New COVID-19 vaccination guidelines have been released by the Monterey County Health Department that will begin starting Feb. 17.
Previous, rules had only allowed health care workers in Tier 1A to get vaccinated as well as seniors 75 years old and older.
Starting Feb. 17, some county residents over the age of 65 will also be able to get the vaccine.
To qualify you must be 65 years old or older and work in food and ag, child care and education, and emergency services. In addition, people who meet the age requirement and live in the following ZIP codes may also get vaccinated regardless of profession.
ZIP Codes:
- 93930
- 93927
- 93960
- 93926
- 93901
- 93905
- 93906
- 93933
- 93955
- 95012
- 95039
- 95076
Those specific ZIP Codes were picked since they are heavily impacted areas, according to the California Department of Health Blueprint Health Equity Measure.
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There has been a dramatic increase in the number of great white sharks seen swimming in Monterey Bay, according to a new study published Tuesday.
The study found younger great white sharks that are between 5 and 9 feet long (1.5 and 3 meters) and traditionally concentrated in warm waters off northern Mexico and Southern California have moved north since 2014 as water temperatures have warmed.
Where once there were no juvenile white sharks spotted in the ocean between Aptos and Capitola, now there are dozens seen every year, according to research from scientists at the Monterey Bay Aquarium, Duke University and California State University Long Beach.
They swim there in groups between April and October, sometimes within a few yards of the shoreline and some have been photographed swimming near people.
The “shark nurseries” where they grow have typically been south of Santa Barbara County. But after the Pacific Ocean off the West Coast warmed considerably in an event known as “the Blob” in 2014, the have moved northward, the scientists found.
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A Marina man is facing several charges following his arrest in connection with an armed robbery at a 7-Eleven.
Shortly after 2 a.m. Monday, police responded to a report of a robbery at the store at 140 Beach Road. Officers learned that a man demanded "all the money" from the clerk, but left without any money when the clerk pressed a silent alarm. The clerk was able to give police a description of the suspect.
The man, identified as Navnur Goraya, was arrested. Police said he had meth with him.
Goraya was booked into the Monterey County Jail on attempted robbery, possession of a controlled substance, and probation violation charges.
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Pacific Gas and Electric is asking its customers to be careful with metallic balloons this Valentine's Day.
According to the utility, 453 power outages in Northern and Central California, last year were caused by metallic balloons, a 30% increase from 2019.
On the Central Coast, the top 5 cities for outages caused by the balloons were:
- Salinas- 25 outages, 116,325 customers affected
- Santa Maria- 12 outages, 33,078 customers affected
- Monterey- 7 outages, 188,048 customers affected
- Greenfield- 5 outages, 42,394 customers affected
- Watsonville- 5 outages, 5,307 customers affected
PG&E said sometimes the outages interrupt electric service to facilities such as hospitals, schools and traffic lights.
To stay safe, PG&E suggests:
- Making sure balloons are securely tied to a weight that will prevent them from floating away.
- Avoiding celebrating with metallic balloons near overhead power lines.
- Not retrieving items caught in a power line.
- Avoiding power lines on the ground or dangling in the air.
The outages happen when a metallic balloon gets loose. The coating on the balloons conducts electricity, and the utility said that can pose a risk. PG&E said it believes there was an increase in outages attributed to them due to drive-by celebrations and outdoor decorations during the pandemic.
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