Cover Story
Getting connected: A look inside the efforts to bridge SLO County’s digital divide
Out of personal necessity, all three men stumbled into starting companies. Steve Terry just wanted to give his parents in Creston a better internet option than satellite. Ben Korman needed high-speed broadband on his ranch in Cayucos, and it wasn’t available. Tom Kosta, stuck with slow internet in east Arroyo Grande, found out that a…
Country and pop star LeAnn Rimes plays a holiday show at the SLOPAC on Dec. 18
It’s beginning to sound a lot like Christmas in the local music scene. The really big holiday show of the week is country and pop star LeAnn Rimes, who plays Cal Poly’s Performing Arts Center on Tuesday, Dec. 18 (7:30 p.m.; all ages; $48 to $95, plus a $219 VIP meet-and-greet ticket at calpolyarts.org or…
Call a spade a spade
New Times has been spewing despicable, negative, disrespectful, profane, and even life-threatening dialogue when referring to President Trump. Purportedly, this is done in the name of journalistic license. Perhaps all of these depictions are true. That is not the point. Equitable journalism would have described our previous president as a sneering, flap-eared, baboon by merely…
Original show ‘Dinnertainment’ pokes fun at theater, holidays
On stage PCPA Casting Director Erik Stein’s original show, Holiday Dinnertainment, will be performed at the Cambria Center for the Arts through Dec. 23, with Friday and Saturday shows starting at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday shows starting at 2 p.m. Tickets are $25 per person. Visit cambriacenterforthearts.org for more information. And no, dinner is not…
A bipartisan agreement for good
The League of Women Voters commends the Board of Supervisors for agreeing to a plan to address the serious crisis of a lack of affordable housing in San Luis Obispo County. The bipartisan plan agreed to on Dec. 4 is an important first step. We also commend the Coalition of Housing Partners for its persistent…
Coast to peak: Appreciating nature outings at Pismo Beach and Bowden Ranch
Sometimes, when I allow myself to be really present and cogitative, I can experience the Pacific Ocean like I did when I was little, where every ripple seems to hold the key to the universe’s mysteries, where every irregular wave pattern, like a strong backwash colliding with an incoming crest, catches my eye and intrigue,…
The Endangered Species Act hasn’t fulfilled its promise
With all due respect to state Sen. Bill Monning (“The 45th anniversary of the Endangered Species Act,” Dec. 6), if you look back to the listing of sea otters in California as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) in 1977, you would find that the state of California did not support this…
SLO Rep’s Santaland Diaries shows the darker side of Christmas
Dear diary Santaland Diaries will show at the SLO Repertory Theatre on Friday, Dec. 14, and Saturday, Dec. 15, at 9:30 p.m. Tickets are $20 per person. The show is intended for mature audiences. Visit slorep.org for tickets and more information. What if your best shot at (temporary) employment was working as an elf during…
A happy place to create
I want to share a story with your readers about a person and place that touched my life as well as the lives my two sons, who are 5 and 3 years old. Several months ago I discovered LilA Creative Community in Arroyo Grande as I was browsing New Times for local activities. I was…
‘At Eternity’s Gate’ lays bare Vincent Van Gogh’s sad final days
AT ETERNITY’S GATE What’s it rated? PG-13What’s it worth, Anna? MatineeWhat’s it worth, Glen? MatineeWhere’s it showing? Galaxy, The Palm Julian Schnabel (Basquiat, Before Night Falls, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly) directs this biopic chronicling Vincent Van Gogh (Willem Dafoe) during his time in Arles and Auvers-sur-Oise, France. Rupert Friend stars as Vincent’s brother,…
Al Fonzi forgets his Christian values and fellow Americans
Mr. Fonzi, your opinion on the recent Atascadero City Council decision is appalling and the most selfish piece I’ve ever read in the New Times (“Why the armory is a bad idea for a shelter,” Dec. 6). You assume that everyone who can’t make it to ECHO is an addict and violent, which is a…
Bingeable: The Americans
When? 2013-2018 What’s it rated? TV-MA Where’s it available? Amazon Prime, iTunes, YouTube, Google Play What do you get when you combine the Cold War, undercover espionage, and marital strife? The Americans, a gripping spy thriller series on FX that follows Elizabeth (Keri Russell) and Philip (Matthew Rhys) Jennings, a married couple in Washington, D.C.,…
Disappointing reporting
I think Chris McGuinness fell far short of what one would expect in his reporting of the 20-year-old, Grover Beach man deported to Mexico (“ICE arrested 20-year-old DACA ‘dreamer’… ,” Dec. 6). The sense I took from his report is that a “dreamer” (one who is seeking a better life in America and wishes to…
Ag history lives, thanks to the Wine History Project of SLO County
Know your history The Wine History Project is located at 3592 Broad St., suite 104, and open by appointment only. The Food History Project meets at SLO Provisions, at 1255 Monterey St. in San Luis Obispo, the second Monday of the month from 5:30 to 7 p.m. For information, call (805) 439-4647 or go to…
Film Listings, 12/13/18 – 12/20/18
Editor’s note: Listings for Rodkey Theaters—Fair Oaks ((805-489-2364) and Sunset Drive-In ((805) 544-4475)—were not available at press time. AT ETERNITY’S GATE What’s it rated? PG-13 What’s it worth? Matinee Where’s it showing? Galaxy, The Palm See Split Screen. BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY What’s it rated? PG-13 What’s it worth? Full price Where’s it showing? Downtown Centre, Stadium…
Here’s the Green New Deal
For my money, this is the single most exciting potential outcome of the Blue Wave that just swept Congress: It was a giant step forward for the Green New Deal. If you haven’t heard about this, a detailed description follows, but here’s my short, simple favorite: We found a way to take on climate change…
Surfin’ Santa
Surf’s up and so are spirits: On Dec. 14, head to the coast for a chill community event sans tourists! The Shell Beach Holiday Stroll features local merchants selling their giftable wares along Shell Beach Road between 5 to 8 p.m. Enjoy shopping, refreshments, live music, grab bags for the kids, and a Surfin’ Santa.…
Man accused of killing his father sued for wrongful death
A 24-year-old man accused of murdering his father is now facing a lawsuit, according to court records. William Joel Schonberger is named as a defendant in the lawsuit, filed Dec. 6, which seeks damages for elder abuse and the wrongful death of his father, 59-year-old William John Schonberger. The lawsuit was filed by Weslee Schonberger,…
Safety schmafety
All you libertarian leaning righties to the North and South should be celebrating this week! The age of “big government” is over in San Luis Obispo County—for four days only. Actually, let me rephrase that. About 1,700 county employees who belong to the San Luis Obispo County Employees’ Association (SLOCEA) took it to the streets…
Winter winederland
Fugly and snuggly: Throw on your weirdest/tackiest/most terrible holiday sweater and head to Ancient Peaks Winery in Santa Margarita for a fun ugly sweater party this Dec. 14! The festivities will include wines by the glass, holiday treats, and live music by Britton Miller. You could also win best (read: ugliest) sweater! (No RSVP needed;…
County supervisors extend deadlines for cannabis growers
After a vote by San Luis Obispo County supervisors, hopeful local cannabis farmers will get a little extra time to file applications for cultivation permits. In exchange, their projects could receive a little extra scrutiny from the community. County supervisors agreed at a Dec. 11 meeting to extend a looming Dec. 31 deadline for growers…
Sound off
New Times readers took to Facebook to share their thoughts on our Dec. 6 news story, “SLO grapples with proposed six-story downtown development.”
Jolly vines
Italian wine for the win: On Dec. 15, check out a private reserve vertical wine tasting at Pelletiere Estate Winery in Paso Robles. Hosted by vintner Janis Denner, you’ll be guided through a tasting of estate grown sangiovese from four different vintages. This seated tasting will take place in the winery’s private barrel room and…
New Paso school board members to tackle difficult budget conversations
The Paso Robles Joint Unified School District is facing budget cuts. At a Dec. 11 school board meeting, Chief Business Officer Brad Pawlowski presented the first interim financial report for the 2018-19 fiscal school year. According to the report, the district’s projected reserve at the end of this fiscal year will be $1.3 million or…
Red and green and spicy all over
All I want for the holidays is a dozen tamales! On Dec. 15, Helen Daurio will host an authentic tamale-making class at the DANA Adobe Cultural Center, so get ready to learn a new and useful skill that will benefit everyone in close proximity to your kitchen! Learn everything you need to make delicious tamales…
Man who threatened Women’s March members sentenced
The man who threatened to kill members of Women’s March SLO on Facebook will not serve any jail time, despite concerns from the victims and the case’s prosecutor that he isn’t remorseful and doesn’t understand the impact of his crime. SLO County Superior Court Judge Matthew Guerrero sentenced 46-year-old Daniel Joshua Phares to three years…
SLO County strikers demand better pay, flood supervisors meeting
The juxtaposition in the room was telling. While San Luis Obispo County supervisors, one by one, heaped praise and accolades on several retiring department heads and deputies on Dec. 11, dozens of county workers gathered behind them holding signs. “County employees on strike!” … “Would you work for up to 18 percent less than fair…
Arroyo Grande, Grover will fill empty council seats by appointment
One of the first jobs that the newly elected members of the Grover Beach and Arroyo Grande city councils will take on is picking someone to share the dais with them. After swearing in new mayors and council members, both councils opted to appoint someone to fill vacant seats instead of holding special elections. In…
Avila Beach Resort could host larger events
Amid vocal community opposition, Avila Beach Resort is hoping to expand its current entertainment offerings. At a Dec. 10 Avila Valley Advisory Council meeting, Jaime Kirk of Kirk Consulting, a local land-use consulting firm, presented the resort’s proposal to amend its existing entertainment license to include for-profit events. “Our request of license is intended to…
Addiction treatment advocates worry about the impact of SLO County strike on Drug and Alcohol Services
As of December, Clark Guest said he’d officially been clean and sober for 19 years. But just three days after marking that important milestone, Guest publicly addressed the San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors on behalf of those who are still trying to navigate the path out of addiction and into recovery, whom he…
Local children’s museum holds membership drive
The Children’s Museum at the Paso Robles Volunteer Firehouse is having a membership drive during the month of December. Guests who purchase an annual family membership to the museum before January will receive an extra month for free. The membership costs $125 and covers admission for a family of 4, which may include children, grandchildren,…
Clothing for all: Susan Chandler’s sewing empowers children around the world
It started with knowing someone who knew someone who was going to Africa. When Susan Chandler found out that a friend of a friend was traveling to Africa, she knew she wanted to do something for children in need there. Her greatest skill is making things for others by sewing. Chandler said she was reminded…
Public art installation in SLO seeks artists
UNLOCK 2019, an upcoming public art installation hosted by Dwellinart Gallery in SLO, is seeking artists to apply for inclusion. Applicants are given a list of words to choose a single word from, which they are asked to illustrate thematically. Applications are due Dec. 21 and artists will be notified if their work has been…
SLOMA screens two photography documentaries
The San Luis Obispo Museum of Art is hosting a double feature film night on Dec. 17 at 7 p.m. Two short photography documentaries, Photographs of Art Sinsabaugh and Salt, will be shown. The suggested donation is $5 for members and $7 for non-members. Admission includes a complimentary beverage. Call (805) 543-8562 or visit sloma.org/films…
The trouble with alcohol
Just across the SLO County line in Kern County, sheriff’s deputies recently raided a “marijuana concentrate” lab, confiscating what the department called $9 million in cannabis products. On Nov. 28, the sheriff was quoted in The Bakersfield Californian as saying that the lab was “highly dangerous to not only the suspects, but the public as…
