Cover Story
‘Food matters’
Lemongrass chicken with rice and local veggies. Beef tacos with cilantro lime rice. Chicken noodle bowl with honey garlic soy sauce and local veggies. Barbecue pulled chicken sandwich on a local bun. Nope, this is not a list of specials at a downtown San Luis Obispo restaurant. These are just a few examples of the…
A matter of choice
It all started with one mother. She wanted her son to play football at a bigger school than Coast Union High, where he was slated to head after finishing eighth grade in Cayucos. So she petitioned for an inter-district transfer to Morro Bay High School, and other parents soon followed suit. But things were starting…
Central Coast residents support the monument
The Carrizo Plain Conservancy announces that it has donated a 42-acre parcel of private land with a quarter mile of shoreline on Soda Lake to the United States of America for inclusion in the Carrizo Plain National Monument. While Interior Department officials in Washington, D.C., consider shrinking or doing away with national monuments in California,…
Singer-songwriter John Moreland brings his tender laments to BarrelHouse Brewing on Aug. 13
“There’s a scar on my soul, so let me down easy/ Break my heart sweetly, like you always do/ I guess I can’t let go ’til you wreck me completely / Break my heart sweetly, drape me in blue,” John Moreland sings on “Break My Heart Sweetly,” a tender, heart-wrenching ballad off In the Throes,…
Seeking Support
When PG&E announced the 2024-25 shutdown of Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant, it marked the beginning of a lot of planning for San Luis Coastal Unified School District (SLCUSD). While Diablo still has a few years left, SLCUSD is adjusting its numbers sooner rather than later. SLCUSD currently receives $8 million annually in unitary property…
City of Ghosts
What’s it rated? R Where’s it showing? The Palm New This documentary from Matthew Heineman goes behind enemy lines in Syria to follow a citizen journalist collective, Raqqa is Being Slaughtered Silently, as they attempt to expose the human rights violations by ISIS and fight the terrorist group’s misinformation campaigns in their home country. (90…
Girls Trip
What’s it rated? R Where’s it showing? Stadium 10 When four lifelong friends (Regina Hall, Queen Latifah, Jada Pinkett Smith, and Tiffany Haddish) travel to New Orleans for the annual Essence Festival, sisterhoods are rekindled, wild sides are rediscovered, and there’s enough dancing, drinking, brawling, and romancing to make the Big Easy blush. (102 min.)…
Fix in progress
Picture this: You’re a high school student, and the final bell of the day has just rung. You leave your un-air-conditioned classroom and start heading toward swim practice, thinking about how great jumping into a pool would feel after being in sweltering rooms all day. Unfortunately, most of your swim practices are on dry land.…
Dawson City: Frozen Time
What’s it rated? NR Where’s it showing? The Palm Dawson City: Frozen Time pieces together the bizarre true history of a long-lost collection of 533 nitrate film prints dating from the early 1900s. Discovered buried under a hockey rink in a former Klondike Gold Rush town, their story reveals the links between the movie business…
The Glass Castle
What’s it rated? PG-13 Where’s it showing? Downtown Centre, Fair Oaks, Bay, Park, Galaxy New Chronicling the adventures of an eccentric, resilient and tight-knit family, The Glass Castle is a remarkable story of unconditional love. Oscar winner Brie Larson brings Jeannette Walls’ best-selling memoir to life as a young woman who, influenced by the joyfully…
Making headlines
When Aric Sweeny decided to join the student newspaper at SLO High School his sophomore year, he wasn’t the kind of person who was eager to walk up to a total stranger and ask them questions. “I was not really outspoken,” Sweeny, an 18-year-old who just graduated, said. “I would say that, socially, I was…
Vote no on B-17
If you reside in the city of San Luis Obispo, you have a stake in the outcome of the current special election. If you don’t vote, you may regret not making the effort should the ballot’s single initiative go into effect. SLO residents have until Aug. 22 to vote no on the misleading and subversive…
An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth to Power
What’s it rated? PG What’s it worth? Matinee Where’s it showing? The Palm Pick Bonni Cohen and Jon Shenk direct this follow-up documentary to the Oscar-wining An Inconvenient Truth (2006), which exposed the threat of global climate change. This time around, the filmmakers document the progress made in tackling climate change over the last decade…
LA developer demands $500,000 from SLO residents
A Los Angeles developer pursuing a 33-unit housing project in San Luis Obispo is asking SLO County Superior Court to slap a $500,000 charge onto a group of local residents challenging the project in a lawsuit, alleging undue economic hardship caused by delays. An attorney representing Loren Riehl of LR Development Group filed the motion…
47 Meters Down
Two sisters vacationing in Mexico become trapped in a shark cage on the ocean floor. As their oxygen starts to run out and with great white sharks circling them, the sisters must find a way to get to the surface alive.
Kidnap
What’s it rated? R Where’s it showing? Downtown Centre, Stadium 10, Park, Galaxy A typical afternoon in the park turns into a nightmare for single mom Karla Dyson (Halle Berry) when her son suddenly disappears. Without a cell phone and knowing she has no time to wait for police help, Karla jumps in her own…
Anthem nixes ACA coverage plans on Central Coast
Thousands of Central Coast residents will have to look for new health insurance next year after one provider announced that it will no longer offer plans through the state’s insurance marketplace in most California counties. Health insurance giant Anthem Blue Cross said it is pulling out of all but three of the 19 regions set…
Face(book) palm
Our esteemed orange-colored leader, Sir Tweets-a-Lot Trump, isn’t the only public official who can’t seem to control his social media rants. Now SLO County District Attorney Dan Dow has thrown his hat in the ring for biggest intemperate online blatherer. It started when Tribune reporter Matt Fountain (formerly a New Times reporter we trained into…
Maudie
What’s it rated? PG-13 What’s it worth? Full Price Where’s it showing? The Palm Pick Aisling Walsh (Joyriders, Song for Raggy Boy, The Daisy Chain) directs this screenplay by Sherry White (The Breadmaker, Down to the Dirt, Crackie) about arthritic Nova Scotia painter Maud Dowley (Sally Hawkins), who after having her family home sold out…
Planning Commission takes on county cannabis regs
The San Luis Obispo County Planning Commission has only one item on its Aug. 10 meeting agenda, but it’s a humdinger: cannabis regulations. The commission will take the full day to review the proposed land-use ordinances that will govern both the medical and recreational marijuana industry in SLO County and make final recommendations to the…
Detroit
What’s it rated? R What’s it worth? Full Price Where’s it showing? Downtown Centre, Stadium 10, Park, Galaxy Pick Detroit is director Kathryn Bigelow (Point Break, The Hurt Locker, Zero Dark Thirty) and writer/producer Mark Boal’s (The Hurt Locker) take on the real events that took place in the Algiers Motel during 1967, resulting in…
The Nut Job 2: Nutty by Nature
What’s it rated? PG Where’s it showing? Downtown Centre, Sunset Drive In, Stadium 10, Park, Galaxy New Surly Squirrel (Will Arnett) and the gang are back again in Oakton, where the evil mayor has decided to bulldoze Liberty Park and build a dangerous amusement park in its place. Surly and his ragtag group of animal…
Annabelle: Creation
What’s it rated? R Where’s it showing? Downtown Centre, Stadium 10, Park, Galaxy New A couple still grieving the death of their daughter take in children from a local orphanage, but a demented doll known as Annabelle soon terrorizes the family. (109 min.) —New Line Cinema
Dunkirk
What’s it rated? PG-13 What’s it worth? Full Price Where’s it showing? Downtown Centre, Stadium 10, Park, Galaxy Pick Writer-director Christopher Nolan (Memento, Batman Begins, The Prestige, The Dark Knight, The Dark Knight Rises, Interstellar) helms this historical drama about the World War II evacuation of Dunkirk, when allied forces from Belgium, the British Empire,…
Spider-Man: Homecoming
What’s it rated? PG-13 What’s it worth? Full Price Where’s it showing? Stadium 10, Park, Galaxy Pick This new Spider-Man film picks up a few months after the events of Captain America: Civil War, which chronicled the rift between Captain America (Chris Evans) and Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.). This time around, Tony Stark (AKA…
SLO city manager resigns, search for county administrator continues
Shake-ups at the top levels of local government continue to rock SLO County with the Aug. 7 announcement that SLO City Manager Katie Lichtig will leave her post on Sept. 28. After seven years of serving SLO, Lichtig is returning to the city where she began her government career in the ’90s, Santa Monica. The…
Do you think that local media outlets are covering education enough? Why or why not?
Bryan McMann truck driver “Education would be one of the biggest topics they should cover.” Buddy dog “We need more information about the educational programs in the area, especially for adults.” Claire Farrell student “Probably not, I don’t really watch the news, but I don’t really hear much about local education stuff in the newspaper.”…
War For The Planet Of The Apes
What’s it rated? PG-13 What’s it worth? Matinee Where’s it showing? Park, Sunset Drive-In, Galaxy Pick Matt Reeves (The Pallbearer, Cloverfield, Let Me In) directs and co-writes with Mark Bomback (Live Free or Die Hard, The Wolverine) this third film in the rebooted series that is preceded by Rise of the Planet of the Apes…
Stitching memories
Lisa Adam remembers when she was in her 20s she told her mom that she hated sewing and she’d never do it. Her mother replied with a skeptical “OK,” and since then, Adam has sewed every day. Now, she’s made a business out of it. Adam opened Lily Stitches last year, which started as an…
The Emoji Movie
What’s it rated? PG Where’s it showing? Park This animated comedy takes place in Textopolis, a world inside a smartphone that’s inhabited by various emojis. There, an emoji named Gene (voiced by T.J. Miller) is ashamed that he has multiple facial expressions while his colleagues only have one each, and he embarks on a quest…
Burlesque on the bar
Ba-da-boom! Burlesque on the Bar’s production of Legends kicks off Aug. 26 at 8 p.m. at Rendarrio Vineyards tasting room, located at 2323 Tuley Court in Paso Robles (doors open at 7 p.m.). For more information, RSVP on the winery’s Facebook page or email lizglamazon@gmail.com. Tickets can be purchased at neoburaug17.brownpapertickets.com. Glitzy sequins, bejeweled pasties,…
Atomic Blonde
What’s it rated? R What’s it worth? Matinee Where’s it showing? Stadium 10, Galaxy Pick David Leitch directs Kurt Johnstad’s action spy thriller screenplay based on the graphic novel series The Coldest City by Antony Johnston and Sam Hart, about Lorraine Broughton (Charlize Theron), a British Cold War-era operative sent to Berlin to investigate a…
Nipomo author’s book teaches kids to care for pets
Ruff reading Every Puppy Needs by Grandma Tink (aka Ethel Landers) is available for purchase on
Wine time
Aging well: A big round of applause for a local winery that’s doing big things! Bianchi Winery in SLO has won quite a few Orange County Wine Society awards this year, including gold medals for its 2012 petite sirah and 2015 chardonnay (try this yin-yang of light and dark flavors for yourself at bianchiwine.com) ……
Fonzi misleads on climate change
Al Fonzi’s commentary in your paper (“Polar bears aren’t canaries,” Aug. 3) does a disservice to your readers by laundering untruthful climate change denial talking points. His misguided screed reads like a game of climate change denier bingo. He insists, for example, that “climate alarmists at NASA have been readjusting the raw climate data to…
Tibetan monks to create temporary sand mandalas in SLO
One grain at a time Monks from the Drepung Gomang monastery will host an opening ceremony at the King David’s Masonic Lodge in SLO Aug. 15 at 9 a.m., with daily Mandala viewings through Aug. 18 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The closing ceremony will be on Aug. 18 starting at 4 p.m. For…
Fresh faces
Welcome aboard! Thomas Hill Organic Kitchen in SLO recently welcomed new chef Kurt Metzger, a veteran of the California culinary scene and passionate farm-to-table creative. He’s known around the Golden State for his work at San Diego’s Kitchen 4140 and The Spotted Cow Catering and Pop Up Dinner Co., plus, his braised short ribs with…
Reason supports yes on B-17
When San Luis Obispo City Councilwoman Carlyn Christianson turned to name-calling and personal attacks in her Aug. 3 commentary (“Big bad lawyering”), you could be sure she had neither facts nor law on her side. The last thing any resident wants is a city official at their front door saying, “I’m here to inspect your…
Equality and art for all
Got dreams of big art and big money? Make both happen by submitting your design for a large-scale mural in downtown Atascadero. Artists are invited to submit a sketch for a mural competition to celebrate Women’s Equality Day in Atascadero. The project will reference the history of Atascadero, which was originally founded in 1913 as…
For your health
Need greens: Planted in Arroyo Grande is serving up a new gluten-free orange tofu quinoa bowl that is as filling as it is good for you (visit @plantedeatery_ag on Instagram for more craveworthy, healthful ideas, like the Girl Scout smoothie, which tastes like a chocolate mint Girl Scout cookie without all the artificial flavorings and…
Education Today 2017
Hey kids (and parents)! School starts soon! Yay! Although, I guess your level of joy really depends on whether you’re the parent or the child. Regardless, we’re here to help with our annual Education Today issue, focusing on kindergarten through 12th grade education. In this week’s paper, check out how school lunches are now offering…
Baby Driver
What’s it rated? R What’s it worth? Full Price Where’s it showing? Downtown Centre Pick Writer-director Edgar Wright (Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World) helms this action crime film about a young, gifted driver (Ansel Elgort) who’s coerced into driving for Doc (Kevin Spacey), a criminal mastermind, eventually leading to…
Back in the day
Take a walk down to the corner of Monterey Street and Johnson Avenue in San Luis Obispo and take a step back in time with a peek at a new public art installation. A lovely panoramic photo, taken from Terrace Hill in SLO in 1930 has been installed as public art on the building at…
Savor the changing of the vines
How do we mark the passing of the seasons in perpetually sunny SLO County? In Paso Robles Wine Country and scenic Edna Valley, it’s all about the changing color of the vineyards! Those lush vines are strikingly green now, but in a few months—after harvest—they’ll turn a brassy goldenrod hue. Right now, it’s the wine…
The Big Sick
What’s it rated? R What’s it worth? Full Price Where’s it showing? Stadium 10, The Palm Pick Director Michael Showalter (Hello, My Name is Doris) directs this semi-autographical screenplay by Emily V. Gordon and Kumail Nanjiani about a Pakistani stand-up comic named Kumail (Nanjiani) who falls for a white woman named Emily (Zoe Kazan) who…
Drift over to your creative side
Get some rad décor for your wall without paying that hefty Etsy price on Aug. 19 at 10 a.m. at a Driftwood Wall Hangings workshop at Left Coast Art Studio in Los Osos. Danille Churchill, a native Central Coast artist, will guide you in creating a beautiful, one-of-a-kind, driftwood wall hanging by teaching knotting and…
‘The Dark Tower’ offers some excitement for a younger audience
THE DARK TOWER What’s it rated? PG-13 What’s it worth, Anna? Matinee What’s it worth, Glen? Matinee Where’s it showing? Downtown Centre, Park, Stadium 10, Galaxy Danish writer-director Nikolaj Arcel (A Royal Affair) helms this adventure-fantasy based on Stephen King’s novel series about the last Gunslinger, Roland Deschain (Irdris Elba), who in an alternate dimension…
Investigation results a mixed bag for AG mayor
An investigation into allegations of misconduct against Arroyo Grande Mayor Jim Hill has finally come to a conclusion, though the results are unlikely to sway the opinions of Hill’s most ardent supporters or his fiercest critics. The investigation’s findings, detailed in a 102-page report, were mixed, with some allegations confirmed while others were debunked or…
An environmental injustice
The United States Environmental Protection Agency defines environmental justice as “the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national origin, or income with respect to the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies … . It will be achieved when everyone enjoys the same degree of protection…
The mountains are calling: Summer adventures in Yosemite National Park
Wild places Book your next camping trip at Yosemite or another national park by visiting nps.gov. The sun is beating down on Sunday, July 16, and we’re only an hour or so into hiking the North Dome trail in Yosemite National Park. This trip has been in the making since mid-March, when I woke up…
Bingeable: The Strain
When? 2014-2017 Where’s it available? FX, Hulu I’m obviously coming a little late to the party for this Guillermo del Toro- and Chuck Hogan-created vampire TV series since its fourth and final season has just started, but if you’re a horror fan and haven’t yet discovered this minor gem, you might want to fire up…
