Cover Story
Harmon on track to win third term as SLO mayor, Pease and Marx lead for City Council seats
Establishment candidates appeared to prevail in San Luis Obispo city elections, with incumbent Mayor Heidi Harmon and City Councilmember Andy Pease fending off multiple challengers, and former Mayor Jan Marx winning an open City Council seat, according to unofficial election night results. With all precincts reported and a majority of a record number of mail-in…
HASLO to propose 66-unit affordable housing development in Arroyo Grande
Arroyo Grande could be in line to get more much-needed affordable housing. At a meeting on Nov. 10, Arroyo Grande City Council discussed the potential for a mixed-use development on a 2.16-acre site near the intersection of Oak Park Boulevard and Chilton Street proposed by the Housing Authority of San Luis Obispo (HASLO). The Nov.…
Two Halloween parties result in 14 COVID-19 infected high school students
A COVID-19 outbreak associated with Halloween parties attended by North Santa Barbara County high school students doubled in size on Nov. 10, and a public health official said the outbreak could set the county back in the state’s reopening system. Paige Batson, Deputy Director for Community Health, said that two private events held on Oct.…
SLO County stays in COVID-19 red tier—but case counts indicate purple tier looms
San Luis Obispo County remained in California’s coronavirus red tier for the seventh consecutive week on Nov. 10, but public health officials warn that the county is going in the wrong direction, with case counts soaring over the past 10 days, and a downgrade in status could follow. Public Health Officer Penny Borenstein told the…
Cuesta Pride aims for long-term LGBTQ representation on campus
When Dylan Michael Canterbury Baker walked onto the Cuesta College campus about a year and a half ago, he didn’t necessarily see a commitment to creating a safe and inclusive space for all students and staff. As a member of the LGBTQ-plus community, Baker said that while many offices and classrooms had a sticker in…
Gatherings among young people blamed for ‘alarming spike’ in COVID-19 cases
Despite SLO County’s recent improvements in both COVID-19 case and positivity rates, health officials warned on Nov. 5 that scores of reported cases in the past few days could result in state mandated restrictions in coming weeks. SLO County health officials said in a press release that 156 new cases of COVID-19 were reported in…
Santa Maria High School sees a large turnout for class elections
Amid distance learning and virtual classrooms, a significant number of sophomore and junior students at Santa Maria High School have put their names in the race for student elections. A record-breaking 20 freshman students are running for president for the upcoming online election, a first for the school. According to Santa Maria Joint Union High…
The opposite of opposite
In response to John Donegan’s column, “Hate” (Oct. 22), I would first of all point out that it is not liberals who scare the hell out of him, it is how liberals are depicted by Fox. I would also like to assert that scaring the hell out of people is a two-way street, with many…
David Attenborough: A Life on Our Planet lays out humanity’s devastating impact on Earth and suggests a way to fix it
DAVID ATTENBOROUGH: A LIFE ON OUR PLANET What’s it rated? PG What’s it worth, Anna? Full price What’s it worth, Glen? Full price Where’s it showing? Netflix Calling it his “witness statement,” natural historian David Attenborough lays out his case against humanity’s impact on the natural world, demonstrating through three evolving statistics—world population, parts per…
Dig a little deeper
Distrust of the media is as high as I can remember for good reason. Our national and often local press is lockstepped in ideological conformity and demands that its readers join in conformity of thought. Forsaking objectivity, the assumption of moral superiority of Democrats over Republicans on any issue is obligatory. “Everyone knows Democrats listen…
Best Wishes, Warmest Regards: A Schitt’s Creek Farewell
What’s it rated? Not rated When? 2020 Where’s it showing? Netflix Unless you’ve been living under a rock, there is no doubt that the Canadian series Schitt’s Creek has made it onto your radar one way or another. The brainchild of Daniel Levy, this series is a testament to comedy without cruelty and the ability…
Politics as unusual
Anybody know who’s president-elect? SLO County District Attorney Dan Dow says he knows a dude who knows. “The outcome of the election will not be a surprise to God,” Dow posted on his Facebook page. “He is already there in the future. So, there is no need to worry or be anxious.” Underneath Dow’s proclamation…
Borat Subsequent Moviefilm
What’s it rated? R When? 2020 Where’s it showing? Amazon Prime Sacha Baron Cohen is back as Borat Sagdiyev, a television journalist from a fictional version of Kazakhstan, who—mockumentary-style—interacts with unsuspecting people, essentially pranking them. It’s a follow-up to the 2006 original, Borat: Cultural Learnings of America to Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan, and…
Carbon City Lights’ new album Flame in the Winter drops Nov. 14
If you want to hear the sweetest love story followed by the saddest tragedy followed by the sweetest blessing, keep reading. Carbon City Lights frontman Michael Venia was born in Saudi Arabia, and lived there his first decade. Meanwhile, his eventual wife, Brittany, was on the other side of the country, brought there by her…
SLO Wine and Beer gives you education, options, and prices that can’t be beat so you can drink outside the box
Try and buy Although wine is a focus, there’s plenty of beers—local, European, and more crafty beverages—on SLO Wine and Beer Co.’s shelves, too. Visit the shop to see the selection for yourself at 3536 S. Higuera St. in SLO. Check out slowineandbeerco.com to learn more. What do New Zealand, Bordeaux, Rioja, Mendoza, and Paso…
Local artists and artisans offer unique gifts for the holidays at three local craft events
SHOP LOCAL It’s not too early to get shopping for handmade holiday gifts. Through Dec. 30, Studios on the Park, 1130 Pine St. in Paso Robles, has Handcrafted for the Holidays with more than 30 local artists. Visit studiosonthepark.org for more info. Atascadero crafters will sell their wares at the annual Holiday Boutique on Nov.…
Gallery at Marina Square showcases paintings by Spanky Anderson and photography by Carlo Christian
For its November exhibition, Gallery at Marina Square in Morro Bay will showcase paintings by Spanky Anderson and photography by Carlo Christian. The duo exhibit is scheduled to remain on display through Sunday, Nov. 29. According to press materials from the gallery, Anderson grew up in Georgia and learned to draw and paint at an…
Tax hikes receive broad support throughout SLO County
Thousands of SLO County vote-by-mail ballots were still being counted on Nov. 4, but unofficial results from election night suggest that most cities in the county are about to get a revenue boost. Six of the county’s seven cities put proposals to increase sales and transient occupancy taxes on this year’s ballot, and all of…
Cambria Center for the Arts presents its Virtual Fall Juried Show with juror Elizabeth Tolley
The online opening reception for the Cambria Center for the Arts’ Virtual Fall Juried Show takes place on Saturday, Nov. 7, at 4:30 p.m. Art submissions were accepted through Nov. 2, and the exhibit is scheduled to remain online to view through Jan. 3, 2021. All proceeds from the take-in fees will go toward juror…
North County preliminary election results show most incumbents kept their seats
In several Northern San Luis Obispo County cities and special districts, new candidates running for local government focused their campaigns on new voices and being watchful of long-term infrastructure projects and finances. However, preliminary election results show that residents were satisfied with the status quo as a majority of incumbent candidates are holding on to…
South County voters stick largely to status quo in Nov. 3 election
From Oceano to Pismo Beach, just a few new candidates earned comfortable leads over incumbents in the Nov. 3 election. As of 11 p.m. on Nov. 3, roughly 4,752 ballots from Grover Beach’s 8,130 registered voters had been counted, and SLO County’s unofficial election results showed incumbent Mayor Jeff Lee taking a sizeable lead over…
Cunningham holds edge over Addis for Assembly, Laird wins Senate seat
Neither candidate in the race for California’s 35th District Assembly seat delivered a hasty victory or concession speech on Nov. 3. As of press time, election night results showed two-term incumbent Jordan Cunningham (R-San Luis Obispo) with a 52 percent to 48 percent edge on Democratic challenger Dawn Addis—with plenty of votes left to count.…
Carbajal holds substantial lead over Caldwell in 24th congressional district race
In the unofficial election night results for the 24th District congressional, incumbent U.S. Rep. Salud Carbajal (D-Santa Barbara) had about 62 percent of the votes over challenger Andy Caldwell, who had about 38 percent. In the district, which spans all of SLO and Santa Barbara counties and a portion of Ventura County, Carbajal had more…
San Luis Obispo County homeowners raise awareness about discriminatory language in their housing deeds
In 2017, San Luis Obispo County native Jamie Lewis and her husband purchased their dream home in the city of San Luis Obispo, but they quickly learned the property had ties to historical racist housing policies. “So we were able to buy our dream home on our dream street in our dream neighborhood in a…
Lucia Mar is reopening its schools for in-person learning, but some parents say the split-day model presents serious logistical issues
When local schools closed their campuses due to COVID-19, Sue Goss’ kids loved it. She has two daughters, a junior at Nipomo High School and an eighth grader at Mesa Middle School, and neither struggled with the transition to distance learning. They liked not having to get up so early. They liked doing schoolwork in…
Local high school students volunteer in record numbers at Vote Service Centers
Mission Prep High School senior Maddie Haddad called the Nov. 3 election “arguably the most important election in modern times.” And the 18-year-old wanted to do more than simply cast her first vote. Haddad joined 62 of her high school peers between Oct. 31 and Election Day to volunteer their time at a San Luis…
Neighborhood character
In case you missed the Oct. 27 City Council meeting, Morro Bay’s elected officials approved (4-1) a new short-term vacation rental ordinance after many months of meetings, discussion, and community input. While the ordinance was intended to “protect the quality and character of our neighborhoods,” it seems to primarily protect the financial interests of the…
