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Salinas
April 12, 2026

Children in elementary schools don’t need to be 6 feet apart, CDC says

In a major policy revision intended to encourage more schools to welcome students back full time, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on Friday that elementary school students and some middle and high school students could be spaced 3 feet apart in...

Monterey County misses marks to move to fewer Covid-19 restrictions

Covid-19, novel coronavirus 2019
MONTEREY COUNTY — While the state of California lowered the tiers of multiple counties to the most restrictive tier (purple) earlier this month, Monterey County has never left the purple tier since the new system was implemented this summer. The latest restrictions also come...

Biden mandates vaccines for workers, saying, ā€˜Our patience is wearing thin’

WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden on Thursday used the full force of his presidency to push two-thirds of U.S. workers to be vaccinated against the coronavirus, reaching into the private sector to mandate that all companies with more than 100 workers require vaccination or...

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...

California has passed the 50,000-death mark, the most of any state

CALIFORNIA — California surpassed 50,000 known coronavirus deaths Wednesday, the first state to reach that chilling milestone. The news comes as a bleak reminder that the recent progress the state has made against the pandemic may be fragile. Most of those deaths were recorded recently,...

Fully vaccinated people can have small gatherings indoors, CDC says

UNITED STATES — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Monday issued long-awaited guidance to Americans fully vaccinated against COVID-19, freeing them to take some liberties that the unvaccinated should not, including gathering indoors with others who are fully vaccinated without precautions while...

Monterey County supervisor proposes plan to rehire laid-off hospitality workers

MONTEREY COUNTY — Monterey County Supervisor Luis Alejo submitted a pandemic economic recovery ordinance for the county on Feb. 3, aimed at recalling laid-off county hospitality, restaurant and travel workers when the economy re-opens.  The ordinance would request those recalls based on greatest length of...

California’s vaccinated can go mostly mask-free beginning June 15

Vaccinated Californians will be able to go mask-free in indoor stores, bars, restaurants, movie theaters and many other places as part of the state’s grand reopening next Tuesday, officials announced on Wednesday. The new rules are aligned with federal guidance, meaning that face coverings will...

VIDA Project and partners host pop-up clinic in Soledad

SOLEDAD — The VIDA Project, Soledad McDonald’s, Monterey County Health Department and the City of Soledad have come together to co-host a free Pop-Up Clinic. The clinic will take place Sunday, Oct. 17, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Soledad McDonald’s, 1215 Front...

Monterey County remains in purple tier, as Covid-19 vaccine rollout makes progress

Covid-19, novel coronavirus 2019
MONTEREY COUNTY — Monterey County Health Department announced earlier this week that ā€œsufficient progressā€ has been made vaccinating Phase 1a health care workers, and that providers may now begin to offer Covid-19 vaccine to residents age 75 years or older in Phase 1b, Tier...

Local News

Sykes Hot Springs

Monterey County Sheriff’s Office investigating suspicious death in Ventana Wilderness

MONTEREY COUNTY — Monterey County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a suspicious death in the Sykes Hot Springs area of the Ventana Wilderness in the...