Cover Story
Opposition is welling
A hot breeze pushes south along Huasna Valley Road in the fall, picking up dust and its scent along with that of bell peppers and manure. The road, the sole route in and out of the valley, is a narrow stretch of asphalt that winds tighter, the trees becoming denser, as it nears the site…
The full Wally
New Times, at least in part, owes its existence to Wally Barnick. Back in the mid-’80s, the longtime member of the Cache Valley Drifters was managing The Spirit, one of many restaurant/nightclubs to take a stab at making the southern SLO Town hilltop venue succeed (now KSBY occupies the cursed Native American burial ground ……
Clubs
Goin’ South … BILL’S PLACE: 112 E. Branch St., Arroyo Grande, 489-9989. Fri.-Tues.: Karaoke. CLIFFS RESORT: 2757 Shell Beach Road, Pismo Beach, 773-5000 or cliffsresort.com. Live music on Sat. from 1-5pm and Sun. Jazz from 11am-3pm. Mon. and Tues.: Louie Ortega. COSTA DE ORO WINERY: 1331 S. Nicholson Ave. Santa Maria, 922-1468. DOLPHIN BAY/LIDO: 2727…
A quarter century of poetry
Award-winning and well-published James Cushing, a literature and creative writing professor at Cal Poly, is SLO County’s 2009 Poet Laureate, which basically means he will be writing more poems in the year to come. The organization that is behind SLO County’s Poet Laureate, Language of the Soul, has a mission: to foster relationships with literature…
Away from the rest of the world
Calcareous (which means limestone in Latin) Vineyard first opened in 2000, the dream of Lloyd Messer, whose boots are bronzed and perched in front of this elegant and rustic winery. There is a bocce-ball campo, neighbor dogs roaming and napping, and (among many other varietals), an award-winning Cabernet. The huge tasting room sits on a…
Water, solidified
For nearly six years, J.J. L’Heureux has filled chaste white canvases with ice, distributed in swirls and flecks, winding veins across abstract landscapes. She calls her creations—which span nearly every shade of blue and sometimes lapse into softer hues of pink and purple that crescendo into violet and plum—bergy bits, named after small masses of…
Trans-wired desires
Somewhere awash in YouTube bilge, there’s a strange little clip of a sing-along from a children’s TV show in the Netherlands. It appears to be about harvest season, or at least about vegetables. Grown adults frolic and sing with oversized produce. Someone has significantly augmented the video’s creepiness by adding subtitles of what the Dutch…
Keep it on the level
The recent reporting about Proposition 8—in print and on television—has consistently disregarded the fact that many faith communities did not support the proposition. Three congregations here in San Luis Obispo County passed resolutions against the amendment: Atascadero Community Church, the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, and Congregation Beth David. In addition, all the Episcopal Bishops within California…
Were they dumb or crafty?
I think it is very clear that if there is proof of alcohol use at the Crops House, that would be enough to discipline the bigoted jerks who used to live there. As for the lame excuse the Dean gave about the students not really being aware of their actions, I’m bewildered: I thought one…
Scotch the party
The AP coverage of Proposition 8 The Tribune published on Nov. 5 (“Gay marriage ban still up in the air) noted: “Blacks strongly voted for the ban, while whites leaned slightly toward opposing it. Latinos and Asians were split.” How ironic that the one group that, more than any other, has felt first-hand the ugly…
Ban offroading
Five elementary teachers took 100 students on field trips to Oceano State Park off Pier Avenue for a nature walk around the lagoon, an enchanting and educationally valuable site. Its Nature Center claims to provide educational tours. Unfortunately, we discovered the Nature Center is open only one day a week and no one is ever…
Hello Harmony Headlands
I can’t think of anything I’d rather spend $5 on than entry into one of our beautiful county state parks. I’d surely get my money’s worth. I was excited and grateful to learn of the acquisitions and imminent opening of the Harmony Headlands and Avila Ranch properties. Hopefully, dogs on leashes will be allowed and…
So do psychologists
Like many in the Cal Poly community, we faculty and staff members of the Psychology and Child Development Department were saddened and alarmed by the recent incident at the Crops House involving the display of racist and homophobic symbols and signage. We hope that those involved are sincere in their claims of ignorance. However, these…
Poly philosophers condemn racists
We, the members of the Philosophy Department at Cal Poly, abhor and condemn the recent alleged racism and acts of anti-homosexuality at the Crops House. We believe that such acts belittle, offend, and strike fear in valued members of the Cal Poly community for no good reason. As philosophers and religious studies scholars, we are…
Would Peterson excuse Nazi symbols?
If I had a swastika displayed on the Cal Poly campus, would that be tolerated by Horticulture and Crop Science Department head John Peterson? Apparently this administrator is having difficulty discerning the crucial points between “free speech” and “hate speech”. I am ashamed of my alma mater and embarrassed for this community. These students are…
Shame on you, wussies
The Shredder (“Haters”, Oct. 30) revealed that New Times possessed a photo showing the racist symbols at the Crops House together with McCain campaign signs. Shame on New Times for not running that very inflammatory image. Racism is alive and well when “good” people ignore the consequences of illegal behavior. To those in the Cal…
Volunteers of America, unite
If the election ofPresident Obama said anything, itis that we, the American people, are more than ready to move forward. We want to help. We are eager to help. All we need is leadership and direction. I think President Obama should draw on this untapped desire by calling on us, as FDR did in World…
Jordan Hosea – Founder, N’Credible Edibles
NEW TIMES: What would you say is the nature of the business you’ve started? HOSEA: We’re investing in sustainability by creating edible landscapes our overall mission is to install and teach how to grow organic food, all based on permaculture principles. NEW TIMES: When did you first open your business? HOSEA: We started N’Credible Edibles…
King Estate Pinot Gris 2007 Oregon
This bright white wine drinks quite easily making it an excellent aperitif and a great choice for the dinner table. I was impressed by its delicious array of fresh fruit, with aromas and flavors of pink grapefruit, nectarine, ripe apples and pears nicely balanced with orange and lemon citrus notes. This Oregon winery consistently produces…
Herman Story 2006 Syrah Nuts & Bolts Santa Barbara County
This big, bold, fresh bottle of wine isn’t for the faint-of-heart. But for those who love a big gutsy wine, this is just the ticket. I loved its forward blackberry, boysenberry and plum flavors layered with notes of leather, spice, black pepper and earth. It offers a tasty mixture of classic Rhone and ripe California…
Pismo Beach’s secret gem
“What are the three most important things to consider when opening a new restaurant?” ma”tre d’hŸtel/instructor Jean-Michel Jeudy asked my freshman class on our first day of attendance at the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco in 1987. “Location, location, location,” the French major domo contended. Twenty-one years later his admonition still holds true. It’s…
Local napkins are a hit
Ann Christian’s avocation of making her own cloth napkins out of eclectic and colorful textiles for use at her home was one she’d been doing for years. Now it’s developing into a full-fledged business venture by her and her sisters. Picking Daisies, a new retail business run by Christian and her sisters, Kay Porczak and…
Fast facts
The Adobe Healing Center is celebrating its third anniversary with the announcement of their newest intern, Melinda Kincaid, MFTI. Kincaid specializes in helping clients seek more balance, understanding, and freedom in their life by creating boundaries, increasing self-esteem, decreasing destructive patterns, and moving past painful experiences. The Adobe Healing Center’s knowledgeable staff provides a holistic…
Hoving recognition comes late
Gary Hoving has been gone from the Sheriff’s Department since June, but on Nov. 18 he will be recognized for his 29 years of service, some of which is on tape. Hoving left the department after learning his office had been bugged by Sheriff Patrick Hedges and Undersheriff Steve Bolts. He sued Hedges, Bolts, and…
A new hope
Two grassroots preservationist organizations in San Luis Obispo are hoping the new City Council will be sympathetic to their concerns. The new board, which has Jan Marx and John Ashbaugh replacing Christine Mulholland and Paul Brown, will be sworn in Dec. 1. Members of Save Mitchell Park, a group that opposes paving a section of…
Bike trail gets nearly $1 million
The city of San Luis Obispo won an $890,000 grant from the California Department of Transportation to help complete the Railroad Bicycle Trail, which will eventually link Cal Poly with downtown. The SLO Bicycle Coalition helped to get the grant, which will fund a portion from the Amtrak station to Marsh Street. The executive director…
Hill puts team in place
Supervisor-elect Adam Hill announced several appointments to county bodies, following his earlier pick of Carlyn Christianson for the County Planning Commission. Christianson served six years on the city of San Luis Obispo’s Planning Commission. Hill chose Susan Devine, who served as his campaign manager, for his legislative aide. “She’s very smart and resourceful,” Hill said.…
Octagon Barn gets final shingle
Eighty-year-old Ed Carson shimmied around the roof of the Octagon Barn and drove the final nail in the final shingle, culminating 10 years of restoration to the historic site. Carson is a volunteer for The Land Conservancy of San Luis Obispo County, a group that began efforts to restore the crumbling barn in 1998. On…
Hard charging
They’re seen in the oddest of places around San Luis Obispo. Head to Home Depot, and one of them occupies one of the primo parking spots. Look for parking at the downtown post office, and there’s another one, seeming to defend its turf from normal vehicles. They’re those electric-vehicle recharging stations that are seen, but…
Do you think Cal Poly should recruit more minority students?
Jennifer Mersai teacher “Yes. It’s a very white community. My graduating class was 95% Caucasian.” Doug Kinsey bookstore manager “Absolutely, This town is way too vanilla.” Allan Bienenfeld self employed “Only people who are qualified. I don’t believe in affirmative action.” Priscilla M. nurse “Not just students. This town needs more minority families as well.”
Don’t say ‘grim’
Advertising executive Maggie Cox tried hard to lay down the rules for speakers at the San Luis Obispo County Economic Outlook, where 600 business executives, politicians, and interested parties gathered to hear a forecast on the economy in the county. First among those rules: Don’t use the word “grim.” She revealed this rule just after…
Take action, Dr. Baker
As an alumnus and current graduate student at Cal Poly, I am appalled by the recent racially charged incident that occurred at the Crops House. I am angered by the university’s unwillingness to take further disciplinary action against the students responsible for the racist display. Although those students allege that they did not mean any…
Semantics, romantics
I have a suggestion, one I’m sure will be washed away in the sea of rhetoric still sloshing over the metaphoric spillways on the issue of same-sex marriage in California. Regardless, in I dive. I released the intern from his cage this week just long enough to have him discover this fact for me: The…
