GOOD NEWS REAL NEWS HOMETOWN NEWS
SINCE 1889 Making Communities Better Through Print.™ VOL. CXXXIV, NO. XVI
EDUCATION
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2023
pasoroblespress.com • $1.00 • WEEKLY
CELEBRATION
50 years of Paso Robles Municipal Airport
District Advisory Committee approved to review future of Dual Immersion program The DAC will also review enrollment projections and district capacity By CAMILLE DEVAUL camille@pasoroblespress.com
PASO ROBLES — Trustees have approved a 22-person District Advisory Committee (DAC) to review enrollment projections, district capacity, and the future of the Dual Immersion program. The decision took place at the Tuesday, Sept. 26, Paso Robles Joint Unified School District meeting. The committee will be providing trustees with a recommendation regarding either a possible CONTINUED ON PAGE A7
Airport regular Marc Dart checks out a plane during the 50th anniversary celebration for Paso Robles Municipal Airport on Saturday, Sept. 23. (Right photo) Paso Robles Mayor John Hamon (left) receives recognition on behalf of the Paso Robles Municipal Airport from Clint Weirick, Senior District Representative for State Senator John Laird. Photo courtesy of Paso Robles Municipal Airport
Veterans take tour to the airport on Sept. 23 to Press records the start of the by A.M. Boyer, Otto Kuehl, was inactivated and turned over around Central Coast explore aircraft and learn about airport with a headline reading, George Matthew, John Moore, to San Luis Obispo County for the airport’s history and future. “U.S. Picks Estrella For Base the Padian Estate, William public use. By 1973, the county with Honor Flight By CAMILLE DEVAUL
PASO ROBLES — The community gathered on Saturday to officially celebrate 50 years of the Paso Robles Municipal Airport. Over a thousand guests came out
“It was a very good turnout,” said Airport Commissioner Tony Gaspar. “Just a nice, steady flow of people throughout the day. The weather could not have been better.” A headline from the Aug. 27, 1942, issue of Paso Robles
— 1200 Acre Tract To Be Site For Marine Corps Air Field.” The airport came about when the United States Army negotiated and acquired just over 1,200 acres in the Estrella area for a U.S. Army airfield built on properties formally owned
Radloff, Tillie Schlecker, and Lillie Tuley. In just over six months, 2,000 construction workers had completed the airfield by April 1943, and the Estrella Army Airfield was up and running. By October 1944, the airport
Gala raises funds to support the Pioneer Day nonprofit’s associated costs for parade and events
Eight candidates interviewed for vacant District 1 seat on Paso Robles City Council Councilmembers will cast their vote for Sharon Roden at the Oct. 3 City Council meeting
By BECCA SLIGH Paso Robles Press Contributor
By CAMILLE DEVAUL camille@pasoroblespress.com
PASO ROBLES — The Pioneer Day Kick Off Party was held on Saturday, Sept. 23, at the Estrella Warbirds Museum. In attendance were the Pioneer Day Royalty: Grand Marshal Don Campbell, Queen Margaret Avila and Belle Kayla Degnan. About 300 people showed up to show their support for the Paso Robles Pioneer Day nonprofit. In addition to attendees, there were over 30 people from Pioneer Day — board members, bartenders, and caterers — who helped make the whole evening possible. Dinner was catered by Brush Family BBQ, and volunteers helped tend the No-Host wine, beer, and cocktail bar. The Pioneer Day Kick Off Party has been a long-stand-
ing tradition to not only get people excited about the Pioneer Day Parade held every October, but to raise funds that go towards the Paso Robles Pioneer Day nonprofit. “This is one of our main fundraisers to help put the parade on and also to help with the maintenance and upkeep of the tractors the the Pioneer Day Organiza-
tion owns,” said Paso Robles Pioneer Day Committee member Tara Tedeschi. Tedeschi said there’s a lot of back end costs to put on the parade from the security staffing to administrative costs associated with a parade of this caliber. Some community members in attendance commented on the upcoming Pioneer Day Parade. “I’ve been going to Pioneer
Day for my whole life,” said Erin Wicks-Sligh of Paso Robles. “My mom was a Pioneer Day Belle, as was I my senior year of high school, so it’s just always something I’ve been involved in.” Wicks-Sligh also mentions her husband is on the Tractor Committee, which is made up of volunteers who work to maintain and restore
NONPROFIT
COMMUNITY
NORTH COUNTY LIFE
SPORTS
Paso Robles Pioneer Day Queen Margaret Avila (center) is shown with granddaughters Alicia (left) and Crystal Avila at the Pioneer Day Kick Off Party. Photo by Becca Sligh
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CITY
FUNDRAISER
Countdown is on with Pioneer Day Kick Off Party
sold the air base to the City of Paso Robles for $1, and the Estrella Army Air Force Base officially became the town’s municipal airport. Today the Paso Robles Municipal Airport houses
PASO ROBLES — Eligible candidates for the vacant District 1 seat on Paso Robles City Council were interviewed Tuesday night, Sept. 26. Councilmembers interviewed the eight candidates and will cast their vote at the Tuesday, Oct. 3, meeting. On Sept. 7, the council appointed Councilmember John Hamon to fill the mayoral vacancy created by the passing of Mayor Steve Martin. As a result of Hamon’s appointment as mayor, the District 1 council seat was immediately vacated. At the same meeting, after Hamon was sworn in as mayor, the council decided to fill the newly created vacancy in District
1 through an appointment process. During that meeting, the council determined that the process would be as follows: By Sept. 11, the city clerk would post the vacancy and an application for interested individuals The application period would remain open until Sept. 21 at 5 p.m. Any interested member of the public may self-nominate by submitting a completed application for the position to the city clerk by 5 p.m. on Sept. 21 Interviews of all eligible candidates would be scheduled for a Special Council meeting set for Tuesday, Sept. 26, at 6:30 p.m. If necessary, interviews will continue on Wednesday, Sept. 27, at a time in the morning to be determined Should a preferred applicant be identified through the interview process, the council will reconvene at the Oct. 3 CONTINUED ON PAGE A7
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