Cover Story
We’ve got this: As SLO County residents struggle to wrap their heads around the present and future, it’s important to remember to breathe and push on—together
Dear Readers, We are writing to keep you updated on New Times’ plans for COVID-19 (coronavirus). We also want to address any questions you may have regarding our operations, delivery options, and more. First and foremost, our hearts go out to those in our community and beyond who have been impacted by the virus. The…
Amid first coronavirus-related death, Santa Barbara County prepares for economic recovery
Public health officials announced the first coronavirus-related death in Santa Barbara County on April 1. The individual was a North County resident in their 60s with underlying health conditions. Officials also confirmed 12 new cases in the county, bringing the grand total up to 111. Thirteen of those cases are currently hospitalized in intensive care.…
SLO County to waive penalties for late April property taxes
Local property owners worried about being able to pay their property taxes on time this month can breath a sigh of relief. The San Luis Obispo County Tax Collector Division is waiving late fees on property taxes paid after the April 10 delinquency deadline in light of the COVID-19 crisis. “We recognize many taxpayers are…
Grover Beach waives penalties for late utility and hotel fees
The city of Grover Beach is following the lead of other SLO County cities and offering a little financial relief to some businesses and residents that might be struggling to make ends meet amid the coronavirus pandemic. At a special meeting on March 30, the Grover Beach City Council unanimously voted to suspend service disconnections…
Los Flores Ranch expands hours, despite park closures elsewhere
For many restless Californians living under Gov. Gavin Newsom’s stay-at-home order, the only chance to leave the house is to grab groceries or escape to a park. But this influx of outdoor adventurers is making it harder for people to abide by the social distancing guidelines that are in place to limit the spread of…
Newsom order allows medical retirees and student nurses to join COVID-19 fight
Students in Cuesta College’s registered nursing program, whose academic years were just cut short by the onset of COVID-19, could soon be joining the fight against the virus. Bracing for a surge in cases statewide, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed an executive order on March 30 to allow the temporary waiving of licensing requirements for student…
Paso Robles projects at least $4 million in pandemic-related tax revenue losses
The COVID-19 pandemic will significantly impact Paso Robles’ general fund revenues, although it’s still too early to tell how badly. Ryan Cornell, the city’s interim director of administrative services, compiled a fiscal analysis based on national averages and “best practices today” that he presented during the City Council’s March 27 virtual meeting. Cornell said that…
Locals team up to make masks for nurses in need
You should never underestimate the power of a skill like sewing, and Nipomo resident Ellie Kelley is a perfect example why. Kelley learned to sew when she was about 15. She eventually started making her own clothes for fun, which led to making prom dresses for friends, and then to a job at a clothing…
Local suppliers struggle to deliver food to Santa Maria-Bonita School District for student meals
Since implementing its breakfast and lunch distribution effort in the wake of COVID-19 school closures, the number of meals that Santa Maria-Bonita School District (SMBSD) serves has increased nearly every day, Public Information Officer Maggie White said. On March 26, the district served a total of 14,152 m eals from its seven distribution sites. “We…
Self Made: Inspired by the Life of Madam C.J. Walker is a fascinating look at an underrepresented part of black history
SELF MADE: INSPIRED BY THE LIFE OF MADAM C.J. WALKER What’s it rated? TV-MAWhere’s it showing? Netflix Editor’s note: Movie theaters aren’t open for the foreseeable future due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the restrictions that have come with it. And we know you’re stuck at home, so we thought we’d help you figure out…
Sound off
San Luis Obispo County residents took to Facebook to weigh in on SLO County Department of Public Health’s live press briefings about COVID-19 on March 23 and 24.
Westworld (Season 3 debut)
What’s it rated? TV-MA Where’s it showing? HBO Now in its third season, HBO’s sci-fi drama series based on Michael Crichton’s 1973 film of the same name follows the creators, guests, and android “hosts” of a high-tech amusement park, where the high-paying guests can live out their wildest fantasies. In the third season, host Dolores…
Maintaining safety: Help keep SLO’s open spaces open with health-conscious habits
Recreation officials throughout San Luis Obispo County are asking residents to adhere to social distancing guidelines when enjoying outdoor spaces to avoid the closure of open spaces and trails. SLO Parks and Recreation Department Director Greg Avakian told New Times, the department “knows both the physical and mental wellness of our community is to be…
Little Fires Everywhere
What’s it rated? TV-MA Where’s it showing? Hulu If you liked Big Little Lies, you’ll want to check out Hulu’s new series Little Fires Everywhere, based on Celeste Ng’s 2017 best selling novel about seemingly perfect Elena Richardson (Reese Witherspoon) and her family, whose fate becomes intertwined with the Warrens—poor single mom Mia (Kerry Washington)…
Local restaurant owners and supportive organizations work together to continue serving the community amid new restrictions
Call in, take out For updated information on what SLO County restaurants are offering take-out service amid COVID-19 precautions, visit newtimesslo.com and look for the “food to go” section. Greg Holt, executive chef and owner of Big Sky Cafe, said even though he can’t have dine-in customers he’s still busy running his restaurant. Holt’s restaurant…
SLO Mayor Heidi Harmon uses a boom box and laptop to stream her music show for preschoolers and their parents amid COVID-19 crisis
Tune in Music with the Mayor can be live-streamed from SLO Mayor Heidi Harmon’s house to yours, via her public Facebook and Instagram accounts, weekdays at 10 a.m. The show must go on. Music Time, a music program for preschoolers and their parents, originally held at Boo Boo Records for the past 21 years, has…
SLO County secures motels and trailers for homeless as nonprofits call for donations amid COVID-19 crisis
While California residents have been ordered to stay at home to stop the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19), that’s simply not an option for the thousands of people throughout the state who are living without homes in the first place. The homeless are among the most vulnerable populations to COVID-19, and as their need for…
Pismo prepares for major tourism-related losses
The coronavirus-related shelter at home is taking its toll on everyone in SLO County, but things are looking especially bleak for coastal towns that rely heavily on tourism revenue for funding—revenue that is currently non-existent. Pismo Beach is already preparing for the worst. About 45 percent of Pismo’s $24 million annual general fund comes from…
Paso teacher offers free art lessons, safety tips through YouTube
Stormy Capalare, a Virginia Peterson Elementary School teacher, is currently offering free art lessons through her YouTube account. The series is titled Art with Me and includes 26 videos (ideally to last 26 days, with one lesson per day). The videos cover simple, in-home art lessons and activities. Other videos on Capalare’s channel cover health…
Diablo Canyon on-site workforce ‘greatly reduced’
In the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, PG&E has asked all but essential employees at Diablo Canyon Power Plant to work from home, as the utility takes unprecedented measures to try to protect the safe and reliable operation of California’s last remaining nuclear power plant throughout the crisis. Suzanne Hosn, a PG&E spokesperson, told New…
SLO Rep cancels all productions through mid-May
In adherence with COVID-19 mitigation measures and recommendations from the CDC, all San Luis Obispo Repertory Theatre (SLO Rep) performances have been canceled through May 11. The SLO Rep board and staff made the difficult decision to cancel its productions of The Laramie Project and Mr. Burns: A Post-electric Play (presented by Ubu’s Other Shoe…
Cal Poly admissions process changes
Currently Cal Poly’s spring quarter classes have been moved to online instruction, some students living on-campus have moved back to their permanent residences, and graduation ceremonies have been postponed. Prospective students waiting on their acceptance emails for this fall won’t be able to get a glimpse of university life in-person, a result of safety precautions…
Cal Poly Music postpones all spring concerts
The Cal Poly Music Department has canceled or postponed all planned spring events until further notice, according to Administrative Support Coordinator Michele Abba, through an email to New Times. To find out more about the situation as it unfolds, call the department’s office at (805) 756-2406 or visit music.calpoly.edu. Δ
Avila Golf Resort license delayed again
A county hearing regarding the Avila Beach Golf Resort’s application for an entertainment license was once again postponed on March 24, this time because of coronavirus-related hits to the business. At a meeting on March 24, the SLO County Board of Supervisors voted to push a hearing on the resort’s application for a temporary commercial…
Quarantine times—local musicians make do
What do you do when your income stream comes to a grinding halt, but you have all kinds of time on your hands? Well, if you’re a musician, you do what musicians do all the time—proverbial woodshedding, which in the case of New Times Music Award winner Dante Marsh and The Vibe Setters was already…
Community in need of child care options
More than half of San Luis Obispo County’s child care centers have closed their doors in the wake of COVID-19, according to the CAPSLO Child Care Resource Connection, leaving essential service workers searching for options and child care providers scrambling to provide solutions. “We’ve seen a real drop in the number of programs that are…
GOP duality
I would like to respond to “pissy” attorney John Donegan’s opinion piece concerning his difficulty reconciling what he calls the liberals’ two caricatures of the Trump voters and conservatives in general: the deplorables and the 1 percent oligarchs (“Oh, those stoopid conservatives!” March 12). He writes that they are rarely mentioned at the same time,…
We still need public access to government meetings
Much attention is rightly being given, in our current crisis, to damage to the economy and how interrupted livelihoods might be restored or mitigated. What has gotten almost no attention, and needs it, is damage to our constitutional rights, and a much-needed conversation on how to ensure their restoration when medically possible. The right of…
A little tranquility
I want to send sincere thanks and kudos to Trader Joe’s in Templeton for being an island of tranquility in this nightmare. Shopping there this afternoon was an enjoyable, peaceful experience. They have the courage to limit the amount of items customers can buy, thus ensuring full shelves, and they are also limiting the number…
I don’t understand
I was rather mystified by Kevin Matea’s “Dear mainstream media” letter on March 19, in which he claims that the media is not interested in the truth, only political opinion. I do respect and trust news from outlets like ABC, CBS, NBC, and NPR, which tell us what is really happening. As opposed to the…
Kick-It Points app keeps local businesses and customers connected during ‘shelter at home’
At Sleeping Tiger Fitness and Martial Arts, it’s not unusual for workout classes to involve partner work and up-close-and-personal combat training. “So when the social distancing regulations came out,” owner Nathan Zimmerman told New Times, “it made things a little bit difficult.” Zimmerman, like so many other business owners, is being forced to adapt to…
Policital repurcussions
On March 15, 2020, the Santa Maria Times published a column by Andy Caldwell who deliberately understated the effect of the COVID-19 virus on the American public. The Republican candidate for the 24th Congressional District followed a long list of conservative lawmakers who have been gaslighting the public for weeks regarding the coronavirus. It started…
Time to remember
Given the events of the last few weeks, I find myself looking back to those “good old days.” For instance, in elementary school, it seemed that there was always a classmate wearing braces on their legs, a legacy of polio before the vaccine became widespread and mandatory. I also remember really cool TV commercials with…
SLO County farms are coping as restaurants close and social distancing is changing everything
It’s awfully quiet outside. But SLO County farmers have not stopped the plows. Checking in with our local food growers, many reported a huge increase in CSA boxes, meat boxes, and farm stand sales. Others—producers of luxury food items like organic olive oil—found their online and storefront food traffic came to a halt. Local growers…
Slow your roll
COVID-19 Insanity Syndrome has arrived, and it’s not pretty. If you see a mother and child walking together, you don’t need to call the SLO County Public Health Department and report it to Public Health Director Penny Borenstein. Calm down. People who live together are allowed to take a walk next to one another. Borenstein’s…
