Hometown News Since 1916 Making Communities Better Through Print.™ VOL. CIV, NO. XXX
THURSDAY, AUGUST 6, 2020
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SOCIAL JUSTICE
COMMUNITY
Community Rises Up to End Human Trafficking
Felix Lopez, owner of Felix’s Barber Shop in Atascadero, cuts hair in front of his shop per Gov. Gavin Newsom’s guidelines for personal care businesses. Photo by Brian Williams
Fig at Courtney’s House reopened on July 30. People can eat on the porch or in one of the gardens or grab their food and go. Photo by Brian Williams
Salons, Barbers Adapt to Working Outside
Fig Back Serving Good Food at Courtney’s House
Shop owners happy to be working during struggling time By BRIAN WILLIAMS brian@atascaderonews.com
A group of local women led by, from left to right, Alyssa Lewis, Christa Abma, Katherine Fazio, Mariika Tidwell and Mel Heinemann were the driving force behind the local Rise Up For Children demonstration in Atascadero. Photo by Brian Williams
NORTH COUNTY — Some salons and barbershops in North County are braving the elements — triple-digit heat and windy conditions currently — after moving outside per Gov. Gavin Newsom’s direction. On July 13, when COVID-19 cases were spiking in the state, Newsom ordered personal care businesses such as salons and barbershops to close. Less than a week later, he said they could reopen if they could do it outside. Diane Howard, a long-time owner of Morjesi’s Salon in downtown Atascadero, set up a canopy in front of her shop at 5905 Entrada and decorated it with colorful festival blankets to shade clients from the sun. And, after securing a permit from the City of Atascadero, she was back in business. Well, kind of. “There is only so much we can do out here,” Howard said. “We can’t rinse. Nobody can go inside.” All they can do is cut and style. They ask people to wash their hair before they come. Everybody is required to wear face masks. Morejesi’s has eight stations inside and pre-COVID-19 they were booked solid daily. They were closed for three months due to Newsom’s stay-home orders and allowed to reopen in June. “And then we were open for six weeks, things were going good,” Howard said. “We were working in shifts. We were complying, getting clients to wear masks, making it a priority. Kind of got everything tuned in, got our schedules back, just making it work.” Howard said they have found a way to make it work again. “We have eight stations in there, and we could maybe push out 60 people a day,” she said. “Out here six or seven, bare minimum. But at least it’s something. We are having to figure out who is going to work. Try to give everybody something. Even if they can work very part-time, it keeps things flowing, keeps our clients lined up, our schedules straight.” That same optimism is echoed in neighboring Templeton by Kasey Osman co-owner of The 9’s, 420 S. Main St. Osman and her twin sister Kelley took advantage of the ample space they have behind their shop. “I’m thankful that we have some way CONTINUED ON PAGE A15
COMMUNITY
Demonstration held in Sunken Gardens on Thursday as part of World Day Against Human Trafficking By BRIAN WILLIAMS brian@atascaderonews.com ATASCADERO — Nearly 200 people rose up for children Thursday morning in Sunken Gardens to bring awareness to human trafficking. July 30 was World Day Against Human Trafficking, not to be confused with Human Trafficking Awareness Day, held in January. “Rise Up For Children” was the theme of the awareness campaign initi-
and be able to support them with their education.” The topic of child care incited some discussion from trustees who raised concerns and derided the idea that in-person child care is available and considered safe while school is not. “This is the most ridiculous thing I have heard the governor do,”Trustee Ray Buban said. “He is going to turn schools and libraries and parks into child care centers. You can send your kid to one of these child care centers for this type of learning at Champions and the Boys and Girls Club, but I can’t have them in my school. That is just absurd, that is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard in my life.” Following Buban’s comments, Trustee Mary Kay Mills echoed his sentiments, saying, “I think it’s fantastic that we have that at the schools and I think it’s fantastic that it will support the students, but I don’t understand why that is allowed, and our students can be there. Aren’t their adults just as important?” The board members made sure to point out their ire was not intended at Butler or the District but the decision made by the state and Governor Gavin Newsom. Butler responded saying, “I want the
TEMPLETON — Fig at Courtney’s House is back serving good food again. The popular North County restaurant reopened July 30. The eatery has been closed since Gov. Gavin Newsom issued his stay-home orders in mid-March to curb the spread of COVID-19. Restaurants have reopened but can only offer outside dining and graband-go. Fig, like many restaurants, has scaled back its menu and is currently serving brunch Thursday through Sunday, starting at 10:30 a.m. “You are seeing more of a version that is back to my old roots because, for the last four years, we’ve had a packed patio, porch sit-down, full-service restaurant,” said Fig Executive Director Christina Dillow. “We are completely reinvented in a new style to fit the new era.” All ordering is done at the counter. People can place orders online for pickup. Carrie Sanders opened Courtney’s House in 2012 as a nonprofit resource center for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, providing a safe, supportive environment for social and enrichment activities. The idea was born to open a restaurant, offering job training and employment in a community-oriented setting. A serendipitous encounter led to Courtney’s House and local restaurateur’s partnership, Dillow of FigGoodFood, in Atascadero. Fig at Courtney’s House opened in June 2016. With COVID-19 cases surging across the state, Dillow said they considered waiting even longer to reopen. “We decided to simplify. We almost didn’t reopen, but we have grants coming in,” Dillow said. “We have a base of philanthropists who donate to our cause regularly. They believe in us. It was enough for us to go, OK let’s just reinvent it.” And it would be a shame not to have people eating in the tranquil gardens that surround the charming Victorian-era house that overlooks the Templeton Park. “What a shame to not have people enjoying the property,” Dillow said. Dillow said they seriously began looking at reopening about six weeks ago.
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ated by Operation Underground Railroad (OUR). It was painted on signs and printed on blue T-shirts. OUR is a nonprofit founded by Tim Ballard and Mark Stott, which assists governments worldwide in the rescue of human trafficking and sex trafficking victims, with a particular focus on children. “We at OUR truly believe your voice and influence will help inspire others to CONTINUED ON PAGE A15
EDUCATION
AUSD Considering Applying For Elementary Waiver Licensed child care available through Champions, Boys & Girls Club By CONNOR ALLEN connor@atascaderonews.com ATASCADERO — The Atascadero Unified School District Board of Trustees met Tuesday morning to discuss the upcoming school year and the continual changes that occur while trying to open school during the COVID-19 pandemic safely. AUSD Superintendent Tom Butler said they are applying for the educational waiver available in the state to allow in-person teaching to students in kindergarten through sixth grade. “There are a number of steps as a school district we must take,” Butler explained. “We are fortunate enough to have the mechanisms in place to do that. We have to consult in a formal and documented way with an active parent group. We have a very strong superintendent’s parent advisory committee that I’ll be consulting with for their opinions about this. In addition, we have to consult with both of our labor partners, which is our teacher’s association and our classified employee’s association.” Butler also stated that the District would need to certify that they have all the required safety needs such as hand sanitizer, PPE, and cleaning supplies and the proper steps regarding filtration
NATIONAL NEWS
systems. Should the District make a request, County Public Health Officer Dr. Penny Borenstein would review the application along with epidemiological and consult with the County Department of Public Health before making a decision. “There is a lot to the waiver, but we are well-positioned with existing groups to start to consider that, and the board can consider it more formally in upcoming meetings,” Butler stated. A few moments later, Butler announced that the District would have two fully licensed childcare providers at the start of the school year. “We have had two great meetings with the Boys and Girls Club as well as Champions, so we do have two formal child care providers that are fully licensed and meet all COVID-19 requirements,” Butler said. “In addition, both of them have committed to support children with distance learning during their program and will help them log into their classes
COVID UPDATE
By BRIAN WILLIAMS brian@atascaderonews.com
FEATURE
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WEATHER
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