Hometown News Since 1916 Making Communities Better Through Print.™ VOL. CIV, NO. XLII
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2020
atascaderonews.com • $1.00 • WEEKLY
DECISION 2020 • TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 3
GOVERNMENT
Final Preview for the Local Elections By the ELECTION BOARD OF THE ATASCADERO NEWS
A
s we round the corner in the final days of this year’s election cycle, we put together a final preview of the local candidates, measures, and voting hints for the Nov. 3 elections. ATASCADERO CITY GOVERNMENT The City Council is composed of five members, a Mayor and four Council members, elected at large by Atascadero’s citizens. The Mayor serves a two-year term, and Council members serve four-year overlapping terms. The Mayor presides over the meetings and performs other ceremonial duties. As the policy-making legislative body, the City Council is responsible for enacting all city programs, policies, and services. The City Council acts upon all legislative matters concerning the city, approving and adopting all ordinances, resolutions, contracts, and other matters requiring overall policy decisions and leadership. The Council appoints the City Manager, City Attorney, and various other commissions, boards, and citizen advisory committees, all of which ensure broad-based input into the city’s affairs. Mayoral Candidates This year three people are running for mayor of Atascadero. Current
Council Annexes Projects in City’s Community Facilities District By CONNOR ALLEN connor@atascaderonews.com
People can drop off their ballot at the Vote-By-Mail Ballot Drop Box inside the Atascadero Library, 6555 Capistrano Ave., during business hours. Staff photo
Atascadero Mayor Heather Moreno is running for re-election and will face opposition from Josh Donovan and Jerry Tanimoto. Moreno is a local business owner and CPA who ran unopposed in her bid for mayor two years ago. Tanimoto is a small business owner and taught at Atascadero High School for 31 years. Donovan is a small business owner and veteran who was born and raised in Atascadero.
that school boards focus on and is accountable for. Second, school boards are accessible to the public and accountable for their schools’ performance, and third, school boards ensure that students get the best education for the tax dollars spent. The most important school board’s responsibility is to work CONTINUED ON PAGE A15
What to do in North County for Halloween
TUSD School Board Changes Reopening Date for Middle and High Schools
By CONNOR ALLEN connor@atascaderonews.com
Secondary students will now return under hybrid plan on Jan. 5 By BRIAN WILLIAMS brian@atascaderonews.com TEMPLETON — Templeton Unified School District trustees pushed back the reopening of middle and high schools for hybrid learning to Jan. 5 during Thursday’s meeting. The school board reversed course on the secondary level grades after hearing from 36 people — mostly students, teachers and parents — via email and Zoom. The vast majority said the previously approved Nov. 30 start for hybrid learning was being rushed and would put more stress on the final three weeks of the first half of school.
COMMUNITY
sioner. Heinemann is a local writer and author. Keen is a Family Law Paralegal. Mattson is a local businessman and publisher. ATASCADERO UNIFIED SCHOOL BOARD The role of a local school board is a critical public link to public schools. School board members serve their communities in several important ways. First, school boards look out for students. Education is the only item
SPOOKY SEASON
EDUCATION
CONTINUED ON PAGE A15
City Council Candidates Five people are running for two City Council seats. Incumbent Charles Bourbeau is seeking re-election and is challenged by Mark Dariz, Bret Heinemann, Tori Keen, and Nicholas Mattson. Roberta Fonzi did not run for re-election. Bourbeau is currently a City Council Member and Retired Military Officer. Dariz is a local Architect and Planning Commis-
NORTH COUNTY — For the first time since 2015, Halloween falls on a Saturday night this year and has many North County residents wondering where they can go to satisfy their spooky urges or take their little devils for a fun evening. The Atascadero News reached out to several local Halloween attractions in the North County and compiled a list for those looking for a safe, scary Halloween.
The Haunt
Unfortunately, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, options are limited this year, but that does not mean that no fun can be had. Atascadero’s popular haunted house, The Haunt, is back this year full of safety precautions while still being just as frightening as ever. This year the multiroom, scare experience has turned fairy tales into scary tales and incorporated everything in between. The Haunt, which began conceptualizing their design in March and construction in May, has brought an immersive experience complete with animatronics, hidden actors, and all the long, foggy corridors your heart could desire. Unlike most scare mazes and haunted
EDUCATION
Top, some of what viewers can see in front of Atascadero resident Mark Russo’s house. Bottom, two of the various themed rooms customers will go through at The Haunt. Photos by Hayley Mattson and Connor Allen
houses that pop up a few weeks before Hallow- local high school students, take on a room, then een and are gone before the sign of the first plan it and design it with a little help from The turkey, The Haunt spends the year working on Haunt team. their maze and uses over 60 volunteers to do so. Each year a number of volunteers, many times CONTINUED ON PAGE A15
DECISION 2020
WEEKLY FEATURE
ATASCADERO — The Atascadero City Council came together Tuesday night for one of its quickest meetings of the year, lasting barely over an hour. The only topic discussed was a public hearing on the annexation of two new projects into the City’s Community Facilities District (CFD). The CFD was established in 2005 and allows the City to recover all the costs associated with new residential development for providing public safety services such as police, fire services, and park services. According to the agenda packet, “CFD’s ensure that new homeowners pay special taxes in an amount equal to the actual cost of the City services they are expected to receive. Without such special taxes in place, new residential units have a negative impact on the general fund.” The two residential developments in question were the Curbaril Residential Planned Development Project that was approved in January, and the Grand Oaks Paseo Project that was approved in November of 2019. The development on Curbaril is estimated to cost between $2,800$3,000 annually beginning in the next fiscal year, while Grand Oaks Paseo is estimated between $19,000-$20,000, both adjusted each year for inflation. The motion passed, 5-0. The meeting opened with recognizing that October is National Domestic Violence Awareness Month . Mayor Pro Tem Charles Bourbeau stated, “Domestic violence awareness month calls attention to the fact that sexual violence is widespread and impacts every person in Atascadero and whereas continues to be a major national public health problem affecting one in three women and one in nine men. An estimated 18 million children experience domestic violence in their own homes each year and whereas domestic violence is the leading cause of homelessness in the United States, and whereas children exposed to domestic violence often experience long-term consequences.” atascaderonews.com
WEATHER
twitter.com/ @AtascaderoNews facebook.com/ @AtascaderoNews
FOOD DRIVE HELPS provide Templeton families with Thanksgiving dinners | A3
STUDENTS ON CAMPUS can be done at schools says NC Christian Administrator | A4
COUNTY SETS RECORD with more than 184,000 registered to vote in general election | A5
DID YOU KNOW people used to water ski on Atascadero Lake | A13
The Atascadero News
High 84º | Low 42º
atascaderonews.com
67808 24135
Support Local Journalism Only one local newspaper.
Atascadero. Real News. Good News • Real News • Your Hometown News
5
Ranked No. 1 online by alexa.com Traffic Metrics. Employs professional journalist. Owned by local publishers. The Atascadero News
Subscribe today!
7