Cover Story
Harmony disturbed
“Could I interest you in a story about Tridosha Healing Center. And the man who ran it ?” # So began Greg O’Kelly in an e-mail to a New Times reporter. The e-mail went on to level allegations against Tridosha founder Michael Brevetz, allegations that started with mismanagement and got more serious from there. The…
Poly students vote on fee increase to fund Rec Center expansion
Starting Feb. 27, students at Cal Poly began two days of voting on an Associated Students Inc.-supported referendum that would increase student fees by $65 per quarter in order to finance an expansion of the university’s recreation center. This referendum comes on the heels of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s recommendation to cut $312.9 million from the…
Tempest in a teachpot
Have you listened to Frank Zappa lately? Holy crap was that guy fantastic. I really believe our consciousness is just now catching up to what that guy was capable off. I’ll bet there’s a page on the Mayan calendar that’s nothing but the lyrics to Joe’s Garage. Not feeling it? Be patient with me, because…
Correction
The responses to New Times’ questions in the Feb. 21 “Questions for” feature should all have been attributed to massage therapist Joe Griffith.
Grover Beach sees stings for walking and smoking
On the night of Feb. 20, the Grover Beach Police Department made an arrest and issued four citations during a pedestriand decoy operation on West Grand Avenue and on North 4th Street at Atlantic City Avenue. During the two-hour period, four citations were issued to drivers who failed to yield the right-of-way to the pedestrian…
Is Morro Bay listening to Al Gore?
On Feb. 25, just two weeks after the Morro Bay City Council voted to outlaw the spending of city funds to buy plastic water bottles or foam cups, the council approved a Memorandum of Understanding with San Luis Obispo Green Build and will now construct city buildings more consciously. “We felt it was an easy…
Board of Supervisors votes for anti-fat grants
On Feb. 25, the San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors approved a request to apply for two grants that would support the Childhood Obesity Prevention Program. The monies would come from the United Health Group/Pacific Care Grant in the amount of $551,631 and the Community Foundation Grant in the amount of $11,000. Supervisor Jim…
City of Arroyo Grande settles ‘whistle-blower’ lawsuit
Almost two years after an Arroyo Grande code enforcement officer, David Crockett, sued the city of Arroyo Grande over allegations of discrimination and wrongful termination–among other things–the self-professed whistle-blower has received $73,000 in a settlement from the city. The suit alleged that Crockett, a retired police officer when he was hired as a code enforcement…
Skate or die (or both)
It doesn’t seem likely that a new Cayucos skateboard park–which was scheduled to be constructed next to the town’s cemetery–will be built anytime soon. On Feb. 25, the Morro Bay City Council agreed to send the county parks and recreation department a letter that expressed dislike for the skateboard park’s location, according to Mayor Janice…
Letters
It’ll take more than paint to fix the graffiti epidemic So, you’ve noticed a rise in graffiti in the San Luis Obispo area within the past few years (“The writing on the wall,” Feb. 21)? I’ve noticed some changes, too. I’ve noticed the Costco. I’ve noticed the giant parking lots and the glowing signs. I…
New names want your vote
There will be at least two new names on upcoming local ballots. Jan Howell Marx has decided to run for election to the San Luis Obispo City Council, and Melody Demeritt is running for mayor of Morro Bay. Marx has served as City Council member, city planning commissioner, and county parks and recreation commissioner. Demeritt…
Super swell shuts down Central Coast pier but brings out the champ
# Enormous waves in the Pacific on Feb. 24 prompted lifeguards to close down the Pismo Beach pier and forced a local surfing competition to be rescheduled. But they also created conditions good enough that a world champion surfer took notice and rode the beastie waves of a Central Coast outer reef break. According to…
Fast facts
The Drum Circuit celebrated its 20th anniversary in February. Steve Hilstein, founder of the shop and owner of its drum school, and shop owner Howard Emmons plan to celebrate this accomplishment with events throughout the year, including free monthly in-store drum clinics, a Drum ‘N Jam Camp in June, drum clinics featuring major artists, and…
Planting a garden
# Coinciding with the timing of the release of a draft environmental impact report that raises concerns about the future of existing historical buildings, the project’s 74-foot top height, and the effect on the city’s character, Hamish Marshall launched a public push for SLO’s proposed Garden Street Terraces project during the last week in February.…
Who gets the bin Laden vote?
History will mark Cal Thomas among the first of the public fearmongers to come out and say it, in so many words. To say that to elect Barack Obama as president raises the specter of his assassination, with the subsequent mayhem that attended the Kennedy murders, when “crushed hope produced rebellion, even anarchy, along with…
Support your local green pub
The mere mention of the words shop local, think global triggers guilt in most Americans, reminding them to recycle newspapers, ragged-edged tuna cans, and wine bottles. Even a little effort goes a long way toward making a difference, and it’s not that difficult to go green. I only recently discovered that natural corks are recyclable…
To be or not to be’ goes beyond rhetorical
In a small, blue room, 20 actors thunder Hail Caesar! and stamp their feet. Similarly dressed in white T-shirts and blue sweatpants, the performers are a well-disciplined regiment of soldiers, men of both action and feeling, much like Shakespeare’s warrior characters. # With only 24 hours to go until opening night, all of their focus…
Time to celebrate
Koei-Kan Karate is a traditional martial art carefully monitored by an international association to ensure that the form continues relatively unchanged. San Luis Obispo’s own Koei-Kan Karate-Do has been searching for a similar stability. Now, the dojo is celebrating its 15th anniversary after years of jumping from location to location and even sharing facilities with…
The message album
Siko’s Paint the Town opens with an avant-garde jazz sound explosion, quickly establishing that the local band pulled out all the stops for its sophomore album. After the opening sounds, it seems like anything could happen, but the band soon settles into its funk-based rock’n’roll on tracks like Take it SLO, a tribute to the…
