Cover Story
Behind closed doors
Monsters do exist. They don’t have horns or claws, and they seldom hide under children’s beds or in closets. But they’re very real. More often than not, they wear familiar, happy faces most of the day, giving hugs, support, and the occasional present. They make the rules. They’re big. They should be trusted. Only when…
New board member wants Sanitation District review
Editor’s note: This article has been updated to correct the scope of board member Peterson’s proposed review, as well as Seitz’s statement that the discussion was not agendized. Less than three months after she earned her seat on the three-member South County Sanitation District Board of Directors, newcomer Debbie Peterson said she wanted an independent…
How do you feel about the state of our union?
Gladys Burton elderly “It’s kind of scary. The world’s getting small and we have to learn to live with other people that may be a little different from us.” Yhoss interior-exterior decorator “I would say we are doing great, and there’s the evidence.” Segway human transporter “Everyone is willing to talk the talk, but doesn’t…
Love is in the air
Roses are red, violets are blue, some poems rhyme, but this one doesn’t. Is it just me, or have you noticed that for many people, Valentine’s Day is the holiday people love to hate? Nia Vardalos (My Big Fat Greek Wedding) even made a movie about it in 2009, called—what else?—I Hate Valentine’s Day. Plug…
He’s on fire!
One of the world’s foremost traditional flamenco players, Paco Peña, will bring his dazzling guitar work, exquisite compositions, and hand-picked company of dancers to the Performing Arts Center on Monday, Feb. 18, at 7:30 p.m. Born in Córdoba, Spain, Peña picked up the guitar at the age of 6, giving his first concert at 12.…
Is there a doctor in the house?
It’s Friday, Feb. 8, and I’m pre-gaming the Dr. John show at Sidecar with my wife Anna; former K-Otter DJ and live music maven Cyndi Hafley; and her paramour, former Bingo Nite guitarist Stormy Trevino. The ladies are drinking some of Sidecar’s fancy cocktails, a “Paper Plane” and a “Blush,” while we boys are drinking…
Sophisticated psychedelia
An exhibit by Jack Artusio, titled 13 Recent Abstract Paintings, is the local artist’s first show in 11 years. Currently hanging at Steynberg Gallery, the 13 in question are a far cry from the landscape and figurative paintings to which Artusio had previously devoted much of his career. Rather than striving for the detailed realism…
A love affair with antiquity
Suffering from overwhelming horniness? Try drinking male urine! But make sure that a lizard has drowned in it first. At least, that’s what the ancient Greeks and Romans recommended, as detailed in the new book The Joy of Sexus: Lust, Love, and Longing in the Ancient World, the latest from local author Vicki Leon. For…
Clubs: 2/14
Goin’ South … BRANCH ST. DELI: 203 E. Branch St., Arroyo Grande, 489-9099. Live music Fri. from 5:30-8:30 p.m. THE CLIFFS RESORT: 2757 Shell Beach Road, 773-5000 or cliffsresort.com. 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…
Bites: Last Wrap
On Feb. 10, I got the overwhelmingly sad news that Porter’s Truck- Gourmet food on the Go had announced they had served up their last meals on wheels; after 2 1/2 years of feeding SLO residents, Porter’s is no longer going to be in business. They announced the closure of their portable business on Facebook,…
Questions For: Kathleen Harbottle
NEW TIMES What is the goal of this Academic Scholars Tournament? HARBOTTLE The first is to motivate students to begin early preparation for their college entrance exams. Our second goal is to develop confidence in the scholars. The students are put on teams of three so it’s a positive, fun environment. The third is to…
Liberty School 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon Paso Robles
This fruity, friendly cab offers delicious ripe flavors of black fruit that are perfectly balanced. The black cherries, plums, and currant flavors are highlighted with spice and nuances of herbs. As drinkable on its own as it is with food, this big red is delicious from beginning to end. This is another great wine from…
Costa de Oro 2010 Pinot Noir Reserva Oro Rojo Santa Maria Valley
This fruit-forward, complex Pinot Noir is attractive and irresistible, made by Gary Burk from his family’s Gold Coast Vineyard. He picks some pinot early and some later, and ferments them separately to monitor their development. The selected lots for the final blend created a balanced wine with intense flavors that will age five years or…
Learn by tasting
Talk about pressure—what could make you more apprehensive than being reviewed by a panel of your peers? It happens frequently on the Central Coast, where our local winemakers judge competitions for the Paso Robles Rhone Rangers and World of Pinot Noir events. Frankly, unlike wine critics, they’re not out to blast a single winery in…
Chicken soup for the silenced
I want you to think about the worst thing anyone has ever done to you. Linger over the details: your desperation; the hot, helpless rage burning in the pit of your stomach; the physical pain, if there was any; the sense of helplessness. Now imagine that you’re telling someone, a relative or friend you trust…
A word from the editor on the Fremont Theatre
New Times doesn’t typically print unsigned, anonymous, or pseudonymous letters. This week, however, I wanted to share one that represented several such comments we received. R.T.G. wrote: “I was very dismayed to hear about the closure of the Fremont Theatre, since this seems like just the most recent example of Central Coast history and culture…
The difference between guns and flying
A recent TPR editorial asks why Americans will endure airport searches and fight to keep their guns (“Wrestling with irony: Guns, safety”). It is really very simple. A round trip from L.A. to Kansas City by bus is $388 and takes two days. By train it is $334 and takes two days. And the airfare…
Three ideas to calm us down about guns
Here are a few commonsense measures to counter all the gun rights hysteria that I hear every day. First, anyone buying a gun in this country should also be required to buy a high-quality gun lock at the time of purchase. This will improve the bottom line of gun shop owners and dealers. Second, anyone…
Special election money could be spent elsewhere
Shame on you, members of the SLO City Council, who didn’t listen to the commonsense proposal made by the mayor and chose instead to levy a monetary burden on the citizens by voting to hold a special election costing $65,000. Didn’t you hear about the decision made by the Grover Beach City Council? “… appointing…
Remember ‘justice for all’ in Sarna’s case
By now people should be familiar with the case of Austin Sarna from reading the fine New Times articles by Matt Fountain (most recently “SLO stabbing defendant to fight charges,” Jan. 31). Sarna came to the assistance of a young man being attacked by a gang of admittedly drunken local hooligans near Mission Plaza last…
Amphitheater ‘dream’ is an ecological nightmare
It appears that Glen Starkey was too preoccupied with securing himself one of those pricey box seats at Vina Robles’ new amphitheater for affluent wine lovers to do any real reporting in “Living the dream,” Feb. 7. I’d like to interrupt all the back-patting and make an important distinction between a “green project” and a…
Last ditch
The original Ghostbusters film featured a scene where an overzealous Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) agent named Walter Peck stormed into Ghostbusters headquarters brandishing a court order. Citing violations to the Environmental Protection Act, a law that never existed, Peck shut down the spectral laser containment unit. Paranormal bedlam ensued, and everyone knew whom to call.…
Cougars & Mustangs
Yay! Valentines Day! This is my favorite day of the year: when loved ones get together and consume each other’s cardiac-themed gifts. This magnificent festivity, in the tradition of the Old Ways, requires the ritual thorned flowers, tinted with the same red as the hearts consumed. Ah, some things never die. Except one’s loved ones.…
Gone rogue?
Following the high-profile arrest of a San Luis Obispo Police Department officer on a bribery charge, the county’s district attorney is reviewing past criminal cases in an effort to ensure judgments haven’t been compromised. Federal Bureau of Investigation agents arrested Cory Pierce, 39, of Arroyo Grande, on the morning of Feb. 5 following a three-week…
Mighty morphing power Grangers
The recently elected officers of the Grange Hall in San Luis Obispo spend most of their time cleaning up messes. Some are physical: weeds and trash in the back yard area, stained walls, and dirty dishes. Others are more bureaucratic in nature, like their lapsed status as a 501 C (8) nonprofit fraternal organization, a…
Visit Morro Bay
Looking to meet some Morro Bay business owners? How about somebody knowledgeable about the coastal city? Try stopping by the city’s new visitor center, which sits at the lower end of Morro Bay Boulevard. The Board of Tourism oversees the facility, which opened Feb. 2. Director Karin Moss, working out of a satellite office up…
State nuclear initiative makes another go
An initiative drafted by California’s “nuclear terminator” is collecting signatures to qualify for the 2014 ballot, and it holds some pretty stiff implications for the state’s nuclear industry. The California Nuclear Waste Act of 2014, sponsored by Ben Davis, Jr., of the California Nuclear Initiative, passed through the Secretary of State’s office on Feb. 6.…
Cal Poly mourns a student’s death
Friends and fellow students are mourning the passing of a 20-year-old Cal Poly student, who died in the early morning hours of Feb. 10. As of press time, no cause of death had been released. Second-year biology student Brandon Huang died outside his on-campus apartment in the Poly Canyon Village, after returning from a party…
Welcome the Heart of the Central Coast
Every collective of communities needs a member to serve as the butt of its jokes—a Delaware, if you will. Atascadero has fulfilled that role in San Luis Obispo County for quite some time. However, with the city’s centennial celebration right around the corner, Atascadero officials want to reinvent the town’s image to tourists. At its…
A Valentine for SLO movie audiences
Two weeks after the abrupt closure of San Luis Obispo’s historic Fremont Theater, the building’s owners have reached an agreement with their tenant to reopen its doors just in time for Valentine’s Day. According to a press release by Rob Rossi of Rossi Enterprises—who co-owns the building with John King of King Ventures—previous confusion over…
County eyes nude beach
Many frequent frolickers of Pirate’s Cove are worried that the secluded coastline, known for its clothing-optional culture, won’t be the same if the San Luis Obispo County Parks Department gets involved as planned. Department staff posted signs near the beach’s trailhead, then floated the idea past the Avila Valley Advisory Council on Feb. 11. The…
Arroyo Grande changes stance on officer injury
The Arroyo Grande City Council quietly approved an item on Feb. 12, acknowledging that Senior Officer Kimberely Martin suffered a debilitating back injury while on the job—one that will prevent her performing her sworn duties. The decision marks a definite shift from a stance the city took in its response to a lawsuit Martin filed…
Demolition comes for decaying projects
On Feb. 12, construction crews broke ground on the first phase of a $95 million redevelopment of the Oak Park Affordable Housing Project in Paso Robles. Workers began demolishing a few of the decrepit World War II-era buildings that served as a barracks before their conversion into low-income housing in 1943. One hundred and seven…
