Gonzales owes its name to the two brothers who founded the city—Dr. Mariano Gonzalez and Alfredo Gonzales—on land given to their father, Teodoro Gonzalez, in 1836. According to Wikipedia, the two brothers are credited with constructing one of the first irrigation systems in the Salinas Valley. Irrigation led to ranching, dairy farms and agricultural fields; even today, the largest employers are food producers. Another thriving industry is wine production—some 46 vineyard properties are in the area, with 5,900 acres in production. According to U.S. census date, he city’s estimated 8,300 residents are overwhelmingly Latino (88.9 percent), and most live in family groups (89.4 percent).

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City Council

The Gonzales City Council is composed of five members who are elected at large. The mayor is elected every two years, and councilmembers serve staggered four-year terms.

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Salinas Valley Tribune logo From Salinas Valley Tribune...

03/15/2024
Image for display with article titled Design Phase Now Complete for Gonzales Community Center Complex

City of Gonzales has announced that on Feb. 28 the design/build team of Otto Construction/WRNS Studio submitted 100% construction documents for the Dennis and Janice Caprara Community Center Complex to the city for building code review by its building official.

Monterey County Weekly logo From Monterey County Weekly...

02/07/2024
Image for display with article titled South County Cities Seek Private Donors for Two Community Centers

A community center can bring people of different ages together and give them a sense of belonging. It’s also a venue for people to learn new skills.

Salinas Valley Tribune logo From Salinas Valley Tribune...

01/15/2024
Image for display with article titled Members Appointed for Gonzales Youth Council

Eighteen youths have been selected to serve on the 2023-24 Gonzales Youth Council, a program sponsored by the city with support from the Gonzales Unified School District.

Salinas Valley Tribune logo From Salinas Valley Tribune...

12/14/2023
Image for display with article titled Gonzales Police Officers Complete ABLE Training Program

The entire Gonzales Police Department completed the Active Bystandership for Law Enforcement program on Nov. 30.

Monterey County Weekly logo From Monterey County Weekly...

11/19/2023
Image for display with article titled Gonzales Youth Council Shows the Power of Intergenerational Collaboration

For a Monterey County Weekly cover story, Celia Jiménez spoke with several teenagers about the work they’ve done in their communities.

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