Cover Story
¿Cuanto questa?
You’d have to have been living under a rock—or without a television, computer, or some other news-gathering apparatus—over the past year to have missed the hailstorm of political rhetoric regarding the costs of illegal immigration to California’s and the nation’s economies. For those of you hermit types, here’s just a snippet of the news bites…
How do you relax?
Claire Clark economic development manager “I study Tai Chi.” Jeremy Freund community planning consultant “I play with my six-year-old son, Erik.” Simon Phillips student “I put some mellow music on my iPod and head for fresh air.” Kate Gary Cal Poly business student “I go for really long walks.”
The Sunny Acres coup
It’s difficult to say whether Dan DeVaul won or lost in court on June 17 and 18. He dodged an attempt by San Luis Obispo County officials to take control of Sunny Acres, his sober-living ranch facility on the edge of SLO, but about 20 residents could be evicted, sent back onto streets by July…
Entrepreneur program gets state grant
Tucked into a small office near the bookstore at Cuesta College, the Business Assistance Center began in January of 2009 as a pilot program aimed at stimulating students to start businesses. It’s provided information on acquiring loans, drafting business models, and managing money and has been so successful, Gov. Schwarzenegger and the chancellor of community…
Cal Poly hires a president–for now
Two weeks after none of the three remaining candidates for president of Cal Poly were hired, and with just over a month before outgoing president Warren Baker retires, the university has named an interim president. Robert Glidden, 73, president emeritus of Ohio University, was selected by the California State University Board of Trustees to take…
No cigar–for now
So close, yet so far away—for now, it seems. Confused? So are the results of the June 22 special primary election for Senate District 15. As of press time, San Luis Obispo Assemblyman Sam Blakeslee had garnered the most votes in the district—which spans SLO, Santa Barbara, Santa Clara, Monterey, and Santa Cruz counties—but not…
Slimming down
San Luis Obispo County supervisors officially closed the books on the 2010-11 budget and on June 22 accepted next year’s spending plan—that is, before more cuts trickle down from the state budget. The total budget came in at about $444.4 million, roughly $23 million less than the 2009-10 budget. County supervisors, administrative officials, and department…
Farmers freak over water reporting requirements
A wave of confusion and fear swept through the ranks of local farmers gathered at the San Luis Obispo County Farm Bureau June 21 as they heard something they dreaded: A new water diversion law comes into effect July 1. Few of them had heard about the law until just before the meeting and many…
Rehab center struggles to stay open
Thanks to California voters, courts assign many nonviolent drug offenders to treatment as an alternative to jail. However, many local offenders are routinely sent out of the county though there’s a proven residential rehab facility in the heart of San Luis Obispo. The staff at Project Amend recently received a $20,000 public health grant from…
To be fragrant is manly
LavMANder, is a one-ounce, muslin-wrapped sachet of locally grown, hand-harvested lavender, dedicated to brightening the spirits and freshening the scent of men and their surroundings. The sack can freshen backpacks, cars, boxing gloves, gym bags, clothing drawers, and rooms musty from cigar smoke. LavMANder was created by Ellen Curtis and Frank Scotti, who founded the…
I want Candye!
There’s no other way to say it: Candye Kane’s boobs are redonkulous! They’re so big they have smaller satellite boobs in orbit around them. They’re so gynormous that when she backs up, they go beep, beep, beep. Her boobs are the reason clothing designers had to change “One size fits all” to “One size fits…
Art After Dark,
July 2, 6-9 p.m. ARTS Space Obispo: 570 Higuera #165 (SLO Creamery) 544-9251 – Nationally exhibited Los Osos artist Nancy Kolliner shows large-scale drawings and prints of coastal trees through July 21. Body Centered Therapy/Energy In Motion: 1023 Nipomo Street, Suite 50 305-5197. Jim Tyler’s pastel paintings. jimtylerfineart.com. compact: 1166 Higuera St. First show is…
Popping my Live Oak cherry
Until this weekend, I was a virgin. What can I say? I just wasn’t ready until now. Well, I’ve “taken the missile defenses off-line,” and I have to say, I loved every minute of it! I know what you’re thinking: “All three of them?” Hardy-har-har. I’ll have you know my first time lasted three days…
Got Pride?
Fourteen years ago the Central Coast’s Gay and Lesbian Alliance joined a growing number of cities and towns offering celebrations of LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) history and pride. They chose the month of July to avoid competing with similar celebrations in other cities, and the party has grown ever since with 4th of…
Pedaling to prevent HIV infection and treat AIDS
Pedaling an average of eighty miles a day for seven days, 1,925 cyclists made their way from San Francisco to Los Angeles last week in the ninth annual AIDS/LifeCycle ride, known as ALC, the world’s largest HIV/AIDS fundraising event. I rode to support the fight against AIDS and to see whether I could complete the…
What works in the Netherlands can work here
I’m responding to Norm Jackson’s not-so-thoughtful op-ed, “Legalizing marijuana makes no sense” (June 17). In the Netherlands, where marijuana has been quasi legal for several decades, the Dutch use marijuana at less than half the rate Americans do. And they use heroin at less than a third the rate Americans do (see drugwarfacts.org/thenethe.htm). I submit…
Marijuana enforcement wastes police resources
Speaking as a retired police detective with more than 18 years of experience in the trenches enforcing marijuana prohibition, I say Norm Jackson’s commentary (“Legalizing marijuana makes no sense,” June 17) missed many key points on the issue of prohibition. I responded to about 1300 calls generated by the use of alcohol, including homicide, suicide,…
Marijuana is not addictive
Norm Jackson’s stance against legalizing marijuana (“Legalizing marijuana makes no sense,” June 17) is rooted in embellishments. He falsely classified marijuana into the same group of mind-altering substances as alcohol, claimed it is addictive, and embraced the ultimate slippery slope fallacy: Legalizing marijuana would lead to societal instability. Addiction is a special term reserved only…
Decriminalize marijuana possession
The drug war is largely a war on marijuana smokers. In 2008, there were 847,863 marijuana arrests in the U.S., almost 90 percent for simple possession. At a time when state and local governments are laying off police, firefighters, and teachers, this country continues to spend enormous public resources criminalizing Americans who prefer marijuana to…
Remember W.
Paul Pobor’s letter decrying the left (“Russ Hodin and Helen Thomas are two of a kind,” June 17) made me think of the eight years we, as a nation, suffered under George W. Bush and the right’s upside-down thinking. There was war equals peace; torture is OK; No Child Left Behind meant only poor children…
Follow the money
In introducing two Senate candidates (“Senate hopefuls,” June 17) New Times quoted Sam Blakeslee as saying, “We’re one of the least competitive states for business in the nation. Our taxes are actually driving companies away.” If memory serves, the entire world (with the exception of China) is mired in an economic depression that is based…
Paso police should not discourage van pools
I live in Paso Robles, work in San Luis Obispo, and take a RideShare van that picks up and lets off at Walmart in Paso Robles. I recently returned to my car to find a $30 parking ticket issued by Paso Robles Police. They like to ticket cars parked there that are for sale and…
Prado Road initiative is certainly justified
Regarding the June 17 cover story “Not in my sports field,” one rationale for a “northern alignment” of Prado Road passing through the Damon Garcia Sports Fields site is the alignment might make east-west travel much faster in southern SLO. However, your map doesn’t tell the whole story. It leaves out the important roads that…
Stop kissing up to developers
Kudos to New Times for its hatchet job on the dratted democratic rabble’s audacity in challenging the infallible wisdom of SLO City Hall’s elite and their obsequious developer butt-kissing. There is no journalistic calling nobler than afflicting the afflicted and comforting the comfortable. To put the facts bluntly, developers get whatever they want in SLO,…
Shredder masochism
Noooo! I told myself I wasn’t going to do it. Not gonna. Not gonna. NOT GONNA! Just ask the other bums in the office. I said very distinctly: no special election stuff this week. Then the election came down to such a squeaker I just can’t help it. Think of it like the last drink,…
PJ Wahl, Surfboard shaper
NEW TIMES: What inspired you to become a surfboard shaper? WAHL: Originally, in the ‘60s, my brother and I made surfboards for ourselves. The first surfboard I made was when I was still in high school. When our friends found out that we made our own surfboards they started to come to us to make…
Clubs
Goin’ South … BRANCH ST. DELI: 6/25: Moon Pie. 203 E. Branch St., Arroyo Grande, 489-9099. Live music on the patio at 5:30pm. CAFÉ ANDREINI: 131 E. Branch St., Arroyo Grande, 481-6117. Thurs.: Live music at 6pm. COFFEE BEAN AND TEA LEAF: 750 Five Cities Dr., Pismo Beach, 773-6420. Music Night every Sat., 6:30-8:30pm. DOLPHIN…
Chamisal Vineyard 2007 Pinot Noir Edna Valley
If you love Edna Valley-grown Pinot as I do, you’ll want to taste this one. Forward aromas and flavors of black cherry and blackberry are highlighted with elegant notes of raspberry and citrus notes, with a thread of spice, signature characteristics of Chamisal Vineyard fruit. This delicious Pinot Noir won’t be around much longer, and…
La Ferme Julien 2009 Cotes du Ventoux
Here’s another great buy at Trader Joe’s for the value hunter, in this summer refresher. This tasty quaffer offers bold notes of cranberries and strawberries in a dry, pink wine that’s nice on its own. It’s also a solid choice for picnics, roast chicken, or cold shellfish. At only $4.99 retail, it’s a good buy…
There’s a party in the ‘hood
If you’re looking for a great party to celebrate the Fourth of July weekend, I know a bargain-priced winemakers’ dinner you won’t want to miss. Life on the Central Coast means there’s at least one wine celebration, festival, or barbecue going on every weekend along our wine trails. Most of the time there are several…
