SanLuisObispo.com: Local

Paso city officials to discuss pumping water from ruptured sulfur spring, paving

Tue, 07 Oct 2008 07:30 PDT

The end appears to be approaching for the pit in the Paso Robles City Hall/Library parking lot, created nearly five years ago when an underground sulfur spring ruptured in the San Simeon Earthquake.

The City Council tonight will consider a recommendation to forgo a full environmental impact report on a permanent project to pump spring water back into the ground—which will allow the city finally to pave over the parking lot pit.

When the underground spring erupted in the December 2003 quake, 112-degree water flowed freely into the gutters for a while, leaving the downtown smelling like rotten eggs.

Atascadero's fixing up downtown with more than $700,000 in road work

Tue, 07 Oct 2008 07:41 PDT

Atascadero is spending more than $700,000 in redevelopment funds on streetscape improvements downtown. Here’s a glimpse at the ongoing projects:

The Virginia Plaza mid-block crosswalk is being moved just north of its current location to avoid a conflict with left turns out of the Virginia Plaza. Push-button-activated, flashing crossing lights are being installed. New bulb-outs (parts of the sidewalk that jut out) are being installed to provide better access for the disabled. Benches, street lights and trees will be added. Crews are starting work on the improvements and expect to finish late this month.

Traffic Way road improvements on a small stretch between unaligned portions of Palma Avenue include improved access for the disabled; a median to eliminate left turns onto Traffic; rebuilt sidewalks on the north side of Traffic; new street lights, trash cans, bike racks and benches; and additional sycamore trees planted along the street. The project started in August and is expected to be finished late this month.

SLO city officials won't renew Sinsheimer Stadium lease to SLO Blues owner Stevie Mac

Tue, 07 Oct 2008 07:36 PDT

The city of San Luis Obispo has told SLO Blues baseball team owner Steven McPherson that it won’t extend a lease agreement for SLO Stadium at Sinsheimer Park into next summer, in light of unpaid rent from this past summer.

But the storymay change this week because former Blues owner Joe Vergara hopes to preserve playing times at the stadium for summer 2009 and is considering paying the unpaid rent to be able to do so.

Parks and Recreation Director Betsy Kiser wrote McPherson— who also uses the name Stevie Mac—that the city will not extend the lease because of “an outstanding balance of $11,612.07 of fees due the city for the use of Sinsheimer Stadium.”

Lompoc democrat Robert Cuthbert casts incumbent Sam Blakeslee as likable but lacking in accomplishment

Tue, 07 Oct 2008 07:35 PDT

State Assembly, 33rd District

Sam Blakeslee, Robert Cuthbert

Two-term incumbent Assemblyman Sam Blakeslee is running on his record, of which he is proud. His opponent, Robert Cuthbert, says Blakeslee is a nice guy, but his record is undistinguished.

Water board officials warn Los Osos residents about unconventional sewage treatment device

Tue, 07 Oct 2008 07:39 PDT

State water quality regulators are warning of a mailing that they say fraudulently attempts to get Los Osos residents to purchase a Reclamator water treatment system.

The mailer tells residents of the Los Osos prohibition zone that they can comply with the Regional Water Quality Control Board’s septic system cease-and-desist orders by purchasing a Reclamator, a system that claims to convert sewage to pure water.

The regional water board has not approved the Reclamator and no law requires that Los Osos residents purchase the system, said Roger Briggs, the board’s executive officer.

Lon Allan: A work of fine civic art still in the making

Tue, 07 Oct 2008 07:40 PDT

We’re only two weeks away from the 2008 Colony Days Celebration in Atascadero — the 95th anniversary of the birth of the community.

I want to use these next two columns to further enlighten readers about the founder of this utopian Colony, Edward Gardner Lewis, and his wife, Mabel Gertrude Lewis.

Born in 1869, Lewis was almost 45 by the time he left University City, Mo. The then U. S. Post Office Department conducted a seven-year battle against Lewis over his use of the postal system for his magazines and a bank-by-mail scheme that was quite successful — and no doubt a threat to some folks in the banking businesses in the East.

SLO County Roundup

Tue, 07 Oct 2008 07:37 PDT

SLO County

Close to half the registered voters in San Luis Obispo County—47 percent—vote absentee or have asked for absentee ballots, which began going out Monday, according to county Clerk-Recorder Julie Rodewald.

She said the 73,000 vote-by-mail ballots that will be sent to voters this time around are 2,000 more than in any past election.

Report suggests synthetic turf be used in Damon-Garcia sports complex in SLO

Mon, 06 Oct 2008 07:40 PDT

In a testament to the growing popularity of San Luis Obispo’s Damon-Garcia Sports Complex, the city is rethinking where it may want to put new synthetic turf.

A special report to the City Council suggests that if artificial turf goes anywhere, it should be on one of Damon- Garcia’s four fields that serve soccer players as well as rugby and lacrosse players.

Anyone driving by the park on Broad Street can get a sense of how popular Damon-Garcia is, because even when the park is shut, pickup games are going on in the twilight hours.

Shield Initiative would limit retail store size

Sun, 05 Oct 2008 00:36 PDT

An initiative that would block a Wal-Mart Supercenter proposed for the north end of Atascadero comes before voters Nov. 4.

Measure D-08, the so-called Shield Initiative, seeks to prohibit big-box stores and limit the amount of groceries such retailers are able to sell.

The initiative would ban any store of more than 150,000 square feet and restrict stores of more than 90,000 square feet from devoting 5 percent or more of their space to groceries.

Atascadero mother claims former SLO County social worker threatened to take children away

Mon, 06 Oct 2008 07:43 PDT

An Atascadero woman is suing the county and a former social worker whom she claims forced her to engage in sexual acts to regain custody of her children.

Maria Romo alleges Anthony “Pete” L’Esperance made unwanted sexual advances toward her and demanded that she perform sexual acts to maintain custody of her children, according to a lawsuit filed Sept. 5 in San Luis Obispo County Superior Court.

The lawsuit represents only Romo’s side of the dispute.

Non-native species brought by Morro Bay harbor boats

Mon, 06 Oct 2008 07:42 PDT

Lisa Needles reaches beneath a floating dock and pulls up a rope that has spent months dangling in the waters of Morro Bay.

Several inches of a colorful and otherworldly conglomeration of sea life encrusts the rope. By far the most common are bright red animals called watersiporia that form into coral-like colonies. Other, yellow and brown globs of tiny animals are also present.

The marine biologist breaks the clump open, and dozens of small crabs and sea urchins fall out, along with a small fish called a monkeyface prickleback.

Growth, economy are key issues in Paso City Council race

Mon, 06 Oct 2008 07:41 PDT

Paso Robles mayor and City Council

Growth remains a key issue for Paso Robles voters heading to the polls next month, even as recent economic woes could slow the North County community’s famously wine-fueled development.

Incumbent Councilmen Gary Nemeth and Duane Picanco, winemaker and businessman Jim Norman and college instructor John Borst will vie for outgoing Mayor Frank Mecham’s seat.

SLO County Roundup

Mon, 06 Oct 2008 08:22 PDT

South County

Adocument that spells out the environmental impact of a 106-lot housing project and dude ranch between Nipomo and Arroyo Grande is available for public review.

The project—known to county planners as the Laetitia agricultural cluster subdivision—would divide 1,910 acres into 106 lots, four of which would remain open space.

Plan could put some clothes on Pirates Cove

Sun, 05 Oct 2008 00:36 PDT

Pirates Cove, the county’s notorious nude beach, and its equally controversial parking lot and trail, could become a publicly owned, family-oriented destination under a plan prepared by the county parks division.

The Board of Supervisors will be asked Tuesday to set in motion a proposal that would allow the county to buy 32 acres of the spectacular property south of Avila Beach now and an additional 27 acres later.

In a report to supervisors regarding the Pirates Cove slice, Janette Pell, the county’s General Services director, wrote that the board will need to address “the current ‘clothing optional’ behavior of some site visitors.”

Letters to the Editor 10/6

Mon, 06 Oct 2008 08:36 PDT

Gay marriage benefits

So Sue Perry doesn’t get the benefits of gay marriage (Letters, Sept. 19)? She obviously has never been a part of minority discrimination. She has never felt the stigma of being misunderstood and hated by many or watched loved ones being bashed and hung up on Wyoming fences and left to die.

Society continues to teach people that we are evil sinners and should be punished all our lives for being born different (No, it’s not a choice). The benefit of marriage to us is to at last receive some measure of acceptance by the society that has been so cruelly discriminatory all our lives. It brings us into the realm of being seen as normal human beings, and that is a step toward full acceptance of us.

Linda Lewis Griffith: Will your man stray?

Mon, 06 Oct 2008 07:44 PDT

I've been intrigued by a recently published study that found a genetic correlation between men and monogamy.

It’s been known for a while that male voles have a hormone that influences monogamous behavior. Now Swedish scientists studying twins seem to have uncovered a similar connection in humans.

The author of the study, Hasse Walum, and his colleagues showed that a particular variant of the AVPR1A gene was linked to poor bonding behavior in men.

Pet Tales: Injured dog on road to recovery

Mon, 06 Oct 2008 07:43 PDT

Here is the latest update on Charcoal, the black Labrador with a broken leg featured in last week’s column from Darby Wages and Mandy Kahler at the Edna Valley Veterinary Clinic:

“First of all I want to say thank you so much. We have gotten such an incredible response from our local community and it is so amazing and touching to see all your loving and gracious hearts reach out for Charcoal. We can’t thank you enough for all your donations and hearing your own stories.

“Charcoal had his surgery on Oct. 1 and we were able to save the leg. We did a bone graft and put in a surgical plate and screws to stabilize the bone. A lot of the muscle around the site has begun to atrophy and tear because he has been unable to use it for almost a month, but it looks like it will all heal very well. He is already trying to bear weight on the leg.

Week Ahead: Public meetings on the Central Coast

Mon, 06 Oct 2008 08:05 PDT

MONDAY

Grover Beach City Council. 6:30 p. m. City Hall, 154 S. Eighth St. 473-4567. www.grover.org. On the agenda: Long-term fire-protection services agreement with the Oceano Community Services District and Arroyo Grande; tentative tract map approval for 200 Fourth St. and 1510 Brighton Ave. for development permit applications. On TV: Live on Charter Channel 20 in Grover Beach; replayed at 1 a. m., 9 a. m. and 6 p. m. daily.

Oceano Community Services District Board of Directors. 6:30 p. m. District offices, 1655 Front St. (Highway 1). 481-6730. www.nvo.com/oceanocsd. On the agenda: Special closed-session to consider appointment of interim general manager to succeed Patrick O’Reilly, who is leaving the district’s top executive post Friday.

Six vying for three seats on Atascadero City Council

Sun, 05 Oct 2008 21:08 PDT

The six candidates seeking three seats on the Atascadero City Council convey similar priorities: the need to restore a civil and cohesive leadership and find a way out of the city’s deficit spending.

The Nov. 4 election follows years of divisive issues — many of which continue to be in the forefront of discussion among the candidates.

It also comes as city sales tax revenue is slumping and Atascadero’s retail sector is in decline. UCSB economist Bill Watkins in June described the city’s retail situation as a crisis during his annual forecast.

Open Studios Art Tour offers a peek at artist work spaces

Mon, 06 Oct 2008 21:10 PDT

For the artists of the Central Coast, a studio is more than just a place to store clay and canvases.

Their work spaces, crammed into spare rooms and carved out of garages, barns and aircraft hangers, double as bustling businesses and inner sanctums, meditative retreats and private galleries.

“People do a lot of things in their studios to be comfortable, to express their personality, to inspire their artwork,” said Marta Peluso, executive director of ARTS Obispo, formerly known as the San Luis Obispo Arts Council. “You get an inside glimpse of how they think and how they work.”