Author: KION

Jeanette Bent

KING CITY, Calif. (KION-TV) — King City is looking to address a recent uptick in youth violence as the city council took first steps in developing a comprehensive plan during Tuesday night’s meeting.

The city says that this is a response to the steady increase in gang violence that has erupted since the pandemic, citing that in 2023 there were 14 shootings, 24 shootings in 2024 and one shooting in 2025 so far.

The city says that data from 2024 was inflated due to the mass shooting, but trends are still at an “unacceptable” level.

The first phase of King City’s plan to end youth violence was adopted in 2017, and showed immediate results.

According to the city, the overall number of shootings that took place fell dramatically from 32 to one in its first year.

However, the report also showed that shootings in the city have been on the rise in recent years, leading the council to take action.

Victor Guzman

ROYAL OAKS, Calif. (KION-TV) — A Royal Oaks community is growing frustrated over the lack of bus service for students in the Pajaro Valley Unified School District.

Families start the school days around 6 a.m. before the sun is out waiting for their bus.

Some have flashlights, hot tea and blankets as they wait patiently, hoping the oncoming headlights could somehow be the bus they’ve been waiting for.

But families say over at least the last three months, the buses just don’t show up.

“It’s not just a few kids at this bus stop,” a mother says. “The schools want children to attend but the district isn’t picking them up!”

Families will often have to resort to adjusting their morning routines to take their kids to school instead.

They also tell KION when letting the district know about the issue, and the possibility of keeping their kids at school, the schools say a late or absent bus is not a reason for the student to be absent. That the parents are responsible for driving them to school at that point.

The district says they recognize the issue they’re dealing with and point to a bus driver shortage.

“We are short 19 drivers, and we have to cover 420 routes every week,” says PVUSD Transportation Director Sarah Lemke.

Families living up some hills face specific access issues for school buses, too. The conditions force families to depend on neighbors to take their children to bus stops to wait for buses. But it loops back to the main issue: The buses don’t show up.

From there, the families say they work to get their kids to school, with some having to travel over five miles away.

Some of the families we talked to say while the district has a service that lets them know if a bus is coming or not, they often get a notice right as the scheduled pick-up time passes, adding to the frustration.

“The district is a little different from others,” says Lemke. “Some districts have a two hour all call, this one has a one hour. Sometimes drivers will call, we call dispatches, and it could be hard to accommodate.”

PVUSD also provided a written statement.

“We recognize the urgency of the situation and are actively working to expedite the process while maintaining the necessary safety and certification standards.”

PVUSD says they are planning to launch a training class in May or June of this year for new drivers.

Ricardo Tovar

SALINAS, Calif. (KION) – Kevin Durran Hart has been sentenced to 26 years to life for the 2023 murder of his then-girlfriend’s mom, Jackie Robinson.

The sentencing occurred this morning, with six of Robinson’s family members speaking at the sentencing.

According to the Monterey County District Attorney’s Office, Hart had beaten Robinson to death during an angry outburst, believing Robinson’s daughter had been unfaithful to him.

Seaside Police had found Hart covered in blood in Robinson’s home, with unsuccessful attempts made to save Robinson.

Man found guilty of first-degree murder in 2023 in Seaside, Monterey County DA’s Office

SALINAS, Calif. (KION-TV) — The Monterey County District Attorney’s office announced Friday that 47-year-old Kevin Durran Hart of Patterson was found guilty of first-degree murder for killing 65-year-old Jackie Robinson in her Seaside home in 2023.

The DA’s office says that a jury found that Hart used a deadly weapon during the murder. They say that he will be sentenced on May 7 this year.

According to the DA’s office, Hart is facing 26 years to life in prison for the crime.

The DA’s office says that on May 5, 2023, Hart was angered when he thought his girlfriend was unfaithful to him, prompting an angry outburst on his then-girlfriend’s mother, Robinson.

He entered Robinson’s home and “brutally beat her to death,” according to officials.

Seaside Police say that they found Hart in the home covered in blood, and that efforts to save Robinson’s life were unsuccessful.

Central Valley man accused of murdering elderly Seaside woman pleads not guilty

SEASIDE, Calif. (KION-TV) UPDATE ON MAY 9, 2023, AT 3:48 PM- A man accused of murdering his girlfriend’s mother was arraigned in a Salinas courtroom Tuesday.

Kevin Durran Hart, 45, pled not guilty to charges of murder, with a special allegation he used a deadly weapon, and for resisting a peace officer, according to our reporter in court. He is due back in court on May 24 for his preliminary hearing. His bail remains set at $2,000,000, according to a Salinas judge.

His victim was identified as Jackie Robinson, 65, an usher at Bethel Missionary Baptists Church, according to Seaside Police.

ORIGINAL STORY

Seaside Police said they are investigating a murder that took place on Friday on the 1200 block of Hamilton Avenue.

Police said they arrived around 3 p.m. for a disturbance call. They found Kevin Durran Hart, 45, of Patterson, covered in blood, and a 65-year-old woman suffering from head trauma.

Hart attempted to fight the responding officers, but he was subdued. The victim, a long-time Seaside resident, was taken to the hospital but later passed of her injuries.

Hart was arrested and booked into Monterey County Jail for murder, attack with a deadly weapon causing great bodily injury, resisting a peace officer, torture, and kidnapping.

The Monterey County District Attorney’s Office said the defendant is accused of beating his girlfriend’s mother with his bare hands and a piece of glass from a nearby table.

On Monday, he was scheduled to be arraigned at 1:30 p.m. in a Salinas courtroom, but he refused transportation to court. His arraignment has been moved to Tuesday, said the district attorney’s office.

The Monterey County District Attorney’s Office filed charges for murder, with a special allegation he used a deadly weapon, and for resisting a peace officer, according to Seaside Police.

The district attorney’s office said his bail is set at $2,000,000.

Police will not yet release the name of the victim. When asked about how they knew each other, Seaside Police said they were not in a relationship and were acquainted.

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jose.romo

CAPITOLA, Calif. (KION-TV) — Major improvements are on the way for 41st Avenue in Capitola, a popular corridor known for drawing both locals and tourists.

Last week, the city of Capitola approved plans to revitalize one of its most frequently visited streets, with a focus on enhancing pedestrian safety and attracting more businesses to the area.

KION spoke local residents and business owners to find out what improvements they would like to see included in the project.

The city is hoping that this revitalization will not only improve the street’s aesthetics but also make it more welcoming to businesses, visitors, and residents alike. The proposal focuses heavily on pedestrian safety, a key concern for many of the area’s business owners and residents.

Krystal Black, owner of The Closet Shopper on 41st Avenue, voiced her concerns about pedestrian safety, particularly the traffic hazards in the area. “They put in these little blinking lights here, but it doesn’t seem to deter cars from rolling through. I’ve seen plenty of people almost get hit on the street,” Black shared.

With many tourists visiting her store on foot and walking from nearby hotels, Black believes that making the area safer for pedestrians will encourage more people to walk around and shop, especially in an area with limited parking options.

Other local business owners agree that improved pedestrian safety is essential for boosting their sales. Garry Butler, the owner of Two Birds Books, commented, “We get a lot of walk-by traffic, but there’s a lot of vehicle traffic as well. So having it be more pedestrian-friendly would be great.”

The city’s plan aims to address this issue, ensuring that pedestrians and cyclists can safely navigate the busy corridor. Keith Bishoff, a resident of Capitola and avid cyclist, expressed his desire for better protection for bikers. “I would prefer, as I was mentioning, inside bike lanes, protected by the cars. It would be nice,” Bishoff said.

One thing all parties agree on is the urgency to get these improvements underway. Garry Butler pointed out, “Building projects can take a while to get through planning and those kinds of things, so if they’re going to do something, having it be as fast as possible would be great.”

The city has committed to beginning public outreach efforts later this year, with the goal of finalizing the plans by early 2026.

Residents, businesses, and visitors alike are eager for these changes to take place, hoping that a safer, more attractive 41st Avenue will not only improve the quality of life in Capitola but also help boost the local economy.

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Jeanette Bent

KING CITY, Calif. (KION-TV) — King City Police Department announced the funeral service for Officer Ryan Kenedy on April 3rd.

The service is being held at San Carlos Cathedral in Monterey at 10 a.m. Thursday.

Officer Kenedy died unexpectedly after a medical emergency on duty around 12:45 a.m. with King City Police calling the loss “immeasurable.”

King City police sergeant passes away unexpectedly Tuesday in a medical emergency

King City Police announced Tuesday that Sergeant Ryan Kenedy experienced an “apparent medical emergency” while on duty that resulted in his unexpected passing around 12:45 a.m.

Police say that Sergeant Kenedy’s passing is an “immeasurable loss” and they are mourning along with his family.

According to King City Police, Sergeant Kenedy began his career at the station in July 2014 as a Patrol Officer and then was assigned as a detective to South County Major Crimes Unit in April of 2020.

They say that Sergeant Kenedy was later transferred to the King City Police Department Investigations Unit before being promoted to Police Sergeant in January 2020, where he served until his passing.

King City Police say that Sergeant Kenedy was survived by his wife.

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Lindsey Selzer

CARMEL-BY-THE-SEA CA. – City council in Carmel-by-the-Sea is set to vote on an ordinance that would update their anti-camping regulations. Right now it bans people from sleeping and camping in public parks, streets, and sidewalks

The city is looking to give a more detailed definition of the act of human habitation. This would keep unhoused people from staying in public spaces. The police department would still clean up any leftover mess, but will hold personal property for up to 90 days.

Commander Todd Trayer with the Carmel-by-the-Sea Police Department said he hopes this process is seen as more humane. 

“This really ensures that we memorialize that when we do hold the items for 90 days, that we’re doing it with dignity,” Trayer said. “We’re keeping them within a process to protect the property for the people that are having their items held.” 

Commander Trayer said that there are not many unhoused people in Carmel-by-the-Sea, but there are definitely a few. 

“There are some people that are going through some tough times,” Trayer said.”And they do often pass through Carmel. So we do see it at certain times.” 

Kevin Cesario lives in Carmel. He is for the ordinance. 

“I definitely have seen an uptick of panhandling over the last several years,” Cesario said. “I do think it’s a bit of a problem, not necessarily the largest pressing concern that our community has, but it certainly is an issue.” 

Cesario said the city relies heavily on business from tourists. He believes it’s essential to make sure the area is clean. in order to keep the local economy flowing. 

“I do believe it’s important to clean up all those areas,” Cesario said. “Especially if there’s defecation outside of bathrooms and natural hazard waste. But in terms of their personal items and personal property, if storing it for 90 days adds a level of fairness to it, I don’t think it’s necessarily going to hurt everybody, as long as it’s in the budget.” 

The Carmel-by-the-Sea Police Department also said they can provide resources such as shelter information to anyone they find unhoused in the city and if you see anything that is toxic or should not be on the sidewalks to please call the police department. 

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Dania Romero

SALINAS, Calif. (KION-TV) — While Fire Station 1 in Salinas is getting a makeover, Fire personnel and engines have been stationed at Sherwood Hall since January.

“As part of that process and the ARPA funding, American Rescue Plan Act funding, we undertook a major renovation of fire station 1 that necessitated the crews moving out for some time,” says Sam Klemek, Fire Chief.

According to the city of Salinas, Fire Station 1 is one of the busiest stations in Salinas, responding to about 30% of the calls across the city in 2024.Chielf Klemek says response time has been slightly impacted given the increase in manual operations

“We’ve only seen about a minute or two increase in our response times just because of the nature of the way sherwood hall is set up and just the logistics of having to lock gates, unlock gates, move equipment, lock them behind you. It’s a very manual operation that takes a little extra time,” says Klemek.Other challenges? Converting this community center into a makeshift fire station.

“With temporary facilities to house a dozen people 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, was the biggest challenge. We had to look at the major operation that goes on at station one. It houses not only an engine company, a fire engine company but our truck company, our chief, our mechanics program, our hazardous materials program. There’s a lot that goes at Fire Station One that had to be logistically divided,” says Klemek.

“As incidents are occurring, you can look at that here. You can see all the temporary wiring that was placed in here for the alert system to let us know when calls are coming in and to monitor 911.””That’s their sleeping. Each of the dorms have the alerting system, so if the engine company’s getting toned out, it’s not waking the truck company up, vice versa,” says Paul Fenwick, Batalian Chief.

Around a dozen people are here 24 hours a day. Fenwick says overall operations here have run smoothly since January, but is counting down the days until they can work out of the newly renovated station 1.

Chief Klemek says they hope to go back by July of this year.

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