Pinnacles National Monument News

A recent study by the National Parks Conservation Association asked how much revenue the national parks in California contribute to local communities.

A mild earthquake has rattled parts of central California. The U.S. Geological Survey says a 3.7-magnitude temblor struck Sunday morning near the Pinnacles National Monument.

As much as I love the rugged splendor of the Pinnacles National Monument, I had some qualms when I first heard that South Valley Congressman Sam Farr wants to reclassify the wilderness area as a "national park." But after pondering Farr's idea, I believe his name change notion might be just what America needs to preserve its federally-managed ...

Riders participating in the second annual Condor Classic head over the hills of Santa Ana Valley Road while riding the longest route, a 100-mile trek to Pinnacles National Monument and back to Windhaven Ranch in San Juan.

On Sept. 26, I took a 5-mile hike where the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services released a pair of captive-bred condors from a jagged mountaintop in the Pinnacles National Monument.

Chalone, set out in the middle of nowhere near the Pinnacles National Monument, at one time was the Holy Grail of California chardonnays and pinot noirs, and it can still make the occasional lovely wine.

A rider makes his way up a foggy and cold John Smith Road on Saturday morning while riding the 100-mile leg of the Condor Classic to Pinnacles National Monument and back.

Being bigger doesn't always guarantee survival, and the largest land birds in North America - the California condor - are a good example.

John Muir Laws, this year's winner of the Terwilliger Environmental Award, captures his love of nature in his drawings.

Birders from as far away as Maine and Florida will be migrating to Watsonville at the end of the month for the fifth annual Monterey Bay Birding Festival.

Hartnell College, in partnership with Pinnacles National Monument is offering an opportunity see and learn more about objects in the night sky.

Pinnacles National Monument now is accepting applications for the fall Artist in Residence program.

Today San Benito County Board of Supervisors meeting: 9 a.m., County Administration Building, 481 Fourth St.

BY TONY RUIZ We must respectfully disagree with your editorial of August 11. Congressman Sam Farr's legislation to rename Pinnacles National Monument to Pinnacles National Park will upgrade its status.

By Julia Reynolds, McClatchy News Service The Gloria Fire has blackened 5,000 acres east of Gonzales and was 15 percent contained at 7 a.m. today, Cal Fire officials said.

The west side of the Pinnacles National Monument has been closed because of the Gloria wildfire, park officials said.

Thousands of people were left without power and hundreds more were evacuated as a wildfire raced through grassy terrain northeast of Soledad on Thursday.

Along with Juliet musing on her Romeo, we may ask, "What's in a name?" In the case of changing Pinnacles National Monument to Pinnacles National Park, the answer may be "tourists spending lots of money in the Salinas Valley." U.S. Rep.

Congressman Sam Farr spoke to the Free Lance this week about four topics - his legislation to change Pinnacles to park status, the federal water allocation, the health care bill and the stimulus package.

On September 26, up to two California condors will be released into the wild at Pinnacles National Monument, according to a press release from Pinnacles National Monument.