County Health Department promotes car seat safety
MONTEREY COUNTY — Monterey County Health Department is reminding parents and caregivers to ensure children are properly secured in age- and size-appropriate car seats, booster seats and seat belts during Child Passenger Safety Week, Sept. 21-27.
Certified child passenger safety technicians will be available Saturday, Sept. 26, at 1441 Constitution Blvd. in Salinas to inspect car seat installations, teach caregivers proper installation techniques and help families select appropriate seats for their children.
“When it comes to protecting our youngest passengers, there is no room for guesswork,” said Julia Muruato, the county’s Child Passenger Safety Program supervisor. “Child Passenger Safety Week is a good reminder of how critical it is to choose the right car seat and ensure it is installed properly.”
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 46% of car seats are misused. Properly installed car seats can reduce fatal injury crashes by 71% among infants younger than 1 and by 54% among toddlers ages 1 to 4.
California law requires children younger than 2 to ride in rear-facing car seats unless they weigh at least 40 pounds or are at least 40 inches tall. Children younger than 8 must be secured in a car seat or booster seat in the vehicle’s back seat, while children 8 and older or at least 4 feet, 9 inches tall may use a seat belt.
Beginning Jan. 1, 2027, Assembly Bill 435 will require children ages 8 to 16 to pass the five-step test before riding with a seat belt without a booster seat. Parents and caregivers are encouraged to begin using the test now.
For more information about the county’s car seat program, visit tinyurl.com/nhebuadv. Free traffic safety educational materials are available at gosafelyca.org.
Goodwill Donation Drive scheduled for this weekend
SOLEDAD — Community members are invited to clear out unwanted items and support local animal rescue efforts during a semi-annual Goodwill donation drive on Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 26-27, in Soledad.
The drive will take place from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at California Gourmet Pizza, 235 West St. Donations will be collected in partnership with Goodwill Central Coast, with proceeds from the filled Goodwill trailer benefiting South County Animal Rescue (SCAR).
Accepted donations include clothing, linens, shoes, purses, jewelry, household goods, books, electronics, computers and sporting goods, among other items. The organizers note that Goodwill cannot accept such items as mattresses, hazardous materials, food, large appliances, large furniture, automobile parts or tires.
The partnership benefits both organizations: donations help generate funds for SCAR’s animal rescue work, while Goodwill’s operations support job creation and employment opportunities.
Residents are encouraged to take advantage of the weekend drive to declutter, donate and help support local organizations.
Soledad police hosts National Coffee Day event
SOLEDAD — Soledad Police Department will host a community coffee event Tuesday, Sept. 29, from 10 a.m. to noon at Starbucks, 3070 H Dela Rosa Sr. St., in Soledad.
During Coffee with a Cop, residents can meet Acting Chief Jorge Arreola, Acting Deputy Chief Juan Santiago and other department members, ask questions, share concerns or simply connect with local officers.
The event is being held in observance of National Coffee Day.
Field day highlights beneficial insects, farm habitat
SALINAS — Wild Farm Alliance and the USDA Agricultural Research Service will host a field day Sept. 30 focused on using hedgerows, insectary strips and habitat patches to support beneficial insects and sustainable farming practices.
The event will take place from 8 a.m. to noon at the USDA Spence Research Farm, 1572 Old Stage Road in Salinas. Researchers, growers and technical advisors will learn about hedgerow design, native plant species, alyssum intercropping and the latest food safety research.
The event will include a walking tour of new and established hedgerows, presentations on pest management and conservation practices, and a farmer panel featuring agricultural producers and consultants. Spanish interpretation will be available.
To attend, registration is required at wildfarmalliance.org/spence-field-day.
