SLO Council Overrides Airport Commission
Volume 9 • Issue 13 • December 18 - 24, 2014 YOUR COMMUNITY IN YOUR HANDS Cal Poly President Jeffrey Armstrong joins the crowd, taking a “selfie” with his engineering school peeps during one of three ceremonies held Saturday for the Cal Poly Graduating Class Fall 2014. Photo by Jay Thompson with more, and info, on page 36. Poly Mourns Death of ‘Momma Karen’ SLO Council Overrides Airport Commission By Camas Frank W orkers and frequent dinners at Cal Poly’s Sage Restaurant and the VG Café have been processing the shock since Nov. 30, following the death of a beloved colleague and friend, Sage Restaurant supervisor, Karen May. May died at 57, after a brief time on life support following a heart attack. Her sudden passing left an extended network of current Cal Poly employees, former students, and co-workers, along with her family in mourning for a woman whose nurturing instincts and kindness made her a community treasure. That’s why, said her youngest child Sagan Stephens, they very much want her remembered in death, as she was known in life. “She has four children — Adam, Joel, Maren and me,” Stephens said, “also followed by six grandchildren. But it was obvious [that she had] thousands of adopted kids.” Stephens noted that Cal Poly told the family that grief counselors had been brought in, as several of May’s workmates found it too difficult to return to the job. “They also informed us that they have already ordered over 300 rubber bracelets that See Death, page 5 By Camas Frank A decision made Dec. 9 was more than two years in the making; one that caused a public squabble amongst SLO City Council members; exposed deep disagreements over future growth of the City; and became a lightning rod for developers and anti-development activists alike. The SLO City Council voted 4-1, with rookie Councilman Dan Rivoire casting the swing vote, to override the Airport Land Use Commission, which had imposed restrictions on development on the City’s southern border near the County Airport. While the public comment period was set to end before the Tuesday night continuation of an earlier hearing, people from neighborhoods in the airport’s flight path got up to speak, as did representatives from the airport commission and developers. The battle lines were drawn for the vote though, as council members had made their positions clear in previous 3-2 vote, with now ex-councilwoman Kathy Smith and Councilman Dan Carpenter opposed. The override needs a four-fifths vote to pass. Sworn in at the beginning of Decmber, Rivoire asked See Airport, page 34 Give Santa A Call Barn Storming Boo Boo Turns 40 Rain Eases Burn Concern Transit Outreach Starts Now page 3 page 5 page 6 page 33 page 35 2 • December 18 - 24, 2014 • SLO City News Table of Contents Police Blotter ......................... 7 Dinner and a Movie ..............32 Bret Colhouer publisher [email protected] Neil Farrell managing editor The Bay News [email protected] Santa Calls in Local Elves ............... 3 Lifestyle ................................... 13-14 Five DUIs in Latest Checkpoint ........ 4 Holiday Guide .........................15-26 Barn Lighting ................................. 5 805 Sound ..............................27-30 Boo Boo Records Turns 40 .............. 6 Entertainment ...............................31 Camas Frank section editor SLO City News [email protected] Sports Snapshot ............................. 8 SLO Burns Allowed ...................... 33 Paul Winninghoff sports reporter [email protected] Coastal Culture .............................. 9 Sheriffʼs Donate ........................... 35 Gareth Kelly business / lifestyle reporter [email protected] Community Calendar................ 10-11 Poly Cuts Loose ............................ 36 Michelle Johnson art director King Harris ...................................12 In The Black .............................37-39 Christy Serpa editorial design Theresa-Marie Wilson managing editor The Coast News [email protected] Kathrene Tiffin copy editor Kaila Lugo administrative assistant ADVERTISING Dave Diaz internet, text & loyalty marketing Dana McGraw sales manager [email protected] 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. s ’ l r i G The ant r u a t s e R 7 Days a Week • 7am–2pm Avenue •AArroyo Grande • 805-473-1069 OPENand 7 DAYS WEEK! 7am–2:30pm 1237 Grand Avenue, Arroyo Grande 805-473-1069 Zorina Ricci senior advertising executive SEO specialist [email protected] Carrie Vickerman [email protected] CONTRIBUTING WRITERS & PHOTOGRAPHERS Teri Bayus Michael Gunther King Harris Vivian Krug Evanne Mingori Betsey Nash SLO Nightwriters Ray Ambler Ruth Anne Angus Amy Joseph Carrie Jaymes Erin O’Donnell This is a publication of Tolosa Press, Inc., Copyright 2007–2013 all rights reserved. One free copy per person. Additional copies can be obtained at our offices 615 Clarion Court, #2, San Luis Obispo, CA, 93401. Tolosa Press makes every reasonable effort to ensure the accuracy of its contents. Please notify us if information is incorrect. phone (805) 543-6397 fax (805) 543-3698 615 Clarion Ct., #2, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401 www.tolosapress.com Call 543-NEWS SLO City News • December 18 - 24, 2014 • 3 COMMUNITY Santa Calls in Local ‘Elves’ By Camas Frank Santa in the SLO Mission Plaza. Photo by Erin O’Donnell T he folks over at San Luis Obispo based Advantage Answering plus are continuing a very important holiday tradition, once again keeping a line open for Kris Kringle to hear from all the good girls and boys. It’s been eight Christmases, explains Debbie Imes, Advantage’s Director of Business Success, since Santa got in touch with the company, looking for a way to help sort out all the messages he receives this time of year. Although he relies on a lot of magic to keep his old fashioned transportation methods going, St. Nick wasn’t opposed to keeping up with the times for communication. “We suggested one of our voicemail hotlines,” said Imes, noting that if kids call between now and December 26, Santa will get their personal message. Everyone is invited to call (805) 546-1121 where they’ll hear a recorded update from Santa’s North Pole abode and be given the chance to leave him a message after the beep. In announcing the hotline’s return this year, Advantage Answering included a note from Santa , “With so many good boys and girls on the nice list this year, I’ve been especially busy reading thousands of letters and emails.” To keep up with an increase in presents and production in the workshop, they note, Santa and the elves have been working around the clock and poor Santa’s hardly found time to sit back and enjoy some of Mrs. Claus’s famous cookies. Being a family run and family friendly company, Advantage Answering has been helping Santa out free of charge and deputizing some of their staff as temporary elves during December. Of course that means that sometimes they need to hear the messages too. That’s so they can help parents to receive a free copy of their child’s holiday message by emailing [email protected]. Of course all the good boys and girls will ask Mom and Dad before using the phone, so if parents email and include their name and telephone number, and date of the call to Santa , the Advantage Elves will call on some of their own Christmas Magic to email back an audio file of the call. “Sometimes both Santa and the parents need us to ....render some assistance,” said Imes. “Most of the messages are just incredibly sweet. Small children don’t always ask for anything, they just want to say ‘Hi’ to Santa and wish him a Merry Christmas too.” “We have the date and time of the calls so we can save them just in case,” she added. “Children don’t always leave their full name for Santa.” On occasion parents and siblings have called Santa as well to report on the activities of some of their less well behaved children or tattle on a little brother. “In that case the Mom called back to let Santa know it was O.K. to put them back on the Nice-list after they cleaned their rooms,” explained Imes, although as for the brothers and sisters looking to get even, well Santa is pretty good at keeping track on his own. There’s no reason that children from all over the world can’t use the hotline to get a hold of Santa, but it’s probably best that parent’s check if they’ll be charged for dialing (805) 546-1121 from their long distance carriers. “I am looking forward to the best Christmas Season EVER and am excited to hear from all the children on the Central Coast,” said Santa in the announcement. “Be sure to get permission before calling, and have a Merry Christmas, Ho, Ho, Ho!” ✤ LOOKING FOR AN INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITY? I have just the STOCKING STUFFER for you! Complete Painting Services 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 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 4 • December 18 - 24, 2014 • SLO City News Five DUIs in Latest Checkpoint COMMUNITY Death, from page 1 say, ‘Karen May - I Love You More.’ If you knew my mom, that was her phrase, ‘I love you more.’ It’s incredible the amount of love she shared.” The workers at Sage nicknamed her “Momma Karen” for a variety of little gestures that made life easier and work a little less dull. In interviews with the Cal Poly newspaper the Mustang News, coworkers said she often took work clothes from the student workers home to wash herself, brought in an astonishing array of home baked goods and candies to brighten their days and personalized gifts on their birthdays. In a sign of the digital age, many of the people eager to share their feelings about May did so anonymously on the Mustang’s website including someone that gave tribute only as former Sage employee who wrote, “I just want to emphasize that she was so much more than a baker or workaholic. Karen was our ‘mom away from mom.’ She made work feel like home and turned a group of co-workers into a family. The bond that Karen made with all of her ‘kids’ at Sage far transcended the superficial relationship of boss and employee. We [all Sage’s former and current employees] feel that someone very important to our lives was taken from us unexpectedly and far too early. It will be a long grieving process for us all.” It’s that kind of sentiment that Stephens hopes to give a public outlet next month, with an open microphone at Sage following a memorial service. “We want anyone and all who loved her welcomed to come to the memorial and celebration and speak at the open mic at her celebration of life,” she said. “We would like to invite all friends and family on Sunday, Jan. 11 to the memorial service for our Mom from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. at Mountainbrook Community Church, 1775 Calle Joaquin, San Luis Obispo. Followed by a celebration of life from 3-5 p.m. at Sage Restaurant, 1 Grand Ave., Cal Poly.” For those that can’t make it, the family is planning to install a memorial T bench on campus, in front of the Student Union in honor of May. Donations can labeled “In honor of Karen May ‘Momma Karen’” and sent to: Cal Poly Foundation, Building 15, 1 Grand Ave., San Luis Obispo, CA 92407-0707. ✤ he San Luis Obispo Police Department hosted a multiagency DUI/driver’s license checkpoint operation last Friday, and at least five driver’s got DUI tickets and fines from Santa this year. The Dec. 12 checkpoint was set up in the 500 block of Higuera St., near Downtown SLO, according to a press release from SLOPD Sgt. Fred Mickel. Five drivers were arrested for DUI, out of 501 vehicles that went through the checkpoint — roughly a 1:100 ratio. Some 475 were stopped and checked. Of course four drivers were cited for no license, four got undefined traffic citations and somewhat surprisingly, none of the drivers were arrested for driving on a suspended license, also called getting “DMV’d.” The goal of the DUI checkpoint,” Sgt. Mickel said, “was removing impaired drivers and to bring awareness to the public of the dangers of driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol.” Police do get paid to man such checkpoints, usually through grants from the State and Federal governments. “The checkpoint was funded by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, [State] through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration [Federal].” ✤ Hospice caregivers who treat patients like family. We all want to give our loved ones the best, most compassionate care when it’s their time of need. Our caregivers will help them feel comfortable in their own home, whether it’s a house, an assisted living center, or a nursing facility. And we’ll offer them all the things we’d want for our loved ones, from nursing assistance to spiritual care to music therapy. Visit dignityhealth.org/centralcoast or call 800.549.9609 to learn more about how we can help. SLO City News • December 18 - 24, 2014 • 5 NEWS Barn Lighting Friday T he Seventh Annual Barn Lighting Ceremony at SLO’s historic Octagon Barn, was held last Friday, with friends and family of the Land Conservancy in attendance. This year’s honoree to throw the switch was John Wallace of The Wallace Group. Traditionally, the Land Conservancy honors individuals and organizations that have helped out the Land Conservancy in general and the Pereira Octagon Barn in particular over the previous year. Executive director of the Land Conservancy, Kaila Dettman, led the countdown and Wallace flipped the ceremonial switch to light up the barn. Photos by Christopher Gardner. ✤ Bayshore Realty Home of the Week Rare opportunity. $564,000 1280 Prestcott Dr. Morro Bay Downtown district office/business space2bath, on Main Street, 2bd., 1760 sf. Morro Bay. Bayshore B h R Realty lt Plentyremodeled of off-street parking. home Major with Newly 2bd,2bath upgrades to building. OMC 1st. additional garage conversion currently being used as den/3rd bedroom. Views $229,000 of the Pacific Ocean and Morro Rock. Call Doug 805-550-0371 Granite counters and hard wood floors www.BayshoreRealty.net makes this home a must see. Call Bayshore Realty at: 805-772-0500 www.BayshoreRealty.net MEAT THE BEGINNING OF THE PERFECT BBQ The best quality meats at the best prices. Cal Poly raised. Cal Poly processed. AC L POLY S T A E M -P USDA inspected. Vegetarian-fed, free of antibiotics and added hormones. Bldg 155 on Stenner Creek Rd. | SLO | 805-756-2114 | Open Thurs/ Fri, 12–5:30pm 6 • December 18 - 24, 2014 • SLO City News NEWS At 40 Boo Boo Records Riding Vinyl Wave Story and photos by Camas Frank James A. Forester, DDS Diplomate of the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry Healthy smiles, happy kids! t4QFDJBMJ[JOHJOSPVUJOFTUBUFPGUIFBSUEFOUBM DBSFGPSDIJMESFOBHFT t1SPWJEJOHQFSTPOBMJ[FEDBSFBUUFOUJPOUPFBDI DIJMETOFFET t+BNFT"'PSFTUFS%%4JTUIFPOMZCPBSE DFSUJåFEQFEJBUSJDEFOUJTUQSBDUJDJOHJO4-0 t*OOFUXPSLXJUINPTUNBKPSEFOUBMJOTVSBODF QMBOT t$POWFOJFOUMZMPDBUFEJO4-0PO$BMJGPSOJB#MWE KVTUPGG)JHIXBZ t4FIBCMB&TQB×PM t$IFDLPVUPVSSFWJFXTPOMJOFBOEKPJOUIF $PBTUBM1FEJBUSJD%FOUJTUSZGBNJMZ Because every child should love going to the dentist! $BMJGPSOJB#MWE4VJUF( 4BO-VJT0CJTQPt(805) 592-2020 XXXDPBTUBMQFEJBUSJDEFOUJTUSZOFU SAN LUIS COASTAL UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT ACCEPTING CITIZENS’ OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE MEMBER APPLICATIONS NOTICE is hereby given that the 6DQ /XLV &RDVWDO 8QL¿HG 6FKRRO 'LVWULFW LV DFFHSWLQJ DSSOLFDWLRQV IURP LQWHUHVWHG FLWL]HQV WR VHUYH RQ WKH 'LVWULFW¶V ,QGHSHQGHQW 2YHUVLJKW&RPPLWWHHZLWKUHVSHFW WR LWV JHQHUDO REOLJDWLRQ ERQGV DSSURYHGE\'LVWULFWYRWHUVDWWKH 1RYHPEHUHOHFWLRQNQRZQ as Measure D-14. The Committee FRQVLVWV RI VHYHQ PHPEHUV ZKLFKPHHWUHYLHZDQGUHSRUWRQ H[SHQGLWXUHV RI IXQGV WR HQVXUH PRQH\ LV XVHG RQO\ IRU YRWHU DSSURYHG SXUSRVHV ,QWHUHVWHG SHUVRQVPD\REWDLQDQDSSOLFDWLRQ IURP WKH 6XSHULQWHQGHQW¶V 2I¿FH ORFDWHG DW /L]]LH 6WUHHW 6DQ /XLV 2ELVSR &$ RU GRZQORDG WKH DSSOLFDWLRQ IURP WKH 'LVWULFW¶V website at ZZZVOFXVGRUJ. $SSOLFDWLRQV DUH GXH E\ )HEUXDU\ DW WKH RI¿FH RI WKH 6XSHULQWHQGHQW L isten up audiophiles. San Luis Obispo’s favorite record store, Boo Boo Records on Monterey Street turned 40 on Dec. 4. Long before file sharing and Pandora, there was the vinyl album. Amazingly, for Boo Boos which never stopped selling them, the 45 and 33 1/3 RPM discs came back in vogue just in time for a resurgent economy to help save the shop. Boo Boo’s owner, Mike White, has been there for almost every step of the way, witnessing the impact that the advent of new technology had on his preferred hangout; its struggle to adapt and solidification as a local icon. In recent years, he’s helped them stay in the groove, expanding the offerings to a whole slew of multimedia, not that they haven’t always adapted. After all, Bruce Springsteen once wandered in to browse on his way to San Francisco. With 10 albums on cassette tape for his travels, ‘The Boss’ issued his Nebraska album a short time later. The jury is still out on what, if any role Boo Boo played in his selection, but it’s still a fun story, one not likely to be reenacted in the iPod era. White though still sees a place for physicality in music formats. “It’s a ceremony,” he said, “the act of taking vinyl out of the sleeve and placing it on a turntable, looking through the album notes. That’s something being appreciated again. Most new albums come out with vinyl as well now.” It’s pretty hard to be the owner of a record store without that sense of aesthetic for the art. It can be done but you don’t end up celebrating as the years go by. The soul of a business is tied to mission and a sense of purpose, not to be found at big, box-marts. White and the staff at Boo Boo pride themselves on the customer service they can provide with knowledge of their products. They’re not immune to the business requirements to count shelf space versus revenue, but the decisions aren’t arbitrary. Local musicians feature prominently and occasionally have a venue to play in person. The culture they’ve established is why White and many of the staff are still there. White came to SLO in 1978 to attend Cal Poly and started shopping at Boo Boo when it was still fairly new. He later got a job there and, as so many Cal Poly students hope to do, stuck around to make a life here. He bought into the store as a partner and eventually became sole owner. At 59, and having raised two kids on the Central Coast (one’s still at SLO High), he has no plans of unplugging from the shop. With a staff of artistic, spirited individualists, including manager Malik Thorne, who sidelines as a local DJ, and Neal Losey, music director for KCBX public radio, the store has been a focal point for thousands of local music lovers, dozens of student employees who did a four or five year stint behind the counter, and a stopover for the occasional rock star on their way through town. The broad family of supporters got together on Facebook last week to celebrate the big Four-O, but the party is just getting started, as old logos are reprinted for special T-shirt runs, and plans are made for a whole year of celebrating starting in January. It would be remiss not to mention the long history of this record shop, it’s multiple locations and genesis on the Central Coast. While it may be a SLO City icon now, until very recently there were multiple locations. With details supplied by White, here are some of the highlights of four decades, as told in their official history. Boo Boo’s founding partners, Ed Taylor and Glenn Forbes, met “almost accidentally” in 1974 through the high school friendship their wives had forged. Forbes decided he wanted out of “the big city,” and retired from PacBell of Southern California. Taylor having taken a leave of absence from a teaching career in Pasadena, met Forbes in Pismo Beach. A f t e r discussing m u t u a l b u s i n e s s interests, the pair settled on San Luis Obispo County as a base of operations with a capital investment of $700 between them. They bought and sold used records and collectibles until the chance arrived to open a retail store in the then rundown railroad district and what became an “underground” record store near the intersection of Osos Street and Santa Barbara Avenue. In 1976 they opened a satellite store in Grover Beach, and later moved their SLO storefront Downtown. The Historic District has treated them so well that White says he couldn’t picture the place ever moving again. Not only is it a cornerstone of the neighborhood, the tone set by having an alternative record store on the block has made it the perfect location for a ‘Fair Trade boutique,’ the last surviving, independent paperback bookstore in SLO and, most recently, a niche coffee shop serving customers that don’t mind paying a premium for individual servings of quality grounds. In 1986, White stepped up from manager to partner in Boo Boo Records, later John Huffman was also brought on board as a partner. Following the retirement of Forbes and Taylor, the pair were sole partners for a time as Boo Boo expanded to include music in all formats and DVDs. They later added an online marketing element. In 2007, faced with a nationwide financial crisis that seriously cut into Americans’ disposable income, Boo Boos concentrated all physical marketing on its SLO location and migrated employees to Boo Boo Media, the online marketing arm of the company. In 2010, Huffman left to start his own online company, leaving White with the reigns to the steed, just as the vinyl renaissance hit college campuses and music stores alike. With some employees staying on for over 15 years, and a growing number of people coming out of the woodwork to congratulate them on their success, the store is set to ring in 41 with style. The only thing they need is more vinyl. “It’s weird,” said White, “We’ve been through the whole cycle. Right now they can’t make enough to satisfy demand. Being a ‘record’ store is our identity, even if we’ve technically sold a lot of other platforms. Music on a record still means something.” ✤ Tolosa Press • December 18 - 24, 2014 • 7 POLICE BLOTTER Arroyo Grande • Dec. 10: A shifty situation was reported behind the dumpster out back of Payless Shoes and Radio Shack. The caller said that there was a sleeping bag laid out but couldn’t tell if anyone was in it or not, however, naturally there was a large container of hooch sitting next to it. A warning was issued to good ol’ boozy. • Dec. 8: A caller on the 700 block of Dodson asked that police check the welfare of a man who seemed to be sloshed. He checked out sober. • Dec. 8: A man tried to pass off some fake money at am/pm but police couldn’t locate the wanna-be millionaire and, further, no crime was committed because he took the moo-lah with him. • Dec. 8: A caller on the 1100 block of Branch reported a panhandler following people to their cars asking for money. He or she had been kicked out of Walmart earlier. They’d buggered off before police arrived. Cambria • Deputies took a report of some swine dumping trash in the area of Main and Santa Rosa Creek Road. No word on who has to clean it up. • Dec. 11: Deputies took a report of fraud at a business in the 1200 block of Knollwood, the hazards of being in the tourism business. • Dec. 11: Deputies were called at 11:09 a.m. to the 2500 block of Wilcombe, for if you throw a raucous party in Cambria the cops will come crashing. Cayucos • Dec. 11: A citizen in the 3200 block of Ocean Blvd., reported a burglary at 3 a.m. Deputies arrived at 3:19 p.m. to take a report, for whatever that’s worth. Los Osos Dec. 10: Someone called at 3:18 a.m. to report a suspicious subject sneaking around the 300 block of LOVR. He was of course gone when deputies arrived at 3:24 p.m., shoot a dune snail could have gotten away. County Jail • Dec. 9: Sheriff’s deputies arrested someone at the County Jail, as rehabilitation needs a little work in his case. • Dec. 9: Eight little reindeer at Santa Ian’s house got early Christmas surprise visits from the County Lab. Seven more naughty little boys got tested on Dec. 10 and eight more on the 12th. Morro Bay • Dec. 13: Sheriff’s deputies were sent at 10:38 a.m. to the 400 block of Chorro Creek Rd., for a domestic disturbance. According to logs someone was arrested for alleged assault with a deadly weapon — not a firearm. According to a witness, a woman was heard screaming, and then a car went tear-assing backwards down a dirt road with the passenger door open before skidding to a stop. The woman driver ran from the car to a neighbor’s home where she reportedly hid on the porch. Following soon was a man clad in pajamas with no shoes on running down the dirt road and disappearing into the bushes. Deputies searched the area for some time and apparently caught the pajama-clad louse. • Dec. 8: Police responded at 2:19 p.m. to a disturbance in the 300 block of Atascadero Rd., and arrested a 22-yearold brute for suspicion of battery. • Dec. 9: Police took two late reports for battery in the 800 block of Morro Bay Blvd., next door to the police station. Logs indicated it was “information only,” so don’t expect much protect and serve this time. • Dec. 10: Police stopped two vehicles at 9:22 p.m. in the area of Main and Surf engaged in a “speed contest” also called racin’. Logs indicated the contest was apparently between a husband and wife (or maybe they’re siblings or how about exes?). Both were cited for speeding and released but their cars each got 30 days. • Dec. 12: Police contacted a disorderly fellow at 10:55 a.m. in the 900 block of Embarcadero and discovered he had a warrant, so off to the nick he went, for as Confucius never said, “When man have warrant, best to keep big mouth shut.” • Dec. 12: A 45-year-old man was allegedly caught helping himself to the Christmas spirits at Albertson’s without paying. Police cited and released the sticky-fingered thirsty soul. An hour later, they responded to Rite Aid for yet another theft, as Christmas brings out the worst in some folks. • Dec. 12: At 5 p.m. police responded to the 400 block of Orcas St., where a citizen said someone may have entered his or her home and “removed property without permission,” normally secret code for not saying that a relative is suspected. • Dec. 13: Police contacted a suspicious pedestrian swaggering down Harbor at Piney Way at 3 p.m. The 23-year old was deemed too schwasted for decent society and was hauled to the iron bar hotel to sleep it off. • Dec. 14: Police rolled at 11 p.m. to the 400 block of Orcas for a woman causing a scene. Logs indicated they arrested a 42-year-old hellcat for suspicion of being three sheets past a snoot full in public. Pismo Beach • Dec. 11: A caller reported a man on the 700 block of Stratford was taking pictures of a house for the third time in the past month. Another call came in from someone on Whitecap who reported what appeared to be the same guy taking pictures of a house. • Dec. 11: Police sprang into action to help with a trampoline that had blown over and was resting against a tree on the first block of La Garza. • Dec. 11: A caller at the Outlet Center reported that several people were being held up in the Ralph Lauren store by people with semi-automatic weapons. He suggested that police send an “army.” Chicken Little was detained until county mental health arrived. • Dec. 09: CHP advised a man walking on the shoulder of Highway 101 with a blanket and suitcase over his head not to do that anymore. • Dec. 09: A caller reported that his car was stolen from the California Fresh parking lot. It turned out that management had it towed behind the building to make room for farmers’ market, which is a nice way to give a guy a heart attack. Another car was also behind the building. • Dec. 9: A man wearing a cowboy hat was walking around the Shell Café pointing at employees like he had a gun. No arrest was made, as ol’ Tex was apparently not loaded. • Dec. 9: A man was reported on the 1500 block of Shell Beach Road outside of an upstairs apartment yelling at someone. It turned out that he was yelling to a friend as apparently neither of them ever heard of a phone. • Dec. 8: A man by the Shell Café was swinging a baseball bat and pointing it at employees like it was a firearm. He was advised not to swing a bat unless it was behind home plate. • Dec. 8: A woman went into the station to report that a man at the Pismo Hotel had harassed her and tried to touch her and her baby while she was breastfeeding, a possible case of sour milk. San Luis Obispo • Dec. 12: Someone called at 12:17 a.m. from Domino’s on Foothill because there was a drunken fool inside arguing with the employees. The cheesy crust was tossed into the County oven to stew a while. Then at 1:09 a.m. someone reported a McDingus inside McDonald’s cursing and making a McFool of himself. He was McGone when Chief Big Mac arrived to cook his fries. • Dec. 12: Police were called at 4:30 a.m. to the 100 block of California, where a transient man was inside a frat house acting strangely and looking like he’s fuzzucked, surprised he didn’t blend right in. • Dec. 11: Police responded at 8:19 a.m. to the 1100 block of Madonna for an ongoing problem of a drunken woman raising hell early in the morn. The 60-year-old boiled hen was hauled to the nick for being cock-a-doodled in public. • Dec. 11: Someone at Target called police because a known shoplifter, who stole a Playstation last time, just walked into the store, as he no doubt heard they were having a sale. • Dec. 11: Police and firefighters responded at 11:10 a.m. to Pacific and Nipomo where a red Honda Civic crashed into a white Honda Prelude. There were no injuries reported, as the airbags apparently didn’t go off. • Dec. 11: Police got a call at 11:53 a.m. from Santa Rosa Shell about a transient man who is having trouble keeping his pants up, and he’s not wearing any underwear. Police couldn’t find the Copertone Kid. In an unrelated call, at 12:05 p.m. there was a boozer sitting at Higuera and Madonna with a tall boy talking to himself, and no doubt he still doesn’t make any sense. • Dec. 11: A woman called police at 5:32 p.m. from Marsh and Morro who believed a group of people were selling drugs, this after she heard them talking about “grams,” no doubt because only drug dealers use the metric system. • Dec. 11: Police were called to Ralph’s on Madonna because some fruit loop dingus was out in the parking lot going up to cars and motioning as if he was slitting his own throat but apparently it was just a bluff. • Dec. 11: At 6 p.m. someone called to report a tree had fallen over and was blocking Madonna Road. It was the first of some 14 storm-related tree-down calls that came in over a short period of time. • Dec. 11: Police responded at 6:28 p.m. to the Palm Street parking garage where a woman was hit by the parking garage’s crossing arm, a case of stay away from the train tracks lady. • Dec. 11: A citizen in the 1200 block of San Mateo called at 9 p.m. to report a possible fire, or at least a suspicious glow in her neighbor’s backyard. Logs indicated there was no fire, the pouring rain no doubt having seen to that. • Dec. 11: A citizen at Tank Farm and Hollyhock asked police to come check if there were transients camping under a bridge, which in a raging storm is about as cold as it gets. • Dec. 11: Police responded at 11:38 a.m. to Mo Tav in the 700 block of Higuera where a stupid drunken man hopped over the bar, broke into the office and damaged a computer. The schwasted vandal was hauled to the nick and will no doubt make Judge Santa’s naughty list. • Dec. 11: Police were called at 2 a.m. to Marsh and Chorro where three punks were harassing a drunken man and stealing his stuff. The cowards ran off before police could even the score. • Dec. 10: Police responded at 10 a.m. to Mitchell Park for a report of some Boris sitting on a bench with a bottle of vodka. Ol’ Yeltsin was banished to the gulag. • Dec. 10: Someone called 9-1-1 from Tank Farm and Long to report a reckless UPS driver, and it’s about time too. • Dec. 10: Someone in the 600 block of Sandercock called at 11 a.m. to report a disoriented 55-year-old man who has “high ammonia levels from liver cirrhosis,” which explains a lot. • Dec. 10: Under the category of “Huh?” Dispatch got a 9-1-1 hang-up call at 11:53 a.m. from a payphone at Trader Joe’s and auto-call back got a fax machine. At 1:51, they got a 9-1-1 hang-up from Charter Cable on Bridge and auto-call back got a phone tree. • Dec. 10: Police were called at 1:08 p.m. in the 1300 block of Johnson to check the welfare of a man who was down behind Albertson’s with his eyes rolled back in his head and twitching, also called pitching a wobbler. • Dec. 10: Police were called at 3:21 p.m. to the 1100 block of Madonna where some plastered wench had outstayed her welcome. • Dec. 10: Police were called at 5 p.m. to the 700 block of Higuera because a dozen transient men and women were blocking the sidewalk panhandling, so one can lay in the street blocking traffic in political protest, but block a sidewalk to beg some alms and off you go. San Simeon • Dec. 12: The weekly call to San Simeon came in at 4:10 a.m. with a request to check the welfare of a suspicious character causing a disturbance in the 9400 block of Castillo Dr. The squeaky wheel was tossed to the nick for being well oiled. ✤ 8 • December 18 - 24, 2014 • SLO City News SPORTS Sports Snapshot Photos by www.RAPhotos.com T he Cal Poly women’s basketball team fought until the very end but lost 64-65 to St. Mary’s in overtime. This week the Mustangs are on the road for a week-long threegame hoops battle. ✤ GRAND OPENING $ Your LOCAL Car Care Professionals! Alumni Owned 286 Higuera St. (805) 786-4056 &RPSOHWH6HUYLFH&HQWHU$OO6HUYLFHV:DUUDQW\$SSURYHG 4XLFN&RXUWHRXV6HUYLFH1R$SSRLQWPHQW1HFHVVDU\ 10 off OIL CHANGE PASS or DON’T PAY! FREE WIPER BLADES! Visit us at any of these convenient locations! With a Full-Price Oil Change Service 1544 Spring Street 3DVR5REOHV 2505 Theater Drive 3DVR5REOHV 25$1<6(59,&( +$5 OFF Your State Smog Inspection A $20 value at any location Or get $20 off a set of Euro Blades. :LWKWKLVFRXSRQ 1RWYDOLGZLWKRWKHURIIHUV RUSULRUVHUYLFHV :LWKWKLVFRXSRQ 1RWYDOLGZLWKRWKHURIIHUV RUSULRUVHUYLFHV :LWKWKLVFRXSRQ 1RWYDOLGZLWKRWKHURIIHUV RUSULRUVHUYLFHV (O&DPLQR5HDO $WDVFDGHUR Tolosa Press • December 18 - 24, 2014 • 9 COASTAL CULTURE Silent Success Story and photos by Gareth Kelly A t age 4, Ali Elmasri picked up a basketball and found his destiny. At home, at playgrounds, at school and at youth clubs, Elmasri could be found dribbling, shooting and working on his game. As he got older he started hitting the gym to increase his strength. His favorite player was and still is Kobe; he even got to meet the great player while attending a Lakers game as a kid. They had front row seats and after Kobe saw all the kids signing to each other he came over to say hello and have his picture taken. They were all signing because they were all, including Elmasri, born deaf. Elmasri met his interpreter, Jo Malizia, when he was 12-yearsold at a summer camp for deaf children. They have been together ever since. Now 25, Elmasri and Malizia have the kind of connection one would expect from such a long partnership. “Jo is awesome. Sometimes we don’t even need to sign, we just look at each other and she knows what I want to say. I don’t have that kind of connection with other interpreters,” Elmasri said. After shooting hoops, rather successfully it must be added, with other kids that could hear, word of Elmasri’s talent was starting to spread across Southern California, so much so that he got invited to play on a deaf team in Los Angeles. “Playing with regular kids is fun but I would get frustrated, I couldn’t always hear a call from a teammate or the coach even though they learnt a few signs to use in the game. When I first played with the deaf team it was like a whole new world opened up. It was awesome. I could understand the calls, communicate in the huddles, with the coach, and could even socialize afterwards,” Elmasri said. Eventually Elmasri got invited to Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C., the only university of its kind in the world with programs and services specifically designed to accommodate deaf and hard-ofhearing students. It was established by an act of Congress in 1864 and President Abraham Lincoln signed its charter. Elmasri, along with only six other men from California, had been invited to try out for the USA Men’s Deaf Olympic Team that will be competing at the world championships in Taiwan in July 2015. “Right before he left for the tryouts I told him, ‘You’d better get on the team,’ you owe me for all those nights in basketball gyms,” Malizia said. He did indeed make the team making his family, his interpreter and the very close local deaf community incredibly proud. Turns out the deaf community is very close. They all rally together, helping each other as and when needed. In fact, deaf people are a very proud group and identify themselves often as deaf before other social distinctions than those of us in the hearing world. They even have varying levels of what some might call ‘class’ dependent on whether you were born deaf, became deaf through illness or are only partially deaf. Such is the closeknit nature of this community, the deaf students at Cuesta College, where Elmasri attends, joined together to make Christmas ornaments to sell to help raise money for Elmasri’s trip to Taiwan. The ornaments are in the shape of the hand sign “love.” “I’m so thankful for the support everyone has shown me. Not just here at Cuesta but all throughout the local community. I really hope I can bring a medal home to show other kids and my family, to show them dreams really do come true,” Elmasri said. Elmasri heads back to D.C. in June to meet up with the rest of the team before headling out to Taiwan in July where they will compete against 16 other teams from all over the world. Elmasri has to raise approximately $1,500 himself to help fund his trip, so if you would like to help this young man you can, simply visit www. gofundme.com/ali22. The deaf community has a saying, “Deaf can do, never say deaf cant.” Bring home that medal! ✤ Gareth got in all sorts of trouble last week. Whether you’ve been naughty or nice this year, send your story ideas to gareth@tolosapress. com. 10 • December 18 - 24, 2014 • Tolosa Press COMMUNITY CALENDAR School children are invited to make snowflakes during the Los Osos Library’s afternoon art activity set for 3 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 17. Free. The next Family Movie Night is set for 2 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 20. They will screen a Christmas classic, rated G. Popcorn will be provided. Free. The family event is sponsored by the Friends of Los Osos Library. The library is at 2075 Palisades Ave., call 528-1862 for movie title. The SLO County Homeless Services Oversight Council wants everyone to remember and honor “those homeless persons who have passed away over the past year” and to support two programs — Transitions Mental Health Association’s “50 Now Program” and the Community Action Partnership of San Luis Obispo’s warming shelter, at a benefit vigil set for 5-6 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 18 on the plaza in front of the SLO County Courthouse on Monterey Street. With this winter already coming in wet and cold, the Transitions program, which seeks to find housing for the 50 most-chronically-homeless people in our area, and CAPSLO’s opening up the Prado Day Center overnight to bring people in from the cold, will be especially important this year. St., Ste. B. Call 788-0886 or see: www. thegalleryatthenetwork.com for more. Shown here is a holiday necklace by Ann Bonstell. The Artful Holiday Gift Show at the Gallery at the Network in SLO brings together the works of more than 50 Central Coast artists with handcrafted and original artworks, and fine art crafts. Show runs through Jan. 31. The Gallery is open daily 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sundays from 11-5. Free gift wrapping, gift certificates and time payment arrangements available. Gallery at the Network is at 778 Higuera Eat well, move well, be well. SLO WELLNESS C E NTE R Reach your body’s greatest potential. A holistic approach integrating chiropractic, massage therapy, physiotherapeutic rehab, and nutrition. SLO Wellness Center 805.543.8688 www.slowellness.com Dr. Jean Wheeler leads a SWAP nature walk through the Elfin Forest on the day before Winter Solstice, Saturday, Dec. 20 starting at 9:30 a.m. Dr. Wheeler has taught thousands of geography students about the relative wanderings of the sun, moon and earth, and what they mean to us in terms of our climates, tides, and the vegetation and animal life around us. She will lead an imaginary circuit around the sun, circling the Elfin Forest on the boardwalk. Meet at the north end of 15th Street off of Santa Ysabel in Los Osos. Wear comfortable shoes, long sleeves and pants to avoid poison oak. Park carefully, avoiding driveways and mailboxes and leave pets at home. Walk is 1-1/2 to 2 hours. Heavy rain cancels. Fresh off getting a $177 million construction bond approved, the San Luis Coastal Unified School District is now accepting applications for an “Independent Oversight Committee,” that would help manage the various project budgets that will be coming up over the next several years. The committee will have seven members that will meet, review and report on expenditures of monies to ensure it is used only for voterapproved purposes. Interested persons may obtain an application from the Superintendent’s Office, located at 1500 Lizzie St., Building B, San Luis Obispo, or download the application from the District’s website, see: www. slcusd.org under “Community/Bond Information.” Applications are due by Feb. 17 at the district office. The Friends of the Cayucos Library will hold a winter book sale from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 17 on the library patio. Choose from hundreds of used books, CD’s and DVD’s at bargain prices. All proceeds support the library and the Friends’ various community programs. Also, the Friends will hold a “Booked for Lunch” event at noon, Friday, Jan. 9 in the library community room. Bring a brown bag lunch and share your recommendations of a favorite or recently read books. Free. The Cayucos Library is at 310 B St. Tolosa Press • December 18 - 24, 2014 • 11 COMMUNITY CALENDAR Members of the International Association of Fire Fighters, along with the Muscular Dystrophy Association, celebrated their 60-year partnership and kicked off the annual “Fill the Boot” fund-raising campaign. The campaign benefits children and adults affected by muscular dystrophy throughout SLO County. Fire fighters will be out in local communities and fire station passing the boot for MDS. “Throughout 2014, MDA and fire fighters are celebrating 60 years of proud partnership. Together we have joined in the fight against life-threatening muscle disease,” said fundraising coordinator Emily Harvey. “Fire fighters in Pismo Beach do so much for MDA and the families we serve, dedicating countless hours of their time every year participating in Fill the Boot drives.” ANNUAL HOLIDAY INDOOR SOCCER AND FUTSAL CAMPS This Holiday Break, Catalyst Soccer is celebrating with a special week of Indoor Soccer and Futsal Camp.This special week of soccer fun and learning is for boys and girls who enjoy the game and are excited to play the skillful game of Indoor Soccer with the Coaches and Players of Cal Poly Mustang Soccer! INSPIRE! EDUCATE! CELEBRATE! A new art exhibit titled, “Inland,” featuring paintings by Marian Loomis and Michelle Stevens will run from Jan. 2-Feb. 2 at Art Central, 1329 Monterey St., SLO. There’s a free reception set for 6-8 p.m. at Art After Dark, Friday, Jan. 2. Los Osos artists, Margaret Bertrand and Robert Dodge’s artwork is appearing at the San Luis Obispo Museum of Art, 1010 Broad St. , in an exhibit called, “Contemplative Encaustic Paintings by Five California Artists.” If you’re seeking a quiet interlude from the hustle and bustle of the holidays, pause for a moment of calm amidst the beauty of lustrous beeswax, pigment and damar resin artworks. Other artists in the exhibit are: Mari Marks of Berkeley; Eileen Goldenberg of San Francisco; and, Rodney Thompson of Redding. The exhibit runs through Feb. 1. The Museum is open daily from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. through Dec. 31 and closed Tuesdays in January. There will be a reception at Art After Dark from 6-9 p.m. Friday, Jan. 2. Three Great Locations! Week 1 A .......Dec. 29th-Jan. 2nd........ (M-F) ........... Atascadero Bible Church ...........Atascadero Week 1 B .......Dec. 29th-Jan. 2nd........ (M-F) ........... SLO Nazarene Church ...............SLO Week 2 A .......Jan. 5th-9th .................. (M-F) ........... Paulding Middle School .............Arroyo Grande Two great programs for Little Skillsbuilders........ (Ages 4-6) ......(9:30 to 11am) your kids! BOYS & GIRLS! Super FUNdamentals .... (Ages 6-14) ....(9 to noon) Go to our website for more information and to register online. Lightshare is offering free energy balancing sessions from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 20 at Sierra Vista Regional Medical Center in the Auditorium, 1010 Murray Ave., SLO. Sessions are 25 minutes, appropriate for all ages and no appointment is necessary. All are welcome. See: www. lightshare.us or call 438-4347 to learn about energy balancing or other offerings from Lightshare. Go to www.catalystsoccer.com or call 805-541-3031 Holiday theater festive performance of Charles Dickens,’ “A Christmas Carol,” form 4-5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 24 at St Peter’s-by-the-Sea Church, 545 Shasta Ave., Morro Bay. Free. A merry troupe of local actors will present the classic tale of Ebenezer Scrooge, his wondrous transformation, and the ghosts that make it happen, just in time for Christmas. CAL 2560 04/14 UÊÊ >VÉ iVÊ*> UÊÊ /i`Ìà UÊÊ *UÊÊ i>`>V iÃÊEÊ-ÌÀiÃà UÊÊ viÀÌÌÞ UÊÊ /L>VVÊi«i`iVi UÊÊ Ã> UÊÊ >LÀÊ`ÕVÌ UÊÊ iÀ}ià UÊÊÊ-V>ÌV> Ê Call today for an appointment Ê SLO Wellness CenterÊUÊ1428 Phillips Lane #300ÊUÊSan Luis ObispoÊUÊSLOLAC.comÊUÊ805.543.8688 12 • December 18 - 24, 2014 • Tolosa Press OPINION Mustang Money’s Might Measured Good to be King By King Harris I know I’ll receive some vitriol from those who do not necessarily see eye-to-eye with the sometimes-disturbing presence of Cal Poly students, but without the university, this community wouldn’t be worth much. Case in point is a new survey conducted by Bradford Anderson who is the interim vice president of research and economic development at Cal Poly. “The survey examines the economic impact of Cal Poly and the metropolitan statistical area which is San Luis Obispo County and Northern Santa Barbara County in fiscal year 2012 and 2013,” Anderson says in a recent interview. “That time period was selected because there had not been a study of the impact for 10 years. The purpose of this study was to find ways that we can better integrate and cooperate and work with the community in leveraging our economic strength.” He continues. “The study revealed that the economic impact was $1.4 billion and that’s very significant; it’s about 12 per cent of the gross domestic product of San Luis Obispo County and about 9.4 percent if we add Northern Santa Barbara County.” “But what was most revealing and important was finding the areas of impact like the tourism spending, a number of retail sales that take place, the positive impact of retirees in the community, and the positive impact of student spending in the community.” I asked Anderson how he plans to break down some of the barriers, like for example, new student housing. “What’s very interesting in the study is when we took a look at the impact of both the on-campus and off-campus students, we only took into account even if a student was located on campus we did not include their on-campus spending, we only looked at off-campus spending, for both on and offcampus students. “A good example in that regard,” he says, “would be the potential for creating new opportunities for affordable housing. Obviously one of the great concerns in our community is the high cost of housing and so if students may migrate from offcampus to on-campus facilities for a variety of reasons, it would free up some housing that would be available for the local work force and I think that’s very important.” What about student behavior? “I can talk about student spending behavior, which is what the report addresses, but I understand that the thrust of your question digs a little deeper than that. The university has continued to apply significant resources towards engaging with the students for a positive community relationship and remains dedicated in doing so, but as far as student behavior on spending, the annual student spending for that one fiscal year was $160.8 million. “So I think bonding with the community and clearly addressing other student behaviors off campus is a high priority because we see this as a tremendous point of leverage where we can build the economic success of the community.” I wondered why so many Cal Poly grads return to work here? “There’s this great affinity with Cal Poly,” Anderson says. “In fact the reason that I’m here is that my wife is a Cal Poly graduate and wanted to return to the community and it wasn’t difficult to get me to tag along because we all know what a beautiful place this is to live.” They want to look for opportunities in the community. “There is, and this is a point of leverage that we are looking at with the Economic Vitality Corporation and Mike Manchak, the potential we have for public/private partnerships in the community; and for having students who are starting businesses we can create a true, sustainable, economic base where students start up in the community and these are singleearner jobs where an individual can have one job and have a sustainable wage.” To read the full report, see: research.calpoly.edu. ✤ We’re with you from start... 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All trademarks used herein are the property of Hunter Douglas. 47874 /LF (805)544-LAWN $//6($6216/$1'6&$3,1*&20 REAL ESTATE Tolosa Press • December 18 - 24, 2014 • Lifestyle New Homes on 2–8 Acres Starting at $669,900 Gorgeous single-level homes Realtors Urge Congress to Support Home Ownership 4 bedrooms, 3-car garages Each on 2–8 acre lots By Nancy Puder R ecently, the National Association of Realtors told the U.S. Senate Banking Subcommittee on Housing that Congress and the administration must address key issues in order to create a healthy real estate market that helps current and future homeowners as that will drive the national economy forward. “The housing market hasn’t been this unwelcoming to first-time buyers since 1987,” said 2014 NAR Conventional Finance and Lending Committee Chair Mabel Guzman, broker for AT-Properties in Chicago. “Tight credit, high fees and low inventory have combined to make it prohibitively expensive for millions of responsible, creditworthy prospective buyers to own a home. If this is the direction that the housing market is taking, we’re headed down the wrong path.” Realtors report that home prices and sales, as well as household wealth, are all up from a year ago, but constrained access to mortgage credit for minorities, young buyers, and low-and moderate-income earners remains a serious problem. NAR says that restrictive pricing policies at the Federal Housing Administration and the Federal Housing Finance Agency continue to disparately impact individuals with shorter credit histories and lower down payments, making it harder for them to buy a home. One significant issue is that according to NAR estimates, nearly 400,000 creditworthy borrowers were priced out of the housing mar- ket because of high FHA insurance premiums in 2013. NAR supports developing policies that will provide potential buyers with access to more flexible and affordable financing opportunities and a wider choice of approved condo developments. Currently the majority of condo financing is hard to get for any buyer which makes no sense to me at all. While in Washington, NAR also called on Congress to offer permanent help for those who short sold in 2014 so that these same homeowners can re-enter the market now. and continue to have taxation relief. With the current policies, a vast majority of homeowners are being hit hard. First with a staggering loss of equity and forced to short sell and then again, not being allowed to reenter the housing market for an unreasonably long period of time. “Most urgently, Congress should take action to help all of the distressed homeowners who completed short sales in 2014 by passing the Mortgage Forgiveness Tax Relief Act. This bipartisan legislation will extend an expired provision that has helped millions of distressed American families by allowing tax relief for homeowners when lenders forgive some portion of the mortgage debt they owe,” said Guzman. “If this provision is not extended, hundreds of thousands of American families who did the right thing by short selling their home will have to pay income tax on ‘phantom income.’” ✤ 13 Nancy Puder is a Realtor Broker in Arroyo Grande, CA with Nancy Puder & Associates. If you have any questions or concerns regarding your own property, contact Nancy at (805)710-2415 or email [email protected]. Nancy always enjoys hearing from you! Go to Facebook.com/Nancy Puder Realtor and “like” her page to access other real estate related articles. She always enjoys hearing from you! If you would like to discuss your real estate needs, whether buying or selling, call me anytime. I always enjoy hearing from you! SAGE Ecological Landscapes & Nursery Another One Sold By Nancy! Sale Pending–Gorgeous 3452 sq. ft. home on over an acre in AG. $949,900 Sold–Beautifully maintained home with gorgeous gardens in Arroyo Grande. $599,900 Call Nancy Puder Today! 805.710.2415 Nancy Puder Nanc Realtor / Broker Get Your Home All Clean Before the Holidays. CLEANING SERVICE Professional Cleaning Attention to detail with a personal touch RESIDENTIAL t VACATION COMMERCIAL t MOVE-OUTS (805) 234-2491 14 • December 18 - 24, 2014 • Tolosa Press Smartphone Smarts -'( %&# )* .) #('. “My hand and neck pain has decreased considerably. The exercises in therapy and practiced at home are helping me improve my posture and body mechanics. ‘Hands-on’ therapy and low level lasers are very helpful.” –Barbara, SLO ##*&$".&+( ''& %*$%*%&, $$$" !#$"#! % &%*(.**# &(% %+ ) )'& !&(%)+(%'* #% # Lifestyle By Michele S Jang A recent study shows smartphone users spend 195 minutes per day using their phones. This statistic has doubled since 2011. Did you realize this can negatively impact your health? Our generation spends so much time connected via our smart phones that we have a new global epidemic; neck pain due to the poor posture associated with hand-held device usage. A slumped, forward head posture puts extra pressure on the cervical spine and can lead to changes in your normal spinal curvature, stretching supporting ligaments, tendons, and musculature. Long term, this may result in permanent damage such as: spinal degeneration, disc compression and/ or herniation and arthritis. If you can’t seem to put down your phone; below are techniques to reduce your chance of suffering from neck pain. Hold your phone at eye level and maintain a neutral spine. This means your shoulders are over your hips and your ears are over your shoulders. Avoid prolonged neck flexion as this places pressure on the cervical spine and may result in neck and back pain, headaches and numbness in the upper extremities. Limit the amount of time and frequency that you use your device. If you have to use it for a prolonged period, take a five minute break for every 15 minutes of use. When taking a break, tilt your head to one side (ear to shoulder) and then to the other side, back to neutral. Next turn to look all the way to the right, then left returning to neutral. Lastly, gently lean your .) #(' )*,%( ()-'( % 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 FOUR-WEEK FITNESS FAST START 4 weeks of fat-blasting, muscle-building personal training p g and nutrition coaching! “It’s the best investment I have ever made in myself.” –Rachel Abbott, Morro Bay A $544 value for just (805) 776 3002 LAUREN PREWITT, D.O., INC. traditional osteopathy 1495 Palm Street, SLO | www.drlaurenprewitt.com before after! $197! Get all details G ll the h d il at www.AthlonElite.com or call 805-546-6070 head back, looking towards the ceiling then return to neutral. Do all without raising your shoulders. Perform the following exercises once a day to strengthen the muscles that support proper posture. For each exercise, I suggest holding the pose for 5 seconds, relaxing to neutral then repeating total of 10 times. • Prone neck and upper trunk lifts • Standing shoulder blade squeezes Smartphones offer us many conveniences. However, with these tips, you can safely and smartly use your smartphone and prevent chronic neck issues. ✤ Michele S Jang, PT is a physical therapist who likes to look outside the box. She has been a physical therapist for over 20 years and has extensive training in manual therapy or the use of hands to help rehabilitate the body. Michele has been an instructor both in the United States and abroad. She offers Free Consults on Tuesday afternoons. Michele also has a team of therapists at Spirit Winds who offer an array of expertise on exercise, fall prevention, foot and shoe assessments, body mechanics and proper breathing technique to increase awareness and healing. Michele can be reached at 805 5435100 or info@spiritwindstherapy. com. For more information please also visit www.spiritwindstherapy.com. Professional Service Directory AT THE SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY YMCA we are committed to meeting the needs of parents by offering fun, enriching camps. Vacation camps provide a safe environment where youth participate in a variety of exciting field trips & activities, and overall help develop stronger, more confident young people. Sign-up for spring camp at www.sloymca.org or call 543-8235 for more information. KRIS DILWORTH,FNP, CDE is a Family Nurse Practitioner, Certified Diabetes Educator, and Certified Insulin Pump & Sensor Trainer. She loves what she does, and makes it a point to spend adequate time with patients to teach and help problem-solve for the many challenges of diabetes. Her goal is to keep you healthy! Call the office of Roger Steele, MD, for appointments in San Luis Obispo or Grover Beach. (805) 541-1671 THE ABLE CHOICE, INC. offers support and services to families and children with special needs by experts in the field. Special Education Consultant Dr. Jackie Kirk Martinez and her team provide research-based dispute resolution, instruction, and intervention for children by advising families, agencies and school districts; supporting children’s needs in home, community and school; providing assessments, program development, intervention and supervision; and offering professional development. Serving children from birth through 22 years of age. Call for a free consul-tation at (805) 295-8806 • www.theablechoice.com PEPPERTREE COUNSELNG has been providing affordable services on sliding scale to SLO County for 25 years, starting at $30 an hour. We offer individual, couples, and family counseling. We have a staff of professional counsellors who work with clients to accomplish their goals in a timely and focused manner. Our approach is eclectic incorporating behavioral and cognitive techniques. For an appointment or more information on our services call Larry Ratner, Ph D, at 805 235 2910 or email [email protected]. We are located at 330 James Way, #180, Pismo Beach, Ca. BATH PLANET of Northern Los Angeles has set a new standard of both quality and affordability within the bathroom remodeling industry. With a wide selection of acrylic bath system solutions, along with cutting edge accessible options, you can have a beautiful yet accommodating bathroom in as little as one day. Learn more about our remodeling solutions. 1107 El Camino Real, Arroyo Grande, CA 93420 (805) 5741101 www.bathplanet.com/northernla EDDIE NAVARRO PAINTING INC. can cover all your painting needs, from interior and exterior residential and commercial painting. Including: cabinets, deck refinishing, stucco repair, acoustic ceiling removal, drywall repair and/or texturing, fascia removal and/or repair, power washing services, and much more. We use the finest quality oil and water based material that are Eco friendly. Eddie Navarro Painting Inc. takes pride in attention to detail and great customer service.Our mission statement is “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men.” Col 3:23. No matter what the project is our customers are the most important because we not only provide a painting service but we have the pleasure of getting to know and partner with them in the care and maintenance of their home or business. 805-448-9662 Holiday Guide Your Guide to Local Shopping, Dining and Holiday Events 16 • December 18 - 24, 2014 • Tolosa Press Special Publication A Diminutive Holiday By Susan Tuttle I can’t see the top of the tree from down here, though they tell me there's quite a spectacular angel up there. Wings spread, feathers all aglitter, halo shining like a lighthouse beam. Enough to give children nightmares. I’m thankful I can't see it. The ornaments are almost as big as my head. I like the red and green ones with the fake snow. Some have houses with fuzzy smoke coming from the chimneys. Others have sleighs running through white flocked woods. I could fit in one of them if I could get the stupid thing off the tree and flatten it out. Then I could whip those hazy-haired horses and sleigh right on out of here to freedom. Master and Mistress rarely think about us, the tiny slaves who serve them. I guess we’re too small for notice—unless we do something wrong. I worked all day getting the holiday tablecloth ready for their Christmas dinner. It has fancy holly and ivy embroidery around the hem and mistletoe stitched in the center. So pretty. The heavy iron is almost as big as I am. It takes hours to press out all the wrinkles, a task Mistress could do in a few minutes if she lifted her fingers in a bit of work. But that's what she has us for and there's no use squawking about it. Been this way for hundreds of years and will be the same for hundreds more, I’m sure. Unless one of them finally sees that even though we’re different, we don’t deserve to be Visit our New Store slaves to their whims. But that kind of thinking is treason, they say. Gets you punished, big time. As if things aren't big enough around here already. So I just did what I had to do today, as did Kissime and Ardentis. At least we don't have to wrestle with the crystal glasses anymore, not after that fiasco last year. Mistress sees to them herself. I sit, now, under the table with Kissime and Ardentis, and missing Hawthorne—they sold him last week—hoping scraps of stuffing and mincemeat pie will fall to the floor and listening to thunderous voices bandying laughter and lies back and forth as the Masters pretend to enjoy each other's company. The manger scene across room catches my eye. I've slept in there some nights, in that soft warm straw, much more comfortable than my hard pallet. Earlier today they put statues in there—people and animals—and I now see movement in the cradle where the figure of the Zoey’s Home consignments furniture | art | lighting fine rugs | ebay services outdoor furniture | jewelry OPEN TUESDAY–SATURDAY 10–6 organic herbs, 805 596 0288 ! ! ! " " 3566 S. HIGUERA ST. SLO [email protected] WWW.ZOE YSHOMECONSIGNMENTS.COM Where Wher Wh ere r e You Yo u Ne Never Neve ver ve r Know Know What Wh at Y You ou M Might ight ig ht F Find! in ind! n d! 60%OFF Like us on Facebook Our large selection of fashion scarves! Bundle up buttercup! FREE Holiday Plant Pick! w/$70 purchase Herbs & Honey WANT AN EXTRA 10% OFF? Text SLOGOOD to 56955 and Join our VIP Club! 741 Higuera St, SLO | 805-787-0683 Tolosa Press Special Publication • December 18 - 24, 2014 • 17 Holiday Guide baby lies. I crawl closer, hoping Mistress won’t see me. Yes, it's—he's—moving. He's real! A real child, caressed by the hand of his mother. Because she’s kneeling I can see her face, the love and the fear in it, the tenderness and hope. Did my mother ever look at me like that? Her husband stands beside her. He’s tall, almost twice my size, so I can’t make out his face. But his staff moves in a protective pattern around his family. And the baby, this newborn boy who is smaller than I am, looks at me. Smiles at me. Reaches out a hand and touches my face. Love infuses my whole being, and I am filled with wonder and awe. Because I know, small as he is, he has seen me. Seen me and known me for who I am. He knows my heart, my life and my dreams. And though I know someday he will grow to where I can no longer see him, I know he will always see me. And maybe, just maybe, one day we will be equal to those who hold us under their thumbs. Maybe we will all learn to love and value each other the way he does. Christmas H o w wonderful that it comes every year. )#% #'0#& '*+ )#$ )- .#+"',(')$ !,$$#&& )"'# * +'&$/ Susan Tuttle is Newsletter Editor for SLO NightWriters. She’s a professional editor, writing instructor and the author of the six-volume Write It Right series on fiction writing, and several suspense novels, including the indieB.R.A.G. Medallion-awarded Proof of Identity. Her work is available from Amazon (print) and on Kindle (ebooks). %)+ &+ )1 ))'/')& ( &#$/+%,&2",)*4+#$(%1)#2+3+#$(% We’re Your Serving Fresh Mexican Food for 30 Years! LARGE DIAMOND Specialists... HAPPY HOLIDAYS! PATIO DINING Mon-Sat, 11am-7pm Sun, 11am-5pm 168 Station Way, Arroyo Grande 474-8797 (next to the AG Post Office) We Buy GOLD and DIAMONDS... 41 We Do EVERYTHING JEWELRY.... We Also Carry PREMIUM CANES... $2.99 Lunch or Dinner $3.99 Lunch or Dinner Super Lunch #1-10 Combinations #1-10 Super Lunch #1-10 Combinations #1-10 Buy 1 Lunch or Dinner at regular price and get a 2nd Lunch or Dinner of equal or lesser value for $2.99 Buy 1 Lunch or Dinner at regular price and get a 2nd Lunch or Dinner of equal or lesser value for $2.99 With the purchase of 2 drinks. Not valid with any other offers or discounts. Expires 12/31/14. With the purchase of 2 drinks. Not valid with any other offers or discounts. Expires 12/31/14. Ê "-/Ê,ÊUÊ{Ç{nÇÇ Ê "-/Ê,ÊUÊ{Ç{nÇÇ Join us for Christmas Worship Services Wednesday, December 24 Family Christmas Eve Services · GIFT CERTIFICATES PARTY TRAYS HOLIDAY DINNERS 5:30 p.m. Candlelight Carol Service of Holy Communion (Childcare Provided) So You Can Walk in STYLE. Family Owned & Operated Since 1973 Open Daily · Dine In · Carry Out · Local Delivery 401 Shell Beach Road, Shell Beach 773.4438 · www.DelsPizzeria.com 8:00 p.m. Candlelight Carol Service of Holy Communion Calvary Evangelical Lutheran Church (ELCA) IT’S NOT CHIC TO PAY MORE!–J.P. 805.473.1360 857 Oak Park Blvd, Pismo Beach 480 Monterey Ave. At Anchor St. in Morro Bay 772-8457 www.morrobaylutherans.org Communit Events 18 • December 18 - 24, 2014 • Tolosa Press Special Publication Hanukkah Menorah Lighting Dec. 18th 5pm Join congregation Ohr Tzafon for lighting the menorah, singing songs, hot chocolate and cookies. Sunken Gardens, 6505 El Camino Real, Atascadero. www. congregationohrtzafon.org Winter WonderSLO Jiffy Lube Ice-skating Rink Daily Dec. 19th – Jan. 4th Madonna Expo Center, 100 Madonna Rd. $9-$13, skate rental included. www.winterwonderslo.com Living Nativity Dec. 19-31 6pm Templeton Presbyterian Church, Sixth and Main St. 434-1921 Holiday Magic at the Zoo Dec. 20th 11am-2pm Animals investigate and open homemade gifts delivered by Santa and his elves. Hot chocolate and crafts available. Charles Paddock Zoo, 9305 Pismo Ave., Atascadero 461-5080 Polar Bear Plunge - Avila Beach Jan. 1st noon. Plunge attire is swimsuit and or athletic gear. Costumes are welcome. Wetsuits are prohibited. Avila Beach Pier. www.avilabeachpolarbearplunge. com Polar Bear Dip - Cayucos Jan. 1st 9:30-noon The annual Polar Bear Dip in Cayucos is a local favorite and not to be missed! The festivities start at 9:30am and the Dip is at noon at Cayucos Pier. Hike Morro Bay At 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 1, hikers will gather at Morro Rock for 1st Hike Morro Bay. The first event of Morro Bay’s Landmark & Legacy year, this easy walk along a section of the California Coastal Trail is being held in conjunction with Eat - Play - Shop '(%+'$!%&'!&%# #"%' %&'!&!(&+) " (''%"#'%& BAYSIDE CAFE is a wonderful find if you are looking for fresh food and something off the beaten track where the “Locals” love to eat while looking over the Back Bay. A restaurant with a casual dinning experience, great home cooked food from the farm and the sea. Homemade desserts are a must try. Open 7 days a week for lunch featuring fish and chips, soups, salads, sandwiches and some Mexican items. Try our dinners served Thursday through Sunday featuring fresh seafood items as well as tri tip, hamburgers, pastas and more…Dog friendly heated patio too! Located in the Morro Bay Marina directly across the road from Morro Bay State Park Campground at #10 State Park Road in Morro Bay! 805-772-1465 ("+&'$! (%&'!&&%) #%'#&"( ''!&'&# +&&#" %&'!&) %)&'" '"',&$&#$ (%&''#%"% ##&&#& +" % + ***&'"& #&#&#&#% the original garden street jeweler e eweler Holiday Guide est. 1974 19 GRANDMA’S FROZEN YOGURT AND WAFFLE SHOP Morro Bay’s newest downtown business, GRANDMA’S FROZEN YOGURT & WAFFLE SHOP is open and offering Old Fashion specialty waffles, Real frozen yogurt, and refreshing sorbet. Nonelectronic activities are available throughout the week, including board and card games. Located on the corner of Morro Bay Blvd. & Main Street, they also provide a public restroom for downtown guests. Come and enjoy the newly created courtyard as you watch downtown come alive during the Saturday Farmers Market. Live music is available periodically. Be sure to Facebook us for daily yogurt flavors and activity updates! Hours: 10am-7pm Sun-Thurs and Fri- Sat till 10pm. Come see us after the show! 307 Morro Bay Blvd., Morro Bay, CA Call (805) 704-YUMM (9866) NATIVE HERBS & HONEY CO opened a new shop in Los Osos. A locally owned beekeeping company specializing in raw-local honey, 100% pure beeswax candles, handcrafted soaps, herbal & natural skin care, gifts & Custom orders. 1001 Santa Ynez St. Los Osos (805) 534-9855. Tue.-Sun.. 12-6pm www.nativeherbsandhoney.com CREATORS OF FINE platinum & gold JEWELRY Shop now–December Sh D b 31 31stt and receive a $100 Gift Certificate to spend in 2015! See store for details. t/FXWJOUBHFKFXFMSZt t*OIPVTFDVTUPNKFXFMSZTFSWJDJOHt (BSEFO4USFFUt%PXOUPXO4BO-VJT0CJTQPt805.543.8186tXXX(BSEFO4USFFU(PMETNJUITDPN 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! Communit Events Tolosa Press Special Publication • December 18 - 24, 2014 • Holiday Guide 19 the California State Parks 150th anniversary celebration. The free, family-friendly walk, led by State Parks docents, will head north along the beach during one of the lowest tides of the year. Hikers can gaze out across the blue Pacific, soak in the sights and sounds of the crashing surf and observe the wide variety of birds and sea creatures that make the Central Coast their winter home. More info: morrobay50th.com 805.473.8001 Come Share the Old-Fashioned Christmas Magic of the Halcyon Store Unique Gift Ideas, Candles, Spiritual Books, Jewelry, Calendars & More Stay Healthy in Mind, Body & Spirit 9" Ê-/",ÊUÊnäx{nÓ{ÎÓÊUÊ936 SOUTH HALCYON RD, HALCYON New! $5 Gift Box Create your own Gift Box or let us inspire you with our themed boxes! Box includes red crinkle, box and $5 Gift Certificate towards future purchase. (You purchase items for box.) 20 • December 18 - 24, 2014 • Tolosa Press Special Publication Christas In The Village Unique Shopping & Dining · Antiques · Historic Landmarks · Free Parking Holiday Guide Holiday Treats 114 W. Branch St. SANTA IN THE VILLAGE Nov. 28th til’ Christmas Wed. & Fri. 3:00-5:30 Sat. & Sun. 12:00-4:00 T his Holiday season explore the Historic Village of Arroyo Grande, the Central Coast’s unique turn-of-the-century downtown village. You’ll find an array of antique and specialty shops plus fine dining nestled within the scenic atmosphere of historic buildings and natural beauty. ✤ Arroyo Grande ........................ 860 Higuera St. Downtown SLO ........................ 168 W. Clark Ave. Old Orcutt 805.474.4068 Gourmet t s e B e h T on the e r o t S n e Kitch oast! Central C &#SBODI4USFFUt"SSPZP(SBOEFt Edgy Cuts for Sharp People. DECEMBER SPECIAL: Free Shine Overlay with Every Color THE VILLAGE SALON -%.7/-%.3 (!)2349,).' Verena’s Go Gourmet [email protected] 127 E. Branch Street Village of Arroyo Grande Like us on Facebook ')&4#%24)&)#!4%3s(!)202/$5#43 /0%.45%n3!4s805-489-5100 %"2!.#(s6),,!'%/&!22/9/'2!.$% CLOTHING TO FIT WOMEN JUST LIKE YOU JWLA 3J Workshop JOHNNY WAS “In the Village” 121 E. Branch Street Arroyo Grande 805-574-1727 1122 Morro Street San Luis Obispo 805-784-0664 840 11th Street Suite 103, Paso Robles 805-239-8282 www.shopapropos.com Find us on Facebook full bar | 12 beers on tap family-friendly menu 200 E. Branch Street, Arroyo Grande www.roostercreektavern.com 805.489.2509 open daily from 11:30 – 10:00 Tolosa Press Special Publication • December 18 - 24, 2014 • 21 Tips to Heat Your Home Affordably this Winter C limate control accounts for almost half the energy use in a typical U.S. home and is also the largest energy expense for most people -- but it doesn’t have to be. With a few simple solutions, you can be friendlier toward your wallet and the environment this winter. Weather-Proof Your Home Cracks, gaps and joints can cause drafts that will undermine your heating efforts and send your utility bill through the roof. Caulking, insulating and weatherstripping can help curtail the waste so you can enjoy a warmer, more comfortable winter. Older homes may lack sufficient insulation. Based on where you live and how you currently heat your home, a contractor can help you determine whether your attic, floors and walls need more insulation. Investigate Heating Alternatives More than one million U.S. homes are currently heated with pellets, and it’s no wonder why -- pellet stoves eliminate 75 percent of the carbon emissions associated with fossil fuel heating. That’s roughly three times the impact of driving a hybrid car and saves consumers $400 to $1,500 or more each year, according to the Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association. Plus, some state and local municipalities even offer a tax credit for heating all or part of a home with biomass fuels. Additionally, because pellets are made from renewable resources like residual forest waste and agricultural byproducts, they absorb nearly as much carbon growing as they give off when burned, making them carbon neutral, according to the Pellet Fuels Institute. To maximize cost savings, look for a high efficiency, free-standing pellet stove, like the XXV from Harman Stoves. This stylish pellet stove delivers controlled heat thanks to its distinct cast iron details and advanced room-sensing technology, which automatically adjusts heat output to maintain a consistent room temperature. You can also cut costs by replacing a drafty, masonry-built fireplace with an insert, like the Harman Accentra 52i which offers powerful and consistent heat with low maintenance and fuelsaving technology. Ì Ì Dress for the Weather Your extremities are where heat is lost from your body. While wearing gloves indoors is impractical, you should definitely cover up your feet. Invest in a good pair of slippers and some warm socks to keep your feet and the rest of you warm. By dressing warmer indoors, you will be able to keep the overall central heat temperature down, resulting in real costsavings. New Windows Heat loss through windows can account for a whopping 10 to 25 percent of your heating bill, according to the Department of Energy. If you have older, single pane windows, it may be time for an upgrade. Look for doublepane windows that are ENERGY STAR qualified. It’s a one-time expense with a true return on investment. You don’t need to feel chilly or uncomfortable in order to lower your energy bills. Take steps to improve your home’s energy efficiency. Approximately 65% of people with hearing loss are below retirement age. Ì Approximately 1 in 5 Americans age 12 and older experiences hearing loss severe enough to hinder communication. Approximately 36,000,000 Americans have some degree of hearing loss, ranging from mild to severe. Hear all the sounds of the Fall Season ENJOY BETTER HEARING THIS SUMMER! The perfect time for a complimentary hearing screening is now. Fall is a wonderful time filled with the harmonious sounds of the great outdoors and social gatherings. October – December Special • FREE hearing screening* • FREE technology demonstration Call (805) 995-4826 today to take advantage of our FREE hearing screening offer! *Solely for the selection of proper hearing instrumentation and not a medical diagnosis. 1052 Main St, Ste B • Morro Bay, CA Call today for a FREE hearing screening and FREE 30-day trial. Come in today to try it on. CALL TODAY (805) 995-4826 22 • December 18 - 24, 2014 • Tolosa Press Special Publication Choosing the Right Toys Can Help Kids Meet Developmental Milestones T his holiday season, keep in mind the notion that what your children play with can have a large impact on their interests and brain development. So when it comes to a walk down the toy aisle, parents are becoming more discerning, leading smart toymakers to design toys with a learning component that’s equally as important as the fun. VTech, a world leader in ageappropriate and developmental stagebased electronic learning products for children, works with a team of child development experts to assess toys and provide feedback before reaching store shelves. The members of VTech’s Expert Panel are offering some helpful holiday shopping hints to parents looking to foster their child’s love of learning: • Add it up: “Mathematical foundations provide the building blocks for future mathematical success, both in school and beyond,” says Dr. Francis (Skip) Fennell, mathematics educator. “Toys that emphasize numbers, counting and beginning concepts with whole number operations will develop, support and encourage these crucial concepts and skills.” The Count & Chomp Dino, for example, introduces children to numbers, colors, shapes and foods. • Age-appropriate: “Children’s brains are developing at a remarkable speed,” says Dr. Lise Eliot, an early childhood development expert. “Their toys should keep up with that growth.” Keep kids challenged with educational toys that are ageappropriate, so they are never bored or frustrated. Consider child-sized, kidfriendly tablets, such as the InnoTab MAX, that are packed with educational, stagebased learning content. • Full STEAM ahead: Science, technology, engineering and m a t h e m a t i c s (collectively known as STEM) have gained more visibility in schools, along with the addition of arts to form STEAM. However, says Dr. Carla C. Johnson, science and STEM expert, “It is still crucial to cultivate skills in these subjects and implement them in everyday learning. Educational toys can help kids develop selfconfidence in the use and application of these important disciplines.” • Build vocabulary: “Children absorb new information like sponges. Take advantage of their blossoming interests with interactive toys that highlight letters of the alphabet, the sounds letters make and vocabulary,” says Dr. Deborah Sharp Libby, early childhood language and reading expert. “Above all, don’t forget the importance of reading to and with your children often!” • Choose wisely: “Don’t get carried away with the bells and whistles. You and your kids will quickly look past those. Instead, look for toys that actively engage your kids through technology, by deeply integrating games and learning,” says Dr. Eric Klopfer, platform learning expert. Remember, each child grows at his or her own pace, and there are few hard and fast deadlines when it comes to a child’s milestones. For a detailed guideline, sorted by age group and area of development, along with other free parenting resources, visit www. vtechkids.com/milestones. With toys as tools for learning, you can help children as they reach their educational and developmental milestones. T H E S E AV E N T U R E B E AC H H OT E L Christmas Feast Wednesday, December 2 25, 1pm-7pm s,OCAL s(ANDMADE s/RGANIC s&AIR4RADE F I R ST CO U R S E Flapjacks Pumpkin & Leek Soup Orchard Salad Turkey Pot Pie ENTREES Rack of Lamb Grilled Sea Bass Rabbit Prime Rib Curried Cous Cous DESSERT BUFFET 1445 Monterey Street • SLO: 782-9868 Open Daily at 10:00am Sundays 12 noon - 4pm Adults $40 ( Kids under 12 $20 Reservations: 773-3463 100 Ocean View Ave., Pismo Beach SeaVenture.com Don’ t Miss Champagne Toast at 9pm NEW YEAR’S EVE Live Music by Avenue Déjà Vu 7-10pm NEW YORK ST YLE Prix Fixe Menu Talley Recipe Tolosa Press Special Publication • December 18 - 24, 2014 • 23 Orecchiee Or Bow Tie Pasta With Chicken & Kale 1 lb dried pasta 1 lb (or more) grilled, cooked chicken, sliced thin (see marinade recipe below) 1 large bunch kale, stemmed & roughly chopped Mushrooms, English Peas, Snap Peas, Broccoli Crowns or other vegetable of choice. Grated zest and juice of 1 lemon 1⁄2 cup freshly grated Parmesan 1⁄2 cup chopped Italian parsley (optional) Butter Olive oil In a large pot, bring 5 quarts of water to a boil. Cook the pasta until just under cooked. Reserve 1⁄4 cup of the water and drain the pasta. Meanwhile, in another large pot or wok, cook the kale in butter or olive oil until wilted, about 2 minutes or less. Add other vegetables of choice and cook until done. Add the pasta and pasta water. Simmer until the pasta is fully cooked, about 2 minutes. #6.1"/%#&:0/% Remove the pot from the heat, stir in the lemon zest and lemon juice, cheese, parsley, butter, chicken and olive oil. Add more liquid if you need to (wine, lemon juice or water). Makes 6 servings. (3061#6.1 The only comprehensive group prenatal training on the Central Coast led by a Prenatal Exercise Specialist 10451"356.'*5/&44 Solo and Group Training led by a Postpartum Specialist addressing the specific physical needs of a new mom Something’s Cooking AMERICAN & FOREIGN CUISINE SINCE 1982 Sandee Helow 805.772.0492 [email protected] | P.O. Box 1135, 888 Napa Street, Morro Bay .0..:"/%.& Fitness programming for both mom and baby, helping you get your body back with baby by your side! Health & Fitness Education Personal Training Diet & Nutrition ZUMBA Cycling Classes Body Pump Body Combat Body Attack Body Flow Yoga Classes And So Much More... mUOFTTGPSBMMTUBHFTPGMJGF [email protected] t#SPBE4U4-0t.BSJHPME$FOUFStXXXFRDMVCTDPN 24 • December 18 - 24, 2014 • Tolosa Press Special Publication Keep Pets Happy and Healthy this Holiday Season T he holiday season can mean new routines, new décor and new foods in your home. While these temporary changes can be exciting for people, they can be hazardous to pets. “The extended holiday season is no excuse to take a vacation from being a great pet parent,” says Dr. Jeff Werber, Hollywood’s Vet to the Stars. Keeping your dog happy and healthy this holiday season is easy, Werber says. He is sharing some seasonal tips. • Keep curious pets focused: Most pets will be curious about the tinsel, ornaments and ribbons of the season. Since most decorations are not pet-friendly, keep them beyond reach and take necessary precautions and keep your pets focused on something they truly enjoy. &2 552% +$7 0025 &203$552% %$<+ +$7& %$<++$$71<& $<+ 02 & 0 l 1<ll 2 l 0 0 l 0 l 2 < 3 1 & 0 &2 52%%$<++$7 0032$552%%$< $7& &203$52%%$<+ + 5 l l0025 &203$1<ll00<2+ 03$1<l 7&&20 $ +$7<&&ll2002552%%$<+3+$$1<ll002 % % 2 5 %$<++$$71& 5 2 0 0 ll $7&&203$1 <+ 7&&20 %$< &203 <% %$<++ 1<ll002552%%$ 0+3$$1<ll002552%& 7 2 $ <ll0025$572& 03 %%$<++$7&& 552%%$<+ +$ &200 + &l2l0 2 2 l 5 0 0 5 l 2 l 2%%$<+ < 0 1 0 $ 3 &2 3$15<2l%%$ &203$5512<%%$<+ +$7&&20002552%%$<++$71& 7& 5 2 $ <ll00 ll 1<ll002+ &203$515<2%%$<++$7&&200023 552%%$<++$7<&l&l 7& $ + < $ % % l 2 l 2 5 1<ll00 03$1< +$7& &203$5152%% $7&&2023$552%%$<++$7&l&l2002552%%$<+ ll002 $7 &203$5512<%%$<+ 03$1< %%$<++$7& $1<ll00<+ + 2 & & 7 $ + %$ $1<ll002552 203$1<ll002 &&203$1< 552% 7 3 & +$7& 002552%%$<++$ 1<l002552 +$7&&202552%%$<+ ll 3$ $<++$7 03$1<%l$0<++$7&&203$515<2%%$<+ +$7&&l20002552% % l < 1 $ 2552%&203$1<ll002 $7& 3 &203$1 0 & 2 7 & $ + + <++ ll002552%%$< $1<ll00255 $ % % <++$7& 2 5 5 2 &203 552%%$<++$ 03$1<ll00<+ &203$1<2%%$<++$7& +$7& 2 02552%%&&$203$1<ll002++55$7&&203$1<ll$00<++$7&&203$ % ll0025 $<++$7<ll002552%%$< 3$1<ll002552% &203$5512<%%$<+ &&20 552%%$<+ +$7& 203$1 %$<+ 7 $ + 2 00 & 0025527& 203$1<ll 7&203 3$1<ll002 +$ &l20002552%%$<++$17<&l& 002552%%$<0++3$$1<ll002 %$<+ &2 552 %$< &203$12<%l $< +$7 &2032$552 %$< +$7& 02 Holiday Sale If your dog begs at the table every night, chances are they’ll be begging at the holiday dinner table. With new people over and different kinds of food falling to the floor, it’ll be important to prevent distractions during dinner. Use healthy treats, such as Greenies, as a training tool to keep your dog away from guests’ dinner plates. • Give recognizable gifts: A whopping 85 percent of pet parents buy their dog a holiday present, according to the 2014 Greenies: Dog Owners Survey. In order for your pet to be as thrilled about their stocking as you are, give them the same treat before the holiday -- so that it’s more familiar and better received. Let us do the cleaning so you don’t have to. 875 EM EMBARCADERO CA O MORRO BAY, CA 805-776-5004 Creekside Pet This year, consider giving a gift that promotes good health. While nearly half of all dog owners have turned away from a kiss from a dog because of its bad breath, more than a quarter say they don’t brush their dog’s teeth at all. And bad breath isn’t just unpleasant; it can be a sign of poor dental health or dental disease. Consider giving your dog a dental chew that carries the Veterinary Oral Health Council Seal of Acceptance for control of plaque and tartar, such as Greenies Canine Dental Chews. They are the number one veterinarian-recommended Happy Holidays from DE N O GRA ARROY SAN LUIS OBISPO ORCUT T DUSTY LADY CLEANERS FREE Ice Cream! Boarding.com All day play yards! We Doggie Daycare OPEN 365 DAYS PER YEAR 1298 Noyes Road, Arroyo Grande (805) 481~7711 We offer competitive rates for all types of cleaning, including: s"IWEEKLYWEEKLYMONTHLYCLEANING s-OVEOUTMOVEIN s#OMMERCIALSPACES s!FTERSPECIALEVENTCLEANUP s3PRINGCLEANING s3PECIALEVENTPREPARATIONCLEANING s$EEPCLEANING !NDMUCHMUCHMORE www.DUSTYLADYCLEANERS.com 805/234/6326 Gift Card Purchase a $25 Gift Card and receive a FREE Single Scoop!! 805.474.4068 114 W. Branch St. 860 Higuera St. 168 W. Clark Ave. Village of Arroyo Grande Downtown SLO Old Orcutt Tolosa Press Special Publication • December 18 - 24, 2014 • Holiday Guide dental chews and are available in special Season’s Greenies holiday packaging around this time of year. • Give your pet extra love: During the holidays your routine will likely change. Your dog will be able to tell, but not know why. As you are out shopping or attending a holiday party, your pet might be missing out on his usual attention. Show your pet some love by setting some time aside for daily play time or an extra walk. Or give them their favorite treat. More pet health tips and resources can be found at www. Greenies.com. The holidays are all about sharing time with friends and family. In the shuffle, don’t forget your beloved pet! 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Allapply. rights reserved. franchise independently owned and operated. LivingTailored featuring PremierGarage is a trademark of Tailored Living, and a Homeof Franchise Concepts brand. Each franchise independently owned and Tailored operated. Living featuring PremierGarage is aLLC trademark Tailored Living, LLC and a Home Franchise Concepts brand. * 25 ).4%2)/23s&52.)452%s$%3)'. MAKE YOUR HOME Christmas Beautiful with accessories, art and lighting. They make great gifts too! $INING2OOMs3OFASs"EDROOMs2ECLINERSs3LEEPERS %NTERTAINMENTs(OME/FFICEs!CCESSORIES 12 MONTHS SPECIAL FINANCING AVAILABLE. Subject to credit approval. See store for details. $ECORATING3ERVICESs7INDOW4REATMENTS (*UDQG$YH$UUR\R*UDQGHZZZ'RQQDV,QWHULRUVFRP0RQ6DWDP²SP6XQ²SP 8 0 5 sound Tolosa Press • December 18 - 24, 2014 A 27 Out with the Old, In with the New Year! find your beat h, New Year’s Eve! A time of new beginnings and of reaffirming what is worthwhile in our lives. A time of romance, or a time for staying at home and drowning your sorrows in a pint of Haagen Daz… Wait just a minute! Don’t sit on the couch and sulk, get out there and have some fun! So what if Mr. or Ms. Right doesn’t have your number yet? Are you really going to let that stop you? When I lived in L.A.’s San Fernando Valley, where I grew up, I stopped going out on New Year’s Eve because of all the drunken drivers. With much lighter traffic here on the Central Coast, which I have happily called home for the last 25 years, there’s more room to maneuver, and drunks stick out like a sore thumb. I plan on getting out there and having some fun; so should you, and whether or not you’ve got someone decorating you wrist shouldn’t be a concern. Make “getting out there” be your first resolution, and you’ll discover a world full of fun and good friends. Here are some of the many events planned for ringing in the New Year. I have noted the ones that are particularly singles-friendly. Many of these events sell out in advance, so buy tickets ahead of time if you can. The Mooks! at Marie Callender’s in Pismo Beach. Enjoy a delicious buffet dinner and dancing in the restaurant’s buffet room (downstairs, enter directly from the parking lot). Entre choices are Beef Stroganoff, Lemon-pepper Crusted Chicken, Artichoke & Mushroom Chicken, and Veggie Pasta Primavera. Includes pie and a champagne toast at midnight. No host bar. Dinner is served from 7:30 p.m., and the Mooks! perform great danceable rock’n’roll, blues, rockabilly, funk, and a little disco from 9 p.m-12:15 a.m. Tickets are $35 in advance or $40 at the door including dinner, or $10/15 if you just want to dance. No host bar. Tickets are available from Madeline at 904-9529 or at Marie Callender’s. Singles-friendly event, with special tables available. Unfinished Business at South County Regional Center, Arroyo Grande. This event sells out every year. Unfinished Business performs 60’s rock’n’roll hits for your dancing pleasure. Dinner for the event will be prepared by Taste of San Luis Obispo, and features a salad station, slider station, mac and cheese station, and dessert station. The no host bar will be manned by Knights of Columbus. $10 corkage. Doors open for cocktails at 6 p.m., dinner • will be available from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m., dancing from 8 p.m.-12:15 am. Singles-friendly event. $80/ person or a table of 10 for $750. Tickets at www. unfinishedbusiness.org. J i m m y Jimmy and the iPOD Allstars featuring Jim Townsend and Demi Lee Solario will be at Giancarlo’s Ristorante in Morro Bay at a special NYE cocktail party. Dinner will be served from 5 p.m.-10 p.m., and includes such culinary wonders as “Seared Duck Breast Stuffed with Chestnuts” and “Slow Chianti-Braised Veal Shanks Ossobuco”. Reservations are required for dinner, and there is a party afterwards with free live music and appetizers from 10 p.m-12 a.m. (first come, first served). Music starts at 7 p.m. Complimentary champagne toast at midnight. No host bar. 772-9200. The Jammies will be at Harry’s Nightclub and Beach Bar in Pismo Beach from 9 p.m. until 1:30 a.m. $25 cover, no host bar. 21 and over only. 773-1010. Proxima Parada will be at Luna Red’s Red and White Ball in San Luis Obispo. This great, young band will be performing from 10 p.m.-12:30 a.m. Presale tickets are $40 and include champagne and appetizers. Partygoers are encouraged to dress in red and white. 21 and over only. 540-5243. The Otter Rock Café in Morro Bay will have live music by Lu Lu and the Cowtippers at their free event from 9 p.m.-1 a.m., which includes a champagne toast. If you wish to dine before the event, please make reservations. The event itself will be first come, first served. 772-1420. Old Cayucos Tavern has Triple Threat on the bill for the evening. No host bar, 21 and over. No cover. Music starts at 9 p.m. 995-3209. El Colibri Hotel in Cambria will feature the music of Dorian Michael and Julie Beaver. The duo will be in the wine lounge from 9 p.m.-1 a.m. No host wine, beer and champagne, Goddess of Groove By Mad Royal with a complimentary champagne toast at midnight. No cover. 9243003. Zongo’s New Year’s Eve Time Traveler’s Ball will be at the South Bay Community Center in Los Osos. Guests are invited to dress as persons from the past or future, and compete for cash prizes in the costume contest. This event is usually a sell-out, and features the rhythm-based music of Zongo AllStars at 9:30 p.m., with Solstice opening at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $25 each, with a limited number of tickets for children 13 and younger at $10. Special children’s activities. No host wine, champagne and beer. www.zongoallstars.com. Sebastian Luna, Little Bill, and Kevin Simmons from Shameless will be performing at the Fuel Dock in Morro Bay. 21 and over, no cover, no host bar. Music from 9 p.m.-12:30 a.m. 772-8478. Deep Blue will be at Cambria Pines Lodge in the Fireside Lounge from 9 p.m.-12 a.m. 9274200 Whatever you do, drink responsibly, and have fun. See you on the dance floor! ~NOTE: The Real Blues Jam and Christmas Party, hosted by Ted Waterhouse has changed locations. It will be on Thursday, December 18 at the Fuel Dock in Morro Bay, from 7 p.m.-10 p.m., not at the Sweet Springs Saloon as originally reported. ✤ Strawberry Wheat Dirty Reapin’ Blonde Fear the Reaper–AMBER Oblivion–IPA Apocalyptic–DIPA Double Damn –CHOCOLATE LAVENDER STOUT Sabotage Wood-Fired Pizza Daily Live Music Every Friday Night ™ 3 M-Th 4–10pm | F 3pm–Midnight Sa 1–10pm | Su 9:30am–9:30pm NFL Package 1750 7 El Camino Real 750 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 28 • December 18 - 24, 2014 • Tolosa Press 8 0 5 sound Clubs & Nightlife find your beat South County THE CLIFFS RESORT: 2757 Shell Beach Road, 773-5000 or cliffsresort.com. LAETITIA WINERY: 453 Laetitia Vineyard Drive, Arroyo Grande, 805-4811772. www.laetitiawine.com. Live Music Saturdays and Sundays 1-4pm. F. MCLINTOCKS SALOON: Two locations: 750 Mattie Road in Pismo Beach and 133 Bridge St. in Arroyo Grande. 7731892 or mclintocks.com. Live music at the Pismo Beach location every Fri. and Sat. from 6-9pm. Tennessee Jimmy Harrell and Doc Stoltey play on alternating weekends. LIDO RESTAURANT AT DOLPHIN BAY: 2727 Shell Beach Road, Shell Beach, 773-4300 or thedolphinbay.com. Join Three-Martini Lunch every Thurs. and Fri. from 6-9pm. Live Music Every Tues. from 5:30-6:30 and Thursdays and Fridays 6-9 HARRY’S NIGHT CLUB AND BEACH BAR: Cypress and Pomeroy, downtown Pismo Beach, 773-1010. Every Thu. Front Row Karaoke. 12/5 The Jammies 9pm 12/6 Shameless 3pm The Jammies 9pm 12/7 Manny English 9pm 12/8 Manny English 7:30pm 12/9 JB Rocks 7:30 12/10 JB Rocks 7:30pm 12/12 CK Solution 9pm 12/13 Legends 3pm CK Solution 9pm 12/14 Double Shots 9pm 12/15 Double Shot 12/16 The Steve Tracy Project 12/17 The Steve Tracy Project 7:30pm 12/19 Stinger 9pm 12/20 Mid Life Crisis 3pm Stinger 9pm 12/21 Manny English 9pm 12/22 Manny English 7:30pm 12/23 Rock Solid 7:30pm 12/24 Rock Solid 2:30pm 12/26 The Little George Band 9-11pm 12/27 The LG Band 3pm The Little George 9pm 12/28 Shameless 9pm 12/29 Shameless 7:30 12/30 Double Shot 12/31 The Jammie 9pm MANROCK BREWING CO. TASTING ROOM: 1750 El Camino Real ste A, Grover Beach, CA 93433. Tasting room M-Th 4pm-10pm, Fri 3pm-12am, Sat noon-12am, Sun noon-7pm MONGO’S SALOON: 359 W. Grand Ave., Grover Beach, 489-3639. Karaoke Tuesday and Wednesday 9pm. Live Music and dancing every Friday and Saturday at 9pm. MR. RICK’S: 404 Front St., Avila Beach, 805-595-7425 www.mrricks.com Happy Hour Monday-Thursday 4-7pm 12/5 Indian Valley Band 8pm 12/6 Matt Szlachetka 8pm 12/7 Soul Sauce 1pm 12/12 Bobby Santacruz 8pm 12/13 Bootyshakers 8pm 12/14 Matt Cross 1pm 12/19 Shameless 8pm 12/20 Soul Sauce 8pm 12/21 Living Large 1pm 12/26 Soundhouse 8pm 12/27 Legends 8pm 12/28 Soul Sauce 1pm Thu 12/18 .... Kenny Taylor Band Farmer’s Market food welcome inside Fri 12/19 .... TBA Sat 12/20 .... Dave Miller Band Sun 12/21 .... Billy Manzik Mon 12/22 .... Toan’s Open Jam Tue 12/23 .... Jade Jackson Band Wed 12/24 .... Ras Danny Duo Thu 12/25 .... Closed MERRY CHRISTMAS!!! SEAVENTURE: 100 Ocean View, Pismo Beach, 773-4994. www.seaventure.com Live music every Wednesday from 6-9pm in the Fireplace room. Acoustic Sundays from 3-6pm on the Deck. TALLEY VINEYARDS: 3031 Lopez Dr., Arroyo Grande, 489-0446, talleyvineyards.com VENTANA GRILL: 2575 Price St. Pismo Beach, 773-0000, or ventanagrill. com. Matt Cross plays on Mon and Wed. evenings. VINO VERSATO: 781 Price St., Pismo Beach, 773-6563 or vinoversato.com. Every Tuesday: Side Effects CREATIVE JUICES LOUNGE 874 Guadalupe Street, Guadalupe, CA 93434, 805-219-0518 www.creativejuicelounge. com 12/6 Louie Ortega San Luis Obispo BON TEMPS CREOLE CAFE: 1000 Olive St., 544-2100. Zydeco music, live blues, and jazz on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings. CREEKY TIKI: 782 Higuera St., 9032591. www.creekytiki.com EVERY FRIDAY Live Music Directly Following Concerts in the Plaza 12/04 Michael Keeney 12/5 Kenny Taylor 12/6 Tim Jackson 12/11 Tim Jackson 12/11 Matt Cross FROG & PEACH PUB: 728 Higuera St. (805)595-3764. 12/04 Dave Miller Band 12/5 Dub Seeds 12/7 The Lower 48 12/9 DJ DP THE GRADUATE: 990 Industrial Way, 541-0969 or slograd.com. Every Thu. Is Country Night 8pm 18+, Every Fri “Noche Caliente” or “Hot Latin Nights” 18+, Every Sat “Big Chill” hits from the 70’s 80’s 90’s 21+ & Every Sunday is Minor Madness 8pm-11:45pm LINNAEA’S CAFE: 1110 Garden St., 541-5888 www.linnaes.com LUNA RED: 1023 Chorro St., 540-5243 www.lunaredslo.com 12/4 Bear Market Riot 10pm 12/5 End of Prohibition Party 12/6 Rob Larkin and Debra Windsong 12/7 Sunday Set List 3-5pm 12/11 Girls & Boys 12/12 Josh Cody 12/13 Kenny Taylor 12/14 Chris Beland 12/18 Chris Beland PAPPY MCGREGOR’S: pappymcgregors.com or 543-KILT (5458), 1865 Monterey St. Live music is Wed./Thurs./Fri. from 6-9pm. Old Time Fiddle & Banjo Show every Wed. from 6-9pm. + Every Sunday and Monday night from 10pm to close + Drink specials all night long Tolosa Press • December 18 - 24, 2014 8 0 5 sound North Coast 10TH STREET GRILL: 2011 10th St., Los Osos, 528-2011 or 10thstreetgrill.com. CAMBRIA PINES LODGE: 2905 Burton Drive, Cambria, 927-4200 or cambriapineslodge.com. Entertainment every night in the Fireside Lounge. FUEL DOCK SALOON: 900 Main St., Morro Bay, 772-8478 MOZZI’S SALOON: 2262 Main St. in Cambria, 927-4767. Friday Night: Karaoke, Saturday Night: Live Music OLD CAYUCOS TAVERN: 130 N. Ocean Ave., Cayucos, 995-3209. Fri.-Sat.: Live music. OTTER ROCK CAFE: 885 Embarcadero, Morro Bay, 805-772-1420. www.otterrockcafe.com Every Wed.: Karaoke, 8pm. Every Thu.: Thursday Night Spotlight, 8pm. *Closed every Tuesday 12/1 Monday Night Football Drink & Food Specials 12/4 Spotlight w/ Frankie 12/6 Renown 12/7 14th Annual Ultimate X-mas party pot-luck pro-jam 12/8 Monday Night Football Drink & Food Specials 12/12 Mike Keeny 12/13 Croondogs 12/14 Cloud Ship 12/15 Monday Night Football Drink & Food Specials 12/19 Wild Anderson Party 12/20 Bobby Santa Cruz Band 12/21 Meet the Foppers 12/22 Monday Night Football specials 12/27 Kenny Taylor Band 12/28 Stringtown Ambassadors 12/29 Monday Night Football 12/31 Lu Lu & the Cowtippers New Years Eve Bash! SKIPPERS RESTAURANT: 113 N Ocean, Cayucos, 995-1122. SWEET SPRINGS SALOON: 990 Los Osos Valley Road, Los Osos, 528-3764, sweetspringssaloon.com. Friday and Saturday: Live music from 9pm to 2am. TOGNAZZINI’S DOCKSIDE: 1245 Embarcadero, Morro Bay, 772-8100. WINDOWS ON THE WATER: 699 Embarcadero, Suite 7, Morro Bay, 7720677. Live music every Monday and Friday evening. North County ASUNCION RIDGE: 725 12th St., Paso Robles, 237-1425 Live music Saturdays from 5-8pm AVION & CLAW: 6155 El Camino Real, Atascadero, 461-9463 or avionandclaw. com. Live music Thurs.-Sat. from 7-10pm. BROKEN EARTH WINERY: 5625 Highway 46E, Paso Robles, 239-2562. 29 8 Big-Screen TVs with NFL Ticket. 30 Craft Beers On Tap and Full Bar. find your beat SLO BREWING CO.: 1119 Garden St., 543-1843 or slobrewingco.com. 11/28 Breather Carolina 12/04 Young Dubliners 12/05 The Dead Volts 12/06 Grouch and Eligh (of Living Legends) 12/09 Tasty Treat 12/11 FMLYBND 12/12 Charlie Hunter & Scott Amendola 12/10 Ras Danny Duo 12/11 Cosmopolites 12/12 Charlie Hunter & Scott 12/13 Andre Nickatina 12/14 Hirie 12/27 Heart to Heart. • BRU COFFEEHOUSE: 576 El Camino Real, Atascadero, 464-5007. www. brucoffeehouse.com Live music every Friday from 7-9pm. 11/14 Max Martinelli 11/21 The Simple Parade November artwork from Louisa Cardinali CAMOZZI’S: 5855 El Camino Real, Atascadero, 466-1880. D’ANBINO VINEYARDS AND CELLARS: 710 Pine St., Paso Robles, 227-6800 or danbino.com. Every Saturday 2-4:30 pm wine and music events. LA BELLASERA HOTEL AND SUITES: 206 Alexa Ct., Paso Robles, 238-2834, www.labellasera.com. Guitar/ Vocal duo, Adam Levine and Judy Philbin play every Thurs. from 7-9pm, in the dining room/bar. LAST STAGE WEST: Halfway Station on Highway 41 (15050 Morro Road at Toro Creek), 461-1393 or laststagewest. net. Most shows start at 6pm. 12/4 Tanner Scott 12/5 Them Tracelin’ Birds 12/6 El Segundo 12/9 The Banjer Dan Show 12/10 Bluegrass Jam Night 12/11 Tanner Scott 12/13 The Stringtown Ambassadors 12/16 The BanjerDan Show 12/18 Tanner Scott 12/19 Panga 12/20 Dirty Cello 12/23 The BanjerDan Show 12/25 Tanner Scott 12/27 Alzheimer’s Association Benefit Dinner & Concert featuring: “The Inglishmen” w/ special guest: BanjerDan 12/30 The Banjer Dan Show 12/31 NEW YEARS EVE w/ EL SEGUNDO 1527 Shell Beach Road, Pismo Beach | (805) 295-6328 Open Mon-Sat 11:00 am to 11:00 pm, Sun 10:00 am to 11:00 pm WIN ES o n Ta p PAPPY MCGREGOR’S: pappymcgregors.com or 238-7070, 1122 Pine St. in Paso Robles. PASO ROBLES INN CATTLEMAN’S LOUNGE: 1103 Spring St., 238-2660. Live entertainment Friday and Saturday at 9:30pm. PINE STREET SALOON: 1234 Pine St., Paso Robles. www.pinestreetsaloon. com 805-238-1114. Every Monday Open Mic. 9pm. Every Tuesday/ Friday/ Sunday Marilyn’s Karaoke 9pm. Every Thursday North County Line Up Live Music 9pm. THE PONY CLUB AT HOTEL CHEVAL: 1021 Pine St., Paso Robles. www. hotelcheval.com 805-226-9995. 10/31 Dorian Michael & Nicole Stromsoe 7-10pm 11/28 Louie Ortega 7-10pm 11/29 Luke Bryon 7-10pm THE RANCH: 1285 Mission St. in San Miguel, www.liveattheranch.com or 467-5047. 11/29 Chris and Nick’s “Rave Circus” 18+ SCULPTERRA WINERY: 5015 Linne Road, Paso Robles, 226-8881. Steve Key presents “Songwriters at Play” Sundays from 1-4pm. 12/7 Alice Wallace 12/14 Albert Jr. Band 12/21 Maurice Tani 12/28 Stringtown Ambassadors VINA ROBLES AMPHITHEATRE: 3800 Mill Rd., Paso Robles, 286-3680. Check out Vina Robles Amphitheatre online for tickets, times, and pricing www. vinarobles.com. WHERE THE PARTY NEVER ENDS! THU 9PM- FRONT ROW 12/18 1:00 KARAOKE LIVE MUSIC THIS WEEK THU, 12/18 FRI, 12/19 SAT, 12/20 THU, 12/18 Ras Danny Duo Matt Suarez Vance Fahie (Resination) Closed Merry Christmas! Happy Hour Every Day 2-6 MUNCHIES FISH TACO............................. 3.50 PERSONAL PIZZA ............... 3.50 (PEPPERONI OR CHEESE) ONION RINGS ..................... 3.50 SHOESTRING FRIES ......... 3.50 SWEET POTATO FRIES .... 3.50 DRINK SPECIALS DOS EQUIS DRAFT............ 2.50 STRONGBOW DRAFT........ 2.50 DRAFT BEERS ...................... 4.00 WELL DRNKS........................ 4.50 CALL DINKS........................... 5.50 PREMIUM COCKTAILS ..... 6.50 CORONA BUCKET (5 BEERS) ......................$15.00 ALL DAY EVERYDAY BRING YOUR TIKI KOOZIE AND GET $1 OFF ANY CAN ALL DAY EVERY DAY 782 Higuera St, SLO 805.544.2200 11:00am-12:00am FRI 9PM12/19 1:30 STINGER MID LIFE CRISIS SAT 3:00PM -7:30 STINGER 12/20 9:00PM -1:30 SUN 9PM- MANNY 12/21 1:00 ENGLISH MON 7:30PM MANNY 12/22 -11:30 ENGLISH TUE 7:30PM ROCK SOLID 2.0 12/23 -11:30 WED 2:30PM -6:00 ROCK SOLID 2.0 12/24 atClosed 6PM THU 9PM- FRONT ROW 12/25 1:00 KARAOKE (805) 773-1010 690 Cypress St., Pismo Beach www.harryspismobeach.com Open 10am-2am Daily 30 • December 18 - 24, 2014 • Tolosa Press 8 0 5 sound find your beat Out on The Town Tolosa Press • December 18 - 24, 2014 The Hot Sardines to the Spanos Theater Samité St. Benedict’s Episcopal Church in Los Osos has a busy weekend planned, with a joyous holiday choir concert Saturday and Blue Christmas service Sunday. The St. Benedict’s Singers will play a free Christmas concert at 3 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 20 with a variety of Christmas music including “O Magnum Mysterium,” composed by 16th Century Spanish composer, Tomas Victoria, Bach’s “Cantata 140, Wachet Auf” (Wake Up!) first performed in 1731, and Gabriel’s “Message” arranged by contemporary British composer, John Rutter and more. Pianist Dr. Ann Lucas of the Allan Hancock Music Department will accompany and the choir is directed by St. Benedict’s John Cribb. The Blue Christmas service is at 5 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 21. The holidays are not happy for everyone. This simple service provides an opportunity to hear again the Christmas story, this time focused on the hope and the comfort it brings to those in sorrow and difficulty. Everyone is welcome regardless of faith. Participants are invited to stay for a light supper after the service. The church is at 2220 Snowy Egret Ln., one block south of the intersection of Clark Valley and Los Osos Valley roads. For more information call the Rev. Caroline Hall at 704-5826. Holiday classics are coming to the SLO Little Theatre stage in December offering something for everyone this holiday season. The lineup includes “The Santa Diaries,” by David Sedaris running Dec. 12-21, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 9:45 p.m. and Sundays at 7 p.m. Santa Diaries is a hilarious, one-man show about working as an elf in Macy’s Santaland. Tickets are $20. The cherished holiday classic, “A Christmas Story,” runs Dec. 11-21 on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 7 p.m. with Saturday and Sunday matinees at 2 p.m. Tickets are $15-$29 and can be purchased by calling 786-2440. The next Songwriters At Play Showcase features the mandolin duo Stringtown Ambassadors on Sunday, Dec. 28 from 1-4 p.m. at Sculpterra Winery, 5015 Linne Rd., Paso Robles. This is an all ages free show. Arlo Blaisus and his mandolin met up with fiddler Rosalind Parducci, and the result is Stringtown Ambassadors. Arlo began jamming with fiddlers and banjo pickers in Northwest Arkansas at age 15, and in a few years he moved on to western North Carolina, into the realms of Appalachian old time music. Rosalind was a classical violinist who discovered a local Irish session. She says her old time tunes are tinted with a raw, Celtic edge. Cal Poly Arts is bringing The Hot Sardines to the Spanos Theater at Cal Poly for a rousing night of old time jazz at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 14. Student and adult tickets are $36 & $45 and sold in advance at the Performing Arts Center Box Office, noon to 6 p.m., Tuesdays-Saturdays. Call 756-4849 or order online at: www. calpolyarts.org. Bandleader Evan “Bibs” Palazzo and lead singer “Miz Elizabeth” Bougerol combine with the Sardine ensemble of powerhouse musicians – and their very own tap dancer – to play “hot jazz” as it was in the era when live Creative music was king — the 1920s, ‘30s, and ‘40s — and jazz had a little glamour, a little grit, and a lot of passion. Sponsored by Cal Poly University Provost Kathleen Enz Finken, Holiday Inn Express, and K-JEWEL 1400 AM/106.5 FM. Internationally-renowned multi-instrument performer Samité will bring his musical artistry to the Performing Arts Center Pavilion at Cal Poly at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 15. Student and adult tickets are $27.20 and $34 and may be purchased in advance at the PAC Box Office, Tuesdays-Saturdays, noon to 6 p.m. Call 756-4849 or order online at: www. calpolyarts.org. Samité was born and raised in Uganda, where his grandfather taught him to play the traditional flute. When he was 12, a music teacher placed a western flute in his hands setting him on his way to becoming one of East Africa’s most acclaimed flutists. He performed in Uganda until 1982 when he was forced to flee to Kenya as a political refugee. He made his way to the U.S. in 1987 and settled in Upstate New York. He composed the soundtrack for the film, “Addiction Incorporated,” and his ninth CD, “Trust,” was released in 2012 and inspired by the Addiction Incorporated soundtrack. ✤ Elegant Affordable Pricing & Packaging to suit every budget & wedding size. 805.235.6365 [email protected] www.carriejaymes.com • 31 32 • December 18 - 24, 2014 • Tolosa Press Dinner and a Movie Crossing One Thing Off the Bucket List By Teri Bayus B ucket lists (I call them, “To Dos Before I Die”) are a very serious endeavor. I’ve had a bucket list going since 1990, and I am amazed at the things I have done. The act of writing down your wildest dreams brings the universe conspiring with you to make them happen. My first example, I wanted to meet Jimmy Buffett. Growing up in a snowbound desert waste land (aka, Nevada), I longed for the island fever in his songs. He grew to be a friend that understood my longing to live at the ocean. Gary’s parents lived in Florida and we flew down to see them. One quick day trip down Florida State Road A1A and I was in Key West, the stomping grounds of my two favorite men — Hemmingway and Buffett. In the middle of the day, I followed the music into a small tavern where a band was practicing. They were fantastic. I went up to the balcony to check the view and acoustics, while Gary stayed at the bar. A beach bum came in and sat by me and we discussed music and life, as we shared a couple beers. Gary kept looking up at me and giving me the thumbs up, but never joined us. That was weird, but I was having fun talking with this strange guy. He left and then Gary joined me grinning ear to ear. “Are you beyond jazzed?” he asked. “Why? I just had a couple of beers with a sailor.” “That was Jimmy Buffett.” Then it hit me. It was him and I didn’t even know it at the time. I was glad I didn’t know, because I would have not been so free to discuss “bikini mishaps” with him. The point of this story is I got to check off another bucket list item last Friday night at a wonderful Diner/Concert venue in Pismo Beach — the Shell Cafe. I was a back-up singer for the band, Risky Whippet, and it was the most terrifying and wonderful thing I’ve done to date. But first we ate. Shell Café is one of the unning oldest continually running restaurants on the Central Coast, with live music t d most Thursday-Saturday nights and Sunday afternoons. They are open for breakfast and lunch daily and dinners every night but Mondays and Tuesdays. What I like best is that they serve breakfast all day, because sometimes I need to have pancakes for dinner. The night of my performance, we started with the clam chowder in a bread bowl. Big chucks of clams told me that this was a serious seafood venue. I also tried the ale battered sidewinders, which was a basket of deep fried potato rings loaded with bacon and cheese. I dipped mine in ranch dressing and was happy with this take on potato skins. For our main course, Gary had the penne pasta jambalaya. It was one of the specials. It was a large dish with big shrimp, spicy chicken sausage stuffed with garlic, roasted bell peppers, and provolone cheese over a bed of penne pasta. It was topped with a homemade white sauce and served with garlic toast. I had the Shell Café original a polenta eggs Benedict. It contained grilled and homemade polenta topped with artichokes, tomato slices, poached eggs, and was drizzled with pesto Hollandaise sauce and chives. Served with country potatoes, it was a satisfying breakfast-for-dinner option. Our friends and other band mates shared the flaming Tiki hamburger. It was a 1/3-pound patty with grilled pineapple, pico de gallo, fried jalapeños, chipotle mayonnaise, avocado and pepper jack cheese, all served on a toasted bun. It was huge and they ate every bite. They also had the shell dunker with barbecue tri-tip. The S Shell Café has special, Sant Maria-style tri-tip Santa seasone to perfection and seasoned slow-roa slow-roasted over a wood fire out on the patio; which i also l a great way to enjoy is the beach lifestyle and food. They use a proprietary seasoning recipe and aging method that makes the meat incredibly delicious. It was served with pepper Jack cheese on French bread with au jus for dipping. As we got ready for our “gig,” we shared a slice of the apple pie a la mode that was the perfect balance of tart and sweet. The Risky Whippet Christmas show is a special treat lead by the intrepid authors, Wendelin Van Draanen and Mark Parsons. Their equally talented children, Colton and Connor Parsons, accompany them on bass and lead guitar. Van Draanen is the author of the Sammy Keyes series of children’s mystery novels, a movie called Flipped and many other fun books (my favorite is Runaway). Mark Parsons is author of, “Road Rash,” a new young adult novel about a teenage drummer who finds out what life on tour with a rock band is really like. Their family band is called Risky Whippet and they get together at Christmas time at the Shell Café. They give three lucky slugs the opportunity to sing backup, otherwise known as the “Whip-ettes.” I was called upon because Wendelin had heard it was on my bucket list. My other performers where Wendy Thies Sell, culinary writer for the Santa Maria Sun and Ryan Miller, executive editor of New Times and the Santa Maria Sun. Because we all tap keys for a living, we were dubbed “The Press Posse.” We practiced at the Risky Whippet headquarters several times learning the correct “oohs and ahs.” I was surprised how challenging this was, as I knew most of the songs, but had never paid attention to the backup parts. I was both thrilled and terrified to sing in public. Wendelin and Mark assured us if we just had fun, the rest would fall into place. For a whole month, I practiced day and night, in the car, while I wrote and walked the beach. The time came for us to join the band on stage and I forced my shaky legs to walk to the bandstand and under the blinding lights. The three-stand microphone made it so the Press Posse was close enough to guide each other, but I could not hold still. The minute the first note was played, my nervous energy was coming out in hops, and hip twirls. I only missed a couple lines and can honestly say it was an absolute blast experiencing what it is like to be in a live band with a very lively audience. It went by too fast and I was sad when it was over. I was proud that I had subdued my fears and could cross off this bucket-list item. Thank you to Wendelin and Mark, Colton, Connor, Wendy and Ryan for an amazing experience. Shell Café is located at 1351 Price St., in Pismo Beach. Call (805) 773-8300. Open Sundays from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., Mondays-Tuesdays from 8-3, and Wednesdays-Saturdays 8-10. ✤ Teri Bayus can be reached at: [email protected] or follow her writing and ramblings at: www. teribayus.com. Teri is also the host of Taste Buds, a moving picture rendition of her reviews shown on Charter Cable Channel 10 or at: www. centralcoastnow.tv. Dinner and a Movie is a regular feature of Tolosa Press. SLO City News • December 18 - 24, 2014 • 33 NEWS SLO Burns Allowed; Fire Season Over By Camas Frank O ne week after the official start of the annual burn season San Luis Obispo’s Cal Fire unit announced that they’ve transitioned out of fire season effective Dec. 15, as rains and cooler temperatures across the region have lowered the threat of wildfires In the last two weeks the weather station at the Canet Road Bridge off Hwy 1 in San Luis Obispo measured a cumulative 4.67-inches of rain, according to live monitor feeds at: slocountywater.org. “While we will not know if this winter will finally bring us out of this long drought, we welcome the last few wetting storms so we can take a breath from a fire season that extended from April of 2013 until now,” said Cal Fire/ SLO County Fire Chief Robert Lewin in a press statement, which also noted that the 2014 fire season has been an extremely active year. Statewide, Cal Fire and firefighters from many local agencies battled over 5,500 wildfires within the State Responsibility Area that burned nearly 91,000 acres — a thousand more wildfires this year than normal. Also, the Annual Open Burn Season started last week, with the Cal Fire and the Air Pollution Control District officially giving the go-ahead for backyard brush burning. The season runs through April and allows the burning of residential yard trimmings in backyards along with agricultural waste. Burn season normally closes at the end of April when local fire agencies typically predict an increasing risk of wildfires from dry brush and grass. During the drought, hazardous fire conditions grew worse and Cal Fire warned residents that, “even though we are entering the winter months, wildfires can occur during unexpected hot and windy days.” All burning will require a permit from the APCD but additional permits from Cal Fire are not required. The agencies still have requirements and procedures: • APCD burn applications are not available at Cal Fire stations. Mailin applications and permits for both types of burning (Ag and residential) are available at most libraries, selected Community Service District offices, the County Ag Commissioner and APCD. • Backyard burning may only be done by occupants of single family or duplex dwellings outside urban and village reserve lines in rural areas on a designated “burn days” (determined by wind and weather conditions). • Ag burning may only be conducted by agricultural operations that derive income from the growing of crops or the raising of animals, or for vegetation, forest or range management. • Downloadable applications are available at: www.slocleanair.org/ programs/burning.php. Fill out, print and mail to the APCD, with a check for the permit fee of $50. While residents can once again burn, the APCD urges them to seek alternatives such as green-waste disposal, chipping and composting. For information contact the APCD’s Compliance Division at 781-5912 and for daily burn status call 1-800-8342876. ✤ Now Open! Dignity Health Outpatient Laboratories Expanding convenient, affordable access to care with NEW quality in-town laboratory services. NEW San Luis Obispo Patient Service Center Marigold Shopping Center 3840-4 Broad Street Hours: Mon–Fri 6:30AM–5:00PM Sat 8:00AM to 12:00PM RELOCATED Los Osos Patient Service Center Morro Woman Injured in SLO Crash A Morro Bay woman was injured in a multi-car crash in San Luis Obispo last week and could be facing allegations of driving on a toot. According to SLOPD Sgt. Sean Gillham, at about 1:50 a.m. Friday, Dec. 12, police responded to a reported multi-car crash in the 500 block of Foothill Blvd. “The preliminary investigation,” Sgt. Gillham said, “indicates Amber Arnold was driving a 2001 Mitsubishi Eclipse on Foothill Boulevard when she veered off the roadway and struck four unoccupied parked vehicles. “Ms. Arnold was the only occupant of her vehicle. She sustained undisclosed, non-life-threatening injuries and was transported by ambulance to a local hospital for treatment.” Police believe Arnold, 21 and a resident of Morro Bay, was allegedly driving under the influence and their report will be submitted to the District Attorney’s Office for possible prosecution, the sergeant said. The four cars she hit sustained extensive damage, according to police. ✤ 1352 Los Osos Valley Road, Ste. A New hours: Mon–Fri 7:00AM–12:00PM Featuring 6 Convenient parking and access 6 Accepting Commercial PPO insurance plans, Tricare, Triwest, Medi-Cal, CenCal Health, Covered California, Medicare and Dignity Health Central Coast EPO plans. 6 Accepting orders on any laboratory’s form Toll Free Laboratory Phone: (855) 586-7660 Toll Free Fax: (844) 200-0103 No appointments necessary. Arroyo Grande Community Hospital French Hospital Medical Center Marian Regional Medical Center 34 • December 18 - 24, 2014 • SLO City News NEWS Airport, from page 1 for more time to review the issue following a Dec. 2 hearing. When it can time to give his remarks before the vote, Rivoire went one by one through a list of pros and cons that he had contemplated and was careful to thank each person present for their role in the debate, especially the countless hours spent by members of the City’s Land Use and Circulation Element Update Task Force. He also took time to thank Carpenter, the Council’s lone dissenting vote, for his attention both to litigation concerns and to residents in the affected areas. “I know the responsibility and consequences,” said Rivoire. “We will be held accountable for this action.” He added that the compromises made under the City’s development plans were fair and that the goals driving him in the decision were the future prosperity of the City, the decreasing ability of residents to access transit and have housing close to their work, and, “the time taken from our lives that we’re forced to spend away from where we choose to build our lives.” There was no cheering after the vote, although both recent meetings to hear the issue were packed with more than 50 representatives from projects that would be impacted by the decision, including those of developer Gary Grossman, who has been pushing for a resolution on the General Plan Update, so that work can begin on his San Luis Ranch Project. The details of that mixed use housing development are of great concern to residents in the nearby Laguna Lake area. Several turned out for the meeting to voice concerns that placing higher density on the Dalidio Ranch site will place residents at risk should accidents occur in the flight path. While the City braces for a possible referendum to be filed by frequent candidate and council critic, Kevin Rice, as well as the possibility of legal action based on the vote, industry groups have hailed the decision as a marker of progress and smart growth. Jeff Eckles, executive director of the Home Builders Association of the Central Coast, said, “We represent not only builders but affiliated industry members such as subcontractors, suppliers, designers, and engineers. These are obviously ‘head of household’ job creating industries that are vital to the economic health of the city. “Progress can be a beautiful thing when done correctly, done with care, prudence, and proper planning. The Home Builders applaud the City and the community for the exhaustive care, time and expense that has gone into creating the Land Use and Circulation Element.” Councilwoman Carlyn Christianson, a long-time proponent of the override, was characteristically blunt in her remarks. “I acknowledge the anxiety in this room,” she said. “I’m struggling with the continued factual misconceptions that return again and again in public comments.” “The reality is,” she continued, “this doesn’t affect us. It doesn’t matter to lives of most of the people in this room. I’m 60-years old. Most of the people in this room aside from our representative from Cal Poly, and most of the people making this decision except for one member of the Council, will be fine no matter what we do. It is the future of the City we love at stake if we choose to do nothing.” ✤ SLO City News • December 18 - 24, 2014 • 35 COMMUNITY Sheriff’s Donate New Web tools for Transportation Issues By Neil Farrell T T he County Deputy Sheriff’s Association recently made a $2,000 donation to the Food Bank Coalition of San Luis Obispo County, which is in the midst of its annual holiday fund-raising efforts. Sheriff Ian Parkinson and members of the DSA presented the check last week to Wendy Lewis, the chief operations officer at the Food Bank. Submitted photo. ✤ he San Luis Obispo Council of Governments has launched two new web-based tools to assist the public in giving input into plans for spending transportation monies in SLO County. As part of its public participation outreach for the 2014 Regional Transportation Plan and Sustainable Communities Strategy, SLOCOG is asking for input on both the funding priorities and project priorities. The tools are posted on SLOCOG’s website, see: www.slocogconnectingcommunities. com. “The purpose of designing and launching a set of interactive tools is to encourage public participation in our region’s planning,” Ron De Carli, SLOCOG executive director, said. “Providing the public with 24/7 access to these two important pieces of the 20-year plan is an example of government transparency, innovation, environmental conservation and agency accountability. We hope to see robust participation levels from the public so that we can include the findings in the final plan.” SLOCOG rewrites its 20-year Regional Transportation Plan every 4 years to maintain and improve transportation. The RTP must be “financially constrained,” meaning that it cannot include anything over and above the amount of funding expected to come to the county. At the same time, it must balance the needs — maintenance or expansion of all modes, car, bus, bike, pedestrian, train, and planes. The SLOCOG board has identified draft priorities but with restricted funding, many of the requests are left hanging. SLOCOG also identifies specific transportation investments project-by-project for the next 20 years. Every project has been mapped and is open for public comment. Comments will be included in the final plan and presented to the SLOCOG board sometime next year. ✤ we’re on facebook. now you can view our papers every wednesday! reminder: in a photo, If you’re rself! to tag you make sure All Sea RATED R Morro Bay Transit Fixed Route ts $8 H ilar y S w nk, To m my L ee Jon The Hom es e Showtim s m es: 4:15 & a n 7:00PM a TRANSIT EVERYONE Let Morro Bay Transit do the driving so you don’t have to. Your Local Theatre morrobaymovie.com 464 Morro Bay Blvd Call 772-2444 for times 4 D 4 SCHEDULE: Monday-Friday 6:25am - 6:45pm Saturday 8:25am - 4:25pm more information: morro-bay.ca.us/transit ity. Commun e h t o t o i d a R g Back PARKING?...DON’T NEED IT! GASOLINE?...DON’T NEED IT! Bringin 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 36 • December 18 - 24, 2014 • SLO City News COMMUNITY Poly Cuts Loose 835 at Fall Commencement S ome 835 students were cut loose into the world during Cal Poly’s fall commencement Saturday. Three ceremonies were held in the main gymnasium in the ASI Recreation Center. A few new elements were integrated into the ceremonies, including a retrospective slideshow of the graduating students, the “proud pinning” ceremony, and a large screen was set up to project the ceremony for all the estimated 6,000 guests to see. Graduates came from the College of Agriculture, Food & Environmental Sciences, the College of Science & Mathematics, College of Liberal Arts, the Orfalea College of Business, the College of Architecture & Environmental Design, and the College of Engineering. Photos by Jay Thompson and courtesy Cal Poly. ✤ Loyalty Should Be Rewarded! Text the correct key word to 56955 or visit 805Loyal.com and receive AMAZING REWARDS from your favorite local brands! Central Coast Surfboards Clippers Barbershop The Giant Grinder Shop Text CCS to 56955 and receive Text CLIPPERS to 56955 and receive Text GIANT to 56955 and receive 10% OFF your next purchase 15% OFF any product! A FREE drink on your next visit! 855 Marsh St, SLO 805-541-1129 Monterey St, SLO 805-783-2887 1901 Broad St, SLO 805-543-6700 The Nautical Bean Old San Luis BBQ The Pita Pit Text NAUTICAL to 56955 and receive Text BBQ to 56955 and receive Text PITA to 56955 and receive $1 off any item! 50% OFF any single entrée! Free chips & drink combo with your order! ® ™ 11560 Los Osos Valley Rd, SLO 805-543-3559 POWERED BY 670 Higuera St, Suite B, SLO 805-285-2473 805.541.8398 858 Foothill Blvd, SLO 805-543-7488 Show You Mobi le Co r u At Sto pon r e To Re deem Tolosa Press • December 18 - 24, 2014 • 37 In the Black Twelve Things Good Bosses Believe Only Human By Betsey Nash, SPHR I n the spirit of the season I tried to knit together “HR’s 12 Days of Christmas,” for this week’s column and failed miserably. Things like “12 headaches drumming,” “three fresh pens,” and a “five ring binder,” just never jelled. So I didn’t finish. You’re welcome. But while racking my brain I did recall a list of 12 things that are actually helpful reminders for managers, so I am sharing them here. These are some key beliefs that are held by the best bosses — and rejected or probably never even thought about, by the worst bosses. The list includes items appropriate for a line manager and those in leadership positions with less handson managing. They come from a Harvard Business Review blog about Robert I. Sutton’s book. “Good Boss, Bad Boss,” and I offer them here instead of “four calling cards”, etc… • I have a flawed and incomplete understanding of what it feels like to work for me. • My success and that of my people depends largely on being the master of obvious and mundane things, not on magical, obscure, or breakthrough ideas or methods. • Having ambitious and welldefined goals is important, but it is useless to think about them much. My job is to focus on the small wins that enable my people to make a little progress every day. • One of the most important, and most difficult, parts of my job is to strike the delicate balance between being too assertive and not assertive enough. • My job is to serve as a human shield, to protect my people from external intrusions, distractions, and idiocy of every stripe, and to avoid imposing my own idiocy on them as well. • I strive to be confident enough to convince people that I am in charge, but humble enough to realize that I am often going to be wrong. • I aim to fight as if I am right, and listen as if I am wrong — and to teach my people to do the same thing. • One of the best tests of my leadership and my organization is, “What happens after people make a mistake?” • Innovation is crucial to every team and organization. So my job is to encourage my people to generate and test all kinds of new ideas. But it is also my job to help them kill off all the bad ideas we generate, and most of the good ideas, too. • Bad is stronger than good. It is more important to eliminate the negative than to accentuate the positive. • How I do things is as important as what I do. • Because I wield power over others, I am at great risk of acting like an insensitive jerk and not realizing it. When I hosted a radio talk show a few years ago, “The Wonderful World of Work,” I had two regular segments: “Bad Boss of the Week” and “Stupid Employee Tricks.” Sadly, there was plenty of material for both. I offer this list in my never-ending fight to limit that material. ✤ Betsey Nash, SPHR, is a longtime human resources professional, former president of the Human Resources Association of the Central Coast and a current SLO County Civil Service Commissioner. She can be reached at: bnash@strasbaugh. com. Only Human is a regular feature of Tolosa Press. 38 • December 18 - 24, 2014 • Tolosa Press In the Black RRM Design Group Photos courtesy of RRM By Gareth Kelly L ongevity is the key to success in most walks of life, including business. Started out of a small house on Marsh Street in San Luis Obispo by three Cal Poly graduates, Bob Richmond, Rob Rossi, Ken Wolf and their teacher, Tom Priest, RRM Design Group is now celebrating its 40th year in business. As one of the states premier design firms concentrating on architectural design, engineering, civil engineering and landscape architecture, RRM has designed many projects, both commercial and residential, including many within SLO County. The new skate park at Santa Rosa Park in SLO was designed by RRM, as was the entire new frontage of Avila beach after the Unocal spill. They are currently working on a project adjacent to the old Foster’s Freeze and a New York-looking housing tract on upper Marsh Street. Now in what he describes as their “second tier of ownership,” current CEO Erik Justesen is excited about the future of the firm. “The recession hit us hard like everyone. We had to trim back from 165 employees and four offices. Luckily, we survived, and as things are now starting to turn around, we are back up to 100 employees and managed to keep our SoCal offices. I think what makes RRM unique is our culture of collaboration. Almost every project we do has an architect, an engineer, a civil engineer and a landscape architect all working together towards a common goal. It’s a really fun place to work. Everyone has such a good time. We really enjoy making our clients dreams appear before their eyes,” Justesen said. Having recently transitioned the company into an ESOP, Employee Stock Ownership Plan, Justesen sees RRM’s talented workforce as key to not only their past successes but also their future. “Sometimes it can be hard to find good employees in SLO. We want the best people we can find that fit into our culture. We have set up a business to help our employees 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 become the best they can be in their field. We started the ESOP as a way for our employees to gain a sense of ownership of the business. The way our employees perform has a direct connection to how well we as a company perform,” Justesen said. As for the future, their office is overflowing with projects. One of the firm’s specialties is that of parks, open spaces, trails and urban revitalization, something happening all over the state. “There’s a lot of baby boomers with design firms suddenly looking up from their desks and wanting to sell their companies. This has resulted in a few mega design firms appearing that are highly competitive. We’re up for the challenge. We have a few big projects locally, the Avila Ranch, the San Luis Ranch (formerly the Dalidio project) and an update on the Cal Poly master plan to name but a few. We recognize the need for additional housing within SLO and are working hard to address that with various mixed-use projects. It’s a really exciting time too in this industry and we are all having a ton of fun,” Justesen said. From that small house on Marsh Street in 1974 with four guys, this firm really has come a long way. There are many projects dotted all over our local area that have an RRM stamp on them, perhaps not noticeable to most of us, but all the staff at this local business notice and take great pride in their work. With such an almost family-like group of people all working in harmony under one roof, it’s not hard to imagine RRM will be around for at least another 40 years. To find out more about RRM Design Group, visit www.rrmdesign. com. ✤ Change, just like winter, is coming. What’s your new year’s business resolution? Gareth would love to know. Email him at gareth@ tolosapress.com. Tolosa Press • December 18 - 24, 2014 • 39 In the Black Biz Briefs Business News and Announcements Compiled by Camas Frank The Vitamin D Council, based in SLO, has announced the release of vitamin D test kits that can be completed from the comfort of home. It is estimated that 40% to 75% of all Americans are deficient in vitamin D, which has been linked to an increased risk to Alzheimer’s, cancer, cardiovascular, autoimmune, and other diseases. Vitamin D is essential for calcium consumption, bone health and is used by most organs of the body. The Vitamin D Council’s mission is, “to educate the public and health care providers on the importance of vitamin D and to help reduce the global burden of vitamin D deficiency.” For more information or a sample of the test kits, contact Jeff Nicklas at 439-1075 or email to: [email protected]. The Governing Board at Sierra Vista Regional Medical Center recently donated $1,000 to Transitions Mental Health Association. Transitions Mental Health Executive Director, Jill Bolster-White, was presented a check by Dr. Gil Stork, board chair-elect at Sierra Vista and Sierra Vista CEO, Joe DeSchryver. T h e County of San Luis Obispo has appointed J u l i e Paik as the new director of child support services. Paik currently works as the deputy county administrator for the County of Sonoma. As the new SLO County director of child support services, Paik will manage a department of nearly 40 full-time equivalent employees and a budget of nearly $4.6 million, “to ensure that children receive the support to which they are entitled.” The County of San Luis Obispo Board of Supervisors appointed Paik on Tuesday, December 9. “I am honored for the opportunity to work with such an esteemed and successful team of child support professionals, who serve the San Luis Obispo County community with exceptional results,” Paik said. Paik takes the helm as the prior director of Child Support Services, Phil Lowe, retires this month after 28 years of service at the County. J&D’s Foods, the makers of Bacon Salt and Baconnaise, have announced the launch of “Naked Bacon Cooking Armor,” billed as “the world’s first body armor specifically designed to protect your manhood from the well-known perils of cooking Bacon naked.” The company is marketing the Naked Bacon Cooking Armor as both lightweight and “somewhat stylish,” available onl;ine at: www.Store.BaconSalt.com for $14.99, just in time for the holidays, along with Bacon & Bourbon Candles and Bacon & Waffles candles. For more information on their wacky bacon related product line email [email protected]. A new survey published by the journal Issues in Accounting Education ranks Cal Poly No. 32 overall for research in accounting education over the past six years. The same survey also ranked Steven Mintz, accounting professor in the Orfalea College of Business, No. 41 for scholars publishing in the field of accounting education since 2008. The publication surveyed top industry research journals to rank the universities and scholars with the greatest contributions to the discipline. Bentley University, Baylor University, San Diego State University, and The Ohio State University were ranked along with Cal Poly out of 1,600 universities nationwide. Mintz has been honored previously for his research in accounting. He also writes blogs on ethics issues in business and society (ethicssage.com) and on workplace ethics (workplaceethicsadvice.com). Heritage Oaks Bank announced the opening of the bank’s relocated downtown San Luis Obispo branch at 1144 Morro St. The branch was previously located at, 1135 Santa Rosa St. “We are very excited to welcome our customers to this beautiful new office,” said Terry Detrick, vice president and SLO branch manager. “Our entire team is looking forward to being even more accessible and to increasing our relationships here in San Luis Obispo. We invite community members to come in and see our new branch.” For further information, see: www. HeritageOaksBank.com or call the SLO branch at 544-7200. United Staffing Associates, LLC donated $1,000 to Big Brothers Big Sisters to support the local agencies youth mentoring programs. Anna Boyd-Bucy, the organization’s Executive Director said, “The generous donation from United Staffing Associates will support 10 children enrolled in our program for a month. We are so grateful United Staffing is ensuring child safety and sustaining successful, long-term relationships with positive outcomes.” Winners for the SLO Downtown Association’s Christmas Parade, this year with the theme — Hula Holiday — were announced this week. Entries passed by a panel of four judges stationed outside Banana Republic. Judges were Therese Cron, Diane Fleming, Rowan Gillan, and Holly Gillan. The winners were: Most Entertaining — SLO Juggling and Unicycle Club; Most Creative — SLO County Library; Best in Theme — The Blade Runner Salon and Spa/Stephen Patrick Design; and Best Music — was Cayucos School Steel Pan Band. Photos courtesy SLO Downtown Assoc. ✤ Send business news and announcements for consideration to: [email protected].
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