GOOD NEWS. REAL NEWS. HOMETOWN NEWS.
SINCE 1916 Making Communities Better Through Print.™ VOL. CV, NO. XXXIX
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2021
EDUCATION
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TRADITION
Atascadero’s Annual Community Celebration
AUSD Board Considers Defying Newsom’s Vaccine Mandate Board votes to continue teleconferencing meetings unanimously By PATRICK PATTON patrick@atascaderonews.com
ATASCADERO — The Atascadero Unified School District (AUSD) held their regularly scheduled School Board of Trustees Meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 5, at 7 p.m. The meeting began with a report from closed session, in which the Board announced their agreement with the administration regarding the stipulated expulsion of six students, and the stipulated suspended-expulsion of one student. Principal Shauna Ames of San Gabriel Elementary started with school-related reports by giving a presentation. Ames highlighted the many ways the school was supporting students, including buddy classes, the Social, Academic, and Emotional Behavior Risk Screener (SAEBRS) to help identify students who may need additional support, and the gaga ball pit—a circular pit in which students play a game which is similar to dodgeball. Oral Communication with the public was then opened. It was noted that there were many emails sent in but that emails would no longer be read at meetings and only in-person and virtual speakers would be heard by the public. The first public speaker was Dr. JD Megason, who addressed his concern for the announcement by Govenor Gavin Newsom on Friday, Oct. 1 that students K-12 will be required to take the COVID-19 vaccine in order to attend public or private school in California. Megason asked the trustees to defy the mandate. He stressed that he is vaccinated and is not an “anti-vaxer.” He brought up many points, including the fact that the teacher’s union has been granted an exemption from the mandate, and teachers have been given the option of whether or not to take the “vaccine” while students and their parents have not been given the option. Christine Dowd brought up the new high school schedule during public comment. Dowd expressed her frustration, as well as her high school daughter’s frustration with the new schedule. She asked if the teachers had a say in the matter and if it would be possible to conduct a survey of students and teachers to find out CONTINUED ON PAGE A15
SPORTS
Colony Days returned this year to a live parade followed by annual festivities By PATRICK PATTON patrick@atascaderonews.com
ATASCADERO — The community came together last Saturday, Oct. 2, to celebrate the annual Colony Days Parade in honor of the founding of Atascadero. Colony Days began in 1973 as a celebration of the community of Atascadero. Since then, it has held a parade each year since 1974. Last year due to COVID, the Colony Days committee came up with the idea of a reverse parade in order to celebrate safely and give the community an event to participate in. Colony Days is held on the first Saturday of October. The Atascadero Colony Days Committee is the force behind the annual celebration. The parade started at 10 a.m. and ran down El Camino Real from Davis Auto Body to West
Atascadero Mayor Heather Moreno (center), and City Council members from left to right Susan Funk, Charles Bourbeau and Mark Dariz joined in the Colony Days festivities! Contributed photo
Mall and Palma Ave. by Sunken Gardens. The parade was announced by Atascadero Unified School
District Superintendent Tom prominent community members. p.m. The event hosted a variety of Butler and Atascadero High The Colony Days festivities vendors, music entertainment, the School teacher and alumni Glenda started immediately after the Highland, along with several other parade and continued until 3 CONTINUED ON PAGE A15
COMMUNITY
VOLUNTEERS
Templeton Community Service District Votes to Continue with Remote Meetings
As of August, the Santa Margarita Fire District volunteers have been in service for over 100 years. Photos by Simone Smith and courtesy of Santa Margarita Fire
Santa Margarita Celebrates! Volunteers have served Santa Margarita Fire Protection District since its inception By SIMONE SMITH FOR THE ATASCADERO NEWS
I
t’s morning; there’s a bit of that early fall chill in the air, a rooster is crowing in the distance, and people are starting out with their daily lives, breakfast, coffee, getting the kids off to school, driving to work… The news has been filled with COVID stories, world drama, city trauma, climate change and fires, seemingly endless fires. As the rest of us go through our regularly scheduled days there are those who rise to the occasion, jumping into action at a moments notice when suddenly life takes a turn and first responders are needed. As of August, the Santa Margarita Fire District volunteers have been heeding that call for over 100 years. The town of Santa Margarita officially came into being with the sell-off of lots from Patrick Murphys Santa Margarita Rancho lands at a Grand Auction on April 20, 1889. However, over the years, as the town grew in population and filled in with homes and businesses, it became apparent that emergency response was not possible from the cities of
HEALTH
San Luis Obispo or Atascadero, and on August 2, 1921, the formation of the Santa Margarita Fire District was officially declared in a Resolution adopted by the County Board of Supervisors. Being surrounded by the Santa Margarita Ranch, the special Fire Protection District is funded by and designated to serve the properties on the 307 acres within the boundaries of the town proper. Since its inception, the Santa Margarita Fire Protection District has been served by volunteers in the community willing to come to the aid of those in need. It has evolved throughout the years from neighbors helping neighbors to the days of the “Claud Proud Fire Department” in the late 1950s and early 1960s to its current configuration spearheaded by Mr. Vernon Stewart and Mr. Herb Brazzi in 1963 to establish a Fire Board, build the Santa Margarita Fire Station located in the heart of downtown and recruit volunteers to fill staff positions. Recent years have seen a significant turnover of the town’s population with the loss of old-timers and an influx of many new young families from larger cities attracted by Santa Margarita’s small-town atmosphere and friendly community. However, many may not realize that the Santa Margarita Fire Department (SMFD) is still an CONTINUED ON PAGE A15
COUNTY
SOCIETY
TCSD General Manager Awarded Leadership Foundation Certificate By MELISSA GUERRA melissa@atascaderonews.com
TEMPLETON —Templeton Community Services District (TCSD) held a regularly scheduled meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 5 at 7 p.m. for open session. The meeting began with Director Logan addressing the Governor’s executive order regarding AB 361 and the resolution the Board needs to pass in order to continue with remote meetings. General Manager Briltz gave background on the resolution as well as the need to renew this resolution every 30 days. Director English inquired about the readiness of the Board Room and the current status of the County mask mandate. Director Logan expressed her preference to continue meetings where the members don’t have to wear masks and until the mandate changes to continue with zoom meetings. Director Logan made a motion to pass the resolution, and the motion passed 5-0 to make the proclamation and extend brown act flexibility for remote meetings.
Next, the Board heard the September recap from the Sheriff ’s Department. There were 1,747 calls for service, 408 of which occurred in Templeton, compared to 1,910 from the same time last year. While there was a decrease in calls for service compared to last year, there was actually an increase in reports. Next was the pinning ceremony for the new Fire Captain, Andrew Klein. Klein was raised on the Central Coast and rounded out his career in Santa Monica before deciding to return to the Central Coast with his wife and three daughters, and their son on the way. General Manager Jeff Briltz was presented with a special plaque of the Special District Leadership Foundation Certified Special District Manager. In California, there are 3,300 special districts, of which 55 were awarded the certificate. Public comment opened with an inquiry about the flags on the overpass and if there was any follow-up from the prior meeting when it was discussed. Director Logan said that she had followed up with Commander Stewart after she saw flags that were zip-tied and not being held by anyone. The concern is that they could come loose and cause issues; additionally, that those who are standing there are standing in the bike lane, and cyclists can not pass. At this time, the CHP has been made aware and will go CONTINUED ON PAGE A15
WEATHER
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