New Times, Jan. 19, 2023

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BY CAMILLIA LANHAM

On Jan. 17, President Joe Biden amended his major disaster declaration for California to include SLO County. This means that victims of the storms that pushed through the area starting Jan. 8 can now apply for individual assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). However, that help won’t cover 100 percent of damages, according to the county. In Los Osos, where a mudslide caused by a breached stormwater retention basin damaged about 20 homes in the Vista de Oro neighborhood, the Community Services District is encouraging victims to also file claims with its insurance company [9] This week, you can also read about storm-displaced residents looking for help with temporary and permanent

[8], Morro Bay’s Gallery at Marina Square [22], and a spot to nab paleo eats in Nipomo [28]. Camillia Lanham

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Oceano deals with aftermath of damaged levee

Oceano resident Charlie Lackie’s property got the full brunt of the Arroyo Grande Creek levee break.

Living on the south side of the levee where it got damaged, Lackie rushed out to clear his barn and get the donkey out when heavy rains threatened to overflow the creek on Jan. 9.

“But it [the barn] was already in 10 inches of water. By then, a big section of the levee overtopped,” he said. “It failed on our property, and we have this huge river running down our backyard.”

By 9 p.m., the floods submerged Lackie’s powerlines in 4 feet of water, ripped out the

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Chimney Rock reopens for residents as county gets handle on roads

San Luis Obispo County work crews made progress repairing and reopening local roads damaged by the Jan. 9 storm—though some residents remain stranded by closures.

In what was dubbed a “miracle” of a public works project, county contractors successfully completed a temporary fix at Chimney Rock Road, which had closed Jan. 9, isolating more than 100 residents on

electrical lines, and left him and his family in the dark. In the aftermath of the storm, he still feels its sting. Lackie’s property is full of silt and water.

Without power, Lackie visits his friend’s house on the nearby Mesa to charge his phone. He hopes to set up a generator to a 5,000-gallon water tank to flush toilets in his house. So far, he’s been using water from the creek to flush. Lackie also has several two-and-a-half gallon bottles of drinking water.

Lackie is a member of the Flood Control Zone 1/1A Advisory Committee—colloquially called the Levee Board. Through that, he’s acquainted with employees of the county Public Works Department, he said.

“They came out the next morning and were surprised by how big the breach was,” he told New Times. “The county worked really hard to get state permits to manage the levee better but they’re under handcuffs. The state agencies don’t allow them to clean the debris in the creek out.”

But Paula McCambridge, the Public Works public information officer, said that the county removes vegetation and trash from the levee slopes and main channel of the creek every year. She added that the majority of the upper watershed creeks are privately owned, and its overseers can choose to manage the debris that collects there.

“Vegetation that is left in the [main] channel has been determined necessary to support the environmental functions of the creek by resource agencies which have jurisdiction over the creek as well as its associated plant and wildlife resources,” she said.

Lackie is one of many Oceano residents impacted by the floods.

From Jan. 9 to 17, the community received 4.77 inches of rain. In a YouTube video posted

the south shore of Lake Nacimiento.

County officials initially estimated it’d take months to repair the unstable section of road that traverses a culvert. But after an attempted boat evacuation of south shore residents didn’t receive any interest on Jan. 13, officials decided that a quicker fix at Chimney Rock was possible by collapsing the road and rebuilding over it.

Souza Construction completed the work in a few days and it reopened to area residents on Jan. 15. The road remains closed to the general public.

“It’s a temporary repair, but it’s a sturdy

by the county on Jan. 13, Public Works Director John Diodati said that the Arroyo Grande Creek got 3.8 inches of rain on Jan. 9, with an intensity of a half inch every hour. The creek rose by 11.5 feet. By 5:30 p.m., water spilled over the southern portion of the levee.

“That is by design,” Diodati said. “We had a project a few years ago that made it so that the overtopping would occur on the south side, which is predominantly farm and agricultural land.”

The Jan. 13 video came a day after officials attempted to address community concerns in a meeting at the Oceano Community Services District (OCSD) board room. The nearly threehour long session was streamed live on Facebook. However, county spokesperson Jeanette Trompeter told New Times that the county didn’t save the footage because of technical difficulties and complaints that people couldn’t see the maps of Oceano displayed during the meeting. Instead, the county posted that YouTube video summarizing officials’ comments but devoid of the concerns expressed by locals impacted by the breach.

OCSD board member Linda Austin also lives near the south side of the levee. She said she’s impressed with the county’s storm response. A lifelong Oceano resident, Austin was concerned that Juanita Street would get flooded and “become a lake.”

“I know Public Works was busy with North County and our creek. I called them and said they need to close the road here to protect the people at Juanita,” she said. “Within 30 minutes, their trucks were there and closed the road.”

Now, workers are repairing the levee with rocks and sandbags. Oceano residents dealt with a week of evacuation orders and warnings that spanned areas north and south of the creek levee. In the event of evacuation, people were advised to seek shelter at the Oceano Community Center. On Jan. 17, the evacuation order and warning were lifted. With sunnier days ahead, Rachel Dion, the county Office of Emergency Services spokesperson, said that receding water levels helped.

“This morning, we talked to Public Works and they were comfortable lifting that order,” Dion said. “A lot of work was done for temporary fixes, but we will continue to do more permanent fixes.”

During the YouTube video, Scott Jalbert, the SLO County emergency services manager, said that until a permanent solution is in place, the possibility of evacuation hangs over Oceano this winter.

“Unfortunately, there’s a likelihood that we could be in a situation where it’s on again and off again,” he said. “We might have to evacuate you, you may be evacuated for a few hours, and then we’re going to release the evacuation and then another storm comes that’s significant and we may have to reevacuate you again.” ∆

—Bulbul Rajagopal

temporary repair,” said Paula McCambridge, a spokesperson for the SLO County Public Works Department. “The expectation is it will stay in place until a plan for the permanent road is ready to go. It’s important because there are a handful of isolated communities in the county as result of the storm. Wherever residents are basically stranded, we need to find a fix. That’s one of our No. 1 priorities.”

As of Jan. 18, two areas of the county remained completely cut off from services due to road

FUTURE EFFORTS The breached Arroyo Grande Creek levee was bandaged with temporary repairs, and county Office of Emergency Services spokesperson Rachel Dion said that more permanent fixes are underway.

PHOTO BY JAYSON MELLOM

SAN LUIS COASTAL UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT SEEKING APPLICANTS TO FILL BOARD OF TRUSTEES

VACANCY

January 13, 2023

The San Luis Coastal Unified School District is looking to fill a vacancy on its seven-member Board of Trustees. Following former Trustee Kathryn EisendrathRogers’ mid-term resignation, a vacancy has opened up on the Board in Trustee Area 7. On January 12, 2022 the Board announced its intention to begin the process of provisionally appointing an interested candidate to fill Dr. Eisendrath-Rogers’s vacated seat.

Interested candidates are invited to complete an application packet which can be found on the District’s website at www.slcusd.org, and submit it to the District Office at 1500 Lizzie Street, B-1, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401 or via email to Superintendent Dr. Eric Prater at boardapplication@slcusd.org by 4:30 p.m. on February 3, 2023.

On February 6, 2023, a screening committee will post the names of candidates who will be invited to participate in an interview. On February 22, 2023, the Board will interview candidates for the vacant position in open session. The Board will, at that time, consider making a provisional appointment. California law requires that candidates meet the following minimum eligibility requirements to be considered for provisional appointment to the Board:

• The candidate must be at least 18 years of age.

• The candidate must be a citizen of California.

• The candidate must be a registered voter.

• The candidate must not be disqualified from holding a civil office.

• Must be a resident of San Luis Obispo and environs

• Preference will be given to candidates who are residents of Trustee Area 7.

The Board is responsible for ensuring the District operates effectively and efficiently. Trustees commit a significant amount of time, energy, effort and dedication to ensure that the District can appropriately serve our community. For more information regarding the provisional appointment process, residency requirements, or the duties of a school board member, please contact the Superintendent’s Office at 805-549-1202.

January 19, 26, 2023

closures: Upper Lopez Canyon Road (near Lopez Lake) and Avenales Ranch Road (near Pozo). McCambridge said that crews are in the process of evaluating the next steps for those roads, which both saw substantial flooding and damage.

While about 40 county roads remain closed, some key streets reopened recently, including Avila Beach Drive and Ontario Road near Avila Beach, and Thompson Avenue in Nipomo. Others, including Corbett Canyon Road near Arroyo Grande and Orcutt Road in Edna Valley, are still closed.

According to officials, damage to some roads and bridges is so extensive that it will take months before they’re repaired and reopened. SLO County estimated that the countywide damage likely exceeds $50 million.

County roads are not the only throughways impacted by the storms. A section of Highway 1 near Big Sur is closed, from the San Simeon elephant seal viewing area to Lime Creek, due to a rockslide and storm damage. That closure has boxed in some residences and businesses, including the Ragged Point Inn.

“The winter storms have hit us hard! … Highway 1 is closed in Big Sur, and there’s a major rockslide blocking access to the south,” the Ragged Point Inn recently posted on Facebook. “Unfortunately, we have to close the resort for the first time any of us can remember.”

Caltrans officials said the stretch of Highway 1 won’t likely reopen for several weeks or months. On Jan. 13, Caltrans sent a convoy to transport isolated residents across the road closures to access supplies in Big Sur. In a Jan. 16 press release, Caltrans said that it will try to arrange another convoy in the future.

“The road has sustained new damage in several areas, which will need to be assessed to determine when a convoy may be viable and if there may be a necessary reduction in the areas through which the convoy is able to travel,” the state agency said in the press release.

—Peter Johnson

Cambria relied on itself to get storm warnings out

The morning of Jan. 14 kick-started a long weekend of misfortune for many Cambrians, such as Jacob Rooker, who had two trees come crashing down on his property, causing not only damage to his home, but also dislodging a piece of sheet rock that hit Rooker in the back.

“What else can go wrong around here?” Rooker said. “You know this a lovely place to live, but I’m just kind of starting to think is it worth it?”

While the Cambria Fire Department couldn’t do much to help Rooker’s situation at the time, the Cambria Community Services District (CSD) had attempted to prep residents for the coming storms, starting the week before.

Employees traveled around the coastal community, securing roadways, cutting down trees, and posting advisory messages for residents to stay safe amid the storms that hit the area starting Jan. 8. Acting CSD General Manager and Cambria Fire Chief Justin Vincent said that he was on duty the first week of the year for 60 consecutive hours, making sure that the CSD staff had all hands on deck.

“We realize that here in Cambria there is

a tendency for us to get cut off during a regional disaster. So we had our admin office work remotely to keep them safe but keep us functioning and support it,” Vincent said, adding that CSD staff who lived outside Cambria were put up in hotels to respond to afterhours emergencies. “And honestly in the end, our jurisdiction has zero flood injuries, zero accidents from the flood, and zero fatalities, so I do think the steps that we took were life-saving when you look around the county.”

For unincorporated towns like Cambria that sometimes get overlooked during natural disaster situations, Vincent said he did whatever he could to get the word out.

“We use Everbridge and Nixle to put out some of the either shelter-in-place or evacuation orders that went out during this event. So multiple mediums,” Vincent said.

“At the same time, we did receive phone calls into the fire station, and we were able to fill those phone calls or return those phone calls to give accurate information to the public.”

Toni Davis, the public information officer for Cal Fire, told New Times that sending out evacuation warnings and performing rescues in rural communities such as Cambria is a bit different than what those who live in cities are accustomed to.

“We have to do everything that we can as far as getting some of our [vehicles] out— ours are built like a smaller fire engine and they have four-wheel drive capabilities, but even then, if the roadways are flooded, we can’t drive out because then we’re putting ourselves in danger,” Davis said. “So that’s when we would do everything we can to find an alternate route or possibly get a helicopter.”

But before it gets to the point where evacuations become necessary, Davis said that local law enforcement and emergency services work directly with the community to make sure that everyone knows about the evacuation order.

“Every one of these communities has some form of communication as far as a spokesperson. I’ve been out there, and cellphones are spotty. And if they lose power, it’s difficult,” Davis said. “At the same time, they have a group of people, they have landlines, they have their ways to where they know that they’re going to communicate ahead of time and make sure that everybody understands.”

—Shwetha Sundarrajan

Storm brings two fatalities and ongoing missing boy search

From north to south, the farthest corners of San Luis Obispo County are afflicted with tragedy due to the recent historic rainstorms.

The deaths of two people were classified as storm-related fatalities, while local law enforcement and the state’s National Guard are still searching for a missing boy who was swept away by rising water.

“A woman, 60-year-old Karen Buccat of Avila Beach, died on Jan. 9 on Avila Beach Road when floodwaters overtook her vehicle,” Tony Cipolla, the SLO County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson, told New Times on Jan. 17.

At 12:30 p.m. on Jan. 9—the day the storms hit—California Highway Patrol Dispatch received numerous calls about Buccat’s vehicle being submerged by the water with her in it. Avila Beach Drive was closed earlier in the day, according to CHP’s press release. Cal Fire deployed a swift water rescue because Buccat’s car was inaccessible to standard emergency vehicles.

“They located a white Ford Escape overtaken by floodwaters,” the press release read. “The driver was found deceased within her vehicle.”

Further north, in Morro Bay, local police found a man dead in his boat. Cmdr. Amy Watkins of the Morro Bay Police Department told New Times that while his cause of death is still unknown, the fatality was labeled as “storm-related” because it happened during the rains.

The victim was 78 years old and reportedly lived for 35 years in a boat on stilts at a boat storage yard on 1548 Main St.

“People asked if they could evacuate him, and he refused,” Watkins said. “The boat was seen upright on stilts on Monday [Jan. 9] evening. By 7 a.m. on Tuesday—I don’t know if it was the wind—the boat was dislodged and found on its side.”

Watkins added that the yard owner discovered the deceased man when he went to check on him and the boat. The police turned the case over to the county coroner’s office to determine the cause of death. Officials haven’t yet identified his next of kin.

“He used to put boats together manually,” Watkins said. “He was a boat guy, a minimalist.”

Against the backdrop of the storm, SLO County is also reeling from the missing persons case of 5-year-old Kyle Doan from near San Miguel. Doan disappeared on Jan. 9 after the flood carried him away from his mother and her stuck truck in San Miguel. Passersby helped Doan and his mother exit the truck when raging waters pulled him away.

Since then, the Sheriff’s Office has conducted daily hours-long searches in and around San Marcos Creek and Salinas River. Outside agencies supplemented their efforts. The Sheriff’s Search and Rescue Team, Underwater Search and Rescue Team, Drone Team, air operations, deputies, and detectives were joined by dive teams and search and rescue counterparts from Ventura and Santa Barbara counties. The Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office provided local law enforcement with sonar equipment. On Jan. 11, more than 100 National Guard personnel arrived to help with the search. Locally, Cal Fire, the Five Cities Fire Authority, the Grover Beach Police Department, and six K9 teams joined forces.

On Jan. 18, their efforts were still underway.

“The water levels have started to subside in parts of the San Marcos Creek and the Salinas River, allowing crews to search new areas. This is a large expanse of water which must be thoroughly searched,” read a press update from the Sheriff’s Office.

Green ribbons are now commonly found around North County. They are being distributed to raise awareness and support Doan’s family, according to KSBY reporting. They’re available at Paso Robles’ Savage Spirits and Deli and One Stop Food, and in AutoZone and SloDoCo in Atascadero.

Morro Bay

—Bulbul Rajagopal

businesses

assess storm impacts to prep for future

In the cold morning of Jan. 16, Morro Bay Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Erica Crawford joined emergency groups, local business owners, and residents to begin discussing impacts of the historic winter storm and subsequent blackouts that affected the city.

“In the moment when we were reacting, we met the needs as they came out,” Crawford told New Times. “But coming out of that moment, we can take what we learned and rally support around it to help begin the recovery process.”

FLOODED Several homes along Tally Ho Road in Arroyo Grande were red-tagged by city officials after getting flooded in recent storms.

The winter storm that started on Jan. 8 downed power lines due to excessive water flow and high winds. More than 22,000 SLO County residents lost power early in the storm, requiring PG&E crewmen to brave floodwaters and downed trees to help restore power.

In Morro Bay, a downed transformer caught up in the flood cut communications for emergency groups trying to help local businesses where employees were stranded. Some businesses faced the issue of perishable food spoiling, while others had no way to receive emergency information due to the lack of electricity.

“It just happened so fast,” Crawford said. “There were just so many aspects of nature coming at us all at once, all at the worst time, but we knew we had to work to restore power first so we could get those stranded out.”

The city worked alongside PG&E to establish what caused the main blackout, Crawford said. A portion of one of the power company’s transformers was submerged in rising creek water, so workers, firefighters, and other emergency groups scrambled to prevent the other portion of the transformer from suffering the same fate.

By using the non-flooded transformer as the main source of power, PG&E managed to restore electricity within 24 hours and help establish electronic communication between residents and emergency responders.

PG&E Communications Representative Carina Corral said the power company had to use specialty equipment in areas across the county, as most of the damaged areas were inaccessible to standard vehicles used for normal repairs. Corral emphasized that workers are trained in advance for these scenarios to ensure care and safety.

“It was a constantly evolving situation that required out-of-the-box thinking by our workers,” Corral said. “In a situation where oversaturated ground meant trees would topple much easier, it was important our workers were prepared and safe.”

In the aftermath of the storm, Crawford and the Chamber of Commerce began to work alongside other advocacy groups to help businesses that may have had electrical equipment damaged by floodwater. SLO County received a major disaster declaration signed off by President Joe Biden on Jan. 17, which enables residents and business owners to apply for relief through disasterassitance. gov. Crawford’s also advocating that residents and local governments rely on existing organizations, using them to bolster the federal support.

“We have to advocate for the leverage of the bureaucracy of these organizations that already exist now that we know what we have to fix,” she said. “With everything we learned from the flooding and outages, we can build up support to not only recover but be ready for the next time a storm like this happens.” ∆

—Adrian Rosas

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Forced from

Laurie Adams-Biorn, of Oceano, barely escaped the flooding, but it came at a cost.

As historic rains pummeled San Luis Obispo County on the morning of Jan. 9, Adams-Biorn made the decision to evacuate herself and her two kids from their residence in the Pacific Dunes Ranch RV Resort.

Later that day, the Arroyo Grande Creek levee broke and flooded the entire area surrounding the park—land-locking it and its remaining residents.

“I got a call at 5:30 p.m. that the park flooded,” Adams-Biorn recounted to New Times. “There was no way in or out. I’d left everything behind, including my cats.”

A local hotel worker, Adams-Biorn said she and her kids stayed the night of Jan. 9 at her workplace. The next morning, she found out that the entire RV park was evacuating, and residents wouldn’t be able to return.

In immediate need of shelter and resources, Adams-Biorn was advised to contact the Red Cross, which had opened an evacuation center in SLO. But when she called to double check on Jan. 10, she was told that the shelter closed that afternoon, after one night of operation.

“The day they were evacuating people [from the Arroyo Grande levee area] was the day they shut it down,” Adams-Biorn said. “[The website] literally says, ‘No shelters open for evacuees.’ There’s no help.”

Across the county, locals like Adams-Biorn displaced from their homes by the storms have had to scramble to find alternative housing accommodations.

Dozens in SLO, Los Osos, Morro Bay, Arroyo Grande, Oceano, and elsewhere had residences so severely damaged by floods or mudslides that building officials had to redor yellow-tag them—which means they’re not safe to live in.

According to affected residents and community advocates, options for alternative housing are limited, often expensive, and temporary.

“Everything we have going right now are

short-term solutions,” said Quinn Brady, of Los Osos, who’s been assisting her neighbors on Vista Court displaced by a devastating mudslide. “The majority I’d say are staying with a friend or a neighbor. There’s a mix of some hotel and some Airbnb.

“The consequence of that is the county feels like there’s not a need [for shelter],” she said. “But then what? These people are going to be displaced for months. There has been no solution at all to begin addressing that.”

Adams-Biorn said she was dismayed by the lack of support from disaster groups and public agencies in the storm’s immediate aftermath. She indicated that she’s not the only employee at her hotel who got displaced and sheltered at work.

“It’s the community that’s helping,” Adams-Biorn said. “People have been stepping up with food. Food started coming, but clothes—I have the same clothes on. I’ve been washing them every night just so I can come to work.”

The Red Cross of Central California did not have an evacuation shelter open in SLO County as of New Times’ press time. It opened one on the night of Jan. 9 and again on the night of Jan. 14, at different locations in SLO.

Sivani Babu, a public affairs volunteer for the Red Cross, told New Times that the nonprofit coordinates with the SLO County Office of Emergency Services to determine if and when an evacuation center is needed.

“We opened the shelters when the county asked us to,” Babu said.

While Red Cross shelters continued to operate and see use in Monterey, San Benito, and Santa Barbara counties, SLO County’s shelter did not see any displaced residents on the two nights it was open, according to the nonprofit.

Still, local officials admit that the overall

response left more to be desired. Developing better preparedness, coordination, and communication is a key takeaway from the recent disaster. The many moving parts made it challenging for locals to understand what to do, or where to go for help.

“It has been confusing,” said SLO County 4th District Supervisor Jimmy Paulding. “Moving forward, I think there’s a lot to learn about regional response. It is about disaster preparedness. I think we need to take a little bit of a forensic look at how we can improve the timing of response and regional coordination.”

On the emergency shelter front, local homeless services providers recently met with county emergency officials about how they can improve lines of communication for future crises.

Janna Nichols, executive director of the 5Cities Homeless Coalition, explained that the homeless nonprofits weren’t always informed about where they were needed most during the disaster—for instance, that the Arroyo Grande levee was “a concern and we needed to step up our outreach in Oceano.”

“For us, the challenge throughout the storms was, I just needed one entity to tell me what they needed us to do, where we needed to pivot, so we’re not hearing from six different sources what we should or shouldn’t be doing,” Nichols said. “That ended up being a healthy conversation.”

As residents displaced by the storm look to their next steps, officials say that the Biden administration’s Jan. 17 declaration of a major disaster in the county will enable those most impacted to apply for individual financial assistance.

That federal aid could eventually help reimburse those who fled to hotels or to Airbnbs during the storm. But for AdamsBiorn, the storm’s traumatic impact on her family’s lives can’t be reimbursed, and the county’s response only added insult to injury.

“It’s life-changing. It truly is,” Adams-Biorn said. “And there’s more than just me going through it.” Δ

Assistant Editor Peter Johnson can be reached at pjohnson@newtimesslo.com.

UNSAFE

PHOTO

Damage control

Vista Court resident Gary Orback was walking his dog on Jan. 9 when he heard a loud roaring sound. In an instant the street he’d lived on for 46 years was full of water and mud.

“I never expected something like this to happen. I knew there was a pond up there,” he said, referring to a retention basin holding stormwater runoff from Cabrillo Estates in Los Osos.

Similar to many of his neighbors, he didn’t purchase flood insurance for his home, which was damaged when the basin failed around 5 p.m. that day, sending a torrent of water and mud directly into the homes on Vista Court and Montana Way.

“I never thought I’d ever need it. We had big rainstorms in the ’80s, and nothing ever happened,” Orback said, adding that the area used to get 30 inches of rain in some years.

On Jan. 9, Los Osos received roughly 4.15 inches of rain, according to SLO County Public Works’ rain tracker.

His house was probably one of the least damaged in the incident, Orback said, but he knew that he needed to get on it immediately to prevent mold. He and his son began ripping out the carpet with the help of a contractor. They set up dehumidifiers and fans. He said he has enough money set aside to pay for the cost of repairs.

“I can front this, but I plan on getting it back from somebody,” Orback said. “I plan on obtaining that goal one way or another.”

He’s going to try and recoup his losses either through the Los Osos Community Services District, as it owns the basin that failed, and/ or from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). On Jan. 17, San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties were added to President Joe Biden’s major disaster declaration for California, meaning residents like Orback and his neighbors can now file applications for individual assitance with FEMA.

The announcement followed U.S. Rep. Salud Carbajal’s (D-Santa Barbara) visit to Los Osos, Morro Bay, Guadalupe, Santa Maria, and other flood-ravage areas of the Central Coast on Jan. 16 and 17.

“Seeing firsthand damage gives Congressman Carbajal the stories to push FEMA and President Biden to take action on things like the major disaster declaration,” a spokesperson from Carbajal’s office said via email on Jan. 17. “Congressman Carbajal met with FEMA officials this morning and shared a number of the stories and assessments that he had gotten from SLO County officials and residents as evidence for them needing to approve this amended disaster declaration.”

Orback’s home is one of the luckier ones in Los Osos. Three homes on the cul-de-sac bore the brunt of the force that evening. SLO County Planning and Building red-tagged them, meaning they pose an imminent threat to health and safety, are unsafe to occupy or even enter, and will require a permit for repair. Orback’s home only suffered some minor flooding on the side closest to the slide.

After attending an informal community meeting in the middle of Vista Court with SLO County officials, the Red Cross, and the

Los Osos Community Services District on Jan. 12, Orback came back to a yellow piece of paper taped on the stucco next to his garage.

“RESTRICTED USE,” it announced. “This structure has been inspected and found to be damaged as described below: Air-dry and remove and replace wet areas.”

However, Orback said, county building inspectors hadn’t actually entered his house, nor had they spoken with his wife, who was home. Many of his neighbors came back from the meeting to the same surprise, they said.

County Office of Emergency Services spokesperson Rachel Dion said that community members did express their frustration with the county over Planning and Building tagging homes without inspecting the interior. She added that if residents who were tagged would like Planning and Building to come back out and inspect the interior of their homes, they should call (805) 781-5600.

Yellow tags indicate that a home needs repairs but residents’ can still access the home and may have to get permits to fix their property. Green tags, Dion said, designate that a property was deemed safe.

came through in January can file a claim (including documentation and receipts) with FEMA at disasterassistance.gov or through the FEMA app.

“FEMA’s not going to cover 100 percent of their damages; they’ll cover a portion of it,” Dion said. “I think the majority of people will receive some sort of assistance.”

That assistance could cover temporary lodging due to displacement, be low interest loans for home repairs not covered by insurance, and pay out grants for home repairs. County officials met with FEMA on Jan. 18 to discuss next steps, Dion said, which will include setting up a center staffed by FEMA representatives.

Historically, FEMA has provided up to about $40,000 in individual assistance to natural disaster victims, Dion said. That number was shared with Vista Court residents during the community meeting on Jan. 12.

Los Osos Community Services District General Manager Ron Munds said he’s encouraging victims of the retention basin mudslide to also file claims with the CSD. As of Jan. 17, the district had received 11 or 12 claims, and Munds said he knew there were other residents who still needed to submit claims. He added that the CSD’s insurance company was going to send an adjustor to look at the homes on Friday, Jan. 20.

At the moment, the CSD has roll-off containers, tractors, and a dump truck available to residents impacted by the slide and a contractor on call to help with soil removal.

As of Jan. 17, the county had red-tagged three homes and yellow-tagged 16 in unincorporated areas, the majority of which are in Los Osos, Dion said. Morro Bay had red-tagged one and yellow-tagged seven, a number that city Manager Scott Collins believes will increase. Arroyo Grande had red-tagged eight and was in the process of reinspecting them to possibly downgrade the tags to yellow.

San Luis Obispo city had redtagged 13 and yellow-tagged 47.

Between Jan. 9 and 17, about 800 residents filled out a county form outlining damages from the storm— reporting more than $30 million in private property/home destruction. Dion said residents no longer need to fill out those forms, as the county is now included in the major disaster declaration. Any SLO County resident with damage from the storms that

Munds estimated that about 450 yards of sand and dirt had already been removed from homes, their yards, and the streets—most of which was done by community volunteers with wheelbarrows and shovels.

Munds said the slide was devastating, the biggest disaster in Los Osos during his four decades living there. And after the emotional impact of property loss and damage comes the financial toll of trying to take care of repairs.

“It’s just tough,” Munds said. “The disaster recovery process is slow, there’s a lot of bureaucracy, there’s a lot of crossgovernmental agency stuff that just takes time. That’s the unfortunate part.” ∆

Reach editor Camillia Lanham at clanham@ newtimesslo.com.

SLO County residents continue cleaning out homes impacted by the storm, enter disaster ‘recovery phase’

ASSESSING DESTRUCTION U.S. Rep Salud Carbajal (D-Santa Barbara), center right; state Assemblymember Dawn Addis (D-San Luis Obispo), center; and SLO County 2nd District Supervisor Bruce Gibson, center left; meet with mudslide victims in Los Osos on Jan. 16. Carbajal asked residents who didn’t have flood insurance to raise their hands.

PHOTO BY JAYSON MELLOM

BY BULBUL RAJAGOPAL

First, they feast

ASan Luis Obispo-based nonprofit is combating food insecurity in the county by providing people who are often overlooked with the first pick of harvest.

“[We want to] give the best produce possible to the people in our community who are often given the leftovers and the last that’s available,” said Paul Shackleford, executive director of Firstfruits Farm SLO. Shackleford added that the volunteerdriven Firstfruits Farm deeply considers whom they are harvesting for and distributing their produce to. They operate on their 173 Buckley Road property that’s owned by a nonprofit organization called the Son Care Foundation. There, volunteers

through the ‘Events’ page on the Firstfruits Farm website, firstfruitsslo.org.

“Since we’re all volunteers, we typically have two to four leaders on a standard Saturday,” Shackleford said. “With that, we can handle up to 20 to 25 people. Our leaders are former educators who can handle big groups of people.”

Firstfruits Farm partners with other groups around SLO County, too. When they have more volunteers beyond existing facilitators’ leadership capacity, wellness tech company Mindbody sends over some managers.

Firstfruits Farm’s winter plot is already producing two to three crates of produce per week. Over the summer, the farm produced 40 to 50 crates twice a week. That harvest goes to distribution partners like God’s Storehouse, a food pantry hosted by Grace Central Coast Church. They also provide fruits and vegetables to New Life Community Church in Arroyo Grande.

“God’s Storehouse typically serves 100 households on a Saturday morning. New Life in AG serve between 300 and 500 households over their Tuesday and Wednesday distribution,” Shackleford said. “We’re just putting a small little addition into their pantry operations.”

participate in field and farm care activities.

“The only way our mission is fulfilled is by teams coming out on weekdays and weekends to prepare the fields, plant the seedlings, tend them throughout the year, and provide all of the harvesting,” Shackleford said.

On Jan. 12, volunteers even helped with flood cleanup after historic rainstorms battered SLO County. They recovered and cleaned damaged items after the lower half of the field flooded and carried away many supplies stored at ground level.

From January and into the spring, Firstfruits Farm is in its restoration season. They’ve plowed the main field and planted a cover crop, which is a vegetation mix that benefits the soil, like grasses and legumes.

“We’re running a small winter plot right now growing things we’ve traditionally had challenges with in the summer, like lettuce and broccoli. We’ve got our cabbage and cauliflower growing,” he said.

For the next few weeks, Firstfruits Farm will be engaged in field infrastructure like painting buildings, fixing fences, repairing irrigation, and tending to the winter crop. All this is work to prepare the main field for the crop planting season, which typically begins at the end of March or in early April.

Volunteers meet at the farm every weekend to take care of these tasks. The next meet-up is planned for Jan. 21, and such work days will continue every Saturday until Feb. 18. Interested participants can register

Shackleford is a volunteer himself. He said he loves the concept and actions behind local small-scale agriculture. He worked at a nearby ranch when he moved to SLO and stumbled upon Firstfruits Farm.

“I loved the balance of being able to work a day job that uses my skill set and being able to volunteer with a community organization like this to serve our community, grow food, and be connected to individuals who want to work towards that end,” he said.

Fast facts

• The Community Foundation of SLO County activated its disaster support fund that accepts donations to assist with the rainstorms. The entirety of the fund will go directly to organizations and agencies helping those affected by the recent floods. Donations can be made online, or contact Cassandra Kartashov at cassandra@cfsloco. org for more information.

• To help people weather January’s storms, the South County Regional Center in Arroyo Grande is looking for volunteers and donations in kind. They need new sweatshirts and sweatpants, large trash bags, rain gear, ponchos, and warm gloves, among other items. Learn more about donation and volunteering opportunities through warming center lead Charmain Navarette at (805) 295-1501 or email at charmain.navarette@5chc.org. ∆

Reach Staff Writer Bulbul Rajagopal at brajagopal@newtimesslo.com.

HEALTHY BOUNTY Over the summer, Firstfruits Farm harvests and distributes roughly 40 crates of produce twice a week, which they distribute to food pantries like God’s Storehouse and New Life Community Church.

PHOTO COURTESY OF PAUL SHACKLEFORD

DEATH NOTICES

BELARDINO, PONTELIONE JOSEPH, 89, of Santa Maria passed away 12/30/2022 arrangements with Dudley-Hoffman Mortuary, Crematory & Memory Gardens

BLAKE, NELDA BEATRICE, 88, of Morro Bay passed away 1/3/2023 arrangements with Los Osos Valley Mortuary & Memorial Park

BOYLES, PATRICIA L., 81, of San Luis Obispo passed away 12/18/2022 arrangements with Los Osos Valley Mortuary & Memorial Park

CARAMELLI, ELAINE F., 96, of Tucson, AZ passed away 12/5/2022 arrangements with Los Osos Valley Mortuary & Memorial Park

CAVANILLAS, JOE, 53, of Nipomo passed away 12/28/2022 arrangements with Marshall-Spoo Sunset Funeral Chapel

CRIBBS, CAROL GRACE, 73, of Los Osos passed away 12/15/2022 arrangements with Los Osos Valley Mortuary & Memorial Park

DE LA GARZA, RAYMUNDO “BABY RAY” JR., 58, of Nipomo passed away 1/5/2023 arrangements with Marshall-Spoo Sunset Funeral Chapel

DELL, RUSSELL WILLIAM, 70, of Santa Maria passed away 1/8/2023 arrangements with Dudley-Hoffman Mortuary, Crematory & Memory Gardens

DIAMOND, GEORGE K., 79, of Santa Maria passed away 1/12/2023 arrangements with Magner-Maloney Funeral Home & Crematory

EVANS, TOM, 75, of Arroyo Grande passed away 12/29/2022 arrangements with Marshall-Spoo Sunset Funeral Chapel

GOLSTON, VERNON, 86, of Atascadero passed away 1/3/2023 arrangements with Blue Sky Cremation Service

GRIGGS, LOIS M., 95, of Santa Maria passed away 1/7/2023 arrangements with Dudley-Hoffman Mortuary, Crematory & Memory Gardens

GUPTON, RONALD FRANK JR., 55, of San Luis Obispo passed away 12/5/2022 arrangements with Los Osos Valley Mortuary & Memorial Park

JORGENSEN, JOYCE, 65, of Santa Maria passed away 1/10/2023 arrangements with Magner-Maloney Funeral Home & Crematory KIRKPATRICK, MICHELLE RENEE, 63, of Los Osos passed away 1/5/2023 arrangements with Los Osos Valley Mortuary & Memorial Park

LARSON, MAMIE LOUISE, 98, of Bakersfield passed away 12/26/2022 arrangements with Los Osos Valley Mortuary & Memorial Park

LOOMIS, BARBARA JEANNE, 92, of Arroyo Grande passed away 11/25/2022 arrangements with Marshall-Spoo Sunset Funeral Chapel MILLS, THOMAS NEWTON, 78, of Los Osos passed away 12/21/2022 arrangements with Los Osos Valley Mortuary & Memorial Park

MONTGOMERY, RUTH ARDELLA, 99, of Los Osos passed away 12/10/2022 arrangements with Los Osos Valley Mortuary & Memorial Park

MORTON, LARRY, 76, of Morro Bay passed away 12/26/2022 arrangements with Blue Sky

Cremation Service

NEWTON, BETTY LEE, 90, of Santa Maria passed away 12/31/2022 arrangements with Dudley-Hoffman Mortuary, Crematory & Memory Gardens

OYE, AKIKO, 94, of Santa Maria passed away 1/6/2023 arrangements with Dudley-Hoffman Mortuary, Crematory & Memory Gardens

PARK, KEUM SEON, 86, of Nipomo passed away 12/9/2022 arrangements with Los Osos Valley Mortuary & Memorial Park

PAZ, ROSEMARY LARA, 77, of Santa Maria passed away 1/15/2023 arrangements with Dudley-Hoffman Mortuary, Crematory & Memory Gardens

REGIS, CARL A. SR., 65, of Santa Maria passed away 1/9/2023 arrangements with Dudley-Hoffman Mortuary, Crematory & Memory Gardens

SALAZAR, MARY, 86, of Morro Bay passed away 1/3/2023 arrangements with Blue Sky Cremation Service

SMITH, LEO “LEE”, 87, of Nipomo passed away 1/9/2023 arrangements with Marshall-Spoo Sunset Funeral Chapel

SOTO, JENNY M., 89, of Nipomo passed away 12/30/2022 arrangements with Dudley-Hoffman Mortuary, Crematory & Memory Gardens

STILES, CHERYL, 64, of Atascadero passed away 1/3/2023 arrangements with Blue Sky Cremation Service

SUA ALIPIA, PETELO TAFAO, 73, of Santa Maria passed away 1/2/2023 arrangements with Dudley-Hoffman Mortuary, Crematory & Memory Gardens

VENTRIGLIA, JAMES “JIM”, 72, of Santa Maria passed away 1/9/2023 arrangements with Magner-Maloney Funeral Home & Crematory

WAJDA, WALTER L., 83, of Santa Maria passed away 1/13/2023 arrangements with Dudley-Hoffman Mortuary, Crematory & Memory Gardens

WELDON, RICHARD “DICK”, 94, of Santa Maria passed away 1/9/2023 arrangements with Magner-Maloney Funeral Home & Crematory

ZEE, CAROL, 71, of Arroyo Grande passed away 1/4/2023 arrangements with Marshall-Spoo Sunset Funeral Chapel

ZEPEDA, MICKEY SR, 65, of Santa Maria passed away 1/9/2023 arrangements with Dudley-Hoffman Mortuary, Crematory & Memory Gardens

Justice is blind

A recent California Supreme Court ruling against the SLO County District Attorney’s Office highlights Dan Dow’s bad choices

In 2020, we dealt with monumental change, including the COVID-19 pandemic and the death of George Floyd, a Black man who was murdered by a police officer in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in May that year. Floyd’s death was a powder keg moment that led to widespread protests throughout the country, including right here in San Luis Obispo County.

In July 2020, then 20-year-old activist Tianna Arata led hundreds of demonstrators to Highway 101, blocking lanes in both directions for approximately an hour. District Attorney Dan Dow charged Arata with 13 misdemeanors over the incident and charged six other demonstrators who were involved. This long and protracted case remains fresh in people’s minds, especially Dow, who twice appealed a local judge’s ruling that his office could not prosecute because of his political opinions. The opinions in question appeared in the form of a September 2020 political fundraising email from his wife, Wendy Dow, on his behalf. The email claimed Dow was “leading the fight against the wacky defund police movement.” San Luis Obispo Superior Court Judge Matthew Guerrero ruled the email was a “clear conflict of interest.”

The state Appellate Court agreed, and the California Supreme Court decided on Jan. 11 that it would not hear arguments regarding the local DA’s participation in prosecuting the case. This means the California Attorney’s General Office will now prosecute the case.

Regardless of how one feels about the case, this is a blemish on Dow’s record as a prosecutor for a couple of reasons.

Justice is blind, at least that’s what it’s

supposed to be. A District Attorney is supposed to impartially try a case based on the rule of law, not lead a fight against any political or social movement.

Around the time his office charged Arata, Dow appeared on Washington Watch with Tony Perkins, a daily politics broadcast that prominently featured the views of Perkins, who was known for describing the Black Lives Matter movement as a “Marxist” group that promoted “cop killings, prostitution, anti-Semitism, anarchy, and the suppression of speech and religion.”

In September 2020, Dow appeared on the private far-right Facebook group “PRotect Paso” to beg for leniency from its hostile members and explain why he charged Arata with misdemeanors instead of felonies. The group was formed in fear of and in opposition to local BLM protests, with its members regularly and feverishly disparaging the movement.

In October 2020, Dow spoke alongside conservative activist Candace Owens at a fundraiser for “New California,” a far-right organization that pushed for a new state to be formed within California. At the event, Owens described the BLM movement as “one of the most racist movements that ever existed in this country.”

Dow himself may not have personally echoed those statements, but he used the Arata case as a springboard to enter the political conversation about it. Clearly, Dow was more concerned about appealing to his political base than exercising professional, prosecutorial discretion.

In their appeals, the DA’s Office argued the local judge’s decision infringed on Dow’s First Amendment rights and it would have

long-lasting implications against prosecutors expressing their political ideologies—that a defendant could easily request prosecutors be taken off their case based on those grounds. However, the First Amendment is not under threat. A district attorney can absolutely exercise their particularly unwise choice to opine or align with those who opine about the politics involved in their cases. However, making that choice has clear consequences, as that completely shatters the veneer of fairness.

If he wants to express his political views with direct ties to his cases or politically align himself with those with similar views, Dow should resign and seek public office that won’t jeopardize people’s rights to a fair trial.

Every time Dow’s handling of the Arata case is discussed, his supporters often pivot to talking about the Arata case itself as if these particular sets of rulings have any actual bearing on the case’s facts. They don’t. They relentlessly dwell on Arata and the way she chooses to live her life, but what’s happening at this very moment has nothing to do with her and has everything to do with Dow.

For more than two years, Dow’s supporters chatted obsessively about demonstrators being punished to the fullest extent of the law with their digital tiki torches on full display, but rarely do they lament how Dow’s zeal for the political spotlight have effectively reduced the credibility of any prosecution.

Because of Dow, the state Attorney General’s Office now has an uphill battle to prosecute a years-long case that requires meticulous review for any potentially political decisions involved in how the case was originally presented. One of those decisions involves the DA’s Office allegedly cajoling a “John Doe” witness into claiming victim status. In October 2020, an attorney representing the unnamed witness claimed

one of the DA’s investigators told his client that “it would really help us out if you were scared” as one of the freeway drivers blocked by demonstrators.

How embarrassing for the DA’s Office and SLO County. ∆

Aaron Ochs has lots of opinions and shares them from Morro Bay. Write a response for publication by emailing letters@ newtimesslo.com.

SLO County’s animal shelter saves, cares for animals

In an article in the Jan. 12 edition of New Times, Glen Starkey did a disservice to the staff, the volunteers, and ultimately to the animals at the San Luis Obispo County Animal Services Shelter (“The volunteers at Meade Canine Rescue & Sanctuary chip away at insurmountable problem”).

Anyone reading this article about the admirable Meade Canine Rescue would come away with the impression that a dog that ended up at the SLO County shelter would be put down within 72 hours. This is appallingly false. Our county shelter, mentioned dismissively in the article as a “kill shelter,” has an outstanding live outcome rate of 94 percent. Even when the shelter is at overflowing capacity with more than 50 dogs and 100 cats, the vast majority are saved and cared for on an indefinite basis, both at the shelter and through connections with several foster home and rescue programs.

In addition, a simple visit to the C.A.R.E.4Paws Snip and Chip SLO website has plenty of information on low cost spay and neuter, as well as vaccination options for lower income pet owners.

Dan O’Connor San Luis Obispo

HODIN

Russell Hodin

Municipal quicksand

They say that a person trapped in quicksand sinks more rapidly the more they wildly thrash about. I am reminded of the government of San Francisco and its prevailing policies toward business, crime and the homeless.

A recent piece in The New York Times, “What Comes Next for the Most Empty Downtown in America,” described San Francisco as having “perhaps the most deserted major downtown in America.” Most of us can recall that just five years ago, San Francisco was renowned for a thriving, bustling downtown and exorbitant rents for office rentals. Today, it has a 27 percent vacancy rate, six times the pre-pandemic level, and the pricey shops and fashionable bistros that served the downtown are hurting and going out of business.

The vacancies are not limited to just business properties, but also include residential properties, which were also known to have stratospheric rents. According to a KRON News piece, 15 percent of the homes in San Francisco are vacant, the highest rate of major cities in the U.S. Vacancies total 61,473 homes, an increase of nearly 52 percent from 2019 to 2021.

What happened?

Many are quick to lay the blame on the pandemic and remote work, which clearly caused a lot of businesses to downsize. It doesn’t, however, explain the residential vacancies and the employers who left town. While a few tech workers may have chosen

to follow their employers to more welcoming locales, most workers and companies have left San Francisco for other reasons.

The exodus of employers from both San Francisco, and from California generally, has been thoroughly reported, as companies opt for lower taxes and fees, less regulation, and a friendlier business climate.

The workers? Only five years ago, San Francisco was a very sought-after place to live, and many tech workers chose to commute from their San Francisco homes to suburban Bay Area worksites, often in dedicated commuter buses like those provided by Google. Natives complained of all the “tech bros.” With remote work now available, why would those workers leave town, after having paid so much and endured such long commutes to live there?

Well, San Francisco is in a self-inflicted downward spiral fueled by its bizarre policies. Rampant crime and the homeless population are the most prominent problems. Residents no longer bother to report crimes like auto burglary, vandalism, shoplifting, and many assaults, since the police will not respond. Large portions of downtown San Francisco stink and are covered with tent encampments, needles, and piles of feces, while the government passes out free needles and provides sites to inject drugs.

People report harrowing incidents of assaults or threats by the aggressive homeless. Few incidents illustrate the dystopian state of the

city more than the much publicized video of the homeless man at Walgreens casually filling his bag with looted goods as the store security guard stood by, not wishing to risk liability for physically interfering with the thief. Walgreens is now closing most of its San Francisco stores, complicating the ability of many of fill their prescriptions. People do not feel safe.

Even famously liberal San Francisco showed signs that it may be losing its patience when the voters ousted a district attorney who prioritized prosecuting the police over prosecuting criminals. Earlier, voters threw out out three progressive members of a school board who focused on renaming schools named after “racist” figures like Abraham Lincoln and John Muir, instead of reopening the schools after the pandemic. They had antagonized much of the Asian population by accusing them of “white supremacist thinking” for their striving, and had decided it was most “equitable” to eliminate meritbased admissions at the city’s most prestigious school. Still, the crazy ideas persist.

What else is causing vacancies? Well, many landlords are opting to give up rental income and leave their properties vacant, driven by the continuing eviction moratorium and rent control. Who wants to be forced to continue housing a tenant who won’t pay rent and may be trashing the premises? Displaying the sort of brain-dead thinking that drives away business, politicians are now considering an onerous “Vacancy Tax” to force landlords to rent, arguing that this will cure the homeless problem. What landlord wouldn’t be delighted to have meth and fentanyl enthusiasts permanently ensconced in their property?

An article in Fortune magazine has pronounced San Francisco as the “worst run city in the U.S.” Cities run on emotionally appealing, but predictably disastrous policies, tend to fail. The city is following an evolution in which it attracts the creative but clueless, who transform a city according to their humane, naive notions of what society should look like, find that it doesn’t work, and then depart for new locales to repeat their municipal malpractice.

The struggles of cities like San Francisco, Portland, and Seattle provide a cautionary tale. I hope that San Luis Obispo stays out of the political quicksand. ∆

John Donegan is a retired attorney in Pismo Beach, who lived in San Francisco back when it was safer, fun, and smelled better. Send a response to letters@newtimesslo.com.

disaster

Ahorde of volunteers manhandled 450 yards of sand and debris deposited in homes and backyards in Los Osos that’s 40 to 50 dump trucks full.

Thank God for community members who care about their neighbors, because the residents of Vista Court in Los Osos would probably still be suffocating under a mountain of mud without them. After a mudslide inundated the homes in Vista de Oro on Jan. 9 and someone put out a call for help on the Support Los Osos Facebook page on Jan. 10, volunteers showed up en masse with shovels and wheelbarrows.

Community members donated food, offered up temporary housing, and helped older residents fill out paperwork. A GoFundMe page has raised thousands of dollars to help with things like storage and moving expenses.

The local CalFire department had staff up there assisting daily—the Los Osos Community Services District did what it could to help with its limited resources.

What did SLO County do for the unincorporated community in dire need of assistance? Well, Planning and Building employees were there to red-tag and yellow-tag homes, obviously. The county government itself—not the elected officials, mind you—didn’t seem to do much until a meeting that took place four days after the slide.

Four days. One meeting. And that was that.

You know what Guadalupe, the small city that could, did after 20 of its families were displaced due to flooding caused by a Santa Maria River levee breach?

Families were evacuated to the Guadalupe Auditorium where the Red Cross set up a trailer and distributed cots, blankets, and first aid items. The city then worked out a deal with a local farmworker housing owner to lease H-2A housing for displaced residents.

“We’re leasing these rooms for the residents because they have nowhere to go,” Mayor Ariston Julian told the Sun, New Times’ sister paper. “We talked about having emergency trailers placed along the street [that flooded] because people want to work on their houses.”

Holy hell! If that’s what a tiny city with an extremely limited budget can accomplish for its residents, surely SLO County can do amazing things! Nope. It can’t.

When folks asked the county for disaster help and assistance, they were directed to the Red Cross. The Red Cross did set up an evacuation center in Paso Robles and one in SLO on Jan. 9 for one night only. It’s also been handing out “cleanup kits” to impacted county residents since Jan. 14.

On Jan. 9, when the county last-minute evacuated people from Oceano due to what some residents said was a predictable Arroyo Grande Creek levee breach, I guess they

were expected to drive through the storm all the way up to San Luis Obispo—with Highway 101 closed.

As far as those who are still unable to live in their now flood-ravaged homes, good luck! The Red Cross currently has zero shelters open in San Luis Obispo County—and according to a spokesperson for the Red Cross, it coordinates those shelters based on what the county asks it for.

San Benito, Monterey, and Santa Barbara counties still have Red Cross shelters operating. So what’s up, SLO County? What is up?

One Oceano resident who scrambled to the safety of the hotel she works at on Jan. 9, couldn’t return to her flood-damaged home for days. I’m sure she wasn’t the only one. Oceano residents showed up to a community meeting about the broken levee, upset, alarmed at the late evacuation notice, and concerned about the future. The three-hour meeting, which was livestreamed on the county’s Facebook page, is nowhere to be found.

When asked why, the county simply stated that Facebook livestreams aren’t recorded— even though a simple scroll through the county’s Facebook feed yields many past livestreamed events.

My favorite thing that happened was when none of the stranded residents at Lake Nacimineto showed up for the boat ride the county offered to rescue them. The county offered the ride, basically saying residents would be on their own after

being dropped off at the Paso Robles Event Center and would need to find a place to stay for possibly two to three months. Enticing, yes?

It seems like the only thing that’s gone right in the wake of this historic natural disaster is something that state and federal elected officials advocated for (thanks, especially, to U.S. Rep. Salud Carbajal). This county was included in the Biden administration’s major disaster declaration, meaning residents can apply for individual assistance with FEMA

The county’s only saving grace is the quality of its first responders and Public Works Department employees, who kicked major ass during the storm and are still kicking ass. These are the folks who put their lives on hold to do the work that saved lives during the disaster. These are the folks who are putting our county infrastructure back together.

And they’re doing it even though some county residents deserve the situations they’ve found themselves in. Let’s take the dumbass with a new four-door white pickup who drove past road closure signs on Adelaida Road and dunked their front end directly into recently poured cement.

The cement had hardened by the time Public Works arrived to try and get the truck out. ∆

The Shredder is handing out “Stupid” awards. Send applications to shredder@newtimesslo.com.

CLUB PENGUIN

For the Birds, a group exhibition of various media, is scheduled to premiere at Art Center Morro Bay on Thursday, Jan. 19, and remain on display through Monday, Feb. 20. This year’s exhibit showcases several artists while highlighting its special featured artist, George Jercich, whose glass art of penguins and other birds is included in the show. Call (805) 772-2504 or visit artcentermorrobay.org for more info. Art Center Morro Bay is located at 835 Main St., Morro Bay.

—Caleb Wiseblood

ARTS

NORTH COAST SLO COUNTY

ART AND ABOUT MORRO BAY Join us

for Art and About Morro Bay, a self-guided art walk that gives the community an opportunity to experience visual, literary, and performing art in galleries and other venues. Visit site for a map of locations. (Events will not occur on major holidays). Fourth Saturday of every month, 1-4 p.m. Free. 805-544-9251. artsobispo.org/ art-and-about. Morro Bay (participating artists), Townwide, Morro Bay.

COLLAGES AND PHOTOGRAPHS OF LOS OSOS Collages and photographs featuring Sweet Springs Nature Preserve and the Elfin Forest by Los Osos photographer Kelly Hayes are for sale online and on display at Los Osos Pop-up Gallery (1056 Los Osos Valley Road). Photo prints on metal, paper, acrylic, and greeting cards. ongoing Free. centralcoasty.com. Los Osos, Townwide, Los Osos.

COSTA GALLERY: ELLEN JEWETT

Gallery hours are expected to be extended beginning in October or November for the holidays. Thursdays-Saturdays, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. and Sundays, 12-4 p.m. Costa Gallery, 2087 10th St., Los Osos, 559-799-9632.

FINE ART CRAFTS BY JARI DE HAM:

GALLERY AT MARINA SQUARE Jarien de Ham began Chinese brush painting in 2002. The Central Coast inspires her paintings and sculptures. Through Jan. 29, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Free. 805-772-1068. galleryatmarinasquare.com. Gallery at Marina Square, 601 Embarcadero suite 10, Morro Bay.

FINE ART MIXED MEDIA PAINTINGS BY STEVIE CHUN: GALLERY AT MARINA

SQUARE

Through Jan. 29, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Free. 805-772-1068. galleryatmarinasquare.com. Gallery at Marina Square, 601 Embarcadero suite 10, Morro Bay.

FOR THE BIRDS Art Center Morro Bay presents its annual For the Birds exhibit. This exciting exhibition celebrates Morro Bay’s vast array of indigenous species of birds and all things bird-related. Jan. 22- Feb. 20 12-4 p.m. Free. 805-772-2504. artcentermorrobay.org. Art Center Morro Bay, 835 Main St., Morro Bay.

FOREVER STOKED PAINT PARTY Join us at the gallery, for a few hours to travel on a creative paint journey. You will receive as much or as little instruction as you prefer. No artistic experience is necessary. Saturdays, 7-9 p.m. $45. 805-772-9095. Forever Stoked, 1164 Quintana Rd., Morro Bay.

FREE DEMONSTRATION:

UNDERSTANDING SITUATIONAL CHARACTER DESIGN AND HOW TO TELL A STORY WITH ONE PERSON Free and open to the public. Walk-ins encouraged. Jan. 23, 3-5 p.m. Free. 805-772-2504. artcentermorrobay.org/. Art Center Morro Bay, 835 Main St., Morro Bay.

HEARTS ALL A FLUTTER MOSAICS

Learn mosaic basics to create a one-ofa-kind heart project. Many projects to choose from including non-heart related shapes. Preregistration required. Jan. 29, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Various. 805-286-5993. CreativeMeTime.com. Art Center Morro Bay, 835 Main St., Morro Bay.

METAL ART BY TRUDI GILLIAM Gilliam creates her sculptures using copper, brass, nickel/silver, and found objects.

This new series of whales and birds uses copper and sea glass. ongoing 805-772-9955. Seven Sisters Gallery, 601 Embarcadero Ste. 8, Morro Bay, sevensistersgalleryca.com.

MOSAIC TRIVET WORKSHOP During this workshop, you will learn how to design and create a mosaic trivet. You will learn how to select materials, lay out a pleasing pattern, and adhere the tiles to the trivet base. You will learn how to properly grout and seal your project. ongoing, 1-4 p.m. $60. 805-772-2504. artcentermorrobay. org/index.php/workshops/. Art Center Morro Bay, 835 Main St., Morro Bay.

THE PLEIN AIR TEAM Acrylic artist, Nancy Lynn, and husband, watercolorist, Robert Fleming, have an ongoing show of originals and giclee prints of Morro Bay and local birds. ongoing 805-772-9955. Seven Sisters Gallery, 601 Embarcadero Ste. 8, Morro Bay, sevensistersgalleryca.com.

SLOFUNNY COMEDY GYM The SLOFunny Comedy Showcase is a monthly showcase for local SLO County comedians. Come see how comedy is born. Take a look at the amazing local talent that began right in our back yard. Hosted by Steph Clark and a surprise headliner. Jan. 29 5:30-7:30 p.m. $10. 805-534-3129. my805tix.com. The Merrimaker Tavern, 1301 2nd Street, Los Osos.

SLOFUNNY COMEDY SHOW Features headliner Mary Gallagher. Hosted by Tom Clark with Steph Clark. Other comedians include James Uloth and Robert Omotto. Jan. 28 6:30-8 & 9-11:30 p.m. $30. 805534-3129. facebook.com/slofunny. Morro Bay Vet’s Hall, 209 Surf St., Morro Bay.

WHERE THE BIRDS ARE: A GROUP

PHOTO SHOW Featuring photographers: Alice Cahill, Cathy Russ, Gregory Siragusa, Karen Peterson, Dominic Hartman, Jessica

Weiss, and Michael Johnston. Through Jan. 29, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Free. 805-772-1068. galleryatmarinasquare.com. Gallery at Marina Square, 601 Embarcadero suite 10, Morro Bay.

NORTH SLO COUNTY

DEPRISE BRESCIA ART GALLERY: OPEN DAILY Features a large selection of encaustic art, sculpted paintings, art installations, acrylic palette knife paintings, digital art, glass, jewelry, stones, fossils, and a butterfly sculpture garden. ongoing DepriseBrescia.com. Deprise Brescia Art Gallery, 829 10th St., Paso Robles, 310-621-7543.

ENCHANTED EVENING Enjoy a special evening creating a fused glass plate, while drinking a bubbly beverage and awaiting your turn for a personal intuitive card reading. Jan. 27 5-7:30 p.m. $150. 805464-2633. glassheadstudio.com. Oracle, 6280 Palma Ave., Atascadero.

NANCY HILL FABRIC ART EXHIBITION AT THE DOSTER GALLERY Doster Gift Gallery in Atascadero will be hosting an exciting exhibition of Nancy Hill’s extraordinary fabric sculptures. Opens on Dec. 16 and runs through the end of January. Through Jan. 31 Free. 805 4629309. Doster Gift Gallery, 5970 Entrada Ave., Atascadero.

PAINTING FOR KIDS Please join Art Social 805 at the Templeton Rec Center for the “Toad Stool Cottage” painting. Jan. 19 4:30-6 p.m. $35. artsocial805.com. Templeton Recreation Center, 599 S. Main Street, Templeton, 805-434-4909.

STUDIOS ON THE PARK: CLASSES AND WORKSHOPS Check site for a variety of classes and workshops offered. ongoing studiosonthepark.org. Studios on the Park, 1130 Pine St., Paso Robles, 805-238-9800.

ACTOR’S EDGE:

SAN LUIS OBISPO

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.

ALL LEVELS POTTERY CLASSES Anam Cre is a pottery studio in SLO that offers a variety of classes. This specific class is open to any level. Teachers are present for questions, but the class feels more like an open studio time for potters. Thursdays, 6-8 p.m. $40. Anam Cre Pottery Studio, 1243 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo, anamcre.com.

ARTIST RIKI SCHUMACHER AT ART

CENTRAL GALLERY Schumacher’s work is pensive and introspective, inspiring one to take a solitary walk on a cloudy day. Wander in to reflect on her “delicious, wistful landscapes.” Mondays-Saturdays, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and Sundays, 12-4 p.m. Free. 805-747-4200. artcentralslo.com/galleryartists/. Art Central, 1329 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo.

CATAPULT An “America’s Got Talent” finalist, Catapult features incredible dancers who work behind a screen to create magical shadow silhouettes of shapes from the world around us. Jan. 28, 3-4:30 p.m. $22-$39. 805-756-6556. Performing Arts Center, 1 Grand Ave., San Luis Obispo, pacslo.org.

CERAMIC LESSONS AND MORE Now offering private one-on-one and group lessons in the ceramic arts. Both hand building and wheel throwing options. Beginners welcomed. ongoing 805-8355893. hmcruceceramics.com/. Online, See website, San Luis Obispo.

COMEDY HOUSE A night of stand-up comedy and house music. Featuring an all female lineup of comics from SLO to LA. Jan. 21, 6-11 p.m. $20-$65. eventbrite.com. The Siren at El Chorro, 2990 Dairy Creek Rd., San Luis Obispo, 805-541-1149.

COMEDY NIGHT Professional comedy show featuring local and touring comics. Hosted by Aidan Candelario. Third

Thursday of every month, 7-9 p.m. $5. 805540-8300. Bang the Drum Brewery, 1150 Laurel Lane, suite 130, San Luis Obispo, bangthedrumbrewery.com.

DATE NIGHT POTTERY Looking for a fun date night? Head to Anam Cre Pottery Studio and play with clay. Couples will learn how to throw a pot on the wheel and make a cheeseboard. Fridays, Saturdays, 6-8 p.m. $140. Anam Cre Pottery Studio, 1243 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo, anamcre.com.

ESCAPED ALONE Caryl Churchill’s convention-defying play juxtaposes backyard tea with environmental disaster, exploring themes of politics, crisis, communication, and female endurance. A staged reading. Jan. 27, 7 p.m. and Jan. 28 , 2 & 7 p.m. San Luis Obispo Repertory Theatre, 888 Morro St., San Luis Obispo, 805-786-2440, slorep.org/.

HILDA KILPATRICK-FREYRE: ART SHOW Hilda is influenced by California paintings, as well as impressionists. Her work is vibrant and she paints local nature scenes. Through Feb. 14 805-545-5401. bigskycafe.com. Big Sky Cafe, 1121 Broad Street, San Luis Obispo.

INTERMEDIATE OIL PAINTING: ADULT ART CLASS This class is for students who may have tried oil painting in the past but are looking to advance their skill levels. Color theory and proportion study will be a focus in the class. Mondays, 2-5 p.m. $30 per student or $75 for 3 classes. 805-7474200. artcentralslo.com/workshopsevents/. Art Central, 1329 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo.

INTRO TO OIL PAINTING WITH SPENCER COLLINS The perfect class for those wanting to try oil painting for the first time. Guests discuss color theory, layering paint, and how to use various media. For ages 16 and over. Thursdays, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. $30 per class or $100 for 4 classes. 805-747-4200. artcentralslo. com/workshops-events/. Art Central, 1329 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo.

Stevie Chun is passionate about shape and color in her paintings and crafts and uses minimal outlined shapes to create larger formats on canvas, paper, ceramics and other surfaces.

KIDS

PHOTO COURTESY OF GEORGE JERCICH

animal sculptures, bowls, plates, etc. Please arrive on time, not early, as venue uses the transition time between classes to sanitize. Designed to sign up on a weekly basis. Thursdays, 1:30-2:30 p.m. $40. anamcre.com. Anam Cre Pottery Studio, 1243 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo.

LEARN TO WEAVE MONDAYS An opportunity to learn how a four-shaft loom works. You will get acquainted as a new weaver or as a refresher with lots of tips and tricks. This class includes getting to know a loom, how to prepare/dress a loom, and much much more. Mondays, 1-4 p.m. $75 monthly. 805-441-8257.

Patricia Martin: Whispering Vista Studios, 224 Squire Canyon Rd, San Luis Obispo, patriciamartinartist.com.

LITTLE TREASURES HOLIDAY EXHIBIT

Artwork in this exhibit is priced $100 or less. Everything is handcrafted and made with love by local artists. Find that one-of-a-kind gift for that special someone. Mondays-Fridays, 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Saturdays, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and Sundays, 12-4 p.m. through Jan. 30 Free. 805-7474200. artcentralslo.com. Art Central, 1329 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo.

THE MONDAY CLUBHOUSE

CONSERVANCY FINE ARTS AWARDS

APPLICATIONS Open to high school juniors and seniors. Categories: classical music, jazz music, and visual art. Submit online application. Finalists in all categories compete in a live competition at The Monday Club on Feb. 26. Through Jan. 30 Free. 805-242-1076. themondayclubslo. org. Online, See website, San Luis Obispo.

OPEN MIC COMEDY Sign-ups at 6:30 p.m. Hosted by Aidan Candelario. Mondays, 7-9 p.m. Free. 805-540-8300. saintsbarrel. com/event-calendar. Saints Barrel Wine Bar, 1021 Higuera St., San Luis Obispo.

PLEIN AIR PAINTERS OF THE CENTRAL

COAST A self-directed fun group of dynamic artists who enjoy painting and sketching outdoors. Artists meet on site at various locations. Weekly plein air destinations are provided by Kirsti Wothe via email (mrswothe@yahoo.com). Wednesdays, 9 a.m.-noon SLO County, Various locations, San Luis Obispo.

POTTERY: BEGINNING WHEEL CLASS

This series is a great intro to the pottery wheel. Students learn to throw various shapes, surface decorate, and glaze. Clay and firing included with admission. Thursdays, 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. $180. anamcre.com. Anam Cre Pottery Studio, 1243 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo.

SCULPTURE CLASS WITH ROD PEREZ

This weekly sculpture drop-in class gives an opportunity for potters to take on new projects and learn new techniques relating to sculptural work. Additionally, every first Friday of the month, a new project will be taught by Rod Perez for beginners. Fridays, 10 a.m.-noon $40. anamcre.com. Anam Cre Pottery Studio, 1243 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo.

SENIOR CLAY CLASS Offered to the senior community as an outlet to explore the beauty of clay. For ages 60 and over.

Caretakers welcome for an additional $20. Fridays, 10 a.m.-noon $40. anamcre.com. Anam Cre Pottery Studio, 1243 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo.

VIRGINIA MACK: BEGINNING

WATERCOLOR This is a watercolor class designed to let you jump in and try out this engaging medium through experimentation. It’s designed for beginners and those with watercolor experience who wish to expand their knowledge of painting in watercolors. To enroll please contact Mack via email: vbmack@charter.net Wednesdays, 1:303:30 p.m. $35. 805-747-4200. artcentralslo. com/workshops-events/. Art Central, 1329 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo.

SOUTH COAST SLO COUNTY

BE PART OF ART There will be a different art activity each month. Bring the whole family to see the beauty in creating together and how easy it can be to bring art into your home. Last Saturday of every month, 1:30-3 p.m. Free. 805-668-2125. lila. community. LilA Creative Community, 1147 East Grand Ave. suite 101, Arroyo Grande.

MIXED MEDIA (ADULTS) Each week, attendees will combine two or more media in several pieces, while working with watercolor, acrylic, ink, pastels, charcoal as well as various printmaking techniques in the course of a month. Enjoy discovering new ways to work with traditional and nontraditional materials. Mondays, 1-3 p.m. $35. 805-668-2125. lila.community. LilA Creative Community, 1147 East Grand Ave. suite 101, Arroyo Grande.

MIXED MEDIA FOR AGES 5-6 AND 7-12 For ages 5-6 (Mondays) and 7-12 (Tuesdays). Mondays, Tuesdays, 3:15-4:15 p.m. 805-668-2125. lila.community. LilA Creative Community, 1147 East Grand Ave. suite 101, Arroyo Grande.

MIXED MEDIA FOR AGES 5-7 Each week students will have the opportunity to explore and combine various mediums like pastels with tempera, watercolors and collage, or clay and wood and so much more. Mondays, 3:30-4:45 p.m. $25. 805-668-2125. lila.community. LilA Creative Community, 1147 East Grand Ave. suite 101, Arroyo Grande.

MIXED MEDIA WORKSHOP (AGES 7-12) Come explore mixed media with an emphasis on the Elements of Art and the Principles of Design. Each week, students will have the opportunity to use various media. Tuesdays, 3:30-4:45 p.m. $25. 805-668-2125. lila.community. LilA Creative Community, 1147 East Grand Ave. suite 101, Arroyo Grande.

OPEN STUDIO (AGES 7-12) Guests can explore a variety of media and techniques while focusing on their own subject matter. Whether they come with a project in mind, or find their way as they play, this class offers a chance for independent learning in a supportive environment. Thursdays, 3:45-4:45 p.m. $25. 805-668-2125. lila. community/all-workshops/open-studio. LilA Creative Community, 1147 East Grand Ave. suite 101, Arroyo Grande.

OPEN STUDIO FOR ADULTS Guests

can come in and decide what materials they would like to work with and create freely. Share your creative process with others and see how your work will flourish. Tuesdays, 6-9 p.m. and Wednesdays, 12:30-3:30 p.m. $40. 805-668-2125. Lila. community. LilA Creative Community, 1147 East Grand Ave. suite 101, Arroyo Grande.

PLAY, EXPLORE, CREATE (AGES 5-7) Young artists will play at various stations, exploring games, and mixed media. There will be a new activity each week. Wonderful opportunities for drawing, painting, and sculpture. Tuesdays, 9-10 a.m. $25. 805-668-2125. lila.community. LilA Creative Community, 1147 East Grand Ave. suite 101, Arroyo Grande.

PLAY, EXPLORE, CREATE 1 (AGES 3 AND 4) Enjoy the opportunity to explore drawing, painting, collage, sculpture, and mixed media. Each week a new adventure awaits. Thursdays, 2-3 p.m. and Fridays, 9-10 a.m. $25. 805-668-2125. lila. community. LilA Creative Community, 1147 East Grand Ave. suite 101, Arroyo Grande.

UPCOMING EXHIBIT AT DANA CULTURAL CENTER Photography of My Diné ( Navajo) Family and images of the Southwestern Landscape by professor, photographer, and DANA volunteer John Craig. Jan. 22, 1 p.m. $8 for non-members; $3 for children; free for DANA Members.

805-929-5679. danaadobe.org. DANA Adobe Cultural Center, 671 S. Oakglen Ave., Nipomo.

DUNES:

OF SAND,

Oak

exhibition. Receptions: Sept. 11 and Oct. 9. Through March 23, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Wildling Museum of Art and Nature, 1511-B Mission Dr., Solvang, 805-688-1082, wildlingmuseum.org.

WILDLIFE ON THE EDGE: HILARY BAKER New and recent acrylic paintings from Baker’s Predators series alongside a new series of animal portraits on birch wood. From a group of common pigeons to an elusive cougar, Baker’s subjects make themselves at home in urban locales.

Through March 6 Wildling Museum of Art and Nature, 1511-B Mission Dr., Solvang, 805-688-1082, wildlingmuseum.org.

WINTER SALON In honor of the holiday season and celebration of the gallery’s 30th anniversary All fine art media hung “salon style”, floor to ceiling. Mondays, Thursdays-Sundays, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. through Jan. 30 805-688-7517. GalleryLosOlivos. com. Gallery Los Olivos, 2920 Grand Ave., Los Olivos.

CULTURE & LIFESTYLE

NORTH COAST SLO COUNTY

55+ HEALTH FAIR Features more than 30 vendors covering all aspects of mental, physical, financial, and legal health. Jan. 21, 9 a.m.-noon Free. 805-772-6278. Morro Bay Community Center, 1001 Kennedy Way, Morro Bay, morro-bay.ca.us/345/ Community-Center.

AXE THROWING Enjoy the art of axe throwing in a safe and fun environment. Kids ages 10 and older are welcome with an adult. No personal axes please. Fridays, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. and Saturdays, 12-6 p.m. $20. 805-528-4880. baysidemartialarts. com. Bayside Martial Arts, 1200 2nd St., Los Osos.

BREATHE BALANCE AND STRETCH

Be prepared to get down to the floor and up again. Breath practice is sustained throughout the session, which is filled with accessible movements that will create and enhance flexibility and balance. Shoe-less environment. Please bring a mat. Every other Monday, 9-9:45 a.m. $10. 415-5165214. Bayside Martial Arts, 1200 2nd St., Los Osos.

CENTRAL COAST SLIM DOWN Take control of food without suffering. Learn a step-by-step process to take control of overeating, cravings, and feel peace with food. Build the habits, mindset, and your unique path with results that stick. Hosted byTami Cruz (Certified Health/Life Coach) and Dana Charvet (Coach/Fitness Trainer). ongoing Call for pricing info. 805-235-7978. gratefulbodyhealthcoaching.com. Grateful Body, 850 Shasta, Morro Bay.

CENTRAL COAST 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. Mask Required. Tuesdays, 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Free. St. Timothy’s Catholic Church, 962 Piney Way, Morro Bay, 805-772-2840, sttimothymorrobay.org/index.html.

PALE KAI OUTRIGGER CANOE DEMO DAYS Join Pale Kai for a fun intro to outrigger canoe paddling. Jan. 28, 8-10 & 10 a.m.-noon Free. palekai.org/recruitmentprogram/. Coleman Park, Morro Bay, 101 Coleman Drive, Morro Bay, (805) 772-6278.

SOCRATES: DISCUSSION GROUP Group members present interesting and thought provoking topics of all sorts. Topics are selected in advance and moderated by volunteers. Vaccinations are necessary. Enter through wooden gate to garden area. Wednesdays, 10 a.m. 805-528-7111. Coalesce Bookstore, 845 Main St., Morro Bay, coalescebookstore.com/.

STAY YOUNG WITH QI GONG Qi gong offers great anti-aging benefits, providing a comprehensive system for improving physical, mental and emotional health. Its roots date back thousands of years in China. Learn with certified instructor Devin Wallace. Call first. Thursdays, 10-11 a.m. $10. 805-709-2227. Hardie Park, Ash Ave. and B St., Cayucos.

TAI CHI AND QI GONG: ZEN IN MOTION Small group classes with 2019 Tai Chi Instructor of the Year. Call for time and days. Learn the Shaolin Water Style and 5 Animals Qi Gong. Beginners welcomed. Mondays, 8 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Call for price details. 805-701-7397. charvetmartialarts. com. Morro Bay Martial Arts, 850 Shasta, Morro Bay.

TAI CHI CHUN CERTIFICATION With the 2019 Tai Chi Instructor of the year. Ongoing courses. ongoing Call for price. 805-7017397. charvetmartialarts.com. Grateful Body, 850 Shasta, Morro Bay.

TAI CHI CHUN/ QI GONG BASICS Learn the foundation of Qi Gong, the rooting of breathing, and Shaolin Tai Chi. TuesdaysThursdays Call for details. 805-701-7397. charvetmartialarts.com. Grateful Body, 850 Shasta, Morro Bay.

SHADOWY SHOWMANSHIP

Catapult, a prolific dance ensemble, will perform at the Performing Arts Center (PAC) in San Luis Obispo on Saturday, Jan. 28, from 3 to 4:30 p.m. Seen on America’s Got Talent, this group works behind a screen to create shadow silhouettes during its act. Tickets to the show range between $22 and $39. Visit pacslo.org for more details. The PAC is located at 1 Grand Ave., San Luis Obispo.

—C.W.

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.

MORRO BAY MIXED MARTIAL ARTS

Disciplines include advanced athletic performance fitness training, Thai kickboxing, and more. Beginners to advanced students welcome. Day and evening classes offered. MondaysSaturdays, 8 a.m.-6 p.m. Call for more info. 805-701-7397. charvetmartialarts. com. Morro Bay Martial Arts, 850 Shasta, Morro Bay.

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.

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.

ASTROLOGY 101: 5-PART SERIES Have you always been curious about astrology and your horoscope but don’t know where to start? If yes, than this is the offering for you. Thursdays, 6-7:30 p.m. through Feb. 17 $125. 805-464-2838. oracleatascaderoca.

SANTA YNEZ VALLEY

VISIONS

LIGHT, AND SHADOW Traverse the sand dunes with Central Coast photographer Bob Canepa in the Wildling Museum’s new Valley

Gallery

NORTH SLO COUNTY

CULTURE & LIFESTYLE continued page 18

IMAGE COURTESY OF CAL POLY ARTS

com. Oracle, 6280 Palma Ave., Atascadero.

EARTH SHINE AT THE RIVER WALK Join the Earth Shine Volunteers every third Saturday of the month at the River Walk in Paso Robles. Grabbers, bags, safety vests, and gloves provided. Free pizza after the event. All ages welcome. Third Saturday of every month, 10 a.m.-noon through March 18 Free. 805-591-4691. EarthShineOrg.com. Paso Robles River Walk, 141 Niblick Road, #417, Paso Robles.

maintenance. Thursdays, 1:30 p.m. 805242-2421. tops.org. Santa Margarita Senior Center, 2210 H St., Santa Margarita.

YANG STYLE TAI CHI The course’s instructor won many Tai Chi and other internal martial arts tournaments. Both experienced martial artists and new learners are welcome to the class.

Mondays, Wednesdays, 5-6 p.m. $62. 805470-3360. Colony Park Community Center, 5599 Traffic Way, Atascadero.

SAN LUIS OBISPO

month, 8-11 a.m. $10 for Garden Members; $40 for general public. 805-541-1400. slobg. org. San Luis Obispo Botanical Garden, 3450 Dairy Creek Rd., San Luis Obispo.

CAL HOPE SLO GROUPS AT TMHA Visit website for full list of weekly Zoom groups available. Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays calhopeconnect.org. Transitions Mental Health Warehouse, 784 High Street, San Luis Obispo, 805-270-3346.

CENTRAL COAST CONJURERS (SLO COUNTY MAGIC CLUB) Monthly meeting of magicians of all levels. Please call or

outdoors in a beautiful setting, which is the best place to do qi gong, as its inspiration is drawn from nature. Certified instructor: Devin Wallace. Tuesdays, 10-11 a.m. $10. 805-709-2227. Crows End Retreat Center, 6340 Squire Ct., San Luis Obispo.

SBCEO EDUCATION SPOTLIGHT

WEBINAR: YOUTH OPIOID AND

FENTANYL EPIDEMIC SBCEO to lead countywide forum on youth opioid and fentanyl epidemic in new “Education Spotlight” series. Jan. 19, 5-6:30 p.m. Free. 805-964-4710. sbceo.org/edspotlight. Online, See website, San Luis Obispo.

SLO BOTANICAL GARDEN PRESENTS YOGA ON THE TERRACE WITH

CHERYL WAKEFIELD An immersive yoga experience led by Cheryl Wakefield, a yoga instructor of 15 years. The event will take place on the terrace in a serene outdoor setting that promotes a relaxed and tranquil mind. Saturdays. through Jan. 29 San Luis Obispo Botanical Garden, 3450 Dairy Creek Rd., San Luis Obispo, 8055411400.

SLO CHESS CLUB All skill levels welcome. Feel free to come by and check it out.

Tuesdays, 6-9 p.m. through Feb. 28 Free. 805-540-0470. Whole Foods Market, 1531 Froom, San Luis Obispo.

SLO LEZ B FRIENDS (VIRTUALLY VIA ZOOM) A good core group of friends who gather to discuss topics we love/ care about from movies, outings, music, or being new to the area. We come from all walks of life and most importantly support each other. Transgender and Nonbinary folks welcome. Third Friday of every month, 6:30-9 p.m. Free. sloqueer.groups.io/g/ lezbfriends. Online, See website, San Luis Obispo.

TOASTMASTERS CLUB

SLO NOONTIME

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 RAM RETIRED ACTIVE MEN

COFFEE CABINET Weekly Coffee Cabinet meeting of the SLO RAM Active Retired Men, a local men’s social club. Click ‘Contact’ on website for invite. Thursdays, 8-9:30 a.m. $10. retiredactivemen.org.

Madonna Inn Garden Room, 100 Madonna Road, San Luis Obispo.

SLO TABLE TENNIS The club is open to all skill levels. There are many tables available to play casual and competitive games. Sundays, 4-7 p.m. and Tuesdays, Thursdays, 7-10 p.m. through Jan. 31 Free. 805-540-0470. Ludwick Community Center, 864 Santa Rosa, San Luis Obispo.

STAY YOUNG WITH QI GONG Qi Gong boosts energy and vitality, reduces stress, improves balance and flexibility, and, best of all, is fun. Join instructor Devin Wallace for this outdoor class which is held in a beautiful setting. Call or email before attending. Tuesdays, 10-11 a.m. $10. 805709-2227. Crows End Retreat Center, 6340 Squire Ct., San Luis Obispo.

SUNDAY EVENING RAP LGBTQ+ AA GROUP (VIRTUALLY VIA ZOOM)

Alcoholics Anonymous is a voluntary, worldwide fellowship of folks from all walks of life who together, attain and maintain sobriety. Requirement for membership is a desire to stop drinking. Email aarapgroup@gmail.com for password access. Sundays, 7-8 p.m. No fee. galacc.org/events/. Online, See website, San Luis Obispo.

TAI CHI AND QIGONG FITNESS ONLINE

Gentle but powerful physical exercises to improve balance, posture, and overall well being. Wednesdays, 8:25-10:35 a.m. through May 24 $77. 805-549-1222. ae.slcusd.org. Online, See website, San Luis Obispo.

TRANS* TUESDAY A safe space providing peer-to-peer support for trans, gender non-conforming, 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.

TRANS* YOUTH PEER SUPPORT GROUP

MUSHROOM KINGDOM

This group is a safe place for trans* and gender non-conforming people, as well as those questioning, from ages of 11 to 18. A facilitated emotional support group to be heard, share your story, and hear stories that may sound surprisingly like your own. Fourth Tuesday of every month, 6-8 p.m. Free. GALA Pride and Diversity Center, 1060 Palm Street, San Luis Obispo, 805-541-4252.

WHEN WOMEN RUN, WOMEN WIN Join for inspiring speakers as we celebrate the progress women have made locally and nationally since the inception of the

Women’s March, and also focus in on all the work that remains. Jan. 21, 2-4 p.m. weareplannedparenthoodaction.org. Mitchell Park, 1445 Santa Rosa St., San Luis Obispo.

YOUR NEW VIBE: INTENTION, MANIFESTATION, ACTION Two hours of relaxation, co-creation, and journaling with a community of uplifting women. Jan. 27 my805tix.com. Vibe Health Lounge, 1238 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo.

SOUTH COAST SLO COUNTY BEGINNER GROUP SURF LESSONS AND SURF CAMPS Lessons and camp packages available daily. All equipment included. ongoing Starts at $70. 805-8357873. sandbarsurf.com/. Sandbar Surf School Meetup Spot, 110 Park Ave., Pismo Beach.

FREE YOGA FOR FIRST RESPONDERS, EMS, AND COMMUNITY CARETAKERS

Join for some well-deserved self-care. Anyone including fire, EMS, police, hospital workers, medical staff, assisted living caretakers, etc. is welcome. All yoga abilities are encouraged to attend. Please email empoweryoga805@gmail.com in advance to enroll. Thursdays, 6-7 p.m. 805-619-0989. Empower Yoga Studio and Community Boutique, 775 W. Grand Ave., Grover Beach, empoweryoga805.com.

POINT SAN LUIS LIGHTHOUSE TOURS Tours will give you a glimpse into the lives of Lighthouse Keepers and their families, while helping keep our jewel of the Central Coast preserved and protected. Check website for more details. Wednesdays, Saturdays pointsanluislighthouse.org/. Point San Luis Lighthouse, 1 Lighthouse Rd., Avila Beach.

WEEKLY WATER SAFETY LESSONS

Facility advertised as open and safe. Give the office a call to register over the phone. Mondays-Fridays $160-$190. 805-4816399. 5 Cities Swim School, 425 Traffic Way, Arroyo Grande, 5citiesswimschool.com.

YOGA AND HIKE TO THE LIGHTHOUSE Hike to the Point San Luis Lighthouse for a one of a kind yoga session by Ashley Sagariballa, of Saunter Yoga and Wellness. Jan. 22 , 9 a.m.-1:30 p.m. my805tix.com. Point San Luis Lighthouse, 1 Lighthouse Rd., Avila Beach.

SANTA MARIA VALLEY/LOS ALAMOS 30 VOLUNTEERS NEEDED IN SANTA MARIA/ORCUTT Community Partners in Caring is seeking volunteers to help

seniors. ongoing partnersincaring.org. Santa Maria, Citywide, Santa Maria.

SANTA MARIA VALLEY RAILWAY

HISTORICAL MUSEUM TOURS The collection includes late 1800’s-early 1900’s Engine used by the Betteravia Union Sugar Company, a 1930’s Sacramento Northern box car, and more. Fourth Saturday of every month, 12-4 p.m. smvrhm.com. Santa Maria Transit Center, Miller and Boone Streets, Santa Maria.

SANTA MARIA VALLEY WOMEN’S MARCH 2023 A march, a rally featuring local speakers, and an “action alley” of community partners. Jan. 21 11 a.m.-2 p.m. 805-266-0518. facebook.com/ womensmarchsmv. Minami Community Center, 600 W. Enos Drive, Santa Maria.

FOOD & DRINK

NORTH COAST SLO COUNTY

CAMBRIA ART AND WINE FESTIVAL

Enjoy shopping, raffle ticket opportunities, wine tasting, and demonstrating artists throughout town. There will be an art show at the Cambria Center for the Arts. Jan. 27-29 $45-$150. 805-927-3624. cambriachamber.org/cambria-art-winefestival/. Cambria (various venues), Citywide, Cambria.

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. through May 31 Varies. 805-824-7383. morrobayfarmersmarket.com. Morro Bay Main Street Farmers Market, Main Street and Morro Bay Blvd., Morro Bay.

NORTH SLO COUNTY

PAINT AND PINTS Join ArtSocial805 at Barrelhouse where you will paint “the winter Cabin” while sipping on your favorite BarrelHouse beer. Jan. 19 6-8 p.m. $50. artsocial805.com. Barrelhouse Brewing Co. Brewery and Gardens, 3055 Limestone Way, Paso Robles, 805-296-1128.

PAINT AND SIP Join Art Social 805 at Pour House in Paso Robles and paint a “ customized Welcome Sign,” while enjoying a complementary glass of liquid courage. Jan. 19, 6-8 p.m. $50. artsocial805.com.

805-239-1000. Please join ArtSocial805 at Cass Winery to paint “The Winter Bear.” The entry fee starts at $55 or $75 with charcuterie. Fee includes your first glass of “liquid courage”. Jan. 20 7-9 p.m. $55$75. artsocial805.com. Cass Winery and Vineyard, 7350 Linne Rd., Paso Robles.

PAINT AND SIP: TIMSHEL VINEYARDS Please join Art Social 805 at Timshel Vinyard, where for an entry fee of $47 you will paint an “Afternoon Shade” scene while sipping on a glass of “liquid courage.” Jan. 25, 6-8 p.m. $47. artsocial805.com. Timshel Vineyards, 825 Riverside Ave., suite 1, 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. 805-4606042. ancientowlbeergarden.com. Ancient Owl Beer Garden, 6090 El Camino Real, suite C, Atascadero.

SAN LUIS OBISPO

DOWNTOWN SLO FARMERS MARKET Thursdays, 6-9 p.m. Downtown SLO, Multiple locations, San Luis Obispo.

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

PISMO BEACH FARMERS MARKET Features various vendors selling their goods. Wednesdays, 4-7 p.m. Pismo Beach Farmers Market, Pismo Pier, Pismo Beach, 805. 773.4382.

SANTA MARIA VALLEY/LOS ALAMOS COAST TO CUYAMA Venue is partnering with Santa Barbara’s La Paloma Cafe for a weekend-long event celebrating the coast and the valley of our Santa Barbara County. Jan. 20, Jan. 21 and Jan. 22 661-766-2825. cuyamabuckhorn.com/happenings/ coast-to-cuyama. Cuyama Buckhorn, 4923 Primero St., New Cuyama.

FOOD TRUCK FRIDAYS AT COSTA DE ORO Featured vendors in the series

& DRINK continued page 20

FILE PHOTO BY REBECCA ROSE

Hot Dates

include Cali Coast Tacos, Cubanissimo, Danny’s Pizza Co., Chef Ricks, and more. Call venue for monthly schedules. Fridays 805-922-1468. costadeorowines.com. Costa De Oro Winery, 1331 S. Nicholson Ave., Santa Maria.

FOOD TRUCK FRIDAYS AT WINE STONE

INN Fridays, 5-8 p.m. Wine Stone Inn, 255 W. Clark Ave., Orcutt, 805-332-3532, winestoneinn.com/.

PRESQU’ILE WINERY: WINE CLUB

Call or go online to make a reservation to taste at the winery or find more info on the winery’s Wine Club offerings. ongoing presquilewine.com/club/. Presqu’ile Winery, 5391 Presqu’ile Dr., Santa Maria, 805-937-8110.

TACO TUESDAY Tuesdays, 5-8 p.m. Wine Stone Inn, 255 W. Clark Ave., Orcutt, 805332-3532, winestoneinn.com/.

MUSIC

NORTH COAST SLO COUNTY EASTON EVERETT AT LIBERTINE BREWING CO. Easton Everett plays guitar-woven Indie music that generates curiosity, with distinctive sound and a sweeping groove. Jan. 21 8-11 p.m. eastoneverett.com/. Libertine Brewing Co. (Morro Bay), 801 Embarcadero Way, Morro Bay, 805-772-0700.

JACK ARTUSIO PIANO RECITAL Local pianist Jack Artusio has lived and taught on the Central Coast for decades and has performed numerous recitals around California over the years. Jan. 22 , 3-4:30 p.m. Free. 805-528-0654. stbenslososos. org. St. Benedict’s Church, 2220 Snowy Egret Ln., Los Osos.

LIVE MUSIC WITH GUITAR WIZ AT LUNADA GARDEN BISTRO “Guitar Wizard” Billy Foppiano plays a wide range of music, including blues, R&B, classic rock, and more. Fourth Sunday of every month, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. 805-900-5444. Lunada Garden Bistro, 78 N. Ocean Ave., Cayucos.

OPEN MIC NIGHT Come join us each Wednesday for 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.

REVEREND HORTON HEAT Jan. 20 7:30 p.m. The Siren, 900 Main St., Morro Bay, 805-225-1312, thesirenmorrobay.com/.

SONGWRITERS AT PLAY FEATURES

RAGGED COMPANY The weekly showcase features local harmony duo Ragged Company, which combines the talents of Tim Pacheco and Cindy Myers. Special guests include Taylor C. Lewis. Jan. 24, 6:30-9 p.m. Free. 805-204-6821. stevekey.com/events. Schooners, 171 North Ocean Ave, Cayucos.

TOMMY CASTRO AND THE PAINKILLERS Jan. 21 8 p.m. The Siren, 900 Main St., Morro Bay, 805-225-1312, thesirenmorrobay.com/.

NORTH SLO COUNTY

BARREL ROOM CONCERT: UNFINISHED BUSINESS Enjoy the views of the hilltop vineyard and the rad tunes of Unfinished Business. Jan. 22 , 4-6 p.m. my805tix.com. Cass Winery and Vineyard, 7350 Linne Rd., Paso Robles.

FRIDAY NIGHT DJ Weekly DJ series, with a different DJ every Friday. Presented by friends at Traffic Record store in Atascadero. Come listen, dance, drink, and unwind every Friday. All ages event; no cover charge. Fridays, 7-10 p.m. 805-4606042. ancientowlbeergarden.com. Ancient Owl Beer Garden, 6090 El Camino Real, suite C, Atascadero.

SAN LUIS OBISPO

CAL POLY BACH WEEK CHAMBER

CONCERT: BACH RECONSTRUCTED/ DECONSTRUCTED Tesserae Baroque will perform modern reconstructions of Bach’s works, including their own. Jan. 20 7:30 p.m. $20 general; $10 students. 805756-4849. music.calpoly.edu/calendar/ special/. First Presbyterian Church of San Luis Obispo, 981 Marsh St., San Luis Obispo.

CAL POLY BACH WEEK FINALE: BACH AND THE GERMAN CHORALE Members of Cal Poly’s Chamber Choir, Symphony, and faculty join with guest artists to perform a variety of works based on German chorale tunes and texts. Jan. 21 2 & 7:30 p.m. $20 general; $10 students. 805-7564849. music.calpoly.edu/calendar/. First Presbyterian Church of San Luis Obispo, 981 Marsh St., San Luis Obispo.

CAL POLY BACH WEEK INSTRUMENTAL MASTER CLASS AND CONTINUO

WORKSHOP Guest artists Leif Woodward, cello, and Ian Pritchard, harpsichord, will coach Cal Poly students in instrumental repertoire from the Baroque era. Jan. 19 11:10 a.m.-1 p.m. Free. 805-756-2406. music. calpoly.edu/calendar. Cal Poly Davidson Music Center, Room 218, Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo.

CAL POLY BACH WEEK VOCAL MASTER

CLASS Guest artist Mindy Ella Chu will coach several Cal Poly voice students in repertoire from the Baroque era. Jan. 19 3 p.m. Free. 805-756-2406. music.calpoly. edu/calendar/special/. Cal Poly Davidson Music Center, Room 218, Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo.

DJ B.TRU An evening DJ set featuring

Mushroom Jazz and Roots Reggae and delicious ciders on tap. Held in the tasting room and patio. Saturdays, 5-8 p.m. 805721-6878. SLO Cider, 3419 Roberto Ct., Suite C, San Luis Obispo.

EASTON EVERETT SOLO Enjoy some indie-acoustic, live music. Thursdays, 5:30-7:30 p.m. eastoneverett.com. Big Sky Cafe, 1121 Broad Street, San Luis Obispo, (805)545-5401.

THE GUITAR WIZ LIVE The “Guitar Wiz” performs live in the tasting room with many ciders on tap. Jan. 20 5-7 p.m. Free. 805-721-6878. SLO Cider, 3419 Roberto Ct., Suite C, San Luis Obispo.

LIVE MUSIC AT RAGTAG WINE CO. Enjoy live music by local favorites. Wine available by the flight, glass, or bottle. Thursdays-Saturdays, 6-9 p.m. Ragtag Wine Co., 779 Higuera St., San Luis Obispo, 805-439-0774, ragtagwineco.com.

LIVE MUSIC FROM GUITAR WIZ BILLY FOPPIANO AND MAD DOG Join “Guitar Wiz” Billy Foppiano and his trusty side kick Mad Dog for a mix of blues, R&B, and more. Saturdays, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. 805-544-2100. Bon Temps Creole Cafe, 1819 Osos Street, San Luis Obispo, bontempscreolecafe.com/ index.htm.

NEW SLO VENUE FOR SONGWRITERS AT PLAY Steve Key will share the stage with Canadian touring duo, Two Crows for Comfort. Folk-roots musicians Jan. 25 6-8 p.m. Free. 805-204-6821. songwritersatplay.com. SLO Wine and Beer Company, 3536 S. Higuera Street, Suite 250, San Luis Obispo.

THE OKLAHOMA SMOKE SHOW: CELEBRATING THE MUSIC OF ZACH BRYAN Jan. 27 9 p.m. The Fremont Theater, 1035 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo, 805-546-8600, fremontslo.com. PECOS AND THE ROOFTOPS Jan. 21 8 p.m. The Fremont Theater, 1035 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo, 805-546-8600, fremontslo.com.

SUNDAY MUSIC AT RAGTAG WINE CO. Enjoy live music by local favorites. Wine available by the flight, glass, or bottle. Sundays, 4-7 p.m. Ragtag Wine Co., 779 Higuera St., San Luis Obispo, 805-4390774, ragtagwineco.com.

SANTA YNEZ VALLEY

LIVE MUSIC SUNDAYS Sundays, 2-6 p.m. Brick Barn Wine Estate, 795 W. Hwy 246, Buellton, 805-686-1208, brickbarnwineestate.com.

SANTA YNEZ VALLEY CONCERT

SERIES: 42ND SEASON The SYV Concert Series’ 2022-23 season includes five upcoming concerts, between October and May. Through May 13 smitv.org/ syv-concert-series.html. St. Mark’s in the Valley Episcopal Church, 2901 Nojoqui Ave., Los Olivos.

WINE DOWN WEDNESDAYS Wednesdays, 4:30-5:30 p.m. Brick Barn Wine Estate, 795 W. Hwy 246, Buellton, 805-686-1208, brickbarnwineestate.com. ∆

ARTIFACTS

SLOMA receives grant from California Arts Council

As a part of its Arts Education Exposure Grant Program, the California Arts Council recently awarded the San Luis Obispo Museum of Art (SLOMA) with a $54,000 grant.

According to SLOMA, the museum plans to use the funds to support upcoming school tours with hands-on art activities and visual arts education resources for Central Coast-based schools in 2023 and 2024.

“We are honored to receive this important grant and to partner with area educators in offering engaging and innovative education programs,” Leann Standish, SLOMA’s executive director, said in a statement.

“The visual arts are invaluable in teaching problem solving, curiosity, and empathy.”

SLOMA’s school tour program is designed to “enable non-arts teachers to incorporate visual arts programming and artistic literacy into their daily curriculum,” according to the museum.

“We are proud to be able to support the great work that California’s artists, culture bearers, and cultural workers are doing within our communities as part of our state’s identity,”

Jonathan Moscone, director of the California Arts Council, said in the statement.

Local school teachers and administrators are encouraged to look into free school group tours with SLOMA by visiting sloma.org/ visit/tours.

Great American Melodrama brings Lumberjacks in Love to the stage

The Great American Melodrama’s first production of 2023, Lumberjacks in Love is scheduled to premiere on Feb. 3. Performances of the upcoming show are slated to run through March 26.

Written by Fred Alley and James Kaplan (who also penned the show’s lyrics and music, respectively), Lumberjacks in Love is set in Minnesota during the early 1900s. The show’s plot follows a group of five bachelor lumberjacks: Slim, Muskrat, Dirty Bob, Moonlight, and The Kid.

After Slim accidentally orders a mail-order bride named Rose, the lumberjacks’ “simple, shanty lives are turned upside down,” according to press materials.

The show’s cast includes Antwon Mason, Toby Tropper, Mia Mekjian, Sydney Ennis, Garret Haven, and Nathan Miklas.

To find out more about the production or purchase tickets, visit americanmelodrama.com.

Discounted tickets for seniors, students, and children are available for purchase.

The Great American Melodrama’s popular snack bar will open 30 minutes before each performance of Lumberjacks in Love and will reopen during the intermission breaks between each act.

For additional details, call the Great American Melodrama’s box office at (805) 489-2499. The theater is located at 1863 Front St., Oceano. ∆

—Caleb Wiseblood

BY ADRIAN VINCENT ROSAS

Continuing legacy

On display now

Head on over to 601 Embarcadero, suite 10, in Morro Bay and check out the latest exhibits currently on display, including the photography showcase Where the Birds Are, the abstract art of Stevie Chun, and the unique nature-based carvings of Jari de Ham. For more information on the individual artists along with events like Second Saturdays, visit galleryatmarinasquare.com.

Gallery

at Marina Square celebrates 20 years of multigenerational service to artists and the Morro Bay

community

For some people, the Gallery at Marina Square is a delightful visit while experiencing the natural beauty of Morro Bay. For others, it’s part of their daily routine.

From the lower gallery’s rotating feature projects to the upper gallery’s ne art to the calming nature of the upper atrium, there’s a place for everyone to enjoy the work of local artists from around the county.

roughout all the service the gallery has provided over the years, one thing remains constant—a dedication to serving the artistic needs of the generational spectrum. Over that time, gallery co-owners, mother-and-son duo Jane and Greg Siragusa, have seen thousands of people come to the gallery to appreciate the hundreds of artists featured over the years.

“Some of the people that come to visit come so frequently we know them by name, and some— especially the locals—we even know by face, so there’s a special connection there for us,” Greg said.

e gallery plans to commemorate its 20th anniversary with various events throughout 2023, including a special event in July, but the duo also wants to maintain that same dedication to the community they’ve held up throughout their time in Morro Bay.

“One thing we have always wanted to continuously do is represent our artists and bring people in to appreciate their work alongside us,” Jane said.

In January, the gallery’s featuring new exhibits that run through the end of the month: work from local photographers like Alice Cahill, Cathy Russ, Karen Peterson, Dominic Hartman, Michael Johnston, and Greg himself focusing on local avian wildlife; abstract art from Stevie Chun; and handcarved, nature-infused crafts from Jari de Ham.

Greg and Jane pride themselves on representing a wide variety of art, an aspect they plan to highlight most in their year of celebration.

From photography, crafts, watercolor paintings, ceramics, glass, and more, the gallery thrives on representing not just the variety of art present in the local area but also the artists’ wealth of experience and range of ages.

Given the signi cance of the anniversary, the duo also sees this as an important time to highlight the work the artists put in, considering them as essential to the gallery as the space is to them.

“We have crafted our gallery to serve the needs of the 60 or so artists we represent currently, some who are in their 90s and some who are in their 20s,” Greg said. “ e range of ages really allows us to cater to visitors while giving all of the art in our community an opportunity to be represented.”

to visit and a place to move to for a very long time,” Greg said. “We have people who have been coming for 20 years and people who just discovered us yesterday, so it’s a nice range.”

Jane said she feels that the variety of visitors allows the gallery to ourish as a place to simply walk around, where people can enjoy the atmosphere of being next to the bay and the art, as well as the experience of folks from so many di erent walks of life enjoying the same exact things alongside the gallery co-owners.

“ ere are days where you come in and there are so many di erent languages being spoken throughout the gallery,” Jane said.

An atrium o ers a quiet place to enjoy co ee and read the newspaper while the lower gallery’s TV showcases art lessons throughout the day, inviting visitors to sit in and learn how to paint. Combined, these areas within the gallery create an experience that the duo said they hope to continue into the future.

e culmination of the gallery’s spirit can be seen in one of their most popular art pieces: handmade 5-by-7-inch postcards designed by local artists.

Showtime!

Send gallery, stage, and cultrual festivities to arts@newtimesslo.com.

People across these same age ranges visit the gallery, often hailing from the local community and around the world, re ecting the nature of what Morro Bay is to many people.

“People have always seen Morro Bay as a place

“You could just buy one at a grocery store, but you know there’s hundreds of thousands of cards just like that one, and being able to provide unique art is a really important service for our local community,” Greg said. “Knowing what you are getting and experiencing is really special and made with care is something that makes this tting for the special people in our lives, and I hope we can continue that for years to come.” ∆

Freelancer Adrian Vincent Rosas is sipping his cold brew in the gallery atrium. Reach him at arosas@ newtimesslo.com.

SOMETHING FOR EVERYBODY From the avian-based photography of Where the Birds are to the abstract watercolor work of Stevie Chun to the peaceful atmosphere of the atrium, Gallery at Marina Square features something for everyone.

CRAFTED FROM NATURE Gallery at Marina Square’s January crafts artist, Jari de Ham, showcases unique art pieces including various plants and even avocado stones.

CIRCULAR SHADING Stevie Chun, a self-taught artist who specializes in multiple forms of abstract art, is currently featured at Gallery at Marina Square.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF GALLERY AT MARINA SQUARE

Misanthropy

Marc Forster (Monster’s Ball, Stranger an Fiction, World War Z) directs this lm based on Swedish author Fredrik Backman’s book, A Man Called Ove, and Hannes Holm’s subsequent 2016 lm. Otto (Tom Hanks) is a grumpy widower who’s the bane of his neighbors’ existence. He doesn’t feel like life’s worth living alone. en a young immigrant family and its matriarch Marisol (Mariana Treviño) move nearby, changing his life forever. (126 min.)

A MAN CALLED OTTO

What’s it rated? PG-13

What’s it worth, Glen? Full price

What’s it worth, Anna? Full price Where’s it showing? Colony, Downtown Centre, Fair Oaks, Park, Stadium 10

Glen I was reluctant to see this lm. I watched the 2016 Swedish version, which was good, and I didn’t feel like I needed to see Hollywood’s attempt. Well, I’m glad I did. A Man Called Otto makes a few missteps, has some clunky moments, wallows too much in sentimentality, but it’s also very moving. And as usual, Hanks is dependably terri c as perpetually exacerbated Otto, who thinks everyone around him is an idiot. is lm also boasts two really amazing performances by Treviño as Marisol and Rachel Keller as Otto’s wife, Sonya, in the ashbacks to their rst encounter, subsequent romance, and early lives together. Both Treviño and Keller are positively luminous and loveable. Sonya clearly brought out the best in Otto, and without her, his curmudgeonly tendencies have run unchecked. But Marisol—like Sonya—holds Otto accountable, forcing him to confront his behavior. It’s a bumpy ride (and a weepy one), but worth taking.

Anna Oh man, I was not prepared to be such a blubbering mess with this lm. Hanks has a hold on me, that’s for sure. He pushes my emotional buttons with every performance, and here even more than when Wilson oated away in Castaway. Otto is a grump for sure, but through ashbacks we get a little glimpse into why he is so curmudgeonly. One thing is evident—while

Otto may seem to hate the world and everyone in it, he loved his wife with the sort of devotion and tenderness that seem almost unreal. e neighborhood clearly is trying to love Otto, whether it’s Jimmy (Cameron Britton), the power-walking positivity dude, or Anita (Juanita Jennings), who is taking care of her invalid husband, Rueben (Peter Larson Jones). ey’re demonstrating kindness, but Otto gives them nothing in return. We soon learn that maybe this man wasn’t always such a cynic, and when Marisol and her family needle their way into his life, he softens. I can’t stress just how sweet this lm was—it’s meant to hit your heart and that’s what it does. Is it cinematic genius? No. Is it an absolutely lovely watch? Yep.

Glen One of the story’s rather sweet side plots is about Malcolm (Mack Bayda), a trans neighborhood kid who Otto takes under his wing by rst helping him with his bicycle and later helping him through some family issues. Otto seems prickly, but underneath he’s a decent human being. en there’s the

stray cat, which at rst Otto shuns. is cat, whose name is apparently Smeagol, is a heck of a feline actor. It’s also worth noting that Hanks’ son, Truman Hanks, plays the younger version of Otto opposite Keller’s Sonya. If you need a good cry, get thee to the theater.

Anna It was super smart to have Hanks’ son take on the role of younger Otto. He does a great job in the role, and looking like your older counterpart de nitely helps suspend disbelief. It’s Otto before he became a cranky old man, but we also get clued into the various reasons Otto is the way he is. My favorite part is de nitely his budding friendship with Marisol and her young family, who are so endearing even an old grump can’t resist getting to know them. It’s so sweet. is lm is a win for softies like me! ∆

Senior Sta Writer Glen Starkey and freelancer Anna Starkey write Split Screen. Glen compiles listings. Comment at gstarkey@newtimesslo.com.

MY POLICEMAN

ECHO 3

What’s

Harry Styles is having a heyday in the box office, and rightfully so—I’ve been a fan of every project he’s signed off on.

This is a tough story. Patrick (David Dawson) needs caretaking after a stroke, and while Tom (Styles) wants nothing to do with the matter, Marion (Emma Corrin) brings Patrick into their home to be cared for. This act of what seems like kindness may actually be revenge though.

Flashing back to their younger years, we

meet the couple in the beginning of their courtship as well as when Tom and Patrick first meet. No one is a winner here. Patrick is both possessive and mean-spirited when it comes to Marion. He loves having a secret to hold over her. Tom wants to have it all—he wants convention, and he wants his love affair. Marion feels incredibly betrayed and subsequently competitive with her beau’s beau.

It’s all so messy but beautifully portrayed. An Amazon Prime original movie, My Policeman manages to be both stunningly beautiful and sad. If you are a fan of stories about the weighty nuance of a relationship that isn’t happy-golucky, this series is likely to hit just where you want. (113 min.) —Anna

FORBIDDEN Marion (Emma Corrin); her husband, Tom (Harry Styles, center); and their friend Patrick (David Dawson) find their lives deeply damaged when the two men begin an affair in an era when homosexuality was illegal, in My Policeman, screening on Amazon Prime.

Created by Mark Boal (The Hurt Locker, Zero Dark 30 ), this action thriller series revolves around the kidnapping of Amber Chesborough (Jessica Ann Collins) during a scientific research trip near the ColombiaVenezuela border, and the subsequent rescue attempts by her new husband, Sgt. Prince Hass (Michiel Huisman), and her brother, Sgt. Alex “Bambi” Chesborough (Luke Evans)—both U.S. Army Delta Force operators.

It’s an effective action drama, with well-staged firefights and well-filmed exotic settings, but what really makes this series sing is the complicated

relationships between the characters—Prince and Bambi have been through brutal combat together and have conflicted over actions taken or not taken, and Prince’s relationship with his wife feels like something of a mismatch.

The story is fraught with danger and disaster, and it’s held together by riveting performances by the principal actors as well as exemplary direction by Boal, Pablo Trapero, Claudia Llosa, and Jeffrey Nachmanoff. It’s something of a slow burn punctuated by moments violence, but its tension feels real, not contrived. All 10 episodes are now out, so binge away. (10 approximately 49-min. episodes) ∆

IT’S PERSONAL

Delta Force soldiers Sgt. Prince Hass (Michiel Huisman) and Sgt. Alex “Bambi” Chesborough (Luke Evans) attempt to rescue Bambi’s sister and Prince’s new wife, who was kidnapped near the Colombia-Venezuela border, in Echo 3 on Apple TV Plus.

TURN THAT FROWN UPSIDE DOWN Cranky Otto (Tom Hanks) is forced to confront his attitude when new neighbor Marisol (Mariana Treviño) and her family move nearby and enter his insular life, in A Man Called Otto, screening in local theaters.

PHOTO COURTESY OF AMAZON STUDIOS

PHOTO COURTESY OF APPLE AND KESHET STUDIOS

There’s something inherently campy about psychobilly. I mean, when you mix 1950s rockabilly, punk, hardcore, metal, and surf rock into a tasty theatrical mélange, you’re bound to have your tongue firmly planted in your cheek.

We can probably trace the roots of psychobilly through Screamin’ Jay Hawkins to The Cramps and on through Reverent Horton Heat, who’s been called the “godfather of modern rockabilly and psychobilly.” Fronted by James C. Heath, who took on the stage name Reverend Horton Heat in 1986, the band has been a stalwart of the rockabilly scene for nearly four decades. His songs are typically clever and sometimes sexually charged, such as “Let Me Teach You How to Eat”: “Let me teach you how to eat/ Teach you how to eat/ Let me teach you how to eat/ Teach you how to eat/ How to marinade the meat/ Marinate the meat/ Let me teach you how to eat/ Teach you how to eat/ It’s a culinary treat/ Culinary treat/ Let me teach you how to eat/ Teach you how to eat.”

This Saturday, Jan. 20, Numbskull and Good Medicine present Reverent Horton Heat at The Siren (7:30 p.m.; 21-and-older; $30 at goodmedicinepresents.com).

This promises to be a fun show, made more fun by opening act The Surfrajettes, an all-female Canadian instrumental quartet, whose members adopt the ’60s style of beehive hairdos, white go-go boots, and matching miniskirt outfits. Playing psychedelic and reverb-laden surf rock, these ladies are dripping with cool.

Also this week at The Siren, there’s a doubleheader on Saturday, Jan, 21, starting with The Sinners (2:30 to 5:30 p.m.; 21-andolder; free), who—according to organizers— “swirl rhythm and blues, a sprinkle of rock, and down and dirty stories to create a smooth, danceable concoction.”

Later that same evening, Tommy Castro and The Painkillers play (8 p.m.; 21-andolder; $29.81 with fees at eventbrite.com).

“The hardest thing to do,” soul-blues rocker Tommy Castro said in press materials, “is be yourself, take some chances, and bring your fans along with you.”

Castro has taken fans on quite a ride. He began playing professionally in Bay Area cover bands in the 1970s before breaking off on his own in 1991, releasing his debut record No Foolin’ in 1994. His most recent is Tommy Castro Presents A Bluesman Came to Town in 2021, with another 19 albums in between.

He’s been consistently delivering amazing albums since signing to Alligator Records in 2009. Great singer, ripping guitarist, and stellar stage presence—Castro’s the total package.

Texas twofer

Country fans take notice of a new band on the rise. Pecos & The Rooftops play the Fremont on Saturday, Jan. 21 (8 p.m.; all ages; $24.36 with fees at seetickets.us). They’re a close-knit group of friends from northeast Texas who came together while in college in Lubbock. The band includes Pecos Hurley (vocals/acoustic guitar), Brandon Jones (rhythm guitar), Zack Foster (lead guitar), Kalen Davis (bass), and Garrett Peltier (drums), and they’re touring in support of Red Eye, their three-song EP.

Dylan Wheeler opens the show. The selfdescribed “broke ass kid” from Texas “is a perfect example of what the evolution of the Texas independent music scene looks like and the level of artist that it can produce,” according to his bio. “His music has all the singer-songwriter laden depth that lyric

lovers covet, while his blending of both rock and alternative genres allows his original productions to feel comfortingly familiar whilst simultaneously breathing a gust of fresh air into a scene that has long been saturated by its country roots.”

Relive the folk revival

Hear classics from The Mamas and The Papas, the Byrds, Buffalo Springfield, The Doors, James Taylor, Carole King, Joni Mitchell, Jackson Browne, Linda Ronstadt, America, the Eagles, and Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young when Live from Laurel Canyon: Songs and Stories of American Folk Rock comes to the Clark Center on Saturday, Jan. 21 (7:30 p.m.; all ages; $40 to $55 at clarkcenter.org). The 90-minute program offers a retrospective of music and stories of artists who lived in Laurel Canyon

between 1965 and 1975.

“Similar to other legendary rock ’n’ roll neighborhoods of the same era like Haight Ashbury in San Francisco or Greenwich Village in the NYC, Laurel Canyon was a community of artists who would forge new genres of music (folk rock) and forever change the look, sound, and attitude of American pop music,” according to press materials. “A time when an entire generation of youth felt abandoned by their own culture and were searching for a sound that helped define them, a sound that shared the protest and awareness of folk music and the attitude and look of rock music.”

More music …

Billy “Guitar Wiz” Foppiano plays the SLO Cider Company’s tasting room this Friday, Jan. 20 (5 to 7 p.m.), delivering crowd pleasing favorites perfect for dancing or listening. The man truly is a wizard on the guitar.

Also at SLO Cider, DJ B. TRU is back in the tasting room spinning an eclectic mix of music featuring mushroom jazz and roots reggae every Saturday, including Saturday, Jan. 21 (5 to 8 p.m.). ∆

Contact Senior Staff Writer Glen Starkey at gstarkey@newtimesslo.com.

HARD AND FAST Numbskull and Good Medicine present Texas-based psychobilly act The Reverend Horton Heat at The Siren on Jan. 20

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE SURFRAJETTES

COOL KITTENS All-female Canadian instrumental surf rock quartet The Surfrajettes will open for The Reverend Horton Heat at The Siren on Jan. 20

Cave cravings

Not every smoothie fan is a SpiderMan fan, nor the other way around. But those at the center of a Venn diagram between the two may be drawn to Nosh Paleo Cafe’s Green Goblin smoothie.

Green spirulina, kale, pineapple, lemon peel, and coconut milk are among the ingredients local restaurateur Aubriel Ruano blends together for this drink, part of a long lineup of beverages that adhere to the tenets of the Paleolithic diet, also known as the Paleo diet or caveman diet.

The protocol greenlights meat, fish, and most vegetables (except nightshade vegetables), but sugar, dairy products, and processed oils are big no-nos.

“Everything in here, even the teas and smoothies, are packed full of veggies. With the mint chocolate chip smoothie, you can’t even taste that it has cauliflower and kale in it,” said Ruano, who first embraced the Paleo diet—specifically the Wahls protocol—in 2019, after being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS).

Ruano’s goal with Nosh Paleo Cafe—which opened in November—is to spread awareness about the diet, based on her own beneficial experience adapting to the Wahls protocol to relieve the symptoms of her disease, and give others with dietary restrictions a nice, cozy comfort food restaurant without inducing anxiety over the menu options.

“I’ve been cooking this way for three and a half years. I pretty much take the recipes I used to cook but modify them so they’re strictly Paleo. I make stuff people are familiar with, stuff they enjoy eating, just a cleaner,

healthier, good-for-you version,” said Ruano, who curated Nosh Paleo Cafe’s wide-ranging menu to include soups, sandwiches, coffee, desserts, and more.

“It’s really inspiring to know that when people come here, they’re looking for almost a sanctuary—they don’t know where to eat, they don’t know what to eat, they don’t know where to go,” added Ruano, who converses with the cafe’s customers as often as possible, trading stories about different dietary needs and approaches in the process.

“When they come in here, I hear all of that and it’s really awesome, and it makes this a community place to be, and that’s what I want it to be.”

Of course, having a dietary restriction is not a requirement for entry at Nosh Paleo Cafe. Ruano said it’s easy to assume the cafe is a regular restaurant without paying attention to the menu items’ ingredients. On the other hand, she thinks it’s amusing when guests come in with an experimental mindset.

“Some people simply come in because they want a smoothie, or tell me they want to experiment. One guy was like, ‘My wife wanted me to come here as an experiment.’ And I’m like, ‘It’s not really an experiment,

man,’” Ruano said with a laugh. “This is the same kind of food that you eat, just without all the junk.”

Among her most popular items, Ruano listed her club sandwiches—made with organic chicken, vegan mayonnaise, grapes, cashew halves, organic celery, red onion, carrots, mint leaves, curry spice, and sesame bread, served with a choice of of roasted Brussels sprouts or sweet potato fries on the side— and sugarless chocolate chip cookies.

Nosh Paleo Cafe has a breakfast selection as well, including a breakfast scramble and waffles (traditional or pumpkin), both with the option to add two strips of Ruano’s favorite food, bacon.

“I actually eat bacon every day, which is like the best thing ever,” Ruano said. “I was always told you shouldn’t eat bacon, and that it’s like a heart attack on a plate. But with MS, you actually need a lot of fat, because when your immune system attacks your nerves, it eats the myelin sheath, which is like a wire covering, which is needed fat.

“So in order to rejuvenate that, you need to have fat in your diet,” Ruano continued. “Cholesterol is actually good for you. You just have to know how to eat the right type of food.” Δ

Calendar Editor Caleb Wiseblood never turns down bacon. Send comments to cwiseblood@ newtimesslo.com.

menu

Nosh Paleo Cafe in Nipomo includes

blends

CUTE AND COZY Located on West Teft Street in Nipomo, Nosh Paleo Cafe offers guests a comfortable dining space to enjoy a wide range of comfort foods, including soups, sandwiches, smoothies, and hot drinks.

SUPER BOWLS Two of Nosh Paleo Cafe’s best-selling soups are the Thai coconut chicken curry and Paleo chicken pot pie soup. Cups and bowls of soup range from $8.50 to $9.50 each.

BAKING RAD Local restaurateur Aubriel Ruano has been operating Nosh Paleo Cafe in Nipomo since November. Her dessert menu changes on a daily basis, but her sugarless chocolate chip cookies and muffins are nearly always available.

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PISMO BEACH MARISOL AT THE CLIFFS

at the Cliffs.

popular

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you can select a starter, entrée, and dessert from our full menu for $50. Executive Chef Ashley Black has curated an especially fresh and diverse menu featuring local ingredients to create house specialties you won’t soon forget. We look forward to welcoming you soon.

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PISMO BEACH SEAVENTURE RESTAURANT

Perched three stories above the sands of Pismo Beach and the Pacific Ocean, savor contemporary coastal cuisine while soaking up 180-degree panoramic views and spectacular sunsets on one of our two expansive outdoor patios. Our custom-crafted cocktails and local wine list all accent this beachfront dining experience. 100 Ocean View Avenue (805) 773-3463 · SeaVenture.com

COUNTY OF SAN LUIS

BOARD OF SUPERVISORS

OF:

NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE

THERESA BRAZIL aka THERESA L. BRAZIL aka THERESA LYNN BRAZIL DECEDENT

CASE NUMBER: 23PR-0002

To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the will or estate, or both, of: THERESA BRAZIL aka THERESA L. BRAZIL aka THERESA LYNN BRAZIL

A PETITION FOR PROBATE has been filed by BRENDON FLAHERTY, an interested person/ creditor in the Superior Court of California, County of SAN LUIS OBISPO.

THE PETITION OF PROBATE requests that BRENDON FLAHERTY be appointed as personal representative to administer the estate of the decedent.

THE PETITION requests authority to administer the estate under the Independent Administration of Estates Act. (This authority will allow the personal representative to take many actions without obtaining court approval. Before taking certain very important actions, however, the personal representative will be required to give notice to interested persons unless they have waived notice or consented to the proposed action.) The independent administration authority will be granted unless an interested person files an objection to the petition and shows good cause why the court should not grant the authority.

A HEARING on the petition will be held in this court as follows: February 7, 2023 at 9:00 a.m. in Dept.: 4 via zoom or in person at the Superior Court of California, County of San Luis Obispo, located at 1035 Palm Street, Room 385, San Luis Obispo, CA 93408.

IF YOU OBJECT to the granting of the petition, you should appear at the hearing and state your objections or file written objections with the court before the hearing. Your appearance may be in person or by your attorney.

IF YOU ARE A CREDITOR or a contingent creditor of the decedent, you must file your claim with the court and mail a copy to the personal representative appointed by the court within the later of either (1) four months from the date of first issuance of letters to a general personal representative, as defined in section 58(b) of the California Probate Code, or (2) 60 days from the date of mailing or personal delivery to you of notice under section 9052 of the California Probate Code. Other California statutes and legal authority may affect your rights as a creditor. You may want to consult with an attorney knowledgeable in California law.

YOU MAY EXAMINE the file kept by the court. If you are a person interested in the estate, you may file with the court a formal Request for Special Notice (form DE-154) of the filing of an inventory and appraisal of estate assets or of any petition or account as provided in Probate Code section 1250. A Request for Special Notice form is available from the court clerk.

Attorney for Petitioner: Law Offices of Johnson, Murphy & Jones 928 West Grand Avenue Grover Beach, CA 93433 805-489-4111

January 12, 19, 26, 2023

ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME CASE

NUMBER: 22CV-0585

To all interested persons: Petitioner: David John Jameyson filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: PRESENT NAME: David John Jameyson to PROPOSED NAME: Giovanni John Sorritelli

THE COURT ORDERS: that all persons interested in this matter appear before this court at the hearing indicated below to show cause, if any, why the petition for change of name should not be granted. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing.

NOTICE OF HEARING: Date: March 01, 2023 Time: 9:00 am, Dept. 4, in person or by zoom at the Superior Court of California, County of San Luis Obispo, 1035 Palm St. Rm. 385, San Luis Obispo, CA 93408. A copy of this Order to Show Cause shall be published at least once each week for four successive weeks prior to the date set for hearing on the petition in the following newspaper of general circulation, printed in this county: New Times

Date: December 21, 2022

/s/: Tana L. Coates, Judge of the Superior Court January 12, 19, 26, & February 2, 2023

ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME CASE

NUMBER: 22CV-0611

To all interested persons: Petitioner: Christian Moreno Jimenez filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: PRESENT NAME: Christian Moreno Jimenez to PROPOSED NAME: Christian Moreno

THE COURT ORDERS: that all persons interested in this matter appear before this court at the hearing indicated below to show cause, if any, why the petition for change of name should not be granted. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing.

NOTICE OF HEARING: Date: February 23, 2023 Time: 9:00 am, Dept. 2, in person or by zoom at the Superior Court of California, County of San Luis Obispo, 1035 Palm St. Rm. 385, San Luis Obispo, CA 93408. A copy of this Order to Show Cause shall be published at least once each week for four successive weeks prior to the date set for hearing on the petition in the following newspaper of general circulation, printed in this county: New Times

Date: December 22, 2022

/s/: Tana L. Coates, Judge of the Superior Court December 29, 2022, January 5, 12, & 19, 2023

ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME CASE

NUMBER: 22CVP-0003

To all interested persons: Petitioner: Chester Edward Lewis filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: PRESENT NAME: Chester Edward Lewis to PROPOSED NAME: Chester Edward Mumford

THE COURT ORDERS: that all persons interested in this matter appear before this court at the hearing indicated below to show cause, if any, why the petition for change of name should not be granted. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing.

NOTICE OF HEARING: Date: February 15, 2023 Time: 9:30 am, Dept. Paso, Room: P2, in person or by zoom at the Superior Court of California, County of San Luis Obispo, 901 Park Street, Paso Robles, CA 93446. A copy of this Order to Show Cause shall be published at least once each week for four successive weeks prior to the date set for hearing on the petition in the following newspaper of general circulation, printed in this county: New Times

Date: January 04, 2023 /s/: Craig V. Rooyen, Judge of the Superior Court January 12, 19, 26, & February 2, 2023

ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME CASE NUMBER: 23CV-0012

To all interested persons: Petitioner: Timothy Jacob Zunker filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: PRESENT NAME: Timothy Jacob Zunker to PROPOSED NAME: Frank William Patrick Sullivan Deschain

THE COURT ORDERS: that all persons interested in this matter appear before this court at the hearing indicated below to show cause, if any, why the petition for change of name should not be granted. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing.

NOTICE OF HEARING: Date: February 16, 2023 Time: 9:00 am, Dept. 2, in person or by zoom at the Superior Court of California, County of San Luis Obispo, 1035 Palm St. Rm. 385, San Luis Obispo, CA 93408. A copy of this Order to Show Cause shall be published at least once each week for four successive weeks prior to the date set for hearing on the petition in the following newspaper of general circulation, printed in this county: New Times

Date: January 10, 2023 /s/: Ginger E. Garrett, Judge of the Superior Court January 19, 26, February 2, & 9, 2023

ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME CASE

NUMBER: 23CV-0013

To all interested persons: Petitioner: Teresita A. Macias aka Teresita Macias Ruiz aka Teresa Macias aka Teresa Araiza Macias filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: PRESENT NAME: Teresita A. Macias aka Teresita Macias Ruiz aka Teresa Macias aka Teresa Araiza Macias to PROPOSED NAME: Teresa Macias Ruiz

THE COURT ORDERS: that all persons interested in this matter appear before this court at the hearing indicated below to show cause, if any, why the petition for change of name should not be granted. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing.

NOTICE OF HEARING:

Date: February 22, 2023 Time: 9:00 am, Dept. 4, in person or by zoom at the Superior Court of California, County of San Luis Obispo, 1035 Palm St. Rm. 385, San Luis Obispo, CA 93408. A copy of this Order to Show Cause shall be published at least once each week for four successive weeks prior to the date set for hearing on the petition in the following newspaper of general circulation, printed in this county: New Times

Date: January 10, 2023 /s/: Tana L. Coates, Judge of the Superior Court January 19, 26, February 2, & 9, 2023

STATEMENT OF ABANDONMENT OF USE OF FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME

NEW FILE NO. 2023-0019

OLD FILE NO. 2022-2343

8575 Perfetto Caffe, 1750 El Camino Real, Ste B, Grover Beach, CA 93433. San Luis Obispo County. The fictitious business name referred to above was filed in San Luis Obispo County on 10/06/2022. The following person(s) has abandoned the use of the fictitious business name: Mitico LLC, (1750 El Camino Real, Ste B, Grover Beach, CA 93433). This business was conducted by A CA Limited Liability Company, Mitico LLC, /s/ Mitico LLC, Laura Zuffi, Managing Member. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of San Luis Obispo on 01-042023. I hereby certify that this copy is a correct copy of the statement on file in my office. (Seal) Elaina Cano, County Clerk. By M. Katz, Deputy Clerk. January 5, 12, 19, 26, 2023

STATEMENT OF ABANDONMENT OF USE OF FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME

NEW FILE NO. 2023-0056

OLD FILE NO. 2022-1350

Holistic Options, 4919 Alamo Ave. #C, Atascadero, CA 93422. San Luis Obispo County. The fictitious business name referred to above was filed in San Luis Obispo County on 06/03/2022. The following person(s) has abandoned the use of the fictitious business name: Martha Yvonne Wright, (4919 Alamo Ave. #C, Atascadero, CA 93422). This business was conducted by An Individual, /s/ Martha Yvonne Wright. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of San Luis Obispo on 01-06-2023. I hereby certify that this copy is a correct copy of the statement on file in my office. (Seal) Elaina Cano, County Clerk. By M. Katz, Deputy Clerk. January 12, 19, 26, & February 2, 2023

Summons

Case Number 23CVP0007

Notice to Defendant Ranchita Methodist Episcopal Church et al. This is a complaint to quiet title for real property located at 5660 Airport Road, Paso Robles, California 93446, Assessor Parcel Number 025441-025, in the County of San Luis Obispo.

You are being sued by the Pleasant Valley Estrella Cemetery District.

You have 30 CALENDAR DAYS after this summons and legal papers are served on you to file a written response at this court and have a copy served on the plaintiff. A letter or phone call will not protect you. Your written response must be in proper legal form if you want the court to hear your case. There may be a court form that you can use for your response. You can find these court forms and more information at the California Courts Online Self-Help Center (www.courtinfo.ca.gov/selfhelp), your county law library, or the courthouse nearest you. If you cannot pay the filing fee, ask the court clerk for a fee waiver form. If you do not file your response on time, you may lose the case by default, and your wages, money, and property may be taken without further warning from the court. There are other legal requirements. You may want to call an attorney right away. If you do not know an attorney, you may want to call an attorney referral service. If you cannot afford an attorney, you may be eligible for free legal services from a nonprofit legal services program. You can locate these nonprofit groups at the California Legal Services Web site (www.lawhelpcalifornia. org), the California Courts Online Self-Help Center (www. courtinfo.ca.gov/selfhelp), or by contacting your local court or county bar association. NOTE: The court has a statutory lien for waived fees and costs on any settlement or arbitration award of $10,000 or more in a civil case. The court’s lien must be paid before the court will dismiss the case. January 19, 26, February 2, & 9, 2023

SPECIAL MEETING BRIEF

FRIDAY, JANUARY 13, 2023 AT 9:00 AM

5

BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT

01. Consent Agenda – Item Nos. 1 thru 28, Resolution (Res) Nos. 2023-001 thru 2023-005, approved.

MEETING ADJOURNED

For more details, view the meeting videos at: https://www.slocounty.ca.gov/Departments/ Administrative-Office/Clerk-of-the-Board/Clerk-ofthe-Board-Services/Board-of-Supervisors-Meetingsand-Agendas.aspx

Wade Horton, Clerk of the Board of Supervisors

By: Annette Ramirez, Deputy Clerk

January 19, 2023

COUNTY OF SAN LUIS OBISPO BOARD OF SUPERVISORS

MEETING BRIEF

TUESDAY, JANUARY 03, 2023 AT 9:00 AM

5

BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT

01. Swearing in of elected and re-elected County Officials

02. Reorganization of the County Board of Supervisors: Election of J. Peschong as Chairperson and D. Arnold Vice-Chairperson for the 2023 term, approved.

03. Public Comment Period – Items not on the agenda: R. Casaverde; L. Owen; C. Dudley; S. Devine; C. Varni & V. Miller: speak. No action taken.

MEETING ADJOURNED

For more details, view the meeting videos at: https:// www.slocounty.ca.gov/Departments/AdministrativeOffice/Clerk-of-the-Board/Clerk-of-the-Board-Services/ Board-of-Supervisors-Meetings-and-Agendas.aspx

Wade Horton, Clerk of the Board of Supervisors

By: Annette Ramirez, Deputy Clerk

January 19, 2023

OBISPO

1. PROJECT IDENTIFICATION

Notice is hereby given that sealed bids will be received at the office of the County Clerk at 1055 Monterey Street, Suite D120 (1st. Floor), San Luis Obispo, CA 93408, until 3:00 p.m. on Thursday, February 9, 2023 for Job Order Contract (JOC 2023) for work to be performed at Countywide facilities, with Contract Documents for said work on file in the office of the Clerk of the Board. Please note that metered parking is extremely limited.

2.   DESCRIPTION OF THE WORK

A Job Order Contract (JOC) is a competitively bid, firm-fixed-price indefinite-quantity contract. It includes a collection of detailed repair and remodel tasks and specifications that have established unit prices. It is placed with a Contractor for the accomplishment of repair, alteration, modernization, rehabilitation, etc., of buildings, structures, or other real property. Ordering is accomplished by means of issuance of a Job Order against the Contract. The Job Order will reference the Detailed Scope of Work and set forth the Job Order Completion Time and the Job Order Price.

The Contractor, under the JOC Contract, furnishes management, labor, materials, equipment and engineering support needed to perform the work. The County intends to award up to four (4) contracts – one to each of the four (4) lowest responsive and responsible Bidders.  Each Bidder shall submit only one (1) Bid for this solicitation.  Any Bidder submitting more than one bid shall be deemed non-responsive and their bids will be returned unopened.  The County estimates the initial maximum dollar value of the Contract to be $750,000 for the one-year contractual period. The Contractor is not guaranteed to receive this volume of Job Orders. It is merely an estimate. The County has no obligation to give the Contractor the opportunity to perform Job Orders in excess of the Minimum Contract Value of $50,000.  The law allows for the Contract amount to be increased up to $5,402,865.80 within the one-year contractual period, upon mutual consent and provided additional bonds are provided.  Therefore, the County reserves the right to increase the amount of the Contract allowable by law based on budgetary considerations and performance of the Contractor.

The JOC Contract includes a Construction Task Catalog® (CTC). This CTC is based on the use of experienced labor and high-quality materials. All of the unit prices incorporate prevailing local wage, equipment and materials cost data. The CTC is work segment based. The CTC also incorporates local activity, climate and geographic features.

The County selected The Gordian Group’s Job Order Contracting (JOC) Solution (Gordian JOC SolutionTM) for their JOC Program. The Gordian JOC SolutionTM includes Gordian’s proprietary JOC software applications (JOC Applications) and construction cost data (Construction Task Catalog®), which shall be used by the Contractor solely for the purpose of fulfilling its obligations under this Contract, including the preparation and submission of Price Proposals, subcontractor lists, and other requirements specified by the County. Bidders will offer four (4) pricing Adjustment Factors.  Two (2) Adjustment Factors for Projects in General Facilities and two (2) Adjustment Factors for Projects in Secure Facilities - for both Normal Working Hours and Other Than Normal Working Hours (overtime) to be applied to the Construction Task Catalog® Unit Price. These Adjustment Factors will be proposed separately. The Construction Task Catalog® and the Contractor’s Adjustment Factors will be incorporated in the awarded Contract.

3. EXAMINATION AND PROCUREMENT OF DOCUMENTS

The contract documents shall consist of one bound volume containing hard copies of the JOC 2023; Invitation to Bidders, Instructions to Bidders, Bid Form, Supplements to Bid Form, Agreement, Bond Requirements and Forms and Guarantees, General Conditions, Construction Site Management and Water Pollution Control, Contract Appendices; and a CD-ROM containing the above documents as well as the Construction Task Catalog® and Technical Specifications. Documents are available for download free of charge at:   http://www.slocounty.ca.gov/GS/Purchasing/Current_Formal_Bids_and_Proposals.htm

4.

PRE-BID CONFERENCE

All bidders are REQUIRED to attend a mandatory Pre-Bid Conference at the County Government Center at 1055 Monterey Street, Room D361 (3rd Floor), San Luis Obispo, at 1:30 P.M. local time, Thursday, January 26, 2023 for the purpose of discussing the JOC concept, discussing JOC from the Contractor’s perspective, and answering questions from potential bidders. Any Bid submitted by a Bidder not represented at the prebid meeting will be deemed non-responsive and rejected by the County.

5. BID OPENING

5.01 All bids must be addressed to County of San Luis Obispo, and delivered to the County Clerk, County Government Center, 1055 Monterey Street, Suite D120 (1st. Floor), San Luis Obispo, CA 93408, and shall bear the Project Title, Project Number and Name of the Bidder.

5.02 Said bids shall be opened and read aloud by the County Clerk, on February 9, 2023, at 3:15 PM at a public meeting.

5.03 Bids by related Contractors are prohibited. For purposes of this solicitation, one Contractor (“Contractor A”) will be determined to be related to another Contractor (“Contractor B”) if, (i) Contractor A either directly or indirectly owns ten percent (10%) or more of the shares or capital interest in Contractor B; (ii) Contractor A has more than fifty percent (50%) of the voting interest in Contractor B; or (iii) one or more of a Contractor’s owners is also an officer, director, or partner in the other Contractor’s company. Bids are to be submitted in sealed envelopes. Envelopes shall be marked in lower left corner “Bid for JOC 2023”.

6. CERTIFICATION OF BIDS (BID BOND)

Pursuant to Public Contract Code, Section 20129, each Bid must be accompanied by Cash, Certified or Cashier’s Check made payable to the County of San Luis Obispo, or a Bidder’s Bond from a company ADMITTED to transact surety business in the State of California in the sum of Twenty-Five Thousand Dollars ($25,000). Said checks or bond shall constitute liquidated damages in the event the successful bidder fails to file satisfactory bonds as otherwise required by the Contract Documents or fails or refuses to enter into a Contract within the specified time. If a bidder’s bond is submitted, it must be in the form provided herein.

7.     GOVERNING LAWS AND REGULATIONS

7.01  Public Contract Code

The bidding of this project is governed by the California State Public Contract Code. The State of California Public Contract Code makes provisions for the rejection of bids and sets forth alternate Contract procedures. If all bids are rejected, the County Board of Supervisors, after re-evaluating its project cost estimates, may, subject to the provisions of Section 22038 of the Public Contract Code; (1) abandon the project, (2) re-advertise for bids, (3) proceed with the project utilizing Owner personnel or force account. If no bids are received, the project may be performed by Owner employees by force account or by negotiated Contract.

In the event any action is taken by the Board of Supervisors pursuant to Section 22038 all bidders will be notified in writing. The Contract will be awarded to the lowest responsive and responsible bidder, subject to Owner’s right to reject any or all bids and to waive any informality in the bids or in the bidding. If two or more bids are the same and the lowest, the Owner may accept the one it chooses or both.

7.02 Specific Materials, Products and Control Systems Designated by Brand or Name

Pursuant to Public Contract Code Section 3400(c), the County may make a finding that is described in the invitation for bids that designates certain products, things, or services by specific brand or trade name for the statutorily enumerated purposes. As required by Section 3400(c) (2), the County Board of Supervisors has made such findings. These findings, as well as the particular materials, products and control systems and their specific brand or trade names that must be used for the Project may be found in Part 1 of Appendix B “San Luis Obispo County Building Standards 2022 Update”. Unless specifically designated in Part 2 of Appendix B, whenever in specifications any material, process or article is indicated or specified by grade, patent, or proprietary name or by name of manufacturer, such specifications shall be deemed to be used for the purpose of facilitating the description of the material, process or article desired and shall be deemed to be followed by words “or equal”.

7.03

Contractor’s License

A Contractor is required to be licensed in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 9, Division III of the Business and Professions Code Pursuant to Section 3300, of the Public Contract Code, the classification of the bidder’s Contractor’s License shall be “B”. Failure of a bidder to obtain adequate licensing for an award of a Contract shall constitute a failure to execute the Contract and shall result in the forfeiture of the Bidder’s Bond.

7.04 Payment of General Prevailing Rate

Pursuant to the provisions of Section 1773 of the California Labor Code, the Board of Supervisors of the County of San Luis Obispo has obtained from the Director of the California Department of Industrial Relations the general prevailing rate of per diem wages and the general prevailing rate for holiday and overtime work for the locality in which the work is to be performed for each needed craft, classification, or type of workman. Copies of said prevailing rate of per diem wages are available at the California Department of Industrial Relations’ web site address at: www. dir.ca.gov/DLSR/PWD.

Travel and Subsistence Payments shall be in accordance with Section 1773.1 of the Labor Code. Wage rates for holiday and overtime work shall be in accordance with Section 1773 of the Labor Code. Attention is directed to the provisions in Sections 1777.5, 1777.6, and 1777.7 of the Labor Code concerning the employment of apprentices by the Contractor or any subcontractor. Attention is directed to the provisions in Section 1776 of the Labor Code concerning payroll records.

Attention is directed to the provisions in Sections 1810 – 1815 of the Labor Code concerning work hours.

7.05

Classification Not Covered by Prevailing Rate

Any laborer or mechanic employed to perform Work on the project under this Contract, which Work is not covered by any of the stipulated classifications, shall be paid not less than the minimum rate of wages specified for the classification which most nearly corresponds to the Work to be performed by him and such minimum wage rate shall be retroactive to the time of initial employment of such person in such classification. In the event of any dispute on that question, the question and the information shall be referred for determination to the Board of Supervisors or to any official designated by the Board of Supervisors, whose decision on the question shall be conclusive on the parties to this Contract with the same effect as if the Work performed by such laborer or mechanic had been classified and the minimum rate specified herein.

7.06  Overtime, Sundays, and Holidays

Not less than one and one-half (1-1/2) times the basic hourly rate plus applicable employer payments. The holidays upon which such rates shall be paid shall be all holidays recognized in the collective bargaining agreement applicable to the particular craft, classification or type of worker employed on the project.

7.07 Apprentices

Attention is directed to the provisions in Sections 1777.5 and 1777.6 of the Labor Code concerning the employment of apprentices by the Contractor or any sub-contractor under him.

7.08 Department of Industrial Relations Registration

Pursuant to Labor Code Section 1771.1, no contractor or subcontractor may be listed on the bid proposal for this public works project unless registered with the Department of Industrial Relations pursuant to Labor Code Section 1725.5.

Pursuant to Labor Code Section 1771.1, no contractor or subcontractor may be awarded this public works contract unless registered with the Department of Industrial Relations pursuant to Labor Code Section 1725.5.

This Project is subject to compliance monitoring and enforcement by the Department of Industrial Relations, pursuant to Labor Code Section 1771.4.

7.09  Executive Order N-6-22: Russia Sanctions

On March 4, 2022, Governor Gavin Newsom issued Executive Order N-6-22 (the EO) regarding Economic Sanctions against Russia and Russian entities and individuals. “Economic Sanctions” refers to sanctions imposed by the U.S. government in response to Russia’s actions in Ukraine, as well as any sanctions imposed under state law. Should the State or County determine Contractor is a target of Economic Sanctions or is conducting prohibited transactions with sanctioned individuals or entities, that shall be grounds for termination of this agreement. The County shall provide Contractor advance written notice of such termination, allowing Contractor at least 30 calendar days to provide a written response. Termination shall be at the sole discretion of the County.

By order of the Board of Supervisors of the County of San Luis Obispo, California in their action on the 13th day of January 2023.

January 19, 2023

COUNTY OF SAN LUIS OBISPO DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING & BUILDING

NOTICE OF TENTATIVE ACTION / PUBLIC HEARING

WHO County of San Luis Obispo Planning Department Hearing

WHEN Friday, February 3, 2023 at 09:00 AM. All items are advertised for 09:00 AM. To verify agenda placement, please call the Department of Planning & Building at (805) 781-5600.

WHAT A request by the Oceano Ice Company for a Minor Use Permit / Coastal Development permit (C-DRC2022-00022) allow for the replacement of an existing commercial well to use for manufacturing ice to cool produce. The proposed replacement well is    planned to be 8 inches in diameter, 130 feet in depth, and with an anticipated pumping rate of 25 gallons per minute with a maximum potential yield of 150 gallons per minute. The project is in the Industrial land use category and is to be located at 1730 Railroad Street in the Community of Oceano. The project is located within the San Luis Bay Planning Area.

Also, to be considered is the determination that this project is categorically exempt from environmental review under CEQA.

County File Number: C-DRC2022-00022

Supervisorial District: District 4 Assessor Parcel Number(s): 061-131-004

Date Accepted: 12/29/2022

WHERE Virtual meeting via Zoom platform.

Instructions on how to view and participate in the meeting remotely and provide public comment will be included in the published meeting Agenda and are posted on the Department’s webpage at: h ttps://www.slocounty.ca.gov/Departments/Planning-Building/ Grid-Items/Meetings,-Hearings,-Agendas,-and-Minutes/PlanningDepartment-Hearing-(PDH)-Virtual-Meeting-.aspx.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

A copy of the staff report will be made available on the Planning Department website at www.sloplanning.org. You may also contact Kip Morais, Project Manager in the Department of Planning and Building at the address below or by telephone at 805-781-5600.

TO REQUEST A PUBLIC HEARING

This matter is tentatively scheduled to appear on the consent agenda, which means that it and any other items on the consent agenda can be acted upon by the hearing officer with a single motion. An applicant or interested party may request a public hearing on this matter. To do so, send a letter to this office at the address below or send an email to pdh@co.slo.ca.us by Friday, January 27, 2023 at 4:30 PM. The letter or email must include the language “I would like to request a hearing on C-DRC2022-00022.”

If you challenge this matter in court, you may be limited to raising only those issues you or someone else raised at the public hearing described in this public notice or in written correspondence delivered to the appropriate authority at or before the public hearing.

COASTAL APPEALABLE

If the County approves this project, that action may be eligible for appeal to the California Coastal Commission. An applicant or aggrieved party may appeal to the Coastal Commission only after all possible local appeals have been exhausted pursuant to Coastal Zone Land Use Ordinance Section 23.01.043(b). Local appeals must be filed using the required Planning Department form as provided by Coastal Zone Land Use Ordinance Section 23.01.042(a)(1).

Ysabel Eighmy, Secretary Planning Department Hearing January 19, 2023

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING AND SUMMARY OF TEMPLETON COMMUNITY SERVICES DISTRICT PROPOSED FIRE CODE ORDINANCE NO. 2022-2

The Board of Directors of the Templeton Community Services District (“District”) will hold a public hearing on proposed District Fire Code Ordinance No. 2022-2 during its meeting on February 7, 2023.

The following is a summary of proposed Ordinance No. 2022-2: Pursuant to the proposed ordinance, the District would adopt by reference the California Fire Code, 2022 Edition, and adopt amendments to the California Fire and Building Standards Codes for the Templeton Community Services District service area which are more stringent than the requirements in those codes because of the climatic, geological and topographical conditions in the Templeton area. The following is a list which summarizes key amendments:

1) Board of appeals: Defines the Templeton Board of Directors makes up the board of appeals.

2) New addition of Chapter 12 of the Uniform Fire Code pertaining to Energy Systems (Solar): Includes Templeton Community Services District Solar Installation Guidelines as a reference document.

3) Automatic sprinkler systems: Added a note which will require all automatic sprinkler systems to include a flow switch that is connected to a local bell and shall have an inspector test valve at the most hydraulically remote location. National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 13 D which regulates the installation of residential sprinkler systems, removed the requirement of the above-mentioned equipment. The opinion and position of Templeton Fire and Emergency Services will be this equipment is important as an audible detection of a sprinkler system activation. Without said equipment, the chances of a sprinkler activation going unnoticed could cause excessive water damage.

4) Appendixes: Continue with all previously adopted appendixes. Appendix D has modifications specifically defined to enhance Fire Apparatus Access Roads by adopting Templeton local standards which include access road widths, dead end roads, one-and-two family residential developments and parking.

The District Board of Directors meeting on February 7, 2023, will commence at 7:00 p.m. The meeting will be held both at the District Board Meeting Room located at 206 Fifth Street, Templeton, California as well as remotely via Zoom.

Public Call in Number to Participate is as follows: ZOOM Phone #: 1-669-900-6833 Meeting ID: 832 7831 3593 Passcode: 926703

Or Join the Zoom Meeting at https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83278313593 ?pwd=emhHT3VVVG5yNWZHV0h4MFVvakt2QT09

A copy of the entire proposed ordinance, along with copies of the California Fire Code and California Building Standards Code, are available for review at the District office located at 420 Crocker St., Templeton, CA. A copy of the proposed ordinance can be found here https://templetoncsd.org/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/ Item/5106?fileID=3675.

Summary prepared by: Thomas Peterson, Fire Chief January 19 & 26, 2023

WHO: San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors

WHEN: Tuesday, February 7, 2023, at 9:00 a.m. All items are advertised for 9:00 a.m. To find out placement of this item on the Board of Supervisors Agenda, go to the County’s website at www.slocounty.ca.gov on the Wednesday before the scheduled hearing date.

WHAT: Hearing to consider an appeal (APPL2022-00011) by Joseph E. Lounsbury of the Planning Commission’s denial on September 22, 2022, of a Lot Line Adjustment (N-SUB2022-00003 / COAL 21-0053) to adjust the lot lines of a single legal parcel (lots 4 and 5) that would result in two parcels of 3,508 and 3,522 square feet. The proposed project is within the Residential Multi Family Land Use Category and is located at 2012 Ocean Street within the community of Oceano in the San Luis Bay South Sub Area, South County Planning Area.

County File Number: APPL2022-00011

Assessor Parcel Number: 062-089-017 Supervisorial District: 4     Date Accepted: March 2022

WHERE: The hearing will be held in the San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors Chambers, 1055 Monterey St., Room #D170, County Government Center, San Luis Obispo, CA. The Board of Supervisors Chambers are located on the corner of Santa Rosa and Monterey Streets. At the hearing all interested persons may express their views for or against, or to change the proposal.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: You may contact Jessica Macrae, Project Manager in the San Luis Obispo County Department of Planning and Building, 976 Osos Street, Room 300, San Luis Obispo, California 93408, (805) 781-5600. The staff report will be available for review the Wednesday before the scheduled hearing date on the County’s website at www.slocounty.ca.gov.

ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION: This project is found to be statutorily exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act under the provisions of Public Resources Code section 21080(b)(5), which states that CEQA does not apply to projects which a public agency rejects or disapproves.

*If you challenge this matter in court, you may be limited to raising only those issues you or someone else raised at the public hearing described in this public notice or in written correspondence delivered to the appropriate authority at or before the public hearing**

DATED: January 17, 2023

WADE HORTON, EX-OFFICIO CLERK OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS

By   /s/ Niki Martin Deputy Clerk January 19, 2023

PUBLIC NOTICE

The San Luis Obispo Police Department is currently in possession Jewelry, WHITE GOLD RING W/13 STONES. If the jewelry is not claimed by the rightful owner seven days after the date of this advertisement, it is proposed that the jewelry will become the property of the individual that located it. If anyone believes this jewelry is their property, they are asked to notify the San Luis Obispo Police Department at 805-781-7360. Anyone attempting to claim this money will be asked to show verification of ownership. SLOPD Case #220927031, Evidence Item #198229

January 19, 2023

PUBLIC NOTICE

The San Luis Obispo Police Department is currently in possession Jewelry, SIL APPLE SERIES 6 WATCH, 40mm. If the jewelry is not claimed by the rightful owner seven days after the date of this advertisement, it is proposed that the jewelry will become the property of the individual that located it. If anyone believes this jewelry is their property, they are asked to notify the San Luis Obispo Police Department at 805-781-7360. Anyone attempting to claim this money will be asked to show verification of ownership. SLOPD Case #220919035, Evidence Item #198099.

January 19, 2023

Free Will Astrology by Rob Brezsny

Homework: Ask life to bring you an insight that will help you ameliorate a long-running dilemma. Newsletter.freewillastrology.com

ARIES

(March 21-April 19): Good news, Aries! During the next episode in the age-old struggle between the Impulsive You and the Farsighted You, I predict the latter will achieve a ringing victory. Hallelujah! I also foresee you overcoming the temptation to quit a project prematurely and instead pushing on to complete it. There’s more! You will refrain from knocking your head against an obstacle in the vain hope of toppling it. Instead, you will round up helpers to help you wield a battering ram that will produce the desired toppling.

TAURUS

(April 20-May 20): You may not have a clear picture of where you’ll be going in the next five years. The detailed master plan that your higher self devised for you before you were born might even be obscure. But I’m here to tell you that in the coming weeks, a new lucidity can be yours. You can summon an acute instinct about which way is forward, if only you will recognize the subtle ways it’s speaking to you. In fact, I believe you will regularly know what move you should make next so as to expedite your long-term evolution. Life will be rewarding you with mysterious step-by-step guidance. Now please write a short statement affirming your intention to love, honor, and obey your intuition.

GEMINI

(May 21-June 20): Do you believe in the existence of guardian angels and spirit guides and ancestors who can intervene on your behalf from the other side of the veil? Do you wonder if maybe your invisible friends from childhood show up in your vicinity now and then to offer you support and kindness? Or how about the animals you loved earlier in your life but who have since passed away? Is it possible their souls have never left you, but are available if you need their affection? Even if your rational mind tells you that none of these possibilities are authentic, Gemini, I suspect you will nevertheless be the beneficiary of their assistance in the coming weeks and months. Their influence will be even more potent if you proceed as if they are real.

CANCER

(June 21-July 22): Among your potential strengths as a human being are empathy, sensitivity, and emotional intelligence. You may or may not choose to develop these natural gifts. But if you do, they can be instrumental in helping you achieve the only kind of success that’s really meaningful for you—which is success that your heart and soul love as much as your head and your ego. According to my astrological analysis, you are moving into a phase of your cycle when you will have extra power to ripen your empathy, sensitivity, and emotional intelligence—and thereby enhance your ability to achieve the kind of success that’s meaningful for you.

LEO

(July 23-Aug. 22): “Dear Rob the Astrologer: The computer firewall at my youth hostel is blocking your website. I am being told you practice ‘Illegal Folklore and Insurrectionary Fairy Tales.’ What the hell? Can you do anything at your end to get me access to your wonderful horoscopes? Maybe cut back a bit on your Illegal Folklore and Insurrectionary Fairy Tales? Haha. Just kidding. I love that crazy stuff. —Deprived Leo in Ireland.” Dear Deprived: Many of you Leos have lately had problems getting all the Illegal Folklore and Insurrectionary Fairy Tales you need. I hope you will push hard to compensate. In my estimation, you currently have a strong need for dreamy stories that appeal to the Wild Child in you. They’re essential to your mental and spiritual health.

VIRGO

(Aug. 23-Sept. 22): In his book A Million Miles in a Thousand Years: What I Learned While Editing My Life Donald Miller acknowledges that fear can be a “guide to keep us safe.” Being afraid may indeed have its uses and benefits. But Miller adds that it’s also “a manipulative emotion that can trick us into living a boring life.” In my astrological opinion, Virgo, fear will be of service to you—a guide to keep you safe—about 9 percent

of the time in 2023. Around 83 percent of the time, it will be a manipulative emotion not worth acting on. For the other 8 percent, it will be neither. Please plan accordingly.

LIBRA

(Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Select two sticky situations in your world that you would love to reinvent. Let other annoyances and glitches just slide for now. Then cultivate a focused desire to do everything in your power to transform the two awkward or messy circumstances. Proceed as if you will have to do all the work yourself—that nothing will change for the better unless you take full responsibility. If you’re absolutely sure this involves other people altering their behavior, consider the possibility that maybe your behavior needs to shift as well.

SCORPIO

(Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Three out of four toxic waste dumps in the U.S. are located in predominantly African American or Latino communities. Two million tons of radioactive uranium tailings have been dumped on Native American lands. Three hundred thousand Latino farm workers in the U.S. suffer from pesticiderelated sicknesses every year. These travesties make me furious. More importantly, my rage motivates me to mitigate these travesties, like by educating my readers about them and donating money to groups crusading to fix the problems. In the coming weeks, Scorpio, I hope you will take advantage of your astrological potentials by using your anger constructively, too. Now is a favorable time for you to fight fiercely and tenderly for what’s right.

SAGITTARIUS

(Nov. 22-Dec. 21): I predict that love will bring you many AHA! moments in 2023. You can’t fully prepare yourself for them—and that’s a good thing! The epiphanies will be brighter and deeper if they are unexpected. Your motivation to learn the available lessons will be wilder and stronger if you enjoy being surprised. So be ready for lots of entertaining rumbles and reverberations, Sagittarius. The adjustments you will be asked to make will often be strenuous and fun. The inspirations you will be invited to harvest will require you to outgrow some of your previous beliefs about the nature of intimacy and togetherness.

CAPRICORN

(Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Some insects are helpful to humans. For example, ladybugs devour aphids, which are highly destructive to crops. Damsel bugs eat the pests called leafhoppers, and lacewings feed on the pernicious nuisances known as mealybugs. I also remind you that some bugs are beautiful, like butterflies, dragonflies, and jeweled beetles. Keep these thoughts in mind, Capricorn, as you contemplate my counsel. Metaphorically speaking, you will have experiences with bugs in the next three weeks. But this won’t be a problem if you ally yourself with the good, helpful, and beautiful bugs.

AQUARIUS

(Jan. 20-Feb. 18): What are “brain orgasms”? Can you seek them out and make them happen, or do you have to wait patiently for them to arrive in their own sweet time? When they occur, what should you do? Surrender into them with all your welcome fully unleashed? Or should you question whether they’re real, be suspicious of their blessings, or dismiss them as irrelevant flukes? I encourage you to meditate on questions like these. That will raise your receptivity to the stream of brain orgasms that life will offer you in the coming weeks.

PISCES

(Feb. 19-March 20): My Piscean pagan friend Valie says God is stealthy yet blatant, like a green chameleon perched on a green leaf. After analyzing the astrological omens, I conclude that this is a helpful, all-purpose metaphor for you to use in the coming weeks. I encourage you to be alert for beauty that is hidden in plain sight. See if you can spy the miracles embedded within the ordinary. Ask life to pleasantly blow your mind over and over again. Here’s your phrase of power: open secret ∆