Monterey County Public Safety Articles

As the COVID pandemic eased, so did the epidemic of death on the road. Somewhat. But the ongoing crisis of traffic fatalities remains at high levels with early numbers form 2023 appearing to top 4,000 in California.

Monterey Fire Chief Gaudenz Panholzer is retiring from the leadership position he's held since 2013, the city announced this morning, Monday, Dec. 11. The announcement comes less than two weeks after Monterey Firefighters Association Local 3707 shared publicly that 87…

On Nov. 7, 87 percent of the 71 members of the Monterey Firefighters Association Local 3707 took a vote of “no confidence” in Monterey Fire Chief Gaudenz Panholzer, the union announced on Tuesday, Nov. 28. The public announcement was sudden…

California and 32 other states are suing Instagram’s parent company, Meta, saying that their apps are damaging to children. Is there evidence for those claims? Here’s why social media is under attack.

California has more gun laws than any other state. Here's how it took a series of mass shootings to make the state the toughest in the country on guns.

A recent incident in San Francisco spurred the Department of Motor Vehicles and the California Public Utilities Commission to suspend the licenses for Cruise’s driverless cars.

Gov. Gavin Newsom’s signature mental health policies allow the involuntary treatment of more Californians with severe mental illnesses. Some fear the new laws will infringe on the civil liberties of people confined against their will.

Going for a walk, spending a day in the grass and playing basketball are part of the routine for people who live near Closter Park, the most-visited park in Salinas.

Gov. Newsom just signed a tax on firearms and ammunition, among other new gun control laws. California’s remaining gun manufacturers wonder if they have a future.

Whether you’re on the Monterey Peninsula, in the Salinas Valley or Big Sur, keep these information resources handy on your smartphone.

In the Imperial County desert, a volunteer group routinely maintains large barrels filled with water to help migrants traversing the California desert. As rescues increase, the longstanding immigration policies that funneled migrants to such harsh terrain deserve scrutiny.

SOLEDAD — A temporary redesign along Front Street in Soledad for a Safe Routes to School project demonstration is now open for community members to test out, announced Transportation Agency for Monterey County (TAMC). The demonstration, which began Sept. 8 …

Legislators weren’t able to reach a compromise that helps insurers with wildfire risk while also protecting homeowners. Interest groups hope to find one in meetings this fall.

Hate crimes were up 20 percent in California in 2022, with those against transgender, Muslim and Black people increasing especially sharply. But the state is also spending more than any other to combat such crimes, including a hotline, state commission …

A bipartisan bill to prohibit TikTok on state phones is shelved until 2024. It had breezed through the state Legislature, but the authors want to tweak the measure. It's the latest social media regulation to get stalled in California.

California cities are struggling to hire police in a tight labor market after the COVID pandemic. Some are raising by double digits and offering eye-catching bonuses.