David Schmalz here. Yesterday, I had the pleasure to sit down for a chat with Steve Vagnini, who among many other things, is the organizer of Sand City’s West End Celebration and the former Monterey County Assessor of many years.
It was the first time I’ve seen him since the Before Times, and Vagnini was aglow from a weekend spent at the Monterey Jazz Festival, but even more than that, a recent trip to Spain.
I bring this up because at 12:30pm this Thursday, Oct. 3, I’ll be sitting down to talk with Vagnini for the Weekly’s monthly Mic’d Up at the Press Club event, where for 45 minutes, I’ll be asking him questions, and after that, the floor is opened for questions from attendees.
Part of the reason I asked Vagnini to participate in the series is because he’s fun to talk to, and he knows a lot about a lot of different things, whether it be music and philosophy, local history, finance and property taxes, or how to properly appraise the value of a golf course.
Our conversation yesterday touched on all those things and more, like his admirable work for nonprofit Guitars Not Guns, and why he decided to move to Monterey from the East Coast after finishing grad school in Virginia.
I hope you’ll join us for this free event and get a chance to hear from Vagnini himself—he’s a fount of positive energy and a wellspring of fascinating stories, like the time he was arrested on the steps of the nation’s capital.
I hope to see you there.
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