COVID-19

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. “Starting today, over 3 million California workers impacted by the expiration of these critical...

SALINAS VALLEY — More patients are being relocated to an Alternate Housing Site at San Lorenzo Park in recent weeks due to an overall increase in Covid-19 cases countywide. The King City site is called Operation Oasis by Monterey County staff, and has 10 trailers...

MONTEREY COUNTY — An ordinance that would have required face coverings indoors countywide failed to receive enough support from the Monterey County Board of Supervisors during a special meeting last week. After extensive discussion and public comment at the Sept. 8 meeting, the board voted...

If you’ve been following the news on the coronavirus in California this week, you may have noticed a stark contrast in how the pandemic is playing out across the state. While hospitals in Central and Northern California called in National Guard troops to help staff...

MONTEREY COUNTY — Since launching in March 2021, the Rent and Utility Assistance Program through the County of Monterey in partnership with United Way Monterey County has provided nearly $34 million to help keep residents in their homes during the pandemic. The program used state...

SALINAS VALLEY — Free pop-up Covid-19 testing sites have been emerging lately in South Monterey County as part of an effort to increase testing access after a new site was added to Castroville to the existing lineup of Salinas and Seaside. When available, local residents...

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. “While vaccines remain in short supply in Monterey County,...

MONTEREY COUNTY — Federal, state and county agencies, including Cal Coastal, continue to offer assistance to local businesses, with two new programs having recently begun to help them bounce back from the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic. Cindy Merzon, director of Cal Coastal’s Small Business...

SALINAS VALLEY — Monterey County launched two new testing sites for Covid-19 in Greenfield and Salinas last week, having announced their locations on May 2 in response to Gov. Gavin Newsom’s directive for California to open 80 more testing sites. The Greenfield community testing site,...

MONTEREY COUNTY — Monterey County residents can apply for financial help to cover funeral expenses through FEMA’s Covid-19 Funeral Assistance Program, which began accepting applications Monday. As of April 14, Monterey County has lost 348 residents to Covid-19. “For those families who have lost a loved...