Congratulations to the Monterey Bay Aquarium for reopening to the public after 14 months of closure! This is a major milestone for our community and we know that residents and others from around the world are very excited to return. Perhaps a visit to the Aquarium is in your plans this summer? Learn more at montereybayaquarium.org Photo credit: @MontereyAq

The Monterey Bay Aquarium is successful and special for so many reasons. One of them is the uniqueness of the Monterey Bay. It is a flourishing ecosystem, yet fragile too. We couldn't wait until Wednesday to share a couple of perfect "Wildlife Wednesday" photos courtesy of @MBayWhaleWatch. They report on Twitter, "we saw so many lunge feeding humpback whales a couple days ago off Cannery Row! Check out all the fish trying to escape the whales hungry mouth!" The top photo is of a humpback whale calf breaching. Just beautiful!

Timing played an important role when the City of Monterey Fire Department came upon an opportunity to replace an aged Type 3 wildland engine received via a grant from the Fort Ord Reuse Authority 17 years ago. A typical lifespan of a rigorously used fire engine is 15 years. With longer and more devastating wildfires happening throughout the state for several years now, the wildland engines are used extensively for mutual aid throughout the state. When resources are sent out on statewide mutual aid assignments, the City is reimbursed the cost of staff and for the use of vehicles. Over the past seven fiscal years, reimbursements for vehicles have been nearly $575,000, the majority of which has been credited to the City’s Equipment Replacement Fund.

The Monterey City Council at the May 4, 2021 City Council meeting appropriated $410,000 for the purchase of an additional Type 3 Wildland Fire Engine using the Equipment Replacement Fund. The existing Type 3 engine will remain in the active fleet as an additional asset to be used for wildfires. This month, the National Weather Service reported record-breaking dry vegetation in California, including the Central Coast. CAL FIRE recently reported a 700% increase in the number of acres that have already burned this year compared to this time last year. Continued...

The Monterey Fire Department will begin conducting fire safety inspections on June 1, 2021, for all homes in areas at risk for a wildland fire within the cities of Monterey, Pacific Grove, Carmel, and Sand City. This inspection is done on an annual basis to help minimize the spread and growth of a wildland fire and reduce the potential loss of homes in such an event. Once the inspection has been completed, the fire department will only leave a notice at the home if any corrective actions should be taken by the homeowner/occupant. The notices will be in the form of a self-adhesive notice left on or near the door. Fact Sheet

We are excited to announce we are opening up more slots for our Tiny Tots Summer Camp! Learning and growing through play is the focus of Tiny Tots Summer Camp. Activities include arts and crafts, music and movement, storytelling, dramatic play, science and nature. We will be following strict COVID-19 precautions.

Tiny Tots Summer Camp (ages 3-5 yrs.)

Locations: Hilltop Park Center or El Estero Park Center

Tuesday-Friday, 3 hours per day

June 1 - 25, 2021

June 29 - July 23, 2021

Fee: $384 / Mtry. Res. Fee: $296 (4 weeks)

Email Monterey Recreation at montereyrecreation@monterey.org or call Hilltop Park Center at 831.646.3975 or El Estero Park Center at 831.646.3873 to be added to the interest list. Recreation staff will call you back to answer your questions and coordinate registration.

The latest Pavement Condition Index (PCI) Report taken April 30 shows an impressive "Very Good" score of 69 overall for Monterey. In 2015 before Measure S passed, that score was 53. We've made great progress, and after this summer, it will be even better! Summer months are the best months for street paving due to weather conditions. We will continue to report our progress, and we thank you for supporting this effort to improve our community's quality of life! Learn more about Measure S and fixing streets, sidewalks and storm drains at monterey.org/fixingstreets.

Montage Health Vaccine Clinics for ages 12 and older started today and continue this week. Appointments are now available for the these clinics next week. To make an appointment and to see the Montage Health vaccine clinic dates, locations, and times, visit chomp.org/vaccine.

Please choose an appointment for the Pfizer vaccine for those ages 12-17. Minors under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Please bring a photo ID with proof of residency and age.

VACCINATION LOCATIONS WITH APPOINTMENT DATES AND TIMES UPDATED REGULARLY: Refer to the Monterey County Health Dept (MCHD) vaccine appointments web page for the latest information - mcvaccinate.com

Vaccine clinics hosted by CHOMP - https://chomp.org/coronavirus/vaccine/appointments/

Vaccine clinics hosted by Safeway Pharmacy

Have Your Say Monterey - the City's public engagement portal

Visit https://haveyoursaymonterey.org and register to have YOUR say!

Please note: Data refreshes Tuesday through Saturday

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