Cover Story
Last Minute Gift Guide 2015
Holidays equal getting fat and spending money. Oh, and trying to avoid talking to relatives you can’t stand! But this time of year also inevitably means time with family you absolutely love, sharing moments with people you rarely see, and giving gifts that are better than everyone else’s! I know that’s not the point, but…
Pismo Beach sues Simi Valley developer
The City of Pismo Beach is suing a Simi Valley developer and his partners, claiming they failed to pay annual costs related to the purchase of state water for a development project that’s been stalled for more than 20 years. According to a complaint filed by the city in SLO County Superior Court Nov. 24,…
What’s your favorite local store to buy gifts for the holidays?
Kitty Putnam retired/grandmother “EcoBambino on Monterey Street. They have very nice baby clothes.” Katie Barsati Cal Poly student “Boo Boo Records. I have some friends who are into vinyl records, and I am too.” John Maulhardt businessman “Barnes & Noble. I like to buy books as gifts.” Karen Adler retired “Moondoggies Beach Club. They have…
Tree time: Holloway’s Christmas Tree Farm in Nipomo is a family tradition
The first thing you notice is the scent of Christmas, a mix of Monterey pine, noble fir, white fir, and Douglas fir. Three of those varieties are growing on 15 acres at Holloway’s Christmas Tree Farm. The noble fir is shipped in from a place called Mossy Rock in Washington state. A tractor with a…
Cougars & Mustangs
‘Twas the Night Before Finals and all through the school, not a Cougar was purring, each one felt the fool. “I’m a diligent student! What parties? I’d read! But one more physics quiz and I’m animal feed. I can’t take all the stress. I have earned my respite! But my butt’s on the line, I…
Internet radio app from Central Coast LIVE! tunes in on locals
They say the best things in life are free. You can now add something new to that list: a local gem for your smartphone that broadcasts exclusively local music livestream via a program similar to Pandora. Central Coast LIVE! Inc. just launched their new Internet radio app that boasts a round-the-clock livestream of music from…
Many turn to online crowdfunding to pay for medical emergencies
Matthew Gutowski was a dedicated cyclist, and at the age of 43, he was active and living the very picture of a healthly lifestyle. But that changed on the morning of Nov. 6, when he woke up feeling strange. “It was confusing,” said Gutowski, who moved to SLO in October. “I couldn’t talk, and I…
Corrections
• In the Dec. 3 cover story “Lights, Camera, Adventure” Harrison Harbers’ name was misspelled. • In the Dec. 3 Flavor article “Consulting the tea leaves,” The Secret Garden Organic Herb shop address was listed incorrectly. The shop is located at 740 Higuera St. in SLO.
Will SLO Solidarity keep its momentum alive after ‘dead week’?
After several days in the media spotlight during the university’s “dead week,” leaders and organizers with the student activist organization SLO Solidarity hope to keep their message of a more representative and tolerant Cal Poly alive as winter break approaches. “This is the time for action,” Matt Klepfer, one of the group’s organizers, told a…
Los Osos CSD general manager placed on administrative leave
The Los Osos Community Services District (LOCSD) Board of Directors placed district General Manager Kathy Kivley on paid administrative leave effective Dec. 4 at 5 p.m. The decision was made during closed session at the Dec. 3 board meeting, district lawyer Michael Seitz told New Times. The board will convene again for a special closed…
Arroyo Grande High School sex assault investigation continues
The Arroyo Grande Police Department continues its investigation into reports of a teacher sexually assaulting a student at Arroyo Grande High School. Arroyo Grande Police Cmdr. Beau Pryor said the investigation into the matter was ongoing, and added that the department was meeting with a representative from the SLO County District Attorney’s office to discuss…
Paso murder scene was home to marijuana grow
SLO County Sheriff’s Office officials confirmed that the Paso Robles-area ranch that was the site of a murder and police shootout was used to cultivate marijuana. In an email response to questions from New Times, Sheriff’s spokesperson Tony Cipolla said that more than 104 pounds of dry processed bud and 43 pounds of dried, manicured…
SLO County and SLO city consider medical marijuana cultivation ordinances
In the wake of monumental state legislation passed earlier this year to regulate the medical marijuana industry, local cities and San Luis Obispo County are rushing to pass cultivation regulations before a March 1, 2016, deadline. Both the city of SLO and SLO County will be considering the issue at their respective Dec. 15 meetings.…
A letter in support of SLO Solidarity
Thanks to the New Times for its coverage of events related to the student-led SLO Solidarity movement on the Cal Poly campus. It’s clear that what’s going on is much more than a response to some bigoted and threatening remarks. The push for greater diversity at Poly has been going on for decades. I taught…
Studio @ Ryan’s American Dance performs at the PAC
And a five, six, seven, eight, and dance! On Dec. 12 and 13, local dancers of all ages from Studio @ Ryan’s American Dance will take to the stage at Cal Poly’s Alex & Faye Spanos Theatre for the production of Ready! Set! Rad! The showcase will feature a variety of dance styles including ballet,…
Funny business: SLO Comedy Festival puts out call for entries
Calling all wisecracking, smart-mouthed punsters: The SLO Comedy Festival is now on the hunt for the funniest of them of all! The sixth annual SLO Comedy Festival will be held across four days starting March 3, 2016, and will take place at 10 different venues in San Luis Obispo, including Tap It Brewing, Mother’s Tavern,…
Jody Mulgrew releases his fifth album
It’s Sunday, Dec.6, and my wife and I grab a couple of barstools at Bang the Drum Brewery and settle in with a few microbrews to listen to one of our favorite performers, Jody Mulgrew, the peripatetic singer-songwriter who’s playing to a small but appreciative crowd in the intimate and homey venue. When we arrive,…
The most wonderful story of the year: SLO Little Theatre brings movie classic ‘A Christmas Story’ to the stage
It just isn’t the holiday season until you can curl up in front of the TV with a cup of hot cocoa and hear those famously cruel and unjust words: “You’ll shoot your eye out!” Now residents of San Luis Obispo County can enjoy a live retelling of the classic movie A Christmas Story at…
Works by Josh Talbott and Lena Rushing featured in new exhibit, Layers, at Studios on the Park in Paso Robles
Sometimes there’s more to something than what’s on the surface. But if you dig a little deeper, you just might be surprised by what you find. The idea of literal layers of different media stacked on top of each other and the different intangible layers of human emotions and stories is one that nicely ties…
Reese Galido releases her new solo CD Unraveled on Dec. 12 at Steynberg Gallery
You might know Reese Galido from her band The Kicks, a great reggae-inspired party band, but her new solo CD Unraveled reveals another side of the performer—one that’s Triple-A ready, as in Adult Album Alternative, a popular radio format that harkens back to the album-oriented ’60s and ’70s, designed for grown-up listeners with discerning tastes.…
Clubs 12/10/15 – 12/17/15
Goin’ South THE CLIFFS RESORT: 2757 Shell Beach Rd., Shell Beach, 773-5000, cliffsresort.com. F. MCLINTOCKS SALOON: Two locations: 750 Mattie Rd. in Pismo Beach and 133 Bridge St. in Arroyo Grande. 773-1892 or mclintocks.com. Live music at the Pismo Beach location every Fri. and Sat. from 6-9pm. Tennessee Jimmy Harrell and Doc Stoltey play on…
Intolerance must be tolerated
Mordecai Shekelburg, we hardly knew thee. It seems like only yesterday you were quoting Adolf Hitler’s Mein Kamph and (allegedly) making Facebook death threats toward SLO Solidarity leader Matt Klepfer. Now your hate-filled page is gone and the only Mordecai Shekelberg I can find on Facebook is the “good goyim” at the Jewish Internet Defense…
In response to the Chris McGuinness ‘Crazy Train’ article
The title of Chris McGuinness’ Nov. 26 article itself is absurd. “Crazy Train”?? Really?? Is the author a fan of Black Sabbath? Maybe the late Randy Rhoads? Ozzy Osborne? Or is the author biased against the project?? Second, the article contains some fairly useful info but doesn’t go far enough. For instance, (excluding Amtrak trains)…
We need some measure of gun control
As a hunter in my youth in California, hunting guns were limited for legal shell capacity and still are. Shotguns were/are limited to three shells. For hunting rifles, there was/is also a reasonable restriction for how many shells can be loaded. For hunters, these limitations are reasonable. There is no reason that a hunter (with…
Solutions at Cal Poly shouldn’t involve forced actions
If only more people would enforce the 28th amendment to the Constitution. Thou shalt not ever hear or see or be made to feel anything offensive … The whole saga around the Free Speech Wall is fraught with irony. But if we do wish to in some way do something that will make all involved…
Stay home, terrorists
Dear Shredder, I appreciate your asking to hear from me regarding the invasion of “Syrian refugees” (“The American way?” Nov. 19). As a legal immigrant from Finland and being from a family whose members have been refugees, I have a personal perspective on the issue. First of all, you should note that Obama laid out…
Cass Winery’s 2014 Viognier and Baileyana’s 2013 El Jugoso Syrah
The best thing in the world to smell in the a.m.? Banana pancakes. The best thing in the world to smell when the clock strikes 5 p.m.? This charming viognier, which smells distinctly of perfectly-ripe banana goodness. This light-hearted wine was made with select juice from Cass Winery’s estate Paso Robles vineyard, then slowly cold…
Joy to the world
Break out the ugly sweaters: December at Bristols Cider House is all about getting cozy with friends and family. Dress your gang in the most festive garb, Santa hats, and ugly Christmas sweaters for a night of holiday shenanigans and wood-fired pizza on Dec. 10 from 4:30 to 7 p.m. (cider gift packs are also…
Rockin’ wine, beer to go, and a new kind of ‘shine
That first gulp of creamy, spicy eggnog slowly coating your tonsils. Steaming hot cocoa sipped before a crackling fire as the rain dances outside. The exuberant pop of the the cork as you pour the dark red contents of that tiny, wax-sealed bottle of port-style syrah for visiting friends—the one you’ve saved all year long.…
