Good morning, Salinas.

On May 7, nearly 20,000 people in Monterey County lost power when a vehicle hit a pole near Salinas Community School (downed power lines closed both directions of Highway 101) as PG&E crews worked to repair damage (northbound lanes reopened while southbound remain closed) with no estimate for full restoration.

A car hit transmission lines near Highway 101 in Salinas today, causing power outages that left over 17,000 customers in Monterey County without power and prompting PG&E to work on restoring service (power is expected back in one Salinas area at 5:45 p.m.) (other areas still do not have an estimated restore time).

Alvarado Street Brewery won a gold medal for its Howzit Punch, a silver medal for its Contains No Juice IPA, and a bronze medal for its Gold Label Mai Tai PA at the World Beer Cup that ended on May 1—this win builds on the brewery's long history of medal achievements.

Another Brother Beer in Seaside also earned a bronze for its Tropic Desert in the American-style sour ale category.

Kevin Durran Hart, 47, of Patterson was sentenced to 26 years to life for fatally beating 65-year-old Jackie Robinson in her Seaside home in 2023 — family members spoke at the sentencing.

Greenfield police reported that Raul Muniz, 34, a King City resident, was arrested last night outside a gas station on charges of kidnapping for ransom, robbery, and dissuading a witness—with the FBI helping track him and his bail set at $1 million.

Point Lobos Natural Reserve was voted Best Park for Spectacular Views in the California State Parks Foundation’s Best Of State Parks 2025 survey+ over 1,300 people chose favorites among 280 parks in categories like picnicking, hiking, and birdwatching.

Today, the U.S. Forest Service proposed a wildfire risk reduction project in Los Padres National Forest that will treat 90,796 acres — including parts of the Monterey District — to lower the chance of severe fires using fuel breaks and Forest Health Treatment Units.

The project is accepting public comments since May 2 and will start treatments after final approval in November.

Jose Gil, the athletic director at Alisal High School, received the Golden Whistle Award for his work in sports and community, having spent (28 years) coaching basketball and (16 years) leading the sports program while also founding a nonprofit to promote basketball in East Salinas.

9th Annual Job & Resource Fair

1:30 AM — Hartnell Park — Free entry — Connect with over 50 employers ready to hire at one of Monterey County's largest job fairs.

California Roots Pre-Party Wine Mixer

6-9 p.m. — Rustique Wines — $20 for general admission, $15 for wine club members — Kick off the California Roots Festival with local wines, music from Rise Up, and delicious food.

Monster Truck Throwdown

2:00-3:30 p.m. — Salinas Sports Complex — Check local listings for pricing — Experience an afternoon of motorized mayhem with thrilling monster truck action.

ACP Compost Workshop & Demo Day

8 AM – 5 PM — National Steinbeck Center — Free entry — Explore innovative strategies in composting and organics recycling at this expert-led workshop.