59.5 F
King City
March 26, 2026

Salinas schools to close as Taylor Farms fire, evacuation order continues

SALINAS — A fire in a Salinas food processing plant that has prompted authorities to evacuate surrounding neighborhoods has now closed four nearby elementary schools as sunrise approaches Thursday. City officials announced the closure shortly after 5:30 a.m. Thursday for Lincoln Elementary, Monterey Park Elementary, Sherwood...

Lavender Creek Co. partners with quilters to bring comfort to local patients

MONTEREY COUNTY — Lavender Creek Co., Monterey County’s local family-run lavender wellness brand, has announced a new partnership with the Monterey Peninsula Quilters Guild, providing locally grown lavender for the handcrafted eye pillows donated to CHOMP, Salinas Valley Health, Natividad and the VNA. The eye...

Scheid Vineyards shows off herbicide-free environment

GREENFIELD — Scheid Vineyards hosted an Earth Day tour of its Greenfield location in late April, sharing some of its growing practices in an attempt to make its wine production more environmentally friendly. Founded in 1972, Scheid Vineyards has 3,200 acres with 40 different varieties...

Faith & Family Farms to pay $120K in civil penalties for cannabis licensing violations

Cannabis marijuana
MONTEREY COUNTY — Monterey County District Attorney Jeannine Pacioni announced Jan. 28 that her Cannabis Enforcement Unit has resolved a case against Faith & Family Farms LLC, a licensed cannabis cultivator located at 22730 Fuji Lane, south of Salinas in unincorporated Monterey County. The case...

Taylor Farms donates more than 1,100 backpacks to students in King City, Salinas

KING CITY — More than 1,100 backpacks filled with school supplies were delivered to students in King City and Salinas this year as part of Taylor Farms’ 13th annual Backpack Giving Program. After starting the program in Monterey County in 2010, Taylor Farms has since...

Calls grow to restrict harmful pesticide exposure in Monterey County

Omar Dieguez
SALINAS VALLEY — Several dozen community members gathered for a news conference at the County Government Center in Salinas last Tuesday to release a new study that found that pregnant women in Monterey County are more likely to be exposed to far higher levels...

Women in agtech: Ellie Symes

Editor’s Note: The following profile is an excerpt from Amy Wu’s book, ā€œFrom Farms to Incubators: Women Innovators Revolutionizing How Our Food is Grown,ā€ which tells the stories of women entrepreneurs who are transforming agriculture through high technology. Ellie Symes could easily pass for the...

Lavender Creek awarded 2024 SBDC Business of the Year for Monterey Bay region

Lavender Creek award
GREENFIELD — Lavender Creek, a family-owned lavender farm and wellness brand located in South Monterey County, has been awarded the 2024 Central Coast Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Business of the Year for the Monterey Bay region. The Central Coast SBDC’s recognition highlights Lavender Creek’s...

Greenfield High receives Farm to School grant

GREENFIELD — South Monterey County Joint Union High School District (SMCJUHSD) will launch two farm-to-cafeteria educational programs between Greenfield High School and the district’s Food Services Department. The first-of-its-kind collaboration was made possible by a new grant from the California Department of Food and Agriculture’s...

Guest Column | Food Security is Critical to Economic and National Security on California’s Central Coast

The agricultural stretch of California’s Central Coast along the Salinas Valley is often called the ā€œSalad Bowl of the World,ā€ and for good reason. It supplies over 60% of the nation’s lettuce and substantial portions of strawberries, spinach and broccoli. But beyond the fertile...