Cover Story
Setting the bar
For a moment, Denise Juarez didn’t know if she was going to make it up to the stage. The then 19-year-old from Morro Bay heard her name booming over the loudspeaker inside the NASPower Gym in Bakersfield, but she was frozen with fear. She was about to compete for the first time at powerlifting, a…
Shared history
Wine education Check out the history of zinfandel in SLO County during a Wine History Project tour of the Zin/SLO exhibit at SLO’s Dallidet Adobe on Nov. 2 from 2 to 4 p.m. The Wine History Project of SLO County also hosts monthly food history events on the second Monday of every month. Next up…
Vote yes on G
The latest report of the U.N.’s top climate science panel (IPCC) released last week is an urgent call to take strong action now to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius. Current levels of warming have already reached 1 degree Celsius above preindustrial levels and will continue to rise with business as usual. The Arctic…
Hearst Castle celebrates reopening of Neptune Pool
The Friends of Hearst Castle hosts Grand Reopening: Sunset Soiree and Swim Party on Sunday, Oct. 21. This event celebrates the reopening of Hearst Castle’s Neptune Pool, which was emptied in 2013. Renovations began in 2016 and the pool was refilled this August upon completion. Admission is $325 for Friends of Hearst Castle members and…
Big oil vs. SLO
The citizens of San Luis Obispo County are being subjected to a multimillion dollar propaganda campaign based on lies. Its focus is Measure G, the citizens’ initiative to ban new oil wells and prevent fracking. The big lie is that Measure G will shut down existing oil production in SLO county. The fact is that…
SLO Children’s Museum holds annual benefit
The San Luis Obispo Children’s Museum hosts its annual adults-only fundraiser, Under the Sea, on Friday, Oct. 26, at 5:30 p.m. in the SLO Vets Hall. Proceeds from this ocean-themed event benefit the museum’s current and upcoming programs and exhibits. The museum announced Marsha Lifter, board member emeritus, as the honoree of the event for…
Happy birthday to us
This seems like a good time to muse about why I love the Sierra Club. I’ve been on staff here for nigh unto 15 years, doing my job every day, five days a week, so I actually have to sit down and think about that, as musing on such a question isn’t normally part of…
Paso Robles hosts Golden Oak Honey Festival
The annual Golden Oak Honey Festival takes place on Saturday, Oct. 27, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Downtown City Park in Paso Robles. This family-friendly festival features vendors of antiques, collectibles, crafts, retail, food, and more. Several beekeeping and honey seminars will also be held throughout the event for guests to enjoy. Admission…
The little farm that could
What a difference a few years make when you have enough sunshine, soil, water, and love to give! Just four years ago, SLO City Farm planted its first seeds. Now, the farm has truly come into its own. Still, plenty of folks have never stepped foot on this tucked-away gem sprouting with gorgeous greenery. Thousands…
Punkgrass poet
The genius of The Devil Makes Three’s music is how they boil each song down to its essence, cutting away any extraneous and unnecessary elements until it’s a polished punkgrass poem. Take for instance the title track to their new album, Chains Are Broken. The revved-up three-minute gallop drives straight through the seedy part of…
Sound off
New Times readers took to Facebook to share their thoughts on Al Fonzi’s Oct. 11 opinion column, “Lynch mob or rule of law?”
Financial concerns
Paso Robles Joint Unified School District is working with the San Luis Obispo County Office of Education to bring its financial budget up to state standards once again. After a spending oversight and the constant turnover of the district’s chief of business, the district’s budget reserve is depleted and teachers are worried about their future…
Guessing game
Writer-director Drew Goddard (The Cabin in the Woods) helms this mystery thriller about a group of secret-keeping strangers—fake priest Daniel Flynn (Jeff Bridges), nightclub singer Darlene Sweet (Cynthia Erivo), criminal Emily Summerspring (Dakota Johnson), vacuum cleaner salesman Seymour “Laramie” Sullivan (Jon Hamm), and cult leader Billy Lee (Chris Hemsworth)—who converge at Lake Tahoe’s seedy California/Nevada-straddling…
Levity Academy holds first Halloween aerial show
Just hanging out The Welcome Stranger aerial spectacular will be on stage at Levity Academy in SLO on Oct. 19 and 20 at 7 p.m. (doors open at 6:30 p.m.; seating is first come, first served). Tickets are $22 and include light, seasonal refreshments. The space has 48 actual seats available, and after that it’s…
Defending pumping
A Santa Clara County jury served four Paso Robles-area government agencies a victory in court on Sept. 24, concluding in a unanimous ruling that those public water purveyors had established a right to pump from the Paso Robles Groundwater Basin—even in adverse conditions, like a drought. After a month-long trial stemming from a 2013 lawsuit…
Pets in motion
Veterinarian Rebecca Staple has a slogan. It’s written on her wall. “A body in motion stays in motion.” In this case, the bodies aren’t those of SLO residents, but of their beloved pets. Staple recently opened Coastal Veterinary Rehabilitation and Acupuncture in Los Osos. There, she offers a range of animal rehabilitation treatments (think of…
It’s back to the drawing board for San Simeon wastewater
San Simeon is still looking for a long-term solution to its wastewater treatment plant after withdrawing a second application with the California Coastal Commission. At the Oct. 12 Coastal Commission meeting, the San Simeon Community Services District was seeking authorization for an after-the-fact development permit for repairs the district made to the plant without commission…
Planning Commission approves Santa Margarita cannabis facility
Santa Margarita is one step closer to getting its first commercial cannabis business. Members of the San Luis Obispo County Planning Commission voted 4-0 on Oct. 11 to approve a conditional-use permit that will allow the GMFL Inc. and Sungrown Wellness to operate a non-storefront cannabis dispensary for mobile delivery and a distribution facility out…
Let’s keep moving forward
In the short time I have been mayor, I am proud of what the community and current San Luis Obispo City Council have accomplished on the issues that residents care about most. We’ve created more affordability and inclusivity, we’ve led San Luis Obispo to be the national leader on our carbon neutrality goal, we’ve expanded…
Lawn sign debate wages in SLO city
“Their signs are too big.” “Our signs are getting stolen.” “Our signs are also getting stolen.” “Their signs violate city code.” “Our signs are protected by free speech.” In the bitter fight for San Luis Obispo mayor between candidates Heidi Harmon and T. Keith Gurnee, banter like this is taking place over social media, city…
Film Listings, 10/18/18 – 10/25/18
BAD TIMES AT THE EL ROYALE What’s it rated? R What’s it worth? Matinee Where’s it showing? Downtown Centre, Galaxy, Park, Stadium 10 See Split Screen. COLETTE What’s it rated? R What’s it worth? Full price Where’s it showing? Galaxy, The Palm PickWash Westmoreland (Still Alice) directs Keira Knightly as Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette, a tenacious former…
Grover Beach declares homeless shelter crisis
Grover Beach became the second South SLO County city to declare a homeless shelter crisis this month in order to get a portion of a multi-million-dollar state grant program to combat homelessness. Members of the Grover Beach City Council voted unanimously to declare the shelter crisis at an Oct. 15 meeting. The vote followed a…
Original musical takes inspiration from local dog controversy
Here, boy! Danny, Come Home will show at the Unitarian Universalist Church in San Luis Obispo on Oct. 19 and 20 at 7 p.m. There is a suggested donation of $10 for children and students and $15 for adults. Tickets can be purchased at the door or in advance at brownpapertickets.com. Lyricist seeks composer,” the…
New candidates for Cambria seats talk water and communication
Three newcomers are vying against incumbent Aaron Wharton for two open Cambria Community Services District spots in the November election. Wharton is the owner of 927 Beer Company, and was appointed by the board in October of last year to fill a vacant seat. Dennis Perry, Donn Howell, and Cindy Steidel are running against him.…
Keep oil and jobs local
There is no fracking in San Luis Obispo County, and even Measure G supporters will admit that the county’s geology doesn’t support fracking. What Measure G will do is shut down existing oil and gas production in San Luis Obispo County, along with the jobs, tax revenue, and economic activity it supports. Measure G would…
CHP searching for driver in fatal hit-and-run
The CHP is asking for the public’s help in finding an unknown driver who struck and killed a 22-year-old man near Paso Robles. On Oct. 15, the CHP released a description of the vehicle that they say hit the man, Nathaniel J. Weatherly. Officials said they were looking for a gold-colored Toyota Sienna minivan. The…
From 1978 to 2018, 40 years of farmer’s markets in SLO
Into the green The San Luis Obispo County Farmers’ Market Association (SLOFMA) is a mutual benefit, not-for-profit corporation. As a mutual benefit organization, it serves two groups: It provides several market places for family owned and operated farms, and it provides fresh quality products directly to consumers. Currently, SLOFMA operates five weekly markets throughout the…
Higher PG&E exit fees jeopardize Central Coast Community Energy
A recent move by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) to raise fees on PG&E customers bolting for locally run energy programs may jeopardize San Luis Obispo and Morro Bay’s plan to launch Central Coast Community Energy. In a highly anticipated Oct. 11 decision, the CPUC unanimously voted to tweak the formula used to calculate…
The nerve!
This seems to be the era of rank dishonesty in politics. Specifically on the right-wing Republican side. I sometimes spend some of my downtime watching YouTube videos. But it seems lately that every single video I watch is preceded by a No on Measure G ad. But what’s maddening is that the oil companies putting…
Harvest hoopla
Work hard, play hard: Harvest Wine Weekend uncorks Oct. 19 through 21! Peer behind the curtain as winemakers open up barrel rooms and tasting rooms in celebration of the new wine harvest. This Oct. 20 and 21, more than a hundred wineries are kicking up their heels and sharing great meals. A Harvest Wine and…
Vote no on Measure G
No, I do not own any oil company stock. Nor do I have relatives working in the oil business. People must be made aware that limiting oil production is helping Vladimir Putin and the Russians maintain their high price on oil production in Russia. Our intelligence agency has unequivocally proven that Russia has been providing…
Signs of drama
With less than a month until the Nov. 6 election, those campaign sign kerfuffles are coming in hot. It’s that time of year when people start stealing their neighbors’ lawn signs, the complaints over campaign signs being erected on purportedly public property start raining down on city halls throughout SLO County, and angry self-righteous residents…
