Pride 2017
SLO celebrates two decades of Central Coast Pride
Cover Story
Central Coast Pride organizers reflect on the legacy of Pride in the Plaza
With the inaugural Central Coast Pride week looming in 1997, Doug Heumann had two strong, conflicting feelings. The first was bold determination. Heumann was trailblazing San Luis Obispo’s first-ever Gay Pride celebration. As then co-president of the Gay and Lesbian Alliance of SLO County (GALA), Heumann could take the reins of the event, and he…
Corrections
• A June 22 story titled “Blow-up at SLO Democrats meeting highlights party division” incorrectly identified Donna Kandel as an advisory board member for the SLO Progressives. Rosemary Canfield is a member of that board. • A June 22 story titled “Division plagues South County Sanitation District” incorrectly stated the year John Wallace resigned from…
The man behind SLO Pride’s drag queen hostess Rosé Aldé
Yas Queen Pride in the Plaza will be held July 9 from noon to 5:30 p.m. at Mission Plaza in SLO. This free event will feature live tribute performances to ’80s pop, ABBA, and Lady Gaga. The Pride Drag Show, hosted by SLO’s own Tommi Rose, will run July 7 at 6:30 and again at…
Free to be: SLO celebrates two decades of Central Coast Pride
Central Coast Pride is taking its 21st annual event into Mission Plaza this year. And with that upcoming celebration (events start on June 30 and run through July 9), New Times decided to focus this week’s cover story on the community that Pride celebrates. It’s actually four stories, starting with how the Gay and Lesbian…
Therapy through animals
When Pioneer Valley High School student Leslie Torres realized the lamb she had raised for the Future Farmers of America program would be auctioned off and slaughtered, she knew she couldn’t let that happen. Torres had helped raise and take care of Lily the lamb, growing closer and fostering a relationship with her. So when…
Bingeable: Twin Peaks: The Return, 2017
What’s it rated? NA Where’s it available? Showtime I was a freshman in high school when I was first introduced to the works of the surrealist painter Salvador DalÃ. You probably know DalÃ’s work, even you don’t recognize his name: melting clocks, burning giraffes, vague lumps of flesh covered in flies. At the time I…
Proud to Be … exhibit celebrates LGBTQ artists, Central Coast Pride
Show some pride The Proud to Be … exhibit shows at the GALA Center Gallery in SLO through Aug. 18. An artists’ wine and pride reception will be held July 7 at the gallery from 6 to 9 p.m. as part of Art After Dark. Visit galacc.org for more information. Growing up, Jonathan Haile loved…
LGBTQ community faces a complicated relationship with faith
“They know God’s justice requires that those who do these things deserve to die, yet they do them anyway. Worse yet, they encourage others to do them, too.” It was the Bible verse heard round SLO County. The passage from the book of Romans was part of a lengthy letter to the editor by former…
The T-word
Our college professor sons were up from San Diego, and, as is our practice, we sat on the back porch drinking and discussing the current state of affairs. After a while, I noticed one word entering the conversation so often that it was beginning to chafe. I stood up and shouted, “Enough! Enough of the…
Great American Melodrama unveils hit comedy musical ‘The Karaoke Kid’
It’s totally tubular The Great American Melodrama presents The Karaoke Kid through Sept. 16. Performances are Wednesday through Friday at 7 p.m., Saturdays at 3 and 7 p.m., and Sundays at 6 p.m. Starting July 13, the show will run in alternating nights with another production, The Tavern. The theater is located at 1863 Front…
Talking about gender
At the beginning of every quarter, Jay Bettergarcia likes to start off the class discussion by asking students their name, what their major is, and what pronoun they identify with. Bettergarcia teaches multicultural psychology at Cal Poly. The course lends itself to being a platform to talk about race, racism, sex, sexism, and gender privilege.…
The health of nations
The U.S. political system faces a monumental challenge to its capacity fight off parasitic disease in the form of the Republican Party’s attempt to dismantle Obamacare and use the proceeds to enrich its biggest donors. Historically, it is rare for democracies to establish a widely beneficial entitlement, then to have a major political party attempt…
Celebrating two decades of Pride in SLO
Enjoy some fine wine at Pride Night Out June 30 at Asuncion Ridge Vineyards in Paso Robles from 6 to 9 p.m. Admission is free. Have a drink or two and support the LGBTQ community at Guest Bartender Night July 5 from 6 to 9 p.m. at Black Sheep Bar & Grill. Bring cash, as…
Residents’ pleas keep SLO corporation yard well open
“This has been a godsend. … We rely on this,” Natalie Lee, an unincorporated landowner told San Luis Obispo City Council members at a recent meeting. Lee and several county residents packed the City Council chambers on June 20 to make an earnest request: that the city not cut off access to a water source…
The funny thing about laws and partisanship
It’s interesting how the “law and order” types like Mr. Al Fonzi don’t appear to support enforcement of the laws when they’re being applied to the misdeeds of someone who shares their political views and is elderly. His hyper-partisanship blossomed into wildly inconsistent and incoherent hypocrisy in his defense of Edie Knight, the 87-year-old woman…
Correction
The name of the new music director for the San Luis Obispo Symphony is Andrew Sewell. In the June 22 issue, the “The maestro is here,” arts story incorrectly stated Sewell’s first name in the first paragraph.
The Beguiled
What’s it rated? R Where’s it showing? The Palm New The story unfolds during the Civil War, at a Southern girls’ boarding school. Its sheltered young women take in an injured enemy soldier (Colin Farrell). As they provide refuge and tend to his wounds, the house is taken over with sexual tension and dangerous rivalries,…
On the fence about legal weed
That was an excellent letter in the June 15 issue by Will Powers and Company (“Land-use politics”). Having been a pot smoker for most of my adult life, I have to say I have very mixed feelings about the whole issue of legalizing pot in California. If it takes the Mexican Mafia out of our…
Bulls-eye: Shooting arrows at Central Coast Archery
Target practice Central Coast Archery in SLO has classes and competitive teams for various ages and also boasts a retail shop for all of your archery needs. Visit centralcoastarchery.com for more information. “Just don’t even think about anything,” he tells me. I nod, take a deep breath in, and as I exhale, my arrow goes…
Baby Driver
What’s it rated? R Where’s it showing? Downtown Centre, Stadium 10, Park, Galaxy New A talented, young getaway driver (Ansel Elgort) relies on the beat of his personal soundtrack to be the best in the game. But after being coerced into working for a crime boss (Kevin Spacey), he must face the music when a…
Idealism to a fault isn’t good for us
Now that they control California, Democrats are divided. This is astounding since they face rivals who, marching in lockstep with fierce loyalty and harsh discipline, have saddled our country with a barely credible, hugely conflicted president and administration. As a progressive I’ve backed Obama, Sanders, Clinton, Lois Capps, and Salud Carbajal, whom some now seek…
Tiger Army plays the Fremont Theater on June 29
I like to think of Tiger Army’s Nick 13 as the Goth version of Chris Isaak. He’s a lady-killer, a great retro songwriter, and a smooth operator with a crooner’s voice. Though Tiger Army is frequently billed as a psychobilly, punk, or post-punk act, listening to a song like “Prisoner of the Night” off Tiger…
Descpicable Me 3
What’s it rated? PG Where’s it showing? Downtown Centre, Stadium 10, Sunset Drive In, Park, Galaxy (6/29/17) New The mischievous Minions hope that Gru (Steve Carell) will return to a life of crime after the new boss of the Anti-Villain League fires him. Instead, Gru decides to remain retired and travel to Freedonia to meet…
A meaningful impact
As the school year wraps up, I would like to express my sincere appreciation to all who made the 2016-17 Big Brothers Big Sisters school-based program impactful. Thanks to generous funding from the Harold J. Miossi Charitable Trust, Robert H. Janssen Foundation, Central Coast Funds for Children, and many private donors, about 200 high school…
The Hero
What’s it rated? R Where’s it showing? The Palm, Galaxy (6/29/17) New Lee Hayden (Sam Elliott) is an aging Western icon with a golden voice, but his best performances are decades behind him. He spends his days reliving old glories and smoking too much weed with his former-co-star-turned-dealer, Jeremy (Nick Offerman), until a surprise cancer…
Animal House
Have you noticed Cal Poly is off for the summer? Woo hoo! It’s like the entire town has breathed a sigh of relief. Yeah, people are still driving the wrong way on Marsh, Higuera, and Pismo Streets, but they’re tourists, not students. And have you noticed how many parking spaces are available on your street…
APCD board tells top officer to get ‘aggressive’ on dunes enforcement
After slapping the California Department of Parks and Recreation with a violation for failing to mitigate dust pollution at the Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area, SLO County Air Pollution Control District Officer Larry Allen got the green light to continue strictly enforcing the body’s dust regulations. The APCD’s board voted 6-2 at its June…
Will you be celebrating Pride?
Nancy Ochs retired professor “I remember when I saw the first sign of a pride celebration on campus, a big rainbow. I definitely support the community.” Lottie & Jennifer Abascal mother and daughter “We won’t be celebrating but we do support the LGBT community.” Bethany Simm visitor “I’m visiting from San Diego, and I’ll be…
The House
What’s it rated? R Where’s it showing? Downtown Centre, Stadium 10, Bay, Park, Galaxy (6/29/17) New A mother and father (Will Ferrell and Amy Poehler) blow their daughter’s college fund and start an illegal casino in their basement to recoup the losses. (88 min.) —Warner Bros. Pictures
Summer vibes
Wish you were here: Visit San Simeon is offering a chance to win a trip to San Simeon that includes an all-inclusive family package for four people! The grand prize includes a two-night stay in San Simeon, a guided tour of Hearst Castle, an elephant seal experience, a visit to the historic Piedras Blancas Light…
Woman went through window after being chased by fraternity member, lawsuit alleges
A Cal Poly fraternity that came under fire earlier this month for posting an offensive photo to social media is currently embroiled in a personal injury lawsuit, according to court records. The lawsuit, filed in San Luis Obispo Superior Court in February, claims that a member of the Cal Poly chapter of Alpha Gamma Rho…
Good stuff
Tummies and hearts full: The Food Bank Coalition of SLO County is one of 25 food banks nationwide to receive a $40,000 grant, funded by ConAgra Foods Foundation, in partnership with Feeding America to address the increased risk of child hunger during summer months when fewer children have access to school feeding programs. Sweet! ……
Eagle Ranch development put on hold
After receiving extensive comments on a draft environmental impact report (EIR) for the Eagle Ranch development in Atascadero, ranch owners Greg and Jeff Smith decided to hit the brakes on moving the project forward. The Smiths informed the city of Atascadero recently that they’re suspending the Eagle Ranch planning process for an indefinite period, requesting…
Table outside, please
Sand between your toes, beer in your hand? Check and check! Paradise Beer Garden and Gourmet Sandwiches has opened shop at 950 Price St. in Pismo Beach! Get with the beachy spirit and try the Hawaiian sando, stacked with teriyaki chicken, ham, bacon, provolone, grilled pineapple, and topped with mayo, lettuce, and more teriyaki sauce…
Man who died in house fire ran music studio
The man who died in a June 26 house fire in Nipomo is being remembered for his love of music, which he shared with others by running a recording studio. Friends offered condolences and memories of Thomas Edward Gingell, 61, on social media in the wake of his death. Gingell was the owner and operator…
A July 12 wine and weed walk puts foraging front of mind
Weed walk wonders San Luis Obispo Botanical Garden is located at 3450 Dairy Creek Road, spread out on 150 acres in El Chorro Regional Park off Highway 1 between Morro Bay and San Luis Obispo. The edible weeds class includes a glass of wine. No pre-registration required. For more information and ticket price, visit slobg.org/weeds,…
Santa Margarita wildfire destroys four structures, 1,600 acres
The Hill Fire southeast of Santa Margarita burned through 1,600 acres and destroyed four structures as of June 30. An emergency evacuation notice was lifted for area residents on June 27. The fire was 95 percent contained on June 30, Cal Fire officials said, with favorable weather conditions helping crews get a handle on the…
Start your own guerrilla gardening club
Can a gardening club be hard core? The Morro Bay chapter of the nationwide Guerrilla Gardening Club thinks so! The club’s rules are as follows: “To turn nothing into everything; to cultivate our home land; to think and be one with the plants; to learn how to be safe and free; and to create work…
