Category: kion-local-news

Jeanette Bent

SANTA CRUZ, Calif. (KION-TV) — The Santa Cruz Vegfest returns to Santa Cruz on Saturday at the County Fairgrounds.

The event takes place from 11 a.m. until 6 p.m., promoting everything plant-based in foods and beyond.

Local community members can learn and celebrate over 100 exhibitors offering food samples, live music and a handful of other family-friendly activities.

In addition to these exhibitors, attendees can experience cruelty-free fashion and beauty shops; listen to speakers discussing health, nutrition, environment, compassion and animal liberation; participate in plant-Based cooking demos; and even check out a vegan comedy show!

Children 12 years and younger get in for free, otherwise tickets are $5 pre-sale or $10 at the door.

Visit Vegfest online for more information.

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Scott Rates

MONTEREY COUNTY, Calif. (KION-TV) — The City of Monterey was incorporated on this day 175 years ago on Friday.

This makes it one and three-quarters of a century old!

On May 30, 1850, Monterey way incorporated into a city, hence the reason it’s known as the “First City” — because of it being at the forefronts of multiple milestones.

Said milestones include California’s first newspaper, public library and jury trial.

The official city seal marks the word “Anda,” which means “onward” in Spanish.

Finally, “Anda” represents the spirit of the City of Monterey as it pushes to continued and evolved growth.

Happy birthday, Monterey!

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Dania Romero

HOLLISTER, Calif. (KION) On Friday, South Valley Internet connected migrant communities in Hollister by providing free internet access.

Since the age of 7, Kiaralegna grew up traveling with her farm-working family. Now, she does the same with her husband and three daughters.

“We do seasonal work. So we stay here until like the end of September. Kind of when the season kind of starts flowing back to Arizona,” said Covarrubias.

That constant movement comes with challenges, one of them, internet access.

“We go to try to access their grades, their programs that they offer from school, everything is done online. So the fact that they have internet access, which back then they didn’t, is amazing because you get to access those things without having to pay extra already,” said Covarrubias.

South Valley Internet gathered Friday afternoon to present and celebrate their new fiber build, bridging the digital divide to the southside road labor camp in Hollister, now allowing free internet access for the next 5 years.

“Oftentimes, it’s because the infrastructure just doesn’t exist, or more often it’s because it’s just not cost-effective for companies. And that’s where we, the CPUC, come in. We can provide that extra funding that makes it viable for these companies to come in and provide the services,” said Swearingen, regulatory analyst with the CPUC.

According to Ben, there are 150 families at the Southside Labor Camp, and about 100 of them are school-aged children.

“These kids are going to have a lifeline and much of this community is migrant meaning the students are only here for four to six months a year and so that’s already a challenge changing schools every year so if we can just make their connectivity their access to their their new schools easier then they’re just going to get a little more out of their education,” said Swearingen.

As migrant families continue to move with the seasons, they now carry a stronger connection to education and opportunity in San Benito County.

The cost of this project was 1.8 million. CPUC, along with South Valley Internet, the county helped cover the costs, to make sure people here are linked up.

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Victor Guzman

CASTROVILLE, Calif. (KION-TV) — PG&E is reporting more than three thousand people are without power in the Castroville area this morning.

The outages stretch outside of Castroville into the edge of Marina, Salinas and Prunedale.

PG&E reports the outage was first indicated around 4 a.m.

Power is expected to be restored around 11 a.m..

The cause of the outage is only listed as an “unplanned outage.”

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Jeanette Bent

SANTA CRUZ, Calif. (KION-TV) — Local air taxi company Joby Aviation is celebrating a new investment of $250 million from Toyota.

This new funding brings the two companies closer to a strategic manufacturing alliance.

Joby says the investment is supporting the certification and production of the company’s flagship electric air taxi.

This, in addition to — what the company says — strengthens the long term collaboration between the both companies.

Toyota had previously pledged an investment of another $500 million back in October.

This marks the latest in a long partnership between the two companies, who says they’ve been collaborating since 2019.

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Jeanette Bent

CARMEL, Calif. (KION-TV) — A new alliance of local agencies is banding together to protect the water quality of the Carmel Bay.

The Pebble Beach Company is now working with several nonprofits to pursue a Clean Water Act permit for discharged water coming from Pebble Beach Golf Links going into the Carmel Bay.

This effort is expected to bring more water quality monitoring and help develop best practices for discharges into the bay.

This all comes while also pledging $50 thousand to the Big Sur Land Trust to support projects related to the bay’s water quality.

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Jeanette Bent

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY, Calif. (KION-TV) — The City of Santa Cruz’s new sugary drink tax is already seeing challengers.

The American beverage association and partners filing a lawsuit this week saying that the tax conflicts with state law.

The sugary drink tax was passed back in November under Measure Z, which was designated to apply a two-cent-per-fluid ounce tax on those drinks.

Plaintiffs in this lawsuit argue that the tax violates the 2018 “Keep Groceries Affordable” act, calling for the tax to be unenforceable.

They’re saying that all proceeds from that tax, since it went into effect earlier this month, should be refunded.

KION reached out to the City of Santa Cruz for comment on this case. The City Manager Matt Huffaker said: “No one is surprised that big soda, after having spent millions to stop the measure unsuccessfully, may be seeking to overturn the tax that the majority of Santa Cruz voters supported. We are confident that charter cities like Santa Cruz have the right to impose and enforce this type of tax.”

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Jeanette Bent

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY, Calif. (KION-TV) — CHP Santa Cruz says that after a solo vehicle accident into a power pole after 3 p.m. Thursday, Lakeview Road north of Highway 129 is closed.

CHP saying that the closure is expected to last overnight in that area.

According to PG&E’s outage map, the power is expected to return at 4 a.m. and is currently effecting 203 people in the area.

This is a developing story and will be updated as details become available.

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Victor Guzman

SOUTH SANTA CLARA COUNTY, Calif. (KION-TV) — Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority announced ramps will be closed on Friday May 30 into the following day for construction along a portion of Highway 101.

The VTA says the closure is for the off-ramp from southbound 101 to Highway 25 and the on-ramp from Highway 25 to southbound 101.

The closure will last from Friday at 9 pm into Saturday morning at 6 am.

The VTA says detours are in place for traffic trying to get around the closures.

The VTA says more info about the construction project can be found at vta.org/sr25 or call 408-321-7575.

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Jeanette Bent

MONTEREY COUNTY, Calif. (KION-TV) – A missing hiker was found with minor injuries in Garrapata State Park this afternoon, according to the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office.

The hiker, a 69-year-old woman from Carmel, was reported missing last night after they took a routine 2 p.m. hike in the Carmel Highlands area.

Monterey County Sheriff’s Office and Cal Fire BEU began search and rescue efforts into the night before calling off efforts around 2 a.m.

This morning, efforts continued with more agencies helping in efforts from Santa Cruz, San Mateo, and Santa Clara.

Using drones, they were able to locate the missing hiker around 12:40 p.m.

She was transported to a nearby hospital to check on her injuries.

One man reported missing Wednesday evening near Garrapata Creek; Cal Fire BEU

MONTEREY COUNTY, Calif. (KION-TV) — Cal Fire BEU confirmed that a 60-year-old man was reported missing to State Parks Wednesday evening near Garrapata Creek in Monterey County.

They said that there is a search for the man currently underway using personnel crews and drones.

This is a developing story and more details will be added as we receive them.

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