Local News

SOLEDAD — Salinas Valley State Prison inmate Jaime Demicio Romero, 32, was sentenced to serve a term of 45 years to life in prison, after being convicted of second-degree murder, announced Monterey County District Attorney’s Office on April 24. Romero was also convicted of personally...

ANIMAL CAMP MONTEREY COUNTY — SPCA Monterey County has announced that registration is now open for its annual Summer Animal Camp. The program, held at the organization’s renovated Claire Jacobson Learning Center on the SPCA campus, offers children the opportunity to engage with animals through...

GONZALES — Gonzales’ Central Park was alive with activity last Sunday for the annual Cinco de Mayo Festival. The May 4 event, sponsored by Pueblo Unido De Tateposco and the City of Gonzales, featured a variety of entertainment and attractions. Attendees enjoyed a children’s area, food...

KING CITY — Salinas Valley Fair Heritage Foundation has announced Valeria Beltran, a junior at Gonzales High School, as the recipient of the 2025 Heritage Foundation Scholarship. As this year’s winner, Beltran will raise the official Heritage Animal, a hog she has named “Zero,” and...

MONTEREY COUNTY — In a significant move to combat the opioid crisis and prioritize public health, the County of Monterey Health Department has unveiled a pioneering initiative providing free, around-the-clock access to naloxone and fentanyl test strips through strategically placed public vending machines across...

SOLEDAD — U-Haul Co. of California has announced that Bingo Market signed on as a U-Haul neighborhood dealer to serve the Soledad community. Bingo Market at 945 Monterey St. will offer essential services like U-Haul trucks, trailers, towing equipment, moving supplies and Spanish-speaking employees. Normal business hours...

GREENFIELD — Nathaniel Ray Diaz, 21, of Greenfield, was arraigned April 21 after a federal grand jury returned a three-count indictment that charged him with sexual exploitation of a minor, attempted receipt of a visual depiction of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct,...

SALINAS VALLEY — Salinas Valley Basin Groundwater Sustainability Agency (SVBGSA) has announced the launch of its Water Efficiency Pilot Program to help rural residents improve water efficiency and contribute to sustainable groundwater management. The Salinas Valley, like much of California, relies on groundwater for residential,...

JOLON — In honor of the U.S. Army’s 250th birthday and its official theme, “This We’ll Defend,” Fort Hunter Liggett (FHL) is leading a 250-mile regional ruck march to celebrate two-and-a-half centuries of service, sacrifice and strength. The march begins Wednesday, May 7, and continues...

BACKYARD BURNING CENTRAL COAST — The last day of the backyard burn season was April 30 for Monterey, Santa Cruz and San Benito counties. From May 1 to Nov. 30, backyard burning of residential yard trimmings is prohibited. Fires to dispose of dry vegetation cleared...