DAN DE VAUL | HEIDI HARMON | RON TILLE Y | L ARRY GABRIEL | OPER A SLO
JournalPLUS OCTOBER 2015
MAGA ZINE OF THE CENTRAL COAST
WILL JONES
805-543-2172
805-904-6616
21 Santa Rosa St. #100, San Luis Obispo
110 E. Branch Street, Arroyo Grande
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High on a hill above the Village of Arroyo Grande. Breathtaking views of valley and hillsides. Entertain with style from this gorgeous 3 bedroom. Beautiful indoor kitchen plus outdoor kitchen with lighted covered patio off the dining room. Great room with natural lighting and vaulted wood beam ceilings opening onto expansive deck. Custom firepit seating area next to the Bocce Ball Court. Garden Room. 1.25 acre. $945,000
www.3425Johnson.com
www.2525gwenplace.com
Nice home on the sunny side of town. Four Bedroom, Fireplace, two car garage in a convenient location. Homes in this subdivision are in demand. $599,000
Love to entertain? Need extra room and space? This beauty will amaze you with all of the space and upgraded features! Old Avocado Ranch is a beautiful neighborhood located in the beach community of Oceano at the Arroyo Grande city limits. Home boasts an open floor plan, gourmet kitchen, wired for HD surround sound, fireplace, large back patio with gas line for BBQing, alarm, and much more. There are a total of 5 rooms which can be used as bedrooms, office, guest quarters, etc. $549,000
www.949Pacific.com
Nice Beach Cottage in Morro Heights. This two bedroom, one bath sports a nice private fenced back yard and a white picket fence in the front. Great starter or weekender. All Close to the business area of Morro Bay. $519,000
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Reducedprice!Upscaleneighborhoodwithsecure&privategatedcommunityofLaVentananearMarianMedicalCenter.This2104sq.ft.,3bedroomplusloft/extraroom,2.5bathattachedtownhomefeaturesaspaciousliving room with fireplace & separate large dining room, interior laundry room, and neutral decor thru-out. Kitchen is open and spacious. The private backyard is perfect for entertaining! The La Ventana community includes heated pool, outdoor fireplace and beautiful clubhouse. Convenient to Hwy 101, hospital, shopping, etc. $364,000
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CONTENTS
Journal PLUS MAGAZINE OF THE CENTRAL COAST
The People, Community, and Business of Our Beautiful Central Coast ADDRESS
654 Osos Street San Luis Obispo California 93401
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DAN DEVAUL
PHONE 805.546.0609 E-MAIL slojournal@fix.net WEBSITE www.slojournal.com
EDITOR & PUBLISHER Steve Owens ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Erin Mott GRAPHIC DESIGNER Dora Mountain COPY EDITOR Susan Stewart PHOTOGRAPHER Tom Meinhold DISTRIBUTION Jan Owens, Kyle Owens, Jim Parsons, Gary Story
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RON TILLEY
BIZ STEINBERG
ADVERTISING Steve Owens CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Susan Stewart, Natasha Dalton, Joseph Carotenuti, Dr. James Brescia, Sarah Hedger, Maggie Cox, Will Jones, Deborah Cash, Heather Young, Don Morris, Ruth Starr, James Statler, Rebecca LeDuc, Joe Thomas and Jan Marx. Mail subscriptions are available at $20 per year. Back issues are $2 each. Inquires concerning advertising or other information made by writing to Steve Owens, JOURNAL PLUS MAGAZINE, 654 Osos Street, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401. You can call us at 546-0609, our fax line is 546-8827, and our e-mail is slojournal@fix.net. View the entire magazine on our website at www.slojournal.com JOURNAL PLUS MAGAZINE is a free monthly distributed to over 600 locations throughout the Central Coast and is also available online at slojournal.com Editorial submissions are welcome but are published at the discretion of the publisher. Submissions will be returned if accompanied by a stamped self addressed envelope. No material published in the magazine can be reproduced without written permission. Opinions expressed in the byline articles are those of the writers and not necessarily those of the JOURNAL PLUS MAGAZINE. COVER PHOTO PROVIDED BY WILL JONES
PEOPLE 8 10 12 14 16
DAN DEVAUL HEIDI HARMON RON TILLEY BIZ STEINBERG HONORED LARRY GABRIEL
HOME & OUTDOOR 18 19 20 24
OPEN STUDIOS TOUR BOWS TO CONQUER CANCER WILL JONES – MT. WHITNEY CLIMB FOOD / AT THE MARKET
COMMUNITY 26 28 30 32 34 36 42
SLO COUNTY ART SCENE CAMBRIA SCARECROW FESTIVAL OPERA SLO HISTORY: Walter Murray – part 1 OUR SCHOOLS – Dr. James Brescia PALM STREET – SLO Mayor, Jan Marx COMMUNITY BULLETIN BOARD
BUSINESS
37 DOWNTOWN SLO What’s Happening 41 CENTRAL COAST’S GREATEST ATHLETES 46 EYE ON BUSINESS
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COMING UP AT THE
PERFORMING ARTS CENTER CLASSICS IN THE COHAN I October 3 | 8:00 p.m. Christopher Cohan Center
CAL POLY PARENT & FAMILY WEEKEND ENSEMBLE SHOWCASE CONCERT
Presented by SLO Symphony
October 23 | 8:00 p.m. Christopher Cohan Center
CAVALLERIA RUSTICANA & PAGLIACCI October 10 | 7:00 p.m. October 11 | 2:00 p.m. Alex & Faye Spanos Theatre Presented by Opera San Luis Obispo
THE COMPLETE HISTORY OF COMEDY (ABRIDGED) October 16 | 8:00 p.m. Christopher Cohan Center Presented by Cal Poly Arts
Presented by Cal Poly Music Dept.
TOM PAPA October 23 | 8:00 p.m. Alex & Faye Spanos Theatre Presented by Cal Poly Arts
MET LIVE IN HD: IL TROVATORE October 25 | 2:00 p.m. Christopher Cohan Center Presented by Cal Poly Arts & Opera SLO
MET LIVE IN HD: OTELLO October 17 | 9:55 a.m. Christopher Cohan Center Presented by Cal Poly Arts & Opera SLO
LAS CAFETERAS DIA DE LOS MUERTOS October 25 | 7:00 p.m.
THE HIT MEN - FORMER STARS OF FRANKE VALLI & THE FOUR SEASONS October 17 | 8:00 p.m.
Alex & Faye Spanos Theatre Presented by Cal Poly Arts
Christopher Cohan Center
AN EVENING WITH SHARON JONES & THE DAP-KINGS
Presented by Cal Poly Arts
October 29 | 7:30 p.m.
DOKTOR KABOOM! LIVE WIRE
Christopher Cohan Center Presented by Cal Poly Arts
October 18 | 3:00 p.m. Alex & Faye Spanos Theatre Presented by Cal Poly Arts
MET LIVE IN HD: TANNHAUSER October 31 | 9:00 a.m.
ALONZO KING LINES BALLET
Christopher Cohan Center Presented by Cal Poly Arts & Opera SLO
October 20 | 7:30 p.m. Christopher Cohan Center Presented by Cal Poly Arts WWW.PACSLO.ORG | 805-756-4TIX (4849)
From the publisher
A smile is the universal welcome.
Max Eastman
Now welcoming new patients! 11545 LOS OSOS VALLEY ROAD SUITE A, SAN LUIS OBISPO, CA
CALL US AT 805-541-5800 TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT.
RYANROSSDDS.COM
S
LO Performing Arts Center’s Managing Director, Ron Regier (pictured) was honored last month at a special 20th Anniversary celebration held at the PAC. I was given the honor of writing the program tribute. Ron is retiring at the end of the year and has held this position since its opening in 1996. For 28 years (eight years as the Cal Poly Arts Director and 20 years as the PAC Managing Director) he has remained behind the scenes quietly making sure everything runs as planned at the Center. Not an easy task. One of his favorite words is working in “Collaboration” with others, giving the other parties all the credit on a job well done. That’s Ron. In his column, written in our magazine during his first year, he stated his main goal was to make this a “Community Center” for all to enjoy... not just the well-to-do. He fulfilled this goal, each year hosting numerous non-profit fundraisers, free children’s concerts, Grizzly Academy graduations and so much more. The Performing Arts Center is the single most important entity that brings Cal Poly, the City of SLO and the Central Coast Business community together as one. Ron was the perfect fit for that monumental task. Ron, it’s high time you take credit for a job well done. Plenty of good reading again this month, including a profile on Dan DeVaul. Some good things are happening out on his ranch. Will Jones checks off another one of his bucket list tasks by climbing Mt. Whitney, and Opera SLO has another spectacular upcoming show teaming up with several Arts programs. Enjoy the magazine.
Steve Owens
ter of San Luis Obispo Cou n e C y r o nty Hist
SLO Souls Meet the Eternal Residents of San Luis Cemetery
Sunday, November 1, 2015 San Luis Cemetery, Higuera and Elks Way Guided tours begin every 20 minutes 12 to 3 pm $15, $10 students, under 10 free Masonic Consecration Ritual honoring R.E. Jack at 11:30 am
Educational family fun in the spirit of the season! Visit historycenterslo.org/slosouls or call (805) 543-0638 for tickets.
King David’s Masonic Lodge #209
SLO Souls is made possible through partnership and sponors! SLOSoulsAd-JournalPlus-R1.indd 1
9/15/15 12:21 PM
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Dan DeVaul helping those in need By Ruth Starr “Danny if you don’t start behaving better, we’re going to send you to Sunny Acres!” Dan DeVaul’s parents warned him when he was about twelve years old about a Juvenile Detention Home called Sunny Acres. That facility is the familiar abandoned red brick building behind the General Hospital in San Luis Obispo, which has been vacant for many years now and soon to be part of the SLO Transitions Mental Health program. Dan DeVaul was born in San Luis Obispo in 1945. He lived in a house on his father’s ranch on Los Osos Valley Road (which was rented from the Morganti family at that time) for the first eighteen years of his life. Leaving when he was 18, he moved to Arizona for the next twenty years. During his time in Arizona he lived in Section 8 housing. Dan lived a wild life using drugs and alcohol, which resulted in a bad auto accident that left him permanently disabled. He returned to San Luis in his mid forties. Originally he worked with his Dad, helping him with the family ranch and with other properties his Dad owned in SLO. When he was growing up the family had a dairy and grew crops on the family ranch, as well as raised cattle on other ranches they owned. Dan’s Dad and uncle started buying property in 1936. Eventually they bought the sprawling 170-acre family ranch on Los Osos Valley Road. When Dan returned to SLO, he was clean and sober. Dan helped his dad run the family ranch raising cattle and chickens. In 1985 his Dad and Mom had decided to move to a house on O’Connor Way. The house on the family ranch sat vacant for a while until his Dad decided to rent to college students. Later when Dan took over the ranch he created a fictitious name—Sunny Acres—the name he remembered from the detention facility from his childhood. When his Dad passed away in 1990, he had a lot of work to do on his estate. None of the extended family had an interest in the family ranch property so Dan took it over. Dan has a sister in Los Angeles and one in San Diego. He also has three sons, Andrew, James, and Tim who live in other parts of the country. When Dan acquired the family ranch he sold off 100 acres to Congregation Beth David and retained 72 acres, including the home in which he was raised. The other properties in the estate went to his sisters, who sold them for development.
Dan currently lives on the ranch with his significant other, Judy. During his stay in Arizona he had become familiar with working with homeless people and others with addiction issues. When he returned to SLO, he met up with seven people who were living on the streets and invited them to move onto his property. They came with trailers and tents and a desire to live a clean and sober life. He soon encountered a lot of push back from the County Staff and ultimately the
The new building being completed on the ranch
Dan’s childhood home on the ranch O C T O B E R
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spread all over the United States on what he was trying to accomplish for down and out people, including a full-page article in the New York Times. Finally after further negotiations the County Board gave him a Conditional Use Permit and allowed Dan to proceed with a new building for housing. The Board also agreed to waive building fees if Sunny Acres could demonstrate responsible non-profit operational leadership.
A view of the crops
County Board of Supervisors because the people were living there in illegal structures and RVs. Safety issues were their big concern. Dan’s dream was to have a clean and sober facility for those with nowhere else to turn. However, the County was still not satisfied with the safety issues and did not like the way the ranch looked, with too many old cars and too much scattered junk. Over several years they gave Dan many notices to clean it up. His attorney John Belsher finally negotiated with the County and worked out the details of the eventual cleanup in 2007. At the same time Dan obtained zoning clearance for a permit to have a 3000 square foot ag barn. He built the barn with help from those living at Sunny Acres. He hoped that his ever-increasing population of people could live there. The County made it clear it was not to be lived in without proper permits. Unfortunately proper permits were not obtained and the people living there ended up having to leave and many had no place else to go other than living on the streets. Sunny Acres then built small sheds for individual clients. Again, the authorities determined these were not permitable for housing. These matters led to criminal actions against Dan. There were several meetings of neighbors in the area who were in favor and against DeVaul building a facility for the homeless. But things got worse: Dan was convicted of two misdemeanors but was later acquitted of them. There were still five charges for building violations that went to the courts and resulted in a hung jury. He spent a total of one night in jail and was bailed out the next day. After the jail experience, news
In 2002, Sunny Acres was re-created as a non-profit organization, independent of Dan. It was led by three local professionals, John Belsher, Jeff Stulberg and Thom Brajkovich. While Dan’s original vision is still intact today, it was decided not to include him on the Board. The entire 72-acre family ranch is leased to Sunny Acres, Inc., a non-profit entity, governed by the board of directors who oversee the residents and the new building. Tom Brajkovich, an architect, designed a new building and after many months obtained a building permit. The 8,000 square foot house is near completion, with foundation and framing to the roof complete. Community members and donors have paid for the costs, which to date are less than $100,000. The clients living there have done 90% of the work on the building, continuing the strong tradition of job training and personal responsibility at Sunny Acres. There is no paid staff or hired help on the ranch. To help raise funds, among other things, the clients grow crops, selling the veggies on a stand out in front of the property. They are not certified organic but do not use pesticides on their crops. They grow string beans, tomatoes, zucchini, yellow squash, and pumpkins in the fall. The farming takes up about 4-5 acres of the land. There are many other job training activities at Sunny Acres. There is an automotive shop, a welding shop where metal fabrication is taught, landscaping projects and, of course, culinary training so as to provide meals for the 25 or so clients each day. The clients learn personal responsibility by paying for their meals, working at assigned tasks each day and undergoing job training. All are contractually committed to clean and sober living and are offered the chance to attend 12-step programs. The new building will provide bedrooms, bathrooms, laundry facilities, a full kitchen and a much needed large dining area. It will be a much needed asset to the community, helping bridge the gap for people in need. They are committed to carrying forward Dan’s vision of helping those with nowhere else to turn.
Sunny Acres and Dan are proud that their program does not cost the taxpayers anything. It is self-sufficient and teaches this principal to its clients. In that spirit Sunny Acres seeks private contributions of all kinds, from cash to materials to help of any kind. More pictures of the new building and information about life at Sunny Acres can be seen on the website: http://sunnyacresslo. weebly.com/
805 Aerovista #103, San Luis Obispo O C T O B E R
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Heidi Harmon
leading the way for Climate Change By Susan Stewart
“I am not an environmentalist,” says Heidi Harmon. “What I am is a mother,” she insists. This, from a woman whose résumé includes a chairmanship on the Sierra Club’s Climate Change Task Force; a stint as Outreach Ambassador for the SLO chapter of Citizens Climate Change Lobby; organizer for SLO’s 2014 Climate Change March; program director for 350.org, a global climate change organization; climate change educator for Outside In, the SLO Pilot Project; membership in UUSLO’s Green Team; volunteer work with SLO Clean Water Action; and a board membership on ECOSLO. Harmon also has two grown children: daughter Zoie, a graduate of UCLA’s Film Department; and Jack, a music major at UC Santa Cruz. “Climate change is the defining issue of our time,” she explains. “If we do not prioritize it, nothing else will matter.” Determined to be the best mother she can, Harmon has made it her goal to work toward creating a world her children can grow and thrive in. “This is an extension of motherhood,” she says. “This is what love looks like.” Born and raised in Pasadena, Harmon is a 7th generation Californian. She received an A.A. in Early Childhood Education from Cuesta College, and later, a B.A. in Liberal Studies from Cal Poly. Since then, Harmon worked as a business owner / manager, an early childhood educator at Old Mission Preschool, and 15 years ago, Harmon started a music program at Boo Boo Records where she has been, and continues to be, a children’s sing-along leader. For the last five years, Harmon has served as a delegate, committee facilitator, event planner, and community activist in the field of climate change. It was not a teacher, a book, or her own parent who influenced Harmon’s career change; rather it was a mother. “I was profoundly affected by the story of a mother who lost her two young sons in Hur-
“Climate change is the defining issue of our time,” she explains. “If we do not prioritize it, nothing else will matter.” ricane Sandy in 2012,” she said. “I feel like it is my obligation and my opportunity as a mom to do what I can to protect my children.” In addition to the laundry list of local and larger nonprofits she belongs to that are dedicated to finding solutions to the problems we face due to climate change, Harmon has become a public speaker (What Happens in the Arctic Doesn’t Stay in the Arctic, Congregation Beth David, 2013); and she ran for State Assembly in 2014 on a climate and energy platform. More recently, she worked with the SLO City Council, successfully, working with climate change issues. With so many threats to the health of our environment looming just over the horizon, or worse, already here, what does Harmon say to those who say it’s too late?
Force of Nature March O C T O B E R
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“I have spent hours in despair,” she admits. “But people who say it’s too late to take action are indulging in the biggest copout of all. Our kids are in danger of dying from this. You can’t just jump from denial
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In the meantime, readers are encouraged to take what action they can to help create a healthier, greener, more sustainable planet for our children, and our children’s children. You can join organizations like 350.org to get information and updates on climate change. You can support COP21, a very important climate change meeting slated in Paris for the end of this year. You can join Harmon’s SLO-350 Facebook group, or email her at sacredheart9395@yahoo.com. And you can start today by doing any or all of the top 10 ways you can stop climate change by going to www.davidsuzuki.org. There, you’ll find everything from walking to work to eating organically, as well as ways to get informed and involved. Heidi, Zoie and Jack
to an attitude of it’s too late,” she explains. “The most dangerous threats to our cause are the cynics, those who have already given up.” What’s more, Harmon says, the time is now to take action. “The solutions are there,” she says. “We know what to do. What is missing is the political will. We need to elect leaders who will do something.”
“Never in our human history have we all been faced with the same issue,” said Harmon. “It’s a global issue; we’re all in this together. What we do now will affect the whole world and I hope it will force to us to work together as never before.” Close your eyes and conjure up an image of the person or people you love most in the world. “This is what is at stake,” says Harmon. “The time is now.”
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STAL WORK CONSTRUCTION + DESIGN
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COMMERCIAL + RESIDENTIAL LANDSCAPES + MAINTENANCE ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN
O C T O B E R
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ron tilley
gentle soul, warrior spirit... taking on tough issues with grace By Deborah Cash
A
mong many other interests and involvements, local resident Ron Tilley volunteers as a facilitator for the Victim Offender Education Group conducted at California Men’s Colony (CMC West & East Facilities). Those inmates in the program work with Tilley and other facilitators over a one-year period to better understand themselves and the fallout of their actions. “We all cry at least once a week,” said Tilley. “For many of those who’ve committed crimes, the realization of what they’ve done and why they’ve done it is an eye opener for them and we hope will enable them to make better decisions when they rejoin society.” Tilley explained the goal of the program is to bring those who have committed crimes in touch with those who’ve been victimized, though the victims are “surrogates” who have been hurt through criminal activity and aren’t the actual persons involved with the offenders they are meeting. This process enables victims to express their sentiments directly to those who need and want to understand the pain, rage, frustration and sadness that they have caused as a result of their actions. “We work on timelines of their lives,” Tilley explained of those in the program convicted of their crimes. “When did their life, their thinking change? What happened to them that caused their subsequent behavior? Childhood grief and trauma like witnessing a murder?” Tilley explains that facilitating the sessions has become his life’s purpose and is “kind of a religious thing.” Tilley added he knows the importance of his visits with the men and has seen dramatic results. One common theme among participants? “It’s important to them to make sure their mothers don’t think it’s their fault.” Tilley’s local career path included a job at CMC from which he retired in 2007. Prior to his retirement, Tilley said he had gotten involved in volunteer conflict resolution and saw the value of the process as it could be applied in the prison. “The inmates were willing to talk, but I never saw an opportunity for them to talk about their crime in a meaningful way. Putting people on both sides of a crime in the same space is powerful,” he said. “We don’t do it much in our society, but it is definitely a healing tool.”
Ron and his wife, Jeanne Potter
Tilley was born in Toronto Ontario, Canada to James E. Tilley and Norma G. Blackman. The Tilley family lived for a while in Picton, located on Quinte Island in Lake Ontario. Genealogy research traced Tilley’s father’s family as far back as the 1500s in France, to Ireland and later Prince Edward Island. His mother’s family was from Brighton, England. Tilley is the oldest of five surviving children having lost an older brother age two, when Tilley was just six months old. He said he didn’t learn about James Jr.’s death until he was seven. “I still remember the moment when I found out.” The family moved to Granada Hills, CA with brothers Rhys and Robert; brother Scott and sister Barbara came along after settling in California. The family, now mostly spread out across the state with the youngest sister in Tennessee, had a family reunion in Hawaii not long ago. Tilley points out that while his dad was an only child, there are 24 first cousins! After a brief stint at San Fernando Valley State College (now CSUN), Tilley was drafted into the U.S. Army. His military duty ended and he attended Los Angeles Pierce College obtaining his AA in General Education with an emphasis on business and accounting. Starting two gas stations, Tilley put his business acumen to work in the automotive industry. Moving on, he became a general contractor and then, having visited the SLO area and buying a vacation home at Lake Nacimiento, decided to relocate here in 1980.
Ron at the Masonic Lodge O C T O B E R
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He worked first for the county assessor’s office as a property tax appraiser and later worked for the State Board of Equalization—commuting from his Arroyo Grande home to Sacramento—when he met and married Jeanne Potter, a Principal CPA for a local firm, Glenn Burdette. “Once I met Jeanne,” he said, “I was here to stay.” But “the commute was horrendous,” he shared and soon he transferred to CMC as a construction ana-
PEOPLE Ron in his younger days
father had been a Mason but since his dad had died, he wasn’t really sure of the details. “I tracked down my dad’s service in Ontario, Canada and verified his years of participation.” Tilley has served as Board Treasurer, Bookkeeper and Junior Deacon, and is a Lodge Trustee, all of which he is very proud. In addition, Tilley, whose demeanor is calm, kind and caring—with a good measure of humor thrown in the mix—has put those
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qualities to worthwhile use volunteering with an impressive list of local civic and social organizations. To keep things in perspective, Tilley says he bikes, hikes, camps (at motels most recently) and reads. He especially enjoys working on projects around the home he and Jeanne share, laughing at the relevance of this task, “She had the house before she had me!”
lyst, writing funding requests for projects. “My path bounced around,” Tilley said, but noted that he is now firmly rooted and involved in the community. “My wife’s a SLO native,” he said, “We’re very much at home here.” Their blended family includes Tilley’s daughter Debra who lives in Arroyo Grande, her children Tayli, a junior at CSU Channel Islands and Braeden, at AG High, and Jeanne’s two sons, Moses who lives in Santa Ana and David who resides in Live Oak near Santa Cruz. One of the couple’s passions is travelling. Tilley said they take at least one “big” trip every summer and a smaller trip “right after tax season” as Jeanne is still working. They recently returned from a one-month sojourn that incorporated Jeanne’s involvement with SLO Vocal Arts Ensemble touring in Europe. Tilley said one memorable trip was to Turkey due to its early religious history and his fascination with old churches and cathedrals. “One of our first trips was to England where we visited the Salisbury Cathedral. They have one of the four original Magna Cartas there,” he said. “It got me curious about how these amazing buildings were built.” Later, after visiting the National Cathedral in Washington, DC, Tilley said he began talking with workmates and neighbors who were interested in his observations; some of them were also Masons. This turn of events proved fortuitous. Tilley’s wife Jeanne had owned her own home when the couple met. “Jeanne was the second owner of the almost 70-year-old home on San Luis Drive that had been built by Pete Zuiderweg and owned by Clarence Lang, both Masons and members of the local Lodge #209,” Tilley said. “When Clarence and his wife died, the house was donated to Masonic Homes and Jeanne acquired it after that.” Tilley said he found the original plans in the house and did a little asking around to learn more of the home’s history and as a result, he became involved with the Lodge. Interestingly, Tilley recalled that his own O C T O B E R
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biz steinberg
honored with the arlene chandler award for outstanding dedication and exceptional leadership in mental health By James Statler and Marci Sperlo
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n Friday, October 9, spend National Mental Health Day with the Community Counseling Center (CCC) at Ventana Grill in Pismo Beach as the agency plays host to an intriguing afternoon of award giving and speakers. A focal point will be presentation of the Arlene Chandler Award given annually to an individual demonstrating outstanding dedication and exceptional leadership in mental health, to be given this year to CEO of the Community Action Partnership of San Luis Obispo County, Inc. (CAPSLO), Elizabeth “Biz” Steinberg. Serving her 31st year at the helm of CAPSLO (over 37 years total service with the agency), Biz has improved the lives of low income children, youth and families at a local, state and national level. Arlene Chandler, for whom the award is named, helped found and incorporate CCC as a non-profit in 1968 (originally Family Services Center) and also spent 30 years in counseling services at Cuesta College and Cal Poly. Her pioneering role in developing various child and family support programs in San Luis Obispo is truly remarkable. Arlene will be in attendance and participate in the awards ceremony. Past winners of the award include Executive Directors Marianne Kennedy, Women’s Shelter Program of SLO County (2014), and Jill BolsterWhite, Transitions Mental Health Association (2013). Elizabeth “Biz” Steinberg is the CEO of the Community Action Partnership of San Luis Obispo County, Inc. (CAPSLO), a Community Action Agency serving low-income community members since 1965. As Chief Executive Officer, Biz is responsible for implementing the mission of the organization: eliminating the causes of poverty by empowering low-income individuals and families to
achieve self-sufficiency through a wide array of community-based collaborations and programs. Biz reports to a tripartite Board of Directors composed of 1/3 Publicly Elected Officials, 1/3 Private Sector and 1/3 low income representation. This structure was organized in the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964 and has served as the hallmark of governance for Community Action. In 2009 the EOC Board changed the agency name to Community Action Partnership of San Luis Obispo County, Inc. (CAPSLO) to be in sync with the other 1,100 Community Action Agencies in the country. With a budget of $78 million and 1,000 full-time and seasonal employees, CAPSLO serves 40,000 low-income persons annually in San Luis Obispo County and ten other central and southern California counties. Biz holds a Bachelor’s degree in Home Economics, with a concentration in Child Development. In addition, she holds several Certifications in the fields of Early Childhood Development and Education. Biz has done post graduate work at Cal Poly and Pacific Oaks College. Biz began working at CAPSLO (then EOC) in 1978; becoming CEO in 1984. In 1986 Biz was hired by Cuesta College where she taught Early Childhood Education/Family Studies in the Human Development Division on Monday nights for 27 years before retiring in 2013. Countless former students have gone on to become leaders in their prospective fields. Enter the incomparable Arlene Chandler, Human Development Division Chair at Cuesta College. “I remember bumping into Arlene in the halls in my first year teaching
James Statler and Biz Steinberg O C T O B E R
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PEOPLE night classes. We formed an immediate connection as University of Wisconsin Alumni (Go Badgers!) and through our passion for child, family, and community programs. Arlene opened up new teaching opportunities for me at Cuesta and was a big part of why I taught there for 27 years. Receiving the Arlene Chandler Award is such an honor. Rarely do you receive an award named after a respected mentor.”
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The award giving will be complimented by an educational component, featuring keynote speaker Psychologist, Dr. Salvador Trevino, Antioch University, Santa Barbara, Director of Practicum. Trevino will offer a keynote during the luncheon entitled “Ancestral Knowledge in Dreams” and a morning bonus seminar for professionals from 9:00-11:30am entitled: Latino Immigration, Cultural Trauma, and Cultural Complex.
Biz is known as a passionate advocate for low-income children and families. She promotes advocacy through her participation on numerous local, state and national boards. A partial local list of past and present involvement includes: Community Health Centers (CHC), Sierra Vista, Workforce Investment Board, SLO Housing Authority, Mission Community Services Corporation, California Family Planning Council, and Children’s Services Network (founding member). At the National level, Biz is on the National Migrant & Seasonal Head Start Board as well as the National Head Start Association and the National Community Action Partnership Board. Biz has been the recipient of numerous awards including: Woman of the Year – Commission on the Status of Women; Leadership in Excellence – California Association of Nonprofits; Outstanding Leadership on Behalf of Children & Families, and the Woman of Distinction, Community & Public Service Award SLO County Children’s Services Network. In 2013, Biz was awarded the National Head Start Association Pioneer Award in honor of her commitment and dedication to the Head Start program over her 40-year career. Most recently Biz was awarded the Grace Mitchell Lifetime achievement award from San Luis Obispo County Community Foundation and Cuesta College. Biz recalls, “My work in the classroom and experiences adopting our daughter helped me realize again that Community Action’s work needed to always integrate the whole person with physical, mental/ emotional, social, cognitive and cultural support.” The agency’s values, as well as Biz’s leadership values, crystallized around this personal experience. Biz has collaborated with other nonprofits in the human service sector since the 1980s helping to comprise an intimate system of service delivery for the County of San Luis Obispo. In our community, nonprofits, government agencies, and committed individual volunteers help to create an improved quality of life for all residents. Biz continues to make a significant difference in the lives she touches through her efforts to empower low-income families, fight for women’s reproductive rights, advocate for low income housing, and mentoring many to become true agents of change. Biz is honored to work with CCC and CHC as they partner to build capacity in offering expanded mental health services county-wide. Biz lives the promise of Community Action. She helps people change their lives every day, as she says, “one individual, one family at a time.” Her dedication is clearly evident through her actions as she lives a life of meaning and challenges those around her to do the same through her mentorship and leadership. Her boundless energy and enthusiasm for her work is the same as it was 40 years ago. She and her husband, Howard, are the proud parents of three children and grandparents of five. Come celebrate in person and be captured by Lyceum 2015 and all the trappings it will entail. Register at www.cccslo.com or by calling the main office at (805) 543-7969. O C T O B E R
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PEOPLE
larry gabriel “ARCHITECTURE IS A SERVICE PROFESSION” By Natasha Dalton
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or Larry Gabriel, choosing a profession was surprisingly easy. “I had a schoolmate whose older brother was taking drafting classes and was making models,” he recalls. In the 9th grade Gabriel, too, tried his hand at drafting—“and thought that it was pretty cool.” It’s been a straightforward path from there.
By the time Gabriel was accepted to Cal Poly, he already had an AA in Architectural Drafting from Fresno City College, and—although the university didn’t accept his credits for transfer—he still managed to get through the program faster than most. It wasn’t easy. “They call it archi-torture for a reason,” Mr. Gabriel says, remembering his days as an undergrad. “When I started at Cal Poly in 1971, it was hard to get in and it was hard to stay in. They didn’t do aptitude tests at that time and the graduation rate was 17-18 %.” But the facilities were great, and so were the teachers, who encouraged students “to learn by doing.” The building which now houses Cal Poly’s School of Architecture wasn’t built yet, but the students had their “Jungle”—barracks where some of the classes were held and where the future architects experimented with painting and construction. “Cal Poly did a good job in preparing us for design production,” Mr. Gabriel says, noting that students who’re used to working with sticks and stones have a shorter learning curve. “Doing loose sketches it’s not the same as real construction: it’s only when you actually start building you can see your errors and make adjustments,” he explains. Of course, these days, computers are taking sketching to another level. “Before, your imagination was only as good as you could draw,” Gabriel says. “The current graduates use 3D, instead of making models out of Styrofoam or wood; that encourages them to explore things that they previously might’ve overlooked.”
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“We live in a time of transition, and the industry draws in new people,” Mr. Gabriel continues. “You can now do all sorts of things in the name of architecture: be a designer, a programmer, an attorney, a photographer, even a journalist.” But whatever your skills, you still have to be good at management. Gabriel’s first years on the job made this point clear: “You really need a sort of a business degree to go along with your professional training,” he discovered. “Unfortunately, nobody prepares you for the marketing side of the job,” he says. “It’s something that passes on from the senior members of the company to the junior members, and something that I had to learn by the seat of my pants. With my Architectural License on the wall, I was ready to take on every project in sight.” Luckily, an architect’s work speaks for itself. “We joke that if you make a mistake, you can cover it by planting trees in front of your building,” Gabriel chuckles. But although he is a proponent of green environment, he needn’t worry about camouflaging his buildings: their beauty and functionality are indisputable. Some might call Gabriel “old school” for preferring felt-tips and pencils in his sketches, but there’s nothing old-fashioned about his vision. “I’ve always been drawn to modern design,” he says. “I believe that architecture should be progressive, i.e. moving forward, not backwards.” He began traveling internationally when he was already an estab-
Studios on the Park
PEOPLE real talk of the town: it was the first high-end restaurant, called Artisan, which featured California Fresh Cuisine. The building reflects the restaurant’s owners’ interest in modern and elegant simplicity. It came to symbolize the new sustainable foodie culture that has become the new face of the city. “Seven years ago this building was pretty urban for Paso Robles,” Gabriel admits. But so were its owners, transplants from the Bay area Chris and Michael Kobayashi. “People moving to the area seem to gravitate to my work—or maybe I gravitate to them,” Gabriel chuckles.
The II Cortile building
lished professional, and it made him re-think classical design. “It’s the architecture I cannot copy, but it’s the architecture that I can now appreciate,” Gabriel says. Still, in his own designs, he prefers clean, modern lines. He started his professional career in Fresno—where he built everything from multifamily units to public offices—then moved to Sacramento to work on the renovation of the Memorial Building, which presented “a whole new level of complexity.” “At that time there were maybe 5 fellow Cal Poly graduates in the whole city of Fresno, but in Sacramento, there were 5 Cal Poly alums right in my office,” Gabriel says. He fit right in. He did well in the state capital. By 1982, he already had his own office and a number of exciting projects coming his way. In all the years that followed, there was only one, relatively short period of time, when Gabriel indulged in traditional architecture: for 5 years he was building golf course clubhouses. You don’t need to be a golfer to build a clubhouse, but being one, made it all that much easier for Gabriel to deliver to his clients exactly what they were looking for. “I enjoyed it,” Gabriel says about his golf course stint. But when a Paso Robles-based construction company Chamblin Landes offered Gabriel several interesting projects on the Central Coast, he couldn’t resist the challenge. At first, he commuted between his home in Carmel Valley and the local construction sites. But as his treks became more frequent, Gabriel decided to open an office in Paso Robles. One of his first big projects in Paso became a
Another Paso landmark built by Gabriel, Il Cortile, is also widely admired both for the quality of its design and the food in its restaurant—and presents a good example of Gabriel’s sensitivities to local tastes. It replaced a popular breakfast joint Joe’s Café, which was severely damaged during the 2003 earthquake. When the building owners asked Gabriel for help with renovations, it was decided to try something completely different. The new building has a private rooftop Margarita Bar, a restaurant downstairs and a small condo in-between—all nestled in a stunningly elegant, contemporary building. And yet, Gabriel managed to preserve the flavor of the past by carefully restoring the building’s original gate. Amazingly, the gate looks just right in its new home. “I try not to force my whims on the clients— but I’ve been pretty lucky in that I could usually get my ideas forward,” Gabriel says. “When you have good clients, it’s easy to come to work every day.” Moreover, good clients have the potential to become longterm partners—as it happened, for instance, with Joseph Gerardis. Gabriel first met Gerardis at one of his
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own projects, where Gerardis worked as a carpenter. Later, after Gerardis founded Joebella Coffee Roasting Company, Gabriel helped design 3 of his coffee shops: Joebella in Templeton and Atascadero and Spearhead in Paso Robles. All three places were built in an environmentally-conscious way: “Joe insisted on creating comfortable spaces by reusing and repurposing materials,” Gabriel comments. In Sacramento, Gabriel was an active member of the 20-30 Club—a service group that helps needy children. “I got into the club because my friend was there,” Gabriel admits. But once in, he wanted to be useful: He became a Board member, and spent a lot of time organizing fundraisers and looking for the best ways to distribute the funds. In his chapter, 200 club members were annually raising $200,000 for the kids. “20-30 is similar to the Rotary Club, except for the fact that it’s meant for young people: they kick you out when you turn 30,” Gabriel says. But you don’t have to be in a Service Club to be of service, and Gabriel continues to support charities that are focused on the needs of the children, like Loaves and Fishes in Paso Robles. “In Santa Maria, at Christmas time we used to take needy children to Mervyn’s,” he says. “The kids usually had a list of things to look for, and we helped them to make good choices. Mervyn’s gave us a 20-30% discount, and afterwards, we took all these children out to breakfast. They loved it! It was so much more gratifying than just giving a check,” Gabriel says, and adds: “I’m looking to revive this tradition.” Bringing kindness and beauty to his environment comes naturally to Larry Gabriel. He is a good neighbor to have.
Sunday, November 8, 2015 · 4 p.m. Cuesta College CPAC Featuring Suzanne Duffy, flute $25 advance · $30 at the door · $10 student brownpapertickets.com www.canzonawomen.org
CRICKET HANDLER & JILL ANDERSON Artistic Directors
We sing songs that salute the boundless beauty of the world. O C T O B E R
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the open studios art tour
returning with new programs and over 220 participating artists! By Lori Lerian
Artist, Sherrie Laurel
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an Luis Obispo County: Now in its 17th year, the Open Studios Art Tour takes place the weekends of October 10/11 and 17/18, 10am-5pm each day. More than 220 artists open their studios throughout San Luis Obispo County to showcase their art and demonstrate their process. New in 2015 is the Student Mentor program. For this pilot year, four young artists have been paired with veteran Tour artists. The mentors encourage and challenge students in their work and assist them in showing their art and interacting with visitors. The young artists’ ages range from 13 to 23 and they were selected based on their interest in visual
arts. Their studio numbers are marked with an “S” in the catalog. The Open Studios Art Tour kicks off with an artist reception on Friday, October 2 at Art Central Gallery, 1329 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo. Artists display original works of art no larger than 12” x 12” x 12” to give visitors a sneak preview of what to expect on the Tour. The show continues through November 3, 2015. Visitors are encouraged to pick up a free copy of the 64-page, full-color catalog and chart their own self-guided tour. Catalogs are located throughout the county at various distribution points beginning September 18, 2015. For a list
NEWCOMER OR NEW HOMEOWNER? Get your free welcome packet! Liz Hiatt Owner centralcoastwelcome@gmail.com
It includes maps, civic info, coupons from cafes, groceries, wineries, auto hardware, garden, medical, dental, etc. Call your greeter or go to centralcoastwelcome.com SLO / Avila / 5 Cities: Jan Rouse 458-2394 or 209-405-1111 Morro Bay / Cayucos / Los Osos / Cambria: Annie Clapp 878-8876 • North County: Sandy Hexberg 235-1529 •
A FREE SERVICE TO NEWCOMERS O C T O B E R
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of locations, visit artsobispo.org. In addition, a downloadable and a viewing catalog; blog articles about the artists; and a link to an online interactive map can also be found on the Open Studios Art Tour page at artsobispo.org. The Open Studios Art Tour is presented by ARTS Obispo, the local partner of the California Arts Council. This non-profit arts agency advances the arts in San Luis Obispo County through programs that promote public access to the arts, arts in educational settings, local arts planning and collaboration, and opportunities for artists and arts organizations.
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bows up for hope!
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Turning the Central Coast Pink, one bow at a time By Peggee Davis
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very year during this time the women of BowsUP for Hope spend countless hours cutting, tying, and twisting to create pink bows from yards and yards of tulle. The results from their hours of labor are hundreds of pink bows that will be available for purchase/donation during the month of October. This is the fifth year Peggee Davis has organized a team of bow-makers to help raise funds for local women going through cancer treatment. Davis explains: “While there are many great organizations doing research and providing services to women with breast cancer, the Arroyo Grande Community Hospital Foundation’s Women’s Cancer Fund was the first opportunity for us to directly correlate our fundraising efforts with the needs of women in our community.” In previous years, each bow used to take an average of 35 minutes to make. The group was spending upwards of 233 hours on cutting alone! This year, things have changed! With the help of community member and BowsUP for Hope supporter, Warren White and his cutting machine invention, the group is able to shave 30 minutes off their bow-making timeline. Warren’s creative design can cut an entire bolt of tulle in one cut and allows the group to measure and cut a bow in 5 minutes. “We are so grateful to Warren for his invention and everyone who loaded up the tulle on the machine and cut bows this year.” This year the BowsUP for Hope group is planning to make over 1,000 bows to be sold and distributed throughout Cypress Ridge, Trilogy at Monarch Dunes, neighboring communities, and sold at a number of local businesses. Davis shares that “with every $100 raised, we are able to provide local women with one mammogram or ultrasound.”
HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY
Let our family take care of your family.
JUST LIKE HOME
BowsUP for Hope is dedicated to raising awareness and funds that benefit breast cancer services for women in our community through Arroyo Grande Community Hospital Foundation’s Women’s Cancer Fund. Arroyo Grande Community Hospital Foundation Women’s Cancer Fund provides local patients with support for breast cancer and women’s cancers including no-cost mammograms, biopsies, genetic counseling/testing, therapies and other diagnostic screenings.
Volunteers with the cutting machine
If you are interested supporting BowsUP for Hope, please contact Peggee Davis: peggee@charter.net or 805.481.8321.
Happy Halloween!
Let our family take care of your family.
JUST LIKE HOME
Rehabilitation Therapy · Medicare, Medical, HMOs Short Term Rehabilitation · Long Term Care
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Country Oaks C A R E CENTER
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CLIMBING MT. WHITNEY SUMMIT WORKING ON MY BUCKET LIST By Will Jones “The clearest way into the Universe is through a forest wilderness.” —John Muir In the summer of 2010, at the end of my eighth year as principal of San Luis Obispo High School, I learned that I had two blocked coronary arteries, including the left anterior descending, also known as the widow maker. I had one stent inserted and started taking statins to prevent further plaque build-up. The experience helped push me toward retirement one year later. Despite being very active and even losing ten pounds of what I called “cafeteria and candy dish weight,” I had a “mild heart attack” in 2012, which resulted in discovery of a third blocked artery and a second stent. Finally, in early 2013, I injured my knee in a bicycle accident while touring Southeast Asia, which led me to San Luis Sports Therapy and a membership at Athlon gym. Despite the setbacks, retirement has been wonderful, including becoming a regular contributor to Journal Plus magazine. Ironically, due
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Mt. Whitney from the East Side
to the non-fatal heart problems and the bicycle accident, I’m now in the best shape I’ve been in since I was in my early fifties! What follows is an account of the recent fulfillment of a long-time goal. It took a lot of preparation and hard work, but the experience was worth every ounce of effort I put into it.
We started our journey six days earlier at the Onion Valley trailhead west of Independence. On the first day we intersected the John Muir Trail after hiking over 12000’ Kearsarge Pass, camping in the ever-
On a perfectly clear Thursday morning, July 16, 2015, at 10:00 a.m., my backpacking partner Frank Sainburg and I summited Mt. Whitney. At 14508’ it is the highest peak in the lower forty-eight states. We broke camp at Guitar Lake, at 11400’ on the west side of the mountain at 6:30, spent two hours climbing three miles of switchbacks to reach a jagged granite notch just below Trail Crest, dropped our big packs and climbed an additional two miles with just our day packs. Even with the reduced weight, the challenge of the last few hundred feet above 14,000 taxed my breathing and left me feeling extra grateful when we reached our destination. We were rewarded with a spectacular three-hundred-and-sixty-degree view of the Owens Valley, the western Sierras and the biggest sky I’ve ever seen.
Headwaters of the Kern River O C T O B E R
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Camp beneath Forester Pass
green woods of Vidette Meadow at 9500’. In no great hurry and mindful of acclimating to the altitude, on the second day we hiked above tree line to the base of Forester Pass, the highest on the 220 mile JMT at 13100’. Surrounded by dramatic granite peaks, within aural distance of a 200’ waterfall tumbling down varnish rock from a glacial
lake, we made our day two camp at 11100’ and experienced the awesome wonder of living outdoors in a natural cathedral of indescribable beauty. I’ve seen the Taj Mahal, Angkor Wat and Michelangelo’s David, but none of them exceeds the high Sierras for pure emotional power and artistic majesty. On day three Frank and I hiked over Forester and down to Tyndall Creek, arriving late in the afternoon and again camping at over 11000’. We shared the area with numerous other hikers, some who were hiking the entire JMT and some who were attempting the entire Pacific Crest Trail. With the exception of one noisy and seemingly clueless duo, everyone was friendly and thoughtful. It’s great fun sharing information and experiences with other hikers. Even with all of the miles and effort, appetite is tricky at high altitude, but we made sure to eat a good meal in preparation for the ten mile day hike we had scheduled for the next day, which turned out to be the greatest day hike of my life. I make my own dehydrated meals at home and rehydrate them with hot water in one-quart Ziploc freezer bags. To me they’re much better than the commercial meals available at sporting goods stores. The Upper Kern Loop Trail spurs to the west of the JMT and climbs into a remote lunar landscape at almost 12000’, dotted with crystal clear alpine lakes like the exotically named Lake South America. While over-
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looking one lake we saw three deer grazing along the shore and watched them trot off cautiously when they caught wind of us. Fat marmots, pika and chipmunk scurried around and over the rocks, although the marmots ambled more than scurried. We then dropped down until we stood several hundred feet above the lakes that make up the headwaters of the Kern River. At the end of an eight hour day covering many square miles and tens of thousands of acres, we hadn’t seen another human being. We spent one more night at Tyndall Creek and then made our way south to the junction with the Pacific Crest Trail, turning east on the JMT and climbing to our day five camp at Guitar Lake, our base for climbing Whitney. After eleven miles, our accommodations 100’ above the lake felt like a luxury hotel. I spent the late afternoon stretched out under the shade of a willow shrub beside a cascading creek watching wispy white clouds magically appear and disappear above me. I wondered what Walt Whitman would have written had he visited the Sierras. Other hikers and would-be Whitney climbers made their way into the Guitar Lake basin, in awe of the 3000’ sheer granite walls that surrounded us. I learned that many planned to break camp the next morning in the dark, hoping to reach the summit by headlamp before sunrise. While impressed by that goal, I wasn’t tempted to follow their lead. At sixty-six, and after five days of heavy lifting, caution seemed
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Guitar Lake and Whitney Range from the West Side
smarter than additional adventure. Just making it to the top was as much challenge and motivation as I needed! Our plan was to pack up and leave camp at 6:30 a.m., reach the summit around 10:00, and then begin the long eleven mile hike to Whitney Portal, a total of sixteen miles for the day. I awoke at four on a clear, moonless night, crawled out of my sleeping bag and tent and beheld one of the greatest spectacles of my life. First there were the brilliant constellations and the Milky Way etched in granite relief by the jagged peaks of the Whitney range, and then an equally astonishing sight: a broken string of bright headlamps zig zagging its way up the switchbacks and across the ridge to the summit, like medieval torch bearing pilgrims making their way to a sacred location. The combination of the beautiful cosmos and the beautiful spirit of the hikers resulted in a moment of pure joy I’ll never forget. True to our plan, Frank and I made it to the summit in three-and-a-half hours, taking slow, measured steps up the switchbacks and along the rugged trail to the summit. The last few hundred feet above 14000, where the atmosphere is about 40% of what it is at sea level, were tough, but knowing the end was near made them easier to complete. We spent thirty minutes resting and enjoying the spectacular 360 degree view before beginning our descent, six thousand vertical feet downhill to Whitney Portal, where we arrived at 5:30 p.m., eleven hours after leaving Guitar Lake.
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I’ve made numerous rewarding trips to the Eastern Sierras, but this was my longest in terms of miles, altitude and days on the trail. I was grateful that my preparation paid off, equally grateful that my heart and lungs were healthy enough to take me to the summit. My success proved to me that temporary physical setbacks don’t have to result in diminished ambitions, even as a senior citizen. I’m not a fan of the phrase “bucket list,” but I am goal oriented, so it was satisfying and immensely rewarding to reach another goal in retirement. My plan now is to hike every section of the John Muir Trail by the time I’m seventy, four summers from now. Now that I’ve made it public, I guess I’ll have to deliver!
35 YEARS IN YOUR COMMUNITY, BOARD CERTIFIED, PRIOR-CHAIRMAN OF FRENCH HOSPITAL, PRIOR-CHIEF OF STAFF OF FRENCH HOSPITAL, PRIOR-PRESIDENT OF THE SLO COUNTY MEDICAL SOCIETY.
1035 Peach Street, San Luis Obispo | 543-9377 | www.plasticsurgeryslo.com O C T O B E R
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at the market
AUTUMN BIRCHER MUESLI WITH GRATED APPLES, MULBERRIES AND CHIA SEEDS By Sarah Hedger
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ctober is a beautiful time of year on the Central Coast. The Sycamore trees start changing color, the apple trees come into their prime, and the air begins to smell of fermenting grapes (is that weird I enjoy that smell?). There is no shortage of goodness at the markets as there are heaps of varieties of apples to choose from, as well as persimmons, pomegranates, grapes, pumpkins, butternut squash, and other winter squash. So many options! I can’t let a year go by without including apples in an article as they are one of my favorite fruits, no doubt. The trees themselves are beautiful, as well as the delicious fruit they produce. There are so many varieties produced here as well, it is always fun to see what new (and old) varieties are offered each season. I have many fond childhood food memories involving apples! And, they are so good for you! Full of fiber and pectin, Vitamin C, potassium, and calcium, they have gained a reputation of being a health-promoting ingredient worthy of including in our daily lives. My favorite way to enjoy an apple lately, is grated on my breakfast granola with some natural yogurt. Being grated, it makes for a juicy
component of breakfast that is nice and fresh. I’ve taken it a step further lately, and been making a version of bircher muesli, soaking it the night before, so all the ingredients are not only easier to digest, but the seeds and nuts become more activated as well, which is a good thing! It is also nice as it can be made in advance and enjoyed for breakfast, with little or no prep in the morning. While muesli and granola have similar ingredients, muesli is different in that it is usually soaked and served raw whereas granola is mixed with an oil and honey before being baked into the clusters as we know it. I like to think of muesli as more of the fresh version of granola as it’s not roasted. Muesli came about by a Swiss physician (Bircher) in the early 1900s who served it to his patients in hospital, believing a diet rich in fruits and vegetables would help them heal better. Smart man!
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This version of muesli I have come up with can suit a variety of diets as it can easily be made grain free, has no added sugar, and is full of healthy fiber and fats, making it a great way to start the day. Eating it with some good whole, natural yogurt, increases the protein and fat, making it a well balanced meal. The coconut provides good energy and nutrients, as well as heaps of goodness in the flax and chia seeds. I have come to liking brazil nuts lately as well as they have a good amount of selenium, making them add a nice, buttery flavor with good nutrients as well. Dried mulberries are a bit of a special treat, however they add just the right amount of sweetness, with good amounts of Vitamin C and Iron. You can soak the muesli in water or juice, however I’ve found a nice balance with either almond milk or rice milk, or even coconut milk. Lots of options with this one as it can easily be tailored to your taste. So get out there and forage some apples for your own fresh batch of muesli ... a great way to start your day on the right foot! Enjoy!
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Proceeds from sale may be tax deductible! We do all DMV paperwork! All vehicles offered for sale in San Luis Obispo benefiting Local Goodwill Programs. Donations support workforce development services in SLO County. “Our business is changing lives.”
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AUTUMN BIRCHER MUESLI WITH GRATED APPLES, MULBERRIES AND CHIA SEEDS
makes enough BREAKFAST for 4 For the Muesli: ½ cup rolled oats (or ½ cup coconut chips if wanting to make grain-free/gluten free) ½ cup shredded dried coconut 2 T ground flax seed 3 T chia seeds 3 T pumpkin seeds ¼ cup sunflower seeds ¼ cup slivered brazil nuts or chopped almonds ¼ cup dried cranberries ¼ cup dried mulberries ½ tsp cinnamon 2 organic apples, grated (with skins on) 1 ½ cups milk or almond milk or other non-dairy milk *Optional for extra sweetness- spoonful of good honey (manuka) *Optional for extra protein- 2 T of your favorite protein powder Combine all ingredients into large bowl, giving a good mix. Cover and refrigerate overnight. When ready to serve, spoon into bowls and top some good natural yogurt and some fresh seasonal fruit if desired.
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SLO Art Scene
the detonation
The kids art smart program...setting the imagination on fire By Joe Thomas “All an art school is, really, is meeting another guy, another girl, meeting somebody who sends you. And you send them and there’s some kind of electrical thing going on. Or maybe there’s a teacher, or not. It just means some contact that’s going to detonate you. Otherwise why do a hundred people come together in one place? You hope that something is going to detonate something in you. Otherwise what is it for? You are not going to prove something is right or uphold a proven theory.” The above quote is from the painter and teacher Philip Guston who was speaking to a group of faculty and students in the drawing studio at the New York Studio School on January 15, 1969. Throughout my long career as a student I had the privilege of studying with many fine artists and teachers like Guston who provoked and challenged my deeply held convictions of what I thought the world was and who I thought I was within it. For me, art, visual and written, became a form of inquiry that did not provide definitive answers but rather deepened and enriched my life through a searching dialogue. However, the language of this search needed to be learned through doing and this takes a certain amount of courage and freedom from fear. My best teachers cultivated this sureness and faith in the process. As a teacher in the Kids Art Smart program I feel it is my duty to continue this. The Kids Art Smart program that takes place at Studios on the Park in Paso Robles enables grade schools from the area to spend a morning with a working professional artist. Much like my experience in school, the students are able to engage the artist on a level that is special because it becomes an exchange between fellow artists on a journey. In my classes I speak to my students as a person who is trying to engage the world through experiences, imagination and materials in the same way that they are going to do within the lesson of the day. I speak to them about the importance of paying attention to their own unique experiences and then trusting in their responses. They begin to understand that their imaginations need to be fed and it is important to surround themselves with “good food” that nourishes and challenges their intellect. Books, music, friends, movies are just a few ways to nourish the imagination. I teach third graders and in my classes I have been pleasantly surprised to find that not one student has said that they cannot draw. I am so pleased that the ugly face of self doubt and the “monster of comparing” has not revealed itself and contaminated their art-making experience. In art school our teachers always spoke of the idea of authenticity and how crucial it is in creating work of validity and voice. Irony had O C T O B E R
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and has no place here. Personal experience with honesty is the currency of choice. We used to say that in the personal is the universal. My 3rd grade students are perfectly equipped to meet these demands. The exercise is this: Imagine that you can create a mask that will allow you to become anything that you want. Like many stories throughout many cultures, you have the ability to become whatever you imagine. However, in order to do that, you must represent it in a visual language in the form of a mask. The challenge for them and all artists is to transfer what is in their head onto the paper. “If it is not on paper then it does not exist!” The students then draw out their ideas over and over again making constant revisions. “There are absolutely no mistakes because everything is imbued with possibility.” I talk to them about combining many animals, machines, tools, objects to create something new and unique. By pulling from their own experiences, they are able to draw with a type of conviction. At the beginning of the exercise each student is armed only with a pencil and stacks of paper. Automatic drawing is easy for my class of third graders because their judgments are not as severe as they later become with age. They trust that what they are doing is significant due to a lack of fear from “peer review.” I have found in my years teaching in the Kids Art Smart program that my students truly get excited about each others work and it is amazing what happens when an artist feels that they have the support of the group behind them. The originality and beautiful strangeness that each student conjures is a group effort found in the care and support of the larger community. I believe that the respect they show to each other gives them the strength to take risks. Only by taking these risks can they hope to create something new and unique, something original. By forming connections where there had been no connections before is an exciting way to create. To do otherwise becomes mere imitation and mimicry. Originality is a treasured component in a creation in my class. Strangeness and difference becomes something not to be feared but celebrated and it is in the making of these masks that the students witness the special qualities of their individuality. The simple materials of paper, markers, pencils, raffia, tissue, crayon become transformed into artworks of identity and personhood. The masks are concrete extensions of who the students hope to be contextualized, of course, in fun and humour. Through playing and searching with these materials they are able to formulate a vision unlike anyone else’s. To nurture the arts in education is to nurture a student’s ethical development. They learn empathy, tolerance and the celebration of difference in others as well as in themselves. The Self-Portrait Mask exercise is just a simple vehicle to get them to realize how wonderful and unique they really are, as individuals as well as a group. And it is their differences in background, experiences, likes and dislikes, that enriches the world. The making of art does this in a very special way and all of it begins with just a little spark, a detonation.
SLO art Scene
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SLo museum of art fall workshops for adults By Rebecca LeDuc
L
ooking for a creative outlet this fall? The San Luis Obispo Museum of Art is offering four fall art workshops and one drop-in studio painting class for adults. Whether you’re a novice or a seasoned professional, interested in painting, textiles, fashion or travel sketching, there is a little something for everyone this fall. On Sundays in October—October 11, 18, and 25—learn to paint expressively with water-based oil or acrylic paint in Drop-In Afternoon Studio Painting. Students can bring in their own photos or subjects to paint from or use an example provided by the instructor, Kathy Spencer-Canepa. All experience levels welcome for ages 16 and up. No pre-registration required, and all materials will be included. Do you have an item in your closet that never gets worn? Don’t throw it away! Rediscover and reinvent those closet castoffs and thrift store finds. In Art Wear, a workshop with Melinda Forbes, Julie Frankel, and Meg Johnson on October 16 and 17, 2015, students will get inspired, learn surprisingly easy techniques to alter garments, and work with all kinds of clothing from our inclass clothing swap. The workshop will culminate with a virtual fashion show. Learn enough to play for a lifetime!
Art Wear
Pocket Sketching with Kath Macaulay from November 13 to 15, 2015 is the perfect technique for travel journaling, hiking, biking, sauntering, or sitting in a café. Learn to capture a scene in 25 minutes or less using a water-soluble pen, a 4 x 6 inch pad of paper, and a small paint set. Ideal for the timid beginner to paint fearlessly in public, as well as the advanced artist who wants minimal equipment, total portability, speed, no interruptions, and no clean-up. This workshop covers several of the watercolor techniques of John Singer Sargent. For more information on the Museum of Art’s year round adult workshops, visit www.sloma.org or call the Museum of Art directly at (805) 543-8562.
Canepa Drop-in studio painting
The San Luis Obispo Museum of Art, dedicated to the education, presentation and preservation of the visual arts on the Central Coast, is located at 1010 Broad Street, on the west end of Mission Plaza. Hours are 11am – 5pm daily. Closed Tuesdays through July 4. Open daily from July 4 through Labor Day. Free admission, donations appreciated. For more info visit SLOMA.org. O C T O B E R
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cambria scarecrow festival fun for all By Heather Young
E
very October the towns of Cambria and San Simeon become one big field of scarecrows. Although the purpose of scarecrows is to scare away birds from fields where crops are growing, Cambria uses them to attract people to the small resort town. The Cambria Scarecrow Festival doesn’t bring out a few scarecrows, it really goes all out by putting out nearly 400 carefully and artfully crafted scarecrows. “It is a case of whimsy running rampant,” Cambria Scarecrow Festival board member Sue Robinson said. “Hundreds of artfully created scarecrows are on display, the weather in October is almost always near perfect. While the scarecrows are the main attraction, visitors can enjoy the beautiful beaches, great shopping, fine food and topnotch wineries.” The festival started in 2009 after Taylor Hilden, Cambria Scarecrow Festival’s current president, was visiting Canada and saw a small scarecrow festival and thought it’d be a great addition to Cambria. It then expanded to include the business district in San Simeon. For the first year, the festival will include the business district of Harmony. Robinson said the first year there were 30 scarecrows in the Cambria Historical Museum. In 2010, the festival expanded from the museum and into the town. That second year had 100 scarecrows throughout the town. Nearly every storefront, street corner and open lot is taken over by the unique scarecrows, which, according to the festival, will “scare neither crow nor man, but add fall character.” There are even some at Moonstone Beach. “You walk along the street and you are going to see scarecrows every few feet,” Robinson said. “Some are mechanical. Some look exactly
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like someone. It’s a day to walk around and check around the businesses. Do a little lunch, do a little shopping.” The scarecrows are made by anyone who wants to. The only caveat, Robinson said, is that the scarecrows must be placed in the business district to be part of the festival. For those who want to create a scarecrow, but don’t have a location, there is a location committee that pairs scarecrows with an available location. While Robinson said there is no way to track the exact number of visitors, she said they checked with the Cambria Chamber of Commerce last year and it had more than 19,000 visitors to the chamber office. The first year of the festival, it had fewer than 900 visitors. “It’s pretty crowded in the month of October,” Robinson said. “We have bus loads coming in.” She added that the local hotels reported increased occupancy and the restaurants reported that they’ve had increased business in October. The theme of the 2015 festival is “A Magical Place,” which encourages people to celebrate the magic that surrounds them—nature, community spirit, childhood fantasies or illusions.
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Robinson said she couldn’t possibly pick a favorite scarecrow, but did mention a few memorable scarecrows. “A few years ago, a local bicycle club, The Slabtown Rollers, created a display of five scarecrows riding bicycles,” she said. “The scarecrows were peddling and the bicycle wheels were turning. The local Catholic Church did a grouping of four singing nuns and a guitar-playing priest, which got a lot of people’s attention. We have had a parachuter stuck in a tree, an animated mariachi playing trumpet and a couple of Martians, a dog and a cat in a bathtub to name a few.”
As visitors walk through the maze of scarecrows in Cambria and San Simeon, each scarecrow is affixed with a QR code, which can be scanned from a Smartphone or tablet. From there, the attendee will have the opportunity to learn interesting facts about each scarecrow. The QR codes were donated by a resident; a volunteer created the mobile website that the QR goes to. Robinson said this is the third year of having the QR codes.
Another feature of the festival is that past scarecrows can be rented out. “The students in the high school art program work with businesses to determine what kind of scarecrow the business would like to see,” Robinson said. “The business then pays $75 to rent the scarecrow and places it in front of their business. The rental fee is donated to the Coast Union High School art program. In addition, scarecrows that students made the previous year are stored by the festival, spruced up and re-rented the next year with rental fees donated to the school. Last year we donated over $3000 to the local school art program.”
Events: • Salute the Scarecrows at Cambria Nursery and Florist, 2801 Eton Drive, will be held on Thursday, Oct. 1 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. This event includes the tasting of six mini-food courses from local restaurants that will be paired with a local wine or beer. The event will include musical entertainment, a silent auction featuring decorated wine barrels by local artists, raffle items and the announcement of the 2015 prize-winning scarecrows. Tickets are $25 per person when purchased in advance at the Cambria Chamber of Commerce or at www.eventbrite. com, or $35 at the door.
10 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Cambria Historical Museum. The event will include live music, barbecue, face painting, pumpkin decorating, wine beer, root beer floats, silent auction, shrimp gumbo and vendors.
Locations to pick up a free scarecrow festival map and guide: • Cambria Chamber of Commerce, 767 Main St., Cambria • Cambria Historical Museum, 2251 Center St., Cambria • San Simeon Chamber of Commerce, 250 San Simeon Ave., San Simeon For more information, call 805-909-9000 or go to www.cambriascarecrows.com.
• The Scarecrow Salute to Students at the Pinedorado Grounds, 1000 Main St., where attendees will celebrate the talents of local students, on Saturday, Oct. 3 from noon to 2:30 p.m. The family event will feature free ice cream, cookies and popcorn, a magic show and the presentation of award ribbons to student scarecrow creators and award the logo winner. • Cambria Historical Society Harvest Festival, 2251 Center St., on Saturday, Oct. O C T O B E R
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opera san luis obispo celebrates 30 years with the ultimate double feature! By Virginia Bass and Kathryn Bumpass
O P E R A
S A N
L U I S
Pietro Mascagni’s
CAVALLERIA RUSTICANA
O B I S P O
P R E S E N T S
PAGLIACCI Ruggiero Leoncavallo’s
and
A Citywide Arts Collaboration featuring
Central Coast Children’s Choir Civic Ballet San Luis Obispo CORE Dance Company Deyo Dances Opera San Luis Obispo Resonance Vocal Ensemble Studio @-Ryan’s American Dance
Saturday - October 10, 7pm 2 Sunday - October 11, 2pm 01 Performing Arts Center San Luis Obispo 5 Stage Director - HEATHER MATHEWS Choreographed by ANDREW SILVAGGIO Opera San Luis Obispo Grand Orchestra & Chorus Conducted by BRIAN ASHER ALHADEFF
TICKETS www.pacslo.org
805.756.4849 Mon-Sat 12-6pm
7.5” x 10” Journal Plus Ad - DRAFT v.A
Two performances will take place at the Performing A rts Center, San Luis Obispo on the Cal Poly campus: Saturday, October 10, at 7:00pm; and Sunday, October 11, at 2:00pm Seats are still available, Priced from $10.50 to $80.00. Order online at www.pacslo.org or Call the box office at (805) 756-4849, Monday through Saturday, noon - 6:00pm. O C T O B E R
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Every year Opera San Luis Obispo challenges itself to outdo its previous productions. This year presents the unique challenge of surpassing last season’s Grand Opera production of Aida, making 2015 a memorable 30th anniversary year. Rising to the occasion, Artistic Director Brian Asher Alhadeff has selected what seems to be the perfect choice—not one, but two beloved operas presented together as the traditional “double feature”: Pietro Mascagna’s Cavalleria Rusticana and Ruggero Leoncavallo’s Pagliacci. Both operas run only about an hour each, so the entire performance will last about 2 ½ hours, including intermission. Those who are familiar with these operas will welcome the chance to attend the magnificent pair live at the PAC, our own Grand Opera house; for audiences who have never had the sublime experience of seeing the two works performed together, this presentation will provide a special opportunity. For this production, OperaSLO continues its Citywide Arts Collaboration tradition with the participation of a number of established community arts organizations: Central Coast Children’s Choir, Civic Ballet San Luis Obispo, CORE Dance Company, Deyo Dances, Resonance Vocal Ensemble, and Studio @-Ryan’s American Dance. For its part, OperaSLO will provide a 60-member full orchestra, a chorus of 50 singers, original sets and costumes, and an internationally acclaimed cast of opera singers in addition to several of our very own local stars. “Why Cavalleria Rusticana and Pagliacci?” I asked Maestro Alhadeff. “And, how does this programming push beyond last year’s tremendously successful grand production of Aida?” “Cav and Pag are two operas not only perfectly partnered to each other,” he replied, “but perfect for San Luis Obispo and our Citywide Arts Collaboration formula. Both require a large orchestra and sizeable mixed choruses of men, women, and children. Both follow similar plots that lend themselves well to the choreographed movements of modern dance and ballet. Finally, both operas need ample performance space. Here in San Luis Obispo, we have a rich classical arts culture that can easily accommodate the two operas’ orchestral, choral, and dance needs, and our Grand Opera house—the Performing Arts Center, San Luis Obispo—provides the ultimate facility for staging opera.” Cavalleria Rusticana and Pagliacci are representative of a very special style of opera called verismo, from the Italian vero, meaning “true.” While verismo operas flourished for only a short while (between about 1875 through the early 20th century), the genre is responsible for some of the most famous operas of all time: Carmen, La Boheme, Tosca, Porgy and Bess, and Madama Butterfly, to name just a few. Plots are often gritty and passionate, presenting themes that deal with the everyday problems of working people, the urban bourgeoisie, or provincial society. Their extravagant realism can include sordid or violent depictions of contemporary life. Both operas are set in rural southern Italy in the 1880s. Cavalleria opens during a simple Easter celebration,
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while Pagliacci spotlights a stop on the performance route of a touring troupe of gypsy clowns. “Verismo is my personal favorite genre of opera,” says Alhadeff. “Everything happens quickly, almost in real time. Here we have a genre where the orchestra is also a character, which makes my job as conductor especially challenging. The singing style is quite different as well. Whereas most operas demand a constant focus on vocal purity, verismo calls for a more emotionally flexible, down-to-earth singing style, at times incorporating even such features of natural speech as sighs, grunts, huffs, and cries. But most exciting are the glorious, swelling, passionate melodies that pull us deep into the plots and intimate struggles of the characters.” As you enjoy these performances, bear in mind that singing verismo opera makes heavy demands on vocalists. Experienced large voices are required to negotiate the powerful singing and emotionally charged sentiments of the characters.
The City of SLO presents OperaSLO with an official proclamation acknowledging 30 years of service to the central coast. From left to right, Mayor Jan Marx, Brian Asher Alhadeff, Sharon Dobson, Carol Nelson-Selby, Lanyce Mills
“Moreover,” Alhadeff continues, “three of the roles are the sort of dream opportunities that opera singers may be offered only once in a lifetime. It is a common tradition to double-cast the three leading singers in both Pagliacci and Cavalleria Rusticana, and Opera San Luis Obispo is excited to carry on that tradition. Bay Area tenor David Gustafson will perform the role of Canio in Pagliacci, and also the role of Turiddu in Cavalleria Rusticana. Similarly, Los Angeles-based bass-baritone Gabriel Manro will perform the roles of Tonio in Pag, and Alfio in Cav…” “Perhaps the greatest point of interest for both the audience and me will be to experience dramatic soprano Katharine Gunnink, who took first prize in the 2013 Irene Dalis International Voice Competition, performing the roles of Nedda in Pag and Santuzza in Cav. This is particularly special because the role of Santuzza is generally sung by a mezzo-soprano, while the role of Nedda is sung by a dramatic soprano. Sonoma County-based Gunnink is an exceptional soprano with a unique range similar to that of Maria Callas, Beverly Sills, and Kathleen Battle.
Brian Asher Alhadeff conducts Carmen at the PAC – OperaSLO 2013
Another special treat will be to experience John Viscardi, an extremely gifted young baritone from Philadelphia, in the role of Silvio in Pagliacci.” Opera San Luis Obispo is also excited to offer roles to four talented local singers as well. Hailing from Arroyo Grande, mezzo-soprano Judith Dunlore will perform the role of Mamma Lucia in Cav. Atascadero-based tenor Paul Osborne will perform the role of Beppe in Pag. Morro Bay-based soprano Karen Dunn and San Luis Obispobased Jumi Kim will share the role of Lola in Cav.
OperaSLO’s 2014 production of Aida at the PAC
Hailing from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, Heather Mathews makes her OperaSLO stage-directing debut in the production. Drew Silvaggio will lead a troupe of choreographers including Suzy Miller, Lisa Deyo, and Ryan Beck. Maestro Alhadeff will conduct the Opera San Luis Obispo Grand Orchestra and Chorus. Two performances will take place at the Performing Arts Center, San Luis Obispo on the Cal Poly campus: Saturday, October 10, at 7:00pm; and Sunday, October 11, at 2:00pm. Seats are still available, priced from $10.50 to $80.00. Order online at www.pacslo.org or call the box office at (805) 756-4849, Monday through Saturday, noon 6:00pm. OperaSLO’s 2014 production of Show Boat at the PAC O C T O B E R
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history
walter murray part 1
By Joe Carotenuti
I
f Myron Angel arrived in San Luis Obispo in 1883 full of enthusiasm and civic spirit, his former employer in Sonoma was less than enthusiastic. Walter Murray arrived thirty years earlier with nothing but disdain for the settlement. “It is very dull,” he wrote to his sister in England. Furthermore, he complained, there were few opportunities to earn a living. There were few options in the small settlement as he was not a farmer, rancher or merchant. Nonetheless, as with most humans, he had been preparing (well) for his life on the central coast.
The disillusioned pioneer could not “extricate” himself and stayed to leave an indelible mark on the evolution of the community. While Myron arrived to become the editor of the Tribune newspaper, its founder, Murray, struggled only to be taken by death just as he arrived in a place of foreseeable comfort in his life. Thanks to the foresight of his granddaughter, Dorothy Unangst Bilodeau, much of his correspondence has been preserved for the historian’s use. Here’s the story. Born on December 9, 1826, Walter Thurtell enjoyed the advantages of an education and a promising future as an apprentice to a prominent attorney (barrister in England) at age 15. He was three years old when his father added the Murray name. His decision was motivated by a cousin, John Thurtell, who disgraced the prominent family in 1824 by being hung after a sensational murder trial. In the tradition of the times, his body was donated to a medical school but not before a death mask was made. His wax likeness was a denizen of Madam Tussaud’s Chamber of Horrors for over a century. For a future District Attorney, this must have been a very private matter. As an apprentice, Walter was the first editor of the Mechanic Apprentice magazine begun in October 1845. As the magazine explained, it was the “first institution of its kind in the world” dedicated to the “mental, moral and social improvement” of its 300 members. An advantage to all was a 3000 plus volume library providing a wide variety of free information. Walter was sure to take advantage of its offerings. The association did more than improve his intellect. It changed his life—literally—by the luck of a draw. The various apprentices met in the building of Walter’s barrister and decided to use their treasury to finance a trip to America for two members. Walter’s name was picked. “You ask me,” he wrote to his sister from Boston in September 1845, “when I first thought of going to America? Long ago—3 years at least & I would then have gone if I had the money tho’ I should have got on I dare say very badly, at first.” What dreams in the youthful mind were conjured up by the new land of America? Possibly searching for an alternative to his class driven home nation, the former British colony may have beckoned with the alluring thought of a new life full of expectations. “However I believe even then had I gone I should have been by this time much better off than I am now.” While he had no job at the time of the letter, he never relinquished the hope for that new future. To a great extent, wealth was essential. Indeed, the free trip, even in steerage, would change his life and, eight years later, the small settlement on the central coast. O C T O B E R
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Leaving England—according to family lore without informing his parents—Murray braved the ocean voyage for the new land and life. Steerage afforded minimal visibility, he wrote, and with a wrong step, a hapless passenger landed in the cargo hole. It was just one price he would pay for youthful expectations. At 19, Walter had no idea that it would end in the rawer territory of the west. Within a year, the young man was in New York working for the Sun newspaper when he was attracted by yet another offer of free passage to the edge of American civilization: California. The Mexican-American War promised a vast extension of American territory and President Polk, in part, wanted men to go to the west coast to not only defend the invasion but, hopefully, remain to settle in the new territory. The military answer was Stevenson’s Regiment—officially the First New York Regiment Volunteers. The Regiment would bring a diverse group of men to the west coast and, eventually, western lore, but Walter made it clear he was not interested in combat. While not expressing any interest, he became an experienced combatant. Volunteering just before departure, Walter’s bad luck with ships continued as the “Loo Choo” had poorly stowed boxes and everyone needed to pay close attention to shifting loads on the high seas. Walter was a
A Retirement COMMUNITY Facil 33
themthough up from the It was not (February 1848) ended the conflict. Indeed, Even theground. prospect ofthemoving m rainbow’s end for the soldier. However, he for all intents and purposes, combat in Califuture, you owe it to yourself to learn h was about to meet an important figure in his fornia was effectively over in January 1847 livingPacheco. in your home for man life, Romauldo Theown future Governor when John C. Fremont and local resident, Jose carefree of California called San Luis Obispo County de Jesus Pico, met the latter’s cousin, Andre, his home. Five years later, so would Walter. and the leader of California’s defenders agreed to surrender. Visit with Walter Murray and other promiReturning to San Francisco, Company was asnent when the History Center presIt’s a fact of lifeA that wepioneers get older, Pristine is fully mustered out in October 1848. While many ents SLO SOULS at the San Luis Cemetery on some day-to-day tasksNovember become too licensed and insu men decided to return home, Walter stayed 1. much All of our worker in California. By then, thereto washandle local newson our own. That Contact: jacarotenuti@gmail.com of gold nuggets available simply by picking doesn’t mean you have to move away are carefully scre
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John Thurtell
member of Company A led by Major James Allen Hardie of West Point who also designed the Regiment’s uniform (pictured below). Leaving New York in the fall of 1846, the “Loo Choo” sailed south around Cape Horn. Walter noted one man was tossed overboard crossing the treacherous waters and another died of “apoplexy during the rescue effort.” There were a few stops along the way and the ship was the first of three to arrive in San Francisco. Sailing through what was then simply known as “Boca” (Mouth) in early March, the undoubtedly weary men saw a small, sparsely settled enclave. San Francisco was at the eve of the chaos known as the Gold Rush. From there, the Regiment was dispersed and Walter went to Santa Barbara and soon had a “smattering of Spanish.” Undoubtedly considered a practical necessity, it proved a valuable ally as he was sent to La Paz, Mexico to raise the American flag. All did not go well. For a young man who did not look forward to combat, Murray in later years wrote extensively of time in Mexico. While much has been written of the Mexican-American War, little attention has been spent on the conflict in the Baja Peninsula. Originally considered to be part of a new western America, the potential acquisition remained part of Mexico. Thus, the fighting was for naught and, unknown to the battalion, some skirmishes took place after the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
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our schools
COLLEGE NIGHT WELCOMES LOCAL STUDENTS By James J. Brescia, Ed.D. County Superintendent of Schools
“Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself.” —John Dewey Throughout life, each individual is ultimately responsible for his or her college or career pathway. Today’s rapidly changing world presents us with new educational opportunities and career paths that are constantly unfolding. Traditional paths are different and shifts are taking place in occupation skills and educational requirements throughout every sector. These changes are a result of new technology, changes in organizational design and the trend towards global business operations. Because of this ever constant change it is critical that we promote and take advantage of opportunities to obtain information and plan for the future. Once a plan is in place an individual is better equipped to take advantage of changes in the economy and job market. An upcoming opportunity to plan is our county-wide “College Night” which will
Lock and shop.
be held on the evening of November 2nd at the Cuesta College San Luis Obispo Campus. Events such as “College Night” are excellent opportunities for local high school students and their families to meet with representatives from colleges and universities throughout California as well as other states. Many University of California (UC) and California State University (CSU) Campuses, Cuesta Community College, the United States Military and Naval Academies, as well as other independent and private colleges, will make up the over 70 institutions planning to present. College Night is sponsored by the San Luis Obispo Community Foundation in partnership with Cuesta College, the Cuesta College Foundation and the San Luis Obispo County Office of Education. College Night builds on similar events that have been held in the past, but has expanded to include free transportation from the north and south county courtesy of the San Luis Obispo County Regional Transit Authority (SLORTA). The event will be held at the Cuesta College, San Luis Obispo Campus, in the Student Services Center (Building 5400) and the Cuesta Performing Arts Center (CPAC) from 5:00 PM to 8:30 PM. Free parking is available. College Nights are provided to assist students and their families with the array of decisions involved in selecting a college or university. These decisions have grown increasingly complex over the years because of the variety of choices and the escalating cost of higher education. Budget reductions during the recession decreased counseling services that were once a mainstay in assisting students and their families with college and career decisions. Events like “College Night” are an important resource for students and families. The Central Coast is very fortunate that our community has stepped up to assist one of our most precious resources, our youth.
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The evening will be a chance to meet and speak directly with representatives from the colleges and universities without having to make an appointment. Areas such as admission requirements, application procedures, campus housing, costs, availability of campus jobs, transportation, possible majors, and graduation rates are just some of the topics that will be addressed. Students at all high school grade levels should consider attending since decisions regarding college attendance should be considered throughout high school. In addition to the representatives from the colleges and universities, the evening will also feature some workshops designed to assist students with their college decisions. These workshops include a session on Financial Aid presented by the Cuesta College staff; a presentation on NCAA eligibility and athletic recruiting for students who have prospects of gaining an athletic scholarship or assistance for college; a workshop on “Writing the Application Personal Statement” which is usually an important element in most college admission requirements; a presentation on completing the application for undergraduate admission; and much more.
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Students planning to attend events like “College Night” should prepare in order to gain the most from these types of evenings. Suggestions include: narrowing the possible college choices a bit before attendance, consider the location of the school, possible offerings, and costs. Lack of pre-planning can easily create an overwhelming situation with too many choices. Presentation to any group or recruiter should be considered before the evening. We do not generally have a second chance at a first impression. Some questions to consider include: What are your interests? Why are you considering this college? What makes your college different from the others? What type of application is most favorably considered? Are there certain characteristics and qualities that a particular college is seeking to encourage attendance?
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OCTOBER CROSSWORD SOLUTIONS ON PAGE 43
College Night is a unique opportunity for students and families to gain valuable assistance on college attendance. For additional information, contact Betty Ellison, San Luis Obispo County Office of Education at bellison@slocoe.org. There is also a Frequently Asked Questions section on San Luis Obispo County Office of Education’s website: http:// www.slocoe.org/education/ “An investment in knowledge pays the best interest.” —Benjamin Franklin © StatePoint Media
STATEPOINT CROSSWORD THEME: FOOTBALL ACROSS 1. Giraffe’s striped-leg cousin 6. Moo goo gai pan pan 9. Love-____ relationship 13. *_____ Gabriel, 1960s Rams star quarterback 14. What? 15. Enter a website 16. Samuel Butler’s “The Way of All ____” 17. Big time 18. “____ truly” 19. *Non-contact league 21. *Football game starter 23. Altogether or entirely 24. ____-de-camp 25. Club alternative 28. *Houston Oilers star running back, Campbell 30. Top of the line 35. Not of the cloth
37. Leave in a bucket 39. Kitchen appliance 40. *Legendary Graham 41. Friend 43. Porous rock 44. Good luck trinket 46. *Tracked by chain gang 47. Dog trailer 48. Sort of 50. Prima donna 52. Don’t do this at home? 53. Like Old Mother Hubbard’s cupboard 55. Next to nothing 57. *Type of linebacker 60. *This year’s top NFL pick 64. “To no ____” 65. Beauty treatment site 67. Cell phone bill item 68. L on clothes 69. Word between “dogs” 70. Sneers 71. Mark of a ruler 72. *TV network, aired NFL games
from 1990-97 73. Scandinavian fjord, e.g. DOWN 1. ____ Approach, music education 2. Traditional cola caffeine source 3. Prayer ending 4. Italian restaurant staple 5. Draw in 6. Miss Muffet’s repast 7. Thornton Wilder’s “____ Town” 8. Dockers’ fabric 9. J. M. Barrie’s captain 10. Flu symptom 11. Millimeter of mercury 12. Lt.’s subordinate 15. Aristotle’s school 20. Common part of URL 22. Dog tags 24. Apple pie choice 25. *NFL players can’t do this in the back 26. Policeman’s club in India 27. *Tennessee player
29. Crucifix 31. Inedible parts of cherries 32. Jump for joy 33. Direct elsewhere 34. *Deflategate star 36. Olden-day telephone part 38. New Zealand fruit 42. End of a poem 45. Alabama port 49. It’s all the rage 51. Annulus, pl. 54. Kind of button 56. Ruhr’s industrial center 57. Popular Russian name 58. Narcotics agent 59. Accompanies relief? 60. *Texan defensive star 61. Asian weight unit 62. Scary fairytale creature 63. Swallow’s house 64. Boxer Clay 66. Peter of the Lost Boys
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palm street perspective
agencies throughout the state in this opposition, including Councils in Los Angeles, Mar Vista, Moorpark, Oxnard, Santa Barbara, Oakland, San Jose, Berkeley, Davis and Fremont, the Counties of Santa Cruz , Santa Barbara, and non-profits such as the Surfrider Foundation, California Nurses Association and SLO County League of Women Voters.
By SLO City Mayor, Jan Marx
The editors of our local Tribune Newspaper have also opposed the project in their September 5, 2015 editorial: “Routing oil trains through densely populated California communities—whether it’s San Jose or San Luis Obispo—is a bad idea. We strongly urge our county officials to reject it.”
safety first
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ike other residents of the City of San Luis Obispo, I am proud of our beautiful, 165-year-old city, dubbed the healthiest city in California and the “Happiest City in North America.” Residents may be happy about our city, but we are NOT HAPPY about the risks proposed by the Phillips 66 rail spur expansion project.
Why? When trains carrying this oil derail, they don’t just spill; they explode, and burn for days. Those derailments and resulting hazardous air and soil contamination have increased as oil-by-rail transport has increased. The Phillips 66 project would result in 4 to 6 additional trains a week bearing highly volatile crude from far-away oil fields, traveling through our communities to Nipomo, each train approximately a mile in length. Residents do not want these oil trains traveling through our city. This is why the San Luis Obispo City Council voted unanimously to write to the Board of Supervisors opposing this project. We lead the way in our County and stand allied with over forty cities, counties and public
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The increased risk posed by this project is a major statewide issue and is a threat to every community with a railroad running through it. However, this project poses a unique risk to the City of San Luis Obispo because of our unique topography and the location of our water treatment plant. Just to our north and upwind under dry Santa Ana conditions is the mountainous Cuesta Grade area, which Union Pacific Railroad has rated as one of the state’s highest risk areas for derailment, and is also rated by Cal Fire as being an extreme risk for wild fire, further increased by the current drought. An oil car derailment there would imperil Cal Poly’s 20,000 students and 10,000 staff, the city’s only water treatment plant at the base of Stenner Creek bridge, and the densely populated Downtown and northern part of the city. Our brave and efficient local emergency responders are well trained to respond to “normal” wildfire, such as the one which recently burned over 3,000 acres in the Cuesta Grade area, which was started by just a few sparks. But they are not funded, trained or equipped to deal with an oil train disaster of the magnitude threatened by this project. Both the San Luis Obispo Fire Chief and local Cal Fire Chief have made this clear in their responses to the project’s EIR. Furthermore, no evaluation has been made of whether the aging railroad infrastructure, including bridges, is capable of safely accommodating 4-6 heavy oil trains a week, each over a mile long. That safety issue has recently been examined in relation to the addition of a daily passenger train between Los Angeles and San Francisco. According to the November 2014 Federal EIR on the proposed Coast Daylight, necessary safety improvements for any new passenger service between Salinas and San Luis Obispo alone would cost $174 million dollars. What would it cost to make the rail corridors safe for oil trains full of volatile tar sands oil? Could it even be done at any cost? No one at Union Pacific or Phillips 66 is asking those questions. Like all businesses, Union Pacific and Phillips desire to increase profits for their shareholders. But the problem is that these businesses wish to do so by vastly increasing our community’s risk of exposure to an oil train disaster. Are we going to be forced to bear that risk? Is there no way to protect ourselves? The answer to that question is up to the Board of Supervisors, when the issue comes before them. It is the only entity in the nation with the land-use authority to deny the permits which are needed for the project to proceed. When they consider this issue, our Supervisors have the opportunity to put political differences aside and make the safety and wellbeing of their constituents their first priority. They need to heed the statewide opposition to this project. Safety, after all, is not a partisan issue. The time is now for County residents to urge the Board of Supervisors to protect us by rejecting the Phillips 66 rail spur project. Editors note: The opinion piece in favor of the Phillips 66 project is on page 46.
Downtown
Around
The Magazine of Downtown San Luis Obispo
October 2015
Inside: W hat ’s U p Downtown B usiness Spo tlight
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ach year when October arrives I get the feeling that it just snuck up on me. Suddenly, the evenings are a bit darker, the surrounding hills turn a deeper gold and the Downtown business windows are filled with scarecrows, hay bales and gourds. It seems that at some point in time, my internal calendar would have recalibrated to prepare me for the winding down of summer in preparation for the holiday season but that is definitely not the case. Somehow, I get the feeling I’m not alone in this yearly surprise.
any artists have referred to this time of year as the gentle melancholy of autumn because of the juxtaposition of warm colors and cool evenings. At the San Luis Obispo Downtown Association, we are here to make sure we do our part to ward off the gloom of fall with the continuation of some of our favorite events. Each October we host three great events for people of all ages including Fire Prevention Night, Farm Dominic Tartaglia, City Night and the Halloween Festivities. All three Executive Director events take place at the weekly Downtown SLO Farmers’ Market with eflecting on this phenomenon, it appears that the Fire Prevention Night element of surprise lies in the general lifestyle we kicking off our October enjoy as SLO residents. All of the gorgeous Central Coast 8th market. days on trail and Downtown coffee meetings with friends during late summer distract from the passing Dog Days of ire Prevention Night Summer. While our change in seasons is not as dramatic is an event that we as it is on the East Coast, we do have a gradual change in have hosted for many the weather and length of daylight hours. Those changes years with local fire slowly curb that inclination to get up early and hit the agencies and a strong trails; I’m speaking from personal experience of course. emphasis on teaching Smokey Bear getting hugs for promoting fire safety during Fire Prevention Night at children about fire Downtown SLO Farmers’ Market. safety. Children and
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On the Cover: Giant gourds on display during last year’s Halloween festivities at Downtown SLO Farmers’ Market. Photo by Mukta Naran
FIRE PREVENTION NIGHT Thursday, October 8 @ Thursday Night Promotions Farmers’ Market 6-9 PM Downtown SLO
SLO Downtown Association Presents...
Halloween Festivities @ Thursday Night Promotions Farmers’ Market
T h u r s d ay , O c t o b e r 2 9 T H
D o w n t o w n T r i c k - o r - T r e at
Sean M. Lee, Broker, GRI. THE REAL ESTATE COMPANY
Sponsored by:
Come help us celebrate National Fire Prevention Week “HEAR THE BEEP WHERE YOU SLEEP: EVERY BEDROOM NEEDS A SMOKE ALARM” Meet firefighting heroes from all over San Luis Obispo County and see the newest equipment used in fire safety! 1
KIDS! SAFE and FUN Trick - or - Treating in participating Downtown Businesses 5 - 8 PM. Maps and treat bags at the corner of Chorro and Higuera streets.
Halloween costume contest Sponsored by:
Yogurt Creations
Goblins and Princesses wanted! Get creative and compete for some ‘wickedly’ cool prizes. Age groups: 0 - 2, 3 - 4, 5 - 8, 9 - 12, and Pairs (can include older children, parents and pets!)The KJUG JUG and emcee will be on location. Sign - ups begin at 5 PM at the corner of Chorro and Higuera streets, contest runs from 6:15 - 8 PM.
(805) 541 - 0286 or www.DowntownSLO.com for more info
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will host our annual Halloween Festivities. As a part of adults have a chance to meet local firefighters and learn those festivities, the Downtown Association coordinates about the various tools they use on a daily basis. Every with local businesses to create a safe and exciting trick year this event is well attended and regarded as one of or treating experience for children from 5-8 the best market events for kids. Not too far PM . Of course, we encourage the children to off from Fire Prevention Night is the annual be in costume so that they can join us for the Farm City Night on October 22nd. In the long costume contest after they make a lap around history of San Luis Obispo there has been Downtown. Children have an opportunity to a strong relationship between the urban let their creative personality shine on stage in lifestyle of the town center and the pastoral front of a fun panel of judges who put their life of surrounding farms and ranches. This heads together to award special honors for relationship is evidenced at every Downtown various categories and age groups. Getting to SLO Farmers’ Market but when Farm City see those big personalities from little people Night comes to town, there is no denying that on stage is certainly enough to combat that we still have some strong agricultural ties in gentle melancholy of autumn. our community. On that night market guests can see displays and demonstrations from eedless to say, Downtown in October is Cal Poly’s College of Agriculture, Food and far from gloomy aside from a few scary Environmental Sciences student clubs. Displays Our Halloween festivities in costumes and decorated window displays. consist of the Tractor Pull Club tractor to Downtown San Luis Obispo Please take the time to enjoy the slower pace roping dummies and students on hand to share bring out the purr-fect costumes! of the changing season but be sure to get about how those projects relate to those folks ready for the upcoming months because while in the community who are removed from the most bears are hibernating our mascot, Downtown Brown, agriculture industry. is just getting ready for the holidays and his big role at the 40th Annual Holiday Parade. n October 29th, the week after Farm City Night, our World Famous Downtown SLO Farmers’ Market
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D o w n t o w n
B u s i n e s s
Passport
Chris Limon, Owner 968 Monterey Street San Luis Obispo, CA 93401 (805) 250-1111 www.PassportSLO.com
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hether you’re a skater looking for some sick new threads or in need of cellular phone repair, Passport is the place to go. Located on 968 Monterey Street in San Luis Obispo, Passport recently opened its doors and is offering a unique shopping experience. The shop carries a wide array of men’s skater clothes such as graphic T’s and skater shorts, while also providing a screen replacement repair service for various phones, along with a developing art gallery.
S p o t l i g h t s
of the store he said with a smile was, “It was my ‘passport’ to freedom.” The freedom to pursue what Chris loves. Passport integrates his style within the clothes as well as the entire essence of the store, even the smell.
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Pictured: Chris Limon, Owner
ome into Passport for great customer service and a newfound freedom of an edgy skater style. This locally owned business helps the tourist market stay within SLO and introduces a new and interesting aspect to Downtown SLO, offering a style that is found no where else. You will also wner Chris Limon was inspired to create Passport after soon be able to find Passport products at our Downtown SLO Farmers’ Market and events such as SLO Skate. For having created his own clothing line, Klasmember. more information visit www.PassportSLO.com or find them After working for a bank, he wanted to take a step further on Instagram, Facebook, and Yelp. into the clothing industry. “I decided I actually wanted to do something that would benefit myself and my job and By Mary Cron do what I love,” says Chris. The inspiration for the name
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Bukachevsky Center For Facial Rejuvenation Dr. Roman Bukachevsky, Surgeon 1288 Morro Street, Suite 120 San Luis Obispo, CA 93401 (805) 781-3800 www.BukachevskyMD.com
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or over 20 years, the Central Coast has been lucky enough to be the home of a facial plastic surgeon whose passion and dedication to his practice allowed for hundreds of individuals to feel rejuvenated and more selfconfident. To make it more convenient to his patients, Dr. Roman Bukachevsky relocated his San Luis Obispo location of the Bukachevsky Center For Facial Rejuvenation into Downtown. His new office is located at 1288 Morro Street, Suite 120.
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Over a decade of medical schooling guarantees you will be under expert care during a procedure with Dr. Bukachevsky. You can also expect to be informed of all of your options before surgery because he believes an educated patient results in the most satisfied outcomes.
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he Bukachevsky Center for Facial Rejuvenation truly offers all desired Pictured: Dr. Roman Bukachevsky, services for the face and Surgeon neck. On top of the surgical procedures mentioned above they also have a nurse and esthetician in the office to meet any of the other needs that you might have. Waxing, laser hair removal and chemical peels are just some of the services that they provide.
r. Bukachevsky entered this area of medicine not to make people look different, but to make them feel more like themselves. As a facial plastic surgeon he focuses r. Bukachevsky also has an office in Templeton. To on the areas neck and above and offers specialized services check out all of their offerings you can visit their that compliment those areas. His procedures range from website. minimally invasive with little down time such as Botox injections to invasive surgeries like an eyelid surgery. Written by: Madison Ventura
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For more information on Downtown Association events, programs and activities, or to sign up for our weekly Deliver-E newsletter, visit www.DowntownSLO.com
COMMUNITY
the greatest athletes on the central coast By Dr. Don Morris
Editor’s note: The reader response to the question “Who are the Greatest Athletes in the history of the Central Coast?” has been overwhelming. More than 100 nominations have been received from readers from Ventura to Salinas and almost all the high schools and various sports were represented. (Many of the nominations were about central coast men and women athletes who have gone on to compete professionally in sports like Olympic events, football, baseball, track and field, golf, boxing, ultimate fighting, tennis, kick boxing, basketball, rodeo, race-car drivers, etc). So far the following athletes have been featured: Ed Brown, Stephanie Brown Trafton, Chuck Liddell, Loren Roberts, Steve Patterson, Gene Rambo, Robin Ventura, Jordan Hasay, Chuck Estrada, Mike Larrabee, Ron Capps, Jamie Martin, Rusty Kuntz, Randall Cunningham, Jim Lonborg and Kami Craig. Please send nominations to Dr. Morris at dmmorris@calpoly.edu.
York Knicks and the San Francisco Warriors as a small forward. He was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and finally recovered. Rudometkin traveled the country as a motivational speaker and also spent time as a real estate investor and minister. On Aug. 4th John passed away in Newcastle, Calif., of chronic lung disease that was the lingering effect of the cancer he overcame in his 20s. He was 75.
IVAN HUFF
JOHN RUDOMETKIN
John Rudometkin was born in 1940 and was a Professional Basketball player from Santa Maria High School, Allen Hancock College and USC. He was nominated by Joe Long, Pat O’Danials and Bill Cotnam who say that when Rudometkin played for USC he was dubbed “Rudo the Reckless Russian” by legendary broadcaster Chick Hearn. In John’s three varsity seasons at U.S.C. he had career averages of 18.8 points and 10.5 rebounds in 79 games played. He scored 1,434 points, which stood as the school record for 23 years, and his 18.8 average is still the best career average at USC. He then played for the New
Long distance runner Ivan Huff of Paso Robles H.S. was nominated by several local track aficionado’s including Coach Cary Nerelli of Morro Bay High School. Ivan has been honored with a Hall of Fame Banner hanging at his old high school. It points out that Ivan was a four year varsity letter winner in track, was the Los Padres League Champion and CIF Runner up in 1976 and still holds the mile and 2-mile school record at Paso Robles H.S. and was voted the Athlete of the Year. Ivan then went on to lead the Allan Hancock college cross county team to the California State Championship. At Cal Poly he was a 3 time all American in 1979, 1980, 1981. Ivan Placed 5th in the U.S. Steeplechase Olympic Trials in 1984 and 6th place in 1988. He was ranked 10th in the world in 1986 in the 3,000 meter steeple chase. Huff also competed in the 26.2 mile marathon and had a personal best of 2 hrs. 12 minutes 56 seconds. Greg Sarkisian St. Joseph High School’s cross country coach says Ivan Huff is a spectacular coach and that Huff’s philosophy is “Don’t make excuses.” Huff has coached cross-country and track and field at Paso Robles High School for the last 30 years. O C T O B E R
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local books – erin hanson’s Ca. Wine country
Erin Hanson has just released her latest coffee table book titled, California Wine Country: Impressions in Oil. Hanson is a lifelong painter and spent the last five years exploring the diverse wine country regions of the central coast, with Paso Robles as her premier source on inspiration. She has created a unique style of her own with passionate brush strokes a blend on classic impression and modern expressionism, each painting a beautiful mosaic of light and color. For more information go to her website at www.erinhanson.com
become a dana docent
Join us in offering elementary school students and the community the opportunity to make lasting connections to their local history, culture, and natural surroundings at the DANA Cultural Center. Last year, DANA engaged over 1,400 school children in daily rancho living. Our school programs and tours at the Dana Adobe would not be possible without our dedicated, passionate team of docents. DANA is seeking to recruit new docents to help with the interactive learning stations featured in our field trip program, as well as docents to give tours of the Dana Adobe on weekends. Training will be provided. If you are interested in becoming a docent, email Gina Bernero at gina@danaadobe.org.
CITY OF SLO DEDICATES 9/11 MEMORIAL
The City of SLO held a ribbon cutting ceremony at Fire Station 1 (corner of Broad and Santa Barbara Streets) on 9/11 for a Memorial that commemorates the 403 Police and Fire emergency responders who lost their lives during the tragic events of September 11, 2001. The memorial symbolizes each emergency responder’s life by the 403 tall metal rods. A steel I-beam, which fell to its destruction on that morning has been laid to rest at the Memorial’s center.
peter pan and kelrik help Big Brothers/sisters
Kelrik Productions collected $1,248 in donations for Big Brothers Big Sisters during Peter Pan the musical and invited 40 Bigs and Littles to attend the performance. “We are honored that Kelrik Productions cares so much for our local youth mentoring programs. The Peter Pan donation will fully support a child in our program for an entire year,” said Executive Director, Anna Boyd-Bucy. Pictured from the performance, from left to right are Jake Wells, Coen Carlberg, Elliott Riforgiate, Tabatha S. Skanes, Ella Gomez, Kathryn Illia, Drew VanderWeele, Oliver Baker-Ballantyne, Sam Gomez, Carissa Carlberg. Photo by Susie Illia. For more information on volunteering, or contributing to Big Brothers Big Sisters, call 805-781-3226, or log onto www.slobigs.org.
opera slo awarded miossi trust grant
Opera SLO has been awarded a $3,000 grant from the Harold J. Miossi Charitable Trust. In keeping with the Trust’s mission and goals, the generous award will help fund Opera SLO’s two-week summer camp program for children ages 8-16 in San Luis Obispo. In operation for over 15 years, as part of OperaSLO’s 30-year presence in San Luis Obispo, Opera Summer Camp offers kids a unique opportunity to experience all facets of the performing arts, culminating with a live performance of a well-known opera attended by the public. The two week program includes training in vocal technique, drama and stage movement, ear training and musicianship, singing and choral techniques, use of props, costumes and make-up along with traditional outdoor and camping activities. The Harold J. Miossi Charitable Trust provides assistance to organizations seeking to improve the quality of life for residents of the City and surrounding area of San Luis Obispo, CA. The Foundation focuses on six key areas: animal-related, education, environment, the Catholic Church, fine arts and youth development.
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tolosa dental appoints new dental director
Partnership for the Children of San Luis Obispo County appointed Andi Livingood DMD to the position of dental director for Tolosa Children’s Dental Center. Dr. Livingood is a pediatric specialist and Diplomate of the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry, and has worked at Tolosa Children’s Dental Center since July 2013. As the Dental Director, Dr. Livingood is now responsible for all clinical aspects related to the delivery of dental care at Tolosa Children’s Dental Center in Paso Robles and San Luis Obispo. Tolosa Children’s Dental Center is a nonprofit dental office operated by Partnership for the Children of San Luis Obispo County specializing in pediatric dentistry and providing a dental home for over 5,000 underserved children, age 0-18. More information can be found at www.tolosachildrensdental.org.
league of women voters 2015-16 directors
The League of Women Voters of SLO County recently announced Officers and Directors for their 2015-2016 program year. Officers are: President Marguerite Bader, 1st Vice President/ Civil Discourse Sharon Kimball, 2nd Vice President/ Voter Service Vera Wallen, Secretary Vallerie Steenson, and Treasurer Mary Beth Armstrong. Members of the Board of Directors are: Jean Chinnici, Program Director; Patricia Dale, Membership Director; Mardi Geredes, Social Policy Director; Elton (Bud) Hankins, Natural Resources Director; Carrie Pardo, Government Policy Director; and Nancy Welts, Communications Director. The local League has more than 100 members representing all of SLO County. For more information on the League of Women Voters contact the League at (805) 782-4040 or by email at info@lwvslo.org or go to the website at www.lwvslo.org.
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new brewery Coming to slo – the rock
SLO Brewing Company is proud to announce the latest addition to their expansion project: The Rock, a brand new brew facility with over 10,000 square feet of floor space that will feature a tasting room, beer garden, and event space. Located off Broad Street near the SLO County Regional Airport, this new brewery will expand SLO Brew’s production capacity. The brew facility will feature a 35-barrel brewing system with a goal of producing 2,500 to 3,000 barrels by the end of 2016, and 5,000 barrels the year after. The Rock is named after a prominent igneous “knob” that anchors the location and is formed from the same volcanic activity that created SLO’s famous Seven Sisters peaks. The outdoor patio will be centered against “the rock,” creating a dramatic backdrop for a stage and a memorable location for special events, weddings, parties and concerts.
opera slo presents cavalleria rusticana and pagliacci
Tickets are now on sale for Opera SLO’s 30th anniversary pairing of Pietro Mascagni’s Cavalleria Rusticana and Ruggiero Leoncavallo’s Pagliacci. Dates for this renowned opera double bill are October 10th and 11th, at the Performing Arts Center SLO. The performance will be conducted by Brian Asher Alhadeff, Artistic Director of Opera SLO, directed by Heather Mathews and choreographed by Drew Silvaggio. Once again, OperaSLO is collaborating with other SLO arts organizations including Central Coast Children’s Choir, Civic Ballet SLO, CORE Dance Company, Deyo Dances, Resonance Vocal Ensemble and Studio@-Ryan’s American Dance. For more information go to pages 30-31 in this issue or to purchase tickets, please go only to www.pacslo.org or call 756-4849.
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Aimee burrus slo teacher of the year
PG&E Employees donate to united way
United Way of SLO County was thrilled to find out recently that employees at Pacific Gas and Electric Company’s (PG&E) Diablo Canyon Power Plant have once again generously donated their own funds to the community support organization. Together, with PG&E matching funds, the total donation in 2015 to the local chapter of the United Way will exceed $26,000. PG&E’s Jim Welsch presented the check to the United Way Board of Directors. The check reflects a commitment from the employees who donate their personal funds as well as their time and efforts in volunteerism to the organization. PG&E employees from Diablo Canyon Power Plant also helped make a difference and supported the Make-AWish Foundation recently, by raising $18,000 at the 18th annual Nuclear Challenge Golf Tournament. Since the tournament’s inception in 1997, Diablo Canyon employees have raised more than $270,000 for the organization.
live holiday tree planting at mission plaza
Hand digging has begun to plant a large evergreen tree at Mission Plaza by Cal-Poly Forestry Intern Josh Johns and Volunteer Service Worker Roberto Sabino. In an effort to stop cutting large trees down for the Holiday tree at Mission Plaza, the City of San Luis Obispo Urban Forest staff and the Downtown Association discussed planting a large, live tree at Mission Plaza. This will eliminate the cutting of large, live trees in Oregon that are transported to San Luis Obispo and annually reduce staff time reinstalling a large cut tree and hardware, then removing the hardware and dealing with the debris.
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Aimee Burrus District’s (SLCUSD) Teacher of the Year and SLO County Teacher of the Year, is now in the running for California’s Teacher of the Year. Burrus will teach mathematics at Morro Bay High School in the fall. She previously taught at several SLCUSD campuses including Sinsheimer Elementary, Laguna Middle School and most recently Los Osos Middle School where she played an integral role to establish the STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and math) Program. In addition to her teaching role, Burrus is a Girl Scout troop leader and volunteers many hours with local beach cleanup programs. She also works closely with suffering children, and initiated and led Kid Flicks, collecting children’s movies for kids undergoing chemotherapy at local hospitals.
help our local veterans
The VA clinic in San Luis is asking for volunteers to serve our Veterans as shuttle drivers. To help pay tribute and express your appreciation for their service, learn about volunteering at your local VA clinic. For more information contact your local VA volunteer representative Mr. Larry Foster at 805-354-6004 or send an email to Lawrence.Foster@va.gov
CCWL 12th annual bingo for breast cancer
The Central Coast Women’s League will hold the 12th Annual Bingo for Breast Cancer on Saturday, October 3rd, at the SLO Elk’s Lodge. Doors open at 11am, Lunch at noon and Bingo at 12:30pm. The event benefits the SLO NOOR FOUNDATION to cover costs of breast cancer screening for local women. Tickets are $35 each, $40 on the day of the event. Call 544-6108 to purchase tickets.
free senior health care screening
Screening for adults and seniors is available throughout San Luis Obispo County. Free services include: screening for high blood pressure, weight and pulse. Finger prick screening tests for: high cholesterol, anemia and blood sugar. Counseling and referrals as needed. Please call 544-2484 ext. 1 for dates, times and locations.
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Widowed persons association celebrates 20th
The SLO Chapter of the Widowed Persons Association of California recently celebrated 20 years of fellowship with a celebratory cake, champagne brunch and harbor cruise in Morro Bay. Over 600 Widowed Persons have been active in this organization since its founding. Pictured L to R: Association Happy Hour chairman Dick Loomis, Membership chairman Ginnie Jessup, Treasurer Vivian Campbell, Secretary Beryl Levine, 2nd Vice President GiGi Garey, President Ginnie Howells, Parliamentarian Mildreene Kirby, and Supper Club Chairman Jerry Peterson. For more information about the The SLO Chapter of the Widowed Persons Association of California or to join this group call Ginnie Jessup, 773-0802, or Ginnie Howells, 498-7298.
new playground at los ranchos school
As the school year began students at SLO’s Los Ranchos Elementary School were excited to find a new playground on their campus. Said one excited second grader, “It’s like American Ninja Warrior!” Two years ago, San Luis Coastal Unified School District assessed all their playgrounds for safety and adequate equipment. A schedule was devised to replace equipment beginning with the most needed. New playgrounds have already been installed at Del Mar Elementary School and Sinsheimer Elementary School. The Los Ranchos
Elementary School playground will be the third in this series of upgraded play equipment to benefit district students. The playground project is funded from the District’s maintenance budget as part of the General Fund, and is not part of the upcoming Measure D bond construction program.
2nd annual N. County Arts black & white ball
The North County Dance and Performing Arts Foundation (NCDPAF) is hosting the second annual Black and White Ball taking place on October 10th at CaliPaso Winery located at 4230 Buena Vista Drive in Paso Robles. The doors open at 5:30 pm when guests will be greeted with a Champagne cocktail hour. The evening continues with a sitdown dinner, a silent and live auction, as well as performances by local dance companies. This fundraiser is crucial in offsetting the costs of the organization’s major productions such as the Nutcracker Ballet performed each December. Monies also support the group’s traveling dance companies and provide scholarships to help dancers continue in their training. Tickets are $55 per person and may be purchased at www.eventbrite.com or by contacting the NCDPAF at (805) 610-7570. Tables of eight may be purchased for $400, which also includes a bottle of wine and guest entry into a special drawing.
San Luis Obispo’s Best Kept Secret Power Carts Senior Discount (55) • 10 Play C ards • Tournaments Welcome • •
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O C T O B E R
2015
Journal PLUS
46
COMMUNITY
Opinion
but by protecting the refinery, we protect the economic benefits it provides.
eye on business
Phillips 66 project is necessary and safe By Curley Lowery
T
he Phillips 66 refinery in Nipomo is in need of help—they need to find alternate sources of crude oil instead of solely relying on unreliable sources via pipeline. Currently, production is hovering at 50 percent capacity. The proposed project would allow the refinery to again operate at 100 percent capacity and retain all refinery workers. The Phillips 66 Rail Extension Project asks for 3-5 trains per week on an already existing route, which runs from San Ardo in Monterey County to LA County. Currently, there is no outlet and facility in Nipomo to accept crude oil from this route. The construction proposed would be a rail extension and offloading facility constructed entirely on Phillips 66 property. Ultimately, the proposed project will help the facility operate at full capacity, protect 200 head-of-household jobs, eliminate the potential need for 195 trucks per day, protect
vital local economic revenue, and limit environmental impacts as the California refined oil will be heavily regulated. It is not simply 200 employees, but 200 families that will be affected if the refinery is not granted this project and forced to downsize. These are 200 local, California jobs we cannot afford to lose. If denied, the next option would be trucking the oil. The proposed 3-5 trains per week would eliminate the potential need of 195 oil trucks per day. Ultimately, rail transport is much safer than truck transport, if not only in the sheer amount of numbers. As for economic impact, the refinery in Nipomo currently generates over $29 million in economic activity for surrounding communities and the County. It helps support schools, fire protection, and other vital services. Not only will construction of the rail extension help generate additional economic activity,
Finally, our reliance on oil is not going away. While we can strive to further develop renewable energy sources, we should promote energy independence by supporting more regulated and environmentally sound production in California. By refining North American sources, we reduce carbon emissions from importing overseas oil and we ensure oil is being refined under the most stringent environmental regulations in the world. Safety has been one of the main concerns of this entire project. The reality is Phillips 66 and Union Pacific Railroad are examples of an exemplary corporate culture dedicated to the safety of their employees and the public. The Union Pacific trains traversing SLO County routinely incorporate the most advanced safety systems in the nation for railroads and the tracks are monitored and well maintained everyday with due diligence. There are no shortcuts to safety and every precaution is taken to ensure everyone’s safety. Curley Lowery is a fourth-generation oil worker and a former contractor at the Phillips 66 refinery in Nipomo. Lowery has lived on the Central Coast since 1965. Editors note: The opinion piece against the Phillips 66 project is on page 36.
POWER TO GET THE JOB DONE
CA License # 274276 O C T O B E R
2015
Journal PLUS
ThomaElectric.com (805) 543-3850
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$1,049,000
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