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MERCED, Calif. (KFSN) -- Efforts to ensure community safety along bear creek include the animals at the Applegate Park Zoo.

As City and State crews worked to secure areas of erosion on the swollen waterway -- Zoo keepers and volunteers teamed up with the Monterey zoo to secure more than a dozen animals.

"We brought five deer, two black bears, one coyote, two foxes, two Capuchin monkeys and two bobcats," Monterey Zoo's director Charlie Sammut says.

RELATED: Zoo animals evacuated, Bear Creek banks reinforced in Merced ahead of storm

Sammut says they coordinated the transport through the Zoo Disaster response rescue and recovery team.

The national group provides support to zoos, aquariums and sanctuaries before, during, and after significant incidents.

Sammut says the complex process began Thursday.

"There's a lot to coordinate. There's not only the transportation and what you're going to transport in," Sammut says. "Then you have to coordinate how you're going to get them into the transport equipment, and then where you're going to take them, and ultimately how you're going to house them afterwards on a temporary basis."

Though Monterey is also facing flood concerns, the zoo's elevation is high enough that they won't be impacted.

Animal Care specialists including veterinarians worked with zookeepers to load bears onto trailers.

As for how the bears are doing in their new digs...

"They're doing real good. It's interesting, because, for instance, the bears are being housed next to our lions and tigers," Sammut says. "Therefore, they're seeing things they've certainly never seen before, and it's it's actually kind of fun watching their response to that."

Since 1962, Applegate Park Zoo has been home to rescued animals that all have reasons why they can't safely be returned to the wild. The zoo's population includes California native mammals, birds and reptiles, most came from wildlife rescue centers.

Zoo keepers and volunteers from Applegate park spent Thursday and Friday in Monterey ensuring a smooth transition.

"They were very, very accommodating, and allowing us to orchestrate the process," Sammut says. "They were here to help us move the animals into temporary housing. They spent the night with us and they did come and make sure their animals were taken care of."

The City of Merced says the move to evacuate was made out of an abundance of caution.

Monterey is prepared to house the animals as long as there's a need.

MERCED, Calif. (KFSN) -- Efforts to ensure community safety along bear creek include the animals at the Applegate Park Zoo.

As City and State crews worked to secure areas of erosion on the swollen waterway -- Zoo keepers and volunteers teamed up with the Monterey zoo to secure more than a dozen animals.

"We brought five deer, two black bears, one coyote, two foxes, two Capuchin monkeys and two bobcats," Monterey Zoo's director Charlie Sammut says.

Sammut says they coordinated the transport through the Zoo Disaster response rescue and recovery team.

The national group provides support to zoos, aquariums and sanctuaries before, during, and after significant incidents.

Sammut says the complex process began Thursday.

"There's a lot to coordinate. There's not only the transportation and what you're going to transport in," Sammut says. "Then you have to coordinate how you're going to get them into the transport equipment, and then where you're going to take them, and ultimately how you're going to house them afterwards on a temporary basis."

Though Monterey is also facing flood concerns, the zoo's elevation is high enough that they won't be impacted.

Animal Care specialists including veterinarians worked with zookeepers to load bears onto trailers.

As for how the bears are doing in their new digs...

"They're doing real good. It's interesting, because, for instance, the bears are being housed next to our lions and tigers," Sammut says. "Therefore, they're seeing things they've certainly never seen before, and it's it's actually kind of fun watching their response to that."

Since 1962, Applegate Park Zoo has been home to rescued animals that all have reasons why they can't safely be returned to the wild. The zoo's population includes California native mammals, birds and reptiles, most came from wildlife rescue centers.

Zoo keepers and volunteers from Applegate park spent Thursday and Friday in Monterey ensuring a smooth transition.

"They were very, very accommodating, and allowing us to orchestrate the process," Sammut says. "They were here to help us move the animals into temporary housing. They spent the night with us and they did come and make sure their animals were taken care of."

The City of Merced says the move to evacuate was made out of an abundance of caution.

Monterey is prepared to house the animals as long as there's a need.

WHO | HONOREE Christina Applegate

EMCEE Lupita Sanchez Cornejo, Chair of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce

GUEST SPEAKERS “Married with Children,” co-stars: David Faustino, Katey Sagal and from “Dead to Me,” Linda Cardellini and show creator Liz Feldman

WHAT Dedication of the 2,740th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame

WHERE 7007 Hollywood Boulevard, Hollywood, CA 90028

WATCH LIVE The event will be streamed live exclusively at walkoffame.com

On November 14, at 11:30 a.m. actress Christina Applegate will be honored with the 2,740th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in the category of Television. The star will be located at 7007 Hollywood Boulevard across the street from the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel.

The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce has proudly hosted the globally iconic Hollywood Walk of Fame since 1960. The Chamber exists to transform business and improve lives. Through the Walk of Fame, the Chamber celebrates the business that transforms us all – the business of entertainment. Entertainment is a unique blend of art and enterprise; elevating and inspiring us all.

ABOUT OUR HONOREE

“Christina Applegate has been performing since she was very young and has starred in some of the funniest shows that have made television history,” stated Walk of Fame Producer Ana Martinez. “I have chosen a great location for her star and it is a few feet away from the star of her “Married with Children” television parents, Walk of Famers, Ed O’Neill and Katey Sagal. Her special day will be a reunion of sorts, full of memories and tons of laughter!” she added.

Joining emcee Lupita Sanchez Cornejo for the star unveiling will be David Faustino and Katey Sagal. Also participating will be actress Linda Cardellini and the creator of “Dead To Me,” Liz Feldman.

Christina Applegate has endeared herself to audiences and received accolades for her strength and versatility in theatre, film and television. With Emmy, Golden Globe and Tony nominations to her credit, she has proven herself to be one of Hollywood’s most influential leading ladies.

After a six-year hiatus from series television, Applegate returned in May 2019 as an executive producer and star of the critically acclaimed half-hour dark comedy series for Netflix, “Dead to Me,” alongside Linda Cardellini and James Marsden.

For her role as Jen Harding in “Dead To Me”, she has received Best Actress nominations from the Emmy Awards, Golden Globes, Screen Actors Guild, Critics Choice, Television Critics Association, Gold Derby and People’s Choice Awards, among others. The third and final season of “Dead to Me” premieres November 17, on Netflix.

Applegate made her television debut in 1972 alongside her mother in the soap opera” Days of Our Lives,” She first gained widespread attention as the sexy and sarcastic Kelly Bundy on the long-running Fox television series, “Married with Children”. After a very successful 11-season run, she furthered her television success by starring in her own NBC comedy series, “Jesse.” In 1999, the highly-rated show garnered Applegate a People’s Choice Award as Favorite Female Performer in a New Television Series and a Golden Globe nomination in the category of Best Performance by an Actress in a TV Series, Comedy or Musical.

In 2004, Applegate returned to television as a guest star on “Friends” as Rachel’s (Jennifer Aniston) younger sister, Amy. Her performance earned her an Emmy Award in the category of Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series for her role, as well as an additional nomination the following year.

Applegate’s performance as the titled character Samantha Newly in the ABC series “Samantha Who?” was applauded by critics and fans and garnered Applegate her 3rd SAG Award nomination. Previous nods include two Emmy nominations for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series, 2 Golden Globe nominations for Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series, 2 SAG Award nominations for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series, among others. In addition, Applegate served as a producer for the show, which won a People’s choice Award for Favorite New TV Comedy during its first season. In 2011, she joined Will Arnett and Maya Rudolph in NBC’s comedy, “Up All Night”, executive produced by Lorne Michaels, playing Reagan, a career-driven and energetic woman trying to juggle the demands of career, marriage and motherhood.

Her feature film credits include the independent feature “Youth in Oregon.” Her other films include: “Crash Pad”, “Bad Moms,” and a cameo in the sequel “A Bad Moms Christmas.” She co-starred with in the Warner Bros. “Vacation”, a reboot of the cult classic franchise starring Chevy Chase. Prior to that she reprised her role as Veronica Corningstone in “Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues.” Some of her additional film credits include The Farrelly brother’s comedy, “Hall Pass,” with Owen Wilson, Jason Sudekis and Jenna Fischer; “Going the Distance” with Justin Long and Drew Barrymore; “The Rocker”, with Rainn Wilson; “Surviving Christmas” for director Mike Mitchell; the comedy “Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy” with Will Farrell; her critically praised performance alongside Cameron Diaz and Selma Blair in the raucous comedy” The Sweetest Thing”; the drama “Wonderland”; the comedy “View From the Top” with Gwyneth Paltrow; and Stephen Herek’s cult-classic “Don’t Tell Mom the Babysitter’s Dead”.

Applegate has also found a niche in lending her voice to animated features. Her credits include the voice of Brittany, the lead Chipette, in the $200M box office blockbuster “Alvin and the Chipmunks: the Squeakquel” as well as “Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked” and “Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip.” She gave a voice to Catherine in the animated 3D comedy, “Cats and Dogs, the Revenge of Kitty Galore,” to Mary Beth in “The Book of Life,” and to Melissa in “Farce of the Penguins.”

In 2005, Applegate made her Broadway debut in the revival of “Sweet Charity,” in the starring role of Charity Hope Valentine. For her role, she was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical as well as a Drama Desk Award in the category of Outstanding Actress in a Musical. “Sweet Charity” ended its run in January 2006. Her other stage credits include an appearance in John Cassavetes’ Los Angeles production of “The Third Day” with Gena Rowlands, “The Axeman’s Jazz,” Nobody Leaves Empty Handed,” “The Run- Through”, and “The Grass Harp.”

In 2009, Applegate founded Right Action for Women (RAW), which was created to offer financial support for breast cancer screenings. RAW served over 1000 patients in its 10-year history and provided nearly $1M in financial assistance.

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Christina Applegate made her first public appearance since her multiple sclerosis diagnosis to accept her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Yesterday, the Dead to Me star walked barefoot on the iconic strip to hold her star plaque and made a touching speech next to costar and best friend Linda Cardellini, as well as other coworkers and loved ones.

"This day means more to me than you could possibly imagine," she said.

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The actor got her start in Hollywood when she was just a child and has taken on dozens of memorable roles, including Kelly Bundy in Married... with Children, Sue Ellen Crandell in Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead, Veronica Corningstone in Anchorman, Samantha Newly in Samantha Who?, and, most recently, Jen Harding in Dead to Me.

Applegate was all elegance at the ceremony in a sleek black look from Cinq à Sept. She wore the brand's Keeves Blazer with asymmetric lace detailing and matching wide-leg Kent Pants with a layered detail and side buckle. She accessorized with a silver watch and wore black nail polish and natural makeup. Her hair was down in relaxed waves.

The appearance marked her first public outing in more than a year due to her health condition.

Emma McIntyre//Getty Images

Applegate opened up about her journey with MS in an interview with The New York Times earlier this month. She said she got the diagnosis while she was filming the final season of Dead to Me, and continuing to do the show with her new disability was the hardest thing she's ever done.

The actress noted that she has since put on 40 pounds and had to adjust to walking with a cane. She has had to "process my loss of my life, my loss of that part of me," but she is still nowhere near accepting her condition. "Acceptance? No. I'm never going to accept this. I'm pissed," she admitted.

The next and final season of Dead to Me arrives on Netflix this Thursday, November 17.

New businesses, entertainment and restaurants are cropping up in abundance in one of California’s fastest growing cities, but Merced leaders say they aren’t forgetting their town’s history amid the momentum.

Symbolic of that is the effort to restore Merced’s historic Laura Fountain. While city leaders and community members have lamented the iconic fountain’s condition for years, progress is being made on a project intended to officially repair it to a state of honor.

The marble fountain was erected by Merced founder Charles Henry Huffman in 1888 and named for his third wife, Laura Kirkland Huffman. Laura Fountain’s construction led to Merced gaining the nickname “Fountain City,” according to the Merced County Historical Society.

Although originally built in front of the El Capitan Hotel, Laura Fountain was moved to its current location in Applegate Park in 1935.

But the fountain eventually began to crack and leak. It also fell victim to vandalism and dumped trash over the years. Put simply in the words of Merced Mayor Matt Serratto, “It’s a mess.”

An ongoing fundraising campaign spearheaded by the mayor, the Merced County Historical Society, Merced Downtown Neighborhood Association and other community members is backing a project aimed at restoring the fountain once and for all.

“It’s a historic symbol of this town that’s fallen into disrepair. To restore it and bring back what was once great about this town is really important,” Serratto said. “It’s one enormous step in saying ‘our best days are ahead of us’.”

Nearly $100,000 in private donations has been raised since fundraising began mid-last year. A number of “extremely generous” community members donated sums number in the thousands, underscoring Merced residents’ enthusiasm to see Laura Fountain returned to its original glory, Serratto said.

The total cost to revamp the fountain is estimated at about $250,000. The mayor asked his fellow City Council members this week to consider investing up to $150,000 in city dollars for the project.

“I think it’s very important, I think it’s part of our history,” Councilmember Fernando Echevarria said in support of the plan. He also floated the idea of adding an informational sign detailing Laura Fountain’s history.

Serratto and Echevarria’s colleagues at the dais voiced their support and directed city staff to return at the next City Council meeting with a funding plan for the council’s consideration.

Private fundraising efforts will continue in the meantime. If enough private donations are raised that the full $150,000 in city contributions are unnecessary, the excess dollars will go back to the city.

Anyone interested in donating to Laura Fountain’s restoration can contact the Merced County Historical Society.

Assuming the City Council signals the green light to allocate funds to the project, it’ll likely be a couple more months until the project is put out to bid, City Engineer Mike Beltran said.

The timeline is also uncertain due to the nature of the project being a bit more complex than day-to-day repairs. Restoring the 130-plus-year-old fountain is a specialized undertaking, he said.

The engineering department is looking at solutions that will keep original portions of the fountain intact while achieving a modern fix to the disrepair.

“It’s a really cool project to the city,” Beltran said. “We want to make sure it’s done right.”

This story was originally published February 12, 2022, 5:00 AM.