GOOD NEWS REAL NEWS HOMETOWN NEWS
SINCE 1916 Making Communities Better Through Print.™ VOL. CV, NO. VI
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2022
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HOLIDAYS
EDUCATION
AUSD School Board Votes Buchman CSBA Delegate Assembly School Board looks to agendize MaskChoice conversation By CHRISTIANNA MARKS christianna@atascaderonews.com
Barbershop Quartet sings at the sold-out Sweetheart Stroll event hosted by the Atascadero Chamber of Commerce. Contributed photo
Atascadero’s Sweetheart Stroll Sells Out This was the first Valentine’s Day-themed stroll since Feb. of 2019
was the first Valentine’s Day-themed stroll since February of 2019, as Atascadero took a break in 2020 and 2021 due to COVID. The event is put on by the Atascadero Chamber of By CHRISTIANNA MARKS Commerce and the Atascadero Busichristianna@atascaderonews.com ness Improvement District Committee. “The chamber of commerce sold out ATASCADERO — On Friday, Feb., of tickets; around 400 were sold. Whale11 the streets of Atascadero filled with bone Winery ran out of wine; they were lovers for 2022s Sweetheart Stroll. This a popular hit with the crowd; everyone
loved Ali and Jan, the mother and daughter duo that poured that night. Michelle Watson, our artist, sold many of her art pieces,” said Specs by Kyla owner, Kyla Skinner, who participated in the event. “The evening was delightfully warm for February, no coats required! Music was playing, people were hanging out and talking and laughing in our courtyard, and it was so much fun. We have such a great group in the El Paseo plaza, and
we are excited for the addition of the Gedryn family and their new vision for the [Grape Empourium] wine bar.” Aside from the wine and art associated with the Sweetheart Stroll, there was also a fantastic turnout of entertainment and bites. Zen Dog, Savina’s Homemade Tamales, and Choco’s Mexican Grill provided food for participants. And there was music by both CONTINUED ON PAGE A15
AWARD
ATASCADERO—Atascadero Unified School District (AUSD) met for their regularly scheduled board meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 15. The Board’s 7 p.m. Open Session followed their 6 p.m. Closed Session. During Recognitions, Shauna Ames, the principal of San Gabriel Elementary School, awarded Special Education teacher Yvette Acord with an award for excellence. “Yvette has been a beloved special education teacher for over five years, about five years, at San Gabriel and longer throughout the district. She works harder than anyone I know. She has such a demanding job and a large caseload, and she refuses to do anything halfCONTINUED ON PAGE A15
COMMUNITY
Templeton Student Wins ‘Good Citizen’ Award Set to compete at Western Regional level with sights on Nationals By CAMILLE DEVAUL camille@atascaderonews.com
TEMPLETON — A Templeton High School Senior, John Nicholson, has won the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution Good Citizen award at the State level. Nicholson first won the Good Citizen award at the local chapter level in 2021, put on by the El Paso de Robles NSDAR Chapter. He then won at the District 7 level before moving on to the State. Next, Nicholson will be competing in the regional competition, which includes several Western States. Then he will move on to Nationals. In 2016, Frances Osran from Templeton High School won the award at Chapter, District, and State levels. The Good Citizen award is open to all accredited North County High School students. Schools are asked to nominate one student who exemplifies a Good Citizen’s qualities. Each entry
COMMUNITY
Templeton High School Senior John Nicholson won the NSDAR Good Citizen Award at the State level. Contributed photo
Forty-five people met at the southwest corner of Sunken Gardens for an Earth Shine Clean-Up Day on Feb. 12. Contributed photo
Earth Shine Cleans Up 35-Yards of Trash
must submit their high school activities, including how they serve the community, their future plans, extracurricular In July, Earth Shine will activities, and how they have exhibited the Good Citizen qualities of depend- celebrate its sixth year of helping our community ability, service, leadership, and patriotism. They must also submit their grade transcripts and two letters of recommenBy CHRISTIANNA MARKS christiana@atascaderonews.com dation. Once a student is chosen, they are asked to write a timed and proctored essay. ATASCADERO — On Saturday, A panel of three community members Feb. 12, from 10 a.m. to noon, 45 who do not belong to NSDAR review people met at the southwest corner of CONTINUED ON PAGE A15 Sunken Gardens for an Earth Shine
REGION
COUNTY
Clean-Up Day. In the two hours, the crew full of volunteers was there; they cleaned up around 35-yards of trash. “Basically, we were in the creek almost the entire time. The Atascadero Creek. Parallel to Sunken Gardens,” said Earth Shine founder, Mike Campa. The clean-up day also covered the West side of 101, behind ABC Church, behind Tent City, and under the bridge of El Camino Real.
EDUCATION
“That’s what we’re all about is getting out there. You know, we’re focused on activating communities and bringing them together to realize that each of us...just putting in two hours here and there can make a huge impact. We like to show that for the families, for the children that are out there working with us. We got a lot of kids. A lot of churches came out too, so it’s just a lot of everybody CONTINUED ON PAGE A15
WEATHER
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STORANI BRINGS DANCE JOSH CROSS NAMED to Atascadero | A3 Regional Ambassador | A4
SUPERVISORS HEAR comments on masks | A5
GREYHOUND CHOIR sweetheart showcase | A13
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