This Week on the Central Coast…
A stained glass window donation, MBARI’s new ship, Mechatronics at Hartnell, The Salty Otter Sports Grill
Monterey
A Monarch Stained Glass Window Needs a Home
A beautiful half-moon stained glass window featuring Monarch butterflies seems like the perfect match for any city building in Pacific Grove. The problem is, no one wants to adopt it. The piece was designed by local developer Nader Agha, who used to own the Holman Building where it was originally displayed.
Agha wants to donate it to the city, even turning down independent buyers and instead offering to pay for the installation. However, the city is concerned the window would be a target of vandalism and doesn’t want to take up the maintenance costs. For those same reasons, the Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History has also turned the donation down, adding that the museum already has lighting issues and a stained glass piece would allow less light in.
The PG City Council recently discussed the butterfly window at their meeting on April 16 where the organization known as Bring Butterflies Back (BBB) spoke in support of the window. However, the Museum management and city council members all voted no to the installation due to numerous issues, including contradictions with the donation and the city’s art donation guidelines. You can watch a replay of the discussion on the city’s YouTube channel (specifically at the 2:06:15 mark).
Meet MBARI’s New Ship: R/V David Packard
The Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI) welcomed a new ship to its fleet. Named after the institute’s founder, David Packard, the new ship will greatly expand the potential for ocean research.
The R/V David Packard is sixty-two percent larger than the previous flagship vessel and can “accommodate up to 12 crew members and 18 scientists for voyages lasting up to 10 days offshore of California, as well as extended expeditions across the Northeastern Pacific Ocean.” The new ship has the ability to serve as the command center for MBARI’s autonomous and remotely operated vehicles, allowing for extended research into the affects of climate change and mapping the ocean floor. Aerial drones can survey the ocean’s surface and monitor sea life.
The ship has been a decade in the making and just completed its fifty-nine day journey from Spain, where it was constructed, to Moss Landing. Along the way, MBARI researchers hosted students and scientists from Mexico, further emphasizing the institute’s commitment to collaborating with other groups around the world.
This is a new and exciting chapter in ocean research and we’re lucky to get front-row seats to it all here on the Central Coast. Follow MBARI on Instagram to see all their updates.
Salinas
Hartnell Hosts High Schoolers for Mechatronics Class
Hartnell College recently partnered with Anzar High School to host four students in a new program designed to introduce them to mechatronics. Mechatronics refers to a field of interdisciplinary study focused on robotics. “It requires technicians who know how to set up the machines, calibrate them, troubleshoot and fix them. There’s a lot that goes into designing the systems and running them. We’re attracting students who maybe didn’t even consider this a possibility.” The field opens a lot of opportunities across many different skills, including manufacturing, electrical engineering, and even agriculture applications.
One of the biggest advantages of the program is the opportunity for students to use expensive equipment and gain certification. Hartnell has spent about $2 million dollars each of the last two summers on equipment since this program has become so popular. Industry standards like Snap-On and Festo offer certification for their equipment, which gives students another edge in job hunting. “If they go to a Festo shop and are certified on Festo and know the Festo parts, they can step right in and deal with Festo without any problems. Maybe the certification is what gets them the initial job.”
This kind of program is perfect for our area where robotics and engineering will become more and more prominent in the agriculture industry.
Santa Cruz
The Salty Otter Sports Grill Opening Soon
A new sports grill is entering the downtown scene and Monterey locals might find the name and concept familiar. Rachel Smith is a co-owner of The Salty Seal on Cannery Row, where she manages payroll, events, advertising, marketing, the website and music, among other duties.
The new Salty Otter will take over where 99 Bottle of Beer on the Wall and Firefly Tavern used to occupy. Entertainment plans include live music, a pool table, darts and table video games. The food and drinks will follow a similar theme to its sister restaurant, including calamari, cauliflower bites, Gilroy garlic fries, clam chowder, burgers, and fish ‘n’ chips. However, The Salty Otter will have some unique additions that pay homage to Smith’s Caribbean heritage. A Bermuda-style fish stew and traditional Goslings Dark & Stormy are two examples.
The brewpub is aiming to become a fixture of the community by providing a hang-out for anyone and everyone, including kids and pets. Their website lists hours of 10am to midnight every day of the week, with Tuesdays offering a locals discount and Wednesdays an industry discount. The Salty Otter does not have an official opening date, but you can visit their website to see what they’re about and find some social media links for updates.