GOOD NEWS REAL NEWS HOMETOWN NEWS
SINCE 1889 Making Communities Better Through Print.™ VOL. CXXXIII, NO. XXVI
GOVERNMENT
Supervisors Approve New Paso Basin Planting Ordinance
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2022
pasoroblespress.com • $1.00 • WEEKLY
HOLIDAY
Rain or Shine, the 61st Annual Christmas Parade Lights the Streets
The ordinance places new regulations on farmers who rotate crops By CAMILLE DEVAUL camille@pasoroblespress.com
NORTH COUNTY — San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors approved the adoption of a new Paso Basin Planting Ordinance. The new ordinance was greatly opposed by the San Luis Obispo County Farm Bureau, SLO County Cattleman’s Association, Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance, and SLO County Planning Commission, among others. Background on the Paso The Paso Robles High School FFA float travels down the route of the Christmas Lights Parade in Paso Robles. The float was named winner of the parade’s Sweepstakes Award. Contributed Photo Basin Planting Ordinance Three years in the making, Paso Robles FFA watch the 61st Annual Christ“Despite the rain, nearly all According to Anshen, she one was having fun and the the new ordinance comes forth mas Lights Parade in Paso of the entries stuck it out and has never seen it rain through parade managed to move down parade float wins to rectify the current ordinance. Robles. had a wonderful time,” said the parade in her 27 years with the route without incident. We The purpose of the ordinance Sweepstakes Award Presented by the Paso Robles Susanne Anshen, the execu- the association. all had a good time. “ was to bring the county into Main Street Association, the tive assistant at the Main Street However she adds that one Prizes and cash ($100, $50, By CAMILLE DEVAUL Sustainable Groundwater parade graced the downtown Association. “And surprisingly, year, “it rained all day, stopped $25) awards are given to float camille@pasoroblespress.com Management Act (SGMA) streets of Paso Robles on Satur- the streets were lined with right at 7 p.m. when the parade winners. Winning this year’s compliance in 2013 and then PASO ROBLES — Rain day, Dec. 3, all playing into this people who were very happy started, and resumed raining as Sweepstakes Award is Paso was semi-permanently adopted could not keep the Christmas year’s theme of “Deck the Halls” to watch the parade. Everyone soon as the parade finished. Not Robles High School’s FFA in 2015. spirit away last Saturday as the and was sponsored by H & R seemed to have a great time in so lucky this year.” float. CONTINUED ON PAGE A15 community lined the streets to Block and Bank of the Sierra. spite of the weather.” Anshen continued, “EveryCONTINUED ON PAGE A15
NONPROFIT
Community Shows Up for ‘Season of Hope’
KRISTIN SMART
Paul Flores Sentencing Rescheduled for March 2023 Attorney for man convicted of the 1996 murder of Kristin Smart gets continuation, claims to have new information By CAMILLE DEVAUL camille@pasoroblespress.com
Toy Bank of Greater Paso Robles, Coats for Kids, and the SLO Food Bank were featured in Season of Hope at the Paso Robles Public Safety Center. Photo by Camille DeVaul / PRP
American Legion Riders Chapter 50 donates $2,000 to the Toy Bank of Greater Paso Robles By CAMILLE DEVAUL camille@pasoroblespress.com
NORTH COUNTY — It is the season of giving, and the community definitely showed up to give on Monday, Dec. 5, at the Paso Robles
BUSINESS
Public Safety Center. Paso Robles Fire and Emergency Services showed their support alongside KSBY for the 11th Annual “Season of Hope” Food and Toy Drive. In the firehouse accepting donations were the Toy Bank of Greater Paso Robles, Coats for Kids, and the SLO Food Bank. Each year KSBY teams up with local food banks, toy agencies, fire departments, the
COMMUNITY
California Highway Patrol and sponsors to put together a community-wide food and toy drive for the Central Coast. For over 20 years, Coats for Kids and the Toy Bank of Greater Paso Robles has partnered together to serve the North County community. On Saturday, Dec. 10, the two nonprofits will be distributing toys and coats at the “Day of Giving” at the Paso Robles
NEWS
Events Center. “The word is the numbers are up,” says Coats for Kids Founder Barbie Butz when referring to the number of families in need. The mission of Coats for Kids has always been to distribute warm items such as coats, jackets, sweaters, and sweatshirts directly to North County families, not just kids, in need. CONTINUED ON PAGE A15
SPORTS
SAN LUIS OBISPO — Sentencing for Paul Flores, 46, will have to wait as a Monterey County judge ruled to continue his sentencing hearing to next year. Flores will now be sentenced on March 10, 2023, following a status hearing on Feb. 9, 2023. The continuation comes after Presiding Judge Jennifer O’Keefe approved a motion filed by Flores’ attorney, Robert Sanger, to continue his hearing to a later date. Flores had been charged with the 1996 murder and disappearance of 19-year-old Cal Poly student Kristin Smart. He was found guilty of the first-degree murder of Smart on Tuesday, Oct. 18. His father, Ruben
Flores, 81, was found not guilty of accessory after the fact. Ruben Flores was accused of helping his son hide Kristin’s remains. The father and son were both arrested in April 2021. According to Sanger, he has found new information since the verdict reading, but he would not clarify what information he found. Court documents state that Paul Flores’ attorneys are in the process of working towards a motion for a new trial. Sanger argued the previously scheduled Dec. 9 sentencing would not give him enough time to file and serve the motions and allow the prosecution to respond. San Luis Obispo County Deputy District Attorney Chris Peuvrelle responded to the court, saying Smart’s family has a legal right to see a timely conclusion to this trial. While Judge O’Keefe agreed, she ruled for the new sentencing date and status hearing. However, O’Keefe told attorneys she intended to proceed CONTINUED ON PAGE A15
WEATHER
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