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Empty Visions
Open publication
County will resume code enforcement actions against Sunny Acres
San Luis Obispo County announced it would resume code enforcement actions on Sunny Acres, rancher Dan De Vaul’s sober living facility for the homeless on the edge of San Luis Obispo. In a statement issued June 8, the county announced De Vaul had lost an appeal case with the Second District Court of Appeal. With…
Rodney Strong 2009 Chardonnay Chalk Hill Vineyard
This reliable winery produces delicious Chardonnays from several sub-appellations within Sonoma County. In 1965, founder Rod Strong was the first to plant Chardonnay in what would become the Chalk Hill American Viticultural Area (AVA or appellation in France). He recognized that its unique chalky soils set it apart from the Russian River Valley AVA. The…
Nacimiento completion ceremony scheduled
Break out the cake and ceremonial checks, the Nacimiento Water Project is done. Correction: It’s done enough. On June 7, San Luis Obispo County supervisors are scheduled to present Nacimiento Project Manager John Hollenbeck with a resolution recognizing his work over the past six years on the county’s largest infrastructure project to date. Supervisors will…
If you had a parrot, and you could train it to say anything, what would it be?
Claudia Castellanos nurse “Give me money.” Annika Johnson (with Dax) grad student “Peace.” Arash Namvar freshman “Cal Poly is the best!” Neal Breton art monkey “Leave me alone.”
Hospital safety bill passes Senate
A bill aimed at stemming the flow of contraband into state hospitals has passed the California Senate. On May 31, Senate Bill 796, authored by Republican San Luis Obispo Sen. Sam Blakeslee, passed unanimously on the Senate floor. The bill will next go to the Assembly—and eventually to the governor’s desk, if it carries through…
Seems like our national leaders aren’t interested
I have written to various members of the Obama Administration asking for a reply as to why they don’t fine employers for hiring illegal aliens so some of these jobs can go to American citizens and legal immigrants in these tough economic times. I also asked why the president is opposed to the mandatory use…
Accept my appreciation
Today, when my wife and I travel to Paso Robles, we, like others, appreciate the community’s advancement and improvements. Employed by the City of Paso Robles in 1990, I found a city in transition from what it was then to what it is today and beyond. During my 38-plus years in the fire service, I…
Students, heed this call to arms!
It has come to the attention of the public that schools statewide face massive cuts, and, more importantly, many schools locally are subject to job cuts and increased class sizes. Now, we all know that we can’t rely on our State Congress to help provide our schools with adequate funding to retain these important positions…
Morro Bay: Get creative to pep up the budget
Over the years, Morro Bay locals have lamented the tax base revenue decline, some of which has been generated by the sunsetting of the power plant. Read the story of an Oregon town’s revival due to a new data center being built there (datacenterknowledge.com/archives/2011/05/27/facebook-may-get-new-neighbors-in-prineville/). With a casual search, there are many other stories about this…
This ‘Holocaust’ presentation is infuriating and hurtful
In your Summer Guide (May 19), you ran the ad for the play Yours, Anne, a musical about the diary of Anne Frank. What you might not have known is that this play was not intended to pay homage to the survivors of the Holocaust, nor to the more than six million Jews who perished,…
Go back and re-read the Constitution
Regarding comments from Carolyn McMickle (“Prove health and help matter more than money,” May 19) and Lynn Sargent (“Who are the Republicans working for these days?” May 19), how convenient! Instead of addressing the real issues of health care, they just use the forum to bash Republicans. Having a free health care system is far…
Don’t use your bike to prove a point
I read with interest the column “Do cars hate us?” (May 26). First, let me state that I am a cyclist myself—not avid, mind you, but I ride several times a month. Personally, I never feel particularly threatened by automobiles, as being on a bicycle, I occupy a pretty small space that allows me to…
Raise a glass to peace!
No, Glen, we do not have black shirts made of AK-47s here at From War to Peace (“Where’s a panda when you need one?” May 19). But, knowing firsthand how much you enjoy the bubbly brew, I have something I know you’ll like: Beers Not Bombs! We have several bottle openers coming out next month…
Point the finger at elected officials and their staff
Your article about the Morro Bay-Cayucos Wastewater treatment plant was overdue (“Consulting waste,” May 27). This fiasco has been going on for some time, and, as you pointed out, it bears unfortunate similarities with the Los Osos treatment plant mess. However, I think you pointed your finger at the wrong persons. It is true that…
Not Kool
In preparation for Memorial Day weekend, I spent Friday night and the bulk of Saturday snorting lines of Kool-Aid off my kitchen floor. Which got me thinking—as the best trips do—about, you know, really deep and profound things. Two hits of strawberry, and I was contemplating the nature of Lady Justice, who must be into…
Brooke Mattingley
NEW TIMES What is the Wine, Waves, and Beyond event? MATTINGLEY We like to describe it as a lifestyle event. It’s basically a big fun party weekend, going from June 2 to June 5. It’s great, because we get people of all ages. We have kids that are 10 coming to the movie premier and…
Vinyl lasts
Did you ever groove to the Haydn Quartet singing “The Owl and the Pussycat” from 1901? Or how about the Original Dixieland Jazz Band’s 1917 recording of “Livery Stable Blues,” considered the first jazz recording ever released? Most likely you haven’t, but thanks to collaboration between UC Santa Barbara and its Encyclopedic Discography of Victor…
DiFronzo 2010 Pinot Grigio
This delicious white is wonderful on its own, but even better paired with Giuseppe’s cuisine. And we all know that isn’t true of every restaurant that has its own wine label. I love a good white at lunch, or when beginning a multi-course dinner, and this one fits the bill: It’s refreshing and versatile. It…
Authentic ItalianAuthentic Italian–Central Coast grown!
When I relocated from San Francisco to the Central Coast 15 years ago, I was shocked to find this coastal county had so many Italian restaurants. I soon discovered that they all offered the classic cuisine of the region in Italy from whence their family came, which sets each one apart. Among the many things…
CLUBS
Goin’ South … THE CLIFFS RESORT: 2757 Shell Beach Road, 773-5000 or cliffsresort.com. F. MCLINTOCKS SALOON: 750 Mattie Road, Pismo Beach, 773-1892 or mclintocks.com. Live music every Fri.-Sat., 6-9pm. Tennessee Jimmy Harrell, Doc Stoltey. GATHER WINE BAR: 122 E. Branch St. in the Village of Arroyo Grande, 6/2: Bob Collins, 6/3: Erin Teran, 6/4: Vance Fahie…
Troubled troubadour
Tim Jackson is like Jesus in Nazareth–he can’t get no respect at home–but put this man on the road and the faithful come out in droves. Best known locally as the front man for popular local rock bands in the ’80s and ’90s, he’s transitioned into an amazing Americana singer-songwriter who spends a lot of…
Ding, ding, ding goes the trolley!
It’s Sunday, May 29, and I’m on the Central Coast Trolley with 11 friends, heading for Paso Robles for a day of wine tasting. It’s a celebration for my friend Tamara’s 25th birthday, and I know it’s going to be a long ride when my buddy Chad yells out, “Take us to the Charles Shaw…
Art After Dark
Art Central Jason Mayr’s “Right Before My Eyes.” 1329 Monterey St.; 788-0887; artcentralslo.wordpress.com. ARTS Space Obispo “Henrietta Avenue,” paintings and sculpture by Adrienne Allebe and Saunders Shaw. 570 Higuera St., suite 165 (SLO Creamery); 544-9251; artsobispo.org. Bambu Batu Craft Marketplace featuring handmade treasures from local glass blower Bart Alford and jeweler Rebecca Mattox. 1023 Broad…
Pop-infused jazz hands
Michelle Epperheimer isn’t shy about mixing genres. The Academy of Dance choreographer and dancer directs this year’s Infusion show–an eclectic lineup featuring the San Luis Jazz Dancers–finding inspiration everywhere from ocean depths of personal experience to paddling pools of popular culture. Soundtracked by The Cinematic Orchestra, Kanye West, Sarah McLachlan, Britney Spears, and Footloose, Infusion…
Out on the tiles
Mark Freear lives for the surreal rush of travel. “When you come to a brand-new place, your senses are just reeling. You’ve never seen it before, you’ve never smelled it before,” the painter explained, sitting in his airy living room. “You want to capture it.” But while most travelers can be seen with camera at…
The fuel of the future
By allowing people to ship large quantities of goods around the world, petroleum oil makes the comforts of the industrialized world possible. It’s the life-blood of our economy, but there are a few drawbacks: namely the disastrous spills, the air pollution, and the fact that most of the billions of dollars we spend on oil…
Cougars and Mustangs
It’s already June, and just because graduation is at hand doesn’t mean the news is slowing down on either Central Coast college campus. Mark your calendars, local lumberjack lovers, because Cal Poly student Walter Page will be in the national spotlight when the STIHL TIMBERSPORTS Western Collegiate Qualifier airs on ESPNU on June 24 at…
The spaces between
Empty buildings have become part of the landscape in downtown San Luis Obispo, and the average passerby probably wouldn’t give a second look to the seemingly gloomy spaces. Through the lens of a dark and fairly twisted photographer’s camera, the many empty rental spaces in downtown SLO appear barren, but not lifeless. The hopes and…
How now, Brown COLAB?
On May 10, San Luis Obispo County Supervisor Adam Hill stared over his desk at Mike Brown, the government affairs director for the Coalition of Labor, Agriculture, and Business of San Luis Obispo County, also known as COLAB. “I mean, you come here every week and you say ‘on behalf of COLAB,’” Hill said. “Might…
‘Geezer Bandit’ is suspected in Morro Bay bank robbery
A famous and apparently elderly bank robber brought his act to a Heritage Oaks Bank Branch in Morro Bay on May 27, according to police and FBI accounts. Witnesses told police that a 60- to 70-year-old man entered Heritage Oaks in the afternoon and used a revolver to rob the bank of an undisclosed amount…
RTA saves services without bailout
With the help of some clever accounting, the San Luis Obispo County Regional Transit Authority has been able to shore up its finances without drawing from county coffers. On Feb. 3, New Times reported that the agency, which provides inter-county public transportation, was asking SLO County officials for a $300,000 bailout. Facing a change in…
Oceano general manager ousted
Oceano Community Services District General Manager Raffaele Montemurro got the boot. The district’s Board of Directors took more than four hours to decide at a closed meeting May 31 to give Montemurro the ax. The vote was unanimous, and Montemurro handed over the keys immediately after the meeting. Montemurro’s firing marks the second time in…
