Cover Story
Resurrection! A new partnership saves the Fremont Theater from obsolescence
Imagine San Luis Obispo without the historic Fremont Theater. Imagine Monterey Street without that soaring art deco marquee. The stately theater could have been razed a couple of decades ago to make way for a multiplex. It could have been fundamentally changed by dividing its cavernous auditorium into two theaters—another cockamamie proposal from the past.…
Teen leads Arroyo Grande police on vehicle chase
What began with a suspicious post on social media ended with Arroyo Grande police engaging in a vehicle chase with a 14-year-old juvenile. Police officials are not releasing the name of suspect because he is a minor, but announced the teen was arrested Dec. 17 on suspicion of felony possession of a stolen vehicle and…
Wind farms would be bad for the oceans
The many thousands of 700-foot tall wind turbines, collectively proposed as the Morro Bay Offshore Wind Farm, are only the first phase of a much larger offshore wind project, a mass-industrialization of our ocean expanses on a scale not seen in world history. The leasing process, overseen by industry-captured regulators and driven by greedy city…
From the wine-stained notebook of a newbie culinary judge …
Yes, competitive cooking shows are super popular. But have you ever stopped to wonder why? It really makes very little sense on a practical level. Viewers can’t eat—or even smell—the food on their screens. For all we know, every cooking show is rigged and the ingredients are all fake. Perhaps the food is atrocious and…
Don’t vape, don’t smoke
There are places in Arroyo Grande where you can hear birds singing, where you can smell the fresh ocean breeze. However, if you look on the ground, you can see many old and nasty cigarette butts. You can see teens being targeted by e-cigarette companies. You can smell the smoke in the air. This problem…
Oceano GM will aid Cambria for half a year
Oceano Community Services District’s (CSD) general manager will also serve as a part-time advisor to the Cambria CSD for six months. The Cambria CSD board of directors unanimously approved Paavo Ogren as a part-time strategic and organizational advisor on Dec. 13. Ogren will provide support services based on requests and direction from the CSD’s acting…
Christmas grinches
Once again an army of grinches has emerged as reliably as the changing of tides. There’s something about large numbers of people attempting to find a bit of happiness and joy in a major religious holiday that sets off alarm bells in a population segment always offended by something. If they can’t find anything to…
Off the chain
Support the small guys this holiday season: Find locally made food and drink-related gifts at The Station SLO, Mint + Craft, The Mercantile, SLO Natural Foods Co-op, Lincoln Market, and at the seasonal SLOcally Made Market, open through Dec. 24 (SLO); The Hive (Arroyo Grande), General Store (Paso Robles), and Smoobage (Morro Bay), among many…
Asleep at the wheels of justice
What’s going on, SLO County District Attorney’s Office? I mean, congrats on charging Canadian pastor Nathan Rieger for seeking underage sex with a fake 15-year-old, but you let a pain-pill-pushing physician escape justice in the middle of an opioid crisis, you’ve been accused of obstruction in a manslaughter case, and you let an allegedly rapey…
Holiday hubbub
‘Tis the season for giving with gusto: Old Juan’s Cantina is Oceano donated 50 percent of the day’s sales on Dec. 17 to the Boys & Girls Club of South SLO County, a nonprofit that helps guide young people to become responsible, caring citizens. This is the ninth consecutive year the restaurant has hosted a…
Sound off
New Times readers took to Facebook to share their thoughts on our Dec. 13 news story, “SLO County strikers demand better pay, flood supervisors meeting.”
Threshold singers comfort the grieving, sick, and dying
Joyful noise To arrange for the Threshold Singers to perform for someone, contact Hospice SLO County by calling (805) 544-2266. For more information on the larger Threshold Choir organization, visit thresholdchoir.org. When they finished singing, there was no applause. It wasn’t the first time this had happened. Singer Hannah Tenpas said it doesn’t bother her…
Pismo considers expanding smoking ban
Smokers in Pismo Beach may find themselves with fewer places to light up in public after the New Year. Members of the City Council are considering expanding the city’s public smoking ban and plan to take up the issue at their first meeting in January 2019. The move comes after the city was given a…
SLO Jewish Film Festival announces lineup
The ninth annual San Luis Obispo Jewish Film Festival begins with a special preview screening of On the Basis of Sex on Jan. 3 at 7 p.m. at Downtown Centre 7 Cinema. This Ruth Bader Ginsburg biopic stars Felicity Jones as Ginsberg and Armie Hammer as Martin Ginsburg. A discussion with Ruth Bader Ginsburg biographer…
News nibs
Farewell, fabulous friend: Naked Fish in downtown SLO has shuttered its doors. However, you can still visit the modern sushi joint at their Paso Robles location at 807 13th St. … Central Coast Grown at City Farm SLO has had an eventful fall thus far, hosting agricultural events for at-risk youth, planting plenty of new…
New old-school ska act The Upside debuts Dec. 21 at The Siren
Like a lot of music lovers of my generation, I “discovered” ska music in the late-’70s with British 2 Tone bands such as The English Beat, The Selecter, Madness, and The Specials—bands that later inspired Third Wave ska in the U.S. with acts such as The Toasters, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Mad Caddies, and the…
SLOMA seeks local middle school artists
The San Luis Obispo Museum of Art (SLOMA) is calling for artwork from local middle school students for its winter exhibition, AWAKEN, which opens Feb. 1. This nature-themed, countywide student visual arts program gives students the chance to display their art at SLOMA. “These students have the opportunity to learn more about the art world,…
Meaty and merry
Throw some meat in that sock (er—some jerky in that stocking) this holiday season. Sorry, I have had way too much eggnog and now I’m having trouble “making words.” I blame the New Times office cocktail party planning committee for knowing just what writers really want for the holidays (it’s not more deadlines; it’s strong…
Cambria author recounts helping Tom Petty make it big
I need to know Tom Petty and Me: My Rock ‘n’ Roll Adventures with Tom Petty by Jon Scott is available on Amazon for $25 in paperback and $9.99 for the Kindle version. A signed copy of the book can also be ordered on tompettyandme.com for $19.76. Once upon a time, Tom Petty couldn’t get…
Lincoln Market and Deli hosts holiday pop-up
Lincoln Market and Deli in SLO hosts its fourth annual Holiday Market: A Merry Little Pop-Up on Dec. 21 from 6 to 9 p.m. Guests can enjoy holiday shopping from various local vendors, including Grateful Ghee, Little Quills Clothing, Pinkies Up, Scissor Clothing, the Key Flame Candle Company, and more. Call (805) 543-3443 or visit…
Distillery added to Sidecar’s relocation
In a small meeting room within San Luis Obispo City Hall, about 16 people were standing by the owners of Sidecar Cocktail Co. in support of adding an accessory distillery to its relocation plans. The restaurant and bar known for its craft cocktails is working on relocating from its current home on 1127 Broad St.…
New Times ditches the traditional holiday office party with 12 days of festive activities
Every year, New Times treats its employees to a holiday party before the craziness of early deadlines kicks in and we all head home to celebrate the festivities with our families. But instead of a traditional Christmas party where we all get together for one night, the company decided to treat us to an extended…
SLO County approves contract to outsource jail medical, mental health services
San Luis Obispo County has finally chosen an outside company to take over medical and mental health services at its jail. The SLO County Board of Supervisors voted 4-0 on Dec. 11, with 4th District Supervisor Lynn Compton absent, to award the $6.7 million contract to correctional health care giant Wellpath, known previously as California…
‘The Mule’ is a serviceable late-career drama from a gifted filmmaker
THE MULE What’s it rated? R What’s it worth, Anna? Matinee What’s it worth, Glen? Matinee Where’s it showing? Downtown Centre, Galaxy, Park, Stadium 10 Clint Eastwood (Unforgiven, Million Dollar Baby, Gran Torino) directs this crime thriller screenplay by Sam Dolnick, based on the New York Times Magazine article “The Sinaloa Cartel’s 90-Year-Old Drug Mule”…
Pedaling to get around: SLOCo. Pedal Taxi
Donette Dunaway has had a great life on the Central Coast with her family. She had a desk job as a geologist, but it got to the point where it wasn’t as fulfilling as it once was—she wanted change. “So I was laying in bed one day wondering, ‘What would I really love to do,'”…
Blast from the Past: Batman Returns
When? 1992 What’s it rated? PG-13 Where’s it available? DVD, Amazon Prime, iTunes, Google Play It’s hard to pin down what makes Batman Returns my all-time favorite Christmas movie (sorry Die Hard), other than the fact that it’s the only live-action Batman film set during the holiday season. Yes, there is snow in The Dark…
Film Listings, 12/20/18 – 12/27/18
AQUAMAN What’s it rated? PG-13 Where’s it showing? Downtown Centre, Galaxy, Park, Stadium 10, Sunset Drive-In New James Wan (Saw, The Conjuring, Furious 7) directs the story of Arthur Curry (Jason Momoa), who becomes Aquaman when he discovers he’s heir to the underwater kingdom, Atlantis. Can he rise to the role, lead his people, and…
Let’s face reality
Over the Thanksgiving holiday, the Trump administration quietly released a climate change report it tried to keep hidden from the public. Since the fourth National Climate Assessment (NCA) was made public, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has not mentioned the NCA in any press releases or on their social media pages. I refuse to allow…
E. coli found in Adam Brothers reservoir prompts new recall
An E. coli outbreak present in romaine lettuce that has caused 59 reported cases of illness and 23 hospitalizations in 15 states was linked back to Adam Brothers Farming Inc. The Santa Maria farm is voluntarily recalling all red and green leaf lettuce and cauliflower that was harvested from Nov. 27 to 30 in cooperation…
Protesting job fairs is wrong
Unfortunately, Maya Rommwatt’s recent comments (“Warned for free speech,” Dec. 6) regarding what some Cal Poly students did at a recent job fair in front of a Raytheon booth reminds me of how truly confused some people are. The article states that a group of students sat peacefully in front of a Raytheon booth during…
SLO County federal workers will get a pay increase
While San Luis Obispo County’s government employees are fresh off a strike for higher pay, local federal employees recently received a long sought-after increase to their wages. An increase in locality pay for SLO County federal workers, proposed by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) earlier this year, was approved through the federal government’s…
Want higher pay? Then cut pensions
County workers on strike for higher pay note that their compensation is below county workers’ in comparable counties. This is one perspective. Another is comparing their pay to our local job market. County salaries may be modestly below comparable private sector pay in our county. However, if you consider their whole pay package that includes…
Templeton CSD seeks special election for fire tax
Brandon Wall, Templeton Fire and Emergency Services’ only full-time fire captain, expressed concerns about the department’s ability to provide services to the community of 7,674 residents on Dec. 18. “We’re missing calls, and I’m the only full-time guy here in the fire department. We are getting worn out and something needs to change,” Wall told…
More efforts needed on the internet problem
Thank you so much for the article on the SLO digital divide (“Getting connected,” Dec. 13). I live 4 miles east of 101 in Templeton, and internet access is the No. 1 issue that is of importance to my family. We have struggled with wireless internet after trying satellite, which was totally useless with their…
