PG PUB CRUSADE… Squid was enjoying a pleasant stroll around PACIFIC GROVE on Saturday morning when the comely-yet-sarcastic Squidette let fly with a typically funny bit of meanness. Regarding some “Road Closed” signs posted around Lover’s Point, Squidette remarked: “Tomorrow’s the walker-race. Or the wheelchair race. Oh, no—that’s right—it’s the stroller race. Strollers is this weekend; walkers-and-wheelchairs is next weekend.”

Squid felt guilty about laughing—it’s hard to feel OK these days about making fun of mommies, daddies, babies and senior citizens—but Squid had to admit: PG works hard to embrace family values, and does little for those of us who are no longer changing diapers and not yet in diapers. In so doing, the community leaves the rest of us free to make fun.

Squid honestly likes PG, however—and takes heart in a rumor that’s circulating. There are some people in Pacific Grove, Squid is told, who would like to see a pub downtown. Hooray! Jim Hightower said in these pages two weeks ago: “Whenever I go into a town for the first time I look for three things: 1) a good pub, 2) a local farmers market, and 3) a good independent bookstore.” Squid says: Let’s take Jim’s advice! Let’s bring a pub to PG! C’mon!

ALISAL STREET PROJECT… County politics junkies saw Supervisor BUTCH LINDLEY’s announcement coming as soon as state Assemblyman SIMÓN SALINAS announced for the DISTRICT 3 seat on the Board of Supes. But it took a good month for Lindley to make it official that he would not seek a second term. “I would like to thank my supporters, the residents of the Third District and the populace of the County of Monterey for allowing me to serve them,” Lindley said in his announcement on Feb. 9, citing a desire to spend more time with his family and his winery business.

And, possibly to thank his supporters, Lindley left them a big, fat parting gift on his way out: He appointed South County rancher JAY BROWN to the PLANNING COMMISSION, to fill a seat that had been occupied by SHARON PARSONS.

Comparing the two is a bit like comparing, well, snails and cuttlefish. Brown’s been a member of COMMON-GROUND-21ST-CENTURY-SOLUTIONS-REFINEMENT-GROUP-PLAN-FOR-THE-PEOPLE, who convinced the Supes to throw out the most recent General Plan and draft a developer-friendly alternative. He was also one of the few go-go-growthers who, while pointing out that they weren’t actually supporting monster-development RANCHO SAN JUAN, accused RSJ opponents of lying. And he has come out swinging against the citizen’s general plan initiative, which may or may not be on the June ballot.

Parsons, on the other hand, has been known to voice concerns about sprawling development projects like Rancho San Juan. She’s one of those commissioners who think things like water and infrastructure and affordable housing are important. She supported General Plan Update III (as did the rest of the Planning Commission), before the Supes killed it. Squid has a strong suspicion that Brown would have been on the other side of that vote.