Cover Story
A civil rights question: San Luis Obispo and advocacy organizations work to settle a lawsuit about the way the city treats its homeless population
A federal lawsuit alleging that the city of San Luis Obispo violates the constitutional rights of its unhoused residents could be nearing a resolution. City officials and homeless advocates told New Times that they are in discussions on a settlement in the nearly 2-year-old case—though “significant areas of disagreement remain,” court records say. A formal…
‘St. Fratty’s Day’ returns with bigger crowd
The annual student-led St. Patrick’s Day celebrations in San Luis Obispo escalated to new levels after several years of recovering from a major roof-collapse accident and the global pandemic. Dubbed “St. Fratty’s Day” by revelers, the block party at the intersection of Hathway and Bond streets swelled to 4,000 people—double the attendance from last year.…
Shrinking
What’s it rated? TV-PG When? 2023 Where’s it showing? Apple TV Plus The makers of Ted Lasso have blessed us with a new series starring Jason Segel, Harrison Ford, and Jessica Williams as therapists who work in an office together. Segel is Jimmy, a man who lost his wife in the not-too-distant past and has…
Governments in San Luis Obispo County and beyond worry that a tax initiative on the 2024 ballot will undermine local voter power
The deep pockets of a statewide business advocacy group have already managed make a controversial tax initiative eligible for the November 2024 California ballot. Created by an organization called the California Business Roundtable (CBRT), the Taxpayer Protection and Government Accountability Act claims to reinforce taxpayer protection by boosting transparency and giving voters “final say” on…
Luther: The Fallen Sun
What’s it rated? R When? 2023 Where’s it showing? Netflix Jamie Payne directs this film sequel to the award-winning television saga about brilliant but disgraced police detective John Luther (Idris Elba), created by novelist and scriptwriter Neil Cross. I’ve never seen the series, so if you’re wondering if you can enjoy this film without being…
A newbie eats and drinks through Downtown San Luis Obispo on St. Patrick’s Day
At 5:32 a.m., my friends and I parked ourselves in a clover-green line at McCarthy’s. Sandwiched between a front-running group of old-timers and a gaggle of raucous Cal Poly boys, we made our debut at the annual San Luis Obispo St. Patrick’s Day bar crawl on March 17. Are we too young or too old…
Powerhouse soul and R&B band Thee Sinseers play the Fremont on March 24
Soak up all the soul this Friday, March 24, when the Fremont Theater and Good Vibez presents opening act The Altons, a soul rock group with a Latin twist, followed by powerhouse soul and R&B group Thee Sinseers (8 p.m.; all ages; $22.50 at seetickets.us). The headliner hails from East LA and is part of…
SLO County’s top administrator to resign
San Luis Obispo County will soon be losing its top official. In a surprise move, SLO County Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) Wade Horton submitted his resignation on March 21 during a closed session meeting of the Board of Supervisors. Horton, who’s been at the helm of the county organization and its 2,800 employees since 2017,…
Storms hinder cleanup efforts in Cambria
Winter storms have caused nearly 120 trees to fall on the Fiscalini Ranch Preserve and other open space properties since December 2022. On March 16, Carlos Mendoza, who heads up the Cambria Community Services District (CSD) Facilities and Resources Department, gave the district board update on cleanup efforts. “So just on the preserve itself, I…
SLO County to enroll in Central Coast Community Energy
The last remaining local government to hold out from joining Central Coast Community Energy (3CE) is now opting in to the regional power provider. The San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors voted 3-2 on March 21 to join as a member agency of 3CE—a Monterey-based utility that buys power on behalf of more than…
Marela Zacarías showcases past, present, and future through abstract sculptures in a new exhibit at SLOMA
Travel through time Experience the work of Marela Zacarîas in Storytelling at SLOMA, 1010 Broad St., San Luis Obispo, Thursday through Monday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Visit sloma.org or follow the SLOMA Instagram @slomuseumofart for more information on upcoming events. For more information on future works by Zacarías, visit her website marelazacarias.com or…
Lake Lopez Reservoir spills over
Editor’s note: This article was updated after Lake Lopez spilled on March 23. After a quarter century, Lake Lopez Reservoir returned to an old habit. Spilling every year since its inception from 1969 until 1987, followed by repeat incidents from 1996 to 1998, the dam overtopped again on March 23 at 4:21 a.m. due to the…
SLO Symphony welcomes new executive director
With a background in local nonprofit management and fundraising, Rachel Cementina will assume her new role as the SLO Symphony’s executive director starting on Monday, April 3. Cementina recently served as the director of membership, marketing, and philanthropy for the SLO YMCA. Jim Walker, president of the SLO Symphony board of directors, said that the…
Local artist transforms dead animals into art
On Thursday nights, Higuera Street is packed with various vendors hawking their wares at the Downtown SLO Farmers’ Market. Nestled between a jewelry vendor and a booth featuring succulents is one business that sells something genuinely bizarre. Jars of decorated animal skulls, various preserved animal feet, pinned butterflies, and other creature curios are neatly arranged…
Grover Beach Community Library holds first book sale of 2023
On Saturday, April 1, the Grover Beach Community Library will host its Big Book Sale event from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The outdoor sale will be held in the library’s parking lot. The sale will include books of various genres and categories, including children’s books, self-help books, crafting books, biographies, and more. Books will…
Children do need protection
Seldom do I feel the absolute need to respond to someone’s published opinion piece; however, John Donegan writes his commentary “Weaponizing children” (March 16) as if his judgmental, partisan thoughts are the only opinions worth having. He even refers to himself in the column as “the rest of society.” Get over yourself. I guess the…
Donegan’s opinion is harmful to SLO’s LGBTQ community
I am commenting on a commentary headlined “Weaponizing children” by John Donegan (March 16). I believe the opinion piece in question is harmful to the LGBTQ community and could lead to hate. I believe, as do many, that San Luis Obispo is no place for such discrimination against the LGBTQ community and request similar opinions…
Both parties use children to get votes
The article “Weaponizing children” (March 16) was fine until the end, when the author basically accused Democrats of using children as weapons in order to get votes. This is true for both parties, including Republicans! I have seen news footage of demonstrations by Republicans or conservatives where their children were present and they were carrying…
Mainstream vs. extreme
I’ve been paddling in the turbulent waters of “extremist” ideology lately, from both sides of the political continuum. If our nation’s democratic spectrum can be described as a bell curve, these would be the “long tails” of that curve. Those are the places inhabited by the fanatics, the conspiracy theorists, the QAnon cultists on the…
Parking in San Luis Obispo
Just so you know Bring lots of dough Plus there’s hell to pay When you overstay Parked in SLO Patrick Smith Arroyo Grande
The ol’ college cry
If American college students have proven anything, it’s that they don’t need much prodding to make a party of it. From Cinco de Mayo to Mardi Gras to St. Patrick’s Day, they’re ready, willing, and able to tap that keg and raise that red Solo cup. “Whaddya got? We’ll celebrate it!” On March 18, they…
Extrapolations is sprawling, dark look into the future of a climate changed Earth
EXTRAPOLATIONS What’s it rated? TV-MA What’s it worth, Glen? Full price What’s it worth, Anna? Full price Where’s it showing? Apple TV Plus Creator Scott Z. Burns (Contagion, Side Effects) helms this new anthology drama series that peers into our future to explore what life on our climate-changed planet will be like. (eight 50-min. episodes)…
