San Francisco, CA – Today brings the next round in the fight over land use in Monterey County - and the battleground this time is the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco. The court is considering a case under the federal Voting Rights Act that Monterey County officials have cited to kick the slow-growth General Plan Initiative off the June primary ballot. As KAZU's Ben Adler reports, the court's ruling could change the face of the initiative process across California.
Salinas, CA – The original plan was for the county and SVMH to form a Joint Powers Authority, or JPA, to manage Natividad. The county would retain ownership, but SVMH would absorb a few million dollars a year in losses. That plan has now been scrapped. KAZU's Ben Adler speaks with Monterey County Administrative Officer Lew Bauman about the negotiations.
Salinas, CA – The only public hospital in Monterey County has become a financial disaster. Natividad Medical Center in Salinas is losing so much money - more than 20 million dollars this fiscal year - that the Board of Supervisors wants out of the hospital business. The county is negotiating with nearby Salinas Valley Memorial Hospital to manage Natividad and help absorb some of the losses. KAZU's Ben Adler reports.
