Cover Story
Student Guide 2022
The 2022-23 school year is upon San Luis Obispo, and with it come crowds of young people clad in Cuesta College and Cal Poly T-shirts ready to tackle studies and the fun that only students can have. Our annual Student Guide issue is here for them (and you year-round residents, too). In this issue, Assistant…
Paso teacher butts heads with school board, selected County Teacher of the Year
When Paso Robles High School picked longtime social studies teacher Geoffrey Land as Teacher of the Year, he was surprised—a feeling that continued as his name moved up through the award’s ranks. “I was even more surprised when the [Paso Robles Joint Unified School] District chose me as the District Teacher of the Year, given…
Central Coast sci-fi author H.W. Portland explores the final frontier in first novel, Explorer’s End
Galaxy-wide web Find out more about H.W. Portland and his debut novel, Explorer’s End, on hwportland.com. The book is available to purchase, as a paperback or ebook, through Amazon and barnesandnoble.com. Trekkies and wookie worshipers are among the target audience of Orcutt resident H.W. Portland’s debut sci-fi novel, Explorer’s End. “I tell people, if you…
Coastal Commission hears from Energy Commission chair on offshore wind and grid challenges
The day after a sweltering heatwave nearly knocked out California’s electrical grid, the chair of the California Energy Commission spoke in Pismo Beach about the energy challenges facing the state and the next steps for developing offshore wind farms near Morro Bay. “Yesterday was the all-time record for energy demand in the state of California…
SLO Rep invites theatergoers to travel Around the World in 80 Days
The San Luis Obispo Repertory Theatre presents its production of Around the World in 80 Days, which premieres on Friday, Sept. 9. The show is scheduled to run through Sunday, Sept. 25, with performances every Thursday through Saturday at 7p.m., and Saturday and Sunday afternoons at 2 p.m. This theatrical adaptation of Jules Verne’s classic…
Tiny house project creates waves in Morro Bay
Aesthetic and public access concerns have plagued a triangular plot of land nestled in a crevice between Sandpiper Court and Main Street in recent months. In May, the Morro Bay Planning Commission denied Sandy Bean’s application to build a 496-square-foot, two-story tiny home on that lot, which included requests for a conditional use permit, coastal…
Dana Adobe celebrates Captain’s Luau with live performances and storytelling
The Dana Adobe and Cultural Center in Nipomo will hold the Captain’s Luau on Sunday, Sept. 17, starting at 5:30 p.m. The event includes live luau performances and programs that retell stories of Capt. William Goodwin Dana and his historical ties to Hawaii. During his travels to Hawaii in the 1800s, Dana developed a relationship…
Nipomo searches for missing teenager
A 19-year-old woman from Nipomo named Shawna Seybold has been missing for more than a week, and her family wants the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office to raise the case to an “at-risk” situation. “I had a boy tell me he saw her get on the bus by the Nipomo High School bus stop.…
Sweet Reef in Morro Bay encapsulates one man’s journey from gold mining to boba crafting
Chew and sip Grab boba drinks and taiyaki (Japanese fish-shaped waffles) from the Sweet Reef shop at 630 Embarcadero, Morro Bay. Place pickup orders through their website or call (805) 627-3044. Sweet Reef also offers delivery through DoorDash. Keep up with their flavors on Instagram and Facebook @thesweetreef. Former geologist Jared Squire described his old…
Corrections:
• In the Sept. 1 story “Public safety, marijuana are top issues for Paso Robles,” New Times incorrectly spelled the names of John Hamon and Michael Rivera. New Times regrets the error. • In the Sept. 1 story “Fighting burnout: Nationwide teacher shortage hits home for special education in Lucia Mar school district,” New Times…
Which is it?
Endure a risky technology for a while longer, or aggravate the climate change that is threatening our planet with immediate and certain disaster? I am referring to the dispute over delaying the closure of the Diablo Canyon nuclear plant open. Liberals are generally very concerned about climate change and greenhouse gases, and have long campaigned…
Lessons from Anywhere is a Templeton resident’s answer to teaching music online in a post-pandemic world
COVID-19 may have compelled Templeton-based musician Pete Pidgeon to open a distance-learning music school, but the concept had been on his mind for years. “When I was living in Denver in 2015, I had the idea to start a music school online. The biggest complaint from people was if their child was taking a lesson,…
Polio is back—where are we going with this?
The alert has gone out that polio has been detected in a New York water treatment plant. So, we add that to monkeypox and the ongoing COVID-19 variant. Where are we going with this? First off, it’s just the ongoing fearmongering that the federal government is engaged in to exert control over the population. The…
The SLO Gathering comes to BarrelHouse Brewing on Sept. 10
If you’re looking for a music festival vibe but don’t want to drive all over hell and back and go through the rigmarole of camping, the place to be this Saturday, Sept. 10, is BarrelHouse Brewing when Numbskull and Good Medicine present The SLO Gathering (doors at 2 p.m.; all ages; $40 at goodmedicinepresents.com with…
Satan’s armpit
Hot enough for you? In the Laguna Lake area, not only has it been hotter than a stolen tamale, but 2,300 Pacific Gas & Electric customers had to contend with power outages on Sept. 4, 5, and 6 in the afternoon at the heat’s peak. There’s a terrible stillness when fans stop turning and your…
Renting can be stressful in SLO, but one key to success is to know your rights
Reporting housing violations Landlords are required by law to maintain safe and habitable rental units. If a landlord is refusing to fix a health and safety issue in your home or apartment, contact the city of San Luis Obispo for help with enforcement. The city offers free rental inspections for tenants or landlords concerned about…
SLO County, cities, and nonprofits help the homeless during heatwave
Soaring temperatures in San Luis Obispo County sent local officials and nonprofits scrambling to help the homeless population get out of the heat. For more than a week running, the county and much of California has been wrapped in a heatwave, with some areas reporting record highs of more than 100 degrees. The National Weather…
Tasty and (somewhat) healthy: Three easy one-pot recipes that are satisfying and don’t hurt your wallet
Prep pros Along with Budget Bytes (budgetbytes.com), the Mealime app (mealime.com) is another great resource to find cost-effective recipes. Like anything new, cooking will take experimentation and tweaks to find exactly what you like. Take your time, try new things, and enjoy! My Sundays are filled with chopping, sizzling, and—of course—loud house music bumping throughout…
SLO city to build new fencing along Railroad Safety Trail
San Luis Obispo Public Works Director Matt Horn used a photo instead of words to make his point to the SLO City Council on Sept. 6. The image projected onto the City Hall screen showed a tattered section of chain link fence that separates the city’s popular Railroad Safety Trail from its namesake, the Union…
As Cal Poly’s architecture school prepares for the annual furniture-building competition, a past winner reflects on his experience
Furniture festival The Cal Poly College of Architecture and Environmental Design hasn’t nailed down a date yet for the 2022 Vellum competition. Keep an eye out for more details and catch up on previous years’ installments at architecture.calpoly.edu. Cal Poly Architecture major Adam Harris’ wooden lamp appears unassuming at first—a curious achievement given that it…
Cuesta College will prepare students for jobs in airplane maintenance fields starting in 2023
Drive south over the Cuesta Grade and you’ll see a billboard advertising a class at Cuesta College like none other. Meet the brand new aviation maintenance technician program. Starting in January 2023, the program is designed for students interested in the aviation industry to get their airframe and powerplant mechanics certifications, commonly known as the…
The Shredder tells students everything they need to know to fit into SLO Town
Welcome to college! It’s your gateway to an overpriced degree, a soul-sucking “career,” a ball-and-chain mortgage, and your best years of working for “the man” under the guise of the so-called “American Dream” that’s really a lifetime of servitude made slightly less horrible by your ability to buy a new BMW every few years and…
Three Thousand Years of Longing is a surreal spectacle
THREE THOUSAND YEARS OF LONGING 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 Editor’s note: Staff Writer Bulbul Rajagopal and Calendar Editor Caleb Wiseblood wrote Split Screen this week while Glen and Anna Starkey were out of town.…
Only Murders in the Building (Season 2)
What’s it rated? TV-MA When? 2022 Where’s it showing? Hulu Our three favorite podcasting sleuths are back, and the Arconia is the site of yet another murder. This time it’s the building busybody, Bunny Folger (Jayne Houdyshell), who is the unlucky victim, and Charles (Steve Martin), Oliver (Martin Short), and Mabel (Selena Gomez) are in…
Samaritan
What’s it rated? PG-13 When? 2022 Where’s it showing? Amazon Prime If you like the kind of action movie where the protagonist shoves a grenade into a bad guy’s chest and deadpans, “Have a blast,” you’re in luck because 76-year-old Sylvester Stallone is out to prove he’s still got what it takes to be an…
