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Volume 12 • Issue 27 • April 2 - 15, 2015 YOUR COMMUNITY IN YOUR HANDS AVILA BEACH • SHELL BEACH • PISMO BEACH • GROVER BEACH • ARROYO GRANDE • HALCYON • OCEANO Both the varsity boys and girls Arroyo Grande High School Track teams took down Paso Robles last week. See more photos on page 41. Photo by RAPhotos.com Parking Solutions Proposed for Dinosaur Caves Park Peterson’s Platform By Theresa-Marie Wilson By Theresa-Marie Wilson A large open space with a panoramic, bluff top view of the ocean, makes Dinosaur Caves Park an ideal venue for some of the city’s larger events, but parking that doesn’t infringe on neighboring residents has been a problem. Following discussion, the Pismo Beach City Council did not reach a decision about staff recommended parking solutions at the popular park. Mayor Shelly Higginbotham recused herself because she lives within 500 feet of Dinosaur Caves Park. The city acquired the 11-acre park in 1992 and worked collaboratively with members of the community to create a master plan for the open space. The Dinosaur Caves Preservation So- tolosapress.com ciety was formed and continues to lead the charge to raise funds to fulfill the vision laid out in that plan. Dinosaur Caves is the most widely used of the City’s 16 parks and is home to many events including the Pacific Breezes Concert Series, Art in the Park, Easter Eggstravaganza, Taste of Pismo and the finish line of the City to the Sea Half Marathon. “Due to the popularity of the park, there has been an increased parking demand,” said City Engineer Ben Fine. “There is a limited amount of parking T Civil War in Pismo Page 38 Early Easter Page 39 See Parking, page 11 he primary election for 3rd District Supervisor is more than a year away, but the race is already heating up. Former Grover Beach Mayor Debbie Peterson and San Luis Obispo City Councilman Dan Carpenter will run for the seat Adam Hill has held since 2009. “We are still a long way out,” Peterson told Coast News. “I jumped in because I felt that we needed to start the conversation. This gives me an opportunity to start talking about what is important in the county and what kind of representation people are looking for.” Peterson held a press conference last week in Avila Beach across from the entrance to Wild Cherry Canyon, which is owned by a subsidiary of PG&E. Peterson opposes proposed development that would include 1500 homes. “The voters asked us to make a promise back in 1999 and 2000,” Peterson told the group of about 20 people gathered. “In the primary election, they voted on an initiative, and they said that they wanted forever, permanently, the PG&E land, the 12 miles of coastland, to be kept for the public and to be kept for agriculture. It is very common that legislators forget their promises; I am not going to forget that promise.” See Peterson, page 12 • Apil 2 - 15, 2015 • Coast News Bret Colhouer publisher [email protected] Neil Farrell managing editor The Bay News [email protected] Theresa-Marie Wilson managing editor The Coast News [email protected] Camas Frank section editor SLO City News [email protected] Michael Elliott sports reporter [email protected] Gareth Kelly business / lifestyle reporter [email protected] Michelle Johnson art director Christy Serpa editorial design Kathrene Tiffin copy editor Table of Contents Teachers Vote to Strike .......................................... 3 Central Coast Lifestyle .....................................29-36 Nipmo Library Kicks Off National Library Week ..... 4 A.G. Man Arrested for Morro Bay Burglaries ....... 37 Remembering Mike Lee ......................................... 4 Pismo Pays Down Pension Liability ........................ 37 Police Communications Project to Continue ............. 5 Civil War Takes Over Judkins ............................... 38 Police Blotter ......................................................6-7 Early Easter in Avila ............................................ 39 Now Trending ....................................................... 8 Sports Shorts ...................................................... 40 Lumanation to Rock Pismo ..................................... 9 Sports Snapshot .................................................. 41 Strong Showing for Warriors ............................... 10 Business Matters .............................................42-45 Central Coast Lifestyle .....................................13-20 Biz Briefs ........................................................46-47 Morro Bay Yard Sale Map and Info .................21-28 Jessica Padilla marketing coordinator [email protected] Desarae Jack administrative assistant ADVERTISING Zorina Ricci coast news advertising executive [email protected] Carrie Vickerman bay news advertising executive [email protected] Dave Diaz internet, text & loyalty marketing 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 Paul Winninghoff 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 community service spotlight Dana McGraw senior advertising executive [email protected] ACTION HERO Jessica Micklus sales manager [email protected] The Tolosa Press 2 Growing hope through the Restorative Partners Men’s Honor Farm Garden Project. Restorative Partners Helping victims and offenders alike by reforming SLO’s Justice System As an often overlooked demographic, recently released offenders frequently return to the public unprepared to be fully integrated back into their day to day lives. Restorative Partners works with individuals currently incarcerated to maintain academic and career skills through a variety of programs. Men and women in the county jail, as well as adolescents in Juvenile detention, can take an array of classes that benefit their transition. Courses range from creative writing and drama, to dental work and job readiness, or even alternatives to violence. Local volunteers are a vital part of the Restorative Partners team, and have the opportunity to make a concrete impact on their community by teaching. Currently, they are hiring a re-entry mentor coordinator that will match inmates with mentors for easier re-entry into the community. The overarching goals of Restorative Partners are to educate the community on the philosophy of restorative justice, to initiate and sponsor services at the SLO County Jail and Juvenile Hall, to recruit and train volunteers, and to gain wide spread support to sustain the organization. Restorative Partners is holding their annual fundraiser on June 6th. To find out more, visit restorativepartners.org. brought to you by To be considered for Action Heroes, please e-mail us at [email protected] and we’ll send you our submission form. News Coast News • April 2 - 15, 2015 • 3 Teachers Vote to Strike By Theresa-Marie Wilson T he dispute between the district and teachers in the Lucia Mar Unified School District remains in a wait and see holding pattern. Educators in the Lucia Mar Unified Teachers Association voted overwhelmingly to call a strike if the district didn’t budge on its pay raise offer of 2 percent. The vote came the day after the union and district failed to reach an agreement following a second mediation meeting. Lucia Mar teachers have been without a contract since June 2014. Through the state’s Local Control Funding formula, the district received about 10 percent more funding than it did last school year. The union wants to see a similar increase for teachers and asked for a 10 percent pay increase. A statement issued by Chuck Fiorentino, LMUSD Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources, stated, “We have provided the largest salary increases in our county over the past three years. The district’s salaries exceed those of similarly funded districts in our county. Our commitment to employee compensation has brought us closer to the few neighboring districts that receive much more funding than we do. Despite these facts, the union Several hundred teachers attended a rally before the last District Board of Trustees meeting. Photo by Christy Serpa negotiating team has remained firm in its unreasonable demands. We simply cannot afford a 10 percent increase.” Following the second mediation meeting, the district offered a 6 percent increase over three years: 2 percent retroactive to July 1, 2014; 1 percent on July 1, 2015; 2 percent on March 1, 2016; and 1 percent effective January 1, 2017. The union declined the offer. “This vote shows our members are committed to achieving a fair settlement and are ready to stand up for what’s right,” said LMUTA president Donna Kandel in a statement. “We all remain hopeful that we can avoid a strike, and while our team remains ready and eager to negotiate, it’s going to take a real change in direction by the school district to help make an agreement happen.” The same day the strike vote was approved, the union and the California Teachers Association filed Unfair Labor Practice Charges with the Public Employment Relations Board against the school district over numerous items, including threats to illegally stop payment for health benefits, refusal to bargain changes to terms of employment, unilaterally changing leave authorization policies, interfering in protected activities (legal union actions), attempting to undermine union leadership through inflammatory and false statements, threatening and coercing members in attempts to stop them from participating in protected activities, and violating mediation confidentiality by publicly disclosing proposals discussed during mediation. A non-binding fact-finding report by a neutral party detailing how much the district could afford to pay is expected to be released by mid-week. The report will be made public 10 days after it is sent to teachers. The union and the district will meet at the negotiating table one more time after the report is released. Should they remain at an impasse, a strike would likely begin in mid April following spring break. Just SOLD yours can be too! LD LD SO SO LOS OSOS 3 Bedroom 2 Bath with attached garage. Big backyard and located in a low traffic area. Coastal community with nature preserves and many parks. SAN LUIS OBISPO 4 Bedroom 3 Bath attractive home. Fabulous neighborhood. Great location across from park. Want to know what your house is worth? Let me help you buy or sell your home today! Call Leslie! 528-2020 Leslie L. Lee, Broker, CRS, GRI Morro Bay Realty/San Luis Obispo Co. Properties/Western Heritage 805.528.2020/805.459.7670 License #01218232 4 • News April 2 - 15, 2015 • Coast News Remembering Mike Lee M ichael “Mike” Lee was born in Beaumont Texas on May 26, 1952. He was 62-yearsold and resided in Arroyo Grande, California. He passed on February 8, 2015. Mike was the owner of Cracked Crab in Pismo Beach with his wife Kathy Lee. He is survived by his mother, Helen Lee, sister(s) Linda Lee and Margo Grupta, wife Kathy Houlihan Lee, son Dylan Michael Haley and niece Kristen Palcisco. His long time friend Tom Fulkson and wife were with him at the time of his death. Mike was a mentor, friend and visionary that touched many lives. He was known for his strength of character and loyalty. He was a trailblazer in Pismo Beach offering up a new kind of dining experience that has now become a local and vacationer landmark. From his trips to Alaska to get the finest crab in the land, to his sustainable work with fisheries, to his big heart and hearty laugh, he touched all that knew him. Mike was an entrepreneur who came to Pismo Beach by way of Texas, Cleveland, Ohio and San Diego. He worked for Carlos Murphy’s restaurant chain and he and Kathy recognized the potential of making a restaurant in Pismo Beach that offered the finest seafood served in a casual fashion. With much hard work and sacrifice, he turned his dream into a reality that affected many lives. Mike was the mentor and father figure to hundreds of employees that worked at the Cracked Crab and he took pride in watching them go on to be successful parents, business owners and individuals. With the ever-present Jimmy Buffet tunes he will be remembered. “He died about a month ago while winter filled the air. And though I cried, I was so proud to love a man so rare. He’s somewhere on the ocean now, that’s where he ought to be, With one hand on the starboard rail waving back at me.” In lieu of cards or flowers, Kathy Lee asks that you donate to SLO Hospice or the American Cancer Society in Mike’s name. Nipomo Library Kicks Off National Library Week T Where Businesses Grow Join us every Thursday at 12pm, at Whole Foods in SLO! Exchange leads and develop relationships with other growing businesses in SLO County. Like us on Facebook he Nipomo Library will kick off National Library Week and National Poetry Month with a family celebration Saturday, April 11 from 2 to 4 p.m. Stop by and enjoy the music of local s i n ge r/s o n g w r i t e r Diana Lynn Carter as she plays music for the entire family. View a display of favorite poems selected and illustrated by Dana Elementary School students. Refreshments will be served. The public is invited. National Library Week is being celebrated by libraries all over America. During the week-long celebration, San Luis Obispo County public libraries, including Nipomo Library, will help to end hunger in the community with the Food For Fines program running April 13 to 18 at all San Luis Obispo County Public Library branches. Each branch will accept one non-perishable food item in place of any overdue fine that totals $1 or less. Food items will be donated to the Food Bank Coalition of San Luis Obispo County. There is no limit to how many overdue fines may be covered by food donations. However, other types of fees, such as those for lost or damaged items, are not included in the program. Food donation bins will be set up at each library branch, and all community members are encouraged to donate items. The Food Bank accepts canned or dry soup, canned vegetables and fruits, tuna and other canned meats, peanut butter, pasta, rice, beans, and cereal. For more information about the Food Bank’s extensive, cost effective programs visit www.slofoodbank.org. News Coast News • April 2 - 15, 2015 • Police Communications Project To Continue By Theresa-Marie Wilson T he Arroyo Grande Police Department was given the a green light to continue work on the replacement and enhancement of its communications and technology equipment. The city council unanimously approved, Police Chief Steve Annibali’s recommendation to appropriate the balance of state grant funds in the amount of $183,121, to k continue the multi-year program. The good news is that funds going toward the project will not impact the city’s coffers, but would instead come from the balance of several years of Citizens Option for Public Safety (COPS) funds including $592.96 in accrued interest. “I would support the appropriations,” said Councilwoman Barbara Harmon. “The priorities for updating the technology systems for our police department is still very relevant and also key and critical to police operations. And, there is no impact to the general fund, that is very good.” The total balance for fiscal year 2014-2015 is $248,121, $65,000 of which is earmarked for a backup generator for the police station that is currently undergoing a remodel. “You can’t have technology and communications upgrades without power,” said Annibali. Under this COPS program, funding is allocated to local law enforcement for the delivery of services. These funds must be used to augment local law enforcement services and may not be used to supplant existing funding for such services. “The law requires that the funds be appropriated pursuant to written request by the chief of police for each of the jurisdictions,” said Chief Steve Annibali. Annibali said that police department personnel resources would also be unaffected by continuing the Communications and Technology Enhancement Project because it has been integrated into the customary work plan of existing personnel since its inception in 2005-06. Additionally, the grant funds will provide for information technology consultant services as needed to complete the project. “Although we are appropriating these funds into the operating budget, I can tell you that what happens is we don’t spend it all,” Annibali said. “It rolls over into the next year, and we will continue to use and appropriate the funds for whatever the next technology part of the project is.” Funding from the California Department of Finance is dependent upon revenue generated from the State Vehicle License Fees and could be less in future years if there is a reduction in overall VLF revenues. AGPD currently receives about $100,000 annually. The current state budget continues funding for the COPS Program. However, a new appropriation to keep that money coming is required each succeeding fiscal year. “It has always been the threat that this is going to go away,” said Councilman Jim Guthrie. “It has been a one-time funding for a lot of years. It is good to see that it continues to be available, but also that we haven’t taken any risks that would ultimately come back to the general fund. This is a very good use for it.” Beginning with fiscal year 200506, the city opted to utilize the COPS allocation over the next 10 years for the communications systems. A two-phased plan was developed to replace the out-of-support components and enhance the operability of the systems. “We have used that,” said Annibali. “We have been able to build new transmitters and three repeater sites are now in the city. We have a completely reconfigured communications center that now serves as a backup to the Sheriff’s communication center, and we have also funded our in-car computers, our in-car cameras and a lot of the other technologies that we operate with every day.” Annibali said the remaining funds would go towards the expansion and update of information technology systems being installed in the remodeled police station project. Part of that includes changing frequencies to match that of the Sherriff’s Office, which took over the city’s dispatch services in April 2014. “That doesn’t have to happen when we first move into the building, but it will probably happen within the next six months,” said Annibali. Bring in this ad! Complete Painting Services Custom New Construction Please call the “Preferred Professional” 544-4195 489-3195 t$PNQFUJUJWF1SJDFT t'SFF&TUJNBUFT t1SPGFTTJPOBM8PSL t'SFF$PMPS$POTVMUJOH t$PVSUFPVT1BJOUFST t4BUJTGBDUJPO(VBSBOUFFE Owner, Doug Marohn, Cal Poly Alumni 'VMMZ*OTVSFEt$4- www.spectrumpainting.biz 20% off Moroccan Oil Enjoy Pureology Nioxin Matrix Entire Purchase excludes sale items BEAUTY SECRETS 0ISMO"EACHs With this coupon. Not valid with other offers or prior purchases. /FFEREXPIRES We carry ALL top brands! 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A 72-year-old woman was arrested and taken for a life-altering experience. • March 20: Police contacted a gent causing a ruckus in the 700 block of Morro Bay Blvd., at 7:08 p.m. and arrested a 50-year-old sizzled fellow for allegedly being sporked in public. • March 20: Someone pedaled off with a bicycle from the 1000 block of Market. • March 19: Someone in the 600 block of Harbor reported the theft of plaques and boulders, proving once again that people will steal anything. • March 19: Police responded to a disturbance at 11 p.m. in the 200 block of Atascadero Rd., and nicked a 61-year-old woman for suspicion of being higher than the stacks on drugs and possession. • March 18: Police contacted two suspicious subjects at 8 p.m. in the 1700 block of Embarcadero. Each of the 42 and 39-year-old couple had warrants. They were both cited and released, as the wheels on the bus go round and round… • March 17: Police contacted a 53-yearold man in the 700 block of Harbor after they saw he was off to meet the wizard in public. He was cited for public urination and released. • March 17: Police noted a “general incident” generated “from an anonymous letter sent into the Police Department,” no doubt another fan letter from a satisfied customer. • March 16: Someone in the 300 block of Sequoia reported a couple of runaway kids. They were picked up later by another agency and returned to their “parental guardians.” At 3 p.m. someone at the high school saw a student “living at YTP” in SLO leaving campus. His teacher deemed the kid a “runaway.” Police notified YTP and put the squirrel’s name out on the wire. • March 16: Police and fire responded at 10:14 a.m. to Main and Hwy 41 for a single vehicle crash. A chain link fence and a street sign jumped in front of a 19-year-old Atascadero man. • March 16: A citizen in the 2600 block of Main reported his bank checks stolen and passed at a local grocery store, no doubt an inside job. • March 16: At 7:32 p.m. police responded to a restaurant in the 1200 block of Embarcadero and cited a 50-year-old woman for larceny after she didn’t have money to “pay for services received,” a possible case of Police Blotter sticker shock. Pismo Beach •March 25: A caller reported a woman on the 800 block of 4th Street was breathing but otherwise unresponsive. Sleepy was arrested for being drunk. In other breathing but not much else news, a man who had collapsed possibly due to overdosing on the 200 block of Irish Way was taken to the ER. •March 25: A caller reported recording a fisherman on the pier overhead casting at suffers, no doubt he must have already caught his limit. The fisherman was issued a warning. •March 25: Police were unable to locate some creepy guy who drove by the caller in the pier parking lot and asked her if she wanted to hang out with him. The loser lothairo tried the pick up line on two other girls and then got upset when they shot him down. •March 25: A barefoot and shirtless panhandler at 7-Eleven was asked to leave but refused to. He was advised against trespassing. •March 25: A dog on a leash with no human attached repeatedly showed up at the Ocean Palms Motel. The pooch kept going upstairs to a particular room. The dog was taken to the city yard. The humans came to pick up the dog but, oddly, had not been a guest at the motel. •March 25: Some lug nut on Oceanview Avenue was detained after reporting that his ex had driven a car over his foot. He said that she was trying to steal his truck, so he pulled her out of the vehicle. Another caller reported that the man had, in fact, pulled the woman out of the truck and onto the ground. The feuding duo both took off leaving the vehicle behind. The woman was also busted for being drunk in public. •March 24: Two lightweights were cited after stealing a 4-pack of hard lemonade from 7-Eleven. •March 24: A caller on the 100 block of Stimson reported that when he had account and a credit card company contacted him about a charge he owed that was made when he was 13-yearsold. •March 24: In a slightly skewed attempt at street food, two guys on the 100 block of Leeward in a pickup truck with a freezer in the back were selling meat. •March 24: Another match made in heaven was reported when a caller told police that a man was pulling a woman’s hair and shoving her up against a fence in the dirt parking lot downtown. The couple was hauled off for being drunk in public. •March 23: Vehicles on both Fresno and Bakersfield streets were gone through and stuff was stolen, just like in the valley. •March 23: A guy stealing from Pismo Market got nabbed after he was caught at Cool Cats drunk as a skunk. The caller declined prosecution, but karma came through in a pinch and the thief was nailed for being hammered in public. •March 22: Police were flagged down after some guy who stole a 12-pack of beer from 7-Eleven. At about 2:45 a.m. police stopped a guy walking back to the store who said he wasn’t the shoplifter but was on his way to pay for the damage done. •March 22: A woman grabbed a child from another woman near Harry’s and was busted for being drunk and no doubt given a lesson or two about being a role model. •March 22: Two males, two females and two pit bulls were evicted from Quality Inn due to no fault of the dogs. The caller said that when the upstanding guests were leaving, one of them grabbed a bag that looked like a large amount of drug paraphernalia. The caller thought it was meth and a bunch of syringes. San Luis Obispo • March 27: Someone called at 3:30 a.m. from the 600 block of Johnson to report two men arguing over money, and no doubt next it’ll be over a girl. “A dog on a leash with no human attached repeatedly showed up at the Ocean Palms Motel. The pooch kept going upstairs to a particular room. The dog was taken to the city yard. The humans came to pick up the dog but, oddly, had not been a guest at the motel.” lived with his mother, she had used is social security number for Charter Cable. The guy recently opened a bank • March 26: Police got a 9-11 trespassing call at 6:05 a.m. from the 1100 block of Pacific at Dr. Tway’s Office. Logs indicated some porch dog was sleeping on their back patio. He was shooed away without arrest. A half hour later, someone at Boo Boo’s caught some Yogi sleeping on the roof. He too escaped Mr. Ranger. • March 26: Someone found contraband at the aptly named, San Luis High. • March 26: Police responded at 7:43 a.m. to the Palm Street parking garage where some scoundrel tagged a couple of city-owned vehicles, which will no doubt now have to be replaced. • March 26: At 8:51 a.m. suspicious subjects were reported by a statue at Higuera and Prado, who look like they just got finished pounding on each other. The pugnacious pugilists were gone when police arrive to referee, Round 2 no doubt set for that afternoon. • March 26: In this week’s example of why we need SWAT, SLOPD got a message from the Sheriff’s Office at 11 a.m. that they were responding to the gate at Diablo Canyon in Avila Beach for “a group of protestors,” as apparently you can’t even trust peace activists any more. Meanwhile, 8 minutes later, someone at Starbucks on Madonna reported a man eating out of the garbage can and being obnoxious. • March 26: At 11:37 a.m. police got a 9-1-1 call from the 2400 block of Ladera. Logs indicated an elderly woman was on the line, repeatedly saying, “Hello?” Hello?” “You’ll have to speak up dear…” • March 26: Starting at 11:52 a.m. in rapid succession police got a call about a car with Arizona plates that had outlived its welcome on Quail Circle; a Mercedes was blocking a driveway on Osos; a silver Suzuki was parked in front of the courthouse but moved before they gave him a reason to go back; at 12:53 p.m. someone hit a utility pole at Broad and Orcutt; and at 2:12, a postman reported that a Ride On van hit his no doubt crappily-parked mail truck in a parking lot in the 1500 block of Marsh then hit the gas. • March 26: At 2:35 p.m. someone at Kohl’s on Madonna reported a shoplifter had escaped and was last seen running towards McDonald’s, no doubt having a Big Mac attack. • March 26: Someone at the Prado Road homeless daycare center, said a man left a small amount of marijuana on the front desk, guess they don’t take tips. • March 26: Police were called at 3:42 p.m. to the 3800 block of Higuera to check the welfare of the caller’s 21-yearold son because he won’t come down off the roof, the lessons of St. Fratty’s Day apparently already forgotten. The call was cancelled. • March 26: Police and firefighters responded at 4:38 p.m. to Broad and Tank Farm for a school bus vs. semi truck, non-injury collision. • March 26: At 4:40 p.m. a Spanishspeaking woman called 9-1-1 from the 300 block of Elks and said her borracho Tolosa Press • April 2 - 15, 2015 Police Blotter esposo estás loco. • March 26: At 5:14 p.m. a woman reported a blind man was walking down Marsh towards Chorro and she’s concerned for his safety, which is why they have talking crosswalks. The 26th Annual • March 24: At 1:31 p.m. a citizen in the 900 block of Santa Rosa at the Austin Apartments, said his or her neighbors on Palm were moving out and leaving a bunch of free stuff behind, as the Entries Accepted April 1-July 15, 2015 This year’s theme: Transformation “Some lug nut on Oceanview Avenue was detained after reporting that his ex • March 26: And right on schedule police got had driven a car over his foot. He said a report at 6:10 p.m. that she was trying to steal his truck, of a disruptive fellow so he pulled her out of the vehicle. in Mission Plaza who Another caller reported that the man must be on drugs. Logs had, in fact, pulled the woman out of indicated the 22-year-old the truck and onto the ground. The model citizen was busted for suspicion of being UTI feuding duo both took off leaving the and possession. At 6:27, vehicle behind. The woman was also San Luis BBQ on Higuera busted for being drunk in public.” reported a disruptive chap in a black T-shirt with “California” on it, annual wildebeest migration begins and at 6:44 someone at Starbucks on anew. Madonna reported two sots on the side of their building, one was passed out • March 24: Someone reported a hitso you’d think he’d be easy to catch but n-split in the parking lot of Albertson’s both were gone, their Spidey sense no on Foothill. The offending vehicle was doubt kicking in. a white VW Jetta, partial license plate of “4GJW???” • March 26: At 8:42 p.m. someone in the 500 block of Higuera at Foremost • March 24: At 3:23 p.m. Starbucks Wine Co., reported two people in a on Madonna had enough of a boorish white van smoking the evil weed. fellow in a wheelchair, who’d been inside for hours. • March 26: Someone at the Holiday Inn Express on Monterey called at 8:52 • March 24: Police were called at 4 p.m. p.m. and said a black, male adult came to Higuera and South about a disaster running into the lobby asking for water, in the making — a transient man was then grabbed something and bolted out riding a bicycle up the wrong side of the the door. Police couldn’t find the thirsty road against traffic and towing another apparent thief. bike. • March 26: Someone called at 11:09 p.m. from Hathway Alley to report a transient man was hanging around and using a port-a-potty — for a change. • March 25: At 1:19 a.m. police were called to a disturbance at a watering hole the 700 block of Higuera where some 24-year-old glowworm needed to be checked out of The Library. • March 24: At 8:47 a.m. someone in Mission Plaza reported an urban camper behind Novo’s Restaurant with shaggy blond hair in the bushes by the creek bridge. • March 24: Police responded at 9:50 a.m. to San Luis High for a report of simple assault, the back-story no doubt complicated. • March 24: Someone called at 10:49 a.m. from the Strawberry Stand on LOVR to report a strange man standing outside the construction zone muttering to himself, no doubt griping about the construction, like everybody else. He was apparently harmless. • March 24: At 1:16 p.m. police got a 9-1-1 hang-up call from Bishop’s Peak School on Jaycee. On call back it was determined to be a prank, those little hooligans. • 3 categories Short Fiction Prose (1000 – 1200 words) Poetry (Up to 40 lines) Flash Fiction (Up to 500 words) Flash Fiction is a brand new category added this year! Short Fiction/Prose {$20 entry fee} 1st Place $1,000 2nd Place $500 3rd Place $100 Fees and Prizes Poetry {$20 entry fee} 1st Place $1,000 2nd Place $500 3rd Place $100 Flash Fiction {$15 entry fee} 1st Place $500 2nd Place $100 3rd Place $50 for more info visit: www.thegoldenquillawards.com Sponsored by SLO Nightwriters, the Premiere Writing Organization on California's Central Coast, In conjunction with the Central Coast Writers Conference and Cuesta College. • March 24: A citizen claimed that an employee at Nixon Tire in the 200 block of Higuera knocked him or her down and dragged them out of the business. Logs indicated it was unfounded, in yet another example that the customer is never right. • March 24: At 5:16 p.m. someone reported three boys and two girls were gathered under the Jennifer Street Bridge smokin’ weed. They escaped Sgt. Stedenko this time. • Marsh 24: At 6 p.m. police got a call from a man who’d checked in at the Travelodge on Monterey and had his whitey-tighties in a twist over some undisclosed boggle. • March 24: Someone in the area of La Entrada and Ramona reported some fool screaming into his cell phone who sounds like he’s in distress. He was gone. At 8:51 at Archer & High someone reported three more idiots screaming their heads off. • March 24: A woman called at 9:18 p.m. from Foreman and Spooner to report a dirty dozen Jr. High kids were running around in dark clothes shooting BB and pellet guns. The dingus commandoes scattered. munity. e Com h t o t o i d a R k c ging Ba Brin 100% listener/communitysupported shows from local residents food & wine pharmacology pets business council recovery community calendar astrology health & fitness music interviews 805-772-1314 Business Office | 805-772-2037 Listener Line EsteroBayRadio.org 7 8 • April 2 - 15, 2015 • Coast News Today’s Youth Speak Mi Pollito By Esmerelda Sanchez I All Clean CLEANING SERVICE Professional Cleaning Attention to detail with a personal touch RESIDENTIAL VACATION COMMERCIAL MOVE-OUTS (805) 234-2491 ’ve always been an animal person. Connecting with people was difficult for but connecting with animals came naturally to me. When I was a little girl we had a big enough house to have all the chickens, goats, and cats we wanted. Because we had so many animals, accidents were inevitable. Whenever an animal got hurt, I was the first one to jump to the rescue. I had no idea how to properly attend a hurt animal, but somehow whenever I cured the animals wound, they would heal faster. I had within me the gift to heal and I never held back from using my special talents. When we moved to a smaller house because of economic reasons, the possibility of having all the animals I wanted was torn from my grip. Time passed and the beautiful memory of me nurturing a chicken, my favorite animal, lingered in my thoughts. I wanted to experience those exact emotions again. The emotion of feeling accomplished. The emotion of caring for someone. The emotion of nurturing. I missed it. The day I turned 15, my dad came running towards me with a vibrant smile drawn on his face. But, what caught my attention was this little farm house made out of paper that hung from his grip. I was intrigued on what was inside that little farm house made out of paper. My daddy finally sat me down and instructed me to open the little farm house made out of paper. With my eyes glowing of excitement, I finally opened the farmhouse to reveal what was inside it. Within the farmhouse were three baby chicks. They were so adorable and cute. I couldn’t help but grin ear to ear. I immediately noticed that not only one of the chicks was much smaller than the rest, that baby chick was a light coffee brown color with cold streaks on its wings. I may not have gold streaks on myself but the resemblance between us two was indescribable. It was as if I saw myself. At that moment I instantly grew a deeper love for that specific baby chick. Throughout the days I took care of the chicks. I made sure they had food, water, and a clean environment to live in. As I completed my backfrom-school routine, I noticed how the others bullied the smaller chick which ignited the fire of need to protect my defenseless pollito. Seeing how the others would bully this baby pollito brought memories of how people would bully me because I was short, smaller, and a darker color than the rest. When it was cold I would grab my pollito, place its tenderness on my chest, and gently caressed it until it dosed to sleep. Although the chicks grew to be healthy and hefty, when I called my pollito, it would come wobbling towards me, sat on my lap, fluffed its feathers, and prepared itself for my love. One day my Grandpa came to me and told me it was time to become a man. What? A man? I later understood that he meant that it was time for me to learn how to properly kill a chicken. I may be a female, but, my family noticed that I was different from the rest of the girls. I liked to play with the boys. I enjoyed helping my daddy with yard work. I was a leader within my clan of scaredy-cat girls. My Grandpa noticed my unique personality compared with the other girls my age and decided that he was going to treat me as if I was another one of the boys. Therefore, He was going to put me through all the “rituals” the boys had to pass to demonstrate and prove they were truly worthy of being considered a man. It made me proud that although I was raised in a culture where women had to be submissive to men, machismo, I earned his respect. It made me proud to know that my Grandpa believed I was brave and strong enough to endure the challenges men had to face. But, all my excitement of being treated equally as a man vanished when I was forced to face my first challenged. The next day after school my Grandpa came to our house and I immediately knew what was going to happen. He came in the house gave me a long lingering glare and told me to put on appropriate attire. He stepped outside and began to prepare the utensils for the ceremony. I tried not to think of it too much. When I eventually found the inner power that shoved me outside, I noticed that not only did they have three chickens ready for the ritual, within the three was my pollito. I tried to convince myself not to act like a little girl and to not show emotion. My Grandpa marched toward the chickens to choose his first victim to show me how it’s done. My heart stopped for a second hoping, pleading he wouldn’t choose my pollito. I resumed my rhythm of breathing when he grabbed a different chicken. He demonstrated the procedure. Hold the head with one hand while holding your weapon on the other. Twist the neck towards the sky. Slit the throat half way. Wait until the chicken stops moving. Done. It looking so simple and easy. It eventually became my turn to become a man. My Grandfather marched once more to choose my victim. I closed my eyes not wanting to see my victim, but in my heart, I felt who my victim was. He picked my pollito. “I’m totally ok with this. Yea. It’s fine.” This chant kept repeating through my head as my Grandfather marched towards me. I began to feel a tsunami of emotions which I instantly began to ignore and repulse. The transformation initiated. He positioned the pollito where it belonged: submissive to me like every other person would be after this point. It was now my turn to take action. I took a deep breath and proceeded. I held the head with one hand while holding my weapon on the other. I twisted the neck towards the sky. I slit the throat half way. As I followed the explicit procedure trying not to feel the pain of my mutation, my pollito’s head slipped from my grip because of its struggle to free himself from my latch. All I saw was blood squirting all over my body. My feet. My legs. My hands. My chest. My face. I was drowning in an ocean of disgust and nausea. “I’m killing myself. I am killing my identity. I am killing me.” I forced myself to wake up from my nightmare of ignorant emotions and immediately grabbed hold of the dead chicken. I nonchalantly watched as the life little by little slipped from the dead creature. I had never seen my Grandfather so proud of his little granddaughter. Me. I walked away completely cool of what had just really happened. I felt superior. I felt strong. I felt manly. In spite of my exterior composure, suppressed in my heart was this emotion of disgust of the fact I did what I did with no emotion. I went against my instinct to protect and care. I changed without even knowing it. I became a Man. Esmerelda Sanchez Age:17 Job Aspirations: Nuclear Engineer School: Nipomo High School Hobbies: Taking care of animals (ironic) Entertainment Coast News • April 2 - 15, 2015 • 9 Lumanation to Rock Pismo, Mon By Carrie Jaymes O riginally formed in San Rafael, the reggae rock band, Lumanation, has been performing throughout Northern California for several years. They create their own unique style of music, with a mix of hits and original songs. The name Lumanation is unique said guitarist Marc Wendt. “Coming up with the name of the band was fun, because we had this vision of freeing hearts, and raising spirits. So, it had to be uplifting and vibrant. I think the name Lumanation really expresses our spirit and our mission of energizing people and lighting up the dance floor.” Lumanation’s background rests on the core elements of reggae, and is the foundation of their music. They are not conservative or purists about their genre. Their influences range from ska, rock steady, and lover’s rock to rock and roll. Their songs reflect a unique approach and demonstrate their own style, rhythm and energy. The music is about positive messages, songs about taking action and making things happen. It’s no surprise they have established an enthusiastic audience in many venues around California. A Lumanation show is a call to dance, and the result is electrifying crowds across the state. Listen to their music at: www. lumanationmusic.com and www. lumanation.bandcamp.com. The band will play several times this summer in Pismo Beach. “Recently, the creative power of the band has really taken a leap forward,” Wendt said. “The excitement is driving us to new heights. It’s so much fun right now, we are currently in the studio working on a new album. The people in this band are reaching deep and bringing their best, simply out of love. The resulting album will be released on multiple platforms, CD, digital, and ultimately short run vinyl.” Alongside their lead singer, Bobby G, the band is fleshed out by Tom O’Callaghan (drums and backing vocals), Jen Rund (bass), Wendt (guitar and vocals), Susan Copperman (saxophone), Tim McKee (lead guitar), and Jim Talley (keyboards). Lumanation will perform at Harry’s Night Club & Beach Bar in Pismo Beach April 10 and 11, starting at 9p.m. Eligible for a 30% Federal Tax Credit Receive an average of $850 with federal tax credit eligiblity Chet’s Tubular Skylights New Skylight & Sun Tunnel Installation Replace & Repair Existing Skylights Velux Skylights – Engineered Not to Leak No Matter How Severe the Weather 800.824.3877 805.528.1801 5HXVHKRXVHZDUHVIXUQLWXUH 5HF\FOHFORWKLQJDFFHVVRULHV 5HSXUSRVHYLQWDJHFROOHFWDEOHV { is our motto { We do pick ups from Arroyo Grande to Atascadero Or you can drop off your gently used items Mon thru Sat 10am to 4pm 1060 Los Osos Valley Rd., Los Osos (in the Vons shopping center) Licensed Roofing Contractor # 448726 Check out Nifty Thrifty’s Women’s boutique We accept gently used women’s clothes, shoes, purses & accessories Tues-Sat 11am-3pm 1099 Los Osos Valley Rd Los Osos (located across the street from Vons) GET HELP 805-772-2088 Open Saturdays! We accept most insurance Call today: 805-772-2088 580 Harbor Street, Morro Bay, CA 93442 www.morrobaychiropractic.com 10 • Community April 2 - 15, 2015 • Coast News Strong Showing For Warriors in Western Championships A team of girls who made the 5 Cities Region 83 AYSO U12 All Star soccer team brought home second place in the Western States Championships tournament. Region 83 is one of many regions that make up AYSO Area Q that includes Lompoc, Santa Ynez, Nipomo, Five Cities, San Luis Obispo, Atascadero and Paso Robles. Thirteen U12 Girls All Star teams competed in the Area Q tournament and the top two (Five Cities and San Luis Obispo) represented Area Q in the Section 10 tournament. In their first game against Lakewood (Section 11), the girls were down 0-2 at halftime and didn’t score their first goal until the third quarter when Chloe Rea scored on a penalty kick after she was fouled in the penalty area. Kacee Santana scored the second goal in the final seconds of the fourth quarter. As soon as the ball was placed back at the center mark, the whistle was blown ending the game. The second goal extended the game into overtime where two 7-minute halves were played. The 5 Cities girls immediately took control of the overtime play and Rea and Arabella Edler scored one goal each in the first 7-minute half. The girls ended the semifinal game with a 4-2 victory in overtime. The team didn’t fare as well in the championship game when they lost 7-2 to El Segundo (Section 1). Kiley Johnson scored both goals for the 5 Cities team. News Parking, from page 1 Coast News • April 2 - 15, 2015 • 11 Event attendees often park along neighboring streets, in particular on Cliff Avenue where approximately 18 parallel parking spaces are located on the north side of the street. Cliff Avenue is a two-way street that is only 23 feet wide, which leaves only 15 feet between the edge of the roadway and each parked car. “Typically lanes are 11 to 12 feet wide, so with a car parked there it is limited received from people who live there is that they are quite agitated about the cars that park in front of their houses because it does blocked them in. It really does make them little prisoners of their own homes. You can’t feel that sorry for them because they bought a home opposite a park, but nevertheless, whatever we can do to help these people out, we should.” Follow ing a community workshop, staff came up with possible From a fiscal point of view, the parking lot at the entrance comes in at the lowest dollar amount at $65,000. Increased parking along Cliff Avenue comes in at $235,000 no matter what angle you slice it at. There would be an additional $50,000 in various ADA improvements including restriping handicapped parking spaces required by law and relocating signage on some of the ramps. The council had previously a p p r o v e d to eliminate parking on the north side of Cliff only the weekends or from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. “I don’t want more enforcement and I don’t want overnight parking.” Councilwoman Mary Ann Reiss said. Howell and Councilwoman Sheila Blake agreed that overnight parking in the area isn’t currently a problem and probably wouldn’t become one. “It already is a parking area now, and so far there hasn’t been a real problem,” Blake said. “All we are talking about is 18 parking spaces that belong to people who probably can’t utilize their garage down to one lane,” said Fine adding that it wasn’t safe for pedestrians walking down the street, which has no sidewalks. Adding to the problem, the parking located along the south side of Cliff Avenue is not striped and cars parked perpendicular to the park are often “hap-hazard” making for an inefficient use of the available parking. Over the years, several residents have complained about traffic congestion and a number of “near misses” caused by the conflict of cars backing out of parking spaces lot along Cliff Avenue, according to staff. “This is a perfect example of what we have to do for people who live here,” said Councilwoman Shelia Blake. “There are people who are adamant about eliminating parking spaces in front of their houses, and I can’t say I blame them. The information that I have solutions. The first would be the construction of new entrance to the park creating 18 additional spaces. The second would involve paving and striping existing parking on Cliff, which at 90-degrees would create 85 spaces and at 45-degrees would create 60 space. The repaving proposal would dictate that Cliff become a one-way street during events. Another idea would be to prevent parking on the north side of Cliff thereby eliminating 18 spaces. “The thought with the angled parking is to get people off the street faster and into the parking space, so that they are not holding up traffic as long” Fine said. The angled parking, with less spaces, would also turn Cliff Avenue into a oneway street with exiting drivers having to loop around onto Water Street. “So, there are some negative impacts, if you will, to the neighborhood,” said Fine. allocating $350,000 towards parking solutions. One couple spoke during the public comment period. Duke and Laurie Sterling, who live on Cliff Avenue, said that several residents’ cars have been hit despite park goers often getting out of their cars to guide drivers backing out of spaces. “We strongly ask you to support no parking on the north side off Cliff,” said Duke Sterling also noting safety issues for pedestrians and bicyclists. Eliminating north side parking would create a bit of a snafu because parking is closed from 11 p.m. to 4 a.m. at Dinosaur Caves on the other side of the street. “Basically we are limiting people to what they can park in their garage if we red stripe it and don’t allow for overnight parking” said Councilman Erik Howell. The council grappled with suggestions for one reason or another, and they want to park close to their house. Instead of parking in front of their house, they park across the street.” Ultimately, council directed staff to meet with the traffic safety committee to discuss eliminating parking on the north side of Cliff and allow parking at all times on the south side of the street along the park. “We want to figure out how we can correctly label that and don’t create a situation where the integrity of your ‘no overnight parking’ in parks maintains itself for the other parks,” said City Manager Jim Lewis. The item will be brought back on a future agenda. Is your drinking getting in the way? Why not give Alcoholics Anonymous a try? For meeting times and locations or for more information, in San Luis Obispo County call (805) 541-3211 Toll Free (855) 541-3288 www.sloaa.org 12 • News April 2 - 15, 2015 • Coast News Peterson, from page 1 Peterson also supports a hold on development in Price Canyon, and the Arroyo Grande/Nipomo Mesa without first guaranteeing sufficient water. “I would be very concerned about doing development anywhere in the county until we actually have, in place, the water supply and the infrastructure that we need to do that,” Peterson said. Decorum, effective, transparent proactive and accountable government are also among the key points on Peterson’s platform. “Decorum not Drama,” she said. “What it all boils down to, in my view, is respect. It’s respect for one another on the board. It’s respect for our constituents and taking the time to really listen. It’s respect for Mother Nature because if you pick a fight with Mother Nature, she always wins. I think we better figure out how to work with her on some of these things.” Safety also toped the list of Peterson’s campaign issues. She expressed concerns about possible development in the flight path of the San Luis Obispo County Regional Airport. “The Airport Land Use Commission is going to be updating their plan which is decades old,” said Peterson. “Until they update that plan, and that plan says that it is now safe, I wouldn’t support that development either. It all may sound odd because I am a real estate broker. I am not anti-development, I am just pro people’s safety.” Peterson told Coast News that water conservation is her number one priority. “Water is critical,” she said. “We are still in a drought, but even if we were not, they are continuing to draw down the basin on the Mesa. It has been happening since the sixties.” Peterson said that the Mesa, which relies solely on well water, pumps 16,000 acre-feet of water every year, which is three times the safe yield of the basin to the point where it is below sea level. “Drought or no drought, it just keeps going down,” Peterson said. “That is going to cost us a lot of money to get addressed. We have to address it, but it is going to cost money, and it is going to take political will to do it.” When asked, Peterson said she does not support plans by Phillips 66 to extend a rail spur that would deliver crude oil to the refinery on the Nipomo Mesa. “I do have a lot of concerns about safety there,” said Peterson. “How do we justify bringing it though Paso, bringing it through Cal Poly, bringing it though Grover? How do we justify that with all the danger.” She added that she would look into claims that the problem trains are on the East Coast rather than the West Coast. “I would have to investigate that more, before I felt comfortable,” she said. Previously, Peterson served on the Grover Beach Planning Commission for four years, followed by four years on the City Council and a term as Mayor from 2012-2014. The 3rd district includes a portion of San Luis Obispo, Edna Valley, Avila Beach, Pismo Beach, Shell Beach and Grover Beach. LET’S MEAT AT THE MARKET! Now at the AG Farmers Market every Saturday from 12 noon to 2:30pm. AC L POLY S T A E M The best quality meats at the best prices. Cal Poly raised. Cal Poly processed. USDA inspected. Vegetarian-fed, free of antibiotics and added hormones. -P In the Arroyo Grande City Hall parking lot @ 215 East Branch Street, AG, CA A reverse mortgage could help you travel the globe. #ALLTODAYTOLEARNMOREABOUTTHIS GOVERNMENTINSUREDPROGRAMFOR ACCESSINGYOURHOMESEQUITY Bob Gayle Reverse Mortgage Consultant 805/772-3658 .-,3,ICENSEs#!"2%"ROKER,ICENSE Borrower must maintain property as primary residence and remain current on property taxes and insurance. Reverse Mortgage Professionals is an Aegean Financial Company, CA BRE #1478751, NMLS #157935 Clean out the CHAOS GARAGES s CLOSETS s HOME OFFICES s PANTRIES s MURPHY BEDS $250 FREE ACCESSORIES ORDERS OF $2500 OR MORE Call 805.462.8133 or visit TailoredLiving.com/SanLuisObispo Franchise opportunities available. Call 866-669-8549 Tolosa Press • April 2 - 15, 2015 • 13 Nightwriters Written in the Stars By Sharyl Heber 3 :00am. Catmandu and I slip out of my room. Cat can’t stand the combat either. Ma’s latest speaks with his fist. Tonight’s topic… she’s a worthless trollop. She rages back on his drunken stupors and disgusting halitosis. This is my life on earth. Six months and twenty-two days till I’m legal to leave. “Come on, Kitty-Cat,” I whisper. “Let’s disappear.” I’m careful not the let the screen door slam. We head for the meadow where all we can hear are frogs. The night hugs us with a sticky eighty-plus degrees and air flavored with eucalyptus. The moonless sky, a cosmos rich with diamonds. Perfect. We settle into our favorite summer spot— a fort made of waisthigh weeds stomped down to stubble. “Where to tonight?” I ask. Catmandu is a seasoned interstellar vagabond. She and I have visited many stars over the years. We come out here almost nightly, even in the winter when welladjusted folks are comfy-warm in their beds. I think Cat needs these sessions more than I do. She paces with the screaming at home and jumps when she hears a glass break or the drywall crunch. “Your turn to pick.” I give her a nudge. Cat stretches her neck and looks westward. I follow her gaze and get a lock on our destination. “All-righty then, that reddish sprite with the twin blue sisters. Why that one?” I ask her. “What happens up there?” Cat circles in place then settles into the nook of my arm. We languish for a bit, pondering the respite of a far away world. I can’t get tonight’s gremlins out of my head. “Uh-oh, this is a prison planet.” Cat purrs in accordance. “I’m serious, I think the folks here have done some nasty things.” The guards are monstrous big with clangy metal outfits. The walls have jagged bloody spikes. You’d be disinclined to act up. Usually the stars we favor have forest streams or magical libraries. We pass a line of scary looking thugs in chains with iron masks locked at the neck. “We’re breaking out of this hoosegow, pronto.” I say. Cat reaches up and puts her paw on my face. She lets loose a claw that draws blood on my cheek. “Really? You want to stay here in this hellhole? A slammer-planet with butchers and sadists?” Cat climbs up on my chest and levels her nose close to mine. “At least, let’s plan an escape.” My vague sense of discomfort is solidifying into full on panic. Can you get incarcerated for just thinking about offing someone? I plot my new stepdad’s demise nightly. Now I’ve got goose bumps on top of my sweat and I’m pretty sure I could run to the next town and back without much trouble. Clothesline, Ma’s happy pills, a trip down the stairs. Fire poker is currently looping. “Oh, gimenyfreakingchristmas!” Do cats smile? I swear to God, she’s grinning at me. I don’t need a telescope to see what’s coming. My inner compass springs just south of Criminal. I gotta get out of here. “Let’s go over to Gran’s. Now.” I give Cat a shove so I can stand, but she digs a sharp feline ultimatum into my chest. “Tonight? Are you crazy? No way.” I try to push her back. I can’t breathe. “Only six more months,” I remind her, but Catmandu’s not budging. A dark, nebulous prophecy creeps into my vision. Cat retracts her claws and settles down on me again, resolute in meat-loaf position. “A billion stars,” I tell her, “and you had to pick this one.” Sharyl Heber is a novelist, screenwriter, poet and a member of the SLO NightWriters Board of Directors. She has served as the Director of the SLO NightWriters Golden Quill writing competition and as judge for the SLO Coastal School District student writing competition. She has won awards of her own for prose and poetry. One of her screenplays, Keepers of the Dream, rose to upper levels in Miramax’s first Project Greenlight. This could be the air you breathe in your home: Having your ducts cleaned will reduce the amount of invading particulates such as dust, drywall, mold and other materials that are hazardous to your health. Call today for an estimate and breathe healthy, clean air! 14 • April 2 - 15, 2015 • Tolosa Press On Assignment Hunting Up Innovation at SLO’s Spice Hunter Then & Now By Judy Salamacha I f the headline for this column read “Engineers Spice up Pallets” would you question the spelling – “palates” or “pallets?” Actually, the play on words literally describes what’s happening at The Spice Hunter, a San Luis Obispo-based manufacturing/distribution facility. Owned by C.F. Sauer Company, it employs 70 and packages over a million spice jars a month for the company’s private label, plus several private labels under contract. Nineteen dried spices, sourced worldwide, are delivered to the 110,000 square foot warehouse and checked for quality, freshness and allergens based on compliance with federal regulations. The ingredients are placed on pallets to be quickly rotated onto the production assembly line. They are blended, bottled and packaged by employees operating dated equipment that has recently been salvaged and reconstituted by manufacturing engineers in order to adapt to today’s need for speed and Lucia Cleveland, originally developed the Spice Hunter in the 1980s. In 1999, Sauer’s, a Richmond, Va., based company, purchased Cleveland’s company to create a new product line of gourmet spices. A privately owned business since 1887, it manufactures e x t r a c t s , flavorings and spices, and sells The Spice Hunter blends, bottles, and packages fresh, mayonnaise, dried flavorings at its San Luis Obispo manufacturing salad dressings, facility. Photo by Judy Salamacha margarine and cooking oils under a variety efficiency. of brand names, including Duke’s, San Luis Obispo entrepreneur, # #*+&'%("' '"',&$&#$ (% #%"%# % +"#&&#& +& ***&'"& #&#&#&#% #)%+#(%"*%)%+#(%#"+#(%'#(%"+ +#(%* #! Classical Piano Concert Saturday, April 4th 2:00p.m. Featured Musicians: Edith Orloff & Robert Krupnick CALVARY EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH 480 Monterey Ave. Power of Life celebrate the Sunday, April 5th Resurrection Celebration and Sunday School 10:00 a.m. Potluck Easter Brunch following the service CALVARY EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH 480 Monterey Ave. Morro Bay Morro Bay (805) 772-8457 (805) 772-8457 MorroBayLutherans.org MorroBayLutherans.org Sauer’s, Gold Medal, Bama and Mrs. Filbert’s. Several of the original employees are still involved in the company. Controller Karen Woodling joined the company during Cleveland’s ownership and just retired April 3. “We work closely with Sauer’s, but most functions are managed independently.” She explained that Sauer’s adopted Cleveland’s philosophy to use the freshest ingredients and inspire communication and creativity among employees. “We are like a family. We have occasional needs to hire, but employees don’t tend to leave.” Quality Assurance Manager, Eric Stever, is a Cal Poly graduate in manufacturing engineering. He is responsible for quality control of the raw ingredients — from arrival through distribution. He strives to operate over and above federal guidelines for food manufacturing, which he said is a highly certified and regulated industry. His management style encourages employees to apply their expertise and innovation. Easter at the ROCK 10:00 am Sunday, April 5th Welcome! Join Us! Celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ with worship music & a message. Special activites for kids 3 yrs - 6th grade. Stay after for a BBQ Lunch & a Baptism. Plan extra time for parking. Bring a jacket. www.ccshoreline.org 805-772-8525 Tolosa Press • April 2 - 15, 2015 • 15 PHQWLRQ “When I joined the company the equipment needed work. It was functional but aged,” said Stever. He hired production engineer Doug Black and credits him for keeping the equipment running and modifying it “to produce more efficiencies on the lines.” For example, cameras were installed at multiple places on the line for more efficient inspection checks. Stever proudly states the company’s modified method of manually filling the spice jars “always gives the customer more than the listed weight.” Jeff Severn is another innovative Cal Poly engineering graduate who serves as the company’s engineering manager and is working with Black to increase packaging speed to box product for shipping. Daniela Massey, product development manager, creates new blends for the marketplace. She offers customer advice on the best ways to maintain spices’ flavors and freshness. “The Spice Hunter always lists best buy dates.” She explained a spice’s shelf life can last anywhere from 6 months to 2-3 years. “To guarantee a spice maintains full flavor keep it in a warm dry place,” she said, “not over the stove where it is subject to steam. While cooking, shake the spices into your hand before sprinkling. Always avoid moisture getting into the spice jars. “We buy natural products after their first cutting to guarantee the most flavors. We don’t use salt unless salt is a listed ingredient — like garlic salt.” Massey conducts consumer surveys to determine which spices are most popular. Turmeric, cinnamon, thyme, cumin, chili powder and poppy seeds were recent favorites. “I have fun finding flavor with herb blends without salt.” She recommended trying saltfree “Chef’s Blend.” According to The Spice Hunter website (see: www.spicehunter.com), the company has 35, natural, salt-free products. “Blends take the guesswork out of seasoning,” it states. “With the growing concern over fat and sodium, our blends are the easiest way to add flavor to low fat, low flavor foods without adding extra fat, calories or salt.” Mail order purchases are available with free shipping for orders over $25. Currently, The Spice Hunter products are available at Whole Foods, The Crushed Grape and Arroyo Grande’s Spencer’s Fresh Foods. Non-fiction author, and former Bay News publisher, Judy Salamacha’s column is special to Tolosa Press. Reach her at: judysalamacha@gmail. com or call 801-1422. The “G” Shop JHW2II East Coast Flavor on the West Coast 805.543.6700 %URDG6WƇ6/2 *LDQW*ULQGHU6/2FRP Now Accepting New Patients... Including Children! (FU:063CPEZ4QSJOH#SFBL4VNNFS SFBEZJOUIFOFYU SORINA RATCHFORD, DDS General & Cosmetic Dentistry March 16-April 10 April 27th - May 22 and June 1 - June 26 4 week training camp 5 days a week (Mon-Fri) at 5:30am Open to non-members Change Ch h your llook... k New Services Crowns & Bridges Extractions Periodontal Surgery Implants Invisalign® Root Canals Dentures Morro Bay t#SPBE4U4-0t.BSJHPME$FOUFS FAMILY DENTISTRY XXXFRDMVCTDPN 747 Bernardo Ave, Morro Bay | (805) 772-8585 | [email protected] * Some restrictions apply, not valid with any other pass or discount DIBOHFZPVSMJGF 16 • April 2 - 15, 2015 • Tolosa Press Community Calendar There will be a Bingo Night fundraiser on April 3 to help provide scholarships for graduating Nipomo High School seniors. Numbers will be called shortly after 6:30 p.m., at Olympic Hall on the NHS campus, 525 S. Thompson. This first annual event is sponsored by Nipomo Kiwanis and NHS Key Club, a parentstudent group dedicated to promoting student leadership. Bingo winners will receive prizes worth $20 and upward -including gift cards from local merchants and national outlets. Desserts -homemade and locally-sourced -- will be offered during a break in bingo play. Come for the desserts and play the second-half. Tickets are $10 (extra cards $2). Groups and bus/tour groups welcome. Additional information for tables and reservations: (805) 929-1288. ••• Master quilter and former Morro Bay Mayor, Cathy Novak, will give a demonstration on “Barn Quilts,” at 7 p.m. Thursday, April 16 at the Moro Grange Hall, 1340 Atascadero Rd., Morro Bay. Potluck supper at 6:30; bring a dish to share. Barn quilts are painted quilt squares-usually fashioned on boards and then mounted on a barn or other building. While cloth quilts are usually made up of a series of squares of the same pattern placed together, a barn quilt is almost always a single square. See: www. barnquiltinfo.com. ••• ECOSLO has several events, hikes and volunteer trail workdays scheduled for April 2015. Email to: [email protected] for more information. • Montana de Oro beach clean up, 9 a.m.-noon, Saturday, April 25 at the Sandspit with the California Coastal Commission, Morro Bay Beautiful, and Surfrider Foundation of SLO. In addition to removing litter from the Sandspit, they will be collecting data to support the Japanese Tsunami Marine Debris Program. Meet at the Sandspit Day Use Area parking lot for orientation and supplies. Bring a reusable water bottle, gardening gloves, and buckets or reusable bags. • SLO County Workday 9-noon AAUW Hat Winners Saturday, April 18 at Lopez Lake. Bring water and wear long pants and sturdy shoes. Supplies provided. Meet at the marina and volunteers will get to use the lake that day for free. • Natural San Luis docent hikes 9 a.m. April 11, 12 and 25. Bring water and wear sturdy shoes. April 11 is Terrace Hill, mneet at Bishop Street Trailhead; April 12 is Reservoir Canyon, meet at the trailhead; and the 25th is Johnson ranch. Meet at trailhead. • SLO Steward Trail Workdays 9-noon April 11 and 25. Wear long pants and sturdy shoes. Water and snacks will be provided. April 11 Froom Ranch Trail, meet in Home Depot parking lot; April 25, Bowden Ranch, meet at trailhead at end of Lizzie Street. • SLO City Parks Ranger-led Hike 1 p.m. Sunday, April 19, Froom Ranch Trail. Events are free and duration varies. Bring water and wear sturdy shoes. Meet at the Home Depot parking lot. ••• Morro Bay Association of University Women members Janet Bryant, Betty Reid and Kathie Lenski, recently won the club’s hat contest for the most creative hats to be worn for the club’s upcoming annual garden tour fundraiser set for Sunday, April 26. Tickets are available at Coalesce Bookstore, Volumes of Pleasure Bookshop and Sage Nursery in Los Osos, and Farm Supply in SLO. For more information, see: www. morrobayaauw.org or call 748-4731. ••• The Los Osos Library has special events coming up in April, sponsored by the Friends of the Library. Events are free unless noted. • Make ‘n’ Take is a new art activity or creative project for children 5-older. This month they will make recycled bird feeders. Set for 3 p.m. Wednesday, April 15. • Family Film Night is at 2 p.m. Saturday, April 18. This month see an Earth Day-themed Dr. Seuss movie. Popcorn provided Film rated PG, call 5281862 for title. ••• Sheriff Ian Parkinson will host a series of town hall meetings with residents to discuss public safety in your town. He’ll be in Avila Beach from 6-8 p.m. Tuesday, April 28 at the Community Center, 191 San Miguel St. And from 6-8 p.m. Monday, May 11 he’ll be in Los Osos at the South Bay Community Center, 2180 Palisades Ave. ••• California State Parks Foundation’s 17th Annual Earth Day Restoration and Cleanup, sponsored by Pacific Gas and Electric, is set for Saturday, April 18 at state parks across California. PG&E employees will gather at 11 parks to work and the event is hoping to find some 2,000 volunteers to come out and help with environmental projects. PG&E gave a $200,000 grant to the State Parks Foundation for supplies and materials to complete 12 Earth Day projects in Northern and Central California. Project sites in San Luis Obispo County are at Hearst San Simeon State Park. Check-in at 8:30 a.m. and work from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. They will be doing some light construction and landscaping projects at the Coastal Discovery Center by the San Simeon Pier. And in Montaña de Oro, they’ll work on cleaning up the Islay Creek Campground, 3550 Pecho Valley Rd. They will be doing some fencing work and landscaping. Volunteers check in at 8:30 and work from 9-1. To volunteer on Earth Day, see: www.calparks.org/earthday or call 1-888-98-PARKS. Space is limited, so advance registration is required. Parking fees are waived for Earth Day volunteers. For more information about the California State Parks Foundation, see: www. calparks.org. ••• Morro Bay in Bloom has been working on the landscaping at the recently re-opened, Morro Bay Library, and has a couple of other projects upcoming. On Saturday, April 4, the Bloomies will be at Centennial Stairway (end of Morro Bay Blvd.) working on the landscaping on the bluff down to the Embarcadero from 9-11 a.m. And on Saturday, April 11 during the Annual Citywide Yard Sale Weekend, they will have the “largest driveway succulent sale ever” at 3020 Beachcomber Dr. Proceeds support the group’s many local beautification efforts. ••• Cambria Historical Museum, 2251 Center St., at Burton Drive in Cambria is hosting the “Ridiculously Affordable Art Sale,” from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, April 11, with proceeds benefiting the efforts to build pickleball courts in Cambria. More than 200 art pieces for sale, donated by local artists and including framed and unframed watercolors, acrylics, collages, limited edition prints, and photography. There will be hot dogs, popcorn and Frito chili pies for sale too. Tolosa Press • April 2 - 15, 2015 • 17 Community Calendar Library, 995 Palm St., in SLO. Cost is $25. Call 541-4219 for information about the events. See: www.sloliteracy.org for more information. ••• The “Access for All Benefit Dinner and Award Ceremony” honoring this year’s Paul Wolff Accessibility Advocacy Award recipients is set for 6 p.m. Saturday, May 9 at the Chumash Auditorium at Cal Poly. Advanced tickets are $50 a person and $60 after April 10, and can be purchased online at: www.cfsloco.org. Entertainment will be provided by Swing for Joy, and there will be a reading by SLO County Poet Laureate, Marguerite Costigan. For more information or to donate to any fund, visit The Community Foundation’s website or call 543-2323. Now in its 14th year, the Wolfe Awards recognize an individual, an organization, and a business in San Luis Obispo County for “significant contributions toward breaking down physical, attitudinal, and informational barriers for those with disabilities. These awards honor them for their exemplary contributions of time, energy, and talent.” ••• It’s time for the 31st Annual Idler’s Home Appliance’s “Mom & Apple Pie Contest,” with signups ongoing now, online at: idlershome.com/ momandapplepi, in person at Idler’s stores in SLO and Paso Robles, or the SLO Sleep Center. Preliminary rounds set for Saturday, April 11 at the SLO Idler’s store and April 18 at the Paso Robles store. Top six from each pre-lim will have a bake-off Saturday, May 2 at the SLO Home Show at the Madonna Expo Center. Grand prize is a new Kitchen Aid stainless steel range. Kitchen Aid appliances go to other winners: second place gets a stand-up mixer, third a new microwave, and nine others get a hand mixer. ••• The San Luis Obispo Botanical Garden, located in El Chorro Regional Park on Hwy 1, is holding some special events in April. • Saturday, April 11, 9-11 a.m., Audubon bird walk through gentle terrain learning how to identify resident and migrating birds. Bring binoculars. Walk is $5 for Garden members/ and $10 for nonmembers. More info at: slobg.org/bird • Sunday, April 19 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. 25th Annual Earth Day Festival at El Chorro Park and SLO Botanical Garden. Enjoy live music, displays, kid-zone, great food and beverages at this fun and free event. Special kids’ activities will take place in the Children’s Garden from noon-3 p.m., including planting and crafting. See: earthdayalliance.com or slobg.org/ earthday for more on the event. ••• Art Central Gallery, 1329 Monterey St., SLO is showing a new art exhibit, “Macro — Magnifying Your World,” set to run now through April 30. A free artists’ reception is set for 6-8 p.m. Friday, April 3 during Art After Dark. Free and open to the public. Shown in the photo is Cheryl Strahl’s “Ice Patterns Yosemite.” ••• ••• Steynberg Gallery, 1531 Monterey St., SLO, hosts the paintings and shadowboxes of local artist Lena Rushing from April 3-30 in a solo show entitled, “Methods of Madness.” There’s an artist reception from 69 p.m. Friday, April 3, during Art After Dark. Email Rushing at: [email protected] for more information. ••• Cambria Historical Museum in Cambria is hosting the “Ridiculously Affordable Art Sale” Friends of the Los Osos Library will hold a used book sale from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, April 11 in the library parking lot, 2075 Palisades Ave., Los Osos. There will be books, tapes, CDs and DVDs for sale. From 1-2 p.m. it’s a “Bucka-Bag” sale. Bring a paper grocery bag and fill it for $1. ••• The San Luis Obispo County Grand Jury is now live on Twitter. Follow the antics @SLOGrandJury. ••• American Cancer Society Bark For Life, a Canine Event to Fight Cancer will take place Sunday, April 19 in the parking lot between STAX Wine Bar and Giovanni’s Fish Market on Morro Bay’s Embarcadero. Giovanni Degarimore graciously donated his property for this fund-raiser event. Companion animals stand by us through all of life’s difficulties, so they will be honored at this event, which raises money for cancer research for humans and animals. Bring your dog and $15 to register for the event and help honor our pets, friends and family members who have died of cancer and those who are still fighting it. Registration at 1 p.m. with opening ceremonies at 1:30, followed by activities, prizes, and a walk down the Em-BARK-a-dero until 4 p.m. All dogs must be on a leash. For more information see: relay.acsevents. org or email Natalie Riloquio at: natalie. [email protected] or call 473-1748. ••• Glenn Burdette has extended its deadline to April 15 for high school seniors to apply for the firm’s 50th Anniversary scholarship. Glenn Burdette, the certified public accounting firm on the Central Coast, will fund $15,000 in scholarships for high school seniors. Requirements include a “50 Reasons Why Accountants Are Awesome” essay, and the student plans to attend a 4-year university and pursue a degree in accounting or related field; must have 3.0 GPA or higher; must include school’s generic scholarship application; and, student must include a cover letter explaining why they should be chosen. For scholarship details, see: www. glennburdette.com/scholarship. ••• Congregation Beth David is hosting Yom HaShoah, or Holocaust Remembrance Day at 7 p.m. Wednesday, April 15, and featuring speaker, Eva Nathanson, one of the youngest child survivors of the Holocaust who’s still alive. The event will have music memorializing the Holocaust. “The Death Tangoes,” will be performed by area musicians. A candle-light ceremony and liturgies with readings by Rabbis Linda Bertenthal and Janice Mehring will also be held. Congregation Beth David is at 10180 Los Osos Valley Rd., SLO. ••• The Cayucos Book Group meets from noon-1 p.m. the second Friday of every month (April 10) at the Cayucos Library. Join other enthusiastic book readers to discuss whatever you’re reading and to discover, ponder, and share insights about what others are reading. The Library is at 310 B S. For more information call 995-3846. ••• Hope Family Wines of Paso Robles is partnering with Transitional Food & Shelter, Inc., for the organization’s annual fundraiser, “Sunday Supper,” set for 3-6 p.m. Sunday, April 26. Tickets are $100 a person and available now by emailing to: Katie Kan at katiekan@ hfwines.com. The supper features chefs Tom Fundaro, Chris Kobayashi and Whitnie Burke preparing a 4-course family-style dinner served alongside hand-picked selections from Hope Family Wines. Live music with Nick Brittan and an auction to benefit Traditional Food & Shelter, Inc. The Treana & Hope Family Wines tasting center is located at 1585 Live Oak Rd. in the eastern Paso Robles wine country, see: www.hopefamilywines. com and www.nowheretogo.com for information on Transitions. ••• The Literacy Council of San Luis Obispo County needs volunteer tutors and two tutor training seminars are coming up. The Literacy Council plans volunteer training sessions from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays, April 25 and May 2 at the San Luis Obispo City/County The Cayucos Visitors Center & History Museum needs volunteer docents to join their friendly, knowledgeable staff. Visitor Center is looking for volunteers are of all ages who know and love Cayucos and want to share their experience with visitors. Spring and summer are just around the corner. Bring your interest and enthusiasm and they’ll provide training and support! Call 9951200 for details and ask for Jan. Or email to: [email protected]. ••• A fundraising dinner will be held April 12 at The Market restaurant in Santa Maria featuring TV actor William Brown and producer Ramon Hamilton, whose Think Ten Media is producing “The wHOLE.” The show is a scripted web series that highlights solitary confinement and mass incarceration in the U.S. Brown plays Marcus Williams, who has been in prison for seven years for bank robbery, and is currently in isolation. He has a teenage son, whom he has not seen since he went up the river. Brown will speak about his journey from prison actor to TV star. He began acting in the Arts in Corrections Program at the California Men’s Colony, managed by Deborah Tobola, who retired in 2008 and founded the Poetic Justice Project. Brown, who was paroled shortly after her retirement, joined California’s only theatre company of former inmate actors. “The wHOLE,” based on a true story, launched on the web on March 23 (See; www.thewholeseries.com). The fundraising dinner at The Market begins at 4:30 p.m. Tickets are $40 and includes tax and tip for beef, chicken or vegetarian. The Market restaurant is at 345 Town Center East, inside the shopping center. Seating is limited to 60 guests. To reserve a dinner ticket, call Brown Paper Tickets, 1-800-838-3006 by April 10. ••• Gallery at the Network, 778 Higuera St, Ste. B presents “The Landscape Connection,” a show featuring oil paintings by Laurel Sherrie and Peggy Turk, now through May 31. There’s a free artists’ reception from 6-9 p.m. Friday, April 3 during Art After Dark. Refreshments will be served. Turk and Sherrie both have shown extensively in the Central Coast and are active members of San Luis Outdoor Painters for the Environment (S.L.O.P.E). See: www. laurelsherrie.com and www.peggyturkart. com for more on the featured artists. 18 • April 2 - 15, 2015 • Tolosa Press Good To Be King 5JNFGPS/FX$POTUSVDUJPO PSB3FNPEFM 5JNFUP3FQMBDF5JSFE-FBLZ )BSEUP0QFO0ME8JOEPXT It’s Time to Call Us. 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WWW.ZOE YSHOMECONSIGNMENTS.COM Like us on Facebook 62$. Camp 6XPPHU2XWGRRU$GYHQWXUHVIRU.LGV 6 HU .G (DUO\ LRQ W D U W WK 5HJLV SULO ! $ H U R I H E Session 1: June 15-19s3ESSIONJune 22-26 9:00am – 4:00pm (Daycare available from 7:30-9:00am & 4:00-5:30pm) For kids entering 1st to 6th grade! $225 per child, $250 after April 30th %HDFK'D\Ƈ+LNLQJƇ1DWXUH6WXG\Ƈ$UWV&UDIWV $UFKHU\Ƈ*DUGHQLQJƇ&DPSILUH1LJKW More info & registration available at www.ranchoelchorro.org or call 805-782-7336 RANCHO EL CHORRO OUTDOOR SCHOOL Where Kids & Nature Meet San Luis Obispo County Office of Education 0ENNINGTION#REEK2Ds3AN,UIS/BISPO You Can Get Anything You Want, At Alice’s Restaurant… Good to be King By King Harris T hank God for folksinger and songwriter, Woody Guthrie. Not only did he leave us with the folk movement, he gave us his son Arlo. Arlo is the kind of performer that can chase your blues away, no matter what he sings. He is coming to Arroyo Grande April 7, and during his set he will perform, which he only does during a major anniversary, his anthem “Alice’s Restaurant,” the trademark protest song that he first delivered in the late 1960s. “You can get anything you want at Alice’s Restaurant. You can get anything you want at Alice’s restaurant. “Walk right in, it’s around the back, just a half a mile from the railroad track. “You can get anything you want at Alice’s Res-ta-rant.” Alice’s Restaurant was at the time located near Stockbridge, Mass. The first half of the song talks about Arlo getting busted for littering. But it was the second half that resonated. That’s because it had to do with the Vietnam War and the draft, which everybody my age could identify with. “I’m here to talk about the draft. They got a building down in New York City called Whitehall Street, where you walk in, you get injected, inspected, detected, infected, neglected and selected!” “I went down and got my physical examination one day, and I walked in, sat down (got good and drunk the night before, so I looked and felt my best when I went in that morning, ‘cause I wanted to look like the All-American Kid from New York City. I wanted to feel like… I wanted to be the All-American Kid from New York), and I walked in, sat down, I was hung down, brung down, hung up and all kinds of mean, nasty, ugly things. “And I walked in, I sat down, they gave me a piece of paper that said: “Kid, see the psychiatrist in room 604.” “I went up there, I said, ‘Shrink, I want to kill. I want to kill! I want to see blood and gore and guts and veins in my teeth! Eat dead, burnt bodies! I mean — Kill. Kill!” “And I started jumpin’ up and down, yellin’ ‘KILL! KILL!’ and he started jumpin’ up and down with me, and we was both jumpin’ up and down, yellin’, ‘KILL! KILL! KILL! KILL!’ and the sergeant came over, pinned a medal on me. Sent me down the hall, said, ‘You’re our boy.’ Didn’t feel too good about it.” “Proceeded down the hall, gettin’ more injections, inspections, detections, neglections, and all kinds of stuff that they was doin’ to me at the thing there, and I was there for two hours... three hours... four hours... I was there for a long time goin’ through all kinds of mean, nasty, ugly things.” “And I was just havin’ a tough time there, and they was inspectin’, injectin’, every single part of me, and they was leavin’ no part untouched!” “He stopped me right there and said, ‘Kid, I want you to go over and sit down on that bench that says ‘Group W.’” “And I walked over to the bench there, and there’s... Group W is where they put you if you may not be moral enough to join the army after committin’ your special crime. “There was all kinds of mean, nasty, ugly-lookin’ people on the bench there.” Arlo finishes up be creating a movement. “And the only reason I’m singin’ you the song now is ‘cause you may know somebody in a similar situation. Or you may be in a similar situation, and if you’re in a situation like that, there’s only one thing you can do — walk into the shrink wherever you are, just walk in, say, ‘Shrink, . . You can get anything you want at Alice’s Restaurant,’ and walk out. “You know, if one person, just one person, does it, they may think he’s really sick and they won’t take him. “And if two people do it, in harmony, they may think they’re both faggots and they won’t take either of them. And if three people do it! Can you imagine three people walkin’ in, singin’ a bar of ‘Alice’s Restaurant’ and walkin’ out? They may think it’s an organization! And can you imagine 50 people a day? I said 50 people a day…?” “Walkin’ in, singin’ a bar of ‘Alice’s Restaurant’ and walkin’ out? “Friends, they may think it’s a MOVEMENT, and that’s what it is: THE ALICE’S RESTAURANT ANTIMASSACREE MOVEMENT! “And all you gotta do to join is to sing it the next time it comes around on the guitar. And remember you gotta sing loud if you want to end war and stuff.” Amen, Arlo. See you Wednesday. And thanks for the homily. Tolosa Press • April 2 - 15, 2015 • Tax Advice Maximizing Your Returns By Gretchen Ross, CRTP Taxes Done Right T Gretchen Ross has been preparing taxes since the 1993 tax season. She and her husband, Mike Foster, CPA, run Central Coast Tax Professionals in Morro Bay. Together, they provide personalized attention to their clients. They have over 50 years of combined experience in helping people prosper. Gretchen has her BA in International Studies, has run various businesses and has been involved in many aspects of real estate from development to management. You can read past articles on her blog at www.cctaxpros. wordpress.com IT’S REFUND SEASON. Professional Work at Reasonable Prices Accepting New Clients Call Today for your Free Consultation 805-996-0448 [email protected] www.slocpa.com Every year the U.S. government issues billions of dollars in tax refunds. So many billions we’re now calling tax season … refund season. And nobody gets more of your money back than H&R Block. Guaranteed. 555 Chorro St. Suite D-1, SLO Put our expertise to work on your refund. $25 OFF TAX PREPARATION FOR NEW CLIENTS COUPON CODE: 29933 EXPIRES 4/15/2015 30+ years experience Reliable advice Responsive service Reasonable rates Valid at participating U.S. offices for an original 2014 personal income tax return for new clients only. Discount may not be used for Form 1040EZ or combined with any other offer or promotion. Type of form filed is based on your personal tax situation and IRS rules/regulations. Void if transferred and where prohibited. Coupon must be presented prior to completion of initial tax office interview. A new client is an individual who did not use H&R Block office services to prepare his or her 2013 tax return. No cash value. Expires April 15, 2015. OBTP#B13696 ©2014 HRB Tax Group, Inc. 14-2140 14-3002 14-2140 14-3002 805-772-9988 14-2140 14-3002 his year, I’ve been seeing a lot of clients who have managed to generate plenty of investment income and yet at the same time have a very low federal tax liability. How do they do it? They are taking advantage of the favorable capital gains tax rates. Taxpayers with taxable income up to $73,800 for a married couple filing jointly or $36,900 for a single person pay ZERO tax on any long term capital gains. Long term capital gains are the profits from an asset that is held for over one year. Also included in this favorable tax rate are qualified dividends. And remember, taxable income is after your deductions and exemptions, so your actual income could be a lot higher. This could change your investment strategy if you are retired or semiretired. As an example, you may want to hold stocks or mutual funds that generate qualified dividends and gains outside of your retirement plan and assets that generate more ordinary income inside of your plan. Perhaps you might consider getting out of tax-free municipal bonds and into blue chip stocks with a track record of qualified dividend increases. Keep in mind, California does not distinguish any difference in tax rates--so capital gains are taxed as ordinary income. One other area this impacts is in the sale of real estate other than your principal residence. Let’s say you own a vacant lot with a gain of $120,000. You might consider structuring that transaction to receive payments over two years rather than one or finance the sale of a rental property on an installment contract. This strategy is not for the fainthearted. Determining your taxable income is a complex interplay between ordinary income, investment income, capital gains, and Social Security, but it is worth the effort. Remember, there is no tax savings that makes up for a bad investment decision, so please get financial planning advice as well. Be sure to bring your tax returns to your financial planner and then to discuss your strategies with your tax preparer. Arroyo Grande 489-1414, Atascadero 466-0490 Morro Bay 772-9550, Los Osos 534-9575 Paso Spanish 237-1460, Templeton 237-0183 Cambria 924-1027 |Paso Robles Main 238-0715 |San Luis Obispo 543-3245 HRBLOCK.COM 800-HRBLOCK 798 Morro Bay Blvd., Suite D Morro Bay www.cctaxpros.com [email protected] [email protected] GEORGE G ROSS CPA PFS CFP® Your financial safe harbor® Tax Preparation and Tax Planning Maximize your tax savings, Minimize your red flags There are hundreds of different transactions that can dramatically affect your tax return. Being proactive and well informed can help reduce your tax liability. Tax and Accounting Services ♦ Tax Preparation ♦ Tax Planning ♦ Accounting ♦ Bookkeeping ♦ QuickBooks Consulting ♦ Business Advisory ♦ Financial Analysis ♦ Cash Flow Management Wealth Management Services ♦ Integrated Integrated FFinancial inancial SPlanning ervices ♦ Customized Investment Strategies ♦ Retirement Planning ♦ Estate Preservation and Planning ♦ Education Planning ♦ Life Insurance ♦ Annuities GEORGE G ROSS CPA PFS CFP® 2350 Main Street Morro Bay, CA 93442 www.GeorgeRossCPA.com Phone: (805) 772-2808 Fax: (805) 771-8959 E-mail: [email protected] Securities offered through H.D.Vest Investment Services, Member SIPC CA Insurance No. 0C69294 Professional Certificates and Degrees ♦ Certified Public Accountant (CPA) ♦ Personal Financial Specialist (PFS) ♦ Certified Financial Planner™ (CFP®) ♦ Master of Science in Accountancy ♦ Master of Science in Finance 19 20 • April 2 - 15, 2015 • Tolosa Press Framed Orchids By www.PhotoByVivian.com P erhaps the largest, most diverse and most showy of all flowering plants is the orchid. There are over 25,000 different types of accepted species of orchids and horticulturists have produced more than 100,000 hybrids such as the Cymbidium and Phalaenopsis. The Smithsonian Gardens in Maryland boast an orchid collection of more than 8,000 specimens. The orchid has evolved over the past 80 million years and adapted to almost every part of the planet from rain forests, to deserts, to forests, to mountains, to the most remote islands. Charles Darwin was fascinated by orchids and their sex lives. Yes, their sex lives! The name orchid actually comes from the Greek word for testicle, which refers to the plants bulbs. Darwin studied the orchids ability to reproduce, colonize six continents and live in almost any environment and wrote The Origin of Species followed by more volumes on the amazing plants. Darwin identified floral structures “as perfect as the most beautiful adaptations in the animal kingdom.” Although the orchid has adapted so well, many are quite rare. Oddly, their small numbers are part of what ensures their survival. Trust Your Honda to the People Who Know Honda Best. We’re Your LARGE DIAMOND Specialists... Prices Are Born Here And Raised Elsewhere We Buy GOLD and DIAMONDS... FREE BATTERY TEST We Do EVERYTHING JEWELRY.... We Also Carry PREMIUM CANES... All Makes & Models One coupon per customer. One per visit. Valid only at Sunset Honda. Please present coupon at time of write-up. Cannot be combined with any other coupon or discount. Expires 01/31/15. We sell tires! We honor all Honda and Acura coupons Factory trained technicians Courtesy car wash with service Free local shuttle service Serving the SLO area since 1977 805-544-9500 So You Can Walk in STYLE. IT’S NOT CHIC TO PAY MORE!–J.P. 805.473.1360 857 Oak Park Blvd, Pismo Beach The largest inventory on the Central Coast! Locally owned and operated for over 20 years. The big yellow building across from Smart & Final. 252 Higuera St, San Luis Obispo Call Us: 544-9259 or 541-8473 12250 Los Osos Valley Road San Luis Obispo www.sunsethonda.com Sales: Mon-Fri 7:30am-5:30pm Sat 9am-6pm, Sun 11am-4pm Service & Parts: Mon-Fri 7am-8pm Sat 8am-4pm FOR OUR NORTH COUNTY FRIENDS: Visit our Sunset Service Center, 4850 El Camino Real, Atascadero. Open Mon-Fri 8:00am-5:00pm. Please call for an appointment: 805-462-8199. N O W O P E N S A T U R D AY S 8 : 0 0 A M - 4 : 0 0 P M I N S L O ! MORRO BAY Beautiful’s annual Citywide 2015 22 • April 2 - 15, 2015 • Tolosa Press Special Publication MORRO BAY Beautiful’s annual Spring Cleaning Hacks To Help De-Clutter Your Life S pring always inspires a fresh start, but in today’s busy, connected lives it can sometimes be difficult to find the time to re-organize and recharge. These spring cleaning hacks will help you de-clutter and greet spring refreshed and ready to go: television screens in a pinch. Cola? You can actually use that to clean the toilet - pour in the bowl, let sit for an hour, flush and you’re done. 1. Follow the 80/20 rule. The 80/20 rule suggests people only actually use about 20 percent of the stuff they own. When deciding what to keep and what to toss, ask yourself what items you would replace right away if they were ever lost or stolen - this will help you discover your 20 percent. 5. Do a digital purge as well as a physical one. From your desktop to the photos on your phone, your digital clutter could probably use a good scrub. Take an hour or so to get rid of duplicates and any files you don’t need - then empty that recycle bin. belongings and are ready to get cleaning, vinegar is a wonderful all-purpose cleanser. One easy haack is to tie a bag of vinegar around your showerhead and let it sit over night to easily clean up grime and gunk. You’ll find doing this also improves the water pressure too. 6. Cut your contract. Your physical space may be in order, 3. Use vinegar on practically 4. Coffee filters and cola make but what if your digital world is still great cleaners, too. everything. an absolute mess? One way to get rid Coffee filters can be used to dust off of digital clutter is by cutting your Once you’ve taken stock of your 2. Donate - and schedule a pickup. Everyone knows that part of purging involves the “donate” pile, but many people never get these items out of their home. Schedule a pickup online to make sure the donating part gets done. HOMES WANTED! The Good Flea “I have buyers who are ready and eager to buy!” Re-Use Re-Love it! CAMBRIA 7. Update your passwords. Secure your accounts with new passwords that include upper and lower case letters and numbers. Have trouble remembering them all? Consider a password manager that stores them in an encrypted database for you. These tips and tricks should make your annual spring cleaning a little bit easier without taking up too much time - leaving you ready to tackle whatever the rest of the year will bring. Want more easy lifestyle and spring cleaning hacks? Visit the Net10 Tumblr page, net10collegehacks.tumblr.com, where you can also enter for a chance to win a new smartphone. 2nd Hand Store Re-Purpose MORRO BAY long-term mobile contract. Consider a wireless provider like Net10 Wireless, offering LTE plans starting at just $40 per month, with no airtime contract. Net10 Wireless allows you to pay for what you do need and nothing else, so you won’t waste any data or money. WARDROBE, SHOWER AND PET DOORS LOS OSOS Call the Broker with the SOLD signs! MOBILE SERVICE Kelly Vandenheuvel Broker Associate; GRI CalBRE#01472453 I Can Sell Yours Too Call Me Today! www.centralcoastsales.com [email protected] 805-471-1046 (805) 771-8911 335 Quintana Rd. Morro Bay Tolosa Press Special Publication • 12th Annual Yard Sale Weekend Ready To Go! T his is the 12th year of Morro Bay BEAUTIFUL’S Annual CityWide Yard Sale. Some interesting things this year are that we have picked up more businesses. I think they saw the benefit of an overall CityWide “Sale” during this weekend and it is great advertising for them. Since we are already advertising on 5 radio stations (97.3 “The Rock” being our constant advertiser), TBID is doing social media for us, Brenda Sue’s Consignment, who has been our headquarters for years, is doing her own advertising and even the Chamber sometimes mentions our event. We have done several interviews which has afforded us the opportunity of mentioning some of the participating businesses and items that the sellers have listed for sale. The exposure we provide to businesses and our citizens is HUGE. We are trying out having a “Preview Sale” on Friday. So far the response has been great. We also want to say a word for our Police Dept and Post office. Our Police are very tourist friendly. They don’t like to give out parking tickets and they don’t look for problems. However if someone calls because a car is blocking their driveway or whatever, they will respond. The 3 parking problems we have are #1 blocking fire hydrants. This is a major violation and can’t be tolerated. The second is blocking driveways and the third is blocking mailboxes. Please be especially aware not to block mailboxes on Sat. so that the “mail can go thru”. The post office also never complains but we know our sale impacts their job and makes it a longer day for them. Mark your calendars to be in Morro Bay every first weekend of April unless Easter falls on that weekend. Price ?? We encourage you to pay full price to Charities. They usually need the money more than you do. Sunday is the free for all day tho, so we just want our stuff gone and in your garage. Along with the addition of more businesses we have more handmade items: bird houses and knitted stuff. I’m not sure how the pricing will be but our sellers will learn what people are willing to pay. Rules for signage – no signage should be on public property: polls etc. And sellers please take down all signs at the end of your sale. Let’s put the city back to how we found it. Morro Bay BEAUTIFUL’S goals for this event, because they have to fit in with our Mission statement, are to encourage recycling (they now call it repurposing) and reduce landfill……….. however “fun” is a key element. ENJOY Beads by the Bay and Garden Shop The ONLY Bead and Garden Shop on the Central Coast! OPEN EVERY DAY! 333 Morro Bay Blvd. Morro Bay, CA 93442 (Across from Bank of America) (805) 772-3338 www.morrobaybeads.com [email protected] We are acarrying full service bead store! Now miniature Come see us for all your beading garden accessories! Turn needs, including repairs! Our your yard sale garden finds into beautiful secret is fullfairy of herbs, succulents, andold air plants, gardens, those beadsas well as our new line garden into beautiful newofjewelry! miniatures! April 2 - 15, 2015 • CITY OF MORRO BAY ADVISORY BOARD VACANCIES Applications are currently being accepted to fill vacancies on the following Commissions and Advisory Boards: Citizens Oversight & Citizens Finance Committee (4), Tourism Business Improvement District Advisory Board (TBID) (3), and Recreation and Parks Commission (1). The City is also seeking applications to appoint one (1) representative from a Morro Bay lodging establishment to the San Luis Obispo County Tourism Marketing District Board. Applications may be obtained for these positions at City Hall, 595 Harbor Street, or on-line at www.morro-bay.ca.us under the “Your Government” tab. If you have any questions, please call 772-6205 during normal business hours. Closing date for submitting applications is Friday, April 24, 2015 at 5:00 p.m. The interviews will be scheduled in early May. Applicants should be present at the interviews in order to be considered by the City Council. )BSCPS4USFFUt.PSSP#BZ$"t 5HXVHKRXVHZDUHVIXUQLWXUH 5HF\FOHFORWKLQJDFFHVVRULHV 5HSXUSRVHYLQWDJHFROOHFWDEOHV { is our motto { We do pick ups from Arroyo Grande to Atascadero Or you can drop off your gently used items Mon thru Sat 10am to 4pm 1060 Los Osos Valley Rd., Los Osos (in the Vons shopping center) Check out Nifty Thrifty’s Women’s boutique We accept gently used women’s clothes, shoes, purses & accessories Tues-Sat 11am-3pm 1099 Los Osos Valley Rd Los Osos (located across the street from Vons) 23 rugs, pictures, jewelry, keyboard, clothes, DVDs 2012 Bayview Ave .......................... Fri/Sat homemade birdhouses 3026 Beachcomber .............................. Sat 3354 Beachcomber .................Fri/Sat/Sun 5 Families, antiques, china, furniture 420 Bernardo .........................Fri/Sat/Sun 440 Bonita St. ..............................Sat/Sun 550 Bonita St ...............................Sat/Sun 120 Bradley Ave ............................Sat/Sun 735 Cabrillo Pl .......................Fri/Sat/Sun 915 Carmel St ...............................Sat/Sun 2744 Cedar Ave .............................Sat/Sun remodeling sale, lights, elect dryer, mower 1304 Clarabelle Dr..................Fri/Sat/Sun a chance to meet the Yard Sale Queen treasures await 1308 Clarabelle Dr. .................Fri/Sat/Sun 1315 Clarabelle Dr ........................Sat/Sun portable 110v compressor, puzzles, Michael Jackson 1316 Clarabelle Dr ........................Sat/Sun 1355 Clarabelle Dr..................Fri/Sat/Sun moving sale new woodframed bunk bed & drawers dble/twin $500 2877 Dogwood ..............................Sat/Sun sm rolltop desk, trailor hitch, Mt bike, kayak 530 Downing St ............................Sat/Sun silver, jewelry, trinkets, antiques 455 Driftwood ..................................... Sat camera/fishing gear,mounted/framed photos 460 Driftwood ..................................... Sat kayaks/tv/dvdplyr/rugs/Lgkit pots/more 245 Easter St...........................Fri/Sat/Sun most $5 or less, designer clothing size 10 - 16 2426 Elm Ave. ..................................... Sat Morro Bay street info: Island streets and Tree streets in N. Morro are alphabetical E S N W x 1379 Clarabelle Dr .......................Sat/Sun 255 Damar .............................Fri/Sat/Sun Rabobank $ ATM 251 Harbor St x 230 Barlow Lane ..........................Sat/Sun Hours: 8–2pm x xxxx tools, records, antiques, collectibles Brenda Sue’s Consignment 2 48 Morro Bay Blvd. x 1045 Atascadero Rd ...............Fri/Sat/Sun APRIL 11th - 12 x mini frig-microwave-air conditioner, sm TV y! er v o sc i d r u o y t i a w a s treasure en d d i h f o s ’ 0 0 10 f o s ’ 10 500 Atascadero Rd Sp A4 .............Sat/Sun Marks the spot for each Yard Sale x antiques, collectibles, sporting goods, misc x x 225 Atascadero Rd ........................Sat/Sun Map includes “featured” sales on April 10th Preview – drive by & check them ou o Listings = larger sales x musical instraments, books, knick-knacks bold x 934 Anchor St. .............................Sat/Sun 446 Arcadia Ave............................Sat/Sun x bookcase, children’s books, dolls, games x 917 Anchor St. ..............................Sat/Sun 921 Anchor St...............................Sat/Sun x x 528-7430 x x xx xx x x xx x xx for only $10 each. You must call to schedule the pickup of large items x xx x x Morro Bay Garbage Co.’s Clean Up Week follows each Yard Sale weekend, they will pick up 12 extra bags of trash for FREE and any electronics or large items over 75 pounds or larger than 4 X 4 Citywide 2015 2 x -RECYCLE- and reduce land fill MORRO BAY Beautiful’s annual x -DONATE- lef tover useable items to your favorite charity x xx x After Yard Sale x The Morro Bay Police Dept asks that you PARK Please don’t block mailboxes, fire hydrants or drivew A Special thanks to TBID for their f inan Organizing Committee: Morro Bay BEAUTIFUL P Adver tising Director Juliana Epperly and Lisa Win kids cloths, toys, household items 2432 Elm Ave. ..............................Sat/Sun 2478 Elm Ave. ............................... Fri/Sat sports cards, collectibles, books and more 2501 Elm Ave. .............................. Fri, Sat fishing reels, tools, clothing, misc 2575 Elm Ave. ..............................Sat/Sun moving sale EVERYTHING must go 2970 Elm Ave. ..................................... Sat 2235 Emerald Circle ...............Fri/Sat/Sun art glass, scrapbook supplies, decor C Coast Women for Fisheries Embarcadero N ............................Sat/Sun Morro Bay Power Plant parking lot-rummage sale 485 Estero Ave ..............................Sat/Sun watches, rocks, misc 510 Estero Ave ..................................... Sat estate sale-household items and tools 360 Fairview ....................................... Sat 215 Formosa Sat/Sun grandfather clock, kids stuff, golf clubs 2067 Ironswood Ave......................Sat/Sun 2580 Ironswood Ave C ......................... Sat 457 Kern Ave ....................................... Sat Central Coast Survive Oars clothes, kitchen, blanket, pillows, rugs, dishes, lights 496 Kern Ave................................Sat/Sun children’s, holiday & home decor, much more 400 Fresno Ave ............................Sat/Sun 470 Java St ....................................Sat/Sun bake sale, coffee, furniture, great bargains 2730 Juniper .................................. Sat/Sat 2695 Greenwood ................................. Sat vintage, household, fishing, furniture, books,antiques spa, frig, freezer 2901 Juniper .................................Sat/Sun 2820 Greenwood ................................. Sat artworks, antiques, tools, furniture, household my old crap won’t fit in my new beach shack 97.3 The Rock Fundraiser Morro Bay Senior Citizens Inc Kennedy Way Sat 787 Harbor St #A .........................Sat/Sun 1001 vintage & costume jewelry & knitted items 2255 Hemlock St ................................. Sat 205 Kern ......................................Sat/Sun schwinn tricycle, women’s clothing, kayak antiques, tools, art, housewares 2360 Hemlock Ave........................Sat/Sun 270 Kern ................................Fri/Sat/Sun antiques, collectible dolls, baby girl cloths, back yard whole hs and garage full ALL must go 2520 Hemlock ..............................Sat/Sun 370 Kern ......................................Sat/Sun 490 Hill St ....................................Sat/Sun antiques, collectibles, NO JUNK-NO EARLY BIRDS 624 Kern Ave ...............................Sat/Sun tools, antiques, furniture, glassware & linens 635 Kern Ave................................Sat/Sun 573 Kings Ave ...................................... Sat 331 Kodiak St ...............................Sat/Sun glass top patio table, golf clubs 411 La Jolla St ................................ Fri/Sat 530 La Jolla St...............................Sat/Sun 531 La Jolla St ...............................Sat/Sun truck rims, fishing, tools, household items 2621 Laurel Ave ................................... Sat x x x xx x x x x x x x x x x xx x xx x x x xx xx xx x x x xx x xx x x x x x x x x xx x x x xxx x x x x xx x x x x x x $ x 2 x x xx x x x x x th SELLERS Take leftovers to Del Mar School Goodwill truck 11:00-4:00 Sat & Sun Tune your radio to 97.3 The Rock for live broadcast of the yard sale from 10:00-2:00. Call in 772-2037 for items you got or are looking for! K LEGALLY: ways...THANKS! cial suppor t! President Ann Reisner, nn Associate Producer Find things you didn’t even know you wanted...that’s the fun part! x x x x x ly ut (some open) 190 Main St ..................................Sat/Sun 497 Marina .............................Fri/Sat/Sun 388 Main St ............................Fri/Sat/Sun 504 Marina ...................................Sat/Sun art, toys, decor,sports goods, tools, books TONS of furniture 420 Main St ......................................... Sat 590 Marina ...................................Sat/Sun family sale computers, toys, housewares 431 Main St ..................................Sat/Sun 1148 Market..................................Sat/Sun plants, purses, furniture, household items 560 Monterey ...................................... Sat clothing: boys & girls to size 4, adult lrg & x-lgr Morro Bay Appliance collectible bottles, dolls, new toys, jewelry FRIDAY (2:00p.m. - 5:00p.m.) Preview Day! Sellers are encouraged to display items for sale for buyers to preview SATURDAY (6:30a.m.-2:00p.m.) Have a great breakfast at Carla’s Country Kitchen: 213 Beach (7:00a.m.) Get your map and FREE COFFEE at our headquarters: Brenda Sue Consignment (8:00a.m.-2:00p.m.) Shop til you drop SUNDAY Close out sales....make offer Mikkelson’s Antiques 455 Morro Bay Blvd ...................... Fri/Sat antiques, housewares, furniture 404 Napa ......................................Sat/Sun clothes, toys, electronics, hshold 416 Napa Ave ....................................... Sat 420 Napa Ave ...................................... Sat multi family, kids, vintage, HUGE variety Awakening Interfaith 1130 Napa Ave ............................... Fri/Sat Wonderful donated items, FUNDRAISER FOR CHURCH Montessori Parent Network 570 Olive ............................................. Sat boutique clothing rack & kids stuff galore 360 Orcas .....................................Sat/Sun 3175 Orcas Way ......................Fri/Sat/Sun Wishing Well School 590 Pacific St ................................Sat/Sun baby cloths, toys, bikes, much more Morro Bay Police Explorers 760 Pacific St ................................Sat/Sun furniture, electronics. Cloths North Morro Church 330 Panay St .................................. Fri/Sat parish donations fundraiser 225 Piney Way ..............................Sat/Sun our families share their wares -join the fun 310 Piney Way ........................Fri/Sat/Sun appl, furn, antiques, and gen household 461 Piney Way ........................Fri/Sat/Sun yamaha clavinova piano-tilecutter-furniture 640 Piney Way........................Fri/Sat/Sun collectibles, clothes, furniture, lamps, books Todd’s Garage 972 Quintana ...............................Sat/Sun auto parts, electronics, electric CARS 401 San Juaquin St. Sat 597 San Jacinto Sat Food Group Diners 545 Shasta ........................................... Sat books, clothes, oddities (make offer) 488 Sicily St ..................................Sat/Sun 765 Sierra Ct ..........................Fri/Sat/Sun Joe Montana memorabilia, antiques 290 Sienna St................................Sat/Sun 1900 Sunset Ave................................... Sat too much to list 233 Surf St. #24 ......................Fri/Sat/Sun antiques, tools, furniture, collectibles kayak,fishing, bow,table, glass,LOTS, estate 1164 Market St .............................Sat/Sun 970 Monterey ...................................... Sat 1179 Morro Ave ............................Sat/Sun 246 Surf St .......................................... Sat bicycles, tvs Casa de Flores & Bayside 935 Main St ......................................... Sat festival t-shirts, hoodies, wine glasses 10-25% off ALL appliances, new and recond. 1164 Market St .............................Sat/Sun 1225 Main St ................................. Fri/Sat refrig, pedestal sink, floor speakers, cameras Morro Fleece Works Eddie’s Custom Cars 1920 N Main St ................................... Sat 1173 Market St ........................Fri/Sat/Sun L.O. Mid Sch fundraiser - great stuff- clean bathrooms 545 Mimosa St ..................................... Sat 391 Mindoro St ............................. Fri/Sat 425 Monterey ...............................Sat/Sun Schedule collectibles, shop equip, household 239 Marina .......................................... Sat 915 Mesa St ............................Fri/Sat/Sun 460 Marina .......................................... Sat garden, books,baskets, clothing,jewelry,bookshelves horse gear, furniture, skiis, garden, pet toys 535 Mimosa St ..................................... Sat Brenda Sue’s Consignmnets nautical, decorator items, seaglass pottery, tools, vintage, antiques 1405 Teresa Dr .................................... Sat 248 Morro Bay Blvd ...............Fri/Sat/Sun nintendo wii, dvd’s, furniture, clothes FUNDRAISER Headquaters, Free Coffee,Maps & SALE 446 Tulare ..................................... Fri/Sat 175 Whidbey St ................................... Sat Grandma’s Frozen Yogurt & Waffle 307 Morro Bay Blvd ...............Fri/Sat/Sun FREE Frisbee w/purchase of a Belgian Waffle scanners, womens clothing, bike rack, shoes, jewelry 405 Zanaibar...........................Fri/Sat/Sun coins, jewelry, LPs, tools, outdoor gear, antiques 26 • April 2 - 15, 2015 • Tolosa Press Special Publication MORRO BAY Beautiful’s annual Spring Cleaning Week, April 13-17 W hile visitors to Morro Bay will glean the town for yard-sale treasures on Saturday-Sunday, April 11-12, residents will have a chance the following week to get rid of a whole lot of trash without getting dinged too bad by the garbage company. Morro Bay Garbage Co., is sponsoring “Spring Clean Up Week,” set for Monday, April 13-17. That week, residential garbage customers will be allowed to place up to 2 cubic yards — equal to some 12, 32-gallon trash cans — plus their normal gray garbage wheeler, out on the curb before 6 a.m. on their regular pick-up days and have it picked up at no extra charge, according to an announcement on the City’s website. There are of course rules and limits. No hazardous materials will be taken. Household hazardous waste — old paints, pesticides, motor oil and more — can be disposed of free at the City’s hazardous waste facility, located at the sewer treatment plant, 160 Atascadero Rd., from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays. Reclaimed Antique Woodwork 1612 Main St | Morro Bay, California (805) 225-1620 | Open Daily 11:00am - 5:00pm Construction Services 805-574-3155 We Do All The “Honey Do’s” All Household Repairs Providing Professional Handyman Services (FOFSBMt1MVNCJOHt&MFDUSJDBM $POUSBDUPS Free Estimates Licensed and Fully Insured: Contractors License No. 306732 %MAILARNIE NCCNNETsWWW(ANDYMANSERVICESARNIECOM Residential and Commercial Services We specialize in Architectural Antiques, Unique Building Materials & Quality Antiques. We carry Items such as: Antique Doors & Windows, Antique & Vintage Hardware, Barn Doors, Windows & Wood Hand Made Wood Furniture, Farm & Garden Antiques, Classic Auto & Nautical Parts, Vintage Metal Signs, Primitives & so much more. C l e a n Up Week garbage can be put in standard trashcans, v a r i o u s containers or tied in bundles. Containers or bundles of garbage must weigh 75 pounds or less and must measure 4 feet or less in overall l e n g t h . Standard trash cans will be emptied and left at the curb. Boxes and plastic bags will be taken away with your garbage. And for a price, they’ll also haul off bulky items — such as TVs, chairs, water heaters, washers, dryers, small appliances, box springs, mattresses, couches, and refrigerators for $10 each. To arrange these pick-ups, customers must call a week before their regular pick-up day. They won’t pick up these items unless you have an appointment. Call 543-0875 to make arrangements. So while the Annual Citywide Yard Sale Weekend is a chance to hunt for bargains and maybe unload some unwanted items, it’s also a chance for residents to do some serious springcleaning in their yards, homes, and garages. And if you’re looking for information on the yard sale weekend, see Pages 21-28 in today’s Tolosa Press papers — SLO City News, Coast News and Bay News. BUZZ + CUT Offering Our Deluxe Cut 30 Minute Haircut | Hot Towel | Razor Neck Shave Comfortable & Welcoming Flat Screen TVs | Leather Couches | Beer Walk-Ins Welcome or Visit us online for a full list of services and convenient booking MODERN HAIRCUTS FOR MEN & WOmen www.clippersbarber.com | 805-783-CUTS (2887) | 1351 Monterey, SLO Tolosa Press Special Publication • April 2 - 15, 2015 • 27 OPTIONS OPPORTUNITY OPTIMISM 4"-&4r /&8 3&$0/%*5*0/&% 4&37*$& r "-- ."+03 #3"/%4 .BJO 4USFFU r .PSSP #BZ $" NPSSPCBZBQQMJBODF!ZBIPPDPN $BMM UP TDIFEVMF ZPVS TFSWJDF DBMM PS ESZFS WFOU DMFBOJOH TH U O Y R U 3–17 HING O ys Ages 1 COACtive Training Camp for At-Risk Bo a Transform GREAT E B O T L A I E POTENT H T S CE A H D THAT CHAN EVERY CHIL THEM E V I G S U HELP 990 805.592.2 THRIFT STORE Grand Opening $5 off April 1st !-ARSH3TREETs$OWNTOWN3,/ WITHAPURCHASEOFORMORE Voted Best Thrift Store in SLO! #LOTHINGs6INTAGEs(OUSEHOLD &URNITUREs*EWELRYs!RT Upscale Retail to Vintage Finds 3ERVING3AN,UIS/BISPO#OUNTYFORYEARS All proceeds benefit the children of Old Mission School { { %HWKHƞUVWWRFKHFNRXWWKH QHZHVWWKULIWVWRUHLQWRZQ $ONATEYOURGENTLYUSEDCLOTHING HOUSEHOLDITEMSFURNITUREJEWELRY 3TORE(OURS4UESn3ATsAMnPM $ONATION(OURS4UESn3ATsAMnPM -ONDAY3ATURDAY!-0- 805-544-0720 !LLDONATIONSSUPPORT/PERATION3CHOOL"ELL® "ROAD3TREETs3AN,UIS/BISPO &ORMOREINFORMATIONCALLORVISIT HTTPSWWWFACEBOOKCOM-ISSION4HRIFT3,/ WWWASLOCOUNTYORG 2130 Blue Heron View, Los Osos (805) 528-SOIL (7645) www.sanluissoilsandsodfarm.com Locally Farmed Sod Since 1975 Installation Available License #310173 .POEBZUISPVHI'SJEBZUPt4BUVSEBZUP Ì Ì 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 the Spring Season Hearall allthe thesounds soundsofof 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. January–March Special October Special March– December - May 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. Call today for a FREE hearing screening and FREE 30-day trial. Come in today to try it on. 1052 Main Street, Suite B | Morro Bay, CA CALL TODAY (805) 995-4826 © 2014 Starkey. All Rights Reserved. 29512-14_10/14 Tolosa Press • April 2 - 15, 2015 • 29 805 Sound Keeping It Real: John Wessel The Goddess of Groove By Mad Royal N o one has a voice quite like John Wessel. It’s high, and raspy, and pure rock’n’roll. He can perform songs like “You Shook Me All Night Long” like nobody’s business. His flute playing is fantastic and much like Jethro Toll (more on that later), but he also rips on the guitar, saxophone, clarinet, keyboards, and bass. Oh, yeah, and he’s self-taught, too. John was born in Cleveland, Ohio, but the family moved to Reseda in the L.A.’s San Fernando Valley when he was in fourth grade. They were in Sylmar for a while, and lived there at the time of the big earthquake in 1971. He spent a year in Arizona, and then moved back to Reseda. John says that music came pretty naturally to him, as he had cousins in the business. One was Sonny Geraci, who sang “Time Won’t Let Me” with the Outsiders and later, “Precious and Few” with his band Climax. Sonny’s brother, Michael, played sax on the latter. Another cousin, Anthony “Sonny” Teresi, played drums with the Marketts, who had hits with “Out of Limits” and “Batman”. John took up the guitar when he was 10-years-old. He knew 10 chords, and played backyard parties at the Wessel house with his band, the Turtlenecks. Later, he performed at all the Hollywood venues like the Starwood, Madame Wong’s (East and West), and the Rainbow Room. His bands, among others, were the Amethysts and the Psychedelic Four. The bands would be on the same bill as Van Halen, Black Flag and Quiet Riot, all unknowns at the time. Growing up, he listened to music from the 50’s, as that was what his older siblings listened to, such as Frankie Avalon, The Coasters, and Dion, until one day a group from Liverpool came on the Ed Sullivan Show. I think you know who I’m talking about. “That was it,” he says. “I knew what I wanted to do after that.” He also loved the Doors, Sly and the Family Stone, The Temptations, and the Four Tops. “We used to listen to KHJ. They would play one rock and roll song, and then one from Motown, There was no separation or differentiation in the music.” He listened to a Jethro Tull album one day, and that convinced him to take up the flute. It is easy to hear the influence that band has had on John’s style with the flute. Then, he figured if he could play the flute, he should be able to play the saxophone, then the clarinet. Then he thought, “Gee, if I knew how to play the piano, I could fill in some of those parts…” He plays the bass, too, “But not in public”. One day he put an ad in L.A.’s equivalent of the EasyAd for a bass player “who sounds like Jethro Tull’s bass player.”He kept getting calls from someone who said he was Glenn Cornick, who is the original bass player for that band. He kept hanging up, the last time telling the caller he had “the worst fake English accent I’d ever heard.” The caller persisted, finally convincing John to go to his address, and he was the real deal. John hired him for Amethyst, and they performed together for 30 years, along with John’s brother-law, Brian Cohen. In 1984, John moved to north San Luis Obispo County (he currently resides in Paso Robles). The next year, He formed the band “Positive Touch” with Ed Frawley (owner of 8 0 5 sound find your beat Central Coast Music in Morro Bay), “Little Bill” Tomkins, Doug Hoff, and the late Ron Ramirez. In 1988, “Shameless” was born, a band John still heads up today. The lineup over the years has included Doug Hoff, Terry Ristola, Freeman Lee, and Evan Hiney. Some of the band members split off to form “Triple Threat” in the 1990s. Shameless’ lineup today has John, Little Bill on guitar, the great Karen Garman on drums, and Sebastian Luna on bass. John also performs around the county as a duo with Little Bill, “J&B Rocks”. He usually gigs several times a week, often twice on the same day. The music leans more towards rock than rock’n’roll, and with John’s unique voice, they are able to cover some songs you haven’t heard anyone but the original bands perform. Shameless is highly regarded, both by the general public, and other musicians. John hopes the music will evoke good memories, and that you’ll have a good time dancing. It’s as simple as that. Upcoming shows: J&B Rocks: Cambria Pine Lodge, April 1, 8 p.m.11 p.m. Shameless: Mozzi’s, Cambria, April 4, 9 p.m.-1 a.m., Harry’s, Pismo Beach, April 11, 3 p.m.-7:30 p.m., and April 14 and 15, 7:30 p.m.-11:30 p.m. May 2, “My Sunday Feeling” A Jethro Tull Tribute at the Fuel Dock Saloon in Morro Bay. Time and ticket prices to be announced. John Wessel, flute, with Drew Cornick (son of Glenn), bass, Brendan McGrath, guitar, and Garrett Morris on drums. WHERE THE PARTY NEVER ENDS! THU 4/2 9PM1:00 JAWZ KARAOKE FRI 4/3 9PM1:30 L’AMOUR SAT 4/4 3:00PM -7:30 9:00PM -1:30 SOUND HOUSE L’AMOUR SUN 4/5 3:00PM -7:30 JUAN MARQUEZ & DOUBLE SHOT STEVE TRACY PROJECT 9:00PM -1:30 MON 4/6 7:30PM M -11:30 JUAN MARQUEZ & DOUBLE SHOT TUE 4/7 7:30PM -11:30 6250 WED 4/8 7:30PM -11:30 6250 THU 4/9 9PM1:00 JAWZ KARAOKE FRI 4/10 9PM1:30 LUMINATION SAT 4/11 3:00PM -7:30 SUN 4/12 3:00PM -7:30 9:00PM -1:30 9:00PM -1:30 SHAMELESS LUMINATION TOMMY LEE & THE PORTIGEES/JUAN MARQUEZ & DOUBLE SHOT MON 7:30PM 4/13 -11:30 LEGENDS TUE 7:30PM INDIAN VALLEY 4/14 -11:30 BAND WED 7:30PM INDIAN VALLEY 4/15 -11:30 BAND THU 4/16 9PM1:00 JAWZ KARAOKE Now Serving SEXTANT WINES on Tap (805) 773-1010 690 Cypress St., Pismo Beach www.harryspismobeach.com Open 10am-2am Daily 30 • April 2 - 15, 2015 • Tolosa Press EAT central coast visitor’s guide DEL’S FAMOUS PIZZERIA & ITALIAN RESTAURANT Are you in the mood for some hearty Italian food? You are invited to Del’s Pizzeria, where you smell the home baked bread when you arrive. Feel the warm and cozy ambience, reminiscent of an old Italian farmhouse, as you dine here. At Del’s you sit back and enjoy the traditional Italian decor, of red and white checkered tablecloths, soft glowing candlelight and Chianti bottles adorned with baskets. You listen to the strains of Sinatra, followed by festive Italian songs in the background. Located in Shell Beach, Del’s is right off Highway 101 on the Central Coast of California. 401 Shell Beach Road, Shell Beach, CA 93449 (805) 773-4438 www.delspizzeria.com DIVINE THAI CUISINE Enjoy the Exotic flavor and spice of Thailand and South East Asia. The finest authentic Thai Cuisine: Pad Thai Noodles, Spicy Eggplant with Shrimp, Homemade Thai Dumplings, Charbroiled BBQ Chicken and much more. Family oriented atmosphere too. We cook with our hearts and delicious, authentic meals are the result. 501 W. Grand Ave. Grover Beach, CA (805) 481-3663 Open Daily www.angelicfood.com Hours: Lunch: 11am-3pm Dinner: 4:30-9pm LOLO’S MEXICAN RESTAURANT Great Mexican food, served in a warm and friendly atmosphere at a reasonable price. Reservations and credit cards gladly accepted. Daily drink and food specials and patio dining. Brunch, lunch, and dinner served 7 days a week 10:00 to 9:00 pm. Located at 2848 N. Main St., Morro Bay • (805) 772-5686 SPLASH CAFE has been a favorite destination in Pismo Beach since 1989, specifically for our award-winning clam chowder served in a freshly baked bread bowl. Our customers drive from miles away to come to our cafes for our fresh clam chowder. No wonder we serve more than 30,000 gallons of clam chowder per year! We also have two San Luis Obispo locations - the bakery on Monterey & California features artisan breads, pastries & desserts with a larger selection of salads & specialty sandwiches, and our downtown location next to Barnes & Nobles features daily fresh fish specials and specialty wraps. All three locations serve our signature Clam Chowder in the bread bowl & Fish & Chips. ZORRO’S CAFE & CANTINA Is located in shell beach and has been a local favorite for over 10 years. Awarded people’s choice for best clam chowder 2012, 2013 and 2014 and recently voted best restaurant 2015 at the taste of pismo. Dog friendly patio and an excellent happy hour everyday from 4:00-6:00pm. Serving traditional american and mexican breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. When you think of zorro’s cafe & cantina you will think of great food, good times, and excellent service with a comfortable and warm atmosphere. PLAY e r o l p Ethxe Central Coast Text CCK to 56955 to join our VIP club and receive exclusive offers BOARDS LE and PADD S K A Y A K with SHELL BEACH: s2ENTALSTOURSSALESMORE 1879 Shell Beach Road s'UIDED3EA#AVETOURSAND AVILA BEACH: On the beach www.centralcoastkayaks.com 'ROUP2ATESAVAILABLE 805-773-3500 THE MORRO BAY SKATEBOARD MUSEUM opened in July of 2012. Our mission is to share skateboarding’s history and culture with all ages of skateboarders. See the complete history of skateboarding - from the early 1930’s to present day. Over 200 skateboards from all eras with rotating exhibits from extensive private collections. Open Daily, 10 A.M. to about 5 P.M. Morro Bay Skateboard Museum 601 Embarcadero (Marina Square) Morro Bay 805-610-3565 THE SAN LUIS OBISPO CHILDREN’S MUSEUM provides a unique place for children and families to explore, discover and learn through hands-on exhibits and programs. Three floors and an outside playscape are jam packed with exhibits for children ages 1-10. Fun, educational programs and activities are scheduled throughout each week. Visit slocm.org for prices, hours, directions and program schedules. Imagination welcome! YOGA CENTER OF MORRO BAY Don’t miss your yoga practice just because you’re on vacation. With daily classes and $10 drop ins, our variety of experienced, certified teachers will give you a memorable experience at an affordable price. We welcome all levels and abilities. YCMB~Your Yoga Studio Away from Home! Conveniently located at 1000 MainSt. within walking distance of most MB hotels. (805) 268-2668 • www.yogacentermb.com WALLY’S BICYCLE WORKS is now open in Avila! Enjoy a few relaxing hours on a bike near Avila Pier. Wally’s has almost any kind of bike you would want to rent from cruisers to tandems, kid’s bikes, road bikes, hybrids, and many, many more. Visit Wally’s Bicycle Works in Avila at 66 Landing Passage. (805) 544-4116 • www.slobikerental.com. Now Serving SEXTANT WINES on Tap Live Music Nightly WHERE THE PARTY NEVER ENDS! (805) 773-1010 690 69 Cypress St., Pismo Beach www.harryspismobeach.com Open 10am-2am Daily Tolosa Press • April 2 - 15, 2015 • 31 SHOP ALOHA SHIRT SHOP An island paradise of items for men, women and kids. All the best brands: Tommy Bahama, Reyn Spooner, Tori Richard, Kahala, Paradise Found, Go Barefoot, Rum Reggae, Jams World, Iolani and Bamboo Cay. Sizes XS- 7XL including big and tall. Over 12,000 shirts in stock. Can’t visit us in person? Visit our website at www.AlohaShirtShop.com. 458 Morro Bay Blvd., Morro Bay • (805) 772-2480 century downtown village. You’ll find an array of antique & specialty shops plus fine dining nestled within the scenic atmosphere of historic buildings and natural beauty. The Village is a true picture of Americana on the Central Coast. Stop by the Visitors Center upon your arrival at 214 East Branch St., Arroyo Grande BEADS BY THE BAY AND GARDEN SHOP Full service bead store including repairs and classes, with a beautiful hidden garden shop! Herbs, succulents, air plants, and garden decorations. Unique beads and findings from America and all around the world! Open every day. 333 Morro Bay Blvd. (across from B of A) • (805) 772-3338 BUTTONS & BOWS-CHILDREN’S CLOTHING STORE Great quality gifts for baby 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! SLO GOOD GARDEN & GIFTS is the best place to find San Luis Obispo souvenirs and “Life is Good” attire for the entire family. From clothing, postcards, Pillow Pets & beautiful Garden décor. The shop is filled with gift items made in the USA and by local artisans. Military receive 10% off everyday! Text the word SLOGOOD to 56955 to join their Rewards program and receive exclusive rewards! THE VILLAGE OF ARROYO GRANDE, the Central Coast’s unique turn-of-the- 3,/ good garden & gifts showers, birthdays, special occasions or just because...Beautiful, clothes and quality toys. It’s fun to browse and chat with the owner as she wraps the gifts and they’re very accommodating! 119 E Branch St. Arroyo Grande, CA 93420 805-473-9186 DOC BURNSTEIN’S ICE CREAM LAB features handcrafted, super-premium ice cream in the only nostalgic parlor on the Central Coast. Watch their model trains running around the parlor and over bridges, while also watching Doc and his Lab Assistants make their super-creamy inventions right before your eyes. Open Daily. For fundraisers, birthday parties and catering visit www.docburnsteins.com. 114 W. Branch St. Arroyo Grande 860 Higuera Street, San Luis Obispo (805) 474-4068 RALPH & DUANE’S Fun In The Sun! 2014 Summer Series!!! Sunday, September 28- MGB. Music from 2-6 and BBQ Served: 4ish. Thereafter every Thursday-Sat our DJ’s hookin’ you up with Dance Music/Hip Hop & Daily Drink Specials. Every Sunday 2-6 come enjoy our Live Music and Santa Maria BBQ on the patio. Wi-fi available. 108 W. Branch St. Arroyo Grande, CA (805) 481.2871 www.RalphandDuanes.com THE CHOCOLATE SHEEP Gourmet chocolate, travel games, gifts, retro toys y & candy await you at The Chocolate Sheep! Across from the swinging pedestrian bridge & free range roosters we make sea salt caramels, peanut butter bark, creamy fudge and carry Arroyo Grande’s own Rooster Eggs. Come play in the village & treat yourself to something sweet! --Check out our The Chocolate Sheep FB page for deals-- Mention this and receive free chocolate nibbles! 201 E. Branch St. Arroyo Grande, CA (805) 591-0166 WHIZ KIDS toy store has been serving San Luis Obispo and it’s surrounding cities as Professional Toy Consultants for over 25 years. We carry high quality toys, books and activities for children that encourage creativity and skill building. We also carry many more items online, so come on in, give us a call or visit our website and let us help you choose the perfect gift for the child on your list! 3979 S. Higuera St, San Luis Obispo, next to Trader Joe’s (805) 547-1733 • www.whizkidsslo. com - Facebook.com/whizkidsslo EST. 1974 Garden Street Goldsmiths Modern, Vintage, and Custom Jewelry In-House Jewelry Repairs, Watch Repairs & Battery Replacement 1114 & 1118 Garden St. in downtown San Luis Obispo sWWW'ARDEN3TREET'OLDSMITHSCOM 200 E. Branch Street, Arroyo Grande www.roostercreektavern.com 805.489.2509 SPRING! N L &O F EW INES LD AVORITES ARRIVING DAILY NOWN OPE “In the Village” 121 E. Branch St. Arroyo Grande 805-574-1727 1022 Morro St. San Luis Obispo 805-784-0664 UNIQUE FEMININE CLOTHING FOR WOMEN JUST LIKE YOU! www.shopapropos.com full bar | 12 beers on tap family-friendly menu 840 11th St., Ste. 103 Paso Robles 805-239-8282 open daily from 11:30 – 10:00 32 • April 2 - 15, 2015 • Tolosa Press Entertainment and director Ross Halper, opera’s mad genius, will provide a new, rollicking translation of The Merry Widow. SLOFolks is bringing “Dirty Cello,” to town Broadway smash hit, Mama Mia! Is coming to the Performing Arts Center, and while the show is pretty much sold out, Cal Poly Arts says they may release some tickets before the 7:30 p.m. Monday, April 6 show. Tickets range from $60-$90 and whatever’s available can be purchased at the PAC Box Office from noon-6 p.m. TuesdaysSaturdays. Call 756-4849 or online at: www.calpoly.arts.org (probably the best way). Sponsored by Lucia Cleveland and Paul Vanderheyden, KSBY TV, Matrix Mobile Television and Radiology Associates. Mamma Mia! is a celebration of mothers and daughters, old friends and new family found, inspired by the storytelling magic of ABBA’s songs — from “Dancing Queen” and “S.O.S.” to “Money, Money, Money” and “Take a Chance on Me.” The Cal Poly Music Department will present a free, “Open House Student Recital,” at 2:10 p.m. Saturday, April 18, in the Davidson Music Center (Bldg. 45, Rm. 218), on campus, one of several programs slated for Cal Poly’s 22nd Annual Open House celebration. Student performers include Mario Ojeda on violin; Shaina Levin, Leah Ginsky and Alexis Rubell, singing; Andrew Arensman, French horn; Kelsey Beisecker, flute; and Danial Diaz, marimba. For more information, call the Music Department at 756-2406 for more information. Sponsored by Cal Poly’s College of Liberal Arts and the music department. Instrumental duo Patsy Shields and Julie Overholtzer will perform as “Tumbleweed” at the next Downtown Brown Bag Concert Strawberry Wheat Dirty Reapin’ Blonde Fear the Reaper–AMBER Oblivion–IPA Apocalyptic–DIPA Double Damn Cuban musician Adonis Puentes, will play the Spanos Theater series at noon Friday, April 3 at the SLO Presbyterian Church corner of Marsh and Morro streets. Free. The duo will play music suitable for weddings, barn raisings, and hoe-downs. Fair Trade coffee and chocolate available. Call 543-5451. Cal Poly Student Opera Theatre and Opera San Luis Obispo are presenting Franz Lehar’s romantic operetta, “The Merry Widow” at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, April 10-11, in the Spanos Theatre at Cal Poly. Tickets are $18 for the public, $16 for seniors, and $9 for students. Prices include all fees and parking. Get tickets at the PAC Box Office from noon6 p.m. Tuesdays-Saturdays. Order by phone at 756-4849. The opera will be conducted by music professor, David Arrivée. Bay Area opera performer SLOFolks is bringing “Dirty Cello,” to town Friday-Saturday, April 3-4 for performances at 7 p.m. April 3 at Coalesce Bookstore Chapel, 845 Main St., Morro Bay (call 772-2880) and 7:30 p.m. April 4 at Castoro Cellars Winery. Tickets for each show are $20 a person and available at Coalesce, 845 Main St., and Castoro, 315 North Bethel Rd., corner of Hwy 46 in rural Templeton. Call 238-0725, online at: www.castorocellars.com/events. Or at Boo Boo Records in SLO, 978 Monterey St. Call 541-0657. Dirty Cello features the virtuosic cello stylings of Rebecca Roudman, one of the San Francisco Bay Area’s most exciting cross-over cellists. Dirty Cello takes you on a wild tour of up-tempo music featuring down home blues, Eastern- European dance music, a bit of bluegrass, and some classic rock. See: www.dirtycello.com for more on the band. The St. Lawrence String Quartet, one of the world-class chamber ensembles of its generation, will perform at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, April 9 at the Spanos Theater at Cal Poly. Student and adult tickets are $36 and $45 respectively, and available at the PAC Box Office noon-6 p.m. Mondays-Saturdays, by phone at 7564849, or online at: www.calpolyarts. org. The quartet will perform their innovative, “Haydn Discovery Session,” an in-depth exploration of the famed composer’s extraordinary string quartets. The group built its reputation with imaginative and spontaneous music making, performs over 120 concerts a year worldwide, and is “Ensemble in Residence” at Stanford University. The Cal Poly Music Department DAVID and KAREN present Pismo & Shell Beach –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 Suite u A, Grover Beach uite 805.270.3089 0 05.270.3089 www.manrockbrewing.com w ww.m ma Fo Follow Fo us @ F Fa Facebook.Com/ManRock.Brewing.Co www.davidandkarenpresent.com David Skinner Cell: 805-459-8798 [email protected] Karen Skinner Cell: 805-550-9001 [email protected] CalBRE #00552094 CalBRE #01873847 763 Shell Beach Road, Shell Beach, CA 93449 Tolosa Press • April 2 - 15, 2015 will host the “Cal Poly All-State Festival Concert,” featuring some of the state’s best high school musicians, at 2:30 p.m. Sunday, April 19, at the Performing Arts Center on campus. Tickets are $12 and $14 for the public and $9 and $12 for seniors and students. Pricing includes all PAC fees, and parking. Tickets are sold at the PAC Box Office from noon-6 p.m. Mondays-Saturdays. Call 756-4849. Festival Jazz Band director is Dave Eshelman, trombonist, composer, big band leader, recording artist, and jazz educator. The Festival Wind Orchestra will be conducted by husband-andwife team Heidi Johanna Miller and James Patrick Miller. Heidi Miller is an adjunct assistant professor of music at Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter, Minn., and James Miller is the Douglas Nimmo endowed chair in music at Gustavus Adolphus. The concert will also feature the winner of the festival’s solo competition, accompanied by pianist and Cal Poly music Prof. Susan Azaret Davies. Mexican-American singer, Lila Downs will play the Performing Arts Center at Cal Poly at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 14. Student and general tickets range from $24-$56 a person and available at the PAC Box Office on campus, from noon-6 p.m. Mondays-Saturdays, call 756-4849 or order online at: www.calpolyarts. org. Born in Oaxaca and raised in Minnesota, Downs plays several genres of music including Pan-Latin, American folk, jazz, blues, and rock. As a result, Downs has become one of the most innovative exponents of Mesoamerican music. There’s a pre-show lecture with KCBX DJ, Pedro Arroyo at 6:30 p.m. in the PAC Pavilion. Sponsored by Jodi Mello and Barry Goyette, KCBX 90.1 FM, and Popolo Caterin. Cuban musician Adonis Puentes, will play the Spanos Theater at Cal Poly at 8 p.m. Friday, April 17. Student and general tickets are $30.40 and $38, respectively and available at the PAC Box Office on campus, from noon-6 p.m. Mondays-Saturdays, call 756-4849 or order online at: www. calpolyarts.org. Puentes’ deep rich vocals are backed by the Voice of Cuba Orchestra playing syncopated Cuban rhythms, deep bass lines, jazzy horn arrangements, and melodic piano and guitar. Puentes has been nominated for a Juno Award (Canada’s Grammy) and garnered a Grammy Award nomination for lead vocals with the 9-piece, L.A.based Mongorama. Sponsored by Ken and Tricia Volk Santa Barbara based singersongwriter, Valarie Mulberry, • 33 34 • April 2 - 15, 2015 • Tolosa Press Entertainment will perform at Boo Boo Records on Saturday, April 11. The show starts at 5 p.m. KCBX DJ and musician Little Robbie Kimball will also play. Boo Boo Records is located at 978 Monterey St, San Luis Obispo. Free. Mulberry has seen some success since the release of her CD “The Simple Things,” which features her sunshine rhythm and blues style. Ynana Rose will play a Songwriters at Play show from 6:30-9 p.m. Monday, April 6 at Bang the Drum Brewery in SLO. A veteran performer, Ynana draws inspiration from Emmylou Harris, Dolly Parton, Sarah Jarosz, Corinne West and more. Rose blends elements of folk, bluegrass, country, blues and jazz, sung in a truly soulful voice that crosses genres with ease. Her debut CD Ynana Rose, recorded and co-produced with Damon Castillo, was released last year. Rose will Broadway smash hit, Mama Mia! Is coming to the Performing Arts Center be accompanied by Kenny Blackwell on mandolin and Dylan Johnson on bass. No cover change. determination and overcoming some of life’s hurdles, weekends, now through Sunday, April 26. Tickets are $22 general admission and $17 for students with school ID. Call the PPP Box Office for reservations at 927-3877 or see: www.pewterploughplayhouse. org. Run times are 7:30 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays and 3 p.m. Sundays. The play follows Don Baker, a young man, blind since birth, who has recently broken the apron strings of his verycontrolling mother and set up a new life in New York City with a free-spirited neighbor, Jill. The play is directed by Kelli Howard and stars Joseph Whittington as Don and featuring Libby Parker, Janice Peters and Jonathon Weise. The Pewter Plough Playhouse is located at 824 Main St., corner of Sheffield in Cambria’s West Village. Photo by Iain Macadam The Pewter Plough Playhouse presents, “Butterflies are Free,” Leonard Gershe’s comedy about love, The premier performing arts academy on the central coast. SUMMER CAMPS &CPEGŔ#EVŔ5KPIŔ2NC[CP+PUVTWOGPV Early Registration: April 1–May 15… Limited Enrollment! Vis i it i us o liinne fo on f r detaiils & Reg egistratioonn &CPEGŔ/WUKEŔ6JGCVGTŔ8QKEG www.coastaldanceandmusicacademy.com/Summer_Camps 1030 Huston Street, Suite C | Grover Beach | 805.489.5678 • Tolosa Press • April 2 - 15, 2015 35 Entertainment The Forests Are Not Always What They Seem g K elrik Productions set to open the fairytale musical INTO THE WOODS! d While the film version of INTO THE WOODS is still fresh in the minds of r movie goers, Kelrik Productions will be bringing Stephen Sondheim’s Tony Award winning musical version to San Luis Obispo – set for a limited run of three live performances at the beautiful Cuesta Performing Arts Center April 17 -19. e The forests are not always what they seem in this spellbinding, romantic, and brilliant musical. Weaving everyone’s favorite fairy tales together, y this delightful, dark, and witty musical asks: “What happens AFTER happily y ever after?” Director/Choreographer Erik Austin, Co-Director Sandy d Schwarer and Musical Director John Cribb head the creative team. Austin e has loved this show since he was a student at San Luis Obispo High School, even convincing the school to do the r show which became his senior project. t The rest of the creative team includes backdrop design by Grosh & Kenmark Inc. , scenic painting by Sharon Doran, costume design by Costume Capers, stage management by Ryan Manus, sound design by Ron Eminhizer and lighting design by Richard Jackson . With music and lyrics by Sondheim and book by James Lapine, INTO THE WOODS debuted on Broadway in 1987 and ran for 764 performances garnering many awards during it’s initial Broadway run including Best Actress in a Musical and Best Original Book and Score. The show has spawned numerous national tours and revivals Town Center Transforming Shopping Into An Experience sets off a series of twisted events within the confines of the dark woods. “Audiences have a very unique opportunity to see two versions of INTO THE WOODS in two different mediums, all within months of each other,” said Austin,“ and The Cuesta Performing Arts Center provides a unique and beautiful space that allows for theatergoers to fully enjoy this epic and extraordinary story.” Schwarer adds, “ Sondheim illustrates how there are always consequences to face when wishes are granted and those consequences are not always pretty.” Tickets are on sale now and may be purchased online at www. kelrikproductions.org or in person at Cheap Thrills, 563 Higuera Street in downtown San Luis Obispo. Performances are Friday and Saturday at 7PM with one Sunday Matinee at 2PM April 17 - 19. Free parking is available next to the theater. and remains one of the American Theatre’s best loved musicals to produce. You will see many of the fairy tale characters that you have grown to love come to life in one epic story. All of these tales are woven together by an original story that involves a Baker and his Wife whose wish to begin a family %!(! !)#8;/978< +"# %$!"/(%(#/ $%!#,/ # $"$1 !( %#"##!!$ $/=%$8$%$$!%$/ #!$$! ($/(+# $"!#%&! /8>$ ) 34/# 34/(,34 )!(&! ($(/ *,2$#/,!$($(/ #%!#,!(#/!! %#, !$## $&%#$' "#)#$ %&! . ($,,89/978<<0:7" $,#,,=/978< !&! ) % !&')) !(## 597;==;8;7 36 • April 2 - 15, 2015 • Tolosa Press Dinner & A Movie Goodbye to a Friend By Teri Bayus I am saddened to announce my friend and restaurant owner Mike Lee of the Cracked Crab has passed on to that big crab pot in the sky. He was my pal, a fellow foodie and a good guy to grab a drink with guarantying a giggle at the end of a long, hard day. He was a Renaissance man who lived a passionate life and touched all that knew him. He trained his staff well and most have been with him for years, so the restaurant is successively remaining. I went in to dine and honor a man who changed the food scene in Pismo Beach. I have a few guilty pleasures. One being good wine, the second being Alaskan king crab. There is only one place in the U.S. where you can find this delicacy that comes from the Baltic Sea, and that’s at the Cracked Crab. Mike had been going up to Alaska and bringing back the whole load of crabs from the Time Bandit fishing fleet and even hosted the whole crew from the TV show Deadliest Catch, in Pismo in 2010. Now Cracked Crab is the only American outlet that receives crab from Dutch Harbor. I sat down amidst the Jimmy Buffett music (another guilty pleasure of mine) and the murals of Pismo Pier to enjoy a huge hunk of crab in honor of my very missed friend. Mike had told me adventure tales of a time when he traveled to Alaska and got to go out on the Time Bandit, meet the captain and crew, set pots and pull them in and watch how they processed the delicious crab to make it to California, tasting as fresh as the day it was caught. He told of the plane (the only plane in that area) breaking down three times as he tried to leave and how the fishermen were, as could be expected, full of stories and whisky when not battling the elements. Mike bought 8000 pounds of this delectable food and brought it to our sleepy little beach town. My crab arrived and I gasped at the beauty of it, three 18-inch long legs of the most delicious object on the planet. The Cracked Crab does a wonderful job at providing you with all the tools you need to break into these beauties, along with melted butter over a flame (so it stays that way), amazing cocktail sauce (the secret ingredient is a swoosh of tequila) and fresh lemon wedges. None of these was needed, as this was the most succulent, amazing crab I had ever tried. Perfectly cooked and so full of flavor, this truly is the food of kings. I have never had crab this good. You owe it to yourself to try this. You may not be able to have the best car, designer shoes, or a billion-dollar mansion, but you can have the best crab in the world and it is worth every cent. The chef also prepared a rare dish of Copper River salmon for me. This long river causes the salmon to get fat and flavorful. Sprinkled with capers, red onions and balsamic vinegar, it was perfect. I eat sushi all the time and I had never had fish this fresh or flavorful. Cracked Crab always has only the finest seafood for its customers; and their menus are printed daily for the freshest catches. I find even the sourdough rolls are flawlessly done and wonderful. I eat their San Felipe-style fish tacos weekly. These cod filets are breaded and fried, then wrapped in a corn tortilla with cabbage slaw and a special sauce. The Crab Cocktail is the best way to get delicious Dungeness crab without all the work and the key lime pie here is only matched in Key West, Fla. This is the restaurant to take anyone you want to impress whether it is company or your mother-in-law. I encourage you to treat yourself and go get the Alaskan king crab. Cracked Crab is located at 751 Price St., Pismo Beach. They don’t take reservations, but serve throughout the day. Call them at 773CRAB or look at the wonderful pictures of Mike at: www.crackedcrab.com. New Cinderella a Fairytale Retold By Teri Bayus “H ave courage and be kind, because kindness is powerful and magical.” This is the kind of corny sentiment that can ruin a movie, but fortunately, Cinderella’s syrupy sweetness is so hopelessly romantic in its sincerity, it swept me off me feet, often tumbling me to tears. It’s the kind of old-fashioned filmmaking we need, one that hearkens to the days when movies helped us forget our troubles instead of pointing them out. If you’ve seen any version of Cinderella, this one is not that different. I would take a small child who has not seen the story and watch it thru their eyes. This new story of Cinderella is about Ella’s mother (Hayley Atwell), who dies but Ella’s father (Ben Chaplin) remarries. In order to please him, she does everything to open herself up to the new family. But when her father dies suddenly, her stepmother (Cate Blanchett) and sisters (Sophie McShera and Holliday Grainger) waste no time in turning her into their servant, rechristening her Cinderella (Lily James), as she is always covered in ashes after cleaning. Even with the cruel treatment, she lives by her mother’s words to have courage and treat everyone kindly. A chance encounter in the forest turns her life around and even the meddling of her wicked stepmother cannot stop her destiny. James portrays an endearing innocent and kind Cinderella. Blanchett played the gorgeously attired and mean-to-the-core evil stepmother so well that I actually hated her more than the original. She redefined evil for Disney, with her character being the biggest and worst villain on film. It is a Disney flick so it has the requisite make you cry, then make you giggle hysterical scenes and lots of homage to other princesses. If you pay attention during the ballroom dance scene, you will notice many of the dresses are designed on the dresses of various Disney princesses. You can spot Belle, Tiana, Aurora, Snow White, Mulan and Ariel. This film marks Kenneth Branagh’s first collaboration with Walt Disney Pictures. Branagh also directed Thor (2011), which was distributed by Paramount Pictures, but subsequently re-branded as a Disney film. This fantasy romance for adolescents doesn’t mix well with Branagh’s Shakespearean-minded aesthetic, which insists upon heavier themes and more mature visuals than what Disney generally leans toward. It’s almost as strange a pairing as Tim Burton and Disney for Alice in Wonderland. Here, grotesquely happy frolics in sunny fields shift into tear- jerking deaths of loved ones. Leading to merciless enslavement and the dour responsibilities of arranged marriages. Some of the heartfelt drama is definitely poignant, but it weighs unevenly on the gooey romance. However. the biggest strengths of this movie are the special effects, costumes, and makeup. Cinderella is filled to the brim with fireworks, scenery, and magical spells of light that will make you feel you are in Disneyworld. While the effects pulled me in, the costumes and makeup were what kept me impressed. The beautiful gowns and dresses were crafted to match the personalities of our characters in both color and flare factor. It is a fairytale retold in a strange and wonderful way. It is worth watching on the big screen. Teri Bayus can be reached at: [email protected] or follow her writings and ramblings at: www. teribayus.com. Bayus also the hosts, Taste Buds, a moving picture rendition of her reviews shown on Charter Cable Ch. 10. Dinner and a Movie is a regular feature of Tolosa Press. News Coast News • April 2 - 15, 2015 AG Man Arrested for Morro Bay Burglaries M orro Bay police have charged an Arroyo Grande man in two recent Downtown burglaries — one of which was a locksmith’s shop. At about 9:15 p.m. Monday, March 16, MBPD said Arroyo Grande police arrested their suspect in the burglaries — at Village Dry Cleaners on Feb.2 and Pacific Locksmiths on Jan. 15. Both businesses are in the Morro Bay Boulevard corridor about a block away from each other. MBPD had gotten an arrest warrant for Robert Michael Cruce, 37 of Arroyo Grande and AGPD picked him up on the 16th — a charge of resisting arrest was added to the warrant, presumably by AGPD. In his mugshot from County Jail, Cruce’s face appears bloodied. “The investigation into these two • Pismo Pays Down Pension Liability T burglaries,” Cmdr. Bryan Millard said, “led to the recovery of stolen property, which connected Cruce to both cases. A d d i t i o n a l l y, Cruce is suspected of forging commercial checks at local retailers that were reported stolen as part of those thefts.” Cruse awaits arraignment. Cmdr. Millard said the DA’s Office is contemplating additional charges in the cases. Millard added, “The Morro Bay Police Department wants to thank the Arroyo Grande Police Department for their partnership in capturing this fugitive, and preventing further crimes in our communities.” at this time. he Pismo Beach City Council voted unanimously in favor of a $1 million payment to reduce the city’s unfunded pension liability costs. The payment reduces the city’s unfunded pension costs by an estimated $670 thousand and reduces the annual ongoing contribution of approximately $200 per year to CalPERS starting in fiscal year 201819. In January of 2014, the council established a debt/pension reduction reserve of $1 million from its general fund. City staff evaluated options on how to use this $1 million to maximize savings and reduce ongoing costs. Based on that analysis, the council approved a payment of $1 million to CalPERS to generate the most savings and reduce the City’s unfunded pension liability. “We are fortunate that we are in this position to pay down this unfunded liability,” said Mayor Shelly Higginbotham. “Although our revenues have improved, we have kept our costs down, set aside reserves for "Moving business locations is an opportunity to re-brand and re-tool. We're thankful to have PRP for all our printed marketing needs. They are going to make this blank slate of a building come to life!" a rainy day and for these opportunities to reduce our debt. The early payment will save the city hundreds of thousands of dollars – money that can be put back into the community.” The City of Pismo Beach provides retirement benefits for full-time employees through CalPERS. The unfunded liability is the difference between the estimated cost to pay retirement obligations and the market value of the assets currently set aside to fund them. The savings to the City of paying down the $1 million early is the difference between the savings in the annual payment to CalPERS compared to the earnings the city could make if it invested the $1 million in the market. The interest rate on the unfunded pension liability is 7.5 percent over 11 years. As the city makes payments to reduce the unfunded liability, future contributions otherwise paid to CalPERS would decrease by about $200 thousand per year for 7 years, beginning in fiscal year 2018-19. se? o Itchy N y ff Power! Eyes? Stu eed em You n r energy use uce you d e r d Impr ality an ove your home's air qu Michael & Paden Hughes Owners of Gymnazo Utility incentives exceeding $6,500 Low interest, unsecured loans FREE home energy consultation Qualified contractors W Upgrade Today! email info@ prpco.com 805.543.6844 call click www.prpco.com 37 Website: emPowerSBC.org Phone: (805) 781-5982 Email: [email protected] This Program is funded by California utility ratepayers and administered by Southern California Gas Company, Southern California Edison Company and Pacific Gas & Electric under the auspices of the California Public Utilities Commission. 38 • Community April 2 - 15, 2015 • Coast News Civil War Takes over Judkins Story and Photos by Theresa-Marie Wilson B attle weary Union soldiers from the 36th Ohio Infantry 2nd Brigade Kanawha Division recently set up camp in Pismo Beach to hear President Abraham Lincoln give his famous Gettysburg Address. The soldiers were part of the 8th grade social studies class at Judkins Middle School that took part in the 10th Civil War Reenactment. “The purpose of this activity is for them to get a little idea of what it was like to be a Union solider in the Civil War,” said teacher Terry Handy who started the overnight camp tradition. “The advantage is that kids can touch things. This is middle school, they need to be up and moving and not just listening. They can learn different aspects of the war. It is an activity that kids really enjoy because they get to do things.” The lesson plan included presentations by visiting historians who talked about daily camp life for a solider, slavery, period women’s fashion, and abolitionism as well as a black smith who shoed a horse The experience allowed students to explore the past outside of the classroom. “It’s more realistic,” said solider Brett Corr. “It is one thing to read directions about how a horse is shoed, but you have to create your own pictures. Here you see it in action and know that it doesn’t hurt the horse.” Student Sgt. Maj. Lizzie Osburn, whose group had just listened to a BUY 1 Breakfast or Lunch GET 1 FREE!! Regular menu only, of equal or lesser value. With 2 beverage purchase. Dine in only. Not valid on senior meals or with other discount offers. presentation about daily life as a solider, said students would walk away with more information than they might have learned in a textbook. At least 618,000 American soldiers died during the Civil War, more than half from disease rather than battle. “They (students) will learn about how many people died,” Osburn said. “I know they know how many, but I don’t think they actually know how big of a tragedy it was and how it effected history.” Living-history actors portrayed African American women whose efforts were a significant part of Civil War times. Leading abolitionist Harriet Tubman, who escaped from slavery s ’ l r i G and led hundreds to freedom through the Underground Railroad, and Elizabeth Keckley, a former slave who became Mary Todd Lincoln’s personal seamstress, shared stories and brought history to life. “I didn’t know a lot of the things that they told me,” said solider Mark Digirolamo. “I learned that Harriet Tubman never knew how old she was when she first ran away, She later found out that she was only 5-years old or such. Elizabeth Keckley’s son looked white and was allowed to join the Army as a white man. He died when he was 18.” Students also participated in campfire activities, music and a Civil War Ball and Morro Bay Transit Call-A-Ride The All Sea t an r u a t s e R 7 Days a Week • 7am–2pm RATED PG t s $8 Cate B lanche Cinderette, Lily James lla 4:15PM & 7PM Your Local Theatre Curb to Curb Transit for Everyone Let Morro Bay Transit do the driving so you don’t have to. Monday–Friday 6:25am–6:45pm Saturday 8:25am–4:25pm Call 772-2744 between 8–10am to schedule a ride Avenue •AArroyo Grande • 805-473-1069 OPENand 7 DAYS WEEK! 7am–2:30pm 1237 Grand Avenue, Arroyo Grande 805-473-1069 Social. The later spread mixed emotions across the male troops. Digirolamo offered and unconvincing, “I guess,” when asked if he was looking forward to learning some old-time dance steps. Corr had a different outlook. “I’m going to dance, I ain’t no chicken,” he said. After revelry on Saturday morning, the student soldiers marched in formation to Price Historical Park, where they were served rations of coffee, dried beef, and packages of hardtack, an unleavened hard bread that was a staple of the Civil War diet. morrobaymovie.com 464 Morro Bay Blvd Call 772-2444 for times morro-bay.ca.us/transit Community Coast News • April 2 - 15, 2015 • 39 Early Easter Photos by Evanne Mingori -'( %&# )* .) #('. “My hand and neck pain has decreased considerably. The exercises in therapy and practiced at home are helping me improve my posture and body mechanics. ‘Hands-on’ therapy and low level lasers are very helpful.” –Barbara, SLO ##*&$".&+( ''& %*$%*%&, $$$" !#$"#! % &%*(.**# &(% he Avila Beach Civic %+ ) )'& A ssociation !&(%)+(%'* and the San Luis Yacht Club held their annual Easter Festival last Saturday where kids dyed eggs, did crafts and hunted for treats. T T he Easter Bunny arrived a little early in Avila. The Avila Beach Civic Association and the San Luis Yacht Club held their annual Easter Festival last Saturday where kids dyed eggs, did crafts and hunted for treats. #% # .) #(' )*,%( ()-'( % Whiplash injuries Sinus and tension headaches Post-concussion syndrome Temporomandibular joint disorders (TMJ) Vertigo and labrynthitis Fibromyalgia Chronic pain and fatigue Sports performance Balance enhancement (805) 776 3002 LAUREN PREWITT, D.O., INC. traditional osteopathy 1495 Palm Street, SLO | www.drlaurenprewitt.com 40 • Sports April 2 - 15, 2015 • Coast News Colin Cowherd Jim Rome Dan Patrick Scott Van Pelt Mike & Mike Sports Shorts AMERICA’S BEST SPORTS TALK LINEUP By Michael Elliott B aby Steps. Well, the Cal Poly Baseball Team is trying to inch its way back into respectability and had a fine road trip up in Corvallis, Ore., recently. The Mustangs took two of three from the nationallyranked Beavers and had a shot at a sweep before OSU came from behind to secure the game three win, 4-2. Cal Poly went into the series with a 7-14 overall record. The two outstanding victories against one of the perennial national championship contenders should provide a ray of hope to a Mustang team that had high hopes going into the season. It was particularly nice to see ace right-hander, Casey Bloomquist, spin a complete-game four hitter in game one of the series. Bloomquist was nothing short of brilliant last year, but has had a few rocky outings to date this year. Hopefully, these two baby steps taken in Oregon will right the ship and Cal Poly will steer into the clear for a successful second half of the season. Four on the floor. Nope. Not a racing paragraph. Sorry gearheads! This four-on-the-floor shall be locking heads come Saturday as the NCAA Basketball Tournament has now alighted in Indianapolis with but four teams remaining from the starting field of 68. Stalwarts Kentucky and Duke will duel and mini-stalwarts Wisconsin and Michigan State, respectively, as they lead up to Monday night’s tilt to decide the champion. Overall No. 1 seed Kentucky seems to bring its plethora of high school AllAmericans at you in droves! They lock you down defensively and possess an inside-out offense that can either take it to the hoop or cut your heart out with the 3-pointer. Duke has one of the premier big men in the nation in Jahlil Okafor. He is a banger with finesse. Their small forwards and pesky guards disrupt an opponent’s flow and are sharpshooters to boot. Wisconsin is the veteran team with poise and patience. They like to swing the ball around on offense and take their time in order to get the best look at the basket. True veterans! And Michigan State is all nuts ‘n’ bolts, with tough interior defense, bruising rebounders, and non-descript offense with no real star. They just gut it out to the end. So who cuts down the nets after Monday’s finale? The wise guys like Kentucky. Wisconsin’s band of brothers should give Kentucky one heck of a run in their semi-final. The team most adept at hitting its threes should advance. Michigan State is hoping for a street brawl with the Blue Devils, and they’ll probably get one! Whomever wins the battle of the boards should prevail. Hey, what do the wise guys know anyway? I know I’m certainly not one of them. Kentucky cuts the nets. Nightmares. Switched from CBS to TBS and there they were. Switched from TBS to TNT and there they were. Switched from TNT to TruTV and there they were AGAIN! Charles Barkley, Samuel L. Jackson, Spike Lee and Rob Lowe have taken up permanent residence in my head every night as I fall asleep since the basketball tournament began. Charlie, Sammy and Spike are trying to entice me into purchasing yet another credit card, while Robbie is doing his best to coerce me into signing up for a different television system. It’s gotten so bad that I have begun predicting just whose commercial I am going to see upon the switch of the channels — 80 percent success rate, thank you! It’s gotten so bad that I’ve been imagining seeing their nose hairs and moles and crazy stuff like that after being inundated continuously with those darn commercials. Come Monday night about 8:30, I’ll be throwing up my hands ala Roberto Duran — “No mas! No mas!” Responses? Submittals? Contact Michael Elliott at: sportsshorts8@ gmail.com. Sports Shorts is a regular feature of Tolosa Press. BUZZ + CUT Offering Our Deluxe Cut 30 Minute Haircut | Hot Towel | Razor Neck Shave Comfortable & Welcoming Flat Screen TVs | Leather Couches | Beer Walk-Ins Welcome or Visit us online for a full list of services and convenient booking MODERN HAIRCUTS FOR MEN & WOmen www.clippersbarber.com | 805-783-CUTS (2887) | 1351 Monterey, SLO Sports Coast News • April 2 - 15, 2015 Sports Snapshot By RAPhotos.com T he Arroyo Grande High School Varsity Track teams were victorious over Paso Robles last week. The Eagle boys won 88-50 and the girls ended the meet at 8848. Standout performances included Jamie Walsh (pictured) winning the high jump with a 5’3 leap and JuJu Fuller (pictured) taking the pole vault competition at 10’. • 41 42 • April 2 - 15, 2015 • Tolosa Press When was the last time you were inspired? Bottom Line By Michael Gunther I believe we can have a propensity to look at what isn’t working or what problem needs to be solved in our work and, sometimes, our personal life. I hear business owners often discussing the issues or problems with their teams or organization. I too, at times, find myself distracted — evaluating where my life and my business are, and frustrated they are not where I want them to be against my goals. Is it human nature to be constantly assessing and judging the situations we are in to determine their relevance to our perceived ideal reality? You may be wondering, “What’s this have to do with being inspired?” I believe we have the ability to shift what we choose to focus on within our businesses and lives. By doing so, you may be surprised at what you find. When was the last time you identified all the things your team is doing well and was inspired by their actions? Have you taken a moment to assess the evolution in your own life in order to appreciate your own progress? As leaders, our jobs can be tough. We are expected to stay calm in a storm, keep a steady course, always be positive and support our teams even when we might not be up for the challenge. We are only human after all. I have recently discovered that by attempting to identify something to be inspired by every day, it has begun to shift my thinking, as well as my satisfaction in my personal and professional lives. I’ll bet that if you truly tried every day to find something your team does that inspires you, you will find it. It might be the way they handled a situation or jumped in to help a team member in need. As a leader, you can only inspire others to follow you and your vision if you are inspired yourself. It is your responsibility to keep yourself focused on your team and assist them. Don’t just problem-solve, but build their strengths that will inspire you and them. Furniture and Décor for the Home Refresh Sale Our biggest sale ever continues! We are spring cleaning. Willis & Bennett is making room for our new selection of one-of-a-kind furniture and home accessories. Don’t miss out – stop by today as markdowns continue to increase. 134 E. Branch St., Arroyo Grande, CA 93420 805-474-6300 What are you doing to find new knowledge or stories to generate excitement or passion for what you are doing; or goals that you are trying to achieve? The Internet is full of inspirational videos, quotes and stories. How about trying to find one, every day that impacts and inspires you? I have found reading topics that interest me, for example business, psychology and people development, consistently provides a new level of understanding, as well as inspiration. It could be the little things, such as having coffee on your porch, watching the sun transition throughout the day creating different hues across the landscape, or just being with your loved ones. Once again, it is your responsibility as leader to continue to explore new approaches and ideas to keep yourself relevant. Bottom Line If you’re not inspired, your team will not be inspired. Begin by assessing what types of conversations you are having with your team. Are they issues and problem focused or solution and inspiration focused? You might be surprised. Lastly, keep yourself inspired by finding something daily that will elevate you and your passions to keep you relevant and driven towards your goals. Be inspired. This is another article in a series on Michael’s entrepreneurial story and how being raised in a large family, and his belief in creating a growth company with a work-to-live mentality, has influenced his career. To read the previous articles in this series, see his blog at: www.Collaboration-llc.com. Gunther is founder and president of Collaboration, LLC, a team of highly skilled business professionals who are dedicated to assisting proactive business owners to build profitable, sustainable businesses through results-oriented education and consulting services. Learn more at: www.Collaboration-llc.com. Gunther’s column is a regular feature of Tolosa Press. Tolosa Press • April 2 - 15, 2015 • 43 What’s Going On in the Wonderful World of HR? Only Human By Betsey Nash, SPHR F ive years ago, when the Affordable Care Act (ACA) was implemented, Connie Framberger and I made a detailed, informative and entertaining presentation to the Human Resources Association of the Central Coast (HRCC), and I think we pulled it off gracefully. I proudly use the term “gracefully,” because my friend of 35 years, a recognized leader in employee insurance benefits coverage and an ACA certified provider, and I do not exactly see eye-to-eye on the subject. Five years ago I was pretty informed: Pre-existing conditions that limited coverage for kids were gone, adult children were now covered under their parent’s plan, there was more oversight on withdrawal of coverage after the fact, no more lifetime limits, preventive care was now free — the ACA started rolling out changes that made it easier for people to get coverage. Yeah, I knew a lot back then, but today, not so much. There have been too many variables for businesses that insure their employees and too many delays and extended deadlines for me to track. The cool calendar and spreadsheet I made up back then to track new programs’ effective dates is worthless now. What to do? Attend the April 14 meeting of the HRCC to hear an update from another ACA expert, Dave Morgan of Morris & Garritano. Dave will discuss ACA compliance, preview coming changes and responsibilities for both large and small groups. If you, like me, need to be sure you’re still on the right track, reserve a spot online at: www.hrcentralcoast.org. Equitable benefits: The Family Medical Leave Act now recognizes same-sex spouses as, well, spouses, Betsey Nash, SPHR, a long-time human resources professional, is taking her sister’s advice and will leave the word “moron” out of her future columns. She can be reached at: [email protected]. Only Human is a regular feature of Tolosa Press. Need Support for DEPRESSION? You’re Welcome Here... and allows them to take baby-bonding, family care, and other leaves. Since not every state recognizes same-sex marriages, the feds have determined that if you were legally married anywhere in the U.S., your union is recognized for purposes of the leave rights. Those include not losing your job because you have to take care of a sick spouse or bond with your baby. California has recognized registered domestic partnerships as meeting the definition of “spouse” for some time, but since not all California family-rights leaves run concurrently with the FMLA, there has been a sometimes confusing, layer of leaves that should now be much simpler to navigate. Of course, you can’t buy your wedding cake in Indiana. Now that, The Office, is off the air, I rarely get to see employment scenarios on TV. But last Sunday’s The Good Wife was a terrifying exception. The law office’s email system was hacked and months of emails were leaked to the public. And lest you think lawyers should know better, the emails were full of unfiltered name-calling and even descriptions of sexual acts between employees, some of which never occurred. Fights broke out and relationships were forever wrecked. So here’s my last nugget of news — Email is forever! The delete button is a lie. Or, as my sister says, “Just be nice.” Finally, on the “equitable pay” front, The Onion recently wrote about a company that has solved its pay inequity problem by also paying men 78% of what they’re worth. So now the women can’t complain that they’re being discriminated against. ([FOXGHV 5DFN 8OWUD 5DFN 3HOP ,OCAL 45%3 3!4 s !- 0 /!+ 0!2+ ",6$ 0)3-/ "%!#( /3(#63 3HOPPING #ENTER Thursdays at 7 pm 11245 Los Osos Valley Rd, San Luis Obispo Call Tyler Szablowski at 540-4111 44 • April 2 - 15, 2015 • Tolosa Press Xeriscape to Conserve Water..Save Time On The Market By Nancy Puder T he term “xeriscape” comes from the Greek word “xeros,” meaning dry. Best suited for drought-prone areas, particularly in the Southwest, these basics can apply to any landscape. Xeriscapes require just a fraction of the water you’d generally use to keep your landscape lush. The fundamental element of xeriscape is water conservation. To conserve water and save money on landscape maintenance, follow these xeriscaper-approved tips. 1. Be smart about watering - Water your landscape with a drip irrigation system or soaker hoses. Both water plants at the roots, which is crucial for conservation. Be mindful of rainfall, which can lead to overwatering – you can “set it and forget it” with a rain sensor add-on. 2. Supplement the soil - The success of a xeriscape depends heavily on soil. Fortify soil with compost or manure to balance water retention, and cover with a layer of mulch (think leaves or wood chips) for added absorption. Less mulch will be needed as your xeriscape develops. 3. Draw new turf borders -Another key component of a xeriscape is smaller sections of grass, which – you guessed it – need less water to get the job done. To maintain these areas, use a reel mower to trim the blades by just a third. Taller grass acts as natural mulch, which results in decreased water usage. 4. Go native - Aside from grassy areas, most xeriscapes are home to native plants that thrive despite limited water. In drought areas, ideal plants include cacti, agave, juniper and lavender; herbs like thyme and sage and foods like sapodilla fruits or black walnuts also flourish without excessive watering. 5. Mulch - Cover the soil’s surface around plants with a mulch, such as leaves, coarse compost, pine needles, wood chips, bark or gravel. Mulch helps retain soil moisture and temperature, prevent erosion and block out competing weeds. To be effective, mulch needs to be several inches thick. There should be no areas of bare soil. 6. Irrigate - Since water conservation is the goal, avoid overwatering. Soaker hoses and dripirrigation systems offer the easiest and most efficient watering because they deliver water right to the base of the plant. This reduces moisture loss from evaporation. In general, it’s best to water deeply and less frequently. 7. Maintenance Low Maintenance does not mean no maintenance. Keeping the weeds from growing up through the mulch may need some attention. Thickening the layer of mulch will help. Grass areas should not be cut too short. Taller grass will help shade the roots and retain moisture. Be careful not to over-fertilize. With xeriscaping, an additional benefit is the extra time you will find yourself with because you won’t be spending every weekend mowing the lawn! Maybe go to the beach. Nancy Puder is a real estate broker with Nancy Puder & Associates, the premier real estate boutique company in Arroyo Grande, CA. Nancy Puder is one of the largest listing brokers on the Central Coast. Call or Text Nancy (805)7102415 with your questions anytime. She always enjoys hearing from you! 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Redman Financial Advisor 1085 Kennedy Way Morro Bay, CA 805-772-7938 Deanna Richards, AAMS® Financial Advisor 1236 LOVR, Suite J Los Osos, CA 805-534-1070 • Tolosa Press • April 2 - 15, 2015 45 Vista Lago Adventure Park Story and photos by Gareth Kelly GE Hotpoint p Crosley Whirlpool LG Kenmore STRAVAGANZA Saturday - April 4, 2015 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM Dinosaur Caves Park in Shell Beach HUNT TIMES: AGES 2-UNDER 10:00 AM AGES 3-4 10:15 AM AGES 5-6 10:40 AM AGES 7-9 11:10 AM AGES 10-12 11:40 AM Thank You Sponsors! 8 05 -772-2755 805-772-2755 935 Main Street, Morro Bay Admiral Jenn-Air Magic Chef SM PI FreezersRefrigeratorsWashers DryersRangesMicrowavesDishwashers CooktopsWall Ovens CITY OF Amana Sales – New & Reconditioned Service & Repairs On All Major Brands GE Showcase Dealer Frigidaire KitchenAid annual Serving the Central Coast for over 40 Years We Do Vent Cleaning! CAL 2560 04/14 Maytag MorroBay Appliance MORRO BAY APPLIANCE FREE! FREE! H got progressively more difficult as did each obstacle. Tires, suspended wooden blocks and wire swings challenged us more and more. By the time we got to the final course, the black diamond, we were both starting to breath a little heavier. Now approximately 50 feet above the ground the black diamond is not for the feint of heart. Luckily we made it through and were rewarded with a spectacular zip line ride from the top of the course, reaching over 30 miles per hour before hitting a state-of-the- art breaking system and safely coming to a rest on a platform 280 feet across a road and down towards, what is for now, a very dry lake bed. “We’ve been really excited with the Gareth loves adventures. Do you have an adventure you would like to see him try? Email him at gareth@ tolosapress.com O BEA C W hat weighs 230 pounds flies at over 30 miles per hour and has an enormous grin on its face? I do after finishing the last zip line at the new Vista Lago Adventure Park at Lopez Lake in Arroyo Grande. Opened in December 2014, the rope adventure course and zip lines have already been a big hit with locals and tourists alike adding to what is already a popular recreation area. “These types of zip line courses are very common in Europe,” said owner Bill Thoming. “There are 600 in France alone. We used those courses as our inspiration and after over a year and a half of planning and meetings we finally opened.” Feeling all pumped to get out the course I ‘roped’ in my friend Zeke as my man date for the day. After stepping into our harnesses we were introduced to the ‘smart snap’ our new best friend for the duration of the course. “The smart snap technology has really changed the game for rope courses,” said Thoming. “Until a few years ago people would always have to be clipped on to the wire by an actual person at every station change. With the smart snap you are free to move through the course without a guide from station to station.” The smart snap karabiner requires you to safely clip onto the new line before allowing you to disconnect from the old one, so you are always connected to the course. Up on the course we started out on the lower, easier runs. Wooden planks, hanging ropes and cargo netting stood between us and the next section. The two lower courses are approximately 20 feet above the ground. As we progressed each course response from the local community,” said manager Amy Fordyce. “Especially the park staff. It’s such a gorgeous area. People can come fish, kayak, BBQ and now zip line. We’ve had quite a lot of corporate parties. A group will go up on the course while someone barbeque. It makes for a really great business day out” Not content with a lower and upper course, over 50 exciting elements and more than 2,100 total feet of zip line for a two and a half hour experience the owners have a few new projects in the works. “We have a couple of projects I really can’t talk about as they’re top secret right now but I can tell you about our new free fall section,” said Thoming. “People will be able to jump and free fall from about 40 feet in the air before being caught by a technologically advanced quick jump system.” With arms burning and adrenaline flowing, my man date and I stepped out of our equipment and went off in search of a cool glass of local chardonnay. With courses for the kids and the kid within us all as well as different packages for unlimited access, unlimited zipping and fun for all ages Vista Lago is a perfect addition to an area filled with adventure seekers. To find out more about Vista Lago or to book your next adventure visit them online at www.vistalagoadventurepark. com For more information contact the City of Pismo Beach Recreation Department at 773-7063 or visit: www.pismobeach.org 46 • April 2 - 15, 2015 • Tolosa Press THE UNITED WAY YOUTH BOARD PRESENTS A Write a 500 word essay describing what it means to LIVE UNITED for a chance to win a MacSuperstore giftcard and meet best selling author Max Brooks at a VIP party! Open to all SLO County Junior High and High School students. Enter by March 25, 2015 View the entire prompt and submit your essay online at www.unitedwayslo.org. James A. Forester, DDS Diplomate of the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry Healthy smiles, happy kids! UÊ-«iV>â}ÊÊÀÕÌiÊEÊÃÌ>ÌivÌ i>ÀÌÊ `iÌ>ÊV>ÀiÊvÀÊV `ÀiÊ>}iÃÊä£n UÊ*ÀÛ`}Ê«iÀÃ>âi`ÊV>ÀiÊEÊ>ÌÌiÌÊ ÌÊi>V ÊV `½ÃÊii`à UÊ>iÃÊ°ÊÀiÃÌiÀ]Ê-ÊÃÊÌ iÊÞÊ L>À`ViÀÌwi`Ê«i`>ÌÀVÊ`iÌÃÌÊ «À>VÌV}ÊÊ-" UÊ ÛiiÌÞÊV>Ìi`ÊÊ-"ÊÊ >vÀ>ÊÛ`]ÊÕÃÌÊvvÊ} Ü>ÞÊ£ä£ UÊ iVÊÕÌÊÕÀÊÀiÛiÜÃÊiÊ>`ÊÊ Ì iÊ >ÃÌ>Ê*i`>ÌÀVÊiÌÃÌÀÞÊv>Þt Because every child should love going to the dentist! ÈÓäÊ >vÀ>ÊÛ`]Ê-ÕÌiÊ ->ÊÕÃÊ"LëÊUÊ(805) 592-2020 ÜÜÜ°V>ÃÌ>«i`>ÌÀV`iÌÃÌÀÞ°iÌ Coach Potato Moves; New Docs in Town; and Arts Chief Hired Business News and Announcements Compiled by Camas Frank The Couch Potato furniture store has moved! First Choice Physician Partners The 2015 WiVi Central Coast Wine Industry Conference & Tradeshow garnered more exhibitors and increased attendees by a third over last year’s figures. Organizers said 1,500 attended the 2-day conference with 180 vendor booths, making 2015 the most successful year for the organization. “We saw more vintners, growers, business managers, enologists 7th Annual “Have A Heart” campaign. and hospitality managers than ever before,” said WiVi Director, Becky Robles, Atascadero, and San Luis Zelinski. “The word is out that WiVi Obispo to show their commitment is the place to meet with preferred to end hunger. The 2015 Have A vendors, gain insight on relevant Heart fundraiser generated $15, 959 topics, and network with peers all from paper heart sales. The Food Bank is able to provide $10 worth of in our backyard.” Adjunct to the conference, the WiVi food for every $1 donated, making Tradeshow featured every industry- the total donation of $17,500 worth related vendor from cork-makers some $175,000. and bottling machines to solar energy and point of sale software Angela Juliano Tahti has been developers. For more information named executive director of the about WiVi Central Coast Industry County Arts Council (ARTS Obispo) Conference & Tradeshow, see: effective April 1. Tahti comes from WiViCentralCoast.com. Placer County, where she served as executive director of Placer Arts. During February, Food 4 Less She was selected unanimously by grocery stores in San Luis Obispo the ARTS Obispo board because County and the Food Bank of her, “ability to build coalitions Coalition of San Luis Obispo and consensus, manage projects, County collaborated for the 7th lead communications and serve as Annual “Have A Heart” campaign. a passionate advocate for all of the Community members purchased arts. “ Tahti succeeds Jenna Hartzell, pink paper hearts at the check who worked with ARTS Obispo for stands of Food 4 Less stores in Paso five years, first as program manager, then as executive director. The Couch Potato furniture store has moved to 595 Marsh St., in Downtown SLO. Couch Potato’s owners offer displays and furnishings to, “Help you to spur your imagination” and offer advice and service even without a purchase. For more information see: www.couchpotatoslo. com. The SLO Downtown A s s o c i a t i o n recently awarded honors to two dozen businesses at its 26th Annual Beautification Awards Breakfast. The awards are given to businesses that made physical or aesthetic improvements toward “keeping Downtown beautiful” in the 2014 calendar year. The Downtown Association Design Committee oversaw the process from selecting the candidates to presenting the awards in categories including Tenant Improvements, Maintenance, Merchandising and several special awards. Express Checkout, creators of a not-yet-released smartphone app need help testing out their product. The app is designed for “inperson shopping where you scan as you shop and checkout faster,” explained William Hogben. “We’ve been checking out the same way since the introduction of barcodes Tolosa Press • April 2 - 15, 2015 in the 70’s and it’s 2015.” Locals who’d like to be early testers are being asked to come try the app and give their feedback, while being paid $25 for the test. The tests take place in Pismo Beach at the Pismo Coast Shopping Plaza starting this week and sporadically over the next month. For information email to: [email protected]. Harris Personal Injury Lawyers, a San Luis Obispo law firm, has announced the opening of its online scholarship applications, which will award $1,000 to a student who wants to start or continue their college education in spite of having suffered a serious injury. The company decided to offer the scholarship, “in order to encourage students to continue pursuing higher education, even in the aftermath of challenging obstacles such as serious injuries or accidents.“ “We know the recovery process can be difficult, so we’re always trying to find ways to ease that transition.” said Managing Attorney Ryan Harris. For more information about Harris Personal Injury Lawyers, call 544-0100 or email to: jared@ harrispersonalinjury.com. The San Luis Obispo County Farmers’ Market Association has debuted a new logo and website. Association president Peter Jankay and the board of directors believe the new artwork and website will, “position the market for increased visibility and traffic by implementing consistent branding.” Local farmers’ market sales have increased over the past several years, despite recent studies showing a nationwide decline in Farmers’ Market sales. See the website redesign at: www.SLOCountyFarmers. org. The Facebook page can be seen at: www.Facebook.com/ SLOCountyFarmersMarket. The SLO Chamber welcomed new member, First Choice Physician Partners, with a ribbon cutting ceremony last month. First Choice Physician Partners is a non-profit medical foundation affiliated with Tenet California. For more information see: www. firstchoicedocs.com. Drs. Heidi Freeman and Heidi Sungurlu cut the ribbon. SLO marketing firm, Verdin Marketing, has been chosen as the new public relations contractor for the Atascadero Tourism Business Improvement District. The Atascadero City Council approved the contract on March 10. Established in 2013, the tourism district is designed to increase the number of out-of-towners who visit and book overnight trips in the city. Verdin will focus on increasing the number of overnight stays, which drives Atascadero’s transient occupancy tax revenues on hotel stays. The San Luis Obispo Blues have entered into a partnership with Home Depot for the 2015 season. The sponsorship agreement is designed to “give a facelift to the ball park.” Home Depot will be providing the Blues with the paint and tools needed to, “keep Sinsheimer Stadium the crown jewel of the California Collegiate League.” The first project is to get the outfield fence painted. Then paint the first and third baseline fences, dugouts, and the backstop. • All of this will be done in time to officially kick off the season at home on May 22 against the San Francisco Seals. Send business briefs for consideration to: reporter@ tolosapress.com. Loyalty Should Be Rewarded! Text the correct key word to 56955 or visit 805Loyal.com & receive AMAZING REWARDS from your favorite local brands! 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