

Cover Story
Best of SLO County 2015: 29th annual readers poll
We, as a society, ask people to cut it out a lot: A coupon. A picture from a magazine. That annoying thing you do when you hold your finger about a centimeter away from your sister and say, “I’m not touching you! I’m not touching you!” Just cut it out, already! Maybe we heard the…
What would you win a Best Of for?
Evelyn Amaya cosmetologist “Shaping eyebrows.” Tiara Francisco sales manager “Uniqueness.” Anthony Chansler student “Cookies.” Sarah Pope stay-at-home mom “Pedicures.”
South SLO County Sanitation District audits former administrator’s financial managment
A Southern California auditor will review the financial and management practices of the South SLO County Sanitation District’s former administrator, who resigned in 2013 after a series of controversies. The district’s board voted unanimously May 6 to hire Knudson and Associates, of Thousand Oaks, to perform an audit of the organization’s finance management practices from…
SLO County supervisors deny Las Pilitas quarry
After a long haul riddled with anticipation and controversy, the proposed Las Pilitas quarry was stopped in its tracks by the San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors. Supervisors heard the matter on May 12, after the project applicant, Las Pilitas Resources LLC, appealed the SLO County Planning Commission’s January decision to deny the project.…
SLO police chief is placed on administrative leave
After rumors began swirling about the employment status of San Luis Obispo Police Chief Steve Gesell, the city of San Luis Obispo confirmed on May 8 that Gesell was placed on paid administrative leave for an indeterminate amount of time. Since the announcement, little else has been confirmed, and it isn’t yet clear whether Gesell…
Atascadero’s cult comedy night rings in two years of weirdness, laughs, and grit
The brave comedian standing at the front of the room has never been my best friend. In junior high, his brand of class clowndom had a way of turning dark, and I remember being at the receiving end of that storm more than a few times. Still, watching Mason Wilkes wiggle his butt slowly and…
Clubs 5/14/15 – 5/21/15
Goin’ South THE CLIFFS RESORT: 2757 Shell Beach Road, 773-5000 or cliffsresort.com. F. MCLINTOCKS SALOON: Two locations: 750 Mattie Road in Pismo Beach and 133 Bridge St. in Arroyo Grande. 773-1892 or mclintocks.com. Live music at the Pismo Beach location every Fri. and Sat. from 6-9pm. Tennessee Jimmy Harrell and Doc Stoltey play on alternating…
Joshua Redman headlines the SLO Jazz Festival
When I heard the SLO Jazz Festival had secured Joshua Redman as its headliner, I could barely believe it. The consummate jazz man and two-time Grammy Award nominee is one of the most dynamic and charismatic jazz performers on the scene, having emerged in the ’90s as one of the young lions of jazz. In…
Niner Wine Estates 2013 Rose and Laetitia 2014 Nadia Grenache Rose
There’s no way around it: When the weather heats up, everything just gets … sticky. Combat that icky feeling with a chilled glass of 100 percent grenache rosé. Roll up your jeans and wade into a cool river of strawberries and cream and fresh summer watermelon. Now if only there was an easy cure for…
Eat this
Your new Monday morning fix: New Times Interim Editor Camillia Lanham is loving Sweet Pea Bakery in Arroyo Grande. Her eye-opening morning suggestion: A warm prosciutto and Gruyere croissant. Could anything be more decadent? (1200 East Grand Avenue; sweetpeabakeryag.com) … Figueroa Mountain Brewing Co. has crafted a pair of delicious hot sauces that amp up…
Let’s spoon!: Spoon-n-Bowls food truck delivers energizing acai bowls and smoothies
If you live in the Amazon rainforest, you know that dipping your spear in the venom of a blue poison dart frog will make for a very effective weapon. You know that the massive pirarucu fish feeds at dawn, making for easy prey and good eating. You know the piercing danger call of the howler…
No confidence
On Thursday, April 16, Cal Poly President Jeff Armstrong and Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs Kathleen Enz Finken met with the faculty in an emergency “listening session” to address increasing faculty concerns about stagnant salaries and the phenomenal growth of administrative positions and salaries. [Note: You can watch the entire session on…
Jade Helm Ghazi Gate!
The black helicopters are coming! Walmart’s in on it! California’s named as “hostile” territory! They’re coming for your guns! It’s martial law! Internment camps! The new world order! Chuck Norris, save us! In case you haven’t heard, President Barack Hussein Obama plans to invade America beginning this summer when Operation Jade Helm 15 commences on…






