RICH LOOMIS | THE MOTT FAMILY | K AREN BORGES | CHARLOTTE GORTON | SLOMA
JournalPLUS FEBRUARY 2017
MAGAZINE OF THE CENTRAL COAST
TRACY TAYLOR
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February 5, 2017
Chi Delta Sorority Elks Lodge Latinos in Agriculture Nipomo Presbyterian Church SLO Journal U.S. Agriseeds
CONTENTS
Journal PLUS MAGAZINE OF THE CENTRAL COAST
The People, Community, and Business of Our Beautiful Central Coast ADDRESS
654 Osos Street San Luis Obispo California 93401
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GREATEST ATHLETES: THE MOTT FAMILY
PHONE 805.546.0609 E-MAIL slojournal@fix.net WEBSITE www.slojournal.com
EDITOR & PUBLISHER Steve Owens ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Erin Mott GRAPHIC DESIGNER Dora Mountain COPY EDITOR Susan Stewart PHOTOGRAPHER Tom Meinhold DISTRIBUTION Jan Owens, Kyle Owens, Jim Parsons, Gary Story ADVERTISING Steve Owens CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Susan Stewart, Joseph Carotenuti, Dr. James Brescia, Sarah Hedger, Maggie Cox, Dominic Tartaglia, Deborah Cash, Heather Young, Don Morris, Ruth Starr, Gail Pruitt, Sasha Irving, Carlyn Christianson, Will Jones and Ray Cauwet. Mail subscriptions are available at $20 per year. Back issues are $2 each. Inquires concerning advertising or other information made by writing to Steve Owens, JOURNAL PLUS MAGAZINE, 654 Osos Street, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401. You can call us at 546-0609, our fax line is 546-8827, and our e-mail is slojournal@fix.net. View the entire magazine on our website at www.slojournal.com JOURNAL PLUS MAGAZINE is a free monthly distributed to over 600 locations throughout the Central Coast and is also available online at slojournal.com Editorial submissions are welcome but are published at the discretion of the publisher. Submissions will be returned if accompanied by a stamped self addressed envelope. No material published in the magazine can be reproduced without written permission. Opinions expressed in the byline articles are those of the writers and not necessarily those of the JOURNAL PLUS MAGAZINE. COVER PHOTO BY TOM MEINHOLD
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KAREN BORGES
TIM OLIVAS
PEOPLE 8 10 12 14 16
RICH LOOMIS CHARLOTTE GORTON KAREN BORGES TRACY TAYLOR TIM OLIVAS
HOME & OUTDOOR
17 18 22 24
PASO ART SCENE GREATEST ATHLETES – The Mott Family CALL TO THE COLORS FOOD / AT THE MARKET
COMMUNITY 26 28 30 32 34 41 42
SLO MUSEUM OF ART Capital Campaign WEEKEND GETAWAY Patton Museum HISTORY ON THE “HOOF” Paso Robles HISTORY: Paderewski in Paso Robles OUR SCHOOLS – Dr. James Brescia PALM STREET PERSPECTIVE– Christianson COMMUNITY BULLETIN BOARD
BUSINESS
36 EYE ON BUSINESS 37 DOWNTOWN SLO What’s Happening
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February Hero Profile
2017
Children’s Bill of Rights #2: As the children and youth of San Luis Obispo County, may we each eat healthy and plentiful meals every day. FEBRUARY’S HERO
Kim Gaspar
PASSION
Ensuring children have healthy food and nutrition smarts ONE WORD TO DESCRIBE KIM
Compassionate NOMINATED BY
Food Bank of San Luis Obispo County
Kim Gaspar is a champion for children, helping to ensure they have nutritious food and that they know where it comes from. Kim shows tremendous dedication and generosity of spirit as she works alongside others in our community to provide kids with healthy snacks and meals, while teaching them all about it! She knows how critical proper nutrition is to a child’s physical and emotional development.
Kim teaches kids to appreciate healthy food, where it comes from, and what it does for their bodies. Prior to her work with ASES, Kim carried out similar efforts at People’s Self-Help Housing, where she sourced Food Bank snacks, meals and ingredients for children’s cooking lessons.
One in six children in SLO County worry about when they’ll have their next meal— a statistic that drives Kim to do what she does daily for our youngest population. As a Program Director for ASES (After School Education and Safety) with the Paso Robles Schools, Kim has long partnered with the Food Bank to help provide hundreds of thousands of healthy, after-school snacks and summer lunches at her sites. It’s not just a job to her-- rather, she takes personal responsibility for “her” kids.
Kim recognizes that a child’s chance at a bright future begins with having enough nutritious food each day. Together, she and the Food Bank are setting the foundation for a healthy start for some of our community’s most vulnerable citizens.
Look for more on all of our Hands-On Heroes on COE-TV Channel 19!
Hands-On Heroes is a special recognition of dedicated individuals who believe in and support the Children’s Bill of Rights, an achievable vision that our children grow up with healthy minds, bodies and spirits that enable them to maximize their potential. This program is coordinated by First 5 San Luis Obispo County in collaboration with local organizations that make a difference in the lives of children in our community. To find out more about First 5 and the Children’s Bill of Rights, please visit first5slo.org.
Design: Verdin
Kim has also been instrumental in getting nearly 100,000 pounds of produce distributed to ASES children through the Food Bank’s Children’s Free Farmers Market Program.
Thank you, Kim Gaspar. You are a true Hands-On Hero.
From the publisher
A smile is the universal welcome. – MAX EASTMAN –
NEW PATIENTS WELCOME EVENING HOURS AVAILABLE
Ryan M. Ross, DDS
J
an and I have been a big fan of Tracy Taylor’s work for many years. We have one of her prints displayed in our home. We would have had another personally signed copy as well if I hadn’t left it in the airplane overhead compartment above my seat returning from Maui several years ago. When Will Jones asked us if he could write a profile on her upcoming show, we were more than happy to oblige. You’ll enjoy her story inside.
We also feature the Mott family in Dr. Don Morris’ Greatest Athletes column. Every one of the Motts were accomplished athletes. But even more than athletics, each family member continues to give back to their community. Bill Mott is my son-in-law so we know firsthand how much they give back to others. This is an extraordinary family and we are very proud to feature them. Plenty of other good profiles inside including: Rich Loomis and his special forest, Jack’s Helping Hand director, Karen Borges, retired Paso Recreation Services Manager, Charlotte Gorton and SLO County Undersheriff, Tim Olivas. Enjoy the magazine.
Michael Roberts, DDS 11545 LOS OSOS VALLEY ROAD, SUITE A SAN LUIS OBISPO (805)541-5800
•
RYANROSSDDS.COM
Steve Owens
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richard loomis... and his redwood forest By Heather Young
W
hen people think of redwoods in California, they think of northern California not the Central Coast. Richard Loomis has a photo of his parents, Ivan and Christine, when they married after World War I near Palo Alto among the redwoods. He’s always loved the redwoods so he planted the first grove of redwoods on his family’s 6,000-acre ranch southeast of Arroyo Grande in Huasna Valley 63 years ago. “I liked redwoods and we had the pond there and it was something to do,” Loomis said about why he decided to plant that first grove, which has about 25 trees in it. “I got started on the weekends and it went from there. I dug a lot of holes.” Now, there are 13 groves and about 1,100 redwoods on the ranch. Sections of the ranch have been sold off or given to his children— two of his four children live on the ranch. The first grove was planted in 1954 and the last in 1999. He said his goal was to have 1,100 trees planted by the turn of the century, which he was able to accomplish. “He’s worked very hard,” his wife, Bobbie, said. The redwoods don’t normally grow in a climate such as in the valley near Arroyo Grande, but the redwoods have grown well under Loomis’ care. He said that the oldest trees were measured at 135 feet, six years ago, so he estimates the trees are well over 145 feet in height now, as they grow an average of two to three feet a year. “We have the largest, southernmost redwood forest on the continent,” he said, adding that he knows there are redwoods in Australia, so he can’t say it’s not the southernmost in the world. “I googled [redwood forests] south of us and I found one grove that had 200 trees and another with 80 trees. Ivan and Christina Loomis’ wedding which inspired Rich to create his own Redwood Forest.
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He joked that his oldest child said “the day you die, the chain saw comes out.” Loomis’ parents bought the ranch in 1942 and the family moved out there in 1951, his father dying in 1954. His grandfather, E.C. LooRich and Bobbie Loomis
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mis, started a grain and hay brokerage business on the Central Coast in Arroyo Grande in 1905. When his sons joined, it became E.C. Loomis & Sons Feed. Loomis and his brother, John, joined the business later on and then Loomis started Loomix liquid feed supplements in 1952. His son, Dan, joined Loomix in 1981 until it was sold in 1991. He, however, purchased the fiberglass division and now owns Loomis Tank Centers. Loomis met his wife 65 years ago when he was attending and playing football for Cal Poly. He said there weren’t a lot of women there at the time, so a friend of his fixed him up with a woman who attended Petaluma College. That blind date led to another and six months later Loomis married Bobbie. They have four children, Dan, Pat, Julie and Robin, 13 grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. Loomis now lives in San Luis Obispo and attends New Life Church.
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Redwood groves on Loomis’ ranch: (Each was named for family or friends.) 1. Cabin Grove, planted in 1954 8. Kenny Talley Grove, 1972
2. Billy Watson Grove, 1972 3. Ivan-Chris Loomis Grove, 1982 4. Tom and Eddie Hannah Grove, 1999 5. Bobbie Loomis Grove, 1992 6. Pat, Peg and Mike Waters Grove, 1995 7. Ernie, Peg and Mike Waters Grove, 1996
9. Jatta Road Driveway Grove, 1972 10. Paul Fischbeck/Hoppy Hopkins Grove, 1972 11. John and Lindy Loomis Grove, 18 years old 12. Bart Ross Grove, 25 years old 13. Fort Hope Grove, 25 years old
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charlotte gorton “wish they all could be California girls...” By Deborah Cash
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n the 1960s, a teenaged Charlotte Gorton could have easily provided inspiration for the popular Beach Boys song of the day. Gorton, a blonde haired, blue eyed, bikini clad beach bunny living in sunny southern California embodied the epitome of “surfer girl” that an entire generation aspired to be—no matter how far from the shore they lived. That Gorton eventually pursued a life’s work encompassing her love of outdoors, activities, people and horses, too, should not have come as a surprise. But it was a couple years into college at San Diego State University before a friend suggested that a Recreation degree might be a good fit for her. “I was already majoring in having fun,” Gorton laughed then added introspectively, “I took Recreation 101 and that was ‘it!’ I fell in love with parks and recreation and knew then it would be my career.” Now, five years since her retirement as Recreation Services Manager from the City of Paso Robles for a quarter of a decade, Gorton remains an outdoor enthusiast and hasn’t slowed down one bit. She’s
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Charlotte and Mark
steadfast in her “love of fun and the outdoors” and is still committed to serving the community through volunteer opportunities. After graduating with a BA in Recreation Administration-Leisure Services in 1973, Charlotte and her future husband, Kevin, moved to Maui where she taught swimming for a private elementary school and worked part time for Maui Parks and Recreation. The couple’s bigger dream, though, was raising horses—something they both had a love and knack for. “I’ve loved horses since I was a kid; Kevin was my next door neighbor and also a horse person and we used to ride together.” The Gorton family: Clockwise from top, Robert Jr., Charlotte, Marigold, Mary, Robert Sr. and Rita.
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viewed for Recreation Coordination for Senior Programs. I started that position in 1987.”
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From there, Gorton, who received her Master of Arts in Education Administration from Cal Poly, served as Recreation Supervisor and then Recreation Services Manager from 1999 until she retired. In those years, she reorganized the recreation division, established the REC Foundation (a fundraising non profit) and secured nearly one million dollars in grant funding for the department and established Paso Robles Youth Commission, among other major projects.
Charlotte with her granddaughters, clockwise from top left: Sedona, Isla and Aislyn
They started their equine operation but after a few years succumbed to “island fever” and returned stateside to establish a working horse ranch in Oregon. During this transition, while Gorton worked part time at Medford Parks and Recreation and Medford YMCA teaching swimming, daughters Marina and Elisa were born. And, the horse business took off. “It grew so large and we had so much responsibility,” Gorton recalled. “We stood five stallions and bred about 100 mares a year,” she said of their business, 4-Leaf Livestock Company. The little girls learned to ride and developed their parents’ appreciation for the beautiful creatures. Gorton resurrected her love of photography once the photos she took of her stallions were noticed by equine publications and she was asked to attend horse shows and take photographs for covers. Eventually, she started an equine photojournalism business where she not only took photos of riders in action with their horses but she also wrote for horse periodicals, “while trying to raise two daughters,” she said. The family moved the horse ranch to Templeton. “We both wanted to come back to California, back to our roots,” she said. While she continued her work with the publications, she realized the travel and irregular schedules were a challenge. She began working for the City of Paso Robles Recreation department (then Community Services). “I lucked out on a wonderful job,” she said. “I especially enjoyed working with the aging population and inter-
The road to this career, and her subsequent desire to remain involved in community issues can be traced to her origins. Gorton was born to Robert J. Gorton and Mary “Marigold” Gorton at the Balboa Park Naval Hospital in San Diego where her father, a Lieutenant Commander in the US Navy, was stationed. Her mother was a Registered Nurse. Gorton said she and her siblings, Robert, Rita and Mary were raised in a “very military” background, moving around to assignments including Astoria, Oregon, Long Beach and “all over San Diego.”
Charlotte with her daughters, Elisa (left) and Marina
She also serves on the SLO County Trails Commission and volunteers with the SLO Film Festival. Gorton’s love of horses has never wavered. She’s continued to write and photograph as a freelancer in the equine magazine industry and enjoys occasional trail rides. “We still have horses,” she says though she and husband Mark Jorgeson, SLO native and recently retired himself, devote a lot of their personal time to camping trips around the country in their Airstream. Gorton met Jorgeson in 2000 when he was involved with Mardi Gras—a big plus in her book. “He liked to have fun, he was very social and liked to travel; we had a lot in common.” They married in 2011 in Australia and have logged an impressive number of trips that include Cuba, Costa Rica and the Pacific Northwest. “We love to go to National Parks and went to three this past year.” Sometimes, they just pack up and head down to Refugio or El Capitan for a long weekend.
“We lived at the beach,” she said sharing that her father taught the kids to swim when he took them all to the Cove at La Jolla and threw their dog, Snorkel, in the water. “He told us to paddle like Snorkel,” she laughed. “My dad always had a boat, we spent a lot of time in the water, swimming and fishing. He gave us our love of the ocean.” She also was inspired to participate in clubs and organizations at an early age including Red Cross and throughout life and her career has been committed to service including serving on community Parks and Recreation Advisory Committees, Area Agency on Aging, Hotline Senior Information and Referrals Advisory Council, Adult Abuse Prevention Council, California Parks and Recreation Society and more. Her dedication to her career and community issues has earned her numerous awards and accolades over the years. When she retired, Gorton said she considered what her next chapter would be. “I originally thought I’d like to work saving beautiful wild places and was interested in organizations committed to establishing new parklands,” she said. Eventually she decided to focus on the Parks, Recreation and Tourism Administration Advisory Committee at Cal Poly (now called Experience Industry Management) where she is Chair. “This helps me fulfill the need to stay connected to my industry,” she says. “It was a fabulous career; I have a huge sense of pride about my work.”
Among all this activity, family remains foremost for Gorton and her husband. Kids and grandkids are regular visitors to their ranch style home in SLO and they are often on the road to see Charlotte’s daughters Marina and Elisa and Mark’s sons Ian and Ryan and all their families. Family dogs Jesse and new puppy Olive Oyl round out the party. The still vibrant, active and towheaded Gorton today fills the bill as a muse for another Beach Boy tune from the past: “We’ll find the place in the sun, where everyone can have fun, fun, fun…”
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karen borges giving a helping hand By Ruth Starr
L
osing a child is one of the hardest of life’s challenges. When Paul and Bridget Ready lost their beloved son Jack, age 3, to a brain tumor, they knew that had to do something positive for the community. A friend of the Readys had a teenage son named Owen, who was diagnosed with Osteosarcoma, a type of bone cancer. After surgery he needed a prosthetic leg. Their insurance would not cover the cost of the new leg. That’s when Paul and Bridget took charge! A barbecue and auction was organized and like manna from heaven $100,000 was quickly raised. They not only were able to pay for the prosthetic leg, they also began assisting others Jack Ready with their loved ones’ needs. Thus began the non-profit organization in their son’s name, Jack’s Helping Hand (JHH).
Since that small beginning, Jack’s Helping Hand is now helping 45-50 local children a month with their assistance program, which helps children with cancer and special needs. In the ten years since its inception, JHH has given out over 1.7 million dollars and helped hundreds of local families. For the last three years Karen Borges has been the Executive Director of the Jack’s Helping Hand program. She took over the reigns from Mary Illingworth, who was the JHH Director the first seven years.
the time, also went on the trip. Tyler managed to get through the arduous surgery. The family spent six weeks in New York while Tyler recovered. After returning home, they began a two-year program of chemo and radiation at Children’s Hospital in Los Angeles. Again JHH helped with everything they needed (gas, food, lodging and even purchased Tyler’s first set of hearing aids after losing his hearing to the toxic chemotherapy). Tyler is now 17 and cancer free. Karen will forever be grateful to JHH. Karen felt that Tyler would not have made it without Dr. LaQuaglia and JHH. Even though the cancer is gone, Tyler has been left with a number of side effects that are tough for him. He still has to go for intensive exams every few months. Prior to Tyler’s illness, Karen worked for fifteen years as a Medical Office Manager. The day her son got sick was the day she gave notice to concentrate on her son’s health.
Karen first got involved with JHH in 2009 when her son, Tyler, age 9, was diagnosed with cancer. He had a tumor the size of a football on his left kidney. They knew it had to be removed, but the doctors were not sure they could remove it all. Karen researched doctors all over the country, eventually finding a surgeon, Dr. LaQuaglia, in New York, at the Sloan Kettering Cancer Center—who is known to be the best in this type of surgery. She told her husband, Tim, that they were going to New York to convince this doctor to do the surgery. Neither one had any idea how they would get the funds to do it. They had heard about Jack’s Helping Hand and called to see if they could help. JHH not only took care of purchasing their airline tickets, but they also arranged for non-profit housing where they could stay while in New York. Their younger son, Connor, age 7 at F E B R U A R Y
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Tyler Borges during his cancer treatment
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cancer. Each year there is a large holiday party for local children who are battling cancer. The volunteers and staff provide much emotional support to everyone who comes there. Karen feels she has the best job in the world because she gets to help people who have been in the same or similar circumstances as she experienced. All of the programs at JHH are fully funded by donations. When a family is battling a child’s illness, they encounter many challenges along the way. With Jack’s Helping Hand, families can find much needed resources and support. Volunteering and donating to Jack’s Helping Hand assures the organization of the continuation of its services to our community. To contribute or to learn more about Jack’s Helping Hand, visit: jackshelpinghand.org
Tyler Borges after his cancer treatment
After Tyler was on the mend, Karen decided it was time to go back to work. She took a job with Verdin Marketing and began volunteering for JHH as well. When the Executive Director, Mary Illingworth, decided to retire she asked Karen to consider applying for it. She happily accepted when the Board of Directors offered her the position. Karen feels moved to help others who have children with treatment needs. As the Central Coast area grows, so does the need for pediatric specialists in this field. Some families have to go to Los Angeles or Stanford for treatment, which causes a hardship for many families. Karen says the heart of Jack’s Helping Hand is the Assistance Program, which provides everything from high-tech wheelchairs and prosthetic limbs, to appointments with specialists and custom eyeglasses for children with cancer and special needs. There are numerous programs tailored for sick children or children with special needs. Just one of the programs is Little Riders. It’s a therapeutic horseback riding program that is specifically designed for children with physical and cognitive disabilities. The program focuses on the benefits of working with horses and horseback riding. The Central Coast has a number of support programs for families who are dealing with children with cancer. Camp Reach For The Stars, Karen explains, is a weekend-long family camp provided at no cost to SLO County children with cancer or who are in remission and their families. There is a Moms group for mothers who have kids with F E B R U A R Y
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PEOPLE Tracy Taylor with her art on the wall at Mee Heng Low Restaurant in SLO.
artist
tracy taylor
the love story project By Will Jones
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n 1973, when she was twenty-six, San Luis Obispo artist Tracy Taylor sold one of her water colors for $1000. “I was working for a florist and I asked if I could put one of my paintings in the window. When it sold I quit that job. I decided I would put as much time into my art as I would into a regular job. I was confident that I could live as an artist. I’ve never worked for anyone else since.”
Tracy was born in Pasadena but grew up in Tustin. “I had an idyllic childhood with an orange grove behind my house. I always drew, and I always knew I was going to be an artist. I sold my first painting when I was fourteen, at a Tustin High School open house. I started selling paintings for $5 each. All the teachers and my friends supported me. I had my first show at a private home in Newport Beach and I sold every painting, images of everyday objects.” At sixteen, with $45 in her pocket, Tracy moved to Newport Beach “and never looked back.” For the next ten years she supported herself with odd jobs and her art. When she was eighteen she won an award from Waterford Crystal and was published in a Waterford book. She
drew black and white illustrations for the LA Times, and when she worked in a market people lined up at the end of the week to pay $15 for the fruit and vegetable signs she painted. Art Beats, a poster business in Salt Lake, started publishing Tracy’s art as posters when she was twenty-seven. Over the next ten years, four million posters of thirty-five different images sold around the world. “I’ve done cards, puzzles, mobiles, coffee cups, t-shirts. I went on three different Princess Cruises and painted with people on deck. What a blast that was!” Tracy said with a smile and a very characteristic Tracy chuckle. During a trip to San Luis Obispo for a show at the Madonna Inn, in 1989, Tracy saw the Old Edna Store and decided to rent it. “I was tired of driving and traveling, doing an average of sixteen or seventeen shows a year. Four days later I drove up and rented the building.” She set up a studio, commuted for a year and moved permanently in 1990. Tracy’s five children—Brent, Cole, Teal, Iris and Stella—range in age from twenty-one to thirty-six. “I supported them with my art. They were my inspiration. I never felt like a single parent because of the support I received from teachers and friends. I grew up with my kids. We had fun. We lived by the creek out in Edna and then at the beach. They surfed and I was a soccer mom forever. I coached AYSO soccer for two years. You cannot have more fun than with those girls.” Tracy spent eleven years volunteering at Los Ranchos Elementary School and ten years at Bellvue-Santa Fe Charter School. “We started I Madonnari at Los Ranchos, we did over 700 tie-dye t-shirts one year, we made easels for the first graders and reading tips for the kindergarteners. I had great fun with the kids. I was really fortunate to have access.” Tracy also does two or three volunteer projects a year for Arts Obispo, including classes where all of the proceeds go to the non-profit. She was involved with I Madonnari in the Mission Plaza for ten years and raised about $2000 a year for the Children’s Creative Project. She works with special needs students and mentors young artists. “I’m a professional volunteer.”
Taylor family: Brent, Cole, Teal, Iris and Stella F E B R U A R Y
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Because of the posters, Tracy gets calls and emails from all over the world for her art work, orders for originals of her work. “I got a call
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from a client who wanted me to touch up four original paintings of mine. When I told her they were copies, she asked me to paint originals of the copies, which I did, and she was very happy.” Many of Tracy’s posters are of underwater life. She worked with renowned marine life artist, Robert Wyland, for over twenty years, and her work is in his books. “I now live and work in a twenty-seven foot trailer on twenty-six acres of land, my dream living arrangement,” Tracy said. “I didn’t know that downsizing could be so perfect. Anytime I want to travel I can just shut the door and I’m gone. My kids remodeled it for me so it’s like a giant studio but also with a living space. It’s like having a studio apart-
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ment, but it opens up to wide open spaces and I love it.”
I just did a painting for a client of a giant Buddha playing the bongos.”
Tracy’s current project is a series of twelve 12x12 paintings of porches which will be shown at The Love Story Project in Paso Robles in February. “I went out walking in an older neighborhood in Portland, Oregon, and took photographs. You can’t imagine what people have on their porches. I’m trying to create a feeling of intimacy based on the lattice work, rocking chairs, the colors of doors and the other objects I saw.” She’ll also host a free two-day Valentine’s Day work shop at The Love Story Project on February 11-12 where she will help people create personalized Valentine’s Day hearts.
Tracy concluded our interview with a comment that I think epitomizes who she is as a person and as an artist. “When I’m feeling really poor, like I don’t have any money, I go out and buy a painting by another artist. By supporting that artist, I’m supporting myself. We’re all connected. It’s an odd thing, but it always works. If you invest in another artist, it comes back tenfold.” To see Tracy’s work online, go to www.tracytaylor.com. For more information about The Love Story Project and its unique mission, go to www.thelovestoryproject.org.
The Love Story Project is a gift and art shop opened by Shari and Alan Frazier, founders of Sonrisa Photography and Bluesteel Photobooth. They help people to record, share and preserve love stories, whether it’s a memory of a loved one, a long distance love message, a first love or crush, or even a tale of unrequited love. Tracy’s attitude about art and her role as an artist has evolved over the years. “I’ve traveled all over the world and to all the major galleries. I thought I was going to be a serious artist but I’m over that. My style is to simplify and exaggerate, what I call advanced coloring book. My art is for fun, pleasure, not a branded reality. My clients have a sense of humor. They don’t care what anyone else thinks. It doesn’t have to match their couch. The value of my work is perceived, not determined by a dollar amount. F E B R U A R Y
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PEOPLE While working with Fish and Wildlife a friend told him about a Commander position in Morro Bay with the Police Department. He and his wife Sue always wanted to live again in the SLO area. He decided to test for the Commander position and passed the test.
tim Olivas following the law By Ruth Starr
While Commander he attended the P.O.S.T Command College as a member of Class 42. The Chief of Police who hired Tim as Commander, decided to retire in 2010, opening the way to get appointed Chief of Police. As Morro Bay Chief of Police, Tim boosted services and improved morale during that challenging economic period. He developed the first K9 patrol dog program that was financed entirely through donations and community outreach. The patrol dog “Xello” and his partner Officer Stephanie Pipan worked together as a team. Xello was trained to detect and locate narcotics and could also be used for apprehension of criminals as well as officer protection. Tim also worked to reestablish the school resources officer program at Morro Bay High School.
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t’s not a natural progression to go from Fish and Game to Undersheriff. However, Tim Olivas, SLO County Undersheriff, makes the transition appear seamless. He was born and raised in Idyllwild, CA, a small town near Palm Springs. He came to San Luis Obispo originally to attend Cal Poly, where he later graduated with a degree in Biology. Through a program at Cal Poly, Tim worked for six months in Mendocino for the Fish and Game Department as a Biological Assistant. While up in Mendocino, he did a ride-a-long with a game warden and thought, “Yes, this is what I want to do.” Following his time in Mendocino, Tim returned to San Luis Obispo to finish his degree at Cal Poly. After Cal Poly, in 1987, Tim attended and graduated from the Allan Hancock P.O.S.T. Police Academy. For any peace officer position in California, a person is required to attend a Peace Officer Standards and Training (P.O.S.T.) Academy. He was self-sponsored attending the Academy for five months. Upon graduating from the Academy he was hired by the Morro Bay Police Department and completed a fourteen-week field training program which is also a requirement to be a peace officer in California. For fourteen weeks, Tim worked with a Field Training Officer who monitored, trained and evaluated him. Tim had been working as a Police Officer for two years in Morro Bay when an opportunity presented itself to pursue his dream job.
Sheriff Ian Parkinson and Undersheriff Tim Olivas F E B R U A R Y
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Tim’s dream job was to be a Game Warden with the Department of Fish and Game (now called Fish and Wildlife). The Game Warden is a law enforcement officer that requires studies at a P.O.S.T. Academy where they learn standards and training in that field. He was hired by Fish and Wildlife in 1990, attending P.O.S.T and another full Field Training Officer Program. The Fish and Wildlife academy is six months long. One of the many jobs of a Game Warden is the protection of wildlife and the natural resources belonging to the people of California. The Fish and Wildlife Department is responsible for all the state waters: part of the natural resources. This includes ocean waters, lakes, rivers, streams whether permanent or seasonal. It is the job of the Game Warden to enforce laws and regulations related to people fishing and hunting. Hunters and Fishermen are required to know the correct laws before engaging in those activities. For several years Tim worked in the San Diego area on the 47-foot patrol boat “Tuna” as part of his duties. He was promoted to Lieutenant in the late 1990s that prompted a move to the Long Beach area. From there he went to Monterey County for the next several years. During his stay in Monterey County, he was promoted to Captain. As a Captain, he was responsible for supervising the Wardens and Lieutenants who worked the coastal area and ocean waters from SLO County to the Oregon border. It is a huge coastal area.
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After working at the Morro Bay Police Department for two years, Tim was presented with another fine opportunity. His friend Sheriff Parkinson took him out for coffee and asked if he would be interested in becoming the Undersheriff, an appointed position. He was happy with his job but felt it would be a great honor to work with the sheriff. The Undersheriff is the second highest ranking position, next to the Sheriff, and reports directly to the Sheriff. He takes on the role of Sheriff for the County when the Sheriff is away. The County is comprised of 270,000 people including the unincorporated rural area of 120,000 people. There are seven cities in SLO county and each has a Police Chief and its own Police Departments. In California there are 58 counties, each one having a Sheriff ’s Office. The Sheriff is a position elected by the people of each county. Tim and his wife, Sue, have been married for 24 years and have one son, Sam. Sue works at Cal Poly as an Associate Registrar. Sam attends San Jose State University where he is studying physical therapy. Tim has a strong focus on training and has been a defensive tactics instructor, firearms instructor, taser instructor, and baton instructor. He was an active competitor in the Police Olympics for several years, earning several medals competing in firearms, cycling and other events. He loves cycling on both mountains and roads in addition to hunting and fishing (he understands the laws).
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Paso art scene
autobiographical confessions By Hellie Blythe
at home was emphatically centered on Nonsense Appreciation 101-801. Instruction was carried out relentlessly by family, close and distant relatives, neighbors, friends, and even enemies. As a result of this aggregate education, I approach any sort of autobiographical confessions with faint heart, chortles, and an inability to take myself, or anyone else, seriously enough to get to the point.
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red Barnard is credited with these notable words: “A picture is worth ten thousand words.” However, I have always adhered to the precept that, “Ten thousand words is worth a picture.” In my formative years I had the good fortune to be blessed with excellent Latin, English, and art teachers whose instructions overlapped. As a result, I developed a lifelong respect and ardor for our language and connected it with the ability to create beauty-on-request. Aside from formal tutelage in the painting and language departments, informal training
Inspiration for my “work” springs forth from word pictures, enters the brain, is processed into glorious techniquecolor, flows out the arm via the funny bone, arrives at the hand and, with the help of brush, some paint, and a little music, becomes Art. As any artist will tell you, there’s nothing to it. Recently, I embarked on a sub-career in the third dimension: making empty pistachio shells into tableaux staged in cigar boxes. These empty-headed nuts depict silent stories of human doings known to and dreaded by all. The Doctor and Dentist Offices, the OR, Don Quixote’s Windmills, Peter Pan’s Crocodile, The Swamp, etc. are favorite subjects for
ridiculousness. Many of the ideas for these Pistachipopulae are swiped from others’ scripts, but the settings are unique. Last, and probably least, I construct miniature books. Some of the little volumes are rather naughty, but all are verbally toddlerproof. The books are the same price as a manicure but last a lot longer. I owe Studios on the Park in Paso Robles sincere and humble gratitude for allowing me the opportunity to hang and display under their generous roof, among their other artists’ excellent and serious works of art.
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greatest athletes on the central coast Robert “bob” mott and the Mott Family By Dr. Don Morris and friends Editor’s note: “Who are the Greatest Athletes in the history of the Central Coast?” So far the following athletes have been featured: Ed Brown, Stephanie Brown Trafton, Chuck Liddell, Loren Roberts, Steve Patterson, Gene Rambo, Robin Ventura, Jordan Hasay, Chuck Estrada, Mike Larrabee, Ron Capps, Jamie Martin, Rusty Kuntz, Randall Cunningham, Jim Lonborg, Kami Craig, John Rudometkin, Ivan Huff, Chelsea Johnson, Michael Louis Bratz, Frank Minini, Scott McClain, Mel Queen, Napoleon Kaufmann, Katie Hicks, Mark Brunell, Gene Romero, Kenny Heitz, Thornton Starr Lee, Pat Rusco, Rusty Blair, the Lee Family, Dan Conners, John Iribarren, Jeff Powers and Dr. Paul Spangler. Please send nominations to Dr. Morris at dmmorris@calpoly.edu. When it comes to the greatest sports families on the central coast, it’s hard not to talk about the Mott Family. At family gatherings, some families would be thrilled to have just a single Division I athlete celebrating with them. At most of the holiday gatherings at the Mott Household, there are 7 former Division I athletes sitting around the dinner table. While at Cal Poly, Robert Mott was one of my academic advisors and he and I used to have shooting contests in the old Crandall Gymnasium. His “go to” shot was the “no peakie,” a free throw where he would shoot with his eyes closed. I was never able to beat him in those shooting contests!
the mott family
The Mott family: (L-R) Margaret, Ann, Mary, Christine, Tom, Bill, Bob and Hank
Robert “bob” mott It all began with Robert (Bob) Mott, a great athlete, who was a star basketball player in the late 1930s at the University of Akron, Ohio. After graduation, Bob coached basketball at East Akron High School. When the war came, Bob served for four years in the US Navy. After serving, Bob returned to school to get his master’s degree at the University of F E B R U A R Y
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Coach Bob Mott – 1967
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Coach Bob Mott with his basketball team in Zambia in 1964
Southern California. In 1946, he arrived in San Luis Obispo with his wife Peg to begin his career at Cal Poly as the head of Physical Education. Dr. Mott played an integral part in building physical education into the curriculum and was highly regarded throughout the state university system for his knowledge and experience in building physical education departments. During Bob Mott’s tenure at Cal Poly, he coached basketball, baseball, served as athletic direcBob Mott – 1936 tor, and as the men’s physical education chairman. He was the 2nd basketball coach in Cal Poly history, successfully starting the program back up in 1946 after the war. In 1947, he became the head baseball coach at Cal Poly where he coached for 7 seasons. His .614 winning percentage still ranks him as the winningest baseball coach in Cal Poly history. Once establishing the baseball program at Cal Poly, Bob left the program in the hands of many great coaches, guys like Tom Lee, Howie O’Daniels, Bill Hicks and the great Augie Garrido. Augie, after leaving Cal Poly, went on to become the winningest coach in college baseball history with more than 1900 victories including 5 national championships. In 1952, after relinquishing his duties as the head baseball coach, Bob received his doctorate of Education from Stanford. In 1961, Bob was named as one of the members of then Governor Pat Brown’s Youth Fitness Committee. In 1963, Bob was the head of a USAID mission to Northern Rhodesia (presently Zambia) just prior to their independence from the British. The mission included four other Californian professors, including Phil Bromley and George Furimsky. The goal was to teach Zambians to become teachers in their new nation. The US team of educators
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Hank playing baseball for the San Luis Blues at Mission Field in 1966.
Bob Mott and his son, Hank at the gym dedication ceremony.
relocated their families to Lusaka, Northern Rhodesia in 1963. A year later, in 1964, Bob coached the Zambian National Basketball team. One of his Zambian students, Julio Chiluba, came for further studies at Cal Poly. (In 2014, 50 years after the Motts were in Africa, Bob’s son Hank, and his wife Margaret, returned to Zambia and spent a few days visiting Julio and his family.) In 1987 Bob was a member of the inaugural class of inductees into the Cal Poly Hall of Fame. In 1989 the gym at Cal Poly was named after him. Bob passed away in 1990 while living in San Luis Obispo. Knowing what a great family man Bob was, I can only imagine how proud he would be of all the things his family has accomplished.
Hank Mott Hank Mott’s athletic career began under the tutelage of his father and was further advanced playing for the SLO White Sox Little League with an illustrious group including Rick Pence, Doug Diefenderfer and the Lee brothers. In 1961, Hank started high school at Mission Central High School (now Mission Prep). While at Mission High, he played varsity baseball, basketball and golf. In the spring of his sophomore year (1963), Hank moved to northern Rhodesia (Zambia) with his family and developed his golf game (and avoided the British school system!). Hank’s caddies always joined him on the links once they were out of sight of the clubhouse and they became his athletic mentors in Zambia. Hank returned to San Luis Obispo to start his senior year at Mission where he played both basketball and baseball.
There are many stories of Hank breaking windows of the school with his long home runs to right field. He earned a baseball scholarship to Santa Clara University where during his senior year he was named All West Coast Conference and was team captain. In that same senior year, he led the team in RBI’s, home runs and runs scored. During parts of that 1969 season, his team was ranked #1 in the country. His favorite memory was shaking Willie Mays’s hand when Santa Clara played the Giants his senior year. Although he was offered to play baseball professionally, he decided to go to law school at Santa Clara. Hank has been married for 45 years to Margaret, who says the only sports she played were wiffle ball in the backyard with her three brothers, and junior varsity tennis in high school and proudly claims she “won no honors!” Hank has practiced law in San Luis Obispo for 44 years and is still working part-time. Hank and Margaret visit Africa regularly supporting several families and communities. Margaret and Hank raised six children who attended Old Mission School and Mission College Prep. All of their kids were very accomplished athletes as well. Of the six, four of them went on to play Division I athletics (three baseball and one volleyball) and the two who didn’t accomplish that feat, were both Valedictorians of their respective colleges and as an added bonus, each of the valedictorians ended up marrying a Division I athlete. Hank with his parents after a Santa Clara Baseball game.
Hank and his Little League Baseball Team (pictured front row 2nd from left) F E B R U A R Y
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Hank and Margaret Mott’s children: (L-R) Mary, Christine, Ann, Tom, Bill and Bob
The next generation Christine (Mott) Hutchinson The oldest, Christine (Mott) Hutchinson, graduated from Mission Prep in 1990. She was an all CIF basketball and volleyball player in high school, winning CIF titles in both sports. Her senior year, playing for the late, great Jay Cowitz she lost in the state title game but was named 2nd team all state. Christine went on to Santa Clara University where she starred on many intramural teams and also played club lacrosse. She graduated from Santa Clara in 1994 with a degree in finance and was named the school’s Valedictorian. She now lives in Woodside with her husband Rob who rowed in college for Princeton. They have two kids and Christine is active in many philanthropic foundations but still finds time to coach her kids. The three Mott girls (L-R: Ann, Christine, and Mary) at the Mission College Prep Alumni game, 2007.
Tom Mott Tom Mott also starred for Mission Prep in the early ’90s. He was both All County in baseball and basketball while at Mission, playing baseball for John Iribarren. He went on to play Division I baseball at Santa Clara earning a finance degree. Tom, a pitcher was drafted in the 4th round of the 1994 MLB draft by the Minnesota Twins. Highlights of his minor league career include making the Midwest League All Star Game in 1995, playing with teammates such as David Ortiz, Torii Hunter and A.J. Pierzynski and overcoming three arm surgeries which ultimately led to his retirement in 1999. After baseball, Tom F E B R U A R Y
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earned his master’s degree in Sports Management from Virginia Commonwealth University and has coached high school basketball locally here for the past 15 years. His teams have won 4 CIF Championships during that time. Each summer he takes a group of high school students and coaches abroad to conduct basketball camps in cities such as Shenzhen, Wuhan, Cape Town, Johannesburg, Kecskemet and Dakar. He is married to April Strong (Mott), whose father was a basketball coach in Kansas for many years.
Tom’s baseball card when he played in the Minnesota Twins organization
Bill Mott Hank and Margaret’s middle son Bill played both basketball and baseball while at Mission Prep. He was the team captain and starting guard on the basketball team and played shortstop on the baseball team. He also attended college at Santa Clara University and played on the baseball team where he was an outfielder. Bill is one of only two people in school history to be named to the West Coast Conference 1st team for 3 consecutive years (96, 97, 98). He also played on 2 conference Championship teams (96, 97) and his team in 1997 finished ranked 15th in the nation. His senior year he earned All American honors after leading his team in every offensive category (hits, doubles, triples, home runs, runs scored, RBIs, and stolen bases). He graduated with the 3rd highest batting average in school history (.356). After obtaining his degree in marketing, he was an 11th round draft choice of the Anaheim Angels. Bill never batted less than .300 in any year of his baseball career from high school through professional baseball and retired with a career minor league average of .302. Unfortunately arm troubles limited his career and he retired after his team in double A won the Texas League Championship—a series cut short by the 9/11 tragedy. Bill and his wife Erin are raising two boys. Bill helped start Bill’s baseball card when he played a non-profit organization in the Angels organization whose annual fundraiser is a large charity wiffle ball tournament each summer. The funds raised through this organization help support youth sports in San Luis Obispo.
Mary (Mott) Okimoto Mary (Mott) Okimoto is another daughter of Hank and Margaret who starred in both volleyball and basketball while at Mission Prep. She was 1st team all county in both sports and won six CIF championships
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Bob Mott pitching for the University of San Francisco
while in high school (4 in basketball and 2 in volleyball). Her CIF winning basketball team lost in the state finals her senior year in Sacramento. However Mary set the state record for 3 pointers in a game during that state title game. Mary graduated Valedictorian from University of San Francisco with a nursing degree. She also received her Masters of Science from UCSF and specializes in pediatric oncology with tenures at both Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City as well as Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital at Stanford. Mary married Kevin Okimoto, who was a star baseball player at Santa Clara and who was also drafted by the San Diego Padres. Mary continues her pediatric oncology work in San Luis Obispo. They have three young children who they enjoy playing sports with.
Ann (Mott) Bruce Ann (Mott) Bruce is the youngest daughter of Hank and Margaret who also starred in volleyball and basketball at Mission Prep. Like Christine and Mary before her, she played volleyball for the former Cal Poly standout Claudia (Hemmersbach) Trudeau. Ann too was first team all-county in both sports and also won six CIF championships (4 in basketball and 2 in volleyball). Playing for the great Jay Cowitz, her basketball teams made it to the state title game in both 1996 and 1998, falling both times. Ann attended University of San Diego and played on their Division I volleyball team. She won the players award in 1998, the Coaches Award in 1999 and was named team Captain in 2001. Ann also made the all West Coast Conference All-Academic team on multiple occasions. Ann and her husband Steve are raising twin girls in Cardiff. She is a Partner for Cruzan, a commercial real estate investment/development firm.
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foundation. Bob was a featured speaker at The World Malaria Day symposium and he and Stephen Curry were honored for their hard work in the Bay Area for this foundation. After receiving his masters from USF, Bob moved to Uganda and worked with the Uganda Little League baseball team in their preparation for Bob Mott and Stephen Curry being honored the Little League for their work with Nothing but Nets. World Series. The team was the first team from Sub Sahara Africa to make it to the famed youth tournament in Williamsport, PA. Bob now lives in Guatemala and has started up a social impact shoe company whose goal is to pay their workers at the “Living Well Line.” So what’s the secret to all of this success? “Having fun!” It was obvious to me that no pressure was ever put on any of the Mott family to play a particular sport or even play sports at all, as long as they were active and having fun, that is all that mattered. It was a way for the family to be together and a way to socialize; each kid had just as much fun sitting in the stands watching their brothers and sisters perform as they did playing in their own games, on the court, or in the backyard. There was no specialization; their favorite sport was always whichever season it was. There is a whole generation of kids who grew up in San Luis Obispo who at one time or another played some sort of game in the “Mott Backyard” and I am sure stories are still being told today. With 9 grandchildren who knows what the next chapter in the Mott Family history books will tell, but I can assure you that each of those kids will grow up knowing what a wonderful man their great grandfather Robert “Bob” Mott was—one day they may even get to play at the gym named after him for being such a great guy. Bob Mott coaching baseball in Uganda
Bob Mott Bob Mott is the youngest of the Mott family. Like Tom and Bill before him, Bob played both basketball and baseball while at Mission Prep. While at Mission, he played baseball for Gerry Detz and was named all county as both a pitcher and an outfielder. He continued his baseball career at the University of San Francisco as both a pitcher and outfielder. He participated in two NCAA tournaments (2011, 2013) and was the winning pitcher in USF’s victory over South Dakota State at the Eugene regional at the University of Oregon in 2013. That same year, Bob was named USF Comeback Athlete of the Year after successfully coming back from Tommy John surgery on his elbow the year prior. Bob ended his senior season with an ERA of 2.06. While at USF Bob started a campaign to help “Strike out Malaria.” For every three batters USF struck out, the baseball team donated a malaria net to the “Nothing but Nets” F E B R U A R Y
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Honoring our veterans
call to the colors
Telling the stories of military veterans so that all generations may more fully understand the costs of peace and realities of war By Gail Pruitt Veterans Day 2016 The Museum hosted more than 190 visitors on Veterans Day. As always, our docents were kept very busy giving tours and answering visitors’ questions about the Museum and the exhibits. Several members of the local Grizzly Academy were also helping out in both the Museum and in the parking lot where American Legion Post #66 held a vintage car and military vehicles show. The students from Grizzly Academy are a very impressive group of teens. And they looked very sharp in their Academy uniforms (pictured left). Several visitors commented positively about them. We hope they return to the Museum again next Veterans Day to help out.
Vince Tibbles and his buddy wearing vintage WWII uniforms.
Two very talented local women, Jackie Plumy and Linda Woods, (pictured lower) mingled with the crowds in the Museum and at the car show dressed as a U.S. Army nurse and Rosie the Riveter. Jackie was dressed in a vintage uniform as a WWII U.S. Army nurse. The tiny uniform she wore originally belonged to Hazel McNett, a Army nurse and veteran of WWII. Among other postings Hazel was on duty at the Army Hospital in Bastogne during that crucial battle. Hazel was also a Museum supporter and Docent for many years prior to her death. Linda put her “Rosie” outfit together herself. She honored all those women, exemplified by the iconic Rosie the Riveter image, who worked in the war industries producing the materiel needed by troops around the world. All those “Rosies” profoundly reshaped the workforce in the United States both then and in the post-war years.
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Having Jackie, Linda, and Vince in real, vintage uniforms was a great treat for everyone they encountered.
The Grill Hut in Morro Bay Newest Museum Business Sponsor The Museum family of volunteers and members wish to say a big “Thank You” to The Grill Hut in Morro Bay for recently becoming the newest Museum’s Business Sponsor. “The Grill Hut is family owned and operated by Jason and Lori Scheer and their four children Sarah, Jordyn, Hanna and Gabe. Our tri-tip is USDA choice grade beef marinated and seasoned with a handed down family recipe.” As they say “Not Fast Food ... Good Local Food Fast! The Grill Hut 850 Quintana Rd. Morro Bay 805-772-2008
A Word About the Museum’s Business Sponsorship Program Businesses interested in materially supporting the Museum and its mission of honoring Veterans are invited to become part of our Business Sponsorship Program. A sponsoring business makes a yearly donation of $100 or more to the Museum’s operating fund. In exchange the business is highlighted inside the Museum, in its publications, on its website and on its Facebook page. We are in the process of designing a Business Sponsorship Program Members’ plaque to hang in the Museum. The plaque will be a further acknowledgement of each business’s support of the Museum and its mission to tell the stories of Veterans’ service to the nation. Call for more information: 805-543-1763
World War I Centennial Series 1917—America Approaches Entry into World War I—The Zimmerman Telegram. By the Office of the Historian, U.S. Department of State Throughout 1916 and 1917 in the United States roiling world events were coalescing with alarming speed into a growing acceptance of the danger and urgency of the war in Europe. Slowly the country overcame its deep skepticism about going to war. The United States declared on Germany on April 2nd and on Austria-Hungary on December 7, 1917.
World War I Trenches in France “Germany’s resumption of submarine attacks on passenger and merchant ships in 1917 became the primary motivation behind Wilson’s decision to lead the United States into World War I. Following the sinking of an unarmed French boat, the Sussex, in the English Channel in March 1916, Wilson threatened to sever diplomatic relations with Germany unless the German Government refrained from attacking all passenger ships and allowed the crews of enemy merchant vessels to abandon their ships prior to any attack. On May 4, 1916, the German Government accepted these terms and conditions in what came to be known as the ‘Sussex pledge.’
HOME/OUTDOOR “By January 1917, however, the situation in Germany had changed. During a wartime conference that month, representatives from the German Navy convinced the military leadership and Kaiser Wilhelm II that a resumption of unrestricted submarine warfare could help defeat Great Britain within five months. German policy makers argued that they could violate the ‘Sussex pledge’ since the United States could no longer be considered a neutral party after supplying munitions and financial assistance to the Allies. Germany also believed that the United States had jeopardized its neutrality by acquiescing to the Allied blockade of Germany. “German Chancellor Theobald von Bethmann-Hollweg protested this decision, believing that resuming submarine warfare would draw the United States into the war on behalf of the Allies. This, he argued, would lead to the defeat of Germany. Despite these warnings, the German Government decided to resume unrestricted submarine attacks on all Allied and neutral shipping within prescribed war zones, reckoning that German submarines would end the war long before the first U.S. troopships landed in Europe. Accordingly, on January 31, 1917, German Ambassador to the United States Count Johann von Bernstorff presented U.S. Secretary of State Robert Lansing a note declaring Germany’s intention to restart unrestricted submarine warfare the following day.
German Chancellor Theobald von Bethmann-Hollweg “Stunned by the news, President Wilson went before Congress on February 3rd to announce that he had severed diplomatic relations with Germany. However, he refrained from asking for a declaration of war because he doubted that the U.S. public would support him unless he provided ample proof that Germany intended to attack U.S. ships without warning. Wilson left open the possibility of negotiating with Germany if its submarines refrained from attacking U.S. shipping. Nevertheless, throughout February and March 1917, German submarines targeted and sank several U.S. ships, resulting in the deaths of numerous U.S. seamen and citizens. On February 26, Wilson asked Congress for the authority to arm U.S. merchant ships with U.S. naval personnel and equipment. While the measure would probably have passed in a vote, several anti-war Senators led a successful filibuster that consumed the remainder of the congressional session. As a result of this setback, President Wilson decided to arm U.S. merchant ships by executive order, citing an old anti-piracy law that gave him the authority to do so.
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“Initially, the British had not shared the news of the Zimmermann Telegram with U.S. officials because they did not want the Germans to discover that British code breakers had cracked the German code. However, following Germany’s resumption of unrestricted submarine warfare in February, the British decided to use the note to help sway U.S. official and public opinion in favor of joining the war. The British finally forwarded the intercepted telegram to President Wilson on February 24. The U.S. press carried the story the following week. “Despite the shocking news of the ‘Zimmermann Telegram,’ Wilson still hesitated asking for a declaration of war. He waited until March 20 before convening a Cabinet meeting to broach the matter—almost a month after he had first seen the telegram. The precise reasons for Wilson’s decision to choose war in 1917 remain the subject of debate among historians, especially in light of his efforts to avoid war in 1915 after the sinking of the British passenger liners Lusitania and Arabic, which had led to the deaths of 131 U.S. citizens. “However, by 1917, the continued submarine attacks on U.S. merchant and passenger ships, and the ‘Zimmermann Telegram’s’ implied threat of a German attack on the United States, swayed U.S. public opinion in support of a declaration of war. Furthermore, international law stipulated that the placing of U.S. naval personnel on civilian ships to protect them from German submarines already constituted an act of war against Germany. Finally, the Germans, by their actions, had demonstrated that they had no interest in seeking a peaceful end to the conflict. These reasons all contributed to President Wilson’s decision to ask Congress for a declaration of war against Germany. They also encouraged Congress to grant Wilson’s request and formally declare war on Germany.” By: Office of the Historian, U.S. Department of State, www.state.gov/ misc/87529, Downloaded 12/17/2016
Artist Jim Trask dropped in recently to visit Camo Cow. Jim was the artist who crafted Camo Cow and made sure she arrived safely at the museum. We are sure enjoying her company. Thanks again, Jim!
“While Wilson weighed his options regarding the submarine issue, he also had to address the question of Germany’s attempts to cement a secret alliance with Mexico. On January 19, 1917, British naval intelligence intercepted and decrypted a telegram sent by German Foreign Minister Arthur Zimmermann to the German Ambassador in Mexico City. The ‘Zimmermann Telegram’ promised the Mexican Government that Germany would help Mexico recover the territory it had ceded to the United States following the Mexican-American War. In return for this assistance, Germany asked for Mexican support in the war.
SUPPORT THE MUSEUM — BECOME A MEMBER!
Your $30 annual Membership includes a subscription to the newsletter CALL TO DUTY Name________________________________________ Street Address________________________________________________ City__________________________________________ State_____Zip_________Phone___________________________________ Email____________________________________________________________ Preferred delivery method:____ Print____ Email For your annual membership and newsletter subscription send your 501(c)(3) tax-deductible check for $30 made out to: CCVMM along with your name and address to: CCVMM Treasurer, 801 Grand Ave., San Luis Obispo, CA. 93401. You will also receive a Museum membership card and lapel pin, plus 10% off any Gift Shop purchases. You will receive 4 copies of the quarterly newsletter. Thank you for supporting the Museum! F E B R U A R Y
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at the market
Hazelnut
handmade (with love) ice cream sandwich By Sarah Hedger
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ebruary is a month to enjoy all things green and citrus on the Central Coast. There is an abundance in season, and what’s not yet in season, we are lucky enough for the farmers who grow in warmer areas, to frequent our markets, offering a taste of what will be in season locally for us, within a few weeks. With still cooler temperatures for us here, greens such as arugula are great as they aren’t too peppery, as well as broccoli and brussel sprouts. Along with that, cabbage is real sweet this time of year, as well as spinach, kale, and collard greens. So many green options it makes eating healthy quite effortless! Sweet potatoes are also in season, balancing out the bite and bitter often found in greens. In the fruit department, citrus such as lemons, grapefruit, limes, mandarins, oranges, and tangelos are all to choose from, as well as first season strawberries (yes!).
This month’s recipe is more of an ode to the month of February being the month of love that is often devoted to chocolate. Thus, a nonseasonal treat is on as few things bring such a smile to your loved
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one’s face as an amazing, handmade (with love) ice cream sandwich. It honestly seems too good to be true! The main seasonal component of the cookies is the mighty hazelnut, one of my favorite nuts out there. Fresh hazelnuts are a treat unlike any other. That said, the cookies do have a fermented component (good dark chocolate). However the bulk of the recipe falls into the ‘good for the soul’ category, which is an important one and not to be overlooked! The sandwiches themselves are easy to put together, and the cookie dough can be made ahead, as well as the entire sandwiches put together as they keep well in the freezer, all in advance of actually eating them. Small versions can be made for little people as well! As far as filling for the
Oaty dark chocolate Hazelnut Ice cream sandwiches Makes roughly 10 cookie sandwiches For the oaty dark chocolate cookies: 1 stick unsalted butter (125g), softened 1 cup brown sugar 1 egg 1 tsp vanilla paste ½ tsp sea salt 1 cup flour (can use a gluten free option here if needed, even incorporating some hazelnut meal for extra flavor) ½ tsp baking powder ½ tsp baking soda 1 ½ cups rolled oats sandwiches, there are so many options when it comes to ice cream these days it is a bit unfathomable! There are some amazing, small scale creameries, making organic, grass-fed ice cream from traditional cow’s milk that will rock your world. Then, there is sheep’s milk ice cream that we are lucky enough to have in our back yard with Negranti Creamery from just over the hill. Other types of ice cream that have tremendous flavor, are coconut ice cream for the lactose intolerant, as well as some being made from nut milks. So many options! It’s important to seek out the freshest hazelnuts you can find as this makes the skin peel off easier after they are toasted. Thus, it’s a good test to see how old the nuts are as the older they are, the harder it is to get their skins off. I like to leave some of the skins on as they have good flavor and add a bit of toastiness that is real nice with the vanilla from the cookies as well. With that, I invite you to step a little out of your comfort zone to try these amazing little ice cream sandwiches, and watch the smiles erupt! Enjoy!
1 cup hazelnuts, toasted in 400 degree oven until golden, skins roughly removed and chopped 1 cup 70% dark chocolate (the darker the better!), roughly chopped To Serve: 1 cup 70% dark chocolate 2 cups of your favorite ice cream (can’t really go wrong here!), slightly softened Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line baking sheets with baking paper. Cream butter and sugar until light in color. Add egg, vanilla, and salt. Mix in flour, baking powder and soda. Fold in (with the same wooden spoon) oats, hazelnuts, and dark chocolate. If you have a scale, roll and weigh out balls of dough onto cookie sheet (45g or 1.5oz is a good size/weight for the finished sandwiches). Bake for 15 minutes and let cool. Once cool, assemble ice cream sandwiches. Place a good spoonful of ice cream on the flat (bottom) half of the cookie sandwich, spreading around to the edges, scraping them so they are flush with the cookie edge. Warm the remaining 1 cup of dark chocolate until melted. Dip any portion of the sandwich into the chocolate (sides look classy but the entire cookie can be dipped as well). Return to lined sheets and to freezer. Enjoy!!
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COMMUNITY
slo art scene
sloma’s new house
the san luis obispo museum oF art comes of age By Susan Stewart
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2017
ike a toddler who outgrows his shoes, or a family who outgrows its house, the San Luis Obispo Museum of Art has been bursting at the seams, and running out of walls for a long time now. Lucky for it, SLOMA’s Board of Directors planned well, so with the generous help of its biggest fans, the hope is to break ground on a brand new home in just two short years. Enter Jeffrey Al-Mashat, SLOMA’s Capital Campaign Director, all the way from Atlanta, Georgia. Hired in October of 2016, Al-Mashat has a highly desirable but very rare combination of talents and skills that are the perfect fit for the task. An artist by training and by passion, Al-Mashat began painting at the age of 4, and would ultimately earn a graduate degree in painting.
Bill Mott
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“My parents were always active in the arts,” he explains. His father was a physician; his mother a nurse. “In fact, my mother started an art faire back in Pennsylvania [where Jeff was raised] that is still going today. They taught me to appreciate the arts.” But like all practical parents, they encouraged their son to study something else in college, to have “something to fall back on” if the painting didn’t work out. So Al-Mashat also took writing courses covering everything from technical writing to hard news, and took his first job at a small nonprofit in Atlanta. “I was hired to put a federal grant together,” he said. “It was my introduction to fundraising.” He would spend the next 20 years in nonprofit management—all the while continuing to nurture his personal passion for painting. The result is that rare combination of artistic and fiscal skills. And he is delighted to be bringing both to the raising of the $15 million dollars needed to build the new SLOMA.
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Creekside view
“This new home will increase our ability to reach more children and adults, to exhibit more of the visual arts, and further enrich our region with expanded offerings,” said SLOMA’s Executive Director, Karen Kile. SLOMA’s Capital Campaign Director, Jeffrey Al-Mashat
“We’ll need twelve million for the construction and three for our operating reserve,” he explained. “Funding is paramount in order to open the doors with a full staff on day one; and with the resources set aside for a future that is sustainable.” Why now? Calling it a “landmark gem,” AlMashat explains that SLOMA now rivals museums in much bigger cities in terms of exhibitions, classes, and programs. But it lacks the space to bring it all to an increasingly interested public. Hosting traveling shows and curating fine arts exhibitions require sophisticated temperature controls, better lighting, and more dedicated space. Plans have been developed to raze the existing 5,600-square-foot structure and build a multi-story, 26,000-square-foot building in the same footprint. Photos of the new and already-approved design reveal a beautiful building and grounds that fit remarkably well with the creekside corner location it currently occupies on the west end of Mission Plaza.
On January 10th of this year, a kick-off reception for the capital campaign was held to launch the drive that will raise the funds needed to lift the design off the printed page and bring it into threedimensional life! The award-winning firm of Barcelon Jang Architecture designed a building that includes triple the exhibition space, triple the number of classrooms for art education, leading-edge lighting, climate control, and security systems, elevators, workshops, an art library, museum store, catering kitchen, and tea room.
“In just two short years, SLOMA will emerge from its outdated facility into a brand new home,” declared Jeff AlMashat, “—one that reaffirms SLOMA’s role and re-imagines its civic responsibility in the region.” Like the Performing Arts Center before it, and the Prado Day Center after that, the time for SLOMA’s new home has come. And many of the same supporters involved in the first two are involved in the latter as well—making its success almost a sure thing. Almost. Real success will mean real people willing to step up now to help. SLO County residents who love the visual arts in all its myriad modern forms—from painting and sculpting, to textiles and photography—have been visiting SLOMA to see hundreds of thought-provoking exhibitions in a wide range of media for more than 60 years. When the new building is completed, SLOMA will offer them even more—curated fine art exhibitions in state-of-the-art galleries, and art collections from other museums across the country. Plus classes, workshops, and programs designed to nurture the artists and art lovers of the future.
“A lot of the work is already done,” said Al-Mashat. “Our eleven-member Board of Directors has navigated the approval process so now we can start collecting the needed dollars.” “We’re looking to develop diverse income streams,” he continued. “This community has been very supportive, very welcoming to me. Everyone is enthusiastic about this project.” With much of groundwork laid before his arrival, Al-Mashat said there have been no big surprises. “We’re right on target; and just a few years away from built.”
SLOMA Board President Roger Carmody said, “[We] have unanimously approved this project and are committed to 100 percent financial participation in the campaign. We want people to think of this as an investment in one of the Central Coast’s most essential and influential cultural organizations.”
SLOMA’s Executive Director, Karen Kile
Visit www.sloma.org for a video of the very near future of San Luis Obispo’s Museum of Art and how you can support it.
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weekend getaway
Patton museum
Museum honors world war II Hero By Ray Cauwet
H
e had a personality larger than one of his Sherman tanks. He was bold, decisive and his armored forces were a curse to Hitler’s armies. He was General George S. Patton.
The life and career of this incredible individual are highlighted at the General George S. Patton Memorial Museum in Southern California. It is located 30 miles east of Indio at the Chiriaco Summit. The 7,000-square-foot museum has a wide array of memorabilia about the general, as well as World Wars I and II. These include display cases, wall hangings, photos and a variety of other artifacts. Several cases contain information about the various campaigns he led, including those in North Africa, Sicily and France. The most significant was the 1944 dash of the Third Army from Southern France into Germany’s heart. In this battle, Patton pressed his troops, numbering 300,000, to cover an unprecedented 60 miles per day, to the astonishment of allies and Germans alike. It was reported by media that “Patton drove his men hard, but they respected him and he respected them.” He had a unique philosophy about war. He often said, “You plan, prepare and then attack. When in doubt, you attack again and not defend.” Other displays include helmets, medals, uniforms, handguns, rifles, machine guns, knives and swords from both wars. Patton was an expert swordsman and fencer. He competed in the 1912 Olympics in fencing and placed fourth out of 21 fencers. He designed several swords that were used by cavalry officers in battle. Some are shown in the exhibit. During the early part of World War I, the French introduced the use of the light tank. Patton became enamored with these tanks and convinced his superiors to buy 10 of the French tanks. He then helped form the first US tank corps and led these tanks into battle. He was a key figure in the development of many future tanks. The museum has a life-like statue of Patton in his full regalia, including his highly polished tank helmet, riding pants, high top cavalry
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A statue of General George S. Patton welcomes visitors to the Patton Memorial Museum near Indio.
boots, ivory-handled Colt 45 revolver, sword and saddle. Outside the museum is another statue of Patton standing on a tank tread. The role of women during WW II also is covered with a display about “Rosie The Riveter” and her coworkers. One wall is devoted to the Desert Training Center. The center was Patton’s idea. He wanted to have an area to train troops similar to what they would find in North Africa. He stated, “You can’t expect to train troops to fight in North Africa by training them in the swamps of Georgia.” Patton surveyed parts of Arizona, California and Nevada. He decided on an area of 18,500 square miles, running from Yuma through eastern California to Southern Nevada. He established his headquarters at Chiriaco Summit. He found this area ideal for training. It got up to 120 degrees in the shade and with very little water. His headquarters, however, had plenty of water. The center had 11 smaller camps located throughout the three states. It operated from 1942 to 1944 and trained more than one million men. It was the largest military training ground ever formed. Patton knew the dangers associated with the desert. He acknowledged that “Lives will be lost in training, but that’s nothing compared to the hundreds that will be saved on the battlefield.” Patton only spent four months at the center. His expertise was needed in North Africa. In 1942, the situation was deteriorating and Hitler’s divisions led by German General Erwin Rommel were overwhelming US forces. Fortunately, that balance would change thanks to Patton. He was known to his troops as “Old Blood and Guts.” They said it was their blood and his guts. Even so, they liked him. “He was their
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The only remaining structure in 1944 was the Chapel. It’s picturesque setting provided the soldiers a measure of peace.
kind of man.” He died December 21, 1945 at age 60, not in battle as he would have wished. Instead, it was an auto accident. The museum shows a 24-minute video throughout the day. It provides detailed information about Patton’s early years, his military career and military achievements. Many quotes found in this story come from the video. Outside the museum is a collection of 11 tanks and other military vehicles from World Wars I and II, the Korean Conflict and Desert Storm. In addition, there are remembrance walls with bricks displaying the names and branches of service of those individuals who died in or served in America’s wars.
Outside of the Museum is a display of 11 tanks and other military equipment.
The museum was founded on Veterans’ Day, November 11, 1995. That was the 100th anniversary of Patton’s birth. It is open daily from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Admission is $6 for adults, $5.50 for seniors and $1.50 for children. Information is available from generalpattonmuseum.com. Patton was a fascinating individual and a colorful leader. The museum does an excellent job of highlighting the life and career of this American hero.
H O W
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NOTIFIED
IN AN EMERGENCY? • A key step in preparing for emergencies is knowing the ways in which you may be notified. In San Luis Obispo County, officials will utilize different public alert and notification systems based on the type and severity of the emergency. Some of the options available include the Early Warning System sirens, the Emergency Alert System (EAS), and Reverse 911. • Should an emergency occur at Diablo Canyon Power Plant that requires the public to take action, the sirens and EAS would be the primary method of public alert and notification. These systems provide rapid and consistent information throughout the Emergency Planning Zone. • During an emergency, it is important to stay tuned to local radio and TV stations to receive current information and any actions you may need to take. • For more information on how you can be kept informed of local emergencies, please visit: www.slocounty.ca.gov/oes or call (805)781-5011.
OUR ALERT & NOTIFICATION SYSTEMS MAY BE USED FOR ANY LOCAL EMERGENCY OUR ALERT AND NOTIFICATION SYSTEMS MAY BE USED FOR ANY LOCAL EMERGENCY TSUNAMI
FLOOD
FIRE
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COMMUNITY the original grant was for $6,000. Soon increased to $10,000, the building closely resembles those in San Luis Obispo (opened in 1904) and Lompoc (opened in 1911). With the same architect, William H. Weeks, the trio host much of central coast history. Home to the Paso Robles Historical Society, even before you enter, the statue of its most famous resident, Ignacy Jan Paderewski beckons visitors into the past. Before you leave home, be sure to visit www.pasorobleshistoricalsociety.org for a preview of the changing and permanent displays. Energetic and enthusiastic docents will help enrich what is not only a tribute to the past but to those who reverence history as a gift to the present.
HISTORY ON THE HOOF DAY TRIPS INTO THE PAST
paso robles By Joe Carotenuti
Commerce and enterprise are familiar themes running through much of the settlements along the central coast. Most involve agricultural products from cows to corn. Purchased in 1857 by the brothers, Daniel D. and James H. Blackburn, and Lazarus Godchaux from Petronillo Rios (we’ll visit with him in a future daytrip), El Paso de Robles Rancho was prime agricultural land. Undoubtedly sensing an opportunity for wealth, ten years later Drury James (uncle to the famous outlaw brothers) purchased a major share of the enterprise.
The Paso Robles Museum
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n the pioneer days of the County, there was little consideration given to what is today’s near-obsession with “ambiance.” Frontier life provided few amenities except those wrought through labor and ingenuity. Cattle roamed, crops grew and people worked. Much depended on the vagaries of nature and the willingness to struggle in the wilderness called home. From native lands to mission pastures, from a few who staked their lives and future to its soil to the realization that, indeed, there was a community evolving, El Paso de Robles (The Pass through the Oaks) reminisces and preserves a bit of its past in two stunning venues. Let’s start. Our first stop begins as we park our horseless carriage in the center of town across from the city park with the majestic former Free Library in the center deserving of its own tale. Opened in 1908 through the generosity of Scottish philanthropist, Andrew Carnegie,
However, the earth’s surface did not solely produce wealth but what it literally poured forth from inside—not gold—but sulphur springs. Indeed, the original name for the eventual community was Hot Springs until changed by the post office. It was not until the mid-1860s that the gold from the ground was available in the first bathhouse. Time and effort assured some until amenities of civilization: a post office, bank, school, churches, businesses as well as saloons created the town’s nucleus. Sulphur was not the only asset. The Goddess of Progress was heading south. In 1886, the rails reached Paso, a town site was laid out with a hotel in the center and now could welcome the future. To assure prosperity, a “Grand Auction” was held, future residents bought lots and “Progress” was indeed on the municipal horizon. Three years later, Paso Robles (population about 800) was incorporated and construction began on the iconic Hotel El Paso de Robles that opened in 1891. Cultural conveniences were needed alongside commercial development and was crowned in 1908 with the Free Library thanks to Carnegie. It has been repurposed but never closed. We’ll let you go in and browse through history. However, you know you’ll need to return. It’s time to move on to our second stop. Be warned you will definitely want to return after an initial visit to the awesome Pioneer Museum. The Cornerstone dedication ceremony at the Paso Robles Library
The original Paso Robles Hotel F E B R U A R Y
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A Retirement COMMUNITY Facil 31
As with all daytrips, first visit the website: Even ted, though and continue do so, from their thetoprospect of moving m www.pioneermuseum@att.net for a preview foresight. Enjoy the spectacular journey future, you owe it to yourself to learn h of this stunning collection. From home through time! goods to store goods, cars, carriages and carefree living in your own home for man As you return home, you know this was weapons, barbed wire, bits and pieces from just the beginning of daytrips into the past the past highlight the usual mix of saints in Paso. and sinners who roamed the countryside. Some were determined to drive roots deep you have spots, pleaseisletfully a fact life that asIf we get favorite older,historical Pristine into the soil whileIt’s others saw aof temporary us know for future trips. stop in their lives depending on guile some day-to-day tasks become too licensed and insu or sloth for nourishment. The former CONTACT: jacarotenuti@gmail.com to handle on our own. That All of our worker prevailed—often atmuch great effort—but with gratitude for the generations who benefitdoesn’t mean you have to move away are carefully scre
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from the comfort of your home. and pass a crimin • Pristine Home Services is aHousekeeping local background chec Personal Care that helps San Luis Obispo and drug test, giv • Yard company • Handyman Maintenance County residents avoid the high cost when someone fr Servingof moving All oftoSan Luis Obispo County a retirement facility. in your home. •
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The statue of Paderewski
While you are greeted by the statue of Paderewski at the Historical Society Museum, you are now welcomed by a school house and a jail in another amazing collection maintained by those doggedly determined that there is more to the story of the past yet to be told. The Pioneer Museum presents impressive indoor and outdoor exhibits with an astonishing array of artifacts. Every time you visit, you will see something new.
All of our services can be provided She should be cl daily, weekly, or on an as-needed basis. very reasonable From housekeeping You to handyman services and plumbing to preparingyou meals.need There is no task too large or pay for only the services dows!” R. Watso too small for Pristineand Homewe Services. All of our those services can be providedatdaily, weekly, or on an as-needed provide services a price basis. You pay for only the services you need and we provide those services at a price you can“They afford. took the t you can afford. what I wanted. “Pristine takes “Pristine goeswhat I a exactly Convenient One-call Service care of all my above and reasonable. I wo Our personal needs to care live services include beyond my to a friend.” C. in my homeerrands, meal preparaexpectations shopping, daily independently and non-medical so IBefore can live you mak tion, transportation andhousekeeping they do a in the comfort care. Our services keep could affect yo fine job.” of my home.” your kitchen and the rest of your home andBaker standard o –Billie Jones –Jay spotless. We even do windows and to read these tw laundry. Our yard maintenance crews Before you make any decisions that could affect your future happiness and standard of living, take every s “What know how to take care of your favorite the time to read these two FREE reports: about living in rose bushes and keep the grass neatly “What every senior needs to know about living in a retirement facility.” mowed. Our handyman services are “Four critical “Four critical questions to ask a service provider...before you let anyone work in or near your home.” provided by specialists in plumbing, service provid We invite you to call Pristine right now so that we can send you these two FREE reports by mail. electrical work, painting, repairs and anyone work i safety rail installation. CALL FOR RATES We invite you t now so that we two FREE repor
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We Bring Assisted Living Home You Whatever you need...give us atocall 805-543-4663 www.pristinehomeservices.net 710 FIERO LANE, UNIT 16 SAN LUIS OBISPO, CA 93401 The original plot plan of Paso Robles, 1888
H O U S E K E E P I N G · YA R D M A I N T E N A N C E · H A N D Y M A N S E R V I C E S · P E R S O N A L C A R E F E B R U A R Y
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history
Here’s the story.
Paderewski in Paso robles By Joe Carotenuti
A
mong its many virtues, the central coast has a vast reservoir of places to seek the solitude and refreshment of silence or the invigorating noise of celebrations. In other words, there are multiple reasons to savor the lifestyles available, even finding relief from pain. Discovering an international celebrity tucked away in the saga of the past is not only a delightful surprise but enlightening. In a region known today for its wines, a politician, composer and concert pianist of world renown who—among many accomplishments—was a pioneer vintner provides an interesting tale.
Traveling by private train with his wife, Helena, and ever-present entourage, performing multiple concerts throughout the nation since 1890, Paderewski was the first pianist to perform solo at Carnegie Hall in New York City. A generous international figure, he spoke seven languages, and relished the personal freedoms The Plaque honoring guaranteed by America’s Paderewski’s burial in the U.S. Constitution. Although Paderewski travelled all over the world and had a magnificent home in Switzerland, he reveals in his memoirs: “America, the country of my heart, my second home.” In part, he has never left. As to his political life, a lengthy book is required to do him justice. An ardent patriot, it was Paderewski who influenced President Woodrow Wilson to include an explicit inclusion for an independent Poland in peace terms to end World War I. The Fourteen Points came at a time when the pianist was Prime Minister and foreign minister of Poland for ten months and represented his country in the Paris Peace Conference (1919). However, by then, he was also well-known in the small agricultural central coast community. His residency began when progressively excruciating pain threatened to end his musical career. A recommended treatment for an almost “infallible” cure in Paso Robles proved successful as the world traveler continued to mesmerize audiences for the rest of his life. Arriving in January 1914, the entire Paderewski traveling household settled into the magnificent Hotel El Paso De Robles with its “magical mud baths” and the rural setting (population about 2000) indeed became a second home.
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His doctor and erstwhile real estate salesman, Dr. Frank W. Sawyer, bombarded his ailing patient proposing he invest in the community. As related in the short (90 page) Paderewski at Paso Robles by Brian McGinty, the doctor was persistent: “His attacks on me took place when I was in the baths—up to my neck in mud.” The captive, however, admitted “I really loved the place” and it might be added, the place would fall in love with the elegant visitor.
JUST LIKE HOME
When Ignacy Jan Paderewski (1860-1941), the “monarch of the piano,” first came to the central coast, it was not to advocate for his beloved homeland Poland or present another sold-out dazzling concert. He came in an attempt to save his future. Already a stellar figure in both music and politics, he arrived hoping to alleviate the excruciating pain in his right hand and arm.
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Paderewski’s star on the Walk of Fame
demise of the Hotel El Paso De Robles the previous December.
Paderewski’s Rancho San Ignacio, 1921
among his many talents, the gifted man was knowledgeable about wines having long experience with European blends. Paderewski in his orchard
The sales pressure proved successful and the next month he purchased 1520 acres Rancho San Ignacio and then the 900 acre Santa Helena (named after the couple’s patron saints). Within two years, acquisitions totaled nearly 3000 acres. The land proved to be an earth anchor. Not a man of half measures, he also purchased 2626 acres near Santa Maria. The quest was for oil. It proved an expensive failure. Indeed, he never realized (nor needed) much wealth from his local investments. Paderewski began by planting almond trees. It was not too long before the trees populated many neighboring acres. Five years later, he planted acres of zinfandel and petit syrah grapes complementing Santa Helena’s mission wine grapes. This was not a whim as
The respite was temporary as Paderewski continued to travel for recitals and rest in Switzerland but was sure to include Paso Robles whenever possible. As his beloved Poland became a victim in World War II, he continued his charitable concerts for its relief. He was now available on phonograph records and, in his only motion picture experience, performs in the 1937 film, Moonlight Sonata. As he aged, his investments matured in the local soil. On his last sojourn in 1939, relates McGinty, the artist scooped soil into his hands and saluted his occasional home with “God bless American soil. May it inspire freedom for generations to come.” Ailing, now a widower, Paderewski died in New York City on June 29, 1941. He undoubtedly would have traveled west but death overcame him preceded by the fiery
More than the music world mourned his death as was evident in the many tributes to him. Wrote one critic: “He is first and foremost one who, with all the adulation, cash rewards and prestige of the world at his feet, did not hesitate to turn aside, reject the profits and security he might easily have earned, and devote himself to a just humanitarian cause.” As such, the man had transcended a mortal definition for a moral one. Admiration and respect reached the White House. President Franklin D. Roosevelt permitted his remains to be temporarily interred in Arlington National Cemetery waiting over 50 years to return to a free Poland. However, his heart remains in America separately interned at the National Shrine of Our Lady of Czestochowa in Doylestown, Pennsylvania. Today, an annual Paderewski Festival remembers the musician, his land still produces grapes and his courage for justice has never aged. While many personal mementoes are found elsewhere, a display at the Pioneer Museum (see page 30) is a tribute to his love of the central coast. Contact: jacarotenuti@gmail.com
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our schools
It takes a village, even outdoors By James J. Brescia, Ed.D. County Superintendent of Schools “Service Above Self.” —Rotary The New Year began with several San Luis Obispo Rotary Clubs joining forces to envision, plan and begin to renovate the amphitheater located at our County Office of Education’s outdoor school. Shortly after I took office, Steve Geil, president of the Rotary Club of CayucosSeaside asked me about local projects that would benefit every school in our county. As we shared our cup of coffee at Top Dog in Morro Bay, the discussion turned to the object of Rotary. The goal of Rotary is to encourage and foster the idea of service as a basis of worthy enterprise. Community service which explores ways of improving the quality of life for people and their communities and to serve the public interest was one focus we dialogued. Avenues in which youth are empowered, allowed to develop leadership skills, presented opportunities to engage in civic behavior, and learn respect for the environment were also topics of our conversation. Steve asked about his club sponsoring a project at Rancho El Chorro our county outdoor education campus. This “Mighty Little Club on the Central Coast” embarked on the construction of our Yurt Village. Local club members then invited clubs throughout our county, the state, clubs out of state and one international club to become part of this wonderful project. Tucked away in the hills above San Luis Obispo this outdoor education facility operated by the San Luis Obispo County Office of Education maintains a natural preserve, a school campus, a one room school house, incredible learning resources and a regional education conference center. On these 250 protected acres, students reach out and touch the natural world and explore their place within the larger community. Rancho El Chorro Outdoor School provides hands-on learning opportunities for students to study science and ecology in a natural setting. The county office outdoor education program has been providing access to the com-
Rancho from the hill F E B R U A R Y
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Yurt Village Conceptual
munity for over 40 years. Nearly 300,000 school children have enjoyed and benefited from the programs and educational facilities, which were previously part of Camp San Luis Obispo. We are fortunate to have several facility projects completed by local service clubs for the benefit of the entire community. Each of these projects are supporting the benefits of outdoor education. Some studies have documented increased school performance through outdoor education. Research has documented increased standardized test scores, enhanced attitude about school, improved in-school behavior, improved attendance and overall enhanced student achievement when students learn in and about nature. Also, outdoor education effectively employs a greater range of children’s intelligence. Many researchers attribute the increase in performance to greater relevance and hands-on experience of learning outdoors. The curriculum presented is correlated to California science standards and encourages students to trust their senses; it teaches the use of scientific equipment and processes and how to gather and organize data. Those participating in the programs explore concepts such as respect, responsibility, teamwork, and cooperation as they build self-esteem. Rotary’s “Four Way Test” blends nicely with Rancho El Chorro’s programs. The Rotary Four-Way Test asks: Is it the Truth? Is it FAIR to all concerned? Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS? Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned? Outdoor educational experiences help us increase our understanding of the environment and human communities. Through this connection, we can develop stronger environmental attitudes, civic behaviors and a greater sense of community. Outdoor education is one tool in building a sound foundation for the next generation of active citizens who are good stewards of the environment and their community. Outdoor learning connects families and the community to the schools. When classrooms are outdoors, they provide additional entry points for involvement in education. The relationships that develop through outdoor educational programs can foster family and community engagement in our schools and the local
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environment. I commend the local Rotary Clubs for their dedication to the community, our youth, and society.
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FEBRUARY CROSSWORD SOLUTIONS ON PAGE 43
Business expert Warren Bennis speaks about creating an environment in which your potential is realized. “There are two ways of being creative. One can sing and dance. Or one can create an environment in which singers and dancers flourish.” Local Rotarians identified the potential of our county outdoor educational facility and are taking steps to creating an environment in which outdoor education can grow. Cooperative projects such as our amphitheater renovation is just another example of why living on the Central Coast is such a beautiful experience. I am proud to serve as your county superintendent of schools, employ such a talented workforce, and work with such dedicated residents in service to our citizens. The entire community is invited to tour Rancho El Chorro and learn about this gem right here in our backyard. Please call the San Luis Obispo County Office of Education for additional information. “Keep close to Nature’s heart…and break clear away, once in awhile, and climb a mountain or spend a week in the woods. Wash you spirit clean.—John Muir References Available on Request
STATEPOINT CROSSWORD THEME: CONTEMPORARY AUTHORS ACROSS 1. Hang around for 6. Is no longer 9. *”____ Come Undone” by Wally Lamb 13. Food from heaven 14. Not square 15. Annoy a bedfellow 16. Mountaineer’s tool 17. Anger 18. Length of a forearm 19. *Author of best-selling book series ever 21. *”The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay” Pulitzer-winning author 23. Mele Kalikimaka wreath 24. ____-friendly 25. Stout relative 28. Small town or hamlet 30. *Many of his novels were made into romantic drama movies 35. Long John Silver’s walk 37. Designer Hugo
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39. A way to sell tickets 40. “Ali ____ and the 40 Thieves” 41. Community spirit 43. Hip bones 44. Euphoric way to walk 46. Oscar De La ____ 47. Bad impression 48. Bone filler 50. Locker room supply 52. “Get the picture?” 53. Conclusion starter 55. Sigma Alpha Epsilon 57. *Speculative fiction Booker Prize winner 60. *”One Hundred Years of Solitude” Nobel Prize-winning author 64. One of “12 Angry Men,” e.g. 65. Placeholder surname 67. Prevention measure? 68. Black and white cookies 69. Opposite of WSW 70. Like a gymnast 71. Gamecock’s spur 72. Expose to moisture 73. Leopard marks
DOWN 1. Gulf V.I.P. 2. TV’s “Fixer Upper” location 3. All over again 4. Completely 5. What airplane did after landing 6. Patriot, a.k.a. American ____ 7. “____” Jordan 8. Four-eyes’ gear 9. Give the cold shoulder 10. Great Depression drifter 11. Sportscaster Andrews 12. Group of something 15. Escarpments, for short 20. She was turned into Weeping Rock, Greek mythology 22. “For ____ a jolly...” 24. Final results 25. *Sports columnist turned inspiration novel writer 26. Tarzan’s swing 27. Bar 29. *”American Pastoral” Pulitzer-winning author
31. Battery fluid 32. Pneumonia symptom, pl. 33. *”Orphan Train” by Christina Baker ____ 34. Great deal 36. Lucy and Ricky, e.g. 38. Miso bean 42. Pico de gallo, e.g. 45. Rotating parts 49. One of the five W’s 51. Wassailing compositions 54. Bovine milk dispenser 56. Outfit 57. Mystique 58. Not kosher 59. Kennel sound 60. Swim or track contest 61. “Do ____ others as you would do...” 62. Genuine 63. Last letter, pl. 64. Run for exercise 66. *Ken Kesey’s “____ Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest”
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COMMUNITY
eye on business think ahead to manage A crisis communication By Maggie Cox, Barnett Cox & Associates
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e have come to expect safety seals on everything from medication to catsup, with some more vexing to open than others. Safety seal technology was the result of the tragic 1982 “Tylenol tampering” incident in which seven people died after taking cyanide-laced Tylenol. I was reminded of the details of the Tylenol story recently as I prepared a presentation on crisis communication for the SLO Chamber of Commerce.
see how the product was made (tampering occurred after the products left the plant). Company executives offered sincere apologies to both the affected families and to the nation. Johnson & Johnson proactively outreached to media and gave interviews, and keep in mind—Johnson & Johnson was blameless in the incident. All that said, it was 1982, pre internet and pre social media. How differently news travels today.
No suspect was ever charged or convicted in the heinous tampering crimes whose victims included a brand new mother. The incident fostered sweeping reform and safeguards in the packaging industry, and is also famous in communication circles for Tylenol owner Johnson & Johnson’s stellar performance in managing the communication crisis that followed. What could have marked the end of a brand instead became a benchmark for doing things right.
And while it is unlikely we local business owners and managers will ever face a catastrophe of this magnitude, our own day-to-day crises can be just as daunting. Consider a disgruntled former employee naming allegations against your company while you are helpless to comment due to privacy laws. What would you do if a key executive suddenly died and customer confidence was shaken? How do you handle an employee being arrested on the job for possessing child porn on a home computer? What if one of your employees is involved in a serious accident in a company vehicle? In my 30 years as a communications consultant, I’ve helped businesses and organizations with all of these and a few more—embezzlement, product failings, one sided lawsuits. These
Without knowing the how’s and why’s of what was happening, Johnson & Johnson immediately stepped up. The company recalled every single product on store shelves. It opened its manufacturing plant to news media reporters and others who wanted to
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are brutal challenges to any operation and they demand immediate response. The dilemma is this: these are emotionally charged circumstances that often end in legal action, meaning actions from the very first moment through conclusion have to be smart. And it is tough to be smart when you’re under attack. As the new year gets rolling full throttle, take a minute to think about how you would handle a communication crisis. I can offer some tips. Move quickly and with resolve. There is tremendous danger in shooting from the hip (or not shooting at all). Remain in control. Gather your thoughts. Call your attorney and, if needed, a communication consultant to help with simple key messages that will address the situation, even if you are limited to “the charges are completely untrue.” If you are contacted by a reporter, control the timing, speaking to him or her when you are ready. A reporter showing up in your lobby does not obligate you to immediate comment. Don’t be blindsided but do not hide. People in the throes of communications crises are often so focused on the external population they miss a critical piece: their own employees and board members. Make certain you keep people close to you informed. Do not overshare, but do give your employees the information they need to calm their own fears and help you manage the rumor mill. The immediacy of news coverage today and the fact that social media makes any person a channel means you must take swift action. US Airways officials hosted a news conference within 30 minutes of their jet’s “Miracle on the Hudson” crash landing in 2009. That sounds impressive, but it was in fact simply too late. It took too long. Bystanders and anyone with a cell phone had captured the drama as it unfolded. The initial story was not being told by US Airways (although the company did a solid job informing the public in the hours that followed). Lastly, keep in mind that crisis communications are likely the toughest business challenge you’ll ever face. We are human, and dealing with tragedy or accusation or other trauma is brutally difficult and excruciatingly emotional. Have help ready on your speed dial, and maybe a Tylenol or two in your drawer to help with the headache.
Downtown
Around
The Magazine of Downtown San Luis Obispo
Inside: Downtown Perspec t ive Ne w B usiness Spo tlight Heal thy Ne w Year Habi ts
February 2017
D o w n t o w n
P e r s p e c t i v e
“This is something everyone knows: A well-used city street is apt to be a safe street. A deserted city street is apt to be unsafe.” - Jane Jacobs
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I thought to myself, “Why would somebody so publicly express that thought? More importantly, why didn’t anybody stand up in that audience and disagree? They all were nodding their heads!” As the months rolled on I spent a lot of time breaking this down seeking a way to find a solution. At the time of the meeting I remember recommending that the group should step up, go down together and retake their Downtown with their friends; go down and have a late dinner. Looking back, that wasn’t the right answer. Here’s why.
ane Jacobs was a pioneer in urban design and came to be a leader in developing urban form, not as a planner but as a writer. Her career in writing was a cause for her to spend much of her time in urban environments and well equipped her to both observe and report on such matters. This Dominic Tartaglia, Executive Director month’s article starts with an epilogue lifted from did not have the time to deconstruct that one of her most well known works, The Death and statement and see that there was a really key Life of Great American Cities and it resonates with me as I have spent the last six or so months wrestling with a statement piece of this situation. Human bias and the perceived threat that I first heard in a neighborhood meeting, “I don’t feel safe are significant factors here. I do not mean to downplay the going Downtown anymore so I don’t go.” I remember hearing fear or the fear that the individual felt but it is worth looking that and feeling an immense amount of sadness and confusion at this from an objective point of view. Jane Jacobs does a beautiful job of illustrating that this area is most likely safer as to why anybody would say that about Downtown SLO. I than what our neighbors feel. Human bias drives how we never want anybody to feel unsafe in our Downtown so this statement became a big part of that deep work which happens see other individuals, ourselves and even groups of people. Groups like transients. The bias is derived from what we in the subconscious of our minds. experience, witness or are told and it lays in our subconscious ome context is due here, this was a group of more mature and is meant to protect us from danger. A shifty character in residents who were gathering to discuss issues related to dark clothes outside of your home late at night most likely aggressive panhandling and presumably they felt that the is going to make the hair stand up on the back of your neck. antisocial behavior associated with our transient population Why? Rationally, many people in all types of clothing walk by was a direct threat to their wellbeing. I left that meeting and
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On the Cover: Shoppers, Downtown employees, and visitors enjoying their time in beautiful, vibrant Downtown SLO. Photo by Mukta Naran
THIS IS NO ORDINARY FARMERS’ MARKET.
JOIN US ON HIGUERA STREET (BETWEEN OSOS & NIPOMO STREETs)
Downtown SLO Farmers’ Market EVERY THURSDAY 6-9PM DOWNTOWNSLO.COM
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your house all hours of the day but at night, that is different because people are not supposed to be there. That is out of the ordinary.
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ggressive and antisocial behavior is certainly not acceptable behavior but is it really that extraordinary? Can you rationalize that one exchange on a street bench makes the entire Downtown unsafe? I cannot and here is why. The rest of the activity Downtown says otherwise. Business owners are investing large sums of money to open a shop in which members of the community are coming and shopping or dining. Tourists are visiting those shops and places like Bubblegum Alley. Of all places in Downtown, that alley should give people the willies as a shady and unsafe place but quite the contrary. It is a top attraction.
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n the context of the broad view of Downtown our streets are “well-used.” Well in the sense that the uses that are most predominant are for productive commerce and social exchanges. As a percentage of the interactions down here, nearly all of them are positive. Still those stories of assaults of citizens stand out and raise the hair on our necks. It happens to all of us, myself included. The key word in Ms. Jacobs work is “apt.” To me that means the streets have a tendency to be a certain way under specific circumstances. It is not a guarantee that the streets will be safe. In fact, nothing in life is a guarantee. For me, I continue to come Downtown everyday, however, I don’t ignore that little bit of bias towards folks that affect my subconscious. I let my bias trigger a very quick analysis of the scene and often times I find that I am just
experiencing my instincts in raw form but I am completely safe. Sure there have been times that I have avoided an individual that didn’t seem right but I didn’t stop coming to a place I love. Overall, Downtown is one of the safest places that I can think of being.
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n the past months I realized the solution to that statement is not to gather a posse of your friends and venture Downtown to reclaim the space. Rather, it is to continue coming Downtown and join the tens of thousands of other people who are already down here. Stay vigilant and listen to your instinct but also remember to critically look at the scene around you. Our streets are active at any hour that a reasonable person would be out, including after 10 PM. Yes, even though there is a concentration of people drinking; those people are down here to have a good time. No matter what time of day it is, there is no guarantee that you will be safe anywhere. I would venture to say that it is far more dangerous to live in fear and never leave your home. What are the risks of staying home? Lack of perspective, anxiety, poor health, isolation and antisocial tendencies rise to the top of my list of side effects of staying home.
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ow I do not feel sadness that people are scared to come Downtown, I feel sad that they are hiding in their homes and missing out on all that Downtown has to offer. So come on down and join the rest of us enjoying this beautiful place we call Downtown SLO. If you need a buddy to walk with you I would be honored to take a stroll with you and show you why I love this community.
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Letter and Grain
sleek look that could be dressed to any style, I Ericka Trevino, Owner thought we may have a 1019 Morro Street winner. Long story short, (805) 704-0400 word got out and we ended up renting our www.LetterAndGrain.com tables months before our hat started as a DIY art project has turned into a fulltime own wedding. We have labor of love for Ericka Trevino, designer and owner of found ourselves delivering the shop Letter and Grain in Downtown SLO. “It all began table rentals to Northern with a sign I painted for my son's room that read 'to the moon California, Central and back.' After purchasing Annie Sloan Chalk Paint® from California and the Central Coast. As a graduate of Cal Poly Embellish & Restore in Visalia, the owner asked if I'd like and with a love for SLO that just never died down it seemed to offer the signs in her establishment. Between a few craft the right fit for me to open shop here in Downtown SLO.” shows, word of mouth and E&R, it all kind of just took off ou can find her custom wood signs or learn how to from there.” Trevino explained. create your own pieces of artwork in her shop located at uilding and creating each sign from wood led to lots of 1019 Morro Street in Downtown SLO. Letter and Grain is other products including plant boxes, Christmas Tree an official stockist of Chalk Paint® decorative paint by Annie boxes, barn doors, growth charts and more. Soon we were Sloan and offers workshops for the DIY enthusiasts. The shop receiving requests from customer inspired projects as well.” also showcases a mix of modern meets rustic with a whole lot Trevino adds. of creative local handmade products. The shop is filled with everything from home décor to California inspired jewelry, s she found success selling her artistic wood signs and mugs, candles and other gift items. Come check out Letter products, she had another creative vision, “When my and Grain in Downtown SLO, online at www.LetterAndGrain. husband and I married in 2015, I envisioned our guests dining com or find them on Facebook and Instagram. on farmhouse tables built by us. With a more modern and
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Healthy New Year Habits at the Downtown SLO Farmers’ Market
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ith the holidays over and slipping into the normal routine, it is easy to let our healthy New Year intentions and resolutions slip away. A little extra encouragement to get outside and break up that routine can go a long way in these shorter months. One enticing excuse we can rely on throughout this season is the Downtown SLO Farmers’ Market. Not only will you work in your 10,000 steps strolling down the street, dancing to the live tunes, and perhaps incorporating a workout to and from Downtown, you can also be inspired by the healthy foods that are at the core of The Market.
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e are so fortunate to live here on the Central Coast where our dedicated farmers show up for the Downtown SLO Farmers’ Market to bring us vast amounts of fresh produce throughout the year. It is no secret that farming requires a truly committed work ethic, especially to make it through the cooler months. According to a regular farming vendor, Avila and Sons Farms, a common workday begins at 5:00 AM and continues long into the evening until 8:00 PM. On days of Farmers’ Markets, the owner Dave Avila reported that they may put in as much as 20 hours of work to bring us a special selection from their farm.
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or all of the farmers who come to the Downtown SLO Farmers’ Market, their hard work is evident just walking by the farm stands on Higuera Street. Though the aroma of BBQ may steal one of your senses, the natural beauty of winter squash, beets, carrots, chards and sweet potatoes can
easily capture your eyes and make for wonderful ingredients for a warm winter soup. For those of us still clinging to our sweet tooth from the holidays, farmers such as Gary Billington offer sweets that feel like dessert without the guilt and even provide healthy Avila and Sons Farms at the Market benefits to boot. Medjool Photo by Mukta Naran and Deglet Noor are just two of the varieties of dates Gary brings and a couple of his specialties include datenut rolls and date pieces rolled in oat flour.
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ight alongside our farmers are our food vendors and restaurants that incorporate many of these ingredients on their menus. Be reminded of the many ways healthy food can taste so delicious by visiting vendors such as Bliss Cafe, which operates a booth in front of their Downtown restaurant. They offer comforting entrees such as their delicious vegan curry or Stromboli’s and both are sure to warm you up from the inside out.
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hough many of us rely on the New Year to bring inspiration to be healthier, remember that the Downtown SLO Farmers’ Market is here for you year round. There is no better way to maintain healthy habits than to find a way to enjoy them. The uplifting atmosphere of The Market can be that link to a healthier lifestyle any time of the year.
For more information on Downtown Association events, programs and activities, or to sign up for our weekly Deliver-E newsletter, visit www.DowntownSLO.com
COMMUNITY
palm street perspective where there’s smoke there’s fire By SLO Councilwoman Carlyn Christianson
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hat do the recent Oakland Ghost Ship warehouse “death trap” fire that killed 36, and the 164 Santa Barbara “severely substandard” Dario Pini rental units closed down in December, have in common with San Luis Obispo? These places were a disaster waiting to happen, a deadly mix of flawed safety inspection systems and a shortage of affordable housing that led tenants to live in buildings that were utterly unfit for habitation. Complex vines of electrical cords, no exits, rats, no plumbing … the list is horrendous. People refuse to believe that similar situations exist here in San Luis Obispo. Ask any firefighter; ask low-income folks; ask students; ask tenants: is it that bad in SLO? The honest answer will be yes. Out of the 851 units inspected in SLO under our Rental Housing Inspection Program (RHIP) as of early January, 88% failed their first inspection. Most failed for basic safety requirements: smoke & carbon monoxide detectors, unstrapped water heaters, blocked or broken windows, electrical panel problems. Renters don’t complain, for reasons of fear and ignorance and poverty.
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wonder at people’s gullibility: right next to the glum reality of the unsafe conditions of a majority of SLO rental units is the timeworn maxim, “follow the money.” Misery and fear and fire risk shouldn’t go with being a tenant in our city, even and especially if you’re already without much choice, but it’s the reality when too many rental units haven’t been maintained for years and lack minimum safety standards. As the Council gets ready to debate RHIP’s future on February 16, I want to remind our community of what we stand for: doing the right thing even if it costs money. We’ve done it with open space and cigarette smoking and trees and plastic bags and art and water and all kinds of important issues. Doing the right thing in the past meant a better future for us living now. I said the condition of our rental housing stock was wrong in my September Palm Perspective article: it’s still wrong. During this past election some people stated that they were against the RHIP but usually acknowledged “of course we want our renters to be healthy and safe.” Well, that’s what the RHIP does. It doesn’t make new laws, it doesn’t impose new requirements: it just makes sure that those minimum safety and health standards are actually being met. Just standing outside a smoking home doesn’t save the folks living there: follow the smoke inside, see the fire, and put it out. See September’s Palm Perspective at slojournal.com. See slocity.org for more info.
Meanwhile, landlords and tenants also throw up cries of privacy and the Constitution. I understand this concern for privacy of one’s home (even though by law a landlord can inspect with merely 24 hours’ notice.) Fact: the RHIP notice tells renters that they can refuse inspection, if desired; with so many units to inspect the city isn’t going to force an inspection by warrant, just for refusing consent. The city carefully modelled our ordinance on one that has withstood legal challenge, and believes it is a valid constitutional model. But let me be honest: some landlords are using privacy concerns as a convenient excuse because they have illegal conversions, zero maintenance, or people crammed into the rafters. So the second thing that San Luis Obispo has in common with Oakland and Santa Barbara is: it’s also about the money. Both those situations involved owners who claimed that they were providing an “essential service to low-income” people. That’s another one of the claims by those opposing SLO’s RHIP: they’re doing it to help the poor. I understand that no one wants to pay for stuff they think they don’t need and no one wants to pay anything to the government especially. And we want to make sure the process is transparent and fair and respectful. But when our landlords are getting $750, $850, $1000 per room—they can’t afford $10 a month per unit to help ensure that all rental properties in SLO have basic health & safety requirements? It’s just a question, but as you’re examining the effort to overturn the RHIP, I ask you to think about the answer. The sheer absurdity of some of the stories I’m hearing about alleged inspections—I F E B R U A R Y
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bbq to benefit martin luther king scholarships
Grant to support families in our community. To learn about the organization and how you can become involved through fundraising or donations, visit jackshelpinghand.org.
mission community services 10th anniversary
Advance tickets are now on sale for the popular Super Bowl Sunday eat-in or take-out chicken barbecue that raises money for local scholarships (the 2015 scholarship recipients pictured). The annual fundraiser for the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial High School Scholarship Fund will be from noon to 3 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 5, at the Elks Lodge, 222 Elks Lane, San Luis Obispo. Each $10 ticket buys a meal of barbecued chicken, baked beans, potato salad and garlic bread. Proceeds go to college scholarships for local students. Since 1968, the group has been awarding scholarships to seniors graduating from high schools in the area. The community barbecue at the Elks Lodge is the group’s primary fundraiser. Participants can eat at the lodge or get meals to take home and eat while watching the Super Bowl. To purchase tickets in advance, or to buy blocks of tickets for your organization, call Matakovich at (805) 595-2526. A limited number of tickets will be available at the door. Desserts and other baked goods will also be available for sale at the event. For more information, go to www.mlkfund.org.
jhh receives donations from local businesses
Local nonprofit Jack’s Helping Hand, an organization created to help families of children with cancer and special needs, recently received donations totaling $18,305 from local businesses who believe in the nonprofit’s mission of supporting families financially and emotionally through challenging health circumstances. Jack’s Helping Hand received $5,500 from the Three Speckled Hens antique show that took place at the Paso Robles Event Center. The nonprofit also received a $5,000 donation from the Paso Robles Horse Park, a beautiful equestrian showground that opened in May 2015. The Paso Robles Horse Park is excited to support the planned therapeutic equestrian riding center at the Jack Ready Imagination Park, a park for children of all ability levels that is being built in Nipomo. Jack’s Helping Hand also received a $2,000 donation from Central Coast Surrogacy, an $805 donation from Ted Hamm Insurance and was a recipient of a $5,000 JUSTIN Community
The SLO County Board of Supervisors recently awarded Mission Community Services Corporation (MCSC) with a Proclamation recognizing its 10 Year Anniversary of bringing empowerment and success to new and existing small businesses. MCSC is in its 10th continuous year of hosting the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Woman’s Business Center, and was recognized by their SBA District as the “Women’s Business Center of the Year” in May 2016. Overall, MCSC has assisted over 165 new small business startups, helped create more than 500 new jobs, helped retain 130 existing jobs, and is responsible for bringing more than $26.5 million in capital investment to the Central California region.
Sheriff’s office receives grant
The San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office has been awarded a $94,772 grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) for a year-long program aimed at preventing deaths and injuries on our roadways through special enforcement and public awareness efforts. The grant received by San Luis Obispo County will aid in the city’s ongoing effort to improve traffic safety and quality of life. SLO County Sheriff’s Office will use the funding as part of an on-going commitment to keep our roadways safe through both enforcement and education. The Sheriff’s Office chose to take on the responsibility of managing the operation of the Driving Under the Influence (DUI)
D ressing Windows in San Luis Obispo for over 39 Years
Alan “Himself” F E B R U A R Y
alan’s draperies 544-9405 alansdrapery@gmail.com 2017
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program for the County of SLO in 2014. The goal of the grant money is to reduce the number of people killed or injured in alcohol related traffic collisions in SLO County. A new upgraded state of the art dual column Gas Chromatograph (GC), with headspace auto-analyzer will be purchased for use in the Forensic Alcohol Laboratory.
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pg&E donates $50,000 to food bank
Avila Aquarium receives donation
Avila Beach Community Foundation Board of Trustee members Lucinda Borchard and Saul Goldberg presented a check for $4,000 to representatives of the Avila beach-based Central Coast Aquarium last week. The grant was used to fund the Scientist for a Day Scholarship Program that provides marine science educational opportunities to schools that might not otherwise be able to participate due to financial constraints. In 2016 the Aquarium was able to host 14 class field trips totaling over 400 students due to the grant. For more information about the Foundation visit www.avilabeachfoundation.org.
The Food Bank Coalition of SLO County has received a $50,000 donation from Pacific Gas & Electric Company (PG&E) to support energy efficiencies for the Food Bank Coalition’s new facility, enabling the addition of energy-efficient cold storage, lighting, insulation and other improvements. The best news is, these facility equipment improvements made possible by PG&E’s grant will improve the Food Bank’s overall capabilities in achieving its mission—alleviating hunger across the county and building a healthier community. In the last decade the Food Bank Coalition has tripled its services, distributing 6.2 million pounds of food in 2015 alone. To learn more about the work done by the Food Bank Coalition, please visit our website www. slofoodbank.org.
C rossword S O L U T I O N S
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clark center presents: Flamenco Vivo Carlota Santana
The Clark Center Association will present Flamenco Vivo Carlota Santana on Friday, February 3, at 8:00 pm at the Clark Center in Arroyo Grande. Flamenco Vivo Carlota Santana is one of the nation’s premier flamenco and Spanish dance companies in their 32nd season. They believe that the universal spirit of flamenco, a multicultural art form, has the power to build bridges between cultures and inspire audiences from diverse backgrounds. Tickets for Flamenco Vivo Carlota Santana are $39-$46 and are on sale NOW. Call (805) 489-9444 for tickets or come to the Clark Center Box Office at 487 Fair Oaks Avenue, Arroyo Grande. For more information, or to purchase tickets, visit the Clark Center website at http://clarkcenter.org/event/flamenco/
local welding teams take top awards
Five Cuesta College welding students took home first, second, and third place awards recently at the 2016 Welders Without Borders: Welding Thunder, a portable welding competition in Las Vegas, NV, designed to allow instructors and students to work together and showcase their skills in a fun and competitive manner. The competitors included five college teams and 10 high school teams from California, Arizona, and Nevada. The team from Paso Robles High School took home various top honors as well.
100+ women donateS $14,400 to Homeless center
wine harvest weekend fundraiser raises record
SLO Wine Country announced results from the organization’s biggest event and fundraiser of the year: “Harvest on the Coast,” which took place last November. “We’re pleased to say that vendor participation and auction results both exceeded last year’s event,” said Heather Muran, executive director of SLO Wine Country. “We’re most excited that our ‘fund-a-need’ auction lot raised more than ever before, providing $21,000 for Big Brothers Big Sisters of SLO County, an organization that provides positive adult mentors for children who face difficult life situations.” Muran said that even better news is that the Big Brothers Big Sisters board of directors matched the donation, thus doubling the total gift to $42,000. A check was presented by SLO Wine Country to Big Brothers Big Sisters on December 6 at Tolosa Winery in San Luis Obispo.
San Luis Obispo’s Best Kept Secret Power Carts Senior Discount (55) • 10 Play C ards • Tournaments Welcome • •
Tee Times on our website: lagunalakegolfcourse.org or call 805-781-7309
11175 Los Osos Valley Road, SLO F E B R U A R Y
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A group of local women dedicated to supporting the community has donated $14,400 to the 40 Prado Homeless Services Center. The group, 100+ Women, has chosen two charities to benefit every year since it formed in 2008. This year, the group chose to benefit the Boys and Girls Club and 40 Prado, a modern facility expected to be open by this time next year. The Homeless Foundation, which has raised funds for 40 Prado, is within three percent of the $5.4 million needed to build the center. The facility will provide a clean and safe haven for those in need, including single mothers, children, returning veterans, and others who find themselves homeless due to poverty, job loss, emotional hardship or illness, or other economically disabling situations. Cathie Orrick, a retired teacher, founded 100+ Women in 2008. Since then, the group—consisting of women from all walks of life, with different financial backgrounds—
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has donated roughly $140,000 to local nonprofits, including Big Brothers and Sisters, SLO Food Bank Coalition, Cancer Support Community and Hope’s Village. The group’s donations have increased every year since its inception. To learn more about 100+ Women, visit http://www.100womenwhocareslo.com/. To donate to 40 Prado, please visit 40prado.org.
at the Colony Park Community Center located at 5599 Traffic Way in Atascadero, during operating hours which are Monday through Friday between 9:00 am to 6:00 pm. Visit the City of Atascadero online at www.atascadero.org to download and print the ticket registration form, or call (805) 470-3178 for additional information.
new officers for rams
ccfc donates to slo botanical garden
The 160 members of the San Luis Obispo RAMS (Retired Active Men’s Organization) recently held a gala holiday celebration and installed new officers for the upcoming year. Pictured from left to right are Treasurer Bill Fieldhouse, New President Alan Henderson who takes the gavel from outgoing president Bob Lever, Little Ram Steve Bennett, and Secretary Ken Riener.
atascadero’s father-daughter sweetheart dance
Fathers, uncles, grandfathers, or anyone with a special girl in their life, show her how special she really is! Spend a semi-formal evening while dancing the night away with her. Due to the popularity of this event, the 2017 Father-Daughter Sweetheart Dance will again be held on two nights; Friday, February 3rd from 6:30 to 9:30 pm, which is suggested for ages 12 and under; AND Saturday, February 4th from 7:00 to 10:00 pm, which is suggested for ages 12 and older. Guests are welcome to purchase tickets for either night, no matter the daughter’s age. Both of these wonderful evening events will be held at the Pavilion on the Lake, located at 9315 Pismo Avenue in Atascadero. Ticket prices are $31 per couple for Atascadero residents with a 93422 zip code, and $36 per couple for non-residents. Tickets for additional daughters are only $5. Tickets will not be available at the door and must be purchased in advance. These tickets can ONLY be purchased
It is with much appreciation that the SLO Botanical Garden received a generous grant of $2,500 from the local organization Central Coast Funds for Children (CCFC). The CCFC grant will directly fund youth outdoor education programs by providing class materials and scholarships for children in need. The mission of the SLO Botanical Garden is to “connect people with nature.” The Garden offers educational opportunities that encourage physical activity and environmental understanding by engaging community members in natural settings. The Garden motivates people to step outside and into nature by offering multigenerational educational outdoor activities throughout the Garden.
atascadero church Pancake dinner fundraiser
Atascadero United Methodist Church’s Sierra Service Project teams will host a Shrove Tuesday pancake dinner to raise money for their trips on Tuesday, Feb. 28. The cost is $10 per adult and free for children 12 and under. We will have two seatings: one at 5:15 and one at 6:15 p.m. At 6 p.m., we will have pancake games for all ages. Shrove Tuesday is celebrated the day before Lent begins, the evening before Ash Wednesday. Atascadero United Methodist Church, 11605 El Camino Real, will hold a Shrove Tuesday Pancake Dinner on Tuesday. Traditionally, pancakes were eaten to use up the sugar and fat and other foods traditionally restricted during Lent. Shrove Tuesday is also called Pancake Tuesday or Fat Tuesday. For more information about the church, go to www.atascaderoumc.org or call 805-466-2566.
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THE BULLETIN BOARD
face lift for santa manuela school house
November. “We are so touched by the Pineau’s generosity and how they have chosen to honor Jake’s memory by helping hundreds of animals find loving homes through Woods Humane Society,” states Jill Tucker, Executive Director.
apply now for cuesta college’s scholarships
Hundreds of scholarships available for Cuesta College’s 20172018 academic year are open for application, including the Cuesta Promise. The deadline to apply for Cuesta College’s general scholarships is March 2, 2017; the priority deadline to apply for the Promise Scholarship is also March 2, 2017. The college offers a wide array of scholarships, with criteria ranging from general to specific. Some examples of specific awards include those for current or prospective English as a Second Language (ESL) students, re-entry nursing students, female veterans, students with a disability, and more. Last year, a total of 180 scholarships were awarded to 238 students, amounting to nearly $346K in scholarship funds disbursed.
Significant repairs are being done to the Santa Manuela School House in the Village of Arroyo Grande. Work was started in October to repair the damage to the wooden structure caused by local woodpeckers. Built in 1901, the School House originally resided in the Arroyo Grande Valley where the Lopez Dam now exists. The school house served to educate the Upper Arroyo Grande Valley children until 1957 and remained there until Lopez Lake was formed in 1969. The South County Historical Society took over the school in 1975 and the building was moved two more times and finally in 1999, to its present location on Short Street. The school house was completely restored to its original condition including the student chairs, chalkboards, maps, books, etc. Today, Santa Manuela School House is a living piece of history, toured by hundreds of school children and visitors each year. It is one of the last one room school houses. The school house is just one of the four buildings over 100 years old which are maintained by the Society. Donations for the almost $35,000 repair costs are gladly accepted and can be made through Freefunder at http://www.freefunder.com/campaign/ Santa-Manuela-Schoolhouse. For more information, to follow the Historical Society or make a donation, links can be found on the Historical Society’s web page at www.SouthCountyHistory. org or their Facebook Page at www.facebook.com/ SouthCountyHistoricalSociety
woods humane society receives $100,000 donation
Woods Humane Society is receiving $100,000 donation from SLO residents Micheal and Sammy Pineau. The donation is being made in loving memory of their Labrador Jake who passed away in
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MB art association presents larry kappen
Morro Bay Art Association is proud to present a demonstration of Mixed Media by award winning landscape artist, Larry Kappen. Larry’s lifelong focus is art. He creates unique compositions with the power of light and loves the unexpectedness of contrasting color combinations. Larry feels his painting style is impressionistic. You can decide for yourself at this demonstration. Don’t miss this great opportunity to learn unique mixed media techniques. WHERE: Art Center Morro Bay, 835 Main Street, Morro Bay, CA. WHEN: February 13th, 2017, 3pm – 5pm CONTACT: 805-772-2504 or email: artcenter.morrobay@gmail. com. COST: Free and open to the public.
literacy for life tutor training
Literacy for Life tutor training will be held Saturday February 25th and Saturday March 4th. It will be held in the Union Bank Conference Room at 995 Higuera Street, SLO. Both days begin at 10am and end at 3:30pm. For more information or to sign-up, please visit: www.literacyforlifeslo.org or call 805.541-4219.
THE BULLETIN BOARD free senior health care screening
Screening offers health screening for adults throughout San Luis Obispo County. Free services include: screening for high blood pressure, weight and pulse. Finger prick screening tests for: high cholesterol, anemia and blood sugar. Counseling and referrals as needed. Please call 544-2484 ext.1 for dates, times and locations.
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The Estrella Warbird Museum may be the perfect place for you. Alzheimer’s Association/California Central Chapter is looking for volunteers to facilitate support groups for families affected by dementia. The Morro Bay Art Association is looking for Docent Volunteers to work in our gallery. Friends of the Arroyo Grande Library are in serious need of 2 to 3 able-bodied volunteers who can assist us by putting away flats of sorted books from the workroom in the library to the storage sheds outside the library.
union bank donates $5000 to the ymca attention all bands – Atascadero’s concerts
The City of Atascadero is now accepting BAND applications for the Saturdays in the Park Summer 2017 Concert Series. Band applications are available at the Colony Park Community Center, located at 5599 Traffic Way in Atascadero, and on the City’s website at atascadero.org. To have an application mailed or emailed to you please call or email Recreation Supervisor Jennifer Fanning at 805470-3426/jfanning@atascadero.org. All band applications are due by no later than Friday, February 10, 2017 at 5p.m. for consideration. No late applications will be accepted.
Paso robles horse park celebrates 1st year
The SLO County YMCA recently received a generous donation of $5,000 to support the Y’s financial assistance program from Union Bank. The Y grants over $160,000 annually to low-income families throughout SLO County enabling them to participate in programs such as after school, youth sports, family fitness and day camps. Pictured from left to right: Monica Grant, CEO, SLO County YMCA and Charmaine Beth, Vice President/Branch Manager, SLO Main, Union Bank
help our local veterans
VA clinic in San Luis is asking for volunteers to serve our Veterans as shuttle drivers. To help pay tribute and express your appreciation for their service, learn about volunteering at your local VA clinic. For more information contact your local VA volunteer representative Mr. Larry Foster at 805-354-6004 or send an email to Lawrence.Foster@va.gov.
rsvp & cccv volunteer opportunities
Put your life experience to work with SVS. Join with many other seniors, age 50+ and over, who are taking time to help improve the lives of others. SVS can match your talents and interests with community needs. Call SVS at (805) 544-8740 for information on any of the following opportunities. SLO FoodBank—looking for new volunteers to sign-up for a 2 hour shift. Hope’s Village of SLO—We are dedicated to establishing a safe, healthy, and drug-free environment for homeless people. Access Support Network—We are looking for 1-2 volunteers to work 3-4 hours one day per week for 1-3 months. Estrella Warbirds Museum—If you are interested in aircraft, military history and/or automobiles,
The Paso Robles Horse Park Foundation thanks all those who showed support throughout their first year and made it possible to gift more than $7,500. At the beginning of 2016, the Paso Robles Horse Park began its Foundation with a mission to promote accessibility to equestrian sports and activities to the local community, while raising funds to support handicapped and underprivileged children. Throughout the year and over the course of four schooling shows, the Paso Robles Horse Park Foundation gifted over $7,500 with the help of competitors, spectators and supporters. The organizations gifted included: The Pink Wall Cancer Network, and Jack’s Helping Hand. For more information about the Paso Robles Horse Park Foundation and all upcoming 2017 events, please visit www.PasoRoblesHorsePark.com.
morro bar art association workshop
Morro Bay Art Association is proud to present a workshop in soft pastel by award winning artist, Greg Trombly. Discover the magic of pastels in a relaxed and supportive environment, focusing on basic drawing and observation skills. This workshop is designed to provide plenty of hands on guidance, allowing students to work from reference photos of their choice. Students from beginner to advanced are welcome. This course is held during three Thursdays in February. Emphasis will be placed on composition, color and value. Greg will begin each workshop with a short demonstration, followed by independent work from personal reference photos and instructor guidance. Week one will begin with a demo of, “The Landscape or Seascape.” Week two will begin with a demo of, “The Floral Rockscape.” Week three will begin with a demo of an animal. Connect with other artists and learn basic skills in soft pastel. A materials list will be provided. Take one or all three workshops! COST: $30. Members; $35 non-Members per class. WHERE: Art Center Morro Bay, 835 Main Street, Morro Bay, CA WHEN: Thursdays, February 9th, 16th and 23rd 1pm – 4pm REGISTER: Reserve your space online at www.artcentermorrobay.org CONTACT: 805-772-2504 or email: artcenter.morrobay@gmail.com F E B R U A R Y
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