ROCK STEADY

Although I wouldn’t want to be responsible for picking the 20 most influential local bands of the past 20 years, I do know I would have to include The Chicano All Stars. I’m guessing that their energetic Latin rock/reggae sound has probably inspired more people to get out of their seats to dance, than any other local band I’ve seen this decade. In addition to being a great band, they’re also fronted by a great guy. Sam Martinez, the founder and leader of The Chicano All Stars, contributes to the local music scene every day by mentoring local young musicians and promoting young bands like few others do. Sam’s enthusiastic support of local artists is one of those things that often goes unnoticed, since he asks for nothing in return. And in what can often be a disingenuous and brutally competitive business, Sam deserves to be recognized as a positive influence on our young people to become better musicians, and– more importantly– to become better people.

REFORMATION POLITICS

Since over 60% of the American public want a new major party, I would like to urge “progressive” voters to write-in their favorite candidates and put REFORM party next to them. Next time I will help this party nominate U.S.A.F. Gen. “Pete” McCloskey and U.S. Marine Gen. John Edwards and bring about a “reformation” of American politics.

MILLER TIME

In your coverage of the Pacific Grove City Council race you had some glaring errors concerning me. First of all: I am not currently a Planning Commissioner. I served on the Planning Commission for three years with my tenure ending at the beginning of this year. I did not use my position as publisher of the P.G. Press to defend “my bro, the former police chief.” I reported the story and what had happened; my brother did not need defending. What was needed was the exposure of a questionable administration that has since been voted out of office and how they had unjustly fired a man that has brought work ethic and integrity to a department that had sorely needed it.

As to the claim that I had “filed a claim for a refund of his (my) farmers market application costs after losing a bid to another vendor” I actually had dropped my application and supported another vendor. My application fee was refunded after it was established that the City had illegally accepted my application in the first place, as farmers market were not an acceptable use at the time. Lastly, I did not say that I hoped to “crack down on illegal units.” What I said was that I thought that the short term rentals (those that are less than 30 days and currently illegal) should be legalized and TOT should be collected thus adding approximately a million dollars a year to the coffers of P.G. This is a major difference.

HERE COMES THE JUDGE

Voters should be informed that the California Constitution stipulates local election of the Monterey Superior Court Judge Seat #2 to be non-partisan. Let us elect our next judge on qualifications and NOT on party endorsement. Let us seek a judge who is able to fairly and equally apply the laws of our state without any preconceived bias or allegiance to ANY political party. My vote goes to the fair and impartial candidate, Todd Hornik for Judge!

CORRECTION

A news story last week identified Pacific Grove City Council candidate Dan Miller as a city planning commissioner. His tenure on the commission ended last year.