Monterey County Public Safety Articles

County sheriffs have tended to be predominantly white, male and politically conservative. But in California, those trends may be moving in the other direction, as recent elections and legislation appear to show.

The U.S. Department of Justice said it has seen a tenfold increase in the amount of ghost guns seized by law enforcement since 2016.

California's assault weapons ban, in place since 1989, may not stand up to a new Supreme Court decision that makes it much harder for states to impose gun control. A federal court brief filed June 30 aims to strike down …

Seaside resident Edith Hernandez, who lives on Hilby Avenue between Noche Buena Street and Gen. Jim Moore Boulevard, became so alarmed by speeding and collisions that this spring, she began walking door to door to gather enough signatures so that…

As California insurance companies have revoked the fire policies of thousands of homeowners, the state has taken steps to get them covered again.

The 2022 California wildfire season looks like another dangerous one, with the state's historic drought showing no signs of letting up. Here's what to expect, and some measures the state is taking to slow down the flames.

MONTEREY COUNTY — Cal Fire plans to conduct numerous broadcast burns and pile burning throughout this year in San Benito and Monterey counties. The purpose of these projects is to reintroduce fire into the ecosystem, thereby reducing hazardous fire fuels …

California is creating wildlife crossings that can help animals get across dangerous highways without risk of death from vehicle strikes. Here are five of them.

GREENFIELD — Safer routes to schools are coming to Greenfield, and community members are invited to participate in a Safe Routes to School Community Workshop and Festival this Saturday. The May 14 event, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., will …

Following the K-Street shooting, a freelance journalist's thoughts about reporting on the deadliest single episode of gun violence in Sacramento history.

The modern gun control movement started in California. Surprisingly, it was the work of Ronald Regan and the Black Panther Party. Here’s what happened.

On April 7, the city of Salinas announced the retirement of Fire Chief Michele Vaughn.

BIG SUR — A Monterey County judge has found 31-year-old Ivan Gomez guilty of starting the Big Sur Dolan Fire, which seriously injured a firefighter and destroyed multiple residences, as well as throwing rocks at a vehicle, cultivating marijuana and …

Making it through the earthquake is the easy part. The hard part is surviving in the chaos that follows.

KING CITY — Residents in King City are among the first in the state to use a new community engagement and feedback solution service after an interaction with the King City Police Department. The new program, called CueHit, launched locally …

Only days after the Colorado Fire sparked and quickly scorched nearly 700 acres of the Big Sur coastline, Cal Fire announced the cause: aided by strong winds, hot embers escaped a private property burn pile and ignited nearby vegetation. The…

GREENFIELD — An early morning fire that completely engulfed California Gourmet Pizza in Greenfield last week remains under investigation. The restaurant building, located on the 500 block of Walnut Avenue, suffered major structural damage in the fire, which began shortly …

On Aug. 19, 2021, Texas-based Vistra Energy was parading its battery storage facility in Moss Landing as the world’s largest, after adding a 100 megawatt facility to the site’s existing 300 megawatt facility.

Despite approving the largest budget in the city’s history, $57 million for the 2021-22 and 2022-2023 fiscal years, and approving projects such as its first pump track and street repairs, the city of Marina finds itself short on funds for…

MONTEREY COUNTY — Roadway improvement projects for several Monterey County intersections within unincorporated Carmel, South County, North County and rural areas of Salinas began Monday, with an anticipated completion date of Feb. 11. Improvements will include installation of new stop …