Cover Story
Tempting fate
The Santa Maria Police Department has been tight-lipped when it comes to divulging who owned the pistol they allege Lee Isaak Bedwell Leeds used to kill his father and three other local men on March 18. It may seem just one small detail amid such a large tragedy, but six years ago Leeds pleaded no…
Fast facts
The Land Conservancy is hosting a contest open to local artists and designers to design the logo for San Luis Obispo’s historic and soon-to-be inaugurated Octagon Barn. The winning design will receive $150 and a Land Conservancy gift pack (among other prizes), and will be featured on Land Conservancy clothing, posters, and promotional materials related…
First become mayor of SLO–then take over the world
Two candidates have thrown their hats into San Luis Obispo’s mayoral ring, hoping to secure what Dave Romero calls “the best elected job in California.” Stephan Lamb and Dan Carpenter each announced their plans to run for mayor of San Luis Obispo. Meanwhile, incumbent Dave Romero said he loves his job, and talks like a…
The bright side of budget cuts
For all of you who think Schwarzenegger’s proposal of cutting funding for public schools and closing some state parks is the wrong idea, I ask you to pay attention to the window being opened instead of focusing on the door being closed. It is about time that we, the people, joined together with our government…
Believe the hype
It’s not easy to find a quality restaurant just anywhere in California’s small seaside towns, and rarer yet in a hotel perched on a cliff’s edge over the Pacific Ocean. I believe that’s because they have a captive audience. My husband Dan and I frequently travel between Mendocino and Santa Barbara, so I share this…
A tale of two cities
# Maybe you remember Jill Cohn, the raven-haired, Seattle-based singer-songwriter who used to stop through SLO County regularly during her West Coast tours. The piano-playing chanteuse has a lush and lilting voice that reminds many listeners of the likes of Tori Amos, Sarah McLachlan, or Jewel. Cohn fell off the map a while ago, but…
Letters
We can learn from immigrants Historically, economic downturns often lead to the scapegoating of immigrants (legal or not). Let’s use this one to learn from. First-generation Latinos bring with them useful skills, such as farming, butchering, sewing, etc.–skills that many of SLO’s white, bourgeoisie haven’t a clue. My house has a tiny plot of grass…
Will medicinal pot return?
There were folks in wheelchairs, kids with signs, and hours of testimony. There were punchy exchanges, uncomfortable politicians, and patient-to-a-fault staffers. # Moms and teachers and police officers and epileptics and local gadflies and children all testified about the supposed dangers and benefits of marijuana. But what wasn’t evident in the April 8 Board of…
Dalidio issue never dies
The city of San Luis Obispo has asked for legal fees associated with a Dalidio ranch civil suit that was recently thrown out of federal court. Assistant City Attorney Christine Dietrick said that the city hopes to recover $28,478.50 in attorney and related court fees. In related news, on March 27, the Dalidio camp filed…
Secret report on sheriff eavesdropping to be used in court
A county-commissioned report into allegations of illegal eavesdropping by Sheriff Pat Hedges has found its way into court, but even there it’s to remain closed to the public eye. A federal judge has agreed to an order allowing attorneys for Chief Deputy Gary Hoving, whose office Hedges has acknowledged secretly videotaping in 2006, to view…
Greka’s big week
It’s been an eventful week for beleaguered oil company Greka. First, the Environmental Protection Agency took over cleanup at the oil and gas company’s Bell Lease in Northern Santa Barbara County on April 1. Then a local assemblyman said he was introducing two bills in response to Greka’s poor environmental record. The most recent development,…
There’s a new editor in town
Ed Connolly has officially been named editor of New Times. The veteran journalist stepped in on April 7. He spent his first # days on the job putting together this week’s cover story on flaws in the state’s system intended to keep guns away from criminals and the mentally insane. In the coming weeks, he’ll…
Dark-winged flights of wind-up fancy
# A toy Godzilla looms out of a canvas, his body squat, his aspect ominous. A metal spring attached to his back almost belies the words etched into the canvas behind him: MONSTER. Mike Tracy has painted this figure dozens of times: the wind-up toy’s left profile at various angles, facing the viewer, the right…
Go retro
For most shops, November’s Black Friday signifies long lines, blowout sales, and turkey sandwiches. For Colby Courter, the day will forever be marked on his calendar as the beginning of his dream. # On Nov. 22 of last year, Courter opened Retro-Spec, a used clothing store in San Luis Obispo with a focus on vintage…
Forecast predicts ‘mild’ California recession
The UCSB Economic Forecast Project recently predicted that California is headed into a “mild” recession, triggered by the failing residential real estate market, rising unemployment rates, and declining retail sales. According to a press release from the UCSB-sponsored organization, California’s economy will most likely be “hit harder than the rest of the nation as a…
Gone to pot
There’s a new boss around here, and I haven’t even met him yet. He sounds promising enough, but the proof comes in the trenches, so I’m withholding judgment. For now. I won’t be able to keep my big mouth shut for long, but as a “welcome to the first day of the end of your…
Forks, flats, and all the fixins’
With gas prices shooting their way up to $4 a gallon, bicycles are looking more and more attractive when it comes to getting aroundWith gas prices shooting their way up to $4 a gallon, bicycles are looking more and more attractive when it comes to getting around. They’re cheaper to buy, cheaper to maintain, and…
Thrice rejected plan moves on to the City Council
On April 7, SLO’s Architectural Review Commission became the third advisory group to reject a controversial plan that would change 6,000 square feet of Mitchell Park into a parking lot for a senior center. Despite the groups’ decisions–and public outcry from neighbors–the City Council seems resolute in its support of the change. Mayor Dave Romero,…
Area man files with attorney general on Settle questions
Gary Fowler has filed paperwork with the state Attorney General’s office seeking an investigation into whether SLO Councilmember Allen Settle is improperly living outside the city. Fowler, a retired highway patrol officer, filed with the office what’s called a “Leave to Proceed, Quo Warranto” on April 3, an action he believes will lead to an…
