Cover Story
Back on campus: For Student Guide 2021, we talk Cal Poly women’s volleyball, renting outdoor gear, COVID-19 rules, and dining out
It’s hard to believe that the COVID-19 pandemic is still here as students start the 2021-22 school year. But it is, and we’re getting you prepped for what to expect in our annual Student Guide issue. Staff Writer Bulbul Rajagopal talks to the Cal Poly women’s volleyball team about their first home game in more…
Make a day of it at El Chorro Regional Park with the California Honeydrops, Proxima Parada, Nicki Bluhm, and Wordsauce
Is it just me, or do we need a Kumbaya moment? With the Gov. Gavin Newsom recall election looming, the 20th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks, and COVID-19 continuing to drive a wedge between the angry as it spreads ever further through the population, a little outdoor gathering is just what we need to…
Grub guide
Cal Poly and Cuesta College are back! While first-year ‘Stangs and Cuestonians will be introduced to SLO Town for the first time, even returning students likely haven’t experienced a fully reopened SLO since the spring of 2020. For the sake of the newbs and those returning from a long hiatus, New Times put together a…
Faulty recall
I am an old man. I am without any impressive credentials. I am simply attempting to think things through. What I have are questions about the Gov. Gavin Newsom recall election. It is a challenge for me to understand why the Republican Party pushed through the easy-to-obtain Newsom recall election 14 months before the next…
Local painter Taffy French-Gray captures colorful, coastal scenes in new solo exhibit, Life’s a Beach: Avila to Venice
Sea for yourself The Valley Art Gallery presents Life’s a Beach: Avila to Venice, an exhibit of oil paintings by local artist Taffy French-Gray, at the Santa Maria Airport through the end of September. French-Gray will be hosting a special artist talk and guided tour of the exhibit on Sept. 19, from 2 to 4…
Dividing waste management authority would be a ‘breach of public trust’
Regarding the Integrated Waste Management Authority (IWMA) article (“Discourse divorce,” Sept. 2): Let’s get this straight, the Board of Supervisors represents 25 percent of all total waste customers countywide. On average, therefore, each of the five supervisors represents only 5 percent of all waste customers; the other eight members of the countywide IMWA represent 75…
To the anti-vax community
The COVID-19 pandemic rages on, and there are still tens of thousands who have yet to get vaccinated, even though the shots are free and readily available. There is no doubt this mindset is prolonging the pandemic. Back in the early ’50s, a polio epidemic swept through this country with a vengeance. I was in…
Is this who we are?
The Afghan man was one of thousands in Kabul attempting to escape Taliban and ISIS fighters who had conquered the country. He actually evaded the Taliban checkpoints and was even able to show his papers to the U.S. officials that granted him permission to be evacuated. They agreed to allow him to enter the sanctuary…
Wackadoodle doo
In the world of San Luis Obispo County politics, we’ve got some stuff happening. On the one hand, we’ve got a mayor leaving mid-term—that’d be SLO Mayor Heidi Harmon, for those of you who can’t keep up—and a SLO City Council opting for the pragmatic cost-effective approach of appointing her replacement. Say goodbye to the…
SLO County clerk-recorder selection committee begins work
San Luis Obispo County’s clerk-recorder appointment process kicked off on Sept. 8 with a meeting of a special selection committeee, which, at the end of this month, will nominate up to seven candidates for the Board of Supervisors to consider. “This is a politically fraught time. There are a lot of politics,” Ken Hampian, a…
Judge cites shield law in dismissing subpoena against podcaster Chris Lambert
Chris Lambert, the freelance journalist and Your Own Backyard podcaster who investigated the 25-year disappearance of Kristin Smart, won his case on Sept. 8 to quash the subpoena against him. The subpoena was served by Paul Flores’ defense attorneys, who questioned Lambert for influencing witnesses called to the stand in the preliminary hearing to testify…
Central Coast hospitals struggle with nurse shortages amid COVID-19 surge
Central Coast hospital officials and state legislators alike are concerned about nursing shortages amid the current surge in COVID-19 cases. Assemblymember Jordan Cunningham (R-San Luis Obispo) and a group of fellow California state legislators signed a letter to state Health and Human Services Agency Secretary Mark Ghaly asking the state to let up on its…
The Educated Gardener hosts pop-up art exhibit, showcasing seven local artists
The Educated Gardener in Santa Margarita is hosting a special pop-up art show on Saturday, Sept. 18, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission to this outdoor event is free, and all ages are welcome to attend. This one-day group exhibition showcases artworks by seven local artists: Joyce Bauerle, Lisa Falk, Peg Grady, Cynthia Kevorkian,…
SLO City council to appoint a new mayor
Tossing aside the idea of holding an “expensive” special election for mayor, the San Luis Obispo City Council voted unanimously on Sept. 7 to move forward with an appointment process for replacing Mayor Heidi Harmon, who is resigning on Sept. 26. “We have four experienced council members. … I think we can certainly do a…
Art Center Morro Bay holds free demo with Shell Voorhees and Aimee Brantley, co-owners of The Ugly Mug Ceramics
Shell Vorhees and Aimee Brantley, co-owners of The Ugly Mug Ceramics in Morro Bay, will be leading a free ceramics demonstration at Art Center Morro Bay on Monday, Sept. 13, from 3 to 5 p.m. Vorhees and Brantley will guide participants in creating a ceramic piece from start to finish. As an example, the duo…
San Luis Coastal launches free and healthy school meals for all students
For San Luis Obispo’s students, there is such a thing as a free lunch. San Luis Coastal Unified School District began the 2021-22 school year with free and healthy breakfast and lunch for the 15 public schools under its care. Free school food could improve SLO’s in-person student attendance rates, said district Food and Nutrition…
SLO NightWriters presents Zoom talk with local writer and editor Judythe Guarnera
Judythe Guarnera is the next guest speaker in the San Luis Obispo NightWriters’ Zoom series. A local writer and editor, Guarnera will lead a webinar, Using the Five Senses: Add Descriptive Dimension to Your Writing, on Tuesday, Sept. 14, starting at 6:30 p.m. Admission to join the Zoom meeting is free. Call (805) 703-3132 or…
California MENTOR Family Home Agency offers housing opportunities for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities in Tri-Counties
Central Coast residents with intellectual and developmental disabilities have the opportunity to find new spots to call home as the California MENTOR Family Home Agency opens its doors. The organization hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony on Sept. 2 for its new location in Santa Maria, which will serve those in Ventura, Santa Barbara, and San…
No longer a stand-alone brewery, Pair With Dead Oak is transformed into an A-Town culinary standout
Hoppy trails Pair With Dead Oak is open Thursday to Saturday from 5 to 10 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 5925 Entrada Ave. Dinner service ends at 8:30 p.m., and brunch service ends at 1:30 p.m. For reservations, visit deadoakbrewing.com. Follow the company on Facebook and Instagram @deadoakbrewing. Pair with…
Candyman successfully scares with gore plus social, racial commentary
CANDYMAN What’s it rated? R What’s it worth, Téa? Full price What’s it worth, Caleb? Full price Where’s it showing? In theaters (check local listings) Filmmaker Nia DaCosta (Little Woods) resurrects a 1990s horror icon, breathing fresh life into the dormant Candyman franchise with a chilling new entry. (90 min.) Caleb Who can take a…
Lessons learned: Cal Poly’s women’s volleyball team had its first home game in more than 600 days, and getting there wasn’t easy
Catch a game Watch the Mustangs play against the University of Washington on Sept. 11 in Malibu. Attend their next home game against Loyola-Marymount University on Sept. 18. For more information, visit gopoly.com/sports/womens-volleyball/schedule. A giant promotional poster of Meredith Phillips welcomed Cal Poly sports fans back to Mott Athletics Center on Sept. 1. Inside, the…
Bachelor In Paradise
What’s it rated? TV-14 When? 2021 Where’s it showing? ABC (every Monday and Tuesday night), Hulu When longtime host of all things Bachelor and Bachelorette, Chris Harrison stepped away from the popular reality franchise in June (after publicly defending former Bachelor contestant Rachael Kirkconnell amid accusations of racist behavior), his absence paved the way for…
Amid SLO County’s worst COVID-19 surge yet, higher education is returning to the classroom with mask, vaccine, and quarantine mandates
Higher education in SLO County is returning to classroom instruction, albeit with restrictions and safety protocols to counteract ever-rising COVID-19 cases. At Cuesta College, which is already back in session, students are required to be vaccinated by Oct. 15. But students also have the option of being tested frequently instead, Cuesta President and Superintendent Dr.…
Carrie
What’s it rated? R When? 1976 Where’s it showing? Amazon Prime, Downtown Centre in SLO (Sunday, Sept. 26, 7 p.m.) Based on Stephen King’s debut novel, this supernatural classic from director Brian De Palma (Scarface, Carlito’s Way) follows 16-year-old Carrie White (Sissy Spacek), a socially awkward loner with the whole world seemingly out to get…
Explore more: Get outdoors with rentals, tours, and an eye for adventure
Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic is still hanging on as students head back to college campuses for in-person classes. After being masked up and stuffed in a classroom, you’ll want to find a place where you can unmask and breathe in that free air. Fortunately, San Luis Obispo County has a lot of wild space, outdoor…
