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The cheesiest story ever told
Get an inside look at operations at Central Coast Creamery.
What advice would you give yourself this time last year?
John Smith Musician “The advice I would give would be a little more reserved and think about things more, just be more organized.” Nora Spalholz Traveler “Work hard on maintaining myself amidst traveling where I tend to lose myself along the way.” Alex Harrison Recent Graduate “Don’t remain comfortable in order to expect happiness.” Luis…
Big ol’ bullies
There are few things I love better than a good slam book. Gossip. Intrigue. Poorly worded insults. Vendettas that go back to the seventh grade when Becky decided she liked Mark but Mary already had dibs. Like wtf, Becky? I say this assuming most of you understand the difference between a slam book and a…
Keep the spotlight on fracking
Well said, Melanie and Robert, you really hit a nerve with that letter (“Stop bickering, and fight fracking together,” Dec. 5) and zeroed in on the thread that holds a community together or unravels it completely: water. And more importantly, how we can lose it all by ignoring the stealth drone flying beneath the radar…
You’ve got a giant problem
With regret, I have resigned from the board of PRO Water Equity. We formed PRO Water Equity to advocate for fairness. As new studies show the overdraft worse than anticipated, the need for a fair and equitable solution is clear. The PRO Water-PRAAGS compromise gives away a chance for fairness and oversight: a one-person one-vote…
You’re wrong about Katcho
The disparaging comments in the Dec. 5 Shredder column on Assemblymember Katcho Achadjian’s “yes” vote on Assembly Bill 8 is an unfortunate and unwarranted example of the old adage “No good deed goes unpunished” (“Hypocrisy and taxes,” Dec. 5). This bill, recently signed into law by Gov. Brown, extends the sunset date for existing vehicle,…
I’m disappointed, Shredder
I am writing to briefly respond to the Shredder’s recent rant regarding my vote on AB 8 (“Hypocrisy and taxes,” Dec. 5). While I try not to make it a habit to engage in debate with misinformed individuals that hide their identities behind pseudonyms, I do not believe his inaccurate tirade should go unanswered. The…
Justice in the Twilight Zone
Having watched for a long time what loosely passes for jurisprudence in those counties over there, I am fascinated by the San Luis Obispo Superior Court appellate division’s reversal of Darryl Genis’s motion win, which had suppressed evidence on the grounds that the Pismo Beach police purposely and systematically deprived a drunk driving defendant of…
Fresh fish for all: FishLine app hooks you up
Over the past few years, the farm-to-table term has rapidly gained traction in our agricultural community. Restaurants compete at the weekly farmers markets for the freshest, locally grown fruits and vegetables to serve up in their most popular dishes. Well, that farm-to-table view just expanded with the FishLine app. The FishLine app offers the community,…
Cougars & Mustangs
Hey there, Cuesta and Cal Poly students. You’ve both completed your finals! So … what are you going to do next? That’s right, plan for your next term of schooling! Hurrah! But seriously, what are you going to do next? Embrace time with family? Get started on good habits, preparing for upcoming New Year’s Resolutions?…
Second-in-command announces candidacy for county District Attorney
If you’ve sat in on some of the hardcore criminal trials taking place in the San Luis Obispo County Courthouse over the last 15 years, you’ve probably seen Tim Covello. If you’re like most people and prefer to stay away from detailed descriptions of especially heinous acts and the hardened criminals who carry them out,…
Two lawsuits and an agreement complicate the stabilization of the declining Paso Robles Groundwater Basin
Two lawsuits and one slowly braided agreement have come to the forefront of the unfolding story about the Paso Robles Groundwater Basin and the future of those whose livelihoods rest above it. The condition of the basin and the many paths toward addressing a looming crisis took a front row seat at the San Luis…
County leaders choose a new top planner
After a rigorous search, San Luis Obispo County has chosen a new director for the Planning and Building Department. Jim Bergman was offered the job after a seven-month search that had decision-makers sifting through about 100 candidates, according to Ken Tasseff, a personnel analyst in the county’s human resources department. Bergman received a master’s degree…
The new Oceano general manager’s rocky start continues
“Frustrating” is definitely the adjective du jour for the Oceano Community Services District, now two months into the tenure of new general manager Lonnie Curtis. The district, which has employed seven general managers (four hired, three interim) since 2007, suffered its latest bout of drama at its Dec. 11 meeting when the board of directors…
Peterson gets punted from the APCD board
Debbie Peterson was on the chopping block—or at least her seat on the San Luis Obispo County Air Pollution Control District (APCD) board was—four months ago. A push to remove her from that position failed then. But not this time. On Dec. 16, the Grover Beach City Council voted on a variety of appointments and…
A local surgical institute pays big in a negligence case
Following a three-year civil case and a two-week-long trial in the San Luis Obispo County Superior Court, a Pismo Beach ambulatory surgical center will pay out more than half a million dollars to a Central Coast man for negligence. Coastal Surgical Institute is a facility that offers general and specialized surgery procedures for patients who…
Morro Bay and City Manager Lueker finalize their separation agreement
It began as what sounded to many locals as a sudden and unexpected announcement: There would be a major changing of the guard in the Morro Bay city administration. It ended up lasting three antagonistic months. In November, City Attorney Rob Schultz was given the boot by a slim city council majority. On Dec. 12,…
New Year’s Eve Celebrations abound in SLO
Greetings, Glenstarkians. My name is Victoria, and I will be sitting in for our esteemed music columnist for the next few weeks while he is on holiday. My credentials are … well, I like music and I sit right outside Glen’s office. Now, to get right to it: You probably wait till the last minute…
Songs and stories for Christmas
Story and song have long been the touchstones of shared cultural experience—but never more so than during the chilly winter months. Warm your heart and hands and whatever else with these cozy and participatory gatherings, brought to you by Christmas: “Songs and Stories for the Holidays.” Taking place at Steynberg Gallery on Saturday, Dec. 21…
Good grief: An Art Basher stages a nine-part holiday-themed scavenger hunt in downtown SLO
It’s 3:30 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 15 and I’ve got a brownie in my left hand, a mug of hot chocolate in my right, and my eyes on a platter of dates garnished with mascarpone cheese and honey. The house is littered with stockings from The Dollar Tree—pink ones with Disney princesses and traditional red…
Nico Vandenheuvel’s SLOMA exhibit represents more than 60 years of painting
The earliest work in the current exhibit “Nico Vandenheuvel: Then and Now,” a small still life called Attic Corner, is dated 1947. The most recent works in the show were painted in 2013. One would be hard-pressed, however, to date the 25 works in “Then and Now”—which hangs at the San Luis Obispo Museum of…
Clubs 12/19/13
Goin’ South … THE CLIFFS RESORT: 2757 Shell Beach Road, 773-5000 or cliffsresort.com. CUVEE BISTRO AND CHAMPAGNE BAR: 550 1st St., Avila Beach, 595-2245. Live music Thurs. and Sat. 6-9pm. F. MCLINTOCKS SALOON: Two locations: 750 Mattie Road in Pismo Beach and 133 Bridge St. in Arroyo Grande. 773-1892 or mclintocks.com. Live music at the…
Tercero 2009 Cuvée Loco and Dry Creek 2011 Old Vine Zinfandel
Tercero 2009 Cuvée Loco Grown in the renowned Larner Vineyard in Santa Ynez Valley, this blend is made up of 75 percent Grenache and 25 percent Syrah. Winemaker Larry Schaefer, who was Fess Parker’s winemaker many years, is a Rhone red specialist and his excellent white and rose wines are always among my…
avion & claw: Atascadero has a new wine bar and it’s worth a visit
As a guest speaker at the Cal Poly Vines to Wines Club, I always explain the importance of aligning yourself with an outstanding winery where you’ll learn to make great wines, manage a tasting room, or learn the skills necessary to become a press relations person for the wine industry to aspiring winemakers and viticulturists.…
Yule love it
Let’s start with the first word: what exactly is a “Yule?” Yule was a winter festival celebrated by Germanic peoples, which was later absorbed into Christianity and today has become synonymous with Christmas or the Christmas season. The original Yule log was an actual log, more specifically an entire tree that was burned during Yule,…
