GOOD NEWS REAL NEWS HOMETOWN NEWS
SINCE 1916 Making Communities Better Through Print.™ VOL. CV, NO. XXXV
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2022
SMART TRIAL
atascaderonews.com • $1.00 • WEEKLY
BUSINESS
Jurors Show Emotion After Testimony By CAMILLE DEVAUL camille@atascaderonews.com
SAN LUIS OBISPO — Last week was a difficult one for jurors in the Kristin Smart case as they heard another testimony from a woman accusing Paul Flores of rape and testimonies from experts who surveyed under Ruben Flores porch on White Court in Arroyo Grande in 2021. Paul Flores is on trial for Kristin’s murder. The 19-yearold Cal Poly student went missing following the Crandall Way party over Memorial Day weekend in May 1996. His father Ruben Flores is accused of helping his son cover up the crime. After concluding testimonies on Friday, Judge Jennifer O’Keefe said court will not be back in session until Wednesday, Sept. 7, but she added that the trial is currently ahead of schedule. Wednesday, Aug. 31 Testimonies on Wednesday consisted mainly from witnesses who assisted in searching Ruben’s backyard in March 2021. Karen Atkinson retraced her steps from her search of CONTINUED ON PAGE A15
Living Full Throttle: Remembering Aviator Sherman Smoot
Mike Zappas and Mayor Heather Moreno (center), surrounded by Atascadero city members and Z Villages staff, cut the ribbon ushering La Plaza’s grand opening. Photo by Christianna Marks
Atascadero Celebrates La Plaza Grand Opening Z Villages partnered with the El Camino Homeless Organization for the event By CHRISTIANNA MARKS christianna@atascaderonews.com
ATASCADERO — On Sept. 1, from 5 to 9 p.m., the City of Atascadero braved the heat to come out and celebrate
the official grand opening of La Plaza on El Camino Real. The building has been in the works for five years, with the Zappas family and the city teaming up to bring La Plaza downtown. “I’m hoping that the people of Atascadero can understand our history and cherish it, and I’m hoping this building will help bring that as well as the City Hall did,” said Mike Zappas,
IN MEMORIAM
owner of Z Villages, who built the building, in his speech at the grand opening. “It was a real big struggle to build this thing in this spot here. There was a lot of things that popped up and kicked us in the butt, but we just kept going.” Z Villages acquired all the lots needed to build La Plaza from Feb. 2017 through June 2017. Five years later, the
building stands tall, with La Plaza paying homage to the Atascadero of old while pushing the city forward into the future. “In 1917, there was La Plaza, the original La Plaza, over on Traffic Way, over by Fire Station 1,” Atascadero Mayor Heather Moreno said in her speech. “It was a place for outdoor shopping with merchants, and this is sort of meant to mirror
that with the architecture, the pillars, and the high ceilings, and of course, it compliments the architecture in our downtown here.” The grand opening even paid homage to the original La Plaza’s 1917 opening by including the Atascadero Community Band, which started playing as soon as the ribbon cutting and CONTINUED ON PAGE A15
SPORTS
Paso Robles Bearcats Beat Rival Atascadero Greyhounds
Smoot died in a plane crash on Friday, Sept. 2, in Kern County By CAMILLE DEVAUL camille@atascaderonews.com & CHRISTIANNA MARKS christianna@atascaderonews.com
SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY — On Friday, Sept. 2, the aviation community lost one of its own when Sherman Smoot died in a plane accident in Kern County. Smoot was piloting his Yakovlev Yak-11, named “Czech Mate,” in preparation for the upcoming Reno Air Races, held yearly in September. Smoot was a consistent and familiar face at the STIHL National Championship Air Races. You could find him taking to the skies at speeds of 500 mph in the Unlimited
SPORTS
Local aviator Sherman Smoot was a long-time and dedicated member of the Estrella Warbirds Museum in Paso Robles and pilot for the nonprofit Honor Flights. Smoot died Sept. 2 in a plane accident in Kern County. Photo Courtesy of Carly Smoot
Class, racing against, mostly, other stock or modified World War II fighters in “Czech Mate.” At the Air Race, he was constantly surrounded by his friends and family, who would come from near and far to watch him or race against him. After hours you could often find him in a hangar singing a rollicking karaoke version of the Eagles’ hit “Hotel California” — usually more than once. Smoot was also a long-time and dedicated member of the
COMMUNITY
Estrella Warbirds Museum in Paso Robles and pilot for the nonprofit Honor Flights. According to a press release from Honor Flight, Smoot “was piloting his refurbished WWII Russian fighter plane when he experienced engine failure shortly after take-off at Minter Field Airport in Shafter. He was the sole occupant of the plane.” “A huge hole will be missing from the Paso Robles community, especially the museum CONTINUED ON PAGE A15
NEWS
Atascadero’s Mason Degnan carries the ball with Paso Robles defenders in pursuit during the annual rivalry game. The Greyhounds lost to the Bearcats 35-21. Photo by Rick Evans
Bearcats win seventh game in a row over Greyhounds By CAMILLE DEVAUL christianna@atascaderonews.com
ATASCADERO — The Paso Robles Bearcats and Atascadero Greyhounds played what was possibly each team’s most anticipated game of the
EVENTS
season last Friday night, Sept. 2, at the Atascadero Memorial Stadium. The Bearcats pulled out a 35-21 victory over the Greyhounds. With the win, the Bearcats up their record to 1-1, while the Greyhounds fall to 0-3. The win for the Bearcats gives them a 62-30-4 record against the Greyhounds, and their seventh consecutive win
in the rivalry. 805 Broadcasters livestreamed the game with playby-play commentary and analysis. This was the broadcast company’s first live-streamed game since the unexpected loss of The Voice of Paso, Jim Wiemann, who passed away on Aug. 4. Filling Wiemann’s shoes were Connor Allen and John CONTINUED ON PAGE A15
WEATHER
atascaderonews.com twitter.com/ @AtascaderoNews facebook.com/ @AtascaderoNews
SPORT RECAPS DANCING North County high school with Our Stars returns in sports in full swing | A3 Atascadero Sept. 14 | A4
ROBBERY DAMAGE SEPTEMBER CALENDAR Community supports affected a look at upcoming local local businesses | A5 events | A13
High 101° | Low 62°
SUPPORT LOCAL
JOURNALISM
5
67808 24135
e Scan her ted! ar t s t e g to
HELP YOUR BUSINESS TAKE FLIGHT!
Not only do you have the power to choose the subscription that fits your life, but when you advertise, you will broaden your reach into target markets throughout the Central Coast, from Ventura County to Monterey County!
Subscribe & Advertise with
atascaderonews.com (805) 466-2585 office@13starsmedia.com
7