Good morning, Salinas.

A sedan and a semitruck crashed at approximately 12:27 p.m. on Highway 183 at McFadden Road near Salinas, leaving at least one person dead—CHP officers are investigating the crash and have redirected southbound traffic to Cooper while northbound traffic is routed to McFadden.

Alvarado Street Brewery earned gold medals for its beers Howzit Punch and German-style Bistro Hef at major competitions—Howzit Punch won at the World Beer Cup and Bistro Hef at the Brewers Cup of California.

The Salinas brewery also received silver and bronze medals for other brews and said it will use the judges’ feedback to improve its recipes.

Memorial Day falls on May 26 and most area grocery chains will remain open with regular or adjusted hours—Walmart, Kroger, Trader Joe’s, and Target operating normally while Costco warehouses close and Sam’s Club sets member-specific hours; banks and post offices will be closed.

Four vehicles used in an illegal sideshow on May 2 at a Salinas shopping center (at Boronda and Sanborn Roads) were seized by Monterey County deputies and will be impounded for 30 days (owners now face high impound and tow fees) as part of a multi-agency operation.

The Monterey Bay Drone, Automation and Robotics Technology initiative got a two-year $2 million grant from the James Irvine Foundation to start training programs in aviation and robotics.

Cal State Monterey Bay will use a $351,979 portion of the funds to launch pilot programs that offer hands-on internships and work opportunities—aiming to set Salinas as a model for fair job access.

County of Monterey held its second annual public works event in partnership with the City of Salinas and the Monterey Bay Chapter of the American Public Works Association, where families played games and learned about road maintenance tasks like patching potholes and trimming trees—officials stressed the need for new employees amid funding challenges and outlined plans to rebuild the Pajaro Library.

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.