SALINAS, Calif. — District 1 Monterey County Supervisor Luis Alejo has been appointed to three prominent leadership positions within the National Association of Counties (NACo) for the 2026–2027 term by NACo President George Dunlap. Alejo, who also currently serves as First Vice-President of the California State Association of Counties (CSAC), will serve as: Chair, Advisory Council on Immigration and Intergovernmental Affairs Vice-Chair, Telecommunications and Technology Policy Steering Committee Member, Midsize County Caucus (MCC) These appointments place Alejo in key national leadership roles representing county governments on issues ranging from immigration policy and federal-state-local relations to broadband expansion, emerging technologies, and the unique priorities facing midsize counties across the United States. “I am honored to be entrusted with these leadership responsibilities by the National Association of Counties,” said Sup...
PASO ROBLES, Calif. — The California Mid-State Fair welcomed 433,208 guests during its 2026 run (a 12% increase over 2025), marking another successful year celebrating agriculture, entertainment, competition, youth achievement and community participation. Nearly all areas of the Fair saw increases in participation, in some cases significant increases. All figures below are preliminary and unaudited. Fair Grandstand attendance totaled 90,527, up 9% over 2025. Including the sold-out Chris Stapleton pre-Fair concert, total Grandstand attendance was 105,011 - a 26.5% increase over last year. The Helm & Sons Carnival generated $1,621,937, down 4% from last year. The “free carnival rides on Opening Day” promotion continues to be very well attended, and Carnival Wristbands hit an all-time high with 15,036 wristbands sold by local non-profits. Food and beverage concessions saw a 3% increase over 2025. The relatively small increase may be due in part to the success of the Happy Hour p...