Senator Laird Honored as Legislator of the Year

California Special Districts Association recognized Laird in Los Osos on Jan. 27

By CAMILLE DEVAUL camille@pasoroblespress.com

SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY — The California Special Districts Association (CSDA) honored Senator John Laird (District 17) as their Legislator of the Year

Local Nonprofit Offers Life Coaching with Horses

Public is invited to see the facility on Saturday, Feb. 25, for a Gathering with People and Horses event

By CAMILLE DEVAUL camille@pasoroblespress.com

PASO ROBLES — One local nonprofit is using horses to help people embark on life-changing journeys. Life Coaching with Horses, located just outside of Paso Robles, has been operating as a nonprofit for the past three years.

Master Facilitator Coaches

Kasia Roether and Jutta

Thoerner began Life Coaching with Horses as a for-profit organization, conducting workshops, but at the start of at an event held at the South Bay Community Center in Los Osos on Friday, Jan. 27.

According to a press release from CSDA, Laird was honored for his support for the “local service specialists responsible for providing water, sanitation, fire protection, parks, healthcare and other essential services and infrastructure to communities throughout California.”

Laird represents San Luis

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Obispo County, including Paso Robles and Atascadero within his district, alongside portions of Monterey and Santa Clara counties.

Assemblymember Dawn Addis (District 30) was present and offered her own congratulations to Laird for his recognition.

“State Senator Laird is accessible to listen to our needs and is accountable to the follow-up actions needed to bring those resources to our county, including special districts,” said Addis.

Laird was praised for his accessibility and engagement with his constituents.

“We are so fortunate to have an engaged and effective representative in the State Legislature like Senator Laird,” stated CSDA Board President Elaine Magner.

“His background in local

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PASO ROBLES — Nearly two months after its initial approval, the San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors voted to rescind the Paso Basin Land Use Management Area Planting Ordinance during a special meeting held on Sunday, Jan. 29.

The ordinance, passed in December 2022, came as an update to the original ordinance adopted in 2015. The new ordinance would limit farmers to 25 acre-feet per year (AFY) for the next 22 years and allow new irrigated crops to be planted. However, the ordinance came with several regulations unrelated to water itself, including regulations on dust control.

Any farmer or rancher in the Paso Basin who rotates to a different irrigated crop each year/season will be subject to the new ordinance. But, any same crop and acreage that has been in production within six years preceding March 1, 2023, would be exempted.

However, after the Jan. 29 vote, farmers and ranchers won’t have to worry about the December ordinance that was greatly opposed by Farm Bureau, Cattlemen’s Association, Grower-Shippers Association, and Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance.

Coach Kasia Roether have been operating the program as a nonprofit for the past three years. Photo by Camille DeVaul/PRP

the COVID pandemic, they sat down to discuss the future of their organization. Working for profit never felt right to Roether and Thoerner. The two wanted to give back to people and other nonprofits who don’t usually get to receive.

“It instantly felt better,” said Roether about their transition.

“We both have experienced the value of this work, and we’ve seen the benefits and results when working with others, and we wanted to make it available to a wider range of people.”

Since becoming a nonprofit, Roether and Thoerner have worked with Hospice SLO County, Lumina Alliance, Resilient Souls and more. They support military personnel, law enforcement agencies, first responders, firefighters, medi- cal staff and mental health workers, but anyone can reach out to them for services.

Thoerner explains the reason behind including horses with life coaching: “Horses don’t judge us — we can show up however we feel.”

She explains horses have the ability to mirror people’s emotions — even if we try

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The rescinding of the ordinance was approved with a 3-1 vote — Supervisor John Peschong (District 1) voting no and Supervisor Debbie Arnold (District 4) not being present at the meeting.

Supervisor Jimmy Paulding, who was sworn in on Jan. 3, stated why he did not support the ordinance as it stood: “It might help a handful of property owners, but it does so at the expense of the vast majority of growers in the Paso (Robles Groundwater) Basin, and mitigation measures set a dangerous precedent for

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