Opinion


Oceano flooding – global warming or county airport?

OPINION By JEFF EDWARDS It has been over a month since the flooding in Oceano on Sunday, December 19.  The neighborhood just south/southwest of the Oceano County Airport was particularly hard hit and neighbors are still dealing with the aftermath... (Continue reading)

Police harassment and intimidation in SLO County

OPINION By STACEY WARDE Yesterday, I received some friendly advice that it’s better to “lay low” than put myself on the radar of local law enforcement. My friend had heard me complain on the radio last week that the recent... (Continue reading)

Marijuana dispensary arrestees’ attorney speaks out

STATEMENT By DAVID FISHER Please be advised this office has been retained to represent Christopher and Amy Austin, Rachel and Charles Tamagni, Peter Miller, and Steven Gordon regarding their recent arrests during the raids of several medical marijuana services. While... (Continue reading)

Legal challenge to smart meters

OPINION By JUDY VICK If you haven’t already, you will soon receive a notice from PG&E announcing the installation of a wireless smart meter on your home. The proposed benefits might sound good–a way to get more specific information about... (Continue reading)

Thoughts on the winter solstice

BY BILL DENNEEN All cultures have a ceremony of some sort around Dec. 21st—Hanaukkah, Ramadan, Kwanzza, Christmas. The term “solstice” is derived from two Latin words:”sol” meaning sun and “sistere” meaning to stand still. It occurs when the earth’s axial... (Continue reading)

Unplug Wikileaks? Enact a federal Shield Law instead

OPINION BY PETER SCHEER — The Obama administration has made no secret of its desire to unplug Wikileaks, the whistleblower website infamous for data dumps of classified records. Of the few options available to the government, the best is one... (Continue reading)

Concerned over water rate increase in Atascadero

OPINION BY KATHLEEN ARAGON On November 10th, I was the only member of the public present when the Atascadero Mutual Water Company Board of Directors discussed raising the basic water rates. Due to the success of the water conservation program,... (Continue reading)

Historic neighborhoods at risk in San Luis Obispo

OPINION By PEG PINARD When the onerous $10,000 per infraction and up to $5,000 a day for 30 days fines were removed from the proposed San Luis Obispo historic ordinance, it may have been tempting to think that was the... (Continue reading)

Does Wikileaks deserve Dan Ellsberg’s approval? The good Wikileaks, yes; the bad Wikileaks, no

OPINION BY PETER SCHEER—Although the anti-war movement of the 1960s has few heroes still standing,  Daniel Ellsberg, the former defense analyst who leaked a secret history of the Vietnam War that became known as the Pentagon Papers, is surely one.... (Continue reading)

Passage of Proposition 21 is crucial

OPINION BY MARY GOLDEN Opponents of Proposition 21 are trying to mislead citizens of California. The initiative, designed to protect funding for our state parks system, was put on the ballot by citizens fed up with Sacramento, not politicians, and the... (Continue reading)