this weeks full SLO City News

Transcription

this weeks full SLO City News
•
Volume 9
Issue 11
•
December 4 - 10, 2014
YOUR COMMUNITY IN YOUR HANDS
The all-volunteer SLO County Band played
Santa into his SLO home for the season
with the annual opening of Santa’s House in
Mission Plaza, November 28. Photo by Erin
O’Donnell with more info on page 36.
‘Sunny Acres’ Name Is Out
For Historic Orphanage
Major Projects Before
Planning Commission
By Camas Frank
By Camas Frank
E
ver since Dan DeVaul opened his
ranch to those in need and created
his own sober-living facility —
Sunny Acres — on the outskirts of San
Luis Obispo, there have been two very
different places with the same name.
DeVaul’s project is on Los Osos
Valley Road and grabbed headlines in
recent years, over a code enforcement
spat with the County or, more recently,
a groundbreaking ceremony for
community supported upgrades.
The original, other “Sunny Acres”
has sat empty and abandoned, save
for teenage trespassers, on a hill above
Johnson Avenue.
Transitions-Mental
Health
Association first outlined plans to take
over the 80-year old structure two years
ago and now wants to end confusion
over the name once and for all.
The restoration of the historic
orphanage building known as Sunny
Acres will go forward as “Bishop Street
Studios,” Transitions has announced,
an independent living center supporting
the non-profit organization’s mission
promoting “Recovery and wellness
for people with mental illness through
work, housing, community and family
support services.”
See Name Change, page 3
S
an Luis Obispo City Planning
Commission
meetings
don’t
usually garner a lot of attention
but the Dec. 10 agenda has a couple of
big items for residents to pay attention
to.
Second on the agenda but probably
the most well known is a plan for 40
Prado Rd. That’s the project review for a
new “homeless shelter and safe parking
program” that’s been in the works in
some form or another for a decade.
The Prado site, very near the current
Prado Day Center, is part of a “Planned
Development overlay (O-PD) zone” and
would receive a categorical exemption
from further environmental review.
Community Action Partnership San
Luis Obispo (CAPSLO) managed
to secure the property as part of a
complicated purchase arrangement
with the Regional Transit Authority
earlier this year.
Also before the commission is a
doozy, because of the attention it’s
already received through the proposal
and Architectural Review Commission
(ARC) stages of review.
That’s a proposal for a new 102-room
hotel project.
See Projects, page 4
SLO City
Farm
Expands
Education
Scoop
Their
Poop
Running
For The
Finish
Get Your
Kicks at
‘Pier 46’
SLO Chief
Speaks
Out
page 4
page 5
page 6
page 33
page 34
2
•
December 4 - 10, 2014 • SLO City News
Table of
Contents
Coastal Culture .....................14
Bret Colhouer
publisher
bret@tolosapress.com
Neil Farrell
managing editor
The Bay News
neil@tolosapress.com
City Farm School Expanding ........... 4
Holiday Guide .........................15-26
Scoop The Poop Campaign ............ 5
805 Sound ..............................27-30
Sports ........................................... 6
Police Blotter ................................. 7
Community Calendar....................8-9
Good To Be King ......................... 10
Theresa-Marie Wilson
managing editor
The Coast News
t@tolosapress.com
Entertainment ..........................31-32
Camas Frank
section editor
SLO City News
frank@tolosapress.com
Opinion....................................... 34
Paul Winninghoff
sports reporter
sports@tolosapress.com
Deputies Donate .......................... 35
Gareth Kelly
business / lifestyle reporter
gareth@tolosapress.com
Visit To Santaʼs House .................. 36
Christy Serpa
art director
Jim Bennett
graphic designer
Dinner And A Movie .............33
Lifestyle ................................... 11-13
In The Black .............................37-39
Kathrene Tiffin
copy editor
Kaila Lugo
administrative assistant
Padma Mohan
marketing coordinator
ADVERTISING
Dave Diaz
internet, text & loyalty marketing
Dana McGraw
sales manager
dana@tolosapress.com
Zorina Ricci
senior advertising executive
SEO specialist
z@tolosapress.com
Carrie Vickerman
carrie@tolosapress.com
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS &
PHOTOGRAPHERS
Teri Bayus
Michael Gunther
King Harris
Vivian Krug
Evanne Mingori
Betsey Nash
SLO Nightwriters
Ray Ambler
Ruth Anne Angus
Amy Joseph
Carrie Jaymes
Erin O’Donnell
This is a publication of Tolosa Press, Inc., Copyright 2007–2013 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) 543-3698
615 Clarion Ct., #2, San Luis Obispo,
CA 93401
www.tolosapress.com
Call 543-NEWS
SLO City News • December 4 - 10, 2014
•
3
NEWS
Name Change, from page 1
In a press statement Transitions
Executive Director, Jill BolsterWhite, explained the first step of
changing the name.
“We have received a gratifying
amount of encouragement from
neighbors as well as community
leaders who know that our
community needs to provide this
kind of housing,” said BolsterWhite. “Our supporters urged us to
come up with an updated name to
avoid confusion with Dan DeVaul’s
Sunny Acres facility. Given the big
difference between our mission and
Mr. DeVaul’s, it made sense to come
up with a different name that clearly
identifies our project for precisely
what it is — studio apartments on
Bishop Street.”
While original projections for
the project were hazy on exactly
how many clients could be housed
once the structure was gutted, had
its masonry reinforced and rebuilt
with a modern interior, their target
is to provide affordable housing for
at least 14 Transitions clients.
Citing pending, “final discussions
Photo taken of ‘Sunny Acres’ in 2011, by Camas Frank
with the County and the City,”
Bolster-White left the door open for
as many as 35 residents with at least
one manager living permanently
on- site.
If successful, the project will also
be a triumph for preservationists,
who have tried to keep the building
in public ownership since the
County announced plans to sell it.
The building served various roles,
as an orphanage and eventually
a home for troubled kids, before
being shut down permanently in
1974. Near several County facilities
on the north side of the city, the
property has a hilltop view and is
surrounded by green-space.
That makes it perfect for the
Transitions project but also a good
candidate for the County’s original
plan to sell off the site for conversion
into a pricy, single family, mansion.
Cost has always been the barrier to
keeping the space in a public use.
Transitions has been able to
work out a series of loans, grants
and donations to come up with
the project costs, estimated at $5
million. ✤
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•
December 4 - 10, 2014 • SLO City News
COMMUNITY
School At City Farm Expanding
By Camas Frank
A
s the students at Pacific Beach
High School took some time
off to be with their families
for Thanksgiving, a few might have
been looking a little differently at
their dinner plates.
Students have been growing
lettuce, tomatoes, corn, sunflowers,
squash and more since the
introduction of a school garden
program at SLO’s City Farm for the
2014-15 school year.
Going a step beyond just how to
do things in a farm setting, their
time has been split between the field
and classroom with more science
studies and classes planned.
“They’re learning about the entire
food web,” Principal Andy Marnello
said, “the history of how people
have been fed and why we have the
foods we eat.”
He added that he, and a few of
the school’s staff, have been more
than happy to play guinea pigs for
culinary experiments, as the kids
finding out how to turn fresh-fromthe-field produce into appetizing
dishes.
“It’s amazing how people don’t
understand the connection between
a saran wrapped product on the
shelf to what it took to grow that
food,” Marnello said.
Pacific Beach, located on Los Osos
Valley Road in SLO, is the San Luis
Coastal Unified School District’s
alternative for students who want
an accelerated environment or with
challenges that make attendance in
other district schools unfeasible. It
serves the entire district including
Morro Bay, Los Osos, Avila and
SLO.
As such they’ve had a freer hand to
test out programs that their smaller
student body find rewarding.
Partnering with the City of San Luis
Projects, from page 1
If readers haven’t heard, the
project is planned for the parking
lot around the Pappy McGregor’s
Restaurant, 1845 Monterey St., they
probably don’t live in the San Luis
Drive neighborhood, just across the
creek from the development.
The project passed through the
ARC on Oct. 20 with a standing room
only crowd interested in the details
of how noise would be channeled
through a ground level parking
garage, how many balconies might
be able to see over the creek into
their backyards, and even concerns
about outdoor lighting.
Doug Davidson, the first City
hearing officer to look at the project,
Obispo’s brand new City Farm, just
off Calle Joaquin and behind the
Madonna Road shopping centers,
was a perfect confluence of available
space and talented volunteers. They
started with a 3-week pilot program
last summer and the idea stuck.
Developed by teacher Anne
Wilder, the curriculum for students’
time at the farm is a supplement to
traditional classes with concepts
such as, “international versus local
supply chains,” “the history of food,”
“the physics, chemistry and biology
of agro-ecology,” and “principles of
sustainable and organic agriculture”
taught hands-on style.
Now the organization that runs
the SLO City Farm, Central Coast
Grown, has been able to allocate
some more resources towards the
educational side of their operation.
They’ve hired a new farm manager
and educator to develop curriculum
on site. Nicki Anderson is set to take
the job this week.
“The students have fully designed
their own garden on the plot that we
gave them,” explained Jenna Smith,
executive director for Central
Coast Grown. “They’re doing the
entire process start to finish. With
a full time educator we’ll be able
to expand to half an acre and add
business planning and marketing
courses to the vocational training.”
While the classes are still an elective
at PBHS, the hope is to expand
the farm’s educational abilities to
include an apprenticeship program
and help young people interested
in literally growing a business from
the ground up get their start.
“We’ve already had so much
thought those concerns might have
been worked out after an August
public hearing that featured both
Andrew Firestone of West Coast
Asset Management (the project
applicant), and a sizable residential
turnout spearheaded by the current
appellant, Bob Lucas.
Lucas though, representing an
informal but close knit group of
residents in the area, hasn’t been
overly enthused with the solutions
provided during later steps of
approval.
City staff found that, “sound
generated from use of the proposed
balconies more than complies
with City noise requirements
and light associated with the
proposed balconies also more than
complies with the City’s Night Sky
Preservation requirements.”
Higher screening walls on the
creek side and a reduced number
of balconies from the original
architectural
drawings
were
however, worked into the Oct. 20
approval.
City Associate Planner, Marcus
Carloni, who’s in charge of the
project, noted that the project’s
status after the last ARC meeting
was largely unchanged from when
it went in, except for enclosure
of the lower parking level, which
would result in the loss of about 10
parking spaces.
That, it was felt, was a reasonable
compromise
for
commercial
parking design. As long as both the
restaurant and hotel on-site were
help,”
said
Marnello. “Central
Coast Grown is
a real clearing
house for amazing
volunteers.”
Among
the
volunteers
is
former Cal Poly
professor, Steven
Marx, who has
been the liaison
between
the
agricultural
and
educational
elements of the
farm since the
beginning.
“He’s been the
energy behind us
and really kept us
going,” Marnello
added, noting that
Marx has also
lent his know how
in “the system”
to help find grant opportunities,
which is how the new educational
coordinator is set to be funded.
“We’re really looking forward
to what this will mean for our
program.” Marx, coincidentally is
married to SLO Mayor Jan Marx.
As for what the public can do to
help the City Farm keep going,
donations and volunteer time
are appreciated, but if you have
equipment there’s always a constant
need.
“Right now we’re looking for
rototillers,” said Smith. Outdoor
tables and chairs would be welcomed
too. For more information about
Central Coast Grown and City Farm
see: www.centralcoastgrown.org. ✤
both fully booked, there shouldn’t
be and overflow issue.
At the heart of the matter though,
what Lucas and many of the Oct.
20 public commentators were more
concerned with is the “human scale”
of the project, and the prospect that
their privacy and nearby open space
are open for development based on
administrative checklists.
That’s not something an appeals
process will resolve, but for at least
one more meeting, a lot more people
are getting involved in the process.
The Planning Commission meets
at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 10 in the
Council Chamber at City Hall, 990
Palm St. ✤
SLO City News • December 4 - 10, 2014
•
5
NEWS
‘Scoop the Poop’ Campaign Hatched
By Neil Farrell
project locations are mapped at:
www.SLOscoopspoop.com.
Bureaucrats have apparently been
tracking these orphan poop piles.
“Each of the designated locations
has either a pink or checkered flag
that identify and represent the
number of orphan poops that have
the ability to impact public health
and our local waterways. In addition,
L
ocal cities are starting a new
PR campaign to step up
education on the issue of pet
wastes, part of a State program to
wipe up bacterial pollution in storm
water run-off.
Targeting priority water pollution
sources, participating communities
on Nov. 24 kicked off “SLO Scoops
Poop” — a county-wide campaign
“to protect public health, our local
waterways, and our beautiful
central coast landscape,” according
to a press release from the City of
Morro Bay.
In
accordance
with
state
regulations, the release reads,
each participating community
will be promoting a pilot program
to address water quality impacts
related to pet waste.
According to the press release,
the pilot program will educate
the public, and “identify social
and physical barriers that prevent
a desired behavior or activity,
provide
educational
prompts
to elicit a desired behavior, and
provide incentives for the desired
behavior.” It’s assumed that a rolled
up newspaper won’t be part of the
behavior modification.
“Our mission is simple,” reads the
release, “to get dog owners to pick
up after their dogs every stinkin’
time! Every time you’re walking
your dogs on trails, through local
parks, or your neighborhoods
remember to pick up your dog’s
poop and dispose of it properly.
This also includes accumulated dog
poop in your yards.”
It continues, “When dog and other
pet waste is left on the ground, not
only is it smelly and unsightly, but it
poses a health risk for other animals
and people.
“In
addition,
unattended
[“orphan”] poop during rains
can contribute harmful bacteria
[giardia,
roundworm,
viruses,
and other parasites] to our local
waterways.
“No one wants to swim in
waterways that are polluted
with harmful bacteria, especially
fish and other aquatic life. ‘SLO
Scoops Poop’ has selected eight
different project locations in each
participating community.” The
each of the eight designated project
locations contains a unique treasure
container — “canine cache.”
Of course there’s a poop project
tracker
website,
see:
www.
SLOscoopspoop.com to find GPS
coordinates and hints to find a cool
pooch prize.
Partners in the program include:
the cities of Arroyo Grande, Paso
Robles, Morro Bay, Pismo Beach,
Atascadero, SLO and Grover
Beach, SLO and Santa Barbara
counties, Santa Maria, Los Osos
and Templeton CSDs, Cal Poly, and
Caltrans, according to the website.
Their motto is: “Remember: Poop
Pollutes, so… Scoop the Poop, Every
Stinkin’ Time!!!” ✤
6
•
December 4 - 10, 2014 • SLO City News
SPORTS
proudly supports OUR local Athletes!
Local Runners do Well at State
By Neil Farrell
Photos by Mark Smith
S
an Luis Obispo High’s William
Ernst finished in second
place at the CIF State Cross
Country Meet held in Clovis over
the weekend, leading the SLO High
Boys’ Team to a 5th Place finish in
the Div. 4 team standings.
And Morro Bay High’s Austin
lay capped off a stellar prep career
taking 4th in the Div. 4 race and
taking home a medal, while posting
the fourth fastest time ever for a
Morro Bay runner at State.
Ernst also took second at the CIF
Southern Section Div. 4 Finals held
the previous weekend at Mt. SAC.
Lay was 12th in that race, running
just fast enough to make State,
though the rest of the Pirates’ team
didn’t qualify for State.
Other runners for SLOHS were:
Callum Bolger (4th, 15:29); Aramis
Morro Bay’s Lay clocked 15:44 for
the 5K race and Pirates’ coach Chuck
Ogle said it was a performance for
the ages. “That time ties him with
Dave Mitchell (1993 Sate Meet) for
the fourth fastest mark by a Pirate
on the course,” said Ogle. Only
Isaiah Festa has run faster.” Festa
was a two-time State Cross Country
Champion who went on to star
in cross country and track for the
University of Wisconsin.
“Austin ran a smart race,” Ogle
said. “He went through the first
mile in a controlled 4:50, used
the second mile to establish his
position, held in the third mile, and
sealed the deal with a strong kick
over the last 100 meters.”
Photos shown here were taken
at the CIF SS Finals Meet at Mt.
SAC. ✤
Knox (57th, 15:44); Ethan McSwain
(65th, 16:48); Matt White (120th,
17:25); Kieran Bolger (137th, 17:45);
and Kobi Kelly (143rd, 17:48).
There were 192 total runners In the
Div. 4 race and SLO’s team time was
1-hour 21.46 minutes.
Callum Bolger also medaled in the
race. (Top-10 get medals).
In the Div. II Girls race, Arroyo
Grande’s team finished ninth with
a collective time of 1:36:31. Leza
Cassidy led with a 5th place finish
among team runners (individual
scorers removed) clocking 18:15.
She was 12th overall in the race.
Others included Rosa Granados
(42nd, 19:00); Jocelyn Reynolds
(68th, 19:37); Talley Hill (75th,
19:43); Malia Simon (84th, 19:56);
Haley Chavez (93rd, 20:03) and
Angela Gemignani (103rd, 20:10).
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Tolosa Press • December 4 - 10, 2014
•
7
POLICE BLOTTER
Morro Bay
• Nov. 24: A citizen in the 600 block of
Estero said some scoundrel tried to open
a credit card account in his or her name,
an apparent occasion when bad credit
might pay off.
• Nov. 24: Police went to Harbor and
Shasta where a citizen said someone stole
prescription meds out of their unlocked
vehicle, a case where nasty side effects
might be in order. In unrelated cases,
a vehicle was vandalized while parked
in the 700 block of Embarcadero, and
innocent vehicles in the 2500 and 2400
blocks of Greenwood were victimized too
— a regular crime wave in this burg.
• Nov. 24: Police responded at 4:37 p.m.
to a disturbance in the 200 block of Surf
St., where they arrested a 44-year-old
sozzled woman for suspicion of being too
deep in her cups.
• Nov. 25: Some scalawag stole $45.50
worth of gasoline from a boat docked in
the 600 block of Embarcadero.
• Nov. 25: Police responded at 9:39 p.m. to
a disturbance in the 700 block of Pacific.
Logs indicated someone just wanted to
document that he or she’d been battered
but apparently wasn’t ticked off enough
to press charges.
• Nov. 26: Police responded at 8 a.m.
to a disturbance in the 700 block of
Embarcadero where some 49-year-old
local yokel was hooked up for being
schwasted where the tourists can see
him.
• Nov. 28: Ah, the travails of the urban
forest. Police took a report of a tree
limb falling on a vehicle parked in the
500 block of Morro Bay Blvd., for the
inevitable lawsuit to follow.
• Nov. 29: Police contacted an
unidentified felonious fellow in the
2400 block of Hemlock and popped the
weasel for suspicion of possessing drug
paraphernalia, appropriation of “lost”
property and of course being higher than
the stacks on drugs.
• Nov. 29: Police responded to Avalon
Street to take a report of a runaway
juvenile who’d left sometime earlier,
having apparently not been missed right
away.
• Nov. 30: Some pilfering Grinch stole
jewelry from some of the vendors at the
all-but-rained-out Holiday Street Fair.
• Nov. 30: Police responded at 10:34 p.m.
to the 700 block of Quintana where they
arrested a 51-year-old man for suspicion
of kidnapping, false imprisonment and
of course DUI. He was booked into the
County Jail, and hopefully the key thrown
away.
• Nov. 30: Police responded at 10:32 p.m.
to a residence in the 300 block of Surf.
Logs indicated some thieves broke into a
garage and stole “numerous construction
tools, landscaping tools, cash, and coins,”
which stinks of an inside job.
Pismo Beach
• Nov. 25: A trespassing tree limb was
blocking the sidewalk and bike lane on
the 800 block of 4th Street. A city crew
removed it.
• Nov. 25: A guy dressed all in black with
a shawl over his head was reportedly
hovering in dark corners and bushes
near the Kon Tiki Inn. As if that wasn’t
odd enough, anytime management tried
to approach him he would walk away. He
was advised to hit the road Jack.
• Nov. 25: An adult man and his mother
were having a spat over keys, a check and
tennis shoes on the 200 block of Addie.
• Nov. 24: A caller reported a possible
DUI driver tailgating her. He was busted
when he pulled over at the Chevron gas
station.
• Nov. 24:A guy sitting in front of Scotty
on a bench was so hammered he could
barely get up, but when he did, he was
stumbling. He was benched in the
slammer.
• Nov. 24: A caller reported an old man
staggering on the 1100 block of Price
wearing a coat, shorts and one shoe.
• Nov. 24: A caller on the 2500 block of
Coburn reported a strange man wearing
a straw hat was in his house. The guy
kicked a female resident of the home and
then sat in the driveway. He was arrested
for being a DIP (drunk in public).
• Nov. 24: A note was found under a hotel
room door at the Sandcastle Inn that said
“Help.” It was children playing.
• Nov. 24: At the request of her boyfriend’s
family, a woman went to check on him in
the 2000 block of Costa Del Sol. When
she showed up at his house he was
standing naked at the front door and
yelled at her to leave. The poor naked guy
was suffering from PTSD.
• Nov. 24: Police were unable to locate
noisy people drinking in the hot tub at
the Sandcastle Inn. The stewed prunes
jumped the fence and were gone before
police arrived.
• Nov. 23: A guy at Harry’s Bar, who got
into an altercation with someone and
refused to leave, was put behind bars.
In other watering hole news, a woman
reported that a man she had met at
Harry’s, who was staying at an area hotel,
stole her car keys. The keys were located
at a nearby swing set. The woman, who
had been drinking, decided to call for a
ride home.
• Nov. 23: A caller reported two men asking
for signatures in front of California Fresh
were harassing customers. One dude was
arrested on drug related charges and a
probation violation. No doubt petitioning
to repeal the three strikes rule.
• Nov. 23: A man with duct tape covering
his mouth was protesting something in
front of Splash Café. He was advised to
move on, to which he no doubt responded
“Hmmfgrgh.”
• Nov. 23: A call came in and dispatch
could hear someone pushing buttons
and a man talking to a female about
programming a phone. Leave it to a man
to not read the instructions.
San Luis Obispo
• Nov. 26: A woman in the 1300 block of
Nipomo called at 12:41 a.m. and said an
unknown subject opened her bedroom
door, shined a flashlight in her room and
then ran off, apparently not liking what
he saw.
• Nov. 26: At 2 a.m. at 7-Eleven on
Marsh they needed protection from some
inebriated dingus who broke a glass and
then got froggy with everyone.
• Nov. 26: At 2:04 a.m. police were called
to Mo Tav on Higuera for some fool who
no doubt got loud and then apparently
got hit, as now he’s got a cut up face.
• Nov. 26: Some no doubt Dean’s lister
threw a rock through the office window
at the San Luis Coastal School District
Office.
• Nov. 25: Police went to the Amtrak
Station at 7:27 a.m. because there was
some nasty cobra inside refusing to leave
and threatening to spit. He’d slithered off
before they arrived.
• Nov. 25: The folks at Dr. Idleman’s
Office in the 600 block of California said
they’re having an ongoing problem of
transients sleeping behind their building,
as it sounds like a good nesting spot. Then
at 8:43 a.m. someone at Walter Bros.,
Const., in the 3200 block of Higuera
reported another dumpster snoozer and
logs said, “RP can point him out.”
• Nov. 25: Someone called at 8:30 a.m.
from the 600 block of Tank Farm to
report seeing his or her sister-in-law
walking towards Broad about 10 minutes
ago, as apparently giving her a lift was
out of the question.
• Nov. 25: Someone in the 200 block of
California called at 9:24 a.m. and said
the frat house “is making the whole block
smell.”
• Nov. 25: A man called at 10:33 a.m. from
the 600 block of Tank Farm and said a
“deranged, lunatic, psychopath” was
threatening him. No report was done, as
apparently the guy’s mostly a BS’er.
• Nov. 25: Someone called at 11:12 a.m.
from Mitchell Park to report a bothersome
sot and a 34-year-old besotted broad was
bounced off to the County funhouse.
They got a second call at Mitchell Park
for more boorish behavior. Two more
stumblebums ages 61 and 50 were also
hauled to the nick and the park is ours
again.
• Nov. 25: At 11:17 a.m. police got a 9-11 call from Starbucks on Madonna that
a transient man swiped a drink off the
bar that wasn’t his, a potential hanging
offense in Seattle.
• Nov. 25: Someone reported a disturbance
at 11:30 a.m. in the 4100 block of Higuera
where four men and a woman, associated
with a POS motor home, were raising hell
by the PG&E yard.
• Nov. 25: Someone called at 11:51 a.m.
from Monterey and Santa Rosa to report
a mentally deranged man, 50, wearing
khaki shorts and a tan sun hat and blue
backpack. He was gone when police
arrived, no doubt back at his desk at the
County Government Asylum.
• Nov. 25: At noon someone at the Prado
homeless day care center on Prado Road
complained about some guy who ain’t
supposed to be there period, who keeps
coming in and out, a case of “I dare ya’
to cross ‘dis line.” “I dare ya’ to cross ‘dis
line…” He got the hint before the boys in
blue arrived to drive the point home.
• Nov. 25: A citizen in the 2300 block of
Broad called at 12:35 p.m. to complain
that all the speakers at the Car Audio
Center were turned up so loud it was
shaking his or her house.
• Nov. 25: Someone called at 1 p.m. from
Madonna Plaza and complained there
was a panhandler in front of every store,
so much for the “season of giving.”
• Nov. 25: Someone at Albertsons on
Foothill reported a transient man and
woman in a gray Volvo with tin foil over
the windows were apparently getting
jiggy in the parking lot.
• Nov. 25: At 1:21 p.m. someone reported
two men in a black pick up parked behind
an oak tree on San Luis Dr., were digging
a hole, in this week’s latest example of
why we need SWAT.
• Nov. 25: At 2:30 p.m. someone at Calla
del Camino and Broad found a STOP sign
lying on the ground but the metal pole
was missing, as the thief apparently has
his own sign.
• Nov. 25: Police got a call at 2:50 in
the 400 block of Marsh from an elderly
lady who said a “strange young girl” was
coming into her home, as it was no doubt
sponge bath time.
• Nov. 25: Someone at Leff and Osos called
at 2:53 p.m. to report a schwasted woman
leaning against a green Jeep Cherokee.
The 50-year-old barfologist was hauled
to the County B&B for perhaps the worst
night of her life.
• Nov. 25: A man called police at 3:24
p.m. and said he’d gotten a call from his
ex-sister-in-law who said she was going
to do herself in, a possible case of wrong
sister?
• Nov. 25: Police were called at 4:30 to
the 300 block of Higuera where some
brazen thief pedaled off with a bicycle
from Wally’s Bike Shop and was last seen
pedaling his a** off towards Downtown.
In an unrelated case, at 4:43 at Rite Aid
on Foothill a shoplifter had bolted out of
the store and the apparent track star was
last seen running towards LOVR, which
is about 3 miles away.
• Nov. 25: A burglar alarm went off in the
first block of Madonna but was deemed
a malfunction rather than human error,
as there ain’t no one working at Caltrans
at 5:36.
• Nov. 25: Police responded at 5:56 p.m.
to the Vons Store on Broad for a 65-yearold woman with a hurt hand. Logs
indicated they arrested some scoundrel
for suspicion of battery and strong-armed
robbery.
• Nov. 25: Police were called at 6:39
p.m. to Albertsons on Johnson for an
unresponsive man slumped over behind
the wheel of a car with a needle sticking
out of his arm (you really can’t make
this up folks). The 24-year-old apparent
hype was arrested for suspicion of being
fuzzucked up on drugs.
• Nov. 25: A citizen called at 7 p.m. and
said that while driving by an alley in the
300 block of Patricia, someone threw a
water balloon at his or her vehicle but
police couldn’t find the hooligans, a
case of where’s Rin-Tin-Tin when you
need him? In an unrelated incident,
at 8:30 p.m. in the area of Beebee and
South, some apparent redneck in a gray
Silverado license No. 44718A1 threw a
beer can at the caller’s car.
• Nov. 25: At 7:22 p.m. someone reported
a 60-something, Asian woman, with gray
hair, was setting up camp at the Marsh
Street Post Office. She was advised to
leave before they ship her off to the pokey.
• Nov. 25: At 8:52 p.m. someone said
there was a group of people sitting on
a bench in Stoneridge Park possibly
smoking the evil weed. They’d wafted off
before police arrived. ✤
8
• December 4 - 10, 2014 • Tolosa Press
COMMUNITY CALENDAR
Road, will host a gathering at 7
p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 3 to reflect
and grieve for the recent deaths of
several young and older Los Osos
citizens in terrible traffic accidents.
“We will meet in a respectful and loving
environment to share our concerns and
thoughts together as a community that
has lost too many, both young and old,”
reads a press release.
The Five Cites Relay For Life
Team Dangerous Curves Taking
Care Of Business is accepting
$25 donations for chocolate pizzas,
a 12 inch pizza (the base is milk
chocolate with rice crispies) decorated
with coconut, mint candy for the
pepperonis, M & Ms and honey roasted
peanuts. They are double wrapped and
heat sealed so they will last for months
if you can resist that long. They make
great hostess gifts for those holiday
parties you are going to attend, secret
Santa gift or a unique gift for that hard
to buy for person on your list. You can
wrap it in bubble wrap and mail it in
the pizza box that Palo Mesa Pizza
donated for each pizza.
Email orders to pinnkky13@yahoo.
com. Order yours today before they are
all gone.
St. Benedict’s Episcopal Church,
corner of LOVR and Clark Valley
The Holiday in the Plaza Arts
& Crafts Fair takes place Dec. 6
and 7 from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. in front
of the SLO Mission. Admission is free.
There will be great food and live music
by Grass Fire on Saturday. For more
information, call 559-288-6614 or visit
www.thecraftfair.org.
The Estero Bay Republican Women’s
Federated’s next monthly meeting is
set for 11:30 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 11 at
The View restaurant at Morro Bay Golf
Course. Cost is $20 for members and
$25 non-members. This month they will
be honoring past club presidents and the
speaker will be Dist. 4 County Supervisorelect, Lynn Compton. The club is open to
expand its membership and should you
wish to join call the membership chairman
Carolyn Atkinson at 528-6208 or email
to: deansatkinson@sbcglobal.net.
There will be a book signing for
“The Settlers of Arroyo Grande”
by authors Patricia Loomis
and Mary Mueller on Saturday,
December 13 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. At
the Historic IOOF Hall, 128 Bridge
Street in Arroyo Grande. Author Mary
Mueller will be on hand to autograph
books. Refreshments will be served.
The event is sponsored by South County
Historical Society and the Patricia
Loomis Estate. The Settlers of Arroyo
Grande covers the days of the
huge ranchos, the beginnings
of the towns, and the early
settlers. Much of the material
came from early newspapers
and oral histories, and was
enhanced with newly available
information of digital resources.
organizes years of research into
111 biographies, a list of historic
homes by address in the village
of Arroyo Grande, historical
tidbits, and stories of the early
days of the area. Gathered
and written over a period of
two years by the late Patricia
Loomis and Mary Mueller, it is
the last work of Patricia Loomis,
a celebrated and prolific writer.
After the loss of Patricia Loomis,
Mary
Mueller
continued
organizing and editing for
another two years to bring the
book to completion. The book
manuscript and all the proceeds
have been donated to the South
County Historical Society to
benefit continued historical
research and preservation. Book
Price: $20.00 plus tax and a credit card
processing fee.
The Morgan Stanley Foundation
recently donated $1,000 to Big
Brothers Big Sisters thanks to
the efforts of volunteer fundraiser,
William Wesnousky. Morgan Stanley
Tolosa Press • December 4 - 10, 2014
COMMUNITY CALENDAR
•
Let us do the
cleaning so you
don’t have to.
DUSTY LADY CLEANERS
and Wesnousky have been proud
supporters of the youth mentoring
agency, donating over $30,000 over the
past 10 years. For more than 100 years,
Big Brothers Big Sisters has operated
under the belief that inherent in every
child is the ability to succeed and
thrive in life. Most children they serve
are in single parent and low-income
families or households where a parent
is incarcerated. As a part of the nation’s
largest donor and volunteer supported
mentoring network, they make
meaningful, monitored friendships
between adult volunteers and children.
In the photo: Big Sister Amy and
Little Brother Hector explore a book
on diving dogs. For more information
on volunteering or contributing, call
781-3226 or see: www.slobigs.org.
Submitted photo (above).
Cal Fire/County Fire will have
an open house at the Morro-Toro
Fire Sta. 14 on Hwy 41 from 11
a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 6.
The open house is in support of Cal
Fire/County Firefighter’s Benevolent
Association’s Operation Santa Claus
Toy Drive. Bring a new, unwrapped
toy to donate or donate money to the
cause. Refreshments will be served.
For information call Heather Thurston
at (209) 559-9650 or Morro-Toro Fire
Sta. 14 at (805) 466-5089.
The Prado Day Center needs
our help. Each winter they reopen in
the evening as a “Warming Station” to
provide overnight shelter to more of
our homeless men, women and families
who would otherwise be sleeping
outside when freezing temperatures
and/or more than three nights of
rain are forecast. They need more
volunteers from 4:30 p.m.-12 a.m./12
a.m.-8:30 a.m./or 4:30 p.m.-8:30 a.m.
What’s needed? A photo ID, volunteer
application, and willing to be called with
24-hours’ notice. If you can’t volunteer
your time, they need blankets, pillows,
sleeping bags, disposable plates,
bowls, cups, utensils, milk, juice, lunch
meat, cheese, mayonnaise, mustard,
sliced bread, coffee/tea, creamer,
sugar, Cup of Noodles, canned soups,
and snacks. To help out, email Shawn
Ison at sison@capslo.org.
SLO Skiers, a local non-profit
sport and social club, is having
its next monthly meeting at 7:30
p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 3, at the Elks’
Club Lodge, 222 Elks Ln., in San Luis
Obispo. Membership is $40 a year and
is open to all adults. Sports activities
and social events are held year round.
See the website at: www.sloskiers.org
or call 528-3194 for more information.
It’s time to festive-up the town
and Morro Bay Beautiful is gearing
up for its annual Christmas Lights
Contest for residences and businesses.
The judging will take place Dec. 12-13
touring town and picking the winners in
five categories: Traditional/Religious,
Best use of lights, Commercial ,
Children’s Delight, and Best Animation.
Awards will be handed out Dec. 16
with the traditional Trolley tour to the
various winners. A list of the winners’
addresses will be printed in The Bay
News for everyone to drive around and
admire. Call Ann Reisner at 772-8117
with nominees for the awards. They are
looking for “exceptionally” decorated
homes.
The Cal Fire/SLO County
Firefighters
Benevolent
Association is holding its 24th
Annual Operation Santa Claus
Toy Drive to provide toys to kids
under the care and protection of SLO
County’s Child Welfare Services. The
toy drive runs through Friday, Dec. 12,
at any Cal Fire station — Los Osos and
Cayucos locally — and the Morro Bay
Fire Department’s station house on
Harbor Street. The gifts should be new
and unwrapped. The public is urged
to make donations as soon as possible
to assist volunteers with distribution
before Christmas. Call Brett Walker,
event chairman at (805) 438-3820 or
(805) 235-6453. See: www.calfireslo.
org for information on drop-off
locations.
Over the past 17 years, the San
Luis Obispo community has
generously provided the homeless
with a home-cooked Christmas
Day dinner, live entertainment and
much needed care packages with new
sleeping bags, hooded sweatshirts,
winter jackets, socks, underwear and
toiletries. The effort is spearheaded
by the Jewish Community, but not
limited to any one religious persuasion.
Business partners throughout the
county donate goods, equipment and
services, including San Luis Obispo
Odd Fellows, SLO Camp-n-Pack, San
Luis Sourdough, Apple Farm, Marie
Callender’s, Doc Burnstein’s Ice Cream
Lab, Trader Joe’s, Ralph’s, Ride-On,
Sierra Vista Regional Medical Center,
PG&E and San Luis Garbage. First
Solar Electric has also been a corporate
sponsor of the event.
For as little as $20 readers can
provide a warm, winter jacket that will
help make a tremendous difference in
helping someone through the winter.
Donations to the “Coats for Christmas
Day” program can be made by going
to the United Way of San Luis Obispo
County website at: www.unitedwayslo.
org. Or checks can be mailed to: PO
Box 14309, San Luis Obispo, CA
93406. Write “coats” on the memo
line. For more information on Coats for
Christmas Day, call Sheri Eibschutz at
594-1999.
Seven Sisters Gallery in Morro
Bay will celebrate the Holiday
Artwalk from 5-8 p.m. Friday,
Dec. 12. Free and refreshments will be
served. The new show features wearable
art by Susan Terese, Rone Prinz,
Rochelle Niemerow, and Elizabeth Ngo,
copper sculptures by Trudi Gilliam
and ceramic pieces by Janice Stone
(shown here). Show ends Jan. 8. Seven
Sisters is at 601 Embarcadero, Ste. 8 in
Marina Square. Call 772-9955 for more
information.
Everyone is invited to the 12th
Annual “Away in the Manger” at
Calvary Lutheran Church, 480
Monterey Ave., Morro Bay is
set for 1-4 p.m. Saturday, Dec.
13. This event will feature more than
250 Nativity sets and scenes from
all over the world. Live music and
refreshments will be provided. Pianist,
Ina Davenport, will play piano and
organ at 1:30 followed by Christmas
Carols and songs lead by the Church’s
Spirit’s Voice worship team, at 2:30.
Free admission. Call the church office
at 722-8457 for more information.
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10
• December 4 - 10, 2014 • Tolosa Press
OPINION
Ski Season Stumbles
Good to be King
By King Harris
“T
hanks, but are you out of your
mind?” That was my response
to a friend of mine who lives
in Tahoe now reaping the rewards of a
snowfall in the High Sierras.
He advised me that if I ever desired to
go skiing again, now was the time, should
I be in the neighborhood. I graciously
declined his recommendation, reminding
him that this particular sport had always
been injurious to my health, plus scooting
off to any freezing location where chains
are required for the tires on my car was
not in my best interest.
I thought back to one occasion early on
in my driving career where I barely made
it over the slippery, Oregon Siskiyous
in the middle of the night, and another
when I was stranded in Redding for two
days because snowfall had closed all
passageways, an unsettling experience
that I’m sure was shared by the ill-fated
members of the Donner Party a hundred
years before me.
But there have been a few times when
I’ve been lured to the slopes, despite
my aversion to frigid weather and
steep mountaintops, and, of course, the
dreadful possibility of getting maimed,
a fate that befell me the very first time I
bound myself to a pair of skis.
My father and a few other dads,
apparently convinced that skiing, like
swimming, was an important
skill to acquire at an early
age. Although none of them
possessed any real command
of the sport, they decided to
haul a few of us kids over to
Badger Pass near Yosemite
for a weeklong journey into
snow country.
The
adventure
began
before we even departed.
Had I known that I’d require
all the heavy clothing and
lumbering gear necessary for such an
extended outing, like parkas, gloves or
mittens, goggles, ski caps, boots, skis,
and poles, I might have balked at the
good intentions of my father who kept
telling me the entire drive that I wouldn’t
survive unless I was properly equipped.
His use of the word “survive” didn’t fill
me with much confidence. It was as if he
were preparing me for a cross-country
trek in the Himalayas with Sherpas and
oxygen tanks.
I didn’t hit the slopes for lessons until
the second day, because it took me almost
the first 24 hours of the trip to get suited
up. Just as I was beginning to get the
hang of it, toward the end of the week, a
blinding blizzard forced all of us “skiers”
off the hills.
I however was taken down in a stretcher
because I somehow managed
to rip the ligaments of my
left knee in the deep powder
on the way down. I returned
from my first ski trip having
traded my ski poles for a pair
of crutches.
My brother on a subsequent
trip came home in similar
fashion, except that he broke
his leg going up the rope tow.
Such a family curse might
give one pause before
revisiting the risk, but apparently not I.
As I got older I continued to challenge
the fate of the alpine gods perhaps if for
no other reasons than to see if I could
at least snowplow the same terrain as
all those maddening 5-year-old slalom
wunderkinds who were constantly
whizzing by at breakneck speeds with
absolutely no fear.
And perhaps to find out if I could make
it down a mountainside without either
falling over a hundred times or causing
another injury to myself which was more
often than not quite the norm as all
my bruises, bumps, and sprains would
constantly reveal.
A similar scenario would repeat itself in
college when I borrowed my roommate’s
racing skis in an impetuous and daunting
desire to trace of trails of Timberline at
Mt. Hood near Portland.
I had just paid for my lift ticket and was
on my way over to the chair for a ride up
to the peak when some clown determined
to be the successor to Jean-Claude Killy
collided with me. That resulted in a gash
to my right wrist, caused by the edge of
one of my own skis.
Down but not out, I went to the
lodge screaming for any kind of medic
or corpsman I could find. Someone
eventually located a visiting doctor, who
patched me up enough so I could ski, but
advised me I’d need stitches at the end of
the day, which concerned me somewhat
because I was expected to play drums
in my band for a gig we had that night.
“Curse be lifted,” I prayed.
After skiing the rest of the day, I got
repaired at the ER, and performed onehanded that evening.
Convinced there could be other
mountaintops to conquer in my future
and that good fortune was on my side, I
asked my roommate if he would sell me
his skis, which he did at a cut-rate price,
he humorously suggested.
But I never got to put them on again,
thanks to some mal-adjusted thief who
pilfered my car along with my skis. It was
probably just as well. With my past luck
on the slopes, I figured it would have only
gone downhill from there. ✤
Lifestyle
Tolosa Press • December 4- 10, 2014 •
REAL ESTATE
New Homes on 2–8 Acres
Starting at
$669,900
3 Steps To Buy A Home in 2015
Gorgeous single-level homes
By Nancy Puder
Each on 2–8 acre lots
Y
ou have made the decision that
you are going to buy a home in
2015 no matter what! This is either your first home purchase or perhaps
you have been out of the real estate market for a few years due to a foreclosure or
a short sale. Whatever your reason is to
enter the housing market in 2015, now is
the time to get started!
Contrary to what you may think, if
you wait until January or February, you
probably won’t be into a home until at
least March or April. By then, you will
have missed out on 25% of your potential
mortgage deduction for 2015 taxes. In
addition, if you take some basic steps now
to get started, you can avoid unexpected
issues that may arise causing unnecessary disappointment and stress.
Here are a 3 simple steps that you can
take now to help you start the home buying process.
1. Check your credit score - When
you purchase a home, the mortgage
lender will collect your credit information from different sources. Go to www.
myfico.com to read about how credit scores work. You can sign up for a
monthly monitoring system if you wish
or for a free report you must order from
all 3 of the following. www.Experian.
com, www.Transunion.com, www.Equifax.com. These are the three major credit
reporting agencies that your mortgage
lender will order from. Ordering from
these companies should not affect your
credit score and you are entitled to one
free report per year.
2. Get some referrals to a local mortgage company. Your choice of who to use
for your mortgage is a critical one. Be
careful not to “chase” the interest rate
and I will caution you to not to make the
interest rate the deciding point on which
lender to use. Rates change several times
per day and an honest lender will tell you
that. Realtors will also tell you that the
biggest reason sales don’t go through is
because of lenders who do a great sales
pitch in the beginning but don’t deliver
when it’s time to close.
3. Speak to a trusted real estate broker. There are few agents in any area
who really run a professional estate business and will deliver you exceptional
service. Unfortunately, many people
don’t realize that and hire anyone with a
license to help them with the biggest investment of their life!
If you would like to discuss your real
estate needs, whether buying or selling,
call me anytime. I always enjoy hearing
from you! ✤
Nancy Puder is a Realtor Broker in
Arroyo Grande, CA with Nancy Puder
& Associates. If you have any questions
or concerns regarding your own property, contact Nancy at (805)710-2415 or
email nancy@nancypuder.com. Nancy
always enjoys hearing from you! Go
to Facebook.com/Nancy Puder Realtor
and “like” her page to access other real
estate related articles. She always enjoys hearing from you!
SAGE Ecological
Landscapes & Nursery
11
4 bedrooms, 3-car garages
Another One Sold
By Nancy!
Sale Pending–Gorgeous
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acre in AG. $949,900
Sold–Beautifully maintained
home with gorgeous gardens
in Arroyo Grande. $599,900
Call Nancy Puder Today!
805.710.2415
Nancy Puder
Nanc
Realtor / Broker
Construction Services
805-574-3155
We Do All The “Honey Do’s”
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12
• December 4 - 10, 2014 • Tolosa Press
HEALTHY LIVING
Lifestyle
Heating it up in the Kitchen
By Michele S. Jang, PT
T
he holidays are here and chances are you are spending a lot
of time in the kitchen. This is
the perfect time to burn calories prior
to consuming them! This is achieved
by performing specific exercises that
involve multiple large muscle groups
to raise your heart rate and burn calories. Below are four effective exercises
you can do while baking or taking a
break. Go from one exercise to the next
without breaks. Try going through this
list twice to even four times if you really want to heat things up. Rest for 60
seconds after each round of 4 exercises.
Some of these exercises involve plyometric jumping motions, so consult
your doctor with concerns and stop if
you feel any pain.
Standing elbow to knee crunch: Contract your abdominals and bring your
belly button in toward your spine. Lift
your left knee up towards your left el-
bow. Switch and
bring your right knee
towards your right
elbow. Perform 20
reps then switch and
bring your elbow to
your opposite knee.
Perform another 20
reps in this manner.
Side to side hop:
This one is more fun
while hopping to the
beat of holiday music. Hop side to side
as if you are crossing
an imaginary line in
the middle. You can
hop as little or high
as you are comfortable. Try performing
for 30 to 45 repetitions. Build up your reps similarly for
the following two exercises.
Cross country ski:
While we may not
have snow here; we
can pretend we do.
This exercise mimics
the skiing motion.
Raise your right arm
at the same time you
extend your left leg.
Jump and switch,
bringing your left
arm up and forward
and extend your
right leg.
Jumping Jacks 30
to 45 reps
Drink a sip of water & stretch it out
between
rounds,
then keep going!
This holiday season,
don’t just heat up food in the kitchen,
burn those calories! ✤
Michele S Jang, PT is a physical
therapist who likes to look outside the
box. She has been a physical therapist
for over 20 years and has extensive
training in manual therapy or the use
of hands to help rehabilitate the body.
Michele has been an instructor both
in the United States and abroad. She
offers Free Consults on Tuesday afternoons. Michele also has a team of
therapists at Spirit Winds who offer
an array of expertise on exercise, fall
prevention, foot and shoe assessments,
body mechanics and proper breathing technique to increase awareness
and healing. Michele can be reached
at 805 543-5100 or info@spiritwindstherapy.com. For more information
please also visit www.spiritwindstherapy.com.
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MISS ETIQUETTE
Tolosa Press • December 4- 10, 2014 •
Lifestyle
Professional
Service Directory
-'( %&# )* .) #('.
Dear Miss Etiquette
By Anita Shower
D
ear Miss Etiquette:
The gentleman I’ve been seeing lives two hours away, We see
each other on weekends. We are both
employed by the same company. This
summer he will be moving his office to
my office. We have always been very
professional about our relationship in
our business world: meetings, seminars, and workshops. Several people
know we are ‘dating.’ While we don’t
show public affection at work we are
wondering if it is appropriate to become a couple when attending business
events or is it ever appropriate? Is it absolutely inappropriate to stay with him
in his room when we attend the same
conference which includes several
nights in a hotel? At what point are we
able to acknowledge our relationship in
our business situation?
H
opefully you will acknowledge
this before it hits the headlines!
Gosh, what are the two of you
thinking?
I have several of questions of you:
Are you married? Is he married? If either of you are married, are you waiting
for this affair to become bigger than the
two of you? If both of you are married
do you each plan on filing for divorce or
do you each have an open marriage? An
inquiring mind wants to know.
There are volumes of words associated with the office romance. My etiquette advice to you is if you don’t want
to appear unprofessional, then don’t. If
you are married people fooling around,
shame on you.
You are doing everything a married
couple would do except you are not a
married couple. Both single? No commitment from your friend? You say
other people are aware of this relationship. Some will say something out loud,
some will whisper and jealous people
will gossip. Be prepared if you want
your career with an office romance for
good measure.
It is completely inappropriate to stay
with this man, in his hotel room, when
you two are attending a conference. It
is not smart and not proper etiquette.
What happens when news of this travels back to your boss before you do?
What happens when his wife hears the
news. You don’t think he is married
because he told you he isn’t. Silly girl,
wake up. ✤
“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
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AT THE SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY YMCA
we are committed to meeting the
needs of parents by offering fun,
enriching camps. Vacation camps
provide a safe environment where
youth participate in a variety of
exciting field trips & activities, and
overall help develop stronger, more
confident young people. Sign-up for spring camp at
www.sloymca.org or call 543-8235 for more information.
KRIS DILWORTH,FNP, CDE is
a Family Nurse Practitioner, Certified Diabetes Educator, and Certified Insulin Pump & Sensor Trainer.
She loves what she does, and makes
it a point to spend adequate time
with patients to teach and help problem-solve for the many challenges of diabetes. Her
goal is to keep you healthy! Call the office of Roger
Steele, MD, for appointments in San Luis Obispo or
Grover Beach. (805) 541-1671
THE ABLE CHOICE, INC.
offers support and services to
families and children with special needs by experts in the field.
Special Education Consultant
Dr. Jackie Kirk Martinez and her
team provide research-based dispute resolution, instruction, and intervention for children by advising
families, agencies and school districts; supporting children’s needs in home, community and school; providing assessments, program development, intervention
and supervision; and offering professional development. Serving children from birth through 22 years
of age. Call for a free consul-tation at (805) 295-8806
• www.theablechoice.com
PEPPERTREE COUNSELNG
has been providing affordable
services on sliding scale to SLO
County for 25 years, starting at
$30 an hour. We offer individual,
couples, and family counseling.
We have a staff of professional counsellors who work
with clients to accomplish their goals in a timely and
focused manner. Our approach is eclectic incorporating behavioral and cognitive techniques. For an appointment or more information on our services call
Larry Ratner, Ph D, at 805 235 2910 or email onesloguy@yahoo.com. We are located at 330 James Way,
#180, Pismo Beach, Ca.
BATH PLANET of
Northern Los Angeles
has set a new standard of both quality and affordability
within the bathroom remodeling industry. With a wide
selection of acrylic bath system solutions, along with
cutting edge accessible options, you can have a beautiful yet accommodating bathroom in as little as one
day. Learn more about our remodeling solutions. 1107
El Camino Real, Arroyo Grande, CA 93420 (805) 5741101 www.bathplanet.com/northernla
EDDIE NAVARRO PAINTING
INC. can cover all
your painting needs,
from interior and exterior residential and commercial painting. Including: cabinets, deck refinishing,
stucco repair, acoustic ceiling removal, drywall repair
and/or texturing, fascia removal and/or repair, power washing services, and much more. We use the finest quality oil and water based material that are Eco
friendly. Eddie Navarro Painting Inc. takes pride in
attention to detail and great customer service.Our
mission statement is “Whatever you do, work at it
with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for
men.” Col 3:23. No matter what the project is our
customers are the most important because we not
only provide a painting service but we have the pleasure of getting to know and partner with them in
the care and maintenance of their home or business.
805-448-9662
14
• December 4 - 10, 2014 • Tolosa Press
COASTAL CULTURE
Fairway Dreams
Story and photos by Gareth Kelly
F
OUR! The polite shout
when ones golf shot
goes awry to warn any
unprepared soul they may
about to be hit by a ball. For
most of us, golf is a passtime,
a hobby, a way for us to escape
the confines of our jobs, get
out in the fresh air and relax
or, as is often the case, get
frustrated. For 8-year-old
Luke Montoya, golf is quickly
becoming the driving force in
his life. Having just won the
U.S. Kids Regional Monterey
Challenge at Del Monte golf
course in Monterey, a win that
qualifies him for the world
championships at Pinehurst
golf course in North Carolina,
this dedicated young man,
showing a level of maturity
and poise more common in
teens, has his sights firmly set
on more golfing success.
Montoya’s love of golf began
almost as soon as he could
walk. “He had one of those set
of plastic clubs you see. Even
at 18-months-old, we noticed
he would address the ball and
really focus on his swing and from
there things really took off,” said his
father, Moe. Not long later, a friend
recommended the documentary
“The Short Game,” chronicling the
lives of eight kids as they compete
all over the world ultimately ending
up at the world championships. Luke
was now 3-years-old and decided
right there and then he wanted to
follow in the footsteps of the kids he
had just watched. It didn’t take him
long and after only seven months of
competition he too competed in the
same tournament.
“Rory Mcllroy is my favorite player.
I once saw a video of him. He chipped
a golf ball into a washing machine.
We had a talent show at school, dad
made me a washing machine, and in
front of 300 people I chipped into it
from 20 feet out on my first time. It
was awesome,” Luke said.
Like any talented sportsman,
talent alone is often not enough.
“His dedication is amazing. He’s
lucky he has such supportive parents
that drive him here each day before
school and after to practice. He
really is quite special. It’s been really
exciting for all of us here to watch
him progress. His enthusiasm for the
game is infectious,” said Montoya’s
coach, Jordan Bridges, the owner of
Rare opportunity.
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story ideas to gareth@tolosapress.
com.
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Realizing the dangers of
too much too soon, both of
Luke’s parents, Moe and Joy,
are careful not to push him
too hard. “We saw some really
nasty parents yelling and
screaming at their kids at some
of the tournaments. We still
want him to have fun. We don’t
want him to get burnt out. If
he decides one day he doesn’t
want to play anymore, that’s
OK with us,” Joy said.
As for the future, this young
prodigal talent simply wants to
play more golf. “I love winning,
it’s awesome. I just won some
glass cereal bowl thing (his first
trophy). It’s pretty cool. My
friends always ask me at school
how the tournament went,”
Luke said.
With an invite to go and play
in Italy just appearing and with
the world championships to
practice for, along with many
other tournaments, Luke has
plenty of golf ahead of him. It’s
clear this polite young boy has that
energy and twinkle in his eye that you
see in real world-beaters. His coach
certainly thinks so and his parents
are excited to nurture his talent.
As the first journalist to write
about him, I have no doubt we will be
hearing more about this young man
and his golf successes in the next few
years. ✤
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16
• December 4 - 10, 2014 •
Tolosa Press Special Publication
HOLIDAY GUIDE
PARADE SCHEDULE
53a
53b
54
55
# Organization
1
2
3
4
5a
5b
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15a
15b
16
17
18a
18b
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
US Naval Sea Cadet Corps
San Luis Obispo High School Band
Montessori School
SLO Downtown Association
Parade Marshal
Vintage VW Club
El Dorado Broadcasters
Coastal Pediatric Dentistry
New Times
WiLD 106
Trust Automation
El Dorado Broadcasters
Teaberry
El Dorado Broadcasters
Wineman GrillHaus
City Council
SLO County Search & Rescue
Civic Ballet of SLO
Doc Burnstein’s Ice Cream Lab
Cub Scout Pack 6
BSA Pack 333/322
Cub Scouts Pack -31Girl Scouts of California Central Coast
Boy Scouts of America
The Drum Circuit
Central Coast Welding
Foothill Preschool and Infant Center
Core Dance Company
Central Coast Gymnastics Sports Center
The United Methodist Childrens Center
Studio @ - Ryans American Dance
29
30a
30b
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
Meemee’s Little Rascals Preschool
Point San Luis Lighthouse Keepers
AppleFarm
DPKiOs
Las Brisas Retirement Community
Central Coast Chinese Association
Create Promotions
Santa Lucia Birth Center
The Salvation Army San Luis Obispo Corps
YMCA Youth Roller Hockey
Laguna Middle School
San Luis Obispo Church of the Nazarene
Norcast Telecom Networks
(formerly Blue Rooster Telecom)
United States Academy of Martial Arts
Performance Athletics Gymnastics
Cayucos School Steel Pan Band
International order for the Rainbow Girls
Central Coast #92
Hanson Aggreagtes
Lemos Feed & Pet Supply
Ballet Folklorico Cachanilla
Avila Valley Barn
Sinsheimer Elementry
Ballet Theatre San Luis Obsipo
San Luis Garbage
SLOCO Junior Roller Derby
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69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
SLO Rugby
California Virtual Academics
CAL FIRE/San Luis Obispo County Fire
San Luis Obispo Girls Softball
Association 56 UC Regents
PG&E
SLODOG
San Luis Obispo Police Department
Cal Poly Mustang Band
California Conservation Corps
Garden Street Inn
The Bike Happening
San Luis Obispo Library
Camp Fire USA
Camp Natomaó Campfire Central Coast
Grand Central Music and Conservatory
Pacheco Elementary School
SLO Swim Club
SLO FFA Chapter
Cal Poly Tractor Pull Club
Skate Warehouse
Taco Works, Inc.
San Luis Sourdough
SLO Juggling and Unicycle Club
Atascadero High School Band
Stephen Patrick Design
Central Coast Home Health
SLO Skiers
The Bladerunner
Couch Potato Home Accents & Furniture
Assets
Five Cities Twirlers
SLO Animal Services
San Luis Obispo City Fire Dept
Robert Broughton
Santa
Tolosa Press Special Publication • December 4 - 10, 2014 •
17
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18
• December 4 - 10, 2014 •
Tolosa Press Special Publication
HOLIDAY GUIDE
Babes In Toyland
T
he story of Coastal Chamber
Youth Ballet began in a garage in
Shell Beach in 2005. That year
Kathy Schultz began teaching dance
in her converted three-car garage as
Coastal Dance. Ms. Schultz, initially the
only instructor, taught ballet, jazz, and
tap classes for all ages. With the focus
on a technically based training approach
relying heavily on the importance of a
ballet foundation, the studio grew by
leaps and bounds. By the second year
it was necessary to bring on additional
instructors, including Ms. Schultz’s
daughter, Tara Behnke, expanding the
program to include more advanced level
classes. It was at this point that the idea
of founding a ballet company in the
South County began to take shape.
With the background involvement
in classical ballet that Ms. Behnke and
her mother shared, it was a foregone
conclusion that upon moving to a bigger
facility in Arroyo Grande in 2008 a
ballet company would be a part of an
expanded program. Coastal Dance and
Music Academy opened its doors for
students in January of that year, with a
new name, additional instructors, and a
mother-daughter business team. CDMA
was launched!
Upon moving into the renovated
3000 square foot facility, Ms. Schultz
and Ms. Behnke held auditions for
their newly formed Coastal Chamber
Youth Ballet Company (CCYB). Local
dancers were given the opportunity to
be a part of a ballet company dedicated
to technical training and professional
caliber productions and training began
for a small group of dedicated dancers.
With the addition of Ms. Molly
McKiernan as Artistic Director, work
began on CCYB’s inaugural production,
Babes in Toyland. The ballet was created
from the ground up, from writing
their own unique story, compiling the
music, and designing and creating all
of the costumes, props, and sets. It was
important to Ms. Schultz, Ms. Behnke,
and Ms. McKiernan to develop a story
that would inspire young dancers,
entertain a wide array of theater-goers,
while remaining true to the spirit of
classical ballet.
With a limited budget, the Pismo
Veteran’s Hall was secured and on
Sunday, December 14, 2008 the CCYB,
along with a support cast of over sixty
additional dancers, presented the first
performance of Babes in Toyland to a
sold out house. The reviews were very
enthusiastic for the fledgling company
and the caliber and professionalism of the
production, considering the limitations,
was apparent. The small core of original
company dancers quickly grew and the
following holiday season found them
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Tolosa Press Special Publication • December 4 - 10, 2014 •
19
HOLIDAY GUIDE
Babes In Toyland
housed in the beautiful Clark Center for
the second anniversary performance of
Babes in Toyland. With a support cast
closer to eighty dancers, additional sets
and costumes were created, and the
company enjoyed utilizing lighting that
lived up to the caliber of dance on the
stage. Babes in Toyland was on its way
to becoming a family holiday tradition
for South County families.
The production has become an
extremely special part of the studio
curriculum as well. High-school
sophomore Sonja Waitkus,
a senior company dancer with CCYB,
has performed in every production of
Babes in Toyland since its inception
seven years ago. Her first roles in the
2008 production were the Toymaker’s
Assistant and one of Bo Peep’s Sheep
when she was just eight years old. Since
then, Sonja has continued her ballet
training at CDMA, and has added classes
in Jazz, Tap, Contemporary and Lyrical
dance, and even attended a summer
intensive program in contemporary
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ballet at the Joffrey Ballet School. Still,
Babes in Toyland remains near and
dear to Sonja’s heart, and is a highlight
of her dance season. “Dancing in Babes
in Toyland is one of my favorite things.
Although it’s a big time commitment
and lots of hard work, it is really, really
special to have been in this ballet from
the very beginning.” This year, Sonja
will dance two very different solo parts.
The Wind-Up Doll is a character piece
that is challenging from a technical
dance perspective, but also requires
acting and facial expressions to make
the role come to life. For this role, Sonja
will wear pointe shoes colored royal blue
and decorated with hearts to match the
fanciful costume. She will also dance
the classical role of the elegant Flower
Queen, and will have the opportunity
to wear a brand new professional grade
tutu that was recently donated to CCYB.
“I am so excited to dance the Flower
Queen and to wear such a beautiful
costume,” Sonja said.
Every year since, audiences have
continued to be delighted by the story
of Tim Piper, Mary Contrary, and the
inhabitants of Toyland. It is a classic story
of good versus evil and the pursuit of
love, complete with a beautiful heroine,
a dashing hero, an evil villain, and an
ingenious Toymaker whose workshop
full of whimsical dolls and toys come to
life in an electrifying battle to save the
holidays for children everywhere.
Babes in Toyland performances
are being held at the Clark Center on
Saturday, December 6th at 2:00pm and
at 7:00pm and on Sunday, December
7th at 2:00pm. Get your tickets now at
www.clarkcenter.org or call 489-9444.
20
• December 4 - 10, 2014 •
Tolosa Press Special Publication
HOLIDAY GUIDE
A Final Devotion
C
ruel Nicholas.
Who Sainted
that man? Snow threatens to
incarcerate my young son and
me. Rancid candles throw final flickers
of light. A pine bow meant to bring
cheer abandons its needles by our
dwindling fire. I play cats cradle with
Reggie, his fingers listless. Sweet stoic
boy, he smiles even now. Such happy
years in this cottage— morning songs,
garden abundant, baby goats frolicking.
Now, the woodbin echoes hollow.
We wait for our reaper in the only
bed. On the wall behind us, a gallery
of ghosts. Our kin watch from chipped
frames hung askew. Their faces peer
through sooty glass, all forbearers who
suffered winters huddled with their
young in this very spot. Great Grandma
Sufferance clutches her infant, a look of
panic in her eyes.
I hear my mother’s voice rant from
the grave. “We look after our own,
ya hear?” she always barked of our
family women. Exhaustion ravaged
Ma’s temperament early. Cracks in
the mortar usher in freezing wind.
“Generations survive this blasted
torment, cause we look after our own!”
By Sharyl Heber
Not this time, I fear. I kiss my boy
and fight the hunger. For God’s sake,
it’s Christmas! I want to scream. Please,
I beg. Spare Reggie. But my prayer is
late. I remember his father whittling
toy ponies and forget for a moment the
war and our empty pantry.
“We’ll hug Papa soon,” I whisper as I
fade into frozen oblivion. A glow forms
around me, the inevitable tunnel of
doom. I grip my son. He moans. The
light encroaches, swallowing us. “Can
you see it?” I ask him, but he does not
respond.
My hand floats from under the quilts
to touch the shimmering air around
us. Certain proof we are crossed over
to the other side— the room is warm.
A shuffling of leather soles on gritty
slate brings me to attention. The
already departed gather, luring us to
the hereafter. They might frighten like
ghouls, but for their kind countenance
and gentle open hands. As they come
into focus, I believe I know them.
Great Aunt Pittance, Grandpa Ransom,
old Missy Mindwell and many others.
All the inhabitants from the family of
frames lean in, chanting some universal
WELCOME YOUR GUESTS
IN Style .
carol, sung down through the ages. I
hum along in raspy harmony as though
I’ve known it forever.
Warmer now, I cast our covers aside.
Reggie lies motionless in my arms. I
shake him. He shifts with a groggy
whimper. Encircled by filial phantoms,
our great-greats call us home.
~~ * ~~
My boy wakes first. “Mama!” he
shouts and pulls at my shawl. I open
my eyes to a full fire in the hearth, our
down quilts folded and stacked on the
shelf. A winter perfume of Evergreen
fills the air. Where our paltry branch
once lay, stands a straight fragrant
conifer proud with garlands of holly and
bright red berries. I dig a fingernail into
my palm— am I alive, or is this heaven?
Reggie pries himself from my grasp and
follows his nose to the woodstove. A
comfort of cinnamon wafts as he opens
the oven door. Sweet rolls bake, cider
simmers and a fat pheasant hangs from
the cookery hook promising a proper
Christmas feast.
I feel that sting on my palm. This is
no ethereal paradise. I plant my feet on
solid ground and walk the interior of our
hovel. Tins of meat and fruit preserves
line larder shelves.
The woodbin
overflows. Two wool socks filled with
nuts and oranges sway from the mantel.
My precious boy is laughing!
I stop before the gallery of ghosts
to scan my ancestors, their frames
suddenly arranged in tidy precision,
glass gleaming with a fresh scrub of
vinegar. Is it truly panic I see in the
eyes of Grandma Sufferance? Or is it
tenacity? I’m sure I hear her hiss…
“We look after our own, ya hear!”
Sharyl Heber is a novelist,
screenwriter, poet, and a member of the
SLO NightWriters Board of Directors.
She has served as a director for the
SLO NightWriters Golden Quill writing
competition and has won awards of
her own for prose and poetry at the
Central Coast Writers’ Conference.
One of her short stories was published
in the e-literary journal, The Feathered
Flounder, and her screenplay, Keepers
of the Dream, rose to upper levels of
Miramax’s first Project Greenlight.
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Tolosa Press Special Publication • December 4 - 10, 2014 •
A GIFT YOU
CAN LIVE IN!
Oven Roasted Potatoes
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SAVE
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Ingredients
1 envelope Lipton Recipe Secrets onion recipe Soup & Dip Mix
(or other seasonings you prefer)
2 lb. small potatoes, washed and sliced
Cauliflower florets
1/3 to ½ cup olive oil
21
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Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. In a large plastic bag, add all
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22
• December 4 - 10, 2014 •
Tolosa Press Special Publication
HOLIDAY GUIDE
Christas In The Village
Unique Shopping & Dining · Antiques · Historic Landmarks · Free Parking
Sunday,
December 7th
T
his Holiday season explore the Historic Village of Arroyo
Grande, the Central Coast’s unique turn-of-the-century
downtown village. You’ll find an array of antique and specialty
shops plus fine dining nestled within the scenic atmosphere of historic
buildings and natural beauty. ✤
Gourmet
t
s
e
B
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h
T
on the
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r
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t
S
n
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Kitch
oast!
C
l
a
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t
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SANTA IN THE VILLAGE
Nov. 28th til’ Christmas
Wed. & Fri. 3:00-5:30
Sat. & Sun. 12:00-4:00
ELEGENT
CHRISTMAS IN
THE VILLAGE
{4:00-8:00pm}
Storeowners and
employees are dressed
up serving food and
drinks. Live music and
lots of entertainment.
Luminaries line the
streets.
Verena’s
Go Gourmet
verenagogourmet@gmail.com
127 E. Branch St
Like us on Facebook
Arroyo Grande
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CLOTHING TO FIT
WOMEN JUST LIKE YOU
full bar | 12 beers on tap
family-friendly menu
200 E. Branch Street, Arroyo Grande
www.roostercreektavern.com
805.489.2509
open daily from 11:30 – 10:00
JWLA
3J Workshop
JOHNNY WAS
“In the Village”
121 E. Branch Street
Arroyo Grande
805-574-1727
1122 Morro Street
San Luis Obispo
805-784-0664
840 11th Street
Suite 103, Paso Robles
805-239-8282
www.shopapropos.com
Find us on
Facebook
Tolosa Press Special Publication • December 4 - 10, 2014 •
23
HOLIDAY GUIDE
Holiday Events and Celebrations
“Babes in Toyland”
Dec. 6 Dec. 7 (2 & 7 pm)
Presented by the Coastal Chamber Youth Ballet
and Coastal Dance academy. Clark Center, 487
Fair Oaks Ave., Arroyo Grande. $18 to $30.
489-9444
Holiday Wreath-making party
Dec. 6th (4 p.m. - 7 p.m.)
Wreath making party to benefit Special
Olympics San Luis Obispo County.
Jack Creek Farm, 5000 Highway 46 West,
Templeton. 544-6444. $30 per wreath.
Templeton Old Fashioned Christmas
Dec. 6th (5 - 7:30 p.m.)
Evening includes visit from Santa and Mrs.
Claus, bell choir performance, music and dance
performances, scavenger hunt and holiday
shopping. Main St., Templeton.
Musical Holiday Walk Around the Lake
Dec.6th (5 - 7:30 p.m.)
Event includes choirs, carolers, musical
groups, refreshments, holiday decorations and
community sing-a-longs
Morro Bay Lighted Boat Parade
Dec. 6th (6 p.m.)
Decorated boats cruise the harbor from
Tidelands Park to Morro Rock.
Embarcadero, Morro Bay. Free
Paso Robles Holiday Light Parade
Dec. 6th (7 p.m.)
Parade marks Santa’s arrival.
Paso Robles, Downtown City Park and Spring
St. 283-4103
A Handmade Holiday
Dec. 7th and 8th (9 a.m.)
Handmade gifts and holiday décor, silent
auction, raffle and more.
St. Timothy Church, 962 Piney Way, Morro
Bay. 772-2840
Atascadero Winter Wonderland
Dec. 12th (5- 9 p.m. )
Festivities include snow for the kids, Santa
Clause, entertainment and refreshments.
Downtown Atascadero.
A Christmas Celebration Concert
Dec. 6th (8 p.m.)
Cal Poly Choir performs a variety of musical
selections. Cohan Center, Cal Poly. $9 to $14.
756-4849
Bounty to the Season Concert
Dec. 6th (8 p.m.)
Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa, 751 Palm St.
Dec. 7th (3 p.m.) San Luis Obispo United
Methodist Church, 1515 Fredericks St.
$10 to $40. 541-6797 www.vocalarts.com
Open House
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Mon-Sat 9:30–5:30 · www.fordens.com · 543-1090 · 857 Monterey, San Luis Obispo
24
• December 4 - 10, 2014 •
Tolosa Press Special Publication
HOLIDAY GUIDE
Holiday Lights: Safe, Efficient and Fun
E
very Thanksgiving, after the
turkey has been devoured and
families settle down for an
evening of parades and football, many
people begin to think about how they’ll
decorate their homes and businesses
for the holiday season. Pacific Gas and
Electric Company (PG&E) reminds
customers that while holiday lighting
truly adds to the season, it can also
significantly increase the potential for
fire risk, injury and electric shock if
the proper precautions aren’t followed
while decorating. Adding to possible
safety risks, older, non-energy-efficient
lighting can severely impact customers’
power bills. “We’re asking our customers
to please be safe while trimming the
tree and decking the halls over the next
few weeks,” said Laurie Giammona,
PG&E’s chief customer
officer.
“Brightening
our communities with
holiday lights is a great
tradition, but we need
everyone to be aware of
their surroundings to
avoid electric hazards
and to prevent fires. Our
safety tips are simple to
follow and help make
sure everyone has a safe
and joyful holiday.” To
ensure that customers
remain safe throughout
the holiday, PG&E offers
the following safety tips
<http://www.pgecurrents.
com/video/save-energy-
Central Coast Now TV
Is your local community channel!
Our locally produced and hosted TV shows promote local
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Beautiful Central Coast.
* Charter Channel 10 and Comcast Channel 27 *
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(805) 904-6904
stay-safe-while-stringing-holidaylights/>
that customers can use
as they decorate for the season:
Use
LED
Holiday
Lights
• Light-Emitting Diode (LED) lights
consume 75% less energy than
traditional
incandescent
lights,
helping customers save money on their
power bills during the holiday season.
• LED lights produce almost no
heat, making them safe to touch
and greatly reducing the risk of fire.
• LED lights are also break resistant
and shock resistant.
Avoid
Electric
Hazards
• Look up and live! Before climbing
ladders to string outdoor lights, check
for overhead power lines nearby. Be
especially aware of lines over your roof
and lines attached to your home. Look
up before raising ladders and other
tall objects. Keep at least 10 feet away
from overhead lines at all times.
• Never place yourself or any
object such as a string of lights in
a position that risks contact with a
power line—the result can be fatal.
• Before stringing lights on outdoor
trees, make sure tree limbs haven't
grown into or near power lines.
Branches, entire trees and even the
ground adjacent to a tree can become
energized when trees contact power
lines.
Prevent
Fire
Hazards
• Avoid overloading extension cords and
wall sockets by follow the manufacturer's
limits for the number of light strings
that can be safely connected together.
• Check all light strands for cracked
or broken plugs, frayed insulation
or bare wires. Worn cords can cause
fires, so discard damaged sets of lights.
• Don't place cords under rugs,
furniture or other appliances. If
covered, cords can overheat or become
frayed, increasing the risk of fire.
• Always turn off decorative lights—
indoors and outdoors—when leaving
the house and before going to bed.
• Do not place your holiday tree near a
heat source such as a fireplace or heat
vent. The heat will dry out the tree,
making it more susceptible to fires
caused by heat, flame or sparks.
Tolosa Press Special Publication • December 4 - 10, 2014 •
Eat - Play - Shop
BAYSIDE CAFE is a wonderful find if you are looking for fresh food
and something off the beaten track where the “Locals” love to eat while
looking over the Back Bay. A restaurant with a casual dinning experience,
great home cooked food from the farm and the sea. Homemade desserts
are a must try. Open 7 days a week for lunch featuring fish and chips,
soups, salads, sandwiches and some Mexican items. Try our dinners served
Thursday through Sunday featuring fresh seafood items as well as tri tip, hamburgers, pastas and
more…Dog friendly heated patio too! Located in the Morro Bay Marina directly across the road
from Morro Bay State Park Campground at #10 State Park Road in Morro Bay! 805-772-1465
GRANDMA’S FROZEN YOGURT AND WAFFLE SHOP
Morro Bay’s newest downtown business, GRANDMA’S FROZEN
YOGURT & WAFFLE SHOP is open and offering Old Fashion
specialty waffles, Real frozen yogurt, and refreshing sorbet. Nonelectronic activities are available throughout the week, including
board and card games. Located on the corner of Morro Bay Blvd. & Main Street, they also provide
a public restroom for downtown guests. Come and enjoy the newly created courtyard as you watch
downtown come alive during the Saturday Farmers Market. Live music is available periodically. Be sure
to Facebook us for daily yogurt flavors and activity updates! Hours: 10am-7pm Sun-Thurs and Fri- Sat
till 10pm. Come see us after the show! 307 Morro Bay Blvd., Morro Bay, CA Call (805) 704-YUMM
(9866)
NATIVE HERBS & HONEY CO opened a new shop in Los Osos. A
locally owned beekeeping company specializing in raw-local honey, 100%
pure beeswax candles, handcrafted soaps, herbal & natural skin care, gifts &
Custom orders. 1001 Santa Ynez St. Los Osos (805) 534-9855. Tue.-Sun..
12-6pm www.nativeherbsandhoney.com
SMOOBAGE, which means “something that you really love” is a
delightful store that will peak your senses as you search for the perfect
item or gift. You will find Artistic pieces from a variety of local artists as
well as a quaint store that houses a paradise of colorful palettes & textures.
From leather goods to jewelry, greeting cards & a children’s section there are treasures abundant. 591
Embarcadero, Morro Bay. (805) 459-5751. Text SMOOBAGE to 56955 to Join & receive 10% OFF
your next purchase!
the original garden street jeweler
r
est. 1974
Shop November 28th–December 31st
and receive a
CREATORS OF FINE
$100 Gift Certificate
platinum & gold
to spend in 2015! See store for details.
JEWELRY
t/FXWJOUBHFKFXFMSZt
t*OIPVTFDVTUPNKFXFMSZTFSWJDJOHt
(BSEFO4USFFUt%PXOUPXO4BO-VJT0CJTQPt805.543.8186tXXX(BSEFO4USFFU(PMETNJUITDPN
Something’s Cooking
AMERICAN & FOREIGN CUISINE SINCE 1982
Sandee Helow
805.772.0492
Sandee@somethingcookingcatering.com | P.O. Box 1135, 888 Napa Street, Morro Bay
805.473.8001
25
HOLIDAY GUIDE
8 0 5 sound
find your beat
P
eople by nature are social
creatures. Whether you’re new
to the area, just broke up with
a significant other, are a new emptynester, recently retired, or just plain
can’t find people to do things with,
Meetup Groups are a great solution to
the problem.
There are Meetup groups in all areas
of the United States. If you have an
interest or an activity that you like,
chances are there is a local Meetup full
of folks who like the same thing. There
are groups for skiing, dancing, live
music, hiking, dining, singles of various
ages, and purely social groups, just to
scratch the surface. Many of the groups
are free to join, and some have very
reasonable yearly dues. Some that do
charge dues have a trial period for free,
so you can see if the group is a good
match. If all else fails, you can start
your own Meetup group for a nominal
fee, and find like-minded individuals to
share your interests with.
Singles Age…50 Plus Meetup is one
of the most active groups, with 300
members, and has several activities
every week. I am a member of this group,
which offers Dinner and a Movie every
Wednesday, hikes, bowling, camping,
beach bonfires, charity events, and lots
of musical events. Through this group I
have been to a barbecue on a catamaran,
and on a twelve day road trip to New
Mexico, during which I only had to
pay for my meals, entertainment, and
one night’s lodging. This is the group’s
philosophy: “This group is for 50 year
olds and up who are SINGLE and want
to join forces to get out and about,
meet new friends, attend social events,
share our lives and hopefully make an
impact on our community. This is not a
dating site for singles. The concept that
created this group was based on those
people our age who are alone and who
would love to spend time with others
without the worry, strain or craziness
of dating, courting or seeking a long-
Tolosa Press • December 4 - 10, 2014
•
27
Into the Swing of Things
The Goddess of Groove
term mate. We want to get out and
have fun, make new friends, be active
and just be ourselves.” The group has
annual dues of $10, and can be found
at http://www.meetup.com/CentralCoast-Single-50-Plus-Club.
The SLO County Live Music Meetup
has events most days of the week, and
boasts over 500 members. Being an
interest-based group, its purpose is
simple: “This group is here to bring
together people that are interested in
live music. This group is dedicated to
the plethora of live music available in
SLO County.” There is currently no fee
to join this group. More information
is available at http://www.meetup.
com/SLO-County-Live-Music-MeetupGroup/.
The Central Coast Hiking Group
has over 1300 members. “Enjoy the
outdoors and get a fitness experience
at the same time. Explore the fabulous
hiking the Central Coast has to offer.
The Central Coast has easy access to
camping and backpacking trips from
Los Angles National Forest to Sequoia
to Santa Cruz. Hikes for all skill levels.
You should join if you enjoy hiking the
outdoors, and meeting new people.”
Dues are $10 annually. Check it out at
http://www.meetup.com/CCHiking/.
For the younger set, there is Making
New Fun Friends In SLO County (Ages
21-29), which has almost 400 members.
“This group is for anyone who wants
to expand their social circle and meet
new people with different interests.
I’m emphasizing this group for the
younger crowd in SLO County, ages
21-29 years old. It seems most meetups are geared toward the older folk,
so if you’re looking for new activities
with a fresh new vibe of people, this
is definitely the group for you. Any set
of activities will be fun with a younger
crowd, like hitting up downtown SLO,
hiking, going to the beach, seeing a
movie, $1 taco nights, the Pismo dunes,
taking a group to Six Flags or Boomers,
By Mad Royal
wine tasting, or anything we can think
of.” http://www.meetup.com/MakingNew-Fun-Friends-In-SLO-County/.
You may be interested in SLO County
Volunteers for the Environment, which
has 550 members. “We are a group
dedicated to the spirit of volunteerism
in our beautiful San Luis Obispo
County, and we are hosted by Pacific
Wildlife Care - a non-profit, volunteer
organization. We welcome postings for
any volunteer organization’s event so
that we can help make it more successful
and for any posting promoting fun
exploration of our Central Coast
environment. All people with the desire
to donate their time and energy to the
environment and wildlife deserve to
meet, hang out, and do what they are
passionate about doing: helping the
A
lice
Wallace,
Southern
California singer-songwriter
returns to the Central Coast
this weekend and brings along
Nebraskan singer-songwriter Orion
Walsh, Walsh has just returned
from the European leg of his tour,
and brings along a folky style that is
reminiscent of Woody Guthrie and
Bob Dylan. He will be performing
songs from his latest album “The Tale
of a Broken Compass”.
Alice recently finished her longest
and largest solo tour, covering a
month’s worth of dates across the
environment and all those living in it. If
you are a volunteer for an organization,
we want to post your events here. If
you do not have much time to donate
in general, but you do have the desire,
then help at these events! If there are
fun things to do around the county,
we will meet for those as well! We
have a shared passion... we can hike,
experience a grunion run, go out for
dinner, clean a beach, meet and shop for
local vegetables at the Farmer’s Market,
go bird watching, and enjoy the natural
ecological diversity of the Central
Coast.” http://www.meetup.com/SLOVolunteers-for-the-Environment/.
These are just a few of the Meetups
offered in our local area. Explore the
full offering at http://www.meetup.
com/. ✤
Midwest, Texas and Utah. Wallace
will have some new songs to share
that were inspired from her recent
tour. You can see them performing at
the following venues:
Friday, Dec. 5th
Avion and Claw
Atascadero, 8 11 p.m.
Sat., Dec. 6th
Vino Versato
Pismo Beach,
6:30 - 9:30 p.m.
Sunday, Dec. 7th
Songwriters at
Play, Sculpterra
Winery, Paso
Robles, 1 - 4 p.m.
Pour House
Paso Robles, 5 8 p.m.
Strawberry Wheat
Dirty Reapin’ Blonde
Fear the Reaper–AMBER
Oblivion–IPA
Apocalyptic–DIPA
Double Damn
–CHOCOLATE LAVENDER STOUT
Sabotage
Wood-Fired Pizza Daily
Live Music Every Friday Night
™
3
M-Th 4–10pm | F 3pm–Midnight
Sa 1–10pm | Su 9:30am–9:30pm
NFL Package
1750
7 El Camino Real
750
u A, Grover Beach
uite
Suite
805.270.3089
0
05.270.3089
www.manrockbrewing.com
w
ww.m
ma
Fo
Follow
Fo
us @ Facebook.Com/ManRock.Brewing.Co
Fa
F
28
•
December 4 - 10, 2014 • Tolosa Press
8 0 5 sound
Nightlife & Clubs
find your beat
South County
THE CLIFFS RESORT: 2757 Shell
Beach Road, 773-5000 or cliffsresort.com.
F. MCLINTOCKS SALOON: Two
locations: 750 Mattie Road in Pismo Beach
and 133 Bridge St. in Arroyo Grande. 7731892 or mclintocks.com. Live music at the
Pismo Beach location every Fri. and Sat.
from 6-9pm. Tennessee Jimmy Harrell
and Doc Stoltey play on alternating
weekends.
HARRY’S NIGHT CLUB AND BEACH
BAR: Cypress and Pomeroy, downtown
Pismo Beach, 773-1010. Every Thu. Front
Row Karaoke. 12/5 The Jammies 9pm
12/6 Shameless 3pm The Jammies 9pm
12/7 Manny English 9pm 12/8 Manny
English 7:30pm 12/9 JB Rocks 7:30 12/10
JB Rocks 7:30pm 12/12 CK Solution 9pm
12/13 Legends 3pm CK Solution 9pm 12/14
Double Shots 9pm 12/15 Double Shot
12/16 The Steve Tracy Project 12/17 The
Steve Tracy Project 7:30pm 12/19 Stinger
9pm 12/20 Mid Life Crisis 3pm Stinger
9pm 12/21 Manny English 9pm 12/22
Manny English 7:30pm 12/23 Rock Solid
7:30pm 12/24 Rock Solid 2:30pm 12/26
The Little George Band 9-11pm 12/27
The LG Band 3pm The Little George 9pm
12/28 Shameless 9pm 12/29 Shameless
7:30 12/30 Double Shot 12/31 The Jammie
9pm
LAETITIA WINERY: 453 Laetitia
Vineyard Drive, Arroyo Grande, 805-4811772. www.laetitiawine.com. Live Music
Saturdays and Sundays 1-4pm.
LIDO RESTAURANT AT DOLPHIN
BAY: 2727 Shell Beach Road, Shell
Beach, 773-4300 or thedolphinbay.com.
Join Three-Martini Lunch every Thurs.
and Fri. from 6-9pm. Live Music Every
Tues. from 5:30-6:30 and Thursdays and
Fridays 6-9
MANROCK
BREWING
CO.
TASTING ROOM: 1750 El Camino Real
ste A, Grover Beach, CA 93433. Tasting
room M-Th 4pm-10pm, Fri 3pm-12am,
Sat noon-12am, Sun noon-7pm
MONGO’S
SALOON:
359 W. Grand Ave., Grover
Beach, 489-3639. Karaoke
Tuesday and Wednesday
9pm. Live Music and
dancing every Friday and
Saturday at 9pm.
Pismo Beach, 773-0000, or ventanagrill.
com. Matt Cross plays on Mon and Wed.
evenings.
MR. RICK’S: 404 Front
St., Avila Beach, 805-5957425
www.mrricks.com
Happy Hour MondayThursday 4-7pm 12/5
Indian Valley Band 8pm
12/6 Matt Szlachetka 8pm
12/7 Soul Sauce 1pm 12/12
Bobby Santacruz 8pm
12/13 Bootyshakers 8pm 12/14 Matt
Cross 1pm 12/19 Shameless 8pm 12/20
Soul Sauce 8pm 12/21 Living Large 1pm
12/26 Soundhouse 8pm 12/27 Legends
8pm 12/28 Soul Sauce 1pm
CREATIVE JUICES LOUNGE 874
Guadalupe Street, Guadalupe, CA 93434,
805-219-0518 www.creativejuicelounge.
com 12/6 Louie Ortega
SEAVENTURE: 100 Ocean View, Pismo
Beach, 773-4994. www.seaventure.com
Live music every Wednesday from 6-9pm
in the Fireplace room. Acoustic Sundays
from 3-6pm on the Deck.
TALLEY
VINEYARDS:
3031
Lopez Dr., Arroyo Grande, 489-0446,
talleyvineyards.com
VENTANA GRILL: 2575 Price St.
VINO VERSATO: 781 Price St., Pismo
Beach, 773-6563 or vinoversato.com.
Every Tuesday: Side Effects
San Luis Obispo
BON TEMPS CREOLE CAFE: 1000
Olive St., 544-2100. Zydeco music, live
blues, and jazz on Monday, Wednesday
and Thursday evenings.
CREEKY TIKI: 782 Higuera St., 9032591.
www.creekytiki.com EVERY
FRIDAY Live Music Directly Following
Concerts in the Plaza 12/04 Michael
Keeney 12/5 Kenny Taylor 12/6 Tim
Jackson 12/11 Tim Jackson 12/11 Matt
Cross
FROG & PEACH PUB: 728 Higuera St.
(805)595-3764. 12/04 Dave Miller Band
12/5 Dub Seeds 12/7 The Lower 48 12/9
DJ DP
THE GRADUATE: 990 Industrial Way,
541-0969 or slograd.com. Every Thu. Is
Ser
SEX ving
TA
WIN NT
on ES
Tap
WHERE THE PARTY NEVER ENDS!
THU
12/4
9PM1:00
FRONT ROW
KARAOKE
FRI
12/5
9PM1:30
THE
JAMMIES
SAT
12/6
3:00PM
-7:30
9:00PM
-1:30
SHAMELESS
THE JAMMIES
SUN
12/7
9PM1:00
MON
12/8
7:30PM
-11:30
TUE
12/9
7:30PM
-11:30
JB ROCKS
WED
12/10
7:30PM
-11:30
JB ROCKS
MUNCHIES
FISH TACO ...........................3.50
PERSONAL PIZZA ..............3.50
(PEPPERONI OR CHEESE)
ONION RINGS ....................3.50
SHOESTRING FRIES ........3.50
SWEET POTATO FRIES ....3.50
CHIPS AND SALSA ...........3.50
THU
12/11
9PM1:00
FRONT ROW
KARAOKE
CORONA BUCKET
BRING YOUR TIKI KOOZIE
(5 BEERS) .................. $15.00 AND GET $1 OFF ANY CAN
ALL DAY EVERYDAY
ALL DAY EVERY DAY
MANNY
ENGLISH
MANNY
ENGLISH
(805) 773-1010
690 Cypress St., Pismo Beach
www.harryspismobeach.com
Open 10am-2am Daily
LIVE MUSIC THIS WEEK
THU, 12/4
FRI, 12/5
SAT, 12/6
THU, 12/11
Michael Keeney
Kenny Taylor
Tim Jackson
Matt Cross
Happy Hour Every Day 2-6
DRINK SPECIALS
DOS EQUIS DRAFT...........2.50
STRONGBOW DRAFT ......2.50
DRAFT BEERS.....................4.00
WELL DRNKS......................4.50
CALL DINKS.........................5.50
PREMIUM COCKTAILS.....6.50
782 Higuera St, SLO
805.544.2200
11:00am-12:00am
+ Every Sunday and Monday
night from 10pm to close
+ Drink specials
all night long
8 0 5 sound
Tolosa Press • December 4 - 10, 2014
find your beat
Country Night 8pm 18+, Every Fri “Noche
Caliente” or “Hot Latin Nights” 18+, Every
Sat “Big Chill” hits from the 70’s 80’s 90’s
21+ & Every Sunday is Minor Madness
8pm-11:45pm
LINNAEA’S CAFE: 1110 Garden St.,
541-5888 www.linnaes.com
LUNA RED: 1023 Chorro St., 540-5243
www.lunaredslo.com 12/4 Bear Market
Riot 10pm 12/5 End of Prohibition Party
12/6 Rob Larkin and Debra Windsong
12/7 Sunday Set List 3-5pm 12/11 Girls &
Boys 12/12 Josh Cody 12/13 Kenny Taylor
12/14 Chris Beland 12/18 Chris Beland
PAPPY
MCGREGOR’S:
pappymcgregors.com
or
543-KILT
(5458), 1865 Monterey St. Live music is
Wed./Thurs./Fri. from 6-9pm. Old Time
Fiddle & Banjo Show every Wed. from
6-9pm.
SLO BREWING CO.: 1119 Garden St.,
543-1843 or slobrewingco.com
11/28 Breather Carolina 12/04 Young
Dubliners 12/05 The Dead Volts 12/06
Grouch and Eligh (of Living Legends)
12/09 Tasty Treat 12/11 FMLYBND 12/12
Charlie Hunter & Scott Amendola 12/10
Ras Danny Duo 12/11 Cosmopolites
12/12 Charlie Hunter & Scott 12/13 Andre
Nickatina 12/14 Hirie 12/27 Heart to
Heart.
•
Nightlife & Clubs
Osos Valley Road, Los Osos, 528-3764,
sweetspringssaloon.com. Friday and
Saturday: Live music from 9pm to 2am.
TOGNAZZINI’S DOCKSIDE: 1245
Embarcadero, Morro Bay, 772-8100.
WINDOWS ON THE WATER: 699
Embarcadero, Suite 7, Morro Bay, 7720677. Live music every Monday and
Friday evening.
North County
ASUNCION RIDGE: 725 12th St., Paso
Robles, 237-1425 Live music Saturdays
from 5-8pm
AVION & CLAW: 6155 El Camino Real,
Atascadero, 461-9463 or avionandclaw.
com. Live music Thurs.-Sat. from 7-10pm.
BROKEN EARTH WINERY: 5625
Highway 46E, Paso Robles, 239-2562.
BRU COFFEEHOUSE: 576 El Camino
Real, Atascadero, 464-5007. www.
brucoffeehouse.com Live music every
Friday from 7-9pm.
11/14 Max Martinelli 11/21 The Simple
Parade November artwork from Louisa
Cardinali
CAMOZZI’S: 5855 El Camino Real,
Atascadero, 466-1880.
North Coast
D’ANBINO
VINEYARDS
AND
CELLARS: 710 Pine St., Paso Robles,
227-6800 or danbino.com. Every Saturday
2-4:30 pm wine and music events.
LA BELLASERA HOTEL AND
SUITES: 206 Alexa Ct., Paso Robles,
238-2834, www.labellasera.com. Guitar/
Vocal duo, Adam Levine and Judy Philbin
play every Thurs. from 7-9pm, in the
dining room/bar.
LAST STAGE WEST: Halfway Station
on Highway 41 (15050 Morro Road at
Toro Creek), 461-1393 or laststagewest.
net. Most shows start at 6pm.
12/4 Tanner Scott 12/5 Them Tracelin’
Birds 12/6 El Segundo 12/9 The Banjer
Dan Show 12/10 Bluegrass Jam Night
12/11 Tanner Scott 12/13 The Stringtown
Ambassadors 12/16 The BanjerDan Show
12/18 Tanner Scott 12/19 Panga 12/20
Dirty Cello 12/23 The BanjerDan Show
12/25 Tanner Scott 12/27 Alzheimer’s
Association Benefit Dinner & Concert
featuring: “The Inglishmen” w/ special
guest: BanjerDan 12/30 The Banjer Dan
Show 12/31 NEW YEARS EVE w/ EL
SEGUNDO
PAPPY
MCGREGOR’S:
pappymcgregors.com or 238-7070, 1122
Pine St. in Paso Robles.
PASO ROBLES INN CATTLEMAN’S
LOUNGE: 1103 Spring St., 238-2660.
Live entertainment Friday and Saturday at
9:30pm.
PINE STREET SALOON: 1234 Pine
St., Paso Robles. www.pinestreetsaloon.
com 805-238-1114. Every Monday Open
Mic. 9pm. Every Tuesday/ Friday/ Sunday
Marilyn’s Karaoke 9pm. Every Thursday
North County Line Up Live Music 9pm.
THE PONY CLUB AT HOTEL CHEVAL: 1021 Pine St., Paso Robles. www.
hotelcheval.com 805-226-9995. 10/31
Dorian Michael & Nicole Stromsoe 7-10pm
11/28 Louie Ortega 7-10pm 11/29 Luke
Bryon 7-10pm
The Ranch: 1285 Mission St. in San Miguel,
www.liveattheranch.com or 467-5047.
11/29 Chris and Nick’s “Rave Circus” 18+
SCULPTERRA WINERY: 5015 Linne
Road, Paso Robles, 226-8881. Steve Key
presents “Songwriters at Play” Sundays
from 1-4pm. 12/7 Alice Wallace 12/14
Albert Jr. Band 12/21 Maurice Tani 12/28
Stringtown Ambassadors
VINA ROBLES AMPHITHEATRE:
3800 Mill Rd., Paso Robles, 286-3680.
Check out Vina Robles Amphitheatre
online for tickets, times, and pricing www.
vinarobles.com.
8 Big-Screen TVs with NFL Ticket.
10TH STREET GRILL: 2011 10th St.,
Los Osos, 528-2011 or 10thstreetgrill.com.
CAMBRIA PINES LODGE: 2905
Burton Drive, Cambria, 927-4200 or
cambriapineslodge.com. Entertainment
every night in the Fireside Lounge.
30 Craft Beers On
Tap and Full Bar.
FUEL DOCK SALOON: 900 Main St.,
Morro Bay, 772-8478
MOZZI’S SALOON: 2262 Main St. in
Cambria, 927-4767.
Friday Night: Karaoke, Saturday Night:
Live Music
OLD CAYUCOS TAVERN: 130 N.
Ocean Ave., Cayucos, 995-3209. Fri.-Sat.:
Live music.
OTTER
ROCK
CAFE:
885
Embarcadero, Morro Bay, 805-772-1420.
www.otterrockcafe.com Every Wed.:
Karaoke, 8pm. Every Thu.: Thursday
Night Spotlight, 8pm. *Closed every
Tuesday 12/1 Monday Night Football
Drink & Food Specials 12/4 Spotlight w/
Frankie 12/6 Renown 12/7 14th Annual
Ultimate X-mas party pot-luck pro-jam
12/8 Monday Night Football Drink &
Food Specials 12/12 Mike Keeny 12/13
Croondogs 12/14 Cloud Ship 12/15
Monday Night Football Drink & Food
Specials 12/19 Wild Anderson Party 12/20
Bobby Santa Cruz Band 12/21 Meet the
Foppers 12/22 Monday Night Football
specials 12/27 Kenny Taylor Band
12/28 Stringtown Ambassadors 12/29
Monday Night Football 12/31 Lu Lu & the
Cowtippers New Years Eve Bash!
SKIPPERS RESTAURANT: 113 N
Ocean, Cayucos, 995-1122.
SWEET SPRINGS SALOON: 990 Los
29
‹ SOAR OVER VINEYARDS ON FIVE DIFFERENT ZIPLINES
SPANNING MORE THAN 4500 COMBINED FEET
‹EXPERIENCE CALIFORNIA HISTORY WITH A NATURE
TOUR THROUGH SANTA MARGARITA RANCH
‹AN UNFORGETTABLE ADVENTURE FOR ALL AGES
CALL (805) 438-3120
OR BOOK WITH US ONLINE AT
WWW.MARGARITA-ADVENTURES.COM
FIND US JUST ONE MINUTE FROM HIGHWAY 101 AT
22719 EL CAMINO REAL, SANTA MARGARITA, CA 934534
1527 Shell Beach Road, Pismo Beach | (805) 295-6328
Open Mon-Sat 11:00 am to 11:00 pm, Sun 10:00 am to 11:00 pm
30
•
December 4 - 10, 2014 • Tolosa Press
8 0 5 sound
find your beat
CJ: When and where did MGB
begin?
GB: The band had been cruising along
as Mean Gene and the Portable Johns
for roughly 6 years (3 Johns and Gene)
until there came a time there were no
Johns left due to work, family, health
or other things. It was then when Nuke
of Motograter and I were chatting band
names and he coined MGB with a spoof
on Miller Genuine Draft, which helped
us coin “Killer Genuine Rock” into a
band phrase. We needed a name that
embraced Americana while delivering
a wide variety of rock music. It felt
perfect and maintained the Mean Gene
connection and what were raised on
musically.
CJ: How did Kelly Atwell who
sang with Montrose join the
band?
GB: We went to Camozzi’s one night
to see our close friends Soundhouse,
Erik McCornack singer of SH had
invited Kelly out as he had just moved
back into town after a long stay in NY.
These guys always like having friends
sit in with the band so it just happened
that Kelly and I were both sitting in
with SH. So I approached Kelly during
the night and handed him my card said,
“I am looking to add a lead singer to the
band, hint hint.” He came out and saw
us at Mongo’s a week later and the rest
kind of became history. There was a
about a two year period when Kelly left
the band and became the lead singer of
High Voltage, an ACDC tribute band,
which really helped Kelly expand his
vision and desires.
CJ: How has your day job
building guitars helped what you
do as a band?
GB: Most people are well aware of
my daytime career manufacturing/
designing guitars since I started
building guitars in 7th grade woodshop.
It started with my first company Mean
Gene Guitars, then I went to work
for Gibson, then became a master
builder for Fender Custom Shop, later
branching out to what became Baker
Guitars when I moved back to the
Central Coast. In 2004, I brought the
b3 guitars I build today, merging with
a Pittsburgh based company called
Premier Builders Guild in 2010 where
we now build 3 brand names of guitars
Koll, Fano and b3, as well as two
amplifier brands Two Rock and Tone
King amplifiers out of Rohnert Park,
CA.
All of that guitar building has
naturally introduced me to countless
rock stars of which some became very
close friends. I was first introduced to
Ronnie Montrose when I worked for
Gibson Custom Shop, then met him in
person a few years later when I worked
for the Fender Custom Shop. Ronnie
grew to become a very dear friend, we
had a lot of mutual life similarities and
we connected very well to the point
he would do most anything for me if
asked --NAMM show parties, (National
Association of Music Merchants) photo
Talking with Gene Baker of MGB
By Carrie Jaymes
shots etc. He’s a great friend. That
connection opened me up to the band
Tesla in which Brian Wheat their bass
player became a close friend who also
owns operates a record label in his back
yard called “J Street Recorders” where
we recorded our first CD.
CJ: So why wasn’t Kelly on that
CD?
GB: It was just bad timing, Kelly
had left the band prior to be part of
the original lineup of High Voltage an
ACDC Tribute. In hind site I fell it all
worked perfectly, everyone grew while
we were apart which gave each of us
more respect for the other.
CJ: When did Kelly return to
MGB?
GB: It was late 2010 and we were asked
to do a local fundraiser at Mongo’s for a
kid who needed a Service Dog, we asked
Kelly to come sit in with us. At the end
of the show someone simply said, “ya
know you outta just start singing with
the band again.” He was still playing
with High Voltage and it was just going
to take a little time to work him back
into the band. Then PBG held a grand
opening dealer summit where we flew
in our dealers from across the states
for a meet and greet event that lasted
3 days. The highlight was a Jam Night
at Mongo’s with Ronnie Montrose
being the guest of honor. We basically
repeated most of the 1st Montrose
CD with zero rehearsal with Ronnie,
Ronnie on lead guitar and Kelly on
vocals. It was a night to never forget
and the entire night on YouTube for all
to enjoy. https://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=JMGViVlWQHE&list=UUh_
EzkuURuiRU_UMIJKjB7Q
CJ: Didn’t Kelly go on to sing
with Montrose again?
GB: He did, it was because of the
Mongo’s event that Kelly’s voice stuck
in Ronnie’s mind cause he pulled off
a great Sammy Hagar. Morro Bay
Chamber hit me up asking if Ronnie
would be interested in a Harbor Festival
gig. I asked Ronnie he said sure, but
two weeks before the gig he called and
said, “I have a problem, my lead singer
double booked on me and cannot make
the event, do you think Kelly would sing
for the gig?” I said, “Hell yes I think he
would.” Due to all that was going with
the Montrose band, Ronnie asked Kelly
if he would like to audition for the lead
singer role. Ronnie had pulled in a few
guys each playing live shows with the
final singer to be chosen basically near
his 64th birthday. Kelly didn’t get the
lead role but did get to play a total of
3 shows with Ronnie, which probably
changed his musical life forever.
CJ: How did you get involved in
the Montrose memorial?
GB: MGB was set to open for
Montrose on tour into summer of
2011 but due to the very unfortunate
happenings taking Ronnie’s life this
was something not meant to be. I got a
conference call from both his agent Jim
Douglas and bass player Dan McNay
as they were laying out plans for the
Montrose Memorial Show. They asked
if MGB would be the house band for
an after-hours jam plus have me play
a song with the Montrose band during
the main event. This main show is
available on DVD, unfortunately the
song I played on didn’t make the DVD,
I’m just very honored to have been able
to be involved paying my tribute to a
dear friend I will miss forever.
CJ: I hear your working on a
new CD, can you tell us about it?
GB: Yes we are, MGB has always been
known as a variety rock cover band but
we have our eyes set on a bigger goal
writing recording a CD of our own
material. We will always maintain
MGB as a cover band targeting charity
fundraisers, bike runs for a cause,
events that help people more then us
just collecting a couple bucks for a gig.
We hope to have the CD out towards
mid to end of 2015 and were already
working hard on it. It will showcase
what’s in our soul and its going to be
pretty heavily rocking, not as tame as
our cover tunes, we like to rock.
CJ: What’s the next big event for
MGB?
Dec. 7 we will return for our second
time for the 34th annual SLO Toy Run
being held at the Portuguese Hall in
Arroyo Grande. This group generates
a lot of money for a great cause every
year and has such a large following its
electric. Everyone who attends has a
chance at winning some amazing prizes
for a $1. Last year I think they raffled
prizes for a good two straight hours
or better, huge flat screen TVs, 5 foot
chrome tool boxes, diamond bracelets
with some prizes in excess of $1,000.
This year I along with Premier Builders
Guild are donating a $4000 Fano guitar
to the raffle.
CJ: I hear you are also getting
involved as a local promoter?
How did this come about?
GB: Simply put I love throwing
parties or events and kind of miss
having my fingers in that. With our
recent MGB original music focus I was
looking around at what venues original
bands have to play around here. Plus
I have been involved with the Nipomo
Chamber for their annual Oktoberfest
which brings in a Battle of the Bands
all which started connecting directly to
more local original bands.
In my early, it seemed like all the
bands were young and there were
plenty of original venues to play and
places like Sweet Springs Saloon was
bringing in well known road bands and
the place was always packed. Today
it seems like it’s really hard to find an
original showcase type venue and young
bands just aren’t connecting as easily
with the venues we have in the area
so they have to travel outside our area
to play. So, I came up with the idea to
bring local original bands into Mongo’s
once a month for what we have dubbed
Mean Gene Presents. The first show is
Dec. 20 with 3000 PSI and My Modern
Valentine, second show is Jan. 31 with
Bloodmoon and Cruiz, the event will
remain the last Saturday of each month
into 2015.
I also have a special show coming
to Mongo’s Jan. 20 with the infamous
“Pat Travers Band” with decades of
legendary guitar rock hits, along with
MGB and After all. I just love Mongo’s
location, layout, size and I work well
with the bar owner and management.
To me, one of the best places in the area
for live music.
CJ: Whats next for MGB?
GB: With the new CD in progress we
will most likely be changing the name
of the band for original music purposes
only, MGB will always be available as a
cover band for special events and we are
trying to only book very limited shows.
It’s hard to write a CD if you’re always
working or gigging, so we are fueling our
inspiration and look forward to showcase
events into 2015 and beyond. ✤
Tolosa Press • December 4 - 10, 2014
Advent Festival of Lessons and Carols
The Cuesta College Jazz Ensemble
will perform an end of semester
concert at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Dec.
12 at the Cuesta performing Arts
center. Tickets are $7 students/seniors/
Jazz Federation members, $12 general
admission. Buy tickets online at: www.
cpactickets.cuesta.edu or call 546-3198.
The concert features the best of Cuesta’s
small jazz groups and the favorite
pieces of its Big Band. Directed by Ron
McCarley.
St. Peter’s by the Sea Episcopal
Church, 545 Shasta Ave., in Morro
Bay invites everyone to its Advent
Festival of Lessons and Carols, a
special evening of worship and music at
3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 7. St. Peter’s Advent
Choir is made up of members of St. Peter’s
and St. Benedict’s Episcopal churches.
A reception will follow the service in
the parish hall. For more information,
call St. Peter’s at 772-2368 or see:
stpetersmorrobay.org. In the photo are:
choir director Marty Lindholm (at the
piano) and left to right: Doreen Hughes,
Diane Ludin and Sidney Wilson-Young.
Submitted photo
Pianist, Linda Brady, will present
“A Keyboard Christmas,” at noon
Friday, Dec. 5, part of the free Brown
Bag Concert Series at First Presbyterian
Church of San Luis Obispo, 981 Marsh St.
Call 543-5451 for more information.
The Cal Poly big bands and jazz
combos will present their Annual
Fall Jazz Concert at 8 p.m. Friday,
Dec. 5 in the Spanos Theatre on
campus. Tickets are $12 for the public
and $9 for senior citizens, students and
SLO Jazz Federation members. Price
includes all fees and parking. Tickets are
available at the PAX Box Office noon6 p.m. Tuesdays-Saturdays. Order by
phone at 756-4849. The two big bands
will perform “Airegin” by Sonny Rollins
and “You’d Be So Nice to Come Home
To,” both arranged by Michael Abene.
The concert is sponsored by the College
of Liberal Arts, Music Department,
and Instructionally Related Activities
Program. For more information, call the
Music Department at 756-2406.
The San Luis Coastal Adult School
Scholarship Fund will hold a benefit
concert set for 3 p.m. Saturday, Dec.
13 at Trinity United Methodist Church,
490 Los Osos Valley Rd, in Los Osos.
Soprano, Katherine Arthur and pianist,
Ann Lucas, will present an afternoon of
Brahms “Ziguenerlieder” (Gypsy Songs)
and some Cole Porter favorites. Tickets
are $20 in advance and $25 at the door.
Reserve tickets by calling 549-1222 or
see: ae.slcusd.org. Cal Poly music Prof.,
Arthur has appeared in music festivals
across the U.S. and Europe. She has
performed with the Southwest Chamber
Music Ensemble, Deutschlandfunk, and
on Orfeo Records. She lived, taught,
Thu 12/4 .... Dave Miller Band
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Fri 12/5 .... Dub Seeds
Sat 12/6 .... TBA
Sun 12/7 .... the Lower 48
Mon 12/8 .... Toan’s Open Jam
Tue 12/9 .... DJ DP
Wed 12/10 .... Ras Danny Duo
Thu 12/11 .... Cosmopolites
Farmer’s Market food
welcome inside
Vocalist Katherin Arthur
performed, and recorded in Germany and
Austria from 1997-02. Pianist, Lucas, was
a member of the music faculties at Towson
University and the Baltimore School for
the Arts. Since 1997, she has been active
as a recitalist and accompanist and is the
pianist for the Allegria Wind Quintet and
the San Luis Obispo Wind Orchestra.
Lucas is a member of the music faculty
at Allan Hancock College, and director of
the College Singers.
The Cal Poly Choirs will present
their annual holiday spectacular, “A
Christmas Celebration,” at 8 p.m.
Saturday, Dec. 6, at the Performing
Arts Center on campus. Tickets are $12
and $14 for the public and $9 and $12
for senior citizens and students. Pricing
includes all fees, and parking. Tickets are
sold at the PAC Box Office from noon-6
p.m. Tuesdays-Saturdays. Order by phone
at 756-4849. PolyPhonics, the University
Singers, the Early Music Ensemble, The
Brass Ensemble, Take it SLO and That’s
the Key will take the stage. Repertoire
will include original works for Christmas
and Hanukkah by Antonio Vivaldi, Felix
Mendelssohn, Benjamin Britten, Stephen
Paulus and Ron Jeffers.
The Pacific Horizon Chorus’
women
of
Sweet
Adelines
International and the Gold Coast
Chorus men of the Barbershop
Harmony Society are singing a concert of
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31
32
• December 4 - 10, 2014 • Tolosa Press
holiday music at 4 p.m. Saturday, Dec.
13 at the United Church of Christ, 11245
Los Osos Valley Rd., in San Luis Obispo.
Festivities will include raffle for gift
baskets and a special appearance by Santa
Claus. Free admission but donations
accepted. For more information call 5286106.
East Coast-based jazz trio, Steel
House, on a West Coast Tour will
play at 8 p.m. Saturday Dec. 6 at
the Unity Concert Hall, 1130 Orcutt Rd.,
SLO (entrance on Fernwood). Tickets
are $25 general admission, $20 for Jazz
Fed members and $15 for Students.
Tickets at the door or in advance at
BooBoo’s Records in SLO and online at:
BrownPaperTickets.com. Doors open
at 7:30. Steel House is Edward Simon,
piano (he’s performed with Bobby
Hutcherson, Terrance Blanchard and the
SF Jazz Collective among many others);
Scott Colley, bass (Herbie Hancock, Jim
Hall and Michael Brecker); and Brian
Blade, drums (Wayne Shorter Quartet
Joshua Redman, Joni Mitchell and Bob
Dylan). More information at 546-3733
and at: slojazz.org.
Cuesta College’s vocal ensembles
will celebrate the holidays with two
local concerts in SLO and at the
Hwy 1 Campus, at 8 p.m. Saturday,
Dec. 13 at the Mission in Downtown
SLO and at 3 p.m. Sunday Dec. 14 at the
Cuesta Performing arts Center. Tickets
are $7 students/seniors, $12 general
admission and available online at: www.
cpactickets.cuesta.edu or call 546-3198.
Also available at the door. You’ll hear
works by Eric Whitacre, songs from the
hit movie “Frozen,” as well as favorite
Holiday tunes. Directed by John Knutson
and Cassandra Tarantino.
Hawaiian hula band, HoapiIi
Pamaika’i, will play a concert
featuring fresh now takes on
traditional Hawaiian music, at
7 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 7 at the San
Luis Obispo Grange hall, 2880 Broad
St. Tickets are $22 at the door and $20
for groups of 10-more. Call Yvette at
878-6793 or get tickets at the Red Dirt
Coffeehouse, Arroyo Grande. The 3-piece
band of men ages 15-23, includes ukulele,
bass and guitar.
Luis Oliart and Debra Windsong
return to Pismo on Dec.11, 6:309:30 p.m. at The Shell Café, 1351
Price St. as part of the Songwriters at
Play Series. Debra Windsong of the
Blue Souls adds harmonica, percussion
and harmonies to the original music of
singer-guitarist Luis Oliart. Southern
California native Luis Oliart’s talent as a
guitarist, singer, and songwriter has been
described as “simply magical… totally
captivating… compelling.” His sound
blends the influences of funk, rock, blues,
reggae and Latin, producing music that is
fresh and full of energy. Oliart has tagged
this new genre “Alternative Soul”, and he
has brought this unique sound to such
well-known venues as House of Blues,
the Hard Rock Cafe, BB King’s, The Bitter
End, and even Carnegie Hall. The title
track of his recent CD, Broken Chains,
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92.5FM. Luis
has become a
local favorite,
featured
on many of
Songwriters
At
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showcases
in the past
few years. He
brings several
g u i t a r s ,
going
from
bottleneck
slide on one
song, to a
flamencoHawaiian hula band, HoapiIi Pamaika’
inspired
style on the
The two have acted in the play over a
next. www.luisoliart.com. This is a free hundred times around the country, and
all ages show. Special guests on Dec. began to form a musical partnership
11 include Craig Louis Dingman of the based on a mutual love of roots music,
Code Blues band, and Morro Bay’sStefan and in particular, harmony singing.
Rodman.
Erin Inglish is always coming up with
new collaborations -- this time, Erin is
Songwriters At Play presents two accompanied by bassist Dylan Johnson,
contemporary folk duos in concert Cuesta College music professor who
on December 12 at 7 p.m. at D’Anbino performs regularly with Inga Swearingen.
Cellars, 710 Pine St., Paso Robles. -- San Reservations are highly recommended
Francisco’s Misner & Smith (pictured), at (805) 227-6800 ext. 700. Tickets are
and Central Coast favorites Erin Inglish $10. Show begins at 7 p.m. but come
& Dylan Johnson. Sam Misner and early for dinner (food service begins
Megan Smith met as actors, first in a at 6pm).For more information, visit
Shakespeare play, and later in a musical
www.songwritersatplay.com. ✤
“Woody Guthrie’s American Song”.
Tolosa Press • December 4 - 10, 2014
•
33
Dinner and a Movie
A Dolphin-Sized Appetite At Pier 46
By Teri Bayus
I
have been dubbed a “d
“dolphin” by
many a chef because of the amount
of raw seafood I am able to ingest.
My seafood culinary romance usually
begins at Pier 46 Seafood in Templeton.
Owned and operated by Eric Gonzales
and Tony DeGarimore — and these
boys know fish.
I special ordered oysters to do a sideby-side comparison of three different
kinds, to win a bet with my best friend
Kathy. She stodgily said that Blue
Point oysters were the finest mollusk
to ingest. I was out to prove her wrong.
They presented us with 12 oysters on
the half shell, freshly plucked out of the
tanks of seawater keeping them vibrant
and alive.
First my process: Each oyster is
rinsed in champagne, add a dab of
mignonette sauce (coarsely ground
black peppercorns, red wine vinegar,
chopped shallots), and then slurp them
down. Gary goes a bit more flavor
forward and adds a dab of horseradish,
a dash of Tabasco Sauce and a squeeze
of lime.
The Tomales Bay Oyster Co., is
California’s
oldest,
continuouslyrun shellfish farm located on scenic
Highway 1 in Marshall, Calif. Tomales
Bay is considered the “last undamaged
bay in California” and we discovered it
while our friends were living in Dillon
Beach. It was nothing for us to polish
off five dozen oysters in one afternoon.
Still rarities on East Coast menus,
Kusshis are all the rage out West, due
to their small size and ultra-clean
flavor. They’re grown by Keith Reid, a
highly innovative grower in Deep Bay,
Vancouver, Can. Kusshis (Japanese for
“ultimate”) are grown in floating trays
and tumbled very aggressively. This
breaks off the thin, growing edge and
forces them to deepen and thicken their
shells.
The last was from local waters, the
Morro Bay Oyster Farm. Uniform in
size and sweet in taste, these oysters are
found in every fine dining establishment
around here. Bottom line? We agreed
these all were better and more flavorful
than Blue Points.
As a child, Tony watched his father,
Mike DeGarimore, dive for abalone
and open several seafood markets in
the local area. Tony learned all aspects
of the business from cutting fish, to
exporting to Japan. His father helped
pave a successful road for a sustainable
life in the local seafood industry. Tony’s
brother, Giovanni DeGarimore, owns
Giovanni’s Fish Market in Morro Bay.
Eric’s father was a key player in the
importation of lobsters and shrimp
from Mexico through owning a
wholesale seafood company in Los
Angeles. Eric’s experience has ranged
from working on a Russian processing
ship, to importing fish from around
the world, to interfacing with highend chefs and supermarkets. They buy
directly from the boats and fillet and
process most of the product in-house.
After the tasting, we were ready for
real food. Gary had the lobster roll,
with fresh cooked lobster in a fluffy bun
with salad and truffle fries (garnished
with a black truffle salt). The lobster is
enhanced by chopped tomatoes, fresh
mint, basil, minced celery, red onion,
Parmesan cheese and mayo. It was
phenomenal.
My friend had the pecan encrusted
local, red snapper dinner, with wild rice
and herb vegetables. She said it tasted
like a dish out of Triton’s galley. We
shared some astounding crab cakes,
served on a bed of mixed greens with
cherry tomatoes and two sauces — a
tartar and a spicy seafood cocktail.
They were flawlessly done.
The fish tacos were served with
warm tortilla strips, shredded cabbage,
pepper Jack cheese, cilantro, and a
spicy sauce with limes on the side. I
could close my eyes and pretend I was
on the docks in Ensenada; the fish is
that fresh and the flavors are melded to
perfection.
With a bottle of Dr. Loosen Riesling,
I let my mermaid side emerge and
ordered half a pound of Ahi, and they
cut it sashimi style. Tony was sure
I could never finish, but I ate every
delectable morsel.
But my favorite dish by far is the
Ahi tacos. Four crispy wonton shells
nestled with Asian slaw and topped
with the finest raw, sushi-grade Ahi,
served with octopus and seaweed salad.
I could eat this every day.
Pier 46 offers a full meal and a fresh
fish market. Pier 46 Seafood is located
at 1131 Rossi Rd., in Templeton (by
Trader Joe’s). Call 434-1950. Open
Mondays-Thursdays from 10 a.m. to
7 p.m., Fridays from 10-8, Saturdays
from 10-7 and Sundays from 11-5. ✤
Birdman A True Art House Experience
By Teri Bayus
B
irdman is spectacular. A perfect
piece of cinema. Where do I
begin my admonition of this
masterpiece? Should I start with the
miraculously crafted original story?
Maybe it was the brilliant
screenwriting that blends existential
drama with pop culture savvy?
Perhaps it was the cavalcade of stellar
performances coming from every
direction?
Or maybe the groundbreaking
cinematography that presents possibly
the best use of a steadi-cam ever
conceived? I was in love with every
aspect of this film from the first frame.
The film stars Michael Keaton as
a washed-up actor named Riggan,
famous for his portrayal of a superhero
called “Birdman.” Riggan is attempting
to create a new name for himself as a
theater actor and so puts on a Broadway
play in which he is both starring and
directing.
As the play draws closer to its
premiere, Riggan is forced to deal with
not only the pressures of uncontrollable
actors and a ravenous public eye, but
also his own past as Birdman coming
back to haunt him, as he tries to
reinvent himself.
There is not enough praise for
Michael Keaton’s work in the lead.
I loved him now, liked I loved him in
“Bettlejuice.” And I am certain that this
roll will earn him an Academy Award
nomination.
However, the true highlights of
the cast are Edward Norton as an
obnoxious co-star and Emma Stone
as Keaton’s troubled daughter. Both
actors steal every scene they are in and
deserve to win Oscars for their work.
Norton embodies the egomaniacal
actor, while still managing to keep
his character likable even after some
despicable behavior.
Stone conveys her character’s
vulnerability without making her
pathetic. Zach Galifianakis also shines
as Keaton’s business partner.
Directed by Alejandro Gonzalez
Inarritu-Biutiful, and I feel his only
flaw was the very peculiar soundtrack
that mostly consists of drum solos, and
a little classical music during plays. I’m
not sure I liked it, but kudos for being
distinctive. Birdman is a true art house
experience.
Rarely do I walk out of a film as excited
as I was after leaving Birdman. The film
left me with a sense of joy, excitement,
and an overall feeling of inspiration and
true genuine wonderment. It is playing
at the Palm Theater. Go see it. ✤
Teri Bayus can be reached at:
livewell@teribayus.com or follow her
writings and ramblings at: www.
teribayus.com. Bayus also hosts, “Taste
Buds,” a moving picture rendition of
her reviews shown on Charter Cable
Channel 10. Dinner and a Movie is a
weekly feature of Tolosa Press.
34
•
December 4 - 10, 2014 • SLO City News
OPINION
SLOPD Chief Responds To Ferguson Unrest
Thanks
for School
Support
By Chief Steve Gesell
Steve Gesell is the Police Chief for the
City of San Luis Obispo and a 25-year
police veteran.
T
here is no doubt complex social
and cultural issues exist in
our Country. The premature
judgment and implication that Michael
Brown ultimately lost his life at the
hands of a Ferguson, Mo., police
officer because of the color of his skin
underscores this fact.
The emotions and opinions primarily
solidified by daily doses of conjecture
administered by media outlets eager to
fuel the flames are beyond concerning.
Unfortunately, it doesn’t shock me
anymore.
What shocks me is the ever-growing
lack of deference to rule of law, push for
mob justice by some and concerted lack
of objective focus by the media even
now, despite the release of a lengthy
Grand Jury investigation.
Officer Darren Wilson’s testimony
was supported by witness testimony
and physical evidence that told an
indisputable story of a fight inside
Wilson’s own patrol car. One that could
only occur if a man weighing over 200
lbs. brought the fight to Wilson before
he could exit.
This is an option chosen by only the
most brazen criminals foreign to most
police officers. The testimony and
evidence also supports that Wilson
drew his pistol during this fight and
Brown attempted to gain control of it.
Many of the witnesses that supported
Wilson’s testimony were African
American and differ dramatically from
the original accounts showcased by
many claiming race was the root cause
in the shooting.
It’s insulting to most that a laundry
list of social responsibilities be included
here, however it may be sadly necessary,
as it seems to be missing from most of
the opinion pieces the media continues
to publish.
Firstly — don’t smoke marijuana and
brazenly steal from a business, and
assault and intimidate the diminutive
store clerk that protests your actions.
Next, don’t walk in the middle of the
street with your stolen goods, forcing
cars to go around you.
Third, listen to a police officer’s
direction to use the sidewalk instead of
responding with an expletive.
Fourth, don’t slam an officer’s door
as they try to exit to contact you and
keep them captive.
Fifth, don’t punch the officer
repeatedly before taking a brief break
to hand the stolen cigars to your friend
before continuing the felonious attack.
Sixth, when an officer draws their
weapon, listen to their commands.
And finally, don’t grab an officer’s
weapon at anytime and attempt to gain
control of it. The officer must assume
you intend to kill him with it.
Having stated the obvious, I can’t
recall how many times I’ve read or
heard the phrase, “white officer who
shot unarmed black teen,” in the media
over the past three months. This implies
to some that race was a factor and there
is no justification for shooting a person
that doesn’t have a weapon.
What is conspicuously missing in
this list is evidence that Officer Wilson
killed Michael Brown because he was
African American. A crime many in
the public have tried and convicted the
officer for months ago.
If one ends their personal evaluation
with Brown’s criminal act at the store,
the public should demand the police
take action. With that obligation comes
great risk to public servants who wear
a badge.
If the multitude of physical evidence
and testimony examined by the Grand
Jury is convincing to the objective
mind, then Ofc. Darren Wilson met
that demand and fulfilled his duty to
the community.
Yet he was victimized, immediately
vilified, and continues to reportedly
receive death threats for his service.
Many owe him an apology, if that is the
case. Conversely, if the facts presented
are true, Michael Brown is the last
person that deserves the hero’s hat in
this sad story.
Now, critics have moved on to attempt
to cast aspersions on the prosecutor
in efforts to discount the compelling
evidence. When does it end?
Police officers have an ever
increasingly complicated and many
times dangerous job in a world where
perception becomes fact faster than
ever through social media.
It’s never been more critical for
police agencies to build and sustain
positive relationships within the
community, maintaining transparency
and consistently striving to improve the
quality of life.
For any of this to work, it’s equally
as critical for people of every color
to value the rule of law and personal
responsibility — something that should
be obvious to us all. ✤
Editor’s Note: Asked for followup Gesell noted that the publically
perceived racism in the Ferguson
case was his primary motive for
writing, but as for one of the solutions
promoted by Michael Brown’s Family,
that officers wear body cameras while
on duty, Gesell said, “We’re already
on track to purchase 15 units as part
of our plan to acquire them for all our
patrol officers. I believe our officers
will be very supportive as there are
many California agencies who tout
their success. We hope to get the first
15 on the street early next year.”
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O
n behalf of the San Luis
Coastal Unified School
District Board of Trustees,
I’d like to extend our gratitude to
voters who showed overwhelming
support for Measure D.
Because of your yes vote, future
generations of local students will
benefit from significantly improved
learning environments.
District-wide upgrades to every
campus will prepare our students
for college and career paths in a
dynamically changing world.
I would like to give a special thank
you for the tremendous efforts of the
committee co-chairs: Amy Burton,
Brian Clausen, and Ann Dover.
They spearheaded the campaign
that resulted in overwhelming
success (72% approval).
Over the next few months, work
will begin on designs, timelines,
and project management. One of
our first steps will be to appoint
a Citizens’ Oversight Committee,
representing community members,
parents, and business leaders, that
will ensure proper oversight of the
$177 million.
We are excited to begin planning
for renovations to Morro Bay
and San Luis High Schools, and
anticipate district-wide completion
of all projects by 2021.
Thank you again for your support
of Measure D, and thank you for
taking pride in our schools.
Dr. Eric Prater, Superintendent
San Luis Coastal Unified School
District
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SLO City News • December 4 - 10, 2014
NEWS
Deputy
Sheriff’s
Donate to
Vet’s Shuttle
By Neil Farrell
T
he Deputy Sheriff’s Association
recently made a $1,000
donation to Veterans Express, a
program under Ride-On Transportation
that provides transportation for
military veterans to VA clinics in SLO,
Santa Maria and connections for rides
to Los Angeles. Veterans Express began
in 2006, providing services to 10-12
veterans a month. Today, they provide
transportation to nearly 200 veterans a
month. Sheriff Ian Parkinson proudly
presented the check to Veteran’s
Express Coordinator, Greg Shearer.
Submitted photos. ✤
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•
35
36
•
December 4 - 10, 2014 • SLO City News
NEWS
Santa’s Home For the Season
Photos by Erin O’Donnell
S
anta’s House is open once again
in San Luis Obispo’s Mission
Plaza. Founders Community Bank
and the SLO Downtown Association
annually sponsor Santa’s House as a
place for children to come and take a
photo with the Jolly Old Elf. Every child
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that visits with Santa will receive a free
candy cane, a toy and a coloring book.
It is $5 to take a picture with your own
camera; $7.50 for a souvenir framed
photo; or $11 for both. Factoring in rain
delay, the carousel will be open by next
week in the plaza ✤
Tolosa Press • December 4 - 10, 2014
•
37
In the Black
An End Zone Dance Over Evaluations
Only Human
By Betsey Nash, SPHR
H
ere’s the question of the
week: Do you applaud your
employees when they do
their job, thanking them when they
do what’s asked of them, such as
meeting deadlines or producing the
right amount of widgets in the right
amount of time?
Or do you figure they get paid to do
it and pay is thanks enough?
It’s a philosophical question, to
be sure, but also a practical one,
similar to the one parents have faced
for thousands of years. Is praising
them for doing the right thing more
effective in getting them to do what
you want, than withholding praise
when they fall short?
I’m not talking carrot or stick,
vinegar or honey, here. That’s a
discipline issue. I’m just talking
about meeting expectations.
Although our gut can tell us when
our employees are not meeting
expectations, we really should
have both job descriptions and
performance standards to judge
them by.
Guts aside, how do we justify our ratings
when we deliver their performance
appraisals? How did we let them know
what was expected of them in the first
place? Remember the performance flow:
expectations — agreement — training
— feedback — training — expectation —
agreement — feedback — rating. They
need to know what is expected of them
before we can hold them accountable.
In planning for our recent performance
appraisals at Strasbaugh, one of the
supervisors suggested we beef up the
“meets expectations” rating, and he was
absolutely right.
We discussed what the category meant
in some detail. I recalled a certain B
student who, after getting a C and being
told “there’s nothing wrong with a C,”
fervently knew they never wanted to be
“Average.” “Meeting Expectations” could
be construed as a bad thing, if we didn’t
clearly define it as a good thing. That
meant it had to be above average.
Here’s another performance appraisal
question: Are you of the opinion that no
one is “Excellent?” Do you believe that
rating someone excellent would mean
Ì
Ì
Thanksgiving.
I laughed and
wondered
if
some players
practice their
end
zone
dance as much as they practice the
draw play. I guessed, judging from
the choreography, that the team
cheerleaders moonlight as dance
coaches.
They dance when they score, but
isn’t scoring what they are paid to do?
And then I thought it wouldn’t be so
bad to see high fives and chest bumps
next time we beat a deadline or invent
a new process. I just have to pick out
a place for a Lambeau Leap after my
end-zone dance. ✤
they have no room to improve? That’s
nuts.
If they have everything nailed, give
them something new: have them mentor
a new employee or cross-train in another
department. Ask them to write the
procedure manual. Delegate some of
your work to them. Make these the new
expectations and they can strive to be
excellent all over again.
Some companies insist that their
managers rate their employees on a
curve. Again I say “Nuts!” Forcing people
into categories that do not accurately
reflect their performance against the
standards accomplishes nothing other
than demotivating most of the workforce.
Define your rating categories well;
make sure you recall the whole year
so that you don’t rate on the latest (or
worst) thing they did; and include lots of
examples of their behavior to justify your
rating, if you want to deliver performance
appraisals that do what they’re supposed
to do — reward and motivate.
The question of praising employees
for doing what they are supposed to do
occurred to me while watching football over
Long-time
human
resources
professional, Betsey Nash has
the national senior certification,
attesting to her expertise in the field.
She will need dance lessons and can
be reached at: bnash@strasbaugh.
com. Her column is a regular feature
of Tolosa Press.
Approximately 65% of people
with hearing loss are below
retirement age.
Ì
Approximately 1 in 5
Americans age 12 and older
experiences hearing loss
severe enough to hinder
communication.
Approximately
36,000,000 Americans
have some degree of
hearing loss, ranging from
mild to severe.
Hear all the sounds of the Fall Season
ENJOY BETTER HEARING THIS SUMMER!
The perfect time for a complimentary hearing screening
is now. Fall is a wonderful time filled with the harmonious
sounds of the great outdoors and social gatherings.
October – December Special
• FREE hearing screening*
• FREE technology demonstration
Call (805) 995-4826 today
to take advantage of our
FREE hearing screening offer!
*Solely for the selection of proper hearing instrumentation and not a medical diagnosis.
1052 Main St, Ste B • Morro Bay, CA
Call today for a
FREE hearing screening and
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Come in today to try it on.
CALL TODAY
(805) 995-4826
© 2014 Starkey. All Rights Reserved. 29512-14_10/14
38
•
December 4 - 10, 2014 • Tolosa Press
In the Black
California’s Soda Tax a Sweet Success
By Julian J. Varela
I
f you haven’t already heard, the
most recent midterm elections
may have made your favorite
sugary soda a bit more expensive.
Voters in San Francisco and Berkeley
were asked if they wanted to make
the buying and selling of sugar-laced
drinks more expensive. Although
the Measure in San Francisco was
squashed, Berkeley became the first
city in the nation to pass a bill that
taxes distributors an extra penny for
every ounce of soda, energy drinks
and syrups they sell – a move that
will certainly drive up prices.
Most of us have ridden the waves
of dietary fads over the years. From
high-fat, low carbohydrate diets
to low-fat, high-carb diets, Paleo
and everything in between, we’re
bombarded with the messages
touting the next best way to lose
weight and improve our health.
Newer research however suggests
that we may have had it all wrong
and the shady culprit hiding in the
dark corner may be sugar.
There are links between the number
of sugary drinks people consume and
the likelihood that they will get Type
2 Diabetes (NIH). According to the
University of California, San Francisco,
50% of African American youth and 33%
of Latino youth born in the year 2000
will get Type 2 Diabetes in their lifetime.
Harvard University reports that those
who consume sugary drinks regularly—1
to 2 cans a day or more—have a 26%
greater risk of developing Type 2
Diabetes than people who rarely have
such drinks. Furthermore, a study that
followed 40,000 men for two decades
found that those who averaged one
can of a sugary beverage per day had a
20% higher risk of having a heart attack
or dying from a heart attack than men
who rarely consumed sugary drinks. A
related study in women found a similar
sugary beverage–heart disease link. Soft
drinks are have been a cultural staple
for generations however our beverage of
choice may be killing us.
Beginning January, Berkeley’s pennyper-ounce tax will go into effect naturally
increasing the price of the overall
product for the consumer. Although
taxation in itself won’t decrease our
health risk-factors, it may help many
Americans, those who are drawn to
sugary beverages due to low price
points, think twice before consuming
them. Thanks to ever increasing high
tobacco prices and consistent aggressive
anti-tobacco campaigns, tobacco use
is at an all-time low in California and
many other states aren’t too far behind.
Tobacco related deaths are on the
decline and obesity-related deaths are
creeping into the number one spot.
Regardless of whether or not you’re in
support of another tax, hopefully we’ll
all realize someday that consuming
sugary beverages at the rate we do may
be just as harmful as smoking. ✤
Julian J. Varela holds a M.S.
degree in Exercise Science and Health
Promotion and is a Certified Strength &
Creative
Something’s Cooking
AMERICAN & FOREIGN CUISINE SINCE 1982
Sandee Helow
805.772.0492
Sandee@somethingcookingcatering.com | P.O. Box 1135, 888 Napa Street, Morro Bay
Conditioning Specialist. Julian also
holds a M.A. in Clinical Psychology,
Marriage & Family Therapy and is
a therapist with Center for Human
Growth and Understanding and
principal with Compass Health
Wellness & Prevention; a local
corporate wellness company. He
can be contacted at jvarela@
compass-health.com.
Elegant
Affordable
Pricing & Packaging to suit every budget & wedding size.
805.235.6365
carriejaymes@hotmail.com
www.carriejaymes.com
Tolosa Press • December 4 - 10, 2014
•
39
In the Black
Biz Briefs
Business News and Announcements
Compiled by Camas Frank
The “Must Charities” group
announced its new, four-year
collaboration
and
$253,000
investment with Big Brothers Big
Sisters of San Luis Obispo (SLO)
County. Must! Charities’ goal is
to expand youth mentoring in an
underserved region, making sure
children, who ask for assistance
from an adult, receive the help
they need. Currently there are
34 youth from the North County
waiting to have access to a mentor.
“After wrapping up a 10-month
vetting process we recognize
both the need for increased
mentoring and the ability and
desire Big Brothers Big Sisters of
SLO County has to address these
needs in the North County,” said
Becky Gray, executive director.
“This is our largest collaboration
we’ve embarked upon since our
inception project in 2012, and
while we are just making the
announcement publicly, we are
thrilled at the positive response
the community has given us thus
far, as this project will truly require
the ‘It takes a village’ mentality to
make it a success.”
Emily Orlando cut the ribbon
during a new-member ceremony
for “Mary Kay Cosmetics by
Emily.” Through a one-on-one
consultation, a party with friends,
a virtual party, makeup tips, skin
care advice or free samples, Mary
Kay Cosmetics by Emily offers,
“your ideal beauty experience
with personalized service that fits
you.” Shop online, order by email,
phone or in person. For more
information see: marykay.com/
emily.orlando or call (408) 2346850.
The Biodiesel Club, a nonprofit organization based out of
Emily Orlando cut the ribbon during a new-member ceremony
Morro Bay, has joined with the
Eco Rotary Club of Morro Bay
and the San Luis Obispo County
Integrated Waste Management
Authority to establish a household
waste vegetable oil-to-biodiesel
recycling program in SLO County.
The used cooking oil from
people’s deep fryers, frying pans
and fondue pots will be recycled
into sustainable biodiesel, a clean
burning alternative fuel that can
be used in any diesel vehicle. All
county residents are now able to
bring their old and used cooking
oil to any of the five IWMA
household hazardous waste dropoff sites for recycling, including
Cold Canyon Landfill Hwy 227,
SLO; Chicago Grade Landfill, Hwy
41, Atascadero; the Morro Bay/
Cayucos sewer treatment plant
on Atascadero Road; the Nipomo
CSD Yard, 509 Southland, and
the Paso Robles Landfill, Hwy. 46
East. Having some food bits in the
used cooking oil is OK. However,
people should never mix motor
oil with used cooking oil, as it
contaminates both products
headed for recycling.
Local realtor Hal Sweasey
of RE/MAX Del Oro, Inc.,
recently hosted his annual Movie
Night fundraiser at the Fremont
Theater in Downtown SLO.
For the second year in a row it
benefited the Assistance League’s
Operation School Bell program.
On Nov. 15, the Fremont screened
Disney’s Big Hero 6 to a packed
house and raised more than
$2,000 for the program that
helps clothe local high school
kids. “Thank you Hal Sweasey and
Team for a wonderful event,” said
Tawnee Hosick, vice president of
public relations for the Assistance
League. “These funds will directly
benefit many underprivileged
children in our county.” Sweasey
and business partner, Lindsey
Harn, are actively involved with
Big Brothers, Big Sisters of SLO
County as well, giving money with
every real estate transaction and
donating more than $100,000 to
benefit the local chapter.
The Friends of the San
Luis Obispo Library has
been awarded a grant of almost
$18,000 from the Harold J.
Miossi Charitable Trust in
support of performing arts
education. The grant will be
used to present “Arts Live at
the Library,” a program that
provides opportunities for young
people to learn about performing
arts by attending performances
and using the library’s resources.
A special effort will be made to
include members of low-income
families, disadvantaged children
and children with disabilities. The
gift will enable the library to enrich
its collections of performing arts
resources, including a collection
of hands-on performing arts and
demonstration instruments. From
Dec. 27 through April 11, young
people will be able to participate
in a Performing Arts Literacy
Program designed to encourage
learning about the performing
arts. Beginning in December, the
library will present a series of six
performing arts programs, all free
and open to everyone.
On Nov. 18, Buffalo Pub
held its second annual, “Tips
for CASA” event. Bartenders
donated all cash tips plus some
of the night’s proceeds to CASA
of SLO County, an organization
that advocates for the interests of
abused and neglected children. A
packed house enjoyed live music
by Benjamin Hein and Cody
Wilcoxson, The Sam Sharp Band,
and DJ Carlos. Buffalo Pub raised
over $900 for CASA. ✤
Send business news and
announcements for consideration
to: frank@tolosapress.com.
40
• December 4 - 10, 2014 • Tolosa Press
Artistic Director Molly McKiernan, Executive Producers Tara Behnke & Kathy Schultz
December 6, 2pm & 7pm
December 7, 2pm
FAIRYTALE PARTY – 2pm Sat. & Sun.
Children and the young at heart invited for
a special Mother Goose story time and meet
and greet with cast members. Enjoy a special
treat and free photo opportunities. Ticketed
audience members only.
489-9444
clarkcenter.org
corporate group rates available
ONE WEEKEND ONLY
SEASON SPONSORS
Coastal Dance and Music Academy
Clifford Clark
John and Beth Curran - Symantec Corp
Bernice Flood
Hardy and Judy Hearn - Edgewater Inn & Suites
PRODUCTION SPONSORS
GeoSolution
Andy Mangano
Brad and Kathy Schultz
A Classical Fairytale Ballet
Photo © Julie Campbell

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