Coffee Brewhaha in Old Town, Los Al's Future, and It's Beer Day!

Monday is Beer Day: We think you can figure out how to celebrate. In case you can’t, check out the live Beachwood BBQ Hop Cam for ideas. But seriously, they choose a Monday for national beer day?

Map out the Future: Should the old PacBell building next to City Hall be turned into a giant shopping center? If the Joint Forces Training Base gets axed in the Defense budget, what should become of the land? Los Alamitos is working on the General Plan, the 10-year planning document that helps map out the city’s future. City officials will host a Townhall meeting to gather community input today at 7 p.m. at City Hall.

Coffee Brewhaha: The Seal Beach Planning Commission will consider plans to open a second Starbucks Coffee in the PCH Vons shopping center at Wednesday night’s meeting. The proposal has irked some. It would be the second Starbucks in the shopping center, and rival businesses and some residents argue that the mega-chain counters the unique vibe of Seal Beach. It’s not the first time locals have launched an effort to block Starbucks from coming to Old Town. Years ago, community backlash successfully squashed plans to open a Starbucks on Main Street.

Farewell Fair! This week is your last chance to catch this year’s Orange County Fair. The fair runs Wednesday through Sunday with pig races, deep-fried food, carnival rides, exhibits and more. Find schedules, directions and more info here.

Don’t Eat the Fish: The California Environmental Protection Agency issued an advisory warning children and women of childbearing years to avoid bass, carp or trout larger than 16 inches caught in California waterways because the fish contain unhealthful levels of mercury. The warning apparently does not extend to adult men. What is not good for the goose is OK for the gander.