GOOD NEWS REAL NEWS HOMETOWN NEWS
SINCE 1889 Making Communities Better Through Print.™ VOL. CXXXIV, NO. XXXVI
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2024
pasoroblespress.com • $1.00 • WEEKLY
Cease-and-desist letter halts Downtown Paid Parking Program
State of newspapers undergoing significant transformation By HAYLEY MATTSON Publisher
“Were it left to me to decide if we should have a government without newspapers, or newspapers without a government, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter.” - Thomas Jefferson
Residents and merchants share their thoughts on parking program controversy
Dual immersion program moving to Daniel Lewis Middle School
By CAMILLE DEVAUL camille@pasoroblespress.com
PASO ROBLES — Paid parking in Downtown Paso Robles has been a controversial hot topic for residents since its implementation in 2019. With numerous back and forths between the local community and City Council on the program’s regulations, one resident took a step that paused the paid parking until further notice. On Feb. 2, the city received a cease and desist letter from resident Gary Lehrer. During its Tuesday, Feb. 6, meeting, the Paso Robles City Council announced that it would be pausing the Downtown Paid Parking Program. Just after the closed session of that Tuesday meeting, the city’s legal staff announced that the city had received a cease-and-desist letter from Lehrer, who raised concerns regarding modifications to the Paid Parking Program alleging violations of the Brown Act and other state laws. Lehrer told Paso Robles Press how he wants the city to move forward: “Frankly, I want all money returned that was collected, fees, citations,
Seventh- and eighth-graders will go to the Flamson Middle School starting next fall By CAMILLE DEVAUL camille@pasoroblespress.com
he landscape of newspapers is in flux, as highlighted by a recent announcement from the editor of the San Luis Obispo Tribune regarding cutbacks on printed editions starting April 15. This decision mirrors a larger trend within the industry as newspapers confront the challenges posed by the digital age while striving for sustainability. In his statement, editor Joe Tarica underscored the newspaper’s transition towards a more digitally focused future. This shift comes as no surprise, given the mounting costs associated with print production, particularly the Alyssa Reid owns Bee’s steady rise in paper prices Blossoms in Atascadero over recent years. Many newsBy CHRISTIANNA MARKS papers nationwide have found christianna@atascaderonews.com themselves compelled to halt print operations entirely due NORTH COUNTY — to these financial pressures. Alyssa Reid, owner of Bee’s The Los Angeles Times, for Blossoms in Atascadero, is instance, made headlines at currently fighting for her the end of January with news life as her body battles acute of significant layoffs affect- liver failure. The liver failure ing more than 20 percent started around Thanksgivof its newsroom — one of ing of 2023 due to underthe largest workforce reduc- lying health issues and has tions in its 142-year history. progressed quickly since. The necessity for these cuts Reid, who grew up locally and was attributed to the paper’s now lives in Paso Robles with inability to sustain annual her family, has been placed on losses ranging from $30 a liver transplant list that is million to $40 million with- the only way to save her life. out commensurate progress “Thankfully, she [Reid] was in building higher readership, placed on the transplant list, essential for attracting adver- which not everyone is, but tising and subscriptions. because of her circumstances Similarly, the historic Santa ... Plus, the rest of her body Barbara News-Press, a venera- is actually functioning okay ble institution in California’s as far as kidneys and other newspaper landscape, ceased things, which you have to publishing in July of last year be somewhat ready to have after its owner declared bank- a transplant. All these things ruptcy. Despite transitioning fell into place,” said Reid’s to an online-only format in mother, Stasi Seay. CONTINUED ON PAGE A11 Thirty-five-year-old Reid
PASO ROBLES — Trustees made the decision to move the Georgia Brown Elementary School Dual Immersion (DI) Paid parking signs have been taken down and kiosks covered while the parking lot fills up with visitors in Downtown Paso Program to the Daniel Lewis Robles. Photo by Camille DeVaul Middle School (LMS) at the and senior passes. I want a implemented earlier this year. the entire downtown area. I Tuesday, Feb. 13, Paso Robles full investigation into all of “Recently, I have been find it hard to compromise Joint Unified School District (PRJUSD) meeting. the decision-making processes advised by people that park- when those are the issues.” During the Jan. 23 meeting, and why legal counsel wasn’t ing is just a sneaky way for the Paso Robles Press reached more on top of this.” city to raise money,” claimed out to various downtown trustees voted to close the GeorIn November 2023, the Lehrer. “This has now turned business owners who shared gia Brown Elementary School City Council approved into a matter of principle, and opposite views of the parking campus on 36th Street for the 2024-25 school year and move making changes to the park- I am researching the full extent program woes. ing program that would elim- of laws that have been broken. Earlier this year, Bijou on the dual immersion program inate the two hours of free I am hearing that the whole the Park owner Camilla Burns to one of the district’s middle parking and implement a system is unfair to businesses expressed to Paso Robles Press school campuses. This Tuesday, mandatory $2-an-hour park- that exist in the perimeter, too, that she has seen a dras- trustees voted 5-2 — Trusting fee. However, City Coun- because they take up spots and tic decline in local custom- ees Joel Peterson and Kenney cilmembers Chris Bausch and then shop close to the center. ers, which in turn has taken Enney dissenting — to move Fred Strong voted against At this point, my top priori- a major hit to her business. the DI program to the Daniel the changes. The new park- ties are fairness, transparency, From listening to customers, Lewis Middle School and move CONTINUED ON PAGE A11 the seventh- and eighth-graders ing regulations were set to be justice, and the well-being of to the Flamson Middle School. The approved recommendation from staff says that all negative changes due to the current sixth- and seventh-gradtoxins running through her ers will attend a joint junior high body since Reid’s liver is not at the FMS site and all current working properly. But she also fifth-graders will stay at their stated that even though Reid elementary site for the K-6 is very sick, she’s still in very model. good spirits and has nothing The decision was made but wonderful things to say following a lengthy discusabout Scripps Hospital and sion between staff, trustees, the care that Reid is receiv- and parents. The decision has ing there. been a long one, coming after a “It’s been super hard; that geohazard study result revealed a said, she’s got a great attitude. potential danger lurking beneath She’s determined. She’s been the Georgia Brown campus in trying to help where she can,” May 2023. The results of the continued Seay. “Her spirits study confirmed that an “anomare good, and she’s got a lot of alous feature” exists directly resolve as far as soon as she’s under the current campus. better; she’s taking life by the This prompted a pause to any construction on the site due to horns.” While Reid is in the hospi- complications with receiving tal, the family has been able to approvals from the Department keep Bee’s Blossoms open and of the State Architect (DSA). Erik and Alyssa Reid (third and fourth from left) are shown with their three children. keeps on providing gorgeous From there, the district ensued Photo provided by Stasi Seay floral arrangements to the a limbo in what to do next with is currently being treated at to Scripps and went through North County and beyond the campus. Though a decision has been Scripps Green Hospital in La two weeks of evaluation with the help of the shop’s Jolla (San Diego). However, before she was officially put assistant manager, Janet made, some trustees do not she started her journey at on the hold list. As of today, Jesme. Ordering flowers from believe it to be the right one. “I don’t think that this serves French Hospital in San Luis she’s been on a transplant list Bee’s Blossoms is just one of Obispo on Dec. 26, 2023. She for a little over three weeks. the ways that the community the most students and families ... was there about two weeks Seay added that her daugh- can help support Reid and her unless you can guarantee transbefore she was transferred ter’s body is undergoing many CONTINUED ON PAGE A11 CONTINUED ON PAGE A11
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Local business owner fights acute liver failure
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