Letter from the Editor

WHERE ARE THE HEROES?

It has been this newspaper’s on-again, off-again tradition to publish a special issue dedicated to Local Heroes. It began as a year-end tribute—kind of a “Best People of the Year” thing, modeled on the “Top Ten Best” lists that are published around New Year’s Day. In 2003, we decided to move it to Independence Day. (I forget why.) We titled it “Americans We Love.”

In two weeks, we will revive the Local Heroes idea once more. This time, we would like your help.

This is an invitation to submit your nominations. A couple of years ago, we defined Local Heroes as “ordinary folks who simply decided to do something good, and then worked very hard to make sure it happened.” Just to give you the idea: These have included Carmel Highlands resident and longtime civil libertarian Dick Criley;  Salinas Baptist pastor and community activist Ken Feske; Seaside grief counselor Arlesha Freeman; Marina librarian Don Livermore; and Art Garcia, who dedicated his retirement to getting old junk cars off the streets of East Salinas.  

Please email your nomination to me at ejohnson@mcweekly.com or mail it to Local Heroes, Monterey County Weekly, 668 Williams Ave., Seaside, CA 93955. There is no time to hesitate. I need to have them in hand by noon on Monday, June 20. —Eric Johnson

HELP ME OUT HERE

A poll conducted by the kid next door indicates Monterey County’s adult population can be divided roughly into two categories: the aware and the unaware. The poll says the unaware tend to plod through their days by rote. The aware, in contrast, are said to cluster largely in four groups: the lazybones, the don’t-give-a-damners, the scribes and the thinkers.

Rarely do the lazybones or the don’t-give-a-damners bestir themselves to, say, write letters to the Editor. Such chores are performed by scribes, whose addiction to Deep Thoughts and attention-getting behavior prompt them to think they think.

If the poll is reasonably accurate, men and women open to ideas—truly open to ideas—have become an endangered species in Monterey County. Reportedly, no such thinkers presently live in Carmel. Nine are said to live in Monterey, 11 in Seaside, four in Sand City, two in Pebble Beach. There are seven in Carmel Valley, 10 in Pacific Grove and eight in Carmel Highlands. Overall, a handful.

Who, then, staffs our city councils, our community colleges, our newspapers? A puzzlement. —Lester Gorn | Pacific Grove