Paso Robles moves to tighten food truck permitting
After months of complaints about noise, blocked sidewalks, and unfair competition, the Paso Robles City Council is moving forward with an overhaul of the city’s food truck rules—including a new annual permit requirement that could cost some vendors about $214 a year. On May 5, the council unanimously approved the first reading of an ordinance…
Kristin Smart still missing as Sheriff’s Office wraps up search of Susan Flores’ property
Advances in ground-penetrating radar (GPR) sparked renewed efforts to locate the remains of missing Cal Poly student Kristin Smart, but the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office’s three-day search was futile. “We did not recover Kristin Smart,” the Sheriff’s Office said in a press release on May 9. “Detectives will be evaluating any evidence we…
CSU approves new shorter bachelor’s degree programs
Students at California State University campuses like Cal Poly may soon be able to earn new kinds of bachelor’s degrees that take less time and are designed more directly around jobs, as the CSU moves to rethink what a college degree looks like. Under a policy approved by the CSU board of trustees on May…
Common Ground task force recommends inclusive action to San Luis Coastal
Establishing compassionate immigration response, responsible use of artificial intelligence, inclusivity in sports, and a clear curriculum opt-out process are a stakeholder group’s top recommendations to San Luis Coastal Unified School District. At its May 5 meeting, the school district board received suggestions from the Common Ground Advisory Task Force about areas in focus for the…
A bad look
Just when I think that politics can’t make the day any worse, they do. The headlines are audacious, the Trump administration is a daily massacre, and California politics stink! Who are our options for California governor? We’ve got Republicans—Riverside County Sheriff Chad “I’m the Trump of California” Bianco and Trump’s personal pick, TV personality Steve…
SLO County’s self-styled watchdogs take it upon themselves to monitor the powerful
Attend government meetings long enough and certain non-elected, non-official faces and voices become familiar. However one feels about these residents, who often stand before the microphone during the public comment period, it’s hard to ignore them, and they keep conversations rolling. Oceano Community Services District (OCSD) President Shirley Gibson was an engaged Arroyo Grande area…
Let’s give ‘Emperor Trump’ a virtual empire
Our nation is suffering under the rule of most narcissistic and egotistical personality ever to occupy the White House. His vanity is embedded in his character, and it’s now being embedded in stone, steel, and signage throughout Washington. We watched in horror as Trump summarily demolished the East Wing of the White House to build…
A petty campaign flyer changed my mind
I recently received one of those ads about voting for our 2nd District county supervisor. It was pretty much a big smear campaign against Michael Woody. Being in this unfortunate political climate we are currently experiencing, I thought I will look up Michael Woody and see what this is all about. Well, it was petty…
Keep the Oceano Dunes vehicle free
During COVID when the Oceano Dunes beach was closed to vehicular traffic, I walked the beach every day. I’d never really had the opportunity to see it without having to dodge cars and trucks speeding down the beach. I took pictures of glorious sunsets, the plovers from a distance, of course, and other sea life.…
Vote for Jimmy Paulding
After listening to the candidate forum on April 28 with Jimmy Paulding and Adam Verdin, my vote is with Paulding for the 4th District supervisor. He is articulate and also extremely well-versed on the issues due to his experience over the past three-plus years. It takes considerable time to get up to speed in understanding…
Michael Erin Woody is connected to the district he wants to represent
In a time when growth and development seem inevitable, it’s worth asking a simple question: What are we willing to lose? Here on the Central Coast, we are stewards of something truly special. From our rolling hills to the delicate ecosystems that define our shores, San Luis Obispo County is more than just a place…
Don’t exclude people from recreational opportunities
If vehicles go away from the Oceano Dunes, the off-highway vehicle funds that actively protect the snowy plover go away. If these funds disappear, State Parks will manage the plovers and other threatened birds as they do at other beaches: build a massive enclosure that is completely free of people. No vehicles. No pedestrians. No…
Your vote is your voice
The June 2 election is fast approaching. All eligible California voters received a mail-in ballot the first week in May. To make sure your voter registration is up to date, to change your registration information, or, if you are new to San Luis Obispo County, to register to vote, go to https://registertovote.ca.gov. Contrary to what…
My vote is with Adam Verdin
Public safety is the most fundamental duty of county government, yet it often feels like our law enforcement and firefighters are being asked to do more with less. When our first responders lack the resources they need, it’s a failure of accountability by the SLO County Board of Supervisors. Adam Verdin has made public safety…
We surrendered our coast and called it a deal
When the offshore wind project planned for Morro Bay was canceled as part of a deal with the Trump administration, something more than a contract died. A promise died. A future died. Now, instead of clean energy powering California homes, the administration wants to drill for oil off our coast. Not because it solves our…
Specs by Kyla moves to new location in Downtown Atascadero
When customers walk into Specs by Kyla, owner Kyla Skinner treats them like a guest in her own home. “We really enjoy what we do, and we never want people to think we are sales people,” Skinner said. “It’s more about helping them see better and loving what they are wearing on their face.” Personal…
Watch Pixar’s Up and work on crafts at The Palm on May 17
Co-directors Pete Docter and Bob Peterson helm this story they co-wrote with Tom McCarthy about Carl Fredricksen (voiced by Edward Asner), a former balloon salesman who, in an effort to fulfill his wife’s lifelong wish, ties helium-filled balloons to his house to float it to Paradise Falls in South America. Unbeknownst to Carl, a young…
This is a Gardening Show finds Zach Galifianakis exploring horticulture
We all know Zach Galifianakis as a very funny man, and with this new series, he’s using his humor to bring light to a message the actor and comedian is very passionate about—the future is agrarian. In this short and sweet series, Galifianakis visits schools and farms, talks to kids and growers, and learns alongside…
New Lord of the Flies is a terrific adaptation of William Golding’s dark depiction of humanity
William Golding’s classic 1954 dystopian novel gets its first television adaption written by Jack Thorne (Adolescence) and directed by Marc Munden (Utopia, The Sympathizer) about a group of schoolboys stranded on a tropical island in the Pacific following a plane crash. Ralph (Winston Sawyers) is named their leader, and with the help of intellectual “Piggy”…
Coastline Arts celebrates its 10th anniversary
For the last decade, Coastline Arts has offered classes, workshops, and performance groups to the SLO County community. Currently, about 100 of your friends and neighbors participate in its choirs and programing, with members ages 14 to retirement age. As Coastline Arts founder and director Colleen Wall said, “Everyone in the community can benefit from…
Meet the Blank Canvas Art Grant recipients May 20
Come celebrate the first Blank Canvas Arts Grant recipients—Owen Blackwell, Charlie Rugg, and Caleb Nichols—in SLO’s Region Event Center (858 Monterey St.) on Wednesday, May 20 (5 to 7 p.m.; free and open to the public; RSVP at eventbrite.com). “Join us for an evening of art, music, and community,” organizers announced. “Meet the three artists…
Pastor Laura O’Brien’s memoir Hope on Wheels tells a compelling coming-of-age story
Most families are complicated, but for Pastor Laura O’Brien, who writes under the penname LL O’Brien, hers is a Gordian knot of resentment, denial, and dysfunction. Her memoir, Hope on Wheels, with the “Hope” scrawled in red over a crossed-out “Hell,” lays bare her formative years, her father’s early death at 42, her poor performance…
Próxima Parada plays the PAC in SLO with the SLO Symphony on May 21
Fourteen years ago, a couple of Cal Poly students met and did a really “collegey” thing. They started playing music together. The pair added other players over the next few years, went from busking to house parties to night clubs, and eventually took their show on the road. Now indie-soul act Próxima Parada will return…
Pasolivo’s lemon olive oil is the best in the world, say judges at the LA International EVOO Competition
Extra virgin olive oil, or EVOO, is widely considered the top cooking oil for quality and versatility, and nearly 100 percent of U.S. production is centered right here in California. Savor the flavorPasolivo offers tastings at its Paso Robles ranch at 8530 Vineyard Drive and downtown tasting room at 1229 Park St. For hours and…
