Cover Story
Into the ground
Outside the hilltop gate of the Cal Poly Organic Farm, a few ripe heirloom tomatoes sat smashed into the gravel of the deserted parking strip, October’s flies crawling in the oozing red tire tracks. The sight could be a metaphor for the Organic Farm itself, after Cal Poly officials abruptly shut down the farm’s popular…
Shredder smash! Raaawr!
Miley Cyrus is getting too scandalous in my opinion. While I’m on the gossip kick, I really hope Lindsay Lohan cleans up her life. That is all. I’m a little devoid of real controversy. It’s just one of those weeks, I s’pose. My attempts to squeeze some juicy local controversy out of the staff here—a…
Motown Browne
He may not be as famous as his older brother Jackson, but Severin Browne is a musical force to be reckoned with, a terrific solo performer who’d been a Motown session man and staff songwriter for years, playing behind the scenes on dozens of popular recordings in Motor City’s vibrant music scene. After exiting Motown…
The future is green
If you don’t know the difference between a megawatt and a megabyte or what a BTU stands for; or don’t know the meaning of such terms as lumens, foot candles, or pascals; or don’t know how the terms conduction, convection, and radiation relate to heat transfer, you’ll appreciate what the new Green Technology course at…
Ortman Family 2007 Cuvée Eddy Paso Robles
This fine Rhone blend of Syrah, Grenache, Mourvedre, and Petite Sirah is rustic and nicely balanced. Part of the Ortman family’s new “O2” series, it represents a new generation of wines founded on four decades of winemaking. It offers freshly picked wild boysenberry and blackberry flavors nicely woven with notes of plum, blueberry, raspberry liqueur,…
Blokes in dresses
Gender bending has long been a staple of British theater, so it’s only appropriate that when a pair of British actors waltzes into the central plot of an American play, they make a proper entrance in tulle and chiffon, r’s a-trilling, high heels a-clonking, and necklines daringly a-plunging, exposing tantalizing glimpses of chest hair. But…
‘I’m screwed’
The world’s oldest profession just got harder and more dangerous, according to local call girl Roxanne (not her real name), who claims the recent loss of Craigslist’s adult services tab has cut her business and forced her to take risks she otherwise wouldn’t. “I’m screwed because Craigslist closed its adult services section,” she said without…
Grow, eat, learn
Debbie Duggan loves to teach the art of cooking. For 12 years, she’s been sharing her knowledge as executive chef at Central Coast Culinary and Catering. Recently, she got an opportunity to teach youth in Bakersfield about proper food preparation. Although she leaves the Central Coast with a heavy heart, she sees the move as…
Charges dog a SLO process server
At first, Brian Stacy believed everything Lyza Johnsen told him. He originally hired her as a process server in his lawsuit against French Hospital Medical Center. Soon, though, Johnsen was providing him advice and putting him in contact with experts who would help his case—or so he thought. When Johnsen first told Stacy she would…
What was your worst injury and how did it happen?
Kory Jones wine salesman “I used to work for the Border Patrol, and I tore ligaments in my ankle while chasing someone down.” Laurel Summerville Powell’s Sweet Shoppe employee “I was riding a skateboard down Grand Avenue, going way too fast, and I got speed wobbles and fell off. I had scrapes on my hands,…
Pinch your pennies, SLO County
The recession may be over, but SLO County’s finances are still in the toilet. In the county’s annual attempts to turn its financial fortunes, the latest proposals may be the most drastic, with county officials preparing to futz with the two golden calves of union negotiations. County administrative officials—at the advice of a financial consultant…
Corner View closes
After an eight-year run at the corner of Chorro and Higuera streets in downtown San Luis Obispo, Corner View Restaurant & Bar has shut its doors. “We enjoyed our time, we enjoyed San Luis Obispo and the customers we had come in,” co-owner Bill Carpenter said. “We’ve done our best to take care of them,…
Teamsters and RTA agree to terms
The San Luis Obispo Rapid Transit Agency and union leadership that represents its bus drivers agreed to a four-year contract on Oct. 7, pending the agreement of the union’s membership. The union’s rank and file will vote on the contract Oct. 15. If the drivers turn down the agreement, a strike would likely be the…
No new union for SLOGEA
San Luis Obispo County’s largest public employees union is going to stay the same size. Members of the Trades, Crafts, and Services unit of the San Luis Obispo County Employees’ Association (SLOCEA) failed to garner sufficient votes to splinter off and form a new union. Those members needed at least 50 percent plus one of…
Man charged in Ponzi scheme pleads out
The Los Osos man who prosecutors say duped 28 people out of nearly $3 million in a Ponzi scheme pleaded no contest to all charges against him. On Oct. 12, with one of his victims looking on, Leonard Adolph Delk, 82, pleaded to eight felony charges of grand theft by embezzlement and unlawful sales of…
SLO city is happy with its double-decker bus
Five weeks after a double-decker bus first hit SLO’s streets, City Council members and staffers say they’re happy with their double-decker bus and they’ve got the stats to justify their purchase. Though ridership is low midday, the story is apparently different during rush hours. According to a council memorandum titled “Double Deck Bus Operational update,”…
SLO city election money pours in
As the election season heats up, so do the campaign chests of those running for mayor of San Luis Obispo and the two seats on the City Council. The individual spending cap per donor per candidate is $200. All figures below cover the present year up to Sept. 30. In the donor wars, it appears…
Fishermen’s Tales
Morro Bay began as a little fishing village in 1872. Today, the town is a popular vacation stop, yet has maintained its small-town charm. Author and Morro Bay native Roger Castle, together with coauthor Gary Ream, offer a glimpse into the past and present of quirky, foggy, beautiful Morro Bay in a new book, Morro…
Passing the torch
Glen Starkey is my hero. The man gets paid to watch movies, listen to music, go to swanky parties, and write articles replete with boob jokes. He’s living the dream, like New Times’ own Slurms McKenzie. When I heard that Starkey needed a weekend off because the schedule of weekly art parties was wearing on…
The war’s end
Nearly one year after New Times first put out a call for artists to participate in Photography Wars, after six months of shooting and editing, two weeks of voting, and a certain measure of controversy (mostly voting related), we are finally announcing the winner. Each category had its own victor. For Challenge 1, GIs and…
Tim Will, North Carolina farmer and activist
@font-face { font-family: “Univers-CondensedLight”; }@font-face { font-family: “Univers-CondensedBold”; }p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal { margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: “Times New Roman”; }div.Section1 { page: Section1; } NEW TIMES: What do you grow on your farm in North Carolina? WILL: I own 45 acres of hardwood trees. I am also in my fourth year of…
City managers, leave the PR to someone else
The New Times article “Heading for the cliff” (Sept. 30) did a great public service by pointing out the threats to San Luis Obispo City’s financial stability. To quote Councilman Andrew Carter, “There are rocks ahead, and we’re heading straight for them. … [If]we don’t do something soon, we’ll be wrecked.” It is therefore astonishing…
That think tank’s as nonpartisan as the Tea Party
Amy Traub’s commentary (“Bus drivers didn’t crash the economy,” Sept. 18) lists her as “director of research at the Drum Major Institute for Public Policy, a nonpartisan, think tank … .” First, if you Google Amy’s employer, their website says “DMI is a non-partisan, non-profit think tank that provides ideas that fuel the progressive movement.”…
Like footballer, like lieutenant governor
Abel Maldonado blaming his aged father and family for delinquent income tax liens makes about as much sense as Reggie Bush blaming his father for living in a house rent free. At least Reggie Bush returned his Heisman Trophy.
We must protect American citizens
Arizona Governor Jan Brewer asked President Obama to do his job, put 10,000 military troops on Arizona borders to stop illegal immigration, drug cartels, and thugs from every undesirable Third World country coming in to the USA—including those who want to kill Americans: white, brown, black, yellow; color doesn’t matter. All Americans could be a…
This horse can lead us through tough times
When was the last time you watched a movie where the audience erupted into spontaneous applause? Secretariat is such a movie. “Political beliefs change, but our need to do what is right doesn’t,” says a character in the movie. If you need an inspiration to persevere in these tough times, go see Secretariat.
Lois Capps has my full support
In this time of political sensationalism, candidates with a consistent history of fighting unwaveringly for their constituents stand in the forefront. As a pediatrician working with the at-risk children of our county, I believe that now more than ever, Congresswoman Lois Capps needs to be re-elected this fall. Throughout the heated debates on health care…
It’s clear: Vote for Hilda
The thing I’ve always appreciated about Katcho Achadjian is his total transparency: his transparent what-have-you-people-done-for-me-lately retort to the residents who begged him not to vote for the Cayucos Viewshed ordinance, a developer-written sweetheart deal. (He did, and got the county sued.) The transparent way he went to bat for a major financial backer who wanted…
Katcho can do it
For several years, politicians in Sacramento have used smoke and mirrors to hide the serious problems facing California’s economy. We’ve seen too many clever accounting tricks, slick press conferences, and empty promises. With unemployment at a nation-leading 14 percent and a multi-billion-dollar budget shortfall, we need to send someone to the State Legislature who will…
Let SLO keep its roads; vote no on H
We are being urged to vote yes on Measure H so that Prado Road won’t be built next to a field where children play youth soccer. That sounds right, doesn’t it? We shouldn’t allow polluting, traffic-ridden roads anywhere near where our young people exercise. So if Measure H passes and Prado Road isn’t built, what…
Clubs
@font-face { font-family: “Arial”; }@font-face { font-family: “Times”; }@font-face { font-family: “Geneva”; }@font-face { font-family: “New York”; }@font-face { font-family: “HelveticaNeue-BlackExt”; }@font-face { font-family: “Lucida Grande”; }@font-face { font-family: “Times-Roman”; }@font-face { font-family: “HelveticaNeue-BoldExt”; }@font-face { font-family: “HelveticaNeue”; }@font-face { font-family: “HelveticaNeue-LightExt”; }p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal { margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: “Times New…
Les Arnevels 2009 Rose Cotes de Provence
This elegant pink wine is quite drinkable alone and a perfect aperitif in place of Champagne before a dinner party. It’s well-balanced and low alcohol, offering delicate aromas and flavors of strawberry and raspberry with tangy notes of cranberry and citrus. It’s a good choice with Parmesan and prosciutto, shrimp salad, or a goat cheese…
Finding Ventana Grill
Ventana Grill, at first glance, doesn’t seem a likely spot for finding really good food. After all, too many places with such an excellent view of the Pacific coastline are tourist traps. I’ve experienced this from Washington State to Southern California. And if you know the history of this specific site in Pismo Beach, adjacent…
