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SINCE 1916 Making Communities Better Through Print.™ VOL. CV, NO. XXVI
THURSDAY, JULY 7, 2022
COUNTY
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INDEPENDENCE DAY
Cano Outlines Process for Vote Counting The primary election will officially be certified on July 7 By CAMILLE DEVAUL camille@atascaderonews.com
SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY — San Luis Obispo County will officially wrap up its count of the primary election on Thursday, July 7. Atascadero News spoke with San Luis Obispo County Clerk-Recorder Elaina Cano about the counting process following election day. While California’s voter turnout was lower than in years past, according to Cano, San Luis Obispo County had a higher voter turnout compared to about two-thirds of the state’s counties. Cano also talked about the importance of the primary elections and how the election has CONTINUED ON PAGE A15
Close to 1,000 people dance along at the the Fifth Annual Fourth of July Music Festival at the Atascadero Lake Park on July 4. wearing red, white, and blue. Photo by Rick Evans
Spectacular Fourth of July on the Central Coast From North County to the coast, there was freedom and fun all around By CAMILLE DEVAUL camille@atascaderonews.com
SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY — Independence Day was filled with red, white, and blue from the northern part of the county all the way to the
coast this Monday. For many, the day’s festivities started with a pancake breakfast in Templeton or Avila Beach. But some dedicated celebrators, their day began at 4 a.m. building immaculate sand castles in Cayucos, an over-30-year tradition coming back for the first time in two years. Close to 20 sculptures were created this year, compared to over 30 in 2019. Then around 11 a.m., the county’s traditional parades
were underway. In Avila Beach, their annual Doggie Parade took place. Adorable pups dressed in their patriotic best down the promenade. In Cayucos, there was plenty to see, from the sand castle sculptures to their first official parade since the pandemic, featuring roughly 44 floats through the center of town. The day finished with a bang, watching the fireworks show off the pier even amidst the heavy fog.
YOUTH SPORTS
Morro Bay hosted a Family Fun Day at Tidelands Park that included a kid’s carnival, a magic show, music, and the First Annual Red, White, and Blue Bike Parade, which was a huge success. Thousands flocked to Pismo Beach over the weekend, ready to celebrate a beachside Fourth of July. The weekend concluded with a spectacular firework show at dusk. Cambria’s old-fashioned
California Gunowners Uneasy After DOJ Data Breach
By CAMILLE DEVAUL camille@atascaderonews.com
Coach Augie Johnston (third from left) is shown with Baller Hoop Camp campers. Contributed photo
Local Youth Attend Baller Hoop Camp in Atascadero
By CHRISTIANNA MARKS christianna@atascaderonews.com
ATASCADERO — From June 20-23, basketball lovers ages 8-15 learned new skills and a love for the game at
COMMUNITY
Baller Hoop Camp. The fourday, 32-hour intensive camp was put on by local basketball player and Atascadero High School boys basketball coach Augie Johnston and took place at Atascadero Middle School. “We had about 80 kids this year, and it’s a great camp where you get eight basketball games, five-on-five games, you get a three-on-three tournament,” said Johnston. “We do over 20
BUSINESS
hours of skill development, and it’s really just designed to help kids fall in love with the game and learn the fundamentals on how to play the right way.” Though the Baller Hoop Camp has a lot of returning athletes, close to 50% of the campers are new to the game. Johnston said that the camp caters to multiple age groups and features different leagues. The younger groups are
NEWS
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GOVERNMENT
A breach in the Firearms Dashboard Portal released viable personal information
The four-day camp was held at the Atascadero Middle School
Fourth of July Festivities started mid-morning in Shamel Park. Unfortunately, due to overcast weather, their fireworks show was canceled. In Templeton, it was the definition of Small Town USA. Tractors, horses, and floats made their way down Main Street, which was lined with people decked out in red, white, and blue. “It’s a typical hometown
mainly made up of new players, whereas the older group is normally kids who’ve been playing the game and coming to camp for years. “Our older group is normally pretty experienced,” Johnston said. “They’re kids that have been coming to our camp for three or four years. We have a lot of people coming back. By the time they’re in ninth grade, CONTINUED ON PAGE A15
EVENTS
CALIFORNIA — Gun owners across California are feeling concerned after a data breach of the Firearms Dashboard Portal released viable personal information. On June 27, the Firearms Dashboard Portal was breached, exposing the personal information of individuals who were granted or denied a concealed and carry weapons (CCW ) permit between 2011 and 2021. Information exposed included names, date of birth, gender, race, driver’s license number, addresses, and criminal history. Art Bridger, owner of Bridge Sportsman Center in Paso Robles, has heard concerns from customers on the breach.
“A lot of them are concerned about people knowing their private business,” said Bridge. According to the California Department of Justice (DOJ) investigation social security numbers or any financial information were not disclosed as a result of this event. However, data from the following dashboards were also impacted: Assault Weapon Registry, Handguns Certified for Sale, Dealer Record of Sale, Firearm Safety Certificate, and Gun Violence Restraining Order dashboards. The DOJ is investigating the extent to which any personally identifiable information could have been exposed from those dashboards and will report additional information as soon as confirmed. In a recent statement, Attorney General Rob Bonta said, “This unauthorized release of personal information is unacceptable and falls far short of my expectations for this department.” CONTINUED ON PAGE A15
WEATHER
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