Paso Robles Press • February 22, 2024

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GOOD NEWS REAL NEWS HOMETOWN NEWS

SINCE 1889 Making Communities Better Through Print.™ VOL. CXXXIV, NO. XXXVII

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2024

pasoroblespress.com • $1.00 • WEEKLY

Local photographer honored at Studios on the Park’s Sweet Art Luncheon fundraiser Community comes together to recognize Celeste Hope’s contributions to the arts

City moves forward to restore downtown paid parking

By CAMILLE DEVAUL camille@pasoroblespress.com

PASO ROBLES — Gathered under the shining sun, Studios on the Park friends and family honored champion of art, photography, and music, Celeste Hope, on Tuesday, Feb. 13. Hope was honored during the nonprofit’s annual fundraising event Sweet Art Luncheon. Proceeds raised at the Sweet Art Luncheon go to keeping Studios open and functioning and also to their Kids Art Smart Program for local youth. Studios has served over 100,000 students and visitors every year through our Kids Art Smart and Community Arts Access programs, free of charge. They have studied and created works of art in mediums such as marbleizing, sumi-e resist painting, watercolor, collage, sculpting, ceramics, and printmaking. Honorees for the fundraiser are usually those who helped create Studio. The event acts as a way people can give money to Studio’s and their programs but also in honor of

Paid parking will return to council’s agenda at the next meeting for second reading and approval By CAMILLE DEVAUL camille@pasoroblespress.com

(From left) Studios on the Park Board President Stephanie Wilbanks, Board Secretary Celeste Hope, and Board Director Liz Lee. Photo by John Fedorowicz

who they are celebrating. This year Studios on the Park was able to raise over $25,000 at this year’s event held at Bella Terra Vineyard Estate. Hope, who specializes in black and white photography, was surprised when learning she would be this year’s honoree. “I was very honored and excited,” she said.

Raised in Austin, Texas, Hope’s passion for the arts started at a young age with dance. At 10 years old, Hope received her first camera and from there her talents grew as she developed a passion to tell stories of the people around her. “People drive me. I am a people person ... I am drawn to children and women and I

dont know why. It’s something inside me,” said Hope of what inspires her work. Leaning to a documentary style, Hope became drawn to black and white photography, noting how it brings out her subjects emotions in a raw format. She mentored under renowned photographer Mary Ellen Mark and soon her free-

lancing gigs took her all over the world. Sweet Art Co-Chair Liz Lee said of Hope, “Celeste’s enthusiasm and desire to constantly explore new environments to convey stories is her driving force. She is a storyteller.” Twelve years ago, Hope came to Paso Robles and was CONTINUED ON PAGE A7

PASO ROBLES — Following the receipt of a cease-anddesist letter that caused a pause in the paid parking program in Downtown Paso Robles, the City Council has once again approved the reinstatement of paid parking despite the pleas of many business owners and residents. With a 3-2 vote, Councilmembers Chris Bausch and Fred Strong dissenting, the city will reinstate the downtown paid parking program. On Feb. 2, the city received a cease-and-desist letter from community member Gary CONTINUED ON PAGE A7

Nuclear Regulatory Commission engages public on Diablo Canyon’s future Federal commission holds meeting to assess environmental impacts and renewal concerns SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY —Should Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant be granted a new operating license? That’s the ultimate question being asked of the Federal Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), and the lengthy process for answering it has gotten started in earnest. A panel of top NRC staffers working on the re-licensing application that Pacific Gas & Electric submitted last year held a public meeting Feb. 8 at the Embassy Suites in San Luis Obispo. The point was to gather comments from the public on what issues the NRC should explore during its environmental review of the application under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the federal government’s version of

the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). And while the ballroom at Embassy Suites was set up for a crowd of 300, roughly 100 people turned out for the meeting. As might be expected in such a divisive issue, the room was pretty equally divided between staunch anti-Diablo Canyon activists and supporters — mainly people who work for PG&E or garner work from PG&E. Several politicians also turned out, including a Santa Maria City Councilman, a SLO County supervisor and the mayor of San Luis Obispo, with each of them supporting keeping the plant going for the economic benefits its roughly 1,000 full-time employees and millions in contracts for goods and services — plus the tax base — add to the area. And while the NRC’s lead man on the safety concerns of the license renewal was sitting at the head table, the night was about environmental impacts, with the opponents of Diablo

SPORTS

WEATHER

By NEIL FARRELL

Shown here is an artist rendering of the proposed Aquatics Center at Paso Robles High School. The Paso Robles Joint Unified School District Board of Trustees approved the contract for construction of the pool at its Tuesday, Feb. 13, meeting. Contributed Graphic

Paso Robles Bearcat athletes one step closer to swimming in home pool

PASO ROBLES — Swimmers at Paso Robles High School are significantly closer to getting their very own pool after the Paso Robles Joint Unified

School District Board of Trustees approved the construction budget last Tuesday, Feb. 13. Construction for the longawaited Aquatics Center is expected to begin this spring. PRHS Athletic Director, and former PRHS swim coach and swimmer, Michael Sauret said of the news, “Paso Robles High School Athletics is incredibly excited to be adding the new aquatics complex at Paso Robles

High School. This will provide our district with a safe place to teach our elementary students to swim, expand the available aquatic sports offered to all students K-8, and ensure our high school athletes are training and competing in a CIF-level facility.” A large group of pool supporters gathered at the meeting last Tuesday. Over the last week, the

NEWS

CRIME

NORTH COUNTY LIFE

Trustees approve leaseback agreement with Harris Constriction for Aquatics Complex build By CAMILLE DEVAUL camille@pasoroblespress.com

CONTINUED ON PAGE A7

Canyon bringing up several important issues, namely: Earthquake safety in the wake of continued study and mapping of faults near and even underneath Diablo Canyon Aging equipment, including a key piece of the Reactor Pressure Vessel in Unit 1 Questions of why PG&E asked for five more years, yet the NRC’s license renewal calls for 20 How much is going to be spent keeping Diablo Canyon running and at what point does it become too expensive? Among the commenters, San Luis Obispo Mayor Erica Stewart referred to an official letter the City Council sent to the State Energy Commission supporting the license application. However, she said she has “concerns about the safety of that aging plant.” She added that the SLO Council only supports five more years for the plant. They support the local unions affiliated with the plant and keeping local people working there. CONTINUED ON PAGE A7

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