Hometown News Since 1916 Making Communities Better Through Print.™ VOL. CIV, NO. XXIV
THURSDAY, JUNE 25, 2020
GOVERNMENT
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ATASCADERO POLICE DEPARTMENT
Community Shows Support for APD Grateful Atascadero residents thank department for protecting and serving
Community Brings Race Matters SLO Demands To City Council By CONNOR ALLEN connor@atascaderonews.com ATASCADERO — The Atascadero City Council met together in City Hall on Tuesday night for the first time since March while also broadcasting their session online for those not in attendance. It was a reasonably uneventful council meeting with only one item covered for more than 20 minutes, the City of Atascadero’s update to its 10-year housing element plan. Following the Council’s vote to approve the consent calendar, which included yearly housekeeping items related to tourism, parking, and sewer, the meeting moved to public comment. More than 10 citizens either called in or emailed the Council regarding the demands from Race Matters SLO. In particular, the callers wanted the Council to focus on fighting racism within the community through three main steps — declaring racism a public health crisis, reallocating money from the police department to fund more mental health specialists and social workers, and connecting and collaborating as a City Council with organizations in Atascadero that work toward diversity and inclusion. Race Matters SLO’s list of demands can be found on its website or on the petition that is circulating through the county. It has nearly 7,000 signatures on it. Atascadero Mayor Heather Moreno addressed Race Matters SLO saying, “We responded last week [to the Race Matters SLO demands] and we said that we would like to sit down with you [the public], engage with you and we want to — I think some of the terms being used are connect and collaborate — we want to find out what is important to you. Let’s talk about Atascadero specifically.” Moreno continued stating that she and the Council are ready and willing to meet with anyone in the community that would like to be heard individually, and Councilmember Susan Funk echoed her sentiment. “I think it’s important that all of CONTINUED ON PAGE A15
LOCAL NEWS
Valerie Fredendal, middle left, and Amanda Hawkins, middle right, show their support for the Atascadero Police Department on Saturday. Fredendal and Hawkins organized the show of support. Contributed photo
By HAYLEY MATTSON hayley@atascaderonews.com
O
n Saturday, June 20, community members came together in support of local law enforcement on the corner of El Camino Real and Highway 41. Waving blue ribbons, balloons, and large
decorated posters filled with “Thank you, We Love You! and Blessed are the Peacemakers! Our APD!” the crowd cheered on their support for several hours. Among the ribbons, several people held flags of both red white and blue, along with the black and white “thin blue line” flag that is held in honor of law enforcement and is flown to show support for the men
and women who put their lives on the line every day. The organizers of the event were two local women Amanda Hawkins and Valoree Fredendall, “We formed the event to show our local law enforcement that the community supports and appreciates them.” Hawkins shared, “Law enforcement is crucial in the orchestration of maintain-
ing balance in society. Especially in these times, they need to feel encouragement and reverence from the public.” According to Hawkins, the group “Protect Atascadero” was formed recently as a way to show support to local law enforcement and help keep Atascadero CONTINUED ON PAGE A15
PASO STRONG CAR CRUISE
WATER MANAGEMENT
Riverbed Encampment Threatens Closure of De Anza Trail
Riding For Charity
Facebook group parades Downtown to raise money for local charities By CONNOR ALLEN connor@atascaderonews.com ATASCADERO — If you have found yourself downtown, in a North County city, on a Friday night, around dusk the last few months, you probably stumbled upon what seemed like an impromptu car show, but it was much more than that. At the beginning of April, Paso Robles resident Scott Keith started the Facebook page “Paso Strong Car Cruise.” Three months later, that page is up to nearly 2,000 likes and draws the attention of motorheads who are already depressed at the canceling local car shows. While many of those in the community were aware of the cruise nights, almost none knew its origin and the message behind popular Friday night activity. The idea started near the end of March when the county was in the early parts of quarantine when Keith received a Facebook
LOCAL NEWS
By CONNOR ALLEN connor@atascaderonews.com ATASCADERO — For a little over a year now, homeless people have been visiting or living in the riverbed behind the Atascadero Mutual Water Company’s facility on Sycamore Road. Over time, the encampments have grown in size and number that AMWC is considering closing all access for people to the riverbed, including the popular Juan Bautista De Anza Trail, to try and impede people from camping. “Well right now, we are facing what the water company would call a trespass issue,” Atascadero Mutual Water Company John Neil said to The Atascadero News. “We prohibit camping on Water Company property. It is
A hot rod cruises down El Camino Real during Cruise Night. Photo by Rick Evans
message about a cruise night in downtown where old, cool, cars are a way of life, and San Luis Obispo since all the stores were it spread like wildfire. closed. Following a few different cruises in Some in the community assumed the SLO, Keith decided to take the initiative and make a cruise page in North County, CONTINUED ON PAGE A15
NONPROFIT
SENIORS
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WEATHER
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SALINAS VALLEY FAIR crowns 2020 THS graduate Ashley Rosilez Queen | A3
DINING IN THE PARK now at your service in Paso’s Downtown City Park | A4
ECHO receives COVID-
19 funding for increasing response services | A5
RETIREMENT PLANS have
not been foiled by COVID, just reassessed | A13
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Thank you,
to our teachers, nurses and frontline workers.
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