By Jim Johnson, The Monterey County Herald, Calif. Apr. 4--County parks officials say they are close to an agreement with an Arizona-based resort management firm to take over most of the recreational operations at two South County lakes. But they're hedging their bets anyway.

By Jim Johnson, The Monterey County Herald, Calif. Sep. 28--Monterey County is days away from taking over a couple of lakeside resorts in the latest chapter of the Salinas Valley Water Project saga. And the county could stay in the resort business for a while, said one supervisor.

By Bob Cuddy And Leah Etling, The Tribune, San Luis Obispo, Calif. May 26--As the busy Memorial Day weekend kicks into gear, water levels at popular Nacimiento Lake have dropped to almost half of capacity, well below the county's other recreational lakes.

By Paul Rogers, San Jose Mercury News, Calif. Feb. 19--Over the next few weeks, thousands of bald eagles in California and across the West will make their annual flight northward to nesting and feeding grounds in Canada.

By P. Kim Bui, The Tribune, San Luis Obispo, Calif. Oct. 27--A Nacimiento Lake resort owner and Monterey County are working to settle a legal battle over water levels in the lake.