Local News

SOLEDAD — A Soledad man was arrested Tuesday after authorities say he drove a stolen vehicle to a scheduled court appearance for a pending auto theft case. Members of the Multi-Agency Detail Combating Auto Theft (MADCAT) task force took Ricardo Otero, 41, into custody March...

SALINAS VALLEY — Job seekers throughout the area are invited to attend the South Monterey County Job Fair on Wednesday, June 1, at the Soledad Community Center. Monterey County Workforce Development Board, the City of Soledad and the Soledad Parks and Recreation Department are collaborating...

SALINAS VALLEY — Hartnell College has been named an Opportunity College and University (OCU) in the 2025 Carnegie Classifications, recognizing institutions that provide broad student access and measurable earnings outcomes following graduation. Hartnell is one of 60 community colleges in the United States—and one of...

SALINAS — Monterey County District Attorney’s Office announced Oct. 18 that Karen Rodriguez, 38, and Elizabeth Vargas, 34, both current residents of Arizona, have been charged with embezzling more than $3 million from Taylor Farms. Rodriguez and Vargas were employed in the Human Resources department...

GREENFIELD — Greenfield Union School District (GUSD) has appointed Laura Cortez as interim superintendent following a unanimous 5-0 vote by the school board in October. “We are confident that Mrs. Cortez’s leadership will guide our district towards continued success,” said Board President Denise Jaime. “Her...

SOLEDAD — Two inmates at Salinas Valley State Prison in Soledad have been found guilty of attempting to murder another inmate. After a two-week jury trial, inmates Brian Pacheco, 40, and Jason Partee, 42, were convicted Sept. 23 for stabbing inmate Manual Gonzalez in September...

Monterey County Works announces June job fairs MONTEREY COUNTY — Job seekers will have several opportunities to connect with employers during a series of job fairs and recruitment events hosted by Monterey County Works throughout June. The events, which do not require advance registration for job...

MOBILE VOTING SOLEDAD — Monterey County Elections will host an early mobile voting location in Soledad on Thursday, May 26, from 4 to 8 p.m., at Soledad Farmer’s Market, 137 Soledad St. At this location, voters can register, vote in-person or return their vote-by-mail ballot....

SALINAS VALLEY — Rancho Cielo marked its first day of school with a special assembly on Aug. 12, during which five recent graduates—Kenia Perez, Isaiah Barajas, Severiano De Jesus, Serenity Lucas and Melissa Torres—became the second group of students to receive the RIDE (Rancho...

SALINAS VALLEY — Hundreds of third-graders recently roamed the Salinas Valley Fairgrounds in King City to learn about agriculture during the annual South County Farm Day. Students from Gonzales, Soledad, Greenfield and King City schools attended the free educational enrichment program on Jan. 26,...