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Salinas
January 4, 2026

Salinas Valley communities celebrate the holidays with lights, parades and joy

Soledad City Councilmembers with Girl Scouts
SALINAS VALLEY — The Salinas Valley cities of Soledad, Gonzales and Greenfield celebrated the start of the Christmas season with holiday gatherings in their respective communities in December. City of Soledad hosted a tree lighting on Dec. 5 at Cesar Chavez Park that was followed...

Soledad Police host 2025 Cops Giving Tree

Cops Giving Tree
SOLEDAD — Soledad Police Department hosted its 2025 Cops Giving Tree event earlier this month, spreading hope and generosity to local children and families in need during the holiday season. Held at the Soledad Community Center on Dec. 12, the annual tradition brought the community together in the...

PG&E customers lost nearly $300K to scammers in 2025

Scams
CENTRAL COAST — As the holiday season gets underway, Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) is joining Utilities United Against Scams to help customers recognize potential scams and to “Slow Down, Verify and Stop the Scam.” During a time when many Californians are occupied with...

Nearly century-old candy tradition lives on in Gonzales

Gonzales students with Santa
GONZALES — A nearly 100-year-old tradition continued at La Gloria Elementary School in Gonzales as students received candy bags before the holiday break, along with a visit from Santa Claus. In 1929, the newly established Gonzales Volunteer Fire Department (GVFD) began distributing a bag of...

Salinas Valley News Briefs | Dec. 22, 2025

News Briefs
CITY HALL CLOSED KING CITY — In observance of the holidays, City Hall in King City will be closed Wednesday, Dec. 24, through Thursday, Jan. 1. All public safety emergency response operations will maintain normal staffing and hours during this time. “As always, contact 9-1-1...

Greenfield secures $500K state grant to expand youth diversion efforts

Greenfield Civic Center
GREENFIELD — Greenfield City Council has approved acceptance of a $500,000 Byrne State Crisis Intervention Program grant, recommended by the Board of State and Community Corrections, to expand local services for at-risk youth. The funding strengthens the city’s six-year partnership with Sun Street Centers and...

Salinas Valley News Briefs | Dec. 19, 2025

News Briefs
CERTIFIED ELECTION RESULTS MONTEREY COUNTY — Final certified results for the Nov. 4 Statewide Special Election are available at tinyurl.com/FinalResults11425. Final results include 108,532 votes cast with a turnout of 49.64% based on a registration of 218,619 voters. Urgency legislation for this election required certification...

Salinas Valley Solid Waste Authority general manager retires

R. Patrick Mathews
SALINAS VALLEY — Salinas Valley Solid Waste Authority General Manager and Chief Administrative Officer R. Patrick Mathews will retire this week after more than four decades in local government, the agency announced. In a news release, the Salinas Valley Solid Waste Authority said Mathews’ retirement...

California Food Policy Council gathers in Salinas to chart a resilient, equitable food future

SALINAS VALLEY — More than 75 food leaders, farmers, advocates and policymakers from across California gathered in November for Growing the Future Together, the first in-person statewide convening of the California Food Policy Council (CAFPC) since the pandemic. Hosted in Salinas — the “Salad Bowl...

Antle receives 2025 Distinguished Trustee Award from Community Foundation for Monterey County

Tonya Antle award
MONTEREY COUNTY — Community Foundation for Monterey County (CFMC) Board of Directors presented the Distinguished Trustee Award to Tonya Antle during the annual Celebration of Philanthropy on Oct. 1 at The Club at Pasadera. Antle was recognized for the passion and commitment she brings to everything...

Local News

Cannabis marijuana

Monterey County Health Department awarded grant for cannabis education

MONTEREY COUNTY — Monterey County Health Department is the recipient of a $168,862 grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) to support...