Morro Bay Life • June 2023

PubliSherS

Hayley & Nicholas Mattson hayley@13starsmedia.com

COPY EDITOR

Michael Chaldu

LAYOUT DESIGN

Anthony Atkins

Neil Schumaker

Community Writer

Camille DeVaul

Christianna Marks

AD DESIGN

Jen Rodman

Ad ConSultant

Dana McGraw

AdminiStrator

Cami Martin office@13starsmedia.com

CONTRIBUTORS

Beewench Farm

Neil Farrell

Blake

Ashley Frino-Gerl

Embracing Summer, Community, and Gratitude

Happy June! As the sun returns from its extended sabbatical and Father’s Day approaches, I want to start this issue by expressing my gratitude to a special man. My husband, my rock, who continues to be an outstanding mentor to our boys, and daughter, teaching them what it means to be a strong, caring man. Nic is a testament not only to our family but also to our community as well. Here’s wishing a joyful Father’s Day to all the Dads!

The summer sun, though somewhat reticent, promises to emerge soon. I remain hopeful that by the time this issue reaches you, the sun’s rays will have strengthened, bathing our days in the soothing light we’ve been eagerly anticipating.

In the pages of this issue, you’ll see a selection of advertisements. But they represent far more than mere commercial spots. They

embody the supportive contributions that feed the enduring tradition of local storytelling, and directly aid the tireless efforts of our devoted team. Each advertisement purchased is a vote of confidence in local journalism, a pledge to the community, a commitment to fostering an ecosystem that champions local organizations, promotes local businesses, and cultivates an informed, cohesive community.

American journalist Walter Lippmann once said, “A free press is not a privilege but an organic necessity in a great society.” Our team holds fast to this ideal, and we are unwavering in our mission to continue weaving your stories into the colorful tapestry of Morro Bay’s narrative. United, we celebrate our triumphs and face our tribulations, always mindful that our shared history and collective vision of the future infuse our community with a distinctive

vibrancy and uniqueness.

Your support of local journalism is an investment that transcends the boundaries of today’s news. It reaches into the core of our shared past, present, and future, enhancing the fabric of our collective experience. Let us acknowledge and applaud the power of our community, and strive to enrich it, one story at a time.

As the summer sun prepares to envelop us in its comforting warmth, let us also revel in the radiance of our collective spirit, a force as vital and brilliant as the sun itself.

Happy reading, Morro Bay!

Print making communities better

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.

Putting a Spotlight on Businesses

The Morro Bay Chamber of Commerce is putting a spotlight on local businesses! Spotlight Businesses are nominated and selected by fellow business owners in Morro Bay as a standout business with exceptional ownership.

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.

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

For more information contact Lynsey Hansen, Membership Director at lynsey@morrochamber.org

American Karate School annual fundraiser event to support Project Surf Camp

By BLAKE ASHLEY FRINO-GERL for Morro Bay Life

Fundraising for a good cause brings light to where help is needed, and at the same time creates a sense of community. Bryan Way, Morro Bay Life’s May person spotlight and owner of American Karate School, hosted the annual fundraiser with and to help support Project Surf Camp (PSC) on April 22.

PSC, founded by John Taylor, uses surfing and other ocean activities as an educational tool to build self-confidence, along with physical and mental progress in individuals with special needs. In 2007, Taylor’s child was a karate student and Way was asked if he and his older students would like to be counselors for a day at PSC and they agreed.

Remembering a fundraiser called a kick-a-thon when he

was a student, Way “saw the opportunity to raise funds and promote a local nonprofit, and teach my students how to give back as well,” he says. From there the annual kick-a-thon fundraiser began. “John Taylor is such an amazing person and is the biggest inspiration and reason we do this event,” Way says.

The fundraiser welcomes the karate school’s students to raise money for PSC, and then show off their skills at the event. Students get their hands wrapped, stretch, and then are divided into groups to which they rotate through four stations: punches, front kicks, sidekicks, and push-up/ sit-ups. Students perform at these stations for 10 minutes straight to do as many punches and kicks as possible, with five minutes each to do the sit-up and push-up station, and a five-minute break in between each.

Students are “challenged

physically against themselves and their friends, plus they get to show off some of their skills with our board-breaking demonstration,” Way says.

“On top of raising money for a great cause, I love this event because it builds community both within the community and within the school. It allows all my students of all ages and belt ranks to work on something together.” The students work for something that helps others, but also gives them the ability to work to raise some funds that can help them pay for karate summer camp or other karate needs.

The kick-a-thon has become a real communal effort with parents volunteering to work each station, as well as bring snacks and provide for the bake sale, all the while PSC provides hot dogs and pizzas for lunch.

Way says, “Thank you to all the parents and families that support my little school.”

Morro Bay stages first Ironman — The Race at the Rock

by NEIL FARRELL for Morro Bay Life

The first ever Ironman 70.3 Triathlon Morro Bay saw some 2,500 athletes of all ages and skill levels swim the Bay, bicycle up Highway 1, and run through the Downtown and Embarcadero streets on Saturday, May 20, as the first of three planned events is now in the books.

The Ironman Triathlon drew athletes from across the U.S. and several foreign lands as well, starting with a 1.2-mile swim in the chilly bay waters the company listed as 57 degrees, which is a little warm for these waters.

There were so many athletes they started the swim three at a time, every 10 seconds, for well over an hour. Swimmers started hitting the Bay at 6 a.m. And despite the electronic timing devices each wore to track their progress through the swimbike-run course, most also had a wristwatch timer.

The swim course led the athletes from Coleman Beach, south along the waterfront to a turn-around point near Rose’s Landing and then back, turning left towards Target Rock. A set of floating finger docks channel swimmers to a ramp that took them up through the rocks to the finish line.

Hundreds of people, many with relatives in the race, lined the Harborwalk to watch the swimmers on a typical foggy and chilly morning.

The bike portion started at Morro Rock and caught Highway 1 northbound at Atascadero Road, riding up the highway to San Simeon, where they turned around and rode all the way back, some 55 miles total.

The run portion took the competitors down the Embarcadero from Morro Rock and up into town to Main Street, where they turned south and ran all the way through Lower State Park Road, turned around and ran back, doing the course twice for a total of about 13 miles. The finish line was at the Ironman Village that was set up in the parking lot across from Rose’s and Dutchman’s.

The Morro Bay event was a qualifier for the VinFast IRONMAN 70.3 World Championships, slated for Aug. 26-27 in Lahti, Finland.

The overall top-three men’s finishers were:

• Maksim Kniazev, first, in an overall time of 4 hours, 1 minute and 41 seconds. In a breakdown of stages he timed 29:07 for the swim; 2:06:56 for the bike; and 1:20:01 for the run, according

to Ironman’s Race Results posted online at ironman.com/im703-morro-bay-results.

• Denis Pyryev, second place, in 4:05:55 (26:01 swim; 2:15:50 bike; and 1:18:29 run).

• Read Ziegler, third place, in 4:08:53 (26:26 swim; 2:16:26 bike; and 1:19:39 run).

The top-three women’s finishers were:

• Marissa Lovell, first, in 4:31:47 (30:47 swim; 2:29:58; 1:26:05). Kelly Barton, second, in 4:40:02 (29:26 swim; 2:37:33 bike; and 1:26:59).

• Kathryn Kennedy, third, in 4:40:41 (26:59 swim; 2:41:40 bike; and 1:27:07).

• The event also had teams with a separate athlete doing the three stages for a combined overall time:

• Team Tiki, first, in 3:38:45 (32:11 swim; 2:44:50 bike; and 1:16:29 run).

• Team STRIVE Omni Sport, second, in 4:45:25 (39:28; swim; 2:25:54 bike; and 1:34:3 run).

Team Sheeper, third, in 4:49:00 (29:48 swim; 2:20:54 bike; and 1:50:05 run).

The City, Visit Morro Bay, and Ironman, Inc., which owns the Ironman brand and holds events all over the world, signed an agreement for Morro Bay to host a total of three triathlons over three years, so residents can expect repeats in 2024 and ‘25. Indeed, Ironman plans to start taking early signups for the 2024 event in the coming weeks. It had little trouble maxing out this first event, as 2,500 athletes signed up to participate, though not that many actually showed up on race day.

Bryan Way, owner of American Karate School, hosted a “kick-a-thon,” where his students rotate among four stations to do different moves, as fundraiser for the Project Surf Camp. Photos by Blake Ashley Frino-Gerl

Michael Wolfe brings produce, local goods, and community connection through his business

By BLAKE ASHLEY FRINO-GERL for Morro Bay Life

Long-time SLO County resident Michael Wolfe has used his knowledge of working in the grocery business and making connections with vendors to provide a helpful impact for the community as well as starting his own business, Avocado Shack.

At a young age, Wolfe thought he would be a forest ranger because of his love of nature, but his job early on at Williams Brothers market in Los Osos made him rethink that. As a kid, he rode his “dirt bike to work and bagged groceries.” Then he says, once “I got into produce, I went, ‘This is actually kind of fun — I kind of like this.’” He later worked for Vons,

Spencer’s Market and then Cookie Crock, and also farmed tomatoes in Cambria.

Working hard enough to retire young to then be able to help the community was his goal. However, when hardship struck his family, they fortunately pulled through, with Wolfe working harder than ever to sustain a living.

The wealth of consumerism knowhow enabled him to open Avocado Shack in 2019 in the former location of an old salon at 2790 Main Street. Acquiring customers took a little time, making Wolfe a bit nervous, but he kept going and prevailed through word-of-mouth, his connections, and the need for good produce.

Wolfe’s worry quickly changed as the business quickly grew in nine

months and in July 2020, Avocado Shack moved to a bigger location at 2190 Main Street. His storefront is a necessity to consumers getting their produce any day of the week. If one were to miss the weekly farmer’s markets, they can stop by his store and get whatever local finds he has. Wolfe rarely has imported items and only if certain items are unattainable locally. He also purposely has organic produce available, as well as local goods, such as Etto pasta, flowers, and bread from Bread Bike Bakery.

“The idea is to know where your food comes from,” Wolfe says. Since working with and giving back to the community is important to Wolfe, he has included a large food pantry space for the Estero Bay

Platinum Pirates, Athletes of The Year Awarded

by NEIL FARRELL for Morro Bay Life

With the school year winding down and spring athletic seasons wrapping up, Morro Bay High School handed out its Platinum Pirates and Athletes of the Year Awards. With credit for more than just athletic achievement, the Platinum Pirate Awards take into consideration a more well-rounded student-athlete, one who helps and encourages his or her teammates, contributes to their teams on and off the field of battle and positively contributes to the school community.

Award winners this year were: Gabe Paul for baseball; Alfredo Castillo and Bella Musloff for boys and girls basketball, respectively; Isa Rojas for cheerleading; Michael Carbajal and Noleena Fahy for cross country; Nami Hoag for football; Jonas Smith and Sydney Laughlin for boys and girls golf, respectively; Sammy Sweeney for sand volleyball; Jessica Chavez and Jesus Ruvalcaba for girls and boys soccer; Channell Thibodeaux for softball; Jude Moore and Maya Hitchcock for boys and girls swimming and diving; Jackson Hanson and Nellie Calderwood for boys and girls tennis; Aiden Blackwood and Kate Avila in track & field; Max Taylor and Reese Mischel in boys and girls volleyball respectively; Emory Wishon and Devyn Downing for boys and girls water polo; and Laiza Lerio and Josiah Lieberman for girls and boys wrestling.

The family of the late Ron Roundy, who was a major supporter of the MBHS cross country program for about 30 years, handed out the Ron Roundy Family Scholarship with Faye (Roundy) Padayachee announcing the winner, Dylan Bueno. Faye, who was a cross country standout when she

went to MBHS, explained that her father, a realtor by trade and an artist at heart, wanted to help the cross country program and started the June Fest and October Fest Fun Runs in Baywood Park as a fundraiser for the program. She and her family estimated that over the years, the runs raised about $70,000 for the program.

The MBHS Boosters Club also handed out four scholarships to Alejandro Alvarez, John Skaggs, Samantha Rocha, and Carmen Spahr.

The Good Guy and Good Gal Awards that are given to the athletes who have excelled at their sports(s) and inspired their teammates went to Charlie Fryer and Hannah Colletti.

The Athletes of the Year were Blackwood and Josephine “JoJo” Davis.

Their names will now be immortalized and affixed on the school’s perpetual trophies, which date back to the first-ever graduating class in 1960.

SANDY CARINO

Broker Associate

Realtor® | Lic#02007590

(805)714 - 8223

scarino@pbnassoc.com

homesbysandycarino.com

VERONICA CHAVEZ

Mortgage Loan Officer

NMLS#1148073

Lic#01943051

(805)714 - 3432

veronica@pbnassoc.com

pbnassoc.com/veronicachavez

Kindness Coalition Organization, run by Bobby deLancellotti, to “provide week’s worth of food for 180 families,” Wolfe adds. This serves well to what Wolfe’s original plan was — connecting with and helping the community.

In the future, he “would like to have more” Avocado Shacks, but “in time.”

Many of his customers come from all over the county. Wolfe says that

FESTIVAL Kite Festival a colorful celebration of wind, sea, and the beach

by NEIL FARRELL for Morro Bay Life

With foggy skies and just a slight breeze, kite flyers of all ages and skill levels descended on the beach to, well, go fly a kite.

Professional kite wranglers dazzled the crowd with aerial feats of maneuverability using 2-string and 4-string stunt kites, including one exhibition debuting a new flyer — the Condor — which has the profile of a California condor in flight and nearly as big a wingspan.

Kites have been a part of Morro Bay’s fabric since the latter-1980s when the late Len Shockey opened the Kites Galore store at the corner of Beach and Front streets.

Shockey is credited with bringing kite flying to the Central Coast, as he opened a string of kite stores stretching from San Simeon to Morro Bay, Pismo Beach, Grover Beach, and southward into Santa Barbara County.

The Kite Festival started in the 2000s when the Chamber of Commerce teamed up with Shaun Farmer, who bought the kite store after Shockey died and renamed it Farmer’s Kites & Surreys (Surrey bikes, or pedal cars, were also introduced to Morro Bay by Shockey).

Now, many years later, the Kite Festival is sponsored by the Visit Morro Bay tourism orga-

about “25 percent or his customers come from over the hill” because they see his instagram posts highlighting items that he has available that other places do not. Aside from the hope to expand, Wolfe says “in the meantime I’m just enjoying the ride.” He tells himself to “enjoy the ride getting there, enjoy the story, enjoy the stories we are writing because we get to ride them — we are living them.”

nization and Farmer is back organizing the event. It’s become a beloved annual event and celebrates the wind, the ocean, the beach, and beauty, as kites today come in all shapes, sizes, styles, and colors.

They range in size from simple air foils and small diamond shapes to geometric boxes and circles, to giant animal-shaped nylon figures.

At this year’s festival there was a giant yellow and green sea turtle, a humpback whale (nearly life-size), giant manta rays, octopi, and more. Kites were made of paper, rip-stop nylon, and cellophane, with wooden and carbon-fiber spars and airfoil styles with no rigid spars at all that fly when air fills the sewn pockets within the kite. And they fly on special, no stretch, string that can be well over 100-pound test in strength.

Morro Strand was awash in color as hundreds of people turned out for the annual Morro Bay Kite Festival on April 28-29. Photo by Neil Farrell

Michael Carbajal (left) and Noleena Fahy received Platinum Pirate Awards for their contributions to the MBHS cross country teams. Photo by Neil Farrell

Michael Wolfe stands in front of his Avocado Shack on Main Street.

Photo by Blake Ashley Frino-Gerl

Transformation of Morro Bay High continues

By NEIL FARRELL for Morro Bay Life

The transformation of Morro Bay High School’s 64-year-old campus has continued this school year with several new or remodeled spaces opening for use.

Principal Scott Schalde recently gave a walking tour of the campus to a reporter, highlighting the new spaces and discussing a few still under construction.

MEASURE D PROGRAM

The San Luis Coastal Unified School District is quickly running through its long list of projects at MBHS and San Luis Obispo High that were authorized by the $177 million Measure D bond initiative that was approved in 2014 by voters in Morro Bay, Los Osos, SLO, Avila Beach and private property owners in between.

The bond increased taxes on all private property within the district boundaries and was the most significant investment in local schools in over a generation.

Though asking voters to increase their own taxes is always a challenge, even a gamble, the PR done in the run-up to the election pointed out that the schools were tired and outdated and the kids deserved better. It was an effective enough argument to garner 72 percent approval at the polls.

Already completed and opened are a new auto shop; a Career Technical Education building focusing on science technology, engineering arts and mathematics” (STEAM) education; a new all-weather track and new tennis courts; remodeled locker rooms in the Old Gym; a new wrestling room and weight room; a new aquatics center with a 25-meter pool; a new Student Services Building that houses the school administration, too; remodels of the old admin wing into new classrooms; new security fencing encircling the campus; and landscaping of the school’s front entrance, among others.

And the work has continued this year, with several significant projects being completed and already in use by the students and teachers.

to picture where the band room was vs. the library, as the walls that used to separate them are gone.

Adjacent to the Common Room is the new cafeteria, which has changed in both look and service, and most importantly, menu.

A ‘CAFÉ’ — CAFETERIA

At the recent opening of the cafeteria, Assistant Director of Food Services Kris Vander Weele discussed how the new kitchen and feeding method works.

There’s a salad bar that is filled with locally sourced fruits and vegetables, and the kids help themselves, choosing the items they want to eat.

That’s the fundamental difference with this type of cafeteria — there are many more choices, better matching today’s various tastes in cuisine and diet, including vegan.

Vander Weele explains that the kids can also pick an entrée from a short menu or some of the prepackaged items.

At the grand opening, they offered pepperoni and jalapeño pizza slices, chow mein with dumplings, and fish tacos, with locally caught fish, a homemade sauce, and greens.

The entrees change every day, Vander Weele says, and there are hot or cold breakfast foods in the mornings.

The kitchen is filled with state-of-the-art kitchen equipment, including a pizza oven, a rotisserie oven and a grill.

The staff is on par with that equipment. Executive Chef Cory Bidwell, Vander Weele says, who was a chef at local restaurants for many years, is the kitchen supervisor.

Everything is computerized for the kids, who simply have to scan their student IDs. The cafeteria and free meals will likely make it easier to eventually switch to a closed campus, which has been in the plans since before Measure D was passed.

But Schalde, who is just now completing his first year as principal at the school, doesn’t know for sure when that might be implemented.

He says it will probably be after the Measure D projects are all finished, which should be some time in the next school year.

open onto the open space instead of hallways in between wings.

Those hallways are now decked out like lounge areas and offer students places to relax at break.

NEW BAND ROOMS

The school’s award-winning music program, under the direction of Brynn Belyea and Katie Bravante, has a new home that used to be the former ag mechanics shop, Schalde explains.

The spacious band room includes a grand piano, drum kits, timpani, xylophone, and lots of room for the school’s various band ensembles, their music stands, and seating.

And next door, on the other side of soundproofing walls, is the choir room, where Bravante puts her charges through their paces.

The size of the band room is impressive and Schalde says fitting for the excellent program Belyea has grown and spearheaded for many years.

This is at least three times as big as the former band room, he says. He points to a pair of roll-up doors, remnants from the old ag-welding shop, that the designers kept “for functionality” as they make it much easier to load up the band’s considerable amount of equipment needed for road shows, like when they play Cal Poly’s Performing Arts Center.

Schalde explains that the band room was under construction when the coronavirus pandemic hit in 2020 and school was closed for the better part of two years.

“As they came back from the pandemic,” he says, “this was ready for them.”

So too, was a new ag mechanics room, which takes up a large portion of the building.

the floor, will hold about 300, Schalde says.

One of those student stage crewmembers, Maceo Addis-Jackson, wanders into the theater, looking for a co-crew member to go over some things for the “Addams Family” show.

He’s loving the new theater and the equipment he gets to work with, saying that it’s insane how good the theater is.

Backstage, the boys and girls have separate dressing rooms, and there’s a big green room where they can gather before and after the show. Snacks and drinks, provided by the Music Boosters, were already laid out in advance of the “Addams Family” show.

The old kitchen is now a classroom temporarily being used for English classes. There’s a large storage room as well.

Morro Bay has long lacked adequate space for cultural performances. For example, the complete San Luis Symphony ensemble has never played a concert in Morro Bay, at least not in current memory.

Will the community be able to use this theater? Schalde says he is open to that possibility, but “as long as the they maintain the integrity of the space, of course we would work with them.”

MORE TO COME

Leaving the theater and heading back to the Student Services Building, Schalde talks about how much all the work is appreciated by the students and staff.

“Our community did this,” he says, “They decided to make this investment in the future.

“The school was old. It needed love,” he adds. Schalde taught at MBHS for several years earlier this century before going to Laguna Middle School. He came to MBHS this school year from Laguna Middle School.

Still under construction, and slated to be ready by next school year, is a new library and more classrooms from the old 300 and 400 classroom wings, and a rebuilding of the west parking lot outside the new pool.

Schalde laughs because all of this was planned and put into motion long before he came to MBHS and yet he, the staff and the students — present and future — will reap the benefits for years to come.

Mission accomplished

If Morro Bay High is a good indicator, the taxpayers’ approval of Measure D was a good thing.

LIBRARY CHECKS OUT — COMMON ROOM CHECKS IN

Among the biggest changes has been to a building that used to be a cafeteria, library, and band room that now promises to serve more than just the school community. Schalde explains that the old library and band room are now a “Common Room” and new-fangled cafeteria.

The Common Room, he says, has the look and feel of “something you would find at a community college,” with an open layout, large round tables seating eight or more, and singleseat “lounge-like” chairs and tables lining the walls. The students will be able to use the Common Room as seating during breakfast and lunch as well as like a study hall on open periods. Food will be available all day and it’s free to students with student identifications, and just $3 per meal for staff and teachers. Called “universal free meals,” this is paid for through the California state budget.

Standing in the spacious room, it’s hard

NEW QUAD IS PARK-LIKE

Among the most dramatic changes has been the transformation of the student quad — the area outside the Common Room doors.

It used to be a rather sad-looking place, with dead and dying Monterey pine trees, cracked concrete planter boxes, torn up and uplifted pavement, and an old and faded world map that was painted on the quad sometime in the early 1990s.

A monstrous covered walkway crossed the north edge of the quad with a pair of outdoor basketball courts on the other side (that’s where the original pool was located).

A giant, solid wall used for handball obstructed the view into the football stadium.

All that is gone now, and the new quad is an open, inviting and manicured space with lots of seating, some grassy areas, young new shade trees, and a view through the middle of the school to the stadium.

Also, classrooms that line the east and west edges of the quad were rebuilt so their doors

NEW THEATER A GEM

Perhaps the coolest of the new additions is the new school theater, taking up the space that used to be the multi-purpose auditorium and cafeteria. Simply put, it’s magnifico. Schalde, after opening the front doors, turns to his right and points out the little details the designers put in or kept from the old uses, like cubbies with light boxes and special siding in the theater’s front atrium.

He sweeps aside a black curtain and the theater opens up as a spacious, high-ceilinged space, with stage lighting in the rafters and rows of comfortable, cushioned back chairs stepping up from the open floor in front of a good-sized stage.

Schalde explains that the stage is big enough for the full concert band to perform. The seats roll back like bleachers in a gym and the lights and sound gear are state-ofthe-art. He’s almost giddy at the fantastic space that they’d only gotten the keys to less than a month before.

The first show was a choir concert, he says, and everyone that attended “was just in awe” at the theater. The second performance was the “Addams Family Musical” (which had a successful run in May), which the drama students would produce and perform.

“This compares really well to the Cal Poly Spanos Theater,” Schalde says. “The kids will run the whole show, the lights, sound, music.”

The theater, including additional seating on

According to the school district’s website on Measure D, the idea was to bring MBHS and SLOHS “up to 21st-century standards for education. Projects began in 2014 and continue today, with a completion date set for 2023.”

To date, the district has spent over $51.29 million at Morro Bay High (plus the new cafeteria, theater, and common room).

According to the district, over the past seven years, they have supplemented the bonds with state grants, deferred maintenance funds, interest earned on bond funds, and developer’s fees to expand the revenues available to complete projects. They have turned that $177 million into over $200 million with the efforts.

That extra money has allowed the district to do some needed work and upgrades at some of its other schools, too. And the recently passed Measure C-22, a $349 million bond approved in November 2022 that will focus on the district’s elementary schools, middle schools, and the Pacific Beach continuation high school, complete needed upgrades in security, and overall modernizations.

Locally, schools that will be upgraded through Measure C-22 are Del Mar, Baywood, and Monarch Grove elementary schools and Los Osos Middle School.

For more information on the Measure D work program and the various schools it has upgraded, see measured.slcusd.org. See slcusd. org/about/measure-c for information on that bond measure.

By BeeWench Farm

In June, you can find just about anything you are looking for to make any recipe. This month you should start to see some delicious summer produce available. Look for these in-season fruits and veggies to get some great flavor and nutrients:

• Cherries

• Strawberries

Blueberries

• Avocado

• Rhubarb

• Cucumber

• Apricot

• Fava beans

• Arugula

• Summer squash

• Fresh mint

I personally cannot resist all the fresh and delicious fruit available this time of year. We buy the bigger containers and packs so that we have plenty to enjoy fresh, and we like to freeze some to have for smoothies and treats later in the year when we can’t find them at the markets. Making some lemonade popsicles blended with fruit is a great treat on those hot summer days. Mixing in a little bit of mint with those fruits for a special

In season for the summer

drink, smoothie, or popsicle is also a great way to cool down.

Thursday’s market in front of Spencer’s Market is perfect to get the best local produce, and then if you need anything that you can’t find, you can just run into the store quickly. You’ll be in for a treat this month as you check out all the local farmer’s produce. Make sure to look for the little UFO-shaped zucchinis and try the tasty patty pan squash recipe as a side to your favorite grilled meal this month.

June has a lot going on. From birthdays, Father’s Day, graduations, and more, it seems like it’s always a very busy month. If you do get invited to an event and need to bring a crowd-pleasing dish, try out this amazing Summer Farmer’s Market Salad. It combines all the delicious flavors of the in-season produce. Everyone will love this crisp and refreshing dish, and you can make it the day before your event to make everything easier and tastier. You can serve it with tortilla chips, eat it as is, or it is delicious on top of salmon.

Grilled

Ingredients:

Patty Pan Squash

• 4 small patty pan squash 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

• 1 tablespoon lemon zest

1 lemon, juiced

• 1/3 cup fresh parsley, finely minced

• 2 tablespoons fresh mint, finely minced

• 6 garlic cloves, minced

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions: Remove the tops and bottoms of each squash. Cut crosswise into one-inch slices.

In a small bowl, whisk together the extra virgin olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, parsley, mint, garlic, salt, and pepper. Set aside.

Preheat the grill to medium-high (400°F to 450°F) or prepare a grill pan on the stove over medium-high heat. Brush each side of the squash with the mixture — reserving and setting aside any leftover sauce — and grill for two minutes on each side. To achieve perfect grill marks, resist the urge to disturb the squash while grilling. Remove from the grill and serve immediately with the extra sauce spooned over.

Summer Farmer’s Market Salad

Ingredients:

2 cups finely chopped cucumber,

JUNE Calendar of Events

JUNE 3-4 AND JUNE 17-19

WATERFRONT MARKET

EMBARCADERO, 1001 FRONT STREET, MORRO BAY

10am-4pm

The market at the Embarcadero will showcase crafts and food for purchase.

JUNE 10

“FOREST BATHING” DOCENT WALK

FISCALINI RANCH PRESERVE

10am-noon

Docent Joanne Freemire will guide registrants on a forest bathing walk, where they will learn the practice of soaking up the sights, sounds, and feel of the natural environment. On a leisurely 2-mile walk, you will learn how to practice this increasingly popular method of “meditation.” Wear closed toe shoes and long pants to protect from trip points and poison oak. The walk is

open to all by reservation only. Children are welcome, with adult supervision. No dogs please. Rain cancels the walk. For information or to register, visit fiscaliniranchpreserve.org/explore/ docent-walks.

JUNE 18 FATHERS DAY

JUNE 24

ATASCADERO LAKESIDE WINE FESTIVAL

Atascadero Lake Park

4-8pm

The Atascadero WineFest experience will showcase premier wines from the Central Coast and beyond. Now celebrating it’s 26th year, this WineFest boasts over 100 wines from more than

peeled and seeded

• 1/2 cup finely chopped tomato

• 1/4 cup chopped red onion

2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped

• 4-1/2 teaspoons minced fresh cilantro

• 1 garlic clove, minced

• 1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream

• 1-1/2 teaspoons lemon juice

• 1-1/2 teaspoons lime juice

• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

• 1/4 teaspoon seasoned salt

Garnish with fresh cilantro (optional)

• Baked tortilla chip scoops (optional)

Directions:

In a small bowl, combine the first seven ingredients. In another bowl, combine the sour cream, lemon juice, lime juice, cumin, cilantro, and seasoned salt. Pour over cucumber mixture and toss gently to coat. Serve with chips.

Notes: The easiest way to seed a cucumber is to peel it first and then cut it in half lengthwise. Use a spoon to scrape out the very center. You can skip this part, but it may make the salad extra watery.

50 wineries, breweries, food purveyors, and art exhibitors for attendees to enjoy while relaxing at the sun kissed, lakeside location. A portion of event proceeds will help benefit the Charles Paddock Zoo.

JUNE 30

REBOOT STORYTELLING

TOP DOG COFFEE, 857 MAIN STREET, MORRO BAY

7-9pm

A dynamic mix of true personal stories about gatekeepers, favors, and friendships and a little sketch comedy thrown in for good measure, plus audience open mic for 99-second stories.

TIDELANDS PARK

Starts at 10:30 am

Family fun around Morro Bay to celebrate Independence Day, including a bike parade, flag ceremony, and live music. Visit morrobay.org for more information.

SUBMIT UPCOMING EVENTS TO: office@13starsmedia.com

JULY 4

BLUEGRASS FREEDOM FESTIVAL

ATASCADERO LAKE PARK

4-8pm

Celebrate Independence Day lakeside under giant shady oaks with three great musical acts on an afternoon of music, food, and drinks. Music begins at 4 p.m. with the Chris Keith Band

Every Body Kneads Peace of Mind

www.peaceofmind-massage-morrobay

Peace o f Mind

26+ plus years of experience in Treating Structural & Pain Disorders

Peace of Mind is a Place for healing and resting the mind, body & spirit

Locations

Grilled Patty Pan Squash. Photo by Anthony Atkins