Cover Story
Health and Wellness 2022: Supplements, climate-change anxiety, and drumming through grief
Every January, we bring you stories about health and wellness, and this year’s no different—plus, we’re leaving COVID-19 out of it! In this year’s issue, Staff Writer Malea Martin writes about supplements, diet, and exercise, Assistant Editor Peter Johnson speaks with mental health experts and environmentalists about how to deal with climate-change anxiety, and Staff…
Licorice Pizza is nostalgic joy
LICORICE PIZZA What’s it rated? R What’s it worth, Anna? Full price What’s it worth, Glen? Full price Where’s it showing? Downtown Centre, Fair Oaks, Park Writer-director Paul Thomas Anderson (Hard Eight, Boogie Nights, Magnolia, Punch-Drunk Love, There Will Be Blood, The Master, Inherent Vice, Phantom Thread) helms this story about a first love between…
What’s become of LAFCO?
The Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO) held its hearing on the city of Morro Bay’s application to add the controversial hills outside of north Morro Bay as a sphere of influence (SOI). The intent of an SOI is to annex. The intent of annexation is to develop. The city’s claim is it can preserve agriculture…
Being the Ricardos
What’s it rated? R When? 2021 Where’s it showing? Amazon Prime I Love Lucy was my absolute favorite as a kid—while the show was on well before my generation, it was what I picked every day after school to watch. It’s iconic, physical comedy at its finest, featuring a brash redhead who—gasp!—dared to be pregnant…
Fed. legalization is needed to learn cannabis’ health merits
I just read about the research study from Oregon State University, which found that consuming two cannabinoids (called cannabigerolic acid, or CBG-A, and cannabidiolic acid, or CBD-A) could prevent the spread of COVID-19. Awesome! But the study falls short. CBG-A and CBD-A are both derived from hemp (i.e., part of the cannabis sativa species, but…
SLO County exits Black Gold library system
After nearly 40 years, San Luis Obispo County Public Libraries is leaving the Black Gold library system—a cooperative of seven Central Coast jurisdictions that shared library catalogs, service platforms, and finances. The SLO County Board of Supervisors unanimously voted for the libraries’ withdrawal at its Jan. 25 meeting. During the meeting, Director of Libraries Chris…
Morro Bay shouldn’t charge for parking
Reports say Morro Bay is planning to replace free parking with paid parking. Install paid parking along the Embarcadero and at Morro Rock? What a rotten idea! Even at the busiest time of day, some free parking is still available now, according to a 2020 study’s numbers. To change things so that residents and tourists…
Antlers
What’s it rated? R When? 2021 Where’s it showing? Redbox Co-writer Scott Cooper (Crazy Heart, Black Mass) directs this supernatural horror thriller about a schoolteacher, Julia Meadows (Keri Russell), who suspects one of her students, Lucas (Jeremy T. Thomas), is being abused at home. The boy’s father, Frank (Scott Haze), runs a meth lab in…
Cambria fundraises for new ambulance
As the Cambria Community Healthcare District continues to recover from financial challenges of the past, the tax-funded agency is asking the community for help to fundraise for a new ambulance. “Like anything, these fleet assets do get old,” said Mike McDonough, the Cambria Community Healthcare District (CCHD) administrator. “We have a fleet of four ambulances:…
Grover Beach picks maps for new by-district City Council seats
Grover Beach whittled down its gallery of potential City Council district maps to four hopefuls that will receive close consideration late next month. Of the total 45 draft maps the city accumulated from the assisting National Demographics Corporation (NDC) and the public, 17 plans weren’t eligible, in part because many were drawn using projected census…
County redistricting lawsuit gets hearing date, judge
The San Luis Obispo County redistricting showdown has its first court date set. At an upcoming Feb. 10 hearing, SLO County Citizens for Good Government will argue to a superior court judge that the county’s new supervisorial map was “blatantly” gerrymandered by Republicans and should be set aside immediately via a preliminary injunction. Meanwhile, county…
Rescue Plan Act reduces cost for enrolling in Covered California
If there’s ever a time to get health insurance, it’s right now. A recent study published by FAIR Health found that uninsured Californians receiving complex inpatient care for COVID-19—those requiring ventilation or admission to the intensive care unit—on average are subject to a charge of more than $460,000. By contrast, the average allowed amount is…
Nipomo skate park receives bridge loan to speed up construction
Nipomo’s residents might finally be able to roll into the town’s much-desired skate park by this time next year. On Jan. 25, the San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors unanimously voted to authorize budget adjustments to fill gaps in the inflated skate park construction costs. With escalations in the cost of labor, the engineer’s…
Bear City Social gets the freshest ingredients from the ground onto your picnic table
Socialize Head to @bearcitysocial on Instagram and Facebook or visit bearcitysocial.com to learn more about the food truck. Bear City Social is also at Liquid Gravity in SLO on the weekends, 675 Clarion Court. You’ve heard of farm-to-table cooking, but how about farm-to-street? It’s Shaun Behrens’ philosophy as a chef: He uses the freshest, most…
Nichole Dechaine discusses day-to-day life as a local music professor and concert soloist during the ongoing pandemic
Postponed performance Allan Hancock College instructor and prolific singer Nichole Dechaine will be a featured soloist during the San Luis Chamber Orchestra’s next in-person concert. The performance was originally scheduled to take place on Jan. 30 but has been postponed to March 20. Visit sanluischamberorchestra.org for more details. Entranced by movie musicals from a young…
Game of odds
COVID-19’s such a sneaky little devil. As of Jan. 25, the new wave of cases wasn’t cresting just yet, the SLO County Public Health Department warned in a press release. The county had 3,059 active cases with 54 in the hospital, 10 in the ICU, and five more deaths of folks between 70 and 100…
Owners of The Gold Concept launch new permaculture project, GC Family Farm
The Gold Concept started when two Cal Poly students took a jewelry class for fun in the late ’60s. They had no idea then what their artsy passion project would become. “My dad was a history major, his business partner was an architecture major, so had nothing to do with jewelry,” said Aaron Gomez, who…
SLO Rep presents The Marvelous Wonderettes
The San Luis Obispo Repertory Theatre (SLO Rep) will debut its latest production, The Marvelous Wonderettes, on Friday, Feb. 4. Performances of the show will be held Wednesdays through Saturdays at 7 p.m., and every Saturday and Sunday at 2 p.m. as well. The show is scheduled to run through Sunday, March 6. The Marvelous…
Stressed out about climate change? Experts discuss ‘eco anxiety’ and tools to fight it
Feeling crippling anxiety or depression about climate change and what it means for the future? You’re not alone. Recent studies show that climate change is having a major—and growing—impact on not just the environment in fires, drought, and rising sea levels, but on people’s mental health. According to a 2020 poll by the American Psychological…
Art Center Morro Bay holds abstract drawing and painting workshop with artist Vicky Hoffman
The Morro Bay Art Association (MBAA) is hosting an abstract drawing and painting workshop at Art Center Morro Bay on Monday, Jan. 31, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Artist Vicky Hoffman will lead the introductory class, which will encourage participants to explore color, texture, shapes, and mark-making techniques to create abstract art. Admission to…
Big Head Todd and the Monsters are one of four Fremont Theater shows this week
Let’s start with a warning: Due to the continuing COVID-19 pandemic and omicron variant surge, many shows have been canceled or rescheduled as of late. While the information below was accurate before press time, things change. I recommend you always check with the venue to confirm that the show will go on. That said, live…
Modified proposal
In response to recent articles and letters in support of the Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary, I would like to provide some history on the topic. In 1990, the city of Morro Bay joined with SLO County in a resolution supporting the concept of a Central Coast National Marine Sanctuary in order to stop offshore…
Vitamins and supplements are just one part of a healthy, balanced life
COVID-19 ushered in a new wave of interest in immune system strength and health supplements—and that market is only growing. “The global impact of COVID-19 has been unprecedented and staggering, with dietary supplements witnessing a positive demand shock across all regions amid the pandemic,” research organization Fortune Business Insights found. The market grew by nearly…
A roundabout is the safe solution
Thank you for the opportunity to let more people know how to support the proposed roundabout at Highway 227 and Los Ranchos Road. Those who favor a roundabout can sign a petition at change.org/yesroundabout, which will go to the SLO Council of Governments (SLOCOG) in advance of their Feb. 2 meeting. The roundabout will benefit…
Hospice SLO’s drum circle provides mental and physical relief for those suffering from loss
Once a month, a handful of San Luis Obispo County’s grieving residents gathers in the parlor of the historic Hospice SLO building to drum away their pain. Surrounded by a piano, a fireplace, and dark wood shelves lined with books about coping with death, they rhythmically bang blue drums of varying shapes. At least they…
Gibson is a boon to local government
The California State Association of Counties (CSAC), the voice of California’s 58 counties, would like to thank San Luis Obispo County Supervisor Bruce Gibson for his thoughtful leadership and continued advocacy on CSAC legislative priorities. Supervisor Gibson has served as a member of the CSAC executive committee and board of directors, and as an instructor…
