Hometown News Since 1916
Good News Real News CALIFORNIA
VOL. CIII, NO. XLIII
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2019
atascaderonews.com • $1.00 • WEEKLY
SALUTING OUR VETERANS
HALLOWEEN 2019
WWII veteran and Atascadero resident Chet Pickard poses for a photo in his home last month. Photo by Mark Diaz
Local Veteran Shares Memories of WWII Keagan Sullivan, left, reacts as he’s presented with a “wheelchair costume” from the Magic Wheelchair program during Visit Atascadero’s Trick or Treat on Entrada Halloween event.
Chet Pickard recounts invasion at Normandy
Photos by Luke Phillips
KEAGAN’S MAGIC
WHEELCHAIR By LUKE PHILLIPS luke@atascaderonews.com
N
ational nonprofit organization Magic Wheelchair teamed up with Paso Robles business Daniels Wood Land to make this Halloween extra special for one Atascadero boy. When local mom and Parents for Joy board member Sarah Sullivan applied for a Magic Wheelchair costume for her son Keagan a few years ago, she said that she thought she’d never hear back from them. But recently, Magic Wheelchair found a local partner to help build the
Celebrating Veterans Day In the North County
Local Schools Earn Green Ribbon Awards ATASCADERO — The Atascadero Unified School District celebrated its second school to be nationally recognized for its efforts in conservation and education. The United States Department of Education awarded Carrisa Plains Elementary School the prestigious Green Ribbon Schools Award in November of 2019. Last year, Monterey Road Elementary School was the first in the school system to be awarded.
INSIDE
ATASCADERO — For a brief moment at 0200 hours on June 6, 1944, Paratrooper Chester “Chet” Pickard looked out over an expanse bathed in moonlight as the wind rushed around him and artillery lit the sky. At 19 years of age, Chet took one fateful leap into the clean night air over Normandy and plummeted into the annals of history. “In Normandy, it was like the Fourth of July just seeing all those gun flashes, oh yeah, and seeing all that artillery fire. It was like being in a movie. Yeah, that was something,” said the 95-yearold Atascadero resident. He added that it was a beautiful night, “the moon shone like the sun.” Chet’s regiment, the 508th Parachute Infantry was formed on Oct. 1942 and saw combat for almost the entire duration of the war. The 82nd Airborne Division was an integral part of the Normandy Invasion, Operation Neptune. Over 10,000 U.S. troops fell from the skies to wrest supply bridges and causeways from enemy forces as the frontal assault was carried out on the beaches. Chet recalled the long walk in the darkness to regroup with his brothers in arms. He said the silence that welcomed him was unsettling. CONTINUED ON PAGE A11
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By MARK DIAZ mark@atascaderonews.com
By MARK DIAZ mark@atascaderonews.com
The ED-GRS program began in 2011 when 80 non-governmental organizations petitioned the ED to honor schools for their sustainable facilities, health practices, and effective environmental education. Each year states can nominate up to five schools to be nationally recognized. To encourage schools to expand and improve their programs California offers levels of accomplishments of Bronze, Silver and Gold with the highest level being Green Achievers who are nominated for federal recognition. Schools are rated on the “three pil-
SPORTS
lars” — reducing environmental impact, improving health and wellness through coordinated school effort and providing effective environmental and sustainability education through an emphasis on “hands-on, real-world learning, civic engagement, STEM connections, and green career preparation,” according to EDGRS. This year brought the best results for AUSD’s GRS participants with San Benito Elementary and Creston Elementary both attaining Silver awards
LOCAL
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ENTERTAINMENT
By NICHOLAS MATTSON nic@atascaderonews.com
THE NORTH COUNTY — All of us at the Atascadero News salute our local veterans on this anniversary of Armistice Day. All of us Americans enjoy our freedom and during each year we do serve our country with industry and productivity that ensures our future. Those that serve in the armed forces and veterans of war are our front lines in the fight for a better future, and the preservation of our freedoms and democracy. Our civilian citizenry works also to support them, with our profitability and industry in financial support of our standing armies CONTINUED ON PAGE A11
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WEATHER
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GOODBYE SENIORS Hounds set sights on postseason | B1
ATASCADERO, TEMPLETON Advance to CIF Second Round | B1
GOODBYE SENIORS Hounds set sights on postseason | B1
ELEGANT EVENING Returns to downtown Paso Robles Nov. 16 | B3
A True Community Bank
Bankers Paul Tognazzini and Ann Hansen, with Borjon Auto Center owner, Mark Borjon
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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.
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