Cover Story
Decommissioning Diablo
Since the day its construction was announced, the Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant was a magnet for controversy. Opposition to the plant, which sits along a scenic stretch of coastline in Avila Beach, sprang up almost immediately. Those who opposed the plant vowed to one day close it. As the years dragged on, so did…
Close to home
The sounds of the ocean waves crashing against the shore whirl about and hit the ear in a melodic way. Their siren song is both enchanting and indecipherable, with a pull as strong as a riptide. The vocal waves of Morro Bay beckoned to music composer Mark Abel and he responded with an opera. Several…
Summer lovin’
The “good fat:” If you don’t dig avocados and margaritas, you may not be human. I cannot wait to slurp up some icy tequila-spiked cocktails and dip some chips into creamy avocado spreads at this year’s upcoming Avocado Margarita Street Fest in Morro Bay. Plan on getting a designated driver and mark Sept. 10 on…
Upper Crust Trattoria’s ‘Shawn’s Quarter’
Cards Against Humanity”he’s probably sipping on an Old Fashioned made with bitters, muddled orange, and maraschino cherries. Lately, Hafley and his wife, Darci, have been hanging at the bar at Upper Crust Trattoria, conveniently midway between our two houses. To say that this has become a sort of bizarro Cheers situation for the Hafleys would…
Lone Madrone’s 2012 ‘The Will’
Where there’s a will, there’s a way. Grenache, zinfandel, and petite sirah splash together to create this earthy, rich, concentrated red that calls out for meat, meat, and more meat (I paired it with pistachio-crusted steak). Named after the “Will’s Hills” vineyard in Paso Robles”which is, in turn, named after fourth generation farmers Neil and…
What’s your favorite fair food?
Brooke Ashley teacher, florist “Those ridiculous caramel apples that they sell, and I love when they make that handmade lemonade.” Jill Whinnery massage therapist “I don’t go to the fair, and I wouldn’t eat the food if I did.” Larry Cornett retired law enforcement “Barbecue tri-tip.” Serena Mueller student “I just like getting the corn…
Mamma knows!
If anyone has the moxie to take over what was once known as a white tablecloth, fine dining establishment and spin it into a casual, down-home hangout, it’s probably Esther Abobo. Her grit and determination know no bounds, and, after all, she know a thing or two about warming hungry bellies with comfort food staples.…
Wipeout
Because I’m lean, blondish, and look and act like a California kid, I often get asked: “Do you surf?”My answer has always been, “yes!” “Yes, I love to surf,” I eagerly tell people. “In fact, I have an uncle and cousin who live on Oahu and I surfed Waimea Bay. And did you know that…
A strange and wondrous trip
What happens when you get two talented musicians who are used to working on the fringes of mainstream music and throw them together with absolutely no agenda and no pressure to do anything but explore? Well, if the two musicians are Sean Lennon (son of John) and Les Claypool (bassist of Primus), you get the…
Journey through art
His reaction was immediate and visceral. The first time Dale Evers stepped onto San Luis Obispo County soil, he knew he wanted it to be the last place he ever stepped. Evers, who had recently finished his service in the Army, decided to visit the Central Coast on the advice of a surfing buddy from…
Welcome to the Wild West
Thar’s gold in them thar hills! Well, technically it’s green, not gold, but it’s still worth a lot of dough! Yes, gold’s still king at $1,300 an ounce, but high quality weed at $300 an ounce is nothing to sneeze at, and growing dope is a lot easier than digging for gold, just ask all…
Another response to oil train slights
Again, I feel compelled to reply to a letter submitted to New Times. In the letter by Madeline Palaszewski (“It’s not if but when with oil trains,” July 21) asking elected officials to stop the Phillips 66 oil-by-rail project, she mentions the recent Mosier, Ore., oil train derailment. It should be noted that, yes, the…
Caren Ray is back in local politics
It heartens me that former SLO County 4th District Supervisor Caren Ray is throwing her hat back in the political ring. During the time we were privileged to have her in county government and I was serving as land use committee chair of the South County Advisory Council, I got to know her well and…
Same ol’ election rhetoric
Dan Carpenter is at it again. He lost to Adam Hill by more than 10 points in the primary election for 3rd District supervisor, so you’d think he’d try something new. But once again, Carpenter is launching personal attacks on Hill. And then trying to grab votes by playing both sides of the issues. I…
Liberty and justice
The American Civil Liberties Union, the nation’s greatest defender of constitutional rights, is closing in on its 100th anniversary. As it does so, the newly rebuilt San Luis Obispo County chapter, which has tiptoed quietly through its first year, enters its second hoping to expand both its work and the number of people who participate…
A place to play
For children with disabilities, many simple things that most of us take for granted, such as spending time at a playground with other children, are very challenging or even downright impossible. Atascadero-based group Parents for Joy wants to change this. “We’re all moms with special needs children,” co-founder Jenell Allen said. “We got together originally…
Cougars and Mustangs
Beloved Cuesta College students, only two weeks remain until your classes begin. If you have not already signed up for your classes, please do so now! But as we get closer and closer to the beginning of the year, it becomes important to prepare oneself for the fact that things could end up getting a…
Is the sheriff a comin’?
In common fashion, it didn’t take much for Morro Bay citizens to peer into the most recent controversial proposal to come out of City Hall and start asking questions. This time, it involves an early proposal to consider outsourcing the city’s law enforcement services to the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Department, a discussion that…
Hotel faces lawsuit over hot tea spill
A woman is suing a San Luis Obispo hotel after she claimed she was scalded by some very hot tea. The lawsuit, filed July 22 in San Luis Obispo County Superior Court, is seeking damages, claiming that the Courtyard Marriott San Luis Obispo was negligent when it knowingly served extremely hot tea to a patron,…
Convalescent home sued over wrongful death of patient
An Atascadero nursing facility is facing a lawsuit over the death of an elderly client, whom attorneys claim died due to neglect, abuse, and poor hiring practices. The suit, filed against Country Care Convalescent Hospital July 25, claims that the facility’s poor practices and supervision led to the death of Leo Paul Landry, an elderly…
Justin Winery-involved development to go to Paso City Council
As SLO County continues to reel from the revelations of mass deforestation by Justin Vineyards and Winery on property outside of Paso Robles, plans for expanding a business park within the city on property partially owned by Justin are moving forward with little opposition. On July 12, the Paso Robles Planning Commission voted 5-1 in…
SLO DA drops case against sex offender
SLO County prosecutors dropped a nearly yearlong criminal case against a registered sex offender the day it was scheduled to go to trial. The case against Fabian Robert Grijalvamansera, 28, was dismissed at the request of the SLO County District Attorney’s Office on July 25, according to court records. Grijalvamansera was facing felony charges after…
Sheriff pushes for supes urgency ordinance halting medical cannabis grows
What was planned as a preliminary discussion about a potential medical marijuana ordinance at the July 26 San Luis Obispo Board of Supervisors meeting morphed into a push for urgency regulations to ban new plantings in unincorporated areas across the county. The board voted 3-2, with 2nd District Supervisor Bruce Gibson and 3rd District Supervisor…
