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A shift in leadership could be in store for Salinas City Council

The Salinas City Council showing a significant shift in leadership with all non-incumbent candidates taking the lead in their respective races.

The District seats for 1, 4, and 6 continue to hang in the balance whereas District 3 has been decided with Margeret D'Arrgio being elected to the seat.

This makes her the one non-incumbent so far to have been officially called as a councilmember.

“I don't know that that's ever been done before. Least having five seats open is unusual as well, but we're super excited. I just think it's I think it is historical and I believe it's because people they got out to vote and people were they wanted change desperately.”

Jose Luis Barajas is in the running for the District 1 race, having a lead over Alex Ayala running for re-election.

“I'm cautiously optimistic about the results so far. And, you know, just overall content with the work we did in my campaign about reaching voters, connecting with businesses, hearing what their needs are, and just being receptive to the community overall," Bajaras said.

Gloria De La Rosa is another non-incumbent running for district 4 against Albert Lomeli and, current councilmember Orlando Orsonio.

She’s hoping that the possible shift can bring about a team focused on the issue of public safety, something each candidate had expressed interest in tackling.

“I plan to have a good working relationship with with the rest of the council and I'm sure that there are we can all come together and find a solution to this very important problem that's going on.”

Barajas echoed those sentiments citing lack of a police presence in the city.

“I think we're at an inflection point in terms of that issue in our community. We have, as has been mentioned before, there are more people working at Chik-fil-A on any given Friday than we have officers patrolling our city."

The final results have yet to confirm the District races, but if so, a new council of non-incumbents could be a preview of the city’s future.

Article Topic Follows: News
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Sergio Berrueta

Sergio Berrueta has been in the news for quite awhile going from studying print media to entering the realm of broadcast.

Originally from Bell Gardens, California, in Southeast Los Angeles. Berrueta started his professional news career in Eureka as a newscast producer for North Coast News (now The Northstate’s News) at KAEF ABC 23 in 2022. He pivoted a year later in 2022 going from behind-the-scenes to in front of the camera as a multimedia journalist for Redwood News Channel 3 (KIEM/KVIQ) also in Eureka.

Berrueta studied journalism at Humboldt State University (now Cal Poly Humboldt) earning his Bachelor’s Degree. Berrueta was a staff writer, page editor, social media manager and editor-in-chief of the university’s El Lenador, the only bilingual publication in all of Humboldt County.

Before moving to the North Coast, Berrueta had earned his Associate’s Degree at East Los Angeles College in 2019 after beginning his educational journey in 2012. He also was on staff for the ELAC’s publication, ELAC Campus News, having been a staff writer, page editor, and online editor.

Outside of news experience, Berrueta has also been in education as an AmeriCorps tutor in East Hollywood from 2017 to 2019 and served in a government role as a National Hometown Fellow for Lead for America with the City of Arcata in 2021.

When not focusing on news, Berrueta is an avid amateur cinephile having written about films in free time. He also writes poetry, attempting to get through a backlog of video games, enjoys visiting new places along the California Coast, and trying to keep up with the latest music and podcasts.

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