Cover Story
I, the People
Who’s in charge here? This is America, after all. Land of the free. Our ancestors fled life under a crown for the ability to pursue life, liberty, and happiness unfettered by tyranny among all those amber waves of grain and majestic purple mountains. We learn this in elementary school, tracing the curling script of the…
Kids these days
When I heard “Young Professionals Networking Group (YPNG),” the first thing I thought was “nerds.” The second thing I thought was “wedgies,” followed by “Gimme your lunch money,” and rounded off with “I should take Molly Ringwald up to make-out point in my dad’s totally rad sports car.” I expected a bunch of squares is…
Judge Crandall orders Sunny Acres vacated
After a court appearance on Aug. 25, Dan De Vaul went back to Sunny Acres to tell residents to get out, one by one. Under order from Superior Court Judge Charles Crandall, all the residents at Sunny Acres, a working ranch and sober living facility for otherwise homeless people in SLO County, have to leave.…
Weight and whimsy
A stone tongue curls lecherously toward the ceiling. A bulbous, alien mass suckles a pristine white cube. A binky dangles uselessly from a silver-plated gas mask. There’s no common theme to the 64 works in the California Sculpture Slam, a juried exhibit currently on view at the San Luis Obispo Museum of Art; there’s just…
What should I name my pet jellyfish?
Jasmine Baetzel artist “Neon.” Peter Blair auto mechanic “Sticky. Wait, I like Stinger better.” Greg Lichtman student “I’d say Taco, because I want fish tacos and it’s all I can think about.” John K-tap student “Steve.”
Plan ahead
My 87-year-old mother lived independently in a mobile home in Arroyo Grande until soon after a telephone call that changed my life. At 5 p.m. on Nov. 2, 2009, I pushed the “mom” button on my cell-phone contact list: There was no answer, except the pre-recorded greeting, though she always picked up one of the…
My heart (sarcastically) bleeds for the ‘victim’
In regard to your article “Paso’s cop headache,” I have a few clichés, as her case really tugs at my heartstrings. LOL! Crime doesn’t pay. Don’t steal. Resist arrest, and the use of force will escalate because of your actions, not the police officer’s. Bragg is a petty thief who struggled, resisted, even tried to…
Taking the leap
Santa Barbara native Glen Phillips has a voice that sounds as if it’s been dipped in honey, expressing the entire emotional spectrum evoked by his intelligent lyrics. As singer-songwriter and frontman for Toad the Wet Sprocket—one of the most successful alternative rock bands of the early ’90s—he has a vast repertoire of chart-topping hits. These…
Call for wearable art
The tiny space known as Heaven and Earth Gallery, an upstairs spot boasting the only New Orleans-style balcony in downtown San Luis Obispo, has housed everything from jewelry to paintings to August’s “Sit on This” chair show. This time around, they’re on the hunt for wearable art. For the September show “Wear Art, Thou!” gallery…
Feed me! Feed me!
Little Shop of Horrors really is one of the loopiest shows ever. Think about it: a talking plant that communicates its demands for human sacrifices by belting out sultry, guttural R&B tunes. Juxtapose this monstrosity against the pastel cuteness of a pink flower shop before panning out to take in the seedy sights of the…
CLUBS
Goin’ South … BRANCH ST. DELI: 203 Each Branch St., Arroyo Grande, 489-9099. Live music Fri. from 5:30-8:30 p.m. THE CLIFFS RESORT: 2757 Shell Beach Road, 773-5000 or cliffsresort.com. F. MCLINTOCKS SALOON: 750 Mattie Road, Pismo Beach and in the Arroyo Grande Village, 773-1892 or mclintocks.com. Pismo: Live music Mon.-Wed., 6-9 p.m.: Tennessee Jimmy Harrell,…
Wolff Vineyards 2010 Riesling Edna Valley
When it comes to versatility, few white wines pair with a wide variety of foods like Riesling can. This elegant version offers delightful notes of nectarine, apricot, Mandarin orange, and lemon, with a touch of minerality. It’s a harmonious blend that’s quite drinkable on its own. But it’s best with food, like a perfect roast…
Ortman Family 2009 Sangiovese Paso Robles
This tasty Italian varietal is one of my favorites when I’m cooking Italian treats at home. I particularly enjoy this tasty Sangiovese by winemakers Chuck and Matt Ortman. I credit them for consistency in each vintage when it comes to this fruity variety. I loved the pretty cranberry, raspberry, and red cherry notes balanced with…
SLO fish shop offers delicious fare
I love writing this column, and over the past 15 years I have never run out of new restaurants, wineries, or charitable events to write about. Over the years, my favorite eateries have always attracted me back to enjoy their delicious treats over and over again. My reason, which you’ll find I repeat frequently in…
Kirk Sowell
NEW TIMES How would you describe your style of cooking? SOWELL I start with real, traditional cuisine, but I add a twist—not something weird or unusual—something that takes the food a step further and brings it up to date. NEW TIMES Where did the ideas for your dishes come from? Any family recipes? SOWELL…
Cut the propaganda–or at least aim it somewhere else
I disagree. H.R. 2584 is not the worst bill ever (“Worst. Bill. Ever.” Aug. 18). There are much worse, like H.J. Res. 114 of 2002, and H.R. 3162 of 2001. I agree that all of the causes you mention—like endangered species and clean water—are important. But I think you need to refocus your attention. It’s…
Make some noise before it’s too late
Have you read the Diablo (PG&E) nuclear evacuation plan? A simple fender bender on 101 will bring the highway to a standstill (try the daily commute from San Luis Obispo and you will know what I mean). Do you think it’s realistic? PG&E should be mandated to construct specific buildings as mass evacuation way-stations; places…
Measures’ passage would ominously shift power
The well- reasoned arguments of those promoting Measures A and B leave one vital question unanswered: If the Measures pass, what real power will public safety workers have left? They cannot strike, have no voice on the City Council, and have too much integrity to lower their standards of public service. The resulting power shift…
SLO mayor says: Give the council the tools it needs
The City of San Luis Obispo’s Measures A and B are not partisan issues. Democrats, Republicans, Libertarians, Greens, Independents, and Decline to State come down on both sides of these issues. What, then, seems to be the decisive factor? Those loyal to public safety unions (or wishing to curry their favor) generally oppose the measures.…
Let’s keep a 1 percent aristocracy from forming
I am opposed to HR 2584, the Interior Appropriations budget bill (“Worst. Bill. Ever.” Aug. 18). This is just more proof that the Tea Party Republicans in the House are at war not only with the American worker and the American people (unless they are very wealthy or represent big business), but also with the…
Sorry, but I just had to vent about that cover story
I just picked up a New Times, with Rodi Bragg on the cover (“Paso’s cop headache,” Aug. 18). Oh my gosh, I could not even sit and read that article in one sitting. I am appalled and disgusted by officer Bromby and that the Paso PD did nothing for this girl or the other incidents…
Great work on your investigative story
Colin Rigley’s “Paso’s cop headache” (Aug. 18) was superb. It was a casebook study of what investigative reporting should be, but rarely is. Alas, it says legions about what bureaucracies (police and otherwise) too often embrace: staying silent and circling the wagons when criticized. It also says legions about why people often shun getting involved.…
Shea’s DA man!
I know it’s cliché to say, but I think I was born in the wrong era. At least, that’s what my chakra-guru-psychic-dream weaver says. (I’m a cheap bastard, and if someone’s willing to work four jobs in exchange for lint from my belly button, who am I to judge?) Figuring out when I should have…
Trail talk
When I hike up Madonna Mountain, I often encounter bicyclists huffing and puffing, spraying sweat, and churning dirt at a steady pace … that is slower than my flower-sniffing amble. I recently met my friend Gary for breakfast to discuss the state of mountain biking trails. He’s a dedicated member of CCCMB (Central Coast Concerned…
Animal haven
After a lengthy process that medical director Dr. Steven D. Paulick described as a “rocky road,” the VCA South County Animal Hospital has finally moved into its new location at 205 El Camino Real in Arroyo Grande. The move is a major upgrade for staff and patients as they transition from a 50-year-old, 2,500-square-foot, concrete…
Cougars & Mustangs
So long, sweet summer! With Cuesta College students returning to classes on Aug. 15, the carefree days when downtown SLO was filled with tourists were recently replaced by busy days when downtown SLO is filled with a much younger demographic. To crabby locals, both are equally annoying; they just substitute poor driving and whining kids…
A home after death
Walking into the headquarters of Hospice of San Luis Obispo is rarely fun. The old Victorian house creaks under your feet, and the décor is reminiscent of a well-run funeral home. Though the people who work there are kind and understanding, there’s a sadness that permeates the walls and bears down on visitors. Hospice workers,…
Going once …
It’s easy to see that Caryn Maddalena really wants to make a sale. Maddalena is the real property manager for San Luis Obispo County General Services Agency, the local governmental wing responsible for the county’s buildings and property. Since 1988, the county has been acquiring tax-defaulted properties in the California Valley: 2.5-acre plots that were…
Blakeslee hospital bill passes Assembly and Senate
Barring a veto by Gov. Jerry Brown, it will soon be a misdemeanor to bring contraband into California state hospitals for the mentally ill. Both houses of the Legislature unanimously approved San Luis Obispo Sen. Sam Blakeslee’s SB 796, which makes it a misdemeanor for any visitor to a state hospital to bring in an…
Templeton’s still opposed to a three-way
San Luis County supervisors remain divided, and the community of Templeton is pleading not to be divided. On Aug. 23, county supervisors on a 3-2 vote took yet another step toward redrawing district boundary lines. They must have a new layout of the five supervisorial districts by November that adjusts for the 24,424-person population growth…
Police search for a suspect in Paso’s stabbing murder
A 55-year old man was murdered in a Paso Robles hotel, according to police reports. A 911 call was made to police at 4:30 p.m. on Aug. 22 by a man saying there was a dead body at Farmhouse Motel at 425 Spring St. Police found a body with multiple stab wounds when they arrived…
Artifact desecration bites Coast National years later
San Luis Obispo County supervisors overwhelmingly shared the opinion that no one can undo the desecration. “Egregious almost becomes a cliché when you understand the depth of desecration and destruction that occurred,” Supervisor Adam Hill said. In July 2003, applicant Mission Garden Estates applied to build about 50 acres of housing near the mission in…
Morro Bay’s still irked over otters
The Morro Bay City Council can’t seem to shake the controversy over its refusal to acknowledge “Sea Otter Awareness Week.” Following the Aug. 11 New Times article, “Morro Bay snubs sea otters,” local residents began posting flyers throughout the Embarcadero and the downtown area. “TOURIST ADVISORY: See no otters. This is NOT Sea Otter Awareness…
Bus driver arrested on suspicion of DUI
A San Luis Obispo Regional Transit Authority bus driver was arrested Aug. 22 for driving under the influence of alcohol after making his rounds from Santa Maria to San Luis Obispo. According to the San Luis Obispo Police Department, a passenger reported the driver of the bus was driving erratically, and was possibly under the…
