Big Time

BIG TIME… Fortunately for Squid, who abides by the rules and the food chain, when it comes to talking to the cops, Squid is usually the one doing the interviewing. (There’s that one exception with a headlight out on the old jalopy – fixed!) Squid was recently perusing Monterey Police Department data Search warrants served in 2023: 101. New cases last year: 219. Arrests made: 67. Presidential cabinet appointees investigated for alleged crimes by MPD: 1.

Wait, what? Make that one Peter Hegseth, a Fox News personality, National Guard officer and President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for Secretary of Defense. News broke almost immediately that Hegseth was investigated in 2017 by Monterey PD for sexual assault. (No charges were filed.)

Given that police reports in California are not public records, Squid was not able to ascertain much – the alleged assault took place at the Hyatt between midnight and 7am on Oct. 8, 2017, when national news outlets report Hegseth was in town for a Republican conference. A police report was made four days later; no weapons were involved, and reported injuries were contusions to the victim’s right thigh.

Media outlets have since reported that Hegseth and the woman entered into a settlement and mutual nondisclosure agreement, which means we’re not likely to learn much more. When it comes time for confirmation hearings, however, Squid will be standing by with popcorn.

CHECK’S IN THE MAIL… In Squid’s lair, some things happen fast – the entire life cycle of some nudibranchs is just a few months – while others happen slowly. Say you’re waiting for a gray whale to deliver a piece of snail mail from Alaska or Mexico, you’ll have to wait an entire season.

Apparently the humans at radio station KAZU, housed on the campus of CSU Monterey Bay, expect the mail to arrive reasonably efficiently. Especially for a nonprofit reliant on donations, it really matters. Kellsy Panno, KAZU’s director of membership and marketing, wrote to supporters on Nov. 12 to notify them of “a significant delay” in processing checks, and advise them of a change: The station has given up on CSUMB’s mailroom and instead got a post office box in Marina to avoid future delays.

“Unfortunately, recent staffing reductions in the campus mailroom, which handles all mail for the university, have caused considerable delays in receiving our mail, including many donations,” Panno wrote. “If you’ve been wondering why your donation check hasn’t been deposited, we apologize sincerely.”

A CSUMB spokesperson says they’ve added temporary mailroom staff. For all the students expecting a holiday card and maybe a treat in the mail, Squid hopes for the best – and invites them over to the lair for some shrimp-and-caramel-flavored popcorn.