BIG-BOX BROUHAHA… Wal-Mart won – sort of. The Salinas City Council Tuesday, June 2 repealed its big box ordinance and directed staff to negotiate with the giant retailer over how they will offset traffic and environmental impacts for a new store in Harden Ranch. The lengthy meeting split the council 4-3 and also divided union groups who wanted to require large retailers to complete a full EIR and business representatives who wanted a straight-up repeal (Wal-Mart-funded signature gatherers collected nearly 7,200 signatures to repeal the ordinance). The council’s move won’t give voters a say but will save the city $230,000 in election expenses. [ZS]

AROUND AGAIN… Local radio personality Don Bowen, who hosted the show “Around Town” on KRML for six years, reports this show will move to KNRY beginning June 6. The Cannery Row-based station has twice the power of Carmel-based KRML, Bowen says. The shift comes just months after “Around Town” and other programs disappeared from the KRML airwaves. The station is still live at 1410 AM, but it’s been operating on a minimum of resources since its owner declared personal bankruptcy. Bowen’s show airs Saturday mornings on 1240 AM in Bowen’s old time slot, 10-11am. [KA]

SUPERFUND FOLLOWUP… The Fort Ord Reuse Authority says the Army has officially transferred 3,340 acres to FORA, clearing the way for a multi-year munitions and unexploded ordinance cleanup plan. The agreement between the Army and FORA, called the Environmental Services Cooperative Agreement, puts the reuse authority in charge of cleaning up the Army’s mess so it can be transferred faster to local jurisdictions for future development. FORA hosts a workshop about the ESCA program June 9, 6-9pm at the FORA Conference Facility, 102 13th St., Marina. fora-esca-rp.com/index.html. [ZS]

SUNNY SIDE… June Gloom has descended over the Peninsula, but Seaside just got a little sunnier. On June 2 Highland Elementary School unveiled its new 1.3-kilowatt photovoltaic system. The array is part of a solar science curriculum taught by a specially trained teacher, all funded by a $20,000 PG&E grant. A day earlier, the state Assembly passed AB 920, which would require utilities to pay individuals for surplus solar power generated by rooftop PV panels. If passed, it’s expected to encourage more people to invest in solar systems. [KA]