Morro Bay Life • April 2021

APRIL 2021 • MORROBAYLIFENEWS.COM

spring has

INSIDE THIS ISSUE:

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PUZZLE ARTIST TO IMMORTALIZE MORRO BAY

2 • April 2021 • Morro Bay Life

Making Communities Better Through Print™

Through Print

making communities better

Publishers

Hayley & Nicholas Mattson hayley@13starsmedia.com

ASSISTANT EDITOR Melissa Mattson

LAYOUT DESIGN EDITOR Mike Michaud

Community Writer Camille DeVaul

AD DESIGN

Jen Rodman

Ad Consultant Dana McGraw

Administrator

Cami Martin office@13starsmedia.com

CONTRIBUTORS Barbie Butz

Hannah Held James Brescia, Ed.D Neil Ferrell Sarah Santana Valentina Petrova Contact Us 805.466.2585

Visit our website! morrobaylifenews.com morro bay life is published monthly. all rights reserved , material may not be reprinted without written consent from the publisher . morro bay life made every effort to maintain the accuracy of information presented in this publication , but assumes no responsibility for errors , changes or omissions . morro bay life is a product of 13 stars media .

S

pring has sprung! And we are feeling good. Flowers are in bloom, the weather is warming, daylight hours are getting longer, and you can feel the healing begin.

The human spirit is resilient. We celebrate that resilience with you. Spring flowers are a wonderful reminder that the wildflowers were once seeds in the soil, buried out of sight, working on a dream.

It’s the same for those who realized their business, toiling for hours alone to craft their skills, talents, prototypes, and designs.

Our California state constitution declares, “All people are by nature free and independent and have inalienable rights. Among these are enjoying and defending life and liberty, acquiring, possessing, and protecting property, and pursuing and obtaining safety, happiness, and privacy.”

Everyone deserves the opportunity to create and serve their community through business. By this right is how we approach each issue we publish with joy and gratitude for all those who are a part of the journey.

Over the past decade, we have spent countless hours volunteering with nonprofits, cleaning up trash in our city’s, contributing to the public events where everyone is invited, and going the extra mile to make the community a better place. It is our home, just like it is yours.

With each issue, we strive to remind you that no matter what we all are going through, we live in one of the most beautiful places in the world, with beaches, mountains, hills, rivers, and trails all around that are free for all of us to enjoy. We may not know you personally, but we care about you and appreciate you. We hope that what we do brings you a sense of belonging because each issue is delivered as a labor of love to our community.

As we start to see, our communities begin to open up, our kiddos back in school and enjoying the sports that they all love so dear. Be sure to be kind and gentle with one another. We have all gone through this pandemic together, and we may not handle the situation in the same way.

Mental health is so important, and our differences should be recognized and celebrated because that is what makes our communities thrive and so unique.

We are hopeful that you will see the good in your community, and if you don’t see the good, then maybe the world is waiting for you. Be the good.

Be the kindness. Be the renewal of spirit spring brings us this year and take the first turn toward building a better community.

We thank you for your continued love and support and hope you enjoy this month’s issue of Morro Bay Life.

BLOOM Bloom where you are. Bloom despite the weeds and grow tall and beautiful anyways. Take in all of the light when the sun is shining and know that the rain is necessary when it’s not. Know that everything you need to bloom is right inside you – you already have the strength and capability to grow. Nourish your body and take care of your mind. Keep learning and growing. Let your true colors shine. Bloom. ~ Nikki Banas

Much love, N ic and Hayley

Introducing

2021 BEST OF MORRO BAY 2020 was a tough year! Help us celebrate those local businesses that have risen to the occasion and made our community great against the odds.

Introducing the First Annual 2021 Best of Morro Bay! We want to hear from you!

Support your favorite local business by voting for them in the Morro Bay Life Readers Poll. Bring some love to your favorite local businesses and attractions!

Vote today for the Best of Morro Bay! Voting opened March 15 and will conclude on April 30, 2021.

Scan the QR Code and go directly to the voting form.

Vote for your favorites now! Visit MORROBAYLIFENEWS.COM/READERSPOLL

Morro Bay Life • April 2021 • 3

Making Communities Better Through Print™

congratulations Putting a Spotlight on Businesses The Morro Bay Chamber of Commerce is putting a spotlight on local businesses who are working hard and adapting to the ever-changing environment. Spotlight Businesses are nominated and selected by fellow business owners in Morro Bay as a standout business with exceptional ownership.

If you know of a business or non-profit that deserves a spotlight, please send your nomination to our Ambassador’s Committee for review by emailing Lynsey Hansen at lynsey@morrochamber.org.

Business spotlights recognize Chamber member businesses that provide a consistent, positive customer experience, are actively engaged in the community and demonstrate resilience during challenging times. This month we’re highlighting four businesses that have proven to be good role models for how to keep employees and customers safe during the pandemic, and have gone to extraordinary measures to keep their doors open.

Please help us CONGRATULATE these businesses on their spotlight award by visiting their establishments, purchasing their products or services, and leaving good reviews online.

On Your Behalf Spring is officially here! We’re feeling a sense of renewal and hope as vaccination levels increase and businesses reopen in our county. We hope you’re encouraged by the progress our community has made over the past year. There truly is light at the end of the tunnel.

March was a busy month for the Chamber, as we continue advocating on behalf of businesses and promoting economic development in our community. We’ve been taking physical inventory of all commercial spaces available to establish a vacancy metric within the Downtown Waterfront Strategic Plan area. The goal is to leverage this information to help communicate availability to business owners looking to establish a business in Morro Bay. Empty storefronts lend themselves to vandalism and can bring down the revenues of the stores around them. We’re trying to help solve that.

Chamber CEO Erica Crawford represents Morro Bay within the REACH Practitioners Network, a group of public and private sector economic development professionals who meet monthly. Erica recently gave a presentation

to the group on infrastructure, modernization, and opportunities in Morro Bay, to spread the word on investment opportunities in our town. The outcome of that meeting is that the Practitioners Network Redevelopment Subcommittee is now seeking a Morro Bay project to prototype. More to follow as this opportunity develops!

Erica also met with Congressman Carbajal last month for an informal one-on-one coffee meeting to discuss several activities impacting businesses in Morro Bay today or in the future. They discussed the federal initiative to redefine San Luis Obipo region as a micropolitan statistical area (we don’t want this), the Morro Bay power plant development site, offshore wind, Coast Guard expansion activities, climate change and Harbor Walk development, transportation, and infrastructure earmarks, and federal small business assistance programs. These are important projects to keep top-of-mind with our representatives in Washington D.C. as they communicate our needs through legislation.

The Quintana Pipeline project, currently underway, will lay a four-inch conduit for future dark fiber, improving broadband connectivity in the future. Congress is looking at a close to two trillion-dollar infrastructure package in the next 4-6 weeks, including to be determined earmarks for projects in the 24th District. A future broadband project would help eliminate communication deserts and will provide essential infrastructure for our community’s growth.

We also learned about Eckerd Workforce Connects. Here are some key takeaways from our session with them that may benefit your business to know: • • • •

Once matched, Eckerd takes the hired employee onto their own payroll.

They pay employee wages up to 300 hours plus workers comp and insurance for that employee.

They have a 70-74% job placement success rate at 6 and 12 months.

They save time for employers by screening job seekers on their behalf.

They can also bring a job seeker referred to them directly by an employer into their program (so long as that person is not a relative).

To get set up with the program, contact Allison Schiavo: aschiavo@eckerd.org

4 • April 2021 • Morro Bay Life

Making Communities Better Through Print™

ART

Famous Puzzle Artist to Immortalize Morro Bay

By NEIL FARRELL for Morro Bay Life MORRO BAY — Morro Bay could be joining a long list of universities, National Parks, and cities the world over that have been “immortalized” by folk artist and jigsaw puzzle maker extraordinaire Eric Dowdle, who recently visited our sleepy little fishing village, hosted by the town’s oldest non-profit, beautification group.

Ann Reisner with Morro Bay Beautiful has been working on creating a Morro Bay-inspired folk art puzzle by the world-famous Dowdle that would initially be sold exclusively in Morro Bay at select outlets for a year and then marketed to the world.

Reisner told Morro Bay Life that she and her husband Ron have been working a couple of jigsaw puzzles a week for entertainment during the Coronavirus Pandemic. She has several of Dowdle’s collectible puzzles and started to formulate an idea to have one made of Morro Bay. The Dowdle Puzzle Co., she explained, specializes in puzzles of tourist destinations.

Places like Rome, Paris, and London, as well as Denver, Colo., Washington, D.C., Huntington Beach, Cabo San Lucas, Solvang, and countless others, have been produced.

Dowdle also produces custom puzzles of just about anything or anyone; just send him a photograph (see: dowdlefolkart.com). He also hosts a blog on Amazon discussing his work.

Reisner said at first they had trouble getting the company to pay any attention.

“At first, they wouldn’t call us back,” Reisner recalled. “We sent them pictures of what we thought represented Morro Bay and got no response. Then they called us.”

The original painting by Dowdle himself runs $40,000, she said, and then they need another $17,000 to get the puzzles made. She’s been going around town visiting businesses that might help sponsor the project and be included in the image, which could be described as a layered series of snapshots.

Indeed, Dowdle’s puzzles of other famous places are colorful and extremely detailed. It’s the sort of image that you see something different every time you look at it.

A bio on the Dowdle website describes his work: “His whimsical, patriotic art stirs nostalgic and cheerful emotions for what makes our vast world intimate and extraordinary. Rich rural landscapes of homes and farms, cityscapes featuring customs and foods, playful families and the traditions that keep them together are all common features in a Dowdle painting.”

They said Morro Bay had reached its Sesquicentennial Anniversary in 2019, something Reisner said she hadn’t known. (According to Wikipedia, Morro Bay was founded by Franklin

Ann Reisner with Morro Bay Beautiful has been working on creating a Morro Bay-inspired folk art puzzle by the world-famous Dowdle that would initially be sold exclusively in Morro Bay at select outlets for a year and then marketed to the world. Contributed photos

Riley in 1870 as a port for the export of dairy and ranch products.) So their initial interest in the puzzle was in celebration of that milestone.

Reisner said the company decided to do a Morro Bay puzzle whether they could commission the painting or not.

Morro Bay Beautiful is putting up the money for the artwork, and Reisner said they are amass-

ing the rest through business sponsors, a $5,000 allocation from the Tourism Business Improvement District or TBID, which promotes lodging businesses in town. She hopes the City will chip in as well.

Reisner said they hope to have the puzzles ready for sale sometime in July. The puzzles normally retail for $24.95, and they will be

available at several locations in town (to be announced later). Reisner said Morro Bay Beautiful would get a percentage of those first-run puzzles.

Morro Bay Beautiful will have exclusive rights to sell them for the first year, and then Dowdle will market them to the world.

“This is going to be big,” she said. They will be available in stores like Costco and everywhere Dowdle Puzzles are sold, including on the company’s website.

And readers should also be able to buy Giclee, canvas, and poster prints in different sizes of the Morro Bay artwork through the website’s fine art section.

Reisner said they planned to take Dowdle and his creative people on a grand tour when he cames to town in mid-April, including a harbor tour on the water with the Harbor Patrol. There he should see the rich marine life — sea lions and otters — Morro Bay is famous for, and that is sure to make the puzzle’s final image.

Reisner said when the painting and the puzzles are completed, they would hold a grand unveiling and again host the artist.

For more information, call Reisner at (805)772-8117.

NON-PROFIT

Community Foundation of Estero Bay Celebrates Month of the Young Child™

By HANNAH HELD CFEB President MORRO BAY — The Community Foundation of Estero Bay is pleased to announce our participation this year in a month-long celebration of the young child. The Month of the Young Child™ is an annual event sponsored by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), the world’s largest early childhood education association, with nearly 60,000 members and a network of 51 affiliates.

The purpose of The Month of the Young Child™ is to focus public attention on the needs of young children and their families and to recognize the early childhood programs and services that meet those needs.

This is a time to plan how we as citizens of a community, of a state, and of a nation will better meet the needs of all young children and their

families. It is a month to recognize that children’s opportunities are our responsibilities and to recommit ourselves to ensuring that each and every child experiences an environment at home, at child care, at school, and in the community that will promote their early learning.

As students in San Luis Obispo County head back to school, the Community Foundation of Estero Bay remains steadfast in supporting youth in the area. We stand poised to promote

participation in Recreation and Enrichment activities that enhance our young community members’ lives.

The Foundation joins many other organizations nationwide who celebrate youth during The Month of the Young Child™ throughout April. Even with different circumstances during the COVID-19 crisis, the Foundation continues to find creative ways to celebrate children and families!

We ask that you join us in wearing a purple ribbon during the month of April and show your support for all children.

Additionally, look for a virtual message from the Foundation promoted by the SLO Child Care Planning Council.

For more details and information about the Community Foundation of Estero Bay, visit communityfoundationesterobay.org or contact Hannah Held, CFEB President at hanwheld@gmail.com.

Morro Bay Life • April 2021 • 5

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6 • April 2021 • Morro Bay Life

Making Communities Better Through Print™

COMPETITION

FUNDRAISER

Tour of Paso Bike Ride Fundraiser Benefits Cancer Support Community Register for the 13th Annual Tour of Paso on Sunday, May 2, to raise funds for local cancer patients

Cal Poly Wins First at National Grocers Association Team of four Cal Poly agricultural business seniors won the NGA 2021 Student Case Study STAFF REPORT SAN LUIS OBISPO — A team of four Cal Poly agricultural business seniors won first place in the National Grocers Association (NGA) 2021 Student Case Study Competition for their presentation on how grocers can combat the significant economic issues caused by COVID-19 by staying competitive through their “local supply chains” against low-price operators.

The Cal Poly team included students Katherine “Scottie” Lester, Joshua Smith, Annika Bertelsen, and Amber Eckert.

Agribusiness Associate Professor Ricky Volpe advised the team.

The National Grocers Association (NGA) hosts the annual competition, which moved to a virtual platform this year. Each year, the NGA Foundation selects an independent retailer and a pressing industry issue to use as a subject for the competition.

The competing schools are all members of the Food Industry University Coalition, which has programs related directly to the food retail sector. After months of research, student teams present their findings to a panel of judges, the independent retailer featured as the competition’s subject, and NGA Show attendees.

Five schools, including Cal Poly, competed on Mar. 10, delivering presentations demonstrating how retailers with strong local supply chains were better equipped than their competitors in dealing with issues caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Cal Poly team prepared throughout the winter quarter. Advisor Volpe hosted an internal competition where five student teams enrolled in the senior project course Applied Business Problems prepared their solutions. The winning team advanced to represent Cal Poly at the NGA competition.

“The competition requires the combination of speaking ability, graphic presentation, data analysis, and industry outreach,” Volpe said. “I believe our team began the competition with some aptitude for each of these but grew significantly in all four dimensions as the quarter progressed. I also believe they learned much about collaboration and project management.”

Bertelsen, an agricultural business senior, said she learned a lot about the grocery industry by participating in the competition. “While everyone can come up with ideas on how the grocery industry could better serve consumers, it takes research and proof of concept to take these ideas to the next level,” she said. “My team went through trial and error of finding different solutions and then proving them to be infeasible until we landed on our unique solution of a subscription-based grocery box highlighting local items.”

The student teams offered solutions to real-world issues facing the grocery industry, preparing them for the challenges they will face working in the industry upon graduation.

“Despite the necessary move of the competition from an in-person venue to a virtual one, these students generated much excitement with their forward-thinking ideas for real-world scenarios,” said NGA Foundation Director Maggie White.

“We congratulate the Cal Poly team along with the other worthy contenders. Their performance is a testament to the great leadership potential coming up in our industry.”

The win was a team effort. “Any success starts with a solid team,” said team member Lester, who will work at Altman Plants in San Diego County upon graduation in June. “Individually and as a group, my team members are motivated hard workers, and because of those factors, we were able to secure a victory for Cal Poly.”

About NGA is the national trade association representing the retail and wholesale grocers that comprise the independent sector of the food distribution industry. The independent grocery sector is accountable for close to 1 percent of the nation’s overall economy and is responsible for generating $131 billion in sales, 944,000 jobs, $30 billion in wages, and $27 billion in taxes. NGA members include retail and wholesale grocers, state grocers’ associations, and manufacturers and service suppliers. For more information about NGA, visit nationalgrocers.org.

STAFF REPORT SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY — The Cancer Support Community – CA Central Coast (CSC-CCC) has rolled with the punches throughout the pandemic and are moving forward with plans to host their 13th Annual Tour of Paso.

On Sunday, May 2, riders of all skill levels, from beginners to advanced, have their choice of two routes – 26 and 50 miles – through the scenic Paso Robles wine country region, all starting and ending from the parking lot of the Omkar Building located at 1310 Las Tablas Road in Templeton.

Proceeds from the bike ride directly benefit local cancer patients, survivors, and their families from all over San Luis Obispo County. The programs at CSC-CCC, a non-profit organization, offers social and emotional support along with health and wellness programs free of charge to those affected by cancer.

“This is one of our major events of the year specifically geared towards raising money to help cancer patients and their families with the social and emotional impacts of a cancer diagnosis,” said CSC-CCC Development Director Candice Sanders. “The ride helps us continue our programming throughout the year and provide all of our services free of charge. ‘Community is Stronger than Cancer’ is one of our mottos, and all of the proceeds from this ride and all of our fundraising events stay in San Luis Obispo county in order to help locals in our community.”

Sanders continued, “We are looking forward to getting out there to ride this May, and extra precautions will be in place. There will be staggered start times, and Niner Wine Estates will be provid-

The 13th Annual Tour of Paso, taking place on Sunday, May 2, and benefiting Cancer Support Community. Start a team, fundraise and help locals impacted by cancer. Contributed photos

The 2021 Tour of Paso ride, benefiting Cancer Support Community, will take riders through the scenic Paso Robles wine country on their choice of a 26 or 50-mile ride. Contributed photos

ing a packed gourmet lunch to-go in an attempt to minimize group gatherings and ensure the safety of the riders, volunteers, and staff.”

In his seventh year as chairman of the Tour of Paso and CSC-CCC board member Mike Milby of Paso Bike Tours makes it easy for those that may not own a bike to participate in the Tour of Paso.

Milby offers free rentals for the first 20 riders requesting a bike, “this is my way of supporting Cancer Support Community and giving everyone a chance to participate,” Milby explained.

To reserve a bike, call (805)440-5085.

“We will be hosting two training rides this year, one on Sunday, Mar. 28, and another on Apr. 11 at The Backyard on Thirteenth (1300 Railroad Street, Paso Robles). Both training rides start at 9 a.m., and all are welcome to join in this 20-mile ride, or you can meet up with some friends at The Backyard and learn about the important programs Cancer Support Community offers,” Milby said.

To register for the ride, visit tourofpaso.org.

Registration is $75, and a minimum of $200 fundraising is required. The committee explains that you can ask 20 friends to donate $10 each once that goal has been met; riders are encouraged to raise more which qualifies them for various prizes donated by local businesses.

Those unable to ride take advantage of the opportunity to participate as a “virtual rider,” raise funds, and receive a Tour of Paso commemorative t-shirt and

lunch. Official event jerseys are available and great for riders and non-riders alike.

You can purchase them directly through Voler’s site at voler.com/custom/ordering/li/38025.

“It is not too late to sponsor this event or get a team together. Various levels will receive merchandise such as t-shirts and complimentary rider registration, as well as name recognition, logo placement, and more,” Sanders said.

Some of this year’s sponsors include Niner Wine Estates, The Beckett Family, Caliza Winery, Booker Wines, Power & Communications Engineering, Boo Boo Records, Zenaida Cellars, Dr. David Lacey, and J Dusi Wines.

Several local businesses and sponsors have also formed teams, including Paso Bike Tours, Peachy Canyon Winery, Thom Schulz in honor of Laura Coats, and the defending champions, Team SlabTown Rollers, out of Cambria.

“A fun challenge has been issued to all SLO County businesses and cyclists to form teams in a cooperative effort to help raise funds for this great cause,” Milby said.

If you would like to explore sponsorship opportunities, volunteer or get more involved with Cancer Support Community – CA Central Coast, please contact them at events@cscslo.org or call (805)238-4411.

For additional information about Cancer Support Community – CA Central Coast or the 2021 Tour of Paso, please visit cscslo.org or tourofpaso.org.

COLLABORATION

Local Service Organizations Deliver Groceries to Homebound Seniors SLO Food Bank, Wilshire Community Services and Ride-On Transportation join resources STAFF REPORT SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY — A Feeding America grant is making it possible for three local social service organizations to work together to deliver free, weekly groceries to SLO County’s most isolated community members.

The SLO Food Bank, Wilshire Community Services, and Ride-On Transportation will collaborate to meet the challenging needs of seniors who struggle to access food because of transportation and financial barriers. This program, which will expand routes countywide this year, will provide weekly grocery deliveries-including shelf-stable foods, fresh produce, and proteins--directly to the homes of low-in-

come, homebound seniors.

Income is one barrier, and another is access. These older adults are typically homebound and isolated, with few transportation options or support systems, especially with safety concerns regarding COVID19.

“Our goal is to decrease food insecurity while increasing nutrition and health for homebound seniors in our community. We are thrilled with this partnership, which utilizes the strengths of each agency to meet this community need,” says Andrea Keisler, Community Programs Director at the SLO Food Bank.

While the SLO Food Bank community is comprised of an extensive network of agency partners and direct distributions, most services require participants to visit a specific pantry, meal site, or food distribution to pick up food. This may be a barrier for those in the community who lack reli-

able access to transportation or who have mobility issues. The global pandemic and stay-athome orders have also reinforced the need for a delivery model for our most isolated community members.

Partnering the SLO Food Bank with Wilshire Community Services is a natural fit, as Wilshire currently has the infrastructure to serve older adults in San Luis Obispo County in-home, including services like counseling, transportation, mental health support, and friendly visits. Wilshire’s Jen Kaplan shares, “Throughout the COVID pandemic, we’ve gotten more calls from older adults that are struggling with food insecurity; this partnership is a great way to make sure seniors are getting their basic food and safety needs met.” While the SLO Food Bank operates over 60 neighborhood distributions across the County per month, a plan to add additional routes for home

delivery without extra staff or fleet assets became daunting.

For this reason, partnering with Ride-On Transportation for the logistical leg of this program is a smart choice.

Wilshire Community Services will provide intake and case management, SLO Food Bank will procure, store and pack groceries, and Ride-On Transportation will deliver groceries directly to homes on a weekly basis. By the end of the year, we anticipate that 300 households per week will benefit from this program.

To find out if you or someone you know qualifies for this program, please contact Jennifer Kaplan at Wilshire Community Services jkaplan@wilshirehcs.org or (805)547- 7025 ext.

2216.

To learn more about the SLO Food Bank throughout San Luis Obispo County, visit slofoodbank. org and for more information about Ride-On, visit ride-on.org or call (805)541-8747.

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Morro Bay Life • April 2021 • 7

8 • April 2021 • Morro Bay Life

Making Communities Better Through Print™

COMMUNITY

City Rec Department Looking to Rebuild

By NEIL FARRELL for Morro Bay Life MORRO BAY — The Coronavirus Pandemic response has hit most everyone hard, and perhaps one of the hardest hits has been absorbed by the Morro Bay Recreation Department.

A once robust organization offering youth and adult sports leagues, afterschool programs, a teen center, numerous other recreation classes, and activities all pretty much ground to a halt in March 2020 with the advent of the pandemic and the State’s stay-at-home orders and business closures.

Over 70 mostly part-time recreation employees were laid off, and the department’s small office staff was cut in half.

“As we begin to move out of the COVID19 restrictions,” reads a report by Recreation Services Manager Kirk Carmichael, “interest is growing, and demand is here for activity classes and use of City property. We have received numerous requests for facility, beach, and park use for weddings, parties, sports activities, and other special events.”

He said the City is not yet ready to reopen its indoor facilities — City offices, the Community Center, and Vet’s Hall — but requests to use outdoor facilities “are dealt with on a case-by-case basis.”

When the pandemic hit, most everyone in the Recreation Department was let go.

“Prior to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the City of Morro Bay Recreation Division was staffed with four full-time positions (Recreation Manager, Recreation Supervisor, Recreation Coordinator, and an Administrative Technician) and five regular part-time positions working within the office to support all programs (Kids Club/ Camp, youth and adult sports, special events, community classes, swimming pool activities, junior lifeguards and active adults). The City also hired temporary part-time employees to teach community classes, referee games, teach swim lessons, lifeguard the pool, maintain sports fields, staff building rental attendants for outside uses, and staff our popular summer junior lifeguard program.”

With the pandemic, “Recreation’s full-time staffing was reduced to two positions (Recreation Manager and Recreation Coordinator), and many of the regular part-time staff were let go.”

The City’s once robust rec program fell off a cliff. “Since April of 2020,” Carmichael reported, “due to these restrictions, the City has only been able to provide pool service (lessons, lap swim, and classes), Junior Guards, camps for kids and daycare service (Kids Club), and some outdoor Active Adult classes.

“Recreation could not field kids’ fall soccer, winter basketball, or spring futsal. Nor could the City host active adults’ activities and recreation/enrichment classes in the Community Center or Veteran’s Hall as we typically did in years past.”

The City’s support for special events — from Little League to Art-in-the-Park — also ended.

Carmichael said they’ve had a tough time of it. “It has been a challenging time, to say the least, for the City and Recreation. The limitations placed on the City by State and County COVID-19 restrictions and the financial impacts have made it hard to provide the services we know our community desires and our Recreation Team loves to provide.”

The Morro Bay Senior Center has been closed since last March too, but some of the senior exercise programs have continued in city parks.

“Senior exercise classes have found a way to continue and have been popular,” Carmichael said. “Stretching and Balance, Bocce Ball, Walking, Tai Chi, and Pickleball” have continued.

In other Rec Department news, Carmichael said they were pursuing another grant from the State to try and replace the condemned public restrooms at Coleman Park.

They hope to offer adult softball for over-50 in spring or summer; they are working with the City of SLO on a girl’s softball season very soon.

They hope to get enough money from the City Administration to re-launch their youth basketball program for “winter 2021,” but they need to start looking for coaches, staff now to prepare for it.

One bright spot, the Junior Lifeguard

He’s going to ask the City Administration to start hiring staff.

“I need funding,” he said. The City has been in a difficult financial position due to the pandemic, and he must put in a request for funding. But with the passage of the sales tax increase in November (increased to 1.5 percent), which starts in April, plus nearly $2 million coming with the recent passage of the federal COVID relief bill, he’s optimistic.

“I think we’ll be more comfortable with the budget with the tax increase and the federal monies.” The increased sales taxes were estimated to bring in $2 million a year in a normal economy.

He was able to bring in $4,600 recently, when Ford did a 2-day commercial filming in town, paying fees for the use of the Pit parking lot, the Rock parking lot, and Coleman Beach, where they drove trucks on the sand.

It was quite a production; as Carmichael said, they brought in some 35 vehicles, with about 50 crewmembers and even catering.

There’s another film permit request that he’s working on now, he said. “It’s those things that will help the City’s coffers. I move those things to the top of my stack of work.”

They are also planning to bring back City special events such as the Downtown Halloween Trick-or-Treat, the Holiday Tree Lighting, and Breakfast with Santa.

Of course, all this could be moot if the virus returns and the State locks down once again.

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Program, will be offered again starting in mid-June. “We are in the process of selecting and certifying our summer staff as well as ordering much-needed equipment for the program,” he said of one of the few programs that wasn’t ended by the pandemic.

They canceled the Annual Brian Waterbury Memorial Rock to Pier Fun Run again this year. But they restarted their Kids Club afterschool program at Del Mar Elementary.

The Kids’ Club started up again on Mar. 3, occupying three classrooms at Del Mar and caring for children from 60 families. It’s funded by the school district through Jul. 1.

The Teen Center and skate park, located in front of the high school, was closed last March, and there are no plans to reopen it at this time. Carmichael said they’ve decided to wait until the County is in the Governor’s “Yellow Tier” of the “Blueprint for a Safer Economy” to reopen the City’s facilities.

Indoor sports will have to wait too.

Yes, the pandemic all but killed the City’s recreation programs, and the road back is tricky, too. Carmichael said he’s having trouble finding employees. “A lot of people have moved on to other things,” he told Morro Bay Life.

He’s going to need people to coordinate the various leagues, a part-time jobs that needs to get started soon to be ready for a fall youth sports season. He’s hoping for a fall return of youth soccer.

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Morro Bay Life • April 2021 • 9

Making Communities Better Through Print™

BUSINESS & FINANCE

Financial Literacy is a Gift That Lasts a Lifetime

F SARAH SANTANA COLUMNIST

inancial tradeoffs, interest rates, and the importance of having an emergency fund: Our current economic circumstances are full of teachable moments we can and should share with our children. After all, they’re probably not learning these topics in school. Only 1 in 6 students will be required to take a personal finance course before earning a high school diploma, according to nonprofit Next Gen Personal Finance.

That’s why we’re equipping you with money tips and topics to discuss with the children in your life, plus independent study materials (ahem, videos and games) that will hold kids’ attention while teaching them money management. Keep reading to get to the head of the class.

Sarah Santana is an independent columnist for Morro Bay Life. She is the president of Santana Wealth Management and you can contact her at sarah.santana@raymondjames.com.

BEING IN CHARGE OF THE BUDGET Are your children constantly asking you for money?

One Florida father found a way to nip that in the bud: He had his teen and preteen sign a contract stating what expenses he would pay for, then gave them a set amount of money to spend each month for clothing, cellphone bill, and extras. “My son’s hard lesson came when his friend pushed him into a pool along with his cellphone. … He learned why it’s important to build a reserve for unexpected expenses,” the father said. Giving your kids a paycheck allows them the chance to make financial decisions – and experience the consequences firsthand.

THE ECONOMICS OF HIGHER ED We’ve all asked a kid, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” Instead, ask what their interests are and help them explore how they might be applied in a future career. This teaches them adaptability, something of value in a changing economic landscape.

As they get closer to making a decision about whether to attend college or trade school, help them think through the costs and benefits. Junior Achievement’s Access Your Future app can help them crunch the numbers. And if you have a child already attending college, know that timing is everything. Yale researchers have found that graduating from college in a bad economy has a lasting negative impact on wages – and many students are considering gap years and grad school because of this.

THE ROOTS OF RETIREMENT Raise your hand if you want to raise a child who will hit the ground running when it comes to saving for retirement.

Personal finance experts say we should let our children know that retirement is the biggest expense they’ll ever save for, and it’s important to start early. To help them understand the value of compounding, help them open a savings account (or guardian-type brokerage account) where they can experience the power of this phenomenon for themselves.

EXTRA CREDIT KNOWLEDGE When you’re young and don’t have much money, it’s easy to rely too much on credit and jeopardize your financial future. Help your child understand the importance of a good credit score, and explain how you keep yours up. Share stories about how you financed your first car or house, and explain in concrete terms how the interest rate affected the overall purchase price. Finally, consider adding your teen as an authorized user on your credit card and teaching them how to read a statement and pay the balance in full each month.

In giving your child the gift of financial literacy, you’re helping set them up for a brighter future. Through a purposeful approach, we can all do our part to raise the next generation of resourceful citizens.

HOMESCHOOL RESOURCES For teens: • Search ngpf.org/arcade for web-based games like “Money Magic,” “Payback,” “Stax” and “Credit Clash” For younger kids: • Schoolhouse Rock! vintage videos like “Budget” and “Dollars and Sense” • Cha-chingusa.org offers Money Smart Kids videos like “Do it Passionately” and “Saving for Success” NEXT STEPS Have family or friends share stories of how they thrived during a recession or found creative ways to stretch a budget.

Consider helping your child get started with investing; keeping in mind their investments will change calculations for college aid.

Introduce your family members – even the younger ones – to your advisor, who can act as a teacher’s aide for financial literacy.

A reverse mortgage loan could help you visit the kids. A lot.

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Borrowers must maintain property as primary residence and remain current on property taxes, homeowners insurance and any fees such as homeowner association dues as applicable.

10 • April 2021 • Morro Bay Life

Making Communities Better Through Print™

COVID-19 UPDATE

SLO County Takes ‘Positive Step’ in Reopening State passes an incitive package to accelerate the safe return to in-person instruction

By HAYLEY MATTSON of Morro Bay Life SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY — In March, San Luis Obispo County moved from the Purple Tier to the Red Tier of the state’s “Blueprint for a Safer Economy.” With hopes to move to the Orange Tier in the next few weeks.

The State’s Blueprint allows for counties in the Red Tier to reopen a degree of indoor operations and resume certain activities. To reopen local businesses, they must follow all State guidance for their industry and self-certify that they are ready to reopen safely.

“This is a positive step in the right direction for our community, and I’m happy that we’re able to reopen more parts of our community,” Dr. Penny Borenstein, San Luis Obispo County Health Officer, explained in a released statement. “But we cannot take this gift for granted.

We must remain vigilant as we move forward so that we do not undo this good work.”

This news comes almost a year after the nation declared a State of Emergency on Mar. 13, 2020, which enabled FEMA to operate as a vehicle to deliver virus response funds to state and local governments.

Governor Gavin Newsom signed an executive order on Mar. 4, 2020, proclaiming a State of Emergency to exist in California as a result of the threat of COVID-19, where he stated that in a short period of time, COVID-19 had rapidly spread throughout California, necessitating updated and more stringent guidance from federal, state, and local public health officials.

Newsom explained that the preservation of public health and safety throughout the entire State of California would be necessary for all Californians to heed the State public health directives from the Department of Public Health and help “flatten the curve” by sheltering-in-place for 15 days.

As time shows that 15 days changed the world as we knew it forever.

After a long summer, Governor Newsom unveiled the “Blueprint for a Safer Economy” in August 2020. This was a statewide, stringent, and slow plan for living with COVID-19.

According to the documents, the plan-imposed risk-based criteria on tightening and loosening COVID-19 allowable activities and

expanded the length of time between changes to assess how any movement affected the disease’s trajectory.

This plan introduced the four colored tiers – Purple (Widespread), Red (Substantial), Orange (Moderate), and Yellow (Minimal) – based on how prevalent COVID-19 is in each county and the extent of community spread.

That color would indicate how sectors can operate.

The plan also included an “emergency brake” where the state could intervene more immediately for concerning factors like hospitalizations.

It also emphasized that no matter what restrictions the state put in place, COVID-19 would get the upper hand if Californians did not adapt their behaviors for the duration of the pandemic, however long that would be.

Once the state announced the change in tier status on Mar. 3, almost a year after the pandemic began, it meant that many businesses could resume modified indoor operations and activities. Some of those businesses included restaurant dining, movie theaters, and museums, all deeply impacted financially by the pandemic.

During this time, the state and county were steadily administering the allotted COVID-19 vaccinations at the dedicated clinics. On Mar. 8, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) issued the first set of guidelines on how fully vaccinated people can visit safely with others; the county shortly after followed suit.

“While we are excited to offer this new guidance to the community, we urge all SLO County residents, including those who are fully vaccinated, to continue taking health precautions in public,” said Dr. Penny Borenstein, County Health Officer. “Please continue to wear a mask

in public, get tested if you’ve been exposed, and avoid large gatherings.”

The news came directly after SLO County announced that it had received its first allocation of the Johnson and Johnson single-dose COVID-19 vaccine, which received its Emergency Use Authorization (EAU) from the Food and Drug Administration.

The single-dose COVID-19 vaccine was developed by the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson and Johnson. It is the third COVID-19 vaccine available in the United States and has been through rigorous testing over the last year as a result of “Operation Warp Speed.”

“Operation Warp Speed” was created as a response to Former President Donald Trump’s call last year to develop 300 million doses of the SARS-CoV-2 vaccine by January 2021.

According to reports, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and AstraZeneca collaborated to make available at least 300 million doses of a coronavirus vaccine by last October.

“The COVID-19 vaccine by Johnson and Johnson is very effective at preventing severe disease, hospitalization, and death from COVID-19,” said Dr. Penny Borenstein, County Health Officer. “Adding a third safe and effective vaccine to our arsenal will be instrumental in the fight against COVID-19. This is great news for our community.”

Following this, Governor Newsom announced that since the state began dedicating 10 percent of vaccine supply for education workers on Mar. 1, over 200,000 education workers have been vaccinated, far exceeding the state’s goal of 75,000 vaccines per week.

“This is welcome news for teachers, students, and parents as more and more schools reopen safely across the state,” said Governor Newsom.

“We will continue working with our local partners to accelerate this effort in communities across the state so that all school staff have access to a vaccine within weeks.”

The week prior, on Feb. 24, all organized youth and adult sports with modifications were allowed to resume in San Luis Obispo County with some modifications based on guidance from the California Public Health Department.

“Youth sports are important to our children’s physical and mental health, and our public health approach has worked to balance those benefits against COVID-19 risks,” said Aragón.

“With case rates and hospitalizations declining across California, we are allowing outdoor competition to resume, with modifications and steps to reduce risk, in counties where case rates are lower.”

Then a week later, on Mar. 4, the California group “Let Them Play CA,” who fought to bring back high school and youth sports, announced a settlement agreement with the State of California that would allow for the return of all sports in the state with specific guidelines.

“We have reached a settlement with the State of California on our lawsuit,” Scripps Ranch High School coach Marlon Gardinera said in the press conference. “The terms of the temporary restraining order here in San Diego allowing all student-athletes to return to play both indoor and outdoor will now go into effect statewide. All high school sports can begin in California.”

On Mar. 6, Newsom signed a $6.6 billion package to accelerate the safe return to in-person instruction across California and empower schools to immediately expand academic mental health and social-emotional supports, including over the summer.

Immediately following, each school district in San Luis Obispo County released a plan of action to get kids back in school at all ages.

Most High Schoolers were able to finally return to campus for the first time since March 2020 and are following a hybrid model, which means a portion of time on campus and virtual for the time being.

Even though the community is still in the midst of navigating its way through the pandemic and an average day at work or school looks very different for everyone right now, it is definitely a step in a positive direction one year later.

VACCINATION

Hundreds of SLO County Agriculture Workers Receive COVID-19 Vaccine Special half-day clinic in Arroyo Grande vaccinates 600 in partnership with Farm Worker Outreach Task Force STAFF REPORT SAN LUIS OBISPO — The County of San Luis Obispo Public Health reported that more than 600 County agriculture workers received COVID-19 vaccinations at a special half-day clinic in Arroyo Grande on Friday, Mar. 19.

The event was hosted in collaboration with partners in the SLO County Farm Worker Outreach Task Force and the first of several planned at the County’s vaccination clinics in Paso Robles and Arroyo Grande.

“I am thrilled that together we can provide vaccines to so many of our local agriculture workers,” said Dr. Penny Borenstein, County Health Officer.

“Events like this are key to ensuring equitable and efficient access to vaccines,

and I am grateful to the partners working tirelessly with us to ensure farmworkers get the critical protection this vaccine provides.”

According to reports, agriculture workers and their families across California have faced increased risk from COVID-19. This clinic for agricultural employers, farm labor contractors, and community partners has helped register workers in groups. Multilingual volunteers from the Promotores Collaborative, Herencia Indígena, and Dignity Health provided on-site interpretation and health education.

“It’s so important for our farm workers, especially in our Latino and Indigenous communities who have been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19, to get updated health information and services like the vaccine from trusted messengers in an environment that is welcoming and safe,” said Erica Ruvalcaba-Heredia, Director of the Promotores Collaborative of San Luis Obispo County.

Prior to the event, SLO County reports that health educators visited work sites to share COVID-19 vaccine infor-

mation. According to the County, the goal is to build on the ongoing work of SLO County’s Farm Worker Outreach Task Force, which is convened by the County in collaboration with agriculture and health care partners.

Workers in the food and agriculture sector can also get the vaccine at the County’s regular vaccine clinics or from community providers like pharmacies.

“This is a proud day for our Farm Bureau and agriculture community. I don’t think we’ve ever been a part of something more important than getting this vaccine to our essential agricultural workers,” said Brent Burchett, Executive Director of the San Luis Obispo County Farm Bureau. “We never stopped farming during this pandemic. So many times over this past year, we’ve heard ‘thank you, farmworkers,’ but today, I think we truly showed our gratitude for their work.”

For information on COVID-19 vaccine in SLO County, visit RecoverSLO.org/ vaccine or call the County’s phone assistance center at (805)543-2444, seven days San Luis Obispo County Public Health vaccinated more than 600 County agriculture workers at a special half-day clinic in Arroyo Grande on a week from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Mar. 1. Contributed photos

Morro Bay Life • April 2021 • 11

Making Communities Better Through Print™

PUBLIC SERVICE

ENTERTAINMENT

Morro Bay Fire Chief Knuckles Announces Retirement City Initiates Recruitment For a New Fire Chief STAFF REPORT MORRO BAY — The Morro Bay City Council approved a temporary contract with Fire Chief Steve Knuckles to remain with the City as Fire Chief until Jul. 31.

This will allow the City to conduct a full recruitment for his successor while maintaining continuity of leadership of the Fire Department under Chief Knuckles stewardship through the recruitment process.

Chief Knuckles has served the City of Morro Bay for 22 years, beginning as a Fire Captain Paramedic in 1999.

He was promoted to Fire Chief in 2012, where he has led the department through multiple emergency incidents, increasing our community’s response capabilities, emergency plan development, and most recently orchestrates the City’s emergency response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Chief Knuckles continues his community service through the Rotary Club of Morro Bay, Alisa Ann Ruch Burn Foundation, and as a coach at a local high school.

Prior to coming to Morro Bay, Chief Knuckles started his fire career in 1982 as a Reserve Firefighter for the City of Atascadero, promoting to a Fire Engineer Paramedic in 1993.

“Chief Knuckles has dedicated his life to the fire service and serving the community, and leading the Morro Bay Fire Department,” said City Manager Scott Collins. “Steve is an exemplary

Morro Bay’s Iconic Bay Theater Back in Business STAFF REPORT public servant, and we greatly appreciate all he has done to transform the department, serve the community and lead the City through this challenging pandemic. We are excited for him as he prepares for the next stage of his career.

I am grateful that he will continue to lead the department as we conduct the recruitment to fill the very big leadership shoes he will leave behind.”

“This has been a difficult decision for myself and my family. I have been very blessed to work with a high-performing group of men and women in the Fire Department that really want to make a difference in their community. My collaboration with the entire

City staff has shown me the incredible professionalism and pride our City staff performs every day. This Fire Chief assignment has made me a better person,” Chief Knuckles stated.

The City initiated the recruitment for the new Fire Chief earlier this week. The City will engage outside support to facilitate the recruitment process and include the community, Fire professionals from the area, and the Fire Department staff in the process to ensure a good fit in the next Chief.

For more information about this position or the City of Morro Bay, visit morrobayca.gov.

MORRO BAY — The Bay Theatre in Morro Bay is back in business after a challenging year of closures due to COVID-19 restrictions.

As we reported back in January, Mary Lou Jannopoulos has owned the Bay Theater for the past 25 years. Her late-husband Jim originally bought the Bay in 1973 from Ruth and Ted Morris.

Jannopoulos said at the time she was heartbroken over the decision to sell and said she held out as long as she could during the pandemic closures that started last March and brought her business to a screeching halt.

So with the pandemic, the film industry changes, and increased employee costs, the Jannopoulos Family said they were ready to move on.

The Bay Theater is listed at $1.5 million; reports say that there is an interested buyer; however, Jannopoulos initially said it would only be sold if it would remain a theater.

For now, due to the move into the Red Tier, under the California Blueprint for a Safer Economy, the Theater is open and ready for the community to come and watch some of their favorite films.

To hours of operations and movie times, visit morrobaymovie.com.

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12 • April 2021 • Morro Bay Life

Making Communities Better Through Print™

DOCUMENTARY

Brittany App Debuts Her First Film:

‘Where There Once Was Water’

By CAMILLE DEVAUL of Morro Bay Life

L

Local photographer Brittany App debuted her first film, “Where There Once Was Water,” at the San Luis Obispo Film Festival.

App directed and produced the film, which took five years to complete. Photos by Brittany App

ocal photographer Brittany App debuted her first film, “Where There Once Was Water,” on the San Luis Obispo Film Festival’s final day, Mar. 14.

App directed and produced the film, which took five years to complete.

“The day that kicked it off, I was sitting on my porch, and I looked across the street, and my neighbor was power washing his boat in his driveway, and it just made me crazy. And so I thought I need to do something as a creative person to bring a bit more attention to the issue because some of us are just not understanding what drought means,” said App. App calls herself an accidental water advocate. After traveling the world in 2008 and seeing the lack of access to clean water, App knew she had a calling to help the water crisis.

In 2010, App raised money for WaterAid, an international non-profit providing access to clean water and sanitation globally, by bicycling across the United States, raising $15,000.

Initially, App set out to document the effects of the drought throughout the state with photos. App realized there was so much more to the topic than she could cover with just photos, so she decided to create a film.

In 2014, App raised funds for her film by placing the campaign on a Kickstarter page. The film has been funded entirely by donations. App reports she hasn’t made a penny from the film since its start.

App traveled around California and the Southwest, some of the driest places in the country. As a result, App has become active in the non-profit DigDeep, an organization working to bring running water to Navajo Nation families.

Over 1.7 million people in the United States are still living without access to clean running water.

In the film, App works with Indigenous communities, including Kandi White, native energy and climate campaign organizer.

App’s eye-opening film showed viewers the effects of drought, lack of water access, water pollution and then showed ways we can fight the crisis.

Jason Haas, a partner and general manager of Tablas Creek Winery, was featured in the film as an example of water-conscious practices.

From the Tablas Creek website, “We believe in the potential for regenerative agriculture to make a meaningful contribution to solving the world’s most pressing climate and resource challenges. To that end, we are proud to have become the United States’ first Regenerative Organic Certified™ vineyard in 2020.”

Tablas Creek, located at 9339 Adelaida Road in Paso Robles, is a primarily dry-farmed vineyard and uses similar practices in the South of France.

According to Haas, grapes can be dry-farmed if they are set up to do so at an early age. At Tablas Creek, new vines are irrigated for about the first two years, and then they are dry-farmed.

From the Tablas Creek website, “We believe strongly in wines of terroir -- the French term best translated as “somewhereness” -- and choose our vineyard and winemaking practices to maximize our chances of expressing our terroir in our wines. Our goal is to produce wines with a true reflection of their varietal character, of the place where they were grown, and of the vintage that they came from.”

In addition to being water conscious, Tablas Creek

practices biodynamic farming.

“We began farming the vineyard Biodynamically in 2010 and have incorporated a mixed grazing herd of sheep, alpacas, and donkeys into the vineyard since 2012. Our other Biodynamic practices include our extensive composting program; interplanting fruit trees among the vines, leaving sections of native vegetation, and planting insect-friendly flowering plants to attract and support a healthy mix of insects; building owl boxes to control rodent pests naturally; and keeping our own hives of bees. We received our Biodynamic® certification in 2017.”

App decided she wanted to challenge herself during the film.

“I challenged my assumptions and was very happy for it, and it’s a very scalable solution to the problems we face,” said App. Going into the film, App was convinced cows were an enemy to water.

“I went into this with the assumption, and it’s a pretty common assumption because it’s an unfortunate assumption these days is that all cows are bad and eating beef is bad--I forced myself to challenge that assumption because I thought nature designed animals and plants to support each other,” said App. After meeting with a holistically managed ranch in Northern California, App says she was amazed, “The biggest surprise for me is that it turns out that cows can actually be a champion for restoring water cycles--it’s not that the cows are good or bad it’s our management.”

App has been a photographer on the Central Coast for 20 years, growing up in Morro Bay and now living in Carrizo Plains.

Since App began her photography business, she has been a photographer for the Mid-State Fair and says she has always loved the agricultural space.

App closed escrow on her Carrizo Plain’s off-grid cabin in March of 2020. Five days later, California went into its first lockdown for COVID. What great timing!

Due to COVID, App had to cancel and postpone almost all of her photography jobs. But there is a silver lining in every cloud.

Being forced to stay home, App was able to finish her film and passion project finally.

The film was featured on the closing night of the SLO Film Fest, Mar. 14, which a panel hosted by Pepper Daniels followed, all held virtually and through Zoom.

From her film, App hopes, “people feel empowered and that there is a way that they can get involved regardless of how big or small or how random or common it feels. I hope that people find a way in their own life where they can be a voice for the water.”

App added she wants people to “Develop a personal relationship with water and to find a way where they can speak up for our water by changing one small piece of their life.”

From App’s director’s statement on the film’s website, “Through research, curiosity, and love, I have attempted, with this film, to be in service to the water that gives us life. To tell the story that connects us all... the story of water. Time is short. The climate has changed. Water is sacred. We must find a new way. We must write a new story. And we must write it together.

The choice point has arrived.”

To learn more about App’s film, “Where There Once Was Water,” visit wherethereoncewaswater.com/#home-section

Morro Bay Life • April 2021 • 13

Making Communities Better Through Print™

SPORTS

PREP SPORTS RETURN! Sports are back in full swing! Football, cheer, baseball, softball, track and field and others make their way back to competition, much to the relief of local athletes.

To find out when and where your favorite High School sports are playing visit Morro Bay High School Athletics at mbhs.slcusd.org

2021 Morro Bay High School Varsity Baseball Team. All photos contributed from Morro Bay High School Athletics

Congratulations to Junior- Morgan Codron for being named to the Perfect Game Preseason Underclassmen All American team

2021 Morro Bay Pirates Cheerleading Squad.

Morro Bay won the first game 16-4. Liam McDonald and Lucas Burton went yard in the 14-1 win.

Congratulations to Junior - Jackson Howell for being named a Perfect Game Preseason Underclassmen All American.

Morro Bay Pirates Cross Country started their season in February as a part of the Ocean League and ended the last weekend in March. The season was unusual due to the pandemic however, the athletes raced with great pride for their love of the sport.

After 16 long months, the Morro Bay Pirates Football Team had their first game on Mar. 19 and will continue to play through April.

14 • April 2021 • Morro Bay Life

Making Communities Better Through Print™

EDUCATION

Staffing Post Pandemic

JAMES BRESCIA, Ed.D County Superintendent of Schools

A

s we pass a year into the pandemic, local leaders, families, and state policymakers focus on increasing in-person safety and addressing learning gaps safely.

An area in which I have conducted research and written for several years is the current and pending shortages of qualified education employees.

Traditional education employee shortages are most evident in high-need fields and high-need schools.

According to the Palo Alto Learning Policy Institute, these shortages are growing across the state due to a range of pandemic-related factors, including increased early retirements and resignations and a reduced pipeline of incoming teachers.

When employers recruit and retain well-prepared employees, job performance, retention, and success in practice increase. As employee shortages in California worsen, many school districts are struggling to fill positions. The Central Coast has consistently enjoyed an adequate applicant pool. However, specialty positions such as teachers of children with disabilities, English

Language Learners, and the hard sciences continue to present challenges. According to recent data, many school districts throughout the state are experiencing significant shortages of qualified teachers in these specialty areas.

Three years ago, I presented a report to the state legislature based on research and proposed several strategies working across the state. Our study indicated that more than 80 percent of the districts reported staff deficits have grown worse in the past few years.

Communities “are experiencing alarming rates of employee vacancies,” one administrator said. “A highly competent teacher workforce is a necessary foundation for improving children’s educational outcomes, especially for those who rely on schools for their success.” In our 2018 research study, Dr. James Gentilucci, Professor Emeritus at Cal Poly, identified many communities throughout California that implemented successful local solutions to recruit and retain qualified educators.

Many of these local solutions materialized as a grant or scholarship opportunity for individuals pursuing education as a career. Local Assemblymember Jordan Cunningham and local State Senator John Laird support homegrown efforts and continue to champion local solutions in our state legislature. Through the Local Solutions Grant, the San Luis Obispo County Office of Education offers scholarships to individuals seeking a teaching credential serving children with

Legislative leaders are in conversations with Governor Newsom about next year’s budget and the challenges education faces because of pension costs, early childhood needs, special education costs, increased safety, and the aftermath of COVID. My office anticipates a need for 50-75 new teachers annually in San Luis Obispo County.

This figure could climb if additional retirement occurs because of COVID. Cuesta College is exploring pathways for aspiring educators in coordination with my office as a long-term sustainable solution. Local and state efforts continue to present possible paths for additional homegrown courses of action.

We anticipate that the Commission on Teacher Credentialing will again provide funding for non-teaching school employees to become teachers through a competitive grant process, and we intend to notify the community if this materializes. The San Luis Obispo County Maggie Gallagher Office of Education was successful in our grant application and will again participate in the grant program. These grants, along with our apprenticeship grants, reflect the high level of dedication and talent our local schools and districts enjoy. I hope that some of the bright, talented, and caring individuals residing on the Central Coast consider special needs. Contact our office or go to slocoe. serving as educators, support staff, and adminisorg for additional information. We must main- trators in schools, preparing our future citizens. tain the emphasis on recruitment and retention It is an honor to serve as your county superinat all levels of government. tendent of schools.

Of all the hard jobs around, one of the hardest is being a good teacher.

OPINION

How Recalling California Gov. Gavin Newsom Became My Business

By AARON BERGH Guest Columnist

W

hat do politics and sex have in common? They’re the two subjects you’re not supposed to talk about in a professional setting. This strong

conviction led me to maintain my business’s apolitical and nonpartisan stance from its founding. My business’s nonpartisanship will continue, but I cannot afford to be apolitical anymore. If California small business owners want to survive, it is imperative that we get involved - specifically, in supporting the recall

of Governor Gavin Newsom.

Too much time is spent talking about relatively petty reasons to dislike Gavin Newsom – such as his infamous soiree at the French Laundry or his inability to relate with the average Californian because he was born with a silver spoon in his mouth. There are many substantive reasons why Californians on both sides of the political aisle should reject Gavin Newsom’s governorship.

Therefore, I feel confident publicly supporting the recall and want to encourage other business owners to mobilize too. Newsom’s political operatives know there is a valid case against the governor, which is why they are trying to discredit the recall effort as hyper-partisan.

Admittedly, there have been previous hyper-partisan recall attempts since he took office. I did not support those recalls, but I believe the current one transcends partisanship. Based on my first-hand experience collecting signatures, I can attest that both Republicans and Democrats are signing on. A broader cross-section of Californians recognize that the increasing magnitude of Newsom’s failures can’t wait to be judged for another two years. It necessitates an urgent re-evaluation of his leadership.

For me, the nearly yearlong business closures are Governor Newsom’s most damning error. I’ve had to lay off employees and struggle to balance my books due to poorly-planned, whimsical executive orders.

According to the California Restaurant Association, restaurants employed 1.4 million Californians before the pandemic, and 30 percent are expected to close permanently.

Data from Yelp is even more grim, suggesting that 60 percent of pandemic business closures nationwide will be permanent. But Governor Newsom has ignored the desperate pleas of business owners who are struggling to pay their employees and avoid losing the businesses they have built through years of hard work.

Even if you disagree that the business lockdowns should be less restrictive, there is a long list of additional examples of Newsom’s ineptitude.

Amid the highest unemployment rate since the Great Depression, laid-off employ-

ees cannot obtain unemployment insurance benefits in a timely manner from the state’s grossly dysfunctional Employment Development Department – aid from funds they paid into for years through their payroll taxes and were relying on to put food on the table for their families. Adding salt to the wound, the EDD has paid as much as $30 billion in fraudulent claims to incarcerated criminals and out-of-state residents – perhaps the largest welfare fraud in California’s history occurred right under Newsom’s nose.

Despite having some of the highest tax rates in the nation, California continues to suffer from the nation’s highest poverty rate in the country and rising homelessness.

And while Newsom signed a law requiring a switch to electric vehicles by 2035, his administration can’t provide electricity to keep the lights on in our houses. The return of rolling blackouts is oddly reminiscent of the Governor Gray Davis years (he was recalled in 2003).

When Governor Newsom shut down my business, he created a void in my life. I decided to fill it by working to ensure that he will no longer have a destructive impact on my life and the lives of Californians. I hope even more businesses will use their new-found free time to further the recall effort, and I implore the rest of California to join them.

Many of my customers complain about the prohibition preventing me from serving them a hot plate of food and a cocktail. When they do, I serve them a clipboard with a recall petition – and almost all of them sign it.

Aaron Bergh is a guest opinion columnist for Morro Bay Life; you can email him at aaobergh@ gmail.com. Bergh is the owner and distiller of Calwise Spirits Co., in Paso Robles. He is a concerned citizen not officially affiliated with the Recall Gavin Newsom organization.

Bergh’s opinion piece first ran in the San Francisco Chronicle.

Morro Bay Life • April 2021 • 15

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TASTE OF AMERICANA

LIFE INTELLIGENCE

Feeling Behind BARBIE BUTZ

Happy

GUEST CONTRIBUTOR

I

VALENTINA PETROVA COLUMNIST

A

lmost everyone feels behind in their life. Even those you look up to and envy or admire. That’s because we are our worst critics, and we constantly compare ourselves with those who are ahead of us. The critic within tells you that you failed your dreams and expectations. Comparing yourself to others gives your inner critic proof of your failure. Except, that’s not objective because no two people have the same life experiences and travel the same paths; therefore, you end up comparing apples to oranges. You will never know what someone else’s life experience truly feels like because you are not them.

More importantly, we don’t all start from the same place with the same resources and support. Life is not fair, but it can be gratifying no matter who you are.

There are three things you can do to improve both your situation and your mood.

The easiest thing is to stop comparing yourself with a critical eye. Admiring someone for what they do and have achieved could be a great learning opportunity.

Success leaves clues. Look for them and adopt them. It will help you finetune what you are doing and get you closer to your goals. If you still feel compelled to compare yourself

with others, try comparing downward with those less fortunate than you. And compare yourself now to yourself years ago. This way, you can appreciate your situation for what it truly is. Hopefully, today you are miles away from where you started years ago and in a much better place. If not, you will need to give me a call.

Second, appreciate the particular meandering path you took to get to where you are because it has afforded you a unique set of experiences, lessons, and skills.

You can only be where you are and start from there in whatever direction you choose. Value even your regrets. At the very least, they keep you from making future mistakes.

Finally, if you want more out of life, you’ll have to get it. You need a plan, resources, support, motivation, and you need to take action.

Wishing may be entertaining, but if you want results, you need to take action. The weight won’t lose itself.

Your career won’t progress itself.

Your goals won’t achieve themselves. You’ll have to put in some elbow grease and some time. You’ll have to make a few choices, sacrifice a few things, stay up a few nights, and figure out a few things.

And you have to start now.

Start small but start. It’s been said, a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. Sometimes, the first step is the one in which you discover what holds you back.

Valentina Petrova has been helping people with life, health, relationships, f inancial, career, professional, and business goals and challenges since 2015. Email her at valentinapetrovaconsulting.com

Easter

don’t recall the source of this quote, but it was in one of my old cookbooks, and I have many. The quote was this, “Life is like a cookbook as each day offers a new recipe.” I tend to agree.

I also believe that food and friendship intermingle. I can’t think of many gatherings that do not include some kind of food. And think of the holidays and the food that immediately comes to mind, like turkey and pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving, corned beef and cabbage on St. Patrick’s Day, ham for Easter, and hotdogs grilled on the 4th of July.

Those gatherings always include family and friends.

Many of us learned to cook by watching and helping our mothers and grandmothers in the kitchen. I know I learned many things from both of those women. Later on, after I married, I also learned from friends, just by sharing recipes and talking about food preparation and cooking experiences.

Some of us use recipes as a guide to get our creative juices flowing, while others need to follow the recipe exactly as written. Either way, cooking can add so much pleasure to daily life. There’s nothing like hearing the words, “this is so delicious, will you share the recipe?” Of course, if you are creative and have tweaked a recipe, you need to write it down; otherwise, you might not be able to “create” it again!

Since we will be celebrating Easter on April 4, I’ve been researching ham recipes and found this one in Bert Greene’s Kitchen, compiled by Phillip Stephen Schulz and published in 1993. Cheers!

Red-Eyed Baked Ham

The recipe is titled Red-Eyed Baked Ham, and the story goes that the dish originated over 150 years ago in the Klondike where the miners, living in lean-to’s or tents without kitchens, survived on a diet of smoked meat. A most enterprising gold digger, it is recorded, threw a spot of bourbon into his fry pan by accident one morning. When it caught fire—as alcohol is prone to do—he put out the flames with a cup of coffee. Thus one of the best boozy recipes of American cookery was created.

Smoked ham is sometimes on the salty side. If you think your ham is too salty, give it a fast bath in boiling water for about 15 minutes. Drain it and cool it and dot it with whole cloves.

Ingredients: • 1 smoked ham (about 7 ½ pounds) • Whole cloves • 1 clove garlic, crushed • ¼ cup Dijon mustard • 2/3 cup (packed) dark brown sugar • 1 cup strong brewed coffee • ½ cup bourbon • ¼ cup heavy or whipping cream

Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove the heavy skin from the ham. Using a sharp knife, score the top of the ham in a diamond pattern and insert a clove at each intersection. Place the ham on a rack in a roasting pan. Combine the garlic, mustard, and brown sugar in a small bowl; blend well. Smear the mixture over the top and sides of the ham, and let it stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Combine the coffee, bourbon, and cream in a medium-size bowl.

Bake the ham for 1½ hours, basting every 10 minutes with the coffee-bourbon mixture. Serve the ham warm or at room temperature.

Mustard Potatoes Au Gratin

Consider serving your Easter ham with this recipe for potatoes.

Ingredients: • 1/3 cup finely chopped green onions • 3 tablespoons butter, divided • 2 cups whipping cream • ½ cup Dijon mustard • 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Swiss or Gruyere cheese, divided • 8 medium potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced

Directions: Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a small saucepan, cook onions in 1 tablespoon butter for 2 minutes or until tender. Stir in cream, mustard, and remaining butter. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low; stir in half of the cheese until melted. Remove from heat. In a greased shallow 2-1/2-quart baking dish, layer a third of the potatoes; top with a third of the sauce. Repeat layers twice; sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake uncovered at 400 degrees for 30 minutes. Cover and bake 25-30 minutes longer or until potatoes are tender. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving. Serves 12.

16 • April 2021 • Morro Bay Life

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