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Salinas
January 4, 2026

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...

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 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...

Photos | Soledad, Greenfield students join 2025 Wreaths Across America ceremony

Wreath laying ceremony
Members of Soledad High School Navy JROTC presented the colors during a wreath-laying ceremony Saturday to honor veterans at King City Cemetery, one of about 4,500 locations across the country that participated in National Wreaths Across America Day. They were joined by other student...

Mee Memorial launches student healthcare internship program to foster local workforce

Mee Memorial student interns
SOUTH MONTEREY COUNTY — Mee Memorial Healthcare System (MMHS) has announced the successful implementation of its Student Pathway for Healthcare Internship Program (Golden State Pathway Program), a hands-on educational initiative designed to introduce local students to careers in healthcare and strengthen the future workforce...

CalFresh, Medi-Cal application workshop set for Thursday in Soledad

City of Soledad sign
SOLEDAD — City of Soledad, in collaboration with Catholic Charities Diocese of Monterey, will be hosting a free, community-wide CalFresh and Medi-Cal application workshop on Thursday, Dec. 18. The workshop will take place from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Soledad City Council Chambers,...

Deputy involved in shooting of suspect armed with rifle in Soledad

Monterey County Sheriff’s Office investigation
SOLEDAD — In the early morning hours of Dec. 16, Monterey County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) deputies were dispatched to a report of a suspicious vehicle driving through a residential area along the 32000 block of McCoy Road in Soledad. The vehicle was reported to be...

UPDATE: Sheriff’s Office IDs body found in Salinas Riverbed near Greenfield

Monterey County Sheriff’s Office
GREENFIELD — Monterey County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a body that was found in the Salinas Riverbed near Greenfield on Sunday. At about 9:40 a.m. on Dec. 14, a reporting party called in to say they had located a body. MCSO officials said the body...

Hit-and-run driver arrested after striking two Greenfield students walking to school

Greenfield Police Department
GREENFIELD — A 22-year-old Greenfield man was arrested this week after police say he struck two elementary-aged students with his vehicle and left the scene while the children were walking to school in the 400 block of Hutchinson Drive. According to the Greenfield Police Department,...

City of Gonzales announces 2025-26 Youth Council members

Gonzales City Council with Youth Council members
GONZALES — City of Gonzales’ 2025-26 Gonzales Youth Council (GYC) has been selected, and this year will be led by Youth Commissioners Shelby Anderson, Orlando Rodriguez Perez and Richard Rodriguez Perez. Members chosen to serve on the youth council include Amanda Ayala, Aiden Borongan, Silvestre...

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...