Hometown News Since 1889 Making Communities Better Through Print.™ VOL. CXXX, NO. LII
THURSDAY, JUNE 11, 2020
pasoroblespress.com • $1.00 • WEEKLY
CLASS OF 2020
EDUCATION
Celebration Drive-Thru prepares seniors for graduation
Drive-by breakfast service tradition on graduation morning
Also Council approves interim Parklet Policy By CAMILLE DeVAUL For The Paso Robles Press
By CONNOR ALLEN connor@pasoroblespress.com
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cPhee’s Grill opened its doors at 10 a.m. Thursday, June 4, for the first time since March 17. However, the doors weren’t open to the public but to serve breakfast to each of the Templeton seniors on the morning of their graduation via a drive-by handoff. Usually, McPhee’s serves a sit-down breakfast to the graduating THS seniors but did the drive-by in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. “I think we have been doing it for about eight years now,” Ian McPhee said. “We have been doing it for about eight years, and it is just something that, you know, there are a lot of things that I do because I want kids to remember this town because I worry that some of them are thinking that they live in some little podunk town and they are going to move on to bigger and better things, and they forget their roots.” The meals were served from 10–11 a.m. and available to any high school senior free of charge. McPhee’s, along with some help from the community, set up two different stations, one out front of the building and one in their parking lot, for kids to pull up and get their meals.
Paso Robles High School graduating seniors Theresa Navaeh Hinton (left) and Payton Beasley (right) attended the drive-thru celebration. Contributed photo
By HAYLEY MATTSON hayley@pasoroblespress.com
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n Friday, June 5, Paso Robles High School honored its seniors in a Celebration Drive-Thru. Each senior drove through and picked up their Cap & Gown, Awards, and Honor Cords to prepare for the July 11 Graduation. Theresa Hinton, mother of PRHS
Senior Theresa Nevaeh Hinton, shared “Amazing job today PRHS!! Thank you for making our kids feel so special!! Today was bittersweet waking up thinking today was the day we envisioned our daughter walking through the flags in her cap and gown at War Memorial Stadium to celebrate all her accomplishments for the past 12 years!! We will look forward to July to see her walk across
the stage and are very grateful and thankful that PRHS is giving them a graduation!” Paso Robles High School graduation, is currently scheduled for July 11, per the PRJUSD Graduation/ Promotion Plan that can be found at pasoschools.org/bearcatstrong. A huge congratulations to all the seniors and the graduating class of 2020, see you in July!
Locals Rally for Justice
Paso Robles Police Chief Ty Lewis. Photo by Nicholas Mattson
Protest led by young local residents marches for justice and peace
violence, policy, social justice and making change. “Violence is the enemy of all of us,” Vines said. “It will kill, and steal, and destroy. Violence only begets violence.” Formed in 1909 by a diverse group of activists, the NAACP, or the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, is the oldest and largest civil rights organization. The SLO County branch is one of more than 2,200 nationwide. Among other things, the NAACP charter promises to champion equal rights
Lewis immediately contacted San Luis Obispo County Sheriff Ian Parkinson and the San Luis Obispo County Police Department. “We quickly put together a plan to ensure the safety of the protestors as well as our community. Keeping in mind everybody’s first amendment rights to speak,” said Lewis. The local protest began around 11 a.m. and ended around 5 p.m. No buses with anti-protesters came to town. “I have to take a moment to just really speak to the character of our community,” Lewis said. “It was outstanding to see the public respond in such a positive manner. Not only the protesters that did their best even though it was a highly emotionally charged situation — all the way to our worried community members.” Lewis said he spoke with protesters about their frustrations of the events happening across the country involving law enforcement. Lewis promised the protesting group he would reiterate to the council the importance of addressing these difficult topics. Paso Robles Mayor Steven Martin said he spoke with protesters and proposed creating a mayor’s panel regarding racism in Paso Robles to
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LOCAL NEWS
PASO ROBLES — The first Paso Robles City Council meeting of the month virtually took place late on Tuesday, June 2, after a delay from peaceful protests in Downtown Paso Robles. Paso Robles Police Chief Ty Lewis used part of the council meeting to address the Black Lives Matter protest and march on June 2 in Downtown Paso Robles. The Paso Robles Police Department was notified, Lewis said, by the public who forwarded social media information of possible anti-protestors coming to Paso Robles.
DEMAND FOR CHANGE
By NICHOLAS MATTSON nic@pasoroblespress.com
“We have this Templeton community that is so great, and they have supported us for 26 years,” McPhee said. “They have just done so many things for us, so we are happy to do these things.” While the meals were already paid for, that didn’t stop a couple of friendly and generous people from offering to pay for a couple of meals themselves. McPhee’s Grill has been making breakfast for Templeton seniors for nearly a
Police Chief Addresses Protests
PRHS Honors Its Seniors
McPhee’s Grill Feeds Graduating Templeton Seniors
Graduating senior and Eagle of the Year Evan Asplund picks up breakfast from McPhee’s Grill. Photo by Connor Allen
GOVERNMENT
n Sunday, members of the San Luis Obispo County chapter of the NAACP attended a protest in Atascadero with hundreds of people marching from Sunken Gardens to the Atascadero Police Department and back. The protest was organized by Hannah Gonzales, M’Lynn Martin, and Marc Martin. Very quickly, the protest gained traction on social media and hundreds turned out on Sunday for the event. Before heading on a march from the park to the police department, the NAACP presented a short speech with a the list of demands for change they had. Members of the Atascadero City Council — mayor Heather Moreno, council member Susan Funk, and council member Charles Bourbeau — as well as executives of the City of Atascadero — city manager Rachelle Rickard and police chief Jerel Haley — were in attendance to hear out the crowd. Haley approached Mr. Martin and invited him for a one-on-one discussion about ideas for changes to the APD that would improve the service of local police
LOCAL NEWS
Protest organizer Marc Martin, top left, kneels in solidarity with a raised fist for 8 minutes and 46 seconds at Atascadero Police Department on Sunday. Photo by Nicholas Mattson
to all residents of the community. During the stop at the Atascadero Police Department, the crowd kneeled in a moment of silence for 8 minutes and 46 seconds in honor of George Floyd who was killed by Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin in broad daylight on March 25. The quiet crowd rose to its feet with a tangible unified strength before moving back to the Sunken Gardens. At Sunken Gardens, SLO County NAACP president Stephen Vines spoke to the crowd passionately about making a difference and making change in the community. He spoke on the subject of
PERSPECTIVE
FUR BABIES
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WEATHER
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OPTIMIST CLUB AWARD granted to Phoebe Corgiat for first place win | A2
TEMPLETON HIGH SCHOOL celebrates graduation, drive-in style | A3
BARBIE BUTZ shares
recipes that junior chefs can make for Father’s Day | A10
PROTECTS YOUR PETS by
keeping them away from household supplies | A11
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Congratulations
to the 2020 graduating class!
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