Cover Story
Blazing a trail in history
American frontier history is filled with iconoclastic characters of independence and freedom. Daniel Boone, Davy Crockett, and Jim Bowie, to name just a few, are all remembered and lauded as folk heroes and have come to symbolize the American dream. One man, James B. Beckwourth (1798-1866), was dismissed for generations as a liar in regard…
If you could fight one historical figure, who would it be, and why?
Paul Pritchard Surveyor (from Great Britain) “Napoleon Bonaparte, because he’s short. And French.” Mukta Naran Digital Marketing Coordinator “I’m a peacemaker, no nobody.” Junior Rangel Sales Associate at The Sports Forum “Ronald Reagan, because of Reaganomics. There are a lot of jobless people out there as a result.” Palaka Das Owner, Bliss Whole Food Café…
Two savages, a beard, some art, and a studio: Fiasco Gallery in Paso Robles
It comes as no surprise that Neal Breton and Jeff Claassen, both longtime artists and purveyors of art stuff, would eventually join forces. Both veterans of the San Luis Obispo “youth” art scene, Claassen and Breton have plenty of experience making and selling art. The former owned the Claassen Gallery for eight years, where he…
Soul sister!
The Monroe seems to have come out of nowhere, but now seems destined for greatness. I’d been hearing rumors of a powerful vocalist and a group of talented young musicians playing small gigs here and there and wowing audiences, but these rumors did little to prepare me for just how powerful this ensemble is. The…
Hard travelin’ with Randy Noojin
Actor, writer, director, and teacher Randy Noojin has become critically acclaimed for his one-man show Hard Travelin’ with Woody, a musical and theatrical tribute to Woody Guthrie, based on Guthrie’s own writings. Ever since Noojin debuted the show at FringeNYC in 2011—“getting even an uptight New York crowd singing along,” as the Huffington Post observed—he’s…
The Monroe and Vincent Bernardy were big winners at the Fifth Annual NTMAs
View the list of winners from the Fifth Annual New Times Music Awards View additional photos from the August 29th show at SLO Brew It’s Thursday, Aug. 29, and there’s a line down the block of people waiting to get into the Fifth Annual New Times Music Awards. Inside SLO Brew, the place is…
“Read your constitution, assh*le”: Comedian Lewis Black pays a visit to San Luis Obispo
Comedy Central darling Lewis Black will be regaling audiences at the Performing Arts Center with his rage-fueled observations on politics and culture—mostly politics—on Sept. 12. He took the time to speak to New Times about political fatigue, idealism, and why it’s OK to live with five other people. NEW TIMES Do you ever get tired…
Be distinguished—if not always dignified
I don’t always drink whiskey. But when I do, I prefer to do it in an establishment that knows how to serve it, how to talk about it, and how to make me feel like I know how to talk about it. Good thing I live in a town where there’s McCarthy’s. People may not…
Deovlet 2011 Pinot Noir La Encantada Vineyard and Freixenet Cordon Negro Brut Spain
Deovlet 2011 Pinot Noir La Encantada Vineyard I was quite impressed by this outstanding red grown in the Santa Rita Hills region of Santa Barbara County. Made in SLO by winemaker Ryan Deovlet, it’s his flagship among several ultra-premium pinots he makes annually. The vineyard, planted by pioneer Richard Sanford, offers consistently great fruit and…
Dive deep: Have you discovered the wines of Paso Underground?
Not so long ago, Paso Roblans headed downtown to buy car parts whenever the old ride broke down. In a prime spot overlooking Paso’s Downtown Park, there was a building named Paso Underground that once housed a popular auto parts store. According to the new owners, the garage (the story reminded me of Napa Auto…
WTFSLO?
Sorry. No time to rant today. I’m in the middle of a scavenger hunt—a little game my roommates and I like to play to decide who has to wash dishes and put out the flaming bags of poop that have been materializing on our doorstep ever since I updated my match.com profile to include my…
Dream well
I had a strange dream last night, and it went like this: SLO County got to a point of actually running out of water, so Supervisor Debbie Arnold said, “Let’s do what the padres used to do; we’ll drink wine and serve all of our visitors wine.” Well, as time went by, the rate of…
Racism is far from over
I admit that I have my own personal bias and have resisted a response to Mr. Otis Page, who is of an obvious antithetical ideology than I. However, after reading his recent response about Obama and racism (“Playing the Race Card is wrong,” Aug. 29), I have to clarify some facts. Mr. Page notes that…
Fact is, the quarry is a good thing
The recent New Times story regarding Las Pilitas Quarry (“A rock and a hard place,” Aug. 15) touched on a variety of topics that commonly come up with any land-use proposal: impacts related to traffic, water, and noise. After reading the article and doing my own research, I feel confident that the quarry can succeed.…
This is the right project
New Times’ coverage of the Las Pilitas Resources, LLC project (“A rock and a hard place,” Aug. 15) offered an interesting view of the current state of affairs regarding our aggregate production and consumption and the need to increase the supply of our aggregate resources. According to the article, the Las Pilitas Resources site has…
Panhandling is not homelessness
I just read Rachel Hough’s letter about panhandlers at stop signs (“Stop,” Aug. 15). She confuses homelessness with panhandling at stop signs. In Morro Bay there is a couple who have a home. They trade off doing shifts at Albertson’s parking lot because they make as much panhandling as they would at a regular job.…
Find a peaceful solution
I find it ironic that the only thing the Republican Party can agree with Obama on is a military attack on Syria. Since we’re the leader in the world, I expect our country, with all its resources and wisdom, to come up with a better solution than killing. After all, doesn’t killing to avenge killing…
The harm in arming educators
There was another school shooting recently, near Atlanta, and this one was relatively benign. The gunman walked into an elementary school, told employees to call the police, fired five or six rounds from his assault rifle, and surrendered. Yawn. It’s a hiccup in the news cycle. Of course, the NRA repeatedly assures us, with their…
Off to a blooming start: Carrie Skelton showcases 20 years of floral experience in her own Clover and Branch studio
Hidden in the back section of the Fortini Interiors, Landscape, and Design building is one of SLO’s best-kept secrets. Clover and Branch Design Studio opened in early July as an extension of Anne Fortini’s custom design palace. Floral enthusiast and Clover and Branch owner Carrie Skelton was presented with an opportunity to bring a collaborative…
Cougars & Mustangs: The horses are coming
The double-bass lays a dark fog across the darker void, giving the floor of our view a real thickness. The violins enter softly at first, then rise in volume with increasing aggression, jerking back and forth frantically as if played by malfunctioning automatons. As the title of our work wipes, then bleeds across the screen,…
Midnight train: Ninety years ago, San Luis Obispo responded to the largest peacetime loss of naval vessels in American history at Honda Point
Fourteen southbound U.S. Navy destroyers drifted off course the evening of Sept. 8, 1923, in heavy fog and abnormal ocean conditions. Currents manipulated by a major earthquake that struck Japan a week earlier fooled the squadron navigators. Contemporary accounts also speak of misleading radio signals the ships received prior to the accident. The destroyers were…
SLO residents squabble over a controversial vacation rental ban
Depending on whom you ask, “vacation rentals” are either noisy, problematic, and illegal operations that need to be shut down or are welcoming, innovative, and revenue-generating “home stays” unfairly targeted by an outdated catchall ban. To be fair, not everyone is that polarized, there’s been very little melodrama, and civility has largely ruled the day.…
Monning’s farmworker protection bill clears Legislature
State Sen. Bill Monning (D-Carmel) wanted to give agricultural workers a hand in collecting back wages and penalties owed by state-licensed farm labor contractors. During recent bill hearings, Monning explained that some California farm labor contractors have fraudulently dissolved and moved their assets to new corporations. Actual farmworkers owed back wages by these dissolved contractors…
SLO council approves a ‘safe parking’ expansion
San Luis Obispo’s attempt at allowing homeless people to sleep overnight in their vehicles in a safe and regulated environment passed a crucial milestone on Sept. 3, when the City Council unanimously approved an ordinance that could allow for the expansion of a “safe parking program.” The ordinance could allow licensed social services providers to…
Bed bugs invade SLO homeless shelter—again
About two months after bed bugs first prompted a temporary closure of the Maxine Lewis homeless shelter in San Luis Obispo, the little critters have once again made an unwelcome appearance. Dee Torres, homeless services coordinator for the Community Action Partnership of SLO County, reported to the City Council on Sept. 3 that the bugs…
Pismo Beach City Council reverses its Spanish Springs decision
Faced with financing an election over a controversial development project that’s not yet even approved, Pismo Beach took a step back on Spanish Springs. The City Council voted unanimously on Sept. 3 to rescind its partial approval of the 961-acre Price Canyon development project. The decision means the city can’t, by law, approve Spanish Springs…
SLO City’s marketing firm dumps its ambassador, Bentley Murdock
The social media czar selected to promote the city of San Luis Obispo has lost his job. But how and why remain something of a mystery, as everyone involved is mum on the subject. What is confirmed is that Bentley Murdock, the longtime SLO resident who was selected from a pool of 44 candidates by…
Garret Olson takes the helm at the SLO Fire Department
Confirming a long-expected transfer of leadership, Deputy Fire Chief Garret Olson, 46, was officially named San Luis Obispo’s next fire chief on Aug. 30. “I am absolutely honored to represent this amazing fire department and amazing city,” Olson told New Times. “I’m really looking forward to starting.” Both Olson and San Luis Obispo Police Department…
