Lon Allan

Finally, there’s good news for Atascadero to report. Actually, I’m not breaking the story, only cheering for it. It seems we have our own little economic recovery program under way for downtown, which includes a new pharmacy, a franchise pizza restaurant, and a 10-screen theater and adjoining retail spaces, all coming to fruition next year with the completion of the gargantuan Highway 101/41 interchange improvements.

As President Barack Obama deals with the enormity of trying to bring about some sort of universal health care, I thought back to a simpler time here in Atascadero when everyone who worked for E.G. Lewis’ Colony Holding Corp. had a medical plan.

After almost seven months of a battered downtown, the work is finally finished, and it looks great. We have our streets back.