Author: KION

Sergio Berrueta

SANTA CRUZ, Calif. (KION-TV) — Santa Cruz Fire says that the blaze that broke out Thursday afternoon at Natural Bridges State Park was caused by an accidental unauthorized cooking fire.

Santa Cruz Fire Department Battalion Chief Josh Coleman, said that crews responded to a vegetation fire with a rapid rate of spread in the eucalyptus grove near the park’s visitor center.

Santa Cruz police, Cal Fire, Scotts Valley Fire and State Parks were all dispatched.

Crews saying that there was an additional spot fire across the road, but with the help of air tactics, both fires were contained and then extinguished.

The visitor center was saved and Santa Cruz Fire says the park was evacuated.

West Cliff Fire contained with smaller fire close to containment

SANTA CRUZ, Calif. (KION-TV) – The West Cliff Fire has been contained, with a second spot fire being worked on for containment.

Evacuations made as Santa Cruz Fire responds to West Cliff Fire, less than an acre

SANTA CRUZ, Calif. (KION-TV) – West Cliff Fire has been contained, with a smaller spot fire being contained near Natural Bridges.

Santa Cruz Fire has evacuated the Natural Bridges State Park Visitor Center while responding to a vegetation fire.

The fire, dubbed the West Cliff Fire, stands at less than one acre in size.

According to the Santa Cruz Fire Department, the park was evacuated, as was the parking lot.

Those in Santa Cruz are being asked to avoid the area of Swaton and West Cliff near Delaware and Swaton.

This is a developing story.

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Jeanette Bent

MONTEREY, Calif. (KION-TV) — The City of Monterey responded to a report from the county’s Civil Grand Jury on Tuesday that highlights structural and safety concerns about the city’s two wharves.

Monterey’s mayor and city manager signed the response, saying that while they were given poor condition ratings, that does not compromise the wharves’ load-bearing capacity due to significant deterioration.

Staff adds that repairs are expedited when an issue could compromise the structures’ safety.

The city also noting that tenants are responsible for maintaining their own businesses. Many of these tenants in various stages of obtaining the required permits and making repairs.

The counter-report drafted by the city also says that the city has made significant investments in wharf repairs.

Over the past six years, the city says they have spent $3 million, including over $1 million for emergency deck repairs to Wharf 2 in 2024.

The city’s five-year capital improvement plan allocates over $11 million towards inspections, repairs and upgrades.

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Victor Guzman

GONZALES, Calif. (KION-TV) — Cal Fire says crews were able to knock down a wildfire burning east of Gonzales up in the mountains overnight.

The fire sparked around 1:30 a.m. and grew to around 6 to 10 acres according to firefighters at the scene.

Cal Fire says a structure was threatened initially but they were able to push the flames back and save the structure.

No injuries were reported and crews are preparing to mop up while also monitoring for any flare ups.

Cal Fire responding to vegetation fire burning east of Gonzales

Cal Fire dispatchers confirm the agency is responding to a vegetation fire burning east of Gonzales early Thursday morning.

The fire was first reported around 1:30 a.m.

Cal Fire says so far the fire is burning around 3 to 5 acres and is at a slow rate of spread.

Dispatchers could not indicate if the fire is threatening homes but say the fire is burning underneath some power lines.

This is a developing story

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Victor Guzman

CENTRAL COAST, Calif. (KION-TV) — PG&E announced Public Safety Power Shutoffs are scheduled for some parts of South Monterey County, plus parts of San Benito County.

Some areas on the outskirts of Soledad, Greenfield and King City are shown in orange as of early Wednesday morning.

According to PG&E, the shutoffs would take place from between 9 and 11 a.m. on June 19 until 8 pm on June 21.

The planned outages also extend down to San Lucas and Bradley.

For San Benito County, some parts of Panoche Road southeast of Paicines could be without power as well.

PG&E says PSPS events are meant to prevent wildfires when severe weather, such as high wind events, result in trees or debris being knocked down which could damage power lines.

PG&E says if there’s dry vegetation, that scenario could lead to a wildfire.

For more information on Public Safety Power Shutoffs and to see if your address is expected to have power turned off, click here

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Ata Shaheen

MONTEREY, Calif. (KION-TV) — The Monterey City Council unanimously passed a proclamation Tuesday with a formal apology to a group of local Native Americans.

The city council came out and apologized for taking a once-vibrant neighborhood of Esselen and Ohlone families, and turning it into a lot for the police and fire departments.

Former Tribal Chairman for the Esselen Nation Rudy Rosales, grew up on Dutra Street.

“I swear to you, [Dutra Street] was like a playground,” said Rosales. “You know, it really was because we had a gully. They filled it all indoor, but there was a gully that went through there and we just had a ball — all the families got together to play with the cousins.”

Rosales was around eight or nine years old in the mid-1950s when the City of Monterey seized the land through eminent domain.

The city compensating the indigenous population with pennies on the dollar compared to their white counterparts, according to the City of Monterey.

“They just demolished houses, tore it all down and I remember my mom was there watching,” said Rosales. “She was crying because they were in her family for hundreds of years.”

Now, 70 years later, Monterey is taking responsibility and saying sorry to the people affected and their descendants.

“I think that this is a first step; this is a symbolic step,” said Monterey Mayor Tyller Williams. “Putting our actions where our words are, and we have to do a lot of work to make sure that we’re continuing.”

Rosales and others are working with the city on potential next steps, like getting a plaque, telling native stories through murals, and maybe even reparations.

“There’s economic support in ways that look like [and] there’s data that we need to review,” said Mayor Williams.

Until then, people in Monterey are celebrating the apology as a big win and a far cry from how the city and the indigenous folks have often clashed in the past.

“I walked down there just to see that, to see my place, and I got arrested, you know, you’re trespassing,” Rosales said, remembering a trip he took to his old neighborhood prior to this new milestone. “How can I be trespassing on my own land?”

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Lindsey Selzer

WATSONVILLE, Calif. (KION-TV) — Watsonville Police are warning people about a mountain lion roaming around the area Monday. 

It was spotted near 34 Harkins Slough Road. 

Police saying that although there is no photo or video of this sighting, they want to share this information as a precaution and a reminder for people in the area to stay alert. 

The city adds this is the second time they have received reports of neighbors seeing mountain lions in the area.

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Lindsey Selzer

MARINA, Calif. (KION-TV) — Marina Police say that they’ve arrested a man in Watsonville at his home today for harassing a 13-year-old girl he met online, and for possessing child pornography. 

Marina PD said they were contacted about this incident back in February, but there were no leads at that time. 

The investigation’s bureau then took over the case where they were able to identify the suspect as 36-year-old Oscar Mendoza Barrera.

Detectives obtained search warrants for Mendoza Barrera’s social media accounts, where they say they discovered child pornography. 

The suspect was booked into Monterey County jail, according to police.

Police saying that they also believe there may be more victims who have not yet come forward as a result of the investigation. 

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jose.romo

SALINAS, Calif. (KION-TV) — Salinas voters getting together as they continue their referendum efforts, hoping to turn back city council’s decision to repeal rent control ordinances.

After the council’s decision at the start of June, dozens of community members and volunteers began collecting 10,000 signatures from Salinas registered voters.

“We’re at about the halfway point,” said Protect Salinas Renters volunteer Orlando Osornio. “There’s probably about 4,000 to 4,500 signatures that have already been collected.”

There are two weeks left in the 30-day timeframe since the decision. 

“We are just continuing to build on that momentum…” said Osornio. “There’s a lot of interest because there’s a lot of people that don’t even know that this happened. So right now, we’re getting a lot of positivity from a lot of the folks that are signing the petition.” 

Many of these volunteers are turning to help the efforts after feeling the current city council has not heard city renters’ overall needs. 

“We’re just doing what the people would like for us to do and that’s to see if there’s something that can be done for rent and for renter protections here in Salinas,” said Osornio.

The volunteers have gathered signatures from community events, stores, restaurants and by going door-to-door around the community.

Some Salinas property owners still feel the rent control ordinances are not the solution. 

“There is definitely concern and something that we have to think about and address as we move forward,” said a local property manager Amy Salmina. “I feel my tennants would best be represented and best be assisted by this type of assistance program or deposit assistance program.”

“I would tell the owners to get ready,” said Osornio. “There’s a lot of renters here in Salinas that don’t agree with the harassment with tenants. They can’t already afford rent in the Monterey County, more specifically, Salinas.”

If the referendum efforts are successful, the ordinance repeal would be paused, giving the council the decision to have a special election or wait for next year’s general election to see this on the ballot.

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Jeanette Bent

SALINAS, Calif. (KIOHN-TV) — Construction on Phase 1 of the Boronda Road Congestion Relief Project has officially resumed.

This, following a delay caused by weather conditions.

Crews have entered a preparation period to restart the project, focusing on installing drainage systems and relocating underground utilities.

Work will be done during nighttime hours by the intersection of the Boronda Road and McKinnon Avenue from June 17 until June 27 between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m.

Personnel will be in place to help direct traffic.

Construction starts for Boronda Rd Congestion Relief Project

SALINAS, Calif. (KION-TV) — The City of Salinas announced Thursday that it began Phase 1 construction for the long-awaited Boronda Rd Congestion Relief Project this week.

The city said that they’ve spent this week preparing the construction area with official breaking ground for Monday.

From Monday through Friday, the City of Salinas says that construction will last from 7 a.m. until 5:30 p.m. Lane closures that take place during this time will consider the McKinnon School bell schedule, and the city says there will be a flagger on location.

The city said that during day construction, they will be surveying, staking, demolishing sidewalks and curbs, repairing the street, installing fencing, berm and trenching construction as well as sewage and drain work.

According to the City of Salinas, night work for the project will take place from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. from Sunday through Thursday with the potential for more work, if needed. They say that installation of a safety rail and a temporary crash cushion system, as well as patching, sewage and drain work will take place at this time.

The city says that the goal of this project is to widen East Boronda Road to a four-lane road, and to create four multi-lane roundabouts at a handful of intersections. These include McKinnon Street and El Dorado Drive, Natividad Road and Independence Boulevard.

In addition to this, the city says that the project will include bioretention facilities (rain gardens that use engineered soils and specific plants to trap and uptake pollutants in stormwater); buffered bike lanes; bus pullouts; sidewalks; ADA access ramps; storm drain lines; sanitary sewer lines; better street lighting; and landscaping.

More information including updates are available on the city’s website at cityofsalinas.org.

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Victor Guzman

MARINA, Calif. (KION-TV) – Marina Police are encouraging witnesses to come forward after a pedestrian was killed in a crash Monday night. 

Officers found the victim lying in the roadway around 11 p.m. on the reservation at MBEST Drive.

Life-saving efforts were started at the scene, but he was later pronounced dead at the hospital.

Police add that the victim may have been hit by a second vehicle.

The driver involved remained on scene to cooperate with the investigation, and DUI is not suspected.

Westbound Reservation Road from Blanco Road was shut down overnight but has since reopened. 

Marina police are encouraging witnesses to come forward after a pedestrian was killed in a crash Tuesday night. 

MONTEREY COUNTY, Calif. (KION-TV) — Marina Police confirm a vehicle hit a pedestrian late Monday night, forcing officers to close a portion of Reservation Road near Mbest Drive.

Police did not provide a condition of the victim; however, the CHP Traffic Log appears to indicate a “VEH VS PED/ 1144” which is normally a CHP code for this being a deadly collision. CHP Dispatchers would not confirm this information available publicly on their traffic log.

All westbound traffic on Reservation Road from Blanco to Imjin are being diverted onto Research Drive from Blanco.

Police are asking people to avoid the area until the investigation is complete.

No estimated time for reopening the road was provided by police.

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