Cover Story
Underage and undercover
7:45 on a chilly November evening. I’m sitting quietly in the back seat of a non-descript minivan, parked on a dark street corner, staring out of tinted windows at a young woman who’s leaning up against the entrance to a San Luis Obispo liquor store. In the driver’s seat, an undercover SLO Police Department sergeant.…
What cartoon character do you identify with the most?
Erick Newman retired, San Luis Obispo “Actually, I don’t identify with any cartoon character. I’m more into science than cartoons.” Alison Cebulla marketing, Grover Beach “Captain Planet, because he fights to save the environment!” Scott Manor PHD student, Edinburgh, Scotland “I would probably have to say Dilbert, because I work in a room with a…
Got haiku?
Think you’re a poet? And you do know it? Now’s your chance to prove it. Local writer/psychologist Steve Brody will be editing a column titled “SLO Haiku” on the third Thursday of the month for “Artifacts.” Below is his maiden voyage. Dr. Brody’s project, “SLO Haiku,” is “a vehicle for the county to share its…
Artsy smut for your butt
Make way, nachos and humping. There’s a new entry to my list of most favorite things ever, and her name is No Shame Theatre. We met late at night, neither of us knowing quite what to expect. I was a naïve but intrepid young journalist; she, a vivacious series of five-minute skits and songs. There…
The anxiety of glass and steel
“I’m not exactly the calmest person,” admitted sculptor Bella Feldman. The Oakland artist was 3 when the Great Depression hit, and a preteen at the onset of World War II. “It’s been a tough 20th century,” she continued. “I’m Jewish. My relatives were either incinerated in Poland or barely escaped with their lives, and as…
All’s fair
Watercolorist Tracy Taylor never goes to art shows, she said, though she attends county fairs quite regularly. But after seeing photographer Barry Goyette at the Mid-State Fair last year, she made an exception. She got dolled up and went to his next photography show, hoping for a glimpse of carousels, fortunetellers, and carnies through Goyette’s…
See the light!
Perhaps it’s no coincidence that “rejoice” rhymes with “voice.” The sheer power achieved by human vocal chords resonating together in song can evoke deep feelings of joy and connectedness, a universal experience felt by people of various cultures throughout the ages. In our culture, it’s the winter holiday season that acts as a catalyst for…
Diamonds, gems, and gold in the rough
Barbara Schippers walked into her Los Osos home and felt things were amiss—nothing major, maybe a drawer askew or something not quite where she left it. It was already a tough time for Schippers. She had recently lost her job and totaled her car. On top of that, she was trekking to Fresno every weekend…
Staring into the sun (power)
San Luis Obispo County planning commissioners on Dec. 9 set the stage for what will likely be an environmental throw down over the Carrizo Plains. By Jan. 27, commissioners should be kicking off the first official hearings for SunPower’s 250 megawatt solar voltaic project, the first of two projects proposed for the sun-drenched California Valley,…
Arroyo Grande wants to buy more water
The City of Arroyo Grande is thirsty. After a few close scrapes with the bottom of the proverbial water barrel, the City Council voted to try to buy 250 acre-feet of water from the Oceano Community Services District. The purchase would cost the city, according to staff reports, $300,000 to $350,000 each year and provide…
Atascadero’s in the red
The City of Atascadero spent more money than it took in during the last financial year, according to a report presented to the City Council Dec 14. The city was forced to cut into its reserves to make up for the $715,189 budget gap. Atascadero spent $16,330,914 while only bringing in $15,615,095. Though this might…
SLO process server gets four years
Lyza Johnsen, owner of Johnsen & Johnsen Legal Support Services in San Luis Obispo, was sentenced on Dec. 13 for three felony counts and one misdemeanor ranging from grand theft to writing bad checks. Johnsen amassed the charges over about a year, each with its own lists of various charges. She reached an agreement with…
Planning Commission sees more turnover
The San Luis Obispo County Planning Commission is going green. No, not necessarily environmentally speaking. Come 2011, newcomers will be in the majority since three commissioners—current chair Anne Wyatt, Gene Mehlschau, and Bruce White—have announced their plans to step down at the end of the year. On Dec. 13, County Supervisor Frank Mecham sent out…
Blakeslee prepares to kick ASH
Sen. Sam Blakeslee plans to roll out up to four bills to address worker safety concerns at Atascadero State Hospital. Blakeslee said stories from hospital employees “disturbed” him, so his office began meeting with ASH administrators and officials from the state Department of Mental Health. For a second time, he said he plans to run…
SLO city pension rates are going up
The City of San Luis Obispo will be contributing more money for its employees’ pensions. Due to a reformulation of actuarial rates by the California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS), the city will have to spend about 3 percent more for SLO employees in the next financial year, according to a city report. In a…
Hello, Mr. President
Cal Poly has a new leader. School officials announced on Dec. 15 that the California State University Board of Trustees selected Jeffrey D. Armstrong as the polytechnic president. Currently dean of the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources and professor of animal science at Michigan State University, Armstrong was selected from a pool of three…
Classy eats, local drinks
Robin and Shanny Covey own two of the most respected restaurants in San Luis Obispo County: Novo in SLO and Robin’s in Cambria. They’re currently working to add a third success story to that list. In September, their attempt to offer Pan Asian flavor in downtown SLO ended after less than a year. Chow closed…
Carrizo solar projects are environmentally sound
California voters made clear they care about improving air quality and combating climate change by defeating Proposition 23. San Luis Obispo County has a historic opportunity to act on this mandate, with two large-scale solar power plants proposed for the Carrizo Plain. The significance of these projects calls for a response to the commentary by…
What about employee rights?
I am very impressed by Colin Rigley’s extremely accurate Dec. 2 article, “A history of violence,” which pertains to Atascadero State Hospital. The patients at ASH who refuse to take physician-prescribed medications because of patients’ rights may not get well. Without medication, many patients can become violent and attack employees and other patients. Perhaps it…
You nailed the anger and frustration
ASH treats mentally ill violent felons. It takes a psychological toll to face this violence daily without the support from those who make and implement policy. Managements’ attitude is best summed up by Jon DeMorales’s “I think some of our employees like to brag about how big our place is and how dangerous our place…
Help us make Uptown a unique reality
Thank you for Bob McDonald’s excellent article on the quest to realize the potential of Uptown SLO (“Get to know me,” Dec. 9). We chose to take the lead because of the possibility of what Uptown could be. Initial ideas for funding were to create a cooperative alliance of Upper Monterey Street businesses. Quickly, we…
The Enhancement Plan is a failure
Regarding “More, better info on ASH could lead to more support” (Dec. 2) by Earl Smith: Mr. Smith infers that the increase in violence at Atascadero State Hospital is due to a change in the population of patients and not the “Enhancement Plan.” How then does Mr. Smith explain away the huge increases in violence,…
Dimwits could be terrorists themselves
Mr. Ruhge was accused of being a Muslim basher in New Times (“Beware peacocks parading as patriots,” “This is why the rest of the world hates Americans,” Dec. 2). Where do these dimwits come from? Are these people Muslim “terrorists” themselves? I wonder—it would seem so the way they were yammering. We had better be…
Where’s the word from local workers?
I was disappointed to see the lack of balance in Dec. 9’s “Chemical warfare” story regarding the approval of methyl iodide. I had hoped the article would quote actual workers or farmers here in Santa Maria Valley rather than known opponents of pesticides as a whole, whose opinions are nothing if not predictable. These comments…
Some thoughts on methyl bromide
I thought you did a balanced job with your “Chemical warfare” article (Dec. 9). That’s a rare talent these days. I would be really very interested to learn what quotes you get from talking to those who campaigned against methyl bromide for the past decade or more. Do they understand that they have escalated the…
Kim Wykoff
NEW TIMES Happy holidays! I hear Apple Farm will be having many holiday specials during this time of year; what kind of events do you have planned? WYKOFF Happy Holidays to you, too! Yes, we do have special events planned just for the holidays. Some of them include special rates at our inn, while…
Stacking the odds
I’m not a big gambler—never have been, never will be. There’s something nauseating about choking on exhaled cigarette smoke while mindlessly pulling at a slot machine lever, which somehow always reminds me of a monkey playing with himself. And if I wanted to watch things race in elliptical patterns while rednecks turn into raving lunatics,…
Clubs
Goin’ South … COFFEE BEAN AND TEA LEAF: 750 Five Cities Drive, Pismo Beach, 773-6420. Music Night every Sat., 6:30-8:30pm. ELMO’S NIPOMO SALOON: 131 South Thompson Road, Nipomo, 929-5362. Karaoke on Thurs. and Fri. at 8pm. F. MCLINTOCKS SALOON: 750 Mattie Road, Pismo Beach, 773-1892 or mclintocks.com. Live music every Fri.-Sat., 6-9pm. Tennessee Jimmy Harrell, Doc Stoltey. GATHER…
Estancia 2009 Pinot Noir Pinnacles Ranches
The Monterey County winery consistently offers this classic red wine at a very low price for the quality. I’ll admit I liked this vintage much more than the previous year. Easy drinking but far beyond simple, it’s delicious, with ripe fruit flavors of black cherry, plum, strawberry, and bright notes of raspberry. It has just…
Roederer Brut Rosé NV
This pretty, salmon-hued bubbly is a great choice for the holidays, whether you’re toasting a special moment or hosting a great dinner party. One of my top choices for value-priced, non-vintage sparkling wines, its elegance and fresh fruit flavors make it compatible with nearly everything. A blend of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, it tastes of…
A unique twist on the most important meal of the day
I just discovered the Sculptured Egg, a Los Osos café famous for its housemade breakfasts. I heard about it from Jerry Lithwin, a Los Osos contractor who recently remodeled my master bedroom and bathroom. He and his wife and business partner, Aimee Lithwin, the talented designer, told me they love this tiny little restaurant near…
