Tuesday seemed like a good day for some otter distraction. Here's a great photo of an otter sleeping in a kelp bed. Photo credit: Peter Monteforte

Here are latest fire stats as of this morning:

As hotel and lodging properties saw their employees, neighbors and community members evacuated from their homes due to the River, Carmel and Dolan fires, more than 70 hotels along the Monterey Peninsula offered deeply discounted accommodations available to evacuees and first responders. Additionally, many hotels lifted pet restrictions to accommodate residents and their furry companions. Collectively, during the week of August 17, hotels offered more than $1.1 million in discounted savings compared to the previous week to support the evacuees during the worst of the wildfires. Thank you to the hospitality industry for stepping up and helping out!

Read the full news release from the Monterey County Convention and Visitor's Bureau. (In tomorrow's email, learn more about how local agencies are working together to discourage crowds over Labor Day weekend and promote responsible tourism to help reduce the spread of COVID-19.)

Once again, there's been a great team effort among City of Monterey community partners to support public health and reduce the spread of COVID-19 in our community. Last weekend, and coming up over the long Labor Day weekend, volunteers representing the Monterey Peninsula Chamber of Commerce, the Monterey County Convention and Visitors Bureau, and the Monterey County Hospitality Association will have a table at the front of Old Fisherman's Wharf to help support other, already established, City and Wharf Association efforts, provide information, and direct visitors to downtown and other areas of the peninsula to help ensure social distancing can be maintained in crowded areas near the Wharf. Even the canine community gets involved! Thanks to our community partners for coming together to help us move past the pandemic!

Reservations are available for the September 2020 Senior and Family Produce Distributions offered by the City of Monterey Recreation and the Monterey County Food Bank. Due to COVID-19, this is a contact-less drive thru program and reservations are required.

Face masks are required when you pick up your food. Call 831.646.3866 or email montereyrecreation@monterey.org with any questions.

The Monterey County Food Bank needs your support to continue to help those in need during this challenging time. If you are able, please consider making a donation to the Monterey County Food Bank.

Today is National Poll Workers Recruitment Day. Voting in Monterey County is administered by poll workers, inspectors and clerks, appointed by the Monterey County Registrar of Voters.

Poll workers are responsible for conducting voting activities in strict accordance with California Election Code. The mission of a poll worker is to preserve the democratic process, protect voter rights, and to maintain the integrity of the vote.

The relationship created between the Elections office and the community of Monterey County is an essential one. In order for democracy to remain and prevail, we must bridge the gap between a government and its people. The opportunity of becoming a poll worker helps to bridge this gap at a local level. To find out more or apply visit the Monterey County Elections Office website.

If you were forwarded this newsletter you can subscribe to the

City Focus Newsletter.