Cover Story
Room for Rent?
“Rent, my amigos, is due,” Benjamin Coffin III trills into the phone, “or I will have to evict you. See you in a fewww!” His voice carries in Cuesta College’s pristine Cultural and Performing Arts Center. Benny, played by Nik Johnson, snaps the phone shut and shimmies down a ladder. The other end of the…
So where should we get our power?
I’m not a nuclear physicist, and I believe little of what corporate America or our government tells us. But I’m struggling with the Diablo Canyon issue. Obviously, I do not want a meltdown in my back yard. But I’m wondering, from where should we get our power? I like my refrigerator and turning on the…
Look into the bullying Republican Party
The Republican leadership seems to hate the poor, elderly, sick, disabled, students, and even the troops. Their intolerance is astounding. It’s as if they want to reinstate women as chattel and return to slavery no matter who the worker is, to benefit their wealthy corporate oligarchs—and in turn benefit themselves, as that is the bosom…
Do not let Obama win again
After doing more damage to the country than even the Democrats could have imagined, Barack Obama has already begun his re-election campaign for 2012. With his new slogan, “Change That Matters,” he’s been meeting for weeks at campaign headquarters in Chicago to plan his strategy, which, since he has no accomplishments to run on, is…
‘Birther’ blather is blatantly racist
Imagine that Republican presidential nominee John McCain had won the U.S. election in 2008 instead of winding up as the loser. McCain was born in the Panama Canal Zone, thousands of miles from the United States of America. Do you suppose that black Democratic congresspersons and political commentators would have spent hundreds of hours on…
Stop drinking the Kool-Aid; tax the rich
We have reached a crossroads in America. The belief in the free market doctrine—“Markets will fix our problems”—has become the mantra of the elite. Parity or equality is no longer a message heard in media, replaced by “some day you could be like us,” meaning if you work hard, with great luck, you might achieve…
Get ready for racks and stakes
Government agencies and environmentalists have forced people to have at least three different garbage cans. When I was in Germany, they had to have four. If this pattern continues, we citizens will have to have more than 10 different cans, all hidden away somewhere on our property. Who needs a kitchen or bathrooms? De gustibus…
More quarrels with the quarry
Thanks for your recent article on the proposed Highway 58 quarry (“Quarry quandary,” April 7). It’s only fitting that Benchmark has brought in a PR firm that specializes in working with “entrenched opposition,” since the quarry project is receiving nothing but negative response from the community. The proposed project is a clear example of development…
Crunching numbers
Someone wise once said, “Spend your hard-earned cash on your heart’s desire.” I can’t credit the brilliant mind that gave birth to such wisdom, mostly because I read it in a fortune cookie. And besides that whole bit about my cash being hard-earned—I’ve got myself on a pretty strict schedule of daytime soaps and Coco…
Gene Schroeder
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal { margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: “Times New Roman”; }a:link, span.MsoHyperlink { color: blue; text-decoration: underline; }a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed { color: purple; text-decoration: underline; }div.Section1 { page: Section1; } NEW TIMES What is a meeting like? SCHROEDER A meeting is about two hours. It begins with the introduction of new members,…
Disadvantaged male students deserve top priority
Gov. Jerry Brown presented a 12-point education plan during his campaign. He wisely crafted a proposal that encompassed multiple elements of public education, among them the cost of higher education and changes in the state testing program. Although each component of that platform could spur positive change, Brown’s interest in raising high-school graduation rates is…
Baileyana 2008 Chardonnay Grand Firepeak Cuvée (GFC)
An excellent buy for premium Chardonnay, this pretty white opens with an array of fragrant fruit and spice aromas. It’s rich and layered with flavors of spicy apple, pear, honey, and spices, nicely nuanced by zingy notes of citrus and minerals. It’s the type of white I love with grilled tuna, Dungeness or King crab,…
Tangent 2009 Albarino Edna Valley Paragon Vineyard
This white is pure Edna Valley in its zingy, crisp style, and an excellent rendition of this classic Spanish varietal. Aromas of grapefruit, minerals, and floral notes are seductive, leading to a fuller mouthfeel than you’d expect that hints of fresh Mandarin orange. It’s a good choice for spicy dishes like pad Thai, curried chicken…
Inspired new owners rebuild an old brand
It’s always interesting to see what people will do when they want to buy a wine that has special meaning for them. During a charity event in Monterey, Mike Schmidt—whose winery is in Santa Maria—was pouring select varieties from both of his brands, Brucher and Golden Bear. A woman walked up and asked to taste…
Clubs
Goin’ South … THE CLIFFS RESORT: 2757 Shell Beach Road, 773-5000 or cliffsresort.com. Daniel Whittington performs in the dining room on 4/22 at 6pm. COFFEE BEAN AND TEA LEAF: 750 Five Cities Drive, Pismo Beach, 773-6420. Music every Sat., 6:30-8:30pm. ELMO’S NIPOMO SALOON: 131 South Thompson Road, Nipomo, 929-5362. Karaoke on Thurs. and Fri. at…
Compartmentalized chaos
It’s kind of a mystery, really, what transpires in the space between Al Schnupp’s artwork and a camera’s viewfinder. Something delicate dies. A flame goes out. Using a photograph to illustrate the intricacy and care that go into the Cal Poly theater instructor’s assemblages does about as much good as drawing a picture on a…
Lush life
It seems inevitable. Our finest homegrown musicians too often take flight for wider skies. After enjoying SLO County success, garnering fans through touring, and feeling they’ve outgrown our area, off they go to Los Angeles, San Francisco, Portland, Seattle, and beyond. All too frequently, however, they disappear into the ether, lost amid the hundreds of…
Love it or lose it!
Dear Planet Earth, sorry for treating you like a giant trashcan. It’s just that, you know, we’re real busy living our lives, driving around in our toxin-spewing cars, watching our big-screen TVs, updating our moment-by-moment statuses on Facebook, eating delicious and unsustainable foods, screaming bloody murder about not being able to buy incandescent bulbs, and…
SLO Haiku
We asked for haiku, and you responded. Many thanks! If you’d like to join the fun, send one to local writer and psychologist Steve Brody at stevebrody@wildblue.net, and yours could be in the next Artifacts haiku column (every third Thursday of the month). The next deadline is May 6. To the sun you soar …
The art of the suspended, unexpected, or unmedicated
Cal Poly graphic design and communications student Stephanie Zombeck branched out of her creative field a bit when she made her contribution to the department of art and design’s annual juried student art show. She went off her ADHD meds for five days and made a video log of what happened. She talked to the…
No rest for the dancer
The arts community didn’t really know what to do with Diana Stanton when she moved to San Luis Obispo 10 years ago. The dancer and choreographer—fresh out of grad school—had moved from Boulder, Colo., from an arts scene that embraced innovation and experimentation. In San Luis Obispo, Stanton would do a handstand and people looked…
Partying for a purpose
A group of Cal Poly graduates is committed to saving the world, one beerbong at a time. College drinking buddies turned professional business partners Casey Curtis and Quinn Lewis recently started Beerbongs for World Peace, a company that sells beerbongs to help feed starving children. Each beerbong sells for $10, and all the profits are…
Cougars & Mustangs
Stressing out about college loans and all the other associated school-related costs? Here’s some good news to relax your mind and eventually fatten your wallet: A recent report by College Portrait and PayScale.com revealed that Cal Poly graduates and alumni top all other CSU campuses and plenty of private universities when it comes to their…
Hello, big birds
One day, when the great recession is over and good times return, something different will appear in the skies above San Luis Obispo County. No, it won’t be a bird. It won’t be, sadly, Superman. It’ll be something far larger. Jet aircraft, larger than have ever been used on a regular basis at the airport,…
Down on the farm
Off Highway 1, just past the Men’s Colony and inside the command center at San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Honor Farm, night officers Kurt Larsen and Matt Govette greet the day crew. “The place wasn’t burnt down,” Larsen says as he steps out. It’s 6:45 a.m. and the sun has begun to ruffle the dawning…
Inn at Morro Bay sells
The historic Inn at Morro Bay, troubled in recent years, has a new owner. Pacifica Host Hotels, a San Diego-based hotel management company, bought the 98-room, 4,000-acre aging property, according to Oliver Shah, agent for the Atlas Hospitality Group, which brokered the deal. The Inn, formerly half-owned by local real estate mogul John King, fell…
SunPower project gets green light
The San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors rejected appeals by environmental groups to stop development of a solar energy farm in the far east of the county. This unanimous decision clears the way for SunPower to build a 250-megawatt photovoltaic project in the Carrizo Plains, an environmentally sensitive area known as a habitat for…
Coastal Commission seat is filled
After nearly two decades without a local official filling a seat at the powerful California Coastal Commission, Ventura County was shown a little love by Democratic Gov. Jerry Brown. Brian Brennan, a three-term councilman and former mayor for the city of Ventura, was announced as Brown’s selection to represent Ventura, Santa Barbara, and San Luis…
Moms chide PG&E
A SLO County activist group recently rallied at the beach to express its concerns over the safety of nuclear power. Dressed in gas masks, smelling of patchouli oil, and carrying protest signs that read “Slow the Glo in Slo” and “On Shaky Ground, Shut It Down!” Mothers for Peace turned out in droves to Avila…
SLO council squabbles over budget
A trio of hardcore budget cutters emerged at the April 19 SLO City Council meeting, calling for a smaller budget and smaller city workforce. Council members Dan Carpenter, Andrew Carter, and Kathy Smith voted as a block, demanding a more aggressive bargaining stance with city employees. The city is facing a $4.4 million yearly deficit,…
TV exec jailed on embezzlement charge
Anthony Pope, former head of San Luis Obispo County Public Access television, pleaded no contest to embezzling funds from the nonprofit organization on April 11. Pope was arrested April 6 on suspicion of skimming $2,525.21 from the station. As of press time, he remained in SLO County Jail on $35,000 bail. According to Deputy District…
What’s your favorite pick-up line?
Jim Beck optical engineer “You got big hands for a girl.” Conner Vernon student “If I could rearrange the alphabet, I’d put U and I together.” Emily Christensen student “Did it hurt … when you fell from heaven?” Danny Coultas vegetable and citrus farmer “How much does a polar bear weigh? Enough to break the…
