Monterey Park Neighborhood Watch

If you live near an unoccupied home FOR SALE this information might be good to keep in mind. An alert neighbor on San Juan Drive reported today (on another website) that an unoccupied home FOR SALE near him was "attacked" by person(s) unknown sometime overnight between Saturday 6 pm and Sunday morning 7 am by prying open or cutting the house's window screens and actually removing those on one side of the residence. One window was found to be slightly open, he wrote, but it c...ould not be determined if entry into the home had been made. An entry door was still locked. Salinas police were notified, searched the house, and determined nothing had been taken. Before it might be needed, it could be wise to make a list of contact information for the empty homes in YOUR neighborhood and maybe also ask the listing realtors to make occasional inspections of the exteriors for attacks against the property. In every case if you learn of something suspicious arising, remember to report it to the SPD. See more

The Salinas Police Department is calling April the National Distracted Driving Awareness Month. In California, the Office of Traffic Safety (OTS), the SPD, CHP, other local law enforcement and community partners will work together to make our roads safer by highlighting the dangers of being distracted while driving, especially when using cell phones. Rhonda Craft, director of the OTS says "take care of calling, texting, setting your GPS and everything else before you hit t...he street." Lawmakers agree that distracted driving is a growing problem. . AB 1785 went into effect on January 1, requiring all drivers in California to keep their cell phone out of their hands while operating a motor vehicle. Under the new law, a driver may activate or deactivate a feature or function of the cell phone or wireless communication device by swiping or tapping its screen only if it is properly mounted or not being held in a driver's hand. Specific information on the new law can be found at www.ots.ca.gov. The OTS will begin a public awareness campaign throughout the state in April emphasizing how the new law makes virtually all hand-held cell phone activity illegal talking, texting, and even using apps. The campaign aims to end distracted driving through education and raise awareness about the associated dangers. The goal is to change motorist habits and save lives, not just in the month of April, but year-round. The NHTSA reports 3,477 people were killed and about 391,000 injured in vehicle collisions involving distracted drivers in 2015. That’s a 9 percent increase in fatalities as compared to the previous year. SPD will join other LEO’s throughout the state to provide educational experiences as well as zero tolerance enforcement efforts to discourage distracted driving. Officers will place a special emphasis this month on enforcing all cell phone and distracted driving laws. The goal is to gain voluntary compliance by drivers, but sometimes citations are necessary for motorists to better understand the importance of driving distraction free. This month SPD will be deploying extra traffic officers with grant-funded resources on several dates in city locations with the highest numbers of traffic collisions. Violators will be stopped and cited, with fines set at $162 for first time offenders. This campaign is funded by a grant from the California OTS, through the NHTSA.

Petition to Say NO To Additional Ball Field at Claremont Manor https://www.change.org/p/city-of-salinas-city-council-say-n

MPNW received word today that incoming Salinas Chief of Police Adele Fresé has been forced to alter her plans to attend and participate in Saturday afternoon's Monterey Park Neighborhood Watch General Meeting, set for 3 pm in the Fellowship Hall of St Paul's Episcopal Church, on Pajaro Street, this Saturday, January 28. Chief Fresé sends her regrets, and is also assigning a member of her command staff to attend and stand in for her. Residents of Monterey Park are automatical...ly members of MPNW, and all are encouraged to attend and participate. Criminal activity in Monterey Park (including Claremont Manor) is thought to be increasing and one of the best tools in fighting crime has always been an aware, organized and watchful community. Please plan on attending and participating. Critical decisions and important votes are promised. Your thoughts and ideas might be just what's needed to "take a bite out of crime".

Good news! Chief of Police Adele Fresé has accepted an invitation to attend the Monterey Park Neighborhood Watch General Meeting scheduled for 3 pm, Saturday, January 28, at St. Paul's Episcopal Church in the Fellowship Hall on Pajaro Street. Don't miss this great opportunity to meet Salinas' new police chief, and learn of her future plans to enhance our city's security and safety.... In addition, an opportunity for a brief public comment period will be provided.

Just received this file from the City. http://www.cityofsalinas.org//repair_list.rev_-_current.pdf If you live in Salinas and wonder whether your damaged curb/sidewalk has been noticed and is scheduled for repair, here is a list with the priority ranking the city has assigned your particular address. Scroll through the list by street name to find the street address for your home. Then note your priority rating.