GOOD NEWS REAL NEWS HOMETOWN NEWS
SINCE 1889 Making Communities Better Through Print.™ VOL. CXXXIV, NO. XXIII
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2023
LAWSUIT
pasoroblespress.com • $1.00 • WEEKLY
EDUCATION
HONOR FLIGHT
Doan family Local Army Veteran takes Honor files lawsuit Flight with all of his sons against county, city, Trustees approve over $300,000 and state
payment for April special election
Missing 5-year-old Kyle Doan was swept away in floodwaters on San Marcos Road last January
Many members of the board express discontent with county charges for election costs
By CAMILLE DEVAUL camille@pasoroblespress.com
By CAMILLE DEVAUL camille@pasoroblespress.com
PASO ROBLES — A wrongful death lawsuit has now been filed by the parents of missing 5-year-old Kyle Doan, who was swept away in floodwaters on San Marcos Road in Paso Robles last January. The suit was filed just after 11 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 5, against the County of San Luis Obispo, the City of Paso Robles, and Caltrans. On Jan. 9, Kyle was swept away by floodwaters in San Marcos Creek during a severe stint of winter storms surging through the county. He and his mother, Lindsy Doan, were on their way to school when they were unable to complete their crossing of the San Marcos Creek. Since then, several searches for Kyle by the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff ’s office have taken place along the Salinas River. Despite several efforts, Kyle’s remains have not been found. In the lawsuit, the Doans are seeking damages for negligence, dangerous condition of public property, strict liability: failure to warn, wrongful death, survival action, and bystander recovery of emotional distress. Within the court documents the Paso Robles Press obtained from the San Luis Obispo County Superior Court, it states: At all times herein mentioned, the crossing of San Marcos Road and Wellsona Road were two public roadways that were and are, public roads in the City of El Paso de Robles, County of San Luis Obispo, State of California. It goes on to allege that each of the defendants is “responsible in some manner for negligence, willful misconduct, strict liability, design defects and dangerous conditions, infliction of emotional distress, and other occurrences as alleged.” The lawsuit documents go on to detail the incident that cause Kyle to be carried away by the floodwaters. Lindsy is
PASO ROBLES — The Paso Robles Joint Unified School District will be paying the San Luis Obispo County Office of the Clerk Recorder over $300,000 for costs related to holding the April Special Election. The payment was approved with a 4-3 vote during the Tuesday, Oct. 10, PRJUSD school board meeting. In May the district received a statement of charges for the special election in the amount of $407,984.49. During the June 13 meeting, trustees directed staff to cancel the purchase order and to collect more detailed information related to the charges for the special election. At that time, staff paid the undisputed 2022 General Election payment of $100,360.31 through Warrant #04371659. Trustees again declined to pay the invoice at the July 11 meeting after being unsatisfied with the county clerk’s explanation of the charges. But on Sept. 13, the district received a demand for payment from the county in the amount of $307,624.18. Trustee Dorian Baker opened the discussion at the Tuesday night meeting by explaining she would support paying for temp workers and overtime for staff who worked on the special election. However, she opposed the county charging taxpayers for services. “I object to paying regular employees for their regular daily wage even though the election may have taken time away from their regular duties,” said Baker, who later added, “Elena Cano and the Board of Supervisors should be ashamed for the way they are treating not only taxpayers but the students of our district.” Baker noted that Cano had been invited to speak with the district twice and declined
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COMMUNITY
About 100 veterans from the Central Coast made their Honor Flight this October to Washington D.C. Photo courtesy of the Butz Family
John Butz is an Atascadero favorite By CHRISTIANNA MARKS christianna@pasoroblespress.com
NORTH COUNTY — Atascadero wouldn’t be the same without John Butz and his wife, Barbie. The two have become staples in the North
County, and at the beginning of October, 90-year-old Butz, who is a Korean War veteran, was able to go on an Honor Flight with four of his family members, including all three of his sons. Butz, along with his sons, Doug, David, and Daniel, and daughter-in-law Michele, left on Monday, Oct. 2, for his
Honor Flight, where veterans explore war memorials on the East Coast. Honor Flight Central Coast California is the local nonprofit organization that takes veterans from Southern Monterey County through Ventura County on all-expense paid trips to visit the Washington, D.C., memorials honoring
veterans’ military service. The Honor Flight was a charter plane full of veterans from the Korean War and the Vietnam War, and every single military branch was represented — and it was a new trip attendance record. “There were about 100 veterans. Only nine from CONTINUED ON PAGE A7
WORLD CHAMPION
Atascadero celebrates 16-year-old scooter athlete Claire Parks took #1 in the world at the World Skate Scootering Pro Tour in Barcelona, Spain By CHRISTIANNA MARKS christianna@pasoroblespress.com
ATASCADERO — A variety of ages and faces from Atascadero headed out to the steps of City Hall on Wednesday, Oct. 4, at 4 p.m. to celebrate world champion Claire Parks. Parks, 16 and a junior at Atascadero High School, recently took first place at the World Skate Scootering Pro Tour in Barcelona, Spain, in September. ATown Park owner Kevin Campion introduced not only Claire but two other female athletes who are putting Atascadero on the map with their scooter skills. “I really appreciate all of you coming out here, especially when it’s a little bit warm, to celebrate our park, ATown Park, and to celebrate some results of some amazing young
CRIME
Sixteen-year-old scooter world champion Claire Parks is given a certificate of recognition from the Atascadero City Council. From left are Councilmember Charles Bourbeau, Mayor Pro Tem Susan Funk, Parks, Mayor Heather Moreno, Councilmember Mark Dariz, and Councilmember Heather Newsom on the Atascadero City Hall steps. Photo by Christianna Marks.
people in our community that have been out on the front lines and absolutely accomplishing a lot in recognition of Atascadero,” said Campion to the crowd. During the ceremony,
Campion conducted his own mini-interviews with the female athletes and introduced the community members gathered there to some of his staff as well. He also pulled Chris Ferris up out of the crowd.
Ferris has grown up skating at ATown Park and was ranked the #1 Men’s World Champ in 2022-23. Campion introduced everyone to 14-year-old Kennedie
NORTH COUNTY LIFE
SPORTS
SECTION
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TEMPLETON PARK Gets a New Slide Installed | A3
MAN SENTENCED To 25 Years for Sex Crimes | A4
BOY SCOUTS Celebrate Court of Honor | B1
SPORTS ROUNDUP North County Football | B8
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