GOOD NEWS REAL NEWS HOMETOWN NEWS
SINCE 1889 Making Communities Better Through Print.™ VOL. CXXXIII, NO. L
THURSDAY, MAY 25, 2023
pasoroblespress.com • $1.00 • WEEKLY
EDUCATION
FESTIVAL
Revamped Paso Wine Fest delights attendees Construction on Georgia Brown Elementary placed on hold Trustees reapprove COLA increase for PRJUSD superintendent By CAMILLE DEVAUL camille@pasoroblespress.com
Daou’s garden fairy serves Discovery Rosé during the latest Paso Wine Fest.
Curtis Haskell (Shale Oak Winery) and Rosemary Leidig (Sixmilebridge winery) pouring at Paso Wine Fest. Photos by Dianne Zwick
Record turnout, new activation spaces, and seven distilleries add excitement to annual event
fully morphed into its current amped-up incarnation since last year’s reinvention. Not only did a record turnout of 117 wineries offer a wide array of impressive local wines, but in a new twist (both lime and lemon), seven distilleries were added to the mix this year. Joining in were nine artisan vendors and 10 food trucks. Emerging from COVID restrictions and precautions,
By MIRA HONEYCUTT Contributing Writer
PASO ROBLES — The 2023 Paso Wine Fest was pure theatrics on Saturday, May 20. A mademoiselle on a giant unicycle served rosé out
of a vintage watering can at Daou Gardens. Tablas Creek Vineyards sheep grazed on hay in a pen. Frozé amuse bouche cooled attendees at JUSTIN. And a red carpet led visitors to an actual stage at Austin Hope for an informative barrel tasting of its 2022 cabernets. Welcome to the new and revamped Paso Wine Fest, Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance’s (PRWCA) tent pole event, which has success-
SUPERVISORS
the 2022 festival went all in on big changes. The venue finally moved from the downtown park to the Paso Robles Event Center — much to the relief of downtown merchants — and introduced the concept of “activation spaces” or interactive areas to highlight individual winery brands willing to pay the price. These individual lounges creatively designed by four wineries in 2022 struck such
a chord with vintners that the numbers rose to 15 this year. The event layout was again done by San Luis Obispo-based Karston Butler Events and PRWCA event partners. I heard nothing but kudos from attendees and participants on the now-rollicking and even more user-friendly wine festival. “I love it,” was a running comment among the vintners. CONTINUED ON PAGE A7
OLIVE AND LAVENDER
County Annual event proves successful while supervisors sharing day with nearby Paso Wine Fest approve their own pay increase in a 3-2 vote The 26 percent salary hike will be split over the next three years By CHRISTIANNA MARKS christianna@pasoroblespress.com
NORTH COUNTY — Norma Moye, second from left, and other members of the Paso Robles Main Street Association man the booth at the Olive and Lavender Festival. Photo by Camille DeVaul/PRP The last item on the agenda for the San Luis Obispo Vibrant event Paso Robles City Park for the lavender, but also spent part of for May 6. Paso Robles Main County Board of Supervisors celebrates local flavors third annual joint Olive and their day at the annual Paso Street Association Executive meeting on Tuesday, May 16, Lavender Festival presented by Wine Fest down at the Paso Director Norma Moye told and talent, leaving was a topic of great interest the Paso Robles Main Street Robles Event Center. Paso Robles Press that they then attendees captivated to the community: It was an Association. Originally scheduled for had to move their festival to ordinance amending Section and inspired Saturday, May 20, marked Saturday, May 6, the Olive later in the month to avoid 2.48.095 of the County Code the 20th annual Olive Festival and Lavender Festival had competition. By CAMILLE DEVAUL in regard to proposed compenand the 15th annual Lavender to be moved to later in the There were worries about camille@pasoroblespress.com sation increases for the Board Festival. The park filled with month. This was because the having the Olive and Lavenof Supervisors. PASO ROBLES — The local vendors and visitors who City of Atascadero’s annual der Festival on the same day as County Human Resources local olive and lavender indus- took the day not only enjoy- Tamale Festival was rained the Paso Wine Fest, but many CONTINUED ON PAGE A7 tries were celebrated at the ing the savory oils and sweet out in January and rescheduled CONTINUED ON PAGE A7
COMMUNITY
NEWS
NORTH COUNTY LIFE
SPORTS
PASO ROBLES — Some items were brought back to the Paso Robles Joint Unified School District’s Board of Trustees Tuesday night for reapproval. At the Tuesday, May 23 meeting, staff brought back due to education code 35164, “the governing board shall act by majority vote of all of the membership constituting the governing board,” and Board Bylaw 9323.2, which reads, “The Governing Board shall act by a majority vote of all of the membership constituting the Board, unless otherwise required by law.” Because the majority of the governing board is four of seven members, items approved with three of five present members must be brought back to the board for approval. One of those items approved was the Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) for Superintendent Curt Dubost, approved on April 25. Dubost had previously requested that he not receive a cost of living adjustment (COLA) for 2022-23 until all other employees have been paid. At the Dec. 13, 2022, meeting, trustees approved an agreement with Paso Robles Public Educators (PRPE) and district management. Then at the Feb. 28 meeting, trustees approved the agreement with California School Employees Association, Chapter #254. These agreements then prompted a 10 percent COLA increase in compensation for Dubost. There was a controversy between trustees regarding why the superintendent contract was not included on the agenda during the April 25 meeting. Trustee Laurene McCoy had especially raised concerns over the accompanying documents not being attached to the CONTINUED ON PAGE A7
WEATHER
pasoroblespress.com twitter.com/ @PasoRoblesPress facebook.com/ @PasoRoblesPress
PASO ROBLES CHARLES ‘CAP’ CAPPER FRYERS CLUB ROAST TAYLOR SUTTON District Cemetery Hosting Remembering the World Raises Close to $100K for Named Athlete of the Memorial Day | A3 War II Veteran | A4 Cancer Support | B1 Week | B8
High 61° | Low 47°
5
67808 24135
7