Cover Story
The historic Pozo Saloon returns: The famed watering hole and restaurant will reopen with a Cinco de Mayo celebration
Mention Pozo Saloon to just about anybody and they’ve probably got a story about it. The world famous Wild West-era watering hole, downhome restaurant, and folksy concert venue holds a warm place in the hearts of many, in large part because it offers a glimpse into the Central Coast’s wild past. At one time, the…
Fluid: Aquarius show celebrates local watercolor art
All the watercolors Aquarius will be on display at the SLO Museum of Art through April 15. Visit sloma.org for more info. He knew he had to paint that face. It wasn’t one particular face that Atascadero-based artist John Barnard wanted to paint, but an amalgam of a certain kind of dude. The watercolor painting…
Hippity Hop!
What’s hopping Sunday, April 1? Well, there’s a farm fresh Easter planned at Foremost Wine Co. from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Bounce into a seasonal salad with oat brittle and lemon vinaigrette, bloody mary-drizzled seafood cocktail, eggs Benedict with prosciutto, and more (foremostslo.com) … Madonna Inn is also hosting an epic Easter spread from…
Tempe-based alt-rockers The Maine play Fremont Theater on April 3
Tempe-based band The Maine plays the sort of hook-laden guitar rock it’s hard not to like, and in videos like the one for their song “Am I Pretty,” they raise the poignancy stakes by opening with regular people talking about their insecurities, how they’ve been treated and judged by others, and how that’s made them…
News nibbles
No gag here: How weird is it that former Jackass reality star Johnny Knoxville recently popped up at Paso’s Tooth and Nail Winery? Apparently the Chuck Taylor-wearing prankster is really into the Rabble and Amor Fati zinfandels, and (as far as we know) there were no stunts pulled … Firestone’s spunky little brother, Barrelworks in…
Enjoy tea and a tarot reading
Find out what your future holds or get insight into the present day at the Tarot and Tea event at Art of Alchemy in Santa Maria on April 7. Enjoy a 15-minute wisdom reading for $25. There will also be a drawing where attendees can win either a 30-minute or 60-minute reading. Traditional afternoon tea…
SLO Rep performs The 39 Steps
Drop into a juicy spy novel with a dash of Monty Python comedy by viewing the San Luis Obispo Repertory Theatre’s production of The 39 Steps. The show runs from March 30 to April 15 and is a whodunit murder mystery that calls for the entirety of the adventure to be performed with a cast…
From the heart
A great winemaker, a great man: Celebrated wine icon Robert Haas, well known in Paso Robles and across the world for his decades-long career in the wine industry, passed on earlier this month at the age of 90. The Tablas Creek Vineyard founder and friend of the community inspired countless folks during his long life…
Dyeing fabric with plants
Bring pops of color to your fabric and crafting projects without using harmful ingredients at the Plant Dyeing Workshop at Zest It Up in SLO April 7 from 1 to 3 p.m. You may have heard of indigo dyeing or tea dyeing already, but what about beets? Or dandelions? Or onions? Yep, most elements in…
Beer desert no more!
If you live in downtown SLO, I used to be jealous of you. Until now, you had the best experience around. Yes, you still have the awesome ability to walk from Central Coast Brewing Co., to Libertine, to SLO Brew, to BarrelHouse to—well—a plethora of bars and restaurants with glittering taps, but now I get…
The world according to Garth: Dana Carvey lets loose at Levity Live in Oxnard
Need for knee-slappers To find out about future shows at Levity Live, call (805) 457-5550 or visit oxnard.levitylive.com. Whether we’re talking about the Saturday Night Live skits or the two films based upon them, Wayne’s World enjoyed its heyday a little bit before my time (the first film came out six months before I was…
A modest proposal
Let me start by saying that I support the Second Amendment. I believe in the right of law-abiding citizens to own firearms. But I do not believe that it is an absolute right. Just as you cannot exercise your First Amendment right by shouting “fire” when there is no fire or by slandering people, you…
Sheriff nets $23k in campaign donations after jail death footage was released
Public outcry and protests weren’t the only things that followed the release of the footage of Andrew Holland’s death. While some in the community were calling for his resignation, incumbent SLO County Sheriff Ian Parkinson received tens of thousands of dollars in campaign donations after video of Holland’s final hours in SLO County Jail received…
Twin Cities Hospital seeks to create a welcoming environment for LGBTQ community
“All our patients bleed red.” Twin Cities Community Hospital CEO Mark Lisa has made that statement more than once over the last several months. To him, the words underscore his hospital’s efforts to provide an inclusive environment for all patients, no matter their age, race, religion, and most recently, sexual orientation. “If we aren’t prepared…
Time for change
Chalk up Al Fonzi’s pining for times gone by to when Jimmy Stewart movies of gushing Gulf oil derricks fueled his teenage dreams (“I like fossil fuels and nuclear power,” March 15). This thinking exemplifies how native intelligence does not necessarily translate into common sense. In his passion for fossil and nuclear energy, Al conveniently…
Gun scares, student threats, and fights roil Paso Robles school community
Paso Robles Police Cmdr. Ty Lewis sounded weary as he tried to distill the recent events that have rocked the local school community: multiple gun scares, a spree of threatening social media posts, two juvenile arrests, and on-campus fights. “It’s been very, very busy,” Lewis said. “The community’s a little bit in angst right now.”…
The Sheriff’s Office is doing a good job
I volunteer at the San Luis Obispo County Jail, on the women’s side. I have seen, and spent time with inmates in the isolation unit, and witnessed many different situations during my visits. The volatile, and unpredictable episodes that go on daily are beyond understanding to some people. There were times, as I went to…
Take a step back and think
I promised that I would expand on my thoughts for liking fossil fuels and nuclear power, and I will do so. However, first let us take a step back and think for a moment about the hottest “hot button” issue, guns and regulation of their use. Watching the news coverage of various anti-gun marches last…
Fire victim faces criminal charges for living on Cambria lot
In January, SLO County prosecutors charged a Santa Margarita-area man with a single misdemeanor for allegedly sparking last summer’s Hill Fire, which destroyed three homes and 1,650 acres. David Lynn Macagni, 75, a registered sex offender, is accused of “recklessly” causing the June 2017 fire with a vehicle. But Macagni isn’t the only man facing…
Unsafe, dirty, and unnecessary
Ellie Ripley’s letter of Dec. 21, 2017 (“Safe, clean, and reliable”), is filled with misleading and inaccurate information about the Diablo Canyon nuclear plant. I wish to correct her most glaring errors. First, Ripley says, “There are no dirty emissions released into the air that can spread freely into the atmosphere.” In reality, the Nuclear…
The people’s business
Thanks to a secret Republican spy I have in my employ, I was able to get the memo and survey sent to rank and file party members by Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel, who among other things wrote, “We need to unite now to counter this liberal onslaught. That’s why I am reaching out…
Drug crimes down, DUIs up in Pismo Beach
The Pismo Beach Police Department says recreational marijuana may be driving down the drug-related crime in the city, but also could be connected an increase in DUI offenses. According to the department’s annual report, narcotics offenses in 2017 dropped by 33 percent from the previous year. The report partially credits the drop to “changes in…
Social media sound off
New Times readers took to Facebook to share their thoughts about our March 22 story, “Lake Nacimiento residents and Monterey officials clash over fire rebuilds and water releases.”
County assessor candidate challenges incumbent’s attendance record
Longtime San Luis Obispo County Assessor Tom Bordonaro is facing a challenger in this year’s election—and he’s not pulling any punches. David Boyer, a former deputy assessor under Bordonaro, recently announced his candidacy against the three-term incumbent. The assessor’s office values all real and personal property in SLO County. Boyer’s chief concern is Bordonaro’s alleged…
‘The Leisure Seeker’ features two veteran actors but a story with narrow demographic appeal
THE LEISURE SEEKER What’s it rated? PG-13 What’s it worth, Anna? Streaming What’s it worth, Glen? Streaming Where’s it showing? Downtown Centre Writer-director Paolo Virzì (The First Beautiful Thing, Human Capital, Like Crazy) directs Helen Mirren and Donald Sutherland as an elderly couple who unbeknownst to their family take off on a misguided final adventure…
Velie sues lawyers who defended her in libel trial
A reporter and co-founder of CalCoastNews is attempting to sue two attorneys who represented her in a 2016 libel trial that saddled her and the website with a hefty financial penalty. Karen Velie filed a civil complaint on March 22 in SLO County Superior Court against local attorney David Vogel and San Jose-based attorney Berndt…
Bingeable: The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
When? 2017-present What’s it rated? TV-MA Where’s it available? Streaming on Amazon It feels like we’re in a new golden age of television, with streaming services like Amazon giving the people what they want—new, entertaining, and original content. Last year, as part of the sites’ pilot program, the streaming service gave some cash to show…
Marti disappearance now a homicide investigation
After discovering a body during a large-scale weekend search, San Luis Obispo Police Department investigators said they are treating the disappearance of a 26-year-old SLO woman as a homicide case. Investigators announced that they found the body of an unidentified female in a creek during a search of Prefumo Canyon on March 25. The search…
Film Listings, 3/29/18 – 4/5/18
ACRIMONY What’s it rated? R Where’s it showing? Stadium 10 New A faithful wife (Taraji P. Henson) tired of standing by her devious husband (Lyriq Bent) is enraged when it becomes clear she has been betrayed. (120 min.) —Lionsgate ANNIHILATION What’s it rated? R What’s it worth? Matinee Where’s it showing? Downtown Centre Pick Writer-director…
Turning wine into water: Vintner David Parrish works to restore Adelaida Creek
Beyond the bend Parrish Family Vineyard produces cabernet sauvignon from the Paso Robles, Adelaida District, and is dedicated to crafting wine that represents the true varietal characteristics farmed on their coastal-influenced family vineyards in the preeminent Paso Robles region, including the Creston and Templeton Districts. Through their sustainability and philanthropic efforts, the winery works to…
Avila Beach author pens coming of age novel
Read on This I Know by Eldonna Edwards will be available for purchase on Amazon for $12.99 for the Kindle version and $26 for hardback and at bookstores starting April 24. Her first book, a memoir about donating a kidney, Lost in Transplantation, is also available on Amazon. Edwards will sign books on April 28…
ALS hasn’t stopped Devin Ward from contributing towards a cure
The first thing you’ll notice about Devin Ward is his purple beard and magenta tinted glasses. If you’re lucky you’ll also see his white cockatoo, Fiona, resting on his shoulder. Second, you’ll note that he has a ventilator connected to his nose and he’s in a motorized wheel chair. Ward has amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)…
