Monterey County Weekly (formerly Coast Weekly) 831-394-5656 news/cover

Sustainability is the farm town’s new mantra.
Zachary Stahl -

Walking from Gonzales’ green-arched downtown across the railroad tracks, Harold Wolgamott, a multi-hat wearing city official, points out a small business park tucked behind a packing shed. Seed company Asgrow... read on»
Bird is the word in the windfarming faceoff between turbines and condors.
Zachary Stahl -

Soledad wants to build a seven-turbine wind farm to power its wastewater treatment plant. Sounds simple enough only the few remaining California condors frequently fly over the city and the... read on»

A beginner’s guide to riding the waves in a boat – not on a board.
Jessica Lyons -

Buck Johnson promised thrills and spills. The sea delivers both. Spills come first, as I’m paddling through the white water, out past the breakers, which seems a bit like throwing... read on»
Taking the plunge at the newly reopened Arroyo Seco River.
Zachary Stahl -

As we round the dusty bend more than 200 feet above the green, surging Arroyo Seco River, the mountainside reveals a striking juxtaposition of fire-swept death and spring’s wild resurgence.... read on»
Mill Creek Redwood Preserve Trail taps the serenity of Palo Colorado Canyon.
Corby Anderson -

To stroll along the softly contoured Mill Creek Redwood Preserve trail, which begins near Bottchers Gap at the end of the rugged, ragged Palo Colorado Canyon near Big Sur, is... read on»

Thomas Keller’s obsession with the best made him a legend – and Cooking for Solutions’ 2009 Chef of the Year.
Mark C. Anderson -

is flagship French Laundry restaurant is so popular that potential guests must call at 10am precisely two months in advance to harness any hope of paying $240 a head for... read on»
CFS 2009 expands already ambitious slate of educational events.
Mark C. Anderson -

The most important thing to bring to 2009 Cooking for Solutions is an appetite – for both increasingly vital information and earth-friendly foods. After eight years, the Aquarium has only... read on»

First-time homebuyers are swooping in on Seaside’s foreclosure boom.
Kera Abraham -

Scott Newton strides barefoot over the hardwood floor of his new central Seaside home. His girlfriend, speech therapist Ky Merriman, whips together a salad while he gives a short tour... read on»
Seaside offers down payment loans – with some hitches – for first-timers of modest means.
Kera Abraham -

State law requires cities to set aside about 20 percent of redevelopment funds for affordable housing. In Seaside, where the lack of water limits new housing construction, the city is... read on»