GOOD NEWS REAL NEWS HOMETOWN NEWS
SINCE 1916 Making Communities Better Through Print.™ VOL. CXI, NO. XLVI
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2025
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Council hears report from wastewater task force Members also makes recommendations for community development block grants By MIKE CHALDU michael@atascaderonews.com
ATASCADERO — Five months after giving the green light to the City Manager’s Task Force on Wastewater, the Atascadero City Council heard the findings from the task force during its regular meeting on Wednesday, Nov. 12. The council also heard an update on the proposed Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) and awarded a contract for preliminary design engineering on the plant. The council, which usually meets on the second and fourth Tuesdays of the month, met on a Wednesday for this meeting because Tuesday, Nov. 11, was Veterans Day holiday. City Manager Jim Lewis began his presentation by praising the 14-member task force for its work studying the wastewater situation and explaining how the task force came about. “This came about some time ago when we were adjusting sewer rates and council was very concerned about the road we would need to travel to solve this challenging problem,” said Lewis, who got the go-ahead to form a committee during CONTINUED ON PAGE A2
Frank Sommers drives (in back, from left) Atascadero Mayor Charles Bourbeau; City Councilmembers Susan Funk, Seth Peek, and Heather Newsom; and Mayor Pro Tem Mark Dariz (obscured in passenger seat) down the Colony Days Parade route in a vintage firetruck. Photo by Rick Evans/ATN
Rain doesn’t stop Colony Days Parade and Fall Festival 51st annual parade and 5th annual Fall Festival bring community downtown despite rainy skies By CAMILLE DEVAUL camille@atascaderonews.com
ATASCADERO — Despite a bit of rain, the 51st annual Colony Days Parade and 5th annual Fall Festival proved that nothing dampens Atascadero’s community spirit. The tradition, now combined with the city’s Fall Festival on Saturday, Nov. 15, brought residents together for a day to celebrate the city’s history and autumn season. This year’s event moved from its tradi-
tional October slot to November, allowing organizers to join collaborate with the Fall Festival and expand the downtown experience. In addition to the parade’s floats, marching bands, and community groups, families enjoyed carnival rides, live music, and vendor booths, creating a full weekend of entertainment. Historic civic and nonprofit organizations also participated. One highlight of the day was honoring Dave and JoAnn Davis as Colony Days King and Queen. The couple, married
since 1958, has been deeply woven into Atascadero’s history. In 1962, they opened Davis Body Shop, the city’slongest-standing business under the same ownership. Their decades of service include support for Atascadero Youth Athletics, the county fair, local music programs, and civic organizations such as The Revels and the Masonic Lodge. Their daughter, Dede Davis, said the weather couldn’t dampen their spirits. “It rained, but we made the best of it,” Dede Davis shared with Atascadero News.
“We traded the convertible for a pick-up truck at some point. When the weather gets better, we’re going to do a photo shoot with the pink Lincoln convertible. It’s so beautiful.” She added, “Dave and Joann had a great time. I had a party in their honor at my home after the parade. We had about 40 people there, it was great.” Mike Zappas, recognized as the 2025 Colony Days Marshal, also received accolades for his decades of service to the city. CONTINUED ON PAGE A2
Just Baked owner Libby Bruszer and her husband Mark Bruszer relax in their “sleigh” during the Elegant Evening event in Paso Robles on Nov. 15. Photo by Camille DeVaul/ATN
Paso Robles welcomes the holidays with Elegant Evening
Community gathers downtown to enjoy festive shopping, live performances, and holiday cheer despite rainy weather The faculty and administration of the school formerly known as North County Christian School, went forward this fall with the newly renamed Brookside Christian Academy, which involved course changes and the return of high school-level education. Photo by Matt MacFarlane
Brookside Christian Academy opens new chapter in Atascadero School introduces new leadership, classical Christian curriculum, and renewed focus on family partnership By CAMILLE DEVAUL camille@atascaderonews.com
ATASCADERO — Earlier this year, it was announced that Atascadero’s North County Christian School (NCCS) will be changing its name starting in
the 2025-26 school year to Brookside Christian Academy (BCA). Along with the name change came course changes, bringing back high school-level education, and the continuation of delivering faith-based learning to the North County. NCCS was a staple in private Christian-based education for almost 50 years in the community. The school built a legacy through all of its financial struggles, a drop in enrollment, and then a new surge in enrollment during
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the COVID-19 pandemic. To get things back on track, NCCS teamed up with Concordis Education Partners, which consults private Christian schools throughout the nation. Atascadero News spoke with Josh Garcia, head of school at Brookside Christian Academy, about how the newly revamped school is navigating the new academic year. “I want it to be a place where you see there’s some real hospitality here,” Garcia CONTINUED ON PAGE A2
SPORTS
By CAMILLE DEVAUL camille@atascaderonews.com
PASO ROBLES — Not even a chilly November rain could dim the glow of one of Paso Robles’ favorite holiday traditions. The community bundled up and made their way downtown on Saturday, Nov. 15, for Elegant Evening, the annual kickoff to the city’s festive season. Created by Paso Robles Main Street Association Executive Director Norma Moye, Elegant Evening has become a hallmark of Paso’s larger “Christmas Story” celebrations.
Each year, the event invites downtown merchants to keep their doors open late, welcoming guests with warm hospitality and a festive spirit that has become synonymous with the holiday season in Paso Robles. Shoppers strolled through the downtown streets, many carrying umbrellas as they popped into boutiques and storefronts offering special treats. Several merchants elevated the evening with food and wine pairings, giving visitors the chance to enjoy sips while browsing for holiday CONTINUED ON PAGE A2
WEATHER
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