Jennifer Lynn Chatman of Salinas died Nov 3, 2025 after her bicycle was struck by the trailer of a semi truck at the intersection of South Sanborn Road and Work Street, Salinas.

As we told Sara Rubin, #MontereyCountyNow / #MontereyCountyWeekly editor, infrastructure such as protected bike lanes with a physical barrier are what’s most needed to keep people who bike safer. In general, paint on pavement provides little to no real benefit in preventing fatalities.

Nevertheless, one “paint on pavement” practice we would like to see far more of — and which possibly could have saved Jennifer’s life — is bike boxes at intersections.

https://www.montereycountynow.com/blogs/opinion_blog/a-string-of-vehicle-collisions-in-salinas-ends-with-a-tragic-fatality-of-a-cyclist/article_074be0fe-e7dc-4924-920d-7a247d655514.html

Report by Josh Copitch of KSBW: https://www.ksbw.com/article/person-struck-by-semi-truck-in-salinas/69244696

#BikeTooter #TrafficViolence #TrafficCollision #trucks #bicycles #MontereyCounty #PublicSafety #ActiveTransportation #cycling #biking

@lauerhahn As Squid (#MontereyCountyNow / #MontereyCountyWeekly) said, we "would like to have a word or two with ‘John' but suspects it’s probably not worth it. It’s a pseudonym for the real author whose initials are A.I.”
#AIslop #AI

#BikeCommunity

Monterey County’s #LocalBikeShops https://bikemonterey.org/tips-for-tourists/need-something-maam and #BicycleRentals https://bikemonterey.org/tips-for-tourists/bicycle-rentals-guided-tours.

Thanks to #MontereyCountyNow / #MontereyCountyWeekly for their recent stories on the county’s newest local bike businesses, including report today by David Schmalz on AMG Cyclery of Seaside—highlighting AMG's ace mechanics and monthly social rides: https://www.montereycountynow.com/people/831/at-one-year-in-amg-cyclery-has-become-a-fixture-in-downtown-seaside-and-the/article_73b7a950-91c0-4fc0-be4e-4cedbb341da9.html

ICYMI - Sloan Campi reported Jun 19 on Stacey Mahoney's Cycle House Bikes in Marina https://www.montereycountynow.com/people/face_to_face/for-stacey-mahoney-riding-bikes-was-a-release-now-she-quit-her-job-to-open/article_7e3e47c1-ea7b-4176-92af-4f3e5c772749.html, and May 29 on S.A.G.E. Collective and Harmonie in Marina, which includes e-bike rentals https://www.montereycountynow.com/news/local_news/a-new-record-shop-opens-in-marina-doubling-up-as-a-venue-and-more-like/article_be46252a-acb0-4eb0-8e73-b113d919b3f6.html.

Laura Solorio is among residents featured in #MontereyCountyWeekly July 3 cover story. "She was president of Protect Monterey County, the group that successfully got Measure Z passed in 2016. The countywide ban on fracking and the expansion of the oil and gas industry was largely unraveled in court, but she persisted…[which led to California] "AB 3233. The bill, signed into law in 2024, gives local city and county governments the ability to ban, limit or regulate oil and gas projects.”
https://www.montereycountynow.com/news/cover_collections/born-into-a-family-of-activists-laura-solorio-has-been-engaged-since-she-can-remember/article_23be2f3d-5e39-4105-99c6-d568ecfa8b61.html

https://bikemonterey.org/californias-local-environmental-choice-and-safety-act-ab-3233.html

#ClimateAction #LocalAction #LocalControl #PowerToThePeople #OilAndGas #BigOil

@MAD_democracy We encourage #MontereyCounty readers to consider donating to #MontereyCountyNow aka #MontereyCountyWeekly https://insider.montereycountynow.com/ as well as to Bicycling Monterey https://bikemonterey.org/about/financial-donations.

#Reliable #Accurate #Local #Media #Information

April 10, 2025 cover of #MontereyCountyWeekly: #SeaOtterClassic. https://www.montereycountynow.com/news/cover/life-time-sea-otter-classic-2025/collection_d1e9f332-a491-4fb8-8c76-e901ee6374b0.html https://www.montereycountynow.com/archives/2025/

#BikeTooter #MontereyCounty #Monterey #Salinas #MontereyCountyNow

Added today to Cycling to Monterey County’s History Spots (https://bikemonterey.org/tips-for-tourists/for-history-buffs), another article about Vine Cycle Tours - "An e-bike tour of the former Fort Ord brings the military and natural history of the area to life” by Erik Chalhoub, #MontereyCountyNow / #MontereyCountyWeekly https://www.montereycountynow.com/people/831/an-e-bike-tour-of-the-former-fort-ord-brings-the-military-and-natural-history/article_14187d95-571e-424a-a500-cca5aa4875af.html

#SeaOtterClassic, April 10-13, 2025
"The bikes are arriving in Monterey County—you may have noticed a higher-than-usual number of bikes attached to vehicles on the road lately.” — Erik Chalhoub, #MontereyCountyNow #MontereyCountyWeekly https://www.montereycountynow.com/blogs/opinion_blog/as-the-sea-otter-classic-gets-underway-the-next-generation-of-cyclists-learns-how-to/article_bce5736c-4218-4ca6-96a3-e9a1ff1f8f03.html

ICYMI: Some history of SOC, who it’s for, and how to get free admission: https://bikemonterey.org/april-10-13-sea-otter-classic-2025.html

#MontereyCounty #bicycling #cycling #biking

"I've been to a lot of rallies at Window on the Bay and I've never seen a crowd this big. This should say something to every single one of us.”— #Monterey #Mayor Tyller Williamson

"This is what #democracy looks like.”—#MontereyCounty District 5 Supervisor Kate Daniels

From a report, with photos and video, by @pammarino and Celia Jiménez for #MontereyCountyNow #MontereyCountyWeekly. https://www.montereycountynow.com/blogs/news_blog/photos-and-video-thousands-of-demonstrators-voice-their-opposition-to-trump-in-monterey-hundreds-protest/article_340d8c3e-f75d-4ded-915f-456b87f8a601.html

#HandsOff #MontereyBay #HandsOffMonterey #HandsOffSalinas #Salinas #SalinasValley

Heads-up from staff writer @pammarino, #MontereyCountyNow / #MontereyCountyWeekly:

“Hundreds of people are expected to take part in a mass political protest in Monterey and Salinas on Saturday, April 5.

"The #HandsOff event takes place from 11am-1pm at Window on the Bay, 717 Del Monte Ave., Monterey, and noon-2pm at the corner of Blanco Road and Main Street in Salinas.” https://www.montereycountynow.com/blogs/news_blog/rallies-in-support-of-democracy-are-taking-place-nationwide-including-in-monterey-and-salinas/article_f5d724d9-ebfb-451d-a183-39d7a3b98705.html

More from David Schmalz, re: his #MontereyCountyWeekly cover story on the Moss Landing battery fires:

"I’d like to talk more about our society’s insatiable demand for #energy, and how easy it is to become detached from its costs—not on the pocketbook, but the planet. You don’t think much, if at all, about energy when you drive your car up a hill, but you’d think about it plenty on a #bike or on foot.
…
“Energy demand keeps ticking up, especially now with the advent of #AI.

"Throw a question into a Google search, for example, and the answer—now that it’s AI-assisted—consumes 10 times more energy than it did before AI.”
https://www.montereycountynow.com/blogs/opinion_blog/there-may-be-lessons-to-be-learned-by-looking-back-on-the-history-of-vistra/article_3662d3d6-c5c4-40db-ab81-f7afc8619675.html#tncms-source=mosaic

NOTE: That’s one reason we choose to check “never" AI in our searches. https://duckduckgo.com/settings#aifeatures And we very, very rarely turn to Google. Duck Duck Go has been our default search engine since 2015. We first used the Duck in 2011 and have experienced its improvements every year. Our family is used to us saying "Ask the Duck" not "Google it.”

Remembering six U.S. military veterans who died alone:

Andrew Stanley Brzowtowski, originally of Syracuse, New York. #USArmy #VietnamVeteran
John Randolph McConnell, born in Maine. #USAirForce
Jeffrey A. Graham, born in Kentucky. US Army
David Calvin Schaeffer, from South Dakota. #USNavy
Ralph D. Hucke, born in Oregon. USArmy #DesertStormVeteran
Richard Clarence Wilkerson, born in Los Angeles. US Army

"Murphy talked about the struggles that veterans face when they come home, like maintaining relationships with loved ones, another casualty of their service.

“'So keep that in your heart.'”

Thank you, Pam Marino @pammarino, for "Six veterans who died alone are interred with full military honors at the Central Coast Veterans Cemetery.”
https://www.montereycountynow.com/blogs/news_blog/six-veterans-who-died-alone-are-interred-with-full-military-honors-the-the-central-coast/article_fc040e55-292c-4682-8b50-4e58ce76f97b.html

"The ceremony was made possible by a policy change at the National Cemetery Administration, part of the Veterans Administration, last year.” https://www.montereycountynow.com/blogs/opinion_blog/a-poignant-ceremony-honors-fallen-veterans-who-died-alone/article_29b40b99-9bcc-4215-8499-a074b1533c76.html

#PTSD #AgentOrange #Homelessness #MontereyCountyWeekly #MontereyCountyNow

"The Vistra fire in Moss Landing caught everyone by surprise. What we can learn from it?” —David Schmalz, #MontereyCountyWeekly cover story

"On Feb. 13, 2022, a similar incident occurred at Vistra’s Moss 100 facility, and this time, both #Vistra facilities were taken offline.

"Meanwhile, PG&E’s 182.5-megawatt Elkhorn facility came online in April 2022. Unlike both Vistra facilities, the Elkhorn’s batteries were not in buildings – they were in an array of 256 Tesla Megapacks on 33 concrete slabs.

In the early morning of Sept. 20 of that year, just over five months later, a fire broke out in one of #Tesla Megapacks at the facility, prompting the closure of Highway 1 and a shelter-in-place order for nearby residents. Though the fire only burned for six hours, the orders remained in effect until just before 7pm due to the risk of toxic smoke inhalation.”

https://www.montereycountynow.com/news/cover/the-vistra-fire-in-moss-landing-caught-everyone-by-surprise-what-we-can-learn-from/article_7c3112af-73d0-4ca5-a599-05e77d09963b.html

#MontereyCounty #MossLanding #BatteryFire #MontereyCountyNow #PGE #PacificGasAndElectric

From #MontereyCountyNow / #MontereyCountyWeekly cover story, "As leaders in Washington take a sledgehammer to federal funding, here’s a look at local expenditures,” an excerpt on transportation:

“Funding for #transportation projects in #Monterey County are a mixture of local, state and federal funds,” says Theresa Wright, a Transportation Agency for Monterey County spokesperson. “Federal funding is critical for implementing major regional #infrastructure projects. Without federal funding it will likely take longer to get projects fully funded and construction started.

“We are not optimistic that once the projects are eligible that federal funding will be available or that there would be federal employees in place to process and implement the application process.”

https://www.montereycountynow.com/news/cover_collections/as-leaders-in-washington-take-a-sledgehammer-to-federal-funding-here-s-a-look-at/article_4f2f3f46-2b3d-48b2-967c-d204c128542f.html

#MontereyCounty #California #USA #47news

2/ It’s common for people to mistakenly assume e-bikes and e-motorcycles are much the same.

We appreciate those who recognize the important distinctions between these electric vehicles. See our post above for the Monterey Police Department press release correctly identifying the vehicle involved as an e-motorcycle. (Page 3 of that press release also includes a photo of that impounded vehicle.)

We also appreciate media professionals who are committed to accurate reporting—including that when these humans do make an error (thankfully MCN/MCW isn’t written by AI bots!), the best media pros promptly acknowledge and correct it. That’s what #MontereyCountyNow / #MontereyCountyWeekly staff writer David Schmalz did today with his Feb 14 story originally titled "Wild e-bike [sic] chase in downtown Monterey ends in major firearms arrest.” https://www.montereycountynow.com/blogs/news_blog/wild-e-bike-chase-in-downtown-monterey-ends-in-major-firearms-arrest/article_491b11ce-eb1b-11ef-b4fd-cff75c185ee6.html

#transportation #eMotorcycle #ElectricMotorcycles #eBike #eBikes #accuracy #AccurateReporting #media #journalists #police

We’ve mentioned previously the widespread confusion about e-motorcycles, which are often inaccurately marketed as e-bikes. See https://bikemonterey.org/california-bicycle-advocates-call-on-elected-leaders-to-protect-e-bike-riders.html

Early this morning we published the latest issue of Bike Buzz, which mentions that and more about bikes at unsafe speeds. (See "On a multiuse trail, anytime we’re near pedestrians and others” in red box at https://bikemonterey.org/bike-buzz-winter-2025.html.)

Coincidentally, a Feb 14 afternoon story from #MontereyCountyNow / #MontereyCountyWeekly staff writer David Schmalz includes a speeding e-motorcycle rider: "Wild e-bike [sic] chase in downtown Monterey ends in major firearms arrest.”https://www.montereycountynow.com/blogs/news_blog/wild-e-bike-chase-in-downtown-monterey-ends-in-major-firearms-arrest/article_491b11ce-eb1b-11ef-b4fd-cff75c185ee6.html

Although David’s story refers to that vehicle as an “e-bike,” the Monterey Police Dept press release identified it as an e-motorcycle. https://files.monterey.gov/News-Releases/2025/25_0214-MPD-Media-Release-Firearms-Arrest.pdf

This is another example of why we and many other #CalBike partners issued this stmt: https://bikemonterey.org/california-bicycle-advocates-call-on-elected-leaders-to-protect-e-bike-riders.html

#BikeTooter #California #MontereyCounty #eMotorcycle #eBike #WordsMatter #media #journalists

See someone walking slowly, perhaps with a cane, and assume they can’t bike?

"I can do the swim leg, I can do the bike leg. The thing I can’t do is the run or walk.”—Steve Bruemmer, who" re-learned how to ride a bike after suffering major injuries from a shark bite in 2022. He is now regularly riding 100 miles a week.” Story by Sara Rubin, editor of #MontereyCountyNow / #MontereyCountyWeekly https://www.montereycountynow.com/news/cover_collections/after-a-near-death-experience-from-a-shark-bite-steve-bruemmer-is-on-the-road/article_7eb61586-d914-11ef-a8a6-db487bd0bb71.html

#DisabilityAwareness #Disability #Recovery #Healing #Ageism

We consistently value the work David Schmalz, staff writer for local, independent media #MontereyCountyWeekly / #MontereyCountyNow. He covers transportation, climate change, and more.

The history, potential impact, and current status of Monterey-Salinas Transit’s SURF! project is confusing to many. Schmalz shines a light on that project in this week’s MCW cover story, “Monterey-Salinas Transit’s SURF! project is hurtling ahead at great expense. Is it worth it?”

https://www.montereycountynow.com/news/cover/monterey-salinas-transit-s-surf-project-is-hurtling-ahead-at-great-expense-is-it-worth/article_9cdfb02c-a79f-11ef-90f4-3f5204fe4466.html
#MontereyCounty #PublicTransit #transportation #bus #ClimateCrisis #commuters #CaliforniaCoastalCommission #California #train #rail #MontereyBranchLine #SFBA #MontereyBay

Monterey County Weekly / Monterey County Now election endorsements issue, October 10, 2024, includes endorsements for local, state, and national candidates and issues. https://flipbook.montereycountyweekly.com/

Tips for U.S. voters: https://bikemonterey.org/nov-5-2024-usa-general-election-and-voter-registration-deadlines.html

#DemocracyIsNotASpectatorSport #MontereyBay #MontereyCounty #California #USA #Vote #Vote2024 #Democracy #ActOnClimate #SFBA #IBikeIVote #BikeTheVote #ClimateAction #ClimateHope #America #EarthStewardship #ClimateJustice #ClimateChange #ElectionEndorsements #MontereyCountyNow #MontereyCountyWeekly

“You are a vehicle of God that comes to see me in the eleventh hour to save my knowledge from being lost. I will teach you up to the last day.” — Ascencion Solorsano

https://www.montereycountynow.com/news/cover/the-great-grandson-of-the-last-full-blooded-member-of-the-mutsun-is-trying-to/article_bc20b6c4-5507-11ef-91ea-372da6a6b722.html

Report by David Schmalz, #MontereyCountyWeekly / #MontereyCountyNow staff writer.

#Mutsun #Westerners #Ascencion #Popeloutchom #Indigenous #CentralCoast #PajaroRiver #Gabilans #IndianCanyon #SanJuanBautista #Costanoan #storytelling #Smithsonian #CaliforniaEthnology #ethnology