Avila Beach Life • June 2020 by 13 Stars Media

LOCAL NEWS ... BEACH VIEWS • JUNE 2020

AVILABEACHLIFENEWS.COM

Photo By Hayley Mattson

Finding our way

SEE PAGE 3

LOOKING BACK AT AVILA & PORT SCHOOLHOUSES SEE PAGE 5

THE PANDEMIC, FROM A FARMER’S POINT OF VIEW SEE PAGE 7

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2 | Avila Beach Life - June 2020

in this

Hayley & Nic Mattson

Co-Publishers

Together

ife as we knew it may not be returning anytime soon, but this last weekend, we were able to see some glimpse of a new “normal,” and that is a good thing. With restaurants re-opening and now retail shops, we can start to feel less like we are living in fear and captivity and more in control of what we are comfortable with moving forward. We may not be ready to join everyone in a restaurant, but at least we have that option, and we may not want to walk into the post office or retail shop without a mask, but they are open, so we can determine that when we are ready. We now have the ability to assess what we are comfortable with and what we don’t, and that is a really good thing. We commend all the county officials that walked us through the last few months of uncertainty. We truly believe they did their very best with the information they had; it prepared us and allowed us the ability to make sound, informed decisions for ourselves as we begin to move forward. May we remember to be gentle and kind with one another with those decisions, and if we do not feel comfortable allowing people in our space, then we ourselves need to remain diligent in maintaining social distancing; however, we feel comfortable. Business needs to resume, we all need to get

back to work, and at the same time, we need to maintain healthy practical measures that are appropriate in order to keep the affected number of people to a minimum. The coronavirus will not go away, we can all count on that, but we can get back to business and help one another stay safe as we do that. We hope you enjoy this issue of Avila Beach Life, and may you all continue to be well. HAPPY FATHER’S DAY Hayley Mattson

As a young child, Father’s Day was filled with cheesy gifts that my father would never use and trips to Morro Rock to sit and watch the waves break, followed by clam chowder at the local market in a bread bowl. It was his idea of the perfect day. Later in my adult life, I realized how special those moments were with him. He was a strong man, an Olympian that won three gold medals and one silver in swimming during the 1968 Olympics. A real estate attorney, a youth sports coach, and a loving dad. I was a spit-fire as a kid, and he really put up with my shenanigans, but he taught me a lot about love, compassion, patience, and commitment. Everyone loved him. He never met a stranger. He had a boisterous laugh that you could hear from afar and every

loud whistle I hear I still turn my head thinking he is calling us in. When he was diagnosed with lymphoma back in late 2009, we all thought he would beat it no question. He was the strongest man that I knew, so of course, he would. No more than seven months later, he was transitioning onto Hospice. He passed away on June 14, 2010, just eight months after we were first told the devastating news. Now ten years later, as I sit here writing this and the raw emotions rise again, I am honored and blessed to have had him as my father. He was a wonderful man who loved his family and would do anything for his children. His love of people and the communities he lived in were

always better when he was around. He cherished his relationships and friendships and genuinely wanted to help kids find their drive and passion. He was a force to be reckoned with. Today I am blessed to have a husband that resembles him. Nic’s love and care for people emulate my father, and his commitment to being the best dad he can to our kids is undeniable. Nic is my partner and best friend and reminds me of my dad often. I am blessed to have had them both in my life, and I know my father is still with us every step of the way. Happy Father’s Day to my incredible husband and to all the dads’ and papa’s out there that continue to love and guide our kiddos each and every day.

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Avila Beach Life - June 2020 | 3 FOUNDATION NEWS AND VIEWS

A Semblance of Life is Slowly Returning

Rick Cohen Avila Beach Foundation

reetings, fellow Avilones. Once again, I must begin my column by stating that it is being written two weeks before distribution to meet publisher deadlines. So, with the fluid nature of current events, things may have changed during the time lag. Let’s kick it off with some of my Avila-related observations, and end with how the Foundation is addressing the current status/needs of our grantees. Several times over the past few weeks, I’ve meandered down the street from my office at the Community Center to the beachfront to observe the goings-on. For the most part, the number of people using the beach has been quite sparse, though the two heat waves during late April and early May resulted in larger crowds. I have witnessed folks sunbathing on the sand in small groups, walking or jogging along the water’s edge, and mostly kids playing in the ocean. Others have been hanging around the Promenade area watching

the waves crash, or enjoying refreshments purchased at the handful of local establishments open for takeout. It was a somewhat different scene during the aforementioned temperature spikes. More activities on the beach, more families with “toys”, more like what is usual for this time of year. One problem during those spikes was parking. Spots along the oceanside of Front Street were cordoned off, and the public parking lot remained closed – both as efforts by the Harbor District to minimize beach attendance. So, some eager visitors resorted to parking on neighborhood streets, a common occurrence during popular seasons that creates difficulties for our full-time downtown residents, just one more unintended consequence as the by-product of a good idea. Mother’s Day weekend sort of opened the Avila floodgates, especially on that Sunday. Many people were lounging on the sand, despite a day mostly devoid of sun and warm temperatures, and the presence of “no sitting” signs leading into town and posted at the beach entrances. Earlier that week, a few more Avila establishments opened for takeout, including Hula Hut and Ocean Grill, joining a handful of other businesses that have been open for a longer period. Slowly, a little more life is being injected into our town. On Monday, May 11th, the Avila Bay Athletic Club became open for tennis, but not the other facilities there, though that may have changed before this column was published. The golf course has been busier than normal, and I must admit it is nice for us golfers not to have to compete with the array of special events and concerts usually there this time of year. The highly popular

Avila Farmer’s Market remains in limbo and will, along with other large gatherings, likely be one of the last activities to be given the green light. The free Avila Trolley, which is usually rolling by now, remains parked until further notice. For the last two months, the Bob Jones Trail has been more crowded than ever, with people needing to get out and exercise in one of the few allowable ways. A semblance of the life we know on the Central Coast is creeping back, as it is in other places in California and the nation. Whether we citizens become too lax to the

Most of all, I miss being among my friends and colleagues. Now, onto the business of the Foundation. We continue to operate during this unfortunate economic and health crisis. We are still positioned to honor the grants awarded to agency recipients selected for funding since the monies so designated were removed from our investment portfolio at the beginning of the year and placed into a cash account to protect those sums. At this point, we have been notified by some of our grant recipient agencies that they have temporarily shut

continued health threat is a gamble that may or may not result in more sickness and death. How well SLO County contains the virus, and how prepared our medical facilities are to deal with a potential influx in cases, will determine the local path forward. Personally, I look forward to once again going to the movies, out to dinner, swimming and working out at the Avila Bay Club, and being able to shop and socialize without the requisite 6-foot spacing and the wearing of masks that remind me of Zorro and the Lone Ranger.

down operations, or in other cases, projects or programs funded by the Foundation are currently on hold. We are in the process of collecting information about the status of all of our grantees to learn of their plans and needs moving forward, so the Foundation can consider reassigning the designated grants for other purposes to help our agency partners resume services when appropriate. Stay tuned. That’s it for now, fellow Avilones. I hope to see you at the beach sometime soon!

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4 | Avila Beach Life - June 2020 A VIEW FROM THE BEACH

Socially Distant, Yet Closer Than Ever

Mary Foppiano Avila Beach Civic Association

i All – As we are facing our third month of pandemic restrictions and moving through Governor Newsom’s four phases to open our economy, I must applaud our community for adhering to the restrictions. Not being able to embrace our family and friends or enjoy their company in person has been difficult at times since we are mostly social beings. I must admit that I am very disappointed with how this is all playing out since I am not going to be able to visit my son Chris and his family in Michigan or spend time with my elderly in-laws in San Luis Obispo. That being said, I am very grateful for all the beauty of Avila Beach and the opportunities to walk to the beach every day on the Bob Jones Trail or around my neighborhood with my boys Buddy and Bugz. I have seen more of my neighbors over the past few months

than I have since I moved here over six years ago. People are being creative in the ways that they are visiting. I have heard of block parties in neighbors’ driveways or the park or at the beach or any other place that allows for social distancing. There are so many wonderful things about our community, and the kindness and generosity of our friends and neighbors. People who do not even know each other are reaching out to help one another. In addition to bringing food and medicine and books to read, people are helping total strangers by donating blood and money to the Food Bank and just talking to those who cannot go out because of health issues. Loneliness and depression have become more prevalent due to the isolation, and we can help each other with a simple phone call just to say, “hi…how, are you doing today?” Over the past few months, I have been able to clean out closets and the tool shed and storage room and organize my home office. These are things that I never seemed to have time to do prior to the shelter-in-place restriction. I am not saying that this has been fun, but at least I have been productive and can now find things that I did not even know I had. Goodwill still needs items to share with others, so this can help. So many people have been furloughed or laid off from their jobs, and unemployment does not necessarily allow them to pay their rents or mortgages or buy food to feed their families. So many businesses are closing permanently, and finding jobs is challenging even in good times. Times will be getting better as our infection numbers lessen this summer. A sign of the times is the excitement over the opening of the Sunset Drive-In Theatre or being able to shop by curbside pick-up, something that those of

us who enjoy shopping see as a first step back to normalcy…a very small step I might add. The future is hard to predict, but I hope that all of you are taking care of yourselves and each other. See you all soon as we enjoy our beautiful Avila Beach! POST OFFICE REQUEST – Postmaster Cindy Baker-Kobliska has requested that we all add our post office box numbers to any mail that we receive. This can be done when we are required to give our street address only by adding a suite number such as “191 San Miguel Street # 154, Avila Beach, CA 93424.” By doing this, we will save our Post Office staff time from looking up each post office box number when only a street address appears on our mail. Thank you for your assistance.

GARDEN PARTY BINGO – Because so many people enjoy playing Bingo, we hope to host a fun event for our community whenever shelter-in-place and other pandemic restrictions are lifted. We are considering hosting our fundraiser in our Community Center Healing Garden with appropriate social distancing and everyone wearing masks. We will announce the date and time when we have more details. Tickets will be $5/person, which includes your first disposable Bingo card (or 3 cards if you are a member). Wine will be available for $5/glass, and beer will be $3/bottle, and we will play at least 15 games. For more information regarding purchasing tickets when available or getting involved with this event, please contact me at 805-627-1997 or avilabeachcc@gmail.com.

operate the Community Center. We are fortunate that one of our members has offered to match new funds raised through this program. If you are interested, please call me at 805-6271997. Thank you for your support. HEALING GARDEN COMMEMORATIVE ENGRAVED PAVER PROGRAM – The Civic Association continues to accept orders for engraved bricks through our Commemorative Engraved Paver Program. We have installed 145 bricks that honor and remember many members of our community currently living in or visiting the greater Avila Beach area as well as loved ones who have left us. If you are interested in purchasing a brick, please contact me. AVI LA BEACH COMMUNI T Y CENTER RENTALS - The Avila Beach Community Center is available for rental for your parties and other special events. We have a large Multi-Purpose Room that can accommodate meetings, reunions, wedding receptions, or any gathering. In addition, our Healing Garden, with its plants and the arbor, makes a beautiful backdrop for your wedding or special occasion when you rent the Community Center. Non-profit organizations, who are members, receive 10% off our rental rate. For more information, availability, and rates, please contact me.

GET INVOLVED - The Avila Beach Civic Association is always in need of people who want to become involved. As you have read above, we have a variety of opportunities. If you have a few hours to spare ASK CAMPAIGN – The ASK Campaign is and would like to work in our garden, on our a major method for raising funds to enable the website, in our office, or at our events, please Avila Beach Civic Association to maintain and contact me.

PET OF THE MONTH

Vixen and Diesel

ixen and Diesel celebrated their 1st anniversary on April 19. They both have had health challenges over the past few years but are doing well together. Diesel was diagnosed with lymphoma, and we were told he would not survive through the end of the year…and he is still going strong in year two! Vixen was hit by a car several years ago and lost her leg…but she is strong and still fast as ever. They both love running on the beach, sleeping on the couch, and eating pup patties. They also love to play with Noah and Chevy, especially when they reward them with special treats! Guess this proves that the love of two little boys and Vixen and Diesel spending time together heals everything! Please send me your pictures and a short paragraph about your pet to avilabeachcc@gmail.com. Thanks, and introduce us to your furry friend next month!

PUBLISHERS

Hayley & Nicholas Mattson avila@13starsmedia.com

LAYOUT DESIGN EDITOR Mike Michaud mike@13starsmedia.com

Administrator

CONTRIBUTORS Betty Hartig John Salisbury Kathy Mastako Mary Foppiano Rick Cohen

Advertising Sales Dana McGraw dana@13starsmedia.com avila beach life is published monthly. all rights reserved, material may not be reprinted without written consent from the publisher. avila beach life made every effort to maintain the accuracy of information presented in this publication, but assumes no responsibility for errors, changes or omissions. avila beach life is a product of 13 stars media.

Dog Zoom Party

Cami Martin office@13starsmedia.com

COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT

Buddy, Bugz, and party girl Lexi would like to share their Puppy Zoom Party with everyone!

Avila Beach Life - June 2020 | 5 POINT SAN LUIS LIGHT STATION

Looking Back at the Avila and Port Schoolhouses... The Early Days “And the taxpayers in general from whose pockets the coin must come during the next six years to pay the outstanding bonds of $1,200… may they also rejoice and be glad in the knowledge that their treasure is invested in a kind of endowment fund for shaping and building the characters of the children of this present day and those fit to be born in this village by the sea.”

Kathy Mastako For Avila Beach Life

hen I was a child, I always looked forward to June. The beginning of summer meant it was time for school to be over and vacation to begin. Of course, that isn’t the case this year since the natural rhythm of the school year, and summer term has been upended by lockdowns, quarantines, and home instruction. The importance of children attending school has been on my mind recently. Just

Marshall and Joseph Noble, the district trustees, “for their efforts to provide the district with a suitable building, and also to the taxpayers of the district for their enterprise in voting the bond issue to provide the funds.” Once again, much fanfare accompanied the new building’s dedication. Speeches were given, including one by the county superintendent of schools Walter Wight, followed by music and dancing. Bessie Smith and Fran“ Your building stands perfect in form and ces Govan were hired as teachers. The two commanding in view. Sitting on this gentle became great friends. slope that rises into higher hills whose summits are bathed in the soft rays of the rising sun and with the waves and tides of San Luis bay that fret and break on rock and sand that lie in shimmering light below…a spot where one may listen to the eternal ocean and gaze upon the everlasting hills.” Perhaps it wasn’t quite the perfection Graves made it out to be. A teacher there described the building as cramped and BESSIE inadequate in a letter she wrote some years Bessie was the daughter of William J. later requesting a transfer. Smith, head keeper at the Point San Luis lighthouse at the time. She moved to the lighthouse from Point Arena in 1905, graduated from San Luis High in 1908, and obtained her teaching credential from the State Normal School in San Jose in 1912. Bessie taught at Avila for a couple of years, until heart trouble caused her to stop teaching in 1915. She sought treatment at San Jose’s Garden City Sanitarium and was a patient there when she died a year later. Frances Govan went to San Jose with the lighthouse keeper to help with Bessie’s funeral arrangements.

Avila Schoolhouse circa 1913. Contributed photos

as it must have been for the citizens of Avila and Port San Luis when they petitioned for schools in early 1900. AVILA SCHOOL PETITION APPROVED In 1900, Manuel J. Simas, a Portuguese fisherman residing at Port Harford, successfully petitioned the county’s board of supervisors for a new school district, to be known as Avila. Its boundaries were the town of Avila and part of Rancho San Miguelito, including the Hotel Marre, the Pacific Coast Company’s wharf, the Point San Luis lighthouse, and all the islands and rocks in San Luis Bay. SCHOOLHOUSE COMPLETED In 1903, the Avila school was completed, with much fanfare, oratory, entertainment, and dancing at its dedication. Schoolteacher Thomas Graves made the dedicatory remarks, a florid speech the local paper reprinted verbatim. Some excerpts: “Ladies and Gentlemen…The pupils and patrons who have labored under great educational disadvantages during the past three and a half years appreciate this blessing that has arisen in their midst and are to be congratulated upon the realization of their long-cherished hope...” “Parents are glad that they bequeath a building dedicated to the development of the heart and mind of the boys and girls who may come within its doors, and pupils rejoice in the happy anticipation of receiving so substantial a proof of this filial love.”

ANOTHER SCHOOL DISTRICT DEMANDED By 1910, the residents of Port San Luis were petitioning the county’s board of supervisors for another school district, so the children at the port would not have to go to the Avila school. “Some of the pupils come from the lighthouse,” the local paper noted. “They have to sail across the water to the wharf at Port San Luis and then walk across the dangerous trestle on the Pacific Coast Railroad, a distance of two miles, to the Avila schoolhouse.” In 1911, thanks to the efforts of Antonio Silva (assistant lighthouse keeper at Point San Luis), John Marshall (the Pacific Coast Steamship Company’s agent at Port San Luis), and Link Dempsey (proprietor of the port’s Hotel Marre), an agreement was reached with the heirs of Luigi Marre. The Marre family owned the large ranch surrounding the lighthouse and offered to build a school and lease it to the district. The new schoolhouse, named the Port school, was 18 by 30 feet, built at a cost of around $1,000, located in the canyon behind the port. Silva’s daughter, Gertrude Silva, was one of the school’s first pupils. Helen, Spain was the school’s first teacher. NEW SCHOOLHOUSE ERECTED In 1913, the “cramped and inadequate” Avila schoolhouse was replaced. Taxpayers voted bonds in the amount of $4,000 to pay for the building and its furnishings. The new building was erected on the same lot as the old school. The local paper noted that much credit was due to Philip R. Moignard, Martin

FRANCES Frances taught at the Avila School until 1921 when she married Willis Lee Judkins. The marriage did not last. She soon returned to teaching and taught in Pismo Beach until she retired in 1959. Judkins Middle School is named in her honor. As learning institutions, the Avila and Port schoolhouses have long since passed into memories. As far as the author is aware, not even a footprint remains of the Port school. The Avila school, on its “gentle slope that rises into higher hills,” is vacant, dilapidated, surrounded by fencing, and choking with overgrown weeds.

6 | Avila Beach Life - June 2020 GETTING OUTDOORS

Hiking Safety Tips By BETTY HARTIG For Avila Beach Life

ne of the bonus features of living on the Central Coast is the abundance of scenic hiking trails. The oak filled rolling hills, pristine coastline, majestic morros, and wildlife create an exceptional outdoor environment. The mild climate allows hiking throughout the entire year. Locating trails for any skill level is not a problem. There are plenty of easy, moderate, and strenuous selections within San Luis Obispo County. A few months ago, County Park Ranger Manny Silva talked about hiking safety during a Bob Jones Trail presentation. A vast array of tips were provided. Hiking can be safe and fun, but it is always wise to be prepared. Carefully planning your outdoor adventure is essential to ensure an enjoyable trek. Whether you are an experienced or novice hiker, formulate a hiking plan. An important step to this is writing the itinerary. A plan

is valuable to do even when you are going on a short local hike. What do you include in your plan? Indicate your route. Make a note of when you will start your journey and projected return time. Where do you place this scheme? There are several options, such as leave it with a responsible friend, family member, or in your lodging site where it can be easily found. Are you wondering why to do this? It will help guide rescue personnel should you

encounter any unforeseen circumstances. Everyone thinks they will be fine, but surprises happen. You do not want to be stuck with a serious injury without anyone knowing your whereabouts. Cell phones are helpful; however, they can be lost in a fall, out of reach, coverage can be lacking, or heaven forbid you could be incapacitated. Creating a plan is vital even for short local hikes. Accidents occur, be prepared. Your family and friends will thank you for it. One of the most important things to take on your hike is water. Keeping well hydrated is key to a pleasurable hike. Ranger Manny pointed out; many people get into trouble due to dehydration. Take plenty of H2O with you, extra is better than not enough. Please remember to drink before you get thirsty. Often people wait too long to take in liquids, and that can cause a problem. What do you do if you run out of water or circumstances that have prolonged your excursion? Water can be gathered from a creek; however, it is important to take steps

to decontaminate water. There are a variety of processes available that will purify water. Research and investigate what options will be best for you, then prior to an extensive hike, be sure you pack along with those items. Did you know you can use the inside bag of a cereal box to carry water? A sturdy stick and strong cord, rope, or twine will do the trick. Securing the three items together will create a functional water pouch. Another safety measure is to hike with a buddy. Companionship can make an adventure more enjoyable, but it also provides a helping hand if necessary. A partner makes you less vulnerable. Two are less likely to be bothered by wildlife or a distraught individual. You may be familiar with these safety tips. Perhaps, you heard them while you were a young scout. But are you practicing what you learned? That is a particularly good question to ask yourself. Planning takes time, but it is well worth it for a safe and rewarding outdoor experience.

LOCAL NEWS

Kristin Smart Scholarships Awarded to 2020 Recipients By HAYLEY MATTSON of Avila Beach Life

onday, May 25, Memorial Day, marked the 24 year, that local Cal Poly student Kristin Smart has been

missing. Smart was 19-years old when she vanished, and despite the new developments, warrants served, and a viral podcast, we are still waiting in suspense to find out what will come of the newly found evidence. Before the coronavirus pandemic, the interest in her disappearance peaked to new heights, and amid the shelter-at home, the case continues to be on everyone’s mind. A “Cruise for Kristin” was formed on the anniversary to honor her memory. They drove through the Arroyo Grande’s Village, down Grand Avenue, through Pismo Beach on Highway 1, and ended at Smart’s memorial in Shell Beach. The group was decorated in purple, Smart’s favorite color, and local musicians played some of

Smart’s favorite songs that were requested from Denise Smart, Kristin’s mom. People shared their stories of hope and love while still taking into consideration social distancing. Chris Lambert, the creator and host of the viral podcast “Your Own Backyard,” has not yet released a follow up to his episode 7, The Iceberg, that was published on January 29. However, that one was packed full of new information. Following that podcast, several warrants were served to the various homes of the Flores family. Since then, we are all still waiting to see what the outcome of those will be. In 2017, after 21 years, the Smart family decided to turn this tragedy into something that would honor their beloved daughter’s memory. The Kristin Smart Scholarship was formed to help other young women pursue their dreams in architecture and international relations, which were both passions of Smarts. In addition to those the scholarships, it also focusses on young woman that are interested in perusing a degree in law enforcement and/or forensic science.

The Smart family stated on their website that they noticed that women are critically underrepresented in law enforcement. And according to the grant applicant description, “a woman’s perspective, insight, and intuition are said to help better keep the peace while building safer and more inclusive communities. Women in forensic science are often the key to bringing justice to

victims and holding perpetrators accountable for their actions. Our hope is that no other family will have to endure 24 years without answers or justice.” This year two out of the five recipients of the Kristin Smart Scholarship were from San Luis Obispo County, Lily Stewart, a senior at Arroyo Grande High School in Arroyo Grande, and Danna Martinez-Maravilla a senior at Morro Bay High School in Morro Bay. Both plan to pursue a degree in Criminology, to help bring justice to other families if ever a loved one was to go missing. As we walked through another anniversary of Smart’s disappearance and she is still missing, the hope shared by many is that this will be the year that the Sheriff ’s office can bring closure and justice for Kristin. Next year we should be honoring her memory after she has been brought home. To connect directly with the organization, or to read the full details about the scholarships, go to kristinsmart.org. You can find “Your Own Backyard” on your favorite podcast source.

SLO-ing the Spread and Reopening the County By NICHOLAS MATTSON of Avila Beach Life

s California awakens from its Covid shelter-slumber, guidance, statistics, and information ping-pongs around news outlets, social media circles, and business groups as people try to sort through details of what is open, how open, and how long. Daily updates continue to modify criteria and parameters at the national, state, and county levels. California’s Moving Targets — On Monday, May 25, Los Angeles County Board of Supervisor Janice Hahn announced via Twitter that California “retail stores statewide will now be able to reopen for in-store shopping under the same rules Target and Walmart have been able to operate under throughout this crisis.” A San Luis Obispo County task force spent hundreds of hours putting together the START Guide only to have it shut down by the State. Then in mid-May, the State rolled out Stage 2 criteria that cracked the door open on the local economy, to the chagrin of thousands of local residents who had been locked out of their careers and jobs for the past eight weeks. The State criteria locked SLO County into a nuanced debate over health numbers, with arbitrary limits holding the county to

restrictive limitations as local leaders delivered appeals to the State. Weekly, the State requirements relaxed to allow SLO County to self-certify with an attestation, which was approved last week. The clearance allowed SLO County to open up in-store restaurants and retail. California’s new change allows all counties to make independent decisions about in-store retail without attesting. The State also relaxed restrictions for places of worship over the weekend. The new guidelines allow for places of worship to host 25 percent of their capacity or a maximum of 100 persons. National Comparisons — Meanwhile, media outlets around the U.S. post headlines of a national death toll reaching 100,000. New York leads the states with more than 23,000 coronavirus-related deaths, followed by New Jersey with more than 11,000. Massachusetts, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Illinois combine for an additional 21,000 to account for more than 50 percent of all U.S. related deaths in just six states. California, the nation’s most populous state with 39 million residents, has a death toll of 3,708 as of Monday, May 25 — less than .01 percent of the population. The total runs about 7 percent of the state’s typical death rate, which is 4,567 per week. The realistic toll on lives will not be available until 2020 comes to an end.

SLO the Spread — San Luis Obispo County reported one coronavirus death total. The pandemic measured tragedy uniquely across the continent, nation, states, counties, and even cities. The health crisis emerged in communities. Each community felt individual impacts. As of Monday, SLO County reported 259 total confirmed cases since March, with 9,650 tests — a 2.68 percent positive test rate that reduces to less than one percent when looking only at the past 14 days. Of the 283,000 SLO County residents, .09 percent have tested positive. With the economy opening, many expect that number to rise, with national expert Dr. Anthony Fauci warning both of the danger of opening, and the danger of ongoing closure. What are the Odds? — By the numbers, the odds of running into a San Luis Obispo County resident who has tested positive for COVID-19 is much closer to zero than the positive test ratio. With a median span of 14 days of illness from COVID-19, according to health experts, the 39 positive tests over the past two weeks point to a potential community infection rate of .014, or one in 7,300 people, based purely on confirmed cases. The odds mentioned above of community spread are based only on confirmed cases, which does not account for unknown cases.

Sheltering is credited for the low spread, compared to Sweden, which imposed the lightest sheltering restrictions worldwide. A recent study released by Sweden’s Public Health Agency reported an antibody rate of 7.3 percent, which over the course of 11 weeks reduces to a median active rate of 1.3 percent over a 14-day period. Reopening with Care — Every region in the world faces an individualized circumstance based on population factors from age, general health, geographic criteria and cultural habits. SLO County has fared exceptionally compared to surrounding counties, and opening the economy and community opens the door to a resurgence of COVID-19 spread, as health experts warn. Coronavirus remains an invisible disease with a high rate of transmission, and health experts continue to encourage distancing, good personal hygiene, and general health practices. Meanwhile, local businesses, organizations, and institutions continue to open for service as a steady pace. Restaurants and retail, professional and personal care services, construction, and pet services are allowable to varying degrees. It is recommended that businesses are contacted before arriving for details and requirements specific to each establishment.

Avila Beach Life - June 2020 | 7 AVILA VALLEY GRAPEVINE

From a Farmer’s Point of View Food supply network turned upside down due to the pandemic

John Salisbury Contributor

he one thing I have been meaning to do for a while is to thank our new publishers, 13 Stars Media, for our special little beach town newspaper – Avila Beach Life. The crew’s names are in the front of the paper, and you should email them with your support, information, and ideas to make the paper even better. It really is a nice snazzy paper, and I am particularly impressed with the photos and layouts, especially for this column. This column was written for last month and my fault, I missed the new address to send in my contribution. I wasn’t going to pile on with more Coronavirus news because I figured you get enough of that every day. However, I have to look at this problem from a farmer’s point of view because the industry as a whole is getting clobbered. All across the country, farmers are discing up fields of perfectly ripe vegetables especially in states where farmers harvest in the winter – Florida (tomatoes, beans, and cabbage), and Arizona (lettuce crop in Yuma), dairies are dumping millions of gallons of milk 3.7 million gallons a day, and egg producers smashing millions of eggs a week because of no places to deliver. California growers normally would be getting their processor and packing contracts now to deliver fruits and vegetables for the fresh market and canning, harvest contracts for winegrapes (already difficult because of the huge surplus), and delivery to Farmer’s Markets all of which

pretty much on hold adding to anxieties of finding a home for their agricultural product most which are already in the ground. The virus problem has completely turned upside down the food supply network with the dropped sales to schools, restaurants, hospitality services like hotels and entertainment attractions, and grocers. Some of the products that can’t be sold are being donated to food banks and Meals on Wheels, but their problem is the lack of storage and refrigeration, especially for perishable produce. Supermarket demand can’t offset the large decline in the above industries. Farmers also can’t cut out the middleman and go direct to groceries or restaurants whenever they open, easily because of regulations for packaging, appropriate sizes, labeling, and access to USDA inspected packaging lines. One of the problems with dumping all this milk is that it can cause some serious problems because raw unpasteurized milk can result in fish kills because it could reduce the amount of oxygen in the water and also could contaminate surface and groundwater. The fishing industry is feeling the pain because of the demand here in the states from restaurants had tanked with loss sales up to 95%. Boats from all over the world are being kept at docks because of the virus travel restrictions on crews, supplies, and equipment plus few places to sell what they do catch. A silver lining is that the fish are given a reprieve for the time being and allowed to increase in populations after some species are being harvested at unsustainable levels - Blue Tuna down 97% from historic levels. If this mess lasts into late summer, many species of fish will go through a spawning cycle unmolested that could have some to flourish. This stoppage applies to mostly coastal fisheries; whereas the big boats many from Asia, that process on board are out far to sea and operating, but the patrols the monitor them have been reduced. The highly successful and anticipated local Rock Cod season was put on hold, and no boats going out at the Port because the launch was closed and the charter boats are docked. However, they are now back in business.

“Gentlemen, in the little moment that remains to us between the crisis and the catastrophe, we may as well drink a glass of Champagne.” – Paul Claudel

In the wine business, I am sure you have noticed that tasting rooms, for the most part, are closed. Many who have access to on-line sales are doing fairly good business plus curbside sales but no way close to what they would be making if the tasting rooms were open. Especially so with the tourist season normally in full swing about now, but obviously that is not happening. Add to that, Cal Poly and local schools shut down for at least six to nine months with no sports, school events, graduations, plus canceled weddings, birthdays, concerts, special events, etc. Not a good time those of us in business nor winegrape growers with or without contracts looking for wineries as buyers with a large surplus out there. The tanks are full, sales way down, prospects not

good, which can see more vines pulled out than what was already looking like a big cutback in acreage. Winegrape growers are working in the vines, spraying for Powdery Mildew, happily got through the freeze time without a problem, weed control, irrigating - basically a quiet time for much labor. They are going through the vineyards to shoot position vines, leaf pulling, and other cultural operations, hoping they are allowed in the field and also, more importantly, available, which is another uncertainly growers face. Good chance some of the steps in managing a vineyard might be omitted if crews are not in the vines. “Tis” a mess all the way around. I pray the virus does not pay a visit to you, your family, or friends.

8 | Avila Beach Life - June 2020

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