Cover Story
Lens flair: Check out the results of Winning Images 2014
Winning Images began at New Times in 1994, and the contest has been inviting local photographers to participate for 19 years now. It eventually expanded to include our sister paper, the Sun—and this batch of images should remind everyone involved of why this annual competition has been such an enduring and growing presence…
Ashbaugh condemned, but not censured
San Luis Obispo city councilmembers chose to criticize, disapprove, and condemn the behavior of Councilman John Ashbaugh, but not take further punitive action. Ashbaugh, who could have faced formal censure from his four colleagues after an outburst on Oct. 21 that resulted in him revealing closed session proceedings, was recused from the City Council’s Nov.…
Pismo Beach: Measures H & I pass, council races go down to the wire
Results of the Nov. 4 election painted extremely different pictures in Pismo Beach, with two city ballot measures passing handily, but City Council and mayoral races too close to call. As of press time on Nov. 5, Pismo’s Measure H—authored by activist group Save Price Canyon and intended to preempt mega-development in the Price Canyon…
Grover Beach: Shoals triumphs, streets bond teeters
In Grover Beach’s three main races, one was essentially settled before the Nov. 4 election, one was settled on election night, and the last one will be settled in the next few days. Mariam Shah and Barbara Nicolls were running unopposed for two seats on the Grover Beach City Council, and both locked up those…
Also noted … bonus election news from New Times
Here at New Times, we’d love to cover every San Luis Obispo County race in great detail, but that’s not always possible given space and staffing constraints. That being said, we still wanted to give recognition to candidates and races we didn’t get the chance to cover in our Nov. 6 print issue. Here, in…
What spirit would you like to see newly elected officials take with them to their new position?
Jim Patterson retired; former 5th District county supervisor “Representation of a different constituency.” Bill Arkfeld co-owner of the ARTery “Creativity.” Red Heesch retired Cal Poly associate professor “Problem solving.” Ahmed Fahmy Yoga teacher, musician “Progressive change. Simplifying and thinking about the entire community.”
Classroom politics: Demand is high and supply is low at a politically charged Avila Beach charter school
When it comes to the educational future of their preschool-aged children, a vocal and divided group of local parents isn’t messing around. On Oct. 30, Bellevue-Santa Fe Charter School—an idyllic, 154-student K-6 school surrounded by apple orchards in the Avila Beach hills—was the unlikely setting for the latest in a series of tense school governing…
Arroyo Grande: Ferrara, Harmon, and Brown likely win, charter measure fails
After months of consternation in Arroyo Grande, local voters finally delivered a referendum on their opinion of the city government—and it was a mixed bag. The city’s most heated race was for the mayoral seat, and despite a spirited effort from write-in candidate Jim Hill and his supporters, longtime Mayor Tony Ferrara appears to have…
Compton tops Ray for the District 4 seat
Bringing an end to what has been San Luis Obispo County’s most heated and expensive local race, Nipomo agricultural businesswoman Lynn Compton defeated incumbent District 4 Supervisor Caren Ray on Nov. 4, claiming her seat on the county Board of Supervisors. Compton, a Republican, drew 53.46 percent of the vote (6,943 votes), while Ray, a…
Ynana Rose presents her debut solo CD Nov. 8 at the Steynberg Gallery
If I had to pick just one, I’d say my favorite song on Ynana Rose’s new self-titled debut album is the smoky, Gypsy blues tune “Fool for You.” It slinks along like a cat on the hunt, accompanied by the sultry violin work of Brynn Albanese (Café Musique), and its lyrics are wonderfully impressionistic: Drinkin’…
Incumbents sweep Atascadero in battle for the rotunda
In what at times became a bit of a brawl among all parties involved, the incumbents in Atascadero swept their bid for re-election. An insider-versus-outsider showdown characterized the race, where the three incumbents running for re-election had key support of the Republican Party and a good chunk of the city’s behind-the-scenes political muscle. Mayor Tom…
Clubs 11/6/14-11/13/14
Goin’ South … THE CLIFFS RESORT: 2757 Shell Beach Road, 773-5000 or cliffsresort.com. CUVEE BISTRO AND CHAMPAGNE BAR: 550 1st St., Avila Beach, 595-2245. Live music Thurs. and Sat. 6-9pm. 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…
The San Luis Obispo Poetry Festival celebrates its 30-year anniversary with a new anthology
For nearly three decades now, poets have been gathering in the cozy quarters of Linnaea’s Café to read their work out loud. Dubbed Corners of the Mouth by founders Karl Kempton and Kevin Patrick Sullivan in 1984, this regular reading series has been a vital institution for writers along the Central Coast. Now, they’re honoring…
Check out the third Annual Pugsgiving on Nov. 8 at the Pismo Beach Golf Course!
If it weren’t for a pug, I might not be married right now. Seriously! My wife, Anna, and I had only begun hanging out a bit. I met her the day after her previous relationship ended, and she was in no rush to jump into another. One of the things we liked to do was…
Ildiko Laszlo debuts abstract photographs in the new exhibit, Budding Forms
Ildiko Laszlo fell in love. That’s what she said when I asked her where the idea for her new exhibit of photographs at Haven Properties in San Luis Obispo, Budding Forms, originated. “I guess it has a lot to do with my whole feeling with everything going on in my life,” she commented over the…
Artist and adventurer Heather Johnson shows intricate embroidery at Cal Poly’s University Art Gallery
Heather Johnson left her day job and her home in New Jersey about two years ago to travel across the United States. She had little more than the clothes on her back, the transport of her Triumph motorcycle, and the inklings of an innovative art project. Along her journey, she would make an exchange. At…
Community outreach
Mental health remains a highly stigmatized topic in today’s society, despite the efforts of many people to sway public opinion. In addition, many past insurance policies put physical illnesses above mental, making it difficult for people to receive the care they needed. But for the past 40 years, one community clinic has been working to…
Cougars & Mustangs
November is here, friends. Time to gather ’round the turkey and count our blessings. I’ll start. One million … two million … three million … OK, I’ll cut it to the chase. Twenty million dollars. That’s not only a practically impossibly large sum, it’s the largest cash gift ever donated to Cal Poly University—and it’s…
I once was critical
Being one who successfully faces the challenges of four major medical conditions and several mild ones every day, I have benefited from the services of health-care providers–help for which I am deeply grateful. I have worked hard to get where I am, in less pain and managing much better. I have much faith, thanks to…
In SLO, Marx takes lead, Rivoire takes council seat
In San Luis Obispo’s mayoral race, incumbent Mayor Jan Marx comfortably held onto her seat by a wide margin. As of press time on Nov. 5, Marx had captured 74.93 percent of the vote (6,155 votes), while challengers Jeffery Specht (19.25 percent) and Donald Hedrick (5.20 percent) finished a distant second and third, respectively. The…
Alleged sexual assault leads to a fraternity suspension
Following a Halloween party at an off-campus house affiliated with Cal Poly fraternity Pi Kappa Alpha, a woman reported being sexually assaulted at the house, and the university responded by suspending the fraternity. Keith Humphrey, Cal Poly’s vice president of student affairs, wrote in a statement that the party included “many intoxicated attendees,” and a…
Cambria stays the course
In a town where an uncertain water supply has created ever-looming worries, the Cambria Community Services District (CSD) has been in the thick of it all. The election for the two available seats became a contest focused on water—specifically the emergency water supply project hastily approved by the CSD and currently under construction. The two…
Atascadero sales tax paves the way
Atascadero will join the rest of SLO County’s cities in raising its sales tax to 8 percent after approving a measure to add an extra half-percent to generate funds for road repairs. In two separate measures, voters approved a half-percent sales tax increase and an advisory body that will oversee the funds. Atascadero had been…
School bond Measure D passes with community-wide support
School faculty members, parents, and administrators quietly celebrated the success of Measure D amid dozens of election-night campaign parties across San Luis Obispo County. According to the final unofficial election night results, 71 percent of the votes were in favor of the measure, with only 28 percent against it. Measure D will grant San Luis…
Persistence pays in Paso Robles
Like Atascadero, Paso Robles saw the incumbents prevail in another closely fought election, at least as of press time. There was a quick round of musical chairs—Councilmember Steve Martin will become mayor after running for the seat unopposed, and current mayor Duane Picanco will return to the City Council, after opting against running again for…
SLO to enjoy more funds to come
After a heavy dispute about how the city of San Luis Obispo has used funds from a sales tax first approved eight years ago, voters have given the nod to yet another round of supplementary funds. Measure G, which adds a half-percent sales tax to all purchases within the city, passed by a comfortable margin.…
Capps narrowly holds on
California’s secretary of state reported that, as of 4:43 a.m. on Nov. 5, incumbent Democrat Lois Capps had edged out her Republican opponent Chris Mitchum 51.6 to 48.4 percent to keep her U.S. House of Representatives District 24 seat. This year’s election appears to have resulted in the narrowest margin of victory yet for the…
Katcho keeps his assembly seat
Incumbent Katcho Achadjian was re-elected to his second term in the 35th District state Assembly seat, which represents all of SLO County and Northern Santa Barbara County. Achadjian, who previously was a three-term SLO County supervisor representing District 4, has been settling in to his mainstay reputation for area politics. The assemblymember had to fend…
Cuesta College passes a $275 million bond
After almost a year of sustained anxiety, Cuesta’s administration can finally stop holding its collective breath: roughly 61.73 percent of the county’s voters decided to support Measure L, and Cuesta will be receiving $275 million. As Cuesta’s elite were eagerly awaiting the poll results at a mini election night party in a suite at the…
Central Coast Brewing Company’s Berlinerweisse and Figueroa Mountain Brewing Company’s Danish Red Lager
Halfway through the Los Osos/Baywood Oktoberfest celebration on Sunday, Oct. 26, a massive tortoise began making the rounds, no owner to be found. Kids were dancing, live music was blasting, and people were practically spilling their beers to get a closer look at the wild creature, probably older (and wiser) than all of us. This…
Better than sliced bread
Follow that sandwich! The Grilled Cheese Incident is offering up a delightfully caloric treat from a neon orange food truck that simply screams, “You only live once, so screw it!” I recently devoured the Los Osos-based truck‘s “Quintessential California,” stacked high with gooey havarti and jack cheeses, tomato, smoked applewood bacon, and creamy avocado on…
Not only did Paso Chef Kelly Wangard survive Cutthroat Kitchen, she conquered fear itself
Proud home chefs and compulsive Yummly fanatics: I’m talking to you! We’ve all watched a competitive cooking show and, at some point during the program, announced knowingly to the TV, “I could so make that!” Just admit it. You have totally done this, causing your significant other and/or pet to roll their eyes dramatically. That…
The pursuit of Halloween
Hear ye, hear ye! This officialith proclamation announceth that effective immediately this entire quadrant of the galaxy is a No Pants on My Comfy Couch Zone until Nov. 6, 2040—by which point I will almost certainly either be dead or my head will be preserved in a pickle jar and I’ll dictate my columns to…
Thank a teacher
The California Retired Teachers Association, CalRTA, is celebrating “Retired Teachers Week,” Nov. 2 to 8. This is a special week for retired educators, both teachers and administrators, to be recognized for their valuable contributions to our community during their careers and into their retirement. We know that teachers (which includes more than the just the…
Drought
Drought is more than dry leaves Parched grass, empty wells, Desperate flowers. It’s waterless faucets and families Who have to buy trucked in water Or go without the precious liquid. It’s frantic farmers whose crops Are stunted or fields left fallow, Empty cisterns, dripless taps. I dutifully do my best: Short infrequent showers, unwashed car,…
See what develops
With the election of Lynn Compton as supervisor, Nipomo should change its name to LA North. — Bill Denneen – Nipomo
Huckfest was no great benefit
This year, Huckfest was better, because last year it was a real disaster. Yet, Matt Fountain didn’t speak out on The Tribune last year to sympathize with Oceano residents who had their driveways and streets backed up a mile along Highway 1, nor with Mesa residents who had to breathe extra PM10 caused by the…
Don’t let this chance slip by
What a window of opportunity for our area! We have the chance to place our precious coastline into the kind of sanctuary that Santa Barbara and Monterey have. This would hold the beauty of this area in trust forever. Consider what the folks who conceived of Yosemite and Yellowstone did. Now just accept that extraordinary…
Rules are in place for a reason
I am writing in response to the article written by Colin Rigley and published in New Times on Oct. 23, 2014, titled “[Return to Sender] Shandon residents say issues with the mail have gotten out of control.” The title of the article could not be further from the truth. In fact, Shandon Postmaster Kathy Kennerley…
