Was it really so different in 1891?

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• Carla's Country Kitchen in Morro Bay

  Carla's Country Kitchen in Morro Bay

  Carla's Country Kitchen in Morro Bay was opened in 1987 by Carla Borchard. Today, it continues to promise "Great 'Down Home' Cooking," and it definitely delivers on its claim.

• 'A Christmas Story' at the San Luis Obispo Little Theatre

  'A Christmas Story' at the San Luis Obispo Little Theatre

  Christmas is all about traditions. As Dec. 25 nears, many of us will decorate trees, rattle sleigh bells and assemble with families, devouring ham and exchanging sweaters, just as our ancestors did before us.

  But for the past quarter of a century, another yuletide tradition has emerged: The annual viewing of “A Christmas Story.”

  “I think for this generation— and maybe ours too — it’s kind of replaced ‘It’s a Wonderful Life,’ ” said Mike Mesker, a San Luis Obispo resident who appears in the stage version of “A Christmas Story” at the San Luis Obispo Little Theatre.

• Foster families welcome tears and joys

  Foster families welcome tears and joys

  Many children awake this Christmas morning to the thrill of presents under the tree and a memorable day with loving parents. But for foster children, who for their safety have been removed from their parents by the Department of Social Services, Christmas can be an unspeakably difficult time.

  In the spirit of giving, some foster families provide more than just a clean bed and regular meals to the traumatized youth who land in their homes. They also give warmth, emotional support, and advocacy — all year long.

  Here are profiles of two such foster families.

• Trashing of Paso chief shows bad journalism

  Trashing of Paso chief shows bad journalism

  I hesitate to get in the way of the hyperventilating mob storming the castle, drooling to capture and destroy the Paso Robles police chief. If I’m not careful, I might catch a pitchfork, or get set on fire by one of the torches.

  But really, can we slow down just a bit and look at this rationally? Can we eye the accusations skeptically, as professional news people do, and with judiciousness, as grown-ups do?

  The accusations — if I can call them that — against Chief Lisa Solomon began to surface a couple of weeks ago. I say began to surface because when they first belched in a noticeable way they were roiling around in a putrescent online swamp swarming with wannabe journalists. I will call this outfit Swamp Gas.

• Letters to the Editor 12/8

  Letters to the Editor 12/8

  Pointless police logs

  What is your emergency? I sincerely hope it’s not a grey goose sighting in a WalMart parking lot, an older (obviously drunk) woman slapping men in a night club, or the frequent and repulsive mention of people “doing their business” in public places. Come on, people!

  The police logs from Pismo and SLO are the source of this pointless effort to, what? Entertain the readers? Frankly, I’m offended. The fact that The Tribune has decided to give premium placement, usually on the front page of the Local section, to report these incidents (and try to inject humorous headlines) is an irresponsible use of editorial space, especially because the exact street addresses are published in the column. That’s a privacy issue in my opinion!