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National Park Spurs Soledad To Re-brand Itself 'Gateway To The Pinnacles'

SOLEDAD (CBS/AP) -- Soledad, the Salinas Valley farm town that hugs Highway 101, is hoping for a much-needed economic boost now that the nearby protected mountain area called the Pinnacles has been designated a national park.

The Los Angeles Times reports Soledad has hired a San Jose public relations firm to help re-brand the town as the "Gateway to the Pinnacles."

The City Council has set aside $150,000 for new river rock monuments advertising Soledad's location outside the park's west entrance. And the newspaper says officials purchased nine Web domain names, including gatewaytopinnacles.com.

A national monument since 1908, Pinnacles was elevated to national park status last month thanks to lobbying by federal, state, county and local officials.

The park, which features volcanic spires and caves, is a destination for rock climbers.

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