Carmel Misconduct

As a Carmel city hall employee between 2004-2008, I was witness to events which culminated in Jane Miller’s sexual harassment and discrimination suit against the city. I was prepared to testify at trial on Jane Miller’s behalf, which would have included testimony regarding instances of kissing and breast fondling and unjustified salary increases given to favored female employees. My interview with private investigator Karen Kramer, wherein I raised my concerns, was part of the report which was cited as showing no problems in the Carmel workplace.

The coverage of the story by the Weekly has been excellent and truthful. The Aug. 6, 2010 Pine Cone editorial by Paul Miller, which was demeaning to Jane Miller, skeptical of the validity of the complaint and implied that the city had done nothing wrong while calling for Rich Guillen’s resignation was a classic example of the term “male chauvinism,” coined during the period of the sexual/feminist revolution.

Kudos to the Monterey County Weekly staff for pursuing justice. --

Choice Counts

John Laird and Sam Blakeslee are slugging it out in the 15th State Senate District. Again. The district spans five counties, from Santa Clara County to Santa Barbara County, and offers a clear opportunity to send a pro-choice legislator to Sacramento .

Planned Parenthood Advocates Mar Monte endorsed John Laird based on his voting record in the State Assembly and his response to their questionnaire. Sam Blakeslee received an anti-choice rating from Planned Parenthood based on his voting record in the State Assembly and his lack of response. Although Sam is vocal about what he is against, he’s shy about telling voters what he’s for. Voting “NO” to everything is not a political point-of-view.

Our elected officials make decisions about the right to choose, sex education, access to family planning, and much more every year. John Laird was endorsed by Planned Parenthood because he supports access to confidential comprehensive reproductive health care services for all women regardless of age, marital status, race, ethnicity or ability to pay. And he votes for it. Vote pro-choice on Aug. 17. Vote for John Laird. --

SEJ Honors Weekly’s Abraham

Weekly Assistant Editor Kera Abraham has taken first place in the Outstanding Small Market Reporting, Print category of the Society of Environmental Journalists’ 9th Annual Awards for Reporting on the Environment.

Abraham was recognized for three cover stories grouped under the heading: “Green vs. Green: Environmentalists Duke It Out.”

The stories were: “Sand Castles,’’ about the proposed “eco-resort” in Sand City; “Brand New World,” about the Sustainable Brands conference held in Monterey; and “Solar Frays,” about the conflict between solar farming advocates and sustainable agriculture in Panoche Valley.

“By examining conflicts in which both sides laid plausible claim to being champions of the environment,Abraham offered an unusually sophisticated and thought-provoking examination of what it means to be green,” the judges said to explain their choice. “Her pieces were thoroughly reported, engagingly told, fresh and fair-minded.”