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Salinas
January 22, 2026

Ag Land Trust receives more than $8M in grants to preserve Salinas Valley farmlands

Rows of lettuce growing in a field
SALINAS VALLEY — California Strategic Growth Council has approved more than $8.3 million in grants to the Ag Land Trust (ALT), a nonprofit dedicated to farmland preservation along the state’s Central Coast. The funding will enable the organization to purchase conservation easements on three key...

Football | Gonzales sinks Mariners as King City breaks Pacific Grove

Gonzales football quarterback
SALINAS VALLEY — Gonzales receiver Jorge Uribe had 302 receiving yards and King City’s Carson Tidwell continued to gain rushing yards in their teams’ respective victories over Marina and Pacific Grove last week. Uribe and Tidwell scored three touchdowns apiece in the home wins against...

Hartnell College Foundation’s K-12 STEAM Program earns accolades

Hartnell College Foundation team with award
SALINAS VALLEY — Hartnell College Foundation’s K-12 STEAM Program has received two significant accolades: the NASA Community College Aerospace Scholars award and Salinas City Elementary School District recognition for involvement in the implementation of the Invention Convention competition. Hartnell is one of 10 community colleges...

Monterey County Sheriff’s Office receives $75K grant to fight alcohol-related harm

Monterey County Sheriff’s Office
MONTEREY COUNTY — Monterey County Sheriff’s Office has been awarded a $75,000 grant from the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) to reduce alcohol-related harm in the community. ā€œThis initiative is essential to improving youth safety and giving law enforcement the tools needed to...

Cross Country | South Monterey County teams ready for finals

Cross country runner
SALINAS VALLEY — High school cross country’s Pacific Coast Athletic League regular season ended last week as local teams participated in the final Center Meet competitions. King City and Greenfield ran last Wednesday at the North Monterey County course, and Gonzales and Soledad ran at...

CDCR officials investigating Oct. 14 inmate death at Salinas Valley State Prison as homicide

Salinas Valley State Prison
SOLEDAD — California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) officials are investigating the Oct. 14 death of an incarcerated person at Salinas Valley State Prison (SVSP) in Soledad as a homicide. At about 5:15 p.m., staff observed Orlando Ochoa assaulting Israel Mendoza and responded by utilizing chemical...

Gonzales hosts successful recycling and cleanup event

Resuse, Recycle and Cleanup Day volunteers
GONZALES — City of Gonzales hosted the Resuse, Recycle and Cleanup Day on Saturday at Fairview Middle School. Local residents brought in items for the free event and also took advantage of free compost giveaway. Groups that participated in the Oct. 18 event included the Gonzales...

Football | Soledad and King City win road games as Gonzales falls to Grizzlies

Gonzales football player
SALINAS VALLEY — South Monterey County rivals Soledad and King City won their respective football games on the road last Friday night against Greenfield and Everett Alvarez, while Gonzales suffered a loss to Pajaro Valley. The Aztecs defeated the host Bruins, 28-14, and the Mustangs...

Gills receive award for dedication to Salinas Valley agriculture and community

Gills receive award
SALINAS VALLEY — In a gathering that underscored the enduring spirit of innovation and generosity in California’s ā€œSalad Bowl of the World,ā€ David and Susan Gill of King City received the prestigious E.E. ā€œGeneā€ Harden Lifetime Achievement Award from the Grower-Shipper Association of Central...

Soledad police officer graduates from FBI National Academy

Soledad Police Lt. Juan Santiago FBI National Academy
SOLEDAD — Soledad Police Chief Patrick Valenzuela recently announced that Lt. Juan Santiago has successfully graduated from the 295th session of the FBI National Academy. The graduation ceremony was held at the FBI National Academy in Quantico, Va., on Sept. 4. Santiago is only the...

Local News

Police crime

Teen critically injured in Soledad shooting

SOLEDAD — A male juvenile was critically injured in a shooting Wednesday evening in Soledad, according to the Soledad Police Department. Officers responded at about...