Hometown News Since 1916 Making Communities Better Through Print.™ VOL. CIV, NO. XXXI
THURSDAY, AUGUST 13, 2020
atascaderonews.com • $1.00 • WEEKLY
1920-2020 CENTENNIAL ANNIVERSARY
Centennial Anniversary of the U.S. Constitution’s 19th Amendment Giving Women the Right to Vote By HAYLEY MATTSON and MEGAN OLSHEFSKI
T
his year August 18 marks the centennial anniversary of the United States Constitution’s 19th Amendment’s ratification. The 19th Amendment enfranchised all American women and declared for the first time that they, like men, deserve all the rights and responsibilities of citizenship. After the founding of the United States in 1776, the thirteen states were left to decide separately upon
their voting rights. This resulted in state-bystate requirements based on gender, religion, race, tax bracket, and property ownership. Initially, New Jersey’s 1776 constitution permitted “all inhabitants” (including women) the right to vote; but an 1807 law ensured the end of women’s attendance at the polls. Interestingly though women, even though they could not vote, could run for office. During this time, several reform groups started multiplying across the United States, temperance
POLITICS
leagues, religious movements, moral-reform societies, anti-slavery organizations, and in many of these, women played a prominent role. This lead to many American women to began rebelling against the “Cult of True Womanhood,” that is, the idea that the only “true” woman was a virtuous, obedient wife and mother concerned exclusively with home family. In turn, this contributed to a new way of thinking about what it meant to be a woman and a citizen of the United States.
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BUSINESS
GOVERNMENT
Santa Maria Brewing Co. Opens Atascadero Location
First Candidate Filing Period Closes
Conceptual Plans For El Camino Downtown Enhancement Approved
By BRIAN WILLIAMS brian@atascaderonews.com ATASCADERO — The wait is over. It’s been a couple of minutes, well four years worth of minutes actually, but Santa Maria Brewing Co. officially opened in Atascadero on Friday. SMBC owner Byron Moles knows people have been waiting, and waiting, and waiting. “Everyone has been like, ‘Dude, are you ever really going to open. I’m just hoping that they all haven’t given up yet,” Moles said with a smile and a laugh from inside the 27,000 square foot building on 7935 San Luis Avenue. “It’s been a long time, four years, but we haven’t lost excitement because we just knew it was going to be the turning point for us as a company.” Moles candidly said he bit off more than he could chew four years ago when he acquired the Atascadero building. Things were going well, Santa Maria Brewing Co. was growing fast. Moles purchased Tap It Brewing in San Luis Obispo and Moles opened an SMBC taproom and restaurant in Paso Robles on Park Street with plans for Atascadero to come online not long after.
Deadline for some races extended to Aug. 12 because some incumbents did not file to run again By BRIAN WILLIAMS brian@atascaderonews.com SAN LUIS OBISPO — City and county officials are reporting that election deadlines for numerous local offices on the November ballot, including city councils and school and special district boards, have been extended because some incumbents have not filed to run again. The nomination periods for the Atascadero and Paso Robles city councils opened early in July, with two seats on each up for election on Nov. 3. One of the two incumbents on the Atascadero City Council did not file by the deadline, which means the filing period extends to Aug. 12. Incumbent Charles Bourbeau and challengers Nicholas Mattson, Tori Keen and Mark Dariz filed to run for the two council seats, but the field could grow due to the deadline extending to Aug. 12. For more information on filing, visit CONTINUED ON PAGE A15
YOUTH SPORTS
As the years went on and women sought to pass reform legislation, the drive to change society intensified. In 1848, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Lucretia Mott, Martha Wright, Mary Ann M’Clintock, and Jane Hunt issued a call for a women’s rights conference at Seneca Falls, New York, where Stanton lived. Prior to the event, Stanton drafted the “Declaration of Sentiments and Grievances,” which she modeled after the Declaration
LOCAL NEWS
By CONNOR ALLEN connor@atascaderonews.com
In 2013, Moles and his wife, Karen, along with brewer Dan Hilker purchased Santa Maria Brewing Co., which had produced award-winning craft beer for 15 years. They moved it into a new home, expanded barrel production, partnering with select pubs, restaurants, and retailers across the U.S, started a successful Beer of the Month Club. They quickly outgrew the Santa Maria location and began looking to move to North County.
ATASCADERO — The Atascadero City Council voted unanimously to approve the conceptual plans for the El Camino Real Downtown Infrastructure Enhancement Plan following a presentation from the Public Works and Community Development Directors. The plans, which were only conceptually approved Tuesday night, can still be altered later. It calls for reducing a portion of El Camino down to one lane in each direction from approximately Galaxy Theatres Atascadero to Rosario Avenue north of the Atascadero Police Department station. Approving the conceptual plans, allows the City to begin pursuing grant funding opportunities for the project that was estimated to cost $6 to $7 million and has been under review since 2017. The goal is to create a destination that is safe, walkable, attractive, and also promotes business to a downtown area that is rapidly expanding. “El Camino was designed and operated as a state highway for many years before the US 101,” Atascadero Public Works Director Nick DeBar said. “And in all practicality, the geometry hasn’t changed from when it was used as a highway. Highways are
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Santa Maria Brewing Co. opened its location in Atascadero on Friday, Aug. 7. Photo by Brian Williams
“I spread myself too thin. Fortunately, I’ve got some fantastic partners that have helped us get through the whole thing, but because this was such a big one, it was hard to funnel enough money through here to get it done any sooner than what we did,” he said. “Hindsight should have let some of the other things go, but hindsight is always easy.” The Atascadero building used to be home to Gary Bang Harley-Davidson. The 35-year motorcycle dealer closed the location in December of 2015.
COVID UPDATE
WEEKLY FEATURE
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CALIF. MEN’S COLONY joins forces with Public Health Works to contain outbreak | A5
SPENCER HOWARD, makes his MLB debut with the Philadelphia Phillies | A13
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