KRKC COUNTRY

  Salinas, CA (March 30, 2026) — The Monterey County Probation Department invites members of the media and community dignitaries to attend the graduation of the first cohort of its life-skills and soccer pilot program at Juvenile Hall on Monday, April 6, 2026, at 1:00 p.m. The program, launched in January 2026 in partnership with the San Jose Earthquakes and The Twinning Project, combines structured life-skills development with professional soccer mentorship.   This unique collaboration brings a structured life-skills curriculum and professional soccer mentorship directly to youth in custody. Originating in the United Kingdom, The Twinning Project pairs professional football clubs with correctional facilities to deliver programs focused on personal development, teamwork, discipline, and positive pathways forward. The County of Monterey initiative represents a powerful example of community partnership and rehabilitation through sport.   The Twinning Project provided the ev...

  The Monterey County Sheriff’s Office has made multiple arrests in what is being investigated as a murder of an inmate at the Monterey County Jail on Sunday, March 29. The victim has been identified as 30-year-old Abraham Camacho of Hayward. At about 10:00 AM correctional deputies entered a housing unit at the jail to conduct a safety check and provide meals to inmates. Deputies located an unconscious inmate who appeared to have been assaulted. Life-saving measures were initiated by deputies and jail medical staff. Paramedics and fire personnel arrived shortly thereafter and continued medical aid. Tragically, the victim succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene. Detectives have arrested 21-year-old Romeo Tejeda Gonzales of Greenfield, 19-year-old Marwuy Jose Centeno Camacho of Soledad and 20-year-old Elijah Herrera of Salinas. Each has been booked for 187(a) PC, Murder; 182.5(a) PC, Gang Conspiracy and 186.22(a) PC, Criminal Street Gang Enhancements. Tejeda-Go...

SALINAS, CA, March 30, 2026 – The California Rodeo Salinas is excited to announce that rising country star Ashley Cooke has been added to the lineup for the 2026 Big Week Kick Off Concert, set for Saturday, July 11, 2026, at the Salinas Sports Complex. Cooke will join previously announced headliner Miranda Lambert and special guest Dylan Scott for what is shaping up to be an unforgettable night to launch Big Week. The addition of Cooke brings even more star power to an already highly anticipated concert, giving fans the chance to experience one of country music’s fastest-rising female artists live in Salinas. “Ashley Cooke is one of the most exciting new voices in country music right now,” said Mandy Linquist, marketing manager for the California Rodeo Salinas. “Adding her to this lineup takes an already incredible night and makes it even more special for our fans.” Tickets for the Big Week Kick Off Concert are on sale now at carodeo.com, with prices ranging from $60 to $100. Fans are ...

  PASO ROBLES, CA – The California Mid-State Fair is pleased to announce Lainey Wilson will perform Friday, July 17, 2026 at 7:30 PM as part of the Michelob ULTRA Concert Series in the Chumash Grandstand Arena at the Paso Robles Event Center. Opening the show is Colton Dawson. Tickets for the concert go on sale Friday, April 3, 2026 at 10:00 AM and are priced at $70, $100, $140, and $185. Tickets are available online only. To ensure ticket authenticity and face-value pricing, fans should begin their purchase at MidStateFair.com, which links directly to the official ticketing provider. Lainey Wilson continues to captivate the world, capturing the hearts of fans and respect of her peers. With her new song, "Can’t Sit Still," Wilson shares a snapshot of her life as an unstoppable force. Filled with restless energy, the track arrives during a period of non-stop activity, as Wilson made her film debut in Universal’s adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s Reminders of Him, prepares to head...

  Monterey County Sheriff’s Office detectives are currently investigating an assault on an inmate at the Monterey County Jail in Salinas that resulted in a fatality on Sunday, March 29. At about 10:00 AM correctional deputies entered a housing unit at the jail to conduct a safety check and provide meals to inmates. Deputies located an unconscious inmate who appeared to have been assaulted. Life-saving measures were initiated by deputies and jail medical staff. Paramedics and fire personnel arrived shortly thereafter and continued medical aid. Tragically, the victim succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene. The identity of the decedent is being withheld at this time pending notification to the next of kin. Detectives are actively investigating this matter and are in the process of attempting to identify those responsible. The Monterey County Sheriff’s Office has requested the assistance of the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office Coroner Unit to conduct the post-...

  HIGHLIGHTS March 25, 2026   TAMC Board Approves Request to Program Funds for the Toro Park Lane Closure Project   The Board of Directors of the Transportation Agency for Monterey County (TAMC) approved a request from the County of Monterey to program Regional Surface Transportation Program (RSTP) Fair Share Allocation funds for the Toro Park Lane Closure Project in the amount of $20,888.86.   The Toro Park Lane Closure Project proposes installing permanent measures, including a remotely operated gate and centerline delineators, to continue efforts to help the community stay safe during school pick-up and drop-off hours and reduce conflicts with cut-through traffic to Route 68.   TAMC receives RSTP funds, which total approximately $6 million per year, and distributes them to the Cities and County in two methods: fair share and competitive share. TAMC distributes $1.2 million per year as the fair share component to the cities and County based on population and l...

  WASHINGTON, D.C. — On Thursday, March 26 Reps. Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) and Ben Cline (R-VA) introduced the Bankruptcy Venue Reform Act, bipartisan legislation which requires that Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings take place where the principal place of business or principal assets of the corporation are located.   "Corporations currently have the ability to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and then potentially choose courts that have issued lenient rulings to hear their cases," said Rep. Lofgren (CA-18). "Bankruptcies should be adjudicated locally in a court familiar with all the affected stakeholders, not in some court all the way across the country. Our bipartisan Bankruptcy Venue Reform Act is commonsense legislation that will prevent corporations from venue shopping and tipping the scales of justice."   “Large corporations should not be able to manipulate the bankruptcy system to their advantage while workers, small businesses, and local communities are left behind. ...

  WASHINGTON, D.C. — On Thursday, March 26 Rep. Zoe Lofgren (CA-18) introduced a Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolution of disapproval against the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL)'s recent rule  regarding Adverse Effect Wage Rates for H-2A workers. The DOL failed to provide a notice-and-comment period for the rule as required by the Administrative Procedure Act. Original co-sponsors of Lofgren's resolution include Reps. Mark Pocan (WI-02), Donald Norcross (NJ-01), Adriano Espaillat (NY-13), Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Jamie Raskin (MD-08), and Ilhan Omar (MN-05). "We have a well-crafted plan to reform America's H-2A program in the bipartisan Farm Workforce Modernization Act I introduced," Rep. Lofgren said. "Yet Trump's Labor Department decided to just act unilaterally and issue this rule without the proper comment period required by the Administrative Procedure Act. H-2A reform is necessary, but it needs to happen through a legislative proc...

  SALINAS, CA – Monterey County Sheriff’s Office participated in the Statewide Shoulder Tap Operation and arrested one suspect on Saturday March 14, 2026 after he furnished alcoholic beverages to minors at a local business. The operation was conducted in Monterey County. A total of 20 people were contacted across 4 locations. ABC agents and local law enforcement conducted a Statewide Shoulder Tap operation which targets adults who purchase alcohol for persons under the age of 21. A minor under the direct supervision of law enforcement stands outside of a liquor or convenience store and asks customers to buy them alcohol. The minor also indicates they are underage and cannot purchase the alcohol. Sheriff Tina Nieto stated, “Our partnership with ABC reinforces a clear and consistent message to our community: providing alcohol to minors is not acceptable and carries serious consequences. Through proactive enforcement and education, we are working together to prevent avoidable tragedie...

  (Washington, DC) – On Wednesday, March 25 the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology held a Space and Aeronautics Subcommittee Hearing on The Future of Low Earth Orbit: From the ISS to Commercial Platforms .     Ranking Member Zoe Lofgren's (D-CA) opening statement as prepared for the record is below:   Good morning, and thank you Mr. Chairman, for holding today’s hearing. I also want to thank our expert witnesses for being here.   The International Space Station (ISS) is an incredible feat of technical achievement and international cooperation. For over twenty-five years, humans have continuously occupied the Station, with NASA astronauts living and working in space alongside international partner astronauts. The ISS has served—and continues to serve—as a platform for experiments in nearly every scientific discipline: from astronomy, to atmospheric science, to particle physics, to microbiology, and so much more. Research on the ISS helps NASA ...

  Members of the Multi-Agency Detail Combating Auto Theft (MADCAT) arrested a Soledad man Tuesday morning, March 24 after observing him arrive at a Salinas Courthouse in a stolen vehicle. On March 24 at approximately 11:00 a.m., MADCAT task force members observed 41-year-old Ricardo Otero of Soledad pull into the Salinas Courthouse parking area driving a vehicle that had been reported stolen out of San Jose. Deputies contacted Otero outside the courtroom where he was scheduled to appear for a pending auto theft case. Otero was taken into custody without incident and transported to the Monterey County Jail. He was booked on the following charges: • California Vehicle Code 10851(a) (Unlawful Driving or Taking of a Vehicle) • Penal Code 12022 (Commission of a Felony While Released on Bail/Own Recognizance) • California Vehicle Code 14601.1(a) (Driving With a Suspended License)

  SALINAS, California- Monterey County District Attorney Jeannine M. Pacioni announced on March 23 that on March 12, 2026, the Honorable Jennifer O’Keefe sentenced Noel Aguilera Ledesma to 25 years to life in prison for the 2010 murder of his ex-girlfriend, Yvette Martinez. A jury convicted Ledesma, formerly of Soledad and Yuma, Ariz., of first-degree murder in February 2026. In early 2010, Martinez and Ledesma dated, but they subsequently broke up. Despite the breakup, they remained connected to each other. For months, Ledesma attempted to persuade Martinez to get back together with him. However, in mid-September, Martinez began dating another person. On October 9, 2010, Martinez went out with friends and her then-boyfriend. She went out drinking in Salinas and then went to a corn maze with her boyfriend. She saw a different friend at a Salinas restaurant before heading home. Throughout the night, Ledesma was calling and texting Martinez’s cell phone, but she largely ignored his t...

  Paso Robles, CA — The California Mid-State Fair in Paso Robles will host Treaty Oak Revival live in concert Thursday night, July 23 at 7:30 PM at the 2026 CA Mid-State Fair, with special guest William Clark Green, as part of the Michelob Ultra Concert Series in the Chumash Grandstand Arena. Tickets for this show are $50, $75, and $100, and will go on sale Friday, March 27 at 10:00 a.m. at MidStateFair.com. Hailed by Rolling Stone as “one of the most exciting live experiences in all of music,” Treaty Oak Revival have risen from the oil fields of Odessa, Texas to become one of the most formidable independent forces in modern country rock. Blending Southern grit, punk energy and red-dirt storytelling, the five-piece band built a fiercely loyal following by touring relentlessly and releasing music on their own terms. Their first two albums, No Vacancy and Have A Nice Day, were both self-released and produced multiple Platinum and Gold singles. Their third studio album, West Texas Deg...

  PASO ROBLES, CA, March 23, 2026 — The California Mid-State Fair in Paso Robles will host Megadeth live in concert Monday night, July 20 at 7:30 PM at the 2026 CA Mid-State Fair, with special guest Exodus, as part of the Michelob Ultra Concert Series in the Chumash Grandstand Arena. Tickets go on sale Friday, March 27 at 10:00 AM and are priced at $50, $60, $80, and $90 (pit). Fair admission is sold separately. Tickets will be available at MidStateFair.com and Ticketmaster.com. MEGADETH—Dave Mustaine (vocalist, guitarist, songwriter, and producer), Teemu Mäntysaari (Lead, Rhythm, and Acoustic Guitars), James LoMenzo (Bass Guitar) and Dirk Verbeuren (Drums)—are always and forever the point of no return for metal. It would be nearly impossible to conceive where heavy music and culture would’ve gone without the band founded, fronted, and fueled by vocalist, guitarist, songwriter, and producer Dave Mustaine. The blast radius of their impact has only magnified since 1983. Thus far, the...

  Monterey County Sheriff’s Office deputies have arrested a subject that brandished a firearm in a Castroville bar. He was arrested after resisting arrest which resulted in minor injuries to two deputies. The loaded firearm was recovered. On Thursday night, March 19, 2026 at about 7:45 PM, deputies were dispatched to the 10700 block of Merritt Street in Castroville for a report of a person that had just brandished a firearm inside the establishment. The subject was reported to possibly be intoxicated. Deputies arrived on scene and saw a male matching the description provided enter the establishment. The reporting party met with deputies and told them the subject had entered the restroom. Deputies entered the establishment. As a deputy pushed open the door to the restroom, he saw the subject holding a gun pointed towards deputies. The door quickly closed on its own, forcing deputies to retreat from the door for safety. Deputies gave the subject commands to come out and he exited the...

  (Washington, DC) – On Wednesday, March 18 the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology passed H.R. 7813, NOAA Weather Radio Modernization Act, during a full committee markup. This important legislation will direct the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to modernize and expand a nationwide Weather Radio network, provide emergency alerts, and remain resilient during emergencies. “When every second counts, it is essential for the U.S. to have a reliable Weather Radio network,” said Ranking Member Zoe Lofgren (D-CA). “The NOAA Weather Radio Modernization Act will ensure all Americans have access to life-saving alerts even in times of power outages or extreme weather events. As natural disasters continue to intensify, this legislation marks an important step towards proactively protecting Americans from catastrophe.”   Highlights of H.R. 7813:     Classifies National Weather Service personnel as protective service occupations and directs NOA...

  March 18, 2026 King City, CA: Mee Memorial Healthcare System is proud to announce the arrival of the Fuji Aspire Crystalle 3D Digital Mammography system with Digital Breast Tomosynthesis (DBT), bringing advanced breast imaging technology to South County.   This new system is designed to enhance patient comfort, improve diagnostic accuracy, and streamline the imaging process.   The Fuji Aspire Crystalle system features a Comfort Paddle, allowing for a more comfortable patient experience during mammography, along with fast image acquisition to minimize time spent in the exam room.   Digital Breast Tomosynthesis (DBT), or 3-D Mammography, offers several benefits over conventional, 2-D mammography, including higher cancer detection rates (especially for invasive cancer), reduced callback rates for potentially unnecessary follow up tests, and improved image clarity that is particularly helpful for women with dense breasts. These benefits can lead to more confident diagn...

  WASHINGTON, D.C. — On Thursday, March 19 Rep. Zoe Lofgren (CA-18) issued the following statement regarding the multi-year investigation by The New York Times into alleged sexual misconduct by the late César Chávez: "I'm shocked and horrified by these revelations that César Chávez groomed and sexually abused young women and minors," said Rep. Lofgren. "My heart breaks for the survivors who had to carry this pain for so many years, including UFW co-founder Dolores Huerta, and my thoughts are with all the brave women who have shared their stories. The United Farm Workers and the movement it represents is so much bigger than one man, and we must continue confronting the injustices faced by America's farmworkers."

  Considering recent allegations about César Chávez, the County of Monterey remains committed to ensuring that survivors of violence are heard and treated with dignity and respect. The Farmworker Rights Movement was advanced by thousands of individuals and families dedicated to the fair treatment of those who labored to put food on tables worldwide, ending in a historic change for themselves and future generations of farmworkers. This work continues and advances through ongoing advocacy by Monterey County Officials in the community, the next generation which has inherited the reins of this effort on a path paved by history makers.

  MONTEREY COUNTY – The Transportation Agency for Monterey County (TAMC) received the California Association of Councils of Governments (CALCOG) “Eureka! Award for Regional Excellence” on Monday, March 9, 2026.   The award was presented during the California Regional Excellence Award Ceremony in Long Beach, giving recognition to the Salinas Valley Safe Routes to School Plan & Participatory Budgeting Program. The plan and participatory budgeting process was deemed to be innovative, with creative leadership and thinking needed to develop and implement new ideas that can serve as examples or best practices for others to follow.   The Salinas Valley Safe Routes to School Plan & Participatory Budgeting Program was a two‑year effort that identified barriers to safe access for students at 22 public schools in South Monterey County and recommended both infrastructure and programmatic improvements. A key focus of the plan was developing an equitable process that meaningful...

  Salinas, CA, March 17, 2026 – Reservoir officially opened Reservoir Farms - Salinas, its flagship on-farm innovation hub for specialty crops, turning its vision for an on-farm agtech innovation center into a working reality. The new site features multiple innovation barns and 24 acres of dedicated commercial test fields, creating the most concentrated ecosystem of technology leaders, growers, and startups anywhere in agriculture to rapidly scale solutions for global food production challenges. “From our early days, Reservoir listened intently to partners to understand where innovation in agriculture was stuck,” said Danny Bernstein, founder and CEO of Reservoir. “Once our vision to create an on-farm innovation center was clear, we worked relentlessly with partners across the industry to bring the energy, focus and skills necessary to manifest the space and people necessary to make this a reality. With the doors open, the focus turns to execution and impact – in the form of real-w...

  With unseasonably high temperatures expected during the week of March 15, the SPCA Monterey County reminds pet owners that hot weather can quickly become dangerous for animals. What feels hot to you is also hot for your pet. Keep pets safe by following these tips:     Keep pets indoors whenever possible. If they must be outside, provide shade and plenty of fresh water.     Never leave pets or children in parked cars. On a warm day, the inside of a vehicle can reach 120° in just minutes even with windows cracked, causing brain damage or death.     Remember: shady spots can quickly become sunny and dangerous as the day changes.     Protect paws: pavement and asphalt can become scorching hot and burn your pet’s feet. If it’s too hot for your hand, it’s too hot for their paws.     Walk or exercise your dog in the cooler morning or evening hours     Watch for signs of heatstroke: heavy panting, lethargy, vomiting, lack of coo...

  SPCA Monterey County is bringing affordable pet wellness services to Gonzales this spring to help local pets stay healthy and prevent overpopulation. These donor-funded mobile clinics are open to all Monterey County residents. Spay & Neuter Clinic (Appointment Required)     When: Saturday, March 21     Where: Gonzales Police Department, 109 4th St.     Cost: $95 for male dogs/puppies; $140 for female dogs/puppies; $55 for all cats/kittens. Price includes surgery and rabies vaccination.     Requirements: Pets must be 2 months to 6 years old and weigh between 2 and 30 pounds. A deposit is required to secure your spot.     Appointments: Book now at www.spcamc.org/mobile. Walk-In Vaccination Clinic (No Appointment Necessary)     When: Saturday, April 11, 9:30 am – 1:00 pm     Where: Gonzales Police Department, 109 4th St.     Cost: $25 per vaccine; $5 dewormer. These mobile clinics supplement the year...

  Washington, D.C. — Rep. Zoe Lofgren, alongside Reps. Eric Swalwell, Lateefah Simon, Kevin Mullin, and Nanette Barragán and Senators Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff sent a letter to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the U.S. Department of State demanding urgent answers following the deportation of a Hayward mother and her two young children, including her six-year-old son, Joseph, who was removed from the country without his assistive hearing devices.    The letter outlines serious humanitarian and due-process concerns surrounding the deportation of Lesly Rodriguez Gutierrez and her children after they appeared for a routine immigration check-in in San Francisco. According to the family’s attorney, Rodriguez Gutierrez complied with the law and presented herself for the required check-in, where she and her children were detained and deported to Colombia Joseph had been learning American Sign Language and attending school in the United States before the depor...