Cover Story
School politics: Paso’s outgoing superintendent, Curt Dubost, reflects on a ‘wild ride’ as the search starts for his replacement
Curt Dubost has seen a lot in the last five years. A pandemic shutdown, culture war politics, “seismic anomalies” beneath a crumbling campus, and a growing concern that compromise is becoming more and more impossible in the Paso Robles Joint Unified School District. “These last few years have been full of conundrums,” the district’s superintendent…
Highway 101 project to alleviate Pismo Beach traffic heads to Coastal Commission
Pismo Beach could give the California Coastal Commission full authority over construction improvements on the segment of Highway 101 that runs through the city. During a Dec. 5 City Council meeting, the council voted 3-2 on a proposal that would do just that with Councilmembers Scott Newton and Stacy Inman dissenting due to concerns over…
Cambria’s skate park project recommended for $600,000 federal grant
On Dec. 4, California State Parks announced that it recommended Cambria to the National Parks Service as a potential grant recipient to help fund the town’s skate park project. “The Cambria Community Services District [CSD] has been selected as one of 16 projects to proceed with post-selection federal requirements to create a new skate park…
TMHA report calls for changes to county crisis stabilization unit
Even with only four beds available, San Luis Obispo County’s crisis stabilization unit is not being used enough. That was the verdict of a youth gap analysis report released on Dec. 4, led by Transitions-Mental Health Association (TMHA) in partnership with the county’s Behavioral Health Department. Though the crisis stabilization unit can stand to receive…
Oceano library gets a new building, programs
The SLO County Public Library’s Oceano branch recently moved and now has new hours. Senior library associate Nancy Sierra said that starting on Jan. 2, the library will be open Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday until 5 p.m. and closed Monday and Friday. The branch moved to a new stand-alone location to make it easier…
Neil Young to autograph new album Before and After at Traffic Records on Dec. 8
Remember that time when Neil Young secretly booked a show at SLO Brew through Good Medicine Presents owners Todd and Korie Newman? It was April 16, 2015, and Young had Willie Nelson’s son, Lukas Nelson, and his band, Promise of the Real, back him up. The whole thing was word of mouth on the day…
The Nutcracker by the Civic Ballet of SLO brings holiday cheer to the Performing Arts Center
Holiday magic Catch a showing of The Nutcracker by the Civic Ballet of SLO, Dec. 8 to 10 at the SLO Performing Arts Center (located on 1 Grand Ave). For more information on tickets, visit civicballetslo.org. For the Civic Ballet of San Luis Obispo, the holiday season means one thing: The Nutcracker. “Some might call…
Mesa Pines in Arroyo Grande grows affordable native Christmas trees
In rural Arroyo Grande, a mulit-generational family-owned farm specializes in selling native Central Coast trees for Christmas at a reduced price to help SLO County families have a budget-friendly holiday season. Mesa Pines is run by Erin Riffle and his family who only plant and sell Monterey Pines to support California’s native plant life—and because…
Gallery at Marina Square holds new group show, two solo exhibits
Landscapes, seascapes, and still-life pieces of various media are currently on display in a new group show, The Texture of Light, at Gallery at Marina Square in Morro Bay. The exhibition opened at the gallery in early December, along with two new solo artist showcases. A reception to celebrate all three exhibits, each of which…
Don’t exacerbate the housing crisis, support Nipomo’s Dana Reserve project
It’s no secret that housing has been a hot topic issue in California. Headlines repeatedly call out the skyrocketing prices, the frustration of the younger generations, and the need for more inventory. The answer to these challenges isn’t complicated: build more houses. However, as we’ve seen in multiple articles in New Times, a vocal group…
Cal Poly Caroling Group visits St. Andrew Greek Orthodox Church
Guests of an upcoming Dec. 9 event at the St. Andrew Greek Orthodox Church in San Luis Obispo can look forward to a free performance of Christmas carols from the Cal Poly Caroling Group. Christmas cookies and hot chocolate will be available for attendees after the concert, which will begin at 6:30 p.m. Audience members…
Protect California’s small businesses from ADA lawsuit abuse
Lawsuit abuse is stifling the growth of our small business sector and leaving current small-business owners fearful of potential drive-by litigation. I recently attended a virtual meeting hosted by Citizens Against Lawsuit Abuse (CALA) with Assemblymember Dawn Addis (D-San Luis Obispo). As a small-business owner and board member of the South County Chambers of Commerce,…
Dream Scenario examines the fickle nature of viral celebrity
DREAM SCENARIO What’s it rated? R What’s it worth, Glen? Full price What’s it worth, Anna? Full price Where’s it showing? Colony, Downtown Centre, The Palm, Park Writer-director Kristoffer Borgli (Sick of Myself) helms this black comedy about Paul Matthews (Nicolas Cage), an academic desperate for recognition despite being wholly without achievement. He lectures to…
Wackadoodles vs. reality
When push comes to shove, Darcia Stebbens is left holding the bag on her soapbox of election denial. She sat alone in court on Dec. 4, with no one but herself to defend her against the remaining cost she either can’t or won’t pay to the SLO County Clerk-Recorder’s Office for last year’s election recount…
The Boy Who Lived
What’s it rated? Not rated When? 2023 Where’s it showing? Max To say I’m a bit of a fanatic for all things Harry Potter (besides, that is, the author herself these days) rings true, so a film produced by Daniel Radcliffe that dives back into the time of filmmaking is a no-brainer for me. David…
Albert Brooks: Defending My Life
What’s it rated? R When? 2023 Where’s it showing? Max Albert Brooks really hit my radar when I saw him in Broadcast News (1987) as the smart but uncharismatic TV news reporter Aaron Altman. Yes, I first saw him in Taxi Driver (1976), but he’s so good at playing a nonentity that he barely registered…
LGBTQ-plus-supportive therapists underscore the need for inclusive mental health care in SLO County
Being queer and on the lookout for mental health care in San Luis Obispo County frequently results in run-ins with therapists who are at client capacity or don’t take insurance. But North County resident Lauren Phelps faced another hurdle with a Paso Robles therapist they were working with in 2008. “She was homophobic and tried…
PCH Shave Ice and Boba marries a love for the California Coast with Hawaii and the Philippines
Coast through Check out PCH Shave Ice and Boba at 893 North Oak Park Boulevard in Pismo Beach from 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Keep up with the menu and special events on pchshaveiceandboba.com and Instagram @pchshaveice. For one Pismo Beach family, shave ice and boba are emblems that honor Highway 101…
LGBTQ-plus supporters rally against anti-transgender panel at Cal Poly
Cheers, music, and chants from more than 300 people echoed outside Cal Poly’s Fisher Science Building and Baker Science Building on the evening of Dec. 5. The group gathered for more than four hours at back-to-back rallies to make their voices heard as Turning Point USA’s Cal Poly chapter hosted what it called a “de-transitioning…
Trial to determine election recount requester’s debt payment begins
San Miguel resident Darcia Stebbens sat alone in the San Luis Obispo Superior Court on Dec. 4. Representing herself, she’s appealing an August 2023 small claims court decision in favor of the SLO County-Clerk Recorder’s Office. A year after requesting a manual recount of the 2nd District Supervisor race between Bruce Gibson and Bruce Jones,…
