Cover Story
Writing from the coast: Writers conference at Cuesta inspires best selling novels, stories, and scripts
Write on The Central Coast Writers Conference runs from Sept. 27 to 29 and same-day registration is available. The cost for the whole weekend is $300 per person, with stand-alone events ranging from $20 to $50. Visit cuesta.edu for more information. She was so scared she couldn’t even bring herself to get out of the…
Neighbor to 71 Palomar in SLO sues for trespassing
A controversial housing project under construction in San Luis Obispo, whose approval was already challenged in court last year by its neighbors, now faces a lawsuit from another for trespassing. The owner of a small vacant parcel at 75 Palomar Avenue—adjacent to the 33-unit apartment housing project under construction at 71 Palomar—is suing the developer,…
By The Sea presents ‘The Devil and Daniel Webster’
By The Sea Productions presents The Devil and Daniel Webster for one weekend only. Performances take place Friday, Oct. 5, and Saturday, Oct. 6, at 7 p.m. and Sunday, Oct. 7, at 3 p.m. Anita Schwaber directs this production of Stephen Vincent Benet’s 19th century New England tale. The cast includes Rick Bruce, Christopher Law,…
Sound off
New Times readers took to Facebook to share their thoughts on our Sept. 20 news brief, “Grover Beach Council remains neutral on Measure G.”
Paso approves its intention to change voting procedures
The Paso Robles City Council reluctantly took a step toward establishing by-district elections after a law firm sent a letter threatening litigation if the city didn’t make its election process more equitable to minorities. At the Sept. 25 City Council meeting, the council approved a resolution expressing the city’s intention to make the change and…
‘Fahrenheit 11/9’ is an entertaining albeit jumbled attack on President Trump
FAHRENHEIT 11/9 What’s it rated? R What’s it worth, Anna? Matinee What’s it worth, Glen? Matinee (for liberals) Where’s it showing? Galaxy, The Palm, Stadium 10 Writer-director and controversial leftist polemicist Michael Moore (Bowling for Columbine, Fahrenheit 9/11, Sicko, Where to Invade Next) takes aim at the Trump era, asking how we got here and…
Pop punk heroes Hayley and the Crushers will release their second album ‘Cool/Lame’ at Boo Boo Records Sept. 28
I had planned to interview Hayley and Reid Cain, two-thirds of the pop-punk power trio Hayley and the Crushers, in the Elks Lodge hot tub. A wet and wild interview just seemed appropriate for a band that bills itself as “poolside glitter trash” and sounds like The Go-Go’s gang fighting The Ramones under the Pismo…
SLO sets net-zero goal of 2035, launches CCE
San Luis Obispo city leaders have set an ambitious target date for achieving carbon-neutrality, or “net-zero” emissions status, as a community: 2035. It’s a decade faster than Gov. Jerry Brown’s deadline for a carbon-neutral California, and 15 years faster than the targets of cities like Davis, Santa Monica, and San Francisco. SLO City Council members…
Bingeable: Basketball: A Love Story
When? 2018 Where? ESPN Sixty-two short stories told by 165 legends. That’s ESPN’s quick pitch for the sports network’s new 10-episode, 20-hour epic mosaic of the history of basketball, Basketball: A Love Story. Peabody Award-winner Dan Klores directs this unfathomably comprehensive series, which, at the very least, promises to whet every hoops fan’s appetite as…
Autumn Arts Annual 2018
Don’t forget to check out this year’s annual Autumn Arts issue for all the artsy happenings from now until March!
Local women share stories of sexual assault
“I was confused and I didn’t know what had happened, and if anything had, I knew it was my fault.” “I was shaken, scared, and afraid of getting into trouble. I was afraid I wouldn’t be believed.” Those are just a few of the reasons that local women said they chose not report their rapes…
Film Listings, 9/27/18 – 10/4/18
Editor’s note: Listings for Arroyo Grande’s Stadium 10 (805-481-7556) were incomplete at press time. ALPHA What’s it rated? PG-13 What’s it worth? Rent it Where’s it showing? Sunset Drive-In Albert Hughes (Menace II Society, From Hell, The Book of Eli) helms this adventure story set 20,000 years ago in the last Ice Age, about a…
Cambria CSD sues company that built its water facility
The Cambria Community Services District claims that it has accrued $3.5 million in damages and bad equipment due to faulty work by the construction company that helped build its emergency water supply facility. The lawsuit, filed on Sept. 21 against CDM Smith—a Boston-based construction and engineering company that specializes in water, environment, transportation, and energy—alleges…
Dig in!
Pie and beer? Count me in! Join in the carb-laden fun for the second annual Friends of the Food Bank Appreciation Party kicking off Oct. 8 from 4 to 7 p.m. at 7 Sisters Brewery in SLO. There will be an apple pie contest, so if you think you’ve got the skills, bring a pie…
Pismo’s DUI arrests increase thanks to more cops
An increase in the number of police officers patrolling the streets led to a rise in drunk driving arrests in Pismo Beach. In a recent presentation to the Pismo Beach City Council, Police Chief Jake Miller credited filling out the department’s officer positions with a spike in DUI arrests in the first half of 2018.…
DIY or die
Learn pizza dough from a pro: Local cookbook author Brigit Binns is rolling up her sleeves and inviting you to take part in her delicious creations, of which there are many. Learn the art of pizza (and learn once and for all the best way to prepare incredible pizza dough from scratch) this Oct. 10…
Mission Mall’s newest store Office Hours sells men’s clothes with an origin story
James Fucillo has been in the sales business since he graduated from Cal Poly in 1999. His work environment called for a suit and tie, which got him to thinking about the quality of the fabric and how well the suit flattered his silhouette. When his work environment changed and he was able to dress…
No need for pumpkin spice
It doesn’t fall far: Local biz Azeo Distillery is making spirits from apples, and Cello at Allegretto Vineyard Resort is crafting a new fall cocktail featuring that apple-tastic booze plus apple juice and nutmeg. Yum! Learn more about what this Paso Robles restaurant and bar is churning out by going to allegrettovineyardresort.com … SLO Cocktail…
Milanés in Morro Bay serves up Cuban alongside Thai
Viva Milanés Milanés is open for lunch Tuesday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 560 Embarcadro in Morro Bay. For more information, go to milanescubanfood.com or call (805) 772-2500. For Jorge Milanes, there is overwhelming comfort in the scent of Cuban spices simmering over a hot stove. Like a hand-woven blanket, the…
Pro-scarcity
In a Sept. 20 commentary endorsing Donn Howell and Dennis Perry for the Cambria Community Services District (CCSD) board of directors (“Pro-water”), Mary Webb makes a number of false statements about Cambrians for Water and about the water project it strongly supports, Cambria’s sustainable water facility (SWF). To list the most serious: • Cambrians for…
Abuela knows best
Is there anything a hot enchilada can’t fix? I’m serious. Please email me right now if you can think of something—barring serious injury, death, or misplacing your lucky pair of underwear—that cannot be solved by warm corn tortillas stuffed with love and smothered in red sauce and cheese (like, all the cheese available, and then…
Re-elect Heidi Harmon
Elections are coming up quickly—Nov. 6—and as a current San Luis Obispo City Council member, I enthusiastically support Heidi Harmon for mayor. I’ve had a front row seat for Heidi’s first term, and I have been very impressed. We don’t always align on specific solutions, of course, but I share her vision for our community,…
We need more than Jan Marx lite
I voted for Heidi Harmon to remove Jan Marx, yet she has proven herself to be another pro-development Jan Marx lite. Harmon, as well as Carlyn Christianson, are controlled by the Adam Hill political hack side of the Democratic Party whose benefactors are the developers and money-grubbers whose mantra of more housing and higher buildings…
Pro-preventing a water emergency in Cambria
From Mary Webb’s Sept. 20 commentary (“Pro-water”), we know that one of the issues in the Nov. 6 election for the Cambria Community Services District (CCSD) board—the sustainable water facility (SWF). Webb is an outspoken SWF opponent who advocates against permitting the facility to benefit Cambria’s residents and businesses. I suspect if Webb had her…
A state of fruits and nuts
Al Fonzi, as usual, is right on target regarding the decline of the living standard in California due to the result of state policy and overregulation (“Economy of servants,” Sept. 13). California’s elitist government has made it the most government regulated state in the nation, and is rapidly preparing for its demise. We pay exorbitant…
Big Oil, Big Lies
I just received a letter from the No on Measure G coalition, funded by Chevron, urging voters to allow further expansion of oil well development in San Luis Obispo County. The letter opens with the false statement, “This costly ballot initiative would shut down existing oil and gas production in our county.” Since the full…
‘Moonlight and Magnolias’ explores backstory of ‘Gone With the Wind’ film
On stage Moonlight and Magnolias will show at the Park Ballroom in Paso Robles through Sept. 30. Tickets range from $15 to $25 per person. Visit winecountrytheatre.com for more information. It’s just three actors in one room, but that’s all Wine Country Theatre’s production of Moonlight and Magnolias needs to hold audience members’ attention. The…
An Oceano Dunes music festival is a bad idea
Once again, State Parks is being a bad neighbor to Oceano and a poor steward of the coastal environment. It’s rushing through plans to hold multi-day music festivals at Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area with inadequate consideration of the impacts to the local community and wildlife. Tickets are on sale for the first festival,…
Cunningham, Ostrander face off at New Times forum
The two candidates vying for the 35th District State Assembly seat are sharply divided on a host of local, state, and national issues. Incumbent Assemblymember Jordan Cunningham (R-San Luis Obispo) and his opponent, Democrat Bill Ostrander, answered questions on a variety of topics at a Sept. 24 forum in SLO. New Times hosted the forum…
Cal Poly professor’s book explores link between Cambodian genocide and California
Read on Exiled: From the Killing Fields of Cambodia to California and Back by Katya Cengel is available at bookstores and online at Amazon for $29.03 for hardback and $18.95 for the Kindle edition. On Sept. 27, Cengel will make an appearance for a book signing at Barnes and Noble in San Luis Obispo from…
Nature bats last
“She’s self-promoting.” “She’s opportunistic.” “She’s always seeking attention.” I keep hearing that from certain sectors, usually elderly. Yeah? Just show me one political leader who’s shy and quiet and keeps to the shadows. Of Heidi Harmon I speak. But right outta the gate, years ago in her Rosie the Riveter State Assembly campaign phase, what…
SLO City Council candidates talk growth, downtown, neighborhoods at Chamber luncheon
Each candidate for San Luis Obispo City Council sat at separate tables in the SLO Library on Sept. 24, rotating every seven minutes at the sound of a buzzer. At each stop the candidates fielded rapid-fire style questions from constituents at the tables—an exercise one attendee joked felt like speed dating. The round robin moved…
Five Cities Elks Lodge offers college scholarships
The Oceano/Five Cities Elks Lodge is offering several scholarship opportunities to high school students in the South County area for the 2018-19 academic year, including the Most Valuable Student (MVS) Scholarship. This nationwide college scholarship program distributes 500 scholarships annually ranging from $4,000 to $50,000. The submission deadline is Nov. 15. The Elks Lodge is…
Climate alarmism
Amy Hewes’ commentary “Terracide in SLO County” (Sept. 20) was long on fear and very short on well-established facts on the state of the planet. I don’t doubt her sincerity, but using fear of imminent climate catastrophe has been page 1 in the playbook promoting climate alarmism. Hewes cited the threat from hurricanes, wildland fires,…
Millions pour into the 24th District Congressional race while candidates take aim at each other’s donations
It takes a lot to win a congressional election: A message that appeals to voters, a dedicated staff of paid operatives and volunteers, a well-organized ground game, and lots of money. The race for California’s 24th Congressional District, which includes San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties, is no exception. The race, a rematch between…
Katharine Ross joins SLO Film Fest fundraiser
The San Luis Obispo International Film Festival hosts a fundraiser screening of Butch Cassidy & The Sundance Kid on Nov. 17 at the Fremont Theater. Award-winning actress Katherine Ross, who portrayed Etta Place in Butch Cassidy, will introduce the film and perform a spoken short story with the accompaniment of the Malibu Coast Silent Film…
Political expediency
The first thing that happens when someone gets accused of sexual assault, sexual harassment, or rape is denial. Denial that it ever happened. Denial that the accused is that kind of person. Um, obviously, rapists wear T-shirts that shout #Imarapist to everyone they meet. And obviously they like to tell their friends, family, and colleagues…
