori and Posthumous Portraiture is at the Casa Gutierrez Community Art Gallery, 590 Calle Principal, Monterey County Weekly reported October 22.
The show draws on the park's collection of posthumous portraits, hair wreaths and hair jewelry, and the Weekly reported that many of the pieces have never been shown publicly. It is open 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays through November 28, including today and Saturday, October 24.
NEWCustom House Plaza and Stanton Center
California Seaweed Festival holds its free main event in Monterey on Saturday
The seventh annual California Seaweed Festival comes to Monterey for the first time, Monterey County Weekly reported. The free main event runs 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, October 24, at Custom House Plaza and the Stanton Center, with performances and presentations.
Workshops and tours run today, Friday, October 23, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. at various locations, priced from free to $89, the Weekly reported.
NEW
Chris Siders, Ensemble Monterey and a pumpkin plunge on the weekend calendar
Rapper and poet Chris Siders, who developed his poetry at CSU Monterey Bay, performs at 8 p.m. tonight, Friday, October 23, at Pearl Hour, 214 Lighthouse Avenue. Tickets are $10, Monterey County Weekly reported.
Ensemble Monterey opens its 2026-2027 season with The Enduring Spirit at 7 p.m. Saturday, October 24, at First Presbyterian Church, 501 El Dorado Street, and the Monterey Sports Center, 301 E. Franklin Street, holds a free pumpkin plunge from 2 to 5 p.m. Sunday, October 25, with 200 pumpkins available, according to the Weekly's Hot Picks.
Sports
ONGOING
Monterey hosts Soquel tonight after a 2-0 forfeit win at Hollister
Monterey High's varsity football team hosts Soquel tonight, Friday, October 23, in a league game; MaxPreps lists a 7:30 p.m. kickoff. The Toreadors are 5-2 overall and 2-2 in league play, according to MaxPreps.
Monterey is credited with a 2-0 forfeit win at Hollister. Hollister High's varsity program was shut down by the San Benito High School District in September, Athletic Business reported. That result followed a 43-14 loss to Salinas on October 9. Monterey plays at North Salinas on Saturday, October 31.
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.
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 that the police department returned to the council on September 17, 2024, for approval of the procurement contract with Flock Safety. 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. The system is in active use; it is not a proposal or pilot.
Police Department Policy 433, posted on the city's policies page, says plate-reader data is kept for a maximum of 30 days, limits sharing to other law-enforcement or prosecutorial agencies, and requires an audit of searches at least once each calendar year. The department's Flock transparency portal lists 35 cameras and was last updated June 13, 2025. The 2025 annual 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, oceanic and operations research, cybersecurity, disaster resilience and response planning, and says the system operates within the school's existing power and water infrastructure. NVIDIA donated the system to the NPS Foundation, according to the school.
- Publication date: July 22, 2026
- Event date: Commissioned July 22, 2026
- Last movement: July 22 commissioning
- Source: DGX GB300 launch
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
ONGOING
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 literacy in second grade. La Mesa's second-grade team of Sharlene Linnevers, Sabrina Aliotti, Sheila Fierro and Huang, and Monte Vista Elementary's first-grade team of Caitlyn Cowardin, Crystal Nimmons, Maria Mateo and Jaimie Adamson, were recognized for outstanding foundational literacy achievement.
ONGOING
MPUSD YouthTruth survey is open through October 30
Monterey Peninsula Unified School District's 2026 YouthTruth survey runs through Friday, October 30, one week from today. 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
ONGOINGMonterey High School Music Building
Monterey High Music's haunted house fundraiser was set to return this weekend; hours not posted
Monterey High School Music's 8th annual Haunted House fundraiser in the Music Building at Monterey High School, which opened October 17 and 18, was set to return "next weekend," according to an October 17 MPUSD post. That would be the weekend of October 24 and 25, but the post does not list exact dates or hours, and MPUSD has not posted a follow-up.
Admission is $5 for middle and elementary school students, $8 for high school students and $13 for adults. Proceeds support the music program.
Still Developing
The latest confirmed movement, the open question and the next checkpoint.
OPENRoadmap to Resilience budget choices
The city identified an $11.7 million structural deficit and held budget workshops September 29, October 7 and October 12 (on Zoom), with more set for November 16 and December 3. The City Council's October 20 agenda listed an update on the Roadmap to Resilience. The city has not posted a recap of any workshop or of the October 20 update, or any resulting budget direction.
Still unresolved: Specific balancing choices and final budget action.
Next checkpoint: A staff report or recap of the October 20 council update, the November 16 workshop, or a budget recommendation.
OPENMonterey police-chief succession
Police Chief Dave Hober’s retirement takes effect November 15. The city announced October 15 that Assistant Chief Mike Bruno will serve as interim chief starting November 16, and said a nationwide recruitment for a permanent chief will begin in early November and is expected to conclude in early 2027.
Still unresolved: Permanent police chief appointment.
Next checkpoint: Start of the nationwide recruitment in early November and the eventual permanent appointment.
OPENCasanova 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.
OPENFlock transparency and policy update
Police Department Policy 433 sets 30-day retention, limits sharing to law-enforcement and prosecutorial agencies and requires a yearly search audit. The department's Flock transparency portal lists 35 cameras and was last updated June 13, 2025; no 2026 camera inventory has been posted.
Still unresolved: A 2026 camera inventory and any 2026 update to the City Council.
Next checkpoint: Current MPD policy, transparency portal, annual review, contract amendment or council action.
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