Budget Fix…During his State of the Budget address Jan. 25, Salinas Mayor Dennis Donohue called for creating an overarching budget committee to gather input from various advisory groups and recommend how to plug the city's $9.6 million budget hole. The new blue-ribbon committee will be named Feb. 2. [ZS]

Foam Freeze…On Jan. 21, after hearing from Sustainable Seaside and the local Latino Merchants Association, the Seaside City Council unanimously approved the first reading of an ordinance to ban take-out polystyrene containers beginning in August. The council will hold the second reading Feb. 4. [KA]

Miller Time…Scott Miller, former Pacific Grove police chief, says he will run for Monterey County sheriff, joining challenger Fred Garcia in a bid to unseat Sheriff Mike Kanalakis. Miller, who was P.G.'s chief from 1997 to 2003 and served four years on the City Council, plans to officially announce his candidacy Monday, Feb. 1. [ZS]

Booze Money…The Monterey County Vintners and Growers Association received a $98,500 grant through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, one of 44 recipients in the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s push to create jobs in rural areas. The money is intended to fund start-up loans, renovations, transportation improvement and other business expenses. [KA]

TEDx at MIIS…Although the official TED conference has ditched Monterey for Long Beach, locals are organizing an independent version of TED on April 16 at Monterey Institute of International Studies. TEDxMonterey will feature inspirational speakers with live online streams, all under the theme "Be the Solution." At blogs.miis.edu/tedxmonterey visitors can nominate speakers. [ZS]

No Smoking…The Monterey City Council voted to ban smoking on the city’s recreational trail at its January 19 meeting.  Maybe next year, the American Lung Association in California will raise the city’s tobacco control grade from this year’s F. [RU]

Peninsula Pot...Medical marijuana took center stage at city council meetings in P.G. and Monterey last week.  Both city councils approved temporary bans on dispensaries so they can consider the possibility of  rules for pot clubs in their cities. [RU]