Cover Story
Meet downtown’s decision makers
It’s 7:27 a.m. and the locked front doors of San Luis Obispo’s City Hall are glowing in the morning sunlight. Two local citizens–including this reporter–are waiting to get inside. Behind the doors, an influential city advisory group is gathering to make decisions that shape the city’s downtown. # The 7:30 a.m. meeting of the Downtown…
Vote for the candidate you can stand behind–or at least stand
There will always be those unfortunate citizens who vote for a presidential candidate because he (or she) happens to be the most attractive candidate out of a group that probably won’t be winning any beauty pageants. And an even greater number of people will cast their vote not for the candidate they feel best represents…
New details shed little light on reported rape
San Luis Obispo police recently announced that certain details of a reported rape that occurred in the early morning of Nov. 8 were incorrect. Police have determined that the incident did not occur at Foothill and Casa, as it was originally reported, but instead happened somewhere on Foothill Boulevard, just west of Santa Rosa Street.…
SLO County public gets to view private pier
County residents and visitors got a closer look at what’s developing locally in marine science research on Nov. 17, when Cal Poly opened its private pier in Avila Beach to the public for the first time. About 200 guests attended throughout the day. # “It was great day,” said Tom Moylan, the pier operations manager.…
Behold, what thy swap meet hath wrought!
Few art shows feature materials as offbeat as twigs, cake turntables, garlic root, fish stringers, and a swap meet ceramic pig–all while de-emphasizing the individual materials in favor of the completed product. Then again, few art shows feature pieces made entirely from # recycled materials, though environmentally friendly exhibits do seem to be gaining steam…
Earthquake trial poised to begin
Pre-trial hearings are continuing the week after Thanksgiving in what is expected to be a months-long civil trial over the deaths of two women in the 2003 San Simeon earthquake. The families of the women are suing the owner of the Paso Robles building where the two–the only ones to die in the magnitude 6.5…
Deck the halls!
# What happens to a band that used to be on a major label but now isn’t? Their management starts the spin cycle, baby. Multi-platinum-selling San Diego band Switchfoot isn’t on Columbia Records anymore, but according to their management, “They are finding newfound freedom of expression in their music, no longer second-guessing or over thinking…
Post-fire restrictions remain in place for national forest
The Los Padres National Forest lifted its emergency closure order on Nov. 8, but the long-term effects of this summer’s Zaca fire will keep parts of the forest closed to the public through April 2008. Restrictions on forest use will remain in place until high fire season ends, a date no one can project. The…
Letters
Inappropriate standards fail society Thank you so much for printing Judy Neuhauser’s opinion piece regarding No Child Left Behind (“Dear Speaker Nancy Pelosi,” Nov. 15). She’s absolutely right. As long as we continue to use developmentally inappropriate standards, continue to assume all kids are the same and should be the same, continue to base everything…
Drink in the holidays
At this time of year, I love calling local winemakers to ask their holiday dinner plans. It’s like peeking in through their dining room window. This year, I chose artists who are skilled in the kitchen, too. They provided delicious ideas that you can still use to enhance your table during the holiday season. I…
SIP IT Firestone’s latest specialty creation, Eleven, is made for sipping.
Firestone Walker brewery is celebrating 11 years in business–and the success of their 10-year-anniversary brew, Ten–with another limited edition beer. This one is called Eleven. The name may be less than original, but the brew promises to be a new experience for beer lovers, as well as wine fans. On Nov. 30, the creation will…
The forecast is cloudy
The hundreds of businesspeople, academics, and politicians who gathered to hear the UCSB economic forecast at Cal Poly the week before Thanksgiving are doing all right, at least by the looks of them. “Aside from students perhaps, there’s nobody in this room who makes less than $25,000,” Bill Watkins, director of the forecast and headliner…
SLO City parks to use recycled water
What you flush down your toilet may soon be used to irrigate local parks–after thorough wastewater treatment, of course. Following in the maintenance footsteps of local parks–like the Damon Garcia Sports Complex on Broad Street–representatives with the City of San Luis Obispo Public Works Department said that the body is planning to use recycled water…
County pension trust fund is running low on cash
San Luis Obispo County supervisors have authorized an independent review of the county’s pension funding plan, after Pension Trust officials said the fund is $200 million short of the money it needs to pay future pensions for county employees. The Board of Supervisors on Nov. 20 unanimously approved hiring a Seattle-based firm to audit the…
There ought to be a column
For Thanksgiving this year, I forwent the traditional turkey and deep-fried a Cornish game hen instead. It was immensely satisfying. Here’s my recipe: I pluck and gut a hummingbird and stuff that inside of a swallow, which I then stuff inside of a pigeon (no thanks necessary, Pismo), which then gets crammed inside of the…
Fast facts
Powell’s Sweet Shoppe is celebrating its grand opening on Nov. 24 with live music, face painting, and sugary sweet activities all day long for kids and adults. The fun starts at 10 a.m. with free Jelly Bellys and free Wonka candy bars for the first 1,000 guests. The original Mike Teevee–from Willy Wonka and the…
