Cover Story
Real-world learning
Defying the budgetary ax swinging over public education, a sturdy sprout with a distinctly greenish tinge is growing in San Luis Obispo County schools. From worm bins to water conservation, from gardens to greenhouse gas emissions, schools are finding creative ways to help today’s students learn about the real world. “There’s a new interest in…
Perry resigns from DSA but not Sheriff’s Department
Gail Wilcox was fired for the relationship she had with Tony Perry, but so far Perry has gone relatively unscathed. After the relationship was made public, Perry stepped down from his post as executive director of the Deputy Sheriff’s Association, but not from his other role as a sergeant. Perry announced his resignation from…
Homelessness surges
Homelessness in SLO County spiked by nearly 60 percent between 2005 and 2009, according to a count that identified 3,829 people homeless in the area on the day of the count. That number compares to 2,408 identified in an October, 2005 effort. The number, while bracing, isn’t shocking to those who follow housing issues in…
Empty classrooms
There’s nothing remarkable about the library at Grover Beach Elementary School. It’s just one portable building in a line of portable buildings. The carpet inside is stretched over a hollow floor that thuds under the lightest footstep. There aren’t many books, just enough to line three shelves taped with handmade labels on small scraps of…
No place to study
The fallout from the national economic and housing crisis is landing squarely on local public schools, where more and more students are facing the difficulties of homelessness. Hundreds of the children who will walk into local classrooms on the first day of school later this month are classified as homeless. In kindergartens and on…
Musical galleries
If you’ve taken a stroll down Morro Street recently, you may have noticed that something’s missing. That is, the block that seems to rotate businesses at the rate most people change clothes experienced both a departure and a new arrival. The Jeff Claassen Gallery—in business since 2004—made the move from Morro to Marsh at the…
How will budget cuts affect your child’s school?
Laura Stark fifth-grade Paso teacher “Counseling and other programs have been cut but much is uncertain. I know little more than hearsay until work resumes next week. Classes will be bigger.” Nikki Cimaty civil engineering student “I’m very concerned that my instructors at Cal Poly are being cut and I wouldn’t be surprised if teachers…
Playing hardball
The tone of school administrators suggests they have run out of options to save money, but in the five biggest districts in the county, athletic programs are generally taking smaller hits than academic initiatives. Lucia Mar Unified School District did cut its athletics budget about 10 percent, from $960,000 to roughly $860,000, but books…
Ag conversion unlikely
Amid fervent neighbor complaints, a land parcel near the county airport will likely stay agricultural and not be converted to an industrial/commercial center. SLO County supervisors didn’t take action, but clearly were leaning away from a request to rezone 56 acres of agriculture land—located between the airport and a subdivision—from owner Ben Maddalena, who…
Old trails, new tails
For local mountain bikers, a new conservation plan for land above Cal Poly Canyon offers both good and bad news. Cyclists on the newish Stenner Creek Natural Reserve will likely lose some unsanctioned trails, which the city says are creating erosion problems, but they could gain a new trail along with a special “skills…
Get out; we’ll bill ya’ later
A South County horse-riding group forced to relocate because the county took its land will also have to pay the county about $7,500 in fees to reopen. Brush Poppers, an Arroyo Grande horse-riding club, had its land seized under an eminent domain procedure in 2004 for a SLO County Office of Education facility. …
A downtown favorite returns anew
San Luis Obispo residents are likely familiar with Mee Heng Low, the classic Chinese restaurant on Palm Street, but may be unaware the business is under new ownership and is now a Chinese noodle house. Mee Heng Low has been a staple of San Luis Obispo’s historic Chinatown since 1958. According to co-owner and…
Remembering Woodstock
Editor’s note: The Woodstock Festival, which began on August 15, 1969, and the immense gatherings at Moratorium demonstrations throughout the nation two months later, coalesced people of all ages for the highest civic purpose: peace. Bill Seavey and Bruce Henderson commemorate their experiences at Woodstock. Seavey took the Woodstock crowd photograph. I went to…
‘Pruning’ is a disgrace
Thank you so much for your informative story about the trees in Cambria (“Pruned to the ground,” Aug. 6). I have been in touch with the Sierra Club because I didn’t know who else to contact: The county of SLO is not tree friendly (about as friendly as they are to the homeless or those…
Gas prices seem fishy
It looks like the Saudi and American oil cartels are giving it to us in the shorts again. Remember a year or so ago, the price of crude oil was about $140 per barrel. Recall that the Saudi oil minister said that $75 a barrel was a fair price for oil. When the barrel price…
Limit campaign spending
Less than one year ago, the Atascadero City Council approved an ordinance limiting campaign spending on a voluntary basis. “Building Public Trust” public workshops clarified our need for community-wide participation to have a healthy, functional local government. Agreeing to comply with the voluntary limit levels the playing field between incumbents and newcomers and more people…
Oh, to be Bank of America
First, we write a splendid story about starting an American bank to help immigrants and the working poor. Second, we accept all the bailout money we can get our hands on, and agree to merge with some investment bank. When things get tough, we complain loudly and say, “Boo hoo, they made us do…
Praising civic action
Thank you, New Times, for articles about neighbors speaking out in defense of their neighborhoods and then finding themselves in court (“The latest development on Santa Margarita Ranch,” Aug. 6). I have a great deal of admiration for residents who come forward to speak out against seriously flawed public processes. I happen to know both…
Thanks for Soundcheck
I want to send a big huge “thanks and well done!” to Glen and the staff at New Times for publishing the music insert Soundcheck. It’s beautiful, and for many of us musical professionals, I’m sure it will be a “coffee table book.” Notwithstanding the fact that I did shoehorn listings of myself in…
DeVaul needs county help, not persecution
Every time I read about another episode in the persecution of Dan DeVaul I get sad and then I get mad. Is persecution too strong a term? Well, after all, what exactly is his crime? His transgressions appear to be only against county housing ordinances while his good deeds are providing food and shelter for…
Government health care does work well
My recent letter (“Do veterans deserve socialist health care?” July 16) included such lines as “Let’s save our vets from big government and its socialized medical programs” and “Patriots! Tell the Veterans’ Administration no more funding.” Those comments, as well as the entire letter, were written tongue-in-cheek and not intended to be taken seriously. The…
Don’t privatize veterans’ health care
Somehow I missed the outrageous letter from Jamie Ford of San Luis Obispo (“Do veterans deserve socialist health care?” July 16) when it was published. While much in it is just cant and nonsense, certain points need a response. If he or she defines veterans’ health care as “socialist,” then the entire military health…
Health system must be reformed
Our health care system is broken: Lack of affordable guaranteed health coverage is why so many people live in fear of losing their jobs or are unable to change careers. My husband and I chose to close down our company and begin our second careers. However, before we could do so, we had to obtain…
Steve Kragenbrink
New Times: The Woods Humane Society has a limited admissions policy. Under what circumstances may people deliver animals? Kragenbrink: We’re the private organization in San Luis Obispo as opposed to public. If you have an animal you can call us up and make an appointment or bring them in. We put them in a behavior…
Stimulate me
I’m completely unstimulated. Limp as Bob Dole’s pen. I can’t get cash for my clunker; my TARP is torn, and when it comes to first-time homebuyer credit, I can’t even cop a grope at first base. So I have a question for President Obama: Does your stimulus plan include me at all? I…
Chateau Ste. Michele 2008 Riesling Columbia Valley
Crisp citrus notes balance the slightly sweet notes in this fragrant white. Aromas and flavors of nectarines, apricots, honey, spice, and lemon are accented by sweet citrus and spice notes in this cheaply-priced white. It’s a wonderful choice for shrimp or scallop stir-fries, pad Thai, or roasted poultry. This Washington State white is a steal…
Lane Tanner 2007 Pinot Noir Bien Nacido Vineyard
A luscious, darkly hued wine, it’s fragrant with aromas and flavors of blackberries, boysenberries, and plums. Highlighted with strawberry, white pepper, earth, and spice notes, it lingers long on the finish. A tad richer than usual, this full-bodied Pinot is easy drinking and versatile enough to pair with steak, prime rib, rack of lamb, quail…
Good, cheap, and bountiful
I always wonder why there are long lines at fast food chains in SLO during the weekday lunch hour when there are several great restaurants offering value-priced, freshly-made foods. Yet these popular restaurants are desperate for business. Most people have just an hour, which probably makes fast food seem more appealing. But seriously, is that…
Just a flicker on the screen
New Times spoke with Joseph Olesh, partner/producer of Flicker Films, and Producer/Director John Stanier, two local talents who head up a relatively new (started in January 2008) independent production company in SLO. While primarily producing local, regional, and national commercials, they also promote, develop, and produce documentary and narrative short and feature-length motion pictures. We…
New Times Music Awards goes off!
About 300 people squeezed into Downtown Brew last Saturday for the New Times Music Awards (NTMA), a competition that culled from 288 entries to pick SLO County’s Best Band, Best Solo Artist, and Best Song (see info box for complete results). Our panel of five judges also chose 20 tracks for the NTMA Top Twenty…
Running on full!
Somewhere there’s a painting of Jackson Browne that looks dreadful. That’s the only explanation for Browne’s Dorian Gray-like appearance. He’s turning 61 this year, yet he looks like he’s in his mid-40s! How can that be, especially considering his long and colorful career and life? In his late teens he played with an early…
