KRKC COUNTRY

AAA will be offering Tipsy Tow service for people ringing in the new year on December 31 from 6 pm through 6 am on January 1. The purpose of the service is to educate the public about the dangers of impaired driving and reduce traffic-related crashes and injuries. Tipsy Tow provides a free ride home and vehicle tow of up to 10 miles for any driver, not just for AAA Members. For mileage beyond this, motorists will be charged a standard towing rate. Drivers, potential passengers, party hosts, bartenders, restaurant managers or anyone who wants to ensure a safe ride home for an intoxicated motorist may contact AAA for this service. Pete's Towing will provide this AAA service for people in King City and Greenfield, while Pete's 76 will be offering this service if you're going to be in Soledad or Gonzales. Services will not be provided to motorists requesting a tow to another drinking establishment, repair facility or any other location other than their home or a hotel if the

A man who who escaped San Quentin State Prison was arrested in Paso Robles Saturday afternoon, December 29 after 3 days on the run. 21-year-old Shalom Mendoza, was taken into custody without incident at 12:30 pm at a Taco Bell in Paso Robles. California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation stated that someone contacted them to say that they recognized Mendoza who was reported missing during an institutional count at around Wednesday night, December 26 at arounf 9:35 pm. Mendoza was assigned to work outside the secured perimeter of the prison before he ran off. CDCR says during his 3 day escape on the run, he is suspected of stealing a car in a Home Depot parking lot in the San Rafael area. The car, a Toyota RAV4, was found abandoned off the 101 Freeway north of Paso Robles on Friday, December 28. Mendoza was transported to Salinas Valley State Prison in Soledad and his case will be referred to the Marin County District Attorney’s Office for consideration of escape charges and

37-year-old Emmanuel Rodriguez of King City who has Down Syndrome was recently awarded a settlement of $6 million after his Mom and caretaker Martha Rodriguez  was struck and killed by a local ag company truck driver, Carlos Perez Jr. on November 15, 2015. Perez Jr. was the driver working for Rio Farms at the time of the accident that occurred when Martha Rodriguez was walking across 3rd Street in King City. Weeks before the trial, National Agribusiness, the Insurance company for Rio Farms, offered the $6 million settlement to Emmanuel Rodriguez which included $2 million in wrongful death damages.

On Saturday night, December 29, the California Highway Patrol (CHP) Monterey Area will conduct a sobriety checkpoint somewhere within the unincorporated area of Monterey County. All too often members of our community are senselessly injured or killed on local roadways by intoxicated drivers.  The goal of the CHP is to ensure the safe passage of each and every motorist by targeting roads where there is a high frequency of intoxicated drivers.  A sobriety checkpoint is a proven effective tool for achieving this goal and is designed to augment existing patrol operations.  By publicizing our efforts we believe we can deter motorists from drinking and/or driving.  Traffic volume permitting, all vehicles will be checked for drivers who are under the influence of alcohol/drugs.  Our objective is to send a clear message to those individuals that consider mixing alcohol and/or drugs. Historically, DUI related collisions have accounted for nearly one third of all fatal collisions in the nati

A man from Central Valley is in jail for molesting his 15-year-old cousin on Christmas night, December 25 at the victim's family home located at La Colina Street in Soledad. Suspect, Jacob Anthony Mendez was in the area for the holidays and the 15-year-old boy told his relatives that Mendez molested him. The boy's relatives ended up contacting the police. Mendez was arrested and booked into Monterey County Jail.

A power outage occurred in King City and some of the surrounding areas of Pine Canyon, San Lucas, Lonoak and Priest Valley late Thursday morning, December 27 sometime after 11:40 am and lasted until sometime after 2 pm. KRKC and KC102 Radio stations were affected by this outage for over an hour. PG&E Spokesperson Myra Tostado said that the outages impacted approximately 5,000 customers, while 3 crews were dispatched to the field and 8 employees investigated determining that equipment failure caused the outage. Tostado stated that this outage is different then the previous 2 power outages that have taken place within the last few weeks in King City because of how the 2 previous outages were caused by the weather.

 Mesa Del Sol Wine Cellar had 2 pieces of good news for the month of December: the winery learned that the Department of the Treasury agreed to expand the Arroyo Seco viticulture area to include Mesa Del Sol, and the winery has been selected for the 2018 Best of Greenfield Award in the Wines category by the Greenfield Award Program. Ann Hougham, owner of Mesa Del Sol Vineyards had originally petitioned the United States Alcohol and Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB), a division of the Department of the Treasury, to include the winery in the Arroyo Seco American Viticultural Area (AVA). She had initially thought that the winery was part of the Arroyo Seco AVA, but discovered it was not, so she couldn’t use that designation on her wines. So she petitioned the TTB to include it starting in 2014. The process was long and arduous, but in December of 2016 she was informed her petition was sitting on the agency director’s desk, ready to be signed off and head to a 90-day public comment perio

Now that Christmas is over, free holiday tree recycling is available to residents in the Salinas Valley. Whether it’s curbside through a subscriber’s recycling service, or at the local recycling facilities operated by Salinas Valley Recycles (Salinas Valley Solid Waste Authority), residents can recycle natural trees at no charge in the days and weeks following Christmas.  Curbside Pick-up ·      King City – December 26 – January 11 ·      Unincorporated Monterey County – December 26 – January 11 ·      Gonzales, Greenfield and Soledad – January 3-16 ·      Salinas – January 2-23  Drop-off    Saturday, December 26, 2018 through Sunday, January 31, 2019 ·      Sun Street Transfer Station M-F 7 AM-5 PM, Sat 8 AM-4 PM       139 Sun St., Salinas  ·      Johnson Canyon Landfill M-F 8 AM-5 PM, Sat-Sun 8 AM-4 PM       31400 Johnson Canyon Road, 2.5 miles east of Gonzales ·      Jolon Road Transfer Station M-F 8 AM-4 PM, Sat 8 AM-12 Noon       52654 Jolon Rd, 4 miles wes

A power outage occurred in King City on Friday night, December 21. The outage began at 5:12 pm affecting 1,511 customers. P,G&E work crews were able to restore electricity to 1,314 customers sometime between 7:30 pm and 9 pm, while 197 customers were able to get their power restored sometime after  6 am on Saturday morning, December 22. The cause of the power outage was downed power lines.

Santa will be at Castro's Bakery in King City on Friday night, December 21 from 6 pm to 8 pm. There will be free cupcakes, games for kids to play and 2 bikes will be raffled off.

The 4th Annual Christmas Posada will be held on Sunday night, December 23 from 5 pm to 9 pm at St. Theodore's Catholic Church located at 116 South Belden Street in Gonzales. The event is free for the public to checkout. Organizer Fernando Meaz said that there will be a rosary, a mass, some food, presents for the kids and so much more.

South County Animal Rescue will be holding their 1st annual Pints for Pups Fundraiser on Saturday night, December 22 from 6:30 pm to 9:30 pm at Taste of the Pinnacles located at 148 Main Street in Soledad. There is no cost to attend and there will be live music from Singer, Songwriter and guitarist Ricky Montijo. SCAR President Carla Stewart said that $1 for every drink purchased will go towards SCAR. There will also be a Silent Auction. South County Animal Rescue will also be holding a pet friendly photo booth with Santa beginning at 11 am on Saturday, December 22 at the Harley Davidson store in Salinas located at 333 North Main Street. 

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The California Highway Patrol (CHP) will begin its Christmas Maximum Enforcement Period at 6 pm on Friday night, December 21, and continues through 11:59 pm on Tuesday night, December 25. This additional enforcement is intended to further ensure the safety of the motoring public during the holidays. The focus of the MEP is speed limit enforcement, but officers will also be watching for any signs of impaired driving. During this period, all available officers will be out on the roadways for enhanced enforcement efforts and assisting motorists wherever needed. “The California Highway Patrol wishes everyone a happy and, most importantly, safe holiday season," CHP Commissioner Warren Stanley said. “Please remember to drive sober, avoid distractions, always buckle up, leave plenty of time to reach your destination, and consider the possibility of inclement weather." The holiday season brings celebrations and time spent with family and friends, but unfortuna

With Christmas coming up on December 25 and 2019 less than 2 weeks away Hartnell College is continuing to move along with plans to add on to their Education Center in King City and building a new Education Center in Soledad. President and Superintendent Will Lewallen said that design teams have been working on both projects for awhile now and stated that the design work has been completed. Right now they're just awaiting word from the Division of the State Architect who is reviewing the plans that were submitted. Lewallen indicated that they're hoping to receive answers about whether the plans are accepted at all or not by the Spring of 2019. If fully approved the Hartnell College King City Education Center would expand by 12,000 square feet with Science classes and labs along with a student success center and a joint use community room, while the Soledad Education Center would be 15,000 square feet with Science classes and labs along with a student success center and a joint

Volunteers are needed to help count homeless people living in Monterey and San Benito counties. 250 adults are needed on Thursday, January 31, 2019 between 4:30 am and 10:00 am. Information collected is required in order to continue receiving federal funding for homeless programs, to develop strategies to end homelessness, and to help individuals and families who are in need. To sign up go online to: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/Monterey-PIT-2019

San Juan Bautista-based Schipper Design is inviting nonprofit agencies in Monterey, Santa Cruz and San Benito counties to apply for Creatives for Community grants. “As we approach our third year of Creatives for Community, we are excited by the response we have had in the past and the overall success of the program,” said Kathy Schipper, Creative Director of Schipper Design. “We want to encourage any and all non-profits to bring us your marketing or design opportunity for 2019. We look forward to the engagement year after year.” Creatives for Community is the brainchild of Kathy Schipper and stems from years of collaboration with nonprofits and her firm belief that nonprofits are an essential part of a healthy community, and deserve to have marketing materials equal to their for-profit counterparts. “Here at Schipper Design, when we set out to give back to the community, we play to our strengths,” said Schipper. “The Creatives for Community grant program is one way of helping our lo

The Monterey County Water Resources Agency announced on Monday, December 17 that they've selected Shauna Lorance as their interim General Manager effective January 2, 2019. Lorance will lead the agency while a national recruitment continues for a permanent director. Salary for this limited-term assignment will be finalized by the Board of Supervisors during their first meeting next year, January 8, 2019. Ms. Lorance brings to Monterey County Water Resources Agency three decades of experience in both water management and as a water resources consulting engineer. For 20 years, she worked at the San Juan Water District, one of the largest water providers in the Sacramento region. She was the general manager at this District for 13 years. “We are pleased to be able to retain a manager of Ms. Lorance’s caliber to provide oversight and continuity for the Water Resources Agency at this time,” says Supervisor Luis Alejo, Chair, Monterey County Water Resources Agency Board of Superv

Recent rains and cooler temperatures across the region have lowered the threat of wildfires allowing CAL FIRE’s San Benito-Monterey Unit to transition out of peak fire season effective Monday, December 17, 2018 at 8:00 a.m. in San Benito and Monterey Counties. “2018 brought yet another record-setting peak wildfire season. The devastation seen by communities, such as Paradise and Malibu, underscore the need for everyone to be prepared,” said David Fulcher, CAL FIRE San Benito-Monterey Unit Chief. “Creating and maintaining a minimum of 100 feet of defensible space is just the start. Please also ensure that you and your family are ready with an evacuation plan and a kit of emergency supplies.” CAL FIRE will continue to maintain staffing to meet any potential threat, as well as maintaining the ability to strategically move resources to areas that remain at a higher threat level. CAL FIRE will also continue to monitor weather conditions closely and will maintain the ability to increase st

The Salinas Valley Fair Heritage Foundation announced on Thursday, December 13 that they have named Ivan Trujillo, a Junior at Greenfield High School, as their 2019 Heritage Foundation Scholarship recipient. Scholarship Chair Ralph Rianda said that Trujillo's dedication to his community and agriculture helped him stand out among the applicants and added that the committee recognized Trujillo’s leadership potential in his local community and his aspirations beyond.  As the Heritage Foundation Scholarship winner, Ivan Trujillo receives a $2,500 scholarship, a commemorative belt buckle, and is reimbursed for all expenses associated with raising his market goat for this year’s Fair. All of the proceeds from the sale of his animal will benefit the Salinas Valley Fair Heritage Foundation and on-going projects at the Salinas Valley Fair. Trujillo’s dedication to agriculture and his community has peaked while he joined the Greenfield FFA organization.  He has raised ducks, rabbits and g

Soledad Auto Parts is getting into the Holiday spirit as they're holding their annual Toy Drive until Monday, December 24 Christmas Eve. Organizer Sandy Vosti said that they giveaway about 700 to 1000 toys a year and indicated that they're in need of any kind toy donation or even monetary donations such as gift cards or checks which will all go towards the toy drive for the kids. To donate stop by Soledad Auto Parts located at 415 Front Street.

A train struck a vehicle that was on the railroad tracks at Alta Street and Foletta Road, north of Gonzales on Saturday night, December 15. The California Highway Patrol reports that the crash occurred sometime before 7 pm and that no one was in the car when the collision took place. The CHP is still investigating whether anyone was in the car before the accident, or if this was an abandoned vehicle. However, the CHP is classifying the accident as a "hit and run." The train stopped after the collision occurred. No injuries were reported.

An E. coli outbreak linked to romaine lettuce, triggering a nation-wide warning to not consume it, has been tracked to a farm in Santa Barbara County, federal health officials reported on Thursday, December 13. Officials from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said E.coli had been discovered in the sediment of a water reservoir used to irrigate the Adam Brother Farms. However, they stated that there may be other sources and the investigation was continuing. Officials said a ban on romaine lettuce from Ventura, Santa Cruz and San Luis Obispo counties farms has been lifted, but an advisory remains in effect for lettuce grown in Monterey, San Benito, and Santa Barbara counties. Federal health officials said 7 additional cases of E.coli infections have been reported since December 6, 2018 bringing the total to 59 cases from 15 states and the District of Columbia since the outbreak was first reported in early October of 2018.

Monterey County District Attorney Dean D. Flippo announced on Thursday, December 13 that on Wednesday, December 12, 2018, after a 2 day jury trial, 34-year-old Diego Avalos a resident of Monterey County, was found guilty of battery, possession of a controlled substance, and possession of controlled substance paraphernalia. On August 8, 2018, a 17 year-old girl at the time from Greenfield, boarded a Monterey-Salinas Transit bus in Salinas after school, on her way home to Greenfield. She sat in a seat near the rear portion of the bus, which was relatively secluded from the rest of the passengers. Avalos also boarded the MST bus in Salinas and sat near the girl. During the bus ride, Avalos attempted to converse with the girl while in transit from Salinas to Greenfield, but the girl kept to herself and eventually rested her head against her seat and dozed off. When the bus reached the Greenfield area, Avalos got up from his seat, noticed that the girl was now asleep, and then lunged t

At the Greenfield City Council meeting on Tuesday night, December 11 Lance Walker was sworn in as Mayor, Angela Untalon and Drew Tipton were sworn in as new Councilmembers, while Councilwoman Nely Martinez was appointed as Mayor Pro Tem. The Council also honored former Mayor Jesus OlveraGarcia along with former Councilwomen Avelina Torres and Leah Santibanez. The Council then took a short recess and came back to talk about the open Council seat that is now vacant since Lance Walker was elected Mayor in November. After over 30 minutes of discussion and public comment, the Council agreed by consensus to allow staff to accept applications for the open Council seat until January 2, 2019. The Greenfield City Council also approved to appoint Bob White to the Greenfield Planning Commission for a 3 year term along with Stephanie Garcia and will table the 3rd appointment until their January 8, 2019 meeting. 

KRKC News has learned that CVS Pharmacy will be taking over the Soledad Pharmacy effective January 15, 2019.

Outgoing Monterey County District Attorney Dean Flippo along with District 3 Monterey County Supervisor Simon Salinas, Sheriff's Deputy Johnathan Ward, Deputy Probation Officer Leonel Oliveira and Assistant Ag Commissioner Bob Roach all bid farewell during retirement ceremonies that were held for them at the Monterey County Board of Supervisors meeting in Salinas on Tuesday, December 11. Monterey County Free Libraries Director Jayanti Addleman was also recognized for her 14 years of service as she has stepped down to accept a similar position in Hayward. 

At the King City City Council meeting on Tuesday night, December 11 at City Hall Mayor Mike LeBarre and Councilwoman Darlene Acosta were both sworn in as Councilmembers for another term. The Council also approved the appointment of Mayor LeBarre to serve as Mayor for another 2 years and approved the appointment of Carlos Victoria to serve as Mayor Pro Tem for another 2 years. In addition, Roy Santos will be the new City Attorney and Shannon Chaffin will be the Assistant City Attorney as the Council approved a contract services agreement with Aleshire and Wynder, LLP for City Attorney Services. The Council also approved a King City Community Power Rate Discount for customers previously enrolled in the P, G & E Peak Day Pricing Program.

Early signups for the 2019 Gonzales Little League Baseball season will get underway on Wednesday night, December 12 from 6 pm to 8 pm at the Vosti Center located at 107 Centennial Drive in Gonzales. For questions and more information, call Fidel Gudino at 831-595-6690.

The Salvation Army Soledad Service Extension needs help wrapping presents this Holiday season. So if you're looking for an activity to help serve others or if you're a student that needs community service hours, give them a call at 831-678-9952.

On Saturday night, December 8 at approximately 8:40 pm, detectives from the Salinas Police Department's Investigations Bureau culminated a lengthy investigation into narcotics trafficking within the City of Salinas. With the assistance of the FBI, DEA, and the Soledad Police Department, a traffic stop was conducted on northbound US 101, near the city of Soledad. During the stop, the Soledad Police Department's K-9, who is specially trained in the detection of narcotics, alerted a portion of the vehicle. During a subsequent search of the vehicle, 2 large packages, tightly wrapped in cellophane, were seized from a hidden location in the vehicle. The driver, and sole occupant, 29-year-old Hector Uribe was arrested without incident. The vehicle, suspected narcotics and Uribe were all transported to Salinas for further investigation. Detectives authored and served a search warrant for Uribe's residence in the 100 block of Harden Parkway in Salinas. With the assistance of Salin

The South Monterey County Joint Union S.D, King City Union S.D, San Ardo Union S.D and San Lucas Union S.D Migrant Education Parent Advisory Council will be holding a combined annual Winter Festival on Tuesday, December 11 at Chalone Peaks Middle School. They'll be soliciting cash donations, gift cards or gifts appropriate for middle school and high school students to be distributed to migrant students participating in the event. The Salvation Army has already committed to providing gifts for the younger students attending. In addition to the gift distribution to students, as part of the Winter Festival, the council members also raffle items to the migrant parents as a way of further helping the families and bringing cheer during the holiday season. For questions or more information call (831) 206-4448 or Robin Cohen, Migrant Program Specialist at (831) 261-9694.

On Friday, December 7 San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's Deputies received a report that a suspect from an earlier incident had been spotted in the area of Ground Squirrel Hollow Road in rural Paso Robles. Deputies had been searching for 28-year-old Jordan Nogo since Friday morning, December 7 when he was suspected of firing a shot inside a mobile home which then struck a neighboring mobile home in the Los Robles Mobile Home Estates in rural Paso Robles. No one was injured in that incident, but when Deputies tried to contact Nogo, he fled in a black VW Passat. Nogo was wanted for parole violations. Deputies initiated a high-risk traffic stop on Geneseo Road. Nogo stopped the vehicle but refused to comply with demands that he exit the vehicle. In the meantime, Geneseo and Union Roads were blocked off. A reverse 911 was sent to residents in the area advising them of the situation. Buses filled with children from local schools were rerouted around the area. Deputies were in constant c

On Friday, December 7 at approximately 3:04 pm, Greenfield Police officers responded to the 50 block of Walker Lane on a report of a suspicious vehicle. Upon arrival, officers contacted 47-year-old Jerry Mares and a female juvenile. The investigation revealed that Mares was having a sexual relationship with the female juvenile. Officers also determined that Mares is a school teacher at Vista Verde Middle School in Greenfield. Mares was arrested and charged for Sexual Misconduct and was booked into Monterey County Jail. The case is currently under investigation by Greenfield Police Sergeant Christina Gunter.  Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the Greenfield Police Department at (831)674-5111. Callers who wish to remain anonymous may call the We-Tip line at 1-800-78-CRIME(27463).

The Greenfield City Partnership Non-Profit Organization and the city of Greenfield will be putting on a free Christmas in the Park Celebration on Saturday, December 8 from 1 pm to 5 pm at the Greenfield Village Park for the public to enjoy. There will be free hot dogs and hot chocolate along with a tree lighting ceremony, entertainment, music and caroling. Plus, kids will be able to have a free picture taken with Santa and they'll have the opportunity to enjoy crafting their own Christmas Ornaments.

The Monterey County Ag and Rural Life Museum will be looking to brighten everyones cheer for the Holiday season as they host a free Open House this Saturday, December 8 from 12 pm to 4 pm at San Lorenzo Park in King City. There will be some soup, crafts and hayrides for people to enjoy. They will also be holding a canned food and gift drive. For more information about the free Open House this Saturday at the Monterey County Ag and Rural Life Museum, call 385-8020.

On Wednesday, December 5 the Transportation Agency of Monterey County took a moment at their regular meeting in Salinas to honor several board members whose terms will expire at the end of 2018 for their years of service. The Agency recognized Board Members Kim Craig, Jerry Edelen, Carolyn Hardy, Ralph Rubio, Simon Salinas and Leah Santibanez. Five of these Board Members served over the years as the TAMC Board Chair and on the Executive Committee. In addition, they were leaders in developing the Measure X Transportation Safety and Improvement Plan.

It's never too early to put these dates in your calendar for the upcoming 2019 season! Early Bird registration will be available Friday and Saturday! All Sign-Ups at Patriot Park Snack Shack EARLY BIRD REGISTRATION DATES Friday, December 7th from 5PM-8PM Saturday, December 8th from 10AM-1PM REGULAR REGISTRATION DATES Friday, January 4th from 5PM-8PM Saturday, January 5th from 10AM-1PM Friday, January 11th from 5PM-8PM Saturday, January 12th from 10AM-1PM EARLY BIRD REGISTRATION FEES Tee Ball (4-6) & Farm (7-8) $35 Minors & Majors (8-12) $85 50/70 (11-13) $110 Juniors (13-14) $135 REGULAR REGISTRATION FEES Tee Ball (4-6) & Farm (7-8) $45 Minors & Majors (8-12) $100 50/70 (11-13) $125 Juniors (13-14) $150 Bonus Division $50 Post High School Play $75 SIBLING DISCOUNT Highest level player @ full Price Siblings @ half price COACHES MEETING: January 17th from 6-8PM @ Community Center PARENTS MEETING: January 24th from 6-8PM @ Commu

The Gonzales Fire Department is now issuing burn permits for agricultural burns within the Gonzales Rural Fire Protection District. No burn permits are issued for properties within the city limits. Permit applications are available at the Gonzales Fire Station, City Hall or online at: https://gonzalesca.gov. Burning is not allowed without a permit. The burn site must be inspected prior to the permit being issued. Permits will only be issued for burning dry vegetation or agricultural waste. Burning of trash, treated or processed lumber, or plastics is not permitted. For questions contact the Gonzales Fire Department at 831-675-4204.

A California-based animal protection organization is offering a $2,500 reward for information regarding alleged mutilation, killing and dumping of animals in South Monterey County. Rhonda Somerton, a volunteer with the Humane Farming Association (HFA), received a tip about animal mutilation in September and obtained public records regarding the issue. Multiple dogs were dumped in the Salinas River bed in November 2016, Somerton found in public records. According to an HFA release, since then, Somerton said she's found bodies of chickens and turkeys in bags with candles, flowers and herbs commonly used in "ritualistic animal sacrifice." She also found four dog carcasses and two dismembered goats. The reward is being offered for information that leads to the conviction of those responsible for the alleged animal abuse. The nonprofit association asks for anyone with information about animal dumping to contact them at montereycountyanimaltips@hfa.org. In response to a Pre

The Monterey County Health Department Environmental Health Bureau announced on Tuesday, December 4 that it is now the official policy of Monterey County that every human being has the right to safe, clean, affordable, and accessible water adequate for human consumption, cooking, and sanitary purposes. Responding to a referral from Supervisor Luis Alejo, Chair of the Monterey County Board of Supervisors, the proclamation was presented to and approved by the County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday, December 4, establishing the public policy of safe and clean water for human use as County policy. On September 26, 2012 Governor Jerry Brown signed Assembly Bill 685 (AB 685) establishing a state policy that every Californian has a human right to safe, clean, affordable and accessible drinking water.  AB 685 codified this state policy in California Water Code section 106.3.  AB 685 made California the first in the nation to legislatively recognize the human right to water.  AB 685 also requ

King City, CA – King City Toy Drive officials are asking the community to donate new, unwrapped toys for area children 17 years of age and younger. Many children, pre-teens and young teens may not receive gifts this holiday season without the dedication, collaboration, and generosity of the community. According to Salinas Valley Fair CEO TJ Plew, in 2017, the King City Toy Drive provided 349 toys to children in King City and San Lucas. In 2018, they expect the need will be just as great. The Salinas Valley Fair coordinates volunteers to help with the toy drive that is organized by Operation Give Back.  Plew also stated that there is also a great need every year for gift cards and monetary donations to assist families of older kids. Toys and donations can be dropped off at the Salinas Valley Fairgrounds through Friday, December 7 at 5 PM or at one of the collection events scheduled for the week of December 3 in King City. Silver Kings & Queens on Wednesday, December 5, Salinas V

The City of King is participating in the Food Bank for Monterey County 2018 Holiday Food and Fund Drive. You can drop off your donations and/or contributions of non-perishable food items at City Hall, located at 212 South Vanderhurst Avenue in King City. Approximately 100,000 people are served by the Food Bank for Monterey County, which includes many people in King City and nearly half of them are children.

CAL FIRE has lifted the Burn Permit Suspension in San Benito and Monterey Counties Monterey, CA – Effective Saturday, December 1, 2018 at 8:00 a.m., the burn permit suspension in San Benito and Monterey Counties will be lifted. CAL FIRE San Benito-Monterey Unit Chief David Fulcher is formally cancelling the burn permit suspension and advises that those possessing current and valid agriculture and residential burn permits can now resume burning on permissible burn days. Agriculture burns must be inspected by CAL FIRE prior to burning until the end of the peak fire season. Inspections may be required for burns other than agriculture burns as well. This can be verified by contacting the Monterey Bay Air Resources District (MBARD). CAL FIRE burn permits will be required. While cooler temperatures have helped to diminish the threat of wildfire, we are still in our fifth year of drought. Property owners and residents are asked to use caution while conducting debris or agriculture burns. A