Category: kion-local-news

Briana Mathaw

HOLLISTER, Calif. (KION) — After an eight-year hiatus, the legendary Hollister Independence Rally is roaring back to life, bringing with it crowds, chrome, and a strong sense of community pride.

As engines thunder through the streets of downtown, both longtime attendees and first-time visitors are celebrating the return of an event many say is woven into the fabric of the city.

“This is so great that the City of Hollister is doing this again after so many years,” Steve Barclay from Chicago said.

“It’s good to be back. I know it was shut down for a few years, so to have it back is good,” Daniel said.

“I was pretty upset about it. It was a staple for so many years,” Albert said.

The event was brought back in large part due to a shift in leadership and the community’s persistent voice. “It’s part of their families, filled with nostalgia and filled with beloved memories. And so we listened to them and brought it back,” Hollister Mayor Roxanne Stephens said.

All across downtown, the familiar sounds of revving engines and live music are filling the air. Attendees say there’s simply nothing quite like it. “We have different runs in Gilroy. They got the burrito run, but nothing quite as significant as this. It’s a good, peaceful way to get the community together to represent and celebrate the history of biker culture,” one rallygoer said.

One of the concerns during the rally’s absence had been safety. In past years, law enforcement had raised red flags over large groups of motorcycle clubs gathering in the area. “In the past, there were a lot of multi gangs or multi bike clubs, I should say, coming in. And so there was a lot of concerns about that,” Gail Rodriguez from Fresno said.

In response, the city brought in a new security contractor and additional law enforcement support to ensure this year’s rally goes smoothly. “We have a large event, so whenever we have a large event, we always have to bring in some extra security,” Roxanne Stephens said. “That’s why we have our contractor and we have some support from a few other law enforcement groups.”

Despite the past concerns, the energy on the streets this weekend is positive and enthusiastic. “I’ve been coming for years and years. Even when they didn’t have events, I’d still show up here. But it’s really nice to see vendors and more public out here. Because I needed it,” Gail Rodriguez said.

Vendors are also feeling the excitement. “We’ve been coming to the event before they canceled it in 2017. We were vending here for over a decade, over ten years,” Pablo Peters said. “Cities like this that are real small areas an event like this definitely helps increase the revenue for the city.”

With live bands, food, custom bikes, and thousands of riders flooding the streets, the rally is not just about motorcycles it’s about reviving a town’s spirit. “This is a moneymaker for them. I know a lot of the vendors, and shopkeepers here were disappointed when it shut down,” Albert said.

“This is going to be huge for the businesses in downtown Hollister. I mean, I go to Sturgis every year and pretty much a lot of the vendors and the shopkeepers there make their entire year’s income from that rally,” Steve Barclay said.

For many, this isn’t just a fun weekend it’s a piece of Hollister’s identity. “It’s real important, especially for motorcyclists and the history of Hollister,” Gail Rodriguez said.

“I really hope that the City of Hollister keeps doing this,” Steve Barclay said.

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Briana Mathaw

SANTA CRUZ, Calif. (KION) – A controversial syringe distribution program is back in the spotlight in Santa Cruz County. After being shut down last year, the Harm Reduction Coalition of Santa Cruz County is once again operating its mobile syringe service.

The program has drawn both support and criticism from the community.

“It’s good for public health to help stop the spread of the disease,” one supporter said.

Health officials say the program is designed to reduce the transmission of infectious diseases in the community by providing people with clean, safe supplies.

“It has a major benefit to the community in reducing the infectious diseases that we see transmitted throughout the community by providing people with safer supplies that they can use,” County Deputy Health Officer Karissa LeClair Cortez said.

The return of the mobile program comes at a time when officials say drug use trends are changing.

“We are thankfully seeing in Santa Cruz a shift away from people injecting drugs, for a number of reasons, which is decreasing the amount of syringes that we see,” Cortez said.

Still, public opinion remains split. While some residents view the program as a critical harm reduction tool, others see it as a potential community risk.

“I think because they think it kind of encourages people to use drugs, but I don’t find that to be the case at all,” one supporter said.

“I just think diseases would spread and people would be suffering more if they weren’t to bring it back,” one supporter said.

“People are going to do what they’re going to do. So it’s good to keep them and others safe and see why,” another community member said.

The strategy behind the mobile syringe program is built on the concept of meeting people where they’re at, particularly those dealing with homelessness and substance use.

“Meeting people where they’re at, we know that a number of unhoused people are served by these programs, and I think that the fact that they are able to offer mobile exchange in some locations that we’re not able to is really beneficial,” Cortez said.

The program also aims to reduce the risk of diseases like HIV and Hepatitis C by making clean syringes more accessible.

“These types of programs that provide people with clean syringes, in addition to the benefits that it provides by reducing infectious diseases, doesn’t increase the amount of illegal drug use, doesn’t increase the amount of syringe litter in the communities,” Cortez said.

The city is also taking steps to promote safe syringe disposal by offering drop-off boxes for used needles.

“I think folks also having a location that they can go to to exchange syringes really helps expand community safety actually by reducing the number of unsafely disposed syringes in the community,” one resident said.

The overall goal of the program is to protect both individuals and the broader public by minimizing harm.

“We want to make sure that we’re minimizing the amount of harm that’s happening to people and also to the community as a means of bringing people into care,” Cortez said.

Santa Cruz Police Chief Bernie Escalante issued a statement acknowledging both the value and the challenges that come with the program. He said,

“I appreciate the Mobile Syringe Program’s dedication to harm reduction and the services they provide. Like many public health initiatives, their work intersects with broader community concerns, including the need for effective syringe disposal to ensure public spaces remain safe and clean, which we still see some challenges related to public safety when it comes to proper syringe disposal.”

The City of Santa Cruz continues to encourage the safe disposal of used needles at designated drop-off locations.

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Briana Mathaw

SANTA CRUZ, Calif. (KION) – A new Santa Cruz County Grand Jury report is revealing serious gaps in how local officials address human trafficking.

The report points to missing data, limited prosecutions, and a lack of training for those on the front lines. Survivor-led organizations are now urging change.

“In Santa Cruz, there’s not a lot of reported cases. And I think the civil grand jury just came out with a really fantastic report that identifies that issue that a lot of people, exactly what I just explained, they don’t understand trafficking,” Carmel K. Jud said.

Jud is the founder and executive director of Rising Worldwide, a nonprofit that trains law enforcement, social workers, and students using survivor led education.

While the FBI has reported zero trafficking cases in the county over the past 10 years, some nonprofits say they see up to 200 victims per week. The discrepancy points to a problem of awareness and training.

“We will see about three youth a year will disclose they’re being trafficked. I suspect that would be actually, sadly, much higher if we were in all the classrooms,” Carmel K. Jud said.

The Santa Cruz County District Attorney’s Office reported only two human trafficking charges in the past four years, with no convictions.

Advocates say that number doesn’t reflect the reality of what’s happening on the ground.

“Our local DA’s office has not had very many prosecutions. But one thing to consider is that it’s hard for survivors to come forward, not knowing how they’re going to be treated by law enforcement if law enforcement hasn’t had the training,” Carmel K. Jud said.

The Grand Jury report specifically recommends more survivor led training sessions for first responders and service providers.

“Law enforcement or first responders and direct service providers get training from survivors, especially survivors that have been trafficked in your specific area,” Carmel K. Jud said.

Some progress is already being made. Santa Cruz County schools are among the few institutions ahead of the curve, offering survivor-led prevention programs.

In a statement, Santa Cruz County Superintendent Faris Sabbah said, “The Santa Cruz County Office of Education provides training and resources to raise awareness about human trafficking and to prevent and intervene in any potential incidents impacting the school community, including through classroom curriculum and partnerships with local organizations such as Rising Worldwide.”

But there are still areas of concern. California law requires certain businesses to post the human trafficking hotline, yet only 7 percent of the 144 businesses surveyed in the county were compliant.

“The businesses are required to post that sign. But we will say that in general, most people who are being trafficked do not understand they’re being trafficked,” Carmel K. Jud said.

County officials including the Sheriff, District Attorney, and Superintendent of Schools are required to formally respond to the Grand Jury’s findings by August 29.

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Jeanette Bent

APTOS, Calif. (KION-TV) — Neighbors lined the streets this morning in Aptos to watch their annual “World’s Shortest Fourth of July Parade.”

This was the event’s 64th year, and this year, the spotlight was on local firefighters and recognizing their service to the community. 

Attendees — both humans and animals — came decked out in red, white and blue, cheering on the different floats as they went by. 

For most, this was not their first time attending.

“This has been a ritual for the 30 years I’ve been here,” said Aptos resident Tim Potter. “So, I just come down and say ‘hi’ to friends, ‘hi’ to everybody, and check out all the rest of the patriots.”

“I’m celebrating freedom,” another Aptosian Francilene Coffey. “I am so proud to be American. I am Brazilian-American.”

The parade had special guests, including Big Foot, Darth Vadar and Santa Claus. 

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Mickey Adams

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY, Calif. (KION-TV) — The Santa Cruz County Board of Education responding to the billions in education funds recently being withheld by the federal government.

The county’s superintendent of schools, Dr. Faris Sabbah, says that the board estimated more than $10 million of that funding was set to be distributed in Santa Cruz County.

He goes on to say that the president’s withholding of these funds likely violates federal law, including the Impoundments Control Act.

Dr. Sabbah also reaffirming the board’s commitment to its students in these times, saying:

“Our students deserve every opportunity that congress intended when it voted to support their education. All students, especially those from our most vulnerable communities, deserve access to these essential resources that create the conditions for them to be safe, learn, and thrive.”

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KTVU FOX 2

OAKLAND, Calif. (KTVU-TV) — Firefighters are responding to a four-alarm blaze burning near the Oakland Coliseum.

The Oakland Fire Department announced on X just before 5:10 p.m. that crews were on the scene of the fire at a commercial building in the 5200 block of East 8th Street.

OFD Fire Chief Damon Convington told KTVU that the fire was first reported at about 4:55 p.m. and was quickly upgraded to a two-alarm, then a four-alarm response.

“This easily could have been a two or three block radius fire had the crews not acted so quickly to get it under control,” Covington said, adding that firefighters were still working to fully extinguish the blaze as of about 6 p.m.

OFD Battalion Chief Porya Jeddi told KTVU that an Oakland Police Department officer on scene who spoke with a tenant of the burning building learned there was a possible marijuana grow operation inside the one-story warehouse, though authorities could not comment on the legality of the operation or if it was related to the fire.

Jeddi noted that the entire warehouse was engulfed in flames by the time firefighters arrived, which he said was “not normal” for a building of that size.

“On a bigger building like this, we have some time to recover. However, upon arrival, the whole warehouse was gone,” Jeddi said.

Jeddi added that the size of the fire meant responders had to switch to defensive tactics once they arrived at the scene. Firefighters focused on defending adjacent buildings that were exposed to the flames.

Jeddi added crews managed to halt the fire from spreading to nearby residential buildings, though the fire spread to RVs parked in the area and to an adjacent abandoned building.

Jeddi said more than 70 firefighters managed to stop forward progress of the fire by about 6 p.m. No firefighters or bystanders were reported injured in the fire.

This is a developing story. Please stay with KTVU for updates. 

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Victor Guzman

TRES PINOS, Calif. (KION-TV) — Cal Fire says Firefighters were able to stop the forward progress on the Sabe Fire burning near Tres Pinos early Friday morning.

Cal Fire says the fire is holding at around 25 acres, with crews staying on scene to strengthen containment lines to make sure all hot spots are extinguished.

The fire was initially reported around 4:30 a.m. near Quien Sabe and Santa Ana Valley roads.

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Mickey Adams

PACIFIC GROVE, Calif. (KION-TV) — New tennis court renovations have been completed in Pacific Grove this week.

The Morris Dil Courts on Fountain Avenue and 14th Street getting a makeover.

Soundproof fencing was already added earlier this year and now resurfacing and restriping efforts have been completed, turning the court closest to Fountain Avenue a dedicated pickleball space while the next court over was restored for tennis.

The improved courts made possible through the city’s Capital Improvement Plan.

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jose.romo

SALINAS, Calif. (KION-TV) — Teams are working on getting the final details squared away for the largest fireworks display in Monterey County.

Compass Church is getting ready to fill the Salinas Sports Complex seats for Friday’s 4th of July Celebrate America Firework Extravaganza. 

“They love the flyover. We have four biplanes this year. We have the parachute coming in with the American flag. We’ve got some beautiful patriotic music, a wonderful choir,” says Todd Anderson, senior pastor at compass church.

He says they are excited to see this event take form for the second year under their leadership. Anderson explains, it all came about through connections within the church.

“One of the families in our church owns the fireworks company,” says Anderson, who had been looking for an event to celebrate July 4th. “So when I discovered they’re a part of compass church, i said, can you guys pull one off here, and they said, I think we can do that.” 

He adds that they hope to provide a safe space for the community to enjoy fireworks. 

“That’s one of the drivers of this is to provide a safe, free, family-friendly event on the 4th of July.” Anderson adds, “I grew up in a family where we probably shot a few bottle rockets off here and there, but you hear the stories. It’s not always safe to do it that way.

“The most dangerous part does come with the loading and the operating of the fireworks themselves.”

David, who works as the pyrotechnic operator for the event, says security teams have been watering the grounds near the fireworks show to ensure a safe zone.

“As of right now, we’re setting up our fireworks. We’re specifically building up our mortars and our racks, inspecting all of our product for defects, making sure all our product is properly wired and secured,” he adds. 

They have also hired additional security to patrol the area. Organizers want to make sure people know they should arrive early to secure their seats. 

“Yeah, last year we saw 14,000 people came out to this,” says Anderson. He adds that city and officials at the rodeo grounds say they will likely have to cap attendance. “They’re expecting a maximum crowd of 16,000. So, a record crowd. But I have to let the people know that once we hit 16,000, we’ve got to shut the gates.”

Gates to the festival will open at 3 pm, with the patriotic service set to kick off at 7 pm. 

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