Hometown News Since 1916 Making Communities Better Through Print.™ VOL. CIV, NO. XII
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 1, 2020
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ESSENTIAL HEROES
SHOOTING STRAIGHT Rooster’s Firearms on security detail during shelter-at-home By NICHOLAS MATTSON nic@atascaderonews.com
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n the early onset of the shelter-at-home order by San Luis Obispo County, confusion over essential services put Rooster’s Firearms in the crosshairs. Owner Jim Mulhall shot straight with The Paso Robles Press after Rooster’s Facebook-shamed a lack of fact-finding by Paso Robles Daily News for reposting a questionable Cal Coast News story that suggested Rooster’s was ignoring the County shelter order. Among those deemed essential by San Luis Obispo County, “Licensed firearms retailers” are specified with further clarification by Sheriff Ian Parkinson. The SLO Sheriff ’s office statement included that “… licensed firearms dealers are also a vital and essential business. Citizens have a constitutionally guaranteed right to protect themselves and their loved ones, especially in times of crisis.” “We are very proud of the fact that the Owner Jim Mulhall armed and ready to serve the community’s County has deemed us an essential service,” Mulhall said. security needs. Photo by Nicholas Mattson
As a result, Rooster’s Firearms in Templeton has been meeting demand for firearms while observing the County orders and recommendations of physical distancing of at least six feet, with signs posted at the front door. “We have been very, very busy,” Mulhall said. “We have up to 10 employees at any time in the shop. At peak times, we have security at the door and allow no more than 15 people in the store at any time, based on our square footage.” As a licensed firearms retailer and a law enforcement firearms dealer, Rooster’s serves both first-time buyers who need extra help understanding laws and regulations around gun ownership, as well as serving agencies and local peace officers. We take a lot of first-time buyers, and many are surprised they cannot come in and walk out with a firearm,” Mulhall said. The purchase of firearms, including “private-party” purchases, are regulated and must observe laws regarding registration and the involvement of a licensed firearms dealer. What is called a 10-day waiting period includes a background check and the observance of ten 24-hour periods. The purchase at 3 p.m. on a Friday requires waiting until 3 p.m. on the tenth day. “Most of my employees are retired law enforcement and are very proficient with firearms,” Mulhall said. “We have seen a lot of first-time buyers that come to our
shop. We do some training with them after they pick up firearms and encourage them to purchase a gun safe.” According to Mulhall, the predominant interest for gun shoppers and buyers is in handguns, which can be easily concealed and carried. The laws concerning firearms are not common knowledge, and Mulhall said many new gun owners need to know the rules. “We answer questions about transporting firearms and concealed carry,” Mulhall said. “A percentage of people do not realize they cannot walk out with the handgun. They have to have certain requirements, and have a firearms safety certification.” Firearms safety certification test can be done at Rooster’s, and are good for five years, although only one handgun can be purchased during a 30-day period. Along with educating new gun owners, Mulhall serves the law enforcement community’s firearm needs. Mulhall retired as the Atascadero Police Chief in 2011, prior to opening Rooster’s. In addition to his experience as a police chief, Mulhall also spent time with the Sheriff ’s Department Special Enforcement Detail (SWAT) as a sniper, as a Bomb Squad Technician, and later as Bomb Squad Commander for the San Luis Obispo County Bomb Task Force. CONTINUED ON PAGE A9
NATIONAL
President Trump Signs Historic Relief Package
STAFF REPORT
WASHINGTON, D.C. – On Friday, President Donald Trump signed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, authorizing $2.2 trillion in funding for millions who find themselves in financial peril due to the coronavirus pandemic. On Wednesday, March 25, the
House of Representatives passed the bipartisan bill, which was the third coronavirus relief package passed by Congress. “ This bill will provide muchneeded support and relief to workers, families, small businesses, and communities across the country, and it is a significant improvement over the partisan bill initially proposed by Senate Republicans,” Rep. Salud
Carbajal said. “On California’s Central Coast, I’ve been speaking with workers, families, small business owners, health professionals, and more, and I’ve been relaying our community’s concerns back to Washington as we work to provide aid.” The CARES Act is the third bipartisan coronavirus relief package passed by Congress. The previous two bills allocate
billions in funding for coronavirus relief, including: • Free coronavirus testing for those in need • Extend additional loan support for small businesses, extend unemployment benefits • Enhance food security programs • Fund vaccine research and public health centers The CARES Act adds to national
CITY
COVID-19 Changes City Operations Refunds offered to those who hold city facility reservations By LUKE PHILLIPS luke@atascaderonews.com ATASCADERO — On Tuesday, the Atascadero City Council met for the first time since a countywide shelter-at-home order was issued this past week. With only Mayor Heather Moreno and Mayor Pro-Tem Charles Bourbeau in physical attendance, along with a small handful of City employees, the majority of the seats at the head of the room were empty, as were the seats normally occupied by members of the public audience. Joining the meeting via telephone, the disembodied voices of council members Susan Funk, Roberta Fonzi and Heather Newsom echoed off the chamber walls as
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they came through a set of loudspeakers. Members of the public were invited to watch the proceedings via television, radio or a live stream on the website slospan.com and to provide comment via telephone. Moreno began the meeting with an announcement that anybody who was planning to rent City facilities for an event that has since been canceled due to the COVID-19 outbreak will be able to receive a refund rather than the normal operating procedures of only allowing them to rebook the date. “We are allowing refunds for organizations and individuals who need to cancel out of their agreements with the city if they’ve had to do that because of the COVID-19 outbreak, we didn’t want
LOCAL NEWS
them to be penalized,” she said. “It does take a little bit out of our budget but we wanted to do that.” City Manager Rachelle Rickard provided an update on how the City is operating under the threat from COVID-19 and the stay-at-home order. Rickard said that some City workers deemed essential continue to work from the City’s Emergency Operations Center at City Hall while practicing social distancing and others are working from home. Essential City services such as the fire and police departments and the public works department are also still operating. Rickard said that the police department continues to enforce laws and respond to CONTINUED ON PAGE A9
AGRICULTURE
SPORTS
coronavirus relief efforts, including: • $200 billion in hospitals, health systems, health research, and personal protective equipment • $260 billion investment in Unemployment Insurance benefits to match the average paycheck of laid-off or furloughed workers • Increased Medicare telehealth CONTINUED ON PAGE A9
COVID-19 UPDATE
SLO County COVID-19 Response Proves Results Stunted growth in confirmed cases reflects effort to flatten the curve By NICHOLAS MATTSON nic@atascaderonews.com S A N LU I S O B I S P O COUNTY — As San Luis Obispo County comes together by staying apart, the number of confirmed cases increases at a slower pace than the instances of fully recovered patients. Overnight, from Saturday to Sunday, the number of cases of COVID-19 rose from 67 to 71, while those fully recovered jumped dramatically, from 13 to 24. SLO County Health Officer Penny Borenstein called the growth in number a “modest
ENTERTAINMENT
increase day-over-day.” By Tuesday, the number of recovered cases reached 30 and confirmed cases increased to 80. Like more dramatic statistics around the world, the statistics in SLO County are not reflective of the overall picture of health in the area. The number of confirmed tests are a result of testing — the spread of the novel coronavirus outpaces the ability for healthcare providers to return test results, and statistics remain skewed until more results are made available. CONTINUED ON PAGE A9
WEATHER
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