Cover Story
Undetected: Reports of child abuse have decreased since the pandemic started, but that’s not necessarily a good thing
When in doubt, report your concerns To report suspected child abuse or neglect, call the 24-hour Child Abuse Hotline at (805) 781-5437 or 1-800-834-5437. When COVID-19 hit and local schools closed in mid-March, the San Luis Obispo County Department of Social Services almost immediately saw a decline in reports of suspected child abuse. In March,…
Santa Barbara County nursing facilities continue to battle COVID-19 outbreaks
Five skilled nursing facilities in Santa Barbara County are currently under investigation for COVID-19 outbreaks, though only one of the facilities is experiencing an outbreak among residents as of Oct. 14. The others have just reported positive cases among their health care workers, according to Santa Barbara County’s reporting page. Santa Maria Post Acute currently…
Chumash marine sanctuary nomination stays alive for five more years
After receiving nearly 15,000 public comments, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) decided to continue to nominate a Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary off San Luis Obispo County’s coast. The proposed 140-mile sanctuary, intended to offer protections and management for marine resources between Cambria and Santa Barbara, was in jeopardy after it had not…
Santa Barbara County hospitals allow for visitation with restrictions
Cottage Health announced in a recent COVID-19 update that it resumed limited visitation for the public to see patients. Depending on the unit location, most hospitalized patients will be permitted one or two visitors during the day, and one overnight by request. “To protect patients and staff, visitors will be asked to wear a face…
Morro Bay holds its first tour of water facility project site
Several Morro Bay City Council members, the mayor, and city manager joined members of the media and others for the first tour of the city’s water reclamation facility on Oct. 12. As construction crews and trucks continued their work at the site on South Bay Boulevard north of Highway 1, a small opposition group held signs…
Active Aging week in Santa Maria reminded the senior community to go back to basics
The Santa Maria Active Aging Committee, in collaboration with the International Council on Active Aging, wrapped up a week of free events for its senior community on Oct. 9 with outdoor car bingo. Attendees piled up in their cars or came individually and met in the parking lot of the Elwin Mussell Senior Center, according…
SLO appoints captain as interim police chief ahead of national recruitment
San Luis Obispo has a new interim police chief to fill the shoes of departed Chief Deanna Cantrell, whose four-year tenure in the city ended rockily on Sept. 30. On Oct. 8, SLO City Manager Derek Johnson announced the appointment of longtime department member Jeff Smith to the interim position. Smith will helm the department…
State Sen. Hannah-Beth Jackson reflects on years of advocating for domestic violence survivors as she nears the end of her political career
Looking back at State Sen. Hannah-Beth Jackson’s legislative track record, her commitment to preventing domestic violence is indisputable. Jackson has authored or co-authored at least eight different bills over the years specifically pertaining to domestic violence, plus countless more that address related issues like sexual assault, stalking, and workplace rights. But Jackson’s impact on domestic…
Residents can accelerate Grover Beach momentum by voting for F-20
Measure F-20 proposes a 1 percent sales tax increase in Grover Beach that will add nearly $2 million annually to a city with a stable budget. Rather than a tax needed to patch budget shortfalls, this proposed measure presents an opportunity to increase city momentum! I’ve heard grumblings that Bond Measure K-14, passed to fix…
OCSD candidate addresses 1999 felony embezzlement conviction
Longtime SLO County resident April Dury is gunning for a spot on the Oceano Community Services District (OCSD) board of directors this November, but a decades-old felony embezzlement conviction is clouding her calls for improved transparency, accountability, and fiscal responsibility. In October 1999, Dury pleaded guilty to a felony embezzlement charge while working as a…
Myth busting II
The first and likely last Trump-Biden debate was a washout, due in part to the opening shot of the moderator, resurrecting the old charge of racist sympathies by the president. Donald Trump denounced racists and racism repeatedly since his first public appearance in his campaign. It’s recorded and easily discovered by any who search. Trump…
Sweeney responds to questions about her residency
San Luis Obispo mayoral candidate Cherisse Sweeney rejected rumors that she doesn’t reside in city limits, telling New Times that her family rents a home in the city and recently moved there from “less than a mile” outside of SLO to enable her run for office. Sweeney, who owns Basalt Interiors downtown, is facing scrutiny…
Why?
News flash! The San Luis Obispo Democratic Party really, really, really doesn’t want you voting for conservatives, Republicans, or libertarians. And they really, really, really want to make sure the people who visit their blog know about an attempted Republican coup in the city of San Luis Obispo. City Council candidate Abrianna Torres and Mayoral…
Campaign mailer targets two out of three Atascadero mayoral candidates
Among the campaign mailers targeting or touting U.S. House of Representatives and Assembly candidates and statewide propositions, Atascadero residents received one calling on voters to not vote for two out of three mayoral candidates. The black and yellow mailer includes photos of incumbent Heather Moreno and candidate Jerry Tanimoto—the third candidate running for mayor, Josh…
As event festivals saturate the marketplace, wine associations look at alternative ways of raising money
After loading a wine bottler into the back of his vehicle on a recent Friday, Christopher Taranto headed over to a friend’s winery to help make room for the upcoming vintage. It’s grape harvest time, and the Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance communications director’s eagerness to lend a hand is indicative of the way North…
SLO County to clear out Los Osos encampment near library
Shortly after COVID-19 hit San Luis Obispo County in March, Los Osos pastor Caroline Hall started noticing tents sprout up in the undeveloped land behind the town’s community library. A homeless encampment had formed on the county-owned property, which persists to this day. As president of Los Osos Cares, a local homeless services nonprofit, Hall…
Soft People delivers their sophomore effort, Absolute Boys
If you were a fan of Joy Division, New Order, Pet Shop Boys, OMD, or some of the other synth-driven ’80s pop acts, your ears are in for a treat thanks to Soft People and their sophomore album Absolute Boys, which is out now on CD and vinyl. Soft People is Caleb Nichols and John…
Carbajal reintroduces bill to incentivize renewable energy projects
The impending closure of Diablo Canyon will impact jobs, energy, and local economies, but a new bill aims to mitigate the impact through renewable energy projects close to communities like Morro Bay. U.S. Rep Salud Carbajal (D-Santa Barbara) is re-introducing the Energy Opportunities Zones Act in Congress. First introduced in 2018, the new and improved…
Vocal coach JP Maddex helps the Central Coast’s finest singers be even finer
If you follow the Central Coast music scene, these are a few names you might be familiar with: James Scoolis of Burning James and the Funky Flames, banjo queen Erin Inglish, Natalie Haskins, Donna Lu of the Cowtippers, Jody Mulgrew, bluesman Craig Luis Dingman, Noach Tangeras, and Kelly Atwood of AC/DC tribute act High Voltage.…
A path forward
COVID-19 has slammed the brakes on our local economy, sending our community into a vicious economic and psychological tailspin. The resulting whiplash could be chronic, long-term pain—more lost jobs, more shuttered businesses, more homelessness, and an alarming degradation in San Luis Obispo’s quality of life—unless we pull together and help ourselves. That’s why we urge…
SLOMA announces new executive director, Leann Standish
The San Luis Obispo Museum of Art (SLOMA) announced the selection of its new executive director, Leann Standish, on Oct. 1. Standish previously served as the executive director of the San Luis Obispo Foundation for the Performing Arts Center for nearly four years. Throughout her career in arts management, Standish has occupied various leadership roles…
Hooray for Hollywood in Morro Bay adds new memorabilia exhibit
As part of a new, ongoing exhibit series, Hooray for Hollywood in Morro Bay is currently showcasing a variety of film and television memorabilia. Featured props in the store’s current exhibit include a helmet used in Excalibur (1981) and a dress used in The Carol Burnett Show. Each month, the exhibit, located above the store’s…
Lovecraft Country mixes a sociopolitical examination of American racism with pulpy B-movie horror
LOVECRAFT COUNTRY What’s it rated? TV-MA What’s it worth, Anna? Full price What’s it worth, Glen? Full price Where’s it showing? HBO Creator Misha Green teams with producers J.J. Abrams and Jordan Peele to bring this fantasy horror series to life. Based on a novel by Matt Ruff, it’s set in 1950s Jim Crow-era America,…
Naturetrack Film Festival
What’s it rated? Not rated When? Oct. 9 through 18, 2020 Where’s it showing? Online at naturetrackfilmfestival.org See more than 70 films from 20 countries when the third annual NatureTrack Film Festival goes virtual. All films are nature related and carefully curated under the motto, “Igniting passion for nature through film.” “What better time than…
The Night Eats the World
What’s it rated? TV-14 When? 2018 Where’s it showing? Amazon Prime Dominique Rocher, in his feature-length debut, directs this low-budget French horror film about Sam (Anders Danielsen Lie), who after attending a party at his ex-girlfriend’s wakes up to discover Paris is filled with flesh-eating zombies. Trapped in her apartment, he soon discovers his real…
Zombie Hunt kicks off at Gladiator Paintball Park
A previously unknown and highly contagious mutant bacteria was recently identified, and when contracted by humans, its terrifying symptoms are deadly. First it’s the typical flu-like symptoms. Then the cellular necrosis sets in, causing skin to develop what looks like gangrene and damaging the nervous system. Slowly, those infected develop an insatiable appetite for human…
Awareness Issue 2020: Reports of child abuse have decreased since the pandemic started, but that’s not necessarily a good thing
It’s October, and that means more than just the beginning of spooky season. This is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and Domestic Violence Awareness Month, which means that it’s time for New Times’ annual Awareness issue! This year you can read about what the pandemic means for child abuse and its victims; the pandemic breast cancer…
Doctors encourage women to get screened for breast cancer, emphasizing safety during COVID-19
In 20-plus years of performing mammograms, local radiologist Dr. Nanci Mercer said she’s never seen such an alarming interruption in breast cancer screenings like she did during the first few months of COVID-19 this year. “Literally, on a Wednesday we were doing all of the screenings and studies and diagnostic exams, and the next day,…
Surfing for Hope Foundation is holding its first Women’s Cancer Survivor Summit in October
Surf’s up To learn more about the Surfing for Hope Foundation and its upcoming summit, visit surfingforhope.org. Breast cancer has affected nearly 1,200 individuals on the Central Coast, according to the most recent 2018 Community Health Assessment released by SLO County’s Public Health Department. Between 2010 and 2014, according to the report, 201 females lost…
