Sept 09 Journal Plus

CHRIS SKIFF | ROBERT PAVLIK | RHONDA SPIEGEL | HERB STROH | BOOK FAIR

Journal PLUS SEPTEMBER 2009

MAGAZINE OF THE CENTRAL COAST

SAN LUIS OBISPO SYMPHONY SANDI SIGURDSON AND MICHAEL NOWAK

INSIDE

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As a collegiate coach, it’s typical to move around a lot. Because of this, I have several small retirement accounts at different universities, none of which were really working for me. Al was able to consolidate all of them and help me maximize my investments. He did all of the leg work and explained what was happening as we went through the process.

I felt comfortable working with Al because of his 50 years in the industry and in the community. This gives him an incredible understanding of what’s happening in the market and how that affects us on the central coast. He’s concerned about the “little guy” just as much as anybody else.

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CONTENTS

26 Journal PLUS MAGAZINE OF THE CENTRAL COAST

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

HERB STROH

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 Anne Stubbs HOME AND OUTDOOR SECTION EDITOR Jessica Ford PHOTOGRAPHER Tom Meinhold DISTRIBUTION Keith Malcomson ADVERTISING Jan Owens, Tom Owens CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Susan Stewart, Natasha Dalton, Hilary Grant, Sandy Baer, Joseph Carotenuti, Dr. Julian Crocker, Sarah Hedger, Frank Rowan, Maggie Cox, Deborah Cash, Gordon Fuglie, Dave Romero, Dan and Lee Anna O’Daniel, Shelley Matson, Julian Varela, Heather Hellman, David Congalton, Rebecca Juretic, Helen Swanagon, 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 5460609, our fax line is 546-8827, and our e-mail is slojournal@fix. net. Our website is 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. Home and Outdoor section is in association with Jack Dugan and Cover photo by Tom Meinhold

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STEVE SINTON

ALZHEIMER’S SERIES

PEOPLE 10 12 14 16

ROBERT PAVLIK CHRIS SKIFF STEVE SINTON RHONDA SPIEGEL

HOME & OUTDOOR 18 LOCAL BOOK FAIR 20 HOME DESIGN DISTRICT 22 FOOD / AT THE MARKET 23 KITCHEN IDEAS 24 PULSE – Martial Arts 25 CAL POLY PREFACE SLO County Reads 26 HERB STROH 28 NUTRITION – Carbohydrates

COMMUNITY

30 34 36 37 38 40 41 42 47

SLO SYMPHONY HISTORY EARLY YEARS – Mee Hung Low ART SCENE OUR SCHOOLS Dr. Julian Crocker HISTORY: EARLY DENTISTRY HOSPICE CORNER SUDOKU PUZZLE VETS VOICE ALMANAC The Month of September

BUSINESS 43 48 49 50

DOWNTOWN SLO What’s Happening PALM STREET – SLO Mayor, Dave Romero EYE ON BUSINESS THE BULLETIN BOARD

S E P T E M B E R

2009

Journal PLUS

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W

e made a few changes in the magazine this month, following through with some of your requests. First, we added a letters to the editor page. We don’t like publishing self-serving letters about the magazine, but we do like to print responses/reactions to our stories. See page 8 for a select few. This month we also switched out the Crossword Puzzle for a Sudoku brain teaser.

We hope you like the changes.

Our cover story is on the history of the SLO Symphony. The little band that could has come a long way. The organization has a dedicated team of professionals including: Sandi Sigurdson and Patty Thayer on the administrative side, along with Michael Nowak and the talented musicians on the other. They have taken the Symphony to a different level of excellence. You’ll enjoy Susan Stewart’s story, and the photos are priceless.

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We also have five people profiles on individuals who make a difference in our community. We begin a three-part series on Alzheimers by profiling the new executive director, Rhonda Spiegel. We also feature writer – Robert Pavlik, rancher – Steve Sinton, senior care center extraordinaire – Chris Skiff, and outdoorsman – Herb Stroh.

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There is plenty of good information in our newest section, Home and Outdoor, including Julian’s exercise in the workplace, Sarah’s latest recipe from foods you buy locally, Shelly’s healthy living and the O’Daniel’s take on kitchen clutter.

Plenty of good reading again this month.

Enjoy the magazine,

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LETTERS DEAR STEVE, As a regular weekend hiker of Bishop’s Peak for over 14 years, I immediately turned to the article about Bishop’s Peak in Journal Plus.

The magazine cover and headline, Hiking Bishop’s Peak, naturally caught my attention. I was expecting the “traditional” article about hiking in San Luis Obispo, but was pleasantly surprised upon seeing the story was about George the Cat! Yes, George is a familiar site on Bishop’s Peak, and I have one more humorous story to add about George. The first time my dog, Dusty, a retriever – Brittany spaniel mix, saw George, she took off on her usual “cat chase.” But when George stood his ground, hissed at Dusty, and refused to budge an inch, Dusty retreated with her tail between her legs. From that point on, whenever we saw George, Dusty made a wide path around him.

Some months later, Dusty and I were on our way down the trail when we came upon George sitting in the middle of a somewhat narrow path. Dusty stopped and would not come. I pulled on her leash, thinking I could “steer” her around George ... when suddenly her collar was dangling at my feet! She pulled out of it. Now she was the one refusing to budge an inch. The only way I could get Dusty to go around George was to pick up my 44-pound dog and carry her several feet past George, who continued to laze in the middle of the path as though nothing was happening. So that is my story about George. Hope you find it as amusing as I did. sincerely, joanne rogoff DEAR MR. OWENS, (This letter was edited down to fit.)

A few issues ago you highlighted and reported the biography of a local businessman, Reese Davies. As someone who has known him as a friend for some forty years, I would like to include a few facts that were omitted in your story.

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Reese Davies served in the local National Guard unit at Camp San Luis for 18 years. I served with him. He was a person of great integrity, honesty, and dependability. His military bearing and appearance were always immaculate, and he could be counted on in any emergency. As one example of his dedication to his job and the military as well as his community, I recall an annual training period at Camp San Luis. In the past, all personnel had been paid in cash, on the last Friday of training. For some reason that year, all personnel were paid by Government checks. Due to the officer candidates training and restrictions to base, they could not get to town to cash their checks. It was necessary to have everyone cash their checks, as many owed bills for their laundry/cleaning, and they desired to make purchases of gifts and dine out. This amounted to well over one-hundred-thousand dollars. Reese kept his bank open after hours on Friday evening, and drove the individuals into town, in military buses, to cash their checks. It solved a lot of problems, made a lot of personnel happy, and I am sure it put a lot of extra money in many merchants’ pockets. This is just one of the many things Reese did for the Guard and for his community. He has remained a great friend over the years. respectfully, gary fowler DEAR STEVE, Thank you so much for the article in the latest edition of Journal Plus. I know you have a wide readership because people mentioned it everywhere I went over the holiday weekend. We may have expanded your reach as well – apparently one of Kaylie’s 6-year-old friends carried the magazine around all day, showing it to everyone she met!

THANKS AGAIN FOR YOUR SUPPORT, JUNE MCIVOR

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10

PEOPLE books – “norman clyde”

written by robert pavlik

By David Congalton

O

n June 30, 1910, a young man at Camp Curry, in Yosemite Valley, scribbled a quick postcard to his mother back East: I have come up to the Yosemite to spend some time. I have seen the Wawona Big Trees and made a wonderful knapsack trip into the High Sierras where I climbed the highest mountains in this region.

The young man was Norman Asa Clyde. His postcard home was the first of many words he would write about the mountains of the West in the decades to come. His was a life that was literally about to become more peaks than valleys.

San Luis Obispo author Robert C. Pavlik introduces us to one of the more colorful characters from 20th Century California in Norman Clyde: Legendary Mountaineer of California’s Sierra Nevada (Heyday Books).

Clyde climbed into the history books with more than 130 first ascents throughout western North America, literally standing where no human being had ever stood before. The feat is even more remarkable in knowing that Clyde typically carried a 90-pound pack on his back, hauling everything from cooking pots to books in Greek and Latin.

Fellow climbers dubbed him, “The pack that walks like a man.”

The Pennsylvania native supposedly knew the High Sierra better than anyone, including John Muir.

His published accounts of successful climbs introduced much of the Sierras to the outside world in the late 1920s. Later, Clyde’s expertise was used repeatedly in a series of dramatic search-and-rescue efforts for lost climbers.

Pavlik, who works locally as an environmental planner and historian for CalTrans, first became inspired to write about Clyde as an undergraduate student at UCSB. Walking across campus one afternoon with a professor, the conversation turned to Clyde. Pavlik confessed to only knowing a little about the man who had died in 1972. The professor suggested, somewhat presciently, “Clyde’s story remains to be written.”

Fast forward a few years. Pavlik, who admits to a lifelong love affair with Yosemite, decided to finally put Clyde’s story to paper. He

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PEOPLE spent the next seven years hammering out a first draft, drawing on multiple interviews and repeated weekend trips north to study Clyde’s personal papers at UC Berkeley.

What emerges is a detailed portrait of a rather complex character, complicated as the mountains he sought to conquer. Fluent in Greek and Latin, college-educated Clyde often came across as an aloof curmudgeon to people not used to his abrupt manner and hair trigger temper.

Starting off professionally as a teacher, Clyde was removed as principal of Independence High School in the Owens Valley in 1928, after shooting at a car driven by suspected student vandals on Halloween. He never worked in education again.

Those skills were repeatedly put to the test in later years as more, less-experienced, climbers became lost, or injured, in the mountains. Back then with no helicopters, no search-and-rescue, no GPS, authorities learned to turn to Clyde for assistance.

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Fittingly, in 1974, a peak in the Palisade Range of the Sierra Nevada was named to honor Clyde, and his ashes were scattered there by friends after his death from cancer at the age of 87.

In 1933, Clyde spent weeks tracking down the body of Walter Starr, Jr. after he had gone missing in the Minarets. Ten years later, Clyde had better luck in finding and rescuing two injured climbers on the North Palisade in what was considered the greatest rescue in American mountaineering to that time.

Thankfully, Pavlik proves to be as worthy a guide as his famous mountaineer subject in sharing this long overlooked chapter of California history. His former professor from UCSB should be pleased. The story of Norman Clyde, a man who climbed a mountain just to see what he could see, has finally been written.

Clyde married briefly before his wife died of tuberculosis in 1919. As Pavlik makes clear, these personal misfortunes forced Clyde to seek a life in the mountains, making a meager income as a writer, lecturer, and guide. And climb he did, making over 1000 recorded ascents in just the Sierra Nevada.

Originally drawn to California in 1910, to “climb the highest mountains in this region,” Clyde used Yosemite as his training ground. In 1914 alone, he made eight separate climbs in the park, using only his hands and hiking boots to scale the likes of Mt. Parker, Foerster Peak, and Electra Peak.

In 1923, Clyde set a new speed record for ascending Mt. Shasta. Later that same year, he climbed 36 peaks in 36 days in Glacier National Park; eleven of these were thought to be first ascents.

In 1927, Clyde climbed Mt. Whitney three separate times and pioneered new routes up both Mt. Agassiz and Table Mountain. The editor of Touring Topics magazine (the forerunner of Westways) noted that Clyde had climbed nearly 400 peaks in the West, calling him “America’s most irrepressible mountaineer.”

The National Park Service, eager for tourists, and “Touring Topics,” eager for readers, both heavily publicized the exploits of Clyde, with the magazine often publishing short articles by the climber. Californians of that era rarely had the opportunity to visit the Sierras, making Clyde their official guide, their actual introduction, to the region.

As Pavlik suggests, “Norman Clyde didn’t just visit the mountains. He lived in them.

He once told a reporter, ‘I sort of went off on a tangent from civilization and never got back.’ But he was more than just a mountain explorer. Clyde was an educated man, a prolific writer, and skilled at a variety of tasks.”

S E P T E M B E R

2009

Journal PLUS

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PEOPLE

chris skiff – manse on marsh owner offers the luxe life

By Hilary Grant “How old would you be if you didn’t know how old you are?”

---Satchel Paige For seniors who embrace the above attitude, and might also be thinking about moving up to a luxe lifestyle, The Manse on Marsh could provide the right fit.

Indeed, with original, hands-on owner Chris Skiff nearly always on site, the Manse is much more than a place to hang one’s hat.

Stand-out amenities here include an airy, centrally located atrium courtyard, replete with landscaping and waterfall; a state-of-the-art movie theatre with surround sound; large baking center which allows visiting families to cook together, and an Internet café. Other features include a beauty salon/barber shop, rooftop patio, two gourmet restaurants boasting locally raised, grass-fed beef, and a daytime concierge.

There’s more: residents – currently a little fewer than 100 persons – can also choose the abode best suited to their lifestyle. Options range

Chris Skiff with a Manse Family

from a studio, three-bedroom apartment, or something in-between.

Detached cottages are available for those wanting additional privacy.

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2009

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PEOPLE

13

“We have a saying at The Manse,” says Skiff.

“And that is – the answer is yes!”

Skiff is also proud that no matter what the health need, residents rarely need to relocate to another unit should they require additional medical care, or become unable to live independently. “We don’t do that,” says Skiff, “because it just doesn’t fit into our philosophy of treating seniors with dignity.”

All of these elements and many more, says Skiff, make the enterprise unique to the Central Coast.

In fact, Skiff explains that The Manse is the only senior community in the area “where the owner works there every day to ensure quality.

“People who come here notice the difference right when they walk in,” adds Skiff. “Just yesterday, someone said that we were the only community they had visited that had ‘a soul.’

“I’m grateful, and also humbled, by that comment, because it’s what we’re trying so hard to achieve.”

Opening its doors nine years ago after Skiff purchased the former Midtown Motel in order to convert it to The Manse, he then bought other houses adjacent to the property.

In doing so, Skiff was able to make extensive renovations, and also tripled the size of the facility, in 2006.

“We’ve won several awards that I’m really proud of,” says Skiff. “For two years, the

“People who come here notice the difference right when they walk in,” adds Skiff. “Just yesterday, someone said that we were the only community they had visited that had ‘a soul.’”

Tribune ran a contest for Best Senior Community in the County. We won both times.” Professional Remodeler magazine also named The Manse the Best Commercial Remodel in the United States in 2000, and there have been a number of Obispo Beautiful prizes as well.

Although Skiff has been involved in developing senior housing in some sort of capacity for more than two decades, the California native had another aspiration when he was younger.

The Skiff Family in Catalina

Born and raised in the Sacramento area, Skiff says that after high school, “I journeyed to the ‘big city’ – UCLA – to become an actor! But then I realized I wasn’t nearly as good as everyone else was, so I pursued business and graduated with an economics degree instead.”

Thirteen years ago, Skiff and spouse Laura decided the time was right to relocate.

“We’d always lived just a couple of blocks from the beach after UCLA,” explains Skiff.

“Then we had our first child [Katie, now 14 years old], and realized we didn’t want to live in Los Angeles any more. So, we kept driving north through beach towns, until we found a place we could afford.”

That choice was Cayucos.

“We fell in love with this little town, seemingly lost in time,” says Skiff. “I had spent my high school years in a small town similar in size, so as a parent, I thought that this sort of lifestyle would keep my kids out of trouble, just as it did for me.”

Since that move, the Skiffs have welcomed Jenna, two years younger than her older sibling. There’s also Dimitri, four years old, and Nikolai, aged two, both adopted from Russia.

Finally, there’s Skiff’s fifth and youngest child, son Noah, born just five months ago.

“After Jenna, I was content with our two wonderful girls,” says Skiff. “Laura wanted more children, let’s just say that I got convinced, so we tried again. But this time, we weren’t getting pregnant. We then decided to adopt internationally.

“Our feeling was that all of the kids in

America were going to find homes, but there are millions of orphans overseas,” explains Skiff. “These children, we believe, have no real future unless adopted by foreigners. So, we began the process.

“Then, while we were adopting Nikolai, Laura actually did become pregnant. What a happy surprise!”

As if life wasn’t hectic enough right after Noah’s birth – “most of my time away from the Manse is kids, kids, kids!” – it became even more jumbled shortly after the debut of Skiff’s youngest child.

“I was rushed to the hospital in horrible stomach pain, and found out later that I had cancer, a gastrointestinal stromal tumor,” says Skiff.

An uncommon cancer most often called GIST, emergency surgery that evening found a large malignant growth on Skiff’s small intestine. The tumor was removed, but because of its rarity, Skiff now travels to Oregon once a year to see a specialist. “My prognosis is very good,” says Skiff, although he adds that the preventive medications he must take slow him down. “It’s a small price to pay,” adds Skiff. “I know God has a great plan for my life.”

That plan, says Skiff, includes compassionately enriching the lives of Manse residents.

“Our seniors deserve this style of living,” says Skiff. “These people have done so much for our country – their stories of sacrifice and unselfish giving are truly awe-inspiring to me.

“I really am blessed to be able to do this sort of work.”

S E P T E M B E R

2009

Journal PLUS

14

PEOPLE

steve sinton

the trust that helps to feed the nation part 1 of 2

By Natasha Dalton

I

n the last fifty years, the number of American farmers and ranchers has been continuously shrinking. In 1940, 18 percent of the populace were farmers; by 1970, it was just 4.6 percent.

Today, only about 2 million farmers and ranchers are left to feed a population of 300 million.

We’re at the point now, where American farmland is being lost to development at the rate of 2,880 acres a day, and the sprawl is beginning to impact even our, traditionally rural, county.

Steve Sinton on his ranch

When the surrounding open spaces get chopped up and sold to developers, even the big working ranches and farms with a long-lasting family tradition of living off the land, find it to be increasingly difficult to keep their business on track.

“It’s certainly harder to find large animal veterinarians, or attract to the area buyers for the cattle,” explains Steve Sinton, a lawyer and a rancher from Creston, recently named American Farmland Trust’s Steward of the Land.

To slow down this negative trend, in 1997 the California Cattlemen Association’s Convention passed a resolution to create a land trust

– an organization that would protect working ranchland for generations to come. The California Rangeland Trust, in which creation Steve Sinton played a pivotal role, has become the only agricultural organization in California that puts private land into protection through conservation easements.

“When you hold title to real property, you have certain rights that come with it. So if PG&E wants to run a power line through your field, or your neighbor wants to build a road that leads to his house, you have a right to sell them an easement for that purpose,” Steve explains. In the case of the conservation easement, you sell most of your development rights. That protects the land, as well as animals and streams that are on the land, and it’s permanent.

In his youth, Steve had an opportunity to witness the work of an experienced lawyer who helped his family with an important business transaction. For years, sugar producers used to dump sugar beet waste on the fields, causing complaints because of the foul smell of rotting plants. The Sintons came up with the idea to dehydrate the beets’ leftovers and to turn them into cattle feed. This was such a smart idea – even big sugar companies decided to adopt it, too. “It was like french fries for the cows,” Steve laughs.

The deal was in the works, but ultimately it was the Sintons’ lawyer who managed to turn it into a wildly successful merger with the mighty Sara Lee Corporation.

Now, it’s Steve who puts his education to use by ensuring that dozens of ranchers continue to stay on their land.

“The purpose of non-profits is to do public good through the private sector,” Steve says, “and I’ve been looking for an opportunity to do something for ranchers in general,” he explains.

Jack Varian is one of the local ranchers whose land has been put into a conservation easement with The California Rangeland Trust, and he really appreciates it.

“When you split the land, it creates a lot of damage,” Jack explains.

“People think it’s just dirt. But land should have the same rights and the same privileges that people do.” Jack, who for the last two decades had been looking for ways to create a conservation easement for his land, didn’t ask for his kids’ opinion when the opportunity finally presented itself, but he is happy to see that his family likes the result as much as he does. “Our emotional ties to the land are enormous,” he

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PEOPLE

15

Jack Varian’s V6 Ranch (photo by Don Funk)

says. “We want to continue with our business here.”

By now, The California Rangeland Trust put into conservation 80,000 acres on the Hearst Ranch, but it is just the beginning: another hundred ranchers on about half a million acres in the state are still kept on a waiting list.

The main problem is the money. Originally, funds came from the government. There is still bond money out there, but lately the funds have been frozen, so the Board of Directors turned to private donors interested in preserving open spaces.

What made it attractive this year for those who could afford to make a conservation gift to the Trust, is that the government has extended from five to fifteen years the period, during which you can write it off as a deduction. If the government makes this provision permanent, it will make private contributions to the Trust that much more attractive to donors. Wealthier landowners can donate their development rights and receive a substantial tax deduction. “I hope the government will encour-

age that,” Steve says. “It spends millions of dollars every year on conservation, and here they have an opportunity to do something useful for our agriculture relatively cheap.” Easements cost only half (if not less) as much as buying the same piece of land, so it’s a win-win situation: the government saves on the cost of managing and monitoring land under conservation easements – since that is done by the landowner and the nonprofit land trust – and the rancher gets to keep his business.

Steve’s own family, who has seen good times and bad times on their two ranches, hopes to do a conservation easement on them, as well.

Meanwhile, to generate additional funds for conservation purposes, Steve got involved in working on a new tax proposal. “The population is now becoming aware of what a precious resource our agriculture is, and it’s critical. If not immediately – now that the sales tax just went up 1% – but in better economic times, I expect people will support us,” he says. According to Steve, all the people need to do to preserve San Luis Obispo’s Green Belt, and Paso Robles’s Purple Belt, is to give ranchers and farmers some money in exchange for their development rights, and let them continue to feed the nation.

SAN LUIS OBISPO RUGBY CLUB

TRI-TIP Presents the 24th Annual Legendary

SEVENS SEVENS RUGBY RUGBY TOURNAMENT TOURNAMENT

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2009

Damon-Garcia Sports Fields, San Luis Obispo 10am - 5pm FREE ADMISSION

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PEOPLE part 1 of 3 alzheimer’s Executive Director

Rhonda Spiegel

By Susan Stewart

L

ast week, I found out that if I live another twenty-five years, either I’ll have Alzheimer’s disease, or my best friend will. That’s right. If Alzheimer’s and the other dementias continue to rise at the rate being reported today, the number of cases will increase by more than 50 percent in twenty years. That means that when those of us known as “baby boomers” (born between 1946 and 1964) reach the age of 85 and older, fully half of us will have it. I don’t know about you, but for me (I’ll turn 60 next month), that’s a knee-buckling prospect.

And that’s just the response that Rhonda Spiegel, the new Executive Director of the California Central Coast Alzheimer’s Association is looking for. Rhonda believes that Alzheimer’s disease is – not will be, but is now – the health care crisis of our century. And here’s why: • Alzheimer’s disease, a disease that attacks and destroys brain cells, afflicts more than 5 million Americans today, and is the nation’s 6th leading cause of death.

• Deaths from Alzheimer’s have increased since 2000 by 47.1 percent, while death from other chronic diseases (heart disease, stroke, breast and prostate cancers) have decreased.

• In 20 years, Alzheimer’s cases will increase by more than 50 percent and will double again by 2050.

• Today, one American develops Alzheimer’s every 70 seconds; by mid-century it will be one every 33 seconds.

• This year, 10 million caregivers will provide over 8 billion hours of uncompensated care for their loved ones with Alzheimer’s.

• The healthcare costs for those with Alzheimer’s disease are three times higher than for other people over 65.

• Alzheimer’s is fatal, with no definitive method of diagnosis, few treatments and no cure… yet.

What Spiegel wants us to know is that these heart-breaking statistics can be changed. If everyone gets involved, in whatever way they can, we can fund the research, diagnose early, perfect the drugs, develop prevention, discover a cure!

“Alzheimer’s is emphatically NOT an inevitable part of growing old,” said Spiegel. “It is, in fact, a physical disease like any other – leukemia, diabetes, heart disease, cancer – with known symptoms and discernable characteristics. We can have a world without Alzheimer’s… just like we now have a world without polio.”

Stepping into her post as Executive Director just seven months ago, Spiegel comes equipped with 30 years in healthcare.

“I ran hospitals,” she said. “I was responsible for the provision and delivery of health services in a complex environment.”

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Spiegel moved from East Coast to West 20 years ago, settling in Santa Barbara, where she quickly discovered the joys of “giving back.” From the ballet to the “bowl” (the Santa Barbara Bowl is one of the city’s premier music venues), she found it easy to spend time supporting the things she really cared about. When her own grandmother died of Alzheimer’s disease, Spiegel suddenly understood the difference between reading the stats and living the reality that is Alzheimer’s.

Covering four counties – Santa Barbara, Ventura, San Luis Obispo, and Kern – the California Central Coast Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association is a perfect fit for Spiegel’s extensive background, impressive talents, and personal commitment.

“Science is very close to finding reasons, treatments, even a cure,” she said. “Researchers recently discovered a bio-marker in the spinal fluid that gives us 95 percent confidence that a definitive diagnosis is possible. And there are some very good drugs in the pipeline as well.”

The Alzheimer’s Association is the largest single private funder of dementia research in the country and as such, it takes the leading role in fund-raising efforts. Money is critical to achieving its mission: “To eliminate Alzheimer’s disease through the advancement of research;

“We can have a world without Alzheimer’s … just like we now have a world without polio.” to provide and enhance care and support for all affected; and to reduce the risk of dementia through the promotion of brain health.”

Your local Alzheimer’s Association office offers a full range of services to anyone needing help for themselves or a loved one. A Helpline operates 24/7 in 140 languages with trained staff to answer your questions and offer referrals. Care consultation, support groups, message boards, educational programs, professional trainings, and local resources are all free of charge to the public. There is also a service available for a fee called Medic-Alert Safe Return (for aiding in the safe return of loved ones who wander). And though there are limitless ways to volunteer, funding is still critical.

“It’s a matter of money,” said Cyndi Wittmeyer, Development and Events Director for the San Luis Obispo office. “We can’t do anything without it. So everyone, regardless of age, needs to be involved.”

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painting, music, and great food are among the many attractions in a dog-friendly environment. Teams and business sponsors are encouraged and you can find out more by calling your local office or logging on to www.alz.org/centralcoast.

“Whether you’re six or eighty-six, we want you to join us,” said Spiegel. “You’ll be walking for everyone suffering from Alzheimer’s now, and honoring those who care for them,” she explained. “But you’ll also be walking for selfish reasons. Let’s all walk to turn these numbers around, to find a cause, to find a cure, so we won’t, and our children won’t, have to face it.”

L to R: Jessica Mezzapesa, Care Consultant; Sara Bartlett, Area Director; Kay Goodwin, Office Manager; Rhonda Spiegel, Central Coast Chapter Executive Director; and Cyndi Wittmeyer, Development & Events

The annual Memory Walk is the Association’s chief fundraising event and is usually held in the fall, in cities and towns across the nation. While there are many ways to give, the Memory Walk is one of the best ways to join the effort. In San Luis Obispo, the 2009 Memory Walk will be held on Saturday, October 10th from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at Laguna Lake Park. Call 805.547.3830 for details. And in Santa Maria, the Memory Walk is scheduled for Saturday, September 26th from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Waller Park. Call 805.636.6432 for more information.

Geared for all ages, all abilities, the Memory Walk can be as easy or as strenuous as you make it, and is always a festive happening. Face-

We’ve seen the movies, we’ve heard the stories, we’ve read the statistics. Maybe we’ve even cared for a relative who has Alzheimer’s disease. Watching the threat of Alzheimer’s disease loom larger and larger in a future that will be here before we know it, is like watching one of those old black-and-white horror movies. We know the monster is on the march, about to stamp the life out of us. But what if we could stop it? Like the T-shirt says, “We’re on the MOVE to end Alzheimer’s.” And if all it takes is one more team, one more sponsor, one more walker, or one more dollar to give me and my best friend a reprieve from the grim statistics I learned last week … well, guess where I’m going to be on October 10th.

This is the first in a three-part series on Alzheimer’s disease. The second part will appear next month and will focus on a Central Coast family’s journey through the disease’s several phases. November is National Alzheimer’s Awareness month and the third part of our series will appear in that issue. We’ll explore young-onset Alzheimer’s and talk with another family.

Don’t miss out on their milestones.

Heart disease is the #1 killer in the U.S. This year, an estimated 1.4 million people will suffer a heart attack. In San Luis Obispo County you can receive the only compre-

hensive cardiac care at French Hospital Medical Center. The leading heart care specialists, ER physicians, skilled nurses and technologists are available at our Chest Pain Evaluation Center. We can accurately diagnose and treat your heart toward a successful recovery from heart disease, so you can be there for those important moments.

Text the word “ HEART ” to 87715 on your mobile phone and you’ll be entered to win a one-year membership to the YMCA .

1911 Johnson Ave. San Luis Obispo, CA 93401 (805) 543-5353

FrenchMedicalCenter.org

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HOME/OUTDOOR

book fair

central coast book & author Festival

By Rebecca Juretic

A

fter a one-year hiatus, the Central Coast Book and Author Festival is back for a sequel. The event takes place October 4th in San Luis Obispo’s Mission Plaza with fresh ideas and a slate of authors from around the state and beyond.

“Response by the writing community to the ‘rebirth’ of the Festival has been phenomenal,” said festival Chairperson Maryellen Simkins.

“We’re looking forward to a great day in downtown SLO to celebrate our libraries, reading, and the talented authors, illustrators and publishers who create the books we read.”

As always, the event will feature free author presentations including workshops, panels and readings, at several venues in and nearby Mission Plaza. A complete event schedule will be posted at www.ccbookfestival.org two weeks prior to the event.

Over 50 exhibitors are booked for this year’s event, including publishers, non-profit organizations, and authors from a broad range of genres including historical non-fiction, mystery, cooking, self-help, children’s, and young adult.

There will also be children’s story time and live entertainment. Raffle tickets for a $500 cash prize will be sold prior to and during the festival for $10 each.

The festival is a fund-raiser for the Foundation for San Luis Obispo County Public Libraries and benefits library programs such as the county-wide Children’s Summer Reading Program.

Spider-Man to swing by A highly-anticipated headliner at this year’s event isn’t an author, but a popular comic book hero. Spider-Man, through the Marvel Comics Character Appearances Program, will be appearing in two interactive, multi-media shows.

There will be two shows at 1:00 and 3:00 p.m. at the San Luis Obispo City Library Community Room. After each show, Spider-Man will visit the festival at Mission Plaza for autographs, giveaways and photo opportunities.

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Although the Spider-Man shows are free, tickets are required and are available at all San Luis Obispo County Public Library branches.

Spider-Man’s visit is being underwritten by Doc Burnstein’s Ice Cream Lab and, in honor of the event, Doc Burnsteins’ owners Greg Steinberger and Marie Cavaletto have created a special Spider-Man ice cream which will only be available for sale at the festival.

The art of the book Also new this year is an exhibit of original art by approximately 20 local book illustrators and authors. The pieces, which will be on display during the month of September at various county public library branches, will be available for viewing and for sale at the San Luis Obispo City Library on the day of the festival.

There will also be an exhibit at the SLO Library showcasing the art of bookmaking.

“They’re books which are works of art in and of themselves,” said Simkins.

Authors! Authors!

This year’s author lineup mingles celebrities with local authors, major publishing houses with self-published writers. A complete list of participating authors is posted on the festival website.

Several participating authors come from the entertainment world. Thomas B. Sawyer is a novelist and Emmy-nominated screenwriter who was head writer for the popular series, Murder, She Wrote. Roger Chiang is a novelist and television producer, best known as an executive producer for America’s Most Wanted. Bud Mercer is a celebrated Vaudeville performer turned author, best known as half of the duo, The Mercer Brothers.

Children’s authors will be on hand with books that appeal to kids from toddlers to teens. “Coming to the festival, meeting authors and hearing them read their work is a wonderful way for kids to get excited about books,” noted Simkins.

Among this year’s children’s authors is local favorite, Destry Ramey, who will be promoting her latest book, Why Am I Dark? which

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inspires children to celebrate their differences.

Nancy Walter will share her bright and imaginative books Bumpsie’s Garden and Bumpsie’s Neighborhood featuring her memorable and endearing character, Bumpsie the tortoise.

A popular feature of the Central Coast Book & Author Festival is the opportunity to meet local historians.

Longtime friends Mike Lucas and Lon Allan will be attending, with their comprehensive, 150-plus page history of Atascadero, which covers the years 1776 to 1979. The book includes over 100 photos, plus maps and firsthand observations.

Guy Crabb returns with his book Higuera Street: 100 years of Downtown Business which delves into the history of downtown San Luis Obispo with an incredible collection of photos and stories.

Other well-known authors include Mara Purl, best known for her Milford-Haven novels; Anne Schroeder, author of Ordinary Aphrodite; Susan McKee, author of Days Like Floating Water – A Story of Modern China; and William Pack, author of The Bottom of the Sky. The festival is also an opportunity to meet favorite local authors to chat about their work and their craft. Ken Christensen, a celebrated landscape painter who lives in San Luis Obispo, will be bringing along his two novels, The Blue Cabin and Up North with Uncle Bob. Former educator, business consultant and travel photographer, Gordon Snider, will have on hand his three novels, including his latest work, The Hypnotist. Joel Pullen, a physician-turned-novelist, will be promoting his novel, It Always Works Sometimes, detailing the life of a depression-era protagonist.

Visiting the festival The Central Coast Book & Author Festival takes place Sunday October 4, 2009 from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. in San Luis Obispo’s Mission Plaza. The event is free. For more information, visit www.ccbookfestival.org, call (805) 546-1392, or send an e-mail to info@ ccbookfestival.org.

The San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Advisory Council Invites You To

SHERIFF’S FAMILY DAY On the grounds of the Madonna Inn (Field area next to Highway 101)

Saturday, Sept. 19, 2009 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Free Entry for the Entire Family Law Enforcement & Public Safety Demonstrations & Displays DISPL AYS ) ) )

DISPL AYS ) ) )

DARE Vehicles CHP Helicopter Command Van • SWAT Teams Crime Prevention Unit Antique Equipment Red Cross • Explorers Sheriff’s Search & Rescue Sheriff’s Aero Squadron Sheriff’s Auxiliary Volunteer Patrol Sheriff’s Dive Team Salvation Army Probation Department Animal Services Historical Arms Society Megan’s Law/Child Safety California Law Enforcement Historical Society Police Museum

Footprinter Association San Luis Ambulance U.S. Coast Guards Central Coast Veteran’s Museum SLO City Fire • Cal Fire Law Enforcement Badge Collection SLO County Health Dept.

SLO Sheriff’s Dept Custody Division DEMONSTR ATIONS ) ) ) Sheriff’s Posse SWAT Teams • Canine Units Bomb Task Force Jaws of Life CHP Rollover Simulator

Food, Water & Soft Drinks Available

Sound System Courtesy of Rich Rolson • Emcee: Marlon Varin

For the Children

DARE Wrist Bands • Sheriff’s Stick-on “Badges” Sponsors: Madonna Inn • KSBY-TV • Suggs & Lombardi • Farm Supply • Stan Goldbloom • The Coast News Rabobank • SLO County Journal • San Luis Motor Sports • Katch-Go Petroleum San Luis Ambulance Service • Martin’s Towing • San Luis Garbage

S L O IPNF EFTJHO EJTUSJDU

SLO's Cooperative for Professional Contractors & Retailers

S L O IPNF EFTJHO EJTUSJDU

Sponsored By: Idler’s

S L O IPNF EFTJHO EJTUSJDU

Remodeling Phobia

M

ost people fear remodeling because they are afraid of the unknown. They are afraid of disrupting their home life, regretting a design choice or something going wrong and causing a huge expense. With all the “horror stories” out there, these fears are reasonable.

Idler’s has been around long enough to have heard these concerns and has shown hundreds of homeowners the steps to having a stressfree remodel.

“The remodel shows on TV make it all look so easy! The truth is, remodels take a great deal

of planning even before the work begins, and if people jump in to go it alone, even the smartest folks may find themselves in over their heads,” said Wendy Stolper, Kitchen Designer in the new San Luis Obispo Idler’s Cabinetry & Design location. “We have professional designers in two locations now and our experience helps to ease the process. Working with us proves that remodels do not have to be grueling, lengthy or even expensive.”

Idler’s offers a complimentary and hassle free initial consultation with a professional designer who can help you evaluate your needs and

Where to find it: Idler’s 122 Cross St. San Luis Obispo 543-8979

2361 Theatre Drive Paso Robles 238-6020

wants, clarify your priorities, and create a budget and timeline you’re comfortable with. They can show you cabinet, countertop, appliance and plumbing options, and explain what you can expect in the remodel process. Plus, having the county’s best appliance dealer in-house helps every shopper envision the exact space they want.

So if your heart starts racing just thinking about remodeling, go to Idler’s and let them take the worry out of it. And if you visit Idler’s today, you can make sure your dream kitchen is completely finished and functional by the time your Thanksgiving guests arrive.

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HOME/OUTDOOR

organic peach blueberry cobbler with cinnamon, oats, and vanilla

at the market

S

FOR THE FRUIT FILLING: 4 lbs fresh, organic peaches, rinsed well and cut into thick wedges 1 pint organic blueberries, rinsed well and picked through 2 T. honey 2 T. rice flour, tapioca starch, or cornstarch Pinch of salt

By Sarah Hedger

eptember is a beautiful time of the year here on the Central Coast.

It is interesting because depending on the weather pattern, September can either continue the feel of Summer with warm days and beautiful evenings or begin the feel of Fall with cooler days and cooler nights.

The growing season also greatly depends on the weather and what is found in our local farmers’ markets, roadside farm tables, or CSA baskets can vary rather dramatically.

For the most part, there continues to be a plethora of amazing local produce available. I encourage you to get out and connect with the farmers growing your foods and roadside farm stands are often a great place to do this, especially if you have an interest in purchasing surplus produce from them. September could be classified as a shoulder season because Summer produce is still offered as well as the introduction of Fall fruits and vegetables.

Aside from finding the usual corn, tomatoes, cucumbers, and peaches wrapping up the Summer growing season, you will also begin to find the apples, squashes, oranges, persimmons, and peppers we associate with the Fall growing season.

The September recipe is one that can be enjoyed for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. It is a great way to get additional fruits into your diet as well as whole food nourishment without the feeling of “this better be good for me…” For those who regularly read my column, it is time I reward you for getting through the plethora of salads I suggested making over the summer. It is time to reap the reward of summer and there are few better ways than a fantastic cobbler. You heard me. Some might be thinking right now that a cobbler is a dessert and while that is true, I’ve made some adjustments so this recipe offers more whole food nourishment that can be enjoyed, yes, all day long. The base for this cobbler is fresh, organic blueberries and peaches. Fortunately, you don’t have to go far to find them on the Central Coast.

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FOR THE TOPPING: ½ cup unsalted butter 1 cup flour (rice flour, oat flour, spelt flour can all be substituted for wheat sensitivities) 1 cup brown sugar 2 cup organic rolled oats ½ cup organic walnuts*, coarsely chopped (* optional) 2 tsp. cinnamon 1 tsp. vanilla ¼ tsp. salt

While it is obvious to many, I must reiterate the importance of diligently and thoroughly washing your produce before eating or using it in a recipe. A little prevention goes a long way, especially when it comes to the safety of the foods we consume.

This cobbler really sets a great stage for the fruit because there is dramatically less sugar than your average cobbler. This not only reduces total calories, it brings out the flavor of the star ingredients, as well as reducing any insulin spike from excessive sugars. Browning the butter also brings out a warm, nutty quality in the butter without using a pound of it. The oats in the cobbler add many nutritional benefits, most notably soluble fiber which is known to decrease bad cholesterol in the bloodstream. While the walnuts are optional, I encourage you to include them as they are an excellent source of Omega-3 fatty acids, also beneficial in lowering cholesterol. While I use brown sugar in this recipe, honey, maple syrup, or agave nectar can be substituted by using half the amount and adding an additional ½ cup of rice flour. That said, get out and meet your local farmers to find the best organic ingredients around. And, if you find yourself reaching for the cobbler for breakfast, feel good about it. Enjoy!

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Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly butter the inside of a baking dish (shape can be flexible, just gauge it will be large enough to hold 6-8 cups of fruit).

Toss filling ingredients in large bowl and mix thoroughly. Allow mixture to sit for at least 5 minutes while you prepare topping.

Place butter in a saucepan on medium heat.

Watch the color of the butter and after a couple minutes, it should be a light golden brown color and smell very buttery and nutty. If using nuts, add now and cook for an additional minute. Remove from heat and mix in brown sugar, flour, oats, cinnamon, vanilla, and salt. Distribute fruit filling ingredients in baking dish evenly. Gently pour topping onto filling and spread over.

Bake for 1 hour until the top is browned and crisp and the smell heavenly. Remove from oven and let cool for at least 30 minutes.

Serve plain, with vanilla ice cream, with cream…the options are endless. Enjoy!

Makes approximately 8 servings.

Approx 300 calories per serving, 8 grams of fat, 3 grams of protein, 5 grams of fiber, 10 grams of sugar

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Kitchen Ideas

23

making the most of your space

By Jessica Ford, Don & Lee Anna O’Daniel

I

s your kitchen too small, too congested to work in, just plain frustrating, but you know you don’t have the room to make it larger?

Well, often there are ways to make your existing kitchen appear larger; change the traffic flow so that it works better and reorganize the storage options to make the most of the space that you do have.

First consideration: Are you lacking counter (work) space? You need plenty of room to spread out your ingredients, chop your vegetables, set completed dishes prior to serving them, stack dirty dishes prior to washing them. If this is all trying to happen in a couple of disconnected 2-foot-wide counter areas, this will surely end in going out to fast food instead of cooking that family meal!

Do you now have a wall oven and a separate cooktop? Consider buying a range instead — this will gain you about 2 1/2 feet of counter work area. Do you have a microwave occupying 2 feet of precious counter space? Move that up or down to gain the counter back.

bounces back down, bathing the whole space with soft light. If possible, enlarge the window — a taller window down to the counter and extending the counter out a ways will make the space flow to the outdoors and appear larger. What about a skylight in the middle to really open things up?

Fifth consideration: Open up the wall into the adjacent family room or dining room. This can at least make your kitchen seem larger.

Careful consideration will have to be made for storage lost when taking out that wall, but there are many solutions for this, including the use of “full access” cabinetry which holds 10 to 20 percent more than its face frame rival.

As you can see, there are many potential solutions to making a small kitchen more user friendly — the key is finding a designer with the experience and ideas necessary to help you arrive at the best plan for you. One place is San Luis Kitchen Company! Celebrating our 25th anniversary as the area’s longest running kitchen design showroom, we have plenty of ideas and lots of experience to help you realize your kitchen’s greatest potential!

Don and Lee Anna O’Daniel have owned and operated San Luis Kitchen Company for the last 25 years. Both are architecture graduates from Cal Poly.

Second consideration: Do you have too many doors coming into the kitchen? Maybe one of them can be eliminated, allowing counters to be extended across that opening. If at all possible, it is best not to have major circulation crossing your basic “work triangle” — if people are constantly walking through your path as you are trying to go from sink to stove to prep areas, this should definitely be looked at. This is what is called “space planning”: organizing work areas and traffic flow.

Third consideration: Do you have any mostly unused areas? Many kitchens have a small desk area that just gets piled with junk, and nobody ever sits there. Think of the potential this space could have! A pantry cabinet, or additional base cabinet and counter work area? Or even a built in hutch for showing off your nice dishes and providing a beautiful serving area.

Fourth consideration: Light! A dark kitchen appears much smaller than a bright kitchen.

Get rid of that dropped ceiling that makes a person feel they have to hunker down as they enter the kitchen! Consider indirect lighting on top of the cabinets that shines up and S E P T E M B E R

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HOME/OUTDOOR PULSE

workplace workouts – for healthier companies, healthier communities

By Julian J. Varela

Y

ou know how “computer geeks” get all excited about gigabytes, a heat sink, kilobytes, megahertz and ports? Well, I’m a fitness geek. So I get pretty revved up about goal-setting, bodyfat, striations and protein-to-carbohydrate ratios. In my game, that’s a plus, especially when I have a cooperative audience like the one I recently addressed.

When one of our community’s local businesses asked me to present on the topic of health and creating a life of wellness and a healthy team, I decided to get a little clarity. Prior to the talk, I asked the owner what he hoped his staff would get out of the experience. The conversation that followed warmed me to the bone, and gave me great hope for a future full of businesses that care as much about their workers’ health as they do about the bottom line. (And who understand that the health of the company is only as strong as the health of its workers!)

It turns out that this business is dedicated to creating and sustaining a healthy workplace.

And while many businesses claim to be in favor of that idea, few actually manage to

Pastrami Reuben or Philly Steak Sandwich

deliver any measurable improvement. What, I wondered, had this company done differently?

workout room. Many local companies offer discounted gym memberships.

For starters, all the junk in the vending machines has been replaced with healthy alternatives: Whole grain crackers for candy bars; trail mix for Twix; and water or juice for sodas. A large economical refrigerator has been installed to accommodate packed lunches.

An exercise and nutrition information board is posted with weekly tips. A newsletter goes out on a regular basis, packed with information about health and local events. Employees are encouraged to join the newly formed lunch-time walking groups. Guest speakers are invited to come and present.

Find a friend at work that will walk with you at lunchtime or go with you to the fitness center after work. Contact the American Heart Association and find out about their Start! Program (startwalkingnow.org).

Schedule exercise time into your work week. Tell co-workers that exercise helps you manage stress and get them to join you!

Volunteer to organize a walking group, and take a healthful dish to the next potluck instead of the quadruple fudge caramel chocolate brownies.

It’s rare to hear about employers who support and implement a healthy workplace program. No wonder I got so excited! With rising healthcare costs, and workers’ compensation through the roof, it’s surprising more employers aren’t doing what they can to promote healthier employees.

So, what’s an employee to do? Applaud management when they offer programs that help develop healthful lifestyles, and work constructively to support these programs. The most common “excuse” for not exercising is that there isn’t enough time. I say that if it’s important enough, you can create the time.

Employers can help by offering flex time so that early morning or late afternoon gym visits or yoga classes can fit in to a workday.

They might also transform an unused conference or storage area into an on-site

Served with fries and slaw $8.50

Julian J. Varela holds a Master’s degree in Exercise Science and Health Promotion and is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist.

Julian co-owns Equilibrium Fitness Inc. and Equilibrium Fitness for Women. Julian can be contacted at Julian@eqclubs.com

Attorney at Law / Broker

Casual Atmosphere – Serious Food OPEN 11:30 M-F Lunch & Dinner 7 days a week Breakfast served Sat. & Sun. 9:00 Full Bar • Nightly Specials Owners – Scott & Dana Milstead

Contracts w Business & Real Estate Sales Agreements Corporations & Limited Liability Companies w Leases, Commercial-Residential-Equipment w Landlord/Tenant Law (Landlords Only) w Trademark and Service Mark Applications & Renewals w General Business Counsel including employee relations w Bank Counsel to Several Local Community Banks Decades of experience in local legal and real estate matters.

NEW CLIENTS AND REFERRALS WELCOMED.

750 Price St., Pismo Beach 773-1922 2009

But listen, don’t learn too much; I kind of enjoy my status as a fitness geek.

Matthew S. Kennedy, esq.

Check out our Daily Lunch and Dinner Specials

S E P T E M B E R

Outside of work, think about what else you can do to make San Luis Obispo a healthier place. Pick a project that would be rewarding. Encourage schools to offer quality physical education programs. Volunteer to coach a sport or teach an after-school program. Help plan and build a bike path. Let your children walk a safe route to school!

If everyone does a little bit, our whole community can become a foundation for healthier lives.

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(805) 544-5002 msk@KennedyLawRealty.com www.KennedyLawRealty.com

HOME/OUTDOOR Flight By Sherman Alexie

ten deliberately,” and that Flight is written in the tradition of great American literature.

As San Luis Obispo city and county residents, we have the wonderful opportunity to build and enhance our community by reading an excellent book and discussing it together.

preface and slo county reads

By Susan Hoffman

T

he 2009 PREFACE & SLO County Reads annual community-wide shared reading program features Sherman Alexie’s book, Flight, a coming of age novel with wide appeal. Alexie, who lives in Seattle, is known as a humorous and provocative American Indian writer.

PREFACE began in 2002 with two-hundred fifty Cal Poly honor students participating in intellectual dialogue and community building by reading and discussing the same book.

The program has evolved and expanded over the years into the current collaboration among Cal Poly, the City-County Library system, and, new this year, the Asset Development Network of local agencies that serve county youth.

Patricia Ponce, Director of PREFACE & SLO County Reads, said recently, “We can’t do it without volunteers.” Community members, and Cal Poly current and emeriti faculty and staff, volunteer to facilitate small group discussions with incoming students during fall orientation. Students are expected to read the PREFACE book choice during the summer. No expertise is required, and volunteers receive a complimentary copy of the featured book. The volunteers get together two times over the summer to prepare. At the first meeting, Ponce and an English faculty member explain the program and offer general tips on how to facilitate a group discussion.

The second meeting is an often-passionate literary discussion of the book’s merits.

This will be my fourth time as a volunteer for PREFACE, and I can’t say enough good things about all the volunteers and students I’ve been fortunate to meet. I’ve experienced how people of diverse ages, backgrounds, opinions, and life interests come together to share thoughts and feelings simply because of reading the same book, and it is truly inspiring to be a part of it.

Sherman Alexie’s own life story is in itself inspiring and thought-provoking. Born on the Spokane Indian Reservation in Washington in 1966, and diagnosed with hydrocephalus, there was little hope of survival or of his functioning normally if he did. Against the

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odds, he not only survived brain surgery at six months, followed by persistent childhood seizures, but was reading by age three, even finishing Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath by age five. As a teenager, Alexie sought a better education and enrolled in public high school in Reardon, twenty miles off the reservation, where he was the only Indian other than the school mascot. This period in his life is the basis for his fiction book, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, which won the 2007 National Book Award in Young People’s Literature.

Alexie excelled in academics at Reardon High and also was a star basketball player. In college, he enrolled as a pre-med student, but his life turned in a new direction when he took a poetry workshop. The class led to many poetry-writing fellowships and was the beginning of a long and successful career as a poet, short-story writer, novelist, and screenwriter.

In the movie Smoke Signals, Alexie’s screenplay and storytelling abilities shine. The 1998 Sundance Film Festival gave the independently-made movie the Audience Award and the Filmmakers Trophy. Autobiographical, humorous, and deeply emotional, the movie went on to earn commercial success.

It is about two young men who are best friends dealing with the death of one’s father and the resulting issues with self-identity.

You are invited to participate in a community discussion group and to share your thoughts about the book at the following times and locations:

PREFACE & SLO County Reads Community Discussion Schedule September 9, 10:30am to 12pm, SLO City Library September 16, 10:00am to 12pm, Morro Bay Library September 17, 6:30 to 8pm, Los Osos Library September 18, 10 to 11am, Arroyo Grande Library September 22, 6:00 to 7:00pm, Arroyo Grande Library September 23, 6:30 to 7:30pm, Atascadero Library All PREFACE events are free and open to the public. Visit the website at www.preface. calpoly.edu for an updated list of events.

For more information: contact preface@ calpoly.edu or Patricia Ponce at 756-1380.

Similarly, Flight is a story about a teenage boy in foster care who, on the book’s first page, names himself “Zits.” Is this a put-down, or is it his way to deal with what others tease him about mercilessly? Naming himself is the first step in his journey of discovery, perhaps a modern-day vision quest, or fable. Zits must face the violence of the past and present in order to learn who he could become as a grown man. Much to his surprise, he suddenly has the ability to timetravel and learns firsthand about important events in American Indian history such as the Battle of the Little Big Horn, and also about his own family history.

At the volunteer orientation I attended this past summer, Cal Poly Literature Professor Brad Campbell said, “Good books are writS E P T E M B E R

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HOME/OUTDOOR

Herb stroh a passion for the outdoors

By Heather Hellman

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he mountain goat stood blocking Highline Trail in Glacier National Park. Herb Stroh and his family were excited, a bit dumbstruck, and afraid that any movement might provoke a charge. They made loud noises to scare him away. Nothing. They clapped. They threw stones. The stubborn goat didn’t move. A fellow hiker came along and demonstrated how to get the goat off the trail. He took off his jacket and whip snapped it making a “CRACK” like thunder. The goat bolted. Times like these are some of the happiest for Herb Stroh, an avid outdoorsman and environmentalist.

The outdoors, backpacking and camping have always been an important part of Herb Stroh’s life. He has shared activities with his father, mother and sister, and now shares this passion with his wife and children. I suspect that if you don’t find Herb, a partner in the law firm Sinsheimer Juhnke Lebens & McIvor in his office, you’ll likely find him outdoors. Like many who have migrated to San Luis Obispo, Herb left Sierra Madre, California (near Pasadena) to escape increasing congestion and smog.

“It was a big move,” says Herb. “I was leaving an established practice, a community I had lived in most of my life and my wife, Patti, was leaving a job she loved at Fuller Seminary. ‘This is our one and only move,’ she said.”

Whitesell. Charles became a mentor to Herb in 1986, and they formed the partnership later known as Whitesell & Stroh in 1988.

Herb obtained an LLM degree in tax from the University of San Diego School of Law in 2000, and is a certified specialist in estate planning, trust, and probate. He was on the Los Angeles County Probate Mediation Panel and appointed by the court to represent proposed conservatees in more than 100 cases. He taught in the UCLA Attorney Assistant Program for over 10 years, and his article on conservation easements, “To Protect and to Conserve” was published in the Los Angeles Lawyer. Herb has served the Los Angeles Superior Court as Judge Pro Tem, volunteered as a Settlement Officer in the “CRASH”

The Strohs and their children settled in Cambria. They found it the perfect mix of pines, sea, and open space. It also afforded the perfect small-town feel, reminding him of Sierra Madre 40 years ago. He loves his commute along Highway 1, and during Bike-to-Work Week has made the 34-mile trek each way on mountain bike.

“I’ve lived here for four years, and I still get a kick out of looking out my office window to see cows grazing. It’s great to be able to hop in the car and in minutes enjoy open space.”

Herb was born in Evanston, Illinois and was a child when his parents moved to Sierra Madre in 1963. His parents owned the local Hallmark stationery store in Sierra Madre. The whole family worked in the store – Mom, Dad, sister and Herb. The store was open most holidays, but on Thanksgiving weekend, the Strohs closed the store and drove to Zion National Park to camp and enjoy Thanksgiving Dinner.

“I remember it being freezing cold and we’d have our Thanksgiving dinner on the picnic table of our campsite. My sister hates camping now,” Herb says with a laugh. “The next work day we’d be back at the store.”

By the time he reached high school, Herb knew he wanted to be a lawyer. He earned his bachelor’s degree from UCLA and J.D. degree at Loyola Marymount College. During that time, Herb’s parents purchased desert land near Barstow and planted pistachio trees. Herb would often visit the farm to work and study.

“My family went to the desert a lot when I was a kid, and I fell in love with it when I would visit the farm. It was quiet, beautiful and, when it rained, the sage smelled so sweet and fresh.”

After graduating from law school, Herb started practicing estate planning, trust and probate law in Glendale, California with Charles S E P T E M B E R

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Herb with his kids

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HOME/OUTDOOR “I’ve lived here for four years, and I still get a kick out of looking out my office window to see cows grazing.”

Patti & Herb

settlement program, and served as arbitrator for the superior court and Los Angeles County Bar Dispute Resolution Services.

Herb continued to camp, hike and backpack throughout college and into professional life.

He was soon taking his wife and children on many adventures. They spent over a month car camping throughout Colorado, Montana, Idaho and Utah. After a close friend died of leukemia, Herb was reminded of the back-

packing trips he had always wanted to do and not taken the time. Herb set his sights on more challenging trips, starting with the Grand Canyon. The Canyon has become his favorite place to backpack. He recently hiked an off-trail section of the Canyon called “the Cattle Route” as part of a rim-torim-to-rim trek.

“There is a place along the Tonto Plateau where you can crawl out to the edge and look into the inner gorge down to the river, 2000 feet below,” says Herb. “It’s beautiful – but a bit scary too.”

Herb just finished hiking a 90-mile section of the Grand Enchantment Trail, a collection of trails and right-of-ways linking Phoenix and Albuquerque by foot. It was so

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remote he saw as many snakes as people –three. The next challenge is the John Muir Trail, 222 miles from the Yosemite Valley to Mt. Whitney, a cumulative elevation gain of 46,000 feet. Herb had joint replacement surgery in 2008 and worried if it would interfere with his passion. He wants to trek to Everest Base camp in Nepal, and perhaps hike the entire 2,650 mile Pacific Crest Trail one day.

“The surgery went well and so far, so good,” he says. “No problems with the hip.”

Since moving to San Luis Obispo County, Herb has been as active in the community as he has been outdoors. He is President of the Rotary Club of Cambria Sunrise, Director and Treasurer of Hospice of San Luis Obispo County, past Vice President of the Land Conservancy of San Luis Obispo, and President of the Estate Planning Council of San Luis Obispo County.

“I love living and working in San Luis Obispo,” says Herb. “I have a great deal of respect for my colleagues at SJLM, my clients and the people I volunteer with in this great community. It was a good move.”

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HOME/OUTDOOR Nutrition

Carbohydrates – are they simple or complex?

By Shelley Matson

T

he article last month focused on the basics of fat, one of the three macronutrients required for the body. Next up for discussion is the often-misinterpreted macronutrient, carbohydrates.

Carbohydrates are an essential part of a healthy diet, providing the body with easily converted fuel needed for physical activity and proper organ function. This macronutrient is the bodies’ direct source of energy for the human brain, central nervous system, and muscle cells in the form of glucose or blood sugar. Amazingly, it is estimated that the central nervous system alone uses about 140 grams, or 9 tablespoons, of glucose a day.

Complex carbohydrates promote health while simple carbohydrates, when consumed in large amounts, actually increase the risk of diabetes and coronary heart disease. In essence, complex carbohydrates are like timereleasing capsules of sugar. Simple carbohydrates are more like an injection of sugar.

Complex carbohydrates tend to be in natural foods – and have long chains of sugar molecules that the liver gradually breaks down into the shorter glucose molecules the body uses for fuel. The best sources of complex carbohydrates include: most fruits, vegetables, milk and some other dairy products, beans, whole grains, and other unfamiliar grains like quinoa, whole oats, and wild or brown rice. Most importantly, these unrefined carbohydrates offer a wide

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assortment of essential vitamins, minerals, and dietary fiber.

Simple carbohydrates tend to be in most refined or processed foods. These carbohydrates have short-chain sugar molecules and, because they break apart quickly, enter the bloodstream quickly. Simple carbohydrates include: foods made with white flour, white rice, pastries, sugared soda and fruit juice, candy, cookies, corn syrup, and other highly processed foods.

Finally, a diet that draws too high a proportion of calories from simple carbohydrates and processed foods is likely to fall short of dietary fiber, vitamins, and minerals while tending to be less satisfying and more fattening.

Shelley A. Matson holds a Bachelor’s degree in Nutrition and is currently pursuing advanced credentials.

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San Luis Obispo

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COMMUNITY

FROM FISHING VILLAGE TO CARNEGIE HALL – THE SMALL TOWN SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA THAT COULD

THE SAN LUIS OBISPO Symphony

By Susan Stewart

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ver half a century ago, a rag-tag band of seven determined musicians gathered to practice in the gray morning fog in the picturesque fishing town of Morro Bay, California. Today, the “little community orchestra that could” has traveled the world and performed original works to standing ovations at Carnegie Hall.

That an isolated community founded by farmers, cattlemen, and fishermen could have achieved such international acclaim, is a story of tenacity, talent, tragedy and triumph. It is also the story of a uniquely close-knit family of musicians and staff whose fierce pride and relentless dedication has earned a battalion of champion supporters, and generations of loyal audiences.

Though the orchestra dates its official beginning from the fall of 1961, when the San Luis Obispo County Symphony Association was legally incorporated, the real history begins in 1953, with the original seven – an ironworker and his buddy, a retired oilfield hand, a mother and her teen-aged daughter, an elderly widower, and a nine-year-old boy.

They met at the Morro Bay home of music teacher, Harry Fetz, and when Harry moved away, they moved to the living room of their first conductor, organist Esther Hoisington. They played their first concert for a Morro Bay chapter of the Eastern Star in 1954.

Sandi Sigurdson and Michael Nowak

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night. The next day, “a stunned and sorrowful band gathered to play their concert In Memoriam,” wrote Symphony historian Ed Lowman.

With strong support from Dr. Frank Martinez and Merlin Eisenbise of then-fledgling Cuesta College, the Symphony rallied, and Cuesta’s one-man music department, Dr. Earle Blakeslee, became its new conductor. The next few years would see decided changes, including the addition of singers who performed regularly with the orchestra, and the founding of the Youth Symphony by Botso Korisheli in 1966.

Morro Bay Community Orchestra, April 17, 1955.

Great funding strides were made in 1969 when Alice Nelson and June Eisenbise founded the Symphony Guild; and Diane Blakeslee helped to obtain the Symphony’s first grant from the County. By 1971, new board members, new ideas about fund-raising, and a new conductor/music director brought the Symphony firmly into a more modern era. Clifton Swanson, who had come to Cal Poly to teach music history, made history himself when he founded the Mozart Festival, now known as Festival Mozaic, that same year.

“We finished the last performance of that first season on a Sunday in August of 1971,” he recalls. “And on Monday I was offered the job with the Symphony.”

Alice Nelson

Conductor Clif Swanson circa 1971

In his 13 years as conductor, and another 25 playing bass for the Symphony, Swanson admits it’s hard to single out one highlight among so many. But piano prodigy Jeffrey Kahane’s 1983 performance makes a memorable story. Recognizing his unique talent, Swanson hired

Word spread and the tiny but tenacious band grew from seven to twenty-one. In 1955, they gave their first full-length concert at the Morro Bay Veterans Hall.

By 1961, the group – now 40 players strong – had moved to San Luis Obispo and had already performed its first complete symphony (one of Haydn’s) at the San Luis Obispo High School auditorium. Under the leadership of Alice Nelson, the symphony association was formed, a new conductor Loren Powell (borrowed from the Santa Maria Community Orchestra) was hired, and the now-legendary local names of Billy Watson and Botso Korisheli, among many other notable musicians, had joined the ranks.

With four concerts per season now the norm, the San Luis Obispo Symphony was truly gathering momentum – when tragedy struck.

In 1965, while conducting the season’s last concert dress rehearsal, conductor Loren Powell collapsed on the podium and died later that

SLO Symphony performs in 1982 with Clif Swanson conducting

San Luis Obispo Symphony Orchestra, 1985 Michael Nowak, Conductor S E P T E M B E R

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COMMUNITY In 1984, Maestro Swanson stepped down, passing the baton to the Symphony’s current conductor, Michael Nowak. Celebrating 25 years with the Symphony this year, Maestro Nowak brings his own brand of musical excellence and infectious passion to the podium. An accomplished violist, Nowak is also a recording musician and conductor in the motion picture industry, earning a nod from the Oscars for his work on The Kite Runner. This year, he had a speaking role as a mean-spirited conductor in The Soloist, a movie starring Jamie Foxx.

In the past quarter century, under Nowak’s baton, the Symphony has produced four CDs (two of them original works from composer Craig Russell) and completed four successful tours.

From the beginning, Nowak has made music education a priority, building a series of programs for schools that now reach more than 16,000 children every year. Fully twenty-five percent of the annual budget is devoted to a music education program that is a model for symphonies twice the size of this one. In 1997, the “No Ties Allowed” free dress rehearsals were added to this program to give everyone a chance – even those who can’t afford the price of a ticket – to hear extraordinary music by a world-class orchestra. Nowak’s impromptu introductions that explain what we are about to hear, add color, humor, and rich dimension to these enormously popular afternoons.

Nowak conducting in 2005

To date, the Symphony has performed in Spain, at the Walt Disney Concert Hall, at the Sydney Opera House in Australia, and at New York’s Carnegie Hall. The latter is the unanimous pick among symphony members as their most memorable moment yet.

On that magical evening in April of 2001, the orchestra played Craig Russell’s “Rhapsody for Horn” featuring soloist Rick Todd. Principal horn Jane Swanson said that conditions were as close to perfect as they can get. Carnegie’s nearly full hall had great acoustics; Russell’s engaging melodies and infectious rhythms were a custom fit for the orchestra and its soloist; and everyone was thrilled to be bringing this new music to a historic hall in a great city.

“I felt simultaneously elated and humbled,” Jane Swanson explained.

“Elated that one’s own individual practice and preparation is on target… and humbled that I am but one tiny speck in the universe of that particular performance.”

To what do they attribute this and so many other remarkable achievements? Answers vary. Second violinist Valerie Koos said it’s about the sacrifices all the musicians must make to fit with their “other” lives.

Most have full-time jobs in different professions.

SLO Symphony in 2006

him to solo with the orchestra in 1980, Kahane’s first professional engagement. Swanson next booked Kahane to play an extremely difficult Rachmaninoff piece for a spring concert in 1983. But Kahane had reservations. He’d just entered the prestigious Arthur Rubinstein Competition and was worried he wouldn’t be able to practice for both at the same time. So Swanson made Kahane a deal. “We’ll do the piece you are preparing for the competition instead,” he promised.

“We won’t tell the public about the change … but of course, now you have to win the Rubenstein.” Two weeks before his appearance with the Symphony, Kahane did just that – and when he played the winning piece with the Symphony, he brought the San Luis Obispo audience thundering to its feet.

By the year 2000, no fewer than 21 players had been with the Symphony for 25 years or more… most of whom joined during the Swanson years. He also encouraged top students from local high schools and colleges to join the Symphony. And he was known for the impressive list of guest soloists that he believed would not only please audiences but also stretch the orchestra to greater heights.

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Some say it’s the longevity of its members, pointing to players like second violinist Diane Tingle, who has been with the Symphony for more than three decades. Others credit symphony staff, including Executive Director Sandi Sigurdson and Marketing Director Patty Thayer, for their tireless efforts to keep Symphony audiences coming back strong year after year. Sigurdson was recently named Chair of the California State Association of Symphony Orchestras, further increasing her dedication and reach.

Some praise their staunch supporters like Clifford Chapman and Don Shidler, or Gerry and Peggy Peterson, whose enormous generosity and bottomless love of music helped build the Performing Arts Center.

“I still don’t believe it’s real,” said Peggy Peterson, her eyes filling.

“There is no end to what we can do, because there is no end to music.”

And of course there is Nowak.

“He’s such a great teacher, a truly great coach,” said Koos. And contrary to the role he played in The Soloist, “Michael makes us all sound so good… but in a kind, gentle, positive way.”

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SLO Symphony at the Walt Disney Concert Hall in 2008

“I still don’t believe it’s real,” said Peggy Peterson, her eyes filling. “There is no end to what we can do, because there is no end to music.”

Nowak returns the compliment. “I learn so much from the people I am privileged to work with,” he said. “As musicians and as humans, they teach me about being a complete human being.”

Many of the members said that one thing setting this orchestra apart is the fact that they don’t “import” outside musicians, but instead cultivate local talent and each other to meet the high standards now expected. And they all speak in reverent tones about the mystique that binds them so closely together, the loyalty and commitment that keep them so focused. Jane Swanson puts it this way: “We are bonded as musical friends. We share the musical goals, the musical experiences, and we are 100% committed to each other, personally and musically. Those statements are rarely true of a big-city orchestra where tensions, competition, and higher pressure take a toll.”

Next year, the San Luis Obispo Symphony will launch its 50th anniversary season and though there are always fiscal concerns—especially in this economy—Nowak is confident about the future. Events are still in the planning stages, but there is talk of extra concerts including a Winter Pops, “50 events for 50 years” and collaborations with the Youth Symphony and the Master Chorale.

“We’ll end next season with Beethoven’s 9th,” said Nowak. About that he is sure.

As those plans take shape in the coming year, as histories are plumbed and memories uncovered, the names of the original seven will likely come up among today’s more than 80 players. Tribute will be paid to that small but determined band, and all those who came after them, whose love for music paved the road that would one day lead from a quaint little fishing village to Carnegie Hall.

The late Ed Lowman, former Symphony manager and program note annotator, crafted a detailed history of over 4,500 words chronicling every Symphony season from 1953 through 2001. Mr. Lowman died in 2004, and I am indebted to him for the many moments and details used in the writing of this piece.

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a new life for historic chinatown structure

mee heng low

By Hilary Grant

C

an a beloved children’s book have anything in common with an old storefront on Palm Street?

The answer is yes – and isn’t really so farfetched when the book in question is Virginia Lee Burton’s The Little House. First published in 1942, the slim volume tells the fictional story of a cozy family home that, over many seasons and many years, watches her world slowly turn from a life in the peaceful countryside to one in a crowded city. There, she becomes so shabby that no one wants her.

Unexpectedly, the house then has a chance to begin a new and happy life.

The same can be said for the real story of Mee Heng Low, the tiny Chinese café located in what was once San Luis Obispo’s thriving one-block Chinatown.

In fact, just like Burton’s ending, the twostory masonry edifice – whose name means “nice smelling, aromatic restaurant” and is a stone’s throw from the Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa – has recently been renovated, inside and out, in order to start its own brand new chapter. After being shuttered for months, the doors have now reopened as a classic Asian noodle bar.

Perhaps it’s best to start at the beginning.

According to Daniel Krieger, Professor of History Emeritus at Cal Poly, the first Mee Heng Low building was erected in 1874 and

made of wood. Operating as the original Ah Louis store, that structure housed a general store, post office and bank for the hundreds of Chinese immigrants that Louis, a savvy contractor, hired for many Central Coast building projects (these jobs included Hanford Pier in Avila; the old Cuesta Grade, and Highway 46, from Cambria to Paso Robles).

About a decade later, the building was moved across the street to make way for the current Mee Heng Low building, which remained a structure built of wood.

Mee Heng Low 1940

“Apart from the Ah Louis and Gin families, who lived on opposite sides of the street and were almost Hatfield-McCoy type rivals, most of the occupants in the area were young men,” says Krieger. Many, explains Krieger, were related to the two families, and had arrived on the Central Coast via labor tickets. Those tickets, he goes on, required the men to work long and hard hours until their ticket contracts were paid in full. “Pretty much all of them expected to go home to China.”

Given that skewed population, a hodge-podge, rabbit warren of structures soon arose directly around and behind Mee Heng Low – mostly housing brothels and opium dens (the latter was legal until 1912). “Most of the shops then, and the two restaurants [the other, Shanghai Low, still a ghostly presence with its sign a few doors down from Mee Heng Low] had false fronts,” says Krieger.

Mee Heng Low Today

Paul and Diane Kwong S E P T E M B E R

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Gow Gin inside the dining room

“Behind them was an area that even the police didn’t want to enter, except in the direst of emergencies.” Real improvements began in the 1940s, with a new brick foundation put in place, and the wood surface replaced with both brick and plaster.

Gradually modified over the years, Mee Heng Low’s interior boasted chrome fixtures and formica tables by 1957. The outdoor staircase to the upstairs was added for fire safety in the late 1970s, says Krieger, with upstairs diners served via a dumb waiter from the first floor kitchen. That second floor room was supervised by Bea Jong, who, with her husband, owned a supermarket in Oceano at the same time.

Dick Gin, owner of Creekside Physical Therapy and a certified athletic trainer, has fond memories of living on the top floor the decade before.

The third son of parents Billy and Pat Gin, Gin was born in SLO in 1960. His paternal grandfather, Gow Gin, had come to the Central Coast from southern China at the height of The Great Depression.

As a very small boy – years when the entire family made its home on the second floor – Gin remembers that, much like today, the Cal Poly Lion Dancers entertained Chinese New Year celebrants all around town.

“The Palm Street restaurants would have long strings of ‘lucky money’ [paper money or coins sealed in special red envelopes] hanging from poles,” he says. With firecrackers blasting below, Gin adds, “The lion would then come by and dance, which was supposed to ward off evil spirits, and then take the money.

“Ours was the only restaurant with a balcony, which made it special for us to hold the stick.”

Daily life, says Gin, completely revolved around the running of Mee Heng Low. Older brothers Wayne, Bob and Tom all worked in the restaurant at one time or another, helped by many of the Gin adults. But Mee Heng Low was closed every Wednesday, and it was then that the Gins would often meet other family members there for a large dinner. The children, neither particularly interested in the food nor adult conversations, played games under and around the tables.

After Bea Jong’s time at Mee Heng Low, 1980s owners Senh and Kim Huynhs turned the eatery into a chop suey café. Featuring a no-nonsense menu that favored preferred American dishes like sweet and

Mee Heng Low 1930s

sour pork and fried rice, the place remained busy, but was definitely showing its age. By August of 2008, the Huynhs were also older, and ready to retire.

It was then that Paul and Diane Kwong stepped in. After nearly a year of refurbishing – upgrades include new paint inside and out, a renovated kitchen and stylish lighting – the restaurant, as of June 30, is the Mee Heng Low Noodle Bar. Its simple, $10 and under menu has only four dishes (chop suey, chow mein, low mein, or soup bowl), but each item is cooked to order with a choice of meat and Asian sauces. More is coming: within the next six months, say the Kwongs, they’d like to add a selection of dumplings, and open the upstairs seating area. It’s there that a three-wall mural of Chinese figures, painted by Billy Gin and a son of Ah Louis, will remain.

Paul Kwong, continuing to work as the executive chef at SLO’s Embassy Suites, and whose father is Chinese-American, says it’s important to keep a Chinese presence, no matter how small, alive on Palm Street.

“To use my old family recipes, and to have an authentic noodle shop on this street,” he says, “has been a long time dream of mine. We’ve finally made it come true.”

The Mee Heng Low Noodle Bar is at 815 Palm Street in SLO. S E P T E M B E R

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COMMUNITY SLO County art scene

back in the black (and white)

By Gordon Fuglie, photos by Jim Vincolisi SLO Art Center, Curator of Exhibitions and Collections

The B-W Gallery

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lack and white fine art photography has long enjoyed a special regard on the Central Coast. Whether it was the charmed circle of Ansel Adams in Carmel or enlightened patronage in developing a major California photography collection at the Santa Barbara Museum of Art, our region seems to engender more than its share of photographers and photography enthusiasts. In San Luis Obispo County there is the notable presence of photography education at Cuesta College and Cal Poly, as well as the Lepp Institute of Digital Imaging (Los Osos). There is also the advocacy of interest groups like the Camera Club and the Central Coast Photography Society, an affiliate of the San Luis Obispo Art Center.

American fine art photography came of age in the mid-twentieth century and black and white silver gelatin prints produced from a film negative were the gold standard for a number of years. This didn’t last, however, and color photographs (once deemed garish or too commercial in sensibility) gradually gained acceptance. So did hybridizing and experimental practices that expanded the field of acceptability in fine art photography. Eventually, the traditional black and white print of a land- or cityscape, still life or person became a minority approach reserved for “classicists.”

What was once the epitome of American photographic art appeared to have become a sub-genre, though still highly respected.

But devotees of the rich legacy and beauty of black and white were not about to settle into a genteel respectability, much less go into the dark night. Its practitioners remained deeply committed to their craft and continue to produce work that demonstrates their conviction. They also have an influential organ in b&w Magazine and a number of galleries that promote black and white photography, including, locally, B-W Gallery in north San Luis Obispo County.

Located between Santa Margarita and Atascadero and nestled amidst oaks and pines in a rural setting, B-W Gallery is housed in a farmhouse-style building adjacent to the house of its proprietors, Patricia Bennett and A.J. (Jim) Vincolisi. A black and white photographer for many years, Vincolisi also features the work of a number of Central Coast photographers including Jack Baber, Howard Steinberg and Nixson Borah. B-W Gallery is open by appointment and its gallery combines the ambience of a viewing room and study. Select editions from the couple’s personal library line the walls.

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Vincolisi is also of that generation of photographers that stands astride the most significant technological shift in photography since the 19th century: the growing domination of fine art photography by digital equipment and processes. Originally trained in traditional film and darkroom production methods, he is now convinced that the survival and resurgence of black and white fine art photography will depend on photographers adopting digital technologies. Vincolisi has made the shift and outfitted his studio with the most current digital equipment and software. For him, this transition entailed more than just going along with the latest trend. Vincolisi believes what is now at stake with digital black and white photography is the capacity to print photographs with the highest image resolution (heretofore impossible) and greater control over light, shade and compositional details. Or more directly stated, the new digital black and white photography – in the hands of an artist – surpasses previous achievements in the medium.

How is this done? With sensitivity to the layperson (as well as limits on my word count in this column), to produce the new digital black and white photograph, you need four components: a computer, an Epson inkjet printer, a Quad Tone Rip software package, and Piezography inks. (Remember, there are NO film negatives, developers, darkrooms, chemicals and drying racks.) Once the photographer obtains the quality of image he wants on his computer monitor, he then presses the “print” command, which is transmitted to the Epson printer. It has seven inkjet heads into which are installed custom cartridges, known as Piezography, and invented by Jon Cone. The Piezography inks are gradated shades of black

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– no other color. The key to the process is the harmonious working relationship between Piezography and its supportive software, the QuadTone RIP driver that directs the Epson printer “to print each shade of Piezography black at a significantly higher dithering frequency.” I’m quoting the manufacturer. In other words, we are talking about a superior means of marshalling a wide range of black and gray tones to produce the highest quality monochromatic photograph, giving the artist an enormous range of possibilities in calibrating the tonal pitch of his/her image.

What film photographers like Ansel Adams and Minor White labored for hours on end in guarded solitude in their darkrooms to produce the rich blacks and silvery grays in their masterful prints is now available openly in the marketplace.

Enough said – it is in seeing we believe. I encourage you to visit B-W Gallery and experience the dynamic range of digital black and white photography for yourself. For an appointment, call either Jim or Patricia at 805674-0337, or send an Email: ajv@b-wgallery. com. The gallery is located off the 101 Freeway at 9315 Santa Clara Road, Atascadero, California 93422. Website: www.b-wgallery.com.

COMMUNITY

Our Schools:

activity and are more likely to require government assistance for basic needs than the rest of the population. A very chilling fact is that dropping out of school is the gateway to crime for most inmates in California’s prisons. If we want to address our state’s escalating prison population with its high costs, perhaps we need to invest more in preventing school dropouts.

attention to truancy and dropouts

By Dr. Julian Crocker, County Superintendent of Schools

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eptember is an exciting time of the year for students as they return to school. One of the most important things that parents, educators and the community can do is to insure that students get to school, prepared to learn, each day.

This sounds basic. It’s hard to get an education if you don’t show up.

However, for too many children and young people, missing school is a much too common behavior.

For this past school year of 2008-09, students were not in school an average of approximately 10 days per student. Missing school about a day each month of school may not sound like much, but this average also means that some students miss a lot more than a day each month. Obviously, some absences are normal for illness or emergencies. But some students start young to develop an absence pattern that can easily develop into truancy. California law defines a truant as: Any student subject to compulsory continuation education who is absent from school without a valid excuse three full days or tardy or absent more than any 30-minute period during the school day without a valid excuse on three occasions in one school year, or any combination thereof is a truant. This is a fairly strict definition that establishes little tolerance for missing school without a valid reason.

The most serious consequence of truancy is the impact on the student. Teachers build each student’s education one day at a time, so every day is important. Continued absences means becoming disconnected from the school and education. So-called “make up work” can only go so far. Perhaps the most insidious result of truancy is that it can quickly lead to dropping out of school entirely.

In our county, the official dropout rate is 11.2%, which is below the statewide rate of 20.1%, but even one dropout is too many.

There is substantial research to support our intuition that students who drop out end up in low-wage jobs, often engage in criminal

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Dropping out is a process over time rather than a single event. This process usually begins early in a child’s school experience, often in elementary school. If an elementary school child encounters problems in school, and is not given help, that child can start wanting to avoid school and use any excuse to miss school. Parents should be alert to signs that their children are trying to avoid school and contact the school at once to address the problem. We also know that a quality preschool experience for children is a good way to assist children to be successful when they enter kindergarten and proceed through the grades.

The factors that contribute to dropping out of school are often connected and not simple. However, we know that the primary reasons that students drop out are connected to their school experience.

Students have cited that uninteresting classes, an earlier habit of missing school (getting behind in schoolwork), and failing grades as major reasons for dropping out. Two other reasons given for dropping out are spending too much time with other students who are not interested in school and too much freedom and not enough rules in their lives. These facts point to our schools as the primary place to address both the problems of truancy and dropouts.

In addition to our schools, parents and other public agencies have a role to play in reducing both truancy and dropouts in our county.

The Children’s Services Network (CSN) of San Luis Obispo County has established as its primary goal to reduce the number of truants and dropouts in our county. This effort recognizes that other public agencies and community-based organizations are partners with schools in meeting this goal. A local Truancy and Dropout Task Force has been established to make recommendations for reducing truancy and dropouts, and I will share these in this column in the near future.

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2009

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COMMUNITY

history

history from inside

By Joseph A. Carotenuti

1890s Dental Forcepts

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t’s not a good day; I’m not a happy camper. I definitely do not want to be here. Slowly, reluctantly, I open my mouth to being probed by instruments undoubtedly concocted in the darkest of medieval dungeons.

Dr. Peter Nelson is a professional (no relation to the local 1860/70s dentist Dr. William H. Nelson), the probing not too terrible, but the conversation about me assures my suspense and anxieties as to my shamefully errant, oral-hygiene regime.

My eyes remain closed, fingers in a death grip on my stomach so as to

delay any sudden, unpremeditated flailing about to further aggravate the sentence soon to be pronounced upon my wanton dentals.

“Be brave, be BRAVE!” my unfortunately still coherent brain pleads and admonishes me: “You’re a grown man – born before flossing and almost before Novocaine – and its time to pay for your dental sins!”

This was last week. Imagine a similar setting almost 150 years ago.

Then it wasn’t Dr. Nelson beaming over the challenges of cavities or – gasp! – Decay. Yes, history not only exists around us but also can be recalled by our teeth.

Here’s the story.

The Western movie depicts the barber…often called something like Grubby or Buzzard…straddling the victim, yanking at a tooth with a pair of pliers amid muffled groans of pain piercing the liquor anesthetic. It took a heroic heart to “open wide!”

So it undoubtedly came as a pleasant surprise when the first dentist hung his shingle in San Luis Obispo in 1868. There may have been other itinerant “dentists” riding into town with a saddlebag of implements and a collapsible chair, but this fellow actually “opened” an office in the Johnson building.

Indeed, a dentist’s office was proud proof of the community’s maturing (regardless the activities therein) although by then, the Town had gone

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COMMUNITY through three incorporations, was surveyed by the Federal government, had a weekly newspaper, even a doctor and was ready for a resident dentist.

So when Dr. William Jasper Marcus came to town, everyone soon took notice…unfortunately, not too closely. With the first dental State Board of Examiners 25 years away, no one expected any form of certification. However, he was acclaimed a “jolly” fellow.

Marcus’ earliest newspaper ad appeared in the Pioneer on July 4 promising to “execute all work in the line of dentistry…with neatness and dispatch.” Eventually his ad became poetic as he promised: “Suffer little children to come unto me, for of such are liable to have tooth decay.”

Born in Alabama, the 35-year-old Marcus and his young wife were well received in the community of about 1000 residents. By 1870 he helped organize a fire company (for which he also volunteered), was chairman of the always festive Fourth of July celebration, became a trustee for Emerson School and even was executor of an estate which left town councilman, Henry Francis, as sole owner of a livery stable.

Business was profitable as the Pioneer’s successor, the Democratic Standard informed its readers that Doctor Marcus, “surgeon and mechanical dentist” recently added several “new & improved instruments” to his office becoming the “most complete set of instruments south of San Francisco…” He assured all to dull any pain with nitrous oxide – popularly known as “laughing gas.” In the spring of 1870, he was appointed the town’s Treasurer for a year.

Salem. He said he had gone exploring for railroad developments in the Washington Territory. Upon his return, he entered the political arena. In May 1872, he ran for City Treasurer losing…fortunately…by 32 votes.

1873 started well for the notable resident, but proved to be his last year here.

He became the secretary for the local King David’s Lodge of the Masons and a vestryman for St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church. Strangely, his ads stopped running, and he advertised a 1000-acre ranch with stock for sale near Morro Bay. By summer’s end, another dentist was running ads.

September brought a shocking revelation.

According to the Gilroy News, Marcus and his wife had “fleeced” an invalid over the last several years of $10,000 and abandoned the unfortunate man with strangers. It was a convoluted tale of deceit by “A Heartless Scoundrel and His Depraved Wife.”

The News reported that Marcus had befriended a paralyzed old man in Eugene City “about four years ago” when the stricken traveler was staying at the same hotel where Marcus plied his trade…not dentistry but as a “tonsorial artist”…. a barber. It was not long before the

39

elder’s money disappeared while the old man was shuttled between San Luis Obispo and Gilroy. “As helpless as an infant,” the man’s plight so outraged the News that other papers were enjoined to take note. “In the name of common humanity,” a plea was made to spread the news of the “infamy.”

The residents may have never known of the accusation if local Henry Francis had not rushed to aid his friend. Marcus, he commented in a long letter, was “unacquainted with business,” made “wild” investments while “nothing seemed to prosper in his hands.” Furthermore, his “propensity for intoxicating liquors” had rendered him “entirely beside himself.” Leaving behind a “few bills,” Marcus left San Luis…and local history…“partially deranged” from alcohol. *** My self-imposed ordeal is over. Conducted by a well-versed professional, dentistry has indeed come a long way from the hand of a man whose only training seems as a barber, had experience in flim-flam and the capacity to fool most of the people most – but not all – of the time.

Thanks to Lucy Solorzano of the Gilroy Historical Society for assistance.

The editor, J. Byron Finch, was effusive in his praise declaring Marcus “invincible.” As a companero, his “versatility of talent, his agreeable and affable manner, his fund of antidotes and witty sayings are almost sufficient to supply the absence of a good wife.”

Also, the newspaper’s name and Marcus’ involvement with the county’s Democratic Party underscores their political kinship.

So competent was his skill (or personal renditions of his ability), by the end of the year he was called upon to help Drs. Hays and Walker amputate a leg.

Thus, it must have come as a surprise to the community when early the next year, the rival newspaper, the Tribune, announced he was “about to haul up stakes in San Luis.”

The dentist changed his mind but left the following May with his “lady,” reportedly to visit her family in Portland for a few months. It was October before his return with his wife’s younger sister as Mrs. Marcus remained in S E P T E M B E R

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A Retirement Facility

COMMUNITY Even though the prospect of moving may be in the distant future, you owe it to yourself to learn how you can enjoy hospice corner carefree living in your own home for many years to come.

how does hospice care work?

You Don’t Have BytoHelen Move Feel Safe and Secure Swanagon, RN

B

It’s a fact of life that as weyget older, Pristine is fully the time a physician munity can turn to for help. Hospice Partners will support patients and some day-to-day tasks become toothat there licensed and insured. tells a person their families during the final stage of life. The Hospice Partners’ team is no further medical uses the combined much to handle on our own. That All of our workers knowledge and skills of an interdisciplinary staff treatment that will change the course team of professionals, including physicians, nurses, home health aides, doesn’t mean you have to move away are carefully screened of their illness (and thus the course medical social workers, dietitians, therapists, spiritual and bereavement from the comfort of your home. and pass a criminal of events…death) they are usually sick, tired, and sick and tired of counselors, hospice musicians and volunteers to ease the journey. treatments, loss of energy, function and is independence.

Pristine Home Services a local They may feel background check So, how does hospice care work? Well, the patient (or family memthat there is nothing left for them. But, there is something that can company helpscare.

SanConsidered Luis Obispo and drug test, givingdoctor you contacts peace Hospice of mind ber) or the patient’s Partners and ask for a be done.

They canthat seek hospice to be the model for referral.

Our nurse will gather the information quality, compassionate care atavoid the end the of life,high hospicecost care involveswhen a County residents someone from Pristine is workingfrom the doctor, and call the patient. The nurse obtains information over the phone, team-oriented approach to expert medical care, pain management of moving to a retirement facility. in yourthen home. in person, or if the patient is in a hospital or facility, will meet with and emotional and spiritual support expressly tailored to the patient’s

the determination has been made that hospice is needs and wishes. At the center of hospice care is the belief that “She them helpsthere. me When with bathing and other appropriate, the care will be focused on comfort – physical, emotional each of us has the right to die pain-free and with dignity, and that our personal care.

She is so wonderful to me. and spiritual comfort, for the patient, as well as the family. Typically, a families the necessary support to allow us to do so. The Allwill of receive our services can be provided She should be cloned! …and the price family member serves as the primary caregiverisand, when appropriate, focus is on caring, not on curing and, in most cases, care is provided in daily, weekly, or on helps make decisions the terminally patient. The hospice team Shefor even did my illwinthe patient’s home. Hospice care an can as-needed also be providedbasis. in board and very reasonable. develops a care plan that meets each patient’s individual needs for pain careYou facilities, facilities and hospitals. payskilled for nursing only the services you need R. Watson, San Luis Obispo dows!” management and symptom control. The care plan also outlines the andPartners we provide those a priceState Hospice of the Central Coastservices is one of theatnon-profit, such as nursing care, personal “Theymedical took and thesupport time services to ask required me exactly licensed, care (dressing, bathing, etc.), social services, dietetic assistance, hosyouMedicare/Medi-Cal can afford. certified hospice care providers in San Luis whatpice I wanted. arrived on time, did and spiritual care.

Obispo and northern Santa Barbara Counties that residents of our commusicians,They grief and bereavement counseling,

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Our personal care services include shopping, daily errands, meal preparation, transportation and non-medical care. Our housekeeping services keep your kitchen and the rest of your home spotless. We even do windows and laundry. Our yard maintenance crews know how to take caretoofhandyman your favorite From housekeeping preparing roseservices bushesand andplumbing keep thetograss neatly meals.Our There is no task too large are or mowed. handyman services too small for Pristine Home Services. provided by specialists in plumbing, electrical work, painting, repairs and safety rail installation.

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2009

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COMMUNITY It also identifies the medical equipment, procedures, medication and treatments necessary to provide high-quality comfort care. The goal is to have the patient continue to do the things that are important in their life – such as visiting with friends, going to bingo, church, lunch.

The emphasis is on the quality of life, instead of its duration. The care of the hospice patient continues to be managed by the patient’s own physician. Members of the hospice team make regular visits to assess the patient and to provide the care and other services. The whole team of hospice professionals is available to help in ways that will support the patient at the end of his/her life. Some patients want and need all of the hospice services, others want only some of the services.

It is tailored to the individual patient and family needs. Hospice staff is on-call 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Support is extended to the patient’s loved ones, as well. And, after the death of the hospice patient, the bereavement staff will provide grief and bereavement counseling to family members and friends.

Who pays for Hospice care? While Medicare, Medi-Cal, and most private insurance companies have a Hospice benefit, it only partially covers the costs of hospice care. Hospice Partners does not collect any shortfall in reimbursement from patients or families who demonstrate an inability to pay. In addition, patients who have no coverage or method of paying for hospice care and services are not turned away.

To make up the difference in the shortfall of funds, Hospice Partners is dependent on the generosity of the community for donations and support at fundraising events.

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This monthly Hospice Corner is sponsored by Hospice Partners of the Central Coast. Helen Swanagon, RN is the Intake/Liaison Nurse Manager at Hospice Partners. For more information, call (805) 782-8608.

SEPTEMBER SUDOKU ¡ SOLUTIONS ON PAGE 51 S E P T E M B E R

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COMMUNITY

Purple Heart for wounds received on Mindanao. Bruce Langford has been promoted to Sergeant at Drew Field in Florida. Alfred Kelley is in Ardmore, Oklahoma, learning to be a navigator for a Heavy Bombardment group. Lt. Ralph Kennedy and Mrs. Kennedy visited SLO from San Diego where he is stationed, and Bob Lee is at San Antonio training to be a Flight Engineer. Private Manuel Limon is missing in action in Italy.

VETS VOICE

By Frank Rowan

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oday, August 6, 2009, is the 64th anniversary of our first Atomic Bomb drop on the Japanese city of Hiroshima. Eight days later the war that killed over 60million people was over and, our guys could come home.

Several years ago Post 66 past Commander Bob Lee gave me a listing of what many of our local young men and women were doing and where they were during WWII. He did not know who wrote it, so I can’t give anyone credit. Bob Lee passed away in July, and as I write this column, I will be thinking of him. Here are some excerpts from that list.

Private Edwin Ellsworth just got his Boots and Wings as a paratrooper and is being trained to be a demolition expert. Lt. M.L.R. Engle is home again after flying missions for eight months in Europe piloting a B-24. Ernie Farrand was promoted to Corporal in the ninth Air Force group. Corporal Eulis Farris of Avila was killed in action with the 7th Army in Europe. Lt. Charles Finn was captured at Corregidor and is now a POW in a camp near Tokyo, Japan. Sergeant Elwood Freeman is in England with an Army Transportation Company. His brother Sergeant Leslie Freeman is in the Philippines. Sgt Henry Fryer was awarded the Air medal while flying over the hump in Burma and China. His wife Cpl Jessie Fryer, a WAC, (Womens Army Corps), is stationed at Carlsbad NM. Virginia Hansen is a nurse at Shoemaker Naval Hospital and Ray Hansen has been in the Pacific theater for fifteen months. Roy Hemstreet met Irving Rogers at Shoemaker, CA where both are recuperating from combat duty. PFC. Joseph Hernandez received the

Major Fred Louis has completed study of the Japanese language and will be assigned to a Military Government Company. Lt. Carl Loveland is a liaison pilot with the 3rd Army. Army Lt. Harry Maes and Cpl. John Maes were home visiting from Fort Ord. The Marcum family has three brothers serving, Lloyd Marcum a Steward 3C, in Merchant Marine training at Catalina, Sergeant Bob Marcum is at Laredo TX, Pvt. James Marcum at Fort Ord and Pvt. Richard Marcum is in Germany.

Fred Mugler Jr. was visiting home from the Great Lakes Training School. Pvt. Harvey Norton is with the 316th Medical Battalion, 91st.

Infantry Div. in Italy, while his brother M/Sergeant Thomas Norton is with the 451st Bomb Group in Italy. Herbert Pedranti is stationed in England and had a narrow escape from a German Buzz Bomb.

Lt. Colonel Elwyn Righetti, one of the outstanding Aces of the war with 33 planes to his credit, is officially listed as missing in action.

PFC Miguel Rocha was killed in action April 17th. Cpl Francis Soto has been relieved of combat duty because his two brothers have already given their lives in the service. Bernard Soto died while a POW and Stanley Soto was killed on Iwo Jima. John Wells RT 2/c was visiting home from his station with the 6th Naval District.

Cpl Frank Woods was seriously wounded on Mindanao and is recuperating at Bushnell General Hospital in Salt Lake City, and Sgt. Stanley Wozniak is a veteran of Attu, Kwajalein, Leyte and Okinawa.

There are more names listed in the report who would likely be familiar to many of you. Personally I have known and been associated with the following. I suspect you will recognize others. These are the vets who gave up their youth to save our world.

Ed Ellsworth now retired came home to be a businessman owning Ellsworth’s Market at Broad and Lincoln. He is also a Past Commander of Post 66. Elwood Freeman was my Postman for about fifteen years. Irving Rogers became a SLO Cop and advanced in an Army Transportation Company. His brother Sergeant Leslie Freeman is in the Philippines. PFC George Furtado was in the South Pacific for 23 months, his brother Louis is with the 9th Army in Europe.

Private Stanley Genardini is resting in a Santa Barbara redistribution center after 12 months of combat in new Guinea. T/3 Donald Hale is home after 37 months of action in the South Pacific. Don became a San Luis Obispo City Firefighter. After retirement, he founded the Firefighters Hall of Flame in Phoenix Arizona and is still there heading it up. If you go to Phoenix, be sure to go to see the Hall of Flame.

It is a tremendous Museum dedicated to firefighters everywhere.

Ralph Kennedy was elected mayor of SLO. Carl Loveland was a SLO High School music teacher. He was known all over the USA for his expertise in Band formations. John Maes, Bruce Langford, and John Wells were fellow employees at Cal Trans. Richard and Lloyd Marcum were fellow soldiers with me during the Korean conflict in the 161 ODC and 502nd ODP. Remember, keep in touch: 805-543-1973 or frowan248@att.net. See you right here in October.

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Downtown

Around

The Magazine of Downtown San Luis Obispo

Inside:

W h a t ’s U p New Business News

September 2009

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ater this month, a group from the Downtown Association will head to Ventura for the annual California Downtown Association conference. Called CDA, the organization’s members include dozens of downtown communities from around the state and a few affiliates beyond the borders working toward a common goal: downtown health and viability.

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his year’s conference focuses on assisting downtowns with staying afloat during the current economy, “Charting a Course Through Turbulent Times.” Even if a turnaround is just ahead, the lessons we will bring home will prove valuable in any economy. Helping us stay on top of our game, the conference will address topics like Generational Marketing, Innovations for Ending Homlessness, Building ne reason downtowns seem to have fared Deborah Cash, CMSM, your Entrepreneurs’ Success Rates, Nighttime better than their mall or other-commercial- Executive Director Economies without the Nightmares, Maximizing area counterparts during the current Main Street “Green,” Parking: Problem economic downturn is their ability to respond quickly or Profit? and many more sessions and networking to challenges. A helpful tool in taking quick action for opportunities with other people in our same boat. downtown management organizations turns out to be communication with others in the same situation. This is e’ve acknowledged in our attempts to create a where CDA and Main Street come in: one request sent out strong, beautiful and healthy Downtown that via internet asking for assistance, information or feedback while we’re not a shopping mall, we have many usually results in a wealth of information for the inquirer. similarities to one. We are a defined geographic area, we An example: when we were forming our organization have zoning and use ordinances that allow or prohibit as a not for profit last year (after having been affiliated certain commercial activities, we have parking and public with the City for more than 30 years), my question about service needs within the district, and we try to unify the the ‘type’ of IRS status we should assume generated over district with design and uniformity when possible, such a hundred responses from across the nation. I strongly as encouraging businesses to keep ‘regular’ hours that believe our Downtown’s success is due, in part, to the extend later into the evening. Participating in CDA, Main network of support we have both statewide and beyond.

Street and CAMSA (California Main Street Alliance) is

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On the Cover: The usual--and unusual--can be found weekly at the Thursday Night Farmers Market. Photo by Deborah Cash

The San Luis Obispo Downtown Association would like to say THANK YOU TO ALL OF OUR 2009 SPONSORS!

Takken’s Shoes of SLO–Tartaglia Realty–Coalition–Chino’s Rock & Tacos Ravatt, Albrecht & Associates Inc.–Mission Community Bank–Frog & Peach First Bank of SLO–Marti’s Bar & Grill–Mother’s Tavern–Adamski, Moroski, Madden & Green LLP McCarthy’s Irish Pub–Wells Fago–Limberg Lasik–Powell’s Sweet Shoppe For details contact the San Luis Obispo Downtown Association at (805) 541-0286 or visit www.DowntownSLO.com

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very helpful in training us how to think like a mall but not act or look like one. As such, downtowns, even with as much as they have in common, are all quite unique, distinct and imperfect—which is why we love them.

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e’re happy that the City’s newly-appointed “Downtown Champion” and Parking Services Manager Robert Horch will be joining us at CDA. Even though our status as a City affiliate has changed, our close relationship and interdependence on each other has not. Horch was designated to be the City’s liaison to the Downtown Association and was an obvious choice due to his self-declared affection for Downtown and his literal ‘street wise’ knowledge of daily activities. Horch’s parking services staff sees every block every day and they often notice things before we do. He’s also in the know about upcoming public works projects, proposed legislation and has an impressive background in law and public service.

Join me in welcoming Horch on board as “Champion” and we’re excited he’s able to be part of our conference team this year.

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hat will OUR participation mean for you as a local or guest visiting Downtown? You’ll continue to see improvements in services, design, parking

Central Coast Writer’s Conference at Cuesta College, October 3 - 4, 2009

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and vibrancy. You’ll enjoy walking through an attractive and safe environment where there’s plenty to see and do, with lots of choices about spending your time, energy and money. With our low vacancy rate, you’ll see few empty storefronts—those that stand vacant are likely slated for retrofit meaning in a short time, they’ll be refurbished and occupied. You’ll continue to attend event after event—many for free—including a new activity slated for November 12: the first annual VETERANS’ CELEBRATION AT FARMERS’ MARKET. (Stay tuned for more details; meanwhile if you’re interested in being part of the event contact Diana Cotta in our office for information). We also invite you to visit our newly designed website www.downtownslo.com we think is more user friendly and provides links to many of your favorite businesses.

Robert Horch, Parking Services Manager and Downtown Champion

Central Coast Book & Author Festival

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hen you visit other downtowns—and we hope you do!—please make note of the differences, similarities and show of pride you’ll find. (A good example would be Chico’s Farmers’ Market, modeled after our own and highly successful but with its own brand of uniqueness.) It’s one reason why CDA communities are hanging strong in ‘turbulent times’…around Downtown.

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N e w s light to enter the restaurant. With the many chandeliers hanging from the ceiling, the sunlight creates a spectrum of colors that dance on the walls within, creating a treat for the eye.

Oasis Restaurant Karim & Chantale BenBrahim, owners 675 Higuera Street (805) 543-1155 www.OasisRestaurantSLO.com

T

he original Oasis Restaurant opened on Foothill Boulevard in 1995 (formerly as Boomers then Morocco).

The restaurant/deli was one of the first places to offer authentic Mediterranean cuisine to the San Luis Obispo area and brothers Mohamed and Karim relocated their business into the Downtown area eight years ago.

W

A

n affordably priced menu offering traditional fare as well as vegetarian and vegan selections allows diners to enjoy such dishes as hommus, baba ghanouj, dolmas and small plates for lunch or dinner for between $6 and $20. (A full menu can be viewed on the website). All dishes are authentic using a blend of Mediterranean and Moroccan flavors all from family recipes passed down through generations.

hen the economy plunged this past year, current owners Karim (Oasis chef) and Chantale BenBrahim decided it was time for a change. They recently reopened Oasis after remodeling the interior creating a more open and family-friendly environment by removing many of the curtains from the windows and allowing more natural

I

The Secret Garden

Street, located on the creek side of the Mission Mall. The new location is reminiscent of its former digs, tucked away along the creek behind the Gold Concept on Higuera Street in a mostly outdoor setting. The register and shelves are inside of what looks like a large hut like structure that is brightly painted. In the garden portion of the shop, there are potted plants and chairs surrounding the focal point, a large tree that grows through the middle of the store.

Kirstin Sherritt, owner 740 (Creekside) Higuera Street 805-544-4372 www.OrganicHerbShop.com

K

irstin Sherritt opened The Secret Garden five years ago, bringing something new and unique to Downtown San Luis Obispo. The specialty garden boutique offers organic herbs and spices that can be purchased separately or hand blended. All of the herbs and spices at the Secret garden are sold in bulk, allowing customers to buy as little or as much as they please. The Secret Garden also sells a large variety of handcrafted teas and jewelry and crafts from local artists.

R

ecently, The Secret Garden relocated from its original Garden Street location to a new shop on Higuera

f you are in the mood for a relaxing meal in the downtown area, and you want something a little different, stop by Oasis Restaurant on Higuera St. Catering is also available and they also sell their products at Thursday Night Farmers’ Market.

By Sarah Fruit

“I

t is a combination of outdoor and indoor, bringing the garden to the shop,” Sherritt said. Visitors can step out of the mainstream of shoppers for a moment of respite and quiet in the heart of Downtown at The Secret Garden.

By Sarah Fruit

Th a n k yo u f o r a n o t h e r g r e a t s e a s o n o f C o n c e r t s i n t h e P l a z a !

COMMUNITY

SEPTEM BER Almanac

visit our website www.frambergerbenefits.com CA lic.. 0775366

By Phyllis Benson

541-0462

“When a man retires, his wife gets twice the husband but only half the income.”

---Chi Chi Rodriquez

electronics in the classroom. It’s the only way to get eyes off tiny screens and on the blackboard.

author kurt vonnegut, Jr. said, “True terror is to wake up one morning and discover that your high school class is running the country.”

admission day is September 9. California became the 31st state.

sewing month is here. Our neighbor says

grandkids resisted needle and thread lessons until their big brother mentioned sewing a rip in his Army uniform. Now sibling fingers are working thread around buttons and patches.

grandparents day is Sept. 13. Our

neighbor encourages grandkids to send songs by email and not telephone. You can walk off from a computer, make a sandwich, and get back in time for the singsong end.

Then replay it for Grandma when she gets home from golfing.

sept. 1939: The first televised football

game covered a match between Waynesburg College and Fordham University.

zenith in 1950 developed the first TV

remote control. Suitably called “Lazy Bones,” the remote operated through a cable that ran from the person to the TV set.

apple month offers apple tours and

festivals. Our apple picker has a three-word recipe: Pick. Wash. Eat.

1989: The first Mutt Mitt dog poop bag

sold. Twenty years later Mutt Mitt stations stand in cities and parks holding the dog duty bags.

mutt mitts are made in Rabbit Hash,

Kentucky, a town famous for electing Goofy, a dog, as mayor.

september celebrity birthdays include

Adam Sandler, Ricki Lake, Jeff Foxworthy and Jane Curtin.

Jeff foxworthy said, “I’ve been to all 50

comedy writer Gene Perret said, “On the seventh day God rested. His grandchildren must have been out of town.”

states, and traveled this whole country, and 90 percent of the people are good folks.

The rest of them take after the other side of the family.”

sept. 14, 1909: Leo H. Baekeland regis-

autumn begins September 22.

tered the Bakelite trademark. The tough and heat-resistant plastic soon was a household name. It formed radio cases, billiard balls and toys. The versatile Bakelite was called the material of a thousand uses.

bunion derby: In 1928 runners entered a

foot race across the United States. The winner finished 3400 miles between Los Angeles and New York City in 573 hours. The following year the marathon ran from east to west

sept. 26 is National Hunting and Fishing Day. The mechanic closes shop for a day of shotgunning and our gardener heads for a fishing hole. Chores wait for another day.

golfer sam snead said, “The only reason

I ever played golf in the first place was so that I could afford to hunt and fish.”

Enjoy September days.

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our favorite teacher wants to block

winner was the just-opened Route 66. The runners and race publicity made the new road famous.

Whether it’s individual or group insurance, we’ll…

• Find coverage that works for you • Answer all your questions • Walk you through the process Land on your feet with…

are deep in texts. And texting.

bunion champ: The real Bunion Derby

Framberger

school is back in session and students

but the promoter went bankrupt and had no money for 1929 race bunioneers.

Employee Benefits & Insurance Services, Inc.

sept. 3, 1939: World War II was declared.

Connie Framberger

Our handyman says Americans repay the holiday by working. A long list of home chores waits for Labor Day weekend.

694 Santa Rosa St. San Luis Obispo

labor day honors the American worker.

47

S E P T E M B E R

2009

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48

BUSINESS

Palm Street Perspective the city will miss ken hampian

By SLO City Mayor, Dave Romero

W

ith his announcement of July 9, SLO City Manager Ken Hampian gave notice of his intention to terminate his city service as of the end of 2009. That date represents a sad day for me and for the entire city.

Ken was hired by former City Manager John Dunn in 1989 as Assistant City Manager.

He was appointed City Manager by the City Council upon John’s retirement in 2000. I have worked closely with Ken during all his years of city service, especially during the past seven years during my Mayor’s terms.

Ken’s many skills, our shared values, approach to governance, mutual respect and friendship have made for a great working relationship and contributed greatly to my pleasure in serving SLO as Mayor.

We all owe Ken a debt of gratitude for his leadership in creating the well-run city we enjoy today. A few of his major accomplishments: • Bringing Economic Development comfortably into the SLOTOWN mainstream and balancing it with a very beneficial Natural Resource Program.

• Leading a community effort to obtain voter approval of a ½ percent sales tax increase, thus counteracting State take-a-ways and adverse financial times while still allowing a substantial program of public improvement in our city.

• Overseeing the evolution of the city’s water supply from near depletion to a “drought proof” supply sufficient to meet this city’s needs till build out.

• Securing support and funding, and providing oversight for many major capital projects, including the Damon-Garcia sports fields, the public safety dispatch center, many water and wastewater system and treatment plant upgrades, parking structures, bicycle and hiking paths and trails, open-space acquisitions, new and upgraded city offices, the therapy pool, senior center upgrades and many improvements to our transit and street systems.

• Managing studies, master planning, the annexation process and constructing many of the public improvements needed to serve the Airport Area Annexation. This area will accommodate many of the city’s housing, commercial and industrial needs for the next 30 years.

• Guiding the city through a state-mandated process which requires all unreinforced masonry buildings within the community to be seismetically retrofit This has resulted in not only safer buildings but has brought about a revitalization of downtown as well.

• Developing and continually improving an outstanding approach to budgeting and fiscal planning. This involves community participation in goal setting, city council consensus

Ken Hampian

on selection of goals and detailed objectives to guide staff. The long range capital planning and two year budget have brought much local and national recognition.

For the past 9 years as Manager, Ken has been responsible for the day-to-day operations of the city, overseeing over 400 employees and working very closely with a mayor and 4 council members, who create endless demands on his time as we all attempt to reflect the wishes of the community and continually improve SLO. Ken has been responsible for the clarity, accuracy, completeness, timeliness and preparation of approximately 5000 agenda items, all of which require wellreasoned recommendations for City Council action. In addition, Ken must maintain good relations and keep abreast of actions with all levels of government. This is particularly difficult during these uncertain and difficult times.

Ken has shown exceptional ability in “people” accomplishments and in developing high morale and high ethical standards within the city government. He has developed an excellent management team and highly productive employees. He has also instilled a culture of citizen engagement in all major city undertakings.

Ken has been actively involved with the community. He is in demand as a speaker, as master of ceremonies, as a trainer/presenter and is in a number of professional organizations, often acting as chair. Ken is a gifted writer with many articles, opinion pieces and publications.

Ken has truly served as an exceptional public servant for SLOTOWN. He will leave an enviable legacy with a city that has prospered under his management.

The City will miss Ken Hampian – and so will I.

S E P T E M B E R

2009

Journal PLUS

BUSINESS

eye oN business

49

retired execs share business savvy

By Maggie Cox, Barnett Cox & Associate

B

usiness is tight all over, and as companies and organizations are forced to respond by downsizing, more and more local people find themselves in need of a new career track.

One of the up sides of these tumultuous times is a surge in new business starts ups. Resourceful, talented people in need of employment are seizing the moment to start their own companies. Others are addressing the squeeze by retooling existing businesses to better meet changing consumer demand.

San Luis Obispo County is rich in resources for businesses. Chambers of commerce provide valuable service and networking opportunities.

The SLO County Economic Vitality Corporation helps business with everything from locating space to pursuing micro loans. Cal Poly and Cuesta offer education and services for business and so does the Employment Development Department and Workforce Investment Board.

One of the most powerful tools for business is a group called SCORE, the Service Corps of Retired Executives, a non profit group sponsored by the US Small Business Administration (SBA). You likely have heard the name SCORE and maybe have a vague idea about it. What you may not know is just what this service can mean.

Start with the basics: SCORE services are free. SCORE offers confidential assistance tailored to individual needs – information on the mechanics of starting or expanding a business, drafting a business

Serving San Luis Obispo County for 30 Years

plan, obtaining financing and understanding local rules and regulations. SCORE counselors are retired business executives, and in SLO County they represent an impressive roster of both international corporations and small business success stories.

SCORE started in SLO County in 1984. I was familiar with the group early on, as it held counseling sessions with clients in the offices of the SLO Chamber of Commerce, where I worked. I got to know the SCORE counselors and understand the depth of what they did. Fast forward 25 years and my husband Dave and I still know and admire these people, and when they needed a new location, we were happy to share some of the space at our offices.

This is one quiet, but very impressive organization. There are 35 local counselors who volunteer their time in a variety of ways. Counselors meet one-on-one with business people looking for advice and real world experience. Dave Bresnan is the local chapter chair and he notes that these are interesting times for SCORE. Demand for SCORE help is high as energetic and successful people look to make lemonade out of our economy’s lemons and create something new and powerful.

SCORE volunteers are called “counselors to America’s small business,” and they provide a tremendous service. Where else can you get private, one-on-one help from experienced executives who know both business and the government arena? SCORE is a wonderful asset to our community. I’m focusing on it this month to both showcase what SCORE does, as well as thank its volunteers for providing hope and help and expertise to boost business. Interested in more info? Start with the web site at www.sloscore.org.

YOU KNOW US. We are more than your local real estate brokers, we are your neighbors serving the entire San Luis Obispo County for over 30 years. For real estate sales, property management, financing & relocation services come to the company that has been trusted for Larry Smyth, Owner/Broker over 30 years.

S E P T E M B E R

2009

Journal PLUS

THE BULLETIN BOARD

50

PRO presents – opera in the vineyard

Real Estate

LynnBroker R. Cooper Associate Seniors Real Estate Specialist

Office: 805-543-7727 Fax: 805-543-7838 Cell: 805-235-0493 Home: 805-544-0673

711 Tank Farm, Suite 100 San Luis Obispo, CA 93401 E-mail: lynn.cooper@sothebysrealty.com Website: www.wilsonandcosir.com

Wireless Video Surveillance Cameras

Dennis Gisler 800.660.3178 • 805.541.4488 • www.AdvancedPage.com

PRO’s end-of-summer favorite concert features the music of opera, operetta and musical theater, and showcases the talents of this season’s mainstage performers. Enjoy a fabulous wine pairing during the event or you can order a boxed dinner ahead of time! Table seating $45 (table of 8 for $300), concert seating $35. Doors open at 3:30 p.m. Concert is on Sunday, September 27th, 4 p.m. at the Vina Robles Winery. Wine pairing with hors d’oeuvres $25, with dinner $40. For more information, contact the Opera office at (805) 541-5369.

SLO rotary homes of distinction tour

The 9th annual self-guided tour will feature five unique SLO County homes open to the public on Sunday, September 20 from 11 A.M.-5:00 P.M.. This year, visitors can enjoy a route between San Luis and Arroyo Grande, including visits to a bed and breakfast in Edna Valley, a Victorian home and one which has roots going back to 1860. Proceeds will go towards funding thousands of dollars in college scholarships for local students, as well as helping establish a community garden in San Luis.

Tickets are $25 and can be purchased on the Rotary Club website at www.slorotary.org, Founders Bank, Blakeslee and Blakeslee and the Chamber of Commerce offices in San Luis Obispo, Arroyo Grande and Atascadero. For more information, call Wilda at 546-8806.

mission san miguel annual fiesta fundraiser The Old Mission San Miguel Annual Fiesta and BBQ will be held on Sunday, September 20th, from 11 A.M. to 4 P.M. The proceeds go toward saving the Mission, an irreplaceable part of California heritage.

There will be live music by Grupo Musical Cortesia and Ballet folklorico group Cachanilla. There will be raffles and games for kids. Tickets are $10 for adults and $8 for children. For more information call 674-2968.

santa maria civic theatre 2009-10 season MIKE BAUMGARTEN PLUMBING INC. Servicing SLO City

Commercial • Residential • Remodels • Additions • Repairs •

Member of the SLO Green Build Association

Lic # 831119 (C36)

FREE LABOR FOR VETERANS (CALL FOR DETAILS)

544-0884

Marc Brazil 459-5376

Bill Coryell 459-0318 Offering Excellence in:

• Custom Maintenance Programs • Irrigation Systems • Deck & Fence Construction • Water Features

• Retaining Walls • Outdoor Lighting • Design Services

FREE Consultation 541-3377

S E P T E M B E R

2009

Journal PLUS

The Santa Maria Civic Theatre recently announced the plays for the 2009-2010 season. They are as follows: Love, Sex, and the I.R.S. written by Billy Van Zandt and Jane Milmore and directed by Johannes S. Beals. It opens September 11th. Wake Up, Darling, written by Alex Gottlieb and directed by Meg Smith. Auditions are on September 21st and 22nd and opens on November 20th. Mousetrap, written by Agatha Christie and directed by Larry Kami, had the longest initial run in theatrical history and is the longest running play in history. Auditions are on December 7th and 8th and opens on February 5th. Everyone Loves Opal, written by John Partrick and directed by Dorian Schuette.

Auditions are on February 15th and 16th and opens on April 30th. For information call 922-4442 or visit our website at SMCT.org.

Exterior & Interior Plastering

Custom Homes and Patch Repairs · Free Estimates · Call or stop by

Terry Evans, President

4180 Vachell Lane · San Luis Obispo, CA 93401 805/541-4750 · 805/541-4118 FAX

cathi@sloplastering.com · terry@sloplastering.com CA LIC#759246

THE BULLETIN BOARD

51

“love is in the air” – Central coast Follies The Central Coast Follies are putting their toe tapping, heart singing efforts into their seventh annual, spectacular show to benefit Parkinson’s Disease Research. Having a good time while raising money for a good cause, these senior dancers and singers give it their all to help find a cure for a devastating disease. This year’s exciting show, “Love is in the Air,” is under the direction of award winning and talented Jason Sumabat of Blue Dove Productions, and will showcase music showing all the ups and downs of love, romance, marriage etc. Talented singers, dancers and children will be delighting audiences with many wonderful and memorable tunes. In the past six years the Follies has been able to send more than $128,000 to The Parkinson Alliance. With the Tuchman Fund matching their donation dollar for dollar, it means that 100% of their donation goes to this crucial research. Performances for this year’s show will be held at the Clark Center at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday and Friday, Oct. 1 and 2, with matinees on Saturday & Sunday, Oct 3 and 4 at 2 p.m. Tickets are $20 each or $17 for groups of 15 or more.

For tickets call (805) 489-9444.

Free Senior health screening Free Senior Health Screening for seniors (50+) is available throughout San Luis Obispo County. Free services include: screening for high blood pressure, weight and pulse. Finger prick screening tests for: high cholesterol, anemia and diabetes. Take-home screening test kits for colo-rectal cancer available for $5. Nutritional counseling and referrals as needed. Please call 788-0827 for dates, times and locations.

Quality Unfinished Furniture

Now Featuring Used Furniture – Antiques & Collectibles

2087 Santa Barbara Avenue • Historic Railroad District • SLO Same Location for 45 Years • 544-2505 JACK’S BACK!

After 30 years, I was having too much fun to retire.

Come see me in my new location at the Brooks Woodcraft buildings.

Specializing in:

• Lamp rewire & fixture restoration • Hard to find lamps & bulbs • Special lighting projects

“If you’re in the dark it’s because you don’t know Jack!”

Farris Jack Jack Farris

Historic Railroad District • 2087 Santa Barbara Avenue • SLO • 541-0365

SUDOKU SOLUTIONS

Learn About the Senior Services Offered Here in SLO County Helping Seniors Maintain Their Independence

www.sloseniorservices.com 805 627-1760

•

slosenior@gmail.com

Let me help you review & compare your local insurance needs...

& FINANCIAL SERVICES • LIFE • AUTO • HOME • RENTAL • MORTGAGE/PROTECTION

Shawn Minton SMinton@Minton-Insurance.com 1042 Pacific Street, Suite E, SLO

805.748-5819 Lic #0F43815

Reverse Mortgages For Senior Homeowners Bob Gayle

Reverse Mortgage Consultant 805-772-3658 Wells Fargo Home Mortgage is a division of Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. © 2009 Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. All rights reserved. #64315 4/09-4/10 S E P T E M B E R

2009

Journal PLUS

THE BULLETIN BOARD

52

bingo for breast cancer

Part of the Community (805) 549-7800

Personalized Phone and Internet Service for Business

WWW.CALLAMERICACOM.COM

The Central Coast Women’s League will hold their 6th annual Bingo fundraiser on October 3rd at the SLO Elks Club to benefit Enhancement, Inc which assists women unable to afford breast cancer treatment connected with lymphedema, and The Tri-Counties Cancer Detection Partnership, which assists in early breast cancer detection for low income uninsured women under the age of 40. Tickets are available for $25 and include cash prizes and refreshments. There will also be a silent auction and a raffle. Doors open at 12:30. For Ticket information call Marilyn at 543-8763.

$48,000 raised at French hospital tournament 9/10/07 1:11:02 PM The

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2007 Scooter of the Year

Buddy Starts at $1,999 Great Colors!

2 Year Warranties Vintage Style–Modern Technology!

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French Hospital Medical Center (FHMC) Foundation hosted The French Cup, its third annual Golf and Tennis Tournament this Summer at the SLO Country Club. The tournament raised more than $48,000 to benefit the Hearst Cancer Resource Center (HCRC) Endowment Fund. Nipool Patel served as chair of the French Cup planning committee for the third consecutive year. For more information on The French Cup, The Hearst Cancer Resource Center, visit www. supportfrenchhospital.org or call the FHMC Foundation at 542-6496.

sierra vista donates 50 filled back packs Sierra Vista Regional Medical Center employees recently donated more than 50 back packs filled with school supplies to the SLO County Department of Child Welfare Services. This is the second consecutive year Sierra Vista employees have provided school supplies to underprivileged children in the County. Each backpack was filled for a specific child. Sierra Vista was provided with general profiles of each child; age, sex, grade level and their individual preferences such as themes (ponies, race cars) and colors. Other special items are also included such as sweatshirts, water bottles, blankets, stuffed animals and lunch bags.

art in the park in morro bay

Real Property Investments

Commercial & Investment Real Estate

570 Marsh St. San Luis Obispo (805) 544-4422 www.rpislo.com

Robert Petterson GRI Tom Swem GRI, CCIM Sandra Foxford

Dressing Windows in San Luis Obispo for over 35 Years

alan’s draperies 544-9405

Alan “Himself” S E P T E M B E R

2009

Journal PLUS

Morro Bay Art Association’s Art in the Park will be held Labor Day Weekend, September 5, 6, 7th, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Come join the fun and see over 100 artist vendors of fine art, carvings, jewelry, photography, pottery, handbags, glass, music, food and much more. For more information call, 772-7964 or 772-2504. Benefits Student Scholarships for San Luis County. Admission is Free.

17th annual pier to pier paddle 17th Annual Ken Harmount Pier to Pier Paddle, A benefit for Central Coast Junior Lifeguards will be held on Saturday September 12th at Old Port Beach, Avila. All paddle craft are welcome – kayaks, paddleboards, stand up boards, etc. All proceeds go to the Junior Guards. For more information or to Pre-register call Central Coast Kayaks in Shell Beach at 773-3500.

QUALITY AUTO REPAIR 805-543-3180 www.wronas.com

John Kimball

109 South Street SLO, CA 93401

“Specializing in Honesty and Integrity”

THE BULLETIN BOARD janssen fund supports many Nine local youth sports and arts programs received a total of $39,200 in grant funds from the SLO County Community Foundation’s (SLOCCF) 2009 Janssen Youth & Youth Sports Fund this year. This year’s roster includes: Camp Fire Council, Paso Robles Housing Authority, SLO Children’s Museum, SLO Little Theater, SLO Rugby Football Club, SLO Soccer Club, SLO Symphony, Special Olympics, and the YMCA For more information about SLOCCF, please call 543-2323 or log on to www.sloccf.org.

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

53

We specialize in customer satisfaction with immediate and friendly service. Featuring Toyo, Michelin, Bridgestone and Remington brand tires with the largest inventory on the Central Coast. The Tire Store also features complete brake and computerized alignment service.

score offers free small business counseling Entrepreneurs throughout the SLO County area are being offered a helping hand through the SCORE Counselors to America’s Small Business.

The chapter has recently moved to a brand new location at 711 Tank Farm Road, Suite 210 in SLO. The free consulting services are offered on a wide array of subjects from business planning, marketing, finance and information on applying for SBA loans. Entrepreneurs are encouraged to call the SLO SCORE office at (805) 547-0779 to arrange for a SCORE counseling appointment If you are a brand new start up business or an established growing company – SCORE advice is priceless!

paso library honors individual Annie Robb, Director of Paso Robles Library & Recreation Services, will be the Woman of Honor at the Paso Robles Library Foundation’s upcoming luncheon at noon on Friday, September 18th. All proceeds from the event will be used to help fund the Paso Robles Library’s collections, programs, and services. The Foundation will recognize Robb with the Lifetime Library Legend title for her tireless and ongoing work in the community on behalf of the library since 1986. The event, to be held at the Paso Robles Golf and Country Club. Tickets for the luncheon cost $36, with $20 of each ticket benefiting the Paso Robles Library Foundation. Seats are expected to sell out quickly; RSVP as soon as possible by calling (805) 239-4443.

hospice volunteer training Plan to attend the 2009 Hospice of SLO County Volunteer Training if you are interested in learning about Hospice concepts of terminal or life-threatening illness and quality of life. Bilingual individuals are encouraged to participate. The training begins Saturday, September 12, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., followed by 6 weekly meetings on Thursdays from 5:00 to 9:00 p.m. at the Hospice of San Luis Obispo County office, 1304 Pacific Street in SLO. Pre-registration is necessary to reserve a space in this class. For more information or to reserve your place, please call (805) 544-2266 or (805) 434-1164.

San Luis Obispo’s Best Kept Secret 10 PLAY CARD- can be used any day of the week including weekends and holidays.

CARD = Adults $77.50 • Jr (18 & under) & Seniors (62+) $62.50 ts Tournamen Welcome!

Call for Tee Time

Law Offices of Jan Howell Marx A Client-Centered Practice Business Mediation Environmental Law Elder Law Real Estate Wills & Trusts Free Advance Health Care Directive

541-2716

P.O. Box 1445, San Luis Obispo, CA 93406 E-mail: janmarx@stanfordalumni.org www.janmarx.com

REIS FAMILY &

M O RT U A R I E S

Just Moved to Town?

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C R E M AT O R Y

For Welcome Gifts, Maps, Civic Information

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805-544-7400 W W W. R E I S FA M I LY M O RT U A RY. N E T FD 949 CR 128 FD 880 FD 1800

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11175 Los Osos Valley Rd. • San Luis Obispo, CA

Liz Hiatt-Salas Owner

549-7755 centralcoastwelcome@gmail.com

• San Luis Obispo/Los Osos Morro Bay/Cambria: Liz Hiatt . . . . . . . . 549-7755 • 5 Cities/Nipomo/ Avila: Renee Preston . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 549-7755

A FREE SERVICE • North County: Sandy Hexberg . . . . . . 238-1529 TO NEWCOMERS S E P T E M B E R

2009

Journal PLUS

Gives a BIG thank you to the community for making our 7th Annual Hospice “Pardners” Hoedown at the Dairy Barn on the Hearst Ranch such a success!

A special thank you to the following sponsors, donors and volunteers: HOEDOWN SPONSORS • IN-KIND Hearst Corp Steve Hearst Rotary Club of Nipomo Spencer’s Fresh Market F. McLintocks, Inc. Babe Farms Firestone Walker Brewing Co. McPrice / Myers Winery Barrel 27 Winery Tolosa Winery Doc Burnstein’s Ice Cream Food-4-Less, San Luis Obispo Cattaneo Brothers La Bella Olives Trader Joe’s – Santa Maria, SLO, Templeton Albertsons – Arroyo Grande Costco Crystal Springs Water Skyline Flower Growers Susie Q’s Brand Monte Mills & the Lucky Horseshoe Band Bill Gaines Audio Hearst Castle Cole Chrysler Dodge Mazda First Transit of San Simeon Taylor Rental Servpro Harvey’s Honey Huts Scott O’Brien Fire & Safety Co. Mission Country Disposal Spectrum Color Images Mark Wilson Arianne Kolar John Steel Madison Steel Jill LeMieux Gretchen Bender Miller Event Security SLO County Sheriff’s Auxiliary Volunteer Patrol Bud Goff & Richard Barry Journal Plus Magazine New Times Costume Capers

ROAD SIGN SPONSORS Brezden Pest Control Ignition 36 Media Integrity Systems Kathryn A. McFarland, D.D.S. MAACO Collision Repair & Auto Painting Schimandle & Cantrell CPA’s, Inc. Ultra Stereo Labs Inc. Wheeler-Smith Mortuary

SILENT AUCTION SPONSORS Air San Luis Anna Lardon Blue Moon Photography

Cal Poly Performing Arts Center Carol Karcher and Mary McCready Dottie Wilson Joe and Sue Schimandle Kim & Georgia Hubbs Le Crème Jewelry Linda Booker Madelyn’s Apparel Madonna Inn Nita Stolesen Pigs Can Fly Aviation Return to Joy Richard Clark Roger Haas Ronda Willey Sculpterra Winery Shannon Marley, Liberty Realty Stephen Ross Winery Steve and Janet Jeffery Tobin James Cellars Tolosa Winery Tony Garcia Trish Butier Family Village Framing Vocal Arts Ensemble

DOOR PRIZE SPONSORS Chris and Ann Slate Chris and Judy Money Cleavage Creek Cellars Cornercopia Fresh Market De Palo & Sons Dr. Jim and Sherry Longabaugh Ed and Evelyn Page Greg Moore Construction Jim and Ann Ream Jim and Barbara Datter Jim and Karen Ellsworth John and Darsie Cole Larry and Phyllis Martinelli Matt and Carol Arigo Patty and Jerry Williams Rich and Laura O’Neil Rob and Peaches Olson Scott and Daisy Thorshov Todd and Jackie Warden Trader Joe’s

RAFFLE PRIZE SPONSORS Kimpton Group Browder Painting Company Crushed Grape Farm Supply Del Monte Café F. McLintocks Saloon & Dining House Gus’s Grocery Klondike Pizza Mo’s Smokehouse BBQ Outspoken Rob & Peaches Olson Spirit of San Luis Restaurant Steamers of Pismo Todd & Jackie Warden

Upper Crust Trattoria

GOLD PARDNERS Rotary Club of Nipomo Tim & Delphine Paulsen

SILVER PARDNERS Ginny Austin

BRONZE PARDNERS Ronald & Laraine Allison Sandra Baird Robert Belcher Keith & Kathleen Belmont Richard Berg & Samantha Curran Stephen Brown Central Coast Door Hale & Sue Conklin James & Barbara Davis Nancy Duty Liddy Dye Donald & Marguerite Erickson Patrick & Joan Fitzgerald Lois Gaines Virginia Henderson Herb & Debra Holt Idler’s Jim & Kristi Jenkins Peggy Lessinger James Longo Wesley Mattocks Mark & Debra May Murray McDonald Patricia McNamara Glen & Millie Muggelberg Mike & DD Patrick Harry Roden Richard Thomas Denise Thurman Jeff & Melissa Watkins Mary Webster Patty Winkenbach Natalie Thompson

SPECIAL THANKS Steve Hearst Cliff Garrison Courtney Brockman Warner

VOLUNTEER HOEDOWN COMMMITTEE Linda Booker Margi Braden Lynn Garrison Peaches Olson Cindy Osgood Sue Schimandle Janice Schoening Mary Steel Ronda Willey Mark Wilson

HOEDOWN VOLUNTEERS Claire Aagaard Meggie Aagaard Pam Alesescu Dave Barboza Val Barboza Linda Booker Patty Boyle Pinto Connie Bruton Sharynn Chirpich Jerry Chirpich Denise Clarke Steve DeLamotte Anita Dyer Andee Garcia Dan Greer Janet Jeffery Steve Jeffery Angela Leornas Leon Leornas Jake Long Ron McEvoy Suzanne McFarlane Sandy McGregor Daryl Melody Cindy Meyers Peaches Olson Pepper O’shaughnessy Ingrid Pires Nancy Poe Laura Rose Wilda Rosene Janice Schoening Joey Smith Michaele Smith Megan Snyder Mary Steel John Steel Madison Steel Helen Swanagon Dianne Thompson Sharon Valk Randy Van Quill Susan Van Quill Ronda Willey Ron Wilson Abby Woodward

Our Family Serving Your Family

SLO Select IPA is a network of over 200 physicians that has been serving San Luis Obispo County for over 15 years. Our commitment to quality care ensures your health care stays local and you are served by people you know and trust.

Visit www.SLOSelectIPA.com to see if your doctor is a member.

French Hospital Medical Center, Arroyo Grande Community Hospital and SLO Select IPA; a strong partnership for a healthy community.

When Every Second Counts Sierra Vista Trauma & Emergency Services Is it really an emergency? From a simple earache to a catastrophic injury, Sierra Vista’s emergency room and trauma specialists are ready to treat you 24/7.

Exceptional people. Exceptional facilities. Exceptional service.

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1010 Murray Avenue, San Luis Obispo For a physician referral call (800) 483-6387 SierraVistaRegional.com