Cover Story
A survivor’s story: Mother and son reflect on her 2005 fight with breast cancer
I vividly remember the day I got the news. I was in my ninth grade Spanish class and my sister, Lisa, appeared outside the classroom, looking solemn. I immediately felt a pit in my stomach. My mom, Terri, was awaiting breast cancer test results. When Lisa confirmed in that school courtyard what I felt in…
Indie folk singer-songwriter Gregory Alan Isakov brings his intimate songs to the Fremont Theater on Oct.13
Singer-songwriter Gregory Alan Isakov has one of those voices that is immediately arresting—it can be high and lilting or intimate and inviting. Vic Chesnutt comes to mind, though Isakov lists Leonard Cohen, Kelly Joe Phelps, and Bruce Springsteen as influences. This Saturday, Oct.13, he plays a Numbskull and Good Medicine Presents show at the Fremont…
Money mails
With about 30 days left before YDABV-day (aka, Your Dumb Ass Better Vote-day), things are about to get cray up in this county. Strap yourselves on down, folks, you’re about to get inundated with crap I’m already sick of reading or hearing about. But before you slump down into that corner and hug those knees…
New and taste-worthy
This truck is on fire: The Central Coast’s newest food truck is rolling out savory Korean barbecue grub! Keep your eyes peeled for the husband-and-wife team of M.H. Cho and Grace Kim, who together own Feed My Seoul Food Truck (they’re already popping up at music festivals and special events across the region) … New…
Sound off
New Times readers took to Facebook to share their thoughts on our Sept. 27 news brief, “Local women share stories of sexual assault.”
Democracy in action
Did you vote? Don’t freak. It’s a little early for the Nov. 6 general election (however, the vote by mail period starts Oct. 8 and the last day to register to vote is Oct. 22). I am talking about SLO County’s first ever Cocktail Month! All September long, you sampled creative, crazy, and cool-as-heck craft…
‘Smallfoot’ is passable children’s entertainment but won’t connect with most audiences
SMALLFOOT What’s it rated? PG What’s it worth, Anna? Stream it What’s it worth, Glen? Stream it (unless you’re 10 or so) Where’s it showing? Downtown Centre, Galaxy, Park, Stadium 10, Sunset Drive-In Karey Kirkpatrick (Over the Hedge) and Jason Reisig co-direct this animated adventure comedy about Migo (voiced by Channing Tatum), a Yeti who…
Coast Unified superintendent resigns from position
Coast Unified School District superintendent Victoria Schumacher announced her resignation three months after the teacher’s union sent a letter to the district expressing its lack of confidence in her leadership. On Oct. 2, the Cambria Grammar School boardroom was filled with faculty, staff, and parents waiting for the results of a last-minute closed session meeting.…
Underrated: The Marvelous Misadventures of Flapjack
When? 2008 Where’s it available? Hulu If you love candy, adventuring, and living in the mouth of a sweet and sassy whale, then grab your bag of jelly beans and tune into The Marvelous Misadventures of Flapjack. Thurop Van Orman, who also had a hand in the writing of The Powerpuff Girls and Adventure Time,…
Investigators testify in hearing on Kristen Marti murder case
During a preliminary hearing on Oct. 3, SLO County prosecutors gave a preview of the case they’ve built against Robert William Koehler, the 36-year-old man charged with the murder of 26-year-old Kristen Marti. They began what would be a multi-day preliminary hearing by calling SLO police officers and detectives who worked on Marti’s case to…
Film Listings, 10/4/18 – 10/11/18
THE CHILDREN ACT What’s it rated? R What’s it worth? Full price Where’s it showing? The Palm Pick Richard Eyre (Notes on a Scandal) directs Ian McEwan’s story about Judge Fiona Maye (Emma Thompson), who’s presiding over the case of Adam Henry (Fionn Whitehead), a teenage boy refusing a life-saving blood transfusion based on his…
State Attorney General’s Office determines that racially charged incidents at Cal Poly were legal
Cal Poly President Jeffrey Armstrong released a campus-wide email on Oct. 2 stating that the First Amendment protects students involved in recent racially charged incidents. A state Attorney General’s Office report determined that students did not break any CSU executive orders or state laws, according to the email. The report itself is confidential as it…
Dream Big Darling brings women to fore of local wine and spirits industry
Dream bigger For more information on Dream Big Darling or for tickets, go to dreambigdarling.org. The Friday, Oct. 19, fundraiser kicks off at 5 p.m. with food crafted by The Range of Santa Margarita and wine from Ancient Peaks. Participants include Wittstrom-Higgins of Ancient Peaks, Jordan Fiorentini of Epoch Winery, Maeve Pesquera of Daou Vineyards…
Arroyo Grande declares homeless shelter crisis
The city of Arroyo Grande is eyeing a new state grant program that could provide funds to help the city’s homeless. But first, members of the City Council had to officially acknowledge a problem they’d long known about: The lack of shelters. On Sept. 25, the council voted 4-0, with Councilmember Tim Brown absent, to…
Oh, honey!
Raising bees is harder than it looks: The Central Coast Beekeepers Alliance is proud to host guest lecturer Jeremy Rose, who will lead a talk on “Recognizing and Surviving Times of Dearth on the Central Coast” this Oct. 13 from 3 to 5 p.m. at the Atascadero Grange Hall; 5035 Palma Ave. … Are you…
Property taxes can be paid monthly, thanks to a new county program
SLO County residents will soon have a new way to pay their property taxes. The SLO County Board of Supervisors approved a resolution to promote a new online payment system that will allow county homeowners to pay their property taxes in monthly installments. “I think it’s a pretty neat thing,” SLO County Treasurer and Tax…
Arroyo Grande artist Mark Bryan satirizes Trump presidency
Getting political Artist Mark Bryan’s show, Interesting Times, will be on display at Frameworks in San Luis Obispo starting Oct. 5. A reception will be held on opening day from 6 to 9 p.m., and Bryan will sign copies of his newly published art book, Pictures In My Head. For more of his work, visit…
Art pop act Sure Sure plays KCPR’s 50th anniversary celebration at SLO Brew Rock
Keep it to the left of the dial. Burnt Dog Radio. Where Different Matters. Cal Poly student-run radio station KCPR 91.3FM first broadcasted in 1968—”How the hell do you turn this on?” were reportedly the first sounds uttered—and it’s been going strong for 50 years. Hundreds of students through the decades have embraced, indulged, and…
40 Prado homeless center to open in next two weeks
One knee-jerk reaction that people may have when they see San Luis Obispo’s brand new and long-awaited $5.2 million homeless center at 40 Prado Road—with its multiple wings, high ceilings, big windows, and spacious courtyard—is: “That is one nice homeless shelter.” To which Grace McIntosh, deputy director of the Community Action Partnership of SLO (CAPSLO),…
Chevron pours $4 million into fight against Measure G
With Election Day just weeks away, the oil and gas industry has gone all in on its campaign to defeat Measure G—the citizen ballot measure to ban fracking and expanded oil drilling in San Luis Obispo County—dumping $4.7 million into its coffers and spending more than $1.6 million on the effort since July 1. The…
SLO Rep’s production of ‘Art’ delves into friendship and perspective
On stage Art will be on stage at the SLO Repertory Theatre through Oct. 14. Tickets range from $20 to $36. The show runs for 80 minutes with no intermission. Visit slorep.org for tickets and more information. What is art? It’s a question with no clear answer. When you see it, you just know. San…
Program offers free breast cancer screenings for SLO County women
According to data from the American Cancer Society, an estimated 1 in 8 women in the United States will develop breast cancer. Of those women, 1 in 36 will die. Early detection and treatment is a key factor in preventing those deaths, and in SLO County, underinsured and uninsured women have access to free breast…
SLOMA launches student visual arts program
The San Luis Obispo Museum of Art (SLOMA), in partnership with the SLO County Office of Education, is launching AWAKEN, a new visual arts program to showcase student artwork during the 2018-19 school year. This countywide exhibition will include works from elementary, middle, and high school students. The program will be divided into three themed…
Women’s Legacy Fund brings in nonprofit to educate men on respecting women and breaking out of the masculinity mold
The Women’s Legacy Fund strives to serve the needs of women and girls within San Luis Obispo County through a permanent endowment. With that endowment, the organization works to ensure that there is support for women and girls not just today but into the future. At the Sept. 27 annual Women’s Legacy Fund luncheon, that…
Trilogy-Monarch Dunes hosts crime fiction panel
In celebration of California Writers Week, five local crime fiction authors will participate in a panel discussion and book-signing event on Friday, Oct. 19, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. in the Avila Room at Trilogy-Monarch Dunes. Participants will discuss their different approaches to writing, from initial research to character and plot development. The five panelists…
Stand Strong encourages the community to come together to prevent intimate partner violence
Domestic Violence Awareness Month Stand Strong is hosting several events in October to help inform the community about domestic violence and ways to prevent it. Every Thursday in October, you can pick up an awareness month coloring kit at the Downtown SLO Farmers’ Market. Yarns at the Adobe will showcase the Art After Dark: Journey…
Awareness Issue 2018: A breast cancer survivor tells her story, a call to men to help prevent domestic violence, and more
This year, we decided to start October a little bit differently—to get in on the spirit and celebrate what the month represents. You can boast your own purple and pink ribbons until Halloween as this month is both Breast Cancer Awareness Month and Domestic Violence Awareness Month. As part of the annual Awareness Issue, New…
ARTery seeks artists for annual show
Submissions are currently being accepted for the ARTery’s annual Under $200 Art Show, which opens Friday, Nov. 16. Artists of all ages and skill levels are welcome to submit up to two pieces of art. The submission deadline is Saturday, Nov. 10. There is no cost to enter. Call (805) 464-0533 or visit the1artery.com for…
A need for change
When it comes to domestic violence, there a lot of stats out there. For example, every nine seconds, a woman in the U.S. is beaten or assaulted by a current or ex-significant other. And this example, 1 in 3 women and 1 in 4 men have been victims of some form of physical violence by…
Not the happiest place
Politics? Where do I start? Distracted drivers driving too fast, litter, pot farms, water, over-priced rent and housing, no more fire-pit at the former Taco Bell on Santa Rosa (that’s been awhile), and the demolition of the Alex’s BBQ sign in Shell Beach! What are we doing to SLO County? The problem I choose to…
The mind of a chef: Crickets, mezcal, and other treats from a chef’s table dinner in Los Olivos
I know I am in for a different kind of meal when I toss a handful of crickets into my mouth. The crickets, fried up with a little lime and salt, are served with a platter of chicharrones, tortilla chips, salsa, and fresh guacamole as appetizers of sorts. We eat them on the porch of…
Define ‘hate group’
The nation’s most venerable, effective, and credible anti-hate organization set foot in Paso Robles recently, only to be mauled about the leg and ankle by a snarling pit bull of an outfit that it had labeled a hate group. That sharp-fanged group calls itself Californians for Population Stabilization (CAPS), here represented by its Paso avatar,…
At last, Community Choice
On Sept. 18, the SLO City Council approved a Community Choice Energy (CCE) program in accordance with California’s Community Choice Aggregation law. The council also directed staff to come back with a plan that will make the city “carbon neutral” by 2035, one of the most ambitious greenhouse gas reduction goals in the world, beating…
Happy harvest!
Parrish Family Vineyard in Paso Robles will host a harvest weekend extravaganza Oct. 19 to 21 featuring Bordeaux blends, live music, a putting green, and competitive corn hole (P.S. the winery is now making handcrafted sourdough with cabernet sauvignon grapes as a starter). Learn more at parrishfamilyvineyard.com. Speaking of harvest events, they’re going to be…
