Cover Story
‘The Great Imitator’: Lyme disease is much more common than initially believed
A Western blacklegged tick is like something out of a Ridley Scott-directed nightmare in miniature, all HR Giger joints and glossy exoskeleton. Adult females resemble burnt sesame seeds dipped in ketchup. Despite their miniscule size—with their eight legs spread wide, they’d pretty much cover Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s nose on a dime—they can have a huge…
Shutting us down
Once, a while back, I caught some exotic strain of the flu—I’d been licking postage stamps affixed to Bubblegum Alley, so I probably had it coming—and I puked for three days solid. I vomited so hard and for so long that there was nothing left, so my body decided to dredge up vestigial organs. My…
What would you shut down if you could?
Josie Low Birthday Party Fanatic “I would shut down grumpy people in the morning because they stink.” Grace Huntsinger Freelance Journalist “Not the government.” Evanne Mingori EMT “Speaker of the House, [John] Boehner.” Leanna Newby Music Teacher “Planned Parenthood, but that’s not politically correct.”
John Fogerty plays Vina Robles Amphitheatre!
The John Fogerty story is a classic rock fable, a story of raw talent, hubris, rises and falls, and ultimately perseverance. Born in Berkeley, John was the younger brother of Tom Fogerty, who led the first incarnation of the band that would become Creedence Clearwater Revival. Called Tommy Fogerty and the Blue Velvets, the late-’50s…
They don’t look a day over 49: PCPA’s 50th Season
Santa Maria’s Pacific Conservatory of the Performing Arts, or PCPA, has recently announced its 50th season. The 2013-2014 season kicks off Nov. 7 with the delightful Mary Poppins, a show that needs no introduction. The same goes for Shakespeare’s Hamlet, which opens Feb. 13 after a break for the holidays. Also opening in February is…
Catch the 5th Annual Central Coast Classic Motorcycle Show!
If you dig old motorcycles as much as I do, you’re not going to want to miss the 5th Annual Central Coast Classic Motorcycle Show on Saturday Oct. 12! This year’s Grand Marshall is the famed racer Mert Lawwill, the American Motorcyclist Association Grand National Champion of 1969, who was one of the top professionals…
Can you top this? At the SLO Symphony’s season opener, Jim Cushing waxes poetic over violin concertos and Anne Akiko Meyers’ dress
Editor’s note: The following is the first of a series of San Luis Obispo Symphony reviews by SLO Poet Laureate James Cushing. The SLO Symphony began its 2013-2014 season on Saturday night, Oct. 5 with one of those can-you-top-this performances that classical music listeners hope for. The all-Russian program was the first concert of conductor…
A SLO County production of Carmen presents an enormous collaboration of local artists
As is the case of many iconic French things, Georges Bizet’s Carmen was reviled by Parisians upon its 1875 premiere. The opera-comique, after all, was for tales of gods and royalty, not prostitutes and bullfighters. The world of Carmen was one of seedy taverns and factories, of smugglers and urchins. Its tale of crime, seduction,…
A Place to Grow has greenhouses a’plenty
The aroma in the workshop at A Place to Grow in SLO creates the illusion of being amongst California’s ancient redwoods. The structure is difficult to see until the lights of the warehouse illuminate its true dimensions. This large array of random materials was a greenhouse. A Place to Grow Owner, Dana O’Brien, takes special…
Cougars & Mustangs: Gum goes in the trash
October is here! Time to grab the pumpkin spice lattes and plug in the specially-ordered Creature Feature albums. This is the month for being terrified, and boy have I been feeling that as of late! I like to wear relatively nice jackets to school on account of my having skinny, easily-cold arms and also wanting…
Everything cool? A report on Diablo Canyon’s once-through cooling alternatives breeds more questions than answers
What’s a reasonable price tag to put on the continued operation of Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant? That’s the multi-billion-dollar question surrounding a recently released report by Pacific Gas & Electric’s contractor analyzing means of eliminating the plant’s once-through-cooling system in favor of one that complies with State Water Board regulations. Simply put, once-through cooling…
Newly appointed Caren Ray alters makeup–and seating arrangement–of San Luis Obispo County supervisors
After months of curiosity and speculation over a seat left vacant all summer long, San Luis Obispo County has a new 4th District supervisor. Gov. Jerry Brown selected Caren Ray, who served on the Arroyo Grande City Council before her appointment, after a long, thorough process. Ray’s appointment was announced Oct. 3, and she was…
AGPD will finally move its station–temporarily
The years-long saga of Arroyo Grande’s quest to do something about its dismal police department digs took a vital step on Oct. 8, when the City Council approved a temporary relocation for the department’s operations while the current station undergoes a roughly $1.4 million renovation. The council unanimously approved temporarily moving operations to the nearby…
Atascadero City Hall: Now available for rent
After some debate, the Atascadero City Council unanimously approved a measure on Oct. 8 that will open the upper rotunda and first-floor conference rooms of the recently renovated City Hall to rentals for private parties. The council’s debate mainly revolved around whether the intention of the measure is to play host to 30-plus events per…
Supervisors expand the Paso basin’s water ordinance to two years
In just about two hours—potty break included—the San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors finally took decisive action on an urgency ordinance that in previous weeks was an issue hotter than an Indian summer that took longer to pass than a kidney stone. The ordinance will place a moratorium on new and continued use of…
Supervisor Arnold’s family applies for a wine-tasting room
As the San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors grappled with issues surrounding a moratorium on new water usage in the Paso Robles Groundwater Basin, locals lobbed accusations of a conflict of interest at 5th District Supervisor Debbie Arnold. Arnold, whose district shares the basin with the 1st District to its north, has been a…
Former SLO County Farm Bureau prez gets sentenced to 11 years
The former head of a South San Luis Obispo County agricultural chemical company was sentenced for his role in an elaborate scheme that bilked his family and friends out of nearly $50 million. John Mark Moore, 51, who was president of the SLO County Farm Bureau from 2007 to 2009, was sentenced in federal court…
Morro Bay mayor, residents fire back at a recall attempt
Nearly one month after a narrow Morro Bay City Council majority floated the idea of disciplining or even terminating its two top city administrators, the backlash from a segment of the politically divided community isn’t letting up. No action was taken at that Sept. 12 special meeting, but accusations of cronyism and questionable motives continue…
Morro Bay’s talking with the Coast Guard about a station expansion
Despite early disagreements over possible locations for a station expansion, the Morro Bay City Council wants to continue its good relations with the U.S. Coast Guard and explore available options that would allow the agency to revamp its facilities in the harbor without affecting the look of the tourist-heavy Embarcadero. On Oct. 8, the council…
Dear members of the Senate and Congress
I awoke the morning of Oct. 1 to screaming heads on the news stations. I think it is important for you all to understand that we don’t care which of you points fingers at whom. It doesn’t matter to us because you’re all guilty of not getting your work done. We’re sick and tired of…
Supervisors, do something
Please, could you all help with this water problem? I live in Independence Ranch area and am witnessing one house after another having to lower their water pumps. The wells are only so deep, as you know, and the drinkable water table only so deep. We had to lower our well, and every house surrounding…
Vote the Pismo bums out
I have already decided how I am going to vote in next year’s election for Pismo Beach City Council. The current council (Shelly Higginbotham, Mary Ann Reiss, and Kris Vardas) stands for massive development, less potable water for everyone, more taxes and fees, more traffic, and dirty air. They are nice people, but I do…
Enough is enough with this sort of stuff
The motives of those attempting the recall of Morro Bay’s mayor seem highly suspect. Because their stated grounds don’t appear truthful, the whole exercise just smacks of unseemly politics. One might say “who cares, this won’t go anywhere,” but this thing is another of the expensive diversions that we in Morro Bay are so tired…
These Morro Bay employees deserve thanks, not termination
I’ve lived in Morro Bay for 24 years and served in city government for 20 years, six as mayor. I have never seen the community as torn apart as it is by the recent actions of the current mayor and two councilmembers. This triumvirate, two of them with only 10 months in office, plan to…
Urban sprawl in Paso Robles is the worst!
It looks like the next Price Canyon-like fight might take place in Paso Robles. The city’s proposed Gateway Project annexation—along with the development plans for Chandler Ranch, Olsen Ranch, and Beechwood—represent now-obsolete 20th-century-type urban sprawl of the worst kind. The City Council members act like they are still living in the 1950s. There is no…
You realize you’re calling victims ‘whores,’ right?
In response to Steve T. Kobara’s “Don’t settle for empty sexual calories” letter (Sept. 26): Steve, you claim that “when women and children are kidnapped and forced to be whores,”—it’s not kind to name-call victims of horrid crimes whores, by the way!—“their liberties are violated.” Did you know that this is one of the main…
Help us build a memorial
When Fort Ord closed two decades ago, the community promised to veterans and their families that we would build a final resting place that honors the achievements and sacrifices on behalf of our nation: a veterans cemetery. It is time we made good on that promise. More than 1.5 million dedicated men and women in…
The 67th Annual Pismo Beach Clam Festival is just around the corner
Just when we thought summer was over, the heat has come back, and the festivities are still happening along the coast. On the weekend of Oct. 18, Pismo Beach is kicking off its 67th annual Clam Festival. Clams have always made me think of Alice in Wonderland when all the kid clams are crying when…
Justin 2012 Sauvignon Blanc Paso Robles
This delicious white was quite a pleasant surprise during a visit to Justin Vineyards, recently. Pretty, forward fruit flavors of pink grapefruit, stone fruit, and citrus make this quite tasty on its own, and a delicious aperitif. It’s also a great choice at the table for its versatility with an array of tasty foods. Justin’s…
The Morro Bay Oyster Festival is rife with, well, you know
There’s a ritual my husband Dan and I share during our frequent visits each year to our former hometown, San Francisco. We drive straight to our favorite hotel on 3rd Street near Market, check the car, drop the bags, and then walk directly to the Ferry Plaza Market on the Embarcadero. Once past those historic…
Clubs 10/10/13
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…
