Cover Story
Protest symbol: Activists rally around SLO resident Tianna Arata and decry the charges pending against her as an example of systemic racism
On Aug. 25, hundreds of people gathered at the San Luis Obispo County Courthouse for a press conference and rally in support of Black youth activist Tianna Arata, who was arrested on July 21 following a local Black Lives Matter protest. Organized by the #FreeTianna Coalition made up of local and national organizations, speakers urgedā¦
New Cottage urgent care center opens in Santa Maria
Cottage Health announced the opening of a new urgent care center in Santa Maria, the third Cottage Urgent Care facility to open recently. Cottage plans to open seven more centers in San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, and Ventura counties in the near future, for a total of 10 new urgent cares in the tri-county area.ā¦
SLO County renters get eviction protections, while state lawmakers let other bills die
In a marathon end to the 2020 California legislative session, state lawmakers passed a flurry of bills responding to the COVID-19 pandemic and ongoing protests against police brutality and racismāwhile it let other bills die without a vote. Deliberating up until a midnight deadline on Sept. 1, the Legislature acted to extend eviction protections forā¦
Salons get the OK to resume indoor services
On Aug. 8 Masterpiece Hair Studio had its one year anniversary, but instead of having a bustling salon and balloons outside to mark the occasion, owner Jessica Zerolis was cutting a clientās hair outside her salon door. In response to health and safety concerns due to the coronavirus, Zerolis had to decide whether to closeā¦
Santa Maria announces new distance learning camp for elementary students
Children enrolled in kindergarten through sixth grade in Santa Maria can sign up for a new distance learning camp, which started this week with a small group test run. Held at the Minami Community Center at 600 West Enos Drive, the camp will be open to the public starting next week, Recreation Services Manager Dennisā¦
Santa Maria high school district employee tests positive for COVID-19
Just weeks after the first day of school on Aug. 17, an employee of the Santa Maria Joint Union High School District tested positive for COVID-19. In an Aug. 27 announcement, Public Information Officer Kenny Klein said the school district was notified earlier that day that an employee had tested positive for COVID-19. The districtā¦
Morro Bay adopts temporary moratorium on new short-term rental permits
On Aug. 25, the Morro Bay City Council adopted a second 45-day moratorium on new short-term vacation rental permits in lieu of passing a new ordinance that’s in the works. The moratorium is sort of a recognition that everythingās changed due to the impacts of COVID-19, City Manager Scott Collins said. āWe want to makeā¦
Santa Barbara County unemployment continues to decrease, but still far from pre-pandemic levels
Santa Barbara Countyās unemployment rate dropped from 11.5 percent in June to 10 percent in July, according to data released by Californiaās Labor Market Information Division. That equates to about 1,600 workers returning to the workforce, a newsletter from Raymond McDonald, the Santa Barbara County Workforce Development Boardās executive director. June saw a larger decreaseā¦
Our best representatives?
When John Lewis died, I made a commitment to re-educate myself on his accomplishments, his bravery, and his sense of non-violent nobility. Toward this end, I read his nationally acclaimed trilogy about the civil rights movement. MARCH 1-2-3 is an incredible graphic arts accomplishment that captures the passion, violence, police brutality, political prejudice, and inspirationsā¦
Mob opinion
Reading the coverage and comments on the local protests in this paper, I have noticed some pretty fanciful interpretations by left-wing partisans on what the “law” is. Having practiced law for more than 40 years, and being insufferably pedantic, allow me to correct some of these curious notions. First, the law does not punish anythingā¦
All the ‘news’ that’s fit to spit
CalCoastNews (CCN), the right-wing blog pretending to be a news source, has stuck its libelous foot in its mouth again. In an Aug. 18 “news” story titled “Protesters demand money from San Luis Obispo business owners,” “journalists” Karen Velie and Josh Friedman claim, “A group of protesters affiliated with Mayor Heidi Harmon organized Black Livesā¦
Some of SLO County’s smallest local businesses say they’ve been excluded from state and federal aid
It takes a certain level of tenacity to keep an essentially newborn business afloat during a pandemic and resulting economic downturn, and at this point, that’s all hairstylist Amy Maggipinto has left. Though nothing quite compares to the challenges she faces now, a near 20-year career in hair has put Maggipinto through a lot ofā¦
Grocery store employees are left with the responsibility of enforcing face-covering mandates
Marlene Uva has common variable immune deficiency, a disorder that impairs the immune system. Because she has a high risk of contracting coronavirus, she doesn’t leave her house other than to visit her doctor. Uva told New Times she receives donated transfused antibodies once a week and takes multiple medications in order for her immuneā¦
Escape to 15 Degrees C Wine Shop and Bar in Templeton
Neighborhood spot, cult following 15 Degrees C Wine Shop & Bar is located at 624 South Main St. in Templeton. Hours are Tuesday to Saturday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Call (805) 434-1554 or email info@15Cwine.com for more information. Find fun food and drink specials at happy hour, Tuesday to Friday from 4 toā¦
Local political leaders reflect on 100 years of women’s suffrage
One hundred years ago, on Aug. 18, 1920, Congress passed the 19th Amendment to the Constitution, extending voting rights to women for the first time in American history. The fight for women’s suffrage took decadesāand it didn’t end in 1920. Nearly five more decades would pass before Black women earned their right to vote. Theā¦
Public Trust, a new documentary screening Aug. 29, depicts the battle to privatize public lands
You’re rich. You and 330 million other Americans co-own 640 million acres of pristine wild lands scattered from sea to shining sea. But the wealth and heritage contained in these lands are at risk of being polluted, mined, privatized, or outright destroyed. The battle lines are clearly drawn in Public Trust (96 min.), a newā¦
Central Coast Childbirth Network and Breastfeeding Coalition co-host virtual screening of Chocolate Milk: The Documentary
The Central Coast Breastfeeding Coalition and the Central Coast Childbirth Network are co-hosting an upcoming virtual screening of Chocolate Milk: The Documentary. Registrants of the online event will be able to access the film anytime between Saturday, Aug. 29, and Monday, Aug. 31. Following the screening period, a live Q-and-A will take place over Zoomā¦
Grover Beach, SLO offer help to parents who need child care
With schools on the Central Coast starting up from a distance, there’s a growing demand for all-day child care, a safe place for working parents to leave their kids instead of the classroom. But not a lot of child care providers are offering such programs, and those that exist tend to be costly. Grover Beachā¦
Registration open for the 2020 Central Coast Writers Conference
This year’s annual Central Coast Writers Conference will feature a variety of virtual workshops, which are scheduled to begin on Thursday, Sept. 24, and run through Saturday, Sept. 26. Admission to the complete series starts at $225. Visit centralcoastwritersconference.com for registration details and more info. Ī
Hospital antitrust bill passes through committees
A state bill that would strengthen the Attorney General’s oversight of for-profit hospital mergers and acquisitions cleared the Assembly’s health and appropriation committees this summer and awaits a final vote on the Assembly and Senate floors. Those votes are expected to take place before the end of the Legislative session on Sept. 1. Senate Billā¦
Dead Reckoning authors hold book signings in Morro Bay and Lompoc
Central Coast novelists Therese Vannier and Michael Corbin Ray will be signing copies of their new book, Dead Reckoning, at the Lompoc Veterans Memorial Building on Saturday, Sept. 5, from 10 a.m. to noon, and at the Coalesce Bookstore in Morro Bay on Saturday, Sept. 12, from 1 to 3 p.m. Dead Reckoning is aā¦
A dozen elementary schools can reopen for in-person learning
Editor’s Note: This article now reflects the updated school waiver numbers as of Aug. 28 at 12:30 p.m., according to the SLO County Public Health Department. As SLO County’s public schools grapple with distance learning, a dozen local private schools have received waivers to reopen for in-person learning this fall. Although state guidelines require schoolsā¦
I May Destroy You examines the complexities of sexual consent
I MAY DESTROY YOU What’s it rated? TV-MA What’s it worth, Anna? Full priceWhat’s it worth, Glen? Full priceWhere’s it showing? HBO Series creator, writer, and co-director Michaela Coel stars as Arabella, a Twitter star and budding author living a hard-partying lifestyle in London with besties Terry (Weruche Opia), a wannabe actress, and Kwame (Paapaā¦
Unemployment dips below 10 percent in SLO County
San Luis Obispo County’s unemployment rate continued to tick down in July, dropping below 10 percent for the first time since the onset of COVID-19, according to state labor data released on Aug. 21. The 9.9 percent jobless rate compared to a 11.5 percent rate in June, a 12.7 percent rate in May, and aā¦
Fear City
What’s it rated? TV-MA When? 2020 Where’s it showing? Netflix If, like me, your knowledge of the mafia mostly comes from Martin Scorsese films, you’d be forgiven for thinking the scope of the criminal enterprise was overblown for the sake of compelling fiction, but if nothing else, Fear City proves that Scorsese classics like Goodfellasā¦
Love On The Spectrum
What’s it rated? TV-14 When? 2019 Where’s it showing? Netflix Get ready to fall in love with Netflix’s new four-part season 1 of Love on the Spectrum, which follows seven singles and two couples as they navigate the complex world of dating with autism. Working with experts Jodi Rodgers and Dr. Elizabeth Laugeson, these hopefulā¦
New survey shows local audiences cautious about returning to live performances
Local audiences are hungry for live music but also cautious about the idea of returning to large gatherings. In a recent audience perception survey conducted by The San Luis Obispo Arts Leadership Roundtableāthe second since May 11ā”39 percent of respondents say they will wait until there is a vaccine before attending a live event withā¦
Take it back
The other evening my wife, Gayle, and I meandered down the Oceano beach south of Pier Avenue. We’ve done that many times in the four months since vehicles were excommunicated from the sand there. So have many others. This is what we experienced: • Children building moats, castles, and other wondrous structures in the dampā¦
Heroes step in to fill the void
Summer on the Central Coast looked very different this year as our community canceled many iconic events, including the California Mid-State Fair. In years past, the SLO Food Bank enjoyed a wonderful relationship with this annual event as meat donated from the fair’s livestock auction provided 30 to 40 percent of the SLO Food Bank’sā¦
