Monterey Symphony Announces Next Balcony Session Featuring Concertmaster Christina Mok

 The Monterey Symphony will present its next Balcony Session featuring concertmaster Christina Mok on Friday, February 5th at 4 PM. 

Carmel/Monterey, CA, February 04, 2021 – The Monterey Symphony will present its next Balcony Session featuring concertmaster Christina Mok on Friday, February 5th at 4 PM. The concert, filmed at Sunset Center, also features a world premiere from MSO Composer-in-Residence John Wineglass titled Alone.

Wineglass writes this about the piece, “Alone is comprised of two starkly contrasting movements. The first entitled "Frenzied Lives" explodes at a very rapid 144 bpm (beats per minute) pace indicative of humanity across the globe pre-COVID and then into the perils of a global pandemic - all voiced by a single violin with live electronics intermittently. 

There would be glimmers of hope - times of possible brilliance - yet brought back to a current dismal reality of isolation, loss, loneliness, suffering and even racial injustice. A longing for common ground but finding no footing... no continuity. Abrupt silences... alone. And while it is important to rise up again to survive, we must codify through art and music these moments - less we forget the lessons learned. With the advent of COVID-19, the second movement entitled, "Realms of Rest" exposes 'alone' time that most of the global community had not experienced in 100 years or so. 

It was a time to slow down, reconnect with family, losing time - not just in hours but in weeks and months. At one point, I personally couldn't even keep track of days with oftentimes its repetitive motion of just existing - my calendar remaining blank for months. Time during the pandemic for me was an odd ethereal feeling, hanging in the balance in this new normal. While in the first movement, you feel the rushed anguish of being alone in some pretty uncertain times, the second movement in contrast essentially has no tempo - again voiced by a single violin accompanied by electronica and live electronics throughout.” 

The complete program also includes works by Back and Piazzolla, with commentary from Mok: 

PROGRAM 

J.S. Bach

Violin Partita No. 3, BWV 1006: Gavotte en Rondeau 

Astor Piazzolla

Tango Etude No. 4 & 5 

Sergei Prokofiev

Sonata for Solo Violin, Op. 115

I. Moderato

II. Andante dolce. Tema con variazioni

III. Con brio. Allegro precipitato 

John Wineglass 

Alone 

Bios for the artists can be found on the Symphony’s website. 

Lighting design was provided by Ken Smith, with Technical Direction and filming from local filmmaker Doug Mueller, with crew support from IATSE. Alone was sponsored by the William and Patricia Smith Family Foundation. The concert was sponsored by Gary and Carolyn Bjorklund, Bruce and Whiz Lindsey, and Lee and Shirley Rosen. 

The mission of the Monterey Symphony, founded in 1946 and incorporated in 1947, is to engage, educate and excite our community through the performance and continual discovery of symphonic music. The Symphony is committed to bringing music to listeners during the time of COVID through Balcony Sessions, online content, and Music for Your Ears – a new series aimed at students in grades 3-8. 

Contact: 
Marci Bracco Cain 
The Buzz PR LLC 
Salinas, CA 
(831) 747-7455 
https://www.montereysymphony.org/

Twisted Roots Winery Pulling Out All the Stops for Valentine’s Day This Year

  Launches “Share the Love Campaign,” 20% of all sales from Feb. 12–14 will benefit the nonprofit Partnership for Children 

Carmel Valley, CA, February 03, 2021 — What could be sweeter and more romantic for Valentine’s Day this year than a special bottle of wine from an award-winning winery, delicious cookies from an expert baker, a gift card to help kids with life-threatening conditions and bottles of sparkling rosé at discounted prices. 

And, you can get all that in one spot for some one-stop shopping for Valentine’s Day, at Twisted Roots Winery Tasting Room in Carmel Valley. The special package, offered only from Friday, Feb. 12 through Sunday, Feb. 14, 2021, includes: 

For every six bottles of Twisted Roots wine you purchase, you will receive three special Valentine’s Day cookies made with love from Sweet Elena’s in Sand City. Offer valid Feb. 12–14, 2021. 

In the “Share the Love Campaign,” 20% of all sales from Feb. 12–14 will benefit the nonprofit Partnership for Children, which provides much-needed transportation to medical services for children with life-threatening conditions and their families. The money raised will be used by Partnership for Children to purchase gas cards for the children’s families. The families are in need of $25 gas cards. 

Rosé all day! Twisted Roots Sparkling Rosé will be 20% off the weekend of Feb. 12–14, so stock up now! 

The tasting room at 12 Del Fino Place in the Village, will open from noon to 5 p.m. Thursdays through Sundays. For more information or to order, call (831) 594-8282 or email info@twistedrootsvineyard.com . The website is www.twistedrootsvineyard.com. 

Contact: 
Marci Bracco Cain 
The Buzz PR LLC 
Salinas, CA 
(831) 747-7455 
http://www.twistedrootsvineyard.com

Team Building Scott Julian develops democracy as President of Lewis Builders

  Growing up, Scott Julian was motivated by the reach of his father’s real estate and property management businesses into the community, but he was inspired by his dad’s work ethic. 

Carmel by the Sea, CA, February 02, 2021 - Growing up, Scott Julian was motivated by the reach of his father’s real estate and property management businesses into the community, but he was inspired by his dad’s work ethic. It was he who introduced Julian to the tenets of motivational speaker, the late Zig Ziglar, who said, “You can have everything in life you want, if you will just help enough other people get what they want.” 

It is this principle that has guided Julian’s actions in life and in business, whether he was running his own landscaping company during high school, for which he was bestowed the local chamber’s “Young Business Person Entrepreneur Award”, or today, as he takes the helm as President of Lewis Builders residential design/build firm in Carmel. 

“I've been fortunate to have several influential leaders invest in or inspire me,” said Julian, “which fuels my passion to create opportunities for others. In the past few years, we’ve hired college graduates and have grown them into managers. We’ve hired aspiring designers and helped develop them into award-winning designers. We’ve hired master builders who previously worked for themselves, and are now providing them with a team, proven processes, and a fulfilling career.” 

Julian’s own career development, from serving as COO for the past four years, to adding President to his role in the firm, is an example of the mentoring mentality on which Lewis Builders CEO John Lewis built the company, and has served as the foundation on which they’ve developed their team. 

Building a Business 

Within a year after graduating from high school, Scott Julian had his contractor’s license and had established the first of many businesses he would develop during the next 25 years. In 2016, he was working as an “Aging-in-Place” consultant, offering home-modification recommendations to enable residents to live safely in their homes for as long as possible. Seeking a qualified builder who understood and practiced the concept, he discovered John Lewis, an Aging-in-Place specialist, certified through the National Association of Home Builders. 

Lewis believes in “Change Your Space, Change Your Life.” He believes in possibility, in productivity, and in developing a democracy both within his business and in working with clients, enabling everyone to have a voice and a role in the process and the outcome. 

“I’ve always believed in attracting and retaining team players by focusing first on their goals and what they need,” said Lewis. “A mistake business owners often make is spending time attracting ‘A players’ and then not leaning into their intelligence and expertise. I’ve worked hard to create what I think is a true democracy, a safe place where intelligent people with different views come to table to express their ideas through healthy conflict, and then extract the most viable solutions, ideas, creativity, and inspiration.” 

In 2017, Lewis brought Julian and Kenny Boyd into partnership, starting with an invitation to join him in Florida, at a weeklong master course in business, with entrepreneur, business strategist and motivational speaker Tony Robbins. The trio went with two goals in mind: to get to know each other better, and to immerse themselves in the psychology and practices of “better business.” 

“We came back, business partners,” said Julian, “with a three-year plan and the goals and the strategies to successfully implement it. That John and Kenny saw the potential in me and thought enough of me to invite me on this journey with them has been life changing.” 

“John Lewis,” says Julian, “is a visionary and a leader. Kenny Boyd has the financial experience and acumen to put the guard rails around the entrepreneurial visions.” 

“I’m honored to have earned their trust to be promoted to President,” said Julian. “I am the process and people person, creating systems for what is a really complicated industry. Particularly now.” 

After four years of working with Lewis and Boyd to develop the Lewis Builders team, Julian is directing the daily business, enabling Lewis to focus on the future, watching for trends, and developing the highest level of building design. 

“I have every confidence that Scott Julian is in the best possible position to lead us,” Lewis said. “From an operational standpoint, no one is more well-suited, more capable, more deserving to lead our democracy than Scott.” 

Leading a Company During COVID

For Lewis Builders, the new decade dawned with a full docket of design and building projects, and the promise of a productive year, which didn’t plan for a pandemic. However, the company quickly put processes in place that, in many cases, enabled them to implement pandemic protocols and continue to provide services. When COVID shut down construction, they shifted to strategizing, so they were ready to roll once the order was lifted. 

“In Monterey County,” said Julian, “it is very difficult to get construction and remodeling projects properly designed and permitted, even when there isn’t a pandemic. But, having a clearly defined process that moves the project forward, executed by a team of talented engineers, designers, and contractors committed to our clients, often has resulted in finishing in record time. Even now.” 

In addition to working with a dynamic team as he deals with the day-to-day demands of business, Julian relies on the support of his biggest champions, his wife, Alicia Stirling-Julian, and their daughter, Alexa. 

An unprecedented year, 2020 proved a trying time for all, filled with unforeseen challenges. Against all hope, 2021 seems to have begun as a continuation of that. “Yet, because of this,” said Julian, “I have learned so much about resiliency and determination, and how essential it is to work as a team, always guided by our core values. If we can do that, we’ve got this.” 

Contact: 
Marci Bracco Cain 
The Buzz PR LLC 
Salinas, CA 
(831) 747-7455 
https://www.lewisbuilder.com/

Goodwill Central Coast’s Round-Up Program aids Max’s Helping Paws Foundation on Feb. 10

  Change for change: That’s the idea behind Goodwill Central Coast’s Round-Up Program, a way for shoppers already saving money to round-up purchases to the nearest dollar and donate that amount to charity. 

Salinas, CA, February 01, 2021 - Change for change: That’s the idea behind Goodwill Central Coast’s Round-Up Program, a way for shoppers already saving money to round-up purchases to the nearest dollar and donate that amount to charity. 

On Feb. 10, Goodwill shoppers can shop as usual while benefiting Max’s Helping Paw’s Foundation, a local nonprofit that believes financial circumstances should never decide a companion pet’s fate. 

This special Round-Up day will take place at all Goodwill locations on the Central Coast. Shoppers can round-up to the nearest dollar.  All of these options are displayed on the credit card terminal machine. All proceeds go directly to the foundation, whose work helps reduces economic euthanasia, surrender and suffering of severely ill or injured pets by providing pet owners assistance with the costs of urgent medical care. 

It’s a double feel-good day for shoppers, whose purchases help Goodwill train unemployed or underemployed people for career opportunities. 

About Goodwill Central Coast

Goodwill Central Coast, a private 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, began in 1928 in the city of Santa Cruz and today has expanded into three counties: Santa Cruz, Monterey, and San Luis Obispo. Goodwill Central Coast now employs more than 600 people, including employment training professionals, sales personnel, donation center attendants, warehouse and distribution workers, and administrators. Its programs strengthen communities by improving job growth, the lives of individuals and families, and the health of our environment. Each year Goodwill assists more than 9,000 job seekers get back to work and reclaim financial and personal independence. Goodwill provides a positive learning environment that creates brighter futures through connecting people to meaningful work.

Contact: 
Marci Bracco Cain 
The Buzz PR LLC 
Salinas, CA 
(831) 747-7455 
https://www.ccgoodwill.org/

Wayland Properties Launches ‘Giving Back, Building Hope’ Program

  Company Announces Partnership with Habitat for Humanity Monterey Bay 

Monterey, CA, February 1, 2021 — At Wayland Properties we are not only dedicated and working around the clock in bringing the highest quality real estate and property management services to our clients, we are committed to giving back to the community in which we live and work. 

Housing and shelter are basic human needs, and it’s not something we take for granted. We share the goals of Habitat for Humanity, which is dedicated to bringing people together to build homes, communities and hope. 

Habitat for Humanity Monterey Bay is an important and much-needed community-based organization that strives to make a positive impact on as many people as possible by helping to build decent, affordable homes and provide home ownership opportunities to qualified families who live and work in Santa Cruz and Monterey counties. 

But Habitat for Humanity is not a giveaway program. Families purchase Habitat homes with a down payment, sweat equity, and an affordable mortgage. It relies on generous donations to keep the organization funded and operational. Every little bit has a real and lasting effect in the community. 

With that in mind, Wayland Properties will give 3% of each real estate sale and 3% of profits from its property management division to Habitat for Humanity Monterey Bay. 

"We are thrilled that Wayland Properties recognizes the shortage of affordable housing and has created a sustainable plan of giving back to this cause," said Satish Rishi, CEO of Habitat for Humanity Monterey Bay. "We hope that other real estate brokerages follow this pioneering model and collaborate on creating more affordable housing units." 

Wayland Properties owners Ashley Wayland and her husband Nic Casas are passionate about the community and committed to social responsibility. Ashley has been part of the community since 2007, and Nic is a native, born and raised on the Monterey Peninsula, so they know that a strong community with a high quality of life means safer, healthier lives for everyone. 

By supporting Habitat for Humanity, Wayland Properties can help build homes, build hope and make a positive impact in the community.

Contact: 
Marci Bracco Cain 
The Buzz PR LLC 
Salinas, CA 
(831) 747-7455 
https://waylandproperties.co/

ARCpoint Labs of Monterey Bay Offering Affordable Rapid COVID-19 Tests for Large-Scale Employers

  ARCpoint Labs of Monterey Bay, the foremost lab in Monterey County for COVID-19 testing, offering the most comprehensive and cost-effective testing menu available in the area, is now offering rapid COVID-19 testing tailored to the needs of employers and their employees. 

Monterey, CA. January 29, 2021 — ARCpoint Labs of Monterey Bay, the foremost lab in Monterey County for COVID-19 testing, offering the most comprehensive and cost-effective testing menu available in the area, is now offering rapid COVID-19 testing tailored to the needs of employers and their employees. 

The service, which offers rapid antigen test results within 1 hour to employers with 20 or more employees, helps employers meet new Cal/OSHA’s COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standards (ETS) instituted last November. With the ability to test groups at job locations, in offices or at either of ARCpoint’s locations in Monterey and Salinas, COVID-19 testing is now more practical and easily available than ever to businesses in Monterey County. 

“This is a new test that is faster, easier and more affordable, allowing employers to do large-scale testing quickly and responsibly,” Spenser Smith, Lab Manager at ARCpoint. “We can go to your place to test your employees, process the tests and have the results in less than an hour.” 

Since some employers need employees tested quickly and more often, the new tests begin at only $70 per test. Additionally, ARCpoint Labs employs backup reflex testing on sophisticated NAAT platforms to reduce the incidence of false positive and false negative results common to other rapid testing programs. Smith said his lab can handle large groups of employees. “We can go big, hundreds of employees at once, if necessary.” 

If you are an employer and need a plan for employee COVID-19 testing, call ARCpoint directly at 831-324-0772. 

ABOUT ARCPOINT LABS

ARCpoint Labs is a full-service national third-party provider and administrator of accurate, reliable, and confidential diagnostic testing for individuals, companies, and legal and healthcare professionals. ARCpoint Labs has been in the drug and alcohol testing business for over 18 years, and our staff has over 60 years of combined industry experience. ARCpoint Labs has over 100 locations across the country with an additional 18 locations slated to open within the next 12 months. For more information on ARCpoint Labs, visit www.arcpointlabs.com. 

ARCpoint Labs of Monterey Bay is an independently owned ARCpoint Labs business, part of a Greenville, South Carolina-based franchise. The Smith family of Monterey, brothers Spenser and Bryant and their parents Belle and Randy, established the company in 2018. 

ARCpoint Labs of Monterey Bay

24560 Silver Cloud Court, #103 Monterey, CA 93940

Phone: (831) 324-0772

Email: monterey@arcpointlabs.com 

Website: www.arcpointlabs.com

Appointments: https://www.arcpointlabs.com/monterey-bay/request-an-appointment/

 

Contact: 
Marci Bracco Cain 
The Buzz PR LLC 
Salinas, CA 
(831) 747-7455 
http://www.arcpointlabs.com

Monterey County Fair Names New President, Vice President on Board of Directors

  The Monterey County Fair has announced two officers to the Board of Directors of the 7th District Agricultural Association, Teri Short as President and Dan Presser as Vice President. 

Monterey, CA, January 28, 2021 — The Monterey County Fair has announced two officers to the Board of Directors of the 7th District Agricultural Association, Teri Short as President and Dan Presser as Vice President.  

Short, who was appointed by Gov. Jerry Brown to the Board of Directors in March 2017, is the first African-American woman to serve on the board. She previously served as Vice President. Presser is the owner of FourWinds Travel in Carmel and was appointed to the Fair Board by Gov. Brown in 2014.

Short has been a community advocate serving the cities of Monterey County for decades. Her involvement and leadership stems throughout numerous organizations advocating for social justice, income inequality, community organizing, and collaborating with stakeholders to find solutions to improve the lives of our families.  

Her career has been in the non-profit, tax, and title industries. She has also spent time as a campaign consultant. 

Short has shown a strong commitment to local schools. She served as President of North Salinas High School’s Site Council for 12 years and was a member of the LCAP Parent Advisory, SUHSD Facility Naming, and Curriculum Adoption Committees to name a few. She previously served as President of the Washington Middle School and Laurel Wood Elementary School Site Councils. Short also worked as a Community Educator for Monterey County POSTPONE (now CAPREP), a comprehensive teen sex education program. She continues to be available to work with our youth as a mentor. 

Short is the current chair of the East Garrison Community Services District Advisory Committee. She has served in this capacity since she was appointed by former Monterey County Supervisor Jane Parker in 2018. 

Short has previously served her community on the City of Salinas Traffic and Transportation Commission, President of the Salinas Valley Democratic Club, and as a Vice Chair on the Monterey County Democratic Central Committee.  

Short was born and raised in Monterey County, is the mother of five children, and lives in East Garrison with her partner Michael. 

Presser moved to the Monterey Peninsula from Texas in 1989. In Texas he helped in roundups, branding, and rodeoing.

His first broadcasting job on the West Coast was to be one of the KTOM Radio Salinas Rodeo announcers. “The first half of my life I was in advertising,” he says. “Monterey is not exactly the mecca of advertising, so I moved in another direction.”

Presser holds a commercial pilot’s license and that got him interested in the travel business, which led him to FourWinds Travel, a business he loves. The agency’s specialty is African safaris and adventure travel.  

“The position is gratifying and at times overwhelming,” said Presser when first appointed to the board. “Kelly Violini, the Fair’s CEO, is fantastic and is the catalyst that really makes the fair one of the best in the country.” 

About the Monterey County Fair & Event Center

<a href='http://www.montereycountyfair.com'>The Monterey County Fair & Event Center</a> is a premier event center set on 22 oak-studded acres with ample parking. It is a state-owned multi-use facility that features four large banquet rooms, two outdoor concert venues, and a variety of outdoor and indoor cost-effective sites ideal for all types of events. It is home of the annual award-winning Monterey County Fair, host to many major and private events on the Central Coast, and the site of the Monterey Bay Race Place, a Satellite Wagering Facility. 

For more information, contact the Fair Administration Office, at 2004 Fairground Road in Monterey, by calling (831) 372-5863 or go to www.montereycountyfair.com  for more information. 

Contact: 
Marci Bracco Cain 
The Buzz PR LLC 
Salinas, CA 
(831) 747-7455 
http://www.montereycountyfair.com