GOOD NEWS REAL NEWS HOMETOWN NEWS
SINCE 1889 Making Communities Better Through Print.™ VOL. CXXXIII, NO. XV
CITY
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2022
pasoroblespress.com • $1.00 • WEEKLY
COMMUNITY
Local Named First Creston Man of the Year at Creston Classic Rodeo
Maria Garcia Recognized for Her Contributions to the City Council approves Water System Master Plan By CAMILLE DEVAUL camille@pasoroblespress.com
PASO ROBLES — Former City Council member Maria Garcia was issued a proclamation from Paso Robles Mayor Steve Martin during the Tuesday, Sept. 20, City Council meeting. Garcia was elected to City Council in November 2018 as the third woman elected to the council — the first was elected in 1984. In August, Garcia resigned from her seat on City Council due to a change in her personal residency that CONTINUED ON PAGE A15
Megan Jones carries the American flag during the grand entry at the 26th Annual Creston Classic Rodeo. Photos by Chuck and Vikki Photography
Cole McKenney honored with award and then goes on to win Hide Race title with partner Bailey Doherty By CAMILLE DEVAUL camille@pasoroblespress.com
CRESTON — A special member of the Creston Classic Rodeo family was recognized this past weekend, Sept. 15-18, at the 26th Annual Cres-
ton Classic Rodeo (CCR). Cole McKenney was honored as the first Creston Man of the Year. “Cole is such a special kid. He loves this rodeo. He loves helping; he loves being a part of it,” CCR Board President
Lee Oliver said. Oliver presented McKenney with a custom-made belt buckle just before McKenney went into the arena for his turn in the hide race. McKenney and his teammate Bailey Doherty were the
IN MEMORIAM
last to compete in the hide race and, as fate would have it, won the race, becoming the 2022 Hide Race Champions. “It was unbelievably perfect,” said Oliver, who was proud to see McKenney win.
Future of Diablo Canyon Power Plant Still Evolving
By BLAKE ASHLEY FRINO-GERL
Jim Wiemann (left) celebrates the Voice of Paso’s 200th broadcast with colleagues Dave Lambert (center) and Bill Stansbury. Contributed Photo
Jim Wiemann: Remembering the ‘Voice of Paso’ By CAMILLE DEVAUL camille@pasoroblespress.com
PASO ROBLES — The Bearcat community unexpectedly lost Jim Wiemann on Thursday, Aug. 4, at the age of 56, leaving a hole in the
SPORTS
Paso Robles sports community, where he was the go-to sports announcer and broadcaster. He was a sports encyclopedia and a “cheesehead.” But most of all, James ( Jimmy to most and Mo by family) Wiemann was known as the “Voice of Paso.” Born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Wiemann was raised in the
COMMUNITY
rural farming town of Bonduel, where his parents owned and operated Wiemann’s Bakery. But by the time Wiemann was 11 years old, the family made a big move to none other than Paso Robles. However, the first decade of his life in Wisconsin made him a lifelong Green Bay Packer “Cheesehead” and “Packer Backer.”
NEWS
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ENERGY
State lawmakers recently approved SB 846, which keeps Diablo Canyon Power Plant open until 2030
Wiemann died unexpectedly from natural causes
This year’s rodeo broke records when it came to their jackpot barrel race, which brought in 135 contestants. “It went very well. It was bigger than we’ve ever had,”
In his school years, it was clear to Wiemann’s mother Annie that he was not going to be her straight-A student. Instead, he shined and excelled in the world of sports. He saved his allowance money from working in the bakery to buy baseball cards. And this was the beginning of the brain CONTINUED ON PAGE A15
SENIOR LIVING
SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY — The fate of Diablo Canyon Power Plant seems slightly puzzling at this point. Up until recently, it was assumed the nuclear power plant would be closing around 2025. Overseen and monitored by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), the plant is licensed to operate Unit 1 into 2024 and Unit 2 into 2025. However, it is likely that it will continue to operate beyond then. Amidst annual California heat waves and knowing that the continuous use of electricity surges during times of excessive heat, state lawmakers recently
approved SB 846, which keeps Diablo Canyon Power Plant open until 2030 and gives operator PG&E a $1.4 billion loan to do so. Once the bill was approved, the next day, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed it into law. The governor wants to extend the life of the plant, and that notion has received widespread opposition from legislators. In contrast, the measure, authored by Assemblymember Jordan Cunningham of San Luis Obispo and Senator Bill Dodd of Napa, gained overwhelming support in the Assembly in a 67-3 vote. In 2016, PG&E partnered with labor and environmental organizations on a joint proposal agreement to retire Diablo Canyon Power Plant at the end of its current Nuclear Regulatory Commission operating licenses. “This proposal was brought CONTINUED ON PAGE A15
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CROSS COUNTRY PADEREWSKI FESTIVAL PASO ROBLES PILOT ENJOYABLE ACTIVITIES Dies in Jet Crash at Reno for Seniors with Limited Templeton’s Bell Rings Up Returns to Paso Robles Air Races | A5 MB Invite Win | A3 with a Full Lineup | A4 Mobility | A13
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