Cover Stories
Sheriff Hedges leaves a sordid legacy
There is something strange about the campaigns by the six candidates for San Luis Obispo County Sheriff. Yes, the six have answered the same questions candidates for any sheriff’s office have been asked since the beginning of the republic and yes, the race has all the conventional trappings, including fundraisers, picnics, and more than…
What image comes to mind when you hear the word “sheriff”?
Craig Cowan social media consultant “Ian Parkinson” Tahj Jakins fireman “Someone who helps. I see someone who stabilizes the community; a symbol.” Kelsey Cannon college student “A badge, a cowboy hat, and aviator sunglasses.” Gene Gilligan retired teacher “Authority: a uniform, tan uniform.”
The Louvre
The Musée du Louvre in Paris houses an estimated 380,000 items and 35,000 works of art in 652,300 square feet of space. The museum opened on Aug. 10, 1793, but was closed between 1796 and 1801 because of structural problems. It began its life as a fortress built by Philip II in the 12th century,…
Putting the
I’m a real fashionisto, a clotheshorse. I must have, like, five different pairs of 501 Levis in varying states of degradation, 30 assorted black rock’n’roll or car-culture themed T-shirts, and four pairs of boots to choose from. Clearly, I’m eminently qualified to comment on haute couture, which I’m pretty sure is yogurt made from camel’s…
Wretched, wretched word count
Here are 55 rules for New Times’ annual 55 Fiction contest: Rule one: 55 words or less. Two: Contractions count as a single word. So go to town with the shouldn’ts, wouldn’ts, won’ts, and can’ts. Trois: Hyphenated words don’t count as a single word. Star-studded-sky? Three words. Shi: Standard acronyms are a single word. Wanna…
God is dead. Everything breaks apart.
New Cal Poly Theatre Department Assistant Professor Virginia (Ginny) Anderson calls selecting Marisol as her debut play “a pretty easy choice.” Last spring she taught a class at the Boston Conservatory. “We must have read 40 plays together,” she said. “Not one play got the kind of response, the kind of passionate response that Marisol…
PB & Paris
Leon Oks’ first professional art show was raided by local government authorities. The then 22-year-old could not understand the objection to his paintings of landscapes, portraits, and villages. “The portraits especially would bother them, the expressions on the faces,” he said. “They’re not happy.” Understanding would come later, but acceptance of government-imposed censorship would not.…
The whales’ tale
SLO County residents are joining other Californians in a protest rally out of the pages of history on May 23 in Morro Bay. The catch-cry of the environmental movement in the 1970s, “Save the whales,” will echo across the coast in a grassroots action to halt the future expansion of whale hunting. “If you care…
Keep out
Had organizers of the Dairy Formal—members of the Cal Poly Los Lecheros Dairy Club—held their event this year, it would likely have been a night of drinking, dancing, games, and absolutely no gay couples. “So bring a date!! (If you bring a date it must be someone of the opposite sex),” the Facebook page promoting…
Corrections
The runner-up for Best Construction Company, Maino Construction, was incorrectly spelled in the Best Of guide (May 6). The passage by Jonathan Swift quoted in the letter “Do away with public education” (May 6) should be dated 1792.
Election’s a-comin’
The June 22 special election continues to loom over county election officials. Though a lawsuit may put a temporary halt on the expedited election schedule, the candidates are gearing up to make a run at the 15th District Senate seat. Four candidates have officially declared their intention to run: San Luis Obispo Republican Assemblyman Sam…
Bookout gets his day … again
Guarded by two agents in black suits manning a metal detector, Justices Arthur Gilbert, Kenneth R. Yegan, Paul H. Coffee, and Steven Z. Perren heard arguments inside the San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors chamber on May 6 for five cases brought before the California 2nd District Court of Appeals. One of the cases…
Machine guns shown in court
Witnesses from the Sheriff’s Department put on an impressive show in San Luis Obispo Superior Court on May 11, exhibiting for the prosecution a collection of illegal assault weapons taken from the home of an Arroyo Grande man. Authorities say it was one of the largest local weapons busts in decades. Howard Alan Krinsky, 62,…
Spare the air, supes say
Pressuring State Parks to take action, SLO County supervisors unanimously voted May 11 to send a letter seeking help from the department to reduce dust generated at the Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area. The letter, sent to the State Parks’ Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Division, asks division Deputy Director Daphne Greene to respond with any…
Hike for Holly
Grab your friends and join local teen Holly Navolt on Saturday, May 22 for a walk, jog, or run through the beautiful Huasna countryside. Holly is an 18-year-old girl who suffers from cystic fibrosis, a degenerative disease. The benefit event will raise funds to support a surgery at Stanford Hospital to replace both of Navolt’s…
Farewell, old friend
Steven R. See was a rascal, a raconteur, and a music junkie with a real bad habit, a habit so bad, in fact, that he spent his whole adult life squandering what little money he had to pump that sweet sounding juice into the veins of fellow Central Coast music lovers. He passed away a…
Leviathan: An ethical imperative
Few issues in this country cross political and class boundaries to receive overwhelming consensus, capturing hearts and minds across the board. The protection of whales is one such issue, an issue that has united people across the political spectrum to protest the Obama administration’s support of an International Whaling Commission draft agreement to again legalize…
Jessica DeSimas of Nipomo Swap Meet and Flea Market
NEW TIMES: What distinguishes your flea market? DESIMAS: Well the sheer size of our swap meet is gigantic compared to others. We offer permanent spaces for our sellers. We also have mini storage units available for anyone to rent, including the sellers, and we have a wide variety of activities other than shopping. NEW…
Queasily ripping off the bandage
I’m not feeling so well. Was it something I ate? Something I contracted from that guy I sat next to on the bus yesterday? Something I picked up years ago only now finally rearing its viral head? Or maybe reading Robert McDonald’s cover story this week made me queasy. Go read it and get nauseated…
Guthrie’s the one
In his 19 years as general manager of a large local hotel, Jim Guthrie has developed the business skills necessary to provide sound financial and personnel practices to SLO County Government. Jim was hired to turn around a financially stressed business and answer to its investors. Every year, under Jim’s business direction, hundreds of customers…
Waterfield’s the one
If increased taxes concern your readers, Etta Waterfield is the candidate for the 33rd Assembly District seat most skilled to fight for consitituents in Sacramento. Her election would contribute fresh, non-political ideas and common sense at the capitol. Her experience and knowledge as a former director of economic development and as a Santa Maria planning…
For many ASH employees, $35k would be sweet
I am curious after reading Pam Silva’s letter (“Give government employees average wages,” April 15) exactly which government employees she referred to. I know that the office technicians, janitors, and the dining-room employees at Atascadero State Hospital would be very glad to take home $35,000 a year. Most of them barely made $20,000 and had…
Diablo license renewal should be carefully considered
Thank you to Lois Capps, the SLO County Board of Supervisors, California Public Utilities Commission, California Energy Commission, Sierra Club, City of Morro Bay, Mothers for Peace, and Alliance for Nuclear Responsibility: Thank you all for speaking out for the citizens of SLO County. The sensible, reasonable, and necessary seismic studies regarding earthquake faults that…
Boycott Valero
What is going on with this country? California has to fight off companies that are trying to harm it in every way. Ever heard of Enron? Greed will be the end of us. There is now a Texas-based oil company, Valero, that’s hijacking our broken initiatives process in an attempt to rollback our state’s landmark…
Beware of tax protesters
No-tax groups are not against all taxes; only those for services they don’t like—those that help others than themselves. Frankly, I don’t like my taxes paying for our troops being killed and maimed in useless wars that can’t be won. I don’t like supporting churches with my taxes, I don’t like supporting large airports I…
Stop badmouthing rich businesspeople
It’s really starting to bug me how often I seem to hear the wealthy and successful demonized for being … well, wealthy and successful. These comments astonish me because I think most of us aspire to such things. Successful (wealthy) businesspeople and those who aspire to be successful (wealthy) businesspeople represent the engine of our…
Drug-smuggling cops should be kicked out
The fact that San Luis Obispo police officers McDow and Limon continue to be on paid administrative leave, after pleading guilty to accusations they brought illegal substances into the U.S. is nothing short of outrageous (“SLO cops plead guilty, remain on paid leave,” May 6). In fact, outrageous is not a word strong enough. Anyone…
Blame deregulation for banking debacles and Enron thefts
In his letter “Do away with public education,” (May 6), Charles Gill wrote, “As we all know, government doesn’t work.” I have news for you, pal: “We” firmly believe, by the tens of millions of us, that government plays a vital and positive role in a free society. What about the Post Office; Social Security;…
Free-market ideology has shortchanged public schools
I enjoyed Charles Gill’s parody of right-wing ideology (“Do away with public education,” May 6), which offers a “modest proposal” to “do away with public education once and for all,” and turn it over to—you guessed it—the “free market.” Since the devil is in the details, he suggests the schools could be run by McDonalds…
CLUBS
Goin’ South … CAFÉ ANDREINI: 131 E. Branch St., Arroyo Grande, 481-6117. Thurs.: Live music at 6pm. COFFEE BEAN AND TEA LEAF: 750 Five Cities Dr., Pismo Beach, 773-6420. Music Night every Sat., 6:30-8:30pm. DOLPHIN BAY/LIDO: 2727 Shell Beach Road, Shell Beach, 773-4300 or TheDolphinBay.com. ELMO’S NIPOMO SALOON: 131 South Thompson Road, Nipomo, 929-5362. Karaoke…
Adelaida Cellars 2008 Chardonnay Paso Robles HMR Estate
img3346The historic vineyard that produced the ingredient for this wine was planted in 1973 at a 1,700-ft.-elevation. It’s best known for exceptional Pinot Noir but this white proves it’s also prime territory for Chardonnay. Beautifully balanced, it’s an elegant wine that’s atypical of Paso Robles’ white wines. It offers tangy apple and pear aromas with…
A tasteful day in Edna Valley
I spent an afternoon on a perfect spring day in Edna Valley with winemaker Fintan “Fin” du Fresne tasting through his new line of Chamisal Vineyard wines. A couple of weeks earlier he said he considered the 2008 vintage exceptional, and invited me to come see for myself. Not only was it an impressive tasting…
