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Salinas
April 18, 2026

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...

Salinas Valley doctors, nurses get first round of Covid-19 vaccines

SALINAS VALLEY — Mee Memorial Healthcare System received its allocation of 500 doses of the Moderna Covid-19 vaccine on Dec. 22, with priority vaccinations of frontline workers beginning that same day. The vaccines were delivered to Mee Memorial Hospital in King City at 11:30 a.m....

More contagious virus variant is now dominant in U.S., CDC chief says

WASHINGTON — A highly infectious variant of the coronavirus that was first identified in Britain has become the most common source of new infections in the United States, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Wednesday. The worrisome development comes...

Monterey County’s indoor mask order takes effect

MONTEREY COUNTY — Monterey County’s indoor face covering ordinance has been triggered, with countywide mask requirements taking effect as soon as this Friday. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published data Monday morning showing that Monterey County was in the ā€œsubstantialā€ community transmission rate...

State’s indoor mask mandate to expire for most vaccinated residents

CALIFORNIA — California will roll back its mask requirement next week for vaccinated residents in most indoor spaces, Gov. Gavin Newsom said Monday. The state implemented the mandate in mid-December as COVID-19 cases began to spike due to the highly infectious omicron variant, requiring residents...

U.S. averaging 2 million vaccine doses administered per day

UNITED STATES — The average number of vaccine doses being administered across the United States per day topped 2 million for the first time Wednesday, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. A month ago, the average was about 1.3...

A new demographic surprise for California: population loss

SACRAMENTO — For the first time in more than a century, California recorded a net loss in population last year, a demographic reversal caused by the deadly toll of the coronavirus and declining immigration and birthrates. The small but startling 0.46% drop — a decline...

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 lifts indoor mask mandate

MONTEREY COUNTY — Monterey County Board of Supervisors has voted to suspend the masking requirement of its indoor face covering ordinance, effective immediately. ā€œThis means while wearing face coverings in indoor public settings remains strongly recommended, it is no longer required,ā€ according to Maia Carroll,...

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

Gonzales Police

Gonzales Police urge focus behind the wheel during Distracted Driving Awareness...

GONZALES — April is National Distracted Driving Awareness Month and the Gonzales Police Department wants to remind drivers to stay focused, keep their eyes...