Big Sur

A Monterey County Supervisor says Big Sur is strongly protected in the face of a federal budget bill hoping to sell off over 200 million acres of national public lands. And, Congressman Jimmy Panetta says he will fight offshore drilling proposals in Monterey Bay as the Trump Administration plans to approve oil and gas projects in National Marine Sanctuaries.

In today's newscast, the Big Sur International Marathon is less than two weeks away and though there hasn't been a dip in international registrants, there have been more questions about travel under the Trump administration. Plus, Monterey County supervisors voted to express support for an energy storage bill that State Sen. John Laird, D-Santa Cruz, introduced.

Healthcare workers at Watsonville Community Hospital consider a three-day strike over expired contracts. And, the Big Sur Byway Organization evaluates the impact of road closures on local businesses. Caltrans is planning an overnight closure of Rocky Creek Road on Friday.

Caltrans will close Highway 1 at Rocky Creek, 12 miles south of Carmel, for 24 hours this weekend to continue construction after a landslide took out the southbound lane.

No more twice-daily convoys — a traffic signal will control the flow of traffic. The repair arrives eight days ahead of schedule.

Three weeks after a segment of Highway 1 fell into the ocean in Big Sur, businesses and residents are counting down the days until the expected May 27 reopening at Rocky Creek.

The marathon, 21-miler and relay will run an out-and-back course that starts and finishes in Carmel. It’s not the first time the distance event has had to reroute.

The signal would give the community unrestricted access through the region. Meanwhile, due to weather, convoys have been canceled for Saturday and potentially Sunday.

With Big Sur state parks closed and tourists unable to visit the area, local businesses are bracing for an uncertain summer.

The convoys will now be at 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. The change was made due to consultations with community members and local agencies.