Cover Story
Class Dismissed: Faculty at Cal Poly SLO prepare to strike
Check out images of Cal Poly faculty members ready to fight for a change. On Feb. 8, the labor union that represents 23,000 professors, lecturers, counselors, librarians, and athletic coaches working in the California State University (CSU) system made an announcement with no precedent or reference point in higher education’s history. The California Faculty Association…
Guilty Pleasures: The Legend of Drunken Master
When? 2000, R | Where? Nexflix, DVD There’s no easy way to say this, but Jackie Chan is kind of a joke. It’s hard not to mention the Hong Kong native now without associating him with some of his later, lesser work: Embarrassing flops like The Tuxedo and The Accidental Spy. But before those, and…
Cambrian brothers Kyle and Carlos Plummer will screen their documentary ‘Tour of Honor’ at the SLOIFF on March 16
You’ll be flooded with emotion watching Tour of Honor, a stirring documentary that chronicles a trip orchestrated by Honor Flight Central Coast California (honorflightccc.org), an organization that flies American war veterans to Washington, D.C., to visit their respective war memorials. You’ll also be amazed when you discover that the 54-minute documentary—which will screen with two…
Should Cal Poly faculty staff strike for five days if they don’t get the 5 percent raise they’ve been asking for? Why?
Merisa Kenzaki student “Yes, because they deserve it. We’re ranked so high in the CSU system.” Maya Katz student “Yeah, I agree with their stance and that they should get paid more.” Haley VanBaaldy student “Yes, they have the right to. We need to educate the future.” Matt McGill manager “Yes, they should strike because…
Cayucos Sea Glass Festival rumors draw sharp questions about littering
It takes a decade or more for a piece of glass to be tumbled and tossed around the ocean before it’s prime for the picking. In Cayucos, that primo glass was treasured enough that a group of women decided to celebrate it, and on March 12 and 13, the town will celebrate its sixth annual…
Re:Find’s Kumquat Brandy and Pomar Junction’s 2014 Picnic Chardonnay
Do you know what a kumquat tastes/smells/feels like? I, too, couldn’t say at the drop of a hat, but thanks to a Paso Robles craft distillery tour hosted by Breakaway Tours a few weeks ago, I am now a reformed kumquatarian. That’s because Re:Find is distilling its premium red wine grape juice and turning it…
Do good
It’s national nutrition month (I know, I know, shouldn’t it always be?), so here’s a few tips to get your body fit as a fiddle. A super easy one: pile on the mushrooms! Packed with vitamin D and potassium and with the ability to boost your immunity, they’re more than magic … Next, try some…
Building on 50 years of family tradition, Las Cazuelas in Nipomo lives up to its old-school cred
Forget the modern construct known as “Taco Tuesday.” The family recipes at Las Cazuelas Restaurant have been around since before that was even a thing. We’re talking about before Reaganomics, the rise of disco, and the free love movement. I’m not sure how old you are, but there’s a pretty good chance that the Cadena…
Celebrate Women’s History Month with the SLO County Libraries
Sure you studied history all the way from Kindergarten through high school, but what about herstory? March is Women’s History Month and the San Luis Obispo County Libraries want to celebrate with you! All month long participating libraries will offer up free activities like film screenings, special speakers, story time for kids, and more. Witness…
Cuesta College professor pens ‘A Vegan Primer’
Does your conscience squirm at the thought of eating cows that weren’t ethically treated? Or does your tummy just not feel so great after eating that heaping serving of ice cream? If the answer is yes, then Cuesta College professor and Grover Beach resident Bruce Henderson might just have the solution for you: veganism. In…
Sunday is a fun day: A spur-of-the-moment trip to the middle of the Los Padres is the best way to end the weekend
When someone asks you if you want to go to Scheideck (pronounced “shy-deck”), you say yes. Well, you say yes if it’s Sunday, it’s sunny after a couple of days of rain, you just ate a fabulously filling chicken fried steak breakfast at Pappy’s in Santa Maria, and you feel like an adventure. So I…
He’s the man: Cal Poly grad makes it as a professional Hollywood stunt man
Behind every famous leading man in Hollywood is a badass stuntman, making him look good (and stay good looking) by taking punches in fierce fight scenes, jumping out of sky-high planes, and running from deadly explosions. Years ago when Ryan Gray was studying business at Cal Poly, he had no idea that he would one…
John Hiatt returns to Fremont Theater on March 11 for his first Central Coast concert in 22 years
It took John Hiatt a long time to find his place in the music world. He headed to Nashville in 1970 and was discovered by an Epic Records talent scout, eventually recording two critically acclaimed records—1974’s Hangin’ Around the Observatory and 1975’s Overcoats—that garnered few record sales. Then label-less, he did a few years of…
Clubs 3/10/16 – 3/17/16
Goin’ South THE CLIFFS RESORT: 2757 Shell Beach Rd., Shell Beach, 773-5000, cliffsresort.com. F. MCLINTOCKS SALOON: Two locations: 750 Mattie Rd. 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…
Laugh for a cure: Nonprofit Along Comes Hope hosts comedy benefit show to help kids fight cancer
Jenny Mulks Wieneke was supposed to die nine years ago. In 2006, after 10 months of pain, countless doctors visits, and misdiagnosis, Wieneke was properly diagnosed with cholangiocarcinoma, a very aggressive and deadly form of liver cancer. Nine years later, she’s hoping to make you laugh about it. In fact, she wants a lot of…
Cougars & Mustangs
If the freckles and red hair don’t immediately give it away, this columnist has proud Irish heritage. You already know why this is being brought up. St. Patrick’s Day is almost here, and with it comes some of the nasty reputation that you, as college students, have to face every single year due to a…
Company once again accused of causing death of a disabled person
A company that provides services to developmentally disabled individuals is facing its second wrongful death lawsuit in three years, according to documents filed in SLO County Superior Court in late February. The company, Novelles Developmental Services Inc., faces allegations of negligence in the September 2015 death of 32-year-old Santa Maria resident Shane Alex Castro. Novelles,…
Stigmatized: A behavioral health hospital proposed in Templeton receives abnormal scrutiny
For many opposing a proposed behavioral health hospital in Templeton, there’s a lot wrong with the project. Several Templeton residents have aired anything from “what if?” scenarios involving patients to worries over traffic and drainage impacts. Mental health advocates say the facility is sorely needed in an area with limited mental health services and that…
Los Osos CSD interim manager promises district ‘reboot’
Peter Kampa, the newly appointed interim general manager of the Los Osos Community Services District (LOCSD), read the SLO County newspapers last fall. He followed the chronicling of public unrest and allegations leveled against the LOSCSD—poor management and even misappropriation of funds—that brought about the rushed retirement of former General Manager Kathy Kivley in January.…
North County kids in desperate need of court advocates
Some of the most vulnerable individuals in the SLO County Court system are children. A large group of those children currently needing advocates to represent their interests reside in northern San Luis Obispo County. According to CASA of San Luis Obispo County—a nonprofit organization that trains volunteers to act as Court Appointed Special Advocates for…
Student newspaper butts heads with Cal Poly Corporation
Cal Poly’s Mustang News is at odds with a major advertiser, who pulled advertising from the campus newspaper after it ran a story critical of the university’s dining options. The Cal Poly Corporation, a nonprofit organization that runs campus dining, the bookstore, and other services for students, ceased running a regular advertisement in the Mustang…
Ontario Ridge trail remains as is, for now
A proposal to relocate the popular Ontario Ridge hiking trail is a no-go, but a recent vote by the SLO County Board of Supervisors kept the possibility on the table for some point in the future. In a split 3-2 vote, supervisors gave consent to allow for plans to relocate the public easement and the…
Paso Basin Water District decisively rejected
If voters have their way, there won’t be a water district formed for the Paso Water Basin—at least that’s the unofficial version. Polls closed on March 8 after a month-long mail-in election to decide the fate of the contentious Paso Robles Water District. The district would have management authority within the boundaries of the sprawling…
Ad wars!
Looks like a certain former North County “power couple” is in the news again, but not in a good way. Attorney Christopher Lewi recently began placing ads in county newspapers … well, wait a minute. “Ads” might not be the right word. They’re more like wanted posters with a headline that screams, “Wanted: Information Concerning…
Say ‘yes’ to publically financed elections
Jono Kinkade’s “Dollars and Sense” article in the March 3 edition of New Times stirred my blood. Just think: • The way elections are right now, money determines who will run, who will be elected, and who will not. • The candidate with more money has a large advantage, because he/she can buy the necessary…
Thanks for highlighting the homelessness issue
I just wanted to give a shout out to New Times for being so supportive of bringing continued awareness to the challenge of homelessness in our community. The March 3 edition featured not only a cover story, “Seeking Shelter,” but also an illuminating commentary by the anonymous, ubiquitous Shredder. Many people have misinformation about the…
Sanitation District mess is epic honor system fail
Our community is well educated and generally aware of its environmental responsibilities. However, recognizing a problem, then actually doing something about it can sometimes take us months or years. This has been the case with the South SLO County Sanitation District (SSLOCSD), where the “honor system” failed under the leadership of the Wallace Group and…
Re: ‘Permission to party?’
In response to Dianne Burkhart’s letter to the editor, “Regarding events at vacation rentals,” in the March 3 edition of New Times, and Jono Kinkade’s article “Permission to party?” (Feb. 25): Vacation rental permits that are issued today by SLO County contain a loophole that affords unscrupulous, deceitful vacation rental owners to advertise their rentals…
Support the Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary
According to a recent study conducted by National Geographic, there are 2.5 trillion pieces of plastic debris in our oceans today. Of that mass, 269,000 tons float on top of the ocean and 4 billion plastic microfibers per square kilometer litter the deep sea. A field of flotsam, consisting of 90 percent plastic, floats across…
Rental inspections are not free
I was amused by the recent Street Talk (March 3) question where all four responses were affirmative: “Do you think that rental properties in San Luis Obispo should be subject to inspections by the city?” They already are. Code enforcement does drive-by inspections of home exteriors in all neighborhoods. And, as far as I know,…
Keep out the KKK
Now that the Oscars have been handed out, the hoo-ha surrounding diversity in the motion picture industry will subside. But it won’t stay dormant for long. A young African American writer and actor named Nate Parker has made a movie about Nat Turner’s slave revolt in the mid-19th century. He has titled it Birth of…
