Cover Story
Best of SLO County 2013 – 27th Annual Readers Poll
There’s a fine line between being a fan and ending up on the wrong side of a restraining order—especially when the object of your adoration is one of the planet’s great comedic geniuses, a muse to some of the country’s best and most oddball directors, living proof that comebacks can happen at any age, and…
The Powers that Be
County Board of Supervisors: Room 370, County Government Center SLO, 93408; phone: 781-5450; fax: 781-1350. Email: caispuro@co.slo.ca.us; Web: www.co.slo.ca.us/Board_of_Supervisors_Inter.nsf Gov. Jerry Brown, State Capitol Building, Sacramento, CA 95814. Phone: (916) 445-2841; fax: (916) 445-4633; e-mail: governor@governor@ca.gov; Web: www.governor.ca.gov U.S. Rep. Lois Capps, 1411 Marsh St., SLO; phone 546-8348; fax 546-8368. Web: http://www.house.gov/capps/ …
Hidden in plain sight
UPDATE: This story has been updated to correct an error. An incident where former SLO District Attorney’s Office Chief Investigator Doug Odom used his firearm to protect against two burglars he found in his home occured in January 1990, not in the 1980s. Odom was a sworn member of law enforcement, as are all DA…
With DUI breath evidence barred, prosecutor plays defense
After learning that his key piece of evidence couldn’t be used against a suspected drunk driver, Deputy District Attorney David Paxton didn’t hesitate to beg for a more favorable decision, filing a motion for reconsideration within eight days. He also filed a premature notice of appeal to the local court’s review panel of three judges.…
What’s the best thing about SLO County?
Murph Murray gourmet food sales “J + R Meats man, Templeton and Paso Robles.” Lara Purciel homemaker “Being so close to the ocean.” Jennifer Day homemaker “The weather. I lived in Washington for seven years, so this is paradise.” Lew Rowe retired “It’s gone. There’s too damn many people here. It was a nice and…
Talley 2011 Chardonnay Rincon Vineyard
This consistently delicious Chardonnay is grown in the vineyard that surrounds Talley’s tasting room in rural Arroyo Grande Valley. It’s notable for its pretty floral notes and minerality that meld with delicious notes of stone fruit, bright Meyer lemon, and oak. Complex and layered, this full-bodied wine is rich and creamy. I love this chard…
‘Like’ this … for your health
It’s been more than three years since Congress, at the behest of the Obama administration, crafted the Affordable Care Act. Since that time, affordable and accessible health care has become perhaps the most debated issue in political discourse. But what the Obama administration couldn’t predict would be social media’s growing presence in every facet of…
Artifacts
If I hadn’t already been into comic books, Scott McCloud’s Understanding Comics would have made a believer out of me. The book is a seriously mind-blowing read, explaining sequential art with ease, an amazing depth of knowledge, humor, and clarity. McCloud is a genius. And comic books themselves? Awesome. Seriously. The only thing that could…
Is that a bottle of A1 steak sauce, or are you just happy to see me?
My Elks Lodge pals and I are at dinner in SLO Brew when we catch our first Fee Waybill sighting. The Tubes front man and the whole band are eating dinner in the corner. The food’s awesome—try the Jazz and Bleu’s salad—but I look up from feasting long enough to see Pismo Beach resident Scott…
I can go for that!
If you’re looking for star power, that sort of indefinable charisma only a select few seem to have, head to SLO Brew on Saturday, May 4, and check out Nicki Bluhm and the Gramblers (doors at 7 p.m.; 21-and-older; $13 presale or $15 at the door), with Dave Mulligan opening. Bluhm, who’s married to Tim…
After the revolution, before the millennium
In Amy Herzog’s intelligent play After the Revolution, Emma Joseph has built a career on the legacy of her grandfather, a Marxist who was blacklisted in the ’50s. Then Emma discovers Grandpa Joe was actually a Soviet spy, and her world unravels. After the Revolution, which will be presented as a staged reading at the…
Are you the artist?
The first—and thus far, only—time I juried an art show, I discovered a bizarre inclination to award first prize to a really large painting. Sure, several smaller pieces were equally deserving, but it somehow seemed right that an enormous, bold, ballsy painting should win. When you put it that way, it sounds ridiculous (Congratulations, your…
He’s back!
Local wine connoisseurs who love pinot noir won’t soon forget the excellent Domaine Alfred wines produced by Alfred “Terry” Speizer over the decade he owned it. His ultra-premium pinot noirs and chardonnays earned top scores from critics, starting with his first vintage in 1998. It was deserved yet rare for a new winery, anywhere. I…
Jaboulet 2011 Rose Cotes du Rhone Parallele 45
This delicious French rose offers dry but ripe red berry flavors that are as refreshing as they are delicious. Beautifully balanced, it’s perfect as an aperitif and excellent with foods from salads and goat cheese to bouillabaisse and sand dabs. It gets its name from the 45th parallel, which symbolizes “the south starts here.” It…
They say it’s your birthday
Getting old, unless you’re 20, sucks. Your body starts to make bruises in funny places, like the edge of your scalp or your armpit. I should eat more iron. You find yourself nursing yoga injuries and asking younger members of your family to open jars for you. Really, after 20, it’s just a slow, downward…
May God have mercy on Annette Funicello
In reading about the sad death and passing of Annette Funicello, a former Mouseketeer and actress, due to the complications of MS, it made me realize how much important now to find a cure to this devastating, life-taking disease. Annette had progressive multiple sclerosis, meaning that her symptoms kept on coming and became elevated and…
To Morro Bay’s leaders
I am writing in regard to the Morro Bay Aquarium. As a Central Coast native, I feel the aquarium is a poor reflection of the beauty and abundant spectrum of wildlife our area has to offer. I hope you listen to what the public has to say this Thursday, May 2, at the Harbor Board…
SLO needs Christianson’s experience
I have known Carlyn Christianson for 13 years. We met when she was elected to the San Luis Obispo Chamber of Commerce Board, and I was the Chamber’s government affairs director. I worked with Carlyn when she served as chair of the chamber’s Housing Task Force. I attended numerous SLO City Planning Commission meetings when…
Vote for John Spatafore
John Spatafore’s integrity, intelligence, heart, balance, and perspective make him an ideal SLO City Council member. Having worked with him on former San Luis Coastal Unified School District Superintendent Steve Ladd’s Advisory Committee and observing him when he served on the SLCUSD Board of Trustees, I can attest to his commitment to our community, to…
Ignore the party
Very soon the residents of San Luis Obispo will have the opportunity to vote by mail to fill the vacancy on City Council. While most candidates seek endorsements to support their efforts, I will remind everyone that endorsements don’t win elections. I’m extremely disappointed that an organization like the SLO Democratic Central Committee continues to…
I saw that coming
The response to my commentary (“Radio-phobia,” April 18) was anticipated. In fact, I could have written it several years ago. It’s true, high levels of radiation can cause harm, but nuclear facilities don’t release high levels of radiation; modern technology only makes them safer. I fear the propaganda machine of Big Oil is responsible for…
Thank you for raising awareness
While I am not disabled, I served 30 years in the California National Guard and the Navy and Army Reserves. I spent several training periods at Camp SLO—especially my California Military Academy field exercises (OCS) and graduated OCS there in 1985. Many military retirees and those with military related disabilities are living on low and…
Not funny, Hodin
I spent more than 51 years as a truck operator, driving by Santa Margarita Elementary School on numerous occasions, and have crossed the railroad tracks and school zone along Highway 58 more times than I can count. I have an impeccable safety record and, like all truck operators today, was required to pass safety tests…
Just despicable, Hodin
I think Hodin’s cartoon of April 25 was despicable, and he owes Mike Cole’s truck drivers an apology! His cartoon implied a Las Pilitas gravel truck operator would brag about accident victims, with symbols on their rigs like some World War II fighter ace! He made the truckers out as some kind of fiends! I’m…
Cinco de d’oh!
Does anyone have a lead on where I can buy plus-sized sombreros in bulk? I need extra space in front to accommodate my Neanderthal brow. I’m thinking a robin’s egg blue would help deflect attention from the herpes outbreak on my elbows. Also, I’ll be needing some worms—your standard garden variety are totally fine, if…
Taking the good with the bad
Ed. note: A longer version of this piece, with links and everything, originally ran on the SLO Little Theatre’s blog (slolittletheatre.blogspot.com) on April 18. It’s reprinted here by permission. Reviews are important. From live theater to classical music, gallery openings, books, and film, the art of criticism has played an important role in the ongoing…
Cougars and Mustangs
College is all about growing into a more mature, ready-for-the-world you, and that includes sorting out the things you truly believe in. Just as you become better prepared for a life of productivity in your work, you also develop a social life to make that work all the more fulfilling. Therefore, though the following event…
Who’s got the gun?
New Times has the names of all 476 county residents who currently have a concealed-carry permit. So why didn’t we print them? Other papers across the country have been publishing such information—from simple lists of names to maps showing the location of every gun owner in a certain area—drawing praise from First Amendment advocates and,…
Sheriff’s department takes to the seas
It was one of those perks that makes being a reporter worthwhile. At a time we’d usually be sitting through yet another staff meeting, two New Times reporters instead took an early morning excursion in the Morro Bay harbor on the sheriff’s department’s newly refurbished seaworthy vessel. The boat will be used for search and…
Reds and whites without the blues
Wine connoisseurs may already know this, but wine is best kept at around 55 to 60 degrees Fahrenheit. Once exposed to 80-degree temperatures for 10 minutes or so, your favorite bottle of wine you’ve been saving for the right occasion can be completely ruined. Lucky for you and your wine collection, Aaron Steed, CEO of…
Correction
A recent cover story about downtown Atascadero (“Wide-open spaces,” March 28) incorrectly stated the per capita income for Atascadero. According to the most recent census figures, Atascadero income per capita is slightly higher than the county average. ∆
Fiscalini Ranch to get merch tables
Unsigned music acts support themselves on tour by setting up tables selling band merchandise before and after shows. Taking a cue from them, Friends of the Fiscalini Ranch Preserve officially struck a deal with the Cambria Community Services District (CCSD) on April 25 to set up merchandise tables at the gates of the popular North…
Williams signs with troubled Raiders
No Cal Poly player heard his name called during the 2013 NFL Draft, but tailback Deonte Williams only needed to wait briefly to find a team. The Oakland Raiders offered Williams a rookie free agent deal within an hour of the end of the draft on April 27. Williams announced the tentative contract immediately on…
Plan B emerges for Pismo growth
While the developers behind the proposed Spanish Springs project battle public disapproval and hefty demands for more information, a much smaller plan that would include some of the same features is coming to fruition. Jon Biggs, community development director for Pismo Beach, received a project description on April 23 from the local developers who own…
Moore pleads guilty in $47 million fraud scheme
A Nipomo man has pleaded guilty to bilking his family and a number of financial institutions out of roughly $47 million. On April 29, former CoreClean president John Mark Moore, 51, of Nipomo, followed through on his plea agreement with prosecutors and pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles to two felony counts…
Down the tube
The Monterey Shale deposit below our feet contains an oil reserve worth untold trillions of dollars. Yet imagining the Monterey Shale as a single underground reservoir of oil misses the mark as badly as visualizing an aquifer as a subterranean lagoon canopied by limestone. Oil deposits certainly exist, but in pockets of varying size separated…
