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Skate wait: After residents spent years fundraising for a new skate park, Cambria’s CSD considered changing the plan
Despite more than four years of grassroots efforts and $1.2 million raised, Cambria’s skate park has yet to get rolling after local leaders announced that the project is still at least $80,000 short of covering projected construction costs. At its meeting on March 13, the Cambria Community Services District (CCSD) board of directors considered moving…
Ira Glass of This American Life presents Seven Things I’ve Learned on April 5 at the PAC
If you’re a fan of public radio, you know Ira Glass, the creator, producer, and host of NPR’s This American Life, a show that focuses on stories of everyday people—no one famous, nothing in the news, just fascinating stories about things and people you’ve never heard of. Glass, the winner of the Edward R. Murrow…
Holocaust survivor Manny Lindenbaum to speak at the PAC on April 6
Cal Poly Arts and Chabad of SLO present From Survival to Strength: The Journey Of Manny Lindenbaum, A Holocaust Survivor’s Legacy of Resilience and Unity at the Performing Arts Center on Sunday, April 6 (7 p.m.; reserve a seat at pacslo.org). According to organizers, “Manfred ‘Manny’ Lindenbaum is a Holocaust survivor. At the age of…
California Public Utilities Commission proposal is a major setback for the state’s solar goals
Will the state of California break contractual agreements with nearly 2 million solar customers? That’s the question on many Central Coast homeowners’ minds, and mine, after the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) released a report in February proposing sweeping changes to how ratepayers are charged for electricity. The CPUC proposes slashing payments to “legacy” solar…
Our whole lives are impact by the current administration’s politics
I am 70 years old, and I want to retire. I can financially live on my Social Security income with supplements from my savings. I planned and saved for this. But now I’m fearful and not sure if Social Security will be around much longer. Is talking to others about Social Security political talk? Is…
Disproportionate power deserves a response
We face the greatest threat to democracy and our constitution in our lifetime, if not in the history of the republic, and the Democratic “leadership” is AWOL! A coup has usurped judicial and legislative roles, consolidating them all in the executive branch. Meanwhile, past presidents are mute; the Senate minority leader has become an enabler;…
Trickle up
At one point the Cambria Community Services District general manager said he was all for building a new skate park in town to replace the one that was demolished. But looks like Matthew McElhenie may have changed his mind. McElhenie and the CSD helped Skate Cambria apply for and receive a California State Parks grant…
Death of a Unicorn satirizes greed with a dose of family drama
DEATH OF A UNICORN What’s it rated? RWhat’s it worth, Anna? MatineeWhat’s it worth, Glen? MatineeWhere’s it showing? Colony, Downtown Centre, Park, Stadium 10 In his feature-length debut, writer-director Alex Scharfman helms this horror comedy about Elliot Kintner (Paul Rudd) and his teenage daughter, Ridley (Jenna Ortega), who accidently hit a unicorn on their way…
Paso Robles school board approves $6.4 million in renovations for Georgia Brown Dual Immersion School
After months of delays, the Paso Robles school board approved a $6 million-plus project to revamp Georgia Brown Dual Immersion School’s campus, opting to keep its current science labs despite district staff’s recommendation. The Paso Robles Joint Unified School District (PRJUSD) school board reviewed six different options at its March 25 meeting to renovate Georgia…
Holland is an off-kilter thriller with twists and turns
What’s it rated? R When? 2025 Where’s it showing? Amazon Prime This psychological thriller features Nicole Kidman as Nancy, a typical small-town teacher with a husband named Fred (Mattew MacFayden) and 13-year-old son named Harry (Jude Hill). The three seem to live a quiet, predictable life in their small town of Holland, Michigan, where the…
Broadstone Village proposal spells annexation and Bob Jones Trail extension
The San Luis Obispo City Council’s early review of a possible 400-unit housing project across Los Osos Valley Road sprouted the possibility of extending the Bob Jones Trail and annexing land outside city limits. “It’s not often that we get to see at the council level a project at this early stage where we’re really…
If watched for free, Kraven the Hunter is dumb fun
What’s it rated? R When? 2024 Where’s it showing? Netflix Oh, Marvel, what nonsense can’t you spin? Meet Sergei Kravinoff (Aaron Taylor-Johnson), whose father, Nikolai (Russell Crowe), is a Russian gangster. Sergei gets mauled by a lion while protecting his half-brother, Dmitri (Fred Hechinger), but the lion drags Sergei to a little girl who heals…
Atascadero school board announces Tom Bennett as new superintendent after rescinding its consideration of E.J. Rossi
The Atascadero school board approved its new candidate for superintendent on April 1 after teachers and residents protested its previous pick. The Atascadero Unified School District (AUSD) school board voted unanimously to hire candidate Dr. Tom Bennett to replace current superintendent Tom Butler, who announced his retirement in September 2024. Teachers and residents protested the…
New Grover Beach detective position leads to another human trafficking arrest
An additional detective role in the Grover Beach Police Department (GBPD) led to more local human trafficking arrests in 2025. The department concluded a weeks-long human trafficking investigation with the arrest of a 34-year-old man from Porterville facing seven charges. “This investigation was a proactive investigation of our detective unit,” Grover Beach Police Chief Jim…
Local rosé producers release their latest vintages and donate proceeds to charities
Rosé roundup Contact Croma Vera and Shindig, both located at Duncan Alley in San Luis Obispo, at cromavera.com and shindigcider.com. Reach Thibido in Paso Robles at thibidowinery.com. Learn more about Hotel SLO’s Rosé the SLO Way festival on April 13 and peruse the full list of participating wineries at rosethesloway.com. Event proceeds support Cal Poly…
SLO County kids learn life skills by playing chess with the Sandcastle Chess Club
Sandcastle Chess Club Coach Dave Meyer, “Coach Dave” to his players, said there’s one rule when joining the club—to play with dignity and respect. In its first year, the Sandcastle Chess Club placed first and second in its first two SLO County-wide tournaments. Beyond tournaments and trophies, Meyer said that the game of chess teaches…
Los Osos gallery Casa Ramos hosts an Earth Day show on April 5
Calling all Earth lovers If you care about the planet, join likeminded folks this Saturday, April 5, when Casa Ramos Art Gallery (1034 Los Osos Valley Road, Los Osos) presents Modern Art + Sustainability: A Special Earth Day Exhibition (3 to 7 p.m.). “This special exhibition brings together a group of exceptional artists whose work…
Singer-songwriter Jade Jackson headlines a three-act show at Rod & Hammer on April 5
In 2017, it seemed like Santa Margarita native Jade Jackson—who’d been writing songs since she was 13 and playing locally as a teen—was finally poised for national success. She was signed to the Anti- label, Epitaph’s Americana arm; Social Distortion frontman Mike Ness produced her first album, Gilded; and she was the opening act for…
SLO’s Sunny Acres could become a health campus by Restorative Partners and Homekey+ funds
The transformation of Dan DeVaul’s Sunny Acres from a sober living program to a “healing and restoration campus” hinges on San Luis Obispo County and a local nonprofit securing a slice of a $2.2 billion state grant for the homeless. The Los Osos Valley Road property, which DeVaul split into a facility and his personal…
