Artifacts .........................................22 Split Screen...............................24 music
Strictly Starkey 26 the rest
Classifieds 36
Brezsny’s Astrology ........ 43
Editor’s note
SLO County’s Cal Fire unit chief is concerned about the safety of rural and coastal residents who live a long drive from emergency medical care. He also expressed worry about those recreating on local state and federal lands in a letter he sent to Mercy Air, urging the air ambulance service to reconsider the decision to close its Paso Robles air base. The only medevac provider in the county is closing its local operation in November thanks to inadequate reimbursement from Medi-Cal and Medicare, according to parent company Air Methods. Staff Writer Bulbul Rajagopal writes about the issue [6] Also in this issue, read about the YTT Northern Chumash Tribe’s effort to purchase land along the coast [8]; a conversation with character actor and comedian Michael Richards [22]; and Justin Lewis, a chef and sheep farmer [32].
Camillia Lanham editor
file photo courtesy of Mercy Air cover design by Alex Zuniga
Gianna Patchen
CIRCULATION
Chaney
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SLO denies all findings in grand jury report about unsanctioned frat parties
The city of San Luis Obispo denied all six findings of the SLO County grand jury report that alleged mismanagement of unsanctioned fraternity parties.
“Even though this report, if you read it, might look like we disagree with everything and we are not implementing the things that have been recommended, we really all do care about all of these things,” City Councilmember Michelle Shoresman said at the Sept. 16 City Council meeting. “I’m frustrated by it all too.”
The City Council unanimously approved the city manager’s, the Planning Commission’s, and its own response—originally composed by staff—to the grand jury report.
The city denied the findings in a 14-page letter to SLO Superior Court Judge Rita Federman on Sept. 16. Many of the findings, the letter said, have “overlapping themes” and omit context,
such as the grand jury not directing findings and recommendations to Cal Poly.
“By not addressing a key stakeholder, namely Cal Poly, the report creates the impression that the city alone is responsible for mitigating the negative impacts of student party culture,” the letter said. “These challenges extend beyond city limits since Cal Poly, Cuesta, the city, and the county all have an important role to play.”
This isn’t the city’s first pushback to the grand jury report. Prior to the report’s publication in June, the city responded with a 27-page list of alleged clarifications and factual inaccuracies.
The September letter is the result of an ad hoc committee—helmed by Mayor Erica Stewart and Councilmember Jan Marx—that oversaw the response to the grand jury.
At the Sept. 16 City Council meeting, Marx said that the grand jury considered residents’ complaints about city’s handling of the unruly frat parties neighboring “uncritically.”
Cambria skate park project overcomes funding hurdle, faces county delay
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After more than five years of effort, construction for the Cambria skate park is ready to go out for bid—but only after the county says so and the winter weather dries up.
This is what Cambria Community Services District (CSD) Manager Matthew McElhenie said at a meeting on Sept. 11 as the CSD board reviewed the ongoing project after it challenged local organization Skate Cambria to raise another $329,000 for the project in April.
Despite reaching that goal, McElhenie said the skate park’s construction couldn’t start until after San Luis Obispo County deemed the restroom facilities on the property, located on Main Street, capable of withstanding potential flooding because they reside on a floodplain.
Board member Karen Dean added that the district wanted to ensure “the restroom wouldn’t float down the street in a rainstorm.”
Because the skate park now needs the county’s
Marx added that the issue of frat parties is set to get more intense, with Cal Poly looking to increase enrollment and switch to year-round classes.
“My concern is that we not, in any way, alienate the grand jury or the judge,” she said. “Frankly, some of the people who were feeling so desperate and angry may just have to continue with those feelings, even though I would be love to be able to change reality.”
The City Council echoed the Planning Commission’s call to the university to be more cooperative. Despite needing to follow the Campus-Recognized Sorority and Fraternity Transparency Act that requires Cal Poly to collect and publish specific information about recognized fraternities and their conduct, the university stopped publishing the addresses of frat houses due to student privacy concerns.
The city is in talks with Cal Poly to retrieve those addresses to help with code enforcement.
Mayor Erica Stewart said at the meeting that the grand jury report was needed for the community because it could compel
approval and should avoid construction in the wet months of winter, District Manager McElhenie asked that the board approve construction bids go out when most appropriate since bidding estimates only last 60 to 90 days. He anticipated this could start in mid-2026.
“We’d hate to go into [bidding] now and no longer have those numbers be valid,” he told the board on Sept. 11. “Typically, these prices don’t go down.”
Members of the board agreed with McElhenie and said that construction should move forward once conditions were ideal, but one public commenter had board member Michael Thomas questioning whether the district could provide the community with some peace of mind that the project is still a priority.
The public commenter requested that the board expedite the project and open construction bids by the end of 2025.
“I strongly … implore the board and respectively use every tool, every relationship, every skill that you have to find a way to get the [bidding] before year end. It simply can’t wait,” he said.
Cal Poly to engage more robustly.
However, SLO resident Kathie Walker—a former neighbor to frat houses in the Alta Vista area— thinks the city isn’t willing to admit the ongoing problems of the documented fraternity operations in residential zones.
“The city is also casting blame on Cal Poly,” Walker in an email to New Times. “Cal Poly staff have specifically told me that it is the city’s responsibility to uphold its laws and is not Cal Poly’s problem because the fraternities are illegally operating within the city limits.”
A screenshot of an email between herself and a Cal Poly fraternity and sorority life staff member detailed that the university requires students to register satellite houses (houses that have more than 50 percent of chapter members living there or where a frat wants to host an official chapter event).
“Other than that, the city is in charge of ensuring that they are staying within the city guidelines and policies,” the email from Cal Poly said. “Community members that suspected that a property is operating outside of these guidelines are encouraged to contact SLO City Code Enforcement and/or SLOPD.”
While the city rejected all the grand jury findings, it implemented four of the seven recommendations.
The city will continue working with Cal Poly and regional law enforcement agencies to proactively address unsanctioned parties. The city also modernized its conditional use permits, and the city manager implemented an ongoing formal process to identify unpermitted fraternities and bring them into compliance.
However, the city won’t consider adopting a tiered planning appeal fee structure to make airing community concerns more accessible and affordable. The council also won’t create a task force to explore the possibility of setting up a student overlay zone that introduces separate municipal code standards.
And the city isn’t going to create formal guidelines and provide training outlining how the SLO City Police Department will respond to requests from oversight bodies like the grand jury.
“Recommendations numbered R4, R5, R7 will not be implemented because they are not warranted or are not reasonable,” the city response said. ∆
—Bulbul Rajagopal
The project has been under the CSD’s purview since 2020 when Skate Cambria proposed the new skate park and was challenged to raise $1.2 million to make it happen.
Since then, the group has continued to adhere to the CSD’s requirements, but it’s also aired its grievances throughout the process, accusing the board of stalling the project when the CSD considered new skate park locations or when it required Skate Cambria to raise hundreds of thousands of more dollars in six months.
“No more delays, no more obstacles, no more excuses. This is in your hands. Please find the courage, please find the will, please find the imagination to get this done now,” the commenter said.
Board member Thomas said, “What a Christmas gift to the community that would be,” but the board unanimously voted to wait until it had the county’s approval, and the weather improved.
District Manager McElhenie told New Times via email that Skate Cambria’s fundraising was an incredible accomplishment.
MORE SCRUTINY NEEDED SLO City Councilmember Jan Marx said at the Sept. 16 City Council meeting that the grand jury appeared to view residents’ complaints about the city’s handling of unpermitted frat parties “uncritically.”
FILE PHOTO BY JAYSON MELLOM
“We anticipate breaking ground in early to mid-2026 based on seasonal construction constraints,” he said. “The district will continue coordinating with … our community partners to update the public on progress as we move through permitting, bidding, and scheduling.”
New Times did not receive a response from Skate Cambria before publication.
—Libbey Hanson
Oceano CSD board rejects
Charles Varni twice for parks
and rec committee
Oceano Parks and Recreation Committee
Founder Charles Varni is now on the outside looking in after the Oceano Community Services District twice turned down requests to appoint him to an advisory body.
“I’ve seen Charles’ passion, and he was very instrumental in the track but when he’s on this board, up here … it’s a constant battle with him,” district board president Linda Austin said at the Aug. 13 meeting. “I know he can be pleasant, … but if he gets any authority, he will just browbeat the staff to do what he wants them to do.”
Varni spearheaded the parks and rec committee as part of his 2023 campaign to join the district board. After his election win, Varni and fellow board members Allene Villa and Beverly Joyce-Suneson voted in favor of creating the committee.
He told New Times that he now operates as a community volunteer. Setting up the parks and rec committee was a “fight” since remaining board members Austin and Shirley Gibson were against it, he added. “That struggle, those emotions around that have not gone away on the new majority’s part,” Varni said.
At the Aug. 13 meeting, Austin, Gibson, and freshman board member Kim Rose voted against reconsidering Varni’s appointment to the parks and rec committee.
After Varni lost his reelection campaign in 2024, he applied to serve on the parks and rec committee as an Oceano resident representative. Austin, Gibson, and Rose rejected his application during a review of committee member applications in March, making Varni the only one of six parks and rec committee candidates who wasn’t approved.
Varni, Austin, and Gibson have a long and contentious history as district board members. Their conflict was underscored by Varni’s and Austin’s roles on the now-defunct Oceano Advisory Council and the Vitality Advisory
Council of Oceano, respectively—two advisory bodies that used to frequently debate about local issues and community engagement.
The board members’ heated interactions hit a crescendo in 2023 when Gibson filed a request in the San Luis Obispo Superior Court for a temporary restraining order against Varni. She alleged stalking and verbal harassment. A Superior Court judge denied the request.
Board conflict reached new heights when former General Manager Will Clemens announced early retirement in 2023, saying that the dysfunction culminated in the resignation of the legal firm representing the district.
Despite most of the board giving the thumbs down to Varni’s application, he tried again to serve on the parks and rec committee. Committee bylaws make room for one representative from the Oceano Beach Community Association.
Backed by the association, Varni filed another parks and rec committee application.
“A prime example of Mr. Varni’s impactful work is his involvement in the track and soccer field project, a collaborative effort with the Lucia Mar Unified School District,” said a letter from the association to the district board. “This project will provide invaluable recreational opportunities for our youth and community members.”
While the district looked for donations from community members and had the school district take on fundraising efforts, Varni previously told New Times they were seeking a $50,000 grant from the Community Development Block Grant Program to help the track at Oceano Elementary School.
Seed money from a $25,000 Community Development Block Grant covered the design, engineering, and cost estimates.
According to Varni’s parks and rec applications, he wrote the grant application for the track. His application added that three parks and rec committee members also raised $38,000 from local businesses, organizations, and residents, while they also received an anonymous donation of $25,000. The school district donated the remaining money. The ribbon-cutting for the new school track will take place the week of Sept. 22.
Despite letters of support from other parks and rec committee members, Austin, Gibson, and Rose once again rejected Varni’s appointment. Gibson and Rose didn’t respond to New Times’ request for comment.
Austin told New Times that her decision was based on Varni’s previous conduct.
“I do want to note that Mr. Varni is still
welcome to participate as a member of the community,” she said. “This decision was not about Oceano’s ability to secure grant funding. On the contrary, I believe Oceano will be stronger in pursuing grants and advancing projects when we have representatives who can work constructively with others.”
—Bulbul Rajagopal
SLO County cities work to implement new statewide parking law
San Luis Obispo County will likely see a few more red curbs in coming months.
This is thanks to California’s Assembly Bill 413, or “daylighting” law that prohibits cars from being parked 20 feet or closer to a crosswalk in an effort to avoid obstructing moving vehicles’ view of pedestrians and vice versa.
SLO City Parking Program Manager Donna King said that the city is taking incremental steps toward enacting the new state mandate, which took effect in January 2025 but allowed each city or county to implement it how they saw fit.
“We wanted to make sure that we took a phased approach and really communicated well to promote pedestrian safety,” King said.
Warnings in SLO started on Sept. 1, King said, which are placed on vehicles found in violation of the 20-feet rule, featuring an infographic that explains the new law before actual tickets are issued in January 2026.
“Really our focus there will be writing warnings for high-traffic areas such as schools or highly traveled crosswalks,” she said. “So we’ll be trying to provide warnings to people that are parking in those areas that are no longer legal and trying to do some outreach. And then we’ll also be analyzing areas that perhaps a red curb would be the best way to be able to communicate that.”
September’s also the city’s Pedestrian Safety Month. According to a statement from the SLO Police Department, it’s estimated that 7,148 pedestrians were killed in traffic crashes across the country in 2024. In California, pedestrian deaths make up 24 percent of all traffic-related fatalities.
And while overall collision numbers have dropped in SLO since 2004, the city found that in 2023 the total number of bicycle and pedestrian fatalities per capita were at a “noticeably higher rate than the state and national averages,” according to SLO city’s Vision Zero Action Plan that was reviewed by staff this June.
King told New Times that the daylighting law will improve the safety of student pickups and drop-offs, but parents should be aware of the new regulation.
“It may impact them just because the law, it says no parking, but parking does mean stopping in any way—like getting out of your vehicle—because we wouldn’t want parents to be stopping there while kids are trying to cross the street to go to school,” King said. “They will still need to be the 20 feet back for those pickup and drop-offs. I think the benefits outweigh the one parking space that they will lose there, and then it just promotes so much more visibility for crossing.”
Implementation of the law in downtown SLO will take a different approach.
Take Marsh and Higuera streets, for example, which are packed with marked designated parking spaces and crosswalks.
“In downtown specifically, we probably will have to move some parking spaces, and we’re working on identifying those now,” she said. “Anyone that parks in a marked parking space downtown right now would not be issued a warning or a citation, because that would just be confusing for the public if it’s a marked space.”
Luckily for SLO, its municipal code already specifies that parking spaces can’t be any closer to a crosswalk than 15 feet. To account for the additional 5 feet, King said current parking spaces and loading areas could just be condensed, resulting in minimal alterations.
“It’s not going to happen super quickly because we want to make sure that we’re really thinking through all of the ramifications, and you know, how it will affect our businesses and our visitors, before we just start making blanket changes.” King said.
The city of Atascadero is also working toward meeting this new parking requirement.
Public Works Director Nick DeBar told New Times via email that the city’s recently completed $12 million road construction project on El Camino Real was designed in compliance with the new law.
“These projects encompass the heaviest pedestrian areas of the city due to restaurants, retail, and four schools,” DeBar said. “Other crosswalks in the city are being evaluated or already meet the new daylighting law.” ∆
—Libbey Hanson
Stalled takeoff
It’s hard for Paso Robles dirt biker Primo Vargas to forget the memory of his fellow off-road rider being flung from his bike a decade ago during hill climbs in Pozo— breaking his back and neck in the process. But the life-saving impact of a medevac helicopter also left an indelible impression on him.
“We were able to call the police after we got [cell] service. It was really fast,” Vargas said. “He had brain swelling and brain bleeding. He would have died if we didn’t have a service like this in our area that they’re trying to get rid of.”
San Luis Obispo County has benefited from three kinds of aircraft support services for medical emergencies. From 2012, CALSTAR’s REACH Air Medical Services in Santa Maria helped the county.
Then from 2022, the California Highway Patrol helicopter began supporting law enforcement operations and patient rescue and transportation needs as an Advanced Life Support Rescue vehicle.
From 2020, the Mercy Air 34 helicopter operated out of its Paso Robles base as the only air ambulance in the county, helping critically ill and injured people after receiving 911 calls and requests for hospital transfers.
In early September, Mercy Air’s parent company Air Methods announced that it would close the Paso Robles base on Nov. 4.
For Paso Robles’ Vargas, a helicopter service like Mercy Air 34 is the difference between saving someone and spending a lifetime thinking, “What if?”
While he’s sought the service of other helicopter medevac operators over the last 10 years and more, Vargas told New Times he’s upset by Mercy Air 34’s proposed closure.
“San Luis Obispo County is, for one, a pretty well-to-do county,” he said. “But in the recent years, a lot of the medical aspects of this county have been going through the gutters. … If you’re faced with a disaster, you don’t want to have to think that you’re going to wait an additional hour or two for the closest medevac to get to you.”
Air Methods spokesperson Denise
Coffman told New Times the Paso Robles base isn’t sustainable any longer because of the lack of reimbursement increases to the state’s Medi-Cal and federal Medicare programs.
“Medicare has not increased rates in more than 20 years and currently reimburses only about 60 percent of our costs,” Coffman said. “Medi-Cal currently pays a flat rate of $1,800 per transport plus mileage, which covers less than 35 percent of the actual cost of a patient transport.”
Long-term volume trends also contributed to the shuttering. Coffman said that MediCal patients make up 40 percent of Mercy Air 34 transports, while Medicare patients comprise 30 percent.
“That means 70 percent of our transports are reimbursed at less than half of what it costs to provide the service,” she said. “At the same time, operational costs—such as fuel,
labor, aircraft, and parts—continue to rise, compounding the financial challenges.”
Mercy Air has served California and Nevada from different bases for 35 years.
The Paso Robles base is the only one closing. Coffman added that financial strain caused by insufficient Medi-Cal and Medicare reimbursement levels puts all air medical bases at risk.
County officials confirmed that there is no equivalent service to the ones provided by Mercy Air 34. Over its five-year tenure, the helicopter enhanced patient care with a new automated CPR device and blood transfusion capabilities.
The latter service, which isn’t provided by Santa Maria’s CALSTAR 7, makes Mercy Air 34 the only outof-hospital unit capable of blood transfusion.
SLO County Health
Agency spokesperson Olivia Montiano told New Times that the county plans to work with California Highway Patrol and other
agencies to address future rescue and air paramedic needs.
“We are saddened by the forthcoming departure of Mercy Air 34,” she said. “This change presents challenges for those in our rural community as well as those who need specialty care out of the area, such as burn patients or pediatrics care.”
Mercy Air 34’s impending closure concerns Cal Fire SLO County Unit Chief John Owens. So much so that he wrote a letter to Air Methods urging it to reconsider its decision or at least work with local and regional partners to come up with alternate solutions to fill the gap.
“Critically ill or injured patients who once reached higher-level care within 45 to 60 minutes may now face ground transports of two to three hours,” Owens wrote.
“The ability to bypass local facilities and transport directly to specialized trauma, burn, or pediatric centers is no longer available within our county borders.”
According to his letter, people who are going to be most affected are residents of Heritage Ranch, Oak Shores, Shandon, Creston, the Carrizo Plain, and the coastal communities outside of city centers who already face long drive times to reach the closest emergency department.
Visitors traveling along Highways 41, 46, 58, and 166, and people recreating in state parks and Los Padres National Forest would face similar impacts.
The absence of Mercy Air 34’s services, Owens’ letter added, would also increase the burden on ground ambulances and neighboring counties.
“Its crews have worked side by side with our firefighters, paramedics, and local hospitals to provide rapid transport and advanced medical interventions that cannot be duplicated by ground-based resources alone,” Owens wrote.
“The loss of this service leaves a gap in our county’s emergency medical system at a time when every minute can mean the difference between life and death.” ∆
Reach Staff Writer Bulbul Rajagopal at brajagopal@newtimesslo.com.
SOLE SHUTTERING Air Methods confirmed that Mercy Air’s Paso Robles base is the only one slated for closure despite the company having other air bases scattered in California and Nevada. Mercy Air 34 will be pulled from service in November because of insufficient
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BY LIBBEY HANSON
Reclaiming home
Despite establishing the Central Coast as home long before any settlers, modern-day members of YTT Northern Chumash Tribe don’t have any land to call their own.
But thanks to a California state effort to return ancestral land to natives, the tribe now has a shot at obtaining a 350-acre plot in Cayucos that can provide space for its members and where it can practice environmental stewardship.
Tribal member and Executive Director of YTT Northern Chumash Nonprofit Becca Lucas Thomas said it’s been a long process.
Senior
1445 Santa Rosa St.
“We have been working for years and years on trying to get land back for our people. We don’t have any land. We kind of understand ourselves to be landless land stewards at this point, which is a really heartbreaking place to be in,” Lucas Thomas said.
The YTT Northern Chumash Tribe is not federally recognized, meaning it lacks any tribal sovereignty or specific federal government protections. But being a nonprofit, Lucas Thomas said, allows the tribe to do some important things: Be awarded contracts, to apply for grant funding, and to go into escrow.
So, when the land at 5010 Cabrillo Highway between Cayucos and the small community of Harmony went on the market a few years back, Lucas Thomas said the tribe jumped at the opportunity to buy it.
The plot itself is 357 acres, including about 1 mile of coastline. Locally, it’s known as the Cayucos Abalone Farm, where in the 1950s John Alexander built a 19-acre aquaculture facility out of concrete that allowed the small, and now endangered, invertebrates to thrive and be farmed. It eventually closed in 2020.
“It is one of the largest facilities in the entire United States, and when it’s at peak production, it can provide a significant amount because aquaculture—especially with smaller invertebrates and species like abalone, seaweed, kelp, oysters—it can produce a lot on a very small amount of land,” she said.
And to YTT Northern Chumash, abalone is considered a “relative,” Lucas Thomas said.
“This is one of our staple food sources, it is something that we’ve used in regalia and other cultural items for thousands of years,” she said.
Not only would obtaining this parcel of land allow the tribe members to gather themselves freely, but Lucas Thomas said it’s an opportunity to revitalize the natural land—at the cost of $18.2 million, according to the abalone farm’s real estate listing.
A purchase of this scale is possible thanks to an effort from Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office in 2024 that promised to support the return of ancestral tribal lands, allowing tribes to apply for $33 million in grants to be used for ancestral land return, habitat restoration, and climate and wildfire resilience projects.
“These awards are an acknowledgment of past sins, a promise of accountability, and a commitment to a better future—for the land and all its people, especially its original stewards,” Newsom said in the statement.
Similarly, another Native tribe that is not federally recognized in Monterey County bought ancestral land at the Rana Creek Preserve in 2023.
According to The Wildlands Conservancy, the Esselen Tribe purchased the 1,730 acre preserve for $8.6 million—$6.6 million from the Conservancy and $2 million from the state.
Lucas Thomas told New Times the YTT Northern Chumash Nonprofit has a multipronged strategy to meet its $18 million goal, which includes using the state ancestral land grant programs, alongside working with the trustees of the old abalone facility.
“We are in escrow, so we are in a purchase agreement with the trustee of the estate, and so they are working with us,” she said. “John Alexander really made it known to not only the longtime caretaker, but the trustees in managing the estate that he wanted this land to go back to the original people. So, they’ve been working with us to try to give us a purchase window so that we can work on raising this $18 million.”
That window is open until October 2026.
Lucas Thomas said the tribe has raised millions but still has more to go, and it’s relying on grant funding available through the state.
Through entities like the California Department of Conservation, the Wildlife Conservation Board, and State Coastal Conservancy, which provide funding for conservation projects, including those specific to tribes, the YTT Northern Chumash Tribe has its fingers crossed it will be awarded dollars as soon as October.
But Lucas Thomas told New Times that the grant process has presented many obstacles.
“They have named the priority of the state to returning particular coastal land to tribes, and despite all of these different well-meaning and well-intentioned state priorities, there is still a big disconnect,” she said. “You know, $18 million for 350 acres for … a pretty undeveloped area. It’s not cheap, and it is really, really hard to pull together the different levers of funding from the different agencies to try to make that happen.
“It’s a jigsaw puzzle with a significant amount of state policy hurdles.”
Janice Mackey, from the communications department for the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, told New Times via email
that YTT Northern Chumash has applied for a $5 million grant through its Sustainable Agricultural Lands Conservation program that helps fund the purchase of lands to support the cultivation of culturally important foods, medicines, fibers, and dyes, as well as lands used for grazing and conventional agricultural cultivation.
“Since the inception of the program, [Sustainable Agricultural Lands Conservation] staff have worked to improve its processes for all applicants. We are currently reviewing whether to shift to a rolling pre-proposal process to provide additional flexibility to applicants, including tribes, on the timing of initial project reviews,” Mackey said.
YTT Northern Chumash also applied for funding from the California State Coastal Conservancy.
The conservancy’s communications director, Taylor Samuelson, told New Times via email that tribes submit the same application as any other organization.
“We have made some substantive changes to our grant program in recent years to make it more accessible to applicants,” Samuelson said, “but that was a broad effort to make our funding more equitable, not for tribes specifically.”
Lucas Thomas said she hopes the YTT Northern Chumash’s current endeavor for $18 million is a good test for the state to learn to put the puzzle pieces together.
“It’s a complicated puzzle,” she said. “I think the state does a lot of good, and there’s a lot of good policy and programming. You know, there is the infrastructure there, … it’s just being able to bring all the different pieces together to be able to actually get it across.”
In the end, Lucas Thomas said, this whole process is for people who have had their land stolen from them.
“We have cared for this land for a really long time, and we have to ask for permission not only for land tending and caring practices like cultural burns, but also having access for gathering our people … sharing space with our family members and tribal members,” she said.
“We [could] just decide what we want to do with our own space and not have to ask for permission.” ∆
Reach Staff Writer Libbey Hanson at lhanson@newtimesslo.com.
ANCIENT ABALONE The YTT Northern Chumash Nonprofit is in escrow for an $18 million property in Cayucos. Locally known as the former Cayucos Abalone Farm, if purchased, the tribe hopes to have land to call its own and enhance its environmental stewardship.
LIBBEY HANSON
LEARN ABOUT THE FUTURE DECOMMISSIONING OF DIABLO CANYON.
The Diablo Canyon Decommissioning Engagement Panel, in cooperation with Pacific Gas and Electric Company, invite you to an in-person/online meeting to discuss the current status of California's energy grid and Diablo Canyon Power Plant’s (DCPP) role to assure grid reliability and resilience.
The meeting will include a presentation from the California Energy Commission (CEC) on its annual report regarding grid reliability and the role that DCPP may play in that, now and into the future.
In 2022, California Senate Bill 846 authorized the extended operation of DCPP up to 2030. Understanding the need for DCPP’s electricity and the likelihood of continued operation to 2030, and possibly beyond, is necessary to responsibly plan for the eventual decommissioning of DCPP.
Date: Sept. 24, 2025 from 6pm-8pm online and at San Luis Obispo County Government Center. Light refreshments and beverages begin at 5:15pm with a chance to speak with Panel members and PG&E staff.
Look who’s 150
Cayucos, you don’t look a day over 140. The weekend of Sept. 19, the Cayucos Chamber of Commerce is hosting a three-day celebration of one of San Luis Obispo County’s favorite coastal districts— you heard that right, for three days Cayucos will be hustlin’ and bustlin’ for its big onefive-oh.
Technically, Cayucos has been around since 1867. But according to Chamber of Commerce Director of Public Relations Alicia Van Fleet, it wasn’t really put on the map until 1875 when parcels of land actually started being sold and developed.
Cayucos Historical Center’s website said that the people of the YTT Northern Chumash and Salinan tribes settled in the coastal area long before James Cass, a captain who eventually arrived in the 1860s and took special interest in trading and farming. After that, Cass established Cayucos as a thriving shipping port amid agriculture enterprises like apple orchards and dairy farms.
And, well, the rest is history.
Chamber of Commerce’s Van Fleet said the 150th birthday celebration from Sept. 19 to 21 was sort of a last-minute decision to host. But inspiration sparked when the Lioness Club of Cayucos and the Cayucos Historical Society approached the Chamber to celebrate both their 75th anniversaries.
“So when we started planning this, we’re like what does it look like for us to celebrate something like this?” Van Fleet said. “I guess back in the late 1800s we used to have a day festival called the ‘Butter Festival,’ and Cayucos was a bunch of dairy farmers, and they would bring butter into town. And so we’re like … they would probably have a dance, they’d probably have a street fair of some sort—maybe vendors. So that’s kind of the idea we started with.”
On Friday, the celebration will kick off with a community dance at Borradori Garage overlooking the coastline. Country western band Longstraw will start the evening off, opening for Monte Mills and the Lucky Horseshoe Band. There will also be a mechanical bull.
Unfortunately for those who haven’t got tickets, this event is sold out, Van Fleet said. But there’s plenty of room for anyone on Saturday.
Closing down Ocean Avenue from Cayucos Drive to D Street from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., a street party will host 30 vendors and four bands that open for all ages.
“We’ll have a kid zone with like five to six bounce houses and games, craft tables, a beer and wine garden,” Van Fleet said.
On Sunday the community can celebrate the grand reopening of the Cayucos Landing, formerly known as the Vets Hall.
For the first time, Van Fleet said, the public can take a look inside the refreshed building while enjoying a glass of Champagne. There will be a toast prior to the tour that starts at 11 a.m., but the event itself goes until 1 p.m. This celebration wouldn’t have been possible without a grant from the Visitors Alliance of Cayucos, Van Fleet said. In total, the weekend-long celebration is costing about $20,000.
“We wanted to have it more familyfriendly … have it be an all-day affair where people come, they go to the beach, they shop, they eat local and just enjoy their time here in Cayucos,” she said. “It’s very rewarding to have the community come together and everybody be excited for it.”
Those interested in volunteering for any part of the weekend celebration are welcome to join. For more information, email cayucoschamber@gmail.com.
Fast fact
• The 15th annual Central Coast Railroad Festival will run full steam ahead from Oct. 3 to 5 to celebrate the rich history of trains and tracks on the Central Coast. Several rail-related locations across the region will be open with displays and activities throughout the weekend. The SLO Railroad Museum’s main events, on Saturday only, include vendors and displays, children’s activities, a model railroad for kids to operate, Operation Lifesaver, tintype photos and telegraphy demos, presentations, a G-scale train exhibit, and the museum’s model railroad. The Oceano Depot/Museum will offer tours of various areas on Saturday and Sunday, and the SLO Model Railroad Association will run model railroad layouts at the depot from Friday to Sunday. For more information, visit slorrm. com/ccrrf/schedule.html. ∆
Reach Staff Writer Libbey Hanson at lhanson@newtimesslo.com.
PARTY HARDY Cayucos is celebrating its 150th birthday from Sept 19 to 21, featuring live music, vendors, and beer gardens, as well as toasting Champagne to the district’s newly remodeled Vets Hall, now called Cayucos Landing.
PHOTO COURTESY OF CAYUCOS CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
How to destroy California
‘King Newsom’ and your elected Democratic representatives are taking down our once golden state bit by bit
For decades California has had a single political party running the show in Sacramento; this had led to a steady decay in education, infrastructure, and public safety; a massive growth in the homeless population; outrageous cost for housing; and ineffective use of taxpayer dollars.
Two recent actions by our elected officials point out how bit by bit Democrats have been destroying our once “golden state.” Democrats pay taxes too; they should be embarrassed about how their money has been wasted by the people they elected.
There are several examples. The first, Senate Bill 54, repeals an existing state law that “provides that when there is reason to believe that a person arrested for a violation of specified controlled substance provisions may not be a citizen of the United States, the arresting agency shall notify the appropriate agency of the United States having charge of deportation matters.”
In other words, your elected representatives think that illegal aliens
The Central Coast Zoo should rethink its tiger plans
The newly rebranded Central Coast Zoo in Atascadero—formerly the Charles Paddock Zoo—likes to remind us that it is AZAaccredited, a “gold standard” in the industry. But accreditation should not be confused with adequacy. When it comes to housing tigers, one of the largest and most wideranging carnivores on the planet, adequacy is not enough.
The zoo’s entire campus is barely 5 acres, and its tiger enclosure is only a fraction of that space. It’s published at around a half-acre, but it looks smaller than my 2,000-square-foot backyard. While precise dimensions have never been made public, the scale speaks for itself: The whole zoo is smaller than a single tiger habitat at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park, where the Tiger Trail sprawls over 5 acres alone.
Visitors who spent time watching Menderu, the zoo’s Malayan tiger who died this summer, often saw him pacing the same path over and over again. Such stereotypic behavior is a red flag in captive cats. It signals stress, a lack of stimulation, and, above all, a lack of space. Tigers are solitary hunters that roam territories of 20 to 60 square miles in the wild. Cramming them into a postage-stamp habitat, however well landscaped, cannot replicate what they need.
To be humane, enclosures must be not just safe but spacious, complex, and enriching: multiple yards, water features for swimming, vertical climbing structures, dense vegetation, and above all, room to roam.
should be given a free pass to commit crimes and still be allowed to remain in the state. Thus, the state of California has determined that it will no longer comply with or assist with the enforcement of federal law. The result, based on many reports, is that once released for the initial crime they frequently commit other crimes including assault, robbery, theft, and even murder. This is a direct and calculated threat to public safety and should not be tolerated by the electorate.
Next is Proposition 50, the Use of Legislative Congressional Redistricting Map Amendment. Contrary to the California Constitution, the king of our state, Gavin Newsom, contrived a plan to place this measure on the ballot to further strengthen the power of those politicians who have a strong commitment to the destruction of our inner cities and the state in general.
What King Newsom has done violates Section 8 of the California Constitution,
Many modern zoos have embraced this. The Bronx Zoo’s Tiger Mountain spans 3 acres. San Diego Safari Park gives its tigers multiple acres of interconnected habitat. The Central Coast Zoo offers only a small corner of its grounds.
Now the zoo is fundraising to expand the tiger enclosure. That is welcome, but expansion alone will not erase the reality that the facility is constrained by its tiny footprint. Unless the zoo can dedicate a truly expansive area—on the scale of half a hectare (about 1.25 acres) or more, for a new tiger, it should reconsider whether bringing another big cat here is ethical at all.
I lived in Atascadero for more than 30 years and remember taking my children there to visit. But we always felt sorry for the large animals trapped in small enclosures. Before Menderu, there were two tigers in the same enclosure, until one killed the other. My now-grown children and I applauded when the zoo reduced its large animals to house smaller animals like the red pandas and birds. My granddaughter loves the spider monkey “orphans” who recently arrived.
Atascadero’s zoo has always taken pride in its community scale. But community scale cannot excuse community-sized cages. If the Central Coast Zoo wants to call itself humane, it must prove it by giving its next tiger more than just a view of pacing and a path too short to walk. Otherwise, we risk repeating the sad story of Menderu: a magnificent predator reduced to circling a small pen until the end of his days.
Jill Stegman Grover Beach
which states “(b) An initiative measure may be proposed by presenting to the secretary of state a petition that sets forth the text of the proposed statute or amendment to the Constitution and is certified to have been signed by electors equal in number to 5 percent in the case of a statute, and 8 percent in the case of an amendment to the Constitution, of the votes for all candidates
the cost of construction, and a deterioration of neighborhoods by changing zoning standards to allow houses to be placed within 5 feet of the property line and eliminating on-site parking requirements.
Media reports say that a couple looking for a home to buy would have to save for 10 years just to make a down payment, then earn a substantial income for 15 to 30 years to make monthly payments.
For all of you who may disagree that Democrats are destroying our state, look around or take note of how they spend your money.
for governor at the last gubernatorial election.”
For all of you who may disagree that Democrats are destroying our state, look around or take note of how they spend your money. Billions spent to “solve the homeless problem” resulted in more homeless on the streets and no accountability to determine where all the money went.
Other issues include soaring housing costs due to new state regulations, which increased
We need the truth about Diablo Canyon
Thank you to Sierra Club’s Gianna Patchen and Andrew Christie for informing us about on an obscure hearing held by state Legislators on PG&E’s Diablo Canyon Nuclear Plant. (“Lawmakers must get real answers to questions about Diablo Canyon’s safety, necessity, and affordability,” Sept.
Concerning all the “problems” politicians identify during political campaigns, you must wonder why once elected they have no solutions for those problems. Their solution seems to be to either make the problem worse or just wait until the next election when they say they need more time (“elect me again”) to solve the same problems.
If we ever want to regain the title “the Golden State,” something needs to change, and it starts with new political leadership. ∆
Ron Fink writes to New Times from Lompoc. Send a letter for publication to letters@ newtimesslo.com.
11). In their commentary about the hearing, Patchen and Christie state, “In the hearing’s most surreal moment, Laird asked the PG&E rep about the reactor vessel test they agreed to perform due to potentially defective welds and embrittlement of the vessel.” They point out that the test will not be completed until April 2026, yet PG&E touted that the
tests will provide “confirmation of already determined [sic] that Diablo Canyon reactor vessels are safe for 60 years.” Since it is the public that is at risk from this old nuclear plant built on active earthquake faults, we don’t need plaudits from PG&E about safety. We need the truth.
Linda Parks Los Osos
Diablo’s safety is still a question
“Will Diablo be able to meet the standards and safety measures necessary for relicensing?”
Despite numerous hearings and questions, the answers are elusive, incomplete, or unavailable.
Diablo is currently applying for a 20-year extension to its original license granted for 40 years.
That would mean that each unit would be storing an additional 20 years of radioactive waste on-site. This despite an agreement made in 2016 with numerous stakeholders to decommission the nuclear plant at the end of each unit’s current license—2024 and 2025. The failure to adhere to this agreement has caused increased expense and continued safety issues for the residents of SLO and other downwind communities.
This despite the numerous earthquake faults within extremely close proximity
to Diablo, and the perilous threat posed by them, which has yet to be adequately addressed by the NRC.
This despite the plans for emergency evacuation are outdated and impossible. The escape routes are the only ways out of San Luis Obispo—notably going north or south on Highway 101 or north on Highway 1. But Highway 101 is at a standstill many days of the week with commuters, a brokendown car, or roadwork. That is without the thousands of cars when frantic residents try to flee radiation contamination. Members of the California Public Utilities Commission were asked at a meeting in SLO on Dec. 13, 2023, about this problem and the response was: “This issue should be discussed and at least an hour should be set aside for that.”
Add increased on-site radioactive waste, severe seismic risk, and lack of realistic evacuation plans to the many brought up in the recent column in the New Times (“Lawmakers must get real answers to questions about Diablo Canyon’s safety, necessity, and affordability,” Sept. 11), and it is clear there is no informed governance nor thoughtful decision-making for the continued operation of these antiquated nuclear reactors in our backyard.
Patricia Kohlen San Luis Obispo
A response to Generation Build’s editorial
The Central Coast doesn’t have a housing
shortage (“The Central Coast desperately needs to build its way out of the housing crisis,” Aug. 7)—we have an affordability shortage.
A quick look at today’s housing market tells the real story. On Aug. 4, 2025, Zillow showed 1,407 homes and lots priced at more than $1 million in our region. Compare that to only 267 listings between $700K and $1 million and just 114 between $550K and $700K. Even more troubling, there were only 174 homes in the $300K to $550K range and 128 listings between $150K and $350K—with a large share of those being vacant lots, not actual housing. For working families, teachers, firefighters, and young people trying to build a future here, that’s not a market—it’s a lockout.
This is what a broken market looks like: thousands of luxury listings, but a shrinking supply of homes for working families, teachers, and young people trying to stay in the community. When the overwhelming majority of inventory is priced for millionaires, it’s no wonder local residents are being priced out.
Generation Build is right: Streamlined approvals, smarter zoning, infill development, and a real commitment to building at all levels of affordability are desperately needed. But we also have to be honest. If we keep building mostly luxury homes, we’re not solving a crisis. We’re pushing our neighbors out while speculators and investors move in. Developers claim their
What’s your favorite college survival tactic?
38% Focus on the academics and take good notes.
31% Enroll in as many interesting classes as possible.
23% Join a club and find friends! 8% Take shortcuts like AI as needed!
projects will “add supply” and ease the crisis, but the numbers show otherwise. What we’re really building is more wealth for investors and fewer doors for families who need them most. A housing market dominated by million-dollar listings is not meeting the needs of our community—it’s abandoning them.
This is about more than numbers on Zillow. It’s about whether our kids can grow up and afford to stay here, whether our seniors can downsize without leaving their community, and whether the people who keep this region running can afford to live where they work. Building more homes matters—but what we build, and who it serves, matter even more.
K. Rosa Nipomo
Blame game
With San Luis Obispo pointing a finger at Cal Poly and Cal Poly pointing a finger right back at the city, the student party problem is never going to get solved.
When residents complain about their drunk, loud, obscene neighbors to Cal Poly, the university says it’s the city’s problem.
“The city is in charge of ensuring that they are staying within the city guidelines and policies,” said an email Cal Poly sent to Kathie Walker. “Community members that suspected that a property is operating outside of these guidelines are encouraged to contact SLO City Code Enforcement and/or SLOPD.”
Walker, who used to live in the troublesome Alta Vista neighborhood, said Cal Poly told her it’s “not Cal Poly’s problem because the fraternities are illegally operating within the city limits.”
But the university isn’t helping the city do its job, according to SLO, because it isn’t handing over the addresses of fraternities and sororities or their events. That information would help with enforcement.
And the City Council basically just told the
“Frankly, some of the people who were feeling so desperate and angry may just have to continue with those feelings, even though I would be love to be able to change reality,” she said.
Easy for her to say! She doesn’t live there anymore.
Even though the city rejected the grand jury report’s findings and lamented the fact that Cal Poly didn’t receive its share of blame in the report, it did implement a process to find unpermitted frats and force them into compliance. So, nothing to see here?
Meanwhile in Cambria, the skate park that residents have been consistently pushing and raising money for can’t catch a break with the Community Services District. For the last five years, Skate Cambria has rallied for the cause, raising more than $1 million to push forward with planning and build-out before being told at the beginning of the year that hundreds of thousands more dollars were needed in short order. Hurry!
Community Resource Fair
Community Resource Fair
restrooms that are planned as part of the park because they’re on a floodplain.
Board member Karen Dean said the district wanted to make sure “the restroom wouldn’t float down the street in a rainstorm.”
Why did we wait until now to get county approval? Delaying the project until next year is going to cost more.
Six months from now, is McElhenie going to tell Skate Cambria to raise a couple hundred more thousand dollars? My Magic 8 Ball says, “Signs point to yes.”
McElhenie even said, “Typically, these prices don’t go down.” They never go down.
Just like Oceano’s bitter political rivalries will never go away.
After a rough election season last year, there is a silver lining on the horizon. A track and field project at one of Oceano’s schools is becoming a reality for the town that feels forgotten by the county, largely thanks to one of its most controversial figures: Charles Varni.
The man got the Oceano Community Services District to create a parks and recreation committee through sheer willpower just so it could have access to some of the same safe recreational opportunities that neighboring cities have. It was a bumpy ride, because Varni is a bumpy man.
Tact is not his strength and neither is making friends, not enemies.
After losing his reelection campaign to continue serving on the CSD board, he applied to be a member of the committee.
But he needs board approval for that, and he ain’t getting it. Why? Vengeance, possibly. Or, maybe it’s his poor attitude in contentious situations.
CSD board members Shirley Gibson and Linda Austin have a hate-hate relationship with their former fellow board member. The sniping during meetings in 2023 and 2024 was popcorn-worthy, and Gibson even filed a restraining order against Varni after one particularly contentious meeting.
The ladies aren’t having Varni anywhere near them.
“I’ve seen Charles’ passion, and he was very instrumental in the track, but when he’s on this board, up here … it’s a constant battle with him,” Austin said at the Aug. 13 meeting where his application came up. “I know he can be pleasant, … but if he gets any authority, he will just browbeat the staff to do what he wants them to do.”
She’s not completely wrong.
Varni, for his part, dismissed the votes against him as residual “emotions … that have not gone away.” Hm. Is that a sexist remark? I hope not. Either way, Varni made his bed, and now he has to lie in it. And, unfortunately for Oceano, that means losing a fierce advocate for something that’s sorely needed in the area: more safe recreational opportunities. ∆
The Shredder thinks everyone needs to grow up. Send tips on how 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.
GALLERY AT MARINA SQUARE
PRESENTS FUSED GLASS BY LINDA
HILL Linda Hill creates vibrant fused glass art and jewelry using Dichroic Glass. Her work plays with light and color, and is on display at the gallery, open daily. Through Sept. 29, 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 PORTRAITS AND LANDSCAPES IN OIL BY JOSE SILVA Jose Silva paints portraits and landscapes in oil, blending realism, expressionism, and impressionism. His work invites reflection. Through Sept. 29, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Free. (805) 772-1068. galleryatmarinasquare.com. Gallery at Marina Square, 601 Embarcadero suite 10, Morro Bay.
JOAN BROWN, SEPTEMBER FEATURED
ARTIST Award-winning artist Joan Brown is featured all month. Come to the reception to see her fine watercolors and oils on display. Through Sept. 30, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. (805) 7721068. galleryatmarinasquare.com. Gallery at Marina Square, 601 Embarcadero suite 10, Morro Bay.
THE PLEIN AIR TEAM Acrylic artist, Nancy Lynn, and husband, watercolorist, Robert Fleming, have an ongoing show of originals and giclee prints of Morro Bay and local
FREE FOR ALL Season finale features a stellar line-up of local talent sharing true story gold for folks who delight in all things well told. First-come seating. Sept. 19 7-9:15 p.m. Free. facebook.com/the.reboot4u. Red Barn at Los Osos Community Park, 2180 Palisades Ave., Los Osos.
STAINED GLASS WITH DEBORAH WOGAN
Create a glass project of your choice. Learn how to cut glass, copper foil, solder, and hang your project. All tools and materials are included. Sept. 26, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. $110. (805) 772-2504. Art Center Morro Bay, 835 Main St., Morro Bay, artcentermorrobay.org.
YOUTH ART CLASSES A fun, inspiring weekly art club for kids and tweens who love to create. Led by Chenda Lor, each session offers new projects, materials, and techniques. Wednesdays, 4:30-5:45 p.m. through Oct. 1 $80 per session. Lor Coaching Studio & Gallery, 525 Harbor St., Morro Bay. 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. FAERIE GARDEN CLASS Step into a world of magic and creativity at Dracaena Wines for a hands-on workshop, where you will design your own faerie garden. A ticket includes everything you need to create a miniature enchanted world: a terrarium, your choice of plants and whimsical decorations, expert instruction, and a refreshing glass of Dracaena wine or a
handcrafted mocktail. Sept. 25 6-7:30 p.m. $50.05. my805tix.com. Draceana Wines, 1244 Pine St., Paso Robles, (805) 270-3327. FIGURE DRAWING - SATURDAYS AND WEDNESDAYS AT FIELDWORK Join us for figure drawing every Saturday and Wednesday for ages 18 and over. All skill levels are welcome. Bring your own materials. Saturdays, 10 a.m.-noon and Wednesdays, 6-8 p.m. $20 + model’s tip. fieldworkart.org. Fieldwork, 4307 El Camino Real, Atascadero, (971) 645-2481. IT’S HARVEST TIME! It’s Harvest Time! We’re delighted to feature a 3-month exhibit showcasing the colors and abundance of the Fall Harvest season! There will be paintings, ceramics, glassware, and charcuterie boards. Through Nov. 30, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Free. (805) 286-4430. Park Street Gallery, 1320 Park Street, Paso Robles, parkstreetgallery.com.
JILL GARMAN’S “PALM FOOLERY ART”
OPENING See artist Jill Garman’s unique, fun, beautiful, and quirky palm paintings at Pocket Gallery on Pine! Saturdays, 2-5 p.m. through Oct. 4 (805) 440-7152. Pocket Gallery on Pine, 8491/2 13th Street, Paso Robles.
SHORT FORM IMPROV CLASS AT TOP GRADE COMEDY THEATER Join instructor Charles Charm, an improvisor with 10 years of experience, to learn how to play improv games. Classes are drop in only at this time. Shows TBD. Fridays, 6-8 p.m. $25. (530) 748-6612. Saunter Yoga and Wellness, 5820 Traffic Way, Atascadero.
SIP N’ SKETCH/SIP N’ PAINT Bring your own supplies (or borrow some of our’s) and paint or sketch a themed live-model or still life under the guidance of Studios resident artists. See website for the specific theme of the month. Your first glass of wine is included in price. Third Saturday of every month, 6-9 p.m. $20. (805) 238-9800. studiosonthepark.org. Studios on the Park, 1130 Pine St., Paso Robles.
MEND YOUR OWN
A Visible Mending Workshop will be held on Saturday, Sept. 27, from 1 to 3 p.m., at SLOLife Studio & Mercantile. This hands-on class will teach an array of sustainable and creative sewing techniques to repair and refresh one’s pre-loved clothing. Participants should bring a garment they wish to mend. Tickets are $45 and can be purchased at slolifestudio.com.
—Angie Stevens
TAKE A SPIN: TWO-HOUR WHEEL
CLASS These two hour blocks provide an opportunity to learn the basics of wheel throwing. Instructors will center your clay for you, so you will have the opportunity to make two items. Saturdays, 10 a.m.-noon $72. (805) 203-0335. thepotteryatascadero. com/wheelclasses. The Pottery, 5800 El Camino Real, Atascadero.
WRITERS WANTED Novelists, screenwriters, poets and short story writers welcome. This group meets in Atascadero twice a month, on Thursday nights (email jeffisretired@ yahoo.com for specifics). Hone your skills for publication and/or personal development. Third Thursday of every month, 7-9 p.m. Unnamed Atascadero location, Contact host for details, Atascadero.
SAN LUIS OBISPO
41ST ANNUAL CENTRAL COAST
WRITERS’ CONFERENCE CCWC 2025, for writers of all levels and genres, features more than 45 presenters, breakout sessions, Master Classes, Teen Program, keynote speakers, bookstore, vendors, and networking opportunities. Sept. 26 9 a.m.-7 p.m. and Sept. 27 9 a.m.-5 p.m. $300 Regular Conference/$150 for Master Classes. (805) 610-4252. cuesta.edu/ writers-conference/index.html. Cuesta College, Highway 1, 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 You’ve heard watercolor is daunting, but it’s still fascinating you. Come be introduced to this tricky but dynamic painting medium! Sept.
25 10:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. $100. (805) 747-4200. i0.wp.com/artcentralslo. com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/ Beginning-WC-French-September25-1. jpg?fit=1275%2C1650&ssl=1. Art Central, 1329 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo.
CLAY CLASS: PUMPKINS & GHOSTS! Choose one of the following to create: pumpkins (2), ghosts (3) or any fall themed item. No experience necessary! Book on our website Mondays, 2-3:30 p.m. through Oct. 20 45.00. app.acuityscheduling.com/ schedule.php?owner=22676824&appoin tmentType=80951081. Anam Cre Pottery Studio, 1243 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo.
DID SOMEONE SAY MURDER? What could possible go wrong with a pre-recorded radio show?Our favorite actors return for a night of suspicion, murder, mishaps, and laughs! Doors will open a half-hour prior to each performance. Sept. 26 7 p.m. and Sept. 27, 3 p.m. $15.81. my805tix.com. CongregationHouse, 11245 Los Osos Valley Road, San Luis Obispo.
FAMILY FRIENDLY WORKSHOP: LARGE PLATTER CLASS Fun for all ages. Instructors will guide you in creating large platters and decorating them. Create pieces together for your home. Saturdays, 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. $50. anamcre.com. Anam Cre Pottery Studio, 1243 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo.
FORTINBRAS-UBU’S OTHER SHOE STAGED
READING Picking up where Shakespeare’s Hamlet left off, Fortinbras gives us the chance to laugh at just how ridiculous life, truth, authority and leadership can be. Sept. 26 7-9 p.m. and Sept. 27 2-4 & 7-9 p.m. $18-$23. (805) 786-2440. slorep.org/shows/stagedreading-fortinbras/. SLO Rep, 888 Morro St., San Luis Obispo.
FRIENDS OF THE ARROYO GRANDE LIBRARY ART AUCTION The first ever art auction fundraiser for Friends of the AG Library is now live. Includes work by local artist Ellen November. Every 30 days, 9 a.m. Various. (310) 384-6912. app.galabid. com/aglibrary/items. Online, See website, San Luis Obispo.
I LOVE YOU, YOU’RE PERFECT, NOW CHANGE Get ready for a hilarious and heartfelt journey through love, dating, marriage, and everything in between! This show is the perfect date night—or friend night—out! Thursdays, 7-9 p.m., Fridays,
7-9 p.m., Saturdays, 2-4 & 7-9 p.m. and Sundays, 2-4 p.m. through Sept. 21 $28$50. (805) 786-2440. slorep.org/shows/ilove-you-youre-perfect-now-change/. SLO Rep, 888 Morro St., San Luis Obispo. INTERMEDIATE BLOCK PRINTING: MULTI-COLOR DESIGNS Learn how to make a jigsaw block print, which allows you to ink your print in multiple colors and only print once! Sept. 25 , 6-8 p.m. $45. (805) 439-1022. slolifestudio.com. SLOLife Studio & Mercantile, 1337 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo.
JACK SHAW - KILL TONY GOLDEN TICKET WINNER - LIVE AT LIBERTINE Hear Cal Poly graduate Jack Shaw perform his stand-up comedy at Libertine. Jack has won a golden ticket on Kill Tony, has been touring the country performing stand-up comedy at The Comedy Mothership, The Comedy Store, Bridgestone Arena, and many more. He has appeared in national commercials for Spectrum, Subway, and Sling TV, and has acted in Hulu’s Good American Family and Tubi’s Game Bros. Sept. 20 8 p.m. $17.91. my805tix.com. Libertine Brewing Company, 1234 Broad St., San Luis Obispo, (805) 548-2337. 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.
MONDAY NIGHT IMPROV CLASS Ready to level up your improv? This advanced class is all about digging deeper— identifying the game early, locking in, and heightening with clarity and boldness. You’ll sharpen your instincts, build smarter scenes, and explore the mechanics that make unforgettable improv. This class is ideal for experienced players hungry to push their limits and truly play the scene. Mondays. through Oct. 20 $323. my805tix.com. The Bunker SLO, 810 Orcutt Road, San Luis Obispo.
SIJI KRISHNAN Krishnan’s evocative paintings exist in a realm between memory and myth, where figures emerge from translucent layers of pigment. Sept. 20 -Jan. 11 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Free. (805) 5438562. sloma.org/exhibition/siji-krishnan/.
PHOTO
San Luis Obispo Museum of Art, 1010 Broad St., San Luis Obispo.
SLO COMEDY UNDERGROUND OPEN MIC
NIGHT Enjoy a night of laughs provided by the local SLO Comedy Community. It’s open mic night, so anyone can perform and “you never know what you’ll see.” Tuesdays, 8 p.m. Free. Libertine Brewing Company, 1234 Broad St., San Luis Obispo, (805) 548-2337, libertinebrewing.com.
SPLISH SPLASH! A WATERCOLOR EXHIBIT
Central Coast Watercolor Society & Art Central presents “Splish Splash!” celebrating excellence in watermedia painting. MondaysSundays, 12-6 p.m. through Nov. 3 (805) 7474200. artcentralslo.com/gallery/. Art Central, 1329 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo.
TUESDAY NIGHT STAND UP CLASS Join this beginner-friendly stand-up class, designed to help you turn your thoughts, stories, and observations into tight, punchy material. You’ll learn the fundamentals of joke writing, stage presence, timing, and finding your unique comedic voice. Whether you’re chasing the mic or just curious to try, this class gives you the tools to get started with confidence. No experience is necessary, just bring your point of view! Tuesdays, 6-8 p.m. through Oct. 28 $323.20. my805tix.com. The Bunker SLO, 810 Orcutt Road, San Luis Obispo.
VISIBLE MENDING WORKSHOP – LEARN
CREATIVE CLOTHING REPAIR
Join us for a hands-on visible mending workshop where you’ll learn a variety of techniques to repair and refresh your clothing in creative, sustainable ways. Sept. 27 1-3 p.m. $45. (805) 439-1022. slolifestudio.com. SLOLife Studio & Mercantile, 1337 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo.
WEDNESDAY NIGHT IMPROV CLASS New to improv? This high-energy, beginner-friendly class is your perfect starting point! You’ll learn the core principles of improvisation—saying “yes, and...” building together, thinking on your feet, and having a blast while doing it. Through games, scenes, and lots of laughter, you’ll build confidence, creativity, and
connection. No experience needed—just bring your curiosity and a willingness to play! Wednesdays, 6-8 p.m. through Oct. 22 $323.30. my805tix.com. The Bunker SLO, 810 Orcutt Road, 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. FREE MOVIE NIGHT IN THE SECRET
GARDEN: THE AVENGERS (2012 THE ORIGINAL) Enjoy a night of unstoppable action and an unforgettable showdown. Join the adventure, feel the thrill, and experience The Avengers like never before. Bring a blanket and grab your favorite Secret Garden snacks! Sept. 19 7 p.m. Free. my805tix.com. The Secret Garden at Sycamore Mineral Springs, 1215 Avila Beach Dr., Avila Beach, (805) 595-7302.
GREAT AMERICAN MELODRAMA: 50TH
ANNIVERSARY SPECTACULAR Full of songs, dance, and comedy to celebrate the milestone, with loads of opportunities to boo and cheer. Through Sept. 20 americanmelodrama.com. Great American Melodrama, 1863 Front St., Oceano.
SAN FRANCISCO STAND-UP COMEDY
COMPETITION FINAL ROUND The San Francisco Stand-Up Comedy Competition brings together the finest comedic talent from across the country. Catch the Final Round! Sept. 19 7:30-9:30 p.m. $35-$59. (805) 489-9444. clarkcenter.org. Clark Center for the Performing Arts, 487 Fair Oaks Ave., 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
CAYUCOS’ 150TH BIRTHDAY
CELEBRATION !! Join us as we celebrate Cayucos’ 150th birthday during this familyfriendly event. Sept. 19, 4-9 p.m., Sept. 20, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. and Sept. 21 , 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Free. (805) 995-1200. cayucoschamber. com/cayucos-150th-birthday-celebration. Cayucos Beach, The corner of D Street and Ocean Avenue, Cayucos.
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.
CREATIVE QUILLS POETRY COLLECTIVE
Creatives Quills fosters a supportive and inclusive platform for local poets to share their creative works. Sign up in the patio garden or creativequillsmb@gmail.com. Third Sunday of every month, 2-4 p.m. through Dec. 21 Free. TOP DOG CAFE BAR, 857 Main Street, Morro Bay, (805) 725-1024.
CUESTA INLET BENEFIT - RUMMAGE
SALE AND SILENT AUCTION Join for a
day of music, giving, and celebrating the Cuesta Inlet. Enjoy the rummage sale, silent auction, and BBQ. Sept. 21 , 9 a.m.-8 p.m. (805) 235-3252. savecuestainlet.org/. Red Barn at Los Osos Community Park, 2180 Palisades Ave., Los Osos.
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
AT THE PRINTERY
The next Tent City Limits Live Summer Concert Series event is set for Friday, Sept. 19, from 5:30 to 9 p.m., at the Atascadero Printery. Concertgoers can listen to live performances by Honey Buckets (pictured) and Two Runner and explore the Brick By Brick Wine Festival while tasting wines from an array of wineries, including Landsby Wines and Ruakh Wines. Tickets are $39.34, and kids get in for free. For more details, visit my805tix.com.
a.m.-noon (805) 528-7111. Coalesce Garden Chapel, 845 Main St., 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) 7727486. fitnessworksmb.com. FitnessWorks, 500 Quintana Rd., 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) 701-7397. charvetmartialarts.com. Grateful Body, 850 Shasta, Morro Bay.
NORTH SLO COUNTY
ATASCADERO HS CLASS OF ‘85 REUNION Join for an evening of fun reconnecting with old friends. A ticket includes a beautiful venue, taco dinner and appetizers, two alcohol drink tickets (beer, wine, or cocktails), and music. Please purchase your tickets as soon a possible so we can plan a successful event! Sept. 27 5:30-9:30 p.m. $100. my805tix.com. Portola Inn, 6650 Portola, Atascadero. BALANCE FLOW Suitable for all levels. This
Miyoko Schinner’s
at Paso Market Walk
body connection while emphasizing safe and effective alignment as well as breath awareness and relaxation. Please call to register in advance. Tuesdays, Thursdays, 4:30-5:30 p.m. $16-$22; $50 membership. (805) 434-9605. ttrtennis.com/fitness/ yoga/. Templeton Tennis Ranch, 345 Championship Lane, Templeton.
BOOK BUDDIES Bookworms, assemble!
Woods is welcoming animal lovers age 7-17 to join us in reading to our furry friends. Sept. 23 3:30-4:30 p.m. $5.00. (805) 543-9316. woodshumanesociety.org/ youth-programs/. Bookworms, assemble!
Woods is welcoming animal lovers age 7 to 17 to join us in reading to our furry friends. Tuesdays, 3:30-4:30 p.m. $5. (805) 543-9316. woodshumanesociety.org/youth-programs/. Woods Humane Society (North County), 2300 Ramona Road, Atascadero.
AN EVENING IN MARGARITA Join the Fundraiser for the Friends of the Santa Margarita Library. Stroll Santa Margarita, visit the shops, enjoy live music, wine, snacks, and a petting zoo! Sept. 26 5:307:30 p.m. Downtown Santa Margarita, 22324 El Camino Real, Santa Margarita, (805) 4383898, santamargaritabeautiful.com.
GUIDED MEDITATION WITH KAREN LEARY
AT AWAKENING WAYS Experience guided meditations every Wednesday evening in a supportive space. Connect with your inner self and discover peace, healing, and self-awareness. Wednesdays, 6-7 p.m. (805) 391-4465. awakeningways.org. Awakening Ways Center for Spiritual Living, 7350 El Camino Real, Ste. 101, Atascadero.
HAMBLY LAVENDER FARM GUIDED EXPERIENCE This 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.
MOVIE-NIGHT-AT-THE-VINEYARD - PASO
PICTURE SHOW PRESENTS: SIDEWAYS (2004) – AN EVENING OF WINE, FILM AND Q&A Experience Sideways under the stars at Bianchi Winery. Enjoy wine, trivia, a photo booth, and a Q&A with authors Mira and Kirk Honeycutt. Sept. 20, 5:30-10 p.m. $22-$55. facebook.com/ events/1205510581605985/. Bianchi Winery and Tasting Room, 3380 Branch Road, Paso Robles, (805) 226-9922.
OUT & SAVVY 1-YEAR ANNIVERSARY
BRUNCH EVENT Join us for brunch, live music, and great vibes at Mirazur in Los Osos, right by the peaceful Back Bay of Morro Bay. Sept. 21 9:30 a.m.-noon $66.12. my805tix.com. Mirazur Restaurant, 1365 2nd St., Los Osos, (805) 439-0058.
PASO FOOD CO-OP MONTHLY MEETING
Join this monthly organizational meeting startup Paso Food Cooperative. Fourth Wednesday of every month, 6-7 p.m. (805) 712-7410 text is best. pasofoodcooperative. com/calendar--meetings. Oak Creek Commons, 635 Nicklaus St., Paso Robles. PET TALES Get ready for the cutest, coziest, and cuddliest hour in your week! Pet Tales welcomes young children and their grownups for a pet-themed story time. Tuesdays, 11 a.m.-noon $5. (805) 5439316. woodshumanesociety.org/youthprograms/. Woods Humane Society (North County), 2300 Ramona Road, Atascadero.
TASTE OF DOWNTOWN PASO ROBLES
Sample food from Paso Robles restaurants and wineries and “take a taste of downtown” that you won’t forget. Experience and savor what downtown Paso Robles has to offer and relish in this annual event that invites merchants to open their doors for one-on-one sampling. Once you purchase your ticket, you may redeem it for a PASS CARD on the day of the event, which is good for food and wine tasting at participating restaurants, tasting rooms, and eating establishments. Sept. 20 11 a.m.-4 p.m. $55.40. my805tix.com. Paso Robles Downtown City Park, 1200 Park Street, Paso Robles, (805) 237-3888.
TOPS SUPPORT GROUP: WEIGHT LOSS AND MAINTENANCE A self-help support group focusing on weight loss and maintenance. Thursdays, 1:30 p.m. (805) 242-2421. tops.org. Santa Margarita Senior Center, 2210 H St., Santa Margarita.
TOPS TAKE OFF POUNDS SENSIBLY Join for affordable and effective weight-loss support. Sundays, 10-11 a.m. through Oct.
31 First visit is free. (805) 234-1026. Rancho Del Bordo Clubhouse, 10025 El Camino Real, Atascadero, tops.org. TRAFFIC JAM VINTAGE & HANDMADE POP-UP MARKET Join the Vintage & Handmade Pop-up in the lot behind the shops on Traffic Way every third Sunday of every month. Expect more than 25 vendors, live music, and a selection of food and beer available for purchase. Third Sunday of every month, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. through Dec. 21 Free. (805) 464-2564. trafficjamvintagemarket.com. Golden State Goods, 5880 Traffic Way, Atascadero. SAN LUIS OBISPO
15TH ANNUAL CENTRAL COAST CLASSIC MOTORCYCLE SHOW AND SWAP MEET At this judged motorcycle show and swap meet, there will be trophies for the first two places in 10 classes. A food truck will be on site. Get more info at the link. Sept. 20 9 a.m.-3 p.m. $10. (805) 440-4511. centralcoastclassicmc. com/event/13th-annual-central-coastclassic-motorcycle-show/. Arise Central Coast, 1775 Calle Joaquin, San Luis Obispo. AERIAL SILKS CLINIC Silks is a great way to learn flipping safely! Build memory, strength, coordination, confidence, and endurance at our Aerial Silks Clinic. For children 7 to 17 years, all levels are welcome. Sept. 20, 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. BOOK BUDDIES Bookworms, assemble! Woods Humane Society is welcoming animal lovers age 7-17 to join us in reading to our furry friends. Sept. 24 3:30-4:30 p.m. $5.00. (805) 543-9316. woodshumanesociety.org/youth-programs/. Bookworms, assemble! Woods Humane Society is welcoming animal lovers age 7 to 17 to join us in reading to our furry friends. Wednesdays, 3:30-4:30 p.m. $5. (805) 543-9316. woodshumanesociety.org/ youth-programs. Woods Humane Society, 875 Oklahoma Ave., San Luis Obispo. BUILDING A BETTER SLO PRESENTS BUILDING SMALL: BUILDING COMMUNITY, NOT COMMODITY Jim Heid will talk about new approaches on how to shape the built environment with practical methods. Jim Heid, FASLA author of Building Small, and Founder of CRAFT DnA and UrbanGreenTM shares insights into an increasingly popular approach to community development that relies on incremental, locally based development strategies. Building Small focuses on using real estate development to accomplish three goals – more authentic places, stronger local economies and increased housing diversity. Sept. 18 5:45-7:30 p.m. $17.91. my805tix.com.
The Penny, 664 Marsh Street, San Luis Obispo. BUILDING STRONG FOUNDATIONS Join this special breakfast event, including an expert panel discussion on how affordable housing gets built in San Luis Obispo County. Sept. 24 7:30-10 a.m. $25. (805) 543-5970. slochtf.org. Madonna Inn Ballroom, 100 Madonna Rd, San Luis Obispo. BUSINESS MIXER FUNDRAISING PARTY AT THE ODD FELLOWS HALL Enjoy this lively Fundraiser Party & Community Celebration at Odd Fellows Hall in downtown San Luis Obispo. This one-of-a-kind event brings together local vendors, food trucks, and neighbors for an exciting evening filled with shopping, delicious eats, live music, drinks, and plenty of surprises. Businesses, vendors, and food trucks are wanted! Reserve your spot today. A shared 8-foot table is $50 each, and a whole table $75. The 1st ten businesses to sign up will get a $25 discount. Call or text for application at 805-602-0193. Sept. 24, 4 p.m. $23.27. my805tix.com. Oddfellows Hall, 520 Dana Street, San Luis Obispo, (805) 544-0876.
CARE CREW Calling all crafty, caring, pet-loving kids! Care Crew members will join us in filling Kongs for our canines, crafting pet toys, and creating art. Sept. 21 2-3:30 p.m. and Sept. 28 , 2-3:30 p.m. $5. (805) 543-9316. woodshumanesociety.org/ youth-programs/. Woods Humane Society, 875 Oklahoma Ave., San Luis Obispo.
DONAVAN FRANKENREITER: ROD & HAMMER RANCH WHISKEY FESTIVAL Join for the 4th Annual Rod & Hammer Ranch Day, with whiskey, music, and wild Western fun. There will be free live music, mechanical bull rides, axe throwing, smoked meats, and a local craft market. Get tickets and more info at the link. Sept. 20 12-10 p.m. $44.20. my805tix.
com. Rod & Hammer Rock, 855 Aerovista Pl., San Luis Obispo, (805) 543-1843.
ELECTRIC VEHICLE EXPO Join us for our annual EV Ride & Drive and Showcase. Test drive a variety of EVs and bikes, and talk with the owners! Sept. 27, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Free. Madonna Inn, 100 Madonna Rd., San Luis Obispo.
ELECTRIFY YOUR LIFE RESOURCE FAIR
Learn about resources on EVs, hear real EV stories, unlock big savings, and explore opportunities to electrify your home. Sept. 23 , 6-8 p.m. Free. San Luis Obispo Library, 995 Palm St., San Luis Obispo.
ELECTRIFY YOUR RIDE EV SHOWCASE
Discover the benefits of EV ownership! Browse over a dozen EV models and talk with the owners. Sept. 25, 6-9 p.m. Free. San Luis Obispo Farmers Market, Broad and Higuera, San Luis Obispo, (805) 541-0286.
FALL EQUINOX DRUMMING MEDITATION
/ CROW’S END SLO Gather to honor the Fall Equinox and observe the International Day of Peace in a sacred celebration of rhythm, reflection, and renewal. Join for an evening of rhythm-making, meditation, song, and storytelling as we attune to the shifting energies of the season and the universal call for unity. Tickets and additional details are available at the link. Sept. 19 6-9 p.m. $28.62. my805tix.com. Crows End Retreat, 6430 Squire Ct., San Luis Obispo.
FAMILY CLIMB: AERIAL SILKS FOR PARENTS & KIDS Family Climb is a parent-child structured silks class for ages 5 and up. Together you’ll build strong muscles and memories. No experience is necessary. Sept. 20 11:45 a.m.-12:45 p.m. $15/ 1st child, +$10/ additional sibling. (805) 547-1496. performanceathleticsslo.com/ saturday-event-clinics. Performance Athletics Gymnastics, 4484 Broad St., San Luis Obispo.
FAMILY FUN FRIDAYS Enjoy this familyfriendly line dance class, including the most popular line dances for all ages. It is meant to be danced together as a family. Sept. 19 5:30-7 p.m. $10. nexusslo.com. Nexus Ballroom D.C., 3845 S. Higuera St. (Lower Level), San Luis Obispo, (805) 904-7428.
FREE PET VACCINE CLINICS With the support of Petco Love, Woods is providing free vaccines for cats and dogs during vaccine clinics in August and September! Sept. 20 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Free. (805) 543-9316. woodshumanesociety.org/spay-neuter/. Woods Humane Society, 875 Oklahoma Ave., San Luis Obispo.
FREE TOURS OF THE MISSION Tour San Luis Obispo’s Spanish Mission, founded in 1772. Come learn its history and importance to the development of this area. Tours are led by docents and meet in front of the church Sundays, 2:30 p.m. and Mondays-Saturdays, 1:15 p.m. Free. (805) 550-7713. missionslodocents.org. Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa, 751 Palm Street, San Luis Obispo.
FUNDRAISER: GARAGE SALE Join this fundraiser benefitting SLO charities and supported by the Central Coast Women’s League (CCWL). There will be furniture, household items, art/ decor, vintage items, tools, plants, sporting goods, and jewelry. Sept. 20 8 a.m.-noon Free. (805) 539-9374. Central Coast Women’s League, 1720 San Luis Drive, San Luis Obispo, none.
GEMS BY THE SEA A fantastic array of gems, minerals, fossils, carvings, jewelry, beads, jade, crystals, meteorites, lapidary, and metaphysical items will be for sale. There will also be demonstrations of jewelry-making and lapidary. Sept. 27 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and Sept. 28 10 a.m.-5 p.m. $5. slogem.org/gemsby-the-sea/. Central Coast Veterans Memorial Museum, 801 Grand Ave., suite 102, San Luis Obispo, (805) 543-1763.
GYM JAM CLINIC Get your gym jam on with us with this one-hour of progressive gymnastics skill training, followed by an hour of open play. No experience is necessary, for this class geared towards ages 5
1st child, +$10 per additional sibling.. (805) 547-1496. performanceathleticsslo.com/ saturday-event-clinics. Performance Athletics Gymnastics, 4484 Broad St., San Luis Obispo.
I DIDN’T SEE IT COMING: HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF AGAINST FRAUD AND SCAMS
- ERIC VITALE
Offered by the SLO District Attorney’s Office, this is a primer on how to recognize fraudsters, how to protect yourself against them, and how to minimize the damage done in case you are deceived. The discussion will include how to deploy damage control and things to do to minimize your exposure to various fraud trends. The SLO County District Attorney Senior Investigator Eric Vitale will explain the various organized crime groups responsible for conducting these fraud schemes and whom they are targeting and what Law Enforcement is doing to prevent and disrupt their operations. Sept. 18 1-3 p.m. $12. my805tix.com. Oddfellows Hall, 520 Dana Street, San Luis Obispo, (805) 544-0876.
“JOYFUL RHYTHMS” DRUM CIRCLE / CHUMASH VILLAGE SLO Join for this monthly Drum Circle, a fun, unique, and uplifting social experience at the Chumash Village Clubhouse in SLO. It’s a welcoming, inclusive space for all! Social connection, emotional release, and the grounding power of rhythm as tools to nurture well-being from the inside out is emphasized throughout the experience. Sept. 18, 3:30-5 p.m. $17.91$28.62. my805tix.com. Chumash Village, 3057 S Higuera St., San Luis Obispo, (510) 301-1286.
KIDS’ PARTY PARADISE: IMAGYMNATION
STATION Drop your kiddos off at Kids’ Party Paradise for pizza, movie, and gymnastics fun while you get an evening off! This is geared towards children 4 to 13 years, and no experience is necessary. Sept. 20 5-9:30 p.m. $50/ 1 child, $70/ 2+ siblings. (805) 547-1496. performanceathleticsslo.com/ kids-party-paradise. Performance Athletics Gymnastics, 4484 Broad St., San Luis Obispo.
MANHATTAN SHORT FILM FESTIVAL
Discover your inner film critic by casting your vote for Best Film and Best Actor in the 28th Annual Manhattan Short Film Festival. Sept. 25, 12-3 p.m. Free. (805) 781-5994. slolibrary. org. San Luis Obispo Library Community Room, 995 Palm Street, San Luis Obispo.
MELLOW YOGA FOR EVERYONE Stretch into yourself under the beautiful oaks and fresh air of this idyllic country setting. Suitable for all levels, these classes emphasize the gentler side of yoga and adapt to participants’ needs. Tuesdays, 5-6 p.m. $14 per class or $55 for five-class card with no expiration. (805) 440-4561. balancedlivingayurveda.com. Tiber Canyon Ranch, 280 W Ormonde Rd, San Luis Obispo. MINDFULNESS AND MEDITATION (ONLINE MEETING) Zoom series hosted by TMHA. Thursdays, 10:30 a.m.-noon Transitions Mental Health Warehouse, 784 High Street, San Luis Obispo, (805) 270-3346.
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. PAINT A PREMADE POTTERY PIECE!
OLD DAYS
Downtown Los Alamos will come alive with music, food, and community, during the 79th annual Los Alamos Old Days, beginning on Friday, Sept. 26. The theme for the three-day event is How The West Was One, and there will be booths selling artisan handcrafted goods and a variety of refreshing food and drinks from local vendors, along with a classic car show. The festivities will wrap up on Sept. 27. Admission is free, and more details are available at lavmc.org.
—A.S.
Drop into the studio to pick out and paint a premade piece! There is fun for all ages, and prices are based upon size. Mondays, Wednesdays-Saturdays, 2-7:30 p.m. $30$75. app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule. php?owner=22676824&appointmentTy pe=35974477. Anam Cre Pottery Studio, 1243 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo.
SEA OTTER TRIVIA NIGHT Are you sea otter savvy? Are you aspiring to be? All are welcome to test their knowledge of our furriest marine mammal! Sept. 25 , 6-8 p.m. $5. oakandotterbrewing.com/events/giveback-thursday-sea-otter-savvy. Oak and Otter Brewing, 181 Tank Farm Road, suite 110, San Luis Obispo, (805) 439-2529.
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 SAFE STREETS FORUM For more information, visit the 2025 Regional Road Safety Action Plan via the website. Registration is free and required. Sept. 25 4:30-8:30 p.m. Free. slocogroadtozero. org. Ludwick Community Center, 864 Santa Rosa, San Luis Obispo.
TRANS* TUESDAY A safe space providing peer-to-peer support for trans, gender nonconforming, non-binary, and questioning people. In-person and Zoom meetings held. Contact tranzcentralcoast@gmail.com for more details. Tuesdays, 7-9 p.m. Free. GALA Pride and Diversity Center, 1060 Palm Street,
San Luis Obispo, (805) 541-4252.
WEEKLY BRIDGE GAMES Join Bridge games every Monday and Thursday for great competition and lots of fun. Mondays, Fridays, 12-4 p.m. through Dec. 12 $8. (408) 205-2364. slobridge.com. SLO Senior Center, 1445 Santa Rosa St., San Luis Obispo.
WHIP IT! A WEST COAST SWING PARTY
Westies, groove with Nexus’ West Coast Swing jam! Intermediate WCS lesson begin at 7 p.m., and social dancing begins at 8! Sept. 20 7-11 p.m. $20. nexusslo.com. Nexus Ballroom D.C., 3845 S. Higuera St. (Lower Level), San Luis Obispo, (805) 904-7428.
SOUTH COAST SLO COUNTY
86TH ANNUAL ARROYO GRANDE VALLEY
HARVEST FESTIVAL This free, family festival in the heart of Arroyo Grande is a beloved hometown tradition. Experience it for yourself, and get more information at the link! Sept. 26, 6-9 p.m. and Sept. 27 11 a.m.-4 p.m. agharvestfestival.com. Heritage Square Park, 201 Nelson St., Arroyo Grande.
BEGINNING BALLET FOR ADULTS Enjoy the grace and flow of ballet. No previous experience needed. Wednesdays, 5:15-6:15 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. FIVE CITIES/PISMO BEACH AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF UNIVERSITY WOMEN (AAUW) Guest Speaker Board Chair
Colleen Martin will give an update of what is happening in the Lucia Mar School District. Sept. 20, 10 a.m.-noon Free. Five Cities/Pismo Beach American Association of University Women (AAUW), Mesa Dunes
Mobile Home Park Clubhouse - 765 Mesa View Drive, Arroyo Grande, (805) 595-2526, fivecitiespismobeach-ca.aauw.net.
GIRLS IN AVIATION DAY Explore aviation and aerospace with pilots, airlines, and first responders in an interactive day of discovery focused on inspiring the next generation of flight! Sept. 20, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Free. (805) 781-5205. oceanoairport.com/events/. Oceano Airport L52, 561 Air Park Dr., Oceano. INGREDIENT PROFILE FORUM Head to this free event, covering history, etymology, import value, export value, production, crop value, processing, pricing, and recipes. RSVP via phone. Sept. 20 10:30 a.m. Free. (805) 878-7982. instagram.com/mypassionismyfood?utm_ source=ig_web_button_share_ sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==. Nipomo Library, 918 W. Tefft, Nipomo.
MANHATTAN SHORT FILM FESTIVAL
Discover your inner film critic by casting your vote for Best Film and Best Actor in the 28th Annual MANHATTAN SHORT Film Festival. Sept. 27 1:30-4:15 p.m. Free. (805) 929-3994. slolibrary.org. Nipomo Library, 918 W. Tefft, Nipomo.
MOVIE NIGHT AT THE ARROYO GRANDE HARVEST FESTIVAL Enjoy movie night at Heritage Square Park, featuring Lilo & Stitch The concession stand opens at 6, and the movie begins at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 26 6-9:30 p.m. Free. (805) 473-5472. arroyogrande.org/events. Heritage Square Park, 201 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.
SANTA MARIA VALLEY/LOS ALAMOS GUADALUPE BUSINESS ASSOCIATION FUNDRAISER FOR THE COSECHA GUADALUPE FARMERS MARKET Enjoy local produce, baked goods, and artisan vendors at our brunch fundraiser! Support the growth of a community market celebrating fresh food and local businesses. Sept. 21 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Free. Guadalupe Social Club, 945 Guadalupe St., Guadalupe, guadalupesocialclub.com.
LOS ALAMOS OLD DAYS Join the 79th annual Los Alamos Old Days! Sept. 26 6-10 p.m., Sept. 27 9-3 a.m. and Sept. 28 9-3 a.m. Free. Los Alamos Old Days, 429 Leslie, Los Alamos, (805) 260-3483, lavmc.org/old-days/.
SANTA YNEZ VALLEY
SOLVANG DANISH DAYS Celebrate Solvang’s Danish heritage with a weekend of authentic food, axe throwing, brick-building, music, dancing, three parades, free entertainment, and family experiences in Solvang village. Sept. 19 4-9 p.m., Sept. 20 8:30 a.m.-9 p.m. and Sept. 21,
8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Free, but with ticketed portions of weekend. (877) 327-2656. solvangdanishdays. org. Downtown Solvang, Citywide, Solvang.
FOOD & DRINK
NORTH COAST SLO COUNTY
LIBATIONS AT THE LIGHTHOUSE Join the annual fundraiser for the Piedras Blancas Light Station; a casual afternoon surrounded by history and natural beauty. Guests can enjoy pours of Harmony Cellars wine while wandering the grounds of beautiful Piedras Blancas and learning about the light station. Tickets are available at the link. Sept. 20, 3-5:30 p.m. $108. my805tix.com. Piedras Blancas Light Station, 15950 Cabrillo Highway, San Simeon.
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) 8247383. morrobayfarmersmarket.com. Morro Bay Main Street Farmers Market, Main Street and Morro Bay Blvd., Morro Bay.
NORTH SLO COUNTY
CLUB CAR BAR TRIVIA WITH DR. RICKY
Teams of one to six people welcome. Visit site for more info. Wednesdays, 7-10 p.m. my805tix. com. Club Car Bar, 508 S. Main St., Templeton.
OYSTER FEST AT HOPE ON PARK –
OYSTERS + AUSTIN HOPE WINES The team behind Morro Bay Gold Oysters will share how they sustainably farm oysters in the cool waters of Morro Bay. Hear their story of environmental stewardship and enjoy freshly shucked oysters paired with a selection of Austin Hope wines. Secure your spot and get a ticket now. Sept. 27 5:30-7 p.m. $45. my805tix.com. Hope on Park Creative Space, 1140 Pine Street, Paso Robles.
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.
RHONE RANGERS INTERNATIONAL GRENACHE DAY CELEBRATION Enjoy tastes of Grenache Blanc, Grenache Rosé, Grenache Noir, and GSM-blends from 27 wineries! There will be music with guest DJ Gestalt and Subtone. Sept. 18, 5:30-7:30 p.m. $45pp + tax/fees in advance, $55pp at door. (800) 467-0163. rhonerangers.org/event-calendar/ event/sept-18-grenache-celebration. Cass Winery, 7350 Linne Road, 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-walking-tour/. Toast Tours, 1722 Stillwater Ct, Paso Robles. WINE & CHEESE PAIRING WITH VIVANT FINE CHEESE Join our winemaker for a tasty and educational exploration of wine and cheese pairing with Vivant Fine Cheese. Sept. 26 4-5 p.m. $55. (805) 4672046. foursistersranch.orderport.net. Four Sisters Ranch Vineyard and Winery, 2995 Pleasant Rd., San Miguel.
SAN LUIS OBISPO
BEDA’S BIERGARTEN AUTHENTIC OKTOBERFEST Join Beda’s authentic family friendly Oktoberfest at SLO Grange Hall for Hofbräu beers, food, fun, games, and live music by Brass Mash. Earlybird prices are available until Aug. 31. Sept. 21, 1-6 p.m. $20 early bird; then $30. (805) 439-2729. ti.to/blueimaginarium/bedas-biergartenoktoberfest-2025. San Luis Obispo Grange Hall, 2880 Broad St., San Luis Obispo. DOWNTOWN SLO FARMERS MARKET Thursdays, 6-9 p.m. Downtown SLO, Multiple locations, San Luis Obispo. HEAD GAMES TRIVIA NIGHT Live multi-media 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. SOUTH COAST SLO COUNTY THE MAC & CHEESE FESTIVAL Each year we have over 2,000 attendees and this year is shaping up to be one of our biggest and best yet! The event features Mac & Cheese from over 25 of the most talented chefs, restaurants and caterers on the Central Coast. Don’t forget to vote for your favorite as they compete for the best mac and cheese! Sept. 27 2-6 p.m. $82.18. my805tix. com. Avila Beach Golf Resort, 6464 Ana Bay Rd., Avila Beach, (805) 595-4000. SWINGING BY THE SEA Experience the grandeur of an afternoon garden party at the seaside Chapman Estate, Shell Beach, with wine and food, gorgeous shoreline views, ocean breezes, and music. Sept. 20 1-5 p.m. $150. chapmanestatefoundation. org/. Chapman Estate, Private residence, Shell Beach. ∆
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MIRAGE VISIONS OF FLEETWOOD MAC
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 26 / 8PM
TICKETS START AT $20
HOLLYWOOD FIGHT NIGHTS
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 3 / 6PM TICKETS START AT $55
A1 COMBAT MMA
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 4 / 6PM TICKETS START AT $55
JEFFERSON STARSHIP
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 17 / 8PM TICKETS START AT $29
Arts
Dance to Havana
Cal Poly Arts presents Ballet Hispánico on Wednesday, Sept. 24, at the Performing Arts Center (7 to 8:30 p.m.; $47 to $71 at pacslo. org), performing “a collection of their renowned repertory works, including Club Havana,” organizers announced. “In this piece, choreographer Pedro Ruiz revives 1950s Havana’s vibrant nightlife, blending conga, rumba, and mambo into a dazzling reimagining of a golden era.”
New York City’s Ballet Hispánico has for more than five decades celebrated Hispanic/ Latin dance, commissioning more than 100 original works performed on stages worldwide. The Ford Foundation has recognized the company as one of America’s Cultural Treasures.
“At the helm is Artistic Director and CEO Eduardo Vilaro, a former Ballet Hispánico dancer and acclaimed choreographer who assumed leadership in 2009,” the company’s website explained.
“Under his dynamic guidance, the company has entered a new era—broadening its artistic scope, deepening its repertory, and elevating its distinctive movement language. Vilaro carries forward the founding vision of Tina Ramirez, who launched Ballet Hispánico in 1970 to celebrate the beauty of Latino cultures through dance.”
Vilaro and Cal Poly Arts Director Molly Clark will offer a pre-show Q-and-A from 6 to 6:30 p.m. Following the performance, audience members are invited to remain seated as Vilaro leads them through Latin social dance moves.
Wine, wine movie, and wine talk
When Alexander Payne’s Sideways was released in 2004, it was a phenomenon that invigorated Santa Barbara and SLO counties’ wine regions and affected wine sales. In the film, Miles (Paul Giamatti) gushes about the wonders of pinot noir while bashing merlot, causing merlot sales to drop 2 percent while pinot noir shot up 16 percent.
This Saturday, Sept. 20, Paso Picture Show screens Sideways (R; 127 min.) at a special outdoor event at Bianchi Winery (3380 Branch Road, Paso Robles; doors at 5:30 p.m.; $22 to $35 at my805tix.com for lawn seating with upgrades available).
Mira Advani Honeycutt and Kirk Honeycutt, authors of Sideways
Uncorked: The Perfect Pairing of Film & Wine will offer a book signing and Q-and-A prior to the screening. Attendees are invited to “enjoy a glass (or two) of wine, claim your spot on the lawn, take in the golden-hour glow, and snap some photos at our photo booth or among the vines,” organizers announced. “The movie kicks off shortly after dusk—just in time to catch the sunset and let the stars roll in.” Dress warmly. Every ticket includes a glass of wine and bag of G-Brothers Kettle Corn. Learn more at pasopictureshow.com. ∆ Glen Starkey
BY GLEN STARKEY
The ‘eccentricity specialist’
Meet Michael Richards, the human being behind the Cosmo Kramer character
There are a few names in comedy that are utterly unique, with a truly one-of-a-kind comedic style—people like Lenny Bruce, Andy Kaufman, Sacha Baron Cohen, Charles Grodin, Steven Wright, Zach Gali anakis, Ricky Gervais, and Sarah Silverman. Michael Richards is among this elite group. ere’s no one like him before or since.
Richards, now 76, is best known for the Cosmo Kramer character on Seinfeld from 1989 to 1998. He’s a three-time Primetime Emmy Award winner for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series (1993, 1994, and 1997). He’s also remembered for a troubling incident on Nov. 17, 2006, when he was appearing at West Hollywood’s the Laugh Factory, where he was heckled by a group of Black and Hispanic latecomers to the show. He launched into a racist tirade, a moment of anger he deeply regrets.
You can hear all about his life and career when he comes to the Fremont eater on ursday, Sept. 25.
“Well, it’s quite an arc because I’m going to start out with some of how I got to Seinfeld and what that did to me,” Richards explained during a recent phone call, “and then more about coming out from behind a character, coming more into myself and feeling comfortable being myself and not being a character, because I am a de nitive character actor. And that’s what my whole career in show biz was all about for 29 years. Just playing characters. I was what I called an ‘eccentricity specialist.’
“ ey bring me in to develop some kind of interesting character for the show,” he continued. “So that’s what I did. I made characters. And so now at 76, it’s just been tuning into more of what I am as a human being. Apart from character-making and showbiz, the task has been more about being myself and how I’ve become rather natural in that I’ve discovered a place where I stand with nature more closely than ever. I see an interrelatedness between myself and this planet. Now, that’s heavy. I know that’s heavy. What I just said there. But it’s like the bringing together of body and soul or matter. And psyche or nature and man.”
ese days Richards is very introspective and forthright, and why not? He already bared his soul to anyone interested in reading his 2024 New York Times bestselling autobiography Entrances and Exits, in which he talks about his upbringing, his highs, his lows. We learn, for instance, that what Richards was able to achieve as a character actor can’t be taught.
“It came from my blood, my bones,” he said. “It came very natural, easy in a sense. I mean, I had to work hard to keep up with what was coming through me, but as I mentioned in my book, I had a very powerful dream that I had to enter the comedy arts. It was so strong that I started working in the comedy clubs, and it came so easy for me. I wasn’t a stand-up comic. I was more of a what Paul Reubens would call a performing artist.”
Within a few months of playing comedy clubs, Richards was discovered and landed a spot on the sketch comedy TV show Fridays (1980 to 1982), appearing in 59 episodes. He also had some early movie roles and TV show guest roles until landing the role of Kramer.
“ at’s how fast it came, how easy it came for me,” he said, “but there were years and years of doing theater. I was a student at California Academy of Studio Arts, you know, doing all that.
Hear about his journey
Character actor Michael Richards graces the Fremont Theater stage on Thursday, Sept. 25, in Entrances and Exits: An Evening of Conversations, Questions, and Answers (doors at 7 p.m.; event at 8; all ages; $39.11 to $75.68 at prekindle.com). He’ll talk about his life and career and field audience questions.
And I think I was close to the eccentric because I was raised by a paranoid schizophrenic grandmother. My mother worked full time, and she took care of me, this grandmother, but she was all heart, even though she heard voices and whatnot. God knows what kind of characters were spinning around in her head, you know? So there you have it—touched by the eccentric.”
Early in his career, Richards and Andy Kaufman worked together, and a lot of how Richards developed his bits came from improv.
“ at’s pretty much the way I worked,” he explained. “I had some material, but I improvised, I moved around the material. It was very, very loose onstage. Very, very loose. Andy and I were friends at the time. You know, we’d come up with that routine of him breaking out of the sketch on Fridays.”
e famous scene in question was about two couples out for dinner where Kaufman seemingly forgets his lines so Richards storms o stage, grabs the cue cards, and dumps them in Kaufman’s lap. Kaufman dumps his water glass on Richards’ head, and then scene devolves into a physical altercation. e live audience and TV viewers thought it was real, but it was all an act.
Send gallery, stage, and cultrual festivities to arts@newtimesslo.com.
“I was OK with it,” Richards said. “When Jerry shifted and wanted to put an end to the show, I shifted with him. We were very interconnected, all of us, as an ensemble. If one of us wasn’t in on it, it a ected the other three. We’d been doing this for nine years, and really working hard at it, and we were getting very, very good throughout the years, as in ensemble. We worked very well together.” Richards has certainly had an amazing life, being drafted into the Army in 1970 at the height of the Vietnam War, discovering his father didn’t die in a car accident when he was 2 but instead learning he was the product of rape, being twice married with two children—an adult daughter with two kids of her own from his rst marriage and a 14-year-old son from his current marriage—surviving prostate cancer, doing what he labeled “self-canceling” after he stepped out of the spotlight following his racist rant.
But Michael Richards is a survivor.
“I loved his fearlessness,” Richards said of Kaufman. “His fearlessness and just doing all kinds of weird things. I remember one time he just had a washer and dryer hooked up onstage. At 12 o’clock at night, he just did his laundry and sat in a chair looking at a magazine. at was his act. He cleared the room. After a while, people just kind of got bored, you know, and they left. But that’s Andy’s act—a kind of performance, a kind of happening.” Richards’ career stalled after Seinfeld. e Michael Richards Show taped nine episodes in 2000 but was canceled. He did voice work in Jerry Seinfeld’s Bee Movie in 2007. He played himself on three episodes of Curb Your Enthusiasm in 2009. Many were shocked when Seinfeld ended its run at the top of its game, the No. 1 show on TV.
“I still carry it, and I don’t expect other people to forgive me all the way through. It was pretty horrible, the things I said. I’m not looking for people to love me or accept me, so I’m OK,” he said. “Other people just have to work it out in their own way. I did the personal work. I know where I stand in the midst of saying that sort of thing to another human being, you know? Everybody takes their fall, right? Everybody’s got their shit that they have to attend to, you know?
“So how do you forgive yourself? You nd the understanding in it. at’s what real forgiveness is. Don’t be too hard on others. Take a look at your own googah.” ∆
Contact Arts Editor Glen Starkey at gstarkey@ newtimesslo.com.
BRINGING THE KAVORKA Michael Richards, best known as Jerry Seinfeld’s eccentric neighbor Cosmo Kramer on the hit TV series Seinfeld, will appear at the Fremont Theater on Sept. 25.
PHOTO
Enjoy a magical night of Rodgers & Hammerstein classics, featuring Ana Nelson’s clarinet in “Blue Moon” and David Becker’s “It Might as Well be Spring,” for a journey into Broadway’s golden era.
Hard choices
Spike Lee (Do the Right ing, Malcolm X, BlacKkKlansman) directs Evan Hunter’s crime thriller screenplay about music mogul David King (Denzel Washington), who’s the target of a kidnapping ransom plot. It’s a loose remake of Akira Kurosawa’s 1963 Japanese lm High and Low that was based on American writer Ed McBain’s 1959 novel King’s Ransom. (133 min.)
HIGHEST 2 LOWEST
What’s it rated? R
What’s it worth, Anna? Full price
What’s it worth, Glen? Full price
Where’s it showing? Apple TV+
Glen is marks the fth collaboration between Spike Lee and Denzel Washington after Mo’ Better Blues (1990), Malcom X (1992), He Got Game (1998), and Inside Man (2006), and they’re both in ne form. Lee’s direction is spellbinding right from the opening sequence as the sun rises over Manhattan to the sounds of “Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin’” (from Oklahoma! ) and onto the thrilling chase through the streets as the ransom money is passed between scooter riders and then to King’s foot pursuit of the kidnapper Yung Felon (A$AP Rocky) and every moment in between. Washington is amazing as King, a music exec known to have “the best ears in the business” for his ability to discover and nurture hitmakers. He nds himself in a moral quandary when he discovers that his son, Trey (Aubrey Joseph), wasn’t the kidnap victim. It was Trey’s bestie and his driver and con dant Paul’s (Je rey Wright at his best) son, Kyle (Elijah Wright). Does David pay the $17.5 million to save Kyle? It’s downright Shakespearean. Anna e moral quandary is strong. When it’s his own esh and blood, there’s no question of whether the ransom will be paid, but when the weight of his child’s safety is lifted from his shoulders, it becomes a much more complicated choice. Paying the ransom will wipe out King’s kitty, and he’ll never be able to buy back his record label without it.
UNKNOWN NUMBER: THE HIGH SCHOOL CATFISH
What’s it rated? TV-MA When? 2025
Where’s it showing? Netflix
Lauryn and Owen were just your typical high school couple—planning for prom, texting incessantly, and hanging with their besties. Things took a turn when both teens started receiving cruel online messages and texts from an unknown cyberbully. The messages often took aim at undermining the couple’s relationship and insulting Lauryn’s looks.
The teens’ parents went on a crusade to try
PHOTO COURTESY OF NETFLIX
FAMILY
SECRETS
Teenager
Lauryn Licari, here with father Shawn and mother Kendra, endured relentless online harassment, in Netflix’s new documentary Unknown Number: The High School Catfish
King not only has to face pleas from Paul to save Kyle, but also from his own son, Trey, whose best friend’s life has been given a price. In his other ear is his wife, Pam (Ilfenesh Hadera), who’s reluctant to give up their lux life in their Dumbo penthouse. King has a lot of soul to search, and we watch as he resigns himself to a decision. Washington is always great, and Highest 2 Lowest is another feather in his cap as well as Lee’s. ese two know how to make a lm compelling.
Glen It’s not just Paul and Trey putting pressure on King to pay. In the Internet and social media age, there’s also public perception. King, who’s clearly beloved in the music biz, would look pretty bad letting a young man die over money, and he knows it. e music business itself has changed so much in recent years, and King also realizes he’s old guard and maybe no longer has the ears to recognize the hits. He’s a man at a crossroads. e story ies by, but the last act and the dénouement are particularly sublime
and track down the offender. Who would be cruel enough to doggedly harass these kids for more than 15 months? Well, it turns out truth is sometimes stranger than fiction, because by the end of this roller coaster, I was left with my jaw on the floor, swearing that what I was hearing was far too bizarre to be true.
While it may feel like a pretty-cookie cutter true crime Netflix special, if you don’t already know the twist, it’s definitely worth the watch. Interviews with both teens, their parents, and the community around them, including law enforcement, help to tell this wild story. We even hear from the offender themselves in an ill-thought-out attempt to explain their behavior. You never know who you can really trust is the unfortunate lesson this story teaches us. (94 min.)
—Anna
FRIENDSHIP
What’s it rated? R When? 2024
as King confronts Yung Felon, who has very personal reasons for targeting King. e end itself satis es, and Lee proves he can remake a very good lm into something even better. It’s a terri c update of a story about an impossible choice.
Anna I loved that King ultimately realized that the kidnapper was Yung Felon by relying on his “best ears in the business” after Trey points out a track playing in the background of the kidnapper’s calls. e cast all do a great job. Je ery Wright is such a compelling actor, and his turn as Paul is no di erent. is is an Apple TV+ lm, so it’s available streaming, but it is absolutely worth renting if you don’t have a monthly subscription to the platform. Let’s hope Washington and Lee continue this love a air—I’ll happily watch anything they put together. ∆
Arts Editor Glen Starkey and freelancer Anna Starkey write Split Screen. Comment at gstarkey@newtimesslo.com.
Where’s it showing? HBO Max
Written and directed by Andrew DeYoung in his feature length debut, Friendship tells the cringey story of Craig Waterman (Tim Robinson), an advertising exec whose cancer-surviving wife, Tami (Kate Mara), recently took up with an ex-boyfriend, Devon (Josh Segarra), due to Craig’s emotional unavailability. Craig’s floundering at work and is friendless, but things begin looking up when a new neighbor, TV meteorologist Austin Carmichael (Paul Rudd), moves next door. After sharing a beer, Craig
thinks he’s found a kindred spirit, but as the budding bromance turns into Craig’s obsessive infatuation, things turn very dark very fast. Robinson has made a career of depicting painfully awkward and desperate characters. He’s equal parts hilarious and wincingly repugnant. Rudd delivers his typical roguish nice guy, but as Craig becomes unhinged, Rudd’s Austin has to reject him with vigor. The story takes an expected but nonetheless shocking turn for the worse, and as the film closes, DeYoung signals that Craig is more than socially inept—he might be mentally ill. The film won’t be for everyone, but there’s something poignant about Craig’s single-minded need for connection. Male loneliness is real, and DeYoung’s debut shines a spotlight on it. (100 min.) ∆
ON THE MOVE Music mogul David King (Denzel Washington, right) becomes embroiled in a kidnapping ransom plot, in director Spike Lee’s Highest 2 Lowest, streaming on Apple TV+.
PHOTO COURTESY OF A24
NEEDY Craig (Tim Robinson, left) befriends his new neighbor, Austin (Paul Rudd), but their budding bromance quickly denigrates as Craig becomes cloying and desperate, in Friendship, streaming on HBO Max.
PHOTO COURTESY OF A24
Music
BY GLEN STARKEY
Into focus
On Aperture, The Head and the Heart comes full circle
On their new album, Aperture, beloved Seattle folk rockers The Head and the Heart have returned to their DIY roots. Singles like “Arrow,” “Beg Steal Borrow,” “Blue Embers,” “Time With My Sins,” and “After the Setting Sun” are getting traction and in some cases climbing the AAA (Adult Alternative Airplay) charts. During their career they’ve landed prime time mainstage slots at Coachella, Lollapalooza, and Austin City Limits. Now they’re returning to SLO County for the first time since 2011.
This is a band at the top of its game. Guitarist and vocalist Jonathan “Jon” Russell and percussionist and vocalist Tyler Williams joined me on a Zoom call to talk about their band and its impressive 16-year run, during which they’ve dealt with some changes. One founding member exited the band due to drug addiction. Two members are now married to each other. There are six members total, which is a lot of opinions and personalities to juggle. How does it all hold together?
“Loosely,” Russell laughed. “Our relationships have waxed and waned. Most of us are now married and have children. It’s not all that dissimilar from our own marriages, you know? It’s just a larger one. You get out whatever you put in, so we’ve learned over the years to work at our relationships.”
“A lot of therapy,” Williams piped in. “Truly,” agreed Russell. They’re not kidding, by the way. “I remember watching that Metallica documentary and they had a therapist at the time, I was just like, ‘I can’t believe this. This is ridiculous,’” Russell continued. “You know, as a guy who’d probably been in a band for a couple of years, you just don’t think that far ahead, and now that we’ve been together almost 16 years, you find yourself doing things that you never thought you’d do, and it’s for the benefit of your relationship. We’re better off for having done it.”
The group has come full circle on their new album. Formed in Seattle in 2009
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.
BAY LOVE - A SPECIAL CD RELEASE
PERFORMANCE Bay Love’s new CD, “Songs From The Bay,” is musical tribute to the Central Coast, to the planet, and to humanity. www.baylove.net Sept. 28
2-4:30 p.m. $25. (805) 234-3161. baylove. net. Cambria Center for the Arts Theatre, 1350 Main St., Cambria.
BAY LOVE SONGS FROM THE BAY The Central Coast acoustic folk duo, BAY LOVE, consisting of Linda Martin and Kevin
through an open mic night, their first selftitled and self-produced album was DIY right down to burning copies onto CDs and selling them in sewn denim sleeves cut from their own jeans. They eventually signed to Sub Pop, who re-released the record.
After two records on Sub Pop, they signed to Warner Bros. On their newest, their sixth studio album, they’ve reasserted control over the creative process, self-producing and releasing it on their own label, Every Shade of Music, under exclusive license of Verve Label Group.
“You work really hard to get to this place where you think you want to go,” Williams explained. “You think, ‘Oh, this is the hallowed music industry where David Bowie came up in and Prince and all these amazing artists.’ But then you start to realize that when you build that team around you and put these people in place, you lose a little bit of autonomy and that ability to move nimbly. I think this record was really about getting to a place where we’re trying to get as close as possible to the source of the spark of inspiration and capture that on record, and honestly, the less people you have between you and that source of inspiration, the better it comes across to the listener, we think. So, yeah, we’re just trying to get back to listening to ourselves.”
They went into the recording process without a label. They’d left their management company. It was just the six of them answering to each other.
“Whatever the six of us felt and enjoyed in that moment, that’s what we went with,” Williams continued. “And that was refreshing, honestly. It was like a rejuvenation process for the band.”
The results speak for themselves. Critics are gushing over Aperture and its immediacy, calling it a “return to form” and their best album in years.
“A lot of the songs were written and recorded in the same session,” Williams said.
“They weren’t overdone or demoed out. The idea was to capture as much live writing and improvisation as possible.”
Williams also thinks the band has never been better live, calling recent shows “the best shows we’ve ever put on.”
“It’s kind of wild, you know? We just did a stadium concert with The Lumineers in
Termunde, will be celebrating their first original CD, “Songs From the Bay”, with a special CD release performance at the CCA! Sept. 28 2-4:30 p.m. $25. my805tix. com. Cambria Center for the Arts Theatre, 1350 Main St., Cambria. 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. DELTAPHONIC WITH SILK OCEAN: AN EVENING OF FUNK, SOUL AND INDIE GROOVES BY WAY OF NEW ORLEANS! Hear Deltaphonic blend rock ‘n roll, with New Orleans funk, soul, and Hill Country blues. Sept. 25 7:45-10:30 p.m. $16.36.
thesirenmorrobay.com. The Siren, 900 Main St., Morro Bay, (805) 225-1312. FOREVER GREEN - MUSIC MONDAYS CONCERT SERIES AT ROBIN’S Forever Green will be playing in Robin’s Restaurant Music Mondays concert series. Reservations are strongly recommended. Sept. 22 5-8:30 p.m. $7. (805) 927-5007. facebook.com/ events/1467258807650530. Robin’s Restaurant, 4095 Burton Drive, Cambria. LISTENING AS RITUAL Group listening sessions with musician/musicologist Ben Gerstein. Explore remarkable recordings of world music, nature field recording, western classical and contemporary, and jazz, sharing and discussing inspiration and perspectives on the expressive power of peoples, cultures, animals and habitats through sonic experience. Every other Monday, 7-8:15 p.m. $10-$15 donation. (805) 305-1229.
Seattle, and it felt like we were playing to 200 people because it just felt so effortless and so great to perform these new songs, combined with the classics,” Williams added. “It’s almost like we’re hitting this other level, which is refreshing after 16 years of being a band. It never really feels like we’ve peaked, if that makes sense. We’re hoping to continue that.”
Nederlander Concerts presents The Head and the Heart on Friday, Sept. 26, in Vina Robles Amphitheatre (doors at 6, show at 7:30 p.m.; all ages; $55 to $402.50 at ticketmaster.com). Opener John Vincent III is amazing in his own right. Should be a magical night!
Other Nederlander Concerts shows this week at Vina Robles include the (basically) sold-out Rod Stewart on his One Last Time Tour on Sunday, Sept. 21. The only tickets available are verified resale tickets (doors at 6, show at 7:30 p.m.; all ages; $180.55 to $1,322.50 at ticketmaster.com).
Country singer-songwriter Chase Rice on his Go Down Singin’ International Tour comes to Vina on Thursday, Sept. 25 (doors at 6:30, show at 8 p.m.; all ages; $35 to $283.80 at ticketmaster.com), with Hannah McFarland opening. In addition to his critically acclaimed new album Go Down Singin’, Rice has had hits like “Eyes on You,” “Ready Set Roll,” and “Drinkin’ Beer. Talkin’ God. Amen.”
leftcoastartstudio.com/. Left Coast Art Studio, 1188 Los Osos Valley Rd., Los Osos. 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 AT THE MARITIME
MUSEUM Join our monthly sea-shanty sing-along every 4th Saturday through October. Learn and share maritime music. Bring a song. Learn a song. Sing along. Fourth Saturday of every month, 11 a.m. through Oct. 25 Free. (805)225-6571. Morro Bay Maritime Museum, 1154 Front St., Morro Bay.
STORYTELLING WITH MUSIC Join Brynn Albanese and Jody Mulgrew in the launch of the new CCU Season.
Buena Vista tribute
The SLO County Jazz Federation presents masterful Cuban pianist Jorge Luis Pacheco in a tribute to the Buena Vista Social Club on Saturday, Sept. 20, in SLO’s Mt. Carmel Lutheran Church (1701 Fredericks St.; 7:30 p.m.; all ages; $35 general admission at my805tix.com or $25 for Jaz Fed members and $10 for students; visit slojazz.org for more information.). His trio includes Reinier Mendoza (Orquesta Akokan) on percussion
Storytellers Amber Atkinson and award-winning storyteller and naturalist, Dean Thompson, will share stories of folklore and nature accompanied by a soundscape of improvised music. Sept. 20, 2-4:30 p.m. $33.98. my805tix.com. St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 2700 Eton Road, Cambria.
WHITE CAPS TO PERFORM AT THE MORRO BAY HIGH SCHOOL THEATRE
Don’t miss the Morro Bay White Caps Community Band performing exciting pops, classical, and jazz music at the new Morro Bay High School Theatre! Sept. 20 1-3 p.m. Free. (805) 459-9543. morrobaywhitecaps.com. Morro Bay High School, 235 Atascadero Rd., Morro Bay.
NORTH SLO COUNTY
BURLEY THISTLES Burley Thistles is an alternative rock band known for their guitar-driven sound and memorable
songs. Blending heartland rock with classic rock influences, hear them live. Sept. 27, 8-10 p.m. Club Car Bar, 508 S. Main St., Templeton.
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 Paso Robles Inn. Sept. 20 6-9 p.m. Paso Robles Inn, 1103 Spring Street, Paso Robles. Easton Everett is a singer-songwriter who blends indie folk, neo-folk, and world beat with intricate fingerstyle guitar. Sept. 26 5 a.m.-7 p.m. Sun Outdoors Central Coast Wine Country, 2500 Airport Rd, Paso Robles, (805) 238-4560.
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, LIVE MUSIC continued page 30
TEAM EFFORT Nederlander Concerts presents collaborative folk heroes The Head and the Heart at Vina Robles Amphitheatre on Sept. 26
STRAIGHT OUTTA HAVANA The SLO County Jazz Federation presents Cuban pianist Jorge Luis Pacheco at SLO’s Mt. Carmel Lutheran Church on Sept. 20
and Geron Lazo-Quiroga on bass.
“I first saw Jorge Luis Pacheco at the Havana Jazz Festival in 2011,” Jazz Fed member and KCBX Jazz Liner Notes DJ Fred Friedman said. “I have seen him several times since. He is a phenomenal piano player, one of the best I have ever seen.”
From Havana, the young pianist has been hailed as “fiery” with “flying hands.” Pacheco’s music combines Cuban jazz, Cuban and Afro-Cuban music, American jazz, and classical.
Ready to rage?
Numbskull and Good Medicine present Brass Against on their What Better Time Than Now tour at The Siren on Wednesday, Sept. 24 (7 p.m.; 21-and-older; $24.41 or $70.76 VIP meet and greet at goodmedicinepresents.com), with all-female Babes Against the Machine opening.
Brass Against plays high energy brass interpretations of Rage Against the Machine, Tool, Soundgarden, Black Sabbath, and Run the Jewels, as well as their own compositions, in a live show that’s garnered a global audience. Formed in 2017, the band was inspired by our polarizing times.
“I wondered what I could do as a musician, and my first idea was to do a performance of ‘Killing in the Name’ by Rage Against the Machine with a choir and an orchestra,”
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bandleader Brad Hammonds said in press materials. “I really felt like we needed Rage Against the Machine during that time period.”
The group has grown into a “collective,” with a revolving reservoir of performers.
FALL CONCERT LINEUP
“We always love playing our originals and they always do really, really well,” Hammonds added. “At our shows, we play ‘Killing in the Name’ halfway through the set and people go nuts. Tool is one of those bands that has diehard fans, too. We’ll mix it up; the encore is usually ‘Back in Black’ by AC/DC. It’s hard to
STARKEY continued page 28
Sundays Only - 8 am ‘til 3 pm
Vegan Hash. Yukon gold potatoes, sweet potatoes, kale, onions, local mushrooms, garlic, cilantro, harissa, and avocado. Toast or biscuit.
Breakfast Burger. Snake River Farms American Wagyu beef patty, melted provolone, and an egg, with sliced tomato and warm bacon-onion jam, on a home-made hamburger bun.
Avocado Toast. Avocado, heirloom tomato, and poached eggs on home-made sourdough toast.
Ceviche. Mexican sea bass, shrimp, and lobster marinated in Meyer lemon and seasonings. With radishes and corn tortilla chips.
describe how much fun it is because you look down at the set list and you can’t wait to get to the next one. It’s always exciting.”
Also from Numbskull and Good Medicine, see NYC shoegaze band Hotline TNT on their 2025 Path of Totality tour at Club Car Bar on ursday, Sept. 25 (7 p.m.; all ages; $22.87 at goodmedicinepresents.com) with Toner and Combat Naps opening.
Fly by
e Turkey Buzzards—Dylan Nicholson (vocals and guitar) and Eric Patterson (bass and vocals)—are such an amazing live duo. ey emanate a real back porch or around-the-camp re vibe, as they describe their sound. ey play e Siren on Tuesday, Sept. 23 (7 to 10 p.m.; 21-and-older; $13.17) with Mothra opening.
Also this week at e Siren, check out Ian George & e Knee Pockets on Friday, Sept. 19 (7:30 to 10:30 p.m.; 21-and-older; free). ey don’t really sound like not Edward Sharp and the Magnetic Zeros, but they have a similar vibe.
Big week at R&D
SLO Brew Live at Rod & Hammer Rock has a phat week lined up beginning when Luvlab Collective presents an evening of EDM with Ardalan on Saturday, Sept. 19 (doors at 8 p.m.; 18-and-older; $23.27 presale at my805tix.
com), with openers Okay Ajay, Sam Stearns, and Shawna Mox. Ardalan’s breakout hit “Mr. Spock” remains a dance oor favorite. Expect a curated event with live painters, performers, immersive visual projections, and a marketplace of creative crafts.
On Saturday, Sept. 20, it’s the fourth annual Rod & Hammer Ranch Whiskey Festival (noon; all ages; free). ere’ll be line dancing (noon to 1 p.m.), then live music from Dusty Souls (1 to 2:30 p.m.), the Shawn Clark Family Band (3 to 4:30 p.m.), and Josh Rosenblum Band (5 to 6:30 p.m.). Also enjoy mechanical bull rides, axe throwing, smoked meats, a local craft market, and for those of age, whiskey.
After the daylong festivities, stick around for the main event on the big stage and see Donavon Frankenreiter (doors at 7 p.m.; all ages; $44.20 at ticketweb.com), with Max MacLaury opening. Frankenreiter, a former pro surfer turned musician, will bring his “laid-back grooves, philosophical lyrics, and soulful delivery,” the club announced.
LA-based pop singer-songwriter Nate Sib plays on Sunday, Sept. 21 (doors at 7 p.m.; all ages; $29.27 at ticketweb.com), with Kimj opening. Sib, a multi-instrumentalist, brings “electronic dance music energy and alternative experimentation twisted up with just the right amount of basement-born trap grit,” his bio explains.
Hipster twang act Chaparelle plays on
Wednesday, Sept. 24 (doors at 7 p.m.; 18-andolder; $35.45 at ticketweb.com). Featuring singersongwriters Zella Day and Jesse Woods, they’ll remind some listeners of country music’s golden age of duets like George and Tammy or Gram and Emmylou.
Irie Third Friday
You can get your monthly reggae x starting this Friday, Sept. 19, when the inaugural Irie ird Friday kicks o at Liquid Gravity with Eric Cotton and One Love Bomb (7 to 9 p.m.; all ages; $12.66 at my805tix.com).
I’ve been following Cotton’s career since 1986 when he started Rock Steady Posse, which for years was a mainstay of the local club scene. He eventually headed to the Bay Area where he fronts the electrifying show band, e Cheeseballs, but a few years ago he moved back to the Central Coast and started e Upside Ska.
He continues to work with e Cheeseballs and e Upside Ska, but One Love Bomb is his newest endeavor, and it includes former members of Rock Steady Posse, Cardi Reefers, and Militia of Love. ese guys deliver feel-good Cali roots reggae.
Food will be available from Caribbean Love Flava, and Bali Isle will have a clothing booth.
Hard rock heaven
Ready for a ve-band dose of rock ’n’ roll?
SLO’s Humdinger Brewing has an epic lineup throwing down on Sunday, Sept. 21 (7 p.m.; all ages; $15). Limbo, No Tears for Dead Billionaires (NT4DB), e Vargo Paradox, Hot Tina, and AIP (Arti cially Intelligent Primitives) are all on the bill.
“It’s been pretty cool to have all the new music promoters around town, and we’re super stoked to be invited by Central Coast Music Productions to help ll out this killer lineup,” Hot Tina’s Che Kelly said.
“We’re starting to see an intermingling of ages, genres, and more inclusive lineups where all genders are represented. We’ve written a bunch of new music and are super pumped to share our punk voices with people, reiterating the importance of sharing thoughts and space and supporting a community atmosphere.”
¡Fuego Latino!
e Bunker SLO will host a very special concert this Sunday, Sept. 21, when husband-and-wife duo Alma Sangre plays (8 p.m.; all ages; $10 at my805tix.com).
“I’m teaming up with Neal Losey from KCBX to bring Alma Sangre to SLO,” promoter Abe Gibson explained. “I think it’s been nearly 10 years since they last played in the area, at Sweet Springs [Saloon].” e duo includes Antonio Aguilar and Meg Castellanos, also members of Totimoshi & All Souls, and according to Gibson, they “dig deep into their Latin roots seamlessly mashing up Spanish, rock, and gypsy jazz guitar with Latin rhythms and amenco dance. Inspired by the grit and emotion of [Costa Rican-Mexican singer] Chavela Vargas, Alma Sangre’s music is poetic and lled with dramatic tension.”
Gibson, a percussionist, will open the night “with music for 12 roto-toms.”
The not too distant past
Celebrate the music of the aughts when Slacker University presents It’s a 2000’s Party in the Fremont on Saturday, Sept. 20 (9 p.m.; 18-and-older; $40.14 at prekindle. com).
“Experience a nostalgic blast from the past,” organizers announced. “ is electrifying event celebrates the iconic 2000s era, featuring the decade’s biggest hits across pop, hip-hop, and rock genres. Embrace the Y2K fashion and culture as you dance the night away to tunes from Britney Spears, Eminem, and more.” ∆
Contact Arts Editor Glen Starkey at gstarkey@newtimesslo.com.
SADDLE UP Cool country vocal duets are afoot when Chaparelle plays Rod & Hammer Rock on Sept. 24
POWER TRIO SLO’s Humdinger Brewing hosts a five-band rock show that includes SLO hard rock trio Artificially Intelligent Primitives (AIP) on Sept. 21
SOUL BLOOD The Bunker SLO hosts Latin duo Alma Sangre in concert on Sept. 21
PHOTO COURTESY OF ALMA SANGRE
Swingin’ By The Sea Garden Party
Invites you to attend our Annual at the Beautiful Chapman Estate
Saturday, September 20, 2025 1:30 - 5:00pm Join us at the Estate for a wonderful afternoon of wine and food, music, ocean vistas and sea breezes. See the amazing begonia house in full bloom. Discover one-of-a-kind experiences and packages in our Silent and Live Auctions.
TICKETS NOW ON SALE and can be purchased at chapmanestatefoundation.org or scan this QR code
CHAPARELLE Hear singer-songwriters
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. JAZZ AT SENSORIO PASO ROBLES ADAM LEVINE, SUNNY WRIGHT, DAVID KEIF Adam Levine, Sunny Wright, and David Keif are set to grace the stage at Sensorio Paso before and after you tour the gorgeous art light displays. Sept. 25 , 6:45-9:45 p.m. $35-$65. (805) 226-4287. sensoriopaso.com/. Sensorio, 4380 Highway 46 East, Paso Robles.
JAZZ AT THE PONY CLUB WITH SUNNY WRIGHT AND JACOB ODELL Enjoy jazz at The Pony Club with Jake Odell on guitar and Sunny Wright on vocals. Craft cocktails will be available, along with an excellent wine list and menu also! Sept. 26 6-9 p.m. Free. (805) 226-9995. hotelcheval.com/pony-club-bar-lounge. Pony Club Bar and Lounge at The Hotel Cheval, 1021 Pine St, 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.
KELLYTOWN Live Irish music show, with rockin’ pub songs fiddle, and accordion tunes. Enjoy plenty of food and drinks too! Sept. 27, 6-9 p.m. Free. (805) 235-5898. WeAreKellytown.com. Blast 825 (Atascadero), 7935 San Luis Ave., Atascadero.
LIVE MUSIC WITH MICHAEL PETERS Enjoy classic country tunes with Michael Peters, along with wine specials, tastings, and Alba Provisions snack boxes. It will be the perfect laid-back afternoon in Paso. Reservations are encouraged! Sept. 21 3-6 p.m. $25 tasting fee waived with $75 purchase. (805) 237-1245. mcpricemyers.com/events/092125music. McPrice Myers Wine Company, 3525 Adelaida Rd., Paso Robles.
OPEN MIC NIGHT Hosted by The Journals 805 (John and Dylan Krause). Mondays, 9 p.m. Pine Street Saloon, 1234 Pine St., Paso Robles.
SENSORIO SUMMER CONCERT SERIES
Fresh off launching a new art installation, Sensorio Paso Robles unveils its Summer Concert Series lineup, running Sundays from June 1 to October 12. Get tickets and more info at the link. Sept. 21 6:30-10:30 p.m. $55 - $140. (805) 226-4287. sensoriopaso. com/sensorio-celebrations. Sensorio, 4380 Highway 46 East, 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.
SUMMER CONCERT SERIES Fresh off its latest art and music installation, Sensorio Paso Robles announces its Summer Concert Series, running from the beginning of June until October, featuring exciting live acts. Sept. 21 $55 - $140. (805) 226-4287. sensoriopaso.com/ sensorio-celebrations. Sensorio, 4380 Highway 46 East, Paso Robles.
TENT CITY LIMITS - CONCERTS AT THE PRINTERY Head to the next event in the Tent City Limits Live Summer Concert Series, featuring live performances by Two Runner and Honey Buckets, along with the Brick By Brick Wine Festival, and a showcase of small and emerging wineries including Landsby Wines and Ruakh Wines. VIP tables are available, and kids get in for free. Sept. 19 5:30-9 p.m. my805tix. com. Atascadero Printery Foundation, 6351 Olmeda Avenue, Atascadero.
SAN LUIS OBISPO
17TH ANNUAL CUESTA ACOUSTIC GUITAR
CONCERT FEAT. TONY MCMANUS The Cuesta Guitar Class Program presents internationally known Celtic Guitar sensation Tony McManus, joined by Dorian Michael and Jennifer Martin. Sept. 20, 7:30 p.m. $17 General, $10 Students w/ID. (805) 546-3198. Harold J. Miossi CPAC at Cuesta College, Highway 1, San Luis Obispo.
Zella Day and Jesse Woods come together to reveal their highly anticipated collaboration, “Chaparelle”. Tickets can be purchased at the link. Sept. 24 7 p.m. $35.45. slobrew.com/. Rod & Hammer Rock, 855 Aerovista Pl., San Luis Obispo, (805) 543-1843.
THE CHARITIES WITH SPECIAL GUEST
THE SEXTONES Southern California group The Charities are set to bring the energy back to SLO Brew for another live show. Their music draws influence from many different genres, including funk, soul, Motown, jazz, disco, R&B, and rock n’ roll. Sept. 26 $27.21. slobrew.com. Rod & Hammer Rock, 855 Aerovista Pl., San Luis Obispo, (805) 543-1843.
LED presents Cloonee, Dombresky, Mindchatter, and more at the Spanos Stadium. This is an 18+ show. Sept. 20, 5:30-10 p.m. $55. Spanos Stadium, 1 Grand Ave, San Luis Obispo, (805) 756-0275.
DAWN AND JUDY - A MUSICAL JOURNEY
Dawn Lambeth and Judy Philbin take you on a “Musical Journey” with their favorite songs from the ‘30s, ‘40s, ‘50s, and beyond. Sept. 28 3-5 p.m. $25. (805) 439-0188. uuslo.org. Unitarian Universalist Church, 2201 Lawton Ave., San Luis Obispo.
JOE GLAD AND ETERNAL WAVE Head downtown to hear two live sets from Joe Glad and Eternal Wave. This is a 21+ event. Sept. 25 9-11:55 p.m. Free. libertinebrewing. com/. Libertine Brewing Company, 1234 Broad St., San Luis Obispo, (805) 548-2337.
THE JORGE LUIS PACHECO TRIO The SLO County Jazz Federation presents the masterful Cuban pianist Jorge Luis Pacheco in a Tribute to the Buena Vista Social Club. Pacheco is a fiery performer whose artistry has been featured at Lincoln Center, The Kennedy Center, and the Apollo Theater among many international venues. He will perform with his trio, including Reinier Mendoza on percussion and Geron LazoQuiroga on bass. Sept. 20 7:30-9:30 p.m. $39.34. my805tix.com. Mt. Carmel Lutheran Church, 1701 Fredericks Street, San Luis Obispo.
LIBERTINE PRESENTS: OUTSIDE DOG WITH RAMP Sept. 18 8 p.m. Free. my805tix.com. Libertine Brewing Company, 1234 Broad St., San Luis Obispo, (805) 548-2337.
LIBERTINE PRESENTS: RAY AND PAUL WITH BIG SIERRA Hear Bay Area-based band Ray and Paul live at Libertine, with support from Big Sierra. This show is 21+. Sept. 19 8 p.m. $17.91. Libertine Brewing Company, 1234 Broad St., San Luis Obispo, (805) 548-2337, libertinebrewing.com.
LUVLAB PRESENTS ~ ARDALAN Hailing from Tehran and raised between Iran and California, Ardalan is known for his eclectic taste and signature left-of-center sound. One can expect a set that fuses deep, jarring beats with lush melodies, showcasing why he’s a regular on some of the world’s top stages. Get tickets at the link. Sept. 19 8-11:45 p.m. $23.27. my805tix. com. Rod & Hammer Rock, 855 Aerovista Pl., San Luis Obispo, (805) 543-1843.
MILITARIE GUN SLO Hear Militarie Gun live at Humdinger, with support from Death Lens & Milly and local group Throw Away. Tickets and more info available at the link. Sept. 26 6 p.m. $20. my805tix.com. Humdinger Brewing (SLO), 855 Capitolio Way, suite 1, San Luis Obispo, (805) 781-9974.
MOONSHINER COLLECTIVE - UNDER
THE MOON CONCERT W/ THE SILENT COMEDY Enjoy the Under the Moon concerts, a unique series that blends the band’s love for the outdoors with a high-end live music experience, creating intimate, open-air nights that feel magical and memorable. Sept. 20 5:30-9:30 p.m. $30. my805tix.com. Dairy Creek Golf Course, 2990 Dairy Creek Rd., San Luis Obispo, (805) 782-8060.
NATE SIB WITH SPECIAL GUEST KIMJ
Hear the Los Angeles-based singer, songwriter, producer, and multiinstrumentalist Nate Sib live at SLO Brew. Get tickets and more details at the link. Sept. 21 7 p.m. $29.27. slobrew.com. Rod & Hammer Rock, 855 Aerovista Pl., San Luis Obispo, (805) 543-1843.
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. BASIN STREET REGULARS SUNDAY JAZZ CONCERT PRESENTS ST. JOHN’S RIVERBOAT JAZZ BAND Pismo Beach Swings! Join the unforgettable Sunday of Jazz with St. Johns Riverboat Jazz Band & The Riverboat Rustlers! Sept. 28 11 a.m.-4 p.m. $10 for members, $15 for nonmembers. (805) 937-8402. my805tix.com. Pismo Beach Veteran’s Memorial Building, 780 Bello Street, San Luis Obispo. CENTRAL COAST HARMONY CHORUS INVITES SINGERS TO JOIN FOR HOLIDAY PERFORMANCES Men and women are invited! No prior experience is necessary - just a love of music. Call or email for more information. Thursdays, 6:30-8:30 p.m. through Dec. 18 $20. (805) 736-7572. ccharmony.org. Nipomo Senior Center, 200 E. Dana St., Nipomo. IN THE AIR TONIGHT CELEBRATING THE MUSIC OF GENESIS & PHIL COLLINS Experience In The Air Tonight, a powerful live tribute to Genesis and Phil Collins, packed with iconic hits, stunning vocals, and an unforgettable musical journey. Sept. 20, 7:30-9:30 p.m. $39.50-$65.50. (805) 489-9444. clarkcenter.org. Clark Center for the Performing Arts, 487 Fair Oaks Ave., Arroyo Grande. KARAOKE AT SLO COUNTY’S ONLY FILIPINO CAFE Join for all day, all ages karaoke hosted at SLO County’s only brick and mortar Filipino cafe, Lumpia Bros Cafe. Enjoy karaoke, filipino dishes, acai, and coffee. Tuesdays-Saturdays-6 p.m. through Dec. 31 Free. (805) 202-8473. Lumpia Bros Cafe, 1187 W. Grand Ave., Grover Beach. KARAOKE EVERY WEDNESDAY A weekly event with barbecue offerings and more. Wednesdays, 4-8 p.m. Rancho Nipomo BBQ, 108 Cuyama Ln., Nipomo, (805) 925-3500.
THE LEGENDS OF ROCK: A TINA TURNER, ROD STEWART, AND ROLLING STONES TRIBUTE SHOW James Elliott Entertainment presents The Legends of Rock, a tribute to three legends in one show! Sept. 26 7:30-10 p.m. $44.50-$55. (805) 489-9444. clarkcenter.org/. Clark Center for the Performing Arts, 487 Fair Oaks Ave., Arroyo Grande. 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. MUSIC WITH A VIEW - OPEN GATES AT THE CHAPMAN ESTATE GARDEN Enjoy Open Gates at the seaside Chapman Estate in Shell Beach. Bring a picnic dinner and music, tables, chairs, and views will be supplied. Docent-led garden tours are available. Fridays, 5-7:30 p.m. through Oct. 24 $5/ person + $5 for Docent tours (optional). chapmanestatefoundation.org/. Chapman Estate, Private residence, Shell Beach.
SANTA MARIA VALLEY/LOS ALAMOS
STEVIE NICKS ILLUSION AT COTTONWOOD CANYON Immerse yourself in a Saturday evening of music, food, and wine at Cottonwood Canyon Winery, set amidst the breathtaking amphitheater with Stevie Nicks Illusion. This evening promises an unforgettable experience, combining top-tier musical performances with delicious food, premium wines, and craft beer. Explore the beautiful grounds, savor exquisite wines, and discover new artists in this idyllic Santa Barbara Wine Country. Sept. 20, 5 p.m. $39.44. my805tix.com. Cottonwood Canyon Vineyard And Winery, 3940 Dominion Rd, Santa Maria, (805) 937-8463. ∆
Journey of joy
San Miguel’s Justin Lewis embraces roles as top chef at Riboli Family Wines and first-generation sheep farmer
The kitchen has always been Justin Lewis’ sanctuary. He pours his heart and soul into his craft, supporting “all things local, sustainable, organic, and fresh,” according to the San Miguel-based chef. His mantra—to put “intention and love into my food”—along with his 15-plus years of helming kitchens in Southern California and the Central Coast—helped him land the director of food services position at Riboli Family Wines in May.
“We are delighted to welcome chef Justin Lewis to the Riboli family,” said Anthony Riboli, fourth-generation winemaker at the Los Angeles-based enterprise. “After experiencing his food first-hand, I can say it brings people together in a way that feels both elevated and deeply personal.
“We couldn’t be more excited for our guests to enjoy the creativity, passion, and heart he brings to every dish.”
In the newly created role, Lewis oversees culinary programs and events at Riboli’s San Antonio Winery restaurants in Los Angeles and Paso Robles, the Riboli Family Winemaking & Events Center in Paso, and other local family holdings including Jada Vineyard & Winery and the upcoming San Simeon Estate Winery, slated to open in spring of 2026 at 7210 Vineyard Drive.
The new winery will include a production facility and tasting room, with elevated small plates accompanying Riboli’s San Simeon label.
“The menu is an homage to the Central Coast,” Lewis explained. “We’ll showcase local treasures like Grassy Bar oysters, Mighty Cap Mushrooms, Etto pasta, and other fresh, organic ingredients sourced locally.”
Jada will similarly benefit from a menu facelift beyond its artisan cheese and charcuterie boards.
Lewis said his culinary goals align with the Riboli family’s, which “began California’s wine story in downtown Los Angeles in 1917 with San Antonio Winery.”
Riboli raises the bar
Experience chef Justin Lewis’ innovative and sustainable cuisine at Riboli Family Wines establishments in Paso Robles and Los Angeles. For locations and hours, visit riboliwines.com and jadavineyard.com. Track Lewis’ menu drops and culinary adventures on Instagram @chefjlew.
“Being from LA and now living on the Central Coast, joining this family is meaningful to me,” he continued. “I was already familiar with Jada, and since the Riboli family acquired it, the wines have remained exceptional—now with a commitment to organic practices and enhanced hospitality spaces that honor the natural beauty of Willow Creek.”
Both Jada and San Simeon are Certified California Sustainable and regularly score 90-plus points with critics. Jada’s wines have particularly drawn industry praise. Its 2021 Hell’s Kitchen, a Rhone blend, achieved 98 points from Jeb Dunnuck and ranked 39th in the publication’s Top 100 Wines for 2023 list. It was Jada’s third time landing a spot on the coveted list.
The Riboli family’s portfolio of wine-centric businesses will benefit from Lewis’ deep hospitality experience, including a
culinary arts diploma from Le Cordon Bleu Hollywood and stints as executive chef at the Malibu Inn and Simmzy’s Manhattan Beach; corporate executive chef for Firestone Walker Brewing Company; and culinary director for San Luis Obispo’s Nomada Hotel Group, including Granada Hotel & Bistro, Skyview Los Alamos, and Pozo Saloon.
When not overseeing Riboli’s culinary program, Lewis and his fiancée, Erin BarrettSparrow, operate Sheep Lux Farm in San Miguel.
In 2021, three years after moving to the Paso area from his hometown of Culver City, “we began taking in ‘bummer’ lambs— rejected by their moms—from our good friends at Outlaw Valley Ranch [in Santa Maria],” Lewis said.
“We started with two-bottle fed NavajoChurro lambs, and we are now up to 21, with three pregnant ewes ready to add to the flock,” he added.
Navajo-Churro sheep originate from ancient Iberian Churra sheep that Spanish
Babé Farms radish, cucumber, and Riboli Family olive oil.
settlers brought to the Americas in the late 16th century.
“Our sheep are super grazers, so they are lawn mowers for us currently,” Lewis explained. “They are also a wool sheep, so we shear two times a year and utilize the wool in our gardens as well as plan to process and
SEASONAL CREATIONS Elevated plates planned for Paso Robles’ upcoming San Simeon Estate Winery include rotating crudos such as ahi tuna aguachile, with blood orange,
LABOR OF LOVE Chef Justin Lewis and his fiancée, Erin Barrett-Sparrow, founders of Sheep Lux Farm in San Miguel, snuggle with 1-year-old Vanilla Bean.
PHOTO COURTESY OF SHEEP LUX FARM
FLAVOR continued page 34
PRIZED BREED The flock of nearly two dozen Navajo-Churro at Sheep Lux Farm in San Miguel are family to co-owners Justin Lewis and Erin Barrett-Sparrow. The sheep are also prolific producers of wool, with strong outer fibers and a silky undercoat.
SLO P I CKLE
create products with the wool.”
In addition to the sheep, including three rams, the couple recently adopted five ducks, which will begin “working the land and integrating into the regenerative lifecycle,” Lewis said.
“The ducks are also grazers,” he explained, “and they follow behind the sheep and peck the sheep droppings into the ground, pushing nutrients into the soil as well as munching insects, etc.”
The property presently spans 10 acres but will soon expand to 20 as the couple aims to grow their flock of sheep to around 50 to 60.
They also hope to plant a vineyard in the future.
“Erin has been in the wine industry for the past seven years, working in both the cellar and on the hospitality side,” Lewis said. “The regenerative farm and vineyard are very aligned with the same end goals—treating the land and its abundance with the utmost respect, while restoring and improving the soil and biodiversity around us.
“She currently works for High Camp
Wines in San Miguel. We had the opportunity to bring our sheep out and graze one of the blocks on the vineyard and have now set additional goals of renting out our sheep for boutique grazing operations.”
As the flock increases, they also may begin selling whole animals for consumption, Lewis added, but, “realistically, that’s my least favorite part of raising livestock.”
“The sheep we currently have are all named and are family,” he said. “Spending time with them is therapeutic and a blessing.” Δ
Flavor Writer Cherish Whyte will be dreaming of sweet lamb kisses and savory Lewis dishes at cwhyte@newtimesslo.com.
BOUTIQUE BEAUTY Jada is one of the most highly regarded wineries in the Riboli Family portfolio. Founded in 1999, the Paso Robles winery boasts award-winning, limited vintages and unique tasting and event venues, such as the alfresco Oak Lounge.
By Glen Starkey
Feel like a sandwich?
Check out their Turkey Cristo with turkey, Havarti and Swiss cheese on slice brioche, served with a side of mixed berry jam and potatoes or house salad.
Each week they have a benedict special, or you can get vegetarian or chorizo street tacos and breakfast burritos—the selection offers something for all tastes.
They also carry local wines and champagne. You can get a mimosa or, if you prefer, a beermosa! How about a Whalebird kombucha (hard or regular)?
“
that you cannot find in most breakfast or brunch spots,” owner Brooke Johnson explained, “like a breakfast pizza, chorizo biscuits and gravy, or s’mores French toast.”
Most of their items are made in-house with ingredients grown nearby or specialty products sourced from other SLO County purveyors.
“We make our own corn tortillas for our breakfast tacos, also all of our salsas, triple berry jam, sauces, pizza dough, and our amazing biscuits,” Johnson added.
“We source most everything locally too. We carry Spearhead Coffee, BarrelHouse Brewing Co. beer, and micro greens from Brannum Family Farms.” They also carry gluten free options like Green Chilaquiles with house-made corn tortilla chips, tomatillo salsa, black beans, queso fresco, and shredded cheese, topped with two scrambled eggs and cilantro garnish. Yum.
Between the food and beverage and chill vibe, Brunch is clearly connecting with diners. On Yelp, Tepi B. of Bozeman, MT, wrote, “Definitely our new favorite brunch spot in Paso Robles. I went out of my comfort zone and ordered the Chorizo Breakfast Pizza, and it was delicious! Even my cousin tried it and loved it. The service was great the atmosphere was amazing. They play good music here too!” David H. of Hollister gushed, “Brunch is an awesome little spot right off the square in Paso Robles.
WELFARE AND INSTITUTIONS CODE SECTION 294 ATTORNEY OR PARTY WITHOUT ATTORNEY Department of Social Services PO Box 8119 San Luis Obispo, CA 934038119 SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN LUIS OBISPO Courthouse Annex, 1035
hearing, you must contact the court.
The remote hearing will be confidential. You must not record the hearing, allow others to listen to the hearing, or disclose to others what occurs during the hearing. Participants who violate confidentiality may be subject to criminal and civil sanctions.
3. At the hearing the court will consider the recommendations of the social worker or probation officer.
4. The social worker or probation officer will recommend that your child be freed from your legal custody so that the child may be adopted. If the court follows the recommendation, all of your parental rights to the child will be terminated.
Cities Community Hospital, Templeton, California
2. A hearing will be held on October 22, 2025, at 1:15 pm in Dept. 12 located at Courthouse Annex, 1035 Palm St., San Luis Obispo, CA 93408.
*This hearing will be held remotely. If you wish to appear by telephone, your attorney in this case must notify the Court on the day of the hearing, prior to the hearing calendar. If you wish to appear in person, notify your attorney in this case. If you do not have an attorney and you wish to appear for the
5. You have the right to be present at the hearing, to present evidence, and you have the right to be represented by an attorney. If you do not have an attorney and cannot afford to hire one, the court will appoint an attorney for you.
6. If the court terminates your parental rights, the order may be final.
7. The court will proceed with this hearing whether or not you are present.
Date: August 21, 2025 /s/ Myranda Morales, Deputy Clerk August 28, September 4, 11, & 18, 2025
CITY OF PISMO BEACH STATE OF CALIFORNIA
NOTICE TO BIDDERS
SEALED BIDS 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, October 16, 2025 for performing work as follows:
CLIFF AVE/OCEAN BLVD STORM DRAIN REPAIR AND BLUFF FACE STABILIZATION PROJECT
A mandatory Pre-Bid Meeting will be held on Thursday, October 2, 2025 at 10:00 a.m. Please meet promptly at Cliff Avenue and Ocean Boulevard in Pismo Beach California, Ca 93449. Bidders that do not attend this mandatory prebid meeting shall be disqualified from bidding on this Project.
Prior to award of contract, Contractors shall be licensed in accordance with the Laws of the State of California. Accordingly, the successful Bidder shall possess a Class A, General Engineering, Contractor’s license at the time this contract is awarded. Individual Subcontractors working under the Prime Contractor shall possess the appropriate license for the type of work being performed. The DBE Contract goal is 15 percent for this contract. 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.
Bids must be submitted online using the City’s electronic bidding platform which can be accessed at www. pismobeach.org/bids.
ERICA INDERLIED
CITY CLERK
September 18 & 25, 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 Friday, September 26, 2025 as determined by www.time.gov for performing work as follows: Preparation of Sea Level Rise Vulnerability Assessment, and Adaptation Study, Economic Analysis, Local Coastal Plan Update, and Corresponding Update of the Zoning Code The City of Pismo Beach requests proposals from qualified consultants for preparation of an update to the General Plan, Local Coastal Program (LCP), and Zoning Code. It is anticipated that several qualified firms or a single qualified firm will be selected to perform tasks related to the LCP Update, including preparing necessary technical and policy studies including a Sea Level Rise Vulnerability Assessment and Adaptation study, performing Economic Impact Analysis and a Cost Benefit Analysis of the different adaptation strategies. Conducting public outreach, producing plan text and illustrations, and coordinating review by the public and interested agencies are part of the scope of work. The General Plan Update process will also include an update to the Local Coastal Program including the Safety Element, Parks, Recreation, and Access (PRA) Element, and Implementation Plan (zoning code). The General Plan update process should bring the General Plan into compliance with all state laws and standards. Environmental review in accordance with CEQA guidelines will be conducted separately, as needed.
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
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, October 16, 2025 for performing work as follows:
CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT, RESIDENT ENGINEER, INSPECTION, MATERIALS TESTING AND ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING SERVICES FOR
CLIFF AVE/OCEAN BLVD STORM DRAIN REPAIR AND BLUFF FACE STABILIZATION PROJECT FEDERAL PROJECT NO. ER-32L0(043)
Consultant services are anticipated to generally include, but are not limited to, pre-construction services, construction management, coordinating construction submittal and shop drawing reviews, evaluating and responding to Requests for Information, inspections (including specialized inspections), Resident Engineer services, quality assurance and material testing, QSP water quality monitoring and SWPPP support, environmental monitoring, and project closeout support which meet all Federal, State, and City requirements and are in conformance with the FHWA’s ER Program and the Local Assistance Procedures Manual. Environmental responsibilities include coordination and oversight of qualified monitors for biological, archaeological, and tribal resources; implementation of mitigation measures and permit conditions related to environmentally sensitive areas; stormwater BMP compliance; and preparation of environmental documentation required for regulatory reporting and project closeout.
A contractor job walk will be held at Cliff Avenue and Ocean Boulevard on Thursday, October 2, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. Attendance is optional but strongly encouraged for proposers of this RFP.
There is a DBE Goal of 8% for this consultant contract Consultants responding to the RFP will be required to meet this goal or document that a good faith effort was made to meet the goal prior to award of the contract.
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
September 18 & 25, 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, September 25, 2025 as determined by www.time.gov for performing work as follows:
CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT, INSPECTION AND ADMINISTRATION SERVICES FOR THE PIER AVENUE STAIR REMOVAL PROJECT
The City of Pismo Beach is interested in acquiring the services of a qualified firm to provide Construction Management, Inspection and Administration Services for the Pier Avenue Stair Removal Project.
The project scope includes removal of the existing beach access stairway at the south end of Pier Avenue in Pismo Beach. All stair components will be demolished, with existing concrete caissons to remain in place.
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
September 11 & 18, 2025
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
DATE: September 23, 2025
TIME: 6:00 p.m.
PLACE: City of Atascadero Council Chambers 6500 Palma Avenue Atascadero, CA 93422
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN THAT, pursuant to Section 6586.5 of the California Government Code, the City Council (the “City Council”) of the City of Atascadero (the “City”) will hold a PUBLIC HEARING on September 23, 2025, at 6:00 p.m, in respect of (1) the proposed financing of the design, acquisition, installation, and construction of certain public capital improvements located in various sites in the City of Atascadero, including the demolition of Fire Station No. 1, the reconstruction of Fire Station No. 1, the renovation of Fire Station No. 2, and the renovation of the Police Department headquarters building, with proceeds to be derived from the issuance and sale by the Atascadero Financing Authority (the “Authority”) of Lease Revenue Bonds payable from base rental payments to made by the City pursuant to a Lease Agreement between the City and the Authority, and (2) to determine the significant public benefits to the City from the proposed financings, including demonstrable savings to the City from the issuance and sale of such bonds, such as savings in effective interest rate costs and the more efficient delivery of municipal services to residential and commercial development (in accordance with Section 6586 of the California Government Code). Any interested person may appear at said public hearing to address the City Council of the City on the foregoing matters.
ALL INTERESTED PERSONS are invited to attend in-person and will be given an opportunity to speak in favor of, or opposition to, the above-proposed project. Written comments are also accepted by the City Clerk, prior to the hearing at 6500 Palma Ave., Atascadero, CA 93422 or cityclerk@atascadero.org and will be distributed to the City Council. Written public comments must be received by 12:00 p.m. on the day of the meeting. Email comments must identify the Agenda Item Number in the subject line of the email. Written comments will not be read into the record.
Information regarding the hearing is filed in the Administrative Services Department. If you have any questions, please call Administrative Services or visit the office at 6500 Palma Ave., by appointment only, Monday through Friday 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. All documents related to the public hearing will be available for review on the City’s website 72 hours prior to the public hearing at www. atascadero.org/agendas.
DATED: September 12, 2025
PUBLISH: September 18, 2025
SEPTEMBER 9, 2025 COUNTY OF SAN LUIS OBISPO BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MEETING BRIEF
Item 23: Public Comment Period – Items not on the agenda L. Casalinuovo; C. Lea; G. Kirkland; N. Drews: spoke - No action taken
Item 24: Overview of the 2024 Agricultural Statistics - Rec’d & filed
Item 25: 3 contracts totaling $28,242,254, including a 10-year licensing contract w/ Iron Brick Associates, LLC, a 3-year master services agreement w/ Cognizant Worldwide Limited & a contract with Collaborative Solutions LLC to implement the Enterprise Resource Planning Replacement Project; delegate authority to the Auditor-Controller Treasurer-Tax Collector Public Administrator, or their designee, to execute amendments to the agreements; jointly authorize the Human Resources Director & Co. Administrative Officer to create Position Allocation List (PAL) exceptions; adopt Res. 2025-191, amending the PAL for FC 114 – IT to extend a 1 FTE Limited Term Business Systems Analyst I/II/III thru 6/30/28; a $167,454 budget adjustment & adopt Res. 2025-192, a new classification of Enterprise Resource Planning System Analyst –Approved
Item 26: Ordinance 3546 amending the Sheriff-Coroner Cannabis Fees in the County Fee Schedule “B” for Fiscal Year 2025-26 -Adopted
Item 27: Board Member comments and reports on meetings. Announcements: Girls in Aviation Day, Creeks to Coast Cleanup, Grain Revival Fundraiser for Templeton Feed & Grain; Templeton CSD meeting; Echo Shelter fundraiser & Cayucos 150th Birthday celebration. Comments: Veterans Hall ribbon cutting; commends public works on the Avila Beach Road closure. Directives to CAO: work w/ the Health Officer to provide an update on vaccine supply; work w/ new subcommittee re: library funding & service issues & research fire public safety funding mechanisms.
Item 28: Closed Session: Anticipated Litigation: Significant exposure to litigation - potential cases: 1. Initiation of litigation - potential cases: 1. Existing Litigation: SLO Coastkeeper, et. al. v. Co. of SLO, U.S. District Court, Central District of CA, Western Division, Case No. 2:24-CV-06854-SPG-ASx; M. & W. Walter v. Co. of SLO, Cayucos Sanitary District US District Court, Central District of CA, Case No. 2-24-CV-00716. Conference w/ Labor Negotiator re: employee organizations: SLOPA; SLOCEA-T&C; DCCA; Sheriffs’ Mgmt; SLOCPPOA; DSA; DAIA; SLOCPMPOA; SLOCEA – PSSC; Unrepresented Mgmt & Confidential Employees; SDSA; UDWA; Unrepresented Employee: County Administrative Officer. Open Session: Report out - None Meeting adjourned.
For more details, view meeting videos at: https://www.slocounty. ca.gov/Departments/Administrative-Office/Clerk-of-the-Board/ Clerk-of-the-Board-Services/Board-of-Supervisors-Meetingsand-Agendas.aspx
Matthew P. Pontes, County Administrative Officer & Ex-Officio Clerk of the Board of Supervisors
By: Annette Ramirez, Deputy Clerk of the Board of Supervisors September 18, 2025
agendas-and-minutes. Please contact the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at (805) 781-7073 for more information, or to request an agenda report.
September 18, 2025
introduced for first reading by title only with further reading waived, Ordinance No. 672, “An Ordinance of the City Council of the City of Morro Bay, California, Amending Title 8 (Health and Safety) of the Morro Bay Municipal Code to amend and rename Chapter 8.12
to the site.
Download FREE at the City’s website: www.SloCity.org - Bid packages under Bids & Proposals. Questions may be addressed to Emma Laplante, Project Manager, at 805-781-7199 or elaplant@ slocity.org.
NOTICE TO BIDDERS
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the City of Arroyo Grande is requesting bids from licensed contractors for repair and replacement of traffic guardrails at six (6) locations in the City. Bids must be submitted no later than 2:00 PM on Tuesday, September 30, 2025, in a sealed envelope clearly marked: BID FOR REPLACEMENT OF TRAFFIC GUARDRAILS (PW 2025-09)
City of Arroyo Grande Attention: Theresa Wren, CIP Manager 1375 Ash Street, Arroyo Grande, CA 93420
BID SECURITY. Each bid must be accompanied by cash, a certified or cashier’s check, or bidder’s bond on the prescribed form and made payable to the City for an amount equal to at least 10 percent of the amount of the Bid, such guaranty to be forfeited should the apparent successful bidder to whom the contract is awarded fail to furnish the required bonds and insurance certificates, and timely enter into the contract with the City. A Sample Construction Contract is attached in Exhibit “B”. The security of unsuccessful bidders will be returned by the City no later than sixty (60) says following the date of the award of the contract for the work.
LICENSE. Contractor must possess a valid Class “A” General Engineering Contractor, Class C-13 Fencing Contractor or a Class C-32 Parking and Highway Improvement Contractor license, issued by the California State Contractors License Board prior to award. Contractor must possess a valid City of Arroyo Grande Business License prior to award. Contract time is established as 20 working days BIDS MUST BE SUBMITTED ON THE ATTACHED BID FORM. ELECTRONIC SUBMISSIONS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.
If you have questions regarding this project, please contact Theresa Wren, CIP Manager at (805) 473-5441 or twren@ arroyogrande.org. Questions or Requests for Information shall be submitted in writing before September 19, 2025, at 4:00 PM BID DOCUMENTS
A copy of the Plans and Specifications may be downloaded, free of charge, from the City’s website at: http://www. arroyogrande.org/Bids.aspx. Plans and Specifications are available for viewing at the following plan rooms:
1. Central California Builders Exchange
2. Central Coast Builders Association
3. San Luis Obispo County Builders Exchange
4. Crisp Imaging (obtain a printed copy for nonrefundable fee for cost of duplication)
Prevailing Wages. In accordance with the provisions of California Labor Code Sections 1770,1773, 1773.1, 1773.6 and 1773.7 as amended, the Director of the Department of Industrial Relations has determined the general prevailing rate of per diem wages in accordance with the standards set forth in Section 1773 for the locality in which the work is to be performed. A copy of said wage rates is on file at the office of the City Public Works Director. It shall be mandatory upon the contractor to whom the work is awarded and upon any subcontractor under the contractor to pay not less than said specified rates to all workers employed by them in the execution of the work.
Contractor Registration with Department of Industrial Relations. In accordance with California Labor Code Section 1725.5, Contractors and Subcontractors (as defined by California Labor Code Section 1722.1) bidding on Public Works contracts in California shall be registered with the Department of Industrial Relations prior to bidding. Failure to provide proof of Contractor’s registration as part of the Bid shall deem the Bid as non-responsive and will therefore be rejected by the City.
Compliance Monitoring and Enforcement. In accordance with the requirements of Labor Code Section 1771.4(a)(1), Bidders are hereby notified that this project is subject to compliance monitoring and enforcement by the Department of Industrial Relation.
The California Air Resources Board (“CARB”) implemented amendments to the In-Use Off-Road Diesel-Fueled Fleets Regulations (“Regulation”) which are effective on January 1, 2024 and apply broadly to all self-propelled off road diesel vehicles 25 horsepower or greater and other forms of equipment used in California. A copy of the Regulation is available at https://tinyurl.com/CARB-Regulation Bidders are required to comply with all CARB and Regulation requirements, including, without limitation, all applicable sections of the Regulation, as codified in Title 13 of the California Code of Regulations section 2449 et seq. throughout the term of the Project. Bidders must provide, with their Bid, copies of Bidder’s and all listed subcontractors the most recent, valid Certificate of Reported Compliance (“CRC”) issued by CARB. Failure to provide valid CRCs as required herein may render the Bid nonresponsive.
Deposit of Securities in Lieu of Retainage. The Contractor may elect to receive 100 percent of payment due under the Contract Documents from time to time, without retention of any portion of the payment by the City, by depositing securities of equivalent value with the City in accordance with the provisions of Section 22300 of the California Public Contract Code. Such securities, if deposited by the Contractor, shall be valued by the City, whose decision on valuation of the securities shall be final. Securities eligible for investment under this provision shall be limited to those listed in Section 16430 of the California Government Code or bank or savings and loan certificates of deposit.
Agreement to Assign. In accordance with Section 4552 of the California Government Code, the bidder shall conform to the following requirements: In submitting a bid to a public purchasing body, the bidder offers and agrees that if the bid is accepted, it will assign to the purchasing body all rights, title, and interest in and to all causes of action it may have under Section 4 of the Clayton Act 15 U.S.C. 15, or under the Cartwright Act, Chapter 2.
Award of Contract. The City intends to award a contract to the responsive and responsible bidder with the lowest BID TOTAL All bids submitted shall be in accordance with the provisions of the contract documents. The City specifically reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to reject any or all bids, to re-bid, or to waive inconsequential defects in bidding not involving time, price or quality of the work. City may waive any minor irregularities in the bids. Any bid may be withdrawn prior to bid opening but not afterward. September 18, 2025
NOTICE OF PROCESSING VOTE-BY-MAIL, CENTRAL TALLY, AND 1% MANUAL TALLY OF BALLOTS
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN by Elaina Cano, County ClerkRecorder of the County of San Luis Obispo, State of California, regarding the processing of Vote-by-Mail, Central Tally, and Manual Tally of ballots for the Statewide Special Election to be held on Tuesday, November 4, 2025.
VOTE-BY-MAIL (VBM) PROCESSING
The processing of Vote-by-Mail ballots may begin on October 6, 2025, and may continue through December 4, 2025. Processing will take place during normal business hours at the San Luis Obispo County Elections Division Office, located at 1055 Monterey Street, San Luis Obispo, California. Any VBM processing conducted outside normal business hours will be posted online at www.slovote.com.
• Normal Business Hours: Monday to Friday, 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM.
• Election Day (Nov 4, 2025): Hours will be from 7:00 AM until all precinct ballots have been counted.
Note: Vote-by-Mail processing may not occur daily. Please contact our office to confirm the daily schedule of activities.
CENTRAL TALLY
Precinct ballots cast on Election Day will be centrally tallied on Election Night, November 4, 2025, after polls close at 8:00 PM at the San Luis Obispo County Elections Division Office, located at 1055 Monterey Street, San Luis Obispo, California.
1% MANUAL TALLY AND SELECTION OF PRECINCTS
A manual tally of ballots will be conducted during the official canvass period, which begins on November 6, 2025, and runs through December 4, 2025, during normal business hours. Any manual tally processing conducted outside normal business hours will be posted online at www.slovote.com.
• The random selection of precincts to be manually tallied will occur on November 13, 2025, at 10:00 AM at the San Luis Obispo County Elections Division Office located at 1055 Monterey Street, San Luis Obispo, California.
• The manual tally will commence immediately after precinct selection and will continue until all ballots are tallied.
For those interested in observing these processes or obtaining more information, please visit our website at www.slovote.com or call 1-805-781-5228.
Dated this 10th day of September 2025. /s/ Elaina Cano County Clerk-Recorder September 18, 2025
NOTICE: SEIZURE OF PROPERTY AND INITIATION OF JUDICIAL FORFEITURE PROCEEDINGS PER HEALTH AND SAFETY CODE SECTION 11488.4(J)
TO: ALL PERSONS CLAIMING ANY RIGHT, TITLE, OR INTEREST IN PROPERTY DESCRIBED AS FOLLOWS:
$7,231.00 & $40,000.00 IN UNITED STATES CURRENCY San Luis Obispo Superior Court, Case No. 25CV-0551
Notice is hereby given that on July 31, 2025, $7,231 was seized at 231 W. Tefft Street, Nipomo CA at the Head Liner’s Barbershop, and $40,000 was seized at 104 W. Chestnut, Nipomo CA by the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office, in connection with controlled substances, to wit, violations of sections 11351 and 11352 of the California Health and Safety Code. The estimated/appraised value of the property is $7,231.00 and $40,000.00.
Pursuant to section 11488.4(j) of the California Health and Safety Code, you must file a verified claim stating your interest in the property with the Superior Court’s Civil Division, Room 385, County Courthouse Annex, 1035 Palm Street, San Luis Obispo, California 93408. Claim forms are available from the Clerk of the above court and also online at https://www. courts.ca.gov/documents/mc200.pdf.
Furthermore, an endorsed copy of the verified claim must also be served on the District Attorney, Asset Forfeiture Unit, County Courthouse Annex, 1035 Palm Street, 4th Floor, San Luis Obispo, California 93408, within 30 days of filing the claim with the Superior Court’s Civil Division.
Both the District Attorney’s Office and the Interested Party filing the claim are entitled to conduct reciprocal requests for discovery in preparation for a hearing. The provisions of the Code of Civil Procedure shall apply to the proceedings unless inconsistent with the provisions or procedures set forth in the Health and Safety Code (Section 11488.5(c)(3)). The Interested Party in entitled to legal representation at a hearing, although not one appointed at public expense, and has the right to present evidence and witnesses, and to cross-examine plaintiff’s witnesses, but there is no right to avoid testifying at a civil hearing.
The failure to timely file and secure a verified claim stating an interest in the property in the Superior Court will result in the property being declared or ordered forfeited to the State of California and distributed pursuant to the provisions of Health and Safety Code section 11489 without further notice or hearing.
DATED: September 15, 2025
DAN DOW
District Attorney
Kenneth Jorgensen Deputy District Attorney September 18, 25, & October 2, 2025
Free Will Astrology by Rob Brezsny
Homework: I dare you to plan a wild and smart adventure. Newsletter.freewillastrology.com
ARIES
(March 21-April 19): Hindu goddess Durga rides a tiger and carries weapons in her 10 hands, including a sword, axe, and thunderbolt. Yet she wears a pleasant smile. Her mandate to aid the triumph of good over evil is not fueled by hate but by luminous clarity and loving ferocity. I suggest you adopt her attitude, Aries. Can you imagine yourself as a storm of joy and benevolence? Will you work to bring more justice and fairness into the situations you engage with? I imagine you speaking complex and rugged truths with warmth and charm. I see you summoning a generous flair as you help people climb up out of their sadness and suffering. If all goes well, you will magnetize others to participate in shared visions of delight and dignity.
TAURUS
(April 20-May 20): Born under the sign of Taurus, Maya Deren first expressed her extravagant creative urges as a writer, poet, photographer, clothes designer, and dancer. But then she made a radical change, embarking on a new path as experimental filmmaker. She said she had “finally found a glove that fits.” Her movies were highly influential among the avant-garde in the 1940s and 1950s. I bring Deren to your attention, Taurus, because I suspect that in the coming months, you, too, will find a glove that fits. And it all starts soon.
GEMINI
(May 21-June 20): In medieval times, alchemists believed mercury was a sacred substance and divine intermediary. They knew that it’s the only metal that’s liquid at room temperature. This quality, along with its silvery sheen (why it’s called “quicksilver”), made it seem like a bridge between solid and liquid, earth and water, heaven and earth, life and death. I nominate mercury as your power object, Gemini. You’re extra well-suited to navigate liminal zones and transitional states. You may be the only person in your circle who can navigate paradox and speak in riddles and still make sense. It’s not just cleverness. It’s wisdom wrapped in whimsy. So please offer your in-between insights freely. PS: You have another superpower, too: You can activate dormant understandings in both other people’s hearts and your own.
CANCER
(June 21-July 22): In the western Pacific Ocean, there’s a species of octopus that builds its lair from coconut shells. The creature gathers together husks, dragging them across the seafloor, and fits them together. According to scientists, this use of tools by an invertebrate is unique. Let’s make the coconut octopus your power creature for now, Cancerian. You will have extra power to forge a new sanctuary or renovate an existing one, either metaphorically or literally. You will be wise to draw on what’s nearby and readily available, maybe even using unusual or unexpected building materials.
LEO
(July 23-Aug. 22): I invite you to contemplate the meaning of the phrase “invisible architecture.” My dream told me it will be a theme for you in the coming weeks. What does it mean? What does it entail? Here are my thoughts: Structures are taking shape within you that may not yet be visible from the outside. Bridges are forming between once-disconnected parts of your psyche and life. You may not need to do much except consent to the slow emergence of these new semi-amazing expressions of integrity. Be patient and take notes. Intuitions arriving soon may be blueprints for future greatness. Here’s the kicker: You’re not just building for yourself. You’re working on behalf of your soul-kin, too.
VIRGO
(Aug. 23-Sept. 22): A supple clarity is crystallizing within you. Congratulations! It’s not a brittle or rigid certainty, but a knack for limber discernment. I predict you will have an extra potent gift for knowing what truly matters, even amidst chaos or complication. As this superpower reaches full ripeness, you can aid the process by clearing out clutter and refining your foundational values. Make these words your magic spells: quintessence, core, crux, gist, lifeblood, root. PS: Be alert for divine messages in seemingly mundane circumstances.
LIBRA
(Sept. 23-Oct. 22): The ancient Mesopotamian goddess Inanna was called “the Queen of Heaven.” Her domains were politics, divine law, love, and fertility. She was a powerhouse. One chapter of her mythic story tells of her descent into the underworld. She was stripped of everything—clothes, titles, weapons—before she could be reborn. Why did she do it? Scholars say she was on a quest for greater knowledge and an expansion of her authority. And she was successful! I propose we make her your guide and companion in the coming weeks, Libra. You are at the tail-end of your own descent. The stripping is almost complete. Soon you will feel the first tremors of return— not loud, not triumphant, but sure. I have faith that your adventures will make you stronger and wiser, as Inanna’s did for her.
SCORPIO
(Oct. 23-Nov. 21): In ancient Rome, the dye called Tyrian purple was used exclusively for garments worn by royalty and top officials. It had a humble origin: murex snails. Their glands yielded a pale liquid that darkened into an aristocratic violet only after sun, air, and time worked upon it. I’m predicting you will be the beneficiary of comparable alchemical transformations in the coming weeks. A modest curiosity could lead to a major breakthrough. A passing fancy might ripen into a rich blessing. Seemingly nondescript encounters may evolve into precious connections.
SAGITTARIUS
(Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Bees can see ultraviolet patterns in flowers that are invisible to humans. These “nectar guides” direct bees to the flower’s nectar and pollen, functioning like landing strips. Let’s apply these fun facts as metaphors for your life, Sagittarius. I suspect that life is offering you subtle yet radiant cues leading you to sources you will be glad to connect with. To be fully alert for them, you may need to shift and expand the ways you use your five senses. The universe is in a sense flirting with you, sending you clues through dream-logic and nonrational phenomena. Follow the shimmering glimmers.
CAPRICORN
(Dec. 22-Jan. 19): At the height of her powers, Egyptian pharaoh Hatshepsut declared, “I have restored what had been ruined. I have raised up what had dissolved.” You now have a similar gift at your disposal, Capricorn. If you harness it, you will gain an enhanced capacity to unify what has been scattered, to reforge what was broken, and to resurrect neglected dreams. To fulfill this potential, you must believe in your own sovereignty—not as a form of domination, but of devotion. Start with your own world. Make beauty where there was noise. Evoke dignity where there was confusion.
AQUARIUS
(Jan. 20-Feb. 18): In the high Himalayas, there’s a flower called Saussurea obvallata—the Brahma Kamal. It blooms only at night and for a short time, releasing a scent that legend says can heal grief. This will be your flower of power for the coming weeks, Aquarius. It signifies that a rare and time-sensitive gift will be available, and that you must be alert to gather it in. My advice: Don’t schedule every waking hour. Leave space for mystery to arrive unannounced. You could receive a visitation, an inspiration, or a fleeting insight that can change everything. It may assuage and even heal sadness, confusion, aimlessness, or demoralization.
PISCES
(Feb. 19-March 20): The human heart beats 100,000 times per day, 35 million times per year, and 2.5 billion times in an average lifetime. It’s the most reliable “machine” ever created, working continuously and mostly without special maintenance for decades. Although you Pisceans aren’t renowned for your stability and steadiness, I predict that in the coming weeks, you will be as staunch, constant, and secure as a human heart. What do you plan to do with this grace period? What marvels can you accomplish? ∆
