Cover Story
Boots on the ground: Maintaining reserve firefighter programs and quality fire service is difficult for some fire departments in SLO County
There aren’t many firefighters around on a late day in January at the Grover Beach Fire Station No. 3, one of three fire departments that make up the Five Cities Fire Authority. There are only three people in the building, and one of them is reserve firefighter Jeff Lane. That day he was working alongside…
Social media sound off
New Times readers took to Facebook and our website to react to the Feb. 1 news story, “Rape case against local Uber driver echoes concerns in 2017 lawsuit.”
The truth of the matter
I read the Shredder’s comments on Cal Poly’s handling of sexual violence complaints in the Jan. 18 issue (“Celebrate by crying”) with great interest. I believe your readers (and perhaps your reporters?) would benefit from some additional background on the campus Title IX complaint investigation and adjudication process. Start with the fact that Title IX…
The way of the cowboy: Studios on the Park exhibit celebrates Western culture
Go west The In Love with the West show will be on display at Studios on the Park in Paso Robles through Feb. 25. Visit studiosonthepark.org for more information. Growing up, Cindy Long could tell what day of the week it was by which Western TV show was airing that night. Gunsmoke in particular was…
Let’s calm the political ugliness
I am so tired of the ugliness in our local politics. I’m tired of listening to the yelling, rude remarks, and bickering by our San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors. The lack of civility and the unwillingness to compromise are depressing. And we voters need to put ourselves in check as well. I am…
Great American Melodrama kicks of new season with Ken Ludwig’s take on Sherlock Holmes
Bask in the glory Baskerville runs through March 4 at the Great American Melodrama, 1863 Front St., Oceano. For more inormation, visit americanmelodrama.com or call (805) 489-2499. It’s a brand new year, and along with lots of broken resolutions, it’s time for a brand new season of local theater. First up this year is Baskerville,…
Dear SLO City Council
I’m writing to encourage the San Luis Obispo City Council to adopt the preferred alternative of the Anholm Bikeway (Broad Street Bicycle Boulevard) proposal. The preferred alternative creates safer streets for everyone—people who drive cars, people who ride bikes, and people who walk. The Lincoln Street alternative doesn’t do enough to raise ridership or increase…
Swan Lake comes to the PAC
The Moscow Festival Ballet brings Swan Lake to the Cal Poly Performing Arts Center on Feb. 11 at 7 p.m. Direct from Russia in a triumphant return to San Luis Obispo, the illustrious Moscow Festival Ballet brings together the highest classical elements of the great Bolshoi and Kirov Ballet companies in a full-scale, full-length production…
A fossil fuel relic
In the Feb. 1 edition, Al Fonzi’s “Tarnishing the Golden State” makes it clear that he is a relic of the 20th century. He seems to think that the fossil fuel industry should be allowed unregulated consumption of whatever can be sucked up from the earth as if there were no consequence to such rapaciousness.…
Mike Birbiglia to perform at the PAC
Catch more than a laugh or two at comedian Mike Birbiglia’s show, The New One, at the Cal Poly Performing Arts Center on Feb. 10 at 8 p.m. Birbiglia wrote, starred in, and directed in the recent film Don’t Think Twice, which explores the stand-up comedy scene. He’s also a frequent contributor to podcasts like…
Original Beach Boy Al Jardine presents an intimate evening of songs and stories at the Clark Center
Al Jardine is sometimes referred to as the “lost” beach boy. After all, he was the only member who wasn’t a Wilson brother (Brian, Carl, Dennis) or related to the Wilsons (Mike Love). Born in Ohio, Al attended Hawthorne High School with Brian Wilson, and the two are arguably the original Beach Boys, with Carl…
The perils of Paulding
When Jimmy Paulding announced his candidacy for San Luis Obispo County 4th District Supervisor Lynn Compton’s seat, I was intrigued. He seemed like a nice young man on his way up with a good gift of gab. But after finding out that Supervisors Adam Hill and Bruce Gibson were pushing his candidacy, the blush went…
Learn candy lettering for Valentine’s Day
Make a sweet treat with an even sweeter message this Valentine’s Day. The Lettering Workshop-Candy Heart Sayings on Macarons class will be held Feb. 12 from 5:30 to 8 p.m. at The Wedding Space in SLO. This workshop by Fête & Quill is the perfect opportunity to have fun with macarons. Armed with tiny brushes,…
The price of cannabis
With California’s experiment in legalizing marijuana, thanks to Governor-would-be Gavin Newsom, the crows are coming home to roost. With the new murders of two more men in our local cannabis capital of California Valley, deadly drug criminality has metastasized itself in our fair county, and we are paying the price. Supervisors Adam Hill, Bruce Gibson,…
Stumbling on new experiences in Ventura County
Sun and surf Looking for a rad spot for a day trip or weekend adventure? Check out Ventura County with its sandy beaches, thrift shops, restaurants, and breweries. Visit ventura.org for more information. Growing up in Los Angeles County, I was raised in a small city that’s connected to so many others. So I like…
Hollands spend $50k to unseat sheriff and district attorney
The family of a mentally ill man who died in the SLO County Jail last year donated $50,000 to two men running against the sitting sheriff and district attorney. Carty Holland donated $25,000 to Greg Clayton, a local private investigator challenging Sheriff Ian Parkinson, and another $25,000 to Judge Mike Cummins for his run against…
We need a responsive supervisor
Many Nipomo residents are concerned about the dust blowing over from the Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area, but that’s not the community’s only issue. Last Nov. 4, candidate for 4th District supervisor Jimmy Paulding held a listening session in Nipomo. Bad air quality was one of the top problems identified, along with traffic (too…
‘Winchester’ lacks real scares; adds a preposterous fictionalization of an already fascinating life story
WINCHESTER What’s it rated? PG-13 What’s it worth, Anna? Nothing What’s it worth, Glen? Streaming Where’s it showing? Downtown Centre, Park, Stadium 10, Galaxy Purportedly inspired by true events, this ghost story suggests that Sarah Winchester (Helen Mirren), heir to the Winchester rifle empire, constructed the famed San Jose Winchester Mystery House while guided by…
Los Osos is pushing its recycled water to schools, parks, and farmers
The long-awaited Los Osos sewer plant is up and running, with 95 percent of the affected properties hooked up as of Feb. 1, according to San Luis Obispo County officials. Each day, an average of 446,371 gallons of wastewater is flowing to the plant, which means it’s no longer going into the septic tanks that…
The passing of a local hero
It is a deep sorrow that we at Big Brothers Big Sisters of SLO County (BBBS) feel after the recent passing of Bryan Gingg, a longtime agency volunteer, board member, fundraiser, advocate and Big Brother. I met Bryan about 21 years ago when I first became involved with BBBS, initially as a board advisor then…
Blast from the Past: Orange County
When? 2002 What’s it rated? PG-13 Where’s it available? Streaming on HBO Believe it or not, this quirky MTV Films comedy about an aspiring writer, Shaun Brumder (Colin Hanks), trying to get into Stanford to escape his dysfunctional Orange County family was the defining movie of my childhood. While it had a low-key release and…
One year later: Carbajal reflects on his first year in Congress
When U.S. Rep. Salud Carbajal (D-Santa Barbara) spoke with New Times in February 2017, the congressional freshman was one month into his new gig. It was the first few months after the election of Donald Trump, which alarmed liberal voters across the country, and Carbajal was quick to express hope that legislators could work together…
Bloom MicroFarm bus: Coming to a stop near you!
Green machine Find Bloom Microgreens at Nature’s Touch in Templeton, Shine Cafe in Morro Bay, the SLO Foods Co-Op, and restaurants from Paso to Pismo. Call (303) 908-4498 for more information or email bloommicrogreens@yahoo.com. You can also follow @bloom.microgreens on Instagram for updates on pop-ups and stops. The neon green school bus is parked on…
Film Listings, 2/8/18 – 2/15/18
CALL ME BY YOUR NAME What’s it rated? R Where’s it showing? The Palm, Galaxy It’s the summer of 1983 in the north of Italy, and Elio Perlman (Timothée Chalamet), a precocious 17-year-old American-Italian, spends his days in his family’s 17th century villa transcribing and playing classical music, reading, and flirting with his friend Marzia…
SLO City Council balks at contentious bike project
San Luis Obispo City Council members gave the yellow light to a controversial neighborhood bikeway proposal—the Anholm Bikeway Plan—on Feb. 6, after scores of local residents showed up to express concerns about its impacts. Designed to provide a safer throughway between Foothill Boulevard and downtown SLO and increase bike ridership in the city, the $1.4…
Good vibrations
Dig in: Show your love for City Farm SLO this Feb. 10! From 9 a.m. to noon, help lovingly plant new fruit trees and perennial crops in the food forest beds. See how to combine bare root fruit trees with an understory of edible vines, herbs, flowers, and bulbs to create a no-till, year-round food…
Port San Luis approves 50-year lease for Harbor Terrace
After four decades of discussion, research, and starts and stops, the Port San Luis Harbor District finally moved the 32-acre Harbor Terrace project forward, unanimously approving a 50-year lease with Red Tail Acquisitions at the commission’s Jan. 31 meeting. Harbor Manager Andrea Lueker said that the board was excited to be at this point with…
Far out, man
Crashing waves, groovy wines: Stolo Vineyards in Cambria is a true California dream if ya ask me. This cool-climate winery is experimenting with old and new winemaking methods and up-and-coming winemaker Nicole Pope is trying new methods to keep Stolo wines true to the unique terroir they represent. That terroir? Way beachy. Stolo is one…
County closes in on a cannabis tax that may exclude lab testers
San Luis Obispo County has a cannabis tax measure ready for citizens to consider in the June elections—but it’s making a final tweak first. On Feb. 6, county supervisors asked that a proposed 4 percent tax on gross receipts exclude lab testers, after cannabis industry consultant Sean Donahoe pointed out that testing is a public…
Do I have to eat my veggies?
Smoked for your health: Goddess Goods in Morro Bay is inspiring those “New Year diet changes” to continue (for real this time) with a deli case chock full of tempting wraps! Try one with roasted smoky chickpeas, house-made goddess sauce, cucumber, carrots, avocado, baby kale, and tomato wrapped up in a spinach tortilla for a…
SLO City Council members donate to Paulding in supes race
Correction: This article was corrected to accurately state the total amount of the three donations to Paulding’s campaign was $450. A majority of San Luis Obispo’s City Council is betting on an Arroyo Grande man seeking to unseat 4th District County Supervisor Lynn Compton in the November elections. According to recently filed campaign finance records,…
Fat stacks
No matter how you feel about Morro Bay’s iconic stacks (an inextricable part of the landscape and city character/a total eyesore), we can all agree on good beer. Three Stacks and a Rock Brewing Co. isn’t just interested in making its beer “good.” The brewery wants to showcase a unique experience so small it’s actually…
Supervisors decline to take stance on offshore oil drilling expansion
San Luis Obispo County won’t be joining the California chorus of opposition to the Trump administration’s plans to expand offshore oil and gas drilling. A push by SLO County 2nd District Supervisor Bruce Gibson to put forth a resolution in opposition to the federal government’s plans landed with a thud at the Feb. 6 Board…
Dear Kevin McCarthy
As a former constituent of yours from San Luis Obispo County, I am writing to you, the current House Majority Leader, to express my concerns regarding the impact of climate change on the Central Coast of California in the past year. In February of last year, we experienced a storm with heavy rain and extremely…
Bridging the generation gap: Arroyo Grande teen organizes tech tutoring for seniors
As adults, we tend to look down our noses and tut-tut when we see teenagers glued to their phones and tablets, but one local high school student is looking to harness the power of tech savvy teens to help local seniors. Beginning in December of last year, Arroyo Grande High School junior Hailey Barneich organized…
Futility at its finest
I’m not sure which is worse, a former mayor of San Luis Obispo calling a proposed bike lane “gigantic urban rape” or a sitting county supervisor telling one of his constituents to “fuck off” for writing a letter to the editor. But then there’s the aftermath of both situations, where sitting SLO Mayor Heidi Harmon…
