Cover Story
Thirsty for sustainability: Is Paso Robles any closer to solving its groundwater problem?
Get involved The public can review and submit comments on the full draft of the Paso Robles Groundwater Sustainability Plan starting Aug. 14. The plan is available at pasogcp.com and the 45-day public comment period ends on Sept. 29. The Paso Basin Cooperative Committee is scheduled to meet on Aug. 21, Oct. 23, and Nov.…
We need more information about shutoffs
Thank you for publishing “Shutoffs aren’t the answer,” an important commentary by Robert Lewin (July 25). Many people are wondering how the possible power shutdowns will affect them and their communities. But when the headlines fall off the front page of the daily paper without supplying much real information, we are already left in the…
Studios on the Park’s art show takes inspiration from rock ‘n’ roll
This rocks! The I Love Rock ‘N’ Roll exhibit, which features work by and inspired by musicians, is on display at Studios on the Park in Paso Robles through Sept. 1. Visit studiosonthepark.org for more information. Almost everything is better off with a good, solid soundtrack, whether it’s the morning commute to work or the…
Sorry Gary, once again you’ve got it wrong
I can recall a couple of years back when Gary Wechter wrote an op-ed in the New Times, telling us that basically, “We have the power and there’s nothing you can do about it,” (“So you didn’t vote for Trump,” Feb. 16, 2017). Now we see that the article should have read, “We have the…
Fully formed: Santa Barbara artist crafts sculpture with found objects
See in 3D The 3rd Dimension art show, put on by the Central Coast Sculptors Group, will be on display at the SLO Museum of Art through Sept. 29. For more information on the exhibit, visit sloma.org. To learn more about artist Elisa Ortega Montilla, visit elisa-ortega-montilla.com. It can take three-dimensional artist Elisa Ortega Montilla…
History has taught us something
Three ancient desires most humans share are to remember people, remember them for their significant deeds, and remember those deeds with their images. Recently Queenie Warden, SLO’s first female mayoral candidate, got a plaque on Mission Plaza, and Frances Margaret Milne, our first public librarian, got a monument in the San Luis Cemetery. Both of…
SLO Rep presents Greater Tuna
Greater Tuna opens at the San Luis Obispo Repertory Theatre on Friday, Aug. 9, and runs through Sunday, Aug. 25. Director Suzy Newman helms this iteration of the long-running Off Broadway hit centered on the citizens of Tuna, Texas’s third smallest town, and their small-town morals. The entire population of the town is portrayed by…
Community choice seems like a scam
I was reading Andrew Christie from the Sierra Club’s piece on community choice energy, and I am afraid that I find the subject very confusing (“They’d rather not discuss it,” July 25). That should come as no surprise since I only have a BA from the University of Oregon. I majored in Italian, which pretty…
Dallidet Adobe holds outdoor watercolor workshop
An outdoor, nature-themed watercolor workshop, inspired by the art of Maria Ascencion “Cen” Dallidet, takes place on the patio of the Dallidet Adobe and Gardens in San Luis Obispo on Saturday, Aug. 17, from 1 to 4 p.m. The event also includes a fresh garden-to-table luncheon. The workshop is aimed toward all skill levels, from…
Let’s have an animal rights parade
I’m so sick of hearing about parades. Whether they are gay parades or straight parades, who really cares? If you want to go to a parade, you go to it. If you want to participate in one, you participate. Nobody is forcing either issue. I say let’s have a parade that would get something done.…
SLO Railroad Museum hosts Art After Dark reception
The San Luis Obispo Railroad Museum is partnering with McConnell’s Ice Cream for an ice cream social-themed Art After Dark reception on Friday, Aug. 2, from 6 to 9 p.m. Guests can enjoy viewing various displays, a scale model railroad, and railroad-themed art, including photography and experimental video art. The reception’s featured artists are Dennis…
Open your mind
It is time to leave your political “echo chamber” and listen to other views. Yes, even the ones that piss you off. If what you are looking for is unquestioning affirmation of your wisdom and assurance of the sheer rightness of your opinions, you ought to get a dog. With a daily bowl of kibble,…
Our Santa Barbara weekend yields good food, drink, and music
Have you heard people complain that San Luis Obispo is becoming too much like Santa Barbara, as if Santa Barbara is some kind of hellhole? Me too, so cover me, because I’m going in! It’s Friday, July 19, and my wife and I are driving to a place many hope SLO won’t turn into. After…
To serve you better?
Start planning to drink your Saturday morning coffee hunched over your smartphone instead of with newspaper in hand because SLO Town’s daily paper, The Tribune, will no longer be printing a Saturday edition starting on Nov. 2. Instead, it’ll publish “a new weekend package with expanded newspapers on Fridays and Sundays and access to the…
Sound off
New Times readers took to Facebook to share their thoughts on our July 25 story, “SLO City Council to ban public art of individuals in wake of Roosevelt controversy.”
Lyft sued for not keeping passengers safe
Three individual Jane Does, one of whom is a San Luis Obispo local, who allege that they were sexually assaulted by their Lyft drivers, claim that Lyft Inc. misrepresented the safety of its rides to the women and the general public. A complaint filed on July 24 against Lyft Inc. (a Delaware Corporation with its…
Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood is free-spirited romp through 1969 Hollywood
ONCE UPON A TIME … IN HOLLYWOOD What’s it rated? R What’s it worth, Anna? Full price What’s it worth, Glen? Full price Where’s it showing? Downtown Centre, Galaxy, Park, Stadium 10 Writer-director Quentin Tarantino (Pulp Fiction, Kill Bill, Inglourious Basterds, Django Unchained, The Hateful Eight) helms this story set in 1969 Hollywood about fading…
Tribune plans to stop printing Saturday edition
In an email message sent out to The Tribune’s subscribers on July 30, Publisher Tim Ritchey broke the news that the local daily is planning to stop publishing its Saturday print edition as part of a “new weekend package” the newspaper is launching on Nov. 2. That package will include new puzzles and a themed…
Winner-winner! Enter the New Times Music Awards!
There’s a ton of live music this week, but before I get into it, I want to remind all local musicians, bands, and singer-songwriters that the deadline to submit to the 11th annual New Times Music Awards is approaching! Enter online or see the entry form on page 15 in this issue. All entries are…
Man who threatened to shoot minorities pleads not guilty
Richard Orcutt, 62, pleaded not guilty on July 29 to allegedly sending threatening letters to property managers and homeowners in the area stating his intent to shoot minorities. According to the San Luis Obispo Police Department, the San Luis Obispo Regional SWAT Team and the SLO County Sheriff’s Special Enforcement Detail served a search warrant…
Hatewatch: Frankenstein’s Monster’s Monster, Frankenstein
When? 2019 What’s it rated? TV-14 Where? Netflix Editor’s note: Welcome to Hatewatch, our newest film column, where we revel in the shows and movies we just can’t look away from—shows so bad they’re good, flicks so awful we get that flush of self-righteousness, B-movies more guilt inducing than pleasurable. You know you hate-watch too.…
Lawsuit threatens Arroyo Grande Oil Field aquifer exemption
The Center for Biological Diversity is threatening to sue the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) over its decision earlier this year to exempt portions of the Arroyo Grande Oil Field from the Safe Drinking Water Act. Maya Golden-Krasner, the center’s climate deputy director and senior attorney, said that the federal agency didn’t complete its due diligence…
Film Listings, 8/1/19 – 8/8/19
All theater listings are as of Friday, Aug. 2. ECHO IN THE CANYON What’s it rated? PG-13 What’s it worth? Full price Where’s it showing? The Palm Pick In his directorial debut, co-writer Andrew Slater (with co-writer Eric Barrett) helms this documentary examining the 1960s Laurel Canyon music scene and bands such as The Byrds,…
Templeton can vote to fund their fire services
The SLO County Clerk’s Office officially mailed out ballots for the special election on Measure A-19, where Templeton residents will vote to decide whether to fund the Templeton Fire Department 24/7. Templeton Community Services District General Manager Jeff Briltz said the district heard from several residents who said they had already received the ballot in…
Chipwrecked in Pismo Beach is a destination spot for chips and dips
One of a kind Chipwrecked serves gourmet potato chips dressed up with cheeses, herbs, drizzles, and toppings. The menu also has sandwiches, salads, soups, and dips. Chipwrecked is located at 246 Pomeroy Ave., Pismo Beach, and is open daily from 11:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Call (805) 556-5272 to inquire about catering your next event.…
Paso Robles emergency response agencies team up to create a plan to stop fires in the Salinas Riverbed
The Salinas Riverbed in Paso Robles is experiencing fires that are larger and more prevalent than the local fire department has seen in recent years. Paso Robles Fire Chief Jonathan Stornetta said there are two reasons the fires in the riverbed are getting bigger: There is a larger homeless population living in the area; and…
Ongoing eats
Oh crab! All-you-can-eat Dungeness crab is served every Wednesday—coming up on Aug. 7 from 5 to 9 p.m.—at The Carlton Hotel’s Nautical Cowboy in Atascadero, 6005 El Camino Real. This kid-friendly event is $46 per person and includes all-you-can-eat Dungeness crab, sides of roasted corn, red potatoes, and linguiça. … Can’t make it to Hawaii?…
New nonprofit helps disadvantaged kids celebrate their birthdays
For as long as Jeff Edwards can remember, his birthday was a huge deal in his family. “Since I was a little kid, I would count down the days until my birthday like 100 days out,” Edwards said. “Our answering machine had the birthday countdown every day.” He recently formed the nonprofit Candles for Kids…
Harmonize your summer
Food for a cause: Grab a glass and stroll through the most darling tiny town (pop. 18) in SLO County for the second annual Harmony Wine and Beer Festival on Saturday, Aug. 3, from 1 to 4 p.m. This year’s ticket includes unlimited wine and beer tasting and live music by the Chad Land and…
Açaí bowls
I know life is busy. I know it gets bloody crazy sometimes. So when I’m about to get food-lazy to keep up with my schedule, I summon the words of ancient Greek philosopher Epicurus, who likened eating alone to “leading the life of a lion or wolf.” I refuse to act like a lion! When…
