Cruz

[Drunk Monk]

KION and Telemundo 23 shut down with 'no warning;' employees blindsided

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Updated: 11:25 AM PDT Sep 24, 2025

Felix Cortez [/url]  
Reporter

Ricardo Tovar  
[url=https://www.ksbw.com/news-team/c672e131-0cf6-420f-86bb-9600babd4adc]Digital Content Manager
SALINAS, Calif. —
After 56 years on air, KION-TV will shut down its local news operations beginning Tuesday, two sources familiar with the matter have confirmed to KSBW 8.
KION-TV, which airs on channel 46 and is owned by News-Press & Gazette (NPG). NPG bought the station in December of 2013.
Employees expressed their shock at the sudden announcement.
"I did not see this coming. I was out heading out to do a story about affordable housing in Santa Cruz and got a call to come back, and it just hit me out of nowhere," said one reporter.
Sandy Santos, a Spanish language reporter and anchor for Telemundo 23, shared, "We're coming into work just a regular day, you know. But eventually we had our meeting, morning meeting, and that's when we find out about the transition."
Telemundo 23 also shares a newsroom with KION, and there is no plan for a Spanish newscast on the Central Coast.
Hispanics make up 60% of the population in Monterey County, according to Data USA. Leaving the Central Coast without a Spanish newscast.
Employees said corporate leaders came to town Tuesday with little explanation as to why they were ending news operations, effective immediately.
"It was some corporate people from NPG that I hadn't met before, and they said, you must be Ata, 'We're never doing live news again,'" said KION reporter Ata.
Santos reflected on the impact of the decision, saying, "I know some of them didn't take it well. I know some of them. You know, it's a passion. It's not just a job. It's something that we do for the passion and for the area. We do want to be out there and communicate to everyone what's going on."
KION news slots will now be filled by Bay Area station KPIX, a CBS affiliate.
Mayor Dennis Donohue commented on the situation, saying, "It certainly speaks to a very changing media landscape, how people are going to get their information. And, you know, and from my perspective, I like folks to have as much local news as possible. And certainly that becomes a you know, they'll they'll be less of that in their near term."
Attempts to reach out to News-Press & Gazette for comment have been unsuccessful.

I am disturbed by anything that happens with news agencies nowadays.

[Dr. Ivor Yeti]

I share your concern

[thatguy]

The poster for the upcoming Los Lobos show is pretty cool...



--tg

[Drunk Monk]

Sweet. 

I'm debating about NYE plans. 

RM has Primus at the Fox & Yo La Tengo/Luna at the 'mo' - neither appeals.
China Cats is at the Vets Hall but it's $50
Hotel Paradox has Selecta 7 & Rudi B, no cover. Leaning that way because I've way overshot my 2025 budget, and I've never been to Paradox, plus it's stumbling distance. 

Anyone else got plans?

[Greg]

Bed by 9.

[Drunk Monk]

Don’t yer neighbors shoot off their AR15s at midnite?

[Dr. Ivor Yeti]

Participate in The Purge.

[thatguy]

https://santacruzlocal.org/2025/11/26/ca...partments/

Catalyst nightclub would be demolished in proposal for Downtown Santa Cruz apartments
By Jesse Kathan
November 26, 2025
Tags: Catalyst, downtown Santa Cruz, Featured, housing, Jesse Kathan, Pacific Avenue

Local music venue The Catalyst has been in the building on Pacific Avenue for more than 50 years. (Jesse Kathan — Santa Cruz Local)

SANTA CRUZ >> The Catalyst nightclub in Downtown Santa Cruz could be demolished and relocated to the bottom floor of a seven-story building with 64 apartments, according to a pre-application for the project submitted to the city Nov. 4. The iconic music venue has operated at the space since the 1970s and over the years has hosted countless local bands and several big names like Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Green Day and Neil Young. 

The pre-application, from Mountain View-based developer GPR Ventures, does not include the size of the units, or how many would be offered below market rent. The building’s proposed size would likely require developers to use state laws that grant a “density bonus” to developers that provide a certain amount of below-market-rate housing. 

The new building would replace the Catalyst’s existing building, and would wrap around the Old School Shoes store at the corner of Pacific Avenue and Cathcart Street. The properties at 1009, 1011 and 1015 Pacific Ave. were listed for sale for $4.5 million earlier this year. That listing has since been removed.

The developer has until May 4 to submit a full application. After city staff deem the application complete, the proposal would go to a public hearing with the city’s Zoning Administrator for the first round of review. 

Contact city planners with comments or questions.

--tg

[Drunk Monk]

Saw that. The face of downtown is gentrifying so rapidly. 

I had a lot of good times at the Cat when I was here in the late 80s. Went back a few times since and I swear they didn’t clean the place since. Never a great house acoustically.