Thank you, California Energy Commission Chair David Hochschild and Attorney General Rob Bonta, for announcing the state’s intent to sue over the Trump administration’s offshore wind lease buybacks. It’s no secret that California needs more electricity. Diablo Canyon will not operate forever. We have a great opportunity to tap a new renewable and clean energy […]
Taylor Saugstad
Posted inNews
Going home: A push to return Native American remains and belongings back to tribes
Editor’s note: This is the first in a two-part series. The second part is scheduled to run July 9. Some of the shelves at UC Berkeley and other institutions are kept from public view, but Kathy Marshall has seen them. “When [I] visit schools and universities, [I’m] just like, I bet none of these kids […]
Posted inOpinion
New federal mail rules will prevent voters from exercising their rights
Earlier this month, the United States Postal Service (USPS) issued a proposed rule that would erect barriers to mail voting. The proposed amendments create unnecessary barriers to voting that could prevent eligible voters from receiving and returning their mail-in and absentee ballots and could disenfranchise eligible voters who are unable to vote in person. Under […]
Posted inOpinion
Hikers and bikers need separate trails
With only a fast-approaching rattling noise from behind to warn me, I leapt off the trail to my right to avoid being struck by the mountain biker sailing by me. He was first in a group of what would be eight young adult riders who would go by in quick succession, none with warning bells. […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed follows a divorced mom navigating blackmail and murder
Created by David Rosen (Us & Them, Citadel), this series follows divorced mom and fastidious magazine fact checker Paula Saunders (Tatiana Maslany) as she becomes involved in murder and blackmail connected to webcam boy Trevor (Brandon Flynn). (10 33-to-40-min. episodes) Maximum Pleasure GuaranteedWhat’s it rated? TV-MA What’s it worth, Anna? Full price What’s it worth, […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Tribe Coffeehouse in Arroyo Grande serves seasonal lattes, floral drinks, and a creative coffee menu
Espresso, strawberry rose, coconut, mint and guava with steamed milk, topped with strawberry dust—sounds like a potion brewing in a witch’s kitchen. But in reality, it’s a cup of coffee in Arroyo Grande. At Tribe Coffeehouse, magic is on the menu. Here, espresso mingles with rose petals and lavender. Matcha arrives infused with seasonal fruits […]
Posted inWinning Images
Winning Images 2026
The best entries in our annual photography contest
For decades, New Times Media Group has asked local photographers to send their best shots our way as part of the annual Winning Images contest. Covering categories from Animals and Landscape/Seascape to In Motion and People, the images capture the beauty and strangeness across the Central Coast and beyond. This year, our judges sifted through […]
Posted inNews
The SLO Noor Foundation celebrates its fifteenth anniversary
When Sal Caminada retired from being a professor of health and nutrition at Allan Hancock College, he wanted to spend his retirement doing something good for the community. That is how he came to volunteer at the SLO Noor Foundation, a free clinic that serves San Luis Obispo and Northern Santa Barbara County. He’s been […]
Posted inOpinion
Oceano Airport deserves facts, not guesswork
The recent letter from the Oceano Beach Community Association calling for Oceano Airport to be converted into a vertiport is putting the cart before the horse (“The Oceano Airport needs to evolve,” June 4). Before Oceano abandons another public asset, we should examine the facts. The authors, who have no aviation experience, argue that the […]
Posted inNews
Ride on: After being closed for more than a month the Oceano Dunes reopened to vehicles and camping
For SunBuggy Fun Rentals owner Randy Jordan, when the Oceano Dunes reopened to vehicle traffic and campers on May 21, it meant his business could start renting out ATVs, dune buggies, and side-by-sides again. “I think it’s great, and I think you really know how much you’re going to miss something when you have to […]
Posted inOpinion
Noise is pollution, too
The recent weeks of quiet, with no roar from dune buggies, brought forth a realization. Living 2 miles from the Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area, parts of Oceano and the Nipomo Mesa bear an undiscussed, invisible physical toll. When coastal wind carries engine roars into our yards and homes, it does more than disturb […]
Posted inSpecial Issues
The stories behind the drag queens performing at drag shows for June Pride
Inspiring others to step into the creative performer inside of themselves is an important part of dressing up and hitting the stage for Santa Maria drag queen Nova Cane. Onstage, Cane levels up the energy with thigh-high boots, contoured makeup, and performances that hit with songs by Doja Cat, Rihanna, and Kylie Minogue. Her goal […]
