Cover Story
What assault weapons ban?
On paper, California has among the strictest prohibitions of assault weapon-style guns in the nation. First passed in 1989 in response to a mass murder of elementary school children involving an AK-47, the state law bans the sale of weapons with certain militaristic features and bans other weapons and parts specifically by name. The law…
Is drinking while pregnant a special problem here?
No amount of alcohol consumption is safe for pregnant women, according to the U.S. Surgeon General’s guidelines. It’s a message that has been printed on the label of every bottle of wine or whiskey in the country for the last 10 years. And since the early ’70s, alcohol consumption during pregnancy has been definitively linked…
Sing with me, if it’s just for today
Mozart, Shakespeare, and corndogs … not necessarily in that order Take a Ride on the Wild Side at the annual California Mid State Fair, happening July 22 through Aug. 2 in Paso Robles. Get your tickets now. Find live music, rodeos, pony rides, bull riding, prize farm animals, arts and crafts displays, live entertainment, carnival…
Movies and more on the cliffs of Shell Beach
New Times You’re the general manager at Dolphin Bay Resort and Spa in Shell Beach? Sean Damery Yes I am. I have been here a year and before this I was in Monterey. I’ve also worked at the Ojai Valley Inn and at the Four Seasons in Hawaii, on the big island. New Times What…
What is your favorite summer memory?
Sam Chatham student “Going surfing in Avila Beach” Ashley Johnson seafood sales “Fishing for mackerel off Avila pier” Debbie Rooker sales “Music at the Friday night Avila Beach farmers’ market” Alexandra Robertson flower sales “Family barbecues—ribs—anywhere”
Leopard-spotted landscapes
In “Chromageddon,” Adrienne Allebe and Michael Burns’ exhibit at the FireFly Gallery in Paso Robles, the artists bridge multiple antipodal paths, most notably dancing between representational and the abstract but also melding sculpture and painting. The result of their willingness to experiment is a collection that merges animals with mushroom clouds, sharp pustules of paint…
No spoons necessary
History has many faces. Often, it’s the stodgy cardigan-clad geriatric or the stern, unsmiling visages of a family long since deceased. It’s steeped in sepia, and mothball scented. Except when it’s a rich cacao-infused purée of portraits capturing the faces and personalities that colored downtown San Luis Obispo during the ’70s. The San Luis Obispo…
State lawmakers seek more time for bracero claims
When America needed them, they came in by the truckload. Now, more than a half-century after thousands of braceros migrated to California during a World War II-era labor shortage, state legislators are working to ensure they get their just rewards. Seen as an alternative to undocumented immigration, the Bracero Program was a series of guest…
Awards for New Times
The National Newspaper Association has awarded New Times first place for environmental reporting in its Better Newspaper Contest. Kathy Johnston’s Oct. 30 story “Shut down for speaking up” earned the honor in the category of non-daily newspapers with circulations greater than 6,000. The story focused on Colleen Enk, an opponent of proposed sand mining in…
Santa Maria customs center could come to Port San Luis
The Santa Maria Airport is shutting down its three-year-old U.S. Customs facility and Port San Luis is being considered as a replacement site for the local inspection of foreign goods. The airport set up the facility in hopes of attracting foreign-import businesses, in particular a French maintenance and parts supplier. But that didn’t pan out…
The Target shopping experience in SLO?
SLO City Planning Commission will continue discussions on a Target store proposed for Los Osos Valley Road in San Luis Obispo on July 22. Formally called the Prefumo Creek Commons Project, the development would require annexing 31 acres of unincorporated land into the city as well as a general plan amendment to change the property’s…
Wilcox fired, details on the way
SLO County supervisors fired deputy administrator Gail Wilcox, the county’s second in command, because she had a conflict of interest due to a personal relationship. Wilcox will not receive any severance pay and the county officials are ready to spill the details behind her termination. The specifics probably will be released on July 24 as…
For the love of money: A snitch offers to sell his story
“What you got was just the tip of the iceberg,” a man identifying himself as confidential police informant Daniel Victor Lee said in an interview. Lee called New Times hours after an article featuring his work for the SLO County Sheriff’s Department hit the news stands on July 9, eager to tell his side of…
State hopes to curb power-plant water use
A new policy cycling through the state Water Resources Control Board—the same policy expected to shutter Morro Bay’s power plant—could also have big impacts on the Diablo Canyon nuclear plant. The state water board released a draft policy last month that would effectively eliminate the cooling system (once-through cooling-water intake) used by 19 power plants…
A tech giant
In the heart of Paso Robles, among the vineyards and pastures, conspicuously rests a sleek blue building that stands out like a swimming pool in the Kalahari. But even some of the most seasoned locals don’t know it’s the headquarters of one of the leading business software developers, one of the largest employers on the…
Take God out of it
Cindy Sandman (“Keep ‘under God’ in the Pledge of Allegiance,” July 9) wrote: “Our nation belongs under God and all the children raised in the United States of America need to learn that from the first grade on, if they intend to be good United States citizens.” This might be a good time to remind…
Return the pledge to secular form
I don’t think we need to keep “under God” in the Pledge of Allegiance (“Remove ‘under God’ from the Pledge of Allegiance,” June 25). As every thinking person surely knows, it does not reflect the reality of America. We are not one nation under God. We are one nation under many Gods. Our citizens follow…
Hands off
I was sad to read “Street Talk” in the May 21 issue. The question was, “Should the government require everyone to have health insurance?” It was a unanimous four for four in the “yes” response, with the two oldest respondents (a nurse and a physics professor, no less!) drawing comparisons to the requirement that a…
Change, Gov. Schwarzenegger
It’s unfortunate that our elected state legislators from both parties, along with our myopic governor, have forgotten why they are in Sacramento. They are there to serve the people and run the state’s business in a responsible way. Years ago in my civics class, I learned about all governments and why our brand of democracy…
Thank you, Sam Blakeslee
I would like to take this opportunity to offer a sincere thanks to our 33rd California Assembly District representative, Assemblyman Sam Blakeslee, for his unending efforts in support of our armed forces, and especially our veterans. It is through the continued work of Assemblyman Blakeslee that he was able to establish the Air Express van…
Representatives should study
I thought it was just a mistake when the TARP bill passed without Rep. Lois Capps bothering to read it. But then I realized our representatives in Washington and Sacramento are no longer looking out for our interests. It’s Capps’ job to read bills before she votes for or against them. She also voted on…
Take it easy
The wonderful thing about America is that we all have the right to freely voice our opinion. Jerry Johns singled out the CHP in the letter, “Watch out for hot-shoe CHP prowlers” (July 9). May I offer this reply? I just glanced at my insurance renewal bill. My discount for being a “California Good Driver”…
Tainted green
A recent grand jury report on Oceano Dunes (“Deception or bumble?” June 18) investigated an issue of key interest to the Sierra Club. Local chapter director Andrew Christie hailed the report, saying, “The grand jury said the same thing we’ve been saying for the past two years.” Shockingly, it has been uncovered that at…
Ditch snitches
The use of snitches (“Snitch,” July 9) who get reduced sentences and cash rewards is nothing less than bribing a witness. If any defense attorney did any of the maneuvers district attorneys routinely do with paid informants, they would be doing hard felony time for suborning a witness. The reliability of a person whose…
Kiwi Cuvee 2008 Sauvignon Blanc Loire
This simple but bright white is easy sipping with its mild citrus and melon aromas and flavors. It’s a good choice for a summer party when you’re dining alfresco. Made in France, the kiwi name refers to its New Zealand characteristics. Not bad for a $3.99 retail wine, at Trader Joe’s.
Laetitia 2007 Pinot Noir Arroyo Grande Valley Clone 2A Wadenswil
This vibrant, darkly-hued wine tastes as rich as it looks with intense flavors of blackberries, cherries, plums, nuanced with notes of earth and spice. It’s difficult to resist this delicious wine now but it will reward those who cellar it a few years. Among the first releases of winemaker Eric Hickey’s 2007s, a very good…
There is no excuse for poor planning
The 2009 New Times Best of SLO identified the Los Osos Wastewater Project (LOWWP) as first runner-up for the “Best Waste of Taxpayer Money”. LOWWP should have taken first prize. Nearly $40 million has been spent over the last 20 years in pursuit of a solution. Prior to the formation of the Los Osos…
Tina Rose
New Times: What’s the difference between Cal Fire and local fire stations? Rose: The County of San Luis Obispo contracts with the state of California, which is Cal Fire. We cover the unincorporated areas. We have contracts with Cayucos, the City of Pismo Beach, and Los Osos, for example. New Times: Are there any regional…
Petite Sirah primer
I love wine in all of its varieties, colors, and textures, from most producers. But I do not love all varieties equally, particularly Petite Sirah. This masculine, tannic variety has such brawny, beefy characteristics, I describe it as the stevedore of wines. And they’re usually so deeply colored they stain your mouth and teeth. I’ve…
Sex, sex, sex!!!
It may be time to bet on a Sarah Palin presidency because other unlikely things are coming true: For one thing, I’m biting my tongue. When I first heard the official word about why Gail Wilcox, one of the county’s top administrators, was fired, I couldn’t help but wonder if we were seeing a double…
Al Millan & the Robots attack Odd Fellows!!!!!
I’ve got an extra special place in my heart for Al Millan and the Robots. After all, as a wee senior high-schooler, I used to slip through the back entrance of the Dark Room to see this awesome bluesy, garage-y, Americana rock act. The Dark Room and Millan were essentially my first nightclub experience, and…
