Cover Story
Image is everything
You photographers sure like animals. And flowers. And kids. And trees. And Morro Rock. And old people in other countries. And water. And light and shadow. I could go on, but why take up space with words about images when we could just show the images themselves? With that in mind, I’ll be brief:…
What is your craziest fantasy?
Mike Stephens sales “To never have to work again and to be able to travel the world and go wherever I want. To be independently wealthy.” Nick Arcangelo student “To be a professional drifter or auto crosser.” Kaliahna Cutler caretaker “To live on a private island with a fat house.” Jared Nafziger student “Getting spit…
Art After Dark, Nov. 6, 6-9 p.m.
Anam-Cre’ Pottery Studio: 570 Higuera #140, 544-1850. Friday night beginning pottery class, $15 for a class in wheel throwing. apRoberts Arts: 570 Higuera #152, 234-5061. Ongoing collaborations by Jimmy apRoberts and Brian Christopher. ARTS Space Obispo: 570 Higuera #165, 544-9251. Visit a traditional El Dia de los Muertos altar and view Mark Bryan’s and John…
Here, kitty-kitty!
Skateboarders! A scourge! A plague! A menace! Let’s raise them money! … huh? No, seriously! If you hate skateboarders (as most of us do), you’ll donate money to create an irresistible trap (more on that later) that will lure them to the same spot where they’ll break their wrists, bang their heads, turn their ankles,…
You say hello, they say sawadeeka
If a gallery is an environment for artists, a delicate ecological balance between blank canvas and venue with an identity reflective of its location, then Cal Poly’s University Art Gallery has its allotment of challenges. In past years it has played host to visions of ’60s and ’70s suburbia, a sugary graphic design repast concocted…
Follow the marigold trail
What do a rooster, mermaid, umbrella, watermelon, shrimp, musician, spider, and cactus have in common? Each is an image depicted on a lotería card—a game much like bingo but most prevalently played in Mexico. The lotería cards are putting in an appearance at ARTS Space Obispo through Nov. 13 as part of the gallery’s annual…
Flickers of protest
More than 70 people gathered in Mission Plaza in San Luis Obispo on Nov. 3 to mark the first anniversary of the passage of Proposition 8, the statewide vote banning same-sex marriage in California. Straight and gay people alike attended the vigil, which was sponsored by the Coalition of Welcoming Congregations, to sing songs, hold…
Hybrid buses broke
The hybrid vehicle movement had finally come to public transportation in San Luis Obispo County. At least that’s the way it was advertised when the San Luis Obispo Regional Transportation Authority (SLORTA), the county consortium that operates more than 40 buses on routes between all the cities of the county, bought two hybrid-electric buses a…
There will be blood
Perceptions can be funny, especially when money is involved—and extra especially when the court system is involved. If you ask Ernie Dalidio how much he thinks he’ll be getting back from the people who tried to block his SLO development, he has a pretty firm number in mind. But ask the people who might have…
Pouring wines for canines and felines
Eat, drink, be merry, and foster the adoption of homeless dogs and cats at a gala fundraiser alfresco under the stars amid the brilliant flowers and lush foliage at Ron’s Nursery in Grover Beach on Wednesday evening, Nov. 11, from 5 p.m. to 8 pm at 1207 13th St. The glittering gathering will benefit three…
Bread and butter issues
I caught my first whiff of the potential for poop more than 30 years ago. I was riding my bicycle home from the ocean where, as was then the standard, industrial and human waste would eventually find its way. We were taught not to give another thought to the stuff that comes out of…
Correction
The volunteers and staff of Pacific Wildlife Care (“Save our wildlife,” Oct. 29) treat all injured, sick, and orphaned wildlife brought to the care center. Local veterinarians provide such services as x-rays, surgeries, and drug prescriptions.
Don’t riot yet, vaccines are on the way
San Luis Obispo County has received its first substantial batch of H1N1 vaccine. The Public Health Department announced Oct. 30 the arrival of about 5,600 doses of the vaccine; health officials had requested 40,000 from manufacturers. According to public health officials, the majority of the batches received so far have gone to pediatricians, OB/GYN providers,…
Transit authority plans for possible cuts
At its Nov. 4 meeting, the San Luis Obispo Regional Transit Authority prepared contingency plans to cut weekend service and reduce nighttime hours in case of further budget cutbacks while at the same time clearing the way to increase the salary of the authority’s executive director by thousands of dollars. The authority, a semi-public bus…
Rate increase rejected, not gone
Paso Robles voters turned down a rate increase to pay for water from Lake Nacimiento and the pipeline that will bring it to homes. Despite the vote, city officials will still push for a new rate structure and won’t stop until they’re successful. Measure A-09 failed by 481 votes, according to county election results. The…
First Solar buys Ausra project in the Carrizo
Australian-based solar company Ausra sold its proposed project in the Carrizo Plain to First Solar, which also has plans for a solar project in the area. The sale was announced on Nov. 4 but company officials declined to name the sale price. Ausra’s Carrizo Energy Solar Farm is unique among three proposed projects in the…
CSD board of directors to approve new general manager
The man dubbed “a perfect fit” as chief of the Los Osos Community Services District (CSD) will likely be approved by directors on Nov. 5. W. Dan Gilmore, a former San Luis Obispo city engineer with a background in budget management, will take over the utilities district for Los Osos as the controversial sewer project…
Beware of sewage sludge compost
Injecting poisons into our environment has consequences. Lethal liver tumors in Morro Bay fish (gobies) most likely result from a carcinogenic and mutagenic chemical concentrated in sewage effluent and sludge. Researchers at Cal Poly’s Biological Sciences Department have concluded that this chemical (nonylphenol) is “the major pollutant threatening the marine life in Morro Bay,” and…
STEP proponent
The Board of Supervisors has agendized the Los Osos wastewater project twice before Thanksgiving, even though they’re supposed to be done with the matter, and 22 Coastal Commission appeals are still under consideration. The public works department will ask for another quarter of a million dollars and consider the California Coastal Commissioners’ appeal. Seven…
Out now
It is best to remove our troops from harm in Afghanistan. Recent speakers and programs have convinced me: 1. Staying won’t decrease the hold of the terrorists on either Afghanistan or Pakistan, and leaving won’t increase their numbers. 2. Terrorists are not united, just like communists weren’t, except when having a common enemy like the…
Still married at 30,000 feet
On Sunday, Oct. 11, my husband Steve and I demonstrated in Washington, D.C., with the National Equality March, walking with an estimated 200,000 people, demanding full equality under the law as guaranteed to all Americans, including gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender, by the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Many straight allies and tens of…
Lay off off-roaders
Regarding the Hodin drawing showing dead animals under a tire labeled “Oceano Dunes” (October 29): I’m sure many readers were outraged at the thought of the death of these poor creatures brought about by the irresponsible actions of callous off-highway-vehicle enthusiasts tearing around the dunes. But I wonder how many of these same people drive…
Swift isn’t slow
Thanks to Sonja Swift for her commentary on Gary Smith (“What possessed Cal Poly to pick Gary Smith?” Oct. 29). I too was dazed and crazed after attending the Michael Pollan panel discussion at Cal Poly. As I organized my thoughts, I realized what a great choice Gary Smith actually was for representing the Harris Ranch…
Eager to find SIP seal
Next time I sip some local wine, I’ll be sure to look for the SIP label. I love the thought of supporting people who work so hard to make all the lovely wine in our area. Thank you to Kathy Johnston for enlightening us with her informative article (“Farmworkers with 401Ks,” Oct. 29).
Impressed by SIP certified
Thanks to Kathy Johnston’s comprehensive reporting, I have added “SIP certified” to my vocabulary (“Farmworkers with 401Ks,” Oct. 29). It is great to know that the folks who do the back-breaking physical labor that puts beautiful wines on our tables are being acknowledged and rewarded. That these hardworking folks can build a future from their industry…
Come to terms with Sunny Acres
I read Colin Rigley’s article in the Oct. 22 edition, “From juror box to witness stand,” and can’t explain how disillusioned I feel that a juror in a San Luis Obispo court could be pressured by a judge and other jurors to vote the opposite way of the conclusion the juror had reached after listing…
Samir Aburashed
NEW TIMES: Where is your restaurant? ABURASHED: My restaurant is on the corner of Toro and Higuera Streets. NEW TIMES: What is the most popular dish on your menu? ABURASHED: The most popular item on our menu is the gyro plate which is a beef and lamb mixture served with our famous pita…
Trend setters
The other day, while I was reading through Congressman Kevin McCarthy’s tweets—as I often do—this one caught my eye: “@GOPWhip: Have you downloaded the new WhipCast BlackBerry application yet?” McCarthy, the house chief deputy whip, was plugging his new GOP BlackBerry app. He and another whip launched the app, and I’m fighting the urge to…
Take the night train
I can’t believe preppie rockers Vampire Weekend sold out Downtown Brew weeks before their show! Seriously, it’s been sold out for weeks, and most of you have probably never heard of them. The NYC band is sort of exploding right now, with shows announced in London, France, Japan, and Australia, not to mention their current…
Robert Hall 2007 Syrah Paso Robles
This friendly, easy to like Syrah offers sweet black cherry, plum, and wild blackberry aromas and flavors. Highlighted with spice, smoke, and earth, it’s a great quaffer and a good choice on the table with hearty beef or lamb dishes. Grown in three Hall Ranch vineyards, 2007 was an excellent vintage throughout the Central Coast.…
Food-friendly varieties
When it comes to food-friendly wines there’s one SLO County producer I always think of, Claiborne and Churchill in Edna Valley. They’re highly respected for their array of white and red wines, the classics from Alsace, Burgundy, and the Rhone Valley, perfect for the dinner table any time of year. Of course, I’m even more…
