Exposed Session… Squid likes loudmouths. Without political gaffes, Squid would resort to lamenting no firework show this year. Thankfully for Squid, Salinas Union High School District board member Kathryn Ramirez can’t keep quiet. According to a tipster, Ramirez has been circulating the names of superintendent candidates, even though the board was supposed to keep the applicants confidential outside of closed session. At the March 24 board meeting, CSEA union shop steward Lupe Osornio outed Ramirez for allegedly spreading rumors and threatening union members if they exposed her. “She called one of our executive directors and said, ‘If anyone says my name in public, they are going to be sorry. I’m going to get them,’” Orsonio said. The high school board can’t exactly send Ramirez to detention but the union could initiate a recall. Fourth of July fireworks may come early for Squid after all.

Tree Trimming… Squid was convinced that nobody else cared about the Marina Tree Committee besides gadfly Mike Owen. But the Planning Commission recently selected other trimmings and chopped Owen from the committee, even though he founded the tree-hugging group 18 years ago. Sadly, according to Commissioner David Brown, who voted against the move, Owen “showed up for the meeting and virtually begged to be reappointed.” Squid hopes the City Council gives Owen another term – at least so this cephalopod doesn’t have to listen to the perpetual public speaker gripe about the vindictive Planning Commission.

throwing sand… Don’t invite former LandWatch Executive Director Chris Fitz, Monterey Bay Shores Ecoresort developer Ed Ghandour and Rana Creek designer Paul Kephart to the same dune buggy. The three met in mid-February to talk about why LandWatch wanted a new environmental impact report. Fitz says he merely explained why the water board would require the EIR; the developer and his consultant heard a “confessional” of foul conspiracy against the resort.

Ghandour and Kephart fired off letters to the water district, alleging Fitz told them Coastal Commission staff inappropriately pressured the water board and LandWatch to kill the project at the district level. Fitz lobbed back with a letter calling their version of the conversation fibbery, adding that he knows of no back-room conspiracies against the ecoresort. In yet another letter, Coastal Commish bossman Peter Douglas chastised Ghandour: “I and the numerous Commission staff working on your project are offended by your accusations… ” He called for an immediate apology and informed Ghandour all further communications would be in writing.