GOOD NEWS REAL NEWS HOMETOWN NEWS
SINCE 1916 Making Communities Better Through Print.™ VOL. CV, NO. XXVIII
THURSDAY, JULY 21, 2022
KRISTIN SMART TRIAL
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AGRICULTURE
The Extinction of the American Farmer Elements, natural and political, that are leading to the end of farmers and ranchers in California
By CAMILLE DEVAUL camille@atascaderonews.com
Prosecutor Chris Peuvrelle makes an opening statement on the first day of Paul Flores’ trial in a Monterey County courtroom. Pool Photo Daniel Dreifuss / MC Weekly
Kristin Smart Murder Trial Starts at the Case’s Beginning in 1996 Day 2 of the trial has been postponed until Thursday due to health concerns By CAMILLE DEVAUL camille@atascaderonews.com
SAN LUIS OBISPO — Opening statements for the Kristin Smart murder trial began on Monday, with the prosecution starting at the case’s beginning — the Sunday night Stan and Denise Smart did not hear from their daughter. Paul Flores, 45, is charged
in connection to the 1996 disappearance and murder of 19-year-old Cal Poly student Kristin Smart. Paul was arrested in April 2021 — on the same day, his father, Ruben Flores, was arrested as an accessory after the fact — accused of helping his son hide Smart’s remains. Smart was declared dead in 2002, but her remains have yet to be recovered. While Paul and Ruben will be tried at the same time, they will have two different juries. On Monday, Paul’s jury heard opening statements from San Luis Obispo County Deputy
District Attorney Christoper Peuvrelle and Attorney Robert Sanger, Paul’s defense attorney. The courtroom later switched over to Ruben’s jury, which heard opening statements from Peuvrelle and Sanger. Court adjourned with plans to continue on Tuesday with opening statements from Ruben’s defense attorney Harold Mesick. According to reports, Mesick said he was unaware counsel was going to try Ruben’s case today and requested more time for his response. However, due to health concerns, the court on Tues-
day morning was unexpectedly scheduled to resume on Thursday. Peurvelle started his opening statement to the jury by retelling the timeline of the case from the beginning — May 26, 1996. The jury was shown a video of Paul at a graduation party two weeks after Smart was reported missing. The woman filming asked Paul what he did with the missing girl. Paul said “nothing” and hung his head. Peurvelle then told of witnesses the jury will hear from throughout the trial, including CONTINUED ON PAGE A15
ATHLETICS
CALIFORNIA — The small family farm was once the cover story of the American dream. But today, American farms are dying left and right, and American farmers are on their way to extinction — and arguably at a faster rate here in California. According to the United States Department of Agriculture 2020 data, 1.4 percent of the nation’s population is responsible for farming. That equates to 2.6 million farming jobs providing for the 329.5 million people living in the United States. To put that statistic into historical perspective, in 1840, nearly 70 percent of the American labor force worked in agriculture, and in 1935, the number of farms peaked at 7 million. A United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) study found that in just five years (2007 to 2012), the nation experienced a net loss of 90,000 farms. The loss of farmers and farms in America has not been an overnight decline, and it cannot be blamed on one entity or disaster. Specifically speaking to California, one of the biggest
differences between the Golden State and others is its strict regulations on agriculture, which San Luis Obispo County Farm Bureau Executive Director Brent Burchett says takes a major toll on small family farms that cannot afford to keep up with compliances. “It hurts our family farms the worst,” he says. Family farms cannot afford to keep up with increasing regulations involving how their crop is produced and in complying with labor laws — leaving large corporate farms as the only ones who can withstand the increased output. “It is regulations that when you aren’t working in agriculture, on paper might look very rational,” says Burchett. But he adds, “It’s harder now to make a living farming than it ever has been in our state’s history, and I think that message gets lost.” On top of tight regulations, farmers face the impending drought still affecting the state. “We didn’t get the rain we needed this year,” Burchett explains. “If we don’t get it this year, it will be pretty severe. It will be more [noticable] across the county. Right now, folks in North County are feeling it.” He further explains the North County and inland areas are already feeling the dry effects of the drought. But, another year with inadequate rain will soon catch up to the county’s southern region, where the majority of vegetables are grown. The effect of fewer crop CONTINUED ON PAGE A15
EVENT
The All Comers Track Meet Returns to Atascadero
City Councilmember Charles Bourbeau serves ice cream during the 19th Annual Ice Cream Zoofari. Photo by Rick Evans
Children line up at the starting line to participate in hurdles at the All Comers Track Meet in Atascadero. Contributed Photo
The meet raises money for the Atascadero Greyhound Foundation By CHRISTIANNA MARKS christianna@atascaderonews.com
ATASCADERO — Since the summer of 2000, the All Comers Track Meet has been
a family favorite in Atascadero. This year the event started on Wednesday, July 13, with the following meet on Wednesday, July 20, and concluding with its final meet on Wednesday, July 27. The All Comers track meet is held at Atascadero Memorial Stadium at Atascadero High School. “Most years, we have 4-5 weeks of competition,” said All Comers Meet Director Robyn Schmidt. “This year,
COMMUNITY
due to track repairs, we are only having three weeks. But, they are always consecutive weeks unless the 4th of July interferes.” Though All Comers took a break in 2020, it was back in 2021, with the community ready to join in the family-friendly fun once again. This year is no different. “Atascadero All Comers meets are geared toward CONTINUED ON PAGE A15
NEWS
Charles Paddock Zoo Hosts 19th Annual Ice Cream Zoofari All proceeds raised go to the zoo’s conservation and educational efforts By CHRISTIANNA MARKS christianna@atascaderonews.com
ATASCADERO — Animal lovers with a sweet tooth headed to Charles Paddock Zoo on Saturday, July 16, for the zoo’s 19th Annual Ice
EVENTS
Cream Zoofari. The event took place from 5:30 to 8 p.m. It was great fun for everyone in attendance with all-you-can-eat ice cream stations throughout the zoo. “Ice cream was ‘all you can eat!’ And there was plenty,” said Deputy City Manager of Marketing, Promotions, and Events Terrie Banish. Attendees could sample as many flavors of ice cream as
they wanted as they checked out the over 200 animals at the zoo. Doc Burnstein’s Ice Cream Lab provided 15 flavors of ice cream, including Bubble Gum, Strawberry, Sea Salt Caramel, Vanilla Bean, Rainbow Sorbet, Rocky Road, Vanilla, and Butterfinger Blast. The ice cream’s cost was split between the zoo and the Atascadero Rotary Club. CONTINUED ON PAGE A15
WEATHER
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