Local News

MONTEREY COUNTY — Monterey County Health Department’s Covid-19 Stipend Program has ended as of March 31, the decision of which came as vaccine rates increase and the number of new cases has decreased. The Stipend Program started in December 2020 with the aim of helping...

MONTEREY COUNTY — California Gov. Gavin Newsom expanded his prior drought emergency proclamation to an additional nine counties on July 7, including Monterey County. Assemblymember Robert Rivas (D-Salinas), who oversees Monterey County in his district along with Santa Cruz and Santa Clara counties, urged residents...

SALINAS VALLEY — Air quality in the Salinas Valley diminished over the past week as the Dolan Fire continues to spread through Los Padres National Forest’s Ventana Wilderness and northern areas of Fort Hunter Liggett. According to the U.S. Forest Service, conditions had degraded to...

SALINAS VALLEY — With today’s issue, the publishers of the Gonzales Tribune, Soledad Bee and Greenfield News are pleased to announce a unified newspaper under a fresh new brand for the Salinas Valley region. The newspapers, which have long shared news of regional interest, will be published under...

SAN LUCAS — Monterey County Resource Management Agency (RMA) has announced the emergency closure of the Lockwood-San Lucas Bridge. Earlier this week, the bridge was closed for the public’s safety while engineering staff evaluated its structural sufficiency. Upon assessment, RMA is now developing a repair...

KING CITY — Mee Memorial Hospital Foundation is seeking board members for its independent, nonprofit group that supports Mee Memorial Healthcare System’s improvements and facility developments. Members serve three-year terms, with many serving multiple terms on the board. The group has recently helped fund the setup...

CALIFORNIA — California Department of Public Health (CDPH) is encouraging all Californians to get vaccinated this season to protect themselves and their loved ones from respiratory viruses. Respiratory infections like flu, Covid-19 and RSV are common during the fall and winter seasons, and getting immunized...

CONCERT CANCELED SALINAS — California Rodeo’s July 15 Big Week Kick Off Concert has been officially canceled after the production team was unable to secure a suitable replacement for headliner Toby Keith, who announced June 12 that he is battling stomach cancer. Ticket refunds were...

WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden, calling gun violence in the United States “an international embarrassment,” took a set of initial steps on Thursday to address the problem, starting with a crackdown on the proliferation of so-called ghost guns, or firearms assembled from kits. Acknowledging that...

SAN LUCAS — San Lucas Elementary School teacher Monique Ross was named to Curriculum Associates’ 2023 class of Extraordinary Educators, an annual program that celebrates and connects exemplar teachers in grades K-8 from around the country. Chosen from hundreds of nominations, Ross is among 30...