Local News

SACRAMENTO — Gov. Gavin Newsom on Friday revealed what he called a new, more “stringent” four-tiered reopening system that allows counties to open their economies depending on their Covid-19 case and test positivity rates. The new system replaces the monitoring list, and removes many of...

MONTEREY COUNTY — While smoke filled the Salinas Valley skies from nearby wildfires, volunteer individuals and teams were organizing to rescue pets and bring them to shelter, especially larger animals that would otherwise have to be left behind by owners during fire-related evacuations. Numerous posts...

SALINAS VALLEY — All evacuation orders and warnings for the River and Carmel fires were lifted Thursday afternoon, as firefighters continue to increase containment of the wildfires that have burned a combined 55,499 acres. “All evacuation and warning zones in the River and Carmel fires...

SALINAS — Toro Park will be closed indefinitely due to extensive damage from the wildfires, Monterey County announced Wednesday night. The county park, located 6 miles from downtown Salinas, is currently being used as a base camp for Cal Fire and was already closed to...

SALINAS VALLEY — Firefighters battling the River Fire have contained 48% of the lightning-caused blaze south of Salinas, Cal Fire announced Wednesday. “Firefighters patrolling the fire confirmed that the fire remained within containment lines,” according to Cal Fire’s latest incident report. “The onshore winds from...

SOLEDAD — Clarissa Medina, a recent graduate of Soledad High School, was chosen as one of two interns in the 2020 Monterey Bay Bank of America Student Leaders program, a paid summer internship to develop leadership and civic engagement. Medina worked with the Boys and...

SALINAS VALLEY — Monterey County Dance Theatre found an outside-the-box solution to teaching dance to area youth by taking lessons outdoors. Last Monday, Aug. 10, was the first day students from throughout South Monterey County gathered at the Salinas Valley Fairgrounds’ Steinbeck Square in King...

SOLEDAD — Free masks were available to Soledad residents through the city’s Little Free Pantry locations at Our Lady of Solitude, El Buen Samaritano and Liberty Chapel churches, beginning Aug. 14. The distribution of single-use, disposable masks through the pantry will continue as long as...

MONTEREY COUNTY — Cal Coastal will continue its small business disaster microloan program and even expand the offerings to larger loans to help during the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, announced CEO Lee Takikawa during a county press conference Aug. 14. “The county has just received notification...

SALINAS VALLEY — An evacuation shelter has opened at the Salinas Valley Fairgrounds in King City to offer relief to fire evacuees in the region. Beginning today, the shelter will provide sleeping and meal accommodations for up to 40 residents affected by the River Fire...