Cover Story
It’s election season: The races for this year’s cycle are full of candidates, and this week we’re covering who’s running for SLO City Council and the Lucia Mar school board
So far this election cycle, we’ve written about the Grover Beach, Atascadero, and Paso Robles city council races. And with hundreds of seats up for grabs on local governing bodies, New Times is just getting started. In this issue, Assistant Editor Peter Johnson reports on the eight people running for a seat on the SLO…
SGMA tightrope
The Sustainable Groundwater Management Act is designed to force an end to groundwater depletion but does not actually “kick in” until 2040. A requirement to create a sustainability plan for the Paso Robles Groundwater Basin was submitted by the county, rejected, and then resubmitted. The plan had to select a target for conservation and chose…
Jonny Loquasto headlines comedy show in Morro Bay
The next SLOFunny Comedy Show will take place at the Morro Bay Veterans Hall on Saturday, Sept. 24, at 6 p.m. The show will be hosted by Allison Weber and will feature headlining comedian Jonny Loquasto. Other featured comedians include Camilla Cleese, Cat Alvarado, and Edi Gibson. Tickets to the show are available for $20…
Time’s up
The Paso Robles Groundwater Basin occupies more than 500,000 acres stretching from the Highway 101 corridor to Shandon, and from Garden Farms south of Atascadero to San Ardo in Monterey County. Thousands of residents and a great deal of critical wildlife habitat depend on it. Because it is severely overdrafted, meaning groundwater is being pumped…
Folk-n-Soak returns to Franklin Hot Springs Sept. 23-25
Sept. 21 is officially the last day of summer, but if you’re not ready for it to end, now’s the time to book your spot at the 2022 Folk-n-Soak Music/Hot Springs/Yoga/Camping Festival returning next weekend, Sept. 23 to 25, at Franklin Hot Springs in Paso Robles (all ages; tickets at my805tix.com). This is a super…
Proposition county
What’s the biggest issue in the Bruce vs. Bruce race for SLO County 2nd District supervisor? If you ask 5th District Supervisor Debbie “Election Fraud” Arnold, who (no surprises here) endorsed Bruce “I Don’t Talk to the Press” Jones over her current colleague Bruce “I Don’t Vote with Debbie” Gibson, it’s pulling SLO County out…
Barbarian is wildly inventive and #MeToo-timely
BARBARIAN What’s it rated? R What’s it worth, Glen? Full price What’s it worth, Anna? Full price Where’s it showing? Colony, Downtown Centre, Park, Stadium 10, Sunset Drive-in Writer-director Zach Cregger (The Civil War on Drugs) helms this horror-thriller about Tess (Georgina Campbell), a woman who arrives at her rented Airbnb to discover it’s been…
Two photographers capture the Oceano Dunes in series, with respective exhibits in SLO and Solvang
Seek serenity Find your favorite photograph of the Oceano Dunes by visiting two separate exhibits. Karl Kempton’s images are on display at The Photo Shop in SLO, 1027 Marsh St., until Sept. 30. The shop is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Bob Canepa’s Dunes: Vision of Sand, Light, and Shadow…
I Just Killed My Dad
What’s it rated? TV-MA When? 2022 Where’s it showing? Hulu Admitted killer Anthony Templet is an enigma to many. The investigator and prosecutor find his demeanor cold and unfeeling after he confessed to shooting his dad, Burt. However, his family and stepmother think he’s just as much—if not more—of a victim than Burt. It’s easy…
Fremont Theater brings actor and comedian Paul Reiser to SLO
After a nearly 20-year break from live comedy, Paul Reiser has returned to touring and will perform at the Fremont Theater in San Luis Obispo on Saturday, Sept. 17, at 8 p.m. Reiser is a comedian, writer, and actor widely known for his prolific career in film and television. Some of Reiser’s recent acting credits…
Murder at Yellowstone City
What’s it rated? Not rated When? 2022 Where’s it showing? Redbox, Amazon Prime Richard Gray (Robert the Bruce) directs this Old West mystery set in Yellowstone City, Montana, a former gold rush boomtown that’s fallen on hard times … until a local prospector strikes gold but is quickly murdered. Whodunit? The main suspect is former…
Suspense novelist Catherine Kitcho hosts author talk in Grover Beach
The Grover Beach Community Library will hold a Meet the Author event with novelist Catherine Kitcho on Tuesday, Sept. 20, from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Kitcho will be discussing two of her suspense novels, Dark Side Identity and Dark Side Redemption, during the talk. Light refreshments will be served at the free event. For more…
SLO County Behavioral Health responds to grand jury report on psychiatric care issues
A top San Luis Obispo County health official challenged some of the core findings of a recent SLO County grand jury report that highlighted an array of deficiencies in the county’s system of emergency psychiatric health care. The grand jury report—”San Luis Obispo County Mental Health Services: a safe harbor or a perilous journey for…
As some candidates criticize SLO City Council’s ‘homogeny,’ incumbents say town is on the right track
Eight candidates are competing to get onto the San Luis Obispo City Council in a Nov. 8 election that those running say is a litmus test for how the city’s doing on issues like homelessness, transportation, equity, and downtown vitality. Mayor Erica Stewart and Councilmember Michelle Shoresman are seeking full terms for the seats they…
An increased number of people running for the Lucia Mar Unified School District board mirrors national interest in primary and secondary education
San Luis Obispo County’s largest school district is spoiled for choice this election cycle thanks to the 10 people running for four seats on the school board. Speckled with controversy for the past two years, the Lucia Mar Unified School District witnessed outcry over mask mandates and distance learning during the thick of the pandemic,…
Arroyo Grande is amending its vacation rental regulations
South County’s recent wave of vacation rental deliberations finally touched Arroyo Grande after coursing through its two neighboring cities. At the Sept. 13 City Council meeting, Arroyo Grande initiated a lengthy makeover of its vacation rental ordinance, which received unanimous approval from the three council members in attendance. Mayor Pro Tem Lan George and Councilmember…
Paso Robles school board divided on gender-specific titles resolution
Gender has been a flashpoint at the Paso Robles Joint Unified School District, and the most recent school board meeting was no different. The conversation at that meeting followed an Aug. 23 meeting when the board introduced a resolution stating that the district wouldn’t support any mandate replacing traditional gender specific titles such as Mr.…
Cannabis farm approved near Carrizo Plain
Three acres of cannabis cultivation near the Carrizo Plain and California Valley cleared an appeal on Sept. 13 in a rare unanimous vote from the San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors supporting a challenged cannabis project. Local environmental activist Patrick McGibney appealed the 3-acre outdoor grow approved last year by a county planning officer.…
SLO County contracts with security company for safe parking site
After months of criticism about safety protocols from some of its unhoused residents, the Oklahoma Avenue Safe Parking Site now has three round-the-clock security guards. As part of its consent agenda on Sept. 13, the San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors approved a contract with Good Guard Security Inc. to provide protection for the…
Organizational therapy: Purge SLO has a plan
Mr. Clean may make your countertops sparkle, but it’s nothing compared to what Steffy Duncan, owner of cleaning and organizing company Purge SLO, can do. Purge SLO specializes in helping those with ADHD or neurodivergent disorders by teaching them about organization systems and minimalism to avoid clutter. As someone diagnosed with ADHD, Duncan knows how…
San Luis Obispo’s cult hot dog company, Zen Dog, is set to open its first daily trailer at Laguna Lake Golf Course
Grab and go Snag Zen Dog hot dogs and more at Downtown SLO Farmers’ Market every Thursday evening. Catch them at Laguna Lake Golf Course on 11175 Los Osos Valley Road at the end of September. Book events and apply for job openings at zendogca@gmail.com and Instagram @zen_dog805. Zen Dog owner Nick Regalia is embracing…
