Cover Story
Steel relevant: Max Randolph embraces his ancestral roots in the blacksmithing trade
Max Randolph loves his work. Even if he doesn’t say it outright, it’s easy to see from the way his blue eyes suddenly light up and crinkle into a smile, or in the excited gestures of his arms whenever he’s talking about it. He lives to pound metal. That’s not some kind of weird, obscure…
What old-timey profession would you have had back in the day?
Tyler Saltsman account executive “I would have been building the railroads or blacksmithing.” Lane Anderson school teacher “I would have been a homemaker.” Brandt Kehoe retired “It would be the same job I used to have, an academic physicist.” Brynn Verner no comment “Violinist!”
Golf swings for surfing vets: Charles D. Perriguey Jr. Charity Golf Tournament will benefit Operation Surf
To most people, surfing’s just a hobby, or perhaps an activity on their bucket list that they never quite get around to—but for some, squeezing into that wetsuit can be a lifesaver. On June 29, Central Coast golfers can practice their golf swing to contribute to such a lifesaver. The fifth annual Charles D. Perriguey…
Cougars & Mustangs
It shouldn’t be surprising that the Risk: University of California edition game I mentioned last week is still going strong. I mean, have you ever taken the time to actually finish a game of Monopoly? I didn’t think so. Rather than an announcement of continued territorial expansion, Cal Poly has apparently heard the word of…
Cabin and campsite project in Avila Beach given green light in spite of residents’ concerns over water availability
The Harbor Terrace project, a 32-acre camping and hotel development proposed by the Port San Luis Harbor District, moved forward on June 17, despite citizen objections. The project has been decades in the making, but new concerns over water availability and increased traffic prompted Avila Beach residents to appeal the coastal development permit, which was…
SLO County justice system sees increase in child pornography cases
Other than his slightly dazed expression, 19-year-old Elliott Masami Yu Jing Kasadate looks relativity normal in his mug shot. Identified on his social media pages as a Cal Poly student, Kasadate, has a face you wouldn’t look twice at if he passed you on a busy downtown SLO street or on the way to class…
Las Pilitas quarry shot down, again
After the county denied permitting a rock quarry near Santa Margarita, Las Pilitas Resources LLC thought it would have better luck with the state. Turns out, that’s not really the case. Las Pilitas Resources filed an appeal on May 27 with the state Mining and Geology Board (MGB), a body that can at times trump…
Cuesta College and cops keep quiet about data breach
Cuesta College officials and investigators are keeping a tight lid on the details of a May data breach at the college. So far, both declined to comment on the scope of the breach, in which a college employee transmitted personal information from Cuesta’s employee database to a personal email. “It’s an active part of an…
Pesky pest detection
A tiny bug that threatens to be a big problem for the state’s citrus industry has again made an appearance in San Luis Obispo County trees. The county Agricultural Commissioner/Sealer’s Office announced June 11 that it detected a single adult Asian citrus psyllid in a commercial citrus grove in the county’s southern-most region. The psyllid…
SLO city water rates will increase
The San Luis Obispo City Council voted to increase water rates and sewer rates at its June 16 meeting. City revenues from water were $1 million less than anticipated, as SLO residents conserved water. To cover the shortfall and cost of ongoing maintenance, councilmembers voted 4-1 to increase those rates over the next two years,…
Cal Poly nixes development on ag land
After protests from students and faculty, Cal Poly recently took the possibility of development on campus agricultural land off the table. The university announced in a press release that the land, which includes fields and orchards between Highway 1 and Brizzolara Creek west of Mount Bishop Road, will no longer be considered for possible development…
Conserve more; pay more!
I have a real black thumb. Plants just seem to commit suicide when I’m around. In fact, even my plastic plants die, probably because I don’t pretend to water them. So I’m feeling right at home in California’s drought. Now it’s not just my plants that are dead; it’s everyone’s. And why? Because according to…
The Bayside Café needs to stay where it is
Recent months have revealed peril placed upon the existence of the Bayside Café, located in the marina of Morro Bay State Park, one of the favorite eating places in Morro Bay. At present, there is no acceptable solution in sight. As I understand it, the cause of this peril is manipulations undertaken by the state…
Digital Democracy is a step forward
The League of Women Voters commends Dr. Sam Blakeslee and the Institute for Advanced Technology & Public Policy at Cal Poly for their work to increase transparency and accountability in state government through the Digital Democracy Initiative. The Digital Democracy website, http://digitaldemocracy.org, now available in beta version, provides unprecedented public access to information on legislators,…
Don’t derail our future
The issue of Phillips 66 proposing to send dangerous oil trains through SLO County to its Nipomo Mesa refinery is of great concern to me because a possible derailment is larger than just an explosion or fire that can be cleaned. The future of watersheds, air, land, people, schools, and businesses along the Central Coast…
Learn from the recent oil spill
On May 31, in response to the recent oil spill along the Gaviota coast, some 500 people marched from Santa Barbara’s De la Guerra Plaza to West Beach in order to, “Stand in the Sand” and demand an end to our reliance on fossil fuels and the disastrous oil spills that continue to foul our…
SLO lost a valuable public servant
I had little or no faith in the SLO Police Department until the city hired Steve Gesell. I was impressed with his enthusiasm, out-of-box thinking, and willingness to address everyone’s concerns. He treated everyone—from homeowners to Cal Poly students and the homeless—with the same concern and respect. Steve and “the community” didn’t have fundamental philosophical…
Getting schooled on oil trains
How do you explain extreme timidity as a response to extreme peril? There is a logical response when confronted with a proposal like this: Let’s haul more than 2 million gallons of the most toxic form of crude oil—in tanker cars that have been derailing, spilling, and exploding at an escalating clip—nearly every day of…
The Live Oak Music Festival promises a stellar line-up June 19-21, including closing headliner Steve Earle and The Dukes
Lots of shows at this weekend’s Live Oak Music Festival have me giddy with anticipation. I can’t wait to see The Record Company live. It’s a band Time Out LA described as John Lee Hooker and The Stooges’ love child. Then there’s R&B shouter and roots rocker Nikki Hill, a southern dynamo I interviewed a…
‘Candid Camera’ comes to Clark Center July 11
You know the show we’re talking about. Peter Funt, host of the popular TV show Candid Camera, will bring a nostalgic comedic stage show to the Clark Center in Arroyo Grande this July 11. Benefitting the Food Bank Coalition of SLO, Candid Camera’s Eight Decades of Smiles with Peter Funt is a stage comedy that…
‘The Pirates of Penzance’ sail into SLO Little Theatre
SLO Little Theatre will present The Pirates of Penzance this July 17 through Aug. 2. This G-rated romp brings swashbuckling fun to the whole family with salty attitude to spare. A crew of young performers will take on the mirthful farce of sentimental pirates, dim-witted lovers, and eccentric Major General all set against the wit…
McCarthy’s Irish Pub and the pinewood derby
It’s Saturday, June 13, and I’m contemplating life without a finger after the small pine block I’m ripping at an angle on my table saw jumps out of my hand just as I get close to the ferociously spinning blade. My junior high school shop teacher wouldn’t be amused, but I don’t have a band…
Summer bash at The Bunker explodes June 27
Janelle Younger was digging around a craft fair for choice metallic scraps when she bumped into a fortuitous new friend. That mysterious acquaintance turned out to be none other than Jeff “Barn Boy” Sauer, who—as his name would suggest—works solely with reclaimed barn wood. Chairs, tables, you name it: Sauer breathes new life into old…
Nicolife web series is quirky fun
There’s nothing creepier than knowing someone is watching you while you sleep. OK, scratch that. There is something creepier: actually wanting someone to watch you while you sleep. Right? I doubt Nicolai Travis—fictional star of the SLO-based web series Nicolife—would agree with me here, but that’s predictable. What should I expect from a raging egomaniac…
Clubs 6/18/15 – 6/25/15
Goin’ South 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 Pismo Beach location every Fri. and Sat. from 6-9pm. Tennessee Jimmy Harrell and Doc Stoltey play on alternating…
Scout’s Olallieberry Milkshake and Blackhorse Coffee’s Uptown Freeze
A foolproof way to see if you’re talking to a local: Can they properly pronounce the word olallieberry? Do they know what olallieberries are? Have they tried them baked into a Linn’s pie? If you get three right answers, you can let them into the club. What club do I speak of? Why, the olallieberry…
A journey into the world of heritage pork
Let’s cut to the meat of the matter. Have you heard of pork butter yet? No? Let’s fix that. I had no idea what it was either—that is, until my husband and I attended a drool-inducing Pork to Plate seminar hosted by FARMstead Ed at J&R Meats in Paso Robles. The moment local cookbook author…
Did you hear?
Adelaida Cellars in Paso Robles fortified its team with a new assistant winemaker, Brianne Engles! In addition, the winery garnered certified sommelier credentials for Glenn Mitton, who performs in-depth tastings and tours of the iconic Paso vineyard (adelaida.com) … Beaverstock at Castoro Cellars in Templeton may not be happening until Sept. 19 through 20, but…
