40 F
King City
February 22, 2026

Women in agtech: Claudia Pizarro-Villalobos

Editor’s Note: The following profile is an excerpt from Amy Wu’s upcoming book, “From Farms to Incubators: Women Innovators Revolutionizing How Our Food is Grown,” which tells the stories of women entrepreneurs who are transforming agriculture through high technology. Claudia Pizarro-Villalobos was born and raised...

King City teacher seeks funds to build school garden

KING CITY — Kacey Hass, a seventh-grade life science teacher at Chalone Peaks Middle School, has started a GoFundMe page to raise money to start a school garden. Hass is also the gardening teacher for both seventh and eighth grades, but the campus currently does...

Poison detection in wild pigs brings attention to pesticide exposure in hunter-harvested wildlife

Wild pigs pesticide diphacinone bait
MONTEREY COUNTY — Wild pigs in the Monterey County area were exposed to pesticide bait containing the anticoagulant rodenticide diphacinone, according to findings by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife’s (CDFW) Wildlife Health Lab (WHL) and the California Animal Health and Food Safety...

King City High School Agriculture Department earns state award

KING CITY — King City High School Agriculture Department has been honored with the prestigious California Agricultural Teachers’ Association (CATA) Outstanding 4-6 Person Department Award, a recognition aimed at promoting exemplary middle and secondary programs in agricultural education. The award celebrates the department’s commitment to...

From dry to drenched — How local farmers deal with drastically changing conditions

After more than four years of devastating drought, 2017 saw California receive the wettest winter in more than 100 years.

Monterey County receives 750,000 masks for farmworkers

MONTEREY COUNTY — Monterey County has received 750,000 procedure masks from the state specifically to protect agricultural workers in the area. The delivery arrived May 7 after the Monterey County Emergency Medical Services Agency Medical Operation Area Coordinator requested them to safeguard farmworkers in the...

Smith Family Wines discontinues wine production

After 30 years of making its own wine, Smith Family Wines will discontinue producing the Paraiso, Irie and Alexander-Smith labels and close the tasting room at the Paraiso Vineyards on Paraiso Springs Road in Soledad.

Food for power

Cesar Mendoza had been a participant in Food, What?!, an organization that brings the youth of Santa Cruz County into the world of farming, food production and cooking.

18 farmworkers treated for possible pesticide exposure

The Monterey County Agricultural Commissioner’s Office is investigating an incident of possible exposure of farmworkers to pesticides.

Monterey County examines impacts of Covid-19 on local agriculture industry

SALINAS VALLEY — The results of a survey intended to better understand how Covid-19 has impacted Monterey County agriculture was released May 4 by Agricultural Commissioner Henry Gonzales. Survey results showed a total of 2,093 acres lost or not planted. “The survey is a preliminary look...