Paso Robles City Addresses Street Pothole Questions

the road is weakened. As cars and trucks drive over the weak spots, they crack and bits of the pavement chip away.

A few common questions were answered about how the City of Paso Robles handles potholes.

between hot mix and cold mix for pothole repair?

which staff uses effectively on larger potholes.

Deaths

WALLACE “WALLY” LEWIS, 95, of Grover Beach, passed away March 19, 2023.

Arrangements are under the direction of Marshall-Spoo Sunset Funeral Chapel in Grover Beach.

TERRY SCARBROUGH, 74, of Arroyo Grande, passed away March 17, 2023.

Arrangements are under the direction of Marshall-Spoo Sunset Funeral Chapel in Grover Beach.

RAYMOND JOHN GERBI, 85, of Arroyo Grande passed away on March 20t 2023.

Services are in the care of Marshall-Spoo Sunset Funeral Chapel of Grover Beach.

ISABEL ROUSH, 98, of San Luis Obispo, passed away March 16, 2023.

Arrangements are under the direction of Marshall-Spoo Sunset Funeral Chapel in Grover Beach.

DAVID ROSS, 56, of Arroyo Grande, passed away March 18, 2023.

Arrangements are under the direction of Marshall-Spoo Sunset Funeral Chapel in Grover Beach.

FRANKLIN HILTON, 83, of Arroyo Grande, passed away March 22, 2023.

Arrangements are under the direction of Marshall-Spoo Sunset Funeral Chapel in Grover Beach.

DAVID MAAS, 64, of Grover Beach, passed away March 22, 2023.

Arrangements are under the direction of Marshall-Spoo Sunset Funeral Chapel in Grover Beach.

PASO ROBLES — Due to the heavy rains that have been pounding the Central Coast since January, Paso Robles is experiencing a higher-thanusual number of potholes in its roadways.

According to the city, it’s not the constant pressure of car tires that wears the road down and causes potholes, but water that is actually causing the damage. They explain, once water gets under pavement, it expands and contracts as it freezes and thaws, pushing against the roadbed and pavement. Once it thaws, there is space left where ice was, so

Q: How does the city respond to potholes?

A: Staff responds to potholes as they are reported via the MyPaso Request Tracker, emails, dispatch, and/or phone calls. Repair is prioritized depending on the location, safety concerns, and available material. Major arterial roadways such as Creston Road and Niblick Road are typically a top priority due to frequent use.

When not responding to emergencies, staff operate a hot mix patch truck on a grid moving through the city, systematically filling in potholes.

Q: What is the difference

Robles was on view arrest on the 2100 block of Riverside Ave for WILLFULLY TO VIOLATE A WRITTEN PROMISE TO APPEAR IN COURT [853.7PC], POSSESSION OF UNLAWFUL PARAPHERNALIA [11364(A)H&S], Case no. 230906

A: The hot mix method entails first removing rock, dirt, and debris in and around the pothole, applying an emulsion to help the hot mix adhere to the hole, then filling and sealing the hole with hot mix asphalt. This aggregate mix is heated and maintains the heat while in the patch truck. This method prevents water from being able to penetrate around the patch again, stopping the pothole from reforming (unless flooded by water or another pothole forms next to the patch). This method is considered a more permanent patch and typically has a longer life than cold mix.

Below are other items to note:

CalPortland supplies hot mix asphalt to the city. Currently, they are only producing 1/2-inch hot mix aggregate,

230915

MARCH 24, 2023

13:48 — Kelley Hernandez, of Atascadero was on view arrest on the 200 block of Oak Hill Rd for BENCH WARRANT [978.5PC],

Case no. 230918

The smaller potholes require 3/8-inch aggregate, which is currently not being produced by the city’s supplier.

The city has one patch truck that can do 2-3 tons of mix daily. Staff continues to pick up 2-3 tons of hot mix every day (regardless of aggregate size) to fill in as many potholes as possible.

It is currently unclear when staff will be able to get 3/8-inch hot mix aggregate.

The cold mix method is when asphalt is simply shoveled into the pothole and smoothed over with a hand tool. This aggregate mix does not require heating. Cold mix asphalt is not a permanent solution and can break up easily depending on a combination of heavy traffic and weather.

Below are other items to note:

MARCH 25, 2023

01:30 — Christian Manriquezromero, of California was arrested for DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF ALCOHOL [23152(A)VC], DUI ALCOHOL/0.08 PERCENT [23152(B) VC], Case no. 230926

The city purchases pallets of cold mix for pothole repair and is available at all times. Especially when hot mix is not available. Cold mix does not last very long, and it breaks up easily, especially in major roadways.

This is typically a last resort and an interim quick fix.

Staff continues to fill potholes during dry conditions. Filling potholes during a rain storm is an emergency measure and not a common practice.

Drivers are urged to be vigilant, practice safety, and be patient as city staff works through the rainy season and continue to fill potholes.

Please report potholes at prcity.com/MyPaso, via the MyPaso App, by email to PWadmins@prcity.com or by phone at (805) 237-3861. All reports will be triaged and responded to as soon as possible.

BENCH WARRANT [978.5PC], Case no. 230937 00:31 — Rabian Martinezflores, of San Miguel was on view arrest on the 3100 block of Park St for PUBLIC INTOXINATION [647(F)PC], Case no. 230938

JEFFREY “JEFF” STRAUSBURG, 63, of Nipomo, passed away March 21, 2023.

Arrangements are under the direction of Marshall-Spoo Sunset Funeral Chapel in Grover Beach.

POSSESSION OF UNLAWFUL PARAPHERNALIA [11364(A)H&S], Case no. 230901

20:44 — Robert Curtis, of Paso Robles was on view arrest on HWY 46 East and Golden Hill Rd for DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF DRUGS [23152(F)VC], Case no. 230904 MARCH 23, 2023

13:38 — Maribel Errejonsanchez, of Paso Robles was on view arrest on the corner of Stoney Creek Rd and Alamo Creek Terrace for DISORDERLY CONDUCT/DRUNK IN PUBLIC [647(F)PC], Case no. 230909

17:47 — Victabio Gervaciochavez, of Paso Robles was on view arrest on the corner of Oak St and 28th St for DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF ALCOHOL [23152(A)VC]. DUI ALCOHOL/0.08 PERCENT [23152(B)

15:45 — Luis Hernandezgomez, of Paso Robles was sumoned/ cited on the corner of 13th and Spring St for DRIVING WITHOUT A LICENSE [12500(A)

VC], NO PROOF OF INSURANCE [16028(A)VC], Case no. 230920

19:39 — James Thomas, of Paso Robles was on view arrest on the 1300 block of 24th St for WILLFULLY TO VIOLATE A WRITTEN PROMISE TO APPEAR IN COURT [853.7PC], Case no. 230921

21:43 — Angel Taloyo, of Paso

Robles was on view arrest on the corner of 20th St and Vine St for DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF ALCOHOL [23152(A)

DUI ALCOHOL/0.08 PERCENT [23152(B)VC], Case no. 230922

02:29 — Kevin Lopezlimon, of San Simeon was arrested for DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF ALCOHOL [23152(A) VC], DUI ALCOHOL/0.08 PERCENT [23152(B)VC], Case no. 230927

12:25 — Raymond Cornejo, was on view arrest on the 800 bock of Pine St for DISORDERLY CONDUCT/DRUNK IN PUBLIC [647(F)PC], Case no. 230930 08:01 — Felipe Gaytan, of Paso Robles was on view arrest on the corner of Riverside Ave and 26th St for OUTSIDE WARRANT/F, Case no. 230929

MARCH 26, 2023

00:05 — Steven Reynolds, of Salinas was arrested for

01:26 — Dana Smith, of San Miguel was arrested for PUBLIC INTOXINATION [647(F)PC], BENCH WARRANT [978.5PC], Case no. 230939

01:09 — Kerri Frederick, of Paso Robles was arrested for DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF ALCOHOL [23152(A)VC], DUI ALCOHOL/0.08 PERCENT [23152(B)VC], Case no. 230940 04:41 — Sonic Olmos Luna, of Fresno was arrested for BATTERY [242PC], Case no. 230941

11:08 — Roberto Hernandezolivares, of Paso Robles was summoned/cited on the 1200 block of Spring St for DRIVING WHILE SUSPENDED FOR DUI [14601.2(A)VC], POSSESS

NARCOTIC CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE [11350(A)H&S], Case no. 230942

15:31 — Scott Sanford, of San Luis Obispo was on view arrest on the 900 block of Park St for PRISONERS ON PAROLE MUST CONTINUE TO BE UNDER THE OFFICIAL SUPERVISION OF THE STATE [3056PC], TRESPASS [602.8(A)PC], Case no. 230944

14:48 — Anissa Gutierrez, of Paso Robles was arrested for BENCH

From the Left

No doubt most Americans being bombarded with the intricacies of our legal system and the long list of delay tactics being employed by the former president are frustrated over a never-ending circle of false alarms about how to proceed, assuming there is sufficient evidence to warrant prosecution. Complicating and exasperating the unprecedented number of both criminal and civil investigations facing Donald Trump has been a world coping with the COVID-19 pandemic, a Russian war of aggression in Ukraine that has united democratic nations and seemingly consolidated authoritarian nations where the potential for nuclear attacks have been carelessly tossed about and serious inflationary jolts to the world economic order affecting all nations. Alas, great uncertainty has millions upon millions of citizens impatient, scared, and leery of the immediate future.

It is long past time to either put up or shut up. While not an attorney, I do believe that impatience is growing by the minute and there either is/ are a case or cases to be made where the evidence is sufficient enough to prosecute or there is not. I believe that the key ingredient in this sorry chapter in our nation’s history and what is so far missing is an overarching commitment to accountability. More specifically, our system must regain the confidence of our citizens that if you are found guilty of a crime you should be adequately punished, no more no less.

Regardless where one stands on the political/ideological spectrum there should be overwhelming support for

From The Left And The Right

a proposition that has existed for over 1,000 years (the Magna Carta dates back to 1215) namely: no person is above the law. To wit, a recent Reuters/Ipsos Survey concluded “Nine in ten Americans (88%) agree that Donald Trump is not above the law, including 94% of Democrats, 89% of Republicans and 79% of independents. Eighty-five percent of Americans say if Donald Trump broke the law, he should stand trial, including 94% of Democrats, 79% of independents, and 80% of Republicans.”

Furthermore, “Nine in ten Americans, including an even number of Democrats (88%) and Republicans (86%) say that violent acts are not acceptable to achieve their idea of a better society … and eighty-six percent of Americans believe it is not acceptable for a member of their party to threaten/intimidate others to achieve a political goal.” Thus, using threats that blatantly suggest “death and destruction” if he is indicted is a losing proposition.

According to the Library of Congress (LOC), “Chapter 61 of King John’s Magna Carta stipulates that twenty-five barons should be selected to ensure that the king upholds all of the provisions of the charter. When the king is in violation, the barons have the authority to seize the king’s properties by military force — “or distain” him — until he complies.” Hence, the checks and balances stipulated in the Magna Carta reinforce the supremacy of the law over the will of the king. Hence, no one is above the law, not even a king.

According to the LOC, the framers of the Constitution addressed the issue by including “the checks and balances that operated between the three branches of government were a means to prevent any single branch of the government from governing capriciously … Magna Carta remains to the present day an especially potent symbol for those seeking to lift the pow- ers of the executive branch of government.”

Another disgraced former president, Richard Nixon, told British journalist David Frost in a televised interview in 1977 that if the president says it “that means that it is not illegal.” He was wrong then, and Trump is wrong now, just as anyone who believes they are above the law is grossly misinformed.

What I find so disturbing about the current investigations is the extent to which individuals with material means have the ability to twist and turn the prosecutorial process so as to run out the clock whether it be via statute of limitations or never-ending litigious maneuvers which constitute delay through frivolity or so-called judge shopping, a process of filing several lawsuits that assert the same claim done with the intent of having one of the lawsuits assigned to a favorable judge. Much the same can be said when the Fifth Amendment is used to thwart the legal process. It reeks of guilt.

Let us all agree that everyone is entitled to due process and the judicial system serves as the final arbiter to resolve accountability when sufficient evidence is presented to a jury of one’s peers and a verdict is rendered. The U.S. Constitution serves as a living embodiment of democratic principles that is constantly being refined and defined. The checks and balances serve as protections against overreach by either individuals or institutions and while sometimes maddeningly seen as impediments to speedy resolve are intended to ensure that accountability and fairness are built into a functioning system of justice for all, and that includes former presidents.

Lance Simmens is an independent columnist for Atascadero News / Paso Robles Press, he alongside Don Schmitz write a bi-weekly column on national topics from the perspective of their political leanings. You can forward any comments you have to editor@13starsmedia.com.

John Adams stated “to the end it may be a government of laws and not of men.” The founders were strongly influenced by the ancient philosopher Aristotle, who understood that powerful leaders would with emotional bias ultimately abuse their authority — often with the best of intentions — stating; “Passion influences those who are in power … Law is reason without desire”. This is the bedrockcornerstone of our republic.

In 1957 Governor Faubus withdrew the Arkansas National Guard he’d promised would protect nine black children from the segregationist mob as they entered Central High School following the Supreme Court ruling in Brown v. Board of Education, so President Eisenhower deployed the 101st Airborne to do so. In addressing the nation while decrying the failure in Little Rock, he lauded the majority of Southern communities for abiding by the law, saying “they demonstrated to the world that we are a nation in which laws, not men, are supreme.”

“Equal Justice Under the Law” is etched in the marble above the doors to the Supreme Court, yet with stunning rapidity this principle is eroding in America. Government’s power to pass laws is vested in Congress, which for example has created laws dealing with immigration. Yet here in California, state and local leaders passionately defy enforcement of those laws. Local law enforcement is prohibited from cooperating with ICE by state statute. In 2018 Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf issued a public warning that ICE was going to make arrests in the city. The arrests happened, with half being convicted criminals (beyond immigration laws), but others were aided by the mayor and escaped. Federal law specifies shielding an illegal immigrant can result in imprisonment for five years as a felon, yet she wasn’t prosecuted, and Gavin Newson issued a statement praising her. Tell me, without coloring the topic with your beliefs, how was she different than segregationist Gov. George Wallace blocking the door at the University of Alabama in 1963? Both were breaking the law pursuing their beliefs.

Last September, the Justice Department DOJ arrested a pro-life activist for impeding access to an abortion clinic as he defended his young son when attacked by a pro-choice activist. The jury unanimously acquitted him in January. Yet the same DOJ turned a blind eye and failed to enforce federal law against pro-choice protesters outside the homes of Supreme Court justices, intending to influence their decision, a federal crime.

Hunter Biden has been under federal investigation since 2018, and the FBI has had his laptop since 2020, replete with videos of him using drugs. It was dismissed as Russian disinformation before the election, but as revealed in the “Twitter Files” released by Elon Musk, FBI lawyer Jim Baker falsely promoted the Russian disinformation lie. Sadly, and predictably, a recent Rasmussen poll found 64 percent believe the FBI has become “politically weaponized, starting from the top in Washington.” Hunter has admitted his crack cocaine addiction, a felony. He purchased a firearm in 2018 stating on the form “No” to using any controlled substance, committing another felony. Federal agents are still “investigating.” Most other Americans would already be serving time.

The people of California have repeatedly voted for the death penalty. It is a state law, yet Gov. Newsom simply refuses to fol- low through with executing heinous murderers. L.A. County District Attorney George Gascon similarly refuses to seek the death penalty, nor will he apply gang enhancements for sentencing, which is the law in Penal code 186.22 adding three years to life in state prison. He also directed the district attorneys to dismiss misdemeanors including trespassing, making criminal threats, and resisting arrest. Both took an oath of office to uphold our laws, yet both are picking and choosing which laws they prefer to enforce.

It’s a national trend: Boston

DA Rachael Rollins listed 15 laws passed by the legislature she wouldn’t enforce, including breaking and entering, threats, and receiving stolen property. Similar policies have been adopted by Baltimore’s DA Marilyn Mosby, and Chicago’s DA Kim Foxx. Fairfax, Virginia, Commonwealth Attorney Steve Descanso refuses to implement the state death penalty, even in the 2008 conviction of Mark Lawlor, who after smoking cocaine beat 28-year-old Genevieve Orange 47 times with a claw hammer, then raped her as she lay on the floor choking to death in her own blood. Descanso crowed about his decision, because his personal passions led him to believe it was the right thing. Never mind the law.

American radicals promote defunding the police, emptying our prisons of properly convicted criminals, and worst of all ignoring laws that they don’t agree with. Political patronage and anarchy is the result. They assert our legal system is inherently unjust to rationalize contorting and ignoring our laws, while lifting the blindfold off Lady Justice, putting their finger on her scale, and dulling her sword of enforcement and respect.

Don Schmitz is an independent columnist for Atascadero News / Paso Robles Press, he alongside Lance Simmens write a bi-weekly column on national topics from the perspective of their political leanings. You can forward any comments you have to editor@13starsmedia.com.