Mystery of Foster’s Freeze sign haunts SLO

Yes, there are more pressing issues here in SLO-landia than the whereabouts of a certain sign. A few examples:

Will it rain again? (We’re talking about real rain, not depressing little drizzles.)

Are John Ashbaugh and Dan Carpenter going to make up?

Will we ever get a Macy’s?

Are we still the happiest city?

For the past couple of days, though, the mystery on many San Luis Obispo minds has been: Where in the heck is the Foster’s Freeze sign?

The iconic sign was taken down recently, shortly after the restaurant closed for business. The sudden disappearance was a shock, as the city had required that the sign be preserved and “repurposed.”

As reporter AnnMarie Cornejo tells us today, we still don’t know exactly where the sign is, though Foster’s Freeze owner Dennis Adams has assured the city that it is in safekeeping.

As to why he had the sign removed, Adams said he was worried it might be vandalized (good point). Also, he was not aware of the need to get a city permit to remove the sign, nor did he know that the city is requiring that the sign be preserved and repurposed.

The city plans to send out an enforcement letter, which should bring everyone up to speed on do’s and don’ts pertaining to the Foster’s sign.

We considered issuing a cute, cone-shaped brickbat to go along with the letter, but we’re so relieved the sign is OK that we’ll ditch the brickbat and replace it with a “we miss you” bouquet.

Campground’s history recognized

We toss a wildflower bouquet to the Morro Bay State Park campground for its recent inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places. That’s a high honor that guarantees permanent protection of this historical resource that dates back to the Depression.

We’re excited about the honor, and we congratulate staff for making it through the long, complicated application process. This is a great reminder that it isn’t just the Hearst Castles that embody our history; more humble buildings — including old schoolhouses, factories, restaurants and campground facilities — can bring the past alive and deserve recognition and protection.

Hummer’s renaissance hurts planet

Here’s some news that drove us crazy: “With cost of gas falling, Hummer’s popularity rises.”

The Washington Post story, published in Wednesday’s Tribune, reported that there’s been a big uptick in the popularity of used Hummer H1s since the price of crude began to drop.

Now that’s far-sighted!

No matter how inexpensive gasoline may be right now, the Hummer H1 — which gets between 10 and 12 miles per gallon — is not a wise, long-term investment for individual consumers or for the environment. And don’t go pointing to former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to justify driving around in one those gas hogs. He converted his fleet of Hummers to run on hydrogen and other alternative fuels.

So, for those seriously considering a used Hummer, we have a special offer: A garage of green bouquets if you go in another direction (or follow Arnie’s lead and convert it to run on something more environmentally friendly). A barrel of brickbats covered in gigantic carbon footprints if you don’t.

This story was originally published November 14, 2014 at 5:54 AM with the headline "Mystery of Foster’s Freeze sign haunts SLO."