Local News

SALINAS VALLEY — Things were challenging enough for lettuce growers in Monterey County’s Salinas Valley before Mother Nature dealt a one-two punch in this year’s storms. Farmers in 2022 had suffered an estimated $150 million in crop losses as impatiens necrotic spot virus — a...

GREENFIELD — The County of Monterey, along with Cal Fire and state geologists are continuing to monitor a landslide in Arroyo Seco west of Greenfield that was discovered last month following the onslaught of winter storms. As part of that monitoring, an ALERTCalifornia camera station...

SOLEDAD — As the nation prepares to celebrate Independence Day, the Soledad Police Department is emphasizing the importance of celebrating responsibly and making safe choices to prevent tragic accidents on the roads. From Monday, June 30, through Sunday, July 6, the department will deploy additional...

SALINAS VALLEY — When someone refers to Consuelo “Connie” Hernandez as a “trashionista,” it’s not intended as an insult. In fact, the longtime scheduling supervisor for Mee Memorial Healthcare System considers it the ultimate compliment. Whether it’s creating a flowy gown made of Covid vaccine...

SALINAS VALLEY — Two South Monterey County classified school employees are among this year’s honorees in the Monterey County Office of Education’s Teacher of the Year and Classified School Employee of the Year awards. Roy Telles, representing Skilled Trades Services for the Greenfield Union School...

GREENFIELD — A Greenfield teenager was arrested last week for drunken driving and other charges following a police pursuit on Highway 101. On Saturday evening, Oct. 1, a patrol officer observed a vehicle driving in an unsafe manner and “believed the driver to be under...

SALINAS VALLEY — Smoke from nearby wildfires has degraded air quality throughout the Salinas Valley, reaching unhealthy levels for residents in the area. According to the Monterey Bay Air Resources District, which monitors air quality for the region, communities in the Salinas Valley — including...

GONZALES — AdvisorSmith has announced that Gonzales is the 19th safest small city in California. The business insurance company used information from the FBI crime reporting from 2019 to make the determination. Small towns in California were categorized based on having fewer than 10,000 residents,...

MONTEREY COUNTY — United Way Monterey County (UWMC) is accepting nominations for the 50th Annual Live United Awards, a landmark celebration honoring the volunteers whose generosity, compassion and dedication strengthen the community. Awards recognize individuals who made an outstanding impact across Monterey County during the...

SALINAS — Monterey County District 1 Supervisor Luis Alejo, who represents most of the City of Salinas, was arrested last Friday on drunken driving charges. According to California Highway Patrol Officer Jessica Madueño, officers on patrol in Prunedale observed a 2011 Ford Escape on San...