DIRTY LAUNDRY… Squid isn’t much interested in pantyhose. Not so for dogs, who love to sniff all sorts of undergarments. Even Carmel’s first dog, Robbie, isn’t above that sort of canine behavior – at least according to Squid’s tipster who recalls how Carmel’s fearless leader Mayor Sue McCloud once proclaimed to all within earshot at Carmel City Hall that Robbie had sniffed out a pair of pantyhose in City Manager Rich Guillen’s office, and plucked them from the waste basket. A hush fell over the municipal work place. After all what do you say when Her Honor loudly and literally airs the office dirty laundry? “I think it was a particularly odd thing for the mayor to say,” reports Squid’s deep throat. “I’m not even going to comment on that,” says McCloud. “That really is old news. I’m not even going to go there.”

DYSFUNCTION JUNCTION… Squid doesn’t have enough tentacles to do the gymnastic finger pointing Alisal Union School District Board President Jose Castañeda has done in the past month. Castañeda seems to be blaming the administration for the Alisal district’s failing schools. The board fired 11 principals and last week replaced superintendent Esperanza Zendejas with John Ramirez. Longtime board member Gary Karnes resigned after Castañeda went around with a hit list of the principals he wanted to can. Police are regularly called into board meetings for security and the state is bringing in a trustee to address intimidation and management problems at Alisal, one of the lowest academically performing districts in the state. Castañeda doesn’t appear to accept the slightest responsibility for the district’s infighting. His rebuffs are consistent with the hothead reputation he earned as a former mayoral candidate. If a fresh start is the theme at the district, then maybe divisive Castañeda should step out of the picture, instead of having press conferences-turned-debates with principals, infuriating parents by shutting them out of public comment and, overall, setting an embarrassing example for the district’s kids to follow. Squid thinks its bad enough that outsiders equate East Salinas with violence. Now they can add political dysfunction to their list.

BANK ON IT… Squid isn’t one to bury the lead, but wanted to inform Central Coast followers of high-class goings on that none other than Kim Kardashian is scheduled to come to Salinas for an appearance at the Bankers VIP Lounge on April 30. Maybe Kim’s drying her tears from her reported breakup with Reggie Bush and thinks Salinans will help comfort her.