Salinas Homicides…Salinas police are investigating the Nov. 21 murder of 18-year old Ivan Lopez Zepeda as gang related.  The killing caps a weekend of violence in which three Salinas men were shot, one fatally Nov. 19.  [RU]

Drawing the Lines…A Central Coast man, Vincent Barabba of Capitola, was among the first eight Californians selected to serve on the first-ever citizens’ redistricting committee, which will draw new state legislative and U.S. Congress district lines based on the 2010 Census. [RU]

Monarch Count Soars…The good news: Butterfly counts in Pacific Grove’s Monarch Grove Sanctuary are up from last year’s dismal low. The bad news: Activists say the city is still bungling management of the potted trees brought in to mitigate damage from last year’s heavy pruning. [KA]

Great Heights?..In its ongoing downtown improvement efforts, the Monterey City Council voted   to explore allowing taller buildings in the city’s center. The company that owns the burned-out Work Building on Alvarado Street has said rebuilding is only economically viable at four to five stories. [RU]

Sounding Off… On Nov. 19, the New York Times bestselling author of five books, former Public Radio International darling and late-night talk-show hipster intellect Sarah Vowell regaled a Sunset Center crowd with her erudite snark and grasp of American history. [WR]

SoCal Bags It…Just days before Golden State Theatre’s Nov. 19 screening of the award-winning documentary Bag It, the L.A. County Supervisors voted to ban plastic grocery bags in unincorporated areas. The ban, which may be the state’s most dramatic regulatory action against single-use plastic yet,  will take effect next July unless expected court challenges delay it. [KA]

Mossy Scene…Despite a thunderstorm, a full house packed into Moss Landing’s cozy Surf Hound Studios for The Good Sams’ show and CD release party Nov. 20. The party featured cartoony art of wild surf characters and marine life by Good Sams singer/guitarist Andrew Dolan, who grew up in the local surf culture. Check the snaps at mcweekly.com/photoblog. [NC]