The SLOPOKE art show comes to the Octagon Barn
The mystique of the Old West will be on full display this weekend with the return of SLOPOKE, an art exhibition celebrating the American West in the Octagon Barn Event Center from Friday, Oct. 31, at 2 p.m. until Sunday, Nov. 2, at 6 p.m. “More than 25 artists will exhibit paintings, sculpture, jewelry, drawings,…
Southern Culture on the Skids brings their swampy, deep-fried rock and rockabilly to The Siren
The first time I saw Southern Culture on the Skids (SCOTS) was when SLO Brew was on Garden Street upstairs. It must have been the early ’90s, probably around when SCOTS released their third album, For Lovers Only (1992). The record that really cemented that band as one of my favorite live shows was when…
Morro Bay installs thermal-imaging cameras equipped with AI to help fight fires
The Morro Bay Fire Department will begin using cameras with automated AI-technology and long-range thermal detection systems to help catch fires sooner. The idea to install thermal imaging cameras in Morro Bay was born during a social event where Fire Chief Daniel McCrain was speaking with SYTIS representatives about its new fire detection technology. The…
Vote yes on Proposition 50
If California were a country, it would be the fourth-largest economy in the world; it would exert immense global influence in the fields of agriculture, technology, education, entertainment, and individual rights. However, California is but one of our 50 states; as such, we cannot pretend that we live in a vacuum, unaffected by what other…
Trump’s brand of ‘election integrity’
I received a new majority (Trump Republican) mailer on Oct. 23. It provided a very brief background on Proposition 50. Then, it refers the reader to the Protect Your Vote 2025 website, which is a Trojan Horse funded by many wealthy, ultra-conservative billionaires. Protect Your Vote 2025 states: “Stand up for election integrity “Republicans must…
Creating water security in the Five Cities
In May 2017, the California Coastal Commission mandated that the SLO South County Waste Water Treatment plant in Oceano begin planning for a possible relocation by May 2047 due to legitimate concerns that the treatment plant could be compromised by climate change-induced sea level rise and creek flooding. It also required a progress report every…
Newsom’s Great Grift
During a press conference, on Oct. 22, Gov. Gavin Newsom stated that the media, people, and organizations that wield power and influence and do absolutely nothing when they know something is wrong, need to be held accountable. He calls it the “great grift.” Gov. Newsom states that he is sending out kneepads to the CEOs…
It’s not too late, not yet
We Californians can vote yes on Proposition 50 in order to temporarily override the redistricting commission, giving Congress the power to oppose Trump. It is clear now that Trump will betray us and the Constitution to stay in power. The Supreme Court has granted Trump absolute immunity from criminal prosecution for any crimes he might…
The U.S. should look to New Zealand for democratic inspiration
Oct. 18 was No Kings Day, and a chant reverberated throughout America as 7 million protesters marched in 2,700 cities and towns all across the country—including San Luis Obispo: “Tell me what democracy looks like! This is what democracy looks like!” After a two-week tour of New Zealand, here’s what one version of democracy looks…
Locals weigh in on Proposition 50, California’s attempt to redraw congressional districts
Come Nov. 4, all eyes will be on California when eligible voters cast their ballots containing only one item—Proposition 50. The measure would authorize temporary use of new state congressional district maps through 2030, directing the independent Citizens Redistricting Commission to resume enacting district maps in 2031. VoteThe Proposition 50 election has 45 polling locations…
Slippery slope
What brought us to the state we’re in? A tit-for-tat escalation of actions that we all agree are bad—and yet we’re doing it anyway. It started in the Texas Legislature, which—after a show of resistance from state Democrats (who ran away so there wouldn’t be enough legislators to vote)—voted in August to redistrict its congressional…
A veteran uses his voice as a winemaker to spread awareness about mental health
Jason Mergenov first got the “California bug” at 22 years old when the military sent him for training to become a nuclear missile launch officer. He served in the military for 22 years, including time in Iraq. Using the G.I. Bill, Mergenov started studying winemaking at Allan Hancock College in 2012, which turned into his…
SLO County braces for delayed CalFresh benefits in November
San Luis Obispo County is about to lose out on $5.7 million in CalFresh benefits because of the federal government shutdown that the Trump administration is blaming on Democrat lawmakers. “Due to Congressional Democrats’ refusal to pass a clean continuing resolution, approximately 42 million individuals will not receive their SNAP benefits come Nov. 1,” an…
Frankenstein is a gothic visual feast about what makes us human
Writer-director Guillermo del Toro (Pan’s Labyrinth, The Shape of Water, Nightmare Alley) adapts Mary Shelley’s 1818 gothic horror novel for the big screen. Oscar Isaac stars as brilliant but egotistical scientist Victor Frankenstein, who creates a monstrous creature (Jacob Elordi) constructed from cadaver parts, leading to tragedy for both. (149 min.) FRANKENSTEINWhat’s it rated? RWhat’s…
New manager selected for SLO shooting range
Nearly a year after the San Luis Obispo Wildlife Area Public Shooting Range shut down, the first step toward reopening is underway. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) issued an Intent to Award Range Operations on Oct. 27 to San Luis Obispo Firearms and Safety Training (SLOFAST), a nonprofit preparing to assume management,…
The Woman in Cabin 10 delivers a twisty murder mystery and conspiracy at sea
I remember Ruth Ware’s novel of the same name being a real page turner. She has a knack for twisty mystery. This on-screen version of the story wasn’t going to have the same wow factor for me given that I knew the twists and turns already, but I do think that filmmakers were smart to…
Grover Beach reduces notice period for removing homeless encampments
Starting Nov. 28, Grover Beach will give homeless people 48 hours before removing their encampments in a bid to curb camping in the city. The City Council unanimously approved the change—a reduction from the current 72-hour notice—on Oct. 27. “Homelessness has been a long-standing issue in the city of Grover Beach,” Grover Beach Police Chief…
Writer-director Ari Aster’s 2018 feature-length debut, Hereditary, is a disturbing shocker
Since it’s Halloween season, streaming services are packed with horror films, and one of the best is Hereditary, writer-director Ari Aster’s (Beau is Afraid, Eddington) feature-length debut. Toni Collette stars as Annie Graham, a miniature artist who constructs highly detailed and weirdly unsettling dioramas of houses. She lives with her psychiatrist husband, Steve (Gabriel Byrne),…
Atascadero school district sued over Carrisa Plains middle school
The Atascadero Unified School District (AUSD) suspended its plans to discuss solutions for California Valley middle school students commuting 50-plus miles to school, thanks to a recent lawsuit filed by a Carrisa Plains Elementary School graduate. “The district recommends the board consider pausing discussion regarding Carrisa Plains’ ACE program,” AUSD Superintendent Tom Bennett said during…
Casa Ramos Art Gallery celebrates its first anniversary with a retrospective of its namesake, John Ramos, on Nov. 8
Art can do a lot—inspire, provoke, entertain, communicate. In the case of John Ramos, it transports. Highway One Woody is a behind-the-steering-wheel view out of an old woody station wagon driving up the coastline. The Bath places the viewer in a bathtub with their feet under running water as a rubber duckie looks on. Todos…
The SamFest Benefit happens Nov. 2 in Arroyo Grande
It’s been 15 years since Arroyo Grande dancer Samantha Michelle Ford passed away after her third battle with cancer, yet she continues to inspire new generations of performers with her dedication to dance and her indomitable spirit. Every year, SamFest takes place to raise money for dance scholarships at the Studio for the Performing Arts.…
