Cover Story
Building by measure: As renovations at San Luis Coastal high schools are completed, the school district puts another bond on the ballot
Leaky roofs, old AC units, and a lack of school security. These issues have plagued elementary, middle, and high schools in the San Luis Coastal Unified School District for years. As the district nears completion of renovations at San Luis Obispo and Morro Bay high schools, funded by a $177 million bond passed in 2014,…
Pinocchio
What’s it rated? PG When? 2022 Where’s it showing? Disney Plus Pinocchio is having a big year in 2022, first with this live-action version from Disney and coming later this year a stop-motion film by director Guillermo del Toro. This Disney remake stars Tom Hanks as Geppetto, Benjamin Evans Ainsworth as the voice of Pinocchio,…
Twitchell Dam operators must consider steelhead trout in water release schedule, court rules
The local water district that controls the Twitchell Dam reservoir will be required to factor in the health of the steelhead trout population when it determines its schedule for releasing water down the Santa Maria river, according to a recent court ruling. Environmental groups have argued for years that Twitchell Dam operators are ignoring state…
Art Center Morro Bay holds class on hand-dyeing scarves
The Morro Bay Art Association presents Dyeing Silk Scarves, a workshop led by local artist Sharon Gellerman, at Art Center Morro Bay on Sunday, Oct. 9, from 1 to 4 p.m. Gellerman specializes in creating one-of-a-kind, hand-marbled silk scarves and silk tallits. Her style is based on experimentation with color, technique, and dye, according to…
Acerg Quail Farm in Los Osos is a hidden backyard gem that supplies eggs and meat on demand
Quail quest Visit Acerg Quail Farm at 2250 Palisades Avenue or call 805-704-9593 to place egg and meat orders. Want doorstep service? Place online orders at harvestly.co/vendors/acerg-quail-farm. Palisades Avenue looks like most other suburban neighborhoods in San Luis Obispo County’s Baywood-Los Osos area. A quiet street flanked by single-family homes, with the bird chirps and…
The Patient
What’s it rated? TV-MA When? 2022 Where’s it showing? Hulu Co-created by Joel Fields and Joseph Weisberg (The Americans), this dark drama focuses on therapist Alan Strauss (Steve Carell), who’s abducted by his patient San Fortner (Domhnall Gleeson). Alan is chained to a wall in the downstairs of a remote suburban home, where Sam lives…
Osos Contemporary presents Christina McPhee: Listening
On Friday, Oct. 7, Osos Contemporary in San Luis Obispo will debut a new exhibition, Christina McPhee: Listening, which showcases eight paintings and a video artwork by McPhee. A special reception will be held on opening day, from 5 to 9 p.m., and the exhibit is scheduled to remain on display through Friday, Nov. 18.…
Pearl Jam frontman Eddie Vedder performers with his supergroup The Earthlings at Vina Robles on Oct. 5
Eddie Vedder is best known as frontman of ’90s grunge superstars Pearl Jam, but his ambitious new solo album Earthling—his third solo record—finds the inveterate rocker delivering memorable anthems with guest appearances by Stevie Wonder, Ringo Starr, and Elton John. He’s now touring with a band that’s best described as a supergroup: Chad Smith (drums…
Deciphering wisdom
While I agree with John Donegan that “celebrity wisdom” is often questionable, I have a few points of contention with his recent column (“Celebrity wisdom,” Sept. 22). He claims that before the 1960s, there were no positive depictions of drug use in the entertainment industry. I guess he doesn’t consider alcohol and nicotine to be…
Templeton pepper spray attack is a symptom of political leaders’ rhetoric
As the demonstrator who took the worst of the pepper spray in Templeton, I’d like to make clear that we were peacefully gathered, with signs reading “Honk for Democracy” and “Women’s Rights are Human Rights,” signs for our fave candidates, and American flags. Real radical commie stuff, that’s for sure. Nothing more dangerous than a…
Huddled masses
As Halloween approaches, the nation is being treated to a ghoulish spectacle as the GOP governors of Florida, Texas, and Arizona engage in a danse macabre worthy of an episode of House of the Dragon. Each of them is rattling their bones to see which one can claim the Iron Throne as the worthy successor…
A little sanity
What do Ding Dongs and the Revolutionary War have in common? Arroyo Grande mayoral candidates. What? Let me explain. I actually didn’t fully understand the Ding Dong reference from candidate and former Fort Leavenworth instructor Dale Hanson, who used it to illustrate a point he made during a recent candidate forum. The most important thing…
County gives $580K to tiny-house project
San Luis Obispo County’s ambitions to open a tiny-house village recently received a monetary kick-start from the Board of Supervisors, but the Sept. 27 financial flush came at the expense of another group. Called the Oklahoma Avenue tiny village project, the Department of Social Services’ plan to alleviate homelessness received a reallocation of $582,696 that…
Paso students now need permission to join clubs
On Sept. 20, Paso Robles High School got the news that student organizations would have to require parent permission slips for any student looking to join them. The rule had been in the district’s board policy manual for the past 10 years, according to Paso Robles Unified School District Superintendent Curt Dubost, before being enforced.…
PG&E updates SLO County on ‘two-track’ approach to Diablo
The ship nearly sailed on Diablo Canyon Power Plant, a senior PG&E official told San Luis Obispo County supervisors on Sept. 27. With one of the Diablo reactors set to shutter as soon as 2024, California had to act this year if it wanted to successfully reverse course on a 2016 PG&E decision to close…
Cuesta College’s ranch education programs aim to boost sustainability in SLO County
Hitting a wall in your search for someone who could fix your fence, repair your barn, drive your tractor, or has some know-how on irrigation? Cuesta College thinks you can help yourself. “I was hired to create this program because they [Cuesta] had a lot of input from ranchers and people in the area about…
SLO delays decision to make railroad safe parking program permanent following complaints
For a year and a half, San Luis Obispo Railroad Museum Manager Diane Marchetti said, she tried to be patient and understanding. In March 2021, the city of SLO established a safe parking site for the unhoused in a city lot adjoining the museum and other businesses near the Amtrak station. “We really did try…
Don’t Worry Darling is a heady thrill ride
DON’T WORRY DARLING What’s it rated? R What’s it worth, Bulbul? Matinee What’s it worth, Caleb? Matinee Where’s it showing? Colony, Downtown Centre, Fair Oaks, Park, Stadium 10, Sunset Drive-In Editor’s note: New Times Staff Writer Bulbul Rajagopal and Calendar Editor Caleb Wiseblood wrote Split Screen this week while Glen and Anna Starkey took a…
Arroyo Grande has three mayor candidates
The Revolutionary War. Water polo. Ding Dongs. The three candidates vying for Arroyo Grande’s mayoral seat are respectively banking on these symbols and more in their campaigns for November. Incumbent Caren Ray Russom is hoping to retain her position for a third term, and she has competition from Gaea Powell—whose campaign materials state that she…
Morro Bay’s The Ugly Mug Ceramics turns the unknown into opportunity
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly Mug Stop in to check out Shell Vorhees and Aimee Brantley’s collection of ceramics works every Wednesday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at The Ugly Mug Ceramics in Morro Bay, 875 Main St. Make a full Saturday out of it and stroll the farmers’ market…
Atascadero school board incumbents equate endorsements with national politics
Nine people are vying for the four open seats on the Atascadero school district’s board of trustees. The seats up for reelection are currently held by George Shoemaker, Tami Gunther, Ray Buban, and Donn Clickard. Shoemaker and Gunther are running for reelection, and two other candidates also have something that sets them apart from the…
