Autumn Arts Annual 2026
Summer’s still hanging around, per usual, while we wait for the super El Niño to drop in on us as promised. But it’s now officially fall, so our annual Autumn Arts issue is here! Whether you’re ready or not, we’ve got all the fun things coming to you on the Central Coast. From art exhibitions…
Atascadero council race draws four candidates for two seats
Four candidates focused on housing and jobs are vying for two seats on Atascadero’s City Council this November. Incumbent Susan Funk is seeking a third term against Emily Baranek, Mike Avila, and self-described outsider Ian Denchasy. Councilmember Heather Newsom is not seeking reelection. Mayor Charles Bourbeau is running unopposed for another two-year term. Funk, first…
The Wildlands Conservancy secures $42 million to preserve Diablo Canyon land
Long-held goals of conserving Wild Cherry Canyon, the expansive coastal open space southeast of the Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant, are closer than ever to being fulfilled thanks to major investment approved by the California State Coastal Conservancy. The Coastal Conservancy unanimously greenlit awarding $42 million to the Wildlands Conservancy, a land preservation advocacy group. …
Cal Poly moves Farm Store plans to West Campus site
As Cal Poly considers developing portions of its agricultural land south of Highland Drive, one project within that area is officially moving forward. In an email sent out to College of Agriculture, Food, and Environmental Services (CAFES) faculty and staff on Sept. 11, CAFES Dean Brian Horgan announced that the university will relocate its planned…
Jury convicts Gaea Powell on all counts of election fraud
A San Luis Obispo Superior Court jury unanimously found two-time Arroyo Grande mayoral candidate Gaea Powell guilty on all nine counts of election fraud filed against her by the District Attorney’s Office. The conviction wrapped up the three-week-long trial marked by Powell choosing to represent herself, a delayed start because she failed to appear on the…
The blame game
When things aren’t going your way, blame others. That’s some actionable advice, brought to you by Donald tRump, who recently kicked some prominent media outlets out of the White House for coverage he didn’t like. It’s not their fault the economy’s in the shitter, gas prices are as out of control as his foreign policy,…
The government and media squandered public trust during the pandemic
Is it any wonder why government and the media are so distrusted? In recent testimony before Congress, Dr. Anthony Fauci refused to answer more than 100 questions, asserting his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination. Since he was previously pardoned by Joe Biden and is not at risk of prosecution, it appears that he is either…
Wild Cherry Canyon needs careful conservation
Sept. 17 marked an important milestone for the future of the Diablo Canyon land and our Central Coast coastline. The California State Coastal Conservancy approved funding to support The Wildlands Conservancy’s acquisition of Wild Cherry Canyon, moving this remarkable property closer to permanent conservation, future public access, and tribal co-management. Wild Cherry Canyon is part…
Don’t lower educational standards for the children who need it most
For more than 60 years, Head Start has stood for one powerful idea: Children should have the opportunity to thrive regardless of the poverty into which they were born. For families facing that barrier, the Head Start promise has meant more than a place for their child to spend the day. It has meant education,…
Glee star and Arroyo Grande native Harry Shum Jr. wins local support for Dancing with the Stars stint
Arroyo Grande residents can see homegrown talent light up their screens every week during this season of Dancing with the Stars. A 2000 graduate of Arroyo Grande High School, Harry Shum Jr.—who rose to fame as Mike Chang in Glee—cemented himself as a front-runner in the Season 35 premiere of the dance competition. His hometown…
Marty Stuart and His Fabulous Superlatives plays the Fremont
Mississippi-born Marty Stuart, 67, is a country and bluegrass music legend who learned guitar and mandolin as a child and joined his first band, The Sullivans, at age 12. By 14, he was a member of Lester Flatt’s band, and by 22 he was in Johnny Cash’s band. If you’re near a screen, pause reading…
Templ Grit’s new novel imagines a world gone climate-mad
The new satirical novel, Scob Nation, might piss you off. It’s written by a local author under the nom de plume Templ Grit. Though he’s written nonfiction books about climate under his own name, his ideas have been met with, let’s say, consternation. “It’s been a journey,” Grit admitted. “My climate journey has been a…
Textile artist Lori Shocket at The Vault Gallery
See Lori Shocket’s bold and colorful wall art in Cambria’s Vault Gallery. According to gallerist Laylon Whittaker, her “work explores movement through layered cloth, free-form hand stitching, and shifting geometries. Each piece is one of a kind, shaped by intuitive decisions made in conversations with the material itself. To see Lori’s beautiful hand stitching just…
Oil painter Jose Silva at Gallery at Marina Square
To see oil painter Jose Silva’s lively brushstrokes is to marvel at his ability to achieve realism with such a loose, painterly, impressionistic style. You only have until Sept. 29 to see a collection of Silva’s work in the lower gallery of Morro Bay’s Gallery at Marina Square, where he’s one of September’s featured artists.…
Shaun the Sheep: The Beast of Mossy Bottom is charming and clever
Steve Cox and Matthew Walker direct this script by Mark Burton and Giles Pilbrow about a new misadventure at Mossy Bottom Farm. When the farmer (voiced by John Sparkes) accidently trashes the sheep’s beloved pumpkin patch just as Halloween approaches, Shaun (voiced by Justin Fletcher) turns mad scientist to make things right, but instead his…
Death of the Pastor’s Wife explores Mica Miller’s mysterious death
Mica, 13, met John Paul (JP), 28, when her family started attending Solid Rock Church. She was devout and eager to participate in her new community with JP. While Mica went on to marry her high school sweetheart, Jeremey, she continued to work closely with JP as his assistant. It soon became clear the two…
Fuze is a slick, old-school heist flick
David Mackenzie (Hell or High Water) directs this heist flick about a World War II-era bomb unearthed at a London construction site, leading to chaos. Chief Superintendent Zuzana Greenfield (Gugu Mbatha-Raw) leads her police department to evacuate the area while a military bomb disposal unit led by Maj. Will Tranter (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) works to defuse…
Find classic Mexican dishes, inventive cocktails, and Jell-O shots on Condesa’s new brunch menu
Brandon Ristaino and Misty Orman are no strangers to traveling the world in search of savory food and creative beverages. Usually, after some on-site “R and D” (research and development), Ristaino said they return home with a plethora of inspiration that they seek to incorporate into their Central Coast culinary ventures. However, on a recent…
