Kill The Earth… Squid really wants a phone number for the genius who invented traveling billboards – the kind driven around local roadways by trucks that sure don’t look electric to Squid. (Squid can just imagine the boardroom scene. “Hmmm… how can we advance consumerism and global warming all at once. Billboards vehicles? Boom!”)

Why not simply drive around town with a dying polar bear in the truck bed? Now that would grab drivers’ attention.

Squid saw one of these trucks with signs parked on Fremont Boulevard in Seaside recently – and no, Squid’s not going to even mention the name of the company. Squid refuses to give it any ink, positive or negative. Unfortunately (or fortunately?) the truck was parked, and the driver wasn’t inside, so Squid couldn’t inquire about the company CEO. Squid wants to introduce Squidself. Because when ocean levels rise and Mr. CEO’s beachfront mansion is under water, we’ll be neighbors.

Leaving The Station… City Councilman Ken Gray may not be able to convince any of his Marina City Council colleagues to join his vote to change phase eight of Marina Station, a 1,360-home, mixed-use development. (Gray wants to conserve the 50-acre area as a park.) But he’s got support from his fellow councilmembers over in Monterey.

On Dec. 19, the Monterey City Council unanimously voted to send a letter to Marina Mayor Ila Mettee-McCutchon and the rest of the Marina City Council opposing Marina Station “unless the project provides appropriate mitigation or its fair-share contribution to the construction of two intersection improvements.”

The projects’ draft EIR anticipates about 610 vehicle trips during morning rush hour and 700 at night, heading toward the Peninsula. Monterey planners say the increased traffic is going to further congest two city intersections: Camino Aguajito and Fremont Street, and Sloat and Del Monte avenues.

“The city of Monterey has feasible roadway improvement projects at these impacted intersections,” reads the letter. “We request that the final EIR include appropriate mitigation or fair-share contributions towards these improvements.”

No word yet on whether the Marina council will agree to fork over cash for the traffic improvements, or simply file the letter in the trash bin. But on the off chance the city takes Monterey’s – or Gray’s – suggestions to heart (perhaps Mettee-McCutchon, like Squid, made a resolution to play nice) Squid’s gonna offer suggestions. The project’s pedestrian-friendly, mixed-use, sustainable design is all well and good, but what Squid really wants to see a giant Squid statue. Or a wave pool. Or an open-air karaoke bar.