Category: kion-local-news

Jeanette Bent

CENTRAL COAST, Calif. (KION-TV) — Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) has announced that it will be offering financial support to eligible customers needing help paying for past-due energy bills.

The company saying that it has allotted $50 million towards new and existing programs, including the Match My Payment Program and the PG&E Relief for Energy Assistance through Community Help (REACH) program.

According to PG&E, 5,196 customers in Monterey County could qualify for the Match My Payment Program of up to $1,000, while 1,027 people in San Benito and 2,513 people in Santa Cruz counties could qualify.

Of that amount, 5,089 in Monterey, 612 in San Benito and 1,867 Santa Cruz County residents could be eligible for REACH funding of up to $300.

PG&E’s Match My Payment Program offers a dollar-for-dollar match up to $1,000, while the REACH program provides income-eligible customers a bill credit of up to $300 based on the past-due bill.

The Match My Payment Program is scheduled to end December 31, 2025 with eligibility based on federal income guidelines (i.e. a family of four making less than $128,600 per year).

Application information and more details about the programs, can be found by visiting PG&E’s website here.

Funding is distributed on a first-come, first-served basis, depending on available resources.

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Jeanette Bent

BEN LOMOND, Calif. (KION-TV) — San Lorenzo Valley fire volunteers announced that they’ve received a federal grant to help educate the community regarding fire safety and prevention.

They said that in 2024, the US Department of Homeland Security awarded a FEMA Disaster Fire Prevention and Safety grant for $269.806.69 to the Ben Lomond Fire Protection District (BLFPD) along with Boulder Creek FPD, Felton FPD and Zayante FPD to purchase a new, contemporary Fire Safety Education Trailer and specialized training fire extinguishers.

“The award recognizes the courage, passion, and perseverance of our volunteer firefighters who show us every day that they are committed to doing everything they can to protect life and property in our mountain communities,” said Ben Lomond Fire Chief Stacie Brownlee.

Now, the four SLV fire districts can replace the 37-year-old Fire Safety Education Trailer with a newer model with specialized training fire extinguishers.

“Trailer features include many safety demonstrations, such as earthquake and storm simulations, doors that heat up with smoke, artificial fire extinguishers that teach the participants how to put out various fires, barbecue gas shut off, and a stove that simulates catching on fire,” said the fire district.

The new trailer is also set to be transported to each school site in October to help demonstrate hands-on tours and special curriculum for students.

“Since 1999, the volunteer firefighters of the fire districts – Ben Lomond, Zayante, Boulder Creek, and Felton – have conducted hands-on classroom and trailer instruction at SLV preschools and elementary classrooms, reaching more than 1,100 students and their families annually,” said the district. “The new trailer will serve more than 1,500 SLV students. Collectively, these volunteer fire departments serve more than 34,000 residents of the San Lorenzo Valley.”

A video tour of the Fire Safety Education Trailer is available here.

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Victor Guzman

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY, Calif. (KION-TV) — CHP-Santa Cruz is investigating a deadly crash involving an e-bike on Wednesday afternoon.

The CHP said it happened around 1:32 pm along Manfre Road east of Larkin Valley Road.

The CHP said a 78-year-old man from Soquel was riding in the area when, for reasons unknown to investigators, the man went off the road and crashed into a dirt embankment south of Manfre Road.

Officers said the man died at the scene.

The CHP also indicated it’s unknown if alcohol/drugs were factors in the crash and are working to investigate.

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Katie Nicora

SEASIDE, Calif. (KION-TV) – Meals on Wheels of the Monterey Peninsula is hoping to open a new facility in Seaside.

The city’s planning commission is set to review the proposal tonight.

A city report states that the organization is eyeing the former site of Monterey Peninsula Power Sports, at 1020 Auto Center Parkway.  

The report also shows that the proposed facility is designed as a production kitchen and a meal delivery hub.

It would also serve as the central kitchen for the organization’s home-delivered meal program.

Meals on Wheels says it has served nearly 120,000 meals to Seaside residents this fiscal year.

That includes about 10,000 home deliveries and nearly 1,300 in-person meals at the Oldemeyer Center in May.

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Victor Guzman

SALINAS, Calif. (KION-TV) — California recently implemented a new law requiring school districts to place the 988 mental health crisis line on ID cards for students in grades 7 through 12.

It’s a move Monterey County Behavioral Health believes will spark a conversation among teens about mental health, while also serving to let teens know about the resources available if they’re struggling with mental health issues.

According to U.S. Health and Human Services, 13% of teens are dealing with depression, 32% are suffering from anxiety disorders and last year the Jed Foundation reported more than 12% of teens shared they had serious thoughts of suicide.

Behavioral Health staff say the current generation of teens are far more open to talk about mental health than previous generations.

“Schools are talking about mental health and wellness and including mental health in that process,” says Behavioral Health Services Manager Liz Perez-Cordero. “This makes our youth more comfortable bringing up some of their challenges.”

The Monterey County Office of Education says the state’s new law about 988 combined with steps taken by local schools to address mental health issues among teens is a 1-2 punch needed after the pandemic.

Mental health issues increased during that time, including among teens.

As for 2025, Behavioral Health staff say 64 youth called the community crisis or 988 line since January.

But some hurdles exist in tackling mental health issues in teens.

Some of which has to do with the stigma of talking about mental health, plus the lack of involvement from some parents to even approach the subject.

“It’s being the empathetic ear and having the conversation and talking honestly about the stresses we’re experiencing in today’s world and being honest about it,” says Behavioral Health Services Manager Kelly Molton. “Ask the question directly ‘Are you thinking about suicide? do you want to die?’ and to not have a huge reaction when someone says yes.”

Behavioral Health staff says the lack of clinicians providing mental health services is also a prominent issue.

“We do not have enough mental health professionals. It’s something we talked about in our systems all over the place both for private and for public services,” says Perez-Cordero.

County health leaders say it’s okay to not be okay, and if you need someone to talk to, and have no one to turn to, to give them a call.

For more information on Crisis Services, visit Monterey County Behavioral Health by clicking here

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Victor Guzman

CARMEL VALLEY, Calif. (KION-TV) — Thousands of homes are without power on Tuesday morning according to PG&E.

The agency is only referring to the outage as “unplanned” with no specific cause listed.

So far the outage is impacting around 3,400 homes, with the estimated restoration time listed at around 4 pm.

This is a developing story

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Jeanette Bent

FELTON, Calif. (KION-TV) — The San Lorenzo Valley Water District is partnering with the Resource Conservation District of Santa Cruz County to host a tour of the Olympia Watershed in Felton.

The tour is set to happen from 9 a.m. until 10:30 a.m. Saturday, July 12.

It is intended to showcase the recently completed habitat and wildfire resilience project.

The tour is open to the public and will take visitors on a 1.5-mile hike at the Olympia Watershed to learn about the rare sandhills, the watershed and how the project removed invasive plants to reduce the risk of wildfire and enhance habitat.

As a part of the tour, visitors will also learn about the animals and plants that call the watershed home, including several endangered species.

To learn more and register for the free tour, visit www.slvwd.com.

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Jeanette Bent

SANTA CRUZ, Calif. (KION-TV) — U.C. Santa Cruz announced that the school’s computational media researchers created a series of games designed to help communities build resilience to wildfires.

They say that faced with challenging decisions in the moment of a fire, can have serious impacts on the outcome.

The games invite players to confront stressful topics, initiating individual preparedness and larger dialogues through simulation based on potential real-world emergency scenarios.

The games — Firewise Residents, Firesafe Friends, and Find Your Things — each deal with complex dilemmas asking people to make hard decisions in tough moments.

You can access the games for free by visiting https://ucsc-wildfire-games.itch.io/wildfire-minigames-collection.

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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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