New Times, April 11, 2024

Free to flow

The FDA changes guidelines for LGBTQ-plus men who want to donate blood [10]

BY BULBUL RAJAGOPAL

33 Brezsny’s Astrology ........ 39

Last May, the Food and Drug Administration eliminated certain screening questions and certain time restrictions imposed on men who have sex with other men. Under the new guidelines, gay and bisexual men in monogamous relationships don’t have to abstain from sex for three months prior to donating blood. With a more gender-inclusive questionnaire that treats all prospective donors similarly, the number of eligible donors in SLO County increased with the rule change, according to Vitalant. Staff Writer Bulbul Rajagopal chats with blood donation organizations and an HIV prevention organization about the issue [10]

Also this week, read about a lawsuit two Morro Bay fishermen groups filed over the future offshore wind farms [8], The Fish Whisperer at the Melodrama [22], and European-American delicacies in Los Osos [30]. Camillia Lanham

Arroyo Grande pulls out of Central Coast Blue over cost

The Central Coast Blue project is one agency down after Arroyo Grande City Council members voted unanimously to back out of the three-city cost-sharing agreement on April 9.

The project—which aims to inject treated wastewater into the Santa Maria Valley Groundwater Basin as a drought buffer—was supposed to provide water to the cities of Pismo Beach, Grover Beach, and Arroyo Grande.

As the lead agency, Pismo Beach agreed to pay 39 percent of the project, followed by Grover Beach at 36 percent and Arroyo Grande at 25 percent.

In 2022, the project was expected to cost between $85 million to $112 million before staff settled on $93 million, according to an April 9 staff report. However, with inflation being factored in, the expected cost of Central Coast Blue shot up to

between $134 million and $159 million.

Some of that increase came after the State Water Resources Control Board Division of Financial Assistance reduced a $15 million Water Recycling Funding Program Grant it awarded to Pismo Beach in September 2023 to $5 million due to the statewide effort to address the state’s budget deficit, according to the same staff report.

Community members who spoke during public comment during the April 9 Arroyo Grande City Council meeting complained that certain numbers weren’t made public.

“I have never seen $85 million to $112 [million],” Los Osos resident Julie Tacker said. “That variable was never presented to the public. They landed on $93 million and shoved it in your face, and you didn’t come back to the community and say, ‘Whoa, whoa, wait a minute, how far do we want to go.’ But there’s a big difference between $85 million and $112 million, just like there’s a big difference between $134 million and $159 million.”

Mayor Pro Tem Jim Guthrie agreed that the price of Central Coast Blue is getting out of hand and said the city was a good partner that stayed with the project when it reached $95 million—which wasn’t a number they’d originally agreed upon.

“The total number I’m comfortable with is way less than $90 [million]. Before I was

Supervisors approve draft noise ordinance for unincorporated areas

A throng of South County residents hope that an updated noise ordinance meant to govern quiet hours in the unincorporated areas of San Luis Obispo County will put an end to the “vibrating walls,” “rattling windows,” and “pulsating bass” caused by their loud neighbors.

“The noise problem has become unbearable; it’s a weekend thing,” said Rose Kaye, a homeowner in the Galaxy Park area of Nipomo, at the April 9 Board of Supervisors meeting. “The main causes of the noise are frequent parties with loud music, fights, shouting, revving of engines, fireworks no matter what time of year … go-karts racing through the streets constantly. The noise permeates the walls and the windows.”

Many residents of the unincorporated regions of the county—especially in Nipomo and near the Cypress Ridge Golf Course in Arroyo Grande—face similar plights to Kaye’s. They’ve complained to 4th District Supervisor Jimmy Paulding since he assumed office in 2023. Those discussions produced a draft ordinance to strengthen the county’s enforcement abilities, which supervisors approved unanimously on April 9.

Repeated offences thrived because of a penal code that prevented the Sheriff’s Office and the county Department of Planning and Building’s code enforcement division from enforcing punishment.

Previous New Times reporting found that both departments couldn’t issue citations for noise violations because the penal code requires them to prove malice on the culprit’s part.

The Sheriff’s Office and code enforcement also don’t have the training or equipment to measure noise by decibel levels.

“This upcoming budget year, the county initially asked us to cut our budget by 4 to 6 percent,” Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Tony Cipolla told New Times. “If we had the money and found appropriate training, another challenge would be sending patrol deputies to the training and not wanting to have an insufficient amount of patrol deputies available to respond to calls for service.”

Planning and Building Director Trevor Keith said that it’s tough to produce a defensible noise level reading that could lead to issuing a citation.

“It’s less about the resource constraints and training,” he said via email. “We have found that noise meter readings get debated regarding their accuracy with vacation rental/event noise readings. These can be problematic within our code enforcement process.”

The approved draft ordinance bans sound above 65 decibels, like loud music, shouting, hooting, singing, and whistling, which can be heard clearly from 100 feet of the property line from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. It exempts sounds from religious services and state and federally recognized public holidays emanating during those hours. Commercial agricultural operations and outdoor entertainment

even on council, I was very uncomfortable with this project,” he said. “Not exactly based on cost, but indirectly it was because if you look at that time, the cost of [desalination] was very close to the cost of this project and [desalination] is the only thing that works in a drought.”

Although Arroyo Grande is the first city to officially opt out of the project, some Grover Beach residents have urged their city to do the same, claiming Central Coast Blue will cause more harm than good.

Due in part to ongoing public backlash, Central Coast Blue General Manager Geoff English told New Times, the project is currently on pause while waiting to hear if the cities want to continue with the project.

“We have suspended all work on technical work, on design, and on permitting,” he said. “We have pulled the permits; we pulled the permit application from the state’s Coastal Commission.”

English said Central Coast Blue also withdrew its development permit from Grover Beach but is continuing to apply for grants to lessen the cities’ financial burden.

“Without that funding, the project would be challenging to move forward,” he said.

While Arroyo Grande City Council voted to pull out of Central Coast Blue, it decided to stay in the joint powers authority (JPA) with Grover Beach and Pismo Beach to focus their efforts on looking at alternative water suppliers or projects that are less expensive.

“I would like to see our JPA to stay together, and I would like to say, ‘Hey yeah ... we have the $500,000 for the next fiscal year, let’s continue to find an alternative solution to securing more water,’’ Councilmember Lan George said. “Our responsibility as a council is to plan for the future. I believe we should continue to invest money into finding another water alternative.” ∆

—Samantha Herrera

events on commercial and private properties equipped with valid land use permits or outdoor commercial entertainment licenses are also immune from the ordinance.

The updated rules hold the property owner liable for prohibited noises. The county will provide a written notice to the owner if law enforcement or a code enforcement officer determine a noise violation. But the person creating the unreasonable noise is the primary target, Assistant County Counsel Jon Ansolabehere told supervisors. The first violation costs $100 in administrative fines, and the amount increases for subsequent breaches. The property owner can also appeal administrative citations before a hearing officer.

“This is really a tool that we needed in order to go for the problem properties,” Ansolabehere said at the meeting. “

Second District Supervisor Bruce Gibson identified problem properties in his North Coast district as some of the noisy short-term vacation rentals. He recommended coordinating the updated noise ordinance with the vacation rental section of the coastal zone land use ordinance. That section calls for a permit revocation process if a short-term rental racks up three violations—including noise violations—within six consecutive months.

“The very few that have complaints issued against them have made life miserable for their neighbors, and we’ve long sought a mechanism by which the bad

OPTING OUT The Arroyo Grande City Council voted unanimously to pull out of the Central Coast Blue water recycling project agreement after prices skyrocketed due to inflation.

FILE PHOTO BY CHRIS MCGUINNESS

actors … can be held accountable,” Gibson said at the meeting.

Most community members who spoke at the meeting said they were satisfied with the noise ordinance update, but some of them asked to extend the rules during the day as well. The current county ordinance limits daytime outdoor noise to 70 decibels.

Ansolabehere said that the county made the draft ordinance similar to those of other jurisdictions, which set restrictions from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. He added that the staff could later work on monitoring daytime noise if supervisors directed them to, but it would require a separate ordinance.

“The idea of regulating daytime noise separate from the decibel provision … has a very different policy construct,” he said. “I think we want to be a little more intentional and a little bit more thoughtful when it comes to how we regulate that.”

—Bulbul Rajagopal

Morro Bay wraps up $116 million in wastewater reclamation project contracts

Morro Bay has one more phase to complete on its water reclamation facility, something city Public Works Director Greg Kwolek calls the “cornerstone” of the project.

The first phase—the Water Resources Center, pipes, and lift stations—started servicing city customers at the end of 2022/ beginning of 2023, and the Morro Bay City Council voted to close out the construction contracts for that phase at its most recent meeting.

Next comes the recycled water portion of the project.

“The recycled water is the centerpiece,” Kwolek said. “We won the grants and loans on the basis of the recycled water.”

For the facility’s second phase, the city aims to construct the wells that will be used to inject the purified water into the groundwater aquifer. Kwolek said Dan Heimel from Confluence Engineering Services out of Los Osos is the contracted project manager for the second phase, which the city is currently requesting technical and cost proposals for. The request for proposals period closes on April 18.

According to a fact sheet on the project, the city received $138 million in low interest (less than 1 percent) state and federal loans and $15.5 million in grants to fund the facility, which replaced the city’s old wastewater treatment plant. The contracts with JBV Morro Bay Joint Venture (KS Overland Contracting and J.R. Filanc Construction Company), which constructed the plant, and Anvil Builders, which constructed conveyance pipelines and lift stations, closed out at more than $116 million.

Both contracts were more expensive more than originally penned, with unanticipated changes and their associated respective costs drawing out a long negotiation period with the city.

During the April 9 City Council meeting, Morro Bay Mayor Carla Wixom said it was a relief to get to the end of those conversations. “Having to pay anything extra is hard for us,” she said.

JBV asked the city to pay an additional $2.4 million on their initial $78.4 million contract to construct the water treatment plant. That would have put Morro Bay over its allotted $79.1 million budget for the

project. The city objected to paying for two of those changes—including additional drinking water testing required by the Department of Water Resources and run-off ditches that were damaged in January 2023’s storms. Negotiations between the two parties resulted in a $79 million agreement.

Anvil requested more than $4 million in change orders to the original $36.4 million contract to construct the pipes and stations that take wastewater from the old plant to the new plant and bring back discharge from the water treatment plant (which, for now, flows into the ocean). Last May, Anvil walked away from a negotiated settlement agreement, Kwolek told the council.

“We brought it back this spring,” Kwolek said. “Anvil is OK resurrecting that deal.”

That deal adds $880,000 to the original contract cost with an additional, separate $200,000 set aside as a retainer for one outstanding issue awaiting resolution. Kwolek assured the council and residents that it wasn’t an ongoing defect.

On Jan. 9, 2023, during historic rains and flooding, Kwolek said “an oversight” caused a gaping hole that meant the system was taking on the entirety of the flood.

He told New Times that the city didn’t have lids properly affixed to manholes associated with construction on the project, which mean a lot of water was flowing through the system. The wastewater treatment plant and its associated pipelines are supposed to have a maximum peak flow capacity of processing 8.1 million gallons a day. While the plant passed that unexpected trial on Jan. 9, the outflow pipe did not. It was only able to convey 6 million gallons a day.

The silver lining, he said, is that the extreme weather enabled the city to see an error it might not have caught otherwise, as Morro Bay falls well under the peak flow capacity. Daily, Kwolek said, it’s closer to 600,000 gallons a day.

“Obviously something’s wrong. … We’re … trying to understand where the issue is and where the financial liability is,” he said. “The city paid for the 8-million-gallon-a-day capacity, and the city intends to collect on that.”

While Morro Bay and Anvil await further investigation into the issue, Kwolek told the City Council that it could close out the construction contract without resolution because it includes the retainer and contingencies for the future pipeline fix.

“This has been a long, hard-fought battle by the council and city team,” Wixom said. “We inherited this issue, as you all know, so we’re glad to be able to close it out at a lower amount than we initially thought.”

—Camillia Lanham

Dana Reserve project to go before supervisors on April 23 and 24

Before the end of April, the controversial Dana Reserve project and local residents should have an answer from the SLO County Board of Supervisors.

On April 23 and 24, the proposed Nipomo development will have its days in front of supervisors, six months after the county Planning Commission recommended approval of the project.

The development, the largest proposed for SLO County in 25 years, has been a hot topic for community members as many Nipomo residents think the project is too big and comes with too many environmental impacts.

“It creates a huge struggle that I’ll have to live

with and maybe even my kids and their kids will have to live with because the destruction of the trees and just the development in general will have such a catastrophic effect,” co-founder and co-executive director of the Central Coast Student Coalition Cesar Vasquez told New Times. “I want the Central Coast to be a place where kids can truly thrive and where future generations can fully thrive, and his development doesn’t do that.”

The project is planning to cut down more than 3,000 oak trees, Burton Mesa Chaparral habitat and other nonnative grasslands to help make room for its 1,318 residential units, 203,000 square feet of recreational space, a shopping center, California Fresh Market grocery store, South County Cuesta College campus, and neighborhood parks, according to an August 2023 SLO County staff report.

Dana Reserve developer and Nipomo native Nick Tompkins told New Times that he wants to bring new opportunities and housing options to Nipomo.

“The goal is to offer a range of housing types so it would meet the needs of lots of different people across 10 different neighborhoods essentially,” his daughter Elizabeth said. “It’d be sort of a master-planned community where many of your daily needs could be met on-site, so it would promote walkability, bike-ability, and there would be parks, native parks, and it could support everyone living there and bring things to the community.”

The Central Coast Student Coalition teamed up with the Nipomo Action Committee, and the YTT Northern Chumash Tribe to create an alternative map that will incorporate 800 housing units while keeping more than 100 acres of open space and natural habitat.

“We fully understand the need for housing in San Luis Obispo County,” YTT Northern Chumash Tribal Chair Mona Olivas Tucker told New Times. “But we also understand not just the cultural significance of oak trees, but the value that they add to combating climate crisis, and deforestation isn’t the right step to take to combat the climate crisis. It’s not the right step to take to protect invaluable cultural resources.”

On April 23, the Central Coast Student Coalition will be holding a rally from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. in downtown SLO to promote the alternative map.

—Samantha Herrera

Clos Solène Winery set to expand after permit appeal hearing

A small Niderer Road winery near Paso Robles is gearing up to fashion a 27,000-square-foot facility complete with an underground cave system, much to the dismay of 30 neighbors.

In a 5-0 vote on April 9, the San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors shot down an appeal of a Feb. 8 Planning Commission decision to approve Clos Solène Winery’s request for a conditional use permit. The permit allowed for the phased development of a large facility and a 19,000-square-foot underground cave that would increase its production from the current annual 5,000 cases to a proposed limit of 10,000 cases in a year.

“I think more people have to realize that there is a potential abusive situation here, that big money is coming into North County and they’re pushing through into purchasing small businesses,” appellant Larry Stone told

New Times prior to the vote. “The powers that decide these things kind of give in.”

Ten-year Niderer Road resident Stone appealed the Planning Commission’s 3-0 vote with 2nd District Commissioner Anne Wyatt and 3rd District Commissioner Kristina Simpson-Spearman absent. He laid out a list of 16 grievances with the project—the largest number of appellant concerns reportedly observed by 1st District Supervisor John Peschong.

“I don’t believe there is going to be incidents of public safety on this,” Peschong said. “I have driven those roads many, many times, … we got the road paved and that cleaned up a lot of the problems.”

Stone, along with a handful of his neighbors, alleged that the winery development stands to increase traffic congestion on the county-owned road, create more noise from outdoor processing, and draw from a dwindling water supply, among other complaints. They also claimed that the setback modifications stemming from the proposed project adversely affect farmland.

While project detractors included the Templeton Area Advisory Group, which unanimously voted to recommend denying the project, it drew a bevy of supporters, primarily other winemakers.

Clos Solène’s plans for expansion has been active for years. Their consultant and appeal hearing representative Jamie Jones of Kirk Consulting told New Times on April 10 that owners Guillaume and Solène Fabre have openly communicated with their neighbors since 2017 when they purchased the property.

“Our first official outreach to the neighbors for the project was in October of 2020,” Jones said. “Due to COVID-19 restrictions, we hosted individual meetings with the neighbors to share the winery plans with them.”

While the winery submitted the permit application in 2021, the pandemic, extra work to complete resource studies, and updating the mitigated negative declaration delayed the process.

County staff refuted Stone’s complaints, repeatedly citing a lack of valid expert corroboration.

The staff report found that Niderer Road is wide enough for two vehicles to pass in opposite directions. A roadway safety analysis also didn’t find safety problems with the winery expansion project. Staff dismissed the issue of water availability, adding the groundwater study in the Adelaida area isn’t complete and there is no substantial evidence of water shortage within that region.

The Fabres added new voluntary restrictions to the project during the hearing “in direct response to neighbor input,” Jones told New Times. These included admitting tasting room visitors by appointment only and limiting winery production. The owners banned outdoor amplified music too and called for activities to conclude at 10 p.m.

“The addition of the two conditions at the hearing, including a limitation on marketing activities and an annual reporting requirement, was another good faith effort by the Fabres to address the ‘what if’ fears expressed by the handful of neighbors that appealed the project,” Jones said.

Stone told the supervisors that the neighbors will need more time to review the Fabres’ new conditions since they were only added during the hearing.

“It’s better than nothing,” he told New Times. “The next step would be to take it to court if we decide to do that.”

Saturday, April 20th 11am - 4pm

Two local fishermen groups sue developers, the California Coastal Commission, and the California State Lands Commission over offshore wind projects

Offshore wind farms could harm local fish species and the SLO County fishing community’s way of life, according to a spokesperson for two local groups of fishermen. Those groups recently sued several state agencies and wind farm developers over planned projects in federal waters.

“Fishermen don’t want offshore wind, especially now that it’s grown to this monstrosity. It’s not going to be good for our fisheries,” Morro Bay resident and spokesperson for the fishermen’s groups Sheri Hafer said. “This would just harm our whole culture; it’s just going to change the whole face of Morro Bay and Port San Luis if they industrialize it.”

In January 2023, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management identified 15 ports that could support wind energy projects, including Port San Luis, much to the dismay of local fishermen, represented by the Morro Bay Commercial Fishermen’s Organization and the Port San Luis Commercial Fisherman’s Association.

In May 2022, the U.S. Department of Interior auctioned off California’s first two wind energy leasing areas off the coast of Humboldt and Morro Bay for a total of $757 million, according to previous New Times reporting. The wind energy areas are located roughly 20 miles offshore, and the projects are expected to take between 12 and 15 years to complete, requiring support facilities from an eligible port.

Those ports must have facilities that can perform major maintenance on a fully assembled turbine system, such as replacing a blade; are located in a navigable waterway able to receive raw materials via road, rail, or waterborne transport; and can create larger components for the offshore wind supply chain.

Port San Luis Harbor District Director Suzy Watkins told New Times in previous reporting that this project could bring muchneeded investments to the port, including upgrading facilities.

“This would lead to improvements on facilities and infrastructure that benefits all users, as well as help generate revenue that helps support our public facilities,” she said. “Piers are very, very expensive to

maintain, and it would help us improve our maintenance of what we already have as well as provide new access for people.”

Hafer said despite the cash benefit, the fishing community and the environment will feel the effects of the project far before it’s completed.

“On the East Coast, they had several whales die, right in the area and location and time of all their survey work that was going on. We had over 85 whales die last year,” she said. “So all of a sudden Equinor sends us a notice that they’re going to start their survey work in March, and that’s when we decided to file our lawsuit.”

Altas Wind, also known as Equinor, is an international energy company present in 30 countries worldwide, including off the coast of the U.K., and was awarded one of the leases off Morro Bay in 2022.

Hafer said fishermen across the U.K. have reported devasting effects to the sea life due to the use of sonar to survey the areas where windfarms were eventually built.

“The fishermen there say it’s like a dead zone; it’s just killing everything. It deforms [fish] eggs, and nobody wants to be around the noise,” she said.

Joseph Street, senior environmental scientist for the California Coastal Commission, previously told New Times that when it comes to lowenergy sonar, it has few environmental impacts and is often routinely used in oceanographic research and fishing.

“Low-energy sonar surveys occurring on a large scale could have some potential to disrupt marine mammals and sea turtles if appropriate precautions aren’t taken, so federal and state agencies—including the Coastal Commission—are requiring protection measures like the use of marine mammal monitors and safe-shutdown zones, to avoid and minimize impacts to marine life,” he said.

In addition to sonar concerns, the Morro Bay Commercial Fishermen’s Organization and Port San Luis Commercial Fisherman’s Association claim that the California Coastal Commission, California State Lands Commission, Altas Wind, CSA Ocean Sciences Incorporated, Golden State Wind, and Even Keel Wind are breaching the California public trust doctrine and the 1850 Act of Statehood, and are in violation of the California Coastal Act.

which would cris-cross [sic] large areas of California public trust submerged land and tidelands,” the lawsuit reads.

The public trust policy is the public’s right to use California’s waterways for navigation, fishing, boating, natural habitat protection, and other water-oriented activities that are protected by common law doctrine in the public trust, according to the California State Lands Commission. More recently, the doctrine was broadened to include the right to swim, boat, and engage in other forms of water recreation and to preserve land in its natural state in order to protect scenic and wildlife habitat values.

Hafer said it was important to include the California Coastal Commission in the lawsuit because it’s trying to speed through the permitting process without acknowledging the environmental and community impacts.

“They want to expedite this whole thing,” she said. “They streamlined all the permits together and gave the Coastal Commission the ultimate authority to finalize.”

California Coastal Commission Legislative Director Sarah Christie told New Times that it can’t make a statement about the lawsuit at this time.

“The commission’s legal department is evaluating the lawsuit and will be responding pursuant to court deadlines,” she said.

The lawsuit also states that the California Coastal Commission is violating the Coastal Act, which guides how the state’s coastal land is developed or protected from development.

“It emphasizes the importance of the public being able to access the coast, and the preservation of sensitive coastal and marine habitat and biodiversity,” according to the Coastal Commission. “It prioritizes coastal recreation as well as commercial and industrial uses that need a waterfront location.”

According to the lawsuit, the public trust requires wind developers to mitigate for and monitor the impacts of industrial scale ocean wind energy on commercial fishing and fish habitats before starting surveys or any other phase of the project.

“While offshore wind energy generation can provide significant climate and economic benefits, industrial scale development and deployment of offshore wind energy will also have impacts on coastal and ocean resources, fisheries, and coastal communities that are not yet fully understood,” the lawsuit states.

“Petitioners and their members will be irreparably harmed by the ensuing damage to commercial fishing, access to fishing grounds, and the viability of fishing grounds within the proposed project areas and site surveys,

A Dec. 20, 2023, notice of intent to prepare a programmatic environmental impact statement from the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management states that offshore wind energy could impact air quality, animals, wetlands, coastal habitats, and commercial and recreational fishing.

“Project structures above the water could affect the visual character defining historic properties, properties of traditional religious and cultural significance, and recreational and tourism areas,” the study states. “Additionally, the project could create spaceuse conflicts with military activities, air traffic, land-based radar services, cables, and scientific surveys.”

The parties’ next scheduled hearing is April 24. ∆

Reach Staff Writer Samantha Herrera at sherrera@newtimesslo.com.

Vital draw

A historic FDA guideline change lets monogamous men who are sexually active with other men donate blood for the first time

An update to the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) guidelines on blood donation allows a whole new cross section of people to roll up their sleeves and help those in need.

Last May, the FDA eliminated time-based postponements and screening questions posed to men who have sex with other men (MSM population). Previous instruction deemed ineligible prospective donors from the MSM population who reported having sex within three months before presenting to donate blood. Under the new FDA guidelines, gay and bisexual men in monogamous relationships are allowed to donate blood without having to abstain from sex for three months.

“We expect that some MSM who were previously deferred will be eligible to donate under the 2023 policy, and that anyone at risk of HIV infection will be deferred under this individual risk assessment,” the FDA told New Times in a prepared statement sent by spokesperson Carly Kempler. “The FDA believes this policy may potentially expand the number of people eligible to donate blood, while also maintaining the appropriate safeguards to protect the safety of the blood supply.”

The FDA’s deferral on blood donations for men who have sex with other men dates to 1983 when it instituted a lifetime postponement. The regulation aimed to reduce the risk of HIV in the blood supply at a time when HIV-testing was limited or didn’t exist. In 2015, the FDA relaxed the lifetime deferral to a 12-month period. Then, it shortened the deferral period following the most recent sexual activity with another man to three months, citing a public health emergency stemming from COVID-19.

“The updated policy [of 2023] … is in line with policies in place in countries like the United Kingdom and Canada, both of which have similar HIV epidemiology to the U.S. and have already instituted this approach,” the FDA’s statement to New Times said.

Every two seconds, a patient in the United States needs blood. But fewer donors are providing blood on a regular basis, and the

number of first-time donors is decreasing year after year, according to the American Red Cross and blood donation center Vitalant.

“This past January [2024] while facing a national blood shortage, we shared we’ve [experienced] a 40 percent decrease in blood donations over the past 20 years,” said Taylor Poisall, the American Red Cross spokesperson for the Central Coast region.

But the FDA’s recommendation to remove questions based on sexual orientation could change that. While it’s hard to quantify the response from the LGBTQ-plus community because the American Red Cross doesn’t ask blood donors to identify their sexual orientation, Poisall said, several people across the country shared with the blood donation group that they were newly eligible to give blood.

San Luis Obispo County saw similar results in terms of first-time donors voluntarily sharing their experiences. According to Kevin Adler, communications manager for Vitalant, the FDA guidelines update increased the number of eligible donors in the county to 60 percent. Before Vitalant implemented the change in August 2023, the eligibility rate languished between 50 and 55 percent.

“Now, the questionnaire asks all prospective donors, gender-inclusive, individual-based questions that assesses blood donor eligibility,” Adler said. “Even if any person has had sex with multiple sexual partners within the three-month period, they will be asked specific questions about their sexual activity. It’s not specific to a gay or bisexual man anymore.”

Adler said that the individual donor assessment that impacted gay and bisexual men was one of two changes from 2023 that drastically increased local eligibility.

“The other one was the permanent deferral of those who lived or were in certain European countries for an extended period of time due to mad cow disease,” he said. “Now the FDA thinks they can donate right away.

Before those two changes by the FDA, it was down to 40 percent of the population that was eligible to donate.”

Vitalant organizes an average of 12 blood drives a week across SLO County with dozens more in Monterey, Santa Barbara, and Ventura counties.

As of April 5, it comprised 2,907 active donors—people who’ve given blood at least once over the last 12 months—across the Central Coast. The pre-pandemic average for a rolling 12-month period used to be 3,600 active donors. Before the pandemic, Vitalant witnessed nearly 10,000 new donors a year. In 2021 and 2022, that number dropped to below 7,000 along the Central Coast— inching up to 7,186 first-time donors in 2023.

“We’ve seen a 25 percent drop in businessrelated blood drives,” Adler said. “On top of that, we’re still seeing lower levels of schoolrelated blood drives. While many schools have returned to host blood drives, it’s still not to the numbers of pre-pandemic levels.”

The region’s aging donor population also plays a part in stagnating blood donor numbers. They don’t encourage and educate the next generation to donate as robustly as they used to, Adler added.

Vitalant was at the forefront of advocating for more research into donor eligibility. It teamed up with the American Red Cross and OneBlood to conduct a pilot study funded by the FDA called the ADVANCED Study, which stands for “Assessing Donor Variability And New Concepts in Eligibility.” Yet to be peer-reviewed, the study sought to determine if a blood donor history questionnaire based on individual risk would be as effective as a time-based postponement in reducing the likelihood of HIV among gay and bisexual men who volunteer to donate blood. It became the first stepping stone of data that informed the FDA’s decision to update its guidelines.

Adler said that all donated blood in the country undergoes a series of tests to make sure the donation is safe to give and receive. Vials of Vitalant’s supply undergoes testing in Arizona. Once cleared, Vitalant releases the lion’s share of the blood donated on the Central Coast to local patients for transfusion.

Still, the new FDA guidelines stress monogamy for gay and bisexual men who are potential blood donors. The Vitalant questionnaire also asks possible donors questions about needle use and if they had sexual contact with anyone who received “money, drugs, or other payment for sex” in the past three months.

“While there are tests, the tests are not 100 percent foolproof,” Adler said. “They are tested to great accuracy but there is a percentage of risk still involved.”

Blood banks aren’t alone in their advocacy for more scientific evidence to support blood donor policies. For the past 40 years, Access Support Network—a SLO-based nonprofit with an expanded network in Monterey County—has offered resources to people living with HIV and AIDS.

Executive Director David Kilburn said the blood donation eligibility restriction on the MSM population has been a long-contested issue in the HIV-advocacy world.

“We’re always looking to try to reduce stigma,” he said. “It was a tough point to sell to people who didn’t believe or were, for any reason, against the gay community thinking it was immoral or whatever. It was a challenge, always, to educate people but we’ve been doing that for many years.”

With the help of online enrollment programs like MISTR.com and SISTR. com, the Access Support Network provides pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP)—daily HIV-preventative medication—to HIVnegative clients prone to exposure. While Kilburn said he appreciates the progress made through the FDA guidelines, he added that men who have sex with multiple partners within three months of wanting to donate blood are still ineligible even if they proactively take PrEP. It’s the next step of advocacy, according to him.

“There are several requirements if you’re on PrEP, and that is quarterly testing for other STIs, … but they’re doing HIV testing as well every three months,” Kilburn said. “I think somebody that chooses to go on PrEP is caring about their health immensely.” ∆ Reach Staff Writer Bulbul Rajagopal at brajagopal@newtimesslo.com.

BY CAMILLIA LANHAM

Providing purpose

About 90 percent of U.S. adults with serious mental illness, such as schizophrenia, anxiety, and major depression, are unemployed, according to a Rutgers study from 2020.

“A lot of times, because of anxiety and depression, the idea of even applying for a job is so daunting,” Transitions-Mental Health Association (TMHA) Community Engagement Director Michael Kaplan said. “At Growing Grounds what you have is this incredibly supportive environment.”

Through therapeutic horticulture, Growing Grounds Farm and Nursery has provided vocational training, paid employment, socialization opportunities, and soft skills to adults living with severe and persistent mental illness since 1984. The nonprofit program operated by TMHA is celebrating its 40th anniversary on April 20 from noon to 5 p.m. at its San Luis Obispo nursery with live music, food trucks, plants sales, terracotta pot decorating, and ice cream.

Kaplan said about 150 client employees (often referred by the SLO County Department of Behavioral Health or Santa Barbara County Behavioral Wellness) go through the Growing Grounds programs annually, either working at the nursery and farm in San Luis Obispo, the farm in Santa Maria, or at the shop in downtown SLO.

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Employees “are involved in every aspect of production from propagating and seed cleaning, to planting, weeding, watering, pruning, selecting, and preparing orders for delivery and helping on deliveries to customers,” according to a Growing Grounds fact sheet. They also work with and for people who understand what they’re going through, Kaplan said.

The employment provides a sense of purpose and is a huge piece of the puzzle for their clients, who often participate in TMHA’s other programs, such as the Supportive Employment Program, which works regularly with the three Growing Grounds businesses. In collaboration with the California Department of Rehabilitation, clients are trained on résumé building and job interviews and work with job coaches.

“A lot of people want to work and feel like people aren’t willing to take a chance on them,” Kaplan said. “Having a sense of purpose … it can be just so important, so great for the soul.”

Send business and nonprofit information to strokes@newtimesslo.com.

Although, it’s primarily a wholesale operation, the nursery at 3740 Orcutt Road in San Luis Obispo is open to the public every Tuesday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Look for the bright yellow tag in the pot with Growing Grounds flower logo at nurseries around the county. For more information, visit t-mha.org/buy-growing-grounds.php.

“I think that Growing Grounds has this absolutely unique combination of No. 1, introducing our clients to the therapeutic aspects of horticulture and working outside and just the experience of planting something and seeing it grow,” Kaplan said. “There is a reason that so many millions of people are devoted to gardening.”

The nursery began its journey by growing lettuce for local restaurants, but TMHA realized it wasn’t necessarily a stable market and Growing Grounds was battling against other growers and bagged, pre-washed products. So, the nonprofit decided to take a different tack, changing the nursery to focus on providing drought tolerant, Mediterranean plants to the community, local landscapers, and places like Miner’s Ace Hardware.

Fast facts

• SLO County Library branches in Cambria, Los Osos, and Nipomo are showcasing Awareness Galleries dedicated to mental wellness and substance abuse. The free exhibits are a collaboration with the SLO County Behavioral Health Department and will run through the end of April. Available in English and Spanish, they’re designed to educate the public on stress management techniques and provide information about alcohol, cannabis, and opioid use with a focus on overdose prevention, according to a press release. For more information, visit slobehavioralhealth.org.

• The sixth annual Love SLO communitywide day of service will be held on April 13 as part of the national Love Our Cities movement, which aims to meet the needs of the community, demonstrate kindness, and impact lives, according to a press release. More than 1,000 volunteers sign up for more than 50 service projects annually through Love SLO. The event will kick off in Mission Plaza at 8 a.m. with breakfast, coffee, and activities for kids.

Service projects run from 9 a.m. to noon. To volunteer for any of the 2024 projects, sign up by visiting loveslo.com. ∆

Reach Editor Camillia Lanham at clanham@ newtimesslo.com.

Step into Spring with Style!

SOCIAL ENTERPRISE Growing Grounds employees help native plants thrive at the nursery in San Luis Obispo, which will be open for a community party on April 20 to celebrate the organization’s 40-year anniversary.

PHOTO COURTESY OF MICHAEL KAPLAN

BY HANK KRZCIUK

The end game for San Simeon is becoming a county service area

The San Simeon Community Services District proposes dissolving and transferring services and governance to San Luis Obispo County. If the dissolution is approved by the Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO) and the county Board of Supervisors, a county service area (CSA) will be created to handle San Simeon.

The proposed new CSA would resemble the present San Simeon Community Services District (CSD). It would provide the same services—water, wastewater, road maintenance, street lighting, and weed abatement. The county would establish separate accounts for assets and liabilities. As

BY DOLORES HOWARD

Better off Voice of a village

The Community Alternative Plan is a better vision for the Dana Reserve

The place names in San Luis Obispo county indicate what is unique and loved in our community: Paso Robles refers to its precious oaks, and Atascadero, which is a name for a place where water is held back, is home to some of several locations in our county where beavers hold and store water. The name Nipomo is said to have come from a Native American word that means village. The Community Alternative Plan for the Dana Reserve Project offers a single-family and affordable housing development choice that represents the voice of a village that has come together with experts to design a

with other CSAs, funding would be provided via water and sewer fees and property taxes.

Like today, a San Simeon County Service Area will stand on its own financially. Note: General county taxes and fees are not used for CSAs.

San Luis Obispo County Public Works maintains CSAs for Nipomo, Oak Shores, Cayucos, Avila Beach, Shandon, SLO Country Club, and Santa Margarita. For comparison, the Cayucos Water CSA has 800 customers, Santa Margarita CSA has 500 customers, and Shandon 300. Presently, San Simeon has 200 customer accounts.

The main difference between a community services district and a county service area is governance. CSDs are officially called independent special districts because they have their own five-member constituentelected board that heads them. San Simeon CSD recently split the community into five mini-districts with an average of 33 registered voters representing their neighborhoods in each district; this subdivision has created

leadership and representation challenges.

A county service area (CSA) is called a dependent special district because the county Board of Supervisors governs it and is the ultimate decision-making body. The San Simeon community would no longer be subdivided for its representation.

The county can establish an advisory council for the new San Simeon County Service Area to provide a formal path for community input. Such an advisory council exists for the Cayucos CSA.

Like today, there would be an annual budget and rate-setting process. Rates will be set with public input using the same Proposition 218 processes used today, which allow for constituent protests.

The community’s economically disadvantaged status will remain, making it eligible for grants and loans to help fund necessary infrastructure projects.

Having the county provide the community’s water, wastewater, and other services via

a dedicated county service area has many advantages. The county has a sizeable skilled staff, including engineering, permitting, accounting, finance, legal, administration, and operations. These resources can be applied to benefit CSAs. San Simeon CSD will never match these skills and the depth of resources. Service continuity will no longer be an issue for the community.

The county service area structure will provide stable, capable, cost-effective governance for the San Simeon community. It is time to start referring to the post-dissolution governance structure as the San Simeon County Service Area.

According to the recently passed San Simeon CSD board resolution, the formal study of the dissolution, county service area option, and LAFCO application process should begin shortly. ∆

Hank Krzciuk is a San Simeon resident. Respond with a letter to the editor by sending it to letters@newtimesslo.com.

proposal with lasting beneficial impacts to the quality of life of county residents.

The Community Alternative Plan reduces impacts on traffic and air quality, already overburdened schools and infrastructure, and saves more than 2,500 oak trees and habitat, while providing 534 single-family homes and 266 multi-family units.

The benefits to county residents from the Community Alternative Plan come in the form of continuous open space for walking, hiking, and equestrian use by the public. The biological impacts from saving more than 2,500 mature oak trees and federally endangered species and special habitats will be significant to all who live and breathe. Oaks support more life-forms than any other North American tree genus, providing food and protection for insects, birds, reptiles, lichen,

and mammals. Oaks enhance ecosystem function, including groundwater recharge; reduce stormwater runoff and stabilize soil; improve water quality by reducing erosion; and provide an important carbon sink. Oaks, a lovely visual resource, are important to local climate moderation, providing shade and cooling, and particulate matter removal.

The current Dana Reserve development plan, the biggest project proposed in San Luis Obispo County in 25 years, was found to have 19 significant and unmitigable environmental impacts, whereas the Community Alternative Plan reduces these impacts and still provides for increased housing possibilities. The work of the village on the Community Alternative Plan is rooted in a deep concern for housing, the environment, and the issues of the shortfall of funding and space at local schools, lack of a fire station, and shortage of sheriff deputies, all of which are significantly exacerbated by the developer’s plan.

The iconic Great Depression era photograph

Migrant Mother, by Dorothea Lange, taken on the Nipomo Mesa, depicts a woman looking out in the distance with worry on her face. The Nipomo seen from that pea-pickers tent camp has grown and changed to a community that presents many opportunities, even beyond the Dana Reserve project, within the existing old town and commercial corridor area where infrastructure and space for affordable housing does exist and is in fact designated for such in the South County general plan. Let’s look out to a future for Nipomo that brings life and health. Write to your county supervisor or show up at the SLO County Board of Supervisors hearing on April 23 to make public comment or show support for the Community Alternative Plan to be the vision for the Dana Reserve. ∆

Dolores Howard writes to New Times from Paso Robles. Send a letter to the editor in response by emailing it to letters@ newtimesslo.com.

HODIN

Russell Hodin

BY JOHN DONEGAN

Nonconformity and rebellion

Hey, kids! Nonconformity! Everyone is doing it!

Some recent social trends have me reflecting on the idea of conformity, or more precisely, nonconformity, especially the recent phenomenon of large numbers of teenagers who decide that they won’t conform to conventional binary gender roles, and who declare themselves actually one of the newly discovered genders. With this mass epiphany, the demand for medical gender reassignment has surged, as has the debate over such care for minors. Legislation and lawsuits have ensued.

Of course, during modern times, kids have always set themselves apart from the adult world and what they see as mindless conformity. We boomers were pretty good at it. In the 1960s we fetishized nonconformity and made it obligatory if you didn’t want to be ostracized by the crowd. We rebelled by growing beards and long hair, wearing unconventional clothing, and making it clear that we wanted no part of conventional society. When our parents, teachers, or other adults ridiculed or criticized it, we bemoaned our rejection by the society we tried so hard to distance ourselves from. And all of our friends were doing the same thing to prove their own nonconformity. We rejected all aspects of

our parents’ corrupt and materialistic world, making only occasional exceptions when we asked them for some of their unconscionable wealth to pay for our tuition, board, and textbooks. Our parents showed a lot of restraint in not strangling us in our sleep when we came home for the holidays.

But we did have a lot of fun, and aging and parenthood wiped out a lot of our smug certitude. With today’s permissive, nonjudgmental world, it seems to be more of a challenge to get a rise out of us old folks, and it requires a lot more creativity.

As easy as it is to dismiss this gender rebellion as just another “oh, those kids” sort of thing, is that accurate? For one, the kids don’t seem to be having any fun with it. A lot of them seem very distressed and suicides among all kids, and especially the transgendered, have greatly increased. The recent account of a 16-year-old nonbinary Oklahoman named Nex Benedict who got into a fight with some other girls when they teased her and her friends about their attire, is heartbreaking. After she and the other combatants were suspended by the school for fighting, she committed suicide. This is not just a harmless fad like hula hoops. Anytime you set yourself apart from the rest of the crowd, whether by gender or by coming to school

in a full MAGA outfit, you are likely to experience a negative reaction. Kids ridicule the different.

Are kids today just more sensitive, or are they under more pressure? Other than pressure from the draft and Vietnam, our world seemed a lot saner, with a lot better prospects. Today’s media, with its doom and gloom and depictions of a dystopian future, seems a lot more intense. And then there is socially cannibalistic social media. The 1960s specter of nuclear annihilation hanging over our heads pales in comparison with today’s assault by the Kardashians, reality TV, and TikTok.

The dispute over medical transition therapy for minors is also not just another meaningless skirmish in the culture wars. Children are prone to dramatic changes in their thinking as they age, and some recipients of such care have ended up regretting the permanent and irreversible transitions, and more are likely to follow. While advocates assure us that these therapies are medically endorsed, the physicians providing lobotomies (or leukotomies) for emotional problems during the 1940s and 1950s offered similar assurances. Indeed, the developer of the lobotomy received the 1949 Nobel Prize for Medicine. So even with the purported endorsement of the medical establishment, caution is very much warranted. Medical consensus may evolve, but the changes to

children will be permanent.

It is hard to ignore the likelihood that “social contagion” is driving this sudden surge in the reportedly misgendered. Can true gender dysphoria really be an epidemic?

So, kids, a word of advice: Enjoy your nonconformity and your obligatory urge to revolt and to outrage us geezers. It is your chance to challenge the social order before growing older, starting a career, having kids, and buying into it all yourself.

Just remember the permanence of online images, and your teasing of grandpa over the pictures of him in bell-bottoms and love beads. ∆

John Donegan is a retired attorney and revolutionary in Pismo Beach who remains ready to lead the charge on the barricades, right after his nap. Send a response for publication to letters@newtimesslo.com.

This Week’s Online Poll

Do you support a 20-year extension of Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant?

56% Yes, it ensures continued clean energy.

26% Never! Close Diablo already!

18% No. Focus on the five-year plan instead.

3% We have a nuclear power plant?

Stigma-ta-dah!

Did you know that every two seconds someone in the U.S. needs a blood transfusion? Did you also know that until recently, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) had rules regarding collecting “gay” blood? As if homosexuality isn’t stigmatized enough, amirite?

Well, presto-chango, because now, like magic, the FDA has decided that gay and bisexual blood is better than no blood, and that practicing homosexuals shouldn’t automatically be assumed to have tainted blood. So. Much. Progress.

First, it’s important to note that anyone, not just gay and bisexual men, can have HIV/ AIDS or other bloodborne diseases such as hepatitis B and C, West Nile virus, or syphilis, so shouldn’t all blood be tested before pumping it into ill or injured people? I understand that asking screening questions makes sense: Are you an intravenous drug user? Have you shared a needle or had sex with an intravenous drug user? Have you had multiple sexual partners in the recent past? Do you bathe in West Nile River? Do you keep pet mosquitos?

But shouldn’t those questions apply to everyone donating blood and not just gay and bisexual men? Well, now they are, sort of.

“Now, the questionnaire asks all prospective donors, gender-inclusive, individual-based questions that assesses blood donor eligibility,” Kevin Adler, communications manager of donation center Vitalant, said. “Even if any person has had

sex with multiple sexual partners within the threemonth period, they’ll be asked specific questions about their sexual activity. It’s not specific to a gay or bisexual man anymore.”

That’s good! Of course, there’s always a caveat.

The old guidelines required gay men to abstain from sex for at least three months prior to donating, but now if you’re in a monogamous relationship, abstention is no longer required—gay, straight, or whatever. Despite no longer asking sexuality-specific questions, the new guidelines still stress monogamy for gay and bisexual blood donors because … why? Is it because culturally, we’re still homophobic? The Vitalant questionnaire also asks donors if they had sexual contact with anyone who received “money, drugs, or other payment for sex” in the past three months. Do dinner and drinks count?

Look, just to reassure you, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says “each unit of blood donated in the United States is routinely screened for various infectious disease pathogens using FDAapproved assays.” But just to un-reassure you, Adler also admits that “the tests are not 100 percent foolproof. They’re tested to great accuracy, but there’s a percentage of risk still involved.”

Flag Football Community Event

On one hand, it kinda makes you wonder what all the fuss is about regarding homosexual donors. On the other, 100 percent certainty is better, right? Well, according to the Red Cross, “The risk of catching a virus or any other bloodborne infection from a blood transfusion is very low. All donated blood is thoroughly tested for HIV. There’s a 1 in 2 million chance that donated blood will not only carry HIV but also infect a transfusion recipient.”

Abracadabra and alakazam, don’t let me be that 1 in 2 million, man!

Speaking of big numbers, it looks like Pismo Beach, Arroyo Grande, and Grover Beach have shelved their contentious and expensive Central Coast Blue (CCB) water recycling project for a year. What the what? Have a couple years of above average rainfall made the “powers that be” forget that California regularly experiences significant and reoccurring drought?

On March 18, the project’s board of directors—Pismo Beach Mayor Ed Waage, Grover Beach Mayor Karen Bright, and Arroyo Grande City Council member Kristen Barneich—pumped the brakes on the project. Waage told The Tribune all the rain filled the local reservoirs, so … you know, we don’t need CCB now. Oh yeah? Really? You don’t need to worry about future droughts anymore? There were also complaints about the project’s growing costs ($93 million ballooning to $159 million!), but if you think costs will go down between

Big Brothers Big Sisters of SLO County is a youth mentorship nonprofit that matches children with volunteer mentors.

now and a year from now, you must not be a student of history or economics. At least one group is happy with this turn of events. Grassroots anti-CCB organization Grover Beach H20 led by former Mayor Debbie Peterson was adamantly opposed to the project and its cost to ratepayers. She and her group gathered sufficient signatures to put on this year’s ballot an initiative to repeal Grover Beach’s scheduled 20 percent rate increases over the next five years.

During the Arroyo Grande City Council meeting on April 9, uber-gadfly Julie Tacker just had to get her licks in, telling the council: “What your staff report doesn’t provide you are those various agreements that your attorney just looked up. How to get out. We talked about when you went into this, where are the off-ramps? Your staff should have presented those for you tonight.”

“Please don’t belittle my staff and say their staff reports were less-than because they aren’t jumping ahead of what we ask them to do,” Mayor Caren Ray Russom responded.

“They do what we ask and when we ask them.”

So there! But to quote now-dead bipolar outsider singer-songwriter Daniel Johnston, “Running water, running water, what are you running from? You always seem to be on the run.”

I wonder what these cities are going to do when their water runs out. ∆

The Shredder regularly donates gear oil. Grease its wheels at shredder@newtimesslo.com.

Our flag football games will be played by our mentors and mentees, but we’re looking for BIG FANS to attend.

Join us to play off-field games, cheer on the children, and learn about our programs and other community resources. Fun for the whole family!

Big Brothers Big Sisters of SLO County is a youth mentorship nonprofit that matches children with volunteer mentors. Our flag football games will be played by our mentors and mentees, but we’re looking for BIG FANS to attend. Join us to play off-field games, cheer on the children, and learn about our programs and other community resources. Fun for the whole family!

SATURDAY, APRIL 27

SATURDAY, APRIL 27 11:00AM-3:00PM

11:00AM-3:00PM

LAGUNA MIDDLE SCHOOL (805) 781-3226 or office@slobigs.org

LAGUNA MIDDLE SCHOOL (805) 781-3226 or office@slobigs.org

Hot Dates

BOTTLE BASH

Hotel San Luis Obispo will host its third annual Rosé the SLO Way wine festival and fundraiser on Sunday, April 21, from 1 to 4 p.m. Guests will taste wines from 20 Central Coast-based boutique wineries, meet some team members behind the wines, and enjoy savory food pairings. Admission is $150. Visit hotel-slo.com for more info. Hotel San Luis Obispo is located at 877 Palm St., San Luis Obispo.

—Caleb Wiseblood

ARTS

NORTH COAST SLO COUNTY

APRIL ARTISTS RECEPTION AND ATRIUM PARTY Gallery at Marina Square hosts its April Atrium Party and Artists Reception. Come meet the artists, be inspired, enjoy food, refreshments, a tree filled atrium, and all the businesses in Marina Square area. Featuring artists Jeff Odell, Michael Johnston, and Hope Myers. April 13 , 3-5 p.m. Free. 805-772-1068. galleryatmarinasquare.com. Gallery at Marina Square, 601 Embarcadero suite 10, Morro Bay.

CAPTURING THE SPIRIT: TWO DAYS WITH FRANK EBER Eber will show and explain value vs. temperature changes on a facial plane; the importance of connection of shape and immediacy of brushwork. References will be both male and female. Requirements: beginners in the genre are OK but must have a basic understanding of medium. April 20 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and April 21 10 a.m.-5 p.m. $295. 805-927-8190. cambriaarts.org. Cambria Center for the Arts, 1350 Main St., Cambria.

COASTAL WINE AND PAINT PARTY

Listen to music while enjoying an afternoon of creativity, sipping, and mingling. The party includes a complimentary glass of wine and canvas with materials. Saturdays, 12-2 p.m. $55. 805-394-5560. coastalwineandpaint. com. Harmony Cafe at the Pewter Plough, 824 Main St., Cambria.

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.

JEWELRY, SMALL WORKS, AND ART BY HOPE MYERS Myers is an awardwinning watercolorist, collage artist, and jewelry crafts person. She has been creating her artwork on the Central Coast for more than 30 years. Hope’s jewelry features vintage beads and crystals and is assembled in Los Osos. Gallery open daily. Mondays, Wednesdays-Sundays, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. through April 29 Free. 805-772-1068. galleryatmarinasquare. com. Gallery at Marina Square, 601 Embarcadero suite 10, Morro Bay.

OIL PAINTINGS BY JEFF ODELL Odell’s paintings of Morro Bay span across more than 40 years. They are a historical archive of the changes through those years. Odell’s frequently seen with his plein air easel and paints. His original oils are on canvas and wood. Gallery open daily. Mondays, Wednesdays-Sundays, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. through April 29 Free. 805-772-1068. galleryatmarinasquare. com. Gallery at Marina Square, 601 Embarcadero suite 10, Morro Bay.

WHERE THERE’S A WILL A romantic comedy about Shakespeare being transported to the present to help a struggling playwright with love and life. April 12-14 By The Sea Productions, 545 Shasta Ave., Morro Bay, bytheseaproductions.org.

NORTH SLO COUNTY

ADULT DRAWING AND PAINTING

WITH DIANE Join to learn a new skill or dust off those pencils, paints, and brushes and get back into art with Diane, as she personally guides you through your artistic journey. Mondays, 10-11 a.m. through May 27 $20-$180. 805-400-9107. artsocial805.com.

ArtSocial 805 Creative Campus, 3340

Ramada Drive, suite 2C, Paso Robles.

ART IN THE ATRIUM: LIVE ARTIST DEMOS Enjoy a special two-day extravaganza of live artist demonstrations, featuring Studios on the Park’s Resident and Associate Artists. Come and see talented artists at work in a variety of mediums, including painters, weavers, printmakers, and metalsmiths. April 13 , 11:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m. and April 14 12-4 p.m. Free. 805-238-9800. studiosonthepark.org. Studios on the Park, 1130 Pine St., Paso Robles.

I HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY Features a collection of artworks about political, environmental, and social issues by local middle school and high school students. Through April 28 Studios on the Park, 1130 Pine St., Paso Robles, 805-238-9800, studiosonthepark.org.

LIVE FIGURE DRAWING Uninstructed

Live Figure Drawing sessions hosted on the third Thursday of each month. Open to all artists ages 18 and older. Please bring your own art supplies. We will have chairs, tables, and a nude model to sketch. Note: no class in December. Third Thursday of every month, 1-4 p.m. $20. 805-238-9800. studiosonthepark.org/ classes-workshops/. Studios on the Park, 1130 Pine St., Paso Robles.

PAINT YOUR PET BENEFITTING WINE

4 PAWS Get your paws on a paintbrush and create a one-of-a-kind work of art of your furry friend during Wine 4 Paws weekend. All the supplies are ready and waiting for you to unleash your inner Picasso. April 20 12-2 p.m. $60. 805-4009107. artsocial805.com. Shale Oak Winery, 3235 Oakdale Rd., Paso Robles.

PASO ROBLES ART IN THE PARK The event showcases 135 fine artists and craft designers in the scenic downtown Paso Robles City Park. April 13 , 10

a.m.-5 p.m. and April 14 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Downtown City Park, 11th and Spring St., Paso Robles.

PHOTO WITH FIDO

If you have a fur baby who likes to take selfies, join this fun photo session with your dog. The ticket includes your family photo session with your fur bestie, a digital copy of your photo, and a full MCV wine tasting. If you do not have a K-9 companion, host can supply one for you. April 21 , 11 a.m. my805tix.com/. MCV Wines, 3773 Ruth Way, suite A, Paso Robles, 805-712-4647.

PRIVATE HOME SCHOOL ART

SESSIONS Use clay sculpting, ceramic tiles, textile art, paper crafts, watercolors, and more. You’ll be amazed as we unravel the secrets of color theory, famous artists, time periods, and techniques. Every other Monday, 2:30-4 p.m. through May 27 $25. 805-400-9107. artsocial805.com. ArtSocial 805 Creative Campus, 3340 Ramada Drive, suite 2C, Paso Robles.

SHORT FORM IMPROV CLASS AT TOP GRADE COMEDY THEATER Join instructor Charles Charm, an improvisor with 10 years of experience, to learn how to play improvgames. Classes are drop in only at this time. Shows TBD. Fridays, 6-8 p.m. $25. 530-748-6612. Saunter Yoga and Wellness, 5820 Traffic Way, Atascadero.

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.

WELCOME MAT MASTERPIECES

Welcome in spring time with a “welcome mat” created by you. Event fee includes all your creative materials to render your mat masterpiece. April 11 6-8 p.m. $35. 805-400-9107. artsocial805.com.

ArtSocial 805 Creative Campus, 3340 Ramada Drive, suite 2C, Paso Robles.

SAN LUIS OBISPO

ACTOR’S EDGE: ACTING CLASSES

Actor’s Edge offers film and television acting training in San Luis Obispo, plus exposure to Los Angeles talent agents. All ages and skill levels welcome. Classes available in SLO, LA, and on zoom. ongoing $210 per month. actorsedge.com. Online, See website, San Luis Obispo.

ADAM PARKER SMITH: FOR THE TIME

BEING This exhibition will feature several works made throughout the artist’s career as sort of a mid-career retrospective. Adam Parker Smith has a unique ability to address complex themes in a whimsical, light-hearted way that makes his work incredibly accessible. Through July 7, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Free. 805-543-8562. sloma. org/exhibition/adam-parker-smith/. San Luis Obispo Museum of Art, 1010 Broad St., 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.

CREATIVITY DAYS WITH THE SILK ARTISTS OF CALIFORNIA CENTRAL COAST These are not “classes” as there is no formal teaching (although there is lots of sharing and learning). It’s an opportunity to work on your own projects with your own materials while picking up new skills among friends. Third Monday of every month $3; first session free. artcentralslo. com. Art Central, 1329 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo, 805-747-4200.

GISELLE Grand Kyiv Ballet presents an unforgettable journey filled with passion, betrayal, and forgiveness with this French ballet. April 13 7-9 p.m. $47-$67. 805-756-4849. pacslo.org/events/detail/ giselle24. Performing Arts Center, 1 Grand Ave., San Luis Obispo.

HAVE A DINO-MITE SPRING BREAK (WITH LINDA CUNNINGHAM) During this workshop, receive step-by-step instruction for creating beautiful fossil images. You’ll create your own work of art using Inktense pencils and water. Beginners are welcome and no experience is necessary. April 20, 11 a.m.noon $35 per person; $60 for two from same family. 805-478-2158. artcentralslo. com. Art Central, 1329 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo.

HEADLINER MICHAEL TURNER

Presented by Bootleg Standup. April 16 , 8-10 p.m. my805tix.com/. Libertine Brewing Company, 1234 Broad St., San Luis Obispo, 805-548-2337.

IMPROV COMEDY SHOW

Presented by Central Coast Comedy Theater. April 12 6-8 p.m. my805tix.com/. SLO Public Market, 120 Tank Farm Road, San Luis Obispo. A great group of improvisers will be creating scenes on the spot from audience suggestions. April 14 4-6 p.m. and April 20 6-8 p.m. my805tix.com/. The Bunker SLO, 810 Orcutt Road, San Luis Obispo.

LEARN MODERN SQUARE DANCING

A new square dance class, with Rick Hampton teaching. Exercise your body and brain while making new friends. Casual dress. Singles and couples welcome. Light refreshments will be served. Thursdays, 7-9 p.m. through April 18 $70 for all 12 weeks. 805-781-7300. squaredancecentralcoast. com/classes. San Luis Obispo Grange Hall, 2880 Broad St., San Luis Obispo.

MUSE WRITING CIRCLE Join Leslie St. John for a journey out of the analytical mind into the creative imagination. Gather in a supportive circle of women to write stories, express truths, listen as an art form, and

proseandposes.com/muse-writing-circle.

San Luis Obispo, Citywide, SLO.

PAINTING TERRACE HILL SUNSET WITH DREW DAVIS Check site for tickets and more info on the class. April 21 , 1-3 p.m. my805tix.com/. Drew Davis Fine Art, 393 Pacific St., San Luis Obispo.

PICKET PAINTING PARTY Decorative picket purchasing opportunities are available to show your support and help fund maintenance and educational programs in the Children’s Garden. Second Saturday of every month, 1-4 p.m. $75 per picket or 2 for $100. 805-541-1400. slobg. org. San Luis Obispo Botanical Garden, 3450 Dairy Creek Rd., San Luis Obispo.

THE SCARLET IBIS AND RODEO Civic Ballet of SLO presents Drew Silvaggio’s original contemporary ballet, based on the short story by James Hurst which explores themes of family, acceptance, pride, fragility, and more. April 20 7-9 p.m. and April 21, 2-4 p.m. $40-$60. 805-756-4849. pacslo.org/events/detail/westsidestory24.

Spanos Theatre, Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo.

SECOND SATURDAYS SLOMA’s Second Saturdays program encourages intergenerational learning and creative expression for children of all ages. Families are invited to SLOMA’s lawn to learn about the visual arts together using unique activity kits and create an art project inspired by current exhibitions. Second Saturday of every month, 11-1 a.m. through Dec. 14 Free. 805-543-8562. sloma.org/events/second-saturdays/.

San Luis Obispo Museum of Art, 1010 Broad St., San Luis Obispo.

SONGBIRD SPRING COLLAGE WITH LINDA CUNNINGHAM Receive step-bystep instruction for creating a beautiful bird-themed paper collage using multiple mediums, including hand painted rice papers. Beginners are welcome and no experience is necessary. April 20 1-4:30 p.m. $40 per person. 805-4782158. artcentralslo.com. Art Central, 1329 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo.

SPANISH SPEAKING POTTERY CLASS

(6 WEEKS) Looking for a fun way to learn Spanish? Join Dana Fiore and Shevon Sullivan. The class’s wheel-throwing teachers are bilingual. Guests don’t have to be fluent, just willing to try. Clay and firing included. Mondays, 5:30-7:30 p.m. through April 22 $225. anamcre.com.

Anam Cre Pottery Studio, 1243 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo.

STAND-UP COMEDY CLASS: ALL THINGS COMEDY This class covers the basics of

crafting jokes, putting your set together, and includes performance training. Learn about comedic timing, workshop your sets, and get ready to rock that mic. Tuesdays, 6-8 p.m. through May 7 my805tix.com.

Central Coast Comedy Theater Training Center, 2078 Parker Street, suite 200, San Luis Obispo, 805-858-8255.

STRAWBERRY PICKER: FILM SCREENING AND DISCUSSION A film screening of the 30-minute documentary about influential Chicano printmaker Juan Fuentes, followed by a discussion with Fuentes and the filmmakers of Watsonville’s Inspira Studio. April 13, 1-3 p.m. Free. History Center of San Luis Obispo County, 696 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo, 805-543-0638, historycenterslo.org.

UBU’S OTHER SHOE STAGED READING: WORLD PREMIERE Title TBD. Experience being a part of the creative process as SLO Rep presents the world premiere of a brand new play. April 19 -20, 7-8:30 p.m. and April 20 2-3:30 p.m. $15-$25. 805-786-2440. slorep.org/shows/ubu-world-premiere/. SLO Rep, 888 Morro St., San Luis Obispo.

VOLAR: FLAMENCO EN VIVO 2024 Born in Seattle to parents of Puerto Rican and Irish ancestry, Savannah discovered Flamenco in her late teens and has never looked back. April 12 6-9 p.m. my805tix. com/. The Bunker SLO, 810 Orcutt Road, San Luis Obispo.

WHAT THE CONSTITUTION MEANS TO ME Fifteen-year-old Heidi earned her college tuition by winning Constitutional debate competitions across the United States. In this hilarious, hopeful play she resurrects her teenage self in order to trace the profound relationship between four generations of women and the founding document that shaped their lives. Thursdays-Saturdays, 7-9 p.m. and Saturdays, Sundays, 2-4 p.m. through April 14 $20-$40. 805-786-2440. slorep. org/shows/what-the-constitutionmeans-to-me/. SLO Rep, 888 Morro St., San Luis Obispo.

WILD ART! (GALA AND ONLINE SILENT AUCTION) A vibrant benefit for Outside Now’s nature connection programs for the next generation. Come and enjoy live music, treats and drinks, creative artwork, live and silent auction opportunities, raffle drawings, and great company. Or, register and bid online from home. April 18 6-9 p.m. $35 adults; free for children. 805-541-9900. outsidenow.org. San Luis Obispo Botanical Garden, 3450 Dairy Creek Rd., San Luis Obispo.

PROLIFIC POET

The Santa Maria Public Library will host a poetry reading with California Poet Laureate Lee Herrick in Shepard Hall on Wednesday, April 17, from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Herrick’s books will be available for purchase during the free event, which will also feature music and refreshments. Call (805) 925-0994 for more details. The library is located at 421 S. McClelland St., Santa Maria. —C.W.

SOUTH COAST SLO COUNTY

ABSTRACTED BOTANICALS A fourday workshop with Roberta Ahrens. Limited to 12 students. This unique workshop with cracked linen canvas and abstracted botanicals is “a journey into your unique expression on intriguing surface material.” April 20 9 a.m.-5 p.m. and April 21 9 a.m.-5 p.m. $1,237 includes lunch daily. 805-550-6399. willowpondslo.com. Willow Pond SLO, 1250 Judith Lane, Arroyo Grande.

THE FISH WHISPERER A mysterious outsider plots to fix a small fishing town’s sudden bad luck when it comes to fishing. Through May 11 Great American Melodrama, 1863 Front St., Oceano.

LITTLE MERMAID JR. Presented by Coastal Youth Theater. Based on one of Hans Christian Andersen’s most beloved stories. An enchanting look at the sacrifices we all make for love and acceptance. April 19 7-9 p.m., April 20, 2-4 & 7-9 p.m. and April 21 3-5 p.m. $25-$30. 805-489-9444. clarkcenter.org/ shows/cyt-little-mermaid-jr/. Clark Center for

WONDERLAND

the

LOCAL AUTHOR FAIRE

AT MONARCH BOOKS

This event promises to be an exciting opportunity for book lovers to engage with talented local authors. Admission is free, and attendees will have the chance to purchase signed books directly from authors. April 14 2-4 p.m. Free entry. 805-668-6300. monarchbooks805.com. Monarch Books, 201 E. Branch St., Arroyo Grande. MAKING STYROFOAM/ CONCRETE FORMS FOR MOSAIC This three-day workshop will focus on using hot wire foam carving tools to creating light weight, weather resistant, mosaic-ready forms out of styrofoam (polystyrene), fiber mesh, and concrete. Guests will leave with a mosaic-ready sculpture along with informative handouts. April 12 , 10 a.m.-4 p.m., April 13 , 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and April 14 10 a.m.-1 p.m. $495. 805-440-3054. passifloramosaics.com. Passiflora Mosaics, 330 N. 10th St., Grover Beach. RODGERS AND HAMMERSTEIN’S CINDERELLA The clock is ticking. Get ready for a night of laughs, love, and catchy tunes as St. Joseph High School presents this classic musical. The talented cast and crew have been working hard to bring a fun and lighthearted rendition of this timeless classic to life. April 19 7-9:30 p.m. and April 20 2-4:30 & 7-9:30 p.m. $20. 805-489-9444. clarkcenter.org/shows/ sjhs-cinderella/. Clark Center for the Performing Arts, 487 Fair Oaks Ave., Arroyo Grande.

SANTA MARIA VALLEY/LOS ALAMOS POETRY READING BY LEE HERRICK, CALIFORNIA POET LAUREATE The California Poet Laureate, Lee Herrick, will read his poetry. With a Q-and-A to follow. His books will be available for purchase at the event and refreshments will be served. Music intro and outro by Terry Sanville.

April 17, 6:30-8 p.m. Free. 805-925-0994. cityofsantamaria.org. Shepard Hall Art Gallery (Santa Maria Public Library), 421 South McClelland St., Santa Maria.

CULTURE & LIFESTYLE

NORTH COAST SLO COUNTY

2024 EARTH DAY CELEBRATION: PLANET VS. PLASTICS Greenspace-The Cambria Land Trust is hosting a familyfriendly afternoon to promote the Earth Day theme “Planet vs. Plastics,” partnering with Soto’s True Earth Market. This year’s Earth Day Festival will have local ecoorganizations, classes, music, and animal ambassadors. Food and wine for purchase. April 21, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Free. 805-9272866. greenspacecambria.org. Creekside Reserve, 2264 Center St., Cambria.

BREATHE AND STRETCH: BAYSIDE

MARTIAL ARTS This class for ages 18 and over is a hybrid of yoga, active isolated, resistance stretching, and more. Breath work is incorporated throughout. You must be able to get down onto the floor and back up again. Please bring a mat and some water to stay hydrated. Sundays, 9-10 a.m. $15 session. 415-516-5214. Bayside Martial Arts, 1200 2nd St., Los Osos.

BREATHE AND STRETCH: OMNI STUDIO

This class for ages 18 and over is a hybrid of yoga, active isolated, resistance stretching, and more. Breath work is incorporated throughout. You must be able to get down onto the floor and back up again. Please bring a mat and some water to stay hydrated. Tuesdays, 5:306:30 p.m. $15 session. 415-516-5214. Omni Studio, 698 Morro Bay Blvd., Morro Bay.

EARTH DAY FESTIVAL AT CAMBRIA

NURSERY A weekend-long celebration with creative workshops, 20 percent off all plants, garden demonstrations, and eco-friendly activities for the whole family. Enjoy a delicious free lunch (daily, noon-1 p.m.), and connect with like-minded individuals passionate about sustainability. “Let’s cultivate a greener future together.” April 19 -22, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Visit website to view free and paid activities. 805-927-4747. cambrianursery. com. Cambria Nursery and Florist, 2801 Eton Rd., Cambria.

MINDFULNESS MEDITATION FOR OUR MODERN TIMES: A BEGINNER’S GUIDE A four-week course that will take place every Saturday. Saturdays, 9-10

a.m. through April 13 $20. 805-395-9323. plantaeandfungi.com. Plantae and Fungi, 750 Sheffield St., Cambria.

OPEN FLOW: DANCE AND MOVEMENT

A community of movers and shakers who come together to express themselves through dance and movement. Inspired by a variety of conscious movement modalities, Open Flow is led by Silvia Suarez and Matt Garrity, embodiment teachers who share a passion for integration through movement exploration. Wednesdays, 6:30-8 p.m. $10 (general), $5 (ages 55 and older). SilviaAthaSomatics. org. Morro Bay Community Center, 1001 Kennedy Way, Morro Bay, 772-6278.

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. 805-7017397. charvetmartialarts.com. Morro Bay Martial Arts, 850 Shasta, Morro Bay.

TAI CHI BASICS Visit site for more details on this ongoing, weekly Tai Chi program. Tuesdays, 4:30-5:30 p.m. $10-$12. 805-772-7486. fitnessworksmb. com. FitnessWorks, 500 Quintana Rd., Morro Bay.

VISIBLE MENDING

Do you have a piece of clothing that has a small hole or stain?

Come learn how to fix it and make it beautiful again. Learn a few different techniques to patch your clothing as well as add beauty to it. April 13 10 a.m.-noon 805-528-18862. sanluisobispo. librarycalendar.com. Los Osos Library, 2075 Palisades Ave., Los Osos.

NORTH SLO COUNTY

ATASCADERO CITYWIDE YARD SALE

Don’t miss the seventh annual Atascadero Citywide Yard Sale with registration fees going toward Joy Playground. Be listed on a digital and printed map featuring sales throughout the city. $20 per household. $30 for multiple households. $40 for businesses. April 20, 8 a.m.-2 p.m. $20-$40. atascaderoyardsale.com. City of Atascadero, Palma Ave., Atascadero.

FILE COURTESY PHOTO BY MARK TABAY

BALANCE FLOW Suitable for all levels. This class is meant to benefit the mindbody connection while emphasizing safe and effective alignment as well as breath awareness and relaxation. Please call to register in advance. Tuesdays, Thursdays, 4:30-5:30 p.m. $16-$22; $50 membership. 805-434-9605. ttrtennis.com/fitness/ yoga/. Templeton Tennis Ranch, 345 Championship Lane, Templeton.

THE FOUR HUMAN DESIGN

STRATEGIES Unlock the secret to your most powerful personal strategy with Human Design so you can live a life you love. This in-person event will provide you with practical tools and knowledge to enhance your well-being. Receive your chart and learn your personal strategy.

RSVP required. April 13 1:30-2:30 p.m. Free. 805-441-6688. eventbrite.com.

Intentional Wellness Chiropractic, 5805 Capistrano Ave., Suite A, Atascadero.

GODDESS GROUP Please join Oracle

Owner/Intuitive Medium, Tiffany Klemz, for this twice monthly, Goddess Group. The intention of this group is to curate connection, inspiration, unity, and empowerment. Every other Tuesday, 6:30-8 p.m. $11. 805-464-2838. oracleatascaderoca.com. Oracle, 6280 Palma Ave., Atascadero.

SANTA LUCIA ROCKHOUNDS MEETING

Bring your favorite rock, gem, crystal, fossil, etc., to show the rest of the club. Third Monday of every month, 7 p.m. slrockhounds.org/. Templeton Community Center, 601 S. Main St., Templeton.

TREEPLENISH TREE PLANTING EVENT

Atascadero High School’s Earth Club is hosting a community-wide tree planting event with the goal of offsetting the

school’s carbon and energy consumption. April 20 $5. 805-470-9158. tpevents.org/ school/4123. Atascadero High School, One High School Hill, Atascadero.

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 POLYAMORY Hosting a discussion group featuring different topics relating to ethical non-monogamy every month. Third Wednesday of every month, 6:30-8:30 p.m. Free. galacc.org/events/. Online, See website, San Luis Obispo.

DIVISION 23 CALIFORNIA RETIRED

TEACHERS LUNCHEON AND MEETING

The bi-monthly luncheon and meeting will include entertainment by Judy Philbin accompanied by her son Garrett. The duo will sing favorites from the ‘50s, ‘60s, and ‘70s. Email letremblay3756@gmail. com for more info. Come and network with fellow retired educators. April 18 , 9:45 a.m.-1 p.m. $25. Madonna Inn, 100 Madonna Rd, San Luis Obispo.

FREE FAMILY DAY: CELEBRATE

OUR BEAUTIFUL OAK TREES Where admission into the Garden is waived all day for all guests. Celebrate oak trees with children’s crafts and activities. In addition, the event will feature docent tours and a special lecture by Dave Muffly of Oaktopia. April 14 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Free. 805-541-1400. slobg.org. San Luis Obispo Botanical Garden, 3450 Dairy Creek Rd., San Luis Obispo.

GALA PRIDE AND DIVERSITY CENTER BOARD MEETING (VIA ZOOM) Monthly

EARTH TO CAMBRIA

The Cambria Nursery’s Earth Day Festival will run Friday, April 19, through Monday, April 22. The multi-day event includes workshops, discounted plant sales, garden demonstrations, and family- and eco-friendly activities. Call (805) 927-4747 or visit cambrianursery.com for more info. The Cambria Nursery is located at 2801 Eton Road, Cambria. —C.W.

meeting of the Gala Pride and Diversity Center Board of Directors. Meets virtually via Zoom and is open to members of the public. Visit galacc.org/events to fill out the form to request meeting access. Third Tuesday of every month, 6-8 p.m. No admission fee. galacc.org. Online, See website, San Luis Obispo.

LEVERAGING AI FOR IMPACTFUL

GRANT PROPOSALS

A dynamic training class designed to enhance grant writing through artificial intelligence. April 18 3:30-4:30 p.m. $20 for Spokes members; $35 for nonmembers. spokesfornonprofits.org. People’s SelfHelp Housing, 1060 Kendall Road, San Luis Obispo, 805-781-3088.

MOONLIGHT HOURS AT THE SLO

CHILDREN’S MUSEUM Come to the San Luis Obispo Children’s Museum for free every third Thursday of the month. Third Thursday of every month, 5-7 p.m. Free admission. 805-545-5874. slocm.org/ moonlight-hours. San Luis Obispo Children’s Museum, 1010 Nipomo St., San Luis Obispo.

PLAY GROVE OPEN HOUSE: EARLY

CHILDHOOD OUTDOOR ENRICHMENT

PROGRAM Learn more about the center’s outdoor, play-based enrichment program. Bring your 3-5 year olds for fun garden activities and to explore the space together. Guests will sing songs, try yummy garden tea, make fairy forts, do garden bingo, and play. April 13 10 a.m.-noon Free. 805-2426301. onecoolearth.org/play-grove.html. Jewish Community Center, 875 Laureate Lane, San Luis Obispo.

PRE-GAME PITCH Cal Poly Baseball has some special events this season. Pre-game Pitch is an hour before the first pitch that is complementary to Mustangs fans. Free barbecue, free games, and good people. Possibility of winning gift card and/or signed merchandise. In H-13 parking lot. April 12 , 5-6 p.m. Free. gopoly. com. Baggett Stadium, 1 Grand Ave., San Luis Obispo, 805-756-7297.

SECOND ANNUAL RUMMAGE SALE

Come out to beautiful Avila to rummage to kick off Earth Week. Features clothes, toys, gear, books, home goods, and more. All money raised will support BellevueSanta Fe Charter School. April 20 8 a.m.-1 p.m. Bellevue-Santa Fe Charter School, 1401 San Luis Bay Dr., San Luis Obispo, 595-7169, bsfcs.org.

SLO RETIRED ACTIVE MEN MONTHLY GET-TOGETHERS SLO RAMs is a group of retirees that get together just for the fun, fellowship, and to enjoy programs which enhance the enjoyment, dignity, and independence of retirement. Third Tuesday of every month, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. $31 luncheon. retiredactivemen.org/. Madonna Inn Garden Room, 100 Madonna Road, San Luis Obispo.

YOGA FOR A CAUSE: SUPPORT THE NEXT WAVE OF WOMEN LEADERS This space is designed for women of all ages and backgrounds to come together, share experiences, and co-create a space of mutual support and empowerment. April 14 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. my805tix.com. Rolling Hills Retreat, Private residence, San Luis Obispo.

SOUTH COAST SLO COUNTY

21ST ANNUAL OPEN HOUSE AND SCHOLARSHIP FUNDRAISER

Nine CCGGA member nurseries throughout Nipomo and Arroyo Grande will open their doors to the public in effort to raise money for their scholarship fund. Each nursery donates a portion of that day’s sales to the CCGGA scholarship fund for horticulture students.

April 13 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Free. 800-961-8901. ccgga.com. Nipomo High School, 525 N Thompson Ave, Nipomo.

BEGINNER GROUP SURF LESSONS AND SURF CAMPS

Lessons and camp packages available daily. All equipment included. ongoing Starts at $70. 805-835-7873. sandbarsurf.com/. Sandbar Surf School Meetup Spot, 110 Park Ave., Pismo Beach.

DAY OF THE CHILD: FREE COMMUNITY

RESOURCE FAIR

The Boys and Girls

Clubs of South SLO County’s Oceano Day of the Child is coming up. This Spring, everyone is welcome to the Clubhouse for this free family event. Features resource tables, free raffles, games, and more. April 14 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Free. 805-4817339. bgcslo.org/kidsday. Boys and Girls

Clubs of South San Luis Obispo County Clubhouse, 1830 19th St., Oceano.

ELECTRIFICATION FOR EVERYONE:

CREATING COMMUNITY

A free community celebration of culture and the environment at the Oceano Community Center. Electrification for Everyone presents a free poster making art workshop. Event includes free lunch, climate justice resource fair, and raffle prizes for attendees. April 14 , 12-3 p.m. Free. racemattersslo.org. Oceano Community Center, 1425 19th St., Oceano, 805-474-3756.

MODEL RAIL DAYS 2024 SLO Model Railroad Association presents Model Railroad Days at the Oceano Depot. A free display of working model railroads; different scales and sizes; fun for all ages. Free parking available. April 12 10 a.m.-4 p.m., April 13 , 10 a.m.-4 p.m. and April 14 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Free entry. slomra.org.

SLO Model Railroad Association presents Model Railroad Days at the Oceano Depot, with a free display of working model railroads (different scales and sizes; fun for all ages). Free parking. April 19, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., April 20, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. and April 21 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Free admission. slomra.org. Oceano Train Depot, 1650 Front St., Oceano, 805-489-5446.

POINT SAN LUIS LIGHTHOUSE TOURS

A docent-led tour of the buildings and grounds of the historic Point San Luis Light Station. Check website for more details. Wednesdays, Saturdays pointsanluislighthouse.org/. Point San Luis Lighthouse, 1 Lighthouse Rd., Avila Beach.

SOCIAL GROUP FOR WIDOWS AND WIDOWERS Call for more details. Second Saturday of every month, 10 a.m. 805904-6615. Oak Park Christian Church, 386 N Oak Park Blvd., Grover Beach.

WE HEART OCEANO Please join We Heart Oceano for its first (and hopefully annual) volunteering event. Meet at Oceano Park. If you have any questions, please email weheartoceano@gmail.com. April 13 9

a.m.-noon Free. Oceano Memorial Park, 1330 Dewey Drive, Oceano, 805-781-5930, slocountyparks.com/day-use-parks/ oceano-memorial-park/.

WMW HIKE AT THE PISMO PRESERVE

Hosted by Women Making Waves. A monthly meetup with some fresh air and a stunning ocean view. April 13 9-11 a.m. my805tix.com. Pismo Preserve, Mattie Road, Pismo Beach.

FOOD & DRINK

NORTH COAST SLO COUNTY

BREAKFAST ON THE BAY A monthly occasion that brings together the passionate citizens and business owners of the greater Estero Bay region in one place to deepen connections and share information. Breakfast is included with ticket price. Third Wednesday of every month, 7:30-9 a.m. $20 per member; $25 per non-member. 805-772-4467. morrochamber.org. Morro Bay Community Center, 1001 Kennedy Way, Morro Bay. MORRO BAY MAIN STREET FARMERS

MARKET Get fresh and veggies, fruit, baked goods, sweets, and handmade artisan crafts. Come have some fun with your local farmers and artisans and enjoy delicious eats while enjoying the fresh breeze of Morro Bay. Saturdays, 2:30-5:30 p.m. through May 31 Varies. 805-824-7383. morrobayfarmersmarket.com. Morro Bay Main Street Farmers Market, Main Street and Morro Bay Blvd., Morro Bay.

SBWN SPRING FLING HIGH TEA FUNDRAISER Aiming to collect funds for the SBWN Cuesta College Female Reentry Student Scholarship Program. Show your support by “filling our teapot” at this Spring Fling High Tea Fundraiser. Make a donation and take a guess at the total amount in the teapot by the event’s conclusion for a chance to win the High Tea Gift Basket. April 21 3 p.m. my805tix. com. The Savory Palette (formerly Morro Bay Wine Seller), 601 Embarcadero, Morro Bay, (805) 679-3326 / (805) 858-8440.

NORTH SLO COUNTY

BRING YOUR PUP TO THE MOVIES NIGHT:

LADY AND THE TRAMP A paw-some evening at Dracaena Wines Tasting Room. Bring your furry friend along for a special screening of Lady and the Tramp Enjoy a glass of wine while your pup mingles with other doggos. Donations collected to benefit Wine 4 Paws. April 18, 7-9 p.m. $10 minimum donation. 805-270-3327. dracaenawines. com. Dracaena Wines, 1244 Pine Street, suite 101 B, Paso Robles.

BEER YOGA While flowing through your practice, enjoy an ice-cold craft beer from the vast draft beers that Ancient Owl has to offer. Not a beer drinker? AO has hard seltzers on tap too. April 20, 10-11 a.m. my805tix.com. Ancient Owl Beer Garden, 6090 El Camino Real, suite C, Atascadero, 805-460-6042.

CLUB CAR BAR TRIVIA WITH DR. RICKY

Teams of 1 to 6 people welcome. Visit site for more info. Wednesdays, 7-10 p.m. my805tix.com. Club Car Bar, 508 S. Main Street, Templeton, 805-400-4542.

FROM THE BARREL INVITATIONAL One the state’s largest California distillers tasting events of the year. It’s been 88 years since the end of Prohibition, so join Paso Robles Distillery Trail and Firestone Walker Brewing Company for an evening celebrating the best libations born in a barrel. April 20 6-10 p.m. $95. pasoroblesdistillerytrail.com. Paso Robles Event Center, 2198 Riverside Ave., Paso Robles. PAINT YOUR PET BENEFITTING WINE 4 PAWS Ticket price at J Dusi Wines includes all materials to create your one-of-a-kindmasterpiece, plus your first glass of wine. April 21 12-2 p.m. $65. 805-400-9107. artsocial805.com. J Dusi Wines, 1401 Hwy. 46 West, Paso Robles. A unique paint your pet experience. April 21, 1-3 p.m. $65-$70. 805-400-9107. artsocial805.com. Hoyt Family Vineyard Tasting Room, 1322 Park Street, Paso Robles.

SPRING READY ROOM PICK-UP PARTY

Enjoy bites, plates, new releases, and old favorites with the views of the new location on 46 West. April 13 , 1 p.m. my805tix.com. Volatus, 3230 Oakdale Road, Paso Robles.

TACO TUESDAYS La Parilla Taqueria will be in the courtyard serving up their delicious tacos and tostadas. Menu typically includes barbacoa, chicken, and pastor tacos, as well as shrimp ceviche tostadas. Tuesdays, 5-8 p.m. 805-4606042. ancientowlbeergarden.com. Ancient Owl Beer Garden, 6090 El Camino Real, suite C, Atascadero.

WINE 4 PAWS KICK-OFF PARTY

An evening of wine, beer, live music featuring the Mark Adams Band, and some delicious light bites as well. To support Woods Humane Society. April 20 6:30-10 p.m. my805tix.com/. California Coast Beer Company, 1346 Railroad St., Paso Robles.

SAN LUIS OBISPO

COMEDY NIGHT

A locally produced stand-up comedy show featuring some of the best touring and local comics performing at a beautiful brewery. Third Thursday of every month, 8-10 p.m. $20. 805-540-8300. Bang the Drum Brewery, 1150 Laurel Lane, suite 130, San Luis Obispo, bangthedrumbrewery.com.

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

ROSÉ THE SLO WAY WINE FESTIVAL AND FUNDRAISER Showcases the acclaimed wine region’s premier Rosés. Guests will taste wine from 20 boutique Central Coast wineries, meet the team behind the wines, and enjoy savory food pairings. April 21 1-4 p.m. $150. hotel-slo. com/events/rose-the-slo-way/. Hotel San Luis Obispo, 877 Palm St., San Luis Obispo, (805) 235-0700.

SLO FARMERS MARKET Hosts more than 60 vendors. Saturdays, 8-10:45 a.m. World Market Parking Lot, 325 Madonna Rd., San Luis Obispo.

FOOD & DRINK continued page 20

SOUTH COAST SLO COUNTY AVILA BEACH SPAGHETTI DINNER

AND BINGO NIGHT Enjoy a delicious spaghetti dinner with salad, garlic bread, and dessert, followed by Bingo. April 19 6-8 p.m. my805tix.com. Avila Beach Community Center, 191 San Miguel St., Avila Beach.

MONTHLY FERMENTATION CLASSES

New topics each month with a thorough demo and explanation of the process that creates non-alcoholic, probiotic, and nutrient-dense fermentations. Leave the class confident and prepared with recipes to make your own at home. Limited seating; reserve spot prior to class by phone/email. Second Sunday of every month, 3:30-5 p.m. $30. 805-8016627. kulturhausbrewing.com/classes/. Kulturhaus Brewing Company, 779 Price St., Pismo Beach.

SANTA YNEZ VALLEY

SECOND SATURDAY OPEN AIR

MARKET: LOS ALAMOS A carefully curated open air artisan and farm market. Features great vintage finds, handwoven and hand dyed textiles, hand-spun yarn, organic body care products, and locally grown organic eats. Second Saturday of every month, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Free. 805-7224338. Sisters Gifts and Home, 349 Bell Street, Los Alamos.

MUSIC

NORTH COAST SLO COUNTY

BACK PAGES BAND April 13 2-5 p.m. The Siren, 900 Main St., Morro Bay, 805-2251312, thesirenmorrobay.com/.

CHARLES GORCZYNSKI TANGO QUARTET Presented by Cambria Concerts Unplugged. Artist is best known for his innovative work in contemporary and traditional tango music. Be transported to Argentina through this very special concert experience. April 20 2:30-4:45 p.m. my805tix.com/. St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 2700 Eton Road, Cambria. CIRCLES AROUND THE SUN April 11 , 7-10 p.m. The Siren, 900 Main St., Morro Bay, 805-225-1312, thesirenmorrobay.com/.

THE FINALE OF THE SONGWRITERS AT PLAY SONG CONTEST Enjoy “the best of the best.” Ten contestants play two original songs each, and three judges award prizes, including a grand prize of $1,000. The contestants are Karyn Ann, Jean Mann, Chris Mariscal, Ted Nunes, Wildflower, Paddy Marsh, Cate Armstrong, Bev Praver, Miss Leo, and Jayden Secor. April 14 2-5 p.m. $28. 805-204-6821. songwritersatplay.com/

events. Cambria Center for the Arts Theatre, 1350 Main St., Cambria.

LITTLE DOLLZ (THE RHOADS ERA OF OZZY TRIBUTE) April 12 7:30 p.m. The Siren, 900 Main St., Morro Bay, 805-2251312, thesirenmorrobay.com/.

MOLLY RINGWALD PROJECT ‘80S

PARTY April 13 , 8 p.m. The Siren, 900 Main St., Morro Bay, 805-225-1312, thesirenmorrobay.com/.

MORRO BAY WHITE CAPS COMMUNITY

BAND CONCERT Under the direction of conductor Brenda Hascall, and sponsored by the James Irvine Foundation, the Morro Bay White Caps Community Band will perform a concert at Tidelands Park. Donations will benefit Los Osos Middle School Music. April 20 1-3 p.m. Free; donations accepted. 805459-9543. Tidelands Park, South end of Embarcadero, Morro Bay.

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.

SURF ROCK SATURDAY AT THE SIREN Rock, funk, and soul with locally renowned musicians Steven J. Eddy (bass), Mikie Antonette (drums), Debi Red (vocals), and legendary guitar man Steve Conrad. April 19 7:30-10:30 p.m. Free show. 805-210-9698. debiredmusic.com. The Siren, 900 Main St., Morro Bay.

NORTH SLO COUNTY

JOLON STATION BAND VARIETY SHOW

Come join Jolon Station Band every Thursday night in downtown Atascadero for a night of comedy, musical guests, prize wheels, and more. Thursdays, 8-10 p.m. $5 at the door. Raconteur Room, 5840 Traffic Way, Atascadero, 805-464-2584.

JULIE AND THE ROCKIN ‘BS A Barrel Room Concert. April 14 , 5-7 p.m. my805tix.com/. Cass Winery, 7350 Linne Road, Paso Robles.

KOE WETZEL LIVE With special guests Cam Allen and Tanner Usrey. April 19, 8 p.m. Vina Robles Amphitheatre, 3800 Mill Rd., Paso Robles, 805-286-3680, vinaroblesamphitheatre.com.

LOS ANGELES AZULES With special guest appearances by Angela Leiva and Jay de la Cueva. April 18 , 8 p.m. Vina Robles Amphitheatre, 3800 Mill Rd., Paso Robles, 805-286-3680, vinaroblesamphitheatre.com.

SINGING HANDS CHILDREN’S CHOIR

A unique performing arts group that performs across the state for deaf festivals, service organizations, churches, fairs, and other outlets. New members always welcome. Registration open weekly. Mondays, 5-6:30 p.m. $45 tuition per month. singinghandschildrenschoir. com/. Singing Hands Children’s Choir and Performing Arts, 1413 Riverside Ave., Paso Robles.

SYMPHONY OF THE VINES PRESENTS FOR THE BIRDS Final concert of the

2023-24 Season. Featuring Alejandra Moreno-Gonzalez, violin soloist. April 14 noon $35-$30; Student $15; Free for youth (K-12). 805-235-0687. symphonyofthevines.org. Mission San Miguel, 775 Mission Street, San Miguel.

SAN LUIS OBISPO

AL STEWART WITH THE EMPTY POCKETS

An evening with legendary Al Stewart, best known for his hits “Year of the Cat” from the Platinum album of the same name and more. Accompanied by the Empty Pockets Band. April 20 7:3010:30 p.m. $50. pciconcerts.com. Harold J. Miossi CPAC at Cuesta College, Highway 1, San Luis Obispo.

ALL AGES OPEN MIC NIGHT Tuesdays, 6-9 p.m. Liquid Gravity, 675 Clarion Court, San Luis Obispo.

BLUES WEDNESDAYS Spinning blues records all night. Chicago, Memphis, Delta, Detroit, and more. Visit this new vinyl bar in the Railroad District. Acoustically treated room, old-school sound system, big speakers, but always at a polite volume. Plenty of free parking. Wednesdays, 2-8 p.m. Free. 313-316-7097. Jan’s Place, 1817 Osos St., San Luis Obispo, jansplaceslo.com.

CAL POLY OPEN HOUSE RECITAL

The Cal Poly Music Department will present an Open House Recital for Cal Poly’s 31st annual Open House. The recital will feature both instrumentalist and vocalists. The student performers are from a variety of majors. April 13 2 p.m. Free. 805-756-2406. music.calpoly. edu/calendar/free/. Cal Poly Davidson Music Center, Room 218, Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo.

CAL POLY STUDENT OPERA

THEATRE’S SPRING OPERA SCENES

Cal Poly Student Opera Theatre will present an evening of opera scenes. Students from a variety of majors will come together to produce a delightful array of duets, trios and ensemble numbers. April 13 , 7:30 p.m. $20 general; $10 students. 805-756-4849. music.calpoly.edu/calendar/. Spanos Theatre, Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo. CENTRAL COAST GUITAR SHOW

2024 For the price of admission, those attending the show may “walk in” new, used, old, or rare guitars, amplifiers, and other musical items. April 20 , 10 a.m.-4 p.m. my805tix.com/. Veteran’s Memorial Building, 801 Grand Ave., San Luis Obispo.

CHARLES GORCZYNSKI TANGO

QUARTET BENEFIT FOR SLCUSD

BANDS The Charles Gorczynski Tango Quartet is bringing Argentine tango

music to SLO. Proceeds benefit the SLO and Morro Bay High School and Middle School Music Programs. Mark your calendar for an unforgettable afternoon of music. April 21 3-5 p.m. $20. my805tix.com/e/charles-gorczynski. Mount Carmel Lutheran Church, 1701 Fredericks St., San Luis Obispo.

DOGS IN A PILE LIVE With Strange Cake. For ages 18 and over. April 12 7 p.m. SLO Brew Rock, 855 Aerovista Pl., San Luis Obispo, 805-543-1843, slobrew.com.

FORBES ORGAN SERIES: ANNA LAPWOOD Anna Lapwood, a trailblazing organist and social media sensation, captivates audiences with her fresh approach to classical music. As Director of Music at Pembroke College, Cambridge, and deemed “the TikTok organist,” she bridges genres and generations by performing movie compositions, Bach, and jazz-infused pieces. April 17 7:30-9 p.m. $35. 805-756-2787. calpolyarts.org/20232024-events/annalapwood. Performing Arts Center, 1 Grand Ave., San Luis Obispo.

JAZZ VESPERS CONCERTS The Jazz Vespers Concert Series returns to the historic sanctuary at First Presbyterian Church of SLO with the Pat Kelley Trio. Guitarist Pat Kelley has enjoyed a successful career in Los Angeles as a studio and touring musician. April 14 , 4-5:30 p.m. Free; donations appreciated. 805 543-5451. fpcslo.org. First Presbyterian Church of San Luis Obispo, 981 Marsh St., San Luis Obispo.

JOVIAN QUEEN AND SILVITICI YELLOW MASTER BLUE Visit site for tickets and more info. April 19 6-9 p.m. my805tix.com. The Bunker SLO, 810 Orcutt Road, San Luis Obispo.

LIVE MUSIC AT KROBAR Enjoy live music at Krobar, which showcases local, talented artists of all music genres. Kick-off your weekend right, grab your favorite seasonal craft cocktail, and vibe to the sounds of the night. Follow on Instagram to find out who is playing. Every other Friday, 6-9 p.m. and Saturdays, 6-9 p.m. through Aug. 31 Free entry. 833-576-2271. krobardistillery.com/events. Krobar Craft Distillery, 1701 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo.

LIVE MUSIC AT LIQUID GRAVITY Check social media and calendar for weekly updates. Fridays, 6-9 p.m. and Saturdays, 2-5 p.m. Liquid Gravity, 675 Clarion Court, San Luis Obispo.

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.

SLO COUNTY TRUMPET ALLIANCE: ALL THAT JAZZ The San Luis Obispo County Trumpet Alliance presents this concert, featuring Cuesta College Jazz Faculty, including Dave Becker, Bob Bennett, Ken Hustad, George Stone, and Darrell Voss. April 14 2 p.m. General $15; student with ID $10. tickets. cuesta.edu. Harold J. Miossi CPAC at Cuesta College, Highway 1, San Luis Obispo.

THE WEST ORIGIN JAZZ TRIO FEAT. SARAH PILLOW SLO native and vocalist Sarah Pillow will be performing some of your favorite jazz standards in the relaxed atmosphere of Linnaea’s Café. Also featuring Marc Wagnon, vibraphone, and Tony Green, bass. April 12 , 6-8 p.m. Free; tips appreciated. 805-541-5888. linnaeascafe.com/events.html. Linnaea’s Cafe, 1110 Garden St., San Luis Obispo.

SOUTH COAST SLO COUNTY BRASS MASH AT RIBLINE BY THE BEACH A special night of brass, dancing, and singing mayhem. April 13 , 7:30-10:30 p.m. my805tix.com/. Ribline by the Beach, 395 W. Grand Ave., Grover Beach.

FRIENDLY NEIGHBORHOOD BIG BAND CONCERT Big band music made famous by Frank Sinatra. A mostly instrumental concert with a few vocals sung by Mitch Latting. This is a free concert, but donations for the church will be accepted (the church lets the band rehearse there). April 11 , 7:30-9:30 p.m. Free (donations accepted). Nipomo Community Presbyterian Church, 1235 N Thompson Rd., Arroyo Grande, 805-219-0133, nipomopresbyterian.org.

THE KINGSTON TRIO In 1957, they emerged from San Francisco’s North Beach club scene to take the country by storm, bringing the rich tradition of American folk music into the mainstream. April 12 , 7:30-10 p.m. $29-$59. 805-489-9444. clarkcenter.org/shows/the-kingston-trio/. Clark Center for the Performing Arts, 487 Fair Oaks Ave., Arroyo Grande.

THE LONG RUN: EXPERIENCE THE EAGLES Marked by lush vocal harmonies and exceptional musical accuracy, every TLR performance delivers a reverence for the Eagles’ recordings. April 13 7:30-9:45 p.m. $40-$50. 805-489-9444. clarkcenter. org/shows/the-long-run/. Clark Center for the Performing Arts, 487 Fair Oaks Ave., Arroyo Grande.

SLO MASTER CHORALE: BEYOND THE NOTES Explore the traditions of the music of the Eastern Orthodox Church and its transcendent qualities, and learn how the music of the Church has transformed over the years. This presentation coincides with the SLO Master Chorale’s concert on Sunday, April 21, at 3 p.m. April 20, 3-5 p.m. Free. 805-538-3311. slomasterchorale. org. San Luis Bay Estates Lodge, 6375 Firehouse Canyon Road, Avila Beach.

UP IN THE AIR AT MULLIGAN’S Featured act will play it’s eclectic blend of upbeat original music, along with some familiar favorites. The six-piece ensemble features vocals, guitars, mandolin, keys, flute, bass, drums, and Latin percussion. April 19 5 p.m. Free. 805-595-4000. avilabeachresort.com/mulligans/. Mulligans Bar and Grill, 6460 Ana Bay Road, Avila Beach.

Arts

Activist and artist Favianna Rodriguez leads local poster workshop

The Oceano Community Center will host a free climate justice poster-making workshop with acclaimed artist and social justice activist Favianna Rodriguez on Sunday, April 14, from noon to 3 p.m. The program is organized by the Electrification for Everyone initiative—a partnership between R.A.C.E. Matters SLO County, Diversity Coalition SLO County, Central Coast Coalition for Undocumented Student Success, and BlocPower.

Attendees of the event can look forward to a complimentary lunch, raffle opportunities, a community drum circle, an ecoresource fair, and more. During the poster workshop, Rodriguez will guide participants in making climate justice posters to display in advance of this year’s Earth Day.

To find out more about Rodriguez’s art and activism work, visit favianna.com. The Oakland-based cultural strategist and interdisciplinary artist’s work addresses migration, gender justice, climate change, racial equity, and sexual freedom, according to Rodriguez’s website. She is the co-founder and president of The Center for Cultural Power, a national organization dedicated to “igniting change at the intersection of art, culture, and social justice.”

Through visual art, writing, and other forms of expression, Rodriguez’s work “serves as a record of her human experiences as a woman of color embracing joy, sexual pleasure, and personal transformation,” the artist’s website lists. Rodriguez is the recipient of the Robert Rauschenberg Artist as Activist Fellowship, the Atlantic Fellowship for Racial Equity, and the SOROS Equality Fellowship.

For more details about Rodriguez’s upcoming postermaking event in Oceano, visit the worksop’s Eventbrite page or Facebook page. The Oceano Community Center is located at 1425 19th St., Oceano.

Oceano Train Depot hosts free exhibits during Model Rail Days 2024

The SLO Model Railroad Association presents Model Rail Days 2024 at the Oceano Train Depot with six days of activities on April 12, 13, 14, 19, 20, and 21. The venue will be open to the public from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day.

The upcoming program will include free exhibits of working model railroads of various scales and sizes, kid-friendly activities, a swap meet with deals on model railroad equipment, and more. To find out more about Model Rail Days 2024, visit slomra.org.

The SLO Model Railroad Association celebrates model railroading in San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties and holds public meetings at the Oceano Depot on every third Monday at 7 p.m. The Oceano Depot is located at 1650 Front St., Oceano. ∆ —Caleb Wiseblood

BY CALEB WISEBLOOD

Reel ’em in

Great American Melodrama’s The Fish Whisperer deserves loud lauding

When the sh stop biting, a professional sh whisperer comes a-knocking in the Great American Melodrama’s latest musical romp set in Shewauga, a small ctional town in the non- ctional state of Wisconsin.

e Fish Whisperer marks New York Citybased actor Austen Horne’s stage debut at the Melodrama where she takes on the role of Hannah, a town outsider who o ers to rid Shewauga of its shing crisis with a transcendent dance ritual for a $10,000 fee.

Some residents are expectedly skeptical of the self-described sh whisperer, while others are eager to resolve the town’s poisson plague as fast as possible at any cost. What’s so great about Horne’s performance is she also keeps the audience guessing whether or not the whole thing’s a hoax.

She’s persuasive and infectiously cheerful to the extent that suggests Shewauga is getting duped, but eccentric enough to put doubters at ease as if they’re in the hands of a sage—albeit, unconventional—master, like Yoda or Willy Wonka.

Hook, line, and sinker

The Great American Melodrama presents its production of The Fish Whisperer through May 11. The two-act show, which opened on March 22, is followed by the Melodrama’s new vaudeville revue, Maestrolio

Near the start of the show, Hannah reminded me of another ctional outsider and entrepreneur—Sylvester McMonkey McBean, aka the Fix-It-Up Chappie, in Dr. Seuss’ e Sneetches and Other Stories. He’s the bloke in the bowler hat who gets rich with a tattoo trend scheme that both exploits the Sneetches and teaches them a valuable lesson about discrimination and herd mentality.

The theater is located at 1863 Front St., Oceano. Call (805) 489-2499 or visit americanmelodrama.com for tickets and more info.

assumes Hannah is a con artist upon meeting her. He doesn’t buy into Hannah’s expensive sh whispering or dance ritual proposal. While the hot topic in town after Hannah’s arrival is whether or not to trust her, Amos’ college-age daughter, Karen (Julia Mae Abrams), is worried about a di erent shing-related problem.

Regardless of my predictions about Hannah’s intentions, I was on her side early on because I felt no matter which way this show goes, she’s probably going to be responsible for Shewauga’s shing community learning a crucial moral by the nal curtain.

e town’s mayor, Amos (played by memorable Melodrama regular Mike Fiore), immediately

It’s revealed that Karen’s mother died about a year prior to the show’s opening, and Amos, who used to sh regularly, hasn’t used a shing rod, bait, or tackle since his wife’s passing. Karen is afraid her father hasn’t grieved properly and considers staying home with him a while longer rather than head o to college in the coming months as she’d previously planned.

Showtime!

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

Like Karen, many of the show’s characters are confronted with some kind of personal sacri ce they’re forced to consider. To raise the $10,000

needed to employ Hannah as a sh whisperer, some town residents decide to try funding the initiative themselves by giving up certain things. e two co-owners of a local barbecue business, Benjamin (Dillon Giles) and Bobby (Je rey Laughrun), for example, consider selling their favorite grill in order to donate its proceeds to the cause. e duo spell out their plight during the song “Grill of My Dreams,” one of several catchy numbers featured in the musical, along with “ ey Ain’t Bitin’,” “Bring ose Fishes Back,” “ e Shewauga Jingle,” and other quirky songs from composers Ron Barnett and Dan Wessels and lyricists Robin Share and Scott Guy (who also wrote the play). anks to the Melodrama’s consistently stellar casting, exuberant dance choreography, and live musical accompaniment via pianist Andy Hudson, this local rendition of e Fish Whisperer is de nitely one to catch. Δ

Whisper or shout at Calendar Editor Caleb Wiseblood at cwiseblood@ newtimesslo.com.

FISHY BUSINESS The quirky residents of Shewauga, Wisconsin, consider whether or not to trust a town outsider, Hannah (Austen Horne, left, in her debut role at the Great American Melodrama), who offers to solve the area’s recent fishing crisis for a $10,000 fee, in The Fish Whisperer

ON KEY Pianist Andy Hudson is the Great American Melodrama’s featured accompanist during the musical The Fish Whisperer, starring Julia Mae Abrams, Mike Fiore, and others.

NOT TAKING THE BAIT The cast of The Great American Melodrama’s production of The Fish Whisperer includes Casiena Raether, Toby Tropper, Jeffrey Laughrun, and Dillon Giles (left to right).

Monkey fu

Dev Patel stars in and directs this screenplay he co-wrote with Paul Angunawela and John Collee about a young man, Kid (Patel), who earns a meager living by donning a monkey mask and engaging in combat in illegal underground ghts. His “job” is to take a beating and make the rival ghters look good, but what he’s really up to is a campaign of vengeance against the corrupt rich who murdered his mother and continue to victimize the poor. (121 min.)

MONKEY MAN

What’s it rated? R

What’s it worth, Glen? Full price

What’s it worth, Anna? Full price

Where’s it showing? Colony, Downtown Centre, Park, Stadium 10

Glen is compelling action ick is also interested in exploring India’s socio-political injustices. In ashbacks, we see a young Kid (Jatin Malik) and his mother, Neela (Adithi Kalkunte), living a poor but idyllic life in a jungle village … until greedy spiritual guru Baba Shakti (Makarand Deshpande) orders his henchmen led by Rana Singh (Sikander Kher) to burn down their village and steal their land to create a new city called Yatana. Neela and most of the villagers are murdered, but Kid escapes. In the present, Kid, going by the name Bobby, returns to Yatana and nagles his way into a job at Queenie’s (Ashwini Kalsekar) restaurant and club, which is frequented by Baba and Rana, now the chief of police. e lm is packed with well-choreographed hand-to-hand combat ghts, thrilling foot and car chases, and a nal act that’s absolute mayhem, but before we get there, Kid has to discover his inner strength, which is tied to the legend of Hanuman, a Hindu deity Kid’s mother taught him about and who they worship above all others. is monkey-faced god is the embodiment of wisdom, strength, devotion, courage, and self-discipline—all

APPLES NEVER FALL

What’s it rated? TV-MA

When? 2024

Where’s it showing? Peacock

Liane Moriarty is an author known for her twisty tales, and Apples Never Fall isn’t her first work to hit the big screen. She also wrote Big Little Lies which packed a punch with its star-studded cast. Apples Never Fall also has quite the cast list with Annette Bening and Sam Neill in pivotal roles. They play Joy and Stan Delaney, parents of four grown children and owners of a prestigious tennis school. The Delaney children are a mismatched group. Woo-woo woman Amy (Alison Brie) is overly attached to her mom. Troy (Jake Lacy) is a finance guy who’s had it up to

the characteristics Kid will need to defeat his enemies and avenge his mother and their village, and free the downtrodden from further exploitation from the likes of Baba. Anna Dev Patel didn’t play shy with this directorial debut. Often newbies at action icks give us clunky or underperformed pieces, but that isn’t the case here. For someone who nds physical altercation to be pretty icky, I’m always surprised by how hyped I get in lms with well-done ght scenes. Monkey Man also reminded me that I’m a secret fan of wrestling—though I was glad to not be in the audience for the seedy matches depicted here. Kid has a desperation about him that’s at rst o -putting to Queenie; however, he soon earns his way into her business and moves through the ranks until he reaches the VIP club, where he intends to unleash his violence. He’s a man of few words. e character is built on Patel’s portrayal of simmering hurt. ere’s something so satisfying about revenge in movie form that never plays out the same in real life, and Patel makes us root for the underdog.

Glen Baba Shakti is a particularly awful

here with his family and their antics. Logan (Conor Merrigan Turner) goes along to get along, often against his better instincts. Brooke (Essie Randles) is driven and focused and will do anything to make her parents proud. Along comes mysterious Savannah (Georgia Flood) into their lives, and especially into Joy’s heart. But does this stranger have mal intent or are the Delaney kids just being judgmental and exclusive as always? When Joy goes missing, the family starts to turn on each other, and the truth of what happened slowly unwinds to reveal more dirt than the family ever wanted dug up. (seven 46- to 66-min. episodes)

—Anna

PERFECT? (Left to right) Logan (Conor Merrigan-Turner), Brooke (Essie Randles), Stan (Sam Neill), Joy (Annette Bening), Amy (Alison Brie), and Troy (Jake Lacy) are the dysfunctional Delaney family in Apples Never Fall, streaming on Peacock.

KYOU PEOPLE

What’s it rated? R

When? 2023

villain because he hides behind false piety and preys on people’s religious devotion. He’s the kind of guru who pretends to be humble but uses his in uence for all the wrong reasons. With Rana, it’s obvious he’s evil and corrupt, but Baba can fool the masses. It wouldn’t be much of a story if things didn’t go badly for Kid, and indeed, he’s nearly killed, but in an interesting twist, he’s rescued by Alpha (Vipin Sharma), who attends to a sacred temple with her transgender community. Once healed and reinvigorated, Kid discovers Baba has set his sights on acquiring the temple, which provides motivation for Kid to make his nal attack. It’s satisfying as heck, but the victory comes at a price, giving this revenge tale even more weight. I fully expect this lm to reach cult status.

Anna It’s one I’d happily watch again. Kid is an endearing character; one I won’t soon stop rooting for. Hats o to Patel. He came out with a real bang in this directorial debut. ∆

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

Where’s it showing? Netflix

enya Barris (Black-ish, #BlackAF ) directs this script co-written with Jonah Hill about a new couple, Ezra Cohen (Hill), who’s white and Jewish, and Amira Mohammed (Lauren London), who’s Black and Muslim. Their problem is their respective families—his are cringy tone-deaf liberals falling all over themselves to act woke, and hers are distrustful of white people. What could go wrong? Turns out, everything.

When Ezra brings Amira home to meet his family—mom Shelley (Julia Louis-Dreyfus), dad Arnold (David Duchovny), and lesbian sister Liza (Molly Gordon)—Shelley and Arnold make asses of themselves trying to prove how open-minded they are, and Liza appears sexually attracted to her brother’s girlfriend. Likewise, when Ezra meets her parents—dad Akbar (Eddie Murphy, proving he’s still got terrific comedic chops) and mom Fatima (Nia Long)—he’s met with open hostility, forcing him to grin and bear it. Younger brother Omar (Travis Bennett) seems happy to sit back and watch the fireworks.

It’s all very funny, with machine-gun dialog, especially between Ezra and his podcast partner, Mo (Sam Jay), who’s Black and with whom Ezra talks about the “culture,” frequently about the intersection of Black and white relations. Love may be blind, but America isn’t. (117 min.) ∆ —Glen

I DO Ezra (Jonah Hill) proposes to Amira (Lauren London), but as they get to know one another’s families, the couple discovers race relations are more complicated than they thought, in You People, streaming on Netflix.

PAYBACK’S A BITCH Dev Patel stars in and directs Monkey Man, about a young fighter who seeks revenge for his mother’s death and the continuing injustices carried out by the rich, now screening in local theaters.

COURTESY PHOTO BY VINCE VALITUTTI/PEACOCK PHOTO COURTESY OF NETFLIX

Music

BY GLEN STARKEY

Anything with strings

The Tony Furtado Trio plays Castoro Cellars

According to David Lindley, who knows a thing or two about music, “Tony Furtado is a major musical force without a doubt. He has his black belt in voice, bottleneck guitar, and his banjo playing scares the crap out of me.”

Furtado was just 12 when he first picked up the banjo, purportedly inspired by the Beverly Hillbillies theme song. He’s since picked up cello-banjo, slide guitar, and baritone ukulele. Seems like if it’s got strings, Furtado can play it.

This week, Good Medicine, Numbskull, and KCBX present the Tony Furtado Trio featuring five-time National Fiddle Champ Luke Price and renowned jazz pianist John R. Burr at Castoro Cellars on Sunday, April 14 (6 p.m.; all ages; $25 at goodmedicinepresents.com).

Furtado began his recording career after signing to Rounder Records and releasing Swamped (1990) and stayed with the label for five more records over the next decade. He’s released 17 albums in total, most recently Decembering (2021) on his own Yousay Furtado Records label.

He’s pretty hard to label, but you’ll hear bluegrass, jazz, Celtic, old-time music, and more. Obviously, his talented trio-mates bring a lot to the table. I have a feeling this one will be very memorable.

Told you about this one last week, but don’t forget Good Medicine and Numbskull present Grateful Dead-inspired Circles Around the Sun at The Siren on Thursday, April 11 (7 p.m.; 21-and-older; $27 at goodmedicinepresents.com).

Good Medicine and Numbskull also present San Diego power trio Sitting on Stacy on their Looking Past Red Flags tour on Thursday, April 18, in Club Car Bar (7 p.m.; all ages; $16 at goodmedicinepresents. com). Known for high energy performances, they explore various genres and experiment with various styles. “Some Kind of Way” has sort of a reggae riff. “This Summer Day” starts as a love ballad and becomes an exuberant pop song. “Piece of Me” is a

bouncing ska song. They’ll get you pumped up.

The Siren

Whether you like metal, ’80s pop, or country music, The Siren has a show for you this week. The club kicks things off with Little Dollz (The Randy Rhoads era of Ozzy Osbourne tribute featuring Diana Grace of Stevie Nicks Illusion) on Friday, April 12 (7:30 p.m.; 21-and-older; $18 at tixr.com).

Guitarist Monty Sommer is a real shredder who can match Rhoads note for note, and Grace adds a female twist to Ozzy’s vocals.

Molly Ringwald Project brings their ’80s sounds to the club on Saturday, April 13 (8 p.m.; 21-and-older; $25 at tixr.com). The band jokes that they were brought together by “the Force, the Powers of Grey Skull, the Flux Capacitor, a beat-up Swatch Watch wrapped around an old can of Aqua Net, and just a pinch of discarded MX Missile fuel.”

Two classy country ladies—Rosy Nolan and Rachel Brooke with their respective bands—play on Wednesday, April 17 (7 p.m.; 21-and-older; $15 at tixr.com). Brooke’s

bio describes her as “a master storyteller, underground country queen, Ameripolitan outlaw winner, multi-instrumentalist, honky-tonk poet, raised on bluegrass and red tomatoes.” Nolan, with her “cowgirl hat, platinum bob, and 1940s Western getups … looks like a throwback to the mid-century heyday of California honky-tonk legends such as Rose Maddox and Jean Shepard,” according to her bio. Yeehaw.

SLO Brew Live presents at Rod and Hammer Rock

Don’t forget about the SLO Brew Live and (((folkYEAH!))) triptastic kaleidoscopic show LSD & The Search for God this Thursday, April 11 (doors at 7 p.m.; 18-and-older; $25 at ticetweb.com), with jjuujjuu opening. Expect a hypnotic show “built upon swirling guitars, otherworldly drones, fuzzed-out pop melodies, and dreamy vocal harmonies.”

Dogs in a Pile plays on Friday, April 12 (doors at 7 p.m.; 18-and-older; $17 at ticketweb.com) with new local band Strange Cake. Hailing from Asbury Park, New Jersey, Dogs in a Pile merges jazz, rock, and

psychedelia. According to their bio, they employ “a unified approach to performance and songwriting, crafting aural mosaics through adept instrumentation and humble precocity. As avid storytellers, they draw inspiration from personal experiences, balancing life’s foibles with ever-present youthful sanguinity.”

I checked out a live show online. Impressive musicianship.

Opener Strange Cake draws inspiration from the likes of The Meters, Phish, The Grateful Dead, Lettuce, Soulive, and others.

“We’re thrilled to have the opportunity to open for Dogs in a Pile,” Strange Cake lead singer and guitarist Aaron Burger said. “It’s going to be an unforgettable night of music.”

Finally, Australian pop rockers Lime Cordiale play on Thursday, April 18 (doors at 7 p.m.; 18-and-older; $25 at ticketweb.com). Featuring brothers Oli and Louis Leimbach, the band delivers hooky melodies and smart lyrics, and they incorporate rock, funk, and reggae into their sound. The most recent album is 14 Steps to a Better You (2020).

TRIPLE THREAT Good Medicine, Numbskull, and KCBX present multi-instrumentalist Tony Furtado with his trio at Castoro Cellars on April 14

COURTESY PHOTO BY ALICIA J. ROSE

GET UP, GET DOWN Good Medicine and Numbskull present Sitting on Stacy on their Looking Past Red Flags tour on April 18 , in Club Car Bar.

PHOTO COURTESY OF GOOD MEDICINE PRESENTS

QUEEN OF THE RODEO Country charmer Rosy Nolan plays The Siren on April 17

PHOTO COURTESY OF ROSY NOLAN

PILE ON SLO Brew Live presents Dogs in a Pile on April 12 , in Rod and Hammer Rock.

PHOTO COURTESY OF SLO BREW LIVE

STARKEY continued page 28

Voted Best Indian Food!

Music

The Clark Center

Get nostalgic when the Clark Center and KCBX present folk giants The Kingston Trio on Friday, April 12 (7:30 p.m.; all ages; $29 to $59 at clarkcenter.org). The original trio formed in San Francisco’s North Beach club scene in 1957 and went on to national prominence with hits such as “Tom Dooley,” “Scotch and Soda,” and “Where Have All the Flowers Gone.” The original three members have been replaced many times over the years by more than a dozen other performers, and the current lineup includes Mike Marvin, Tim Gorelangton, and Buddy Woodward. Eagles tribute act The Long Run— Experience the Eagles Music plays on Saturday, April 13 (7:30 p.m.; all ages; $40 to $50 at clarkcenter.org). They’re considered the preeminent Eagles tribute act. “Handpicked to perform the music of The Eagles by Mark Cuban and Ryan Seacrest’s network AXS-TV, their 90-minute live concert for the hit TV show The World’s Greatest Tribute Bands was broadcast to millions of viewers over five countries,” their bio explains. “The show received the highest ratings in the series’ history.”

Cal Poly Arts

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Jay de la Cuerva, presenting their new show, “El Amor de mi Vida” (The Love of my Life). Visit vinaroblesamphitheatre.com for their complete lineup, which includes ZZ Top (4/27), Lord Huron (5/23), The Avett Brothers (5/15), Cake (7/11), and a whole lot more.

More music …

On Sunday, April 14, the SLO County Trumpet Alliance presents All That Jazz! at the Cuesta College Performing Arts Center (2 p.m.; all ages; $15 general or $10 for students at tickets.cuesta.edu). The concert will feature Cuesta College jazz faculty members George Stone, Ken Hustad, Dave Brubeck, Bob Bennett, Darrell Voss, conductor Warren Balfour, and guest conductors Nick Waldron, Darren Mulder, and Bruce Knowlton

Sound out!

Send music and club information to gstarkey@newtimesslo.com.

Anna Lapwood plays the Forbes Organ Series on Wednesday, April 17, in Cal Poly’s Performing Arts Center (7:30 p.m.; all ages; $35 at pacslo.evenue.net). The organist, conductor, and broadcaster is director of music at Pembroke College, Cambridge. In 2023, the prestigious ‘Gamechanger’ Award from the Royal Philharmonic Society was bestowed upon her. She’s also signed to Sony Classical as an exclusive recording artist.

Vina Robles Amphitheatre

Vina Robles begins its packed and growing concert season with one for Latin music lovers. Cumbia superstars Los Angeles Ázules play on Thursday, April 18 (8 p.m.; all ages; $60 to $90 at vinaroblesamphitheatre. com), with special guests Angela Leiva and

The Jazz Vespers Concert Series returns to SLO’s First Presbyterian Church on Sunday, April 14, with the Pat Kelley Trio (4 p.m.; all ages; free though donations are appreciated). Former USC Thornton School of Music faculty member and studio and touring guitarist Pat Kelley has worked with the likes of Chick Corea, Natalie Cole, and Dave Brubeck among many others. He’ll be joined by Ron McCarley (saxophone) and Dylan Johnson (bass).

Symphony of the Vines presents For the Birds at Mission San Miguel this Sunday, April 14 (4 p.m.; all ages; $35 adult, $30 senior, $15 students, and K-12 free with a paid adult at my805tix.com). Hear Mozart’s Quintet for Horn and Strings, Beethoven’s Sextet for Two Horns and Strings, and Schubert’s String Quartet “Death and the Maiden,” performed by solo violinist Alejandra Moreno-Gonzalez as well as Jason Beaumont and Greg Magie (horns), Tony Navarro and Daniel Muñoz (violins), Bridget Boland and Grace Seng (violas), and Hilary Clark (cello). ∆

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

PULLING OUT THE STOPS Organist Anna Lapwood plays the Forbes Organ Series on April 17, in Cal Poly’s Performing Arts Center.

COURTESY PHOTO BY NICK RUTTER

Flavor

BY BULBUL RAJAGOPAL

Embrace the blue

Mirazur in Los Osos serves European-American bistro delicacies by the water

Bits of blue dot the entryway to Mirazur restaurant in Los Osos and guide patrons all the way inside.

A short lamppost bears a painted heron—a remnant of the previous establishment, Blue Heron—and the greyish teal of the Morro Bay Estuary greets diners when they walk in. Once seated inside, they can gaze out of the windows and admire the brilliant blue twilight sky.

“Mirazur means ‘to look at the blue,’” restaurant partner Alejandro Flores told New Times. “We thought it would go perfect with the location right next to the bay.”

Flores mostly runs Mirazur’s front of the house and operates the restaurant with his partner, Marco Lucatero. The duo combined Flores’ management experience, which he honed in Texas, with Lucatero’s restaurant skills that he cultivated as the owner of Cayucos’ Lunada Garden Bistro to open Mirazur in March. The bistro’s chef, Ishmael Giles, leads the culinary team to produce “upscale and casual” fare, according to Flores.

“We listened to a lot of the feedback that we received when we were working before we opened from the locals,” he said. “You can expect a European-American bistro … with a

Pick me up

Mirazur recommends reservations for dinner. Book your table at mirazurbaywoodpark.com or call (805) 439-0058.

Walk in to the 1365 Second St. location in Los Osos to snag a spot for brunch and lunch. Mirazur is open from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 4:30 to 8 p.m. Tuesday through Friday. It’s open starting at 9 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Keep up on Instagram @mirazurrestaurant.

little bit of a French twist!”

Patrons can enjoy the elevated bistro fare outside on the patio overlooking the water, but the food is best enjoyed indoors for a more intimate feel. Mirazur is small, cozy, and decorated with white and earth tones. The crisp white of the table linen gleams amid the muted colors. The warm glow from candles and soft lighting bathe the space, amplified by the flames from a stone fireplace that’s complete with a basket of blankets in case anyone wants to get cozier.

Want to feel even more at ease? Grab a cocktail or two. I enjoyed the view while sipping on an El Viejo, a pineapple and jalapeño-infused mezcal drink—at least, it’ll eventually be. Our server informed us that Mirazur is working on getting its liquor license. Until then, all its cocktails are made with a soju-based concoction.

Flores told New Times that the Mirazur team had the water in mind for more than just the name of the restaurant.

“When we were doing appetizers, we

said we definitely need to have oysters,” he said. “We’re by the beach, and at the other restaurant they’re very popular as well. So we went with some oysters on the half shell as well as some Oysters Rockefellers.”

Other oceanic favorites include fish and chips for lunch and the grilled octopus on the dinner appetizer menu. The latter is a crowd favorite and understandably so.

Smoky from the grill, the octopus arrived as two thick brick-red tentacles accompanied by crunchy cubes of chorizo and a salad

dressed with a Champagne vinaigrette. It was juicy yet crispy, and it made for a generous portion to split between two people.

The French-style duck proved to be the star of the mains. Drizzled with a sweet pomegranate sauce, the duck breast was sliced into small medallions that were blushing pink in the middle. They were pleasingly chewy with perfectly rendered, crispy skin. The duck came with a sizeable portion of asparagus and multi-colored fingerling potatoes.

With Mirazur’s cooking coming from chef Giles who splits his time between the Los Osos eatery and Lunada in Cayucos, its dessert menu is the sweet brainchild of another popular local chef. Regulars at Mistura restaurant in San Luis Obispo, Flores and Lucatero met pastry chef Florencia Breda there. Her gourmet chocolate shop Breda is located inside the Peruvian restaurant.

“We really love her desserts,” Flores said. “When Mirazur’s idea was born, we talked and we asked Florencia if she wanted to collaborate. So some of our desserts are her desserts. … People love them and come back for the desserts.”

The Mirazur team picks up Breda’s desserts at her shop in the Creamery in SLO. Flores added that some others first heard of Mirazur because of Breda’s collaboration, and the Theobroma is worth coming back for. Perfect for dark chocolate lovers, it’s a mousse made

TASTY TENTACLES The grilled octopus is a crowd favorite that arrives smoky and red, paired with crispy chorizo and a lightly dressed mixed salad.

PHOTOS BY BULBUL RAJAGOPAL

OFTEN SOLD OUT Pastry chef Florencia Breda supplies some of Mirazur’s desserts, like this Theobroma comprising a 66 percent dark chocolate mousse and cocoa glaze.

FLAVOR continued page 32

BLUE VIEW Mirazur means “to look at the blue” in honor of the Morro Bay Estuary in front of the restaurant, but the sky delivers too.

with 66 percent dark chocolate encased in a mirror-like cocoa glaze and topped with delicate chocolate wafers. I recommend getting a whole plate for yourself.

Mirazur’s list of top-notch food, ambience, and service springs from Lucatero’s knack for establishing a successful restaurant and gleaning from other culinary professionals.

Sharp observation and community connection gave birth to Mirazur.

The new landlord who took over several buildings around Mirazur like the Back Bay Inn, Nautical Bean, and the

Merrimaker, asked his staff for restaurant recommendations.

“Somebody at the hotel happened to mention, ‘We really like Lunada in Cayucos,’” Flores said. “He took his wife there for dinner and he liked it. He went back there a couple times and one night, he asked the server, ‘Is the owner around here or the manager? I really want to talk to him.’ Marco happened to be serving him and that’s how this was born.” ∆

Staff Writer Bulbul Rajagopal likes to beat the blues at Mirazur. Send good cheer to brajagopal@newtimesslo.com.

FLAVOR from page 30

COZY AND CREAMY White and earth tones inside Mirazur are offset by wood and warm lighting complete with soft flames from a stone fireplace.

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NOTICE

NOTICE

OF PETITION TO

ADMINISTER ESTATE OF: CLIFFORD LEON KNOTT DECEDENT

CASE NUMBER: 24PR-0094

To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the will or estate, or both, of: CLIFFORD LEON KNOTT

A PETITION FOR PROBATE has been filed by REBECCA L. DeARMOND In the Superior Court of California, County of SAN LUIS OBISPO.

THE PETITION FOR PROBATE requests that REBECCA L. DeARMOND 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: May 21, 2024, at 9:01 a.m. in Dept.: 4 in person at the Superior Court of California, County of San Luis Obispo, located at 1050 Monterey Street, 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:

To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the will or estate, or both, of: DALLAS ROCHELL POWELL aka DALLAS R. POWELL aka DALLAS POWELL

A PETITION FOR PROBATE has been filed by J JOHNSON in the Superior Court of California, County of SAN LUIS OBISPO.

THE PETITION FOR PROBATE requests that J JOHNSON be appointed as personal representative to administer the estate of the decedent.

THE PETITION requests the decedent’s will and codicils, if any, be admitted to probate. The will and any codicils are available for examination in the file kept by the court.

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

A HEARING on the petition will be held in this court as follows: May 21, 2024, at 9:00 a.m. in Dept.: 4 in person or via ZOOM at the Superior Court of California, County of San Luis Obispo, located at 1050 Monterey Street, Room 220, San Luis Obispo, CA 93408.

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

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

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

NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF:

ERICA L. MASSENGILL DECEDENT

CASE NUMBER: 24PR-0089

To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the will or estate, or both, of: DELORES MORENO

A PETITION FOR PROBATE has been filed by SANDRA MORENO in the Superior Court of California, County of SAN LUIS OBISPO.

THE PETITION FOR PROBATE requests that SANDRA MORENO 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: May 28, 2024, at 9:01 a.m. in Dept.: 4 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.

Petitioner: Sandra Moreno 1060 Mentone Ave. Grover Beach, CA 93433 805-904-9558 April 11, 18, & 25, 2024

To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the will or estate, or both, of:

ERICA L. MASSENGILL

A PETITION FOR PROBATE has been filed by MONICA POTTER & TODD POTTER In the Superior Court of California, County of SAN LUIS OBISPO.

THE PETITION FOR PROBATE requests that MONICA POTTER & TODD POTTER be appointed as personal representative to administer the estate of the decedent.

THE PETITION requests the decedent’s will and codicils, if any, be admitted to probate. The will and any codicils are available for examination in the file kept by the court.

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

A HEARING on the petition will be held in this court as follows: May 21, 2024, at 9:00 a.m. in Dept.: 4 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: Martha B. Spalding, Attorney at Law 215 South Main Street Templeton, CA 93465 805-434-2138 March 28, April 4, & 11, 2024

NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF:

JOHN EDWARD HARRISON

DECEDENT

CASE NUMBER: 24PR-0087

To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the will or estate, or both, of:

JOHN EDWARD HARRISON

A PETITION FOR PROBATE has been filed by DOUGLAS BETTS in the Superior Court of California, County of SAN LUIS OBISPO.

THE PETITION FOR PROBATE requests that DOUGLAS BETTS 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: May 07, 2024, at 9:01 a.m. in Dept.: 4 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 DE154) 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:

NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF:

MARGARET HICKS DECEDENT CASE NUMBER: 24PR-0088

To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the will or estate, or both, of: JOHN ROBERT ZIOMEK aka JOHN R. ZIOMEK aka JOHN ZIOMEK

A PETITION FOR PROBATE has been filed by NANCY LACSAMANA in the Superior Court of California, County of SAN LUIS OBISPO.

THE PETITION FOR PROBATE requests that NANCY LACSAMANA be appointed as personal representative to administer the estate of the decedent.

THE PETITION requests the decedent’s will and codicils, if any, be admitted to probate. The will and any codicils are available for examination in the file kept by the court.

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

A HEARING on the petition will be held in this court as follows: May 21, 2024, at 9:00 a.m. in Dept.: 4 in person or via ZOOM at the Superior Court of California, County of San Luis Obispo, located at 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 W. Grand Ave. Grover Beach, CA 93433 805-489-4111 April 4, 11, & 18, 2024

To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the will or estate, or both, of: MARGARET HICKS

A PETITION FOR PROBATE has been filed by KATHRYN D. MENDEZ In the Superior Court of California, County of SAN LUIS OBISPO.

THE PETITION FOR PROBATE requests that KATHRYN D. MENDEZ be appointed as personal representative to administer the estate of the decedent.

THE PETITION requests the decedent’s will and codicils, if any, be admitted to probate. The will and any codicils are available for examination in the file kept by the court.

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

A HEARING on the petition will be held in this court as follows: May 21, 2024, at 9:01 a.m. in Dept.: 4 in person at the Superior Court of California, County of San Luis Obispo, located at 1050 Monterey Street, Room 220, San Luis Obispo, CA 93408.

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

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

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

To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the will or estate, or both, of: RICHARD SCHILDWACHTER

A PETITION FOR PROBATE has been filed by KEEGAN SCHILDWACHTER in the Superior Court of California, County of SAN LUIS OBISPO.

THE PETITION FOR PROBATE requests that KEEGAN SCHILDWACHTER 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: May 7, 2024, at 9:01 a.m. in Dept.: 4 in person or via ZOOM 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: Edward E. Attala 1502 Higuera Street San Luis Obispo, CA 93401 805-543-1212

Escrow No. WLV-02510

Notice is hereby given to creditors of the within named seller that a bulk sale is about to be made of the assets described below.

The names and business addresses of the seller are:

THE FLAVOR FACTORY MORRO BAY, A CALIFORNIA CORPORATION, 420 QUINTANA RD., MORRO BAY, CA 93442

The location in California of the chief executive office of the seller is: SAME

As listed by the seller, all other business names and addresses used by the seller within three (3) years before the date such list was sent or delivered to the buyer are: NONE

The names and business addresses of the buyer are: VANPIKA LLC, A CALIFORNIA LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY, 7320 EL CAMINO REAL, ATASCADERO, CA 93422

The assets to be sold are described in general as: FIXTURES, EQUIPMENT, AND ASSETS, and are located at: 420 QUINTANA RD., MORRO BAY, CA 93442

The business name used by the seller at that location is: THE FLAVOR FACTORY.

The anticipated date of the bulk sale is APRIL 26, 2024 at the office of FIDELITY NATIONAL TITLE COMPANY, 950 HAMPSHIRE RD, WESTLAKE VILLAGE, CA 91361. This bulk sale IS subject to California Uniform Commercial Code Section 6106.2. If so subject, the name and address of the person with whom claims may be filed is RHONDA WHARTON, FIDELITY NATIONAL TITLE COMPANY, 950 HAMPSHIRE RD, WESTLAKE VILLAGE, CA 91361, and the last date for filing claims shall be APRIL 25, 2024, which is the business day before the sale date specified above.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned have executed this document on the date(s) set forth below.

BUYER(S) / TRANSFEREE(S) VANPIKA LLC, a California limited liability company

By:/S/ TOM POONSOPIN, MANAGING MEMBER

By:/S/ SUPIKA A. POONSOPIN, MANAGING MEMBER

By:/S/ VANVIPA THAMMUENYONG (aka VANVIPA POONSOPIN), MANAGING MEMBER 4/11/24

CNS-3800842# NEW TIMES ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME CASE NUMBER: 24CV0151

To all interested persons: Petitioner: Karen Gayle Kynett filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: PRESENT NAME: Karen Gayle Kynett, to PROPOSED NAME: Karen Gayle Summer.

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: May 2, 2024, Time: 9:00 am, Dept. D4, in person or by Zoom at the Superior Court of California, County of San Luis Obispo, 1050 Monterey Street, 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: March 12, 2024

/s/: Craig B. van Rooyen,

YOU

NUMBER (Número de caso): 22LCP-0487 Notice! You have been sued. The court may decide against you without your being heard unless you respond within 30 days. Read the information below.

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. ¡AVISO! Lo han demandado. Si no responde dentro de 30 dias, la corte puede decidir en su contra sin escuchar su version. Lea la informacion a continuacion.

Tiene 30 DIAS CALENDARIOS despues de que le entreguen esta citacion y papeles legales para presentar una repuesta por escrito en esta corte y hacer que se entregue una copia al demandante. Una carta o una llamada telefonica no lo protegen. Su respuesta por escrito tiene que estar en formato legal correcto si desea que procesen su caso en la corte. Es posible que haya un formulario que usted puede usar para su respuesta. Puede encontrar estos formuleriors de la corte y mas informacion en el Centro de Ayuda de las Cortes de California (www.courtinfo.ca.gov/ selfhelp/espanol), en la biblioteca de leyes de su condado o en la corte que le quede mas cerca. Si no puede pagar la cuota de presentacion, pida al secretario de la corte que le de un formulario de exencion de pago de cuotas. Si no presenta su repuesta a tiempo, puede perder el caso por incumplimiento y la corte la podra quitar su sueldo, dinero y bienes sin mas advertencia. Hay otros requistas legales. Es recomendable que llame a un abogado inmediamente. Si no conoce a un abogado, puede llamar a un servicio de remision a abogados. Si no puede pagar a un abogado, es posible que cumpla con los requisitos para obtener servicios legales gratuitos de un programa de servicios legales sin fines de lucro. Puede encontrar estos grupos sin fines de lucro en el sitio web de California Legal Services, (www.lawhelpcalifornia.org), en el Centro de Ayuda de las Cortes de California, (www.sucorte.ca.gov) o poniendose en contacto con la corte o el colegio de abogados locales. AVISO: Por ley, la corte tiene derecho a reclamar ias cuotas y los costos exentos por imponer un gravamen sobre cualquier recuperacion de $10,000 o mas de valor recibida mediante un acuerdo ao una consesion de artitraje en un caso dce derecho civll. Tiene que pagar el gravamen de la corte antes de que la corte pueda desechar el caso.

y

de telefono del abogado del demandante, o del demandante que no tiene abogado, es): Hada Fernandez/SBN 207127; Chris Stefan/SBN 257516; Luis Duenas/SBN 271873

Persolve Legal Group, LLP 9301 Corbin Ave. Ste. 1600 Northridge, CA 91324 818-534-3100

Date: (Fecha) 11/21/2022

By: /s/ Michael Powell, Clerk (Secretario); Matthew Zepeda, Deputy (Adjunto) Order to Show Cause hearing is set for 6/24/24 at 9:00 a.m. in Department P2. March 28, April 4, 11, & 18, 2024

T.S. No.: 2023-01915-CA

A.P.N.:055-141-003

Property Address: 11655

CENEGAL ROAD, ATASCADERO, CA 93422

NOTICE OF TRUSTEE’S SALE

PURSUANT TO CIVIL CODE § 2923.3(a) and (d), THE SUMMARY OF INFORMATION REFERRED TO BELOW IS NOT ATTACHED TO THE RECORDED COPY OF THIS DOCUMENT BUT ONLY TO THE COPIES PROVIDED TO THE TRUSTOR.

NOTE: THERE IS A SUMMARY OF THE INFORMATION IN THIS DOCUMENT ATTACHED 注：本文件包含一个信息摘要 참고사항: 본 첨부 문서에 정보 요 약서가 있습니다

NOTA: SE ADJUNTA UN RESUMEN DE LA INFORMACIÓN DE ESTE DOCUMENTO

TALA: MAYROONG BUOD NG

IMPORMASYON SA DOKUMENTONG ITO NA NAKALAKIP LƯU Ý: KÈM THEO ĐÂY LÀ BẢN TRÌNH BÀY TÓM LƯỢC VỀ THÔNG TIN TRONG TÀI LIỆU NÀY IMPORTANT NOTICE TO PROPERTY OWNER: YOU ARE IN DEFAULT UNDER A DEED OF TRUST DATED 02/10/2006. UNLESS YOU TAKE ACTION TO PROTECT YOUR PROPERTY, IT MAY BE SOLD AT A PUBLIC SALE. IF YOU NEED AN EXPLANATION OF THE NATURE OF THE PROCEEDING AGAINST YOU, YOU SHOULD CONTACT A LAWYER. Trustor: David A. Waldman, a single man and Thom J. Waldman, a single man Duly Appointed Trustee: Western Progressive, LLC Deed of Trust Recorded 02/16/2006 as Instrument No. 2006011045 in book —-, page—and of Official Records in the office of the Recorder of San Luis Obispo County, California, Date

by said Deed of Trust. The total amount of the unpaid balance of the obligation secured by the property to be sold and reasonable estimated costs, expenses and advances at the time of the initial publication of the Notice of Sale is: $ 553,320.12.

Note: Because the Beneficiary reserves the right to bid less than the total debt owed, it is possible that at the time of the sale the opening bid may be less than the total debt.

If the Trustee is unable to convey title for any reason, the successful bidder’s sole and exclusive remedy shall be the return of monies paid to the Trustee, and the successful bidder shall have no further recourse.

The beneficiary of the Deed of Trust has executed and delivered to the undersigned a written request to commence foreclosure, and the undersigned caused a Notice of Default and Election to Sell to be recorded in the county where the real property is located.

NOTICE TO POTENTIAL BIDDERS:

If you are considering bidding on this property lien, you should understand that there are risks involved in bidding at a trustee auction. You will be bidding on a lien, not on the property itself. Placing the highest bid at a trustee auction does not automatically entitle you to free and clear ownership of the property. You should also be aware that the lien being auctioned off may be a junior lien. If you are the highest bidder at the auction, you are or may be responsible for paying off all liens senior to the lien being auctioned off, before you can receive clear title to the property. You are encouraged to investigate the existence, priority, and size of outstanding liens that may exist on this property by contacting the county recorder’s office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge you a fee for this information. If you consult either of these resources, you should be aware that the same lender may hold more than one mortgage or deed of trust on this property.

NOTICE TO PROPERTY OWNER:

The sale date shown on this notice of sale may be postponed one or more times by the mortgagee, beneficiary, trustee, or a court, pursuant to Section 2924g of the California Civil Code. The law requires that information about trustee sale postponements be made available to you and to the public, as a courtesy to those not present at the sale. If you wish to learn whether your sale date has been postponed, and, if applicable, the rescheduled time and date for the sale of this property, you may call (866)-960-8299 or visit this Internet Web site https://www. altisource.com/loginpage.aspx using the file number assigned to this case 2023-01915-CA. Information about postponements that are very short in duration or that occur close in time to the scheduled sale may not immediately be reflected in the telephone information or on the Internet Web site. The best way to verify postponement information is to attend the scheduled sale.

NOTICE TO TENANT: You may have a right to purchase this property after the trustee auction, if conducted after January 1, 2021, pursuant to Section 2924m of the California Civil Code. If you are an “eligible tenant buyer,” you can purchase the property if you match the last and highest bid placed at the trustee auction. If you are an “eligible bidder,” you may be able to purchase the property if you exceed the last and highest bid placed at the trustee auction. There are three steps to exercising this right of purchase. First, 48 hours after the date of the trustee sale, you can call (866)-960-8299, or visit this internet website https://www.altisource.com/loginpage.aspx, using the file number assigned to this case 2023-01915-CA to find the date on which the trustee’s sale was held, the amount of the last and highest bid, and the address of the trustee. Second, you must send a written notice of intent to place a bid so that the trustee receives it no more than 15 days after the trustee’s sale. Third, you must submit a bid, by remitting the funds and affidavit described in Section 2924m(c) of the Civil Code, so that the trustee receives it no more than 45 days after the trustee’s sale.

If you think you may qualify as an “eligible tenant buyer” or “eligible bidder,” you should con-

sider contacting an attorney or appropriate real estate professional immediately for advice regarding this potential right to purchase.

Western Progressive, LLC, as Trustee for beneficiary C/o 1500 Palma Drive, Suite 238 Ventura, CA 93003

Sale Information Line: (866) 9608299 https://www.altisource. com/loginpage.aspx

Date: March 20, 2024

Trustee Sale Assistant

WESTERN PROGRESSIVE, LLC

MAY BE ACTING AS A DEBT COLLECTOR ATTEMPTING TO COLLECT A DEBT. ANY INFORMATION OBTAINED MAY BE USED FOR THAT PURPOSE.

March 28, April 4, & 11, 2024 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME

CASE NUMBER: 24CV0159

To all interested persons: Petitioner: Rianna Ku’u’alameaonalani Ader filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: PRESENT NAME: Rianna Ku’u’alameaonalani Ader, to PROPOSED NAME: Rianna Ku’u’alameaonalani Amoy. 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: April 24, 2024, Time: 9:00 am, Dept. D4, in person or by Zoom at the Superior Court of California, County of San Luis Obispo, 1035 Palm Street, Room 385, San Luis Obispo, CA 93408 . 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: March 8, 2024. /s/: Tana L. Coates, Judge of the Superior Court March 21, 28, April 4, 11, 2024.

TO

To all interested persons: Petitioner: Marie E. Beltrandeesparza filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: PRESENT NAME: Marie E. Beltrandeespar-

the sale. All sales are subject to cancellation. We reserve the right to refuse any bid. Buyers must secure the units with their own personal locks. To claim tax-exempt status, original RESALE certificates for each space purchased is required. Cash only.

April 11 &

a hearing.

ORDINANCE NO. 3507

AN ORDINANCE

ADDING CHAPTER 7.18 ESTABLISHING UNREASONABLE NOISE REGULATIONS

The Board of Supervisors of the County of San Luis Obispo, State of California, does ordain as follows:

SECTION I: That Chapter 7.18 is hereby added to the San Luis Obispo County Code as follows:

Chapter 7.18: Unreasonable Noises.

7.18.010 – Unreasonable Noises Prohibited.

It shall be unlawful within the unincorporated area of the County of San Luis Obispo to make, assist in making, permit, continue, create, or cause to be made, any loud and unreasonable noise, music, percussion or other sound which is broadcast outside of any residence or building by means of any amplified musical instrument, drum, or similar device, or by means of any radio, loudspeaker, sound amplifier or phonograph, or by means of or employing any similar device which amplifies and produces, reproduces or broadcasts sound, or any yelling, shouting, hooting, whistling, or singing between the hours of 10:00 P.M. of such day and 7:00 A.M. Within such time periods, and for the purposes of this chapter, a loud and unreasonable sound shall include any sound created by means prohibited above which is clearly discernible at a distance of one hundred feet from the property line of the property upon which it is broadcast.

7.18.020 – Exceptions.

The provisions of this chapter are not intended to affect and shall not apply to:

(1) Bells, chimes, and similar devices while being used for religious purposes, or in conjunction with religious services, or for celebrations of public holidays; or

(2) Outdoor gatherings, public dances, shows and sporting and entertaining events, provided such gathering, dance or event is conducted pursuant to a valid land use permit or outdoor commercial entertainment license and being done pursuant to applicable rules, regulations and zoning restrictions, and in compliance with all permits or licenses issued by a public agency relative to the staging of the gathering, dance or event; or

(3) Commercial agricultural operations, not including activities at farm- related housing.

7.18.030-Liability of Property Owner.

When a peace officer or code enforcement officer has determined that a violation of this Chapter has occurred, and either the noise violation was done by a person or persons other than the property owner or responding personnel are unable to determine whether the property owner was the host of any incident when the violation occurred, the Sheriff’s Office or County Code Enforcement shall mail a notice to the owner of the property where the noise violation occurred. The notice shall advise the property owner(s) that any subsequent violation of this chapter at the same property may result in the property owner being subject to administrative action and penalties. The property owner shall thereafter be severally liable for any further violations of this Chapter for a period of one year after receiving the notice, regardless of whether the property owner is the host of any incident in which the violation occurs.

SECTION II: If any section, subsection, clause, phrase or portion of this ordinance is for any reason held to be invalid or unconstitutional by the decision of a court of competent jurisdiction, such decision shall not affect the validity or constitutionality of the remaining portion of this ordinance. The Board of Supervisors hereby declares that it would have passed this ordinance and each section, subsection, clause, phrase or portion thereof irrespective of the fact that any one or more sections, subsections, sentences, clauses, phrases or portions be declared invalid or unconstitutional.

SECTION III: This ordinance shall take effect and be in full force on and after 30 days from the date of its passage hereof. Before the expiration of 15 days after the adoption of this ordinance, a summary shall be published once in a newspaper of general circulation in the County of San Luis Obispo, State of California, together with the names of the members of the Board of Supervisors voting for and against the ordinance.

SECTION IV: The Board of Supervisors hereby finds that the adoption of this ordinance is exempt from review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15061(b)(3), in that it can be seen with certainty that the adoption of the ordinance is not a project that may have a significant effect on the environment.

SECTION XV: In accordance with Government Code Section 25131, after reading the title of this Ordinance, further reading of the Ordinance in full is waived.

INTRODUCED at a regular meeting of the Board of Supervisors held on the 12th day of March, 2024, and PASSED and ADOPTED by the Board of Supervisors of the County of San Luis Obispo, State of California, on the 9th day of April, 2024, by the following roll call vote, to wit:

AYES: Supervisors Jimmy Paulding, Bruce S. Gibson, John Peschong, Dawn Ortiz-Legg and Chairperson Debbie Arnold

NOES: None

ABSENT: None

ABSTAINING:None

DATED: April 10, 2024

REBECCA CAMPBELL, Acting County Administrative Officer and Ex-Officio Clerk of the Board of Supervisors

By: /s/ Niki Martin

Deputy Clerk April 11, 2024

The Administrative Review Board of the City of San Luis Obispo, California, invites all interested persons to attend a Special Meeting scheduled for Wednesday, April 17, 2024, at 3:30 p.m. held in the Council Hearing Room at City Hall, 990 Palm Street, San Luis Obispo. Public comment, prior to the start of the meeting, may be submitted in writing via U.S. Mail delivered to the City Clerk’s Office at 990 Palm Street, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401 or by email to advisorybodies@slocity.org.

This Special Meeting will consist of the consideration and adoption of a resolution entitled, “A Resolution of the Administrative Review Board of the City of San Luis Obispo, California, denying the appeal of Alex McLachlan, owner of 657 Howard Street, and upholding Administrative Citation No. 00034623.”

The full agenda for this meeting will be available for review one week in advance of the meeting date on the City’s website, under the Public Meeting Agendas we page: https://www.slocity.org/government/mayor-and-city-council/ agendas-and-minutes

For more information, please contact staff liaison to the Board, Kelly White, at kwhite@slocity.org or by calling (805)781-7140.

April 11, 2024

NOTICE OF PROPOSED ASSESSMENT FOR THE SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY TOURISM BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that on Tuesday, April 9, 2024, the Board of Supervisors (the “Board”) of the County of San Luis Obispo (the “County”) adopted a resolution of intention to renew the San Luis Obispo County Tourism Business Improvement District (the “CBID”) and to continue to levy an assessment on the lodging businesses within the CBID as set forth in said resolution of intention. The resolution is attached hereto and hereby incorporated into the notice.

NOTICE IS HEREBY FURTHER GIVEN that at 9 a.m. or shortly thereafter on Tuesday, May 14, 2024, a public hearing shall be held before the Board of Supervisors to allow public testimony regarding the renewal of the CBID and to continue to levy assessments therein as set forth in the enclosed resolution of intention and pursuant to Government Code Section 54954.6 and Streets and Highway Codes Section 36500 et seq.

Assessment: An assessment is proposed to continue to be levied on all lodging businesses, which include hotels, motels, bed and breakfasts, and vacation homes, within the CBID boundaries based upon 2% of the rent charged by the operator per occupied room per night for all transient occupancies. The amount of the assessment shall continue to be two (2) percent of your annual gross room rental revenue. Federal government employees on government business will be exempt from the levy of assessment. Extended stays, defined as more than 30 consecutive calendar days, shall be exempt from the levy of assessment.

Estimate: The estimated amount of revenue to be raised by the assessment is estimated to be approximately in the $1 million - $4 million range.

Purpose: The CBID proposes to administer tourism promotions and marketing programs to promote San Luis Obispo County as a tourism destination and projects, programs, and activities that benefit lodging businesses located and operating within the boundaries of the district. The proposed improvements and activities shall be targeted at increasing transient stays.

Collection: The assessment is proposed to be levied on an annual basis and shall be collected monthly from lodging businesses within the CBID.

Protest: Oral and written protests may be made at the public hearing. Upon receipt by the Clerk of the Board of written protests from the owners of lodging businesses in the area who pay 50 percent or more of the annual assessments levied, the assessment shall not be imposed for a period of one year. Written protests must be received by the Clerk of the Board prior to the start of the public hearing on May 14, 2024. Your written protest must contain the following information: business name, property address and owner’s signature. There is no formal protest form; however, for your convenience a protest form is available on the Administrative Office website at http://www.slocounty.ca.gov/Departments/ Administrative-Office/Clerk-of- the-Board.aspx.

Should you desire to mail a protest against this assessment, the address is:

Clerk of the Board of Supervisors County of San Luis Obispo 1055 Monterey Street, Suite D430 San Luis Obispo, CA 93408

Information: Should you desire additional information about this assessment, contact: Tessa Cornejo, Administrative Services Manager County of San Luis Obispo 1055 Monterey Street, Suite D430, San Luis Obispo, CA 93408 Phone: (805) 781-4691 or Email: tcornejo@co.slo.ca.us DATED: April 9, 2024 Rebecca

CITY

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Arroyo Grande City Council will conduct a public hearing on TUESDAY, APRIL 23, 2024 at 6:00 p.m., or soon thereafter, in the Council Chamber, 215 E Branch Street, Arroyo Grande, CA, to consider the following item:

ARROYO GRANDE TOURISM BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT

DISTRICT (AGTBID). The City Council will: 1) hold a public hearing to receive testimony regarding the City Council’s intention to continue the Arroyo Grande Tourism Business Improvement District (AGTBID) and levy an annual assessment for Fiscal Year 2024-25; 2) determine whether a legally sufficient number of protests have been made; and 3) if a legally sufficient protest is not made, adopt a Resolution confirming the Advisory Board’s report and levying an annual assessment for the AGTBID for the 2024-25 fiscal year.

This City Council meeting is being conducted in a hybrid inperson/virtual format. Members of the public that prefer to participate virtually may do so by joining the Zoom meeting option. Members of the public may provide public comment on agenda items during the meeting in-person, by joining the Zoom meeting, or by submitting written public comments to the City Council at publiccomment@arroyogrande.org. To provide comment during the meeting, members of the public may join the Zoom meeting at https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86752345420; Webinar ID: 867 5234 5420 or by phone by calling 1-669-9006833; or 1-346-248-7799. During the public hearing, public comment will be limited to three (3) minutes per speaker, pursuant to current meeting procedure.

The Council may also discuss other hearings or business items before or after the items listed above. If you challenge the proposed action in court, you may be limited to raising only those issues you or someone else raised at the public hearing described in this notice, or in written correspondence delivered to the City Council at, or prior to, the public hearing. Failure of any person to receive the notice shall not constitute grounds for any court to invalidate the action of the legislative body for which the notice was given.

Information related to the item above is available at Arroyo Grande City Hall located at 300 E. Branch Street, Arroyo Grande or by calling 805-473-5400. The Agenda and reports are posted online at www.arroyogrande.org 72 hours prior to the meeting. Please call (805) 473-5400 for more information. The City Council meeting will be televised live on Charter Cable Channel 20 and streamed live on the City’s YouTube Channel

Jessica Matson, City Clerk

April 11, 2024

WHO County of San Luis Obispo Planning Commission

WHEN Thursday, April 25, 2024 at 9:00 AM: All items are advertised for 9:00 AM. To verify agenda placement, please call the Department of Planning & Building at (805) 781-5600

WHAT

A request by MW Investment Partners LLC.

(AMEND2023-00008) to amend the previously approved Vesting Tentative Tract Map (Tract 3146) and concurrent Conditional Use Permit (SUB2020-00019) to allow for the retention of approximately 400 feet of existing overhead utility lines where underground utilities would otherwise be required. The proposed Amendment would result in the removal of Condition of Approval 13.D.v. of Exhibit D of the Notice of Final Action. The project would not result in any disturbance of a 1.78-acre parcel. The proposed project is in the Residential Single Family land use category and is located at 96 Old County Road, in the community of Templeton. The project is in the Salinas River sub-area of the North County Planning Area. This project is consistent with and subject to the adopted Mitigated Negative Declaration for SUB2020-00019 / TR 3146.

County File Number: AMEND2023-00008

Supervisorial District: District 1

Assessor Parcel Number(s): 041-031-006

Date Accepted: 11/3/2023

WHERE

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

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 Dane Mueller, Project Manager, in the Department of Planning and Building at the address below or by telephone at 805-781-5600.

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

Ysabel Eighmy, Secretary Planning Commission

April 11, 2024

bids for

“El Camino Real Downtown Infrastructure Enhancement Project” at the Atascadero City Hall, 6500 Palma Avenue, Atascadero, CA until May 9, 2024 at 1:30 P.M., when they will be publicly opened.

Proposals received after said time will not be considered. Proposals shall be submitted in a sealed envelope plainly marked with the project title, bidder’s name, and address.

There will be a non-mandatory pre-bid meeting on April 23, 2024 at 8:00 a.m. meet on the front steps of City Hall, 6500 Palma, Atascadero.

The Contractor must possess a valid CLASS A CONTRACTOR’S LICENSE at the time of award. This project is subject to the payment of Prevailing Wages, therefore the Contractor shall pay all wages and penalties as required by applicable law.  Per SB 854 (Stat. 2014, Chapter 28), no contractor or subcontractor may work or be listed on a bid proposal unless registered with the DIR. Every bid must be accompanied by a certified check/cashier’s check or bidder’s bond for 10% of the bid amount, payable to the City of Atascadero.

Bid packages will be available by April 12, 2024 to download for a fee of $22.00 on the City website, www.atascadero.org or at www.QuestCDN.com using project number eBid #9064499

Question may be directed to the City of Atascadero at (805) 470-3180 or APerez@ atascadero.org

Run Dates: April 11, 2024 and April 18, 2024

ADMINISTRATIVE

Applications to make minor changes to the properties at the addresses listed below have been received by the City.

1. 2031 Sierra Way HOME-0136-2024; Review of a homestay rental application to allow short-term rental (such as Airbnb) of 2 bedrooms within an owner-occupied single-family residence (categorically exempt from CEQA environmental review); R-1 Zone; Tyler Smalling, applicant. (Mallory Patino)

2. 2475 Victoria Ave. Unit 205. HOME-0092-2024. Review of a homestay rental application to allow short-term rental (such as Airbnb) of 2 bedrooms within an owneroccupied residential unit (categorically exempt from CEQA environmental review); C-S-SF and C-R-SF Zones; William Loker, applicant. (Mallory Patino)

3. 767 Chorro St. DIR-0119-2024; Request for an exception to the side setback standard at the north side of the property, to reduce the required setback to 12 feet a portion of the upper story (up to 30 feet in height) of a new duplex building, where the setback standard is 13 feet (categorically exempt from CEQA environmental review); R-2 Zone; Cindy Farris, applicant. (Walter Oetzell)

4. 811 Froom Ranch Way. ARCH-0099-2024; Request for minor architectural modifications to the restaurant/brewery building located in the Agricultural Heritage Center at San Luis Ranch, including modifications to building signage, building color, and architectural elevations (consistent with the certified Final EIR and Final Supplemental EIR for the San Luis Ranch Specific Plan.); AG-SP Zone; Coastal Community Builders, applicant. (Callie Taylor)

5. 1180 Kendall Rd. ARCH-0651-2023; Architectural review of a new two-story building, accommodating office space and storage space, adjacent to an existing industrial building. The project also includes an interior expansion of space, for office use, within the existing industrial building (categorically exempt from CEQA environmental review); C-S-SP Zone; Molly Kern, SLO Food Bank, applicant. (Walter Oetzell) 6. 746 Higuera St. DIR-0060-2024; Sidewalk Café Permit for outdoor dining service in the creekside public area adjacent to the Kiko Restaurant at the Mission Mall (categorically exempt from CEQA environmental review); C-D-H Zone; Jorge Pomalaza, applicant. (Walter Oetzell)

The Community Development Director will either approve or deny these applications no sooner than April 22, 2024

The Director’s

filed

of

action. For more information, contact the City of San Luis Obispo Community Development Department, 919 Palm Street, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401, stop by Monday and Wednesday between 1 p.m. – 4 p.m. and Tuesday and Thursday between 9 a.m. – 12 p.m., or call (805) 781-7170, weekdays, 8 a.m. – 3 p.m. April 11, 2024

BID

ANTICIPATED SCHEDULE: 6 MONTHS

START DATE: MAY 6, 2024

COMPLETION: NOVEMBER 1, 2024 (CONTRACTOR IS RESPONSIBLE FOR OVERTIME AND WEEKEND WORK ANTICIPATED TO MEET PROJECT SCHEDULE)

SCOPE OF WORK:

Work consists of new I.T. and electrical infrastructure in Building 181, Room 114. Installation of two new exterior condensing units on concrete slabs with condenser yard enclosure supporting room 114. Installation of new HVAC for cooling and humidity control of installed telecommunications equipment. Installation of underground electrical and refrigerant lines from enclosure to room 114. Installation of a new generator on concrete slab. Work around the generator includes demolition of existing planter area and installation of a new retaining wall. Further work includes waterproofing of wall penetrations, concrete flatwork replacement, and underground utilities.

Thoma Electric is the selected design-build electrical subcontractor and will be responsible for all electrical and I.T. related scopes of work.

Deep Blue Integration is the selected design-assist-build subcontractor and will be responsible for all fire protection, fire alarm, and security scopes of work.

The University will be performing the following: Purchase of the Electrical Generator System.

BIDS SHALL BE EMAILED TO: tomm@mainoslo.com and sonnys@mainoslo.com

BID REQUIREMENTS:

1. Subcontractors must be bondable and may be required to provide Payment and Performance Bonds.

2. Bid Bond is not required.

3. Safety Record is of the utmost importance. Subcontractors with aggregate EMR Rate of 1.5 over the past three years may be disqualified.

4. Prevailing Wage

TO VIEW PLANS/SPEC:

Plans and specs may be downloaded from ASAP Reprographics at www.asapplanroom.com

Plans and specs may also be viewed at the following Builders Exchanges:

- SLO County Builders Exchange – www.slocbe.com

- Santa Maria Valley Contractors Association – www.smvca.org

- Central California Builders Exchange – www.cencalbx.com

Maino Construction Company, Incorporated is an equal opportunity Contractor. It is the responsibility of each Subcontractor to view all pertinent information and documents prior to submitting a proposal.

April 11, 2024

INVITATION TO BID (SUB BIDS ONLY)

CONSTRUCTION COMPANY, INCORPORATED

PROJECT NAME: CALIFORNIA POLYTECHNIC STATE UNIVERSITY SAN LUIS OBISPO

BUILDING 43 – REC CENTER ROOFING AND EXTERIOR ENVELOP REPAIRS

PROJECT LOCATION: BLDG.

ESTIMATE/BUDGET: $600,000

ANTICIPATED SCHEDULE: 2.5 MONTHS

START DATE:

SCOPE OF WORK:

Work consists of full cleaning and resealing of the upper roof, including upper roof monitor windows perimeter sealant replacement, replacement of grommets at barrel roof to vertical clerestory roof transition, and replace sealant at vertical to barrel roof transition. Repair all gutters at standing seam metal roofing per details. Reslope and recoating exterior stair landing with non-slip coating. Remove and reseal all through wall penetrations at eastern elevation. Review and repair all stepped roof Hi/ Lo expansion joints and verify all upper stainless steel cap is sloped away from the building along the full length of the break metal cover.

The University will be performing the following trades: Painting

BIDS SHALL BE EMAILED TO: tomm@mainoslo.com and sonnys@mainoslo.com

BID REQUIREMENTS:

1. Subcontractors must be bondable and may be required to provide Payment and Performance Bonds.

2. Bid Bond is not required.

3. Safety Record is of the utmost importance. Subcontractors with aggregate EMR Rate of 1.5 over the past three years may be disqualified.

4. Prevailing Wage TO VIEW PLANS/SPEC:

Plans and specs may be downloaded from ASAP Reprographics at www.asapplanroom.com

Plans and specs may also be viewed at the following Builders Exchanges:

- SLO County Builders Exchange – www.slocbe.com

- Santa Maria Valley Contractors Association – www.smvca.org

- Central California Builders Exchange – www.cencalbx.com

Maino Construction Company, Incorporated is an equal opportunity Contractor. It is the responsibility of each Subcontractor to view all pertinent information and documents prior to submitting a proposal.

Homework: What’s your best method for dissolving bad habits? Tell me so I can benefit from your wisdom! Newsletter.freewillastrology.com

ARIES

(March 21-April 19): Now is a favorable time to make initial inquiries, ask for free samples, and enjoy window shopping. But it’s not an opportune time to seal final decisions or sign binding contracts. Have fun haggling and exploring, even as you avoid making permanent promises. Follow the inklings of your heart more than the speculations of your head but refrain from pledging your heart until lots of evidence is available. You are in a prime position to attract and consider an array of possibilities, and for best results you should remain noncommittal for the foreseeable future.

TAURUS

(April 20-May 20): Author Betty Bender said, “Anything I’ve ever done that ultimately was worthwhile initially scared me to death.”

Painter Georgia O’Keeffe confessed she always harbored chronic anxiety—yet that never stopped her from doing what she loved.

Philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “Anyone who is not everyday conquering some fear has not learned the secret of life.” I hope these testimonials inspire you to bolster your grit, Taurus. In the coming days, you may not have any more or less fear than usual. But you will be able to summon extra courage and willpower as you render the fear at least semi-irrelevant.

GEMINI

(May 21-June 20): Richard the Lionheart (1157-1199) was a medieval king of England. How did he get his nickname? Scholars say it was because of his skill as a military leader. But legend tells an additional story. As a young man, Richard was imprisoned by an enemy who arranged for a hungry lion to be brought into his cell. As the beast opened its maw to maul the future king, Richard thrust his arm down its throat and tore out its heart, killing it. What does this tale have to do with you, Gemini? I predict you will soon encounter a test that’s less extreme than Richard’s but equally solvable by bursts of creative ingenuity. Though there will be no physical danger, you will be wise to call on similar boldness. Drawing on the element of surprise may also serve you well.

CANCER

(June 21-July 22): Will the adventures heading your way be unusual, amusing, and even unprecedented? I bet they will have at least some of those elements. You could encounter plot twists you’ve never witnessed or imagined. You may be inspired to dream up creative adjustments unlike any you’ve tried. These would be very positive developments. They suggest you’re becoming more comfortable with expressing your authentic self and less susceptible to the influence of people’s expectations. Every one of us is a unique genius in some ways, and you’re getting closer to inhabiting the fullness of yours.

LEO

(July 23-Aug. 22): At least for now, help may not be available from the usual sources. Is the doctor sick? Does mommy need mothering? Is the therapist feeling depressed? My advice is to not worry about the deficiencies, but rather shift your attention to skillful surrogates and substitutes. They may give you what you need—and even more. I’m reminded of The Crystal Cave a novel about the Arthurian legend. The king, Ambrosius Aurelianus, advises the magician Merlin, “Take power where it is offered.” In other words: not where you think or wish power would be, but from sources that are unexpected or outside your customary parameters.

VIRGO

LIBRA

(Sept. 23-Oct. 22): In the coming weeks, you can ask for and receive more blessings than usual. So please be aggressive and imaginative about asking! Here are suggestions about what gifts to seek out: 1. vigorous support as you transform two oppositional forces into complementary influences; 2. extra money, time, and spaciousness as you convert a drawback into an asset; 3. kindness and understanding as you ripen an unripe aspect of yourself; 4. inspiration and advice as you make new connections that will serve your future goals.

SCORPIO

(Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Read the two help-wanted ads below. Meditate on which appeals to you more, and treat this choice as a metaphor for a personal decision you face. 1. “Pedestrian, predictable organization seeks humdrum people with low-grade ambitions for tasks that perform marginally useful services. Interested in exploring mild passions and learning more about the art of spiritual bypassing?” 2. “Our high-octane conclave values the arts of playing while you work and working while you play. Are you ready and able to provide your creative input? Are you interested in exploring the privilege and responsibility of forever reinventing yourself? We love restless seekers who are never bored.”

SAGITTARIUS

(Nov. 22-Dec. 21): What is a gourmet bargain? What is a discount marvel? How about an inspiring breakthrough that incurs no debt? Themes like those are weaving their way into your destiny. So be alert for the likelihood that cheap thrills will be superior to the expensive kind. Search for elegance and beauty in earthy locations that aren’t sleek and polished. Be receptive to the possibility that splendor and awe may be available to you at a low cost. Now may be one of those rare times when imperfect things are more sublime than the so-called perfect stuff.

CAPRICORN

(Dec. 22-Jan. 19): “There is always one moment in childhood when the door opens and lets the future in,” wrote novelist Graham Greene. For me, it was three days near the end of third grade when I wrote a fairy tale about the unruly adventures of a fictional kid named Polly. Her wildness was infused with kindness. Her rebellions were assertive but friendly. For the first time, as I told Polly’s story, I realized I wanted to be an unconventional writer when I grew up. What about you, Capricorn? When you were young, was there a comparable opening to your future? If so, now is a good phase to revisit it, commune with your memories of it, and invite it to inspire the next stage of its evolution in you.

AQUARIUS

(Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Even when you are your regular, ordinary self, you have a knack and fondness for irregularity and originality. And these days, your affinity for what’s unprecedented and uncommon is even higher than usual. I am happy about that. I am cheering you on. So please enjoy yourself profoundly as you experiment with nonstandard approaches. Be as idiosyncratic as you dare! Even downright weird! But also try to avoid direct conflicts with the Guardians of How Things Have Always Been Done. Don’t allow Change Haters to interfere with your fun or obstruct the enhancements you want to instigate. Be a slippery innovator. Be an irrepressible instigator.

PISCES

(Feb. 19-March 20): Below are truths I hope you will ripen and deepen in the coming months. 1. Negative feelings are not necessarily truer and more profound than positive ones. 2. Cynical opinions are not automatically more intelligent or wellfounded than optimistic opinions. 3. Criticizing and berating yourself is not a more robust sign of self-awareness than praising and appreciating yourself. 4. Any paranoia you feel may be a stunted emotion resulting from psychic skills you have neglected to develop. 5. Agitation and anxiety can almost always be converted into creative energy. ∆ Free

(Aug. 23-Sept. 22): The rest of the story is not yet ready to emerge, but it will be soon. Be patient just a while longer. When full disclosure arrives, you will no longer have to guess about hidden agendas and simmering subtexts. Adventures in the underworld will move above ground. Missing links will finally appear, and perplexing ambiguities will be clarified. Here’s how you can expedite these developments: Make sure you are thoroughly receptive to knowing the rest of the story. Assert your strong desire to dissolve ignorance.

COME CELEBRATE WITH US GROWING GROUNDS TURNS 40!

• Live Music!

• Family Activities!

• Food Trucks!

• Free Ice Cream!

Since 1984, this one-of-a-kind program has made a positive impact on our community—growing plants and people. We have provided employment and vocational training to over 2,000 adults living with the challenges of mental illness and have become one of the top regional suppliers of droughttolerant landscape plants. There is so much to celebrate— we have a big party planned and you are all invited!

Questions? Call Michael at (805) 540-6513

Saturday, April 20 12:00–5:00pm FREE TO THE PUBLIC

NO PARKING ONSITE

Park at SLO Naz Church, 3396 Johnson Avenue, and take our shuttle around the corner to the party.

Moonshiner Collective

Thanks to our Lead Sponsor