SLO City News Feb. 23, 2017

YOUR COMMUNITY IN YOUR HANDS

Volume 9

•

Issue 18

•

February 23 - March 8, 2017

SLOCityNews.com

See Inside and Online

More Green Space Soon Page 10

Japanese Exclusion - 75 Years Later Page 34 Avila Beach has several newly hand-painted lifeguard towers for visitors to enjoy. The works are commissioned from local artist Colleen Gnos, famous for her surf and underwater scenes.

Photo by Mark Diaz.

Freshman Congressman Returns From D.C.

Teddy Returning to Mitchell Park

By Camas Frank

By Camas Frank

here’s an apocryphal English expression purporting to be of Chinese origin, “May you live in interesting times.”

Freshman Congressman Salud Carbajal, representing the 24th Congressional District — the Central Coast — since Jan. 3, has walked into one of the most interesting legislative sessions in modern times.

proposed public art installation to commemorate the 1903 visit by President Theodore Roosevelt to SLO gained a little bit more life.

For anyone who wasn’t around 114 years ago, it was one of two visits paid to SLO by a U.S. President. He came to town on the train, as part of his “Great Loop” through the Western U.S., no small feat in those days.

See Carbajal, page 8

See Teddy, page 9

T

Small Business Spotlight facebook.com/slocitynews

A

SLOCityNews.com

C O N T E N T S

February 23 - March 8, 2017 • SLO City News

news

cc life

Alleged Car Burglars Arrested.................................3

Good to be King ........................ 14

Co-ed Grabbed Outside Cal Poly ............................4

Now and Then ............................ 15

Neil Farrell managing editor The Bay News neil@simplyclearmarketing.com

Diablo Canyon Shutdown Reaches Review .............5

Community Calendar ................. 16

Creamery Remodel and Creamery Plaza .................5

Art Talk ....................................... 18

Theresa-Marie Wilson managing editor The Coast News t@simplyclearmarketing.com

Police Blotter.........................................................6-7

Galleries ..................................... 19

Waddell Ranch Joining SLO Open Space ..............10

Framed ....................................... 20

Camas Frank section editor SLO City News frank@simplyclearmarketing.com

State Parks Looking for Volunteers .......................10

Talley Recipe .............................. 22

SLO Man Earns Degree from Iowa ........................10

Cal Poly Baseball ........................ 23

Michael Elliott sports reporter sports@simplyclearmarketing.com

Cal Poly Students Honored in Sacramento ...........12

Nightwriters ............................... 25

KZOZ Donates to BBBS .........................................33

Sports Shorts.............................. 26

Mark Diaz business reporter mark@simplyclearmarketing.com

CMC Inmates Raise Funds .....................................33

Entertainment .......................28-31

PG&E Employees Donate Millions.........................33

Dinner and a Movie .................... 32

Simply Clear Marketing and Media Team Bret Colhouer publisher bret@simplyclearmarketing.com

Michelle Johnson art director

Human Toll of Japanese Removal Remembered ...34

Christy Serpa editorial design

Election Laws Proposed .........................................36

Stephanie Hansen administrative assistant

SBA Disaster Loans Available ................................36

Justin Stoner graphic marketing

Foodie Event at Film Festival March 14 ................36

5

Karita Harrskog event and marketing assistant admin@simplyclearmarketing.com ADVERTISING Jessica Micklus sales manager jessica@simplyclearmarketing.com Dana McGraw senior advertising executive dana@simplyclearmarketing.com

ut O

ut

Carrie Vickerman bay news advertising executive carrie@simplyclearmarketing.com

ho

Zorina Ricci coast news advertising executive z@simplyclearmarketing.com

S

A new program aims to relieve some of the emotional and financial burdens that SLO County caregivers and family members face when a loved one is suffering with Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia. Care Management Services, is free program of Hospice of San Luis Obispo County. For more information about the program can be found online at HospiceSLO.org or by calling (805) 544-2266.

David Diaz digital marketing CONTRIBUTING WRITERS & PHOTOGRAPHERS Ben Schutzer David Buckingham Erin O’Donnell King Harris Judy Salamacca Michael Gunther Nancy Puder Ray Ambler SLO Nightwriters Teri Bayus Vivian Krug This is a publication of SCMM., Copyright 2007–2016 all rights reserved. One free copy per person. Additional copies can be obtained at our offices 615 Clarion Court, #2, San Luis Obispo, CA, 93401. Tolosa Press makes every reasonable effort to ensure the accuracy of its contents. Please notify us if information is incorrect.

phone (805) 543-6397 fax (805) 772-4625 615 Clarion Ct., #2, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401

www.YourCoastNews.com

Call 543-NEWS

In the resolution to a long standing dispute coming after the SLO City News deadline, The San Luis Obispo City Council voted unanimously to have staff draft a repeal of the Rental Housing Inspection Ordinance. That’s expected to come up for first reading at the regular March 7 meeting.

business matters Bottom Line................................ 37 Biz Briefs ...............................38-39 Financial Focus ........................... 40 Featured Folks ........................... 42

33

9 10

SLO City News • February 23 - March 8, 2017

News

•

3

Alleged Car Burglars Arrested

By Neil Farrell

S

an Luis Obispo Police arrested two Santa Maria men for suspicion of breaking into vehicles and stealing items, stealing motorcycles and attempting to run over officers while trying to escape.

According to SLOPD Sgt. Chad Pfarr, police got a call at 2 a.m.

Wednesday, Feb. 1 of two suspicious men in a U-Haul box truck on Augusta Street in SLO. “The caller reported the U-Haul passenger had exited the truck and used something to break the windows out of a vehicle in the 2900 block of Augusta,” Sgt. Pfarr said. “The suspect removed items from the parked car and the U-Haul left the area.”

Police soon found the truck driving down Ella Street and hit the emergency lights to try and stop the vehicle, but instead of yielding, the driver reportedly hit the gas and aimed the truck “directly towards the officer’s driver’s door,” Sgt. Pfarr said. “The officer was able to take evasive action and narrowly avoided being hit by the suspect’s truck. The U-Haul collided with a parked car that was immediately

a motorcycle suspected of being stolen.”

Fortunately for police, the master criminals left incriminating evidence b e h i n d .

“Documents a n d fingerprints located in the U-Haul helped investigators Alberto Macias Antonio Tanner-Galvez identify the suspects.”

S L O P D enlisted the adjacent to the officer’s driver’s side help of the Santa Barbara County door.”

The truck kept going but was Sheriff’s Office and the next day found abandoned a short distance they were able to track down the two away. The two suspects had escaped suspects while they were driving in Santa Maria. on foot.

The two men, identified as Antonio “Once the U-Haul was secured by officers they discovered items Tanner-Galvez, 24 and Alberto of suspected stolen property from Macias, 22 both of Santa Maria, several recent vehicle burglaries,” were arrested without incident and Sgt. Pfarr said. “Also in the truck was booked into SLO County Jail on suspicion of assault with a deadly

weapon on a peace officer, second degree burglary, being felons in possession of a ammunition, felony and reckless evading a peace officer, hit and run, and felony vandalism (over $400 damage).

Macias was also charged with alleged possession of burglary tools.

Each had bail set at $70,000.

Also, “Tanner-Galvez is a suspect in approximately 10 other stolen vehicle investigations being conducted by the San Luis Obispo Police Department,” Sgt. Pfarr said. “Each of those cases involve motorcycles and several include the theft of trailers.”

And police are investigating the pair’s possible involvement in a series of car break-ins along Los Osos Valley Road over the past several weeks, though charges in those eight or so cases have not yet been filed.

If readers have information related to either Macias, or TannerGalvez or any of these crimes, you are encouraged to call SLOPD at 781-7312 or Crime Stoppers at 549STOP.

READY TO SELL YOUR HOME? MORRO BAY Three bedroom, three bath home with bonus room and awesome rock and ocean views! Sold for $835,000.

D

L SO

LD

SO

LOS OSOS Absolutely beautiful home in Los Osos! Single-Level, 2 Bedrooms, 2 Bathrooms, 1120sq ft, 2- car garage. Sold for $456,000

LOS OSOS

LD

SO

Lovely two bedroom, two bath home located in one of Los Osos most charming neighborhoods in Bayridge Estates. Sold for $585,000

Vaca Vac Vacant lots available in Cayucos and Cambria. Call for Details.

Call C all the th broker with the SOLD signs! g

Kelly Vandenheuvel K Broker Associate; GRI CalBRE#01472453

I Can Sell Yours Too Call Me Today! www.centralcoastsales.com kellyv@centralcoastsales.com k ke e

805-471-1046

4

•

February 23 - March 8, 2017 • SLO City News

News

Co-ed Grabbed Outside Cal Poly

S

an Luis Obispo Police are looking for a man who grabbed the buttocks of a Cal Poly co-ed and then escaped off into the night.

According to SLOPD Sgt. Chad Pfarr at about 9:15 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 16 a woman was walking alone through campus near the health center when the attack occurred.

“As she approached the stairs leading from the coffee shop and the 1400 block of Foothill onto campus,” Sgt. Pfarr said in a news release, “she felt someone grab her by the buttocks.”

The woman turned to find a Hispanic man, about 5-feet 6-inches tall, thin with a “stalky” build, and wearing a heavy black jacket, pants and a tan colored beanie.

The scoundrel took off and was last seen running down the 1300 block of Foothill Blvd., said Sgt. Pfarr.

The victim was not injured in the incident and called police immediately but officers couldn’t

find him. Sgt. Pfarr said this is the third incident in the same general area — on the fringes of the Cal Poly Campus — over the past two months.

Though seemingly sexual in nature, this particular incident doesn’t fit the definition. “Sexual battery in California is defined under 243.4(a) PC,” Sgt. Pfarr said.

“Restraint is one of the elements of that section. There was no restraint, so it’s a straight battery.”

This guy isn’t believed to be the same one who several years ago, attacked several female students off campus, attempting to drag them into bushes or a car. “I do not believe they are associated with the sexual assaults from a couple years back,” Sgt. Pfarr said.

Police are asking anyone who might have seen the man running down Foothill Boulevard to call them at 781-7312 or Crime Stoppers at 549-STOP.

Pair Arrested on Theft Charges

Morro Bay – Rock & Ocean Views RE

2583 Hemlock Ave - Reduced to $675,000

DU

CE

D!

Lovely 3 bed/3 bath home in excellent condition, with abundant natural light and soaring cathedral ceilings. Single level living on ground floor with no steps to entry. Two additional bedrooms upstairs, family room, 2nd gas fireplace and wet bar. Call me today!

Visit: MyScenicCoastHome.com for more details!

MyScenicCoastHome.com MONICA RANDEEN 815 Morro Bay Blvd.

Morro Bay CA 93442

BROKER ASSOCIATE

BRE #01860001

(805) 235-2368

(DFK 2I¼FH ,QGHSHQGHQWO\ 2ZQHG DQG 2SHUDWHG

monicarandeen@kw.com

Delivery, Catering, and Lunch Box Orders

10% OFF YOUR NEXT MEAL!

Mention or bring this coupon at the register and receive a 10% discount on your total order!

977 Foothill Blvd, San Luis Obispo — (805) 546-0369

S

an Luis O b i s p o P o l i c e arrested a Los Osos man and an Arroyo Grande woman for suspicion of possessing stolen property after they were found unconscious in a car on Broad Street.

According to SLOPD Sgt. Jeff Booth, at about 2:07 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 4, police were notified of two people “slumped over” sitting in a car in the 3000 block of Broad St. Sgt. Booth explained that by “slumped over,” he means, “unconscious and could be from a variety of reasons. Medical, drug, alcohol, or just being tired,” but did not narrow it down further.

A check of the license plate, reported that the car was allegedly reported stolen and “both occupants were arrested without incident,” said Sgt. Booth.

Officers then searched the car and reportedly found suspected drugs and “numerous items related to forgery and identity theft.”

Both suspects, identified as Amy Northcote, 41 of Arroyo Grande and Ryan Alton, 32 of Los Osos, were charged with suspicion of vehicle theft, possession of drugs for sale, and a probation violation.

Police seized the property and started sorting though it. Sgt. Booth said items they were able to identify right away were returned to the rightful owners.

SLO City News • February 23 - March 8, 2017

News

•

5

Diablo Canyon Shutdown Reaches Review Milestone

$13.00 WEEKDAY / $14.00 WEEKEND

$14.00 WEEKDAY / $15.00 WEEKEND

A

joint proposal concerning the future of Pacific Gas and Electric Company’s Diablo Canyon Power Plant continues to move through the state’s review process, the utility stated in a press release.

Reviews and replies to written responses on the agreement are in progress for those were submitted to the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) for consideration last month.

Under the established review schedule, groups participating had until Jan. 27 to submit responses to the CPUC. PG&E and the joint proposal parties will reply by March 17. If approved by the CPUC, the joint proposal will phase out PG&E’s production of nuclear power in California by 2025.

“The parties behind the joint proposal, including PG&E, labor and some of the nation’s leading environmental groups, believe it

represents the most appropriate and responsible path forward,” said Geisha Williams, PG&E’s president of electric in a press statement. “It supports the state’s energy vision and ensures an orderly transition from nuclear power to other GHGfree resources, while supporting our local employees and community.

We look forward to reviewing and replying to the responses submitted today, and will continue our dialogue with stakeholders as the joint proposal continues to move through the CPUC review process.”

Williams will assume a new role as CEO and president of PG&E Corporation on March 1.

Last year PG&E hosted a public workshop and opportunity for the public to answer questions and to collect comments on the joint proposal. That feedback was included with the filing of the proposal in August 2016.

Creamery Remodel and Creamery Plaza

T

he Creamery and South Town 18, located at 564 Higuera St., have been approved for remodel and new construction. Located at the southwest edge of Downtown, the Creamery is a “Master List Historic Property,” and home to Spike’s Pub, a local watering hole.

Developers received approval in July 2016 to update the property and replace the existing parking lot behind Spike’s with a new pedestrian plaza. The project includes new paint, walkways, facades, an expansion of Spike’s and

new commercial and restaurant spaces.

A separate project, South Town 18, will be constructed adjacent to The Creamery near San Luis Creek. In January, the SLO City Council approved a mixed-use project that includes 18 residential units, a small commercial space and parking.

The units range in size from studio apartments to 1- and 2-bedroom units.

The project was designed to provide pedestrian connectivity with The Creamery.

Clearance SALE 25-50% OFF Selected Items

AMERICAN MADE

WE SPECIALIZE IN AMERICAN MADE APPAREL. HERE ARE SOME OF OUR LINES: KAREN KANE

HOUR GLASS

NIKIBIKI

ILLUMINATION

HARDTAIL

NEW MODE

GROVE

SWEET CLAIR

NYDJ

SUN & MOON

6

•

February 23 - March 8, 2017 • Simply Clear Marketing & Media

Police Blotter Arroyo Grande • Feb. 19: A group of people were found trespassing on private property.

A female was arrested for resisting and trespassing and a male scofflaw had a warrant.

• Feb. 17: A poor excuse of a man on the 1100 block of Branch was arrested for physically grabbing his wife and another person. He had of course also violated a domestic violence restraining order.

• Feb. 16: A woman on the 1200 block of Grand Ave., allegedly used a fake driver’s license to try to withdraw cash from someone else’s bank account.

• Feb. 15: A female pillar of society on the 1100 block of Branch was arrested for warrants, possession of narcotics and possession of drug paraphernalia.

A male was also placed under arrest for possession of narcotics and drug paraphernalia.

• Feb. 14: Some people lacking in heart broke into a residence on Printz Road and stole guns, tools, jewelry, and lighting equipment, making for a not-so-happy Valentine’s Day.

Morro Bay Editor’s Note: Morro Bay Police will host another “Coffee with Cops” get-together from 7-9 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 28 at The Rock Espresso Bar on Morro Bay Boulevard. Residents can meet with officers, talk about their concerns, gripe a little, or just say, “Thank you.”

• Feb. 5: Police responded to a disturbance at 5:04 p.m. in the 2100 block of Main. A man, 27, was hooked up for suspicion of being on drugs and not to be left out, a woman, 33, had a bench warrant and she too went to the hoosegow.

• Feb. 4-5: It was a tough couple of days for a man and a woman who had back-to-back episodes with Five-0.

She was contacted at 12:08 p.m. the 4th in the 200 block of Atascadero Rd., and nicked for being thick as a tick.

Next day at 9:55 a.m. she was involved in a disturbance in the 700 block of Kern and again visited with Uncle Ian at the Kansas Avenue Inn. He was spotted allegedly helping himself to some foodstuffs at Bottle Liquor & Deli on Feb. 4 at 11:34 a.m. Police sent the paperwork to the DA for possible inaction. At 4:38 the same day, the same miscreant, 45, was contacted in the 900 block of Main and arrested for having drug paraphernalia, and finally, a probation violation, as stealing apparently doesn’t rate.

• Feb. 4: Police pulled over a regular customer in an “investigative stop”

and sure enough the driver, 26, had a suspended license for a prior DUI (no doubt courtesy the same cop). His car was impounded and he was cited and released with a one-way ticket to Purgatory.

• Feb. 3: Police responded at 10 p.m. to a single-car wreck in the 200 block of Atascadero Rd. The driver, 60, was arrested for suspicion of wrecking while driving wrecked; his wrecked car towed off by a wrecker.

• Feb. 3: Police responded at 7:18 p.m. to a disturbance in the 900 block of Piney Way. A 55-year-old bent fellow was arrested for suspicion of dipsomania.

• Feb. 2: Police responded at 11:42 p.m. to McDonald’s after some Hamburglar stole a bicycle.

• Feb. 2: Police stopped a suspicious vehicle at 10:28 p.m. in the 2100 block of Main. The driver was allegedly driving zig zagged and on a suspended no less, and his woman passenger too was allegedly high. They both went to the gaol on a two-for-one special.

• Feb. 2: Police responded to the 400 block of South Bay Blvd., for a medical emergency you don’t hear every day.

“A 65-year-old woman fell and hit her head while attempting to stop her unoccupied vehicle from rolling down an incline.”

• Feb. 2: Police stopped a suspicious vehicle at 1 a.m. in the 2800 block of Alder. The driver was popped for allegedly driving while on drugs, possession of drugs and committing a felony while on bail, which ought to be good for a deuce at the County Inn & Spa. • Feb. 1: Police contacted a suspicious man at 9 p.m. in the 400 block of Embarcadero. The 40-year-old all star was arrested for suspicion of being higher than the birds up in the sky, here we go ‘round in circles…

• Feb. 1: Police stopped a suspicious vehicle at 11:23 p.m. in the 600 block of Morro and arrested the driver for suspicion of being on a toot, which at 76, he ought to know better.

both for allegedly being on drugs, which seems to be the crime du jour these days.

• Jan. 31: A disturbance was reported at 11:16 p.m. in the 700 block of MBB and a 54-year-old woman was arrested for being toddy stricken. At 9, they went to the 1100 block of Embarcadero for another dustup. The tore up ruffian was arrested for resisting arrest.

Pismo Beach • Feb. 13: Someone was drawing and selling caricature drawings by the flagpole at the pier. He had a business license but not for that exact, same, particular spot, and the entrepreneurial spirit dies a slow, painful demise.

• Feb. 13: Couches were left on the 100 block of Naomi, but none of the resident couch potatoes claimed to know how.

“A woman on the 1200 block of Grand Ave., allegedly used a fake driverʼs license to try to withdraw cash from someone elseʼs bank account.”

• Feb. 13: Some low voltage character stole a pocketful of batteries from Rite Aid. They decided not to prosecute but the guy was warned against trespassing.

• Feb. 13: A woman on the 2000 block of Barcelona called 9-1-1 and hung up. Upon call back, she reported that her refrigerator was leaking water and she didn’t know what to do, so she accidently called the police. Lucky for her, an officer did help turn the water off.

• Feb. 12: Two men were reportedly to be having sex in the bathroom by the pier, but were apparently just fooling around.

• Feb. 12: Some twit stole the donation can for Giuseppe’s Fire Relief Fund from the counter at 7-Eleven. It will “Police stopped a suspicious vehicle be hot where he is going. at 1 a.m. in the 2800 block of Alder.

The driver was popped for allegedly driving while on drugs, possession of drugs and committing a felony while on bail, which ought to be good for a deuce at the County Inn & Spa.” • Feb. 1: Police contacted some regular customers at 1 a.m. in the 700 block of Quintana and busted them

• Feb. 12: A guest at Oxford Suites was reportedly asking people for money saying that they would “get their money back and then some.”

Sounds like a deal too good to pass up.

• Feb. 12: A woman with a blanket wrapped around her on Park at Addie

was in the middle of the road yelling.

Police were unable to locate Linus.

• Feb. 12: Cal Fire was called in to help a man stuck in the lagoon off of Dolliver and was unable to move his legs.

• Feb. 10: Extra patrols were requested for a male driver who appeared to be casing Judkin’s Middle School. When the custodian asked him if he needed help, the driver took off at a high rate of speed.

• Feb. 10: A guest at Motel 6 was argumentative with other guest, which makes for a fun overnight stay. The little pain wasn’t evicted as planned, but was instead allowed to stay in her room until her mother picked her up.

• Feb. 11: Roommates on the 1100 block of Bello were yelling and a possible fight was brewing, according to a caller. They were intoxicated, go figure, but had no weapons. It turns out that the rat who made the call, actually started the fight.

• Feb. 10: A caller on the 1200 block of Price Street reported that a juvenile girl kicked his door open and took off in a dark colored sedan with several other hooligans. The damage to the door was estimated at $200.

• Feb. 10: A caller on the 500 block of Dugan reported hearing something being thrown at her front door. As it turns out, a statue was stolen from her yard and shattered on the stairs. The possible culprit took off on a small “street racer with spare tires” on it.

Another of her T-J masterpieces was found on Francis at James Way. • Feb. 10: There was a flame up of mixed personalities at the Moose Lodge between to angry guys. The Tooth Fairy will be busy because one of the bruisers had a tooth knocked out.

• Feb. 10: A caller on the 900 block of Longview reported that someone was trying to break in. He had heard noises outside along with two, loud “BOOMS!” Everything checked out OK, as it was apparently just the wind.

San Luis Obispo • Feb. 17: At 6:47 a.m. a shopkeeper in the 700 block of Marsh wanted a sleeping transient doorstop moved along before his customers get scared away.

• Feb. 17: At 6:42 a.m. at Embassy Suites, the guest in Rm. 434 was charged an illegal tourist tax — his car was burgled. Then again, a resident in the 400 block of Lawrence got his or her car burgled, too.

Simply Clear Marketing & Media • February 23 - March 8, 2017

•

7

Police Blotter • Feb. 17: At 6:01 a.m. the fire alarm sounded at the unfortunately named, Blaze Pizza, in the 800 block of Foothill. No blaze was discovered at Blaze.

• Feb. 17: At 4:24 a.m. someone reported a suspicious transient man in Meadow Park, something they perhaps ought to be used to by now.

• Feb. 16: A citizen in the 200 block of Chorro complained about a loud party at 11:28 p.m. Officers crashed a party with about 30 Poly and Cuesta students, and they cited the hostess.

“Roommates on the 1100 block of Bello were yelling and a possible fight was brewing, according to a caller. They were intoxicated, go figure, but had no weapons. It turns out that the rat who made the call, actually started the fight.”

• Feb. 17: Police got a report at 2:23 a.m. from a woman in the 200 block of Madonna about some creep in a gold, Honda 4-door staring at her at work. Ol’ Larry Lewdness didn’t rate a crime report.

• Feb. 17: Police responded at 2 a.m. to the 1300 block of Palm where a man was playing music and banging on the walls of a carport. The razzled dingus was arrested for suspicion of flexing his beer muscles.

• Feb. 17: Someone called at 2 a.m. to report a possibly schwasted fellow was trying to get into a car at Emerson Park that might not be his. Police arrested the tosspot for being stewed.

• Feb. 17: A citizen called at 1:23 a.m. from the 1700 block of Portola to report the sound of a man chasing a screaming girl. Police couldn’t find them, go back to sleep.

• Feb. 17: A man at Marston’s in the 600 block of Higuera called at 1:10 a.m. to complain because the barkeep wouldn’t give him back his debit card, Hick-up! Dispatchers reported the guy sounded schnockered.

• Feb. 16: An employee at the Wineman Grill called at 11:48 p.m. to report 10 people fighting in the street.

Officers arrived in 3 minutes and the area was clear, apparently not much of a fight.

Then at 12:30 a.m. in the 1600 block of Phillips, they crashed another loud party with slamming doors, this time with 25 revelers. Another hostess was cited.

• Feb. 16: A burglar alarm sounded at 7:20 and 10:38 p.m. in City Hall in the Planning Library. The thing was busted, something they no doubt didn’t plan on. At 9:49, the burglar alarm went off in the 900 block of Monterey at Boo Boo Records. It was a human boo-boo.

• Feb. 16: Police got a report at 9:13 p.m. from the 1400 block of Foothill where a woman said a man grabbed her buttocks, and then ran off when she spun around and confronted him.

Police are seeking the pervert.

• Feb. 16: At 9 p.m. some suspicious subject was causing a splash in the 800 block of Higuera at Splash Café.

• Feb. 16: A woman in the 3300 bock of Bullock called 9-1-1 to report a theft at 8:35 p.m. The call was canceled when she decided to go to bed and deal with it when she has time.

• Feb. 16: A citizen called at 8:07 p.m. at Buchon and Johnson to report a crash-n-dash, killing a City road sign.

• Feb. 17: Someone called at 7:39 p.m. from the 300 block of Marsh to report a transient sleeping in the breezeway at Frame Works, no doubt a pretty picture, too.

• Feb. 16: A citizen called at 7:25 from Johnson and Bishop to report a small, white, Chevy SUV driving on a flat tire. The driver was arrested for suspicion of being over-inflated; no doubt quite the deflating experience.

• Feb. 16: Police had a quick succession of calls regarding bothersome transients. At 6:50 p.m. they went to the 1500 block of Monterey for an apparently clueless transient wandering aimlessly around Savvi, in the 1500 block of Monterey. At 6:53, they went to Rite Aid on Foothill where another guy was inside yelling and refusing to get the hell out. And at 7 p.m. in the 700 block of Higuera, two transients were aggressively panhandling and ruining the vibe outside Ambiance.

• Feb. 16: Police were called to the 12200 block of LOVR where some squatter had apparently moved into the bushes at Sunset Honda.

• Feb. 16: At Pacific Marine, in the 300 block of Pacific, a Ford truck was found on the road dead.

• Feb. 16: Police were called at 3:22 p.m. to the 1300 block of Garden where an apparently semi-naked, transient man was taking a bath with the outside spigot at the 1st Church of Christ. Ol’ John Doe the Baptist was apparently absolved of his trespass.

• Feb. 16: At 3:18 p.m. in the 200 block of Cerro Romauldo, a citizen asked police to check the welfare of an elderly man that he or she had just watched slip and fall. Grandpa apparently slipped away.

• Feb. 16: Police were called at 3 p.m. to the 700 block of Foothill where a man said some mad man accosted

Morro Bay Transit Call-A-Ride Curb to Curb Transit for Everyone Let Morro Bay Transit do the driving so you don’t have to.

Monday–Friday 6:25am–6:45pm

Saturday 8:25am–4:25pm

Call 772-2744 between 8–10am to schedule a ride morro-bay.ca.us/transit CAL 2560 04/14

him outside SLO Donut Co. The angry fellow was gone.

• Feb. 16: Police were called at 2:26 p.m. to the 800 block of Industrial Way for a disturbance. Logs indicated a man with a rope tied to a tree “ripped off RP’s bumper” and then tried to steal it, a case of ill will at the Goodwill.

• Feb. 16: Police were called at 1:47 p.m. to the 800 block of Dahlia for a woman yelling profanity in the street for the past 15 minutes. At 1:43 another citizen reported a screaming woman walking down the 3900 block of Poinsettia. Then at 1:53 p.m. a woman was screaming obscenities at Mission Plaza. She split before officers could see what all the bombastic blasphemy was about.

• Feb. 16: Police were called at 1 p.m. to an apartment in the 3800 block of Foothill for an “alcohol poisoning.” A 37-year-old woman was arrested for her sins.

• Feb. 16: Police checked the welfare of a 95-year-old man in the 2300 block of Sunset who missed a lunch date with their RP. He was apparently OK, though apparently not hungry or perhaps a tad forgetful.

• Feb. 16: At 10:56 a.m. police went wiki-wiki to the Creeky Tiki for a possible theft.

• Feb. 16: Someone broke the lock off the door at Thai Classic and apparently burgled the place.

• Feb. 16: A woman called police at 9:28 a.m. and said she was riding a bike with her 10-year-old boy and a car swooshed past too close for comfort.

• Feb. 16: Police were called at 7:47 p.m. about a man standing by the Orcutt Road railroad tracks screaming at the top of his lungs. Before they arrived, the boisterous bonehead’s train left the station.

8

•

February 23 - March 8, 2017 • SLO City News

Carbajal, from page 1

Taking over from 18-year veteran of the Hill, Lois Capps, Rep. Cardajal is a very different face for the Democratic Party than the 79-yearold former nurse. He’s 52, the son of Mexican migrants and served in local government on the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors for 12 years before moving up.

In the new House of Representatives, despite the bi-partisan tone he initially reported to local media, his sponsored legislation so far has already been killed by a Republican-Democrat split of 240 to 193.

The Statue of Liberty Values Act or SOLVE Act, for example, which the Congressman said he backed as a remedy to President Donald Trump’s embattled “Muslim ban” (Executive Order 13769), “can’t make it to the floor.”

“There are no opportunities for debate or discussion [with the House majority],” said Rep. Carbajal.

“However, the courts have validated the intent and spirit of that legislation.”

Asked if he expected this to be the status quo throughout his term, he said, “I’m an optimist but this will be a challenge.”

The SLO City News initially contacted the Congressman’s office

to seek comments regarding the County Board of Supervisors’ 3-2 vote to oppose creation of a Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary offshore from SLO County to Santa Barbara.

While he’s made it a priority this term to seek a permanent ban on all future offshore oil and gas leases off the California Coast called, “The California Clean Coast Act,” he’s refusing to take a position on the marine sanctuary as a Congressman.

“I’m meeting with as many of my constituents as possible to understand their positions,” Rep. Carbajal said.

“From all over my Congressional District. As a [county] supervisor, I signed a letter in support.”

He said the contacts that his staff reports so far, have come from area environmentalists and from fishermen concerned about their livelihoods.

“The preferred goal of a sanctuary is to serve everyone,” he said. “That’s something the Channel Islands, Santa Barbara found to be quite beneficial.”

DISCOVER & EXPLORE

AMAZING DANUBE RIVER CRUISE

News With this as the first full week that Congress is not in session, since the start of the year, he said, “I need to get a better handle on that [the Arroyo Grande to Morro Bay] area.”

Hence his first “listening tour” and a chance for South County residents to speak at a Town Hall-style meeting in Arroyo Grande on Feb. 22 (which falls after the SLO City News’ deadline).

Some of the other subjects that Rep. Carbajal said were a shoe-in for discussion include his efforts to secure any and all Federal resources possible to help the region economically weather the pending shutdown of Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant.

“We’re researching what’s been done in other districts that have gone through a plant closure,” he said.

With recent rumblings from “@ realDonaldTrump” the President’s infamous Twitter account about depriving the State of California of federal funding, the Congressman’s efforts to draw resources for the area

C A L P O LY E X T E N D E D E D BESTSELLERS & STORYTELLERS WRITER’S PROGRAM

WITH THE PISMO BEACH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

BOOK

could face unexpected hurdles.

“What ‘The Donald’ needs to understand is that California is a donor state,” he said. “We pay far more than we receive [in taxes]. Also there’s a Constitution. His ridiculous rhetoric doesn’t equal action.”

While his Washington, D.C. office is still being brought up to full staffing, in fact only a couple of old faces remain from Capps’ days, Rep. Carbajal said one continuity of legacy is their position on the Obama Administration’s signature health care reform.

“My third priority for this term is stopping any kind of healthcare repeal,” he said. “There are 100,000 people in my District who benefited from the Affordable Care Act.” While he may have listed it last, there is far more passion in the Congressman’s voice speaking on this point.

“I’m doing my best while working with the opposition to any repeal,” he said, adding that his House colleagues understand the power of a filibuster; therefore, they’re going through funding mechanisms that only require a simple majority.

“The concern is that if there’s a repeal without an immediate replacement, the entire system could implode without funds. I think the Republicans are starting to understand how complex the system is with Medicaid having expanded in so many states.”

WRITING YOUR WAY AROUND THE WORLD Saturday, 4/1/17, 9 a.m. - noon

CHILDREN’S PICTURE BOOK WRITING I

Act now and save up to

&SAVE

$2,842 PER CABIN

Thursdays, 4/13/17–5/11/17, 6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.

if deposited by April 30th!*

GET PUBLISHED NOW Saturday, 4/29/17, 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

FEATURE WRITING Tuesdays, 5/2/17–5/23/17, 5:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.

CHILDREN’S PICTURE BOOK WRITING II Thursdays, 5/18/17–6/15/17, 6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.

ENROLL ONLINE

extended.calpoly.edu

WE SELL HOMES

Cruise the MS Amadeus Royal

Serving SLO County for over 35 years!

Departing September 28, 2017 STARTING AT $4,499 PER PERSON w/air & taxes INCLUDES AIR AND A BONUS NIGHT IN MUNICH!

www.SLOsale.com

Welcome aboard the 5-Star Amadeus Royal for a 7 night cruise visiting 4 European countries along the Danube. Our ports of call include Passau, Melk, Vienna, Budapest, Bratislava and Linz. We have chartered the entire ship and would love to have you join us on our Journey of Discovery as we cruise the Danube. Our cruise is not only a “Memory in the Making” but a great value as well.

For more information and a full brochure, please contact: Rochelle Bento at (805) 773-4382

805-900-6000 AMY JOHNSON

RICK JOHNSON

805-235-3955

805-235-8423

Broker Associate

CST# 2020386-50

CA DRE # 00897132

Broker Associate CA DRE # 00757689

435 First St . Avila Beach www.7svr.com

News

SLO City News • February 23 - March 8, 2017

•

9

Teddy, from page 1

It was on the same trip that he visited Yosemite with John Muir and cemented in the public consciousness for conservation as public policy.

At the time there were perhaps 3,000 people in the City of SLO and 17,000 in the whole county. Roosevelt’s speech drew an estimated 10,000 people to the sandy track that would eventually become Mitchell Park to hear him speak. It wouldn’t be until Jan. 21, 2017 that as many people would again take to the park, this time for a protest of a President.

Long time Central Coast local, and sculptor, Paula Zima returned to SLO on Friday from her new home in New Mexico, bringing with her a maquette (miniature) of the bronze sculpture of Roosevelt proposed for Mitchell Park.

She displayed the materials during an event Sunday at the SLO Senior Center, adjoining the park.

Ironically, as one of Pres. Roosevelt’s lasting contributions to pop culture include the “Teddy Bear,” Zima’s other local public works also include bears, two Bridge Bears grace the entrances to Los Osos and a fountain in SLO’s Mission Plaza.

Although this is her first sculpture with Roosevelt as a subject, she has several studies of him, one of which was also displayed, and she described her admiration for the subject.

“He was an interesting character and he fought for the common man and for preservation of our legacy,” she said. “He opposed exploitation of our resources at the expense of the people who lived next to the forest or downstream from the dam or the mine.”

The genesis of the idea for a local Roosevelt monument goes back more than 20 years, with former City Councilman John Ashbaugh as a key proponent.

“I became involved in the 1980s when John was in the Land Conservancy,” said local historian, and columnist Dan Krieger. “We were talking about the ‘Great White Fleet’ sailing past Avila and SLO and we knew of Roosevelt’s visit. So we’ve been thinking since then.”

That may be enigmatic, to clarify, the fleet was the popular reference to a US Navy battle fleet that steamed around the globe on Roosevelt’s order from December 16, 1907, to February 22, 1909.

“Roosevelt only spent an hour here,” said Ashbaugh, explaining why he was so taken with the idea of Roosevelt’s visit over that of President William McKinley, who was assassinated in 1901. “McKinley actually stayed overnight, but my view is that when Roosevelt came here and what he said here was the birth of SLO’s environmentalism.”

“Local leaders,” added Ashbaugh, who teaches history at Hancock College,

“were influenced by his words on the way to meet Muir. Louis Sinsheimer was Mayor of SLO for 20 years through early conservation efforts and the start of our slow growth policies. Local planners should be recognized as well.”

For his part, Krieger had professional interest but also only a single degree of separation from the event, having known a local woman who sat on Roosevelt’s lap as a child during the visit.

ARTS Obispo is currently raising funds to complete the project, with previous cost estimates running up to $100,000. That will cover Zima’s material costs and casting of the bronze.

“We don’t have any photographs from his visit to SLO,” she said, “but pictures from Santa Barbara and other stops show him standing in a top hat and tails. I didn’t think that fit the tone of who he was or what the visit was about.”

The design that she hopes will go forward in the park is of Roosevelt

seated in an animated posture, as if speaking with a group of people in a circle around him.

“We hope it does start conversations,” she said.

Editor’s Note: Paula Zima and John Ashbaugh wished to make some clarifications about the artists design for the Theodore Roosevelt Statue for Mitchell Park. Although known for “Teddy” bears, the president hated the name. The animal at his feet in the design is in fact a badger, one that was presented as a gift during the trip that brought him to SLO. As well it is likely the final design for the former roughrider will feature him with hat on to protect against the elements. ARTSObispo is the financial service agency raising money for the installation. It is possible that they’ll need $125,000 for the final piece. More information at: www.sloartscouncil. org/tr-monument.

10

•

February 23 - March 8, 2017 • SLO City News

Community

Waddell Ranch Joining SLO Open Space

State Parks Looking for Volunteers

By Camas Frank

A

fter more than 20 years in the planning and two years in negotiation, the City of SLO has completed the acquisition of the 154-acre Waddell Ranch.

The property will eventually be annexed into the Irish Hills Natural Reserve as part of the City’s greenbelt, but for the moment the area is much too soggy for residents to enjoy, and the hiking trails that would allow access for a view have been closed by weeks of intermittent rain.

“It’s hard to speculate what might have happened without the preservation agreement,” said the City’s Natural Resources Manager, Bob Hill. “Three lots were available on the property that could have been developed.”

The conservation project was a collaboration between the City, the Trust for Public Land, and, said Hill, the property owner, Duane Waddell.

“We reached out about two years ago now and he responded positively,” Hill said, noting that the property is directly at the headwaters of Froom Creek and the area was ideal for wildlife as well as greenbelt preservation.

“We’ve been up there to see it for ourselves a lot,” he said, but with 154 acres to explore there are also unknowns to the property.

“Our first priority is making sure it’s safe before public use. Then a conservation plan will need to be drafted and approved [by the SLO City Council].”

Since the property abuts the existing reserve, the City’s park rangers and planners are most excited about the opportunity to finish a loop trail through the area, with views all the way to the ocean, similar to the Felsman Loop Trail and the climb up Bishop Peak.

“There are some funds set aside for trails,” said Hill, “But our rangers do most of that work with volunteers. We have a network of very skilled volunteers.”

That work would be expected to take place sometime this summer, with the fist openings to the public a bit earlier in the spring.

“The property is a small piece of old California,” Hill added, “and we are grateful to Mr. Waddell for his past stewardship and commitment to ensuring that this special land will remain open and wild forever.”

SLO Mayor Heidi Harmon meanwhile, called the $1.1 million purchase agreement, an “exciting” use of funds from the City’s extra half-percent sales tax measure, coupled with grants from the California Wildlife Conservation Board and the California Natural Resources Agency.

E

arth Day is approaching and the State Parks Department is looking for volunteers for it’s statewide clean up workday set for Saturday, April 22.

It’s the 19th Annual California State Parks Foundation’s “Earth Day Restoration & Cleanup” sponsored

by Pacific Gas and Electric Co. The event runs from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and individuals, groups or businesses interested in volunteering can register at: calparks.org/earthday or call 1-888-98-PARKS. Registration opens Feb. 20. And see: calparks.org/ earthday for a complete list of volunteer sites and times.

A local clean up effort for SLO County beaches, creeks and rivers, is organized

by ECO-SLO with local volunteers.

Look for information on that effort as the date approaches.

“This statewide Earth Day cleanup is a great opportunity for Californians to do something meaningful for their communities and the planet by helping improve their local state parks,” the State Parks Foundation said in a news release. “Due to a history of underfunding by the state, the parks system faces a $1 billion backlog of overdue maintenance projects, as well as reduced staffing and programs.”

Since its inception in 1998, th3e Foundation’s Earth Day Restoration & Cleanup program 83,785 volunteers have put in more than 334,000 hours worth nearly $6.6 million in park maintenance and improvements. And, nearly $5 million has been raised through the Earth Day program to benefit state parks.

SLO Man Earns Degree from Iowa

S

an Luis Obispo native son, Eric Erbstoesser, earned a BBAAccounting and BBA-Finance degree from the University of Iowa for the Fall 2016 semester, the university announced. Located in Iowa City, UI is one of the nation’s premier public research universities, dedicated to academic excellence, groundbreaking discoveries and creations, commitment to Iowa and the world, and a culture that prizes community, diversity, and opportunity, according to the university’s news release. The UI is also known for its leadership in the arts, sciences, and humanities including having “the first and best creative writing program in the world, a worldclass academic medical center and one of America’s top teaching hospitals, and a can-do culture that fosters a campuswide dedication to student success.”

See: uiowa.edu for more information about UI.

Turn ideas into

Save

Reality!

Save

Save

Over 100 Home & Garden Professionals On-Site!

get inspired.

get connected.

get started.

Home, Garden and Gourmet Expo february 25 & 26 @ paso robles event center

SAT:10am-5pm SUN:10am-4pm FREE Admission | InspiredExpos.com

t

Join Us For the Taste Buds Chef Competition Sat. 1-3pm

& Gourm ine e W

Sip Savor Support!

Pr

em

i er e E v e

nt

805-772-4600

12

•

February 23 - March 8, 2017 • SLO City News

Community

Cal Poly Students Honored in Sacramento

T

wenty Cal Poly students were recognized for their awards and other accomplishments by state lawmakers on the floors of the California Assembly and Senate in Sacramento on Feb. 13.

University President Jeffrey D. Armstrong accompanied the students to both legislative chambers, saying in an advance press release. “These fine young men and women from all six of our colleges will be future leaders in their respective fields.”

Students also met with the Office of Gov. Jerry Brown and with representatives from each of their respective Senate and Assembly districts.

Each had distinguished themselves, “as an individual or on a team that has received a national industry award or on other high-profile events, including the Tournament of Roses Parade.”

Jose Alvarez, a 27-year-old Marine veteran, is the closest to a local in the group, from Santa Maria. The Cal Poly agribusiness senior will graduate in June. He plans to pursue a master’s degree

and become an academic counselor.

“I am truly humbled by this opportunity,” he said. “I feel that this is the result of the hard work

SLO

WELLNESS C E NTE R

greater comfort and safer births for your body and your baby

and passion that I have shown over the past four years at Cal Poly and at Allan Hancock College.

Being able to meet state officials who can impact California on a greater scale and who are willing to take time out of their day to hear about the work of Cal Poly students is an honor.”

Alvarez was runner-up in the

business pitch contest at the national Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources and Related Sciences annual conference held last spring in Jacksonville, Fla. He transferred to Cal Poly in 2015 from Hancock College in Santa Maria, where he received associate degrees in math and agricultural business and management. He also served five years of active duty, including three tours in the Marines and in the U.S. Marine Corps Forces Reserve.

- Photos courtesy of Cal Poly Communications

Millions of Americans’ tax refunds may be delayed this year.

If you claim the Earned Income Tax Credit or the Additional Child Tax Credit, the IRS must hold your entire refund until Feb. 15 due to the PATH Act, a new law to help combat tax fraud.

chiropractic and pregnancy Visit hrblock.com/path for details or to make an appointment.

A holistic approach integrating chiropractic, massage therapy, physiotherapeutic rehab, and nutrition.

SLO Wellness Center 805.543.8688 www.slowellness.com

3230 Broad St, Suite 110 San Luis Obispo, CA 93401 805-543-3245

• • • •

Inside: Good To Be King Then & Now Community Calendar A rt Talk & Galleries

• • • •

Framed Art Event Talley Recipe Nightwriters

• Sport Shorts • Entertainment • Dinner And a Movie

Central Coast Life

•

February 23 - March 8, 2017

A Journalist’s Tale — Jury Duty Good to be King

By King Harris

A smile is the universal welcome. Ňť Ňť

J

NEW PATIENTS WELCOME

•

EVENING HOURS AVAILABLE

Ryan M. Ross, DDS | Michael Roberts, DDS ˆˆŒ‹Œ T T

(805)541-5800

•

Mexican Restaurant & Seafood

RYANROSSDDS.COM

Need a special gift for a special someone?

BEST FOOD IN TOWN! Any time is a good time for giving.

DAILY SPECIALS 1.99 ENCHILADA MONDAY

$

All Day, No Limit, No Coupon Necessary

1.79 TACO TUESDAY

$

All Day, No Limit, No Coupon Necessary Free Chips & Salsa When Dining In

2.99 BURRITO WEDNESDAY

$

All Day, No Limit, No Coupon Necessary

Large Selection of Wedding Rings Custom Design & Repair Premium Canes Collection

Purchase any Dinner $ 99 8.Combo #1-9 and 2 Beverages Receive

2ND HALF OFF! 1 Coupon per table, No other discount applies. Exp 1/22/17

No Reservations Needed To-Go Orders Available

1263 E. Grand Ave. Arroyo Grande 805-473-9999 | Open 11-9 Daily Previously Dolly’s Donuts, next to Broadway Bagel

We Buy GOLD & DIAMONDS Hours: Tue - Fri 10AM - 6PM, Sat 10AM - 5PM

805.473.1360

857 Oak Park Blvd, Pismo Beach (located in the Ross shopping center)

ust when you make plans for the weeks ahead, something always comes up that gets in the way. I’m not talking about the storms, or flooding in our area. I’m referring to jury duty.

I got a jury summons the other day. The court wants me to call a day ahead of time to determine if I must come down to the courthouse or call again to see if I get picked. I get a summons every year, which puzzles me because news reporters like myself rarely make it to the jury box.

We may know things about a case that other jurors don’t, so reporters are more often than not excused.

Why reporters or anchors are even considered for a jury pool is beyond me? I’ve never sat on a jury before; there are many I’ve met over the years who have told me they have enjoyed it.

I’ll responsibly go where I’m directed, like the time I was selected for a curious and highly publicized case when I was news director for KEYT-TV in Santa Barbara.

It was 1985, and I was summoned to appear as a prospective juror in the country’s first major legal battle against a tobacco company. The case involved one John Galbraith of Goleta, who for 54 years, chain-smoked cigarettes made by the R.J. Reynolds tobacco company.

Smoked right up until the day he died at 69, after suffering from lung cancer, emphysema, and heart disease.

He was so addicted, that he would remove the oxygen tubes from his nose so he could sneak a smoke.

When the notorious and flamboyant San Francisco attorney, Melvin Belli, the self-proclaimed “King of Torts� got wind of this, he filed a $100 million lawsuit against RJR at the behest of Galbraith’s former wife, Elayne.

Before the trial even got started, it was becoming a circus. Opposing Belli, who came down to Santa Barbara in his yacht, was a defensive plethora of RJR corporate attorneys, public relations people, legal secretaries, and psychologists.

Selected to oversee this drama was the Honorable Bruce Dodds, a controversial judge who would later be portrayed as one of America’s worst magistrates on the ABC news show, “20/20� because of his apparent intense dislike of women.

With a cast like this, and so controversial a subject matter, media from all over the world descended upon sleepy Santa Barbara like the birds in the Hitchcock movie. In the midst of all this was I, not only as a possible juror, but also as the reporter and anchor covering the story for the town’s only TV station.

How could I do both? I asked the judge. “You can be fair and impartial, can’t

you Mr. Harris?� “Of course, your Honor, but I feel there is a conflict of interest here,� I replied.

It was the wrong answer. “Sit down and wait to be called, Mr. Harris.� So that’s what I did, for more than a week.

Out of more than 250 prospective jurors, I was the last one to be called.

And that decision was deliberate, I came to find out.

Judge Dodds had been informed by one of RJR’s “spies� that I was overheard early on discreetly exchanging background and statistical information about the case to one of my reporters, who unbeknownst to both of us, happened to be standing right next to a possible jurist. No order had yet been given not to say anything, so I continued reporting. Dodds had other ideas. He hauled me into his chambers with the attorneys from both sides, and accused me of tainting the mind of a prospective juror causing her dismissal and thereby holding up the proceedings.

A reporter from another TV station later told me that one of RJR’s secretaries had been shadowing me and planted herself right next to me, while I had been conversing with my colleague.

I was surprised I wasn’t given the boot as well, considering, but my punishment would come later. After all the prospective jurors went through the ordeal of initial questioning, I was finally called and then promptly told I was excused.

So I watched the drama unfold from a seat in the courtroom as opposed to one on the jury panel. The trial lasted five weeks. Belli tried to convince the jury that his deceased client was truly addicted to nicotine and couldn’t help himself.

RJR countered that it was Galbraith’s responsibility. Despite all the current and growing negativity towards smoking, including the pronouncements of then Surgeon General, Dr. C. Everett Koop, Belli failed to garner the popular support he was expecting.

The jury was not convinced that Galbraith was indeed addicted, or that smoking killed him, and voted 9-3 for acquittal.

Since then, tobacco companies haven’t been so favored, in the courts or on the streets. San Luis Obispo, for example, was the first city to ban indoor smoking. Elayne Galbraith may have lost her case in court, but it paved the way to eventual victory.

Long-time TV, radio, and print journalist, King Harris’ “Good to be King,� column appears regularly in Simply Clear Marketing & Media’s The Bay News, SLO City News and Coast News. Send reader comments and Letters to the Editor, to: neil@ simplyclearmarketing.com.

February 23 - March 8, 2017

• Central Coast Life

The van Beurden Family — An Immigrant Tale Then & Now

By Judy Salamacha

“

Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, the wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!� — From the Statue of Liberty Between 1940 and 1959 Cornelius and Maria van Beurden raised nine children. Sixty years ago, they sailed to America penniless yet optimistic, eager to begin again in Fresno and San Luis Obispo County.

Approximately 70 van Beurdens — three generations — will celebrate this week at the Dutchman in Morro Bay. “We’re immigrants,� said Bill van Beurden about the family’s arrival at Hoboken, N.J. in 1957. “Americans born here have no idea what a big deal that was.� With humility and humor, pride and passion, he recounted their story. “With no work in the Netherlands, our father lived in Indonesia,� recounts Bill. “In 1940 Uncle Harry stood as proxy before mother took a steamboat to join her husband. Cle was born first.�

In 1917 Dutch law conscripted male residents living in Indonesia to serve the Royal Netherlands East Indies Army Air Force or KNIL, created in 1830 to expand Dutch colonial rule.

Until World War II, the KNIL was rarely challenged to protect the Dutch East Indies against foreign invasion. “The year after I was born [1942] the Dutch were all but wiped out by the Japanese. They’d rotate us from one internment camp to the next — walking up to 50 miles. Father was taken from us to Sumatra to work on the railroad.

“We’d sleep on cots; there was no medicine, little food — soup — and open trenches for bathrooms. We were guarded by the Indonesians and Koreans who hated us. Mother’s work detail was taking care of the dead. The kids had to march by their caskets to honor them. Mother would sew jewelry into her hem, which she’d trade for food. She was caught a couple times and beaten up.�

He continues, “In August 1945 the war ended, but I’m alive today because the smaller islands didn’t get the message. Orders were to kill all the POWs. The Japanese gave their guns to the Indonesians. They’d invade camps, kidnap and cut up the Dutch and float body parts down the river. “One night our British-Indian Gupta guards heard the Indonesians were coming and woke us up and took us to a beach in a truck. I still have nightmares getting in a boat with sides and taken to another camp. “By 1946, mother didn’t know if her husband was alive, but they reunited and six weeks later we were transported on a refugee freighter back in Holland.

I remember stuffing food in my pockets until the captain assured us we’d receive three meals a day while aboard. “Uncle Harry greeted us in Rotterdam. He took us to a warehouse where the Salvation Army gave us clothes and shoes. I still donate back to them.�

They survived the war but the peace was no picnic. “At first father was sick.

Father had background in accounting, so got a school job. The Americans were recruiting — showed us movies of California and palm trees. Even back then the vetting process was tough and

telephone poles, like a place still under construction. “Father was quickly hired and fired in real estate because he didn’t know English. Dropped off at school, Cle and I didn’t know where to go. We didn’t know English, but quickly learned to smile and say ‘Yes.’ “Father was so happy to be In America he took history, English and piano at Fresno City College. He created the choir where he worked at Our Lady of Victory Church. As soon as five years was up, he applied for citizenship.�

The van Beurden Family siblings shown in a The food service industry photo taken at Cafe Roma by Dean Sullivan goes back a long way in the for the van Beurden’s 50th Anniversary in family. “In 1959 the whole America. Pictured from left to right: Anja, Paul, family worked restaurants in Stan. Leon, Marge, Iris, Mary, Bill, and Cle. Yosemite. It was hard work, Not pictured is Joost, who died in 1978. Photo but by 1968 we bought the courtesy Dean Sullivan Frasier Motel in Morro Bay for $115,000. Mother lived until 1989 and Father until 1999.� long.

Eventually the van Beurdens would “The whole family had to be in perfect own seven restaurants in SLO County, health. We were held up when they including Friar Tucks in SLO and the thought Cle had a spot on his lung. The Dutchman and Hofbrau in Morro Bay. X-ray was wrong. I was told I needed Bill developed “Van Beurden Insurance to make good grades or we couldn’t go, Services,� a nationwide insurance so I studied hard. We sailed Jan. 21, company, and Leon developed Bay 1957, on the Southern Cross, a troop Osos Brokers.

All the siblings and many transport, for nine days.

The family had the help of strangers. of the children and great grandchildren “Catholic Charities sponsored us,� Bill have worked for their companies. says. “I still donate to them. We took a Freelance writer, columnist and train to Fresno. Father had no money, author, Judy Salamacha’s Then & Now so we ate peanut butter sandwiches. Cle column is a regular feature of Simply and I kept watching for Indians like we Clear Marketing & Media. Contact saw in the movies. her at: judysalamacha@gmail.com or “Our first impression of California (805) 801-1422 with story ideas. was the orange trees in Sacramento.

In Fresno, it was the antennas and

Professional & Discreet

YOUR HOME LOAN PROFESSIONALS &RQYHQWLRQDO ‡ 86'$ ‡ 9$ ‡ )+$ $JULFXOWXUDO ‡ &RQYHQWLRQDO 5HQRYDWLRQ FHA 203K Rehab Loans

Kay Otis

Christa Abma

Katy Otis

NMLS#1475570 BRE#01014678

NMLS#704125 BRE#01953307

NMLS#1051834 BRE# 01927668

Buying a home or looking to refinance? Get Pre-qualified today.

Medicines formulated • Consultation services • Pain, sleep & chronic disease support by our Pharmacist • Hospice & palliative care to meet your most discriminating needs. • Expert formulation & compounding

(805) 591-7119 infinity@infinity-mortgage.com

Infinity-mortgage.com 9LQH 6W 3DVR 5REOHV

NMLS#1556095 BRE#02018075

Central Coast Life

•

February 23 - March 8, 2017

Community Calendar

Estero Bay United Methodist Church is holding its annual Spaghetti Dinner fundraiser from 5:30-7:30 p.m.

Tuesday, Feb. 28 at the church, 3000 Hemlock Ave., Morro Bay. Cost is $10 adults, $5 for kids 4-13, and under-4 free. Dinner is spaghetti — meat or vegetarian sauce — green salad, garlic bread, and homemade desserts, with to-go boxes available; get tickets at the Church office in advance or at the door.

Live music by The Low Expectations Hillbilly Band. Catered by Sandee Helow of Something’s Cooking.

•••

••• Art Central SLO, 1329 Monterey St., SLO is hosting “Springtime Succulence,â€? an art exhibit with works that show “the ripeness of spring,â€?

Friday, March 3 through May 1. An artist’s reception is set for 6-8 p.m.

March 3. Free and open to the public. ••• Local journalist, Stephen H. Provost, will sign his new book, “Memortality,â€? from 2-4 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 25 at Coalesce Bookstore, 845 Main St., Morro Bay. In the book, main character, Minerva’s life has never been the same since a childhood car accident that paralyzed her and killed her best friend, Raven. But when the long-dead Raven reappears in her life as a very attractive grown man, she discovers that her photographic memory has the power to bring the dead back to life, heal her paralysis and shape reality itself, and she is pursued by a rogue government agency bent on destroying her. Provost is currently editor of The Cambrian newspaper with more than 30 years experience as a journalist covering a myriad of subjects. His book, “Fresno

(JWF IFS UIF DMPTFU PG IFS ESFBNT GPS $ISJTUNBT Growing Up,â€? is a history of Fresno, Calif., during the post-war years. His next non-fiction book, “Highway 99: The History of California’s Main Street,â€? is slated for release in June. •••

The Central Coast Watercolor Society’s next monthly program is set for 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 28 at the SLO United Methodist Church, 1515 Fredericks St. Central Coast artist and instructor Tricia Reichert will demonstrate her techniques for using pen and ink lines with watercolor washes at 7. Free and open to the public.

Call (805) 439-0295.

The Central Coast Watercolor Society’s next monthly program is set for 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 28

Friends of the Los Osos Library will hold a used book sale from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 25, in the library parking lot, 2075 Palisades Ave., Los Osos. There will be books, CDs and DVDs for sale. From noon-1 is a “buck a bagâ€? sale, all the books you can put in a paper grocery bag for $1. ••• The 10th Annual Beacon Art Show will open Friday, March 3 at the United Methodist Church, 1515 Fredericks St., SLO and runs through April 2. The show entitled, “Windows to the Soul,â€? is the first of several events in 2017 celebrating the congregation’s 150th Anniversary. The juried art show will feature SLO County artists, with judges

Poetry reading with Luschei and other poets, 2 p.m. Sunday, March 19; Boomerang Concert, 2 p.m. Saturday, March 25 (pop music band on the patio); and at 3 p.m. Sunday, March 26 Bel Canto Ringers Concert (the congregation’s traditional bell choir).

Complete Beacon Art Show and 150th Year Celebration information is available online at: www.sloumc. com or by calling (805) 543-7580. ••• Morro Bay Art Association offers an ongoing still life oil painting classes with Jason Mayr, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. for beginners to experts, Mondays at the Morro Bay Art Center Gallery, 835

The San Luis Obispo Botanical Garden has several special events upcoming. The Botanical Garden is located in El Chorro Regional Park, on Hwy 1 across from Cuesta College.

Costs are listed and the events are held at the Botanical Garden unless otherwise noted. See: www.Slobg.org for more information. • Grow amazing tomatoes at a master gardener workshop from 1-2 p.m.

Saturday, March 4. Learn about varieties, pests, nutrients and more.

Followed by a free docent-led tour.

Coast is $5 for members and $10 for non-members. See: slobg.org/tomato.

No reservations needed. • Lecture on the mysteries of bird migration from 1-2 p.m. Saturday, March 11. Cost is $5 members and $10 non-members. Learn bird physiology, behavior, and the latest migration research with local biologist. Free docent-led garden tour follows. • Semi-annual plant sale fundraiser from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, March 25. Get expert advice and find great deals on beautiful plants. Prices vary and all plants will be tax-free. •••

Learn to play the harp, read music and share the joy of music at a new class with harpist and private teacher and performer, Jennifer Sayre, from 2:30-4 p.m. Tuesdays, March 7 to May 23 at Coalesce Chapel, 845 Main St., Morro Bay. Cost is $25 a week and harp rental is $25 a month. •••

t GARAGES t CLOSETS t )0.& 0''*$&4 t 1"/53*&4 t .631): #&%4

'3&& "$&4403*&4

03%&34 0' 03 .03& $BMM PS WJTJU 5BJMPSFE-JWJOH DPN 4BO-VJT0CJTQP

Franchise opportunities available. Call 866-669-8549

church founder, Joseph Timmons; North County artist and professor emeritus at Fullerton College, Nixson Borah; artist and educator, Kathy Friend; and SLO UMC Pastor Rick Uhls. There’s a free opening reception during Art After Dark, from 6-9 p.m.

Friday, March 3. Other events include: poetry writing workshop with Glenna Luschei, 10 a.m. Saturday, March 11;

Main St., Morro Bay. Cost is $30 for Association members and $35 for nonmembers. Register by calling Mayr at (805) 234-6941 or email to: jkmayr@ aol.com. See: www.artcentermorrobay. com for more offerings by the Association. •••

San Luis Obispo Museum of Art will celebrate Japanese culture with series of fundraisers set for March at the museum, 1010 Broad St., SLO. Art Becomes You: Kimono Style, is from 3-5 p.m. Sunday, March 12. There will be a panel discussion, Japanese food, sake, koto music, and a fashion

February 23 - March 8, 2017 known for creating meticulous ceramic vessels adorned with complex patterns and mesmerizing color. He united Asian design motifs with unique optical inventions.

•••

The 10th Annual Beacon Art Show will open Friday, March 3 at the United Methodist Church, 1515 Fredericks St., SLO

show. Master kimono maker, Tsuyo Onodera, from Japan will demonstrate traditional obi-tying and dressing in a wedding kimono.

Guests are y encouraged to dress artfully. Tickets are $60 for members and $80 general public. See: sloma.org for details.

From March 3 to April 30 is “Flat and Folded: Contemporary Shibori” by textile artist Ana Lisa Hedstrom in the museum’s First Gallery. Hedstrom is known for her signature contemporary shibori adaptations, the Japanese technique of compression-resistance dyeing.

March 6-10, SLOMA will host kimono-making workshops with instructor, Tsuyo Onodera, a master kimono maker who has devoted more than 50 years to making kimonos and has trained hundreds of students to become licensed kimono-makers at her school in Sendai, Japan. Workshop details and registration at: sloma.org.

SLOMA’s feature film, “Kubata’s Kimono’s: A History on Silk” will be screened at 7 p.m. Monday, March 20.

The documentary is a visually stunning biopic of Itchiku Kubota, one of Japan’s most important contemporary kimono artists and tells his story and describes the complex and intricate craft of Tsujigahana — a traditional technique of decorating fabric.

On Saturday, March 11 from 12 – 3pm, the entire family is invited to the Museum to enjoy the exhibitions and learn to make kirigami, the traditional Japanese folded paper animals. All materials and instruction provided free.

And, the Museum is also hosting a ceramics exhibit “Exquisite Beauty: the Ceramics of Ralph Bacerra,” through April 2 in the Gray Wing. Bacerra was a Los Angeles–based ceramics artist

SLO Museum of Art in conjunction with the Central Coast Sculptors Group presents “Closure” a sculpture exhibition by Leslie Hannon March 3-April 2 in the McMeen Gallery. A public opening is from 6-9 p.m. March 3 during Art After Dark.

Hannon’s sculptures and assemblages invite closer inspection into drawers, through windows, and around miniature rooms.

The sculptures represent Hannon’s journey from businessperson to artist, creating symbolic objects to mentally, physically, and spiritually retire the fabrication machines, office supplies, design materials, and tools that had encompassed her life for 20 years.

•••

The Senior Volunteer Services Program has several volunteer opportunities for folks 55-older, a chance to put life experiences to good use. Call SVS at (805) 544-8740 for information on any of these opportunities.

Friends of the Elephant Seal are interviewing for prospective volunteer guides for a training class set for March 11. Docents at the Piedras Blancas elephant seal colony meet people from all over the world and impart information about these fascinating creatures and the life cycle that unfolds on the beach.

Literacy for Life needs volunteer tutors. No previous teaching experience required, only patience and compassion along with a good solid knowledge of the English language. Volunteers undergo a training course.

Casa of SLO County is looking for senior volunteers to become advocates for abused children and/or sibling groups. Initial training of 30 hours is required and five training sessions are offered each year in SLO or North County.

SLO Police Department is looking for a volunteer(s) to specifically work in the administrative offices to help answer phones and assist with clerical tasks.

Senior Peer Counseling/ Fundamentals Training begins Tuesday, March 7 from 1-4 p.m. for those interested in helping seniors navigate the ups and downs of grief, loss, depression and other life challenges. This program trains volunteers age 55+ to provide free in-

• Central Coast Life

home supportive counseling to seniors.

Hope’s Village of SLO needs volunteers to assist with outreach and publicity, administrative tasks, graphic and web design, proposal and grant writing and fund raising. In the future, when the group obtains land, they will need people to help build the cabins on wheels who have experience in construction, plumbing and electrical.

Estrella Warbirds Museum is looking for outgoing personable docents in interested in aircraft, military history and/or automobiles, as well as their gift shop. Open Wednesdays-Sundays, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. with 3-hour shifts at each position daily.

Alzheimer’s Association/California Central Chapter is looking for volunteers to facilitate support groups for families affected by dementia.

••• Los Osos Library is hosting several free public events at the library, 2075 Palisades Ave., and sponsored by the Friends of the Library. Call 528-1862 for more information.

The library’s therapy dog, Berkeley, will be on hand to listen to kids read at 3-4 p.m. Wednesdays. Share stories with Berkeley. Free.

Family Movie is set for 2 p.m.

Saturday, March 4. They supply free popcorn and a G or PG-rated movie.

Call 528-1862 for title.

The Central Coast Astronomical Society will bring its gigantic telescope to the library parking lot at 6:30 p.m.

Thursday, March 2 for stargazing. They will have an indoor program to show if the weather is bad for stargazing. Dress warmly. Free.

The library’s other therapy dog, Carly, will be on hand to listen to kids read at 3 p.m. the second Friday of the month (March 10). Share stories with Carly. Free.

Learn about the study of genetics and how to trace genealogy through DNA with Stephen P. Morse at 11 a.m.

Saturday, March 11. Free, sponsored by Friends of Los Osos Library.

••• The Harold J. Miossi Art Gallery at Cuesta College is showcasing Irene Hardwicke Olivieri’s exhibition, “Trancing Out,” a collection of paintings illuminating Olivieri’s connection to the natural world and the subterranean world of the heart. The show will run Feb. 24-March 24, and the gallery will hold a student reception at noon on Feb. 24, followed by a public opening reception 4-7 p.m. the same day.

Olivieri will give a talk at 5:30 p.m.

Copies of Olivieri’s book, “Closer to Wildness,” will be for sale in the gallery.

The Harold J. Miossi Art Gallery is located in Rm. 7170, on the Hwy 1 campus. It is open Mondays-Fridays, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and the first and third Saturdays from noon to 4 p.m.

Admission is free.

•••

FISH FRY FRIDAYS

Every Friday in Jan. & Feb. New England Clam Chowder Cup $4 - Bowl $8 • Mixed Greens -$6 Hazelnuts and Dried Cherries, Cucumber, Tomato, & Balsamic Vinaigrette Soup -$6 Butternut squash bisque with cinnamon-spice cream Buffalo Style or Sweet & Sour Honey Mustard Chicken Wings -$7 (Served with Picked Vegetables and Blue Cheese OR Ranch Dressing) Crispy Artichokes-$7 with Lemon-caper Aioli Beer Battered Fish & Chips -$15 Beer battered Alaskan Cod w/Fries, House Made Cole Slaw & tartar sauce Grilled chicken breast $18 Garlic mashers, vegetables, tomato coulis, garlic bread Carrot cake $6 Homemade Ice Cream Sandwich with Mixed Berry Compote - $6 Additional Menu Items Available

2017 Blacklake Club Card Membership Program Cost of the membership is only $79 per calendar year!

Only $59 if you are 62+ years of age.

For more information call 805-343-1214 x400 or go to www.blacklake.com.

1490 GOLF COURSE LN., NIPOMO

805-343-1214 BLACKLAKE.COM

Central Coast Life

•

February 23 - March 8, 2017

Through the Lens

By Jayne Behman

P

hotographers capture a moment in time. Their photographs record history.

Ansel Adams’ (19021984) black-and-white landscape photographs of the American West are historical studies of the environment, then. His final prints offered images with high contrast and sharpness because he calculated the right light exposure and because he used a large format camera.

Diana Arbus (1923-1971) photographed “marginalized” people. She wanted to portray the reality of “others” on static film. Many critics considered her art ugly. Over the years she used several cameras and played with lighting for the purpose to highlight the relationship between herself and her subjects.

These photo-journalists-artists used many cameras, changed their lens, adjusted lighting, and employed various development techniques to produce photographic images as Art.

That was then.

The first real camera phone was produced in 2000 in Japan but it was Sanyo’s 2002 chunky clamshell design with a 0.3-mega-pixel capacity that launched using the mobile phone as a camera.

Contemporary photographer Robert Fisher’s work gives us a glimpse of a state in time.

“I love using my cell phone (as a camera) because I can shoot people more slyly; I look like I’m just checking my phone for email,” Fisher said.

Today’s pocket-sized and easy to use camera phone allows people the opportunity to capture unplanned or posed moments we deem important. We don’t require technical knowledge because phone camera settings are automatic.

Format and edit features are built in and easy to use.

Take the first step toward getting the radiant smile you deserve with Invisalign® clear aligners, for adults and teens.

Call today to learn about Invisalign® & for a free smile assessment. $100 Off for First time callers about Invisilign® .

marvistadental.com 1205 4th Street / Los Osos / 528-1695

Liz Miller chats and snaps using a Samsung S5note cell phone. The ease of taking a photo with this small device that is always camera ready gave her the ability to record her “outlook on life.” It launched her into a career as a photographer.

She is drawn to vivid colors, architecture, flowers, and cloud formations. She sees and records shadows falling on buildings, reflections in raindrops, and intimate parts in a flower. Once Liz snaps a photo, she may, or may not keep it. It’s easy to review photos, trash those she doesn’t want, and enhance others. She selects images to reproduce on paper and canvas.

Throughout February her work was shown at SLO Provisions (1255 Monterey Street). In April a new set of photo reproductions can be viewed at B. Anthony & Company jewelers (674 Higuera).

The camera phone does have limitations. Its technology is lowresolution pixel quality that limits

a sharp image to a smaller reproduction size.

For large prints the pixel file must be large, colors enhanced, and sharpness defined. With adjustments and enhancements, the camera phone images could be reproduced in large sizes on paper and canvas. And, there’s an App for that.

Phone picture taking is all about the “moment.” The instant printout feature that we enjoyed with the boxy Polaroid camera isn’t available, yet, with a camera phone. But, who needs an instant print when we can easily share our memories to social media!

What is important is that photographs taken with camera phones are being recognized as art.

The taker makes the difference.

Happy snapping.

GALLERIES February 23 - March 8, 2017

NORTH COAST

Amphora Gallery 4070 Burton Dr. Cambria 805-927-8273 Arthur Van Rhyn Studio Cambria 805-927-5576 Artists Garden 316 Grove St. Los Osos 805-528-1068

By The Bay Gallery 895 Embarcadero Morro Bay 805-772-5563 bythebaygallery.com Bronze, Silver & Gold Gallery 4044 Burton Dr. Cambria 805-927-5421 bsgcambria.com Cayucos Art Association & Cayucos Art Gallery 10 Cayucos Dr. Cayucos 805-995-2049 cayucosart.org Dexter Smith Art Studio 5945 Ebtrada Ave. Cayucos artistdextersmith.com Focus On Nature Photo Gallery 601 Embarcadero Morro Bay 805-772-4972 gallery.focus-on-nature.com Forever Stoked 1164 Quintana Rd. Morro Bay 805-771-9095 foreverstoked.com Full Moon Pottery StudioGallery 345 Harbor St. Morro Bay 805-772-2890 fullmoonmb.com Gallery At Marina Square 601 Embarcadero Morro Bay 805-772-4972 galleryatmarinasquare.com

Maggie’s Meticulous Mat & Frame Shop 2280 Sunset Dr. Los Osos 805-772-4700 The Frame Shop 2131 10th St. Ste A Los Osos 805-543-1743

Wild Fowl 2415 Juniper Ave. Morro Bay 805-772-5811

SAN LUIS OBISPO A Muse Gallery 845 Higuera St. San Luis Obispo 805-439-3000 amuseslo.com Amnesia 787 Higuera St. San Luis Obispo 805-543-4323 Art After Dark 1123 Mill St. San Luis Obispo 805-544-9251 artobispo.org Art Central 1329 Monterey St. San Luis Obispo 805-747-4200 artcentralartsupply.com

John Ramos Gallery 407 Morro Bay Blvd.

Morro Bay 805-772-2890 johnramos.com

Arts Council San Luis Obispo County 570 Higuera St. San Luis Obispo 805-544-9251 sloartscouncil.org Arts & Images 1553 La Cita Ct. San Luis Obispo 805-595-9463 Frame Works 339 Marsh St.

41

Harmony Cayucos Atascadero

58

41 Morro Bay

Santa Margarita

1 Santa Margarita Lake

Los Osos San Luis Obispo

Lopez Lake

Avila Beach Pismo Beach

Seven Sisters Gallery 601 Embarcadero Morro Bay 805-772-2504 stores. sevensistersgalleryca. com

Under The Sea 833 Embarcadero Morro Bay 805-772-4872

Real food by real people

Templeton

Native Spirit Gallery 333 Bernardo Ave. Morro Bay 805-772-2571 morrobay.org/nativespirit-gallery

Sun Fire Gallery 2991 Ocean Blvd.

Cayucos 805-900-5232 sunfirearts.com

Local. Organic. Sustainable.

46

Morro Bay Art Association 835 Main St. Morro Bay 805-771-2504 artcentermorrobay.com

Harmony Glassworks 2180 Old Creamery Rd. Harmony 805-927-4248 harmonyglassworks.com

Lady Spencer 148 N Ocean Ave. Cayucos 805-995-3771 ladyspencer.com

Cambria

• Central Coast Life

Grover Beach Arroyo Grande

1

San Luis Obispo 805-542-9000 sloart.com Gene Francis Gallery 1120 Garden St. San Luis Obispo 805-545-7902 genefrancis.net Hands Gallery 777 Higuera St. San Luis Obispo 805-543-1921 handsgallery.com Hillsborough Galleries of SLO 793 Higuera St. San Luis Obispo 805-544-4670 Just Looking Gallery 746 Higuera St. San Luis Obispo 805-541-6663 justlookinggallery.com Peregrine Art Glass 1330 Southwood Dr Apt 5, San Luis Obispo 805-441-4422 peregrineartglass.com San Luis Obispo Museum of Art 1010 Broad St. San Luis Obispo 805-543-8562 sloma.org Spirits of Africa Gallery 570 Higuera St. Ste 150, San Luis Obispo 877-688-0156 spiritsofafricagallery.com Stampluis Studios Blackbird 1036 Chorro St. San Luis Obispo 805-541-5197 Steynberg Gallery 1531 Monterey St. San Luis Obispo 805-547-0278

steynberggallery.com

SOUTH COUNTY 551 Art Gallery 551 W. Grand Ave Grover Beach 805-489-3318

Check out new items on our Farm Fresh

Dinner Menu

$2 OFF Any Glass of Wine (with ad) 1/2 OFF Bottle of Wine on Wednesdays Over 20 Local Wines by the Glass

5 Cities Gallery 126 E Branch St. Arroyo Grande 805-264-5572 Beltran Art 102 E Branch St. Arroyo Grande 805-264-5572 Excellent Center For Art & Culture 1101 W Grand Ave. Grover Beach 805-481-7577 Harbor Lights Gallery 580 Cypress St. Pismo Beach 805-773-8057 iWordArt Pismo Beach 805-574-9197 Seaside Gallery 580 Cypress St. Pismo Beach 805-295-6386 theseasidegallery.com Thomas Kinkade Gallery 500 Cypress St. Pismo Beach 805-773-9424 kinkadecentralcoast.com Under The Sea Gallery 324 Front, Avila Beach 805-627-1488 Village Framing 121 W Branch St. Arroyo Grande 805-489-3587

805.545.5401 805 80 5 54 545 5 54 5401 01 1121 Broad St, SLO

bigskycafe.com Metered parking available on Marsh and Higuera Streets.

s +ARATE

s %SCRIMA s 4AI #HI

Central Coast Life

•

February 23 - March 8, 2017

The Green Jacket Event of Art

By Tom Burgher

T

he green jacket is the most famous prize in golf. Since 1949, this custom, lightweight wool jacket is awarded to the Masters Tournament champion at the Augusta National Golf Club. Here on the Central Coast of California, we are fortunate to be within driving distance of the equivalent event in the art world.

This is the 20th year of the Masters of the American West Exhibition and Sale at the Autry Museum. This museum, founded by legendary cowboy movie star Gene Autry is located just off the 101 Freeway in Los Angeles, Griffith Park adjacent to the Los Angeles Zoo. This year, the exhibit is open until March 26 and features the paintings and sculpture of 77 of the best contemporary artists in America today.

After acquiring the Seaside Gallery in 2008, our artists told me about this art exhibition and strongly urged me to go see it. Still working my primary career while at a meeting in Los Angeles that ended early, I was driving past the Autry Museum in mid March 2010.

On a whim, I decided to visit Masters.

The short version of the story is that I visited the show at the last hour on the last day of that year’s exhibition. I was astounded and exhilarated by the quality of the art I witnessed that day.

In fact, I stayed a bit beyond museum hours and had to be asked to leave. I

sat in my car for a few moments and thought: “Wow! That art belongs in a museum.” Slapping my head, I realized it was in a museum, but I meant that not only was this art for sale to the public but I believed it would soon be in a permanent collection of an historical art museum. A few years later, I learned that my sentiments were correct.

All the artists are diligently juried into the Masters of the American West each year. Most of them exhibit three large

and one small work of art. Original art of this quality and caliber can be purchased throughout this exhibition from just under a thousand to over several hundred thousand dollars.

My impromptu visit was a changeagent event that quickly reset standards for the quality of art we carry in Seaside Gallery. My wife and I have returned every year since 2010 to the opening day of the Masters of the American West.

We have met many of the artists, some

of the collectors, and become friends with quite a few. We often return for a second or third visit before the show closes because we learn so much from a close-up and quiet examination and appreciation of these works of art.

Due to the influence of this art exhibition, we established the SLOPOKE as a 2-day public art event in Pismo Beach with 25 juried artist of this caliber. Last year, the SLOPOKE was successfully staged as a professional exhibition for professional artists in the Pismo Beach Veteran’s Memorial Building. SLOPOKE 2017 is scheduled for September 30 and October 1at the same place.

Having just returned from this years’ Masters of the American West, we can report that the works of these 77 artists are nothing short of amazing. Whether you are an artist, a collector, a student, or just love art, this is indeed the “Green Jacket” event of the art world. We guarantee that you will be impressed and have a very enjoyable experience.

Check out www.theautry.org/masters for hours and directions. If you can’t make it to the Autry, be sure to attend the SLOPOKE this autumn.

Tom Burgher is the co-owner and CEO of Seaside Gallery in Pismo Beach.

They can be reached at 773-8057.

Rotary Club of San Luis Obispo presents

FAMILY FUN EVENT! TO RAISE MONEY FOR LOCAL SCHOLARSHIPS!

spaghetti western sATURDAY • maRCH 25th • 5•30 - 8•00pm Vet’s Hall • 801 Grand Ave • San Luis Obispo

25 ADULTS

$

KIDS UNDER 12 EAT FREE!

CAFE ROMA PASTA&TOPSIRLOINBBQ Sweet Shoppe

KIDS CARNIVAL GAMES DOOR PRIZES • CAKE WALK WESTERN MOVIES SILENT AUCTION

Jailhouse Selfie

TICKETS AT : www.slorotary.org

February 23 - March 8, 2017

• Central Coast Life

Mushrooms Framed

Photo and Story by www.PhotoByVivian.com

F

ollowing heavy rains, a variety of mushrooms thrive in our local oak forests.

They magically appear from one day until the next, some as small as a dime and many others the size of your hand or, as in this case, hands.

Our oaks are a perfect home for the Jack-O’Lantern Mushroom.

Sometimes mistaken for the edible Chanterelle Mushroom, the JackO’Lantern Mushroom, while not lethal, is poisonous and will produce hallucinations.

They are usually found near the ground on the base of the tree, but can also be found on branches. Its name comes from it mimicking carved Halloween pumpkins as they have a similar orange color and at night they actually glow, a scientific phenomena known as bioluminescence.

To see more mushroom photos, visit www.

PhotoByVivan.com

YOU DO HAVE A CHOICE!

Great design makes a great build.

You Need an Estate Plan.

Yes, You. You’re Invited

When it comes to your estate, even if you’ve taken no action at all, you have an estate plan. Your “default plan� may be determined by the laws of your state.

Join us for our presentation Script Your Family’s Future: Why You Need an Estate Plan. We’ll discuss strategies you may want to consider when planning your estate.

Lunch will be served.

continuously sly strive to offer the highest quality care to our local communities by being owned and staffed by your friends, family, and neighbors. Because we are local we can offer state-of-the-art technology with comparable pricing, in fact,

we are up to 50% lower than our competitors!

Our Services include:

March 8, 2017 1:00pm-3:00pm Morro Bay Library 625 Harbor St, Morro Bay

3D Mammography, PET/CT scans, Ultrasound, X-Ray, CT Scans, High-Field MRI, and the most Open High-Field MRI on the Central Coast.

We hope you will join us. Please call Adriana Lepe at 805-772-6188 by March 7

Se habla espaĂąol

Edward Jones, its employees and financial advisors are not estate planners and cannot provide tax or legal advice. You should consult your estate-planning attorney or qualified tax advisor regarding your situation.

Kevin Owens Attorney at Law will be available to answer questions.

"

Contact us at (805) 242-6950 DIGITAL MEDICAL IMAGING 522 East Plaza Dr. Santa Maria 805.928.3673

FIVE CITIES MEDICAL IMAGING 921 Oak Park Blvd. Ste. 102 Pismo Beach 805.779.7900

WWW.RASLOIMAGING.COM

RADIOLOGY DIAGNOSTIC CENTER 1310 Las Tablas Rd. Ste. 103 Templeton 805.434.0829

GREYWOOD HOME & GARDEN Patricia Marie Nelson, NCIDQ No.5179 B.S. San Diego State University, Interior Design

STUDIO 158 NORTH OCEAN AVE. CAYUCOS

805.801.6256 RESIDENTIAL CUSTOM BUILDERS General Building Contractor Lic.#679485

! ! #

in the park

Citrus, Kiwi and Golden Beet Salad

Del Mar Park: 3060 Ironwood, Morro Bay

Saturday, March 4, 2017

FREE! Come watch National Pickleball pros play pickleball and demonstrate skills and strategy, including 13-year-old phenom, JACK MUNRO! Join the Pros for specialized clinics on slowing the game down, 3rd shot drops, stacking, anticipating opponents’ moves, and much more!

First demo: Second demo: Third demo:

Men’s Doubles Mixed Doubles Stacking

9:00am 10:00am 11:00am

Each demo will be followed by a clinic on each of the four courts.

FAMOUS GROUP CHALLENGE • Begins at 12:30pm 9 players per team / 8 teams max. • $10 entry fee per team • Prizes at the end

RATINGS CLINIC • Begins at 3:00pm First 16 sign-ups $15 • Ratings will be anonymous • Players will play with & against players of similar ability in a round robin style of play.

Contact Kathryn Thomas, USAPA District Ambassador mbpickleball@gmail.com or visit our website at morrobaypickleball.tumblr.com

Ingredients 2 blood oranges 1 Cara Cara orange, or other variety 2 kiwi fruit 2 golden beets Âź cup freshly squeezed orange juice, including any reserved juice from slicing 2 teaspoons olive oil Kosher salt Dash Aleppo pepper fresh mint leaves for garnish

Directions Early in the day or on the previous day Preheat oven to 375°.

Wash and dry the beets and wrap them in foil, making sure they are securely wrapped to hold in all of the juices from roasting.

Place the beet package in the oven for about an hour, or until tender. Cool the beets enough to handle and peel by rubbing the skins off with your fingers. Cool them thoroughly in the refrigerator before proceeding with salad.

Using a mandolin (or sharp knife), slice the beets very thin in crosswise slices.

Cut the peel and pith from the blood and Cara Cara oranges by slicing the top and bottom ends off. Then stand the fruit on one end and cut from top to bottom removing all pith and skin from outer edges. Using a sharp knife slice the oranges crosswise into thin slices about Ÿ� thick. Collect any excess juice in a small jar to use for dressing. Keep each fruit separate until plating to keep colors from running onto one another.

Cut the kiwi in the same manner by cutting top and bottom, and cutting the outer skin off. Carefully slice crosswise into thin slices.

Using any reserved citrus juice, add more to make Âź cup. In a small jar, mix the juice, olive oil and salt to taste.

Steve J. Murphy with Century 21 Hometown

" ! ! " YOUR HOMETOWN REAL ESTATE EXPERT

PARKING?...DON’T NEED IT! GASOLINE?...DON’T NEED IT!

Morro Bay Transit Fixed Route TRANSIT

4

Let Morro Bay Transit do the driving so you don’t have to.

FEATURED PROPERTY

SLO Gateway to Cal Poly.

4bd, 3ba with views. www.tourfactory.com/1245426

Steve

J. Murphy

Cell: (805) 550-1234

" "

!

St. ! Suite

599 Higuera A !

" San Luis Obispo, CA 93401

www.SloHomeExpert.com

EVERYONE

D

SCHEDULE: Monday-Friday 6:25am - 6:45pm Saturday 8:25am - 4:25pm

4

more information: morro-bay.ca.us/transit

To serve, arrange the slices of fruit and beets in a circular pattern on a platter in layers. Drizzle with dressing and top with mint leaves. Sprinkle with a dash of Aleppo pepper.

Kathleen Snyder is a food caterer, educator and blogger currently partnering with Talley Farms Fresh Harvest CSA providing recipes showcasing their produce. She is a San Luis Obispo County Yelp Elite reviewer and also writes reviews on Delish-Dish.com for restaurants all over the world. www.delish-dish.com

February 23 - March 8, 2017

• Central Coast Life

Cal Poly Player Profile

Experience Holistic Physical Therapy

Kyle Smith

L

isted as a potential S u n d a y starter at Cal Poly in his third season with the Mustangs.

In 2016 Kyle Smith pitched in 15 games with 14 starts as a sophomore, primarily starting the Friday night games of each series. He had a 6-6 record and 3.64 ERA, striking out 89 batters over 94 innings. As well as a pair of complete games; a 6-2 win over Pacific on Feb. 19 (two runs, seven hits, one walk, nine strikeouts) and a 7-0 victory over Grand Canyon on March 11 (five-hit shutout, no walks, six strikeouts).

Smith struck out career-high 10 batters against UC Davis and nine batters against Pacific as well as in 7-0 win over UC Santa Barbara on April 22, a game in which he combined with Justin Bruihl on two-hit shutout and earned Big West Pitcher of the Week honors. He allowed one run and three hits over eight innings in a no-decision against San Francisco. Smith closed his sophomore season by giving up one run and three hits over 7 1/3 innings for the win against UC Davis. He did not play summer ball.

Smith Earned five wins in 12 decisions as a true freshman on the mound in 2015. With a 3.95 ERA, he made 13 starts and appeared in relief in two other games. He had one complete game, a 2-1 loss at Cal State Fullerton in which he gave up one earned run and five hits over eight innings and struck out seven. Smith also pitched eight innings against Hawai’i and CSUN and 8 1/3 innings against UC Santa Barbara, giving up two earned runs and six hits in 4-3 victory; two runs and eight hits for win against Hawai’i and one run and seven hits for win against CSUN. Smith gave up one run and six hits in five innings for win at Oregon State, and also earned a win against Pacific.

He had a season-high eight strikeouts in five innings against Grand Canyon, struck out 60 in 84 1/3 innings, did not give up a home run. Right-handers hit .253 against Smith. Smith was 3-3 with 3.66 ERA in Big West games and earned team’s Scott Kidd Rookie Award. He did not play summer ball.

During his High School career, Smith posted an outstanding senior season under head coach Ollie Turner at Torrance High School in 2014, compiling a 13-1 record and 0.47 ERA en route to CIF-Southern Section Division IV most valuable player accolades. He made 15 appearances on the mound and notched 10 complete

“My hand and neck pain has decreased considerably. The exercises in therapy and practiced at home are helping me improve my posture and body mechanics. ‘Hands-on’ therapy and low level lasers are very helpful.”

–Barbara, SLO

games, striking out 115 batters and walking just 16 in 89 2/3 innings.

Smith struck out 12 in CIF-Southern Section Division IV championship playoff game against Pioneer League rival South Torrance, earning 11-0 victory with two-hit shutout. He also struck out 11 in two other games and 10 in another. He earned a pair of onehitters and a pair of two-hitters, threw 24 shutout innings in the playoffs and recorded four wins; three as a starter and one in relief. Smith also played in first base and in the outfield, hitting .345 with three doubles, 13 RBI and six steals. He earned first-team AllPioneer League (co-MVP) and All-CIFSouthern Section Division IV honors and second-team Cal-Hi Sports allstate accolades. Torrance was 27-8 in 2014, shared first place with South Torrance in the Pioneer League and claimed the CIF-SS Division IV title.

As a junior in 2013, Smith posted a 4-2 record and 3.87 ERA in 11 appearances on the mound. He struck out 30 batters in 34 1/3 innings and earned the team’s Cy Young Award. Torrance was 15-13 in 2013, finishing in a tie for first place in the Pioneer League with a 7-3 record and qualifying for the CIF-Southern Section Division IV playoffs, winning a wild-card game before falling in the first round. Smith also played football as a quarterback in his freshman year.

He played summer ball for the North County Indians, posting a 1-0 record and 0.00 ERA with 15 strikeouts in 10 1/3 innings. He chose Cal Poly over UC Irvine because of its “great coaches and team.”

Kyle is the son of Jon and Tina Smith.

He has one brother, Konnor, and one sister, Kaitlyn. His sister Kaitlyn and cousins Kyle Smith and Ryan Smith played sports in college as well. Smith also enjoys playing golf. He was born November 11, 1995, in Torrance, Calif. and majors in industrial technology.

FREE CONSULT TUESDAYS Call to make your appointment now

805-543-5100 www.spiritwindstherapy.com 1422 Monterey St. at California San Luis Obispo, 93401 Major Insurance Accepted

TM

Michele i h l S S. JJang Physical Therapist/Owner 21 Years Experience

AC L POLY S T A E M Text MEAT to 56955 to join our VIP CLUB!

MEAT THE BEGINNING OF THE

PERFECT BBQ STEAKS, CHOPS, SAUSAGE, SMOKED MEATS & MANY OTHER INNOVATIVE CUTS! Carefully aged, Cal Poly processed USDA inspected.

805-756-2114 VISIT OUR ON-CAMPUS MEAT MARKET– Open Th-Fri 12-5pm & Sat 10-2pm Turn on Stenner Creek Rd. Off of Hwy 1 at the end of the road in Bldg 155

Lots of fun things happening at CCG!

TY-FIVE EN W

•T

Crazy Socks Week March 5-11

Go GREEN Week

Funky Hair Week

B

We’re Rolling out the RED Carpet!

CCG goes

1:00 pm - 4:00 pm at CCG Gym #2 Qualifying round for Stage 2

Great event for CCG Members and non-members!

2016

March 19-25

February 25

Athletes age 5 years up to 22 years will get to compete in age groups on a course in our CCG Gym #2

25

March 12-18

S TA G E 1

IN

INESS • SL US

ARS YE

•

Springtime at CCG

D re s s U p W i ld & C raz y!

O

M a rc h s s e n d a M

S TA G E 2

March 4 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm at CCG Gym #2 Qualifying round for Stage 3 S TA G E 3 – F I N A L S

2017 Spring Super Camp April 17 - 21

March 18 & 19

EARLY-BIRD DISCOUNTS!

at the SLO Health & Wellness Expo at the Madonna Inn Expo Center

Go online to print out the registration form at

www.iflipforccg.com

20% OFF

Register on or before March 14th: Get 10% off 1st child and 20% off siblings Register from March 15th – April 15th: Receive 5% off 1st child and 15% off siblings (CCG will be closed on Sunday, April 16 for the Easter Holiday, no camp registrations will be taken on this day.)

Register on or after April 17th: Regular price for 1st child and 10% off siblings

NOW Gym #1 and Gym #2

with 32,500 SF

First Month’s Tuition!

Fitness & FUN!

of

New and non-enrolled students. Not valid with any other offers.

One coupon per person. Expires 4/5/2017

805 549-8408

(Mon - Fri)

iflipforCCG.com

21 Zaca Lane, SLO

February 23 - March 8, 2017

• Central Coast Life

Uncle Charlie Rocks Nightwriters

By Mike Price

“Y

ou want me to do what?”

I asked.

“Let go of your handhold,” our rock-climbing instructor said.

Yeah, right. Thirty minutes before, I stood with my brother-in-law, Bill, and his daughter Glenda, staring at the precipice looming over us. Our guide for this adventure was a young woman not much older than my high school students back in Kansas.

I was petrified. I tried to back out gracefully, but Mister “Where’s your sense of adventure?” and Little Miss “You’ll be my favorite uncle,” coaxed me into my first actual rock-climbing experience. This was Glenda’s way to celebrate her thirteenth birthday.

Before we could start our vertical expedition, we had to sign a medical release form assuring the proprietors of Insane Adventures that we weren’t about to give birth, have a seizure, faint from low blood pressure or suddenly die from a heart attack. They did not ask, “Do you have a perfectly justified fear of heights?” After signing our lives away on the dotted line, we were outfitted with vests, slings, safety ropes,

hardhats, gloves, and more carabiners than I bothered to count.

“Trust your safety equipment. Let yourself dangle.” Her words snapped me back to my present reality – clinging to a steep cliff, a hundred feet above the canyon floor.

“You mean like this?” my niece asked as she let herself swing. “Wheeee.”

I couldn’t let her show me up, so I released my death grip on the rock and swung out into midair like a real live piñata.

“See,” our guide said, “I won’t let you fall.”

“That’s what you say,” I countered, “but Sir Isaac Newton said otherwise.”

After my climbing partners stopped laughing, we continued our ascent. I was starting to get the hang of rockclimbing; by not hanging. Instead, I scrambled up the toe-holds and handholds conveniently hammered into the stone. An hour and eternity later, huffing and puffing, I pulled myself onto the top of the rock.

“Way to go, Uncle Charlie.”

“I knew you could do it,” Bill said, slapping me on the back and almost knocking me over the edge.

NEW LOCATION Oceano Smog Test Center

THE GREATEST WEALTH IS YOUR

HEALTH r 5GPKQT %KVK\GPU %QTPGT r *GCNVJ 5ETGGPKPIU r 0WVTKVKQP +PHQTOCVKQP r 5GOKPCTU 9QTMUJQRU r %*% M (WP 4WP QP 5CVWTFC[

Connect with experts in the YGNNPGUU ƂGNF VQ OCZKOK\G [QWT JGCNVJ CPF ƂVPGUU IQCNU

While I caught my balance, and breath, I enjoyed the magnificent vista from our perch in the sky. I looked down into a deep canyon covered with towering pines.

“What are those?” I asked, pointing to a pair of cables spanning the chasm between our rock and a tower several hundred yards away. A man on the tower waved at us.

“You don’t know?” our guide asked.

“That’s our zip line. More fun than the stairs.”

“A zip line? I’m supposed to pretend I’m a bird and jump off this perfectly solid rock? No way, Jose.”

“Where’s your sense of…”

“Bill, my sense of adventure is in Kansas, where I belong. If you’re so brave, you lead the way.”

“No, I insist you go first. You’re our guest.”

Click. I looked over to see the guide attach Glenda’s harness to the zip line.

“Watch me, Uncle Charlie.” With that, she pushed off from the cliff and zipped away, laughing and hanging upside down.

As we full grown macho men watched, Bill’s little girl flew over the forest to

(805) 481-7070 1180 PIKE LANE SUITE 3 Oceano, CA 93445

L M

ARD 277750

AGILITY CHALLENGE courtesy of Central Coast Gymnastics

inspired

HEALTH + FITNESS

20 17

EXPO

10am-4pm

CHECK US OUT ON

alex madonna expo center

FUN

5k

RUN

18 19

MARCH

(4'' #&/+55+10 5%4''0+0)5 inspiredexpos.com | 805.772.4600

$40.00 2000 AND NEWER

CHECK PRICE FOR OLDER VEHICLE All smog tests come with 1 free retest upon failure INCLUDES CERTIFICATE

the next landing. Remarkably, the color fled from the face of my brother-in-law.

“Admit it,” I said, “You’re scared too.”

“Tell me about it. You were supposed to chicken us out.”

After our guide attached my poor helpless body to the zip line, I faced my fears and ran for the edge.

“Thanks for the birthday present, Daddy. Uncle Charlie, you rock. Next year, I want to go skydiving.”

In a previous life, Mike Price was a nuclear power plant operator and technical writer. Today, he spends his time volunteering with his church and community, going on adventures with his wife, and writing comical tales.

Mike is a member of SLO NightWriters, for writers at all levels in all genres; find them online at slonightwriters. org.

FO

APRIL CAL A RT

ONCERT C S L O

SE M BLE

L I R P A 3:00PM2

IN

OM THE H

E

A

R

S

20 -$ 40

2016 -17 SEASON

R 40 YEA

SIN

FO

G

FR

T

tickets $

G

R

Cal Poly PAC

February 23 - March 8, 2017

By Michael Elliott

4

One show only!

•

Sports Shorts “Experience small ensembles and the entire 50-person choir performing lighthearted parodies, silly songs and some timeless favorites, plus a very special appearance

by The Bald Spots!�

y a d n Su

VO

S

EN

Central Coast Life

www.pacslo.org • 805-756-4tix (4849) Bette Kulp The premier performing arts academy on the central coast.

“

I going to put my tutu on.

I going to dance. It make my heart funny. It not make me mad, it make me happy.

�

—Brittan, age 2

Try a class for FREE! Progressive curriculum Small class sizes Children, Adults, Seniors!

This year we’re going to...dance!

’¥”– Ĺ™ Â¨ÂŚÂœÂ” Ĺ™ ›–’§–¼ Ĺ™ Â˘ÂœÂ”Â– www.coastaldanceandmusicacademy.com

1030 Huston Street, Suite C | Grover Beach | 805.489.5678

S

ierra Vista- It’s the name of one of our local hospitals.

It also formulates in one’s mind a spectacular view of the Sierra Nevada mountains, particularly nowadays as they are blanketed in snow. Vista equals broad sweeping views.

This subject matter focuses on the view, or a particular viewpoint if you will, of a Sierra sighting of a magnitude unseen in this neck of the woods up until recently. Cal Poly’s unparalleled Sierra Hyland is setting new standards for Poly’s women’s softball team. The 5’-5� mighty-mite senior toes the rubber for the 4-1 (at press time) Mustangs and is having her way with opposing hitters.

Hyland was recently accorded the title of “USA Softball National Player of the Week� for the second time in the senior’s career. All she did on opening weekend was to throw a fourth career no-no and followed that up with her second career “el perfecto� the following day. A no-hitter and perfect game backto-back! Quite a sight, Sierra.

Lit- Let’s stay local. I’d like to harken back to January 13th if I may. I read a quote attributed to Mission Prep High’s Emily Lucier that struck me in such a way that I laughed out loud. Hey, who doesn’t need laughter in today’s world?

The MP women’s hoopsters were matched up against cross-town rival San Luis Obispo and the game was tied 43-all with 9.9 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter. Mission Prep had possession and the in-bounded ball was passed around three times before winding up in Lucier’s hands on the wing as precious seconds elapsed.

Undaunted, Emily let the ball fly just prior to the buzzer sounding and it kissed off of the backboard and through the net for the victory. She didn’t even have time to call “glass!�

What gives this tale a bit more legs is that the junior had suffered a preseason concussion, spent three weeks off fighting mononucleosis and was really not in game-shape condition heading into the contest.

Now to the gist. I’ll let Emily explain through her quote. “I can’t even explain it. Wins like that are what keep us motivated and really get us through the season. The whole fourth quarter was really tight. Our fans really helped us

through. The rivalry is so lit.� Thank you for lighting my laugh up as well Emily!

Potpourri- College basketball’s #3-ranked Kansas Jayhawks are walking the proverbial thin line as they continue to eke out home and away victories by the slightest of margins, all of which may bode well for Bill Self’s team come March Madness. Pulling those close games out at the end shows maturity and cohesiveness, two elements of success.

Look-a-likes I: Cleveland Cavalier sharpshooter Kyle Korver and actor Ashton Kutcher. Neither seems to age!

Look-a-likes II: Pop star Phil Collins of Genesis & solo fame, and Russian bully Vladimir Putin. Same round face and beady eyes. But Vlad has that passive, intimidating look that scares the bejesus out of me. (Please don’t tell him I said so as I don’t want to be on that guy’s list!) Look-a-likes III: Oklahoma Thunder basketball head coach Billy Donovan and Eddie Munster. It’s the hair!

See if you can help me out here. I’m struggling big-time to find the answer to this question: Which is way cooler, flocks of snowy plovers scurrying around on the sand following the waterline as the tide rushes in and out or pelicans flying but inches above the water behind the waves which have just begun to curl, looking to snare dinner?

Haven’t heard from: deposed UFC fighter Ronda Rousey, the Lakers, former number-one pro golfer Rory McIlroy, stock car driver Danica Patrick, former head football coach Chip Kelly, Hillary.

Have heard too much from: meddling Magic Johnson, opinionated Warriors forward Draymond Green, the New York Knicks and their problems, mouthy UFC instigator Conor McGregor, me, today.

Michael believes watching snowy plovers scurry and pelicans snare is a sporting move and thus falls under the auspices of worthwhile sports reporting. If you agree, snare this email address and scurry over to your computer and let him know at sportsshorts8@gmail.com.

Coastal Sanctuary Wellness PRESENTS

AMERICA’S

Mike & Mike

LIVING WELL & AGING BEST GRACEFULLY SPORTS TALK MARCH 18, 8:00 -5:30 LINEUP $99 per person AM Breakfast & Lunch Incuded

PM

Discounts for 2 or more – bring a friend!

Jim Rome

WOMAN’S CLUB • 211 VERNON ST, ARROYO GRANDE

• • • • •

Enjoy healthy foods and take home easy to prepare recipes.

Gather ideas for simple wellness routines that work for you.

Learn to use tools for creating positive change.

Develop healthy habits that keep you on track.

Share in the fun and dynamic energy this team generates!

Call 480-253-7308 or e-mail Patty@CoastalSanctuaryWellness.com for registration, discounts, and detailed directions

Dan Patrick

Or sign up online at coastalsanctuarywellness.com/events/

MARCH

EVENTS CALENDAR

Big Brothers Big Sisters Portion of proceeds from these events benefits our agency

MARCH 24 Sip & Shop at Ambiance SLO 737 Higuera Street

MARCH 25 Sip & Shop at Ambiance Paso Robles 1301 Park Street

MARCH 29 Blaze Pizza on Foothill Blvd.

892 Foothill Blvd.

Big Brothers Big Sisters of San Luis Obispo County slobigs.org (805)-781-3226

Featuring LIVING WELL & AGING GRACEFULLY Hear an integrative medical doctor talk about how he guides patients to live well and age gracefully.

CREATIVE JOURNALING & EXPRESSIVE ARTS Journey into your creative world to balance and harmonize your mind, body, and spirit.

MOVEMENT AND MINDFULNESS Learn simple movements like Yoga poses and mindfullness exercises to relax and energize easily.

PERSONAL INNOVATION Use creative problem solving techniques of experts to create your own plan for positive change.

EATING WELL Get ideas for efficient meal preparation using whole natural foods and menus to fit your lifestyle.

Schedule details are available online.

More about the presenters online at: MiddlePathMedicine.com | CarlotaSantaCruz.com DepriseBrescia.com | CoastalSanctuaryWellness.com GailsLearningCenter.org

Entertainment Central Coast Life

•

February 23 - March 8, 2017

The Distillers of San Luis Obispo County are holding their 2017 “Down the Rabbit Hole” set for 3:30-7:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 25 at the Estrella Warbird Museum at the Paso Robles Airport. Tickets are $95-$125 and available online at: www.pasoroblesdistillerytrail. com, click on “Events & News.” Must be 21-older to attend. This second annual mad tea party with an Alice in Wonderland theme, will feature the best hooch distillers in SLO County, including Azeo, Bethel Rd. Distillery, Pendray’s Distillery, Krobar Craft Distillery, Re:Find Distillery, Red Soles Stillhouse, Wine Shine, the Distillery at Opolo, Manucci Spirits and Autry Cellars. Food vendors include Crush Catering, Full of Life Flatbread, Old San Luis BBQ, Street Side Ale House, Sugar Lips Donuts, Hurricane Kitchen and the Pairing Knife. The Distillers of SLO County is a trade organization of member distilleries in Templeton, SLO and Paso Robles.

Hall, 780 Bello St. The show features Judith and the Jazz Krew and the Black Market Trio. Tickets at the door are $5 members and $10 non-members.

Doors open at 11 a.m. and there’s a jam session starting at 11:30 (bring your instrument and sit in). Show continues to 4:30 p.m. Food, drinks, and dance floor available. See: www.pismojazz. com for more information on this and future shows.

Coalesce Bookstore and The G. Roger Bailey Classical Guitar Scholarship

will present Bailey Scholarship student and child prodigy, Joseph Seyedan, in concert at 1 p.m. Sunday, March 5 in Coalesce Chapel, 845 Main St., Morro Bay. Tickets are $15 a person and available at the bookstore or call 7722880 to reserve. Seyedan came to the Bailey at 12-years old in January 2012.

His training has been with master teachers, including Scott Tennant, William Kanengiser, Marilyn Blodget, James Edwards and Sam Shalhoub.

Currently, Seyedan, studies with Jeff Miley here at home, and in Los Angeles with composer and performer, Edward

Trybek. For more information about the Scholarship and Joseph Seyedan please go to: www.grogerbaileyscholarship. org

Cal Poly music student soloists will be showcased and celebrated at the Cal Poly Symphony’s Winter Concert set for 3 p.m. Sunday, March 5, at the Performing Arts Center on campus.

Student tickets are $9-$12 and adult tickets $12-$14 and are available at the PAC Box Office, Tuesdays-Saturdays, noon to 6 p.m. and one hour prior to

The San Luis Obispo Wind Orchestra will perform at 3 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 26 at the Cuesta College Performing Arts Center. Tickets are $20 general admission, $10 students with ID and free for kids 8-under. Available at the door, from members, or online at: www.cpactickets.cuesta.edu. Get 15% off when ordering 10 or more tickets.

Guest artists are Anthony Yi on sax, and David Strickler on euphonium. On the program are Jules Demersseman’s Carnival of Venice, Frank Ticheli’s, Postcard, Charles Ives’ Country Band March, David Maslanka’s UFO Dreams, and David Rackley’s In Memoriam.

Rackley, an associate conductor of the Wind Orchestra, will be debuting his piece.

Pismo Beach’s Basin Street Regulars will host a “Hot Swingin’ Jazz,” show set for Sunday, Feb. 26 at the Pismo Vet’s

Pismo Beach’s Basin Street Regulars will host a “Hot Swingin’ Jazz,” show set for Sunday, Feb. 26 at the Pismo Vet’s Hall

Fleetwood Mac • Norah Jones • James Taylor Harry Connick Jr. • Tony Benett • Michael Buble Van Morrison • Simon and Garfunkel • The Eagles Neil Diamond • Barbara Streisand • And Many More!

February 23 - March 8, 2017

• Central Coast Life

WHERE THE PARTY NEVER ENDS!

THU 2/23

5:00PM -9:00 9:00PM -1:00

FRI 2/24

9PM1:30

SAT 2/25

3:00PM -6:00 9:00PM -2:00

SUN 2/26

3:00PM -7:30 9:00PM -1:30

MON 2/27

7:30PM -11:30

DJ CAMOTE JAWZ KARAOKE

HINDSITE

FRI-$5 COVER

THREE FOR ALL HINDSITE

SAT-$5 COVER

Coalesce Bookstore and The G. Roger Bailey Classical Guitar Scholarship will present Bailey Scholarship student and child prodigy, Joseph Seyedan curtain times. Call 756-4849 or order online at: www.calpolyarts.org.

The student soloist showcase will include performances by five instrumentalists and two vocalists, and one composer, all winners of the Music Department’s Solo Competition last November. The symphony will be led by a student conductor.

Student instrumentalists are Taylor O’Hanlon and Jordan Adams, performing Vivaldi’s Concerto in C for Two Trumpets; Kelsey Beisecker playing François Devienne’s Flute Concerto No. 8; Mariso Romo on Ernest Bloch’s Suite Hébraïque; and Kent Giese, on Rimsky-Korsakov’s Trombone Concerto.

Vocalists are Gabriela Crolla singing Der Schwan by Cal Poly student composer Corey Hable; and Samantha Foulk, performing Mozart’s Padre, Germani, Addio! from Idomeneo. The concert program will include music from animated movies, and concludes with music from both of Disney’s Fantasia films.

Multi-genre trio, Joe Craven & The Sometimers, will play the next Red Barn Community Concert Series, set for 6 p.m. Saturday, March 4, a the Red Barn, located in the South Bay Community Park, corner of LOVR and Palisades Avenue. Cost is $20 at the door and there’s a potluck supper starting at 5 p.m. Bring a dish to share, place settings and BYOB. The band features Craven, Bruce MacMillan and Jonathan Stoyanoff, and is described as a “NorCal Free Range Folkasaurus Trio.” Led by 30-year music veteran, Craven, the band plays bass, guitar, Dobro, lap steel, mandolin, octave mandolin, percussion, and of course cowbell, among others. Craven has played alongside musical legends like Jerry Garcia, David Lindley, Howard Levy and Jason Marsalis, with fusion banjoist, Alison Brown and with groups like Psychograss and The Horseflies.

See: http://joecraven.com for more on Craven.

Senior Haircuts

$15 MON & TUE 10am-2pm

SENIOR CITIZEN DAYS ARE MONDAY & TUESDAY HAIRCUT ONLY $15!

SOUNDHOUSE LEGENDS LEGENDS

TUE 7:30PM LIVE MUSIC 2/28 -11:30 WED 3/1

7:30PM -11:30

LIVE MUSIC

THU 3/2

5:00PM -9:00 9:00PM -1:00

DJ CAMOTE

FRI 3/3

9PM1:30

CK SOLUTIONS

SAT 3/4

3:00PM -7:30 9:00PM -1:30

SUN 3/5

3:00PM -7:30 9:00PM -1:30

LIVE MUSIC LIVE MUSIC

MON 3/6

7:30PM -11:30

LIVE MUSIC

TUE 3/7

7:30PM -11:30

LIVE MUSIC

WED 3/8

7:30PM -11:30 LIVE

JAWZ KARAOKE

FRI-$5 COVER

STEVE TRACY CK SOLUTIONS

SAT-$5 COVER

THU 3/9

5:00PM -9:00 9:00PM -1:00

MUSIC

DJ CAMOTE

JAWZ KARAOKE

Now Serving

SEXTANT WINES on Tap

Let our team of stylists serve you!

Womens cuts may be more depending on length.

MODERN HAIRCUTS FOR MEN www.clippersbarber.com | 805-783-CUTS (2887) | 1351 Monterey, SLO

(805) 773-1010 690 Cypress St., Pismo Beach www.harryspismobeach.com Open 10am-2am Daily

Central Coast Life

•

February 23 - March 8, 2017

The Cal Poly Choirs will perform favorite works of Thomas Davies, the university’s retiring director of choral activities and vocal studies, at the Winter Concert set for at 8 p.m.

Saturday, March 4 at the Performing Arts Center at Cal Poly. Student tickets are $9 and $12 and general tickets are $12 and $14 and available at the PAC Box Office, Mondays–Saturdays, noon to 6 p.m. Call (805) 756-4849 or order online at: www.calpolyarts.org. Titled “Conductor’s Choice,” the concert will feature PolyPhonics and the University Singers, accompanied by Susan Azaret Davies and Paul Woodring.

The Last Stage West/Toro Creek Event Center and Dan Mazer will host English singer-songwriter, Roxanne de Bastion, as a special guest on “The Banjer Dan Show” at 6 p.m. Thursday, March 2. Banjer Dan (Mazer) is LSW’s “house musician” and hosts other musicians, sitting in on their sets, too. Admission is free, with a donation requested for the entertainment. Banjer Dan’s special guest receives all of the tips, and other considerations. Doors open at 5 p.m.

The Last Stage West’s menu features delicious barbecue, smoked meats, side orders, and dessert, with beer and wine also available. De Bastion was born and raised in Berlin, Germany where she grew up listening to the Beatles, learning guitar and attempting to write

Sleep Under

the

The San Luis Obispo Blues Society present Surgaray Rayford Band with the Irene Cathaway Rhythm and Blues Band will open the show! Tickets are $20 for Blues Society members and $25 for the public. If you would like to volunteer, you will get free admission and two drink tickets. Tickets will be sold at the door, or can be purchased ahead of time at Boo Boo Records and Cheap Thrills in San Luis Obispo. The show will be on Saturday, March 4 at 8 p.m. at the SLO Vets Hall. For more information regarding volunteering, call 805-541-7930.

Multi-genre trio, Joe Craven & The Sometimers, will play the next Red Barn Community Concert Series, set for 6 p.m. Saturday, March 4 and perform her own songs. She moved to London in 2007, and performs all over the United Kingdom. See: http:// roxannedebastion.com for more on de Bastion’s music.

Hear The Allan Hancock College Concert Band perform a Spring Pops Concert featuring songs like The Star Spangled Banner, The Bare Necessities, The Beach Boys Greatest Hits and more! The band is completely composed of AHC students in addition

S t a r s, C o n n e c

Swimming Hiking Arts & Crafts Outdoor Cooking Tomahawks

OVERNIGHT CAMP Boys & Girls 1st-11th grades Located in Paso Robles • Since 1941

t

with Nature, Be Creative!

Backpacking Nature Exploration Drama Archery Skits

Songs Games Nightly Campfire Team Building Leadership Development

2017 SESSIONS #1: June 25 - July 1 #2: July 9-15 #3: July 16-22 #4: July 23-29

#5: July 30 - Aug. 5 #6: Aug. 6 - 12 Family Camp: June 17-19

www.CAMPNATOMA.org | 805-709-2569 | info@campnatoma.org

to adult members from the community enrolled under the Community Education Program. Featuring over 80 musicians, they play in standard “wind band” style configuration. The concert will be held on Saturday, March 11 at 7:30 p.m. at the First Baptists Church in Santa Maria. Pre-concert verbal description of the music will begin at 7:15 p.m. General admission is $10.

Students, faculty, staff and senior tickets are $5. Tickets will be sold at the door and ahead of time. For tickets and more information, call 805-922-6966.

Irish band, Skipper’s Alley, will perform two local SLOFolks shows set for 7:30 p.m. Saturday, March 11 at Castoro Cellars, 1315 North Bethel Rd., Templeton; and at 7 p.m. Sunday, March 12 at Coalesce Bookstore Chapel, 845 Main St., Morro Bay. Tickets are $20 for each show and available online at: www.castorocellars.com/Events, or call (805) 238-0725 or at Boo Boo Records in SLO for the Castoro Cellars show. For Coalesce, call 772-2880 to reserve or in person. Hailing from Dublin, Skipper’s Alley is making a huge impact in the world of traditional Irish music, garnering praise across Europe and beyond. They arrange and interpret traditional music with a bold and energetic fervor reminiscent of the Chieftains. See: http://skippersalley. ie/ for more on the band.

February 23 - March 8, 2017

• Central Coast Life

Ninja Agility Challenge

Central Coast Gymnastics is looking for young ninjas to compete in a three-stage agility challenge that ends in a championship round at the Inspired Health and Fitness Expo in San Luis Obispo March 18-19.

Competing in age groups as young as five up to 22 years, competitors will tackle an agility course that includes slants, barrels, swinging rings, a spider wall and a warp wall.

Stage 1 of the Ninja Challenge is scheduled for Saturday, February 25 from 1-4 p.m. at Central Coast Gymnastics, 21 Zaca Lane, Suite 100. San Luis Obispo. Registration is $20, which includes a Ninja Challenge T-shirt to be worn during the competition.

Stage 2 of the Ninja Challenge will be March 4 from 1-4 p.m. also at the CCG location. Registration to compete in Stage 2 is $10 for those that competed in Stage 1 and $20 for

those just entering at Stage 2.

Stage 3 will be the Ninja Challenge Finals on Saturday and Sunday, March 18 & 19 at the Inspired Health & Fitness Expo at the Madonna Inn Expo Center. Admission to the Expo is free.

There is no registration fee if athletes competed in Stage 1 & 2. If entered at Stage 2, the registration fee will be $10 to enter. Those coming to only to the final stage can join the novice final and compete that day with other new entries. Cost will be $10 to register on site (check or cash only). We will have a limited supply of Ninja Challenge T-shirts on sale during the Finals at Mount Madonna for $15 each.

Register for the Ninja Agility Challenge at www.iflipforccg.com/ ninja-agility/, or by calling (805) 549-8408.

experts in

WATER WISE

gardening & living spaces

Let us do the cleaning so you don’t have to.

SUPER SPECIALS

FOR NEW CUSTOMERS 3 HOURS FOR

$99 5 HOURS FOR

'(6,*1 &216758&7,21 5(129$7,21 ,55,*$7,21 /,*+7,1* 0$,17(1$1&(

$160

*Terms & conditions may apply. Additional services offered. Expires 2/28/17

25th ANNUAL

ER

V 21 & O

ith along w March ral Coast nt the Ce Band Pipe

HAPPY HOUR

࠮ )P ^LLRS` ^LLRS` TVU[OS` JSLHUPUN ࠮ 4V]L V\[ TV]L PU ࠮ *VTTLYJPHS ZWHJLZ ࠮ (M[LY ZWLJPHS L]LU[ JSLHU \W ࠮ :WYPUN JSLHUPUN ࠮ :WLJPHS L]LU[ WYLWHYH[PVU JSLHUPUN ࠮ +LLW JSLHUPUN (UK T\JO T\JO TVYL

108 W. Branch St, Arroyo Grande

(805) 481-2871

www.DUSTYLADYCLEANERS.com

RalphandDuanes.com

$//6($6216/$1'6&$3,1* &20

MorroBay Appliance

MORRO BAY APPLIANCE

SALES & SERVICE New & Reconditioned Appliances

DUSTY LADY CLEANERS

FRIDAY MARCH 17th

(805)544-5296

Competitive rates for all types of cleaning, including:

805-234-6326

We Service All Major Brands

805-772-2755 935 Main Street, Morro Bay morrobayappliance@yahoo.com

check out

DINNER and a

Movie Restaurant and movie reviews by our local foodie Teri Bayus. Find it in the entertainment section of Bay News, Coast News and SLO City News!

for advertising information contact 543-6397

tolosapress.com

Central Coast Life

•

February 23 - March 8, 2017

Thomas Hill Organic — Memorable Food and Dining Dinner & A Movie

By Teri Bayus

A

new fine dining option has opened in Downtown San Luis Obispo, with a dynamic menu reflecting local abundance, and it is quite beautiful.

The new, Thomas Hill Organic Kitchen, hosts a full bar, stunning views and sources a wide array of fresh, organic ingredients to create bold and imaginative dishes. What started as a humble Community Supported Agriculture or CSA, evolved into a popular destination in Paso Robles, and now graces SLO, bringing honest food, boldly and creatively prepared.

We sat down with owner, Debbie Thomas, and asked about her new venture in Downtown SLO and her culinary team. “Led by Executive Chef, Justin Casey,” she says, “who trained under Michelin starred chefs at such praised Bay Area Restaurants as Aqua and Thermidor, our team brings fresh, seasonal culinary to the new Thomas Hill Kitchen. We are excited to have this stunning fine dinning establishment with a creative and brilliant chef.”

Gary started with pumpkin and chocolate bread pudding with coconut sorbet. He was impressed. We shared

the roasted cauliflower and truffle Tater Tots with lemon herb aioli then moved onto a Marinated Castelvetrano Olives.

Both were unique twists on established darlings. The baby beet and burrata (soft cheese) salad with LooLoo Beets, orange, avocado, white balsamic vinegar and smoked pistachio, was fresh and surprising.

Main courses were passed and shared. My favorite was the Miso glazed California sea bass with, shiitake mushrooms, bock-choy, and dashi. I love this dish because of the simplicity of the dashi and umami flavors throughout.

The sweet and salty Miso compliments the smoky dashi and delicate fish. Other

crowd pleasers was the Wellington roasted portobello mushrooms, stuffed with sautéed crimini mushrooms, caramelized onion, kale and parmesan, wrapped in puff pastry served with wilted greens and red wine reduction.

The Jamaican jerk chicken with braised greens, brown sugar yams, and strawberry salsa, smothered in a delectable jerk sauce was a fantastic version of my beloved Kingston.

We returned for brunch and enjoyed everything. We started with the French Press coffee that was aromatic and smooth. I had the sesame crusted Ahi tuna with edamame puree, soba noodles, carrot, radish, scallion, toasted nori, and miso vinaigrette. This was my favorite, while the husband relished the French toast with caramelized apples, candied walnuts, whipped cream, with real maple syrup.

We shared a Cubano sandwich with roasted pork shoulder, smoked loin, Swiss cheese, pickles, dijon aioli, on a local ciabatta bread. To finish we shared the favorite from the Paso restaurant, the olive oil cake with citrus compote, a sweet end to a perfect meal.

The restaurant is as beautiful as the food is breath taking. With a dynamic menu reflecting local abundance, Thomas Hill Organics Kitchen sources from local farmers, fisherman and bakeries. Everything is simple but elegant. A food and a dining experience to remember.

They have a full bar and are open for brunch Saturdays and Sundays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Lunch is MondaysFridays from 11-3, and dinners are Sundays-Thursdays 5-10 p.m. and Fridays-Saturdays, 5 to midnight.

The Thomas Hill Organic Kitchen is located at 858 Monterey St., in San Luis Obispo. Call them at (805) 457-1616.

Lego Batman — A Riotous Explosion of Gleeful Mayhem

By Teri Bayus

W

e went into see the “supposedly” sexy movie, “Fifty Shades Darker,” but it was insipid and not at all 2-hour worthy, so we split to , “The Lego Batman Movie.”

From an R-rated movie to a clearly G, I didn’t expect to like it much. That said, I loved every moment of this film.

The writing was tight, funny and the characters were complete and fun. The homage back to the original Batman in 1966 was hysterical and dead on.

The hate love equations were poignant along with comical.

A spin off from the wildly entertaining and surprisingly well-made, “Lego Movie,” the “Lego Batman Movie,” centers on Will Arnett’s brooding vigilante superhero, his burgeoning family, large list of enemies, and perpetually crime-ridden city of Gotham.

The film is a riotous explosion of color and gleeful mayhem, poking fun at every Batman film and reveling in its references to all the clichés, plots, and inadvertently funny elements of the franchise.

We watch Batman as he now realize that he needs “ships” around him, relationships, to have a complete life.

We also watch the other characters

start to wonder, “Does Batman live in Bruce W a y n e ’ s Basement?”

This movie encompassed all the Batman versions. There was a reference to everything, from Detective Comics all the way to Batfleck.

They use fan service to their advantage, they praise and mock everything great and terrible that Batman has gone through over the years.

The plot: The first order of business

by Barbara Gordon (Rosario Dawson), the new police commissioner, is to stop Batman’s (Will Arnett) lone vigilante acts because frankly they aren’t working.

Meanwhile, the Joker (Zack Galifianakis) has hatched a devious plan to unleash a plethora of notorious villains and monsters on Gotham City.

The only way to defeat them is for Batman to do something not in his DNA — work with others, including Robin (Michael Cera), Commissioner

Gordon and his butler Alfred Pennyworth ( R a l p h Fiennes).

Like its predecessor, this is jampacked with irrelevant wisecracks, clever digs and popculture references.

D u r i n g beginning credits, we get Batman doing a commentary of the opening logos that had me in stitches, ala Guardian’s Of The Galaxy. You almost miss too much because they cram in so many funny jokes that you wish they had spread them out a bit, or you must go see it again.

The script is a hilarious tribute to arguably one of the greatest superheroes of all time, and surprisingly the most emotional.

This is the best theatrical film based on a DC Comics property that Warner Bros., has put out in years. Sorry fans, but this blew all three of the cinematic universe movies out of the freaking water.

Just like the movie before it, the Lego Batman Movie surprises yet again with a fun piece of imaginative work. It has the humor, the action, the animation, and surprisingly again the heart.

We thought to ourselves a Lego movie would never work, it sounds like the ultimate marketing sham Hollywood could ever put out to sell toys, but it became one my favorite animated films of all time. Even if you don’t have kids or Grands, see this movie!

Teri Bayus can be reached at: livewell@teribayus.com or follow her writing and ramblings at: www. teribayus. com.

Bayus also hosts Taste Buds, a moving picture rendition of her reviews shown on Charter Cable Ch. 10.

Dinner and a Movie is a regular feature of Simply Clear Marketing & Media.

SLO City News • February 23 - March 8, 2017

Community

•

33

KZOZ Donates to BBBS

R

adio station KZOZ recently raised $5,556 for Big Brothers Big Sisters from its annual “Pay to Play” contest, which gave callers a chance to take over the airwaves with song requests.

KZOZ’s donation of time and money helps the organization reach its goal of 60 new matches in 2017 and provides professionally supported mentors for local needy kids.

American General Media’s Jeff Kingman, said, “We love doing the takeover every year and being able to help Big Brothers Big Sisters was a bonus. It’s nice to know that what we are doing helps change a young person’s life.”

In the photo KZOZ’s Suzanne Schonig, Jeremy West, Kingman and

COME IN AND ASK ABOUT OUR $5 RAINY DAY WINE SPECIALS!

hot drinks

Hot Coffee & Chai Tea

Kyle Shields present a check to Big Brothers Big Sisters’ Anna Boyd-Bucy,

Patty Carpenter, and board member Holly Holliday. Submitted photo

CMC Inmates Raise Funds

C

alifornia Men’s Colony inmates raised $2,000 to help the Jack’s Helping Hand non-profit organization.

The inmates work in the California Prison Industry Authority (CALPIA), a self-supporting business that provides productive work assignments within California Department of Corrections.

Work assignments prepare inmates for jobs after release by training them with job skills, work habits, basic education and job support in the community.

Inmates who work in CALPIA are often given the opportunity to use their income and make purchases in which small percentages are donated to charities. Last year, however, an inmate came to CALPIA management with the desire to do more.

“An inmate approached us and

said, ‘I think that a lot of us would just like to give,’” said Frank Shaw, Prison Industries Manager at the California Men’s Colony, in a press statement with Jacks Helping Hands. “We thought it was a wonderful idea.”

“JHH was their absolute first choice...Once they learned what the organization does and how it came about, they were very enthusiastic and they all voted for it.”

Both last year and this year, an inmate committee formed to decide on a local nonprofit and spread the word to their coworkers to encourage donations.

Their goal was a fundraiser in which 100% of the money raised went right to the charity.

To raise the $2,000 total, more than 60 inmates donated $20 each, and one inmate donated $100 – a number made

more impactful with the knowledge that most inmates are paid just $0.35 per hour. A few have worked their way into making as much as $1.00 per hour.

The check was presented to Jack’s Helping Hand at an awards ceremony in which every inmate who donated at least $20 received a certificate. Karen Borges, Executive Director of Jack’s Helping Hand, shook the hand of each inmate who donated and thanked them personally. Members of Jack’s Helping Hand were able to tour the CALPIA department at the Men’s Colony and see firsthand the factories that produce items like socks, T-shirts and boots, which are then sold to departments throughout the state of California.

For full information contact: jhh@ jackshelpinghand.org

PG&E Employees Donate Millions

P

acific Gas & Electric Co., employees at Diablo Canyon Power Plant will again open their wallets and hearts donating some $847,000 this year to charity, part of a much larger total over PG&E’s service area, roughly from Santa Maria to the Oregon Border.

According to a press release, the local donations will go to charities in SLO and Santa Barbara counties. Overall, PG&E employees are on tap to donate more than $8 million.

“Year after year, PG&E employees

at Diablo Canyon and throughout San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties continue to pledge their money to local non-profits,” Ed Halpin, PG&E senior vice president of generation and chief nuclear officer said, “with the majority of these donations going to local schools and other communitysupport organizations. Our employees are so proud to live and work here on the Central Coast and that is reflected through their generosity which in turn allows our wonderful nonprofits make substantial and positive impacts in our region.”

Under its “Campaign for the Community Program,” PG&E employees have donated more than $80 million since the program’s inception in 2000. How it works, it employees can designate a charity to support and the amount, which is deducted form their paychecks or in 1-time payments.

The contributions are in addition to millions of dollars that the company donates annually throughout its service area and on top of the numerous hours employees spend doing volunteer work.

HAPPY HOUR Mon-Fri 3-6pm

GREAT AMBIANCE GOOD FOOD FRIENDLY STAFF 16 Draft Beers 12 Premium Wines on Tap Multiple TVs, Nightly Specials Gift Shop, Private Dining Room & Catering Available

Book Your Corporate Event at

Willow!

Private Dining Room for up to 22 people.

Call (805) 929-0322 for info 1050 Willow Rd, Nipomo, CA

805-929-0322 willownipomo.com

34

•

February 23 - March 8, 2017 • SLO City News

Community

75 Years On: Human Toll of Japanese Removal Remembered Story and Photos by Camas Frank

E

xecutive Order 9066 making possible the displacement and confinement of 120,000 people, many U.S. citizens, was signed amidst a climate of fear and racial tension.

Despite parallels that some recent visitors to the History Center of San Luis Obispo County found disturbingly similar to modern times, that order was signed 75 years ago on Feb. 19, 1942.

For the anniversary, after opening a brand new exhibit to recall the experiences of local Issei and Nisei – first and second generation Japanese immigrant families – during World War II, historians at the Center on Monterrey Street in SLO stood ready to, “scan family photographs, record personal stories, and discuss new ways

that we can continue working together to collect and preserve the history of Japanese Americans on the Central Coast.”

Despite having more than 70 visitors in the first two hours that the “Tranquility Disrupted: Japanese Exclusion and San Luis Obispo County” exhibit was open on Sunday, their largest contingent of family members arrived just before the doors opened for the day, the family of Haruo Hayashi visiting his banner with quotes already on display.

“The Nisei community here is really in the very beginning stages of agreeing to speak with us,” said curator Eva Ulz, adding that the popular conception that Japanese Americans returning to the Central Coast faired better than in other parts of the Western Seaboard after the War wasn’t strictly true.

Decades of laws with racist and xenophobic origins prohibited first generation immigrants from naturalizing as U.S. citizens, or from owning land.

Eligible for a

30%

Federal Tax Credit Receive an average of $850 with federal tax credit eligiblity

Chet’s Tubular Skylights New Skylight & Sun Tunnel Installation Replace & Repair Existing Skylights Velux Skylights – Engineered Not to Leak No Matter How Severe the Weather

800.824.3877 805.528.1801 Licensed Roofing Contractor # 448726

That had the effect of dichotomizing the community among those who’d been able to gather resources and purchase properties in the second generation or find ways to own and sell

agricultural products through co-operative corporations and the share crop or tenant farmers.

After the end of the War families with properties that had been kept in trust by their neighbors did indeed return, but merchants, the average laborer and families forced to sell their holdings had nothing to return too.

While there are materials available to document those experiences, many of which are on display at the museum through July 2017, Ultz is concerned they’re running out of time to collect more.

“This is the last major anniversary that anyone who lived through, or remembers the camps may be around,” she said.

Since 1980 Dan Krieger, professor emeritus of history at Cal Poly, and his

cy Upgrades! n e i Call today c for Energy Effi reduce your energy use!

Improve y d n a t r o f our home’s com Winter chill is here!

I’m paw-sitive!

Utility incentives up to $6,500* Low interest, unsecured loans FREE home energy site visit

Call emPower meow!

DAVID SKINNER Cell: 805-459-8798

david@davidandkarenpresent.com CalBRE #00552094

KAREN SKINNER Cell: 805-550-9001

karen@davidandkarenpresent.com CalBRE #01873847

Visit our website for Shell Beach listings & Information!

763 Shell Beach Road, Shell Beach, CA

www.davidandkarenpresent.com

Upgrade your home today!

Contact us: Website: emPowerSBC.org Phone: (805) 781-5625 Email: empower@co.slo.ca.us

This Program is funded by California utility ratepayers and administered by Southern California Gas Company, Pacific Gas and Electric Company and Southern California Edison under the auspices of the California Public Utilities. * Customers may also be eligible for incentives exceeding $6,500 based on their calculated energy savings. Work with your participating contractor or rater to determine your upgrade’s incentive.

Community

SLO City News • February 23 - March 8, 2017 •

35

Just Sold

In 6 Days At Full Price wife Liz Krieger, have almost literally written the book on Japanese Exclusion and the Central Coast. War Comes to the Middle Kingdom a compellation they edited together with Stan Harth in 1991 contains a 30-page essay on the subject.

Through the years, he said, they had a very personal connection with the folks they chronicled.

While explaining some of the efforts of the community to reconnect for years before the most recent anniversary, Dan Krieger said, “I’m 76. Most of the Nisei are 10 years older than me.�

He said, the first reunion of local families was held in 1981 in Arroyo Grande. Many had returned to farming and prospered in California after the war but did so in the Central Valley, not the Central Coast. “We used to hold the reunions at McLintocks,� he said. “That went on until 2009. I’ll never forget Pat Nagano, from Morro Bay, coming in carrying his wife on his back. She wasn’t doing well but she wanted to be there.... many of these people went from 1942 to 1981 without seeing each other.�

Patrick “Pat� Noriyoshi Nagano’s story was an exception to the tales of those who left never to return permanently. According to the obituary published by his family in 2015, he passed away at the age of 96 having spent his entire life in Morro Bay, aside from the time he spent in the U.S. Army Military Intelligence Service during the

War. His wife, Ann passed in 2006.

Quotations from some of the other Nisei who did return SLO County, out of an estimated 925 local people of Japanese heritage before the War, adorn the new History Center exhibit.

Many are names familiar in Arroyo Grande and the Los Osos Valley. “I was very bitter,� said Ben Dohi, “I tell you, I don’t know why it affected me like that. I look back, and yet it didn’t seem to bother the ones older than I. I couldn’t understand that, they lost more than I did, all I missed was my youth.�

While the History Center’s latest exhibit has been far from the only effort to remember, institutional knowledge and the way people remember changes.

In 1996 an event at Cal Poly hosted 900 people to honor the families like the Loomis’ that had assisted their Japanese neighbors and kept property viable awaiting return. Never-the-less, said Krieger, many “ the best� plots of land took years to return to their prewar production levels.

The physical legacy of San Luis Obispo was changed as well. On Feb. 24, 1942 the San Luis Obispo City Council changed the name of Eto Street in the “Nippon Tract� to Brook Street.

That, added Ultz, set the stage for another all but forgotten slice of local history as African American workers moved into the area during the War and in the 1950s.

The language has changed as well.

For decades the terms Japanese Internment and interment camps hid the nature of what this country was willing to do to it’s own citizens behind comfortable euphemisms.

In recent years the memory of what was known at the time, wherein camps like Gila and Manzanar were called War Relocation Centers has been reasserted. Those incarcerated and their descendants have revived the term concentration camp, “a camp where persons (as prisoners of war, political prisoners, or refugees) are detained or confined,� to describe the experience.

While the Nisei experience is theirs alone to own and relate, the legacy of Executive Order 9066 is also still open for interpretation to a modern public.

On Feb. 19, a woman appearing to be in her 60s with Caucasian features stood quietly in the History Center reading a reproduction of the orders publically posted April 24, 1942 and signed by Lt. Gen. J.L. DeWitt, “Instructions to all Persons of Japanese Ancestry.� She stood for a long moment then turned to the nearest person at hand, pointing to the sign and said, “That’s what Trump is trying to do now.�

Anyone wishing to contribute oral history or information can call the History Center of SLO County at 5430638 or email cindy@historycenterslo. org for more information. A special “Girls Day� or Hina Matsori event will add to the exhibit March 3.

Charming 2 bd 2 bath beach cottage in Morrro Bay$ ........................ 695,000 Marketing Your Home For All It’s Worth

“Let me provide you the same professional and friendly service I did for your Central Coast Neighbor.�

Bob Bennett, Broker Associate bob@horizoncentralcoast | horizioncentralcoast.com BRE #01875031

(805) 202 6390

window coverings for yyour 25% OFF All Orders

Lifestyle

made before April1, 2017.

No restrictions apply.

NOW OPEN IN ARROYO GRANDE 0ROVIDING !LL OF 9OUR 3ERVICE 2EPAIR .EEDS -ANY -AKES -ODELS -AINTENANCE "RAKES "ATTERIES 4IRES ! # SUNSET SERVICE CENTER ATASCADERO

805-462-8199 %L #AMINO 2EAL s !TASCADERO

Central Coast Window Coverings

SUNSET SERVICE CENTER ARROYO GRANDE

805-423-2734

Monday–Friday 9–5pm Weekends by appointment only

805-489-5550 4RAFlC 7AY s !RROYO 'RANDE 3ERVICE #ENTER (OURS -ONDAYn&RIDAY AM PM

36

•

February 23 - March 8, 2017 • SLO City News

News

Election Laws Proposed

A

EMOTIONS PHOTOGRAPHY

by Vivian Krug Cotton

Southern California State Legislator wants to shore up the law with regards to election shenanigans.

State Assemblyman, Matthew Harper (R-Huntington Beach), has put up four new laws — Assembly Bills 774-777 — collectively called the “Protect our Votes� package, to fix “deficiencies in our state elections code.�

Harper, vice-chair of the Elections Committee, said the package would protect California’s election system from foreign influences, increase information on school bonds, and toughen up penalties for voter fraud. “Improving the integrity and transparency of our elections is a priority,�

Harper said. “These bills will improve our Democracy for all Californians and ensure that our elections system is fair.�

art | event | family | pets | photo gifts commercial | real estate | business photobyvivian@gmail.com facebook.com/Emotions photobyvivian.com 805.458.3321

The package’s four bills are: • Assembly Bill 774 would limit foreign nationals from donating directly to campaigns; • Assembly Bill 775 would require bona fide delivery services to provide proof that completed ballots were given to them on or before Election Day; • Assembly Bill 776 would require school bond ballot descriptions to provide voters with the full costs of the bond; and, • Assembly Bill 777 would increase the penalties against people who fraudulently procure and/or vote with a vote-by-mail ballot.�

Assemblyman Harper represents the 74th Assembly District, which includes the cities of Huntington Beach, Costa Mesa, Newport Beach, Irvine, Laguna Woods and Laguna Beach.

SBA Disaster Loans Available

S

ome specific non-profit businesses that sustained damages from the early January storms can apply for federal disaster assistance, according to the Small Business Administration.

Low-interest federal disaster loans are now available “to certain private nonprofit organizations in California� this after President Trumpnado’s federal disaster declaration as a result of “the severe winter storms, flooding and mudslides that occurred Jan. 3-12, 2017,�

SBA announced.

The catch? Only “Private nonprofits that provide essential services of a governmental nature are eligible for assistance.�

SLO County is one of many California counties that are eligible under the disaster declaration.

Others are: Alameda, Amador, Butte, Calaveras, Contra Costa, El Dorado, Humboldt, Inyo, Lake, Lassen, Marin, Mendocino, Merced, Mono, Monterey, Napa, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Sacramento, San Benito, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Shasta, Sierra, Siskiyou, Solano, Sonoma, Sutter, Trinity,

Tuolumne, Yolo and Yuba counties.

For certain private, non-profit organizations of any size, SBA offers “Economic Injury Disaster Loans� to help with meeting working capital needs caused by the disaster. These loans may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable and other bills that cannot be paid because of the disaster’s impact, said SBA. Economic injury assistance is available regardless of whether the nonprofit suffered any property damage.

Private, non-profit organizations should contact acting Chief Tamara Scott of the Proclamation and Recovery Planning Division at the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services, by calling (916) 845-8245 or emailing: tamara. scott@caloes.ca.gov for information about applications. SBA can loan up to $2 million (up to 2.5% interest) “to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery and equipment, inventory and other business assets.� Deadline to apply is April 17 for property damages, and Nov. 17 for economic injuries.

Foodie Event At Film Festival March 14 Construction Services 805-574-3155 We Do All The “Honey Do’s�

All Household Repairs Providing Professional Handyman Services (FOFSBM t 1MVNCJOH t &MFDUSJDBM $POUSBDUPS

Free Estimates Licensed and Fully Insured: Contractors License No. 306732 % MAIL ARNIE NCCN NET s WWW (ANDYMANSERVICES ARNIE COM

Residential and Commercial Services

T

eri Bayus, who writes “Dinner and a Movie� will host a first time foodie event in conjunction with the upcoming SLO International Film Festival. “The best food always has a story,�

Bayus said. “Sometimes it’s about the ingredients, a chef’s ingenuity or the memories created when shared with friends. Sometimes the story is so big it starts a movement and the food scene is forever changed.�

Bayus, who also hosts, “Taste Buds,� on local cable TV, said when she learned that the Film Festival was screening “Ella Brennan: Commanding the Table,� by Oscar and Emmy-nominated director and producer, Leslie Iwerks, a documentary about Ella Brennan, the matriarch of a New Orleans restaurant empire, she decided an Opening Night Foodie Party was in order.

Music will be by local favorites, CafĂŠ Musique, playing their special brand of

eclectic, high-energy, Gypsy music. “It’s guaranteed to be a festive atmosphere that celebrates Miss Ella and the generous spirit of New Orleans,� said Bayus.

More than two dozen local chefs, wineries and breweries will share their favorite creations at the Mardi Grasthemed tasting and viewing party set for 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 14 at the Fremont Theatre in Downtown San Luis Obispo.

Tickets are $50 general and $40 for students and SLO Film Society members.

For tickets and list of participating restaurants and wineries, see: www. slofilmfest.org/opening-night-party-andmovie.

Admission includes unlimited food and drink tastes, CafĂŠ Musique and viewing the new full-length documentary film.

To see the film’s trailer go to: www. ellabrennanmovie.com/teaser.

Simply Clear Marketing & Media • February 23 - March 8, 2017

•

37

Bottom Line

Success is Everyone’s Responsibility

By Michael Gunther

A

s business leaders, we desire quick fixes and expect rapid responses from everyone around

us.

As such, we envisage employees who are able to implement rapidly with little direction or coaching. We might even send them to training programs with the anticipation that they will change their behavior just by attending them.

We may also drive our teams to make complex changes while not truly understanding what is involved in achieving sustainable implementation with a new program, software or process.

As leaders we may become frustrated when our team then underperforms, and we may think that the team is not totally committed to our vision, plan or company. I know, I have been there myself.

The needed changes seemed so clear in my mind while I saw potential in my team’s ability to achieve the identified goals. I felt like implementing a new software, process or system should be easy and didn’t understand why it was taking so long to execute.

After numerous fits and starts on

projects, I began to realize that it wasn’t the team’s issue. Instead, I caused the impediment to moving forward.

I have always been goal-driven and at work, goals deemed impossible became challenges to work through. As an entrepreneur, these are great talents and characteristics to possess early on as you are building your business.

However, these same behaviors begin to hinder you and your organization as the business grows. Achievement isn’t your sole responsibility anymore but that of your team.

Your role needs to be shifted from being a doer to understanding how to lead complex change within a growing and ever-changing organization. True leadership isn’t being able to handle all the tasks yourself, but rather being able to achieve the results you want through others.

Often, leaders become frustrated because they feel they could do it quicker themselves or they don’t trust their team to do the tasks correctly.

You are probably right, in that you could do it quicker than your team. But that knowledge will not allow you to leverage your team and shift your focus

Fireplace Mantels Surrounds & Hearths Columns & Balustrades Granite, Quartz & Marble

Window Sills & Headers Kitchen Hoods and other Architectural Stone Elements

Join us at our grand opening March 11th!

Start your project now, call for an appointment today!

r Ou ut or o Ab f !

2340 Prospect Ave, #108 • Paso Robles • 805.975-7750 Us byardrtops k As Sla nte californiacaststone.com u Co

to strategy and growing the business.

Not trusting your team to make the decisions or implement them properly is also your issue.

People with the right intent will do their best to achieve your goals. They will make mistakes (as you have done in the past) and this is how they learn and grow.

By allowing people the freedom to make decisions, you will learn to leverage yourself. I had a mentor many years ago state, “If you are not making mistakes, you probably aren’t making decisions” and therefore, “you are not learning and growing.”

It may cost you some time and money in the short run (like any learning), but it will build a strong foundation of trust and leverage for you and your team.

Keep in mind that the larger the organization, the longer it will take to make change. This is not always a bad thing, but there are just more stakeholders and systems that may be influenced or impacted by a change.

Be patient and persistent while keeping your eye on the prize. Small, measured actions will lead to larger changes.

Bottom Line

It is okay to drive your team to reach new levels of performance, but remember you need to elevate them so that you are not the main implementer.

I realize you may want “quick fixes” but the stronger success path is one of your team consistently implementing the steps, not you. It may be short-term pain for long-term gain.

This is another article in a series on Michael Gunther’s entrepreneurial story and how being raised in a large family and his belief in creating a growth company with a work-to-live mentality has influenced his career. To read the previous articles in this series, visit his blog at: www.Collaborationllc.com.

Michael Gunther is Founder and President of Collaboration, LLC, a team of highly-skilled business professionals who are dedicated to assisting proactive business owners to build profitable, sustainable businesses through results-oriented education and consulting services. Learn more at www.Collaboration-llc.com. Bottom Lie is a regular feature of Simply Clear Marketing & Media.

38

•

February 23 - March 8, 2017 • Simply Clear Marketing & Media

Biz Briefs

Founded in 1989, the Food Bank Coalition of San Luis Obispo County distributes millions of pounds of food throughout the county by working with a network of more than 200 community and agency partners. Every year, the Food Bank serves 44,000 residents in SLO County. According to their website, The Food Bank also administers 10 programs including over 50 countywide mobile distributions to make food available to those in need. If you are interested in volunteering at The Food Bank, email volunteer@slofoodbank.org. For more information, visit slofoodbank.org.

Visit San Luis Obispo County, a tourist marketing organization for the SLO area, announced its rebranding.The organization’s new name is Visit SLOCAL and now sports SLOCAL in its social media handles, email addresses, and a new website; www.SLOCAL.com.

in my heart,” said Ted.

“After a lot of research and collaboration we are excited to unveil our new look,” said Chuck Davison, President and CEO of SLO CAL. “A strategic process guided our brand direction and we are confident that SLO CAL will resonate with consumers, resulting in expanded awareness, new guests and longer lengths of stay. It is an exciting time for our organization; this is a very big step.”

Pictured are: Big Brothers Big Sisters executive director Anna Boyd-Bucy receives a donation from Ted and Anne Frankel, owners of Tom’s Toys along with their dog Rocky.

For more information on the new SLO CAL brand, call 805.541.8000 or email: Kylee@SLOCAL.com.

Tom’s Toy’s, located at 682 Higuera Street in San Luis Obispo, donated $1,000 of holiday sales to Big Brothers Big Sisters of San Luis Obispo County.

Tom’s Toys owner, Ted Frankel, became a mentor to a 7-year-old boy through Big Brothers Big Sisters 42 years ago.

“Supporting children’s programs seemed like a natural fit for a toy store and Big Brothers Big Sisters holds a place

Anna Boyd-Bucy, the organization’s executive director said, “The donation from Tom’s Toys will allow us to ensure child safety and sustain successful, longterm relationships with positive outcomes for San Luis Obispo County youth.”

The Cal Poly Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE) opened a SLO HotHouse location at 872 Higuera St. in downtown San Luis Obispo. “The SLO HotHouse was created for the community,” said CIE Executive Director Tod Nelson. “San Luis Obispo is full of talented entrepreneurs and visionaries, and the SLO HotHouse provides a collaborative environment.

Our co-working space is a melting pot of creativity that generates a level of synergy that results from the proximity and collaboration of like-minded people.

New relationships are developed. Ideas are challenged. Problems are solved.”

The SLO Chamber celebrated member, SLO Lakeside Lodge with a ribbon cutting ceremony. SLO Lakeside Lodge is a beautiful home that welcomes solo and group travelers alike. The house has five bedrooms, a large deck, a playroom that is great for kids and a fully fenced-in yard, according to the VRBO listing. For more information, visit vrbo.com/904788.

Strategy Project and other resources to analyze the local economy, and help business start and expand businesses to create jobs. “PG&E has a long and proud partnership with the EVC and its laserfocused mission to enhance the economic vitality and well-being of our community.

We are committed to helping the EVC and our local communities in the neardecade-long process of transitioning to a future without the Diablo Canyon Power Plant in operation,” said Ed Halpin, PG&E’s Senior Vice President of Generation and Chief Nuclear Officer.

Coast Hills Credit Union unveiled plans to build a 90,000 square-foot corporate headquarters in Santa Maria.

The $25 million, three-story corporate building will occupy a highly visible parcel of the Enos Ranchos development at Betteravia Road and U.S. Highway 101.

This announcement comes on the heels of a year in which the credit union not only saw its assets climb above $1 billion, but also opened its first branch in Ventura County in the fall.

The new location offers its members a comfortable work environment with Internet, educational and social events plus business consulting at an allinclusive price. Members also have access to meeting rooms, high-quality printers and a full kitchen with premium coffee.

For more information, go to http://cie. calpoly.edu/slo-hothouse.

“As our asset total shows,” CoastHills President/CEO Jeff York said, “we’ve seen tremendous growth over the past decade, particularly after adopting a state charter in 2014. With an expanded field of membership that now runs up and down the Central Coast from Santa Cruz to Thousand Oaks, it makes sense to plant our headquarters in a convenient, centralized and accessible location right in the heart of our membership base.”

The Economic Vitality Corporation of San Luis Obispo County (EVC) received a $25,000 grant from Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) to support the EVC’s efforts to help create a stronger regional economy. Now in its twenty-third year as the only non-profit countywide economic development organization, the grant helps support the EVC’s countywide Economic

Dignity Health, which locally includes Arroyo Grande Community Hospital (AGCH), French Hospital Medical Center (FHMC), and Marian Regional Medical Center (MRMC), was once again a presenting sponsor of the Great Kindness Challenge. The Great Kindness Challenge was created by the non-profit group Kids for Peace to promote anti-bullying and foster a culture of kindness. The challenge

is one school week devoted to performing as many acts of kindness as possible from a provided 50-item checklist and is a proactive, positive bullying prevention initiative that improves school climate and increases student engagement. For more information visit; GreatKindnessChallenge.org

PG&E has announced the launch of the Clean Fuel Rebate for residential, electric customers who are electric vehicle (EV) drivers. The new rebate is part of California’s statewide Low Carbon Fuel Standard initiative, which aims to reduce transportation-related greenhouse gas emissions by encouraging the adoption of clean fuels like electricity. Transportation is the single largest contributor to greenhouse gas emissions in California at 40 percent. “Electric vehicles are a critical part of creating cleaner air and meeting ambitious climate goals in California,” said Aaron Johnson, PG&E Vice President of Customer Energy Solutions.

“Administering this rebate is part of our ongoing commitment to electric vehicles by supporting our more than 100,000 customers who are adopting clean fuels to significantly reduce their environmental impact and support the state’s clean energy future.”

Barnett Cox & Associates announced that marketing executive Robin Mitchell-Hee recently joined the San Luis Obispo public relations firm.

Mitchell-Hee has extensive experience across a variety of industries including health care, high tech, real estate and specialized manufacturing, and joins BCA as an account manager responsible for some of the firm’s leading accounts.

Mitchell-Hee is also an active volunteer in the community and currently serves as president of the board for the Women’s Shelter Program. “Robin has the breadth and depth of experience in public relations, crisis communications, marketing and brand management

Simply Clear Marketing & Media • February 23 - March 8, 2017

that our clients want from BCA,� said President and CEO Maggie Cox. “A savvy strategist, Robin also brings to the table a passion for public service and being deeply involved in the community.�

WiVi Central Coast has finalized its lineup of educational sessions, speakers, and tastings for the March 15 conference at the Paso Robles Event Center.

Presented by Wine Business Monthly, the one-day trade show and conference focuses on three core areas - Enology, Viticulture and Direct-to-Consumer wine sales. The opening general session features three keynote speakers: Jeff O’Neill of O’Neill Vineyard, wine critic Elaine Brown, and Phil Markert who is a key buyer for Safeway. Twelve trials from Central Coast wineries were selected for the winemaker trials tasting on the tradeshow floor, offering professionals a glimpse into the latest innovative experiments. This year’s trials include wines presented by: Chamisal, Daou, Halter Ranch, Niner and four trials from the Applied Research Cooperative (ARC) from Laffort. For more information about WiVi Central Coast 2017 and to register for the trade show, winemaker trials and educational sessions, visit www.wivicent Peoples’ Self-Help Housing (PSHH) hosted a ground breaking ceremony for Rolling Hills II, a new 30unit affordable housing development in Templeton. The ceremony took place on the 2-acre-construction site on Las Tablas Road, Templeton. Once completed, Rolling Hills II will feature one- to threebedroom units ranging from 601 to 1,082 square feet. The development will also include laundry facilities, a barbecue area and tot-lot. Future residents will be able to utilize additional community facilities at the adjacent Rolling Hills development.

workers and hardworking Americans who have been challenged to find a secure and stable place to call home,� said PSHH President/CEO John Fowler. “We’re very excited to see how Rolling Hills II will positively impact the community.�

San Luis Obispo Wine Country today announced the launch of “Sip in SLO,� a new tasting pass program for the months of February and March. The $40 pass allows participants to choose 4 wineries to sample. The passes may be purchased for use on any day in February and March. “It gives you the flexibility to visit the wineries of your choice while enjoying exclusive savings and added convenience,� said Heather Muran, executive director of SLO Wine Country. “Our rallying cry is ‘go coastal,’ and with this tasting pass program, there’s never been a better time to do it.� The promotion will also return later this year for November and December.

Los Osos Fitness, 1078 LOVR, is hosting a free open house from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday, March 1. Everyone is welcome to check out the gym, take advantage of membership specials, group exercise demos, workshops, meet trainers, enjoy food and smoothies, check out an art exhibit, and sign up for prizes.

For information on Los Osos Fitness, go to www.losososfitness.com.

Bridgette Bateman, RN, CCRN, has been named trauma program manager for Sierra Vista Regional Medical Center.

Sierra Vista is the first and only designated trauma center in San Luis Obispo County, as approved by the board of supervisors in 2012. Howard Hayashi, MD, leads the trauma team as medical director.

Bateman has worked at Sierra Vista for

“Templeton is home to many agriculture

MICHELLE HAMILTON

ACUPUNCTURE

U

MASSAGE

U

HERBAL MEDICINE

L.Ac. UÊ >VŽÉ

iVÂŽĂŠ*>ˆ˜ UĂŠ/i˜`ÂœÂ˜ÂˆĂŒÂˆĂƒ UĂŠ* UĂŠ i>`>VÂ…iĂƒĂŠEĂŠ -ĂŒĂ€iĂƒĂƒ UĂŠ ˜viĂ€ĂŒÂˆÂ?ÂˆĂŒĂž UĂŠ/ÂœL>VVÂœĂŠ

iÂŤi˜`i˜Vi UĂŠ Â˜ĂƒÂœÂ“Â˜Âˆ> UĂŠ >LÂœĂ€ĂŠ ˜`Ă•VĂŒÂˆÂœÂ˜ UĂŠ Â?Â?iĂ€}ˆiĂƒ UĂŠĂŠ-Vˆ>ĂŒÂˆV>

>Â?Â?ĂŠĂŒÂœ`>ÞÊvÂœĂ€ĂŠĂŠ >Â˜ĂŠ>ÂŤÂŤÂœÂˆÂ˜ĂŒÂ“iÂ˜ĂŒ

805.543.8688 SLO Wellness CenterĂŠUĂŠ1428 Phillips Lane #300ĂŠUĂŠSan Luis ObispoĂŠUĂŠSLOLAC.com

the past 13 years, most recently as clinical nurse supervisor. Her nursing experience includes critical care and emergency services. For the last 5 years, Bateman has been an instructor for Trauma Nursing Core Course (TNCC) and an integral part of Sierra Vista’s trauma program.

Bateman received her associate’s degree in nursing from Cuesta College and later was a clinical instructor for the program.

IL Villaggio, a 62-acre resort-style Life Plan Community proposed for the Irish Hills area of San Luis Obispo, will conduct a priority reservation event at 2 p.m. on March 7 at the Courtyard by Marriott located at 1605 Calle Joaquin in San Luis Obispo. Event guests will view initial residence floorplans, a community site plan and have the opportunity to reserve a position within the luxurious Life Plan Community. “If you, or someone you know is thinking about living at IL Villaggio, we urge you to attend our lottery event to reserve a position at this future one-ofa-kind Life Plan Community,� said Ray Walters, executive director of residency, communications, and enrichment for IL Villaggio.

For further information about the event, call 805-232-5960 or visit www. villaggioslo.com.

Coastal Communities Physician Network (CCPN) was recently recognized for providing high-quality care to Medicare Advantage patients by the Integrated Healthcare Association (IHA), a statewide non-profit group committed to high-value, integrated care that improves quality and affordability for patients across California and the nation.

Each year, IHA recognizes physician organizations that achieve a 4.5- or 5-star rating. Coastal Communities Physician

•

39

Network (CCPN) attained a 4.5 star rating for 2016-17, which reflects care provided to MA patients in 2015.

A conference, held to recognize successful female Edward Jones financial advisors, provided attendees with the opportunity to network, hear from internationally recognized speakers, participate in elective sessions that explore performance excellence best practices and interact with firm leadership. “We are thrilled to be bringing together our most successful women financial advisors to recognize their contributions and facilitate mentorship,� said Alan Kindsvater of Edward Jones Branch Training. “The success of women financial advisors is a firm priority because it will enable us to serve more diverse clients and have greater choices for future leaders.�

Wild in the Plaza is a free, familyoriented event happening on Saturday, March 13 at 11 a.m., to celebrate Pacific Wildlife Care’s 30th anniversary. The PWC treats nearly 3,000 injured or orphaned wild animals a year and is the only licensed rehabilitation center in SLO County. The event will feature many native animal ambassadors – owls, hawks, falcons, and provide live entertainment reminiscent of a European Street Faire with jugglers, unicyclist, clowns and stilt performances.

Discover more about wildlife through arts and craft projects, stories, games, skits, a scavenger hunt and a children’s dress up as a wild animal parade,� according to their website, www.pacificwildlifecare. org.

Continuing our

50% OFF

Through February including NEW Spring arrivals!

40

•

February 23 - March 8, 2017 • Simply Clear Marketing & Media

Financial Focus

Help Older Parents Avoid Financial “Scams”

H

ere’s a disturbing statistic: One out of every five Americans over the age of 65 has been victimized by a financial scheme, according to the Investor Protection Trust, a nonprofit organization devoted to investor education. If your parents are in this age group, should you be concerned? And can you help them avoid being “scammed” so that they maintain control over their finances?

The answer to the first question is “yes” — you should be concerned. Of course, as the numbers above show, most aging Americans are not being swindled, which suggests they can take care of themselves quite well.

Still, it’s no secret that many fraud schemes target seniors because of their concentrated wealth and in many cases, trusting nature. And as much as you’d like to think otherwise, your parents could be susceptible to rip-off artists.

Fortunately, in regard to the second question above, you can indeed take steps to help prevent your parents from being fleeced. Here are a few suggestions: • Observe their behavior. If you live close to your parents, listen closely to

any new friends, investment deals or sweepstakes they mention during your normal interactions.. If you’re in a different city, try to stay abreast of your parents’ behavior by communicating with them frequently and by checking in with other family members or friends who have occasion to see your parents.

• Urge them to watch out for suspicious e-mails. You’ve probably seen them — the e-mails offering to “reward” you with huge amounts of money if you will only contact such-and-such from a distant country and then put up a “small” sum to initiate some ill-defined transaction. You probably “spam” these without a moment’s thought — and you should urge your parents to do the same. Remind them that any offer that sounds “too good to be true” is, without question, neither “good” nor “true.”

• Encourage them to further their financial education. Law enforcement agencies, health care professionals and reputable financial services providers all offer personal financial management programs designed specifically for seniors. Look for these types of programs in your area, encourage your parents to attend — and even consider

going with them.

• Become familiar with their financial situation. Having a serious discussion with your parents about their finances may not be easy — but it’s important.

The more you know about their investments, retirement accounts and estate plans, the better prepared you’ll be to respond helpfully if they mention an action they’re considering taking that, to you, just doesn’t sound appropriate.

• Suggest professional help. If your parents are already working with a qualified financial professional, they’re probably less likely to be victimized by fraud than if they were managing their finances on their own. And it’s a good idea for you to know their financial advisor, and for him or her to know you, as you may well be involved in your parents’ legacy planning. But if your parents don’t already have a financial advisor, you may want to recommend one to them, particularly if it’s someone you already know and trust.

It’s entirely possible that your parents won’t need any assistance in avoiding financial scams. But, just in

case, be prepared to act on the above suggestions. Your intervention could help preserve your parent’s financial independence.

This article was written by Edward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones Financial Advisor.

Sarah Ketchum is a Central Coast local, she earned her bachelor’s degree in Business from California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo.

She holds a Series 7, a Series 66 and a Life Insurance License. At the age of 18 she found herself homeless, working 3 jobs and putting herself through college. Her intrinsic desire to learn about investments was a passion from a very young age. Sarah has been serving investors for 17 years and has clients in 12 different states.

She is a board member of The Morro Bay Community Foundation and a Morro Bay Rotarian. Sarah currently is a Financial Advisor for Edward Jones Investments in Morro Bay. Her proudest accomplishments though are her 2 children, Noah & Bella.

1710 Camino Del Oro, Nipomo Open Sunday, 1-3 p.m.

Wonderful three bedroom, four bathroom home on 1.4 acres in Nipomo. Secluded from your neighbors with its own private, gated driveway. Enjoy the views of the Nipomo foothills. Bring your family members, animals and toys.

Move right in! $698,900.

Cindy Blankenburg, Blankenburg Properties

805-710-3794

www.BlankenburgProperties.Realtor

Local Q Professional Q Reliable

Pavers installed by

Chaparral

Simply Clear Marketing & Media • February 23 - March 8, 2017

•

41

Giving, for the Birds

By Mark A. Diaz

L

ocal photographer Ramiro Leon recently donated a portion of his art show proceeds to the Pacific Wildlife Care (PWC) in Morro Bay. As an avid hiker, camper and rock climber, Leon thought it was only natural to give back to the area he enjoys.

“It’s fun to get out and hike around and take my camera and shoot,” said Leon. “I donated to Pacific Wildlife Care because they are locals and my photographs and my art are of wild animals.

Armed with his 7D Mark II Canon and a 400mm Prime telephoto lens, Leon shoots local wildlife and features his captured images in frames from recycled wood.

“I had the idea of recycling wood,” Leon said. “A lot of it is in good shape and it was just going to go to the dump, I do construction, so I starting making frames for them. “ Leon and his dog, Trooper, prowl the coastline from Big Sur to Ragged Point hunting for interesting photo opportunities, but they spend the majority of their time on Black Hill Trail in Morro Bay. He has caught images of an osprey eating a freshly caught fish and coyotes lurking about the hill next to the golf course. One of his proudest moment as a photographer was

snapping a shot of the elusive Merlin, a small falcon also known as a ‘lady hawk.’ Back from declining numbers with the ban of DDT, Merlins can be spotted locally during their winter coastal migrations.

Founded in 1986, the PWC is the only licensed rehabilitation center in San Luis Obispo County and operates through donations and grants. With roughly 200 volunteers, the PWC helps and heals birds, animals, and reptiles that have been found injured in the wild.

According to their website, the PWC treats nearly 3000 wild animal patients a year from over 200 different species.

Last November, volunteers returned a bald eagle into the wild at after nursing it back to health for nearly half a year.

The PCW will be celebrating its 30 year anniversary with Wide in the Plaza.

The free, family-oriented event takes place on Sat., March 13 at 11 a.m. in the San Luis Obispo Mission Plaza. There will “native natural ambassadors” such as owls, hawks, and falcons to greet patrons, as well as, street performers

Kern County Superintendent of Schools is hiring for: Kern Environmental Education Program (KEEP) Located in Los Osos & Cambria, CA Experienced Lead Cook Los Osos $15.19 - $19.19/hr; 40 hrs/wk M-F; 10 mo/yr Benefits. PERS retirement.

including; jugglers, unicyclist, and clowns. “We encourage kids to wear wildlife costumes. There’s going to be a parade,” said Meg Crockett, past president of the PWC. “It is going to be just like a European street fair.”

For more information, visit https:// www.pacificwildlifecare.org/ If you see a wild animal in distress, keep your distance and call the PWC Hotline 805-543-9453 (WILD) Leon plans to showcase his photos and custom made frames in Morro Bay on Saturday, Feb. 25, if the weather permits. The venue has yet to be announced.

Plan, lead, participate in cooking. Develop food preparation & work schedules. School menu planning. Inventory & requisition food/supplies.

Budget, maintain records, written reports.

Maintain clean, safe, & orderly kitchen.

Application Deadline March 17, 2017 Applications accepted via EDJOIN only: www.kern.org/hr/

For more information:

www.campkeep.org

Prices Are Born Here And Raised Elsewhere

STAND UP PADDLEBOARDING IN MORRO BAY! JOIN US FOR OUR 6 WEEK RACE SERIES! Every Saturday from 2/4 – 3/11 SUP Fitness Coming in Mid-February NEW IN SHOP! Apparel • Beanies • Fitness Wear Hydration For more information on events and to register or rent boards visit us at: The largest inventory on the Central Coast!

Locally owned and operated for over 20 years.

The big yellow building across from Smart & Final.

252 Higuera St, San Luis Obispo Call Us: 544-9259 or 541-8473

thepaddleboardcompany.com/rentals-lessons

The Paddleboard Company 575 Embarcadero, Morro Bay • (805) 225-5555 Directly across from the Shell Shop

42

•

February 23 - March 8, 2017 • Simply Clear Marketing & Media

Featured Folks

Bello Mundo Ascends, Expands

By Camas Frank

A

little over 5-years ago, a new coffee shop opened up in Downtown SLO that was almost as small, literally, as a hole in the wall, or maybe a walk-in closet.

Bello Mundo was sandwiched between the independent music seller Boo Boo Records, the fair trade shop HumanKind and near the used bookseller Phoenix Books. The suite of shops all held similar humanist values and shared a customer base.

Bello Mundo gained such a following for its fresh baked goods and select single source pour over coffees and they eventually started to strain at the seams of the small space.

About a year after its opening, Jonathan Stauf and wife, Jenna Madama, joined the company as coowners and Stauf became the onsite owner-operator. In time the pair took over completely from partner and founder, Jennifer Martinez, and ushered the closet sized coffee shop into a new era, with a comparatively enormous new space just a few doors down the Monterey Street. And, in a first for the customers already used to gluten free offerings and hand shaved chocolate in their mochas, wi-fi was added for the laptop addicted.

They added new practices to the

company culture, and the pastries and other offerings flourished.

For example, they started making in-house all their almond milk, and used the byproducts in their baked goods.

A factor from the very beginning was ethically-sourced coffee beans, which, while expensive, take a little of the guilt out of the morning cup of Joe, as well as offering more control over quality at every step of the supply chain.

The demand for more and better beans led to branching out into their own local roaster, Ascendo.

Now the expanded Bello Mundo is going through another round of changes, as a new, second location is preparing to open in Los Osos in the former Starbucks space on LOVR at Fairchild Way. With expansion comes a name change. All three, Belo Mundos — the original shop, the roaster and the new Los Osos shop — will now go by “Ascendo.�

:PVS /FX :FBS T 3FTPMVUJPOT 4UBSU 5PEBZ Find whole body wellness in a full service women’s health club

Regulars saw some changes overnight on Feb. 16 as new cups and a new logo heralded the rebrand. “All of the coffee will be the same at both locations,� said Stauf, adding that on a 100-point grading scale, their beans come in at 80-90. “High quality,� he said, “single origin, chosen with lots of care.�

As for the Los Osos expansion opportunity, that came out of the blue with the site’s landlord preferring to offer the spot to a local family business after Starbucks moved down the street to a new space. “It took a while to get our first spot going,� Stauf said. “ Five years of striving and growing, so we’re not reinventing the wheel. The important part is that we put people and the community first.�

In fact, he said, their passions can be listed as people first, and coffee a close second.

That show’s in their hiring practices which are unusually democratic, as

MADE IN

AMERICA. CENTRAL COAST.

Party trays available!

New Member Trial Oer

0DUJDULWDV ‡ %HHU ‡ :LQH 6RXSV ‡ 6DODGV ‡ 3DVWDV 'DLO\ 6SHFLDOV 'RJ )ULHQGO\ 3DWLR

$)*-% $"3& Call for a local solar quote, get a free american flag. ( 0 4 0 - " 3 ( 0 -0 $ " - ( 0 5 3 6 45 & %

(805) 466-5595 t #SPBE 4U 4-0 t .BSJHPME $FOUFS JOGP!FRDMVCT DPN t FRDMVCT DPN .JMJUBSZ TUVEFOU BOE TFOJPS EJTDPVOUT BWBJMBCMF

SINCE 1985

MEXICAN RESTAURANT

%BZT GPS

2017

When you’re in the mood for Mexican...

BORN ON THE

take advantage of our

"7"*-"#-& +"/6"3:

more people are added to staff the new location. All potential staff must pass the review of their peers, work sideby-side with potential co-workers, and pass a vote of the team.

As with the SLO shop, there’s a lot of metaphorical blood, sweat and tears going into the Los Osos Ascendo. Staff and friends who happen to be handy have been doing the interior remodel themselves. “We’re going to have a full kitchen in both locations,� he explained, noting that while larger than the first Bello Mundo location, the Los Osos shop will be a smaller version of what they’re doing in SLO. There’s a communal table, space set aside for socializing, an area to sit at the bar where regulars are known to chat up the baristas, gallery space for local artists and yes, even a place for those working on computers and tablets.

Something the Los Osos spot has that SLO doesn’t will be an outdoor, dog-friendly patio, which should be completed and opened sometime soon.

The Los Osos Ascendo location is tentatively scheduled to open the first week of March. Until then, they’re open in SLO at 974 Monterey St., MondaysFridays from 6:30 a.m. to 8 p.m., and 7:30 to 8 weekends.

www.solarponics.com WE FEATURE USA-MADE PANELS SINCE 1975 t CSLB# 391670

Taquito Tuesday:

4 Taquitos for $5! ³DGG ULFH EHDQV IRU )LUH 5RDVWHG 9HJHWDEOH 6RXS ³ VP OUJ 2848 N. Main St, Morro Bay 772-5686 %UHDNIDVW ‡ /XQFK ‡ 'LQQHU DP WR SP 'D\V D :HHN ‡ $OO ,WHPV $YDLODEOH WR *R

Simply Clear Marketing & Media • February 23 - March 8, 2017

•

43

The Dugout Can Help You Sport the Perfect Gift Story and photos by Mark A. Diaz

6DQ /XLV 2ELVSR &$

I

t may be daunting for some people to walk into a sports memorabilia store with the hope of finding a suitable gift for their loved one or relative. On the outside looking in, it’s easy to imagine someone arbitrarily slapping price tags on random paraphernalia just waiting for some gullible consumer to fork over their money, but there is a definite science to the art of collecting. Lance and June Gonzales, the new owners of the Sports Dugout located at 103 E. Branch Street in the Village of Arroyo Grande, know the trade, know how to trade and can help anyone find that special gift.

The Gonzales’ used to own Lance Gonzales Landscaping, a successful business in Los Angeles that catered to such Hollywood stars as the late John Candy, Harrison Ford and Steven Spielberg. In Lance’s years of experience working with greenery of Hollywood royalty, Harrison Ford is one of the celebrities that stands out as a truly nice individual. Despite his success, Lance always wanted something else. “I did landscaping for 30 years,� said Lance. “I was a landscape contractor out of LA and I always wanted to have a store. I’ve been a collector forever, and I know a lot about the industry.�

In the past, the couple had searched for potential places to open up shop on the Central Coast. “We love the little, small town. We’ve been up here a couple of times,� said Lance. “We like it. It’s the slow pace, it’s completely different than what we’re used.�

After 7 years of researching SLO county and potential businesses, they took the plunge and purchased the old memorabilia store in the Village. They revamped the inside and put up a flat screen TV. When it comes to putting value on a piece, whether is a team coffee mug or autographed picture, sentiment and rarity are the two sides of same the collectable coin. Rarity is easy to spot for Lance. He can tell you that anything signed by famous sports announcer Vin Scully is valuable, because “Scully doesn’t sign anything� or an old photo with Dodger Stadium in the backdrop is unique, because “those bleachers are different colors now.�

To purchase something with sentimental value is a more difficult task; it could be an old brochure from the first live game someone watched or a signed jersey of a favorite player.

Knowledge of the recipient is the most valuable commodity when looking for sentimental value.

:$17(' ),5( 3+2726 ,I \RX ZHUH WKHUH WRRN SKRWRV RU YLGHRV 3/($6( +(/3 285 ),5( 5(6($5&+

,1 &$6+ 2YHU LQ *LIW &HUWLÂżFDWHV $YDLODEOH &$6+ 3+2726

&$6+ 3+2726

&$6+ 3+2726

# :(%6,7( 3/86 025(

6XE)LUH&RQWHVW FRP Lance hand picks his memorabilia. “I look for uniqueness, quality and personal preference,� he said. When asked what his favorite team was Lance said “all of them, I love the game.� “One of the things we really wanted to do was to give a chance to a small community to see different things through sports memorabilia.� June added, “When people walk in here, I love hearing them say, I’ve never seen anything like this.�

Finding the right gift does not have to empty your wallet. Dawn and Gerald Hollis from Camarillo stopped in the store to buy something for their son. “They have things here that I’d never seen,� Dawn said referring to the wooden team totem and a team

license plate holder. “I thought it was a nice story and they were very helpful.�

Among the numerous lower price ranged items on display, the Hollis’ picked a license plate holder and a team beanie.

Lance’s real passion may not be collecting, but rather sharing his love of the game. “One of the things I wanted to teach my whole life, (is that) it’s just not about the player and the team, it’s about the game.� Given half the chance, he will gladly walk anyone through the Dugout and explain the history and significance of the player, team or event that any particular collectable represents.

*,)7 &(57,),&$7(6

3/($6( +(/3 86

6TXDUH 'HDO 5HFRUGLQJV 6XSSOLHV

25 9,6,7

6XE)LUH&RQWHVW FRP

)25 &217(67 '(7$,/6

Style

Live your life with

Visit our showroom filled with a wide selection of stylish furniture so compelling, you’ll wonder why you waited so long. dining room • sofas • bedroom • recliners • sleepers mattresses • entertainment • home office • accessories

1069 E. Grand Ave, Arroyo Grande • 805.489.8533 • Mon–Sat 10–6pm, Sun 12–5pm www.DonnasInteriors.com