1. law, govt and politics
2. law enforcement
3. fire department

Volume 12
•
Issue 23
•
December 18 - 24, 2014
YOUR COMMUNITY IN YOUR HANDS
AVILA BEACH • SHELL BEACH • PISMO BEACH • GROVER BEACH • ARROYO GRANDE • HALCYON • OCEANO
The man in red and his lead sleigh dog plan
for the Christmas rush during the recent
Santa’s Doggie Parade in Avila Beach.
See more photos on page 4.
Photo by Evanne Mingori
Arroyo Grande Council Says
No to Prayer before Meetings
Economic Vitality
Update
By Theresa-Marie Wilson
By Theresa-Marie Wilson
T
he Arroyo Grande City Council voted to end a longstanding
tradition of beginning meetings
with prayer. The council voted 3-2 in
favor of a moment of silence in place of
prayer. Council members Tim Brown
and Barbara Harmon dissented.
Prior to the Dec. 9 meeting, the City
policy stated, “Invocations are not for
the purpose of fostering or establishing
any religious belief, but are in recognition of the role that Freedom of Religion has played in the history of the
country and the contribution that local
religious groups make to the quality of
life in the community.”
However, the recent U.S. Supreme
Court Town of Greece v. Galloway decision emphasized the need to open
invocations to all those interested in
participating, including atheist groups.
There are also provisions within the
California Constitution relating to religion that provide broader protections
than those contained in the United
States Constitution.
“Our policy as it currently stands
runs afoul of the current Supreme
See Prayer, page 34
E
conomic recovery is alive and
well on the Central Coast according to the county’s Economic
Vitality Corporation.
There are about 7,900 companies
in San Luis Obispo County. Economic
drivers include tourism, agriculture,
education and government, according
to the EVC. Two-thirds of the employers are in the private sector, 19 percent
are government jobs versus 15 percent
statewide and 11 percent of the population is self-employed, which is the
highest rate of sole proprietorship in
the state.
“In a $12 billion economy, as of last
year, we are a very large basket of very,
very small companies,” said EVC CEO
Michael Manchak. “Over half (56 percent) are one to four employees. These
are organizations that require sources
to grow and to thrive.”
Economic challenges in the county
include lack of head of household jobs,
attracting employees from outside the
region, a lack of a critical mass of types
of businesses, a lower median income
than state average, high cost of living,
and lower pay for healthcare workers.
See Pismo, page 36
Give
Santa a
Call
Cal Poly
Loses
Close One
Silent
Success
Check
One Off
Drive
Through
Nativity
page 6
page 8
page 9
page 32
page 33
2
•
December 18 - 24, 2014 • Coast News
Table of
Contents
Bret Colhouer
publisher
bret@tolosapress.com
Santaʼs Doggie Parade .................. 4
Holiday Guide .........................15-26
Pismo Water System ....................... 5
805 Sound ..............................27-30
Santa Calls In Local Elves ............... 6
Entertainment ...............................31
Sports Snapshot ............................. 8
Dinner and a Movie ..................... 32
Camas Frank
section editor
SLO City News
frank@tolosapress.com
Coastal Culture .............................. 9
Drive Thru Nativity ....................... 33
Paul Winninghoff
sports reporter
sports@tolosapress.com
Community Calendar................ 10-11
Sheriffʼs Donate Bikes .................. 35
Gareth Kelly
business / lifestyle reporter
gareth@tolosapress.com
King Harris ...................................12
In The Black .............................37-39
Michelle Johnson
art director
Fire Chief Pinned .................... 3
Police Blotter ......................... 7
Neil Farrell
managing editor
The Bay News
neil@tolosapress.com
Lifestyle ................................... 13-14
Theresa-Marie Wilson
managing editor
The Coast News
t@tolosapress.com
Christy Serpa
editorial design
Kathrene Tiffin
copy editor
Kaila Lugo
administrative assistant
ADVERTISING
Dave Diaz
internet, text & loyalty marketing
Dana McGraw
sales manager
dana@tolosapress.com
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SLO Nightwriters
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Coast News •
December 18 - 24, 2014
•
3
NEWS
Fire Chief Pinned
By Theresa-Marie Wilson
M
ore than 150 fire personnel,
city officials and community
members attended the badge
pinning ceremony for Five Cities Fire
Authority Chief Steve Lieberman at
the South County Regional Center last
week.
“I am so grateful for this honor, this
opportunity that has been awarded to
me,” Lieberman said.
Lieberman’s background is largely
in handling big dollar budgets with
telecommunications firms and behind
the scenes on the corporate office side
of the television industry. He does,
however, have fire service experience.
He became a Grover Beach volunteer
firefighter and emergency medical
technician in 1993. Over the next five
years he served as fire department
public information officer, fire safety
inspector, CPR instructor and police
and fire dispatcher and moved up the
ranks to captain. During his tenure he
received the Fire Chief’s Dedication
Award and the Firefighter of the Year
Award.
Most recently, Lieberman held the
position of director for the Emergency
Medical Services Division County of San
Luis Obispo Public Health Department.
FCFA Chief Steve Lieberman, his wife Nancy and children Evan and
Casey. Photo by Theresa-Marie Wilson
“This is such a great choice for our
community” said 3rd District Supervisor
Adam Hill. “I can’t think of anybody
else who loves his community, who
loves our area, who is willing to put
in the time, is willing to make the
FCFA Chief Steve Lieberman gets some
help tying his shoe from his son, Evan,
before the ceremony.
Photo by Theresa-Marie Wilson
sacrafices and really has the passion.
As much as we hate to lose him at the
county, what a great thing for the cities
that are involved in our fire company. ”
Lieberman was deeply involved in
the formation of the Five Cities Fire
Authority formed in 2010 through a
joint powers authority to reduce costs
and improve efficiently for services in
the communities of Arroyo Grande,
Grover Beach and Oceano. Lieberman
served on the first governing board. ✤
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December 18 - 24, 2014 • Coast News
COMMUNITY
Santa’s Doggie Parade
Photos by Evanne Mingori
T
he Winter Holiday in Avila event featured a canine and
Claus parade as part of the festivities. Santa and the
pooches strolled the promenade at San Miguel. ✤
Coast News •
December 18 - 24, 2014
•
5
NEWS
Pismo Water System Project Wins Award
By Theresa-Marie Wilson
The City of Pismo Beach raked in
another award for an infrastructure
undertaking. The City received the
ASCE Los Angeles Section – Project
of the Year for the water system
construction project in the Pismo
Heights area.
The project converted the existing
system from one working via gravity
to a pumped pressure system
allowing for adequate fire flow to
Pismo Heights and helped with
water flow and pressure problems
in the area which, in turn, helped
lower the fire insurance rates for
residents.
“It was just a phenomenal
project,” said City Engineer Ben
Fine at a recent City Council
meeting. “Without the support of
council and the city manager, it is
something that we could never have
accomplished.”
City Engineer Ben Fine attended
the awards ceremony held in Long
Beach where some big hitters were
recognized including the Interstate
215 reconstruction and widening
project in Perris, the “huge”
Highway 91 widening project
encompassing Highway 55 to 241
in Orange County and the Colton
Crossing project in San Bernardino
where a new elevated overpass was
constructed.
“Absolutely huge, enormous
projects,” Fine said. “The honor
to be in that room, I can’t even
describe it to you and here we are,
the little tiny City of Pismo Beach.
This is the second largest project
that we have done, and it won the
small project of the year. Still an
honor, none-the-less.”
The project also won the ASCE
San Luis Obispo Project of the Year
award and the APWA Project of the
Year.
In 2013, Pismo received the
American Society of Civil Engineers
Award for the Outstanding Private
Sector Project for a seawall
construction project at the Vista
del Mar Lift Station and along the
bluff, which runs adjacent to Ocean
Boulevard.
“My gosh, another award,” Mayor
Shelly Higginbotham said.
In addition to a plaque presented
to the City, the award winners are
published nationally.
“The recognition the City has
gotten from this award is huge,”
Fine said. ✤
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•
December 18 - 24, 2014 • Coast News
SAN LUIS COASTAL
UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT
ACCEPTING CITIZENS’
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COMMUNITY
Santa Calls in Local ‘Elves’
By Camas Frank
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.
“Everyone has been working
overtime to prepare for Christmas
Eve,” added Mrs. Claus.
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 santa@advantage-plus.
com.
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!” ✤
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 • Coast 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. ✤
Buy 1 Sandwich Get 1 FREE
Mention this ad. Limit one per customer.
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Weekdays before 10pm
Mon: closed | Tues-Sun: 11am-2am
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
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• 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. ✤
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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
nancy@nancypuder.com. Nancy
always enjoys hearing from you!
Go to Facebook.com/Nancy Puder
Realtor and “like” her page to access other real estate related articles. She always enjoys hearing
from you! 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
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Call Nancy Puder Today!
805.710.2415
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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
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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 onesloguy@yahoo.com. We are located at 330 James Way,
#180, Pismo Beach, Ca.
BATH PLANET of
Northern Los Angeles
has set a new standard of both quality and affordability
within the bathroom remodeling industry. With a wide
selection of acrylic bath system solutions, along with
cutting edge accessible options, you can have a beautiful yet accommodating bathroom in as little as one
day. Learn more about our remodeling solutions. 1107
El Camino Real, Arroyo Grande, CA 93420 (805) 5741101 www.bathplanet.com/northernla
EDDIE NAVARRO PAINTING
INC. can cover all
your painting needs,
from interior and exterior residential and commercial painting. Including: cabinets, deck refinishing,
stucco repair, acoustic ceiling removal, drywall repair
and/or texturing, fascia removal and/or repair, power washing services, and much more. We use the finest quality oil and water based material that are Eco
friendly. Eddie Navarro Painting Inc. takes pride in
attention to detail and great customer service.Our
mission statement is “Whatever you do, work at it
with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for
men.” Col 3:23. No matter what the project is our
customers are the most important because we not
only provide a painting service but we have the pleasure of getting to know and partner with them in
the care and maintenance of their home or business.
805-448-9662
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
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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#& '*+ )#$
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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).
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))'/')& ( &#$/+%,&2",)*4+#$(%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
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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{‡nǙÇ
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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
("+&'$! (%&'!&&%)
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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‡{n™‡Ó{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
verenagogourmet@gmail.com
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.
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Reservations: 773-3463
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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.
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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.
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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.
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EMBARCADERO
CA
O
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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
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from
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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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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
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Sa 1–10pm | Su 9:30am–9:30pm
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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
carriejaymes@hotmail.com
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:
livewell@teribayus.com 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.
Coast News •
December 18 - 24, 2014
•
33
COMMUNITY
‘Drive-Thru’ Nativity
Photos by Ryleigh Serpa
C
ommunity members were invited to “The Gift – a drive thru Nativity Experience” at
Oak Park Christian Church in Grover Beach. The event featured live actors and animals
to tell the story of the birth of Christ. ✤
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 4.44-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. ✤
34
•
December 18 - 24, 2014 • Coast News
NEWS
Prayer, from page 1
Court decision in the Town of Greece v.
Galloway,” City Attorney Tim Carmel
said. “It allows a larger pool of groups
to participate, pretty much unlimited.
You can’t restrict it based on beliefs or
content.”
As a result, atheist organizations have
become active in pursuing participation
in public meeting invocations.The City
has been contacted by Atheists United
of San Luis Obispo with a request to be
included on the City’s invocation list,
which would require modifications to
the City’s existing policy.
“This is very much what the Supreme
Court dealt with in that case,” Carmel
said. “Of course, there are reasonable
limits that can be imposed, but the
current limit, which is restricted to
active religious groups within the city,
is far too narrow.”
Staff has determined that denying
the request may likely result in a
legal challenge, in which the City may
not prevail and it could have other
statewide detrimental impacts.
Atheists United of San Luis Obispo
board member David Leidner spoke
during the public comment period of
the meeting.
“We feel that this is actually a
golden opportunity for you to ensure
fairness and inclusiveness by voting
to end invocations and keep religious
signage out of City Council meetings all
together,” Leidner said. “We think this
is the best option, not because it favors
our interests or anyone else’s, but
because it does just the opposite. It’s
the most neutral and inclusive position
to take.”
Four additional people spoke in favor
of ending the tradition of prayer. No
one spoke in favor of continuing the
policy that was discussed nearly five
hours after the meeting began.
Councilman Brown said that he
could not vote to get rid of prayer or
modify the policy as it stands. He said
that should the City create an opendoor policy for all groups to present an
invocation, that he be allowed to leave
the dais should he see fit.
“I would respectfully ask to step
down during any invocation that I find
offensive,” he said. “I will not be a part
of it. In the same breath, I would be
remiss if I didn’t say that it is a really
sad day when we don’t acknowledged
that faith of all different kinds plays
a part in our daily life. It’s really hard
to separate. It is nice to say separation
of church and state, but the reality is
that we are whole beings, and we don’t
separate things; we do it as a whole
person.”
He went on to say that the practice
of prayer serves an “absolute purpose
to this body and to this meeting. Quite
often what it does is it serves as a
calming effect on people who are very,
very emotional and very, very upset
over a point of view that we’ve taken.”
Councilwoman Harmon said that
invocations were a “core part of a
community meeting” and that she
would like to see the policy modified to
include more groups to try to achieve a
“balance to be able to do both.”
Councilwoman Karen Barneich said
that although she is spiritual, she is not
necessarily a certain religion, but the
invocations have been welcome.
“The invocations the last couple of
months have been the most pleasant
part of our meetings, and have actually
spoken to me in different ways and
helped me get through some of these
trying times,” she said, adding that, “A
moment of silence would be a peaceful
way to open a meeting and get to one
place before we start our business.”
Barneich and Councilman Jim
Guthrie said opening up the invocation
to anyone who wanted to give one would
increase the workload for staff that are
charged with arranging members of the
clergy who attend the meetings.
Mayor Jim Hill said that he also
supported a moment of silence before
each meeting.
“I believe in the separation of church
and state, but at the same time, I do
believe that a calming introduction to
the meeting is for solemnification of the
meeting,” Hill said. “I think we do that
fairly effectively with the flag salute.”
Last April, the Pismo Beach City
Council voted to stop saying a prayer
before each meeting following a lawsuit
challenging the practice.
The group Freedom From Religion
Foundation (FFRF) and Pismo Beach
resident Dr. Sari Dworkin of Atheists
United of San Luis Obispo filed the
complaint in Superior Court in 2013.
The suit charged that the invocations
promote Christianity and thus violate
civil rights. City of Pismo Beach Mayor
Shelly Higginbotham and City Chaplin
Rev. Dr. Paul Jones were named in the
lawsuit.
The City established an official city
chaplain position in 2005, appointing
Rev. Jones, a Pentecostal minister
affiliated with the International Church
of the Foursquare Gospel.
Jones resigned as chaplain and the
position was not reinstated; however,
he recently said a prayer during the Dec.
2 Pismo Beach City Council meeting
during the public comment period.
The City of Grover Beach also holds a
moment of silence before its meetings. ✤
Coast News •
December 18 - 24, 2014
•
35
COMMUNITY
Santa Wears Khaki
F
or some local children, Santa
Claus wore khaki this year, as
the County Sheriff’s Office once
again held its Annual Christmas Bike
Giveaway last Wednesday at the County
Honor Farm.
More than 175 SLO County
underprivileged kids and their parents
turned out to get one of the refurbished,
but looking brand new, bikes that
ranged from tricycles and tiny tot bikes
with training wheels, to beach cruisers
with baskets on the handle bars and
BMX trick bikes and multi-speed
mountain bikes.
The tradition started in 1989 under
former Sheriff Ed Williams and involves
donated bikes from citizens that are
completely refurbished and repainted
by Honor Farm inmates, who learn
valuable job skills while working on
the bikes and build a sense of personal
pride and self-esteem working on the
project.
Every inmate that helped hand out
bikes Wednesday had a huge smile on
his face.
The project this year was headed up
by Correctional Sgt. Denise Armstrong,
with a lot of help from Correctional
Dep. Charles Russell, Correctional
Dep. Albert Ybarra, and Correctional
Dep Josh Fischer, They got donations
from the Sheriff’s Advisory Foundation
and others so each kid also went home
with a new safety helmet. ✤
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36
•
December 18 - 24, 2014 • Coast News
NEWS
Pismo, from page 1
“While we have gotten past the
panic of the recession and the
recovery, now is really the time
to look at the infrastructure,”
Manchak said at a recent Pismo
Beach City Council meeting. “(That
is) something we have been doing
since we were in the recession, but
now coming out of it, I think that
there is more emphasis on that, and
there should be.”
Manchak said the EVC is
predominantly focusing on head of
household jobs.
“There are no bad jobs, but the
idea being that if we focus on head
of household, that would be helpful
to everyone,” he said.
The outlook is by no means gloom
and doom for the county. There are
several areas that are improving.
There is a high percentage
of job creation in specialized
manufacturing, four times the
concentration when compared with
the rest of the state.
“That is quite an industry that
we have here--very high-tech that
is really bolstering the economy
and diversifying the economy with
tourism or with Ag,” Manchak said.
Other
employment
clusters
offering the most amount of job
creation overtime throughout the
county are building design and
construction, green energy, health
services, knowledge and innovation
and uniquely SLO County.
To help keep the economy looking
up, the EVC has introduced local
employers’ job fairs in collaboration
with Cal Poly and Cuesta.
“The challenge with students at
Cal Poly and Cuesta is that many
of them leave, many of them don’t
know the companies that are here
that provide jobs,” Manchak said.
“We decided that we would have
these job fairs where if you are not a
local company, you are not invited.
This really helps the students really
understand who’s here. With that
the companies are able to find talent
and students find opportunities.”
The EVC has also initiated
805connect, a Tri-County resource
that helps connect businesses to do
more B2B or business to business
commerce.
“Often businesses don’t know
that a service or product exists in
the county,” Manchak said. “This
will help them do that instead of
just purchasing from outside of the
county.
Another part of the EVC’s
economic strategy is the Broadband
Consortium of the Pacific Coast,
which is also a Tri-County benefit
coming from state-funded grants
to determine where broadband is
needed and how to get it there.
“This is a county that is very
interesting,” Manchak said. “This is
a county that has more broadband
cables to its coast than anywhere on
the entire coast of North America,
but we don’t take much advantage
of that. This is a grant to help us
figure that out.”
The EVC will continue to focus
on the San Luis Obispo County
Regional Airport which represents
between $140 and $180 million
dollars annually of the county’s
economy.
Manchak said the airport’s
performance is high compared
to other regional airports. It has
shown increased passengers with
monthly growth rates between 10
and 15 percent for 2014.
Other small airports including
Bakersfield, Carlsbad, Santa Barbara
and Yuma Arizona have all seen
reductions of flights within in the
last two months. Locally, SLO has
seen an increase in enplanements
for 14 consecutive months.
“This airport is the exception,”
Manchak said. “That said, over 49
percent of travelling passengers in
our county don’t use our airport.
The point that the airlines and I
would like to make, is that if we
don’t use it, we might lose it.”
The EVC is a countywide nonprofit,
economic
development
organization focused on starting
and expanding businesses through
counseling, advocacy, consulting
and economic strategy. The
board of directors is comprised of
business and government leaders
from throughout San Luis Obispo
County. ✤
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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
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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:
info@vitamindcouncil.org.
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
press@jdfoods.net.
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: frank@tolosapress.com.