Cover Story
The aquatic anachronism
It’s been called “Morro Bay Seal Penitentiary,” “Seal Guantanamo,” “the worst aquarium in the world,” “torture chamber,” “fish dungeon,” and “the saddest aquarium on Earth.” In the dimly lit room of the Morro Bay Aquarium, a woman wiped away tears as she passed one of about a dozen tanks. “These animals belong in the ocean,”…
The death of the boring ol’ tech talk
None of this surprises me,” the raspy and deeply masculine voice intones. “Technology got stronger, but we got weaker.” Sgt. Frank Woods of the U.S. Marine Corps concludes: “We built computers, robots, unmanned armies, but no one ever asked what happens when the enemy steals the keys.” Cue drones cruising ominously through the skies above…
Counting down
You’ve got less than a month to get your tickets, arrange a pet sitter, find someone to water your plants, and dig out the camping gear for the best music weekend on the Central Coast. Simply put, Live Oak Music Festival is the place to be on Father’s Day weekend, an instant community that springs…
Art and cycles
“If the full moon ride and Art After Dark had a baby, they would name it Velonotte,” claim the organizers of an upcoming new bicycle, architecture, and art experience in San Luis Obispo. Originally conceived in Rome as a nocturnal bike tour of the city’s architecture, Velonotte (“bike night”) has since spread to Moscow, London,…
The green age is here
The Botanical Engineers has a uniquely cartoony feel to it. It’s the kind of play where a newbie CIA agent and his overbearing boss are liable to erupt into song and begin tango dancing together aggressively, where a plant can communicate through a series of bizarre gestures, and characters can morph from wicked to good…
Betwixt the sheets
Bed sheets are for dreams; bed sheets are for death. Bed sheets are for tossing, rumpling, wrinkling, loving, crying, and staining. They are a cocoon, a nest, and a shroud. And it was in their cotton folds that artist Heidi Franscioni, formerly of Paso Robles, found inspiration. Franscioni’s exhibit, “Father’s Dreams”—which employs an abundance of…
Where the wilderness is
This weekend, I discovered a place with no walls or ceilings, where the only source of light was a warm and wacky ball of fire that seemed to float inside some kind of blue, sky-ish substance that was all stretched across the top of things. The air moved, which was weird, and it had an…
Clubs 5/17
Goin’ South … BRANCH ST. DELI: 203 E. Branch St., Arroyo Grande, 489-9099. Live music Fri. from 5:30-8:30 p.m. THE CLIFFS RESORT: 2757 Shell Beach Road, 773-5000 or cliffsresort.com. F. MCLINTOCKS SALOON: Two locations: 750 Mattie Road in Pismo Beach and 133 Bridge St. in Arroyo Grande. 773-1892 or mclintocks.com. Live music at the…
Questions For: Hank Vanmeesen
NEW TIMES Where is the dance club held? VANMEESEN We hold our meetings every Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Vet’s Hall in Morro Bay, on Surf Street. It only costs $6, and we offer live music and free coffee. NEW TIMES Do you have the same band come in every…
What is the worst or most interesting experience you’ve had with an animal?
Morgan Dahl student “When I was 5, a dog jumped on me. It was probably trying to be friendly, but at 5 years old, I was terrified.” Oriana Macki-Nelson floral designer at Quixotic Flowers “I got bit by a brown recluse spider and couldn’t walk for two months. My foot turned purple and black.” Alex…
Still alive
This has been an interesting year at KVEC radio, and we’re not even halfway through 2012. I marked my 20th anniversary with the station in January, followed by that little firestorm surrounding inappropriate remarks by Rush Limbaugh in March. My producer and sidekick Mardi Hall lost her sister to cancer in April, one of those…
Obama is backing the states
There are a number of legal cases winding their way toward federal courts that address the issue of whether the equal protection clause of the Constitution guarantees gay men and women the same access to marriage rights as heterosexual men and women. There are several challenges to the Defense of Marriage Act, which bars gay…
Jim Patterson cares deeply about the community
I have known Jim Patterson for many years. When my husband and I bought our home in Garden Farms almost 30 years ago, his Bay Laurel Nursery supplied many of the fruit trees and other plants that are now fully mature. Throughout the years, we have crossed paths for our common interests in supporting the…
Like a good neighbor, Ed Waage’s there
I have the skinny on a guy that’s been in the news lately. I know him really well. He’s been my neighbor for years—right next door. He’s Ed Waage. He’s a stand-up guy. Honest. His opponents could dig around for years and not uncover anything about the guy that would tarnish his integrity or prove…
Adam Hill put us on an upswing
Adam Hill is a forward-thinking, serious, equitable, and accessible county supervisor. As a resident of SLO County and a councilmember for the city of Grover Beach, I am very interested in our representation at the county supervisor level. Negative rhetoric and literature is disappointing in all levels of campaigning. A candidate should run on their…
Why not a debate, Waage?
So now I go to my mailbox and find the latest example of misdirected energy and expenditure for the 3rd district. Who or what has the money and time to print a two-sided, color, glossy page of innuendo and half-truths? “It’s time for a serious Leader”? You’ve got a serious leader right now in Adam…
We need officials to bring vitality to Morro Bay
Despite a 35-year-old relationship with Morro Bay, I am still considered an outsider by some. It was that long ago, however, that I persuaded my less than year old granddaughter to move her parents here—making it possible for her working Grandma to visit on weekends—and be a part of her life. I visited the library…
I’m voting for Christine Johnson
I am writing this letter on behalf of Christine Johnson, candidate for Morro Bay City Council. I have known Christine as community volunteer, parent, neighbor, and friend. Christine is an exceptional candidate. She is naturally enthusiastic about promoting Morro Bay, and her love of our city is contagious. Christine’s aptitude for bringing together mixed groups…
A rising tide lifts all boats
Recently I read a letter-to-the-editor from Dan in Morro Bay (“Bring in leaders who’ll continue local control,” May 10) … and was downright confused. He threw out a lot of negative speculation, which left me a little befuddled! Using terms like “no control for public safety and community service,” “direct attack on tourism,” “cannot survive…
I can decide if Morro Bay candidates reflect my values
I am offended by Dan Glessman’s letter (“Bring in leaders who’ll continue local control,” May 10) suggesting I can’t make up my own mind just because I received three pieces of campaign literature on the same day. That’s just silly. I am very capable of deciding if a candidate or candidates reflect my values. I…
Where the wild things aren’t
I’ll never forget the thrill of my first encounter with Max and the events that occurred on the night he wore his wolf suit “and made mischief of one kind and another.” Here was a man—I speak of course, of author Maurice Sendak—who understood the importance, the absolute necessity, of wildness. His characters crossed the…
Cougars & Mustangs
Popcorn munching.* They’ve come from all over the country! … They’ve come from all over the WORLD! … And NOW they’ve come for … their COMMENCEMENT! *A woman screams.* Witness 738 educated students … 858 completed degrees! This May 18 … do any of you DARE take on … THE CUESTA COLLEGE 2012 GRADUATING CLASS?…
Bringing (music) power to the people
If you harbor a burning ambition to make Katy Perry’s supposed fireworks look like sparklers or the ring Beyonce encouraged men to put “on it” look like crackerjack bling, SLO Pro Tools might just be the vehicle to help you get there—or, at the very least, on your way. Luke Thoene operates SLO Pro Tools…
Dream boat
The excitement is palpable among the gathering throng of about 100, who wait anxiously for a crane to arrive and place Nick Del Giorgio’s catamaran in the water for the very first time. Built by hand over the course of seven years from $3,000 plans purchased from Seattle-based multi-hull boat designer Kurt Hughes, Del Giorgio’s…
Clarification and correction
In the article “Paso dismisses Grand Jury critique” (May 10), City Manager Jim App’s actions were misstated. He disputed the Grand Jury’s findings and outlined the Grand Jury’s suggestions, but did not advise the City Council whether to heed or ignore the jury’s advice. Our May 3 Best Of issue printed the wrong address for…
Coming up dry
Nipomo residents have given their two cents on a proposal to tap into a new water supply from Santa Maria. Actually, they gave a lot more than two cents, most of it opposing the project. On May 9, the last assessment ballots were cast, and Nipomo property owners put their money and their mouths toward…
SLO spurns bar owners
When the city of San Luis Obispo began to wage its war against late-night alcohol-related problems three years ago, restaurant and bar owners said they were needlessly being targeted. Then the business owners got involved in the process, and for a time, everyone seemed like buddies. But that relationship may have soured. On May 15,…
‘Pain’ ahead for Grover Beach
The May 7 Grover Beach City Council meeting was a sobering event for city leaders, staff, and residents alike, as city staffers presented the most recent draft of the budget for the 2013 fiscal year. Even angry residents who spoke out over delays in long-awaited improvements such as basic road maintenance couldn’t help but share…
Paso aims to come down hard on seedy massage parlors
Paso Robles Mayor Duane Picanco and Councilman Fred Strong will chair an ad hoc committee tasked with passing an ordinance that would regulate massage parlors and help put an end to “happy endings.” The decision was made May 15 after Lt. Ty Lewis of the Paso Robles Police Department told the City Council that Paso…
Excelaron drilling proposal inches forward
Here’s the cliché tally for the first appeal hearing on Excelaron’s proposed drilling operation in the Huasna Valley: • Standing room only. • Property rights of the few versus property rights of the many. • A few tears. After nearly five hours of public comment on the five-year-old proposed project, San Luis Obispo County supervisors…
Firestone Walker Velvet Merkin
Although I prefer wine over most adult beverages, I found this delightful draft outstanding. Admittedly, it surprised me since I don’t like Guinness. This dark, chocolate-colored stout tastes like really good dark chocolate with hints of espresso, yet it’s not too bitter. It’s so beautifully balanced, you don’t need savory or sweet dishes to enjoy…
Hug 2010 Mourvedre el Forastero
This remarkable Rhone red is a blend of Mourvedre grown in two vineyards: La Vista in Paso Robles and the Santa Barbara Highlands in eastern Santa Barbara County. Deeply hued and as intense as its color, this delicious red is layered in flavors. Leaning to dark blackberry aromas and flavors, it’s intricately weaved with notes…
Everybody’s workin’ for the weekend!
It’s finally come to the point where we have so many events every month, they’re taking place on the same dates and stepping on each other’s ticket sales. While that could seem a dilemma, it’s a good thing, since most events support a very good cause and offer an array of treats combined with entertainment.…
