Cover Story
Bleeding, and coming, out
Lieutenant L.A. Franco flings open the door of an East L.A. apartment, moves determinedly past a table piled with crack cocaine and ignores a hysterical addict in pursuit of her prey—a thug named Tunnel with an arrest warrant. Her 9-mm drawn, she swings her 5’9” frame into the living room, and fires, splattering the right…
Getting away
Two-night stay at Carmel Valley Lodge: $2,638.98. Dinner out: $444.54. Groceries: $337.66. Not having to write anything down: priceless. Before Atascadero city officials began chopping the city’s budget to make ends meet, they fled to the hills outside Monterey to plan the city’s future. Bureaucrats typically have an ingrained paper fetish; they’re supposed to…
SLO’s budget gap widens
The City of San Luis Obispo acknowledged a growing budget gap in recent financial documents, bringing the shortfall to $11.3 million, almost $1 million higher than staff reported earlier this year. Flagging revenues from sales and hotel taxes are to blame for the shortfall, staff said. The city is already cutting funding for several…
Night sky
SLO City Council adopted new guidelines for outdoor lighting fixtures, meant to preserve the night sky from light pollution, while keeping public safety in mind. The council approved the ordinance unanimously, requiring new light fixtures to be shielded or downward facing. The new lighting standards will be applied primarily to new development. Existing commercial buildings…
Brothers prosecuted for tax scam
Two brothers suspected of swindling homeowners in SLO County and throughout the state are facing criminal and civil charges. Sean McConville, co-owner of Property Tax Reassessment and Property Tax Adjustment Services, faces 20 felony counts in Ventura County and is out on bail after more criminal claims were filed in Los Angeles County. Attorney General…
It’s kick-off time for solar
On June 2, First Solar got an OK from SLO County to begin studies for an Environmental Impact Report related to its planned 9.7-square-mile Topaz Solar Farm. That approval means three proposed projects in the Carrizo Plains are officially under review and on the path to construction. First Solar’s is the largest of the proposed…
Beware the meter maid
Soon there will be nowhere to hide from pricier parking tickets. In response to state surcharges on parking fines, SLO County officials decided to raise parking fines by $10 everywhere in the county. The cities of SLO and Paso Robles as well as Cuesta College already implemented the same fine increases in response to SB…
Hearst assumes care of his sister and her estate
Phoebe Hearst Cooke’s estate and medical needs will be permanently overseen by her twin brother and nephew under a judge’s decision reached June 3. After a trial that lasted less than 30 minutes and included no witnesses, SLO Superior Court Judge Teresa Estrada-Mullaney ruled, based on written reports, that Cooke is paranoid and suffers from…
Is local law enforcement too harsh on skateboarders?
Susan Pyburn photographer “I think they should have parks and they should be able to skate in a place that is safe and doesn’t interfere with traffic. They should be protected and people who are not skateboarding, pedestrians and drivers, shouldn’t have to be worried about encountering them.” Christina Blaney model “No, I think it’s…
Artifacts
Art After Dark in S.L.O., June 5, 6 – 9 p.m. apRoberts Arts: 570 Higuera #152 (SLO Creamery), 234-5061 or aprobertsarts.com. Jimmy apRoberts and Brian Christopher work collaboratively. ARTS Space Obispo: 570 Higuera #165 (SLO Creamery), 544-9251. Anna Landa’s Of Two Worlds. Bliss Body Spa and Salon: 970 Chorro, 787-0970 or blissbodyspa.com. Oil paintings by…
Pismo Beach is fodder for a playwright
New Times You are all over the place in the theater community. Erik Stein I was in Utah for four months at the Utah Shakespeare Festival and then at PCPA for the past three months. New Times Tell me about your experience at the Utah Shakespeare Festival. Stein It’s a wonderful company. They won the Tony…
Killer of a thriller
Iconic figures of American history ratchet the suspense in local writer Richard Taylor’s gripping new novel Red Mist. Taylor incorporates such prominent figures as Marilyn Monroe and members of the Kennedy clan to foreshadow events, adding to the intrigue as his story builds to an explosive conclusion. He entices the reader with insights into the…
Take it off, honey!
It’s a painful reality, but those who politely encouraged you when you used to suck won’t necessarily cheer you on when your proverbial limp turns into a sexy swagger, so to speak. This phenomenon, already a bit over-represented in show business, wields a particular influence over SLO Little Theatre’s Gypsy. A musical, Gypsy is based…
Citizen’s Alert
TUESDAY, JUNE 9 Grover Beach Planning Commission meets in the Council Chambers, Grover Beach City Hall, 154 South Eighth St. at 6:30 p.m. Info: 489-9657. Arroyo Grande City Council meets at 7 p.m. at City Hall, 215 E. Branch St. Info: 473-5404. Watch it live on Arroyo Grande Charter channel 20. Replay: 1 a.m., 9…
Run on guns boosts wildlife fund
Gun sales have surged in the past six months. Some attribute the increase to worries Barack Obama will push through tougher gun laws. Others say it’s merely one part of a broader trend toward survivalist tendencies and that has arisen with the souring of the economy. Regardless, for those worried about the run on guns,…
Clarification
An editor’s note in the May 28 edition said several local people on a list of architects and engineers who questioned the official story of the World Trade Center attacks did not appear to be architects or engineers. That information came from a search of a broader list that included students and others.
Demolition derby at protected wilderness area
Members of a local wilderness protection group reported a vandalism episode that destroyed close to an acre of sensitive habitat in the Elfin Forest in Los Osos. The incident happened on Memorial Day, according to Bob Meyer, who sits on the board of the Small Wilderness Area Protection group, or S.W.A.P. Meyer said the vandal…
Vision Unida to hold fifth annual gala
For more than a decade, Vision Unida has graduated many students who have gone on to participate in local civic affairs. The success of the organization has been made possible by grants, donations, and an annual gala to benefit the Latino leadership program. The fifth such gala will be held on June 13 at the…
Not just an event but a lifestyle
OK, so May (National Bike Month) is over, that doesn’t mean the bike fun has to stop now. I hope everyone had a chance to enjoy some of the many events and activities that took place throughout SLO County, everything from pancake breakfasts, executive ride challenges, the gallery art show in downtown SLO and much…
Credit-card companies dent small businesses
I am 26 years old and own a small business in Arroyo Grande. Tough economic times have caused me to scrutinize every aspect of how my business is run and the biggest (and seemingly unnecessary) drain on my bank account is the 65 cents (on average) that Visa charges me on every transaction for the…
Hate is no divine belief
I wonder how many church congregations and self-proclaimed religious leaders are responsible for the Sunday, May 30 shooting death of abortion physician Dr. George Tiller? Why blame people who believe in a god? Because leaders of many, many churches in the U.S. perpetuate the hate that envelops the world today. Members support their actions and…
Don’t get fooled again
Dick Cheney is playing the no-lose blame game because there is no way to prove a negative. If there are no foreign terrorist attacks on the U.S. his status will be no worse than it is. If there is an attack, he will gain status with “I told you so.” It’s the same game…
Bad theory, disastrous practice
Conservative anti-tax zealot Grover Norquist once famously said the goal of his movement was “to shrink government down to a size small enough that we can drown it in a bathtub.” Welcome to the dysfunctional state of California, where we are about to achieve that goal. Pity the social safety net, certain to be…
Show us the money
May 7, firing David Edge, county administrator: $235,000. Gail Wilcox, paid administrative leave: $? Hire Jim Grant: He probably will put his retirement on hold, then at the end of his temporary stint as county administrator will file for a new retirement—what is his current retirement and how much more would his expected new retirement cost…
County should lower fees
It doesn’t surprise me that SLO county supervisors increased public facilities fees 3.7 percent. In my opinion, facing the current slowed economy, I would decrease those fees (permit charges). Doing so could encourage contractors, business owners, or a family wanting to build a home to seriously think about construction now. Down the road, fees could…
Holier than thou
Of the 14 active churches that signed the letter bemoaning the California Supreme Court’s judgment sustaining Proposition 8, that marriage is between a man and a woman, seven are Episcopal (“Legalize marriage for gay partners,” May 28). That church, The Episcopal Church (TEC), and the worldwide Anglican Communion of which it is a member, are in…
Demand single-payer, universal health care
The Obama administration is now urging fast passage of a new “health care reform” that was drafted at a recent summit by big pharma, HMOs, and Wall Street. Not one patient advocate group was at this summit. In fact, more than a dozen patient advocates—mostly nurses—for single-payer heath care were arrested at a meeting run…
SLO is hardly alone battling cell lawsuit
A good decision made last December by the (then) county Board of Supervisors may soon be overturned in federal court. Voting unanimously (although District 1 Supervisor Harry Ovitt was absent), Supervisors Patterson, Gibson, Achadjian, and Lenthall denied Sprint/Nextel’s application for a mega-cell phone complex on Toro Creek Road after the property owner illegally graded an…
John Perry
New Times: What skills do target shooting develop? Perry: Well, hand-eye coordination for one. It also helps you become a more alert person because there are rules you need to follow when you shoot. New Times: What do you do when you have someone messing around on the range? Perry: We eject them. We’ll go…
Red bullshit
Turns out some people are saying they put cocaine in Red Bull at least in China but I totally doubt that because it’s such an awesome awesome awesome awesome drink that I really really really like and can drink one after another after another after another just like I did tonight without being affected by…
Dr. Beckermann 2007 Riesling Piesporter Michelsberg Spätlese
This sweet/tart wine tastes of white stone fruits and candied citrus rind, making it a good choice for Asian stir-fries, main-dish salads with stone fruits, or salad with dried cranberries, blue cheese, and candied nuts. It also sips well as an aperitif if you prefer slightly sweet wine. It’s a good value at Trader Joe’s…
Margerum 2006 M5
I’ve always liked this red Rhone blend, and this vintage is another one worthy of any Rhone connoisseur’s cellar. A blend of Syrah, Grenache, Mourvedre, Counoise, and Cinsault, with three percent “genesis M5,” it’s complex and yet way too drinkable. A delicious blend of perfectly ripe blackberries, it tastes of briary blackberries, boysenberries, and deep…
Comfort me with pasta
After being seated for lunch at Palazzo Giuseppe’s, I immediately scanned one menu section for the comfort food I craved, pasta. When the waiter came up to me and my constant companion, Dan Hardesty, I asked which of the pastas would best provide the soulful dish I craved. Pappardelle alla Ragu ($9), the “gulp down”…
The real Nitty Gritty
Who’s played over 6,000 shows, appeared on television more than 200 times, and traveled more than 3 million miles to do it? Founding Nitty Gritty Dirt Band member John McEuen, that’s who. On Saturday, June 6, McEuen, his son’s band The Nathan McEuen Band, and special guest Chelsea Williams will all play the 4th Annual…
