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A: Our question came from Doug in Santa Cruz. He's asking what are the origins of the term "scot free?" as in "getting off scot free." The phrase has nothing to do with Scotland or someone named Scott. More>>
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A: David from Prunedale asked us, "what is the speed limit for Moro Rd.?" He adds that most cars drive really fast in that area and some cars drive recklessly down that street. The California Highway More>>
A: Our question came from MaryLou in Aptos. She's curious as to why some people refer to Attorney General Jerry Brown as Moonbeam. The nickname dates back to his days as California Governor. More>>
A: Our question came from Sarah in Salinas. In general terms, she is asking whether or not restaurants and bars have a moral or legal obligation for their drunk patrons. More>>
According to the Salinas Valley Solid Waste Authority, all you have to do is step out your front door. That's where you should find a bluish gray 64 gallon recycling bin next to your regular trash cans. You can drop off old batteries at any of the city halls, like Monterey or Pacific Grove. More>>
It's been years in the making, and finally, a green construction fence marks the spot where a gutted building waits for Wal Mart to move in at the Harden Ranch Plaza. The issue of bringing another Wal Mart to the city created a monster of a debate. More>>
A: Our question came from Henry in Marina, asking why the bicycle path between Marina and Seaside was not well lighted at night. The answer is because the bike path has multiple jurisdictions. More>>
One option is to put in a written or verbal complaint with the Better Business Bureau. There's a local office for the Better Business Bureau, which serves Santa Clara, San Benito, Santa Cruz and Monterey County. More>>
A: Our question came from Don in Seaside. The City of Monterey made the decision to charge half price for disabled drivers beginning on July 1, 2008. More>>
A: Our question came from Mali in Salinas, asking "With the State's budget crisis and the negative monetary effect on the local schools, why are there still 20 school districts in Monterey County?" A More>>
A: This question came from Joe in Salinas. He's asking, "Why has Caltrans cut down old trees all around the bay and left them to sit on-site?" A representative from Caltrans says, they just do. More>>
A: This question came from Bob in Seaside. He's seen many drivers with pets on their laps while driving. He asked, "Isn't this foolish practice against the law?" The answer is no. Having pets on your More>>
A: This question came from Joe in Santa Cruz. He wanted to know if people could take trees that have fallen for firewood. The answer is no. More>>
A: Our question came from Ben in Monterey, asking which Countries sent help to the earthquake victims in Haiti. We found out most nations are helping. More>>
A: This question came from Jennifer in Santa Cruz. She says, "Everywhere we go dogs are off leash and the owners allow them to run up to people without a care in the world." More>>
A: As for a payment plan option, the animal services division says a person has to prove they are in good standing, such as not being a repeat offender, getting the right vaccines, spay and neutering their pet and so on. A person has 72 hours to identify their pet and to pay up. More>>
A: Our question came from Fernando in Salinas. He says most parks in Salinas have signs reading "No Dogs Allowed." The City of Salinas admits their is no official dog-park within city limits. More>>
A: The question came from Dylan in Monterey. We have the phone numbers to call regarding road kill on our Central Coast Roads. More>>
A: KION's Chief Meteorologist Norm Hoffman tackles this question. In Alaska, the best months for travel are July and August. Sometimes in Late August, Alaska can have an early fall storm, but some of the best weather there has been in July and Early August. Traveling to Mexico is a different story, especially this year. More>>
A: The Salinas Police Department said all traffic and speeding concerns and complaints are handled by their traffic unit. Due to budget constraints though, the motor unit has been reduced from seven to three officers. More>>
A: There has always been a debate on how to say the years of the 21st century. So, what is the correct way to pronounce 2010? According to a few articles on the subject, like a recent article from NPR, the majority of English-speakers say "two thousand and X." More>>
A: The Pajaro River divides Monterey and Santa Cruz County creating a shared responsibility on flood control and floral removal. More>>
A: Union Pacific Railroad says the reason they have several railcars stored in Castroville is the downturn in the economy. The eyesore can be seen just south of Castroville on Highway 183.
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A: Salinas' finance director said Measure V, a general use tax, actually did go to hiring more police officers. Money from Measure V went to hire and pay for 11 community service officers, six gang task force police officers and four more regular duty officers. More>>
A: The city's finance director said Measure V was voted into place to specifically address the city's existing financial problems, including government, police, fire, paramedics, libraries, crossing guards, graffiti removal, anti-gang measure and street and park maintenance. More>>
A: According to Salinas Police, officers who work patrol will walk neighborhoods in their "beat" when time allows. Unfortunately, it's not often. More>>
A: The devices seen on stoplights in Salinas are not cameras, according to the Salinas Police Department. They are sensors that control the operation of the stoplights. They do not record any images. More>>
A: As the state's unemployment rate hits above 12 percent, which is 25 percent higher than the national average, hundreds of people on the Central Coast need help these days. There's the One Stop Career Center in either Salinas or Seaside. There's staffing, phone lines and computers for you to use. More>>
A: According to the City of Soledad, no. This lake is found about 100 yards from Orchard Lane in the mountains called Mystery Lake. Officials in Soledad say the lake is actually an old stock pond. More>>
A: The Monterey Bay Air Pollution Control District said they do try to regulate chimney smoke, but it's not really a main pollution concern. Plus, it's an issue that is hard to enforce as a fireplace may be a person's only source of heat. More>>
A: Many people think the twisted trees (twisted grove) is caused as an aftermath of the 1906 Earthquake. Like the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, it also had it's epicenter in The Forest of Nisene Marks. More>>
A: The eye-catching, more than 12-foot high statue of a man holding two heads of lettuce near Spreckles is back up after being knocked down. The statue's broken frame was lying on the ground Tuesday and its head and body in pieces. More>>
A: A given person's static charge depends on multiple factors. Our answer came courtesy of Dr. Dan Fernandez, a professor of physics at CSUMB. More>>
A: There's actually a few adult baseball teams open to the public. The City of Monterey's parks and recreation department holds a 30 + program. Another organization that plays ball is called the Monterey Adult Baseball League. More>>
A: The answer is no. Caltrans is not currently discussing any project to widen Highway 101 within the City limits of Salinas. More>>
A: Even with major budget concerns, Seaside still held their annual Holiday festival Friday, continuing a tradition that's been around for more than a decade. The city said the festival is something they wanted to keep for the community. More>>
A: There are two full moons in December 2009. The first on was on Dec 1st. The second one is the 30th. The time between 2 full moons is 29.5 days and the only month with 28 days is February the rest have More>>
A: The answer for this question evolves around money. The city said these raised reflective pavement markers are pretty expensive and while it is the city's responsibility to replace them, it happens mostly when there's money to do it. More>>
A: On Monday, December 7th, the U.S. Coast Guard C130 was spotted flying above the Monterey Bay. The reason was for joint training. More>>
A: The State of California has made it illegal to throw away florescent bulbs in the trash can since most florescent bulbs contain mercury. These bulbs must be properly recycled. More>>
A: The Monterey County Association of Realtors said appraisers are licensed by the State of California and monitored through the Office of Real Estate Appraisers. More>>
A: Salinas' Traffic and Engineering Department said portable basketball hoops are a common sight in neighborhoods and in cul-de-sacs, but there is a city code prohibiting such hoops on the streets and sidewalks. More>>
A: If you drive down Central Avenue between Eardly and Dewey, you'll notice a few stumps on the sidewalk. The Pacific Grove Public Works Department said these trees are part of a long term project to redo this part of the street. More>>
A: EAS stand for the Emergency Alert System. You probably have seen it, or heard it on your television or radio station. It's a system that is used by local, state and the federal government as a way to alert the public to critical information. More>>
Vaccinations are extremely limited in the State Prison System. In fact, the only inmates receiving the H1N1 vaccine are pregnant mothers locked behind bars. More>>
A: Not in the upcoming year, according to the PBA schedule. According to the West Coast Manager, the PBA could stop in Monterey County if a local bowl center gathered support. More>>
A: No, they don't. California Highway Patrol said any operator of an emergency vehicle, like police officers, firefighters and ambulance drivers, are exempt from the state's cell phone laws during the course of their employment while on duty. More>>
A: Yes. It is illegal. Several Central Coast police departments said there are city and state codes prohibiting such a thing. The Monterey Police Department said there is a surprising number of complaints that come in about people stealing trash. More>>
A: The answer is yes. The Target Store in Salinas focuses on education fundraising for our local schools. In October, the store gave $1,500 worth of new books to Los Padres Elementary School. More>>
A: The seasonal flu still dominates overall across the nation as compared to the number of swine flu deaths, but in Monterey County the health department said so far there's been no documented cases of the seasonal flu, yet. More>>
A: Most of you have most likely seen it. It's known as the Redman-Hirahara house. It's an 1897 Victorian home that belonged to the Hirahara family. As of late, the foundation filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. They hoped to renegotiate the price of the land with the owner. More>>
A: Tis' the season to give. Many places are looking for volunteers this Thanksgiving, especially nowadays with more and more families in need. There's several spots in Monterey and Santa Cruz County looking for people to help them serve and cook. More>>
According to the CHP, California Law permits someone who moves in from out of state 20 days to re register their vehicle with the state of California. More>>
A: The City of Santa Cruz is split on the issue of dogs on Pacific Avenue. Former Mayor Ryan Connerty and current Mayor Cynthia Mathews are both hoping a change comes soon. More>>
A: In Soledad, the project was the first in Monterey County to be funded by the Federal Stimulus Package. The main purpose of the street signal and intersection improvement was for pedestrian safety. More>>
A: The man who calls gang members in Salinas, "knuckleheads" and the same man who straps on a gun to work every day, is also a well-known banjo player and musician in the world of Bluegrass. More>>
A: The Monterey County Public Works Department has been tracking this issue of mud on our Central Coast roads and has plans to enforce it. More>>
A: Many people saw a flash of light streaking across the Monterey Bay Saturday night around 5 p.m. If you happened to see it, you saw a meteor about the size of a golf ball part of the South Taurid meteor shower that takes place every year. More>>
A: One viewer asked, "How long do I have to file a lawsuit against the Seaside Police Department?"The simple answer is the sooner the better, according to the City of Seaside. If you are filing a claim for damages, you have either six months to a year to do so. More>>
A: Caltrans selected a contractor for this project, DeSilva Gates, on October 7th. There is some final paperwork waiting for approval before things move forward. More>>
A: Where does the speed limit actually change, at the sign or when you see the sign? CHP said the speed limit, whether it is 25 mph or 45 mph, changes at the sign. That's when a driver needs to speed up or slow down.
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A: Let's look at the area south of Highway 1. During much of the Spring, Summer and Fall, your winds generally come out of the south or southwest, off the Monterey Bay and the freeway then is down wind from you. Thus the sound waves move more to the North side of highway 1. More>>
A: A new state-of-the-art gym will take over the deserted Safeway property at 2370 N. Fremont Blvd in Monterey and breathe life into a neighborhood and a building that's been vacant the last two years. The lease was taken over by In-Shape Health Clubs. In-Shape is a California-based company with 30 health clubs in the state. More>>
A: The orange netting is part of a $1.3 million guardrail improvement project funded by the Federal Stimulus Package. The project stretches about 20 miles. More>>
A: A viewer has taken issue with the so-called latino laborers that stand in Carmel Valley Village looking for work. More>>
A: A health department official said the vaccine itself is free. It was paid for by the government. But here's the hang up. Most of the H1N1 flu vaccinations are being handed out through private doctors who charge a small fee. That fee covers the cost of administering the vaccine More>>
A: The controversy and heated debate once surrounded Wal-Mart, but it has stalled out. The economy is partly to blame. The city said the property owner and the developer are still in talks at this point. CreekBridge has applied to the city for the proper permits, but there's been no further progress on the Environmental Impact Report. More>>
A: The U.S. Census Bureau updates the poverty threshold every year and it varies depending on if you are a single person, a family of two, three and even a family of eight people. Last year--in 2008-- a single person had to make more than $10, 991 to be above the poverty level. For a family of eight people, the average total income had to be more than $37, 220. More>>
A: The City of Marina is actually one step closer to getting those crosswalks. The Marina Community Development Department said they finally received a California Transportation Enhancement Grant of $221,000 to pay for crosswalk construction. If the council approves the project, construction begins in March. More>>
I buy a lot of things online. Will I get spam from the sites where I shop? More>>
A: Our question came from a mother in Carmel Valley. She wrote in saying the Salinas Police Department arrested her son, tasered him and took him to Natividad Hospital for treatment. More>>
A: H1N1 vaccinations have arrived on the Central Coast and are being administered to the high risk patients on a limited basis. More>>
A: AUSD residents are paying more because of a voter approved bond measure from two years ago and the economy. In 2006, voters approved a multi-million dollar bond measure for school renovations. Also, assessed property values collapsed, there was less tax base, so the rate had to increase. More>>
We're talking about that band of fog that appears near the middle of Monterey Bay. It could be one of two things. The first thing that comes to mind, if it is clear, would be the atmospheric optics that the low inversion creates. More>>
A: It's becoming more clear that the so-called fire season is a year-round event. Salinas Fire Chief Kim Raddatz says recent rainfall was not enough to end our season. More>>
A: In our KION Email bag, we have several questions regarding the State issued IOU's. First and foremost, any IOU is no longer earning interest. The State urges warrant holders to turn them in! More>>
A: Full service gas stations are hard to come by on the Monterey Peninsula. The first one we located was in Carmel, at the Lemos 76 Station @ 544 Carmel Rancho Boulevard. More>>
A: The Pacific Grove home, where author John Steinbeck's mother and grandmother lived, was put on the market last year and it sold several months later for about $472,000. More>>
A: State park officials said there are 21 missions in California and of those 19 are still owned by the Catholic Church. Only two of the missions are owned by California State Parks. Those two missions are more like museums now, providing an educational and historical experience. More>>
A: The Monterey County Health Department said adults need only one shot for both the seasonal flu and the H1N1 flu. For kids less than nine years old, who have never had the flu before, need two seasonal flu shots. More>>
A: The Monterey County Sheriff's Office said these court closures have been a win, win situation for them since they are short staffed and facing tough financial times. When the courts are closed, the department said they re-deploy the bailiffs to fill in on jail vacancies. More>>
A: CHP said every driver is required to display a license plate on the front and back of their car, mounted properly and not placed in the window. Even if you buy a car without a license plate on the front, you are still required to put one there. Plastic license plate covers are also illegal. More>>
A: There are altitude restrictions for helicopters, but the rules vary for different situations. The FAA has two sets of rules in place. We caught up with a CalStar pilot who said medical helicopters with no patient must fly at least 300 ft. the air over congested areas. More>>
A: The Large Hadron Collider, also known as LHC, is a machine that will send two beams of particles crashing into each other at close to the speed of light. The LHC can achieve an energy that no other particle accelerators have reached before, but experts say this kind of thing already happens in nature! More>>
Understanding the history of how organic foods came to be, what the main organic regulations entail and the impact organic foods are having on food production can help to sort out what the USDA "certified organic" label really means. More>>
A: According to David Henderson, a professor of Economics at the Naval Post Graduate School, the government can regulate the price of food and gas. "But do so would not be a good idea," says Henderson. More>>
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A list of publications and resources for earthquake preparedness. You can find information for homeowners, teachers, individuals and many others. More>>
The earth's crust is divided into several major plates, some 50 miles thick, which move slowly and continuously over the earth's interior More>>
Salinas Police have teamed up with a website called crimereports.com to provide email alerts in each neighborhood in the city. More>>
An 7.0 earthquake has rocked the island nation of Haiti. Here is a look at how the country is coping with the aftermath. More>>
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