Cover Story
Normalizing cannabis: Medical marijuana’s future in California didn’t become any clearer with the passage of Proposition 64
Sitting on opposite sides of an L-shaped dark brown leather couch inside the circular comfort of a yurt in South SLO County, Aaron Wright and Austen Connella are having a hard time reaching consensus. Each question that’s asked is answered in a sort of round robin. One speaks, and the other counters. A discussion ensues—like…
Ride well: Bike SLO County gives wheels to those in need
San Luis Obispo is a very bike-friendly community, which is great for those who want to either save money or save the environment by not driving. For some, however, even a bicycle is too much of an investment, so they are forced to walk everywhere or rely on public transportation. Fortunately, a new program called…
No questions asked: Syringe exchange program sees danger of SLO County’s opioid abuse problem firsthand
The woman in the car was young, between 23 and 24. She’d overdosed on some kind of opiate drug and was barely conscious. Alice Bodlak, a registered nurse, had seen this before and knew what to do. But even though the woman was on the verge of dying, Bodlak said she still tried to prevent…
Rules or incentives? The SLO County Board of Supervisors is divided over affordable housing policies
Throughout an Oct. 4 SLO County Board of Supervisors hearing about the future of the county’s affordable housing policies, 2nd District Supervisor Bruce Gibson grimaced and tapped his pen impatiently on the dais. The discussion was about what types of housing policies the county should pursue for the future, and Gibson thought the four-hour-long discussion…
Bingeable: Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life
When? 2016 | Where’s it available? Netflix. Please, please, please internet gods: Let this be the last reincarnation of Gilmore Girls. I say this as a die-hard fan of the show who looked up to Rory (Alexis Bledel), shared her journalistic ambitions, and was team Dean in the early days and team Logan later on.…
Creative nibbles
Artistic aperitif: The Granada Hotel & Bistro and The Station are proud to announce that the popular Art Bar SLO has moved from its Granada space to its new, permanent home at The Station. The Station will continue as a wine bar and shop, curating San Luis Obispo’s best wine selection and hosting wine-centric and…
What’s your favorite Star Wars character and why?
Dylan Freiberg waiter “Lando Calrissian, because he was a jerk and turned out to be a swell guy; it’s the ultimate example of redemption.” Andy King outdoor retail associate “Rey, because she’s a strong female lead character, and that’s great for the Star Wars franchise.” William Moller sales associate “Luke Skywalker, because he’s the hero…
Calling all artists: Paso Arts Fest accepting applications
Want your art seen by 10,000 sets of eyeballs? Then submit work for consideration in the upcoming Paso ArtsFest. The May art festival is put on by Studios on the Park in downtown Paso Robles and features an outdoor fine arts sale, a quick draw event, and more on May 27. Artists must submit six…
SLO County revokes Pasolivo expansion permit
Obeying a SLO County Superior Court order, the SLO County Board of Supervisors rescinded a permit it granted to Pasolivo to expand its processing and event operations west of Paso Robles. Pasolivo now must prepare a full environmental impact report (EIR) to move forward with its plans, which involve hosting 20 events per year for…
Son accused of murdering his father appears in court
A registered sex offender accused of killing his father in Morro Bay appeared in the SLO County Superior Court for arraignment Dec. 14. William Joel Schonberger, 23, briefly appeared before Judge Dodie Harman to answer to a murder charge in connection with the death of his 59-year-old father, William John Schonburger. He is also facing…
San Luis Coastal declares schools as ‘safe zones’
Camilo Baltodano, a Pacheco Elementary School student, stepped up to the lectern at the Dec. 13 San Luis Coastal Unified School District (SLCUSD) board of trustees meeting and addressed the adults in the room. He wanted to express his support for a resolution that was in front of the board that night��”titled “School District Safe…
SLO city settles one labor dispute, faces another
The San Luis Obispo City Council put a long-standing labor dispute with one group of the city’s first responders to bed but will likely inherit another fight currently set to play out in federal court. The council voted Dec. 13 to approve a settlement with the SLO Police Officers Association (SLOPA) that would end a…
A Nutcracker Christmas: Civic Ballet’s take on holiday dance wows
Iconic and timeless are two words that come to mind as I take my seat for the Civic Ballet San Luis Obispo’s performance of The Nutcracker on Dec. 10. In spite of having spent many years as a tot rehearsing and dancing all winter long in The Nutcracker (my roles included gingersnap and mouse), a…
Clearly defined: Paso artist Betty Wick creates in black and white
A lack of color doesn’t put off Paso Robles artist Betty Wick. Since she was in high school in Ohio she’s explored the complexities of black and white, starting with charcoal drawings and moving on to printmaking and typography at college. “It’s very minimal and raw,” Wick said of working with a binary color palette.…
Home for the holidays: The Great American Melodrama celebrates the season with classics, comedy, and tunes
The Great American Melodrama always feels like an extra special place during its annual tradition, the Holiday Extravaganza. The halls are decked, the piano sings with familiar songs, and the youth actors that make up the Cratchit family in A Christmas Carol lead you to your seat. That’s how the Holiday Extravaganza always begins, with…
Dance the grumps away: Ballet Theatre SLO stages ‘A Christmas Carol’
It turns out not even Scrooge can stay cross when dancing’s afoot. Take in a different twist on a classic Christmas story with Ballet Theatre San Luis Obispo’s performance of Gilbert Reed’s masterful telling of the Dickens classic A Christmas Carol Dec. 16 through 18 at Cal Poly’s Alex and Faye Spanos Theatre. This lively…
Goodbyes are hard: Gallery at the Network closes Dec. 26
It’s always sad to see another local shop close its doors for good on Higuera Street. After 17 years of business, the Gallery at the Network in downtown SLO will close its doors on Dec. 26, but it might just be a goodbye for now. Owner Rosanne Seitz will continue her painting career but retire…
Sweet memories
While it seemed like everyone in Santa Barbara County was fawning over their outgoing 1st District Supervisor Salud Carbajal—your newest representative in Congress—at the Board of Supervisors Dec. 13 meeting, I was wondering how he would manage to beat Lois Capps’ title as nicest member of Congress when he takes her seat in the House…
Time for healing
My letter to the editor in the Dec. 8 edition of New Times (“Talk radio: Stop spreading misinformation”) was juxtaposed to an opinion piece by Al Fonzi, the resident conservative writer (“America then, America now”). The irony about that is: He used the exact language in his piece I called out the Fox radio host…
It was a privilege serving SLO
Congratulations to the new City Council and new mayor! I may not like the will of 47 voters in this case, but, I accept and affirm the results of this election. Six years ago the citizens of San Luis Obispo gave me the great privilege and opportunity of serving as your mayor. This has been…
How many things have city officials lied about?
So, the Santa Maria police issued a fake press release, saying they turned over two low-level criminals (the police actually used those exact words) to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, supposedly for deportation—to mislead some gang members who wanted some retribution against them. After thinking about this for a while, something occurred to me. I would…
Political con artists are divisive
The latest in the propaganda series from Al Fonzi (“American then, America now,” Dec. 8) needs a response. He comments upon the extreme degree of division within the U.S. and he is not totally wrong there. But, like much else that he writes, it is from a distorted historical perspective. There have been numerous severe…
Off highway motor vehicle law up for renewal
Thank you Mr. Frank DePasquale from Cambria for supporting the establishment of the Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary (“Let’s get that marine sanctuary going,” Dec. 8). I support it, too. Yet, we have a more urgent local issue we need to act on now: stopping the destruction of Oceano Beach, Arroyo Grande Creek’s estuary, and…
Reforming rights
The mental health system has been a subject reported on by many news stations covering high-profile cases where the criminal is deemed mentally unstable, and what follows is a push for reform of the mental health system. That reform is long awaited and hotly debated both on local and national levels. At the local level…
When they go Milo, we go higher learning
The scheduled appearance of breitbart.com writer and “Alt-right” gadfly Milo Yiannopolous at Cal Poly on Jan. 31 has gained considerably more attention than most of our speakers. Milo’s Dangerous Faggot tour is making stops at several West Coast universities, and at each, students, faculty, and community members are protesting, demanding cancellations or greater accountability for…
Angelino cowboy: Sam Outlaw rides into Tooth and Nail Winery Dec. 15
Editor’s note: Glen Starkey is on vacation so Flavor writer Hayley Thomas Cain is stepping in for a couple of weeks. Sam Outlaw will be the first to tell you: If you’re thinking about giving up your day job to make a living in the underground country music scene right now, you’re absolutely crazy. Totally…
Clubs 12/15/16 – 12/22/16
Goin’ South THE CLIFFS RESORT: 2757 Shell Beach Rd., Shell Beach, 773-5000, cliffsresort.com. FIGUEROA MOUNTAIN BREWING CO.: Singer/Songwriter Night every Wed. from 7:30-10pm. 1462 E. Grand Ave., Arroyo Grande, 474-8525, figmtnbrew.com. HARRY’S NIGHT CLUB AND BEACH BAR: Cypress and Pomeroy, downtown Pismo Beach, 773-1010. Thurs.: Front Row Karaoke. 12/15: Jawz Karaoke at 9pm; 12/16: Steppin’…
Crafting crafty cocktails fast: Root Elixirs takes the lag time out of bartending your next holiday soiree
Like most mixologists worth their pink Himalayan sea salt, Dominique Gonzales faced a recurring internal struggle whenever hosting parties at her place. It didn’t matter if there were five or 50 people. At some moment during the night, she’d pause and ponder. Should she refresh her friend’s drink—muddle the mint, zest the citrus, shake the…
Granada’s Winter Mule and Novo’s Vesper
A green sprig of rosemary, a handful of red cranberries, and a bite of fresh ginger—this is how I want to decorate my tabletop this holiday season. Oh, and lots of vodka! Granada’s take on the Moscow mule is everything you’ve ever wanted in a Christmas gift, and perfect for recreating at home (especially if…
