Category: kion-local-news

Mickey Adams

WATSONVILLE, Calif. (KION-TV) — Nerds of all stripes will be descending on the Central Coast this weekend for the 5th annual Nerdville Comic Con!

It’s happening Sunday, June 29 from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. at Watsonville High School.

Local vendors, game tournaments, celebrity panels and more will be featured.

There will also be performances scheduled from the Watsonville Community Band and folklore dance group Angeles Danzantes.

It promises to be a fun filled weekend!

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Associated Press

MONTEREY COUNTY, Calif. (KION-TV) — The Monterey County District Attorney announced Friday that a Salinas Valley State Prisoner was convicted of first degree murder and assault three years after a stabbing at the prison.

The District Attorney says that life prisoner Lawrence Adams stabbed fellow inmate Robert Tunstall more than 15 times in the prison’s yard in October, 2022 using a makeshift weapon.

Tunstall died within minutes of the attack, according to the DA’s office.

Adams now faces a maximum sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Inmates die after being attacked in California prison yards

FOLSOM, Calif. (AP) — Two inmates serving life sentences have died after being attacked at California prisons, corrections officials said Wednesday.

Robert Tunstall, 64, died Wednesday morning after another inmate attacked him in the recreation yard at Salinas Valley State Prison, according to a statement from the state Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.

Life-saving measures failed and Tunstall was pronounced dead about a half-hour after the attack, authorities said.

An inmate-made weapon was recovered and a suspect identified as Lawrence Adams, 42.

Tunstall was admitted to prison from Solano County in 1976, to serve life with the possibility of parole for first-degree murder, corrections officials said.

Adams was admitted from Tuolomne County in 2007 to serve life in prison with the possibility of parole under third-strike convictions for arson and other charges. He also was serving additional years for two attacks on other inmates at separate prisons, authorities said.

Meanwhile, authorities were investigating the death of an inmate at State Prison, Sacramento on Tuesday afternoon.

Two fellow inmates assaulted Felipe Rodriguez in the prison yard and the 36-year-old was pronounced dead about a half-hour later.

Two inmate-made weapons were recovered, authorities said.

Rodriguez was serving life sentences, including one without the possibility of parole, for crimes including mayhem, extortion, attempted murder and kidnapping resulting in death. He was first sent to prison from San Bernardino County in 2015 to serve nine years for carjacking, authorities said.

Investigators named two suspects: 41-year-old Selso E. Orozco Jr. and 36-year-old Mike A. Calderon.

Orozco is serving a 23-year sentence on robbery and weapons charges. Calderon received a life-without-parole sentence after being convicted of first-degree murder.

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Scott Rates

MONTEREY COUNTY, Calif. (KION-TV) — KION’s Scott Rates sits down with former Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta during their final installment of the current state of world affairs.

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Briana Mathaw

SANTA CRUZ, Calif. (KION-TV) – One of Santa Cruz’s most iconic venues has a new name. What used to be called the Cocoanut Grove is now officially known as The Grove: Santa Cruz Event Center.

“I was surprised, yeah. But yeah, I liked it before,” Stephen Baron said.

“Change is always gonna have some positive or negative connotations with it. So some people may be upset, some people may be okay,” Karon Toussaint said.

“They had the crew and they put the cones out and stuff, and they were here for about a week changing the name. It was a Cocoanut Grove before,” Stephen Baron said.

The Cocoanut Grove has been a staple in Santa Cruz since 1934. Before that, the event space was known as the Casino Ballroom, dating all the way back to 1907.

“We rebranded the Cocoanut Grove to The Grove: Santa Cruz Event Center to reflect how the usage of this unique space has evolved, while still honoring our rich history. Originally conceived to support big band concerts, elaborate galas, and large weddings, this rebranding reflects how The Grove has grown into a modern and dynamic event space hosting conferences, seminars, meetings, trade shows, dances, banquets, and special events,” Kris Reyes, Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk spokesperson, said.

“I don’t think they need to change it, but sometimes change is good. I mean, I know I liked it before, but yeah, I don’t know why they would change it,” Stephen Baron said.

“I just know it mainly as the place where there’s prom and grad night and all these really great memories. And I am a big fan of the history of the Boardwalk,” Beetle Barrow said.

“It doesn’t fit the retro vibe that you go to the Boardwalk for,” Beetle Barrow said.

The Grove now focuses more on hosting conferences, seminars, and trade shows, moving away from its long-standing image as a ballroom for big band music and elegant social events.

“I think it’s a good thing. I think history, although history is important, it’s also good to move forward,” Stephen Baron said.

Some are still unsure about why the name had to change, while others have their own theories.

“I know they owned the Bohemian that’s going up. So maybe that’s why, because he was really nice and everything, and maybe they wanted to change,” Stephen Baron said.

The iconic Cocoanut Grove sign was taken down two months ago. That move sparked a strong reaction from locals nostalgic about the name and what it represents.

Reactions to the name change remain mixed.

Some want to hold on to the past, while others see it as a natural step toward the future one that still respects the venue’s place in Santa Cruz history.

“I just don’t understand why we need to change it. Because all of these other signs are so great. That neon casino sign like, I hope they don’t change anything else,” Beetle Barrow said.

While a few are upset, others say they’re okay with the rebranding as long as the event center stays open and the space inside remains the same.

According to Kris Reyes, Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk spokesperson, no major renovations came with the name change, it’s still the same space inside.

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Ata Shaheen

CAPITOLA, Calif. (KION-TV) — The City of Capitola is eyeing a redevelopment of the wharf ever since it washed away three winters ago.

The city, asking for the public to weigh-in on what they want out on the water.

“It was really a tragedy when we got the report in 2023 that we had to demolish the buildings that were out there,” said Katie Herlihy, Capitola’s Community Development Director. “I’ve never seen city hall as full as it was that night.”

Herlihy saying that the 2023 city hall turnout shows how much people love the wharf, the city council coming up with a long-term plan even before demolishing buildings.

Now, two years later, they’ve got a better idea of what people want to see done.

“People liked what they liked before all the restaurants went in the ocean,” said Courtney Christiansen with consultant group Fuse Architecture. “They want them back. They want at least the same functionality.”

Fuse Architecture surveyed over 1,000 people with different concepts.

The wharf now having new piles and boards as well as being wider than before the collapse.

The only thing it’s lacking — structurally — is height.

“It should be about eight feet higher, but the cost to bring it up those eight feet is not really feasible at this time,” said Todd Kent with the City of Capitola. “We’re going to do our best as architects and designers and engineers to prepare for [future storms].”

One engineer who studied the wharf indicated that a permanent building like a full restaurant could actually improve the structural integrity of the wharf.

And, Fuse’s survey showed strong public desire for a restaurant, like the old Wharf House.

“It would be a great thing,” said a local on the wharf Thursday. “You know, I miss the old restaurant; it was a good menu, they had live music and they were great people.”

“We can really push it in the right direction,” said Capitola’s Community Development Director Katie Herlihy.

The ideal outcome would give people who live here a more developed wharf, while the city could collect a portion of the profits from businesses.

But, there’s still one missing piece…

“We need someone to be interested in, like the wharf master plan that we’re putting together,” said Herlihy. “That will be just a conceptual blueprint for the future, and then we’ll be looking for a private partner to come in and help us develop that.”

The city says it’s coming back in late October to present the wharf master plan, and if there’s no hiccups, construction could start in a couple years.

Some people commenting at today’s meeting pushed for getting something temporary like a hot dog stand out there much sooner. The city saying they would consider that.

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Maxwell Glenn

CASTROVILLE, Calif. (KION-TV) — The Monterey County Sheriff’s Office announced the arrest of a 17-year-old male juvenile for the murder of Marcelino Calixto Pastrana of Castroville on June 26.

They say that the minor has been booked into the Monterey County Juvenile Hall on one count of murder, attempted murder, attempted robbery, conspiracy to commit a felony, and gang enhancement charges.

Deputies say that they apprehended the juvenile on July 16 with the help of the United States Marshal Service.

They say the minor was found along the 10600 block of Axtell Street in Castroville after detectives were able to gather enough information and perform four search warrants for the suspect.

According to Monterey deputies, the Monterey Peninsula Regional Special Response Unit (MPSRU) and Watsonville Police Department assisted with the warrants, where a firearm was located.

The Monterey County Sheriff’s Office says that a total of three suspects were arrested “pursuant to Ramey Warrants where a judge found that there was probable cause to arrest for the crimes charged.”

Now, deputies are asking anyone with further information about the whereabouts of another suspect, 17-year-old Isiah Rodriguez.

“We are advising the public that he is considered to be armed and dangerous. If you see him do not approach him, contact the police department or sheriff’s department as quickly as possible but at the same time we encourage Mr. Rodriguez and his family to do the right thing in this case, we encourage him to surrender himself to law enforcement,” MCSO Commander Andy Rosas said.

He is described as 6 feet, 150 pounds with black hair and brown eyes, and he is known to wear glasses.

Anyone with information on Rodriguez’s whereabouts is asked to contact Detective Christina Scariot at 831-253-6076 or Detective Sergeant James Day at 831-597-0065.

They say that information can also be provided anonymously by going to the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office web page, MCSO.countyofmonterey.gov and selecting “Submit a Crime Tip.

Victim killed in Castroville shooting identified, other remains in critical condition

CASTROVILLE, Calif. (KION-TV) – A victim killed in a shooting in Castroville on June 27 has been identified as 27-year-old Marcelino Calixto Pastrana of Castroville.

According to the Monterey County Sheriff’s Department, Pastrana was pronounced dead at the hospital the same night of the shooting.

The second victim, identified as a 17-year-old male from Salinas, remains in the hospital in critical condition.

“Our thoughts are with Mr. Pastana’s family during this painful time and we remain focused on seeking justice on their behalf,” said Sheriff Tina Nieto. “We also keep the juvenile victim and his family in our prayers as he fights for his life.”

MCSO is also asking those who may have information to contact Detective Richard Geng at 831-759-7229 or Sergeant Daniel Hopkins at 831-225-4883.

The shooting remains under investigation as a homicide.

One killed, one injured in Castroville shooting

CASTROVILLE, Calif. (KION-TV) — Update 8:50 a.m. June 27: The Monterey County Sheriff’s office confirms one of the two victims died of their injuries at the hospital.

The deceased is not being identified until their next of kin can be notified. The homicide investigation remains ongoing.

Gunfire echoed in front of Mohammed Mozip’s business in Castroville. For him and others in the area, it sounded like the Fourth of July came early, until they heard sirens and saw blood on the ground.

“I heard the shot like maybe four or five times. And I didn’t expect somebody to get shot or anything. Because I didn’t hear noise or trouble, or we just heard the shot. The people have firecrackers, and they start shooting. I was saying like that. And like five minutes later, the police came and they told us something had happened right there. We went over there and we saw the blood,” said Mohammed Mozip, owner of Castroville Mini Mart.

“We were watching TV then, and the dog in the house started barking. And then Stephanie, my daughter, then got up to open the door, and she goes, Don’t worry about it at the fireworks. And then that’s what she told me this morning, that it wasn’t fireworks, but rather that she found out that there was a shooting right in the corner here,” said Margaret Mendoza, who lives in Castroville.

According to the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office, one person is now dead and another injured in the shooting that happened Thursday night around 9 pm on the 10000 block of Merritt Street.

“We were saying, can you imagine? I mean the shooting is right next door,” said Mendoza.

The person passed away at a hospital, according to the Sheriff’s Office. Neighbors in the area say Castroville is a tight-knit farming community, where they often look out for one another.

As the investigation continues and the Fourth of July holiday nears, MCSO urges people to stay alert.

“Everybody to be careful on the 4th of July and just be observant of everything that’s around you,” said Mendoza.

“I hope so, and this is the first time, the last time, and everybody be safe,” said Mozip.

The Sheriff’s Office is releasing limited information at this time. No word on any possible suspects, and the names of the victims are not being released at this time.

This is a developing story, and we will continue to update this article as more information becomes available.

Shooting in Castroville Thursday night; Monterey County Sheriff’s Office

The Monterey County Sheriff’s Office announced that there was a shooting Thursday night near the Castroville Post Office around 9 p.m.

They say that the two victims self-transported to a local hospital for treatment.

Deputies responded to the possible crime scene in the parking lot behind the Castroville Market at 10696 Merritt Street.

They say that the incident remains under active investigation, and there are no additional details available at this time.

Monterey County Sheriff’s Office is asking the community to report any information they may have regarding the shooting by contacting Sergeant Daniel Hopkins at 831.225.4883 or submitting details to MontereySheriff.org‘s “Submit a crime tip” tab.

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Jeanette Bent

PACIFIC GROVE, Calif. (KION-TV) — The city council pay increase in Pacific Grove is now on pause as of Friday after a referendum to put the issue in the voter’s hands snagged enough signatures.

This stack of paper equals nearly 1,700 signatures from Pacific Grove voters that has now been submitted to the city’s government.

That pay increase had been approved by the council back in May, raising the council members’ and mayors’ pay by 130%.

Leaders from Transparent Pacific Grove, who started this movement, call the city council’s actions a “money grab” without voter approval.

With the number of signatures gathered, it seems many voters agree.

Pacific Grove’s potential city council pay increase met with disagreement

PACIFIC GROVE, Calif. (KION-TV) — A referendum against an ordinance of the Pacific Grove City Council to increase the compensation of its mayor and city council members, is gaining steam.

This referendum could stop the pay raise, organizers saying that they already have the signatures they need.

“[Voters] were outraged both at the amount and the way that [the council] implemented it,” said the referendum’s proponent and former council member Luke Coletti. “It was basically a good old-fashioned money grab, and it was done in a very non-transparent way. It was a very ham handed attempt at basically voting themselves a raise without checking in to the voters first.”

Last May, Pacific Grove’s city council approved a pay raise of 130%, followed two weeks later by this referendum led by Transparent Pacific Grove.

According to the California legislature 36516:

“(4) The salary of council members may be increased beyond the amount provided in this subdivision by an ordinance or by an amendment to an ordinance, but the amount of the increase shall not exceed the greater of either of the following:

(A) An amount equal to 5 percent for each calendar year from the operative date of the last adjustment of the salary in effect when the ordinance or amendment is enacted.

(B) An amount equal to inflation since January 1, 2024, based upon the California Consumer Price Index, which shall not exceed 10 percent for each calendar year.”

Organizers say that the petition needed over 1,000 signatures and they already have more than 1,450, which, they believe, is why the issue is resonating with voters.

“We’re about 40% over the required 10% [of signatures],” said Coletti, who went on to say that the council went around state law to grant themselves the raise.

Addressing the rest of the Pacific Grove City Council during the meeting on June 18, Mayor Bill Peake urged for people’s support by not signing the petition.

“Don’t sign the petition… council has a lot of obligations and it’s not always easy,” he said. “So, show your support for council, don’t sign it.”

Transparent Pacific Grove plans to present the city council with its petition on July 1, which could land the issue on November’s ballot.

KION reached out to Mayor Bill Peake for comment, but have not heard back.

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Briana Mathaw

WATSONVILLE, Calif. (KION-TV) – An electric car share program is officially on its way to Watsonville.

The Watsonville City Council has approved a two-year agreement with the nonprofit Míocar to launch a pilot electric car share program.

The nonprofit Míocar is bringing shared electric vehicles to three city owned lots.

“We want to offer what it’s like to have an electric vehicle. We want to remove those fears from people that say, oh, well, this is a big change. Or maybe electric vehicle is not for us,” Alberto Rodriguez-Pepe said.

“There is a need and necessity of not only green transportation for everyone, but also another transportation solution,” Alberto Rodriguez-Pepe said.

During the pilot, two electric vehicles will be available and participation will be free for a limited group of pre-selected community members.

“The pricing of the services is $4 an hour, $35 for the whole day. 150 miles are included and then it’s $0.35 per extra mile. The minimum reservation time is one hour and the maximum is 24 hours,” Alberto Rodriguez-Pepe said.

Cars will be parked at Watsonville City Hall, Romo Park, and the Watsonville Municipal Airport, with more locations planned in future phases of the program.

“They don’t have a vehicle, but they do want to do large shopping trips at places you can only access by vehicle. They can take a bus here, get a car for a very reasonable price,” Toto Vu-Duc said.

The Watsonville pilot is being funded in part by a $7.2 million state grant, secured through a partnership between city staff and local nonprofit ecology action.

“Míocar brings the offering of greater use of the chargers, which generates a little bit of revenue for the city through low carbon fuel standard credits. That means for any fuel dispensed through the EV chargers, the city receives funding through a credit program,” Toto Vu-Duc said.

One goal of the project is to let people experience electric vehicles firsthand, and ideally reduce the number of personal vehicles on the road.

“Something like a car share service means maybe you don’t have to purchase a vehicle. And that can keep the number of cars down to a minimum off the roads through the car sharing model program,” Toto Vu-Duc said.

“Everyone should have access to these at an affordable price,” Alberto Rodriguez-Pepe said.

By the end of the year, all eight electric vehicles are expected to be fully launched, with the hope of expanding the program after the pilot phase.

The program is expected to roll out over late summer.

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Briana Mathaw

CASTROVILLE, Calif. (KION) – A familiar landmark in Castroville is getting a major upgrade as the town’s iconic “Artichoke Center of the World” sign is set to be replaced. Thanks to a $488,000 grant from the state’s Clean California program, the long-awaited project is finally becoming a reality.

“The structure that it’s on is a bit old and weathered and a little rusty, and the sign has seen better days. And they had a preliminary design to replace the sign with. But they never had the funding to do it,” Corby Kilmer, Senior Landscape Architect, Clean CA Beautification Project Coordinator, said.

The original structure, weathered and rusting, had been in place for decades.

While the community had previously developed a design concept, funding was never available until the launch of the Clean California initiative three years ago.

“The governor came up with the Clean California program, which is a really remarkable, one of a kind beautification program, something that Caltrans has never done before or had funding to do,” Kilmer said.

Created under Governor Gavin Newsom and funded through the state’s general fund, the Clean California initiative focuses exclusively on beautification projects in underserved communities.

It cannot be used for traditional road repairs like pothole filling, but instead supports community enhancement and job creation.

Caltrans says the new sign will keep the same message and a similar look, but with a design that fits better with the town’s aesthetic.

“The new sign has much more of, a bit of, Western Victorian feel to it, which goes with the two historic buildings that are on either corner and throughout the downtown of Castroville,” Kilmer said.

The final version features a classic black and gold color palette with hand-painted artichokes and decorative scrollwork that aligns with Castroville’s historic downtown architecture.

The community was involved throughout the process, giving input on color schemes, materials, and design elements.

Everybody working on this job, the same fabricators, the same installer, the traffic control guy, are all local.

“Caltrans or Castroville specific, pretty much small businesses. So that’s been a really cool bonus. It’s created a lot of jobs in the community. So yeah, that cost includes,” Kilmer said.

“It will be a good thing, because a new sign will bring more views here to our beloved Castro, which is a place that has given me life for many years, life, work,” Kilmer said.

“The funding had to be used specifically for doing projects in underserved communities and doing things that were about beautification, not about filling potholes. The money can’t be used for anything else but beautification,” Kilmer said.

In addition to a fresh new look, the sign’s structure will be made more accessible for pedestrians and cyclists.

“We really saw an opportunity to get those posts sort of out of the traveled way where pedestrians are, to give it sort of a wider span to make sure that, you know, it wasn’t in the way of people walking or bikes or trucks and stuff turning the corner,” Kilmer said.

Construction activity this week is focused on Preston Street, where workers are installing support posts that will hold the new sign.

A ribbon cutting ceremony is planned for July 10 to celebrate the completion of the project and honor the community’s role in bringing this vision to life.

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Mickey Adams

MONTEREY COUNTY, Calif. (KION-TV) — The County of Monterey continues to monitor the impacts of the fire at Vistra Energy’s battery storage facility back in January.

Staff say a toxicologist will be hired to review and evaluate data that has been — and is being — gathered from around the clean-up site in Moss Landing.

The toxicologist will make recommendations for additional sampling, if needed.

The county estimating this additional analysis will cost over $18,000. 

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