Local News

DONORS NEEDED CENTRAL COAST — The American Red Cross urges donors to give blood in February to help build up the blood supply after thousands of donations went uncollected last month. People of all blood types — especially those with type O negative blood —...

MONTEREY COUNTY — An excessive heat warning has been issued by the U.S. National Weather Service San Francisco Bay Area/Monterey California beginning Thursday through early next week for Monterey County. Areas under warning include: southern Salinas Valley, Arroyo Seco, Lake San Antonio, Santa Lucia Mountains...

LIBRARY SURVEY MONTEREY COUNTY — Monterey County Free Libraries is conducting a survey through July to evaluate the library open hours for each community that it serves. The anonymous feedback will help MCFL plan for the future. Take the survey at surveymonkey.com/r/MCFLHoursInput, or find the...

SALINAS — Hartnell College has been awarded a $9.5 million grant from the USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture’s inaugural NEXTGEN program.  The official announcement was made during a presentation by the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack in Washington, D.C., on June 20. “This...

KING CITY — A barrel race fundraiser for Key for a Cure Foundation, in collaboration with St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, will take place this weekend in King City. “Chasing Dreams, Finding Cures” will host its fifth annual event Nov. 5-7 at the Salinas Valley...

KING CITY — In a continued effort to combat pet overpopulation, SPCA Monterey County is offering free spay/neuter clinics for cats in South Monterey County, including King City and Soledad, with several appointments still available. Sponsored by Hitchcock Road Animal Services and staffed by the...

CENTRAL COAST — The Tri-County Arts Councils, representing Monterey, Santa Cruz and San Benito counties, have taken their next step in addressing the urgent shortage of arts educators in the Central Coast region. Launched earlier this year, the Pathways for Arts Educators – A Regional...

TORO PARK REOPENS SALINAS — Monterey County’s Toro Park reopened to the public on April 19 after an eight-month closure as the park recovered from wildfire damage. Most trails in the park are open and visitors are asked to stay on and in designated trails...

MONTEREY COUNTY — A new Covid-19 variant has been detected in several California counties, including Monterey County, according to the California Department of Public Health. CDPH announced Jan. 17 that a 452R variant of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes Covid-19, was identified using genetic sequencing...