Cover Story
Hiding hatred: Masked men with a ‘white pride’ banner make another appearance in SLO County
White supremacy groups are starting to leave a small mark in San Luis Obispo County. While earlier instances occurred in Templeton, with masked men who held an “embrace white pride” banner, and in Paso Robles, where masked men unfurled similar signs, the most recent incident occurred in the city of SLO on July 22. This…
Grover Beach could fully switch from septic to sewer in two years
Grover Beach city officials are considering changing the local municipal code to get rid of a sewage annoyance. At its July 24 meeting, the Grover Beach City Council discussed repealing an ordinance to set a citywide requirement for residences and businesses to connect to the city sewer system. Once adopted, the ordinance would require 115…
San Miguel CSD board member calls for new utility rate calculations
When Anthony Kalvans looks out into the small town of San Miguel he sees many things. He sees his home. He sees where he has served as a San Miguel Community Services District (SMCSD) board member since he was the age of 19. But he also sees a problem—one rooted in the public policy that…
C.A.R.E.4Paws begins offering pet wellness clinics to Oceano in August
Three mobile clinics are rolling into Oceano on Aug. 6, aiming to treat animals in the community at no cost to town residents in need. Although C.A.R.E.4Paws charges for its services on a sliding scale and does comp services for those who can’t afford to pay anything, the nonprofit is able to help the seaside…
We need the Dana Reserve project’s affordable housing options
I support the housing development known as the Dana Reserve in Nipomo. Our area is in desperate need of housing, especially affordable housing for young, working adults. This neighborhood will directly address this need by providing a significant number of affordable housing units, which will enable young people like my own kids to find suitable…
Is it time we all shift our thinking on Oceano Dunes?
For years, the public discussion regarding the Oceano Dunes and vehicle access has been binary: four wheelers vs. environmentalists. But maybe its not that simple. Not every person who accesses and recreates on the beach and dunes does so in the same manner. There are pedestrians, cyclists, surfers, kite fliers, clammers, and nature lovers getting…
Rina Hofmann finds her peace in poetry and children’s book writing
See and support Check out Rina Hofmann’s collection of poetry on Etsy at etsy.com/shop/rinasjoyinspiredword. Rina Hofmann has wanted to be a writer for most of her life. “I have always had this longing inside and a desire to write since I was a child,” Hofmann said. “I was always interested in creative things, but writing…
The county has the power to protect Oceano beach and dunes
Judge Coates’ ruling against the California Coastal Commission’s ban on driving on Oceano Beach and Dunes is not a defeat for us real friends of Oceano beach and dunes, but a clear and strong lesson on how to proceed to get what we want: a safe beach for Oceano residents and all tourists and a…
Entry period for New Times Music Awards closes Aug. 14
Local musicians are invited to compete in the 2023 New Times Music Awards before the contest’s entry period closes on Monday, Aug. 14, at 5 p.m. Participants can enter their songs online at newtimesslo.com. All entrants must reside primarily in San Luis Obispo County or northern Santa Barbara County. 2023 marks the 15th year for…
We have to call out hateful behavior
On July 22, masked men, sporting a “white pride” banner showed up in San Luis Obispo to share their anger and hatred with the people of our community. The Nordic runes decorating the men’s banner and their Nazi salutes are easily recognizable as anti-Semitic gestures reminiscent of the types of activities that led to the…
Alone survival show winner holds memoir reading in SLO
The San Luis Obispo Botanical Garden is hosting a book reading and signing with Woniya Thibeault, author of Never Alone, on Sunday, Aug. 6, from 2 to 4 p.m. Thibeault, who lives in Grass Valley, is best known for winning the History Channel’s survival show, Alone: Frozen, in 2022. Never Alone marks her debut memoir.…
The semantics of ‘gender war’ politics
Semantics are widely applied in politics when trying to project a particular narrative. For example, many of us boomers remember the term “pacification” being used to describe bombing an adversary to smithereens. In today’s “gender wars,” we are being subjected to semantic carpet bombing. People with gender dysphoria have always existed and have generated little…
Theater Camp is a charming mockumentary with a lot of heart
THEATER CAMP What’s it rated? PG-13 What’s it worth, Glen? Full price What’s it worth, Anna? Full price Where’s it showing? The Palm Theatre of San Luis Obispo Theater nerds, unite! Co-writers, co-directors, and co-stars Molly Gordon and Nick Lieberman (with two more co-writing credits from co-stars Noah Galvin and Ben Platt) have the mockumentary…
Disgusting deviants
What is the right way to report on racism in a community? It depends on who you ask. Some accuse media organizations of inflaming rhetoric if they publish stories about say—just as an example—masked men holding up a banner espousing “white pride” over a Templeton overpass. “This isn’t our community,” they say. “It’s people from…
The Bear (Season 2)
What’s it rated? TV-14 When? 2022-present Where’s it showing? Hulu The Bear is back for season 2, and things for Carmy (Jeremy Allen White), his crew, and the new high-end restaurant they’re building are more high stakes than ever. Chef Sydney (Ayo Edibiri) is in a pressure cooker to come up with a life-changing menu…
Santa Barbara reggae act Rebelution plays Avila Beach Resort on Aug. 9 and 10
Ah, college! The parties, the music, the keg stands. Is there anywhere more notoriously college-y than Isla Vista, the student neighborhood near UCSB? That’s where the original five members of Rebelution met, forming the band in 2004 and eventually releasing their debut full-length album Courage to Grow in 2007—an album filled with hooky melodies, socially…
They Cloned Tyrone
What’s it rated? R When? 2023 Where’s it showing? Netflix Director and co-writer Juel helms this sci-fi comedy that acts as an homage to ’70s Blaxploitation films and spoofs real-life horrifying historical events such as the CIA-Contra-crack cocaine epidemic and the Tuskegee Study (the U.S. Public Health Service’s 40-year experiment of infecting African American men…
A saunter through SLO Public Market’s first spicy food festival called Bringin’ on the Heat
What I thought was the impossible in San Luis Obispo County finally happened to me: I ate something so spicy my eyes streamed in public. The blazing heat on July 22 wasn’t enough for me. While most people tried to find solace indoors, or by the beach or a pool, I set my taste buds…
Paso Robles wine collective releases study, outlines plan for sustainable future amid climate change
Stay informed For more information on the Paso Robles CAB (Cabernet and Bordeaux) Collective, visit pasoroblescab.com. It’s no secret that wine is an iconic part of Central Coast culture. But in the midst of an evolving climate, those wines are facing a new threat. “Wine is among the most sensitive and nuanced agricultural products and…
Lightning Joe’s recovers stolen guitar, police on lookout for accomplice
The theft of a guitar from a family-run music store in Arroyo Grande resulted in an outpouring of help from a wide network determined to ensnare the thief and retrieve the instrument. On July 28, 34-year-old Geddilee Michael Lansford and his unidentified accomplice allegedly stole a Taylor acoustic guitar worth $2,100 from Lightning Joe’s Guitar…
Paso school board member threatened over Trans-Pride weekend announcement
At the end of the July 11 Paso Robles school board meeting, Kenney Enney commented on an incident he believed to be an overreach. “I received a correspondence from an individual who comes to these meetings [that] someone on the board had issues with and notified the police,” Paso Robles Joint Unified School District board…
