Weed Whacked…A Monterey County Superior Court judge ordered the shutdown of My Caregiver, the county’s only operating medical marijuana outlet, March 12.  Co-op attorney James Roberts says My Caregiver will likely stay open on appeal. [RU]

Deputy Endorsement…About 58 percent of Monterey County Deputy Sheriffs Association members endorsed former commander Fred Garcia for sheriff. Sheriff Mike Kanalakis received about 21 percent of the vote, former Pacific Grove police chief Scott Miller won 11 percent, and 10 percent chose not to endorse. [ZS]

Holding Pattern…California’s war on the light brown apple moth is on pause: The Department of Food and Agriculture delayed certifying its LBAM eradication program environmental impact report. Meanwhile almost 100 California growers, including several in Monterey County, are asking CDFA to scrap its LBAM battle plan and related quarantines. [KA]

Pink Slips…More than 100 Monterey County educators got layoff notices March 15.  MPUSD alone warns it could eliminate 52 jobs and cut back a number of programs. Final decisions will come down in May. [RU]

Development Downturn…The Marina City Council March 16 extended Marina Height's obligation to make subdivision improvements for another year. With the downfall of housing market, the developer—for the third time—is asking for more time to complete underground utilities, including gas lines, sewers and storm drains. [ZS]

Fly Pelican…It's been a tough couple of winters for California brown pelicans, which endured a cold snap last year and an El Niño-related food shortage this year. Moss Landing-based WildRescue hopes to develop a disaster response plan, with secure funding, to support nonprofits’ treatment of wildlife hurt by natural disasters. [KA]

Jobless Odometer… Monterey County's unemployment rate reached 17.8 percent in January, with the agricultural industry taking the biggest blow, dropping 3,500 jobs from December 2009, according to state data released March 10. In comparison, 13.2 percent of Californians were unemployed and 10.6 percent of Americans were out of work the same month. [ZS]

Fueling Alternatives…Biodiesel may be making a comeback after stalling out with the expiration of a $1-per-gallon "blender's credit" at the end of 2009. On March 10, the U.S. Senate approved a bill that revives the credit; if signed, it should jump-start biodiesel plants including Energy Alternative Solutions in Gonzales. [KA]