This Week on the Central Coast...
TAMC sought input on how to better serve Monterey County, Salinas proposed bills for affordable housing, and a Seaside teen earns a Congressional Gold Medal.
TAMC seeks to better help senior and disabled citizens in Monterey County
The Transportation Agency for Monterey County (TAMC) asked the public for their opinions of how to better address the needs of senior and disabled citizens. The discussion is around funding that came through Measure X, which gives around $500,000 per year over the next thirty years to help Monterey’s seniors and disabled persons live independently.
“Approximately 18% of Monterey County’s population currently qualifies for senior and/or disabled transportation services, and that figure is expected to increase in the coming years.” The new assessment will help TAMC identify the services currently available, then determine where the gaps in service are. They plan to use this information to plan potential enhancements and improve coordination between services.
If you would like to review the current needs assessment draft, you can view it on their website. However, they are no longer taking public comments on the matter.
Salinas hopes to turn vacant businesses into housing
Two housing bills have been proposed to the state that would convert empty businesses, such as those in shopping malls, old Kmart and Sears buildings, and their parking lots into mixed-use or residential spaces. The bills, Senate Bill 6 (proposed by a Salinas senator) and Assembly Bill 2011 (proposed by a Berkeley senator), would allow developers to quickly turn empty commercial zones into affordable housing by bypassing the California Environmental Quality Act.
While both bills seek the same actions, Assembly Bill 2011 would require at least some of the workers to be unionized. Senate Bill 6 would not require any unionized workers, though it promises higher pay.
If either bill gets passed, it would provide new opportunities for housing in locations that were previously reserved for commercial projects only.
Seaside student earned a Congressional Award and Gold Medal
Every year, the Congressional Award Foundation grants students with either a Bronze, Silver, or Gold congressional certificate and medal. The program recognizes youths, age 14 to 23, who have completed specific goals in public service and personal growth. The goals encourage kids to actively help their communities while growing as a person.
Norah Takehara achieved a Gold Medal, which “takes at least two years to earn and requires 800 activity hours across four program areas: 400 hours of community service, 200 hours of personal development, 200 hours of physical fitness and completing a five-day, four-night expedition or exploration trip.”
She spent three years completing the requirements while finishing high school and applying to colleges. Her community service hours were spent volunteering at the Aquarium every week. The physical fitness requirement was met by teaching at a local dance studio and dancing in the role of the Sugar Plum Fairy for the Monterey Peninsula Ballet Theater. She achieved personal development in culinary arts by learning new recipes and improving her cooking skills.
The exploration requirement was a bit harder due to pandemic restrictions, but Norah still found a way. She took a virtual expedition to Amsterdam and explored several activities, writing a ten-page paper to finish the requirement.
She is happy to have achieved her goal and to have won the Gold Medal honor. She hopes it will help her future career choices, not only with the experiences she’s gained, but also by standing out amongst other applicants.
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