SanLuisObispo.com: North County

Phil Dirkx: Pioneer Day Rx might be to focus on fun

Thu, 25 Sep 2008 23:06 PDT

By Phil Dirkx -- Paso Robles Pioneer Day may be starting to show its age.

It used to be fully supported by local people and businesses. They made donations and attended fundraising dances. But last week, the Pioneer Day Committee had to ask the Paso Robles City Council for money.

The 78th annual Pioneer Day will be Oct. 11. Pioneer Day began in 1931 in the depths of the Great Depression. Paso Roblans threw an all-day free party. They invited everyone from the surrounding region. The idea was to help people forget the hard times.

Phil Dirkx: There’s hope yet for Paso’s water woes

Thu, 18 Sep 2008 23:07 PDT

By Phil Dirkx -- These days, America’s economy is being bashed by one financial crisis after another.

But a ray of hope has shone through the dark clouds of financial woe to brighten my hometown of Paso Robles — our water bills may climb much less than we had feared.

On Tuesday, our City Council junked the water rate increase it had been working on since July.

Paso Robles shopping center will have Lowe's, Bed, Bath & Beyond

Tue, 23 Sep 2008 08:50 PDT

Construction is starting today on Golden Hills Plaza, a $70 million, 300,000-square-foot shopping center at Highway 46 and Golden Hills Road in northeast Paso Robles, according to an announcement released by Regency Centers, the Jacksonville, Fla.-based owner.

Golden Hills marks the second shopping center that the real estate investment trust has built on the Central Coast. The first—a 120,000-square-foot center called Santa Maria Common that has Kohl’s and Rite Aid as its anchor tenants — was completed in Santa Maria in 2006.

Golden Hills Plaza, which will be about the size of San Luis Obispo’s Madonna Plaza, currently has about 70 percent of its space leased, with Lowe’s home improvement store and Bed, Bath & Beyond as anchors, said Paul Loubet, Regency Centers vice president of investments. Other tenants include UPS, SuperCuts and El Pollo Loco, Loubet said.

Atascadero city officials push to curb deadly algae boom and fish die-off

Tue, 23 Sep 2008 08:20 PDT

By AnnMarie Cornejo -- Atascadero had appeared to be on the cusp of another significant fish die-off at the city’s man-made lake, like the one that left hundreds of fish dead on the lake’s shores in 2001.

But city officials averted the potentially deadly situation Thursday — when an algae bloom began choking the oxygen out of the lake water—by using lessons learned in the 2001 incident.

About 30 fish, primarily bass and crappie, died because of low oxygen levels.

Lon Allan: On Atascadero's economic future

Tue, 23 Sep 2008 08:45 PDT

By Lon Allan -- I liked Councilman Jerry Clay’s letter to the editor disagreeing with my stand on the so-called Shield Initiative — Measure D-08— that will appear before Atascadero voters in November.

I liked it because it was civil, something he and I and many others have been calling for over the past couple of years. While he sees the passage of the measure as bad for Atascadero’s economic future, I don’t.

I see the Shield Initiative as providing a balanced stand between having a moderate-sized big-box store in Atascadero and a behemoth that doesn’t fit the scale or historical atmosphere of the Colony.

Tribune analysis shows discrepancy in Wal-Mart query

Fri, 19 Sep 2008 08:04 PDT

By AnnMarie Cornejo -- A Tribune analysis of results from the Atascadero Chamber of Commerce’s survey of member businesses shows that the number of respondents who approve of a Wal- Mart Supercenter is lower than chamber officials originally reported.

However, chamber Executive Director Joanne Main emphatically maintained this week that the survey shows more than half of the hundreds of Atascadero merchants polled support the controversial store.

Main has repeatedly said poll results—unveiled last week — show the surveyed business community is “in favor of a Super-Wal-Mart at a more than 2-to-1 margin,” citing that 51 percent of polled businesses expressed support of a Wal- Mart Supercenter in Atascadero, compared to the 23 percent against it.

Anti-Wal-Mart activists allege city's chamber violated non-profit status

Fri, 19 Sep 2008 07:58 PDT

By AnnMarie Cornejo -- Anti-Wal-Mart activist Tom Comar and the Yes on Measure D-08 Committee have filed a complaint with the state’s Fair Political Practices Commission over the Atascadero Chamber of Commerce’s recent survey of business owners asking whether they want a Wal-Mart Supercenter in town.

The complaint alleges that the chamber violated its nonprofit status by paying for the survey and by advocating for residents to vote against Measure D-08,the so-called Atascadero Shield Initiative, which will be on the ballot in November.

The measure would prohibit commercial buildings in excess of 150,000 square feet, now allowed under the city’s General Plan, and bar any store in excess of 90,000 square feet from having more than 5 percent of its gross floor area dedicated to nontaxable goods such as groceries.

County Roundup

Thu, 18 Sep 2008 00:14 PDT

Paso Robles

Repairing the city’s Carnegie Library, damaged in the 2003 San Simeon Earthquake, is turning out to be more expensive than anticipated.

The City County authorized an additional $151,313 for the library repairs this week.

Paso City Council conditionally approves re-entry prison

Thu, 18 Sep 2008 08:17 PDT

By Leah Etling -- The Paso Robles City Council said OK — maybe — to a prospective state re-entry prison proposed within its city limits Tuesday night.

The council gave conditional approval, by a 4-0 vote, to a new 500-inmate regional facility proposed for currently vacant state property on Airport Road. Councilman John Hamon did not attend Tuesday’s meeting.

The support for the concept will stand only if the city, state and three participating counties— San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara and San Benito—can agree about certain aspects of the prison’s operating procedures and impacts within six months.

San Miguel Scene: Annual mission festival this Sunday

Wed, 17 Sep 2008 23:08 PDT

By Lynne Schmitz -- B ienvenidos, amigos! Welcome this Sunday to the annual Old Mission San Miguel Fiesta and Barbecue from 11 a. m. to 4 p. m.

Fiesta Mass begins at 11 a. m., but it is advisable to arrive early.

Following the Mass, the Rev. Ray Tintle will bless the meal of barbecued steak and chicken, special-recipe beans, salad and garlic bread. Coffee is free. Cold beverages, sno-cones, and desserts will be sold separately.

PoliceLog

Wed, 17 Sep 2008 23:08 PDT

San Luis Obispo

The sentencing date for convicted bank robbery conspirator Leonard Jones has been postponed from today to Oct. 16 at 1:30 p. m. in Judge John Trice’s courtroom, according to the District Attorney’s Office.

Jones was convicted of conspiring to rob Los Padres Bank in San Luis Obispo in December, as well as criminal street gang activity with five other men. He and the others are from the Los Angeles area.

County Roundup

Tue, 16 Sep 2008 22:04 PDT

Morro Bay

City officials have appointed Joseph M. Woods as Morro Bay’s parks and recreation director.

Woods has served as the acting director for the past 11 months. Prior to that, he served as the department’s facilities superintendent.

Lon Allan: Shedding light on the early Atascadero's lack of electricity

Tue, 16 Sep 2008 07:24 PDT

By Lon Allan -- As I look at the history of Atascadero, I often run up against some surprises.

The most recent is the fact that electricity to most of the Colony didn’t arrive until three years after houses were being built.

E. G. Lewis purchased the 23,000-acre cattle ranch in 1913 but didn’t permit the construction of homes until 1915. He was building his civic center, which included the City Administration Building, Printery, Grammar School and Mercantile Building.

County planners defend gravel miners’ attack

Tue, 16 Sep 2008 07:24 PDT

By Bob Cuddy -- County planners, who generally take verbal attacks stoically, have compiled a detailed rebuttal to accusations they faced at the Aug. 5 Board of Supervisors meeting.

Eight speakers associated with five gravel mining applications in North County lambasted the staff that day, accusing them of everything from incompetence to dishonesty.

The supervisors asked for a response from staff. John Nall, principal environmental coordinator, prepared a 15-page retort on behalf of the planning staff, which the supervisors will discuss today.

Photos: Creston Clasic Rodeo is mutton to worry about

Mon, 15 Sep 2008 07:28 PDT

Paso Robles City Council may support 500-bed re-entry prison

Mon, 15 Sep 2008 07:33 PDT

By AnnMarie Cornejo -- The Paso Robles City Council on Tuesday will consider a vote of conditional support for the state’s proposal to place a 500-bed re-entry prison at the former boys school property in the north end of the city.

The project requires the support of the City Council. If approved Tuesday, the resolution will remain valid only if a memorandum of understanding is reached by all involved parties within 180 days.

One of Paso Robles’ concerns about hosting the reentry prison within city limits has been fear that the inmates would be released locally.