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Salinas
December 18, 2025

Chavez resigns from Soledad City Council due to move

SOLEDAD — Soledad City Councilmember Alejandro Chavez has resigned from his position effective Oct. 31 after 13 years of service. Chavez and his wife Erica Padilla-Chavez, who also resigned after 14 years as a trustee from the Hartnell College Governing Board, will be moving out...

Hartnell College plans renovation of track and field

Hartnell College track and field
SALINAS — Hartnell College has announced the commencement of significant renovations to its track and field facilities, marking the end of Phase III of the Measure T renovation projects. The project, set to begin Feb. 12, will temporarily close the track and field for approximately...

Football | Soledad beats Rancho San Juan as King City struggles against Alisal

Football
SOLEDAD — Going into last Friday’s games, only four more weeks remain in the high school football regular season. With the postseason out of reach for the Soledad Aztecs and the King City Mustangs, the pride that these two schools have will make them...

Salinas Valley student wins 2024 Dream of Flight Scholarship from MPI Jet

SALINAS VALLEY — Salinas Valley resident Fatima Abed was recently awarded the 2024 Dream of Flight $1,000 Scholarship from MPI Jet for her essay detailing her challenging journey to learn English and pursue higher education. Her inspiring story of determination and perseverance stood out among...

Soledad Chamber launches innovative Shop Local Program

SOLEDAD — Soledad Chamber of Commerce has announced the launch of its Shop Local Program in the form of a ā€œSoledad Chamber eGift Card.ā€ Unlike traditional gift cards tied to a single store, the Soledad Chamber eGift Card can be redeemed at any participating local...

Scammers swindled nearly $900K from PG&E customers in 2023

Scams
CENTRAL COAST — Scammers continue to take advantage of Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) customers.Ā  In fact, in 2023, PG&E received nearly 43,000 reports from customers who were targeted by scammers impersonating the company, and customers lost approximately $875,000 in fraudulent payments, with the...

Hartnell College awarded $9.5M grant to support students in agricultural careers

SALINAS — Hartnell College has been awarded a $9.5 million grant from the USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture’s inaugural NEXTGEN program.  The official announcement was made during a presentation by the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack in Washington, D.C., on June 20. ā€œThis...

Swift response contains Metz Fire to 1,100 acres in South Monterey County

GREENFIELD — South Monterey County faced an unexpected challenge in the heart of a warm summer afternoon Tuesday. Around 2 p.m. on July 23, the usually tranquil fields near Greenfield were suddenly ablaze as a fire broke out on Metz Road. Fueled by strong winds,...

Gonzales seniors gather to give thanks

Monterey County Supervisor Chris Lopez
GONZALES — Senior citizens from Gonzales and beyond gathered for a pre-Thanksgiving meal last month at St. Theodore’s Parish Hall as guests of the Adventure Seeking Seniors group. A meal of turkey, mashed potatoes and other traditional foods were served, along with pumpkin pie for...

Soledad’s final ā€˜Music in the Park’ concert heats up with Chicano All-Stars this Friday

Chicano All-Stars
SOLEDAD — The stage is set for Soledad’s summer music series finale this Friday, Aug. 8, at Cesar Chavez Park, where the final Music in the Park concert will take place featuring the high-energy, crowd-favorite the Chicano All-Stars. Known across the Central Coast for their...

Local News

Monterey County Sheriff’s Office investigation

Deputy involved in shooting of suspect armed with rifle in Soledad

SOLEDAD — In the early morning hours of Dec. 16, Monterey County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) deputies were dispatched to a report of a suspicious...