“Screeeeech!”
Do you hear that?
It’s American patriotism touching down in San Luis Obispo County, a hawk parading as a bald eagle, because bald eagles don’t actually sound like the good ‘ol U.S. of A. They sound like a loser.
“Vroooom!”
An army of Ford F-150s started up in Arroyo Grande on Election Day to take their votes and their victor to the winner’s podium! It’s the sound of ‘Murica! Didn’t you hear it?
I certainly didn’t. All I heard was the long, drawn-out sigh of relief released by the electorate, happy that the election, text message solicitation, emails, and advertisements were finally over. At least for a few years. Even if it didn’t sway in their favor.
But Gaea Powell, who’s currently losing her bid for Arroyo Grande mayor by more than 2,000 votes, can hear it.
“It was great to meet so many wonderful patriots and learn what really matters to them,” Powell said. “Americans want change and for freedom to ring. I believe we can ride that momentum and be victorious in freeing California from its current chains.”
That’s a crazy statement to make about a region that voted to keep all of its Democratic representatives at the state and federal levels. Americans are obviously free to elect whomever they’d like—as long as it’s one of the two candidates who matter in this shitty two-party system we love to hate.
The only thing America really seems to care about is fatter wallets. And for all the mumbo-jumbo culture war shit from people like Powell to end. Trump isn’t really change. It’s Trump 2.0, and it’s going to be a spectacle. Trump didn’t get elected because he was an asshole pretending to be a patriot. He got elected because of inflation, and because Democrats can’t figure out how to keep everyone in their “big tent.”
Powell didn’t get elected because people in Arroyo Grande don’t want change. Voters feel good about their current mayor—Caren Ray Russom.
Of course, Russom was humble in her victory! Not at all.
“The people have spoken loud and clear. I knew the residents of Arroyo Grande would choose professionalism and civility over culture wars and division,” she said.
That probably felt pretty good after all of Powell’s disruptions during City Council meetings, the “freedom” antics that took over policy agendas, and campaign shouts about pornography.
Talk about feeling chained down.
Powell’s already planning her next run at the decision-making podium. I guess she didn’t get the memo that twice a loser, third time’s not a charm. But, whatever.
The culture war didn’t go well for the “parents’ rights” posers who wanted a sea change on the Lucia Mar Unified School District board. In a second referendum attempt (remember, the first one was during COVID-19), the three candidates put forth by the religious right, complete with surveys about abortion and gay marriage, didn’t make it far enough to unseat even one of the incumbents.
Not even one. Well, at least not yet. We’re still waiting for new updated tallies from the San Luis Obispo County Clerk-Recorder’s Office. What’s taking so long, Elaina Cano? Cat’s got your ballot counter?
Lucia Mar school board member Dee Santos is currently 169 votes ahead of her challenger, Paul Hively. Don Stewart has a 395-vote lead over his challenger Paul Bischoff, who’s already tried to erase his candidacy attempt off the internet.
Stewart didn’t mince words.
“Lucia Mar voters want us to focus on what really matters—student safety, academic excellence, and fiscal accountability—versus some of the culture war topics,” Stewart said.
But those culture war topics aren’t going anywhere. The race between incumbent Vicki Meagher and her opponent, culture war stand-in Mike Fuller, is separated by only 106 votes. A little too close for comfort, amirite?
What does bring me comfort is Cal Poly‘s discomfort. The university owes the First Amendment Coalition—which actually does fight for freedom—$26,000 and had to turn over reams of emails that it withheld from a student journalist for two years.
I guess they were hoping that Cal Poly journalism student Elizabeth Wilson would just drop it. But, instead, she bulldogged it and fought for the information that she believed the public had a right to know about, including the way Cal Poly handles campus sexual assaults and alleged student labor violations.
Talk about a patriot! Go Wilson!
Thanks to her never-give-up attitude and dogged pursuit of the truth, the university that once blackballed Mustang News (the student newspaper) reporters from getting any extra information on pretty much anything that has to do with Cal Poly is now required to meet with its student reporters three times a year for the next three years to discuss student Public Records Act requests.
We’ll call that settlement a win for journalism and for student journalists.
Wilson’s attorney, FAC legal fellow Annie Cappetta, said that colleges not complying with Public Records Act requests from student journalists is an issue.
“Schools might just wait their request out until graduation,” Cappetta said. “But public information is not just for those who can afford the time and expense of litigation. It belongs to the people and must be accessible to all.”
Preach it! Δ
The Shredder is screeching into the next election cycle. Send comments to shredder@newtimesslo.com.
This article appears in Nov 14-24, 2024.
Elaina Cano submitted a Letter to the Editor at the New Times that explains exactly why it’s taking so long (spoiler alert: it’s California elections code). It would be great if the paper ran that (or at least had its writers review it so they didn’t add fuel to the fire). Like it or not, it’s California’s process. -Erin Clausen, SLO County Clerk-Recorder Public Information Specialist