Cover Story
Engulfed in Flames: Local fire artists find peace in the middle of infernos
Fantastic fire Learn more about the fire-filled flow by checking out Ignite Fire Dance on social media. Find them @ignitefiredance on Instagram and Facebook. “Don’t try this at home,” Shayne Mastriano says before guzzling down a mouthful of highly refined lamp oil. He’s careful not to swallow the liquid that his peers claim tastes like…
Festival Mozaic names interim executive director
Festival Mozaic has named Jeri Corgill, a former board member, as interim executive director. Corgill will hold the position until the board decides on a permanent director, which it’s expected to do before the Festival Mozaic 2019 Summer Festival, slated for July 24 through Aug. 4. A SLO County resident of nearly 30 years, Corgill…
Underrated: The Guest
When? 2014 What’s it rated? R Where’s it available? Amazon Prime, YouTube, Google Play The late 1980s and early 1990s spawned a genre of movies playfully known as the “[Blank] From Hell.” These movies, typically all psychological thrillers, touched on similar themes of unsuspecting good-natured people or families putting their trust in certain people because…
DOJ to investigate jail as county faces another inmate death lawsuit
As the county got hit with yet another lawsuit in connection with an inmate death, officials announced on Nov. 7 that the U.S. Department of Justice will conduct an independent investigation of mental and medical health care at the SLO County Jail. A total of 21 inmates have died in the jail since 2000, with…
Local Americana singer-songwriter Ynana Rose releases new album at Cambria’s Painted Sky Studios on Nov. 10
Tea Leaf Confessions, the new Americana album by local singer-songwriter Ynana Rose, draws deep from the Central Coast’s creative brain trust with engineering and mixing by Damon Castillo, who also plays electric and resophonic guitars and electric bass on several tracks, not to mention a co-writing credit on “Mendocino Moonrise” and co-credit for writing harmonies…
New and familiar faces to take office after South County elections
The Arroyo Grande City Council will look very different after the results of the Nov. 6 elections, while Grover Beach’s will remain virtually unchanged, according to unofficial voting totals. As of the morning of Nov. 7, sitting Arroyo Grande City Councilmember Caren Ray was ahead in the race for mayor against two-term incumbent Jim Hill.…
Renew the Land and Water Conservation Fund
America’s most successful conservation and recreation program expired on Sept. 30. The Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) was first passed in 1965 and has always enjoyed bipartisan support. It has funded local projects like development on the Bluff Trail in Montaña de Oro State Park and the Lopez Lake Recreation Area. In total, LWCF…
Full slate of women elected in Atascadero
On the evening of Nov. 6, Atascadero City Council candidate Susan Funk was at Kochi Korean BBQ. Around 8 p.m. the first vote-by-mail ballot numbers were released, and Funk announced the preliminary results—she was in second with 34 percent of the votes. The five crowded tables in the restaurant erupted in cheers and applause. She…
We need to look toward the future
Back in the day, when 90 percent of the population were homeowners, houses cost under $200,000, Cal Poly and Cuesta’s enrollment was half of what it is today, homelessness was not in crisis mode, and no one had even heard of climate change or global warming, San Luis Obispo’s mayors Ken Schwartz, Allen Settle, and…
Cunningham wins second term in state Assembly
Republican Assemblyman Jordan Cunningham will return to Sacramento to serve a second term with a win over Democratic Party challenger Bill Ostrander, according to unofficial voting totals. Cunningham, an attorney with a practice in Templeton, received 63,771 votes on Nov. 6, garnering 58.6 percent of the total vote. Ostrander, a SLO-based activist and former actor,…
Sally Loo’s Wholesome Café opens quick coffee window
Coffee that cares Sally Loo’s Wholesome Cafe and its new grab-and-go window is open daily from 6:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. For more information, go to sallylooswholesomecafe.com or follow the business on Instagram @sallyloos. Most grab-and-go food procured from a window is not, indeed, “wholesome.” You might expect a mess of late-night tacos, a grease-soaked…
Carbajal holds House seat for Democratic majority
Cheers filled a small downtown Santa Barbara restaurant as U.S. Rep. Salud Carbajal (D-Santa Barbara) climbed a staircase to address the crowd just after he was projected to win California’s 24th District for the U.S. House of Representatives for a second time. Supporters, Democratic Party organizers, and state and local representatives had a lot to…
I love my kids and opposed Measure G
I found the SLO Tribune editorial endorsing Measure G (“You’d do anything for your kids right? Then vote yes on Measure G,” Oct. 19) to be insulting and offensive. The Tribune can endorse any position it wants—although I disagreed with the paper’s stance and voted “no” on Measure G. What was truly offensive was The…
County measure to ban fracking and oil drilling fails
In what was likely the most expensive election campaign ever waged in San Luis Obispo County, 55.7 percent of local voters rejected Measure G, a proposed ban on fracking and oil expansion on county lands, according to unofficial election night results. After qualifying for the Nov. 6 ballot with more than 20,000 signatures, Measure G…
Mexicana
Fusion fantasy: Longtime Morro Bay restaurant Taco Temple plans to open a new location in San Luis Obispo in 2019! The California/Mexican-fusion fave is slated to serve tacos, burritos, and creative twists on spicy standards in the old Margie’s Diner building off Highway 101 in SLO (for more information, go to tacotemple.com) … On Nov.…
Morro Bay City Council gets new members
With the preliminary results of vote-by-mail ballots, Morro Bay City Council candidates Jeff Heller and Dawn Addis are the frontrunners for the two open council seats. Addis, a teacher and co-founder of the Women’s March SLO, said the best advice that she found when starting her campaign was to focus on being authentic. “I decided…
Hills votes were not ‘temporary’
In New Times’ article “AG Mayor can’t vote on Brisco,” (June 28) Mayor Jim Hill dismissed his previous votes and actions on the Brisco project as “temporary.” Actually, there were and are permanent results from his votes and extensive participation in this issue. Early on, the Brisco subcommittee and ultimately the council agreed to delete…
DA declines to charge former Paso police officer accused of sexual assault
A former Paso Robles police sergeant accused of committing forcible sex acts against a woman while on duty will not face criminal charges, despite the discovery of DNA evidence related to the case. SLO County District Attorney Dan Dow said his office concluded an investigation into the accusations against the former officer, Christopher McGuire, and…
News nibs
Pho-nomenal: Pho 4 U in Atascadero is serving up Vietnamese pho noodle bowls perfect for warming up those chilly winter nights. Get yours with beef, chicken, or tofu and grab a batch of egg rolls or fried dumplings if you’re feeling extra cozy (5985 Entrada Ave., Atascadero) … Park Street Grill in Paso Robles will…
SLO County employees threaten labor strike as pay lags: ‘Patience has worn out’
Editor’s Note: SLO County employees interviewed for this story were granted anonymity by New Times due to fear of retaliation. The San Luis Obispo County Government Center shutters at 5 p.m., but many of its services don’t. Social workers remain on call all night to respond to reports of child abuse and domestic violence. Utility…
A century ago
A hundred years ago this Sunday, Nov. 11, the cataclysmic “Great War” (the “war to end all wars,” aka, The First World War or World War I) came to a close as the warring powers signed an armistice at 5 a.m. However, the armistice would not take effect until 11 a.m., which meant life or…
Harmon re-elected SLO mayor, Christianson and Stewart on City Council
As upbeat music, people, and laughter emanated from the front patio of Kreuzberg in downtown San Luis Obispo on election night, Mayor Heidi Harmon was inside, dancing. In a vintage-Harmon red dress that twirled with her movement, synthetic red rose petals affixed to her hair, and a smile on her face, Harmon wore the look…
Lucia Mar begins the inner workings of becoming a trauma-informed school district
According to a 2015 report by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, more than two-thirds of children in the U.S. reported experiencing at least one traumatic event by the age of 16. That could mean psychological, physical, or sexual abuse; community or school violence; witnessing or experiencing domestic violence; natural disasters or terrorism;…
How sweet it is
D’oh nuts: Downtown Donut Company in downtown SLO is your hands-on DIY doughnut haven, but that doesn’t mean you can’t pick up pre-made flavors, too. Try the Peanut Butter and Jelly Time, Elvis Presley, or New York style strawberry cheesecake for a sweet, sinful fix … You don’t have to be a tourist to live…
Morro Bay High stages ‘The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time’
The Morro Bay High School Theatre Arts Department presents its production of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, based on the novel by Mark Haddon. Performances will be held Nov. 8, 9, and 10 at 7 p.m. in the Morro Bay High School cafeteria. The story centers on 15-year-old Christopher Boone, who…
Russian journalists visit New Times
The editorial staff members of New Times are used to answering questions about the paper from curious readers, but Nov. 2 was one of the first times they needed the help of a Russian translator to do it. That morning, the paper’s publishers, editors, and reporters hosted a delegation of journalists from Russia who’d been…
Roar and whimper
Whew. I’m glad that’s over. Now, who’s ready for 2020? I know. I need to chill the eff out. We haven’t even recovered from Nov. 6, 2018, yet. The blue wave we were promised crested just short of the beach because of that red tide. The donkeys will be fully in charge of the U.S.…
SLO Women’s Connection hosts annual luncheon
The SLO Women’s Connection holds its annual Country Fair Luncheon on Tuesday, Nov. 13, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Madonna Inn Garden Room. The event features a live and silent auction, baked goods, crafts, and more. Guest speaker Natasha Wills will present a talk after lunch. Tickets are $25. This luncheon is…
‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ overcomes its flaws by being joyously uplifting
BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY What’s it rated? PG-13 What’s it worth, Anna? Full price What’s it worth, Glen? Full price Where’s it showing? Bay, Downtown Centre, Fair Oaks, Galaxy, Park, Stadium 10 Bryan Singer (The Usual Suspects, X-Men, Superman Returns) directs this biopic about Freddie Mercury (Rami Malek) and Queen, chronicling the band’s rise to super stardom,…
Grill masters
Sometimes you’ve just got to believe the hype. When everyone told Brian and Nancy Stein that they should open a restaurant, they actually decided to go for it! As owners of Stein’s Deli in Atascadero and Stein’s BBQ & Catering, the couple already had its finger on the pulse of what the public was hankering…
The 10th annual New Times Music Awards rocked the Fremont Theater!
It’s Friday, Nov. 2, and all the beautiful people are in the Fremont Theater for the 2018 New Times Music Awards. There’s glitz, there’s glamour, and there’s a whole lotta music filling up the old art deco theater. First up are the youth category winners—Rio Fleming, Sacha Carlson, and Escaping Monochrome—who deliver short but crafty…
Quantum safety leap needed
For many years I have been aware of the extreme dangers on the narrow two-lane Highway 166 between Santa Maria and Bakersfield. It was good to see the Cuyama Valley speaking up in unison requesting help with this roadway. Because we own a small ranch in the Cuyama Valley, I frequently use this roadway. Back…
Film Listings 11/8/18 – 11/15/18
Editor’s note: Listings for Regal Arroyo Grande Stadium 10 were incomplete at press time. Call (844) 462-7342 for a complete listings of their films. BEAUTIFUL BOY What’s it rated? R Where’s it showing? Downtown Centre New Felix van Groeningen (With Friends Like These, The Misfortunates, Belgica) directs this biopic based on a pair of best-selling…
SLO Rep brings Tennessee Williams’ ‘Glass Menagerie’ to the stage
On stage The Glass Menagerie will show at the SLO Repertory Theatre through Nov. 18. Tickets range from $20 to $36. Visit slorep.org for more information. Wild animals aren’t meant to be captive. And yet, from city to city, we cram ourselves into tiny boxes. The San Luis Obispo Repertory Theatre explored the paradox of…
No straw November
Plastic pollution poses a growing threat to our oceans, coastlines, and waterways. To raise awareness about this issue, I authored Senate Concurrent Resolution 139, which proclaims the month of November as “No Straw November” in the state of California. Shelby O’Neil, Junior Ocean Guardian founder, created the No Straw November initiative for her 2017 Girl…
Sound off 11/8/18
New Times readers took to Facebook to share their thoughts on our Nov. 1 news brief, “Measure G campaigns clash as opposition spends millions.”
Original play on Icarus tale debuts at Cal Poly
On stage Trust Fall will show at Cal Poly’s Spanos Theatre through Nov. 10. Tickets are $12 for students and children and $20 for adults. Visit pacslo.org for tickets and more information. Don’t fly too close to the sun. It’s good, solid advice that expands far beyond the moral of the cautionary tale it came…
Thanks for supporting Big Brothers Big Sisters
For an agency built on the mission of mentoring, there is no better role model than the late Harold J. Miossi. Through the Harold J. Miossi Charitable Trust, countless youth in our community have been given hope and promise. Since 2012, the trust has supported the Big Brothers Big Sisters School Based Program with six…
