Hometown News Since 1889 Making Communities Better Through Print.™ VOL. CXXX, NO. XLIII
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 8, 2020
pasoroblespress.com • $1.00 • WEEKLY
FARM TRAIL
FARMSTEAD ED, SLO COUNTY FOOD TRAIL PARTNER UP
COMMUNITY
Community Rallies with Virtual Easter Egg Hunt
Event to paint and display large eggs has gone international By NICHOLAS MATTSON nic@pasoroblespress.com
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about them, hopes high, businesses going, and their households and homes intact. The internal and external pressures have spawned a few light-hearted activities (like a virtual egg hunt and sky-writing happy faces), and test the limits of patience for many. The Paso Robles Press and The Atascadero News together recognize the tremendous effort by the residents of SLO County, and the residents of North SLO County, for taking decisive and deliberate action to prevent
ike much of life in the time of COVID-19, or what might be later classified as the Zoom Era, otherwise normal activities find themselves in peril as physical distancing orders and prohibition of in-person gatherings put a cramp on seasonal plans. One of those seasonal activities, Easter egg hunts, has been reborn online. Atascadero resident Shauna Soltero organized a Facebook page called Virtual Easter Egg Scavenger Hunt to fill the gap, and the community joined in on the fun to share. “Times are so hard and uncertain,” Soltero said. “I wanted to help spread positivity and give people light and hope. People are hurt and scared.” The premise is to create a large cutout, about three or four feet tall, in the shape of an egg, and to decorate it. The materials of the egg are anything from paper, to cardboard, to plywood, so far, and the way it is going, creativity could produce a greater variety in the near future. As the group grew from a few members to a few hundred, to now a few thousand, the event — collecting photos of the eggs and posting them with the hashtag #virtualegghuntsloco — gained a lot of attention. The idea was hatched, and started multiplying like spring bunnies. “It was in the course of eight days, it grew by 500 people per day,” Soltero said. “Now different states are popping up. Georgia, Minnesota, Boston, Idaho, Utah, New Jersey … it is really amazing to watch.” The growth of the group and the event brought people together to share in a positive activity around creation of the eggs and pictures of the eggs around the city, county, and
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FARMstead ED and other participating vendors set up booths inside Nature’s Touch Harvest and Nursery. Contributed photo
Vendors set up booths in Nature’s Touch during month-long fundraiser By CONNOR ALLEN connor@pasoroblespress.com
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eginning this Wednesday, FARMstead ED and the SLO County Farm Trail partners have organized a month-long event aimed at supporting local businesses, local growers, and local farmers, all while raising funds for county medical
teams during the COVID-19 crisis. For the entire month of April, 15 businesses partnered with FARMstead Ed, with the potential for more, to set up small booths inside Nature’s Touch Nursery and Harvest in Templeton, with 25 percent of the proceeds being donated locally to help our medical workers who are working hard to save lives. “There is a lot of stuff going on, but we have all got to do our part, we have to step up, and when the dust settles, we are all still going to be here taking care of each other still,” Nature’s Touch owner Melanie Blankenship said of the partnership. “No matter what, we can’t fear it, we’ve got to be smart about it
ESSENTIAL HEROS
and take care of people, and that is what we are all about. I know that I wouldn’t have what I have without this community continually supporting me, and it’s time for us to help support them.” SLO County Farm Trail’s partners bring a wide variety of locally grown products ranging from olive oils, meat producers, life and self-care product companies, gelato & craft beverage makers, to farms, ranches, and nurseries. Over 15 have committed to the event to date, and more will be added throughout the month. CONTINUED ON PAGE A8
COVID-19 UPDATE
Blake’s True Value Hardware SLO County COVID-19 Update Recovery leads the way for local cases, one death COVID-19 BY THE NUMBERS* *As of Tuesday, April 7
SLO County Cases Total: 99 Recovered: 71
Active: 27
Hospitalized: 3 (3 in ICU)
Working together to keep apart By MARK DIAZ mark@pasoroblespress.com PASO ROBLES — Deemed an essential business, Blake’s True Value Hardware continues to serve its customers during the COVID-19 outbreak. While people are encouraged to keep their distance and stay at home, having a hardware store with a knowledgeable staff can be a lifesaver for keeping one’s sanity during this trying time. “One of the biggest things that I hear from my customers is that most of them are very appreciative that we pasoroblespress.com
Deaths: 1
are still open,” owner Brent Goodwin said. “We’ve always prided ourselves that we have employees who can help our customers, get them in and out, and back to working on their project.” Blake’s True Value Hardware has served Paso Robles since the 1950s. While a member of the True Value franchise, Blakes is still independently owned and operated. Brent started working at Blakes in 1998 and worked his way through the ranks until he became the general CONTINUED ON PAGE A8
FUR BABIES
By NICHOLAS MATTSON nic@pasoroblespress.com
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n the effort to “flatten the curve,” the residents of San Luis Obispo County participated in a voluntary lockdown called “shelter-at-home” for three weeks. The lockdown is ordered by San Luis Obispo County, but enforcement of an uncooperative community would strain law enforcement resources and a public health and safety system already in dire straits. The lockdown impacts resident and businesses working to keep their wits
LOCAL NEWS
SPORTS
COVID-19 NEWS
WEATHER
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PETS AND COVID-19 Protecting yourself and your furry ones | A6
LOOKUP AND SMILE Local skywriter leaves a reminder to smile | A7
SCHOLAR-ATHLETE STAY UP-TO-DATE HONORS CIF Central Section With local happenings choose local stars | B1 surrounding COVID-19 | B3
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