6 15 journal plus web

JOHN WHITFORD | LINDSEY MILSTEAD | JOHN L AMBIE | ODDET TE AUGUSTUS | SUSAN CHANDLER

JournalPLUS JUNE 2015

MAGA ZINE OF THE CENTRAL COAST

GRACE MCINTOSH & JOHN SPATAFORE

HELPING THE HOMELESS

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Upscale Tuscan inspired townhome in the gated community of La Ventana near Marian Medical Center. This 2104 sq. ft., 3 bedroom plus loft/extra room, 2.5 bath attached townhome features a spacious living room with fireplace and separate large dining room, Kitchen is open and spacious. The private backyard is perfect for entertaining! $399,000

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Oak Park Gardens PUD, Single Level corner unit 2 bedroom in move-in condition. Large master bedroom. mirrored wardrobe doors. Nice kitchen loaded with cabinets and updated appliances.

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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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ODDETTE AUGUSTUS

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

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JOHN WHITFORD

LINDSEY MILSTEAD

ADVERTISING Steve Owens CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Susan Stewart, Natasha Dalton, Joseph Carotenuti, Dr. James Brescia, Sarah Hedger, Maggie Cox, Will Jones, Deborah Cash, Heather Young, Don Morris, Susan Pyburn, Karen Harris, Rebecca LeDuc, Eve Chartrand, Gordon Fuglie, Gail Pruitt, and Carlyn Christianson.

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

PEOPLE

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GRACE MCINTOSH & JOHN SPATAFORE JOHN WHITFORD LINDSEY MILSTEAD JOHN LAMBIE ODDETTE AUGUSTUS

HOME & OUTDOOR 18 20 22 24

SUSAN CHANDLER BONNIE TEVELDE VETERANS—CALL TO THE COLORS FOOD / AT THE MARKET

COMMUNITY

26 27 28 30 31 32 34 36 42

MUSEUM OF ART PASO ARTSFEST SLO COUNTY ART SCENE GREATEST ATHLETES OF SLO FESTIVAL MOZAIC HISTORY: Horatio M. Warden OUR SCHOOLS—Dr. James Brescia PALM STREET—Councilwoman Christianson COMMUNITY BULLETIN BOARD

BUSINESS

37 DOWNTOWN SLO What’s Happening 46 THOMA FAMILY SCHOLARSHIPS

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COMING UP AT THE

PERFORMING ARTS CENTER RSVP XX: ‘KINSHIP’ June 02 & 04 | 8:00 p.m.

PAC Pavilion Presented by Cal Poly Music Department

EDDIE IZZARD - FORCE MAJEURE June 10 | 7:30 p.m.

Christopher Cohan Center Presented by Cal Poly Arts

WIND BANDS’ SPRING CONCERT June 05 | 8:00 p.m.

Christopher Cohan Center Presented by Cal Poly Music Department

DPAC SHOWCASE 2015 June 27 | 2:00 p.m. & 6:00 p.m.

Alex & Faye Spanos Theatre Presented by Dellos Dance Company

STUDIO@ RYAN’S AMERICAN DANCE PRESENTS

ROLL OUT THE RAD CARPET June 06 | 7:00 p.m.

June 07 | 2:00 p.m.

Alex & Faye Spanos Theatre

ENCORE June 28 | 4:00 p.m.

Alex & Faye Spanos Theatre Presented by CORE Dance Company

SYMPHONY SPRING CONCERT FEATURING TCHAIKOVSKY’S SYMPHONY NO. 5

June 06 | 8:00 p.m.

Christopher Cohan Center Presented by Cal Poly Music Department

WWW.PACSLO.ORG | 805-756-4TIX (4849)

From the publisher

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an Luis Obispo County lost a good friend last month with the passing of Roy Parsons. I first met Roy in the late ’70s when he owned San Luis Mill and Lumber, and I was the Marketing Director for The Tribune. He was a no-nonsense kind of guy, especially in his opinions of the paper. I liked him immediately. We became better friends after I joined the Caballeros, and he was always a big supporter of this magazine. I could always count on Roy’s opinions and suggestions on how to make it better. He volunteered in too many organizations to list here, and helped out many of us on the Central Coast personally. I took this photo of Roy when he was made a Lifetime Member of Caballeros (the highest honor given to a member) in 2005. He will be missed.

This month is once again filled with the good things people are doing on the Central Coast. We begin with Grace McIntosh and John Spatafore and their efforts to provide a better life for our homeless; and we finish with the Thoma Scholarships on page 46. We also have six more profiles about people who make a difference.

Plenty of good reading this month.

Enjoy the magazine.

Steve Owens

CALL US AT 805-541-5800 TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT.

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In preparation for the choir’s tour of Italy & France in July!

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grace mcintosh & John Spatafore helping the homeless

By Susan Pyburn

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t a freeway off-ramp in Los Angeles, a 13-year-old boy and his sister are dropped off and left to fend for themselves by a desperate parent. Five years later, the boy turns up at an “emancipation center” where he is being prepared to make his way in the world. Grace McIntosh never forgot that boy. She was just 22, a USC social work intern. She clearly recalls how embittered he had become by age 18.

As Deputy Director of the Community Action Partnership of San Luis Obispo (CAPSLO), Grace oversees the Homeless Services programs serving people like that abandoned boy and his sister.

“These are not faceless people ... they are somebody’s son or daughter, sister or brother ...” she often reminds staff. Her passion to help was born in those young men she met during her years at the emancipation center. “I fell in love with the work,” she says. Along with a Masters degree in Social Work, she earned a Masters in Public Administration in order to create effective policies and systems, and to help change peoples’ lives.

Local attorney John Spatafore sees people every day “so close to the edge that they easily fall into that hole ... through disability, job loss, or family breakups.” As a former school board member, he recalls that fully 10% of the students were homeless. Youths facing academic difficulties or expulsion were often homeless and/or struggling with family troubles.

John grew up in Utah. He remembers his older brother inviting workers who came up from the deep south as part of President Johnson’s Job Corps to join them for dinner. As they sat around the family table, they made a deep impression on young John. He went on to earn a law degree in San Francisco. When he made his way to San Luis Obispo (SLO), he volunteered at the Mission as a part of the Interfaith Coalition’s Overflow program. Completely staffed by volunteers, that program remains an integral part of homeless services, sheltering single women and families with children, and rotating through participating SLO churches.

Many are turned away. Due to a lack of beds at the Maxine Lewis Memorial Shelter (MLM) on Orcutt Road, up to ten or more on a given night might be given a meal, then sent out to the streets or fields to sleep. Each morning and night, clients must travel several miles between programs for services. Operating costs run high.

Maintenance and repairs required to prop up the aging MLM mobile home units are burdensome.

A new shelter has been desperately needed for years, but finding property has not been easy. The first site proposed met with neighborhood resistance. The present 10 acre site was originally to be sold to U-Haul at the asking price of $3.25M. In a last ditch maneuver to capture a 3-acre piece of the property for CAPSLO, John flew to Phoenix, Arizona (on his own dime) to meet with U-Haul executives and persuade them to apportion a parcel for the project. They agreed, but the deal fell through. Subsequently, the Regional Transit AuthorJ U N E

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ity (RTA) offered to partner with CAPSLO, and a deal was struck.

The required 3-acre site was purchased for $750,000.

In 2014, John formed the non-profit Homeless Foundation of San Luis Obispo County to develop funding for the project, expected to open by early 2017. Ground-breaking at 40 Prado Road is anticipated this fall. The shelter and day program will be housed together in one complex offering comprehensive services for up to 150 people. Dorms for men, women and families will be combined with the day program and staffing from, among other agencies, Social Services, Behavioral Health, and Drug and Alcohol.

Meanwhile, there are always success stories of people moving on.

Last fall, the 50Now program was launched with the ambitious goal of selecting and housing 50 vulnerably homeless individuals. From more than 273 interviews, 23 have already been placed in subsidized housing. Only two have left, due to moving out of the area. Funded by County General Funds, 50Now is expected to save money by providing safety and stability to persons with markedly high use of public services (emergency care, police, and mental health). Participants receive supportive services such as case management, mental health, and substance abuse counseling.

Transitions Mental Health (TMA) oversees the 50Now Program.

As part of a community-wide collaborative effort, meetings are held with multiple agencies to discuss and strategize cases and issues.

The Housing Authority of the City of San Luis Obispo (HASLO) has set aside housing subsidies for 50Now clients. However, the persistent lack of affordable housing impedes progress, as does the

PEOPLE struggle to find landlords who are willing to participate.

“We are not the sole entity when it comes to answering the issues of homelessness,” says Grace. “This really is a community issue.

It takes the community!” John is working with mayors from adjacent cities to create more integrated efforts and to gain a better understanding of “... what really works.”

Both Grace and John agree there are at least two segments to the homeless population in the city of SLO. One, very public, is found on the streets, in parks, and often panhandling.

Others are less visible, availing themselves of services and struggling to move on. At CAPSLO, a strict sobriety-based policy keeps the doors tight. Since many in the former group do not seek services, when problems arise they must be addressed by police, the Downtown Association and the Chamber of Commerce.

As to the underlying causes of homelessness, the high cost of housing throughout the county tops the list, underscored by a stunningly low (1.7%) vacancy rate in a city with one of the lowest levels of low and moderateincome housing in the state.

“The whole city has to ... look at this issue,” urges Grace. Low-end jobs often go to col-

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lege students. “Head of household” jobs are scarce, and the lack of a living wage creates a near-impossible struggle. “Until these issues are addressed, we’ll have shelters,” says John.

A fundraising campaign for the new shelter will kick-off in the fall. An estimated $2.2 million will be needed. Volunteers are invited to offset costs by helping with construction. Already, there are offers to donate professional services but professional expertise is not required.

Friends of Prado, dedicated volunteers and fundraisers, are partnering with the Homeless Foundation and the city and county of SLO to develop an endowment fund for long term operational support. Further information on the development of this long-awaited project can be found at 40prado.org. So far, no name has been chosen. Naming rights remain available.

We cannot know what became of the boy and his sister abandoned on that off-ramp back in 1983. However, each night there are new faces of all ages turning up at the shelter, many of them scarred by abuse and neglect, loss and disability. It is a sad cycle that keeps repeating ... until and unless we can find out what really works, and create the will to end it. That’s what Grace and John are about.

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john whitford

emergency satellite cares program is ready to roll

By Deborah Cash

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ohn Whitford’s emergency communication system was not an inexpensive venture to develop. “Have you used it yet?” he’s often asked—to which he replies, “No. But will we use it? Positively.” Whitford, owner of John Whitford Communications in Atascadero, is a partner with the Satellite CARES (Community Aid Relief Efforts) program where national nonprofits Satellite Broadcast Communication Association (SBCA) and the Information Technology Disaster Resource Center (ITDRC) work with locally based satellite products dealers to provide communication resources during a disaster that strikes within their local community. Whitford’s mobile unit, along with trained technicians, can provide service to hundreds of customers at a time who need to contact family and friends in the case of loss of cell phone and internet service and other fallout of natural or man-made disasters that have reduced or eliminated being in touch with the “outside” world.

“We want to get people back to normal as quickly as possible,” Whitford said. “This is a free service where our satellite partners, in this case Exede Internet, open their modems to the widest bandwidth possible. The whole point is to provide a service so those affected can let family members know they’re okay; that loss of connection is 80% of the stress of a disaster situation.” Whitford said while the best-case scenario would be to “never have to use it,” there are so many things that can happen. He was approached by the two national communications organizations to be a local provider and jumped at the chance—and while it did require some investment on his part, he was more than happy to get it up and going. “I like to serve my community,” Whitford said. While the SBCA and ITDRC have resources, he added, it could take a lot of critical time for their services to be available. “I’m local, I can set up quickly, I have my own portable trailer and antennae, satellite Internet, satellite phone, HDTV and Wi-Fi for use by local county-wide emergency operations personnel.”

Whitford arrived at his current profession and love for community involvement after developing an interest in radio post-high school in Norco, CA. He attended Orange County Broadcasting Headquarters and began his career as a disc jockey and program director for a radio station. Later, he said he worked for small town stations, “doing everything, including the electronics work.” He was drawn to the communications side of the business and after a stint in Grand Junction, CO, relocated to San Luis Obispo and worked as an installer for Falcon Cable in the early 1980s. An entrepreneur at heart, he later started his own business and, realizing that times were changing, focused on the new up and coming technologies such as satellite. “I installed the very first DirecTV in Atascadero,” he said. “The digital age had just started. I attended a lot of training sessions and today I require all my distributors to have product training.” As a local authorized dealer for a number of companies, Whitford has enjoyed the advent of newer, faster technology including satellite phones where callers can access communication with others in about 90 percent of the world. “They’re cheap life insur-

He’s also supported in his efforts to be a disaster support center by local law enforcement agencies. “We work closely with the SLO County Sheriff’s Department; in time of disaster, they’d be in command and we’d deploy to wherever we’re needed,” Whitford explained.

John and his wife, Robin J U N E

The Comedic Cowboy Stuntmen, Cockeyed Cowboys. John is lower right.

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PEOPLE accessible only by helicopter. “Pretty sure it saved his life,” he said.

It wasn’t all work for Whitford as a young man, though. He and a group of friends performed as professional comedic stuntmen known as the Cockeyed Cowboys, offering their OK Corral style of shoot-outs and bar fights at fairs, festivals and campgrounds.

While he no longer falls off balconies or brandishes his six-gun, he still has fun being involved in his local community and enjoys many activities through the Atascadero Chamber of Commerce and showcases his mobile unit at community functions, radio station events, home shows and rodeos.

The Whitford Mobile Communication Unit

ance,” he explained about why people often rent them for a period during a backpacking trip, or in one case, a horseback riding venture where one of the group was injured on the ride and thanks to the device was able to call for emergency help in a remote area

Whitford, the father of three and granddad to seven, lives in Atascadero with his wife Robin who was born and raised in SLO and keeps busy with her job in customer service at Haggen’s as well as taking care of her 25 chickens, four geese and backyard garden. Whitford adds they love their Chihuahua/mix dogs Zoey, Izzy and Taco, all rescues.

Life is good for Whitford who says that even though the new normal in his industry is “up

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and down,” he loves his business, loves communication and is grateful to give back to his community. “This area has been good to me and my family both as a place to live and do business.” His personal pledge is to be the “Best in the West,” a code he lives by: Live each day with courage Take pride in your work Always finish what you start Do what has to be done Be tough but fair When you make a promise, keep it Talk less, say more Ride for the brand Remember, some things aren’t for sale and, Know where to draw the line.

Sounds like a great guy who really CARES— in bad times, or good!

John Whitford Communications has made technician John Rickwald, Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Trainer, available as a public service speaker for groups, clubs and public events on the topic of Disaster Preparedness and getting home during an emergency. He can be booked by calling 805-461-3030.

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1020 Palm Street, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401 – www.ernstlawgroup.com – (805) 541-0300 J U N E

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lindsey milstead

cross cultural solutions volunteer New Delhi, India

By Will Jones

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n an era when almost sixty percent of college students take six years to earn their bachelor’s degrees, 2011 San Luis Obispo High School graduate, Lindsey Milstead, completed her studies at Northern Arizona University in three-and-a-half, with a major in psychology and minors in business and sociology. “I loved psychology and the liberal arts. I wasn’t really trying for a minor but I took so many classes that it worked out.” Lindsey’s enthusiasm for learning and college success is a reflection of lessons learned early in life.

After attending Sinsheimer Elementary School and Laguna Middle School, Lindsey became fully engaged in high school life. She played soccer, danced, was a member of the cheerleading team and the high school leadership team, and continued with 4H which started when she was nine. “I raised animals and attended the Mid State Fair for many years. I was an active, involved kid, typical of a lot of kids who grow up in San Luis Obispo.”

Lindsey attributes her work ethic to her family’s influence. “You learn from the people around you, and my parents have always worked hard. They’re my role models. My dad owns Scotty’s Bar and Grill in Pismo Beach and my mom, Dana, has worked for a long time at Edna Valley Vineyard.” Lindsey’s brother, Jack, currently attends Cal Poly as an Agricultural Business major. “My family is very close and hardworking and is always trying to help others. I’ve been surrounded by good people all my life.”

Outside of her family, Lindsey credits her high school counselor, Shelley Benson, for inspiring her to pursue psychology as a field of study, and counseling as a career. “I loved Mrs. Benson. Seeing her work with her students got me really excited about what I could do in the future. Participating in the Peer Mentoring Program at the high school also had a big influence on me.”

Lindsey’s world view expanded at the NAU campus in Flagstaff due to the diversity of the population, including many Native American

During weekends Lindsey toured the country including the Taj Mahal.

students, and the friends she made, some of whom came from backgrounds much less positive and supportive than hers. “A good friend’s mom had been in and out of prison her whole life, and another friend’s mom had a lot of problems with drugs and alcohol. It opened my eyes, got me out of my San Luis Obispo bubble, and continued to influence my interest in counseling. I was very lucky and blessed to live in SLO, but it was important for me to go away and learn more about what’s out there. My experience also helped me have a greater appreciation for my home town environment.”

Knowing that she was finishing school early and would have many months ahead of her before starting graduate school, Lindsey started researching options for how to use her time. “I had always been fascinated by India, and it was a place I hoped to visit sometime in my life.

It’s so colorful and vibrant. I love Indian food and the way India is portrayed in movies. My interest was kind of naïve, but it led me to a great experience.” While researching jobs and internships, Lindsey discovered a world-wide non-profit, Cross Cultural Solutions (CCS), and the

Lindsey’s students

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Lindsey with three new friends.

Marketplace

possibility of volunteering in India. “I called my mom and said ‘I think I know what I want to do after I graduate.’ My family was kind of shocked but quickly got behind the idea.”

Agra, home of the Taj Mahal. “It was perfect because I was doing meaningful work during the week but also had the opportunity to see different areas of India.”

Lindsey signed up in October, went through all the paperwork and vaccinations required to go to India, and left at the end of January to work as an aide in a pre-school in New Delhi.

“The school was in a slum and had almost nothing other than teachers. It was a concrete box with two rooms and one chalkboard.

There were almost no supplies. Through CCS we were able to provide educational materials and to assist the teachers. There were thirtyfive students assigned to each classroom, but only about fifteen to twenty showed up each day and there was a lot of turnover.”

Having been to India myself, in 2007, as a Rotary volunteer administering polio vaccines to children, I recalled the initial shock of arriving in New Delhi and encountering vastly different conditions than what I was used to in San Luis Obispo. Lindsey experienced a similar shock. “I remember while flying in that the air looked kind of foggy until I realized it was just the normal air quality. And then it really hit me when we were driving. The traffic was crazy and the streets were jammed with tuk-tuks. And we saw beautiful houses next to tents and piles of debris. There was no separation of wealth and poverty. It was a different world.”

On the weekends during her three-week stay, Lindsey traveled to Jaipur, Rishikesh and

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Transportation

Mark Twain: “Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one’s lifetime.”

Lindsey affirmed that her time in India was a “100% good experience. It’s hard to put into words, but it helped me understand the difference between what we have in America and what it’s like elsewhere in the world. You have to see it to really understand. At first I was saddened by what I saw in India, but then I realized how kind, happy and hospitable Indian people are. They don’t have what we have but they make it work. I fell in love with the people and the country and cried when it was time to leave, but it wasn’t hard to come back to familiar comforts.”

The work of one of Lindsey’s students.

From San Luis Obispo to Flagstaff to India and now back home again, Lindsey has begun a lifetime journey of doing what she hopes will help others. From our conversation, I think she would agree with

805 Aerovista #103, San Luis Obispo J U N E

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john Lambie living in the moment

By Natasah Dalton “I’ve tried simply to write the best I can. Sometimes I have good luck and write better than I can.” —Hemingway John Lambie describes his work in the recent Wine Country Theatre production of On Golden Pond as a joyous experience. “In this character I had to play up the age a bit,” Mr. Lambie says, “but it was a very good role for me. I really enjoyed the group I worked with. I had a good time.”

“John is a brilliant actor; he was fantastic! He exceeded my expectations,” says the theater’s director and Mr. Lambie’s long-time friend Cynthia Anthony. Ms. Anthony loved his interpretation of the role, especially the amount of humor the local actor brought into the play.

“Our production was actually a comedy, with dramatic themes and moments,” she says.

The role of Norman Thayer Jr. marks a turning point in Mr. Lambie’s own life: he just found his way back to Paso Robles—the place, where he is well-remembered and loved as an actor, a teacher and a coach.

He first came to the Central Coast as a freshly-minted graduate of the University of Utah. Within a week in the area, he was offered the role of Curly McLain at the Paso Robles’ Pioneer Players’ first production of Oklahoma.

“This theater was very, very popular and very active at that time, and I’ve met tons of people through it,” Mr. Lambie says. “I loved working on-stage with this amazing group of people all the way through the ’70s and the ’80s.”

His theater friends later helped him find a full-time teaching job. “It was strange,” Mr. Lambie recalls. “I wanted to write for television and do other things, and I wasn’t interested in staying [at the English Department], but Bob Rader (who isn’t around any longer), a retiring Special Education teacher, said, ‘If not English, how about Special Education?’”

The deal was sealed. For 35 years Mr. Lambie taught Special Education at PRHS, eventually adding a Master’s of Science in Special

Lambie painting “Forest Light” J U N E

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Education and teaching credentials to the two degrees he already had: graduate and undergraduate (with a double major in English and Theater). He also coached girls’ basketball, boys’ and girls’ tennis, football. “I enjoyed it all,” he says.

With his education and acting experience, it was only a matter of time before Mr. Lambie became involved in the stage productions of the Drama Department as well. He started by choreographing musicals directed by Glen Smeltzer, then moved on to teaching a class on Advanced Drama, and, after Mr. Smeltzer retired, took over the entire Department.

“I was fortunate to have a wonderful experience there, working with Glen and with students,” Mr. Lambie says. And the students enjoyed working with Mr. Lambie: a whole number of the PRHS alums, including Mr. Lambie’s own children, went on to become theater professionals. “Mr. Lambie is a great person,” says Aaron Cantrell, the Chair of the English Department. “Everyone adores him.”

And yet, in 2008, still a few years short of retirement, Mr. Lambie turned in his resignation and moved to Scotland.

Although the move took many by surprise, the choice of the destination wasn’t unexpected: since childhood Scotland has been one of John’s favorite places. Then, years later, it was Scotland where he rediscovered love. It happened when—after receiving an airline promotional offer for a free vacation for two at a location of his choice— he chose Scotland as the place to visit.

Salmon House in Scotland

PEOPLE children and grandchildren.”

So, he went to Los Angeles.

“I put myself up for a couple of auditions and booked them both; met several agents and ended up having representation just after a couple of weeks in the city,” he recalls.

This just doesn’t happen in LA; things were really looking up.

The view from the bedroom window, Scotland

Finding a traveling companion wasn’t as easy: neither friends, nor family members were available to join him on this trip. For years John—at that time a single father of two—had heard from his brother Joe (a former regular on Edge Of Night, General Hospital, MacGiver, Falconcrest, Little House on the Prairie and other popular shows) about a fellow actress, Margie Bowman, and, in desperation, decided to give her a call.

He preempted his message on Margie’s answering machine with the words: “This isn’t a crank call”—and was still surprised (and delighted) to hear that Margie accepted his offer.

The 21-day-long blind date turned into a movie-like vacation. The two hit it off right away.

“We were interested in the same things and we laughed 24/7,” John recalls. The following year, the couple got married—and soon John bought a house in Scotland for family vacations.

“Margie had a life-threatening medical condition,” John explains. “Her way of dealing with it was to live freely and to do what she wanted. With Margie, I, too, learned to live in the moment.”

Talking about the essence of the acting career, Mr. Lambie sums it up in two words: good auditions. “My job isn’t to get a role, or become rich and famous,” the actor says. “My job is to show up at the audition mentally, physically and emotionally prepared to do my best. That’s the only thing I can control.”

In that sense, auditions are akin to college applications, and as a teacher, Mr. Lambie made a point to remind his students not to take rejection as a judgment on their character or their talent.

“Of all the card-carrying members of the Screen Actors Guild, less than 1% is making a living solely by acting. If you’re talking statistics, becoming an actor isn’t a good choice,” Mr. Lambie says. “Yet, this 1% includes thousands of people.”

“If you go to Los Angeles to become an actor with the idea to give yourself six months and then quit—then you’re going to quit,” he says.

“But if you’re going to Los Angeles with the

Sadly, Margie only had a couple of years to enjoy Scotland. After she passed away John returned to the States. “I have friends in Scotland,” he says. “But I wanted to be closer to my

intention to keep knocking on doors until one opens (and it’s not easy to do), it’s going to happen. The job goes to the last man standing.”

But in January, after two golden years in Los Angeles, John Lambie decided to move back home. He’d been dealing with another tragedy—the recent loss of his son Joel—when Cynthia Anthony offered John the role of Norman Thayer Jr. This job offer became not just another professional opportunity, but also a chance to reconnect with his old friends.

Back on the Central Coast, John Lambie found the beauty of this area, its slower, comfortable pace, and, above all, the kindness and support shown to him by his many acquaintances and colleagues, to be both healing and inspiring.

“I’m very glad I took the role of Norman,” says Mr. Lambie. “I was really humbled by the number of people from all strata of my life – teaching, athletics, BBQs, motorcycle trips—who came to see the show and welcome me back.”

This summer Mr. Lambie will be working in Ashland, Oregon, playing Herr Shultz in a musical Cabaret. “I love singing,” he says. But these days, he has a new passion to pursue. A few years ago, after taking a 2-day workshop with an Irishman Peter Gray, Mr. Lambie began to paint. By the end of the only class he’s ever taken, he completed his first landscape, and “really thought that it was wonderful.”

He’s been painting like crazy ever since.

And that first landscape? It now graces Cynthia Anthony’s house. “It’s a hauntingly beautiful oil painting of the view from his 150-year-old house on the harbor in Gardenstown, Scotland,” Ms. Anthony explains.

“It just goes to prove that we’re constantly becoming, and creativity can, and should, change as we do; and as our lives contract and expand, we can always discover new ways to be expressive. That’s the exciting part!”

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So, when in 2008 Margie suggested a move to Scotland, John immediately agreed.

“Scotland is one of the most beautiful countries in the world,” Mr. Lambie says.

“My home there is stunning; it’s peaceful, it’s welcoming.” The village where he lived was welcoming, too: John quickly found a new job, new friends and new hobbies.

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SLO / Avila / Los Osos / Morro Bay / Cayucos / Cambria / South County: Annie Clapp 878-8876 North County: Sandy Hexberg 235-1529 J U N E

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PEOPLE

Oddette Augustus Adventurer, Administrator, survivor, entrepreneur

By Karen Harris

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raduating high school at the age of 16, Oddette Augustus took a trip to Africa that would forever change her world view. Visiting Sierra Leone, Ghana, and Nigeria, Oddette experienced cultures that would forever be embedded in her identity. “This was the first time I’d been in a predominantly black area,” explains Oddette. In Ghana, the women were wrapped in red cloth and shaved their heads showing respect for the mourning of the Ashanti King. King Asantehene Prempeh II was the fourteenth ruler of the Kingdom of Ashanti, now present-day southern Ghana, and reigned from 1931 until his death in 1970.

Oddette felt embraced by the people she met on this two-month journey. “The older women were fascinated by my hair and I had two marriage proposals—one from a grandmother on behalf of her grandson studying in England.”

Another defining experience while in Sierra Leone was when she visited Bunce Island, the 18th century slave castle where thousands of slaves were shipped to the North American colonies. “Standing in the dungeon, the enclosure felt so oppressed I began to have trouble breathing.” This historic site is protected as a reminder of the people who “vowed they’d never let the world forget.”

After her overseas travels in 1970, Oddette toted her belongings off to Grambling State University in Louisiana. Influenced by the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s, she adorned her room with posters of Malcolm X, Martin Luther King Jr., the Black Panther Party, Harriet Tubman, and Sojourner Truth. Directly, she was told by her dorm mother to take them down. “We don’t subscribe to black power here.”

Only the poster of Martin Luther King Jr. was allowed.

Feeling lost in this small town in the Deep South, she finished a lonesome semester at Grambling and enrolled in Sacramento State as a Social Science major. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree in 1973.

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Oddette worked as a substitute teacher from 1973-1980 in the Pomona area. She raised two children, a daughter who currently works at AT&T in Vacaville and a son employed by Conoco Phillips in Arroyo Grande.

Also working for McDonalds Corporation in 1978, she received business training as an assistant manager attending Hamburger High. She moved back to her hometown of Stockton in 1982 and embarked on a 20-plus year career for the Department of Corrections. “That’s how I ended up living in Paso Robles in 1999.” She retired from the former California Youth Authority located in Paso Robles in 2003 after working her way up to program administrator.

“I loved the Youth Authority up north. We mentored the kids by always keeping in mind their best interest. Our goal was to immerse them back into the community as a positive influence. We rehabilitated them with respect.”

Before retiring, she used her business training earlier in life to start her own company, Miss Oddette, which sells BBQ sauce, a cookbook, provides catering and a “Reservations for Eight” service where she handles all the cooking and clean up.

In 2001, Oddette was diagnosed with polycystic kidney disease. She denied dialysis treatment because “that’s not living” and used diet, Biscuits for an employee appreciation breakfast.

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Preparing for a feast.

exercise, and de-stressors through meditation and spiritual practices to combat the disorder.

Eventually, a kidney transplant was imperative. At the time a donor was available, a life-threatening infection made her inoperable. With the support of friends in the community, Dixie and Rick Ridge, she was nursed back to health which required eight weeks of dialysis. “I don’t remember much of the first two weeks except my son encouraging me to keep trying.”

A friend at Oddette’s church, Michelle Gideon, offered to donate a kidney. Realizing interracial matches can be difficult, they proceeded with the numerous tests. It was determined they were compatible, and on May 25, 2010 the transplant took place. “My kidney function is excellent today. The fog is gone and I feel wonderful.”

Oddette is grateful for her friends in the community who took her through this life-threatening illness including the support of her business associates, Darren and Robin Hallette of Coastal Distributors in Atascadero, who encouraged her to keep her business going while struggling with her health.

Maintaining her state of well-being while enjoying her business, keeping a positive attitude, and hiking the hills of Paso Robles, Oddette proclaims “Life is so much fuller now. I’m living for today, existing in the now, and doing what I love.”

Contact Oddette through Facebook at Miss Oddette’s BBQ Sauces or missoddettes.com

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Hoola-hooping at Mission Plaza after her transplant.

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HOME/OUTDOOR

Disability access champion

susan chandler

By Heather Young

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usan Chandler has been in a wheelchair since 1981. She broke her back after falling 20 feet off a cliff and landing on her back. That fall caused her to be paralyzed from the waist down—a paraplegic. “I can’t use my legs, I can’t walk,” Chandler said. It sent her into a life changing direction.

After her accident and a failed marriage, she earned her master’s in public administration from the University of Utah. From there, she was able to move to Sacramento through the governor’s fellowship through Sacramento State.

She worked for different organizations around the state both as a paid employee and a volunteer. She now is president of Californians for Disability Rights, Inc., a nonprofit that works for access, “for justice, for equality, for independence.” The organization was founded in 1970 as the California Association of the Physically Handicapped. Its mission is to “improve quality of life for all persons with any disability through education and training, by working to remove barriers through advocacy and change in public policy.”

REIS FAMILY M O RT U A R I E S

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“CDR monitors all legislation that is being proposed and they make sure there’s nothing bad in it for disabled people,” Chandler said, adding that someone from the organization will talk to the bill’s author, testify at hearings and “rally the troops” to write letters. She said part of what the group does is to educate the legislators.

The Los Osos resident joined the organization—then California Association of the Physically Handicapped—when she moved to California in 1989. Her outgoing personally that led her to the association is what makes her good at what she does. While the Californians for Disability Rights’ newsletter and updates are sent to paid members—which is no more than $25 per person per year—Chandler maintains her own email list, sending out updates on issues related to people with disabilities.

“CDR is a member-supported organization,” Chandler said. “We don’t get grants, no government money.”

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Sue Porter, Susan, Alice Cohen and Becky Carroll and Casper.

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When he returned to Cal Poly to finish his degree, Chandler said the professors said, “We don’t have disabled architects.” Ed Chandler persisted and earned his bachelor’s degree in architecture and went to work for the state designing accessible buildings.

The Chandlers met in 1989 in Sacramento.

They moved to Los Osos in September 2006.

They decided to move to the county because although Ed grew up in Fresno, his family traveled to Morro Bay every other weekend.

The family has a cabin in Cayucos.

The Chandlers looked at homes all around the area before settling on their current home.

A blanket she made for those in need.

The big issue going through the state capital, Chandler said, is a push for the governor to restore the State Supplementary Payment, which was reduced by 7 percent in 2009.

Additionally, she said that there’s no teeth in the Americans with Disabilities Act, except for the fact that people can sue for access, but she said that doesn’t always result in the problem being fixed. She also said there’s an issue with people who have disabilities suing taking the money, but nothing being fixed.

She married Ed Chandler, 12 years ago. Her husband rolled a Volkswagen in 1968 when he was 21 and attending Cal Poly, majoring in architecture. He was in a coma for a month and in rehab for a year. He now shows effects, Chandler said, of having a stroke.

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“It turned out this was the best for accessibility—there were no steps,” Chandler said. Since moving in, the house has been modified to accommodate Chandler’s wheelchair—larger door frames with doors that open all the way, lower counters and nothing under the counters to allow her chair to get under them.

Chandler has two children and three grandchildren. Her son and two grandchildren live in Salt Lake City; her daughter lives in San Luis Obispo and is a lecturer at Cal Poly. Ed has two sons. Together they have three small dogs.

Susan and Nancy Ruehl

She is a member of the SLO United Church of Christ, where she has participated in many ministries, including making dresses to be sent to Uganda and Peru. She also works with the clients at Escuela del Rio to make Fidget Quilts for people with Alzheimer’s. She goes to the day center for adults with developmental disabilities every second and fourth Wednesday for about three hours to sew the small blankets, which include snaps, lace, Velcro, leather and fuzzy material. She’s also been a member of the League of Women Voters.

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the tevelde conservatory of music’s bonnie tevelde –

perfect pitch and the power of music

By Susan Stewart her small body, but not her spirit. Though the accident and long recovery had devastating financial effects on her parents, for Bonnie, the accident only enhanced her musical life.

A small settlement led to new instruments, better schools, and the best teachers available. Soon Bonnie was attending a private school where, as a young teen, she would sneak into the brand new concert hall (whose ceilings were lined with 14-karat gold) to play music on the 9-foot, hand-made Steinway Concert Grand piano.

“Because of the quality of the auditorium, there were always world-class musicians around,” said Bonnie. “I would listen to them rehearsing and wish it was me.”

Bonnie te Velde

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he began listening to music before she was born. A passionate music lover, Bonnie teVelde’s mother placed headphones on her pregnant belly so that her yet-to-be-born daughter could hear classical music’s greatest composers more clearly. As a newborn, her parents would dance her around the living room to their favorite songs, and later they would sit her on their laps while they played the family organ. Before she was two, Bonnie was caught on camera standing on her tip toes, trying in vain to reach the keys. She started lessons at the age of 3.

By the time she reached adolescence, Bonnie had learned to play organ, piano, accordion, and flute. She played in the school band, sang in the choirs, and participated in all things musical. She was born with Perfect Pitch, a genetic gift (from her father) that allows its bearer to identify a specific note without an instrument reference. This makes learning music easier “because I can hear exactly which note I need to play in any given song,” she explains.

Natural talent plus passion passed on from her parents led to many early awards, to first place wins at contests, and to the writing and eventual recording of a dozen original songs.

But Bonnie’s story today is more about the successes of her students than it is about her own. Though she would sing and perform as part of a highly successful mixed quartet for 15 years, Bonnie married and had a family of her own. Following a difficult divorce, she set aside her music to make a living … as an accountant!

“I can’t remember a time when I didn’t want to play and sing,” she said. “I would stand in the center aisle at church and conduct the choir from there every chance I got.”

“I loved creating a business and showing my clients how to get smart about managing their money,” she admits. “But I hated the actual work of accounting and tax preparation. I knew there was a higher purpose for me out there.”

But just after her 6th birthday, a wall came tumbling down—quite literally—crushing

So she moved to the Central Coast and began teaching private music

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lessons out of her home in Arroyo Grande.

“I knew that somehow I was going to start a school,” she said, “and it was going to change my life and the lives of every student in it.”

In 1997, she founded The teVelde School of Music in Arroyo Grande with one teaching room and a handful of students. Here, she offered custom-tailored lessons for whole brain learning (using both the right and the left hemispheres of the brain to complement and enhance learning) for piano, guitar, drums, flute, and voice. Lessons are customized to personality type and learning style, and teachers are selected for compatibility in those areas. Today, the “school” has become a “conservatory” with several teaching rooms, 18 teachers, 4 apprentic es, 8 tutors and more than 400 students, ranging in age from 2 to 76. About ten percent of these, or around 40, have mild to quite serious disabilities, ranging from children with ADD or ADHD to people who are blind, deaf, autistic, or have cerebral palsy or traumatic brain injuries.

Tara Olson is a 31-year-old student who came to Bonnie a few years ago filled with a desire to learn how to play the piano. Tara suffered a catastrophic accident more than 13 years ago that left her with severe limitations in both her hands, and almost zero short-term memory capacity. She made very slow progress over the next two years, and little by little her hand dexterity began to improve. At the start of year three, Bonnie began using her own innovative TAP method, the teVelde Absolute Pitch method, with Tara.

“It’s a color-based system,” said Bonnie, “and because it uses primarily right-brained or associative processing, it’s perfect for working with people who have brain injuries.”

Two months ago, Tara achieved the impossible (say the experts in her kind of brain

Three students in the MUSE Program: Drummer and Vocalist –Jose Sanchez, Vocalist –Tina Green and Pianist and Drummer– Arun Pickeering

HOME/OUTDOOR to him at a Christmas concert. Today they are boyfriend and girlfriend.

“Giving Tina a means for communicating her feelings to her first love meant more to her life than any amount of schoolwork she has ever done,” said Bonnie. “It was one of the most moving performances I have ever heard; there wasn’t a dry eye in the house.”

TAP Program student: Tara Olson with Bonnie TeVelde.

injury). She played a song using her right hand to play melody; her left to play harmony—at the same time. Her brain has been reprogrammed to control both hands, all five fingers of each hand, and has connected melody to rhythm and harmony … in one hemisphere. As if that weren’t miracle enough, Tara is now remembering to practice; she’s remembering the things they talked about in previous lessons, she’s remembering which fingers go where. In short, her short-term memory has been strengthened.

Recently, Bonnie decided Tara needed to set a goal that would inspire her to improve even more. She challenged her to play a concert … in two years. A big concert, at the Performing Arts Center, for every doctor who has treated her, for every person who has helped her and believed in her on her long journey back from the accident. Tara agreed and is practicing regularly for the big event.

“I truly believe that when Tara’s brain finishes the development necessary to learn a piano piece, with both hands, memorize it, and play it fluently, she will have all the mental skills she needs to live independently,” said Bonnie. “If you want to know why I do what I do, this is it.”

And then there’s Tina. Tina also suffers from traumatic brain injury, on top of which, she is painfully shy. “I knew that people with brain injuries almost always can sing before they can speak,” said Bonnie. “Sure enough, as soon as Tina began to sing, I realized she had a photographic memory for sound.”

Three years later, Tina sings in concert. And six months ago, she met a blind boy with whom she was smitten but could not find the words to convey her feelings. Tina overcame her shyness by writing her feelings for him into a song—a song she performed as a gift

Gifted or challenged, healthy or injured, every student benefits from learning music.

Music makes us smarter; it’s a proven fact.

Music education makes children 34% better at spatial reasoning, which makes them better at both math and language. Studying piano before the age of 10 can increase a child’s IQ by 5 – 7 points. No other activity actually makes your brain smarter! (see New York Times article “Is Music the Key to Success?”)

But what about children who can’t afford lessons, much less the piano to practice with?

Enter MUSE, Bonnie’s 501c3 nonprofit organization founded in 2013 to raise funds that provide scholarships and instruments to students who otherwise could not afford them (museartsed.org). This one hundred percent volunteer organization has so far given out more than 30 free pianos and $35,000 in music lessons to students with severe hardships and disabilities.

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The day before she spoke to Journal Plus, Bonnie visited the home of a new student who was in a wheelchair and couldn’t practice on a standard-sized piano. Later the same day, she got a phone call from a woman whose mother taught piano for decades in Atascadero. Bea Anson owned a Kimball grand piano, an instrument she’d saved a lifetime for. Now her daughter wanted to donate Bea’s piano to MUSE. It was the perfect match for Bonnie’s new student.

“That’s the synergy of this!” Bonnie marveled. “It happens every day.”

Bonnie teVelde, Founder and CEO of The teVelde Conservatory of Music, wishes to acknowledge the following key players: Dr. Michael Walker–Assistant Administrator.

Treven Fry–District Manager. Josh Wisneiwski–Artist-in-residence and CVO (Chief Visionary Officer). Emily Zimmerman– Teacher Trainer / Training Manager. Gerald “JJ” Jackson–co-author of the TAP method.

Give the gift of music education to those who can’t afford it. Support MUSE by visiting http://www.museartsed.org/#!donate/cmid.

“It is our mission to grow MUSE until not one student in the United States who would benefit from a music education goes without one,” says Bonnie.

Bonnie is also the creator of School of Rock summer camps, a co-founder of the International Conservatory of Musician Educators, the creator of the TAP method of teaching Perfect Absolute Pitch, and founder of the South County Children’s Choir. In 2005, she was honored by the Chinese government with the highest award that can be given to a non-Chinese citizen for judging and coaching advanced piano students at the 4th Annual International Piano Competition held in Harbin, China.

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call to the colors Veterans Memorial Museum traveling exhibit—

The anzac centennial: Gallipoli 1915-2015

By Gail Pruitt

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NZAC stands for Australian and New Zealand Army Corps. The Australian War Memorial defines ANZAC Day, April 25, as “...the day on which we remember Australians who served and died in all wars, conflicts, and peacekeeping operations…” ANZAC Day originally honored only members of ANZAC who fought at Gallipoli against the Ottoman

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Empire during World War I. The Local ANZAC Chapter held centennial ceremonies last month in Atascadero and have loaned an exhibit to the Museum which will be on display for the next month.

Gallipoli. At dawn on April 25, 1915 Allied troops landed on the Gallipoli Peninsula in Ottoman Turkey intending to make possible the safe passage of Allied ships through the Dardanelles to capture Constantinople and force Turkey out of the war. The landings were quickly contained by the Ottoman troops however and neither the British nor the ANZAC troops were able to advance. An eight monthlong stalemate developed. Eventually the Allied failure to advance and the escalating number of causalities forced the Allies to abandon the campaign and withdraw to Egypt. Gallipoli was one of the Ottoman Empire’s greatest victories in World War I and was the starting point in the foundation of modern Turkey.

A Stroll Through the Museum

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HOME/OUTDOOR

at the market

Southwestern savory loaf with toasted cumin, zucchini, and pepitas

By Sarah Hedger

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une is a great month on the Central Coast for many things, especially the local farmers’ markets. It’s near the height of Summer with all things wonderful and abundant gracing the tables for us to choose from. It is a great time for salads as few things sound better than a fresh salad with freshly picked tomatoes, zucchini, cucumbers, and fresh herbs. They take very little effort with great reward! During the month of June we see everything from greens to tomatoes, eggplant, summer squash, okra, and a whole range of peppers. In the fruit department there are strawberries, stone fruit including apricots, peaches, plums, and nectarines, as well as raspberries, boysenberries, and the plethora of other summer berries.

It is a great time to enjoy all of it—as fresh is best!

This month’s recipe, Southwestern Savory Loaf with Toasted Cumin, Zucchini, and Pepitas, is a vehicle of sorts, to enjoy the abundance of Summer. It has zucchini, jalapeno, and pasilla peppers in it, however each of those are interchangeable to include any of your own favorite Summer ingredients such as sundried tomatoes, fresh cilantro or

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basil, green onions, corn ... The list goes on and on really. The recipe was adapted from a cookbook I just finished reading called I Quit Sugar (for life). It is written with good intentions for us to ween off the addictive sweets in our lives. While it is definitely a bit of a hot topic right now, and rightly so, I believe there are good things to come from this concept as it is near impossible to not link the gluttonous amount of sugar (the average American eats 150lbs+ per year) to any preventable health ailments. In contrast, 100 years ago, it was only 4lbs per year, which to say is a slight increase would be the understatement (of the century!). For myself, I try to be aware of all things sweet I eat.

I have a sweet tooth that can get out of hand (my mom would agree this is true for her, as well as my grandpa)! Even sweet things that are healthy such as dried fruit and raisins, will trigger me getting a little bit crazy from a sugar high. Sugars in our bodies affect everything from our complex hormone systems, to pH levels, to gut health (thus our moods and immune systems as well). The interesting point the author makes, is it is actually fructose (primarily fruit sugars) which is the culprit as she claims not one biochemical reaction in our body requires fructose because our bodies naturally convert proteins and fats to glucose (energy) once in the body. It is an interesting argument and one I take with a grain of salt as I am a firm believer in the ongoing learning of our bodies and all things they are capable of. They are dynamic and ever-changing and amazing ... lucky us!

And, with that, we focus on a healthy, savory loaf which is nearly a complete meal in itself as it has healthy fats, from the almond meal, eggs, and cheese, as well as some healthy carbs from the vegetables, and it is packed with deliciousness! While my loaf disappeared far too quickly to experiment, I imagine it would be incredible with a good avocado spread

Southwestern savory loaf with toasted cumin, zucchini, and pepitas makes 1 standard loaf For the Loaf:

1 ½ cups almond flour/meal 1 cup tapioca flour 2 tsp cumin seeds, toasted and ground with ½ tsp sea salt ½ tsp baking soda 5 eggs 2 T apple cider vinegar on top. Because there is no yeast to have to wait for, it goes together in a hurry, which is always nice (especially when wanting to minimize the time the oven is on during warmer months). The pumpkin seeds on top add a nice bit of crunch but by all means they could be replaced with sunflower seeds, pine nuts, or chia seeds (just putting that out there).

With that, enjoy the loaf, and enjoy all things Summer!

1 cup zucchini, grated 2 pasilla/poblano peppers, charred and chopped into 1cm pieces 1 pickled jalapeno, chopped 2 T pickled jalapeno juice (from can) 2 oz (½ cup) aged cheddar or jack cheese, grated 1 T olive oil 3 T. pepitas (pumpkin seeds) Preheat oven to 375 degrees and line a loaf pan with baking paper.

Mix dry ingredients together in large bowl. Whisk eggs with cider vinegar and add this to dry ingredients, mixing well. Fold in zucchini, peppers, jalapeno juice, cheese, and olive oil. Pour into loaf pan and sprinkle pepitas on top. Bake for 30 minutes or until firm. Enjoy!

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COMMUNITY

SLO Museum of Art

a closer look: highlights of the permanent collection

By Rebecca LeDuc for a new home for her painting e-mailed Karen Kile, the Museum’s executive director.

Impressed with the Museum’s philosophy and commitment to its collection, Annette Nibley donated Carl, a portrait painted in 1939 by Phil Paradise. Ms. Nibley wrote of her decision to donate the painting to the Museum, “I felt confident that I would be leaving Carl in the hands of people who would provide wonderful stewardship in perpetuity.” This painting by Phil Paradise appeared in the book American Scene Painting: California, 1930s and 1940s.

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t’s all about the permanent collection of the San Luis Obispo Museum of Art. A Closer Look: Highlights of the Permanent Collection will feature paintings, works on paper, and recent acquisitions that exhibit its variety and depth through July 19th. It is also a look at the people and forces that created the San Luis Obispo Museum of Art, how it has evolved, and where it is headed in the future.

Through its permanent collection, the San Luis Obispo Museum of Art preserves and chronicles the history of the visual arts on the Central Coast of California and creates a legacy of the region’s artistic heritage.

Comprised of over 125 original works of art—paintings, prints, drawings, sculpture, photographs, and fine crafts—the collection has been carefully acquired since the 1960s. For more than 30 years, Arne Nybak, longtime volunteer curator, championed the cause of the permanent collection until his death in 1999. The permanent collection continues to grow today thanks to generous donations from collectors, estates, artists, and purchased acquisitions.

Recently, the Museum of Art has acquired a number of important works of art. In early March, a Bay Area art collector looking J U N E

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Another important painting was acquired this spring through a generous donation made by two local art patrons. Their financial gift enabled the Museum to purchase a watercolor painting by George Gibson, one of the great California scene painters of his time and a major source of inspiration for other artists in this region.

Last summer, private collectors from Los Angeles, seeking to gift some of their art to public collections around the country, serendipitously found the San Luis Obispo Museum of Art through word of mouth. Pleased with what they learned, they arranged to donate two paintings by San Miguel based artist, David Settino Scott, whose work they had purchased from Koplin Gallery in 1988 and 1999.

Another avenue by which artwork makes its way into the Museum’s collection is through direct gifts from artists. Over the years, artists have donated as a gesture of gratitude for the Museum’s support, a desire to leave a legacy in a public art collection, or simply as a token of fondness for the institution. A number of these works will be exhibited as part of A Closer Look: Highlights of the Permanent Collection, including those by John Barnard, Terry DeLapp, Douglas Golightly, Dotty Hawthorne, Tony Hertz, Guy Kinnear, Brian Mark Taylor, and Rachael Winn Yon. The new acquisitions, alongside old favorites and some lesser-known pieces of the permanent collection will be on view for two months this spring and summer before returning to safe storage. In some

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sense, this is a rare view into the history and legacy of the San Luis Obispo Museum of Art and the art of the region. It is also a look into the future. The collection, which currently spends most of its time in storage due to lack of dedicated exhibition space, will one day have a gallery of its own. Now in the quiet phase of a capital campaign for its new facility, the San Luis Obispo Museum of Art plans to break ground on a larger, more modern building better suited for the needs of a museum when $15 million in funds are raised ($12 million to build the facility and $3 million in reserve for operations). At that time, these vibrant and historic works of art will have a new home with a dedicated gallery where residents and visitors can celebrate the past, present, and future of this Museum’s exciting and growing permanent collection every day.

A public reception will take place on Friday, June 5 from 6–9 pm in conjunction with Art After Dark.

The San Luis Obispo Museum of Art, dedicated to the education, presentation and preservation of the visual arts on the Central Coast, is located at 1010 Broad Street, on the west end of Mission Plaza.

Hours are 11am – 5pm daily. Closed Tuesdays through July 4. Free admission, donations appreciated. For more info visit SLOMA.org.

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Signature exhibition runs through June 28th

By Eve Chartrand

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xpanding on a tradition of presenting quality contemporary painting, Studios on the Park proudly presents the 2015 PASO ARTSFEST Signature Exhibition. This year’s lineup of invited artists comes from across the United States and abroad and is the result of an exhaustive search on the part of Studios on the Park Founder and Artistic Director, Anne Laddon.

“We are thrilled to introduce these talented painters at the apex of their careers,” says Laddon. “In addition to contributing paintings for the exhibition many are visiting the Central Coast to paint and meet the public at the Wet Painting Sale & Auction. This is an exceptional opportunity to add stunning works in oil, pastel and watercolor to your collection.”

This June, revisit or discover the works of Deladier Almeida, Larisa Aukon, K. Gavin Brooks, John Cosby, Frank Eber, Andy Evansen, W. Truman Hosner, Greg LaRock, Ann Larsen, Ruo Li, Sergio Lopez, Carolyn Lord, Camille Przewodek, Richard Robinson, Dan Schultz, Carol Swinney, John Taft, Elizabeth Tolley, Anne Ward, Kathrine Lemke Waste and Kevin Weckbach.

Wander with these award-winning artists as they contemplate the changing hues of natural reflections and capture the essence of a scene. Witness how they translate nature’s effervescence and poetic quality and successfully create depth and brilliance in their visually stunning works of art. Travel with them around the world, explore new vistas, re-envision the American majestic landscape or revisit the beauty of the everyday. Come and appreciate the originality of one’s brushstroke, the subtlety of another’s drawing and the virtuosity of one’s palette knife.

While the Signature Exhibition débuts at the annual PASO ARTSFEST on Memorial Day weekend, visitors have the entire month of June to view the collection at Studios on the Park.

They can also celebrate during Studios’ Art After Dark Paso festivities on Saturday, June 6 from 6 pm to 9 pm with Eberle wines and live music.

For those unable to attend, select Signature paintings may be viewed and purchased online at: http://pasoartsfest.com/artists/signature-exhibition/

About Studios on the Park: Studios on the Park, Inc. (Studios) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to providing a creative, educational, and transformational experience to enhance understanding and appreciation of the visual arts.

Studios on the Park realizes its commitment by making the creative process available to the public. Studios engages and inspires the San Luis Obispo County community and its visitors with a unique open studio environment. Studios features artists working in a variety of media, educational programs for children and adults, and quality exhibitions by regional, national and international artists.

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SLO County Art Scene

hope kroll: art by a 1000 cuts

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By Gordon Fuglie

e love to romanticize artists and art making. We thrill to imagine Vincent van Gogh, enraptured by the celestial evenings above Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, dashing off his churning, luminous nocturne, “Starry Night,” by daybreak. But the truth is more mundane—and sobering. “Starry Night” was preceded by eighteen experimental studies van Gogh painted from the same window, that is, his view from the insane asylum that incarcerated him following his mental collapse and self-mutilation.

Truth be told, there is a great deal of tedium involved in making a work of art, try again and again, until finally getting it right. Once the excitement of inspiration sends the artist into the studio, s/he must endure long periods of solitude, monotony, trial and error before arriving at satisfaction.

For Paso Robles artist Hope Kroll this has special meaning. A collagist of complex compositions, Kroll makes her paper works by cutting out and assembling clusters and layers of printed imagery from old ency-

Residence assistance at college.

clopedias, medical texts, catalogs, children’s books, popular science journals, technical manuals, paper dolls and antique photographs. The real “fun” in her work is in prowling flea markets, antique dealers and cavernous second hand bookstores searching for source materials—the ecstasy of discovering some long forgotten illustrated text.

As these are gathered in her studio, Kroll begins the “agony”—the tedious process of carefully cutting out copious quantities of smallish images that she will file away by subject—like specimen drawers in a biological museum—until inspiration summons them. Her tools in these labors are small cuticle scissors, of which many are arrayed upon her worktable. (Audio books are an antidote to the tedium.)

Kroll’s earliest works from 2000 echo the collage-novels created in 1930 by the Surrealist artist Max Ernst (1891 – 1976). In his quest for “the marvelous,” Ernst turned to Victorian steel engravings which he cut from discarded publications and reassembled with illusionistic precision.

While Ernst eventually abandoned collage, Kroll continues to deepen her practice, adding a third dimension to her imagery and increasing its scale.

Her technique betrays a fanaticism, delivering scenarios that are sinister, swarming, contradictory—aggressive apparitions that jab the psyche.

Seeing Kroll’s work made me wonder if collage artists reckon with polarities more often than painters or sculptors. Immersing herself in her graphic specimens, Kroll lets her subconscious have free reign; once an image configuration starts to surface, she deploys her conscious mind to rationally combine numerous like objects to force “the logic “ of the image. For example, is “Isolation” an autobiographical image, a nightmare of the artist being burdened or consumed by her own tools, much as piranhas converge upon their victim? The polarity of warm supple

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because they project a culture and sensibility that now seems alien. This is especially true of materials from ca. 1900. As art critic Robert Hughes noted about Ernst’s collages, there is something oppressive and inhumanely mechanical about printed imagery from this era of rampant industrialization and blind scientific faith. Kroll inherits Ernst’s suspicion.

For an artist producing unsettling imagery, Kroll was born into the ordinariness of Skokie, Illinois—the bland Midwest—where she also earned the BFA from the University of Illinois, Champagne-Urbana. She moved

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to California when she was 21 and studied at the San Francisco Art Institute, earning the MFA in 1992. A congenial yet reclusive artist who does not drive, Kroll has found Facebook and Instagram indispensable for publicizing her work among the collage artists and sympathetic galleries beyond SLO County. Her internet postings recently led to a solo exhibition in Manhattan (NY) at the Joseph Gross Gallery. Kroll deemed the showing a success.

(For further information, see www.hopekroll. com; artist contact: hopekroll1@mac.com.)

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flesh besieged by a cold swarm of scissors gives us the shivers.

Kroll’s practice of an obsessive filling of a blank sheet of paper with objects is a condition known as horror vacui, a psychological fear of leaving empty or “unused” space in an artistic composition. Kroll relieves the threat of unruly clutter by a militant ordering of complimentary colors—cool vs. warm, green vs. yellow-orange—another polarity. This is evident in the tangle of leaves, pears, branches and birds in “Pear Tree,” a work from 2014.

But this concentration of natural images is no lush Eden. With its dense array of diverse species of branches and leaves, the roiling growth becomes a botanical monstrosity; and the birds convened in the pear tree seem a bit menacing, akin to the classic Alfred Hitchcock film. And while there is undeniably a certain beauty in Kroll’s images, the sheer ornamental compression delivers a rococo style succumbing to metastasis.

Hope Kroll lives in a shaded hillside home surrounded by oak trees. She and her husband recently built a studio/archive higher up the slope. Here, in solitude, Kroll arranges her compositions from her collection of old images to which she continues to add in her travels. She prefers to use materials from the 1950s and earlier because of the quality and color of the paper. She likes the way it has aged, and says it is also easier to cut.

Like Max Ernst, Kroll instinctively understood that the older images intrigue us

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Erin Mott Broker/Owner BRE# 01448769 ph: 805.234.1946 erin@mpsrealty.com 2015

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the greatest athletes on the central coast

After the Tokyo Olympics Larrabee worked as a mathematics teacher, and also worked part-time as an Adidas U.S. shoe representative for track and field. This position allowed him to keep connected to the sport. He was posthumously added to the National Track and Field Hall of Fame in December 2003.

By Dr. Don Morris

chuck estrada

Editor’s note: The reader response to the question “Who are the Greatest Athletes in the history of the Central Coast?” has been overwhelming. More than 100 nominations have been received from readers from Ventura to Salinas and almost all the High Schools and various sports were represented. (Many of the nominations were about central coast men and women athletes that have gone on to compete professionally in sports like Olympic events, football, baseball, track and field, golf, boxing, ultimate fighting, tennis, kick boxing, basketball, rodeo, race-car drivers, etc).So far the following athletes have been featured: Ed Brown, Stephanie Brown Trafton, Chuck Liddell, Loren Roberts, Steve Patterson, Gene Rambo, Robin Ventura and Jordan Hasay. Please send nominations to Dr. Morris at dmmorris@calpoly.edu.

mike larrabee Mike Larrabee lived his final years in Santa Maria. He attended Ventura High School and was the winner of two gold medals at the 1964 Summer Olympics. Larrabee was a young running talent in the mid-1950s.

In 1952, his athletic performances earned him a scholarship at the University of Southern California, where he graduated as a geology major. A series of injuries hampered his running career, causing him to miss out on the 1956 and 1960 Olympics, but he had his best season in 1964.

At first he won his only Amateur Athletic Union title in 400 meters, then he won the 400 meters at the 1964 Olympic Trials in Los Angeles where he tied the world record of 44.9. In the Tokyo Olympics final, Larrabee was in fifth place going into the final turn, when he passed everyone in front of him with a burst of speed to win the gold medal in 45.1.

Larrabee also ran the second leg on United States gold medal-winning 4x400 meter relay team that won in the world record time of 3:00.7.

He was honored by Ventura High School with a golden plaque that is posted at the Ventura High School stadium (that is named after him).

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Mike Larrabee died in his home in Santa Maria, California at the age of 69.

Chuck Estrada was born in San Luis Obispo and graduated from San Luis Obispo High School. After completing high school, Estrada was signed by the Milwaukee Braves as an amateur free agent in 1956. He played major league baseball as a pitcher from 1960 to 1967 and he played for the Baltimore Orioles, Chicago Cubs and New York Mets.

After his retirement from the major leagues, Estrada served as a pitching coach in the majors.

Chuck made his major league debut with the Orioles on April 21, 1960, in front of a crowd of 9,377. Estrada came in relief in the 5th inning, and pitched two innings of onehit ball with five strikeouts. Estrada’s rookie season was perhaps the best season of his career.

He pitched in a total of thirty-six games, and started twentyfive of them. He tied for the American League lead with 18 wins that season. In 1967 Estrada’s major league baseball career ended as a player as he officially announced his retirement.

After retiring from the majors, Estrada found employment in the majors again, but this time as a pitching coach. He served as pitching coach for the Texas Rangers, San Diego Padres and Cleveland Indians.

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festival Mozaic

J.S. Bach’s Mass in B minor is cornerstone piece for orchestra, choral and chamber music festival

compiled—and the acoustics and spirits of both venues will serve as a picturesque background for the passionate, lush music.

The Festival presents four different types of events, July 16th-26th: • Orchestra—conducted by music director Scott Yoo and featuring soloists such as Kristin Lee, violin, Noam Elkies, harpsichord, and the Bach Collegium San Diego Chorus with vocal soloists Christopheren Nomura, Jennifer Paulino, Katarzyna Sadej and Paul Flight.

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very summer since its beginnings in 1971, Festival Mozaic transforms the Central Coast of California into a hotbed of classical music culture. This July, Music Director and violinist Scott Yoo (pictured above) will lead a group of more than 50 artists gathered from top orchestras and chamber ensembles from around the world in performances in scenic places all over San Luis Obispo County, celebrating the 45th anniversary of this Festival.

• Chamber Music—featuring performers like John Novacek, piano, Kristina Reiko Cooper, cello, Steven Copes, violin, of the St Paul Chamber Orchestra, Romie deGuise-Langlois, clarinet, of Chamber Music Society Lincoln Center and others.

• Fringe Series—featuring classically-trained musicians playing in innovative crossover ensembles (like the Portland Cello Project and Irish group Colcannon).

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• Notable Encounters—our short-format explorations of individual pieces of music which are equal parts interactive performance and education.

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This year’s programming is built around Bach’s influence on Western art music. The 45th Anniversary Season will culminate in a unique, intra-state collaboration: the Festival Mozaic Orchestra will be joined by the Bach Collegium San Diego Chorus for two joyous performances of J.S. Bach’s masterpiece Mass in B minor. This collaboration reflects a unique blend of California history and arts, as this timeless, sacred music will be presented in two sacred spaces: Old Mission San Luis Obispo and Mission San Miguel. Both historical settings were built in the late 18th century—just 50 years after the Mass was

The music of Mozart, Beethoven and Brahms will be played alongside Bach, Telemann, Schumann and many more. Listeners can also enjoy Tchaikovsky, Mendelssohn and a host of other musical masters in charismatic venues such as Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa, the beautifully-restored Mission San Miguel, Chapel Hill in wine country, and the state-of-the-art Cuesta College Cultural and Performing Arts Center. For more information go to www.FestivalMozaic.com

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history

HORATIO M. WARDEN

By Joe Carotenuti

H

istoric structures are calling cards that invite learning more, not only about the building or home, but also the builder and occupants. As magnificently as Mount Vernon reflects a bygone era, the residents are even more interesting. Simply having George Washington sleep somewhere—let alone in his home—is an occasion of historical interest.

Locally, the two Warden Buildings attract many admirers, but, more importantly, the essential question is who was the builder? Just what happened in time to cause one man to envision two of the most notable buildings in the city?

Here’s the story.

Horatio Moore Warden left life in San Luis Obispo 100 years ago. He began his journey here in 1828 in Ohio, born into a large family (one account says 11 and another 13) of “old colonial stock of high rank.”

Possibly tales of ancestral heroics (his father was a captain in the War of 1812) captured the young man’s imagination as at 19, he and his older brother, Lew, sought their own fortunes providing cattle to the burgeoning Chicago market. It was not to be their first venture into the world of commerce; they were both successful in more than one ambition. Within a few years, the brothers were in Placerville undoubtedly lured by the fantastic tales of riches available to the enterprising in the golden soil of California.

Unlike many others, when the lure of Midas eluded them, they remained in the Golden State and established a stage line from Sacramento (not yet the state capitol) to stops in the gold fields named Yankee Jim’s, Illinois Town, Michigan Bluff and Iowa Hill. About a decade later, the brothers went in opposite directions with Horatio heading south. “Struggles for a competency during the early manhood” of the young men would continue to pay handsome dividends.

Purchasing considerable acreage in Los Osos in the late 1860s, the Highland Ranch still is family owned property. It was not Horatio’s last investment, but, at last, he had found a new—and permanent—home.

The ranch became another successful business being praised for its thoroughbred stock. By then, Horatio certainly understood it took hard work, common sense and some luck to succeed. However, he also understood a less rigorous pursuit of wealth was promised by

Downtown SLO in the early days. The Warden Tower building is on the right.

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using others’ capital. To that end in 1872 with the help of the equally enterprising Chauncey H. Phillips, the Bank of Warden and Phillips opened its doors. It was the first in the county. Continued success led to incorporation as the Bank of San Luis Obispo and a building on the corner of Monterey and Court Streets.

Horatio did not ignore a personal life as he pursued various commercial enterprises. In 1856, while farming in Napa County, he married Maria Mercedes Villigran. There were no children and she died in 1881. His second marriage proved to be quite different.

Queenie Parr was 19 when she married Horatio on November 30, 1882. They had three children: Queenie, Horatio, Jr., and Mary Loraine, who died on March 17, 1902. An equally enterprising personality, Queenie is detailed in last January’s edition of Journal Plus.

Who knows what energized the near 70-year-old rancher/banker to venture into the construction business? In March 1897, a notice appeared in the Tribune offering to sell his buildings occupying 98 feet facing Higuera Street. The ground was to be cleared by May 15 to allow for the building of an “elegant brick building” according to Warden.

“Distinctively modern, very handsome and elegant,” commented the newspaper. Equally important, the new addition was viewed as another “step forward” in the city’s progress. Plans detailed a two-story struc-

The Warden Building in 1960.

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exposed yellow brick exterior contrasted with an interior of wood and plaster.

14, 1912.

At 84,the he had grown progressively Even though prospect of moving m weaker and bed-ridden. Described as having future, youupright, oweand it to yourself to learn h an “active, honorable life,” one “filled with good deeds,” Horatio laid for man carefree living in your ownwas home

Sadly, fear of earthquakes that had wreaked havoc in Santa Barbara a few years previous resulted in the tower and much of the exterior ornamentation being removed in the 1930s.

No longer qualifying for its name, it became the Horatio M. Warden, Jr. building so as not It’s a fact of life that to confuse it with the original structure.

to rest in the family plot. Another enduring memorial stands today as hundreds of thousands have passed the future he envisioned in the buildings he built.

You Don’t Have to Move

The Warden Building today.

ture with four stores on the bottom floor and the second for “well-ventilated” offices. The architect chosen was W. C. Phillips of Arroyo Grande. A local contractor, Thomas Reed, and sub-contractors were also local residents.

Cost was not to exceed $12,400.

The Tribune provided extensive details about the largest business building yet erected in town using local rock with cornices of corrugated iron and a vestibule entrance ending beneath a skylight measuring 360 square feet.

The ornamentation was specially designed with iron work provided by the newly formed Judson Manufacturing Company of San Francisco. “Sanitary facilities” on each floor included marble sinks in each suite. The entire building was wired for gas and electricity.

Having such a grand building simply led to the construction of an even more imposing one.

Five years later, local architect H. S. Laird prepared plans for another Warden building for a 70x90 foot lot on the corner of Higuera and Chorro Streets. The New Warden Block was hailed by the press as the “largest, most elegant building between San Francisco and Los Angeles.” Perched above the building was a four faced Seth Thomas clock, readily visible from anyplace in the downtown area.

Known in more contemporary times as the Tower Building, the imposing edifice opened in 1903. Built to last, the major construction materials were stone, brick, terra cotta and steel. The ground floor provided six rooms for stores or offices—all with the necessary “conveniences.” On the second floor, seven suites were accessible from a central entrance with a large skylight providing for illumination. The

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as we get older, Pristine is fully The two Warden buildings and the Queenie some day-to-day tasks become too licensed and insu Warden Bridge across the San Luis Creek are Warden with his “shrew business ability” did much to handle on our own. landmarks That in the “sense All of our worke prominent of place” not have long to enjoy his new building and doesn’t mean you have are carefully thatto is move essentialaway for any community to thrive. scre community landmark as he died on February from the comfort of your home. and pass a crimi • Personal Pristine Home Services is• aHousekeeping local background che Care that helps San Luis Obispo and drug test, gi • Yard company • Handyman Maintenance County residents avoid the high cost when someone f Servingof moving All oftoSan Luis facility.

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our schools

physical education counts

By James J. Brescia, Ed.D. County Superintendent of Schools

“Exercise and recreation are as necessary as reading...”

—Thomas Jefferson We are truly fortunate to live here on the Central Coast where our physical activity occurs both indoors and outdoors on a regular basis.

However, there is unprecedented need to reform physical education (PE) in California’s schools. California’s children, particularly Latino, African American and Native American youth have very high levels of obesity and diabetes. These sobering statistics indicate the need for schools and communities to make PE a priority. We have an opportunity to improve the quantity and quality of PE by examining decades of research. A recent policy brief issued by the California Endowment identified several areas in which California PE could better serve children. This report summarizes research on effective strategies to improve PE. As programmatic funding is restored at the state level for our schools, there are many opportunities for improving PE. The recent landmark change in school funding engagement called the Local Control Accountability Plan encourages active public participation in determining how we spend some of our funding. Many of these positive opportunities require policy changes at the state, district and school levels. Any action to improve school programs must be guided by solid research. When we make programmatic decisions based on documented evidence, sustainable change is truly possible, and we are not simply participating in the newest fad or program.

Research indicates that school PE is a significant factor in preparing children with the skills, knowledge, and confidence to lead physically active lives. Data indicates that children who take PE participate in more physical activity on school days than students who do not take PE. This is true not only during but outside of the school day. Some researchers hypothesize that this is a direct response to our youth participating in more sedentary recreational activities such as technology-based games. Several national organizations and a California Department of Education (CDE) Task Force reviewed the evidence on the benefits of PE and recommended activity-focused PE as a priority to maintain and improve children’s health. Daily physical activity plays a vital role in maintaining and enhancing the physical and emotional health of children and teens. National experts recommend approximately sixty minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity per day for children and adolescents. However, in California, Latino teens are less likely to engage in moderate physical activity five days per week than African American or white teens. These statistics are even worse for teens in families comprising the lowest socioeconomic groups.

Priority on PE is often lower in the eyes of many school administrators for a number of factors. Some of these reasons include that schools are not held accountable for PE by state or federal education departments, PE was omitted as a core education subject in the federal No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), and PE is perceived to hold low academic value compared to other subjects. Further exaggerating the issue are college requirements such as those at the University of California and comparable institutions that do not consider PE grades in their admissions procedures. It is our responsibility as educators and community members to advocate for a well-balanced curriculum that includes physical education and physical activity.

According to research conducted by Woods and Hall at The University of Essex, the school environment provides children with

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regular opportunities to engage in physical activity, namely through the provision of playtime and physical education. The aim of PE is to encourage children to take part in appropriate amounts of physical activity and gain the skills and knowledge to be active outside school and throughout life.

These researchers report that the diverse aims of PE present a pedagogical challenge to balancing positive experiences for children whilst keeping pupils physically active and providing a “physical education” within the constraints of a school-based program. Researchers Fairclough and Stratton suggested that children should spend a minimum of 50% of PE lessons engaged in moderate to vigorous physical activity. However, evidence suggests that children spend less than 40% of lesson time in this type of activity, and the majority of PE lessons in activities less intense than walking are often due to facilities and time constraints. Together we can race towards a healthy school climate that includes a balanced physical education curriculum.

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JUNE CROSSWORD SOLUTIONS ON PAGE 43

“It’s not about the shoes. It’s about what you do in them.”

—Michael Jordan

© StatePoint Media

STATEPOINT CROSSWORD THEME: FADS ACROSS 1. *”____ Man” by disco stars Village People 6. Rainbow, e.g.

9. Attention-getting sound 13. Archipelago 14. Pigeon sound 15. Indian restaurant condiment 16. Camelot to King Arthur, e.g.

17. Expression of doubt 18. Village V.I.P. 19. *One of the Cullen family 21. *Short in front and long in back 23. Johnny Cash’s boy with unfortunate name 24. Manufacture 25. Nuke 28. Friend from Down Under 30. As a whole 35. Sky defender 37. First baby word?

39. King Henry VIII, e.g.

40. Actress Sorvino 41. “____ truly” 43. *Known for his clowning around 44. Sinbad the Sailor’s home 46. A bunch 47. Crude group 48. Bad blood 50. Vietnam’s neighbor 52. Don Draper’s creations 53. Lady of “Applause” 55. Poor man’s caviar 57. *Her hair style was popular in the ‘90s 60. *Part robe part blanket 64. Conservative side 65. Length of existence 67. *PokÈmon exchange 68. Lady’s pocketbook 69. Last letter 70. Dialectical Reasoning philosopher 71. “____ there, done that” 72. Freddy Krueger’s street 73. *Tulip Mania flower holders

DOWN 1. Multiple independently targetable reentry vehicle 2. Seaward 3. Chowder ingredient 4. Facilitates 5. Os on Periodic table 6. Heart or tooth condition 7. Read-Only Memory 8. Punctuation mark 9. ____ Mall, London 10. Served with an entree 11. Editor’s mark 12. Feather glue 15. Give in 20. Precedes “set, go!”

22. Tiny guitar 24. ____ oblongata 25. *Salsa exercise 26. Chinese and Japanese 27. Zoroaster follower 29. New Mexico art colony 31. Swollen lymph node because of plague

32. Parkinson’s disease drug 33. Exuded 34. *Casual summer shoes 36. Old MacDonald’s domain 38. ____ 51 42. Bounded by an oath 45. Goose eggs, archaic 49. Sigma Alpha Epsilon 51. Cardinal compass point at 180 degrees, pl.

54. Donut topping 56. White heron 57. Baptism or shiva 58. Chills and fever 59. *Home of the beard trend?

60. Give an impression 61. Dashboard instrument, var.

62. Previously mentioned 63. Snaky swimmers 64. Confederate Johnny 66. Styling goo

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COMMUNITY

palm street perspective drought and water supply: Two different things

By SLO City Councilwoman, Carlyn Christianson

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he bad (unsurprising) news: California is suffering the worst drought in decades. The good (maybe surprising) news: while the City of San Luis Obispo is taking major action to address state mandates and doing prudent planning going forward, our water supply is in relatively good shape, thanks to all the investments the community has made in water supply sources, recycling and conservation in the last two decades. So even though we’re in severe drought, we’re not in severe water supply straits—it’s two different things.

Our residents have been keenly aware of the need to conserve for many years, and their ongoing commitment to being good environmental stewards has been evident in the response to the drought. The city’s residents have voluntarily lowered their water use even without mandates. It’s great to live in a community that values our natural resource this way.

But statewide there has not been such cooperation, and so as of early May, there are now state mandates in place that require each city

to reach specific goals on water use reduction.

For SLO it means 101 gpcd (gallons per capita per day); we’re currently at 108. (We reached 89 gpcd in the 1987-91 drought.) We can do it!

Staff has been working hard these last several months to analyze various types of programs that would achieve the biggest reduction in water use for the least expense to our ratepayers. For instance, California Urban Water Conservation Council research shows turf rebates cost the most per acre foot of water saved, so that would probably not be a costeffective approach. On the other hand, it’s likely we’ll revive our toilet rebate program which has a high return on investment.

The biggest area where the city is looking to see a reduction is in outdoor water use. San Luis Obispo uses recycled water on many outdoor city landscapes and parks, and we are working on maximizing the production and use of that recycled water resource as well. Additionally we’re currently working through the pros and cons of having new developments not install any landscape until after the drought is over. (Note that water

supply planning has always included our General Plan’s projected growth at the 1% rate allowed—which we rarely if ever actually achieve—so that future new development itself is fully accounted for in our water supply plans, and always has been.) Even drought-tolerant landscapes need a couple of years of watering to establish root systems.

This caution also applies to residents who are planning on taking out existing turf and thinking of replacing it with something other than hardscape (which is hopefully pervious)—people might want to just let the lawn go brown and re-landscape later, when it rains. And note: the city has an on-line tool that helps people calculate a water budget for the landscape they’re thinking of installing.

One large complication is that the reduction in water use has a great impact on the revenues coming in to pay for water resources and related service. We currently have a Proposition 218 flyer out in the community that contains a drought surcharge to ensure the water utility can remain financially viable during this time.

Where to find more information? The first place to look is www.slowater.org or the city’s home page at www.slocity.org where the link for drought information is in the News section. Both places will easily get you to the suggestions on how to save water and what steps are going on in SLO to address the current drought. Plus there are links to other organizations that have great ideas too.

The City will be holding a Community Water Forum on May 28 at the Ludwick Center, and the City Council has Drought Response Strategy on its June 2 Agenda, so look for the staff report and Council action coming out of that meeting. Meanwhile, please keep those suggestions coming, keep saving water—but remember, Drought and Water Supply is not the same thing.

To contact the City Council, please go to the city’s website at www.slocity.org, under the Government dropdown menu, click on “Mayor and City Council.” Or call 781-7123.

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Journal PLUS

Downtown

Around

The Magazine of Downtown San Luis Obispo

Inside:

June 2015

W hat ’s U p Take Me O ut To T he B al lgame Downtown B usiness Spo tlight

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Obispo Downtown Association produces. It really is no wonder why our office produces a high volume of top notch activities; it comes down to the need of residents, and guests, to have a sense of place an Luis Obispo has been coined the "Happiest where they can come together and share the fresh City in America" many times and as a native of air, live music, delicious food and warm smiles with our beloved town, I’m glad that SLO is where I hang their neighbors. Concerts in the Plaza was originally my hat at night. It has been a couple of years since cited as one of the main draws to the city that make we had such a flattering title bestowed upon us and it so happy. This year as we kick off our twentieth in that time I have spent many hours analyzing what Dominic Tartaglia, year of live and local music it seems that they hit it could be that makes people here so happy. From Executive Director the nail on the head with that title. Twenty years is what I have distilled from all of that analysis is this; a long time for any event to be around and we see there are a lot of reasons to be happy in San Luis Obispo. that as an assuring nod from the community that we must One commonality of all of those reasons, however, is that be doing things well. On June 12th, we’ll be sure to carry on this is a healthy community. San Luis Obispo is healthy both that tradition with the indie rock sound of The Lakes kicking economically and physically and it is because residents off our 14-week concert series, presented by Sunset Honda. demand healthy options.

Every Friday night from 5-8 PM you can listen to free live e are fortunate to live in a community that sets music at the historic Mission Plaza. Ride your bike and valet priorities for clean air and open spaces while it for free, compliments of Cal Poly Downtown. encouraging projects like Cal Poly’s HotHouse in the heart here is more to a healthy community than music though. of the city. The positive impacts that an increase in open Things like shopping for local produce and goods on a space and amenities like the new skate park create are felt Thursday night, eating on a creekside patio, and dozens of by residents of all walks of life and often times cross multiple open space trails that afford hikers and bikers world-class demographics, not too differently from the Downtown SLO vistas are what keep our community physically healthy. Did Farmers’ Market or many of the events that the San Luis

Healthy Communities Are Happy Communities

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On the Cover: Damon Castillo Band at last year's Concerts in the Plaza presented by Sunset Honda. Damon Castillo Band is one of the 14 local bands that will be playing at the much-anticipated summer concert series. This year marks the 20th Anniversary of the free familyfriendly music event which kicks off on June 12 and runs through September 11 every Friday night from 5 - 8 PM in Downtown's beautiful Mission Plaza. Photo by Mukta Naran

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you know that many Downtown restaurants purchase their fresh produce from the Downtown SLO Farmers’ Market? It’s true. If you get to the market at 6 PM, chances are you will see chefs wheeling carts of produce back to their restaurants to serve hungry patrons. Meanwhile, residents are lining up to buy the same produce from booths at the Downtown SLO Farmers’ Market. For some residents like Fire Chief Garret Olson the market is a weekly tradition for quality time spent with family and friends. It has been rumored that there exists an "Olson experience," a tour that includes purchasing fresh produce, listening to each of the live music acts, purchasing a wood fired pizza and finally settling in to a local wine bar for some social time. Walking through the clean evening air, tasting fresh ingredients, and relaxation with good company is undeniably good for us. Local restaurateurs recognize that customers want fresh local produce and a cool vibe to enjoy it in and that is why they replicate that experience in their establishments. As a community, we are the happy beneficiaries of that keen observation.

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eople don’t just come Downtown to eat healthy and have fun though. We found that many locals make getting to Downtown just as fun through healthy choices like riding their bike or walking along the multitude of paths and bike routes. The next time you are at the Market take a look at where the SLO County Bicycle Coalition’s bike valet is located. It is not an accident that it is at the intersection of the Bill Roalman Bike Boulevard and our Market. Each year,

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approximately 3,396 bikes are valeted at the Market, free of charge. This represents a huge population of riders and we hope to double that number this year as bicycle awareness improves and the community support for sharrows and better bike lanes grows.

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hen we look at all of the physical benefits of having an active community with access to safe alternatives to driving, there is a deeper understanding of their significance to the economic health of our community. The obvious things are that people are conducting business if they are shopping for produce or buying a drink at Concerts in the Plaza, which further implies that they are gainfully employed and have some form of discretionary income which is a positive indicator that our local economy is healthy. The less obvious things are measured by a series of things that the SLO Downtown Association observes and encourages.

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e are a part of the National Main Street Association and participate in its Four Point Approach that states economic restructuring is imperative to having a healthy community. Economic restructuring includes preserving historic spaces and utilizing them to better meet the needs of a new marketplace while maintaining the historic character of that place. If you look at the Downtown as a whole that is exactly what is going on. Over the years many hours and careers were dedicated to setting policies in motion to make sure that our Downtown storefronts kept their unique

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INC

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COMMERCIAL + RESIDENTIAL LANDSCAPES + MAINTENANCE ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN

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those businesses successful are the same residents that walk down for produce and pizza on Thursday night and come back architecture and that the open-air feel of shopping along a again for summer concerts on Fridays. Each trip Downtown main street was not forgotten. In buildings that were once is an unofficial vote of confidence that SLO is economically hotel buildings we find a diverse mix of shops and restaurants. healthy and they are enjoying the privilege of living here.

Furthermore, the Four Point Approach says that retaining t the end of the day when I go home and reflect on my and expanding successful businesses while encouraging day in the office I give thanks for working in a great competiveness that attracts new business is a sign of a thriving community and I smile knowing that our residents live a happy economy. In the last year we have seen local businesses really and healthy life. Our Downtown is just a piece of the puzzle take hold Downtown including several new coffee shops and but I believe that the dedication of business owners, public restaurants as well as some of our retailers. As they set their service employees and the amazing loyalty of our residents to roots down in our district they have also expanded to other this community is the medicine that keeps us all healthy. markets but still call SLO home. The customers that make

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Ta k e M e O u t To T h e B a l l g a m e

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he San Luis Obispo Downtown Association invites you to support us as we charity partner with SLO Blues Baseball!

Come enjoy the day at the Sinsheimer Stadium as the SLO Blues take on the Walnut Creek Crawdads on Sunday, June 7 at 1 PM. Also, our beloved Downtown SLO Farmers’ Market mascot, Downtown Brown, will be throwing out the first pitch! So come out and root, root, root for the home team! Tickets are available at www.BluesBaseball.com or at the stadium.

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S p o t l i g h t

Spencer Makenzie’s Fish Company

first establishment in Ventura. They kept it a true family business naming the restaurant after two of their children and including their two other children on the menu with the “Parker” burger and “Brooklyn” style sauce.

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John & Jenny Karayan, Owners 1085 Higuera Street (805) 544-8226 SpencerMakenzies.com Facebook.com/spencermakenziesslo Twitter.com/SpencerMakenzie Instagram: spencermakenziesslo

ou can now treat yourself to a “World Famous” Fish Taco right here in Downtown San Luis Obispo! Just head into Spencer Makenzie’s Fish Company located at 1085 Higuera Street and sink your teeth into one of their famous tacos or tasty appetizers, salads or top rated burritos. The corner location with both an indoor and an extended patio area is almost identical to its predecessor in Ventura with the décor being modern yet comfortable and reflecting its eclectic California beach menu. wners John and Jenny Karayan began their business as a food vendor at the Ventura County Fair where they won the Best Food Concessionaire Award. They have since been making appearances at well-known festivals such as Coachella, Stagecoach, The Aloha Festival and The C Street Long Board Classic. Then in 2010, John’s lifelong dream to open a restaurant became a reality with the opening of the couple’s

ow, after five years in business in Ventura, managing partner and SLOcal Michael Marquez talked the couple into expanding and bringing their eclectic seafood faire into SLOtown. Marquez, also a Cal Poly grad and Cal Poly Men’s Tennis Assistant Coach, has long promoted the idea of working where you live. He previously managed Firestone Grill and was a managing partner of Creeky Tiki in Downtown. Marquez says, “I love being able to walk to work and to be working with John to bring his concept to Downtown.”

pencer Makenzie’s is open daily from 11 AM – 10 PM with extended hours Thursday through Saturday. They also offer food and happy hour specials throughout the workweek. To learn more visit www.SpencerMakenzies.com or find them on Facebook, Twitter & Instagram.

Written by: Vanessa Martinez

For more information on Downtown Association events, programs and activities, or to sign up for our weekly Deliver-E newsletter, visit www.DowntownSLO.com

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volunteer network launches in slo county

United Way of San Luis Obispo County unifies local volunteering through its online platform, VolunteerSLO.org. VolunteerSLO connects local agencies with motivated volunteers looking for compatible opportunities. Users can connect with their favorite organizations by becoming a fan and easily navigate the signup process. They can also browse other posted opportunities from a variety of SLO County agencies. VolunteerSLO suggests opportunities based on volunteer’s interests and past work, tracks volunteers’ hours, and uses the local rate of volunteerism to display the monetary “impact value” of service.

slo Rotary de tolosa donates to I care LAGUNA MIDDLE SCHOOL GASTRIC CANCER FUNDRAISER

In the month of February, Laguna staff, students, and parents raised money through their Penny Wars for the Gastric Cancer Foundation.

They raised $6,600 in honor of a beloved Laguna math teacher, John Gyselbrecht, who was diagnosed with the disease in May of 2014. Mr. Gyselbrecht passed away March 30 after a brave and inspirational battle against cancer. He will be remembered fondly by all those whose lives he touched.

DELTA SIGMA PHI’S FUNDRAISER SUPPORTS AWAKE

Delta Sigma Phi’s 4th Annual Charity Golf Tournament was recently held (April 17, 2015) in San Luis Obispo to support Aware, Awake, Alive (AAA) and #WithCarson Day. The tournament for both actives and alumni reported a record attendance as well as fundraising efforts this year. As part of the spring fundraiser event, the fraternity additionally hosted a barbecue over the weekend (as it does each year) at the local chapter house and presented awards from the tournament and a check in the amount of $11,200 to AAA.

The Rotary Club of SLO de Tolosa (Rotary de Tolosa) provided much needed resources and volunteer hours to support I Care International’s March 2015 event in Pachacamac, Peru. A $1,500 grant from Rotary de Tolosa purchased 600 pairs of sunglasses, 700 readers, and approximately 66 special order prescriptions to 1,400 individuals and children who otherwise would not have access to essential eye wear. Rotarians Sandra Lee, Martha Lindholm from Rotary de Tolosa, and Charlene Rosales, from Daybreak Rotary, traveled to Peru to support the effort. In addition to the nearly 1,400 pairs of sunglasses and readers that were part of the Rotary grant, volunteers assisted in the distribution of an additional 1,100 pairs of eyeglasses during the event. For more information on Rotary, please visit the Rotary de Tolosa website at www.rotarydetolosa.org, or the Rotary International website at www.rotary.org.

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Alan “Himself” J U N E

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Literacy council needs volunteers

The Literacy Council for San Luis Obispo County has an ongoing and urgent need for volunteer tutors throughout the county. To volunteer, please visit our website www.sloliteracy.org for more information.

The next volunteer Tutor Training will be held at 9-3:30 on Saturday, June 6th and the 13th at the SLO County Library. Cost is $25.00. For more information call 541-4219.

french hospital receives Hearst grant

The French Hospital Medical Center Foundation is proud to share it recently received a $250,000 grant from The Hearst Foundation to expand cancer patient navigation services at the Hearst Cancer Resource Center (HCRC) at FHMC. Initial funding from The Hearst Foundation established the HCRC Endowment Fund. In total, the FHMC Foundation has received three grants from The Hearst Foundation totaling more than $2 million to support the HCRC.

local authors new book—bubbles up

Join Atascadero diver Judy Hemenway and Paul Mila in the South Pacific and meet 30-ton whales eye to eye; dive into the Caribbean surrounded by hungry sharks, and turn back time as you explore a World War II Pacific wreck. Feel the thrill of an eagle ray flyby in Cozumel, Mexico, and experience the rush of a barracuda feeding frenzy. Whether you are a diver, snorkeler, or an ocean lover you will enjoy immersing yourself in these fascinating stories.

Available at Amazon.com

Restorative justice program fundraiser

Come enjoy a night of fun, food, and dancing to The Mighty Croon Dogs at Restorative Partners’ 3rd Annual Benefit on June 6th at the Elks Lodge in SLO. We are raising money to support our restorative justice programs at SLO County Juvenile Hall and Jail, community

C rossword S O L U T I O N S

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education programs, and our new mentoring program assisting those re-entering our community from incarceration. We already have some great auction items including a night’s stay at the Madonna Inn, a day with Sheriff Parkinson, and two zipline tours at Margarita Adventures.

Tickets are available online at http://restorativepartners.org/upcomingevents. You can also pay with cash or check by purchasing tickets at our office at the mission, 751 Palm St, on Monday and Wednesday from 2:30 to 4:30 pm or Thursday and Friday from 9 am to 2 pm. Contact ashlyn@restorativepartners.org with any questions.

wells fargo awards $5000 to Housing trust fund

The Wells Fargo Foundation has awarded a $5,000 grant to the San Luis Obispo County Housing Trust Fund (HTF). The funds are for the HTF’s George Moylan Affordable Housing Fund and will be used exclusively to finance the development of housing for lower income home buyers in San Luis Obispo County. “Wells Fargo is pleased to support the San Luis Obispo Housing Trust Fund as affordable housing is crucial to our communities,” said Mark Corella, Wells Fargo District Manager. “Working together, we can help make affordable housing available to those in need.”

“We are thrilled with Wells Fargo’s continued support,” adds HTF Executive Director Jerry Rioux. “This is the bank’s third contribution to our Moylan Fund.”

“ynana rose” debut cd

Singer/songwriter Ynana [pronounced Y’nah-nah] Rose releases her self-titled debut album, recorded in 2014

by Damon Castillo at his Laurel Lane Studios in SLO. A finely crafted offering to the folk music genre, “Ynana Rose” features 11 songs (9 written by Rose, one

by Steve Key, and one by Dolly Parton) and features a wide range of styles and themes. Ranging from uptempo bluegrass (Bettin’ on Love Again) to folk ballad (Everywhere) to gypsy blues (Fool For You) to country (Don’t Even Think of Leaving Me) to an “old school, European waltz” (The Greatest Story Never Told), this album is not a work of straightforward folk music. However, with Rose’s rich vocals, mature songwriting, and Castillo’s hand as recording engineer, mixer and co-producer, “Ynana Rose” is a welcome addition to the genre.

She will also be singing at the Live Oak Music Festival this month.

For more information: www.ynanarose.com

Gary A. Sage License No. 0E02096 100 Cross Street, Suite 203 San Luis Obispo, CA 93401 gsage@dibu.com J U N E

2015

(805) 593-1400 (805) 593-1401 fax (805) 593-1413 direct (805) 235-1043 cell Journal PLUS

THE BULLETIN BOARD

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st. pats school 1st graders supporting at risk

goodwill industries moves into future with new brand

Staying relevant, even after 113 years, has been the hallmark of Goodwill Industries. And local affiliate, Goodwill Industries of Santa Cruz, Monterey and San Luis Obispo Counties, continues that tradition. The local organization is rebranding themselves to Goodwill Central Coast (GCC), with a new logo and a renewed commitment to the communities it serves. The evolution of Goodwill Central Coast continues to speak to their mission of giving people a purpose through repurposing, while underscoring the local connection of the organization. The rebrand also signals an updating of their look and their stores to be more modern and approachable. Goodwill continues to strive to be more efficient and sustainable into the future, from donation services to thrift store shopping, and ultimately to their mission of workforce development services. Goodwill’s mission is to help people become financially independent through workforce development. For more information go to ccgoodwill.org

will jones’ new book of poems

Journal Plus writer and former SLO High School Principal, Will Jones recently released his second book on his new poetry collection, True Stories From My Past, Volume 2: Poems by Will Jones. He states “I’m proud of the collection and hope to get it into the hands of as many readers as possible.”

Please consider purchasing a copy and/or sharing this information with anyone who might be interested. You can order True Stories at Half.com (just enter the title). Below is a link to an excerpt from his reading at the Palm Theatre in SLO on April 1. https://youtube/TdVmkJSIQz0

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St. Patrick’s Catholic School first graders recently teamed up with Transitions Mental Health Association (TMHA) to collect items to be used in programs for youth living with mental illness in their community. As one of three “Mercy Projects” the class must complete this year, students were encouraged to bring toiletries, sheets, towels, kitchen items, and art supplies, amongst other donations. Thanks to these motivated students, over five cases of supplies were collected. Materials provided will support the Transitions Youth Treatment Program in their Robust Art Therapy, which benefits youth, ages 11 to 17, who struggle with mental illness. TMHA provides an intensive residential treatment program offering access to school and therapy, as well as support for various games and activities.

casa receives grant from maximus foundation

CASA of San Luis Obispo County recently received a generous $5,000 grant from the MAXIMUS Foundation.

MAXIMUS is a leading firm providing health and human services program management and consulting offerings to government agencies throughout the United States and abroad. The MAXIMUS Foundation awards cash grants to eligible organizations and charities that help disadvantaged individuals achieve self-sufficiency; and is funded by charitable gifts from employees. This grant will help CASA continue to provide trained volunteers to advocate for abused and neglected children in San Luis Obispo County. CASA is currently serving 135 local children in need. However, 314 are on the waitlist to be assigned a CASA Advocate. Pictured left to right: Bill Filippin, CASA Board Member; Teresa Tardiff, CASA Executive Director; Chris Smith, CASA Board member, receiving $5,000 check from the MAXIMUS Foundation.

THE BULLETIN BOARD

Golden watch awards to rams

At a recent meeting of the San Luis Obispo RAM Coffee Cabinet a gold medal award and golden watch awards were presented to the officers for their leadership and to celebrate the 21 years since the founding of the Coffee Cabinet. A gold medal for leadership was presented to Bob Mott for his efforts in supporting the organization for the last 10 years. Golden wrist watch awards were also presented to other Coffee Cabinet pioneers. (L to R) Bob Mott was awarded the “leadership gold medal” and the Golden Wrist Watch award for his efforts in guiding the Coffee Cabinet for the last 10 years. Watches were also awarded to Hank Campbell for his computer expertise, Don Morris for founding the Coffee Cabinet 21 years ago, Phyllis Madonna for her and her husband Alex Madonna’s strong support of the Coffee Cabinet at the Madonna Inn, Jack Spaulding for his being the long time treasurer, and Lark Carter for his accomplishment of leading the singing during the meetings. The Retired Active Men’s Coffee Cabinet meets weekly at the Madonna Inn for camaraderie and interesting programs. For more information please contact Bob Mott at 543-7072.

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Cuesta college jazz combo ranked nation’s best

Cuesta College’s jazz combo Sperdak has been named the best community college small jazz combo in the nation by DownBeat, an American magazine devoted to the jazz and blues culture. The honor is a part of the publication’s 38th Annual Student Music Awards.

“I’m really happy for my students, this is a wonderful affirmation for them,” said Ron McCarly, director of jazz studies at Cuesta College.

“Our jazz program has been strong for many years, but receiving this honor validates our groups and my students, especially when being compared to large colleges from around the country. I like seeing the students realize how great they are.” The members of Sperdak responsible for the award are brothers Josh and Sean Collins, and Keegan Harshman. The trio, who also study under the Central Coast Jazz Institute, submitted multiple recordings to DownBeat, including two original compositions. “I’ve been playing jazz since the fifth grade, and growing up I was always aware of Downbeat magazine and how big it is,” said Harshman, Sperdak’s bass player. “You see the new and upcoming famous musicians on the cover all the time, and for me it’s just so cool being able to see Cuesta College’s name get recognized and being able to represent the school.”

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COMMUNITY

giving back

winners of the thoma ballet scholarship announced

Bill Thoma and his daughter, Jessica in back and Lauren Wood and family in front.

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he Community Foundation San Luis Obispo County (CFSLOCO) is pleased to announce that Lauren Wood of Paso Robles and Virginia Harding of San Luis Obispo are this year’s recipients of the Jennifer Thoma Memorial Ballet Scholarship for 2015. The Jennifer Thoma Memorial Ballet Scholarship was established in 2012 by the Thoma family to help local dancers realize their dreams. The scholarship provides support for dancers to attend intensive summer ballet programs.

Ms. Wood, 16, is a student at Mission College Preparatory High School. She has studied dance for 7 ½ years and performed with the North County Dance & Performing Arts Foundation. The Thoma Scholarship will enable her to participate in the Long Beach Ballet’s 2015 Summer Intensive and Dresden Tour this summer.

Ms. Harding, also 16, attends the Classical Academy in San Luis Obispo. She has trained as a dancer for 11 years, starting at the age of 5. She has performed with the Civic Ballet of San Luis Obispo and the

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Bill Thoma and his daughter, Jessica on each end with Virginia Harding and family.

Santa Barbara State Street Ballet. Ms. Harding will use her scholarship to attend the summer intensive program at Ballet Magnificat in Jackson, Mississippi.

The Jennifer Thoma Memorial Ballet Scholarship is now in its third year. “It is truly inspiring to see the level of commitment these young people have to their art,” said CFSLOCO Chief Executive Officer, Heidi McPherson. “The decision was so difficult for the committee this year that they decided to award two scholarships rather than one, as they have in the past.”

The Community Foundation has supported our county with grants totaling more than $26 million. The Foundation’s assets under management have grown to more than $48 million, and provide support to all aspects of our community in perpetuity. For more information or to donate to any fund, visit The Community Foundation’s website or call (805) 543-2323.

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Business banking you can grow with.

40 branches in the Tri-Counties area to serve you.

Learn more at www.RabobankAmerica.com/375 *Prime Rate as published by the Wall Street Journal on date of application. 1. Subject to credit approval. SBA loans excluded and other restrictions apply. Certain restrictions apply. Promotional offer is for applications received during offer period only. Minimum of $5,000 advance on line of credit at time of account opening. Line of credit matures after 12 months. This offer is for new lines of credit only, and cannot be used for renewals or increases to existing lines of credit. Offer not applicable to consumer lines of credit. 2. Rabobank Merchant Services are provided by First Data Merchant Services Corporation and subject to their approval. This program is only valid for new merchant accounts and cannot be combined with other offers. Current merchants who close their accounts and re-open them may not participate in this offer. Rebate is for actual processing costs up to $100. 3. Subject to approval. To receive pre-funded ACH bonus, you must enroll in pre-funded ACH through business online banking and submit one batch within 60 days of account opening. $1,000 checking account balance must be maintained for 60 days. 4. Reward points can be redeemed as a cash deposit to a checking or savings account or as a statement credit to your credit card account. First purchase bonus points will be applied 6 to 8 weeks after first purchase and are not awarded for balance transfers or cash advances. The creditor and issuer of this credit card is Elan Financial Services, pursuant to a license from Visa U.S.A. Inc. 5. Offer for Merchant Card Services ends May 31, 2015. Offers for business line of credit and pre-funded ACH end June 27, 2015. No expiration on Business Visa® Credit Card offer.

Rabobank, N.A. Member FDIC.

Sierra Vista patients rated us

#1 in SLO County Sierra Vista Regional Medical Center celebrates its four-star rating from the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) survey administered by the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).

We’re proud to be SLO County’s highest-scoring hospital and among the top 20% in California for patient satisfaction. Thank you to our patients and families for your continued trust.

1010 Murray Street, San Luis Obispo

SierraVistaRegional.com