Good morning, Salinas.

Monterey County is offering free monthly books for young children through Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, while agriculture officials are asking the U.S. Department of Agriculture for emergency funding after a nursery shipped 13,000 plants amid a glassy-winged sharpshooter threat — families can sign up at First 5 Monterey events.

PG&E reported an unplanned outage on Wednesday that left 3,916 customers without power on Monterey Peninsula & crews began inspecting the system at 3:19 p.m. with restoration expected by 8 p.m., PG&E said.

Salinas will welcome eight giant Mexican sculptures from Alebrijes & Nahuales Fantastic Animals from Mexico.

The month-long exhibit runs from July 31 to Sept. 4 at venues across the city.

California is offering free Historian Passports to state historic parks until July 6 to mark Juneteenth and America’s 250th birthday; the normally $50 pass gives unlimited access to 30+ parks through end of 2026.

On the Central Coast, a single pass covers up to four people for visits to Monterey State Historic Park and San Juan Bautista State Historic Park starting today + downloads are available online.

NASA astronaut and Navy Captain Victor Glover returned Tuesday to Monterey's Naval Postgraduate School where he inspired 1,300 students and families with stories from his Artemis II voyage beyond low Earth orbit — a journey that made him one of the first to travel that far since Apollo 17.

Families in Salinas can use an interactive tool to find free summer meal sites for children 18 and younger by entering their ZIP code.

USDA data show over 39,000 sites nationwide offer meals — check with your local agency for meal delivery options.

Salinas City Council approved a planned 88-unit affordable apartment complex at 200 Casenti Street with an onsite daycare and community amenities.

The project by Milestone Housing Group covers 4.59 acres and updated parking, and it will offer units for households earning at or below 60% of the AMI.

Jenna Emerson signed with Chico State and Aidan Ishimaru committed to UC Davis to extend their track and field careers; both former Hartnell athletes earned state meet podium finishes — Emerson in hurdles and Ishimaru in hammer throw.

Palma’s Eli Dukes was named The Herald’s Male Athlete of the Year after excelling in football, soccer, lacrosse, and track and receiving recruiting interest from 28 colleges.

He will decide his college plans soon while preparing for another promising season (local sports fans celebrate his legacy in the making).

Celebrate America Fireworks Extravaganza

3 PM — Salinas Sports Complex — Admission varies — Experience a family festival with food trucks, carnival rides, patriotic music, and the largest fireworks display in Monterey County.

Big Hat BBQ

5-10 p.m. — Monterey County Sheriff's Posse — $15 no meal — Enjoy BBQ and dancing with live music to kick off Big Week and the California Rodeo.

Miranda Lambert Concert

5-8 p.m. — Salinas Sports Complex — Cashless venue — Experience the powerful voice of country rock star Miranda Lambert live in concert.

California Rodeo Salinas

Daytime and evening events — Salinas Sports Complex — Ticket prices vary — Experience the thrill of professional rodeo with over 110 years of tradition in sunny California.