Pinnacles Film Festival draws 300 to inaugural event
SALINAS VALLEY — Nearly 300 people attended the inaugural Pinnacles Film Festival earlier this month, bringing independent filmmakers and audiences together for a day of short films and feature-length storytelling at King City Cinemas.
The Oct. 10 event, presented by the Arts Council for Monterey...
General Election 2026 | Candidates vie for city, school board seats in Greenfield, Soledad and Gonzales
SALINAS VALLEY — Voters in Greenfield, Soledad and Gonzales will decide several city and school board races in the Nov. 3 general election, along with contests for Hartnell Community College District trustees.
Here is a brief look at the candidates running for office.
City Council
In Gonzales,...
Soledad Fire Department earns top-tier safety rating
SOLEDAD — Soledad Fire Department has improved its national fire protection rating, earning a Class 2 designation that places it among approximately 7% of fire departments evaluated nationwide, the City of Soledad announced.
The rating, which took effect in September, improves on the department’s previous...
Dolores Huerta, farmworker rights icon, dies at 96
CALIFORNIA — Dolores Huerta, whose name and face became synonymous with agricultural workers’ nationwide struggles for fair treatment — tirelessly advocating for laborers well into her ninth decade — died Wednesday at her home in Bakersfield. She was 96.
Huerta’s family announced her death via Instagram,...
Monterey County challenges DOJ demands over voter registration records
MONTEREY COUNTY — Monterey County officials are challenging demands from the U.S. Department of Justice to segregate ballots and disclose confidential voter information, saying the federal agency's claims about local voter registration records are largely inaccurate.
The dispute began Friday, Oct. 23, when two federal...
Greenfield man admits to prison smuggling scheme
GREENFIELD — A former California prison lieutenant from Greenfield pleaded guilty Oct. 20 to conspiring to smuggle contraband into Salinas Valley State Prison in exchange for more than $95,000 in payments from an inmate.
Matthew L. Madsen, 40, admitted to participating in the scheme from...
Soledad Unified School District breaks ground on Gabilan Elementary administration building
SOLEDAD — Soledad Unified School District broke ground Oct. 9 on a new administration building at Gabilan Elementary School, marking another phase of facility improvements funded through Measure E bond funds.
The groundbreaking ceremony brought together community members and guests to celebrate the project, which...
Gonzales youth-led community center earns statewide award for excellence
GONZALES — City of Gonzales has received the 2026 Helen Putnam Award for Excellence from the League of California Cities for its work involving local youth in the vision and development of the Dennis and Janice Caprara Community Center.
Gonzales was one of 12 cities...
General Election 2026 | Salinas Valley voters consider sales and recreation taxes, school changes
SALINAS VALLEY — Voters in Salinas Valley will decide Nov. 3 on measures affecting local school governance, city services and recreation programs, including proposals to continue Greenfield’s sales tax and establish funding for the Soledad-Mission Recreation District.
The ballot also includes a proposed reorganization of...
Monterey County declares emergency for El Niño, prepares for storms
MONTEREY COUNTY — Monterey County supervisors have declared a local emergency ahead of the expected El Niño winter, approving funding for emergency readiness and flood-warning equipment as county officials prepare for potential flooding, landslides and other storm-related hazards.
The Board of Supervisors approved the emergency...
Local News
California Department of Public Health warns of scammers posing as officials
CALIFORNIA — California Department of Public Health is warning residents about phone scams involving callers impersonating department employees to obtain sensitive personal and financial...





















