Cover Story
You can’t go home, and you can’t stay here
Cars and vans tore through the gravel on Prado Road as they roared into the night. At about 10 p.m., Danny “Fresno” Braninburg was still waiting to make his escape, his head swiveling nervously like a malfunctioning wind up toy as he scanned the road. With the clock ticking down to the police officers’ return,…
If you could change anything about soccer to make it more entertaining for Americans, what would it be?
Cary Geihs real-estate broker “A larger stadium for larger crowds.” Connor Ruppert student “I can’t think of anything to make it more exciting.” Deanna Baker nurse “A little more violence, a few more brawls (like hockey), and more beer.” Margo Anderson appraiser “Better availability to teach kids how to play (thereby getting parents involved), and…
Burns so good
The sounds of crickets and the crackle of a fire open Dan Curcio’s debut solo album, Bonfire. What follows are a dozen songs filled with hooky, breezy, jangly, back-porch, campfire melodies driven by Curcio’s soulful voice and crisp musicianship. Very much in the vein of Ben Harper, Dave Matthews, and Freedy Johnson, Curcio’s sound is…
Dinner and a show …
If you’re like me, when your friends become more successful than you, you start to hate them, which is why I’m seething inside when my fiancée Anna and I go to dinner with My Generation! writer David Vienna and his wife Larissa Collins. Not only has David written the new show at the SLO Little…
Book collectors, unite!
People collect all sorts of things: buttons, spare pant legs, shriveled heads, and even books! Book collecting may sound like an obscure pursuit, but these days, there are even competitions for it. This year, the Kennedy Library Special Collections Department is holding its inaugural Book Collection Competition in conjunction with its spring exhibit, “Pressing Forward:…
Anatomy on acid
Veins grow like candy trees in Hope Kroll’s paper world. Flowers curve inquisitively from the necks of children. A human head is supported by a maze of antiquated, delicate machinery. A Paso Robles-based collage artist, Kroll seems to dissect and reassemble her colorful subjects with a kind of maniacal glee, constructing surrealist tableaux that are…
I’m not trying to cause a big sensation …
“I hope I die before I get old,” The Who once belted out in “My Generation,” not knowing the title of that very song would one day be appropriated by a community theater’s spring fundraiser geared toward baby boomers. And yet here we are. Playwright David Vienna, director Kevin Harris, and choreographer Drew Silvaggio—the same…
Avila’s voice was heard
The community of Avila Beach is in the news again; attention is being focused on “Lachen Tara,” the community’s affordable housing apartments. It seems timely to think about the history of how this tiny community was able to secure the affordable housing in the first place. It’s a story that needs to be told before…
Food to get you through: the health crisis
Whether it’s the common cold or something more serious, there’s nothing more stressful than a body performing at a level below its optimal function. Being in the throes of a health crisis can make silly ideas like buying a time-share or cliff diving seem like the most rational plans you’ve ever had. The health-crisis brain…
Laetitia 2010 Pinot Noir Reserve du Domaine Arroyo Grande Valley
This young Pinot is quite impressive, and it’s sure to age quite well over the next five to eight years. But it’s quite delicious now, so it’ll be difficult to keep away from it. Winemaker Eric Hickey (the aforementioned Dave’s son) picks his best barrels of Pinot Noir each vintage to create this wine, which…
Laetitia 2008 Brut de Blancs Arroyo Grande Valley
Easter is almost here, and this elegant bubbly made from white wines is sure to impress at brunch or dinner. A blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Blanc grown in the estate vineyard, it’s beautifully balanced and elegant. I loved its tasty ripe apple notes that meld an array of citrus aromas and flavors with highlights…
Steve Autry is a multifaceted man
Where can you find planes, trains, automobiles, raptors, and bunnies while tasting fine wines? Autry Cellars in Edna Valley, and there’s no place quite like it. Rumbling cars on the tracks and wildlife regularly interrupt your wine tasting experience. Winemaker Steve Autry admitted with a chuckle: “It’s a lot of fun, and we have Kodak…
MARSTON SMITH
NEW TIMES What draws you to the cello? SMITH The path of least resistance. My folks started me at an early age. I was successful playing cello in school and won competitions and scholarships to college, and went on to do studio work in LA. NEW TIMES What inspired you to design your own…
Home, sweet home
At my age, I have to take my kicks where I can get ’em. And they’re few and far between. I used to get a little chill up and down my arms at every germ-infested penny winking at me from the sidewalk. These days it takes quarters to get me going. But one thing has…
It’s cat hanky-panky season; spay and neuter!
Now is the time when females go into heat and tomcats roam, so please do all you can to get your own cat or that neighborhood stray fixed, and spread the word about our program to your neighbors and friends. We are here to help! The Feline Network has cat spay/neuter certificates available for individuals…
To those who love my children
I would like to thank everyone who is making it possible for us to give our children what they need. You help pay for special tube-feeding formula and necessary medical equipment, such as tubes, feeding pumps, etc. Prices have tripled in the last year. We love our children. I cannot believe that imperfect babies may…
Let’s start maximizing the 21st century
A friend of mine test-drove an electric motorcycle, saying the manufacturer claims an operating cost of a penny per mile, including battery life and maintenance. My vehicle, at 20mpg on $4-a-gallon gas, costs 20 cents per mile, not including long-overdue maintenance. The price of going to work is steadily increasing. Having a minimum wage, being…
Stop, we’re blushing!
Finally I am taking a load off this gorgeous February 2012 morning. I wish to bring to light the pleasure of observing the talented extraterrestrial “TEAM NEW TIMES” these past few years weave their magic images, journalism, quirkiness, and unabided truth and fearless commitment to San Luis County week after grueling week. Bravo! Much like…
Jail is not fun or funny
In regards to your front page “humorous” article concerning being locked up in SLOCJ (“The Camp Snoopy Files,” Feb. 9). First, let me tell you from my own personal experience, spending 4 1/2 months in the county jail was not fun, humorous, or funny. Perhaps this particular young offender’s repeated incarcerations have become so routine…
Unique, local content is a great idea
I enjoyed Roman Navarro’s piece (“The Camp Snoopy Files,” Feb. 9) and agree with the editor’s note: “his writing has a decided flair.” The fact that he’s an inmate never bothered me. I could appreciate the art of his writing, and certainly the colorful sketches, since color brings any story alive on the paper. Yes,…
PG&E announces el Jefe de Diablo
Pacific Gas & Electric announced Feb. 22 it has appointed Edward Halpin as the company’s new senior vice president and chief nuclear officer. In his role, Halpin will be responsible for the operation of Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant and the decommissioning of Humboldt Bay power plant. He will also be the utility’s go-to with…
Anything but a bore
Ron Roberson will tell you that he’s never done woodwork before, but one look at some of the tables he built inside The Boar’s Hole will have you questioning the validity of that statement. “This wood came from a guy in San Luis named Jim Sweetwater,” Roberson said. “It was just in his scrap pile,…
Cougars & Mustangs
While the weather on the Central Coast may make it difficult to differentiate the seasons, somehow we’re aware of the waning of winter and the waxing of spring. Maybe it’s the subtle, almost imperceptible appearance of pale blues and brilliant yellows dotting the landscape. It could be the emergence of cherished energy in the morning…
Hidden woodland wonderland
Behind San Simeon Creek campground near the coast of Cambria, a single-lane private road meanders over cow-studded hilltops and dips into valleys thick with ancient oak trees. Red Mountain Road is just a few miles long, but it takes a good 20 minutes to traverse. Steep inclines on loose gravel and several blind corners make…
In the weeds
Cambria residents are painfully aware that their community’s hilly landscape; tall, abundant trees; and water supply issues are a potentially dangerous combination. As fire season approaches, the annual routine of encouraging property owners to rid their parcels of wildfire fuel—brush, weeds, dead vegetation, and the like—is about to start. Property owners who don’t do the…
Train stations and police annexations
The Grover Beach City Council is talking trains, buses, and police consolidation. At its Feb. 22 meeting, the council discussed plans for a Grover Beach train station capital improvement project, which would include such upgrades as a roundabout, increased parking, and a sheltered bus stop. There was also talk about the impact on the coast…
Roblan of the Month controversy blooms
Former San Luis Obispo police officer and Paso Robles city councilman Gary Nemeth was named Paso Roblan of the Month on Feb. 2. Then, he said he lost the title. Nemeth, an outspoken former city official who’s written multiple opinion pieces to local media outlets, says his honorary title was effectively stripped by the Paso…
Cal Poly’s cost of ‘success’
Almost exactly three years after the California State University chancellor overturned a student-approved vote to increase fees to supplement state funding shortfalls, the Cal Poly student body will make another shot at charging themselves more for school. But whether students participate enough this time around to even get a fee increase in front of the…
And then there was one
Prosecutors are now 11-0 in their yearlong effort to convict a dozen medical marijuana collective operators, after a San Luis Obispo Superior Court judge dismissed two more defendants. None of the so-called Doobie Dozen has even made it to trial. On Feb. 15—the date designated as Medical Marijuana Day, after Proposition 215, which legalized cannabis…
SLO’s vehicle-bound criticize police crackdown
About 10 people affected by the recent police clampdown on sleeping in vehicles stood before the San Luis Obispo City Council on Feb. 21 and decried what they called an “unconstitutional” policy. “There’s just not enough shelters for us to sleep,” said Cynthia Eastman, a former high school teacher who said she’s fallen on hard…
