Opinion


Appointment of SLO County officer as standby supervisor won’t work

OPINION by MICHAEL NOLAN A request to review appointment of standby officers, listed as Item 4 on the consent agenda for the Aug. 11 San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors meeting, won’t work and may create another big problem... (Continue reading)

Arroyo Grande mayor’s threats stopped me from running

OPINION by LEA RIGO I considered running for Mayor of Arroyo Grande because I disagree with the current administration on a number of issues. I don’t believe diverse viewpoints are welcome at the council and I don’t like the condescending... (Continue reading)

Putting SLO County coronavirus cases in perspective

OPINION by GORDON MULLIN Yes, all COVID-19 deaths matter. As well, all deaths matter. I was thinking about this recently and wondering about death. At 73, it’s often a topic my aging brain brings up. And how can one not... (Continue reading)

Coronavirus crisis in Paso Robles, social distancing needed

Statement from Paso Robles City Manager Tom Frutchey We have entered a critical period for the pandemic in the City. Our zip code has had 133 new cases in just the last 10 days; that compares to only 313 new... (Continue reading)

Tilting at windmills and Paso Robles garbage rates

OPINION by DANIEL BLACKBURN Earlier this year, my local waste collection company let it be known that it wanted to raise its monthly service rates. This isn’t uncommon; it’s a request that comes along every so often and I gave... (Continue reading)

San Luis Obispo mayor seeks growth through discomfort

Opinion by San Luis Obispo Mayor Heidi Harmon As I write this, civil rights legend and long-time U.S. Congressman John Lewis is being laid to rest. It seems fitting to honor the man who called us to “get in good... (Continue reading)

Stuck between Mayor Heidi Harmon and Sheriff Ian Parkinson

OPINION by JAMES PAPP When I first registered to vote in 1982, I considered myself a Rockefeller Republican. Yesterday on the Congalton Show, I was asked if I was a Marxist. I’m either wise enough or naïve enough enough to... (Continue reading)

Patience while SLO County prosecutors investigate complaints of rioting

Statement by San Luis Obispo County District Attorney Dan Dow regarding the arrests of Tianna Arata and Elias Bautista I know that many in our community are very interested in this situation. At this time, I would like to respectfully... (Continue reading)

Legislative power versus legislative courage

T. Keith Gurnee

OPINION by T. KEITH GURNEE California’s legislature is returning to session on July 27 to consider nine housing bills that will forever change every city, county, town, village and neighborhood for the worse. The force behind these developer-backed bills is... (Continue reading)

Exposing SLO City politics from the inside out

OPINION by JAMES PAPP This should be the most boring article in the world. I work as a historian and architectural historian, which are evidence-based professions dealing with a lot of technical issues. But for five years, I volunteered on... (Continue reading)