Cover Story
Locals talk about a new law giving transgender students access to school facilities
Bathroom. Restroom. Toilet. Loo. The place in which people do their business has many names, but one universal purpose. Most of us don’t think twice about using this facility, it’s such an everyday occurrence: When nature calls, we make our way through one of two doors, depending on our gender, and that’s that. But imagine…
Pismo, preserved?: 868 scenic acres overlooking Pismo Beach could soon be a nature preserve
As the pickup truck climbs up the old dirt road, the superlatives are flying as fast as the dislodged dirt. “Spectacular.” “Beautiful.” “Incredible.” No, we haven’t stumbled upon the golden city of El Dorado, and we’re a long way from the Grand Canyon. In fact, the truck is rumbling through a pleasant patch of oak…
What message would you write on a candy heart?
Lee Mitchell Bartender “Leave me alone.” Sana Raza Student “Ur a QT.” Austin Herbaugh Ice cream specialist “Please, don’t eat me!” Alyssa Garcia New SLO resident “I would write words of encouragement to all the single people out there.”
Quite the production: Dyer/Craft Creative Services adds tinseltown magic to SLO County
Photography, videography, talent, props, wardrobe, hair, makeup—if it’s a production you want, a new company started by Nipomo resident Adam Dyer, will probably be able to make it happen for you. Dyer/Craft Creative Services, a fitting name considering the multitude of services they have to offer, can shoot commercials, photograph events, or make you over…
Brazilian Carnaval band SambaDá plays SLO Brew
New Orleans has Mardi Gras, but Brazil has Carnaval, also traditionally held the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday, which marks the beginning of Lent, the 40-day period of self-denial before Easter Sunday. Because Roman Catholics and some Christians forego meat consumption during some days of Lent, the name Carnaval (that’s the Portuguese spelling) comes from carnelevare…
SLO County rings in the Year of the Horse with Lunar New Year celebrations
Get out your orange trees, your red and gold envelopes, and your lion masks … it’s time to usher in the year of the wood horse! Chinese New Year, the Spring Festival, or, more broadly, Lunar New Year (after all, we don’t exactly call ours “American New Year”) is the 15-day celebration that marks the…
Past, present, and future: There’s adventure to be had, whatever side of 30 you’re on
As you read this, there’s a very good chance I’m 30 years old. Either to the day, or one or two days passed the traumatic day when it happened. Of course, my life is over. Nothing interesting will ever happen to me again. I will never set foot in another country, never play hide and…
From epic to lyric: Robert Thies brings a poet’s touch to the piano in two concerts
Editor’s note: The following is the latest in a series of classical music reviews by James Cushing, local poet and classical music aficionado. What a rollercoaster the weekend of Feb. 2 was! While the Super Bowl entertained the nation, a great actor passed into tragic memory, and the year’s first rain showers blessed SLO County.…
Connu, a Templeton native’s new mobile app, is changing the way readers experience contemporary fiction
Susannah Luthi and Niree Perian were waiting for a bus when they thought up their short-fiction app, Connu. In retrospect, this location seems fortuitous—almost metaphorical, if you want to go there. Launched in beta in November of last year, Connu (it’s French; say it like “canoe” and you’ll be close enough) is an application that…
Clubs 2/6/14
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…
Superfoods to the rescue
Atkins, South Beach, juice cleanse, sugar free, gluten free … . We’ve all heard of the fad diets that come and go, the quick fix to a temporary solution, the next best juicer that’s only $100 more than the last one that sits idly on the counter for months on end. New Earth Superfoods is…
Longoria 2011 Pinot Noir La Encantada Vineyard Sta. Rita Hills and Chalone 2011 Pinot Noir Monterey County
Longoria 2011 Pinot Noir La Encantada Vineyard Sta. Rita Hills I loved the ripe and bold black fruit flavors in this impressive dry wine that’s a treat for people who love pinot as much as I do. The rich fruit flavors of black cherry, boysenberry, and plums are beautifully balanced by notes of blueberry, tangy…
Upscale dining at Lido in Shell Beach features fine local foods for every budget
A visit to Lido at the Dolphin Bay Resort offers everything you’d expect in a fine dining experience. The foods are made from scratch by creative chefs who are passionate about cooking. From the front desk to the wait staff and managers, you’ll find skillful, friendly staff members who will see to your every need.…
Cougars & Mustangs
Why, hello there, readers of mine! D’ya know what next week is? That’s right! It’s Valentine’s Day! Looking for some nice places to take that special someone? Looking for some nice places to avoid the concept of a special someone? Looking for some not-so-nice places? Why are you looking for those? Do you have a…
Denturefied
The closest I ever came to killing a man was the summer of ’04 when my grandfather fell and broke his hip, and I was assigned the responsibility of looking after him because “it’s not like I had a job or relationship or anything else to do.” Pretty harsh words for a fourth grader, but…
Did Morro Bay City Councilman George Leage receive public money to cater a dinner?
Does Morro Bay City Councilman George Leage think he did anything wrong? Absolutely not, and he doesn’t know why anyone would make such a big deal about it. “I was really helping out,” Leage told New Times. “And I get crushed.” By helping out, Leage was referring to the loss he said he took for…
Correction
An article regarding the land use controversy on Ontario Ridge (“Fencing furor,” Jan. 30) incorrectly stated the gradient of a trail segment on the ridge. The gradient is between 20 and 30 percent.
State water allocations drop to zero
On Jan. 31, the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) announced it would reduce allocations for the State Water Project from 5 percent of normal to zero. The move was anticipated by several local municipalities that use state water to supplement local supplies, but the announcement serves as another sign of California’s growing water crisis.…
SLO city campaign contribution limits expand
Anyone who wants to donate money to city elections can now throw in an extra $100 thanks to new campaign regulations passed in San Luis Obispo. SLO city councilmembers voted 4-1, with Councilman Dan Carpenter dissenting, to adopt the recommendations of a citizen committee that will adjust some local election contribution regulations. The recommendations include:…
Mixed-use project approved in downtown SLO
The San Luis Obispo City Council approved a mixed-use development in the downtown core, despite some residents’ concerns that the project is too big. On a 4-1 vote at the Feb. 4 City Council meeting, the city granted final approval to Michael Hodge of Shear Edge Development to build a mix of commercial space and…
Water rationing starts in Cambria
Cambria’s water problems have recently intensified, prompting water use rules to kick up to another level of severity. Cambria Community Services District (CSD) board members unanimously approved a strengthened set of water-use restrictions as part of the newly declared Stage 3 water shortage emergency condition at their Jan. 30 meeting. The mandatory conservation measures are…
Accused Santa Maria bank robber dies in motor home wreck
Less than three months ago, Arthur “Clay” Watkins, 56, was a licensed marriage and family therapist in Arroyo Grande, a former president of the local Rotary Club, and a father of two young children. In the past three months, however, Watkins allegedly robbed a Santa Maria bank, was charged with seven felonies, spent more than…
Al Moriarty loses his second attorney
Al Moriarty—the former Grover Beach financier and alleged $22 million Ponzi-schemer—was hit with further legal troubles on Jan. 29, when his attorney, Scott Whitenack, bowed out of the Moriarty case due to legal troubles of his own. Moriarty, 80, is facing seven felony charges and has been in San Luis Obispo County Jail on $5…
‘Electrical disturbance’ causes third Diablo Canyon shutdown in three years
The Unit 2 reactor at Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant automatically shut down on Feb. 2 after an “electrical disturbance” resulted in a “flashover event,” the third such occurrence in as many years. The exact cause is under investigation, but a preliminary investigation revealed that moisture and dust accumulated on a lightning arrestor, causing a…
Yes, we do need to be civil
As one of the co-founders of the 1996 “Citizens’ Clean Campaign Coalition of San Luis Obispo County,” I am very pleased to see that Mike Byrd has stepped up to shine a light on the need for civility in our county—especially among candidates running for office and current office holders (“I offer a pledge of…
It’s still tuberculosis
Compliments on covering tuberculosis (“Inconspicuous consumption,” Jan. 30). It killed my grandmother when young, and I have calcified nodes in my lungs indicating I had it. I was a lab technician long ago looking for the tiny red organism in sputum samples that you mention in the article. Some things seem to never change. –…
Don’t forget this atmospheric double-whammy
The Ultra Right and many corporations insist on denouncing and denying the truth of global climate change ultimately caused by global warming. Meanwhile, as they foam at the mouth in protest, monster storms tear up whole cities and nations, severe drought plagues many areas (including here in California), unusual flooding rains drench others, blistering heat…
Fonzi’s censorship weakened Atascadero’s Climate Action Plan
Recently, the Atascadero City Council approved an amended Climate Action Plan, after it was gutted by members of the council, following public comment by climate change deniers. Several people, myself included, spoke in vain, encouraging the council to restore the original language, which supported the position of 97 percent of climate scientists, who contend that…
Go all the way, San Luis Obispo!
Congratulations to the SLO City Council on reducing the enormous electric bill at the Prado Road Wastewater Plant. However, with just a little more effort, that bill can be reduced to zero. REC Solar has solarized previously both wastewater treatment plants at the cities of Santa Cruz and Madera. Our utilities director, Carrie Mattingly, knows…
To the governor: Resist the impulse to spend
We’ve all heard dramatic stories of lottery winners acquiring hundreds of millions of dollars only to declare bankruptcy a few years later. In fact, studies show 70 percent of all individuals who suddenly receive large amounts of money will lose it in a short period of time. The cause of this problem is impulse spending…
