Monterey County Local News: Families & Children

Celia Jiménez here, thinking of the people who have guided me and believed in me since a young age. That made me think about CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) and the work that they do to provide a stable figure for children who are in foster care.

It has been an especially busy start to the New Year at Salinas Valley Health, with four baby deliveries by early morning, including the first baby born in Monterey County in 2025.

The spirit of Christmas was alive and well earlier this month at the Salinas Valley Fairgrounds in King City, as nearly 600 families from South Monterey County gathered for the annual Operation Santa event.

Moving can be a distressing event in any kid’s life, especially if they are experiencing neglect or abuse. Having a steady presence in their life while navigating the court system and an uncertain future can have a positive lifelong impact.

Of the more than 200 youth centers that crooner and movie star Bing Crosby – and founder of the original Pebble Beach golf tournament – opened across the country to provide activities for pre-teens and teens, only one remains, the Carmel Youth Center. It was his very first center, launched 75 years ago in 1949 while he was living in Pebble Beach. In 2023, it nearly became the last one to shutter.

Hundreds of families recently flocked to Central Park in Gonzales to experience Community Health Day presented by Salinas Valley Health.

Helen Diallo knows both the joy and the pain of the childbirth experience. The Monterey resident has experienced four pregnancies in Monterey County, one of which ended in a miscarriage.

Coastal Kids Home Care marked a significant milestone on Aug. 25, celebrating the 10th anniversary of its Touch-A-Truck event.

The state of California is trying to transform the education system beyond classroom instruction to make it more accessible for parents to get information they need to support students.

If you think about it, Monterey County is a microcosm of California.

Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren recently presented checks appropriated by Congress for two community projects totaling $1.1 million that will help create an electric vehicle charging station and Family Justice Center in King City.

Gonzales residents gathered at Central Park for consecutive Sunday celebrations with Dia del Niño (Day of the Child) followed by Cinco de Mayo (May 5).