Cover Story
From gravel mines to grape vines
Tiny rainbows arc over the fertile earth along the Foxen Canyon Wine Trail, catching the spray from rows of sprinklers as vineyard manager Jim Stollberg readies the land for this spring’s planting of grape vines. It’s hard to imagine that just a short time ago, this area was a gaping mine pit where Union Asphalt’s…
Apple’s hard drive
Shane Williams first sensed things weren’t going to go well for him when, at one of the early city meetings last summer to determine whether a modernist steel-and-glass corporate Apple Store would win approval in San Luis Obispo’s historic downtown area, he watched as Apple’s would-be landlord Tom Copeland took a seat next to city…
Don’t shoot until you see the whites of their eyes
This world would be a whole lot easier to navigate if it was like one of the classic movies shown at the recent San Luis Obispo International Film Festival. I’m not talking about Patton or any such bloated nonsense. I’m talking about the classic classics. The ones that didn’t have any color in them because…
Medical marijuana-related burglary is a first for Grover Beach
On the morning of March 12, police say, a white man in his early to mid 20s kicked in the front door of a Grover Beach apartment, walked in, and then kicked in a bedroom door where according to the police press release a “partially dressed” woman was sleeping. His apparent target: some eight marijuana…
Fast facts
Can you believe it’s been four years since the United States invaded Iraq? Time sure does fly when you’re waging war with a country most people probably can’t find on a map. On the official anniversary, March 17, Blowin’ in the Wind and SLO’s Code Pink are holding a vigil to honor the American soldiers…
Freeze wins Bush disaster declaration
San Luis Obispo County farmworkers and others affected by January’s freeze will be able to apply for federal disaster-related unemployment assistance following a presidential declaration. President Bush’s announcement follows an Agriculture Department decision last month that offered low-interest loans to farmers, but only for those unable to get loans elsewhere. The news drew approval from…
Commission denies funding for Santa Maria River Bridge
At the California Transportation Commission’s Feb. 28 meeting, the Santa Barbara County Association of Governments received both good and bad news for its roadway funding requests. The commission approved funding to widen Highway 101 between Santa Barbara and Ventura counties, but it turned down SBCAG’s request to widen the Santa Maria River Bridge that links…
Diablo emergency requires more preparation
County officials say they agree with parts of a recent grand jury report, Diablo Canyon: San Luis Obispo’s Katrina?, which highlights concerns over evacuation routes from Avila Beach, evacuation of residents with disabilities and special needs, and potassium iodide availability during a possible disaster at the nuclear power plant. The Board of Supervisors discussed the…
What’s growing on county farmland?
A group of small-winery owners in rural west Paso Robles who say they’re feeling crushed by their industrial-sized neighbor are a reflection of a larger-scale debate underway in SLO County: Just what uses are appropriate on local agricultural land? # A proposal for more than 90,000 square feet of winery production and hospitality facilities for…
Letters
Light-changers are idiots A year ago I had to slam on my brakes to avoid being slammed into by a car that I believed “jumped a light” at Santa Rosa and Foothill. Our green light had apparently changed to yellow in less than five seconds, snarling traffic. Now I know what happened. It was some…
Headlines from 2125 A.D.
The residents of Los Osos, Calif., may now breathe a sigh of relief. After centuries of delays, litigation, and numerous votes, the residents were to begin the first stage of design for the long-awaited waste sewage system. This new system is purported to cost each residence $3.5 million. This, however, will not be the case…
Talk is cheap
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, one in four American adults will suffer from a diagnosable mental illness this year. Many will seek treatment or counseling, but many because the cost is too high and not covered by insurance won’t. Bridging the gap between social services and HMOs is Cal Poly’s Community Counseling…
Avila discussion group examines tank farm options
San Luis Obispo County Third District Supervisor and Board of Supervisors Chairperson Jerry Lenthall announced that the first meeting of the Avila Beach Fossil Pointe Discussion Group is scheduled for March 15, to be followed by three more meetings over the next two months. All will be open to the public. The first meeting will…
