October 1, 1966
Arroyo Grande celebrated their 71st Harvest Festival last weekend. By my reckoning that makes it the second oldest celebrated festival in the county.  The Harvest Festival began in 1937 and Paso Robles kicked off the first Pioneer Day in 1931. San Luis Obispo first celebrated La Fiesta de las Flores in 1925 to help restore the fire damaged Mission but that event faded out in the mid-1990’s.
Correct me if you have another nominee.
Markets were smaller in 1966, they didn’t supersize untill later. JoEllen Childers, Tribune south county sales representative, confirms that the Williams Brothers Market location is now the home of Donna’s Interiors.
I used to think Telegram-Tribune was a long name to place on the masthead of a paper, then I found out about the Five Cities Times-Press-Recorder. That’s a lot of ink to spill every week on a nameplate.
According to Tribune production manager Warren Blankenburg this TPR building is now home to Poor Richard’s Press and the Paint shop has been replaced by Mid-State, er, Rabobank.
For reasons lost to time these photos didn’t run in the next paper. My guess is that with over 48 hours between the event Saturday morning and the next paper hitting the doorstep Monday afternoon the editors wanted something fresher for the pages.
The photo they did use was shot Monday morning at Sinsheimer Elementary School as Educational Television was unveiled for 2,000 students across the county. KQED in San Francisco broadcast a program covering math, science and geography. Technical difficulties prevented several schools from getting a signal.
No word on how effective the programming was. Sesame Street would first air over two years later in Philadelphia, July 1969.
My guess is we will rely on teachers for the foreseeable future.
The main headline was one repeated often in The Telegram-Tribune throughout the 1966, the Viet Cong and North Vietnamese Army are on the run.
If you have more information on the photos please share a comment.

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It’s a month of screams at one local movie theater

Movies inspire. Movies thrill. And sometimes, movies scare the freakin’ pants off of you.

The Palm Theatre in San Luis Obispo celebrates Halloween throughout the month of October with a series of scary, creepy and downright terrifying films. It starts tonight with “The Lost Boys.”

When the Emersons move to the sunny beachside town of Santa Carla, Calif., it looks like a brand-new start for the family.

Michael (Jason Patric) meets a beautiful girl, Star, on the boardwalk and befriends the pack of teens she hangs with. His younger brother, Sam (Corey Haim), meets a couple of juvenile vampire hunters.

Meanwhile, Mom (Dianne Wiest) is falling for her new boss at the local video store.

Everything seems sunny, but this California beach town has a dark secret. Santa Carla is positively crawling with vampires.

“The Lost Boys” features many of the ingredients that made ’80s movies great: bloodsuckers, the Coreys (Haim and Feldman), beautiful misunderstood youth, and, of course,”Cry Little Sister.”

The movie also delivers plenty of thrills and darkly comic moments — doubled with a dose of nostalgia for those of us who grew up in or around the 1980s.

Ignore the straight-to-video sequel, “Lost Boys: The Tribe.” Watch this wickedly good classic instead.

“The Lost Boys” will be screened at 7 p.m. and 9:15 p.m. Wednesday at The Palm Theatre, 817 Palm St. in San Luis Obispo. Tickets are $7.50.

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What else is in store for October? I’m so glad you asked.

• “From Dusk Until Dawn” (Oct. 3)
• “Shaun of the Dead” (Oct. 8 )
• “28 Days Later” (Oct. 10)
• “Event Horizon” (Oct. 15)
• “Mars Attacks” (Oct. 17)
• “The Evil Dead” (Oct. 22)
• “A Nightmare on Elm Street” (Oct. 24)
• “Scream” (Oct. 29)
• “The Crow” (Oct. 30)

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Actor, philanthropist, anti-hero: Paul Newman always made me grin

As fate would have it, I was attending a screen-writing workshop when I discovered Paul Newman had died.

Newman, the screen legend, race car enthusiast and philanthropist behind such classics as “The Sting” and”The Hustler,” died of cancer Friday at his home in Westport Connecticut . He was 83.

I heard the news from a Hollywood screenwriter as a collective sigh seeped from the assemblage of movie buffs. At first I thought about Newman’s career, his astounding catalog of Oscar-nominated work. Then I mused on his many contributions to charity and progressive political causes. (Yes, I am a fan of Newman’s Own salad dressing.)

It wasn’t until a couple hours later, watching “Cool Hand Luke,” that I realized what I’ll miss most about Newman.

Toward the end of the film, George Kennedy muses about “that Luke smile” as clips showcasing Newman’s tanned, chiseled features and broad grin parade past the screen. And it really is all about the smile.

Whether he was playing a pool hall hustler or a Wild West bandit, a rebellious youth or a rough-and-ready hockey coach, Newman always came across as the nicest anti-hero in show business — a great actor and likeable scoundrel with a certain streak of devil-may-care.

It was a truism that stretched from his earliest movies (”Somebody Up There Likes Me”, “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof”) to the sunny days of “The Sting” and “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid” to his later work in “Nobody’s Fool” and “The Road to Perdition.”

Let Robert Redford be serious. Let Steve McQueen and Clint Eastwood act tough.

On the screen, even at his most villainous, Newman was a joker. Sadness was there — a recognition of life’s fleeting nature and passing pleasures — but laughter was always waiting in the wings.

In fact, you could watch a Paul Newman laugh as it happened. It’d start with a twinkle in those piercing blue eyes, a wry curl of his crisp lips. Those lips would open to reveal an army of perfectly square white teeth. You’d watch the laugh travel south down his torso, where it’d finally erupt, a true Newman belly laugh.

That’s what I think of as I watch the closing credits of “Cool Hand Luke” — Paul Newman’s one-of-a-kind smile.

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Gore Vidal looks pensive as he surveys San Luis Obispo County Airport after overcast delayed his landing.

May 25, 1982
Gore Vidal is a journalist’s dream candidate because unreserved subjects make writing a story easy. Every time you look up from the notebook they say something more provoking than the last time. Professional politicians love running against them because they can look like the steady alternative, without trying.

The prolific author had his first book on the shelf at the tender age of 21. Yet the siren call of politics drew him to run for a New York Congressional seat in 1960 and for a California Senate seat in 1982.

He worked hard while he was in town, book signing and lecture at Cal Poly, visit to the residents of the Anderson Hotel and a television interview. The steady royalty checks from popular novels and screenplays somewhat insulated him from the usual grind of working a room for donations. It was a good thing because there were very few special interests who would give money to an acid witted author.

Staff writer Larry Bauman wrote:

Why at the age of 65, is Vidal taking a leave from the literary life to become a politician?
As he told a Cal Poly audience Tuesday morning: They asked me why I decided to run this year and I said ‘frustration.’ And I don’t want it written on my tombstone that he always complained but he never did anything about it.”

There were so many leftovers they ran a quote box next to the main story under the headline:

A few gems from Gore Vidal
On Gov. Brown:
“Heaven knows what he’s talking about – resonated air.”
On Congress:
“You must remember that most of the people in Congress are sent there by the defense industry and other corporations.”
On the CIA
“It’s dangerous, it’s unconstitutional, it’s the president’s hit squad.”
On liberals:
“The liberals seem to feel that most of the country is composed of Archie Bunkers. They’re wrong.”
On Television:
“What do you get out of it? You get docile workers and eager consumers.”
On Vidal:
“You Know I’m just the master of the obvious. If I see a pothole, I say it should be fixed.”

Vidal finished second in the Democratic primary to Edmund G. Brown Jr. who lost in turn to San Diego mayor Pete Wilson.

Photos by Tony Hertz

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Normally a practice reserved for popes, you don’t usually see many people dropping roman numerals and going by “the second” these days.

Cal Poly linebacker Fred Hives II is one who does. If you’ve ever wondered why, this video is for you.

If not, there’s still plenty of other good stuff. Mustangs coach Rich Ellerson makes a cameo on this one. With his screen presence, I think he’s pining for a spinoff. And Hives also tackles helmet malfunctions.

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This is just a reminder that I am at the San Luis Obispo at Morro Bay High football game and I have a live blog running at

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There’s no way you can tell me that listening to a baseball game on the radio is better than watching it on TV.

I mean, come on. If a batter gets beaned in the head, I want to be able to see his helmet shatter. Yet some old timers will insist baseball games are better on radio.

While I disagree with that, I’ve always found it remarkably cozy to listen to good baseball announcers. In fact, I’ll often have a game on the TV in the background just to hear the voices.

With the playoffs in full gear — and the Cubs headed for the World Series* — I’ve been thinking about the best baseball broadcasters, past and present. Mind you, I haven’t been around for 60 years. And I haven’t heard games broadcast in every state. But here are my top ten announcers:

10.) Bob Brenly.

Okay, here’s where my bias comes into play since, you know, he is the color analyst for the Cubs. But the former World Series manager is pretty insightful. And I love how he and booth mate Len Kasper talk about music during the games. In fact, the source of two of my blog posts about music came from them.

9.) Ernie Harwell.

I have to admit, I’m not terribly familiar with the longtime voice of the Tigers, but the guy did it for 55 years, so let’s give him his due.

8.) Bob Uecker.

“I must be in the front row.” Remember those beer commercials? Good stuff. While that was scripted, Uecker was always funny, which is why he was a frequent guest on “The Tonight Show” during the Carson years (a.k.a., when it was good). The Brewers broadcaster always reminded me of a goofy uncle. Ironically, he’s fairly serious as a play-by-play guy.

7.) Steve Stone. 

A few years ago, Stone riled up some crybaby millionaires when he wasn’t as much of a homer as the home team wanted him to be. While Cubs players confronted him — one pitcher even called him during a game to complain — fans and WGN stood by Stone. But he quit anyway.

Known for his uncanny ability to predict what will happen — and for providing serious balance to partner Harry Caray’s silly – Stone is now a radio announcer for the White Sox. 

6.) Joe Morgan.

Much like Stone, Morgan seems to have ESP when it comes to what’s going to happen on the field. Plus, the ESPN announcer has a calming voice, and the former Reds infielder is not afraid to be critical of players.

5.) Jack Brickhouse.

When I first started watching the Cubs, Brickhouse — with his famous “Hey, Hey!” home run call — was a staple of the Cubs and WGN. Known for his enthusiastic support of the teams he called for, Brickhouse also worked games for the Bears, White Sox and Bulls. Remember that famous Willie Mays catch in the World Series? Brickhouse called it.

4.) Jon Miller.

I can’t really pin it down, but Miller just has a soothing voice that I could listen to on any occasion. He calls games for the Giants, but he’s best when paired with Joe Morgan on ESPN. Articulate and well-spoken, his most famous call came when Barry Bonds broke the home run record last year.

3.) Mel Allen.

When I was a kid, I watched “This Week in Baseball” religously, mostly to hear Allen’s voice. Primarily known as the voice of the Yankees, Allen called 22 World Series contests and 24 all star games. His many catch phrases included the most famous - “How about that!”

2.) Vin Scully.

There may not be a cozier baseball voice out there. While Scully has been the voice of the Dodgers for 59 years, I first heard him doing NBC games with Joe Garagiola – perhaps the greatest baseball commentator pairing of all.

There are too many great Scully calls to mention, but to name a few: Kirk Gibson’s World Series homerun, Hank Aaron breaking Babe Ruth’s homerun record, and Dwight Clark’s endzone catch in the NFC championship game.

1.) Harry Caray.

Of course! Remember my aforementioned bias? But, really — Harry was a true character. Although known mostly for his work with the Cubs, he started out with the Cardinals, the A’s and then the White Sox before settling on the North Side. 

It was with the White Sox that he started singing “Take Me Out To The Ballgame” during the 7th inning stretch. But Harry was known for many other things, like spelling people’s names backwards and boasting about his alcohol consumption.

One broadcaster I interviewed said Caray had a cooler full of Buds he dipped into every game. And a friend who met Caray once asked the broadcaster for an autograph, which he agreeed to give in exchange for the 6-pack the autograph seeker holding.

Hey, Cubs — “Let’s. Get. Some. Runs!”

* I know — I’ve fallen off the deep end

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This movie rocks! Concert Ts for your film favs

“I was in the music business briefly…. Roadie for Metallica. Speed of Sound tour. Bunch of assholes.”

– The Dude, “The Big Lebowski”

CineFile Video of Los Angeles has created the unthinkable: T-shirts that celebrate your favorite film directors, based on your favorite rock concert Ts.

Werner Herzog, meet Danzig. Van Halen? What about Swedish director Lars Von Trier?

The Fassbinder shirt is modeled after Metallica, the Ingmar Bergman shirt after Iron Maiden. Punk rock gets a shout with this Black Flag-inspired T-shirt honoring Hungarian director Bela Tarr. Meanwhile, American auteur Brian De Palma gets a tribute styled after — who else? — Def Leppard.

Brilliant, no? I predict that legions of movie buffs will be seen roaming Toronto, Venice and Park City, Utah, in these awesome tees.

The shirts are also available via MondoTees.com, the same company that sells such cinematic wonders as Baseball Furies pants (”The Warriors”) and Steve Zissou beanies from “The Life Aquatic.” If you want to prove your undying love for Don Knotts or “Death Race 2000,” this is the online store for you.

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Thanks to John (of John and Dani fame) for the tip.

Shirt design courtesy of CineFile Video.

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This week’s free game is a creepy one. But that’s OK, because we’re nearing October, the month of Halloween horrors!

Title: The Suffering
For: PC
Developed and published by: Midway
Age rating: Mature

A caveat first: “The Suffering” is the video game equivalent of a B horror movie, with all the blood and gore and scariness that implies. And like a horror movie, that’s a large part of what makes it entertaining. But take that Mature rating seriously; this one’s not for the kiddies. I first played this one when it came out on the original Xbox. It was pretty good, as I recall, though it has long since landed in the bargain bins of game stores. And now you can get it for free.

The corporeal dude in the picture up there is Torque, the anti-hero of the game. Torque is on death row in a fictional island prison off the coast of Maryland. He’s in for murdering his wife and kids. As the game starts the prison is overrun by monsters in the gruesome image of execution methods — a twisted being with swords for arms and legs represents decapitation, while syringe-studded wretches stand in for lethal injections, and so on.

These monsters are dumb but vicious, and there are also greater spirits at work on the island, like the vaporous guy in the photo, Hermes, who liked executing people so much that he committed suicide in the prison’s gas chamber so he could haunt inmates forever.

And then there’s Torque’s own inner beast to deal with. The most interesting twist of the game is that how you act while playing influences whether or not Torque was actually guilty of his crime. Leave helpless inmates to die — or worse, kill them yourself — and it’ll turn out that Torque murdered his family or was at least involved in their deaths. Work to redeem Torque and he’ll end up being innocent of the crime.

(Image from Mobygames.com)

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Visiting Cayucos area site of test drilling by state engineers are three members of the Morro Bay-Cayucos Joint Atomic-Seawater Reclamation Committee (left to right) Joe Giannini, Jack Lindemann and chairman Duval Williams.

January 9, 1966

The Atomic Age was on the march. Three years earlier Cal Poly had installed a micro wattage demonstration reactor. In nine months PG&E would announce their choice of Diablo Canyon as the location for their multi-unit nuclear plant.

Why not a nuclear fired electric plant in Cayucos?

Governor Pat Brown was in the midst of an ambitious construction cycle to bring water to southern California. President Lyndon Johnson was spending money on his Great Society programs. In a year one would be out of office and the other would be sinking in the mire of the Vietnam War but for a brief time there was a nuclear-fueled gleam in north coast booster’s eyes.

Quoting from the uncredited article:

CAYUCOS — Test drilling began this week near here to determine if this area is a suitable site for an atomic power facility.

Under direction of a state geologist, Cliff Farrell, corings were being taken to see how earthquake-proof and stable a site north of Cayucos is.

Cayucos is one of five California sites under consideration for a $100 million joint California-federal nuclear powered electrical station.

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