Cover Story
Pushing for equality: Supreme Court ruling grants Civil Rights Act protections to the LGBTQ-plus community, while new Trump administration rule reverts federal definition of ‘sex’ back to traditional gender roles
In our annual Pride issue, find stories about how the Gala Pride and Diversity Center celebrated Pride Month during the pandemic and how Planned Parenthood of the Central Coast continues to provide gender affirming care; a Trump administration ruling that reverses Obama-era LGBTQ-plus health care coverage protections and what the Supreme Court of the United…
Safe shower and parking programs for homeless end just as COVID-19 cases spike
Despite a recent surge of COVID-19 cases in California and on the Central Coast, San Luis Obispo County recently halted a program aimed at giving homeless individuals a safe place to park, sleep, and shower overnight during the coronavirus pandemic. SLO County first launched its safe parking and shower program in late March, shortly after…
Santa Barbara County supervisors say state didn’t notify them prior to recent business closures
Local business owners weren’t the only ones surprised last week by Gov. Gavin Newsom’s decision to close some sectors in Santa Barbara County. It appears local officials were caught off guard as well. During the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors meeting on July 7, 2nd District Supervisor Gregg Hart said that the state didn’t…
Santa Barbara County Public Health official calls July 4 COVID precautions successful
After a July 2 decision to close all Santa Barbara County beaches over the holiday weekend, county Public Health Officer Dr. Henning Ansorg called the efforts a success. “On all three days here, I did survey the beaches myself, and I think overall it was successful,” Ansorg said. “People were very cooperative in avoiding crowds,…
Former Grand View Apartments complex in Paso is getting a facelift for future tenants
The Grand View Apartments in Paso Robles, recently renamed Vista Robles, have new owners with plans to revitalize the complex and reopen it to prospective tenants by September of this year. The property was put on the market in February amid a tenant lawsuit against the former owners over living conditions. In June, the Koto…
Water board allows Paso Robles to clear flammable brush from riverbed
Following a destructive fire on June 22 and a tense standoff between the city of Paso Robles and the Central Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board, the two agencies agreed this week on an immediate plan to clear vegetation from the Salinas Riverbed. Matt Keeling, executive director of the regional water board, said his office…
Santa Barbara County closes beaches for holiday weekend
Residents looking to visit a Santa Barbara County beach over the July 4 weekend will have to make a change of plans. On July 2, county Health Officer Henning Ansorg issued a health order that closed all public beaches in the county from July 3 through 5, except for people who are accessing the ocean…
Pride 2020: Pushing for equality
In our annual Pride issue, find stories about how the Gala Pride and Diversity Center celebrated Pride Month during the pandemic and how Planned Parenthood of the Central Coast continues to provide gender affirming care; a Trump administration ruling that reverses Obama-era LGBTQ-plus health care coverage protections and what the Supreme Court of the United…
Drive-by Pride: Gala finds a safe way for the community to commemorate Pride Month
Palm Street is home to the newly named Gala Pride and Diversity Center, formerly known as the Gay and Lesbian Alliance of the Central Coast. The organization’s been around since 1989, but in 2018 community members said they wanted a name with more inclusivity. Some members of the LGBTQ-plus community didn’t feel represented by the…
A mistake
I understand there is a planning discussion respecting authorizing additional housing development for Los Osos. I am not a resident of Los Osos and have no economic stake in that question, though my ranch is immediately upstream of their aquifer. Over the past three years I have followed the issues respecting the domestic water resources…
Continued care: In the face of Trump’s rollback of LGBTQ-plus health care protections, Planned Parenthood isn’t going anywhere
Between a landmark Supreme Court ruling for the LGBTQ-plus community and a Trump administration rule that goes in the opposite direction, this year’s Pride Month has been one of both victory and distress for members of the queer community. But no matter what the federal government decrees, Planned Parenthood Central Coast wants residents to know…
Your vote matters
It’s no coincidence that we chose the Fourth of July to kick off our San Luis Obispo County Democratic Party’s (SLOCDP) get out the vote campaign. As we celebrate our nation’s independence, reaffirm our commitment to democracy, and reflect on the history of our nation, in order to truly commemorate our country’s birth—and realize our…
Uncovered: Local LGBTQ-plus community says the fight for equal transgender rights in health care is far from over
It’s been a tough few years for transgender and nonbinary Americans. In 2017, President Donald Trump announced that transgender individuals would no longer be allowed to serve in the U.S. military. In 2018, the U.S. Department of Education announced it would refuse to allow transgender students to use bathrooms and locker rooms that align with…
Sharing in the sacrifice
I want to commend Assemblymember Jordan Cunningham for leading by example and pledging 10 percent of his salary to local nonprofits. With state workers having to swallow pay cuts and furloughs, and with critical budget line items being slashed as a result of the COVID-19 shutdown, it’s refreshing to see a state legislator voluntarily reduce…
Work to do: In wake of Title VII Supreme Court ruling, LGBTQ-plus activists say the equal rights movement still has a long way to go
Hunter Tidd, a north San Luis Obispo County resident, isn’t afraid to express himself in the world. He’s been called flamboyant for his clothing style, which he “changes up pretty dynamically,” from suspenders and a bow tie, to jean shorts, to cashmere sweaters and scarves. He often sports a rainbow-colored Pride bandana in his back…
Wildfire and pandemics
Like a wildfire, this pandemic is now at a point where those fighting the emergency are either going to successfully put out the numerous spot fires and prevent a disaster, or lose control and move into a defensive posture where they are struggling to care for the many victims who will overwhelm our capabilities. As…
Standing in solidarity: Lompoc group holds rally, vigil for LGBTQ-plus community
On May 27, two days after George Floyd died in police custody in Minnesota, triggering weeks of nationwide protests, a black transgender man named Tony McDade died after being shot by police officers in Florida. According to the Human Rights Campaign, McDade is just one of at least 16 transgender or gender nonconforming people who…
Think about the consequences
I have heard protesters in SLO call for defunding and disbanding the police, and I feel I must respond. I shouldn’t have to tell you that there are dangerous people out there—lawless, sadistic brutes with no respect for life or property. In recent weeks, we’ve seen some of them rioting across the land. By giving…
SLO Police Department preparing ‘after action’ report on protests
The San Luis Obispo Police Department (SLOPD) is preparing an after action report to identify “lessons learned” and “what worked well” during recent city protests, including one on June 1 that ended with officers using tear gas, pepper balls, and flash bangs to disperse a crowd of demonstrators on Santa Rosa Street. “I think it…
In cops’ shoes
Following the death of George Floyd, and the resulting protests and riots, there has been a lot of talk from Democrats about “reforming the police,” including some proposals that the police be eliminated completely, and replaced with unarmed “de-escalation teams” and such. Since the police departments in most of the cities in which the incidents…
Before Stonewall, demonstrations in LA called for equal rights
On June 28, 1969, sometime after midnight, a riot broke out in front of the Stonewall Inn—a popular gay bar in New York City’s Greenwich Village—between patrons, supporters, and law enforcement. It’s regarded as the start of the gay rights movement. But it wasn’t the first act of defiance against the way law enforcement treated…
Adulting like toddlers
South County is going for the win these days when it comes to drama that you cringe over but can’t peel your eyes away from. Last week, there was the whole ribbon debacle. It was blue ribbons versus rainbow ribbons in Arroyo Grande and Grover Beach. Adults with colored plastic and scissors were angrily fighting…
Replogle responds to calls for resignation
Recent debates over off-roading at the Oceano Dunes, racial issues, and law enforcement have led to a divide in Oceano that’s playing out largely on social media. But a number of community members say there’s one person to blame for the controversy: Oceano Community Services District (CSD) board member Cynthia Replogle. Replogle, a longtime conservationist…
Paso concerts indicate live music is slowly returning
Editor’s note: Oops! This article was edited because it turns out that Paso Robles has not started their outdoor Concert in the Park series, so Monte Mills will not be performing tonight, July 2. And Jason Cade is playing at Rava Wine’s outdoor concert series Rava on the Rocks on July 5, not The Counterfeit Kings.…
New cannabis restrictions move to SLO County Board of Supervisors for vote
A package of revisions to the San Luis Obispo County cannabis ordinance aimed at reining in the industry is going to the Board of Supervisors for a vote on Aug. 18. The changes include increasing the setbacks required from cannabis grows to off-site residences; a possible ban on all outdoor grows; and a tweak that…
Local poet and life coach B. Misty Wycoff is weathering the pandemic through verse
How are you surviving the new normal? For B. Misty Wycoff, one of this year’s nominees for SLO County Poet Laureate, she’s been writing poetry to sort through the complicated experiences related to navigating COVID-19. After reading her poem “Soy Sauce,” you might be reminded of the ongoing resistance to wearing masks in public. “I…
North County mourns the loss of four young adults
The loss of four young adults, who died after their vehicle crashed into an oak tree in Templeton on June 29, has brought the community together to honor their lives. According to the California Highway Patrol (CHP), a car was speeding on Neal Springs Road in Templeton. The car accelerated to pass the car in…
Marie Ramey Fine Art hosts new abstract drawing and painting workshop
Local professional artist Vicky Hoffman will instruct an introductory workshop, Exploring Abstract Art, at Marie Ramey Fine Art in Atascadero on Saturday, July 11, from 1 to 4 p.m. Participants of the class will explore texture, shapes, color, and other areas by taking part in abstract drawing and painting activities. Admission to the workshop is…
Two friends wanted conversation and connection in their neighborhood in SLO
In front of a house on the corner of Johnson Avenue and Palm Street in San Luis Obispo, an umbrella shaded a few beach chairs, snacks, drinks, and signs on June 19. About six people with face masks were chatting with each other. “Black or White or Green, relax and have a beer or soda,”…
Dana Adobe and Cultural Center updates health-related procedures for 2020 Summer Day Camp
Registration to join the Dana Adobe and Cultural Center’s (DACC) 2020 Summer Day Camp closes on Monday, July 13, or earlier if the camp reaches its capped limit of 30 children before then. This Nipomo-based camp is open to ages 8 through 13 and will take place on Monday, July 27, through Friday, July 31,…
Sensory breakthrough: Tastry takes small wineries to the next level, while making SLO County the epicenter of wine innovation
SLO tech Visit Tastry, a SLO-based sensory science company, at tastry.com, try the kiosk at California Fresh Market in SLO, or download the free BottleBird app at bottlebird.com, Google Play, or the App Store. Katerina Axelsson was tinkering in a wine lab when she unlocked the flavor matrix for wine. She’s always been fascinated by…
I Know This Much Is True is a sprawling, multi-generational look at family interconnectedness
I Know This Much Is True What’s it rated? TV-MAWhat’s it worth, Anna? Full priceWhat’s it worth, Glen? Full priceWhere’s it showing? HBO Writer-director Derek Cianfrance (Blue Valentine, The Place Beyond the Pines, The Light Between Oceans) helms this miniseries based on Wally Lamb’s book of the same name, about Dominick Birdsey’s attempt to get…
Slomotion@Home
What’s it rated? Not rated What’s it cost? $5 Where’s it showing? slomotionfilm.com SLOMotion Film has organized a mini virtual festival you can stream at home on July 2 and 9 via its website, slomotionfilm.com. The first two screenings are part of the “Living in America” series, which, according to SLOMotion, “will highlight issues of…
