COLONYMAGAZINE.COM
O PEN MAY 19, 2019–JAN UARY 5, 2020
Internationally-acclaimed artist Bruce Munro has premiered his largest artwork to date. Field of Light covers the rolling hills of Sensorio in Paso Robles with an array of over 58,800 stemmed spheres lit by fiber-optics, illuminating the landscape in morphing color that Smithsonian Magazine has called “stunning.”
Open Evenings Wednesday–Sunday 4380 Highway 46 East | Paso Robles
Reserve Your Tickets Today! SensorioPaso.com © 2019 Bruce Munro Ltd., Photo courtesy of Mark Pickthall.
FEATURES
c ontents JUNE 2019
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'FIELD OF LIGHT' OPENS TO PUBLIC
SENSORIO MERGES NATURE, ART AND TECHNOLOGY WITH 15-ACRE INSTALLATION
DOWNTOWN ARTS
HOTSPOTS EMERGE IN THE NORTH COUNTY
23 ANNNUAL FESTIVAL SHOWCASES LOCAL ARTISANS MORRO BAY ART IN THE PARK
DEPARTMENTS
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29
BUSINESS
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Malik Senior Real Estate Specialists
TENT CITY Atascadero Plans & Development, Pt. 2 43 Atascadero All Comers Track & Field Meets 44 Audrey Jackson: Painting for Healing 45 Peg Grady: From Big City to Santa Magarita 45 The Place to Bee: 40
SOMETHING WORTH READING Publisher’s Letter
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ROUND TOWN 08 Colony Buzz: Colony Days Celebrates All 12 Botanical Arts in Santa Margarita 14 Neil Lownes: Cruisin' through the Golden Years COLONY PEOPLE 16 Heather Milenaar: The Wedding Painter 18 Atascadero Community Band
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EVENTS 23 Morro Bay Art in the Park 24 Mid-State Fair Exhibitor Deadlines Approach 26 Paso Pops Fills 4th with Light and Sound 28 Fourth of July Events 30 Central Coast Reserve 32 His Healing Hands 33 North County Summer Camps TOWN HALL Templeton Advisory Group 34 SLO County Office of Education 35 Atascadero City Council 33
TASTE OF COLONY 36 Taste of Americana: Orange Pancakes
TIDES Cayucos Lost at Sea Memorial 47 Morro Bay Farmer's Market 48 Coast Guard Station expanding 48 City of Morro Bay Wants to Talk 46
LAST WORD 50 K-9 Officer Jack Retires
ON THE COVER Field of Light at Sensorio Photo by Luke Phillips
Colony Magazine, June 2019
Free Admission • Food • Wine • Beer • Vendors Kid Zone • Bounce House • Americana Games • Playground
3rd annual • 2-8 pm • atascadero lake Park
Snap Jackson & The Knock On Wood Players The Blue “Js” • A J Lee & Blue Summit T h e To r o C r e e k R a m b l e r s • B a n j e r D a n
Enjoy an afternoon of great music, food, and games before you head out for fireworks around the county!
Festival seating. Bring lowback chairs. No blankets by stage area. No fireworks.
Earlybird BBQ tickets & merchandise available now! atascaderofourthofjuly.com
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June 2019, Colony Magazine
colonymagazine.com | 5
Something Worth Reading ATASCADERO • SANTA MARGARITA CRESTON • MORRO BAY
VOLUME I PUBLISHER & EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Nicholas Mattson PUBLISHER, OPERATIONS Hayley Mattson LEAD AD DESIGN Denise McLean
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“I was determined to play my horn against all odds, and I had to sacrifice a whole lot of pleasure to do so.” — Louis Armstrong ““To give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the gift.” — Steve Prefontaine “The most important thing a father can do for his children is to love their mother.” — Theodore Hesburgh
A
s we head into June, with Fathers’ Day approaching, I get to reflect on what it means to be a father. We all have one right, even if we aren’t all going to be one. Everyone has a father, in the sense that there is a natural biology that requires there to be a father. Even if we get so far into technology that a direct human link is not required, at some point, there is a father there in the chain. But in reflecting on fatherhood, there is so much more than that. As I know other parents do, so much of our extra energy, dedication, focus — outside of our regular duties as acceptable, responsible and productive members of society — is dedicated to our kids. We pour ourselves into our kids, working to provide them every opportunity we feel they ought to have to become the best version of themselves (and much better versions of us). Fatherhood happened. And it is a nice thing to celebrate every June. But being a parent, a caretaker, provider, a dad, is so much more than being a father. Everyone has a father. Not everyone has a dad. As a dad, I try to be there for my kids in every way I can. Everything I do, essentially, is to provide them a better world to live in. I really don’t care about getting credit for it. It is my honor and privilege to do so. If I was doing any of this for credit, my heart would be more or less broken because the better I do, the easier my kids think it is and the less they realize how much sacrifice it takes to be the dad I am. On the other hand, I don’t want to impress on them how much sacrifice it is, because that … well, it takes all the love and joy out of it. I just want to provide them the space, both at home and in the greater social atmosphere, to succeed at discovering who they are as one of 7.5 billion people and to help them push themselves to their own natural limits of what success will be for them. What they do with it from there will be up to them, and what they do with their personal independence will be their own choice. There is only a few things I know of that when they do, I will be able to recognize that, yeah, I taught them that. For me, each time I see that, it is like a Father’s Day in my heart. So, happy Father’s Day to everyone. But I hope, more than a Sunday in June, that everyone is able to appreciate the results of their hard work. You earned it.
Please enjoy this issue of Colony Magazine. Nicholas Mattson 805-239-1533 nic@colonymagazine.com If thou wouldest win Immortality of Name, either do things worth the writing, or write things worth the reading. — Thomas Fuller, 1727
Colony Magazine, June 2019
June 2019, Colony Magazine
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| COLONY BUZZ
Colony Days Celebrates Atascadero
An Atascadero Tradition, since 1973 By Nicholas Mattson
The Atascadero Colony Days Committee was created as a celebration of the founding of Atascadero. It began in 1973, when a small group of concerned citizens established the longest-running event in Atascadero — Colony Days.
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ince then, the committee has grown into a 501(c)(3) organization run by a volunteer board of directors and a small army of volunteer members working to put on the event each year. For many years, a small committee ran alongside support of the Atascadero volunteer firefighters and Atascadero Police, who picked up a lot of the labor each year. The City of Atascadero, incorporated as a municipality five years after the inception of Colony Days, has continued to support the committee for 40 years now. That is a stark difference to the shutting down of the long-standing 4th of July event in 1983. Liability and traffic issues were the among the reasons the Atascadero City Council wisely decided to end the 4th of July event.
Liability and traffic issues have faced the Atascadero Colony Days for all those years, with each year presenting new challenges and new solutions that the board members over the years have overcome. One of the biggest challenges for Colony Days is raising the funds to put on the parade and festival. Well, most years raising money is the challenge. In 2006 and 2007 combined, Colony Days raised more than $110,000, but that iteration of the board also spent a combined $126,000, depleting reserves from $36,000 to $20,000. In 2008, much less was spent, but much less was raised, further depleting reserves to $13,500. Records were not readily available for some of the years between then and now, but expenses have continued to rise for Colony Days with liability insurance, marketing costs, storage, event rentals and more, and fundraising lacked.
Atascadero 4th of July Returns
In 2017, the 4th of July Bluegrass Freedom Festival began as a fundraiser for Colony Days and raised more than $2,000 for Colony Days
and more than $2,000 for the Atascadero Printery Foundation. The event brought thousands of people to Atascadero’s Lake Park, the long-standing home of the Atascadero 4th of July celebrations. Admission to the event is free, and raises money for Colony Days through barbecue sales — this year serving chicken plates and hamburgers lakeside. Other vendors will include Mexican food, roasted corn, shaved ice, A&W Rootbeer floats, Dave’s Hot Dogs, and the Printery Foundation selling water, soda, beer and wine. Through sponsors and sales, Colony Days relies on 4th of July to kick off the fundraising efforts to make the parade and festival in October a success. The 4th of July is a significant date for Atascadero’s founding. E.G. and Mabel Lewis finalized purchase of part of the 40,000-acre Rancho Asuncion from J.H. Henry, which had been partitioned as 23,000 acres of Rancho Atascadero. Anyone who has purchased a home or piece of real estate, the receipt of the deed is a momentous
day. The purchase of the earth on which we celebrate 4th of July was the beginning of our community. From there, the city administration building, Printery building, Atascadero Inn, and other Civic Center buildings were erected as monuments to a utopian dream. When we celebrate 4th of July in Atascadero, we celebrate more than the Declaration of Independence — we celebrate the establishment of Atascadero in 1913. When we celebrate 4th of July in Atascadero, we celebrate what began as a utopian dream and will end with our fingerprints on pages of its final story. It will be a story of what we have done together and what we will do together. Much like many stories already — Kiwanis, Rotary, Elks, Moose, Friends of the Atascadero Library, Friends of Atascadero Lake, Atascadero Printery Foundation, Atascadero Greyhound Foundation, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts.
Supporting Colony Days
Many of our business community support these groups with Continued on Page 10
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Colony Magazine, June 2019
SAVE THE DATES! 3rd annual 4th of July
46th annual atascadero
5th annual historic
Bluegrass Freedom Festival
colony days parade & Historic Tent City Festival
Tent City after Dark Concert
Thursday, July 4 2 - 8 p.m. ATASCADERO LAKE PARK BAND STAND
FOUR BANDS FOOD, BEER & WINE KIDS AMUSEMENTS FESTIVAL SEATING FREE ADMISSION A Colony Days Fundraiser
Saturday, Oct. 5 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. EL CAMINO REAL FROM DAVIS BODY SHOP TO SUNKEN GARDENS
PARADE & awards wiener dog races food, beer & Wine kids amusements free admission
Friday, Oct. 4 6 - 10 p.m. HISTORIC TENT CITY IN SUNKEN GARDENS
THREE BANDS TABLE-SEATING INSIDE TENT CITY DINER, BEER & WINE $15 EARLY-BIRD A Colony Days Fundraiser
Join Colony Days!
We need 2019 Sponsors • Volunteers • Board Members to help produce Atascadero’s Premier Community Celebration!
Go to COLONYDAYS.ORG to join online, or email info@colonydays.org
Continued from Page 8
financial contributions, as board members or volunteers, and more. Many of these groups support Colony Days in one way or another. For the success of Colony Days to continue, community support must happen regularly and most importantly by those businesses that have seen long-standing success in Atascadero. We ask businesses that decades of success in Atascadero to band together to promise our future generations the joy and community that we have been given over the past 46 years, with a commitment to sponsor Colony Days. With more and more events springing up as tourism becomes an exciting part of local economy, and with the long-lasting stigma that Colony Days is a City of Atascadero event, it cannot be overstated how important local support is for an event that needs to raise a minimum of $15,000 in sponsorships to cover the minimum expenses, and even more to raise the amount back to an appropriate annual reserve.
In order to invite and encourage all members of the community to support with much-needed financial donations, Colony Days created a $100 sponsorship level of “Friend of Colony Days” that they hope to get all residences of Atascadero to support with annually. For businesses and individuals who want to provide more substantial support, $500, $1000, and $5000 levels of sponsorship are also available as a tax-deductible 501(c)(3) donation.
Also needed for the current Colony Days board is a treasurer with familiarity with accounting principles to help the board prevent future losses. For more information about 4th of July, including discount barbecue tickets, go to atascadero4thofjuly.com. For more information about Colony Days, or to order a sponsorship easily online, go to colonydays.org.
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805-466-3121 View our specials online: AMERICANWESTTIRE.COM Colony Magazine, June 2019
Botanical Art Be inspired at The Educational Gardener By Meagan Friberg
art, we are trying to create or evoke an emotional response. At hat makes a yard The Educated Garden, instead a work of art? For of more of a two-dimensionmany, it involves a al platform, or canvas, we have few trees, a green lawn, or seasonal three-dimensional and it is evflowers. But, what if you decided er-growing, changing, and bloomto get a bit more creative? Wheth- ing. Looking at form, texture, and er working with a small area or a color, it all comes into play in a natural environment.” couple of acres, botanSimone met her husband, ical art can transform Tom, when they studied an ordinary patch of Landscape Architecture land into an outdoor at Cal Poly SLO. His living space. background is in landSo, just what is boscape contracting and tanical art? Is it inhers is in design. Simdividual art pieces one admits she’s always situated throughout Simone Smith been “super interested” a garden? Or, perhaps, the colorful hues of flowers in plants. and plants? Or is it something “Growing up, my family would go to National Parks, hike in the much more? There is perhaps nobody better to mountains, and see wildflowask about botanical art than Sim- ers along the rivers,” she said. one Smith of The Educated Gar- “Mom was my 4-H plant sciences instructor and dad was into dener in Santa Margarita. “Botanical art is how all of this horticulture — we always had a works together,” Simone said, big garden — so this is part of looking around at the expansive my background.” spread of metal, wood, flower and plant art in her specialty nurs- RISE ABOVE BORING ery and gardener’s store. “With When developing the concept of her nursery and store, Simone set out to create more of an experience as opposed to boring rows and aisles filled with the typical flowers, plants, and décor found at large home improvement centers. “I am all about developing outdoor spaces,” Simone said. “We all have our indoor home area, and I feel the outdoors should be just as much a living space as the indoors. Personally, I’ve always been the
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June 2019, Colony Magazine
Turning Yards into Outdoor Living Spaces
SIMONE’S TIPS FOR INCORPORATING BOTANICAL ART INTO AN OUTDOOR LIVING SPACE
• Build slowly, take it a step at a time • Start with larger items such as trees • Add pathways, patios, hard paving • Add sitting areas • Be bold, use variety • Create garden rooms and vignettes
• Repurpose wood, metal, glass • Incorporate things you love • Reflect your interests • Be quirky and fun • Tuck items in and around flowers and plants • Try something new and unfamiliar • Envision the possibilities
"Gardening is the art that uses flowers and plants as paint, and the soil and sky as canvas." Elizabeth Murray type to want a huge garden rather than a huge house. Everything at our nursery and store is about creating outdoor living spaces and inviting in the birds, butterflies, lizards, and creating habitat areas while incorporating native plants and different perennials. Many times, people come in and ask, ‘Is this a garden or a nursery?’ And I tell them it’s both – it’s a big, beautiful garden for them to experience and it’s a nursery where just about everything they see is available for purchase.” “This work is my passion,” Simone said, “and I love to help spread the passion of gardening and paying attention, learning about things like biodiversity, noticing the insects, the frogs, the birds, and bringing more life into one’s environment with botanical art.”
Want more information about incorporating botanical art into your environment?
Stop by and see Simone at The Educated Gardener, located at 22210 El Camino Real in downtown Santa Margarita. Open Wednesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Call 805-438-4250 or see educatedgardener.com.
colonymagazine.com | 11
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Neil Lownes: Cruising through the Golden Years
By Mark Diaz
W
hen Neil Lownes ended his service with the national guard, he turned his attention to classic cars. He admits that he owns enough vehicles to make moving problematic. “My wife won’t let me buy any more cars, because we don’t have room to store them,” Lownes joked. Lownes showed off his cars at the Warbirds, Wings and Wheels in May — a 1941 Ford Super Deluxe Business Coup (which means it has
no back seat) and 1939 Plymouth Four Door Sedan. Lownes added the caveat that if there’s rain he would have brought his 1985 Z-28, stating his other cars do not go into the rain. Formerly of Golden State Cruisers, Lownes joined the Mid-State Cruizers, another local car enthusiasts club. Lownes said that due to several knee, hip and back operations he bought an electric scooter to help him get around the shows. At his request, Team Auto Collision and Custom Center it
painted and pinstriped it to resemble one of his cars. For more information, visit midstatecruis ers.org or attend one of their monthly meetings that occur at the Atascadero Roundtable Pizza located behind Galaxy Theatre. For $10, attendees can partake in the pizza and salad buffet. Meetings begin at 7 p.m., but people show up as early as 5:30 p.m. For more information on the Mid-State Cruizers, go to midstatecruizers.org
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Colony Magazine, June 2019
By Nicholas Mattson
A
head of the May 3, 2019 takeoff from Estrella Warbirds Museum’s air strip at Paso Robles Airport, Sherm Smoot addressed the Paso Robles Rotary Club to explain the ‘epic’ flight our local crew and C-47 aircraft were about to take across the Atlantic for the 75th anniversary of D-Day in Normandy, France. The Estrella Warbirds Museum purchased the C-47 named “Betsy’s Biscuit Bomber” for $75,000 from an aircraft business in Canada. The bomber did not participate in D-Day, but did in other WWII drops around Europe as the U.S. led the defeat of German forces to end the war, and also participated in the Berlin airlift. “We had to get a guy to fly the plane [from Canada], and there is just one man that I know who is dumb enough to do it,” Gary Carippo said “and that is Sherm Smoot. All I had to mention is planes and free gas and he is there.” It was in good fun, of course, as Carippo then introduced Smoot as “the best pilot I have ever heard of or known … and he will tell you that.” Smoot explained to the Rotary Club the nuts and bolts of the trip, with some comic anecdotes thrown in for good measure. “[Being the pilot is] kind of like being the quarterback on the football team,” Smoot said. “They do all the hard work, and you get all the glory. But I can’t thank them enough. I can’t thank Estrella Warbirds enough. I really can’t thank Gary [Carippo] enough for getting me back involved with the museum. It is on the rise and you should all get involved.” The museum is a trove of memorabilia, as well as the steward of a great inventory of planes. Some, like the C-47, are still in condition to take regular flights — like a trip across the Atlantic. “This plane has a really good war history,” Smoot said. “We are going to be in the lead formation, so think about this for a second … little ol’ Paso Robles in California, this airplane — which is ‘ours’ because we all contribute a little bit, and if you don’t, you should — is going four or five thousand miles to represent our community here on the Central Coast.” Daks over Normandy will organize two jumps, with a practice jump on June 4 in the UK and a June 5 fly a group of paratroopers across the English Channel for a drop into an original 1944 drop zone in Normandy. “There have not been this many Dako-
June 2019, Colony Magazine
Pilots Sherm Smoot and Ed Monteith.
Photos by Nicholas Mattson. Tony Gaspar pilot for aerial shot.
tas crossing the Atlantic since the war,” Steve Lashley, D-Day Squadron director of communications told the New York Times. “People are going to be able to look up and see something they’ve never seen before.” Locally, Smoot was an obvious choice to pilot “Betsy” and the crew across the Atlantic. Smoot grew up at the old firehouse at the Paso Robles Airport, and moved to Atascadero in 1966 where he graduated high school. He put himself through college flying airplanes, and taught Army, Air Force and Navy ROTC students at Washington State University and at the University of Idaho. He entered the Navy in 1971 and received his wings in 1972. He earned the exclusive “unlimited letter of authority” and he can fly anything with one or two engines over 1,000 horsepower. That, and an almost-crazy sense of duty, made
We have two engines, but you know the old story. When you lose one, the other one just takes you to the scene of the crash. Smoot the highest qualified pilot in the area to take the 75-year old C-47 across the United States, and then across the Atlantic Ocean for the 75-year anniversary of D-Day at Normandy. The D-Day Squadron began five years ago for the 70th anniversary of D-Day, and the success ahead of the 75th anniversary inspired the group to do it again, and do it bigger. With the aging WWII veteran population already pushing into their 90s, it was time. “Why don’t we do something epic in 2019,” D-Day Squadron director of marketing Moreno Aguiari said. “An organization called ‘Daks Over Normandy’ decided to make it happen.” A small army of volunteers was necessary, but so was the GDP of a small country. To pay for the expense of getting “Betsy” across the pond, the crew and supporters raised more than $300,000, and there is still need for more in case of contingencies. “We have to pay for everything on this airplane to and from Ducksford, England,” Smoot
explained. “Once we land in Ducksford, we are part of the airshow and Europe and the promoters there pick up everything.” Packed in the cargo of the plane will be a number of spare parts that the mechanic crew will have available in case something goes wrong. Flying over the Atlantic, it is hard to be prepared for all circumstances, but the experienced crew has confidence in their craft and pilot. “These guys have been working nonstop out here, and I’m very comfortable that she is ready to go,” Smoot said. Smoot’s confidence aside, the trip will be both uncomfortable and dangerous compared to the commercial flights he spent behind the sticks during his career. “I flew for airlines across the Atlantic a lot,” Smoot said, “but I was at 39,000 feet, a first class meal, a flight attendant call button and a drink holder. This is going to be at three to six thousand feet looking at white caps, icebergs and ice … and I don’t like that. It’s not going to be easy.” When asked about the spare parts the crew would be taking, Smoot gave a sobering anecdote with a sense of humor only developed through decades of pilot experience. “We have two engines, but you know the old story,” Smoot said. “When you lose one, the other one just takes you to the scene of the crash. I’m 70, and the plane is five years older than I am, let’s put it that way.” The planes are aging, as are WWII vets. “They are making such a big deal about this because there are just not that many WWII vets alive,” Smoot said. The sense of honor that accompanied the pilot and crew was tangible, and just a small taste of what it might be like when more than a million gather in Normandy for the event on June 6. “This is going to be great for our community, for our museum, and for Paso Robles,” Smoot said. “And it is going to be great for wine country, because every microphone that gets stuck in my face, I’m going to say three things — Paso Robles, wine and flying.” To get more information, go to dday. org/75th, or daksovernormandy. com. Take a trip out to Estrella Warbirds Museum Thursdays through Sundays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. to get a closer look, or fly the simulator as a pilot of an F-18. Go to ewarbirds.org for more info.
colonymagazine.com | 15
The Wedding Painter By Mark Diaz
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ong before the practice was replaced by modern day photography, brides and groom entrusted artists to capture images of their weddings on canvas. Live wedding painters are becoming the latest trend in an old tradition. For local artist Heather Millenaar, it started three years ago. To help distinguish her wedding photography business from the prolific competition, she included portrait paintings into her business package. Now, Millenaar is one of only a handful of painters in the US who recreate the joyous event live through paint. For her, the idea evolved organically from doing what she loves, painting. Millenaar explained that she was instantly drawn to the peacefulness of painting a wedding live as opposed to trying to catch moments through a lens. “The first wedding I painted was so peaceful, it was so much less stressful than following a shot timeline for photography,” Millenaar said. Though many would find painting amidst a crowd stressful, Millenaar finds the whole process relaxing. “A painting is a series of mistakes,” she explained. “You’re always doing a check a balance to try to fix it, and I’m OK with that.”
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“The first wedding I painted was so peaceful, it was so much less stressful than following a shot timeline for photography.”
Much like wedding guests signing a book or a matt frame that holds a photo, Millenaar works to incorporate the attendees into the artwork by inviting them to contribute their brushstrokes to the painting regardless of their level of painting skill. She said that having friends and family assist in the painting adds a lasting personal touch to both the art and their experience of the event. “People who are really nervous can paint part of the tree,” Millenaar said indicated a current work in progress, “and people who want to do a little more detail can… and they are just so touched by that.” This is not the first time that Millenaar invited the public to partake in her creative process. In
2017, she won the opportunity to participate in a public art project for the City of Atascadero. The mural contest, made possible by donations from the Zappas family, aimed to celebrate the City’s long history of empowering women. Millenaar estimated approximately 100 people showed up to the live painting event and contributed to the artwork on the old Founder's Community Bank building located near the corner of El Camino and Traffic Way in Atascadero. Perhaps what helps Millenaar create artwork amidst onlookers is that she is no stranger to performing in front of crowds. In the 90s, she assisted her father’s juggling act at the San Luis Obispo Farmers’ Market. Millenaar would
entertain crowds with her juggling skills as her dad, Jim the Juggler, soaked torches in flammable fluid before igniting them. “I got really used to rolling with new environments and every wedding is always so different,” Millenaar said. Another passion of Millenaar’s is her project entitled “Muse Portraits” that strives to “empower women of all walks of life and all shapes and sizes through art.” Completed in stages, Millenaar first interviews her model contributor and learns her story of overcoming adversity. After a photo shoot, Millenaar paints a portrait influenced by the models' experiences. She also offers intimate portraits that present a fine art interpretation on Boudoir. Millenaar encourages people to explore their love for art with her Patreon channel, where people can contribute to the arts through a subscription and gain access to lessons, personal insights and various special content. Her current project involves painting the Seven Sisters, a San Luis Obispo mountain range that extends from SLO to Morro Bay. To learn more about Heather Millenaar or to view her various works, visit heathermillenaar.com, patreon.com/HeatherMillenaar and IG@heathermillenaar.
Colony Magazine, June 2019
call/text
805.234.6882 CA Lic. #01918524
TariHaberfield@gmail.com
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June 2019, Colony Magazine
colonymagazine.com | 17
COMMUNITY BAND PROMOTES MUSIC APPRECIATION SUMMER CONCERTS coming to Lake Park By Heather Young
T
he Atascadero Community Band has been presenting Tuesday concerts next to Atascadero Lake in conjunction with the Atascadero Chamber of Commerce for more than two decades. W ith Atascadero’s mild evenings and the tree coverage at the Lake Park, Tuesday evenings are a community tradition. The evening begins with a barbecue from 5 to 7 p.m., cooked by the Atascadero Elks Lodge and served by local nonprofits. After dinner, attendees migrate from the picnic area to the bandstand alongside the lake for a concert by the Atascadero Community Band. “[The community band] plans to play a variety of upbeat, toe-tapping, good old-fashion concert/ community band arrangements,” Atascadero Community Band President M.J. Basti said. "There will be music for all ages.” On July 2, the band will perform patriotic music, with Lon Allan’s vintage military Jeep on display and color guard for the start of the concert. For that evening’s concert, the guest conductor will be retired military musician Carlos Gama. “[The community band] cur-
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TUESDAYS IN THE PARK SCHEDULE
5 to 7 p.m. Barbecue, name of hosting nonprofit is listed next to the date below 7 to 8 p.m. Atascadero Community Band concert June 11 Parents for Joy June 18 St. Luke’s Episcopal Church June 25 Atascadero Historical Society and Atascadero Veterans’ Memorial Foundation July 2: El Camino Homeless Organization July 9: Rotary Club of Atascadero
July 16 Kiwanis Club of Atascadero July 23 No barbecue, concert only from 7 to 8 p.m. July 30 Philanthropic Educational Organization & Creative Alternative for Learning & Living Aug. 6 Quota International of Atascadero and Community Church of Atascadero United Church of Christ Aug. 13 No barbecue, concert only from 7 to 8 p.m. Aug. 20 No barbecue, concert only from 7 to 8 p.m.
GUEST CONDUCTORS
Randy Schwalbe (has conducted opera, theatre and drama) Cassandra Tarantino (director of North County Chorus) Keith Waibel (Cal Poly and Cuesta Music faculty, director of SLO Chamber Orchestra, director of clarinet choir) Fletcher Ferrara (drum major at AHS)
rently does not have a permanent conductor,” Basti said. “We have many volunteer guest conductors; so far we have different guest conductors lined up for summer 2019 including a 17-year-old Atascadero High School graduating senior, Cuesta faculty and retired music directors. We are very fortunate to have so many experienced conductors volunteer to rehearse and conduct [the band] for our summer concert series.”
David Landers (music director at Templeton High School) Jennifer Martin (Cuesta Faculty, director of SLO Wind Orchestra and Cuesta Wind Ensemble) Carlos Gama (retired military musician) Anthony Yi (director of Music South County) Ron McCarley (director of Jazz Studies, Cuesta Music faculty)
According to Basti, the band was formed in 1985 for the specific purpose of promoting the public appreciation of band music in the community. The group was incorporated as a 501(c)3 nonprofit in 1991. As a volunteer band, its goals are to provide a place for local musicians to meet and practice concert band music, to support and promote basic music education, to service the community by performing band concerts and to assist other
local charitable and educational organizations by providing band music concerts. And it does so by rehearsing and performing yearround. While the band rehearses in the park after its Tuesday concerts in the summer, during the school year, the band practices at Atascadero High School. “Band members come from throughout the Central Coast, some making a round trip of 50 to 100 miles or more to attend weekly rehearsals,” Basti said. “The band members ages range from elementary school students to octogenarians.” Longest running band members: Jim Rabourn, Linda Preston, Irene Bishop, Beth Bean, Debi Weber and Kathy Jorgens Oldest band members: Lyle Stubson, Sally Thompson and Vicki Carlson Youngest band members: Atascadero High School students Fletcher Ferraro and Sami Hallmark who play with the band year round and three Atascadero Middle School students play with the band in the summer. For more info, visit AtascaderoBand.org or contact Basti at atascaderoband@gmail.com. SUPPORT THE BAND To donate, send a check to: Atascadero Community Band P.O. Box 134 Atascadero, CA 93423
Colony Magazine, June 2019
is a symphony of color for the senses Last month, sweeping fields of illuminated color began to appear on a large swath of land in East Paso Robles. “Field of Light at Sensorio,� an intersection of art, technology and nature by Bruce Munro, is now open to the public through January 5, 2020, at 4380 Highway 46 East. From Wednesday through Sunday, visitors can take part in a serene and immersive art experience unlike anything ever brought to San Luis Obispo County.
June 2019
By Melissa Chavez
The Story of Us | 19
It was a window display of UV light glowing through plastic during a stroll in Sydney, Australia, 34 years ago that caught the eye of Bruce Munro. The British fine arts major walked into the shop, made some inquiries, and was soon knocking on retailers’ doors to sell his own illuminated set designs in between his regular jobs as a bricklayer and painter.
inspired to create a light installation in one of the valleys on the property.”
Creativity meets sustainabili-
ty
‘Everything we do is connected to one another and the world around us.’ Artist Bruce Munro
“Sensorio will cover about 35 acres,” Ken said, referring to his future development project due for completion in 2021. Constructed in phases, Decades later, Bruce’s work has been displayed the project will include a hotel, conference center, in galleries, parks, estates, cathedrals, botanical café, a botanical garden and more. “The planned architecture is playful and full gardens and museums across the United States of movement. It will be a completely creative, and worldwide, including the Guggenheim flowing design,” Ken said. “We love nature and Museum in New York City, the Victoria & Albert Museum in London, the Texas Tech Uni- all it entails. My dad built the Hunter Ranch versity Public Art Collection, and in exhibits in Golf Course and always loved the land across the street. After he passed in 2000, we were able Denmark, UAE, South Korea and Australia. For Paso Robles developer Ken Hunter, it was to acquire that land in 2011, enabling our dream at a 2,831-foot-high sandstone formation known to continue.” Twenty volunteers worked an average of eight as Uluru in the central Australian outback that he and his wife first experienced Munro’s “Field hours per day over five weeks to assemble the tens of thousands of spheres and position them of Light” display. “We are a couple who have had a dream of across the valley landscape. An Earth-friendly bringing an entertaining, natural garden-like project, Sensorio uses energy supplied by solar attraction to Central California for many years. panels that charge by day to power an awe-inWe have a plan to bring something complete- spiring display from dusk to 11 p.m. ly unique to this particularly beautiful property, which we have named Sensorio,” Ken said. “We were able to visit with Bruce at one of his exhibit openings in Denver and invited him to Paso Robles to see the land, where he was
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A total of 240 projectors operating at 25 watts apiece serve as light sources for several hundred fibers dispersed in shallow arrays laid atop the grounds. As light pulses through the fibers, it’s captured inside the glass spheres, creating what Bruce calls “whispers of light.”
“We love and admire Bruce’s design sensitivity to nature, peace, and calm, which you will feel when you experience his exhibit,” Ken added. The meditative 15-acre art installation is the artist’s largest site-specific project to date.
June 2019
An all-inclusive invitation
“Our target audience is local, regional, national and international — anyone who loves art, technology and nature,” said Tracy Strann, Executive Director of the Sensorio Project. An all-inclusive art installation, “Field of Light at Sensorio” is wheelchair-accessible and welcoming to everyone.
“We have created a specially designated ADA pathway and a lookout for those requiring it,” said Tracy. “ADA restrooms are in all three restroom locations on the property, and golf carts are available for transport.”
“This is about connecting people to the landscape,” Bruce said. “The effect is different in every location. You become completely and utterly one with the world around you. It took me 39 years to figure it out. I didn’t realize what art could be. It’s not about me, but about them,” he added, referring to visitors who experience what he calls “art that you feel.”
Sensorio range between $27 and $30 for adults and between $9 and $19 for children ages 12 and under. VIP Terrace tickets ($125) with a VIP Picnic Dinner are available for both adults and children. Kids age two and under get in free. Group discounts are available for 20 visitors or more.
Pets, outside food and beverages, bicycles, skateboards, cooking or barbecue equipment, “It’s impossible to live in isolation and art is weaponry, or professional photographic or recordnot insular,” Bruce said. “We need to be much ing equipment are not allowed on the property. more grounded and more kind to one another. For complete information, It’s a positive world if we look at it through a visit sensoriopaso.com. positive lens.”
The gates to Sensorio open an hour before the Sensorio is open from 7 p.m. (or dusk) to 11 display begins. p.m., Wednesday through Sunday. Tickets for
Email info@sensoriopaso.com or call (805) 226-4287.
SENSORIO MOBILE KITCHEN TO PROVIDE AL FRESCO DINING General admission and VIP Terrace ticket holders have an opportunity to dine overlooking the Sensorio “Field of Light” art installation on Wednesdays through Sundays, beginning at 7 p.m.
“A rotating array of food and beverages, including local wines, will be offered so that guests can enjoy a complete experience,” said Tracy Strann, Executive Director for Sensorio. Guests can also enjoy live music every evening from 7 to 9 p.m. Kelly Case-Horn, Hunter Ranch Grill’s food and beverage director
since 2006, will manage the food service at Sensorio. A well-known chef in North SLO County for 20 years, Kelly has drawn many to enjoy her delicious entrees at Hunter Ranch Golf Course. The VIP Terrace ticket admission at Sensorio will allow guests to choose in advance from a choice of entrees such as slow-roasted ribeye with horseradish cream sauce, mixed grill roasted veggie (vegan), herb-encrusted roasted chicken, and grilled salmon with lemon Dijon sauce.
Guests may also choose two side dishes from a list that includes: Roasted red skin potato salad, tomato and cucumber salad (vegan), mixed sweet greens salad with ranch and balsamic vinaigrette (on the side), orzo pasta salad with sun dried tomatoes and feta cheese, quinoa, jasmine rice and roasted veggies (vegan), roasted corn, cilantro and black bean salsa (vegan). Also available is an option of one of the following appetizers: Fresh Fruit Medley, Chick pea puree roasted garlic hummus with crackers, baguette with olive tapenade. Desserts include limoncello mascarpone cake, chocolate cake, crème brûlée cheesecake, carrot cake with caramel and cream cheese frosting, coconut rice pudding with farmers market fresh berries (vegan).
Learn more about Sensorio at sensoriopaso.com. For group visitor information, email groups@sensoriopaso.com or call (805) 226-4287.
‘This is about connecting people to the landscape.” Artist Bruce Munro
June 2019
The Story of Us | 21
Explore the Local
ART SCENE
North SLO County Downtowns Emerge as Artistic Hotspots By Meagan Friberg
PASO ROBLES Studios on the Park 1130 Pine Street 805-238-9800 studiosonthepark.org Open daily at noon
Nonprofit open studios art center located in the heart of downtown Paso Robles “The hands-on, immersive art experience offered at Studios on the Park is unique on the West Coast,” Executive Director Sasha Irving said. “We invite visitors of all ages to meet our professional local artists and watch as they work, enroll in a class or workshop, view quality exhibitions of artworks from around the world, find creative gifts in our Up Front Gift Shop and make art of their own at our daily COLORbar and free Kids Art Smart Activity Alcove. Don’t miss our Winery Partners Wine Bar every Friday and Saturday night and big Art After Dark Paso festivities every first Saturday of the month.”
Park Street Gallery
1320 Park Street 805-286-4430 parkstreetgallery.com Friday & Saturday, noon to 7 p.m.
Paso Robles newest fine art gallery featuring Central Coast artists “What makes Park Street Gallery unique is that we represent
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prominent artists from up and down the Central Coast who are producing original one-of-a-kind statement pieces,” Julie Dunn said. “We’re a fine art and fine craft gallery with a collection of diverse media and art forms, both functional and decorative. We offer paintings, bronze sculptures, a variety of woodwork — furniture, turnings, and carvings — plus jewelry, blown and lamp work glass, ceramics, and fiber craft, all in a beautiful downtown location!
Laure Carlisle Art Studio & Gallery
1030 Railroad St. Suite 103 805-286-2432 laurecarlisleart.com Wednesday-Saturday, 1 to 5 p.m.
All work exhibited at the gallery is made by the owner and artist “The work exhibited includes watercolors, acrylics, whimsical furniture, and jewelry made with sterling silver, semi-precious stones, titanium and fused dichroic glass,” Owner and Artist Laure Carlisle said. “My work is lively, fun and colorful and has been exhibited and collected throughout the world.”
Dale Evers Design Studio
1000 Park Street, Paso Robles 805-434-9237 daleeversstudio.com Monday-Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Dale Evers is a cutting-edge American artist. Always the inno-
vator and established as a premiere sculptor/designer of centerpiece art, Dale has gone beyond pure sculpture to successfully blend the world of fine art and functional design. Recognized as a pioneer for his stunning table designs, water features, and his ability to mix mediums at a unique and sophisticated level, Evers has continued to expand his vision for art that serves purpose.
ATASCADERO The ARTery
5890 Traffic Way 805-464-0533 the1artery.com Tuesday-Friday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Unique downtown spot featuring art supplies, custom picture framing, gallery space, cards, and gifts. Events include demos, art openings, and community activities. The ARTery’s largest outside wall features a rotating mural, changed every year or two. The latest iteration is “Tree City” by Marian Galczenski. Stop by, hang out, create, hear about what’s new in town!
ärt/
5806 Traffic Way 805-286-2432 art5806.com
Working artist’s studio, gallery, and teaching space “ärt/ is a unique gallery staffed by
five working painters and photographers,” Owner and Artist Marie Ramey said. “We work, show, and teach at the gallery. We also support local artists with shows and other art related activities.”
Bru Coffehouse
5760 El Camino Real 805-464-5007 brucoffeehouse.com Open daily
The Photography of Joe Schwartz is a permanent exhibition at Bru. A legendary, award-winning folk photographer and longtime resident of Atascadero, Schwartz committed his life to cultural, racial, and artistic diversity. In addition, collections by local artists are rotated monthly.
TABLE/Heidi Petersen Ceramics
5940 Entrada 805-305-7012 heidipetersenceramics.com Thursday-Saturday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The working studio for Heidi Petersen Ceramics and a retail storefront sourcing local makers to bring cool stuff to your table! Featuring one-of-a-kind handcrafted table wares including ceramics, glassware, woven textiles, pine needle baskets, wood carving bowls, charcuterie servers, candles, hand dyed linens, and art work; all created in SLO County.
June 2019
Morro Bay’s next Art in the Park is July 5th to 7th Annual art festival showcases local artisans
The festival is owned by the Morro Bay Art Association, an organization formed to promote he little park on Morro Bay Boule- the arts in San Luis Obispo County. Money vard becomes a bustling artisan mar- raised from the shows go toward scholarships ket three times a year over the long for high school students. holiday weekends of Memorial Day, Fourth of “People should come out to this event July and Labor Day. because of the large variety of After 64 years, Morro Bay Art in the Park art available in an equal variety continues to showcase artists from around California and the West Coast. of price ranges.” Steve Powers, an art show coordinator since Potter Dave Pope 1975, has been organizing the festival since 2016. The show is limited to 108 booths because of the small size of park. About half of the artists are from San Luis Obispo County. “Supporting local artists is very important and this show will showcase many fabulous local talents,” artist Deb Lysek said. “People should come out to this event because of the large variety of art available in an equal variety of price ranges,” potter Dave Pope added. “Visitors get the opportunity to meet and talk to the various artists. Steve Powers does a great Thomas Mayberry fine art and photography of Morro Bay job ensuring a variety of art. Basically, there is Photo courtesy of Steve Powers something for everyone.”
By Heather Young
T
Because there aren’t any restaurants near the park, there is a small food court allowing people to get food while they peruse the wares of about 125 artisans. The layout of the booths was changed a few years ago to allow shoppers to easily flow through shows without hitting a dead end. “There’s nothing else at all that compares to the quality of the Morro Bay Art Festival,” Powers said. “There are a lot of people who have moved in over the last couple of years who don’t know about the event. I think they’ll be pretty impressed.” The shows take place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Monday. For more information about Morro Bay Art in the Park, visit morrobayartinthepark.com.
2019 MORRO BAY ART IN THE PARK FESTIVALS
July 5 - 7 and August 31 - September 2
2019 PASO ROBLES ART IN THE PARK FESTIVALS October 19 - 20
Margarita Adventures zipline canopy tours The biggest thrill in wine country!
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on Father’s Day Weekend! ZIPLINE TOURS
WILDLIFE HUMMER TOURS
KAYAK TOURS June 2019
Soar over valleys, oaks, • mountainsides and vineyards Tour includes six distinct ziplines • spanning more than 7,500 total feet Create an indelible memory • with friends and loved ones Rated one of the “best things to do” • in San Luis Obispo County
Book Your Adventure Today
Call us at (805) 438-3120 or book online
www.margarita-adventures.com
The Story of Us | 23
— Entries must be recieved by June 11 for —
S
ince 1946, the competitive exhibits at the California Mid-State Fair have delivered a quietly powerful experience to Fair-goers, as display walls are covered with submissions from exhibitors from around the country. From learning first hand how to spin wool, select the perfect egg, tips on gardening, quilt-making, and more, the CMSF Exhibit Department is much more than just the high resolution photos that provide a striking collage of hundreds of different perspectives. If you take a slow walk through the exhibition buildings, you will find a menagerie of expressions on display of our country’s wondrous diversity. “All patrons who visit the Fair will have the opportunity see local items on display created by local people of all ages,” Event and Exhibit Manager Tisha Tucker said. “You can see items
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such as handmade quilts, jams, decorated cakes, photography, fine art, home grown fruits and vegetables as well as fresh cut flowers and professional floral arrangements.” Art is a personal experience, and anything that a person creates to express something more than words can qualify as art. The CMSF has more than a thousand categories for potential exhibitors to find a place where their art might find a home among the other submissions. All locals are encouraged to enter their talents — all ages, beginners to professionals — to showcase their creativity. Entry information can be found at the CMSF website. Earliest deadline to enter is June 11. Each year, the CMSF theme influences the submissions, creating a cohesive-and-diverse sensation throughout the exhibits. “One of the biggest highlights for our exhibitors is the announcement of the annual theme,” Tucker said. “This year we will celebrate the outdoors with ‘Let’s have S’More Fun!’ Every year we create new contests that revolve around our theme. This year participants will compete for the best trail mix made with dried fruit and nuts, painting inspired by a vintage travel poster, best handmade ‘glamping outfit’ or the best use of flannel in a ‘Great Outdoors’ floral arrangement just to name few of the many new contests.” All artists face the same challenge at some point in their lifecycle — offering something personal and precious as one’s own creation to be publicly judged — whether they face that challenge early in their career, or late. One thing is certain, you can only learn what is on the other side of that challenge after you face it. Your work may be lauded or criticized, but presenting your most vulnerable self is something that becomes easier over time and there is no way around it. Besides, even if your art makes a positive impression on just one person, you will have played a part in the rest of their life. Facing that challenge and submitting work is proven to make an exhibitor better at what they do. “I think in all competitions there is a learning curve,” Tucker said. “The end goal for most exhibitors would be a ribbon or the coveted ‘Best of Show’ award. It has been my experience
that most new exhibitors, once they go thru the process. continue to enter year after year and through critique from our judges and practice most exhibitors will walk away with an award.” Evolution is a personal experience as much as it is a communal experience. “Over time the individual entry categories evolve and you can see what craft or technique is trending,” Tucker said. “Puff paint projects may be a hit one year and all but extinct the next. This makes it fun for those of us who work at the Fair and we look forward to the cool new creative pieces we get to display.” The exhibits are a great experience for the exhibitors, as well as for the Fair-goers, who get an impactful experience through the showcasing of achievements of its community members.
For more information on the exhibitions, go to midstatefair.com and click on the “Exhibits” link.
June 2019
2019 Mid-State Fair Main Grandstand Lineup
Miranda Lambert
Lynyrd Skynyrd
Pat Benatar & Neil Giraldo and Melissa Etheridge
Zac Brown Band
July 17
July 18
Rhythm & Brews with Billy Idol July 19
Cardi B July 20
Blake Shelton July 21
Why Don’t We July 22
July 17–28, 2019
July 23
July 24
Old Dominion July 25
Music & Wine July 26
Country Rodeo Finals July 27
Monster Trucks July 28
MidStateFair.com
By Melissa Chavez
amily-friendly activities, a live orchestra, carnival rides, lots of delicious food, local beer, wine, and an impressive fireworks finale will be on display at the Paso Pops celebration on July 4th at Paso Robles Event Center. The fourth annual Paso Pops patriotic concert and Independence Day event is an opportunity for families and friends to enjoy a late afternoon and evening under the stars. Conductor Andrew Sewell will lead the San Luis Obispo Symphony, featuring more than 72 professional and student musicians. SLO Symphony is a longtime community supporter of music education.
At 4 p.m., children’s activities, carnival rides, and carnival games for the kids will be available. Helms & Sons Amusements will keep the kiddos busy all evening. For parents’ convenience, wristbands for unlimited rides can be purchased in advance for $10 each or $15 onsite. Single-ride tickets are $3 per ride. Carnival games are available on a pay-as-you-go basis, which range from $3 to $5 per play. At 8 p.m., master of ceremonies and emcee Casey Biggs, known to many as the debonair and dry-witted Paso Wine Man, will arrive to the Pops stage in grand fashion to kick off a dazzling fireworks display between 9:45 and 10 p.m. “Last year, we had a video of Casey at the airport missing the helicopter, then ‘beaming’ down onto the stage using magic act effects,” said Steve Cass,
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president of Paso Pops. “I’m sworn to secrecy about this year’s entrance, so you’ll just have to attend and see!”
“So far, we’ve signed up 24 wineries from all over Paso Robles and we expect to have over 30 wineries participating on the day of the event,” Steve said. “Firestone Walker is our featured local beer. We had a great turnout last year so we’ll be configuring the wine tasting area to accommodate everyone. “We are adding more food trucks, service groups and caterers,” Steve said. “But we also want to encourage people to bring picnic lunches and to have a blast decorating their tables! We’re talking to Mayor Steve Martin about serving as judge for the Best Table decoration.”
Last year, 4,400 attended the Paso Pops celebration. At Paso Robles Event Center, guests can utilize the venue’s generous parking across the street or adjacent to the event site with VIP tickets. Trees and shade structures will offer ample protection from sun and wind during the pre-show wine tasting and kids’ events. General admission bleacher seating will provide great sightlines and eliminate any burden of schlepping in lawn chairs. Guests will also find bathrooms easily accessible on the event center grounds.
Ticket options range from General Admission at $30 each for bleacher seating to sponsored President tables at $2,500 each that seat eight guests and come with perks, such as wine tasting, a gourmet buffet by Cass Winery, wine and beer, plus reserved
VIP parking. Vice-President tables are $750 each, seat eight guests, and include wine tasting and reserved VIP parking. Multiple table buyers also receive additional discounts. To honor active and retired military veterans (with military ID), and to provide discounts for students and seniors, entry to Paso Pops will be available at 50 percent off the General Admission (or $15 each). Families receive a discount, too. Kids age 12 and under get in free when accompanied by a paid adult admission.
Net proceeds from this year’s Paso Pops will directly benefit Paderewski Festival youth programs, Steve noted. “If we do really well, proceeds will be shared with other community youth arts programs, such as Studios on the Park, Paso Robles Youth Arts Foundation, and SLO Youth Symphony,” he said. Travel Paso, a 501(c)(6) nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting Paso Robles tourism, is the title sponsor for Paso Pops. Cass Winery and Firestone Walker Brewing Company are local founding sponsors. But it is the hands-on efforts of community volunteers that ensure the event’s return for families to enjoy. “We have high hopes this year,” Steve said. “I want to encourage the community with the fact that everyone can make a direct impact on area nonprofit organizations through their support of Paso Pops.”
To sponsor Paso Pops, email Steve Cass at steve@casswines.com or call (805) 239-0873. For complete details on Paso Pops, visit pasopops.org. To see a preview of Paso Pops, visit them on Instagram.
June 2019
By Heather Young
he Fourth of July is the annual celebration of the nation’s birthday, the anniversary of the day when the United States officially declared its Independence from England. To celebrate that, events of all sizes take place around the county on July 4. There are parades, music, fireworks and other festivities in the North County. No matter what you prefer to do on that day, there is something for everyone. Since there are few fireworks celebrations — Paso Robles, Cayucos, Cambria and Pismo Beach — there are many events during the day, great for those with young children or those who want an earlier evening.
The Paderewski Festival will host its fourth
Photo by Heather Young
The third annual Bluegrass Freedom Festival will come to Atascadero Lake Park on Thursday, July 4 from 2 to 8 p.m. The event will include live bluegrass music by Snap Jackson & The Knock On Wood Players, The Blue Js, AJ Lee & Blue Summit and Toro Creek Ramblers; familyfun amusements; beer, wine and vendor garden; chicken barbecue dinner, hotdogs, food vendors, and community games. Music begins at 2 p.m. Come visit the Veterans of Foreign Wars at the hot dog stand and thank them for their service to our country! Be there at 3 p.m. for the flag presentation and national anthem! For more information, visit AtascaderoFourthofJuly.com, e-mail info@atascaderofourthofjuly. com or call 805-466-4086. The annual event is sponsored by the Atascadero Colony Days Committee. All proceeds go to support Colony Days. Dinner tickets can be pre-purchased online.
annual Fourth of July celebration, Paso Pops, on Thursday, July 4. The gates open at 4 p.m. with activities and amusements from 4 to 7:30 p.m., wine tasting from 5 to 7:30 p.m. for certain tickets and the concert beginning at 8 p.m. sharp. The event will be punctuated with fireworks from approximately 9:45 to 10:15 p.m. “We think it’s the best Fourth of July show at least on the Central Coast and maybe all of California,” event chair Steve Cass said. “There’s carnival rides for young kids and there’s a kids arts area.” General admission is $30 or $15 for military personnel, seniors 60-plus and students. Children Templeton really comes alive on the Fourth 12 and under are free with a paid adult. Proceeds go to the Paderewski Festival and other youth of July with its annual celebration. It starts with nonprofits. For more information, visit paderewski a pancake breakfast at the Templeton Fire Department from 7 to 9:30 a.m. Tickets are $5 for fest.com/pasopops or call 805-235-5409. adults and $3 for children 10 and younger and may be purchased in advance at the Templeton Community Services District office from any Templeton firefighter or at the door on July 4. The parade, sponsored by the Templeton Rotary Club, begins at 10 a.m. and will run along Main Street, ending at the Templeton Community Park, where there will be food, entertainment, music and games.
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Photo by Heather Young
Last year’s parade was the first to be organized by the Templeton Rotary Club. Rotary Club member and parade sponsorship chair Wendy Dow recommends that people show up early to stake out their seats because people will not be able to drive down the parade route as close to the start of the parade as they have in the past. For questions or additional information on the parade or to register an entry for the parade, go to TempletonChamber.org.
Templeton Education Foundation sells fireworks July 1 through 4 in Templeton on Main Street across the street from Joe’s Place. Live fireworks demonstrations are held July 1, 2 and 3 after dark. All proceeds from the fireworks booth go to Templeton Education Foundation which supports Templeton schools and teachers. Volunteers from the community are sought—those volunteering on July 1 to 3 will receive 25 percent off fireworks and those volunteering on July 4 will receive 35 percent off. For more information or to volunteer, email fireworks@templetoneducationfoundation.com. For exact times of when the booth will open, visit tefnow.com/fireworks.
Photo by Heather Young
June 2019
Santa Margarita Community Church hosts the community’s festivities with a small town parade that begins at about 10 a.m. on July 4 at the corner of H and Yerba Buena streets.
Pismo Beach Pier The parade will go east on H Street and end at the park. For more information, visit Santa The annual celebration in Pismo Beach MargaritaCC.org. will take place in the pier parking lot and the surrounding area from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. There will be music, vendors and more. With fireworks from the pier after sundown. For more info, go to ClassicCalifornia.com. Cambria at Shamel Park
Photo by Heather Young
OTHER EVENTS IN SLO COUNTY Morro Bay at Tidelands Park
A Family Fun Day will start at 10 a.m. and continue through 5 p.m. with a variety of events for the whole family including live music, games, bike and paddle parades, carnival, food and more.
Cayucos State Beach
Cayucos has a full day of events starting with a sand sculpture contest at 5 a.m. and followed by the annual parade at 10 a.m. The afternoon will include food, Bingo and more.
For more information, contact Morro Bay The fireworks show begins at 9 p.m. Recreation Services at 805-772-6278 or vis- For more information and details on all the it MorroBay.org. events, go to CayucosChamber.com.
June 2019
The town’s Old-Fashioned July 4 Celebration will start at 11 a.m. and run through 6 p.m., followed by a fireworks display. There will be old-fashioned games, live music, kids’ games and more. For info, visit CambriaChamber.org.
H I S TO R Y
The Second Continental Congress voted in favor of independence from Britain on July 2, 1776. Congress then approved the final draft of the Declaration of Independence on July 4. The first reading of the declaration took place on July 8 at the Pennsylvania State House.
The Story of Us | 29
Atascadero Lakeside Wine Festival rebranded as
Central Coast Reserve Annual festival includes wine, beer, cider and spirits By Heather Young
A
fter 23 years, the Atascadero Lakeside Wine Festival has expanded its reach to officially include cider, beer and spirits in addition to wine. “We just decided it’s time to expand our festival — we have cideries, distilleries, wineries and breweries in Atascadero,” Atascadero Lakeside Wine Festival Chair Barbie Butz said. “When our wine festival was conceived 24 years ago, we said, ‘we have wineries all around us, let’s bring the wineries to the Lake Park.’ The idea was to bring people to Atascadero.” The wine festival got its seed money — though it never needed it — from the zoo society and has been funding specific projects at the zoo ever since. The most recent zoo project funded by the wine festival committee is the red panda exhibit, which opened recently.
While the festival has had beer, cider and spirits for a number of years, this will be the first year that they have been encompassed in the event’s publicity. “The word ‘reserve’ doesn’t mean [the vendors] will be pouring their reserve wines or beer, but more that it means a special experience,” Butz said. “It’s still the same Lakeside Wine Festival conceived 24 years ago.” The wine festival committee has been collaborating with the Atascadero Chamber of Commerce for a number of years and continue to bring more variety to the long-standing, popular event. “The wine festival wouldn’t happen without the core group that started it and have continued to be involved,” Atascadero Chamber of Commerce CEO and President Emily Reneau said.
The three-day festival weekend begins Friday, June 21 at 5 p.m. with the Atascadero Kiwanis Club hosting the annual Mayor’s Winemaker Dinner at the Pavilion on the Lake. Saturday begins with the annual golf tournament hosted by the Atascadero Optimist Club at 8 a.m. and Wine’d Up, yoga and mimosas, with Kennedy Club Fitness. The main event at the Lake Park begins at 4 p.m. on Saturday June 23 and goes until 8 p.m. and will include food, art, wine, cider, beer, spirits and more. Sunday is “fun day” with events at participating businesses around the area.
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June 2019
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His Healing Hands This Local Ministry’s Outreach is Worldwide
By Millie Drum
His Healing Hands is a local Christian nonprofit organization that provides free medical and dental care for people in third world countries that have no access or financial means to receive this care. Since 2010, His Healing Hands has hosted its annual Celebration Dinner to share how the Lord works through its medical mission ministry. The ninth annual Celebration Dinner will take place June 22 at Sculpterra Winery in Paso Robles; gathering our community with the gratitude that is shared by those who raise money to care for the poor and give them hope through teachings of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Award-winning
32 | The Story of Us
comedian Nazareth is the entertainer for the evening. His impressive credits include appearing before more than 40 million people worldwide through live concerts, radio and television broadcasts including appearances on Comedy Central. The current medical mission to the Philippines from May 24 to June 1 at the Bible Baptist Church in Tabaco City will include an Evangelistic Festival that will reach citizens who would never have been helped without the medical ministry of His Healing Hands. This festival, featuring Christian music, speakers and testimonies will reach law enforcement and undercover officers, government leaders, soldiers, medical professionals,
For dinner reservations, contact Carl Dawson at cdawson @ hishealinghands.com or 805-434-3653. To sponsor a table for eight, contact Cheryl Dawson-Voight at Cheryl.voight @hotmail.com or 760-774-4478.
university students and prison inmates as well as the general public. Since these ministries have been so successful, the festival theme will be extended to other parts of the impoverished world. The medicine, supplies and vitamins are donated by people from all over the country who have the desire but not the means to travel with the missions. Everyone who attends the clinics is given medical care, medicine and eyeglasses free of charge. A recent trip to Ethiopia cared for more than 1,100 patients; extending the gospel to many who decided to receive the message for a better life.
Visit hishealinghands.com for the inspirational story and to donate online. You can also mail your donation to: His Healing Hands, 1050 Las Tablas Road, Suite 5, Templeton, 93465.
June 2019
Summer Camps around the County Sessions are filling up fast By Heather Young
The end of the 2018-19 school year is here! Parents and caregivers are figuring out summer care for their children and camps fill up quickly. Below is a sampling of summer camps happening in the North County this summer.
Recreation activities
The cities of Paso Robles and Atascadero, along with the community of Templeton, have summer classes and camps all summer. For more information, visit prcity. com/recreationonline for Paso Robles, Atascadero.org and click on “Living Here” for Atascadero and TempletonCSD.org
Camp Natoma
Camp Natoma is an overnight camp north of Paso Robles. This camp is for children leaving first through 11th grades. Each session is six nights and six days and includes food, T-shirt, all activities and transportation. Many sessions are already full, check website. For more information or to register, call 805-7092569 or go to CampNatoma.org.
Playtime Discoveries Camp
Playtime Discoveries in Atascadero hosts a variety of day camps for children 4 to 12 years of age, the ages and themes change each week. The cost is $145 per session and the sessions are 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. For more information or to register, go to playtimediscoveries.com/summer-camp-registration. Camps are fill up quickly.
Bob Cantu’s Basketball Camp
There will be three sessions of Bob Cantu’s Basketball Camp this summer; one at Paso Robles High School June 15 to 18 and two at Mission Prep High School in San Luis Obispo June 24 to 27 and July 9 to 12. The camps are for children 4 to 12 years of age and are held 9 a.m. to noon. The cost is $195 per week. For more information or to register, call 805-5461448 or go to CantuCamps.com/ campinfo.
Boys & Girls Club Day Camp
The Boys and Girls Club has two-day camps in the North County Monday, June 10 through Friday, July 26 at Atascadero Fine Arts Academy and Thursday, June 13 through Friday, August 9 at 600 26th St. in Paso Robles from 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. The camps are for incoming kindergartners through eighth graders. The cost is $500 for each program per child. For an application, go to bgcslocounty.org/ application.
Paso Robles Pioneer Day Camp
The Paso Robles YMCA hosts a summer day camp from Monday, June 10 through Friday, August 9 from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. for children entering kindergarten through sixth grade at Centennial Park, 600 Nickerson Drive. The cost is $170 per week. The campers will have traditional camp activities and projects. For info or to register, go to sloymca.org.
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The Story of Us | 33
TEMPLETON ADVISORY GROUP REPORT Cannabis and Contention with the County By Mark Diaz
T
for the planning department to open up and start reaching out to the public to let us know what’s going on.” Vice Chair Larry Fluer flatly stated that the process was broken, citing the TAAG’s communication with the SLO County Supervisors. He said that the standard five days notification of agenda items relating to cannabis and changes to ordinances is not enough time for TAAG to gather response from the public let alone establish the committee’s own stance. “We get 180 seconds at the microphone — that’s it! Anybody in this room gets 180 seconds — that’s it!” said a visibly
he Templeton Area Advisory Group voiced its frustration with the San Luis Obispo County Planning Department as it pertained to cannabis business development for the Templeton Area. In a marathon session in front of a packed room, council members took turns describing various aspects of their displeasure to the department’s representative and District Supervisor Debbie Arnold. “For two straight years, while all these cannabis ordinances were being formed up,” delegate Murray Powell said, “we never heard one single word about the process here and it’s time
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irritated Fluer, referring to time allotted from public comment during County meetings. “You don’t get a rebuttal. You get nothing… it’s a broken process.” Powell told Arnold that the County continues to approve cannabis operations before all the information can be gathered or even when they are in direct violation of ordinances. “When does this come to a halt until the County can actually get a handle on what the hell is going on around here?” Powell asked Arnold, drawing scattered applause from the crowd. In response, Arnold said that she wants to see communica-
tion improve between the public and the County and is actively gathering email addresses from concerned citizens to help keep them informed. She explained that the board purposely “held on” to discretionary power which gives them the authority not to approve business if it does not fit in the community where it will operate. She agreed with the board that the public needs more lead time to afford them an opportunity to respond to upcoming projects. Susan Mayor from the SLO Cannabis Watch Group, a local organization formed to oppose “big cannabis” said, “I think... having so many appeals on these permits [and] applications is an indication that something isn’t working.”
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ATASCADERO CITY COUNCIL REPORT Weeds, Wastewater Rates and Kiwanis Celebrates By Mark Diaz
T
he City of Atascadero celebrated the 50th anniversary of the local Kiwanis Club with a proclamation. The nonprofit organization dedicated to the betterment of the community is responsible for numerous projects including the Lake Park Centennial Bandstand, the ECHO shelter’s children’s playground and numerous improvements to city parks and downtown infrastructure. *** In May, the City took time to listen to any objections from landowners about the required weed
June 2019, Colony Magazine
abatement on their properties. None stepped forward. Fire Chief Casey Bryson reported that the Atascadero Fire Department examined approximately 11,000 lots in April and issued 3,992 notifications to residents reminding them to keep their weeds and annual grasses under four inches. Chief Bryson said that the number of notifications went up by about 500 this year due to the abundance of rain. “As you can imagine the grass is pretty thick and tall this year,” Bryson said. Referring to May showers, Councilmember Roberta Fonzi
asked Bryson if the department continues to investigate lots after the June deadline. Bryson said that he expected weeds to continue to grow throughout the coming months but said that the AFD does not actively investigate lots during the summer months. He said that the Fire Department relies on the public to inform them if there is a fuel management problem seen on someone’s property.
*** The City contracted Tuckerfield and Associates to conduct a Wastewater Rate Study program. The business recommended raising rates by $3.83 for a total of a $24.01 a month. Public Works Director, Nick DeBar told the Council that the last time the sewer rates were raised was in 1993 followed by a minor adjustment in 1994.
In accordance with California Proposition 218, the City will give residents a chance to voice their opposition to the rate increase in either written form or at a public meeting. The City will notify residents of the increase via mail and set a public hearing for Friday, July 19 in consideration of the proposed wastewater rate change. In a motion, Council members agreed to authorize the Director of Administrative Services to appropriate $5,000 from the Wastewater Fund for costs related to the Proposition 218 majority protest process. A budget amendment was also included and authorized the director to appropriate an additional $15,000 from the Wastewater Fund to professional services related to wastewater rate study and support activities.
colonymagazine.com | 35
TASTE OF Americana
By Barbie Butz
K
aren McNamara, owner of The Hope Chest Emporium on El Camino Real in Atascadero, often comes across old cookbooks, personal recipe collections, and recipes printed in newspapers that are still intact. She and our friend Kent Kenney, who collects everything, know that I collect all of the above, so they watch out for items I would be interested in. A few weeks ago I received a big fat envelope of great “stuff ” including the 1970 Volume VI of the San Luis Obispo County Telegram-Tribune’s “An Album of Favorite Recipes.” The headline read, “Grand Prize Winner Viola Pettersen wins with orange pancake recipe.” She was quoted as saying, “I like any recipe that’s different. I also go for anything simple and quick. I don’t have time for anything too complicated, there are too many other things I like to do.” I’m sharing Viola’s recipe, and a few others for you to try. Remember that recipes in newspapers have always been a part of Americana. I grew up with the Los Angeles Times and the Arcadia Tribune and my mother filled many shoe boxes with clipped recipes from the food section of those papers.
ORANGE PANCAKES Viola Pettersen, Grover City Ingredients:
1 ½ cups flour 2 teaspoons baking powder ½ teaspoon salt 3 tablespoons sugar 2 eggs, separated 1 cup milk ½ cup orange juice 3 tablespoons oil or melted butter 1 teaspoon grated orange peel
Directions:
Sift flour, baking powder, sugar and salt. In another bowl lightly beat egg yolks, milk, orange juice, oil and orange peel. Mix liquid and dry ingredients well. Beat egg whites until soft peak forms. Fold into batter. Bake ¼ cup batter at a time. Serve with orange topping (recipe follows) or favorite jam.
ORANGE TOPPING Ingredients:
¼ pound soft butter or margarine 1 cup unsifted powdered sugar 2 teaspoons grated orange peel
Directions
Blend ingredients with mixer. Serve with orange pancakes. Note: Don’t overlook Orange Marmalade for those pancakes!
36 | colonymagazine.com
This next recipe was sent in to the contest at the Telegram-Tribune by Mrs. Mary Knight. When I saw that name I did a double-take since I have a good friend named Edie Knight. Then I saw the address and sure enough there was a connection — Mary was Edie’s mother-in-law who passed away in 1979. Edie and her husband inherited the home and Edie lives there still.
ZUCCHINI SOUFFLÉ Mrs. Mary Knight, Atascadero Ingredients:
4 cups cooked squash 1 onion, diced 3 eggs, beaten 1 cup diced cheese ½ cup milk Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
Put all together. Bake in 350-degree oven for 45 minutes. Crush soda crackers on top.
Just to show you how much recipes can vary, using almost the same ingredients, here is another recipe using zucchini. This one is also from a woman in Atascadero who entered the contest. Note the simplicity of the entry!
SQUASH CASSEROLE Leslie Hunt, Atascadero Ingredients:
1 zucchini squash Butter Saltine crackers Milk Salt and pepper
Directions:
Slice squash in little circles. Put a layer of the squash on the bottom of the pan. Crumble the crackers on the squash. Then put a couple pats of butter on that. On that goes the salt and pepper. Keep making those layers until the squash is gone or until it is large enough for your family. After you have finished, pour milk so it has filled almost half the pan. Then bake in 350 degrees oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour. For a variety you can also add cheese and mushrooms.
Many of the recipes that were entered were written as if the person was explaining them to a friend. Many times I have asked someone for a recipe and they come back with, “I don’t really have a written recipe, but I can tell you what I do!” As you can see by the list of ingredients for this squash recipe, you just need to know how many people you are serving and you build from there! I hope you enjoyed a trip back in time. Cheers!
Colony Magazine, June 2019
Dreaming Big T
By Nicholas Mattson
he Atascadero Printery Foundation held its annual Founders’ Reception in May, hosting more than 80 community leaders at SpringHill Suites in Atascadero as the list of 100 available “Founders” for the overall project to rehabilitate and repurpose the Atascadero Printery Building starts to quickly approach capacity. A small group of about a dozen original members carried the foundation through the first 18 months of the challenge of obtaining possession of the property in distress. The building had more than $275,000 in back taxes and millions of dollars of repairs in store. Led by the “big things in small packages” president Karen McNamara, the board has an “uninhibited” attitude and a caring touch for the history it is working to protect. Along with the brick and mortar, fine art has graced the walls of the lobby of the building for more than 100 years. Murals by Ralph Holmes stretched in strips from floor to ceiling, and despite the hundreds of vandals that have come and gone, the murals were somehow untouched — mostly. Two places, out of 10, the opportunity for theft was not ignored. One of the floor to ceiling murals was carefully removed from the wall of the lobby and is still missing. At the top of the first landing of the stairs that reach the second story, there was a depiction of the pastoral valley that holds the Atascadero Colony Administration Building. For almost 100 years, the historic depiction stood the test of time, and was still there when the foundation began its inquiries into the building back in 2015. Between 2015 and 2017, someone had finally discovered the treasure and took a knife to the mural and removed the most recognizable icon of all the murals. A couple years later, a friend of mine stopped by my house with a surprise. He took me to his truck, and pulled out a rolled up piece of canvas. It was the missing piece with the Administration Building on it. I was ecstatic. It pays
June 2019, Colony Magazine
The Atascadero Heart Beats for Big Ideas to have roots in Atascadero and dedicate to the restoration of something important to our community history. All of us old-timers should all be someone who people think of when they have something that should be given to the rehabilitation and restoration of the Atascadero Printery Building. Meanwhile, the Printery Foundation worked to clean out the inside of the building, seal off 59 windows to keep birds from entering and nesting, and begin the process of reinforcing the shoring that was done initially by the City.
The foundation is also working to preserve all remaining murals for the time when they are ready to be reinstalled on the walls of the lobby for the grand entrance. The initial dream of Atascadero’s utopian society may have only lasted 11 years, but the industry that supported the dream and the building that started it all still stands because the inspiration behind the utopia were timeless ideals — people coming together to do something that never was, but always could be. We are truly in a unique place in history,
where the fountain of revolution is quietly percolating. The last hundred years have taught us all a great deal. The economy of calling one of the great places to live in all the world our home provides us an opportunity to accomplish something that has never been done. What that will be, is up to us, but the rehabilitation of the building that got it all started … well, it sounds like the right place to start. You might say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one. You might say it's impossible, but that never stopped the pioneer. Many may fear the unknown, and rightfully so. The moon is not far away, but it was out of reach for so long. Until it wasn't. Every event, building, road, and latte flavor was at one point a figment of the imagination. How much worse would it be if those who created, built, blazed, or reimagined had stopped when they were doubted or challenged. True, some land on the moon, and some crash into it. But we ought never stop believing. The rehabilitation of the Printery is our moon landing. It is our place to plant a flag and define ourselves as a community within a community. Not everyone will be there to buy tickets for the first ride, but we are almost complete with our first 100 founders list and that itself is a testament to our community artistry. Let us be a community of artists, businessmen and businesswomen, visionaries, seekers, adventurers, romantics, lovers, singers and songwriters, playwrights and producers, actors and actresses, benefactors and beneficiaries, dancers, writers, crafters and artisans. We have the community bones for it. Let's turn our faces to the sun so we do not see the shadows. Let's see if we can forge a comfortable subsistence from the small plot of land we call Atascadero ... our home. Just what shall we be known for. A community that converted an old press building into a theater for the ages? Thanks to the faith from Atascadero Performing Arts Center Committe, we are another step closer.
colonymagazine.com | 37
Joanne Peters: Certified Senior Housing Professional Guiding seniors from being overwhelmed to overjoyed By Meagan Friberg
W
hen it comes to various living transitions of senior adults, many individuals and families become overwhelmed. Where do we start? What are the options? Will this be costly? Enter Joanne Peters of Malik Real Estate, a pro when it comes to finding solutions to many of these late-in-life decisions. A Certified Senior Housing Professional, Joanne handles business with compassion, patience, and understanding for aging adults while also seeking the input of family members, close friends, and advisors. Working as a team, Joanne and her business partner, Kelly Thulin, have a motto that says it
all: “We Take the Overwhelmed and Turn it into the Overjoyed.” “Senior adults need to surround themselves with a team of trusted professionals,” Joanne said. “Depending on their age and physical ability, there are many housing options. As agents certified in senior housing, we help in the decision-making process.” They understand transitions may be taxing, both mentally and physically. Helping ease that stress, Joanne and Kelly offer a one-hour complimentary, no-obligation consultation that includes answering questions, providing local resources, and market analysis of a home’s current value. “We understand the complexities of a latein-life move and appreciate the fears, con-
cerns, needs, and goals of our clientele — not just those related to moving or selling a beloved home,” Joanne said. “While our profession is selling real estate, we are fully equipped to serve as guides and consultants, providing referrals as well as personal service from start to finish.” After 32 years practicing as a traditional real estate agent, Joanne transitioned to a Senior Real Estate Specialist and then expanded on that knowledge. In 2018, she became a Certified Senior Housing Professional, nearly 10 years after the loss of her parents. “Our circumstance turned into a crisis mode and it was very difficult,” Joanne said. “I learned a lot of things during this time and felt my knowledge and advice could be shared with others.” Joanne is affiliated with the Malik Real Estate Group, well-known in the area for its depth of working
knowledge with the local senior community. She is also a member of the National Association of Senior Move Managers. “We handle the entire process, starting with a custom move plan for our clients’ unique needs,” Joanne said. “We can advise on when to begin the downsizing process and shepherd the moving progress all the way through the closing of escrow.” For more information, see malikrealestate.com, centralcoastsenior.com, or call (805) 610-6304.
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colonymagazine.com | 39
TENT CITY
The Atascadero Plan & Development By Members of the Atascadero Historical Society
T
he cornerstone for the Administration Building was set in June of 1914. By summer of 1918, construction was complete, taking nearly the course of WWI to complete. Aside from Hearst Castle, it is the most architecturally significant building in San Luis Obispo County and was the civic hub one year before Julia Morgan put pen to paper, creating sketches of Casa Grande for Mr. Hearst. It was listed on the National Historic Register in 1984. The Atascadero Inn/La Plaza had its grand opening on July 4, 1917, with governor Stevens presiding over the ceremonies. The W.H. Lewis Hospital was completed in 1921, boasting two small wards and a dozen private rooms. Employees of the Colony Holding Corporation had $1/month deducted from their checks to cover their health care. The Community Center (now Atascadero Bible Church) was completed in 1920. It was the social heart of Atascadero during the 1920s and contained a reception room, library, auditorium, billiard and pool room, gymnasium, lunchroom, large swimming pool with lockers and showers and a club room used by the Masons, Boy Scouts, Camp Fire Girls and like organizations. The auditorium hosted motion pictures twice weekly and was the scene of amateur theatricals, musicals and dances. More than 1,000 people
40 | colonymagazine.com
could find entertainment in the Community Center building at one time. It served as the center of religious activity. For five years, up to 36 different denominations worshipped at the Federated Church, hosted each Sunday by different ministers. Atascadero Community Church is the outgrowth of the Federated Church. The elementary school was completed in 1917 and the high school in 1921. The Printery was completed in late 1915 and employed about 125 people. G.B. Lewis, formerly the Eastern Representative of the Lewis Publishing Company and younger brother of E.G., relocated with his wife Lucile and son William to Atascadero in 1915 to manage the Printery operations. The rotogravure process of copper etching made the cost of reproducing pictures the same as text — a huge advantage. It was one of the only two such plants in America. Through Woman’s National Weekly a national audience was reached. E.G. Lewis considered it the single most important factor in the Atascadero Plan of Development. A railroad spur served the building directly, accommodating the large volume of incoming paper and ink and outgoing publications. The Atascadero News, the community’s second oldest continuing business, began in January 1916, followed in September by the Illustrated Review, a monthly photojournalism publication that preced-
Part II
ed Life Magazine by 15 years. The Illustrated Review reached a peak circulation of 1.7 million in 1917. You could find them on the news-
erated business in the community. In 1913, each property was issued shares of stock per acre. Mr. Lewis wanted the community to remain
stands in New York City. The rotogravure supplements for the Sunday San Francisco Chronicle as well as the Los Angeles Sunday Times (Hearst publications) were produced in Atascadero. The Atascadero Post Office achieved first-class status before San Luis Obispo. At its peak, only Los Angeles and San Francisco exceeded the vast postal volume of Atascadero. G.B. Lewis later joined Pacific Gravure in San Francisco, which by its acquisition of the Atascadero presses in 1924, made it the new rotogravure center of the west coast. Periodicals and movie magazines previously published in Atascadero now came from San Francisco. Incorporated in August 1913, the Atascadero Mutual Water Company is the oldest continuously op-
in control of its own water resource, which to this day has proven a wise choice. The board of directors and staff has done a great job stewarding this vital resource. In fact, water usage has remained stable over the last few decades while population, technology and efficiency have increased. The original well locations and identified storage sites are still in use. No other community in the North County enjoys the stable supply that Atascadero has. The development plans included a rail station, which was built, and Stadium Park, a 29-acre wooded amphitheater on the southern slopes of Pine Mountain about a half-mile east of the Civic Center. It was envisioned as a center for outdoor community events and functions. It became an extension
Colony Magazine, June 2019
cy cle .co ry m
1924, the Colony era of Atascadero came to an abrupt end. With no prior notice, men accompanied by a US Marshalls appeared in Mr. Lewis’ office in the Administration Building and informed him he was no longer in charge. He had been forced into involuntary bankruptcy based on the combined claims of five Seattle investors, amounting to a mere 0.1 percent of Mr. Lewis’ indebtedness. Attorney Oscar Willett, also from Seattle, represented them and filed the petition in the Santa Ana court. Coincidentally, Willett was quickly named receiver by the courts of the assets of the Colony Holding Corporation. Thus, a new era in Atascadero began. The story of the development of Atascadero is complex and rich in detail. We invite you to visit our website: atascaderohistoricalsociety.org or visit the Colony Museum across from City Hall (Wednesday and Saturday from 1-4 p.m.)
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never built. Each unit was to be an estate for the life of the resident. The price for an apartment would have included use of all facilities as well as the cost of burial and a cemetery plot. A board of directors, including Walter Bliss would have operated the facility. A university with free courses including horticulture and agriculture would have been available for Atascadero residents. Plans for the university included experimental gardens and nurseries, a dairy, and a creamery. A Woman’s Republic Building would have housed the headquarters of the national organization and was to be located between the public school and the university, within the civic center. The Woman’s Republic offices were housed in the Administration Building instead. With as much fanfare and excitement as the Atascadero plan began, 11 years later its end came with nary a whimper from behind closed doors. On December 16,
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of the cultural and recreational life of Atascadero during the Colony period of 1914-1924. In April of 1917, the United States entered WWI. Not only did it diminish the purchase and building of homes but also capital, materials and labor were more difficult to come by. The circulation of the highly-successful Illustrated Review dropped by half after 1917. Even though a large trust indenture had been secured, providing powerful assistance, the dynamics had shifted, adding to the accumulation of debt. The development of Atascadero became more challenging; it seemed always headed toward a successful accomplishment and a crisis at the same time. The master plan for the great civic center was scaled back and several planned buildings were never built. The Opera House was to be located behind the Administration Building with the Sunken Garden in between. The nearby Permanent Residence Apartments were
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Atascadero All Comers
All Comers Track & Field Meets 2019 Five Weeks Atascadero H.S.
Wednesdays Starting at 5:30 p.m.
All Ages Events Organized by Age/Gender
All Levels Sprints, Hurdles, Jumps, Distance
Jul 10-Aug 7 Jul 10, 17, 24, 31 & Aug 7 Atascadero High School Memorial Stadium 1 High School Hill, Atascadero
atascaderoallcomers.org
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5 Wednesdays of Run Jump and Throw When the summer sets in … if it ever does any more, we’re not sure … one of the most highly anticipated events brings families from all over the county together for a low admission fee. We aren’t talking about the Mid-State Fair. It is the Atascadero All Comers Track and Field Meets. The Atascadero Greyhound Foundation formed in 1994 to build the all-weather track at Atascadero High School. I was a sophomore at the time and had run some pretty decent mile times on the old dirt track. Since then, the foundation adopted the all comers meets as a way to give back to the community and share what has been the best high school track in the county for the better part of 25 years. The all comers meets are just that … made for ALL COMERS. From under 6-years old to over 66, the meets have a variety of events that provide enough action to keep parents heads spinning as they watch their kids run from the high jump to the long jump and back to the sprints or shot put. Robyn and Keith Schmidt have been the fixtures behind the scenes (if carrying a bullhorn and shouting directions to herd hundreds of athletes into order can be considered “behind the scenes”) as the power couple leading the organization of the event. Robyn is the Greyhound Foundation’s All Comers director, and her love for track and field, community, and kids makes it all work. Foundation executive director Donn Clickard is Robyn’s backup on the mic, announcing winners and calling for heats over the Memorial Stadium intercom as all ages earn ribbons for first, second and third. Around the stadium, volunteers run individual events covering every track and field event you will find at any CIF State Meet, and each event is organized by age group and/or gender as needed. The meets span a five-week series of Wednesdays, beginning at 5:30 p.m. Beginning on July 10, and continuing on July 17, 24, 31, and August 7. Each meet runs until all events have been completed, but some of the field events like long jump, high jump or shot put will end early as each age group is completed. Getting there early is recommended. For the younger group of athletes, arrival by 6 p.m. at the latest is necessary for one of the most enjoyable events — the 6-and-under hurdles. The event has become a legendary showstopper as 2-year olds have been known to participate without yet the coordination to actually lift their legs over the 12-inch high hurdles. Some just run right by down the middle lanes between rows of hurdles. They all get ribbons. The meet has some high level competition as well, as high school age kids use it as a primer for the upcoming fall sports seasons, or to stay in shape coming off the spring track and field season. Jan Johnson brings his lifetime of talent to the meets as well, with certain weeks dedicated to the pole vault. See website for more info. Any way you cut it, the all comers is all fun. The cost is $5 per athlete, with parents and guardians admitted free for the fun. For more info, go to atascaderoallcomers.org or atascaderogrey houndfoundation.org.
Colony Magazine, June 2019
Audrey Jackson — USING ART AS A HEALER By Simone Smith
W
hen When Jeff and Lindsay Jackson first moved to Santa Margarita with their three young children, nobody knew what an impact they would make on the town, county and beyond. It’s been fun to watch the developments over time with each family member so talented in their own way. Jeff, the inspirational and culinary talent, along with Lindsay’s decorating and style sense, created The Range, one of the county’s top farm-to-table restaurants. Cheyne, following in his father's footsteps, has been classically trained and excels with his culinary skills. Jade is making her mark in the music world with The Jade Jackson Band and Audrey, at 22, is a talent on the rise in visual arts. Audrey fell in love with art at a very early age while watch-
June 2019, Colony Magazine
ing her mother paint and was mesmerized by seeing the chalk art at the SLO I Modinari Festivals with her grandmother. She started to explore and enjoy creating all forms of art, from playing the guitar and singing to pottery, mixed media, sewing and creating art out of trash or whatever she could get her hands on. She studied art at Cuesta College where she learned techniques but really fell in love with painting when she was accepted into CalArts and given the freedom to create. Over the years growing up, Audrey says she battled dark thoughts, insecurities and bulimia but she found therapy through artistic creation. Through her process, she found that “painting was the best media to purge her thoughts and get them out into the real world.” Her style
is influenced by her favorite artists which include her mother, Rene Magritte, the Belgian Surrealist and Mark Ryden, an American lowbrow painter who is dubbed “the godfather of Pop Surrealism.” Audrey’s artwork is raw, bold and emotional, often including colorful characters and cryptic symbolism “best interpreted as a dream.” She hopes that her work will provide a cautionary tale that leads the viewer to relate to their own feelings and know that they are not alone, it will be okay. Last year, in 2018, Audrey received her first major commission when asked by Amanda Wittstrom-Higgins to create a wine label for One Stone Cellars with a portion of every bottle sold donated to Dream Big Darling a nonprofit that provides mentorship, education and opportunities to women in the wine and spirits
industry. Audrey credits One Stone for giving her the confidence and motivation that has gotten her to this point. The future looks bright for Audrey — she is now feeling much better about herself and through her art is beginning to tell the stories of others such as the strong and confident woman of the One Stone label. She has one year remaining for her Bachelor’s Degree but would like to continue with her artwork, pursue a Master’s of Fine Arts and ultimately to teach at the college level. You can find Audrey Jackson's art online on Instagram @mother_drear and audrey jacksonart.com. Her work is also featured on her sister’s new album cover and merchandise for The Jade Jackson Band as well as at the family’s latest Santa Margarita restaurant, Rosalina’s, an Audrey Jackson Gallery.
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The Place to Bee By Mark Diaz
D
espite self-publishing two children’s books and working on two more, Diane Harrison does not consider herself a writer. It is safe to say that she is an artist that puts words to her drawings.
Harrison’s latest work, “The Place to Bee” features a bee zipping around objects searching for that one special place. She explained that the idea came to her while watching bees. Harrison studied as a horticulturist at Cal Poly and fell in love with the area. She started a landscape maintenance business that serves both commercial and residential areas, though she’s now looking at retirement and has slowly cut back on the time spent at what she refers to as her “day job.” She keeps a seasonal garden full of a wild array of flowers. A heaping of Dutch Iris, Tulips, Ranunculus, also known as Buttercups, and many more decorate the property, but being her favorite, Sweet Pea flowers are by far the most prevalent. In the
spring, the garden is a sea of color with small paths winding through the flowers and benches where one can sit and quietly reflect. Harrison said that beauty is short-lived though as the flowers will go to seed and dry up in the summertime.
Harrison takes a relaxed approach to her art and authorship that may be influenced by her love of plants. When conditions are right, plants flourish and she feels her work will do the same and that rainy days go a long way in producing fruit. She is currently working on two books, Diane Harrison “How to Love a Cat” and “How to Love a Dog.” The latter written in Haiku and featuring She explained that the seeds will germinate illustrations of her dog Penny. Her most popular through the paper while discouraging weeds book, “Amazing Grace” was inspired by a little from coming up from beneath. She added that girl of the same name. Illustrated in pen and ink, the paper will eventually decompose too. the book shows how Grace’s daily activities repHarrison’s “Amazing Grace” can resent peace and compassion.
For the amateur horticulturist who wants to grow wildflowers, Harrison recommended laying down a sheet of paper and covering it with a thin layer of soil.
Peg Grady
From the Big City to Santa Margarita
By Simone Smith
T
he sign outside says “Looking is Fun” and on the door is an embroidered oval that says “Stay Weird.” From the looks of things, you may guess that inside Peg Grady’s Studio 58 in Santa Margarita you won’t be finding any perfectly painted pictures of posies or dreamy landscape scenes. What you will find is Peg Grady with a smile on her face, a twinkle in her eye and witty sense of humor, surrounded by walls filled with her various, ever-changing works and tables with current projects in the making. Most recently, Peg has been working on her profound, quirky, whimsical or “for adult audiences” stitchery or stitched sayings, ink and embroidery or plaster etchings. If you could have asked 20-yearold Peg what her future would look
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be purchased through Amazon.com or locally at EcoBambino or Coalesce Bookstores. Currently, “The Place to Bee” is available only at EcoBambino.
like — being an artist, living outside of Santa Margarita on 13 acres with cats, wild turkeys and a handsome singer-songwriter of local fame for a partner — it probably would have been beyond the outer reaches of her imagination. Peg was born and raised in Queens, New York and grew up as your “typical city kid.” She traveled by subways into Manhattan, visited museums (“mostly to see the dinosaurs”) and hung out in Greenwich Village. She dropped in and out
of various colleges — taking only classes she was interested in — and worked and traveled until her first significant job at Woman’s Day Magazine, selling ad space for the “Special Interest” section. At 25 she moved with her then-husband to L.A. and through the winding course of life, divorce and various jobs, she met Don Lampson, a part-time musician and co-worker at the Herald-Examiner. Since that day they’ve continued as “partners in crime” working and living throughout the state until moving to San Luis Obispo where Peg worked for American Eagle and the SLO Police Department before joining Don as a correctional officer with the CMC. Missing creativity and feeling the need for more balance in her life, Peg took a one-day workshop with Bob Burridge at Cuesta Col-
lege where, through his high energy and playful approach, he encouraged the fun, experimental and creative process of making art instead of focusing on the end result. Peg was hooked and decided to retire at 50 to pursue her passion for art, through the creative use of different materials and the freedom of no rules. Peg and Don are both “retired” now and very happily continuing their respective artistic careers, traveling and just plain having fun. Don even “finally” wrote a song about Peg in which his lyrics tell her story. “It’s a windy road you’ve taken, for a New York City gal, from canyons of steel and concrete to the heart of the chaparral.” Peg's artwork has been in shows and galleries from New York to Portland and she also sells her work locally and online through Peggradyart.com.
Colony Magazine, June 2019
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Trudy O'Brien (left) and Capt. Sharon Rowley carry the wreath down Cayucos Pier during the 2017 Lost at Sea Memorial Ceremony. Photo by Neil Farrell
SOULS LOST AT SEA
REMEMBERED DURING CEREMONY IN CAYUCOS By Neil Farrell
T
he Annual Cayucos "Lost at Sea" Memorial Day ceremony was a heartfelt, somber affair that this year also commemorated the passing of one of its founders. Military veterans and their families, as well as commercial fishers, surfers, boaters and more, filled the Cayucos Pier Plaza to remember those who lost their lives while at sea. The ceremony is intended to provide a place where people can grieve, because when someone is lost at sea, there is often no body recovered and thus no gravesite to visit. The ceremony is different than most Memorial Day ceremonies and is the only one of its kind in the entire State of California that honors both military and civilians who die at sea. The event, now in its 17th year, is sponsored and hosted by the
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Morro Bay Commercial Fishermen’s Organization, which donates a flower wreath; the Cayucos and Morro Bay Rotary Clubs; Cayucos Lions Club; and several others, and is organized by the Lost at Sea Committee. The ceremony started in 2000 when, according to the event's website (see: www.mowwvandenberg.org/LostAtSea), "Atascadero Joe" Eyraud called radio talk show host Bill Benica and "planted the idea for a memorial ceremony for those lost at sea.� Bill and Nancy Benica began a series of meetings with Joe, Dave Congalton [of KVEC], and Pastor Doug Carroll to plan for a Lost at Sea Ceremony. Memorial Day 2002 marked the first ceremony held at the Cayucos Pier Plaza. Joining the initial planners were Tom Madsen (then of 920 KVEC AM) and the Reverend Cmdr. Bill Houston, a retired Navy chaplain.
In 2012, the Lost at Sea Memorial Committee erected a small granite obelisk as a permanent monument, installed near the entrance to the Cayucos Vet's Hall. The service includes a bell-ringing ceremony using a ship's bell obtained by the late Pastor Doug. Some 18 years ago, said Trudy O'Brien of Morro Bay, a member of the commercial fishing community, Rev. Houston asked her if she'd like to represent the commercial fishers, and carry the wreath down the pier where it is cast into the sea. "I was more honored than I would even imagine," said O'Brien, who has served on the event committee from the start. "Now, someone would have to kill me to stop me from doing that." The ceremony itself includes performances of music with voice, bagpipes and bugle, prayers, the POW/MIA commemoration ceremony, and a recitation of "For
Whom the Bell Tolls," which had been performed by Reverend Cmdr. Houston for many years. Rev. Houston died in March and O'Brien said this year's ceremony would be dedicated to his memory, with Rev. Dennis Falasco reciting the poem. Among the highlights of the event is a procession down the 950-foot Cayucos Pier, which for two years was impossible to do as the Pier underwent a complete reconstruction. But water people are nothing if not adaptable, and for those two years, the wreath was marched down the beach and cast into the sea with the help of the Morro Bay Harbor Patrol. Another annual treat is a flyover of vintage warplanes by the Estrella Warbird Museum and color guards with the Coast Guard and Sea Cadets, a rifle salute by the Leathernecks, and water cannon salutes by the Harbor Patrol and Coast Guard motor lifeboat.
Colony Magazine, June 2019
SATURDAY FARMER'S MARKET SET TO RETURN TO MORRO BAY
By Neil Farrell
F
or about 20 years, Morro Bay Chamber of Commerce put on a Downtown farmer's market on Saturdays, filling the 800 block of Main Street with a variety of vendors — from farmers selling produce, to a butcher shop selling steaks, sea glass jewelry, artworks and kettle corn. By most accounts, the market was a popular year-round event where locals could mingle and visitors could enjoy. But this past January saw the sudden end of the long-standing gathering, when the Chamber of Commerce, responding to issues with the Downtown merchants, closed the market. But the Downtown Saturday Market is making a comeback, thanks to the former manager of the Chamber's event. Jeff Nielsen, who had been running the market for its last nine months, was chosen by the Chamber Board to take over its City permit and bring back the Saturday Market.
June 2019, Colony Magazine
Nielsen said he has been running Cambria farmer's market for the three years (Fridays, 2:30-5:30 p.m. at the Vet's Hall, 1000 Main St.). "I wanted to help the vendors and community," he said. "I was told the market had been around for 30 years or something, so it seemed like a shame to let it close. The vendors and community lobbied me to help keep it going." His connections to farmer's markets goes beyond managing them, as he and wife Rebecca moved to SLO County seeking to get away from their previous hectic lives to the Dragon Spring Farm in Cambria, owned by his in-laws. "My wife, Rebecca and I moved here in 2015," he said. "I was working in the tech sector and she was a healthcare consultant, but we wanted to find a better-balanced life and had the opportunity to live our values. I got involved with farmer's markets writing the software for the North County Farm-
"
I wanted to help the vendors and community. I was told the market had been around for 30 years or something, so it seemed like a shame to let it close."
-Jeff Nielsen, Farmer's Market organizer
ers Market program, which runs four markets in SLO County. We sell in six markets. It's not certified organic, but it's in the works." They grow blueberries, avocados, oranges, grapefruit and a variety of other crops, he said. His goal was to bring back the Morro Bay Downtown Market on May 18, keeping the same hours (2:30-5:30 p.m.) and location in the 800 block of Main St. That is if all the various agencies' paperwork could be completed in time. He needed the City, Chamber, County Ag and Health Departments all to sign off. As to the vendors, "Part of the takeover," he said, "was offering the existing vendors all a chance to return, but my hope is to bring in
more farm and food vendors to encourage locals to shop every week." When it began in the early 2000s, the Downtown Market was a "fishermen's and farmer's" market, but the fishermen's participation didn't last. Would he like to bring them back? "Definitely," he said. "I was working on it before it got shutdown [there was a smoke salmon] and maybe one day I can convince Tognazzini [of Dockside Too] to bring more than ribs and chicken." If readers would like to get booth space, Nielsen said they can apply online at: https://forms.gle/ yeDj7qXz6pp9eXYEA and he's working on a Facebook Page and website for it too. Fees remain the same, 5-percent or $20 minimum.
colonymagazine.com | 47
Coast Guard to Expand Morro Bay Station By Neil Farrell
C
oast Guard Station Morro Bay could soon expand and lose the rather dubious distinction of possibly being the only all-male Coast Guard Station in the nation. The City Council on May 14 was expected to approve a "Concept/ Precise Conditional Use Permit" to add an 806 square-foot addition on the east side of its headquarters, located at 1279 Embarcadero near the North T-pier. The addition would add crew quarters to finally accommodate an expanded crew that came with the station's expanded duties under its Department of Homeland Security mission and the switch from a station with 87-foot cutters the Pt. Winslow and Pt. Heyer, and then 44-foot surf rescue boats, to a search and rescue detachment with
two and sometimes three, 47-foot motor lifeboats. When the motor lifeboats were brought in, the size of the crew doubled, according to a City staff report. And the station's mission was changed as well to include patrolling a safety zone offshore from the Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant. The federal government has paid just $1 per year since 1990 and was given a 49-year lease. For many years, the Coast Guard has known its station is inadequate and not up to modern standards, including accommodations for female crewmembers.
"USCG Station Morro Bay," reads the report by Harbor Director Eric Endersby, "is one of the few, if not the only, all-male station in the country." The Coast Guard has some $1.4 million to spend and needs to be committed to a specific project before the next federal fiscal year starts in October or risk losing the money. After negotiating for a two-story dorm in 2018, the Coast Guard came back with a one-story, 800 square-foot addition attached to the east side of its headquarters. That's the project that went before the planning commission in April and to the City Council May 14. The City gets a one-time payment of $75,000, which the planning commission voted to use for an electric vehicle charging station in that area. The staff report to the Council said that requirement was "outside the scope of the Applicant’s
CUP request." The Harbor Department wants it to go into the harbor fund reserve account. The Council would decide. The Harbor Department and Coast Guard will negotiate terms of payment for the station's new lease with rent at $23,000 per year. That gives the USCG ten dedicated parking spaces; 140-linear feet of dock space/slips for USCG vessels; and allows it to keep its existing workshop on the North T-Pier. Mark Tognazzini, owner of Dockside Restaurant, voiced concerns that the proposed laydown area in the parking lot would adversely affect his family's businesses, closing down a main entrance to the parking lot. A condition was added to the project calling for the Coast Guard to minimize impacts "to the greatest extent feasible" with regards to construction areas.
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Colony Magazine, June 2019
MORRO BAY Looking to Improve
COMMUNICATION By Neil Farrell
T
he City of Morro Bay wants to improve and expand its efforts at communication with the citizenry and options range from more internet and social media to block parties. City Manager Scott Collins said the idea started with Councilman Jeff Heller and the Council was to discuss some options at its May 14 meeting. "The request was to enhance communication and engagement," Collins said. The City has a fairly robust online presence but "Social media is kind of one-way," he added. The City has various online accounts — a Facebook Page that all department heads contribute to; a Twitter account for the Fire Department; and an email subscriber list that receives Collins' monthly City Manager newsletters. They also have some two-way
June 2019, Colony Magazine
communication or "engagement," such as special office hours at City Hall during last summer's tumultuous Proposition 218 vote on the City's Water Reclamation Facility rate hikes. Not many attended those office hours despite great interest in the issue. Public meetings don't draw much of a crowd anymore and even legal notices in the newspaper are now only done for ordinances and public hearings. "There hasn't been a lot of those coming forward," Collins said. The City also hasn't published Council agendas in the local newspaper for over three years. Most recently, the City started using "Polco" to post agendas; and last year launched "OpenGov" to make the City's finances more transparent (see: www.morrobayca.gov). "Not everyone wants to use a
computer or go to a meeting," said Collins, who before coming to Morro Bay was the communications manager for the City of Santa Cruz, which has 1,000 employees compared to Morro Bay's 100. As for their online efforts, he said, "We opened those doors and part of this is recognizing what we do well and identifying things we could do better." Normally the City might hire a consultant to do a study but Collins said that could cost $25,000 to $50,000 and he can't justify that while facing a budget deficit in 2019-20. Last summer they had just eight people show up for a Prop. 218 workshop and only got about five emails. Goal-setting workshops recently publicized through Polco drew 30-40 people. "So year-to-year we're getting better," Collins said.
Among the low-tech ideas are "block parties" where residents block off their road and basically have a cocktail party in the street but have city officials present too. Other cities, he explained, have used block parties as a way to build community. Some cities also do "City Hall-to-you" workshops, similar to citizen academies run by police departments. They are also working on a new app to replace the "My Morro Bay" app. This new app, Collins said, would allow citizens to report things like potholes they might come across and have their concerns "go right into the work order system. It'll bypass three or four steps." But won't this just empower the so-called "C.A.V.E. people," the "Citizens Against Virtually Everything?" "The complainers are a part of it too," Collins said. "Are they able to channel their dissatisfaction effectively?"
colonymagazine.com | 49
By Mark Diaz
fter years of service, police K-9 Jack retired from the North Station of the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff ’s Department. A generous contribution from the Bank of Sierra grant program aided in the purchase of a new canine officer to replace Jack. The department also faces another valuable loss with the retirement of Senior Deputy Allen Barger who has served as the unit coordinator since its inception in 2000. Canine units support law enforcement operations by helping searches for outstanding suspects, missing persons and narcotics while enhancing officer safety and providing outstanding service to the community. Barger said that canines also act as a force multiplier, meaning the dogs are considered officers on duty. For example, if two officers are required to work a night shift, a handler can enlist his canine partner as his immediate backup. This helps greatly in a rural community where deputies can be separated by large swaths of land. Using canines in this fashion greatly cuts down on the cost of staffing. “Even with vet bills, food, care and feeding of the dog, all the costs involved are minimal compared to what another deputy would cost,” Barger said. The canine program started in January of 2000 with Barger as the lead , participating in a departmental cooperative K-9 program with the California Highway Patrol. Barger joined forces with K-9 Jake, a black Labrador retriever, to create the Sheriff ’s first canine team. The two worked side-by-side until Jake passed away in 2010 after succumbing to cancer. He was 12 years old. Jack, also a black Labrador, worked with Barger until his retirement in March or 2019. Jack is now spending his twilight years living at home with Barger and his family.
76 Gas Station.................................. 38 777 Motorsports.............................. 48 777 Tractor Sales............................... 05 American West Tire Pros................... 10 Atascadero 4th of July...................... 05 Atascadero Greyhound Foundation.42 Atascadero Hay & Feed.................... 41 Atascadero Pet Hospital................... 41 Atown Family Med........................... 39
Avila Traffic Safety............................. 05 Awakening Ways Spiritual Comm... 31 Beads by the Bay.............................. 48 Bottom Line Bookkeeping............... 17 CA Holistic Institute.......................... 39 California Mid-State Fair................... 25 City of Atascadero............................. 27 City of Paso Robles........................... 31 Colony Media................................... 14
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It is not uncommon for sniffer dogs such as Jack to be rescue dogs that have failed out of other training programs. Barger explained that although they may be excellent dogs, some may not excel in all aspects of policing such as search and rescue or suspect apprehension. These dogs can be assessed by the department to determine if they can become sniffer dogs. Over the course of his career, Jack completed 1,533 hours of training in locating the odors of cocaine, methamphetamine, heroin, opium and marijuana. Barger said that his partner located in excess of 5,250 grams (11.5 lbs.) of cocaine, 2,032 grams (4.5 lbs.) of heroin, 1,472,347 grams (3,246 lbs.) of marijuana and 26,640 grams (59 lbs.) of methamphetamine during his years of service. Jack’s positive alert established probable cause for the issuance of 41 search warrants where narcotics were located. The department recently purchased three new cross-trained patrol dogs, one of which is trained to locate explosive substances. The bomb dog will be the first of its kids for the Sheriff ’s Office.
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Ellen Beraud for Supervisor............. 17 Equine Experience........................... 32 Estrella Warbirds Museum.............. 29 Five Star Rain Gutters....................... 17 Fox Hill Pool & Spa........................... 32 Frontier Floors................................... 17 Glenns Rental and Repair................ 30
Grace Yoga Central Coast................. 07 Healthy Inspirations......................... 05 Hearing Aid Specialists.................... 03 His Healing Hands........................... 31 Inter City Electric............................... 34 John Donovan State Farm............... 08 K-Man Cyclery................................... 41
The sheriff hosts fundraisers throughout the year to help support the K-9 unit. With the acquisition of the new dogs, another patrol car was needed. For safety reasons, these vehicles require special features. Cars can become incredibly hot even on a cool day. Deputy Barger’s car registered an internal temperature of 80 degrees on the day of the interview despite only being 60 and cloudy outside. One such safety measure is if the AC fails to compensate adequately, the car’s windows will lower and activate a special fan to push out the hot air. “We were able to raise about $60,000 with help from people in the community and we used that money to purchase a brand new patrol car which is our new K-9 car,” Barger said. The dogs also participate in community outreach programs to introduce them to the public. Barger said that the canines are taken to all sorts of service functions and that one of the sheriff ’s priorities for taking on a new K-9 is that the dog has to be a social animal. “Not all K-9 programs are developed that way,” Barger said. “But we want our dogs to be social.” Over the years, Bank of Sierra has donated more than $2 million to various communities. Nonprofits that wish to apply for a Sierra Grant can pick up an instructional brochure at any branch or visit BankoftheSierra.com for more information.
Las Tablas Animal Hospital............... 22 Lube N Go......................................... 32 Malik Real Estate Group..............12-13 Margarita Adventures...................... 23 Nick’s Painting.................................. 30 North County Pilates........................ 38 Odyssey World Cafe......................... 34 Paso Pops.......................................... 52 Robert Fry, M.D................................. 31
RoCoco Luxe Boutique..................... 07 Sams Tree Service............................. 07 Sensorio Field of Light..................... 02 Solarponics....................................... 34 Sue Hubbard Farmers Insurance..... 17 Tari Haberfield - Keller Williams...... 17 The Laundromat by Swish & Swirl... 33 Writing Support Group.................... 30 Wyatt Wicks Finish Carpentry.......... 32
Colony Magazine, June 2019
Thursday, July 4
Atascadero Lake Park 2-8 p.m. 4 Bluegrass Bands SNAP JACKSON & THE KNOCK ON WOOD PLAYERS THE BLUE “Js” AJ LEE & BLUE SUMMIT
Food, Wine, Beer & Specials Playground, Amusements The Americana Games Free Admission
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Name displayed on our website. 2019 Colony Days Gift Package. All sponsors recieve our sponsorhip gift package: Friend of Colony Days sticker, 2019 Colony Days pennants, buttons, 2-6 tickets to Tent City After Dark, and promotional posts on our social media sites. Red, White & Blue sponsors recieve: One free vendor space. Prominent display in publicity, and special thanks where possible. Deadlines occur, impacting recognition. Please order sponsorships early! All proceeds directly benefit Colony Days, and are tax-deductible. Make check out to Atascadero Colony Days Committee. ColonyDays.org | Atascadero4thOfJuly.com — Atascadero Colony Days Committee, 501(c)3 — P.O. Box 1913, Atascadero, 93423 Contact: Nic Mattson, Colony Days Sponsorship Chairperson • 805-466-4086 • info@colonydays.org • Tax ID: 95-3382346