Cover Story
Lost, left behind: Youth looking for mental health help in SLO County face a lack of service providers, residential treatment facilities
Fear grips San Luis Obispo County mental health professional Tom Buckley when he takes stock of the available local resources for young people. “Kids are still depressed and isolated after the pandemic,” he said. “This is going to get worse. We are at the eye of the storm right now, and I’m terrified for what…
Hambly farms celebrates lavender and family
For years, SLO County-based farmer Gina Hambly and her husband have been surrounded by a single color—purple. “Everything is lavender,” Gina Hambly said laughing. “We grow it, we use it, and we are immersed in it constantly.” Hambly Farms, located at 1390 Grana Place, San Miguel, is a six-generation, long-running venture with the lavender portion…
All the Light We Cannot See brings Anthony Doerr’s 2014 Pulitzer Prize-winning novel to the small screen
ALL THE LIGHT WE CANNOT SEE What’s it rated? TV-MAWhat’s it worth, Glen? Full priceWhat’s it worth, Anna? Full priceWhere’s it showing? Netflix Anthony Doerr’s 2014 Pulitzer Prize-winning war novel All the Light We Cannot See has been developed by Steven Knight and directed by Shawn Levy into a four-part Netflix miniseries about Marie-Laure LeBlanc…
Proposition confusion
Well, isn’t that convenient? Just when you thought politicians couldn’t get more cynical and underhanded, here come the David Copperfield of spin and sleight of hand. This phenomenon isn’t confined to magic shows; it’s a stark reality in the political arena, particularly highlighted by the San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors. In September, the…
Quiz Lady
What’s it rated? R When? 2023 Where’s it showing? Hulu Anne Yum (Awkwafina) leads a tightly wound, boring life. She’s pretty solitary, except for her aging pug, Mr. Linguini, with whom every night she faithfully watches her favorite game show, Can’t Stop the Quiz. When Anne’s mom flees the country to escape gambling debts, her…
Classical economics breeds greed
John Texeira’s letter (“Bidenomics led to inflations, increased costs,” Nov. 9) is an attempt to gaslight us about how our economy is doing. Inflation is down to about 3 percent. Europe is still dealing with 8 or 9 percent. Much of the inflation we have now is price gouging. We are at near full employment,…
The Killer
What’s it rated? R When? 2023 Where’s it showing? Netflix David Fincher is one of my favorite living directors, who started directing music videos but went on to make classic films such as Se7en, Fight Club, Panic Room, Zodiac, and Gone Girl. Much of his work is about obsession, and The Killer fits right in,…
Epidemic of loneliness
“Eleanor Rigby” came out in 1966, and The Beatles’ plaintive rock anthem has aged well (clearly better than I have). “All the lonely people—where do they all come from? Where do they all belong?” Evidently they’ve all crossed the Atlantic, because loneliness seems to be a uniquely American problem. Our nation’s top health authorities have…
Whisk your favorite oenophile to wine country without leaving home
The next best thing to being there Learn more about ONX At Home tasting experiences with certified sommelier Sarah Farley at onxwines.com. Purchase Exploring Wine Regions: The Central Coast of California by Michael Higgins at exploringwineregions.com. Follow ONX on Instagram and Facebook @onxwines and Higgins on Instagram and Facebook @exploringwineregions. Over the holidays many folks…
Are we mental?
Ah youth. The time of your life. The halcyon days. No responsibilities, just free and easy living, right? And yet the National Library of Medicine (NLM) reported in its 2022 National Healthcare Quality and Disparities Report that child and adolescent mental health is in crisis: “Nearly 20 percent of children and young people ages 3…
PCPA’s Elf: The Musical delivers heaps of holiday hilarity
Elf off the shelf The Pacific Conservatory Theatre (PCPA) presents its production of Elf: The Musical through Dec. 23 at the Marian Theatre, located at Allan Hancock College in Santa Maria. Visit pcpa.org or facebook.com/pacificconservatorytheatre for tickets and show times. For more info, call the PCPA box office at (805) 922-8313. If singing loud for…
Psychobilly surf rock acts Nekromantix and Messer Chups play The Siren on Dec. 3
Halloween is behind us, but you can indulge your interest in the campy macabre when Danish-American psychobilly band Nekromantix and instrumental surf-rock combo Messer Chups play The Siren on Sunday, Dec. 3 (7 p.m.; 21-and-older; $20 at tixr.com). If you’re a fan of The Munsters or The Addams Family, or horror hostess Elvira, these two…
Local artist Marcia Kortas hosts alcohol inks workshop in Nipomo
Participants of an upcoming art class in Nipomo will have the chance to learn about the basics of painting with alcohol inks in a casual environment, according to the workshop’s host. Led by local artist Marcia Kortas, the event will be held on Saturday, Dec. 2, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., at Kortas’ studio…
Arroyo Grande High School stages new production of The Wind in the Willows
The Clark Center for the Performing Arts presents The Wind in the Willows, the Arroyo Grande High School Theatre Company’s latest production, with performances on Dec. 8, 9, 14, and 16, at 7 p.m. each evening, and Dec. 10, at 2 p.m. This whimsical musical follows the adventures of Mole, Rat, Toad, and Badger, who…
Pet facility controversy holds up county supervisors approval of Arroyo Grande fringe map
Contentions about improvements to a pet day care facility became the backdrop for the San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors’ attempt to demystify the area just outside of Arroyo Grande’s city limits. The Nov. 28 update to the region’s standards almost saw the inclusion of a new digital map that county staff believed to…
SLO County awaits FEMA approval to begin construction on hundreds of sites damaged by the 2023 winter storms
Cecchetti Road in rural Arroyo Grande has been closed for almost a year due to damages from the 2022-23 winter storms. Nea Wilson, an Arroyo Grande resident, told New Times that the detours have caused dangerous driving conditions. “The closure has created a lot of issues for everyone who lives in the area; traffic on…
Paso Robles gets rid of two hours of free parking, reduces rates
For months Paso Robles residents and businesses have voiced concern over the city’s downtown parking program. “We are not criminals and should not be treated as such!” one business owner wrote in a response to a city downtown parking survey shared with New Times. Responses from residents and business owners were gathered over several months…
Arroyo Grande to add security cameras around the city
One South County city is about to spend almost half a million dollars to install cameras above its streets. On Nov. 28, the Arroyo Grande City Council approved adding 37 cameras throughout the city, awarding a $430,411 bid to ADT Commercial. But that doesn’t include maintenance costs. “Costs to maintain the system that will need…
Templeton residents express concerns about the county’s Vineyard Drive plans
Templeton residents are no strangers to the traffic that comes with driving in the growing North County town, especially at the intersection of Rossi and Vineyard. “The intersection is challenging during school hours as it is extremely impacted and hazardous,” Templeton resident Zoya Dixon said during public comment at the Nov. 28 San Luis Obispo…
Lucia Mar school district wraps up a year of construction projects
The Lucia Mar Unified School District spent the 2023 calendar year upgrading its facilities with plans to continue construction into 2024 to provide permanent classrooms and updated, real-world learning experiences. “We have a couple of projects that we’re excited about that are under construction right now,” Andy Stenson, the district’s executive director of facilities, maintenance,…
