COMMUNITY NEWS
Humbled
ON NOVEMBER 3RD VOTE
How Monterey Bay Escaped Industrial Ruin
M
onterey Bay is a place of beauty and natural splendor, and is protected by federal law as a national marine sanctuary. It may be hard to believe that in the 1960s, plans called for a major industrial complex to be developed at the midpoint of the bay, starting with a refinery that Humble Oil intended as a linchpin of its West Coast operations. The building permit sought by the powerful company became the focus of a bitter and protracted conflict that divided the region. Most people in Monterey County wanted the jobs and economic stability that big industry would bring. But a vocal minority fought back hard against the industrialization of the bay. The Monterey County Board of Supervisors approved the permit, but ultimately Humble never started construction. The controversy was one of the first major battles of the modern environmental movement, and garnered state and national attention, including coverage in the New York Times. It was a critical turning point for the Monterey Bay, home to hundreds of species of sea life, marine mammals and birds. This slice of Central Coast history is examined in detail in the new nonfiction book Humbled: How California’s Monterey Bay Escaped Industrial Ruin, by Glenn Church and Kathryn McKenzie (Vista Verde Publishing, 2020). Readers can learn more about Humbled in a series of online book talks hosted by the Monterey County Historical
Society. Church and McKenzie, who live in Royal Oaks, will discuss the book, their research, and why they wrote it oat 3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 17, and 7 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 18, with other dates to be determined. To watch the Zoom event, email mchs@ redshift.com. During these talks, the authors will donate to Monterey County Historical Society 25 percent of the proceeds from every book ordered from vista-verde-publishing.com. n ••• The 348-page book with 47 photos and illustrations is priced at $28. To read Chapter 1, visit vista-verde-publishing.com.
MAKING A DIFFERENCE FOR THE CENTRAL COAST
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is waiting for you
We’ve RE-OPENED!
You missed us and we really missed you! Join us for the food, the view, and just being out with friends. Lunch and Dinner are available for curbside pickup. Feel free to enjoy your meal on our deck overlooking the Monterey Bay or down on Seascape Beach. Our To Go menu includes selected cocktails from the bar. OPEN WED – SUN 11:30 AM - 2:00 PM 5:00 - 9:00 PM
Authors Glenn Church and Kathryn McKenzie
www.tpgonlinedaily.com Aptos Times / October 15th 2020 / 15
