July 2012 Journal Plus

HA L & DORIE L ARSON | BECK Y JORGESON | PHIL GR ANT | MICHAEL MILBY

Journal PLUS JULY 2012

MAGAZINE OF THE CENTRAL COAST

MID STATE FAIR

“THE GREAT AMERICAN ROAD TRIP”

Twila Arritt

Broker-Associate

Serving the entire SLO County since 1978

805-543-2172 www.farrellsmyth.com

www.232CatalinaDrive.com

Cindy Newton

Pamela Bliss

REALTOR®

REALTOR®

Beautiful, Comfortable & Contemporary 3 bed/2 bath home. Peaceful, private setting with Mountain views. Located in Cal Poly corridor, close to Downtown SLO. $799,000 www.60LindaLane.com

Quality ranch style 3+ bed, 2 bath home situated on 1 acre in Nipomo. Serene Country setting. Fully equipped 15 x 35 greenhouse. Bonus room could be a great office, den or guest room. Large kitchen, vaulted ceilings and skylights throughout house. For more info call our AG branch 904-6616. $585,000

REALTOR®

SLO Los Verdes Park 1. Nice 3 bedroom, 2 bath unit located between the Pool and the Tennis courts. Includes an interior patio and exterior deck. Convenient Fwy access and close to essential shopping. $329,000

Sunny, energy efficient, quiet upstairs flat. Gorgeous views of Bishop’s Peak from the SW deck. Close to Cal Poly, shopping, & hiking. Open, airy floor plan with attached one car garage. All units must be owner occupied. $278,000

www.3290Rockview1.com

www.2880Juniper.com

REALTOR®

Kelly Hannula REALTOR®

Janet Shaner REALTOR®

Larry D. Smyth

Jennifer Hamilton

Owner/Broker

Relocation Director

Stephanie Hamilton

REALTOR®

Mary Rosenthal

REALTOR®

Vicky Hall

Laura Rizzoli

Fantastic SLO Location!

Patricia Garrison

REALTOR®

REALTOR®

www.NipomoGreenRealEstate.com

Broker-Associate

Theresa Carroll

Annette Mullen

Ridge Point Unit. Kitchen and Living room on top level. Bedrooms and Laundry on Lower Level.

Private decks on each level. Upper level end unit. $259,000

Buildable lot in Morro Bay with wonderful sweeping views of the beautiful Central Coast. Lot backs ranch land for privacy. Bring your plans and start your dream home or vacation home now. Awesome neighborhood and nice street with custom homes. $209,900

Conveniently located in the heart of SLO & the Village of Arroyo Grande 21 Santa Rosa Street, Suite 100, San Luis Obispo, CA 93405 102 E. Branch Street, Suites C & D, Arroyo Grande, CA 93420

Chris Stanley REALTOR®

Christine Williams REALTOR®

I

n this era of corporate crime and personal greed, who can you trust with your financial future?

An ethical local firm with a 50-year track record

Al Moriarty has been taking care of my family’s financial needs for over 20 years. His guidance and advice have helped finance the purchase of my home, secured money for my three sons college educations and helped build a retirement portfolio that will give me and my wife, Donna, security in coming years.

What makes Al unique is that he does not just try to sell you a financial product. He takes the time to layout all the options and honestly gives you both sides of the picture, the upside and downside. Once you have decided on a financial path he stays with you and continues to keep you informed about your situation and any alternatives that you might have.

As I near retirement, I feel at ease and secure in the knowledge that Al has my back covered and I do not have to worry about the future. Thank you Al. Bob White Former Head Basketball Coach Current Department Chair/Mathematics Allan Hancock College

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efore you make another major financial decision, call for a no-obligation appointment to evaluate your resources and goals.

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MORIARTY ENTERPRISES Financial Services since 1954

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Phone: (805) 481-4990 Lic. No. 0144566

Al Moriarty Financial Advisor

CONTENTS

Journal PLUS 22 MAGAZINE OF THE CENTRAL COAST

The People, Community, and Business of Our Beautiful Central Coast ADDRESS

CAL POLY CREAMERY

654 Osos Street San Luis Obispo California 93401

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 Keith Malcomson

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14

STEVE RASMUSSEN

HAL & DORIE LARSON

ADVERTISING Jan Owens CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Susan Stewart, Natasha Dalton, Joseph Carotenuti, Dr. Julian Crocker, Sarah Hedger, Maggie Cox, Deborah Cash, William Seavy, Dale Wolff, Richard Bauman, Bob Huttle, Jan Marx, Taylor Coffman, Gordon Fuglie, and Phyllis Benson 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 distributed monthly free by mail to all single family households of San Luis Obispo and is available free at over 600 locations throughout the county.

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 provided by the Mid-State Fair

PEOPLE 10 12 14 16

STEVE RASMUSSEN BECKY JORGESON HAL AND DORIE LARSON PHIL GRANT

HOME & OUTDOOR 18 20 22 24 26 28

POST OFFICES/MICHAEL MILBY TROLLEY MUSEUM CAL POLY CREAMERY FOOD / AT THE MARKET SLO ART SCENE

COMMUNITY 30 31 32 34 36 46

RENAISSANCE FESTIVAL OUR SCHOOLS – Dr. Julian Crocker HISTORY: Chauncey Hatch Phillips – part 4 HOSPICE CORNER / CROSSWORD PUZZLE PALM STREET – SLO Mayor, Jan Marx ALMANAC – The Month of July

BUSINESS

37 DOWNTOWN SLO What’s Happening 42 THE BULLETIN BOARD 45 EYE ON BUSINESS

HEARST AT WYNTOON

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A proud tradition of serving our community for over 26 years

ATASCADERO – Built in 1914, this colony home

is ideally located close to downtown, on a thirdacre tree-studded lot. This home has been lovingly restored over the past 12 years, with updated electrical and foundation – keeping the beauty of the past, while adding modern conveniences. Features include polished maple hardwood floors and a wood-burning stove and river rock surround. The tranquil exterior living space features a pond, waterfall, mature oaks and fruit trees, and a detached carriage house with endless possibilities! #3001 $445,000

Early California Spanish Revival

ARROYO GRANDE – 2 Homes! Privacy and beauty await you at this 30 plus acre treasure located in serene Huasna Valley. Both homes offer 3 bedrooms and 2½ baths. One is nearly 2500 sq feet, and the second home was recently remodeled and expanded to approximately 2300 sq feet PLUS a large fully enclosed sun room with spectacular views! Your horses can call it home too with a tack shed and two stalls.

Come take the drive and picture yourself living or vacationing here in some of our county’s most beautiful landscape! #3006 $849,000

In downtown San Luis Obispo! First time on the market. Main house with three bedrooms as well as a detached studio unit. Great big private yard and just a couple blocks to downtown. New dual pane windows and new stainless steel appliances. Lot is zoned R-2. #2985 $645,000

ATASCADERO – Dove Creek Short Sale! Check

PISMO BEACH – Great beach condo, excellent condition & low maintenance. 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, view deck, slate fireplace & stainless steel appliances. Located just 2 blocks from the sand and water! Truly a must see! #3020 $489,000

out this great 3 bedroom 2.5 bath home with a spacious floor plan. All bedrooms are upstairs with living and kitchen downstairs. Fully fenced yard for summer days and entertaining. This home is clean and ready for a sale! #3018 $269,000

Just Blocks from Town and Cal Poly PISMO BEACH – GORGEOUS and just what

you’ve been waiting for! This single-level 3 bedroom 2 bath home with just under 2,000 sq ft is perfect. The foyer welcomes you to a very open and spacious floor plan with hand-carved hickory wood floors. Large kitchen with black appliances, granite counters and breakfast bar. Grand master bath has been completely remodeled. Rear yard is quaint but enough to host a large gathering.

And don’t forget the view! WOW! #2991 $569,000

SAN LUIS OBISPO – Charming three bedroom cottage features hardwood floors, abundant natural light and a very pretty backyard.

Numerous fruit trees, gorgeous landscape, new sprinkler and drip system. Well cared for, single level on a large lot. Features are dual pane windows, newer roof, rain gutters and plumbing. This home exudes charm from the colorful landscape and custom exterior window awnings through the comfort and design of a beloved era gone by. #3007 $539,000

ARROYO GRANDE – Wonderful single-level

3 bedroom ranch home on just over 1 acre plus a separate 1 bedroom guest suite above the barn/ workshop. Fenced garden area and corrals, perfect for 4H projects or hobby farm. The main home features a modern kitchen, separate family and formal living areas, spacious dining nook and separate dining room. Covered porch offers wonderful views. Completely fenced with ample parking space plus RV parking. #3008 $599,000

For more information on these and other Real Estate Group of SLO listings call us at

805.541.2888

962 Mill Street • San Luis Obispo, California 93401 • www.RealEstateGroup.com

From the publisher Just a couple minutes to downtown SLO. 3400 sf single level home, 4 bedrooms 3 baths, sitting on a very private 2.5 acres. Great floor plan for entertaining. The back and front yards are fully irrigated and landscaped with Asian, Western, and Mediterranean gardens as well as multiple fruit trees. Great 3 car garage for the toys. Plenty of room for horses.

The adjacent 3.7 acre parcel is also available. Asking $1,125,000. www.3555Sequoia.com

It’s like living in a really nice tree-house. An architecturally pleasing home in Monterey Heights. Great location close to both downtown San Luis and Cal Poly University. Three bedrooms with three baths. Recently updated with bamboo flooring, carpet & paint. Great decks for entertaining with plenty of sunshine. Views of San Luis Mountain. Asking $555,000. www.350SanMiguel.com

Just Listed! Early California Spanish Revival. Three bedrooms 2 baths within five blocks of downtown SLO. Featuring original hardwood floors, new appliances, new windows, and plenty of charm. Property has a huge backyard and also a permitted studio apartment that gets great rent. Asking $645,000. www.1814NipomoSt.com

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uly is the busiest month of the year for special events.

Two of my favorites include the Mid-State Fair and the Renaissance Festival. The MidState Fair opens July 18th and this year’s programs are the best yet. We didn’t do a full story this year but did list the big-name entertainment on page 47. You can also go to midstatefair.com and get all the information you need to prepare your day. The 28th Annual Renaissance Festival runs the weekend of July 21st and 22nd. More than 800 costumed entertainers, three stages of events and a real joust await you. See page 30 for more information.

If you like wines, the biggest and best wine classic is scheduled again July 12-15th. This is the 28th year Archie McLaren has coordinated this special event.

Proceeds go to several non-profit organizations on the Central Coast. Take a look at page 9; you will want to participate in this one.

We have several good profiles again this month including: Steve Rasmussen, Becky Jorgeson, Hal and Dorie Larson, Phil Grant and more. You will also enjoy Susan Stewart’s story on the Cal Poly Creamery. There is plenty of good things going on out there. Joe Carotenuti continues his historical saga on Chauncey Hatch Phillips and Taylor Coffman gives us a glimpse of Hearst’s other home in Northern California, at Wyntoon.

Enjoy the magazine,

Johnny Hough Owner / Broker

(805) 801-5063

johnny@realestategroup.com 962 Mill Street, SLO See more listings at www.realestategroup.com

Steve Owens

Visit our website today and find out more about the PAC Experience.

W W W . P A C S L O . O R G

THE PAC EXPER IENCE K EEPS GETTING BETTER 2012 is a year of improvements and enhanced technology in Harman Hall.

OPERATIONS

It’s easier than ever to enjoy performances at the PAC: • One Price - new “out the door” price of admission includes all fees. The price is the same no matter how you buy – in person, by phone or on-line.

• Event parking is now sponsored by the PAC – less time spent waiting in line.

• We love impulse buyers: Extended ticketing allows online purchase up to an hour before curtain and right up to show time when you purchase live at the ticket window. Best yet: drive in, walk up, buy a ticket and find your seat.

FACILITY

We’re pumping up your PAC experience with a series of facility improvements: • Harman Hall’s upgrades include new seats, stage curtains and a refinished stage floor.

• Our new “line array” audio system delivers sound with more control and subtlety as well as greater precision, making every seat a sweet spot.

• Musicians tell us that the Meyer Sound “Constellation System” will help them hear better onstage and in turn perform even better.

• Cheers to food and drink: Even concessions are being improved with more locations and upgraded offerings.

PARTICIPATION

Sixteen years later and community is still at the heart of what we do and how we do it: • Lower costs help make the PAC more affordable for local arts groups.

• Community support keeps the PAC alive and thriving.

Our thanks to you.

Phone | 805.756.4TIX Fa x | 805.756.6088

WWW.PACSLO.ORG

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July 12-15, 2012 • www.centralcoastwineclassic.org “California Wine & Cuisine at its Finest”

This Year Celebrating the Wineries of Santa Barbara & San Luis Obispo Counties and the Napa Valley T h u r s d ay, J u ly 1 2

3 PM to 5 PM – Barrel Tasting, featuring yet-to-be-released wines from an array of California wineries, at the Avila Lighthouse Suites in Avila Beach - $30.00 per person 5 PM – Dinner at Hearst Castle in San Simeon, featuring Central Coast Chefs, Laurent Grangien of Bistro Laurent in Paso Robles, Kurt Grasing from Grasing’s in Carmel, Michael Hutchings from Michael’s Catering in Santa Barbara, Ian McPhee of McPhee’s Grill in Templeton, Frank Ostini from The Hitching Post in Buellton and James Sly from Sly’s in Carpinteria, six courses with matching wines from Vintner Dignitaries - $1250.00 Per Person Patron Sponsorship Required, which includes the Barrel Tasting, Auction, Auction Luncheon and Reserve Tasting

F r i d ay, J u ly 1 3

9:30 aM to 10:45 aM – Santa Barbara County Pinot Noir Symposium, including Au Bon Climat Winery, Babcock Vineyards, Benjamin Silver, Carlson Wines, Chanin Wines, Hartley-Ostini Hitching Post Wines, Melville Winery, The Ojai Vineyard, Rusack Vineyards and Storm Wines, at the Avila Lighthouse Suites - $50.00 per person 2 PM to 4 PM – Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Symposium, “The Venerable, the Relatively New & the New,” featuring Alpha Omega Winery, Brand Vineyard, Clark-Claudon, Diamond Creek Vineyards, Herb Lamb Vineyards, Lokoya, Melka Metisse, Padis Vineyards, Peter Paul Wines, Pride Mountain Vineyards, Rudd Winery and Viader Vineyards, at the Avila Beach Golf Resort - $65.00 per person 7 PM to 10PM – VIP Outdoor Winery Dinner Dance at the Avila Beach Golf Resort, hosted by special wineries from San Luis Obispo County, Santa Barbara County and the Napa Valley, Reception featuring the wines of Ancient Peaks, Center of Effort and Sinor-LaVallee - $95.00 per person.

7 PM to 10PM – Justin Vineyards & Winery Winemaker Dinner at Lido Restaurant at the Dolphin Bay Resort & Spa - $95.00 per person

s aT u r d ay, J u ly 1 4

Join us for the festivities of the 28th Annual Central Coast Wine Classic, featuring four event-filled days celebrating the wines, cuisine, music, art and lifestyle of California.

10 aM to 11:30 aM – Roederer Estate Méthode Champenoise Symposium, featuring Arnaud Weyrich, Vice President of Production and Winemaker, presenting a once-in-a-lifetime Vertical Tasting of Roederer Estate L’Ermitage in Magnums - $50.00 per person Noon to 5 PM – Rare & Fine Wine & Lifestyle Live Auction, Silent Auction and Luncheon All Auction activities are at the Official Host Auction Venue, the Avila Beach Golf Resort. *Silent & Live Auctions, Luncheon & Live Auction Catalog are included in the attendance price. $125.00 per person

s u N d ay, J u ly 1 5

©2011,Yuroz, “Together With Wine” www.yurozart.com

11 aM to 12:15 PM – Paso Robles Red Rhone Varietal Symposium, featuring Cass Winery, Clos Selene, Eberle Winery, Justin Vineyards & Winery, Hearst Ranch Winery, L’Aventure, Linne Calodo, Red Zeppelin Winery, Saxum Vineyards, Tablas Creek Vineyards & Winery, Villa Creek Winery and Vina Robles Winery & Vineyards, at the Avila Beach Golf Resort - $50.00 per person 1 PM to 4 PM – Reserve Wine Tasting, featuring the Most Special Wines of 50 California wineries, with culinary samplings from fine Central Coast restaurants, at the Avila Beach Golf Resort - $50.00 per person

Please contact Archie McLaren for further information and registration: email: archie@slonet.org; Telephone: (805) 544-1285; fax 595-2742; Wine Classic website: www.centralcoastwineclassic.org

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PEOPLE

steve Rasmussen on...

The magic and mystery of wine-making

By Susan Stewart

A

s first jobs go, selling attic insulation door to door ranks right up there with the toughest. But for Steve Rasmussen, that challenging job led to a chance meeting that he took as an omen—an omen that would foretell the career he has loved for three decades.

Born the youngest of four children in Oakland, California, Rasmussen grew up during the turbulent 1960s, a fact he says shaped his younger years. His mother was a sixth-grade teacher and his father was a chemistry professor who taught on both coasts, at UC Berkeley and at Yale.

Attracted to the field of marine biology, Rasmussen set his sights on Scripps, one of the top oceanography centers in the world. But that romance was tainted by a bout of seasickness, and he enrolled at U.C. Davis instead. “As fate would have it,” said Rasmussen, an Atascadero native by the name of Ralph Kunke was teaching an Introduction to Winemaking class he took during his first quarter at Davis. The year was 1978, and Rasmussen was hooked.

“The process of turning grapes into wine is an ancient, mysterious, magical thing,” said Rasmussen. “It’s been a part of the Christian religion for centuries and is revered in European history and culture.

It’s very much a science, but it’s still mystifying.”

He experienced his first harvest in 1980—a landmark event in any winemaker’s life—and graduated with a degree is Fermentation Science in June of 1981. Rasmussen moved to Napa County right after graduation to find work in the industry, but the wine business was slow at that time. It was here that he started selling attic insulation and met the man who was then the most famous winemaker in the world.

“One day I knocked on a door and André Tchelistcheff opened it,” said Rasmussen. “I was speechless!”

A legend in his own time, Tchelistcheff was America’s most influential post-prohibition winemaker, probably most famous for his California cabernets. Called the “dean of American winemakers,” industry pioneers such as Robert Mondavi considered him their mentor. The cigar-smoking, old-world winemaker then known in wine circles as “The Maestro,” invited the smitten young man into his home and Rasmussen remembers that Tchelistcheff and his wife were most gracious.

“I didn’t make the sale that day,” said Rasmussen, “but I took that chance meeting as an omen that I should get back to wine.”

From 1981 to 1986, Rasmussen developed his skills at such world-renowned wineries as Robert Mondavi, Inglenook, and the central coast’s own Corbett Canyon. As assistant winemaker at the latter he met Don Talley, and founded the winery, Talley Vineyards in 1986. It was here that Rasmussen would spend the next 20 years of his career, creating a standard of winemaking that would serve as a benchmark to this day.

“That was a marvelous experience,” said Rasmussen. “We started from scratch … I helped design all the buildings and served as winemaker for two decades. … I hope the winery will outlive me.”

From 1989 to 1997, Rasmussen consulted for several wineries, including eight located in Argentina! He also teaches in today’s burgeoning wine programs at Alan Hancock College and Cal Poly State University. And he runs SLO Bottling Services, a 14-year-old mobile wine bottling company he formed to serve the wineries in San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara Counties and throughout the state.

“You have to treat wine like a living thing,” he said. “We use a very gentle pump and pay very close attention to sanitation. … We started the company because we saw the need and wanted to run this business from the winemaker’s perspective.”

Always the perfectionist, Rasmussen was disappointed with the often haphazard bottling process that can damage fine wines at the very last moment. One of just a handful of such bottling services in the area, Rasmussen’s company was recently featured on NBC’s In Wine Country.

Being a “child of the ‘60s,” Rasmussen is especially excited about an unlikely liaison that happened five years ago at the County Fair in Paso Robles. The ‘70s rock group Foghat was playing one of the free stages and Rasmussen joined the packed audience to listen.

Rasmussen’s mobile wine bottling truck J U L Y

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“They put on a great show,” said Rasmussen, “and I thought, wow, that name would look great on a wine label. … Maybe it was the beer on an

PEOPLE spoke to the band’s drummer in London the next night. That summer, the band came back to tour California and stayed with Rasmussen and his family for a few days.

“I saw them play probably 25 times and we’ve been making wine together ever since,” he said.

(See the elegant label, read their story, and order Foghat wines at www.foghatcellars.com.)

Rasmussen’s most recent wine adventure is with Sierra Madre Vineyard in the Santa Maria Valley. Established more than 40 years ago, it’s

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one of the first modern vineyards in the area, and is famous for its world class Pinot Noir.

From a chance meeting with “maestro” winemaker André Tchelistcheff to the unlikely music-and-wine partnership with rock legend Foghat, Steve Rasmussen took the risks and let “fate” guide him through his 30-year love affair with wine. His two children, daughter Madison, 14, and son Derek, 12, remind him of the magic and mystery of life, the two elements he loves most about wine.

Steve Rasmussen with his daughter, Madison

empty stomach, but I went to the guy selling t-shirts and asked him if the band would be interested in a joint venture called Foghat Cellars. He gave me a card with a name and phone number, and the wheels started to turn.”

Nine days later, Rasmussen pitched his idea to Foghat’s publicity agent in New York, and

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PEOPLE becky Jorgeson 12

helping others who don’t seem to fit in anywhere

By William L. Seavey

I

first met Becky Jorgeson where she has spent much of her time —in the “trenches.” More specifically, at the transit center in downtown SLO where a handful of homeless people of all ages spend nights trying to stay out of the elements, bundled up in cast off sleeping bags and donated clothing. My wife and I were delivering some of those very items.

She put me to work interviewing some people to find out more about why they couldn’t find a place to sleep that night (or other nights). There are, after all, two night time shelters for the homeless—the Maxine Lewis Memorial Shelter, and ECHO in Atascadero.

But Becky had chosen to work with those who didn’t seem to fit in anywhere—people ineligible for homeless services, veterans, or simply those who couldn’t obtain one of the few dozen shelter beds available that night.

(There are an estimated 4,000 homeless at any given time in the county, a third of which are long term SLO County residents).

For three years, she worked with Dan De Vaul at Sunny Acres, until she realized that the likelihood of a happy resolution of the situation there seemed problematic. (Even if resolved, the facility could only continue to take care of a couple dozen individuals).

Jorgeson worked on legal matters with at-

torneys, did public relations, and interacted one-on-one with the residents.

While at Sunny Acres, she realized that some of our homeless neighbors could be helped to realize their own dreams. She did research on a community village in Oregon and came up with the idea of a similar village in SLO named after one of the women she worked with who overcame multiple issues (against all odds), and was a huge inspiration to her—Hope.

Today, “Hope’s Village of SLO” is fashioned after “Dignity Village” in Portland—an acre of tiny homes on city property, built and cared for by homeless people (with the assistance of a director). Dignity Village has been in existence for eleven years and yet hasn’t been replicated anywhere else in the country. This project gave Hope’s Village founders the push to begin a process that would lead to the establishment of a drug and alcohol-free living community for long-term homeless SLO residents (the Village’s first priority) on the road to a better life.

Becky is a long term resident of SLO herself (47 years), having left only to obtain a B.A. in Social Science (minor in Anthropology) from U.C. Berkeley. She holds an M.A. in Education with a Specialization in Counseling and Guidance from Cal Poly where she worked for 17 years as assistant to the vice president of admissions, recruitment and financial aid.

She worked for fifteen years for local firms that specialized in business and family law, personal injury, and worker’s compensation, giving her a well-rounded education on legal matters.

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Activism runs in her blood. Her mother was a nurse in the area and father a veterinarian. They both manned the PFLAG (Parents & Friends of Lesbians and Gays) table at the Farmers’ Market for years, as did Becky, who served as president of the local chapter for four years.

Discrimination is a hot button issue with Becky, who also spent a lot of energy at Cal Poly advocating for a more equitable ratio of African-American and other under-represented students. In addition, she worked with Cal Poly administrators to establish a gay pride center—first started in a temporary location, and today established at a permanent location in the UU Building on campus.

Jorgeson can be credited with jump-starting “The Homeless Project” at the New Times.

Journal PLUS

She convinced editors to begin running short profiles of local homeless people, and providing a way for the public to offer assistance.

(The author donated to one homeless person profiled who was trying to start a gardening business. And he has had absolutely no doubt that the money has been well spent).

Having multiple connections to the community has greatly helped in the Hope’s Village project. Becky has enlisted a wealth of talent and energy on the nonprofit’s board of directors and advisory group including architects, engineers, attorneys, a retired dentist, planners, a rehab therapist, a facility manager, etc. Meetings have been well attended from the very start. Several county and city officials have indicated a serious interest in assisting with Hope’s Village’s establishment and have attended these meetings. They include Supervisor Jim Patterson and Sheriff Ian Parkinson.

Hope’s Village will dovetail well with the rest of the county’s homeless services through HSOC (Homeless Services Oversight Committee) and CAPSLO (Community Action Project). When open, Hope’s Village residents will be encouraged to take advantage of the excellent services provided by agencies in the area.

But as this is written, the general public knows very little about Hope’s Village. Becky is eager to change this.

“We have all the pieces in place but more awareness is certainly needed. We are planning a ‘meet and greet’ for the general public, possibly at the Madonna Inn. Our greatest need is for a site on the outskirts of SLO. This could be a parcel donated to us, or inexpensively leased from the county.”

PEOPLE

Hope’s Village Board meeting

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Becky with her mom, aunt and a friend

A site donation is the biggest challenge. Becky understands that no one would part with land unless they feel strongly that such a project will fly. Yet it is more than possible, she says. “Dignity Village did it, we can too,” she says. A potential donor is welcome to attend the meetings held every two weeks in every part of the county (to give full representation to the participants). Jorgeson is eager to get a commitment for a site as the planning for living structures and infrastructure is well under way, and the need remains so great.

less in a socialization program (running a job club) in Pasadena years ago, is convinced of the need.

While Hope’s Village is a “village” in name only at this point, there is great confidence that it will become a reality in SLO County. Jorgeson and others are working hard (ten organizational meetings so far) to make it happen. The author of this piece, who worked with the home-

William Seavey lives in Cambria, is on the Hope’s Village board of directors, and is manufacturing an inexpensive portable solar electric system to power up the small Village homes.

And he’s totally certain that if anyone can make it happen (with a little help from her friends and collaborators) it’s Becky Jorgeson.

For more information, check out Hope’s Village website—hopesvillageofslo.com. Donations can be made to the Village at this time via Sesloc Credit Union.

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PEOPLE

Hal and Dorie larson big hearts and helping hands

By Dale Wolff

O

ver at the First Presbyterian Church in San Luis Obispo, Dorie Larson ushers the next person into the volunteer office of the “Green Pastures” ministry. She listens to a description of misfortunes and survival needs. She asks about the person’s most immediate problem. In this case she is able to provide some limited material assistance, along with empathy, encouragement, and some reality checks. But the waiting room is too full to spend much time; Dorie wishes her client well and greets another. By the end of a day of distress, frustration, and imperfect solutions, it might appear that this service takes everything a volunteer has to give in her “retirement days.” For Dorie, it’s just a small sample.

Dorie’s husband Hal is in the middle of a Rotary project. He is planning a club program about the work of the Rotary Foundation in fighting polio, providing clean water, and promoting education and conflict resolution.

Hal arranges for a video and calls each of his committee members to divvy up topics for presentation. He checks donation records and identifies a member deserving of special recognition at the meeting. If you’re a fly on the wall of Hal’s home office, you conclude that Rotary must take up all his energy. Of course, the vision of a fly is severely limited.

The bigger picture of how the Larsons give, serve, and make a difference includes an amazing array of ongoing activities.

MENTORING At the center of the Larsons’ life is family. Before Hal and Dorie met and married twenty-nine years ago, each, with spouses now deceased, had raised children and pointed them in positive directions. But good parenting doesn’t end. Hal’s son and daughter both live in San Luis with their families, and are heirs of his legacy of hard work and business ethics. His daughter and son-in-law now run the business Hal founded, the San Luis Paper Company, where Hal’s influence continues. “Honesty and service,” Hal says, “have always been the watchwords.”

Dorie brought two daughters, two sons, and their families into the now large “tribe.” Though busy with a variety of successful enterprises, they regularly call on mom for her perspective and support.

Family gatherings are frequent, large, and noisy. Grandchildren get lots of special attention and encouragement.

And the Larsons’ mentoring is not limited to family. As a former schoolteacher and counselor, Dorie has good advice for teachers in her “Four L’s”: Listen, Love each student for who they are, Laugh with them, and Let them go. Among her peers, Dorie’s longstanding women’s circle and Bible study gatherings serve as important support groups. People think of Dorie as that caring sister with whom they can share anything without being judged. Hal too has had a strong influence on many lives, from recruiting service club members and coaching them into leadership positions, to searching out exceptional Cal Poly students for international scholarships, to getting friends to join the Cal alums group or get into golf.

Cheering for others is a big part of the Larsons’ routine too. They are devoted to attending grandkids’ sporting events, including gymnastics, track, football and baseball. You’ll see the couple regularly supporting Cal Poly sports. And friends in the Symphony and Vocal Arts count on Hal and Dorie as loyal fans. Historical note: Hal was an early President of the Mozart Festival, writing the grant that funded its first Administrator, and he helped the Symphony through hard times in the ’80s as Finance Vice President.

CAREGIVING Many people who ascend through the ranks to leadership positions drop the hands-on tasks. Not so with Dorie and Hal. As noted earlier, Dorie is regularly on the “front lines” of her church’s urgent needs program. She also served for ten years with the Friends of Prado Day Center, and she is currently Vice President of the People’s Kitchen Board, with the key responsibility of working with the volunteer groups that bring and serve food.

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hospital’s first emergency room was created through these efforts and named after Hal, who was personally diagnosed as having a “corazon grande” (a big heart).

Another way the Larsons “give back” is by the donation of their Bass Lake cabin for church and nonprofit auction events and by loaning it to friends and family in need.

Dorie considers sharing the cabin a ministry, since respites there have ameliorated so many people’s stresses and played a part in romances, reunions, and reconciliations.

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AND SIMPLE PLEASURES

Lest it seem that Hal and Dorie have no time for just relaxing, here’s some reassurance. Both are avid readers, walkers, and PBS news watchers, and they’ve seen a bit of all fifty states. Dorie loves spending time with family and friends, but she shifts easily from garrulous “people person” to quiet time and meditation. Hal practices at his keyboard, sings in the church choir, does woodwork, plays golf, drives his boat on the lake, and roots for the Angels. It’s a full and interesting life for this couple. And it bubbles over to the great benefit of the rest of us.

For Hal, it’s not enough to have been a Navy veteran, President of Rotary AND Kiwanis clubs, CEO, and officer in numerous organizations. He still gets into the thick of volunteer work projects. His current passion is being a church deacon, so he can be directly involved in visiting the sick and home-bound, helping with memorial services, assisting other members in need, and finding funds for youth mission trips and other special projects.

CONTRIBUTING Hal and Dorie are known for being generous givers to the local community and beyond, especially supporting education, church programs, services to the needy, and the arts. Hal is widely acknowledged for his work in promoting the international efforts of Rotary. And particularly dear to the Larsons is an ongoing Rotary program Hal spearheaded nineteen years ago to help the people of Compostela, Mexico. Since then, the San Luis club has raised over $50,000 for wheelchairs, medical devices, and a school bus and other equipment for handicapped children there. A few years ago, the town J U L Y

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PEOPLE Huttle up

Phil Grant

“the coffee dude”

By Bob Huttle “Only one thing is certain about coffee: Wherever it is grown, sold, [roasted], brewed, and consumed there will be lively controversy, strong opinions, and good conversation.” —Mark Pendergrast Apple pie, ice cream, fireworks . . . and coffee. As we get ready to celebrate The Fourth of July, most people’s holiday plans include an AllAmerican celebration outdoors with family and friends. The beaches and parks are packed, smoke from bar-b-ques wafts through the air, frisbees whiz about, and a warm summer’s eve spreads its magic. I’m going to suggest we add a daybreak ingredient to get things started with a jolt: a strong, perfectly roasted and brewed cup of coffee.

There are many places on our Central Coast that feature fine coffee, but to my knowledge there is only one Coffee Dude: the spirited, passionate, and expert Phil Grant, roastmaster at Coastal Peaks Roasters and Café. I cross paths with Phil from time to time and I recently sat down with him and owner Mike Knight to discuss the intricate components, history, and marvels of all things coffee.

As regular readers of this column know (and, by the way, thanks for your loyalty and support), many of the local people I’ve interviewed in the past have been former students of mine at San Luis Obispo High School. Phil now joins that honorable gallery of fine folks who offer their contributions to the good life here in our blessed area. I won’t spend much time writing about Phil as a high school student in my English class. Suffice to say that while Phil’s personality was bold and captivating, his grades and approach as a student were more akin to Jeff Bridges’ character, The Dude, in the movie The Big Lebowski. Let’s just say that Phil/the Coffee Dude’s love of a cup o’ joe outdistances his mastery of English Literature. We’ll leave it at that.

Drop into the Coffee shop’s back room on any given day, and you are likely to find Phil immersed in a roasting cycle on his heavy, noisy bean machine. When he has a Coastal Peaks owner, Mike Knight free moment, Phil will offer a hearty “Howdy, good to see ya. What can I do for you? Let me tell you what’s going on.” And then—if you have the time and interest—he’ll take you on a fascinating journey through the world of coffee. He’ll tell you how he grew to appreciate and love coffee from an early age when he used to hang out at Rudolph’s Cafe on Higuera Street, next door to his mom’s Kitchen Shop. After high school, Phil worked around town at the Cigar Factory (now the site of Novo), Spikes, and Idler’s Appliances and, when SLO became a bit J U L Y

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Roastmaster Phil

too familiar, he headed north to Portland, Oregon, where he learned his craft. After five years of on-the-job training at Coffee Bean International, the Central Coast lifestyle and his family beckoned him home.

Phil stayed focused on his love of coffee, joining SLO Roast in 2002, then Coastal Peaks in 2006 as its Roastmaster and resident Coffee Dude. Proud and successful owner Mike Knight calls Phil “the key to our operation, the glue that holds it all together.”

Continue your time with Phil and you’ll learn about the coffee beans from all over the world that are delivered almost daily to the back room.

Phil explains that “only green beans are purchased from coffee broker Royal Coffee in Emeryville. On any given day you’re likely to find heavy, 150 pound burlap sacks from Indonesia, Africa, Central America, India, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Kona/Kauai, Hawaii. The beans are very much like wine grapes. Different regions produce different styles and flavors, depending on the soil (terroir), air temperature and climate.”

One of Phil’s specialties is the blending of different coffees to create exciting new taste combinations. He explains: “We have over twenty blends; many are original or limited. Some of them are Velvet Fog, Muddy Waters, Patagonian, Sienna, and Hollister Peak.”

I ask Phil how his approach differs from those of our major chains, like Starbuck’s and Peet’s? He explains: “Those companies, good as they are for most people, roast 400-500 pounds at a time in huge facilities that house many roasters. We roast an average of 45 pounds at a time in one roaster, right here, on site.”

As for what lies ahead for Phil? “I just want to stay here in SLO and take advantage of everything our area has to offer. I’m very content, very happy. I have a great setup and support system.”

Bob Huttle (Up) can be contacted at rhuttle@charter.net. How ‘bout we get together for coffee?

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A conversation with Paso Robles’ Post Master

Michael Milby

By Natasha Dalton

T

he Swedish Post Office physically delivers email print-outs to its off-line customers. The French Post Office provides banking and insurance services (something the United States Post Office also used to do in the past).

Paso Robles’ Post Master Michael Milby believes that the new cycle of reorganization hitting the USPS might help expand its services, too.

I asked him about his experience at the USPS, and about his take on the current postal news. Here’s the interview.

Mr. Milby, let’s start with your personal story. How did you come to work at the Post Office?

When I was a kid growing up in Oxnard, I used to follow our mailman. I never thought about working at the Post Office, but years later, when I got out of the Marine Corp, I took a job with the Post Office thinking that it would be a good temporary job while I’d be going to school—and I’m still here.

I ended up working with the guy I used to follow down to the corner!

Then, when I got married, my wife and I moved to Simi Valley. In 1993, after the Post Office reorganized and eliminated my job there, we transferred to SLO, and in December of 2003 I came to Paso Robles—and have been here ever since.

What does a Postmaster do, exactly?

My day begins early in the morning. I observe both the processing side of the business and the delivery side. I also deal with finances, labor relations and human resources. It’s kind of like being a mini CEO of your company. Leadership means many things: making sure that your employees are doing the right thing, and trying to earn the trust of the public.

We have over fifty people in our office—it’s quite a few people to keep an eye on. They’re a good bunch of people. But, they are people.

Things can go wrong, so I have to make sure that all aspects of the

Traditional Funeral Services

Michael Milby in his office at the Post Office

business are running well. If we have a piece of mail, we have to deliver it that day. We touch every person, every address. And it’s really great to be a part of an organization that can do that. We have a great community, and I’m fortunate to live and work here.

I had an opportunity to go elsewhere and make more money, but I cannot picture me in another city.

You’ve worked for the USPS for 31 years. Has the Post Office changed over time?

When I started, we all laughed at a story about a machine that could read handwriting on a letter. Then, all-of-sudden, we got mail with the barcode on the bottom! Now, 96% of our mail comes pre-sorted by machines.

Carriers’ routes are bigger now. When I came here, each carrier daily delivered about 600-700 pieces of mail. Now it’s 1,400!

Is the change good? I think it’s good. It made the Post Office a leaner organization—much like a private business.

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543-6871

Milby, with his wife Sandy and their daughter Whitney with Miss America, Laura Kaeppeler

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HOME/OUTDOOR Milby stays in shape on his road bike.

we deliver hundreds of their parcels daily. But we also have agreements with them to transport our parcels by their aircraft.

When you start working with this type of synergy it’s amazing what you can come up with.

The USPS offers a service: we can pick up a package. A carrier comes by, delivers the mail; “Hey, do you have anything to send? I’ll take it for you.” We don’t charge for it. In certain cases we give out free boxes, we offer flat rates, we print rate tables… we try to make shipping convenient.

What should we expect from the current restructuring of the Post Office?

The future of the Post Office depends on what happens in Washington, D.C. They were talking about closing thousands of small post offices. I don’t see this happening. I foresee that those offices will be restructured, but there still will be a way to serve every community. Could, theoretically, Paso Robles oversee a couple of smaller offices instead of closing them? There’s no problem there.

There’re many options that the Post Office is exploring right now.

I’d say, one should never feel too comfortable to never worry, because when you’re not worrying, you’re not checking facts. If you’re assuming something, you might have a wrong assumption. Check various sources to understand what really makes sense.

The USPS is by far (5 times!) more efficient than any other Post Office in the world. We deliver more mail than anybody else, and yet we do it better. We pride ourselves in the fact that as an organization we constantly continue to improve our productivity.

Electronic communication took a big bite out of our revenues nationally, but we picked up some revenues on shipping. Locally, we’re doing well on parcel business. We keep having one good year after another!

This year, local mailing of packages using USPS on-line services increased by 18%. You can e-mail a letter, but you cannot e-mail a sweater—and that’s where our future lies.

Everybody is shipping something and has a need to have something shipped to them.

So the question becomes: what’s the best mode to meet that need? We now have a partnership with FedEx and UPS, for whom

Every Post Office in the world is funded through taxes. We’re not.

We only get revenue from services. Even though we’re a part of government, not a penny of tax dollars comes to us. Moreover, we’re required by law to give discounts to certain categories of mailers, even though we might lose money on that.

The Post Office is proposing a five-year plan, which will have money in surplus—without any tax dollars, and I’m excited about the future. I could take an early retirement, but I think something good is right around the corner, and I want to be a part of it.

Do you have special memories about your career as a postmaster?

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a point in your life when you decide: I’m not in a shape that I want to be. I had that epiphany a year and a half ago, and I decided to get back in shape. I got a mountain bike, and decided that—rather that driving to SLO—I’d ride it along the road by my house. I quickly found out that riding a mountain bike on a road isn’t the easiest thing to do! Those pedals that you put your feet into—they don’t come out easily, and I fell down a few times. The most embarrassing fall was when I was with my daughter near the ball field where kids were playing Little League.

Now I’ve I got a road bike and in a little over a year I’ve ridden over 4,000 miles!

What makes you feel good?

I helped raise funds for the Amgen Tour and for The Wellness Community, a cancer support network. Life has been pretty good to me, this community is great, and I enjoy giving back. I was impressed when my youngest daughter donated her painting to The Wellness Community. The painting sold for $350! It’s a good feeling to know that I raised a citizen!

We are here for you.

The most memorable day in my career is the day when I became the postmaster. For years, my dad would ask: “Hey, how’s the postmaster doing? “ So, when I got appointed as a postmaster, it was bittersweet, because by then my father had passed away.

Your wife is also a postal worker.

Do you talk ‘shop’ at home?

Can I say ‘no’, and nod my head ‘yes’?! Work is a big part of our life. We care about what we do, we care about our customers. My wife is a rural carrier in Templeton. For a while, she was an acting postmaster there. She has a close relationship with her customers: It’s a bit different when you see someone daily. If someone doesn’t pick up their mail for a couple of days, she begins to worry and makes calls.

Is your job stressful?

If you let it get to you, it can be. It’s how you process the information. When I face something I cannot control, I remind myself that only narrow-minded people resist change.

It helps!

It’s always good to exercise, to stay physically and mentally in shape. You come to

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trolley car memories

By Richard Bauman

R

iding the “Red Car” to Los Angeles was something I relished as a kid. In the late 1940s and early ’50s, the fastest public transportation from the far-flung suburbs of Los Angeles to Downtown L.A. was the Pacific Electric trolley.

When my mother had a reason to go “downtown” we would go to the El Monte bus/train station, and climb aboard a Los Angeles bound “Red Car.” It’s hard to imagine that Los Angeles, which some now call the land of freeways, at one time had more than one thousand miles of interurban and city streetcar tracks serving more that 42 communities.

While the expansive trolley system has been gone for nearly five decades, you can still experience the joy of riding one of those ancient trolley cars. Just visit the Orange Empire Railroad and Trolley Museum in Perris, California. Whether you remember riding streetcars, or you’ve only heard or read about them, their mystic lives on at this sprawling compound about 60 miles east of Los Angeles. If trains and railroading are more to your liking, the museum has a lot to offer you, too.

If you’re in the Los Angeles or Inland Empire area on a weekend, that’s the best time to visit the museum. While the grounds are open weekdays 9 to 5, often as not there’s little activity. Many of the indoor exhibits such as the Los Angeles Railway barn, and the Grizzly Flats Railroad Engine House No. 6 are usually shuttered on weekdays.

On weekends, the place comes alive. It’s open, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., the trains and trolley cars are running, exhibits are open and there are usually dozens of visitors. But the grounds and exhibits usually aren’t crowded. On special event weekends, however, the number of visitors can shoot up into the hundreds.

Be sure to pick up a free map of the grounds at the Pinacate Station Museum Store. It also has railroad and trolley memorabilia, books, and train-related toys available. It’s also where you buy tickets to ride the trolleys and trains.

Two major exhibits are the Los Angeles Railway barn, and the Grizzly Flats Engine House No 6.

In the LA Railway Barn, are some restored streetcars, and several more in various stages of restoration, that once roamed the trolley tracks of Los Angeles. The streetcars are painted white, green and yellow, low-slung, and sleek for their era (late 1930s-’50s).

You can climb aboard the static exhibit and get a sense of the trolley experience. There are leather seats, poles for standing riders to grip, high ceilings and large windows. Just above the windows are advertisements, on large cards, from the 1940s and 1950s for consumer products, radio shows and even political advertisements: Sunshine Crackers, Lux Soap, the Lone Ranger radio show, Listerine mouthwash and an ad urging citizens to vote for Dewey and Warren (the 1948 presidential election).

There’s a wall exhibit of tickets used in the 1940s. It cost $1.50 for a one week “Inner Zone” pass in 1948. The tickets were another means of advertising local events. For example, one March 21-27, 1948 pass bears an advertisement for the Yale Glee Club’s performance at the Philharmonic Auditorium on the 29th of that month.

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Ward Kimball, who was an animator for Disney Studios, bought it in 1938. It was part of his “backyard railroad” for many years. Kimball, one of the museum’s founders, donated the locomotive to the museum.

There is a picnic area near the main entrance, and visitors are welcome to bring their own food. Across the street is the “signal garden.”

It’s an interactive display of railroad signal devices used to signal and warn train engineers of various track conditions. There are also examples of grade crossing signals to warn drivers and others of an approaching train, including working examples of the “wigwag” type, once commonly used throughout the country.

There are old photos, tickets, uniforms, and other railroad and trolley car memorabilia in exhibit areas, giving visitors a view of what life was like at the beginning of the railroad heyday.

In the Grizzly Flats Railroad exhibit are meticulously restored locomotives from the early 1900s. Steam engines typically had a long service life. The Chloe, a narrow-gauge engine, was built in 1907 by the Baldwin Locomotive Works, and was retired in 1948 after years of service in Hawaii, hauling sugar cane from fields to processing plant.

Another steam engine is the Nevada Central Railroad’s locomotive 2, the Emma Nevada, built by Baldwin in 1881 for the NCRR. It was used for almost 50 years between Battle Mountain and Austin, Nevada.

Another reason to visit on weekends—you can ride the trolley cars and trains. On a typical weekend (other than during special events), two city streetcars are operated on the half-mile dual-gauge Loop Line. A train, usually an electric or diesel powered freight train with a caboose or two, and a gondola car, are usually operating on the 1.5 mile standard gauge Mainline. On some weekends, a Pacific Electric “Red Car” also operates on the Mainline.

Admission and parking for the museum are free, except for special events, but a ticket must be purchased to ride the trolleys and trains.

A ticket is good for the entire day, and visitors can ride trains and trolleys as often as they like.

The Orange Empire Railroad and Trolley Museum is located at 2201 S. “A” Street, Perris, CA 92572. For further information and to check on dates of special events, you can call the OERM at 951-943-3020, or check its website at www.oerm.org, and under “Calendar,” click on “Special Events.”

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cal poly cheese there is nothing cheesy about it!

By Susan Stewart

W

ith a legacy that dates back more than a hundred years, the Creamery at Cal Poly has been making hand-crafted cheeses and luscious ice creams—from cow to container— since 1903. Former Cal Poly student Joe Gardiner was hired just a few days after his own graduation to help promote these extraordinary products, and showcase this student-run, student-staffed enterprise.

“I had always wanted to be a part of a project that highlights what students do here,” said Gardiner, who majored in Crop Science and minored in Ag Business. “It’s truly a learnby-doing experience, which is the Cal Poly motto. The students do it all.”

Made from their own herd of 150 dairy cows (a mix of Holstein and Jersey cows that graze right here on the rolling hills of the Central Coast), dairy products from the Creamery can be purchased at selected supermarkets (such as Spencer’s and Vons) from Paso Robles to Pismo Beach, at the Cal Poly campus market, and online. From milking to manufacturing, churning to packaging, flavoring to labeling, the students get a chance to see and/or participate in the whole process.

According to the website, “The Creamery is both a teaching laboratory and a manufactur-

ing plant licensed and inspected by the State of California for commercial production.”

The Creamery is part of Cal Poly’s Dairy Science Department, the largest program in the nation, and the only dairy science school on the West Coast. The Dairy Products Technology Center attracts students and scientists from all over the world who come to conduct research, to create new products and techniques, and to collaborate with other industry innovators.

Gardiner is a tireless fan of the Cal Poly Creamery, touting its excellence, its high standards, and its superior products. Both the gouda and cheddar come in plain and smoked varieties, and they make both Monterey and chipotle jack, as well a Cal Poly version of Swiss called San Luis Lace, in regular and reduced fat. Ice cream flavors vary seasonally and can include Peach Whip, Ollalieberry, Mud Pie, and Cookies & Cream, as well as the always popular Vanilla

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Cal Poly dairy cows

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Milking

HOME/OUTDOOR Creamery students at work

The finished product

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and Chocolate Chip.

The chocolate milk, made from real cocoa and hand-mixed to silky perfection is an indulgence worth every calorie.

Gardiner credits Dr. Bruce Golden, the Dairy Science Department Head, and Jerry Mattas, the Creamery’s operations manager, for much of the success he has seen. But most of all, Gardiner applauds the students, whose dedication to quality, and old-fashioned hard work make the Creamery what it is—a tribute to fresh, farm-to-table foods that are as delicious as they are healthful.

Asked about major influences on his career choice, Gardiner named his father, Keith, without hesitation. “I come from an ag family that goes back 70 years,” he explained. “My father is a farmer and a Cal Poly graduate who through hard work, determination and ethical business practices grew the family farm into a major agricultural operation in the San Joaquin Valley.”

Gardiner said local sandwich shops (like Gus’s and Ben Franklin’s) are among the Creamery’s best customers. And, he added, they’ve added ten new ones in this past year alone, making the Creamery a truly modern, sustainable business.

“It’s truly a learn-by-doing experience, which is the Cal Poly motto. The students do it all.”

“There’s only so much funding out there,” Gardiner explained. “And even that’s limited and keeps decreasing in today’s economic climate. …We generate our own profit-making opportunities which means we are not solely at the mercy of the state.” Proceeds from sales of Creamery products go right back into the program for new projects, new developments, new facilities, new equipment. “It’s all for the students, and by the students,” he said. “They come from all backgrounds— from public relations to communications—not just dairy science. We encourage students from all walks of life to come and experience what the creamery has to offer.”

Like most businesses, the Cal Poly Creamery now has an online presence where customers can purchase gift packs for home delivery or to send as gifts (during the holiday season). Visit www.calpolycheese. com to order from four different gift packs in a range of prices (during the holiday season). And watch for a brand new website with year round cheese gift packs for sale, keeping in mind what Joe Gardiner always says: “Without the students, the Creamery would be just another business.”

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at the market

Gluten-free banana pancakes with cinnamon (and fresh ground flax seeds)

By Sarah Hedger

J

uly brings a real feeling of Summer to the Central Coast. Where I grew up in Los Osos, Summer always meant fog. Not until I was in my 20s did I find my way 10 miles inland to SLO and quickly adapted to what I thought Summer should feel like—lustrous warm days. It is always surprising to me how little a distance it takes to feel a significantly different climate. A small shift one way or another and plants that grow in one place, find it hard pressed in another. I guess we should feel pretty lucky that we, as people, can adapt to nearly any climate and still live!

On another level, we are lucky because, in our county alone, we have a number of microclimates that lend to some great variety at farmers’ markets. I suppose it might come from the fact I love to cook, but I’ve always enjoyed the fact that certain fruits and vegetables represent those microclimates (the apples in See Canyon spring to mind). So, at last, we are midSummer, with an abundance of produce to choose from, including everything from cucumbers, corn, and summer squash, to apricots, peaches, and berries. The options are endless (and ever growing).

Lately we’ve been finding ourselves doing things with a little bit more of a do-ityourself attitude. I can’t recall how it came about, but some things are worth mentioning because the results have been outstanding, with little effort. First example is in the barbecue department. Going beyond gas, and instead of using charcoal, local off-cuts of apple and pear wood have been getting used, lending their sweet, caramelized nutty flavor to foods, via the smoke. I guess it is because I had gotten really accustomed to gas barbecues, which, don’t get me wrong, have their place, but the flavor that comes from using different types of wood is outstanding. It adds another level of flavor that no rub or marinade achieves. Second example is creating homemade snacks and treats instead of buying pre-packaged ones.

The outcome are better tasting homemade snacks that suit our tastebuds (and health) better, all while minimizing the endless amounts of packaging that ends up in landfills. The downside of preparing your own treats? Mmmm…more delicious cookies in the freezer waiting to be eaten, homemade dried apples and pears in the pantry waiting to be eaten, and what seems a whole lot more friends keen to come over for an afternoon coffee break. Not so bad! Lastly, is something that has taken my cooking to a whole new level of flavor and that is grinding my own spices, seeds, herbs … pretty

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much whatever I can get my hands on. It may sound difficult but with the help of a mortar and pestle, or even easier, a (delegated) coffee/spice grinder, the process takes an extra two minutes on the average. What I’ve noticed is that a lot of spices and seeds sold in stores are rancid and that bitterness lends its flavor to a dish in a less than charming way. Flax seeds are a great example as they are sold ground (and in packaging) just about everywhere (with a shelf life at room temp of a week). Thus, the results of grinding your own flax each week is a ready-to-use dose of healthy Omega 3’s and fiber with a nutty, buttery essence that adds to a delicious end result. So, this month’s recipe, Gluten-free Banana Pancakes with Cinnamon (and fresh ground flax seeds) is an ode to just that. Lofty, delicious, banana pancakes—a not so guilty pleasure.

gluten-free banana pancakes with cinnamon (and fresh ground flax seeds)

These lofty pancakes hit the spot! They are simple to make, taste a bit on the naughty side while being healthy. *Note to the pancake chef: When you freshly grind your flax seeds, store them in a sealed container in the refrigerator to preserve their freshness for the week.

I frequently have (peeled) frozen bananas stored in the fridge and have thawed them (and their juice) and it works beautiful in these pancakes as well. Makes 8 healthy-sized pancakes For the Pancakes: 3 overly ripe bananas, mashed 2 T brown sugar (I used coconut sugar for a more caramelized brown sugar flavor) 2 tsp cinnamon 1 ½ cups plain yogurt or kefir 3 large organic free range eggs 1 T neutral, healthy oil ¼ cup freshly ground flax seeds 1 ½ cups gluten free flour mix (I made my own with ½ c. brown rice flour, ½ c. buckwheat flour and ½ cup tapioca starch/flour) 2 tsp baking powder 1 tsp salt 1-2 T neutral oil for the pan(s) *Your choice of maple syrup, butter, etc. for your favorite pancake topping In a large bowl, combine mashed bananas, brown sugar, cinnamon, yogurt/kefir, eggs, oil, and freshly ground flax seeds. Give a good whip so they are evenly mixed. In a medium bowl, whisk together gluten free flour mix, baking powder, and salt. Add this dry mix to the wet banana mixture and give a good stir. Let sit for 10-15 minutes while you sort your pan(s).

Preheat a good cast iron skillet (or skillets) over medium high heat.

Once hot, place a little oil either directly in the pan or on a paper towel, (you will continue to reapply a little bit of oil before each pancake). Give pancake batter a stir and keep in mind the thicker the batter, the thicker the pancakes. So, if you like them a little thinner, add a little bit of a milk (rice or almond works great) to thin the batter down. Add ½ cup of batter to hot pan and let sit for a minute or so before taking a peek on an edge to see how brown it is. Flip the pancake after some bubbles appear on the edge and let cook for a couple minutes on the other side. Remove and enjoy with your own ration of maple syrup and butter. *Feel free to email me at sarah@seasonalalchemist.com if you have any food-related questions and find this recipe (as well as other versions) at www.seasonalalchemist.com

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HOME/OUTDOOR slo county art scene

30th anniversary of the sLo county arts council

By Gordon Fuglie

J

uly marks the 30th anniversary of the San Luis Obispo County Arts Council (SLOCAC, also known as ARTS Obispo). Signal anniversary years (10, 20, 30, etc.) are opportunities for cultural organizations to look back and ahead, reflecting on successes and missteps, and contemplate future initiatives. SWOT analysis and re-purposing are not just buzzwords prompting knowing nods around the table at a directors meeting; they are essential practices for California’s art organizations as they weather an economic slump and a severely curtailed state budget.

Nowhere is this more evident than among the Golden State’s county arts councils, and this holds true for the SLOCAC. (Full disclosure: since 2010, I have served on its board of directors.) At the end of 2011, in order to sustain our work we had to give up our Higuera Street offices and gallery in The Creamery and move to the Ludwick Center on Mill Street. Freed of the monthly drain of our coffers to rent, the Arts Council stabilized fiscally, re-grouped, and is looking ahead, re-vamping existing programs and creating new ones.

County arts councils are local extensions of the California Arts Council (CAC), established in 1975 under the first term of Gov. Jerry Brown.

In the decades since the CAC was founded, its successive boards have debated and finally concurred about its work, declaring “the arts bring value to Californians,” and “are essential to a well-rounded education, stronger economies, cohesive communities, healthy lifestyles and a fulfilling quality of life.” These bold affirmations are actually backed up in numerous national studies, and whether participating as an artist, arts administrator, board member, sponsor, supporter or participant in the great range of creative offerings, programs and activities, one recognizes that engagement with the arts gives special meaning to our lives.

Some personal examples: at age 14, my parents took me to an exhibit of Impressionist Claude Monet’s last paintings, mural-size canvases of Giverny’s sun-dappled ponds arrayed with water lilies—to me, a revelation. As a high school senior, I saw a shy classmate come alive as the narrator in Thornton Wilder’s Our Town, carrying the allegorical play to its conclusion. Attending a concert of the Modern Jazz Quartet as a young adult, I was enthralled with the combo’s seamless shifts from virtuoso improvisation to ARTS Obispo Program Director Jenna Hartzensemble performance. ell with Boardmember Bettina Swigger In each of these experiences—visual art, theatre and music—my preconceptions were shattered and new horizons opened.

I felt more alive.

In SLO County, the SLOCAC is the only local arts agency designated by our Board of Supervisors to serve our citizens in partJ U L Y

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ARTS Obispo Executive Director, Charlotte Alexander, Board President Mary Kay Harrington, and Program Director Jenna Hartzell.

nership with the CAC. Annually, the SLOCAC receives a very modest stipend from Sacramento. This is helped by county and civic support, as noted by Mary Kay Harrington, President of the SLOCAC Board of Directors: “We’ve been so fortunate to have backing from the Board of Supervisors, strong funding from the City Council and SLO Mayor Jan Marx. Our local politicians understand that a county where the arts flourish enriches our culture, makes our county a desirable place to live, for businesses to relocate, and brings visitors to our region.”

Such local government support, along with individual, organizational and business memberships, as well as occasional grants, are not merely helpful, but crucial in sustaining the SLOCAC. The CAC was almost shut down during the fiscal crisis of 2003-2004; it lost 94% of its funding from the state legislature, resulting in deep cuts to its programs and staff. This was an astonishing reversal, given California’s lead role in the nation’s creative economy, with Southern California and the Bay Area representing nationally and internationally renowned arts centers. Despite California’s cultural prowess, however, it dedicates fewer tax dollars per capita to support the arts and arts education than any other state in the US, even though it has more arts-related businesses and more people employed in the creative industries than the rest of the country.

Happily, the CAC and the SLOCAC are committed to fighting the good fight for the arts in our state and communities. Last Fall, the SLOCAC was delighted to hire Charlotte Alexander as its new executive director. Along with staffers Barbara Radovich and Jenna Hartzell, as well as our refocused board of directors, Charlotte moved quickly to orient the Council to a county-wide profile, undertake strategic planning, and connect us to other cultural organizations and business interests. By coincidence, while we were interviewing Charlotte, Craig Watson was appointed Director of the CAC (August, 2011). Formerly Executive Director of the Arts Council of Long Beach, Watson brings a political savvy to the position—an asset in times of government polarization. He will visit San Luis Obispo on July 13 to join the SLOCAC in celebrating its 30th anniversary, meeting city and county officials and stakeholders in the arts.

In the meantime, SLOCAC Programs Director Jenna Hartzell is upbeat: “We have broadened the outreach of the Open Studios Art Tours, added a SmartPhone APP for multi-generational appeal, and are exploring webbased funding sources.” Or as I am fond of saying, “The San Luis Obispo Arts Council wants to become the mother ship of the arts in our region.”

For further information: www.artsobispo.org and California Arts Council, www.cac.ca.gov/aboutus. For the impact of the arts on state economies, google “Arts & the Economy: Using Arts and Culture to Stimulate State Economic Development,” NGA Center for Best Practices.

Hospice “Pardners” Hoedown Saturday • August 4, 2012 1:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Barbecue

Live Western Band

Dancing

No Host Beer & Wine

Door Prizes

with

$85

Monte Mills & the Lucky Horseshoe Band

per person

At the Dairy Barn on Hearst Ranch

$65.00 per ticket

at the Hearst Ranch Attendance limited to 200 guests – Ticket purchase required prior to event

hosted

by Hospice of the Central Barbeque Western Partners Band ■ Dancing Door Prizes ■ Live ■ Bar ■ Coast Proceeds benefit hospice patients and their families Attendance limited to 350 guests Proceeds benefit patients of Hospice Partners of the Hosted by Hospice Partners of the Central Coast & their families Central Coast

Call 805-782-8608 for Event Tickets SPONSORS

Call for Event Tickets

805-782-8608

Hearst Corp. purchase required Nipomo Rotaryprior Albertsons F. McLintocks Ticket All Seasons Flowers BABE Farms D’zyne Ink Harvey’s Honeyhuts to event ext.Electric 708 Mission Country Disposal New Times Knecht’s Plumbing & Heating Rob Olsen Rancho Grande Motors Firestone Walker Brewing Co. Robert Cruttenden, CPA Rites of Passage Partners of the Central Coast is a non-profit 501(C)3 state licensed, Medicare and Medi-Cal certified Hospice Agency and is SLOHospice Journal Doc Burnstein’s Ice Cream Lab R.H. Porter Co. Peterson Beem General Contractor affiliated with Wilshire Health & Community Services, Inc.

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COMMUNITY

history

life after san simeon

By Taylor Coffman

I

N OUR GREATER SAN LUIS OBISPO area, everyone’s heard of William Randolph Hearst and San Simeon. It’s well known that Hearst, a wealthy publisher, built a hilltop mansion in the 1920s and ‘30s, a place where he enjoyed an enchanted,

storybook life. He was also at San Simeon in the 1940s, mostly after World War II. His intermittent presence in the area has become familiar to millions. Hearst Castle opened to the public in 1958. It’s been one

Hearst at Wyntoon Photo courtesy of the Shewmaker Collection and Don Linebarger, Mt. Shasta, CA

of the jewels of the California State Park System ever since. Much has been written about it, from souvenir pamphlets to larger books full of dazzling pictures.

What else remains to be done? Are there still new avenues to explore?

In fact there are. “Life after San Simeon” refers to a specific period for Hearst, from the late 1930s to the mid-1940s—a period when he favored Wyntoon, his forested hideaway on the McCloud River in northern California, near Mount Shasta. And, yes, he was living then with the much younger Marion Davies, a former film star who was with him until he died in 1951. His wife, Millicent Willson Hearst, from whom he’d long been separated, lived in faraway New York.

Also, his five sons were grown by the late ‘30s.

They worked in the Hearst media empire and, along with their wives and children, were part of an extended family that surrounded their father and his famous chatelaine. It was all very much the stuff of legend and romance, “a great yarn,” as one of Hearst’s grandsons has called it, a story that never grows old.

Mr. Hearst and Miss Davies had countless friends. A small number of them, plus some favorite employees, formed an entourage that lived together, worked together, traveled together. Insiders called the group by a simpler name: “the folks.” The folks had last gone to Europe, for instance, in 1936. And then, early in 1941, the folks went to more affordable (and safer) Mexico for nearly a month. They also went there in 1942.

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Meanwhile, where were Hearst, Davies, and the others in their circle on the morning of Sunday, December 7, 1941? Pearl Harbor was, hands down, the most riveting historical event in this overall part of Hearst’s life—the time from right after World War I, when he started building on his hilltop at San Simeon, and on into the early ‘40s. In other words, the vivid era capped by Pearl Harbor and our entry into World War II. On that Sunday morning at Wyntoon, Hearst began another day’s intensive work, following his late-night editing of his newspapers with the help of Joe Willicombe, his powerhouse secretary. There were seventeen papers, down from an even larger number in the 1930s. Hearst had magazines, too, but he’d always been a newspaperman at heart, ever since he took over the San Francisco Examiner back in 1887.

In 1941 his papers were centered, as they’d always been, in urban areas. Draw a line from New England to the Midwest; then, after veering down to Texas, extend that line out to California and on up to Washington state. Scattered along this cross-country path were the media interests that kept Hearst and Willicombe constantly busy.

On top of that, and despite being almost eighty, Hearst had tackled a moonlight job as of 1940: the writing of a lengthy column that appeared most days in his chain of papers, called “In the News.”

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lot—unless you want to know the facts about Hearst and the folks at a decisive moment in our nation’s past.

The folks were already at Wyntoon on that “date which shall live in infamy.” There truly was, and had been for quite some time, life after San Simeon.

NOTE: Taylor Coffman was a tour guide at Hearst Castle, mostly in the 1970s. Over the past thirty years he’s written several books about Hearst, San Simeon, Julia Morgan, San Luis Obispo County history, and other local subjects. This article previews his forthcoming book, Life after San Simeon: William Randolph Hearst, Marion Davies, and Their Circle at Wyntoon, based primarily on rare historical documents gathered by William R. Hearst III, a grandson born in 1949.

It was a grueling regimen. When Pearl Harbor was attacked, Hearst still had a ways to go with his column before he would shelve it.

There would still be all his other managerial work to do.

And thus another reason for asking where he and the folks were at that historic moment. On weekends he published letters from his readers. “In the News” had triggered an avalanche of mail. Some of it came from celebrities, like Humphrey Bogart and Edward G. Robinson; other letters were from ordinary, workaday people; a few poets sent Hearst their latest rhymes. These various correspondents directed their mailings to his newspapers and residences nationwide, guessing how and where the man might best be reached; their postings were promptly forwarded to isolated Wyntoon. Obviously, Hearst couldn’t print everything. But, without fail, with whatever he published, he “followed copy” and included the addresses the senders had used, no matter how unlikely.

Sometimes that address was San Simeon. Yet in reality, Hearst and Marion Davies and their inner circle hadn’t been on the Central Coast since April 1941. They’d been at Wyntoon in the interim, except for some short trips they’d made to San Francisco and Los Angeles (he and Marion still had a big place in Santa Monica, casually called the Beach House). Otherwise, Wyntoon had counted as home, predominantly so since the late 1930s; it would remain Hearst’s headquarters until November 1944. Only then would the folks return to San Simeon, where they would remain until 1947.

Earlier, with “San Simeon” being named in his weekend column, many figured that he was holding court at the hilltop Castle right through 1941, on par with his pattern back in the 1930s heyday. And then the kicker: Marion Davies, in her posthumous memoir The Times We Had: Life with William Randolph Hearst (1975), told emphatically how she and Hearst were at San Simeon on Pearl Harbor Day and how they decided, then and there, to quit their vulnerable coastal perch for the secluded safety of Wyntoon. The Times We Had has long been a bestseller, thanks to a steady clientele at the Hearst Castle gift shop.

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COMMUNITY

July 21st and 22nd

Central coast renaissance festival

T

he year is 1585. Queen Elizabeth and her stunning Royal Court are on their summer travels throughout England to meet her people. They stop at a small village near the English Channel. The excited villagers have prepared a celebration for Her Majesty, including a spectacular summer faire. And so we lay the scene for the 28th Annual Central Coast Renaissance Festival, held in San Luis Obispo’s El Chorro Regional Park on July 21 & 22.

Media coordinator Rick Smith says that the village comes to life as reenactment groups portraying Irish, Scots, English military, woodworkers, peasants, rogues, seamen, middle class, musicians and the Queen’s Court set up camp and give living history demonstrations.

“We have over 800 costumed participants and the costumes are absolutely fantastic,” he says. He explains that each participant develops his/her own Renaissance-era character and they know that character’s

name, what they do for a living, how they fit into society and how that character interacts with the other people in the village. “It makes it more real for everyone,” he says.

“This is our 28th year and we try to make it different and better every year,” Smith says. “We have a wide variety of stage acts including comedy shows, dancing, music, magic tricks, juggling and even a comedy parrot show. The joust is the real deal, a full contact sport. We’re one of the few jousts with a female jouster, and she is good! You can spend the entire day here and be entertained the whole time.”

Smith says there are continuous stage shows including comedy, music, dancing and plays. “Our performers are professionals who come from all over California,” he says, adding that this is a family event. “Children will enjoy pony rides, face painting, games, wooden toys and a petting zoo.”

Vendor coordinator Justin LeCavalier say the festival presents a unique shopping experience. ”Over 50 vendors will offer everything from swords to complete costumes, hats, footwear, tankards, leather goods, jewelry, pottery, wooden toys; basically anything that looks like it could have existed around the year 1585.” LeCavalier, who makes chain mail, says they strive for authenticity not just in the goods sold but in the booths themselves. “Our vendors are a part of the show and they have to have period costumes and booths,” he says. “It all adds to the fantasy.”

LeCavalier says that food will include the traditional roasted turkey legs along with meat pies, roasted sausages, salads, sandwiches, foods from the Orient, handmade ice cream and more. “It gets hot out there and people enjoy freshly squeezed lemonade, iced teas and of course, the Queen’s own beer, ale and wine.” A new edition is a beer garden where visitors can sit at tables in the shade, be waited on and enjoy entertainment arranged especially for them in an intimate enclosure.

Smith says that guests are welcome to come in costume but that it is not required. “We love it when our guests want to be part of the fun by dressing up. If you don’t have a costume and you get into the spirit, you can find anything you need at the festival, from a simple hair wreath to a peasant blouse or complete costume. Some people like to get their face painted, hair woven or get a henna tattoo. Whether visitors come in costume or not, they’re sure to have a wonderful time.”

Parking is across Highway 1, at Cuesta College. Parking is $2.00 per car and there are free shuttle buses to the festival entrance. Hours are 10 AM until 6 PM on Saturday and until 5:00 PM on Sunday. Adult tickets are $17, seniors and ages 6-15 are $10. Pets are not allowed.

Information, directions and advance tickets are available at www.

CCRenFaire.com.

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Our Schools:

minding the gap part 2

By Dr. Julian Crocker, County Superintendent of Schools

L

ast month I wrote about how three of our elementary schools (Ocean View in Arroyo Grande, Sinsheimer in San Luis Obispo and Vineyard in Templeton) are successfully working to close the achievement gap. Unlike riders on the London Underground (subway) the “Minding the Gap” for schools does not mean watching your step from the platform to the train, but rather the difference in student achievement between two specific groups of students and their peers. These two groups are students who live in poverty (qualify for free or reduced price meals) and those who are not yet literate in English, or English language learners. As I noted last month, the achievement of these two groups of students is as much as 40% below other students.

Last month I described three specific schools that were “minding the gap.” This month I will describe three programs that also have been shown to be successful in narrowing the achievement gap. I believe that we know what works to narrow the gap, and these programs are examples of what I mean. I am pleased that these programs are present in San Luis Obispo County.

Beginning Teacher Support and Assessment (BTSA) This is a program that pairs teachers in their beginning years with experienced “mentors” who are known for their effective teaching and a willingness to share their expertise with new members of the profession. The purpose of BTSA is to improve the educational performance of students through improved training, information and assistance of the participating teachers. The participating teachers are usually first and second year teachers who are participating in an induction plan to the teaching profession which is also a legal requirement to gain a California Clear Teaching Credential. The reason that I highlight BTSA is it demonstrates the importance of relevant professional development for teachers. We know that classroom teachers have the single greatest influence on student achievement.

Therefore, it is essential that we ensure that knowledge of the curriculum, teaching skills and the ability to interact successfully with students are present in new teachers. BTSA has a proven record of success and we are fortunate in our county to have over 20 mentors for the first and second year teachers in our schools.

Universal Preschool It is accepted now that one of the surest ways to narrow the achievement gap is to insure that all students have an equal start in kindergarten. Children who have had a quality preschool experience when they are age 3 and 4 have a clear boost to be successful throughout their school career. Preschool is particularly important for children who come from non-English speaking families. Preschool is often the best opportunity students have to become fluent and literate in English.

Public preschool programs such as Head Start and California State Preschool meet the needs of some students, but there are still too many entering kindergarten students in our county without a quality preschool experience.

Universal preschool refers to the capacity of a community to provide quality preschool for all children without respect to income. In our county, there are two universal preschools, located in Oceano and Paso Robles, funded by our county’s First Five Commission.

We again are fortunate to have these two examples and hopefully we can expand this offering for more children in the near future.

Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) The third program in our county that has a record of excellent results in narrowing the achievement gap is AVID, a program that identifies students from non-college going families who have the ability to go to college.

AVID then provides a structured plan for assisting these students to gain college acceptance. Potential students, often from the two targeted underachieving groups, are identified as early as middle school as being capable of college success. These students are then provided with intensive assistance and guidance throughout their school career in high school culminating with an amazing college acceptance rate of almost 90%. Seven middle schools and five high schools in our county have an active AVID program and the results continue to reinforce its value each year.

The achievement gap is real in our county.

The good news is that we have some exemplary schools and programs that are showing how to “mind the gap” and narrow it for our students.

The Banquet Room: A Private Dining Hall.

A perfect place to host your event, big or small Cozy fireplace • Full bar State-of-the-art Technology Beautiful Italian-style mosaic fountain/atrium We’ll help you design a menu that suits your guests unique taste. Banquet menu options include plated dinners or family style.

Mon–Thurs 11am-9pm • Fri–Sat 11am-9:30pm Sunday 11:30am-9pm

Happy Hour: 3–6pm Monday – Friday

11560 Los Osos Valley Road, SLO (805) 542-0400 J U L Y

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COMMUNITY

history – Part 4

Chauncey hatch phillips

By Joseph A. Carotenuti

TEMPLETON. Carved from lots 18 and 19 of the Paso Robles Ranch, the fledgling town and end-of-the-line for the Southern Pacific Railroad was, most importantly, a reminder that “Progress” had steamed south. It didn’t matter that it hadn’t completed the trip by connecting to the rails heading from the other direction … it would, with continued persistence and perseverance. Chauncey Hatch Phillips had a vast reservoir of both for any venture (or adventure) worth pursuing.

His story continues.

As the engine puffed its way into the future community on October 18, 1886, there was promise of three “quite respectable” hotels, “a handsome and well-stocked drug store,” various businesses including five saloons, a post office (“daily mail service”), a weekly newspaper, and a Presbyterian minister. In other words, Templeton was waiting for residents. It was open for business and buyers as more lots transferred to new residents and local farmers and ranchers brought their beets and beef to the new rail terminus.

Since actions speak louder than words, Phillips built a 14-room home in the heart of Templeton for his family. If the community was safe for his growing family, it was safe for anyone. Three years later, he sold the home as his interests focused on new ventures.

Phillips and the West Coast Land Company now turned its attention south to Los Olivos and in November 1887 organized a now nearguarantee strategy for sales: a free train ride and barbeque. Unfortunately, rain dampened both the spirits and sales. Profits were still to be made but at a slower pace.

In between land speculation, Phillips along with R. E. Jack vigorously pursued the Southern Pacific to continue extending the rails south.

Commented the local paper, the proponents “breaking their backs in

their solitary labors” were frequent travelers to San Francisco to meet with both Collis Huntington and Leland Stanford attempting to convince them that sufficient (and free) right-of-ways had been obtained to continue laying rails. A step was made in 1889 when the Southern Pacific continued a few miles to Santa Margarita. Imitating the Phillips syndicate, lots were auctioned and boom times were helped by construction of the rail lines south.

Amid the traveling, promoting and land sales, a happy family moment occurred in 1889 when daughter Lydie married Horace Annesley Vachell (1861-1955). The transplanted British citizen owned the Tally Ho ranch in Arroyo Grande and was yet another partner with his father-in-law. The marriage lasted only six years as Lydie died shortly after giving birth to a second child.

Phillips and Vachell, along with his younger brother who married another Phillips’ daughter, Josephine, joined forces in business. A prolific (although today relatively unknown) British author, Horace returned to England by the turn of the century and dedicated Sport and Life on the Pacific Slope in 1908 to his deceased father-in-law with an endearing paragraph of dedication to his Lydie: “a daughter of the west, a standard of kindness, fidelity, unselfishness and modesty.”

As more families bought more land, prices increased in the more populated areas. Thus, Phillips went north in 1892 to buy a portion of Rancho Ojo de Aqua de la Coche (Pig’s Spring) from the widow of Hiram Morgan Hill. The 4500-acre parcel plus another 22,000-acre parcel south toward Gilroy did not prove a profitable venture. One commentator noted Phillips “lost a good deal of money that he had brought with him …” Phillips knew not every day was marked by success.

Phillips home today in Templeton.

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However, one day was guaranteed to be followed by another and May 5, 1894 was indeed a grand day. Amid a booming canon and cheers from an enthusiastic citizenry, the first Southern Pacific engine arrived in San Luis Obispo. Chauncey was appropriately a member of the official welcoming committee. It was a stunning conclusion to years of effort by so many to finally see “Progress” stopping in town.

Phillips and R. E. Jack were essential advocates in finally bringing the

A Retirement COMMUNITY Facil 33

iron dragon through the central coast. The next month, the first library in the county was established and now “Progress” was readily available to any reader.

Most anyone would have looked upon the Herculean task of bringing the rails to town with satisfaction and, possibly, capping continuing life efforts to promote the County.

Phillips, however, concentrated on looking forward. By the end of the year, his enterprise led him south.

In late 1894, he purchased 41,000 acres and a railroad from Richard Gird, and the Chino Ranch Company was born with his son, Chauncey Hatch Phillips, Jr., as vice-president. On the organizational papers, senior was living in San Jose. The nine-mile rail with an engine and one passenger car hauled sugar beets and passengers to Ontario. The venture did not prove profitable and Gird regained possession within 15 months.

What more could he expect from years of travel, talk, negotiations, dreams and failures. The time had come to rest. First renting a home in San Jose, by mid-1899 the Phillips family purchased the home. The retired life was to be short-lived.

Dabbling in a long-cherished hobby, Phillips began propagating and growing plants. Possibly the cycle of plant life intrigued him as nature’s agenda unfolds with little tolerance for human interference. There were no negotiations for results … simply proper care.

A final reward was his when the Southern Pacific finally connected between the north and south in 1901. Anticipating the eminent arrival of President McKinley, the “gap” was closed by the iron rails of progress. California was now connected by rail to America and the world!

“Apparently in the very best of health,” Phillips died on March 30, 1902 in San Jose. The cause was a “stroke of apoplexy.” Considered one of the most progressive and foremost citizens, little mention is given of his real estate interests. His obituary simply summarized his life as an “orchardist.”

There were few, if any, men in the second half of the 19th century who could claim to have facilitated the growth in both population and enterprise as Chauncey Hatch Phillips. When he first came to the central coast, the State’s population was about 550,000. At the turn of the century, it doubled in size.

Barely 5,000 people lived in the County when he first arrived but swelled to over 16,000 by century’s end.

and telling—than what they are. Fortunately, While he provided for himself and family Even though the prospect of moving m along the way, bits and pieces of rememquite well, wealth provides clues as to perfuture, you owe it to yourself to learn h brances survived to allow future generations sonality but certainly little as to historical carefree your own home to sketchliving a vaguein image of the reality of hisfor man importance. Whether consciously or sublife. Rather than allowing him and many consciously, he was propelled by the notion others to recede into the anonymity of time, that opportunities for some—always acthere needs to be a celebration of his life. companied by hard work and effort—meant a better life for others. Civic and personal Those prepare well It’s a more factthan of life we who getremember older, the pastPristine is fully responsibility demanded indi-that as for the future. vidual success or dreams of greatness. some day-to-day tasks become too licensed and insu

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much to handle on our own.jacarotenuti@gmail.com That All Contact: Phillips shared a gift with others in knowing who they are was much more important— doesn’t mean you have to move away are

of our worke carefully scre from the comfort of your home. and pass a crimi • Personal • Pristine Home Services is aHousekeeping local background che Care company that helps San Luis Obispo and drug test, gi • Yard Maintenance • Handyman County residents avoid the high cost when someone f Servingof moving All oftoSan Luis Obispo County a retirement facility. in your home.

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She should be c daily, weekly, or on an as-needed basis. very reasonable From housekeeping You to handyman services and plumbing to preparingyou meals.need There is no task too large or pay for only the services dows!” R. Watso too small for Pristineand Homewe Services.

All of our those services can be providedatdaily, weekly, or on an as-needed provide services a price basis. You pay for only the services you need and we provide those services at a price you can“They afford. took the you can afford. what I wanted.

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2012

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34

Hospice corner Camp wishing star

By Dianne Thompson, MA

M

ost ideas begin with a dream inside the head of a person; this one came from the heart of a child.

As part of its mission to provide compassionate end-oflife care to the residents of our community, Hospice Partners offers counseling support to the family during the hospice patient’s illness, as well as after the patient has died. Through the efforts of many, Hospice Partners is able to provide a safe and loving environment that supports the healing process of children who have suffered the death of a parent, sibling, or other significant relationship. Individual grief counseling is offered to child survivors in our play therapy room at Hospice Partners.

It was at the end of a counseling session with one of our children, and the beginning session of another that the idea of a camp for kids was born. Here’s the story.

Two little girls, one who had lost a brother, the other who had lost a sister, met at the Children’s Room door while one was leaving and the other was arriving. For a moment they looked at each other but did not

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speak. The protective counselor and the child and her parent hustled off to their different destinations. As the door closed to the Children’s Room, the girl who had just arrived began asking the inevitable questions: “Who was that little girl … did someone die in her family too... is she sad … could I ever meet her … are there other kids like me whose families are sad and mad?” My guarded answer was maybe we could talk about bringing some of the kids together. Another question…

“Could she come here with me or play at my house … or we could meet at the park … maybe?” My answer to the bright eyed, enthusiastic, cherished, grieving child, “we’ll think about it and get back to you.”

So, later that day, bereavement staff tossed around the idea of a children’s group get-together, or even a day camp for kids. Of course, the topic of a need to find a source for money to fund a camp came up.

Problem solved at a golf game a few days later, when mention of a camp for grieving kids became a grant from a generous foundation and we were on our way. Then we needed a name for this camp. It had to be something with some magical thinking attached to it, something to hang a wish, a memory, or a dream on. Our Director of Patient Care Services at that time, Tina McEvoy, put on her creative thinking hat and suggested “Camp Wishing Star” and we all jumped up and yelled “that’s it!” That was years ago, when we invited ten children to Camp

COMMUNITY

Wishing Star at our office on a Saturday in June. It went great. Now, over time, it has graduated into taking over an entire section of a local park where we pitch day tents, play games, shoot Nerf rockets into the sky, hold water balloon contests, dance with hula hoops, have a big barbeque, hug each other lots, and end the day with tired happy children in Camp Wishing Star t-shirts dotted with drops of chocolate ice cream and glue mixed with a little dirt.

35

J U LY C R O S S W O R D S O L U T I O N S O N P A G E 4 3

It is a day the kids, with the help of grown-up counselors and Camp volunteers, celebrate their sameness and their differences while releasing the weary energy that stressed out families experience in the wake of the death of their loved ones. No great words are spoken, no profound thoughts on how to survive the enormous devastation of the death of a mom or dad, just a quite wonderful healing day brought to all of us by one little girl who wanted to meet another little girl to embrace in the companionship, the comfort and the joy of someone who truly understands.

This monthly Hospice Corner is sponsored by Hospice Partners of the Central Coast. Dianne Thompson, MA CG-C is a Bereavement Counselor at Hospice Partners Center for Grief, Education and Healing. For more information, call (805) 269-0141.

STATEPOINT CROSSWORD THEME: KINGS & QUEENS ACROSS 1. *In 1957 this group honored MLK Jr. 6. Berate or annoy 9. “The ____ Thing,” movie 13. Islam’s Supreme Being 14. Short for Elijah 15. Indulgent shopping trip 16. Shabby and tatty 17. *Kingdom of ___ in Northern Morocco 18. Mothball substitute 19. *Last king of Lydia 21. *Queen’s lead 23. Greed, e.g.

24. Skin opening 25. *Tutankhamun, e.g.

28. Mine is yours?

30. Some use gas, others are electric 35. 3rd and 5th in Manhattan 37. 2 more than eagle, pl.

39. *John Philip Sousa, aka The _____ King 40. ____ market 41. ___-__-la 43. “The Dark Knight” actor 44. Permit 46. America’s choice 47. Strikebreaker 48. To close again 50. Like an ear infection 52. Estimated arrival 53. Wildcat 55. Spelling competition 57. Special anniversary 61. *Queen Elizabeth II’s grandson 65. Wombs 66. Pastrami on ___ 68. Tightly-twisted cotton thread 69. Shermans in World War II 70. Victory sign 71. Administrative 72. “____ So Fine” 73. “Yakety ___”

74. Lays in peace DOWN 1. Narcotics lawman 2. Having wings 3. Lowest female singing voice 4. Actress Phoebe _____ 5. Laxative 6. Fair-play watchdogs 7. A in IPA 8. Gadget 9. Specification 10. Pakistan’s official literary language 11. End of the line 12. Like a ghost 15. Munch’s masterpiece “The ______” 20. Unfit or inappropriate 22. “To ___ is human” 24. Self-contradiction 25. *Brunhoff’s green-clad king 26. Immature ovum 27. Hollers

J U L Y

29. Hindu woman’s dress 31. Picks up, as in suspect 32. *Actress turned princess 33. Pomp 34. *Queen of this land paid Solomon a visit 36. ____ gin 38. One-armed bandit 42. Defendant’s excuse 45. *She cost Edward VII his throne 49. NaOH 51. Used for storage 54. In a tense state 56. Omit 57. Sticks out 58. Home to the Jazz 59. “Well” to Sofia Loren 60. Irritates 61. 7 days 62. Doctrines 63. Same as alighted 64. ____ room 67. Affirmative response 2012

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COMMUNITY

palm street perspective

on the path to financial sustainability

By SLO City Mayor, Jan Marx

Dear Friends and Neighbors, During the past year and a half that it has been my honor to serve as Mayor of San Luis Obispo, I’ve heard a frequent question: “What is the biggest challenge facing our city?” My answer has been “achieving long term financial sustainability.” As a result of the deepest downturn since the Great Depression, the City budget has an ongoing structural deficit. This Council in response has made protecting the city’s economic well-being a major city goal, and staff is working hard to implement it.

Under mayoral and Council leadership, the city has begun to make significant progress on the path to financial sustainability, as demonstrated by Standard & Poor’s giving our city an “AA-” and Fitch giving us an “AA” bond rating in May, 2012. These ratings recently allowed the city to save over $1 million in debt service through refinancing a 2001 bond series. Both S & P and Fitch cited as factors the City’s strong management policies, diversified revenue sources, good financial performance, resilient tax base, very strong reserves, low debt levels, half-cent sales tax (Measure Y) income, and role as the county’s economic center.

These ratings are especially significant, considering that many other California cities are threatened with severe financial instability, crushing debt and in some cases even bankruptcy. What makes our city different? Our high ratings are not an accident, but the result of years of prudent policy decisions and budgetary management on the part of this, and past, councils. These decisions have been made in

open hearings, with much input from residents, and have been widely supported by them.

I would like to highlight two time-tested Land Use Element policies which I believe have contributed greatly to our city’s economic stability. Policy 1.10 provides for a 1% maximum residential growth rate (outside of affordable housing). It states that “Growth rates should provide for the balanced evolution of the community and the gradual assimilation of new residents. Growth must be consistent with the City’s ability to provide resources and services and with State and City requirements for protecting the environment, the economy, and open space.”

As Fitch stated in its report, “the relative stability of the tax base is likely due to the fact that the city is an older, more established community that did not experience rapid building during the housing boom.” Cities which over-expanded housing dramatically before the economic bubble burst, often find themselves swamped with foreclosures and deserted neighborhoods. As former Finance Director Bill Statler stated, “No city is under any obligation to build itself poor.”

Another fiscally savvy policy which has served our city well is Policy 1.13, which states: “The costs of public facilities and services needed for new development shall be borne by the new development, unless the community chooses to help pay the costs for a certain development to obtain community-wide benefits. The City will adopt a development-fee program and other

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appropriate financing measures, so that new development pays its share of the costs of new services and facilities needed to serve it.” This policy protects existing residents by making sure they will not have to pay for future development beyond the community share.

I will work hard to make sure that these two policies are reaffirmed when the Land Use Element is updated during the next two years.

Improved budget management practices have also been implemented during the past two years. To manage the current budget and prepare for the significant investment in infrastructure needed in the future, this City Council has adopted a mixed strategy of spending cuts, budget driven labor negotiations, bond refinancing, job function restructuring across departments to reduce costs, and use of last year’s savings for one-time expenses. Council directed staff to cut spending by 4.2% in 2010 and 3.1% in 2011, which they have done, while still maintaining our 20% budgetary reserve.

We also have eliminated 12.7 staff positions through attrition, without laying off anyone.

On the down side, S & P and Fitch both cited pension liability as posing a significant challenge. The city is addressing this looming issue by negotiating a shift of half of each monthly pension payment to the employee and less generous second-tier pension plans for new employees. To move toward long-term sustainability, this 165-year-old city must devote a smaller percentage of its resources to personnel costs and a larger percentage to capital maintenance, estimated as underfunded by $9 million.

The Fitch report also noted that the vote last August regarding binding arbitration and pension reform indicates “strong community support for realigning the city’s cost structure to match available revenues.” To move toward that realignment, Council has set a goal of negotiating a 6.8% reduction in compensation with all bargaining units, across the board.

The Firefighters union deserves praise for being the first to step up and help the City make significant progress toward this goal. (As of the date this article was submitted, June 10, 2012, three out of five bargaining units and all management employees have followed suit, to get us more than half way toward this goal.)

Without community support and ideas, dealing with these challenges would be much more difficult. Thank you again for your wisdom, city residents! Please do not hesitate to get in touch with me, should you have ideas, issues or concerns about our city, jmarx@ slocity.org. My number is 781-7552.

Looking forward to hearing from you, Jan Marx, Mayor

Downtown

Around

The Magazine of Downtown San Luis Obispo

Inside:

W h a t ’s U p New Business News

July 2012

W h a t ’ s

U p

A r o u n d

I

n the past months, you’ve heard/read much about the recently completed Downtown maintenance/enhancement/lighting project along Higuera Street that included such upgrades as new sidewalks, street lamps, trees and tree grates, signage and trash receptacles. The project’s ‘celebration,’ held June 6, acknowledged the investment and pride on behalf of the City of San Luis Obispo, with funding afforded by, primarily, Measure Y. In the final analysis, it rocks.

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ow, however, I would like to take this opportunity to showcase the Downtown Association’s tree lighting venture and all those who made it possible.

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bit of history…in 1996, my dream was to light the trees in Downtown. I’d seen the effect of lighting in many other towns around the world and wondered, “how hard could it be…?”

Deborah Cash, CMSM, Executive Director

anuary through May, the City contracted with the Downtown Association to provide a public relations campaign to inform the community of what was happening with the project and reduce the impact to businesses during the construction.

Over the years, we have successfully managed such campaigns that highlight the positive, look to mitigate the negative and celebrate the final product.

D

D o w n t o w n

uring this time, the Downtown tree lighting component of the project took a back seat as its funding and construction were entirely separate from— though closely integrated with—the City’s project.

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s it turned out, way harder than you can imagine—almost impossible. After a few false starts and heart attack-inducing quotes, we lit 11 trees in 1996. A raging storm took out three trees within six months, a truck took out another tree, another tree died. By 2005, the lights came down.

P

art Two. While we never gave up on the idea of relighting the trees, there were so many hoops to jump through. The Uniform Building Code did not allow the conduction of electricity through vegetation meaning that the wiring could not loop through the trees over to buildings such as we had ‘cleverly’ concocted previously.

Monitoring and charging for the electricity became a sticking point as did the idea of running wire under the streets or sidewalks to provide power to tree wells.

On the Cover: Happy Fourth! Sheri Curl, Financial Services Representative at Mission Community Bank in Downtown SLO is also Concerts in the Plaza volunteer extraordinaire in the beverage service area. Here, Sheri—along with about two-dozen other volunteers— gears up in her patriotic best to satisfy the thirst of a couple thousand attendees at last year’s early July concert. Photo by Deborah Cash

20th Annual presents

2012

Taste of

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W h a t ’ s

U p

A r o u n d

D o w n t o w n

?

P

rovidentially, about this same time, a concerned Downtown business owner publicly voiced his concern that Downtown was dark at night and needed lights! I proactively engaged his participation and he became a champion of the cause.

M

any City Council meetings later, internal hand wringing in our ranks, miles of calculator tape, investment by sponsors and vendors and more than a few candles burned in the Mission sanctuary, the lights are on.

O

ur hope is that this project will inspire City leaders to include conduit and the ability to light trees in future projects so that all of Downtown is beautiful at night.

M

eanwhile, I want to take this opportunity to thank the major players who “saw the light” and made this project happen: (L - R) Downtown Association Design Committee Chair Landy Fike Forsberg joins Downtown Tree Lighting sponsors Terry Jane Brown-Glandon, H. William Brown, Jr., PhD. and Shirlee Brown-Hayden at the tree selected by Dr. Brown at the corner of Higuera and Morro streets. Dr. Brown's family owned B & H Drugs in the 1940's at the location adjacent to the tree where the Apple store is now located. Sponsorships of the trees provided funding toward the project. Photo by Deborah Cash

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Sugar Daddy’s Bake Shop

Brenda and Chris Susca 1127 Broad Street, Suite A 805-783-CAKE (2253) sugardaddysbakeshop@gmail.com Search on Facebook: Sugar Daddy's Bake Shop

baking and designing small or large cakes for weddings, birthdays or other various special occasions.”

S

ugar Daddy’s Bake Shop hours are daily: Monday through Wednesday 11am to 7pm, Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 11am-8pm, Sunday from 10am-4pm.

Batch!

Wendle Schoniger 1108 Broad Street 805-544-7768 thedailybatch@gmail.com

S

weet tooth types are certain to find happiness Downtown this summer on Broad Street between Higuera and Marsh streets. As of this writing, both Sugar Daddy’s Bake Shop and Batch! were slated to open Thursday, June 14th. At first glance, this may seem like the perfect setting for competition: two confectionaries opening on the same day practically across the street from each other. But, on closer comparison, it turns out that each shop offers a distinctive and unique approach to sweet treats, potentially creating a thriving Downtown destination spot for dessert lovers.

Batch!

W

ho doesn’t absolutely adore ice cream sandwiches, especially when they’re made with home made ice cream? Also located on Broad Street, new business Batch! will certainly be a success with a unique approach to the popular frozen ice cream and cookie treat as well as cookies and coffee. Stepping into the quaint parlor, customers are immediately welcomed by the sights and smells of espresso and sweets, as well as display cases of yummy delectables that will entice even the most disciplined calorie counter.

Sugar Daddy’s Bake Shop

T

he hustle and bustle of Downtown San Luis Obispo sealed the deal for owners Brenda and Chris Susca who relocated from Acton, CA to open Sugar Daddy’s Bake Shop here.

B

renda is well known in Acton for her highly successful cake shop, First Class Cakes. “I was raised in the restaurant and catering business; I am self-taught and have been doing this all my life,” says Brenda. The owners describe their shop as offering high-end pastries and one-of-a-kind cakes.

The selection is tantalizing; your mouth will water as you try to choose from chocolate chip cookies, coconut cream tarts, cheesecakes, lemon scones, cake pops and Sugar Daddy’s famous French macaroons.

Specializing in cakes, Brenda says. “My passion is

A

nd, good timing too, Batch! will be a wonderful way to cool off on the upcoming hot summer days. The shop is located at 1108 Broad Street. Hours and information by calling Wendle at 544-7768.

Taste of San Luis® "Spanish Nights, Spanish Lights" Wednesday, September 12 Tickets now available, for more information visit www.DowntownSLO.com

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www.slojournal.com · 654 Osos Street · San Luis Obispo, CA 93401

THE BULLETIN BOARD

42

252 Higuera Street San Luis Obispo (805) 541-TIRE

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The Caballeros de San Luis Obispo held its annual ride over the Memorial Day weekend. This year’s ride was held on the Hartzell family Santa Rita Ranch. President Marvin Paolini presided over the event.

More than 200 riders participated in this special event. Pictured above (L-R) is Caballeros President, Marvin Paolini, saddle winner, Peter Jurgens, Caballeros Board member, Larry Shupnick, and Santa Rita Ranch Owner, Tim Hartzell.

6th annual isabel ruiz award nominations

San Luis Obispo’s Best Kept Secret Power Carts Senior Discount (55) • 10 Play C ards • Tournaments Welcome • •

Nominations are being accepted for the Sixth Annual Isabel P. Ruiz Humanitarian Award. Established through the San Luis Obispo County Community Foundation (SLOCCF), the award recognizes SLO County individuals who demonstrate leadership, influence and advocacy in the pursuit of community organizing, and is named after longtime community volunteer advocate, the late Isabel Ruiz. The deadline for nominations is July 25, 2012. Nomination forms are available at www.sloccf.org. Submit completed forms and two letters of support by mail to P.O. Box 1580, San Luis Obispo, CA 93406 or by fax to (805) 543-2346. For more information about SLOCCF or any of its funds, call (805) 543-2323 or visit www.sloccf.org.

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SLO American Legion Post 66 awards scholarships

The SLO American legion Post 66 and the Rotary presented eleven college scholarships to SLO and Morro Bay students at their annual Awards dinner recently. Bob Freedman, a retired school teacher, is the chair of the scholarship committee. Post 66 has had a scholarship program since 1989 when it was begun by then Commander Frank Serpa, a native San Luis Obispan. Over 230 students have been aided in their quest for higher education with this program since 1989. The photo above is of the students who received certificates and a check.

lamprecht wins lifetime achievement award

Since 1985, it has been the privilege of California’s American Choral Directors Association (ACDA) to recognize one outstanding choral director in our state who is retired from full time conducting. The prestigious lifetime achievement award given to this conductor is named in honor of Dr. Howard S. Swan who was known as the “Dean of American Choral Directors.”

This year’s recipient is GARY LAMPRECHT who taught for 33 years in San Luis Obispo and Morro Bay, CA. Gary Lamprecht has sponsored and presented the annual Central Coast Choral Festival for Middle and High School Choirs for 39 years.

THE BULLETIN BOARD

43

Pacific Oak Foreclosure Services INC

LYNN R. COOPER PRESIDENT

994 Mill Street • Suite 230 San Luis Obispo, CA 93401 TEL (805) 544-9242 • CELL (805) 235-0493 FAX (805) 543-7838 EMAIL lynn@pacificoakforeclosure.com www.pacificoakforclosure.com

Frank

805.783.4000 phone 805.235.0463 cell 805.783.4005 fax 755 Santa Rosa St., Ste. 310 San Luis Obispo, CA 93401

new director for boys/girls club

A twenty-two year veteran in education who served most recently as the Director of Extended Opportunity Programs & Services (EOPS) at Cuesta College, has been named the new Executive Director of the Boys and Girls Club of south San Luis Obispo (SLO) County. This month the Board of Directors of the Boys and Girls Club announced the appointment of Francisco (Franky) Curiel as its new Executive Director, a position that has been served for nearly seven years by Moyses Murguia. Curiel, who attended the Boys Club of Santa Maria as a child, has spent the past five years as a board member of the south SLO County Boys & Girls Club. Curiel said of his new post, “I’m really excited and humbled by the opportunity the Board has given me to come in and lead and to do some great things for the Club. I look forward to working with the community.”

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J U L Y

2012

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THE BULLETIN BOARD

44

state finalist in pre-teen california pageant

Ten-year-old Destiny Cloud, of Oceano, was recently chosen as a state finalist in the National American Miss California Pageant to be held this month in Santa Clara. She will be competing in the Miss Pre-Teen age division. The winner of the Pageant will receive a $1000 cash award and move on to the National Pageant.

fourteen receive weyhrich scholarship awards

Representing 10 high schools in the County, this year’s 14 recipients of the SLO County Community Foundation’s (SLOCCF) Richard J. Weyhrich Leadership Scholarship are a diverse mix of deserving high school seniors who demonstrate strong leadership abilities and a desire to serve their communities. Recipients have been awarded a scholarship in the amount of $1,600 to be used toward expenses for their first year of college. For more information call 543-2323 or log onto visit www.sloccf.org.

CCFC gives back again and again

Central Coast Funds recently held their annual supporter luncheon where the members got to hear firsthand from their 2011 grant recipients what each did with their grant monies. Central Coast Funds for Children (CCFC), a non-profit 501(c)(3), organization comprised of 35 active volunteers plus trustees presented an unprecedented $108,500 to 20 well deserving children’s organizations in SLO County.

Throughout 2011, this dynamic group of women raised funds through 4 signature fundraising events as well as through private and business donations. Pictured above is CCFC’s President, Leslie Rodman (second left) presenting a check to the Assistance League.

D ressing Windows in San Luis Obispo for over 39 Years

alan’s draperies 544-9405 alansdrapery@gmail.com

Alan “Himself” J U L Y

2012

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slo Kiwanis de tolosa awards three scholarships

The SLO Kiwanis de Tolosa Club recently awarded $1000 scholarships to three SLO High School seniors—Ricardo Vasquez, Jazmin Grant and Cassandra Paric. All three seniors will be going to four year universities in California. The three students sent the club members the “thank you” photo above. The Kiwanis Club held a drive-thru family BBQ dinner recently that provided the funds for the scholarships.

SLO Daybreak rotary donates $43,000

The Rotary Club of SLO Daybreak recently held their annual Awards Ceremony to acknowledge their 2012 Student Scholarship, Teacher Grant, and Community Awards recipients. Nineteen teachers from local public and private schools received a combined total of $6,253 in Teacher Grants. A total of $9,250 in Student Scholarships were awarded and the club also awarded $6,800 in Community Awards to five local nonprofit organizations. Combined with other minor fundraising efforts, the club raised a total of $43,680 which will be distributed to a variety of worthy charitable causes and programs in the SLO area and internationally. For more information on the Rotary

eye on Business

THE BULLETIN BOARD

45

the story behind the congressional gold medal on Jason Chang’s shelf

By Maggie Cox, Barnett Cox & Associates

O

ne of the things I like best about owning a business is the opportunity it gives me to meet people and hear amazing stories. Such was the case when Jason Chang, business development director for Twin Cities Community Hospital, told me about his grandfather. I was both impressed and shocked, and I think it’s a story worth retelling.

If you’ve followed this column over the years, you know my dad, Jim Henderson, served in the Army in World War II. He was awarded a Silver Star for his actions under fierce fire that saved the life of an injured fellow soldier. Over the years, I’ve learned more and more about the war, been humbled by the details and grown in gratitude for all of our military—then and now.

John Kashiki

I had a rudimentary knowledge of Japanese internment camps that were part of the U.S. landscape during the war, but Jason opened my eyes to details I had never known.

His grandparents, John and Mary Kashiki, were Americans of Japanese heritage. John was born in Los Angeles and Mary in Fresno.

They were Americans whose citizenship was revoked under an executive order of the government when WWII broke out. Reclassified as “Enemy Aliens,” they and their families were forced to move to the Posten camp in Yuma, Arizona. John and Mary met just before Executive Order 9066, and at the camp fell in love, married and had their first child. I know it was a far different time and I am not writing about the internment camps. I’m writing about the soldiers who lived in the camps. Jason’s grandfather was one of them.

John Kashiki’s Congressional Gold Medal of Honor

President Obama honoring Japanese American veterans

Japanese American men at internment camps throughout the country wanted to prove their loyalty to the United States. They petitioned, repeatedly, to be allowed to serve in the U.S. military. Their request was granted, and an all-volunteer Japanese American army of 3,800 soldiers was created, in what is known as the 442nd Regimental Combat Unit whose members included the future Senator, Daniel Inouye, and Jason’s grandfather, John Kashiki.

The Unit was deployed overseas, and, Jason says, because they were considered less valuable, were sent into some of the most difficult combat situations in Italy and France. They fought on the front lines for two and a half years, logging 260 combat days a year (compared to the average of 80 for other units). In the “Rescues of the Lost Battalion” in Biffontaine, France, the unit suffered over 800 casualties while saving 211 members of a Texas battalion.

Regimental Combat Unit 442 is the most decorated battalion in American combat history, with its members receiving a total of 21 Medals of Honor, 560 Silver Stars and 9,486 purple hearts (among other honors and with tremendous losses). Despite their heroism, many members returned to discrimination in the U.S. The Japanese American Citizens League, whose members included John, Jason, Daniel Inouye and Norm Minetta, worked for five years with Congress to right some of the decades-old wrongs. And in 2011, nearly seven decades after the war started, President Barack Obama signed legislation creating a Congressional Gold Medal for Japanese American veterans.

More than 200 surviving members of the Japanese American army and their families travelled to Washington DC to be present for the historic occasion of the signing of the legislation. Jason had planned to make the trip with his grandfather, someone so dear to him he served as best man at Jason’s wedding, but just months before the ceremony, John died of a massive heart attack while sport fishing near San Diego. Jason went to Washington without him, accepted the award on his behalf and saw history being made. Jason’s interest in cultural preservation has kept him an active member of the Japanese American Citizens League, a national organization that presently has about 14,000 members. John Kashiki served as a regional president at one time and Jason is its current national vice president.

Stories like these tell me the future is in good hands with the help of committed young leaders like Jason Chang. Jason’s career finds him on the move to a new position in healthcare, this time in Texas.

I wish him and his family all the best; I thank him for sharing this powerful story with me, and I salute the thousands of Japanese American soldiers who fought without reservation to help create the freedom we enjoy today.

J U L Y

2012

Journal PLUS

46

COMMUNITY 1952: Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes cereal debuted with its Tony the Tiger mascot. california singer Thurl Arthur Ravenscroft voiced Tony the Tiger’s booming, “They’re grrrrrreat!”

JULY Almanac

Apple: The Apple II personal computer appeared in 1977 with color graphics and an attachable floppy disk drive. It retailed at $1298.

By Phyllis Benson “I always have the most fun on the Fourth of July. You don’t have to exchange any gifts. You just go to the beach and watch fireworks.”

—James Lafferty

Apple designer Stephen Wozniak said, “My goal wasn’t to make a ton of money. It was to build good computers.”

Cuppa: Forty years ago Mr. Coffee hit the household market as

the first automatic drip coffeemaker. With baseball player Joe DiMaggio as spokesman, the company sold a million coffeemakers within two years.

july is National Picnic Month. It shares the picnic table with Baked Bean Month, Fried Chicken Day, and Watermelon Month.

forever: Time it takes to brew the first pot of coffee in the morning.

first lady Bess Truman said, “I’ve liked lots of people ‘til I went on a picnic jaunt with them.”

based on iRobot’s land-mine-clearing technology. Over 5 million Roombas sold within ten years.

july’s full moon is called the Thunder Moon, a nod to seasonal

critic Harriet Van Horne said, “There are days when any electrical

thunderstorms.

july 4 marks the 236th birthday of the United States of America. kidsters: Which colonists told the most jokes? The Punsylvanians. calgary: In 1912, American promoter, Guy Weadick founded a western show in Alberta, Canada. At its century mark, the Calgary Stampede draws over one million visitors each year. july birthdays include actress Lynda Carter, chef Wolfgang Puck, author J. K. Rowling, and entertainer Art Linkletter.

1912: Linkletter, famous for his relaxed, funny TV interviews with

kids and ordinary people, was born in Canada and moved to California, becoming an American citizen in 1942.

linkletter said, “I stand fearlessly for small dogs, the American Flag, motherhood and the Bible. That’s why people love me.” july 14, 1912: Venice Beach, California, held the first live beauty

roomba, introduced in 2002, is a mobile vacuum cleaner robot

appliance in the house, including the vacuum cleaner, seems to offer more entertainment possibilities than the television set.”

hammock day is July 22. Centuries old, the hammock is naptime to millions around the world and bed to millions more. Mark the event with a snooze. pickleball, designed in 1965 as a family game, quickly spread as a way to exercise and have fun by whapping around a large plastic ball with a paddle. california is a hot spot for pickleball, with players setting nets on tennis courts and games popping up at summer campgrounds.

our barber says when families hit the sports courts, the electric

meter gets a rest from TV, computer, and video games as folks burn calories instead of kilowatts.

we are headed for the hammock while the watermelon chills and the Roomba chugs after the cat. Enjoy your July games.

pageant in the United States. The Festival of the Sea Bathing Costume Contest drew over 100,000 spectators.

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2012

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7/18 - Eric Church

with special guest to be determined

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7/23 - Big Time Rush with special guest Cody Simpson

7/24 - Journey

with special guests Pat Benatar & Loverboy

7/25 - Brad Paisley

with special guests The Band Perry & Easton Corbin

7/26 - Joan Jett & The Blackhearts AND Paul Rodgers 7/27 - Earth, Wind & Fire with special guest to be determined

7/28 - Country Rodeo Finals 7/29 - Monster Trucks

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