Good morning, Salinas.

East of Eden Cannabis Co. will hand out food at 10 a.m. Friday for people with EBT cards at its Salinas shop on John and Work streets amid SNAP concerns—this will feed about 300 families with pasta, peanut butter, fresh produce, tortillas, and canned food.

The company’s leader said it plans to serve about 800 families over the next two Fridays and give out a couple hundred turkeys during Thanksgiving week.

On Oct. 13, United Way Monterey County introduced the Smart Referral Network at the Monterey County Office of Education in Salinas to help case workers quickly share client information among 90 agencies for services like rental assistance and food support.

The tool—developed with state and philanthropic funds and having made over 18,000 referrals—aims to improve outcomes for residents in need.

PG&E is building a new power substation near Del Monte Avenue in Monterey to expand capacity for neighborhoods from Cannery Row to Pacific Grove and support new hotels and electric vehicles—set to open in 2026.

Residents in Pacific Grove are preparing for storm outages as the upgrade will allow crews to restore power faster when outages occur.

Monterey County music venues are offering a refined arts experience as Kolumbo performs today at Pop and Hiss in Pacific Grove at 7 p.m. and Bad Machine headlines on Saturday at Wave Street Studios in Monterey at 7:30 p.m.—additional shows with Gary Meek, John Craigie, William Shatner and The Fabulous Thunderbirds provide more live music options.

A challenging seabird count is underway in Pacific Grove as part of the Audubon Society's Seawatch program, and Alison Vilag uses telescopes and binoculars to record Pacific loons and surf scoters at Point Pinos.

The count runs from Nov. 1 until Dec. 15 — tracking bird migrations that help gauge the health of the local ecosystem — and supports a decade-long study.

Residents are advised to stock up on winter supplies—such as shovels, ice melt, and insulation—and check their car’s tire pressure and tread since colder temperatures reduce tire air.

Local expert Rhonda Nelson and Consumer Reports urge residents to prepare their homes and vehicles to avoid issues like burst pipes and poor traction during winter weather—essential steps to stay safe as temperatures fall.

Salinas Valley well owners must register their wells by Jan.

31 under a new program—Monterey County Water Resources Agency and Salinas Valley Basin Groundwater Sustainability Agency started the effort to gather local well data and protect groundwater resources.

Stevenson clinched a 10 to 6 water polo win over St. Ignatius—Morrow scored five goals and Adi Smith saved 11 shots as the team advanced to the CCS DII finals.

The Otters will open their men’s basketball season Friday at Kelp Bed — transfers have been added to fill key gaps and set high expectations for the team.

Salinas High School football player Alissa Escutia was named a finalist for the NFL Latino Youth Honors and received her Super Bowl LX ticket from the 49ers at Levi’s Stadium.

She will attend special events in San Francisco during the week of the Super Bowl and said her recent move to Monterey County has deepened her connection to her culture and family.

Life In The Fast Lane - A Tribute To The Eagles

7:30-9 p.m. — Fox Theater — Ticket prices vary — Experience the classic rock hits of the Eagles performed by a talented tribute band.