2015 February PASO Magazine

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ROUND TOWN On February 15th, the 15th annual BUZZ Marathon will be run on the familiar scenic Camp Roberts course, continuing the partnership between San Miguel School District and the US Army National Guard. Although this is not a relay race, the baton of leadership passed this year from founder, retired teacher and Hornet Queen Eileen Rogers, to Col. Loren Weeks at Camp Roberts. It has become a well-known and respected event which qualifies entrants for other marathons, including the prestigious Boston Marathon. The USA Track and Field-certified course is run on paved roads with dirt and packed gravel shoulders. It weaves over gently rising terrain studded with trees and glimpses of wildlife and comfort stations are situated approximately every 2 – 2 ½ miles. All finishers in the marathon, half-marathon, 10K, 5K and the run for children under 12 will receive tee shirts and beautiful newly-designed medals which reflect the school, the military and the town. They can be seen on the web site at www. 15 th Annual BUZZ Marathon set for Feb. 15 buzzmarathon.org. (and on this page) along with all information about the event. Also this year, proceeds will be shared between school athletics programs and the Wounded Warriors. As Camp Roberts is being improved and upgraded, the personnel are dedicated to ensuring the future of the marathon and the good it does for the children and the military. Winners of the 2014 event and their times are: Marathon: Jason Bui from Ayer, MA, 2:54:32 (Male); Carmella Cuva from Monterey, 3:55:47 (Female). Half-Marathon: Ben Walker from Templeton, 1:22:32 (Male); Micaela Pepple from Atascadero, 1:32:48 (Female) who set a new course record. 5K: Bernis Nichols from Paso Robles, 22:06 (Male); Yusrina Bennett from Bakersfield, 25:03. Mile for children under 12: Emma Delfin, age 10 from San Miguel, 9:28 (Female); Nicolas Reed age 9 from Oceano, 9:38 (Male). The oldest finisher in the marathon was Charles Sayles, age 77 from Glendale with a time of 6:52:14. Two competitors were from Canada. Meanwhile back at the school, changes are benefitting both students and teachers. In grades 6-8, class sizes have been reduced to 14-18 students to allow teachers more time to interact with individual students and personalize their instruction. Daily intervention classes give extra instruction to those who need it. Each Wednesday learning and accomplishment are celebrated. In grades K-5 class sizes are 18 to 28 students. A full-time reading specialist is a great asset to all. Students above grade average are encouraged with enrichment studies. Every student in 4th through 6th Grade is given an iPad to use at school and taught its many useful functions that enhance learning. When 8th Grade is completed, they may take the iPad with them to high school. Currently, enrollment is open for students for the 2015-16 school year. This half-day program prepares students with fall birthdays for Kindergarten. Students turning 5 years old between September 2 and December 2, 2015 are eligible for this high-quality proven program. Each Tuesday, a parents group meets to prepare teaching materials for teachers which allows more actual classroom time. Teachers greatly appreciate their help, parents know more about the curriculum and coffee and donuts keep them going at these sessions. The “8 a.m. to 5 p.m. teaching job with weekends and summers to relax” is just a myth. A dedicated teacher starts the day early in the morning, finishes late at night every day and has ‘homework’ on weekends. In summer they go back to school for further classes and workshops. Staying up on education and ahead of the students is a full-time endeavor. The San Miguel School District just received a five-year Teacher Quality Partnership Grant from Cal Poly and CSU Monterey Bay. Lillian Larsen will be hosting professional development events for teachers from both counties and will be a host site for teachers newly entering the profession. Lillian Larsen School continues to provide a healthy and enriching all-around learning environment that encourages students to excel. Go, Hornets! County Perspective By Bruce Curtis Norwegian Wharf Rats… Or not: Great. I thought we’d finally banished these ubiquitous beggars years ago, but there on the kitchen counter was the unmistakable spoor of a fresh visitation. I snapped into action and bought two snap traps, low-tech, but effective. “Brook no quarter,” I cry, I am Captain Ahab, these furry invaders are Moby Dick, I the Ancient Mariner, they the Albatross. Them or me, I blustered, now out of literary metaphors. My wife asks what I was muttering about, as she often does. She munched from a bowl filled with exactly what I’d seen on the counter. Wide-eyed, I stared at the cereal bowl, then at her. She looked warily at me, then the door. She broke into a smile of recognition, producing a box of dollar store cocoa-rice cereal. No wonder the product flopped at the supermarket; any breakfast food that is indistinguishable from rodent feculence is bound to bomb with consumers. Barely two weeks ago on a dreary, valley-fogged day, Governor Jerry Brown stood amongst officials to break ground on another bomb, California’s $ 68 billion high-speed train from Los Angeles to San Francisco. Of course $68 billion in federal stimulus only goes so far, so the train will run between Fresno and Bakersfield. But being from the Central Coast, I think sour grapes is just as valid a reason to hate on a project that some of us think should have been routed through San Luis Obispo County. I mean, why can’t we get the benefits of riding quickly and quietly between here and L.A. or Bay Area, whizzing past grid locked traffic? Realistically, there will be few-riders on the train to nowhere, as some have called it. One thing is certain, California’s high speed rail line will be three times more expensive per mile than Europe and Asia’s high speed trains, making it the biggest political boondoggle in state history. But if we’re honest, San Luis “Why is an expensive, 5-year old pipeline suddenly springing leaks? That sounds like a good question to ask of Teichert Construction, the original contractor. We understand San Luis Obispo County has already forwarded Teichert a repair bill.” Obispo County has its own boondoggles, starting with the Nacimiento pipeline. The 45-mile project was supposed to take Lake Nacimiento water to San Luis Obispo, and at $176 million, the project was not only the biggest public works project in decades, it over-promised the lake’s output because Monterey and San Luis Obispo counties appear to have signed up for more water than Lake Nacimiento can actually produce – and that was before the drought. The other shoe fell when the 45- mile pipeline began to leak where it passes through Camp Roberts. The cheap – if cheap is the right word – fix is a slip lining inside the original pipe. The lining is far from an ideal solution because it will reduce water flow. More bad news last August came when additional leaks were found, shutting down the pipeline. In a twist of irony, the shutdown shut off San Luis Obispo’s demand, but the drought-depleted Lake Nacimiento is only 23% of capacity and the savings weren’t much comfort to the water-rationed, brown lawn folks south of Cuesta Grade. On January 6th, the county board of supervisors voted to set aside $1 million to repair the pipeline, $84,000 of which will go into a contingency fund to deal with future fixes. Why is an expensive, 5-year old pipeline suddenly springing leaks? That sounds like a good question to ask of Teichert Construction, the original contractor. We understand San Luis Obispo County has already forwarded Teichert a repair bill. Drought Drop: A year-end water study says the Paso Robles aquifer may drop another 70 feet by 2040 if nothing changes. County supervisors agree better basin management is needed. Please see PERSPECTIVE page 40 38 Paso Robles Magazine, February 2015
2/28/15 February 2015, Paso Robles Magazine 39 LV-8125
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