Morro Bay Life • February 2023

Calm After the Storm...

CENTRAL COAST HIT WITH MASSIVE RAINS AND FLOODS, HIGH WINDS, TURBULENT SEAS, ALL REMINISCENT OF THE MEGA-STORM OF 1995

PubliSherS

Hayley & Nicholas Mattson hayley@13starsmedia.com

COPY EDITOR

Michael Chaldu

LAYOUT DESIGN

Anthony Atkins

Neil Schumaker

Benson Moore

Community Writer

Camille DeVaul

Christianna Marks

AD DESIGN

Jen Rodman

Ad ConSultant

Dana McGraw

AdminiStrator

Cami Martin office@13starsmedia.com

CONTRIBUTORS

Beewench Farm

Neil Farrell

As we welcome February and look to warmer days ahead, our community is still recovering from the severe rainstorm we encountered last month. At the time of writing, the Sheriff’s Department continues its search for missing 5-year-old boy Kyle Doan, who was swept away by raging floodwaters on January 9 near San Miguel. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and our community.

Our community was deeply impacted; a special thank you to emergency services, the city of Morro Bay, the National Guard, and the Chamber of Commerce for being there for all those in need. Our thoughts are with the many residents displaced from their homes who now face the daunting task of rebuilding and clean-up. And despite the challenges, there are heartwarming stories of resilience and community support as people come together to help one another. Volunteers are offering their time and resources to help with the clean-up and rebuilding efforts. That is what makes our community so special.

In today’s fast-paced world, it can be all too easy to get caught up in the hustle and

bustle of daily life and neglect our health and well-being. From long work hours to constant social media stimulation, it can be challenging to make time for ourselves and prioritize our physical and mental health. But it’s important to remember that our health and well-being should be at the top of our list of priorities. This can include simple things like taking a few minutes each day to meditate or practice deep breathing exercises, going for a walk or run, or even just taking a few minutes to sit and enjoy a cup of tea and just be. Be being kind and compassionate to yourself, and recognize that your needs are just as important as anyone else’s. It’s about taking the time to do things that make you happy, whether that’s reading a book, going for a walk, or simply taking a few minutes to sit and breathe.

One thing I have learned over the years is don’t be afraid to make mistakes. Failure is a part of the process, so don’t let it discourage you. Learn from your mistakes and move on. The more you try, the more you will learn and the closer you will get to achieving your

goals. Believing in yourself and having faith that you can achieve your dreams is the key to making them a reality. With hard work, determination, and a positive attitude, you can accomplish anything.

We hope you all have a wonderful February and a Happy Valentine’s Day. We appreciate all your love and support and look forward to what this year will bring.

We hope you enjoy this month’s issue of Morro Bay Life

Print making communities better

Fall in Love with Chamber Spotlights

The Morro Bay Chamber of Commerce is putting a spotlight on local businesses! Spotlight Businesses are nominated and selected by fellow business owners in Morro Bay as a standout business with exceptional ownership.

Business spotlights recognize Chamber member businesses that provide a consistent, positive customer experience, are actively engaged in the community and demonstrate resilience during challenging times.

Awash in Mud, Flood, and Tears

Central Coast hit with massive rains and floods, high winds, turbulent seas, all reminiscent of the mega-storm of 1995

By NEIL FARRELL for Morro Bay Life

The big storm of Jan. 8-9 was like déjà vu all over again for many Morro Bay residents, as the “atmospheric river,” El Niño or Pineapple Express — call it what you will — blew into the Central Covast and dumped a torrent of rain, coupled with high winds and turbulent seas, reminiscent of the mega-storm of March 10, 1995.

Big, Big Storm

On Jan. 8-9, a major storm system blew into the Central Coast, indeed the entirety of California, and dumped nearly 5 inches of rain in Morro Bay in a little over 24 hours; this came on top of an already wet winter season.

The storm brought high winds that toppled trees and high surf that at times was reported at 25-30 feet.

The storm wreaked havoc from San Miguel, where a 5-year old boy was swept away and lost, down into Santa Barbara County, which sustained extensive storm damage ranging from washed out roads and mudslides in Montecito to a mudslide in Los Osos and huge sinkholes that opened up in Orcutt and threatened to swallow entire homes.

The storm, which the City of Morro Bay said was equal to a once-in-500-year event, left a swath of devastation and sorrow.

It was as if the March 10, 1995 mega storm had reoccurred, as many of the flooded areas in Morro Bay were also under water in that monster storm that saw 13 inches of rain fall overnight.

Twin Bridges Redux

For over 40 years, South Bay Boulevard, the only direct pathway linking Morro Bay and Los Osos, flooded just about every winter at the infamous “Twin Bridges,” a pair of small wooden bridges spanning Chorro Creek.

In the mid-1990s, and after decades of trying by various government agencies, the City of Morro Bay finally built the Chorro Creek Bridge, raising the road level over 20 feet above the creek.

Insofar as flooding on South Bay is concerned, it’s been smooth sailing ever since despite a couple of close calls over the years, until the stormy skies of Jan. 8-9.

For the first time since Twin Bridges was replaced, Chorro Creek overflowed its banks and inundated South Bay Boulevard at State Park Road, closing South Bay Boulevard completely.

That closure was coupled by a cascade of floodwaters from a swollen San Bernardo Creek that flooded Highway 1 so deep that water was flowing over the top of the concrete center divider, and washing across the eastbound lanes and down onto farmland alongside Quintana Road.

Quintana Road was also closed, and rock slides closed Highway 41 out towards Atascadero. Morro Bay for many hours nearly became an island, with no getting in or out, unless one wanted to brave the storm, drive over the Cuesta Grade all the way to Paso Robles and then over the hill on Highway 46 West, and south on Highway 1.

Morro Creek Flooding

Morro Creek, normally a trickle of water that doesn’t make it all the way to the ocean, became a torrent, washing down trees and debris from upstream, that plugged at the Main Street Bridge.

Quintana Road was flooded out and closed to traffic on Jan. 9 at about the turn to Chorro Creek Road. Photo by Neil Farrell

A car is stuck in the flooded South Bay Boulevard, where Chorro Creek overflowed its banks and washed over the Chorro Creek Bridge, closing State Park Road and South Bay. It was the first time since the mid-1990s that this area has flooded and closed the only route between Los Osos and Morro Bay.

Photo courtesy Cal Fire.

This photo taken from the top of sand dunes on The Embarcadero shows the flooding on Atascadero Road, which included some 9,900 gallons of raw sewage that spilled out of a manhole. Photo by Becka Kelly

That blockage caused a major flooding event along Main Street — from Atascadero Road to Radcliff Street. The floodwaters overwhelmed several businesses along that stretch of Main Street (1500-1700 blocks), including Wee Shack, Estero Bay Glass, Morro Bay Antiques, and Central Coast Cart & Scooter. Plus, several people who live in that area also had to be evacuated — some by kayak piloted by volunteers — and had their homes damaged by flooding.

The flooding caused hundreds of thousands of dollars in damages to buildings and inventories, and left a wet, muddy, and very slippery mess that was still being cleaned up over a week later.

The city sent out a notice on Jan. 17 that Main Street from the Highway 1 on/off ramps would be closed from Wednesday to Friday as cleanup work continued in the hardest hit area in town.

And for a bit of comic relief, someone placed several duck decoys — including a big Canada goose — in a little pond that filled in a low spot on Main by Radcliff Street. It was perhaps fitting, as the Winter Bird Festival was slated to run over the MLK Holiday.

South Bay Rescue

According to Cal Fire EMS Battalion Chief Rob Jenkins, rising floodwaters on the Chorro Creek Bridge trapped two vehicles that were bound for Morro Bay.

A man who got trapped in the flood was rescued by another motorist in a pickup, B.C. Jenkins said. The other vehicle, with an 86-year-old woman inside, wasn’t as lucky.

Jenkins said the floodwaters rose so quickly, the truck was unable to go back in to get her.

So Cal Fire brought in a swift water rescue team in a boat, and they were able to reach her. A Coast Guard helicopter flew in to airlift her out of danger and she was ultimately taken to a local hospital.

Quintana Road Submerged

Numerous vehicles parked on Quintana Road at the Bay Pines RV Park, were inundated with water up to the roofs, as the Chorro Flats floodplain overflowed its berm resulting in the entire area around South Bay and Quintana being flooded.

Residents along Chorro Creek Road were hit especially hard as the various creeks that converge in Chorro Valley and flow into Chorro Creek for the final run into the National Estuary.

Homes, outbuildings, farmlands were all overwhelmed by the immense amount of runoff and days later, and with another storm over the Jan. 13-15 holiday weekend looming, there wasn’t much relief in sight for those folks, as their only road in or out was still overflowing with runoff nearly a week after the big storm had passed.

Sewage Spilled

The storm caused sewage to flow out of a manhole on Atascadero Road outside the city’s old sewer treatment plant.

“The area is located in a flood zone with one of the lowest elevation points within the city,” the city said in a news release. “Flooding waters infiltrated into the sewer collection system causing approximately 9,900 gallons of highly diluted sewer water to overflow out of the top of a manhole into Morro Creek.”

Photos of the area during the storm show the intersection with the Embarcadero about 4-feet deep in floodwaters, with several pieces of heavy equipment owned by Anvil Builders in the flood. Anvil is the company installing the new conveyance system for the city’s Water Reclamation Facility Project. It has utilized an area across from the Waste Water Treatment Plant for a materials and gear storage area for over two years now.

Thankfully, the new treatment plant located on a hillside above South Bay Boulevard was working at the time and there was a minimal amount of flow going to the old plant, which was also flooded out. The old WWTP hasn’t

been treating sewage since last November, when the new plant started up.

“The recent storm event resulted in the WWTP and the Corporation Yard being inundated with 3-4-feet of stormwater from the flooding of Morro Creek,” the city said.

It should be noted that the city said the sewage spill came from a manhole and not the old treatment plant. The city is working with County Environmental Health and the Regional Water Quality Control Board on the spill.

The flooding on Atascadero Road closed the street for several days while cleanup was underway. The city put out an advisory warning people to stay clear of the area.

WRF Saved the Day

According to the city, it’s a good thing the new WRF treatment plant was up and running or the flooding on Atascadero Road would have been much worse.

“Based on observed water levels preliminary analysis of the flood event that occurred in Morro Creek indicates that flooding exceeded the threshold for a 100-year and may have approached a 500-year flood event,” the city said. “Had the new Water Resource Center not been operational, all of the city’s wastewater at the old WWTP would have been exposed to catastrophic inundation.”

That new treatment plant, which has been under construction since May 2020, came through this first big test.

According to the city, “The WRF readily handled the storm and sewer flows that are normally only 600,000 gallons per day, but increased to approximately 10 times higher, peaking at over 6 million gallons per day.

That huge jump in the flow was caused by sewer collection pipes that have for many years been greatly infiltrated during big storms, flowing into the pipes under pressure from high groundwater levels.

The old collection system, most of which remains in use, is gravity-flow and the new conveyance system, which moves raw sewage from a lift station at the old WWTP on Atascadero Road to the new one, some 3.5

miles away, is a force-fed system and under pressure from the inside.

The WRF plant included extensive storm drainage work too, making use of interior stormwater retention ponds that recycle the rain into the treatment plant, and a large drainage ditch running along the east side of the plant.

Dumpsters, Sand Available

The city said it has placed dumpsters and sand at multiple locations in the city for residents to dispose of ruined belongings and to fill sandbags, because winter isn’t over yet and with the ground now saturated, should another big storm hit, there’s nowhere for the water to go.

Indeed, this area normally sees the majority of its rainfall in February-March. Sand can be found at the City Library parking lot off Shasta Avenue and at the Cloister Park parking lot.

Sandbags can be purchased at Miner’s Hardware or any other hardware store. The city posted a map of the locations for the dumpsters and the sand; see morrobayca.gov/ DocumentCenter/View/17380/Morro-BayDumpster-and-Sand-location-Map.

Some Need Help

Readers who would like to help out the people and businesses affected by the Main Street flooding can call a special number for information.

The city announced that some of the residents and businesses in the Main Street flood area “have requested volunteers to help with the cleanup. If you are interested in volunteering, call: Silver City Mobile Home Park at (805) 772-7478 or (209) 402-0775; or business owner Rob Fraser at (805) 459-1456.”

Help

Promised

Gov. Gavin Newsom declared SLO County

a disaster area, one of several counties that were so designated; and over a week after the worst storm hit, President Biden and the federal government declared disasters too, again, only in select counties.

On Jan. 17, the Federal Emergency Management Agency sprang into action following President Joe Biden’s actions for California, and back-dated the disasters to Dec. 27, 2022, and continuing forward.

According to FEMA’s disaster declaration (Nos. 17757 and 17758), only select counties were declared disaster areas: SLO, Merced, Monterey, Sacramento, Santa Barbara, and Santa Cruz.

FEMA’s declaration is good “for economic injury only” in the counties of Amador, Contra Costa, El Dorado, Fresno, Kern, Kings, Madera, Mariposa, Placer, San Benito, San Joaquin, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Solano, Stanislaus, Sutter, Tuolumne, Ventura, and Yolo.

Deadlines for applying for assistance for “physical damages” is March 16, and the deadline for economic injury claims is Oct. 16. It should be noted that FEMA’s assistance is in the form of loans, not grants, and Uncle Sam expects such loans to be repaid with interest. For information on disaster relief, see fem.a.gov/disaster/4683.

The Morro Bay Chamber of Commerce is also working to assist hard-hit businesses with filing claims for relief.

“We are advocating on behalf of our business community with local, state and federal representatives,” the Chamber said. “Follow the SBA’s social media channels — we have been told that program availability would be announced there first.”

On Tuesday, Jan. 17, a full week after the big storm, Congressman Salud Carbajal, State Assemblywoman Dawn Addis, and SLO County Supervisor Bruce Gibson joined a group of county and city officials and toured the flooded areas in Morro Bay and Los Osos.

The Jan. 8-9 flood left a muddy mess at the Wee Shack restaurant on Main Street. Photo by Neil Farrell

Becka Kelly Named Interim Harbor Director

Patrol chief, replacing Endersby, who got the director’s job upon the retirement of Rick Algert.

By NEIL FARRELL for Morro Bay Life

City Manager Scott Collins announced Dec. 23, 2022, that he was naming Harbor Patrol Chief Becka Kelly to replace the now-retired former Harbor Director Eric Endersby.

Kelly was hired as a harbor patrol officer in 2006, Collins said. And in 2010, she was named Harbor

“I’m delighted that Becka is taking on this interim assignment as we continue the recruitment process for the next harbor director,” Collins said. “I am confident that Becka Kelly will provide excellent leadership during this transition period.”

Kelly acknowledged that she has some big shoes to fill.

“I am honored to carry the torch during this transition at the Harbor,” she said in a statement.

“Eric has left some big shoes to fill, but with one step at a time we will continue to provide our best service to the waterfront and boating community.”

Kelly earned a bachelor’s degree in biology from

the University of California Santa Cruz. She is an executive committee member for the Morro Bay National Estuary Program; a board member for the Central Coast Women for Fisheries, which advocates for the commercial fishing industry; and a coach for the Morro Bay High School surfing team.

With the announcement, Collins temporarily filled the second department head opening he faces, after naming Morro Bay Police Cmdr. Amy Watkins to fill in for now retired Police Chief Jody Cox. Interim Chief Watkins stepped into the new role effective Dec. 31.

Meanwhile, Collins continues to look for permanent replacements for both Cox and Endersby.

THE FARM STAND

Planning a Sweetheart Meal with Local Ingredients

By BEEWENCH FARM for Morro Bay Life

For local farmers, February is exciting. The weather is starting to warm up and it’s time to start thinking about all the fruits and veggies to start growing for spring.

This month you can find almost anything that you are looking for at your local farmer’s market. There should be plenty of winter season veggies such as kale, broccoli, cabbage, lettuce, celery, and beets to name a few. Artichokes and asparagus will start appearing this month. We are in the middle of citrus season, so make sure to add Meyer lemons, mandarin oranges, kiwis, kumquats, and grapefruits to your list. Not only are they delicious, but fresh citrus will boost your immune system with some vitamin C.

Valentine’s Day is coming, so make plans now to get the best ingredients for a delicious meal with your sweetheart. Our Morro Bay farmer’s markets on Thursday afternoon and Saturday offer a variety of produce and locally raised meats to make a truly stunning meal.

Create a charcuterie board for your special someone or treat your whole family to a special Valentine’s Day board to enjoy. Visit Stepladder Creamery or Vintage Cheese Company for some amazing cheese, get some honey from California Bee Co, bread from one of our amazing vendors, some strawberries from Hayashi Farms, and edible flowers from GreenLove Elixir Bar. GreenLove Elixir Bar also has truffles, bath salts, and love potion infused chocolate bars for a sweet treat.

Don’t forget the flowers. There are always beautiful fresh flowers available at any farmer’s market. Valentine’s Day lands on a Tuesday this year, so if you really want some fresh produce and flowers, check out the Baywood market on Monday. FarmerMaid Flowers should be there with beautiful arrangements of locally grown flowers.

Winter Beet and Citrus Salad

This salad brings together caramelized roasted beets, creamy goat cheese, salty roasted pistachios, creamy avocado, and tangy citrus in a simple orange-honey vinaigrette. Not only is everything about this delicious, but the red beets are perfect for Valentine’s day. This salad pairs well with any main protein dish, but I especially like to have this with a nice pork chop. You can find almost everything you need for this recipe at your local farmer’s market.

Ingredients:

Salad

• 7 cups mixed greens (approximately one bunch of spinach and a large head of lettuce)

• 1 large avocado

• 1 teaspoon lemon juice

• 1/3 cup lightly salted and roasted pistachios or walnuts, coarsely chopped

• 3-4 mandarin oranges, peeled and segmented

• crumbled goat cheese, add to preference (~1/3 cup)

Roasted Beets

2-3 (1 lb) whole beets

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

Fine sea salt & freshly cracked pepper

Dressing

• 1/4 cup orange juice freshly squeezed

2 teaspoons orange zest

• 1 and 1/2 tablespoons honey

1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard

• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

1/4 teaspoon onion powder

• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

• 1/2 tablespoon poppy seeds

Instructions

Roast Beets

• Preheat oven to 375°F.

• Wash beets under cold water and cut off the top and bottom. Cut beets in half and toss with olive oil, salt & pepper.

• Lay out a large piece of tinfoil. Wrap and seal beets. (Or place beets in a greased baking dish and cover).

• Roast the foil package for 1 hour or until beets are tender when poked with a fork.

Once cooled to touch, using rubber gloves or paper towels, rub the beets and the skins will just slide right off.

Cut into 1/2 – ¾ inch cubes

Dressing

While beets are roasting, prepare the dressing. Combine all the dressing ingredients in a jar with a lid. Close tightly and shake well until combined. Taste and adjust any flavors to personal preference.

Salad Assembly

• Place the lettuce in a large bowl or on a platter. Peel and segment the oranges; add to salad. Chop the avocado into small pieces (or thin slices) and toss with lemon juice. Add to the lettuce.

• Drizzle dressing to preference. (You may not want to use all the dressing. Leftover dressing will stay good for up to a week in an airtight container in the fridge.)

• Sprinkle the chopped pistachios and crumbled goat cheese over top.

Recipe Notes

If making this salad ahead of time, keep the lettuce, the dressing, and all the veggies and toppings separate. Toss together right before enjoying.

Do not toss the salad with the dressing until ready to use. This

Morro Bay has a new interim harbor director, and one with a familiar face.

The Winter Beet and Citrus Salad is made with ingredients readily available at local farmers market. Photo by BeeWench Farm

Becka Kelly at work as the Harbor Patrol Supervisor in Morro Bay in 2019. Photo courtesy of Friends of The Morro Bay Harbor Department.

Young Author Publishes First Novel

By NEIL FARRELL for Morro Bay Life

When you were 10, you may have daydreamed about being Harry Potter or going to Mars in a spaceship, but a Morro Bay girl has her imagination rooted in the past and relishes stories of the pioneers in America’s history.

Sophia Wilke, 12, is celebrating the publication of her first novel, titled “Rose’s Faith-Testing Adventure,” which her mom, Hillary Wilke (father is Andrew Wilke), described as “a beautifully written historical fiction novel, taking place in the 1870s on the prairie. It is historically accurate with beautiful family values and sweet characters.”

Morro Bay Life met with Sophia at the family’s home with a sweeping view of Morro Rock. She explains that the story, which she started at age 9 and finished when she was 10, is about a young girl, Rose Parker of Astoria Oregon, whose father, a doctor, is hired to become the town doc in Pembina, North Dakota. It’s about the amazing trek the family makes west-to-east at a time when such travel was not easy and the Dakotas were still the wilderness.

“It’s about her struggles along the way,” Sophia explains, adding that the family in the story travels by coach and then train.

Is this a tragic story, filled with hardships, loss and sacrifice, as a lot of western novels tend to be?

“It’s not a tragedy,” she says. “They make it OK. But there are struggles and she meets a friend on the way, who is also moving to Pembina.”

Sophia explains that the two young girls (the new friend is Julia) are both 15 and strike up a fast friendship, sharing the trip’s adventures.

The story just doesn’t seem like something a 10-year-old would be interested in these days. For Sophia, it was a chance to explore two of her favorite things — history and writing, and the search for an outlet to what could be a calling.

Sophia, who is homeschooled and has three older brothers, said she always liked writing and reading history.

“It made me really want to start writing about history and things that are interesting,” she said.

She has drawn inspiration from the “Millie Keith” series of books, written by Martha Finley and first published from 1876-1894.

“I really liked that time period,” Sophia said, “and I wanted to write in that timeframe.”

And she also wanted to introduce readers to someplace new.

“I write about a place that hadn’t been written about yet,” she said, adding that Rose’s dad, “felt called to go where there were no doctors yet and help build the town.”

Sophia spent six months on the novel’s first draft, she explains, handwriting it all out in longhand as opposed to a computer.

Sophia said when the book was done, she looked for a publisher, and since the story has faith as a basis, was accepted by Christian Faith Publishing. They loved the book and agreed to publish it and even hired an illustrator to work on it. But Sophia, who is clearly an old soul and wise beyond her years, didn’t think the initial drawings fit the story she was telling. She found another illustrator, Diana Lynn in Arroyo Grande, who came out of retirement to work with Sophia, who was delighted with the new illustrations.

The finished hardcover book was delivered about six months ago. It’s 142 pages (and an amazing 36,000 words), so it’s not too long for the younger audience it’s written for.

She is pleased with how quickly the book came together and the job the publishers did putting it all together.

“I’m really happy with what they did,” she says. Her target audience is 8 to 14-years old, but mom Hillary says, “Adults that have read it have really enjoyed the characters and family relationships.”

So having one book published at 12, of course, calls for another. Sophia says she’s already finished a rough draft of a book that will also have Rose Parker as the lead.

“It’s about her meeting her future husband,” Sophia says, not giving too much away. She plans to work with illustrator Lynn again, too. Sophia shares a bit of her philosophy. “It’s very important to remember the past,” she says. “It’s important to write about it so we don’t forget.”

And like any writer you’ll ever meet, she places great importance on the written word. “Writing is important and a way to express yourself,” she says.

If readers would like to get a copy of Sophia Wilke’s book, “Rose’s Faith-Testing Adventure,” go to Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble or Google. Or see her website at sophiawilkiebooks.com.

SUBMIT UPCOMING EVENTS TO: office@13starsmedia.com

FATHER DAUGHTER DANCE (AGES 12 AND UNDER)

PAVILION ON THE LAKE, ATASCADERO

6:30-9:30pm

Bring your special girl to the Father-Daughter Dance at the Pavilion on the Lake for a semiformal evening of music, dancing, refreshments, & more! A professional photographer will be on-site with affordable picture packages.

thu mar 23-26

FATHER DAUGHTER DANCE (AGES 12 AND OVER)

PAVILION ON THE LAKE, ATASCADERO

7-10pm

Bring your special girl to the Father-Daughter Dance at the Pavilion on the Lake for a semiformal evening of music, dancing, refreshments, & more. A professional photographer will be on-site with affordable picture packages.

23RD ANNUAL CITY WIDE YARD SALE

MORRO BAY, MULTIPLE LOCATIONS

8am-2pm

Please sign up for the monthly newsletter here morrobay.org/plan/enewsletter-sign-up/ to stay informed or find them on Facebook at facebook.com/morrobayca. It is free to list your home or business for the sale, email Liz Gilson at liz@morrobay.org or call (805) 225-7411 Ext. 102.

Hablamos Espanol

SANDY CARINO Broker Associate

Realtor® | Lic#02007590 (805)714 - 8223 scarino@pbnassoc.com homesbysandycarino.com

VERONICA CHAVEZ

Mortgage Loan Officer

NMLS#1148073

Lic#01943051 (805)714 - 3432 veronica@pbnassoc.com pbnassoc.com/veronicachavez

Lic#01844354

NMLS#352390

VALENTINE’S DAY

SLO CAL OPEN

MORRO ROCK, MORRO BAY

All Day

Join us February 23 - 26th, 2023 for the World Surf League Men’s and Women’s event at The Rock in Morro Bay. For more info or to sign up worldsurfleague.com

CENTRAL COAST CRAFT BEER FEST

SUNKEN GARDENS, ATASCADERO

2-4pm

Enjoy samples from 55+ independently owned craft breweries, wineries, seltzers, kombucha and cideries from all over California. Live

entertainment by Dad Religion, the Moondawgs and Vinyl DJ Sets by Traffic Records. Both bands include members of local craft breweries. There will also have plenty of food trucks, a great variety of street faire vendors and lawn games.

Morro Bay resident Sophia Wilke, 12, is shown with a copy of her first published book “Rose’s FaithTesting Adventure.”

Photo courtesy of Sophia Wilke

Lend a hand and help a neighbor through the storm

The best in people often come out during a crisis and I have personally witnessed friends and neighbors helping those affected by the recent flooding. If you need assistance you can apply with FEMA and or SLO County at recoverslo.org. You can apply with FEMA two ways: Apply online at www.DiasterAssistance.gov or call the application phone line at 1-800-621-3362.

Selling a home takes a team effort and I have a great one!

If you are considering selling your property and are overwhelmed by the prep work that needs to be completed, we can help! We will evaluate your property, coordinate inspections & repairs, refer contractors, and enhance and stage your home to make the best first impression.

I will market and sell your property and for our select clients, we can assist with the sorting, packing, coordination of storage and moving.