Cover Story
In the streets: Post-election angst sparks a new wave of protest and activism in SLO
When a group of organizers in SLO decided to hold a march in solidarity with large demonstrations scheduled to take place in Washington, D.C., and other major American cities, they expected a small turnout of about 200. On Jan. 21, the day of the National Women’s March, the size of the crowd that gathered at…
SLO County’s draft marijuana ordinance draws criticism
SLO County stepped into the post-Proposition 64, legalized marijuana world on rocky footing Feb. 28. A draft of the county’s proposed cannabis land-use regulations took heat from several local cannabis growers and stakeholders at a Board of Supervisors hearing. Those who spoke during public comment critiqued the proposed cap on countywide commercial cultivation sites of…
Two hearts plus one big dream come to a head at Paso’s Silva Brewing Co.
Silva Brewing Company isn’t “easy” to find, and that’s not a bad thing. In a corporate world that, more and more, aims to dumb down and homogenize our food and beverage choices, California’s craft beer scene continues to experience a defiant and jubilant renaissance. Will this craft beer explosion ever end? Not if legendary brewer…
Good vibes
Eat local, shop local: Member-owned SLO Natural Foods, which offers up local produce grown by Central Coast farmers, has unveiled new programs that will pass on some awesome benefits to shoppers. In the coming weeks, shoppers will see extensive and permanent reductions in many grocery and household products as well as more sale items. Look…
Re:Find’s Cucumber Vodka and BarrelHouse Brewing Co.’s Celebratory Stout Snakebite Ale
Cucumbers are amazing. They de-puff your eyes, turn boring old H20 into “spa water,” and taste effortlessly delicious when tossed with yogurt, herbs, and lemon juice (mmm … tatziki!). Cukes are also a fabulous addition to vodka, which—let’s face it—could use a little help in the flavor department. Re:Find Distillery in Paso Robles knows what’s…
Joe Craven & The Sometimers play the Red Barn Music Series on March 3
Grand wizard of musical alchemy, Joe Craven, is coming to town this weekend, a reminder that the Live Oak Music Festival, which he emcees, is coming up on Friday, June 16, through Sunday, June 18. If you order your tickets by Friday, March 17 (online at liveoakfest.org/tickets or by calling 781-3030), you’ll get the early…
I sea glass down by the shore
If your sea glass stash is running a tad low or you’re simply in need of crafting inspiration, head to the Cayucos Sea Glass Festival on March 11 and 12 at the Veterans Hall. The event includes local artisan goods, fun in the sun, live music, and an extensive marketplace of the finest sea glass…
Atascadero native Ephraim Scott Sommers releases his debut book of poems that celebrates all things A-town
“Debra is a boxer, and the sex will be nuclear,/ the kind I will catch Chlamydia from for the first time,/ the kind her husband will kick the back window/ of my Plymouth in for, but this is the minute/ the CD Release Show is over, the microphones/ have spit out their cables, the cymbals…
Alone and freezing: Poison oak and the icy breeze are worth a solo trek along the Adobe Trail this spring
If you take a deep breath, you’ll miss the turn like I’m doing right now. Wistfully staring at the open gate, I’m driving by it at 60 miles per hour with a semi-truck bearing down on me from behind. It’s about 20 miles east (ish) from Santa Maria along Highway 166, the second of three…
Two takes on the landscape: International artists Almeida and Dempwolf come to Studios in Paso
Despite being born in Germany and spending part of his childhood in Bavaria, surrounded by sparkling lakes, dramatic hills, misty forests, and of course the majestic Alps, artist Karl Dempwolf and his family weren’t particularly outdoorsy. That changed when his father moved the family to California when Dempwolf was a teen. His family would pile…
And the search goes on
Take in an evening of classic music by legendary German composers and get a glimpse at the possible future music director of the SLO Symphony on March 11 at 8 p.m. at the Cal Poly Performing Arts Center. Maestro David Handel, the fourth guest conductor auditioning for the music director position, leads the orchestra in…
Fun, laughs, good times
The nation as a whole might be feeling a little blue, but the SLO Comedy Festival wants to turn that frown upside down. Get your “yuk, yuk, yuks” on at comedy shows March 2 through 5 at venues across the city. Start out the weekend early on Thursday at 7 p.m. at Mr. Rick’s in…
Bingeable: Ash vs. Evil Dead
When? 2015 | What’s it rated? NR | Where’s it available? Streaming on Starz. More than 25 years after the last entry in the seminal cult-classic horror/comedy series, we’ve been blessed with the revival of Sam Rami’s Evil Dead franchise. It’s a long time for fans to wait, but the newest entry, the Starz television…
The county’s newest planning commissioner should be replaced
It is time to stop the nonsense. Time to stop pretending that ideologically based opinion has the same value as tested science. The San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors has appointed a man, Dan Del Campo, to the county Planning Commission who “has repeatedly expressed opposition to the notion of man-made climate change” (New…
Lawsuit claims sexual harassment at AG water facility went on for years
Two female employees of the private water company Veolia North American LLC filed a lawsuit against the company in San Luis Obispo County Superior Court, claiming that they were sexually harassed multiple times by the same male supervisor at the company’s water reclamation facility in Arroyo Grande. According to the lawsuit, filed Feb. 14, both…
What is the one app you can’t live without?
Miguel Ramirez Grover Beach “Every time I get a new phone, I download Pandora. I can go without a camera, but I need music.” Courtney King Arroyo Grande “For me, it’s definitely my podcast app.” Tyler Colt San Diego “Uber. You never know when you might need an Uber.” A cat statuesque feline “Apps schmapps!…
Clubs 3/2/17 – 3/9/17
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. 3/3: Kenny Taylor Band from 8:30-11pm. HARRY’S NIGHT CLUB AND BEACH BAR: Cypress and Pomeroy, downtown Pismo Beach, 773-1010. Thurs.: Front Row Karaoke. 3/3:…
Soak up the moment
The Central Coast is known for its numerous scenic hiking trails and light blue ocean waves. But locals and visitors alike just scratch at the surface of all the outdoor activities there are to do. Central Coast native Connor Woolpert is launching an app that offers outdoor experiences at your fingertips. It’s called Adventure Aide,…
Parting ways: After decades of co-owning a sewer plant, Morro Bay and Cayucos are creating separate ones
Morro Bay and Cayucos have shared a wastewater treatment plant in relative harmony since the 1950s, but a 2013 permit denial changed all that. Now the neighboring towns are working to create their own facilities. Morro Bay residents have resisted efforts to find a new site, leaving the city looking into a third proposed project…
A tale of two town halls: National issues dominated discussion at events held by two Central Coast lawmakers
When U.S. Rep. Salud Carbajal (D-Santa Barbara) walked into his Feb. 22 town hall meeting in Arroyo Grande, the crowd erupted into a standing ovation. The cheers from the crowd of about 400, many of whom stood along the walls and sat on the floor after all the available seats filled up, continued over the…
Correction
• In last week’s calendar listings, we incorrectly stated the location of the SLO Friends of the Library book sale held March 2 to 4. It will take place at the San Luis Obispo Veterans Memorial Building.
Molestation conviction overturned due to SLO prosecutor’s error
A mistake made by a SLO County prosecutor could lead to the retrial of a Cambria man found guilty of molesting a young boy over a period of two years. A state appeals court reversed the 2014 conviction of Ronald Cowan, 59, stating that the SLO County prosecutor in charge of his case made misleading…
County endorses legislation banning offshore drilling
Before the SLO County Board of Supervisors voted to oppose a proposed Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary off SLO’s coast on Feb. 7, Supervisor Lynn Compton responded bluntly to residents anxious about the vote’s implications for offshore oil and gas drilling. A marine sanctuary isn’t the best way to prevent future drilling, Compton said. The…
Supervisors open door to potable water for Dairy Creek
County officials will begin exploring drinking water sources to address Dairy Creek Golf Course’s water shortage, a change in direction from last year when the Board of Supervisors instructed staff not to consider potable water sources as an option for the course during a drought. Dairy Creek, the 18-hole course at El Chorro Regional Park,…
State approves millions for local wildlife easements
The California Wildlife Conservation Board is shelling out big bucks to give the local population of tule elk in SLO County room to roam. The board approved a grant of more than $2.3 million to acquire conservation easements over an estimated 12,710 acres of wild oak-land and other wilderness in the Avenales Ranch area. The…
Poisoning the well
It’s easy to look to Washington D.C. and want to projectile vomit all over the relentless gridlock, rank partisanship, and infantile intransigence. Just thinking about it makes me want to puke on turtle-like Senate Majority Leader Mitch “Whole Lotta Nope” McConnell. Baaaaarf! It seems like at the federal level, Democrats and Republicans are simply incapable…
It takes a village
In 2011, Gov. Jerry Brown signed the Dream Act, which made California the first state in our nation to allow undocumented students to apply for and receive state-administered college financial aid. This was groundbreaking legislation. Sadly, the applications to the California Dream Act are down more than 60 percent this year compared with last year.…
Diablo should retire with grace
Even if the chance of a catastrophe triggered by Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant is slim, this unwavering fact remains: Of all man-made risks in San Luis Obispo County, our neighborhood nuclear power plant has the potential to kill more people and make more acreage uninhabitable than any other single industrial facility. Collectively, residents have…
A tale of two political meetings
Republican incompetence was on full display at state Assemblymember Jordan Cunningham’s open house at the Vets Hall in SLO on Feb. 23. They showed disregard for the packed crowd by having no microphones, so that we couldn’t hear either the questions or the responses. Some of the outnumbered Republicans demanded that everyone sit down, though…
Atascadero’s way forward post-Walmart
Now that Walmart has announced that they will not be coming to Atascadero, what has to happen to promote development of the Walmart project? Atascadero has to become partners with Walmart. Currently, there are so many conditions and financial agreements in place I would think the property is not marketable as is. The greed must…
Inflammatory rhetoric versus reason
Once in awhile I have to check the local water supply to ensure that something unpleasant hasn’t taken up residence. A good warning sign that something isn’t right is when Professor Latner and I are in agreement, a sure sign of a mind-altering substance being present. As a dedicated conservative—socially, economically, and on national security…
What resistance means to me
The more time I spend with people possessed of great certainty, people of obstinate truculence in their thinking, the more I want to examine and test my own commitments. It’s a healthy endeavor except that in times like these, times of stormy attitudes toward the use of authority, it’s easy to find sources of outrage,…
