Scammers are targeting family and friends of people incarcerated at Monterey County Jail, and four California residents who were potentially exposed to hantavirus are being monitored.

New Leaf Energy is bypassing Santa Cruz County in its effort to seek approval for a new battery energy storage facility in Watsonville. For Monterey County Supervisor Glenn Church, who represents Moss Landing, that’s the worst-case scenario.

An indigenous storytelling event led by educators from the Costanoan Rumsen Carmel Tribe.

The Santa Lucia Conservancy is training a local workforce focused on reducing wildfire risk, Santa Cruz County expands language services ahead of the June 2 primary election, a retired Navy commander who started a volunteer otter monitoring project, and more in this week's local news roundup.

A new resiliency plan for the Pajaro River Watershed addresses climate concerns. Plus, tourism spending in Monterey County shows a potentially encouraging trend.

Monterey County hosts a special meeting to discuss how local Medi-Cal patients could be impacted by H.R. 1. And, three parks across Monterey Bay win in the “Best of California’s State Parks” poll.

Santa Cruz Parks and Recreation Department is inviting residents to plant trees for Arbor Day. And, a new study from UC Berkeley finds California community college students who consistently receive CalFresh food benefits do better academically.

Santa Cruz County expands language services ahead of the June 2 primary election. And, a bill moving through the California legislature aims to ensure new education programs—like transitional kindergarten—deliver on their promises.

The Santa Lucia Conservancy works to train up a local workforce focused on reducing wildfire risk on the Central Coast. And, primary election candidates in Santa Cruz County discuss their plans for housing.

The farm bill cleared the House of Representatives with little Democratic support, the Marina Coast Water District reactivates a desalination plant, how climate change affects California's native trees, and more in this week's local news roundup.