News Briefs: North San Luis Obispo County

Paso Robles

Driver Arrested Following

Fatal Accident on Hwy. 101

One person died at the scene of a car accident just outside of Paso Robles on Tuesday night, March 14. Following the accident, the driver of one of the vehicles was arrested.

Alcohol was believed to have played a role in the wrong-way crash that occurred around 11:18 p.m. in the northbound lanes of Highway 101 north of Wellsona Road.

According to California Highway Patrol (CHP), Alvaro AlvizoDiaz, 33, of Ventura was heading eastbound on Wellsona Road and turned southbound into the northbound lanes of Highway 101. He reportedly was driving around 65 mph in his 2020 Nissan Sentra when he crashed head-on into an oncoming vehicle driven by Isaldo ArellanoSantiago, 38, of Oxnard.

ArellanoSantiago, who was driving a 2000 Ford F-150, was pronounced dead at the scene.

Officers say AlvizoDiaz sustained major injuries and was taken to the hospital and was later arrested. A passenger in his vehicle was treated on scene for pain but refused to be transported to the hospital.

Grant Awarded to City of Paso

Robles for Recycled Water Distribution System e State of California has awarded the City of Paso

Robles a $9,730,000 grant for construction of the city’s Recycled Water Distribution System project. e grant is provided by the Clean Water State Revolving Fund and President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, through an agreement with the State Water Resources Control Board. e grant will be in combination with a low-interest loan.

The project includes construction of a major pump station at the city’s Wastewater Treatment Plant near the Salinas River, 4.5 miles of large diameter water pipeline across the northern part of the city, and a 900,000-gallon concrete tank at the eastern edge of city limits, near Barney Schwartz Park. is infrastructure will enable the city to deliver over 3,000 acre-feet per year of high-quality recycled water to the city’s east side, for irrigation of parks, golf courses, vineyards, and common area landscaping in new housing developments. is new source of irrigation water will o set pumping of groundwater and help alleviate the prob- lem of declining groundwater elevations in the Paso Robles Groundwater Basin. Recycled water will also help conserve the city’s valuable supplies of drinking water. e city plans to sell the recycled water to those who use it for irrigation. is revenue will be used to pay back the construction loan and expenses for operation and maintenance. The price of recycled water will be driven by the cost of the recycled water infrastructure, so this grant funding will help make recycled water use more economical. e city has already begun constructing a large segment of the Recycled Water Distribution System. On Feb. 21, City Council awarded a $3,664,525 contract to Mountain Cascade of Livermore, for construction of a 1,900-footlong segment of pipeline under the Salinas River and up a steep hillside on the east side of the river. is segment will be completed by late spring 2024. Construction of the Salinas River Segment is made possible by an additional $3.5 million grant awarded to the city in 2022 by the California Department of Water Resources, with assistance from the County of San Luis Obispo’s Groundwater Sustainability O ce.

Now that nancing is in place, the city will move ahead with completing plans and speci cations for construction and acquisition of easements. e city aims to have the project ready for bidding and start of construction by the end of 2023.

Disaster Preparation Class Offered in Spanish (Rescheduled from Feb. 25) e North San Luis Obispo County Community Emergency Response Training (CERT) program is sponsoring LISTOS, a class that teaches basic disaster response skills so you can safely help yourself and those around you. is eight-hour class is taught in Spanish and intended for the entire family, so children are welcome too. You will learn how to prepare for disas - ters, create a reuni cation and family communication plan, learn about disaster rst aid and emotional support, how to back up important documents, shut o utilities, and extinguish small res. e class will be presented in the White Oak Room at Centennial Park, 600 Nickerson Drive, in Paso Robles, on Saturday, March 25, from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. is class is o ered at no cost to students.

In the event of a major wild re, earthquake or widespread ooding, emergency resources would immediately respond, but it is likely that they could be overwhelmed by the number of calls. If your home was threatened, or a family member injured, it might be hours before help could arrive. Parents could be at work, while children could be at school or involved in after-school activities. Would your family know what to do?

To register, call Cecilia Herrera at (805) 539-5349, or email her at ceciliaherreraLISTOSmt@gmail.com.

Take this course, and learn how to protect yourself and your loved ones, assist your neighbors, and help your community when disaster strikes.

Atascadero

Male Juvenile Investigated for Snapchat Post

On Friday, March 3, students reported to school sta that a juvenile male had posted a Snapchat while holding a rearm in what appeared to be one of the restrooms at Atascadero High School (AHS).

“First of all, we always want to be super appreciative and grateful to the people that reported that,” stated Atascadero Uni ed School District’s Superintendent Tom Butler. “It was fantastic that they did so. As a result, administrative sta and law enforcement did a fantastic job and immediately determined that there was no threat to the high school and then also immediately conducted a successful investigation.” e case was handled by the school resource o cer, and the student, when contacted, did not have the rearm in his possession at the time. However, the juvenile did admit to having possession of his father’s gun on campus. e incident was isolated, and Butler stressed that, as always, they took this incident seriously.

“I was very pleased with the speedy, timely, perfectional response of our administrative team, as well as law enforcement, here locally,” Butler added. “And then also we always apply the appropriate and signi cant discipline to these situations.” e rearm was recovered from the juvenile’s home, o campus, and a case was led with juvenile probation for possession of a rearm at a public school.

“I think one of the ways that we keep our campuses safe is to continually have a vigilant community where anyone in our community sees something that is concerning or questions potentially the behavior of anybody in our community report it. And thats’ how we’re able to keep a safe school,” concluded Butler.

Highway 41 Expected to Reopen this Weekend

Since Tuesday, March 14, Highway 41/Morro Road has been closed due to fallen trees and a mudslide. Currently, the road closure a ects both directions of the highway from Los Altos to San Gabriel Roads, which resides predominantly close to Atascadero, closest to Highway 101.

Roughly a 3-mile stretch, the highway should reopen by this coming weekend if weather and clearing of the trees and mud permits. According to Caltrans District 5, crews removed an estimated 6,000 yards of dirt from the slide and need to cut and remove another 10,000 yards of slope. Aside from trees and mud, rocks and boulders need to be moved and the hillside stabilized.

Fortunately, there are alternative routes that can be utilized in the meantime. Drivers can use Highway 46 to connect to Highway 101 and Highway 1. Caltrans expects the road to be reopened this weekend.

San Luis Obispo

Arrests Made in Grover Beach Narcotics Investigation selling controlled substances within 1,000 feet of a school.

It should be noted that Grover Beach Elementary is located approximately 493 feet from the residence belonging to both Brett and Jacquelyn Douglass. Both were booked into the County Jail. A court order for a bail increase was approved. Both are in custody with bail set at $250,000.

San Jose Man Sentenced to 142 Years to Life for Child Sexual Abuse to report and seek help from law enforcement,” Dow said. “We will hold child predators accountable and when they are convicted, we will do everything legally possible to remove them from society so that they cannot victimize a vulnerable child ever again.”

SLO County District Attorney Dan Dow announced last week that San Luis Obispo County Superior Court Judge Craig B. van Rooyen has sentenced Marco Antonio Navabarrera, 46, of San Jose, to the maximum punishment for his conviction of eight crimes of sexual abuse of two child victims between 2015 and 2019. He was ordered to serve 142 years and eight months to life in prison.

After completing their deliberations on February 16, 2023, a San Luis Obispo County jury found Navabarrera guilty of eight felony sex crimes against two victims who were young children when the crimes were committed against them between 2015 and 2019.

The Monday Club Seeks a Happy Ending to its Annual Book Drive e investigation led to the arrest of Brett Douglass and Jacquelyn Douglass of Grover Beach for the following charges: felon in possession of a rearm, possession of a machine gun, felon in possession of a rearm, possession of a controlled substance while armed, possession for sale of a controlled substance, and

The Monday Clubhouse Conservancy announces its third year of collecting books for San Luis Obispo County’s youngest readers, from infancy to age 12.

Starting on April 10, e Monday Club will be accepting books at its clubhouse in San Luis Obispo. Donations may be dropped o the second and fourth Mondays of the months of April, May, and June, from 2 to 5 p.m., at 1815 Monterey Street.

To help promote equity and access, e Monday Club gladly accepts both new and gently used books. ey invite members of the community to clean out their bookshelves — or shop for a few new books — to pass on the joy of reading and the gift of literacy. Volunteers will be on hand to receive the books and to assist in unloading, as necessary. Books in Spanish and other languages are most welcome.

On Thursday, March 16, the Sheri ’s Special Operations Unit served a search warrant at a residence in the 1100 block of Grand Avenue in Grover Beach.

During the search, detectives seized 163 grams of methamphetamine, 158 grams of fentanyl, two Glock style ghost handguns, an Uzi fully automatic machine gun and a 12-gauge shotgun. e estimated street value of the narcotics is approximately $6,700.

At the sentencing hearing, the 9-year-old and 19-yearold stood strong when telling the judge how the defendant’s crimes against them had a ected them personally. One specifically described how their childhood was stolen from them by the cruel acts of molestation at such a young age and over a sevenyear period. e foster mom to one of the victims told the Judge that her son, “would not be [the defendant’s] victim, he would be a victor.”

After hearing from the victims, while issuing the maximum punishment allowed by California law, Judge van Rooyen told the defendant, “You are a serial predator, you destroyed the family, you will face the consequences.”

“We applaud these young survivors for speaking out and having their voices heard. We hope that their courage to report and testify and the resulting long prison sentence will encourage other victims of all ages in our community

In addition to the book drive, as supporters of the County Office of Education’s Raise a Reader program (RAR), The Monday Club provides RAR with funds to buy books for their successful book bag initiative. is wellloved project gives children Pre-K through kindergarten classroom access to bags lled with books, which they take home, read, and then exchange for another bag. Since 2015, e Monday Club has donated $5,000 a year to assist with the program.

From its inception three years ago, e Monday Club has also distributed 7,000 books to children in underserved communities from Paso Robles to Oceano, and include printed bilingual reading tips for families in each book. is year’s book drive is a continuation of that program, the better to reach young readers of all ages.

The Monday Club is a 501(c) 3 Public Bene t Charitable Foundation whose mission includes providing community and educational activities, and preserving and restoring the historic landmark known as e Monday Club of San Luis Obispo, a jewel in the architectural crown of the city, designed by Heart Castle’s Julia Morgan.

Drop o dates: April 10 and 17, May 8 and 22, June 12 and 26

For more information, visit themondayclubslo.org/RAR

Linda Joyce (Fauver)

Silveira was born April 17th, 1947, to Betty and George Fauver in Bakersfield, CA. Linda’s family moved to Anderson, then to Martinez and Oakland, before moving to Paci ca. e Fauver family’s final move was to Fremont, where Linda graduated from Irvington High School in 1965.

Linda met the love of her life Danny, while they were both attending Irvington High. eir blooming love story began in their mid-teens and lasted over 59 years! Linda was married to Danny on

Paso Robles Police Department

MARCH 13, 2023

00:00 — Regino Mejiagonzalez, of San Miguel was arrested. Case no. 230794

15:00 — Andrea Neider, of Paso Robles was taken into custody on the 100 block of Niblick Rd for WILLFULLY TO VIOLATE A WRITTEN

PROMISE TO APPEAR IN COURT [853.7PC],

Case no. 230797

14:23 — Joseph Perez, of Paso Robles was taken into custody on the 100 block of Niblick Rd for WILLFULLY TO VIOLATE A WRITTEN

PROMISE TO APPEAR IN COURT [853.7PC],

Case no. 230797

20:38 — Enrique Bernadinoolivera, of Paso

Robles was arrested for DRIVING WHILE

SUSPENDED FOR DUI [14601.2(A)VC], BENCH

WARRANT [978.5PC], Case no. 230800

20:35 — Francisco Silva, of Shandon was on view arrest on the 500 block of 24th St for

DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF ALCOHOL [23152(A)VC], Case No. 230801

MARCH 14, 2023

11:10 — Cody Sylvester, of San Luis Obispo was taken into custody on the 700 block of Paso

Robles St for DRIVING WHILE SUSPENDED FOR DUI [14601.2(A)VC], WILLFULLY TO

VIOLATE A WRITTEN PROMISE TO APPEAR IN COURT [853.7PC], Case no. 230804

15:00 — Genaro Avalos, of Paso Robles was summoned/cited on the corner of 19th and Riverside for WILLFULLY TO VIOLATE A

WRITTEN PROMISE TO APPEAR IN COURT

Robert Gagnon, born Christmas 1931 in Worcester, Mass. passed March 10, 2023. He was lovingly cared for by family at home in Paso Robles.

Robert and his wife Ann (Fournier) were married for 71 years. They have six children, Michele, Noel, Robert, Lisa, David, and Jenny, also six grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

Robert retired from aerospace after

January 22nd, 1966, in Reno, NV. ey moved to Green eld shortly after.

Linda started work at Benecial Finance Company right out of high school. Linda took an H & R Block class in December of 1973, working at an o ce in King City for tax season. In June of 1974, she began her secretarial job at Universal Foods where she stayed for the next ten years. Linda also worked as a lab technician for Cornnuts, where Danny worked for 28 years.

Linda liked to stay active. In her late 30’s, she trained and competed in a 10K race in Carmel. She was also excited to be able to serve as an Olympic Torch Running Marshall when the 1984 Olympics came thru Green eld. Linda was an avid supporter of the Greenfield 4-H club and served as a leader of the club while both daughters were actively involved. She always remained a donor and supporter of the Salinas Valley Fair until the end of her days.

[853.7PC], Case no. 230808

20:40 — John Jenkins, of Paso Robles was taken into custody on the 2900 block of Union Rd for BURGLARY [459PC], FELON IN POSSESSION OF A FIREARM [29800(A)(1)PC],

Case no. 230811

MARCH 15, 2023

13:21 — Guillermo Hernandez, of Paso Robles was arrested for WILLFULLY TO VIOLATE A WRITTEN PROMISE TO APPEAR IN COURT [853.7PC], Case no. 230814

20:29 — Hue Cooks, of Paso Robles was on view arrest on the corner of 21st St and Pine

St for UNDER INFLUENCE OF CONTROLLED

SUBSTANCE [11550(A)H&S], POSSESSION OF UNLAWFUL PARAPHERNALIA [11364(A)H&S],

Case no. 230819

20:41 — Nicolas Gaddis, of Paso Robles was arrested for CARRYING A CONCEALED DIRK OR DAGGER [21310 PC], Case no. 230820

23:57 — Eutequio Mejiahonzalez, of Paso Robles was taken into custody on the corner of Stoney Creek and Corral Creek for POSSESSION OF FAKE ID [470B PC], DRIVING WHILE

SUSPENDED FOR DUI [14601.2(A)VC], Case no. 230822

MARCH 16, 2023

01:13 — Brenda Sanchez, of Paso Robles was on view arrest on the 1200 block of Stoney Creek Rd for PUBLIC INTOXINATION [647(F) PC], Case no. 230823

17:07 — Tanner Harris, of Paso Robles was on view arrest on the corner of Spring St and

28 years. They moved to Paso Robles. Robert was honored to serve on the Grand Jury of San Luis Obispo, Ca. He enjoyed volunteering as a mentor at the Boys School in Paso Robles.

Robert and Ann enjoyed family camping trips to Lake Casitas, Lake Cachuma, Lake Tahoe, and many State beaches along the Coast. Robert loved golfing with Ann in their leisure years.The beach in Cayucos was special for them.

Linda’s involvement as a 4-H leader contributed to her lifelong love and appreciation of animals and gardening, which she shared with her daughters and grandchildren Jason, Cooper, Lukas, and Ruby. Every morning was spent grooming the dogs and working in her garden.

Before her 50th birthday, Linda nished her goal of graduating from Hartnell College with an associate of arts degree in Liberal Arts. is goal was accomplished after both of her daughters had attended the same college. She was a lifelong learner and loved to read and meet new people.

A loving mother and grandmother, Linda contributed tremendously to the social skills and con dence of her offspring. She taught her family by example about kindness, humor, being of service to others, and always about living with grace.

She was a lifelong supporter of the Salinas Valley community, speci cally e Young

In Loving Memory

Farmers, and many service organizations through the Moose and Elk Clubs of Paso Robles. She collected countless friends along the way. is is along with taking care of the books for their cattle & welding business for the last 30 years.

Linda enjoyed travel and going on adventures in Cabo, New Orleans, Reno, Santa Barbara, Mazatlán, Baja, New Zealand, Portugal, Santa Fe, Alaska, and many points in between. A 6-week journey across the US as well as numerous road trips into Baja, were especially memorable. She loved traveling with family and friends but always enjoyed returning home.

Linda is survived by her husband, Danny, and her daughters and their husbands: Kelly (Silveira) & Jay Morse, and Teri (Silveira) & Michael Sherman, as well as her four grandchildren, Jason, Cooper, Lukas, and Ruby, who are the children of Kelly & Jay.

Linda is the oldest sibling and is survived by her sisters,

6th St for OUTSIDE WARRANT/M, Case no. 230828

17:29 — Charles Bennett, of Paso Robles was on view arrest on the 1300 block of 24th St for BENCH WARRANT [978.5PC], Case no.

230829

18:50 — Jose Conterarasuribe, of Paso Robles was on view arrest on the 1000 block of Park St for UNDER INFLUENCE OF CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE [11550(A)H&S], POSSESSION OF UNLAWFUL PARAPHERNALIA [11364(A)H&S], Case no. 230831

21:44 — Adela Escobedo, of Paso Robles was on view arrest on the 2700 block of Buena Vista Dr for DISORDERLY CONDUCT/DRUNK IN PUBLIC [647(F)PC], Case no. 230933

23:01 — Victor Lopez III, of Paso Robles was on the 1400 block of Spring St for POSSESSION OF UNLAWFUL PARAPHERNALIA [11364(A)H&S], POSSESSION OF SPECIFIED CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE [11377(A)H&S],

Case no. 230834

23:20 — Andrew Embry, of Paso Robles was on view arrest on the 2600 block of Riverside

Ave for UNDER INFLUENCE OF CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE [11550(A)H&S], BENCH WARRANT [978.5PC], Case no. 230835

MARCH 17, 2023

13:17 — Michel Contreras, of Paso Robles was on view arrest in the Salinas Riverbed for THEFT USING FORCE/ROBBERY [211 PC], Case no. 230825

13:48 — Tahnee Hart, of Paso Robles was arrested for POST RELEASE COMMUNITY

Deaths

DOLORES ANN BOYETT, 79, of Oceano passed away on March 1st 2023.

Services are in the care of

Marshall-Spoo Sunset Funeral Chapel of Grover Beach.

JAMES “JIM” LEUTHOLD, 59, of Grover Beach, passed away March 7, 2023.

Arrangements are under the direction of Marshall-Spoo Sunset Funeral Chapel in Grover Beach.

Barbara Stewart and Debbie Finkelstein, and her brothers, Larry Fauver and Jerry Fauver. Linda’s beautiful mother, Betty, survives her at age 93.

Husband Danny and daughters Kelly and Teri will forever carry out the legacy of this incredible woman.

In lieu of owers, please donate to SCAR (South County Animal Shelter) https://www.scar.pet/donations or e Women’s ShelterCasa de Buena Noche special purpose fund (831) 375-9712

A Private Memorial for family and close friends will be held at 12 noon on Monday, March 27th, 2023, at Eddington Funeral Chapel.

The public is invited to attend a Celebration of Life to be held at 1 pm on Monday, March 27th, 2023, in the Orradre Building of the Salinas Valley Fairgrounds, 625 Division St. in King City.

For more information, please contact Eddington Funeral Services, 429 Bassett St., King City, (831) 385-5400, www.EFS-Cares.com .

SUPERVISION [3455(A)PC], Case no. 230843

14:30 — Autumn Reberry, of Paso Robles was on view arrest on the Salinas Riverbed on 13th St for WILLFULLY TO VIOLATE A WRITTEN PROMISE TO APPEAR IN COURT [853.7PC],

Case no. 230842

09:52 — Audrey Michelson, of Paso Robles was on view arrest on the 1700 block of Eastview Pl for OUTSIDE WARRANT/M, Case no. 230837

11:49 — Cory Ormonde, of Templeton was on view arrest on the corner of 12th and Park St for POSSESS NARCOTIC CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE [11350(A)H&S], PROBATION VIOLATION:REARREST/REVOKE [1203.2(A)],

Case no. 230838

MARCH 18, 2023

00:56 — Connor Thomas, of Paso Robles was on view arrest on the 700 block of Angus St for THREATEN CRIME WITH INTENT TO TERRORIZE [422(A)], Case no. 230846

02:02 — Jesus Cuaraespinosa, of Templeton was arrested for DISTURBING THE PEACE [415(1)PC], Case no. 230848

02:02 — Luis Cuaraespinosa, of Templeton was arrested for DISTURBING THE PEACE [415(1)PC], Case no. 230848

10:59 — Jose Uribe, of Paso Robles was arrested for UNDER INFLUENCE OF CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE [11550(A)H&S],

Case no. 230849

13:39 — Andrea Kern, of Paso Robles was on view arrest on the 2500 block of Theater Dr for UNDER INFLUENCE OF CONTROLLED

Detectives Arrest Oceano Man for Child Molestation

He was booked into County Jail with a bail set at $500,000

OCEANO — An arrest has been made in a child molestation investigation located in Oceano. San Luis Obispo County Sherri Detectives arrested suspect Larry Weiss, 69, on Tuesday, March 21.

On Feb. 25, detectives received a report of a suspected child molestation that occurred in Oceano. eir investigation that led to the arrest of Weiss, revealed he had contact with the female victim the week prior at his home in Oceano.

Over the course of several weeks, the detectives completed a comprehensive investigation which led to obtaining an arrest warrant.

Weiss was booked into County Jail on four counts of lewd acts with a minor and sexual penetration of a victim under 10 years old. Bail was set at $500,000. Anyone with additional information about this case or other potential victims should contact the Sheri ’s Detective Division at (805) 781-4500. e Sheri ’s O ce has no further information available at this time.

SUBSTANCE [11550(A)H&S], Case no. 230851

14:30 — Anissa Gutierrez, of Paso Robles was arrested for WILLFULLY TO VIOLATE A WRITTEN PROMISE TO APPEAR IN COURT [853.7PC], Case no. 230852

14:50 — Benjamin Saiz, of Atascadero was on view arrest on the 2100 block of Spring St for POSSESSION OF UNLAWFUL PARAPHERNALIA [11364(A)H&S], Case no. 230853

20:24 — Kadie Kassir, was arrest for UNDER INFLUENCE OF CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE [11550(A)H&S], Case no. 230854

22:06 — Basilio Pacheco, of Paso Robles was arrested for DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF ALCOHOL [23152(A)VC], DUI ALCOHOL/0.08 PERCENT [23152(B)VC], Case no.

230856

MARCH 19, 2023

23:50 — Julio Galarza, of Paso Robles was on view arrest on the 1300 block of Spring St for BENCH WARRANT [978.5PC], Case no.

230858 00:12 — Stephan Myers, of Paso Robles was arrested for VANDALISM LESS THAN $400 [594(A)(2)PC], Case no. 230859

16:31 — Phillisia Siddons, of Paso Robles was taken into custody on the corner of 15th St and Chestnut St for BENCH WARRANT [978.5PC], Case no. 230862

19:23 — Deshawn Young, of Paso Robles was on view arrest on the corner of Creston and Walnut for CHILD ENDANGERMENT [273A(A)PC], WILLFULLY RESISTS, DELAYS, OBSTRUCTS…[148(A)(1)PC], Case no. 230863

LUANNE EVELYN LOWE, 87, of Arroyo Grande, passed away March 9, 2023.

Arrangements are under the direction of Marshall-Spoo Sunset Funeral Chapel in Grover Beach.

MARVIN MILLER, 88, of Arroyo Grande, passed away March 7, 2023.

Arrangements are under the direction of Marshall-Spoo Sunset Funeral Chapel in Grover Beach.

MICHAEL “MIKEY” WATERS, 71, of Arroyo Grande passed away on March 8th 2023.

Services are in the care of Marshall-Spoo Sunset Funeral Chapel of Grover Beach.

MARY JANE MONTGOMERY, 97, of Arroyo Grande, passed away March 15, 2023.

Arrangements are under the direction of Marshall-Spoo Sunset Funeral Chapel in Grover Beach.

SONIA WAGNER, 92, of Arroyo Grande, passed away March 14, 2023.

Arrangements are under the direction of Marshall-Spoo Sunset Funeral Chapel in Grover Beach.

ROBYN CAROL HARRIS, 61, of Oceano passed away on March 10th 2023.

Services are in the care of Marshall-Spoo Sunset Funeral Chapel of Grover Beach.

GEORGE PATRICK PAYTON, 55, of Arroyo Grande passed away on March 12th 2023.

Services are in the care of Marshall-Spoo Sunset Funeral Chapel of Grover Beach.

WALLACE “WALLY” ARLEN LEWIS, 95, of Grover Beach passed away on March 19th 2023.

Services are in the care of Marshall-Spoo Sunset Funeral Chapel of Grover Beach

RESERVOIR LEVELS

SALINAS: 107.6%

LAKE LOPEZ: 98.2%

LAKE NACI: 83.0%

SAN ANTONIO: 56.0%

WHALE ROCK: 100.0%

WEATHER

FRIDAY 59º | 36º

SATURDAY 58º | 34º

SUNDAY 59º | 36º

MONDAY 59º | 41º

TUESDAY 54º | 41º

WEDNESDAY 53º | 40º

Atascadero’s Citizen of the Year: Mike Zappas

e 2023 Citizen of the Year honor goes to Atascadero’s very own renaissance man, Mike Zappas.

Zappas has had a hand in developing Atascadero for the last 30 years, including downtown’s most recent addition La Plaza. He said that the building complex over the last ve years was a collaboration between a large group of people, including his family, who wanted to maintain the historical integrity of Atascadero. A fact that can be seen on a daily basis while driving through town.

“We had over 100 sub-contractors working on this project [La Plaza]. So people are giving me the credit, but really it was those subs and the talented architects and architectural historians that we had,” said Zappas. “ ey really were the ones that came up with all the great ideas.” ough Zappas grew up in his dad’s newspaper o ce in Torrance, California, he’s become a familiar face in the community since his arrival on the Central Coast in 1991. He said that the people and the natural beauty of the area made him fall in love with the North County.

With a degree in biology, Zappas is also very proud of the work he did while developing Hidden Oaks. ere he was able to build around the 215 beautiful (mostly blue) live oak trees on the property. e National Arbor Foundation recognized Zappas and his company, Z Villages Management and Development, for leaving the oaks intact while the building of the apartments took place.

“ at’s where I spent my youth delivering papers, and my dad, as I got older and through into college he, started moving into real estate development and management. Primarily management,” Zappas said. “So I grew up managing apartments and retail, and then my career took a jog. I was managing our shopping center there for my dad and then went into health clubs, and then I ended up here after I got involved with 18 di erent businesses.”

Zappas and his wife Peg have lived in the exact same house since they rst arrived in Atascadero, and it was there that they raised their four children together. He teamed up with his daughter, Zoe, to restart the Equality Mural Project, which adds its own air to Atascadero’s vibrant downtown. He added that everything that he has done in Atascadero has been a family e ort, and that his three sons have also helped build up the community through their own work.

“People stop me all the time and tell me they’re really excited about Atascadero now. And that’s what we wanted. We wanted to be agents of change here. We wanted to bring a new vibe to Atascadero, and I think it’s starting to take hold, and it’s not just us now,” Zappas stated.

Zappas added that in all the time he’s been developing in Atascadero, he’s fallen in love with its unique history as an artist colony and enjoyed his time researching the old La Plaza on Tra c Way.

“ e main thing is how special than 700 U.S. communities, according to vvmf.org. started bidding on school [construction] work on a very small scale. I’m still doing it,” Wysong stated. the wet weather, over 100 people showed up to escort the wall.

Atascadero is, and I don’t know still if people really understand how special it is,” Zappas added.

“To them they are escorting their fallen brothers on the wall, so it is like a memorial service for them,” said Boyd, who passed out special momentos to those who participated in the transport.

The wet weather created a muddy setting for the wall after set-up. It was common to overhear veterans who served in Vietnam to crack a few jokes saying, “looks like they brought the Vietnam mud along with it.” e “Wall that Heals” made its debut in 1996. It stands 375 feet long and 7.5 feet high. In its 27 years of touring, the wall has been on display in more

Wednesday, March 29, marks the 50th anniversary of the removal of American combat troops from Vietnam. Templeton resident Rodney Dykhouse served as an Army helicopter pilot ying Hueys from 1970 to 1971, and came to see the wall at Madonna Meadows.

“[It] tugs at the heart strings — [the] rst time in Washington I cried my eyes out,” said Dykhouse of seeing the wall again and of his rst time seeing the original in Washington, D.C.

Like many veterans who were visiting the wall, Dykhouse had a list of people to nd and visit on the wall. He was looking for his roommate from ight school, a high school classmate, a neighbor, and some men from his company that were killed in Vietnam.

“These guys were good young men. ey died doing what their country asked them to do,” said Dykhouse while he searched the wall.

Volunteers and a resource center at the wall in Madonna were crucial for those nding names on the wall. Photos and remembrances of each service member on the wall can be found on vvmf.org/wall-offaces as well as their exact location on the wall.

The Vietnam War is most commonly and brie y described as a con ict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia with the purpose of preventing the spread of communism. But the war and its purpose were strongly debated within the U.S.

“ e American government screwed it up,” said Dykhouse, who went on to tell us what he wished people knew about the Vietnam War. “ ey never went in there with a plan to win. ey went in there with a plan to try to neutralize the ad consultant dana mcgraw dana@atascaderonews.com layout designer neil schumaker neil@atascaderonews.com assistant content editor camille devaul camille@atascaderonews.com copy editor michael chaldu michael@atascaderonews.com office administrator cami martin office@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

Atascadero

Chamber of Commerce Honors Larry Wysong with the Lifetime Achievement Award

Larry Wysong, the owner and founder of Wysong Construction, has been awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Atascadero Chamber of Commerce. is award, which had been on hiatus since 2019, recognizes individuals who have made signi cant and lasting contributions to the community over the course of their lifetime.

For the last 38 years, Wysong and his construction company have built and worked on Central Coast school campuses all over San Luis Obispo County, including Atascadero’s.

“It’s great. It’s wonderful. I’ve gotten quite a few awards from the Chamber — Business Person of the Year and all those neat things. I’m honored to have it. It’s great,” Wysong said on being honored with the Lifetime Achievement award.

Wysong was born and raised in Utah by a single mother in a houseful of sisters before he ended up moving to Atascadero. Work originally brought him to the area for a construction job building e Apple Farm in San Luis Obispo for Big Boy Restaurants. Soon after, the company started having nancial di culties and left Wysong unemployed, but that wouldn’t last for long.

“I decided to stay here, so I just

North and hopefully give the South enough time to grow up and take care of themselves, but that’s not the way to win a war.” e SLO County Veterans Resource Center connects veterans to their accredited benefits. Last year, Boyd’s o ce was able to bring in $9.668 million to local veterans and are responsible for over 800 million annually — all with a nine-person team.

Dykhouse is the third generation of his family to serve in the U.S. military. His grandfather served in the trenches of World War I, his father was a World War II veteran who went across the Omaha Beach during the Battle of the Bulge, and then one of his sons served as an Airborne Ranger.

“We have kept America free for four generations,” said Dykhouse, who added that made him feel proud of their services.

Boyd was impressed at the community’s support of the wall coming back to San Luis Obispo County.

“We pride ourselves in being e cient and good at helping the veterans navigate their bene ts,” added Boyd.

Veterans can find more information on the County’s Veteran’s Services here slocounty.ca.gov/ Departments/VeteransServices.aspx

Since then, Wysong Construction has done work for San Luis Coastal District, Paso Robles School District, Atascadero School District, Templeton School District, Cuesta College, Cal Poly, San Miguel, and many more. He even put the new foundation under City Hall during its rebuild as well as building the Atascadero Police Station. Currently, Wysong is building the new, much-awaited swimming pool at Atascadero High School.

Wysong is also a commercial property owner in Atascadero and even owns the building that houses the Wysong Construction o ces and headquarters.

“I’ve tried to contribute a lot to the community, and that’s been important to me,” Wysong added. “I feel like I’m a part of Atascadero, and I’ve created jobs here and stu here, and I’ve built a lot of things here.”

Kyla Skinner is Atascadero’s Woman of In uence

Specs by Kyla owner Kyla Skinner has been honored by the Atascadero Chamber of Commerce as 2023’s Woman of In uence for all the ways she shares her heart with the city.

“I had a client walk in while I was on the phone [with the Chamber], and I was in shock, and I didn’t know whether I wanted to laugh, cry, or dance all at the same time,” Skinner said on being noti ed of the award.

Skinner, a native of the North County who grew up in Templeton, gures as of Wednesday morning, Paso Robles has received 26.38 inches of rain this season, with Atascadero recording slightly more at 27.89 inches. e authorities are closely monitoring the reservoir levels in the area. Salinas has reported 107.6 inches of water in its reservoir, with Lake Lopez close behind at 98.6 inches. ere are reports that Tuesday’s downpour may cause Lopez Lake to over ow for the rst time in 25 years, according to county o cials. e O ce of Emergency Services has attributed the rapid increase in the lake’s water level from 24 percent capacity at the beginning of January to full capacity in less than three months to consecutive storms this year.

Lake Nacimiento presently holds 85.0 inches of water, while San Antonio and Whale Rock reservoirs report 50.0 and 100.0 inches, respectively.

Lopez Lake, located near Arroyo Grande, was at 92.2 percent capacity as of last Friday afternoon, according to SLO County Public Works data. This is a significant increase from its 22 percent capacity in December and 24 percent capacity at the beginning of January. Multiple atmospheric river storms in January and March have brought it made her return back to the area in 2010 and, in July of 2021, opened up her much-beloved eye-glasses confectionary shop, Specs by Kyla. Skinner opened the shop using inheritance money from her birth mother, who she didn’t know until closer to her death in 2019.

Skinner isn’t only influencing Atascadero with her training in the optical eld and pairing the perfect frame with residents’ faces, but she’s also been giving back to the community in other ways. In December, she raised over $1,500 for Seneca Family of Agencies and continually works with the Chamber to better the businesses of Atascadero.

“I just knew in starting this business, because I was given so much by my birth mom, I knew I wanted to give back to the community,” Skinner added. “I just know that we’re all stronger together, too, as a community. I can’t do this by myself. I can’t be in the desert somewhere and have a successful business. We all are collaborative. Seeing really cool businesses working hard to make it [Atascadero] a better place that gave me the condence, like, ‘OK, this is really morphing into something super cool, and I want to jump on this bandwagon.’” close to spilling for the rst time in more than two decades. e last time the reservoir spilled was in 1998. In its more than ve decades of operation, the lake has spilled a total of 18 times. As of Friday afternoon, the water level at Lopez Lake stood at 518 feet, while the spillway level was at 522 feet, according to Public Works data.

Not only has she given back to the community in signi cant ways, but Skinner has also worked with many local artists since opening and even features some of their work in her shop to help promote them to anyone who comes into her store.

Be sure to read the articles in the April issue of Atascadero News Magazine.

Established in 1968, the reservoir can store a maximum of 49,388 acre-feet of water. As of Friday, it contained 45,751 acre-feet of water. In addition to providing water to residents of the Five Cities area of SLO County, Lopez Lake is also used for recreational activities such as boating, camping, shing, and mountain biking.

SLO County Public Works has been monitoring the spillway, which will direct over owing water into Arroyo Grande Creek, to ensure it remains in good condition through regular maintenance and inspections.

When the reservoir spills, the Public Works Department will closely monitor stream gauges and perform on-site monitoring to watch for potential ooding along the creek area.

Oceano, located near the Arroyo Grande Creek Levee, has already been at risk of ooding during this winter’s extreme storms. Officials issued evacuation warnings and, in some cases, orders as water levels rose in the area. If an evacuation is necessary due to an extreme in ux of water in the creek during the next storm, the county is prepared to issue orders immediately.

Lopez Lake would be the third local reservoir to reach capacity this winter. Earlier this week, Whale Rock Reservoir near Cayucos spilled for the rst time in 18 years. e last time Whale Rock was close to capacity was in May 2019, when it reached 90 percent. However, by the afternoon of March 11, the reservoir reached 111 percent capacity.

Santa Margarita Lake has also been over owing into the Salinas River since Jan. 9. As of Friday, it was at 105 percent of capacity. ese reservoirs reaching capacity highlight the substantial impact of this winter’s storms on the region.

As the storm system continues, county o cials and emergency services remain vigilant to address any potential ooding and ensure public safety.

Residents are encouraged to stay informed about weather conditions and follow any guidance or evacuation orders issued by local authorities. e combined e orts of the county, Public Works, and emergency services aim to minimize the risks associated with the overowing reservoirs and protect the communities living in these areas.