Cover Story
All that’s left: SLO County families cope with loss in the wake of the opioid epidemic
Reaching out If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction, there are resources locally and nationally, including SLO County Drug and Alcohol Services (slocounty.ca.gov), the SLO Bangers Syringe Exchange (slobangers.com), the SLO Opioid Safety Coalition, and the National Helpline for Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (1-800-662-HELP or samhsa.gov). I hate waiting.…
Jackson Browne plays Vina Robles Amphitheatre on Aug. 1st
If he stays true to form, Jackson Browne’s Vina Robles Amphitheatre show this Wednesday, Aug. 1 (8 p.m.; all ages; $55 to $95 at vinaroblesamphitheatre.com) will deliver a lot of his greatest hits. His last few shows have featured a very similar set list right down to the encore. If you’re going and want to…
Free app makes finding your favorite farmers’ market items easier
Not all kale is created equally. Sure, you can always pick up some bagged kale at the supermarket. However, you can also grab some fresh and locally grown kale, straight from the hands of a farmer you know. Cam Sluggett wants to help you with the second option. Growing up in Oakdale (the “Cowboy Capital…
North county adventures
Paso wine good times: There’s a lot going on this July 28! Opolo will host a blending party and whoever makes the best blend will win (guess what?) more wine (opolo.com) … Every Saturday this summer, Vina Robles invites the community to hang out and dig some new live tunes. This July 28, Kenny Taylor…
Park it at Peachy
A walk in the park doesn’t have to require actually going to the park, with all of its loud, stinky barbecues and wayward Wiffle balls. Instead, why not enjoy the park-like setting of Peachy Canyon Winery on Saturday, July 28, while doing something truly heartfelt for your fellow man? From 5 to 8 p.m., attend…
Learn from Los Osos
I moved to Morro Bay in 2016 and served as interim city manager for Morro Bay from June to November 2017. In my 30-year local government career, I have been involved in the development and construction of numerous public works projects, but none as controversial and complex as the water reclamation facility (WRF) being proposed…
Former Santa Maria Sun/New Times editor pens children’s book
Foodies and kiddies Ryan Miller’s first book, How to Feed Your Parents, is scheduled to be released on Aug. 7. To preorder the book, visit amazon.com. More info: standingintheshallows.com. Ryan Miller isn’t used to being interviewed by journalists. In fact, he’s used to things being the other way around. “It’s interesting being on this side…
Ulterior agendas
Many Morro Bay residents have asked why the city has so vehemently pursued siting the new water reclamation facility (WRF) at the South Bay Boulevard location, to the exclusion of any other possible site and despite so much resident opposition. That site is the most expensive of the sites studied and presents potential major changes…
Learn about essential oils at The Station
The Station in San Luis Obispo is offering an essential oil workshop on Saturday, Aug. 4, from 1 to 2 p.m. Cal Poly alumni Rebecca Mendelson and Andrea Nenow will be leading guests through the basics of using essential oils and how to incorporate oils into your daily life. Attendees will have the chance to…
A ‘yes’ vote on water recycling in Morro Bay
The Dutch colonized Cape Town, South Africa, before the Spanish built missions in California. Water was plentiful. Until recently, dependable rainfall supplied Cape Town as its population grew. Now, rainfall patterns have changed. Taps are running dry, and Cape Town residents face dependence on bottled water. The diminishing Sierra snowpack trend prompted the city of…
Enjoy Art in the Park at Dinosaur Caves
Art in the Park is coming back to Dinosaur Caves Park in Shell Beach on Sunday, Aug. 5, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. This outdoor art festival has more than 60 artists displaying and selling their work. Art featured includes glass, jewelry, sculptures, and more. The location overlooks the ocean for a great mix…
Stand strong, History Center
Please don’t waste another minute re-thinking your decision to fly the gay pride flag at the History Center in SLO. The limited rhetoric from a few (very few) people in SLO County that were disappointed is beyond ridiculous. Thank you for standing up for all citizens of SLO County and being supportive of Pride in…
Make lip balm and lotion at Gopher Glen
Gopher Glen Organic Apple Farm in San Luis Obispo is teaming up with Foxen Canyon Soap Company to offer their first ever lip balm and lotion making class on Saturday, Aug. 4, from 11 a.m. to noon. This workshop is hands-on and guests will be able to create and customize their own lip balm and…
Breath of fresh air
Scott Fina’s opinion piece (“A Mae Sai ethos,” July 19) was excellent. In fact, it was superb. Dr. Fina presented his clear, knowledgeable view of the Mae Sai rescue based on his direct experience of the dangers, skill, courage, and altruism that ultimately made the rescue a success. He wisely pointed out that amazing things…
Twerk it: Ignite Movement Studio in Morro Bay offers ‘Booty School’ class
Back it up Ignite Booty costs $150 per person for a six-week class series that concludes in a performance. For more information on when the next class will be offered at Ignite Movement Studio in Morro Bay, visit ignitemovementstudio.com. Booty School will perform on Aug. 22 at The Siren’s ’90s Hip-Hop Dance Party in Morro…
Weigh the costs of climate change
If we ban fracking and new oil wells in SLO County, Sentinel Peak warns “eventually” we will lose jobs: “20-plus employees and more than 100 contract workers.” What’s even worse, we will lose money: “$1 million to the county’s general fund” and “$64 million in economic input.” Yipes! If climate change is real, as the…
Russian money
Mr. Fonzi’s July 19 opinion article (“What a tangled web we weave”) pointed the finger at Andrew Christie of the Sierra Club for the group’s connection to Russian money, when he should have used his words to sound the clarion call to his Republican colleagues who still belie the Mueller investigation. The Russians, it seems,…
U.S. government mulls a raise for federal workers in SLO County
Federal employees in SLO County could see a boost to their paychecks next year thanks to proposed regulations currently making their way through the U.S. government’s approval process. The U.S. Office of Personnel Management’s (OPM) proposal would close a gap in annual salary for federal employees in SLO County that allows their peers in neighboring…
A people’s president
The anti-Trump hatred and bombastic rhetoric is raging at dangerous levels, going so far as to incite murder by depicting a bloody beheading of our president. The lunatic liberal left as well as the nattering nabob neocons on the right share the blame for this despicable and disgusting behavior. We the people, who detest this…
Nacimiento group fights water releases
With boat docks all around Lake Nacimiento gone dry from a heavy flow of reservoir water releases this year, lake property owners have stepped up their fight against the agency behind it. A group representing Nacimiento residents, homeowners, and visitors has retained a water attorney and a team of hydrologists to explore a “legal remedy”…
To give or to deny?
For 13 days this month, I was cocooned in the hospital with my almost-97-year-old mother who battled pneumonia with all the tools of modern medicine. After realizing that she could not recover, and after my dad had a heartbreaking conversation with her about her wishes and options, we moved her into hospice in the hospital.…
Morro Bay police chief leaves after 13 months
With a little more than one year under his belt as the Morro Bay police chief, Greg Allen announced that his last day with the department is Aug. 17. “I have enjoyed serving as the chief of police for this department and the community,” Allen said in a July 23 press release. “Together we accomplished…
How dry I am
Paso Robles has been hotter than two hamsters farting in a wool sock being played with by Satan’s jalapeño-covered, three-peckered, longhaired house cat, Smoky. Seriously! But hey, the California Mid-State Fair only happens for 12 days in a row once a year, so what do you do? Sunscreen and hydrate! The first one’s easy, but…
County planning director promises ‘consistent’ leadership
With a unanimous vote in closed session on July 17, the San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors put an end to a 16-month vacancy at the helm of the Planning and Building Department, appointing Administrative Division Manager Trevor Keith to the director position. Keith’s hire concluded a months-long national search to replace the previous…
Social media sound off
New Times readers took to Facebook to share their thoughts about our July 19 Shredder column, “Fake News!?!”
Stax Wine Bar is now a bistro too
Get stacked Stax Wine Bar is located at 1099 Embarcadero in Morro Bay. Hours are Sunday through Thursday from noon to 8 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from noon to 10 p.m. For more information, go to staxwinebar.com. Love ’em or hate ’em—those three towering stacks represent more than just the remnants of Morro Bay’s…
Arroyo Grande to let state regulate local cannabis deliveries
Arroyo Grande is closer to, once again, allowing cannabis delivery services to operate within the city. Members of the City Council voted 3-1 on July 24 to repeal local permitting requirements for commercial cannabis delivery businesses, deferring instead to the state’s regulations. Mayor Jim Hill was the lone dissenting vote, and Councilmember Tim Brown was…
‘The Equalizer 2’ delivers another dose of brutal vigilante justice
THE EQUALIZER 2 What’s it rated? R What’s it worth, Anna? Matinee What’s it worth, Glen? Matinee Where’s it showing? Downtown Centre, Galaxy, Park, Stadium 10 Director Antoine Fuqua (Training Day, Shooter, The Magnificent Seven 2016) returns to helm this sequel written by Richard Wenk (The Mechanic 2011, The Expendables 2, Jack Reacher: Never Go…
News nibs
Need beef without the BS? Central Coast Meats is delivering local grass fed meats to your door! Find out more at centralcoastmeats.com … Avocado needs a friend. That friend is Margarita. This year, the Avocado and Margarita Festival in Morro Bay is paying your ticket fees! All you have to do is buy online now…
Paso police will keep public camera program
Paso Robles residents should get used to seeing the bubble-shaped pods of video cameras in public areas. They aren’t going anywhere any time soon, according to city officials. After a yearlong pilot program, the Paso Robles City Council voted unanimously on June 17 to continue the use of the camera pods, which police say have…
Bingeable: The Magicians
When? 2015-Present What’s it rated? TV-MA Where’s it available? Streaming on Netflix, Syfy If the Narnia and Harry Potter worlds had a magic fueled orgy, the SyFy network’s fantastical show The Magicians (based on the novels by Lev Grossman) would definitely be the baby of uncertain parentage that came out of it nine months later.…
Summer luxuries
Spicy: LXV Winery in Paso Robles is doing wine a little differently. Sign up for a seasonal culinary box and receive three wines, three Indian spice pairings, and three summer recipes. This summer’s box includes a rose, sangiovese blend, and viognier plus the perfect spices for summer grilling! … Feeling overheated? The strawberry salad at…
SLO enters talks with unions for a local worker preference on ‘most expensive project’ in city history
San Luis Obispo City Hall bustled in a way it rarely does on July 10—with a jam-packed council chambers and a sizeable spillover crowd huddled in a conference room next door watching a video feed. Attendees included local electricians, carpenters, pipefitters, and other skilled tradesmen. They were there to ask SLO City Councilmembers for a…
Film Listings, 7/26/18 – 8/2/18
ANT-MAN AND THE WASP What’s it rated? PG-13 What’s it rated? Matinee Where’s it showing? Downtown Centre, Stadium 10, Park, Galaxy Pick Peyton Reed (Bring It On, Yes Man, Ant-Man) directs this next entry into the Marvel universe set after the events of Captain America: Civil War. Paul Rudd returns as Scott Lang and his…
