Good News Real News VOL.CIII, NO. XL
Hometown News Since 1916 CALIFORNIA
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2019
COLONY
atascaderonews.com • $1.00 • WEEKLY
CATS
Council Directs Staff to Look at Feline Overpopulation By MARK DIAZ mark@atascaderonews.com
ATASCADERO — Atascadero Police Chief Jerel Haley presented a parking violation law enforcement issue during the Oct. 8 City Council Meeting. Haley asked the Council to reevaluate the wording of the ordinance to help clarify parking violation enforcement practices. “One of the violations we are commonly called on to enforce has to do with time limit parking in our downtown shopping areas specifically,” Haley said. Interpreting the law is not a cut and dry practice, but is filled with nuances and subtleties. The two schools of thought when it comes to interpretation are the Spirit of the Law; what the writers were trying to acCONTINUED ON PAGE A11
NC Cities Renew Deal with Tourism Promoter
ATASCADERO — City of Atascadero staff presented a report to the Council on how best to address the city’s feline overpopulation dilemma. The staff report listed several options to help councilmembers decide how best to shape the policy concerning the overabundance of cats within the town’s limits. At the top of the list was the option to repeal the mandatory pickup ordinance. When animal control receives complaints about a cat, they are required to pick up the stray mouser. The practice currently costs the City $350 per animal to catch and shelter. Staff said that the amount is expected to double if and when the new animal shelter is completed. However, repealing the mandatory pickup requirements does not address the issue of controlling the number of cats. Atascadero is home to several official “cat colonies” that are fed and maintained by residents. These free-range feline colonies are maintained by cat-loving volunteers who feed and look after the well-being of the clowder. Many of them practice TRN, trap neuter and return, to combat overpopulation which invites disease and starvation. On average, a healthy queen (unaltered female cat) can generate up to 10 new mouths to feed a year. Generally, fixed feral cats have their ears clipped so they are not recaught which wastes time, money and resources. A large portion of the problem seems to stem from people who do not use responsible feeding practices, such as day-time feeding and restricted amounts of food, and not spaying or neutering the free-roaming wildcats. Overpopulation is not only bad for the cats. A
Councils Vote to Stick With Visit SLO CAL
By MARK DIAZ mark@atascaderonews.com
CONTINUED ON PAGE A11
Great AGventure Provides Hands-on Learning for Students Free event was held at Paso Robles Event Center
Creston Elementary students pull a weighted sled to determine how much horsepower they are producing during the Great AGventure on Oct. 10 at the Paso Robles Event Center.
By BRIAN WILLIAMS brian@pasoroblespress.com PASO ROBLES — Class was in session once again at the Great AGventure. Nearly 1,000 fourth-graders from 19 different San Luis Obispo County schools moved from station to station at the Paso Robles Event Center Wednesday morning, Oct. 9, for a one-of-a-kind, hands-on learning experience.
Photo by Brian Williams
SEE FOCUS ON AG, PAGE B10
SPORTS
Give Police Ability to Enforce Ordinance By MARK DIAZ mark@atascaderonews.com
Two cats named Rain, pictured at left, and Sunny, pictured below, are among the many cats cared for by local volunteers at official “cat colonies” along Atascadero Creek. The volunteers keep the cats fed and also trap them and have them spayed or neutered before releasing them back into the wild.
INSIDE
City Council Amends Time Limit Parking Law
WEEK IN PHOTOS
ENTERTAINMENT
WEATHER
NORTH COUNTY — The cities of Atascadero and Paso Robles both continued their contracts with the local public relations nonprofit Visit SLO CAL. The advertising firm promotes tourism to the Central Coast utilizing Transient Occupancy Tax funds collected by the cities. In 2015, the San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors approved the nonprofit’s Touring Marketing District in a 5-year-plan to collect one percent of all short-term stays in the County. The assessment was added to each city’s Transient Occupancy Tax. The current contract expires in June of 2020. Visit SLO CAL has been making its rounds to individual cities to promote a new plan that extends the agreement for an additional 10 years and raises the assessment to another 5 percent. In total the increase would bring the TMD budget to $60 million. The company has been instrumental in bringing tourism CONTINUED ON PAGE A11
atascaderonews.com twitter.com/ @Atascadero_News facebook.com/ @AtascaderoNews
HOMECOMING WEEK: THS students celebrate school spirit | A4
SENIOR NIGHT: Paso finishes season with three straight road games | B1
PIONEER DAY: Scenes from the 89th annual parade and festivities | A5
JASON MRAZ: A night of positivity and love at Vina Robles | B4
A True Community Bank
Bankers Paul Tognazzini and Ann Hansen, with Borjon Auto Center owner, Mark Borjon
FORECAST | A9 At American Riviera Bank, we are dedicated to being a true community bank that knows and cares about our customers. We’re a bank built on relationships — with you and with our community, tailored to your specific needs.
1601 Spring Street, Paso Robles, CA 93446 (805) 296-1690 • AmericanRivieraBank.com