Cover Story
Surf culture
First it captures their minds. Then it steals their hearts. Before too long, it becomes the experience they base their free time around. For many people on the Central Coast, surfing–and the stoke that comes along with it–has become a way of life. # Still, there’s technically no one “way of life.” San Luis Obispo…
Atascadero council says no to Wal-Mart
A majority of Atascadero’s City Council members seem to believe that their community will have a better chance to save money and live better–in the words of Wal-Mart’s slogan–without a large version of America’s largest retailer in town. At its Oct. 29 meeting, the council voted 4-1 against taking the first steps toward bringing a…
The last DJ?
Amid stacked boxes of old 78s–some of which are so obscure or rare that they haven’t yet been copied to a digital format–sits Jim Kampschroer (pronounced camp-shore). From his library of more than 12,000 songs, he’s coordinating music with commercials, public service announcements, and news in preparation for the next day’s broadcast. # Like his…
Lenthall addresses his address
Where does 3rd District County Supervisor Jerry Lenthall live? Based on public records at least, the answer isn’t quite as simple as the question. # In a declaration Lenthall filed when he began a race for the seat in November 2003, Lenthall affirmed that he then lived on San Luis Obispo’s Bluebell Way, within the…
Los Osos sewer project gets approval
SLO County supervisors are expected to confirm Los Osos homeowners’ resounding vote of support for a sewer assessment at their meeting on Nov. 6. The first indications of the community’s overwhelming “yes” vote on the long-simmering sewer project–nearly 80 percent of the final tally–came early during the ballot counting at the County Government Center on…
Always local, always independent
Do you remember when there were many local radio stations–some independent, others part of major networks, but nearly all featuring some locally produced programs? The major networks produced a wide variety of shows, ranging from the Jack Benny and Edgar Bergen-Charlie McCarthy shows to The Metropolitan Opera and The Mormon Tabernacle Choir. I can remember…
The sweet, sweet taste of confusion
My heart is beating about a mile a minute and I can’t seem to catch my breath and my palms are all sweaty and my vision is kind of blurry but less like a hazy hung-over sort of blur and more like everything is vibrating really really really really really fast. Whew. It passed. Ever…
Templeton dispensary decision faces more delays
San Luis Obispo County medical marijuana patients will once again have to wait to find out if they can fill their prescriptions locally. For the second straight meeting, county planning commissioners were unable to reach a verdict concerning a cannabis co-op, which would be located in an industrial park at 3850 Ramada Drive in Templeton.…
Meet the even newer New Longview
# Five years ago, a couple of Cal Poly kids living in the Sierra Madre dorm started spending their free time playing cover songs together. It didn’t take long for them to realize they sounded pretty good, and soon Dan Curcio and Chris “Haircut” Arntzen began writing original material and enlisting other musicians to put…
The shape of surf
In an era of mass-produced, cookie-cutter, machine-made surfboards, purists can heave a sigh of relief to see Leon Burrows take surfboard shaping back to its roots. # Burrows, a carpenter by trade and a surfer by choice, has recently combined the skills of his profession and the knowledge of his hobby to create high-quality redwood…
Letters
Meth ad is ugly, but it’s helpful Thank you for including the “Meth–not even once” advertisement on page 3 of the Oct. 25 issue. Although the picture was terrifying, it got the point across and provides a community service by referring people to a help line and website. Colette Joyce San Luis Obispo …
Something to talk about
Pecha Kucha–a Japanese term–technically means “the sound of conversation.” What it means for San Luis Obispo’s arts community, however, is inexpressible. Less formal than a lecture, but more structured than your # standard free-for-all art exhibit, a night of Pecha Kucha is a night of sharing images, ideas, and art. In the past three years,…
Fast facts
A new San Luis Obispo firm is offering personalized financial planning and investment management services. Empowering Financial Solutions Inc. will launch its grand opening on Nov. 1 at its new location at 867 Pacific St. from 3 to 7 p.m. The firm will also offer information on investment management services, pension and profit sharing plans,…
Cambria protest heats up
Opponents of a controversial water and sewer rate hike proposed in Cambria received some good news and some bad news at the Oct. 25 meeting of the Cambria Community Services District. Their good news was that 3,321 protest letters were submitted to the district–far more than the 2,002 that CCSD Attorney Art Montandon believes would…
Enjoying the fruits of their labor
During the busy harvest season, I spent a day with Tolosa’s two winemakers, Larry Brooks and Nathan Carlson. While these men have vastly different experiences, not only do they work well together, they respect each other’s talents. Brooks, now in his 30th harvest, started out at Acacia in Carneros/Napa Valley in 1979. He earned the…
Dalidio measure heads to court
The fate of the Dalidio Ranch project could be decided as early as Nov. 2, when opponents of the countywide referendum that theoretically made the development possible have their day in court. A county judge will review the Measure J initiative and hear opponents’ arguments that the ballot method used to gain approval for the…
