A new mural honoring farmworker families adorns a wall in East Salinas and gives workers in nearby fields a chance to see themselves represented.

The county has issued evacuation orders for parts of the Big Sur area due to the Timber Fire. And, class is back in session for Monterey County kids. Despite immigration concerns, headcounts are high.

In this week's roundup of local news: local farms hit by lower lettuce demand, Salinas City Council extends a moratorium on new tobacco shops, Murray Street bridge work reaches midpoint, nurses protest layoffs, a local tribe regains stewardship of 84 acres, and more.

Produce growers in the region face reduced demand as people try to avoid cyclosporiasis, and Santa Cruz County releases its annual point-in-time count.

In Santa Cruz, the three-year Murray Street Bridge seismic retrofit has reached its mid-point. And, the Trump administration wants to streamline Head Start regulations for class sizes, teachers’ qualifications and more.

The Salinas City Council has voted unanimously to extend a moratorium on issuing new tobacco retailer licenses. And, 5,000 California nurses have signed a petition against layoffs.

Monterey County is installing No Parking signs near Big Sur's Bixby Bridge. And, the state's Farm to School program is now a permanent part of the state budget.

The Ohlone/Costanoan-Esselen Nation is celebrating the return of 84 acres of ancestral homeland in Monterey County. And, a fluffy penguin chick has debuted at the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach.

Car Week begins on Friday. The annual 10-day celebration of “all things automotive” is expected to draw over 100,000 visitors to Monterey County. The government has filed a court-ordered plan to improve conditions at the Adelanto ICE Processing Center in Southern California.

Our weekly news roundup includes the most recent count of people experiencing homelessness in Monterey County, pushback on data center development, and the relaunch of the River Stewards program.