Squidfry 10.29.15: Spy Games…

SPY GAMES… Squid’s pretty confident that in the real world, there are no James Bonds and no Jason Bournes. Still, had Squid been born a human, Squid would have signed right up to become a spy, because there is nothing Squid loves more than surveillance. That’s why Squid had to smile when some residents near La Sala’s Bi-Rite Market in Monterey put a surveillance camera on a roof a few months ago, attempting to capture the ongoing illegal parking of delivery trucks on Portola Avenue. After a city code enforcement officer came to investigate their claims, he said he saw no trucks. Problem is, the resident’s camera took a time-stamped picture of one at the exact same time!

The resident, at the request of Mayor Clyde Roberson, began calling the police upon seeing the double-parked trucks. Then, a subsequent Public Records Act request by a nearby resident uncovered something surprising. Monterey Police Officer Adam Costa, when responding to one of these calls Aug. 7, asked to talk to the resident making the calls. The PRA revealed an email Costa sent to Lt. Marty Hart, in which Costa writes, “When I realized [the resident] was not going to be reasoned with, I activated MAVRS and recorded the conversation… The conversation was cordial.”

Whoa! Squid loves surveillance and all, but isn’t recording someone’s conversation without their consent illegal in California?

GETTING TRASHED… Squid was in a bit of a haze Tuesday afternoon. While on the way to Del Rey Oaks City Council, Squid strolled past Moon’s gift shop on Fremont Boulevard in Seaside, where a can of bear spray accidentally discharged in the store, prompting a hazmat response. (To Squid’s knowledge, there’ve been no local grizzly sightings for at least 100 years.)

Squid endured the eye irritation and made it to Del Rey Oaks City Hall, where City Manager Daniel Dawson was celebrating another haze: He honored Monterey Bay Alternative Medicine, a medical marijuana dispensary, for its first six months in business – basically props for not getting shut down. Things got less kumbaya when they moved on to a new subject: trash rates. Squid rejoiced when seven Monterey Peninsula cities voted in 2014 and 2015 to switch from Waste Management to GreenWaste Recovery. It meant Squid could recycle batteries, small appliances and notorious polystyrene packing peanuts.

For most ratepayers, the difference has been nominal. But business owners in DRO did the math, and say their rates have skyrocketed by 267 percent since the switch.Tarpy’s manager Dana Neikirk showed up, repping a coalition of businesses including Jerry Graham Autobody and Mid-Cal Heating, to vent to City Council.

There’s no easy fix, but Squid recommends a medicinal pot brownie for everyone.