ANA V. ANNA?…It’s the most wonderful time of the year. Squid races to Squid’s mailbox every afternoon, beak wide open in a cheery grin, waiting for the arrival of…campaign letters, asking for money in light of the upcoming June 2006 Election! Seasonal decorations, errr, political signs are beginning to line the streets. Squid can hardly sleep at night because of the suspense. Gosh, Squid feels like a wee-little mollusk during Christmastime.

Squid’s particularly obsessed with the race for the 28th Assembly District (because, really, does anyone doubt that superstar legislator John Laird won’t win another term in the 27th?) Watsonville Councilwoman Ana Ventura Phares jumped into the race for Simón Salinas’ soon-to-be-vacated 28th District seat ages ago, and won endorsements from Supervisor Fernando Armenta (who had, himself, considered a run for Salinas’ seat) and from the United Farm Workers.

Just last week, former Central Coast Assemblyman Fred Keeley lent his considerable political clout to Phares at an event at the newly built Pajaro Valley High School in Watsonville.

“Behind me is a new high school that took a long, long time to build,” Keeley said. “Ana Ventura Phares worked tirelessly with all stakeholders to provide our students with education facilities and protect hundreds of acres of valuable wetlands and prime agricultural land. Sacramento needs effective legislators like Ana and that’s why I’m endorsing her for the State Assembly.”

The other potential Anna in the race—Salinas Mayor Anna Caballero—is still undecided, although she has formed an exploratory committee to consider a run. She has said she won’t decide whether to enter the race until after the first of the year. Which is enough to make Squid wish this other holiday would hurry up and end so the exciting 2006 political season can begin.

HIGH-ALTITUDE ANGER…Squid generally respects civil servants, from politicians (most of whom are more dedicated than your average, say, corporate executive) to the folks who hold modest government jobs, say, parks employees. So Squid does not know where to direct Squid’s frustration over the poor signage at Toro Park. On a jaunt toward the upper reaches of the park this weekend, Squid found Squidself on an unfamiliar trail as the weakening light faded, and was happy to see a signpost. Aggravatingly, the thing was useless. Three paths diverted in the general direction pointed to by the arrow carved into the signpost. All of them looked promising for a few hundred yards then petered out and led nowhere—they were clearly created by hikers similarly flummoxed by the ambiguous sign. A fourth trail wandered off, pretty much in the opposite direction. Yes. That was the Toyon Ridge Trail, which led back to the Squidmobile. Now, Squid’s pretty good in the woods (for a cephalopod) and hasn’t been lost, except metaphorically, for some time. But Squidette was a tad worried about the brisk nightfall, not to mention cougars, or territorial bulls, and a sweet afternoon turned a bit tense. Squid wants to find someone to blame (other than parks workers, who are probably stretched thin by budget cuts).

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