KRKC COUNTRY

  1 vehicle overturned on Highway 101 Northbound near the Jolon Road and Fort Hunter Liggett exit outside of King City at 12:09 pm on Friday afternoon, February 28. Minor injuries were reported as a result of the wreck. 

  Salinas, CA – The County of Monterey Board of Supervisors has joined a coalition of cities and counties across the United States in a lawsuit challenging the Trump Administration’s unlawful threats against local jurisdictions with so-called "sanctuary" policies. The lawsuit, spearheaded by the County of Santa Clara and the City and County of San Francisco, argues that recent federal actions violate the Constitution by attempting to coerce local governments into enforcing federal immigration laws under the threat of withholding federal funds. An amended complaint, filed Thursday evening, February 27 in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, adds 11 new jurisdictions to the case, including the California cities of San José, San Diego, Oakland, Sacramento, Santa Cruz, and Emeryville, as well as the County of Monterey. Also joining are the cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul in Minnesota, Santa Fe in New Mexico, and Seattle in Washington. These jurisdic...

  On September 29, 2024 officers from the King City Police Department responded to a residence on the 600 Block of Sycamore Street on a report of shots fired. Upon arrival, officers located a residence that had been the scene of a backyard party. During the party, two suspects entered the backyard through a side gate. One of the suspects was armed with a handgun and opened fire on the crowd. Two people, a sixteen- year-old male and an 18-year-old male sustained non-life-threatening injuries and were transported to area hospitals for treatment. Through investigation, detectives identified Melinda Mendoza, a 19-year-old female resident of King City, as a participant in the shooting. On October 2, 2024 Mendoza was located and arrested. She is currently being housed in Monterey County Jail awaiting trial on multiple charges including assault with a deadly weapon and attempted homicide. On February 27, 2025, detectives, with the assistance of officers from the Greenfield Police Departme...

  A 1 vehicle accident occurred on Highway 101 Southbound near the Correctional Training Facility on the 31900 block of McCoy Road in Soledad at 2:46 pm on Thursday afternoon, February 27. Major injuries were reported as a result of the crash. 

  1 vehicle crashed into a power pole off of County Road 17 and Chualar River Road south of Chualar at 5:06 pm on Wednesday night, February 26. No injuries were reported.  

  Southern Monterey County Republican Women Federated will be holding its monthly meeting on Tuesday, March 4 starting at 11:30 a.m. at Cork & Plough Restaurant located at 200 Broadway in King City. The guest speaker will be Dora Cary a Romanian born engineer and graphic designer who will discuss her path to freedom in the United States after living under communism and socialism. Everyone is welcome to attend the meeting. For reservations and further information call (831) 385-1333 or email karenjleonhard@gmail.com

  A 2 vehicle accident happened on Highway 101 southbound near the Front Street Off ramp in the Soledad area at 3:57 pm on Wednesday afternoon, February 26. Minor injuries were reported as a result of the wreck. 

  On December 1, 2024, at approximately 1:46 PM, officers from the King City Police Department were dispatched to the 800 block of Willow Street on a report of a shooting. Upon arrival, officers located a 31-year-old male victim in a vehicle suffering from gunshot wounds. The victim was pronounced dead at the scene. Through investigation, KCPD detectives determined there were 2 individuals responsible for the shooting. One of the individuals is 21-year-old Silvano Valencia Jr. formerly of King City. Detectives obtained an arrest warrant for Valencia and enlisted the assistance of the United States Marshals Service to locate him. On February 25, 2025, the Marshals located Valencia in Brawley, California and took him into custody. Valencia is currently being housed at the Imperial County Jail awaiting extradition to Monterey County where he has been charged with Homicide along with gun and gang enhancements. The other suspect has been identified as 20-year-old Israel Martinez of King...

  King City, Calif. – The King City Police Department will hold a DUI Checkpoint on Friday night, March 14 from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. at an undisclosed location within the City of King. DUI checkpoint locations are determined based on data showing incidents of impaired driving-related crashes. The primary purpose of DUI checkpoints are to promote public safety by taking suspected impaired drivers off the road. “Impaired drivers put others on the road at significant risk,” Sergeant Anthony Shaw said. “Any prevention measures that reduce the number of impaired drivers on our roads significantly improves traffic safety.” The King City Police Department reminds the public that impaired driving is not just from alcohol. Some prescription medications and over-the-counter drugs may interfere with driving. While medicinal and recreational marijuana are legal, driving under the influence of marijuana is illegal. Drivers charged with a first-time DUI face an average of $13,500 in fines and penal...

  SPCA Animal Camp is all about kindness, compassion, and empowering children to make a difference for the pets and wild animals that enrich our lives. Camps take place at the beautiful SPCA Monterey campus in our newly renovated Claire Jacobson Learning Center.  Registration for our week-long summer camp sessions will begin on March 1 at www.spcamc.org. Mark your calendars because space is limited. Our popular camps offer a unique mix of fun, exciting, and educational experiences.  On-site activities include lessons in animal safety and handling, hikes on the SPCA grounds, and animal activities. We’ll  make toys and treats for pets, meet rescued wildlife, visit with rescued horses and barn pets, play animal trivia games, make pet-related crafts, and lots more. SPCA Animal Camp is for campers ages 8-12. Fees are only $500 per week. Camp runs from 9 am to 3 pm Monday through Friday during select Summer weeks. We also offer ABCs of the SPCA for younger children ages 6-...

  (PASO ROBLES, CA.) – The California Mid-State Fair is excited to announce that global hip- hop sensation Flo Rida will perform on Wednesday, July 16, 2025 at 7:30 PM. An opening act will be announced at a later time. The concert will take place in the Chumash Grandstand Arena at the Paso Robles Event Center and is part of the Michelob Ultra Concert Series. Tickets for this show will go on sale Friday, February 28, 2025, at 10:00 AM on the Fair’s official website, www.MidStateFair.com. The ticket prices are $50, $65, and $90. New this year: The California Mid-State Fair has partnered with Ticketmaster! Fans can now use their Ticketmaster accounts to purchase tickets. Visit www.MidStateFair.com, click “Buy Tickets,” and you will be directed to the purchasing page! Ticket Tips: Arrive 10 minutes early and complete these steps before the sale begins: • Sign in to your account in advance to speed up your purchase later. • Check that your payment info is current for a seamless checkout...

  MONTEREY COUNTY – The Salinas Valley Safe Routes to School Plan has been officially adopted by the Transportation Agency for Monterey County (TAMC) Board of Directors and the City Councils of Gonzales, Soledad, Greenfield, and King City. This milestone marks a significant achievement in efforts to improve safety for students biking and walking to 22 public K-12 schools across the region.   The Salinas Valley Safe Routes to School Plan has been a collaborative effort involving TAMC, the Monterey County Health Department, Ecology Action, the Cities of Gonzales, Soledad, Greenfield, and King, and the five school districts in the Salinas Valley. The goal of the Safe Routes to Schools planning process is to improve student safety and reduce traffic congestion around schools. Community input played a crucial role in shaping the Plan, ensuring it reflects local priorities and addresses community concerns. The recommendations in the Plan are based on feedback from residents, parents...

  SALINAS, California- Monterey County District Attorney Jeannine M. Pacioni announced on February 21 that 33-year-old Gustavo Espinoza Villalobos of Greenfield, was sentenced to 25-years- to-life in state prison by Superior Court Judge Mark Hood. On December 13, 2024, a jury found Villalobos guilty of 3 counts of Penal Code section 288(a) – lewd or lascivious acts on a child under the age of 14, and 1 count of Penal Code section 647.6 – annoy or molest a child under the age of 18. The jury also found true the multiple victim enhancement for each count of Penal Code section 288(a). All 3 Penal Code section 288(a) offenses are serious and violent felonies and are considered strikes under California’s Three Strikes Law. Villalobos was also ordered to register as a sex offender. In December of 2018, Detective Joseph Dyles of the Greenfield Police Department spoke with John Doe 1. John Doe 1 disclosed to Detective Dyles that Villalobos molested him when he was 10 years old. Villalobos ...

  SPCA Monterey County added additional free mobile spay and neuter surgeries for dogs and cats in South Monterey County. These free clinics for South County residents are sponsored by our friends at Hitchcock Road Animal Services and staffed by SPCA Monterey County’s veterinary team. This is in addition to our low-cost Veterinary Clinic at the SPCA, available by appointment Monday through Friday every week, which spays and neuters over 8,000 animals every year and offers free feral cat surgeries year-round.  These free mobile clinics are open to dogs, feral cats, and friendly cats located in South Monterey County, from Chualar south to the county lines. As always, our affordable Veterinary Clinic at the SPCA remains open to all Monterey County residents.  Our upcoming free surgeries in South Monterey County include:     Wednesday, Feb 26: Soledad - Soledad Lions Club, 161 Park St. (space still available for male and feral cats)     Wednesday, March 5:...

  Soledad Police Officers arrested 2 men on Thursday, February 20 wanted for an incident that happened on Tuesday night, February 18 at Soledad High School during a soccer game. 25-year-old Carlos Hernandez and 34-year-old Noe Hernandez who are brothers were found in their residence in Soledad. At around 3:38 p.m. on Thursday, February 20 FLOCK cameras spotted the suspect's vehicle a grey 2021 Honda Pilot entering the city of Soledad. Security footage was reviewed and the vehicle was located at the brothers home. Residents exited the home and told Soledad police that both men were inside. Police surrounded the home and were able to take the brothers into custody. Soledad Police is continuing their investigation and more information will be released as the case progresses. 

  Monterey County Sheriff’s Office Deputies, California Highway Patrol Officers and King City Police Officers worked together to safely end a vehicle pursuit and arrest a subject that had stolen 2 vehicles after vandalizing a home and battering a victim in San Ardo on Friday morning, February 21. At about 12:45 AM Monterey County Sheriff’s Deputies were dispatched to the 62000 block of Cattlemen Road in San Ardo for a reported domestic disturbance. The victim reported that 34-year-old Hugo Manuel Sanchez had vandalized some property and stolen a vehicle from a woman which he used to flee the scene. At about 2:15 AM, the victim called back and reported that Sanchez had returned and was being violent. Sanchez reportedly battered a neighbor and then proceeded to steal the victim’s 2nd vehicle and fled the scene again. At about 2:40 AM, a vigilant Monterey County Sheriff Sergeant saw a vehicle matching the description of the second stolen vehicle at a gas station on Broadway Avenue in ...

  Monterey County Sheriff’s Office Detectives have released photographs of 33-year-old Ramon Valdes Carrasco that have been superimposed and shows what he may look like wearing a surgical mask. Ramon Valdes Carrasco is still believed to be in and around the city of Greenfield. Information continues to come into the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office, but there has been a delay in receiving the information from the public resulting in him being able to elude law enforcement. The Monterey County Sheriff's Office continues to ask the community to be vigilant and report any sighting of Carrasco IMMEDIATELY by calling 9-1-1. Carrasco is wanted in relation to a shooting that occurred at a homeless encampment in the agricultural fields just south of Elm Avenue and 4th Street on Sunday February 9, 2025. A victim was located and found to be suffering from non-life-threatening wounds, while 15 minutes later, a second call was received from a victim reporting that a subject had brandished a fir...

  Monterey County Sheriff’s Office Detectives released a photograph on Thursday, February 20 of 33-year-old Ramon Valdes Carrasco taken after he is believed to have shot 2 people in the agricultural fields south of Greenfield on Sunday, February 9, 2025. There have been reported sightings of Carrasco in the Greenfield area. Ramon Valdes Carrasco is still believed to be in and around the city of Greenfield. Information continues to come into the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office, but there has been a delay in receiving the information from the public resulting in him being able to elude law enforcement. The Monterey County Sheriff's Office continues to ask the community to be vigilant and report any sighting of Carrasco IMMEDIATELY by calling 9-1-1. Carrasco is wanted in relation to a shooting that occurred at a homeless encampment in the agricultural fields just south of Elm Avenue and 4th Street on Sunday February 9, 2025. A victim was located and found to be suffering from non-lif...

  According to the Soledad Police Department, officers were dispatched at 7 pm on Tuesday night, February 18 to Soledad High School for a report of a subject with a firearm and a victim who was attacked. Upon arrival officers found the victim suffering from significant head lacerations. The suspects were identified as 25-year-old Carlos Hernandez and his brother 34-year-old Noe Hernandez both of Soledad. Following the attack the suspects were seen fleeing the area in a grey 2021 Honda Pilot vehicle with California License plate number 8VMU025, while reportedly in possession of a firearm. The investigation is ongoing. The Soledad Police Department urges anyone with information regarding Carlos and Noe Hernandez' whereabouts to contact authorities immediately by dialing 9-1-1. Both individuals are considered armed and dangerous. The public is advised to not approach them.  The Soledad Police Department Victim Advocate will work closely with the victim and their family providing ...

  (PASO ROBLES, CA., February 17, 2025) – The California Mid-State Fair is excited to announce that country music sensation Bailey Zimmerman will perform on Wednesday, July 23, 2025. Special guests Dylan Marlowe & Drew Baldridge will start the show at 7:30 PM. The concert will take place in the Chumash Grandstand Arena at the Paso Robles Event Center and is part of the Michelob Ultra Concert Series. Tickets for this highly anticipated show will go on sale Friday, February 21, 2025, at 10:00 AM on the Fair’s official website, www.MidStateFair.com. The ticket prices are $52, $77, $97 and $127 (pit). New this year: The California Mid-State Fair has partnered with Ticketmaster! Fans can now use their Ticketmaster accounts to purchase tickets. Visit www.MidStateFair.com, click “Buy Tickets,” and you will be directed to the purchasing page! Ticket Tips: Arrive 10 minutes early and complete these steps before the sale begins: • Sign in to your account in advance to speed up your purch...

  A 1 vehicle wreck took place off of Arroyo Seco Road and west of Elm Avenue outside of Greenfield at 7:56 am on Friday morning, February 14. One occupant picked up minor injuries from the crash. 

  SALINAS, California- Monterey County District Attorney Jeannine M. Pacioni announced on February 11 that 34-year-old Manuel Benjamin Basaldua of Gonzales has been arrested and charged with felony DUI charges from on an incident on May 12, 2024. Basaldua, Vice Principle at an elementary school in Salinas, has been charged with felony driving under the influence of alcohol causing injury and felony driving with a blood alcohol content of .08 or higher causing injury. Additionally, he has been charged with personally inflicting great bodily injury causing the victim to become comatose due to brain injury or to suffer paralysis. It has also been alleged that his blood alcohol content was greater than .15. The Defendant was not engaged in school activities at the time of this crash. The case was investigated by the California Highway Patrol and the Monterey County District Attorney’s Office Driving Under the Influence Vertical Prosecution Unit. Funding for DUI Vertical Prosecution Uni...

  SALINAS, California - Monterey County District Attorney Jeannine M. Pacioni announced on February 10 that the Honorable Andrew G. Liu sentenced  31-year-old Joshua Bigelow of Salinas to 1 year and 4 months for bringing methamphetamine into the Monterey County Jail. This sentence will be served in the Monterey County Jail pursuant to Penal Code section 1170(h). On November 24, 2024, Bigelow was found holding a small plastic bag within the Monterey County Jail. Deputies conducted a search of the bag and located 0.3 grams of methamphetamine. This case was investigated by Monterey County Sheriff’s Deputy Matthew Gonzales.

  (PASO ROBLES, CA) – The California Mid-State Fair is pleased to announce 311 has been confirmed to perform on Friday, July 18, 2025. Special guest Iration will open the show at 7:30 pm. The show will take place in the Chumash Grandstand Arena at the Paso Robles Event Center and is part of Michelob Ultra Concert Series. Tickets for this general admission show will go on sale Friday, February 14, 2025, starting at 10:00 am on the Fair’s official website, www.MidStateFair.com. The ticket price is $90. New this year: The California Mid-State Fair has partnered with Ticketmaster. Now you can use your Ticketmaster account to purchase California Mid-State Fair tickets! Go to www.midstatefair.com “Buy Tickets” and you will be directed to the purchasing page! Ticket Tips: Arrive 10 minutes early and complete these steps so you’re ready to go before the sale begins: • Sign in to your account in advance to speed up your purchase later. • Check that your payment info is current so you can br...

  SALINAS, CA – As local communities evaluate the impacts of the Trump Administration’s recent flurry of executive orders and memorandum pausing the delivery of all federal financial assistance, U.S. Representatives Zoe Lofgren (CA-18), Jimmy Panetta (CA-19), Salud Carbajal (CA-24), and Julia Brownley (CA-26) are calling on the Administration to clarify its actions and disclose a full list of programs and initiatives facing continued obstruction by federal agencies.   Although the Trump Administration rescinded its memorandum from the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) instructing all federal agencies to pause the delivery of all federal funding, impacting thousands of projects nationwide, there are executive orders still on the books that instruct federal agencies to withhold federal funding for projects, including projects derived from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction.   Reps. Lofgren, Panetta, Carbajal, and Brownley recently rais...

  A vegetation fire sparked off of the 67500 block of Cross Road and the 67800 block of Jolon Road in Lockwood at around 2 pm on Sunday afternoon, February 9. Fire crews from CAL FIRE and other agencies were able to contain the blaze at 4:40 pm as the fire burned over 16 acres. No injuries were reported. 

  Monterey County Sheriff’s Office Detectives have identified a suspect wanted in connection to an  attempted homicide of 2 victims that occurred on Sunday February 9, 2025. At about 11:30 AM, Monterey County Sheriff’s Deputies and Greenfield Police Officers were called to a report of a gunshot victim at a homeless encampment in agricultural fields just south of Elm Avenue and 4th Street. A victim was located and found to be suffering from non-life-threatening wounds. About 15 minutes later, a second call was received from a victim reporting that a subject had brandished a firearm at them in the area of Elm Avenue and 4th Street. That victim also reported a second victim of a gunshot wound. A second person suffering from a non-life-threatening gunshot wound was found in the agricultural fields south of Elm Avenue and 3rd Street. Both victims were transported to a trauma center for treatment of their injuries. An extensive search of the area was conducted with assistance of Gre...

  A 2 vehicle accident took place on Highway 101 Northbound near the Broadway Street Off ramp on the Salinas River Bridge in the King City area at 12:22 pm on Thursday afternoon, February 6. Minor injuries were reported as a result of the wreck.  

  All bike and equestrian trails at County of Monterey Parks including the Fort Ord property are closed on Thursday, February 7 due to weather conditions and will likely remain closed through Saturday, February 8 .   This closure is only for those trails . All County parks will remain open for general use, unless additional safety issues are found. The National Weather Service is predicting rain and wind gusts up to 35 miles per hour during the impending weather system. Storm systems of this nature are typically very impactful at County parks and include landslides, falling rocks and downed trees.   It is anticipated the trails will reopen on Sunday, February 9. County of Monterey Public Works, Facilities and Parks will assess any damage in the parks and on the trails to ensure it is safe prior to reopening.

  Applications for King City July 4th fireworks booths are now available online at the City King’s website at www.kingcity.com under “Documents and Forms.”  The deadline for submitting applications to City Hall is March 6, 2025 at 5:00 p.m.   Three permits will be available for non-profit organizations to utilize for community fundraising.  If the City receives more than 3 applications, permits will be awarded through a lottery selection process.  There is an application fee of $39 and permit fee of $395.   Fireworks may be sold from noon June 28th through July 4th.  The lottery to select the applicant will take place on March 25th.   Contact King City City Hall at 831-386-5925 for more information

  The County of Monterey’s Health Department and Natividad Medical Center are committed to providing high-quality, equitable, compassionate care to all individuals regardless of immigration status. “Immigrants are a vital part of the rich and vibrant fabric and history of Monterey County,” said Natividad CEO Dr. Chad Harris. “Natividad and the Health Department proudly serve the entire Monterey County community.” Patient privacy and trust are central to the care they provide, and they take all necessary steps to safeguard that trust as their policies are designed to make every patient feel safe, respected, and welcomed at our facilities. Your private medical information is protected. Despite recent policy changes, federal law guarantees patients the right to seek emergency medical care. Your health and safety remain their highest priorities. “We urge the public to continue to access the array of services offered by the County of Monterey health system,” said County of Monterey Heal...

  SALINAS, California - Monterey County District Attorney Jeannine M. Pacioni announced on February 5 that 43-year-old Noel Aguilera Ledesma of Yuma, Arizona, has been arrested and charged with the cold-case murder of his ex-girlfriend, Yvette Martinez, in 2010. On October 10, 2010, a vehicle was discovered burning off of Highway 198 at Priest Valley Road. The vehicle was registered to 22-year-old Yvette Martinez of Greenfield. Investigators discovered Martinez’s body inside the trunk of her vehicle. Her death was ruled a homicide. Initial investigation by the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office established that Martinez had previously been in a dating relationship with Ledesma. While Ledesma was a suspect in the initial investigation, no arrests were made. In July 2020, District Attorney Jeannine M. Pacioni created the Monterey County District Attorney’s Office Cold Case Task Force, which represents the largest and most comprehensive county-wide effort to investigate, solve and prose...

According to the King City-CHP, on Tuesday night, February 4 at approximately 11:47 pm, 38-year-old Anthony Harvey was driving a 2023 Ford Transit U-Haul rental van at approximately 65 miles per hour while traveling in the #2 lane on the US 101 Freeway southbound, just north of Jolon Road in Bradley, CA.  The van was occupied with 3 other passengers, all of which were not restrained. One male passenger was seated in the right front seat while the other 2 passengers, 1 male and 1 female were laying on a mattress in the rear cargo area of the van.  There was heavy rainfall at the time of the crash.  Harvey traveled off the west roadway edge where he lost complete control of the vehicle as it traveled off the roadway surface. The vehicle then overturned down a steep descending dirt embankment before coming to rest on its wheels facing in a northeasterly direction. The impacts during the crash ultimately resulted in the 2 rear passengers sustaining blunt force trauma causing ...

(PASO ROBLES, CA) – The California Mid-State Fair is pleased to announce multi-platinum selling artist Cody Johnson has been confirmed to perform in concert on Saturday night, July 19, 2025. The show will open with Randall King at 7:30 pm. The concert will take place in the Chumash Grandstand Arena at the Paso Robles Event Center and is part of the Michelob Ultra Concert Series. Tickets will go on sale Friday, February 7, 2025, starting at 10:00 am on the Fair’s official website, www.MidStateFair.com. There are no “Pre-Sales” for this show. Prices start at $67, and will range from that to $97, $137 and $182. Cody Johnson has established a following of passionately loyal fans who regularly sell out shows across the country. The artist that media has touted “just might be the future of real country music” has skyrocketed success with numerous celebrated albums: Leather Deluxe Edition, Leather, Human The Double Album, A Cody Johnson Christmas, Cody Johnson & The Rockin’ CJB Live, and ...