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Feeling separated: Scholarship students push back against Cal Poly’s on-campus housing policies
It was only when her mother used the bathroom on move-in day that Cal Poly first-year student Cassandra Garcia realized her new residence hall might have an overcrowding problem. “She looked around and said, ‘You guys have only two stalls, two everything. Are you gonna be OK living like this?’ I said, ‘Yeah, we’ll make…
When is the real estate market going to crash?
We are not experiencing an artificial price bubble. This is a very real housing shortage. Unlike bubbles in the past, like the Dutch Tulip Mania in the 1600s, housing is a necessity, not a luxury. Everyone needs a place to live. As the human race continues to populate the world, we will need more and…
The Matrix Resurrections tries to be different, but is a hollow echo of the first movie
THE MATRIX RESURRECTIONS What’s it rated? R What’s it worth, Bulbul? Stream it What’s it worth, Caleb? Stream it Where’s it showing? HBO Max Editor’s Note: Staff Writer Bulbul Rajagopal and Calendar Editor Caleb Wiseblood are filling in for the Starkeys, who are on vacation. A resurrected Thomas Anderson is trapped in a smaller but…
Volunteer for CASA
Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) advocates for the best interests of abused and neglected children within the court system. We recruit, train, and supervise volunteers with the goal of ensuring that every child grows up in a safe, nurturing, and permanent home. For someone interested in an amazing volunteer opportunity to serve the disadvantaged children…
Malignant
When? 2021 What’s it rated? R Where’s it available? Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV From dissect-you-in-your-dreams Freddy Krueger to Chucky the killer doll, Hollywood has churned out several horror institutions over the years. Then there’s Gabriel, the parasitic conjoined twin who propelled Malignant to Twitter cult status simply for being ridiculous. Directed by James Wan…
Coastal Commission owes us an explanation
Last March 18, the California Coastal Commission voted unanimously to close Pier Avenue in Oceano to vehicle beach access on July 1, 2022, to stop crossings at Arroyo Grande Creek and driving at night and on the wet sand. Last month, a backroom secret agreement was made to undo those conditions and maintain the status…
Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts
What’s it rated? TV-14 When? 2022 Where’s it showing? HBO Max To celebrate the 20th anniversary of the first Harry Potter film’s release, HBO Max is streaming a new retrospective documentary that reunites several of the franchise’s main cast members and filmmakers to reflect on the series and their most memorable experiences while filming it…
Very necessary protection
How will the Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary provide economic benefits and environmental protections to the Central Coast? Let us count the ways. A 2014 study of the potential economic impacts of a national marine sanctuary off the Central Coast (conducted by Jason Scorse, director of Center for the Blue Economy at the Monterey Institute…
Ain’t capitalism grand?
Is Cal Poly guilty of segregating students of color into substandard dorms? If so, that would belie the university’s claims toward inclusivity and fairness and certainly open Cal Poly up to civil rights violations. The truth, however, may be more complicated than the accusations. Maybe Cal Poly—a public university designed to affordably educate the populace—has…
Omicron variant fuels COVID-19 spike, concerns
San Luis Obispo County’s active COVID-19 cases jumped from 401 on Dec. 22 to more than 2,000 on Jan. 4—a new wave fueled by the highly contagious omicron variant, according to health officials. The SLO County Public Health Department is urging vaccinations, booster shots, and mask-wearing to help the community weather a viral storm that…
Food Bank employee fired over open letter sent without approval
At 8 a.m. on Jan. 4, now former SLO Food Bank employee Kody Cava sent an email that would get him fired later that day. The nearly 5,500 word message—titled “An open letter to our food banks regarding food equity” and also posted on Cava’s Substack newsletter—criticized his employer’s dependence on private donations to operate…
SLO Holiday crime rate indicates return to pre-pandemic times
It wasn’t all revelry for the city of San Luis Obispo this holiday season. The city saw an uptick in crime rates, which police think is a sign that crime patterns are returning to a pre-pandemic state. Data from the SLO Police Department showed that crime reports climbed by 26 percent over Nov. 26, 2021,…
SLO city doesn’t expect big impact from SB 9 housing law
A controversial new state housing law that’s been called the “death of single-family zoning” isn’t likely to soon have a big impact in the city of San Luis Obispo, according to local officials. But some residents remain skeptical. Senate Bill 9 (SB 9), which took effect Jan. 1, allows California property owners to subdivide single-family…
SLO County needs a lot more rain, officials say
SLO County’s recent rainstorm had locals digging out their rain boots and led to greener hills, but it wasn’t enough to alleviate the local drought. According to SLO County Water Resources Division Manager Courtney Howard, we’re going to need more rain to get back to where we should be. “There was some rise [in reservoir…
Air District opens applications for backyard burns
Backyards outside city limits in San Luis Obispo County could get smoky because burn season is officially underway. After a sporadic period of winter rainfall heightened vegetation moisture levels, the SLO County Fire Department and the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) declared burn season open effective Jan. 3. SLO County residents…
Boys and Girls Clubs of the Mid Central Coast starts program in Creston thanks to investor
Until recently, Creston had no after-school programs for youth. But that just changed for the rural community east of Atascadero. Thanks to a $284,000 investment from MUST! Charities, the Boys and Girls Clubs of the Mid Central Coast started up a new program for the youth of Creston on Jan. 4. The program provides Creston…
Harold J. Miossi Gallery hosts Zoom panel with featured artists
The participating artists in the Harold J. Miossi Gallery’s latest group show, Alloy: Ideas and Influences, will discuss their artworks during a virtual panel on Jan. 19. The Zoom meeting will start at 6 p.m. and is open to the public. Alloy: Ideas and Influences is described as an exhibition of contemporary cast metal from…
Ebony offers the Central Coast a taste of Ethiopia
Say selam For current business hours, menu items, and prices, contact Ebony via Instagram @ebony_slo or email ebonysloca@gmail.com. Pick up orders at Ebony’s new location at The Kitchen Terminal at 4750 Allene Way, in SLO. At The Kitchen Terminal in San Luis Obispo, new eatery Ebony specializes in vegan cuisine from Ethiopia—home to teff, the…
SLO photographer Nic Stover brings one-day workshop to Solvang
San Luis Obispo-based photographer Nic Stover will lead a photography workshop at the Wildling Museum of Art and Nature in Solvang on Jan. 30, from 2 to 4:30 p.m. The class is described as being designed for photographers of all skill levels seeking to improve their editing skills. “In this session, class participants will see…
SLOMA’s Second Saturdays provides free, all-ages arts activities once a month
This Saturday The San Luis Obispo Museum of Art’s next free Second Saturday event will be held Jan. 8 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the lawn outside the museum, 1010 Broad St., in SLO. Visit sloma.org for more info. Famed American novelist Gore Vidal (1925-2012) once opined, “The unfed mind devours itself.” Well,…
Omicron schmomicron: Live music marches on
Editor’s note: Due to COVID-19 concerns, Fruition (Jan. 11 at The Siren) and Cubensis (Jan. 7 at SLO Brew Rock) have canceled, and Thee Scared Souls (Jan. 12 at SLO Brew Rock) rescheduled to Feb. 10. Check with other venues concerning upcoming concerts as the situation is fluid and more cancelations are expected. Though by all…
Nine new state laws to pay attention to in 2022
New Year’s Day brought not only hangovers and resolutions to Californians, but also a slew of new state laws to follow. Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a whopping 770 bills in 2021, which officially became laws on Jan. 1, 2022. This week, New Times sorted through the pile to highlight nine key laws that locals should…
