Cover Story
Hoods, ‘hate,’ and hunting the Klan
I’ll start right away by saying what my name implies: that I’m sort of brown–or I would be if I left my basement office once in a while and got a tan. In any case, I’m not exactly the poster child for white power, and basically have no business trying to find racist and what…
Fast facts
To honor America’s workforce, Quota International of San Luis Obispo will host its 17th annual “Salute to Staff” luncheon on April 23 at 11:45 a.m. at the Madonna Inn in San Luis Obispo. The event will honor the Central Coast’s “Employee of the Year,” and Jean Steel, an author and professional wellness coach, will be…
A good day for bikes
The bicycle trail that runs along the railroad tracks in San Luis Obispo could take pedestrians and cyclists all the way from downtown to Cal Poly’s campus by the end of next year. And a footbridge to carry people over Highway 101 should follow close behind. When it’s finished, the railroad trail will span the…
Hitler, 420, and me
Another birthday is approaching, so naturally it’s an anxious time. Not for me. For all of you. I don’t have worries about getting older, but I do have worries about how American society will once again survive the vortex of bloodletting, violence, and terror that has traditionally surrounded my birthday, April 20. # Consider: April…
Board out of your mind!
Skateboards. Art. Fashion. # This three-word tagline is attached to a new skateboard and clothing shop, Coalition, which opened downtown April 1. “We’re pure skateboarding,” said Coalition co-owner and manager Jono Hicks. “Kids can come in here and they can hang out and watch skate videos. And we have an 18-foot display case of trucks…
Let the wine festivities begin!
Now that the weather’s becoming more summerlike, the grapevines are budding with perfect, tiny flowers and green leaves, and sunshine-colored mustard is blooming beneath the gnarly vine trunks. It’s nature’s way of welcoming us back into her lovely gardens. Of course, the spring wine festival season is a spectacular time of year for touring wine…
Letters
Get informed, citizens The debate forum between Adam Hill and Jerry Lenthall has been on Channel 2 and 21. It has been very educational about what is going on in our area. An informed citizenry is the foundation of a democracy–watch it. Bill Denneen Nipomo Marijuana decision amounts to…
In the line of fire
Well, Editor Ed Connolly’s been around here one week and he’s already made a mess of things. Check out all those corrections this week. Whoops, I guess Dan Carpenter is not running for SLO mayor. That’s a nice screw up. And we write one of those puff pieces we put in Strokes & Plugs and…
Corrections
Contrary to an April 10 news brief (“First become mayor of SLO–then take over the world”), Dan Carpenter is not running for SLO mayor. He is running for a city council seat. The name of the store featured in the April 10 Strokes and Plugs (“Go retro now,” April 10) is Retrospect. An April 10…
SLO gets a visit from the other torch
# Eight bicyclists rode into San Luis Obispo on April 12, bearing the Tibetan Freedom Torch en route from San Francisco to Los Angeles, where the U.S. leg of the worldwide torch relay to protest Chinese rule culminated at a rally in front of the Chinese consulate. According to Kevin Young–president of Santa Barbara Friends…
Graffiti suspect faces fewer charges
San Luis Obispo artist Nic Rodriguez caught a slight break last week when prosecutors dropped 10 instances of graffiti from the charges he’s facing. He also did pretty well at an art show, in which the remainder of his art–the stuff not confiscated by police–was featured just days after his arrest. With interest stoked by…
The quagga quandary
Miniscule invaders are “musseling in” to California’s drinking water supplies, leaving local and state officials scrambling for a solution to stop–or at least slow down–the threat. # Thumbnail-sized quagga mussels and their close allies, zebra mussels, can reproduce by the billions in drinking water reservoirs like Santa Margarita Lake, Lopez Lake, or Nacimiento. Piling up…
Cal Poly rodeo: A protest and a defense
A new animal rights group plans to protest Cal Poly’s rodeo event on April 18. Animal Perspective is a budding group of local activists who say they’re hoping to bring attention to what they call poor treatment of bulls and steers in rodeos. Polly Mertens, a Cal Poly graduate and member of the newly formed…
Censure this: Rabenaldt to run for mayor
Bill Rabenaldt, the censured but uncensored Pismo Beach City Council member, says he will run for mayor. # Rabenaldt revealed the news in e-mails distributing his newsletter, sent to about 960 people: “I’ve decided to run for Mayor of Pismo Beach in November. Any thoughts?” In an interview, he said he’s holding off on any…
It’s Open season at Cal Poly
Cal Poly is preparing for a flood of more than 7,000 potential students, parents, and visitors to the campus for its annual Open House celebration, set for April 17, 18, and 19. The college is urging locals to walk, ride bikes, or take the bus to campus that weekend to avoid a parking nightmare. Saturday’s…
Happy (fill in the blank) Day!
Saturday, April 19, is a day to celebrate! First of all, it’s my dog Elmer’s birthday. He’ll be 3. Did you know it’s also YoYo Day? It is! And it’s Husband Appreciation Day, Oklahoma City Bombing Commemoration Day, Auctioneers Day, National Hanging Out Day, Passover, World Cow Chip Day, and National Record Store Day. You…
We, humans
Laura Krifka fell madly in love with contemporary art during her time as a Cal Poly student. Cassie McFarland haunts local thrift stores, divesting them of their treasures so she can better create narratives about albinos, barren women, pageant girls, and furries. Together, they created an exhibit, titled “We, Monsters,” that explores what McFarland calls…
Bed tax moves forward
The SLO City Council has voted to take a step toward establishing a city tourism district–a step that could result in a new tax on hotel and motel stays. The roughly $1 million per year expected from such a tax would be used to promote more tourism in the city. With the 5-0 vote, the…
Dunes sale decision gets delayed for more talks
Mention the Oceano Dunes at a Board of Supervisors meeting, and sand starts to fly. So it was April 15 when the board discussed a sale of county-owned land in the park to the state, even though the actual vote was about extending negotiations regarding the sale for up to two years. They approved that…
