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Salinas
December 10, 2025

Unemployment claims rise as pandemic hits 1-year mark

The surge in unemployment filings in March 2020 provided one of the first clear warnings of the havoc the pandemic was wreaking on the U.S. economy. One year later, that klaxon is still blaring. More than 746,000 people filed first-time applications for state unemployment benefits last...

Monterey County reports nearly 4,000 new cases and 39 deaths from Covid-19 so far in 2021

Covid-19, novel coronavirus 2019
MONTEREY COUNTY — Nearly 4,000 new cases and 39 deaths related to Covid-19 have been reported in Monterey County since the beginning of the new year. Just this week, an additional three deaths were added Friday, followed by nine on Thursday, four on Wednesday and...

Monterey Bay Aquarium loans freezer to help Mee Memorial fight coronavirus

KING CITY — Monterey Bay Aquarium has loaned a freezer capable of reaching sub-zero temperatures to Mee Memorial Healthcare System in an effort to help the South Monterey County hospital administer Covid-19 vaccines in the area. ā€œWhile vaccines remain in short supply in Monterey County,...

Monterey County offers Covid-19 test kits for local distribution

MONTEREY COUNTY — Monterey County continues to invest in bringing Covid-19 testing supplies to the community for local distribution. Covid-19 home antigen test kits are available to local organizations and community groups that can distribute them to their members and clients. In addition, organizations can request...

Monterey County Environmental Health Bureau plans to enforce Covid-19 citations

Covid-19, novel coronavirus 2019
MONTEREY COUNTY — Monterey County’s Environmental Health Bureau has conducted 1,971 visits to area businesses since September, which resulted in 12 citations for violations of Covid-related health orders and one permit revocation. Ricardo Encarnacion, assistant bureau chief for the Environmental Health Bureau, made the announcement...

Covid-19 cases rising again in Monterey County

MONTEREY COUNTY — Monterey County is seeing another increase in Covid-19 cases, announced County Health Officer Dr. Edward Moreno during last week’s media briefing. According to Moreno, specimens sent for gene sequencing have determined a statewide average of 40 to 50% of Covid-19 cases are...

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,...

Hundreds receive their second Covid-19 vaccine shot at mass clinics in Gonzales

GONZALES — Community Foundation for Monterey County partnered with the City of Gonzales, Gonzales Fire Department and Gonzales Pharmacy to host two mass vaccination events on April 28 and 29, totaling 1,170 doses of Covid-19 vaccine.Ā  These doses were the second shots, with recipients having...

Mass vaccination clinics launch throughout Salinas Valley

SALINAS VALLEY — Monterey County companies, organizations and agencies have partnered to host mass vaccination sites weekly, with the latest having taken place at the Salinas Valley Fairgrounds in King City last Saturday. Two mass clinics had already taken place earlier this month in Salinas,...

Monterey County outpacing other local providers in Covid vaccines provided to children

MONTEREY COUNTY — Monterey County's Health Department has administered more Covid-19 vaccine doses to children ages 5-11 than any other local vaccine provider, county officials said Tuesday. As of Sept. 29, the Public Health and Clinic Services divisions of the Health Department have administered 28...

Local News

Vehicle with marijuana

Burglary at cannabis facility leads to vehicle pursuit, recovery of marijuana

SALINAS VALLEY — An in-progress burglary at a local greenhouse facility last week led to a multi-agency vehicle pursuit from Salinas to Gilroy and...