Cover Story
Foreclosure fallout: More homes are being swallowed up by property management companies than private buyers
“Going once, going twice … .” You could hear those words thousands of times in San Luis Obispo in the last five years, intoned on the courthouse steps or behind the county government center. But with the next utterance in the sequence, what’s gone for hundreds of local families is the American Dream of owning…
SLOMA presents ‘A Weaverly Path’
It’s always uplifting to encounter an artist who’s genuinely immersed in her work, but it’s an even more enriching experience to have one invite you in on the joy of creating with her. This is what makes A Weaverly Path, the documentary of artist Silvia Heyden’s tapestries—screening Nov. 18 at 7 p.m. at the SLO…
If you were going to write novel, what would you write it about?
Barbara Fisher musician “World religions.” Kennedy (didn’t want to give last name) Cal Poly student “I would write my novel probably about some kind of self discovery in the wilderness on a backpacking trip.” Leo Gastineau decline to state “I would write about sobriety.” Lyndsay Babbitt physical therapy aid/server “Something about how people should stop…
Duned
The coolest dudes on the entire Central Coast are dead. They’re not the snarky bartenders who serve your ultra-self-conscious bacon bloody mary at Sunday brunch. And no, I don’t care how elaborate and winding their facial hair happens to be. They’re not the kids who wail laments into microphones, and they’re certainly not the oenophiles…
The recall effort doesn’t make sense
I am opposed to the effort to recall Morro Bay Mayor Jamie Irons for several reasons, primarily because this self-defeating recall effort is distracting residents from discussing important Morro Bay matters, such as the future of the soon-to-be-closed Morro Bay power plant and the relocation of the wastewater treatment plant. The recall effort is dividing…
Avoid the appearance of bias, New Times
I love the New Times photo contest (“Winning Images,” Nov. 7), but the judging process seems a bit tainted to me. Two of the three judges own businesses in SLO where photos can be printed. Contest participants may or may not choose to get their photo submissions printed at one of these shops. Is it…
Thanks for addressing plastic
It was good to read Charmaine Coimbra’s commentary addressing the plastic trashing of the oceans (“Stairway to plastisphere,” Nov. 7). As she points out, plastic is a major problem for the marine environment—and oceans cover two-thirds of the world. Of course, plastic refuse is also a problem for the land environment. Our year-old countywide ban…
Pismo doesn’t need prayer
I had to put my coffee cup aside—I was now fully awake. After reading “WWPBD” (Nov. 7), my chuckling and smiles had pushed off my morning blanket of sleepiness and I was now fully engaged with the day. Nothing like a hearty laugh to slough off tiredness. The writer of “WWPBD” had so perfectly collected…
Correction
A photograph that won Honorable Mention in the Adult Flora category, Daisy Dew Drops, in New Times’ photo contest (“Winning Images 2013,” Nov. 7), was incorrectly attributed. The photographer is Daniel Quintana.
Connecting the (H20) dots
In order for the deliberately confused masses to even begin to understand the current water controversy in the inaccurately named “Paso Robles Water Basin,” New Times’ “Split Screen” (or KCBX’s Take Two) might first need to re-view the classic Academy Award-winning movie Chinatown (selected by the Library of Congress for preservation in the United States…
PathPoint of SLO is still going strong after 50 years
In just two months, SLO PathPoint will celebrate their golden anniversary, and they’ve just received some exciting news to add to their celebrations; PathPoint was given a $10,000 grant from the State Council on Developmental Disabilities (SCDD) last month. The SCDD grant, which will be supporting the organization’s Healthy Relationships Project, will go toward hiring…
Cougars & Mustangs: Transfer Day
Well, another Cuesta College Transfer Day has come and gone, and while this one didn’t leave quite as awkward of a taste in my mouth as last year, I think last year I spoke with every college representative in attendance. Now, bear in mind that there is no issue with the inherent setup of the…
James Erb: a Q&A with SLO County’s man with many hats
If you want to know about finances in SLO County, James P. Erb, CPA, is definitely your man. Ever since two main county financial offices (the treasurer-tax collector’s office and the auditor-controller’s office) merged on Aug. 12 of this year, Erb, 61, has helmed the combined office of the county auditor, controller, treasurer, tax collector,…
Local church group raises awareness of human trafficking
The term “abolitionist” might conjure memories of history textbooks and musty tales of social advocates long gone. But that’s all the more reason why a group of parishioners from Mountainbrook Community Church in San Luis Obispo, dedicated to fighting against human trafficking, chose to call themselves the Mountainbrook Abolitionists. The name alone implies that what…
Barneich rides a wave of praise onto A.G.’s council
Though there were four official candidates for Caren Ray’s former seat on the Arroyo Grande City Council, it was abundantly clear that one candidate—Kristen Barneich—had already captured the hearts and minds of council members and the public. After all 11 speakers at the Nov. 12 council meeting heartily endorsed Barneich, and the four council members…
Atascadero clears the way for the Salinas River Trail
After recently hearing a slew of concerns over the looming conflict between public access and private property, the Atascadero City Council gave the Salinas River Trail a go-ahead at its Nov. 12 meeting. The proposed trail follows the Salinas River along a 34-mile stretch from Santa Margarita up through San Miguel. It would connect existing…
PRAAGS presents its case for a water district
Agriculturalists representing farmers who work above the stressed Paso Robles Groundwater Basin have continued towing the boat they say will take overliers to safety amid concerns over falling well levels. The Paso Robles Agricultural Alliance for Groundwater Solutions (PRAAGS) presented its goal to form a California Water District to a crowd of roughly 300 people,…
SLO Council scraps vacation rental ban, postpones everything else
After nearly four hours of seesaw debate during a jam-packed Nov. 12 special meeting, the San Luis Obispo City Council agreed on only one thing: They had to axe the city’s catchall ban on vacation rentals. In a unanimous vote, the council agreed to temporarily suspend enforcement of a municipal code ordinance that prohibits all…
Council follows through with Morro Bay manager ouster
In yet another closed session meeting, the Morro Bay City Council majority on Nov. 12 followed through with initiating a separation agreement for City Manager Andrea Lueker , a 27-year-long employee of the city. Council members George Leage and Nancy Johnson opposed the termination. In the same session, the council voted unanimously to formally approve…
Morro Bay ponders wastewater treatment plant options
Now that the Morro Bay power plant is on its way out, the city has a possible use for its location: a spot for the long-debated wastewater treatment plant—or the water reclamation facility, depending on which term you prefer. But that’s only one of seven options recently laid out in a report the City Council…
Morro Bay power plant to close in February
More than a decade of back and forth about whether to modernize the embattled Morro Bay power plant or let it suffer a quiet death has led to this: It appears that its days are officially numbered. On Nov. 7, Houston-based energy company Dynegy released its third quarter earnings report that included a small snippet…
Bacon Nation
I am proud to announce that this year SLO will finally be put on the map. We have been gifted endless buckets of fat drippings and an everlasting aroma of maple. Someone has come to our bacon call. Jazmyn Strickland, organizer of the 2013 SLO Bacon Fest, saw an opportunity to raise money and awareness…
Roederer Estate Brut Rose and Gloria Ferrer Blanc de Noirs
Roederer Estate Brut Rose With the holiday season quickly approaching it’s time to stock up on bubblies, and this elegant wine should be at the top of your list. One of my favorite California sparklers, this beautiful blend of 60 percent Pinot Noir and 40 percent Chardonnay is grown in their estate vineyards. In the…
The golden wine country: A trip to Northern California yields gold
A golden opportunity recently came my way when I was invited on a media tour to visit El Dorado wine country near Placerville, California the first week of November. My husband Dan and I first visited the wine region when we were traveling to South Lake Tahoe in 2000. It was an easy detour from…
Makana delivers an intimate concert to benefit Cayucos pier
Last week I told you a little about Makana, the slack key guitarist scheduled to play the Cayucos Pier Benefit Concert this Saturday, Nov. 16, but I recently learned that in addition to his performance on the pier, he’ll also play an intimate fundraiser for the pier the night before, on Friday, Nov. 15, at…
One Harry Potter fan meets her idol–sort of–in ‘Potted Potter’ star James Percy
Potted Potter is a boisterous comedy show that condenses all seven Harry Potter books into 70 minutes. I am baffled by how this production—which comes to the Cal Poly Performing Arts Center on Sunday, Nov. 17—can be performed by two British muggles without the aid of spells, but luckily I scored a confab with Potted…
A review of soprano Ava Pine’s debut performance with the SLO Symphony
Editor’s note: The following is the second installment in a series of San Luis Obispo Symphony reviews by poet and classical music aficionado James Cushing. This time, Cushing attended the Saturday, Nov. 9 classics concert “A Sentimental Journey,” featuring soprano Ava Pine. Saturday night’s SLO Symphony concert at the Cohan Center blended the familiar with…
The many sounds of silence: L.A. Theatre Works takes on ‘The Graduate’ as a radio play at the PAC
How does one stage a film like The Graduate? The desperation of the film’s long drives; the isolation of Dustin Hoffman’s scuba dive into the pool; the tracking shot winding its way through the party guests, who seem to peck at our hero like so many hens at the opening of the 1967 film? Was…
Clubs 11/14/13
Goin’ South … THE CLIFFS RESORT: 2757 Shell Beach Road, 773-5000 or cliffsresort.com. CUVEE BISTRO AND CHAMPAGNE BAR: 550 1st St., Avila Beach, 595-2245. Live music Thurs. and Sat. 6-9pm. 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…
