New Times, April 4, 2026

BY BULBUL RAJAGOPAL

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Editor’s note

The leftovers from treating SLO County residents’ wastewater gets hauled away in a truck.

A longtime ban on using what’s known as treated sewage sludge or biosolids as a soil amendment prevents the county from doing much else with it. The Board of Supervisors recently extended that ban, but local officials point out that recent state rules about landfill greenhouse gas emissions could mean we need to handle our waste leftovers in a different way. Staff Writer Bulbul Rajagopal writes about the issue [6]

In addition, read about an old water lawsuit that’s causing consternation for one CSD [8]; a young author who started writing at 14 [20]; and a North County caramel maker [26].

Gianna Patchen

CIRCULATION Jim Chaney

DISTRIBUTION

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Laird and Addis introduce bill to revive local funding from Diablo Canyon operations

Anew bill is in Sacramento hopes to bridge a funding gap resulting from extended operations at Diablo Canyon Power Plant.

On March 26, State Sen. John Laird (D-Santa Cruz) and Assemblymember Dawn Addis (D-Morro Bay) introduced Senate Bill 931, which aims for local governments and public services to receive funding while Diablo Canyon remains open through 2030.

“When the five-year extension of Diablo Canyon was approved in 2022, it left our schools and local governments short tens of millions of dollars in funds that had previously been used to provide services to those most in need,” Addis said in a statement. “I am proud to co-sponsor SB 931 that will begin to right this wrong and ensure our local communities are no longer left behind.”

The bill plans on extending the life of the Community Impact Mitigation Program, which was set up in 2016 through a settlement between San Luis Obispo County, Diablo Canyon owner Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E), and local government bodies.

The program was meant to offset the impacts of the plant’s anticipated closure and provide more than $9 million to the county and groups like the San Luis Coastal Unified District until Diablo Canyon’s planned closure in 2025.

But the money stopped coming in despite the power plant receiving the go-ahead to keep running.

Laird spokesperson Khalida Sarwari told New Times that the program previously provided $8.3 million annually to the county and the school district, along with a one-time $10 million boost to the Economic Development Fund.

The Economic Development Fund was the result of SB 1090 signed into law in 2018, and it was shared between SLO County and its cities.

According to San Luis Coastal Parent Information Network co-founder Ben Lippert, PG&E has a responsibility not only to the community that hosts Diablo Canyon but also to pay property taxes on the fair market value of its assets.

The San Luis Coastal school district had a tough

time from the dwindling amount of Diablo Canyonrelated money from PG&E. It’s carried out $10 million in budget cuts over two years to prepare for the 2026-27 school year—the first year without Community Impact Mitigation Program funding.

Since 2024, the district has grappled with debates about potential reductions in school counselors, retaining the transitional kindergarten program, and concerns that a budget-balancing proposal wasn’t equitable to music and choir programs.

“Los Ranchos [Elementary School] does not have a full-time counselor since last year. They just made two more cuts to middle school counselors,” Lippert said. “Support services for elementary took big hits … All the cuts they made in December [2025] could be put back in provided we get the same amount we had gotten last fiscal year, which was $4.6 million.”

Both Lippert’s parent group and school district Superintendent Eric Prater told New Times that

they’re grateful for Laird and Addis’ advocacy on the issue.

“However, we would like to ensure that any funding mechanism—such as the reconstitution of the unitary tax or some kind of mitigation agreement—remains in place for as long as the plant continues to operate,” Prater said.

PG&E spokesperson Carin Corral told New Times that the utility company paid more than $185 million to SLO County since 2018, including $85 million for the Community Impact Mitigation Fund [CIMP].

“Any changes to the tax structure for Diablo Canyon, or equivalent CIMP funding continuation, will require further legislative action,” Corral said. “PG&E remains neutral on tax assessments that are fair on evaluations of assets, as well as the extension of the CIMP.” ∆

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Morro Bay to buy Cayucos’ share of former wastewater treatment plant

Morro Bay is moving forward with a $3.87 million agreement to purchase the Cayucos Sanitary District’s 40 percent stake in the jointly owned former wastewater treatment plant.

The property, located along Atascadero Road and the Embarcadero, has been jointly owned by the two agencies since 1953, when the original plant was constructed under a joint powers agreement to serve both communities. The facility was last upgraded in 1984 but is no longer in use after Morro Bay and Cayucos each built separate wastewater treatment systems.

Under the proposed purchase and sale agreement, Morro Bay would acquire full ownership of the roughly 19-acre site including the former plant, a former concrete plant, a portion of the Morro

Dunes RV Park, and nearby coastal land. Currently, the city owns 60 percent of the land and 65 percent of the plant and pipeline infrastructure, while Cayucos holds the remaining shares.

During a March 24 Morro Bay City Council meeting, City Manager John Craig told the council that full ownership is necessary to move forward with the long-delayed demolition and decommissioning of the facility.

The agreement includes a 90-day escrow period during which the city will complete due diligence, including title review and environmental assessment.

The property is being purchased “as is, with all faults,” though the city will have the opportunity to evaluate potential contamination, and “in the event hazardous waste is found, the agreement provides an opportunity for both parties to terminate prior to the end of the due diligence period,” a March 19 Morro Bay staff report states.

Craig said that funding for the purchase will come from the city’s sewer fund, meaning it will be paid for by ratepayer dollars. Initially, the property will be classified as a sewer fund asset. However, once the plant is demolished and future uses are determined, the City Council could consider transferring the property to the general fund to support broader public or economic uses.

“The district and Morro Bay agreed to value the property based on the rezoned use consistent with the city’s waterfront master plan’s proposed zoning,” Cayucos Sanitary District General Manager David Athey said in a March 26 staff report. “The property appraisal valued the land at $9,670,000, of which the district’s 40 percent share would be approximately $3,867,800.”

Cayucos will no longer need to approve future actions on the site, allowing Morro Bay to meet the coastal development permit conditions tied

to its water reclamation facility that began operations in 2023. The permit requires decommissioning and demolition of the former plant within one year, a step that has been delayed as long as Cayucos has maintained joint ownership.

“Approval of the agreement would allow the city to become the sole owner of the property, … and is expected to provide significant benefit to the city and its residents, including by simplifying the process for the demolition and decommissioning of the WWTP [wastewater treatment plant] and potential future reuse of the property for visitor-serving and coastal uses,” Morro Bay staff said in the March 19 report.

Future plans for the site will be shared through Morro Bay’s ongoing waterfront master plan update. The transaction is expected to close in late June 2026.

—Chloë Hodge

Grover Beach development debate sparks joint City Council, Planning Commission housing discussion

With new buildings cropping up and a ballot initiative to counter that change on the horizon, Grover Beach has almost hit its state-issued Regional Housing Needs Allocation [RHNA] numbers for the current cycle, which ends in 2028.

Grover Beach resident Kelvin Coveduck said that the city would actually exceed that goal by 2027, at the latest, with the help of Solstice, the new 28-townhome Coastal Community Builders development.

“Congratulations, we’ve met our goal, we’re there,” he told the City Council and Planning Commission at a joint March 31 meeting. “Just because you met your goal doesn’t mean you can turn builders down, but it means you can pump the brakes on that bus and use the control you do have.”

Since last fall, Coveduck has been asking the City Council to publicly discuss lowering the height limit for the Solstice project on Front Street that almost hits the coastal commercial industrial zoning district’s 40foot ceiling.

Coveduck belongs to a citizens group called Save Grover Beach that opposed a string of new developments on the western end of downtown Grover Beach, such as the Bella Vista Villas from Empire Development and Construction and another Coastal Community Builders project called Trinity.

Not wanting to wait any longer, the group is gathering signatures to qualify an initiative for the November ballot.

If the measure makes the ballot, Grover Beach voters must decide if they want developers to set aside 33 percent of mixeduse buildings for commercial use, lower the height of buildings in commercial zoning districts to 40 feet, and ensure buildings in industrial zones aren’t taller than 33 feet.

According to city staff, the new developments are a result of 20 years of policy decisions like the 2011 West Grand Avenue Master Plan, the 2022 Development Code update, and the 2020-28 Housing Element.

City Attorney Jennifer Thompson said at the meeting that the joint discussion wasn’t a deliberation of individual housing projects but rather a discussion on housing and development policy like the Housing Crisis Act, the Housing Accountability Act, housing element law, and density bonus law.

“Basically, the law says that a local agency cannot adopt a moratorium, meaning a ban on housing development, nor can it place caps on housing approvals unless those things are necessary to address an immediate threat to public health and safety,” Thompson said about the Housing Crisis Act. “You’ll hear that phrase frequently tonight as we go through these laws.”

Community Development Director Megan Martin also pointed to the RHNA numbers—the total housing units each jurisdiction must plan for and accommodate through zoning and land use policies over an eight-year cycle.

She added that Grover Beach fulfilled 98 percent of its RHNA requirement, permitting 361 units since 2020.

“Success doesn’t allow us to stop; it can’t slow our housing approvals because we’ve met this target,” Martin said. “RHNA identifies a minimum need not a maximum limit.”

City Manager Matthew Bronson told New Times that Grover Beach is approaching the next Housing Element update that covers the next RHNA cycle, from 2028 to 2036. The San Luis Obispo Council of Governments advised the city to prepare for double the current RHNA target of 369 housing units.

Martin said that the city is currently unaware how the potential ballot measure could affect the RHNA. The City Council directed staff at the meeting to study the impact of the ballot imitative for future discussion.

“The concern is whether lowering heights will have an impact on the city’s ability to

meet the achievable density planned for under our Housing Element and development code,” Martin told New Times. “Housing law mandates that if we lower heights, effectively ‘downzoning,’ we may have to plan for and place that density in another part of our community. We have not completed this analysis yet to know whether this is the case.”

The joint meeting saw a mix of concerned community members—with Coveduck and other group members like Debbie Peterson and Mike Wilson on one side, and former Grover Beach Mayor Jeff Lee, 30th Assembly District candidate Susannah Brown, and RRM Design Group architect Scott Martin on the other.

“Sprawl is not our option, not building is not our option,” Martin said. “Character is not defined by the number of stories in a building. It’s defined through thoughtful design, walkability, and whether or not our city remains accessible to the people who give it life.”

—Bulbul Rajagopal

Sea lion tests positive for bird flu in Morro Bay

A young male sea lion found deceased at Morro Strand State Beach tested positive for avian influenza (H5N1), also known as bird flu, marking the first confirmed case in a marine mammal in San Luis Obispo County.

The sea lion, estimated to be 1 to 2 years old, was sampled by the Central California Marine Animal Response Team (CCMART) on March 16. Laboratory tests conducted at UC Davis and the USDA’s National Veterinary Services Laboratory confirmed the virus on March 25.

“We are suspecting that it’s an isolated incident, but it’s really too early to tell right now,” Barbie Halaska, executive director of CCMART, told New Times. “So, what we’re doing is we are monitoring other dead marine mammals in the area.”

Bird flu has been detected in wild bird populations across California for several years, Halaska explained. In February, a strain of the virus was detected at Año Nuevo State Park in San Mateo County, which were the first confirmed cases of bird flu in California marine mammals, and the first time it has been detected in northern elephant seals.

Halaska said the virus appears to be spreading from birds to marine mammals rather than between mammals themselves.

“We believe it’s a spillover event,” Halaska

said. “What that means is that a lot of times [bird flu] will pass from wild birds to a marine mammal where it’s almost like the perfect event where the bird has it, it’s right next to the seal, it sneezes on it, defecates near it or the feces gets on the animal, and they get it. We’re not really seeing signs of it passing from seal to seal.”

Heather Liwanag, a biological sciences professor at Cal Poly and advisor to the Vertebrate Integrative Physiology Lab that studies elephant seals in San Simeon, explained that this is the only case outside of San Mateo so far.

“The sea lion showing up with bird flu hasn’t changed our math in terms of the risk to elephant seals. Concern’s still there because we do know that there are birds on the Central Coast that have tested positive. But so far, we haven’t had any elephant seals test positive,” Liwanag said.

During a 2023 outbreak of the bird flu in Argentina, the virus spread from seal to seal among the closely related southern elephant seal population, causing mass die-offs. The virus killed more than 17,000 southern elephant seals during that outbreak, including 97 percent of that season’s pups, according to the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine.

“In South America, … [transmission] actually became seal to seal,” Liwanag said. “And when it does that, it’s just like us—when we get influenza, if we cough on a friend or something like that, it passes much quicker and much easier because it’s already done well inside one human and now it’s doing well inside another human being.”

In a March 16 statement, the Marine Mammal Center said that it tests all incoming animals for influenza and has had no positive cases to date.

The San Luis Obispo County Department of Public Health said that the risk to the public remains very low. Residents and visitors should stay at least 150 feet away from all marine mammals and seabirds, avoid touching sick or deceased animals, and keep dogs leashed while on beaches. Report dead or injured marine life rather than attempting to handle the animals, the department said. Concerns or sightings can be reported to the NOAA West Coast Marine Mammal Stranding Hotline at (866) 767-6114, the California Department of Fish & Wildlife at 916-358-2790, or CCMART at (805) 242-3560. ∆

—Chloë Hodge

Waste not

San Luis Obispo County has continuously banned applying treated sewage sludge on unincorporated land, and the prohibition was recently extended for three more years.

On Feb. 10, the Board of Supervisors approved stretching an interim moratorium that’s been in place since 2004 until March 31, 2029.

The moratorium extension is a move Atascadero resident David Broadwater supports. But his preference is a permanent ban on applying treated sludge on soil, sprouting from recent community concern that it contains “forever chemicals.”

According to the staff report, there’s a possibility that county staff may present a permanent ordinance later.

“[The staff report] uses passive tense in saying that there is an ‘intent,’ but the report doesn’t say whose intent that is or what kind of ordinance it may be. So, I think the board needs to contact these sewage plants about alternative methods well before that,”

Broadwater said. “I’m afraid what they will do is adopt or propose a permissive ordinance that allows [applying treated sludge on land].”

Since the 1990s, Broadwater has been a vocal figure in the area’s discussions on treated sewage sludge, aka biosolids.

The name itself sparks debate.

“That’s public relations terminology that was invented by the nationwide organization that represents the country’s sewage plants in a contest way back in the ’90s for the specific purpose of overcoming public opposition,” Broadwater said, referring to the Water Environment Federation’s 1991 contest to find a more palatable term for sewage sludge. “Biosolids, what the hell is that? I guess I’m a biosolid. You’re a biosolid.”

Local outrage formed in 1998 when waste management subsidiary BioGro applied to the Central Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board to dispose 50,000 tons of treated sewage sludge on a San Miguel alfalfa farm at the confluence of the Estrella and Salinas rivers.

Tension around the presence of heavy metals, pathogens, synthetic chemicals, and pharmaceuticals in that sludge compelled the SLO County Health Commission to consult representatives from the water board,

the Farm Bureau, Physicians for Social Responsibility, and Broadwater’s advocacy group, Center for Sludge Information.

The result was a Health Commission recommendation to county supervisors to create a task force that examined whether the county should oversee the land application of treated sewage sludge.

By the end of 1999, the Environmental Health Services Division suggested creating a policy, adding that the issue needed more scrutiny. It concluded that the land application regulations of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the State Water Resources Control Board, and the Central Coast water board were too lax about the concentrations of the contaminants in treated sewage sludge.

In March 2004, supervisors adopted an ordinance controlling the application of treated sewage sludge or biosolids, periodically extending it every few years.

According to the ordinance, wanting to spread 5 cubic yards or more of biosolids requires applying to Environmental Health 30 days in advance.

Only a maximum of 1,500 cubic yards—roughly the load of 12 pickup trucks—of biosolids can be applied over a 12-month period. Applicants must show documentation that the proposed biosolids meet the required “exceptional quality,” or EQ standard as set by the EPA.

Often sold in bagged form at stores and wastewater treatment plants for home gardens and lawns, EQ-level biosolids meet the EPA’s regulations.

Biosolids are the byproduct of wastewater treatment. While treated water can be safely reused, the remaining solids have several possible fates—disposal in landfills or further treatment and reuse as soil amendments or biogas.

SLO County and its cities lack infrastructure that can convert the solid into Class A/EQ biosolids.

County Environmental Health Director Peter Hague told New Times such conversation would require a capital improvement project at wastewater treatment plants. He pointed to the state

water board’s one-time assessment of perand polyfluoroalkyl substances or “forever chemical” PFAS in biosolids.

“Some of the facilities in this county did have PFAS and some did not, and the levels were quite low. But nonetheless, there’s a level of uncertainty,” Hague said. “There are an enormous number of chemicals present in biosolids. It’s not just the waste products of humans from eating food. It’s everything that comes out of our bodies and also industrial sources.”

According to Chris Lehman, SLO’s deputy director overseeing wastewater, SLO contracts with a composter in Santa Maria who blends biosolids from the city and other agencies with green waste to create compost.

“The city of San Luis Obispo anticipates that the production of Class EQ biosolids at the city’s WRRF [Water Resource Recovery Facility], without the need to transport outside of the county, is feasible within the next five to 10 years if a path for land application were identified,” Lehman said.

He added that the cost of trucking away biosolids has increased over the past five years thanks to rising diesel prices.

With an annual volume of biosolids that can top 4,000 tons some years, SLO currently pays a little more than $107 per ton to truck its biosolids to Santa Maria—almost $430,000.

“There are other facilities that transport their biosolids all the way to the Central Valley, where similar operations are performed. A few local agencies transport biosolids to landfills in SLO County,” Lehman said via email. “This option is becoming increasingly difficult following the passage of SB 1383, a state bill that aims to divert organic waste from landfills to reduce greenhouse gas (methane) emissions.”

The overarching issue that regional agencies are trying to solve, he said, is finding the most responsible method of disposing biosolids that doesn’t involve transferring the matter to somewhere else.

Seventeen agencies in SLO and Santa Barbara counties are working together to explore regional solutions for disposing and reusing biosolids.

The city of SLO and the county also use anaerobic digestion to treat and convert biosolids into biogas. A facility that processes biosolids into both soil boosters and biogas could potentially be set up in Paso Robles, according to biosolids and organics management company Lystek’s Solano County General Manager James Dunbar.

“There’s agriculture in that area so we would definitely be willing to invest in a regional-type facility,” he said.

According to Dunbar, while forever chemicals have been around for years and the awareness around them has increased, their potential presence in biosolids isn’t something to be afraid of when private companies like Lystek and public wastewater treatment plants are involved.

“The benefits have been proven over the last many decades,” he said. “In the past, when we would be using lots of chemical fertilizers, those do not have the same benefits to the soil. Given today’s situation with oil and gas and the stresses those are under, we really don’t need to be using fossil fuels to be making fertilizer when we have an alternative.” ∆

Reach Staff Writer Bulbul Rajagopal at brajagopal@newtimesslo.com.

MAKE SLO FAST!

Conflict continues

San Miguel CSD deadlocked over vacant board seat amid past groundwater dispute

Aregional groundwater dispute that began more than a decade ago is now shaping who can sit on the current San Miguel Community Services District (CSD) board.

In 2013, a group of North County landowners, including former board member Raynette Gregory, filed a “quiet title” lawsuit against several public water agencies, including the San Miguel CSD, Templeton CSD, the city of Paso Robles, Atascadero Mutual Water Company, and San Luis Obispo County. The suit sought to affirm landowners’ inherent rights to groundwater amid concerns over drought and new regulatory restrictions on pumping.

The litigation, which eventually involved more than 600 property owners, went to trial in Santa Clara County and concluded in 2018, according to court records.

A jury ruled in favor of the public agencies, finding that they had established limited prescriptive rights to pump groundwater based on historical use between 1981 and 1990. The ruling allowed the agencies to continue sharing the Paso Robles Groundwater Basin in accordance with historical practice, even during times of drought, but did not extend to ongoing claims by individual plaintiffs.

That lawsuit was part of a broader conflict over groundwater management in North County. Landowners sought to protect their rights to pump water from the Paso Robles basin, while public agencies asserted that historical usage allowed them to continue supplying water to tens of thousands of residents.

The jury ultimately awarded limited prescriptive rights to the agencies for past usage, ensuring that they could pump specific amounts in declared overdraft scenarios, but did not create ongoing claims affecting individual participants like Gregory.

“North County landowners filed a lawsuit against the public water suppliers in 2013 claiming that the landowners’ right to use groundwater is superior or prior to those of the public water suppliers; and, as a result, during times of shortage, the public water suppliers would have to curtail or cease pumping from the basin while the landowners’ right to pump would remain

unaffected,” a San Luis Obispo County press release states.

Deliberations found that “the public water suppliers have established a ‘prescriptive right’ such that they can continue to share in the groundwater supply consistent with historical practice, even during times of shortage,” the statement continues.

The lawsuit was costly and tense for the agencies involved. Collectively, the five defendants spent more than $5.7 million on attorney fees, hydrologist reports, and related expenses, with San Miguel CSD accounting for more than $500,000 of that cost, according to data previously requested by New Times

Former San Miguel CSD General Manager Rob Roberson told New Times in 2018 that those costs affected operations and forced water rate increases for the district’s then 851 customers.

“It comes directly out of our operational expenses and has diminished our reserve funds,” Roberson said in 2018. “This has put us in a situation where we had to raise our rates and put off some of our projects.”

While the litigation is resolved, its legacy persists in current board decisions. Board members Owen Davis and Ashley Sangster have cited Gregory’s participation in that legal action as a potential conflict of interest in filling a now-vacant board seat.

Gregory, who served on the board from July 2019 to November 2024—including terms as president and vice president—was among four candidates interviewed to replace the late John Green, who passed away in December 2025.

During a Feb. 26 CSD meeting, district counsel noted that the board could not consider Gregory’s past role as a plaintiff and the district as a defendant in the appointment process.

Some residents claim that Gregory has faced harassment and sexism during her service, in the months after leaving the board, and throughout the appointment process. Resident Jay Brown cited personal attacks on social media, including a Facebook post by Green shortly before his death, in which he targeted Gregory with inflammatory and sexually explicit comments.

During the district’s annual reorganization in December, the board selected its officers for 2026, reelecting Sangster as president and appointing Brendin Beatty as vice president. The board then began accepting letters of interest for Green’s seat, ultimately selecting four candidates for interviews in January.

On Jan. 22, the board interviewed all applicants but failed to reach a consensus. A followup meeting on Feb. 26, which included three of the candidates, again failed to result in an appointment.

First District SLO County Supervisor

John Peschong told New Times that county intervention isn’t planned, leaving the decision solely to the board.

“There’s plenty of time for them to be able to work together, to come together with somebody that they would like to see,”

Peschong said in a previous New Times interview. “I hope that’s the case where they build a coalition of support around somebody, and it’s good for the community. Because these divided boards like this. … It’s not healthy for the community; so let’s see if they can come together.”

Gregory received nine letters of support from residents and one letter of opposition. Davis and Sangster argue that `her involvement in the past lawsuit raises questions, but legal experts note that resolved litigation generally does not preclude service on a public board, particularly when the case involved broad regional issues and hundreds of participants rather than a personal dispute with the district.

The San Miguel CSD decided to leave the seat vacant until the November 2026 general election, which will also include three other board positions. ∆

Reach Staff Writer Chloë Hodge at chodge@ newtimesslo.com.

The Standard

After 10 years, Amanda Miller rebuilt her entire hair salon.

Now rebranded as The Standard, the downtown San Luis Obispo salon at 712 Marsh St. marks a decade-long evolution from Twig & Arrow, the three-chair space Miller opened in 2016. But the most significant shift isn’t the name, it’s the system behind it.

At the center is The Miller Method, Miller’s structured, hands-on training program that blends technical skills with business education, alongside a specialized approach to hair extensions that has become a defining feature of the salon.

“I created an education program that’s very structured,” Miller said. “It gave people a roadmap … and made it really plug-and-play and easy.”

That system extends directly into her work with extensions. After 15 years of experience and more than nine certification courses, Miller developed a customizable method designed to work across hair types, textures, and lifestyles.

Promote!

“No two people are the same,” she said. “Hair type, lifestyle, even how often you wash your hair, … it all matters. We do every hair texture here.”

Her extension line, developed over five years, is built for durability and everyday wear, from workouts to swimming, while maintaining a natural blend.

“My analogy is … every body type has a brand of jeans that fits them perfectly,” Miller said. “You could wear Levi’s, but I can’t. My butt’s too big; it don’t fit. It’s the same thing with hair extensions. Not every hair density is the same and not everything’s going to fit.”

That philosophy also shapes how the salon operates.

What began as a small group of stylists working together has grown into a 20-chair space with more than 20 team members, built around a collaborative, team-based model. Clients aren’t tied to a single stylist, and staff aren’t competing for appointments.

“I have clients that see literally every person in the salon,” Miller said. “It’s a community.”

Inside The Standard, stylists share tips, techniques, and client histories, allowing for continuity across appointments.

“We all share our color formulas,” she said. “Clients feel like, ‘Oh my God, I know Gwen that sits next to Amanda. I also know Shala.’”

That openness extends to client matching. Rather than holding onto bookings, Miller said she regularly redirects clients to stylists better suited to their needs.

“I’ll have people that’ll make an appointment with me, and I’m like, ‘Honestly, I’m not the best fit for you,’” she said. “‘But I know someone that is, and you’re in better hands.’”

The salon expanded into its current location five years ago as the team outgrew its original space, but the rebrand reflects a deeper shift in focus.

“I was very scared to rebrand,” Miller said. “But the idea where we started, and where we are now 10 years later, is completely different.”

A decade after opening her first salon, Miller said her priority is no longer rapid growth, but building a system that outlasts her—one centered on training, collaboration, and long-term success.

“I just want my people to be more successful than I could have ever been at their age,” she said.

Fast facts

• The Cuesta College Central Coast Writers’ Conference will return to San Luis Obispo on Sept. 25 and 26, offering workshops, panels, master classes, a teen program, and networking opportunities for writers of all levels. New York Times bestselling author Jonathan Maberry will deliver the opening keynote for the 42nd annual event. Super Early Bird registration is available for $225 through April 30 before increasing to $275. Register at centralcoastwritersconference.com.

• The Atascadero Optimist Club donated $1,000 to Teens4Teens during its Feb. 10 meeting, with money raised from its annual Festival of Trees fundraiser held in November at the Atascadero Lake Pavilion. The check was presented to co-founder Jeff Long, whose nonprofit focuses on supporting teen mental health through peer encouragement, shared experiences, and access to resources.

“Supporting young people is at the heart of what Optimists do,” said Nancy Spitzer, member of the Atascadero Optimist Club. “Teens4Teens provides meaningful support to teenagers and helps them realize that others understand what they are going through.” ∆

Reach Staff Writer Chloë Hodge at chodge@ newtimesslo.com.

For love or money

Ihave concerns about the safety of some energy resource projects and the trustworthiness and reliability of the permitting agencies.

Let’s start with Diablo Canyon Power Plant. Is it safe? Is it sustainable? One of the conditions to renewing the permit was to fix the cooling process that kills 2 billion bottom-of-the-food-chain fish eggs and larvae every year. Has that condition been resolved? And if not, why not? Are the eggs, larva, and fry regarded as collateral damage?

In which case, the integrity and environmental consideration of the project have been compromised to the point of being of no significant value and worth to avoid the deadly consequences.

The man-made removal of a food chain link begs the question of the standards,

The beauty of protest and finding community

She was small, thin, elderly, and perhaps not in the best of health. And yet she was standing in a crush of people waiting to join the protest march. I was wearing my yellow day-glo traffic vest and feeling a bit like the maître d at a wildly overbooked restaurant: “Watch your step, thank you so much for coming, thank you for your patience, the line will start moving when the light changes,” while 3,000 people tried to merge onto a sidewalk. The day was warm, people were smiling, laughing, chatting, and carrying signs. A lively fife and drum band in tricornered hats jumped the queue, but no one seemed to mind.

People sometimes ask, what is the point of protesting? What good does it do? And my answer, not original but learned from veteran rights activists, is that we protest to not be alone in our fury and grief over watching our country being plundered by people who have neither empathy nor conscience; to show the people currently in power that we see what they are doing and we dissent, loudly, strongly, with humor and even joy; and to encourage others to join with us in the hard work of building a better and more democratic country.

If you are feeling hopeless and wondering what you could possibly do that would make a difference, find your lane, whatever you care most about, find others who share your passion, and take an action, however small. It will be enough. And come to No Kings 4. The woman moved slowly up to where I was standing and began talking, nearly in tears. I patted her arm and said, “We are going to win this,” and then she was hugging me, and I hugged her back, feeling how small and vulnerable she was. And then the crowd moved forward and we let go and I watched her take a deep, shuddering breath and continue marching.

Alison Jones Los Osos

integrity, and trustworthiness of those decisions by regulatory agencies and administrators that get their marching orders from elected officials. What other exemptions and exceptions to the rules have been allowed and why?

Is it an economic issue? Is it cost prohibitive to enforce the safety rules and regulations we were promised and that would prevent 2 billion fish eggs and larvae from being destroyed?

Prioritizing profit as the bottom line over safety, security, and our quality of life and peace of mind is diametrically opposed to the spirit and embodiment of our democracy.

If the bottom line is profit, I have to wonder how many other compromises have been made in favor of profitability at our expense.

I do not recall agreeing to this change in priorities giving companies like PG&E, Sable, Exxon, and Chevron top dog status over our

We need someone who represents us, not PG&E

Susannah Brown, who calls herself a moderate Democrat, is running against Dawn Addis, the incumbent for the 30th Assembly seat.

But Ms. Brown seems to have an agenda.

According to the New Times article “Batting for blue” (March 26), Ms. Brown disagrees with the current plan to keep Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant running for another five years, and instead, her priority is to extend that timeline. I believe Ms. Brown has a clear conflict of interest since her husband is an employee of the power plant.

That plant is dangerous. Earthquake faults sit directly under the plant. The No. 1 reactor is old and brittle, and in the case of an earthquake, could shatter like glass.

Ms. Brown has no governmental experience; she is pro development (“Another Democrat enters the race,” Jan. 5, The Tribune).

It all sounds pretty conservative to me.

I will be voting for Dawn Addis who I trust and who represents the best interests of San Luis Obispo County residents, not the special interest of PG&E!

Lee Andrea Caulfield Los Osos

sovereignty as citizens and residents. Elected officials were never given power of attorney over our unalienable rights to be free from self-appointed dictatorial control.

We are part and parcel to nature. What we do to nature we do to ourselves. That is just the fact of the matter. We love living here. Protecting, preserving, and prioritizing its value and worth is the doctrine of trust we placed in our elected officials.

I have to say that those involved in renewing and extending PG&E’s permit to operate raises serious doubts about their integrity, intent, and trustworthiness. Knowing also that regulators have full knowledge of the principle’s criminal record of felonies and bad faith operations only compounds my lack of confidence and trust in this whole process.

I wish there was a way to show and prove that my fears and doubts were unwarranted and wrong. Like a third party audit proving all conditions to renewal were unconditionally fulfilled and satisfied. If my concerns seem frivolous and

The surprising freedom of an electric car

As a mother of two young kids, I didn’t expect my first electric car purchase to bring me this much joy—or this much peace and quiet. But our new Hyundai IONIQ 5 has done exactly that.

First, the silence. No engine roar, no rattling— just smooth, almost magical acceleration. My kids actually asked if the car was “on.” With quick handling and smart technology, it’s not just practical—it’s genuinely fun to drive.

While federal rebates for electric cars

unjustified, perhaps even cost prohibitive, then I guess that answers my questions unequivocally. Clearly, the bottom line means that profits reign supreme and not the love of principles or value of safety and wellbeing for the good of all.

And for future reference: When safety and priority in projects like offshore drilling, data centers, Arroyo Grande Oil Field, dumping PFAS into our groundwater, and killing billions of fish eggs and larvae all comes down to money as the bottom line and people as collateral damage, then the laws of the state have failed.

When the laws of the state have failed, we must act by the laws of nature. Our love of nature and the natural world is our innate drive for peace and harmony for the good of all and reigns supreme. Nature rules with love. Hate and fear rule with greed and leads to selfdestruction. It’s happening. Love rules. ∆

Jean’ne Blackwell writes to New Times from San Luis Obispo. Send a response for publication to letters@newtimesslo.com.

are gone for now, programs like Central Coast Community Energy still make a real difference. I was pleasantly surprised to receive a $4,400 rebate, which significantly cut the cost of the car and a Level 2 home charger.

And then there’s the bigger picture. With gas prices climbing past $6 a gallon, I no longer feel like my family’s budget depends on global tensions or whether the Strait of Hormuz is open. That’s a surprising kind of freedom.

Opinion

Palatable sludge

Controversial opinion: We shouldn’t truck our waste to another county. I’m talking about biosolids. Don’t know what that is? Well, you’re not alone! It’s also called treated sewage sludge. Sounds gross. Still confused? Well, it’s what’s left after they—the big “they”—pull the water out of our wastewater. Turns out, they don’t always dispose of that whatever-you-want-tocall-it here.

All we—that’s the small “we”—do is poop and flush! Did you ever stop to think about what happens to it?

The city of San Luis Obispo, for instance, trucks up to 4,000 tons of biosolids per year down to Santa Maria. Other places send theirs “all the way to the Central Valley,” according Chris Lehman, SLO’s deputy director overseeing wastewater. And others still hit the local landfills.

As experts will tell you, it’s not all shit! That biosolid stuff also includes chemicals found in things like sunscreen and other lotions, forever chemicals like PFAS, pharmaceutical drugs, and other toxic things that become part of our waste stream.

And our San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors has been kicking the sludge can down the road for almost 30 years. Some jurisdictions allow that waste to be used as a soil amendment on farm fields. But not this place! There’s a moratorium on that kind of use, thanks to folks like David Broadwater, who has been fighting against that kind of amending for 30 years, too. And the supes

just extended the ban.

Broadwater’s even pissed off at the nerve of county officials to use the term biosolids! Who knew poop could inspire such pissing and moaning!

“Biosolids, what the hell is that? I guess I’m a biosolid. You’re a biosolid,” he said. “That’s public relations terminology that was invented by the nationwide organization that represents the country’s sewage plants.”

Yes, even sewage plants need good public relations! Because poop stinks!

In case you’re even slightly curious, the Water Environment Federation had a contest in 1991 to find a more palatable term for sewage sludge. Palatable sludge! I’m a biolsolid dying of unstoppable adolescent giggles.

In 1998, some waste management organization had to gall to apply to dispose 50,000 tons of sewage sludge—biosolids— on a San Miguel alfalfa farm and people lost their minds. Not because of poop, but because of all the other solids.

The potential for contaminating the nearby Estrella and Salinas rivers was too much, yada yada yada, we’ve had a ban on that kind of thing since 2004.

In a world where AI could probably write this slop I’m typing right now, we don’t have the technology to separate the contaminants from the shit?

We couldn’t be more thrilled to jump into Spring, and we want you to bring the whole family to help open the Dallidet Gardens for 2026! We’ve got a day of kid-friendly activities, games, and fun planned; all we need is you.

Actually, yes, the tech exists, and the result is apparently sold in bagged form to the public for home use. Doing that here, my friends, would require significant capital investment at existing wastewater treatment plants—of course.

The city of SLO, according to Lehman, is on the path to doing exactly that. It’s feasible in the next five to 10 years “if a path for land application were identified.”

So, get to work, people. Put those heads together, and let’s keep biosolids local!

I’d also like to keep housing local!

And Grover Beach does too. It’s just that some of the city’s residents think that enough is enough with the housing already! I mean, come on, the city has practically hit the goals of its Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA) for the 2020-28 cycle.

That state-issued number of housing units that localities should try to stimulate into existence through policy and incentives runs in eight-year increments. The next cycle’s numbers might be double what they are now.

The state said Grover Beach needed to build at least 369 housing units, and 361 have been built since 2020 with more on the horizon.

“Congratulations, we’ve met our goal, we’re there,” Kelvin Coveduck said. “Just because you met your goal doesn’t mean you can turn builders down, but it means you can pump the brakes on that bus and use the control that you have.”

Speak up!

He wants the city to pump the brakes on development along Grand Avenue that he and others deem too tall, too dense, and too much.

Family Day

Please come join us for the Opening Day of The Dallidet Adobe & Gardens,

• A Boxed Lunch

• Wine and Cheese

• Live Music

• Tours of the historic 1850s Adobe

• 10 different varieties of tomatoes being given away to kids

• Harvesting radishes

• 2 kinds of Lettuce as well as Blue Popcorn Plants being gifted to children

• A Baby Goat Petting Zoo

• Corn Grinding Demonstrations

• Garden Talks from our the Dallidet Head Gardner, Dave Hannings

• Earthworm Demonstrations

• A Scavenger Hunt

• Painting in the garden

• Photo Opportunities with a GIANT RADISH

• A Raffle and Silent Auction

Through Save Grover Beach, Coveduck and others have initiated a proposed ballot measure to further restrict the city’s building heights and mandate developers to set aside a higher percentage of their residential developments for commercial use.

This group, like other iterations of savethe-city groups before it that have proposed ballot measures to try to wrangle in an “out of control” city staff, includes disgruntled ex-council member Debbie Peterson. No surprises there. I’m sure there’s a book in the works about this whole thing.

But the city isn’t sure how this potential ballot measure, which doesn’t have the signatures it needs just yet, could impact Grover Beach’s ability to meet its housing goals.

“Housing law mandates that if we lower heights, effectively ‘downzoning,’ we may have to plan for and place that density in another part of our community,” Community Development Director Megan Martin said.

So, four-story apartment-style buildings in single-family residential neighborhoods rather than downtown, where the taller buildings are supposed to be? Cue another potential ballot measure!

Martin added that RHNA numbers are basically the bare minimum of housing that’s needed, “not a maximum limit.” ∆

The Shredder’s reached the biosolids limit. Send trucks to shredder@ newtimesslo.com.

Looking forward to celebrating Spring 2026 in

Hot Dates

FLIP WITH FLAIR

Coach Gina from Performance Athletics Gymnastics in San Luis Obispo will lead a Parkour Clinic on Saturday, April 4, from 1 to 3 p.m., for children ages 7 to 17 years old. Kids of all levels can burn energy and practice coordination. Clinics are $25. Visit performanceathleticsslo.com for more details.

—Angie Stevens

ARTS

NORTH COAST SLO COUNTY

ACRYLIC WAVE POUR PAINTING PARTY

Make your very own, beautiful wave painting on canvas. Instructor Chenda Lor will guide you through the process. April 11 $60. my805tix.com. Lor Coaching Studio & Gallery, 525 Harbor St., Morro Bay.

COASTAL WINE AND PAINT PARTY

Listen to music while enjoying an afternoon of creativity, sipping, and mingling. The party includes a complimentary glass of wine and canvas with materials. Saturdays, 12-2 p.m. $55. (805) 394-5560. coastalwineandpaint. com. Harmony Cafe at the Pewter Plough, 824 Main St., Cambria.

COSTA GALLERY SHOWCASES Features works by Ellen Jewett as well as 20 other local artists, and artists from southern and northern California. Thursdays-Saturdays, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. and Sundays, 12-4 p.m. (559) 799-9632. costagallery.com. Costa Gallery, 2087 10th St., Los Osos.

FOREVER STOKED PAINT PARTY Join us at the gallery, for a few hours to travel on a creative paint journey. You will receive as much or as little instruction as you prefer. No artistic experience is necessary. Saturdays, 7-9 p.m. $45. (805) 772-9095. foreverstoked.com. Forever Stoked, 1164 Quintana Rd., Morro Bay.

GALLERY AT MARINA SQUARE

ARTISTS RECEPTION AND ATRIUM

PARTY Meet our featured artists, enjoy refreshments, and explore four new exhibitions at our free 2nd Saturday Opening Reception. April 11 3 p.m. Free. (805) 772-1068. galleryatmarinasquare. com. Gallery at Marina Square, 601 Embarcadero suite 10, Morro Bay.

THE PLEIN AIR TEAM Acrylic artist, Nancy Lynn, and husband, watercolorist, Robert Fleming, have an ongoing show of originals and giclee prints of Morro Bay and local birds. ongoing (805) 772-9955. Seven Sisters Gallery, 601 Embarcadero Ste. 8, Morro Bay, sevensistersgalleryca.com.

NORTH SLO COUNTY AND THE WINNER IS Tyler Johnes is finally nominated for an Oscar, then dies the night before the awards. Will a heavenly gatekeeper let him attend anyway? April 10, 7:30-9:15 p.m. and Fridays-Sundays, 7:30-9:15 p.m. through April 26 $15-$30. (805) 712-1224. winecountrytheatre.org. Encore Center, 1030 Railroad, Paso Robles.

DAILY POTTERY Walk in, pick your pottery project, and paint away. Something for all ages. Prices vary depending on what you choose and includes; paint, glaze, firing, and studio time. Tuesdays-Saturdays, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Varies. (805) 400-9107. artsocial805. com. ArtSocial 805 Creative Campus, 631 Spring St., Paso Robles.

DEPRISE BRESCIA ART GALLERY: ONGOING DISPLAYS Features a large selection of encaustic art, sculpted paintings, art installations, acrylic palette knife paintings, digital art, glass, jewelry, stones, fossils, and a butterfly sculpture garden. ongoing DepriseBrescia.com. Deprise Brescia Art Gallery, 829 10th St., Paso Robles, (310) 621-7543.

FIGURE DRAWING - SATURDAYS AND WEDNESDAYS AT FIELDWORK Join us for figure drawing every Saturday and Wednesday for ages 18 and over. All skill levels are welcome. Bring your own materials. Saturdays, 10 a.m.-noon and Wednesdays, 6-8 p.m. $20 + model’s tip. fieldworkart.org. Fieldwork,

5880 Entrada Ave, Atascadero, (971) 645-2481.

MONTHLY BIRTHDAY PLATE PAINTING AT ARTSOCIAL 805 Please join ArtSocial805 on the first Saturday of each month to paint a personalized “Birthday Plate,” for someone special or for yourself. The workshop is $35, which covers the plate, glaze, and firing. First Saturday of every month, 11 a.m.-7 p.m. $35. (805) 400-9107. artsocial805.com. ArtSocial 805 Creative Campus, 631 Spring St., Paso Robles.

TAKE A SPIN: TWO-HOUR WHEEL

CLASS These two hour blocks provide an opportunity to learn the basics of wheel throwing. Instructors will center your clay for you, so you will have the opportunity to make two items. Saturdays, 10 a.m.-noon $72. (805) 203-0335. thepotteryatascadero.com/ wheelclasses. The Pottery, 5800 El Camino Real, Atascadero.

SAN LUIS OBISPO

“ONE VISIT” POTTERY CLASS This is a great class if you are looking to try out pottery! Throw on the wheel or paint pre-made pottery. Get a student discount with a valid school ID. Fridays, 6-7:30 p.m. $75. (805) 896-6197. Anam Cre Pottery Studio, 1243 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo, anamcre.com.

BUEN DIA MILONGA Catch Nexus’s premier Argentine Tango social, Buen Dia Milonga hosted, by Carolyn Long. April 12 5-8 p.m. $10. nexusslo.com. Nexus SLO, 3845 S Higuera St.( Lower Level), San Luis Obispo, (805) 904-7428.

CENTRAL COAST COMEDY THEATER IMPROV COMEDY SHOW An ongoing improv comedy program featuring the CCCT’s Ensemble. Grab some food at the public market’s wonderful eateries

New Times and the Sun now share their community listings for a complete Central Coast calendar running from SLO County through northern Santa Barbara County. Submit events online by logging in with your Google, Facebook, or Twitter account at newtimesslo.com. You may also email calendar@newtimesslo. com. Deadline is one week before the issue date on Thursdays. Submissions are subject to editing and approval. Contact Calendar Editor Angie Stevens directly at astevens@newtimesslo.com.

and enjoy the show upstairs. Second Friday of every month, 6-8 p.m. $10. centralcoastcomedytheater.com/shows/. SLO Public Market, 120 Tank Farm Road, San Luis Obispo.

CERAMIC LESSONS AND MORE Now offering private one-on-one and group lessons in the ceramic arts. Both hand building and wheel throwing options. Beginners welcomed. ongoing (805) 8355893. hmcruceceramics.com/. Online, See website, San Luis Obispo. INTRODUCTION TO METAL STAMPING WORKSHOP WITH JUNKGIRLS Learn the art of metal stamping with Melissa and create a bookmark, bracelet, wine charms, and keyring with aluminum! April 11 2-4:30 p.m. $125. (805) 439-0123. junkgirls.com. JunkGirls, 870 Monterey St, San Luis Obispo. MOBILE CLAY CLASSES Offering handbuilding, throwing, and ceramic decorative arts. All ages and abilities are welcome. Call for more info. ongoing (805) 835-5893. hmcruceceramics. com/book-online. SLO County, Various locations countywide, San Luis Obispo.

PAINT A PREMADE POTTERY PIECE!

Drop into the studio to pick out and paint a premade piece! There is fun for all ages, and prices are based upon size. Mondays, Wednesdays-Saturdays, 2-7:30 p.m. $30$75. app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule. php?owner=22676824&appointmentTy pe=35974477. Anam Cre Pottery Studio, 1243 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo.

PET PORTRAITS Create a one-of-akind tribute to your furry friends, while enjoying a fun day with your human pals! April 11 , 12-4 p.m. $60. (805) 747-4200. artcentralslo.com. Art Central, 1329 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo.

PICKET PAINTING PARTY Decorative picket purchasing opportunities are

available to show your support and help fund maintenance and educational programs in the Children’s Garden. Second Saturday of every month, 1-4 p.m. $75 per picket or 2 for $100. (805) 541-1400. slobg. org. San Luis Obispo Botanical Garden, 3450 Dairy Creek Rd., San Luis Obispo.

SESAME STREET LIVE: ELMO’S

GOT THE MOVES Make unforgettable memories with your little ones at Elmo’s Got the Moves—the all-new Sesame Street Live show right here in San Luis Obispo! April 8 6-7:30 p.m. $37-$77. (805) 756-4849. pacslo.org. Performing Arts Center, 1 Grand Ave., San Luis Obispo.

SLO COMEDY UNDERGROUND OPEN

MIC NIGHT Enjoy a night of laughs provided by the local SLO Comedy Community. It’s open mic night, so anyone can perform and “you never know what you’ll see.” Tuesdays, 8 p.m. Free. Libertine Brewing Company, 1234 Broad St., San Luis Obispo, (805) 5482337, libertinebrewing.com.

TEEN NIGHT POTTERY IS LIVE Join Teen Night Pottery, for ages 14 and over. Teens will be taught to throw on the potters wheel, sculpt, or paint a pot. Snacks will be provided. Fridays, 6-7:30 p.m. $35. (805) 896-6197. anamcre.com. Anam Cre Pottery Studio, 1243 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo.

WHITNEY PINTELLO: SOLO SHOW On display now through mid-April. ongoing slogallery.com/. SLO Gallery, 1023 Broad St., San Luis Obispo.

WHO’S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF?

This timeless drama challenges audiences to confront the complexities of love, communication, and the human desire for connection, making it a profoundly unforgettable experience. Fridays, 7-9 p.m., Saturdays, 2-4 & 7-9 p.m., Sundays, 2-4 p.m. and Thursdays, 7-9 p.m. through April 9 $28-$47. (805) 786-2440. slorep.org/shows/whosafraid-of-virginia-woolf/. SLO Rep, 888 Morro St., San Luis Obispo.

SOUTH COAST SLO COUNTY

AS YOU LIKE IT

(805) 489-9444. clarkcenter.org/. Clark Center for the Performing Arts, 487 Fair Oaks Ave., Arroyo Grande. CELEBRATE POETRY MONTHS WITH THE SLO COUNTY POET LAUREATE CALEB NICHOLS Delight in Caleb’s poems and share yours at this free event, hosted by the Coastal Dunes Branch of the California Writers Club. April 4 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Free. coastaldunescwc.com. Nipomo Library, 918 W. Tefft, Nipomo, 929-3994. CLARK CENTER PRESENTS: BEST OF THE SAN FRANCISCO STAND-UP COMEDY COMPETITION The San Francisco Stand-Up Comedy Competition is a highly esteemed event that brings together the finest comedic talent from all corners of the country. April 10 7:309:30 p.m. $39-$59, Platinum $65; Senior Discounts. (805) 489-9444. clarkcenter. org/. Clark Center for the Performing Arts, 487 Fair Oaks Ave., Arroyo Grande. GROOVE Groove is an electrifying dance concert showcasing the incredible talent of The Studio of Performing Arts Dance Teams, featuring performers of all ages and an exciting variety of dance styles. This high-energy show celebrates a full year of dedication, passion, and hard work. April 3 7 p.m. and April 4 , 2 & 7 p.m. $15. my805tix.com. The Studio Black Box Theater, 835 W. Grand Ave, Grover Beach, (805) 473-0377.

ROB SCHNEIDER: RESCUE HUSBAND A stand-up comic and veteran of the award-winning NBC sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live, Schneider continues his world-wide standup tour. April 4 , 7:30-9 p.m. $49-$129. (805) 4899444. clarkcenter.org/. Clark Center for the Performing Arts, 487 Fair Oaks Ave., Arroyo Grande.

SLO POET LAUREATE CALEB NICHOLS PRESENTS AT THE NIPOMO LIBRARY IN CELEBRATION OF NATIONAL POETRY MONTH Celebrate Poetry Month with a reading by the San Luis Obispo County Poet Laureate, Caleb Nichols, at the Nipomo Library. April 4 noon Free. (805) 929-3994. coastaldunescwc.com. Nipomo Library, 918 W. Tefft, Nipomo.

WILD ABOUT HARLOE: HARLOE

ELEMENTARY TALENT SHOW Come and see all of the talent that Harloe Elementary Roadrunners have on display this year. April 2 4:30 & 7 p.m. $8. (805) 489-9444. clarkcenter.org/. Clark Center for the Performing Arts, 487 Fair Oaks Ave., Arroyo Grande.

WORKSHOPS AND MORE AT THE LAVRA Check the venue’s calendar for storytelling workshops, lectures, movie nights, and discussions held on a periodic basis. ongoing thelavra.org/ home. The Lavra, 2070 E. Deer Canyon Road, Arroyo Grande.

CULTURE & LIFESTYLE

NORTH COAST SLO COUNTY

CENTRAL COAST UECHI-RYU KARATE-

DO Uechi-Ryu Karate-do is a traditional form of karate originating from Okinawa, Japan. Focus is on fitness, flexibility, and self-defense with emphasis on self -growth, humility, and respect. Open to ages 13 to adult. Beginners and experienced welcome. Instructor with 50 years experience. For info, call 805-215-8806. Tuesdays, Thursdays, 6-7:30 p.m. Morro Bay Community Center, 1001 Kennedy Way, Morro Bay, 772-6278, morro-bay.ca.us.

CENTRAL COAST WOOD CARVERS

Learn the art of wood carving or wood burning. Join Central Coast Wood Carvers in Morro Bay at St. Timothy’s. Open for beginners, intermediate, or advance. Learn a wide range of techniques and skills. Tuesdays, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Free. St. Timothy’s Catholic Church, 962 Piney Way, Morro Bay, (805) 772-2840, sttimothymorrobay.org/index.html.

CO-DEPENDENTS ANONYMOUS

MEETING Co-Dependents Anonymous (CoDA) is a Twelve Step recovery program for anyone who desires to have healthy and loving relationships with themselves and others. Meeting is hybrid (both in person and on Zoom). For information, call 805-900-5237. Saturdays, 1-2:15 p.m. Free. thecambriaconnection.org/. Cambria Connection, 1069 Main St., Cambria, (805) 927-1654.

MORRO BAY METAPHYSICIANS

DISCUSSION GROUP A group of

metaphysically minded individuals that have been meeting for many years now in the Coalesce Chapel. Club offers a supportive metaphysical based community. Members discuss a different topic each week. All are welcome to join. Fridays, 12:30-1:30 p.m. Suggested donation of $10-$15. Coalesce Bookstore, 845 Main St., Morro Bay, coalescebookstore.com/.

PLANT SALE: LOS OSOS VALLEY GARDEN CLUB SPRING FUNDRAISER

Shop from over 30 specialty tomato varieties, along with veggies, native plants ,and more. Also enjoy a color contest, food, coffee, music, and kid’s activities. April 11 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Free. lovgardenclub.org/. Red Barn at Los Osos Community Park, 2180 Palisades Ave., Los Osos.

SELF LOVE SATURDAY BOOK EXCHANGE

Bring books you would lovingly like to pass on to others and one special book that has inspired you that you would love to pass onto another woman. You’ll have a chance to personally share about what this book has meant to you. April 11 11 a.m.-2 p.m. my805tix.com. Goddess Temple Central Coast, 550 Morro Bay Boulevard, Morro Bay.

SLO CONNECTED 2026 Join for an evening of connection honoring healing, accountability, and second chances through powerful storytelling, shared dinner, and community. April 11 , 4-8 p.m.

$75-$100. (805) 439-0832. thekidcat. org. South Bay Community Center, 2180 Palisades Ave., Los Osos.

SOCRATES DISCUSSION GROUP Have a topic, book, or article you wish to discuss with interested and interesting people? Join this weekly meeting to discuss it, or simply contribute your experiences and knowledge. Contact Mark Plater for instructions on entering the Chapel area. Wednesdays, 10 a.m.-noon (805) 528-7111. Coalesce Garden Chapel, 845 Main St., Morro Bay.

STRETCH, BREATHE, AND BALANCE

Ideal for seniors, and open to everyone. Instructor Randal Bodlak takes you through specific moves to promote mobility, internal strength, and stability. Mondays, 9-10 a.m. $10 per session. (805) 528-4880. Bayside Martial Arts, 1200 2nd St., Los Osos.

TAI CHI AND QI GONG: ZEN IN MOTION Small group classes with 2019 Tai Chi Instructor of the Year. Call for time and days. Learn the Shaolin Water Style and 5 Animals Qi Gong. Beginners welcomed.

PET PORTRAITS

A one-day Pet Portrait workshop led by artist Linda Cunningham will be held on Saturday, April 11, from noon to 4 p.m. at Art Central in San Luis Obispo. Participants can spend the afternoon creating a personal tribute to their furry friends using hand-painted papers. The class is $60 and is open to ages 15 and older. Visit artcentralslo.com for tickets and additional details.

Mondays, 8 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Call for price details. (805) 701-7397. charvetmartialarts. com. Morro Bay Martial Arts, 850 Shasta, Morro Bay.

WEEKLY QIGONG PRACTICE AT FITNESSWORKS MORRO BAY Calm your mind and nourish your joints with a weekly Qigong practice led by Mike Raynor of Tai Chi Rejuvenation. The practice is rooted in Qigong fundamentals, and standing/moving meditations. Forms include: Eight Brocades, Five Elements, Shibashi 18, and Tai chi 24. Saturdays, 10:45-11:45 a.m. Members free; non-members $8-$10. (805) 772-7466. fitnessworksmb.com. FitnessWorks, 500 Quintana Rd., Morro Bay.

NORTH SLO COUNTY

BALANCE FLOW Suitable for all levels. This class is meant to benefit the mindbody connection while emphasizing safe

and effective alignment as well as breath awareness and relaxation. Please call to register in advance. Tuesdays, Thursdays, 4:30-5:30 p.m. $16-$22; $50 membership. (805) 434-9605. ttrtennis.com/fitness/ yoga/. Templeton Tennis Ranch, 345 Championship Lane, Templeton.

CADDYSHACK AND STRIPES TRIVIA NIGHT Join the Caddyshack and Stripes Trivia Night. It’s time to prove you’re the sharpest tool! April 9 6-8 p.m. Free. (805) 270-3327. dracaenawines.com. Dracaena Wines, 1244 Pine Street, suite 101 B, Paso Robles.

EASTER CELEBRATION SERVICE AT AWAKENING WAYS CSL Celebrate Easter with family-friendly fun, including a kids’ Easter egg hunt and activities with Sonia, and festive Easter bonnets during our Sunday Gathering. April 5 10-11:30 a.m. Free. (805) 391-4465.

awakeningways.org. Pavilion on the Lake, 9315 Pismo Ave., Atascadero.

HAMBLY LAVENDER FARM GUIDED

EXPERIENCE This one-hour walk about the farm immerses you in the processes of growing, harvesting, and drying this fragrant herb. Saturdays, Sundays, 10 a.m. my805tix.com. Hambly Farms, 1390 Grana Place, San Miguel.

HIIT 45 WITH SARA JORGENSEN

A dynamic and fun way to improve strength and cardiovascular conditioning using weights, resistance bands, and body weight. Bring a yoga mat and water. Thursdays, 9:30-10:15 a.m. and Mondays, 5:30-6:15 p.m. $15 for members; $25 for guests. (805) 434-9605. ttrtennis.com/fitness/fitnessclasses/. Templeton Tennis Ranch, 345 Championship Lane, Templeton.

HOME OWNERSHIP ENHANCED WITH ADUS WORKSHOP Enjoy this free ADU workshop with Smart Share Housing Solutions, a nonprofit with nothing to sell, except clear information and practical guidance. Reserve your ticket now. April 8 5:30-7 p.m. Free. (805) 215-5474. smartsharehousingsolutions.org/events. Oak Creek Commons, 635 Nicklaus St., Paso Robles.

PET TALES Get ready for the cutest, coziest, and cuddliest hour in your week!

Pet Tales welcomes young children and their grownups for a pet-themed story time. Tuesdays, 11 a.m.-noon $5. (805) 5439316. woodshumanesociety.org/youthprograms/. Woods Humane Society (North County), 2300 Ramona Road, Atascadero.

TRAFFIC JAM VINTAGE AND HANDMADE

MARKET APPS OPEN Traffic Jam is a curated outdoor market celebrating vintage goods and independent makers on California’s Central Coast. April 10 (805) 464-2564. trafficjamvintagemarket.com. Golden State Goods, 5880 Traffic Way, Atascadero.

SAN LUIS OBISPO

4TH ANNUAL SLO BEAVER FESTIVAL

The Beaver Festival will feature live music, guest speakers, informational booths, food and beverage vendors, kids’ crafts and games, and more! April 11 , 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Free. (805) 464-1255. slobeaverbrigade.com. Mission Plaza, Downtown, San Luis Obispo.

BUNNY TRAIL Enjoy family-friendly springtime fun! Bring the kiddos downtown to collect treats from downtown businesses and meet the Downtown

Bunny! April 2 6-8 p.m. downtownslo. com/events/bunnytrail. Downtown SLO, Multiple locations, San Luis Obispo.

CENTRAL COAST DIALYSIS ORGAN TRANSPLANT SUPPORT GROUP Not faith based. All are welcome. Please wear a mask. First Saturday of every month, 9:3011:30 a.m. St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church SLO, 650 Pismo St., San Luis Obispo. CENTRAL COAST NATIVE GARDEN TOUR Join the California Native Plant Society Garden Tour. Nine gardens throughout SLO County will be open to the public. April 11 , 11 a.m.-3:30 p.m. $15. cnpsslo.org. California Native Plant Society San Luis Obispo, P.O. Box 784, San Luis Obispo, (818) 438-1555.

COASTAL ECOSYSTEM DAY Join Beaver Brigade, Sea Otter Savvy, and Pacific Wild Care for an interactive day of exploring our coastal ecosystem at SLO Botanical Garden. April 4, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Free. (805) 541-1400. slobg.org. San Luis Obispo Botanical Garden, 3450 Dairy Creek Rd., San Luis Obispo. DANCING IN THE PLAZA: SALSA EDITION Enjoy free salsa lessons in the plaza at the SLO Public Market, where you will learn beginner-friendly salsa, perfect for anyone looking to try Latin Dancing. April 4 1-2:30 p.m. Free. nexusslo.com. Nexus SLO, 3845 S Higuera St.( Lower Level), San Luis Obispo, (805) 904-7428. DEATH CAFE (EVERY 1ST TUESDAY ON THE MONTH) At Death Café, curiosity and community converge for open, thoughtful conversations about mortality, loss, and our shared human experience. Donations to Hospice SLO County are always appreciated. First Tuesday of every month, 11 a.m.-noon Free. (805) 544-2266. hospiceslo.org/services/ death-caf%C3%A9. Hospice SLO County, 1304 Pacific St., San Luis Obispo. FREE TOURS OF THE MISSION Tour San Luis Obispo’s Spanish Mission, founded in 1772. Come learn its history and importance to the development of this area. Tours are led by docents and meet in front of the church Sundays, 2:30 p.m. and Mondays-Saturdays, 1:15 p.m. Free. (805) 550-7713. missionslodocents.org. Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa, 751 Palm Street, San Luis Obispo. FUNCTION AT OCTAGON BARN Enjoy community fun, dancing, a sound plunge, organic snacks & BBQ appetizers, prizes, and more. April 4 6-9 p.m. $30. my805tix. com. Octagon Barn, 4400 Octagon Way, San Luis Obispo, (805) 459-9584. CULTURE & LIFESTYLE continued page 17

march 13 ~ April 25 th th

Wednesday - Friday: 7pm

- Friday: 7pm

2pm to 7pm

6pm

&

Just as young noble Jane is

Just as young noble Jane is ready to tie the knot, she's whisked away by "The Nameless Piratess," the most infamous lady pirate on the seas! Together, they set sail on a wild quest to unearth a witch's treasure on a treacherous island. But here's the real question: Will Jane be rescued, or will she ditch her bridal gown for a swashbuckling pirate's hat and chase after enchanted riches? Yo-ho-ho, the plot thickens!

Just as young noble Jane is ready to tie the knot, she's whisked away by "The Nameless Piratess," the most infamous lady pirate on the seas! Together, they set sail on a wild quest to unearth a witch's treasure on a treacherous island. But here's the real question: Will Jane be rescued, or will she ditch her bridal gown for a swashbuckling

Just as young noble Jane is ready to tie the knot, she's whisked away by "The Nameless Piratess," the most infamous lady pirate on the seas! Together, they set sail on a wild quest to unearth a witch's treasure on a treacherous island. But here's the real question: Will Jane be rescued, or will she ditch her bridal gown for a swashbuckling pirate's hat and chase after enchanted riches? Yo-ho-ho, the plot thickens!

APRIL 24

Home, Paso Robles Women of Influence North County Connect THURSDAY, APRIL 9

Margarita Ranch SLO Tease: Fellowship of the Tease

APRIL 24

Fields Brewhouse, Atascadero Mawtini: Arab American Narratives presents Live Verbatim Theatre THURSDAY, APRIL 9

FRIDAY-SUNDAY, MAY 22-24

MAWTINI: ARAB AMERICAN

NARRATIVES OF HOME AND BELONGING

PRESENTS LIVE VERBATIM THEATRE

Join us for an evening of food, theater, and meaningful conversation as we experience the oral histories of our local Arab American community. April 9, 5-7 p.m.

$55.40. my805tix.com. San Luis Obispo Library, 995 Palm St., San Luis Obispo.

OPEN GYM AND GYM JAM CLINIC

Get your gym jam on with us, with one hour of progressive gymnastics skill training and one hour of open play. No experience is necessary, for ages 5 to 17 years old. April 11 1-3 p.m. $25. (805) 547-1496. performanceathleticsslo.com.

Performance Athletics Gymnastics, 4484 Broad St., San Luis Obispo.

PARKOUR CLINIC Parkour offers a path to social confidence. Come flip with flair in a safe, nurturing environment at the parkour clinic, for ages 7 to 17 years. April 4 , 1-3 p.m. $25. (805) 547-1496. performanceathleticsslo.com.

Performance Athletics Gymnastics, 4484 Broad St., San Luis Obispo.

PROJECT SCIENTIST ON NASA PUNCH

MISSION COMING TO CAL POLY TO

UNVEIL IMAGES OF SOLAR STORMS

Project Scientist Sarah Gibson will be showing images from PUNCH’s four small satellites that are now making global, 3D observations of the sun’s outer atmosphere as it transitions into the solar wind that fills the solar system. Come see the spectacular photos from the mission and learn about the huge eruptions from the sun that drive the recent auroras. April 8 , 7-10 p.m. Free. centralcoastastronomy.org/calendar/ why-auroras-are-appearing-in-newplaces-learn-about-new-discoveriesfrom-nasas-punch-mission-on-april-8th/.

Cal Poly Advanced Technologies Lab (ATL), 1 Grand Ave., building 007, San Luis Obispo, (805) 756-1111.

SAN LUIS OBISPO WEDDING AND EVENT EXPO

Whether you’re engaged and planning your dream wedding or organizing a special event, this is your one-stop destination for all things wedding and event planning. April 12 12-4 p.m. $12. (805) 980-1985. centralcoastbride.com. Madonna Expo Center, 100 Madonna Road, San Luis Obispo.

SLO PUB TRIVIA MEETUP GROUP Trivia lovers wanted! Join for Study Hall trivia with Mr. Perez, every second Wednesday. All ages over 21 are welcome. RSVP with the link. Second Wednesday of every month Free. meetup.com/slo-bartrivia-group. Oak and Otter Brewing, 181 Tank Farm Road, suite 110, San Luis Obispo, (805) 439-2529.

SPRING FAMILY FIELD DAY ON THE RANCH Join us for an afternoon filled with farm animals, easter egg hunts, a gourmet lunch with La Lomita Wines, ice cream, and games for all! April 4 11 a.m.-3 p.m. $45-$85. (805) 706-8034. lalomitawines.com. La Lomita Ranch, 1985 La Lomita Way, San Luis Obispo. SPRING FLING Join the SLO Bunny

for their annual egg hunt at Meadow Park this spring. Please bring your own basket! April 4 , 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Free. slorecactivities.org. Meadow Park, 2251 Meadow St., San Luis Obispo.

TWO-LEVEL CASINO RUEDA POP-UP

WORKSHOP Join our two-level Casino Rueda workshop at Nexus SLO and sharpen your timing, teamwork, and flow! April 5 , 2:30-3:30 p.m. $30. nexusslo.com. Nexus SLO, 3845 S Higuera St.( Lower Level), San Luis Obispo, (805) 904-7428.

SOUTH COAST SLO COUNTY

37TH ANNUAL EGG HUNT AND FESTIVAL Join the 37th Annual Egg Hunt and Festival at Elm Street Park. April 4 , 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Free. (805) 473-5472. arroyogrande.org. Elm Street Park, 1221 Ash St., Arroyo Grande.

BEGINNING BALLET FOR ADULTS Enjoy the grace and flow of ballet. No previous experience needed. Wednesdays, 5:156:15 p.m. $12 drop-in; $40 for four classes. (510) 362-3739. grover.org. Grover Beach Community Center, 1230 Trouville Ave., Grover Beach.

BODY FUSION/EXERCISE AND FITNESS

CLASS Do something good for yourself and stay fit for outdoor sports, while enhancing flexibility, strengthening your core to prevent lower back issues, improving your posture through yoga, and more. Tuesdays, Thursdays, 9-10:30 a.m. Free. (970) 710-1412. Avila Beach Community Center, 191 San Miguel St., Avila Beach, avilabeachcc.com.

COMMUNITY NATIVE GARDEN MONTHLY VOLUNTEER WORKDAY

Volunteers accomplish a variety of tasks including pathways maintenance, litter patrol of the garden perimeter, weeding, irrigation system expansion/repairs, pruning, and plantings. Volunteers should bring work gloves, a hat, drinking water, and tools related to the above activities. First Saturday of every month, 9 a.m.-noon Free. (805) 710-3073. Nipomo Native Garden, Camino Caballo at Osage, Nipomo.

DANCE FITNESS ART AND CULTURE

FOR ADULTS Discover dance as a form of artistic expression and exercise, using a wide range of styles and genres of music (including modern, jazz, Broadway, ethnic). Tuesdays, 4-5 p.m. $10 drop-in; $30 for four classes. (510) 362-3739. grover.org. Grover Beach Community Center, 1230 Trouville Ave., Grover Beach.

EGG-STRAVAGANZA This family friendly event includes egg hunts, bounce houses, cames, crafts, and more! April 4 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Free. (805) 773-7063. Dinosaur Caves Park, 2701 Price St, Pismo Beach.

MULTICULTURAL DANCE CLASS FOR ADULTS Experience dance from continents around the earth, including from Africa, Europe, and more. Described as “a wonderful in-depth look at the context and history of cultures of the world.” Tuesdays, 5:30-6:30 p.m. $10 dropin; $30 for four classes. (510) 362-3739. grover.org. Grover Beach Community Center, 1230 Trouville Ave., Grover Beach.

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF WATCH AND CLOCK COLLECTORS, CHPT. 52

Come join a friendly meeting of watch and clock collectors. Members bring watches and clocks to show, plus there are discussions of all things horological. Second Sunday of every month, 1:30-3 p.m. (805) 547-1715. new.nawcc.org/index. php/chapter-52-los-padres. Central Coast Senior Center, 1580 Railroad St., Oceano.

OCEANO SEABREEZE MARKET Browse from handcrafted artisanal goods and exclusive collections from local makers, artisans, and curators. Enjoy live spun tunes, food, and community fun! April 11, 12-4 p.m. Free. discoveroceanoca.com. Oceano Elks Lodge, 410 Air Park Drive, Oceano.

POINT SAN LUIS LIGHTHOUSE TOURS

A docent-led tour of the buildings and grounds of the historic Point San Luis Light Station. Check website for more details. Wednesdays, Saturdays pointsanluislighthouse.org/. Point San Luis Lighthouse, 1 Lighthouse Rd., Avila Beach.

SOCIAL GROUP FOR WIDOWS AND WIDOWERS Call for more details. Second Saturday of every month, 10 a.m. (805) 904-6615. Oak Park Christian Church, 386 N Oak Park Blvd., Grover Beach.

FOOD & DRINK

NORTH COAST SLO COUNTY

BRUNCH IS BACK Celebrate the second Sunday of the month with brunch. Enjoy a two-hour cruise on the waterfront. Features fresh coffee, pastries, and more. Second Sunday of every month, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. $50. (805) 772-2128. chabliscruises.com. Chablis Cruises, 1205 Embarcadero, Morro Bay.

EASTER BRUNCH IN THE GARDEN Enjoy a delightful Easter Brunch in the Garden at Cambria Pines Lodge, where lush greenery and blooming flowers create a picturesque backdrop for your celebration! April 5 12-3 p.m. $58. (805) 927-4200. cambriapineslodge.com. Cambria Pines Lodge, 2905 Burton Dr., Cambria.

MORRO BAY MAIN STREET FARMERS

MARKET Get fresh and veggies, fruit, baked goods, sweets, and handmade artisan crafts. Come have some fun with your local farmers and artisans and enjoy delicious eats while enjoying the fresh breeze of Morro Bay. Saturdays, 2:30-5:30 p.m. Varies. (805) 824-7383. morrobayfarmersmarket.com. Morro Bay Main Street Farmers Market, Main Street and Morro Bay Blvd., Morro Bay.

WOOD-FIRED PIZZA NIGHTS AT CAMBRIA PINES LODGE Join us every Friday for an unforgettable evening of fun, food, and festivities at the Pizza Nook at Cambria Pines Lodge! Fridays, 5-9 p.m. through Sept. 25 Free. (805) 927-4200. cambriapineslodge.com. Cambria Pines Lodge, 2905 Burton Dr., Cambria.

18

CENTRAL COAST

A-TOWN POP-UP MARKET On the 2nd Sunday of every month, come find tasty treats and treasures at the Atascadero Pop-Up Market, never the same and always fun. Second Sunday of every month, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. through Dec. 20 Free. (805) 703-4661. facebook.com/ groups/1432866804429090/. Atascadero Lake Park, 9305 Pismo Ave., Atascadero. APRIL 2026 CENTRAL COAST COOKING

vertical flight of our beloved blend Silken featuring current and unreleased vintages, 2019–2023! Limited offering during the weekend at Tasting Room. April 10, April 11 and April 12 $45. (805) 286-4028. Parrish Family Vineyard, 3590 Adelaida Road, Paso Robles, parrishfamilyvineyard.com.

SHOW Central Coast Party Helpers presents the Central Coast Cooking Show celebrating the cooking industry as hospitality leaders showcase all aspects of the hospitality world and sharing it with others. Watch local Pro Chefs cook delicious seasonal dishes along with wine pairings from local wineries and delectable desserts! April 7 4:30-6:30 p.m. $93.77. my805tix.com. Idler’s Home Paso Robles, 2361 Theatre Drive, Paso Robles.

TACO TUESDAYS La Parilla Taqueria will be in the courtyard serving up their delicious tacos and tostadas. Menu typically includes barbacoa, chicken, and pastor tacos, as well as shrimp ceviche tostadas. Tuesdays, 5-8 p.m. (805) 460-6042. ancientowlbeergarden.com. Ancient Owl Beer Garden, 6090 El Camino Real, suite C, Atascadero.

SAN LUIS OBISPO

CELEBRATE EASTER WITH PIADINA’S FARM-FRESH EASTER BRUNCH

fashioned pancake breakfast. Pancakes, bacon, eggs, juice, and coffee will be served, and proceeds will benefit local non-profits. Second Sunday of every month, 8-11 a.m. $10. (805) 543-0639. slogrange.org. San Luis Obispo Grange Hall, 2880 Broad St., San Luis Obispo.

SOUTH COAST SLO COUNTY

OCEANFRONT EASTER BRUNCH

BUFFET Celebrate Easter Sunday with a farm-fresh buffet at Piadina, the on-site restaurant at Hotel SLO, crafted by executive chef Ryan Francher. Little ones can look forward to cake pops and face painting. April 5 11 a.m.-3 p.m. $38- $72. Piadina, 877 Palm St., San Luis Obispo, (805) 592-1510.

ART OF BLENDING This hands-on session will walk you through the blending process with our winemakers, offering an engaging and educational look into the wine! April 11 , 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. $125-$150. (805) 286-4028. Parrish Family Vineyard, 3590 Adelaida Road, Paso Robles, parrishfamilyvineyard.com.

CLUB CAR BAR TRIVIA WITH DR. RICKY

Teams of one to six people welcome. Visit site for more info. Wednesdays, 7-10 p.m. my805tix.com. Club Car Bar, 508 S. Main St., Templeton.

CRAFT AND CORK NIGHT Enjoy Craft and Cork night and unwind with wine specials, light snacks, and quiet music. Bring a hobby or just yourself. April 8 5-7:30 p.m. Free. (805) 237-1245. mcpricemyers.com. McPrice Myers Wine Company, 3525 Adelaida Rd., Paso Robles. SILKEN VERTICAL Experience a

DOWNTOWN SLO FARMERS MARKET

Thursdays, 6-9 p.m. Downtown SLO, Multiple locations, San Luis Obispo.

PIÑATAS ON THE PATIO What is more festive than a piñata? Join for some brunch drinks and a couple of good hits to a piñata (or two). Good times and goofy prices promised. Turns will be determined on a first come, first served basis. First Sunday of every month Free. SLO Public Market, South Higuera Street, San Luis Obispo.

SLO FARMERS MARKET Hosts more than 60 vendors. Saturdays, 8-10:45 a.m.

World Market Parking Lot, 325 Madonna Rd., San Luis Obispo.

SLO GRANGE PANCAKE BREAKFAST

Join the SLO Grange Hall for a good old-

BUFFET Gather with family and friends, unwind by the sea, and celebrate the season in true Cliffs style. Get details about the buffet and tickets at the link. April 5 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. $55.40$130.39. my805tix.com. The Cliffs Hotel and Spa, 2757 Shell Beach Rd, Pismo Beach, (805) 773-5000.

MONTHLY FERMENTATION CLASSES

New topics each month with a thorough demo and explanation of the process that creates non-alcoholic, probiotic, and nutrient-dense fermentations. Leave the class confident and prepared with recipes to make your own at home. Limited seating; reserve spot prior to class by phone/email. Second Sunday of every month, 3:30-5 p.m. $30. (805) 801-6627. kulturhausbrewing.com/ classes/. Join to expand your knowledge of the fermentation process and get started fermenting at home. We alternate between demonstration and hands-on classes. Second Sunday of every month, 3:30-5 p.m. $30-$50. (805) 801-6627. kulturhausbrewing.com/classes/. Kulturhaus Brewing Company, 779 Price St., Pismo Beach. ∆

Join the best of the best on The Lawn at The Cli s to celebrate the winners of the 40th Best of SLO County Readers Poll and find out who won all 242 categories!

FRIDAY, MAY 8TH 5PM-8PM

Don’t let your torch get snu ed and miss out on the Best of SLO County Winners Party! Get your ticket soon before they sell out!

Arts

What rhymes with April?

April is Poetry Month, which means poetry galore. Visit slobookbike.com for more info, but here are the basics.

Poet CAConrad leads a Somatic Poetry Workshop at SLOMA on Tuesday, April 7 (6:30 p.m.; free at eventbrite.com). What he calls (Soma)tics are ritualized structures designed to elicit “extreme presence.”

On Wednesday, April 8, CAConrad offers an on-campus Craft Talk at Cal Poly (Building 002 0205; 4:10 p.m; free).

On Thursday, April 9, in SLOMA, CAConrad, Valentine Freeman, and SLO County Poet Laureate Caleb Nichols read their poetry (6:30 p.m.; free at eventbrite.com).

On Friday, April 10, Mistake Machine poetry zine will launch at MYLR Gallery (6 p.m.; free; readings by local and visiting poets).

On Sunday, April 12, Palm Theatre screens the 2014 biopic Set Fire to the Stars (1 p.m.; tickets at thepalmtheatre.com), in which an aspiring poet in 1950s New York (Elijah Wood) sets out to save his rebellious hero, Dylan Thomas (Celyn Jones). Thomas expert and Sheffield Hallam University English Professor Dr. John Goodby offers an introduction. A Q-and-A with Goodby and Nichols follows.

On Thursday, April 29, the GALA Pride Center hosts a Blackout Poetry Workshop (6 to 8 p.m.; free).

“The most exciting to me is CAConrad at SLOMA, but also I think the Dylan Thomas film at the Palm will be really cool,” Nichols said.

Paso’s New York connection

Way back in 1975 in Syracuse, New York, young guitarist Chris Tso—who now lives in Paso Robles—founded The New York Flyers with keyboardist Phil Dalessandro. Later they added Earl Hamilton (drums) and Mike Marzullo (bass). That band was recently inducted in the Syracuse Area Music Awards Hall of Fame with a ceremony Thursday, March 5, followed by a concert on Friday, March 6.

“It was quite an honor being given a New York State Proclamation by the New York assemblyman and concert the next day,” Tso said.

WSYR NewsChannel 9’s morning show Bridge Street covered the event and concert at Syracuse’s Palace Theater.

The SAMMYS, as they’re called, recognize individuals who’ve achieved top-level career success and made a lasting impact on the Central New York music scene.

During their career, The New York Flyers performed with Black Sabbath, Marshall Tucker, Loverboy, Eddie Money, Pat Benatar, Leslie West, Edgar Winter, and others. They toured 15 U.S. states and Canada, performing more than 2,000 shows at more than 300 venues. Today, Tso plays with the Cali Coast Duo, the dance-rock band PUSH, and the house band at The Pour House. Δ

—Glen Starkey

BY GLEN STARKEY

Dream big

Local novelist Maylia Baird was inspired to write

What were you doing at 14? Atascadero native Maylia Baird was hunched over her desk hand writing her debut novel by candlelight. Last year, at 19, Baird self-published The Ship of Dreams

“It’s a historical fiction romance following my characters through the events before, during, and after the sinking of the Titanic,” she wrote in an email to New Times. “Primarily following main character Beatrice Seaver, it delves into themes of independence, self-discovery, love, longing amid uncertain futures, survival, and courage in the face of tragedy.”

Baird grew up in Atascadero in what she calls a “crunchy” household. Her mom owns a yoga studio, and she, her mom, and grandmother are all certified yoga instructors. Her dad does custom masonry. She’s currently living in Paso Robles with her grandparents “helping them out because they’re getting older,” she explained over cold beverages at Scout Coffee in SLO.

Now 20, aside from being an exceedingly young novelist, she’s a woman who loves tennis and reads “a lot.” She attended Trivium Charter School for high school and “a Waldorf type school when I was, like, growing up.” She aspires to attend college.

“I recently got a job at Starbucks, and I’m hoping to take advantage of their ASU program, which covers college,” she explained. “I was thinking about getting my journalism degree or creative writing.”

Her interest in writing started early.

“I’ve always been a journaler. Now, I’m a little bit more social, but growing up, I was really introverted, which is kind of stereotypical for a writer, but very introverted. I went to an alternative school, kind of struggled with anxiety a little bit, so journaling just helps. It was my form of therapy when I didn’t really understand why I was feeling certain ways.”

Her own experiences navigating adolescence helped inform what her novel’s young protagonists are going through in 1912.

“Being a teenager is kind of tricky sometimes. Life is just this roller-coaster ride. There’re always

COURTESY PHOTO BY ANNIE HOCK

DETERMINATION Now 20, Maylia Baird started writing her debut novel at 14, finally finishing it when she was 19. She’d next like to write about her grandparents’ romance.

Buy the book, follow the author

Raised in Atascadero, 20-year-old author Maylia Baird’s debut young adult historical romance novel, The Ship of Dreams , is available locally in Barnes and Noble in SLO and Coalesce Bookstore in Morro Bay, and online at amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com. Follow Baird on Instagram and TikTok @mayliabaird.

new things that come up, but I’ve always come back to writing, and, during COVID, as everyone knows, you had a lot of time on your hands during that period, so that’s when I started writing the book.”

During her elementary school years, she’d read Mary Pope Osbourne’s popular children’s book series Magic Tree House, and one book in particular, the 17th in the series, Tonight on the Titanic, put a fear of boats into her.

“I love that book but was so scared of ships. I was like, ‘I never want to go on a cruise ship.’ My family’s asked me, and I’m like, ‘No, I don’t want to do that.’ After readings all this stuff, I’m spooked out by it.”

Later she saw James Cameron’s 1997 film Titanic Inspiration struck.

“I did a lot of research on it because I was super interested after watching the movie. It made me sad for a couple weeks, and I was inspired to research it because this actually happened—you know?—this crazy event. It’s still so significant.

“I decided I wanted to write my own story,” she continued, “so I literally just sat down one day, and I wrote the first draft all by hand. I remember writing at night, and I had to shake my [cramping] wrist. But it was nice to do it on paper. I feel like it was more of a creative experience. Pen to paper is better, and I usually would light a candle and just write. It was really fun.”

Her cramping hand eventually forced her to the computer, which made editing her book easier.

“I published it last February, so it took almost five years, maybe four and a half. It was mostly me editing it over and over again. I’m kind of a perfectionist. I changed so much stuff over and over again, and then I’d switch things back.”

Her parents started taking note of how often and long she sat at her computer in her room.

“They asked, ‘What are you working on? You’re always in your room.’ I said, ‘I’m writing a book,’ and my dad said, ‘Really? Well, how far are you?’ And I said, ‘I’m on chapter 30.’”

Her parents were both very supportive, and when it came time, her dad paid to have the manuscript professionally edited.

“I don’t know if you know how much editing is, but that can be really expensive to get a whole novel edited,” Baird marveled. “It was all I cared about for a while. I really wanted to finish this book. I don’t know why. Sometimes I felt like imposter syndrome, because I was only 18 at the time. I just felt like I needed to write it. It was weird.”

She can’t recall the exact quote, but she remembers reading something to the effect that writing isn’t a career choice but a compulsion or “calling” that comes to you.

“I definitely want to write more,” Baird said. “I’ve always wanted to write more of a family story. How my grandparents met—their story is very interesting. I really love writing things that are based off true stories. I remember loving at the end of a movie when it says, ‘Based off a true story.’ That’s so cool because this actually happened.

“I wanted to write about [my grandparents] and give them something they can hold in their hands and be able to read their stories,” she said. “I guess I’m the writer in the family, so I want to take on that.” ∆

Contact Arts Editor Glen Starkey at gstarkey@ newtimesslo.com.

Go “Beyond the Notes” with these informative presentations. Michael E. Ruhling

see

John Blow's tragedy “Venus and Adonis” will be paired with Jacques Offenbach's witty one-act operetta “In the Market for Love.” Featuring singers, musicians, choreographers and directors representing all Cal Poly colleges. Fully staged and costumed with a chamber orchestra, and sung in English with supertitles.

More information: music.calpoly.edu/calendar/opera, music@calpoly.edu, 805-756-2406

Sci-fi meets crime comedy

ritten and directed by BenDavid Grabinski (Happily), this crime comedy adds a sci-fi twist to the typical violence and quippy dialog. Crime lord, Sosa (David Keith), is celebrating his son Jimmy Boy’s (Jimmy Tatro) release from prison with a series of parties throughout the night. Two of his men—loan shark Nick (Vince Vaughn) and triggerman Quick Draw Mike (James Marsden)—are longtime friends … but Mike has started an affair with Nick’s wife, Alice (Eiza González). Things get weird when Nick from six months in the future (also Vaughn) shows up and enlists Mike to help him with one more thing, setting off a wild and exceedingly dangerous night. (107 min.)

MIKE & NICK & NICK & ALICE

What’s it rated? R

What’s it worth, Anna? Full price

What’s it worth, Glen? Full price

Where’s it showing? Hulu

Glen Since Project Hail Mary is dominating the box office, we decided to check out this brand new straightto-streaming comedy, and I’m happy to report, it’s surprisingly fun thanks in large part to Vaughn and Marsden’s easy chemistry. Vaughn has the heavy lifting to do, playing present and future Nick, who we learn has become something of a changed man. Obviously, you have to suspend your disbelief to buy the idea that Alice’s friend, Symon (Ben Schwartz), is such a genius that he built an operational time machine, and that Nick happened upon it and used it, but if you can ignore that and just enjoy the ride, the story is filled with colorful and hapless criminals like Dumbass Tony (Arturo Castro), Roid Rage Ryan (Lewis Tam), and a cannibal hitman called The Barron (Dolph Lundgren). Oh, and an orange tabby cat called Kingpin (coplayed by Fozzie and Ferris).

Anna We meet present-day Nick; his wife,

BAIT

What’s it rated? Unrated

When? 2026

Where’s it showing? Prime

Creator Riz Ahmed stars as Shah Latif, a struggling actor who has bungled his biggest audition yet as the new James Bond. After his ill-fated try at the part, a quickthinking and desperate Shah decides to make a public appearance outside of the auditions to get his name in the papers, and perhaps a second chance at the part. His scheme works, kind of, and soon his family is peppering him with questions.

The show leans into Ahmed’s Pakistani roots and the British culture surrounding them. Ahmed knows how to play earnest, and his Shah is no

Alice; and Quick Draw Mike at a party celebrating the release of Jimmy Boy from a six-year prison stint after someone in the organization ratted him out. Poppa Sosa (Keith David) is pissed and determined to find out which cog in his wheel caused the upset. We can tell right away that Nick has a grudge against his wife, but why? We don’t know just yet. When we learn that she and Mike are a thing, it gets a little clearer. Present Nick is stuck on revenge while future Nick has the clarity that only time and regret can bring. When all four finally come together to carry out future Nick’s plot, things get wild. Maybe I needed something silly like this, but I really enjoyed it. It’s the type of fun Vaughn is so good at bringing to the screen.

Glen His easy wiseacre charm is on full display, and I did appreciate his character arc from present to future Nick. Shout out to Keith, who’s gobbling up the scenery as Sosa, who’s black, but who’s “son,” Jimmy Boy, it white. Aside from Nick and Mike, Sosa has surrounded himself with real dumb-dumbs, including his son of choice. A lot of the laughs come from their idiocy. These are no criminal masterminds. Turn off your brain and join the fun.

Anna Future Nick is much more reflective, a

exception. He’s clearly invested in the storyline and his character as the creator and lead of the show. Soon public backlash and racism show their ugly faces, and Shah’s world becomes increasingly complicated as he tries his best to trip his way to success. Enlisting the help of his cousin, Zulfi (Guz Khan), as his “security guard,” Shah navigates a world with a talking severed pig head (voiced by Patrick Stewart), MI5, and a real sense that he is teetering on the edge of mental breakdown. This six-part series has heart and laughs, and with a total runtime 144 minutes, it’s bingeable in a single night. (six approximately 25-min. episodes)

—Anna

BE KIND REWIND

What’s it rated? PG-13

When? 2008

changed man who wants to right the wrongs he put into place. Don’t get the wrong idea— he’s still got a sniper rifle and lots of guns and good aim. He just wants to make sure he helps his friend survive another day. ∆

Arts Editor Glen Starkey and freelancer Anna Starkey write Split Screen. Comment at gstarkey@newtimesslo.com.

Where’s it showing? Bay Theatre on Monday, April 6 (doors at 5, show at 5:30 p.m.; $10) BL AST BL AST FROM THE FROM THE

Writer-director Michel Gondry (Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind ) helms this charming 2008 comedy about Jerry McLean (Jack Black), a conspiracy theorist and bumbling video store clerk who accidently erases all the store’s tapes after he becomes magnetized. The struggling store is already imperiled, housed in a building condemned as a slum and with just 60 days to upgrade before it’s razed to make way for a high-end development.

Jerry and his fellow clerk, Mike Coolwell (Mos Def), decide they’ll re-create all the films with their own video camera and cheap special

effects, starting with Ghostbusters requested by Miss Falewicz (Mia Farrow), a friend of the vacationing store owner. When another customer asks for Rush Hour 2 , they re-create it with help from Alma Sykes (Melonia Diaz), a local young woman. Their mostly ridiculous versions of the films charm their customers, so when store owner, Elroy Fletcher (Danny Glover), returns, he joins in the scheme in a bid to save his business.

It’s a feel-good story of a community coming together, and it’s got an ending that will leave you cheering. Great acting all around, and a jolt of nostalgia for those who witnessed the transition from VHS to DVD. (102 min.) ∆ —Glen

Music

BY GLEN STARKEY

Empower and validate

Club Akusaa brings their uplifting sounds to the Chapman Estate

If you’ve never been to the Chapman Estate on the cliffs above Shell Beach, this Friday, April 3, might be the perfect time. It’s opening night of the venue’s Sunset in the Garden live music series, and local trio Club Akusaa is playing from 5 to 7:30 p.m. ($5 donation requested; visit chapmanestatefoundation.org for more info).

“It is amazing. I love it there,” vocalist and guitarist Akusaa Powell explained. “You can bring your own food, and they have tables and chairs. It’s a beautiful place to share food with friends and listen to live music.” They sometimes have food and drink vendors, but no outside alcohol is allowed, FYI.

Akusaa fronts Club Akusaa, a trio that includes her husband Warfus “Moon” Powell on percussion. Moon is a member of Urban 805 and formerly worked for Dimes Media, where a lot of his music ended up on radio ads. The final member is Mark Muro on drums. He hosts a popular drum circle. Akusaa also entertains at assisted care facilities.

“I do,” she said. “I play every Friday. I have a full-time job, but I only work Monday through Thursday, and on Fridays, I have four or five facilities that I rotate. I’m in a different place every Friday, singing to the elderly, which is one of my passions. I love doing that. I’ve been doing it for the last 10 years.”

Her day job is as a direct support professional at ResCare where she works with “developmentally disabled adults” who are mostly in wheelchairs.

“We take them out in the community and give them a good day or work with them inside the building on their goals. I’ve been in that field for the last eight years.”

If Akusaa’s sounding kind of saintly, it’s because she is. Moon calls her “Mother Teresa.” Her parents are from Argentina, and she grew up up singing in the church and surrounded by Latin and American music. Her trio plays originals as well as covers.

“Everybody loves my variety because I can go back from the ’50s all the way up to what’s

Live Music

NORTH COAST SLO COUNTY

BLUES AGENDA JAM AND SHOWCASE

A rockin’ blues dance party at Niffy’s Merrimaker every first, third, and now fifth Wednesdays. The Blues Asylum house band welcomes local, visiting, and newcomers to the blues groove. Spirits, beer, and wine, with outside food welcome. Every other Wednesday, 7-10 p.m. Free. (805) 235-5223. The Merrimaker Tavern, 1301 2nd Street, Los Osos.

LISTENING AS RITUAL Group listening sessions with musician/musicologist Ben Gerstein. Explore remarkable recordings of world music, nature field recording, western classical and contemporary, and jazz, sharing and discussing inspiration and perspectives on the expressive power of peoples, cultures, animals and habitats through sonic experience. Every other Monday, 7-8:15 p.m. $10-$15 donation. (805) 305-1229. leftcoastartstudio.com/. Left

being played now. I put a Latin twist on a lot of covers and songs. That’s the Latina in me. I do a lot of bilingual—part of the song in English and part in Spanish.”

She and Moon dream of opening a brickand-mortar club—a physical Club Akusaa.

“People want a place to go to, want to dress up, want to go to an adult place where they can have a meal and drinks and listen to amazing talent. Moon and I, that’s our vision. We would love to see that here on the Central Coast, so I thought, ‘Why don’t we just start it from the inside out,’ you know? I’m singing, Moon decided to join me. I found Mark at the drum circle that I go to. Then I realized, this is Club Akusaa. We’re going to create it from the inside out.”

Akusaa is more than an entertainer. Her goal is to transform listeners. You can also catch Club Akusaa this month at Moonstone Cellars in Cambria on Sunday, April 19 (2 to 4 p.m.).

“I’m not just singing. I speak to them. I make sure that they’re validated. I speak between songs, and I share things that I know that someone needs to be empowered by. A lot of people have told me that.”

She recalled a woman who approached her after hearing her “hummingbird song.”

Coast Art Studio, 1188 Los Osos Valley Rd., Los Osos.

OPEN MIC NIGHT Each Wednesday, enjoy this Open Mic Night in the downstairs dining area. Grab some friends and show off your talents. Food and drink service will be available. Wednesdays, 6 p.m. Free. (805) 995-3883. schoonerscayucos.com. Schooners, 171 North Ocean Ave, Cayucos. SONIC MILK RECORDING STUDIO PRESENTS JILL KNIGHT WITH BOB AND WENDY Following up their recent sold-out Bunker SLO show, they move up the coast to Jill’s backyard of Cambria. Hear Jill Knight with Bob and Wendy, Paul Griffith (drums), and Eric Williams (bass). April 11 , 3-5:30 p.m. $20. (805) 660-9382. account. venmo.com/u/sonicmilk. Sonic Milk Studios, 715 Main St., Cambria.

NORTH SLO COUNTY

BEATS AND BRASS Enjoy live music,

dinner, and auction event benefiting SLOHS and Laguna Middle School bands, with the headliner, Brass Mash. April 11 4-8 p.m. $125. slotigerband.org. Riata Ranch Santa Margarita, 6180 West Pozo Road, Santa Margarita.

EASTON EVERETT Easton Everett, writer and performer of guitar-woven music in distinctive stylistic shapes. It is music that is easy to listen to but also surprises. April 3 5-7 p.m. Sun Outdoors Paso Robles, 3800 Golden Hill Road, Paso Robles, (805) 242-4700.

FESTIVAL MOZAIC PRESENTS - AN

AFTERNOON WITH SUSAN CAHILL Join the 2026 Artist-in-Residence, bassist Susan Cahill. April 12 $90. festivalmozaic. org. Libretto Jazz Club, 1242 Park Street, Paso Robles, (805) 781-3009.

FLAVOR PACKET Flavor Packet is a jazz combo that stirs up an imaginative sound with their contemporary and world-

“She was ready to commit suicide, and she changed her mind because she heard my song. I don’t go [to] entertain. I want to empower. I want to uplift. I want to encourage, and I want people to leave changed, leave making better decisions for their life. That’s who I am.”

The SLO Blues Society

There’ll be a whole heapin’ mess of blues at the SLO Vets Hall this Saturday, April 4, when the SLO Blues Society whips up a three-band show headlined by Wrockinfoose (doors at 6:30, show at 7; 21-and-older; presale $26.80 via sloblues. org or $35 cash only at the door).

The Monterey Bay area powerhouse sextet delivers funky NOLA-style R&B, both originals and their own take on well-known standards. They’re led by keyboardist Luca Fredricksen, protégé of NOLA’s Walter “Wolfman” Washington and a longtime member of the Pontiax Blues Band.

Opening is soul and blues act Leslie and the Soulshakers performing tunes like “Papa

beat-influenced jazz music. April 4 , 1-4 p.m. Four Lanterns Winery, 2485 West Highway 46, Paso Robles, (805) 226-5955, fourlanternswinery.com.

FRIDAY NIGHT DJ Weekly DJ series, with a different DJ every Friday. Presented by friends at Traffic Record store in Atascadero. Come listen, dance, drink, and unwind every Friday. All ages event; no cover charge. Fridays, 7-10 p.m. (805) 460-6042. ancientowlbeergarden.com. Ancient Owl Beer Garden, 6090 El Camino Real, suite C, Atascadero.

LIVE MUSIC WITH JANE & SHANE Hear the acoustic duo Jane & Shane perform live. Snack boxes will be available. Walkins are welcome, however reservations are encouraged. April 4 3-6 p.m. Free. (805) 237-1245. mcpricemyers.com. McPrice Myers Wine Company, 3525 Adelaida Rd., Paso Robles.

RESINATION LIVE AT THE POUR HOUSE!

was a Rolling Stone” and “Mama, He Treats Your Daughter Mean,” as well as the Niffy’s Merrimaker house band Blues Asylum

“This show is dedicated to the memory of our late, great longtime emcee and board member, Bill ‘Boogie’ Newell,” current SLO Blues Society president Burning James Scoolis said.

Good Medicine and Numbskull

If you’re up for an alt-rock and nu metal tribute teamed with a grunge rock tribute, Paso’s BarrelHouse Brewing is the place on Friday, April 3, when Crawling—A Tribute to Early Linkin Park and Nirvanna— Tribute to Nirvana share the bill (doors at 6 p.m.; all ages; $27.50 at goodmedicinepresents. com).

Linkin Park formed in Agoura Hills in 1996, and its first seven studio albums featured lead vocalist Chester Bennington. His suicide in 2017 effectively ended the band for seven years until it reformed in 2024 with Emily

Join for an evening of great roots, rock, reggae with Vance and the crew for what is always an amazing show with Resination! April 11 7-10 p.m. $17.91. my805tix.com. The Pour House, 525 Pine St., Paso Robles.

|2|SINGING HANDS CHILDREN’S CHOIR

A unique performing arts group that performs across the state for deaf festivals, service organizations, churches, fairs, and other outlets. New members always welcome. Registration open weekly. Mondays, 5-6:30 p.m. $45 tuition per month. singinghandschildrenschoir.com/. Singing Hands Children’s Choir and Performing Arts, 1413 Riverside Ave., Paso Robles.

SAN LUIS OBISPO

BURLEY THISTLES Burley Thistles is an alternative rock band known for their authentic guitar-driven sound lyrics and memorable songs. April 4 9:30 p.m.-12:30 a.m. Frog and Peach Pub, 728 Higuera St., San Luis Obispo, (805) 595-4764, frogandpeachpub.com.

CABARET 805 SHOWCASE SPRING 2026 Indulge in delicious desserts and beverages while being entertained by the talented performers of the Cuesta College Community Programs Cabaret Class. April 10 7 p.m. $20. Cuesta College Auditorium (5401), Hwy 1, San Luis Obispo, (805) 546-3185.

CAL POLY OPEN HOUSE RECITAL Hear both instrumentalist and vocalists from a variety of majors, who all are involved in at least one of the Music Department’s large, premier ensembles. April 11 2 p.m. Free. (805) 756-2406. music.calpoly.edu/ calendar/free/. Cal Poly Davidson Music Center, Room 218, Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo. CAL POLY STUDENT OPERA THEATRE PRESENTS ‘VENUS AND ADONIS’ AND ‘IN THE MARKET FOR LOVE’ See LIVE MUSIC continued page 24

Armstrong on lead vocals.

Seattle’s Nirvana (technically they formed in Aberdeen, but you know) was a seminal grunge band formed in 1987 that was also marred by the suicide of its lead singer, Kurt Cobain, ending that group in 1994.

If you’re in the mood for some workingman country, saddle up for Silverada at The Siren on Saturday, April 4 (doors at 8 p.m.; 21-and-older; $26.47 at goodmedicinepresents.com). The band began its life as Mike and the Moonpies, but as its sound and bandleader Mike Harmeier evolved, so did its name.

Leroy from the North opens.

Also at The Siren

Morro Bay’s wonderous nightclub that I desperately wished was in downtown SLO hosts Santa Cruz surf/psych act Trestles on Wednesday, April 8 (7 p.m.; 21-andolder; $13.17 at tixr.com). Formed in 2021, “the band has spent the last several years developing a sound based in 1960s West Coast garage rock tradition,” according to their bio. “From their early days as a freshfaced college rock band to their more recent years as garage revivalists, the band has consistently been the definitive face of the Santa Cruz independent music scene.”

SLO Brew Live at Rod & Hammer Rock

Winner of the most shows this week goes to this multi-named venue, starting when Vinylistics 805 presents Mia on Friday, April 3 (doors at 7 p.m.; 18-and-

this operatic double bill, fully staged and costumed with a small ensemble orchestra, showing that love can be found in the strangest of ways. April 11 , 7:30 p.m. $12- $22. (805) 756-4849. music.calpoly. edu/calendar/opera/. Spanos Theatre, Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo.

CISCO ADLER LIVE AT LIBERTINE

Raised on the beaches of Malibu and Maui, Cisco Adler is a multi-platinum, Grammy-nominated producer, songwriter & artist with billion of streams to his credit.

Hear Adler live at Libertine! April 3 7 p.m.

$28.62. my805tix.com. Libertine Brewing Company, 1234 Broad St., San Luis Obispo, (805) 548-2337.

CUESTA MUSIC CONSERVATORY AWARD

AUDITION CONCERT Join for this special concert featuring students auditioning for the Cuesta Music Conservatory Award! April 10, 7:30 p.m. $10-$25 suggested donation. (805) 546-3198. Harold J. Miossi

COURTESY OF

PRETTY IN PINK Ethereal duo New Constellations (Josh Smith and Harlee Case) plays a SLO Brew Live show at Rod & Hammer Rock on April 9

older; $34.42 at ticketweb.com). The Miami singer has “a whispery affectation amidst lo-fi synths,” according to her bio, and the relative newcomer is already making waves with songs like “Creatures of the Night” and “Love Me Right.” LA-based funk, disco, and R&B duo Introverted Funk and Twin Citiesbased psychedelic funk and soul duo King Pari open the show.

Lovestories presents 360°: Immersive Electronic Music Show on Saturday, April 4 (doors at 8 p.m.; all ages; $23 at ticketweb. com), with Elysian Moon, Jungle Haüs, and McKenna opening.

“Boutique collective Lovestories brings a new dimension to the Central Coast with 360°, a ‘campfire-style’ showcase at SLO Brew Rock,” according to Grace Jiia of Elysian Moon. “This SLO scene is evolving, shifting from traditional party nightlife into a hub for genuine connection that draws a cross-disciplinary crowd of local artists and pioneering thought-leaders.

“The night spotlights a live-electronic dialogue from Elysian Moon—the duo of violinist/audio engineer Tyson Leonard [Tropo, Alan Parsons Project, Festival Mozaic] and Chinese-German pianist Grace Jiia,” she continued. “They remix tracks in real-time, blending organic instrumentation with electronic ‘waves’ to create a living canvas. Joining them are local curators Jüngle Haus [Dante Marsh] and McKenna.

“Electronic music is not just sound; it’s a wave that moves through our bodies,” Jiia explained. “Through the live show, we create a culture rooted on personal sovereignty and shared human experience.”

“Every set is a surprise,” Leonard, whose

CPAC at Cuesta College, Highway 1, San Luis Obispo.

FESTIVAL MOZAIC PRESENTSCHAMBER MUSIC WITH SUSAN CAHILL

Susan Cahill, the 2026 Artist-in-Residence, kicks off her residency with a chamber music concert of music that features the double bass. April 11 3 p.m. festivalmozaic. org. SLO United Methodist Church, 1515 Fredericks St., San Luis Obispo, (805) 543-7580.

KELLY RYAN STAND UP COMEDY SHOW AT LIBERTINE Kelly Ryan has been headlining all over the country and featuring for acts like Anthony Jeselnik, Bert Kreischer, and Whitney Cummings. This is a benefit show to support a local comic that was recently diagnosed with breast cancer. Proceeds and any additional tips and donations will go directly to her. April 10, 8 p.m. $28.62. my805tix.com. Libertine Brewing Company, 1234 Broad St., San Luis Obispo, (805) 548-2337.

LOVESTORIES PRESENTS : 360° W/ ELYSIAN MOON, JUNGLE HAÜS, AND MCKENNA LOVESTORIES presents an enchanting 360° experience, where organic meets limitless potential through the lens of electronic music. Taste the sound waves and break a sweat as we dance to the evolution of music through a universal groove. This is where, in the trance, the lines between dissolve. April 4 8-11:45 p.m. $23.27. my805tix.com. Rod & Hammer Rock, 855 Aerovista Pl., San Luis Obispo, (805) 543-1843.

ROCKEROS CONTRA ICE: GOLD, HEAVY BOOTS, CALL TO ARMS, BLUEPRINT

Rockeros Contra ICE is a benefit concert series that fundraises for Colectivo Mariposa, a local mutual aid group based in Santa Maria that provides food, diapers, and miscellaneous small items to families who have had a family member kidnapped by ICE. The number of families that they service have drastically increased in recent months to roughly 200 families. As

repertoire spans from gypsy-folk to hypnotic trance, added. “We believe underground music is the catalyst for an evolving culture.”

Finally, check out New Constellations on Wednesday, April 9 (doors at 7 p.m.; 18-andolder; $32.36 at ticketweb.com). The duo “is the ethereal meeting point of two lifelong creative friends: Harlee Case and Josh Smith,” they explained.

The Clark Center Stand-up comic and actor Rob Schneider (Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo, The Animal, The Hot Chick) brings his act on Saturday, April 4 (7:30 p.m.; all ages; $49 to $129 at clarkcenter.org). The three-time Emmynominated SNL writer “is having the best time of his life, enjoying raising his 7- and 3-year-old girls, Miranda and Madeline, with his wife, Patricia. Schneider is also the father of singer-songwriter Elle King,” according to his bio.

Next, see ABRA Cadabra, an ABBA tribute, on Thursday, April 9 (7:30 p.m.; all ages; $59 to $69 at clarkcenter.org). Family friendly and replete with a dynamic live band, stunning vocals, captivating dancers, and authentic costumes—you’ll feel like you’re

a result, Colectivo Mariposa is in need of funds to purchase food and other items for the families, and they are organizing benefit shows to fundraise. April 11 7 p.m. $10. my805tix.com. Humdinger Brewing (SLO), 855 Capitolio Way, suite 1, San Luis Obispo, (805) 781-9974.

SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY TRUMPET

ALLIANCE CONCERT: “SWING INTO SPRING” Shake off winter as the San Luis Obispo County Trumpet Alliance brings smoky bebop, soulful ballads, explosive big band swing, and sultry Latin rhythms! April 12 , 2 p.m. $10-$20. (805) 546-3198. Harold J. Miossi CPAC at Cuesta College, Highway 1, San Luis Obispo.

SŌLEFFECT AT THE MARK BAR & GRILL

Get ready for a high-energy night with Sōleffect at The Mark Bar & Grill in San Luis Obispo. April 11 7-10 p.m. Free. soleffect. bandzoogle.com. The Mark Bar and Grill, 673 Higuera St., Sal Luis Obispo, (805) 439-4400.

MAN Sir El Tom (aka Tom Cridland) brings his Elton John tribute to the SLO PAC on April 3

seeing ABBA as you hear “Mamma Mia,” and many more.

SLO PAC

Speaking of superstar tributes, is that you, Elton? Sir El Tom—a tribute to Elton John plays Cal Poly on Friday, April 3 (8 p.m.; ages 5 and older; $36.20 to $64 at pacslo. org). According to press info, “Tom Cridland began performing Elton’s music to recover from alcoholism, and has become a singer, songwriter, producer, and pianist, aka ‘Sir El Tom.’ Tom learnt the piano almost overnight during the COVID-19 lockdowns as part of his recovery, but in a couple of years he went from playing pubs to headlining theaters, amphitheaters, and arenas.”

Expect to hear “Rocket Man,” “Saturday Night’s Alright (For Fighting),” “The Bitch Is Back,” “Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me,” “Crocodile Rock,” “I’m Still Standing,” “Bennie and the Jets,” “Your Song,” “Candle In The Wind,” “Tiny Dancer,” “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road,” “Funeral For A Friend/ Love Lies Bleeding,” and many more. ∆

Contact Arts Editor Glen Starkey at gstarkey@newtimesslo.com.

SOUTH COAST SLO COUNTY

CLARK CENTER PRESENTS: SHINE ON THE LIVE PINK FLOYD EXPERIENCE

Enter the sonic universe of Pink Floyd with SHINE ON: The Live Pink Floyd Experience. April 11 7:30-9:30 p.m. $45-$59, Platinum

$69; Senior & Student Discounts. (805) 489-9444. clarkcenter.org/. Clark Center for the Performing Arts, 487 Fair Oaks Ave., Arroyo Grande.

KARAOKE EVERY WEDNESDAY A weekly event with barbecue offerings and more.

Wednesdays, 4-8 p.m. Rancho Nipomo BBQ, 108 Cuyama Ln., Nipomo, (805) 925-3500.

|2, 3 and My 805 Tix| THE LOUNGE AT BESO An upscale after-hours nightclub experience. With limited capacity and a dress code. For ages 21 and over. Fridays, 10 p.m. my805tix.com. Beso Cocina, 1050 Willow Road, Nipomo.

MOON COIN PRODUCTIONS INC.

PRESENTS: ABRA CADABRA, A TRIBUTE

TO ABBA Attention all ABBA fans! ABRA Cadabra, Vancouver’s renowned ABBA Tribute band, is coming to Arroyo Grande for the first time! April 9, 7:30-9:30 p.m. $59-$69. (805) 489-9444. clarkcenter.org/. Clark Center for the Performing Arts, 487 Fair Oaks Ave., Arroyo Grande. PAT KELLEY, DYLAN JOHNSON, AND SUNNY WRIGHT AT PUFFER’S OF PISMO Hear Pat Kelley on guitar, Dylan Johnson on upright bass, and Sunny Wright on vocals. April 11 7-10 p.m. $5. (805) 7736563. puffersofpismo.com/. Puffer’s of Pismo, 781 Price St a,, Pismo Beach. REEL TO REAL AT MULLIGANS Find your groove with a pre-Easter sunset over the beach and listen to Reel to Real at Mulligans with energetic ‘80s and ‘90s alternative sounds. April 4 5-7 p.m. (805) 505-4000. Mulligans Bar and Grill, 6460 Ana Bay Road, Avila Beach. ∆

e 31st Annual Winning Images Competition will be taking entries starting now through May 11th at 5pm! Win cash prizes, get published in our annual Winning Images issues out June 18th. See your work in an online gallery and be part of a show at e Photo Shop in San Luis Obispo!

Sweet legacy

Local Anne Marquart’s Sugar + Spoon caramels honor her great-grandmother’s original recipe

Every May, Anne Marquart, owner of Sugar + Spoon Handmade Caramels in Paso Robles, unveils her lavender and honey flavor, a Mother’s Day favorite produced in collaboration with local vendors Hambly Lavender Farm and Sierra Honey Farm.

“Anne’s lavender and honey caramels are one of those flavors that stop you for a second,” said Hambly proprietor Gina Hambly of San Miguel. “The lavender is soft and well-balanced—not overpowering—and the honey rounds it out with this warm, almost nostalgic sweetness. It’s a beautiful example of how lavender can elevate a classic treat when it’s used thoughtfully.”

All Sugar + Spoon caramels boast minimal ingredients—fresh cream, butter, sugar, and vanilla—and are made from scratch by Marquart using her great-grandmother Edith Akers’ nearly 100-year-old family recipe.

What began as a Christmas tradition in Akers’ Lockwood Valley kitchen—followed by four generations of family members eating and gifting the caramels for special occasions— evolved into a business enterprise launched at the Paso Farmers Market in 2012.

Marquart now sells her handmade delicacies—around 1,000 to 1,200 pounds annually—nationwide via her website, locally at Etto Pastificio in Paso, and seasonally at vintage markets, including Three Speckled Hens in Paso and Flying Miz Daisy in Solvang. But otherwise not much has changed.

“I use all of the same ingredients that my great-grandma used, with the exception of the fresh cream and butter right off the ranch,” Marquart said. “She would skim the cream from the milk my great-grandpa acquired from the cows on the ranch and then use the remaining cream to churn the butter.

“Nowadays, I go to the store. There is no milking of cows or churning butter in my kitchen.”

She also partners with several local vendors on key ingredients, including vanilla from Cook’s Flavoring Co. in Paso.

“I have used Cook’s Madagascar vanilla for 10-plus years,” she said. “This vanilla goes into every single caramel I make, with the exception of the lime caramel.”

Sugar + Spoon’s core flavors, available year-round, include her original vanilla and toasted almond as well as sea salt.

The almonds in her original recipe “are toasted at length, which adds a bit of toasty crunchiness to my great-grandma Edith’s deliciously smooth and buttery caramel recipe dating back to the 1930s,” she said.

The sea salt flavor, her best-seller, “pairs the rich caramel base with delicate French sea salt for a balance of sweet and savory,” she continued.

And then there are her seasonal flavors, available until month’s end and occasionally by special request.

Fans just missed March’s beer and pretzel drop, featuring malty Railroad Red ale from Paso’s California Coast Beer Co. combined with salty, crunchy pretzels, but April’s flavor—classic vanilla—is in full swing.

Go for the gold

Find Sugar + Spoon Handmade Caramels at Etto Pastificio in Paso Robles or order online at sugarandspooncaramels.com. Shipment is available to all 50 states. Follow the company on Instagram @sugarandspoon and on Facebook @sugarspoonpaso.

EDITH’S HEIRLOOM Anne Marquart launched Sugar + Spoon Handmade Caramels in 2012, but her great-grandmother Edith Akers created its flagship flavor in the 1930s.

On April 13 and until Mother’s Day, Marquart plans to release a second limitededition flavor—hibiscus with edible flower sea salt—on top of May’s lavender and honey flavor.

Summer’s more adventurous lineup kicks off in June with a mango and chili caramel, followed by Rocky Road in July and lime in August.

“For the June flavor I add pure mango puree to the caramel while it’s cooking,” Marquart said. “Once cooled and cut into squares, I roll each caramel in Tajín chili. Fresh mango and chili is one of my alltime favorite snacks, so years ago my dad suggested I try to make it into caramel. I thought he was crazy, but it works. It is so unique and delicious.”

Originally from Stockton, Marquart says her Paso-born father, James Hazard, is responsible for both her family’s relocation to Paso and planting the seed to found Sugar + Spoon—a lasting tribute to his grandmother’s legacy.

After obtaining a bachelor’s degree in communications from Saint Mary’s College in Moraga as well as a master’s degree in fine and decorative arts from Christie’s Education in London, she returned to Paso.

“One thing after another fell into place,” she said, “and next thing I knew, my dad and I were making and selling caramels.”

“It was very much a hobby business for the first six or so years. But then in late 2018, I decided to put all my energy into it and see where I could take it.”

Unfortunately, two years later, her father passed, “which was devastating,” she said.

OR SPLURGE Sugar + Spoon caramels are sold in sizes ranging from four-pack bags to 1-pound

and gift cards available as well.

“Even though he had not been a part of the day-to-day operations for a while, I definitely relied on him to talk through challenges and flush out ideas swimming around in my head,” she continued. “He was always sending me flavor ideas. I really miss those text messages and emails. I wasn’t really sure how Sugar + Spoon was going to go on without him, but one of his greatest joys was seeing this business idea come to life and flourish, so I knew I just had to keep going, and I am so glad I did.”

Today Marquart uses kitchen space at Trumpet Vine Catering in Paso to whip up her small-batch delicacies and one day hopes to “own my own commercial kitchen, where I can pay it forward and create opportunities for other small food businesses to get started,” she said.

Her other goals include continued exploration of unique flavors and collaborations, such as her autumn chai caramel, featuring tea—and invaluable blending input—from Spice of Life in Paso.

Another of Marquart’s ideas is to combine a limited-edition bouquet with an exclusive caramel box for special occasions. She’s eyeing the Bay Area’s Farmgirl Flowers, “since both of our businesses are centered around celebrations and connection … [and are] all about raising the bar” in their respective industries, she said. “There are so many bad caramels out there; they have such a bad reputation, but oftentimes, people just haven’t had the opportunity to try a real caramel,” she stressed. “Once they do, they are customers for life.”

One such customer is Hambly, who stated: “Anne has an incredible way of turning simple, high-quality ingredients into something that feels really special. Her caramels are balanced, beautifully crafted, and you can tell there’s a lot of love and thought behind every flavor she creates.” Pressed to pick a favorite flavor, Hambly is partial to lavender and honey, of course, as “it speaks directly to what we love about lavender,” she said, “but honestly, [Anne’s] built a lineup where it’s hard to pick just one.”

“If I had to,” she conceded, “it would be the sea salt caramel.” Δ

Flavor writer Cherish Whyte adores Anne’s toasted-almond and sea salt caramels. She’ll be eagerly awaiting the lavender drop at cwhyte@newtimesslo.com.

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SLO County Construction LLC, Thomas Cunningham, Managing Member. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of San Luis Obispo on 03-18-2026. I hereby certify that this copy is a correct copy of the statement on file in my office. (Seal) Elaina Cano, County Clerk, A. Schultz, Deputy. Exp. 03-18-2031. March 26, April 2, 9, & 16, 2026

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE NO. 2026-0700 (03/24/2026)

New Filing

The following person is doing business as MORALES NURSERY LLC, 2770 Tienda Pl, Arroyo Grande, CA 93420. San Luis Obispo County. Morales Nursery LLC (638 Riviera Cir., Nipomo, CA 93444). This business is conducted by A CA Limited Liability Company /s/ Morales Nursery LLC, Juan Luis Ramirez, Member. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of San Luis Obispo on 03-30-2026. I hereby certify that this copy is a correct copy of the statement on file in my office. (Seal) Elaina Cano, County Clerk, M. Katz, Deputy. Exp. 03-30-2031. April 2, 9, 16, & 23, 2026

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS

NAME STATEMENT FILE NO. 2026-0207 (01/28/2026)

New Filing

The following person is doing business as NAUTILUS CONSULTANTS, 3018 Arezzo Drive, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401. San Luis Obispo County. Tesoriero Engineering Consulting, PC (3018 Arezzo Drive, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401). This business is conducted by A CA Corporation /s/ Tesoriero Engineering Consulting, PC, Thomas Tesoriero, CEO. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of San Luis Obispo on 01-29-2026. hereby certify that this copy is a correct copy of the statement on file in my office. (Seal) Elaina Cano, County Clerk, L. Maceri, Deputy. Exp. 01-29-2031. March 12, 19, 26, & April 2, 2026

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE NO. 2026-0273 (02/17/2021)

New Filing

The following person is doing business as LOCAL LOGIC CONSULTING, 1367 Mill St., San Luis Obispo, CA 93401. San Luis Obispo County. Dustin Oswald (1367 Mill St., San Luis Obispo, CA 93401). This business is conducted by An Individual /s/ Dustin Oswald. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of San Luis Obispo on 02-05-2026. I hereby certify that this copy is a correct copy of the statement on file in my office. (Seal) Elaina Cano, County Clerk, M. Maltby, Deputy. Exp. 02-05-2031.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE NO. 2026-0523 (02/04/2026) New Filing

The following person is doing business as GOLD COAST PAIN AND WELLNESS CENTER, 2 James Way, Suite 205, Pismo Beach, CA 93449. San Luis Obispo County. Gold Coast Pain and Wellness Center, A Medical Corporation (301 El Portal Drive, Pismo Beach, CA 93449). This business is conducted by A CA Corporation /s/ Gold Coast Pain and Wellness Center, A Medical Corporation, Shahriar Pirouz, President. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of San Luis Obispo on 03-102026. I hereby certify that this copy is a correct copy of the statement on file in my office. (Seal) Elaina Cano, County Clerk, A. Lomeli, Deputy. Exp. 03-10-2031. March 19, 26, April 2, & 9, 2026

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE NO. 2026-0524 (N/A) New Filing

The following person is doing business as SOCIETY CIDER COMPANY, 3419 Roberto Ct. Ste C, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401. San Luis Obispo County. Society Cider Company, LLC (846 Naples Street, Grover Beach, CA 93433). This business is conducted by A CA Limited Liability Company /s/ Society Cider Company, LLC, Michael Gasbarra, Managing Member. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of San Luis Obispo on 03-10-2026. I hereby certify that this copy is a correct copy of the statement on file in my office. (Seal) Elaina Cano, County Clerk, A. Trujillo, Deputy. Exp. 03-102031. April 2, 9, 16, & 23, 2026

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS

NAME STATEMENT FILE NO. 2026-0530 (03/09/2026)

New Filing

The following person is doing business as NEAT NEST, 134 Wave Ave., Pismo Beach, CA 93449. San Luis Obispo County. Ann-Greta Jensen (134 Wave Ave., Pismo Beach, CA 93449). This business is conducted by An Individual /s/ Ann-Greta Jensen. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of San Luis Obispo on 03-11-2026. I hereby certify that this copy is a correct copy of the statement on file in my office. (Seal) Elaina Cano, County Clerk, M. Maltby, Deputy. Exp. 03-11-2031. March 19, 26, April 2, & 9, 2026

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE NO. 2026-0531 (N/A)

New Filing

The following person is doing business as DOTS SPOT LLC, 12 N Ocean Ave., Suite 122, Cayucos, CA 93430. San Luis Obispo County. Dots Spot LLC (50 S Ocean Ave., Cayucos, CA 93430). This business is conducted by A CA Limited Liability Company /s/ Dots Spot LLC, Michael Shopshear, Manager. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of San Luis Obispo on 03-11-2026. I hereby certify that this copy is a correct copy of the statement on file in my office. (Seal) Elaina Cano, County Clerk, A. Trujillo, Deputy. Exp. 03-11-2031. March 19, 26, April 2, & 9, 2026

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE NO. 2026-0532 (N/A)

New Filing

The following person is doing business as PRESS QUESADILLA GRILL, 929 Rancho Parkway, Arroyo Grande, CA 93420. San Luis Obispo County. AG Press, Inc. (810 Fiero Lane, Suite 100, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401). This business is conducted by A CA Corporation /s/ AG Press, Inc., Gregory Graber, CEO. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of San Luis Obispo on 03-11-2026. hereby certify that this copy is a correct copy of the statement on file in my office. (Seal) Elaina Cano, County Clerk, A. Trujillo, Deputy. Exp. 03-11-2031. March 26, April 2, 9, & 16, 2026

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE NO. 2026-0538 (N/A)

New Filing

The following person is doing business as NEXTHOME COASTAL, NEXTHOME CENTRAL COAST, NEXTHOME COASTAL ESTATES, NEXTHOME CENTRAL COAST REALTY, 350 James Way, Unit 130, Pismo Beach, CA 93449. San Luis Obispo County. Bach Holdings, Inc. (350 James Way, Unit 130, Pismo Beach, CA 93449). This business is conducted by A CA Corporation /s/ Bach Holdings, Inc., Albert Meggers, CEO. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of San Luis Obispo on 03-12-2026. I hereby certify that this copy is a correct copy of the statement on file in my office. (Seal) Elaina Cano, County Clerk, A. Schultz, Deputy. Exp. 03-12-2031. March 19, 26, April 2, & 9, 2026

CITY OF GROVER BEACH STATE OF CALIFORNIA NOTICE TO BIDDERS

Sealed bids will be received by the City Clerk of the City of Grover Beach (“City”) at the City Clerk’s Office at 154 South 8th Street, Grover Beach, CA 93433 until 2:00 p.m. on the clock designated by the Owner or its representative as the bid clock, on April 23, 2026. No bid will be accepted by the Owner after this time. Facsimile (FAX) copies of the bid will not be accepted. Promptly thereafter, all bids that have been duly received will be publicly opened and read aloud for furnishing to said City all labor, materials, equipment, transportation, services and supplies necessary to construct and complete the construction of the: MEASURE K-14 STREET REHABILITATION AND REPAIR PROJECT, CIP 2295-17

General Work Description: In general, the Base Bid Work shall be pavement rehabilitation of approximately 12 blocks, including and not necessarily limited to project management and controls activities, mobilization activities, public notification and interaction activities, construction surveying and staking, traffic control, water pollution control practices, pre- and post-construction survey monument protection and establishment, adjustment of pavement surface features (water utility boxes and valves, sewer manholes, storm drain manholes, and survey monument wells), clearing and grubbing of debris (plant, soil, abandoned landscape features, etc.) within the Work limits, landscaping and irrigation repair, resetting of mailboxes, resetting of sign posts, tree trimming, earthwork cutting and backfilling, removal of existing asphalt, construction of a storm drain and drainage inlets, roadway preparation, hot mix asphalt repaving street surface and conform areas, hot mix asphalt dike installation, concrete curb and gutter, concrete cross-gutter, concrete sidewalks, accessibility improvements, signage and installation of pavement striping and markings.

The estimated opinion of probable construction cost for this Base Bid Work is approximately $1,900,000.

Conditions of Submitting a Bid: Bids are required for the entire Work described herein.

The Contractor shall possess a Class A license at the time this Contract is awarded through Contract acceptance and all applicable warranty periods.

The Contractor and all subcontractors will be required to obtain a City Business Tax Certificate by the time the Contract is awarded. This Contract is subject to state contract nondiscrimination and compliance requirements pursuant to Government Code, Section 12990.

The successful bidder will be allowed to substitute securities or establish an escrow in lieu of retainage, pursuant to Public Contract Code Section 22300, and as described in the Agreement Between Owner and Contractor and General Conditions.

Notice to Bidders, Plans, Special Provisions, and Proposal Forms may be inspected at the Public Works Office in Grover Beach, California, and copies of said documents may be obtained on the City’s website at https://www.grover.org/Bids.aspx. No bid will be received unless it is made on a Proposal Form furnished by the City. Bids received via FAX will not be considered.

Each bid shall be accompanied by cash, certified or cashier’s check, or bidder’s bond for not less than ten percent (10%) of the amount of the base bid, made payable to the City.

The City reserves the right to add or deduct any of the additive or deductive items after the lowest responsible and responsive bidder is determined. The lowest bid shall be determined on the total of the bid prices on the base bid.

Pursuant to Section 1773 of the Labor Code, the general prevailing wage rates in the county, or counties, in which the work is to be done have been determined by the Director of the California Department of Industrial Relations. These wages are set forth in the General Prevailing Wage Rates for this project available from the California Department of Industrial Relations’ Internet web site at http://www. dir.ca.gov/OPRL/PWD/. Future effective general prevailing wage rates, which have been predetermined and are on file with the California Department of Industrial Relations are referenced but not printed in the general prevailing wage rates. By submitting a bid, the contractor confirms that they have conducted a site visit and that any questions or clarifications regarding the bid documents have been submitted in writing to the city.

30

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE NO. 2026-0541

(01/01/2026)

New Filing

The following person is doing business as REMAX PARKSIDE REAL ESTATE, REMAX PARKSIDE, PARKSIDE, 711 12th Street, Paso Robles, CA 93446. San Luis Obispo County. RCA Properties, Inc. (711 12th Street, Paso Robles, CA 93446). This business is conducted by A CA Corporation /s/ RCA Properties, Inc., Jeanette Elisa Lopez, President. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of San Luis Obispo on 03-12-2026. hereby certify that this copy is a correct copy of the statement on file in my office. (Seal) Elaina Cano, County Clerk, A. Trujillo, Deputy. Exp. 03-12-2031. March 19, 26, April 2, & 9, 2026

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE NO. 2026-0542

(06/20/2018)

New Filing

The following person is doing business as REAL ESTATE TEAM 29:11, 711 12th Street, Paso Robles, CA 93446. San Luis Obispo County. Central Coast Investment Home Buyers, LLC (889 Sycamore Canyon Road, Paso Robles, CA 93446). This business is conducted by A CA Limited Liability Company /s/ Central Coast Investment Home Buyers, LLC, Guadalupe Mendez, Manager. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of San Luis Obispo on 03-12-2026. I hereby certify that this copy is a correct copy of the statement on file in my office. (Seal) Elaina Cano, County Clerk, A. Lomeli, Deputy. Exp. 03-12-2031. March 19, 26, April 2, & 9, 2026

This project is subject to compliance monitoring and enforcement by the Department of Industrial Relations. For all projects over TwentyFive Thousand Dollars ($25,000), a contractor or subcontractor shall not be qualified to submit a bid or to be listed in a bid proposal subject to the requirements of Public Contract Code section 4104 unless currently registered and qualified under Labor Code section 1725.5 to perform public work as defined by Division 2, Part 7, Chapter 1 (§§1720 et seq.) of the Labor Code. For all projects over Twenty-Five Thousand Dollars ($25,000), a contractor or subcontractor shall not be qualified to enter into, or engage in the performance of, any contract of public work (as defined by Division 2, Part 7, Chapter 1 (§§1720 et seq.) of the Labor Code) unless currently registered and qualified under Labor Code section 1725.5 to perform public work and proof of registration is provided.

Notice is also hereby given that any or all bidders may be required to furnish a sworn statement of their financial responsibility, technical ability and experience before award is made to any particular bidder.

The Contract Time shall be one hundred (100) working days, and liquidated damages for delay shall accrue.

Bidders shall contact the City’s Department of Public Works office at publicworks@groverbeach.org the day prior to bid opening to obtain any bidding addenda information. Submittal of a signed bid shall be evidence that the Bidder has obtained this information and that the bid is based on any changes contained therein.

Submittal of Bidder’s Inquiries: Inquiries or questions based on alleged patent ambiguity of the plans, specifications or estimate must be communicated as a bidder inquiry prior to bid opening.

Pursuant to the Contract Documents, the successful bidder will be required to furnish a Payment (Labor and Material) Bond in the amount of one hundred percent (100%) of the Contract Sum, and a Faithful Performance Bond in the amount of one hundred percent (100%) of the Contract Sum.

Bidder’s inquiries shall be submitted in writing via e-mail to the City of Grover Beach, Public Works Department, at publicworks@ groverbeach.org. The cutoff time that the City will accept bidder’s inquiries is 5:00 p.m. on the fifth City business day prior to the bid opening date. The City will respond to bidder’s inquires via bidding addenda. Any such inquiries, submitted after the cutoff time of receiving bidder’s inquiries, will not be treated as a bid protest.

Bid Submittal Instructions: On the outside of the bid envelope the Bidder shall indicate the following:

1. Name and Address of Bidder

2. Name of project on which bid is submitted

3. Date and time of bid opening

The right is reserved by the City to reject any or all bids and to evaluate the bids submitted. The City further reserves the right to waive any informalities or minor irregularities in the bid.

No bidder may withdraw his bid for a period of sixty (60) working days after the date set for the opening thereof.

Dated this 26th day of March, 2026, at the City of Grover Beach, California.

City of Grover Beach

STATE OF CALIFORNIA

Gregory A. Ray, P.E.

Public Works Director/City Engineer

Notice to be published twice in a newspaper of general circulation printed and published in the City, with the first publication at least ten days before the bid deadline, and with the second publication at least five days later; or if no such newspaper, then posted in at least three public places in the City that have been designated by ordinance for

posting (Public Contract Code §20164):

First Publication: March 26th, 2026 in New Times

Second Publication: April 2nd, 2026 in New Times

• New Times • April 2 - April 9, 2026 • www.newtimesslo.com

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS

NAME STATEMENT

FILE NO. 2026-0543

(03/12/2026)

New Filing

The following person is doing business as FULL ROTATION SURF SCHOOL, 425 Spanish Moss Ln., Arroyo Grande, CA 93420. San Luis Obispo County. Lorin Orion Anderson (425 Spanish Moss Ln., Arroyo Grande, CA 93420). This business is conducted by An Individual /s/ Lorin Orion Anderson. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of San Luis Obispo on 03-12-2026. I hereby certify that this copy is a correct copy of the statement on file in my office. (Seal) Elaina Cano, County Clerk, A. Schultz, Deputy. Exp. 03-12-2031. March 26, April 2, 9, & 16, 2026

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS

NAME STATEMENT FILE NO. 2026-0544 (03/12/2026)

New Filing

The following person is doing business as PLATINUM CARE NURSING, 5180 Calf Canyon Hwy, Santa Margarita, CA 93453. San Luis Obispo County. Jennifer P Nelson (5180 Calf Canyon Hwy, Santa Margarita, CA 93453). This business is conducted by An Individual /s/ Jennifer P Nelson. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of San Luis Obispo on 03-12-2026. hereby certify that this copy is a correct copy of the statement on file in my office. (Seal) Elaina Cano, County Clerk, A. Schultz, Deputy. Exp. 03-12-2031. March 19, 26, April 2, & 9, 2026

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE NO. 2026-0547 (01/01/2026)

New Filing

The following person is doing business as 805 SEALCOATING, 1764 Mountain View Dr., Los Osos, CA 93402. San Luis Obispo County. Zammco Inc. (1764 Mountain View Dr., Los Osos, CA 93402). This business is conducted by A NV Corporation /s/ Zammco Inc., Brent S Blasingame, President. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of San Luis Obispo on 03-12-2026. I hereby certify that this copy is a correct copy of the statement on file in my office. (Seal) Elaina Cano, County Clerk, A. Schultz, Deputy. Exp. 03-12-2031. March 19, 26, April 2, & 9, 2026

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE NO. 2026-0548 (05/22/2022)

New Filing

The following person is doing business as BOLD SOUL, 3566 South Higuera Street, Suite 104, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401. San Luis Obispo County. Allen Michael Casas (3566 South Higuera Street, Suite 104, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401). This business is conducted by An Individual /s/ Allen Michael Casas. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of San Luis Obispo on 03-122026. I hereby certify that this copy is a correct copy of the statement on file in my office. (Seal) Elaina Cano, County Clerk, A. Trujillo, Deputy. Exp. 03-12-2031. April 2, 9, 16, & 23, 2026

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE NO. 2026-0549 (03/09/2026)

New Filing

The following person is doing business as CENTRAL COAST STEM ACADEMY, 1018 Vista Grande Street, Paso Robles, CA 93446. San Luis Obispo County. Jon-Paul Ewing (1018 Vista Grande Street, Paso Robles, CA 93446). This business is conducted by An Individual /s/ Jon-Paul Ewing. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of San Luis Obispo on 03-12-2026. I hereby certify that this copy is a correct copy of the statement on file in my office. (Seal) Elaina Cano, County Clerk, A. Lomeli, Deputy. Exp. 03-12-2031. April 2, 9, 16, & 23, 2026

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE NO. 2026-0561 (03/04/2026)

New Filing

The following person is doing business as TRIBE COFFEEHOUSE LLC, 1355 E Grand Ave., Arroyo Grande, CA 93420. San Luis Obispo County. Tribe Coffeehouse LLC (1355 E Grand Ave., Arroyo Grande, CA 93420). This business is conducted by A CA Limited Liability Company /s/ Tribe Coffeehouse LLC, Amy Pinkerton, Manager. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of San Luis Obispo on 03-13-2026. I hereby certify that this copy is a correct copy of the statement on file in my office. (Seal) Elaina Cano, County Clerk, A. Lomeli, Deputy. Exp. 03-13-2031. March 19, 26, April 2, & 9, 2026

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE NO. 2026-0566 (N/A) New Filing

The following person is doing busi-

The Board of Supervisors of the County of San Luis Obispo, State of California does ordain as follows:

SECTION 1: FINDINGS. The Board of Supervisors of the County of San Luis Obispo does hereby determine, and declare as follows:

A. That it has the authority to revise fee charges for providing any product, service, or enforcement of various regulations under the general laws of the State of California, including Government Code Sections 54985 et seq. and 66010 et seq.

B. On November 18, 2025, Ordinance No. 3557 was adopted establishing or reaffirming all county fees. Said ordinance, and any other ordinances subsequently adopted amending the fee schedule, is not impacted by this ordinance.

C. On November 12, 2024, Ordinance No. 3520 was adopted establishing or reaffirming all county fees. Said ordinance, and any other ordinances subsequently adopted amending the fee schedule, shall continue in effect unless directly modified by this ordinance.

D. The Auditor-Controller has certified to this Board that the overhead rates are calculated in accordance with accounting standards set by the Federal Government’s Office of Management and Budget, in accordance with Title 2 in the Code of Federal Regulations (2 CFR), Subtitle A, Chapter II, part 225.

E. The fee shown on Attachment 1 hereto reflect the Board approved charges for providing any product or service, or the cost of enforcing any regulations, which are limited to those items included in the Federal Office of Management and Budget 2 CFR, Subtitle A, Chapter II, part 225; provided, however, that fees for zoning and planning matters, including municipal and district organizational and reorganizational matters, as specified in Government Code Section 66016, do not exceed estimated reasonable costs of those services for which the fees are charged.

F. By definition, the Cannabis Tax Compliance Program fee is not a “tax” and is exempt from voter approval pursuant to California Constitution Code Article XIIIC, section 1, paragraph (e)(1)[charge for specific benefit conferred]/(2)[charge for specific service provided]/ (3)[charge for issuing license or performing inspection]/(4)[charge for use of government property]/(5)[fine or penalty imposed for violation of law] (Prop.26).

G. In order to maintain consistency with the County’s cost-recovery principles, the FY 2025-26 Cannabis Tax Compliance Program fee should be reduced to exclude the component attributable to California Cannabis Association (CCA) membership since the CCA’s dissolution on December 31, 2025.

SECTION 2: Schedule “B” of FY2025-26 County Fee Schedule is hereby amended as follows:

A. That the Cannabis Tax Compliance Program fee decrease attached and incorporated by reference herein shown on Attachment 1 is hereby approved, and shall be effective when this ordinance comes into full force and effect.

SECTION 3:

A. The Auditor-Controller-Treasurer-Tax Collector is authorized to issue partial refunds of the CCA fee component ($1,045 per license) to any cannabis license holders who paid the full $4,324 fee for licenses renewed between July 1, 2025, and December 31, 2025; and

B. The Auditor-Controller-Treasurer-Tax Collector is authorized to issue refunds of the CCA fee component ($2,090 per license) to any cannabis license holders who paid the full $4,324 fee for licenses renewed on or after January 1, 2026; and

C. The Auditor-Controller-Treasurer-Tax Collector is directed to notify all affected license holders of the fee reduction and any applicable refunds.

SECTION 4: This ordinance shall take effect and be in full force thirty (30) days after its adoption. Before the expiration of fifteen (15) days

after passage of this ordinance, it shall be published once with the names of the members of the Board of Supervisors voting for and against the ordinance in a newspaper of general circulation published in the County of San Luis Obispo, State of California.

SECTION 5: If any section, subsection, clause, phrase, or portion of this ordinance is for any reason held to be invalid or unconstitutional by the decision of a court of competent jurisdiction, such decision shall not affect the validity or constitutionality of the remaining portion of this ordinance. The Board of Supervisors hereby declares that it would have passed this ordinance and each section, subsection, clause, phrase, or portion thereof irrespective of the fact that any one or more sections, subsections, sentences, clauses, phrases, or portions be declared invalid or unconstitutional.

SECTION 6: In accordance with Government Code Section 25131, after reading the title of this ordinance, further reading of the ordinance in full is waived.

INTRODUCED at a regular meeting of the Board of Supervisors held on the 24th day of March, 2026, and PASSED and ADOPTED by the Board of Supervisors of the County of San Luis Obispo, State of California, on the 24th day of March, 2026, by the following roll call vote, to wit: AYES: Supervisors Heather Moreno, John Peschong, Bruce S. Gibson, Dawn Ortiz-Legg and Chairperson Jimmy Paulding

NOES: None

ABSENT: None

ABSTAINING: None

/s/Jimmy Paulding

Chairperson of the Board of Supervisors

County of San Luis Obispo, State of California

ATTEST:

MATTHEW PONTES

Chief Executive Officer

Ex-Officio Clerk of the Board of Supervisors By: /s/Sandy Currens Deputy Clerk

Department:

Auditor-Controller-Treasurer-Tax Collector

Name:

Fund Center: 117

Footnote Narrative

1. The department reviewed the time studies, pertinent code sections, and reasonableness of the current fees. Direct costs have been added where applicable.

13. The fee recovers the costs of operating the County Cannabis Tax Compliance Program. The costs recovered include membership in the California Cannabis Authority, TTC Division and AC Division staff time, and the costs conducting cannabis tax audits Per Board direction, these costs are to be passed on to cannabis license holders. April 2, 2026 ORDINANCE NO. 3587 AN ORDINANCE AMENDING

INVITATION TO BID (SUB BIDS ONLY)

GENERAL CONTRACTOR: MAINO CONSTRUCTION COMPANY, INCORPORATED

PROJECT NAME: CALIFORNIA POLYTECHNIC STATE UNIVERSITY SAN LUIS OBISPO

BUILDING 018 DAIRY ROBOTICS MODERNIZATION

PROJECT LOCATION: BLDG. 018, DAIRY SCIENCE COMPLEX - CAL POLY STATE UNIVERSITY, SLO, CA 93407

PROJECT OWNER: TRUSTEES OF THE CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY

ARCHITECT: HARRIS ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN

BID DATE & TIME: THURSDAY, APRIL 23, 2026 at 12:00 PM

PRE-BID SITE REVIEW: MANDATORY - WEDNESDAY, APRIL 8, 2026 at 10:00 AM

ESTIMATE/BUDGET: $5,500,000

ANTICIPATED SCHEDULE: 10 MONTHS

START DATE: JUNE 1, 2026

COMPLETION: MARCH 31, 2027

SCOPE OF WORK:

(CONTRACTOR IS RESPONSIBLE FOR OVERTIME AND WEEKEND WORK ANTICIPATED TO MEET PROJECT SCHEDULE)

Work consists of demolition of existing dairy barn slab on grade – foundations – site structures, replacement of select barn beams – columns – purlins, new concrete foundations and slab on grade, new insulated wall and roof panels at robot rooms, metal stud framing, drywall, painting, metal wall panels, single ply roofing, HVAC, plumbing with installation of dairy robotic support systems, electrical, communications, video surveillance, new main electrical service, installation of dairy robotic milking equipment, site utilities with (2) vault and pump systems, miscellaneous metals and railing, site concrete, earthwork with rough & finish grading.

The University will be performing the following: Supply of dairy robotic equipment and accessories.

BIDS SHALL BE EMAILED TO: sonnys@mainoslo.com

BID REQUIREMENTS:

1. Subcontractors must be bondable and may be required to provide Payment and Performance Bonds.

2. Bid Bond is not required.

3. Safety Record is of the utmost importance. Subcontractors with an aggregate EMR Rate of 1.5 over the past three years may be disqualified.

4. Prevailing Wage

TO VIEW PLANS/SPEC:

Plans and specs may be downloaded from ASAP Reprographics at www.projectsasap.com

Plans and specs may also be viewed at the following Builders Exchanges:

– SLO County Builders Exchange – www.slocbe.com

– Santa Maria Valley Contractors Association – www.smvca.org

– Central California Builders Exchange – www.cencalbx.com

Maino Construction Company, Incorporated is an equal opportunity Contractor. It is the responsibility of each Subcontractor to view all pertinent information and documents prior to submitting a proposal. April 2, 2026

CITY COUNCIL

CITY OF ARROYO GRANDE NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Arroyo Grande City Council will conduct a rescheduled public hearing in the Arroyo Grande City Council Chambers located at 215 E. Branch Street, Arroyo Grande, CA 93420 on TUESDAY, APRIL 14, 2026, at 6:00 p.m., or soon thereafter, to consider the following item:

Consideration Of Appeal Case 26-002; Appeal of Planning Commission Approval of Conditional Use Permit 25-001 and Finding That This Action Is Exempt From The California Environmental Quality Act Pursuant to California Public Resources Code Section 21080.66; Construction of Ninety-Two (92) Multi-Family Residential Units; Location – 1271 and 1281 James Way; Appellants – Pismo Medical Properties LLC, Arroyo Grande Partners LLC and Ray B Bunnell Revocable Trust

The City Council will consider an appeal of the Planning Commission’s approval of Conditional Use Permit 25-001 to construct two new residential buildings containing a total of ninetytwo (92) multi-family residential units on approximately 1.81-acre parcel located at 1271 and 181 James Way within the Office Mixed Use (OMU) district. Both buildings will be four stories in height in a split-level concept. The project will include a community center, fitness area, and 31 one-car garages. The project proposes to reserve either 15% of the base density in the form of deed-restricted units reserved for individuals meeting San Luis Obispo County’s Affordable Housing Standards for Very Low Income households, or 24% of the base density for Low Income households.

In compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), the City Council will determine whether the proposed project is statutorily exempt pursuant to California Public Resources Code Section 21080.66.

This City Council meeting is being conducted in a hybrid in-person/ virtual format. During the public hearing, public comment will be limited to three (3) minutes per speaker, pursuant to current meeting procedure. Please click the link below to join the Zoom Meeting: https://arroyogrande-org.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_ NRsyFrUIQ_6179_iBTyDVA

The City Council may also discuss other hearings or business items before or after the item listed above. If you challenge the proposed action in court, you may be limited to raising only those issues you or someone else raised at the public hearing described in this notice, or in written correspondence delivered to the City Council at, or prior to, the public hearing. Failure of any person to receive the notice shall not constitute grounds for any court to invalidate the action of the legislative body for which the notice was given. Documents related to the project are available in the Community Development Department located at 300 E. Branch Street, Arroyo Grande. The Agenda and reports are posted online at www. arroyogrande.org 72 hours prior to the meeting. Please call (805) 473-5420 for more information. The City Council meeting will be televised live on Charter Cable Channel 20 and streamed live on the City’s YouTube Channel. Jessica Matson, City Clerk April 2, 2026

CITY COUNCIL

CITY OF ARROYO GRANDE NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Arroyo Grande City Council will conduct a public hearing on TUESDAY, APRIL 14, 2026, at 6:00 p.m or soon thereafter, to consider the following item: Consideration of Architectural Review 25-005 and Finding That This Action Is Exempt From Review Under The California Environmental Quality Act Pursuant To State Guidelines Section 15301; New Wall Mural; Location – 201 E. Branch Street; Applicant – Monarch Books. The City Council will consider a proposal to paint a new wall mural at 201 E. Branch Street.

In compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), the Community Development Department has determined that the painting of a mural is categorically exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”) under the Class 1 exemption, which applies to the operation, repair, maintenance, permitting, leasing, licensing, or minor alteration of existing structures, facilities, mechanical equipment, or topographical features where the project involves negligible or no expansion of existing or former use. (State CEQA Guidelines, § 15301.) None of the exceptions to the Class 1 exemption apply because: the location of the project will not result in any significant environmental impacts; the project does not create any cumulative environmental impacts; the project does not impact or damage any scenic resources; the project is not located on a hazardous waste site; and the project does not adversely affect any historic resources.

This City Council meeting is being conducted in a hybrid in-person/virtual format. During the public hearing, public comment will be limited to three (3) minutes per speaker, pursuant to current meeting procedure.

The City Council may also discuss other hearings or business items before or after the item listed above. If you challenge the proposed action in court, you may be limited to raising only those issues you or someone else raised at the public hearing described in this notice, or in written correspondence delivered to the City Council at, or prior to, the public hearing. Failure of any person to receive the notice shall not constitute grounds for any court to invalidate the action of the legislative body for which the notice was given.

Documents related to the project are available in the Community Development Department located at 300 E. Branch Street, Arroyo Grande. The Agenda and reports are posted online at www.arroyogrande.org 72 hours prior to the meeting. Please call (805) 473-5420 for more information. The City Council meeting will be televised live on Charter Cable Channel 20 and streamed live on the City’s Website.

Jessica Matson, City Clerk April 2, 2026

NOTICE

OF PLANNING COMMISSION PUBLIC HEARING

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the City of Paso Robles Planning Commission will hold a Public Hearing to consider the following project:

Project Description: Consideration of Zoning Code Amendment to Robles Municipal Code (PRMC) Section 21.69.120 (Food Trucks and Food Truck Courts), Chapter 21.20 (Temporary Use Permits), Table 21.32-1 (Zoning District Use Regulations), Section 21.91.070 (“F” Definitions) and Uptown/ Town Centre Specific Plan (UTCSP) Table 5.3-1 (Allowed Land Uses and Permitting Requirements) to modify the Permitting Requirements and Operational Standards consistent with the Food Truck Ad Hoc Committee and City Council recommendations. Planning Commission will be recommending the item to City Council for final approval prior to adoption. (RZN25- 08/P25-0070).

Location: Citywide

CEQA Determination: The proposed ordinance is not subject to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) because it does not qualify as a “project” under CEQA. State CEQA Guidelines §15060(c) provides that “[a]n activity is not subject to CEQA if … the activity is not a project as defined in Section 15378” and, alternatively, is exempt from CEQA pursuant to CEQA Guidelines section 15061(b)(3) as it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the proposed ordinance may have a significant effect on the environment.

Hearing Date: The Planning Commission will hold a Public Hearing on April 14th, 2026, at 6:30 p.m. at the Norris Room, Centennial Park, 600 Nickerson Drive, Paso Robles, CA 93446.

The public has the option to attend the meeting in person or to participate remotely. To participate remotely, residents can livestream the meeting at www.prcity.com/youtube, and call (805)865-7276 to provide live public comment via telephone. The phone line will open just prior to the start of the meeting.

Written public comments can be submitted via email to planning@prcity. com or US Mail (submit early) to the Community Development, 1000 Spring Street, Paso Robles, CA 93446 provided that the comments are received prior to the time of the public hearing. Comments received prior to 12:00 noon on the day of the meeting will be posted as an addendum to the agenda. If submitting written comments, please note the agenda item by number or name. Comments on the proposed application must be received prior to the time of the hearing to be considered by the Planning Commission. Challenge to the application in court will be limited to issues raised at the public hearings or in written correspondence delivered to the Planning Commission at, or prior to, the public hearing.

Copies of the project staff report will be available for review on the City’s website (www.prcity.com/meetings) on the Friday preceding the hearing. If you have any questions, please contact the Community Development Department at (805) 237-3970.

April 2, 2026

CITY OF GROVER BEACH NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the City Council of the City of Grover Beach will conduct a Public Hearing at 6:00 p.m., or soon thereafter, in City Hall, on MONDAY, APRIL 13, 2026 in City Hall, Council Chamber, 154 South Eighth Street, Grover Beach, CA to consider the following item:

SUBJECT:

1. Annual update of the master fee schedule – The City Council will consider an interim update to the Master Fee Schedule based upon the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, which was 3.00% as of December 2025. The City completed a comprehensive update to the Master Fee Schedule in May 2013. Periodic updates are considered when changes occur in the CPI to assist in ensuring that some or all of the costs for providing municipal services are borne by the specific recipient(s) who benefit from the services through user fees. The index for Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim is used as it is the index which most closely resembles the economic trends in the Central Coast.

In compliance with Government Code Section 66016, data indicating the amount of cost, or estimated cost, required to provide the service(s) for which the fee or service charge is levied and the revenue sources anticipated to provide the service(s) shall be available for public inspection at City Hall by Thursday, April 2, 2026, not less than ten (10) days prior to the date of the Public Hearing.

Where You Come In:

Any member of the public may appear at the meeting and be heard on the item described in this notice or submit written comments to the City Clerk prior to the meeting by personal delivery or by mail to: City Clerk’s Office, 154 South Eighth Street, Grover Beach, CA 93433 or by email to gbadmin@groverbeach.org. If you require special accommodations to participate in the public hearing, please contact the City Clerk’s office at least 48 hours in advance of the meeting by calling (805) 473-4567.

For More Information:

If you have any questions or would like more information regarding the item described in this notice, please contact: Accounting Technician III Luz Santos by telephone at (805) 473-4550 or send an e-mail to lsantos@groverbeach.org.

The City Council may also discuss other hearings or items of business at this meeting. The complete meeting agenda and copy of the staff report on the above item will be posted on the city website at www.groverbeach.org. Live broadcasts of City Council meetings may be seen on cable television Channel 20, as well as over the Internet at www.groverbeach.org (click on the icon “Government Access Local Channel 20” and then “Channel 20”).

If you challenge the nature of the proposed action in court, you may be limited to raising only those issues you or someone else raised at the Public Hearing(s) described in this notice, or in written correspondence delivered to the City at, or prior to, the Public Hearing (Govt. Code Sec 65009).

/s/ Wendi Sims, City Clerk

Dated: April 2, 2026

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the City of Paso Robles Planning Commission will hold a Public Hearing to consider the following project:

Project Description: Request for a Conditional Use Permit to establish a bar in existing tenant space located in the TC-1 zoning district. No substantial changes to the exterior or interior of the building are proposed, and the established bar would utilize and existing type 42 Alcohol Beverage Control (ABC) License (P26-0031/CUP 2605)

Applicant: Jeff Root, Owner of Jan’s Bar Location: 842

Hearing

The public has the option to attend the meeting in person or to participate remotely. To participate remotely, residents can livestream the meeting at www.prcity.com/youtube, and call (805)865-7276 to provide live public comment via telephone. The phone line will open just prior to the start of the meeting. Written public comments can be submitted via email to planning@ prcity.com or US Mail (submit early) to the City Clerk, 1000 Spring Street, Paso Robles, CA 93446 provided that the comments are received prior to the time of the public hearing. Comments received prior to 12:00 noon on the day of the meeting will be posted as an addendum to the agenda. If submitting written comments, please note the agenda item by number or name. Comments on the proposed application must be received prior to the time of the hearing to be considered by the Planning Commission.

Challenge to the application in court will be limited to issues raised at the public hearings or in written correspondence delivered to the Planning Commission at, or prior to, the public hearing.

Copies of the project staff report will be available for review on the City’s website (www.prcity.com/meetings) on the Friday preceding the hearing. If you have any questions, please contact the Community Development Department at (805) 237-3970. April 2, 2026

NOTICE OF ADOPTION AND SUMMARY OF ORDINANCES

MINOR ORDINANCE AMENDMENT PACKAGE (LRP2025-00012)

On March 24, 2026, the San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors adopted Ordinance No. 3588 and Ordinance No. 3589, approving the Minor Ordinance Amendment Package (LRP2025-00012). This action amends the Inland and Coastal Land Use Ordinances to: [A] Amend Section 23.04.320 (Outdoor Lights), 22.10.060 (Exterior Lighting), and Sections 23.11.030 and 22.80.030 (Definitions) related to the definition of “light source”. [B] Amend Sections 22.70.060 and 23.01.060 to increase public noticing radius requirements to 1,000 feet for projects located outside of urban and village reserve lines, and 1,000 feet for all energy storage facilities. [C] Amend Sections 23.08.094 and 22.34.050 to ensure consistency with Measure A, which requires a majority voter approval for the granting of any permit, lease or authorization for construction, installation or expansion of onshore support facilities for offshore gas and oil activities. D. Expand the allowance for school district housing within the Public Facilities land use category to the Coastal Zone. (County File Number: LRP2025-00012) The ordinance becomes effective April 23, 2026. The ordinance was adopted, and the environmental determination was certified, by the following roll call to wit:

AYES: Supervisors Bruce S. Gibson, Heather Moreno, John Peschong, Dawn Ortiz-Legg and Chairperson Jimmy Paulding

NOES: None

ABSENT: None

ABSTAINING: None

Certified copies of the full text of the ordinance may be purchased at reproduction cost or reviewed without charge in the San Luis Obispo County Executive Office, 1055 Monterey St., Room #D430, County Government Center, San Luis Obispo, California 93408, or on the County’s website at slocounty.ca.gov.

DATED: March 26, 2026

MATTHEW P. PONTES, Ex-Officio Clerk of the Board of Supervisors By: /s/Sandy Currens_ Deputy Clerk April 2, 2026

PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that on Tuesday, April 14, 2026 at 6:00 p.m. or as soon thereafter as possible, the Pismo Beach Planning Commission will hold a public hearing in the Council Chamber at City Hall, 760 Mattie Road, Pismo Beach, for the following purpose:

PUBLIC HEARING AGENDA:

A. Address: 221 Beachcomber Drive

Applicant: Tom McNeal

Project No.: P26-000028

Description: Coastal Development Permit and Architectural Review Permit for a new 3,569 squarefoot two-story residence on a vacant lot. The project is located within the Coastal Zone and is appealable to the Coastal Commission. APN 010-144-025.

Environmental Review

In accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), a previous Mitigated Negative Declaration was adopted by the City Council on October 3, 2023 for Vesting Tentative Tract Map 3181 and included this lot as part of a 20-unit residential subdivision (California State Clearinghouse Number 2023030231).

B. Address: 225 Beachcomber Drive

Applicant: Tom McNeal

Project No.: P26-000029

Description: Coastal Development Permit and Architectural Review Permit for a new 3,569 squarefoot two-story residence on a vacant lot. The project is located within the Coastal Zone and is appealable to the Coastal Commission. APN 010-144-025.

Environmental Review

In accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), a previous Mitigated Negative Declaration was adopted by the City Council on October 3, 2023 for Vesting Tentative Tract Map 3181 and included this lot as part of a 20-unit residential subdivision (California State Clearinghouse Number 2023030231).

C. Address: 611 Five Cities Drive

Applicant: John Walker

Project No.: P26-000002

Description: Sign Permit approval request for a new 23 square-foot roof mounted illuminated sign at Denny’s, an existing commercial restaurant building. The project is located within the Coastal Zone and is not appealable to the Coastal Commission. APN 005-242-041.

Environmental Review

In accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), it has been determined that the project is categorically exempt pursuant to Section 15311 of the CEQA Guidelines regarding minor construction such as on-premise signs to existing commercial structures. Additionally, none of the Categorical Exemption exceptions, noted under Section 15300.2, apply to the project.

Details about ways to participate in this hearing will be provided on the agenda posted for the meeting online at pismobeach.org/agenda, and on the bulletin board at City Hall. The agenda will be posted in the afternoon of April 9, 2026.

You have a right to comment on these projects and their effect on our community. Interested persons are invited to participate in the hearing or otherwise express their views and opinions regarding the proposed projects. Emailed comments may be submitted to planningcommission@ pismobeach.org; staff cannot guarantee that emailed comments submitted after the start of the meeting will be given full consideration before action is taken. Written comments may be delivered or mailed to the Community Development Department / Planning Division Office at 760 Mattie Road, Pismo Beach, CA 93449, prior to the meeting, or hand-delivered during the meeting no later than the comment period for this item. Oral comment may be provided prior to the meeting by calling 805-773-7005 and leaving a voice message. Please state and spell your name and identify your item of interest. Oral comment may also be made by attending the meeting in person in the Council Chamber at City Hall. Please refer to the agenda for this meeting for specific instructions for participation.

Staff reports, plans and other information related to these projects are available for public review from the Planning Division Office, by emailing Commission Clerk Brianna Whisenhunt at bwhisenhunt@pismobeach.org. The meeting agenda and staff report will be available no later than the Friday before the meeting and may be obtained upon request by mail or by visiting www.pismobeach. org/agenda. The Planning Commission meeting will be televised live on Charter Spectrum Cable Channel 20 and streamed on the City’s website.

PLEASE NOTE:

If you challenge the action taken on this item in court, you may be limited to raising only those issues you or someone else raised at the public hearing described in this notice, or in written correspondence delivered to the City of Pismo Beach at, or prior to, the public hearing. For further information, please contact Commission Clerk Brianna Whisenhunt at bwhisenhunt@pismobeach.org or 805-773-4658.

Brianna Whisenhunt Commission Clerk April 2, 2026

OF SAN LUIS OBISPO

COUNTY

DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING & BUILDING

NOTICE OF TENTATIVE ACTION / PUBLIC HEARING

WHO County of San Luis Obispo Planning Department Hearing

WHEN Friday, April 17, 2026 at 9:00 AM: All items are advertised for 9:00 AM.

To verify agenda placement, please call the Department of Planning & Building at (805) 781-5600.

WHAT Hearing to consider a request by Timothy and Karen Twisselman for a Lot Line Adjustment (COAL 25-0013/ N-SUB2025-00042) to adjust the lot lines between four existing parcels of 1.09 acres, 2.50 acres, 70 acres, and 90 acres. The adjustment will result in four parcels of 42.30 acres, 40.10 acres, 40.00 acres and 40.10 acres. The project will not result in the creation of any additional parcels. The proposed project is within the Agricultural land use category and is located at 773 West Foothill Boulevard San Luis Obispo, California. The site is in the San Luis Obispo Planning Area, San Luis Obispo subarea North.

Also to be considered is the determination that this project is exempt from environmental review under CEQA based on the General Rule or Common Sense Exemption.

County File Number: N-SUB2025-00042

Supervisorial District: District 2

Assessor Parcel Number(s): 067-091-001, -002

Date Accepted: 12/23/2025

WHERE Virtual meeting via Zoom platform. Instructions on how to view and participate in the meeting remotely and provide public comment will be included in the published meeting Agenda and are posted on the Department’s webpage at:

Planning Department Hearing - County of San Luis Obispo (ca.gov)

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

A copy of the staff report will be made available on the Planning Department website at www.sloplanning.org. You may also contact Jeremy Freund, Project Manager in the Department of Planning and Building at the address below or by telephone at 805-781-5621.

TO REQUEST A PUBLIC HEARING

This matter is tentatively scheduled to appear on the consent agenda, which means that it and any other items on the consent agenda can be acted upon by the hearing officer with a single motion. An applicant or interested party may request a public hearing on this matter. To do so, send a letter to this office at the address below or send an email to pdh@co.slo.ca.us by 4/10/2026 at 4:30 PM. The letter or email must include the language “I would like to request a hearing on N-SUB2025-00042.”

If you challenge this matter in court, you may be limited to raising only those issues you or someone else raised at the public hearing described in this public notice or in written correspondence delivered to the appropriate authority at or before the public hearing.

Ysabel Eighmy

Secretary Planning Department Hearing April 2, 2026

COUNTY OF SAN LUIS OBISPO DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING & BUILDING NOTICE OF TENTATIVE ACTION / PUBLIC HEARING

WHO County of San Luis Obispo Planning Department Hearing

WHEN Friday, April 17, 2026 at 9:00 AM: All items are advertised for 9:00 AM. To verify agenda placement, please call the Department of Planning & Building at (805) 781-5600.

WHAT A request by Alex Benson for a Minor Use Permit / Coastal Development Permit (C-DRC2024-00054) to allow phased construction of a new two-story mixed-use project consisting of approximately 3,018 square feet of ground floor commercial retail area and 2,240 square feet of second floor residential area and associated site improvements. The project will result in disturbance of the entire 9,375 square foot vacant parcel. The project will provide six onsite parking spaces to serve up to three future residential units and seven on-street parking spaces along the project frontages to meet commercial parking requirements consistent with the Estero Area Plan. The project site is located at 1300 2nd Street (APN: 038-182-001), on the southeast corner of 2nd Street and Santa Maria Avenue, within the Commercial Retail land use category in the community of Los Osos. The site is within the Estero Planning Area of the Coastal Zone.

The Environmental Coordinator has determined that the previously certified Final Environmental Impact Report(s) (FEIRs) remain adequate for this project pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15162. No substantial changes to the project or to the circumstances under which it is undertaken have occurred, and no new information of substantial importance has become available, that would result in new significant environmental effects or a substantial increase in the severity of previously identified significant effects. Accordingly, no subsequent or supplemental EIR is required.

County File Number: C-DRC2024-00054

Supervisorial District: District 2

Assessor Parcel Number(s): 038-182-001

Date Accepted: 5/28/2025

WHERE Virtual meeting via Zoom platform. Instructions on how to view and participate in the meeting remotely and provide public comment will be included in the published meeting Agenda and are posted on the Department’s webpage at: Planning Department Hearing (PDH) Virtual Meeting - County of San Luis Obispo (ca.gov)

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

A copy of the staff report will be made available on the Planning Department website at www.sloplanning.org. You may also contact Dane Mueller, Project Manager, in the Department of Planning and Building at the address below or by telephone at 805-781-5600.

TO REQUEST A PUBLIC HEARING

This matter is tentatively scheduled to appear on the consent agenda, which means that it and any other items on the consent agenda can be acted upon by the hearing officer with a single motion. An applicant or interested party may request a public hearing on this matter. To do so, send a letter to this office at the address below or send an email to pdh@co.slo.ca.us by 4/10/2026 at 4:30 PM. The letter or email must include the language “I would like to request a hearing on C-DRC2024-00054.”

If you challenge this matter in court, you may be limited to raising only those issues you or someone else raised at the public hearing described in this public notice or in written correspondence delivered to the appropriate authority at or before the public hearing.

COASTAL APPEALABLE If the County approves this project, that action may be eligible for appeal to the California Coastal Commission. An applicant or aggrieved party may appeal to the Coastal Commission only after all possible local appeals have been exhausted pursuant to Coastal Zone Land Use Ordinance Section 23.01.043(b). Local appeals must be filed using the required Planning Department form as provided by Coastal Zone Land Use Ordinance Section 23.01.042(a)(1).

Ysabel Eighmy

Secretary Planning Department Hearing April 2, 2026

Free Will Astrology by Rob Brezsny

Homework: My book Astrology is Real is available at online bookstores. Read free excerpts here: https://tinyurl.com/BraveBliss

ARIES

(March 21-April 19): Now is an excellent time to decide your favorite color is amaranth (a vivid red-violet), or sinopia (earthy red-orange), or viridian (cool blue-green, darker than jade). You might also conclude that your favorite aroma is agarwood (deep, smoky, resin-soaked wood), or heliotrope (cherry-almond vanilla), or petrichor (wet soil after a rain). I’m trying to tell you, Aries, that you’re primed to deeply enhance your detailed delight in smells, colors, tastes, feelings, physical sensations, types of wind, tones of voice, qualities of light—and everything else. Indulge in sensory and sensual pleasures!

TAURUS

(April 20-May 20): My Taurus friend Elena keeps a “gratitude garden” in her backyard. When she feels grateful for a specific joy in her life, she writes it on biodegradable paper and buries it among her flowers, herbs, and vegetables. “I feed the earth with appreciation,” she says. “Returning the gift.” She feels this practice ensures that her garden and her life flourish. Her devoted attention to recognizing blessings attracts even more blessings. Her cultivated appreciation for beauty and abundance leads her to discover more beauty and abundance. Elena’s approach is pure Taurean genius. I invite you to create your own rituals for expressing your thankful love. Not just paying dutiful homage in your thoughts, but giving your appreciation weight, texture, and presence in the actual world.

GEMINI

(May 21-June 20): Many of us periodically slip into the daydream that everything would finally feel right if only our lives were somehow different. If we’re single, maybe we imagine we ought to be partnered; if we’re partnered, we wish our beloved would change, or we secretly wonder about someone else entirely. That’s the snag. The blessing is this: In the days ahead, you’re likely to discover a surprising ease with your life exactly as it is, and feel a genuine, grounded peace. Congratulations in advance!

CANCER

(June 21-July 22): A cautious voice in your head murmurs: “Proceed carefully. Don’t be overly impressed with your own beauty. Stick with dependable methods. Live up to expectations and avoid explorations into the unknown.” Your bold genius interrupts: “Tell that fussy, boring voice to shut up. The truth is that you have earned the right to be an inquisitive wanderer, an ingenious lover, a fanciful storyteller, and a laughing experimenter.”

LEO

(July 23-Aug. 22): In medieval European gardens, there was a tradition of creating “pleasure labyrinths.” They were walking meditations that spiraled inward to a center, then back out again. There were no decisions and no wrong turns, just the relaxing, meditative journey itself. I think you need and deserve a metaphorical pleasure labyrinth right now, Leo. You’ve been treating every choice as a high-stakes dilemma and every path as potentially problematic. But what if the current phase isn’t about making the perfect decision? Maybe it’s about trusting that the path you’re on will take you where you need to go, even if it meanders. By cosmic decree, you are excused from second-guessing every turn.

VIRGO

(Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Your eye for imperfection is a gift until it becomes the lens through which you see everything. The critical faculty that drives you to refine and enhance may also shunt you into a dead end of never-being-good-enough, where impossible standards immobilize you. In the coming weeks, dear Virgo, I beg you to use your vaunted discernment primarily in the service of growth and pleasure rather than constraint. Be excited by buoyant analysis that empowers constructive change. Homework: For every flaw you identify, identify two things that are working well. You won’t ignore what needs attention but instead will compensate for the excessive criticism that sometimes grips your inner critic.

LIBRA

(Sept. 23-Oct. 22): You Libras shouldn’t expend excessive effort trying to force the external world to be more tranquil. That’s mostly a futile task that distracts from your more essential work. The secret to your happiness is to cultivate serenity within. How do you do that? One reliable way to shed tension is to continually place yourself in the presence of beauty. Nothing makes you relax better than being surrounded by elegance, grace, and loveliness. Now is a good time to recommit yourself to this key practice.

SCORPIO

(Oct. 23-Nov. 21): In computer science, there’s a concept called “graceful degradation.” When a system encounters an error, it doesn’t crash completely. It loses some functionality but keeps running with what remains. According to my reading of the astrological omens, Scorpio, you’d be wise to acknowledge a graceful degradation like that. Something isn’t working as you had hoped and planned. A relationship? Project? Adventure? In classic Scorpio fashion, you’re tempted to burn it all down. But I encourage you to practice graceful degradation instead. Keep what still works and release only what’s actually broken. Not everything has to be all-or-nothing. You can lose some functionality and still run. You can be partially out of whack and still be valuable. PS: The awkwardness is temporary.

SAGITTARIUS

(Nov. 22-Dec. 21): At your best and brightest, you are a hunter—though not the kind who stalks prey with weapons and trophies in mind. Your hunt is noble: the fervent pursuit of adventures that nourish your curiosity and the brave forays you make into unfamiliar territories where intriguing new truths shimmer. And now, as the world drifts deeper into chaos, you are called to respond with even more exploratory audacity. I invite you to further refine your hunter’s craft. Lift it up to an even higher, more luminous form of seeking.

CAPRICORN

(Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Capricorn meditation teacher Wes Nisker guided his students to relax the relentless mental static that muddled their awareness. But he also understood that excessive striving can sabotage the peace we’re seeking. I invoke his influence now to help you release some of the jittery goal-obsession you’ve been gripped by. Nisker and I offer you permission to temporarily suspend the potentially exhausting drive to constantly be better and more accomplished. Instead, just for now, simply be your authentic self. Loosen your highstrung grip on self-improvement and allow yourself the radical luxury of purposelessness.

AQUARIUS

(Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Here’s a danger you Aquarians are sometimes prey to: spending so much energy fixing the big picture that you neglect what’s up close and personal. You may get so involved in rearranging systems that immediate concerns get less than your best attention. I hope you won’t do that in the coming weeks. Your aptitude for overarching objectivity is a gift because it enables you to recognize patterns others can’t detect. But it may also divert you from the messy, intricate intimacy that gritty transformation requires. Your assignment: Eagerly attend to the details, which I bet will be more interesting than you imagine.

PISCES

(Feb. 19-March 20): In horticulture, “hardening off” is the process of gradually exposing seedlings started indoors to outdoor conditions before transplanting them. Too much exposure too fast will shock them; no exposure at all will leave them unprepared. Let’s invoke this as a useful metaphor for you. I believe you are being hardened off, Pisces. Life is making small, increasing demands on your tender self. Though this may sometimes feel uncomfortable, I assure you that it’s preparation, not cruelty. You’re being readied for a shift from protected space to open ground. My advice is twofold: 1. Don’t retreat back into the ultra-safe greenhouse. 2. Don’t let yourself be thrown into full exposure all at once. ∆