Cover Story
Basin battle: Cuyama Valley’s small farmers, landowners face off against corporations over groundwater
Editor’s note: This is a truncated version of a longer story running concurrently in our sister paper, the Santa Maria Sun, titled “Faces of the valley.” Dust kicked up onto Stephen Gliessman’s work boots as he walked through his vineyard. A wide-brimmed hat protected his face from the Cuyama sun beating down in the 90-degree…
All stick, no carrot
It’s David and Goliath all over again, except the underdogs have layers of legal troubles and expenses between them and the giant they hope to, if not slay, at least subdue. I’m talking about the little farmers of Cuyama facing off against Big Carrot—Bolthouse Farms and Grimmway Farms—two massive corporate growers with 80 percent of…
Reptile is a ’90s-style police procedural thriller
REPTILE What’s it rated? R What’s it worth, Glen? Full price What’s it worth, Anna? Full price Where’s it showing? Netflix Music video director Grant Singer makes his feature film directorial debut with this stylish police procedural he wrote with Benjamin Brewer and star Benicio Del Toro about New England Detective Tom Nichols (Del Toro),…
Donnie Darko
What’s it rated? R When? 2001 Where’s it showing? The Palm Theatre of San Luis Obispo on Saturday, Oct. 14 (1:30, 4:15, and 7 p.m.) and Monday, Oct. 16 (7 p.m.) Writer-director Richard Kelly (Southland Tales, The Box) helms this cult classic that’s still as puzzling now as when it first came out in 2001.…
Poltergeist
What’s it rated? PG When? 1982 Where’s it showing? The Sunset Drive-In on Wednesday, Oct. 18 (7:15 p.m.) Tobe Hopper (The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Lifeforce) directs this supernatural horror story written by Steven Spielberg about a family that moves to a new home in the planned community of Cuesta Verde and soon discovers it’s occupied…
SLO sees spike in code violation reports thanks to new phone app
An app designed by the city of San Luis Obispo resulted in an avalanche of code violation reports to the Community Development Department. Through a centralized resident inquiry system called Ask SLO, the department saw an increase in code enforcement requests pertaining to health and safety rules, building standards, zoning and land use designations, property…
Oceano Community Services District audit alleges that a staff member embezzled cash
At least one Oceano Community Services District (OCSD) board member recently asked the county District Attorney’s Office to investigate a former employee who allegedly stole cash and gave themselves more sick and vacation time than allowed. “[The] employee designated to process payroll had too much system access,” states a recently released district audit report. “The…
Central Coast Blue pursues grants to pay for recycled water project
Central Coast Blue recently received an $8 million grant from the State Water Resources Control Board to help fund the water sustainability project, lessening the financial impact on local residents. “We have been aggressively pursuing grant funds for every supply of funding for similar projects that we can,” said Geoff English, general manager of Central…
Atascadero City Council approves RV storage lot with conditions
After almost two years of waiting for official approval, the applicants of a proposed RV lot located on the bank of the Salinas River got their project unanimously approved by the Atascadero City Council on Oct. 10. Even with council approval, there are still concerns that malign the project. “This is a difficult project for…
Winter storm victims file lawsuits against SLO County, alleging negligence
San Luis Obispo County is facing legal ire for allegedly neglecting some of its constituents during the historic January rainstorms and thereafter. On Oct. 4, the parents of San Miguel’s missing 5-year-old, Kyle Doan, sued the county, the city of Paso Robles, and the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) for damages pertaining to negligence, dangerous…
Humdinger Brewing and the Five Cities firefighters union pours a new beer to help 5Cities Homeless Coalition
Sit and sip Grab pints of Boots and Hose at Humdinger Brewing’s Arroyo Grande flagship bar on 116 West Branch St. from noon to 9 p.m. on weekdays, and 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekends. Boots and Hose is also available in its San Luis Obispo taproom at 855 Capitolio Way. The taproom is…
Cuesta and Allan Hancock colleges push for bachelor’s programs
A new era is close to becoming a reality for Cuesta and Allan Hancock Community Colleges. “[Traditionally] community colleges primarily serve to provide university transfer preparation, certificates, and degrees in career education programs,” Dr. Jill Stearns said. But the Cuesta College superintendent and president said that’s about to change. According to Stearns, this new direction…
Cal Poly’s Performing Arts Center plaza to receive renovations and expand its overall space by Winter 2024
In the know To keep up with the status of the plaza project or find out what’s showing at the Cal Poly Performing Arts Center, visit pacslo.org. If you’ve driven down Grand Avenue onto Cal Poly’s campus, you’ve seen it. Not the looming Yosemite towers, the modern edge of the Vista Grande dining center, or…
Contractors get 10 days to prepare Arroyo Grande Creek for winter
After Arroyo Grande Creek was deluged with debris during last winter’s rainstorms, contractors will have only 10 days to remove branches and other vegetation from the creek to prepare for this upcoming winter season. “The city’s goal is to get as much creek work done as we can now in order to prepare for what…
The Bunker SLO holds Kickoff Celebration for OSAT
In conjunction with the 25th annual Open Studios Art Tour (OSAT), the Bunker SLO is hosting the OSAT Kickoff Celebration on Friday, Oct. 13, from 6 to 9 p.m. Works by several artists featured in the tour—which runs Oct. 14, 15, 21, and 22 and various locations across SLO County—will be on display at the…
Aspire Counseling Services co-hosts teen wellness forum in Atascadero amid increasing rate of mental health incidents
San Luis Obispo County’s increasing rate of suicide attempts, overdoses, and mental health crises-related hospitalizations among teenagers alarmed Executive Director Tom Buckley and his team at Aspire Counseling Services. “We have a high amount of suicides compared to the national average, and we have a low amount of resources and services in this county,” Buckley…
Polls open to determine winner of New Times Music Awards’ Readers Choice Award
To determine the winner of this year’s Readers Choice Award in the 2023 New Times Music Awards competition, the New Times Media Group is collecting votes through Monday, Oct. 16, at 5 p.m. The polls opened in early October. This year marks the 15th year for the annual New Times Music Awards. The competition’s awards…
Eighties icons The Psychedelic Furs and Squeeze share the bill at Vina Robles Amphitheatre on Oct. 12
I sure played the heck out of my Psychedelic Furs and Squeeze records back in the ’80s. Psych Furs still includes its two core founding members—brothers Richard and Tim Butler—who formed the band in 1977 and soon developed into one of the preeminent bands of the New Wave era. Their song “Pretty in Pink” served…
The Oceano Community Services District needs change on its board
I don’t know if you’ve been to the Oceano Community Services District (OCSD) meetings lately, but I must warn you if you haven’t been. There has been a consistent pattern of negativity during these meetings, and as we all know, negativity can become cancerous. This negative energy I’m talking about has been present since Charles…
Central Coast Blue will help stabilize Five Cities’ future water supply
In the scenic heart of California’s Central Coast lies the Five Cities region, renowned for its natural beauty, vibrant communities, and agricultural abundance. Yet, as we all know, water is the lifeblood of this prosperity, and maintaining a stable water supply has been an ongoing challenge. Now, a promising solution emerges: Central Coast Blue, a…
