Focus on Agriculture

MONTEREY COUNTY — Over the past two weeks, multiple agricultural businesses in Monterey County have been targeted by a wave of burglaries, resulting in the theft of valuable equipment. The Monterey County Sheriff’s Office Ag Crimes Unit has been actively investigating these incidents, leading to...

KING CITY — Hundreds of South Monterey County third graders took part in the 2026 South County Farm Day on Jan. 22 at the Salinas Valley Fairgrounds in King City, getting a hands-on introduction to agriculture, public safety and local resources. The annual event, hosted...

KING CITY — Salinas Valley Fair has announced Kyla Lambert, a senior at King City High School, as Miss Salinas Valley Fair 2023. Over the next year, Lambert will represent the fair, making appearances at special events and inviting guests to attend the 79th annual...

KING CITY — Salinas Valley Fair hosted its annual Fair Kick-Off Dinner, Dance and Auction last Saturday at the fairgrounds in King City, where an estimated 450 guests attended. The April 23 evening featured a dinner cooked by King City Young Farmers, a live auction...

CALIFORNIA — As wildfire conditions across California are expected to increase steadily through the summer, state officials last month expressed concerns about cuts in staff and funding at federal agencies, including the U.S. Forest Service, a division within the Agriculture Department that partners with...

SALINAS VALLEY — Monterey County Health Department reports that 475 agriculture workers, or 36.79 percent of the county’s total confirmed cases, have been infected with Covid-19 as of June 22. A large gap separates that figure and the 261 “unknown or under investigation” category, and...

Nicolaus “Nicky” Hahn, founder of Hahn Family Wines and pioneer of California’s Santa Lucia Highlands AVA, died last Friday at his home in Zurich, Switzerland. He was 81 years old.

KING CITY — King City Rural 4-H recently collaborated with King City High School FFA to offer an industrial arts project for its members for the first time. This rare collaboration included help from KCHS ag teacher Blaise Chaney, who opened up the school’s state-of-the-art...

MONTEREY COUNTY — Raley’s and Washington-based FirstFruits Farms donated 30,000 pounds of fresh apples on April 1 to the Food Bank for Monterey County. The contribution was made possible by Raley’s customers who purchased select apples during January and February as part of a give-back...

KING CITY — A new mural is in the works on the side of Pete’s Towing, with artwork that pays tribute to Salinas Valley ranching and the Salinas Valley Fair. The project is being spearheaded by King City in Bloom, with art direction by Jennifer...