Cover Story
55 Fiction 2021: Find winners of the shortest story contest ever
It doesn’t sound like much, but 55 words can cover a lot of ground. The shortest stories in the universe tie up loose ends, surprise people, kill people, and love people. This year’s stories were cheesy, mushy, dark, funny, and sad—some talked about Trump, COVID-19, aliens, time travel, and God. But out of the hundreds…
Replacing Tommy Gong
Another lefty tantrum. Today’s liberals apparently feel entitled to rule by demand and insult. We are currently seeing a media campaign by Democratic partisans demanding the appointment of their favored candidate to replace former SLO County Clerk-Recorder Tommy Gong. The last two issues of this paper have featured letters to the editor insisting upon the…
SLO OKs cannabis store, hits citywide cap
The city of San Luis Obispo handed out its third and, for now, final cannabis storefront permit on July 14, with city planning commissioners unanimously approving plans for a dispensary at 3535 South Higuera St., between Prado Road and Granada Drive. SLOCal Roots received the conditional-use permit and will establish about 2,000 square feet of…
What a system!
I’m sure some folks in Los Osos are thinking, “No good deed goes unpunished.” To mitigate homelessness in the early COVID-19 days, SLO County established a safe parking program at the Los Osos Library for unhoused people, providing access to showers and toilets. They ended the program three months later, citing lack of funding, but…
Dignity ends Anthem contract during ongoing dispute
As of July 16, Central Coast residents insured by Anthem Blue Cross lost in-network coverage at French Hospital Medical Center in San Luis Obispo, Arroyo Grande Community Hospital, and Marian Medical Regional Center in Santa Maria, which are part of the nonprofit Dignity Health system. “Dignity Health and Anthem Blue Cross have been negotiating new…
Differently abled artist Noah Erenberg displays new paintings at Big Sky Café through August
See the work Abstract paintings by San Luis Obispo artist Noah Erenberg are on display through August at Big Sky Café (1121 Broad St., SLO; (805) 545-5401; bigskycafe.com). You can see more of Erenberg’s work on artlifting.com/collections/noah-erenberg. Noah Erenberg’s studio is scattered with paintings. They’re hanging on the walls, leaning in stacks against furniture, on…
Local artists release an original comedy podcast, Foodies: An Abbreviated Musical
San Luis Obispo local Michael Kaplan wrote and produced an original musical comedy podcast, Foodies: An Abbreviated Musical, which is available to download through Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Audible, Soundcloud, and other outlets. This musical’s book and lyrics were written by Kaplan, while the music was composed by Kaplan and Jeff Mar. A handful of Central…
LilA Creative Community in Arroyo Grande hosts upcoming Pop-Up Art Fair
Several local arts vendors and crafters are participating in LilA Creative Community’s upcoming Pop-Up Art Fair, which takes place on Saturday, Aug. 14, from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Admission to attend the event is free. A variety of handmade media will be available to browse through or purchase at the fair, including paintings, sculptures,…
SLO NightWriters hosts Zoom talk with local authors Wendelin Van Draanen and Mark Parsons
Husband and wife Mark Parsons (author of Road Rash) and Wendelin Van Draanen (creator of the Sammy Keyes series) will discuss their respective careers in children’s literature during the SLO NightWriters’ next virtual meeting, on Tuesday, Aug. 10, at 6:30 p.m., via Zoom. Admission to join the meeting will be free. Call (805) 703-3132 or…
Central Coast counties divvy up EV charging station fund
San Luis Obispo County has $2.3 million available as part of a $12 million effort to get around 1,000 new electric vehicle (EV) chargers installed in Ventura, Santa Barbara, and SLO counties. On Aug. 5, the California Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Project (CALeVIP) will start accepting applications on a first-come, first-served basis. And the money goes…
Vina Robles Amphitheatre opens its season with guitarist Joe Bonamassa on July 31
Joe Bonamassa was just 12-years-old when he started his career opening for B.B. King. Now 32 years later, Bonamassa is one of the world’s preeminent blues guitarists and a helluva good singer-songwriter. He’s got 15 studio solo albums under his belt, most recently 2020’s Royal Tea, as well as 16 live albums and another 14…
Old had promise but is ruined by a final act twist
OLD What’s it rated? PG-13 When? 2021 Where’s it showing? Downtown Centre What’s it worth, Anna? Matinee What’s it worth, Glen? Streaming Writer-director M. Night Shyamalan (The Sixth Sense, Split) adapts Pierre-Oscar Lévy and Frederick Peeters’ graphic novel, Sandcastle, for the big screen. The thriller focuses on a family on a tropical holiday who discovers…
Sweet Tooth
What’s it rated? TV-14 When? 2021 Where’s it showing? Netflix Gus (Christian Convery) is a young boy being raised by his Papa in a post-apocalyptic world, hidden away from society for his safety because Gus isn’t like a “normal” kid in one big way: He’s half human and half deer, and there is no hiding…
Gunpowder Milkshake
What’s it rated? R When? 2021 Where’s it showing? Netflix Co-writer and director Navot Papushado (Rabies, Big Bad Wolves) helms this action crime drama that’s essentially a female John Wick. The story focuses on Sam (Karen Gillan), a female assassin who’s assigned by her handler, Nathan (Paul Giamatti), to retrieve some stolen money. After that…
Cambria health care district weighs vaccine mandate for staff
The Cambria Community Healthcare District is considering a COVID-19 vaccine mandate for all district employees, with few exceptions, becoming the first known San Luis Obispo County agency to formally consider making vaccination status a condition of employment. The district, which provides emergency medical and ambulance services to the town of Cambria and its surrounding areas,…
Ragtag opens its doors in downtown SLO and hopes other wineries will follow suit
Sip, snack, and shop The tasting room is open daily from noon to 9 p.m. at 779 Higuera St. in downtown San Luis Obispo. Stay tuned for details on its grand opening celebration, slated for Aug. 20. Visit ragtagwineco.com or follow the company on Instagram and Facebook @ragtagwineco. Downtown San Luis Obispo has hotels, restaurants,…
New Cave Landing cleanup effort aims to encourage safety without trampling on the area’s unique personality
Brian LoConte has been a frequent Pirate’s Cove visitor since he first moved to San Luis Obispo County in the late 1970s. He fell in love with the county’s most distinctive beach then for the same reasons he and many other community members still love it today: its undeveloped beauty, 24/7 access, and funky personality.…
Fill the missing middle
I’ve lived on the Central Coast for more than a decade now. In those 10 years I can count on one hand the number of friends and family who’ve been able to stay and raise their kids in the community we all know and love. And yet, in all the meetings I attend about SLO…
Los Osos debates options for unhoused residents living by library, including a move to El Chorro campground
Palisades Avenue in Los Osos runs north from Los Osos Valley Road and past a community park, community center, and library, before it dead-ends at a Catholic church. For the better part of the past 18 months, this quarter-mile stretch of road has served less as a community hub than as a living space for…
Ask Morro Bay residents about annexation, development
The Morro Bay City Council seems to be headed toward annexing property in north Morro Bay to form five building lots and adjoining open space. This may or may not be legal and will likely result in legal challenges and expense for the city if the City Council takes this action. In 1984, as I…
Paso clears riverbed, gets more homeless calls
Between July 13 and 22, Paso Robles removed an estimated 19,000 pounds of trash and discarded items from the Salinas Riverbed between Niblick Road and its city limits to the north. Paso police also arrested six area residents for charges associated with having an illegal fire, drug possession, and refusing to vacate and remove property…
