Residents say more work is their New Year’s Resolution

MONTEREY, Calif. (KION)

Whether it's more travel or more exercise, everyone has a New Year's resolution.

Due to financial hardships caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, many in Monterey, Saturday, say their resolution is to have more work.

Yvan Vucina is a Pacific Grove resident and musician who says he hopes to find more opportunities playing his music.

“With COVID, it’s been really hard, I’ve been playing on the street and farmers markets," says Vucina.

Vucina says he has not been able to get jobs performing at venues due to pandemic shutdowns.

Several workers and businesses say they struggled financially throughout 2020.

“The hardest thing is to support my family with all this being closed down, especially to bring food home," says Santiago, a local restaurant worker.

Workers and business owners say constant pandemic shutdowns put a strain on their income.

“The hardest thing has been paying rent and bills. My hopes are on the vaccinations right now so that we all still have jobs," says one local chef.

But workers say watching the crowds who came out to their businesses the day after Christmas gives them hope that change could come soon.

"My resolution is to be better and have more people in the future and go back to normal and maybe more business," says Rick Beidoun at Crab Louie’s Bistro.