Cover Story
Threat?
He said it deliberately but loud enough for me to hear through my ear guards, and when he said it, I aimed my Glock 9mm at the perp and—as trained—squeezed off two rounds into his thoracic cavity. If the perp had a heart, I just killed it. “Do you want to finish with a headshot?”…
Citizen’s Alert 04.09.09
PUBLIC MEETINGS Monday, April 13 Morro Bay City Council meets at 6 p.m. at the Morro Bay Veterans Hall, 209 Surf St. Info: 772-6200. Tuesday, April 14 Arroyo Grande Planning Commission meets at 6 pm in the City Council Chambers. Meetings will be televised live on Arroyo Grande’s government access channel 20 and rebroadcast each…
The naked truth
My stripper name is Tigger Loruth (pronounced L’Ruth). Apparently, you just add the name of your first pet with the name of the street you grew up on, and voila, stripper name. I mention this not because I’m starting a new career and I want you to know about it (yeah, just try to get…
So much drama
New Times Tell me why you wanted to bring Noises Off to the Central Coast. Chrys Barnes, director Noises Off is my all-time favorite farce. It is probably the funniest backstage comedy ever written. It’s intricate, it has very clever dialogue, and plenty of physical comedy. I am a student of classic comedy—Marx Brothers, the…
Under your skin
Shay Bredimus’ pieces are not paintings; in fact, no paint actually crosses the tip of his brush. And his canvases aren’t the traditional expanses of fabric stretched across a wood frame. The Los Angeles resident instead creates his brush drawings by applying the unlikely combination of tattoo ink and wax or conté crayons to drafting…
I love you. Here’s five dead rats.
Just don’t call them books. They’re bookish. Slightly. For the most part. Except when they more closely resemble sculpture. Or the contents of someone’s underwear drawer. Curatorial Assistant Catherine Trujillo isn’t exactly certain what to call the central pieces of “Slightly Bookish,” an exhibit organized and hosted by the Special Collections Department of the…
Blues Baseball: owner unknown
The right to use the brand and images associated with SLO Blues Baseball is being disputed by two former owners, even as the city moves forward on a contract for the team to use Sinsheimer Stadium. The dispute was confusing enough that city staff and council members had to remind each other during the April…
The new McCarthyism
U.S. Rep. Kevin McCarthy wants to set the record straight: He’s not against earmarks, that practice where lawmakers leverage their influence and clout to wall off chunks of federal money for specific purposes, generally in their own districts. Rather, he says, he’s against corruption in the earmark system. The ambitious Republican from Bakersfield, however, recently…
Split again?
On April 7, SLO County supervisors unanimously threw their support behind SB 490, a bill that would pave the way for county correctional officers to get a new classification. That vote could be the first step in a much more significant change for the union, the Deputy Sheriffs’ Association. If the bill passes, it gives…
Skepticism over school stimulus
The federal government has agreed to devote millions of dollars toward schools. But in SLO County, where budgets are stretched and skepticism is now almost a reflex, the response has been less than jubilant. Local schools have been pegged to receive more than $6 million in economic recovery funds to be spent on programs for…
Does SLO County need better mosquito control?
Property owners throughout SLO County will soon be asked to vote on whether they’re willing to pay more property tax for an expanded year-round vector control program aimed at mosquitoes, ticks, fleas, and rodents. County supervisors voted 4-1 on April 7, with Supervisor Frank Mecham dissenting, to send out ballots to property owners in May.…
Sewer wars rage on
If the Los Osos sewer project seemed like a fight before, the latest meeting between the county and residents was an all out soccer riot. People packed nearly every seat of the Board of Supervisors chambers—some were for the county’s project; many were passionately opposed. But an actual project is finally going to bid after…
Who should be able to carry a concealed weapon?
James Roy actor “No one; just to keep matters under control. Because everyone has a temper and who knows what they’re liable to do with rage?” Josselyn Perez student “Just law enforcement because it’s part of their job.” Lenny Wilder disabled “Anyone should be able to conceal a gun, but you should have a certain…
Wine in his blood
Paso Robles vintner Brian Benson made his first wine—a Cabernet—at age 12. As a kid, he would spend his days hanging out in his grandparents’ vineyard. Now, at 26, he heads his own winery, producing a variety of releases enjoyed by tasters and esteemed by critics. When he started Brian Benson Cellars, he was following…
What’s up?
The beautiful skies above the Central Coast have become blighted. This is an assault on our skies. It is a dirty shame that our government chooses to operate a program blatantly, right over our heads, without our informed consent. Since becoming aware of what has been going on in our skies recently, I have…
More than Mother Nature is to blame
Let me see if I correctly understand the comment about water shortages by Jim App, Paso Robles’ very overpaid city manager. He said that it is not a matter of asking residents to cut back on water usage but it is a matter of actually not having the water. Hmmm, let me see … what…
He must be dreaming
President Obama’s naiveté is so obvious: This dreamer would rather encourage our current enemies than discourage these Islamic freaks. Let history be our guide. Jimmy Carter tried this in the ’70s by not offering the Shah of Iran support. This allowed religious fanatics into power who, in return, showed their appreciation for his diplomacy by…
Health proposal is a start
I’m 78 years old, having witnessed the Depression and World War II. I served four years in the U.S. Army during the Korean police action, and worked through the Vietnam debacle and numerous subsequent conflicts, including the current conflicts in the Middle East now that I’m retired. And as the economic downturns continue and the…
Ticket the trucks
Law enforcement gave me a ticket for not having my dogs on a leash near the mouth of Arroyo Grande Creek. I suggest law enforcement should enforce the law at the mouth of this creek. Vehicles illegally cross the mouth, which is critical habitat for six endangered or threatened species. If law enforcement can enforce…
Conserve responsibly
Does the Sierra Club honor its own teachings? A locally famous dunes activist and decades-long Sierra Club member was cited while hiking last week at Oceano Dunes (“Shredder,” April 2). This makes two citations within a year for illegal acts that directly threaten the dunes and snowy plovers. Yet, the Sierra Club newsletter continues to…
Those were the days
I graduated from a local high school in 1953. In June of this year, our class enjoyed our 55th reunion. In looking back at the good old days, 98 percent of our students graduated from high school. The curriculum for our school included English, Spanish, Latin, German, algebra, geometry, chemistry, senior problems; electrical, mechanical, auto,…
Listen to new ideas
I am writing to express my disgust and anger in regard to Marta Peluso’s commentary on behalf of ARTS Obispo, “We’re all about art” (March 26). Ms. Peluso’s weak excuses were exactly what I would expect from someone who is desperately clinging to paling power and cash flow. To state that we artists have…
There’s more to it
As reported in the article “Bear hunting plan draws fire” (April 2), the California Fish and Game Commission has proposed the hunting of black bears in San Luis Obispo County. What the article missed was the commission’s other plan to expand bear hunting across California. Both proposals are bad news for bears. In addition to…
Oppose bear hunting
I agree with Los Padres ForestWatch that the California Fish and Game Commission’s proposal to open up bear hunting in our county should be opposed (“Bear hunting plan draws fire,” April 2). Why does the commission only state how many bears were hit by cars in the year 2006? Do the data from 2007 and…
Is money the reason?
Regarding “Bear hunting plan draws fire” (April 2), there is an inconsistency between the California Fish and Game Commission report and the CEQA analysis regarding bear hunting. One of the reasons given for not choosing “No change” or “Increase the in-season bear harvest” is that notification to hunters when the limit is reached is “costly and unnecessary.”…
Wendall Hildebrandt
New Times: What are the advantages of a police horse over a squad car or motorcycle? Hildebrandt: Horses serve as a wonderful platform to raise the officer up to a greater vantage point. In parking lots or a large crowd, you can usually walk among the people. People tend to respect the horse. And as…
Cue the music
If this were a Hallmark special, right about now would be the moment when we’d all be coming together in flag-waving, slo-mo, Michael Bay style. We would see shop owners pause from their morning routines of sweeping the sidewalk to offer a muffin, a noogie, and, just maybe, a second chance, to a street kid.…
Let bears roam in SLO county
The black bear—Ursus americanus—is an enduring symbol of wild forests across America. Once threatened by unrestricted hunting and development, black bears have staged a remarkable comeback and are reestablishing themselves in areas where they’ve not been seen in decades, including right here in San Luis Obispo County. But plans to expand bear hunting locally…
Santa Julia 2008 Torrontes Organica Mendoza
This easy-drinking Argentinean white pairs nicely with citrusy seafood dishes like ceviche, shellfish with mignonette, or crab cocktail. The wine is subtle in its nectarine and Mandarin-orange aromas and flavors with nuances of ripe pears. It’s the balanced acidity that makes it so food friendly and drinkable alone, but like this wine shop’s name it…
Baileyana 2006 Pinot Noir GFC (Grand Firepeak Cuvee) Edna Valley
This outstanding Pinot Noir is the one to look for if you love Burgundian Pinot Noir: It’s classic. But that’s not difficult for winemaker Christian Roguenant, a native of France’s Burgundy. This elegant, ruby-hued wine opens with mineral and earthy fragrances that lead to delicious notes of tangy red cherry, black cherry, and plums. Nicely…
Spring blossoms bring fine wine and food
One of my favorite tastings, the Santa Barbara County (SBC) Vintners’ Festival, celebrates its 27th year of turning wine lovers on to the marvelous varietals produced in the Santa Maria, Los Alamos, and Santa Ynez valleys and the Santa Rita Hills wine regions. Hosted by the SBC Vintners’ Association, the grand festival will be held…
