KRKC COUNTRY

An update from the Monterey County Health Department on Thursday, April 30 reports that confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the County increased by 7 people for a total of 213. Thirty-two of the cases are out of South Monterey County, while fourteen of the cases are travel-related, sixty-seven have come from community transmissions, thirty-two people have been hospitalized, fifty people have recovered, five people have died and twenty-seven are under investigation. The Monterey County Health Department has tested over 2,300 people in their lab for COVID-19 since they began testing on March 6.

On Thursday, April 30 at 2:50 PM the Paso Robles Police Department and Paso Robles Emergency Services responded to an injury traffic collision near the intersection of Niblick and Spring Street. Upon arrival, officers located a female adult trapped inside of her vehicle. Paso Robles Emergency Services provided emergency care and transported the female to Sierra Vista Regional Medical Center. A short time later the driver succumbed to her injuries. The Paso Robles Police Department is investigating this collision and anyone who witnessed this collision is asked to contact the Paso Robles Police Department at 805-237-6464. Currently, it'[s unknown if alcohol or drugs were a contributing factor. The driver of the other involved vehicle sustained injuries and is expected to recover.

Following Governor Gavin Newsom’s recent announcement to add 80 community diagnostic testing sites across the state focused on underserved communities, Monterey County will launch 2 testing sites in Salinas and Greenfield. The new testing sites will open on Tuesday, May 5 at 8:00 a.m. Establishment of community diagnostic testing sites is powered through a partnership between the State of California with OptumServe, the federal government health services business of Optum, a leading health services innovation company. A nasal swab will be collected, and specimens will be sent to a FDA approved laboratory for COVID-19 PCR testing. The testing sites will prioritize healthcare providers, and first responders, with planning underway for prioritizing other frontline and essential workers before the service is available to the general public.  Health insurance will be billed for service and the State of California will cover the cost for uninsured individuals. Testing will be by ap

For the 2nd straight year, an outstanding Hartnell student has received a Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship, one of only 50 awarded nationwide – including nine in California. 2020 graduate Jenel Fraij of Salinas was selected from among 461 semifinalists, who include fellow Hartnell students Kenya Burton and Estefania Villicana. The semifinalists were chosen from a pool of nearly 1,500 applicants at 311 community colleges. The foundation evaluated each submission based on students’ academic ability and achievement, financial need, persistence, leadership and service to others. Among Fraij’s involvement outside the classroom was membership in the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society, the Hartnell Physics Club and work as a student tutor in Hartnell’s Panther Learning Lab. As a Cooke Scholar, Fraij will receive up to $40,000 per year to help cover the cost of educational expenses such as tuition, living expenses, books and required fees as she completes

King City, CA, April 30, 2020 — The coronavirus/COVID-19 crisis continues to take a toll on revenues at Mee Memorial Healthcare System, where patient volumes have declined significantly: 59 percent fewer patients visited in April with a corresponding decline in revenue. Mee Memorial has pursued all avenues of assistance available to it through the CARES Act and other Congressional and federal actions, but a significant funding gap remains. As a result, Mee Memorial's leadership team is making cutbacks to preserve both essential and basic health care services for residents of South Monterey County now and in the future. Mee Memorial’s hospital and clinics are available for appointments and treatment, having taken recommended steps for patient and staff safety. The facilities have the capacity to safely provide a range of healthcare needs, whether in-person or remotely via telehealth. "We're concerned that patients may be neglecting their health needs out of fear of

SALINAS, CA – Congressman Jimmy Panetta (D-Carmel Valley) joined 63 members of the U.S. House of Representatives in calling on Administration officials for improved testing and contact tracing infrastructure in order to manage COVID-19, citing an inadequate and opaque response by the Administration that is insufficient to prevent epidemic spread and reopen the economy. In their letter, they demanded answers to increase transparency, accountability, and improve management of the novel coronavirus. The members wrote, “Until a vaccine or viable treatment strategy is developed, ongoing testing, isolation, monitoring, and contact tracing is necessary to contain the epidemic, prevent future spikes, and reopen the economy. Despite the surge in private lab capacity and work by our local public health professionals, we have not built up sufficient testing and contact tracing capabilities to adequately manage the novel coronavirus.” The signed full text of the letter is available here

An update from the Monterey County Health Department on Wednesday, April 29 reports that confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the County increased by 15 people for a total of 206. Thirty-two of the cases are out of South Monterey County, while fourteen of the cases are travel-related, sixty-four have come from community transmissions, thirty-two people have been hospitalized, forty-three people have recovered, five people have died and twenty-six are under investigation. The Monterey County Health Department has tested over 2,300 people in their lab for COVID-19 since they began testing on March 6.

SALINAS - On April 29, 2020, Assemblymember Robert Rivas (D-Hollister) announced, together with Senator Anna Caballero, that a Farmworker Relief Drive will be held this Saturday, May 2, 2020, from 12:00 to 4:00p.m. The drop-off event to collect non-perishable foods, diapers, and cleaning supplies will occur at Alisal Family Resource Center, 729 Williams Rd., Salinas, CA. Rivas said, “It is important that we support local farmworkers, our food system’s first responders. So that they can continue to show-up every day at work to help keep us fed, it is important that we show up for them and share, where we can, essential items to help them weather the current pandemic. Over the past few weeks, it has been inspiring to see the response of the community who have answered this call. We are even expecting people to join us this Saturday from San Jose and San Francisco.” “Farmworkers are the backbone of our food supply chain,” added Senator Anna Caballero. “Their tireless work year-round a

An update from the Monterey County Health Department on Tuesday, April 28 reports that confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the County rose by 6 people for a total of 191. In addition, a 5th death from the disease was reported. Thirty of the cases are out of South Monterey County, while fourteen of the cases are travel-related, fifty-eight have come from community transmissions, thirty-one people have been hospitalized, forty-two people have recovered and nineteen are under investigation. The Monterey County Health Department has tested over 2,300 people in their lab for COVID-19 since they began testing on March 6.

To help stop the spread of COVID-19, the Monterey County Health Officer is requiring residents to wear a face covering when going out into the public to perform essential activities, effective 12:01 a.m. on Thursday, April 30, 2020. Combined with sheltering in place, social distancing, and frequent hand hygiene,  facial coverings    are shown to help  slow transmission of COVID-19. These changes reflect the serious nature of the evolving COVID-19 pandemic and increased understanding about how the virus spreads. We now know from recent studies that people infected with COVID-19 can transmit the virus to others before showing symptoms or without ever showing symptoms. “As the COVID-19 pandemic progresses, we are continuously reassessing our policies and procedures to protect Monterey County residents. Due to continued community spread of COVID-19 across our region, I have issued a new Order requiring facial coverings for everyone going out into the public to perform essenti

SALINAS, CA, April 28, 2020 – After a recommendation from the California Rodeo’s COVID-19 Response Committee, the Executive Board voted to postpone the 110th California Rodeo Salinas to October 8th-11th, 2020. The Professional Bull Riding will take place Wednesday, October 7th. The timeline is rigid for critical preparations such as ordering supplies, maintaining the grounds and more for a July event and Monterey County Public Health Officer Dr. Moreno has indicated that the shelter in place order, that already extends into early May which is one of our busiest months for volunteers, will be extended, making the preparation window unattainable. The California Rodeo Salinas is one of the top ten rodeos in the U.S. for professional rodeo contestants as well as an economic driver for our local community, creating over $11 million in economic impact in just one week. This includes donations to local non-profits who work during our events to earn money for their programs. The associat

Monterey-Salinas Transit officials announced on Tuesday, April 28 that any passenger riding an MST bus will now be required to wear face coverings in buses to prevent further spread of COVID-19 effective at 12 am on Wednesday, April 29, 2020.  According to MST CEO and General Manager, Carl Sedoryk, he instituted a policy that will require all MST passengers over the age of 12 to wear a face mask to board an MST bus including MST RIDES buses.  MST states that they will continue to provide personal protective equipment to their employees including latex disposable gloves, disinfectant wipes, hand sanitizer and face masks. In addition, MST also continues to disinfect their buses every night with a hospital grade germicide, and has added mid-day cleanings as resources are available.

The City of Greenfield announced on Monday, April 27 that they will be putting on a pilot program to provide free COVID-19 antibody testing to first responders and other City Staff on Wednesday, April 29 from 8 am to 3 pm near the Greenfield Union School District Office off of El Camino Real. Greenfield Mayor Lance Walker said that the city was approached by the CEO of CERESLabs, a cannabis analytical testing lab about having the antibody testing done. They will be partnering up with ARCpoint Labs in Monterey. In addition, volunteers from numerous local cannabis businesses are expected to assist such as Loudpack, Indus, River View Farms, Pacific Reserve and Higher Level. Blood draw tests will be administered by ARCpoint Labs and analyzed by Diazme Laboratories. Mayor Walker is hoping to get more cities in South Monterey County involved with this COVID-19 testing at a later date if this pilot program on April 29 is successful.

The King City PD have arrested a 2nd suspect allegedly involved in a shooting at a Valero gas station in King City on Saturday night, April 25. 21-year-old Hector Duarte was detained on Monday, April 27 at around 3 pm at an undisclosed location for his alleged involvement in the shooting. 21-year-old Jorge Cortes of King City was arrested by Police hours after he allegedly shot another person at the Valero Gas Station off of Broadway Street this past weekend. Police say that an altercation broke out with four males at the gas station, and that shots were fired when a fifth male became involved. The shooting victim received treatment for non-life-threatening injuries at Mee Memorial Hospital before being transferred to Natividad Medical Center in Salinas.

An update from the Monterey County Health Department on Monday, April 27 reports that confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the County went up a bit by 2 people for a total of 185. Twenty-eight of the cases are out of South Monterey County, while fourteen of the cases are travel-related, fifty-one have come from community transmissions, thirty people have been hospitalized, thirty-nine people have recovered, four people have died and twenty-three are under investigation. The Monterey County Health Department has tested over 2,200 people in their lab for COVID-19 since they began testing on March 6.

King City, CA, April 27, 2020 – KRKC Country on AM 1490/104.9 FM and KC102 on 102.1 FM announced on Monday, April 27 that they will broadcast the “Radio Cares: Feeding America Emergency Radiothon”, a one-day fundraising event on Thursday, April 30th, benefiting Feeding America, the largest hunger relief organization in the U.S. All funds raised will go directly to Feeding America to support its 200-member network of local food banks across the U.S., including the Food Bank for Monterey County.  “Radio Cares: Feeding America Emergency Radiothon” will air on KRKC Country on AM 1490/104.9 FM and KC102 on 102.1 FM this Thursday from 12:00am Pacific until 11:59pm Pacific. To donate to help fight hunger in America, please visit: www.radiocares.org or text “Feed” to 95819. All donations go directly to Feeding America for their distribution to local food banks. Feeding America established the COVID-19 Response Fund on March 13th. Since then, Feeding America has distributed $112.4 million a

On Saturday night, April 25 at around 7:20 pm, a black 1997 Volvo 850 sedan was traveling westbound on SR-46 west of Gruenhagen Flats Road in Paso Robles at a high rate of speed. The vehicle was driven by 25-year-old Brittany Higeura Muldrow of Tulare, while 26-year-old Najee Abdul Mims of Hanford was sitting in the right front passenger - seat. For unknown reasons Muldrow lost control of the vehicle which traveled into the median before going across westbound lanes and off the north road edge. The vehicle rolled multiple times as it continued down a dirt and grass decline. Both Muldrow and Mims were unrestrained and were ejected from the vehicle. Muldrow sustained fatal injuries, while Mims received major injuries as a result of the collision. The cause of the crash is under investigation.

PASO ROBLES - On Sunday night, April 26 at about 10:17 pm 2 employees were closing shop at Fatte’s pizza in Paso Robles when a masked gunman entered the business. He approached the counter and displayed a silver pistol with an attached suppressor, wrapped in black tape. The gunman demanded the registers to be emptied. After clearing the registers, the robber made the two employees turn off all the lights and demanded them to head to the rear of the store. The suspect then tossed two glow sticks into the business, telling the employees they could use the glow sticks for light. The employees fled out a back door and witnessed a white Toyota Tundra speeding away from the business, headed westbound on Niblick. The Paso Robles Police Department immediately began checking the area and a deputy with the SLO County Sheriff’s Department found a truck matching the description pulling into an In-N-Out in Atascadero. The truck was stopped and found to be occupied by the owner of the Atascader

An update from the Monterey County Health Department on Sunday, April 26 reports that confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the County is now at 183 people. Twenty-seven of the cases are out of South Monterey County, while fourteen of the cases are travel-related, fifty-one have come from community transmissions, thirty people have been hospitalized, thirty-nine people have recovered, four people have died and twenty-two are under investigation. The Monterey County Health Department has tested over 2,200 people in their lab for COVID-19 since they began testing on March 6. As of Friday, April 24 up to 25% of confirmed cases of the coronavirus reported in Monterey County came from people who work in Agriculture. County Administrative Officer Charles McKee during a Media briefing on Friday said that he and other County Officials are doing what they can to let people in the Ag Industry know what kind of resources are available to them during this COVID-19 outbreak.

On Saturday night, April 25 at 5:40 pm the King City Police Department responded to a report of “shots fired” at the Valero Gas Station located at 601 Broadway Street, King City.  Upon arrival it was determined the involved parties in the incident had fled the area but evidence of a shooting had occurred and was located at the scene. Shortly thereafter the King City Police Department was advised by Mee Memorial Hospital that a male subject was being treated for a non-life-threatening gunshot wound. The gunshot victim was subsequently transferred to Natividad Hospital in Salinas for treatment. Throughout the evening the Major Crimes Unit (MCU), a collaborative investigative unit of the King City and Greenfield Police Departments, conducted their investigation to identify the individuals’ suspected of being involved in the shooting incident.  Preliminary information developed by the MCU indicated that a physical altercation took place among 4 male subjects in a Valero gas station park

An update from the Monterey County Health Department on Friday, April 24 reports that confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the County have increased by 5 people for a total of 169. Twenty-six of the cases are out of South Monterey County, while fourteen of the cases are travel-related, fifty have come from community transmissions, thirty people have been hospitalized, thirty-seven people have recovered, four people have died and fifteen are under investigation. The Monterey County Health Department has tested over 2,100 people in their lab for COVID-19 since they began testing on March 6.

On Friday, April 24 the Monterey County Health Officer issued an Order clarifying approved use of short-term lodging facilities while under the Monterey County Health Officer Shelter in Place Order dated April 3, 2020. Short-term lodging facilities can remain open for limited purposes.  People can stay in short-term lodging as part of efforts to slow the spread of the virus such as  lodging for the homeless population, lodging for people seeking stable housing, and lodging for people who cannot return to their own residence either because they cannot isolate or quarantine at their own residence or because there is a person living in their residence with COVID-19 who cannot isolate or quarantine themselves. People can also stay in short-term lodging if they need to temporarily relocate to provide essential services, as defined in the Monterey County Shelter in Place Order dated April 3, 2020. The order is effective immediately and will remain in effect until May 3, 2020 pendin

SALINAS - On Friday, April 24, Assemblymember Robert Rivas (D-Hollister) sent Governor Gavin Newsom a letter requesting urgent steps to protect farmworkers and the food supply chain in the wake of COVID-19. Following reports of forty-one agricultural workers being diagnosed with COVID-19 in Monterey County, Rivas urged the Governor to take further action to ensure farmworkers throughout the State have adequate access to testing, personal protective equipment (PPE), and temporary housing to allow for necessary social distancing. “I appreciate the action Governor Newsom has taken to protect farmworkers,” said Rivas. “Recent executive orders extended paid sick leave to two weeks, established a Disaster Relief Fund to assist immigrant workers, and created a limited expansion of testing to underserved communities. But recent indications of disproportionate COVID-19 cases among farmworkers in my District demonstrate the need for urgent, additional relief. Farmworkers’ inability to sociall

The City of King City Hall will be tented and fumigated for termites beginning Thursday, April 30 through Saturday, May 2.  A significant amount of termite damage was recently discovered in the City Hall building.  Therefore, immediate fumigation services have been contracted to address the problem.  The work that will be occurring has no relation to COVID-19 and is exempted under the County Health Officer's Shelter in Place Order.  However, according to City Manager Steve Adams, "in addition to concerns regarding damage to the building, the City is also trying to perform the fumigation as soon as possible because the fact that City Hall is already closed to the public at this time provides an opportunity to complete this work with minimal interruption to our service delivery."  The City will remain in operation and all employees will be telecommuting.  Therefore, staff will continue to respond to e-mail and telephone requests. For questions, please contact City Hall

Legal Services for Seniors is a nonprofit law firm providing free legal assistance for all Monterey County seniors 60 years and above. Our attorneys and legal advocates offer legal assistance to seniors including Landlord/Tenant issues, Wills, Advance Health Care Directives, Physical and Financial Elder abuse, Disability Benefits and more. During this health crisis, our advocates continue to serve and protect our vulnerable seniors. Please call us with any legal questions at 831-899-0492. 

An update from the Monterey County Health Department on Thursday, April 23 reports that confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the County have risen by 10 people for a total of 164. Twenty-seven of the cases are out of South Monterey County, while fourteen of the cases are travel-related, forty-seven have come from community transmissions, twenty-eight people have been hospitalized, thirty-two people have recovered, four people have died and seventeen are under investigation. The Monterey County Health Department has tested over 2,000 people in their lab for COVID-19 since they began testing on March 6.

WASHINGTON, DC – On Thursday, April 23 Congressman Jimmy Panetta (D-CA) introduced the Immediate COVID-19 Testing Procurement Act, legislation to require the President to fully mobilize the Defense Production Act (DPA) to direct emergency production, procurement, and distribution of supplies needed to increase testing for COVID-19. “We have been hunkered down because of COVID-19, but now it’s time to start hunting down this deadly disease.  Without a vaccine, the best weapon we can use in our fight against the coronavirus is more accessible and accurate testing.  For a number of reasons, however, we just don’t have enough tests and supplies to conduct the amount of testing needed to see and understand this disease.  The use of the Defense Production Act to mass produce tests for COVID-19 will provide us with the tools necessary to properly fight the coronavirus,” said Congressman Panetta.  "My legislation requires the mobilization of the DPA by the President to control the te

WASHINGTON, DC – On Thursday, April 23 Congressman Jimmy Panetta (D-Carmel Valley), Congressman Jimmy Gomez (CA-34), and Congressman Josh Harder (CA-10) introduced the Emergency Ensuring Access to SNAP (EATS) Act to ensure college students would not be rendered ineligible for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) on the basis of their student status during this national emergency. Research shows that hunger is a significant issue facing college students, especially among low-income and first-generation students. However, under SNAP’s rules, the majority of college students are ineligible for this essential assistance. The Emergency EATS Act would ensure that students otherwise eligible for the program could access SNAP for the duration of the public health emergency. “As community members on the Central Coast work to prevent the spread of COVID-19, including complying with life-saving social distancing and stay-at-home orders, many are struggling to afford food.

Updated confirmed coronavirus numbers from the Monterey County Health Department on Wednesday, April 22 state that cases in the County have gone up by 4 people for a total of 154. Twenty-five of the cases are out of South Monterey County, while fourteen of the cases are travel-related, forty-six have come from community transmissions, twenty-seven people have been hospitalized, thirty-two people have recovered, four people have died and fifteen are under investigation. The Monterey County Health Department has tested over 1,800 people in their lab for COVID-19 since they began testing on March 6.

SALINAS, CA – On Wednesday, April 22 Congressman Jimmy Panetta (D-Carmel Valley) led fellow House Democrats appointed to the White House economic recovery panel in calling on the President for a defined federal strategy to dramatically increase the production, training, and availability of testing for COVID-19. “As governors contemplate strategies on how best to open their respective states’ economies, a strong federal response is necessary to massively increase the capacity, accuracy, and simplicity of our nation’s testing infrastructure for this highly communicable and often asymptomatic virus,” the members wrote. The members urge the President to take the following steps: Develop a comprehensive, national testing strategy to test front line health care workers, workers in critical industries, asymptomatic individuals who may encounter many people, and people returning to the workplace Include that plan in any guidelines for reopening the economy Fully mobilize the Defense

KING CITY, Calif., — Each year, the parents of more than 13,000 kids hear the heartbreaking words: “Your child has cancer.” That’s 43 children every day, with an average age of 6. Across all ages, ethnic groups and socio-economics, cancer remains the number one cause of death by disease in children.  St. Jude Children’s Hospital stands on the front line of this battle. The pediatric treatment and research facility — focused on children's catastrophic diseases, particularly leukemia and other cancers — costs about $2.8 million a day to run, but patients are never charged for their care. Fundraising becomes crucial for St. Jude’s, with 75 percent of costs covered by public contributors. Over the last three years, Chasing Dreams, Finding Cures has raised $53,000 for the hospital through its annual barrel race in King City. The fourth annual fundraiser (working through A Key for a Cure) is scheduled for Nov. 7-8 at Salinas Valley Fairgrounds in King City, and organizers invite

A crash involving a truck and a small vehicle occurred about 1 mile north of Esperanza Road on Highway 101 Southbound in Greenfield on Wednesday morning, April 22 at 6:36 am. The CHP reports that a small vehicle lost control hitting a big rig before it went underneath it getting crushed. A tow truck ended up pulling the vehicle out. No one was injured. Alcohol and drugs were not a factor in the accident.

SALINAS, CA – On Wednesday, April 22 Congressman Jimmy Panetta (D-Carmel Valley) applauded Senate Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), and Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT) for introducing companion legislation to his bill, the NICS Data Integrity Act, in the Senate. The bill would allow the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to keep gun-purchase records until background checks are complete. Congressman Panetta in February introduced the NICS Data Integrity Act, H.R.5949 in the House of Representatives. Under current law, the FBI is required to purge incomplete background checks from its systems if they are not completed within 88 days, a practice that can allow guns to be sold without a completed background check. There has been a surge in gun sales during the COVID-19 pandemic. The New York Times reported that approximately 2 million guns were purchased in March. The recent spike in gun sales means more background checks ne