Agroup of Steves brought KCBX to radio waves in San Luis Obispo and wrangled in into a public broadcasting station. Steve Urbani and Steve Burrell founded it in 1975 and Steve Dorsi helped KCBX snag a Corporation for Public Broadcasting grant. Now, the station is celebrating 50 years of serving the public—that’s you—with local, national, and international news, and community-focused programming. Arts Editor Glen Starkey writes about the station’s journey and its upcoming birthday party [22] Also in this issue, read about how changing state environmental rules may impact local development [8]; how the county is or isn’t tackling fire hazard abatement [9]; and the Central Coast winery of the year [30]. Camillia
Lanham editor
Supervisors deny Templeton residents’ appeal of cannabis project
Agroup of Templeton residents failed in their effort to stop a commercial cannabis operation from taking root in the rural town after the San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors denied their appeal of the project’s permit.
“From the peaceful rural residential homes in the S. El Pomar, Templeton area, to the ranches where children play and horses and cattle roam, our quiet rural residential healthy lifestyle is under threat,” a petition from Save Our Templeton Neighborhoods said. “As residents, we are threatened by the proposed commercial cannabis project … owned by Eden’s Dreams, LLC.”
As of July 15, 532 had signed the petition. Residents alleged that the operation would bring in unwanted odor, noise, and further exacerbate the critically overdrawn Paso Robles Groundwater Basin.
Supervisors voted 4-0—with 2nd District Supervisor Bruce Gibson absent—to deny the appeal based on the mitigation plan offered by Eden’s Dreams.
“I’ve been to the property, and I’ve seen how shielded it is,” 5th District Supervisor Heather Moreno said at the July 15 meeting. “I’ve seen that kids are not going to just wander up to this indoor grow that is well into a property that is hilly and again, shielded by topography.”
The North County supervisor added that of the 532 people who signed the petition, only 109 of them live in Templeton. The remaining signees are not only spread out across San Luis Obispo County but are also from different states like Vermont and Georgia and even from other countries like New Zealand.
Eden’s Dreams first appeared before the county in 2018 as a proposal that included both indoor and outdoor cannabis cultivation components. In 2021, following the development of an environmental impact report and controversy around a neighboring cannabis project called City Boy Farms that was later withdrawn, Eden’s Dreams resubmitted an application in 2023. The revised project removed the proposed outdoor cannabis cultivation plan.
“Pretty straightforward, and I’m not even a real estate person,” he said. “By the way, I’m a filmmaker, and we’re starting a documentary about this. I’m telling you, we are just getting going.”
Eden’s Dreams, proposed to be located above the Paso Robles Groundwater Basin, would rely on a single existing groundwater well. It plans to offset water use at a 2:1 ratio.
That means, for a maximum demand of 3.7 acre-feet of water per year, 7.4 acre-feet of water must be offset by taking out 5.92 acres of irrigated vineyard on site. County staff informed supervisors that Eden’s Dreams would be subject to quarterly
county code enforcement in April to see how they would handle complaints.
“Back then, they informed me that … what they would do is they would contract with a noise specialist who has a decibel reader,” he said. “It is my understanding that in recent times due to the Nipomo noise ordinance update that code enforcement is actually required to own decibel readers.”
After an alleged incident of trespassing on the property, some community members worried about the possible heightened risk of crime in the area.
McCarville said he reached out to local law enforcement for more information.
inspections. Water overuse could spell permit revocation for Eden’s Dreams.
In January 2025, the SLO County Planning Commission approved a minor use permit for Eden’s Dreams applicant Elizabeth Ross. Save Our Templeton Neighborhoods member Robert Ballo appealed the permit approval.
At the July 15 appeal hearing, Ballo pointed to two vacant warehouses in Paso Robles and SLO as alternate locations for Eden’s Dreams to lease instead.
Morro Bay appoints interim city manager after firing previous one
Morro Bay appointed a new interim city manager after suddenly terminating former City Manager Yvonne Kimball last month, who served less than two years on the job.
On July 10, the Morro Bay City Council approved
Staff added that offsite odor wouldn’t be an issue because cannabis cultivation would fully take place indoors. The cannabis greenhouse would also have an “agrarian appearance” to match the rural aesthetic of Templeton. A noise study found that the project wouldn’t exceed allowed noise levels, according to staff.
Ian McCarville of Kirk Consulting, who works with Eden’s Dreams, told supervisors he contacted
appointing Andrea Leuker as the interim city manager, replacing Kimball who had served in the role since August 2023.
City Councilmember Jeff Eckles said that it was time for new leadership.
“The city needed new leadership at the top,” he said at the meeting. “I’m proud of this council for taking the stand and taking the actions of taking
“What it sounded like was another neighbor who heard about the project who lives in the neighborhood was walking down one of the roads to see if they could see the project,” he said. “There was no crime committed and, ultimately, no report was filed because they never made contact with the individual.”
The Eden’s Dreams project will be developed in two phases. The first phase is scheduled to be implemented in one to three years, and the second phase within three to 10 years. ∆
—Bulbul Rajagopal
our city management to a better position.”
The city hasn’t commented on the reason Kimball was dismissed.
“Because it is a personnel issue, the city cannot comment,” Interim City Attorney Robert Schultz told New Times via email.
Newly appointed Leuker is no stranger to the
INDOOR ONLY Originally envisioned to be an indoor-outdoor cannabis cultivation business, Eden’s Dreams revised its application in 2023 as an indoor only project with a 2:1 ratio water offset plan.
FILE PHOTO BY JAYSON MELLOM
beachside city, previously serving as its city manager from 2007 to 2013. Leuker was also removed from the position in 2013 without cause, New Times previously reported.
Since Leuker’s removal, the city has had four interim city managers in the past 12 years, Mayor Carla Wixom noted at the July 10 meeting. That number doesn’t include city managers like Kimball, who were hired as permanent administrators.
According to the meeting’s staff report, Leuker served as Port San Luis Harbor District’s harbor manager before retiring. She more recently served as a board member for local group REACT Alliance, which opposes the development of offshore wind energy on the Central Coast. Leuker resigned from her position at REACT Alliance in preparation for the interim position.
Her past advocacy prompted concern from residents who spoke at the meeting and Councilmember Cyndee Edwards, who was the sole opposing vote against Leuker’s appointment that night.
Edwards said she believed Leuker to have the integrity to serve in the role but was concerned about Leuker’s ability to display neutrality about the various environmental issues Morro Bay faces.
Resident Jim Gross shared a similar sentiment during public comment.
“There will inevitably be questions as to whether that advocacy might somehow bias her or present even potentially conflicts as she comes back into public service,” he told the council.
Another resident, Jane Heath, brought up past grievances surrounding Morro Bay’s polarized $116 million wastewater facility, which came into play in 2013 when Leuker was city manager.
Heath said the end of Leuker’s previous role was “divisive,” and that “bringing her back opens wounds.”
Councilmember Eckles said it was time for the community to move on.
“We are in the present. We need to hire someone that is going to serve all residents at the highest level,” he said. “I’m not holding political grudges from 15 years ago. I don’t have any axe to grind that way. And if you do, for crying out loud, get over it. This is 2025 and we have a city to run, and we have citizens to serve.”
New Times contacted Leuker for comment but did not hear back in time for publication. At the July 10 meeting, she said she was excited to start again.
“I am clearly aware of the perception of conflicts and conflicts in general,” she said,
adding that she planned to approach the council if any conflicts did arise during her time as interim.
Leuker began the new role on July 14 as the city started its process to find a permanent city manager.
—Libbey Hanson
Templeton fire caused by fireworks, district
to review fireworks codes
Templeton’s famous Feed and Grain building was destroyed in a fire over the Fourth of July, which the town’s fire department confirmed was caused by illegal fireworks.
Templeton Fire Chief Tom Pederson told New Times that an investigation into the suspects was ongoing.
The Feed and Grain fire started at around 11 p.m. on July 4, when firefighters countywide responded to the call as flames engulfed the building located at 405 Main Street.
For about five days the building smoldered as the Community Services District (CSD) worked out its demolition, with the remaining embers catching fire as they caught more oxygen. But by July 9, District Manager Jeff Briltz said, the building, which is featured on the district’s logo, had been demolished.
“It’s certainly sad to our community,” Briltz said. “Visually, the Feed and Grain was such an imposing image of Templeton right in the center of our downtown—this historic building, and quite honestly, a business, that is so critical and so important to so many folks in the area.”
Briltz said there were multiple calls, witnesses, and videos of fireworks being used near the Feed and Grain that night, but he couldn’t confirm any further details about the investigation.
According to a statement from the SLO County Sheriff’s Office, surveillance videos place four to six suspects near the scene of the fire, but it was still working to identify them, along with individuals in a nearby vehicle.
District Manager Briltz said that fireworks are a known problem in Templeton since the district still allows the sale of safe and sane ones.
Within SLO County, fireworks—even those deemed as safe and sane—are illegal in unincorporated areas like Oceano, Nipomo, Avila Beach, Cayucos, and Santa Margarita. But if an area has its own fire authority, like Templeton, it can enforce its own fireworks ordinances.
For many years, Briltz said Templeton has allowed safe and sane fireworks sales.
“Those issues came before the [CSD] board periodically over many years about whether that’s wise to allow, and our rules have continued to allow it, including for this year,” he said.
The CSD does not allow fireworks that shoot into the air, he said, although the district also has a problem with those.
“We don’t have the ability to even allow those. But people who live here and in neighboring communities obtain them somehow, some way,” he said.
After the loss of the iconic Feed and Grain building, Briltz said the board will likely reconsider its fireworks codes later this summer.
“I would guess that in the coming couple of months, that will be on our board’s agenda to talk about the policy of allowing safe and sane fireworks to be sold and used in Templeton,” he said, “and then also the enforcement of these unlawful fireworks.”
—Libbey Hanson
Santa Barbara County supervisors express frustration about ICE activity
Santa Barbara County supervisors echoed one mutual frustration while discussing the July 10 ICE raids at Glass House Farms sites in Carpinteria and Camarillo: a lack of information.
“I think this the first time in 15 years that I don’t even know who to go to for information. That’s the scary thing,” 5th District Supervisor Steve Lavagnino said at the Board of Supervisors’ July 15 meeting.
Lavagnino described a recent trip he took with Santa Barbara County 4th District Supervisor Bob Nelson and U.S. Rep. Salud Carbajal (D-Santa Barbara) to the Santa Maria ICE office on Century Street.
“We just wanted to go and find out what’s going on, … and honestly left there with not a lot of information,” Lavagnino said. “We were assured, … that at least the Santa Maria ICE facility was supposedly going to target or had been targeting only folks that were either coming out of the federal prison or that had a warrant out for their arrest. Violent criminals.”
One ICE agent he spoke to “kind of shrugged his shoulders” in response to some questions though, Lavagnino added.
“He said, ‘Look, I can tell you what I’m
doing, but I don’t know what Border Patrol’s doing. There’s another group that just came up from LA. They have different orders than [our] orders,’” Lavagnino recalled. “I want to be part of the solution, but I also feel like we’re blocked out, and I don’t really understand why.
“There’s a lot of chaos going on, and it’s very frustrating to kind of ‘be in charge,’” Lavagnino said while gesturing air quotes, “and not know what’s going on.”
According to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, ICE agents and U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers executed federal warrants during the July 10 raids, while arresting “at least 361 illegal aliens” collectively from both Carpinteria and Camarillo.
“At least 14 children have been rescued from potential exploitation, forced labor, and human trafficking,” a press release from Homeland Security said.
In terms of the federal arrests, Nelson said he believes “there’s a lot more to that story that will be told over the coming months.”
“I think there’s going to be a lot more information coming out,” Nelson said during the meeting. “There’s a lot of things that are being conflated out there, … a lot of rumors and anecdotes sometimes lead to people’s thoughts on policy, and I think that’s something we need to be careful about—making sure we have as much information as possible before we jump to certain conclusions.”
“There is a significant amount of people that are criminals that are undocumented,” Nelson continued. “I think it’s 5 to 10 a week that are coming out of the Lompoc prison. … These are people we don’t necessarily want re-released back into our community. These are people that have harmed our immigrant community. People who don’t have the privilege to stay here.”
Third District Supervisor Joan Hartmann said there’s “a myth” perpetuating that ICE is “apprehending violent people, gang members, … but we are seeing in our county that it’s masked ICE officers. I mean, that is creepy. In unmarked vehicles, and they’re detaining people without identifying themselves.
“We recognize that federal government has a role in immigration, but this conduct really crosses a dangerous line,” she continued. “It’s chillingly reminiscent of the brown shirts in Germany, operating in secrecy, unchecked by oversight, and traumatizing entire communities.” Δ
an Luis Obispo County could see a few more urban builds in the near future now that the state’s environmental rules—aka the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA)—are more permissive.
CEQA has been an invisible force for decades over California lands. It’s required public agencies and developers to consider the environmental consequences of a proposed project to prevent and mitigate for environmental impacts.
But on June 30, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed two bills into law adjusting CEQA’s hold over development, giving developers fewer hoops to jump through when building on the Central Coast. While some view the change as a removed barrier, others are concerned about what the moves could mean for habitats and species that have had protection since CEQA was established in 1970.
Assemblymember Dawn Addis (D-Morro Bay) told New Times she saw it as an opportunity to expand the Central Coast’s housing market amid a housing crisis.
“We need to make sure that we’re increasing housing for seniors, increasing housing for students, increasing housing for middle and lowincome workers,” she said.
A statement released by Newsom’s office the day he signed the bills said that CEQA restrictions have been a barrier to addressing the state’s housing scarcity and affordability issues and that Assembly Bills 130 and 131 would allow for faster housing permitting and approvals. AB 130 is focused on urban areas while 131 targets the tech industry.
that, generally speaking, the CEQA changes are a positive thing. New projects would still get a proper vetting, he said.
“It does not mean a project that now has a CEQA exemption under the new laws is rubber-stamped for immediate construction,” he said via email. “The merits of individual projects still need to be reviewed, vetted, and approved at the city level to ensure consistency with local zoning code, the city’s general plan, and ensure service and infrastructure capacity.”
When it comes to new builds in Paso Robles, he said it’s also too early to tell the impact.
“These revisions are predominately focused on urban cores of cities where the
Eventually, those were addressed and she voted in favor of expanding CEQA laws to allow more builds in urban areas.
However, those exemptions, she said, only apply to very specific areas.
“It’s not what you would think of as spread, where you start to build housing away from urban centers and increase vehicle miles traveled,” she said. “It’s housing that is in what’s called the infill development, and that still has labor protections and tribal consultation.”
When it came to expanding the high-tech industry’s ability to build, she said she felt it was less of an issue. The bill was “too far reaching” and not transparent enough.
Environmental organizations like the Sierra Club have outwardly opposed the new bills in recent weeks.
Santa Lucia Chapter of the Sierra Club Coordinator Gianna Patchen told New Times via email that relaxing CEQA is not just an environmental concern. It’s also a transparency issue.
“SLO communities rely on CEQA as a
Right now, SLO County cities are waiting to see how the bills will impact them, but Community Development Director Timothea Tway said SLO city already has its eye on what could change.
“The city is aware of the recent changes made to CEQA and is analyzing them to fully understand how they may impact development in the community,” Tway said via email. “In general, it appears that the changes may expedite the CEQA process for certain developments in the community, especially infill projects.”
Development projects that are currently in the works wouldn’t be affected, she said.
“Many of the projects in process have already addressed their CEQA requirements and/or can use existing infill exemptions in the state law,” Tway said.
Paso Robles City Manager Chris Huot said
majority of properties are developed and where infrastructure is in place. How it will specifically impact Paso Robles will be a wait-and-see game. How the law reads and how it will be applied is still to be determined,” he said. “Furthermore, some of these changes to CEQA may be challenged in court. It truly is too early to tell what the specific impacts will be within Paso Robles.”
Assemblymember Addis voted in favor of the bill for housing but told New Times she decided against voting in favor of the other bill.
“The crisis that we’re experiencing is really around housing and making sure that we build the housing we need in California, that we do it in the right places, so that we are decreasing vehicle miles traveled and decreasing costs for California, creating more affordability,” she said. “And 131 just was not about that.”
Addis was initially concerned about aspects of labor provisions and tribal interests included in the urban housing bill.
means to know what’s happening in our communities and to ensure environmental and public health are considered,” she said. “We are disappointed to see this move by the California Legislature at a time when the Trump administration is simultaneously taking a sledgehammer to environmental protections at the federal level. We need California to stand strong in defense of environmental and public health.”
The group’s Facebook page encouraged its followers to contact state legislators and ask that the bills be amended to address future industry pollutants and include specific wording to protect habitat for species protected under the federal and state Endangered Species Acts and the state’s Native Plant Protection Act.
“The fight over this dangerous bill is not over,” the post said. ∆
Reach Staff Writer Libbey Hanson at lhanson@newtimesslo.com.
PATH FOR HOUSING Urban areas of SLO County could see more projects pop up now that the state reduced California Environmental Quality Act, or CEQA, regulations.
PHOTO BY JAYSON MELLOM
Fire fears
proposed hazard abatement ordinance could mean better fire safety for SLO County
Los Osos resident Patrick McGibney is worried about the future of his family’s small lavender farm in the grassy California Valley since the area isn’t protected by a hazard abatement ordinance.
“After looking at the fire dangers and hazards that happened in LA, that could happen easily out here in our grasslands, most of us can’t get fire insurance out here because of that situation,” he said. “But if we had an abatement ordinance that would help go a long way.”
McGibney wants such an ordinance to cover all unincorporated parts of San Luis Obispo County. About 72 percent of the county—including the California Valley—lies within the state responsibility area, meaning it’s up to the state to prevent and suppress wildland fires. Though no ordinance exists that requires property owners to trim tall grass and whack weeds, structures on these properties must have a defensible space around them for protection from potential fires.
While McGibney said he spends weeks abating weeds around his lavender farm through mowing and weed whacking, not all neighboring properties receive the same level of care. One such property, he said, is abandoned and contains two rat-infested trailers, many dead trees, and grass that hasn’t been mowed for years.
In 2021, a fire hit another property across the street from his farm.
Cal Fire, functioning as the contracted county fire department, arrived after McGibney called them.
“It had spread all through the lot and was going into the adjoining lot, cutting across the road to our lot,” he said. “They left thinking they put the fire out. I called them the next morning and told them the house was smoldering. So, they came again, and by the time they got here, the house was in complete flames.”
It took planes dropping retardant bombs to stop the fire, he said. McGibney believes if the flames crossed the street, they would have instantly blazed through the hip-high grass on the abandoned property, eventually making their way on to his farm.
If California Valley was bound by a hazard abatement ordinance at the time, the owner of the abandoned property would have been required to manage the vegetation—making a possible fire easier to extinguish.
McGibney added that the very recent Madre Fire, which burned through approximately 80,000 acres of the Cuyama Valley and Carrizo Plain National Monument, missed the California Valley because of eastward-facing winds.
In emails from 2023 between him and Cal Fire, Battalion Chief Zachary Nichols said that Cal Fire doesn’t abate properties. Instead, it conducts inspections to make sure defensible space exists around habitable structures. Four failed inspections result in a citation filed with the county District Attorney’s Office.
“Talking to your district supervisor and asking them to start an abatement program,”
Nichols suggested as next steps to McGibney via email. “I receive hundreds of requests/ complaints about this issue monthly.”
Nichols didn’t respond to New Times’ request for comment.
Now, a proposal for a hazard abatement ordinance has landed on the SLO County Board of Supervisors’ desk. It doesn’t apply to California Valley where the state is financially responsible for fire prevention, but it focuses on improving fire safety in local responsibility areas made up by incorporated cities, urban regions, and some agricultural land.
Supervisors unanimously approved introducing the ordinance on July 8. A public hearing on the ordinance is scheduled for Aug. 19.
The proposed ordinance would expand the scope of the SLO County Fire Department’s fire hazard abatement authority. If adopted, the ordinance will cover 13,808 parcels in the county classified as local responsibility areas. The areas would then be subject to defensible space inspections.
The supervisors decided to introduce the ordinance this year as a result of updated fire hazard severity zone maps, which the State Fire Marshal released for SLO County on March 10.
“Local jurisdictions are encouraged to adopt the maps, which include more stringent defensible space standards and wildland-urban interface building codes required for properties located within those zones,” county Fire Chief John Owens said.
The maps came about after the 1991 Oakland Hills Fire when the State Fire Marshal had to evaluate fire hazard severity in local responsibility areas and make recommendations to local jurisdictions where “very high” zones exist. A 2021 amendment to state law required the State Fire Marshal to include “moderate” and “high” zones too.
As of 2025, the updated classifications for SLO County’s unincorporated areas are almost 3,000 acres in the “very high” zone, 17,773 in the “high” zone, and 18,709 acres in the “moderate” zone.
“Fire hazard severity zones are determined by factors like fire history, fuels, topography, which influence wildfire risks over a 30-to50-year period,” county Battalion Chief Fire Marshall Kevin McLean told supervisors at the April 29 meeting. “These assessments do not account for the mitigation efforts like home hardening or fuel reduction.”
The State Fire Marshal’s updated map put more parts of SLO County in high fire zones, which left residents in different parts of the county concerned.
“This could have a major impact on insurance for people who didn’t live in the high priority area and now do, … especially for us who live in Atascadero,” Atascadero resident Gary Kirkland said at the April 8 meeting.
Morro Bay resident Betty Winholtz, who agreed with Kirkland about the ballooning insurance rate, pointed out that the map designated an uninhabited part of the coastal town as a fire hazard severity zone.
“They’re saying that the [beach] sand is in a hazard zone and yet our Embarcadero … is not even in any zone,” she told supervisors. “I know you don’t control the Morro Bay map but if they’re making what I consider errors in my town, there must be errors in the rest of the county.”
Fifth District Supervisor and SLO County Fire Safe Council President Heather Moreno told New Times that while she was pleased to learn that the countywide ordinance for local responsibility areas is in the works, she’s concerned about the maps for the region.
“The board has submitted a formal letter expressing concerns about the lack of transparency and public input in the map development process and the potential use of outdated or incomplete data, which could result in inaccurate designations and confusion for residents and property owners,” she said. “I’m committed to fire protection policies that are based on good data, clear communication, and real collaboration with our communities.”
Reach Staff Writer Bulbul Rajagopal at brajagopal@newtimesslo.com.
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ABLAZE Flames engulf a house on a California Valley property in 2021 across the street from Los Osos resident Patrick McGibney’s lavender farm.
COURTESY PHOTO BY PATRICK MCGIBNEY
Going for gold
It was once thought that upper body exercise caused lymphedema in women with breast cancer, but a doctor proved this theory wrong in the early 2000s. In fact, the study proved the opposite was true—thus, the Central Coast Dragon Boat Association SurviveOars was created to support those whose lives have been affected by breast cancer.
Breast cancer survivor and Morro Bay resident Rose Marie Battaglia helped found the group, she said, and was recently selected to compete for the USA Breast Cancer team at the 17th World Dragon Boat Racing Championships, this July in Brandenburg an der Havel, Germany. Alongside Battaglia, SLO resident Belin Tanner was selected for the USA Senior C team.
In 2007, Battaglia said she had a friend approach her about a study that a doctor conducted in Canada using dragon boating, a 2,000-year-old Chinese sport, to determine if upper body exercise caused lymphedema in women with breast cancer.
“What he found was that the benefits of being part of the group outweighed any negatives that it may have had—which it had no negatives,” she said.
Battaglia already owned a kayak shop in Morro Bay, so rowing a dragon boat easily propelled forward from there.
“We had a 10-man canoe and so she said, ‘Do you want to try starting something here?’ And I said, ‘Sure, that sounds like fun,’” Battaglia said, “and so we put it out, and we got a small group of women that filled that boat.”
Since then, the Central Coast Dragon Boat Association has grown into a roster of more than 100 people and three boats.
“We offer dragon boating to cancer survivors as well as supporters of people with cancer,” she said. “Anybody can go. Everybody’s been affected with cancer.”
While it was once thought that a sport like dragon boating was harmful to women, Battaglia said if anything, it’s nothing but beneficial.
“You have the camaraderie with likeminded people who are working towards thriving in their survivorship. They want to make sure that they not just survive but come out victorious over this nasty disease. It helped me realize that there’s a bunch of women out there that are really competent to do things,” she said. “Oftentimes you don’t find that in life, especially in the medical world. You’re dealing with so many doctors, and they have their spiel, and when you’re able to discuss it with other people that have gone through it, it really changes your mindset on how you could tackle this, this diagnosis
of cancer that you’ve received.”
The dragon boating team started off as a way of connection among women, but Battaglia said she never expected to be on Team USA.
“They have tryout camps or evaluation camps,” she explained. “It involved a time trial on an outrigger canoe for two. So you were in the front seat, and then there was a person in the back seat who steered, … then we had to go on a rowing erg. … And you had to do a 500-meter test.”
When she found out she made Team USA, she said it was like walking on clouds.
“When I got the phone call telling me in the first cut that I made the team, it just felt great,” she said. “One of the things that is nice about Team USA, you’re working with the best of the best, right? So, everybody in the United States has come to be evaluated, to be on the team. And so you have to be at the top level, elite athleticism. It’s just nice to be in a boat with strong paddlers.”
Battaglia and Team USA are competing from July 14 to 20 in four separate metered races. For updates on race results, visit worlddragonboat-championships2025.de.
Fast fact
• El Camino Homeless Organization
(ECHO) is partnering with CoastHills Credit Union to launch a month-long towel drive in support of local individuals and families experiencing homelessness. Throughout July, community members are invited to donate new bath towels to help meet a critical and often overlooked need. Drop off donations at the Atascadero CoastHills Credit Union branch, where a dedicated towel collection bin is available all month, or at either of ECHO’s campus locations in Atascadero or Paso Robles. ∆
Reach Staff Writer Libbey Hanson at lhanson@newtimesslo.com.
COMPETIT-OARS Morro Bay resident Rose Marie Battaglia (right) and SLO resident Belin Tanner (left), were recently selected to paddle on Team USA for the 17th World Dragon Boat Racing Championships, this July in Brandenburg an der Havel, Germany.
BY GALE MCNEELEY
We have to try
A plea to stop arming Israel
History has proved that Israel is guilty of both apartheid and genocide.
“Apartheid is a policy or system of segregation or discrimination on the grounds of race.”
This describes what Israel has been doing to the Palestinian people for decades.
“Genocide is the deliberate killing of a large number of people from a particular nation or ethnic group with the aim of destroying that nation or group.”
No one can doubt this is true who sees what Israel is doing to the Palestinians in Gaza, the West Bank, and all that was once called Palestine.
Israel kills Palestinians with bombs and
The Constitution guarantees due process for our undocumented workers
We’ve been seeing the relentless march of ICE officials toward San Luis Obispo. First, they hunted undocumented workers in Los Angeles, then Oxnard, Ventura, and Carpinteria.
The workers that they are hunting are essential to our economy, often doing vital yet low-paying jobs. What’s more, they are protected by the U.S. Constitution. The Fifth Amendment clearly states: “No person shall … be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law.” The courts have affirmed that “person” applies to everyone on U.S. soil, not just citizens. Even Founding Father James Madison stated that non-citizen “aliens,” since they are obligated to obey the laws of the Constitution, “are entitled, in return, to their protection and advantage.” Even if one thinks that entering the United States illegally and working here is a crime that merits deportation, those workers are legally entitled to due process, with a trial
drones, and by cutting off the delivery of essential food and medical supplies. The IDF (Israel Defense Forces) does it by destroying hospitals, universities, or tented camps.
All this happens while the U.S. government, complicit in the current genocide, provides the money and bombs needed to destroy 100,000 innocent Gazan men, women, and children.
Meanwhile, 170 nongovernmental organizations recently called for the U.S.backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation to be dismantled, after the killing of more than 500 Palestinians seeking food since it launched operations.
Now, Israel’s defense minister, Israel Katz, has laid out plans to force all Palestinians in
and the full protection of the U.S. legal system, just like anybody else.
George R. Hansen Arroyo Grande
We need to protect ourselves from the unimaginable
I attended the July 11 California Coastal Commission meeting to support the Mothers for Peace request for a hearing on relicensing the Diablo Canyon Power Plant. The aging plant and its radioactive waste sit atop a thrust earthquake fault. PG&E has been granted a five-year extension but is now asking for 20 more, saying five isn’t enough time to build solar and wind replacements. (Note, the current article in The Atlantic on China’s rapid surge past the U.S. in clean, really clean, energy!)
I am dismayed at the number of speakers who cited loss of jobs and tax revenue if the plant closes. Several do work there, but most disappointingly, SLO County 4th District Supervisor Jimmy Paulding added
Gaza into a concentration camp on the ruins of Rafah. He has ordered Israel’s military to prepare the camp, which he ironically calls a “humanitarian city.”
“Palestinians would go through ‘security screening’ before entering, and once inside would not be allowed to leave,” Katz said at a briefing for Israeli journalists.
“Israeli forces would control the perimeter of the site and initially ‘move’ 600,000 Palestinians into the area—mostly people currently displaced in the al-Mawasi area,” Haaretz newspaper reported.
We must not let this caging of Palestinians happen. The Israeli military must not be put in charge of hundreds of thousands of people in need of all life’s necessities. History shows that at the hands of the IDF, they would not receive all they need.
America has paid 70 percent of Israel’s military costs since Oct. 7, 2023.
It is time to stop the killing by stopping the
his endorsement. I was dismayed at myself for not having submitted a speaker’s slip, as I thought of parallels with Texas’ “flash flood alley,” where officials ignored calls for an alarm system as too expensive and, anyway, a 100-year torrent won’t happen again.
The unimaginable happens. Can we picture the gridlock on Highways 1 and 101 if we did get timely warning from our sirens? Mothers for Peace has demanded accountability since before Diablo was built, forcing PG&E to rectify some issues. Many more at least deserve a hearing.
Rosemary Wilvert San Luis Obispo
Twenty more years of Diablo won’t ‘protect and enhance’ our coast
As a decades-long neighbor and ratepayer of Diablo Canyon Power Plant, I have great concerns about what harm has and is being done to our marine life by the once-through cooling system used by Diablo Canyon for the last 40-plus years. Now, PG&E is
flow of bombs, planes, and armaments to Israel, and to change our focus to rebuilding Gaza for the Palestinians. America can stop the creation of this concentration camp and help create livable homes for Palestinians instead.
Israel’s plan is to rid Gaza and the West Bank of Palestinians, and to create for themselves a greater Israel that includes parts of Syria (like Golan Heights) and parts of Lebanon.
More and more Americans see that Israel is a destabilizing force in the Middle East. It is time for us to reach out to our senators and representatives with a clear message. “Stop arming Israel.” If they refuse to hear us, we need to take to the streets.
If we don’t try, who will? ∆
Gale McNeeley writes to New Times from Santa Maria. Respond with an opinion for publication by sending it to letters@ newtimesslo.com.
applying for at least another 20-plus years of operation.
The California State Water Resources Control Board states, “Once-through cooling is dangerous because in the process of withdrawing billions of gallons of seawater millions of fish, larvae, eggs, seals, sea lions, turtles and other creatures are killed each year because they are trapped against screens or drawn into the cooling system and exposed to pressure and high heat. The marine life that is killed is mainly at the base of the food chain, which can adversely affect the future of certain species and impact recreational and commercial fishing.”
The California Coastal Commission has promised to “protect and enhance” California’s coast and ocean for present and future generations. There needs to be a thorough analysis of the environmental and commercial damage that would ensue if the extended operation of Diablo is granted for another 20 years. Please vote in favor of our ocean life.
Marty Brown Atascadero
HODIN
Russell Hodin
PET PHOTO CONTEST
In 1970, the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) was passed to “create and maintain conditions under which man and nature can exist in productive harmony to fulfill the social and economic requirements of present and future generations.” It was signed into law by Gov. Ronald Reagan. Modeled on the National Environmental Policy Act, CEQA requires that state and local agencies disclose and evaluate development projects’ significant environmental impacts and adopt measures to reduce or eliminate those impacts.
For the last 55 years, CEQA has promoted governmental transparency and defended environmental and public health. Now, we are seeing these essential protections targeted.
On June 30 of this year, the California Legislature passed the state budget, including a bill touted as “CEQA reform,” aka rollbacks. Gov. Gavin Newsom announced that the bill was “a comprehensive streamlining package that breaks down long-standing development barriers” by exempting a significant portion of urban development projects from environmental review.
Fox News headlined, “California Democrat Gov. Gavin Newsom took a page out of Donald Trump’s playbook.”
The SLO Tribune breathlessly reported: “CEQA’s ability to delay or obstruct development has been significantly diminished.”
CEQA has been the scapegoat for everything from land prices to wildfires. The specter of CEQA litigation paralyzing the wheels of progress is a widely circulated trope, despite the fact that an analysis of 54,000 projects under CEQA review found that “just 0.7 percent faced litigation—an average of less than 100 proposed housing developments per year.”
The stated goal of the current CEQA rollbacks is to fix the shortage of affordable housing. California’s Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA) assessment determines housing needs at various levels of affordability for every city and county. It’s worth contemplating the chart tracking SLO County’s progress in meeting these housing needs in its 2025 RHNA status report.
At the bottom (very low-income, e.g., barista, farmworker, child care employee), the county is exactly 1 percent of the way toward meeting that need, having permitted seven units in the last five years. At the top (above-moderate income), the county is 83 percent of the way there, with 1,132 units permitted over the same period. CEQA didn’t have anything to do with that outcome, but the extreme deference of the county Board of Supervisors to the Homebuilders Association certainly did.
As we go to press, due to serious concerns raised in legislative committees about the overreach of the recent CEQA rollbacks, amendments are being drafted that constitute emergency triage to clean up the mess made by CEQA “reformers.”
Those amendments are focused on the bill’s exemption of “advanced manufacturing facilities” from review, which will mean no protection from toxic byproducts
for environmental justice communities adjacent to industrially zoned land. The bill’s definition of “natural and protected lands” does not include habitat for species protected under the Endangered Species Acts and California’s Native Plant Protection Act. All of which leads us to a couple of thoughts about the importance and role of environmental review:
Thought No. 1: In 2019, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) opened roughly 850,000 acres of Central California to federal oil and gas leasing without adequate environmental review under the National Environmental Policy Act. Three years later, a court ordered the BLM to fix that mistake. The bureau must now thoroughly evaluate the environmental, public health, and land use conflicts such leases would have on schools, communities, and wildlife in the vicinity and near watersheds and protected areas, and whether oil and gas extraction activities should be allowed in those areas based on those impacts.
Thought No. 2: In 2014, a water emergency declaration got the Cambria Community Services District a free pass to build a desalination plant with no environmental analysis. Almost immediately after its hurried construction, the evaporation basin sprung leaks and started flooding. Ten years later, Cambria is trying to figure out where to dump toxic brine because they can’t use the defective evaporation basin, and it would cost a fortune to truck the stuff to a disposal site. They also need to find a way to mitigate a decade of impacts their desal plant has caused to San Simeon Creek, water wells, and environmentally sensitive habitat for steelhead and the California red-legged frog. That’s what happens when you build without the benefit of the environmental review that would have identified problems before they happened. Perhaps it would be a good idea to disclose and evaluate significant environmental impacts and adopt measures to reduce or eliminate those impacts in advance.
There ought to be a law. … Oh wait! CEQA. ∆
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.
Brace yourselves
San Luis Obispo County hasn’t really experienced a big ICE raid yet. We’ve just watched as businesses down south get swarmed, local residents push back, and California residents are handcuffed and taken away.
On July 10, Glass House Farms in Camarillo and Carpinteria was targeted. National Guard troops, Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers, and Customs and Border Patrol officers showed up and arrested more than 360 people.
A Department of Homeland Security press release claims that it nabbed at least “361 illegal aliens” from the two sites and “violent and dangerous criminal illegal aliens.” That press release named five of the arrestees and their alleged crimes, which include rape, burglary, DUIs, kidnapping, and attempted child molestation.
Great. Get those five out of here.
What about the rest of the people? There are 356 others who wound up in detention somewhere. And I’ll bet that some of them are American citizens and the vast majority didn’t commit any crimes. The department claims that it is one of the largest operations since Trumpty Dumpty took office. Slow clap? More like slow slap.
DHS also claims to have “rescued at least 14 migrant children from what looks like exploitation, forced child labor, and potentially human trafficking or smuggling while facing assault and even gunfire.”
I know I can’t believe most of the
words that come out of the Trump administration.
And if people are criminals and trafficking minors, they absolutely need to be held accountable. Raiding a worksite and arresting everyone who’s there? An indiscriminate raid designed to catch a handful of criminals in a gigantic dragnet that traps those who have a right not to be trapped. That’s how the federal government is implementing its “policy.”
By spreading fear, instigating unrest, and being obstinate and secretive on American soil. It’s a recipe for disaster. A man died trying to escape the raid. The conflict between protesters and federal law enforcement is getting more tense, more intense. It feels a little out of control, like it’s reaching for a boiling point that I’d like us all to avoid.
Protesters showed up en masse to the July 15 Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors meeting. Their comments were greeted with question marks. Because local governments don’t have control over the federal government, and they don’t have information from them either.
Even Santa Maria’s ICE office doesn’t know what its own agency or others are doing in its supposed coverage area. As far as that office is concerned, it’s focused on coordinating with the Lompoc federal
penitentiary as undocumented immigrants who have served time for crimes are released from confinement.
Fifth District Supervisor Steve Lavagnino was candid with his comments.
“I think this is the first time in 15 years that I don’t even know who to go to for information. That’s the scary thing,” he said at the meeting. “I want to be part of the solution, but I also feel like we’re blocked out, and I don’t really understand why.”
“There’s a lot of chaos going on, and it’s very frustrating to kind of ‘be in charge’ and not know what’s going on,” he said.
Chaos is how the Trump administration operates. And sharing information is not on the to-do list. It feels like SLO County needs to brace itself for the inevitable.
You know what else is inevitable? Morro Bay hiring yet another city manager. Since 2013, the city has had four interim city managers, which means it’s also had four “permanent” city managers. So that’s eight. Eight city managers in 12 years.
That’s not great.
And since the city just fired its city manager, it’s doing the only thing it can do. Hiring an old city manager that it fired to be the interim. What? Andrea Leuker, being the trooper that she is, agreed to do the job. She served as city manager during a very tumultuous time—when Cayucos and Morro Bay broke up over their shared wastewater treatment facility.
Morro Bay residents were pissed! Pissed
they had to shoulder the burden of paying to build a facility to deal with their toilet waste. Pissed the city caved to the California Coastal Commission. Pissed at Cayucos. Pissed at the City Council. Pissed it took so long, cost so much. Pissed at the contractor. Pissed. Pissed. Pissed.
I can only liken it to what just happened with the Vistra battery energy storage system proposal nixed by a vote of the people! Only, the wastewater facility was built, and now, it takes all that piss and recycles it.
Morro Bay residents also recycled their anger, bringing up that period of time at the recent meeting where Leuker was appointed as interim.
Resident Jane Heath said the end of Leuker’s previous role was “divisive” and that “bringing her back opens wounds.”
Councilmember Jeff Eckles basically told whiners to shut the hell up.
“We are in the present,” he said. “I’m not holding political grudges from 15 years ago. I don’t have any axe to grind that way. And if you do, for crying out loud, get over it. This is 2025, and we have a city to run.”
Wow. I don’t know whether I love him or hate him. Is he Trumpy? Or is he for the people? It’s questionable. But he’s right. They do need to get over it. ∆
The Shredder doesn’t hold grudges. Send some to shredder@newtimesslo.com.
Hot Dates
ARTS
NORTH COAST 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.
COOL CHARACTERS CHILDRENS’
WORKSHOP -- 3-WEEK SERIES This fun and engaging art class series focuses on creating characters and animals, while introducing and developing fundamental drawing techniques in a playful manner. Wednesdays, Thursdays. through Aug. 7 $150. (805) 772-2504. artcentermorrobay. org. Art Center Morro Bay, 835 Main St., Morro Bay.
COSTA GALLERY SHOWCASES Features works by Ellen Jewett as well as 20 other local artists, and artists from southern and northern California. Thursdays-Saturdays, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. and Sundays, 12-4 p.m. (559) 799-9632. costagallery.com. Costa Gallery, 2087 10th St., Los Osos.
COSTA GALLERY: FIVE YEAR
ANNIVERSARY Join Costa Gallery as the venue celebrates its fifth anniversary. Stop by for art, music, food, and wine. July 27 12-4 p.m. Costa Gallery, 2087 10th St., Los Osos, (559) 799-9632.
THE DROWSY CHAPERONE Step into a world of laughter, romance, and musical mayhem with The Drowsy Chaperone — the five-time Tony Award-winning musical comedy that is “equal parts love letter and hilarious send-up of classic Broadway.” Get tickets at the link. July 25 -Aug. 3 $30.
my805tix.com. Cambria Center for the Arts Theatre, 1350 Main St., Cambria.
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.
GALLERY AT MARINA SQUARE PRESENTS OIL PAINTINGS BY PATRICIA NEWTON Oil Painter Patricia Newton’s current body of work has been inspired by the powerful movement of the sea and its magnificent coastline. See Newton’s work at the gallery, which is open daily. Through July 29, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Free. (805) 772-1068. galleryatmarinasquare.com. Patricia Newton loves the Central Coast; its green rolling hills and endlessly crashing waves always provide inspiration for her oil paintings. Her work will be displayed daily at the Gallery at Marina Square. Through July 30, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Free. (805) 772-1068. galleryatmarinasquare. com. Gallery at Marina Square, 601 Embarcadero suite 10, Morro Bay.
GALLERY AT MARINA SQUARE PRESENTS PHOTOGRAPHY BY GREGORY SIRAGUSA Photographer Greg Siragusa captures scenes from around Morro Bay and beyond. Discover his photography of otters, birds, landscapes, and seascapes at the gallery, which is open daily. Through July 29, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Free. (805) 772-1068. galleryatmarinasquare.com. Gallery at Marina Square, 601 Embarcadero suite 10, Morro Bay.
GYOTAKU FISH PRINTS Gyotaku is a traditional Japanese printmaking method using real fish! This event is
hosted in partnership with Art Center Morro Bay. July 24 , 2-4 p.m. Free. (805) 316-5074. artcentermorrobay.org/. Morro Bay National Estuary Program, 601 Embarcadero, Morro Bay.
JEWELRY, SMALL WORKS, AND ART BY HOPE MYERS Hope Myers has been creating art, jewelry ,and more on the Central Coast for a long time. Rediscover her great many artworks at the Gallery Gallery at Marina Square. Through July 30, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Free. (805) 772-1068. galleryatmarinasquare.com. Gallery at Marina Square, 601 Embarcadero suite 10, Morro Bay.
THE ROCK PRESENTS ‘A HARD DAY’S NIGHT’ - FUNDRAISER SCREENING
The Rock Community Radio is thrilled to announce a special fundraiser screening of the iconic Beatles film, A Hard Day’s Night July 21 6-8 p.m. $15. (805) 7698458. my805tix.com. Bay Theatre, 464 Morro Bay Blvd., Morro Bay.
UNCORK YOUR CREATIVITY: COASTAL WINE AND PAINT PARTY Offering a unique opportunity to sip wine while painting stunning ocean-inspired landscapes. All materials included. Saturdays, 12-2 p.m. $60. (805) 394-5560. coastalwineandpaint.com. Harmony Cafe at the Pewter Plough, 824 Main St., Cambria.
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.
STEEPED IN WELLNESS
An Ayurvedic Herbal Tea Class will be held at The Planted Parlour in Grover Beach on Saturday, July 19, from 1 to 2 p.m. Learn from artist and Ayurvedic practitioner Kamanda Forest, who has been studying the yogic tradition since 2021. There will be an interactive lecture followed by an open Q-and-A. Tickets are $35 and can be purchased through theplantedparlour.com. Complimentary teas, cookies, and a take-home gift are included. —Angie Stevens
BLUE BARN SUMMER SILVERSMITHING SERIES RAISING I -–Copper Bowl, using various hammers and stakes from a 6-7” circle. Enjoy learning with three other students from master silversmith Randy Stromsöe July 19, 1-5 p.m. and July 20, 1-5 p.m. $295 plus $30 materials fee. (805)704-6298. Stromsöe Studios, 3775 Old Creek Road, Templeton. 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.
SUMMER SUNFLOWER PLATE Create a 6” x 6” single layer glass plate using glass paint, frit, and shards. There will be a template to use as a guide. July 18 10 a.m.-noon $60. (805) 464-2633. glassheadstudio.com. Glasshead Studio, 8793 Plata Lane, Suite H, Atascadero.
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.
WHIMSICAL MYSTICAL FELT
BROOCHES Combine scraps of felt and fabric, learn a few simple embroidery stitches, add a button or beads. A glass of wine and materials are included. July 19, 6-7 p.m. $20. (805) 238-9800. studiosonthepark.org/events/whimsicalmystical-felt-brooches/. Studios on the Park, 1130 Pine St., Paso Robles.
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
6-WEEK BEGINNING WHEEL SERIES
A great intro to the pottery wheel! Students learn to throw various shapes, surface decorate and glaze. Book on our website to save spot. Tuesdays, 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. through Aug. 19 $275. app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule. php?owner=22676824&appointmentTy pe=77943567. Anam Cre Pottery Studio, 1243 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo.
ACRYLIC WORKSHOP WITH DREW
DAVIS A ticket includes all acrylic paints needed, along with a canvas, brushes, an apron, and 2 hours of personalized instruction by Drew Davis himself! More info at the link. July 26 12-2 p.m. $88. my805tix.com. Drew Davis Fine Art, 393 Pacific St., San Luis Obispo.
ACTOR’S EDGE: ACTING CLASSES
Actor’s Edge offers film and television acting training in San Luis Obispo, plus exposure to Los Angeles talent agents. All ages and skill levels welcome. Classes available in SLO, LA, and on zoom. ongoing $210 per month. actorsedge.com. Online, See website, San Luis Obispo.
BEGINNING WATERCOLOR WITH JAN FRENCH Come be introduced to the personality and potential of this tricky but dynamic medium. Geared for beginners or watercolor artists who would like to freshen up. Thursdays, 10:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. through July 31 $130. (805) 747-4200. i0.wp.com/artcentralslo. com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/ Beginner-WC-French-July25. jpg?fit=1275%2C1650&ssl=1. Art Central, 1329 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo.
BLUE BARN SUMMER
SILVERSMITHING SERIES Take this intro to anti-clastic forming and make
a bangle and napkin ring, with your choice of silver or copper. Learn from master silversmith Randy Stromsoe in an authentic silversmithing studio. Sign up through the link and receive the exact address. July 26 1-5 p.m. and July 27 1-5 p.m. $295 plus materials. (805) 704-6298. Online, See website, San Luis Obispo. CENTRAL COAST SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL Enjoy The Merry Wives of Windsor Shakespeare’s tale of trickery, and revenge on an overconfident swindler. July 18-Aug. 10 centralcoastshakespeare.org/ themerrywivesofwindsor. Filipponi Ranch, 1850 Calle Joaquin, 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.
DATE NIGHT POTTERY Bring your date and throw a cup on the pottery wheel. Next, texture a clay slab and press into a form creating a personalized piece. Guest are welcome to bring drinks; venue provides aprons. Pieces are fired, glazed, and ready in two weeks. Saturdays, 6-7:30 p.m. $140. anamcre.com. Anam Cre Pottery Studio, 1243 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo. 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.
FREE MOVIE NIGHT IN THE SECRET GARDEN : THE FAST & THE FURIOUS (2001) 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. It’s the perfect way to kick off a summer evening,
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE PLANTED PARLOUR
bold, joyful, and totally fabulous. July 18 8-10 p.m. Free. my805tix.com. Sycamore Mineral Springs Resort and Spa, 1215 Avila Beach Drive, San Luis Obispo.
HIGH TIDE OPENING RECEPTION
Celebrate with a diverse array of artists from the Central Coast, each invited to nominate another local artist that they admire to participate. July 18 5-7 p.m. Free. (805) 546-3201. Harold J. Miossi Gallery, Highway 1, San Luis Obispo, cuesta.edu/ student/campuslife/artgallery/.
IMPROV COMEDY SHOWS AT THE HUB
The show contents will be rotated among the group’s ensemble, house, and musical improv team casts, as well as stand-up and student shows. Fourth Friday of every month, 6 p.m. my805tix.com/. The Hub, 1701 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo.
IMPROV EXTRAVAGANZA AT THE
BUNKER Experience the “whirlwind of wit, chaos, and unscripted brilliance at Improv Extravaganza—the ultimate showcase of indie improv talent!” Cheer on your favorite teams, or discover new ones. Tickets are available at the link. July 25 6:15-8 p.m. $13. my805tix.com. The Bunker SLO, 810 Orcutt Road, San Luis Obispo.
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.
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.
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
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.
HOW THE WEST WAS REALLY WON Complete with a saloon setting, card games, duels, and more. Through Aug. 12 Great American Melodrama, 1863 Front St., Oceano.
IMPROV YOUR LIFE This fun applied improvisation class helps participants tap into their creativity through interactive exercises that build confidence, reduce stress, and ease social anxiety. Fourth Sunday of every month, 6-7:30 p.m. through Aug. 24 $15. (805) 556-8495. improvforgood. fun/. Women’s Club of Arroyo Grande, 211 Vernon St., Arroyo Grande.
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.
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 SLIM DOWN Take control of food without suffering. Learn a step-by-step process to take control of overeating, cravings, and feel peace with food. Build the habits, mindset, and your unique path with results that stick. Hosted byTami Cruz (Certified Health/Life Coach) and Dana Charvet (Coach/Fitness Trainer). ongoing Call for pricing info. (805) 235-7978. gratefulbodyhealthcoaching.com. Grateful Body, 850 Shasta, Morro Bay. 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.
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 Saturdays, 12-6 p.m. $20. (805) 528-4880. baysidemartialarts.com. Bayside Martial Arts, 1200 2nd St., Los Osos.
LEARN TO SAIL AT MORRO BAY YACHT
CLUB Learn to sail at the Morro Bay’s only sailing school, with the goal of getting comfortable commanding your own sailboat. There will be a focus on teamwork, developing leadership skills, and having fun. Register at the link. Through Aug. 3 $450. my805tix.com. Morro Bay Yacht Club, 541 Embarcadero, Morro Bay, (805) 772-3981.
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.
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.
OPEN FLOW: DANCE AND MOVEMENT
A community of movers and shakers who come together to express themselves through dance and movement. Inspired by a variety of conscious movement modalities, Open Flow is led by Silvia Suarez and Matt Garrity, embodiment teachers who share a passion for integration through movement exploration. Wednesdays, 6:30-8 p.m. $10 (general), $5 (ages 55 and older). SilviaAthaSomatics. org. Morro Bay Community Center, 1001 Kennedy Way, Morro Bay, 772-6278.
POETRY READING, DISCUSSION, AND SIGNING — B. MISTY WYCOFF Please join Volumes of Pleasure bookstore sta ff in welcoming B. Misty Wycoff for a reading, discussion, and signing of new collection of poetry — Dwellings. July 26 1-2 p.m. Free. (805) 528-5565. volumesofpleasurebookshoppe.com/. Volumes of Pleasure Bookshop, 1016 Los Osos Valley Rd, Los Osos.
ROOTS & RESONANCE SOUND
JOURNEY / LOS OSOS Join for the Roots and Resonance Sound Journey— an experience that harnesses the transformational power of sound vibrations, breath work, mindfulness, and intention. Get info and register at the link. July 22 6:30-7:45 p.m. $23. my805tix.com. Central Coast Body Therapy Center, 2005 9th St., Los Osos, (805) 709-2227.
SAVE OUR COAST! RSVP and donate to REACT Alliance, whose Mission is to protect the Central California coasts from destructive energy industries, and to educate the public through dissemination
of information designed to encourage informed decisions about proposed projects. More info is available at the link. July 26, 1 p.m. my805tix.com. Tidelands Park, South end of Embarcadero, 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) 709-2227. 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.
WATERFRONT MARKET MORRO BAY:
MID-SUMMER EVENT We hope you are enjoying your summer. Don’t roast in the heat! Come to the Central Coast this
Send event information to events@newtimesslo.com or submit online.
weekend, and stop by the mid-summer market, open all weekend. July 19, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and July 20, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. (805) 402-9437. Giovanni’s Fish Market, 1001 Front St., Morro Bay. WEEKLY QIGONG PRACTICE AT FITNESSWORKS MORRO BAY Calm your mind and nourish your joints with a weekly Qigong practice led by Mike Raynor of Tai Chi Rejuvenation. The practice is rooted in Qigong fundamentals, and standing/moving meditations. Forms include: Eight Brocades, Five Elements, Shibashi 18, and Tai chi 24. Saturdays, 10:45-11:45 a.m. Members free; non-members $8-$10. (805) 772-7466. fitnessworksmb.com. FitnessWorks, 500 Quintana Rd., Morro Bay. YOGA PLUS A hybrid of yoga and “stretching” techniques that yield a body that moves and feels amazing. Mondays, 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. $10 per session. (415) 516-5214. Bayside Martial Arts, 1200 2nd St., Los Osos.
ZEN IN MOTION Learn the Shaolin Water Style and other deep breathing and moving meditation techniques with the 2019 Taijiquan Instructor of the Year. Beginners Welcome.Instructor Certification Courses available. Mondays, Wednesdays Call for details. (805) 7017397. charvetmartialarts.com. Grateful Body, 850 Shasta, Morro Bay.
NORTH SLO COUNTY BALANCE FLOW Suitable for all levels. This class is meant to benefit the mindbody 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. CALIFORNIA MID-STATE FAIR Features live music, attractions, food, drinks, competitive exhibits and programs, and more. Through July 27 midstatefair.com/ fair/. Paso Robles Event Center, 2198 Riverside Ave., Paso Robles. CULTURE & LIFESTYLE continued page 17
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.
HAMBLY LAVENDER FARM GUIDED
EXPERIENCE This one-hour walk about the farm immerses you in the processes of growing, harvesting, and drying this fragrant herb. Saturdays, Sundays, 10 a.m. my805tix.com. Hambly Farms, 1390 Grana Place, San Miguel.
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.
TEMPLETON RECREATION CONCERTS
IN THE PARK
Enjoy 10 weeks of free, live music at Templeton Park this summer— ranging from rock, country, reggae, and pop. Wednesdays, 6-8 p.m. through Aug. 20 Free. (805) 434-4909. Templeton Park, 550 Crocker St., Templeton.
TRAFFIC JAM VINTAGE & HANDMADE
MARKET Traffic Jam Vintage & Handmade
Pop-up market will be located in the lot behind the shops on Traffic Way in Downtown Atascadero. There will be vendors, baked goods, and a DJ. July 19 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Free. (805) 464-2564. trafficjamvintagemarket.com. Golden State Goods, 5880 Traffic Way, Atascadero.
SAN LUIS OBISPO
39TH ANNUAL CENTRAL COAST
RENAISSANCE FESTIVAL Step into the captivating allure of the Elizabethan era with two days packed with shows and performances. Visit site for tickets and more info. July 19 and July 20 $39. ccrenfaire.com. Laguna Lake Park, 504 Madonna Rd., San Luis Obispo.
AERIAL SILKS CLINIC Silks is a great way to learn flipping safely. Build memory, strength, coordination, confidence, and endurance at the aerial silks clinic, for ages 7 to 17years old. July 19 1-3 p.m. $25/ 1st child, +$10 per additional sibling.. (805) 547-1496. performanceathleticsslo.com/ saturday-event-clinics. Performance Athletics Gymnastics, 4484 Broad St., San Luis Obispo.
BEGINNERS HOUSE DANCE CLASS
Learn the foundations of House Dance in a fun, beginner-friendly vibe—groove to soulful beats, unlock dynamic footwork, and flow with freedom. No experience is needed. Wednesdays, 6:30-7:30 p.m. through July 30 $20. 805- 457-2848. christianamarie.com. Studio de Myriam, 3563 Sueldo St., suite N, San Luis Obispo.
BEYOND MINDFULNESS Realize your potential through individualized meditation instruction with an experienced teacher via Zoom. This class is for those who wish to begin a practice or seek to deepen an existing one. Flexible days and times. Certified with IMTA. Email or text for information. Mondays-Sundays, 5:30-6:30 p.m. Sliding scale. (559) 905-9274. theartofsilence.net. Online, See website, 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/20474278 99121921/2047427949121916?acontext=%7B
%22event_action_history%22%3A[]%7D.
Captain Nemo Games, 565 Higuera Street, San Luis Obispo.
BRAVER ANGELS: REUNITING AMERICA, A 50-MINUTE FILM WITH FOLLOW-UP
DISCUSSION Braver Angels: Reuniting America is a 50-minute documentary
about polarization. Watch 8 Democratleaning voters and 7-Republican leaning voters go through a Red/Blue Braver Angels workshop. July 27 4-6 p.m. Free (use code word BRAVER). (805) 595-2211. braverangels.org. Unitarian Universalist, 2201 Lawton Ave., San Luis Obispo. FAMILY CLIMB TIME Family Climb is a parent-child structured silks class for ages 5 and over! Together you’ll build strong muscles & memories. No experience necessary, and members and non-members are welcome. July 19, 11:45 a.m.-12:45 p.m. $15/ 1st child, +$10/ additional sibling. (805) 547-1496. performanceathleticsslo.com/family-funplay. Performance Athletics Gymnastics, 4484 Broad St., San Luis Obispo.
FELINE NETWORK ADOPT A KITTEN
EVENT! Come see our beautiful cats and kittens for adoption and bring home a forever pet! All cats and kittens are fixed, vaccinated, and microchipped July 26 10 a.m.-4 p.m. $125. (805) 540-0006. felinenetwork.org. PetSmart, 1530 Froom Ranch Way, San Luis Obispo.
FIRE-SAFE HOME AND GARDEN TOUR
This is an informative tour of four Los Osos homes, showcasing fire-scaping, home hardening, and creating defensible spaces. Discover how to incorporate beautiful fire-resistant plants into your garden. July 26 12-4 p.m. $25 each or 2 for $40. members $10. lovgardenclub.org/. ashley cote, 1900 los osos valley road in los osos ca, los osos, (802) 777-0997.
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.
GROWING AVOCADOS AND CONTAINER CITRUS Register today for the July Advice to Grow By workshop hosted by the UC Master Gardeners of San Luis Obispo County. For more information or to register, visit the website. July 19, 10 a.m.noon ucanr.edu/sites/mgslo/. Garden of the Seven Sisters Demonstration Garden, 2156 Sierra Way, San Luis Obispo, (805) 781-5939.
GYM JAM AND OPEN PLAY CLINIC Get your Gym Jam on with us! There will be one hour of progressive gymnastics skill training, followed by an hour of open play. No experience is necessary for this clinic, geared towards children 5 to 17 years old. July 26 , 1-3 p.m. $25/ 1st child, +$10 per additional sibling.. (805) 547-1496. performanceathleticsslo.com/ saturday-event-clinics. Performance Athletics Gymnastics, 4484 Broad St., 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.
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 RETIRED ACTIVE MEN: WEEKLY COFFEE MEETING SLO RAMs is a group or retirees that get together just for the
fun, fellowship, and to enjoy programs which enhance the enjoyment, dignity, and independence of retirement. Thursdays, 8:30-9:30 a.m. $10 coffee meeting. retiredactivemen.org. Madonna Inn, 100 Madonna Rd., San Luis Obispo.
SLO SPEED NETWORKING Speed Networking is a fast-paced and fun way to make a lot of initial contacts, and it’s strictly for the Business to Business crowd! You talk for a minute, listen for a minute, exchange cards, and then move on to the next person. If you feel like you made a good contact, reconnect with the person later and schedule a coffee, lunch, ZOOM or a simple phone call. It’s that simple! July 17, 6-8 p.m. $60. my805tix. com. Veteran’s Memorial Building, 801 Grand Ave., San Luis Obispo.
SLOCA MUSICAL THEATER SUMMER CAMP Two weeks of singing, dancing, acting, and more fun for grades 1 through 8. July 21 , 9 a.m.-3 p.m. $750. (805) 4588700. sloclassical.org/summercamp/. SLO Classical Academy, 165 Grand Ave., San Luis Obispo.
SLOCA PRESCHOOL AND KINDER SUMMER CAMPS This is a six-week summer camp for those going into preschool and kindergarten. Get tickets and more info at the link. July 21 , 9 a.m.-1 p.m. $270-450. (805) 548-8700. sloclassical.org. SLO Classical Academy, 165 Grand Ave., San Luis Obispo.
SOUTH COAST SLO COUNTY
17TH ANNUAL CACTUS AND SUCCULENT SHOW AND SALE The Central Coast Cactus & Succulent Society is hosting its 17th Annual Succulent Show and Sale, featuring a dozen vendors and hundreds of specimen plants. More info is available at the link. July 19, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and July 20, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Free. centralcoastcactus.org. Nipomo High School, 525 N Thompson Ave, Nipomo.
AYURVEDIC HERBAL TEA CLASS Take a journey through Ayurvedic herbalism, and discover the miraculous healing powers of delicious everyday herbs. Complimentary teas and cookies and a take-home gift are included. July 19, 1-2 p.m. $35. (805) 270-4083. theplantedparlour.com. The Planted Parlour, 592 W Grand Ave., Grover Beach.
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.
FIND WALDO LOCAL IN ARROYO
GRANDE Staring July 1, join the hunt to find Waldo in local businesses in Arroyo Grande. To participate, pick up a stamp card from Monarch Books. The first 125 seekers who get 10 stamps can return to Monarch Books for a Waldo sticker and a coupon. Seekers who collect 20 or more stamps will have the opportunity to enter a grand-prize drawing. Through July 31, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Free. (805) 668-6300. monarchbooks805.com. Monarch Books, 201 E. Branch St., Arroyo Grande.
JIMMY PAULDING’S CAMPAIGN
KICKOFF EVENT Join us at Heritage Square Park on Saturday for an exciting afternoon, as we launch Jimmy Paulding’s campaign for County! July 26 2-5 p.m. Free. (805) 994-0025. jimmypaulding.org/ news/events/. Heritage Square Park, 201
CULTURE & LIFESTYLE
Nelson St., Arroyo Grande. 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.
STRIDE WITH THE TIDE Race start is
8:30 a.m. with registration from 7:15 a.m. to 8:15 a.m. at the pier. No pre-registration is required, and walkers are welcomed! Rain or shine! July 26 , 7:15 a.m. $35 with shirt; $20 for race only. (805) 773-7063. pismobeach.org/73/Recreation. Pismo Beach Pier, West end of Pomeroy, Pismo Beach.
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.
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.
FOOD & DRINK
NORTH COAST SLO COUNTY
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
50TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION
AT CALERA We can’t wait to share this unforgettable celebration with you—an opportunity to honor the past, toast to the future, and experience the magic of Calera. July 18 1-4 p.m. $175/person
MONARCHS ON CANVAS
Join this Monarch Butterfly Acrylic Workshop at Drew Davis Fine Art in San Luis Obispo on Saturday, July 26, from noon to 2 p.m. An $88 ticket includes all acrylic paints along with a canvas, brushes, an apron, and two hours of personalized instruction from Davis. More information is available at my805tix.com.
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.
PASO FOOD CO-OP MONTHLY MEETING
All welcome. Get involved and help spread the word about the co-op. Tell a friend, associate, or neighbor. Meet in the Community Room at Oak Creek Commons near Pat Butler Elementary School. Fourth Wednesday of every month, 6-7 p.m. pasofoodcooperative.com. Oak Creek Commons, 635 Nicklaus St., Paso Robles.
STONE FRUIT SEDUCTION: A
SEASONAL WINE & COOKING
EXPERIENCE Join Chef Candice Custodio and CRUSH Vineyard for a gathering that explores the many ways stone fruit can shine — from savory starters to rich, chocolatey endings. Enjoy a three-course tasting menu, paired wines, and good conversation. Tickets include wine pairings, a take-home recipe set, and bonus access to a live follow-up Zoom class on preserving summer’s bounty. July 19 6 p.m. $108. my805tix.com. CRUSH Vineyard, 3773 Ruth Way, 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.
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. ∆
—A.S.
PHOTO COURTESY OF DREW DAVIS FINE ART
Harold
Miossi CPAC, Cuesta College
Arts
Festival Mozaic teams with the SLO Film Center to screen music films at the Palm Theatre Festival Mozaic and the SLO Film Center have partnered to present the Summer of Music Film Series screening at The Palm Theatre (817 Palm St., SLO) Thursday, July 17, through Saturday, July 26.
“Running in tandem with the Festival Mozaic’s SLO Music Festival, this specially curated film series will … feature four compelling films that explore the transformative power of music and the visionary artists behind it,” organizers announced. “From iconic animation to intimate documentaries, each screening invites audiences to experience music’s depth, diversity, and emotional resonance in new ways.”
Films include the documentary One to One: John & Yoko (2024) featuring restored and unseen 1972 archival footage, Disney’s animated classic Fantasia (1940), ¡Viva Maestro! (2022) about the LA Philharmonic and its artistic director Gustavo Dudamel, and the Brian Wilson biopic Love & Mercy (2014).
“We’re thrilled to collaborate once again with Festival Mozaic on this imaginative and meaningful series,” SLO Film Center Executive Director Skye McLennan said. “Film is such a powerful way to explore music’s impact—whether through animation, biography, or documentary—and this lineup offers something for every type of music lover.”
Find the schedule and tickets at festivalmozaic.org/films.
Central
Coast Renaissance Festival returns to Laguna Lake Park July 19 and 20
Before the Renaissance, things were pretty grim for human beings. The Black Death, torture, famine, mass executions, never leaving your village, weird medical practices, human waste running down streets—the Dark Ages were no picnic! Ah, but then enlightenment!
The Renaissance was a cultural movement spanning roughly from the 14th to the 17th centuries that ushered in new artforms and styles. It renewed a spirit of inquiry and the pursuit of knowledge. It rejected religious dogma. Printing and the exchange of ideas became common. Poetry and literature flourished. Scientific advancements improved lives.
On July 19 and 20, the Central Coast Renaissance Festival will celebrate this heady period of human existence at Laguna Lake Park in San Luis Obispo. A portion of the park is transformed into a Renaissance village for guests to explore.
“This festival is more than an event—it’s a living, breathing journey into the past,” longtime Ren Fest organizer Rick Smith said. “Whether you come for the sword fights, the shopping, or the chance to dress up and play along, there’s something here to ignite everyone’s imagination.”
Visit ccrenfaire.com for tickets and information. ∆
—Glen Starkey
BY GLEN STARKEY
Radio gold
KCBX public radio turns 50
Local NPR a liate KCBX has changed a lot over its 50-year history. Just ask retired attorney Steve Dorsi.
“I remember very well the day when I came to San Luis Obispo in 1974, and I saw that there was a public radio station, so I went up the stairs there in the Tower Building [to the KCBX studio].
I talked to [station founders] Steve Urbani and Steve Burrell, and I said, ‘Oh, what frequency do I turn to get All ings Considered?’ And they kind of chuckled. ey said, ‘No, we’re just a low-power local station.’”
Dorsi, a longtime KCBX supporter and board member emeritus, jumped right in and helped the two Steves work through the process of becoming an NPR a liate. He helped them apply for and receive a Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) grant. Over the last 50 years, KCBX has become an integral part of the Central Coast community, a station that provides local, state, national, and international news, as well as varied music programming and all manner of specialty programming.
Burrell, who died at 80 on Aug. 11, 2023, was working for DuPont in sales at the time. Urbani, now retired but actively volunteering, was working with the U.S. Geological Survey at Menlo Park in its earthquake research division.
“ e broadcast class was an evening class, so there were a lot of older community people like us rather than college-age kids taking the class,” Urbani recalled, “so we pretty much took over and ran the radio station up there.
“One night we were just sitting in the radio station and talking,” Urbani continued. “It was, you know, ‘What do you want to do?’ at sort of thing. We were both interested in starting a radio station or owning one.”
Join the celebration
Local NPR affiliate KCBX will celebrate its 50th anniversary at the Octagon Barn (4400 Octagon Way, SLO) on Saturday, July 26. There’s a free outdoor event starting at 11 a.m. with live music from Graybill and the SLO County Stumblers, as well as food and drink available from Choco’s Mexican Grill food truck, SLO Sichuan Kitchen, and Harmony Valley Creamery.
It’s a rare thing indeed. From the curated eclecticism of Music Director Neal Losey’s Morning Cup and the many other genre music programs to locally produced community news to state news from e California Report to the deep dive interviews of Fresh Air with Terry Gross to NPR favorites like Morning Edition and All ings Considered to the independent global news of Democracy Now!, KCBX is truly unique among Central Coast radio.
An RSVP is requested at kcbx.org, where you can also register your team for a noon KCBX-related trivia contest. A 1:30 p.m. ceremony will honor KCBX founders, supporters, and volunteers. The free event runs until 4 p.m. Later that evening, enjoy an indoor concert by Damon Castillo & Friends (7 p.m.; all ages; $46.80 at kcbx.org or zeffy.com).
KCBX will celebrate its 50th year with a daylong community event at SLO’s Octagon Barn on Saturday, July 26, with music, food and drink, and more. Naturally, you’re invited.
Where it all began
KCBX can trace its beginning back to the Bay Area, where the two Steves—Urbani and Burrell— met at college radio station KFJC while taking a radio broadcast class at San Jose’s Foothill College.
e Steves rst looked for stations in the Bay Area, but since Urbani had attended Cal Poly and Burrell was from Santa Barbara, they turned their attention to SLO Town and the Central Coast. Of course, the question was commercial or noncommercial, and according to Urbani, “We literally had a sheet of paper with two columns, the pros and cons of having a commercial radio station or having a noncommercial or public radio station. We were both really interested in doing community programming and things that were of interest rather than just playing one kind of music, so we then started our quest to start a community radio station.”
In 1973, they formed a nonpro t corporation and applied for a broadcast license with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and waited. And waited. And waited. It took two years before they got the green light to broadcast.
“Probably nowadays that’s real quick,” Urbani quipped, “but back then it seemed like forever.”
FOUNDING FATHER A young KCBX co-founder named Steve Urbani worked with Steve Burrell (1943-2023) to create KCBX. Now 50 years later, Urbani is happily retired in San Luis Obispo.
PHOTO COURTESY OF KCBX
THEN AND NOW Here’s DJ Jerry Buckner (left) in KCBX’s analog control room circa 1985 and Music Director and DJ Neal Losey in KCBX’s the new digital control room recently.
We’re saving you a SEAT in SLO’s new downtown theatre!
San Luis Obispo Repertory Theatre’s campaign to build a beautiful new venue in downtown SLO has nearly reached the finish line. Now YOU can help make this dream a reality!
NAME A SEAT • NAME A STALL • PLAY A PART!
Imagine having your name, or the name of a loved one, proudly displayed on a personalized plaque attached to a comfy seat in our beautiful new theatre. OR you can add your name to a stall door in our generous new restrooms!
All donations — large and small — will help bring this new theatre to life. Please join us in making this dream a beautiful reality. Find out more and make your donation at slorep.org/a-new-stage
They had already relocated their lives to SLO.
“We both did just odd jobs while we were here waiting and kind of plotting our course. Back then, there was no email, so we had to wait for a telegram from the FCC giving us the go ahead to start,” he said.
KCBX first signed onto the airwaves on July 27, 1975. A public radio station was born, bankrolled by two Steves who shared a dream.
“We funded it initially with the hopes that we’d get our money back,” Urbani recalled, “and that didn’t happen. We ended up buying just old, tube electronics, just a bunch of used junk, really, and got it working.”
They were offered a corner in the KSBY TV building on Cuesta Peak and allowed to stick their broadcast equipment on the building. The station engineer told them if they cleaned up an interior area, they could use it.
“So that’s where we ended up putting our transmitter, and it’s actually still there now,” Urbani said, adding that their first studio was upstairs in the historic Warden Building at 846 Higuera St., often called the Tower Building because it used to have a clock tower.
After operating on a wing and a prayer, with Dorsi’s help, they applied for and received that federal grant to upgrade their equipment and become an NPR affiliate. Still, Urbani couldn’t conceive that the station would become as popular as it has.
“I didn’t think it was going to fail, but I thought it would always be kind of a small community-based operation,” Urbani admitted. “But the community support was there from day one.”
The people’s station
Broadcasting (CPB), which provides some funding to PBS and NPR. This federal funding for KCBX is negligible, but losing it would still hurt because they operate on a very lean budget.
KCBX survives on listener donations, and between sustaining members who donate monthly (usually with an automatic deduction), listeners who pledge during the station’s twice annual on-air pledge drives, business underwriters, and other fundraising activities, KCBX has managed to stay on the air and grow to now reach listeners from Santa Barbara to Salinas.
One reason for its success is the stewardship of Corporation President and General Manager Frank Lanzone, who helped grow the station into what it is today. In 1980, he left his job as manager of Public Radio KCSM serving the San Francisco Bay Area and moved his family to SLO and took over management of KCBX. He was one of the co-founders of KCBX’s popular annual fundraiser, the Live Oak Music Festival.
“We wouldn’t be here without the support of listeners in the community getting behind us,” Lanzone explained at KCBX’s current offices at Vachell Lane. “The only reason we survived is that people have supported us through thick and thin, people writing to their representatives, coming to our fundraisers. I’m always surprised at how much people believe in what we’re doing and come out of the woodwork from all walks of life, all kinds of people, just banding together and repeatedly standing up for us to support us.”
On May 1, President Donald Trump signed an executive order to pull federal funding from the Corporation for Public
According to both Lanzone and Urbani, two more frightening prospects than losing federal funding are KCBX being stripped of its nonprofit status or losing its FCC license—two other ways public radio could be undermined by those in power at the federal level who don’t see its value.
Lanzone noted that almost every time there’s a Republican president, CPB funding is left out of the budget. But in Congress, NPR and PBS enjoy bipartisan support, and funding has always been restored. The bottom line is people on the right and left, especially in rural areas, depend on public broadcasting. Sometimes it’s the only information source available.
According to the CPB, “Today, nearly 99 percent of the U.S. population can access public broadcasting’s over-the-air signals. This reach could not have been achieved without significant federal investment in rural communities throughout the country.”
These rural stations depend more on CPB funding than urban stations.
“I would bet that the first time that Steve Urbani turned on the switch for the station, he probably had a thought that’s a similar thought that KCBX has today, and that is, ‘How are we going to pay the light bill at the end of the month?’ And now with the federal funding situation, I think that question has come up to the top of the list again,” Dorsi said. It’s hard to imagine losing the station that means so much to so many people in our community. Under Lanzone, the station started its local news team. The station’s gone from 38 watts to 5,000. Its community calendar publicizes local events. It’s where listeners tune in for weather emergencies and more. It’s a radio station by the people, for the people. ∆
Contact Arts Editor Glen Starkey at gstarkey@newtimesslo.com.
EL PRESIDENTE The KCBX general manager and president of the nonprofit corporation behind it, Frank Lanzone, joined the station in 1980, ushering in a sustained period of growth. Here he’s manning the mic during a 1986 pledge drive.
PHOTO COURTESY OF KCBX
Identity crisis
Writer-director James Gunn (Guardians of the Galaxy, e Suicide Squad) helms this new take on Superman and other characters from the DC Universe. David Corenswet stars as Clark Kent/Superman, who’s struggling to reconcile his alien Kryptonian ancestry with his adoptive human upbringing in Smallville, Kansas. (134-min.)
SUPERMAN
What’s it rated? PG-13
What’s it worth, Anna? Full price
What’s it worth, Glen? Full price
Where’s it showing? Bay, Colony, Downtown Centre, Fair Oaks, Park, Stadium 10, Sunset Drive-In
Glen When conservatives start calling James Gunn’s Superman “too woke,” I know he’s made a movie that matters. e lm—set in a retrofuture ’50s milieu—certainly taps into the contemporary zeitgeist. Clark Kent is in the middle of an identity crisis. He’s an alien on Earth but raised by human parents. He’s the “other,” but his actions are driven by his very human set of morals. As the lm opens, he’s su ered his rst defeat at the hands (and sts) of a heavily armored super strong being called the Hammer of Boravia. He lives in a world where metahumans exist (think X-Men) with extraordinary powers who fancy themselves the protectors of humanity, so what’s his worth now? His nemesis, the billionaire egomaniac Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult) is green with envy that Superman is super loved, so much of the lm concerns itself with Luthor’s scheme to destroy his reputation. Clark is really at a crossroads, and even Lois Lane (Rachel Brosnahan) begins to question what drives him. Anna If I’m going to be talked into a superhero ick, it has to have some heart behind it, and luckily this one does. Sure, there’s buildings crashing down and big monsters terrorizing the streets of Metropolis, but the story is just as internal as it is external for Clark. He’s always thought he was sent to this Earth to be a beacon of light, to be a helper, to live in kindness and compassion for all living things. He just saved the people of Jarhanpur from annihilation at the hands
THE MORTICIAN
What’s it rated? TV-MA
When? 2025
Where’s it showing? HBO Max
The business of death can be a lucrative one, and no one knows that better than David Sconce. His family’s funeral home in Pasadena became the subject of a scandal back in January 1987. David’s parents ran the funeral home while David took over the crematorium side of the business. Weaving interviews with David himself, former employees, and family members of some of the cremated, this threepart series spins a ghastly tale of greed and bad deeds.
Packing their ovens full of bodies while family members thought their loved one was getting
of Boravia, but while he thinks what he did should be seen as a universally humanitarian move, others are questioning it as overreach by the “alien.” Add in Luthor’s dogged determination to take the hero he hates down, and Superman’s image soon needs a makeover. Lies spread, Luthor’s evil plan falls into place, and even Kent’s relationship with fellow reporter Lois Lane gets rocky. But it wouldn’t be a hero’s journey if there wasn’t a bit of light at the end of the tunnel, and when your hero is ghting for what it means to be human—he can’t lose. But he can certainly have a hard road to the win.
Glen You can really feel Gunn setting up a new path for the DC Universe. We get to know the “Justice Gang,” abrasive Guy Gardner/Green Lantern (Nathan Fillion sporting an atrocious haircut), pompous Michael Holt/Mister Terri c (Edi Gathegi), grumpy Kendra Saunders/Hawkgirl (Isabela Merced), and later empathic Rex Mason/Metamorpho (Anthony Carrigan). Superman’s obnoxious hard-partying cousin,
a sole cremation, David soon had skyrocketing profits—but that wasn’t enough for him. Pulling gold teeth from bodies was common practice, as was taking anything of worth off the bodies before they burned. Ashes were given to loved ones that very well may not have contained any ashes of their lost loved ones. He was eventually convicted of some of his crimes, including conspiracy to hire hitmen to take out other funeral directors, theft, and assault. Anyone with a penchant for true crime docs will probably enjoy this quick dive into a dark little secret from the streets of quaint Pasadena. (Three approximately 1-hour episodes.)
—Anna
Kara Zor-El (Milly Alcock), makes a late and funny appearance. Jimmy Olsen (Skyler Gisondo) also gets a bigger than usual part in the story. I’m looking forward to where Gunn takes the franchise.
Anna We also get a taste of Krypto the dog, whose naughty behavior winds up being a real asset to the good guy team. It certainly feels like we’re in the thick of summer blockbusters, and Superman is just that. I’m just happy that even though we do have a “gang” of heroes in this lm, it isn’t the bloated mess that e Avengers became. is is Superman’s story, and it’s rare that I look forward to second installments of lms like this one, but I am. Keeping the story focused on Clark’s inward struggle—alongside all the fun, big-action scenes—gives it a nice balance. Well done, Gunn. Let’s hope the next one has as much heart as the rst. ∆
Arts Editor Glen Starkey and freelancer Anna Starkey write Split Screen. Comment at gstarkey@newtimesslo.com.
MY MOM JAYNE
What’s it rated? TV-MA When? 2025
Where’s it showing? HBO Max
Mariska Hargitay is best known as Detective
Olivia Benson on the Law & Order: Special Victims Unit series, but she’s also the youngest child of 1950s and early-’60s pinup and starlet Jayne Mansfield, who tragically died in a car accident in 1967 when Hargitay was 3. Using family archives and historical materials, as well as interviews with her siblings, other family members, and those who knew Mansfield, Hargitay directs a fascinating portrait of the woman known as Hollywood’s “smartest dumb blonde.”
There are revelations galore, and I won’t ruin
COURTESY OF GETTY IMAGES/HBO MAX MONEY OVER MORALS The HBO Max documentary The Mortician chronicles the misdeeds of David Sconce when he assumed control of his family’s funeral home, putting profits over ethics.
the surprises, but at its heart, My Mom Jayne is a child’s attempt to understand the mother who passed before she got to know her. Mansfield had a complicated legacy. She leaned into her looks and voluptuous figure to make a living in Hollywood, and Hargitay has clearly struggled with public versus private sides of her mother, who was a polyglot and talented musician known mostly for her body. I came away with a newfound respect for Mansfield and her talents and accomplishments. It’s often a painful journey for Hargitay, but also a cathartic one. What begins as a biography grows into a fascinating mystery, with Hargitay at its heart. Must-watch! (105 min.) ∆
PERFECT FAMILY
Actress Mariska Hargitay (the infant), whose mother Jayne Mansfield (left) died when she was 3, directs the HBO Max documentary My Mom Jayne, digging deep into her family history.
MAN OF STEEL OR FLESH? Rachel Brosnahan stars as Lois Lane and David Corenswet as Clark Kent/Superman, in Superman, screening in local theaters.
PHOTO COURTESY OF WARNER BROS. PICTURES
PHOTO
PHOTO COURTESY OF HBO MAX
Music
BY GLEN STARKEY
King of quirk
Craig Nuttycombe releases Limestone Wizard on July 20 at The Bunker
It’s impossible not to smile along to a song like “Green Shoes,” the opener of singer-songwriter Craig Nuttycombe’s new album, Limestone Wizard. I figured Nuttycombe just invented its funny little story out of whole cloth, but it turns out the song is autobiographical.
“It’s a fun story,” Nuttycombe said. “Are you familiar with the brand of shoes called Allbirds?”
Apparently, the brand is known to be eco-friendly, so Nuttycombe Googled them, found what he called an “odd pair of green shoes,” and he ordered them.
“I got them, and I thought, ‘God, I don’t know if I’m cool enough to wear these.’ And anyway, I’m wearing them, and I swear to God, I have never had so many people compliment me on my shoes. I’m walking my dog at the beach and this man and his wife said, ‘Oh, wow, we really like those shoes. What are they?’ And I said, ‘Oh, they’re Allbirds.’ I’m in CVS at the pharmacy, and a Black gentleman goes, ‘Man, I like them shoes. Where’d you get them shoes?’ I’m walking down the street, and I would get comments from people on my green shoes.”
The song just came to him: “Everyone I see, they all seem to be, crazy ’bout my green shoes, wild about my green shoes. Walking down the street, half the folks I meet they say, ‘Where’d you get those green shoes? I’m wild about those green shoes.’ I said, ‘I bought ’em on a lark but they seem to cause a spark. I never thought that I could be so cool. But now I know much better, I’m a natural trendsetter in my green shoes.’”
You’ll no doubt hear stories like that about many of the songs on Nuttycombe’s new album when he holds a listening party for it on Sunday, July 20, at The Bunker (810 Orcutt Road, SLO; doors at 2:30 p.m.; listen at 3; all ages; $20 presale at my805tix.com includes a complementary CD). Nuttycombe will be joined by album producer Damon Castillo, who played on the record, and after listening and talking about it, they’ll “play two or three songs together,” Nuttycombe added.
Live Music
NORTH COAST SLO COUNTY
“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
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.
BURLEY THISTLES Burley Thistles is
It’s a terrific album chalk full of Nuttycombe’s clever and catchy songs. A couple of them were first recorded with Café Musique—his old ensemble—but he wanted to re-record “She” and “Half Step Behind” for this solo album. Those two and “I Fall In Love With Women” are some of the many quirky love-themed songs Nuttycombe has included. He was talking to two friends from Canada who filmed the documentary about his life, It’s Just a Life Time: A Portrait of Craig Nuttycombe (2023), which won the Audience Choice Award for Feature Documentary at the Central Alberta Film Festival, and he told them, “‘I’ve had better luck with dogs in my life than women,’ and she said, ‘That would be great on your gravestone.’”
Nuttycombe laughed, adding that he’s being cremated. For the record, his current dog’s name is Jarvis.
One of the things that make the recording shine is the production from Castillo and all the talented players who added their parts. One of the reasons Nuttycombe is having a listening party instead of a concert is he’d need to round up close to 20 people
an alternative rock band known for their guitar-driven sound and memorable songs. Hear them blend heartland rock with classic rock influence at Ragged Point Inn. July 20, 12-1 p.m. Ragged Point Inn, 19019 Highway 1, Ragged Point, (805) 927-5708, raggedpointinn.com.
FULL CIRCLE DRUMMING
CELEBRATION We’ll gather in the golden hills for a joyful mix of facilitated drumming and free-flowing music-making under the summer sky—celebrating life, friendship, rhythm, and a beautiful mandala of people from all walks of life. July 19, 6-9 p.m. Free. my805tix.com. Swallow Creek Ranch, 6030 Highway 1, Cayucos.
JAZZ AND BLUES TRIO AT MOONSTONE CELLARS: SUNNY WRIGHT, OZ BARRON, TOM BETHKE Come on out to the Patio at Moonstone Cellars in Cambria for Sunday Funday with bassist
to re-create the album’s rich, beautifully arranged sound.
For those on the left, “Rise and Fall” will appeal as it skewers our dumbeddown reality TV and social media culture and offers some choice lines about our current “leader.”
Nuttycombe takes the public domain children’s song “Mama’s Little Baby” by Reese DuPree and updates the lyrics into a funny food song.
The album’s title comes from a lyric from another cover song, Sopwith Camel’s 1973 psychedelic song “Dancing Wizard.”
The whole album bears repeated listening.
If you can’t make the listening party, you can buy a CD on craignuttycombe.com.
“I’m also making a free digital download available on my website,” he added, “with a little notation. If you choose to donate something, it’s going to go to Pacific Wildlife Care in Morro
Bay, where I volunteer. People don’t have to donate, but if they do, that’s where the money’s going to go.”
Hot summer nights
The biggest little fair anywhere—aka the California Mid-State Fair—is on like Donkey Kong through Sunday, July 27, in Paso Robles. In addition to all the traditional fair stuff like livestock, displays, carnival rides, competitions, a monster truck show, and dangerously unhealthy food, there’s a ton of entertainment—too much to list, but you can find it all at midstatefair.com/fair.
There are five free entertainment areas, but the really big shows are the ticketed concerts of the Michelob ULTRA concert Series in the Chumash Grandstand Arena, which this year include country star Jon Pardi on Thursday, July 17; rock act 311 on Friday, July 18; country star Cody Johnson on Saturday, July 19; Mexican music celebration Viva La Quebradita Tour on Sunday, July 20; country rockers The Red Clay Strays on Monday, July 21; rock legend David Lee Roth on Tuesday, July 22; country up and comer Bailey Zimmerman on Wednesday, July 23; Australian-American country singer Keith Urban on Thursday, July 24; and former The Eagles guitarist Don Felder on Friday, July 25.
Oz Barron, vocalist Sunny Wright, and guitarist Tom Bethke. July 20, 1-3 p.m. Free. (805) 927-9466. moonstonecellars. com/. Moonstone Cellars, 812 Cornwall St, Cambria.
THE MEDITATIONS LIVE Hailing from Jamaica, the Grammy award-winning reggae legends, The Meditations, will be in town playing live roots harmonies for The Siren’s audience. Hear them live and purchase a ticket at the link. July 17 7-10 p.m. $24. thesirenmorrobay.com. The Siren, 900 Main St., Morro Bay, (805) 225-1312. MORRO BAY WHITE CAPS COMMUNITY BAND, MUSIC BY THE SEA SUMMER CONCERT SERIES The Morro Bay White Caps Community Band, conducted by Brenda Hascall, will perform a variety of pops, classical and jazz music by the sea. July 26 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. July 26 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Free, Donations accepted. (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 North Ocean Ave, Cayucos.
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=pf bid0XU2CETCDiomAH5zp2XeQ9eswFTfFn
ScXaXZSpDX31WpmXAZznYdQsZ7MuwVu MzpQl&id=100095006873277&mibextid= wwXIfr. Morro Bay Maritime Museum, 1154 Front St., Morro Bay.
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)2256571. Morro Bay Maritime Museum, 1154 Front St., Morro Bay.
NORTH SLO COUNTY
BAILEY ZIMMERMAN LIVE Part of the California Mid-State Fair’s lineup of live concerts. July 23 midstatefair.com/fair/. Paso Robles Event Center, 2198 Riverside Ave., Paso Robles.
BAROQUE IN THE VINES Scott Yoo leads this annual Baroque concert at the picturesque hilltop setting of Serra
Chapel. Presented by Festival Mozaic. July 19 7:30 p.m. festivalmozaic.org/ show-details/baroque-in-the-vines. Serra Chapel, McMillan Canyon Road, Shandon. CODY JOHNSON LIVE Part of the California Mid-State Fair’s live music lineup. July 19 midstatefair.com/fair/. Paso Robles Event Center, 2198 Riverside Ave., Paso Robles.
EASTON EVERETT Easton Everett is a singer-songwriter who blends indie folk, neo-folk, and world beat with intricate fingerstyle guitar. Hear him live at Sun Outdoors Paso Robles. July 25 5-7 p.m. Sun Outdoors Paso Robles, 3800 Golden Hill Road, Paso Robles, (805) 242-4700. Singer-songwriter Easton Everett, who blends indie folk, neo-folk, and world beat with intricate fingerstyle guitar, will hit the stage of Paso Robles Inn. Hear
LIVE MUSIC continued page 28
LISTEN UP Singer-songwriter Craig Nuttycombe and his producer Damon Castillo will discuss their new project, Limestone Wizard, during a listening party on July 20 at The Bunker.
COURTESY PHOTO BY CARMEN COOKSON HILLS
JUMP Former Van Halen singer David Lee Roth plays the California Mid-State Fair on July 22 , in the Chumash Grandstand Arena.
PHOTO COURTESY OF DAVID LEE ROTH
8/9
his unique sound live. July 26 6-9 p.m. Paso Robles Inn, 1103 Spring Street, Paso Robles.
FESTIVAL MOZAIC CHAMBER CONCERT
2: NORTH COUNTY Festival Mozaic returns to the intimate Templeton Performing Arts Center for an evening of all Russian chamber music. July 21 7:30 p.m. festivalmozaic.org/show-details/ chamber-concert-2-north-county.
Templeton Performing Arts Center, 1200 S. Main St., Templeton, (805) 225-7087.
FOUR DAY BEARD LIVE AT HUBBA
WINES Head to Hubba Wines in Tin City for live music by Four Day Beard. July 25 5-9 p.m. $5.00 Donation. (805) 550-8190. hubbawines.com/Events. Hubba Wines, 2929 Limestone Way, 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) 460-6042. ancientowlbeergarden.com.
Ancient Owl Beer Garden, 6090 El Camino Real, suite C, Atascadero.
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) 550-8190. hubbawines.com/Events. Hubba Wines, 2929 Limestone Way, Paso Robles.
JAZZ AT SENSORIO WITH RICH SEVERSON, DYLAN JOHNSON AND SUNNY WRIGHT Relax at the fire pit tables before the lights, and listen to guitarist Rich Severson, bassist Dylan Johnson, and vocalist Sunny Wright perform great jazz and blues! July 20, 6:45-9:45 p.m. $35-$65. (805) 226-4287. sensoriopaso.com/. Sensorio, 4380 Highway 46 East, Paso Robles.
KARAOKE NIGHT Food and drink available for purchase. Last Saturday of every month, 8 p.m. Free admission. my805tix.com. Club Car Bar, 508 S. Main St., Templeton.
KEITH URBAN LIVE Part of the California Mid-State Fair’s lineup of live concerts. July 24 Paso Robles Event Center, 2198 Riverside Ave., Paso Robles.
MID-STATE FAIR: 311 LIVE Part of the California Mid-State Fair’s live music lineup. July 18 midstatefair.com/fair/. Paso Robles Event Center, 2198 Riverside Ave., 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.
SINGING HANDS CHILDREN’S CHOIR
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.
SONGWRITERS AT PLAY OPEN MIC
FEATURES JONATHAN SHUE Artists
featured will include Jonathan Shue, Kielo Smith, Chet Perryess, Leslie Thompson, Rich Krumholz, and more. Signup through email. July 23 , 6-8:30 p.m. Free. (805) 204-6821. songwritersatplay.com/events. Blast 825 (Atascadero), 7935 San Luis Ave., Atascadero.
SUMMER CONCERT SERIES AT HUBBA
WINES WITH FOUR DAY BEARD Head to Hubba Wines in Tin City for live music featuring local bands every Friday evening! Wine and food available will be available for purchase. July 25 , 5-9 p.m. $5 Donation. (805) 550-8190. hubbawines.com/Events. Hubba Wines, 2929 Limestone Way, Paso Robles.
SUMMER CONCERT SERIES AT HUBBA WINES WITH THE BOILED STEAK BROTHERS The Boiled Steak Brothers
are set to play live at Hubba Wines in Tin City. Wine and food will be available for purchase. July 18 5-9 p.m. $5.00 Donation. (805) 550-8190. hubbawines. com/Events. Hubba Wines, 2929 Limestone Way, Paso Robles.
SUNNY AND THE WRIGHT TONES AT THE POUR HOUSE PASO Sunny and The Wright Tones are set to bring the soul to The Pour House Paso on Sunday. Let’s work on those dance moves! July 27 3-6 p.m. $5. (805) 296-3712. pasoroblesbeer. com/events. The Pour House, 525 Pine St., Paso Robles.
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.
SAN LUIS OBISPO
39TH ANNUAL CENTRAL COAST
RENAISSANCE FESTIVAL Laguna Lake Park will turn into a bustling 16th-century English village when the Central Coast Renaissance Festival returns. July 19 10 a.m.-6 p.m. and July 20, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. $30 - $35. (805) 550-9177. ccrenfaire. com/. Central Coast Renaissance Festival, 504 Madonna Rd, San Luis Obispo.
THE BUNKER SLO PRESENTS: ROB
MAGILL & ABE GIBSON Ojai based saxophonist and multi-instrumentalist
Rob Magill will play with Morro Bay based percussionist Abe Gibson. July 19, 8-10 p.m. $13. my805tix.com. The Bunker SLO, 810 Orcutt Road, San Luis Obispo.
CHAMBER CONCERT 1: OPENING NIGHT The 2025 Summer Music Festival opens with an exciting and varied chamber music program. July 18 , 7:30 p.m. festivalmozaic.org. Cuesta College Cultural and Performing Arts Center, Highway 1, San Luis Obispo.
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+. July 18 , 8:30 p.m. Free. my805tix.com. Libertine Brewing Company, 1234 Broad St., San Luis Obispo, (805) 548-2337.
DUANE BETTS & PALMETTO MOTEL
Backed by his band, Palmetto Motel, Betts delivers a “dynamic live show filled with searing guitar solos, heartfelt storytelling, and a mix of classic influences with fresh energy.” Hear them live at SLO Brew! July 20, 6 p.m. $32. slobrew.com. Rod & Hammer Rock, 855 Aerovista Pl., San Luis Obispo, (805) 543-1843.
JACUZZI BOYS, SNACKS, AND JOONE’S LIVE Jacuzzi Boys are an American rock band based out of Miami, Florida, composed of Gabriel Alcala on vocals and guitar, Diego Monasterios on drums and Danny Gonzales on bass. Hear them live as they perform on the SLO Brew stage! July 19 7 p.m. $21. slobrew.com. Rod & Hammer Rock, 855 Aerovista Pl., San Luis Obispo, (805) 543-1843.
LISTENING PARTY WITH CRAIG NUTTYCOMBE & DAMON CASTILLO
Join for an intimate and interactive afternoon at The Bunker, celebrating the release of Craig Nuttycomb’s newest album, “Limestone Wizard”. Craig will be joined by his friend and producer Damon Castillo as they take you on a behind-the-scenes journey through the making of the album. Experience the music, hear the stories, and engage in a unique live listening session with the creators themselves. July 20 3-5 p.m. $24. my805tix.com. The Bunker SLO, 810 Orcutt Road, San Luis Obispo.
LIVERPOOL LEGENDS “THE COMPLETE BEATLES EXPERIENCE!” Grammynominated and internationally-acclaimed Liverpool Legends will be at Fremont Theater. Hear him live! July 19 8-10 p.m. $39.11-$94.22. prekindle.com. The Fremont Theater, 1035 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo, (805) 546-8600.
THE MOLLY RINGWALD PROJECT & ABOUT TIME AT CONCERTS IN THE PLAZA About Time will perform live in the heart of downtown SLO, followed by The Molly Ringwald Project. July 25 5 p.m. Mission Plaza, Downtown, San Luis Obispo.
MOONSHINER COLLECTIVE - UNDER THE MOON CONCERT Hear Moonshiner Collective -- the three-piece folk rock, California soul and americana band -- live at this Under The Moon concert. Each single ticket purchased covers a group of up to four guests. July 25 , 6 p.m. $100. my805tix.com. Dairy Creek Golf Course, 2990 Dairy Creek Rd., San Luis Obispo, (805) 782-8060.
UNCRUEL SUMMER: A GIRLY POP DANCE NIGHT Grab your friends and dance the night away to music from Taylor, Sabrina, Tate, Gracie, Chappell, Olivia, Billie, Ariana, Charli, Gaga, and more! Tickets and additional details are available at the link. July 25 , 8 p.m. $27. fremontslo.com. The Fremont Theater, 1035 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo, (805) 546-8600.
THE VIBE SETTERS & SADIE JASPER LIVE Sadie Jasper and The Vibe Setters will perform live sets at the Mission Plaza, followed by The Groove Collective at the Libertine Brewing after party. July 18 , 5 p.m. Mission Plaza, Downtown, 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.
DIRTY CELLO LIVE AT THE LIGHTHOUSE Enjoy a magical Saturday afternoon at the lighthouse with live music from Dirty Cello. Food, wine, and beer will be available for sale. Visit site to learn about ticket options and get more info about the band. July 26 , 2:30-5 p.m. $29. my805tix.com. Point San Luis Lighthouse, 1 Lighthouse Rd., Avila Beach.
EASTON EVERETT Easton Everett is a singer-songwriter who blends indie folk, neo-folk, and world beat with intricate fingerstyle guitar. His unique sound stands out from the mainstream. Hear him live. July 18 , 5-8 p.m. Cape Cod Eatery and Taphouse, 1127 Shell Beach Road, Pismo Beach, (805) 295-6919.
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. WHITE WINGED DOVE: THE BEST OF STEVIE NICKS AND FLEETWOOD MAC The ultimate Stevie Nicks and Fleetwood Mac experience. An immersive tribute celebrating 40 years of Nicks’ legendary solo hits and timeless Fleetwood Mac classics. July 26 7:30-9:30 p.m. $39-$65. (805) 489-9444. clarkcenter.org/shows/ white-winged-dove/. Clark Center for the Performing Arts, 487 Fair Oaks Ave., Arroyo Grande. ∆
Faux Fab Four
Good Vibez and the Fremont Theater present award-winning Beatles tribute act Liverpool Legends this Saturday, July 19 (doors at 7, show at 8 p.m.; all ages; $39.11 To $75.16 at prekindle.com). According to their bio, the four band members “were hand-picked by Louise Harrison, sister of the late George Harrison of The Beatles.” They recorded an album of Beatles covers called Fab Fan Memories, and it was nominated for a Grammy Award.
Festival Mozaic
The Summer Festival has begun and runs through Saturday, July 26, and you can get the details at festivalmozaic.org, but I’m going to tell you about one show that sounds amazing, Orquesta Akokán, playing Thursday, July 24, in the Fremont Theater (7:30 p.m.; $30 to $115 at ovationtix.com).
Grab a deep-fried Twinkie, ride the Tilt-AWhirl, look at some FFA pigs, and hit some shows on those warm Paso nights.
Beautiful
moments
Southern gentleman and singersongwriter Paul Thorn returns to The Siren courtesy of Good Medicine, Numbskull, and KCBX this Tuesday, July 22 (6:30 p.m.; 21-and-older; $37.80 at goodmedicinepresens.com), and he’s got a new album in tow, Life Is Just A Vapor, with a title track about life’s transience.
“Every day’s a gift. Breathe in and hold it. Every day’s a gift. It’s gone before you know it.”
The song begins with a line about the late, great John Prine, who Thorn has a funny story about. I won’t ruin it here, but if you go to the show, he’ll probably tell it before he plays this song.
“I like for people to be touched by music and get something from it, something that they can take with them throughout the day,” Thorn said in press materials. “Every song on this album, there’s a message in it of some sort about how to live life.”
I like the message in album opener “Tough Times Don’t Last”: “Tough times don’t last but tough people do.” His live shows are always amazing.
Also this week, Good Medicine and Numbskull bring St. Louis-based The Band Feel to Club Car Bar on Friday, July 18 (7:30 p.m.; all ages; $19.26 at goodmedicinepresents.com), with musician/ actor Tristan Lake Leabu opening. The Band Feel is inspired by the ’70s classic rock era.
Back at The Siren, Texas New Age blues-rockers The Ally Venable Band make a stop on their Money & Power Tour on Wednesday, July 23 (7 p.m.; 21-andolder; $24.93 at goodmedicinepresents. com). Venable is a soulful singer and guitar shredder who will light your fire.
The Siren also has an in-house show with third wave ska act Mephiskapheles on Thursday, July 24 (7 p.m.; 21-and-older; $15.30 at tixr.com). Formed in New York’s East Village in 1991, the group plays dark ska. Their horn section is called the Horns of Hell. Oy!
And you should also know that The Siren is hosting The Flower Machine, in their first local show since relocating to Morro Bay from Los Angeles, on Saturday,
July 19 (doors at 7:30 p.m.; 21-and-older; free). Fronted by Dutch American singer and guitarist Peter Quinnell, The Flower Machine is one of the longest-running neo-psyche rock bands in California having formed in 2004.
Sound out!
Send music and club information to gstarkey@newtimesslo.com.
According to Quinnell, they draw inspiration from the “Syd Barrett-era of Pink Floyd, Dutch legends The Outsiders, and Kevin Ayers.” They just released their fifth album, Waterloo Green Noise Solution and Longstraw open.
From father to son
If you’re a fan of Southern rock, you know Dickey Betts, the legendary guitarist and founding member of the Allman Brothers Band. He passed last year, but his son Duane Betts and his band Palmetto Motel have carried on the legacy of soul-stirring blues rock. Expect searing guitar solos, heartfelt storytelling, and some improvisational jamming when they play Rod & Hammer Rock this Sunday, July 20 (doors at 6 p.m.; all ages; $32.26 at ticketweb.com). Water Tower opens.
Also this week at Rod & Hammer Rock, check out Miami punk act Jacuzzi Boys on Saturday, July 19 (doors at 7 p.m.; 18-andolder; $20.79 at ticketweb.com). Snacks and Joone’s open.
This Latin ensemble blasted into the music stratosphere in 2018 with their fresh take on Cuban mambo inspired by mambo legends such as Perez Prado, Benny Moré, and Machito. Their debut self-titled album was nominated for a Grammy Award. Akokán is a Yoruban word used by Cubans that means “from the heart or soul,” and you’ll feel it when they play. The hard part will be staying in your seat. The grooves and rhythms are undeniably caliente!
More music …
The Bunker and The Frequent Weaver present Ojai multi-instrumentalist Rob Magill playing solo and in duo with Morro Bay percussionist Abe Gibson on Saturday, July 19 (doors at 7:30, show 8 p.m.; all ages; $12.56 at my805tix.com).
Calling all musicians!
It’s
Newtie time!
It’s time to submit your entries to the New Times Music Awards. Visit newtimesslo. com/sanluisobispo/NTMAHome/Page to see rules and find entry forms. Submissions will be accepted starting Thursday, July 24, through Monday, Aug. 11, at 5 p.m. Winners must be available to play the showcase on Friday, Nov. 21, in Rod & Hammer Rock. Good luck, players! ∆
Contact Arts Editor Glen Starkey at gstarkey@newtimesslo.com.
STARKEY from page 26
TOO BLESSED TO BE STRESSED Numbskull and Good Medicine present southern singersongwriter Paul Thorn at The Siren on July 22
COURTESY PHOTO BY JEFF FASANO
SOUTHERN ROCKER SLO Brew Live presents Duane Betts & Palmetto Motel at Rod & Hammer Rock on July 20
COURTESY PHOTO BY JEAN FRANK PHOTOGRAPHY
Flavor
BY REECE COREN
Back to back
Le Vigne Winery named Winery of the Year twice in a week
Sherry Isted has been drinking Le Vigne wine for 23 years. She said the Nikiara is her favorite.
“It’s not too tart or too sweet,” Isted said. “It’s smooth and blended nicely.”
Known for bold flavors like the Bordeauxstyle Nikiara with notes of blueberry, black cherry, pistachio, and turmeric, Le Vigne Winery was named Winery of the Year by the Central Coast Wine Competition on June 19 and also named the Paso Robles Winery of the Year by the New York International Wine Competition on June 23.
dark chocolate and the tart kick of plum skin. Made of 100 percent petit verdot, the 2018 vintage offers a flavor profile closer to blackberry.
Anderson said he loves the latter so much, he just bought himself four bottles.
In the Central Coast competition, Le Vigne received best in class medals for its 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon di Domenico and 2024 rosé of sangiovese and double gold medals for its 2024 rosé of sangiovese, 2022 Malbec di Domenico, and 2021 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon di Acquarello. Its other wines collected five gold, 10 silver, and a bronze medal.
Wine that shines
Located at 5115 Buena Vista Drive in Paso Robles, Le Vigne Winery is open daily from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturdays until 6. Find it on Facebook, Instagram, and at levignewinery.com. Reservations can be made online at levignewinery. com/make-a-reservation or by calling (805) 227-4000 or emailing info@levignewinery.com.
“Most of the time, you’ll see petit verdot as part of a verdot blend, and it’s maybe 3 percent of the overall blend,” General Manager Phillip Anderson said. “Our flagship Nikiara wine is about 20 percent petit verdot.”
The 2019 estate petit verdot unites luscious
Anderson said Le Vigne’s petit verdot and cabernet sauvignon also both received 96-point ratings and double gold medals from Sunset magazine.
The publication also matched Le Vigne’s zesty 2021 chardonnay with clams and fresh tomatoes in its “Sunset wine club’s perfect pairings” story published in January 2024.
The New York competition featured more than 1,400 wines from more than
two dozen countries worldwide. Le Vigne’s 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon di Domenico won double gold, adding to the gold won by its 2021 Paso Sangiovese and silver that its 2022 Petite Sirah di Domenico collected.
Le Vigne has collected so many awards for its wines, it takes six pages just to list them all.
“Our focus is on quality,” Anderson said. “We’d rather skip a year than make something that doesn’t meet our standards.”
The 2023 sauvignon blanc introduces itself with lemongrass, peach, and honeydew. Dragon fruit and lavender establish themselves, ensuring another sip, and the wine leaves tastebuds with a rich, crisp goodbye.
Le Vigne also offers tannat wine, typically only made in France or Uruguay. Anderson said tannats produced in Paso Robles, like Le Vigne’s 2019 vintage, are more fruit-forward, attracting fans of the bigger cabernet sauvignon.
“I was pouring [the tannat] in Pismo Beach a couple weeks ago,” Anderson said. “I had at least three people come up to me and say, ‘I’ve been drinking wine for 20 years. I’ve never heard of this.’ They loved it. It’s a big, juicy, well-structured wine that has the capacity to age.”
Anderson encouraged wine drinkers to try the tasting room. Reservations are highly recommended for all parties, especially those consisting of six or more people.
Reflecting on the list of accolades the winery has collected over the first quarter of this century, Anderson said the recognition is nice, but not as nice as the smiles he sees on customers’ faces after being blown away by a sip of Le Vigne wine.
“These awards are signs we’re doing things the right way,” he said. “Now, we have to up the ante.” ∆
Reach Staff Writer Reece Coren at rcoren@ santamariasun.com.
CROWN JEWEL Le Vigne’s customer-favorite Nikiara wine is about one-fifth petit verdot, according to General Manager Phillip Anderson. Its unique flavor profile has notes of turmeric alongside the sweet taste of blueberries.
PHOTOS COURTESY OF LE VIGNE WINERY
PARTNERS IN WINE Along with its 2024 rosé of sangiovese, which the Central Coast Wine Competition recently named best in class, Le Vigne’s 2019 sangiovese was awarded best in class and double gold medals by the Sunset International Wine Competition in 2022.
PHOTO COURTESY OF LE VIGNE WINERY ON CLOUD WINE Le Vigne’s petite sirah earned silver and platinum medals from this year’s New York International Wine Competition and Monterey Wine Festival, respectively.
Trustor, will be sold AT PUBLIC AUCTION TO THE HIGHEST BIDDER for cash (payable in full at time of sale by cash, a cashier’s check drawn by 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). 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, and as more fully described in the above referenced deed of trust. Sale Date: July 29, 2025 Sale Time: 11:00 AM Sale Location: In the breezeway adjacent to the County General Services Building, 1087 Santa Rosa Street, San Luis Obispo, CA 93408 2 File No.:24-08705CA The street address and other common designation, if any, of the real property described above is purported to be: 777 Sierra Road, Nipomo, CA 93444. 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 made in an “AS IS” condition, but without covenant or warranty, expressed or implied, regarding title, possession, or encumbrances, to pay the remaining principal sum of the note(s) secured by said Deed of Trust, with interest thereon, as provided in said note(s), advances, if any, under the terms of the Deed of Trust, estimated fees, charges and expenses of the Trustee and of the trusts created by said Deed of Trust, to-wit: $402,204.41 (Estimated). Accrued interest and additional advances, if any, will increase this figure prior to sale. It is possible that at the time of sale the opening bid may be less than the total indebtedness due. 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 out-
standing 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, (916) 939-0772 for information regarding the trustee’s sale or visit this internet website, www.nationwideposting.com, for information regarding the sale of this property, using the file number assigned to this case, T.S.# 24-08705CA. 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 website. The best way to verify postponement information is to attend the scheduled sale. NOTICE TO TENANT: 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 (916) 939-0772, or visit this internet website www. nationwideposting.com, using the file number assigned to this case 24-08705CA 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. 3 File No.:24-08705CA 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
NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER
ESTATE OF:
RICHARD BOOTHE, aka
RICHARD ALLAN BOOTHE
DECEDENT
CASE NUMBER: 25PR-0196
To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the will or estate, or both, of: RICHARD BOOTHE, aka
RICHARD ALLAN BOOTHE
A PETITION FOR PROBATE has been filed SASADI ODUNSI in the Superior Court of California, County of SAN LUIS OBISPO.
THE PETITION FOR PROBATE requests that SASADI ODUNSI be appointed as personal representative to administer the estate of the decedent.
THE PETITION requests authority to administer the estate under the Independent Administration of Estates Act. (This authority will allow the personal representative to take many actions without obtaining court approval. Before taking certain very important actions, however, the personal representative will be required to give notice to interested persons unless they have waived notice or consented to the proposed action.) The independent administration authority will be granted unless an interested person files an objection to the petition and shows good cause why the court should not grant the authority.
A HEARING on the petition will be held in this court as follows:
July 29, 2025, at 9:00 a.m. in Dept.: 4 in person at the Superior Court of California, County of San Luis Obispo, located at 1050 Monterey Steet, San Luis Obispo, CA 93408.
IF YOU OBJECT to the granting of the petition, you should appear at the hearing and state your objections or file written objections with the court before the hearing. Your appearance may be in person or by your attorney.
IF YOU ARE A CREDITOR or a contingent creditor of the decedent, you must file your claim with the court and mail a copy to the personal representative appointed by the court within the later of either (1) four months from the date of first issuance of letters to a general personal representative, as defined in section 58(b) of the California Probate Code, or (2) 60 days from the date of mailing or personal delivery to you of notice under section 9052 of the California Probate Code. Other California statutes and legal authority may affect your rights as a creditor. You may want to consult with an attorney knowledgeable in California law. YOU MAY EXAMINE the file kept by the court. If you are a person interested in the estate, you may file with the court a formal Request for Special Notice (form DE-154) of the filing of an inventory and appraisal of estate assets or of any petition or account as provided in Probate Code section 1250. A Request for Special Notice form is available from the court clerk.
Petitioner: Sasadi Odunsi 130 Lincoln Place Brooklyn, NY 11217 917-318-1768
NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF:
RICHARD GERALD WINGATE
DECEDENT CASE NUMBER: 25PR-0213
To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the will or estate, or both, of: RICHARD GERALD WINGATE
A PETITION FOR PROBATE has been filed KELLY WINGATE CHERRY in the Superior Court of California, County of SAN LUIS OBISPO.
THE PETITION FOR PROBATE requests that KELLY WINGATE CHERRY be appointed as personal representative to administer the estate of the decedent.
THE PETITION requests the decedent’s will and codicils, if any, be admitted to probate. The will and any codicils are available for examination in the file kept by the court.
THE PETITION requests authority to administer the estate under the Independent Administration of Estates Act. (This authority will allow the personal representative to take many actions without obtaining court approval. Before taking certain very important actions, however, the personal representative will be required to give notice to interested persons unless they have waived notice or consented to the proposed action.) The independent administration authority will be granted unless an interested person files an objection to the petition and shows good cause why the court should not grant the authority.
A HEARING on the petition will be held in this court as follows: August 12, 2025, at 9:01 a.m. in Dept.: 4 in person at the Superior Court of California, County of San Luis Obispo, located at 1050 Monterey Steet, Room 220, San Luis Obispo, CA 93408.
IF YOU OBJECT to the granting of the petition, you should appear at the hearing and state your objections or file written objections with the court before the hearing. Your appearance may be in person or by your attorney.
IF YOU ARE A CREDITOR or a contingent creditor of the decedent, you must file your claim with the court and mail a copy to the personal representative appointed by the court within the later of either (1) four months from the date of first issuance of letters to a general personal representative, as defined in section 58(b) of the California Probate Code, or (2) 60 days from the date of mailing or personal delivery to you of notice under section 9052 of the California Probate Code. Other California statutes and legal authority may affect your rights as a creditor. You may want to consult with an attorney knowledgeable in California law.
YOU MAY EXAMINE the file kept by the court. If you are a person interested in the estate, you may file with the court a formal Request for Special Notice (form DE-154) of the filing of an inventory and appraisal of estate assets or of any petition or account as provided in Probate Code section 1250. A Request for Special Notice form is available from the court clerk.
Attorney for Petitioner: Allison Cherry Lafferty Kroloff, Belcher, Smart, Perry & Christopherson 7540 Shoreline Drive Stockton, CA 95219 209-478-2000
July 17, 24, & 31, 2025
Public Notice of Lien Sale
Business & Professional Code
21700
Notice is hereby given that a Public Lien Auction will be held at Storage 101 1420 Ramada Dr. Paso Robles CA 93446 on Saturday July 19, 2025 @10a.m.
Contents stored in the following
Units Will be sold: 163 William Cowan, 107 Diane Lynn Williams, 606 Shawna Dawson, 287B Olivia Garnica, 312B Melissa Ramirez 735 Esperanza Garcia
Auction Conducted by Hitchin’
Post Auctioneers
Bond # MS 879-23-57
July 10 & 17, 2025
NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER
ESTATE OF: STEVEN HIXSON
DECEDENT
CASE NUMBER: 25PR-0190
To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the will or estate, or both, of: STEVEN HIXSON
A PETITION FOR PROBATE has been filed TAYLOR HIXSON in the Superior Court of California, County of SAN LUIS OBISPO.
THE PETITION FOR PROBATE requests that TAYLOR HIXSON be appointed as personal representative to administer the estate of the decedent.
THE PETITION requests authority to administer the estate under the Independent Administration of Estates Act. (This authority will allow the personal representative to take many actions without obtaining court approval. Before taking certain very important actions, however, the personal representative will be required to give notice to interested persons unless they have waived notice or consented to the proposed action.) The independent administration authority will be granted unless an interested person files an objection to the petition and shows good cause why the court should not grant the authority.
A HEARING on the petition will be held in this court as follows: July 29, 2025, at 9:00 a.m. in Dept.: 4 in person or via ZOOM at the Superior Court of California, County of San Luis Obispo, located at 1050 Monterey Steet, Room 220, San Luis Obispo, CA 93408.
IF YOU OBJECT to the granting of the petition, you should appear at the hearing and state your objections or file written objections with the court before the hearing. Your appearance may be in person or by your attorney.
IF YOU ARE A CREDITOR or a contingent creditor of the decedent, you must file your claim with the court and mail a copy to the personal representative appointed by the court within the later of either (1) four months from the date of first issuance of letters to a general personal representative, as defined in section 58(b) of the California Probate Code, or (2) 60 days from the date of mailing or personal delivery to you of notice under section 9052 of the California Probate Code. Other California statutes and legal authority may affect your rights as a creditor. You may want to consult with an attorney knowledgeable in California law.
YOU MAY EXAMINE the file kept by the court. If you are a person interested in the estate, you may file with the court a formal Request for Special Notice (form DE-154) of the filing of an inventory and appraisal of estate assets or of any petition or account as provided in Probate Code section 1250. A Request for Special Notice form is available from the court clerk.
Attorney for Petitioner: Edward E. Attala 1502 Higuera Street San Luis Obispo, CA 93401
805-543-1212
July 10, 17, & 24, 2025
ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME CASE NUMBER: 25CVP-0192
To all interested persons: Petitioner: Deanna Bollman filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: PRESENT NAME: Brayden Dunton Perry PROPOSED NAME: Brayden Burch Dunton. 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: July 23, 2025, 9:30 am, Dept: P2 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: May 27, 2025.
/s/: Michael Kelley, Judge of the Superior Court. July 17, 24, 31, August 7, 2025.
NOTICE OF INTENT TO DEMOLISH STRUCTURE
LOCATED AT 1220 MILL STREET, SAN LUIS OBISPO, CA
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the owner of the property located at 1220 Mill Street, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401 intends to demolish the existing structures on the site, including a residence and workshop.
A Historic Resource Evaluation prepared by Dr. James Papp, Historian and Architectural Historian for the City and County of San Luis Obispo, concluded that the residence or workshop on the property qualify for the National Register of Historic Places, the California Register of Historical Resources, or the City of San Luis Obispo’s Master List or Contributing List. The evaluation determined that the structures do not possess historical or architectural significance and are not associated with any notable historical events or persons. Additionally, no evidence suggests the property has yielded or is likely to yield important archaeological information.
Demolition of the structures is proposed in accordance with the City of San Luis Obispo’s Historic Preservation Ordinance. For more information or to submit comments, please contact the City of San Luis Obispo Community Development Department at (805) 781-7170 or visit www. slocity.org.
Salvage or Relocation Opportunity:
Prior to demolition, the property owner is open to inquiries from individuals or organizations interested in relocating any of the structures, or salvaging building materials. If you are interested, please contact the owner directly at (805) 441-4050 to discuss access and logistics.
Dated: July 17, August 7, & 28, 2025 PJ Designs (805) 550-7436
NOTICE OF INTENT TO DEMOLISH STRUCTURE LOCATED AT 1841 SLACK STREET, SAN LUIS OBISPO, CA
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the owner of the property located at 1841 Slack Street, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401 intends to demolish the existing structures on the site, including a primary residence, an accessory dwelling unit, and a shed.
A Historic Resource Evaluation prepared by Dr. James Papp, Historian and Architectural Historian for the City and County of San Luis Obispo, concluded that none of the three structures on the property qualify for the National Register of Historic Places, the California Register of Historical Resources, or the City of San Luis Obispo’s Master List or Contributing List. The evaluation determined that the structures do not possess historical or architectural significance and are not associated with any notable historical events or persons. Additionally, no evidence suggests the property has yielded or is likely to yield important archaeological information.
Demolition of the structures is proposed in accordance with the City of San Luis Obispo’s Historic Preservation Ordinance. For more information or to submit comments, please contact the City of San Luis Obispo Community Development Department at (805) 781-7170 or visit www. slocity.org.
Salvage or Relocation Opportunity:
Prior to demolition, the property owner is open to inquiries from individuals or organizations interested in relocating any of the structures, or salvaging building materials. If you are interested, please contact the owner directly at (805) 441-1548 to discuss access and logistics.
Dated: July 17, August 7, & 28, 2025 PJ Designs (805) 550-7436
ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME CASE NUMBER: 25CV-0401
To all interested persons: Petitioner: Taneesha Regez filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows:
PRESENT NAME: Wyatt Cash Heck
PROPOSED NAME: Wyatt Cash Regez. 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 20, 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: June 18, 2025.
/s/: Tana L. Coates, Judge of the Superior Court. July 3, 10, 17, 2025
ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME CASE NUMBER: 25CVP-0152
To all interested persons: Petitioner: Izel Rios filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: PRESENT NAME: Izel Rios PROPOSED NAME: Itzel Rios 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 14, 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 5, 2025. /s/: Judge van Rooyen, Craig B, Judge of the Superior Court. July 3, 10, 17, 2025
ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME
CASE NUMBER: 24CV-0525
To all interested persons: Petitioner: Daniel Childress aka Danny Gonzalez filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: PRESENT NAME: Danny Gonzalez PROPOSED NAME: Daniel Childress
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.
NOTICE OF HEARING: Date: August 20, 2025 9:00 am, Dept: 4 in person or by Zoom at the Superior Court of California, County of San Luis Obispo, 1035 Palm Street Room 385 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: September 4, 2024. /s/: Tana L. Coates, Judge of the Superior Court. July 17, 24, 31, August 7, 2025
are Mondays before 3pm, for
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
WHO:
San Luis Obispo County Planning Commission
WHEN: Thursday, August 14, 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 an amendment to the General Plan Conservation and Open Space Element to improve public access to open space and for consistency with SB 1425. (County File Number: LRP202500005)
County File Number: LRP2025-00005
Assessor Parcel Number: Not applicable
Supervisorial District: All Districts
Date Authorized: Not applicable
WHERE:
The hearing will be held in the San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors Chambers, 1055 Monterey St., Room #D170, County Government Center, San Luis Obispo, CA. The Board of Supervisors Chambers are located on the corner of Santa Rosa and Monterey Streets. At the hearing 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 Kip Morais, Project Manager, in the San Luis Obispo County Department of Planning and Building, County Government Center, San Luis Obispo, California 93408, (805) 781-5600 or at kmorais@co.slo.ca.us.
ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION:
Also to be considered is the environmental determination that the project is exempt under CEQA via the General Rule Exemption, pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15061(b)(3). A Notice of Exemption has been prepared pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15062 (ED25-0149).
**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 9, 2025
YSABEL EIGHMY, SECRETARY COUNTY PLANNING COMMISSION
July 17, 2025
CITY OF PISMO BEACH
STATE OF CALIFORNIA
NOTICE TO PROPOSERS
PROPOSALS will be received electronically by the City of Pismo Beach via the City’s e-Procurement Portal PlanetBids, until 2:00 p.m., on Thursday, July 31, 2025 for performing work as follows: ON-CALL ENGINEERING SERVICES
The City of Pismo Beach (City) is seeking proposals from qualified Engineering firms (Consultant) to provide OnCall Engineering Services including but not limited to various disciplines including inspection services, project management, construction management, development review plan checking, traffic and transportation, stormwater compliance, and surveying mapping services. The City is interested in generating a list of qualified consultants to draw from as needed. Firms interested in one or more services are encouraged to submit a proposal. The City reserves the right to enter into an agreement with a single consultant or with multiple consultants in order to provide the complete range of professional services. It is the intent of the City to enter into a Professional Services Agreement with the Consultant(s) for some services, on a not-to-exceed basis. The term of the agreement will be for three (3) years and the option to extend for an additional two (2) one (1) year periods. Other agreements will be on an individual task order basis as need arises and will be at the discretion of the City.
All questions must be submitted in writing through the PlanetBids Procurement Question/Answer Tab via the City’s e-Procurement portal, on or before the Question & Answer Submission Date and Time. All questions submitted and answers provided shall be electronically distributed to all proposers who have selected to “follow” this RFP on the City’s e-Procurement Portal.
Proposals must be submitted online using the City’s electronic bidding platform which can be accessed at www.pismobeach. org/bids.
ERICA INDERLIED
CITY CLERK
July 10 & 17, 2025
WHO: County of San Luis Obispo Planning Department Hearing WHEN: Friday, August 1, 2025 at 9:00 AM: All items are advertised for 9:00 AM. To verify agenda placement, please call the Department of Planning & Building at (805) 781-5600.
WHAT: A request by Kelly Lockhart for a Minor Use Permit/Coastal Development Permit (C-DRC2022-00058) to rectify a code enforcement case (CODE2022-00079) for unpermitted development within the blufftop setback. The project consists of a restoration plan which includes a combination of modifying and full to partial removal of unpermitted allan block retaining walls, stairs, pavers and other elements within the blufftop setback, and installation of natural vegetation to screen remaining lowlying walls. The project is designed and proposed in compliance with the Coastal Zone Land Use Ordinance and Estero Area Plan Standards. The project will result in the disturbance of approximately 850 square-feet of the 3,610 square-foot site. No modifications to the existing sea wall are proposed. The project is within the Residential Single-Family land use category and is located at 2736 Studio Drive in the community of Cayucos. The site is in the Small-Scale Design Neighborhood and the Estero Planning Area. Also to be considered is the determination that this project is exempt from environmental review under CEQA based on the General Rule or Common Sense Exemption.
County File Number: C-DRC2022-00058
Supervisorial District: District 2
Assessor Parcel Number(s): 064-255-008 Date Accepted: 3/19/2025
WHERE Virtual meeting via Zoom platform. Instructions on how to view and participate in the meeting remotely and provide public comment will be included in the published meeting Agenda and are posted on the Department’s webpage at: Planning Department Hearing (PDH) - County of San Luis Obispo (ca.gov)
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
A copy of the staff report will be made available on the Planning Department website at www.sloplanning.org. You may also contact Andy Knighton, Project Manager, in the Department of Planning and Building at the address below or by telephone at 805-781-4142.
TO REQUEST A PUBLIC HEARING
This matter is tentatively scheduled to appear on the consent agenda, which means that it and any other items on the consent agenda can be acted upon by the hearing officer with a single motion. An applicant or interested party may request a public hearing on this matter. To do so, send a letter to this office at the address below or send an email to pdh@ co.slo.ca.us by 7/25/2025 at 4:30 PM. The letter or email must include the language “I would like to request a hearing on C-DRC2022-00058.”
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.
COASTAL APPEALABLE
If the County approves this project, that action may be eligible for appeal to the California Coastal Commission. An applicant or aggrieved party may appeal to the Coastal Commission only after all possible local appeals have been exhausted pursuant to Coastal Zone Land Use Ordinance Section 23.01.043(b). Local appeals must be filed using the required Planning Department form as provided by Coastal Zone Land Use Ordinance Section 23.01.042(a)(1).
Ysabel Eighmy Secretary, Planning Department Hearing July 17, 2025
INVITATION TO BID (SUB BIDS ONLY)
GENERAL CONTRACTOR: MAINO CONSTRUCTION COMPANY, INCORPORATED
PROJECT NAME: CALIFORNIA POLYTECHNIC STATE UNIVERSITY SAN LUIS OBISPO PAC UPPER ROOF GUTTER & MINOR ROOF REPAIRS
PROJECT LOCATION: BLDG. 06, CAL POLY STATE UNIVERSITY, SLO, CA 93407
PROJECT OWNER: TRUSTEES OF THE CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY
ARCHITECT: MOON ARCHITECTS CORPORATION
BID DATE & TIME: THURSDAY, JULY 31, 2025
PRE-BID SITE REVIEW: N/A
ESTIMATE/BUDGET: $750,000
ANTICIPATED SCHEDULE: 1 MONTH
START DATE: AUGUST 4, 2025
COMPLETION: SEPTEMBER 9, 2025
(CONTRACTOR IS RESPONSIBLE FOR OVERTIME AND WEEKEND WORK ANTICIPATED TO MEET PROJECT SCHEDULE)
SCOPE OF WORK:
Reline of south gutters and roof repairs at Cal Poly’s Performing Arts Center. The University will be performing the following trades: None.
BIDS SHALL BE EMAILED TO: sonnys@mainoslo.com
BID REQUIREMENTS:
1. Subcontractors must be bondable and may be required to provide Payment and Performance Bonds.
2. Bid Bond is not required.
3. Safety Record is of the utmost importance. Subcontractors with aggregate EMR Rate of 1.5 over the past three years may be disqualified.
4. Prevailing Wage TO VIEW PLANS/SPEC:
Plans and specs may be downloaded from ASAP Reprographics at www.asapplanroom.com
Plans and specs may also be viewed at the following Builders Exchanges:
- SLO County Builders Exchange – www.slocbe.com
- Santa Maria Valley Contractors Association – www.smvca.org
- Central California Builders Exchange – www.cencalbx.com
Maino Construction Company, Incorporated is an equal opportunity Contractor. It is the responsibility of each Subcontractor to view all pertinent information and documents prior to submitting a proposal.
July 17, 2025
COUNTY OF SAN LUIS OBISPO DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING & BUILDING NOTICE OF TENTATIVE ACTION / PUBLIC HEARING
WHO: County of San Luis Obispo Planning Department Hearing
WHEN: Friday, August 1, 2025 at 9:00 AM: All items are advertised for 9:00 AM. To verify agenda placement, please call the Department of Planning & Building at (805) 781-5600.
WHAT: Hearing to consider a request by Jean-Paul Cane for a Minor Use Permit/Coastal Development Permit (DRC2021-00067) to construct an approximately 4,928-square-foot two-story single-family residence including an attached garage, decks and patios, driveway, septic system, and associated site improvements. The project would result in ground disturbance of the entire approximately 0.47-acre undeveloped parcel. The project is located within the Residential Single Family land use category, located at 286 San Leandro Court within the community of Los Osos. The site is in the Estero Planning Area. Also to be considered is the environmental determination and approval of the Environmental Document prepared for the item. The Environmental Coordinator found that the previously adopted Mitigated Negative Declaration (SCH 2014021005, SLO County adopted March 21, 2014) is adequate for the purposes of compliance with CEQA. Per State CEQA Guidelines (Sec. 15164(a), Sec. 15162) an Addendum to the adopted Mitigated Negative Declaration was prepared as the following conditions apply: 1) only minor technical changes or additions are necessary; 2) no substantial changes have been made or occurred that would require major revisions to the Mitigated Negative Declaration due to either new significant effects or substantial increases in the severity of previously identified significant effects; 3) substantial changes have not occurred with respect to the circumstances under which the project is undertaken; and 4) no new information of substantial importance which was not known or could not have been known at the time of the adopted Mitigated Negative Declaration has been identified. No new mitigation measures have been proposed.
County File Number: DRC2021-00067
Supervisorial District: District 2
Assessor Parcel Number(s): 074-483-025
Date Accepted: 11/26/2021
WHERE Virtual meeting via Zoom platform. Instructions on how to view and participate in the meeting remotely and provide public comment will be included in the published meeting Agenda and are posted on the Department’s webpage at: Planning Department Hearing - County of San Luis Obispo (ca.gov)
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
A copy of the staff report will be made available on the Planning Department website at www.sloplanning.org. You may also contact Andy Knighton, Project Manager, in the Department of Planning and Building at the address below or by telephone at 805-781-4142. 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.
Ysabel Eighmy
Secretary
Planning Department Hearing July 17, 2025
BY CAMILLIA LANHAM
Education Today
Free Will Astrology by Rob Brezsny
Homework: Make amends to the person you were in the past. They’re still alive within you. Newsletter.freewillastrology.com
ARIES
(March 21-April 19): For the Dagara people of Burkina Faso, the element of fire has profound cultural meanings. It’s a symbol of innovation and inspiration. It’s a mediator between the physical and spiritual worlds and a conduit for communication with the ancestors. Through rituals, fire is a purifying and renewing force that helps people reconnect with their purpose, heal relationships, and catalyze positive change in the community. In the coming weeks, Aries, I hope you will be deeply aligned with all these symbolic meanings. What are you ready to ignite for the sake of nurturing and care? What truths need light and heat? What future visions would benefit from surges of luminosity?
TAURUS
LIBRA
(Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Is there any aspect of your life or character that is still unripe even though it is critical to your lifelong journey? Have you held on to your amateur status or remained a bit dilettantish beyond the time when you might have progressed to the next highest level? Are you still a casual dabbler in a field where you could ultimately become masterful? If you answered yes to these queries, now is a perfect moment to kick yourself in the butt and leap to the next level. Waiting around for fate to kick your butt would be a mistake.
SCORPIO
(Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Many astrologers rightfully say that Virgo is the most detail-oriented, meticulous sign. I think you Scorpios may be the most methodical and thorough of all the signs, which means that you, too, can be meticulous and detail-oriented. A prime example is the Scorpio sculptor Auguste Rodin (1840-1917). Eventually, his work became worldrenowned, but his career developed gradually because of his painstaking patience and scrupulous devotion to excellence. I propose we make him your role model for now. Inspired by him, resist pressure for immediate results. Trust in the slow, steady refinement process.
SAGITTARIUS
(April 20-May 20): In the Nahuatl language spoken by Indigenous Mexicans, the word nepantla describes an in-between space. It’s a liminal threshold where a transition is in process. The old ways have fallen away, but the new ways are not yet fully formed. It’s unsettling and perhaps confusing, yet seeded with the potential for creative change. I suspect you are now in a state resembling nepantla, Taurus. Please understand that this isn’t a crisis. It’s a chrysalis. Any discomfort you feel is not a sign of failure, but a harbinger of the wisdom and power that will come by molting the identity you have outgrown. I hope you will honor the rawness and speak tenderly to yourself. You are not lost; you are mid-ritual.
GEMINI
(May 21-June 20): The sea slug Elysia chlorotica is a small, unassuming creature that performs a remarkable feat: It eats algae and steals its chloroplasts, then incorporates them into its own body. For weeks afterward, the slug photosynthesizes sunlight like a plant. I believe, Gemini, that you are doing a metaphorical version of this biological borrowing. Some useful influence or presence you have absorbed from another is integrating into your deeper systems. You’re making it your own now. This isn’t theft, but creative borrowing. You’re not copying; you’re synthesizing and synergizing.
CANCER
(June 21-July 22): Ancient beekeepers in Anatolia carved hives directly into rock faces, coaxing honey from the cliffs. This practice was designed to protect bees from harsh weather and predators while maximizing honey production. The bees adapted well to their unusual homes. I suspect, Cancerian, that in the coming weeks, your sweetness and bounty may also thrive in unlikely structures. It could take a minute or two for you to adjust, but that won’t be a problem. Your nectar-making instincts will guide you. So I advise you not to wait for the perfect container before beginning your work. Make honey in the best available setting.
LEO
(July 23-Aug. 22): I laughed until I sobbed as you earnestly played the game of love even after the rules had changed. I sighed till I panted as you dredged up a new problem to avoid fixing an overripe hassle. I rolled my eyes until I got dizzy as you tried to figure out the differences between stifling self-control and emancipating self-control. But all that’s in the past, right, Leo? Now I’m preparing to cheer until my voice is raspy as you trade in a dried-up old obsession in favor of a sweet, fresh, productive passion—and outgrow all the fruitless nuisances.
VIRGO
(Aug. 23-Sept. 22): The ancient scribes of Mesopotamia etched records onto clay tablets with styluses, pressing wedgeshaped marks into wet earth. Once baked, these tablets endured for thousands of years. Some are still readable today. In my astrological assessment, Virgo, you are undergoing a metaphorically comparable process. Messages and expressions that are forming within you are meant to last. They may not win you immediate attention and applause. But you already suspect how crucial they will be to both your own future and the destinies of those you care for. Be bold, decisive, and precise as you choose your words.
(Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Here are half of your words of power for the coming days: windfall, godsend and boon. The other half are potion remedy, and healing agent. If you’re lucky, and I think you will be, those terms will blend and overlap. The blessings that come your way will be in the form of cures and fixes. I’m being understated here so as not to sound too wildly excited about your immediate future. But I suspect you will wrangle at least one amazing victory over hardship. Your chances of a semi-miraculous visitation by a benevolent intervention are as high as they have ever been.
CAPRICORN
(Dec. 22-Jan. 19): The ancient Chinese character for “listening” contains symbols for ears, eyes, and heart. I interpret this to signify that it’s not enough to seek the truth with just one of your faculties. They must all be engaged and working together to get the full story. You are wise to survey the world with your whole being. Keep these meditations in mind during the coming weeks, Capricorn. Your natural inclination is to be practical, take action, and get things done. But for now, your main superpower will be listening to everything. So my advice is to listen with your skin. Listen with your breath. Listen with your gut. Let your attention be so complete that the world softens and speaks to you about what you really need to know.
AQUARIUS
(Jan. 20-Feb. 18): If you would like to glide into rapt alignment with astrological rhythms, give gifts to your two closest allies. These offerings should inspire their ambitions, not indulge their cravings to be comfortable. They shouldn’t be practical necessities or consumer fetishes, but rather provocative tools or adult toys. Ideally, they will be imaginative boons that your beloved companions have been shy about asking for or intriguing prods that will help beautify their self-image. Show them you love both the person they are now and the person they are becoming.
PISCES
(Feb. 19-March 20): Piscean photographer Ansel Adams is so renowned that he’s in the International Photography Hall of Fame. We know the moment that his lifelong passion erupted. At age 14, his family gave him a simple camera and took him to Yosemite National Park in California. “The splendor of Yosemite burst upon us, and it was glorious,” he wrote later. “One wonder after another descended upon us. A new era began for me.” In the coming months, I foresee you encountering a comparable turning point, Pisces—a magical interlude awakening you to a marvel that will become an enduring presence in your life. Be alert for it. Better yet, declare your intention to shape events to ensure it happens and you’re ready for it. ∆
