Cover Story
Time and compassion: Volunteers with the Waves of Health medical nonprofit dedicate themselves to helping the underserved
The pills are huge, bleached white with “IP 220” stamped on one side, and they’re pouring out of a bottle you need two hands to hold. It’s metformin, a drug used to treat type II diabetes. Two residents (doctors in training), a medical school student, and I are measuring six-month supplies into zip-lock bags. A…
Blast from the Past: The Good, the Bad, and The Ugly
What’s it rated? R (DVD, 1966) I’ve watched The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly more times than I can count. And, similarly to how I feel about Tombstone: It never gets old. It’s good every time. This might be the longest Spaghetti Western in history, and maybe it’s too long, but it’s beautiful—frankly, looking…
Los Osos CSD and GM Kivley part ways
It’s finally official. The Los Osos Community Services District (LOCSD) parted ways with its embattled General Manager Kathy Kivley, entering into a settlement agreement with Kivley at the district’s Jan. 7 board meeting. Kivley will remain on paid administrative leave with the district until Jan. 31, after which she will retire. The details of the…
Clubs 1/14/16 – 1/21/16
Goin’ South THE CLIFFS RESORT: 2757 Shell Beach Rd., Shell Beach, 773-5000, cliffsresort.com. F. MCLINTOCKS SALOON: Two locations: 750 Mattie Rd. in Pismo Beach and 133 Bridge St. in Arroyo Grande. 773-1892 or mclintocks.com. Live music at the Pismo Beach location every Fri. and Sat. from 6-9pm. Tennessee Jimmy Harrell and Doc Stoltey play on…
SLO Gathering series highlights local talent at the Fremont Theater
Numbskull and Good Medicine Presents may not be booking shows into the recently closed SLO Brew anymore, but that hasn’t slowed them down one bit. As Good Medicine chief Todd Newman recently reminded me, “We’re keeping local music alive by booking seven different venues—the Fremont Theater, the Grange Hall, the Graduate, Tooth & Nail, Tap…
Dance and The Tipsy Gypsies at Ballet Theatre SLO Feb. 12-13
Some songs are so groovin’ they just need to be danced to. But not every note gets steps to match its greatness. Catch an on-point match-up of music and moves when Ballet Theatre San Luis Obispo hosts local 40s swing band The Tipsy Gypsies on Feb. 12 and 13. The Tipsy Gypsies is comprised of…
Curiouser and curiouser: Studios on the Park exhibits works from Paso High
You’re late for a very important date. Shimmy on down the rabbit hole to Studios on the Park in Paso Robles where there’s a wondrous site to behold. Currently on display in the Paso Robles Joint Unified School District Gallery at the studio is an exhibit that pays tribute to all things Alice in Wonderland.…
The hunger is real
Cult classic: Noi’s Thai Takeout is a mainstay of sleepy Baywood, where lapping waters and seabirds are the only commotion around. This Tuesday, try their daily special with spicy, creamy green curry, eggplant, chicken, rice, and basil. You will leave feeling satisfied and totally blissed out! It also doesn’t hurt to swing by the Merrimaker…
What is your favorite volunteering experience?
Phillip Johnson barista “I volunteered for a special needs couple, taking them out on dates. They wanted a normal relationship.” Carol Tangeman self-employed “My favorite place to volunteer is with SLO County Animal Services. I love the dogs.” Mike Palmer Cal Poly student “Volunteering for Habitat for Humanity back home in Hawaii. It’s fun to…
Puppies get basic training at Woods University’s weekly puppy socialization workshop
It’s Saturday, Jan. 9, and I’m at Woods Humane Society, or more specifically, Woods University, the wing of the no-kill shelter dedicated to dog training. Every Saturday morning from 9 to 10 a.m., trainer Michelle Rizzi runs a puppy socialization workshop. New dog owners bring their furry little friends for some basic training and, more…
The art’s the thing: Gay and Lesbian Alliance Center volunteer unites community through art
Tina is a diva who wears tall red high heels, lots of lipstick, and tops that definitely put “the girls” front and center. She’s not what most people think of as the typical lesbian, but she’s written a book on how to be one. Tina is also totally not real. She’s a character that Ethel…
Blame it on Elvis: Cuesta’s play ‘Refried Elvis’ explores youth culture
Sex, drugs, and rock ’n’ roll. It’s a three-for-one package deal corrupting the youth of America, and it all started with Elvis. In Refried Elvis, a fun, fast-paced original musical at Cuesta College, everyone from conservative church-going moms to the FBI (and of course the screaming teenage girls) wants to get their hands on Elvis,…
Peachy Canyon 2011 Westside Zinfandel and Mama Ganache’s Classic Cocoa
Some things you can always count on: red lipstick for a mood boost, Motorhead to bring the party, and hilarious dog videos to perk up the workday (I’m partial to the My Talking Pet app). With its concentrated fruit flavor, plentiful spice, and rich, velvety texture, Peachy Canyon’s 2011 Westside Zinfandel has joined that list.…
Happiness is a warm ‘za: Gino’s Pizza is a laid-back adult hangout with all the toppings
You can’t buy happiness, but you can buy pizza,” a cheeky, wall-sized mural reads as you walk into the new Gino’s Pizza on Monterey Street. You chuckle now—but think about it. Is pizza happiness? Is happiness pizza? If I were to look back at all of the momentous occasions in my life involving pizza, I…
We need to do better for our homeless
When I worked in Santa Barbara, we used to call this time of year the “killing season.” By the scores, our neighbors without shelters in Santa Barbara would embrace Death, who stalked them. Their bodies would be found tucked away behind bushes, in alleyways, fields, along the beach. They would die from hypothermia, diseases, and…
I’ve got Powerball fever!
Well, I guess this is probably it for me, my last column. You see, by the time you’re reading this, I’m going to be $1.5 billion richer. That’s right, readers, I bought a Powerball ticket, and if you think for one minute I’m not going to quit this job and spend the rest of my…
Thank goodness for Big Brothers Big Sisters
I would like to bring attention to local citizen, business owner, musician, and father of three grown sons, Gerard Ages. He is also a volunteer mentor with Big Brothers Big Sisters of San Luis Obispo County and an amazing human being with a beautiful spirit. My son was matched with Gerard in April of 2012,…
A not-so-great outlook on the planet
Well, here we are. Another year. An “election” year, with limited choices. A “socialist” running as a Democratic Party candidate (as a candidate of one of the twin, Tweedle Dum, Tweedle Dee parties of the 1 percent), not as an independent as he’s always done before. A candidate on the other end who’s a spoiled,…
Phillips needs to choose better business partners
In response to Mr. Romero’s support of the Phillips 66 rail terminal project (Jan. 7, “Proposed Phillips 66 rail extension would be beneficial”): He laments that the refinery is working at half capacity due to the Plains All American pipeline being offline. He neglects to state why it’s been shut down. This is the pipeline…
Wading into the tar pit
So, 2016 is on track to be the year in which San Luis Obispo County makes the most fateful choice of its existence. It won’t be a single choice made at one moment. It will be a choice embodied in a series of related decisions: • Whether to allow Phillips 66 to bring the world’s…
‘Integrity versus despair’: Hospice program trains end-of-life doulas
Susan Mercer was there to help “soften” the process of death. For the last few months, Mercer had been getting to know her client and their family through Hospice of San Luis Obispo County’s in-home respite care program, which provides volunteer-based support to people and their families and a few hours of relief to the…
CASA volunteers a voice for children in legal system
Stepping into the cold, bureaucratic confines of a courtroom to participate in legal proceedings is a daunting task for almost any adult. With few exceptions, court is not a place one wants to be, especially when the business of that court involves them. For children, that experience is magnified exponentially, which is where the volunteers…
Pay it forward: 4-H Program inspires hundreds in SLO to volunteer their skills and passions to youth
Here’s some local trivia: What is a nearly century-old, volunteer-run organization, that teaches aerospace engineering, animal sciences, and cooking to local youth and brings aid to the homeless, senior citizens, and the troops? If you didn’t know the answer, allow us to introduce you to the SLO County 4-H Program. Administered through the University of…
Cougars & Mustangs
Hellooooo, Cuesta College! When I cut this rope, you’ll all be on your way to your opening classes, wherever and whenever they may be. But before we begin this journey, allow this old hat to provide you with advice that you NEED to know. You REALLY wanna survive college? Well, there are some S’s you…
Arroyo Grande bans, Morro Bay restricts medical marijuana cultivation
Two more local cities have jumped on the ban-wagon barreling through California in response to new laws that will regulate the medical marijuana industry. Atascadero is now the only city without a cultivation ban, after a noticing error forced the city to delay its decision. At a special meeting at 5 p.m. on Jan. 19,…
SLO Supervisors stop EIR process for treated biosolids
SLO County’s sluggish process of creating a permanent ordinance regulating the land application of treated biosolids is, once again, stuck in bureaucratic pipes. The county Board of Supervisors voted 3-2 on Jan. 12 not to pursue an environmental impact report (EIR) for a draft permanent ordinance on the land application of biosolids. Instead, they directed…
Arroyo Grande yet to respond to CJPIA letter
The city of Arroyo Grande still hasn’t replied to a letter from its insurance company that raised concerns that allegedly derogatory comments made by elected officials about city staff could spark a lawsuit. At a Jan. 12 City Council meeting, City Manager Dianne Thompson told members that Mayor Jim Hill, who was not in attendance…
Grover Beach wants rail cars out
They sit on the train tracks near Grand Avenue, rusting and spotted with graffiti. Those 100 Union Pacific Railroad cars have been sitting on the tracks for nearly a year. They’re an eyesore and a safety concern according to Grover Beach city officials, who want the cars moved out of the city. On Jan. 6,…
