KRKC COUNTRY

A South Monterey County man will be behind bars for more than 6 years for being involved in the brutal death of a family pet. 22-year-old Devonte Sirwet-Perea pleaded "no contest" to residential burglary, animal abuse and arson on Thursday morning, August 30. According to law enforcement, on March 27, 2018, Sirwet-Perea was able to get his mother's pit bull named Kato, out of the family home then sprayed the dog in lighter fluid and set him on fire. The animal was later found off of Metz Road in Soledad with burns to 90% of his body and later had to be humanely euthanized. Law enforcement states that Sirwet-Perea seriously harmed the animal to get revenge on his mother, who had thrown him out of the house because of his temper and a drug problem. Sirwet-Perea is going to be formally sentenced on October 18.

The future looks bright in Greenfield as over 50 people attended a groundbreaking ceremony for Mee Memorial Hospital's soon be renovated and expanded Greenfield Clinic on Wednesday, August 29. Executive Advisor to the Board of Trustees and CEO Susan Childers is very excited that this project is getting underway. The existing Clinic is 7900 square feet and over 5900 square feet is being added on, while the existing Clinic has 16 exam rooms and 8 more exam rooms are being added. The cost of this project will be over $4 million and is expected to take 1 year to complete. The work is expected to start sometime during the week of September 2.

The California Highway Patrol will be stepping up their enforcement efforts this Labor Day weekend all over South Monterey County, Northern San Luis Obispo County and statewide. CHP Officer Patrick Seebart who covers Northern SLO County said that everyone who is not on vacation will be on patrol working from Friday, August 31 through Labor Day, Monday, September 3. During the 2017 Labor Day weekend maximum enforcement period in California there were 30 people killed in traffic collisions and more than 1000 arrests were made for driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Officer Seebart indicated that he and other Officers will be keeping a close eye on drivers speed, turning movements along with a special focus on DUIs and whether drivers are wearing their seatbelts at all or not this Holiday weekend. Officer Seebart suggests that motorists leave on time if they're going to be on the road during the Labor Day weekend adding that when you feel rushed that's when drivers

On Tuesday, August 28 at around 4 pm, 31-year-old Oscar Venegas of King City was contacted at a residence located on the 100 block of River Drive in King City and was taken into custody by Detectives of the Major Crimes Unit and Patrol Officers of the King City Police Department without incident involving a burglary that occurred in that area on August 22. There were 2 juveniles in the residence at the time of the burglary who were not hurt. Venegas was transported and booked into the Monterey County Jail.  No other information is being released at this time, as the investigation is continuing. Investigators would like to reach out to the public though and are asking for their cooperation during this investigation. Anyone with further information in regards to this case is encouraged to contact Det. Joshue Partida (831) 386-5991 of the Major Crimes Investigations Unit or the WeTip line at 1-800-78-CRIME.  Your call may remain completely anonymous. 

It was great day to be a Bruin at Greenfield High School as over 20 people were on hand to witness the unveiling of a new bronze Bruin sculpture in the main quad area at GHS on Monday morning, August 27. Greenfield High School Principal Frank Lynch was very pleased with how this Bruin sculpture turned out. Principal Lynch said that the Bruin sculpture was shipped over from Thailand and cost less than $10,000. Most of the funding came from Wells Fargo Bank and the 2018 graduating class from Greenfield High School also raised money through donations. Greenfield High School student Matthew Cortez feels the new bronze Bruin statue will give himself and other student athletes better energy for sports. The previous Bruin mascot displayed in the Greenfield High School main quad area lasted around 13 years and was made of metal and wood. Principal Lynch is hoping that this bronze Bruin mascot will be around a lot longer than 13 years.

PASO ROBLES, CA – On Friday, August 24, 2018 officers from the San Luis Obispo County Auto Theft Task Force (SLOCATT) arrested 18-year-old Ricardo Ramirez after he was stopped for driving a stolen Lincoln MKZ taken from Paso Robles. Located in the vehicle was a stolen handgun from a residential burglary also within the City of Paso Robles. SLOCATT along with detectives from the Paso Robles Police Department served a search warrant at Ramirez’s residence and additional items of evidence were found. Ramirez was linked to 2 additional auto thefts, and multiple burglary/thefts cases within the City of Paso Robles. Ramirez was transported and booked at the San Luis Obispo County Jail for 3 counts of felony auto theft and 3 counts of felony burglary. This is an ongoing investigation and anyone with information about this case is encouraged to call the Paso Robles Police Department at 805-237-6464. Persons wishing to remain anonymous are encouraged to call Crime Stoppers' 24-hour hotli

SALINAS, CA – On Friday, August 24, District 20 Congressman Jimmy Panetta (CA-20) announced that the University Corporation at Monterey Bay received a federal grant totaling $4,998,980.00 from the National Science Foundation (NSF).  The award will support high-achieving, low-income students with demonstrated financial need at California State University Monterey Bay (CSUMB), Hartnell College, California State University Dominguez Hills, and El Camino College.  This award will fund 240 scholarships for students who are pursuing associate's and bachelor's degrees in computer science.  This project's objective is to replicate a cohort-based pathway model developed by California State University Monterey Bay and Hartnell College within California State University Dominguez Hills and El Camino College, and to study both implementations to advance understanding of the elements of the cohort model that lead to student success.  This project will study the impact of cohort su

SALINAS, Calif. –  Hartnell College announced during the week of August 19 that it had the 9th highest percentage (89%) of minority student graduates for community colleges across the nation, out of more than 1,400 community colleges, for the 2015-2016 academic year. Furthermore, Hartnell had the 4th highest percentage of minority student graduates for community colleges in California (114 total colleges). The rankings are based on U.S. Department of Education data that examines degree attainment by fields of study for African-American, Asian American, Hispanic, and Native American students. The results were published in the August 23, 2018 edition of Diverse Issues in Higher Education and features a ‘Top 100 Associate Degree Producers’ report about community colleges that have experienced the most success in awarding degrees to minority students. In addition to these impressive rankings, Hartnell had the largest percentage increase (28%) of minority graduates for all of the top 10

MONTEREY COUNTY – Here are the major scheduled road and lane work for South Monterey County from Monday, August 27 through Thursday, August 30 is as follows: On Highway 101 from Soledad to Greenfield there will be Nighttime striping work going on from 8 pm to 5 am,       

SALINAS, Calif. –  Hartnell College is thrilled to announce that it was recently awarded a $1.5 million grant from the National Science Foundation’s (NSF) Improving Undergraduate STEM Education: Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) Program. The program aims to increase retention and graduation rates for STEM students attending HSIs. Hartnell was one of only 31 institutions nation-wide selected for funding. Hartnell’s project, "Engaging STEM Transformative Experiences for Early Momentum (ESTEEM): Stepping Stones,” will enable the college to develop and implement an innovative model that provides authentic STEM research experiences for undergraduate students at an early stage in their education pathway. Such early experiences will better equip students to overcome obstacles to success, including degree completion and transfer to a baccalaureate STEM degree program. Each “Stepping Stone” will engage groups of students in the investigation of an authentic STEM research project, di

On Wednesday, August 22 the Ag Crimes Unit of the Investigations Division served a search warrant as part of an ongoing embezzlement case involving ghost workers. A ghost worker is a complex scheme where crew bosses who work in the Ag Industry add an extra person to their crew, clock them in, and then collect and cash the ghost workers’ paycheck. The ghost worker doesn't work at the job site or do any work for the company - they don't exist. Unfortunately ghost workers are all too common in the Ag Industry. The Investigators of the Ag Crimes Unit did an amazing job of working this complex investigation with Ramco Enterprises. Ultimately, this investigation stopped thousands of dollars of embezzlement that had no end in sight. Investigators arrested 39-year-old Ofelia Rodriguez, 42-year-old Octavio Nuci and 53-year-old Jesus Tomas all of Salinas. They were all booked into the Monterey County Jail on theft, identity theft, conspiracy and embezzlement related charges. The Ag Uni

On Tuesday, August 21 the Sheriff’s Office Investigations Division served a two-location search warrant in the City of Soledad. Investigators received information that Javier Efren Lino was selling drugs to the citizens of South Monterey County. Investigators located Lino who goes by the nickname of “termite” at a residence on West Street. Lino tried to run out the back door, but was quickly apprehended by deputies. The second location was on Monterey Street and Hector Eduardo Gomez was located there. A gun, narcotics and ammunition were located at the residences. Lino and Gomez are both self-admitted gang members and convicted felons. They were both booked into the Monterey County Jail on gun, gang and drugs possessed for sale charges.

The King City California Highway Patrol has openings for both general and typing office assistants. For more information on applying go online to calhr.ca.gov.

Although the Baseball season may be winding down or finishing up in some places, in Greenfield a 6 week Fall Ball Little League program will be starting up for girls in mid September. Over 20 girls ages 6 to 14 showed interest and signed up to play in this District 9 League at Patriot Park on Tuesday night, August 21. Greenfield Little League Vice President Brent Slama is impressed that so many girls want to participate in this Fall Ball Little League program this season. For more information about the Girls District 9 Greenfield Little League Fall Ball program, contact Brent Slama at 831-210-5487, by email at greenfieldlittleleague@gmail.com or go to their Facebook page which can be found by typing in Greenfield Little League California District 9.

On Wednesday, August 22 at 5:20pm officers with the King City Police Department responded to the 100 block of River Drive in regards to a burglary that occurred. The preliminary investigation revealed that a suspect described as a hispanic male in his late 20s standing 5 feet 7 inches to 5 feet 9 inches tall weighing from 160 to 180 pounds with dark bushy eyebrows and a thin dark mustache, wearing a gray hoodie sweatshirt, a red and blue baseball cap and black pants entered a residence occupied by 2 female juveniles stealing miscellaneous items and left the residence. Detectives from the King City Investigations Unit were called to investigate the incident. The ensuing investigation revealed that the suspect entered the residence through a side door and startled the 2 female juveniles inside the residence. The suspect directed the females to a room in the residence and had them stay in place. The suspect then took some items from the females and fled the residence on foot. The suspec

A fatal accident took place at Taylor Farms in Salinas on Tuesday afternoon, August 21 at around 2:30pm. The Salinas Police Department reports that a 58-year-old man parked a big rig at a loading dock area to be loaded, then exited the truck. The trailer was parked too far away from the dock to be loaded and employees began looking for the driver, but could not find him. Another truck driver moved the truck so that the trailer could be loaded. When the truck was backed up to the dock, the 58 year-old truck driver was crushed between the trailer and the loading dock. It's unknown why the driver was behind the trailer. The driver was transported to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead. The details of this case are still being investigated by the Salinas Police Department and Cal OSHA.

On Friday, August 17 Investigators were driving on Rossi Street in Salinas when they saw 33-year-old Cain Espinoza Garcia of Salinas and Greenfield walking in the area. Investigators knew that Garcia had several felony arrest warrants and watched Garcia to see what he was up to as he was in a high narcotics area. As Investigators watched Garcia they observed him conducting narcotics sales. Investigators moved in and arrested Garcia and found him in possession of drugs for sale and burglary tools.

In late May 2018 deputies were made aware of possible inappropriate sexual activity between an adult and juvenile. The suspect in the case was identified as 19-year-old Angel Eduardo Vasquez currently from Madera, who also goes by "Angelo". Vasquez was employed by the Gonzales Unified School District as a janitor at Gonzales High School. Due to the sensitive nature of the case the Monterey County Sheriff's Office Investigations Division took over the investigation. Over the next 3 months Investigators worked this case and learned that Vasquez had numerous underage victims. At this time Vasquez has been identified as having inappropriate sexual relationships with 7 underage victims. Vasquez was interviewed on Friday, August 17 and admitted to pursuing numerous underage girls between the ages of 14 and 17 and having inappropriate sexual contact with them. It is Investigators belief that there are an unknown amount of additional victims who are still yet to be identified.

Monterey County District Attorney Dean D. Flippo announced on Tuesday, August 21 that 23-year-old Nicanor De Jesus Sanchez of Greenfield was sentenced by Judge Julie R. Culver to 12 years and 8 months in the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation for gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated and driving under the influence of alcohol causing great bodily injury. On February 11, 2017 the defendant, while driving with a blood alcohol content of .23, crashed his car through a road closure gate located at the Elm Avenue bridge east of the City of Greenfield. The defendant’s Honda Accord spun out of control striking 3 pedestrians who were on the bridge. The pedestrians were crushed between the defendant’s car and a steel guard rail and violently thrown into the Salinas River. Due to an abnormally wet winter the Salinas River was flowing very rapidly and had breached its banks, flooding farmlands and roadways throughout the county. Despite extensive wounds, 2 of the

Pinnacles National Park Superintendent Karen Beppler-Dorn invites the public to comment on the National Park Service (NPS) environmental assessment for replacement of the east side entrance station. Under the NPS preferred alternative, the entrance station would be relocated approximately 0.43 miles from State Route 25 (north site). Another alternative considers relocating the entrance station just south of the campground (south site) (1.77 miles from the boundary). The purpose of the proposal is to improve the visitor entrance experience by constructing a new entrance station and gateway sign, thereby providing a better sense of entry to Pinnacles National Park and reaching more visitors with park information. The new entrance station would help reduce visitor congestion upon entering the park, and improve opportunities for administrative fee collection operations at the east entrance to the park. Public comments will be accepted through September 19, 2018. The environmental assessm

Monterey, CA- CAL FIRE Director Ken Pimlott announced on August 17 that David Fulcher has been appointed as the Unit Chief of the San Benito Monterey Unit, effective Saturday, September 1, 2018. Chief Fulcher brings in almost 30 years of experience as he began his career with CAL FIRE in 1989, as a Firefighter I in the Riverside Unit (RRU). In 1991, he was promoted to Firefighter II in RRU. In 1993, he got promoted to Fire Apparatus Engineer in the Nevada-Yuba-Placer Unit. In 1997, he transferred back to RRU, and in 1999, he was promoted to Fire Captain at the Bautista Conservation Camp. As a Fire Captain, he was assigned to the Perris ECC & Riverside County Hazardous Materials Team. Chief Fulcher was promoted to Battalion Chief in 2007, and worked in both the Temecula and San Jacinto Battalions. Chief Fulcher was promoted to Assistant Chief at the Bautista Conservation Camp in 2012. In 2014, Chief Fulcher was promoted to Deputy Chief as the CAL FIRE Southern Region Conservation

MONTEREY, CA — The 82nd annual Monterey County Fair is coming up soon and needs your help! More than 200 local volunteers are needed for the 2018 Fair, set for August 30-September 3, 2018. Volunteers will receive free fair passes for donating their time and it is guaranteed to be lots of fair-filled fun. “The Monterey County Fair is one of the biggest community events in the county and we depend on our dedicated volunteers in order to make the Fair a success for everyone,” said Kelly Violini, CEO of the Fair. “Volunteering is fun and fulfilling for everyone 16 and older and we encourage those who are interested to fill out their forms as soon as possible.” The Monterey County Fair volunteer program is open to groups and individuals. All volunteers must be 16 years of age, but youth groups with adult(s) supervision will be considered. High school volunteers who meet age requirements can earn community service credits for their work. The Fair welcomes all persons interested in becom

MONTEREY COUNTY – In keeping with their promise to leverage local Measure X transportation funds, the Transportation Agency for Monterey County (TAMC) has applied for $14 million from the SB 1 vehicle fee-funded Active Transportation Program for pedestrian and bicycle safety projects that will benefit the Salinas Valley, Monterey Peninsula and North Monterey County. Debbie Hale, Executive Director of TAMC, said that, “Local Measure X funds will give them a greater chance to build these important safety projects, because applications with local matching funds earn additional points in the scoring criteria.” In partnership with the cities of Del Rey Oaks and Seaside, TAMC applied for $12.6 million to fund the Highway 218 segment of the Fort Ord Regional Trail & Greenway matched by $2 million of Measure X funds, to construct a 1.5-mile paved bicycle and pedestrian trail segment of the proposed 32-mile Fort Ord Regional Trail & Greenway. The regional trail will improve sa

On Sunday, August 19 at 12:25 pm officers responded to a report of an attempted burglary on the 200 block of Bassett Street in King City. 31-year-old Luis Pacheco entered into the rear of a business and then entered a parked vehicle through a broken window. Officer Rodriguez was able to identify Pacheco on the surveillance footage from numerous contacts in the past. Pacheco was later contacted on the 700 block of Broadway Street where he confessed to Officer Rodriguez that he entered the vehicle in an attempt to steal items. Pacheco was arrested and transported to the Monterey County Jail.  Anyone with further information in regards to this case is encouraged to call the King City Police Department at (831) 386-5980 or the WeTip line at 1-800-78-CRIME.  Your call may remain completely anonymous. The investigation is continuing.

With school back in full swing the King City Union School District Board were in regular session on Wednesday night, August 15 in the Magnet Arts Auditorium. A lot of new teachers that were hired on this summer at Chalone Peaks Middle School and at many of the Elementary Schools in King City were introduced to the Board to begin the meeting. Del Rey and Magnet Arts Elementary Schools were recently honored with a Positive Behavioral Interventions and Support program Silver Award from the California PBIS Coalition. In order for a school to receive this accolade they must be at 70% implementation of Tier I through the PBIS program. The Board also approved a 1 year agreement Community Human Services for Drug Education and Counseling services for students and their families at Chalone Peaks Middle School. This service could help 50 or 55 students throughout the year.

In January of 2018 Officers from the King City Police Department received information that a 14-year-old female was being sexually abused over a period of time. The investigation was turned over to the King City Investigations Division. The ensuing investigation revealed that the victim, a 14-year-old female, disclosed she had been sexually abused by a relative over a period of 7 years at locations starting in King City and in the City of Soledad. The 8 month investigation culminated in the arrest of 29-year-old Marcos Antonio Morales-Delagua of Soledad. Morales- Delagua was booked into the Monterey County Jail on Lewd acts on a child under 14-years-old and the Continuous sexual abuse of a minor. His bail was set at $16 million. The King City Investigations Division was assisted by the Major Crimes Unit. Anyone with further information in regards to this case is encouraged to call the King City Police Department at (831) 386-5980 or the WeTip line at 1-800-78-CRIME.  Your call may re

A 3-year-old King City boy was ejected from a red Ford F-150 pickup truck on Highway 101 near Salinas and Spence Road during a 2 vehicle accident that occurred sometime after 12:30pm on Wednesday, August 15. CHP officers said that an orange 2017 Chevrolet Express Cargo truck was traveling northbound on US-101 in the #1 lane, while the Ford F-150 began crossing both lanes of US-101 northbound and attempted to make a left turn.  Both vehicles collided in the #1 lane of US-101 northbound. Investigators report that the boy ejected from the pickup, was in a child booster seat behind the driver, but his seat belt was not properly fastened. The boy ended up being thrown from the pickup and landed on the southbound lanes. The 3 -year-old was transported from the scene by Cal-Star and airlifted to Santa Clara Valley Medical Center to be being treated for his injuries. The right front passenger of the Ford F-150, 37-year-old Heidi Cochran of King City, is the mother of the 3-year-old child.

Monterey County District Attorney Dean D. Flippo announced on Tuesday, August 14 that 46-year-old William Louis Delacruz of Soledad was found guilty by a Monterey County jury of evading a peace officer with willful and wanton disregard for the safety of persons and property; evading a peace officer by driving in a direction opposite to traffic, resisting a peace officer, and being an unlicensed driver. Monterey County Superior Court Judge Andrew G. Liu presided over the trial. On December 20, 2017, Marina Police Officer Juan Magana attempted a traffic stop on a white Cadillac Escalade. The Escalade vehicle failed to pull over and evaded by traveling in excess of 95 miles per hour passing other motorists by driving in opposing traffic lanes and on the shoulder. After a 5 minute pursuit, Officer Magana lost sight of the Escalade when it pulled into a residential neighborhood in Salinas. Moments later, Officer Magana observed the Escalade parked on the side of the road, and observed t

The King City City Council was in regular session on Tuesday night, August 14 at City Hall. City employee Ramon Ramos received a Mayor's Commendation plaque for all of the hard work he continues to do during his 28 years working with the City of King. The King City City Council also recognized Police Captain Allen Rowe who is retiring from law enforcement after 38 years and after 3 years with the King City Police Department effective on Friday, August 17. The Sergeants Association also honored Captain Rowe. In other business, the King City City Council approved the 2nd Reading of an Ordinance amending Chapter 17.03 of Title 17 of the King City Municipal Code pertaining to Commercial Cannabis activity, amending Chapter 17.30 of Title 17 of the King City Municipal Code pertaining to an M-1 Industrial District, amending Chapter 17.31 of Title 17 of the King City Municipal Code pertaining to an M-2 Industrial District and approving the 2nd Reading of an Ordinance mending Section D.3

A man wanted for stabbing a Greenfield woman more than 20 times in 2017 was arrested in Yuba City on Friday, August 10. Greenfield Police booked 30-year-old Agustin Cabrera Serrano for attempted murder after a 20-month long investigation.  According to a news release from the Greenfield Police Department, Serrano stabbed a woman on the 400 block of 10th Street of Greenfield on January 20, 2017. Officers arrived and found a 50-year-old woman with 22 stab wounds including a cut to her throat. The woman was taken to Natividad in critical condition, underwent surgery and survived the attack. Detectives identified Serrano as the suspect who left the scene in a gold 2000 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The Jeep was recovered by the Yuba City Police Department on January 22, 2017. Serrano has been charged with attempted homicide, corporal injury to a cohabitant, and criminal threats. He was booked into the Sutter County Jail where he is pending extradition to Monterey County and is being held on a $1,

On Tuesday, August 7, District 20 Congressman Jimmy Panetta (CA-20) announced that communities in Monterey and Santa Cruz Counties will receive federal grants totaling over $4 million from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The grants are provided through the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), Emergency Shelter Grants (ESG), and HOME programs. The city of Monterey will receive funding totaling $239,789 through the CDBG. The city of Salinas will receive funding totaling $2,093,734 through the CDBG, funding totaling $170,830 through ESG, and a HOME grant totaling $838,381. The city of Seaside will receive funding totaling $365,621 through the CDBG. The city of Watsonville will receive funding totaling $768,544 through the CDBG. Congressman Panetta said that providing affordable housing is one of the greatest challenges on the central coast of California and indicated that these investments will help these communities provide housing and workforce trainin

The regular candidate filing period for the November 6, 2018 Statewide General Election has closed. The filing period for the following offices in South Monterey County, in which the incumbent did not file though, has been extended until 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, August 15, 2018 which includes: -Bradley Union School District -Chualar Union Elementary School District, Trustee Area 3 -Gonzales Unified School District -Greenfield Union Elementary School District -King City Union School District -San Ardo Union Elementary School District -San Lucas Union School District -Soledad Unified School District – 2 year term -Greenfield Memorial District -San Ardo Water District -San Lucas Water District Candidates filing during this period must meet all filing obligations. Contact your City Clerk for more information about extended offices in your city. To schedule an appointment, call 831-796-1499, for more information visit www.montereycountyelections.us.

The Pine Canyon Fire Department along with CAL FIRE BEU responded to a reported vegetation fire sometime before 7 pm on Monday night, August 14 northeast of King City. The small flare up shutting down Bitterwater Road from Industrial Way to Highway 25 for a short time . The blaze was contained to 2 acres. No one was injured.

On Thursday, August 9, District 20 Congressman Jimmy Panetta announced that the Mesa Del Rey Airport in King City received a grant totaling $454,050 from the U.S. Department of Transportation through the Federal Aviation Administration.  The funds will be used to rehabilitate the lighting systems along the edge of Runway 11/29, to ensure that there are safe airfield operations in low visibility conditions. Congressman Panetta stated that this investment allows them to provide updated lighting technology for the over 7,500 flights that operate through Mesa Del Rey Airport each year and added that this airport has continued to serve as a critical resource to King City and other communities in the Salinas Valley.

A brush fire flared up sometime after 2 pm near Dead Man's Gulch Road and Sergeants Canyon Road south of San Ardo and 10 miles east of Highway 101 in South Monterey County on Saturday afternoon, August 11. The fire burned around 650 acres and was 100% contained sometime early on Sunday morning, August 12. Firemen from Cal Fire along with the Camp Roberts Fire Department, Hunter Liggett Fire, Seaside Fire, Salinas Fire, and the Monterey Regional Fire District assisted in extinguishing the blaze. In addition, 11 different aircraft helped knocked down this fire. No one was hurt and the cause of the blaze is unknown.

A tractor accidentally hit a man off of Teague Avenue at Herbert Ranch about 3 to 4 miles north of King City sometime after 11 am on Thursday morning, August 9. The CHP reports that the man suffered a broken leg and was transported to a local hospital. The cause of the accident is unknown.

Sometime early on Thursday morning, August 9, the Salinas Police Department with assistance from SVSP, State Parole, CHP, MCSO, Monterey Peninsula SRU, HSI, ATF and FBI served a total of  6 search warrants as part of an on going criminal investigation. Three of the search warrants were in the city of Salinas and were executed at 15 Geary Circle, 569 Sunrise Street and 1430 Linwood Drive, while the remaining warrants were served at Cordoba Street and Barcelona Street in Soledad and Lagomarsino Avenue in Greenfield. Detectives located a half pound of heroin, 1.5 pounds of cocaine, 10 ounces of methamphetamine, several thousand dollars in US currency, 3 handguns, 1 rifle, one shotgun, body armor, ammunition, and high-end merchandise, including products by Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Rolex, Fendi and specialized jewelry. The following persons were arrested and booked into the Monterey County Jail that included: 27-year-old Alejandro Cruz for possession of a firearm and for possession of m

A pancake breakfast fundraiser will be held on Saturday, August 11 from 8:30 am to 11 am in the Community Room located at 1351 Oak Avenue in Greenfield for 15-year-old Julian Armenta who was recently in a serious quad bike accident. Organizer and Greenfield Councilwoman Nely Martinez said that there's a GoFundMe Page that Julian Armenta's family put together which can be found at  https://www.gofundme.com/ lets-heal-julian .

The Salinas Police Department needs help from the public in identifying a woman in a photo posted on KRKCCountry.com and through some attached pictures put on our KRKC Country Facebook Page. This woman entered a Chase Bank recently on North Main Street presenting a fake ID to a teller and was able to withdrawal nearly $5,000 from a victim's account. The suspect then went on a shopping spree at a Macy’s store in the Northridge Mall and was able to access the victim’s Macy’s account to make purchases in the amount of nearly $2,000. Anyone who recognizes this suspect is asked to call Detective Pete Gomez at 831-758-7236.

The cause of a fire that destroyed over a dozen cannabis greenhouses at Loudpack Farms in Greenfield on July 23 was released on Tuesday, August 7. Greenfield Fire Chief Jeff Terpstra said that the fire was accidental in nature and was caused by an improperly discarded cigarette. The blaze caused over $15 million in damages.

A Greenfield woman and her newborn child are still trying to recover from a serious 2 vehicle accident that took place on Hilltop Road and Salinas Road near Watsonville last Thursday, August 2 at around 3 pm. The CHP reports that the vehicles involved were a silver 2003 Kia Sedona driven by 50-year-old Jose Gonzales Guiza of Salinas, while the second vehicle was a gray 1999 Toyota Camry driven by 27-year-old Heather Hubbard of Greenfield. The Kia Sedona was traveling eastbound on Hilltop Road out of a private driveway from the business “Sweet Earth Natural Foods” and  the Toyota Camry was heading southbound on Hilltop Road approaching the private driveway. Due to the impact from the traffic collision the air bag deployed from the Toyota Camry that was driven by Hubbard. Hubbard including a 5-year-old girl were transported by American Medical Response to Watsonville Community Hospital and were later taken to a Medical Center in Santa Clara where Hubbard gave birth to a baby boy by c-s

A vegetation fire broke out off of Turkey Flat Road in South Monterey County near Parkfield sometime after after 1 pm on Monday, August 6. The blaze burned over 2,200 acres near a solar plant. No structures were seriously threatened and no one was injured. As of Tuesday, August 7 the fire is now 100% contained and forward progress of the fire stopped. The cause of the blaze is unknown. A lot of the smoke in the air in South Monterey County is from the Mendocino Complex. This week it is expected to get hotter which means that we'll have a different wind pattern.

SALINAS, Calif. –  Hartnell College is thrilled to announce its Salinas Valley Promise program, an initiative that guarantees one year of free tuition for all first-time, full-time students attending Hartnell for the 2018-19 academic year. Hartnell is committed to providing the opportunity for all local students to attend college and/or receive workforce training, regardless of family income. The initiative is designed to encourage more local students to enroll as full-time students, thereby boosting degree completion and transfer rates to four-year institutions. To qualify, students must have graduated from a Salinas Valley high school (public or private) with at least a 2.5 GPA and/or completed all academic requirements for transfer admission to CSU or UC, also known as A-G completion, be enrolling in college for the first-time, enroll in 12 or more units, and complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or the California Dream Act Application. The value of thi

The Salinas Californian reports that around 395 people have become sick from eating tainted McDonald's salads, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC indicated that the illnesses have been linked to salad mix contaminated with the Cyclospora parasite, which is spread through fecal matter. 16 individuals have been hospitalized, according to the CDC. 15 states have confirmed cases, primarily in the Midwest. Illinois, where McDonald's is headquartered, has the most with 202. Shortly after people began getting sick last month, McDonald's voluntarily stopped selling salads at impacted restaurants and switched salad suppliers. On July 26, 2018, a U.S. Food and Drug Administration analysis confirmed that McDonald's supplier Fresh Express was the source of the problem. The analysis found Cyclospora in a sample from an unused package of salad mix with romaine lettuce and carrots. The package's expiration date had already passed. The FDA repo

On Thursday, August 2 at 2pm, Paso Robles Department of Emergency Services responded to 305 Santa Fe Aveneue for a reported residential structure fire.   Firefighters arrived at the scene within 3 minutes to discover heavy fire emitting from the residence and fire extending into 2 neighboring residential structures. Two vehicles also sustained fire damage.  Two of the structures were occupied at the time of the fire. All of the occupants were able to evacuate safely. No community members were injured and 1 firefighter received minor burns. In total, 5 residents were displaced from their homes.  Two fire engines and one Battalion Chief from Paso Robles responded. Under the City’s automatic aid agreement, one engine and one Battalion Chief from CAL FIRE/SLO County, one engine from Atascadero Fire and one engine from Templeton Fire immediately responded to assist. Under the City’s mutual aid agreement, five additional engines were requested to assist with extinguishing the blaze. 32 f

District 20 Congressman Jimmy Panetta (D-CA-20) and District 25 Congressman Steve Knight (R-CA-25) introduced bipartisan legislation on Thursday, August 2 to support seasonal employees of the National Park Service (NPS). Under existing regulation, seasonal employees of the NPS are only permitted to work at 1 National Park annually. Bill H.R. 6599, would amend the law to permit seasonal employees to work at multiple NPS sites in a given year. “National parks throughout the nation, including our very own Pinnacles National Park, benefit from the dedicated public servants who are committed to improving access to the outdoors,”  said Congressman Panetta, "  This bill will allow NPS seasonal employees to serve and educate visitors to public lands in multiple locations throughout the year.”

Positive change has recently been taking place and growth is on the horizon involving Mee Memorial Hospital. CEO Susan Childers who will be retiring in March of 2019 spoke to over 20 people that attended the King City Chamber Luncheon on Thursday, August 2 at the Cork and Plow Restaurant to provide them information about what’s going on at the Hospital. Childers said that in her nearly 9 years as the CEO, she’s very proud that over half of the debt has been eliminated at the Hospital. Childers said that when she started in September of 2009 the debt at Mee Memorial was at over $50.4 million and as June of 2018 the debt has dropped to over $24 million. Childers mentioned that the Mee Memorial Hospital Board hired Mike Hutchinson as the interim CEO and he will be starting his duties on August 13. Childers also went into some detail regarding how they’re going to add on to their Greenfield Clinic which is currently at 7900 square feet and they're going to expand it by 5900 square

The Gonzales Fire Department has been going through some wildland fire training this summer. Fire Chief Jason Muscio said that they've been working on hand tools within the last couple of weeks adding that he always likes to try and get his crew familiar what they're going to encounter in any incident involving heat, smoke and tools. Fire Chief Muscio stated that his fire crew hasn’t responded to anything too serious yet this season other than a few fires that they've responded to in San Benito County with their water tender, but he knows that other areas of the state haven’t been so lucky and indicated that one of his volunteer firefighters works for Cal Fire and is currently helping out with the Fergusson Fire in Mariposa County near Yosemite National Park.

The Bureau of Land Management Central Coast Field Office increased fire restrictions on Wednesday, August 1 to Stage 2 for people recreating on BLM managed public lands in in Fresno, Monterey and San Benito counties because of the high fire danger. Camp fires are prohibited along with recreational target shooting and there are other rules that have been put in place that involve smoking and equipment use on public lands as well. For more information call the Central Coast BLM Field Office at 582-2200 or go online to blm.gov.

It's been nearly a month since King City Community Power launched in order to help residents save money on their energy bills. City Manager Steven Adams said that the number of people opting out of this has been below what they expected and because of that, he thinks that the City of King will meet their financial projections through KCCP. Adams stated that King City Community Power will at first fund the start-up costs for the first year of this program, but Adams is hoping that it will support free solar installations for low income families, the installation of new street lights and the City of King has also began a feasibility study to look at possibly putting in a solar power plant in King City. Adams indicated that the benefits people will receive if they are participating in this program include lower rates that are a half of a percent lower than what P,G&E is providing to start.