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Fireworks Light the
Night Sky
City sparkles this SUMMER
The City
of Monterey will host its annual Fourth of July celebration this summer
with a parade through downtown, a lawn party featuring live music at
Colton Hall and a spectacular fireworks display over Monterey Bay. The
full day of family festivities begins with a flag raising ceremony on
Alvarado Street at 10:00 a.m. and concludes with fireworks at Del Monte
Beach at 9:15 p.m. accompanied by a radio synchronized sky
concert on KWAV 97-FM.
 The City wants everyone to enjoy a safe
Fourth of July. The Monterey Police and
Fire Departments will be highly visible.
Personal fireworks are illegal in Monterey and
there is a $500 fine for possession, display or discharge of fireworks.
Pets are not allowed at any July Fourth events.
The best locations for viewing the fireworks are Del Monte Beach
and the Lower Presidio Historic Park. Access to the Lower Presidio is
limited to pedestrians only.
The City is preparing for larger than usual crowds this year
because Independence Day falls on a Friday. Residents, businesses and visitors can expect traffic congestion,
street closures and parking restrictions. Parking is available at
Monterey Peninsula College, located about 1/2 mile from Del Monte Beach.
For details of the day's events, click here. For information on streets
closures and parking,
click here.
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Watch the 2007 July
4th Celebration |
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Meet Monterey's New Police
Officers
By Monterey Police Sergeant John Short
 The
Monterey Police Department recently hired six new police
officers who are currently in the Field Training Program.
Jeff Gibson
served in the U.S. Air Force and the NY Air National Guard before becoming a
police officer with the NYPD and later the Yonkers
(NY) PD.
Shasta Vanetti attended
college in Sacramento, completed the police
academy in 2007 and worked for
Solano County as a security officer.
Larry Siville
worked as a full-time police officer for the City of Modesto for
21 years. Recently married, he moved to Monterey to be near his wife who
works in Aptos.
Jake Pinkas served five years as a
Master at Arms and K-9 handler in the
U.S. Navy, including a tour in Iraq as
a combat dog handler. Jacob graduated from the Alameda
County Sheriff’s Office Basic Police Academy.
Nathan Beverly graduated from San Lorenzo Valley High School
and the Alameda County Sheriff’s
Office Basic Police Academy.
Andrew Marchese graduated
PG High School, earned a degree in Criminal Justice
Administration from CSU Sonoma, and
graduated from the Alameda County Sheriff's Office Basic Police Academy.
Please
welcome them to Monterey.
City Drafts Balanced
Budget in
Challenging Economy
The
City drafted a balanced budget for the 2008-2009 fiscal year despite the twin
challenges of a sluggish U.S. economy and a state budget deficit.
The City's $57 million General Fund
budget projects modest increases in TOT, property and sales tax revenues. The City's spending plan
sets aside reserves for capital renewal of key facilities and for economic
uncertainty. The budget funds
a base level of on-going maintenance and improvements in buildings and
infrastructure. However, full funding of facility renewal and
more costly
infrastructure improvements in streets, sewers and storm drains remain
under-funded and will require new revenue sources or program reductions.
The budget will be presented to the City Council at its June
17th meeting and will be voted on by the Council at a Study Session on June
25.
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NIP Funds More
Than $2
Million in Neighborhood Projects
The
Neighborhood Improvement Program plans to fund 38 projects in
2008-2009. The projects include a seismic retrofit of the French
Consulate building, the site of one of the City's Visitor
Centers; construction of a new mural along the Recreation Trail near
the location where Father Junipero Serra landed in 1770; and expansion of
the skate park. The NIP Committee weighed the benefits of nearly 70
projects suggested by residents. The 38 projects selected will each get
a share of more than $2 million in City funds allocated for NIP
projects. Those dollars come from a percentage of the Transient
Occupancy Tax paid by tourists staying in Monterey hotels. For
details of the NIP projects,
click here.
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CELL
PHONE LAW TAKES EFFECT!
By Monterey
Traffic Sergeant Bob Guinvarch
 Starting
July 1, a new
law regarding cell phone usage goes into effect that
prohibits:
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Persons under the age
of 18 from driving a motor vehicle while using a
wireless telephone or a mobile service device. This
prohibition includes telephones equipped with a
hands-free device.
– Persons 18 and older from driving a motor vehicle while
using a hand-held cellular telephone unless that telephone
permits hands-free operation.
EXCEPTIONS: The law allows
those driving a motor truck, truck tractor, tow truck,
or specified farm vehicles to use a digital two-way
radio service built into a wireless telephone that
operates by depressing a push-to-talk feature and does
not require immediate proximity to the user’s ear. These
exceptions apply until July 1, 2011.
Emergency Exemption
The law permits a driver, regardless of age, to use a
wireless telephone for emergency purposes, including,
but not limited to, an emergency call to a law enforcement
agency, health care provider, fire department, or other
emergency services agency or entity.
Penalties
Violating these new laws is an infraction. A violator is
subject to a base fine of $20 for the first offense and not
more than $50 for each subsequent offense. A negligent
operator point will not be assigned to a driver found
guilty of a cell phone usage violation.
For more information
If you have any questions regarding the new law, you can
contact Traffic Sergeant Bob Guinvarch at
831.646.3419,
guinvarc@ci.monterey.ca.us
or you can go to the
CHP Website.
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Enjoy
a Morning Walk?
Volunteer Now!
Bay View Elementary School will begin a
walking school bus in August as
part of the Safe Routes to School program. A walking school
bus functions like a regular bus, only walking! Adult volunteers are needed to walk
with groups of students in the morning. Walking routes are less than one mile. All volunteers
will need to be fingerprinted and complete a safety course. This is a great opportunity
to get some exercise and help youngsters develop healthy lifestyles. If
you're interested,
contact Lacey Raak at 831-646-3473 or
raak@ci.monterey.ca.us
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SUMMER
RECREATION
By Recreation Supervisor Shannon Beltran
The Monterey Recreation and Community
Services Department will be offering a variety of Summer
break programs for children.
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Playground
Program for children ages 5-12 at Archer Park, Casanova Oak
Knoll Park, Hilltop Park or Via Paraiso Park. Recreation
leaders will supervise children in various activities such
as arts, crafts, cooking, games and movement activities. |
Whispering Pines Day Camp
is an organized and supervised
outdoor program for children ages 5-9. Activities for
campers include hiking, folk dancing, singing, arts and
crafts, outdoor cooking, camp skills, and nature activities.
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Camp Quien Sabe Youth Overnight Camp is a residential camp
for children entering 2nd grade through 15 years
of age. Children will be separated by age group but all will
enjoy a variety of activities including hiking, folk
dancing, camp skills, cookouts, nature crafts, swimming in
the private camp pool, boating, and water safety activities
around the camp lake. Camp Quien Sabe is truly a unique
experience for your child. Youngsters learn good camping
practices and an appreciation for the intricate and delicate
balance of nature. |
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The Monterey Sports Center will be offering
Sports Camp Plus and
Cheerleading Camp. At Sports Camp Plus there
are new activities every day! The schedule is packed with
fun activities including floor hockey, basketball,
whiffle ball, swimming and much more. Campers also go
roller-skating and to a BBQ. Campers can also take swim
lessons during camp for only $20. Cheerleading Camp gives
campers a non-competitive environment to have fun while
learning basic sideline and crowd cheers as well as stunts
and dance routines.
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Learn more about what’s going on at your community center or the
Monterey Sports Center
by visiting
www.monterey.org/rec
or call 646.3866 for details.
For a look at the Summer / Fall Activities Guide,
click here.
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Healing Back Pain
by Monterey Sports Center Fitness Manager William F. Rothschild
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The Monterey Sports Center has
licensed Physical Therapists to help you recover from back pain.
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Recently while doing
some heavy lifting, I experienced what 90% of the adult
population in my age group have experienced at least once in
their lifetime – back pain. This wasn’t the, “Oh I’ve
overdone it” type of back pain. This was the type of back
pain that causes you to miss work and wonder if you will
ever walk upright again. The one thing I’ve read, seen and
heard from most of the experts in back rehabilitation is you
need to get up and moving as soon as possible to speed your
recovery and strengthen the back against re-injury.
When attempting to return from a back injury,
it is important to follow a sound program to help prevent
re-injury. It is highly recommended to work with a trained
and licensed professional when coming back from an injury.
Stretching, pilates, and
strengthening exercises including McKenzie exercises and
lumbar stabilization exercises, can be used to help
strengthen the core muscles of the spine. Progressive
loading and unloading of the spine, a process called
facilitation, can also be done to help reduce pain and
strengthen the spine.
Low impact aerobic exercise is also a very
important component of any rehabilitation program. Some
examples of low impact aerobic exercise include aquatic
exercise, continuous walking for 30 minutes or more, or
stationary biking. Other factors for successful recovery
include controlling anxiety and stress, eating well, getting
adequate sleep, and controlling medication use.
So, whether you have recently experienced an
episode of back pain, currently are in pain or want to
prevent back pain, get and stay active.
Library
e-Newsletter
The
Monterey Public Library has started an online newsletter
that you can subscribe to as easily as you subscribe to City
Focus online. To view the Library's IDEA newsletter,
click
here.
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Events |
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July 18 - 19 U.S. Motorcycle Grand Prix
Thru Aug.
17 Journeys
Though the Lens
featuring
the works of local photographers Clarice Hoffman,
Debbie Delatour and Galyn
Hammond. Each artist takes you on a different adventure
through their camera.
Thru Sept. 1 Ride the MST Trolley FREE
from downtown to Cannery Row with stops in-between!
Sept. 4 - 6 Cherry's Jubilee
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City Focus online is
published twice a year in July and December. It augments the City's
printed newsletter, City Focus, which comes out in September and April.
City Focus online saves paper and printing costs. We would like to know
what you think about City Focus online. Send your comments,
suggestions and story ideas to us at the link below. |
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