Cover Story
New options: Push to create more shelter for the unhoused gains momentum amid crisis
Billy, 41, who lived on the streets of San Luis Obispo for nearly three years, said he sees one clear silver lining to the COVID-19 pandemic: It drew the public’s attention to the homelessness crisis. “The pandemic may have been one of the best things that has happened to the homeless community in SLO,” said…
SLO County passes resolution in support of offshore wind plans
San Luis Obispo County is now on record supporting federal and state initiatives to develop a wind farm off the coast of Morro Bay. On June 22, the Board of Supervisors adopted a resolution backing the clean energy plans, a move that will signal the county’s interest in receiving funds to conduct local feasibility and…
Grover Beach to become more food truck friendly
When the pandemic left Grover Beach-based events coordinator Epic Entertainment without any events to coordinate, the Epic team decided to turn its huge parking lot at 675 West Grand Avenue into a haven for local food trucks. Dubbed GBeatZ, the parking lot opened up to vendors in November 2020, charging 10 percent of each truck’s…
Prevention is protection
Three Heritage Ranch residents were recently charged by San Luis Obispo County District Attorney Dan Dow with the tragic death of a 7-month-old infant due to alleged methamphetamine and fentanyl poisoning. On June 4, in Indianapolis, Crystal Martin admitted before a court to giving her 3-year-old son Johnathan Johnson two 100mg pills of Zoloft, an…
SLO County supervisors divvy up Rescue Plan funds
Water, public health, and community grant programs are getting the largest chunks of San Luis Obispo County’s $54.9 million share of the American Rescue Plan, as the Board of Supervisors discussed the funds and made preliminary allocations on June 15. County supervisors divided up the COVID-19 recovery money into three main categories—public health and negative…
AG City Council is doing its job
Per a June 10 New Times article (“Arroyo Grande opts out of Central Coast Blue, barring new agreement”): “The city of Pismo Beach is incredibly disappointed in the action of the Arroyo Grande City Council to not move forward with Central Coast Blue,” Mayor Waage’s statement read. “Our request for a public meeting of all…
Survivor community: Resilient Souls nonprofit provides tools for healing
Lisa Majors was around 9 years old when her older sister was kidnapped by a prominent Bay Area gang and forced into what we would now consider a sex trafficking ring. At the time, Majors said she and her family didn’t fully understand what was happening. It was the ’70s and her parents were devout…
In the Heights is an uplifting story of American dreamers
IN THE HEIGHTS What’s it rated? PG-13 When? 2021 Where’s it showing? Bay, Downtown Centre, Fair Oaks, Galaxy, The Palm, Park, Sunset Drive-In, HBO Max (streaming) What’s it worth, Anna? Full price What’s it worth, Glen? Full price Jon M. Chu (Crazy Rich Asians) directs this screenplay by Quiara AlegrÃa Hudes based on Hamilton creator…
Atascadero’s Equality Mural Project hosts a fundraiser with music and film on June 18
Join your community On Friday, June 18, Atascadero’s Equality Mural Project hosts a fundraiser outside the Atascadero Printery from 6 to 9 p.m., starting with a music set by local live hip-hop and funk act Wordsauce, followed by a screening of the documentary Alice Street, about an at-risk mural in Oakland, with director Spencer Wilkinson…
COVID-19 may get the final say
Many thanks to Rita Casaverde’s New Times commentary (“Something to remember,” April 8) calling out Jordan Cunningham’s sardonic efforts at making fun of COVID-19. When I think of the hundreds of thousands who have suffered family deaths, illnesses, and long-term side effects due to COVID-19, I find Cunningham’s remarks beyond the pale. While he and…
Roots Gallery Design Co. in Los Osos presents new duo exhibit, Humans, showcasing artists Charlie Rugg and Jordan Quintero
Jordan Quintero, founder of Roots Gallery Design Co., teamed up with oil painter Charlie Rugg for a new contemporary fine art exhibition, Humans, which premiered at the Los Osos gallery on June 12. This duo show is described as a collection of “mixed media musings on the deeper elements of humanity,” where “relationships—with the self,…
A lesson not learned
In 1977 I was a seasonal wildland and structural firefighter with the Butte County Fire Department. Compared to today, we lived in the dark ages of firefighting resources. We had no fire hydrants in most of the areas we protected. When a barn or homestead burned, we drafted water out of canals or shuttled water…
Glasshead Studio in Atascadero celebrates two-year anniversary with pop-up art show
On June 27, Glasshead Studio in Atascadero is hosting a special pop-up art show, in celebration of the venue’s two-year anniversary. A variety of locally produced artworks will be on display and available for purchase during the event, which will be held from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission to the show is free, and…
Limbo
What’s it rated? R When? 2020 Where’s it showing? The Palm Theatre Writer-director Ben Sharrock (Pikadero) helms this story about Omar (Amir El-Masry), a promising young Syrian musician separated from his family and stuck on a remote Scottish island awaiting the fate of his asylum request. There, he’s housed with other immigrants awaiting their fate.…
Paso Robles Recreation Center hosts Mosaic Rocks workshop
Creative Me Time presents its next Mosaic Rocks workshop at the Paso Robles Recreation Center on June 28, from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Participants of this class will design and decorate their own colorful mosaic rock to add as a fun accent to their yard or garden, or give away as a creative gift. Admission…
Swept away
I bet a lot of people are happy to see all that trash along the Southbound Highway 101 Madonna Road exit finally cleaned up, and by “trash” I don’t mean all the blue trash bags. I mean what too many people consider human “trash”—those people with nowhere to go who set up tents under the…
Live Oak on the Radio, Summer Block Party, Juneteenth, oh my!
To paraphrase the words of Chief Brody (Roy Scheider) to Quint (Robert Shaw) in Jaws (1975), “I’m gonna need a bigger music column,” because there’s a ton of great music choices this weekend. Of course, I don’t have a bigger music column, so let’s get to it. Last year the Live Oak Music Festival pivoted…
The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It
What’s it rated? Not rated When? 2021 Where’s it showing? Downtown Centre, Galaxy, Park, Regal Arroyo Grande, Sunset Drive-In, HBO Max (streaming) Michael Chaves directs this threequel in The Conjuring franchise, which is based on real-life paranormal investigators Ed (Patrick Wilson) and Lorraine Warren (Vera Farmiga), who in 1968 gained widespread notoriety for investigating the…
Fishermen voice concerns over Morro Bay wind farm
During the June 8 SLO County Board of Supervisors meeting, several commercial fishermen called in during public comment and submitted letters requesting the board pause on approving a resolution that supported initiatives to develop wind energy. The resolution, which supervisors pulled from the agenda, recognized the potential for renewable wind power generation and clean energy…
Morro Bay’s business community weathers pandemic impacts thanks to chamber efforts and regional tourists
Jeremy Tardiff wanted to be his own boss, so he combined his knowledge of coffee and his love for Morro Bay to open his own coffee house on the Embarcadero in March 2020. Named after his dog, Daisy’s Organic Coffee & Teas introduced customers to roasted organic coffee beans and fresh teas for two weeks…
Pismo to implement paid parking on Price Street
Pismo Beach is planning to install scores of paid parking meters on Price Street in 2022, part of the city’s effort to reduce traffic and parking congestion downtown in preparation for the potential loss of one of its biggest public parking lots. Pismo’s second largest parking lot, the Wolosz lot, sits across from Old West…
Cannabis industry speaks against planned tax increase
Local cannabis operators are asking San Luis Obispo County supervisors to hit the brakes on a planned cannabis tax increase, which would raise the county’s gross receipt tax from 6 to 8 percent starting July 1. Industry members told the Board of Supervisors during its June 8 meeting that the tax hike would place an…
Morro Bay, Vistra enter agreement that could result in the removal of iconic stacks
The Morro Bay Power Plant site has gone unused for the last eight years, but a new agreement between site owners, Vistra Corp, and the city of Morro Bay could lead to new use and removal of the stacks. On June 9, the city approved the agreement, which would allow the city to purchase easements…
A toast to SLO Coast: Local wine expert helps bring a new format to Roll Out the Barrels 2021
Place your bids Visit slocoastwine.com to access Roll Out the Barrels event information at individual wineries and to preview your favorite wine lot. An auction goes live at 9 a.m. on June 24 and closes at noon on June 28. The executive director of the San Luis Obispo Coast Wine Collective lives and breathes wine—and…
