Morro Bay Life • May 2020 by 13 Stars Media

Making Communities Better Through Print™

MAY 2020 • MORROBAYLIFENEWS.COM

Physically Distant. Socially Bonded.

STRONGER Together.

INSIDE THIS ISSUE:

A HAPPY—HEALTHY— MEMORIAL DAY SEE PAGE 10

PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID PERMIT NO. 19 PASO ROBLES, CA

DOG BEACH PURCHASE REACHING HEAD SEE PAGE 10

******ECRWSSEDDM****** POSTAL CUSTOMER MORRO BAY, CA 93442

COMMERCIAL FISHERS ADAPTING SEE PAGE 6

2 • May 2020 • Morro Bay Life

Making Communities Better Through Print™

in this

Together

Nic & Hayley Mattson

Co-Publishers

on top of everything else you already handle on a daily basis. Having a partner and friend that you can count on and trust is one of the most valuable relationships one could have, and for that, we are so grateful. We go into May and get to celebrate all the mommas for Mother’s Day on May 10, and even though we may not be able to all get together for a beach picnic, we sure can show our local businesses some love and support. This is the time to get creative, shop your local boutiques, order take out from your restaurants, and on the flip side, find new ways to market your services as well. We end the month with Memorial Day on May 25. As we remember and honor the heroes that have fallen, please be safe. Times are different today, that is an understatement. Times are challenging, that is true, but even though things are uncertain and stressful, to say the least, we have seen love and human kindness that gives us faith that we will come through this together no matter what it looks like on the other side. We hope that you enjoy this month’s issue of Morro Bay Life. We worked on it together with a skeleton crew, and each one of them along with our furloughed team members are all important in their own right. No matter what the outcome is after we all walk through this, we know we will be better for it. We know it will look different than before, and we will know that we were able to share the beauty that makes our communities so special. Thank you for your support. We will get through this together. All our love, Nic & Hayley

he month of May reminds us of our love of the warmth and sunshine, flowers are in bloom, and it is cool enough to spend the entire day with the windows and doors open. As we continue living life through this economic health crisis, we have the opportunity to re-evaluate how we spend our time and what is truly important to fill our souls and what we can eliminate as we start to come out of this pandemic. May is a special month for us for a few reasons, one being it is our anniversary month. This year we are celebrating eleven years back together on the 2nd and eight years of wedding bliss on the 5th. After thirteen years going our separate ways after high school, coming back together in 2009 was truly a blessing. Going through this challenging time as parents, business owners, and individuals, we are so grateful for the strong foundation we built that has held us together in the toughest of times. Strength, “Sometimes you have to let go of the picture love, and respect is crucial, especially when of what you thought life would be like and learn you are forced to Shelter-at-Home which to find joy in the story you are actually living” includes, home life, kiddos, work, and school Rachel Marie Martin

Morro Bay Life • May 2020 • 3

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Morro Bay Chamber of Commerce

PAGE A monthly showcase of Chamber programming and membership.

MORRO BAY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

WE ARE HUMBLED BY YOUR MEMBERSHIP RENEWALS DURING THIS CRISIS – THANK YOU!

805.772.4467 info@morrochamber.org morrochamber.org

#ROCKSOLIDTOGETHER

WE ARE

Now more than ever we are reminded of our connection to one another, to our community and to our region. Our business community is mourning what is generally the beginning of our busy season, which now has vacations and graduation ceremonies indefinitely on-hold or cancelled. Hotels are empty, shops are shuttered, and beach parking lots are closed. There is, however, hope on the horizon.

STRONGER TOGETHER

While we advocate for stay-at-home orders to be gradually and responsibly eased and wait for our “modified normal” to reveal itself, there are businesses led by inspiring humans who are using this time to do more. More for their employees, their clients, their tenants and their community. While we

Mike’s Barber Shop The owner of Mike’s Barber Shop is a man of many names, but is mostly known as Barber Jon. Jon started working at Mike’s in 2010 and bought the shop in 2012, where he now has ten barbers who lease chair space from him between his Morro Bay and San Luis Obispo locations. At one time, Jon owned four barber shops in the county and during that period accumulated a lot of gear. When the County classified barbers and salons as non-essential businesses, Jon shuttered his doors and cancelled appointments. Within no time, he was being contacted by desperate customers who needed haircuts. Abiding by the state and county health guidelines meant not being in contact with clients, even if that meant turning down exorbitant amounts of cash (he was offered anywhere from $100 to $1020 to perform a haircut during the quarantine!) Jon decided to take another approach to helping his customers. He gathered, fixed and sanitized his extra equipment so he could sell or borrow kits to those in need. Clients text Barber Jon, who then assembles a kit based on their needs and sets it on the truck fender in his driveway to facilitate a contactless pick up. So far, he has provided over 20 kits at no charge to people willing to take a crack at facilitating a home haircut. As a business owner and landlord, he has waived booth rental fees for his barbers. He understands that they are hurting too. During the last month, Barber Jon has decided to make the best use of his empty shops and is focusing on getting them in tip-top shape for when they reopen. “I decided to detail and do the little repairs at the barbershop, which has been open since 1941,” said Jon Elliott, owner of Mike’s Barber Shop in Morro Bay. “It’s a good time to prioritize those other things now, such as cleaning, repairing and marketing. As long as it doesn’t involve contact with other people – my recommendation to other non-essential businesses is to be productive and use this time to get organized in order to benefit your business in the long run.”

acknowledge that it’s not all sunshine and roses right now, we would be remiss if we didn’t take the time to share positive news about how Chamber members are making a difference in our community during the COVID-19 crisis. Additionally, we want to thank everyone who has stepped up to renew their membership investment with the Chamber during this time. We too, need your support to survive and your commitment to working through this together has not gone unnoticed. We will continue to deliver resources in real-time through our COVID-19 Resources page on our website (morrochamber.org) as well as through our newsletters, our live online Ask Me Anything events, and through our social media to support you during this time. As always, if you need anything, please don’t hesitate to contact us. We are here for you.

All Good Morro Bay’s only Certified Green Business, All Good, has been impacted by the coronavirus pandemic in ways most companies in the area haven’t been. All Good is an organic and natural The All Good team at their first company retreat in personal care company that believes in Bear Valley in August 2019 using business as a force for good. They produce a litany of personal care products, from reef-friendly mineral sunscreen to their ever-popular All Good Goop, which you can slather on just about anything and make it better. The company also produces hand sanitizer, which as you can imagine, has been flying off of the shelves for the last month. Now that hand sanitizers have become a hot commodity, so have the bottles they are sold in. This local B-Corp sources all of their materials domestically and their supply chain has suddenly seen an influx in demand since many companies who were getting products from China, are now getting their raw materials from the U.S. The company is doing their best to be nimble in these unprecedented times, all while maintaining their commitment to making products that adhere to their restorative and responsible business practices. All Good is a company whose commitment to their community and the planet is the driving force behind their success. “Once we restock our supply, we aim to allocate hand sanitizer to those in need in the community, including emergency workers, essential businesses and vulnerable communities.” said Lindsey Bolton, sales and marketing coordinator for All Good. Even more remarkably, the company of 24 employees has taken their already stellar reputation as a compassionate employer to the next level. They’ve adopted a buddy system, where each employee communicates on a daily basis with their buddy, another All Good employee or contractor, to check in on their well-being. At a time when most are working from home and have limited interaction with others, this has become a potentially life-saving program for those struggling with mental health during the pandemic. Employees are also treated to a CSA box from the owner’s farm, filled with organic fruits and vegetables each month, to help with their physical well-being. This act of kindness reminds employees that they are cared for and helps tie them back to the company’s mission. We look forward to learning more from this authentic, ethical and purpose-driven company as we all aspire to adopt new ways to support one another in our business community.

Masterpiece Hotel The Masterpiece Hotel in Morro Bay is an icon on Main Street heading into downtown and has been one of the few hotels with cars still in their parking lot. At the request of the City of Morro Bay, hotels have been asked to limit promotions brining travelers into the area from out of town in order to help stop the spread of COVID-19 in the region. Rather than turning off the lights and boarding up the newly renovated hotel, Masterpiece has been offering low rates to locals who need somewhere to shelter in place. “We understand that not everybody has a home to go to and that there are people who need somewhere to stay while family members ride out sicknesses,” said Amber Clark, general manager. “We are doing what we can to support our community and local businesses, while maintaining the CDC’s protocols to ensure the safety of our guests.” The hotel regularly promotes local restaurants on social media, shares the up-to-date list of available takeout and delivery options with guests, and has modified their services to accommodate the new regulations.

4 • May 2020 • Morro Bay Life

Making Communities Better Through Print™

BUSINESS

Keeping Your Beloved Home Within the Family By SARAH SANTANA For Morro Bay Life

reserving your property across generations takes thoughtful planning and open communication. Watching your daughter take her first steps in the nursery. The porch where you saw your little ones head off to kindergarten. Standing in the kitchen, jumping for joy as your son received his first college acceptance letter. Your home is full of delightful, heartwarming memories. And if you decide you’d like to keep it within the family for generations to come, you’ll need to teach your loved ones how to thoughtfully preserve, invest and share their inherited wealth and property.

necessary when you feel the time is right to bring up your cherished property. Some clear questions will need to be asked and answered: • First and foremost, are your heirs interested in owning and operating your family home? • Are they willing and able to cover routine expenses for the property’s upkeep? • Who’ll be responsible for coordinating service providers like plumbers, electricians, or lawn care? • Who’ll pay insurances and taxes? • Who’ll check on the place periodically? CONSIDER AVAILABLE STRATEGIES

COMMUNICATE WITH LOVED ONES

Once you and your family Start by speaking with members reach a mutual your closest loved ones understanding, speak to about your family history, your advisor about differvalues, and plans. These ent planning strategies for transparent discussions can transferring your property’s ownership. help frame your collective vision and prepare the next generation to DIRECT TRANSFER further your family’s financial and philanA direct transfer is one of thropic goals. It’ll also help set the stage the most common ways for making decisions together on practito bequeath property, as cal matters – such as caregiving needs or it allows ownership to be succession plans for the family business. transferred for generations Familial decision-making will also be by deed. Within direct transfers, various

options may work for your family, including joint tenancy with rights of survivorship, tenants in common, life estate, or transfer on death. Note that while direct transfers are relatively easy and inexpensive, they do not offer protection from creditor claims or messy legal situations like divorces. It can also be difficult to resolve conflicts or transfer ownership. INCORPORATE To incorporate, depending on your state’s laws, you can name your home as a limited liability company (LLC). You keep at least 51% and designate your children as shareholders of the rest. Be sure to create an operating agreement that sets procedures to transfer ownership and guidelines for property use, while also planning to include enough money to maintain the property (people often choose life insurance proceeds). Your operating agreement should have an “out,” so your heirs have the option should they need to sell the house or buy out another owner – be sure to indicate who needs to agree to a sale and what will be done with the proceeds. Incorporation offers flexibility, reduction of your taxable estate, and protection for family members. However, it can be costly to establish and maintain an LLC. TRUST Trust agreements outline terms of use and how the property will be transferred, held, and managed. Trusts are popular as they allow some degree of control and can be

We are all living in unprecedented times. At Coast Electronics, as an Essential Business, our staff is on the front line to serve you. You should know we are taking extraordinary measures to promote 6 foot social distancing between staff and customers, requiring all staff to stay home if they have any virus symptoms, and sanitizing everything in sight. As an Essential Business per the Office of Emergency Services, we have in stock products needed to work from home, we offer delivery if needed, and curbside service – just call the store and we’ll bring your item to you. We have webcams, computers, internet accessories like cables, mesh routers, and printer ink and paper. Our stores are respecting social distancing and offer ideal parking and small crowds. If you need service or curbside service, please give us a call! Thank you -John Weiss (Owner)

Please be safe, observe social distances, and honor our First Responders, hospital workers, and open Essential Businesses.

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coastelectronic.com

Morro Bay 510 Quintana Road 805-772-1265 Paso Robles 1171 Creston Rd. # 109 805-369-2811 San Luis Obispo 1336 Madonna Road 805-544-5400

less expensive to draft and implement than other options like an LLC. However, certain trusts can lack flexibility should circumstances change – for example; irrevocable trusts usually cannot be amended. Many options exist (i.e., revocable and irrevocable trusts, irrevocable grantor trusts and qualified personal residence trusts, to name a few), so consult an experienced financial advisor or estate attorney.

There’s no one-size-fits-all solution for passing on your family home – you’ ll need to consider each heir’s family structure, geographic distance, and willingness to take on responsibility. Ultimately, your plan should facilitate a smooth transfer of ownership, detail shared responsibilities, establish liability protection, and document a process for conflict resolution. Even after creating your plan, be sure to keep conversations going with your family, your advisors, and the rest of your professional team. Your decisions should be properly documented, but most importantly, you’ll want to make sure your wishes are thoroughly understood. Article provided by Sarah N Santana of Raymond James Financial Services .

Morro Bay Life • May 2020 • 5

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6 • May 2020 • Morro Bay Life

Making Communities Better Through Print™

BUSINESS

Local Commercial Fishers Adapt to Corona years of fishing that we are going to try and sell our fish off the boat. My husband and brotherin-law are actually pretty shy when it comes to ommercial fishing has always been an dealing with the public, and selling off the boat interesting lifestyle with my husband never really fit into their fishing operation. But roaming around the state or, as in our after some long conversations, we are getting early years, disappearing to Bristol Bay, Alaska, ready to make the switch. for months with very little contact. But 2020 First, we had to find a Fish and Wildlife decided that the fishing life needed to take it office that would actually answer the phone. I up a notch or 500. had some questions about the licenses we needed I married into a fishing family almost to sell off the boat. There are some definite gray 36 years ago. My husband and I met at Cal Poly, areas in the Fish and Wildlife books, and all where he would often show up to class right off wardens interpret them differently. Pretty hefty the boat. He and brother-in-law are partners in fines and confiscating the catch to jail time to the fish biz; they learned from their dad. All of losing your permits all can enter the picture, so our boys have fished, and currently, our oldest is it is best to cover your bases. Next comes the our deckhand. scale. Are scales considered an essential business? The 2020 season actually started in 2019 Will the Department of Weights and Measures with the truncated Dungeness crab season. Our be open when you need to register the scale? crab season has been the victim of bad politics, And marketing? How are we going to market which is a story for another time. This season’s these fish to the general public? Are the stores master plan was to fish from November 15 until that make banners open or closed? I have been April 1 for crab and then pull our pots out of able to find most of the answers, and we’re 90% the water and turn around to gear the boat up ready to go on Friday, May 1. That’s when the for salmon season. Well, that plan changed commercial salmon season opens. The catch since we did not get started until a to all this? The fish have to show few days before Christmas, and up off of the central coast. If we ended up pulling the gear they don’t, then our plan in mid-March. This past is blown all to hell, and crab season was a poor the boat and my family crab season. Nothing will head up north. At So this season will be the first to worry about, this that point, we’ll come in over 60 years of fishing that happens, but when up with plan C to sell Corona entered the the fish. we are going to try and sell scene, well, she didn’t Now a few things our fish off the boat. want to play nicely. The to look for when buying already low price pluma wild salmon. This fish meted, and with low crab should appear bright and numbers, it just didn’t make clean, with all of its scales any sense to keep the pots in the intact. Clear eyes are a must. The water. So the guys decided to focus on the flesh should be firm, like a tomato. No gaff king salmon season. marks or sea lion bites-those are the fish we eat. When Corona started ramping up her Look in the belly flap; there should be no yellow; temper tantrum all over the world, our traditional the fish should be pink. The ribs should not be markets closed, crashed, burned, or imploded. broken or separated from the flesh. That’s called Fishers up-and-down, the state were beginning belly burn and a sign of mishandling. The salmon to get very stressed about the upcoming salmon should be cleaned after they are caught as the season. There is a lot of talk on Facebook, emails, salmon blood is acidic and ruins the flesh if the and phone calls from port to port and many fish- fish isn’t cleaned right away. The fish have to be ers have decided to sell their fish off their boats. sold whole, but can be cut after purchase. All our traditional buyers have told us to We look forward to meeting you, and thank “wait and see” with no real commitments one you for your interest in our family business. way or another. We simply just do not know how we will be able to move the fish without a commitment from the restaurants, whether they Lori Vaccaro French on behalf of the Fishing are going to buy or what the export market is Vessel (F/V) Langosta II and the other boats selling going to look like. I don’t blame them for giving fish of their boats in Morro Bay. For more informaus the “wait and see.” tion or to place an order with Lori, you can contact Photos by Lori French So this season will be the first in over 60 her at (805)748-2460.

By LORI VACCARO FRENCH For Morro Bay Life

Morro Bay Life • May 2020 • 7

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8 • May 2020 • Morro Bay Life

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COUNTY NEWS

The Dynamic Duo of SLO County

Dr. Penny Borenstein and Wade Horton lead community in unprecedented time

Left, Dr. Penny Borenstein speaks at the SLO Joint Information Center on April 15. Right, SLO County Administrative Officer Wade Horton. Photo by Connor Allen / Contributed

By CONNOR ALLEN of Morro Bay Life

alifornia Governor Gavin Newsom signed an executive order on March 19 for Californians to stay home except for those deemed ‘essential’ in response to the COVID-19 outbreak. For the last 33 consecutive days, the people of California have looked to their leaders for instruction and direction.

PUBLISHERS

Nicholas & Hayley Mattson morrobay@13starsmedia.com

LAYOUT DESIGN Editor Mike Michaud mike@13starsmedia.com

Administrator

Cami Martin office@13starsmedia.com

Editorial

Neil Farrell Connor Allen Valentina Petrova Sarah Santana

Advertising Sales

Dana McGraw dana@13starsmedia.com Carmen Kessler carmen@13starsmedia.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 division of Colony Media.

In these unprecedented times, many people lead the community, from nurses and doctors risking their lives to fight the virus, employees of an essential business who show up every day to make sure the community has food and resources, as well as all the small businesses that have entirely changed their operating systems to serve the county and their neighbors. But no two people have had a greater impact or a greater weight to carry than County Health Officer Dr. Penny Borenstein and County Administrative Officer and Director of Emergency Services Wade Horton. Together, Horton and Borenstein played a significant role in making decisions for SLO County — like sheltering at home and the closing of local businesses that have impacted every person in this community — and it’s not something that they have taken lightly. “I can say it was the most difficult decision I have ever made in my life,” Horton told The Atascadero News and The Paso Robles Press in an interview on Saturday. “And probably will be the most difficult decision I make in my life. I knew what the impact would be, or I thought I knew what the impact would be and making that decision, I am just trying to do the right thing for what we need. Every day I am making a lot of decisions, and every day I make those decisions based off of the information I have and how I can do right by the community. It is a very humbling spot to be in.” Horton has served not only this county but also his country with 15 years of service in the reserves, including time overseas and was unanimously voted by the San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors to be the newest San Luis Obispo County Administrative Officer in November 2017. His counterpart Borenstein has a strong resume as well. “I have a nearly 30-year career of doing this work,” Dr. Borenstein said, who has spent time working in public health all over the county, including working in Washington D.C. during the Anthrax outbreak of 2001 and working in Maryland during the times of Ebola and SARS.

“I am very much accustomed to the onset of a new disease or new situation that understandably causes great public concern, and I have been in the situation many times before having to help manage that concern with facts and our best understanding of the disease situation,” Borenstein stated. “Having said that, those situations and this one are very humbling. No manner of training or experience can prepare a public health position for a worst-case scenario because it is global in its scope, deep in its impact. As you have seen with this situation and many others, we learn more about the details of the specific germs, organisms; it’s manner of spread, it’s propensity to hit certain groups, the asymptomatic nature of it, so it is very humbling to be in a decision making position when you can’t have all the facts at hand.” Borenstein declared San Luis Obispo County in a state of emergency on March 13 and, together with Horton, has continued to extend the order every 14 days as needed for the safety of our community at the expense of time with their loved ones. “I am incredibly grateful for the support I have from my family, my wife, and four kids,” Horton said. “I don’t see them a lot. I can’t even remember. It’s been 44 or 45 days straight now working and making the best decisions that we can, and my wife has just been incredibly supportive.” However, with so much uncertainty surrounding our future and our mortality becoming clearer seemingly with each passing minute, our most visible and most scrutinized leaders have still been able to find the specks of good amid a sea of so much darkness and fear. “I think there is a lot of good that has come out of this,” Horton said. “I’m watching people that are rising to the occasion and performing in situations that they thought they probably couldn’t do. People that are put in positions, particularly some of our public servants, might have found themselves in public works and are now are handling a shel-

tering program or managing a logistics supply chain. There’s the outpouring of business that are changing their manufacturing to make PPE [personal protective equipment]. The distilleries that have changed their processes to make hand sanitizer, I am just so proud to be apart of the community.” So far, through these nearly 50 days of quarantine, our community has shown time and time again that we are all in this together by helping one another out. Still, both Dr. Borenstein and Horton have begun to feel the community anxiety and urges everyone to continue working together. “What I really want to say is that I hope that we can continue to [work together],” Dr. Borenstein said. “The anxiety and the totally understandable economic concerns, they are real, they are massive. I genuinely hope they will not lead us down a path of division and divisiveness. As we continue to come out of this, we need to have some continued measures of restrictions and mitigations that I would ask of our collective community not to start turning on each other at this time.” The work of Borenstein and Horton, coupled with the fantastic response by the citizens, San Luis Obispo County, continues to show some of the lowest and most promising COVID-19 numbers across the country by several metrics and the public unrest has begun to grow louder. Still, those complaints have not fallen on deaf ears. “I know that people are hurting right now and are scared. They have done an outstanding job working as a community to bend the curve and we have bent it, and now that fear has transitioned into worrying about their loved ones getting sick too, ‘Hey, I need to get back to work,’ and we certainly understand that and we are doing everything we can right now in order to get people back to work, get kids back to school and get the faith community back in their places of worship, that is our focus. How do we do that safely, and how do we do that without creating another spike or another wave of this disease.”

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Morro Bay Life • May 2020 • 9

Making Communities Better Through Print™

ENTERTAINMENT

Good Reads for Shelter-at-Home

By HAYLEY MATTSON of Morro Bay Life

passions, independence, loving your husband and family is timeless. Appreciation for the quiet and the chaotic moments and cherish s we continue to walk through this everything in between. pandemic and try to find rhyme or rhythm to our days, I find comfort in "The Moment of Lift" escaping in a good book. I have always loved by Melinda Gates reading; a book in my hand and a quiet place, Melinda takes us on a whether it be on the beach or in a comfy chair, very personal, humble, and seemed to be the perfect setting. However, as powerful journey into her life busy as we all are, I have found over the last and her philanthropic work few years that magical setting is hard to come through the Gates Founby, so for me, I turn to Audible these days. dation. She introduces us I appreciate different points of view, values, to some of the incredible people around the topics, stories, and authors. The following are world that have inspired her and her mission some of the ones in my library that I have truly to empower women. Melinda's take on femienjoyed, learned from, and recommend in no nism and equality (human equality) is refreshparticular order. ing and optimistic.

why they chose to run for office. Whether on their journey together as a family and the you agree or disagree with the author it is a importance of living and appreciating a life call to action to get involved if you want to well experienced and loved. see change and be the change you are seeking. "Talking to Strangers" "Stephen King, On Writing" by Malcolm Gladwell by Stephen King In this book, Malcolm A unique look into the walks us through his unique mind of Steven King, perspective on how people through his own words. He communicate and interact shares an intimate look into with one another, key focus his life, struggles with addicon strangers. He gives his tion, marriage, family, and opinion and insight into some of the cases his love for writing that started as a young boy. and stories that have made headlines across This personalized teaching is an inspiration the world. A bit controversial but challenges for those who love to write, feel the urge to the way of thinking whether you agree or write, or have a story to tell. King makes you disagree with his theories. feel like he wrote this just for you.

"Gift of the Sea" "The Ones We've Been "The Year of Magical Thinkby Anne Morrow Lindbergh Waiting For" ing" This 1955 classic has been by Charlotte Alter by Joan Didion my go-to summer read for Charlotte gives us a A beautiful, honest look many years. Anne shares youthful perspective on the at life after loss. The author her reflection on a life wellnew generation of politishares her thoughts, memoloved, and the lessons she cians and the life events ries, and feelings as she has learned. Her perspecthat impacted and shaped walks through the death of tive about being a woman and the impor- who they are today. It is an insightful look her husband of forty years and caring for an tance of taking care of yourself, following your into some of our current young leaders and ill adult child. As Joan grieves, she reflects

COUNTY NEWS

Hopes and Concerns Rise as Reopening Takes the Stage

Communities around California demand action plans from leadership By NICHOLAS MATTSON of Morro Bay Life

ensions across the country grind as the fears over coronavirus spreading subside due in large part by the sheltering efforts of the nation’s citizens, and other practices, directly result in a flattening of the curve. Reported cases of COVID-19 are finding a plateau, and discussions by governors about reopening states are met with small protests of people who demand a plan. Social media discussions rage between those who fear a resurgence of cases and those who reference further economic damage and curtailing of freedoms. “I typically refrain from commenting on Facebook,” Paso Robles resident Bob Rollins told Morro Bay Life. “[But] there has got to be a better way and a better approach. If you follow the current thought process, we are stuck indoors until we have a vaccine.” As communities begin the process of reopening, loosening restrictions is on everybody’s minds. Ventura County reopened beaches, parks and certain businesses, and groups of up to five people are currently considered safe. Jacksonville, Fla. reopened beaches to relatively large crowds and plenty of criticism. As the idea of enjoying life returns, the plan to reopen remains hazy for local residents. In regular updates, SLO County Administrative Officer Wade Horton and County Health Officer Penny Borenstein have expressed cautious optimism about the reopening of the economy and community. In coordination with a panel of local business leaders, Horton and Borenstein have promised a plan to begin reopening. The plan has yet to be publicly presented, but expectations are high for the week ahead. SLO County has continually hit numbers

that speak to readiness for reopening, and business owners and others anxiously await the plan — some more cautious than others. Rollins, a longtime resident of Paso Robles, who served on the City Planning Commission and Downtown Main Street board, is retired military and a college professor. He admitted he is not as impacted as others who have life savings invested in their business, or who are facing economic disaster, but agrees with many that the time to act is short. “If we come out too early,” Rollins said, “we might have a resurgence, and if we wait ... our economy can’t take 12 to 18 months of this.” Communities around the globe are pitched between a rock and a hard place, but not all counties are facing the same public health dangers. SLO County COVID-19 stats continue to underscore the community’s readiness to reopen. “I listen to Wade Horton and Penny Borenstein, and we are unique,” Rollins said. “In order for them to keep their job, they need to be risk-averse. A business owner, you inherently embrace risks. If these businesses don’t have the capital to continue after this is over, the business won’t be able to continue.” Rollins expanded on the economic impact, indicating that when a business goes down, subsequently, the employees of that business are also economically injured, leading to a longer, more difficult recovery process. Officials, leaders, and community members confirm that opening the community will be a gradual process, but some actions can be taken immediately. “We can identify the people at most risk and provide them the opportunity to continue to shelter,” Rollins said, “even if that means a public agency. We certainly can’t put them at risk, that would be irresponsible.” Some businesses, deemed “essential services,” have continued to operate unabated, albeit with a dwindling customer base, and reopening would bring back other services that have been forced to close.

Specifically, service-based industries, hygienic services, and accessory industries like dog grooming have been named to lists submitted to Morro Bay Life as a priority for inclusion in the first phase of reopening. “There are so many service-based businesses that should be open right now,” Rollins said. “They are often at the bottom of the pay spectrum and can hardly afford this.” Other industries considered “nonessential,” like optometrists and dentists, have high levels of hygiene that attract attention when comparing what is essential and what is not. “It amazes me that dentistry is closed when a smoke shop is open,” Rollins said. “I understand why a smoke shop should be open, but a good dentist is extremely clean, to begin with.” Along with nonessential businesses, the County has closed beaches and parks to prevent the spread of COVID-19. “I think it is unfortunate that the County has closed a lot of the recreational facilities,” Rollins said. “Getting outside is important to a person’s mental health. At some point, [officials] are overreaching, and that needs to be rectified immediately.”

INITIAL STEPS AND THE PLAN TO REOPEN

In the early onset of COVID-19 in California, the residents of SLO County jumped into a defensive position, risking economic security in exchange for the health of the most vulnerable. “We took the initial steps, and it was important,” Rollins said. “We did it on faith, and we did it on the idea that the numbers were going to be devastating.” After four weeks of sheltering, global research into the spread and outcomes of varying approaches, and results of personal hygiene and physical distancing to review, the curve has been flattened for SLO County and others. “The numbers are not reflective of what we were told,” Rollins said, “and now it is time to back it off and take steps to get back on track.” Looming expectations are demands that are felt by Horton and Borenstein, as communities around the state begin to host protests against shelter orders. “There needs to be a definitive plan and timeline,” Rollins said. “People are going to be far more tolerant of that approach.” For up-to-date information about COVID19 in SLO County, visit our dedicated page at morrobaylifenews.com.

10 • May 2020 • Morro Bay Life

Making Communities Better Through Print™

COMMUNITY

HAPPY—SAFE & HEALTHY—MEMORIAL DAY By NICHOLAS MATTSON of Morro Bay Life

s we enter May, we embrace spring full-force. Flowers bloom on trees and hillsides, grapevines have budded, and the winter is melted away by more and more sunshine. It is a bright a n d

scentful welcome as the door opens to summer. At the end of May, Memorial Day weekend brings us together for a somber reflection to remember those who gave their lives in service, and a joyful reunion with friends and family as summer rises on the horizon. This year is different. 2020 will always be different for us. Our muscle memory yearns for habit, ready to rise to the occasion as we have so many years before. Memorial Day 2020 is different. It must be different. Our national reflection and admiration for servicemen and servicewomen remains high as the

point atop Marines’ barracks cover, and as solumn as a salute — but we have added another war to our list. Our coronavirus war called for a new soldier, and took lives on American soil. Our soldiers on the front lines were nurses and doctors, deliverypersons and grocers. It has been a war to protect our most vulnerable and a war that called for full participation from sea to shining sea. As of this writing, things have already changed. As of this printing, things have changed again. As you read this, things change still. Things always change, and always will. It may be appropriate that Memorial Day is our first national holiday after the coronavirus washed across our country. Memorial Day began as Decoration Day, with roots in the American Civil War — as we face COVID-19, we do so in a country that stands as divided as much as any time since the Civil War. COVID-19 has brought us together at first, and it will be up to us to stay together. It is told that in late April in 1866, an assembly of four Mississippi women traveled to decorate graves of soldiers who died in the Battle of Shiloh. They found Confederate graves in good condition and cared for alongside graves of U n i o n soldiers untended. Moved by the scene, they honored the Union soldiers’ graves with flower decorations as well, in somber grief for lives lost. It is in the aftermath of our coronavirus war that we have the opportunity to honor each other in a similar spirit. No matter what our differences before this war, it is upon us to decide how we remember our casualties — and how

we choose to honor their lives. It was not North versus South. It was not “us” versus “them.” It was a war between us and our better selves. We will come out of this as better people — all of us will. This Memorial Day is different. We witness the canceling of Memorial Day events — a weekend which is the current in a long series of dominoes to fall. But it is different. It is the first national holiday to fall, and the only holiday in which we honor those who lost their lives in service to the country. Our national death toll from COVID-19 is still climbing, and by some estimates, the disease will be around a long time, but we have reason to celebrate the end of the war. We faced the enemy squarely, and we mitigated our losses. We lost many battles, but we have won this war. We are not free from disease, but we are learning to live with it. We are recovering. This Memorial Day is different. We will forever be changed as a nation and as a world, but we will remember those who gave their lives so we could live free. We will remember those who gave their lives so we could live. We are coming back together. We cannot tell the future, and as of this writing, Memorial Day is more than a month away. But we predict that this Memorial Day will be a day that more people gather together — though probably with some careful distance — than have been together since the second week of March. In honor of those who will continue to isolate for their health and ours, please put out an American flag in honor of them, our unity, and our pledge to be one nation. From our family to yours — Paso Robles Magazine, Colony Magazine, The Paso Robles Press, and The Atascadero News — we wish you and yours a very happy Memorial Day weekend. Wash your hands, share a spirit of patriotism, and remember those who gave their lives and freedom for ours.

CITY NEWS

Efforts to Buy Dog Beach Coming to a Head

By NEIL FERRELL For Morro Bay Life

fforts are coming to a head with Chevron Dog Beach into public ownership and establishing a permanent open space between Cayucos and Morro Bay, with the first chunk of sand slated to close escrow April 30 and the rest at the end of May. According to an update from the Cayucos Land Conservancy, who is working on the complex land deal along with the Trust for Public Lands, the Land Conservancy of SLO County, SLO County, Cayucos Sanitary District, and the City of Morro Bay, the “Project is moving forward essentially as anticipated with all participants working cooperatively and steadily during these challenging times.” The CLC set out a timeline for the project to buy the popular beach that spans from Morro Bay to Cayucos and is the only place in SLO County where a dog can run off-leash on the beach. According to CLC’s timeline (keeping in mind that things can change): • Parcel 1 (in orange on the project map) will close escrow on April 30, with the County taking ownership on that date. • The remaining beach parcels (purple on the map) are scheduled to close escrow a month later on May 29. At that time, ownership of the two beach parcels will transfer from the Cayucos Sanitary District to the City of Morro Bay. • As anticipated, the remaining parcels owned by the CSD, which are inland of Highway 1 (east of Hwy 1), will close escrow later in 2020. (The CSD bought this land as part of its new sewer treatment plant to accommodate a new lift station.) • Work on Phase 2 of the conservation

An aerial view of the Chevron Dog Beach, which a cabal of agencies is working together to bring under public ownership. A schedule for completion of the sales shows escrow on the beach parcels should be complete by the end of May. Photo by Jonathan Roberts, courtesy Cayucos Land Conservancy

effort will begin in early summer 2020. Phase 2 involves acquiring more of the vast Chevron property that spans across much of the eastern edge of North Morro Bay. It includes the large, wooded valley of Alva Paul Creek, a small season creek that skirts the northern edge of Morro Bay’s Del Mar Park and drains a huge area. The CLC was on a mission to raise some $750,000 as the local share of the $4 million needed to buy the beach properties, along with some ranchland at Toro Creek Road and Hwy 1. See cayucoslandconservancy. org/blogs/news/chevron-parcels-torocreek-coast for more information and to donate.

The CLC is thankful for the generous response from the community, and no doubt relieved that the end of a 5-year odyssey to conserve the former Chevron Marine Terminal has lights at the end of the tunnel. “Many, many thanks to our generous donors and supporters,” the CLC said in a statement. “You have bolstered funds for this project beyond all expectations.” CLC is still accepting donations for the remaining parcels, as the precise figure for their closing is yet to be determined. The Chevron Marine Terminal tankered oil out of Estero Bay from 1929 to 1999, some 70 years. The oil was piped to the Coast from the San Ardo Oilfields on Hwy

1 in Monterey County and Oildale in Kern County. Tankers like the Chevron Louisiana were frequent visitors to Estero Bay, majestically anchoring offshore and taking on oil via undersea loading pipelines. The terminal was ultimately a casualty of the Exxon Valdez oil spill in Alaska, as the disaster that fouled Prince William Sound for years led to a push for an end to oil shipping off California. The end of the local facility came with the completion of a direct pipeline from the oilfields to Southern California refineries. Once Phase 1 of the overall project is complete, the agencies plan to start working on Phase 2 funding.

Morro Bay Life • May 2020 • 11

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LIFE INTELLIGENCE

A New Life An opportunity to redefine normal and nervous in crowded public places. How many families will be ruined or grow closer as couples who only saw each other part-time while working overtime finally got together all the time? How many children finally got to play with their parents on a daily basis? How many people living paycheck to paycheck without savings will make it on the other side? I wonder what our society will look like a month, a year, or ten years down the road. What have we learned about ourselves, VALENTINA PETROVA about each other, and from this experience? COLUMNIST It took a lockdown for me to realeturning to normal, the moment ize that what we considered normal is the world is waiting for. Can we anything but normal. In the uninterrupted ever do that? moments of luxuriating with my dog, I I wondered how many will be trauma- saw the “normal” busyness of my life as tized, as the fear of contamination turns us detrimental to my dreams and creativvigilant about hygiene, distant from others, ity. New ideas and inspiration flow out

of space in time. I wondered how many others took full advantage of this opportunity. Do we really want to go back to normal as we knew it? Normally, polluted air hung over our cities. Normally, we had all but forgotten about daily family dinners. Normally, we had no time to relax, no time to eat breakfast, not enough outside time, not enough playtime. Normally, we’d complain about everything. Normally, we didn’t save for a rainy day. Normally, we mostly texted and disconnected. Normally, we didn’t help each other. Normally, we took for granted the very people who now keep us going, safe, and fed. Normally, we wasted resources on things we didn’t need. Normally, we staid complacent. Is it possible to incorporate more honest and personal conversations, more

caring for each other, more quality time together into our re-opening? Is it possible to normalize gratitude for the little things instead of fighting over them? Can we balance work life with playtime? Can we be more frugal and less frivolous? Can we drive less and walk more? Could we stress less and enjoy more? Want less, and give more? Argue less, and dance more? We have an opportunity to redefine normal. Will we take it? Will YOU take it? Valentina Petrova has been helping people with life, health, relationships, financial, career, professional, and business challenges since 2015. She has a Master’s in Psychology and is a certified Life Coach. You can reach her at val@valentinapetrovaconsulting.com (805)909-1401, and watch her at http:// www.youtube.com/c/ValentinaPetrova

We Are Not All in the Same Boat... By HAYLEY MATTSON of Morro Bay Life

ay, 45, Shelter-at-Home, but who is counting. As we continue to live our life through what has turned out to be the year of the Coronavirus and our sixth week of economic uncertainty, we slowly start to place one foot at a time onto the sand beneath us that sways with the ocean tides. This once firm foundation now changes on a daily basis and remains somewhat a mystery of what is still to come. And although we are all deeply impacted by this health crisis, and experiencing some level of apprehension, pressure, tension, and stress. It is imperative that we also remember, we are all in this together; however, we are not all traveling in the same boat. That is an interesting perspective if you stop and think about it. But what does it mean, and

why is it important to remember? The sentiment allows you to remain open, humble, and grateful. Open to the understanding that we are all facing our own worst and best days and, at times, have no idea how to respond or function. Humble, to the notion that things will and must get better, they may not look like what you expected or would have approved. Nonetheless, you have people, friends, and a community that will stand with you and offer support, but you do have to ask. Grateful for the little things that may have been a burden at one time or another, now offer the joy of familiarity and stability. Each of these, however, can always be followed with a counterproductive response as well. That is where the remembrance of the understanding that we are not all in the same boat, resonates the most. “To get over one’s self is an act of courage, love, and understanding,” I read many years ago. It is truer today than it was then. It takes courage to recognize that your challenges, maybe someone else’s best day. You have love to offer in your own way, no matter what level it may be on. Understanding that this too shall pass, and in the meantime, offer someone help. We all should give ourselves and others some grace, love, and patience. For none of us have been through anything like this before. We are all doing the best we can, but that does not give us a pass to take out our fears or frustrations on others. In these trying times, we can choose to accept that we will all respond differently, and that is okay. That is what makes our world so special and unique, and that is not something that will ever change no matter what we are going through. Accept others for where they are at, be

kind, and gentle. As we start to emerge from this pandemic, this is the time we all need each other the most. So even though we may not be traveling in the same boat, if you need a life vest, paddle, jacket, or some food, we will be here. We will be sure to listen, not to judge, and we humbly ask for the same in return. We Are Not All in the Same Boat… I heard that we are all in the same boat, but it’s not like that. We are in the same storm, but not in the same boat. Your ship could be shipwrecked, and mine might not be. Or vice versa. For some, quarantine is optimal. A moment of reflection, of re-connection, easy in flip flops, with a cocktail or coffee. For others, this is a desperate financial & family crisis. For some that live alone, they’re facing endless loneliness. While for others, it is peace, rest & time with their mother, father, sons & daughters. With the $600 weekly increase in unemployment, some are bringing in more money to their households than they were working. Others are working more hours for less money due to pay cuts or loss in sales. Some families of 4 just received $3400 from the stimulus, while other families of 4 saw $0. Some were concerned about getting a certain candy for Easter, while others were concerned if there would be enough bread, milk, and eggs for the weekend. Some want to go back to work because

they don’t qualify for unemployment and are running out of money. Others want to kill those who break the quarantine. Some are home spending 2-3 hours/day helping their child with online schooling while others are spending 2-3 hours/day to educate their children on top of a 10-12-hour workday. Some have experienced the near-death of the virus; some have already lost someone from it and some are not sure if their loved ones are going to make it. Others don’t believe this is a big deal. Some have faith in their God and expect miracles during this 2020. Others say the worst is yet to come. So, friends, we are not in the same boat. We are going through a time when our perceptions and needs are completely different. Each of us will emerge, in our own way, from this storm. It is very important to see beyond what is seen at first glance. Not just looking, actually seeing. See beyond the political party, beyond biases, beyond the nose on your face. Do not underestimate the pain of others if you do not feel it. Do not be judge the good life of one; do not condemn the bad life of another. Let us not judge the one who lacks, as well as the one who exceeds. We are all on different ships during this storm, experiencing a very different journey. Let everyone navigate their own route with respect, empathy, and responsibility. ~ Unknown author

12 • May 2020 • Morro Bay Life

Making Communities Better Through Print™

CONNECTION, COMMUNICATION & COMMITMENT MORRO BAY ROCKS

I believe now more than ever in the strength of community and maintaining our connections.

Feeling very grateful to be living on the Central Coast. Our social distancing measures are working to flatten the curve. As we transition to more activity with state and local orders being lifted, let’s show our favorite neighbor businesses we care. Call to check in and say hello, order take out, prebook orders for personal care appointments and purchase gift cards. This is not business as usual and this too shall pass, however, in the meantime let’s assist our small businesses to weather the storm.

For a list of open Markets and Restaurants go to Morrochamber.org/covid-19-resources Featured photo by Luke Dahlgren

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