Let’s get rid of nuclear power and weapons
On the controversies surrounding Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant, it would be most wise to move things rapidly toward decommissioning and safety protocols as this aging dinosaur becomes more susceptible to a serious accident. The machinery is becoming more brittle and weak, further increasing the chance of a serious accident, and let’s not forget the…
Diablo Canyon still owes us land and conservation
OK, we were wrong. Last time we wrote this column, we said that on Nov. 6 the California Coastal Commission was deciding if PG&E would get its permit to extend Diablo Canyon nuclear plant to 2030. This hasn’t happened, yet. Action was almost—but not quite—taken. After a 10-hour commission meeting, the decision was postponed to…
Toxic relationship
Dear @aboozybear, how (allegedly) could you? You’re breaking our collective hearts! The SLO County District Attorney’s Office has charged former Gala Pride and Diversity Center Executive Director Dustin Colyer-Worth, whose Instagram handle is really a boozy bear, with four counts of grand theft by embezzlement for allegedly stealing from the LGBTQ-plus nonprofit. Dick move, Dusty.…
Some Oceano residents allege fumigant use is making them sick, but county and state officials say otherwise
Poet Karl Kempton is familiar with slow-burning change. From 1986 to 2005, he fought against methyl bromide drift emanating from a commercial strawberry farm in Oceano near the home Karl still shares with his wife, Ruth. “We started to notice the correlation between spraying and symptoms,” Karl said. “Headaches, dizziness, lethargy. We didn’t realize until…
Former Gala executive director charged with multiple embezzlement counts
Gala Pride and Diversity Center’s disgraced former executive director Dustin Colyer-Worth now faces four counts of grand theft by embezzlement after the nonprofit accused him last year of siphoning its funds to his personal accounts. The San Luis Obispo County District Attorney’s Office, which filed the charges and issued an arrest warrant against Colyer-Worth on…
A Templeton farm brightens the horizon for a Santa Barbara County winery
Blending wine is very common, but not the way Michelle Vautier does it. In the valleyCrossHatch Winery’s tasting room is open Thursday through Monday from noon to 5 p.m. at 1090 Edison St., suite 104, in Santa Ynez. Visit for happy hour Thursday and Friday from 3 to 5 p.m. and make reservations (optional) at…
Cambria’s Fiscalini Ranch Preserve Management Plan set for first updates in 20 years
The Cambria Community Services District (CCSD) is moving forward with the first update to the Fiscalini Ranch Preserve Management Plan in more than 20 years. The 437-acre coastal preserve stretches along the Pacific Ocean, with rolling grasslands, dense groves of Monterey pines and oaks, and cliffside trails that offer sweeping views of the bluff and…
Up+ Adam’s Breaking and Entering Christmas and Jingle Jam returns to spread good cheer
’Tis the season for podcaster and media personality Adam Montiel’s annual Up+Adam’s Breaking and Entering Christmas and Jingle Jam. It’s pure holiday magic when Montiel quietly makes Christmas happen for one anonymous family in need. “Breaking and Entering Christmas is my favorite kind of local story,” Montiel explained. “The family stays anonymous, the impact stays…
Gaea Powell contemplates help from investigator in election fraud case
Choosing to represent herself in the election fraud case where she faces nine charges, former Arroyo Grande mayoral candidate Gaea Powell may get help from a private investigator based on feedback from a San Luis Obispo Superior Court judge. “I’ll take his advice, and he’ll give me an investigator,” Powell told New Times after the…
Local children’s author and musician Diane Arkenstone releases The Robe of Rainbow Feathers
Diane Arkenstone’s new children’s book begins simply: “There was once a young girl, who saw the world for what it was, beautiful.” Titled The Robe of Rainbow Feathers, it’s a deeply charming story of a young girl who lives in a small house with a big garden full of flowers and trees and animals and…
San Miguel CSD prepares to remove decades of ‘sludge’ from wastewater ponds
Months after the Machado Wastewater Treatment Facility received approval for a $54 million expansion, the San Miguel Community Services District (CSD) is preparing to clean up more than 20 years of accumulated sludge to prepare for the upgrades. For nearly two decades, two of the facility’s four treatment ponds have collected sludge without any full-scale…
The Civic Ballet of SLO presents The Nutcracker at the SLO PAC
A magical and beloved holiday tradition returns when the Civic Ballet of SLO presents Lorilee Silvaggio’s The Nutcracker in the Performing Arts Center of San Luis Obispo on Friday, Dec. 12, through Sunday, Dec. 14 ($32 to $84 at pacslo.org). “Clara is about to have the night of her life, and so will you,” the…
Morro Bay Yarn Shop knits together community, craft, and calm
Step inside, and the world slows down. Rae Odom’s new Morro Bay Yarn Shop is filled with soft yarns, vibrant colors, and the promise of quiet afternoons spent creating. It’s a place to make, to learn, and to share in the joy of fiber arts. Odom’s journey to opening her own yarn shop began with…
Art Center Morro Bay hosts free figure drawing with Gerimi Burleigh
Artists have always been drawn (no pun intended!) to the human figure. Drawing people allows artists to tell stories and explore human emotions. The thing is, figure drawing is notoriously difficult and requires a lot of theory and practice. Art Center Morro Bay to the rescue. The venue is hosting Constructing the Figure with Gerimi…
If you saw Wicked, you’re going to see Wicked: For Good
Jon M. Chu directs this second part of the film adaptation of The Wizard of Oz spinoff Broadway musical, Wicked, which explores Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo), the future Wicked Witch of the West, and her relationship with Glinda (Ariana Grande), the Good Witch of the North. (138 min.) WICKED: FOR GOODWhat’s it rated? PGWhat’s it worth,…
Come See Me in the Good Light examines spoken word poet Andrea Gibson’s fight for her life
I first heard about this from comedian Tig Notaro’s podcast Handsome. Notaro is a producer on the film, but more importantly, she was a friend to the late Andrea Gibson and Andrea’s wife, Megan Falley. The two were Denver area poets, and Andrea lost their life this past year to terminal ovarian cancer. COME SEE ME…
Harry Potter: Wizards of Baking is a Wizarding World-centric baking competition
Whoever imagined this match-up certainly had nerds like me in mind. Do you like baking shows? Check. Do you like Harry Potter? Check. Well, Warner Bros. has managed to eke another production out of the magical series while putting the London set to use. Hosts James and Oliver Phelps, who played George and Fred Weasley…
Diablo must be decommissioned
In her Nov. 13 op-ed (“California’s body politic is missing connective tissue”), SLO County supervisor and former PG&E employee Dawn Ortiz-Legg stated, “Recent proceedings at the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) transmission planning process noted that keeping Diablo open till 2030 will save $3.2 billion.” While I agree with her point that some of the…
Life is serious,but we can solve more problems with humor
We seem to have forgotten something important in our public life. The world is serious, but it is also absurd. We are surrounded by real problems, real responsibilities, and real consequences. Yet somewhere along the way we convinced ourselves that the only respectable way to face them is with a furrowed brow and a lecture.…
Californians are blind to the state’s water issues
My dad was the geotechnical engineer who designed and built Lopez Dam. I was at the dedication, along with my brother, in 1969. Afterward, on the drive home to San Diego, my dad went into great detail about the extreme difficulties that the entire engineering community was constantly facing while growing the water capacity for…
