SQUID FRY 06.04.15: Brownie Points…

BROWNIE POINTS… Perhaps it was how Squid was raised – with only Poseidon Festivus for a religious holiday – but Squid’s never been much of a church-going cephalopod. Not even the prospect of a shrimp-flavored wafer and a thimble of wine, or the opportunity for Squid to be absolved of Squid’s sins, can draw Squid from the lair. Squid’s more of an herb-puffer than a wine-drinker, anyway.

But Salinas City Councilman Steve McShane sent Squid an email May 27 that might yet bring Squid into the nave: From 5:30-7pm Monday, June 8, the Salinas Taxpayers Association is hosting a cannabis forum at Salinas First United Methodist Church. The event will include panel discussion of the pros and cons of legalizing, regulating and taxing medical pot operations in the city.

For those who attend, it might be best to eat dinner beforehand, and save room for dessert. The event features a “brownie cook-off.” Squid predicts a joyful evening.

BAD BOY… Speaking of hazy memories, Congressman Sam Farr, D-Carmel, seems to have a pretty solid grasp on his childhood. On May 26, addressing newly trained solar installers at Rancho Cielo, an alternative school for probationers and others, Farr seemed determined to establish his own bad-boy cred. He offered up a couple of stories to prove it: He once got arrested for throwing rotten fruit at a tourist. Another time, he turned on the sprinklers at a park during someone’s barbecue, then ran away – straight into a police car. He was arrested for throwing a potted plant out the window at La Playa Hotel.

“Mischief in those days wasn’t guns, drugs and violence,” Farr said.

But Rancho Cielo kids aren’t there because they watered a party. They’re there because they’ve stolen firearms, assaulted classmates or sold drugs, and are now aiming to turn their lives around.

Still, Squid appreciates the anecdotes of a young, reckless Farr, because they’re so charming and naive. Makes Squid want to put on one of those campaign buttons from the old days: “The Farr Side.”

Charged Up… It must be tough working for the Carmel Police. One day you’re chasing an escaped house-pig down a tree-lined street, the next you’re helping a concerned citizen fill out a report about littering.

So Carmel officers probably didn’t bat an eye when they received a call May 25 from a man who reported his electric car had been unplugged from the Sunset Center charging station after he’d briefly stepped away.

The responding officers arrived to find four people (including the “victim”) arguing about who had unplugged the man’s car. After officers separated the group, they counseled the folks about their negative energy and stayed until everyone finished charging.