Somebody Over There is Whistling "Home, Home on the Range"

I was a little concerned a few years back when my comrades over at the Herald decided to relocate their offices from downtown Monterey to one of the furthest- out-there properties at developing Ryan Ranch. It seemed ill-advised to me--that a newspaper would move from the hubbub of city environment in favor of the quiet ranch life. After all, look what happened to Ronald Reagan and William Randolph Hearst when they moved to their respective ranches. Peter Frusetta lives on a big ranch, too.

Well, if the chickens didn''t come home to roost. Last Friday, apparently because the Herald was impressed with water board candidate Marc Beique''s credentials and qualities, they endorsed the outspoken pro-dam candidate.

Only one problem: As stated in their correction Saturday, Herald editorialists thought the credentials of anti-dam candidate Kris Lindstrom belonged to Beique.

Which makes me wonder, since the Herald didn''t endorse Lindstrom, did they mean to? And since they did endorse Beique, presumably in large part because of his credentials, did they mean to?

I know, I know, we''re all human. Well, some of us anyway.

Look For The Upcoming Seaside Ejection

Two weeks ago, the Weekly broke the news that Americans with Disabilities Act consultant Mark Giblin was campaigning to recall Seaside Councilmember Darryl Choates for hiding behind the ADA and threatening to sue Mayor Jerry Smith (see "Go Away Choates?," 10/21).

Yet, doubters contend it''s hard to get a guy tossed from his cushy council seat--particularly in an era when most folks don''t even seem to know who their councilmembers are. First off, you have to get 25 percent of registered voters to sign petitions to take the recall to the ballot, a nearly impossible task in itself, say unbelievers.

However, Squid is here to remind you that recalling elected officials isn''t unusual in the stormy political skies of Seaside. To the contrary, former councilmember and water board member (and all-around good guy) Lou Haddad was recalled in 1980, preceded by the ouster of two councilmembers in the ''70s, and a couple in the ''50s. Plus, two incumbent mayors have been defeated in the past 10 years.

Seems as though Seaside voters are a tad afraid of commitment, Darryl. My advice: hobble on over to the launching pad, strap on your seat belt, then apologize like mad. Tee minus fifteen...

First Turner and Hooch. Next FX.

Hollywood executive Warren Braverman''s P.G. home sits on a slope that appears to be a two-story home from the front, but transforms into a three-story monstrosity when viewed from the side. In and of itself, that may not be problematic. But it does raise the ugly question: When is a story a story?

Well, a new zoning ordinance under consideration may put the argument to rest once and for all.

In their brilliance, city planners simply wouldn''t count a basement--habitable or not--as a story. Nor would a habitable basement be included in the total square-footage of a house. (Carmel and Monterey do count habitable basements as stories.) In other words, should the ordinance pass, you''re free to build a trophy home.

The ordinance may be just another brick in the ongoing "mansionization" of cute little P.G., a trend that has some residents fearing their town''s future. Somehow I doubt, however, that this is the end of the story. Call in the special effects team.

Put Squid on the silver screen: squid@coastweekly.com.

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