Cover Story
Fathoms below
In the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary alone there are more than 150 documented shipwrecks. Of those only 30 have been located and surveyed. Robert Schwemmer’s job is to go find the rest of them. As Cultural Resources Coordinator for the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration, Schwemmer is equal parts historian, detective, and wreck diver.…
Feel the Beat!
Maybe you’re too young to remember why The English Beat has “English” in its name. If you’re not, you know it was because there was already an American band called The Beat that had formed the year before, in 1977, in Los Angeles. By the time the British band The Beat, fronted by Dave Wakeling,…
Vegas, baby! Vegas!
It’s been eight years since the stars of Spring Break aligned to allow me to head to the Viva Las Vegas Rockabilly Weekender, held every spring in beautiful Las Vegas, Nev. It was way back in 2005 that I snapped these photos of the event, and from March 28 through 31, 2013, my wife and…
What do you do with a BA in English?
It’s a bit awful when you realize that your parents/teachers/various authority figures effectively lied to you. Even if, at school, you get dazzling grades, captain the lacrosse team, and somehow speak seven languages, in this global economic crisis it’s darn tricky to get a job. So even though Avenue Q was first performed in March…
Bold projections
The Snow Queen may be one of Hans Christian Andersen’s best and most haunting stories, not only a battle between external forces of good and evil but a battle between what is good and evil in oneself. For a children’s tale, it’s surprisingly dark and sophisticated, easily engaging adults in its fantasy world of devils,…
Babes in ballet
“All right! Elves: if you have any questions, just be sure to ask me or Tara!” Artistic Director Molly McKiernan’s voice is bright and carries well through the warm and expansive studio that is home to the Coastal Chamber Youth Ballet. Two little girls, clad in black-and-pink leotards, snap to attention at the sound of…
Clubs: 11/29
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…
Get your latke on!
You don’t have to be Jewish to enjoy a good latke—or a good laugh. Case in point: Congregation Beth David’s Latke Laugh In, an evening of comedy and seasonal Jewish delights. On Saturday, Dec. 1, at 7:30 p.m., head to 10180 Los Osos Valley Road for a night of latke hors d’oeuvres, wine, and desserts…
Roederer Estate Anderson Valley Brut NV (non-vintage)
This wonderful bubbly has always been among my favorite California sparkling wines. Consistently delicious, it’s fairly close to its Champagne counterpart in its wonderfully balanced flavors. It tastes of fresh, tangy green apples with subtle notes of spice and flowers; it’s awesome on its own and with food. A great choice for kicking off a…
Windward 2010 Pinot Noir Monopole
I have to credit the passionate vintners/winemakers Marc Goldberg and Maggie D’Ambrosia for staying power; they have remained dedicated to Pinot Noir exclusively after all these years. This vintage was particularly cool, resulting in only 1.5 tons to an acre, but this pretty Pinot Noir is beautifully ripe and balanced. Exhibiting friendly notes of blackberries,…
In the spirit of giving
Isn’t it a good feeling when you participate in something that supports charitable events? And we certainly have plenty to choose from on the Central Coast every month. Nevertheless, it’s rewarding to know that a portion of the tickets sales, or money bid on and won for auction lots, can do so much to help…
Pismo the Clown
NEW TIMES What are your responsibilities as a clown? PISMO My vision is to bring love, smiles, and goodwill toward everyone. NEW TIMES Who are some clowns—well-known or not—who have inspired you? PISMO I have been inspired by my brother, the famous Jokey the Clown, and my wife, Avila Beach the Clown. NEW…
We’re helping the state regain its advantage
I know that opinions vary on the merits of Proposition 30, the recent tax initiative that a majority of California voters approved on Election Day. I personally view it as a good investment for students, the state’s economy, the workforce, and all of us. For Cal Poly, Proposition 30 has a positive impact in the…
‘Democracy’ isn’t the word I’m thinking of
What is going on in the world? After ceaselessly hearing for the past decade of the primacy of “democracy,” my only reaction now is to wretch. When none other than Gilad Sharon (son of former Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon) writes in the Nov. 18 Jerusalem Post, “The residents of Gaza are not innocent, they…
Is OHV dunes riding really a cash cow?
As a native Californian and beach lover, I was fortunate enough to live in the Central Coast from 2005 to 2009. I gained great love and respect for one of the most beautiful, pristine pieces of beach area on our California coastline. While living there, however, I was constantly baffled by the allowed use, hence…
That’s an ominous omission
In its unscientifically biased support of State Parks’ dust-producing activities on the Oceano Dunes, California Geologic Survey (CGS) went so far as to blindly concur with State Parks’ wishful-thinking maps, which incorrectly label the Pismo Dunes Natural Preserve as “Pismo Dune Preserve.” Leaving out the key word “natural” is a huge omission, since natural preserves…
This one’s more blatant
Supervisor Gibson: The People’s business belongs on your desk, not your assistant. — Kevin Rice – San Luis Obispo — Kevin Rice – San Luis Obispo
There’s some innuendo here
It is nice to see that Bruce Gibson’s secretary has been getting the same special treatment that we have all received here in Los Osos, and to know exactly where our tax dollars have ended up.
Things are looking up
I enjoyed your article in New Times on Nov. 22 (“Plugging in to local power”). My roof is covered with solar panels and photovoltaics. More folks should do as I am doing—then we wouldn’t need PG&E’s Diablo. I believe the government/industry now has programs promoting this, as the initial cost of my panels was way…
Take shelter in the Shredder
Sitting at Bon Temps with beans and tea, reading New Times—and just now your perfectly brilliant column “Adult content” (Nov. 22). Just here to say thank you. So nice to catch a moment of obvious wisdom and clarity in this storm of puritanical idiocy.
The power of one
Regarding Shredder’s “Adult content” (Nov. 22): Well said. We really are disappointing as a group, we humans, but as individuals we can be infinitely interesting, for better or worse.
You’ve found a job opportunity
Dear Ana Korgan, I am deeply saddened to hear about your current predicament (“When dreams won’t come,” Nov. 22). Living rent free with your parents while working an internship in a privileged class town can be rough. I feel your pain. While I haven’t lived with my parents since 18, I still can totally relate.…
Nobody said your 20s are fun
Ana, regarding your Nov. 22 opinion piece, “When dreams won’t come,” here’s a quote from Epictetus (Lebell): “When we succumb to whining, we diminish our possibilities.” I’m not sure where you got the idea that being in one’s 20s used to be fun, or even that it’s supposed to be fun. In our society, especially,…
You left out a step
It is nice that you posted pictures of each stage of the process of making salami (“Life, death, and salami,” Nov. 22). However, you omitted a photo of a very important step: how a pig—seen on the front page as an animal being pet by a sweet owner with a smile on his face—gets slaughtered.…
This doesn’t add up
It might just be my dread about the holidays talking. Or the gallon of spiked eggnog I drank on my way to work. But somehow, at some point, ruddy-faced Saint Nick started to morph into a community college. And more specifically, Cuesta College. Think about it: They’re making a list. Checking it twice. Gonna find…
Everything old is new again
So Clark Kent became a blogger. Yes, Superman’s mild-mannered alter-ego left the Daily Planet in late October to hunch himself in front of a glowing screen and peck out stories for the Internet. When he’s not punching other aliens, of course. As a print journalist, when I learned of the move made by the world’s…
Cougars & Mustangs
Try as you might to avoid it, Christmas music is upon us. But there’s no reason to resent it if it—so long as you don’t have to listen to the same song three times in one sitting. As foreign a concept as this can seem when strutting through your local Überstore, trying not to choke…
The new SLO radicals
SLO’s skateboarding and hip-hop cultures began enjoying the Rad Life on Nov. 1. Located at 940 Chorro St. in San Luis Obispo, the retailer sells a wide variety of urban-themed T-shirts, sweatshirts, hats, and beanies, all of which were handmade by The Rad Life founder Dillon McKnight. Only a few items aren’t his work—particularly baseball…
The politics of dust
As some locals foretold when a controversial air quality rule for the Oceano Dunes passed in late 2011, you could now use a chainsaw to cut the tension between the local air district and state parks. Rule 1001, implemented by the San Luis Obispo County Air Pollution Control District Board, includes penalties for the California…
Cuesta’s choice
The dreaded list landed in the inboxes of department heads, faculty members, and administrators on Nov. 21, just in time to ruin the brief holiday break for the teachers and students whose classes now seem destined for elimination. To be fair, the same list gave the folks in Cuesta College’s architecture and medical departments one…
Live from New York!
More than a thousand New Yorkers visited San Luis Obispo County’s website last month, marking the first time county officials have seen such high interest from outside the state. But the attention from the Empire State is no surprise. While “Superstorm Sandy” raged on the East Coast, locals here enjoyed summerlike days with temperatures in…
Another panga hits Piedras Blancas
If the definition of insanity is doing the same thing repeatedly and expecting a different result, these suspected maritime narcotics smugglers might fit the bill. Or not. At approximately 4:15 a.m. on Nov. 27, two San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s deputies discovered an open gate to a field north of the Piedras Blancas Lighthouse on…
Meet SLO’s new public works director
Following the departure of longtime public servant Jay Walter, San Luis Obispo has hired a new director of its Public Works Department. Daryl Grigsby, the former public works director for the city of Pomona, was hired by City Manager Katie Lichtig on Nov. 20. “I am humbled by this opportunity to serve such a special…
Cities seek public input on climate action plans
Whether you’re worried California will get washed away when global warming melts the polar ice caps or you think climate change is a conspiracy dreamed up so Big Brother can steal your pimped-out SUV, the local Air Pollution Control District (APCD) wants to hear your thoughts. The county-wide agency is playing host to two simultaneous…
SLO supes approve a bigger dump
A permit granting extensive expansion of South San Luis Obispo County’s only garbage disposal site was reaffirmed by the Board of Supervisors Nov. 20, but it wasn’t quite the permit that the owners Cold Canyon Landfill wanted. Over the summer, the County Planning Commission met several times to discuss a project that would extend the…
Arroyo Grande council zones in on police station
The Arroyo Grande City Council has settled on one of many options for finally getting its police department a long-overdue new station. In a 3-2 vote at its Nov. 27 meeting, the council tentatively approved city staff’s recommendation for building a new station on a portion of Old Ranch Road and West Branch Street. The…
Santa Maria settles with victim of alleged rape
Santa Maria officials announced Nov. 23 that a settlement had been reached in the case of a teenage Police Explorer who claimed she was sexually assaulted multiple times by a supervising officer and that the police department allowed the abuse to occur. City Attorney Gil Trujillo said in a prepared statement that the city agreed…
SLO Brew relocation approved by council
As 75-year-old king of the surf guitar Dick Dale shredded onstage at the famed SLO Brew, city council members grappled with the fate of the legendary microbrewery and indisputable center of San Luis Obispo’s music scene. On Nov. 20, the San Luis Obispo City Council unanimously voted to deny an appeal of the SLO Brew…
Man accused of mayhem on Marsh Street
Consider yourself lucky if you weren’t hanging around the 700 block of Marsh Street in downtown San Luis Obispo on the night of Nov. 27. That’s where SLO police allege San Luis Obispo resident Samuel Micah Dabill, 33, went on a bizarre binge of destruction and mayhem aimed at business windows, potted plants, pedestrians, and…
How has growing a mustache for Movember changed your life?
Eric Taylor student “It helps me realize the my facial hair is not my own, in fact. If I want to be a selfless person, using my body to help others is really what Movember is all about.” Jake Sizemore student “My mustache is not very noticeable, so for the most part, nothing has changed.”…
