At more than 125,000 acres on Aug. 13, the Gifford Fire has pulled almost 5,000 personnel to battle the megafire in SLO and Santa Barbara counties. During the second full week of August, those crews started to fight fire with fire in hopes of keeping it back behind containment lines in the Garcia Wilderness. The fire continued a steady shift into SLO County toward Santa Margarita Lake, Pozo Road, and High Mountain Road.
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Evacuation warnings and orders were still in place for some areas of Santa Barbara County with new ones added in SLO County. Sun Senior Staff Writer Caleb Wiseblood writes about it [4]
Also in this issue, read about Grover Beach resident Stacy Korsgaden’s run for state insurance commissioner [4]; the magic of Debbie Noble Black [20]; and Condesa on SLO’s Monterey Street [27].
Camillia Lanham editor
Miller, Joe Brice New Times is published every Thursday for your enjoyment and distributed to more than 100,000 readers in San Luis Obispo County. New Times is available free of charge, limited to one copy per reader. The contents of New Times are copyrighted by New Times and may not be reproduced
Gifford Fire exceeds 129,000 acres while crews carry out a strategic burning operation
Air tankers and drones are among the forms of aerial support available to the crews— made up of more than 4,500 personnel— tackling the Gifford Fire, which has grown to more than 129,000 acres since Aug. 1.
Helicopters are in the mix as well—some armed with a crucial accessory firefighters are using to essentially fight fire with fire.
“[We] brought in a helitorch, and that operation will allow us to light fire from an aerial platform,” California Interagency Incident Management Team 5 Operations Section Chief Nate Hamm said at the San Luis Obispo Veterans Hall during an Aug. 11 community meeting.
Hamm said that firefighters had been setting up special control lines along Hi Mountain Road, Pozo Road, and other areas over the past few days prior to the meeting “in preparation for a planned firing operation,” which crews began carrying out on Aug. 12.
Throughout the night, crews took advantage of favorable conditions—including slightly cooler weather—to slow the fire’s spread and reinforce containment lines around the Garcia Wilderness area within the Los Padres National Forest, according to an Aug. 13 update from the U.S. Forest Service.
Waiting for specific conditions like weather and other factors was part of firefighters’ strategic plan for the 36-hour firing operation, in which the preparation work and decision-making felt like “for a lack of a better word, wargaming every possible scenario and every possible weather parameter,”
Team 5 Fire Behavior Analyst Garret Hazelton said at the Aug. 11 meeting.
Team 5 and other agencies battling the wildfire have an incident command post in Santa Margarita. Class was back in session for students at Santa Margarita Elementary School for their first day of school on Aug. 13, which prompted fire officials to coordinate with the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office to set up a special route for firefighters exiting the command post to avoid school crosswalks.
As of Aug. 13, 17 zones across San Luis Obispo County were under evacuation warnings, while 21 were under evacuation orders. Huasna resident Scott Wilson’s property is split between the two
Arroyo Grande parents’ rights advocate Shannon Kessler runs for Assembly
Arroyo Grande resident Shannon Kessler is challenging Assemblymember Dawn Addis (D-Morro Bay) for the California State Assembly’s 30th District seat in 2026.
designations, he explained.
“Part of the ranch is under an evacuation order, and part of the ranch is under evacuation warning,” Wilson told New Times on Aug. 12.
Wilson said the 6,000-acre ranch has been part of his wife’s family since the 1940s. They live there with their three adult children and their families, under separate roofs on different parts of the ranch. His daughter’s home is within a section that escalated from evacuation warning to order sometime during the course of the multi-day megafire.
“Her family lives on that side of the road, so they actually went [to stay] with some good friends, but the rest of our kids [and grandkids] have all
director of Harvest Church, circulated a flyer identifying two transgender students. She alleged that one of them—a trans female athlete—used the girls locker room and caused “psychological trauma” to other girls.
stayed,” Wilson said. “We’re on the other side of Huasna Road.”
During his daily commutes to San Luis Obispo, where Wilson works as the owner of Central Coast Archery, he said he’s felt comforted by the dozens of fire engines he’s seen so often lately.
“Every morning when I drive in, there’s got to be 40 Cal Fire trucks heading to Huasna,” Wilson said, shortly after stopping by a carwash in SLO on Aug. 12 to clean his ride, covered in ash from the commute, he added.
“I’ve seen trucks from all over the state out there,” he said. “It’s pretty comforting to see them well ahead of things.” ∆
—Caleb Wiseblood
“If that’s the case, then perhaps it’s time to change some of these harmful laws—especially those negatively impacting our quality of life.”
We
Our purpose: to present news and issues of importance to our readers; to reflect honestly the unique spirit of the region; and to be
The San Luis Obispo County Republican Partybacked Kessler propelled herself into the public eye earlier this year for criticizing the inclusion of transgender student athletes in gendered sports categories and locker rooms.
That issue is part of her campaign’s priorities in her bid to represent parts of Santa Cruz, Monterey, and SLO counties.
“Despite our efforts, only two of our Lucia Mar Unified School District trustees have acted in a way that reflects our desire to protect girls’ right to privacy,” Kessler told New Times “This lack of responsiveness motivated me to run for office— partly to advocate for parental rights and to ensure that locker rooms, bathrooms, and sports are reserved for biological females only.”
A group of parents flooded Lucia Mar’s board meetings in April and May after Kessler, as ministry
Kessler led a community-proposed resolution called “Supporting Title IX and Fairness in Girls’ Interscholastic Sports,” but it was never agendized after five of the seven board members rejected the idea.
Kessler’s push to “protect girls’ sports” is part of a larger conservative movement aimed at local and state school district policies aligning with the Title IX regulations of the Trump administration.
While the U.S. Department of Justice sent a letter in June to school districts in the state asking them to not implement the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) bylaw that allows student sports participation based on their gender identity, California Attorney General Rob Banta sued the department saying it has “no right to make such a demand.”
“Too often, we are met with responses from officials such as, ‘We have to follow state law,’ or, ‘We have to do what CIF says,’ ” Kessler, the founder of Save Girls’ Sports Central Coast, said via email.
One such potential law, Kessler said, is AB 495 or the Family Preparedness Plan Act of 2025 that sits in the Senate Appropriations Committee. Authored by Assemblymember Celeste Rodriguez (D-San Fernando), the bill aims to provide compassionate solutions for immigrant families facing sudden separations because of detention or deportation. Kessler claimed that the bill redefines guardianship and would allow “anyone” to take custody of a child from their parents.
The bill would broaden the definition of a nonrelative extended family member, but it only allows parents to designate someone to take care of their kids temporarily. The parents would still maintain parental rights.
Now, the one-time Ocean View Elementary School PTA president and candidate for Arroyo Grande City Council is also fighting for “school choice.”
School choice, Kessler said, means parents would have the right to decide whether their children should be educated through homeschooling,
MEGAFIRE STATUS As of Aug. 13, the Gifford Fire—which had spread from east of the Santa Maria Valley— was 37 percent contained and had consumed more than 129,000 acres. The cause of the megafire that began on Aug. 1 remains under investigation.
PHOTO COURTESY
private, public, or charter schools.
On Aug. 5, Kessler and Chino Valley Unified School Board President Sonja Shaw—who’s running for California state superintendent—endorsed each other on Facebook as parental rights advocates “fighting the good fight.”
Shaw drew controversy in March during a school district meeting when she ripped in half a cease-and-desist letter she’d received from the mother of a transgender female athlete in the school district. The letter called out Shaw for making comments from her Instagram account about trans girls participating in girls’ sports.
Along with advocating for policies that support homeownership for young families and longtime residents, Kessler’s also targeting the state’s support of electric vehicles. According to her, electric engines can’t handle heavy loads as efficiently as gas and diesel engines used by construction businesses.
“Ever-increasing environmental regulations on the trucking industry have forced businesses to abandon fully functional fleets,” she said. “Companies are often required to replace vehicles that still have years of useful life left, simply to comply with new restrictions.”
Kessler added that she will campaign against industrial “greenwashing,” pointing to how the Caballero battery storage facility in Nipomo was built while many residents complained they weren’t notified properly about it.
“Because the project is classified as ‘green energy,’ it was approved at the state level, bypassing local input,” she said. “As a state assemblywoman, I would not rubber-stamp projects simply because they carry a ‘green’ label. Every form of energy production should be evaluated on its actual merits—including nuclear power, which remains one of the most efficient and cleanest options available.”
Caballero was approved in 2023 by the SLO County Planning Commission and completed in February 2025.
Incumbent Addis, who fought for legislation to improve safety standards and restore local oversight for energy storage facilities, confirmed she’s running for reelection.
“Representative democracy works because anyone can run for office,” she said. “Every voter can make a free choice, and I am deeply grateful for the confidence voters have placed in me to represent them.”
—Bulbul Rajagopal
San Miguel water treatment facility approved for $54 million project
San Miguel’s wastewater facility needs updates—not only to accommodate a growing population, but to keep up with state mandates.
Those enhancements are now in the realm of possibility after the San Luis Obispo County Planning Commission unanimously approved the expansion of the Machado Wastewater Treatment Facility on July 24, allowing it to more than double its daily treatment capacity as part of a $54 million project.
San Miguel Community Services District (CSD) General Manager Kelly Dodds urged the Planning Commission to approve the expansion on July 24 to comply with State Water Resource Control Board mandates requiring that wastewater facilities have the capacity to accommodate 30-year projected average daily flows and to produce recycled water for irrigation.
Located at 1765 Bonita Place on a 39acre plot owned by the San Miguel CSD, Machado has treated the area’s water since 1944. But since 1999, it hasn’t received any updates. Right now, the facility processes about 200,000 gallons of water a day, but under state mandate, it will eventually need to process at least 500,000 gallons.
Dodds said there’s about 200 to 250 proposals for single- and multi-family home builds in the area, which are currently stalled because of the district’s water treatment capacity. He said that households using septic tanks would also need to be added to the water treatment system.
In total, the project would cost $23 million to $54 million, but San Miguel is banking on a $23 million grant from the Clean Water State Revolving Fund to make it happen. Then, any new construction would be subject to connection fees.
“Without state funds, the project would be stalled,” Dodds told the commission on July 24.
Some commissioners said that they worried for the pocketbooks of local residents, considering San Miguel’s recent discussions around dissolving, similar to the San Simeon CSD currently undergoing the process.
Commissioner Annie Wyatt asked how that could possibly affect who’d be responsible for the $54 million, if state funds fell through.
“We’re facing a real prospect that either existing residents may have to shoulder more than a fair share of this burden for new expansion or the county as a whole may have to shoulder some of this burden,” she said.
General Manager Dodds said the district doesn’t want this to happen.
“Our goal is to only start construction when we have those state funds,” he said. “We don’t want to move forward prematurely and saddle the community with something they can’t afford.”
Act now!
RTA Executive Director Geoff Straw said the city of Paso Robles and the transit authority have observed local bus routes A and B becoming more congested over the past couple of years, especially before and after the school bell rings.
“We call it crush loads during the bell times,” he said. “So right before school starts and right after school gets out, buses are fully loaded—people standing on the bus with no seats left,” he said.
The Paso Robles Joint Unified School District continues to reduce its school bus routes post-COVID, similarly prompting groups like the Boys and Girls Clubs of Mid Central Coast to provide free after-school transportation for students in need this upcoming school year.
Paso Robles school board member Nathan Williams previously told New Times that the district is struggling to find bus drivers because of what he assumed to be the cost of living post-pandemic.
RTA Executive Director Straw told New Times that parents were reaching out about the issue.
“From what I understand, the number of routes they’re operating is down drastically from where it was even a couple of years ago. From parents every year we get more and more phone calls: ‘Hey, I don’t have access to a yellow school bus. What do I do here?’” he said.
Send any news or story tips to news@newtimesslo.com.
Commissioner Steve Lieberman said that the project would have to happen eventually under state mandate.
“I’m very comfortable today and what’s been presented to us,” he said.
The plan was apporved by a 4-0 vote, and General Manager Dodds told New Times via email that once engineers finalize the project’s plan, it will submit it to the county and state officials, which he anticipates will be approved by the end of the year.
“We are also working with the state Department of Financial Assistance to complete necessary agreements for construction grant funding for the project,” he said. “Though we have grant funding that covers the design and engineering portions of the project, the district will not be moving forward with the plant construction without construction grants in place.”
The project is expected to break ground early 2026 and be completed by the end of that year, Dodds said, with no expected lapse in water treatment service.
—Libbey Hanson
RTA offers buses to SLO County students amid school bus shortages
School buses in Paso Robles are going to look a little different this year—less yellow, more blue and green.
That’s because the San Luis Obispo Regional Transit Authority, or RTA, is offering another bus route starting Aug. 14 to get students to and from school amid the Paso school district’s bus shortage and increasing ridership demands.
About two years ago, RTA hired consultants and implemented a short-range transit plan that includes what Straw called a “school tripper.” The service costs students 75 cents each way and will cost the city about $35,000 a year, although this first year is covered by a California Low-Carbon Transit Operating Program grant, Straw said. “So, we run another bus that sort of shadows the normal routes, A and B, depending on direction during the academic year,” he said. “Really focused on the junior high school and high school.”
The bus will appear as a normal RTA bus, but the headway sign will display as “tripper.”
Although it is technically open to any rider, Straw said RTA is asking others to prioritize student ridership.
Trippers will also accommodate San Miguel students, Straw said, to hopefully alleviate the transportation barrier for more rural students.
“One of the buses will start up in San Miguel in the morning and then through the northern part of Paso Robles and then the two campuses,” Straw said. “Same thing in the afternoon doing the opposite—starting at the two campuses and then heading to the north part of Paso Robles and then all the way up into San Miguel.”
Straw said the school trippers will be visible on RTA’s app for tracking, and parents or students can purchase daily or monthly passes.
While Straw said North County has the greatest need for this service, students at Arroyo Grande High School will also see RTA buses shadowing bus routes 27 and 28 and costing students $1.50 each way.
If parents have questions about the bus route, Straw said to reach out to the transit authority.
“We encourage people to call us. We’ll map out exactly where and when to catch the bus, where the bus will be, and so forth,” he said. “So, if I have two kids, one going to Flamson [Junior High] and one going to high school, call us and we’ll map it exactly.” ∆
—Libbey Hanson
Feeling the heat
Grover Beach’s Stacy Korsgaden pins insurance crisis on Proposition 103 in her bid for California Insurance Commissioner
Licensed Grover Beach insurance agent Stacy Korsgaden is combining her political ambitions with her career roots by running for California Insurance Commissioner.
“People are suffering,” Korsgaden said. “I talk to people that have no house payment. All of a sudden, their home insurance is being canceled, and their costs are going up three, four, five times. Or people are trying to get into new homes and the only offering that they have is through the California FAIR Plan.”
With incumbent Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara terming out, Korsgaden is the only Republican so far who’s thrown her hat into the 2026 election ring. Former Los Angeles County state Sen. and California Black Caucus Vice Chair Steven Bradford and State Sen. Mike McGuire—both Democrats—are also running.
Korsgaden unsuccessfully ran for the SLO County 3rd District supervisor seat in 2020. She came under fire for attending the Jan. 6, 2021, rally in Washington, D.C., that preceded the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. In 2022, Korsgaden lost both her second campaign for SLO County 3rd District supervisor and her race for Grover Beach mayor.
In February 2023, she sold her 35-yearold company, Stacy A. Korsgaden Insurance Agency with Farmers Insurance, to a different Farmers Insurance agent. Korsgaden told New Times that she acquired an additional license as a financial advisor after the sale and set up a firm called Coastal Wealth Financial.
Now she wants the insurance marketplace to be more competitive. The root of California’s current insurance crisis, according to her? Proposition 103.
“It had very good intentions,” Korsgaden said. “But the fact that the insurance market is collapsing and how we fix that is really looking at the economics and deciding what road California is going to go on. When Prop. 103 was voted in in ’88, I would call that a form of socialism because it was price control.”
Regulating things like personal automobile, dwelling fire, and earthquake
insurance, the proposition intended to protect consumers from erratic insurance rates while encouraging marketplace competition and affordable insurance for Californians. It turned the insurance commissioner’s position from a governorappointed role to an elected one.
The proposition also set up a regulatory “prior approval” system where the commissioner must approve a rate applied for by an insurer before it can implement new property and casualty insurance rates.
According to the state Department of Insurance, “thorough, impartial review” saved California residents billions of dollars in premiums while making sure the market stays strong enough to pay out claims when people need them.
California Department of Insurance data found that between 2020 and 2022, insurance companies declined to renew 2.8 million homeowner policies in the state.
Last year, USAA Casualty Insurance Co. implemented an average homeowners insurance rate increase of roughly 26 percent in California. Some saw rate hikes as high as 48.5 percent, according to Insurance Business. The New Republic reported in 2024 that California had the fourth-highest rate of nonrenewal in the country after Florida, Louisiana, and North Carolina. With coverage options aggravated by the wildfires in Los Angeles neighborhoods, more people turned to the state-mandated, high-cost insurer of last resort—the California FAIR Plan.
In September 2021, according to FAIR Plan data, it had 240,123 total dwelling and commercial policies. That amount swelled to 610,179 by June 2025.
That month, the FAIR Plan’s total written premium was $1.8 billion—a 33 percent increase since September 2024 and a 315 percent increase since September 2021.
“That [LA County] fire solidified my anger, my disappointment in the insurance system, in Prop. 103, in our career politicians, in our one-party rule in California,” Korsgaden said.
Korsgaden claimed that the proposition suppressed insurance rates and contributed to insurance companies leaving California.
‘EVERYTHING IS CONNECTED’
Insurance agent-turned-financial-advisor
“If State Farm says that they need to increase their rates by 30 percent, I want to see 10 new innovative startup insurance companies that are using AI that are going to provide you a policy possibly at a cheaper price point, more coverage, better service,” she said. “We cannot do that through government control.”
She added that if she becomes insurance commissioner, she’d work with the Legislature to devise a tax write-off or incentive that would lower taxes for a phase-out period of five years until the market stabilizes.
“I haven’t worked this out, but I’m saying that if we have a suppressed rate, and all of a sudden the true rate is 20 percent higher, my concern is for the public that wants insurance,” Korsgaden said.
She isn’t alone in her criticism. In July, the Western Insurance Agents Association gathered in Sacramento for a discussion hosted by Oakland-based Independent Institute. They floated the idea of a ballot initiative to change Proposition 103, according to ABC 10
“The only way it can be done is if the insurance industry asks the voters to do it, and personally, I think that’s a hilarious idea,” proposition author Harvey Rosenfield told New Times. “We’re working on an initiative that could actually solve the problem they’ve created that 103 doesn’t really address, which is these shortages in the homeowners market
in which the insurance companies have manipulated the FAIR Plan.” Rosenfield, who is also the founder of Consumer Watchdog, added that Korsgaden is misinformed.
“She’s got a financial incentive because of her occupation to deregulate the insurance industry,” he said. “Under Prop. 103, an insurance company is entitled to increase rates as much as it can show it needs, and it’s entitled to not only a fair profit but coverage for its reasonable expenses, … losses in the future. Companies have been claiming they’re broke ever since Prop. 103 passed. … For homeowners insurance, California has been more profitable than the rest of the country over the long term.”
Rosenfield also pointed to current Commissioner Lara approving rate hikes for the insurance industry that’s “a little more than he’s authorized to give without violating Prop. 103.” Lara came under public scrutiny after the Department of Insurance approved a $1 billion assessment on the FAIR Plan, which splits the cost of paying out claims related to the LA wildfires between residents and private insurers.
During his testimony at the state Capitol in March, the commissioner told lawmakers he couldn’t give them a specific amount on how much ratepayers would pay. He also said he would approve State Farm’s emergency rate hike request of 22 percent if the company could meet certain conditions.
Rosenfield’s Consumer Watchdog—which intervenes in the rate request process— submitted letters to Lara objecting to the State Farm approval, alleging that the company actually wanted to protect its Wall Street credit rating.
Whoever becomes insurance commissioner next, Rosenfield said, would have to fix “a lot” of Lara’s policies.
“If you can think of an industry that should have known climate change was happening, it would have been the insurance industry, but they did nothing for decades,” he said. “The next [person] … will have to take a look at climate change and figure out a good program for the state of California.”
Korsgaden, too, has the environment on her mind as she prepares for her state campaign.
“We need people that are going to be held accountable for the water, the forest, the homelessness, … all of that is insurable risk,” she said. “What California needs is not diversity of skin color, sexual orientation, or any of that. What we need is diversity of thought, ability, and talents.” ∆
Reach Staff Writer Bulbul Rajagopal at brajagopal@newtimesslo.com.
Stacy Korsgaden believes Proposition 103 is the root of the current insurance crisis in California and said she wants to more competition in the market.
Local radio and television stations will conduct normal programming during the tests.
If you hear the sirens at any other time, tune to a local radio or television station for important emergency information. When at sea, tune to Marine Channel 16.
“Inow pronounce you married,” is often heard now in the San Luis Obispo County Clerk-Recorder’s Office after it started offering express marriage ceremonies at its counter.
Clerk-Recorder’s Office Public Information Officer Erin Clausen said that this specific service started on July 1 and has been a hit after having more than 400,000 views on a recent Facebook post and performing 21 ceremonies in its first 30 days.
“It really seems to be well received, and it did get a lot of attention across all of our social media platforms and accounts because I think people just find it interesting and happy and fun,” she said. “Then people start talking about their experiences. I think it’s more common than a lot of people think that people get married this way, and a lot of people have had very good experiences for one reason or another.”
For many years, Clausen said, the SLO County Courthouse has been issuing marriage licenses and performing marriage ceremonies—which, as of a year ago, could even take place on the building’s rooftop—but the services require a reservation. The county’s new express marriages don’t require any notice, just two people in love and ready to be wed.
“It limits the number of people you can bring along, but you can still bring along three people,” Clausen said. “And you know, if you don’t have a license, you can actually get your license and then get married immediately following that without an appointment.”
What does this service offer the public? The opportunity to express love in a more affordable way.
“A lot of people like to do it because it saves them money, and they have a party later. Or somebody was saying that her daughter or son had gotten married, and his wife was from another country, so they got married this way, and then they went and had a big thing in her home country,” Clausen said. “So, there’s so many different ways and reasons people get married with us and skip the much larger event, but we welcome them all, and we have so much fun.”
A wedding ceremony and reception can cost thousands of dollars—according to wedding website service Joy, the average wedding cost in California stands at $36,068. But getting a license and having a ceremony at the Clerk-Recorder’s Office costs around $200, Clausen said. It’s about $105 for a marriage license, $58 for the counter ceremony, and $31 if the couple needs a county witness—although the couple can bring their own. It’s an additional $9 if the ceremony is booked for the rooftop.
“If you’re looking to save money for your first place together or want to do a celebratory something—a honeymoon or whatever—it can be a nice way to save,” Clausen said.
Couples don’t necessarily need to be from SLO County to use the service, and since going viral on Facebook, the office has heard from people as far as Bakersfield commending the speedy ceremonies. The couple featured on the ClerkRecorder’s Office’s Facebook post was thrilled too, Clausen said.
“The mother of the groom commented, and she was like, ‘Oh my gosh, I love seeing this picture. They just told us last night that they got married, and this is the only image we have. I just ordered a 16-by-20 canvas of it,’ which was hysterical,” she said. “Then the bride DMed us the next day and was like, ‘Do you happen to have any other pictures? I know you took a couple of them,’ and I was able to get her the little video clip of their kiss and everything. It was really fun, super cute. And she goes, ‘To think we were just going to do this little wedding, just the two of us. And now 400,000 people have seen it.’”
For more information on weddings at the SLO County Clerk-Recorder’s Office visit: slocounty. ca.gov/departments/clerk-recorder/marriage.
Fast fact
• The Cal Poly Cat Program needs more volunteers after experiencing a shortage during the summer break and is unable to accept any more cats and kittens. Its current max capacity is 45 animals. During the school year, it’s typically 80 to 100. For more information on adoption or volunteering, visit: calpolycatprogram.org. ∆
Reach Staff Writer Libbey Hanson at lhanson@newtimesslo.com.
EXPRESS YOURSELF This newlywed couple went viral when the SLO County Clerk-Recorder’s Office posted their speedy wedding ceremony on Facebook. The Clerk-Recorder’s Office started the express marriage services on July 1, performing 21 ceremonies in the first 30 days, right at its counters.
PHOTO COURTESY
COMPLETE TESTING & REPAIR
Robert J. Freyer
Robert J. Freyer was born on July 3, 1954, in Omak, WA to Dora Faye (Wilson) Freyer and Robert “Dusty” Freyer. He was the second of six children. He and his siblings fondly recall raising bunnies, chickens, hogs, and horses. They were always close, got into mischief, and still love to tell a story. The family farmed while Dusty worked with horses, riding rodeo professionally until the children were older, and they settled in Central Washington. Rob graduated from Grandview High School where he ran track as a Greyhound. He went onto Washington State University and studied Landscape Architecture. Shortly after graduation, he married his high school sweetheart Cheryl Ann Bass. The two then moved to Longview, WA and the couple had three children: Amy Marie (1981), Michael James (1984), and Kimberly Lynn (1986).
Professionally Rob worked for a company that distributed tire store supplies, C & H Wholesale. He eventually took over the business, renaming it Freyer Equipment & Supply. He drove all around Western Washington and Oregon supplying tire stores with valve stems, wheel weights, and other equipment. Before the children were school aged, Rob loved taking them on his delivery route. Boarding the truck, affectionately called ‘The White Whale,’ Rob and his young apprentice would make a few business stops, get a special breakfast (his favorite was at the local Pancake House), and chat with all the friends Dad had across the state. As everyone grew up, his entire family fondly recalls sorting inventory and managing the desk at his shop. Rob punctuated his working hours with quick naps, fueling his long hours, and could sleep soundly anywhere, abet for a short time. He would also frequently stop for a slice of pie à la mode (he loved recommending diners and pie flavors to anyone headed to the Pacific Northwest).
In addition to his professional pursuits, Rob was an active member and longtime Deacon of Calvary Community Church. He was a constant fan (and frequent coach) to his son Michael’s sporting pursuits, a follower of his daughter Amy’s cheerleading, and a proud supporter of daughter Kim’s theater. On the weekends Rob enjoyed a hot breakfast and especially loved making pancakes, he delighted in family road trips (and taking the road less traveled), and he loved family camping trips recalling native flora and fauna years after studying it at W.S.U.
As the children dispersed to college, life took him in a new direction and he and Cheryl went their separate ways. Rob sold Freyer Equipment, moved
to Vancouver, WA and went to work for 6 Robblees. After a few years, he retired and moved to the Central Coast of California. He chose to live within driving distance of his daughter Amy’s family and his son Michael’s family. Rob’s retirement was an active and social one. He loved golf, pool, motorcycles, and live music. He helped neighbors mend fences, repair plumbing, and move furniture. Rob was a pool champion and a car enthusiast. He built a close community of friends who shared meals, wine, and conversation. He found great joy in spending time with his children and grandchildren. He playfully road carousels, practiced mutton bustin’, and delighted in babysitting requests. Not only did he impart love; he modeled it for the next generations of his family.
An optimist, Rob had lived with aggressive cancer for more than twelve years and never stopped fighting. He was traveling, cooking, cheering on the Dodgers, attending bible study, and visiting grandkids in his final months. He passed away with the hands of his family on him as the sun set on his 71st birthday. Rob lived as a poet, choosing his birthday to move into the next chapter.
Rob was predeceased in death by his parents and his brother Rex. He is survived by three of his brothers: David (Lucy), Curt (Wanda), and Joseph (Michele) as well as his sister Karen. His children Amy (Marshall), Michael (Cristina), and Kimberly (Shion) survive him as do his grandchildren Elenora Miller, Ernest Miller, and Jacob Freyer.
Rob is buried at the Santa Barbara Cemetery, in the Sunrise Urn Garden. A memorial service will be held at All Saints by-the-Sea Episcopal Church on Saturday, August 23, 2025, at 11 AM (83 Eucalyptus Lane, Santa Barbara, CA 93108). A reception will be held immediately after.
BY R. DEMILO
‘American silence is a crime’ We need to speak up about the humanitarian crises
With so many humanitarian atrocities continuing to happen here locally on the Central Coast, in our state, across the United States, and globally, I’ve spent many sleepless hours pondering how I’ve become so disillusioned and frustrated with Americans. Until this year, I’ve been proud to be an American and part of our society that I believed fundamentally stood up for human rights. But, alas. We have mistakenly elected a government that places a high value on power and profit. Not that there’s anything intrinsically wrong with that. This is, after all, the land of capitalism. But everything goes awry for mankind when power and profits stomp all over human rights.
We have watched Russia’s invasion of
BY BRIAN BUDD
Public service
Reopen the shooting range
The closure of our local range has gone on far too long. I know hundreds of locals who had volunteered and invested the majority of their free time for over the last 30 to 40 years to create one of the safest and best public shooting ranges on the West Coast. This public range has been stolen from our community by the state of California, and it is a festering problem.
The state has broken the hearts and spirits thousands of citizens in SLO County who have used this area to prepare for hunting season, to recreate with firearms in a safe controlled environment. The closure is clearly a petty political move for reasons unknown to me and is a topic that dominates discussion among the rural community. This range closure is building significant
Ukraine as 300,000 Russian soldiers, 100,000 Ukrainian soldiers, and more than 12,000 civilians have been killed, yet we’re silent. We have watched the genocide being perpetrated on Palestinians in Gaza—the constant bombings of civilian targets, the systematic mass starvation and famine, the estimated 93,000 Palestinians killed, with almost 60 percent of that being women, children, and the elderly. And yet Americans are not only silent but continue to support Israel.
The war in Sudan has caused the largest humanitarian crisis on record, with civilians bearing the brunt as international humanitarian laws continue to be ignored with the continuation of rampant ethnic cleansing and sexual violence. Americans don’t even talk about Sudan. Myanmar is
division and distrust of the state among our community. A correlation would be closing all the good surfing beaches in the county and expecting the surfing community to just accept it for years. I both surf and hunt, and there are just as many hunters in SLO County as there are surfers. The hunters are just not as vocal in the political atmosphere these days. Our county is very expensive to survive and raise a family in, and we are all choosing to live here because of the natural resources and facilities available to us. The SLO Gun Range operated by SLOSA was a big part of our community.
The land was given to the state by the military to be used as a public shooting range, available to all. Everyone who has lived here since the origin of the land transfer knows the purpose of this land. Any current environmental argument in relation to a seasonal creek on the property is a means to keep the range closed. All of the shooting ranges were purposefully built to protect this
now one of the top three global crises due to the worsening military conflict and the devastation of that country’s water and health systems. I would bet that more than half of Americans have no idea what or where Myanmar is. And this list goes on with Lebanon, Syria, Mali, Haiti, Somalia, etc. And Americans remain silent.
In our own great country, which daily seems to be getting less great, Americans remain silent on racial abuses of American citizens perpetrated by people who are paid by us to protect and serve our communities. Americans remain silent on the politically motivated violence and murder that is becoming the new normal. Across this “land of the free,” people are being swept up every day by unidentified, masked, and heavily armed groups headed for detention, deportation, or just being disappeared. It’s no wonder that I feel this disappointment and frustration with
waterway, and it flows freely every winter.
Hundreds of thousands of volunteer hours and millions of dollars of local fundraisers events have occurred over my 37-year lifetime to build out these ranges. In fact, my parents’ next door neighbor was the original safety officer who developed the first range and hosted hundreds of free firearms safety and hunting classes.
Closing this shooting range will not stop people from using their firearms and recreating; they will just be pushed out to less safe and effective ways of using them. Because there is no local gun range, there is now significantly more shooting in the surrounding Los Padres Forest. There are also many people hunting this year, without properly sighted in guns or without the practice they need to safely operate them. I know this because I am out in the Los Padres
Americans. And I’ve been trying to come up with a simple phrase to express it. Then the other night I attended the Steve Earle concert at The Fremont theater. I was particularly struck by Chris Pierce, the singer/songwriter who opened for Earle. He is known for his compassion and humanity, which is evident in his lyrics. He uses his public platform to speak up about the things we should all be making noise about. One of his songs in particular struck a chord with me, because, in it, I found that simple phrase I’ve been looking for. “American silence is a crime.” That’s it. Not complicated at all in a time where Americans, especially our elected officials, should be standing up and speaking against humanitarian atrocities. ∆
R. DeMilo writes to New Times from Arroyo Grande. Send a response for publication to letters@newtimesslo.com.
COMMENTARY
almost weekly and grew up on a property bordering public land. Families camping in SLO County can now expect to hear more high powered rifles and shotgun blasts outside of hunting season.
We need representation on this matter, and the range needs to be reopened ASAP, preferably operated by the San Luis Obispo Sportsman’s Association. The $400,000 “audit deficit” is an offensively low cost to justify an extended closure to thousands of people who used the shooting range every year. Clearly a cost that is a drop in the bucket in comparison to the billions of dollars in misused public funds we see every year by this state. ∆
Brian Budd writes to New Times from Atascadero. Send a response for publication to letters@newtimesslo.com.
HODIN Russell Hodin
BY GIANNA PATCHEN AND ANDREW CHRISTIE
The fake emergency
Do you know about the Conservation and Landscape Health Rule? It prioritizes the health and resilience of ecosystems on public lands. The rule, legally binding on the actions and decisions of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), requires them to “protect intact landscapes, restore degraded habitat, and make informed management decisions based on science and data.” Conservation must be on an equal footing with other uses on our public lands in resource management planning.
The BLM’s Bakersfield field office was recently reminded of this in a letter signed by the Sierra Club, CalWild, The Wilderness Society, Los Padres ForestWatch, the Conservation Lands Foundation, The Wildlands Conservancy, and Carrizo Plain Conservancy, responding to the BLM’s notice of intent to prepare an oil and gas supplemental environmental impact statement (EIS). The supplemental EIS is a do-over, the result of a settlement agreement with the Center for Biological Diversity and co-plaintiffs, who filed a legal challenge to a 2019 BLM decision that proposed to open more than a million acres of public land in California to oil and gas drilling and fracking. Under that plan, areas of critical environmental concern, wilderness study areas, lands with wilderness characteristics, critical habitat for federally listed species, and lands immediately adjacent to the Carrizo Plain National Monument and the Wind Wolves Preserve could be opened up to more oil and gas drilling. They should not be.
A new element this time around is President Trump’s so-called “national energy emergency,” per an executive order last January. The Sierra Club told the BLM that it cannot rely on the “energy emergency” to justify loosening environmental standards for oil production because the premise that a national energy emergency exists is merely a pretext for boosting fossil fuels and cutting renewable energy production.
An emergency refers to “a sudden, urgent, usually unexpected occurrence or occasion requiring immediate action,” or “an unforeseen combination of circumstances or the resulting state that calls for immediate action.” Nothing in the executive order meets this definition. Oil production is at an alltime high—see the U.S. Energy Information Agency report that the United States now produces “more crude oil than any country, ever”—and companies are sitting on more than 6,000 approved drilling permits on public lands that are not being used.
Earthjustice and Advocates for the West said much the same to Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum in May about his department’s use of “emergency procedures” to allow new oil and gas leasing to escape National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) analysis and eliminate opportunities for public comment.
They also noted that, “In deciding to hasten permitting and leasing, the department entirely failed to consider an
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important factor: the cost of limiting public input. There are numerous benefits to public participation—including increased accountability; additional scientific, technical, on-the-ground, or local expertise; and increased public involvement—that the department entirely failed to consider in adopting its emergency procedures.”
In short, the Trump administration’s attempts to circumvent NEPA would “shut the public out of energy approval processes, thus compromising the quality and integrity of the Department of the Interior’s decisionmaking and leading to worse outcomes for communities and the environment.”
Environmental protection laws are being targeted on the federal and state levels under the false pretense that environmental protections inhibit necessary development. This red herring distracts from the reality that the largest beneficiaries of environmental rollbacks are large polluters. Environmental protection laws are first and foremost transparency laws that ensure the public and experts are aware of proposed projects and can flag any significant public health or environmental concerns.
In a recent issue of the Times of San Diego, Pam Heatherington, former director of the Environmental Center of San Luis Obispo, now heading the Environmental Center of San Diego, described the outcome of a California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) challenge to a sprawling, 1,000-acre development:
the endangered Checkerspot butterfly. The parties ultimately reached a settlement that would reduce the project’s footprint, preserve more land for rare and sensitive wildlife, and minimize wildfire dangers.”
That project had been reviewed and approved as compliant with San Diego’s general plan. That process was insufficient. Fortunately, the extra layer of review provided by environmental law made it a better and safer project—see above for the cost of limiting public input and avoiding worse outcomes for communities and the environment. That’s what CEQA and NEPA are all about, and why we must stand up in their defense. ∆
Gianna Patchen is chapter coordinator for the Santa Lucia Chapter of the Sierra Club. Andrew Christie served as chapter director from 2004 to 2023. Send comments in response to letters@newtimesslo.com.
What are students struggling with the most?
61% Being empathetic and respectful of each other.
22% Meeting state academic standards.
Staying in school.
“People get a lot out of being a warm, supportive voice on the other end of the line. I know I do.”
Is Stacy Korsgaden the answer to California’s insurance crisis?
I’ll bet the most recent increase in home insurance rates that she isn’t. The twicefailed supervisor candidate and Grover Beach Republican is betting on your next home insurance rate increase that she is—as in, she thinks California’s insurance commissioner shouldn’t be able to tell insurance companies not to raise your rates.
And if your insurer wants to raise rates by 30 percent, AI will step into modify the market. AI?
“I want to see 10 new innovative startup companies that are using AI that are going to provide you a policy possibly at a cheaper price point, more coverage, better service,” she said.
Umm. I think companies are trying to get out of providing coverage in risky areas because it costs too much to pay up in a severe natural disaster. No one is trying to start a brand new insurance company in a risky market that will likely have to pay up. But it’s nice to want things, amirite?
Former insurance agent Korsgaden announced her run for insurance commissioner, an unenviable position that’s on the struggle bus right now. Current Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara is in the thick of an insurance crisis—rising rates, insurers not renewing homeowners’ policies, insurers leaving the state altogether, and wildfires that have gobbled up homes faster than he can blink.
In fact, you and I will be helping to pay for the cost of rebuilding in the wake of the LA wildfires, thanks to a “deal” he made with insurance companies that splits the cost of paying out claims between ratepayers and the insurance companies. Don’t worry, though, he doesn’t actually know how much will be tacked onto next year’s insurance bill. WTF is that?
In his tenure, many SLO County residents have either lost their insurance coverage and had to default to the very expensive insurer of last resort, the state’s FAIR Plan (which isn’t fair at all), or faced rates that have more than doubled.
And we’ve got a fire burning right now— the Gifford Fire—in SLO County that’s illustrating exactly why insurance companies are beating feet.
Korsgaden’s blaming the state’s “oneparty rule” (the Democrats) for California’s insurance woes—apparently not realizing that the insurance crisis is also happening in red states like Florida, Texas, Oklahoma, and Louisiana. Florida has the highest nonrenewal rate in the country, according to a Senate Budget Committee report from December 2024.
Who’s she going to blame for that?
What do these states all have in common? No, it’s not wildfire! But it is climate-driven natural disasters (hurricanes, flooding,
tornadoes, wildfire, etc.) that seem to be getting worse with insurance companies that are no longer interested in insuring the riskiest homes. And Korsgaden’s party wants to keep its head in the sand when it comes to crafting policies and regulations to help protect against the damage that climatedriven weather can wreak and to prevent development from happening in places it shouldn’t. In fact, Trumpty-dumpty and all the king’s men are trying to rip those rules right out of the regulations. Slow clap!
Nothing to see here! Just blame the Democrats for everything. It’s ridiculous.
Lara’s terming out, thank God! (I wish Trump had termed out.)
Whoever gets elected as Lara’s replacement has a mountain to climb. As the issue seems to be a national one, I doubt that anyone is going to be able to fix it in California alone. This is an issue that’s been decades in the making, and hopefully it doesn’t take that long to dig ourselves out of it.
We’ve got another hopeful, misguided conservative out of South SLO County who just announced a run at a state office. Shannon Kessler. Are you surprised?
I’m not. I knew she would try to turn her 15 minutes of ill-gotten fame into something. The Republican Party of SLO-backed Arroyo Grande resident is itching to take Dawn Addis’ spot in the Assembly with her platform of keeping transgender students out of girls’ restrooms and sports.
She’s even backed by Chino Valley Unified school board president Sonja Shaw, who’s running for state superintendent and is another “parent’s rights advocate.” Oh joy!
Hoping to continue the national steam she gathered by singling out two students in the Lucia Mar Unified School District and bullying them in front of a national audience, Kessler believes the state is the problem. I’m sensing a right-wing theme, here. She also singled out the Caballero battery energy storage system in Nipomo as a state-approved project that bypassed local involvement. Well, I’m happy to report that Kessler either doesn’t read local news or she doesn’t understand exactly what a local governing body is. That project was approved in 2023 by the San Luis Obispo County Planning Commission—which does give local residents an opportunity to provide input and received none! Regardless of how you feel about the project, facts are facts. And elected officials should at least get those facts right. But she’s not elected yet. She’s only just beginning her play for the 30th District seat. Maybe we’ll get lucky, and the SLO County District Attorney’s Office will file another set of voter fraud charges against a South County conservative. Either way, should be plenty of material for this column in the run-up to the 2026 primary. ∆
The Shredder is sharpening some gears. Send thoughts to shredder@newtimesslo.com.
Hot Dates
ARTS
NORTH COAST SLO COUNTY
CHASING A PEWTER CUP OR TUMBLER
Draw your pattern on a pre-made pewter cup or tumbler, and let your creativity flow during this 2-day class. More info at the link. Aug. 23 1-5 p.m. $365. (805) 237-8632. randystromsoe.com. Randy Stromsoe Metalsmith, Highway 46 West, SLO County.
COASTAL WINE AND PAINT PARTY
Listen to music while enjoying an afternoon of creativity, sipping, and mingling. The party includes a complimentary glass of wine and canvas with materials. Saturdays, 12-2 p.m. $55. (805) 394-5560. coastalwineandpaint. com. Harmony Cafe at the Pewter Plough, 824 Main St., Cambria.
COSTA GALLERY SHOWCASES Features works by Ellen Jewett as well as 20 other local artists, and artists from southern and northern California. ThursdaysSaturdays, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. and Sundays, 12-4 p.m. (559) 799-9632. costagallery. com. Costa Gallery, 2087 10th St., Los Osos.
FOREVER STOKED PAINT PARTY Join us at the gallery, for a few hours to travel on a creative paint journey. You will receive as much or as little instruction as you prefer. No artistic experience is necessary. Saturdays, 7-9 p.m. $45. (805) 772-9095. foreverstoked.com. Forever Stoked, 1164 Quintana Rd., Morro Bay.
MICHAEL JOHNSTON SHOWS HER FINE ART PHOTOGRAPHY IN GALLERY AT MARINA SQUARE Michael Johnston loves horses, traveling, exploring, and nature itself. Her camera captures what she sees, and brings them home for
you. Through Aug. 29, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Free. (805) 772-1068. galleryatmarinasquare. com. Gallery at Marina Square, 601 Embarcadero suite 10, Morro Bay.
THE PLEIN AIR TEAM Acrylic artist, Nancy Lynn, and husband, watercolorist, Robert Fleming, have an ongoing show of originals and giclee prints of Morro Bay and local birds. ongoing (805) 772-9955. Seven Sisters Gallery, 601 Embarcadero Ste. 8, Morro Bay, sevensistersgalleryca.com.
PROOF See the production, Proof at By The Sea Productions until August 24. Get more information at the link. FridaysSundays. through Aug. 24 $28. my805tix. com. By The Sea Productions, 545 Shasta Ave., Morro Bay.
THE REBOOT SPEAKEASY: A LIVE STORY SHOW The Central Coast’s top storytellers share their “Greatest Hits”, along with true personal tales about mending fences and finding forgiveness. There will also be an open mic for audience 99-second stories. Aug. 15 7-9 p.m. Free. (805) 225-1553. facebook. com/the.reboot4u. Red Barn at Los Osos Community Park, 2180 Palisades Ave., Los Osos.
NORTH SLO COUNTY
3 ARTISTS RETROSPECTIVE REVEAL
Susan Lyon, Maryanne Nucci, and Kathy Madonna invite you to visit their Retrospective Show including original photographs, charcoals, watercolors, etchings, linocuts, and mono prints. Saturdays, 2-5 p.m. (805) 440-7152. cottontailcreek.com/susanart. Pocket Gallery on Pine, 8491/2 13th Street, Paso Robles.
DAILY POTTERY Walk in, pick your pottery project, and paint away.
Something for all ages. Prices vary depending on what you choose and includes; paint, glaze, firing, and studio time. Tuesdays-Saturdays, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Varies. (805) 400-9107. artsocial805. com. ArtSocial 805 Creative Campus, 631 Spring St., Paso Robles.
DATE NIGHT Couples or friends, bring a bottle of wine and enjoy a creative night out. Have fun and get messy as the venue walks you through the basics of throwing on the potter’s wheel. Fridays, 6-8 p.m. $144. (805) 203-0335. thepotteryatascadero.com/datenight. The Pottery, 5800 El Camino Real, Atascadero.
DEPRISE BRESCIA ART GALLERY: ONGOING DISPLAYS Features a large selection of encaustic art, sculpted paintings, art installations, acrylic palette knife paintings, digital art, glass, jewelry, stones, fossils, and a butterfly sculpture garden. ongoing DepriseBrescia.com. Deprise Brescia Art Gallery, 829 10th St., Paso Robles, (310) 621-7543.
FIELDWORK WORKSHOP - OPEN STUDIO Join us every Tuesday for our community workshop! Bring your creative projects, meet fellow makers, and get inspired. No pressure, just creativity, good vibes, and snacks. Tuesdays, 6-9 p.m. $15. fieldworkart. org. Fieldwork, 4307 El Camino Real, Atascadero, (971) 645-2481.
HART MOVIE NIGHT Cambria’s no-kill, non-profit cat shelter The Homeless Animal Rescue Team (HART) will host the fundraiser during the film showing of FLOW, The Academy Award winning film. Wines will be discounted 20%. Aug. 15 , 7:30-9:45 p.m. $13. my805tix.com. Parr Collective Winery at Stolo Vineyards, 3776 Santa Rosa Creek Road, Cambria, (805) 924-3131.
VOICES UNITE
The Cuesta Concord Chorus presents Voices Unite!, a free, three-day international choral festival from Friday, Aug. 15, to Sunday, Aug. 17, beginning on Friday at Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa. The festival, directed by Cassandra Tarantino, honors the memory and the legacy gift of Ann Coppenbarger, and features three days of free concerts in multiple locations, culminating in a grand production of Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana at the Cal Poly Performing Arts Center, on Saturday, and guest choral productions on Sunday, at RAVA Winery and Sculpterra Winery in Paso Robles. To get more information and a day-by-day concert breakdown, head to cuesta.edu and locate the Community Programs section.
JILL GARMAN’S “PALM FOOLERY ART”
OPENING See artist Jill Garman’s unique, fun, beautiful, and quirky palm paintings at Pocket Gallery on Pine! Saturdays, 2-5 p.m. through Oct. 4 (805) 440-7152. Pocket Gallery on Pine, 8491/2 13th Street, Paso Robles.
SHORT FORM IMPROV CLASS AT TOP GRADE COMEDY THEATER Join instructor Charles Charm, an improvisor with 10 years of experience, to learn how to play improv games. Classes are drop in only at this time. Shows TBD. Fridays, 6-8 p.m. $25. (530) 748-6612. Saunter Yoga and Wellness, 5820 Traffic Way, Atascadero.
SIP N’ SKETCH/SIP N’ PAINT Bring your own supplies (or borrow some of our’s) and paint or sketch a themed live-model or still life under the guidance of Studios resident artists. See website for the specific theme of the month. Your first glass of wine is included in price. Third Saturday of every month, 6-9 p.m. $20. (805) 238-9800. studiosonthepark.org. Studios on the Park, 1130 Pine St., Paso Robles.
TAKE A SPIN: TWO-HOUR WHEEL
CLASS These two hour blocks provide an opportunity to learn the basics of wheel throwing. Instructors will center your clay for you, so you will have the opportunity to make two items. Saturdays, 10 a.m.-noon $72. (805) 203-0335. thepotteryatascadero.com/ wheelclasses. The Pottery, 5800 El Camino Real, Atascadero.
WRITERS WANTED Novelists, screenwriters, poets and short story writers welcome. This group meets in Atascadero twice a month, on Thursday nights (email jeffisretired@yahoo.com for specifics). Hone your skills for publication and/or personal development. Third
Thursday of every month, 7-9 p.m. Unnamed Atascadero location, Contact host for details, Atascadero.
SAN LUIS OBISPO
ARTIST RIKI SCHUMACHER AT ART CENTRAL GALLERY Schumacher’s work is pensive and introspective, inspiring one to take a solitary walk on a cloudy day. Wander in to reflect on her “delicious, wistful landscapes.” Mondays-Saturdays, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and Sundays, 12-4 p.m. Free. (805) 747-4200. artcentralslo.com/gallery-artists/. Art Central, 1329 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo.
BIRD ON A BRANCH COLLAGE CLASS In this workshop, you’ll receive step-bystep instruction from Linda Cunningham to create a beautiful detailed whimsical collage. Beginners are welcome and no experience is necessary! Aug. 16 12-4 p.m. $45 per person. (805) 478-2158. i0.wp.com/artcentralslo. com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/ Bird-on-a-Branch-Collage-Cunningham. jpg?fit=1275%2C1650&ssl=1. Art Central, 1329 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo.
CERAMIC LESSONS AND MORE Now offering private one-on-one and group lessons in the ceramic arts. Both hand building and wheel throwing options. Beginners welcomed. ongoing (805) 8355893. hmcruceceramics.com/. Online, See website, San Luis Obispo.
CLAY BABY HANDPRINTS Offers a unique experience of pressing your baby’s hand/foot into clay so parents can cherish this time forever. Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, Sundays $55. anamcre.com/baby-handprints. Anam Cre Pottery Studio, 1243 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo.
CREATIVE KIDS WATERCOLOR
GALAXY WITH CAROLINA LUNA This class will focus on watercolor; come create an out-of-this-world galaxy! This class is for children, ages 6 to 12. Aug. 17, 1-2 p.m. $15. (805) 747-4200. i0.wp. com/artcentralslo.com/wp-content/ uploads/2025/08/CK-Watercolor-Galaxy. jpg?fit=1275%2C1650&ssl=1. Art Central, 1329 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo.
CREATIVITY DAYS WITH THE SILK ARTISTS OF CALIFORNIA CENTRAL COAST An opportunity to work on your own projects and materials while picking up new skills among friends. Note: this event is held mostly every third Monday (attendees are asked to call or email to confirm ahead of time). Third Monday of every month $5; first session free. artcentralslo.com. Art Central, 1329 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo, (805) 747-4200.
DEANNA BARAHONA California artist Deanna Barahona’s work centers her lived experiences, identity, and personal objects in intimate and domestic spaces through the creation of sculpture, and installation. Through Aug. 31, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Free. (805) 543-8562. sloma.org/ exhibition/deanna-barahona/. San Luis Obispo Museum of Art, 1010 Broad St., San Luis Obispo.
DEYODANCES: TWO FREE PERFORMANCES Be swept away by DEYODANCES! Enjoy professional concert dance. Choreographer Lisa Deyo will blend ballet, jazz, modern, and musical theater to make human stories. Aug. 23 7-9 p.m. and Aug. 24 2-4 p.m. Free. (805) 540-1081. deyodances.com. Spanos Theatre, Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo. FIGURINES: 6-SESSION SCULPTURE SERIES Create your own figurine in this beginner-friendly six-session sculpture class! There will be step-by-step guidance, twice weekly. Clay will be sold separately. Book online in advance to save a spot! Mondays, Fridays, 10 a.m.-noon through Sept. 5 $250. app. acuityscheduling.com/schedule.ph p?owner=22676824&appointmentTy pe=80758738. Anam Cre Pottery Studio, 1243 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo. HIGH TIDE A group exhibition of all your favorite local artists celebrating the spirit of community and mutual recognition along the Central Coast. Mondays-Fridays, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. through Aug. 22 Free. (805) 546-3201. Harold J. Miossi Gallery, Highway 1, San Luis Obispo, cuesta.edu/student/campuslife/ artgallery/.
—Angie Stevens
PHOTO
IMPROV EXTRAVAGANZA AT THE BUNKER Cheer on your favorite teams, or discover new ones, in this show of backto-back sets of spontaneous storytelling, wild characters, and big laughs. Aug. 14 6:15-8 p.m. $13. my805tix.com. The Bunker SLO, 810 Orcutt Road, San Luis Obispo.
JAPANESE CALLIGRAPHY AND ART
Owen and Kyoko Hunt from Kyoto, Japan offer classes for Japanese calligraphy (Fridays, 5:30-6:30 p.m.), a Japanese art called “haiga” (Fridays, 10-11:30 a.m.) and more at Nesting Hawk Ranch. Fridays $45. (702) 335-0730. Nesting Hawk Ranch, Call for address, San Luis Obispo.
LEARN TO WEAVE MONDAYS An opportunity to learn how a four-shaft loom works. You will get acquainted as a new weaver or as a refresher with lots of tips and tricks. This class includes getting to know a loom, how to prepare/dress a loom, and much much more. Mondays, 1-4 p.m. $75 monthly. (805) 441-8257.
Patricia Martin: Whispering Vista Studios, 224 Squire Canyon Rd, San Luis Obispo, patriciamartinartist.com.
MOBILE CLAY CLASSES Offering handbuilding, throwing, and ceramic decorative arts. All ages and abilities are welcome. Call for more info. ongoing (805) 835-5893. hmcruceceramics. com/book-online. SLO County, Various locations countywide, San Luis Obispo.
SATURDAY FAMILY POTTERY CLASS
This family-friendly open studio time is a wonderful window for any level or age. Saturdays, 11 a.m. & 1:30 p.m. $40. Anam Cre Pottery Studio, 1243 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo, anamcre.com.
STORYTELLING USING MARKER AND
INK PENS WITH JASON KNOX Come with your ideas and Jason will guide you as you bring your characters and story to life in an illustrated book! Wednesdays, 4-5:30 p.m. through Aug. 27 $25. (805) 471-8189. i0.wp.
com/artcentralslo.com/wp-content/ uploads/2025/04/Storytelling-wMarkers-and-Ink-Knox-Wednesdays-1. jpg?fit=1275%2C1650&ssl=1. Art Central, 1329 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo.
TRISH ANDERSEN Combining fibers gathered from field, sheep, and those developed in a factory, Andersen proves that there is always room for both the vibrant and muted. Through Sept. 14, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Free. (805) 543-8562. sloma. org/exhibition/trish-andersen/. San Luis Obispo Museum of Art, 1010 Broad St., San Luis Obispo.
VIRGINIA MACK: BEGINNING
WATERCOLOR This is a watercolor class designed to let you jump in and try out this engaging medium through experimentation. It’s designed for beginners and those with watercolor experience who wish to expand their knowledge of painting in watercolors. To enroll please contact Mack via email: vbmack@charter.net Mondays, 1:30-3:30 p.m. $35. (805) 747-4200. artcentralslo. com/workshops-events/. Art Central, 1329 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo.
WHITNEY PINTELLO: SOLO SHOW On display now through mid-April. ongoing slogallery.com/. SLO Gallery, 1023 Broad St., San Luis Obispo.
SOUTH COAST SLO COUNTY
ARTISAN MARKET ON THE ARROYO
GRANDE MESA Join the 2nd annual Artisan Market, featuring 20 local artists. Enjoy the peaceful lakeside patio setting at Fit Forever Gym in Cypress Ridge. Aug. 23 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Free. (805) 720-0582.
COMEDY FOR CASA Enjoy comedy with great food and drinks at this improv show to raise funds for San Luis Obispo County Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA). Aug. 16 , 7 p.m. $10 suggested
donation. (805) 556-8495. improvforgood. fun/. La Casita, 1572 W. Grand Ave., Grover Beach.
DANCE FITNESS ART AND CULTURE
FOR ADULTS Discover dance as a form of artistic expression and exercise, using a wide range of styles and genres of music (including modern, jazz, Broadway, ethnic). Tuesdays, 4-5 p.m. $10 drop-in; $30 for four classes. (510) 362-3739. grover.org. Grover Beach Community Center, 1230 Trouville Ave., Grover Beach.
EMBROIDERER’S GUILD OF AMERICA
The Bishop’s Peak Chapter of the Embroiderer’s Guild of America invites you to attend its monthly meeting. Third Saturday of every month, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. through Nov. 15 Free. Grover Beach Community Center, 1230 Trouville Ave., Grover Beach.
FREE MOVIE NIGHT IN THE SECRET
GARDEN : I KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER (1997) Bring a blanket, grab your favorite Secret Garden snacks, and settle in for this feel-good road trip full of fierce fashion, big laughs, and even bigger heart. Aug. 22 , 8 p.m. Free. my805tix.com. The Secret Garden at Sycamore Mineral Springs, 1215 Avila Beach Dr., Avila Beach, (805) 595-7302.`
GREAT AMERICAN MELODRAMA:
50TH ANNIVERSARY SPECTACULAR
Full of songs, dance, and comedy to celebrate the milestone, with loads of opportunities to boo and cheer. Through Sept. 20 americanmelodrama.com. Great American Melodrama, 1863 Front St., Oceano.
WORKSHOPS AND MORE AT THE LAVRA Check the venue’s calendar for storytelling workshops, lectures, movie nights, and discussions held on a periodic basis. ongoing thelavra.org/ home. The Lavra, 2070 E. Deer Canyon Road, Arroyo Grande.
SANTA MARIA VALLEY/LOS ALAMOS
17 RACCOONS….OR IT’S A REALLY LONG STORY There are only three chances to see this show! Watch it live and get tickets at the link. Aug. 22 7 p.m., Aug. 23 , 7 p.m. and Aug. 24 7 p.m. $17.91. my805tix.com. Santa Maria Civic Theatre, 1660 N. McClelland St., Santa Maria.
SANTA YNEZ VALLEY
SOMETHING ROTTEN Blends sixteenthcentury wit with twenty-first-century Broadway flair to prove that stardom requires kicking up your heels and staying true to yourself. WednesdaysSundays, 8-10:45 p.m. through Aug. 23 Starting at $25. (805) 922-8313. pcpa. org. Solvang Festival Theater, 420 2nd St., Solvang.
CULTURE
& LIFESTYLE
NORTH COAST SLO COUNTY
BREATHE AND STRETCH One must be able to get down onto the floor and back up again, with ease, in order to participate in this 55-minute session. It’s specifically designed to enhance mobility and strength. Please bring a mat and some water. Mondays, 9-10 a.m. $10 per session. (415) 516-5214. Bayside Martial Arts, 1200 2nd St., Los Osos.
CENTRAL COAST UECHI-RYU KARATEDO Uechi-Ryu Karate-do is a traditional form of karate originating from Okinawa, Japan. Focus is on fitness, flexibility, and self-defense with emphasis on self -growth, humility, and respect. Open to ages 13 to adult. Beginners and experienced welcome. Instructor with 50 years experience. For info, call 805-215-8806. Tuesdays, Thursdays, 6-7:30 p.m. Morro Bay Community Center, 1001 Kennedy Way, Morro Bay, 772-6278, morro-bay.ca.us.
CHANNEL ISLANDS BEAUTY
Writer, photographer, and kayaker Chuck Graham will talk about his work on Friday, Aug. 15, at 7 p.m. at The Bunker SLO, as part of the Ecological Critical Conservations series. Through his camera lens, he captures the beauty and wilderness of Channel Islands National Park, and following the talk, Chuck will sign his book, available for purchase, titled Paddling Into a Natural Balance: Stories of Kayaking & Conservation Around Channel Islands National Park. More details about this free event can be found at ecologistics.org.
CENTRAL COAST WOOD CARVERS
Learn the art of wood carving or wood burning. Join Central Coast Wood Carvers in Morro Bay at St. Timothy’s. Open for beginners, intermediate, or advance. Learn a wide range of techniques and skills. Tuesdays, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Free. St. Timothy’s Catholic Church, 962 Piney Way, Morro Bay, (805) 772-2840, sttimothymorrobay.org/index.html.
CO-DEPENDENTS ANONYMOUS
MEETING Co-Dependents Anonymous (CoDA) is a Twelve Step recovery program for anyone who desires to have healthy and loving relationships with themselves and others. Meeting is hybrid (both in person and on Zoom). For information, call 805-900-5237. Saturdays, 1-2:15 p.m. Free. thecambriaconnection.org/. Cambria Connection, 1069 Main St., Cambria, (805) 927-1654. ENJOY AXE THROWING Enjoy the art of axe throwing in a safe and fun environment. Kids ages 10 and older are welcome with an adult. No personal axes please. Fridays, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. and CULTURE & LIFESTYLE continued page 15
LOS OSOS SUNDAY MEDITATION CLASS Sitting with a supportive group strengthens one’s meditation practice. Join us for a weekly talk on topics related to meditation and consciousness plus silent and guided meditation. Facilitated by Devin Wallace. Beginners welcome. Email devinwalla@ gmail.com for more information. Sundays, 10:15 a.m.-11:15 p.m. By donation. (805) 709-2227. inner-workings.com. Central Coast Body Therapy Center, 2005 9th St., Los Osos.
MEDITATE WITH DAWN Join this semi-private class to restore your energy and calm the mind, guided by Dawn Feuerberg, a certified classical ashtanga yoga and mindfulness life coach. Aug. 17 10-11:15 a.m. (805) 540-1762. my805tix.com. Aurora Sacred Events, 21 24th St, Cayucos.
MORRO BAY METAPHYSICIANS DISCUSSION GROUP
A group of metaphysically minded individuals that have been meeting for many years now in the Coalesce Chapel. Club offers a supportive metaphysical based community. Members discuss a different topic each week. All are welcome to join. Fridays, 12:30-1:30 p.m. Suggested donation of $10-$15. Coalesce Bookstore, 845 Main St., Morro Bay, coalescebookstore.com/.
MORRO BAY MIXED MARTIAL ARTS Disciplines include advanced athletic performance fitness training, Thai kickboxing, and more. Beginners to advanced students welcome. Day and evening classes offered. MondaysSaturdays, 8 a.m.-6 p.m. Call for more info. (805) 701-7397. charvetmartialarts.com. Morro Bay Martial Arts, 850 Shasta, Morro Bay.
SOCRATES DISCUSSION GROUP Have a topic, book, or article you wish to discuss with interested and interesting people? Join this weekly meeting to discuss it, or simply contribute your experiences and knowledge. Contact Mark Plater for instructions on entering the Chapel area. Wednesdays, 10 a.m.-noon (805) 528-7111. Coalesce Garden Chapel, 845 Main St., Morro Bay.
STAY YOUNG WITH QI GONG Qi gong offers great anti-aging benefits, providing a comprehensive system for improving physical, mental and emotional health. Its roots date back thousands of years in China. Learn with certified instructor Devin Wallace. Call first. Thursdays, 10-11 a.m. $10. (805) 7092227. Hardie Park, Ash Ave. and B St., Cayucos. Qi gong offers great anti-aging benefits, providing a comprehensive system for improving physical and mental health. Its roots date back thousands of years in China. Learn with certified instructor Devin Wallace. Call first for info and exact location. Fridays, 9-10 a.m. $12. (805) 709-2227. inner-workings.com. Los Osos, Townwide, Los Osos.
STRETCH, BREATHE, AND BALANCE Ideal for seniors, and open to everyone. Instructor Randal Bodlak takes you through specific moves to promote mobility, internal strength, and stability. Mondays, 9-10 a.m. $10 per session. (805) 528-4880. Bayside Martial Arts, 1200 2nd St., Los Osos.
TAI CHI AND QI GONG: ZEN IN MOTION Small group classes with 2019 Tai Chi Instructor of the Year. Call for time and days. Learn the Shaolin Water Style and 5 Animals Qi Gong. Beginners welcomed. Mondays, 8 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Call for price details. (805) 701-7397. charvetmartialarts.com. Morro Bay Martial Arts, 850 Shasta, Morro Bay.
TAI CHI BASICS Visit site for more details on this ongoing, weekly Tai Chi program. Tuesdays, 4:30-5:30 p.m. $10-$12. (805) 772-7486. fitnessworksmb.com. FitnessWorks, 500 Quintana Rd., Morro Bay.
THE KINDNESS COALITION PRESENTS: AN EVENING OF SURF II Enjoy an evening of surf and earth inspired films, music, refreshments, and prizes. There will be live music accompanied by silent surf footage, and the films Trashman Para Siempre Coco, and The Road to Patagonia will be screened. Aug. 24 , 5:30 p.m. $23.27. my805tix.com. Bay Theatre, 464 Morro Bay Blvd., Morro Bay.
NORTH SLO COUNTY
BALANCE FLOW Suitable for all levels. This class is meant to benefit the mind-body connection while emphasizing safe and effective alignment as well as breath awareness and relaxation. Please call to register in advance. Tuesdays, Thursdays, 4:30-5:30 p.m. $16-$22; $50 membership. (805) 434-9605. ttrtennis.com/fitness/yoga/. Templeton Tennis Ranch, 345 Championship Lane, Templeton.
GODDESS GROUP Please join Oracle Owner/Intuitive Medium, Tiffany Klemz, for this twice monthly, Goddess Group. The intention of this group is to curate connection, inspiration, unity, and empowerment. Every other Tuesday, 6:30-8 p.m. $11. (805) 464-2838. oracleatascaderoca.com. Oracle, 6280 Palma Ave., Atascadero.
GUIDED MEDITATION WITH KAREN LEARY AT AWAKENING
WAYS Experience guided meditations every Wednesday evening in a supportive space. Connect with your inner self and discover peace, healing, and self-awareness. Wednesdays, 6-7 p.m. (805) 391-4465. awakeningways.org. Awakening Ways Center for Spiritual Living, 7350 El Camino Real, Ste. 101, Atascadero.
HAMBLY LAVENDER FARM GUIDED EXPERIENCE This onehour walk about the farm immerses you in the processes of growing, harvesting, and drying this fragrant herb. Saturdays,
CULTURE & LIFESTYLE continued page 17
WELCOME TO THE SOUNDTRACK OF FREEDOM
HOT VALLEY NIGHTS FREE CONCERT SERIES NEXT SHOW AUGUST 23 / KNEE DEEP
MORRIS DAY AND THE TIME
FRIDAY, AUGUST 29 / 8PM TICKETS START AT $49
SHEILA E. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 5 / 8PM TICKETS START AT $49
LOS CARDENALES DE NUEVO LEON
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 12 / 8PM TICKETS START AT $59
Boombox Bingo
Oak
Sundays, 10 a.m. my805tix.com. Hambly Farms, 1390 Grana Place, San Miguel.
HIIT 45 WITH SARA JORGENSEN A dynamic and fun way to improve strength and cardiovascular conditioning using weights, resistance bands, and body weight. Bring a yoga mat and water.
Thursdays, 9:30-10:15 a.m. and Mondays, 5:30-6:15 p.m. $15 for members; $25 for guests. (805) 434-9605. ttrtennis.com/ fitness/fitness-classes/. Templeton Tennis Ranch, 345 Championship Lane, Templeton.
NAR-ANON: FRIDAY MEETINGS
A meeting for those who know or have known a feeling of desperation concerning the addiction of a loved one. Fridays, 12-1 p.m. Free. (805) 4412164. North County Connection, 8600 Atascadero Ave., Atascadero.
SANTA LUCIA ROCKHOUNDS MEETING
Bring your favorite rock, gem, crystal, fossil, etc., to show the rest of the club. Third Monday of every month, 7 p.m. slrockhounds.org/. Templeton Community Center, 601 S. Main St., Templeton.
TAI CHI This course’s instructor has won many Tai Chi and other internal martial arts tournaments. Both experienced martial artists and new learners are welcome to the class. Tuesdays, Thursdays, 5:30-6:30 p.m. $65. (805) 237-3988. Centennial Park, 600 Nickerson Dr., Paso Robles.
VINYASA YOGA FLOW The class prioritizes increasing mental acuity and improving body and muscle flexibility. A restorative and gentle yoga focusing on breathing and targeting specific areas of the body. Please call to register in advance. Sundays, 12-1 p.m. and Saturdays, 8:30-9:30 a.m. $16-$22; $50 membership. (805) 434-9605. ttrtennis. com/yoga. Templeton Tennis Ranch, 345 Championship Lane, Templeton.
YANG STYLE TAI CHI The course’s instructor won many Tai Chi and other internal martial arts tournaments. Both experienced martial artists and new learners are welcome to the class. Mondays, Wednesdays, 5-6 p.m. $62. (805) 470-3360. Colony Park Community Center, 5599 Traffic Way, Atascadero.
SAN LUIS OBISPO
AUTHOR/PHOTOGRAPHER CHUCK
GRAHAM Hear celebrated author and photographer Chuck Graham speak. Chuck’s work has appeared in Backpacker, Men’s Journal, National Geographic, Westways, and more. Aug. 15 7-8:30 p.m. Free. (805) 471-5913. ecologistics.org/. The Bunker SLO, 810 Orcutt Road, San Luis Obispo.
BOARD GAME NIGHT AT CAPTAIN
NEMO GAMES Game night is on! Join us Tuesdays at 5 p.m. at Captain Nemo Games for fun, friendly board gaming. All skill levels welcome! Tuesdays, 5-9 p.m. Free. (805) 544-6366. facebook. com/events/2047427899121921/2047 427949121916?acontext=%7B%22ev ent_action_history%22%3A[]%7D. Captain Nemo Games, 565 Higuera Street, San Luis Obispo.
BOOK TALK WITH LOCAL AUTHOR
CATE TOURYAN Local author Ann C.
Hanna, writing as Cate Touryan, will discuss her new novel set in a fictional 1970s Avila Beach - Turning Toward Eden Aug. 16 3-4 p.m. Free. (805) 781-5991. sanluisobispo.librarycalendar.com/event/ author-discussion-cate-touryan-21039. San Luis Obispo Library Community Room, 995 Palm Street, San Luis Obispo.
CENTRAL COAST POLYAMORY Hosting a discussion group featuring different topics relating to ethical non-monogamy every month. Third Wednesday of every
month, 6:30-8:30 p.m. Free. galacc.org/ events/. Online, See website, San Luis Obispo.
DIVERSITY, EQUITY & IMPROV Join us on Linnaea’s Cafe garden patio for an improv show benefiting GALA Pride & Diversity Center! Food and drinks will be available. Aug. 17 6 p.m. $10 suggested donation. improvforgood.fun/. Linnaea’s Cafe, 1110 Garden St., San Luis Obispo, (805) 541-5888.
AN EVENING AT THE SYCAMORE SPA The spa will opens its doors to this special free event, where guests can enjoy light bites, along with hand treatments, chair massages, and skincare consultations. Get more info at the link. Aug. 17, 5-7 p.m. my805tix.com/e/ eveningatsycamorespa. Sycamore Mineral Springs Resort and Spa, 1215 Avila Beach Drive, San Luis Obispo.
FELINE NETWORK ADOPT A KITTEN EVENT! Join the Adopt a Kitten Event at PetsMart in SLO. Come see our beautiful kittens for adoption; all are fixed, vaccinated, and microchipped. Aug. 16 , 10 a.m.-4 p.m. (805) 540-0006. felinenetwork.org. PetSmart, 1530 Froom Ranch Way, San Luis Obispo.
FLEA MARKET FUNDRAISER Get ready for two days of fun, bargains, and community spirit at the Oceano Community Flea Market Fundraiser! Aug. 16 8:30 a.m.-2 p.m. and Aug. 17 8:30 a.m.-2 p.m. Free. 916798680. vaco805.org/ events. Oceano Train Depot, 1650 Front St, Oceano, CA 93445-9408, Oceano.
FREE PET VACCINE CLINICS With the support of Petco Love, Woods is providing free vaccines for cats and dogs during vaccine clinics in August and September! Aug. 16 , 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Free. (805) 5439316. woodshumanesociety.org/spayneuter/. Woods Humane Society, 875 Oklahoma Ave., San Luis Obispo.
FREE TOURS OF THE MISSION Tour San Luis Obispo’s Spanish Mission, founded in 1772. Come learn its history and about the development of this area. Tours, led by docents, are free at 1:15 p.m Monday through Saturday, and 2 p.m. on Sundays. Sundays, 2-2:30 p.m., MondaysSaturdays, 1:15-2:15 p.m. and ThursdaysSaturdays, 11 a.m. through Sept. 1 Free. (657) 465-9182. missionsanluisobispo. org. Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa, 751 Palm Street, San Luis Obispo.
FROZEN IN TIME – A ROYAL
FUNDRAISER There will be a Frozen live show, with an enchanting performance from Elsa, Anna, and Kristoff, along with a Royal Meet & Greet with the beloved princesses Ariel, Cinderella, and Belle. All tickets are a donation to support those who need our help, through the Kerr County Flood Relief Fund. “This isn’t just a party - it’s a chance to teach our children the power of kindness and community. As we come together in joy, we also honor the preciousness of life and share love with families who need it most.” Aug. 24 3-4:30 p.m. $33.98. my805tix.com. Madonna Inn, 100 Madonna Rd., San Luis Obispo.
GALA PRIDE AND DIVERSITY CENTER BOARD MEETING (VIA ZOOM) Monthly meeting of the Gala Pride and Diversity Center Board of Directors. Meets virtually via Zoom and is open to members of the public. Visit galacc.org/events to fill out the form to request meeting access. Third Tuesday of every month, 6-8 p.m. No admission fee. galacc.org. Online, See website, San Luis Obispo.
HEALING DEPRESSION SUPPORT GROUP A safe place to share feelings of depression with those who suffer and those who have recovered to a full, healthy outlook on life. Mondays, 6-7 p.m. Free. (805) 528-3194. Hope House Wellness Center, 1306 Nipomo St., San Luis Obispo.
LGBTQ+ FED THERAPIST LEAD SUPPORT GROUP (VIRTUALLY VIA ZOOM) A pro-recovery group offering space to those seeking peer support, all stages of ED recovery. We understand recovery isn’t linear and judgment-free support is crucial. Share, listen, and be part of a community building up each other. Third Wednesday of every month,
7-8 p.m. Free. galacc.org/events/. Online, See website, San Luis Obispo.
MELLOW YOGA FOR EVERYONE Stretch into yourself under the beautiful oaks and fresh air of this idyllic country setting. Suitable for all levels, these classes emphasize the gentler side of yoga and adapt to participants’ needs. Tuesdays, 5-6 p.m. $14 per class or $55 for five-class card with no expiration. (805) 440-4561. balancedlivingayurveda.com. Tiber Canyon Ranch, 280 W Ormonde Rd, San Luis Obispo.
MOONLIGHT HOURS AT THE SLO
CHILDREN’S MUSEUM Come to the San Luis Obispo Children’s Museum for free every third Thursday of the month. Third Thursday of every month, 5-7 p.m. Free admission. (805) 545-5874. slocm. org/moonlight-hours. San Luis Obispo Children’s Museum, 1010 Nipomo St., San Luis Obispo.
PLUG-IN TO LOCAL CLIMATE ACTION
Get inspired by local action, connect with others, and discover more ways to get involved with the SLO Climate Coalition. Attend virtually or in-person. Sustainable snacks and childcare will be provided. Third Thursday of every month, 6-8 p.m. sloclimatecoalition.org/events/. Ludwick Community Center, 864 Santa Rosa, San Luis Obispo.
PUPPY SOCIAL HOUR Puppies (10 weeks to 5 months old) will learn appropriate play style with other pups, acceptable manners with people, tolerance for gentle restraints, confidence with the approach of friendly strangers, and more. Wednesdays, 10 a.m. and Saturdays, 9 a.m. $25. (805) 543-9316. woodshumanesociety.org/training/. Woods Humane Society, 875 Oklahoma Ave., San Luis Obispo.
SLO NOONTIME TOASTMASTERS CLUB
MEETINGS Want to improve speaking and leadership skills in a supportive and positive environment? During COVID, we are meeting virtually. Contact us to get a meeting link for info. Tuesdays, 12-1 p.m. Free. slonoontime.toastmastersclubs.org. Zoom, Online, Inquire for Zoom ID.
SLO PHILATELIC SOCIETY The SLO Philatelic Society (SLOPS) meets at the SLO Senior Center on the first and third Tuesday of each month. Visitors are welcome. Third Tuesday of every month, 1-3 p.m. Stamp Collector? The SLO Philatelic Society (SLOPS) meets in the SLO UMC Conference Room on the first and third Tuesday of each month. Visitors welcome. For more info, contact SLOPS at slostampclub@gmail.com. Third Tuesday of every month, 1-3 p.m. (805) 801-9112. SLO Senior Center, 1445 Santa Rosa St., San Luis Obispo, slocity.org/seniors.
SLO RETIRED ACTIVE MEN MONTHLY GET-TOGETHERS SLO RAMs is a group of retirees that get together just for the fun, fellowship, and to enjoy programs which enhance the enjoyment, dignity, and independence of retirement. Third Tuesday of every month, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. $31 luncheon. retiredactivemen.org/. Madonna Inn Garden Room, 100 Madonna Road, San Luis Obispo.
STAY YOUNG WITH QI GONG Qi Gong boosts energy and vitality, reduces stress, improves balance and flexibility, and, best of all, is fun. Join instructor Devin Wallace for this outdoor class which is held in a beautiful setting. Call or email before attending. Tuesdays, 10-11 a.m. $12. Crows End Retreat, 6430 Squire Ct., San Luis Obispo.
SUNDAY EVENING RAP LGBTQ+
AA GROUP (VIRTUALLY VIA ZOOM)
Alcoholics Anonymous is a voluntary, worldwide fellowship of folks from all walks of life who together, attain and maintain sobriety. Requirement for membership is a desire to stop drinking. Email aarapgroup@gmail.com for password access. Sundays, 7-8 p.m. No fee. galacc.org/events/. Online, See website, San Luis Obispo.
TEEN MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT
GROUP Learn more about mental health and coping skills to help you through your journey towards wellness and
The Killer Dueling Pianos
AUGUST 29
recovery. Thursdays, 4:30-6 p.m. Free. (805) 540-6576. t-mha.org. Hope House Wellness Center, 1306 Nipomo St., San Luis Obispo.
SOUTH COAST SLO COUNTY
BEGINNER GROUP SURF LESSONS AND SURF CAMPS Lessons and camp packages available daily. All equipment included. ongoing Starts at $70. (805) 835-7873. sandbarsurf.com/. Sandbar Surf School Meetup Spot, 110 Park Ave., Pismo Beach.
BEGINNING BALLET FOR ADULTS Enjoy the grace and flow of ballet. No previous experience needed. Wednesdays, 5:156:15 p.m. $12 drop-in; $40 for four classes. (510) 362-3739. grover.org. Grover Beach Community Center, 1230 Trouville Ave., Grover Beach.
BODY FUSION/EXERCISE AND FITNESS
CLASS Do something good for yourself and stay fit for outdoor sports, while enhancing flexibility, strengthening your core to prevent lower back issues, improving your posture through yoga, and more. Tuesdays, Thursdays, 9-10:30 a.m. Free. (970) 710-1412. Avila Beach Community Center, 191 San Miguel St., Avila Beach, avilabeachcc.com.
MULTICULTURAL DANCE CLASS FOR ADULTS Experience dance from continents around the earth, including from Africa, Europe, and more. Described as “a wonderful in-depth look at the context and history of cultures of the world.” Tuesdays, 5:30-6:30 p.m. $10 drop-in; $30 for four classes. (510) 362-3739. grover.org. Grover Beach Community Center, 1230 Trouville Ave., Grover Beach.
POINT SAN LUIS LIGHTHOUSE TOURS
A docent-led tour of the buildings and grounds of the historic Point San Luis Light Station. Check website for more details. Wednesdays, Saturdays pointsanluislighthouse.org/. Point San Luis Lighthouse, 1 Lighthouse Rd., Avila Beach.
RESILIENCE SOUND JOURNEY / ONCOLOGY CARE Join for a soothing, nourishing, and revitalizing Sound Journey experience facilitated by Dee DiGioia of Mindful Kindful YOUniversity. Each Sound Journey—also known as a Sound Bath—offers a gentle, immersive experience featuring a soothing soundscape created by crystal and metal singing bowls, chimes, gongs, and other therapeutic instruments. More information is available at the link. Aug. 22 , 5:30-6:30 p.m. Free. my805tix. com. Arroyo Grande Adventist Church, 240 Vernon Ave., Arroyo Grande, (805) 489-6622.
SURF LESSONS ALL SUMMER LONG Learn to surf with Sandbar Surf School. All equipment is provided, including a surfboard, wetsuit, and leash. You must pre-register. Through Aug. 31, 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. $60. (805) 835-7873. sandbarsurf.com. Addie Street Surfer Parking Lot, Addie Street, Pismo Beach.
SYCAMORE DOG DAY WITH NOVY’S ARK Stop by and bring you dogs for National Dog Day! Join for a tail-waggin’ good time with our friends from Novy’s Ark! RSVP and get more info at the link. Aug. 24 , 1-3 p.m. Free. my805tix.com. The Secret Garden at Sycamore Mineral Springs, 1215 Avila Beach Dr., Avila Beach, (805) 595-7302.
UNDER THE TUSCAN SUN: A FASHION SHOW & EVENING OF GIVING Sip fine wine, enjoy a chic Wildflower Women runway show, and support mental health at Talley Vineyards. This will be an unforgettable evening of style, flavor, and community. Aug. 16 6:30-8:30 p.m. $71.21. (805) 543-3200. Talley Vineyards, 3031 Lopez Dr., Arroyo Grande.
WEEKLY WATER SAFETY LESSONS
Facility advertised as open and safe. Give the office a call to register over the phone. Mondays-Fridays $160-$190. (805) 4816399. 5 Cities Swim School, 425 Traffic Way, Arroyo Grande, 5citiesswimschool.com.
SCREENING
SANTA MARIA VALLEY/LOS ALAMOS
54TH NORTH-SOUTH RUN Ford F-100
Elite of NorCal and Pickups Limited of SoCal invite you to the 54th annual NorthSouth Run, celebrating the legacy of Ford trucks. Aug. 15 8 a.m.-9 p.m. and Aug. 16 8 a.m.-9 p.m. $30-$130. (951) 237-1570. facebook.com/northsouthrun/. Santa Maria Inn, 801 S. Broadway, Santa Maria.
DAY OF HOPE CAR SHOW
Join the Day of Hope Car Show with proceeds to benefit patients with cancer at Mission Hope Cancer Center in Santa Maria. Aug. 23 11 a.m.-2 p.m. (805) 739-3595. supportmarianmedical.rallybound.org/ day-of-hope-2025/Static/car-show. Mission Hope Cancer Center, 1325 East Church St., Santa Maria.
FOOD & DRINK
NORTH COAST SLO COUNTY
BREAKFAST ON THE BAY A monthly occasion that brings together the passionate citizens and business owners of the greater Estero Bay region in one place to deepen connections and share information. Breakfast is included with ticket price. Third Wednesday of every month, 7:30-9 a.m. $20 per member; $25 per non-member. (805) 772-4467. morrochamber.org. Morro Bay Community Center, 1001 Kennedy Way, Morro Bay.
MORRO BAY MAIN STREET FARMERS
MARKET Get fresh and veggies, fruit, baked goods, sweets, and handmade artisan crafts. Come have some fun with your local farmers and artisans and enjoy delicious eats while enjoying the fresh breeze of Morro Bay. Saturdays, 2:30-5:30 p.m. Varies. (805) 824-7383. morrobayfarmersmarket.com. Morro Bay Main Street Farmers Market, Main Street and Morro Bay Blvd., Morro Bay.
NORTH SLO COUNTY
CLUB CAR BAR TRIVIA WITH DR. RICKY
Teams of one to six people welcome. Visit site for more info. Wednesdays, 7-10 p.m. my805tix.com. Club Car Bar, 508 S. Main St., Templeton.
THE MANY PATHS OF THE CULINARY ARTS Exploring the culinary arts in our community. Three experts in their field will be discussing the different pathways they are using to inspire the community. Aug. 17, 2:30-3:30 p.m. Free. (805) 238-9800. studiosonthepark.org/events/ the-many-paths-of-the-culinary-arts/. Studios on the Park, 1130 Pine St., Paso Robles.
TACO TUESDAYS La Parilla Taqueria will be in the courtyard serving up their delicious tacos and tostadas. Menu
typically includes barbacoa, chicken, and pastor tacos, as well as shrimp ceviche tostadas. Tuesdays, 5-8 p.m. (805) 460-6042. ancientowlbeergarden.com. Ancient Owl Beer Garden, 6090 El Camino Real, suite C, Atascadero.
TASTE OF TIN CITY WALKING TOUR
Enjoy the first ever walking tour of Tin City – an industrial area just outside of downtown Paso Robles – that is home to a community of innovative and passionate producers of high-quality wines, spirits, beer, and more. Saturdays, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. $125. (805) 400-3141. toasttours.com/tour/tin-city-walkingtour/. Toast Tours, 1722 Stillwater Ct, Paso Robles.
SAN LUIS OBISPO DOWNTOWN SLO FARMERS MARKET Thursdays, 6-9 p.m. Downtown SLO, Multiple locations, San Luis Obispo.
HEAD GAMES TRIVIA NIGHT Live multimedia trivia every Wednesday. Free to play. Win prizes. Teams up to six players. Wednesdays, 6:30-8:30 p.m. Free. headgamestrivia.com. Antigua Brewing, 1009 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo, (805) 242-1167.
NAME THAT NOISE: MUSIC TRIVIA A monthly special music-only trivia at Oak and Otter Brewing Co. Call ahead to reserve a table. Second Thursday of every month, 6:30-8:30 p.m. Oak and Otter Brewing, 181 Tank Farm Road, suite 110, San Luis Obispo, (805) 439-2529.
QUEER TRIVIA Sip some cider, test your LGBTQ trivia knowledge, and learn new fun facts. Topic themes and hosts rotate each week. Prizes for winners. BYO food. Third Friday of every month, 6-8 p.m. Free. (805) 292-1500. Two Broads Ciderworks, 3427 Roberto Ct., suite 130, San Luis Obispo, twobroadscider.com.
SLO FARMERS MARKET Hosts more than 60 vendors. Saturdays, 8-10:45 a.m. World Market Parking Lot, 325 Madonna Rd., San Luis Obispo.
WEDNESDAY NIGHT PUB TRIVIA Bring your thinking cap as questions vary from pop culture, geography, to sports. There is a little for everyone. Prizes for the winning teams. Wednesdays, 6:30-8:30 p.m. Free. (805) 439-2529. Oak and Otter Brewing, 181 Tank Farm Road, suite 110, San Luis Obispo.
SANTA MARIA VALLEY/LOS ALAMOS OLD TOWN ORCUTT SUMMER FARMER’S MARKET Get fresh produce and locally made goods, while enjoying entertainment and more in Old Town Orcutt. More info is available at the link. Third Wednesday of every month, 4:30-7:30 p.m. through Sept. 18 Free. oldtownorcutt.org/otora-farmers-market. Old
Arts
All the pretty horses
Watching a horse gallop freely through a field instantly inspires feelings of freedom. The fact that these powerful creatures can form close bonds with humans adds to our love and respect for them. In equine fine art photographer Michael Johnston’s work, each of her images captures this twin feeling of freedom and power, which you can see through Aug. 29 on display in Morro Bay’s Gallery at Marina Square Upper Gallery.
“Michael developed her keen eye and aesthetic through years of independent study and honed her craft in digital photography at Light Photographic Workshops in Los Osos,” according to her artist’s statement. “She studied with celebrated equine fine art photographers throughout the country and continues to explore new methodologies through online training and photography workshops. Her photography has taken her to Portugal, New Mexico, Colorado, and California.” On her website, she writes, “Photographing horses at liberty and wranglers doing what they do are my focus. I want to capture their power, grace, athleticism, individual expressions, and their stories with their keepers. I hope you enjoy looking at them as much as I enjoy photographing them.”
City, sea, and landscapes
Drew Mayerson’s loosely painted Hollywood Taxis has a dreamy quality that perfectly captures Southern California light. He looks “for ordinary scenes that can be described as muted with a noticeable splash of color or light that draws the viewer into the painting,” he said in his artist statement as the featured artist at Paso Robles’ Studio on the Park through the end of August.
Mayerson was born in Hollywood and now lives in Westlake Village. He studied geology at UCLA, and upon graduating, began searching “for oil in the wilderness of Idaho, Nevada, North Dakota, and Wyoming.”
Many of his oil and pastel paintings look like they’re plein air—they have a spontaneous feel about them—but he finds that the changing light and fast-paced work of plein air detracts from the personal vision that first drew him to the scene.
“Painting and geology are very similar,” Mayerson said. “Both are interpretive, and the audience must rely on the interpreter to convey nature. The interpretation need not be accurate, but the story must hang together or else the audience loses interest.”
∆ Glen Starkey
BY GLEN STARKEY
Do you believe in magic?
Cayucos author Debbie Noble Black’s young protagonist Sara does
When we meet Sara, the protagonist of Deetjen’s Closet:
A Quest for Magic, she’s just climbing down from the “Reading Tree,” a big oak near her family’s new home in Edna. en she gets smacked in the face with a pinecone thrown by one of her jerky new classmates.
“Look at the freak in the tree. Whatcha doin’, loser?”
Learn from the best Award-winning Cayucos author Debbie Noble Black will teach Kid Lit 101 on Friday and Saturday, Sept. 26 and 27, during the 41st annual Central Coast Writers’ Conference held at Cuesta College. “It’s an overview of writing for kids. A lot of people want to write for kids but don’t know where to start,” Black explained. You can sign up online at cuesta.edu/writers-conference. Learn more about Black and writing on her website, debbienobleblack.com.
Welcome to Sara’s world, where she’s having a tough time tting into a new town and a new school. To make matters worse, the fourth grader deeply believes in magic, and she’s worried she’ll be made fun of if anyone nds out.
e book, published by Morro Bay’s Coalesce Press in 2023, is now followed by e Old Secret at Hotel Oregon, released in June—another installment in what author Debbie Noble Black hopes to be an ongoing series for readers 8 and older.
Both books follow Sara as she traverses the pitfalls of preadolescence and goes on travel adventures to Big Sur’s Deetjen’s Inn with her mother in the rst book and to McMinnville, Oregon, and to McMenamins’ Hotel Oregon in the second book with her whole family: mom, stepdad, and older brother, Daniel.
I don’t want to ruin the surprise, but in the rst book, Sara discovers a talking blue Army coat named Silas in the closet of their room at Deetjen’s Inn, and he becomes the conduit for Sara to talk to other clothing and travel items that have been stored in the closet and which tell her wondrous historical stories about the people who once owned them.
“One of the reasons I do this is to provide an interest in history,” Black explained over tea on the patio of Linnaea’s Café. “I’m a history geek, and that started when I was in fourth grade and our teacher read to us chapters of the book Men to Match My Mountains by Irving Stone. Big tome, like almost 600 pages, and so he read in his big booming baritone voice, and I was hooked.”
e neat trick Black manages is to impart fascinating history without it feeling didactic. We learn, for instance, the story of Levi Strauss & Co. e copper-riveted jeans were actually invented by tailor Jacob Davis. Strauss was a merchant who put up the $68 to secure a patent for the design. Readers learn about Julia Morgan—the architect behind Hearst Castle; the Spruce Goose—Howard Hughes’ massive wood-constructed plane; the humongous fungus—the largest living thing in the world; and a whole lot more.
“Since California history comes into local kids’ curriculum in fourth grade, my goal is to whet their appetite about history but in a fun way,” Black said, noting that she’s the youngest of three girls, and every time she learned something interesting in school and relayed it to her family over dinner, her sisters would dismiss it as old news.
“I set out to do research on things that are very unique, so that when the reader takes that home to the dinner table, it’s gonna be, ‘Wow!’” she said. “I also have to recognize that I need to write things that are interesting to that age group without boring the socks o of them.”
With each book visiting a special location, she notes that they’re also like “Rick Steves travel books for kids.”
Sara’s an engaging and likable protagonist who for the most part models laudable behavior. In the rst chapter of Hotel Oregon, we immediately understand she’s empathetic, moral, earnest, and responsible when on the way to school during a rainstorm she risks being late to stop and save stranded earthworms on the sidewalk, moving them onto a nearby lawn. Black said Sara’s character evolved during the writing process.
“I’m not the kind of writer who sets out with the whole character study. I’m more of a—like they say—‘pantser,’ you know? I get in there and write by the seat of my pants,” Black quipped. “I wanted [a protagonist] in that age group, a female protagonist because that’s what I know best having been that little girl at one point. I wanted to be honest about how kids seemed to be in today’s world. ey’re earnest, and they’re still relatively fresh and innocent, and yet the world is growing them up pretty quickly. And so the struggle is, ‘Who am I? How do I t into this world?’
“Trying to gain their own agency hits right about that middle grade period of 9 to 12, so I’m homing in on that. So yes, she is empathic and sensitive and caring, but she’s also struggling with taking care of herself and who she is and trying to do the right thing. She doesn’t always do the right thing. It’s not like she’s a pure goody two-shoes. She’s more of a full character.”
Send gallery, stage, and cultrual festivities to arts@newtimesslo.com.
“My two sisters would go, ‘Oh, yeah, we learned that years ago.’”
Black was determined to unearth history that wasn’t necessarily taught in school.
Deetjen’s Closet, the book Black speci cally targeted for SLO County kids, won rst place in the Gertrude Warner International Middle Grade Fiction Awards. Hotel Oregon raised the stakes for Sara as she’s forced to rely on her dismissive brother to succeed. is is kid stu with a heart, and both books are fun reads for anyone. Black shared a photo of a little boy standing by
three small headstones in the Cayucos-Morro Bay Cemetery, which Black wrote about in Deetjen’s Closet
“At the end of the book, I enticed kids to see if they can nd those. at’s a student at Hawthorne Elementary in San Luis,” Black explained, “and two fourth-grade classes have the books and are reading them. is boy asked his parents to go take him out to see if he could nd it. I don’t know if you noticed, but there’re little toys in between the headstones. ose showed up around a month after Deetjen’s was published back in 2023. Some little kids found those headstones and have been leaving little toys for those three deceased children. is is why I do it.”
Contact Arts Editor Glen Starkey at gstarkey@ newtimesslo.com.
THE OLD SECRET AT HOTEL OREGON In book two, Sara must free 12 children trapped in a painting by a witch’s curse in McMenamins’ Hotel Oregon.
DEETJEN’S CLOSET In the first book in the series, fourth-grader Sara travels to Big Sur’s historic Deetjen’s Inn, where she discovers a magical talking coat.
COURTESY IMAGES BY KELLY BLACK
CHANNELING HER INNER FOURTH GRADER Cayucos author Debbie Noble Black has released two books in her preadolescent series about Sara, an earnest and sensitive girl who believes in magic.
COURTESY PHOTO BY ROSENTHAL PHOTOGRAPHY
DJ STEPH WEST ENTERTAINMENT
Laughs and feels
Nisha Ganatra (Late Night, e High Note) directs this sequel to Freaky Friday (2003), itself a remake of a 1976 lm based on Mary Rodgers’ 1972 novel. It’s been 22 years since Dr. Tess Coleman (Lamie Lee Curtis) swapped bodies with her daughter, Anna (Lindsay Lohan). Now single mom Anna has a daughter of her own, Harper (Julia Butters), a precocious high schooler. When Anna meets single dad Eric (Manny Jacinto), it’s love at rst sight, but Eric’s daughter, Lily (Sophia Hammons), is Harper’s high school lab partner, and they loath each other. Still, the girls team up to throw cold water on their parents’ hot romance, but when they cross paths with psychic Madame Jen (Vanessa Bayer), suddenly there’s a four-way body swap that can only be reversed when their hearts are in the right places. (97 min.)
FREAKIER FRIDAY
What’s it rated? PG
What’s it worth, Chuck? Full price
What’s it worth, Glen? Full price
Where’s it showing? Bay, Colony, Downtown Centre, Park, Stadium 10
Editor’s note: Anna Starkey is out of town, so Glen tapped his retired educator friend Chuck Maxie to ll in.
Glen It’s easy to get fed up with Hollywood’s penchant for sequels and remakes. ey feel like low-hanging-fruit money grabs. is new installment in the franchise—the seventh—might not be doing anything new, but it’s doing what it does well thanks to terri c acting and a script with a lot of heart. Instead of Tess and Anna swapping, it’s Tess and Lily, and Anna and Harper. Each actress does an impressive job of morphing into her older or younger counterpart. When Harper’s in Anna’s body and she begins to understand how deeply Eric loves her mom, her heart is indeed changed. ere’s also a lot of comic possibilities as these four women try to walk a mile in one another’s shoes. Chuck Yes, the old switcheroo is so well
CASINO
What’s it rated? R When? 1995
Where’s it showing? Friday, Aug. 15, 7:15 p.m. at the Palm Theatre of San Luis Obispo
Director and co-writer Martin Scorsese knows his way around a mob picture, and in this sprawling story that takes place over more than a decade, we see Chicago sport handicapper Sam “Ace” Rothstein (Robert De Niro) given his big break when the mafia sends him to Las Vegas to take charge of the Tangiers Casino. He soon doubles the casino’s profitability, skimming the extra cash to deliver to his mob bosses.
CRAFTY When the Chicago mob sends sports handicapper Sam “Ace” Rothstein (Robert De Niro) to Las Vegas to take over a casino, his success comes with its own baggage, in Casino, screening on Aug. 15 in the Palm Theatre.
done. e actors deliver, and the interactions between the others that are not in the know are hilarious. e characters that are not switched are funny as they don’t understand the changes in their perceived peers’ behavior. is weirdness is contagious, and humor ensues. e age gaps among the three primary characters o er a real look at generational di erences—both socially and in the ways and means of our tech-savvy world.
Glen I’m kind of loving this renaissance for Jamie Lee Curtis. Knives Out (2019) and Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022) really reignited her career, and I thought Lindsay Lohan’s career was in ashes. Both are great here, and I was really impressed with Julia Butters. If you remember Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood (2019), she played the young actress Trudi Fraser who gives “notes” to Leonardo DiCaprio’s Rick Dalton when he’s lming a Western. I’m a bit
We follow Ace as his childhood friend, mob enforcer Nicky Santoro (Joe Pesci), is also sent to Vegas to protect the mob’s interests. Ace eventually meets and falls for con artist and showgirl Ginger McKenna (Sharon Stone, in an Oscar-nominated performance), and they have a daughter together, but Ginger’s former pimp and boyfriend Lester Diamond (James Woods at his smarmiest) raises tensions, as does Nicky’s extracurricular criminal activities. Naturally, the FBI is soon investigating the Tangiers.
With a stellar cast and amazing performances, the characters are compelling, albeit not very sympathetic, but Scorsese’s direction is assured. Bloody and violent, with an amazing soundtrack, this 1995 masterpiece deserves to be seen on the big screen. Stone’s performance alone is worth the price of admission. She’s intense! (103 min.)
—Glen
INTO THE WILD
What’s it rated? PG-13 When? 2007
of a sap for this kind of stu , so I loved it. I loved that everyone learned their lesson and that love prevailed. Bravo.
Chuck Speaking of lessons. Plato said something about being kind to everyone because we’re all in some form of struggle each and every day. e younger characters eventually get this, and it propels the movie toward the resolution of this engaging and very cute movie. e older characters also learn and realize life is not just about what they deem wise. e movie drives on the role of parenting and co-parenting and how that a ects the kids, which is a layered and complicated feat. e ux of all of this is so well played out by the director, writer, and actors. It’s a very fun watch for all ages. ∆
Arts Editor Glen Starkey and Chuck Maxie wrote Split Screen this week. Comment at gstarkey@newtimesslo.com.
Where’s it showing? Monday, Aug. 18, 5:30 p.m., at the Bay Theatre of Morro Bay
Sean Penn directs this 2007 film he adapted from Jon Krakauer’s novel about the true story of Chris McCandless (Emile Hirsch), a disconnected recent college grad who travels throughout North America, eventually making his way to Alaska, where he’s determined to live off the land. Unfortunately, Chris’ trek proves tragic, but the real question is if he meant it as an end to his story or the beginning of a new one.
The film cuts between Chris’ worried parents, Billie (Marcia Gay Harden) and Walt (William
Hurt), and his sister, Carine (Jena Malone), and the people he encounters as he makes his way across the country. The cast’s incredible and includes Catherine Keener, Hal Holbrook, Kristen Stewart, Vince Vaughn, and Zach Galifianakis. Between this cast and Penn’s intentional direction, and of course the painstakingly researched book it’s drawn from, we’re left with an engaging portrait of a lost soul on a tragic trajectory.
Hirsch is especially good, fully inhabiting this flawed but earnest young man. We’re rooting for him, even though his effort to find bliss lies far beyond the harsh reality of surviving Alaska. Being a free spirit sounds exotic and fulfilling, but it’s a lifestyle that runs parallel to recklessness.
It’s also gorgeous. Cinematographer Eric Gautier captures the stunning landscape, creating a haunting big screen-worthy story. (90 min.) ∆ —Anna
Emile Hirsch stars as Chris McCandless, who died in the Alaskan wilderness after trying to live off the land, in Into the Wild, screening on Aug. 18 in the Bay Theatre.
MILE IN HER SHOES Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan reprise their roles as Dr. Tess Coleman and her daughter, Anna, in Freakier Friday, screening in local theaters.
PHOTO COURTESY OF WALT DISNEY STUDIOS MOTION PICTURES
PHOTO COURTESY OF PARAMOUNT VANTAGE
PHOTO COURTESY OF UNIVERSAL PICTURES
Music
BY GLEN STARKEY
A life well lived
Don Lampson celebrates more than half a century of performance
Singer-songwriter Don Lampson used to perform in public regularly, but these days his live shows are few and far between. The last time he played before an audience was earlier this year on Feb. 11, when he joined Nashville singer-songwriters Jade Jackson and Josh Wolfe in an intimate singer-in-the-round evening at The Range in Santa Margarita.
This Saturday, Aug. 16, Lampson will perform a “solo musicale,” as he calls it, at the Porch Cafe & Bar “in the heart of Santa Margarita” (5:30 to 7:30 p.m.; all ages; free). Expect “songs of hard work, brave deeds, heartbreak, and a few featuring both romance and revenge,” he said.
The raconteur claims it’s his first solo gig in a dozen years.
“Performing gets tougher as I advance in age,” he explained. “My voice isn’t as strong, nor my arthritic fingers as nimble as they were just a few brief decades ago. I still learn new yet obscure covers and dabble in writing.”
Lampson is a real character. The Vietnam vet studied journalism at Cal Poly, worked as a prison guard, has an affinity for reptiles, and can weave some amazing stories. What a life! He’s been married to local artist Peg Grady since 1981, and they live on a little ranchette outside of Santa Margarita. He’s been known to trim trees on his property with a shotgun.
Don’s gritty voice sounds like a roll of rusty chain-link fencing bouncing around the back of an old Ford pickup rambling down a gravel road. In other words, he’s rumbling and irascible and authentic as heck.
“With over 50 years of performing, I’ve assembled a huge number of songs to pull from,” he boasted. “I may not sing or play as well as I did in my feckless youth, but I can emote the song’s stories better than ever!”
Witness the legend in person this Saturday!
Live Music
NORTH COAST SLO COUNTY
39+ DANCE CLUB WEDNESDAY WITH SUNNY WRIGHT AND THE MORRO BAY
FACTION The Morro Bay 39+ Dance Group is hosting a 1920s dance and pot luck with Sunny Wright and The Morro Bay Faction. Join in on the fun. Aug. 20, 1-3 p.m. Free. Phone: (805) 235-0348. morrobaydances.com/39plusdanceclub. Morro Bay Community Center, 1001 Kennedy Way, Morro Bay.
“SHANTY-SING” AT THE MORRO BAY
MARITIME MUSEUM Saturday morning
“Shanty-Sing” at the Morro Bay Maritime Museum. Learn and share maritime music. Bring a song. Learn a song. Sing along. Fourth Saturday of every month, 11 a.m.-noon through Oct. 25 Free. (805) 225-6571. morrobaymaritime.org/ event/shanty-sing/. Morro Bay Maritime Museum, 1154 Front St., Morro Bay. BLUES AGENDA JAM AND SHOWCASE
Swinging for the fences
Good Vibez and the Fremont Theater have stacked the week with six big shows starting with flipturn on Friday, Aug. 15 (doors at 7, show at 8 p.m.; all ages; $50.96 at prekindle. com), with Sun Room opening. Indie rock act flipturn started playing college house parties in their home state of Florida and have now blossomed into playing festivals like Bonnaroo, Lollapalooza, and Austin City Limits. They’ve also appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live. They’re currently touring in support of their sophomore album, Burnout Days, released earlier this year.
Sound out! Send music and club information to gstarkey@newtimesslo.com.
“Caught halfway between 21st century indie rock, New Waveinspired nostalgia, and rhythmic alt-pop, Burnout Days finds the beauty that exists between five friends, even in times of burnout,” according to their bio.
A rockin’ blues dance party at Niffy’s Merrimaker every first, third, and now fifth Wednesdays. The Blues Asylum house band welcomes local, visiting, and newcomers to the blues groove. Spirits, beer, and wine, with outside food welcome. Every other Wednesday, 7-10 p.m. Free. (805) 235-5223. The Merrimaker Tavern, 1301 2nd Street, Los Osos. THE DROPTINES Alternative country band, The Droptines, are based out of Texas. They are scheduled to hit The Siren’s stage. Get tickets and more info at the link. Aug. 22 7:30-10:30 p.m. $20. The Siren, 900 Main St., Morro Bay, (805) 225-1312, thesirenmorrobay.com/.
MORRO BAY WHITE CAPS COMMUNITY BAND, MUSIC BY THE SEA SUMMER CONCERT SERIES The Morro Bay White Caps Community Band, under the baton of conductor Brenda Hascall, will perform a variety of pops, jazz, and classical
music. Aug. 23 , 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Free. (805) 459-9543. morrobaywhitecaps.com. The Morro Bay White Caps Community Band will perform four concerts on the South T-Pier featuring jazz, classical, rock, and pop music. Aug. 23 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Free, Donations accepted. (805) 459-9543. morrobaywhitecaps.com. The Morro Bay White Caps Community Band, conducted by Brenda Hascall, will perform a variety of pops, classical and jazz music by the sea. Aug. 23 , 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Free. (805) 459-9543. morrobaywhitecaps.com. Morro Bay S. T Pier, 1185 Embarcadero, Morro Bay.
OPEN MIC NIGHT Each Wednesday, enjoy this Open Mic Night in the downstairs dining area. Grab some friends and show off your talents. Food and drink service will be available. Wednesdays, 6 p.m. Free. (805) 995-3883. schoonerscayucos.com. Schooners, 171
Relive your disco daze when Bee Gees Fever comes to the Fremont on Saturday, Aug. 16 (doors at 7, show at 8 p.m.; all ages; $33.96 at prekindle.com). The seven-piece live band delivers a Las Vegasstyle show complete with “costumes and a catalog with three decades of The Brothers Gibb,” according to organizers.
Portland-based indie rock, synth pop, and neo psychedelia act STRFKR plays on Monday, Aug. 18 (doors at 7, show at 8 p.m.; all ages; $37.05 at prekindle.com) with Mamalarky opening. Pronounced starfucker, the band’s newest is 2024’s Parallel Rooms, their seventh album.
The Buena Vista Social Orchestra
North Ocean Ave, Cayucos. ROOTS REGGAE LEGENDS THE WAILING SOULS Hear Jamaican reggae vocal group The Wailing Souls live. Tickets and additional details are available at the link. Aug. 15 , 7:30-10:30 p.m. $36.25. thesirenmorrobay.com. The Siren, 900 Main St., Morro Bay, (805) 225-1312.
SHANTY SING Bring a song. Learn a song. Sing along! The Morro Bay Shanty Project will lead this shanty sing along event. No experience is needed, and all are welcome. Fourth Saturday of every month, 11 a.m.-noon through Oct. 25 Free. (805) 225-6571. m.facebook.com/story. php?story_fbid=pfbid0XU2CETCDiomA H5zp2XeQ9eswFTfFnScXaXZSpDX31Wp mXAZznYdQsZ7MuwVuMzpQl&id=1000 95006873277&mibextid=wwXIfr. Morro Bay Maritime Museum, 1154 Front St., Morro Bay.
performs on Tuesday, Aug. 19 (doors at 7, show at 8 p.m.; all ages; $50.96 to $99.36 at prekindle.com). Made up of musicians pulled from the original Buena Vista Social Club performances, the collective presents the finest in Cuban music.
If you need a dose of old-school punk, Black Flag plays on Thursday, Aug. 21
SHANTY SING AT THE MARITIME MUSEUM Join our monthly sea-shanty sing-along every 4th Saturday through October. Learn and share maritime music. Bring a song. Learn a song. Sing along. Fourth Saturday of every month, 11 a.m. through Oct. 25 Free. (805)225-6571. Morro Bay Maritime Museum, 1154 Front St., Morro Bay.
TRIBUTE TO DAVID CROSBY & GRAHAM
NASH Performers will include Jonathan Firey, Shawn Thies, Adrian Bourgeois, Emily Laliotis, Mary Scholz, Kielo Smith, Donna Phillips, and The Wine Country Troubadours Duo. Hosted by Steve Key. Aug. 17 2-5 p.m. $25, $20 CCA members. (805) 204-6821. songwritersatplay.com/ events. Cambria Center for the Arts Theatre, 1350 Main St., Cambria. UP IN THE AIR AT CASTORO LAZY
LOCALS Up in the Air will play its unique blend of upbeat originals and familiar
favorites at Castoro on Sunday. Hear them live! Aug. 17 1-4 p.m. Free. (805) 2380725. Castoro Cellars, 1315 N. Bethel Rd., Templeton, castorocellars.com.
NORTH SLO COUNTY
CASS WINERY BARREL ROOM
CONCERT SERIES: MONTE MILLS & THE LUCKY HORSESHOE BAND Join for the Monthly Concert Series! Wine will be available by the glass and by the bottle, along with a selection of Barrelhouse Beer and soft drinks. Aug. 24 4-6 p.m. Free. my805tix.com. Cass Winery and Vineyard, 7350 Linne Rd., Paso Robles. FRIDAY NIGHT DJ Weekly DJ series, with a different DJ every Friday. Presented by friends at Traffic Record store in Atascadero. Come listen, dance, drink, and unwind every Friday. All ages event; no cover charge. Fridays, 7-10 p.m. (805) LIVE MUSIC continued page 24
EVERY LINE EARNED Don Lampson brings 50-plus years of performance experience and troves of material to The Porch Café & Bar on Aug. 16
COURTESY PHOTO BY PEG GRADY
GET RAD Good Vibez and the Fremont Theater present indie rockers, flipturn, on Aug. 15
COURTESY PHOTO BY AMANDA LAFERRIERE
¿QUÉ BOLÁ? Good Vibez presents the Buena Vista Social Orchestra at the Fremont Theater on Aug. 19 .
PHOTO COURTESY OF GOOD VIBEZ
STARKEY continued page 24
(doors at 7, show at 8 p.m.; all ages; $44.26 at prekindle.com). Formed in 1976 in Hermosa Beach by guitarist, primary songwriter, and sole continuous member Greg Ginn, his group is currently recording new material for a future studio release and will be touring all year.
Tropical psychedelia + indigenous indie rock + reggae
Numbskull and Good Medicine have a super cool three-act show coming up when Coyote Island headlines The Siren on Thursday, Aug. 21 (7 p.m.; 21-and-older; $24.41 at goodmedicinepresents.com), with Cherokee Social and Joe Samba opening.
Coyote Island is Mike O’Hehir’s brainchild. Mike considers himself an old soul, and “the music he’s crafted with his band and growing collection of diverse collaborators is as fresh as anything going today,” his bio said. Expect breezy Caribbean beats and contemporary pop sounds.
Alex Creighton of Cherokee Social describes his duo’s sound as “indigenous indie pop.”
“We mix traditional Indigenous percussion with modern pop arrangements, creating a sound that’s rhythmic, bright, and culturally grounded,” he explained.
Samba creates soulful reggae-rock with a punk edge.
Freebies at The Siren
Smile, cheapskate. The Siren has you covered this week with three free shows. See Americana/country/bluegrass act Hazard Canyon on Friday, Aug. 15 (8 to 10:30 p.m.; 21-and-older). This local group is packed with multi-instrumental talent on vocal harmonies, fretless bass, drums, harmonica, and electric and acoustic guitars.
“Our diverse set list spans multiple
460-6042. ancientowlbeergarden.com.
Ancient Owl Beer Garden, 6090 El Camino Real, suite C, Atascadero.
HOT TINA AT HUBBA WINES Head to Hubba Wines in Tin City for live music. featuring Hot Tina. Wine and food will be available for purchase. Aug. 22 5-9 p.m. $5.00 Donation. (805) 550-8190. hubbawines.com/Events. Hubba Wines, 2929 Limestone Way, Paso Robles.
HUBBA WINES 2025 SUMMER
CONCERT SERIES Head to Hubba Wines in Tin City for live music featuring local bands every Friday evening. Wine and food available for purchase. Fridays, 5-9 p.m. through Aug. 29 $5 donation. (805)
generations, inviting folks of all ages to engage and join in dance,” the band said. More free shows happen on Saturday, Aug. 16, starting with Bridges Band (2 to 5 p.m.; 21-and-older), a local quintet that’s “wildly passionate about playing and performing great music, blues, R&B. jazz, and rock,” according to their bio.
Later that same day, see Kettle of Hawks (8 to 10:30 p.m.; 21-and-older) a band from Carpinteria and Los Angeles that makes “ethereal folk gaze noise in fits and starts … in garages and airstreams, tiny homes, on beaches and mesas, in lot yards and studios, around campfires, under ancient pines and gardens,” their bio explains.
Strange, Trop, Mad
SLO Brew Live presents Strange Days—A Tribute to The Doors at Rod & Hammer Rock on Sunday, Aug. 17 (doors at 7 p.m.; all ages; $27.21 at ticketweb.com). They bill themselves as “a worldwide touring Doors concert experience,” according to press materials. “Formed and based in Los Angeles, Strange Days captures the magic and the mystery of The Doors in their prime. By combining vintage instruments with the latest technology, Strange Days offers both an authentic onstage look and an unmistakable studio album sound.”
Rod & Hammer has an impressive tripleheader on Wednesday, Aug. 20, when Tropidelic headlines with Shwayze and Jarv opening (doors at 7 p.m.; 18-and-older; $33.39 at ticketweb.com). Tropidelic blends funk, reggae, and hip-hop and will be joined by West Coast hitmaker Shwayze for a “night of grooves, good times, and summer energy,” the club announced.
Finally, Solvang’s ska punk juggernauts The Mad Caddies play on Thursday, Aug. 21 (doors at 7 p.m.; all ages; $31.39
JAMES GARNER’S TRIBUTE TO JOHNNY CASH Back by popular demand, James Garner’s Johnny Cash tribute will be held at the Templeton PAC. Visit the link for tickets and more info. Aug. 24 3-5 p.m. $40. my805tix.com. Templeton Performing Arts Center, 1200 S. Main St., Templeton, (805) 225-7087.
LIVE MUSIC WITH KATIE CHAPPELL
Join for a lively afternoon of live music, wine specials by the glass and bottle, or dive into a full tasting experience! Aug. 14 4-7 a.m. $25 tasting fee waived with $75 purchase. (805) 237-1245. mcpricemyers.com/events/music080725.
LOST TO THE VOID LIVE Hear deathcore band Lost to The Void live at Dark Nectar. Get tickets and more info at the link. Aug. 17 6 p.m. $14. my805tix.com. Dark Nectar Coffee Lounge, 5915 Entrada, Atascadero, (805) 835-1988.
MARSHALL OTWELL, DYLAN JOHNSON, ANDRE COPHER, AND SUNNY WRIGHT AT SENSORIO Enjoy jazz at Sensorio before the lights with Marshall Otwell on piano, Dylan Johnson on bass, Andre Copher on drums, and Sunny Wright on vocals. Secure a fire pit table early! Aug. 22 6:45-8:45 p.m. $35-$65. (805) 2264287. sensoriopaso.com. Sensorio, 4380 Highway 46 East, Paso Robles.
at ticketweb.com). Formed in 1995, the Caddies have seven full-length albums, one live album, and two EPs. They’re influenced from diverse genres including third wave ska, punk, reggae, Dixieland, Latin, polka, cowpunk, and sea shanties.
Voix triomphante
The human voice is a remarkable instrument capable of conveying a wide range of emotions. This week, two concerts will demonstrate the power and beauty of the human voice in full.
On Friday, Aug. 15, experience Voices Unite! in Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa featuring the Cuesta Concord Chorus with guests Coro Nacional de Puerto Rico and Trinity Choir of Denver (8 p.m.; all ages; free). The show starts immediately following Concerts in the Plaza.
On Saturday, Aug. 16, the Cuesta Concord Chorus presents Carmina Burana in Cal Poly’s Performing Arts Center (7:30 p.m.; all ages; get your free ticket at pacslo. org).
Composer Carl Orff’s masterpiece cantata will be conducted by Cassandra Tarantino and “will be performed with a full orchestra, soloists, and a grand chorus that includes the Cuesta Concord Chorus and our Festival Guest choirs,” according to organizers.
“We will be joined by the SLO Symphony, Master Chorale, Opera SLO, Central Coast Gilbert & Sullivan, Vocal Arts Ensemble, Resonance, Central Coast Youth Chorus, and other local artists in a grand community celebration.”
Pre-bebop jazz
Jazz Vespers Concerts returns to SLO’s First Presbyterian Church with the Dawn
MISS LEO AND THE HANDSOME
FELLERS LIVE Head to Hubba Wines to hear Miss Leo and The Handsome Fellers. Aug. 15 5-9 p.m. $5.00 Donation. (805) 550-8190. hubbawines.com/Events. Hubba Wines, 2929 Limestone Way, Paso Robles.
OPEN MIC NIGHT Hosted by The Journals 805 (John and Dylan Krause). Mondays, 9 p.m. Pine Street Saloon, 1234 Pine St., Paso Robles.
SENSORIO SUMMER CONCERT SERIES
Fresh off launching a new art installation, Sensorio Paso Robles unveils its Summer Concert Series lineup, running Sundays from June 1 to October 12. Get tickets and more info at the link. Aug. 24 , 6:3010:30 p.m. $55 - $140. (805) 226-4287.
Lambeth Quartet featuring trumpet player Marc Caparone this Sunday, Aug. 17 (4 p.m.; all ages; free, though donations are gratefully accepted). Lambeth’s a fantastic vocalist and pianist, and Caparone specializes in trumpet styles of the 1920s and 1930s. Ryan Garcia (guitar) and Dylan Johnson (bass) also join the fun. ∆
Contact Arts Editor Glen Starkey at gstarkey@newtimesslo.com.
A unique performing arts group that performs across the state for deaf festivals, service organizations, churches, fairs, and other outlets. New members always welcome. Registration open weekly. Mondays, 5-6:30 p.m. $45 tuition per month. singinghandschildrenschoir. com/. Singing Hands Children’s Choir and Performing Arts, 1413 Riverside Ave., Paso Robles.
SUMMER CONCERT SERIES Fresh off its latest art and music installation, Sensorio Paso Robles announces its Summer Concert Series, running from the
beginning of June until October, featuring exciting live acts. Aug. 24 $55 - $140. (805) 226-4287. sensoriopaso.com/ sensorio-celebrations. Sensorio, 4380 Highway 46 East, Paso Robles.
TENT CITY LIMITS - CONCERTS AT THE PRINTERY Presented by the Atascadero Printery Foundation in partnership with Tiny Porch Concerts, this live summer concert series brings touring bluegrass, folk, and Americana acts to the historic Atascadero Printery Building. Hear Caltucky + June Clivas & the Ditty Boys live on Aug. 22. Aug. 22 , 6 p.m. $28.62. my805tix.com. Atascadero Printery Foundation, 6351 Olmeda Avenue, Atascadero.
LIVE MUSIC continued page 26
EAR PARTY Numbskull and Good Medicine present tropical pop act Coyote Island at The Siren on Aug. 21 COURTESY PHOTO
PEOPLE ARE STRANGE SLO Brew Live presents Strange Days—A Tribute to The Doors on Aug. 17 at Rod & Hammer Rock.
PHOTO COURTESY OF ROD &
THE VOICE Vocalist and pianist Dawn Lambeth puts her jazz quartet through their paces on Aug. 17, at SLO’s First Presbyterian Church.
PHOTO COURTESY OF DAWN LAMBETH
TUESDAYS IN THE PARK: FREE
ATASCADERO COMMUNITY BAND
CONCERTS Enjoy these fabulous free community band concerts with different music and conductors weekly! Bring your lawn chair and snacks. Tuesdays, 7-8 p.m. through Aug. 19 Free. atascaderoband. org. Atascadero Lake Park, 9305 Pismo Ave., Atascadero.
VOICES UNITE! INTERNATIONAL
CHORAL FESTIVAL - FREE
PERFORMANCE ON THE LAWN Grab your hat, sunscreen, and a folding chair and enjoy our guest choirs in a beautiful outdoor setting on the vineyard lawn! Aug. 17 1 p.m. Free. ravawines.com/ events/voices-unite-international-choralfestival-free-performance-on-the-lawn/. Rava Wines + Events, 6785 Creston Rd., Paso Robles, (805) 238-7282.
VOICES UNITE! FESTIVAL CHORUS CONCERT AT SCULPTERRA Sunday afternoons are popular at Sculpterra, featuring live music beginning at noon. Come early and enjoy a stroll through the beautiful sculpture garden. Aug. 17 3:30 p.m. Free. Sculpterra Winery, 5015 Linne Rd., Paso Robles, (805) 226-8881, sculpterra.com/.
SAN LUIS OBISPO
B & THE HIVE AND TWOPAPERSQUARES AT CONCERTS IN THE PLAZA Two Paper Squares and B & The Hive are set to perform live at the Mission. Mininova will play a live set at the after party at Libertine Brewing at 8:30 p.m. Aug. 22 5 p.m. Mission Plaza, Downtown, San Luis Obispo.
BEE GEES FEVER See the 7-piece Vegas band Bee Gees Fever live at the Fremont. Tickets and more details are available at the link. Aug. 16 , 7 p.m. $33.96. fremontslo.com. The Fremont Theater, 1035 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo, (805) 546-8600.
BLACK FLAG LIVE Spend an evening listening to American punk rock band Black Flag play live at The Fremont Theater. Tickets and more info can be found at the link. Aug. 21 7 p.m. $44. fremontslo.com. The Fremont Theater, 1035 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo, (805) 546-8600.
BUENA VISTA SOCIAL ORCHESTRA LIVE Hear the Buena Vista Social Orchestra live, with members from The Buena Vista Social Club, Estrellas de Areito, and Afro-Cuban Allstars. Aug. 19 7 p.m. $50.96-$225.13. fremontslo.com. The Fremont Theater, 1035 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo, (805) 546-8600.
THE BUNKER SLO PRESENTS: MELLOVUE WITH SPECIAL GUESTS Hear Mellovue live at The Bunker SLO, along with Masokissed, Archiac Face, and Beach Fiction. Aug. 22 5:30 p.m. $12.56. my805tix.com. The Bunker SLO, 810 Orcutt Road, San Luis Obispo.
THE BUNKER SLO PRESENTS: NIFEGUN & SATURN DEATH DIVE Hear 5-piece indie rock band from LA, Nifegun, will perform live at The Bunker. Get tickets and more info at the link. Aug. 16 , 6:309:45 p.m. $13. my805tix.com. The Bunker SLO, 810 Orcutt Road, San Luis Obispo. BURLEY THISTLES Burley Thistles is an alternative rock band known for its guitar-driven sound and memorable songs. Hear them live at Frog and Peach Pub. Aug. 23 9 p.m.-12:30 a.m. Frog and Peach Pub, 728 Higuera St., San Luis Obispo, (805) 595-4764, frogandpeachpub.com.
CONCERTS IN THE PLAZA: AFTER PARTY SERIES Enjoy free live music in downtown SLO every Friday, immediately following the Concerts in the Plaza. The concerts are 21+. Aug. 15 , 8:30 p.m. and Aug. 22 8:30 p.m. Free. my805tix.com. Libertine Brewing Company, 1234 Broad St., San Luis Obispo, (805) 548-2337.
DAMON CASTILLO BAND AND COLLEEN
RHATIGAN AT CONCERTS IN THE PLAZA
Colleen Rhatigan and Damon Castillo Band will be performing at the Mission Plaza. Aug. 15 , 5 p.m. Mission Plaza, Downtown, San Luis Obispo.
JUNIOR TOOTS: TRIBUTE TO TOOTS & THE MAYTALS WITH SPECIAL GUEST
RASTAN Hear Jamaican-born Junior Toots, son of the legendary Toots Hibbert of Toots & The Maytals, live at SLO Brew. Aug. 23 7 p.m. $32.36. slobrew.com. Rod & Hammer Rock, 855 Aerovista Pl., San Luis Obispo, (805) 543-1843.
MAD CADDIES LIVE Hear Solvang-based ska band The Mad Caddies blend their styles of punk rock, hardcore punk, reggae, dixieland jazz, Latin music, and polka in a live performance at SLO Brew. Get tickets and more info at the link. Aug. 21 , 7 p.m. $31.39. slobrew.com. Rod & Hammer Rock, 855 Aerovista Pl., San Luis Obispo, (805) 543-1843.
PETE YORN LIVE Hear singer songwriter
Pete Yorn live at the Fremont Theater. Get tickets and more info at the link. Aug. 22 7 p.m. $39.11-$57.14. fremontslo.com. The Fremont Theater, 1035 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo, (805) 546-8600.
STRANGE DAYS - A TRIBUTE TO THE DOORS LA-based group Strange Days is a worldwide touring Doors concert experience, capturing the magic and the mystery of The Doors in their prime. Aug. 17 7 p.m. $27.21. slobrew.com. Rod & Hammer Rock, 855 Aerovista Pl., San Luis Obispo, (805) 543-1843.
STRFKR LIVE Indie rock band STRFKR, based out of Portland, is headed into town to play a live show at the Fremont. Tickets and more info about the show are available at the link. Aug. 18 7 p.m. fremontslo.com. The Fremont Theater, 1035 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo, (805) 546-8600.
TROPIDELIC AND SHWAYZE WITH JARV
Cleveland, Ohio six-piece band Tropidelic & Shwayze is set to hit the stage of SLO Brew. Hear them live, along with Jarv. Aug. 20 8 p.m. $34. slobrew.com. Rod & Hammer Rock, 855 Aerovista Pl., San Luis Obispo, (805) 543-1843.
VOICES UNITE! FESTIVAL CONCERT The Cuesta Concord Chorus presents Voices Unite!, a three-day international choral festival. Voices Unite! honors the memory and the legacy gift of Ann Coppenbarger. Aug. 15 - May 17 Free. Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa, 751 Palm Street, San Luis Obispo, missionsanluisobispo.org/.
VOICES UNITE! FESTIVAL: CARL ORFF’S “CARMINA BURANA” The Cuesta Concord Chorus presents Voices Unite!, a four-day international choral festival featuring in a performance of “Carmina Burana,” conducted by Cassandra Tarantino. Aug. 16 7:30 p.m. Free. (805) 756-4849. Cal Poly Performing Arts Center, 1 Grand Ave, San Luis Obispo.
SOUTH COAST SLO COUNTY
2025 LIVE AT THE LIGHTHOUSE CONCERT SERIES Head to the Point San Luis Lighthouse in Avila Beach for Saturday afternoon concerts. Get tickets and more info at the link. Through Oct. 11 $28. my805tix.com. Point San Luis Lighthouse, 1 Lighthouse Rd., Avila Beach.
ARROYO GRANDE SUMMER CONCERT SERIES These free concerts will begin on July 4 and run every Sunday until September 21. Sundays, 1-3 p.m. through Sept. 21 Free. (805) 473-5472. arroyogrande.org/events. Heritage Square Park, 201 Nelson St., Arroyo Grande.
KARAOKE AT SLO COUNTY’S ONLY FILIPINO CAFE Join for all day, all ages karaoke hosted at SLO County’s only brick and mortar Filipino cafe, Lumpia Bros Cafe. Enjoy karaoke, filipino dishes, acai, and coffee. Tuesdays-Saturdays-6
p.m. through Dec. 31 Free. (805) 202-8473. Lumpia Bros Cafe, 1187 W. Grand Ave., Grover Beach.
KARAOKE EVERY WEDNESDAY A weekly event with barbecue offerings and more. Wednesdays, 4-8 p.m. Rancho Nipomo BBQ, 108 Cuyama Ln., Nipomo, (805) 925-3500.
THE LOUNGE AT BESO An upscale afterhours nightclub experience. With limited capacity and a dress code. For ages 21 and over. Fridays, 10 p.m. my805tix.com. Beso Cocina, 1050 Willow Road, Nipomo.
SLO COUNTY BAND THURSDAY NIGHT SUMMER CONCERTS Join in on the fun at these free Thursday night concerts with the Slo County Band. Bring your lawn chairs! Second Thursday of every month, 6:30-7:30 p.m. through Sept. 11 Free. (805) 473-5472. arroyogrande.org/ events. Rancho Grande Park, 500 James Way, Arroyo Grande.
STONE SOUP MUSIC FESTIVAL & STREET FAIR Celebrate 30 years of music, art, and community at Stone Soup Festival. Get more info about this free, family-friendly weekend at the link. Aug. 23 , 10 a.m.-10 p.m. and Aug. 24 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Free. (805) 489-9444. clarkcenter. org. Ramona & 9th Streets, Ramona Street and 9th Street, Grover Beach.
WILDE LATIN JAZZ: LIVE AT THE LIGHTHOUSE Wilde Latin Jazz is comprised of the top musicians in SLO county, each with a unique musical experience. Hear live jazz, salsa, soul, and funk tunes with a Latin influence. Aug. 23 , 2:30-5 p.m. $28. my805tix.com. Point San Luis Lighthouse, 1 Lighthouse Rd., Avila Beach.
SANTA MARIA VALLEY/LOS ALAMOS HAPPY HOUR MUSIC SERIES Enjoy live music at the winery most Friday evenings. Check site for concert schedule. Fridays presquilewine.com.
Presqu’ile Winery, 5391 Presqu’ile Dr., Santa Maria, (805) 937-8110.
LADIES NIGHT OUT Music by DJ Van Gloryious and DJ Panda. Features delicious daiquiri specials. Thursdays, 8 p.m.-midnight Roscoe’s Kitchen, 229 Town Center E, Santa Maria, (805) 623-8866.
LIVE MUSIC AND FOOD BY LOBO BUTCHER SHOP Check out live music every Friday night from a variety of artists at Steller’s Cellar in Old Orcutt. Dinner served by Lobo Butcher Shop between 5 and 7:30 p.m. Fridays, 5-9 p.m. Varies according to food options. (805) 623-5129. stellerscellar.com. Steller’s Cellar, 405 E. Clark Ave., Orcutt.
LIVE MUSIC AT STELLER’S CELLAR Various local musicians rotate each Friday. Fridays, 6-8:30 p.m. Free. Steller’s Cellar, 400 E. Clark Ave., Orcutt, (805) 6235129, stellerscellar.com.
MUSIC AT ROSCOE’S KITCHEN Live DJ and karaoke every Friday and Saturday night. Featured acts include Soul Fyah Band, DJ Nasty, DJ Jovas, and more. Fridays, Saturdays, 9 p.m.-2 a.m. Roscoe’s Kitchen, 229 Town Center E, Santa Maria, (805) 623-8866.
SUNDAY NIGHT FUN End the weekend with some good vibes. Music by DJ Van Gloryious. Sundays, 8 p.m.-midnight Roscoe’s Kitchen, 229 Town Center E, Santa Maria, (805) 623-8866. SANTA YNEZ VALLEY
LIVE MUSIC SUNDAYS Sundays, 2-6
BY CAMILLIA LANHAM
Mexico City vibes
Condesa on Monterey Street in SLO mixes romance, cocktails, and modern Mexican cuisine
ABohemian neighborhood in Mexico City—dotted with a mix of colonial, art deco, and modern architecture; named for the Countess of Miravalle; and filled with all the things that produce a vibrant nightlife—serves as inspiration for San Luis Obispo’s newest hot spot: Condesa.
“The avenues, the cuisine, the architecture, … it’s just a really romantic place in Mexico City,” Brandon Ristaino said. “It just made so much sense.”
Ristaino and his wife, Misty Orman, took a trip to Mexico City in 2022 expecting it to be the food and beverage city that it has a reputation for being. They were still blown away. He said there was just so much worldclass food and beverages.
“We just ate our faces off. We were full the entire time,” Ristaino said. “For me, I think the surprising thing was I couldn’t believe how much great food there was.”
The pair owns Good Lion Hospitality, which operates bars and restaurants in Santa Barbara and Ventura. Condesa is their latest bar and restaurant concept, and it’s their
Cocktail hour
Find Condesa at condesabarslo.com, at 1491 Monterey St. in SLO, and on Instagram @condesabarslo. Hours are Monday through Sunday from 4 to 11 p.m. with happy hour, meals past 9 p.m., and party brunches coming soon.
first in San Luis Obispo, opening in July on Monterey Street where Splash Café once was.
The pair purchased Petit Soleil, the bed and breakfast operated on the same block, at the tail end of 2022. It was their first foray into lodging, and gave them a foothold in a place they’d long dreamed of opening a business in.
“We tried a few times to get into a project; it’s a tough market to get into,” Ristaino said.
“We just kind of discovered it on a trip.”
“We actually stayed at the Petit Soleil and met the owners,” Orman added. “I made a joke and said, ‘Hey if you ever retire, give us a call.’”
In 2022, Splash Café was still operating in the building that Condesa now fills. They were sister properties, sharing the block together. Orman said it just made sense to be able to gain more rooms for Petit Soleil and open a bar and restaurant beneath it.
When Joanne Currie, who owns Splash with her husband, Ross Currie, suggested that it might be a possibility, Ristaino said they jumped on the opportunity.
“We love this neighborhood, the proximity to downtown,” he said.
“We always wanted to have a bar,” Orman said. “We wanted to be able to treat the locals and be part of the community and not just the travelers coming.”
As part of that bar atmosphere, Ristaino said, they wanted to lean into the vibrant nightlife of Mexico City and the vibes of the La Condesa neighborhood with modern, chef-driven Mexican cuisine and an agave-infused cocktail menu.
Mexico City has some of the best bars in the world, Ristaino said. In 2024, one of the city’s bars—Handshake Speakeasy—placed first on the list of The World’s 50 Best Restaurants.
“There’s a lot of things to be gleaned right now from what’s doing well in Mexico City,” he said, noting that their specialty is “on the cocktail side of things. … We feel really good about the program right now.”
and drink to bites@newtimesslo.com.
That menu includes classics like the margarita and paloma; an añejo Manhattan (añejo tequila, vermouth blend, xtabentún, marschino, and coffee essence); the Hanky Palenque (reposado tequila, cognac, Italian vermouth, pineapple, Mexican fernet, and mezcal); and the Oaxacan Dead (mezcal, reposado tequila, lime, grapefruit, pomegranate, rum, and cinnamon).
Ristaino said it was his 28th year in the industry, and he got involved in crafting cocktails in the early 2000s when the trend started its slow spread out of New York City.
“I just went as deep as I could diving into
CASUAL COCKTAILS Condesa on Monterey Street serves up Mexico-City inspired adult beverages alongside a chef-driven menu of light bites.
AGUACHILE Octopus is the star of Condesa’s Aquachile Verde de Pulpo, which comes with aguachile verde, jicama, cucumber, cilantro, radish, and tostadas.
MONTEREY NIGHTLIFE Condesa put down roots on Monterey Street, where it shares a property with Petit Soleil and brings a little bit of Mexico City to SLO.
Student Guide
Autumn Arts
books,” he said, adding that there wasn’t really a formal training process for bartending at the time. “Over the years, we just started playing more with pairing relationships … playing more with seasonal ingredients. … Having more of a chef’s mindset, playing with flavor and texture and layers … things like that.”
In 2014, he and Orman started a small cocktail bar in Santa Barbara. They scraped together a bunch of investors’ funds and opened up their first spot.
“We literally just worked 20 hours a day,” Ristaino said. “At the end of the day, we’re creative people, … always tinkering with ideas.”
Their biggest passions are travel, food, and drink—and they’re able to incorporate all three into the hot spots they’ve opened. The Bank of Italy Cocktail Trust in downtown Ventura, for instance, is partially inspired by coastal Italy. Strange Beast in Santa Barbara celebrates Japanese flavors. They’re all stand-alones, he said. Including Condesa, which dishes up a short menu of Mexican-inspired dishes with a twist. The Quesadilla de Champiñones includes oyster mushrooms from Mighty Cap Mushrooms out of Templeton, quesillo Oaxaca, fresh epazote, roasted salsa verde,
black beans, and housemade corn tortillas. The Aquachile Verde de Pulpo is octopus served with aguachile verde, jicama, cucumber, cilantro, radish, and tostadas.
“We love mezcal, first and foremost, and we love Mexican cuisine,” Ristaino said. ∆
Editor Camillia Lanham is ready for pulpo and a paloma. Send some to clanham@ newtimesslo.com.
TWISTED Mezcal, Cynar, Punt e Mes, and grapefruit essence come together in a classic craft cocktail with a little spin: the Mezcal Negroni.
Member. This Statement Was Filed With The County Clerk Of San Luis Obispo On 07/11/2025. I Hereby Certify That This Copy Is A Correct Copy Of The Statement On File In My Office. (Seal) Elaina Cano, County Clerk, lmaceri, Deputy. Exp. 07/11/2030. July 31, August 7, 14, 21, 2025
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE NO. 2025-1202 (05/20/2025)
New Filing
The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: LAS TABLAS ANIMAL HOSPITAL 959 Tablas Road Suite A1, Templeton, CA 93465. San Luis Obispo County. Daniel Markwalder (20450 Civic Center Dr. Southfield MI 48076). State of MI. This Busi-
ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME CASE NUMBER: 25CV-0500
To all interested persons:
Petitioner: Layla Rayleigh Perez filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: PRESENT NAME: Layla Rayleigh Perez to PROPOSED NAME: Layla Rayleigh Williams
THE COURT ORDERS: that all persons interested in this matter appear before this court at the hearing indicated below to show cause, if any, why the petition for change of name should not be granted. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing.
NOTICE OF HEARING: Date: Sep-
tember 17, 2025, Time: 9:00 am, Dept. 4, in person or via zoom at the Superior Court of California, County of San Luis Obispo, 1050 Monterey St. Room 220, San Luis Obispo, CA 93408. A copy of this Order to Show Cause must be published at least once each week for four successive weeks before the date set for hearing on the petition in a newspaper of general circulation, printed in this county: New Times
Date: July 30, 2025
/s/: Tana L. Coates, Judge of the Superior Court
August 14, 21, 28, & September 4, 2025
ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME CASE NUMBER: 25CVP-0297
To all interested persons:
Petitioner: Holly Joyce Payne filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: PRESENT NAME: Holly Joyce Payne to PROPOSED NAME: Holly Joyce Hamilton
THE COURT ORDERS: that all persons interested in this matter appear before this court at the hearing indicated below to show cause, if any, why the petition for change of name should not be granted. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing.
NOTICE OF HEARING: Date: September 24, 2025, Time: 9:30 am, Dept. P2, in person or via zoom at the Superior Court of California, County of San Luis Obispo, 901 Park Street, Paso Robles, CA 93446. A copy of this Order to Show Cause must be published at least once each week for four successive weeks before the date set for hearing on the petition in a newspaper of general circulation, printed in this county: New Times Date: August 8, 2025 /s/: Michael C. Kelley, Judge of the Superior Court
August 14, 21, 28, & September 4, 2025
ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME CASE NUMBER: 25CV-0478
To all interested persons: Petitioner: Destiney Dawn Nickole Stiles-Robles and Frank James Robles filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows:
PRESENT NAME:
a. Destiney Dawn Nickole StilesRobles
b. Malakai Jackson Stiles-Robles
c. Savannah Fayelind Stiles-Robles PROPOSED NAME:
a. Destiney Dawn Nickole Robles
b. Malakai Jackson Robles
c. Savannah Fayelind Robles
THE COURT ORDERS: that all persons interested in this matter appear before this court at the hearing indicated below to show cause, if any, why the petition for change of name should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing.
NOTICE OF HEARING: Date: September 10, 2025 9:00 am, Dept: 4 in person or by Zoom at the Superior Court of California, County of San Luis Obispo, 1050 Monterey Street, Room 220 San Luis Obispo CA 93408. Civil Court Operations. A copy of this Order to Show Cause shall be published at least once each week for four successive weeks prior to the date set for hearing on the petition in the following newspaper of general circulation, printed in this county: New
ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME CASE NUMBER: 25CV-0508
To all interested persons: Petitioner: Cameron Alexander Mott filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: PRESENT NAME: Cameron Alexander Mott PROPOSED NAME: Cameron Hartman Alexander THE COURT ORDERS: that all persons interested in this matter appear before this court at the hearing indicated below to show cause, if any, why the petition for change of name should not be granted. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing.
NOTICE OF HEARING: Date: September 24, 2025 9:00 am, Dept: 4 in person or by Zoom at the Superior Court of California, County of San Luis Obispo, 1050 Monterey Street, Room 220 San Luis Obispo CA 93408. A copy of this Order to Show Cause shall be published at least once each week for four successive weeks prior to the date set for hearing on the petition in the following newspaper of general circulation, printed in this county: New Times Date: August 04, 2025.
/s/: Honorable Tana L. Coates, Judge of the Superior Court. August 14, 21, 28 September 4, 2025 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHA NGE OF NAME CASE NUMBER: 25CVP-0298
To all interested persons: Petitioner: Jodie Knollenberg filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: PRESENT NAME: Jodie Knollenberg PROPOSED NAME: Jodie Lasslett. THE COURT
ORDERS: that all persons interested in this matter appear before this court at the hearing indicated below to show cause, if any, why the petition for change of name should not be granted. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing.
NOTICE OF HEARING: Date: September 24, 2025 9:30 am, Dept: P2 in person or by Zoom at the Superior Court of California, County of San Luis Obispo, 901 Park St Paso Robles, CA 93446. Civil Court Operations. A copy of this Order to Show Cause shall be published at least once each week for four successive weeks prior to the date set for hearing on the petition in the following newspaper of general circulation, printed in this county: New Times Date: August 8, 2025. /s/: MC Kelley Judge of the Superior Court. August 14, 21, 28, September 4, 2025
ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME CASE NUMBER: 25CV0389
To all interested persons: Petitioner: Roberto Fuentes filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: PRESENT NAME: Roberto Antonio Fuentes
PROPOSED NAME: Robert Anthony Fuentes. THE COURT ORDERS: that all persons interested in this matter appear before this court at the hearing indicated below to show cause, if any, why the petition for change of name should not be granted. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing.
NOTICE OF HEARING: Date: October 01, 2025 9:00 am, Dept: 4 in person or by Zoom at the Superior Court of California, County of San Luis Obispo, 1050 Monterey Street, Room 220 San Luis Obispo CA 93408. Civil Court Operations. A copy of this Order to Show Cause shall be published at least once each week for four successive weeks prior to the date set for hearing on the petition in the following newspaper of general circulation, printed in this county: New Times Date: July 30, 2025.
/s/: Tana L. Coates, Judge of the Superior Court. August 14, 21, 28 September 4, 2025
ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME CASE NUMBER:
To all interested persons: Petitioner: Wendi Realene Stearman filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: PRESENT NAME: Wendi Realene Stearman. PROPOSED NAME: Wendi Realene Wells. THE COURT ORDERS: that all persons interested in this matter appear before this court at the hearing indicated below to show cause, if any, why the petition for change of name should not be granted. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing.
NOTICE OF HEARING: Date: August 21, 2025 9:00 am, Dept: 2 in person or by Zoom at the Superior Court of California, County of San Luis Obispo, 1050 Monterey Street, Room 220 San Luis Obispo CA 93408. Civil Court Operations. A copy of this Order to Show Cause shall be published at least once each week for four successive weeks prior to the date set for hearing on the petition in the following newspaper of general circulation, printed in this county: New Times Date: June 9, 2025. /s/: Judge van Rooyen, Craig B., Judge of the Superior Court. July 24, 31, August 7, 14, 2025 STATEMENT OF ABANDONMENT OF USE OF FICTITIOUS BUSINESS
NAME NEW FILE NO. 2025-1509 OLD FILE NO. 2025-0008
VERITAS LIVING CO., 3424 Roberto Ct., Unit A, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401. San Luis Obispo County. The fictitious business name referred to above was filed in San Luis Obispo County on 01/02/2025. The following person(s) has abandoned the use of the fictitious business name: Heaven A. Marculis (1695 Valle Vista Pl., San Luis Obispo, CA 93405). This business was conducted by A individual, /s/ Heaven A. Marculis. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of San Luis Obispo on 07/16/2025. hereby certify that this copy is a correct copy of the statement on file in my office. (Seal) Elaina Cano, County Clerk. By A. Webster, Deputy Clerk. August 14, 21, 28, & September 4, 2025
T.S. No. 131904-CA APN: 053-115-033
NOTICE OF TRUSTEE’S SALE IMPORTANT NOTICE TO PROPERTY
OWNER: YOU ARE IN DEFAULT UNDER A DEED OF TRUST, DATED 5/14/2021. UNLESS YOU TAKE ACTION TO PROTECT YOUR PROPERTY, IT MAY BE SOLD AT A PUBLIC SALE. IF YOU NEED AN EXPLANATION OF THE NATURE OF THE PROCEEDING AGAINST YOU, YOU SHOULD CONTACT A LAWYER On 9/12/2025 at 9:00 AM, CLEAR RECON CORP, as duly appointed trustee under and pursuant to Deed of Trust recorded 5/14/2021 as Instrument No. 2021036314 of Official Records in the office of the County Recorder of San Luis Obispo County, State of CALIFORNIA executed by: TIMOTEI IOAN FLOREA AND DUSTIN JOSEPH BLOM, WHO ARE MARRIED TO EACH OTHER, AS COMMUNITY PROPERTY WITH RIGHT OF SURVIVORSHIP WILL SELL AT PUBLIC AUCTION TO HIGHEST BIDDER FOR CASH, CASHIER’S CHECK DRAWN ON A STATE OR NATIONAL BANK, A CHECK DRAWN BY A STATE OR FEDERAL CREDIT UNION, OR A CHECK DRAWN BY A STATE OR FEDERAL SAVINGS AND LOAN ASSOCIATION, SAVINGS ASSOCIATION, OR SAVINGS BANK SPECIFIED IN SECTION 5102 OF THE FINANCIAL CODE AND AUTHORIZED TO DO BUSINESS IN THIS STATE; IN THE BREEZWAY FACING SANTA ROSA STREET, COUNTY OF SAN LUIS OBISPO GENERAL SERVICES BUILDING, 1087 SANTA ROSA ST, SAN LUIS OBISPO, CA 93408 all right, title and interest conveyed to and now held by it under said Deed of Trust in the property situated in said County and State described as: MORE FULLY DESCRIBED ON SAID DEED OF TRUST The street address and other common designation, if any, of the real property described above is purported to be: 1445 PREFUMO CANYON ROAD 20, SAN LUIS OBISPO, CA 93405 The undersigned Trustee disclaims any liability for any incorrectness of the street address and other common designation, if any, shown herein. Said sale will be held, but without covenant or warranty, express or implied, regarding title, possession, condition, or encumbrances, including fees, charges and expenses
NOTICE OF RIGHT TO CLAIM EXCESS PROCEEDS FROM THE SALE OF TAX DEFAULTED PROPERTY (PARTIES OF INTEREST)
of the Trustee and of the trusts created by said Deed of Trust, to pay the remaining principal sums of the note(s) secured by said Deed of Trust. The total amount of the unpaid balance of the obligation secured by the property to be sold and reasonable estimated costs, expenses and advances at the time of the initial publication of the Notice of Sale is: $520,802.37 If the Trustee is unable to convey title for any reason, the successful bidder’s sole and exclusive remedy shall be the return of monies paid to the Trustee, and the successful bidder shall have no further recourse. The beneficiary under said Deed of Trust heretofore executed and delivered to the undersigned a written Declaration of Default and Demand for Sale, and a written Notice of Default and Election to Sell. The undersigned or its predecessor caused said Notice of Default and Election to Sell to be recorded in the county where the real property is located. NOTICE TO POTENTIAL BIDDERS: If you are considering bidding on this property lien, you should understand that there are risks involved in bidding at a trustee auction. You will be bidding on a lien, not on the property itself. Placing the highest bid at a trustee auction does not automatically entitle you to free and clear ownership of the property. You should also be aware that the lien being auctioned off may be a junior lien. If you are the highest bidder at the auction, you are or may be responsible for paying off all liens senior to the lien being auctioned off, before you can receive clear title to the property. You are encouraged to investigate the existence, priority, and size of outstanding liens that may exist on this property by contacting the county recorder’s office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge you a fee for this information. If you consult either of these resources, you should be aware that the same lender may hold more than one mortgage or deed of trust on the property. NOTICE TO PROPERTY
OWNER: The sale date shown on this notice of sale may be postponed one or more times by the mortgagee, beneficiary, trustee, or a court, pursuant to Section 2924g of the California Civil Code. The law requires that information about trustee sale postponements be made available to you and to the public, as a courtesy to those not present at the sale. If you wish to learn whether your sale date has been postponed, and, if applicable, the rescheduled time and date for the sale of this property, you may call (855) 313-3319 or visit this Internet website www.clearreconcorp.com, using the file number assigned to this case 131904-CA. Information about postponements that are very short in duration or that occur close in time to the scheduled sale may not immediately be reflected in the telephone information or on the Internet Web site. The best way to verify postponement information is to attend the scheduled sale. NOTICE TO TENANT: Effective January 1, 2021, you may have a right to purchase this property after the trustee auction pursuant to Section 2924m of the California Civil Code. If you are an “eligible tenant buyer,” you can purchase the property if you match the last and highest bid placed at the trustee auction. If you are an “eligible bidder,” you may be able to purchase the property if you exceed the last and highest bid placed at the trustee auction. There are three steps to exercising this right of purchase. First, 48 hours after the date of the trustee sale, you can call (855) 313-3319, or visit this internet website www.clearreconcorp.com, using the file number assigned to this case 131904-CA to find the date on which the trustee’s sale was held, the amount of the last and highest bid, and the address of the trustee. Second, you must send a written notice of intent to place a bid so that the trustee receives it no more than 15 days after the trustee’s sale. Third, you must submit a bid so that the trustee receives it no more than 45 days after the trustee’s sale. If you think you may qualify as an “eligible tenant buyer” or “eligible bidder,” you should consider contacting an attorney or appropriate real estate professional immediately for advice regarding this potential right to purchase. FOR SALES INFORMATION: (855) 313-3319 CLEAR
Excess proceeds have resulted from the May 28, 2025, sale of tax defaulted properties listed in this notice. Parties of interest, as defined by California Revenue and Taxation Code section 4675, are entitled to claim the excess proceeds. The Tax Collector has been unable to obtain a valid mailing address for the Parties of Interest listed below.
All claims must be in writing and must contain sufficient information and proof to establish a claimant’s right to all or any part of the excess proceeds. Claims filed with the county more than one year after recordation of the tax collector’s deed to the purchaser on June 4, 2026, cannot be considered.
Claim forms and information regarding filing procedures may be obtained at the San Luis Obispo County Tax Collector’s Office, 1055 Monterey St., Rm. D290, San Luis Obispo, CA 93408, or by calling (805) 781-5836 between 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.
Assessor’s Parcel No.: 023,192,010
Property Address: 1685 DREYDON AV, CAMB
Parties of Interest: Abrenica Family Trust Dtd 8/2/1994, Cheatham Evelyn Tre and Estate of Abrenica Epitacio & Veneranda P, Ttees
Assessor’s Parcel No.: 023,333,029
Property Address: CAM PINES M U 2 BL 24 LTS 7 & 8
Parties of Interest: Abrenica Family Trust Dtd 8/2/1994, Cheatham Evelyn Tre and Estate of Abrenica Epitacio & Veneranda P, Ttees
Assessor’s Parcel No.: 094,221,003
Property Address: CUYAMA HY SCLPAD
Parties of Interest: Bazan Ralph & Bazan Paulette
I certify under penalty of perjury that the foregoing is true and correct. Executed at San Luis Obispo, San Luis Obispo County, California, on August 14, 2025.
/s/ James W. Hamilton, CPA, San Luis Obispo County Tax Collector
Published in the New Times on August 14, August 21, and August 28, 2025.
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
WHO: San Luis Obispo County Planning Commission
WHEN: Thursday, September 16, 2025 at 9:00 a.m. (All items are advertised for 9:00 a.m. To find out the agenda placement call the Planning Department at 781-5600.
WHAT: Hearing to consider a request (LRP2025-0004/ AMEND2025-00003) by NKT Development, LLC (Applicant) to amend: the Dana Reserve Specific Plan, Conditional Use Permit, Vesting Tentative Tract Map (Tract 3159), and Development Agreement to reduce the residential unit count from 1,370 to 1,242 total units, remove the requirement to construct 100 accessory dwelling units at initial construction, and increase the total open space from 55.6 acres to 60.86 acres. The project is located within the Dana Reserve Specific Plan area, west of US 101, east of Hetrick Avenue, and within the Nipomo URL. The project is located within the South County Inland Sub Area of the South County Planning Area.
Supervisorial District: All Districts Date Authorized: N/A
WHERE: The hearing will be held in Katcho Achadjian Government Center, Board of Supervisors Chambers, 1055 Monterey Street, Room #D170, San Luis Obispo, CA. The Board of Supervisors Chambers are located on the corner of Santa Rosa and Monterey Streets. At the meeting all interested persons may express their views for or against, or to change the proposal.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION:
A copy of the staff report will be available on the Planning Department website, www.sloplanning.org. You may contact Cheryl Ku, Supervising Planner, in the San Luis Obispo County Department of Planning and Building, County Government Center, San Luis Obispo, California 93408, (805) 781-4097 or at cku@co.slo.ca.us.
ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION:
Adult Services
Also to be considered is the environmental determination that the previously certified 2024 Final Environmental Impact Report (FEIR) is adequate for the purpose of compliance with CEQA and an Addendum to the FEIR has been prepared (ED25-0139) pursuant to State CEQA Guidelines Sections 15162 and 15164.
**If you challenge this matter in court, you may be limited to raising only those issues you or someone else raised at the public hearing described in this public notice or in written correspondence delivered to the appropriate authority at or before the public hearing. **
DATED: July 30, 2025
YSABEL EIGHMY, SECRETARY COUNTY PLANNING COMMISSION August 14, 2025
The City of San Luis Obispo is requesting sealed proposals for Unarmed, Uniformed Security Services
All firms interested in receiving further correspondence regarding this Request for Proposals (RFP) will be required to complete a free registration using BidNet Direct (www.bidnetdirect.com/). All proposals must be received via BidNet Direct by September 12th, 2025 at 3 p.m., when they will then be opened electronically via BidNet Direct on the proposal end date and time. The preferred method for bid submission is electronic via BidNet
September 12th, 2025. Project packages and additional information may be obtained at the City’s BidNet Direct website at www.BidNetDirect.com.
For technical help with BidNet Direct please contact BidNet Direct tech support at 800-835-4603.
August 14, 2025
NOTICE OF ADOPTION OF ORDINANCE NO. 689
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Atascadero City Council has adopted Ordinance No. 689 The primary provisions of the Ordinance are as follows:
This Ordinance authorizes the levy of special taxes in Community Facilities District No. 2005-1 (public services), including certain annexation territory.
Annexation no. 26: Dove Creek Mixed-Use
The Ordinance was passed and adopted by the City Council on August 12, 2025, by the following roll call vote:
AYES: Council Members Dariz, Funk, Newsom, Peek and Mayor Bourbeau.
NOES: None.
ABSENT: None
A complete copy of the Ordinance is on file in the City Clerk’s Office, 6500 Palma Avenue, Atascadero, California
DATED: August 12, 2025
S/ Alyssa Slater, Deputy City Clerk
PUBLISH: August 14, 2025
AUGUST 5, 2025 COUNTY OF SAN LUIS OBISPO BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MEETING BRIEF
Item 23: Public Comment Period – Items not on the agenda: G. Ricker & L. Hatcher: spoke - No action taken.
Item 24: Progress report on the SLO Countywide Plan to Address Homelessness 2022-2027 – Rec’d & Filed; process & criteria for $2.5 million of 1 time project funding allocation, of which the Board earmarked during the FY 2025-26 Budget Hearing to support homeless services –Approved.
Item 27: Fireworks Task Force report on the outcomes of communication & enforcement strategies implemented between July 3 & July 6, 2025 – Rec’d.
Item 25: Board Member comments and reports on meetings: A request to agendize a discussion on deadend roads; cuts to the WIC program in Paso Robles, directing staff to develop solutions, address service gaps & a framework to monitor & report impacts; & Supervisor Moreno’s completion of the New Supervisor Institute through CSAC.
Item 26: Closed Session: Anticipated Litigation: Significant exposure to litigation - potential cases: 1. Initiation of litigation - potential cases: 1. Existing Litigation: SLO Coastkeeper, et. al. v. Co. of SLO, U.S. District Court, Central District of CA, Western Division, Case No. 2:24-CV-06854-SPG-ASx; L. Cooper, et. al v. Co. of SLO, et. al, U.S. District Court, Central District of CA, Western Division, Case No. 2:24-CV-08187-DDPAJRx. Conference w/ Labor Negotiator re: employee organizations: SLOPA; SLOCEA-T&C; DCCA; Sheriffs’ Mgmt; SLOCPPOA; DSA; DAIA; SLOCPMPOA; SLOCEA –PSSC; Unrepresented Mgmt & Confidential Employees; SDSA; UDWA; Unrepresented Employee: County Administrative Officer. Open Session: Report out - None. Meeting adjourned.
For more details, view meeting videos at: https://www. slocounty.ca.gov/Departments/Administrative-Office/ Clerk-of-the-Board/Clerk-of-the-Board-Services/Boardof-Supervisors-Meetings-and-Agendas.aspx
Matthew P. Pontes, County Administrative Officer & ExOfficio Clerk of the Board of Supervisors
By: Annette Ramirez, Deputy Clerk of the Board of Supervisors August 14, 2025
NOTICE TO BIDDERS BID SUBMISSION
CITY OF ARROYO GRANDE, CALIFORNIA
(Herein referred to as the City)
Sealed bids will be received by the City at the Public Works Administration Office located at 1375 Ash Street, Arroyo Grande California 93420, until
2:00 p.m. on September 2, 2025
at which time they will be publicly opened and read aloud. Submit bid in a sealed envelope plainly marked:
POST-CONSTRUCTION LANDSCAPING AT TRAFFIC WAY BRIDGE SPECIFICATION NO. PW 2025-02
Any bid received after the time and date specified will not be considered and will be returned to the bidder unopened. Bids received by Fax or Email will not be considered.
PROJECT INFORMATION
The project consists of clearing and grubbing, weeding, landscaping plant installation, watering, including maintenance and replacement planting for a five-year period. This landscaping is required to mitigate project impacts from the Traffic Way Bridge Replacement Project. Contract time is established as 15 working days, not including plant maintenance period. Plant maintenance period is 5 years and begins when all planting is complete.
There will be a non-mandatory but highly encouraged pre-bid meeting on Tuesday, August 19, 2025, at 2:00 p.m., at the corner of Traffic Way and Branch Street, Arroyo Grande, CA 93420. Project scope and navigating Federal forms will be discussed at the pre-bid meeting. Contact Theresa Wren at (805) 473-5441 or twren@arroyogrande.org with any questions. The bidder is responsible for reviewing existing field conditions before submitting bid to ensure items are bid appropriately.
Written questions will be received until 4:00 P.M. on Thursday, August 21, 2025 at the above email address.
By submission of bid you agree to comply with all instructions and requirements in this notice and the contract documents.
All bids must be submitted on the Bid Item List form(s) provided and submitted with all other Bid Forms included in these Special Provisions. Each bid must be accompanied by either a:
1. certified check;
2. cashier’s check; or
3. bidder’s bond
made payable to the City of Arroyo Grande for an amount equal to ten percent of the bid amount as a guaranty. Guaranty will be forfeited to the City Arroyo Grande if the bidder, to whom the contract is awarded, fails to enter into the contract.
The City of Arroyo Grande reserves the right to accept or reject any or all bids or waive any informality in a bid.
All bids are to be compared on the basis of the Public Works Director’s estimate of the quantities of work to be done, as shown on the Bid Item List.
Bids will only be accepted from bidders that are licensed in compliance with the provisions of Chapter 9, Division III of Business and Professions Code.
The award of the contract, if awarded, will be to the lowest responsive bid submitted by a responsible contractor whose bid complies with the requirements prescribed herein. If the contract is awarded, the contract will be awarded within 60 calendar days after the opening of the bids.
Failure to raise defects in the notice to bidders or bid forms prior to bid opening constitute a waiver of those defects.
BID DOCUMENTS
A copy of the plans and specifications may be downloaded, free of charge, from the City’s website at: http://www.arroyogrande.org/Bids. aspx. Plans and specifications are available for viewing at the following plan rooms:
1. Central California Builders Exchange
2. Santa Maria Valley Contractors Association
3. Central Coast Builders Association
4. San Luis Obispo County Builders Exchange
A printed copy of the plans and specifications may be obtained by contacting:
Blueprint Express/Crisp Imaging
618 East Grand Avenue Arroyo Grande, CA 93420 (805) 481-1655
for a non-refundable fee of the cost of duplication.
City Standard Specifications and Engineering Standards referenced in the Special Provisions may be downloaded, free of charge, from the City’s website at: http://www.arroyogrande.org/DocumentCenter/ Home/View/3151.
A printed copy of the Standard Specifications and Engineering Standards may be obtained by contacting:
Blueprint Express/Crisp Imaging
618 East Grand Avenue Arroyo Grande, CA 93420 (805) 481-1655
for a non-refundable fee of the cost of duplication.
You are responsible to obtain all issued addenda prior to bid opening. Addenda will be available to download at the City’s website listed above or contact Theresa Wren at (805) 473-5441 or twren@arroyogrande.org prior to bid opening to verify the number of addenda issued.
You are responsible to verify your contact information is correct on the plan holders list located on the City’s website at: http://www. arroyogrande.org/Bids.aspx.
PREVAILING WAGES
In accordance with the provisions of California Labor Code Sections 1770,1773, 1773.1, 1773.6 and 1773.7 as amended, the Director of the Department of Industrial Relations has determined the general prevailing rate of per diem wages in accordance with the standards set forth in Section 1773 for the locality in which the work is to be performed. A copy of said wage rates is on file at the office of the Owner. It shall be mandatory upon the contractor to whom the work is awarded and upon any subcontractor under the contractor to pay not less than said specified rates to all workmen employed by them in the execution of the work.
Contractor Registration with Department of Industrial Relations
In accordance with California Labor Code Section 1725.5, Contractors and Subcontractors (as defined by California Labor Code Section 1722.1) bidding on Public Works contracts in California shall be registered with the Department of Industrial Relations prior to bidding.
Failure to provide proof of Contractor’s registration as part of the Bid shall deem the Bid as non-responsive and will therefore be rejected by Owner.
Compliance Monitoring and Enforcement
In accordance with the requirements of Labor Code Section 1771.4(a) (1), Bidders are hereby notified that this project is subject to compliance monitoring and enforcement by the Department of Industrial Relation.
QUALIFICATIONS
In accordance with the provisions of California Public Contract Code Section 3300, the City has determined that the contractor shall possess a valid Class A (General Engineering) or C-27 (Landscaping) license from the time of contract award through Contract acceptance. Failure to possess the specified license shall render the Bid as nonresponsive and shall act as a bar to award of the Contract to any bidder not possessing said license at the time of award. In the event of dispute over classification of the license required, the opinion of the Contractor’s State License Board shall prevail.
You must have experience constructing projects similar to the work specified for this project. Provide three similar reference projects completed as either the prime or subcontractor. One of the three reference projects must have been completed under contract with a City, County, State or Federal Government agency as the prime contractor. All referenced projects must be completed within the last five years from this project’s bid opening date.
All referenced projects must be for habitat mitigation and restoration planting, and maintenance.
Failure to provide reference projects as specified in this section and as required on the qualification form may be cause to reject a bid as being non-responsive.
It is the City of Arroyo Grande’s intent to award the contract to the lowest responsive bid submitted by a responsible bidder. If in the bidder’s opinion the contract has been or may be improperly awarded, the bidder may protest the contract award.
Protests must be filed no later than seven working days after either: 1. bid opening date 2. notification of rejected bid.
Protest must be in writing and received by the project manager located at: 1375 Ash Street Arroyo Grande, CA 93420.
Valid protests must contain the following information: 1. the reasons for the protest 2. any supporting documentation 3. the ruling expected by the City to remedy the protest.
Any protest not containing all required information will be deemed invalid and rejected.
The City will consider additional documentation or other supporting information regarding the protest if submitted in compliance with the specified time limits. Anything submitted after the specified time limit will be rejected and not be considered.
The Director of Public Works or Designee may request additional information to be submitted within three days of the request, unless otherwise specified, and will notify the protester of ruling within ten days of determination.
Pursuant to the Public Records Act (Government Code, §6250, et seq.), the City will make public records available upon request.
AWARD
The lowest bidder will be determined using the BID TOTAL.
The City intends to award a contract to the responsive and responsible bidder with the lowest bid price. All bids submitted shall be in accordance with the provisions of the contract documents. The City specifically reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to reject any or all bids, to re-bid, or to waive inconsequential defects in bidding not involving time, price or quality of the work. City may waive any minor irregularities in the bids. Any bid may be withdrawn prior to bid opening but not afterward.
As a condition to executing a contract with the City, two bonds each equal to one hundred percent of the total awarded contract price are required in compliance with Section 3-1.05 of the Standard Specifications.
Deposit of Securities in Lieu of Retainage.
The Contractor may elect to receive 100 percent of payment due under the Contract Documents from time to time, without retention of any portion of the payment by the City, by depositing securities of equivalent value with the City in accordance with the provisions of Section 22300 of the California Public Contract Code. Such securities, if deposited by the Contractor, shall be valued by the City, whose decision on valuation of the securities shall be final. Securities eligible for investment under this provision shall be limited to those listed in Section 16430 of the California Government Code or bank or savings and loan certificates of deposit.
Agreement to Assign.
In accordance with Section 4552 of the California Government Code, the bidder shall conform to the following requirements: In submitting a bid to a public purchasing body, the bidder offers and agrees that if the bid is accepted, it will assign to the purchasing body all rights, title, and interest in and to all causes of action it may have under Section 4 of the Clayton Act 15 U.S.C. 15, or under the Cartwright Act, Chapter 2.
ACCOMMODATION
If any accommodations are needed to participate in the bid process, please contact the Public Works Department at (805) 473-5485. Requests should be made as soon as possible to allow time for accommodation.
DISADVANTAGE BUSINESS ENTERPRISES (DBE)
This project is subject to Title 49 Code of Federal Regulations Part 26 (49 CFR 26) entitled “Participation by Disadvantage Business Enterprises in Department of Transportation Finance Assistance Programs”. Contractors shall take necessary and reasonable steps to ensure that Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (DBE) subcontractors have an opportunity to augment their team. The City has established a DBE goal of 0%
FEDERAL TRAINEE PROGRAM
As part of the Contractor’s equal employment affirmative action program, the Contractor is to provide on-the-job training to develop full journeyman in types of trades or job classifications involved in the Contract. The number of trainees or apprentices is 0
/s/ Jessica Matson, City Clerk
Publish 2T, New Times, Thursday, August 14, 2025 and Thursday, August 21, 2025
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the City Council of the City of El Paso de Robles (“City”) invites and will receive sealed Bids up to but not later than 2:00 p.m. on Thursday, October 16, 2025, at the office of the Department of Public Works, located at 4305 Second Wind Way, Paso Robles, CA 93446, for the furnishing to City of all labor, equipment, materials, tools, services, transportation, permits, utilities, and all other items necessary for Golden Hill Tank #1 Repair and Recoating, DPW Project No. 21-20 (the “Project”) At said time, Bids will be publicly opened and read aloud at the City Office. Bids received after said time shall be returned unopened. Bids shall be valid for a period of 90 calendar days after the Bid opening date
The work shall include, but is not limited to, removal of lead based paint, welded repair, new appurtenances, partial rafter replacement, preparation and recoating, disinfection. All as shown on the plans and/or as specified herein to result in a long term corrosion resistant system to an existing 4-million gallon welded steel potable water tank. Project is to be completed within One Hundred Sixty (160) WORKING days from the date specified in the Notice to Proceed. The Contractor shall pay to the City of El Paso de Robles the sum of Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00) for each and every calendar day’s delay in finishing the work in excess of the calendar day completion time.
A NON-MANDATORY PRE-BID CONFERENCE IS SCHEDULED FOR SEPTEMBER 16, 2025 AT 10AM. PLEASE PARK ON ROLLING HILLS ROAD AND WALK TO THE TANK SITE.
The California Air Resources Board (“CARB”) implemented amendments to the In-Use Off-Road Diesel-Fueled Fleets Regulations (“Regulation”) which went into effect on January 1, 2024 and apply broadly to all self-propelled off road diesel vehicles 25 horsepower or greater and other forms of equipment used in California. A copy of the Regulation is available at https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/sites/default/files/ barcu/regact/2022/off-roaddiesel/appa-1.pdf Bidders are required to comply with all CARB and Regulation requirements, including, without limitation, all applicable sections of the Regulation, as codified in Title 13 of the California Code of Regulations section 2449 et seq. throughout the duration of the Project. Bidders must provide, with their Bid, copies of Bidder’s and all listed subcontractors’ most recent, valid Certificate of Reported Compliance (“CRC”) issued by CARB. Failure to provide valid CRCs as required herein may render the Bid non-responsive.
Bids must be submitted on the City’s Bid Forms. Bidders may obtain a copy of the Contract Documents from DemandStar Paso Robles, CA, or 4305 Second Wind Way, El Paso de Robles, California (805) 2373861. To the extent required by section 20103.7 of the Public Contract Code, upon request from a contractor plan room service, the City shall provide an electronic copy of the Contract Documents at no charge to the contractor plan room.
It is the responsibility of each prospective bidder to check DemandStar Paso Robles, CA on a daily basis through the close of bids for any applicable addenda or updates. DemandStar Paso Robles, CA sends email notifications to ONLY those registered on their website. The City does not assume any liability or responsibility based on any defective or incomplete copying, excerpting, scanning, faxing, downloading or printing of the Bid Documents. Information on DemandStar Paso Robles, CA may change without notice to prospective bidders. The Contract Documents shall supersede any information posted or transmitted by any other vendor besides the City.
Each Bid shall be accompanied by cash, a certified or cashier’s check, or Bid Bond secured from a surety company satisfactory to the City Council, the amount of which shall not be less than ten percent (10%) of the submitted Total Bid Price, made payable to City of El Paso de Robles as bid security. The bid security shall be provided as a guarantee that within fifteen (15) calendar days after the City provides the successful bidder the Notice of Award, the successful Bidder will enter into a contract and provide the necessary bonds and certificates of insurance. The bid security will be declared forfeited if the successful Bidder fails to comply within said time. No interest will be paid on funds deposited with City.
The successful Bidder will be required to furnish a Faithful Performance Bond and a Labor and Material Payment Bond each in an amount equal to one hundred percent (100%) of the Contract Price.
Each bond shall be in the forms set forth herein, shall be secured from a surety company that meets all State of California bonding requirements, as defined in California Code of Civil Procedure Section 995.120, and that is a California admitted surety insurer.
Pursuant to Section 22300 of the Public Contract Code of the State of California, the successful Bidder may substitute certain securities for funds withheld by City to ensure its performance under the contract.
Pursuant to Labor Code Section 1773, Contractor shall obtained the prevailing rate of per diem wages and the prevailing wage rate for holiday and overtime work applicable in San Luis Obispo County from the Director of the Department of Industrial Relations for each craft, classification, or type of worker needed to execute this contract. A copy of these prevailing wage rates may be obtained via the internet at: www.dir.ca.gov/dlsr/
It shall be mandatory upon the Bidder to whom the Contract is awarded, and upon any subcontractors, to comply with all Labor Code provisions, which include but are not limited to the payment of not less than the said specified prevailing wage rates to all workers employed by them in the execution of the Contract, employment of apprentices, hours of labor and debarment of contractors and subcontractors.
Pursuant to Labor Code sections 1725.5 and 1771.1, all contractors and subcontractors that wish to bid on, be listed in a bid proposal, or enter into a contract to perform public work must be registered with the Department of Industrial Relations. No Bid will be accepted nor any contract entered into without proof of the contractor’s and subcontractors’ current registration with the Department of Industrial Relations to perform public work. If awarded a contract, the Bidder and its subcontractors, of any tier, shall maintain active registration with the Department of Industrial Relations for the duration of the Project. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the contractor registration requirements mandated by Labor Code Sections 1725.5 and 1771.1 shall not apply to work performed on a public works project that is exempt pursuant to the small project exemption specified in Labor Code Sections 1725.5 and 1771.1.
This Project is subject to compliance monitoring and enforcement by the Department of Industrial Relations. In bidding on this Project, it shall be the Bidder’s sole responsibility to evaluate and include the cost of complying with all labor compliance requirements under this contract and applicable law in its Bid.
Unless otherwise provided in the Instructions for Bidders, each Bidder shall be a licensed contractor pursuant to sections 7000 et seq. of the Business and Professions Code in the following classification(s) throughout the time it submits its Bid and for the duration of the contract: Class A, General Engineering.
Substitution requests shall be made within 35 calendar days after the award of the contract. Pursuant to Public Contract Code Section 3400(b), the City may make findings designating that certain additional materials, methods or services by specific brand or trade name other than those listed in the Standard Specifications be used for the Project. Such findings, if any, as well as the materials, methods or services and their specific brand or trade names that must be used for the Project may be found in the Special Conditions.
The City shall award the contract for the Project to the lowest responsive, responsible Bidder as determined by the City from the Base Bid alone. The City reserves the right to reject any or all bids or to waive any irregularities or informalities in any bids or in the bidding process.
Date: August 14, 2025 By: Ditas Esperanza P.E. Capital Projects Engineer
Publication Dates:
August 14, 2025
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that on Tuesday, August 26, 2025 at 6:00 p.m. or as soon thereafter as possible, the Pismo Beach Planning Commission will hold a public hearing in the Council Chamber at City Hall, 760 Mattie Road, Pismo Beach, for the following purpose:
PUBLIC HEARING AGENDA:
A. Address: 200 Ebb Tide Lane
Applicant: Rick Jhaj
Project No.: P25-000062
Description: Time Extension request for Coastal Development Permit, Conditional Use Permit, and Architectural Review Permit (P22-000078) for a new 5,151 square-foot two-story single-family residence and 796 square-foot garage, and Categorical Exemption No. 2025017. The project is located within the Coastal Zone and is appealable to the Coastal Commission. APN 010-152-063.
Environmental Review
In accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), it has been determined that the project is categorically exempt pursuant to Section 15061(b) (3) of the CEQA Guidelines regarding activities that have no possibility of having a significant effect on the environment.
B. Address: 361 Pismo Avenue
Applicant: Phyllis Green
Project No.: P25-000022
Description: Coastal Development Permit and Architectural Review Permit request for a 176 square-foot addition, 271 square–foot conversion to living area and 202 square-foot addition for garage and storage to a twostory single-family residence and adoption of Categorical Exemption No. 2025-018. The project is located within the Coastal Zone and is not appealable to the Coastal Commission. APN 005-074-020.
Environmental Review
In accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), it has been determined that the project is exempt from the requirements of CEQA pursuant to Section 15301 (e) of the CEQA Guidelines regarding small additions to existing single-family residences.
Details about ways to participate in this hearing will be provided on the agenda posted for the meeting online at pismobeach.org/agenda, and on the bulletin board at City Hall. The agenda will be posted in the afternoon of August 21, 2025.
You have a right to comment on these projects and their effect on our community. Interested persons are invited to participate in the hearing or otherwise express their views and opinions regarding the proposed projects. Emailed comments may be submitted to planningcommission@pismobeach.org; staff cannot guarantee that emailed comments submitted after the start of the meeting will be given full consideration before action is taken. Written comments may be delivered or mailed to the Community Development Department / Planning Division Office at 760 Mattie Road, Pismo Beach, CA 93449, prior to the meeting, or hand-delivered during the meeting no later than the comment period for this item. Oral comment may be provided prior to the meeting by calling 805-773-7005 and leaving a voice message. Please state and spell your name, and identify your item of interest. Oral comment may also be made during the meeting, either by joining the virtual meeting using the link provided on the agenda document, or by attending the meeting in person in the Council Chamber at City Hall. Please refer to the agenda for this meeting for specific instructions for participation.
Staff reports, plans and other information related to these projects are available for public review from the Planning Division Office, by emailing Administrative Secretary Brianna Whisenhunt at bwhisenhunt@ pismobeach.org. The meeting agenda and staff report will be available no later than the Friday before the meeting and may be obtained upon request by mail or by visiting www.pismobeach.org/agenda. The Planning Commission meeting will be televised live on Charter Spectrum Cable Channel 20 and streamed on the City’s website.
PLEASE NOTE:
If you challenge the action taken on this item in court, you may be limited to raising only those issues you or someone else raised at the public hearing described in this notice, or in written correspondence delivered to the City of Pismo Beach at, or prior to, the public hearing. For further information, please contact Administrative Secretary Brianna Whisenhunt at bwhisenhunt@ pismobeach.org or 805-773-4658.
Brianna Whisenhunt Administrative Secretary August 14, 2025
The San Luis Obispo Cultural Heritage Committee will hold a Regular Meeting on Monday, August 25, 2025 at 5:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers at City Hall, 990 Palm Street, San Luis Obispo. Public comment, prior to the start of the meeting, may be submitted in writing via U.S. Mail to the City Clerk’s Office at 990 Palm Street, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401 or by email to advisorybodies@slocity.org.
PUBLIC HEARING ITEMS:
• Request to designate the property at 1110 Buchon Street as a Master List Historic Resource. The property is currently listed as a Contributing Resource in the City’s Inventory of Historic Resources. This project is exempt from environmental review (CEQA). Project Address: 1110 Buchon Street; Case #: HIST-0504-2025; R-2-H zone; Fitzgerald Kelly, applicant/owner
Contact: Eva Wynn– (805) 781-7172 – ewynn@slocity.org
• Review of a mixed-use development, which includes the construction of an addition and alterations to a Master List Historic Resource (the Old Gas Works building), a four-story residential building, and site improvements. In accordance with Density Bonus Law, the project includes a 16% density bonus with a concession to reduce parking and waivers/reductions for the residential building to (a) provide ground-floor residential units, (b) exceed the maximum building height, and (c) reduce the building setback along Pismo Street. The project is exempt from environmental review (CEQA); Project Addresses: 251 Pacific Street, 1390 Walker Street, and 280 Pismo Street; Case #: ARCH-0451-2024; C-S and C-S-MU zones; Alamo, LLC, applicant/owner
The Cultural Heritage Committee may also discuss other hearing or business items before or after the item(s) listed above. If you challenge the proposed action in court, you may be limited to raising only those issues you or someone else raised at the public hearing described in this notice, or in written correspondence delivered to the Cultural Heritage Committee at, or prior to, the public hearing. Report(s) are typically available one week in advance of the meeting and can be viewed on the City’s website, under the Public Meeting Agendas web page: https://www. slocity.org/government/mayor-and-city-council/agendasand-minutes. Please call The Community Development Department at (805) 781-7170 for more information, or to request an agenda report.
August 14, 2025
PLANNING COMMISSION PUBLIC HEARING
The San Luis Obispo Planning Commission will hold a Regular Meeting on Wednesday, August 27, 2025, at 6:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers at City Hall, 990 Palm Street, San Luis Obispo. Meetings may be viewed on Government Access Channel 20 or streamed live from the City’s YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/CityofSanLuisObispo. Public comment, prior to the start of the meeting, may be submitted in writing via U.S. Mail delivered to the City Clerk’s Office at 990 Palm Street, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401 or by email to advisorybodies@slocity.org
CONSENT ITEM:
• Review of a General Plan Conformity Report for the acquisition of property by the City of San Luis Obispo for open space use. The project is categorically exempt from Environmental Review (CEQA Guidelines §15313(c) and §15317); Project Address: 1540 Froom Ranch Way. Case #: GENP-0610-2025 Zone: C-R; City of San Luis Obispo and Costo Wholesale, applicant
Contact: Robert Hill – (805) 781-7211 – rhill@slocity.org
PUBLIC HEARING ITEM:
• Review of a request to modify an existing Conditional Use Permit (USE-0550-2019) to add delivery services to a cannabis retail storefront operation at 280 Higuera Street. The project is categorically exempt from Environmental Review under Section 15301 (Existing Facilities) of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines; Project Address: 280 Higuera Street; Case #: MOD-0424-2025; Zone: C-R; City of San Luis Obispo and Megan’s Organic Market, applicant
Contact: Ivana Gomez – (805)-781-7147 – igomez@slocity.org
The Planning Commission may also discuss other hearing or business items before or after the item(s) listed above. If you challenge the proposed action in court, you may be limited to raising only those issues you or someone else raised at the public hearing described in this notice, or in written correspondence delivered to the Planning Commission at, or prior to, the public hearing.
Report(s) are typically available six days in advance of the meeting and can be viewed on the City’s website, under the Public Meeting Agendas web page: https://www.slocity.org/ government/mayor-and-city-council/agendas-and-minutes
Please call The Community Development Department at (805) 781-7170 for more information, or to request an agenda report. The Planning Commission meeting will be televised live on Charter Cable Channel 20 and live streaming on the City’s YouTube channel www.youtube.com/CityofSanLuisObispo. August 14, 2025
Applications to make minor changes to the properties at the addresses listed below have been received by the City.
1. 808 Mission St. DIR-0512-2025; Request for a height exception to allow a 6-foot wall where a 3-foot wall would be allowed on the street yard property line of a corner lot. This project is categorically exempt from environmental review (CEQA); R-1 Zone; Alan & Anna Foushee, applicants. (Eva Wynn)
2. 1963 Wilding Lane. DIR-0510-2025; Request for fence height exception for a combined 9-foot 1-inch fence atop a retaining wall where a 6-foot fence would be allowed along the rear property line. This project is exempt from CEQA environmental review; R-1 Zone; Jericho Green, applicant. (Mallory Patino)
3. 204 - 290 Madonna Rd DIR-0580-2025; Request to perform work at night for a maximum of five (5) nights between September 7 to September 11, 2025 from the hours of 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. for right lane closure to access a manholes and subbox on Madonna Road. This project is categorically exempt from environmental review (CEQA); C-T Zone; AT&T, applicant. (Mallory Patino)
4. 317 Madonna Rd MOD-0599-2025; Review of a modification to an existing, intermittent use permit (DIR-0510-2021) for the temporary, annual tenancy of a retail Halloween store from August to November that includes a change in location from 323 Madonna Road to 317 Madonna Road and a request for the temporary display of two banner signs. This project is categorically exempt from environmental review (CEQA); C-R-PD Zone; Spirit Halloween applicant. (Mallory Patino)
5. 309 Madonna Rd. DIR-0595-2025; Request to perform work at night for a maximum of one (1) night between August 29 to December 31, 2025 from the hours of 11:00 p.m. to 4:00 a.m. to replace subsurface transformer and clean out enclosure debris. This project is categorically exempt from environmental review (CEQA); C-R-PD Zone; PG&E, applicant. (Mallory Patino)
6. 2855 McMillan Ave. DIR-0477-2025; Review of a sign program consisting of eight (8) wall signs. The sign program is proposed for a new warehouse/office building with up to eight (8) tenant spaces and is consistent with the previously adopted Mitigated Negative Declaration of environmental review; M Zone; GTW SLO, LLC, applicant. (Hannah Hanh)
7. Broad Street & Industrial Way Intersection. DIR-0614-2025; Request to perform work at night for a maximum of two (2) nights between September 2 to September 4, 2025 from the hours of 12:00 a.m. to 6:00 a.m. for core drilling to expose existing underground utilities. This project is categorically exempt from environmental review (CEQA); C-S-S, C-C, BP-SP, PF Zone; Turn Around Communications, applicant. (Mallory Patino)
The Community Development Director will either approve or deny these applications no sooner than August 25, 2025.
The Director’s decision may be appealed, and must be filed with the appropriate appeal fee within 10 days of the Director’s action. For more information, contact the City of San Luis Obispo Community Development Department, 919 Palm Street, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401, stop by Monday and Wednesday between 1 p.m. – 4 p.m. and Tuesday and Thursday between 9 a.m. – 12 p.m., or call (805) 781-7170, weekdays, 8 a.m. – 3 p.m. August 14, 2025
NOTICE OF PLANNING COMMISSION PUBLIC HEARING
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the City of Paso Robles Planning Commission will hold a Public Hearing to consider the following project:
Project Description: Request for approval of a Development Plan Amendment to establish a storage laydown yard southwest of the main parking lot of the Sensorio project and a solar array system west of the main entrance roundabout. Both the storage laydown yard and the solar array are located within the overall project limits of the originally approved Entrada de Paso Robles development (P25-0015 / PD 25-03 / Amending PD 01-025).
Applicant: Entrada de Paso Robles, LLC
Location: 4380 Highway 46 East (APNs 025-436-004, -011, & -040)
CEQA Determination: The project is consistent with the approved environmental document.
Hearing Date: The Planning Commission will hold a Public Hearing on August 26, 2025 at 6:30 p.m. in the Council Chamber/Library Conference Center, 1000 Spring Street, Paso Robles, CA 93446.
The public has the option to attend the meeting in person or to participate remotely. To participate remotely, residents can livestream the meeting at www.prcity.com/youtube, and call (805)865-7276 to provide live public comment via telephone. The phone line will open just prior to the start of the meeting. Written public comments can be submitted via email to planning@prcity.com or US Mail (submit early) to the Community Development Department, 1000 Spring Street, Paso Robles, CA 93446 provided that the comments are received prior to the time of the public hearing. Comments received prior to 12:00 noon on the day of the meeting will be posted as an addendum to the agenda. If submitting written comments, please note the agenda item by number or name. Comments on the proposed application must be received prior to the time of the hearing to be considered by the Planning Commission.
Challenge to the application in court will be limited to issues raised at the public hearings or in written correspondence delivered to the Planning Commission at, or prior to, the public hearing.
Copies of the project staff report will be available for review on the City’s website (www.prcity.com/meetings) on the Friday preceding the hearing. If you have any questions, please contact the Community Development Department at (805) 237-3970.
August 14, 2025
Free Will Astrology by Rob Brezsny
Homework: What’s crucial for you to learn next? Newsletter.freewillastrology.com
ARIES
(March 21-April 19): Rama is the star of the ancient Hindu epic story, the Ramayana I love him! He’s one of my favorite legends! His heroic journey isn’t fueled by a greed for power or personal glory. Unlike 90 percent of modern action heroes, he’s not pumped up with anger or a lust for vengeance. Instead, he is animated by a sense of sacred duty. Against all odds, and in the face of bad behavior by weird adversaries, he acts with exemplary integrity and calm clarity. During your upcoming exploits, Aries, I invite you to be inspired by his exalted and unwavering determination. As you proceed, ask yourself, “Is this in rigorous service to my beautiful ideals? Are my decisions and words in alignment with my deepest truths?” Be motivated by devotion as much as by hunger. Aim not just for novelty and excitement, but for generosity of spirit.
TAURUS
(April 20-May 20): In the Mexican festival of La Noche de Rábanos—Night of the Radishes—giant radishes are carved into elaborate altars and scenes. Humble roots become fancy art. I think you’re engaged in a metaphorically similar process, Taurus: sculpting with uncommon materials. Something you’ve regarded as modest—a small breakthrough or overlooked strength—is revealing unexpected value. Or perhaps a previously latent or indiscernible asset is showing you its neglected magic. Celebrate your subtle but very tangible luck. Take full advantage of half-disguised treasures.
GEMINI
(May 21-June 20): In Zen archery, the aim is not simply to hit the target. Instead, it’s to align one’s body, breath, mind, and bow so fully that the arrow releases itself naturally and effortlessly. It shoots itself! I would love for you to adopt this breezy attitude in the weeks ahead, Gemini. See if you can allow an evolving project, relationship, or vision to reach a new maturity, but not through pushy effort. Rather, trust life to bring you the precise guidance exactly when you need it.
CANCER
(June 21-July 22): In ancient Rome, the priestesses known as the Vestal Virgins tended an eternal flame. They never let it be extinguished, not even for a moment. Their devoted focus on nurturing the fire was both a religious practice and a symbol regarded as essential for the well-being, prosperity, and survival of the Roman state. I propose, Cancerian, that you engage in your own version of Vestal Virgin-like watchfulness. Assign yourself the role of being the keeper of a sacred promise or resource. What is it, exactly? Identify this repository of spiritual wealth and dedicate yourself to its sustenance.
LEO
(July 23-Aug. 22): In medieval Europe, pilgrims traveling to the shrine of Saint James in Spain often wore scallop shells. These were badges to signify they were on a sacred path in quest of divinely inspired transformation. The shell also had practical uses. It was a scoop for food and water, underscoring the humility and simplicity embraced by wayfarers on the road. I invite you to acquire and wear your own equivalent of this talisman, Leo. You have begun a new chapter in your selfperception, and life is asking you to proceed without pretense. You don’t need definite answers. You don’t have to rush to the end of the journey. The becoming is the point. I hope you seek out inspirational symbolism and generous companions to help nurture your brave transformations. (PS: Your best conversations may be with people who will lovingly witness your evolution.)
VIRGO
(Aug. 23-Sept. 22): In ancient Greek drama, the peripeteia was a term for the moment when everything turns. The pivot doesn’t happen through force, but through the revelation of what was always true. I see the coming weeks as your peripeteia Virgo. There may be no fireworks or grand announcements. Just a soft spiraling crackle that signifies a realignment of the system, a cathartic shift of emphases. Confusion resolves. Mysteries solve themselves. You might say, “Oh, yes, now I see: That’s what it
all meant.” Then you can glide into the future with a refined and more well-informed set of intentions.
LIBRA
(Sept. 23-Oct. 22): In coastal Portugal, there’s a lighthouse called Farol do Cabo da Roca. Built on a cliff where land ends and the Atlantic Ocean begins, it marks the westernmost edge of continental Europe. We might say it’s a threshold between the known and unknown. I believe you will soon be poised at a metaphorically similar place, Libra. An ending is at hand. It’s not catastrophic, but it is conclusive. And just beyond it are shimmers, questions, and a horizon that’s not fully visible. Your job is to finish your good work, even as you periodically gaze into the distance to see what’s looming.
SCORPIO
(Oct. 23-Nov. 21): I Invite you to channel the spirit of Kali—not in her form as the destroyer, but as the fierce liberator. She has the power to burn away stagnation, neutralize the poison of old lies, and slice through illusion with a sword of compassion— and so do you. I believe you are ready to sever a bond that has secretly (or maybe not-so-secretly) limited you. Don’t be afraid of the emptiness that results. It may appear to be a void, but it will quickly evolve into a fresh sanctuary. Into this newly cleared room, you can pour your strongest longings and most rebellious love. What are the wildest versions of your truths?
SAGITTARIUS
(Nov. 22-Dec. 21): In some early maps of the cosmos, Sagittarius wasn’t just an archer. Your sign was symbolized by a centaur with wings: part horse, part bird, part god. I bring this to your attention because I suspect your own hybrid nature is extra wild and strong these days. A part of you wants to roam, and a part wants to ruminate. A part wants to teach, and a part needs to learn. How should you respond to the glorious paradox? I say, don’t force harmony. Let contradiction become choreography. Maybe liberating joy can arise through a dance between apparent opposites.
CAPRICORN
(Dec. 22-Jan. 19): In Sardinia, there are tombs carved into rock called Domus de Janas—“houses of the fairies.” People once left offerings there to court the help of beings they couldn’t see. They truly believed that fairies are real and can exert effects in this world. In modern times, fewer Capricorns actively consort with invisible presences than any other zodiac sign. But I hope you will take a short break from your usual stance. Mysterious and mythic influences are gathering in your vicinity. You’re being nudged by forces that defy explanation. What do you have to lose? Why not have fun making room to be delighted and surprised by miracles and wonders?
AQUARIUS
(Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Thou shalt embrace the confounding contradictions, Aquarius. That’s the first commandment. Here’s the second commandment: Thou shalt caress the tricky incongruities. Third: Thou shalt whisper endearments to the mysterious ambiguities and invite the mysterious ambiguities to whisper endearments to you. Fourth: Thou shalt rumble and cavort with the slippery paradoxes. Commandment number five: Thou shalt chant spicy prayers of gratitude to the incongruities, paradoxes, contradictions, and ambiguities that are making you deeper and wiser and cuter.
PISCES
(Feb. 19-March 20): In early medieval gardens, there was sometimes a space called the hortus conclusus. It was a walled sanctuary that protected plants and herbs from harsh weather and predation by animals. It comprised a microclimate and provided a private, peaceful space for contemplation, prayer, and study. Sometime soon, Pisces, I would love for you to create your personal equivalent of a hortus conclusus—even if it’s metaphorical. You will harvest maximum benefits from surrounding yourself with extra nurturing. The insights that would come your way as you tend to your inner garden would be gently and sweetly spectacular. ∆
