Saturday, January 28, 2012     Volume: 26, Issue: 26
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A cinephile's paradise

Cover Story

A cinephile's paradise

BY ANNA WELTNER

For a relatively little town, Santa Barbara takes its films very seriously. In addition to boasting an impressive lineup of selections ranging from regional to international, the Santa Barbara International Film Festival, now in its 27th year, will also host 37 American and 16 world premieres—among them Darling Companion, starring Diane Keaton and Kevin Kline, and the Sa... [ Read More ]

Top 5 Articles

Cover Story: A cinephile's paradise
News: The saga continues
Strokes & Plugs: Bliss out, man
News: Local hospitals shift affiliation with the Catholic Church
Shredder: Windbags n' moonshine
 
At New Times, we believe that homelessness is not a problem that can be attacked with money or plans. When we think of homelessness, we don't think of statistics; we think of people. We think of people who've had problems in their lives, and they all have a story to tell... Learn More
 

News

It does mean a thing

The Hamlet at Moonstone Gardens, a well-known Shangri-La for jazz enthusiasts on the Central Coast since 1991, held its last “Famous Jazz Artist” concert Jan. 22. ...

Look for a Los Osos CSD shake up

BY COLIN RIGLEY

Expect an announcement over the weekend regarding Los Osos Community Services District General Manager Dan Gilmore. According to district officials, local media should watch ...

Zip-a-dee-do don't?

BY COLIN RIGLEY

San Luis Obispo County planning commissioners are looking to weigh in on county rules dictating a host of previously unregulated activities, including zip lines, bungee jumpin...

Cal Poly names new volleyball coach

BY ROBERT A. McDONALD

Cal Poly hired a new volleyball coach to replace the previous head coach, who was removed from the position following accusations of sexual harassment. Cal Poly Director of A...

Morro Bay joins a new county narcotics unit

BY MATT FOUNTAIN

For the first time in seven years, the Morro Bay police will participate in a special task force outside their own department. As part of the SLO County Sheriff’s Departmen...

Arroyo Grande council puts cop HQ to vote

BY ROBERT A. McDONALD

Arroyo Grande leaders really want a new police station. The Arroyo Grande City Council voted unanimously at its Jan. 24 meeting to put a bond issue on the ballot to build a n...

The SLO mayor race begins

BY ROBERT A. McDONALD

San Luis Obispo Mayor Jan Marx has filed papers to seek another term as mayor. Marx filed with the city clerk on Jan. 25. The move prompted Councilman Andrew Carter to announ...

Local hospitals shift affiliation with the Catholic Church

BY MATT FOUNTAIN

Catholic Healthcare West, which operates two hospitals in San Luis Obispo County, has changed its name and some of its facilities’ affiliations with the Catholic Church. On...

Receiver appointed to Sunny Acres

BY COLIN RIGLEY

A receiver will assume partial control of Sunny Acres, the much-beleaguered ranch and residence for otherwise homeless residents of the county. According to a Jan. 20 ruling ...

Corrections

• A Jan. 19 article about a trial related to All That Glitters misstated defendant William McBurney’s position with the jewelry company. He is a store employee. • A cal...

Y all the fuss?

BY NICK POWELL

Reporters are happiest when councilmen are blowing city coffers on pointless pet projects. It gives the job purpose, embarrasses politicians, and inspires readers to get angry...

The saga continues

BY JEREMY THOMAS

The curious case involving a pair of San Luis Obispo County men accused of filing false documents against a Santa Barbara County judge continues to drag on, trying the patienc...

Cougars & Mustangs

BY JASON KEEDY

Dance is unique, in that it’s good both for exercise and as an exquisite form of self-expression. And while different dance styles come and go, there are always new generati...

Commentary

The sound of mediocrity

BY CHASE HALL

Just recently my band, The Swan Thief, put out the first of a series of albums to be released throughout the year. With more than four years of songs compiled and no proper re...

Letters

A quick question

Frederick Thom

What is it about waterboarding a prisoner 83 times that makes our president want to keep it a secret?

Leave the commodore alone, Shredder

Kelly Borchard

Must be nice to hide behind your anonymity while viciously tongue-wagging about people of your community (“Sail away, sail away,” Jan. 19). The very reason a sailor takes...

Hold onto it

William L. Seavey

I just have to comment on this, because I’ve seen nothing about it in any of the local media. You ran a story on the All That Glitters employee being put on trial for allege...

Nurses love helping students get their needs met

Robyn Turner, RN

On behalf of my fellow school nurses, I would like to thank you for highlighting our profession in your recent issue (“Nurse of all trades,” Jan. 19). However, there is on...

People who want bags will bear the cost

Christine Mulholland

There is clearly a lot of fear and misunderstanding about the coming ban on single-use carryout plastic bags. There are two misconceptions that have been repeated in various l...

Slow down, you move too fast

Kevin Alf Lee

What is this need for speeding? Country living is supposed to be slow and enjoyable, but for some reason drivers in Santa Margarita feel the need to drive 65 miles an hour plu...

California's public school crisis is unacceptable

Frank DePasquale

The funding and legislative support for education in California has been slowly declining for the past 20 years. We are now ranked 46th in the nation for per-pupil spending. E...

There has to be a free-speech litmus

Eugene G. Carl

Our freedom of speech First Amendment rights conflict with our 14th Amendment rights for equal representation. The Supreme Court’s ruling in Buckley v. Valeo ruled that mo...

We need an unbiased 9/11 investigation

Will Powers, Ph.D

Most Christians are familiar with Jesus’ teaching that a house built upon sand will collapse. His message? A life based on dishonesty cannot succeed. The same is true for a...

Shredder

Windbags n' moonshine

Grab your moonshine and stick your tongue down your cousin’s throat—we’re gonna have ourselves a good ol’ fashioned secession! Except this time it’s the north (Atasc...

Street Talk

How much money would someone have to give you to lick or put your face on Bubblegum Alley?

Danielle Gillett David Reese Adrian Ayers Phyllis Davies

Strokes and Plugs

Bliss out, man

BY RACHEL MOLLI FIELDS

Sustanance doesn't always denote substance. With a mass of avalanche of the wrongdoings of the food industry being exposed through documentaries, the growth in number of peopl...

Arts

Small parts in a grand machine

BY ANNA WELTNER

What is torque?” Diana Stanton—choreographer, Cal Poly dance teacher, and director of Orchesis Dance Company—wanted to know. Her students, many of them aspiring mathema...

Send in your words

BY RYAN MILLER

Anne Schroeder wants to do for Cholame what John Steinbeck did for Salinas. She’s working on the three-book series of her dreams, writing about the history of Northern San L...

He said ...

BY GLEN STARKEY

This is not a news story. It’s not an objective investigation that sets out to interview all the participants and find the truth. No, this is one dude’s versi...

What, who, and why is Galumpha?

BY ANNA WELTNER

To galumph—a verb coined by Lewis Carroll—is defined as “to leap or move about clumsily or joyfully,” though this may be too modest a description to contain the likes ...

Music

Go big or go home

BY GLEN STARKEY

SLO Brew has had some mighty big weeks, but for sheer star power and name recognition, this week may be its biggest ever! You can see rock god Geoff Tate of Queensrÿche, worl...

Film

Bite night

After humans learn of the Lycan and Vampire war, they nearly wipe out both species, but vampire warrior Selene (Kate Beckinsale) survives, only to be cryogenically frozen. Now...

Cuisine

Mama's soulful foods

BY KATHY MARCKS HARDESTY

I can’t frequent restaurants I’ve previously reviewed because I’m always busy checking out all of the new places opening up in SLO County. But after a recent revisit at ...

Kathy's Pick

Rusack 2009 Pinot Noir Reserve Sta. Rita Hills

This impressive, elegant Pinot Noir doesn’t come cheaply, but it’s so delightful you’ll find it’s well worth the price. An intensely fruity, ripe combination of black ...

Saucelito Canyon 2010 Sauvignon Blanc Arroyo Grande Valley

This delicious white wine is quite Californian in style with its friendly aromas and flavors of citrus, pear, and melon threaded with nuances of herbs. It drinks quite nicely ...

Hot Dates

Taking it to the streets

Some folks enact city beautification measures with building permits, new sidewalks, and shiny lampposts. Others sneak out at night with a couple cans of spray paint in their h...

Free range with firearms

Guns aren’t always welcomed with open arms and itchy trigger fingers around the colleges of California. Many people will point to America’s high crime rate and scoff at th...

Broadway mash-up spoof fest

Ask any singer, dancer, or actor type person and they’ll tell you that Broadway is serious business. New York is the shimmering end goal for just about everyone, but all tha...