Cover Story
Deer(ly) departed: Five years of drought and decades of habitat loss could be impacting deer and their predators
Crack. Bill Decker, 69, drops his truck into the lowest gear and punches the gas. The Toyota Tundra whines as its all-terrain tires climb the series of broken concrete slabs that used to be called a road. “This is all public land,” Decker says, surveying the surrounding chaparral, tall grass, and rolling foothills that stretch…
A show that’s not to be missed
Do not miss the Man of la Mancha production at Cuesta College this weekend, reviewed by Ryah Cooley on Oct. 26 (“On the inside”). I went on Oct. 26, and it was phenomenal. It’s creative theater at its best; for only $15 you can treat yourself to an amazing live theater experience. This production is…
Feels good
Supporting our local food system is yummy! This Nov. 14, Slow Money SLO will hold a free public gathering at the SLO Guild Hall featuring Bliss Café, Back Porch Bakery, SLO Natural Foods Cooperative, Whalebird Kombucha, Mint + Craft, Lincoln Deli, Doc Burnstein’s, and Niner Wine Estates. Get to know your local independent purveyors and…
Fiends not Friends
It is Halloween season and Friends of the Oceano Dunes have dressed up as environmentalists. They have once again sued our local agencies and the California Coastal Commission, accusing the commission of not protecting the sensitive habitat and endangered species on the Oceano Dunes! Those friends of the dunes run over snowy plovers and steelhead;…
SLO Wine for the win
They’re totally famous: Local pinot noir from Sinor-LaVallee (Avila Beach) and Talley Farms (Arroyo Grande) will be included in the 19th annual Pinot Noir Festival held in San Francisco on Nov. 18. Congrats, y’all (stop by both tasting rooms to see what the hubbub is all about)! … The San Luis Obispo Wine Country Association…
North County cities withdraw from regional animal shelter project
Faced with an Oct. 31 deadline to either commit to an animal shelter project led by San Luis Obispo County or pave their own path, the city councils of Paso Robles and Atascadero voted on Oct. 30 for the latter, withdrawing from an agreement to partner on a new shelter with the county and five…
New pet store law doesn’t go far enough
Kudos to Gov. Jerry Brown: Now that California’s pet stores will be required to sell dogs, cats, and rabbits from shelters or adoption centers, countless animals will have a chance to experience the love and companionship that they deserve. The new law, though, should raise a red flag about purchasing our animal companions from a…
Lone Madrone makes fancy wines in a cozy place
Not so lonely Lone Madrone is located at 5800 Adelaida Road in Paso Robles. Hours are 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. For more information, go to lonemadrone.com, call 238-5803 or email jackie@lonemadrone.com. To schedule a Pinnacle Tasting in the barrel room, call 238-0845 or email ryan@lonemadrone.com. Lone Madrone winemaker Neil Collins samples a bottle…
For bike’s sake: New bike facilities are coming to SLO, concerning some residents and commuters
If you’ve recently traveled down Madonna or Los Osos Valley Road, you’ve likely noticed the extensive road maintenance impacting those two major corridors. While the work might look like basic street resurfacing, there’s actually more to it. Once the roads are paved and striped, Madonna and LOVR will don jumbo-sized bike lanes, with two to…
Helter shelter
Great news guys! San Luis Obispo County’s 2008 10-Year Plan to End Homelessness is working! Whoop! According to the estimates that have yet to be put in an official report 10 months after the bi-annual Point In Time Homeless Count actually took place, the number of homeless folks counted on one day in January every…
Holiday cheers
Say what you will about holiday shopping (and how early you should start panicking). I despise Christmas music and blind consumerism. But can’t we all agree that this is the time of year for strolling the streets with bags full of locally made masterpieces and cups full of hot cider? Who doesn’t enjoy that? There…
Surrounded by communities where marijuana dispensaries could be banned, Morro Bay decides it will have two
BY KAREN GARCIA The city of Morro Bay is just one of 482 cities in the state frantically working on local cannabis regulations before a January 2018 deadline. California voters approved Proposition 64 last November, making the use of recreational marijuana legal for adults 21 and older, and jurisdictions have been grappling with what the…
Social media sound off
This week, New Times readers took to Facebook to share their views about the San Luis Obispo Air Pollution Control District’s plans to take the California Parks and Recreation Department to a formal hearing for violating dust mitigation regulations at the Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area (“County APCD, state parks headed to hearing over…
Man found with corpse in car takes plea deal
The second member of a married couple discovered traveling in a car with their teenage daughter and a decomposing body has taken a plea deal. Darwin Keith Alaskari, 59, pleaded no contest to one count of willful harm or injury to a child Oct. 31, according to records from San Luis Obispo County Superior Court.…
How two SLO high schoolers narrowly escaped death by buffalo 55 years ago
In 1962, Mike Cowdrey was a 17-year-old SLO High School junior and member of the track team who briefly held the California state high school track record for the 330-yard dash. If it wasn’t for his speed, he might not be alive today. Now 72, Cowdrey recalled the early days of the Madonna Inn, when…
Cambria can’t afford to purchase new district offices
The Cambria Community Services District (CSD) can’t purchase the old library on Main Street after its request for a loan was denied. In July, the district voted 3-2 to purchase the San Luis Obispo County owned library. The total price tag of the building including renovation was $957,527. The district currently rents its office space…
Cal Poly Theater Department shows the strength of family love in “4,000 Miles”
Miles and miles to go The Cal Poly Theatre Department’s production of 4,000 Miles will show from Nov. 2 to 11 in the Spanos Theatre on campus. Tickets are $20 for general admission and $12 for students. Visit pacslo.org for more information. If art is supposed to reflect life, then 4,000 Miles is the best…
Fewer SLO County homeless counted in 2017
SLO County saw a 25 percent reduction in its homeless population this year compared to 2015—and as much as a 60 percent reduction in North County—according to a 2017 Point-in-Time (PIT) count, leaving local experts wondering if homelessness is in fact improving or if the numbers are deceiving. The total number of homeless individuals identified…
Fremont hosts New Times Music Awards on Nov. 3
Celebrate the best in local music with the ninth annual New Times Music Awards on Nov. 3 at 7 p.m. at the historic Fremont Theater in downtown San Luis Obispo. Five genre category winners hit the stage and compete for the night’s Best Live Performance award. SLO County’s best will receive those beautiful awards lovingly…
SLO County is home to 85 survivors of Las Vegas shooting
Resources • SLO County Victim Witness Assistance Center: (805) 781-5821, slocounty.ca.gov/Departments/District-Attorney/Victim-Witness-Assistance-Center.aspx. • California Victims Compensation Board: (800) 777-9229, victims.ca.gov. A month after one of the country’s deadliest mass shootings left 59 people dead and hundreds more injured, SLO County continues reaching out to local survivors. According to the SLO County District Attorney’s Victim Witness Assistance…
Surf art on display in Morro Bay through Nov. 27
Take a stroll through Morro Bay and get a peak at the art that’s come out of SLO County’s surf culture. Through Nov. 27, view the decked-out boards on display as part of the Morro Bay Surfboard Art Festival at local sponsoring businesses and restaurants throughout the sleepy North Coast town. The festival wraps up…
Morro Bay mechanic collaborates to give cars to those in need
When Bill Todd was 12 years old, he was constantly around to help fix things in the auto parts store his father ran. “People would bring in stuff and ask if he knew anyone that could fix a part they had. I was always tinkering with things so he would take it home and give…
Photo workshop travels to Big Sur
Big Sur is so close that it’s easy to forget that it’s not part of SLO County. Now you can learn the photo skills to adequately capture its beauty. From Nov. 10 through 12, embark on a three-day adventure as part of the Big Sur Photography Workshop put on by Jansen Photo Expeditions. The group…
Thrilled, chilled, and fulfilled: The SLO Queerdos’ version of Rocky Horror was life-changing fun
As soon as I saw the guy in fishnets manning the spotlight, I knew we were in for a treat. On Oct. 26, SLO Queerdos performed their version of The Rocky Horror Picture Show at SLO Brew’s The Rock, and I was privileged to be in attendance. We were all crammed into The Rock’s outdoor…
The affordable housing myth
Wake up, lefties! Affordable housing doesn’t exist in the city of San Luis Obispo and, unless something catastrophic occurs, it never will. So just get used to it and cut the whining. Lets look at the facts: SLO is the last best place to live in California. Beautiful coastline and beaches. Low crime. A great…
Come to the New Times Music Awards on Nov. 3 at the Fremont to cheer on the winners of our ninth annual music competition!
Hey, what are you doing this Friday? Wanna hang out? I’m going to be at the ninth annual New Times Music Awards this Friday, Nov. 3, at the Fremont Theater (6 p.m.; all ages; $10 presale at ticketfly.com/event/1581442). I think we could have a really fun time together. You know, drink a beer or three,…
Environmental sense
For many years now I have suspected that people are just plain stupid. Since it is not fair to simply assume such things, and despite the preponderance of evidence, I have considered it my duty to try and prove myself wrong just to be sure, but I cannot say that my efforts have gone all…
‘Suburbicon’ is a tonally uneven condemnation of white privilege
SUBURBICON What’s it rated? RWhat’s it worth, Anna? RentalWhat’s it worth, Glen? MatineeWhere’s it showing? Downtown Centre, Stadium 10 in Arroyo Grande George Clooney (Confessions of a Dangerous Mind; Good Night, and Good Luck; Leatherheads; The Ides of March; Monuments Men) directs this black comedy written by Joel and Ethan Coen (Blood Simple, Miller’s Crossing,…
Saving wilderness from the land grabbers
When I contemplate Central Coast wilderness sites such as the Carrizo Plain or Condor Ridge, I feel a communion with the earth and our history. But when the Trump administration and Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke gaze upon our American birthright, all they see are dollar signs. Zinke has proposed dramatically shrinking the size of national…
Blast from the Past: The Straight Story
When? 1999 What’s it rated? G Where’s it available? DVD, Streaming on Amazon When WWII veteran Alvin Straight (Richard Farnsworth) finds out his estranged brother, Lyle (Harry Dean Stanton), has suffered a stroke, he makes immediate plans to visit him after decades of separation. But for reasons not entirely explained, Alvin refuses to let anyone…
Speak out about the Dunes
The county of San Luis Obispo and the state of California should be outraged at the snow job the “special master” and OHV (Off Highway Vehicle Division of California State Parks and Recreation) have dumped on our health-threatened citizens on the Mesa and Oceano beach. If you believe that air you can breathe is more…
Film listings 11/2/17–11/9/17
AMERICAN MADE What’s it rated? R What’s it worth? Matinee Where’s it showing? Fair Oaks, Stadium 10 Pick Doug Liman (Swingers, The Bourne Identity, Edge of Tomorrow) directs Tom Cruise as Barry Seal, a pilot contracted by the CIA to run guns and drugs in the late-’70s and ’80s. The screenplay by Gary Spinelli is…
Make America Great Again?
Donald Trump once again raised the removal of Confederate statues and memorials while touting his support for Virginia Republican gubernatorial candidate Ed Gillespie. The president tweeted “Ed Gillespie will turn the really bad Virginia economy numbers around, and fast. Strong on crime, he might even save our great statues/heritage!” So walk me through this. The…
Paso wine wonders
Ravishing reds: Join the Rhone Rangers for a varietal night featuring red Rhone blends this Nov. 7 at Adelaida Vineyards and Winery in Paso Robles. On the menu: Small bites prepared by Chef Alex of Crush Catering and artisan cheeses from Vivant Fine Cheese paired with wines from 25 Paso Robles Rhone Ranger wineries. Oh,…
