Cover Story
Parks and wreck: Nipomo residents say fees paid by its development unfairly funded facilities elsewhere in SLO County
An abandoned mattress. A rotting wooden pallet. Crumbling cement parking stops. Graffiti. Plastic Solo cups. Broken glass. These are the things to avoid when skateboarding the spot where the Nipomo Community Center used to stand. It burned down in the early 2000s. The building was privately owned at the time—no longer part of the community—and…
After decades of effort, SLO County is poised to adopt oak woodland protections
When The Wonderful Company-owned Justin Vineyards and Winery decimated thousands of oak trees west of Paso Robles last summer for new grape plantings, the San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors witnessed a public at its wits end, demanding rules to protect North County’s beloved woodlands from corporate slashing. It may have been the most…
CalCoastNews loses defamation lawsuit
A SLO County jury found that the CalCoastNews website and its co-founders and reporters Karen Velie and Daniel Blackburn defamed a local businessman in a 2012 news story. As part of the verdict, the jury found that the article, written by Velie and Blackburn, contained defamatory statements about Charles Tenborg and his ECO Solutions…
Jury mulls verdict in CalCoastNews defamation lawsuit
A years-long legal battle neared its end March 15 as jurors began their deliberation in a defamation lawsuit brought against the CalCoastNews website by a local businessman. It will be up to that jury to determine whether a 2012 article on the website—which claimed Charles Tenborg and the waste hauling company he used to own,…
SLOStringer killed in early morning crash near Cuesta Grade
A local photographer and freelance news reporter with a large online following was killed in a rollover accident and vehicle fire in the early morning hours of March 21. Matthew Frank, known to many area residents as SLOStringer, was pronounced dead at the scene by first responders. The accident occurred on Highway 101, north of…
SLO city open-minded on marijuana but affirms ban
The San Luis Obispo City Council re-affirmed its status quo ban on all cannabis-related businesses at a March 14 meeting, but it’s leaving the door open to future changes as the city embarks on an extensive public outreach effort. Over the next year, city staff will engage with the community about desired marijuana regulations in…
What recreational need does your community have?
John Marchetti SLO Railroad museum member “The museum could always use more funding as we do many programs such as the Boy Scouts Railroad Merit Badge.” Hakeem Sanusi Cal Poly student “As a college student I think SLO has a lot of different recreational spots for my population of the community. We can head to…
Picnic picks
Bloody good: It’s crazy to think that most Americans have no idea what or even where the “tri-tip” of the cow is located! Here on the Central Coast, we know a thing or two about this iconic and flavorful piece of meat. Presqu’ile Winery in Santa Maria is hosting its second annual Tri-Tip Cook-Off this…
Use up that sexy citrus
Blood oranges, tangerines, Meyer lemons, limes—all of this delicious citrus is in season right now! Plus, thanks to recent rains, Central Coast residents are reveling in a bumper crop of epic proportions. Here’s one thing you can do with the excess: Have you tried peeling and eating a few oranges in the shower? According to…
Life, love, and Libertine: SLO’s most eclectic brewery’s got grub, caffeine, kombucha, and a wicked vinyl collection
A wiry and wild-eyed acrylic painting of Iggy Pop overlooks the fermentation room nestled in the corner of Libertine Brewing Company’s newly expanded Broad Street location. The combination tasting room-restaurant-taproom-coffee shop is cavernous—coming in at a little less than 10,000-square-feet—but this is really “where the magic happens.” Through the large glass window, you can usually…
Dominic Castillo returns from Portland to share songs from his new jazz EP at the Steynberg Gallery on March 16
“My handsome twin brother is coming down from Portland to celebrate his new jazz album with us here in SLO,” Damon said wryly. “He’ll be joined on drums by Brent Follis (of Pink Martini) and local bass phenom Dylan Johnson, plus special guests!” Normally a rock guy, this time around, Dominic decided to record a…
Clubs 3/16/17 – 3/23/17
Goin’ South THE CLIFFS RESORT: 2757 Shell Beach Rd., Shell Beach, 773-5000, cliffsresort.com. FIGUEROA MOUNTAIN BREWING CO.: Singer/Songwriter Night every Wed. from 8-10pm. 1462 E. Grand Ave., Arroyo Grande, 474-8525, figmtnbrew.com. 3/17: 7th Standard from 8:30-11pm; 3/18: The Caverns from 8:30-11pm; 3/25: Guitar Circus from 8:30-11pm. HARRY’S NIGHT CLUB AND BEACH BAR: Cypress and Pomeroy,…
SLO Film Fest 23: Reviews for March 16-18
AGE OF CONSEQUENCES What’s it rated? NR What’s it worth? Streaming Where’s it showing? March 16 at 10 a.m. at Downtown Cinemas and 4:30 p.m. at The Palm Age of Consequences takes an ambitious and dramatic look at the various ways climate change poses a destabilizing threat to our increasingly interconnected societies and economies. Produced…
Blast from the Past: Patterns
When? 1956 | What’s it rated? NR | Where’s it available? DVD and Blu-ray, streaming on Amazon. Fielder Cook (The Philadelphia Story, 1959; A Big Hand for the Little Lady, 1966; Prudence and the Pill, 1968) directs this screenplay by Rod Serling (The Twilight Zone, 1959-1964; Planet of the Apes, 1968) about Fred Staples (Van…
Just like magic: Fly off on that broom to LA and visit Hogwarts
The happiest place on earth isn’t Disneyland. The happiest place, without a doubt, is the Wizarding Word of Harry Potter at Universal Studios in Los Angeles. It’s Saturday, March 11, and a few friends and myself are finally getting as close as one can to actually going to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The…
A little pick me up: Rock art project comes to SLO city parks
Sometimes it’s the little things that have the power to turn life around. This came to mind when Sahvanna Ettestad, communications specialist for the city of San Luis Obispo’s Parks and Recreation Department, read an article in California Parks and Recreation magazine about a family that lost a daughter in an accident. They used their…
Connecting with nature: Trancing Out exhibit explores oneness with the wild
A big pile of red, carrot dirt was dumped into the yard. Dad said it was their Christmas present. A young (and future artist) Irene Hardwicke Olivieri and her siblings weren’t exactly impressed with their bounty. But their dad, a farmer in South Texas, didn’t believe in buying toys, so they ended up playing with…
Nice and juicy
Following San Luis Obispo County’s political whims since January have been like walking into a gas station convenience store. I want a candy bar but there’s also Flamin’ Hot Cheetos, peanuts, hot burritos, and 52-ounce plastic cups to fill with Mountain Dew. It’s too hard to decide what to write about. It’s like a freakin’…
Great journalists hide their bias
Editor’s note: This letter is unedited. Staff Writer Chris McGuinness is a male. While reading Chris McGuinness’ 3000+ word, news article, “Activism, action, and solidarity in the SLO women’s march and beyond” (March 2nd issue), I was annoyed by her description of Donald Trump. Chris wrote, “…the day after the presidential inauguration of reality television…
Supervisors should think again on marijuana
So the SLO County Board of Supervisors, while drafting its marijuana ordinance, intends to make sure that it “also bans recreational dispensaries countywide” (“SLO County’s draft marijuana ordinance draws criticism,” March 2). Hang on. Back in November, 57.7 percent of SLO County voters cast their ballots in favor of legalizing the recreational use of marijuana.…
I protest because I don’t want to lose my civil rights
I hope it is not too late to respond to Gary Wechter’s and Matt Foote’s commentaries about the Republican Party being in charge and the protests going on across the country (respectively: “So you didn’t vote for Trump,” Feb. 9, and “Get out of my party,” Feb. 23). You see, I’m one of the people…
A couple of things …
Anna Plotkin’s opinion piece (“At the crossroads,” March 9) is a poignant and inspirational tale of legal immigration, which very few people oppose. Her last paragraph, however, has no relationship to her experience. She didn’t take illegal shortcuts to become a resident of our great nation. For two weeks in a row, the Shredder has…
Truth as casualty in public policy
Editor’s note: This column was written prior to the March 14 Board of Supervisors meeting. To read about the Philips 66 rail spur vote, click here. This week will witness a continuation of a mini-drama in the SLO County Board of Supervisors Chamber as hearings and public comment play out over the proposed Phillips 66…
Assigning blame
In Al Fonzi’s opinion piece, “Inflammatory rhetoric versus reason,” (March 2) he writes that he is concerned that “the current rhetoric surrounding the Trump presidency is “systematically ripping apart the social fabric of the nation.” He then writes that he faults “President Trump to some extent” by his “undisciplined public persona” during his campaign and…
Helping hand
Inmates from the California Men’s Colony have collaborated with the California Prison Industry Authority (CALPIA) to raise $2,000 in an effort to give back to their community. CALPIA is a self-supporting business that provides productive work assignments for about 7,000 offenders within the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation institutions. Inmates make about 35 to…
Supervisors uphold Phillips 66 rail spur denial
As the County Board of Supervisors began its two-day hearing March 13 to decide one of the county’s most controversial proposed projects, dozens of protestors gathered across from their downtown SLO meeting chambers to let them then know just how they felt about the issue. “I don’t want any oil trains,” said Templeton resident Joey…
Supervisors slapped with Brown Act complaint
A Paso Robles rural landowner is claiming the San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors skirted the Brown Act at its March 7 meeting. In a March 8 complaint to the County Counsel’s Office, Laurie Gage alleged that the Board of Supervisors made “substantive” changes to the county’s Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) strategy even…
Cal Poly senate wants exit interviews, review of departures
During the years 2015 and 2016, Cal Poly SLO saw 28 percent of its African-American faculty, 20 percent of its African-American staff, and 36 percent of its African-American administrators leave their university posts. The Cal Poly academic senate wants to know why that occurred. Senate members also want to see Cal Poly start conducting exit…
Runnin’ rainbow
Let your body be a human canvas of color, get some exercise in, and raise some money for a good cause all in one go on April 8. Sign-ups are happening for the SLO Color Blast Fun Run, taking place at SLO High next month. Participants will be given a T-shirt and blasted with color…
Dance like there’s no tomorrow
After having a blast riding a sweet vintage scooter as part of the Rides of March event, there’s only one thing left to do: dance! Head on down to Kreuzberg in downtown SLO at 8 p.m. on March 25 for Dance Craze, the weekend-long event’s chance for scooter aficionados to let loose and boogie. Tickets…
Show up SLO
On March 18, use your talents—be they baking, writing, or painting—to show SLO city some love. Love SLO, a day of giving back to the community, kicks off at 8 a.m. with a rally at Mission Plaza. The goal of the event is to meet needs, demonstrate kindness, and impact lives. Volunteers can choose to…
