Local News

MONTEREY COUNTY — In 2010, a man in Ōtsuchi, Japan, placed an unconnected rotary phone in his garden to help cope with the loss of his cousin. Speaking his grief aloud became a personal source of solace — and over time, his idea inspired...

SOLEDAD — Lions Club of Soledad hosted its annual barbecue Aug. 24 at Eden Valley Care Center in Soledad, bringing together residents and staff for a delicious meal and a day of community spirit. “We’ve been doing this barbecue for well over 20 years as...

SUICIDE PREVENTION RESOURCE FAIRS SOLEDAD — September is National Suicide Prevention and Awareness Month, and Suicide Prevention Service, a program of Family Service Agency of the Central Coast, is partnering with Hartnell College, Monterey County Behavioral Health and Community Human Services to host two Together...

GREENFIELD — The 246th Battalion of the California Cadet Corps of Greenfield High School continues to grow — from last year’s 130 cadets to this year’s 170 cadet enrollment. Recently, the unit was awarded the Unit Community Service Ribbon for serving nearly 2,000 school and...

GONZALES — Taylor Farms recently announced that more than 4,000 backpacks have been filled with essential school supplies and healthy snacks for students this year in nearly 20 communities, including Gonzales. Since 2010, Taylor Farms’ annual Backpack Giving Program has delivered more than 48,000 backpacks to help...

MONTEREY COUNTY — Blue Zones recently announced that Monterey County—including the communities of King City, Gonzales and the Peninsula cities of Monterey, Marina and Seaside—has achieved certified Blue Zones Community designation, joining the city of Salinas, which reached this milestone in 2024. Certification recognizes Monterey...

GREENFIELD — Greenfield resident Julio Martinez, 43, was sentenced Aug. 28 to 18 years in prison for committing two counts of lewd acts upon a child under 14 years of age and two counts of assault with intent to commit a lewd act upon...

JOB FAIRS MONTEREY COUNTY — Local employers and jobseekers are invited to participate in a series of upcoming recruitment events hosted by Monterey County Works this September. The events include Industry Spotlight Recruitments focusing on specific sectors, such as Finance, Insurance and Real Estate on...

SALINAS VALLEY — Hartnell College has been recognized as one of the nation’s “Top 10 Military Friendly Schools for 2025-26” by G.I. Jobs Magazine, earning the No. 8 spot among large community colleges. The announcement is part of the magazine’s annual Military Friendly Schools list,...

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...