GOOD NEWS REAL NEWS HOMETOWN NEWS
SINCE 1889 Making Communities Better Through Print.™ VOL. CXXXIV, NO. LI
THURSDAY, MAY 30, 2024
pasoroblespress.com • $1.00 • WEEKLY
Flamson Middle School to become Lewis Flamson Junior High School amid campus merger Current Daniel Lewis Middle School will become Georgia Brown Dual Immersion School By CAMILLE DEVAUL camille@pasoroblespress.com
PASO ROBLES — A name has been chosen for the current Flamson Middle School campus, which is set to combine with students from the Daniel Lewis Middle School campus. With a unanimous vote, Flamson Middle School will become Lewis Flamson Junior High School and the current Daniel Lewis Middle School will become Georgia Brown Dual Immersion School. Campus changes come after the Paso Robles Joint Unified School District’s (PRJUSD) made the decision in January to close the Georgia Brown Elementary School campus CONTINUED ON PAGE A2
Members of the honor guard pauses at a gravesite in the Paso Robles District Cemetery during the Memorial Day Ceremony. Photos by Derek Luff
Paso Robles Memorial Day Ceremony honors fallen heroes Command Sgt. Maj. Scott Witt honored as guest speaker
By CAMILLE DEVAUL camille@pasoroblespress.com
PASO ROBLES — The Paso Robles District Cemetery welcomed the community onto its grounds for Memorial Day on Monday, May 27. The cemetery began its memorial ceremonies in 1980 when patriotic District Cemetery board members wanted to honor
veterans on Memorial Day and Veterans Day. “The key is still to remember those people that have given up their lives and the people that are currently serving to protect our country and that are willing to do the service,” explained Commander of American Legion Post 50, Paso Robles Chris Rohrberg. “They say there’s only a 1 or 2 percent of the whole nation that actually serves in the military nowadays. And quite a few people seem to have a certain animosity towards
service members. But I think remembering and understanding what it entails, what military service entails, not only for the service member but also for the families.” Each year, the Paso Robles District Cemetery Board of Trustees handpicks guest speakers for the ceremony. This year it was San Luis Obispo County District 1 Supervisor John Peschong and Command Sgt. Maj. Scott Witt. Peschong said few words and recited some passages from the
Gettysburg Address — the wellknown speech by U.S. President Abraham Lincoln delivered during the Civil War at the dedication of the Gettysburg National Cemetery (known then as the Soldier’s National Cemetery). “It was a beautiful ceremony,” Peschong told Paso Robles Press. “And it was a great turnout. It was inspiring to see that many people there.” Witt enlisted in the United States Army on Dec. 28, 1987, and served as a petro-
leum specialist with 2/32nd Armor Battalion in Kirchgoens, Germany. He served as the California Army National Guard sergeant major for three years. He recently retired from the military a few years ago and moved to Paso Robles. Rohrberg went to Iraq with Witt in 2011, and explained why Witt was chosen as a guest speaker: “His position as being the senior enlisted adviser for the California Army National Guard, especially now with as CONTINUED ON PAGE A2
Classic cars fill City Park at annual Golden State Classics Car Show Over 300 vehicles and new activities highlight the 16th annual event By CAMILLE DEVAUL camille@pasoroblespress.com
PASO ROBLES — Over 300 cars filled the Paso Robles City Park on Saturday, May 25, for the 16th annual Golden State Classics Car Show. The annual event not only brought downtown to life with the colorful classic engines but also is one of the nonprofit’s largest fundraisers for the community. “It was a heck of a turnout,” Golden State Classics Car Club President Scott Smith told Paso Robles Press. “I don’t know what the People stand at attention for the national anthem, being sung in front of a line of military vehicle, during the Best of the West crowd was, but it was, I can honestly say, the largest crowd I’ve seen since I took the show event on May 24-26 at Santa Margarita Ranch.. Photos by Rick Evans over four years, five years, however long it’s been. But as soon as the sun came out and
Pioneer Day festivities begin at Best of the West Antique Equipment Show Ninth annual event celebrates heritage and community with tractors, military reenactments, and family fun By CAMILLE DEVAUL camille@pasoroblespress.com
NORTH COUNTY — Born out of love for heritage and community, the 9th Annual Best of the West Antique Equipment Show returned to the historical Santa Margarita Ranch this
Memorial Day Weekend, May 24 through 26. “It was another great event,” said Pioneer Day Committee Vice Chair and President of the San Luis Obispo County Farm Bureau Sarah Kramer. “I mean, on Saturday, the parking lot was pretty much full which means it’s a great turnout to us. This year, we added a military reenactment group that came. That was really cool.” The event is the first of many leading up to Paso Robles’s Pioneer Day in October. While the event supports
AGRICULTURE
all that goes into Pioneer Day, it is also an opportunity for the committee to bring out their tractors for some exercise. Kramer explains that Best of the West is an opportunity to get up and personal with the antique equipment, “Best of the West is basically another reason for Pioneer Day to get our equipment out of the barns. So historically, the equipment was only run once a year where now we can we have a whole weekend to do it. And everyone loves to see all CONTINUED ON PAGE A2
NORTH COUNTY NEWS
the fog burned off, it packed up.” To begin the weekend, the Golden State Classics Car Club (Golden State) brought back their Pre-Show Party on Friday night, where over 200 people were in attendance. New this year, an after-party was held at Paso Robles Brewing Company following the car show on Saturday. The Golden State Car Club started in 1987. They are now 82 members strong and all working for a good cause. Smith told Paso Robles Press that the show saw a large amount of early registrations for cars to attend the fundraiser and then even more day of registrations. With over 20 more cars at the show this year, Smith expects to beat last year’s raised amount. In December, the nonprofit partnered with the Late Night Cruizers Car Club and Daniels Wood Land to put on a car show CONTINUED ON PAGE A2
Classic cars surround the gazebo May 25 at Paso Robles City Park at the Golden State Car Show. Photo by Rick Evans
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COTTON Makes a Comeback | A3
CMSF CONCERT Brad Paisley Announced | B1
THS TRACK STARS Compete in State | B8
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