August 2026 – Monterey Bay Matters

– Monterey County postpones Flock ALPR camera decision until September 22, but hears two hours of public testimony against ALPR

August 25
Today, the Monterey County Board of Supervisors heard public comment on a proposed 10-year contract with Flock for ALPR cameras — over 2 hours of testimony, all opposed except for one law enforcement employee.

Originally, the 10-year, 2.781 million dollar contract was to be considered today:

#9 Authorize the County Purchasing Agent or designee to negotiate and to execute a non-standard agreement with Flock Group Inc., dba Flock Safety, for the subscription service of 103 Flock cameras (License Plate Readers) in an amount of $2,781,000 for the period of September 1, 2026 to August 31, 2036.
– REVISED Board Report (REVISED VIA SUPPLEMENTAL)
– Board Report
– Flock Group Inc., dba Flock Safety Non-Standard Agreement

However, at the beginning of the meeting, Board Chair Askew announced that the Sheriff had postponed this item until September, tentatively September 22. The Board decided to take public comment today anyway, since people had already made plans to attend the meeting. Comments on ALPR were heard in the morning and from approximately 1:30 – 3:30 pm in the afternoon session. The video will be available at https://monterey.legistar.com/Page.aspx?M=W

– Salinas schools, children, and homes getting high, repeated exposure to methomyl, banned in over 50 countries for toxicity

Comments by Karen Cameron, concerned Salinas citizen, on August 11 to the Monterey County Board of Supervisors.

Salad bowl of the world, yet we’ve had no air monitor from CDPR [California Department of Pesticide Regulation] since 2017, so we don’t know what we’re breathing in terms of pesticides. It was interesting to read through the environmental justice element of the Monterey County General Plan, where CalEnviroScreen data was shared from Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment on pesticides accumulation in some of the disadvantaged areas. 99% accumulation in Boronda, Las Lomas, Moss Landing, Castroville. The list goes on. In Pajaro, where we have our closest air monitoring, it’s listed at 79 to 100% accumulation. That’s very concerning to me. We seem to live in a time when we’ve normalized this behavior. I flash back to 1962 where Rachel Carson published Silent Spring with many of these same concerns. My colleagues from Safe Ag Safe Schools and Future Leaders of Change are right now in Sacramento marking 30 years for California for pesticide reform. Just wanted to share with you that on a local level, I have a big concern I shared with the city council this week in Salinas. I met with the Monterey County Ag Commissioner by phone for over 20 minutes, displaying a concern that I have from spray days notification data that I have collected for two schools in Salinas that are near fields. University Park Elementary, I’ve noted 57 methomyl applications since May 10th. McKinnon Elementary, over 50. And to tell you the truth, I think I’ve missed a couple because it’s so hard to keep up with this. That is a minimal number I could document. Now the Ag Commissioner in our conversation not only confirmed that methomyl, these applications are all methomyl, is banned in over 50 countries for its toxicity, yet he is signing off on every application. And he admitted to me that this trend is going on for the next month at least. We share concerns that school is in session. I share concerns that I’ve had seasonal health concerns that seem to calendar in concern with this. So I’m asking all of you to speak out to the Ag Commissioner and please research methomyl. Thank you.

Video

Ms. Cameron advocates for transitioning to organics and a one mile buffer zone around schools. She is a member of Safe Ag Safe Schools and Californians for Pesticide Reform.

Additional comments to Salinas City Council, August 18, 2026
https://fb.watch/J7iXsqNRr_/?mibextid=wwXIfr
(In her remarks, Ms. Cameron meant to say a one mile buffer zone is necessary)

– Sexual harassment lawsuit against Monterey County, its Sheriff’s office, and the husband of the chief executive officer of the County

The Carmel Pine Cone recently reported on a very disturbing situation in the Monterey County Sheriff’s office:

A former supervisor in the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office alleges that the husband of the county’s top administrator subjected her to months of severe sexual harassment and intimidation, and that county officials failed to stop the behavior and retaliated against her when she complained.

https://carmelpinecone.com/260807PC.pdf p. 14, 25

That man is Rodrigo De La Rosa, the husband of the Monterey County Chief Administrative Officer Sonia De La Rosa, and the details provided in the Pine Cone article are chilling.

This is just the latest incident. A series of lawsuits have been filed in the last few years that point to a dangerous culture of sexual harassment and protection of perpetrators by the County of Monterey and its Sheriff’s Office. They include:

September 2025

A lawsuit filed by Rosy Silva detailing the sexual harassment and retribution she experienced when she began working for the county sheriff’s office in 2010, spanning three sheriff administrations to the present Sheriff Nieto.
https://kioncentralcoast.com/news/monterey-county/2025/09/08/1218404/

The full court document:
https://kion546.b-cdn.net/2025/09/MCSO-LAWSUIT.pdf

January 2024

Whistleblower lawsuit by Bryan Hoskins against current Sheriff Nieto for wrongful termination due in part to his complaints about sexual harassment of multiple staff members by former undersheriff John Mineau.
https://www.sfgate.com/news/bayarea/article/whistleblower-lawsuit-accuses-current-sheriff-18631999.php

October 2022

Lawsuit against Monterey County by a victim of former undersheriff Mineau
https://www.ksbw.com/article/monterey-county-undersheriff-mineau-victim-sues-county-over-misconduct/41547228

November, 2020

Christian Schneider complaint to the Fair Political Practices Commission against Sheriff Steve Bernal, including for affairs he had with subordinates
https://voicesofmontereybay.org/2020/11/13/monterey-county-sheriff-accused-of-serial-affairs-with-subordinates/

These were situations where the victim was willing to come forward. How many others have been harassed, pressured into sex for job advancement, or outright assaulted and remained silent for fear of retribution and their personal safety? How many had champions like Christian Schneider and Bryan Hoskins, versus how many were alone?

And if this is how female employees are treated who have freedom, how does the Sheriff’s office treat female suspects and inmates? How do they treat women drivers they pull over on county roads, especially women of color? How do they treat juvenile girls in their custody or they encounter in their work day? Is sexual harassment and assault taking place? Is it the norm? And are boys and men also experiencing sexual harassment or even assault in the criminal justice system? Is juvenile hall safe?

This is in addition to other problems reported in the sheriff’s office, including the deaths of inmates in the county jail, and this taxpayer-funded attack https://voicesofmontereybay.org/2020/06/14/why-are-taxpayers-paying-for-political-slime/

An unhealthy and lawless culture exists at the County of Monterey, and it is costing residents and businesses security, peace of mind, money, safety, and physical and mental well-being, while elected county supervisors and the district attorney do nothing. This must change. Monterey County’s CAO must be placed on leave, this situation investigated, and independent oversight brought into the Sheriff’s office to make needed changes. County supervisors satisfied with the dangerous status quo must be replaced.

– August 21, Santa Cruz County Supervisor Kim DeSerpa on KSCO

From Becky Steinbruner

Friday’s Guest on “Community Matters” (2pm-3pm Pacific Time) is Santa Cruz County Second District County Supervisor Ms. Kim DeSerpa.

What are the challenges facing the Aptos, Capitola, Corralitos and Watsonville areas she represents?
What is the latest news on the “Village on the Green” project in Aptos, with two apartment buildings six stories tall and nearly 200 three-story townhomes?
What are her thoughts on regulating battery energy storage (BESS) facilities?

Listen in! Calls will be accepted at the discretion of Supervisor DeSerpa.

You can listen live on KSCO Radio AM 1080 or live stream: http://www.ksco.com/

The program will be recorded and posted on the KSCO website:
http://zbsradio.com/play-episode/id/24961/play-time/1

– NRC proposes changes to radiation protection standards; webinar August 19, including how to comment

Zoom link with registration https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/LIz4c3XHSle1soKZisRrFA

Protect Better Webinar 2

August 19 | 8-9:30 PM Eastern / 5-7:30 PM Pacific

The science
The health consequences
The legal implications
How YOU can submit a public comment

Zoom link with registration https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/LIz4c3XHSle1soKZisRrFA

– – –

Public comments to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission are due August 31.

What kind of world are we leaving our children?

As parents, grandparents, great-grandparents, aunts, uncles, and loved ones, we have a responsibility to protect those who cannot speak for themselves — and those who aren’t even here yet.

The NRC is proposing changes to radiation protection standards that could affect how radiation risks are evaluated and how well workers and communities are protected.

Our children and future generations deserve better protection, not weaker standards.

For our kids. For our grandchildren. For generations we will never meet.

Sponsored by the ProtectBetter campaign of the Stop Radiation Pollution Coalition.
Protectbetter.org

– Eight former CSUMB students or spouses report cancer diagnoses near Fort Ord’s toxic industrial zone

From Military Poisons
August 11, 2026
by Pat Elder

New cancer cases at Promontory Housing spark investigation into nearby military contamination.

Blood Cancer Cases

An individual referred to as Caleb diagnosed with lymphoma.
An additional student with a lymphoma diagnosis.
A former student who passed away from multiple myeloma at age 57
A student who was diagnosed with leukemia while residing in the area.
A second report of leukemia involving the son of a community member

Breast Cancer Cases

A local resident and former student who passed away from breast cancer at age 37.
A student diagnosed with breast cancer.

Ovarian Cancer

A former student diagnosed with ovarian cancer alongside multiple medical complications.
See Julie Akey’s database of more than 2,000 people who suffer with disease or are deceased and lived on the former Fort Ord or on lands there were later developed.

The Promontory Apartment student housing complex at the California State University, Monterey Bay was built adjacent to severely contaminated land.

Within roughly a third of a mile of today’s apartments stood a dangerous concentration of Army facilities that handled herbicides, chlorinated solvents, medical waste, petroleum products, pesticides, and electrical equipment.

Two students who lived at Promontory have been diagnosed with lymphoma, leading us to search for potential causes nearby.

In August 2015, California State University, Monterey Bay opened the Promontory Apartments. The complex consists of three four-story apartment buildings containing approximately 174 apartment units and 579 student beds, later expanded to approximately 789 beds. It was the university’s first new student housing project in more than a decade and today houses hundreds of upper-division students immediately adjacent to the former industrial core of Fort Ord.

They put it in a horrible location. Students and their parents are unaware that they are just footsteps from the potentially dangerous toxic epicenter of former Fort Ord.

– Leukemia case reported at California State University, Monterey Bay; student lived in former Fort Ord barracks

From Military Poisons

By Pat Elder

Student residences at CSUMB are situated above portions of the former Fort Ord, where chlorinated solvent plumes remain in the subsurface and questions have been raised about potential vapor intrusion into occupied buildings.

This report examines the environmental conditions surrounding one former California State University Monterey Bay (CSUMB) student, who was diagnosed with T-cell lymphoblastic leukemia after attending the university.

‍To protect the privacy of the student and his family, we use the pseudonym “Caleb” throughout this report.

‍Caleb has been battling T-cell lymphoblastic leukemia. During his first year at California State University, Monterey Bay, he lived in one of the former Fort Ord brick barracks near the Student Union. As a transfer student, he attended CSUMB for two years. During his second year, he moved into Promontory Housing on 8th Street near Imjin Parkway.

Caleb was physically active and played intramural sports on the recreation sports field behind the promontory building, north of North Quad past 5th Ave. Because he both lived and recreated in these locations, understanding the environmental conditions in these areas is essential to evaluating the range of potential chemical exposures he may have experienced.

We know that Trichloroethylene, (TCE), Tetrachloroethylene, (PCE), and Vinyl Chloride (VC) levels in groundwater A-aquifer and Upper 180-foot were above criteria in 2014 and remain prevalent in 4th quarter 2025 in the area that includes the Promontory Housing where Caleb lived for 2 years. Tables 1A and 1B from document OU2-752 Fourth Quarter 2025 Groundwater Monitoring and Treatment System Report summarizes the current levels of PCE, TCE and VC in the two groundwater aquifers underlying Promontory Housing.

– What scientists are observing at Moss Landing Vistra battery fire areas – Aug. 14, 6 PM

From Becky Steinbruner:

“Bratton on KSCO”
August 14
6pm-7pm Pacific Time

Last Friday, several scientists studying the impacts of the Moss Landing Vistra Battery Fire presented information about their studies. We will discuss this. What are they learning? How does their research compare with that of Vistra’s consultant, Terraphase?

https://elkhornslough.org/moss-landing-battery-fire/

Take a look at the presentation given to the Monterey County Board of Supervisors: EMBER update to the Monterey County Board of Supervisors, presented by Kerstin Wasson 3/17/2026 – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h6rnZ2iwL00

Find information about the important work of Never Again Moss Landing here: https://neveragainmosslanding.org/resources/

Listen live on KSCO AM 1080 radio or live stream http://www.ksco.com/
Please call in and join the conversation: 831-479=1080

The Program will be recorded and posted on the “Bratton on KSCO” webpage: http://zbsradio.com/show_detail/id/126

– Interview with Orin Martin of Alan Chadwick Gardens at UCSC – Aug. 14, 2 PM

From Becky Steinbruner:

“Community Matters” KSCO AM 1080
August 14
2pm-3pm Pacific Time

My Guest will be Mr. Orin Martin, Manager of the Alan Chadwick Garden at UCSC Agroecology Farm.

He has managed the Garden for a very long time. What is the history of the Garden? Has he observed changes in growing various crops, especially apples (given recent statements from Martinelli Co. explaining unreliable fruit quality from Pajaro Valley orchards as the reason for cancelling contracts with local growers.)?

>> Listen live on KSCO Radio AM 1080 today at 2pm, or live stream http://www.ksco.com/

The program will be recorded and posted here soon after the interview:
http://zbsradio.com/play-episode/id/24961/play-time/1

– Moss Landing Battery Fire Science Symposium, August 7

From Elkhorn Slough

Updated August 19, 2026

Moss Landing Battery Fire Science Symposium

Complete video recording playlist

Presentation abstracts, titles and links to specific recordings

7 August 2026 • 9 am to 4 pm

Join us for a public symposium with presentations from scientists studying the impacts of the 2025 fire at the Vistra battery storage facility in Moss Landing.

In-person attendance is sold out.
Please register to attend by Zoom at this link.

Presenters from EMBER will speak about metal concentrations in soils, water, and animals in Elkhorn Slough. Researchers from UCSC will report on metal concentrations in human hair and in dust and insects near residences, comparing values from areas near vs. far from the battery fire site. There will also be invited presentations from other researchers studying the fire. The presentations will be fairly technical but take-home messages will be summarized simply, and there will be ample time for questions from the audience. We also anticipate at least one panel discussion about lessons learned.

Here are the agenda and presentation abstracts.

This symposium is hosted by EMBER (Estuary Monitoring of Battery Emissions and Residues resulting from the Moss Landing Battery Fire), with support from all partnering organizations – Moss Landing Marine Laboratories, Elkhorn Slough Reserve and Foundation, Marine Pollution Studies Laboratory, Amah Mutsun Land Trust, and Monterey Bay Aquarium.

More about the Moss Landing Battery Fire and EMBER.

https://elkhornslough.org/reserve/research/firesymposium