Bad Apple in Blue?… Salinas police officer Jesus Sánchez was arrested and booked in Monterey County Jail on three felony counts of assault with intent to commit rape, according to new Police Chief Louis Fetherolf, who is working to regain the public’s trust in the Salinas PD. Sánchez was released on $300,000 bail and put on paid administrative leave. Read the July 8 story at montereycountyweekly.com/news. [KA]

Eco-Ficcial… The city of Marina officially joined the cities of Pacific Grove, Salinas, Monterey and Santa Cruz in adopting the United Nations Urban Environmental Accords and the Mayors Climate Protection Agreement. Mayor Bruce Delgado and Councilman Frank O’Connell signed the documents in a ceremony at City Hall July 13. Monterey will celebrate its one-year anniversary of signing the accords Wednesday, July 22 from 3-5pm at Monterey City Hall. [KA]

D.C. Hearts MBay… President Barack Obama seems to enjoy fishing in Monterey Bay – he’s been reeling some of our finest minds to serve in federal posts. First it was Leon Panetta’s appointment to lead the CIA. Then Naval Postgraduate School professor Paul Stockton was selected as Obama’s assistant secretary of defense. Now the Prez has tapped Marcia McNutt, CEO of the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, as his choice for director of the U.S. Geological Society, putting Monterey Bay officially on the map. [KA]

Otter Slide… The furry, belly-baring, fist-licking Monterey Bay mascot isn’t doing so well. Sea otter numbers are down by almost 4 percent this year compared to last, according to the U.S. Geological Survey’s spring census, released June 30. Fewer than 2,700 of the threatened sea mammals were spotted in their 375-mile range along the Central California coast. Experts suspect ocean pollution is primarily to blame. Conservationists are using the numbers to lobby for a federal bill now before Congress, the Southern Sea Otter Recovery and Research Act (HR 556). Defenders of Wildlife is encouraging Californians who have filed for tax extensions to donate to the Sea Otter Fund, a check-off at the end of the state tax form. If the fund doesn’t receive at least $263,000 in 2009, it will not appear on the 2010 tax form. [KA]