A bad night in downtown SLO results in a liquor license suspension and rape allegations
What started as a typical night out in December 2017 ended with a local bar temporarily losing its liquor license and an investigation into multiple reports of sexual assault and burglary. SLO Brew closed its Higuera Street doors on July 18 for the first day of its 20-day alcoholic beverage license suspension, a penalty handed…
Student Guide: The Central Coast offers such an endless supply of nature adventures, I had to come up with a ‘challenge’
Welcome (back) to San Luis Obispo, Cal Poly and Cuesta students! For you first-years coming in from out of the area, I have a few predictions to make about your first month in SLO: 1. You are going to hike Bishop Peak at least once. 2. You are going to hear a lot about the…
Los Osos writer wants her readers to, as Mary Oliver once wrote, ‘pay attention, be astonished, and tell about it’
Book signing Misty Wycoff will hold a book reading and signing of High Rain: Love Letters to the Central Coast at Coalesce Books in Morro Bay on Sunday, Sept. 15, at 1 p.m. Contact the author at bmistywycoff.com or bmisty1000@gmail.com. Tucked away in a quiet neighborhood that sits adjacent to the Sweet Springs Nature Preserve…
Enjoy your town, it’s pretty awesome
I need to chime in about the Sept. 5 feature “What’s up with downtown?” Here’s what’s wrong with downtown: All the “longtime” residents who are always complaining about what’s wrong with downtown! I moved here a little over a year ago, and I love SLO and live downtown. It’s an amazing, thriving, interesting, and wonderful…
Paso Youth Arts presents Hansel and Gretel
The Paso Robles Youth Arts Foundation (PRYAF) presents its production of Hansel and Gretel at the Berg Auditorium, starting Friday, Sept. 20, at 7 p.m. Director Claire Fundaro helms this fairy tale comedy, which features a cast of young actors and runs approximately two hours. The show’s sets were designed by Chris Skanes and lighting…
Natural-gas-fueled electricity
Here in California we are climate heroes, right? Just this week, several California agencies including the Energy Commission, the Public Utilities Commission, and the Air Resources Board hosted a public workshop on implementation of SB 100, which lays out California’s clean energy target of 100 percent by 2050. There was a lot of good discussion…
Park screens Aladdin
The city of Pismo Beach Recreation Division presents an outdoor screening of Aladdin (2019), as a part of its Movies in the Park series, at Dinosaur Caves Park on Friday, Sept. 20, at sunset (around 7:15 p.m.). Admission is free to this family-friendly showing of one of Disney’s latest live-action remakes, starring Will Smith, Mena…
Thanks for helping us grow food
On behalf of Pacheco Elementary School’s first graders, I thank One Cool Earth, the Harold J. Miossi Charitable Trust, and Susan Rodriguez State Farm Insurance, which enabled us to have a delightful and important educational experience—a new school garden! My first grade students and I love the garden! We had many lessons with Miss Ali,…
Annual Empty Bowls fundraiser benefits Homeless Coalition
The 5Cities Homeless Coalition hosts the 2019 Empty Bowls Community Luncheon at St. Patrick’s Church Hall in Arroyo Grande on Wednesday, Sept. 18, from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Lunch will be served in uniquely designed, handmade bowls, which guests will be able to take home after the event. Soup and bread will be donated…
We couldn’t do it without your support
Countless local youth are empowered by mentors who support and nurture their growth. Kindergarten through 12th grade mentoring programs have been shown to be a cost-effective way of empowering students by boosting factors that can lead to student success, including school-related attitudes, behaviors, and performance. In addition, our program offers a focused nutrition component that…
The hunt for tacos
It’s 6 a.m. We have a full tank of gas, coffees in hand, and muffins for later. Everyone told us not to go. Everyone told us the drive would be too long, that the traffic would be too nightmarish, or that we’d get robbed or kidnapped or worse. But we’re doing it. And we’re doing…
Defending sandcastles
As a young boy on an Atlantic beach, building a sandcastle was mandatory, just as defending it from the encroaching ocean waves required ever more elaborate defenses. Moats, walls, even shells and pebbles from the surf, were required to buttress the mighty fortress walls. When completed, it truly appeared invincible, until the first small wave…
It Chapter 2 is a fun horror romp
Andy Muscietti (Mama, It) directs this two-part film based on Stephen King’s 1986 horror novel about an evil subterranean-dwelling clown named Pennywise (Bill Skarsgård) who preys on the children of Derry, Maine, by exploiting their fears and phobias. In the first part (2017), we’re introduced to The Losers Club, a group of seven adolescent misfits…
Sound Off
New Times readers took to Facebook to share their thoughts on our Sept. 5 news story, “SLO city moves toward all-electric buildings.”
Student Guide 2019
Cal Poly’s Week of Welcome is just around the corner, folks! You know what that means. Students, lots of them, will descend upon San Luis Obispo. And we’ve got something just for them. New Times’ annual Student Guide is here. Pick it up and read about how the city of San Luis Obispo deals with…
Student Guide: Struggling to pay the rent and buy groceries doesn’t mean you can’t have fun
Downtown SLO Farmers’ Market (FREE) In the heart of Downtown SLO, you can count on the farmers’ market to be thriving every Thursday, unless it’s raining. Along Higuera Street, local farmers showcase their freshest produce, and plenty of stands serve hot meals at a decent price. There’s also entertainment from local musicians at the different…
Santa Barbara prosecutors, 805 Beach Breaks owner reach settlement
The co-founder of 805 Beach Breaks dispensary in Grover Beach is free of criminal charges after he reached a settlement agreement last month with the Santa Barbara County District Attorney’s Office. Brian Touey, who opened 805 Beach Breaks in 2018 as the first brick-and-mortar cannabis store in San Luis Obispo County, agreed to give up…
I’ve looked at clouds from both sides now
“New Times is such a liberal rag, a leftwing propaganda apparatchik! Only good for wrapping old fish and lining birdcages!” “New Times is such a rightwing white noise machine! Close-mindedly goose-stepping toward fascism!” This, gentle readers, is how I know we’re doing something right! Everyone thinks we’re wrong, unfair, or obfuscating the truth any time…
Morro Bay Harbor’s residents could see a service fee increase
Morro Bay Harbor’s residents say they aren’t opposed to paying service fees, but they are against proposed fee increases for the use of harbor facilities. Anastasia Ruttschow, a liveaboard (meaning she lives on her boat) off Tidelands Park, spoke against the fee hikes during public comment at the Sept. 5 Morro Bay Harbor Advisory meeting,…
A safe community
Christine Claxton’s son died by suicide seven years ago, and it took her a few years before she felt like she could talk about it. Five years later, Claxton said it dawned on her that her son’s story didn’t end on the day he died. Now, she gets to share it with members of the…
5 Cities Homeless buys new offices amid Hillside uncertainty
Janna Nichols, executive director of the 5 Cities Homeless Coalition (5CHC), believes that the best way to overcome adversity is to keep moving. So, in May, when the nonprofit’s expansion plans at the Hillside Church property were derailed by a messy ownership dispute, Nichols didn’t dwell on it. “We have not paused,” she told New…
Savor the flavor
SLO Provisions, 1255 Monterey St., SLO, is teaming up with their neighbors at Anam-Cre, Monterey Market, and Open Canvas Gallery to bring a Makers’ Market to the Mojo District on Sept. 14, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The kid-friendly market will feature artisans, makers, and craft food purveyors … Tooth & Nail Winery, 3090…
Former employee sues Sierra Vista for discrimination
A former Sierra Vista Regional Medical Center employee alleges she was forced to leave her position because she requested accommodations for her medical needs. A complaint filed on Sept. 6 against Sierra Vista Regional Medical Center and Tenet Healthcare claims that the companies violated the California Family Rights Act by discriminating against former employee Kristin…
For a cause
The Wellness Kitchen is hosting Sip n’ Savory—a fundraising evening of wine pairing with appetizers on Sept. 16, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., at Paso Terra Seafood, 1032 Pine St., Paso. Peachy Canyon’s fine wines will be paired with chef Andre’s signature appetizers, and the tickets are $50 at thewkrc.org; proceeds benefit The Wellness Kitchen,…
Student Guide: Cal Poly solar class took a vote on SLO’s all-electric building code—and got a different result
It’s not every day that a college classroom is asked to pick a side on local government policy. But in March, Cal Poly students in a popular solar energy course, Solar Photovoltaic System Engineering, were tasked with doing just that. Cal Poly electrical engineering professor Art MacCarley got the idea for an outside-the-box assignment after…
Misc. nibbles
The Wine History Project and the Food History Project will be joining forces honoring local chefs, winemakers, growers, and vintners alike. This partnership of food and wine will now be presented by the Wine History Project and will offer more extensive lectures, agricultural field trips, and conversations with local cookbook authors. To help establish a…
Student Guide: With college comes a lot of new things, including anxiety and other mental health issues. There are services out there that can help
Seek support Cal Poly Counseling Services is located in Building 27, room 135, on campus. It’s open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday, and 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Wednesdays, or you can call the 24/7 crisis line at (805) 756-2511. Check the website for more information about…
Student Guide: As students move, abandoned furniture builds up on SLO’s curbs, and cleaning it up is no small task
Christine Wallace is just glad kids aren’t lighting their couches on fire anymore. Wallace is the neighborhood outreach manager for the San Luis Obispo Police Department, and keeping the city’s neighborhoods clean and safe is her main charge. Just a few years ago, flaming abandoned couches were one of her biggest concerns. Year after year,…
Ode to the waiter:Raw truths from an ex-food server
Tipping the scale Here are some pro tips on what the percentage you leave behind says about you: • A 5 percent tip: You’re a hater. • A 10 percent tip: You’re almost self-aware but not quite. • A 15 percent tip: You play by the rules. • A 20 percent tip: You’ve either waited…
Student Guide: Lassoed into Cuesta
Cesar Talamantes said he comes from three generations of cowboys. Not cowboy in the sense of the old Western movies, but men who ride on horseback to herd and tend cattle. “A lot of my family, cousins and stuff, are in charge of ranching and ride horses while doing it. I decided I wanted to…
See 16 great acts perform at Whale Rock Music and Arts Festival on Sept. 14 to 15
You’re in for a hot time in Templeton this weekend during the Whale Rock Music and Arts Festival on Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 14 and 15, at Castoro Cellars Vineyards and Winery, and I’m not just talking about its awesome lineup of music. It’s supposed to be 98 degrees on Saturday and a relatively cool…
Granada Hotel & Bistro burrata
The Granada Hotel & Bistro atmosphere has that downtown urban charm I dig: soft, romantic lighting and a cool patio nook; classic brick walls; modern hammered-tin ceiling tiles and stunning art; and the kind of smart, Parisian-quality, fine-dining service that makes me feel like I’m being taken care of. The summer dinner menu is short…
A convenient untruth
Our local Assemblymember Jordan Cunningham is proposing legislation to have nuclear power listed as a “renewable” energy source. It is rare and impressive to see a local politician with the strength and courage to swim against the relentless, California anti-nuclear riptide; to actually consider the senseless, disastrous effects that the closure will have on his…
Artist Ian Smalley’s new Monterey Street gallery donates all proceeds to charity
See for yourself To learn more about Ian Smalley’s work, visit The Art of Cool Gallery Facebook page. Visit the gallery at 1337 Monterey St., SLO, between 12 p.m. and 6 p.m. As I walked into Ian Smalley’s Monterey Street gallery on a scorching hot SLO summer day, I was instantly hit with a wave…
