Cover Story
Law of the dunes
It’s happened again. # On Jan. 11, a 24-year-old Santa Maria woman named Renee Delynn Sherer was killed when she was hit by a pickup truck in the Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area. According to a California Department of Parks and Recreation press release, witnesses said the driver of the truck, a 24-year-old Orcutt…
The dame and the sir
When I read that Cleo Laine and her husband, John Dankworth, were to be appearing at the Clark Center, I was very excited. I hadn’t seen or heard them since 1988, when they played at the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles. Well, they’ve changed a bit over the years–not the least of which is that…
Come on in, the water’s green
Green is the way to go these days, even if you’re not manufacturing SUVs. Henry Swales, a 2005 Cal Poly aerospace engineering graduate and SLO County surfer, has developed a product line of surfboard fins made from plant-based resin. # “My goal in creating these fins is to remove some of the toxic chemicals from…
Fast facts
Want to stick to your resolution to stay fit this year? Studio Fitness for Women has added more than $30,000 in new equipment and an additional 600 square feet of space at its San Luis Obispo gym at 3930 Broad St. Owners David Pomfret and Julian Varela have also added a trio of fitness professionals,…
Chicken farm owner says raid warrant wasn’t legit
# A month after more than 30 sheriff’s deputies, fire officials, and code enforcers stormed a defunct chicken farm north of Nipomo, the owner of the land and a man who runs a business on the site are claiming that the warrant the officials used in the raid was based on inaccurate information. Property owner…
Arnold plans to offer voters ‘a choice’
# Debbie Arnold, who is taking on Jim Patterson for the 5th District supervisor seat in San Luis Obispo County, already has her coffee in front of her and is checking off to-do items in her well-worn planner when a reporter shows up at Peet’s in SLO for their interview. Wearing a plum-colored skirt and…
Go ahead and rinse your ride
The San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors tentatively approved a clean-water ordinance in November of 2007, prompting residents of unincorporated areas to worry that washing cars in their driveways would become a crime. The board modified its decision at its Jan. 15 meeting. As it stands now, the ordinance will allow what are considered…
Letters
A suggestion from a homeless local: Provide portable toilets Thank you for your Jan. 10 article, “Hold it in or pay.” As an individual currently of the homeless strata, I concur and empathize as to the challenges faced by downtown SLO merchants with regard to both urination and vomit. Many an early, early morning, while…
Proposed park closures could hurt SLO County’s economy
# Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s plan to stave off a feared $14 billion budget shortfall–by shaving 10 percent off the top of almost all General Fund departments, programs, boards, commissions, and elected offices–is likely to have a big impact on local state parks. Under the current proposal, seven parks in San Luis Obispo County, including Monta”a…
SLO Police get a high-tech boost
San Luis Obispo police officers are expected to soon be able to electronically write citations and collision reports in the field, as well as download information to databases for the department and Public Works. In October of 2005, the city of SLO received a $110,000 grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety to fund…
Authentic to the last bite
I always find Asian dishes to be quite satisfying for their fabulous juxtaposition of texture, spice, and crunch. And most local Thai and Chinese restaurants offer hot and hearty choices at lunch for less than $10. But I’m particularly fond of Thai cuisine–I love the kicked-up heat of their dishes. I’ve favored two restaurants in…
Get Costa!
Judging from Unfamiliar Faces, his impending follow-up to his 2005 debut Songs We Sing, it’s easy to see that former skate rat-turned-singer/songwriter Matt Costa pens a mean tune. His clever songs generate an immediate likeability: bouncy, welcoming, full of memorable (but not cloying) hooks. # For Unfamiliar Faces, Costa took his most treasured belongings and…
Locals march to raise awareness of reproductive rights
Jan. 22 marks the 35th anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision, which decriminalized abortion in the United States. To celebrate the ruling, and also to raise awareness about current reproductive rights issues, members of the local chapter of the National Organization for Women (NOW) are marching from the Chinese Park at Santa Rosa and…
Marijuana dispensary gets green light
After many delays, a medical marijuana dispensary in Templeton has been approved. On Jan. 10, the San Luis Obispo County Planning Commission voted 3-2 in favor of allowing the dispensary, to be called North County Resource Center. The decision was up for a vote in both July and October but was delayed because too few…
That’s just super!
I usually keep my nose in my own business, which is to say that I usually stick to sticking my nose in other people’s business, and I leave the rest of the running of this paper to people who get paid more than me for having more responsibility than me. If it ain’t Shredder, it…
Sierra Club challenges viewshed ordinance
The fight for Cayucos-area viewsheds isn’t over. On Jan. 16, lawyer Michael Jencks confirmed that a notice of intent had been filed on behalf of the Santa Lucia Chapter of the Sierra Club as the opening salvo in a challenge against the Board of Supervisors’ December approval of a controversial viewshed measure. Supervisors Jerry Lenthall,…
Don’t close the parks
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is proposing to close 48 California State Parks in his budget. He states that the parks would be closed until enough money is available to reopen them. How many temporary closures, cutbacks in services, or tax increases in the past were ever reversed due to enough money being available? If these parks…
