Letters to the Editor

be spent on our students. I am asking you to join me in supporting the exceptionally well-qualified retired Marine Lt. Colonel Kenney Enney for Paso Robles School Board.

Dorian Baker, Paso Robles

School Board Endorsement, Special Election, April 18

Dear Editor,

Until my appointment to the Paso Robles City Council last September, it was my honor to serve on the Paso Robles School Board for nearly 10 years. My recent experience on the school board has led many of you to ask who is the more qualified candidate for the Paso school board. After much thought and prayer, this endorsement is provided as a private citizen. The opinions expressed are my own.

First, how did we get here? Why is there a special election estimated to cost the school district. i.e., taxpayers, $453,000? Quite simply, we are asked to believe that a sole Paso Robles school district employee, Ms. Carey Alvord, whether by her own volition or prompted to do so by others, instigated a challenge of Mr. Kenney Enney’s lawful appointment by the school board. Ms. Alvord was allegedly aided and abetted by district staff, School Board Trustee Mr. Tim Gearhart, Paso Robles Public Educators Executive Director Mr. James Lynett, and San Luis County Schools Superintendent Mr. James Brescia and County Clerk Recorder Ms. Elaina Cano. I have seen the corroborating email exchange to back up this claim, including Ms. Alvord’s request to have her name redacted from her petition. Ms. Alvord’s challenge resulted in a petition that evolved into Mr. Brescia demanding Mr. Enney resign his school board appointment. School employees have indicated that they were forced to sign the recall petition on school grounds during school hours. In my opinion, the petition should not have been validated by Mr. Brescia or by Ms. Cano. The rush to judge and summarily eliminate Mr. Enney begs the question, “What reward (or threat?) could be so great as to merit risking one’s professional reputation?”

Both Ms. Hollander and Mr. Enney command admiration and esteem from their respective peers and our gratitude for running for office. My association with Ms. Angela Hollander goes back 20 years.

We have worked together on several projects at St. Rose. She awarded a $5,000 scholarship to one of my sons. She asked for my assistance when she was having a hard time understanding the Pastor. I know Ms. Hollander well enough to see her similarities with two other school board trustees from recent years, Joan Summers and Kathleen Hall. Both Mses. Summers and Hall were trustees and subjects of the SLO County Grand Jury Report, “A Cautionary Tale.” The community is far better served by avoiding a repeat performance of rubber stamps brought on by what the Grand Jury noted as, among others, failure to independently verify information, cronyism, failure to provide adequate financial oversight, and not following a proper system of checks and balances. A school board being of one heart, one mind statewide voter support for whatever property split was worked out between existing state governments and new or revised ones. Not to mention similar votes in Idaho, where voters would have to approve adding the rural Oregon counties which now get far more financial support from their state than they contribute via taxes. is a recipe for repeating the mistakes of the Williams administration. A diversity of opinion is needed.

All of which means none of the current state splitting or state altering ideas has yet become serious business, just like all the other 42 ideas for new state lines proposed formally and informally since California entered the Union in 1850.

Thomas Elias is an independent opinion columnist for The Atascadero News and Paso Robles Press; you can email him at tdelias@aol.com.

I ask you to consider the board’s impact on the future of Paso Robles schools. Will strong leadership be needed to survive California’s looming financial crisis? Are you willing to stand up to the woke, politically correct mob who insults a true patriot, an honest, unbiased Marine who has supported America? Tell the clandestine organizers of Mr. Enney’s recall that they have it wrong.

Tell them by your vote that Mr. Enney is a good man, the right man for the school board. Please, vote for Kenney Enney.

To read the full Letter to the Editor in its entirety, visit pasoroblespress.com.

Chris Bausch, Private Citizen

of building birdhouses as a business from seeing one online.

The young business people mixed their creativity with their freshly learned business savvy after five weeks of extensive, interactive virtual workshops and business training led by Cross.

“The Jr. CEO Program is a five-week, virtual training program where we teach Jr. CEOs marketing plans, how to price their product, how to do food handling safety training, how to open a bank account, and how to market their product,” Cross explained. “And it culminates in this Jr. CEO Business Day, where they put all their knowledge to practice, and they are here selling their wares.” riders did come to show their support and ride in the pleasant and very welcomed sunny weather.

The Jr. CEO Program and Business Day could not have happened without this round’s sponsors: Better Business Bureau, Coast Hills Credit Union, Central Coast Moving Company, Eckerd Connects, and the San Luis Obispo County Office of Education.

“It is so great to get out there. I think everyone who comes to this event is in such a great mood,” said Sanders, who is a cancer survivor herself. “There are a lot of friendships that start with this ride.”

This year’s fundraiser featured new branding with bright poppy flowers — very appropriate for the color spring Paso Robles has this year. Sanders notes that while she couldn’t find anyone who rode all 15 years, there are some riders who have participated in 13 Tour of Paso rides.

“It was definitely a milestone year for us,” she adds.

Since the beginning, CSC-CCC has supported anyone in the county whose family has been touched by cancer, whether it is the patients themselves or their family members.

“We had a couple of teams who went above and beyond with their fundraising,” said Sanders.

At The Tour of Paso on Sunday, awards were given out for the top fundraising team and top individual fundraiser. The award for Top Fundraising Team went to Saxum Vineyards, who brought in over $13,000 in donations. The award for Top Individual Fundraiser went to Kathy Stone, raising close to $2,000.

This year’s major sponsors for the ride were Saxum Vineyards, Terry and Pebble Smith, David and Nancy Lacey, and Niner Wine Estates. More information on Tour of Paso and the CSC-CCC can be found by visiting tourofpaso.org

466-2585 atascaderonews.com publisher, editor-in-chief hayley mattson hayley@atascaderonews.com assistant content editor camille devaul camille@atascaderonews.com copy editor michael chaldu michael@atascaderonews.com office administrator cami martin office@atascaderonews.com

Paulding (District 4) all stated they would hold comments for the hearing on April 18.

Peschong’s reason for voting no to approving the hearing referenced a political cartoon from a local news source that pictured himself, Arnold, and Compton handing money to the SLOCCGG.

“I wont be supporting [agenda item] 6 today because I don’t want this cartoon to come true,” he concluded.

Supervisors have approved a new ordinance for campaign contributions in SLO County. In November 2020, the board adopted Ordinance No. 3429, which sets the campaign contribution limit to $25,000 per person. However, at the Jan. 24 meeting, the board directed staff to instead default to the state’s campaign contribution regulations. State regulations for the ordinance limits the campaign contribution for the period of Jan. 1, 2023, through Dec. 31, 2024, to $5,500 per person.

Arnold explained her reasoning for voting no on the new ordinance: “I think it benefits the public to be able to see where the money comes from. This is going to, in my mind, make

Covid Update

CONTINUED FROM A1 highest risk of death and severe disease, taking into account the Omicron stage of the pandemic and high population immunity levels due to vaccines and infections.

The Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization (SAGE) has issued new streamlined recommendations that focus on high-, medium-, and low-risk groups. For high-priority groups, including older individuals, immunocompromised people, frontline health workers, and pregnant people, SAGE recommends additional booster doses six or 12 months after the last booster dose. Medium-risk it harder to know where the money comes from than easier.”

Some members of the public expressed concerns that the new ordinance makes campaign contributions less transparent, allowing more room for “shady money.”

Arnold and Peschong both said the county has never had a contribution limit prior to 2020.

Paulding supported the new ordinance, feeling it would help remove “big money” from politics: “I think this is one thing we can do to reduce the influence or potential influence that individuals, businesses, or political action committees have on the electoral process.”

Gibson disagreed with Arnold’s reasons to not move forward with the ordinance: “I don’t see the action we are taking today having any effect on transparency.” groups, such as children and adolescents with health risks and healthy adults under 60 years old, are recommended to receive primary vaccinations and first booster doses but not routine additional boosters.

After the supervisors’ discussion, the new ordinance was approved with 3-2 vote, Arnold and Peschong voting no.

With the approval of the new Ordinance No. 3429, the enforcement of campaign contribution limits now reverts to the Fair Political Practices Commission.

The next SLO County Board of Supervisors meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, April 18, at 9 a.m.

For healthy children aged six months to 17 years, countries should consider vaccination based on factors like disease burden and cost-effectiveness. SAGE emphasized that the public health impact of vaccinating healthy children and adolescents is comparatively much lower than that of traditional essential vaccines like rotavirus, measles, and pneumococcal conjugate vaccines.

SAGE’s vaccine guidance is based on current epidemiological conditions and may change if the pandemic evolves. Countries are making their vaccine recommendations based on vaccine supply and progress while acknowledging competing health priorities when it comes to vaccinations. As the situation unfolds, health officials worldwide will continue to monitor developments and adjust their strategies accordingly. ad consultant dana mcgraw dana@atascaderonews.com layout designer neil schumaker neil@atascaderonews.com layout designer evan rodda evan@atascaderonews.com layout designer anthony atkins anthony@atascaderonews.com ad design jen rodman graphics@atascaderonews.com correspondent christianna marks christianna@atascaderonews.com

After three years of analyzing all the data and conducting research, it is now possible to advise individuals on the effects of the COVID-19 vaccines. However, it is crucial to conduct your own research and consult with your doctor before following any medical advice that does not take your medical history into account.