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SINCE 1889 Making Communities Better Through Print.™ VOL. CXXXIII, NO. X
THURSDAY, AUGUST 18, 2022
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Winemaker’s Cookoff Sells Out for 23rd Anniversary
Council Receives Update on Golden Hill Roundabout Council also approves revised MOU with ECHO By CAMILLE DEVAUL camille@pasoroblespress.com
Guests turned out to enjoy local wine, beer, and food at the 23rd Annual Winemaker’s Cookout, benefiting the Paso Robles Rotary Club’s scholarship program. Photos by Melissa Guerra / PRP
nity favorite Winemaker’s Cookoff, which benefits their scholarship program for Paso Robles High School graduates. “It went very well. We had a big happy crowd,” said Vicki Silva, the chairman of the event. By CAMILLE DEVAUL This year marks the 23rd camille@pasoroblespress.com of the Winemaker’s Cookoff, PASO ROBLES — Last which is held at the Paso Robles weekend, the Paso Robles Event Center. Rotary Club held their commu“It was a roaring success for
The cookoff benefits the Paso Robles Rotary Club’s scholarship program
our 23rd event,” said Silva. She added, “We’re so fortunate that [the Paso Robles Event Center] is in Paso Robles.” Over the past 22 years, the Winemakers’ Cookoff has raised more than $400,000 for local youth scholarships. Last year, the Rotary Foundation awarded nearly $90,000 in high-school senior scholarships. Over 20 years ago, Rotarian
EDUCATION
Gary Eberle of Eberle Winery had the idea for a cookoff that would be just as fun for wineries as it would for the guests. Silva loved the idea, and the two went ahead with their plan, raising over $7,000 that first year. In 2021, the event transitioned to a smaller event due to the pandemic, creating a more intimate experience, and it was a hit with participants. So
the Rotary has chosen to keep with the smaller experience and limited ticket sales to 350 — and sold out. The cookoff featured 22 local winemakers and three breweries, live music, and great food — all benefiting local high-school seniors. “The food was unbelievable. The wineries are amazing; they CONTINUED ON PAGE A15
FENTANYL EPIDEMIC
PRJUSD Trustee Running for City Council Candidate nomination period has closed; more candidates throw hats in for City Council and PRJUSD By CAMILLE DEVAUL camille@pasoroblespress.com
Cammie Velci (far left) attended the Drug Enforcement Agency summit in Washington, D.C., this past June. Contributed Photo
Cammie Velci Spreads Fentanyl Awareness and Education Outside of Central Coast
PASO ROBLES — We have our final list of candidates for the 2022 November Election as the deadline to file as a candidate closed Velci’s son, Emilio, on Friday, Aug. 12 — among passed away from the candidates for City Council is current Paso Robles Joint Fentanyl poisoning in Unified School District Trustee 2020 Chris Bausch. By CHRISTIANNA MARKS Bausch filed to run as a christianna@pasoroblespress.com candidate for District 2 City Council seat — formerly filled ATASCADERO — Though by Councilmember Maria the Emilio Velci Aloha Project’s CONTINUED ON PAGE A15 founder Cammie Velci tends
COMMUNITY
NEWS
to stay local with her fentanyl awareness and education, she’s been attending fentanyl events all over the country over the last couple of months. Velci, who lost her son Emilio to fentanyl poisoning in 2020, has been championing education about the drug ever since. “What I’m doing is, my main focus is here in this county
CRIME
because when I started my foundation, I looked at what Emilio would do and how his heart was, and what he loved in his life. And he loved this area,” stated Velci. Velci went on to say that on her travels — which included a summit through the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) in Washington, D.C.,
EVENTS
and the Ride for John Fentanyl and Opiod Awareness Day in Carol Stream, Illinois — she’s met many people across the nation who are doing similar things as the Emilio Velci Aloha Project and that she’s been learning and supporting those people on their shared journey. CONTINUED ON PAGE A15
PASO ROBLES — During the City Council meeting on Tuesday, Aug. 16, council members received an update on the current capital construction projects happening in the city. Construction began last week for the roundabout at Union Road and Golden Hill Road and is expected to run through late 2023. The intersection will be closed during construction and several detours have been put in place. One of those detours includes Ardmore Road, which was recently paved for detour use for access to Golden Hill Road. Residents are asked to respect the Ardmore neighborhood and to please use alternate routes such as Highway 46 as often as possible when coming into town. County residents coming to town are recommended to go west on Union, then turn right at Golden Hill, then left at the traffic signal at Highway 46. All businesses in the vicinity will remain open and accessible during construction, with separate driveways available. A speed monitor has been placed on Mesa and Prospect roads, which is for residents only and not a sanctioned detour area. The Paso Robles Police Department is monitoring the area for speeders. In the intersection, the existing asphalt and road surfaces have been removed to make way for trenching and installation of the 16-inch water pipeline. More information on the project and detours can be found at prcity.com/1002/ Golden-Hill-and-Union-Detour Annual sidewalk repairs have also started in the city. Funding CONTINUED ON PAGE A15
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