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January 15, 2026

King City gang members sentenced to life in prison for 2019 Greenfield murder

Law judge court
KING CITY — A Monterey County judge has given life sentences to two Sureno gang members from King City for their involvement in the 2019 murder of a Greenfield man. On Sept. 29, Judge Mark E. Hood sentenced Eduardo Solis, aka ā€œSleepy,ā€ 21, and Jose...

Travel nurse gets 40 years to life in prison for child molestation in Greenfield

Law judge court
GREENFIELD — Travis Harris, a 40-year-old travel nurse from Scotts Valley, was sentenced to 40 years to life in prison on June 4 after being convicted by a jury on multiple charges related to child molestation. Judge Pamela Butler presided over the trial and sentencing....

Whalefest Monterey launches ocean-themed student essay contest

MONTEREY — Organizers of Whalefest Monterey and Fisherman’s Wharf Association are inviting students entering grades 6 to 12 in Monterey, Santa Cruz and San Benito counties to participate in the Whalefest Monterey Ocean-Themed 2020 Student Summer Essay Contest. ā€œWe are asking our youth to write...

Local McDonald’s owner grants scholarships to 21 students throughout Salinas Valley

SALINAS VALLEY — Local McDonald’s owner and operator Raymond Costa has awarded college scholarships to 21 employees and their children of McDonald’s restaurants throughout Salinas Valley and Hollister. This year’s recipients received between $1,500 and $5,000 in scholarship money to help pay for tuition or...

Armed robbery in King City leads to officer-involved shooting near Soledad

Police car crime
SALINAS VALLEY — Monterey County District Attorney’s Office has released additional preliminary facts surrounding the officer-involved shooting that occurred Monday on Highway 101 northbound near Soledad. At about 5:30 p.m. on June 3, a person armed with a handgun got out of a black Mazda...

Summerhill named Monterey County’s first Poet Laureate

MONTEREY COUNTY — College professor Daniel B. Summerhill has been selected as Monterey County’s first Poet Laureate, with a two-year term that begins immediately. ā€œBeing the inaugural Poet Laureate of Monterey County is exciting but doesn’t come without its due responsibility and urgency,ā€ Summerhill said. ā€œI now have...

Salinas Valley News Briefs | Feb. 1, 2022

AWARDS RESCHEDULED KING CITY — King City Chamber of Commerce and Agriculture has announced the new date for its Annual Awards Dinner, which was originally planned for March 5. The annual event honoring local businesses and community members will now take place on Saturday, Aug....

Mother’s nightmare turns to gratitude as Mee Memorial doctors resolve son’s emergency

KING CITY — In January 2023, Darlene Noriega faced every parent’s nightmare when her son faced a major medical emergency. While in class at Soledad High School, Noriega’s oldest son Zion experienced spontaneous pneumothorax, an unexplainable lung collapse. The condition is caused by a buildup...

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...

Monterey County job centers expand hours as pandemic unemployment benefits expire

MONTEREY COUNTY — On Sept. 4, the federal unemployment insurance program, known as the Pandemic Unemployment Insurance benefit, created under the CARES Act, will expire in California and across the states. ā€œStarting today, over 3 million California workers impacted by the expiration of these critical...

Local News

Regent’s Slide

Gov. Newsom announces early reopening of Highway 1 in Big Sur,...

BIG SUR — Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Wednesday that Caltrans has opened the portion of Highway 1 closed by Regent’s Slide, months earlier than...