Community Matters

November 21, 2025 Interview with Monterey County Supervisor Glenn Church, Phillip Carranco, Karell Reader re: BESS moratorium/ ordinance

Hour One: Monterey County Supervisor Glenn Church discusses why Board's decision to reject a moratorium on large battery energy storage system (BESS) projects will help move the County to develop the rules to regulate where they are allowed and safety requirements for how they operate. Contact him with thoughts on BESS issues: https://www.countyofmonterey.gov/government/board-of-supervisors/district-2-glenn-church

Phillip Carranco, internationally-recognized regulatory policy expert with local connections, discusses the Draft BESS Ordinance document he wrote, based on the California Governor's Business Office BESS Ordinance template, to assist local jurisdictions such as Santa Cruz and Monterey Counties.

Hour Two: Continued discussion with Phillip Carranco re: the importance of strong regulation, what happens when a BESS developer goes to the State Energy Commission (CEC) instead of local jurisdictions for licensing and operation permits, and how can people weigh in to make a difference?  

Karell Reader, an organic apple farmer in Santa Cruz County, joins the conversation with questions about agricultural zoning, public safety, and how to effectively approach decision-makers to strengthen BESS rules for benefit of the people  and environment. 

November 14, 2025 Interview with Tom Ginsburg: 3720 Capitola Road Project; Interview with Nina Beety: MBARI's harmful sonar mapping project

Hour One: Interview with Capitola Resident Tom Ginsburg: how the Bulb Ave. neighborhood has come together to present reasonable, fact-based discussions to the Capitola City Council as large, dense development projects are proposed (philosophy of BRIMBY...Be Respectful In My BackYard).  The Capitola City Council's actions were responsive.

 

Hour Two: Interview with Nina Beety, local Resident and Researcher, discusses the harmful sonar geophysical mapping work in the Monterey Bay Canyon that MBARI continues to do in the name of science, using sound waves at 191db-221db but now increasing to 237db with the new David Packard research vessel.  The US Air Force has determined that inaudible sound is lethal at 150db.  Why is MBARI harming our marine life for the sake of mapping that could be done with other, non-harmful methods???

This work is permitted by the California State Lands Commission...please protest!

https://www.slc.ca.gov/meetings/

November 7, 2025 Hour 1: Discussion of Santa Cruz County BESS; Hour 2: Vets 4 Vets Interview

Hour 1: News about release of Santa Cruz County's new rules for siting potentially flammable and explosive large battery energy storage system (BESS) projects in neighborhoods.  Info from Nina Audion, leader of Stop Lithium BESS in Santa Cruz County.

 

Hour 2: Interview with Wendy Core, Michael Lovejoy, and Travis DeYoung from Vets 4 Vets.  How local Veterans are helping one another to create a Community to overcome isolation, family emergencies, housing and health needs where gaps exist among other local services. Thank a Veteran for their service! https://www.vets4vetssantacruz.org/

October 31, 2025 Interviews re: BESS Issues with Supervisor Glenn Church, Nina Audino and Brian Roeder

Hour One: Supervisor Glenn Church discusses importance of proposed BESS moratorium in Monterey County to enable careful drafting of BESS Ordinance; Nina Audino (Stop Lithium BESS in Santa Cruz County) discusses safety problems with current lithium BESS technology and what Santa Cruz County Draft BESS Ordinance could include to protect public safety.

Hour Two: Brian Roeder (Never Again Moss Landing) discusses his TRIM idea to monitor lithium battery abuse and degradation in real time, and support public safety with information on lithium BESS project status at risk of explosion and fire.  Nina Audino joins in with ideas for people to take action and support public safety issues as Santa Cruz and Monterey County agencies develop a draft BESS Ordinance.

Never forget that a small group of informed and caring people can make a big difference in their Community!

https://neveragainmosslanding.org/resources/

https://www.stoplithiumbessinsantacruz.org/

https://www.countyofmonterey.gov/government/board-of-supervisors/district-2-glenn-church

October 17, 2025 Interview of Sandy Lydon on the Anniversary of the 1989 Loma Prieta Earthquake

Hour One and Hour Two:

Today, 36 years ago, the Loma Prieta Earthquake shook the land and souls of our area.  Centered in Nisene Marks State Park in Aptos but reverberating into the Bay Area, it was a BIG event that many remember.

 

I am honored to host  Mr. Sandy Lydon, local historian, for the full two hours as my Guest,  describing what happened that day and thereafter.  For many years, he led groups into Nisene Marks State Park to the Epicenter, bringing history to life while urging people to be prepared for the next earthquake.

 

Here is a link describing what happened in Watsonville:

 

https://pajaronian.com/remembering-loma-prieta-quake-left-watsonville-in-ruin-united-residents/

October 10, 2025 Hour 1: Update re: BESS in Santa Cruz County; HHour 2: Barak Laub and Jess T. Rising Worldwide & Film View

Hour 1: Santa Cruz County Supervisors plan to vote on new County battery energy storage system (BESS) projects next month.  Why is 3CE supporting dangerous lithium BESS projects in our area.  Status of 90 Minto Rd. BESS project in permit process.

Hour 2: Barak Laub discusses his film " how he learned about foreign orphanages bringing in big money from tourism while taking kids away from their families, exposing kids to adults from around the world who are not screened for predatory history.  This is not illegal in the US.  Jess T. discusses her background as a child sex traffick victim, unraveling the complex web of child trafficking, and the work Rising Worldwide does to help victims safely escape and heal while also educating youth and adults to recognize the signs of trafficking grooming and recruitment via the "Safe and Sound" program in schools.

Barak's film October 28 is the first in a series of films to support Rising Worldwide: https://risingworldwide.org/

Link to 2025 County Civil Grand Jury Report: Human Trafficking in Santa Cruz County:

https://www.santacruzcountyca.gov/Portals/0/County/GrandJury/GJ2025_final/2025-5_Human_Trafficking_Report.pdf

 

October 3, 2025 BESS Update for SC; Kris Kirby & Oregon; Marta & Ilea Buliach on Watsonville Homelssnes Plan

Hour 1: Program dedicated to Jondi Gumz, RIP Excellent Reporter.

https://www.santacruzsentinel.com/obituaries/jolande-gumz-scotts-valley/

Updates re: BESS update in Santa Cruz County: Urgent action needed! Attend the  October 8 Panel of expert discussion regarding the truth behind what happened at the Moss Landing Battery Fire (See CASI Monterey https://casicalifornia.org/event/moss-landing-battery-plant-disaster-at-edens-gate/)

Kris Kirby: moving out of CA.... politics in Oregon, meeting Alex Skarlatos, who, with his two friends US Airman Spencer Stone and Anthony Sadler, in 2015 thwarted a deadly attack on a high-speed train bound for Paris

Hour 2: Marta & Ilea Buliach, joined by Councilman Casey Clark,  discuss the Watsonville City Homelessness Strategic Plan (aka Homeless Action Plan) https://pajaronian.com/watsonville-city-council-passes-homelessness-act/  Why did City Staff censor the report?  Will the police enforce anything? Why are businesses suffering?

September 26, 2025 Hour One: Scott Smith/ Blue Shirt Justice League: Truth Behind the Moss Landing Battery Fire Disaster; Hour Two: David Hurwitz / CASI: Oct. 8 Briefing on "Meltdown in Moss Landing"

Hour One: Guest Scott Smith discusses the Moss Landing Battery Fire and the disturbing pattern of unacceptable response from agencies responsible for public safety and disaster response, urging people to work together to demand accountability and action. Preliminary soil samples align with the Never Again Moss Landing sampling data and Dr. Ivan Aielo of Moss Landing Marine Lab. Contact him at Blue Shirt Justice League: https://goblueshirtjustice.org/

 

Hour Two: Guest David Hurwitz discusses the upcoming October 8  "Meltdown at Moss Landing" event sponsored by the California Art & Science Institute (CASI) to provide information and discussion that is sorely missing in the Community because elected officials refuse to hold townhall meetings. https://casicalifornia.org/event/moss-landing-battery-plant-disaster-at-edens-gate/