Cover Story
Growing SLO’s greenbelt
Right on cue, a rainbow appeared over the grassy ridge that looms above Johnson Avenue, at the eastern edge of San Luis Obispo. “There, at the pot of gold—that’s the Goldtree Tract, the latest addition to the city’s open space,” Bob Hill, SLO’s new natural resources manager, pointed out during a recent walk around nearby…
Let the sunshine in!
Is it just me, or do you love a good “stick it to the man” story? About 45 years ago, a little off-Broadway musical called Hair managed to seriously ruffle some feathers. Maybe it was the show’s drug use, nude scene, overt sexuality, or mistreatment of the American flag—I don’t know—but you have to admit,…
Taking the plunge!
The bride is wearing white … Mickey Mouse ears festooned with “Mrs. Hafley” embroidered on the back. The groom is wearing a traditional black suit … and black board shorts and flip-flops. Okay, seriously, there’s nothing traditional about this wedding. It’s about 11:20 a.m. on New Year’s Day, and I’m standing on the beach near…
Forget Superman–it is a bird up there
Poor ostriches. They can’t migrate to warmer climates like their lighter, more aerodynamic cousins. Perhaps they could run if they had to, and it doesn’t really get too cold where they live, but that doesn’t change the fact that they don’t wing their way through local skies, meaning you probably won’t see any at the…
Quiet on the set
There is a boring side to the filmmaking process,” admits photographer and filmmaker Patrick McGinley. “You don’t see that a lot, because most of the photos are of the stars, the directors. There’s a side of it you don’t see—all the people waiting for lunch.” A cinematographer and second unit director who has worked on…
A mitzvah with movies
When Lauren Bandari and her family moved from Chicago to San Luis Obispo several years ago, she felt inundated by the area’s over-bearing, ever-present Christianity. The people weren’t Bible-thumping kooks, necessarily. For the most part, she found that the college town community was accepting, tolerant, and respectful of her beliefs. But there was no…
Clubs: 1/3
Goin’ South … BRANCH ST. DELI: 203 E. Branch St., Arroyo Grande, 489-9099. Live music Fri. from 5:30-8:30 p.m. THE CLIFFS RESORT: 2757 Shell Beach Road, 773-5000 or cliffsresort.com. F. MCLINTOCKS SALOON: Two locations: 750 Mattie Road in Pismo Beach and 133 Bridge St. in Arroyo Grande. 773-1892 or mclintocks.com. Live music at the…
Questions for: Mark Keller
NEW TIMES What is the San Luis Obispo Chess Club? KELLER It’s a group of local people that enjoy chess, organized by myself and Barbara McCaleb of SLO. NEW TIMES Where does the SLO Chess Club meet? KELLER On Thursday night (6:30 to 9 p.m.) we meet at Carl’s Jr. on Santa Rosa near…
Layin’ down the law
Supposedly, we’ve all just narrowly avoided some kind of economic cliff, Thelma and Louise style. Meanwhile, just about a week ago, Congress received a raise. ’Cause, y’know, if the ship’s sinking and you happen to be its captain, you need enough cash to make damned sure you’ve got a yacht trailing along behind to pick…
Please return my wallet
You can have the money. You took it the day before Christmas day in a drug store. I was rushing so to get cards and money off to some of my many grand- and great-grandchildren. Hard to believe, but there are 31 grand- and great-grandchildren out there of mine. I will miss those baby pictures,…
Wood you believe this?
In mid-December I received a copy of a “Special Notice” from the California State Board of Equalization, about a new use tax assessment, the “Lumber and Engineered Wood Products 1 Percent Assessment. (Yes, that is a $1 tax on every $100 spent.) Starting January 2013, we will be taxed an additional 1 percent on many…
Disarming the nation would be a mistake
What happens historically when a government attempts to prohibit its people’s access to a commodity? Ask yourselves this and look at the history. The prohibition of alcohol was the beginning, but unless you take the establishment’s account of history verbatim, the Prohibition Era did not end in 1933. Is there any one commodity that the…
We don’t need guns to kill
It seems a great many people believe that guns and mass killings go together—that if there were no guns, there would be no mass killings. That is an illusion. Human nature and ingenuity allow anyone intent on committing a horrendous crime to overcome obstacles standing between them and a murderous goal. Richard Speck raped, tortured,…
Let’s talk less control and more protection
Since the tragedy in Connecticut, commentary and letters center on more gun “control,” i.e. limiting who can buy guns and what kinds of guns they can own. May I quote a Founding Father? “… to disarm the people is the best and most effective way to enslave them.”—George Mason. We know this. We have a…
You can’t use what you don’t have
The bottom line is they and their six adult teachers would never been lost if the AR-15 military killing machine was never available for the general public. Can’t hit and destroy that many in a limited time frame with a revolver or bolt action rifle.
Why railroad a Good Samaritan?
After reading Matt Fountain’s article about the circumstances behind Austin Sarna’s arrest and imprisonment in New Times (“More to the story?” Dec. 13), I was compelled to speak out. Matt raises some interesting questions. Why were none of these drunken thugs arrested for the assault of the motorist that initially started this fiasco? Why weren’t…
Only the police bother me
Thank you for printing the letter from the woman (“Thank you for sharing,” Dec. 27) who alleges that the homeless “constantly” lurk in her neighborhood, urinating, trespassing, stealing her water, following her neighbors, leaving their dogs’ droppings, traumatizing her child, and leaving her afraid to sign her letter for fear of reprisal from these individuals,…
You’re not alone as a language lover
I loved your commentary on the possibility of dropping German and French (“Sprechen Sie Deutsch?” Dec. 13). I especially loved your characterization of the two languages. I, too, love languages, having taught German for 34 years and learned French in college. Thank you for a well-written editorial.
Quality of life is declining, ja?
I read your interesting commentary “Sprechen Sie Deutsch?” (Dec. 13) recently. Indeed, there is a word in the English language for one who loves all things German. That would be a Germanophile. There are also Francophiles, Chinophiles, etc., etc. Amazing that my high school in Ojai used to have a full four years of French…
So long, 2012!
2012 was a good year for geeks. They’ve found what makes us solid, the world didn’t end, and Master Chief got a new trilogy, to name but a few highlights. Higgs Boson After nearly four decades of searching, scientists working at CERN in Switzerland discovered the Higgs Boson. Why should you care? It’s the sub…
We need a new farm-worker law
Farm issues have taken a back seat to more pressing issues in our current Congress. These farm issues have the potential of being significant economic factors both nationally and most certainly locally here on the Central Coast. If farming does well, so does our local economy. It is one of the major drivers of local…
Gloria Ferrer Blanc de Noirs Carneros
Every wine lover I know believes as I do: It doesn’t require a holiday to pop the cork out of a bottle of bubbly. Whether I have two guests or many, every occasion begins with Champagne or sparkling wine, and I consider it a must for brunch. This Napa Valley-grown sparkler is made with Pinot…
Chipwrecked in Pismo Beach
The whole idea seemed kinda silly when I heard about this eatery, although I was amused by the clever name for a shop that specializes in fresh potato chips. On my first visit to Chipwrecked in Pismo Beach, I learned another surprising fact: Chef Sarah Paddack had no previous professional cooking experience. But followers of…
Cougars & Mustangs
As that most delightful condition–being on break from school–draws to a close, any stray cougars and mustangs roaming around town would do well to spend their final precious days of vacation wisely. Winter quarter at Cal Poly commences on Jan. 7, while Cuesta students have until Jan. 22 to enjoy all a Central Coast winter…
Getting clean is good for the heart
For people who want a locally crafted, synthetic-free, and natural herbal skin care product, Heart’s Desire Soap Co. has opened a new store in San Luis Obispo. The scents are not overwhelming—as with bath and body products in many other stores—and that’s because there are no artificial fragrances here. It can be difficult to pinpoint…
Skateboarders make ‘last’ push for concrete playground
San Luis Obispo skaters have been working for years to raise money and draft plans for a sweet concrete skate park filled with smooth bowls, rails, and ramps to replace the deteriorating wooden one that now occupies Santa Rosa Park, but time may be running out. Organizers have distributed a flier for what they’ve dubbed…
A troubled department gets a new chief
Some of the biggest Central Coast headlines of last year came out of Santa Maria, just over the border in Northern Santa Barbara County. Eight officer-involved shootings—at least one of which caught the eye of national media due to an officer killing a fellow officer in a struggle—made for a tense 2012. The turbulent year…
She’ll be the judge of that
The San Luis Obispo County Superior Courthouse has a new judge, and her name is Rita. On Dec. 27, California Gov. Jerry Brown’s office announced the appointment of Rita C. Federman to the vacant local judgeship seat left after the retirement of Hon. Judge Teresa Estrada-Mullany. Federman, 50, of San Luis Obispo, has served since…
The jail was awfully busy on New Year’s Eve
Dozens of people in San Luis Obispo County welcomed 2013 from the cold concrete floors of jail cells and drunk-tanks. According to SLO Sheriff’s spokesperson Tony Cipolla, 31 people were booked into the county jail between the hours of 9 p.m. on Dec. 31 and 9 a.m. on Jan. 1 for a range of crimes…
Fishermen rep steps down
Brian Stacy has resigned from his post as vice president of the Port San Luis Commercial Fishermen’s Association, citing a lack of support from the organization in his Dec. 27 announcement. Stacy was featured in a recent New Times article (“Fishing unfriendly waters,” Dec. 20) for his efforts to negotiate payments for fishermen to cover…
Driverless car demolishes bus stop
Just before 1 p.m. on Dec. 27, a Mitsubishi Eclipse exited Highway 101 onto Grand Avenue in San Luis Obispo, but the vehicle blew past the stop sign at the bottom of the off-ramp and crashed into a bus stop enclosure, destroying it beyond repair. From the information relayed to dispatchers, officers first assumed the…
What was your most memorable experience with a wild animal?
Keng Doja musician “There was a rabid opossum in the parking lot behind my house when I was really young. It was foaming at the mouth, sneering, and walking like it was drunk. It was pretty scary for me.” Owen Seymour actor “I was in British Columbia, and after going for a dip in the…
