Morro Bay Life • June 2021

JUNE 2021 • MORROBAYLIFENEWS.COM

Page 7

’ s r e h t a F HAPPY

DAY

Honoring

Det. Benedetti Page 15

INSIDE THIS ISSUE:

JUNETEENTH

13TH AMENDMENT AND ITS IMPACT PAGE 6

THE GREAT CANNABIS DEBATE A SPECIAL IN-DEPTH LOOK PAGE 13

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

BBQ FUNDRAISER PAGE 4

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

PROJECT SURF CAMP

2 • June 2021 • Morro Bay Life

Making Communities Better Through Print™

Thank you for being the

ASSISTANT EDITOR Melissa Mattson

LAYOUT DESIGN EDITOR Mike Michaud

Community Writer Camille DeVaul

AD DESIGN

Jen Rodman

Ad Consultant Dana McGraw Jessica Segal

Administrator

Cami Martin office@13starsmedia.com

CONTRIBUTORS Barbie Butz

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 .

A

s we share with you the winners of our First Annual Best of Morro Bay Readers Poll Winners! (see A7) We took a moment to reflect on where we were a year ago at this time.

All the well-made plans that we had going into the summer were no longer relevant. All that mattered was doing our part to “flatten the curve” and save precious lives.

This year as we were going through all the votes, we were overwhelmed by the response and support for all our local businesses. Not only can we say that we were blown away, but we’re touched by all the love we see our community members give to one another, even during the most challenging of times.

Be sure to visit each of the winners and know that you, the community, chose each and every one!

It is in times like these that we truly understand how exceptional and unique our community is. Over the last few weeks, our community has been deeply impacted by the loss of San Luis Obispo Detective Luca Benedetti, who lost his life in the line of duty (see A15).

He was a 12-year veteran of law enforcement who lived in our community and, along with his wife, was raising his two precious daughters here on the Central Coast. He was a husband, father, son, brother, and friend to many.

We honor Detective Benedetti and his family, and we will continue to show our support and appreciation for our good law enforcement officers who put their lives in harms way for our community’s peace.

We are honored that our publications are able to highlight those in our community that make it the best place to live, raise a family, work or own a business. As you travel around the world and experience different cultures, climates, governments, and opportunities, our Central Coast community is unmatched.

Choose Healthier Financial Solutions

As we highlight the reopening of businesses, welcoming back traditional annual events that we lost out on due to the pandemic, and sharing the stories of local people doing extraordinary things.

June showcases our dads, fathers, and husbands with Father’s Day, and this year we get to welcome back old traditions that were on hiatus due to pandemic.

In June, we also celebrate Juneteenth; the California legislature recognizes Juneteenth as the third Saturday of June, “Juneteenth National Freedom Day: A Day of Observance.” The holiday is culturally significant to all Americans as the announcement of the end of state-sanctioned slavery following the end of the deadliest war in American history.

We love the resilience of SLO County; we love the people who continue to show up even when it is hard and support each other even when they do not have a lot themselves. We lock arms, give our support, create barbeque fundraisers, line the streets with flags and signs, and feed those in need, whether emotionally or physically.

We do that because we genuinely care, and you can see that in the beautiful faces that show up in the most difficult times of need, and for that, we are all truly better humans for it.

We hope you enjoy this month’s issue of Morro Bay Life.

Much love, Nic and Hayley

Happy Father's Day to the man that loves us beyond measure and inspires me everyday.

Community is about doing something together that makes belonging matter.

~ Brian Solis Through Print

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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.

Back, and Better than Ever!

The Chamber has put together some community mixers for locals to come on out and reconnect with some great small businesses in two of our most walkable economic centers. You’re invited to “Shop, Sip and Stroll” participating business on Embarcadero and in Downtown on two Wednesdays in June. There is no fee! Participating businesses will be stay open after hours, pour samples of locally sourced beer and wine and offer tasty bites to shoppers able to reconnect with local commerce. We LOVE the year-round residents and shoppers who keep businesses humming all year long. Year in and year out, Morro Bay is stronger thanks to the locals who support local business in whatever way, shape or form is possible through any storm that comes our way. We can’t wait to see you!

Go to https://www.morrochamber.org/community-mixers for details.

Quintana Focus on Facebook Live Businesses on Quintana Road are open during the pipeline conveyance construction project currently underway! For the next few Fridays, our Property Walk and Talk series will be broadcasting live on Facebook directly from member businesses in the Quintana business district.

Now, more than ever, the folks operating businesses and providing jobs in this district appreciate your patronage and loyalty!

Commercial Real Estate Finder on Chamber Website Are you looking for a second retail space or know someone who wants to open a business in Morro Bay? Check out our available commercial real estate page on the Chamber website. Click on each profile for additional information about the property and contact information to learn more. www.morrochamber.org/marketspace/

Expansive New Digs for Home Grown Company Rock Harbor Marketing (RHM) Established in 2012, RHM is a niche advertising and marketing agency specializing in professional digital landscapes: social media, websites, online advertising, reputation management, and more.

Their new office, located at 783 Market Ave., is approximately 1,400 square feet overlooking Morro Bay’s Embarcadero. This new space provides RHM staff with much-needed creative meeting spaces and room to accommodate their growing team.

RHM’s goal is to create authentic & honest human interactions in an industry often dominated by automation & lack of person-to-person communications. “We are excited to relocate to our new, larger office overlooking Morro Bay’s beautiful waterfront,” commented Jen Ford, RHM co-founder. “This move represents another significant milestone for our home-grown marketing company. The new office space enables us to collaborate with additional talent in a bigger way. Coming out of a year that presented a series of new challenges and earned our team a few international awards, our #1 goal is to continue providing industry-leading service to our clients. This new space will easily help make that happen.”

The new office reflects the creative culture of RHM and strives to make it a great place to work. The facility features spacious meeting areas where teams can collaborate on solutions with rockharbormarketing.com colleagues, customers, partners, and offsite employees.

4 • June 2021 • Morro Bay Life

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NON-PROFIT

BBQ Fundraiser for Project Surf Camp’s Return

By NEIL FARRELL for Morro Bay Life MORRO BAY — As the world continues to crawl its way out from under the Coronavirus Pandemic, there are several signs that life is returning to normal in Morro Bay. Among these is the return of Project Surf Camp, a beach day camp for children and adults with special needs like autism who, along with a volunteer “buddy,” don wetsuits, learn about the ocean environment and surf.

Another sign is the return of the Junior Lifeguards Program, a beach camp run by the City’s Recreation Department. Jr. Guards, of which there are three levels, which is for kids 9-older and runs weekdays for two consecutive weeks (and is probably sold out by now).

The non-profit Project Surf Camp (PSC) is headquartered at the Coleman Park basketball court and mostly takes place on Morro Strand Beach near Morro Rock.

PSC is supported by practically every business in town, and among the more passionate about the program is Michael Williams, owner of “Movement for Life Physical Therapy,” formerly called San Luis Sports Therapy, 890 Shasta Ave., Morro Bay. Williams has thrown an annual “Pre-4th of July” fundraising barbecue for PSC every summer for nearly two decades, and he’s reviving the event after a hiatus last summer due to the Coronavirus Pandemic.

The fundraiser is on Friday, Jun. 25, at the clinic, which is across the street from the Morro Bay Library and City Hall.

The event has featured a potluck BBQ, drawings for gifts donated by local businesses, and a community blood drive. Call (805)772-4325 for details, tickets, and to donate items for the drawings.

According to PSC’s website, “Our mission is to build self-confidence, self-esteem, and self-efficacy.

We further provide opportunities to build social skills, improve physical fitness, develop healthy outlets for stress reduction, and foster independence. Outcomes

are achieved through the modality of surf, paddleboard instruction and/or beach and aquatic activities.”

The camp is also helped in large part by community volunteers, who keep the kids safe and seem to have as much fun in the surf as the campers do.

Prices are $70 per camp day, and PSC encourages siblings and family members to participate as well.

The sibling/additional family membership fee is $60.

Participants may sign-up for one or more days.

PSC keeps the cost low through its extensive fundraising, grants, and community support, which includes the City’s Rec Department and the Community Foundation of Estero Bay. The Foundation has scholarships available for needy children from the Estero Bay Area — Los Osos, Morro Bay, and Cayucos — to participate in the City’s youth sports and rec programs, including Project Surf Camp.

Visit communityfoundationesterobay.org for information about the Foundation.

PSC runs on Wednesdays through Fridays, starting Jul. 14 through Aug. 7.

Visit projectsurfcamp.com for information, schedule, sign-ups, or donate.

Project Surf Campers enjoy a day in the surf with volunteers. (top photos). Contributed photos. The Project Surf Camper on the right (bottom right photo), escorted by two camp ‘Buddies’ was all smiles coming out of the water in this photo taken during the 2016 Project Surf Camp at Morro Strand Beach. Photos by Neil Farrell

GOVERNMENT

City Hires New Asst. City Manager/Finance Director

By NEIL FARRELL for Morro Bay Life MORRO BAY — The Morro Bay City Manager has filled one of two open department head positions, reaching into the Ivy League via Paso Robles to fill one of those positions.

City Manager Scott Collins announced on May 19 that he hired Sarah Johnson-Rios to become the City’s new “Assistant City Manager/ Administrative Services Director.”

That filled the position that underwent a makeover after Jennifer Callaway left the City for the town manager’s job in Truckee, Calif., last October.

Four days after Callaway left, Collins hired former San Luis Obispo City Manager, Katie Lichtig, who had recently retired from the City of Santa Monica, where she was the Assistant City Manager/Chief Operating Officer.

Lichtig was hired on an interim basis and has been the lead person putting together the mid-year budget review and the Draft 2021/22 City Budget, which was released to the public in mid-May and will be reviewed and adopted in June before the July 1 start of the new fiscal year.

Lichtig’s temp contract, at $67 an hour, was for November 2020 to November 2021; however, it looks to be ending early now that the position was filled.

Johnson-Rios has some 13 years of city government experience and is well educated. Most recently, she

was the Assistant City Manager for the City of Paso Robles for the past two years, according to Collins’ news release on her hiring.

“Prior to that, she served as a housing administrator for the City of Raleigh, N.C., and Public Works Administrative Services Officer for the City of Santa Monica,” Collins said. Johnson-Rios was a Fulbright Scholar, received a Bachelor’s Degree from Emory University, and earned a Masters of Public Administration Degree from Princeton University.

Johnson-Rios, Collins said, was selected out of some 30 applicants for what is a new position for the City of Morro Bay. “The position will oversee finance,” the release said, “communications, and information technology; assist the City Manager in moving forward City Council strategic initiatives; and support other critical internal functions such as human resources and risk management.”

This new job description was approved by the City Council last fall as the search for Callaway’s permanent replacement was getting underway.

According to Collins, Johnson-Rios went through a rigorous interview process, which included interviews with a community panel, a panel of City Managers, a written assignment, and interviews with City staff.

“I am excited for Ms. Johnson-Rios to join the City team in this critical role,” said Collins. “The Assistant City

Manager/Administrative Services Director will lead a wide range of important City functions, including serving as the Chief Financial Officer.

We needed a well-rounded leader for this role, and Sarah is an excellent fit.”

The various jobs she’s held apparently made the difference in getting hired.

“She brings a rare depth and breadth of experience across multiple disciplines to Morro Bay,” Collins added. “Sarah demonstrated through the rigorous selection process that she has a wealth of knowledge regarding municipal operations and policies.

She will be a tremendous asset to our City and community, helping lead the organization towards a bright future.

We can’t wait for her to get started!”

Johnson-Rios is excited about the new job.

“I am thrilled to have the opportunity to serve the community of Morro Bay in this exciting new role overseeing both administrative services and advancing broader strategic priorities for the City,” Johnson-Rios said.

“I look forward to contributing my experience to the team’s collective efforts to achieve Council’s goals of fiscal sustainability, effective communications, improved infrastructure, and land use and affordable housing progress.”

She and her family have apparently spent a lot of time in Morro Bay, no doubt seeking relief from the blazing Paso Robles summer heat. “The chance to serve a wonderful community where my family already enjoys

spending much of our leisure time makes me especially grateful for this role,” she said.

Johnson-Rios’ first day at City Hall is in “late June 2021.” Her annual salary is $149,500 plus the standard benefits package all City Employees get.

Collins also recently hired Greg Kwolek to be the Public Works Director and can now turn his attention full time to find a new fire chief, after Chief Steve Knuckles announced his retirement last month but stayed on as interim chief until July when he’s got to step down under the retirement rules. The search for a new fire chief is underway now.

Johnson-Rios comes in with the lessening of the Coronavirus Pandemic response that included stay-at-home orders from the Governor, closures and severe restrictions on “non-essential” businesses, and a forced slowdown of tourism, as the pandemic was grabbing hold of the State and the Nation, indeed the whole world, is in near-full retreat.

Callaway and Collins spearheaded the City’s response to an anticipated drop in tax revenues, as the main economic engines in town — motels and restaurants — were restricted.

But thanks in part to a hot summer with smoke-filled Central Valley skies from massive Sierra Nevada wildfires, tourism didn’t skip much of a beat last summer. At times, weekdays were packed with visitors, as if a holiday weekend.

The City spent much of its general

Sarah Johnson-Rios has been hired as the new Assistant City Manager/ Administrative Services Director for the City of Morro Bay and will come aboard in late June. She replaces Jennifer Callaway, who left Morro Bay for the job as town manager for Truckee, Calif., last October. Photo courtesy City of Morro Bay

fund reserves to keep the City’s essential functions — maintenance, police, and fire at full funding, laying off over 70 employees — primarily part-time workers in the Recreation Department — to bring down costs.

The City did get a 1 percent local sales tax approved by voters last November (estimated to bring in $2 million a year), and the two licensed marijuana dispensaries are now open to collect a 5 percent pot tax (estimated to bring in about $475,000 a year), as well as some federal COVID relief monies coming via SLO County.

So, in the end, the City would appear to have weathered the worst of the COVID storm and, with the new tax sources now in place, could be expected to soon be on solid financial footing once again moving forward.

Morro Bay Life • June 2021 • 5

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6 • June 2021 • Morro Bay Life

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JUSTICE FOR KRISTIN

HOLIDAY

Juneteenth and the 13th Amendment

By NICHOLAS MATTSON of Morro Bay Life

Smart family releases a statement about their relentless determination to bring Kristin home

By CAMILLE DeVAUL of Morro Bay Life SAN LUIS OBISPO — Tuesday, May 25, marked the 25th anniversary since the day Kristin Smart went missing from the Cal Poly campus in San Luis Obispo.

Kristin’s family has released the following statement to mark the occasion: “It has been 25 years today since our daughter, Kristin, disappeared, and to mark the occasion, members of our family traveled to San Luis Obispo this past weekend to celebrate Kristin’s life. As part of our visit, we took time to thank our special friends in the SLO area who have carried Kristin in their hearts, including those in law enforcement who never gave up and continue today with steeled determination and effort to bring her home.

While we were not able to meet with all the Warriors for Kristin during our short stay, we wanted them to know that their determination over the years has been so valuable in sustaining Kristin’s memory. We did have the opportunity to thank Sheriff Ian Parkinson for his relentless commitment and leadership, and we saluted all those in the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff ’s Department and the FBI for their efforts on this case. We will always be so grateful to Kristin’s earliest supporters, Jim and Garin Murphy, Dennis Mahon, and Tana Coats, each of whom refused to give up.

They, along with hundreds of early supporters, worked tirelessly to fight for justice for Kristin, including helping search and providing gifts of their time and donations. Finally, we especially wanted to thank Chris Lambert for his outstanding podcast, Your Own Backyard.

His interest and his unique ability to tell this story have been responsible for generating unimagined new attention to Kristin. Thank you to everyone who have helped us with our quest for justice. Your support will be forever remembered and appreciated by our family.”

The Smart family will not be doing any interviews or making more comments on this day.

Kristin (19) was last seen on May 25, 1996, at approximately 2 a.m. near Perimeter and Grand Avenue’s intersection on the Cal Poly campus as she walked home to her dorm from an off-campus party.

Kristin Smart was last seen with Paul Flores, who at the time was a 19-year-old male Cal Poly freshman who walked home from a party with her.

Earlier this year, on Tuesday, Apr. 13, Paul Flores, now 44 years old, was arrested for the murder of Kristin Smart.

Paul’s father, Ruben Flores (80), was arrested on the same day for the accessory after the fact to the murder of Kristin Smart.

Both men pleaded not guilty. Paul is being held at the San Luis Obispo County Jail on no bail. Ruben was released with $50,000 bail on Wednesday, Apr. 21., by his estranged wife and Paul’s mother, Susan Flores.

The preliminary hearing is set for Jul. 6 and is expected to last a full two weeks.

ARTWORK AND PHOTOS BY THE SMITHSONIAN

25th Anniversary of Kristin Smart’s Disappearance

T

he warm month of June is home to a holiday that some say deserves much more national recognition and local celebration than it has received since it was first recognized. Juneteenth marks the final stop on June 19, 1865, of Union Maj. General Gordon Granger, arriving in Galveston, Texas, to announce, “The people of Texas are informed that, in accordance with a proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free. This involves an absolute equality of personal rights and rights of property between former masters and slaves, and the connection heretofore existing between them becomes that between employer and hired labor. The freedmen are advised to remain quietly at their present homes and work for wages.

They are informed that they will not be allowed to collect at military posts and that they will not be supported in idleness either there or elsewhere.”

Abraham Lincoln was elected as the 16th president of the United States with a clear mandate to act in some way on the existence of state-sanctioned slavery—which violated both the inalienable human rights emblazoned in the Declaration of Independence and principles vested in the Bill of Rights. The conflict was inevitable, and the Civil War was a long and bloody war that cost 620,000 American lives on both sides of the battle.

Juneteenth is the celebration of the June 1865 announcement in Galveston, Texas — little more than a month after the final battle of the Civil War, the Battle of Palmito Ranch on May 13, 1865.

Approximately 300 miles north, Maj. Gen. Granger rode into Galveston with his announcement less than 40 days later, and the day would live on as the marked day of celebration for the end of state-sanctioned slavery in the United States.

While the Emancipation Proclamation is far more famous, ringing the words of President Lincoln in the heart of the nation, it was Granger’s announcement that inspired the Juneteenth holiday.

According to the National Archives, “Although the Emancipation Proclamation did not end slavery in the nation, it captured the hearts and imagination of millions of Americans and fundamentally transformed the character of the

war. After January 1, 1863, every advance of federal troops expanded the domain of freedom. Moreover, the Proclamation announced the acceptance of black men into the Union Army and Navy, enabling the liberated to become liberators. By the end of the war, almost 200,000 black soldiers and sailors had fought for the Union and freedom.”

With new vigor, Union soldiers battled against a ferocious Confederacy for two and a half years following Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863.

Ironically, the Second Battle of Galveston also happened on January 1, 1863.

The Civil War waged on with 257 more battles in 29 months following the Emancipation Proclamation, according to the Civil War Sites Advisory Commission.

The end of the Civil War came not with a bang, but a whimper, as

800 soldiers on both sides fought the Battle of Palmito Ranch.

But the final battle was of little to-do, as the announcement by Maj. Gen. Granger was a proclamation of victory for the Union and the end of the practice of slavery in the United States.

The California legislature recognizes Juneteenth as the third Saturday of June, “Juneteenth National Freedom Day: A Day of Observance.”

Juneteenth stands as the day in history when the proclamation that “all slaves are free” was made in all corners of the nation.

While Juneteenth celebrations remain concentrated in the south, especially in Texas, where it has been celebrated for more than 150 years, the holiday remains culturally significant to all Americans as the announcement of the end of state-sanctioned slavery following the end of the most deadly war in American history.

TASTE OF AMERICANA

Welcome the First Day of Summer and Father’s Day

By BARBIE BUTZ for Morro Bay Life

W

elcome the first day of summer on June 20. On that same day, we will celebrate Father’s Day. It’s a time for Bar-b-ques, picnics in the park, and simple patio dining. No matter the style you choose, you will want to end the gathering with something “cool.”

This recipe for Chocolate Mint Sundaes is remarkably easy but is still elegantly flavored and wonderful for a hot summer’s night. You can make the mint-scented chocolate sauce up to a week ahead of time.

CHOCOLATE MINT SUNDAES Ingredients: • 1 cup water • 1 cup sugar • ½ cup thinly sliced fresh mint leaves • 2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder • 4 Tbs (½ stick) unsalted butter, room temperature • Mint chocolate chip ice cream • Fresh mint sprigs Directions: Stir 1 cup water and sugar in heavy small saucepan over medium heat until sugar dissolves; bring syrup to boil. Remove from heat. Stir in thinly sliced fresh mint leaves. Let stand 1

hour. Using a slotted spoon, remove mint leaves from syrup. Whisk cocoa into syrup. Bring to boil. Add butter and whisk until smooth. Refrigerate sauce uncovered until cold. (Can be made 1 week ahead. Cover and keep refrigerated.

To serve, place 2 scoops of the ice cream in 6 bowls. Drizzle the sundaes with sauce and garnish with fresh mint sprigs. Makes 6 servings.

This next recipe teams up lemon and lime with ginger in a cooling sorbet. It makes a light ending for a heavier meal, especially those famous barbecues we have here in the North County.

FRESH GINGER & CITRUS SORBET Ingredients: • 5 cups water • 2 cups sugar • 3 Tbs finely chopped

peeled fresh ginger • 2 tsp finely grated lemon peel • 2 tsp finely grated lime peel • 3 Tbs fresh lemon juice • 3 Tbs fresh lime juice • Fresh mint sprigs Directions: Combine 5 cups water, sugar, and ginger in a heavy large saucepan. Bring to boil, stirring until sugar dissolves. Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes. Strain into a large bowl; discard solids. Return liquid to same saucepan. Add lemon and lime peels.

Boil 2 minutes. Remove from heat.

Whisk in lemon and lime juices. Cool completely. Pour mixture into 9 x 13 x 2-inch glass baking dish. Cover and freeze until solid, about 6 hours or overnight. Transfer mixture to processor and puree until smooth. Return to same glass dish; cover and freeze until solid, at least 3 hours or overnight.

(Can be prepared 3 days ahead. Keep frozen.) Scoop sorbet into glasses or bowls. Garnish with fresh mint sprigs.

Makes 8 servings.

Now, for the Dads in your family, consider this next recipe for sirloin strips. Let Dad sit and enjoy a “glass of brew” while someone else does the grilling. Serve with a potato side dish and a fresh green salad. Don’t forget some grilled sourdough bread. End the meal with one of the dessert recipes included above, and Dad will be

a happy man!

TANGY SIRLOIN STRIPS Ingredients: • ¼ cup vegetable oil • 2 Tbs Worcestershire sauce • 1 clove garlic, minced • ½ tsp onion powder • ½ tsp salt • ¼ tbs pepper • 1 lbs boneless sirloin steak (1” thick) • 4 bacon strips • Lemon-pepper seasoning Glaze Ingredients: • ½ cup barbecue sauce • ½ cup steak sauce • ½ cup honey • 1 Tbs molasses Directions: In a large resealable bag, combine the first six ingredients. Cut steak into four wide strips; add to the marinade.

Seal bag and turn to coat; refrigerate for 2-3 hours or overnight, turning once. Drain and discard marinade.

Wrap a bacon strip around each steak piece; secure with a toothpick. Sprinkle with lemon pepper—coat grill rack with nonstick cooking spray before starting the grill. Grill steak, covered, over medium-low heat for 10-15 minutes, turning occasionally, until meat reaches desired doneness (for rare, a meat thermometer should read 140 degrees; medium, 160 degrees; well-done, 170 degrees).

Combine the glaze ingredients; brush over steak. Grill until glaze is heated.

Discard toothpicks. Serves 4.

 2021 BEST OF MORRO BAY 

A

s we continue to forge into a year that still promises change and uncertainty due to the pandemic, we are reminded once again what an incredible and resilient community we live in. We announced our Inaugural Readers Poll back in March, and immediately following, the votes started pouring in for our reader’s favorite businesses!

Collecting and sorting more than 150 answers to our poll was extremely uplifting! Just to see all the wonderful comments, stories, and love from residents all over Morro Bay for their favorite business, restaurant, clothing store, salon, landscaping, and so much more!

The Best of Morro Bay celebrates all the winners chosen by local readers of Morro Bay Life. The following pages are dedicated to those winners, and throughout the year, we will continue to celebrate all the winners of the First Annual Best of Morro Bay Reader’s Poll!

June 2021 • 7

All the winners are extremely appreciative of your vote and for considering them your absolute favorite. As you look through the pages to see who won, know that they are the Best of 2021 because you, our readers, who chose each and every one of them.

As a community, it is important for us all to remember that our small businesses are a part of what makes our community and economy thrive.

They are our family, friends, and neighbors, and they have had to pivot and adjust throughout the pandemic just to survive and keep their dream alive.

With the First Annual Best of Morro Bay Reader’s Poll, we celebrate all of the winners together with you. We thank you for supporting all of our small businesses, for participating in our Readers Poll, and for being the best readers in the world.

We would not be able to do any of this without you.

DISCOVER YOUR WINNERS! →

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 2021 BEST OF MORRO BAY 

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BEST TACOS

BEST GENERAL CONTRACTOR

BEST BURGER JOINT

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BEST CHARITY OR NONPROFIT PROJECT

K Shine Cafe

BEST CHARITY EVENT

K Flavor Factory

K Surf Camp K MM4K

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K Project Surf Camp FOOD & BEVERAGE BEST OVERALL DINING EXPERIENCE

K Dorn’s Breakers Cafe BEST OVERALL FOOD & BEVERAGE SERVICE

Mark perfect K Maker’s Manhattan at Windows on the Water

BEST CUP OF COFFEE

K Top Dog Coffee Bar BEST STEAKHOUSE

K Windows on the Water BEST VEGETARIAN OR VEGAN

K Pizza Port

K Shine Cafe

K The Galley

K Flavor Factory

K Distasio’s on the Bay

K Dorn’s Breakers Cafe

BEST DATE NIGHT RESTAURANT

BEST FRENCH FRIES

BEST PASTA PLACE

BEST BRUNCH SPECIAL

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Shine Cafe K Taco Temple — Carrot Cake K BEST BBQ SPOT

BEST SALAD

K Dorn’s Breakers Cafe

K Flavor Factory

K Top Dog Coffee Bar

K Top Dog Coffee Bar

BEST TEA

20% OFF

BEST COFFEEHOUSE

Bring this coupon to Top Dog Coffee Bar for 20% off any beverage

K Taco Temple

K Dorn’s Breakers Cafe BEST MEXICAN RESTAURANT

K Taco De Mexico BEST SUSHI RESTAURANT

K Ada’s

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K Morro Bay Plumbing

K Pizza Port

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K Harada’s

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K Giovanni’s Fish Market

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K La Parisienne

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K Pizza Port

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K La Parisienne BEST OLIVE

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K Finley Electric SHOPPING & RETAIL

K Thai Elephant

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BEST GELATO, ICE CREAM AND FROZEN DESSERT

K Bayside Cafe — Mud Pie BEST FARM-FRESH FRUIT

K Avocado Shack

BEST SEAFOOD RESTAURANT

K Toganzzini’s Dockside Cafe BEST PASTRY

K La Parisienne HOME IMPROVEMENT BEST OVERALL HOME IMPROVEMENT

K Miner’s Ace Hardware

BEST PEST CONTROL

K Ugly Mug K Ugly Mug BEST ANTIQUES

K Morro Bay Antiques BEST THRIFT AND CONSIGNMENT

K Achievement House BEST REPURPOSED, RENEWED AND RESOLD

K The Good Flea

BEST BOOKS, STATIONARY AND GIFT SHOP

K Coalesce Books BEST MEN’S CLOTHING

K Wavelengths

BEST WOMEN’S CLOTHING

K Queen’s Closet

BEST HEALTH FOOD, NATURAL FOOD OR GROCERY STORE

K Sunshine Foods

PETS & ANIMALS BEST PET GROOMING & CARE

K SLO Pest and Termite

K Lemos

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K Lemos

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Thank You All so much for your love and support!

Your Votes mean so much to Us!

K Finley Electric

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& Lola’s K Frankie Front Street Cafe

 Best Tea  Best Cup of Coffee  Best Coffeeshop

K Schuerfeld Masonry

K Oil Groves on 33

BEST FRENCH TOAST

for Voting Top Dog Coffee Bar:

BEST LANDSCAPING, LAWN AND GARDEN

BEST FAMILY RESTAURANT

Cafe K Bayside (Nachos, Onion Rings and Skewers)

857 MAIN STREET, MORRO BAY (805)772.9225 Mon - Sun 7:00am-5:00pm

K Morro Bay Uhaul K Miner’s Ace Hardware

BEST APPETIZER

EST. 1996

K Dana McClish

BEST CONSTRUCTION & BUILDING MATERIALS

K Dana McClish

BEST FEED STORE

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K Lemos

BEST DOG PARK

K Del Mar Park

 2021 BEST OF MORRO BAY 

June 2021 • 9

 2021 BEST OF MORRO BAY 

BEST VETERINARIAN OR PET HOSPITAL

K Coast Veterinarian Clinic

HEALTH, WELLNESS & BEAUTY BEST OVERALL HEALTH, WELLNESS & BEAUTY

BEST GENERAL PRACTITIONER OR DOCTOR

K Dr. Laura Slaughter BEST CHIROPRACTOR

K Dr. Watson

BEST REAL ESTATE AGENT

K Tim Cowan

TRAVEL, ENTERTAINMENT, LEISURE & EVENTS

BEST GYM OR PERSONAL TRAINER

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BEST HAIR SALON

BEST GOLF COURSE

BEST DAY SPA

BEST PARADE, CRUISE, OR COMMUNITY CELEBRATION

K FitnessWorks

K Windows on the Water

K FitnessWorks

K Rio Salon

K Morro Bay Golf Course

K Morro Nails

K Spa by the Bay

K Harbor Christmas Parade

K FitnessWorks

BEST HOLISTIC HEALTHCARE

BEST NAIL SALON

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K Mike’s Barber Shop BEST URGENT CARE OR CLINIC

K Urgent Care MB

BEST OPTOMETRIST AND EYE CARE

K Morro Bay Optometry BEST WEIGHT LOSS OR NUTRITION

K FitnessWorks

BEST HEARING AID SPECIALIST

Bay K Morro Hearing Aid Center

FINANCIAL, REAL ESTATE OR LEGAL BEST BOOKKEEPING SERVICE

K Linda K Harris

BEST ATTORNEY OR LAWYER

K Jane Heath

BEST REAL ESTATE GROUP OR BROKER

BEST GIRL’S NIGHT OUT SPOT

K Stax

BEST GUY’S NIGHT OUT SPOT

K The Siren

BEST FAMILY OUTING

Tours/ K Sub-Sea Whale Watching

K Navigators Real Estate

BEST HOTEL

K David Smith

BEST TRAVEL, ENTERTAINMENT, LEISURE, AND EVENTS

BEST TAX PREPARATION

BEST BANK OR CREDIT UNION

K Pacific Premier Bank

K Masterpiece Hotel Tours/ K Sub-Sea Whale Watching

BEST U12 KIDS ENTERTAINMENT

Tours/ K Sub-Sea Whale Watching BEST PARK

K Del Mar Park AUTO CARE BEST OVERALL AUTO CARE

K Bay Auto and Tire BEST LUBE AND OIL SERVICE

K Bay Auto and Tire BEST CAR WASH AND AUTO DETAIL

From Our Family to Yours Thank You for Voting Us Best of Morro Bay

K Sunset Carwash BEST AUTO PARTS

K Auto Zone

BEST WINDOW REPAIR OR TINTING

K Estero Glass

BEST JAPANESE AUTO REPAIR & MAINTENANCE

K Pete’s Auto BEST AUTO SALES

K Dealers Choice

BEST AMERICAN AUTO REPAIR & MAINTENANCE

K Bay Auto and Tire

BEST TIRE SALES AND SERVICE

K Hinson’s Tire

BEST INSURANCE COMPANY

K State Farm BEST GAS STATION

K Exxon Mobil WINE & VINEYARDS BEST LOCAL RED WINE

K Opolo Mountain Zinfandel BEST VINEYARD TASTING ROOM

K Opolo

BEST VINEYARD EXPERIENCE

K Daou Family Estates BEST LOCAL WHITE WINE

K Daou Chardonnay BEST LOCAL TASTING ROOM

K STAX Wine Bar

BREWERIES, DISTILLERIES & TAPROOMS BEST LOCAL CRAFT BEER

Stacks K Three and a Rock IPA BEST LOCAL BREWERY

K Three Stacks and a Rock

BEST BAR, TAVERN, PUB OR TAP HOUSE

K The Siren

Best Tacos & Best Cake (Carrot Cake to be Exact!)

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Open: Sun-Thurs 11am – 8pm  Fri-Sat 11am – 8:30pm

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A huge Congratulations to all the winners of this year’s 1st Annual Best of Morro Bay! We thank you our readers for taking the time to vote for your favorites!

Without your support for all small businesses this would not be possible.

As we all continue to endure this challenging time, we know that there is only one way we will get through this and that is, together.

Morro Bay Life • June 2021 • 11

Making Communities Better Through Print™

BUSINESS

Revive Your Retirement Savings 11 ways to step closer to the future you envision SARAH SANTANA COLUMNIST

I

f you’re concerned your retirement savings aren’t quite where they should be, you have plenty of company – about 30 percent of working Americans feel the same. But while boosting savings is the most important factor in ensuring a comfortable retirement, there are other changes you can make without straying from your financial plan.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Revisit Your Asset Allocation Look At Expenses You may have to allocate more Depending on your anticipated shortfall, this might mean anything from trimming daily of your investments to equities if expenses to really slashing them (e.g., delaying you’re behind. Historically, these have provided better long-term returns than a new car purchase). bonds. Just be careful not to exceed your risk tolerance.

Eliminate Credit Card Debt Pay down high-interest debt as rapidly as Maximize possible, and construct a new household budget Social Security Benefits that makes retirement savings your top priority.

Waiting as long as pos­sible to begin taking benefits makes sense for many, Save As Much As Possible Try putting away at least 15 percent of your but Social Security is complicated. income, or setting a specific savings goal and Fortunately, your advisor can guide you through different claiming strategies. getting there as quickly as possible.

6.

8.

9.

10.

11.

Retire Simpler Many retirees find that living more simply is just fine.

You’ll want to strike a balance here – don’t give up on your dreams, but try to make them a little more realistic.

Rethink Your Home Equity Consider deploying your home equity to establish an emergency fund or meet other essential expenses.

NEXT STEPS

Downsize For Simplicity If you have more home than you need, consider To Begin Boosting Your Savings: downsizing and investing whatever you clear in an • Discuss everything with your advisor, includincome-oriented account. ing how much you think you’ll need for the retirement you envision. He or she can help Maximize Tax Breaks you determine what you need to get there, how Once you’re 50, the amount you can contribute to invest your money, how to account for inflaRetire Part-Time tax-free to retirement accounts increases. So, if you have tion, and what to set aside for your potential Retire Later If you or your spouse or partner a workplace retirement plan with an employer matching healthcare costs.

The more time your investments have to grow, the bigger the ultimate payoff can be. can work part-time, you’ll boost your program, try making the maximum allowable contri- • Ask your advisor to run the appropriate what-if scenarios. You may find your situaEven a couple more years can make a big differ- retirement cash flow and give yourself bution. Also, think about previous jobs – did you leave more time for savings to grow. anything behind in a retirement plan? tion is brighter than you think. ence in how much you can put aside.

7.

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.

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12 • June 2021 • Morro Bay Life

Making Communities Better Through Print™

GOVERNMENT

SLO Board of Supervisors Recognizes Young Leaders with Weyhrich Scholarship

Board signs support letter AB327 pertaining to COVID vaccination status

By MELISSA MATTSON of Morro Bay Life SAN LUIS OBISPO — The San Luis Obispo Board of Supervisors met on Tuesday, May, 18 for a regularly scheduled meeting at 9 a.m. The meeting opened with a moment of silence in honor of Luca Benedetti, a San Luis Obispo Detective who was killed in the line of duty on May 10.

Public comment opened with many members of the public commenting on item 3 on the consent agenda: Request to approve a sole source contract with MSW Consultants, in an amount not to exceed $32,050 to perform a cost-benefit analysis of the county’s participation in the San Luis Obispo County Integrated Waste Management Authority (IWMA); and provide staff direction to confirm the scope and schedule for considering withdrawal; and authorize a budget adjustment in the amount of $32,050 from General Fund Contingencies to increase appropriation in Fund Center 104 The majority of comment was requesting the Board to sever ties with the IWMA. There was comment from some of the unincorporated areas in the county, such as General Manager of Templeton Community Service District Jeff Briltz, who pointed out that the analysis does not include the unincorporated areas that would also be affected by the change.

County Council did confirm that

the absence of analysis on these unincorporated areas is simply because of the short timeline, but that further study would report on those areas as well.

The consent agenda was passed 5-0 with just a brief comment period highlighting the great work that the public works department does for our county by Board members on item 19: Submittal of a resolution proclaiming May 16-22 as National Public Works Week.

Next, the Board heard the Presentation of the Community Foundation San Luis Obispo County Richard J. Weyhrich Leadership Scholarship Awards to local students. There were several students from local high schools who were awarded scholarships from the foundation, totaling $300,000.

Following the presentation, Penny Borenstein, Public Health Director, gave the COVID update, stating that there are currently 21,208 cases in SLO county. On Monday, May 17, the number of active cases was 69, the first time in many many months that it has been below 100 cases. “We are very much heading in a good direction; I very much think it’s due to vaccinations and the protective measures we have taken for a long time.”

Borenstein addressed the discrepancy in total numbers, which have reduced recently, explaining that the data is always continually analyzed to look for these issues and keep the numbers accurate. It was found that some numbers were duplications from a resident residing in one county but seeking medical treatment in a different county, some were antigen tests that are labeled now as probable but not confirmed, and a somewhat sizable amount of 273 cases that were Cal Poly cases that were deemed SLO county but now are re-identified to campus cases and not the larger populous.

“We take it seriously to give accu-

rate data,” stated Borenstein, explaining why the data is continually analyzed.

Borenstein reported that the pop-up clinics would close entirely after Jun. 4, at which time the public can receive their vaccinations at public health clinics and pharmacies. And lastly, Borenstein touched on the mask mandate and that while CDC came out with new guidelines, they were subject to local and state guidelines, which still require wearing a mask, vaccinated or not, until Jun. 15.

Item 28 was a submittal of the 2020-2021 Third Quarter Financial Status Report which was presented with a few budget recommendations: • Accept donation acceptance requests totaling $73,841 • Approve a request for Relief of Accountability in the amount of $67,973 • Authorize miscellaneous budget adjustments totaling $19 million » 1.6 million from General Fund contingencies » $795,117 from the COVID19 designation Staff recommendations were approved 5-0.

Next was a hearing to consider public testimony regarding the renewal of the San Luis Obispo County Tourism Business Improvement District (CBID) and continued levy of assessments. The CBID levies a tax of 2 percent to all lodging businesses, half of which remains with CBID, and half is given back to the local area. Since the beginning of CBID in 2009, they have received 19.9 million. The hearing was to consider the continuation of the assessment, as required by state statue, and to continue if protests were less than 50 percent.

The protests were tallied at 1.764 percent, which is not a majority protest. The Board declared the CBID renewed and passed the motion 5-0.

The Board met for closed session, with nothing to report on, and then

moved on to recognize May as National Foster Care Month and urge citizens to join in an effort about national awareness. At any given time, there are over 350 children in SLO in the foster care system, but only 120 families to care for them. Those interested in learning more or becoming a resource can visit slofostercare.com.

Supervisor Gibson moved to approve the motion, seconded by Supervisor Ortiz-Legg, and the motion passed 5-0.

The Board heard a presentation on budget recommendations. The budget book has been written to communicate the county values and how resources are recommended to be allocated. The budget can be found on the county website at slocounty.ca.gov or in person at the County Government Center at 1055 Monterey Street in SLO. The recommendations to the Board are to adopt the resolution introducing the budget, schedule a public hearing for Jun. 14 to 16, and order publication of all required legal notices. A motion to approve staff ’s recommendations was passed 5-0.

Item 33 was a revision to several title 2 Administration and Personnel County codes to keep them current and up to date since it had not been done since 2012. The motion to approve the designated changes was passed 5-0.

Item 34 was a recommendation to allocate $250,000 to Jack’s Helping Hand to continue the construction of the Jack Ready Imagination Park.

The park is a 30-acre parcel of land where a universally accessible park for all children, including disabled children, will be built, with an anticipated completion of 2022. Parks and Recreation considered the item and recommended the Board allocate, while County Parks recommends taking no action, as there may be another grant that could provide the funds for the park. With much discussion from the Board, Chairperson Compton made

a motion to move forward with the Parks and Recreation Commissioner recommendation to allocate $250,000 with the provision that county council draw up an agreement that the funds be refunded if the grant comes through for the project. The motion passed 4-1 with Supervisor Gibson in opposition.

The Board heard a presentation on item 35 to authorize the Chief Probation Officer to execute an amendment to the contract with Family Care Network in the amount of $100,000 to provide an expansion of therapeutic services to high-risk juvenile offenders and families. The recommendation was to authorize the Chief Probation Officer to execute contracts with other probation departments and to approve amendment No. 1 to the Family Care Network contract. The motion to approve the recommendations was passed 5-0.

The last item of the day was a Request for approval of a letter of support for AB 327 (Kiley) and amend the county’s 2021 Legislative Platform pertaining to COVID vaccination status. The Board heard from the public, which was almost exclusively in support of AB 237 and against the idea of vaccine passports. After hearing twenty minutes of public comment, a motion was made by Supervisor Arnold to move the remaining recordings into public record in order to avoid going past 5 p.m. or delaying the vote to another day if a unanimous vote to go past 5 p.m. was not reached. Additionally, she included in her motion to approve the letter of support. Supervisor Gibson voiced his opposition to the motion, and the motion passed 4-1.

The next meeting of the Supervisors will be Jun. 8. Links for the meeting will be available on the SLO County website at slocounty.ca.gov/ Departments/Board-of-Supervisors/ Board-Meetings,-Agendas-andMinutes.aspx

EVENT

Paso Robles Event Center Announces 2021 California Mid-State Fair is Happening!

75th Annual Re-Do Scheduled for July 21 through August 1 whose theme is “Can’t Wait To See You!”

By CAMILLE DEVAUL of Morro Bay Life PASO ROBLES — After a year of a devastating pandemic that led to numerous cancelations of the county’s most beloved annual events, the Paso Robles Event Center announced on Monday, May 10, that the 2021 California Mid-State Fair is happening as scheduled!

The theme... “Can’t Wait To See You!” which is quite fitting for the year we sheltered in place for most of 2020 on into 2021.

This year’s Mid-State Fair is getting ready to make up for lost time as they will be celebrating their 75th Anniversary a year later due to COVID-19.

The annual event will have animals, agriculture, live performances (more information to come), carnival rides, shopping, exhibits, and food… all happening during the originally planned dates of July 21 through August 1.

As safety continues to be the top focus during this time, the fair will be following all state and local health mandates regarding

COVID-19. It is also possible that certain attractions will need to have reduced capacity, depending on state and local health guidelines in place at the time of the 2021 fair.

In March, Tom Keffury, Mid-State Fair spokesperson, explained that the public’s safety is their top priority.

“We have to do it safely, it is our priority, but if we can do that and we are allowed to do it, we want to do it because we feel there is a demand from the public and from our vendors who want to do it,” said Keffury.

Keffury explained that Plan A for the Mid-State Fair was to have a fair, with all California’s safety measures in place. However, at the time Plan, A could only happen if the county moves into the yellow tier.

Governor Gavin Newsom announced in March, then again in May, that most restrictions, mask mandates, and the colored tiers would be lifted as of June 15. This will be a welcome change for Californians and allow more attractions and events as the Mid State Fair Committee planning get underway.

Staff at the Mid-State Fair have been looking at large-scale open venues like Disney World for methods of operating a COVID safe event with carnival and food vendors.

Disneyland California recently reopened on April 30 after being closed for over a year.

Food, carnival, and shopping vendors have

already been contacted by Mid-State Fair staff. According to Keffury, vendors are unanimously in support of the fair.

The annual Mid-State Fair accounts for 90 percent of Paso Robles Event Center’s revenue. Not having the 2020 fair meant millions of dollars of revenue lost for the event center and Paso Robles businesses, according to Keffury.

While the event center has received numerous donations and some income from the county who rented two buildings on the property for COVID vaccine clinics and testing, the revenue was not enough to sustain the event center in the long run.

“People want to get back and do it...they

know they have to do it safely, they want to do it safely,” said Keffury.

At the time of going to press, specific programming elements, including live performances, are still being developed and will be released at a later date.

Fairgoers will need to check the website for the most up-to-date information.

Admission tickets for the 2021 Fair will go on sale in early June and be sold exclusively online at MidStateFair.com.

Interim CEO Colleen Bojorquez said, “We are truly grateful that we can once again invite our community to celebrate one of the great traditions of our area. From the entire staff and Board of Directors, we can’t wait to see you!”

Morro Bay Life • June 2021 • 13

Making Communities Better Through Print™

AGRICULTURE

THE GREAT

CANNABIS DEBATE, PART I

A special in-depth look into a growing industry and what that means to the Central Coast

By CAMILLE DEVAUL of Morro Bay Life

O

ne of the most controversial topics currently discussed on the Central Coast seems to be the cultivation, use, and distribution of cannabis.

Before discussing various viewpoints of the topic, we first need to know the background and timeline for the legalization of cannabis in California.

In 1913, California was one of the first to ban marijuana but decriminalized the substance in 1975.

Then, in 1996 California was the first state to legalize medicinal marijuana with Proposition 215, which “allowed qualified patients and approved caregivers to possess and cultivate medical cannabis and ultimately led to the formation of collectives and cooperatives to serve medical patients throughout the state.”

Three bills were passed in the Medical Cannabis Regulation and Safety Act (MCRSA) which “created a state licensing and regulatory system for the existing medical market. MCRSA also established the state’s three cannabis licensing authorities – (Bureau of Cannabis Control, CalCannabis Cultivation Licensing, and Manufactured Cannabis Safety Branch).”

However, these bills were repealed in 2017 when California State Legislature passed Senate Bill 94. This bill combined MCRSA with the Adult-use Marijuana Act (AUMA) to create the Medicinal and Adult-Use Cannabis Regulation and Safety Act (MAUCRSA), “a single regulatory system governs the medicinal and adult-use cannabis industry in California.”

In November 2016, California voters approved Proposition 64, which allows “adults 21 years of age or older can legally grow, possess, and use cannabis for non-medicinal purposes, with certain restrictions.

Additionally, AUMA also made it legal to sell and distribute cannabis through a regulated business as of

January 1, 2018.”

Although the use, distribution, and cultivation of cannabis are now legal in California, MAUCRSA establishes a dual licensing structure where both state and local governments have guidelines. This means the state sets minimum requirements that all licensees must follow, and local governments can set additional requirements.

Within SLO County, you have varying rules on the use and distribution of cannabis in each city or territory of the county.

The county has regulations for personal cultivation, dispensaries, commercial cultivation, nurseries, manufacturing, testing, and distribution facilities.

There are additional requirements for any permitted cannabis activity, such as cultivation, nurseries, distribution, and manufacturing, among a few others.

First is Separation from Sensitive Uses: “All permitted cannabis activities are required to be separated at least six-hundred (600) feet from any pre-school, elementary school, junior high school, high school, library, park, playground, recreation or youth center, licensed drug or alcohol recovery facility, or licensed sober living facility.

However, nurseries and cultivation are required to be separated by 1,000 feet but can request a modification.

When it comes to cannabis cultivation, water is a big concern for many. The county has a one-to-one water offset requirement for cannabis cultivation and nurseries in areas where the groundwater basin is at a severe level. Cannabis activities may not truck in water for their operations.

But the split vote between county supervisors is just an example of how split our county is on cannabis.

Drew Van Duren, a resident of Templeton, has been an active voice in the county against cannabis cultivation. He has previously spoken out against a potential cannabis farm near his home.

“My stance is laser-focused on the

commercial growing and production of cannabis, and I’m very much against it being done in places where it can have a detrimental effect on the environment, resources, and the health and wellbeing of the population that shares that environment.

Proposition 64 didn’t authorize this. Furthermore, 79 percent of the counties in California recognize the incompatibilities and simply don’t allow it,” said Van Duren.

Beth Parham, a resident of Paso Robles, works for a dispensary in San Luis Obispo. Parham only recently started working and showing interest in the cannabis industry. She and her husband use it about once a month.

Parham and her husband started to grow their cannabis plants out of curiosity and fun when it became legalized. When a position opened up at a dispensary in SLO, she thought, why not try it out.

“I am absolutely in favor of commercial cannabis operations, including cannabis cultivation.

Cannabis growers aren’t the stoners or criminals people imagine. They are farmers, just like all the produce farmers in the area, including the vineyards. Really, cannabis is just another crop that people are hesitant to allow in the community, just like grapes were years ago. The only difference is that cannabis, according

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to reports, uses less water. And since it is harvested as a whole plant and isn’t left to go dormant, poses less of a fire hazard. Tax revenue isn’t the only benefit cannabis can bring to a community. It brings jobs, income, and medicinal properties, including what some believe to be an alternative to pharmaceuticals.”

For many who support the cannabis industry in SLO County, increased tax revenue is one of the first points they bring up.

Van Duren counters by saying cannabis is an unethical way to bring money into the county.

He says, “Whether or not cannabis makes money for the county is entirely beside the point. What matters most is how it makes that money. We should all question the ethical backbone of any county official or Supervisor who endorses a policy that pads cannabis industry and county coffers on the backs of communities and their own constituents. There are over 2 million acres of unincorporated land in SLO County; a huge portion of that is zoned agricultural, some rural-residential. Most of those acres are in the strike zone of today’s SLO County cannabis ordinance, this despite the fact that the USDA does not categorize marijuana cannabis a ‘right to farm’ commodity to begin with.”

Parham feels people in our community who want to invest in cannabis cultivation are not trying to harm our community but instead bring in revenue and help rebuild our economy.

She explains, “The cannabis industry isn’t here to take over our communities. It isn’t here to bring crime or a decline in the quality of the community. It isn’t here to be a detriment. It is here to be a benefit.

It is here to bring people a possible alternative to traditional pharmaceuticals. It is here to possibly bring a more profitable life to local farmers.

It is here to bring more tax revenue to a community that was troubled by COVID and to provide more jobs for individuals like you and me. It isn’t the nightmare some people think it is. And, properly regulated and monitored, could be an incredibly advantageous addition to our community.”

Cannabis is going to be an ongoing and controversial topic within our county. As we begin this in-depth series, we will look to bring more information, different perspectives, and outlooks from both sides of the subject. And as always, with an unbiased outlook.

If you or someone you know would like to share your insight, send an email to camille@13starsmedia.com.

14 • June 2021 • Morro Bay Life

Making Communities Better Through Print™

‘MOMS FOR LIBERTY’

First California Chapter in San Luis Obispo County

By CONNIE PILLSBURY Guest Columnist SAN LUIS OBISPO — The battle for who controls our children’s education has heated up to the level of a raucous bullfight all across America. Fueling the fire is the juxtaposition of opposing cultural philosophies, all wishing to impose their beliefs on the minds of our youth.

In the 20th century, there was a general consensus of cultural values based on the Judeo-Christian ethic, the importance of the family unit, a love of country, honesty, integrity, and hard work. Education as a means of upward mobility and opportunity was a shared goal as beloved as baseball. School was the key, and public school was the vehicle. Americans, in general, trusted the school boards and state departments of education to design a curriculum, provide textbooks and teachers that would build educated, capable contributing citizens for the future.

As time went along, these bureaucracies, especially at the state level in California, became top-heavy with the trust and power given to them carte blanche by the parents.

This resulted in parents gradually losing influence on the content, values, and viewpoints being taught to their children. Teachers unions, academia, and special interest groups corralled control of the educational system at the state level through political influence of the languid one-party government with only a few observant parents taking notice and exiting the system.

Until COVID-19, the educational wake-up call.

What was already a beginning resistance to the imbalance of power perceived by the parents became a torrent, with groups, movements, recall petitions of governors, and school boards reflecting the discontent. There is the 51,000-member Informed Parents of California, whose motto is “We will stop at nothing to protect our kids.” The group went to Sacramento and succeeded in the deletion of four highly offensive sex education books for K-12 last March.

Another example is EdChoice, which has been promoting school choice since founder, the late Milton Friedman, Nobel-winning economist, stated, “Instead of requiring that tax dollars and students follow a single path to public schools, funds earmarked for education and generated by taxes should be directed by

parents to the school of their choice.” This has become known as the ‘voucher’ system and is now being implemented in seven states with ‘education savings accounts.” The impetus for these programs has been accelerated by the interest in alternative forms of learning sought during the pandemic, as well as by teacher-union self-serving refusal to return to the classroom.

Locally, a group of moms have joined “Moms for Liberty,” launched in January 2021 by two moms, both school board members, in Florida. This is a non-profit, non-partisan group promoting a return of power to the parents and the freedom to choose in what manner their children will be educated.

There are more than twenty new chapters of “Moms for Liberty” across the country, with the first California chapter right here in San Luis Obispo County. The group already has members from all areas in the county.

Under the leadership of Jennifer Grinager of Templeton and a board of directors, their local short-term goal is “Full in-person school in the fall with no masks.”

Grinager says, “There is no reason to mask children. They are not carriers, they rarely transmit the virus, and children have a 99.94 percent recovery rate. Children need to breathe.”

The long term goals of this dedicated group are consistent with parent groups across the country who are committed to strengthening the role of the parent in choosing what system of education works for their child, whether it be a charter school, pod school, homeschool, and in promoting the parents’ right of being solely responsible for medical decisions for their child, including vaccinations, masks and in reforming existing public education to be more responsive to the input from parents at a local level.

San Luis Obispo County parents interested in Moms for Liberty can request to join the private Facebook group by going to Moms for Liberty - San Luis Obispo County. With a monthly meeting and information sharing, the group is looking for more interested local moms to start sub-committees, attend school board meetings, meet with board members and work toward getting the word out that parents truly can have a say and a choice in how their children are educated.

Yes, it’s a bullfight, and it will be an uphill battle, but Moms for Liberty are willing to stay in the arena to get the power back where it belongs – in the hands of the parents.

EDUCATION

Opportunities and Challenges JAMES BRESCIA, Ed.D County Superintendent of Schools

E

ducation has been adapting to the challenges of distance learning and return to in-person learning. One student, Brooklyn Brown, shares some experiences from the past year in Leadership magazine.

“Over the last few months, like everyone else in the world, I have been living through tons of new experiences. I have started virtual schooling, which is a challenge in itself. What a way to start 7th grade! At first, I struggled with handling new assignments every day. I had to memorize the information given in lessons, and there were a lot of lessons to complete. It was a little overwhelming, and my grades were not gratifying.”

Brooklyn’s comments are a similar narrative heard across the education community and present us with an opportunity to examine our practices as we exit COVID conditions to better leverage technology resources moving forward.

What has history taught us? The 17th century did not require a formal education because most children assisted the family at home or on the farm. Education was a luxury reserved for a select few teaching how to read the bible and remain aligned with puritan morals. Harvard was established as the first college in 1636, with the first academy for girls opening in 1787.

During the 19th century, education shifted from a religious-based system to a standard, state-sponsored system. The first U.S. public school opened in 1821, and President Andrew Johnson signed legislation creating the first Department of Education in 1867. Over the years, the office remained relatively small, operating under different titles and housed in various agencies, including the U.S. Department of the Interior and the former U.S. Department of Health Education and Welfare (now Health and Human Services).

Political and social changes during the 1950s increased federal funding for education. The Soviet Union’s Sputnik in 1957 spurred nationwide concern that led to increased aid for science education programs, today’s Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). President Lyndon Johnson’s “War on Poverty” created several programs designed to improve education.

Education expansion continued in the 1970s with national efforts to help racial minorities, women, people with disabilities, and non-English speaking students gain equal access to

education. In October 1979, Congress passed the Department of Education Organization Act (Public Law 96-88) which formalized the Department of Education under President Carter. Technological changes over the years presented challenges and opportunities for education, much like those we have experienced because of COVID. My father showed me one of the first portable calculators in 1971. This four-function marvel of technology was a Busicom LE-120 “Handy” featuring a 12-digit red LED display and retailing for $395, which is about $2,500 today adjusted for inflation. Questions were raised in education circles at the time about how this new tool would change mathematics instruction. During the 1980s, computer-aided teaching was emerging in both K-12 and higher education classrooms.

Little did I imagine as a new teacher making use of an Apple II computer lab that we would spend an entire year applying technology-based learning platforms because of a pandemic. What lessons have we learned in response to Brooklyn’s struggles and requests that education addresses the needs of today’s youth?

“There may be an opportunity to reimagine what schools will look like,” Education Secretary Miguel Cardona told The Washington Post. “It’s always important we continue to think about how to evolve schooling, so the kids get the most out of it.” Few education stakeholders suggest that distance education is for everyone. But many are examining how distance or virtual platforms can meet the educational needs of students with jobs, certain medical conditions, or those who prefer virtual learning. The Rand Corporation, a nonprofit research organization, reports that 2 in 10 school systems plan to adopt virtual platforms post-COVID. Considering the coronavirus rescue package signed into law by President Biden, schools have an opportunity and challenge to proactively spend federal funding on evidence-based interventions to address learning loss. This pandemic presents us with an opportunity and challenge to adapt, innovate, learn, and improve how we provide for the education of our future. What technological lessons can we apply to serve the public better? We observed the entire community meet the challenge of COVID, and I have confidence that this human can-do spirit will continue as we move forward together into a brighter future. It is an honor to serve as your county superintendent of schools.

MINDSET

Life Intelligence: Beating Overwhelm

VALENTINA PETROVA COLUMNIST

I

t looks like life is returning to normal.

This means getting out of your PJs and off to work, juggling a million things, and complaining about not having time for everything you’d like to do. Perhaps, you’d like to start a new project, finish an old one, reconfigure the pieces of your life, family, hobbies, and dreams.

But when everything hits you simultaneously and you feel overwhelmed, you get depressed, want to run away, and feel stressed; you quit before you even start.

Here’s a simple way to beat overwhelm before it takes hold of you.

Check your mindset. If you try to hold all the pieces in your head simultaneously, you blow a fuse. Naturally, you try to make a “to-do” list.

You look at it, and your mind suddenly remembers more things to put on it… and you blow a fuse. The list is long, and you are short on time.

Now what?

Start with the 27 things on your list and see if you can group them into categories. This is called chunking – my favorite way to organize my mind and my life. Your categories may be different projects (making a quilt, re-doing the

backyard, organizing your next vacation). Or different areas of your life (kids, family gathering, losing weight, and staying healthy). Or different aspects of a single project (logistics, marketing, finances).

Once you have your chunks, make a list of things to do for each chunk. Then dedicate time every day, or one day per week, or whatever fits your schedule to work on A CHUNK. You only look at one chunk at a time, and you go all in!

For this hour, for this day, for this week – go through all of the different tasks and puzzles to make progress in this one chunk.

What gets scheduled gets done. Pull out your calendar and carve out the time. Set it in stone.

Your workouts are sacred. Your creative time is holy. Your future is worth it.

You can work on more than one chunk a day or a week, but you only work on one chunk AT THE TIME! Focus. Don’t let your mind wander off to other chunks. Keep distractions away. As soon as your permit your mind to change focus, overwhelm will sneak in, and time will be wasted.

Complexity is the enemy of accomplishment.

Simplicity helps you keep moving forward. As you tick off each task in the chunk at hand, you feel the momentum of progress and build

self-efficacy. You feel empowered. You feel productive.

As you maintain your focus, you feel centered and purposeful.

As you work your way through your chunks, you feel your successes stack upon each other. You

look back and appreciate how far you’ve come.

Rinse and repeat. You’ve got this!

Valentina Petrova has helped people with life, health, relationships, financial, career, professional, and business goals and challenges since 2015. You can reach her at valentinapetrovaconsulting.com.

Morro Bay Life • June 2021 • 15

Making Communities Better Through Print™

LEADER

Det. Benedetti Laid to Rest After Thousands Attend Memorial Services “The world is a better place because of Luca, and he will forever be our hero.”

By CAMILLE DEVAUL of Morro Bay Life

O

n May 20, friends, family, community members, and fellow law enforcement officers gathered to honor fallen San Luis Obispo Police Department, Detective Luca Benedetti.

Almost 2,000 people gathered at the Cal Poly Performing Arts Center in San Luis Obispo for the memorial service.

Det. Benedetti (37) was killed in the line of duty on May 10 while serving a search warrant.

Rick Comstock, Atascadero Police Department (APD) chaplain, opened the service with a prayer.

Newly appointed SLOPD Police Chief Rick Scott said, “Luca was an example of the best we have to offer.

He was courageous. He was compassionate. He was friendly, honorable, and he was kind.”

Cheif Scott said he did not know Det. Benedetti but wished he had the chance.

“He understood that at any moment everything he cared about in this world could be taken away in an instant, and yet he wore his badge, and he wore it with honor,” Chief Scott said.

Comstock shared Benedetti’s life story, a story that was cut too short.

As a son of two Italian immigrants, Benedetti valued his Italian roots.

Benedetti was born on Mar. 31, 1984, in San Francisco to parents Giampietro Benedetti and Rita Ginocchio Benedetti, who immigrated to the states as teenagers to make a life for themselves in a new country.

Growing up, he spent summers

San Luis Obispo Police Detective Luca Benedetti was shot and killed on May 10 after serving a search warrant. Services for the late detective were held on Thursday, May 20 at the Cal Poly Performing Arts Center in San Luis Obispo followed by a procession to the Paso Robles District Cemetery where he was laid to rest in a private ceremony. Photos by Camille DeVaul

visiting the small Italian towns his parents were born in. Benedetti’s family described him as their rock, surrounded by the sea--just like Italy.

Benedetti moved to San Luis Obispo (SLO) in 2002 to study Computer Engineering at Cal Poly.

While still in college, he worked as a bouncer at The Library, a bar in downtown SLO. It was there he met his future wife, Grace, in 2006. The two bonded over their shared love of family, craft beer, and friends.

Grace and Benedetti married in on Feb. 23, 2013 at Castoro Cellars.

They welcomed their first child, Elisabetta (Ellie), on Jul. 5, 2014, and then Giovanna (Giovi) on Oct. 11, 2018.

Benedetti began his law enforcement career at APD in 2008. He was awarded for leading the department in DUI arrests four years in a row and even delivered a baby in the department’s parking lot.

In 2012, Benedetti joined SLOPD, where he again excelled as a DUI Enforcement Officer. By Novem-

ber 2020, Benedetti was assigned to the Detective Bureau as a Property Crimes Detective.

Sergeant Caleb Kemp, SLOPD, said of Benedetti, “Detective Luca Benedetti died with a warrior’s heart, serving his community and doing what he loved. I want to thank the Benedetti family for sharing him with the rest of the world and thank Luca for sharing himself with all of us.

To my fellow officers, during this time of grieving, do not allow yourself to succumb to the guilt that we all feel. The guilt of what happened, the guilt of not stopping it. The guilt of feeling sad when the family has it much worse than we. The guilt of experiencing happy moments or the guilt of just living when Luca cannot.

We will heal, we will never forget, but we will heal. Luca’s sacrifice, legacy, will permanently be etched into the lives he touched, living his life to the fullest.”

The police car sitting on the lawn of the SLOPD is Unit 1609, which

Sunday morning 10am

Morro Bay 510 Quintana Road 805-772-1265

San Luis Obispo 1336 Madonna Road 805-544-5400

members from Texas and New York to the service.

A flyer passed out at the service read the following of Benedetti: “A man of a few words with a calm demeanor, Luca let his guard down at home to share a gentle, silly side with his wife and two girls. Always determined to learn new skills, Luca tackled anything, from remodeling the master bathroom to building his own wood-fired pizza oven. He loved to cook and always said, ‘Why go out to eat when I can make it better?’

Luca also enjoyed his other hobbies of hunting, competitive shooting, and gardening.

Luca is survived and forever loved by his wife of eight years, Grace; daughters Elisabetta (6) and Giovanna (2); parents Giampietro and Rita; sister Carla, her husband and son, and a host of extended relatives and friends.

The world is a better place because of Luca, and he will forever be our hero.”

All creatures, great and small are welcome every

OPEN FOR BUSINESS! Curbside service available.

Paso Robles 1171 Creston Rd. # 109 805-369-2811

was Benedetti’s car and still is.

Following the service, a procession led by law enforcement agencies from all over the state brought Benedetti to his final resting place at the Paso Robles Cemetary for a private graveside ceremony.

The Redding Police Department, Menlo Park Police Department, Stanislaus County Sheriff ’s Office, Carson City Nevada Sheriff ’s Office, City of Fresno Police, Manhattan Beach Police, and San Diego County Sheriff ’s Office were just some of the agencies involved.

Along Highway 101 North, the community, local law enforcement, fire, and emergency services lined the sides of the road and overpasses.

Waving American Flags, signs of support, and standing in salute to the fallen officer.

Brotherhood for the Fallen, a non-profit organization that honorably supports the families and communities of fallen officers across the United States, sent Brotherhood

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16 • June 2021 • Morro Bay Life

Making Communities Better Through Print™

CONNECTION, COMMUNICATION & COMMITMENT

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