Hometown News Since 1916
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VOL. CIII, NO. XLIV
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2019
atascaderonews.com • $1.00 • WEEKLY
VETERANS DAY 2019
ECONOMIC FORECAST
SLO County needs more affordable housing Speaker: Unemployment at unacceptable levels By MARK DIAZ mark@atascaderonews.com SAN LUIS OBISPO — One message came through loud and clear at the annual Central Coast Economic Forecast: the County of San Luis Obispo needs more housing if it wants to prosper. Keynote speaker Chris Thornberg told a room packed with the Central Coast’s movers and shakers that California needs to build for success, instead of waiting for success to build. According to Thornberg, California’s economy is booming. The state ranks in the top 10 for five-year employment and percent earning growth among other numerous strong indicators. However, like the entire state, the County faces a housing shortage. The jobs are there, but there are not enough people to fill those jobs because people can not afford the rent or to purchase property. Thornberg said that without people to work the jobs, the state and local economy is bound to falter. Generally speaking, high unemployment is bad and low unemployment is good although Thornberg said that ultralow unemployment causes its own CONTINUED ON PAGE A10
Downtown No Place for Kids?
Business owners warn parents, report spike in petty crimes By MARK DIAZ mark@atascaderonews.com
ATASCADERO — The City of Atascadero’s downtown area is experiencing vandalism, drug abuse, and vagrancy, and there is no consensus on how to solve the problem. Recently, a nonprofit closed its doors for fear of the safety of its docents, prolific drug use has been found on private property and a local business owner posted a warning on social media telling parents to keep their children away from an area the City spent millions of dollars to encourage economic growth and quality of life. The Atascadero Historical Society temporarily close its Museum located at 6600 Lewis Ave in late October. President Jim Wilkins said that after several CONTINUED ON PAGE A10
NONPROFIT
Former Atascadero Mayor and Faces of Freedom Veterans Memorial founder Tom O’Malley speaks about Leroy Dodge, the Distinguished Veteran of the Year for 2019, during a Veterans Day ceremony at the Faces of Freedom memorial Monday. Photos by Luke Phillips
Leroy Dodge is Veteran of the Year Hundreds attend ceremony at Faces of Freedom Veterans Memorial By LUKE PHILLIPS luke@atascaderonews.com ATASCADERO — On Monday morning hundreds of local residents, elected officials and veterans from all around the region provided a standing ovation for Leroy Dodge, a local veteran who was instrumental in the founding of the Atascadero Faces of Freedom Veterans Memorial foundation and the construction of the monument itself. Overcome with emotion, Dodge attempted to give credit for the memorial to other foundation mem-
Local Veteran and Faces of Freedom Veterans Memorial founder Leroy Dodge, center, is presented with a framed photo of the Faces of Freedom monument commemorate his designation as the Distinguished Veteran of the Year for 2019. bers present at a Veterans Day ceremony at the Faces of Freedom
Memorial but he had trouble forming the words through his tears.
“The people who built this did one whale of a marvelous job,” he said. Former Atascadero Mayor and another Faces of Freedom Founder, Tom O’Malley presented Dodge with a framed photo of the Faces of Freedom memorial during the ceremony and honored Dodge as the Distinguished Veteran of the Year. A native of Fargo, North Dakota, Dodge moved with his family to Atascadero and graduated from Atascadero High School in 1945 via an early enlistment in the U.S. Navy. After graduating from boot camp and radio school Dodge was assigned to a Patrol Craft Escort as a radioman, 3rd class, and was off to fight on the Pacific front in WWII. Dodge married his high school sweetheart and neighbor Peggy CONTINUED ON PAGE A10
Parents for Joy Recognized for Playground Efforts
By MARK DIAZ mark@atascaderonews.com
ATASCADERO — What started as a social media support group for parents with special-needs children grew into Parents for Joy, the organization that produced the $1.2 million all-inclusive Joy Playground. It opened to the public on April 5. “A lot of us met when our kids were in preschool,”
SPORTS
Members of Parents for Joy pose for a photo during the grand opening of Joy Playground earlier this year.
Atascadero mom Sarah Sullivan said. “The teacher realized that we were all kind of in the same place and did not really have any friends that understood what we were going through, so she put together a Facebook group.” When Sullivan and Jenell Allen first pitched the unique play area concept to the City of Atascadero in 2013 they had no idea the years of planning and
Atascadero News file photo
CONTINUED ON PAGE A10
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CRESTON COMMUNITY CENTER Gets Grants for Patio Area | A5
KASCHEWSKI’S 7 TDs Lead THS to Playoff Win | B1
TWIN CITIES hospital Earns Top Marks For Patient Safety | A3
PASO ROBLES Wins Emerging Destination Award for 2020 | B3
FORECAST | A6
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