S A N L U I S O B I S P O C O U N T Y ’ S N E W S A N D E N T E R T A I N M E N T W E E K L Y

D E C E M B E R 3 0 , 2 0 1 0 - J A N U A R Y 6 , 2 0 1 1 • V O L . 2 5 , N O . 2 2 • 5 2 P A G E S • F R E E • W W W . N E W T I M E S S L O . C O M

Relive the past year in the local art scene—if you dare [20]

ResolveResolveResolve[19][19][19]

ShredderShredderShredder

A new Baywood gallery appears out of plein air [14]Chuck the Morro Bay Power Plant for the county [15]Even you can afford a little bubbly in a bottle [36]

FILMCoen Brothers have True Grit [30]

APRIL The SLO City Council went all Big Brother in April, putting into effect no less than three new city ordinances, which drew far less criticism than anyone imagined: an outdoor smoking ban, an “unruly gathering ordinance,” and, as perplexing as it sounds, a duck-feeding ban.

Did we mention that the Ed Arnold story just kept getting stranger? On top of his domestic violence charges, the D.A’s office added child pornography to the allegations against the former Arroyo Grande councilman, allegedly stemming from images of an underage foreign exchange student on his personal computer. Arnold resigned from the council

soon after and, yes, the trial drags on today. She’s baaaaaack! Former county administrator Gail Wilcox—who was fired in part over a conflict of interest—was hired by the SLO County Employees Association (SLOCEA) to complete a classification and compensation study to be used in upcoming labor negotiations.

County black bears got a reprieve from being hunted after the California Department of Fish and Game shelved bear hunt plans for a second year in a row. You lucked out, Downtown Brown. The political pride of the Central Coast, Santa Maria native Abel Maldonado, became the second most powerful politician in the state (however briefly) after

FEBRUARY Deputies raided a cockfighting tournament in unincorporated Arroyo Grande, sending more than 300 participants fleeing into the adjoining countryside and roughly 130 fighting cocks to Animal Services to be euthanized. Fifty people were arrested on suspicion of participating in a cockfighting tournament. The SLO City Council wagged its frail finger at the Downtown Association over the attempt to oust the Farmers Market Association from the city’s Thursday Night Promotions, calling the decision a “public relations disaster.” Speaking of former county administrator Gail Wilcox, the Board of Supervisors grudgingly coughed up $180,000 to settle her lawsuit in exchange for her dismissal of all claims against the county and her former boss, David Edge. Days after budget cuts drove Cuesta College administrators to announce they were scaling back summer school, the college received word from the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges that their probationary status was being extended. Hard feelings were set aside as the Downtown Association wiped the egg off its face and reconciled with the County Farmers Market Association. The SLO City Council was criticized for playing favorites when it unanimously voted to give developers of Chinatown and the Garden Street Terraces until 2015 to retrofit their unreinforced masonry buildings to the city’s seismic earthquake standards while other building owners in the city were required to comply by the end of 2010. SLO allocated $1.15 million to update and replace most of its Information Technology software after the unexpected passing of Bonnie McKee Hoadley, the local IT expert who programmed and maintained the city’s computer infrastructure for more than 20 years. A study released by the SLO County Air Pollution Control District placed the blame for poor air quality on the Nipomo Mesa squarely on the shoulders of off-roaders breaking up the natural crust at the surface of the Oceano sand dunes.

MARCH A fire started by an arsonist caused more than $1 million in damage to Cabo San Luis and Kona’s sandwich shop. No one was injured save the fish trapped in Cabo’s beloved fish tank. San Luis Obispo business owners and IT professionals put on their Sunday finest, attempting to woo Internet giant Google’s attention to the city in hopes of being selected as a test site for their Google Fiber project. If selected, the effort would have potentially provided up to 100 times faster Internet connectivity. Bad news: We didn’t win.

The inexplicable battle between the Camarillo-based Carpenter’s Local 150 and Arroyo Grande ice cream parlor Doc Burnstein’s Ice Cream Lab took an interesting turn when fed-up residents began counter-protesting the union demonstrators, who had for months stood outside of the business brandishing “Shame On” signs. The union was peeved because the ice cream lab was set to open a new location at the Santa Maria Town Center in a space that was constructed using non-union labor, even though Burnstein’s had nothing to do with construction. The union eventually backed down. Twenty-year-old Patrick Wollett, convicted of murdering Joshua Houlgate in 2008, is

seeking a new trial following the resignation of his former attorney, Greg Jacobson. The editorial department of New Times broke into the new millennium only 10 years after the fact when it triumphantly emerged with its first-ever podcast. As the U.S. Geological Survey began studying the newly discovered Shoreline Fault only 600 meters off the coast from the Diablo Canyon power plant, PG&E-funded studies began to reveal details about the 24 kilometer-long fault, estimated to be capable of producing up to a 6.1-magnitude earthquake. The utility was quick to dismiss the Shoreline as not threatening to the structural integrity of the plant.

Time of your life2010 is drawing to a close, opening the door for a new year of screw-ups, hijinks, and budget shortfallsBY NEW TIMES STAFF

ordinances, which drew far less criticism than anyone imagined: an outdoor smoking ban, an “unruly gathering ordinance,” and, as perplexing as it sounds, a duck-feeding ban. Did we mention that the Arnold stranger? On top of his domestic violence charges, the D.A’s office added child pornography to the allegations against the former Arroyo Grande councilman, allegedly stemming from images of an underage foreign exchange student on his personal computer. Arnold resigned from the council

FEBRUARY MARCH The inexplicable battle between the Camarillo-based

seeking a new trial following the resignation of

BY NEW TIMES STAFF

JANUARY In 2009, there was Gail Wilcox. In 2010, the most shocking, stick-my-fingers-in-my-ears-and-sing-la-la-la-la political scandal involved former Arroyo Grande councilman Ed Arnold. In a strange twist to an even stranger story, Arnold’s wife and a woman he was accused of assaulting both filed restraining orders against him. (To date, Arnold’s criminal case drags on after he pleaded not guilty to all charges.) The SLO County Board of Supervisors unanimously voted to allow the newly formed Association of SLO Deputy Sheriffs to split from the Deputy Sheriff’s Association, much to the chagrin of DSA heads who were hoping to preserve one of the most powerful labor unions in the county.

After the truly grassroots activist group Huasna Valley Association effectively killed Excelaron’s proposed project to drill for oil in the Huasna Valley in 2007, the Australian oil company returned with an even more ambitious project—bumping the original four wells to 12. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission worked overtime in SLO County, addressing—or at least trying to look like it was addressing—local concerns over PG&E’s license renewal application for Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant and the discovery of a new seismic fault line directly off the Central Coast. In January, NRC brass sent invitations to various local community leaders in an effort to encourage them to “educate” their constituents about those concerns, to make the agency’s job a bit easier. Staff writer Robert A. McDonald took a look

at the disturbing trend of county executive administrators across the state jumping ship ahead of a maelstrom of decreasing tax revenues, rising pension costs, and stalled governance in Sacramento. The Sheriff’s Department proved early in the year that Sheriff Pat Hedges’s war on marijuana was going strong after deputies confiscated—and unlawfully destroyed—six pounds of medical marijuana from a qualified, physician’s recommendation-touting cancer survivor. Kimberly Marshall filed a $36,000 claim against the county and outgoing sheriff. Months later, she became the first person in SLO County history to be awarded monetary damages for confiscated cannabis.

Prominent local environmental activist Morgan Rafferty was charged with using her position as treasurer to embezzle more than $33,000 from SLO Mothers for Peace. The SLO Downtown Association attempted an ill-fated Thursday night farmers market coup d’etat by trying to remove the SLO County Farmers Market Association from the event.

revenues, rising pension costs, and

The Sheriff’s Department proved

confiscated—and unlawfully destroyed—six Prominent local environmental activist Morgan

MOST ON-AGAIN, OFF-AGAIN COUPLE

The Downtown Association and

the Farmers Alliance

Carpenters Local 150

BIGGEST BULLY

JULY Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger denied parole to former Manson “family” member Bruce Davis. Had Davis been released from the California Men’s Colony, he likely would have returned to live with his wife and daughter in Grover Beach.

Former Oceano Nursery owner Bill Bookout lost an appeal with the California 2nd District Court of Appeals over his lawsuit to identify a party of blame for the annual flooding on Highway 1 in Oceano. SLO officials formed a budget task force, but—shhhh!—decided to keep the meetings secret. Judge Charles Crandall made a court order that would have evicted dozens of residents from the Sunny Acres sober living facility. A later appeal by ranch owner Dan De Vaul put off any evictions pending results of that case. More than 50 law enforcement officers descended on the Pozo Saloon “420 Fest” in an undercover operation that netted eight arrests. Most charges were

ultimately either dropped or reduced.

Amid media and public pressure, SLO decided to open its budget task force meetings to the media and public. Lt. Gov. Abel Maldonado paid off a $111,146 tax lien to the Internal Revenue Service on his family’s business, Agro-Jal Farming Enterprises. His family members didn’t agree with the liens but agreed to pay them to avoid further embarrassment. Santa Margarita residents went ballistic over an industrial granite mining operation proposed outside the small unincorporated town. A camera mounted in Grover Beach Senior Police Officer Sonny Lopez’s Taser captured video that seemed to contradict Lopez’s report after he zapped an 82-year-old man for allegedly kidnapping a six-month-old child. The charges against the man, Peter Hewitt — including felony kidnapping, endangering a child, and resisting arrest—were dropped and Hewitt pleaded to disturbing the peace. The SLO Sheriff’s Department glitzed up a Dodge Viper seized from a drug dealer and used it as a promotion for the county’s D.A.R.E program. Look what you could drive if you sold drugs! But don’t!

parole to former Manson “family” member Bruce Davisthe California Men’s Colony, he likely would have returned to live with his wife and daughter in Grover Beach. Former Oceano Nursery owner Bookout

MAY Ex-SLO cops Daniel McDow and Armando Limon pleaded to misdemeanors for introducing and delivering misbranded drugs into interstate commerce after being arrested for bringing drugs across the San Ysidro border and collecting eight months of paid administrative leave. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger sent local election officials into a premature frenzy by calling a costly special election to fill Abel Maldonado’s 15th District Senate seat after he was appointed lieutenant governor. County supervisors asked the state to help curb pollution wafting off the Oceano Dunes following a local study that attributed high quantities of dust to off-road vehicles. Members of the Cal Poly Los Lecheros Dairy Club faced university ire and had to shut down a planned party after officials and students learned of a straight-couples-only clause posted on the club’s Facebook event page. New Times asked six candidates for SLO County sheriff why they wouldn’t suck as bad as the last guy, and they mostly said the same things. KSBY McDreamy anchor Tony Cipolla called it quits.

ultimately either dropped or reduced.

AUGUST SLO officers Armando Limon and Daniel McDow were fired. The pair had pleaded guilty to charges they took pharmaceutical drugs across the San Ysidro border, but remained on paid administrative leave for nearly a year after their initial arrests. The Atascadero City Council approved a plan that would add more than 3,400 acres to the city: the Eagle Ranch project. Members of the Nacimiento Water Project Commission toyed with the idea of a grand opening/valve turning ceremony that could have cost as much as $25,000 to $50,000. The Oceano Community Services District uncovered nearly $368,000 held in bank accounts that almost no one in the district knew existed. Operators of the Cold Canyon Landfill shut down an 11-year-old composting operation in response to neighbor complaints that the operation was too smelly. SLO County supervisors denied a proposed medical marijuana dispensary in Nipomo. County officials agreed to pay a consulting firm $345,000 to help with its labor negotiations. New Times said so long to SLO icon Mayor Dave Romero.

DECEMBER News editor Colin Rigley cracked open the nut that is Atascadero State Hospital. After exploring the place personally, Rigley laid bare the startling rise in the number of attacks in the prison mental hospital. Other stuff happened, too, in December and throughout the rest of the year, but this is as good a place as any to call it quits. Brace yourself for 2011. We’re sure you’re going to see a lot of the names you just read about a few more times. ∆

Send comments to Executive Editor Ryan Miller at rmiller@newtimesslo.com.

DECEMBER News editor the nut that is After exploring the place personally, Rigley laid bare the startling rise in the number of

OCTOBER A charred body found Sept. 26 by firefighters was ruled a suspected homicide. Six people were arrested on suspicion of murder and held without bail. The body was later identified as 15-year-old Dystiny Myers of Santa Maria. SLO County revealed that the Los Osos sewer will cost an estimated $166 million. The United States Department of Agriculture, however, sparked

questions as to how big the project is. According to that application, the sewer will cost $189.2 million. The Copelands were outed as Ernie Dalidio’s foes in the 2006 campaign that stymied the developer’s San Luis Obispo Marketplace project. The commission has also proposed $80,000 in fines against the Copelands for 16 alleged campaign violations. New Times staffers explored the similarities between zombies and politicians in an election preview cover.

NOVEMBER The two large-scale solar projects proposed in the Carrizo Plains officially went into the environmental review process. Kathy Johnston looked into electronic Smart Meters. PG&E’s ambitious and controversial program to replace every household’s electricity meter with a wireless Smart Meter brought howls of protest over health risks and calls for bans in many other

parts of the state. So far in SLO County, though, even as contractors are ripping out the analog meters and bolting on the Smart Meters, local residents and elected officials have remained relatively quiet. As November wound to a close, staff writer Matt Fountain spent a night ghost hunting with some local ghost busters. Oh, and a bunch of people got elected. None of them were zombies. That we know of. Among the results: Abel Maldonado lost his lieutenant gubernatorial seat to Gavin Newsom.

JULY Amid media and public pressure, SLO decided to open its budget task force JULY

JUNE Caren Ray took over the Arroyo Grande City Council seat formerly occupied by Ed Arnold, who left amid assault and other charges. Have we mentioned those? SLO County agreed to pay $20,000 to Kimberly Marshall in exchange for the medical marijuana sheriff’s deputies wrongly seized from her in March 2009. The SLO Downtown Association and Farmers Market Association finally made up for real—though it didn’t last. SLO’s bans on unruly gatherings, smoking, and duck poop went into effect. Nobody made much of a fuss. Not even ducks with growling stomachs.

The SLO City Council approved the Environmental Impact Report for the Garden Street Terraces project. It’s coming! The primary election came and went—taking a few candidates with it—and Sheriff Ian Parkinson’s campaign party turned out to be the swankiest. Zacary Ellis and Haithem Ibrahim pleaded no contest to reduced hazing charges in relation to the December 2008 death of Cal Poly freshman and Sigma Alpha Epsilon pledge Carson Starkey. Undersheriff Steve Bolts was charged with driving under the influence in Atascadero. It’s OK: He had former sheriff Pat Hedges give him a ride from the police department. The SLO City Council cut $3 million from its budget and approved a $640,000 collection of

downtown improvement projects. The California Coastal Commission denied an appeal of the Los Osos sewer project and gave county officials the go-ahead to progress with final design steps. Cal Poly went back to the drawing board after rejecting two finalists in the process to select a new university president to replace longtime captain Warren Baker. Then the university selected interim replacement Robert Glidden. County supervisors closed the books on the year’s budget and eliminated $17 million to shore up the deficit. SLO County Superior Court Judge Charles Crandall sided against Dan De Vaul’s Sunny Acres sober-living facility and sparked fear that many residents would be evicted until several structures were brought up to code.

ultimately either dropped or reduced. sold drugs! But don’t!

OCTOBER questions as to how big the project is. According to

SEPTEMBER An underwater pipeline designed to suck up water to feed the

Nacimiento Water Project, a 45-mile, $176-million project that will

provide water from Lake Nacimiento to as far south as San Luis Obispo,

collapsed. Project Manager John Hollenbeck told members of the

Nacimiento Project Commission, “I just presumed it would hold that

pressure.” The city of SLO’s double-decker bus made its debut. Officials had to

trim trees and move two power lines to make way for the $180,000 40-foot

English-style double-decker bus. Federal stimulus money is being used to

make a bigger garage door to accommodate it.

A judge put a hold on the order that would have thrown Sunny Acres

residents out on the street. John Tracy won a $133 million Mega Millions jackpot in the city of

Morro Bay. Speaking of luck, the United States Department of Agriculture awarded

$87 million to the Los Osos Wastewater Project. Los Osos residents

rejoiced until they discovered that $79 million is a loan. Only $4 million is a

grant. The SLO Downtown Association decided to seriously enforce insurance

requirements after Donald Hedrick, a quirky but lesser-known candidate

for mayor, was turned down for a booth at the farmers market because he

couldn’t afford the “mandatory insurance.”

MOST LIKELY TO TASER

AN OCTOGENARIAN

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