SLO LIFE Magazine Jun/Jul 2019

MAY ’19
5/8
Superior Court Judge Dodie Harman sets bail at $1 million during the arraignment
of an Oakland man who allegedly injured six people in an early morning shooting
during a Cinco de Mayo concert at the Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation
Area on May 5. Nineteen-year-old Francisco Orozco faces an attempted murder
charge as well as five felony counts of assault with a semiautomatic weapon, with
several enhancements including allegations that he discharged a firearm, and that he
inflicted great bodily injury. The six victims injured in the attack were transported
to local hospitals, and four of the victims were treated for serious injuries. Orozco
is pleading not guilty, claiming that he was not the shooter. Concurrently, within
a period of a month, three people were killed in off-road vehicle accidents at the
dunes, while one other remains hospitalized with a life-threatening head injury, and
local emergency rooms reported an especially busy period in dealing with patients
sustaining serious injuries at the park.
5/17
The first of what is planned to be an annual threeday
Central Coast Festival for Jewish Learning opens
at Cal Poly with Holocaust survivor Gitta Ryle and
Nazi war crimes prosecutor Bruce Einhorn presenting
“A Testimony of the Holocaust and How the World
Responded.” Of the Holocaust, Ryle says, “We need to
stay proud that we are Jews and that we want peace, and
I will educate people that there was such a thing and
that it should never happen again.” Presented by the JCC
Federation and Hillel of San Luis Obispo, the mission of
the festival is to unify the Central Coast community with
programs and services based on Jewish values.
5/9
San Luis Obispo Mayor Heidi Harmon asks a tough question during the annual
State of the City presentation at a public meeting: “How can we create a fiscally
sustainable, environmentally sustainable, economically sustainable community?”
Financially, according to City Manager Derek Johnson, the city is on solid ground
to address the coming closure of Diablo Canyon, as well as the liability of employee
pension obligations. “The city has been very proactive and developed a plan that we
can pay down that liability over the next 20 years, and essentially avoid $20 million
dollars in interest payments,” according to Johnson. Reviewing accomplishments of
the past year, they point to completed projects like the Laurel Lane improvements,
more flight options in and out of town, electric vehicle charging stations at the
parking garage, and the purchase of the Miossi Open Space.
5/15
Thanks to a federally-funded multi-year grant, the SLO County Behavioral
Health Department announces a new collaboration with the Sheriff ’s Office to
help people with mental illness or substance use disorders stay out of the criminal
justice system. A five-year, $1.6 million U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services’ Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration grant,
one of only seven awarded nationally, will embed specially trained clinicians with
the Sheriff ’s existing Community Action Team to provide services to vulnerable
people with multiple simultaneous problems, from homelessness to substance
abuse to mental health disorders. “We are excited to offer this new program in
collaboration with law enforcement,” said Behavioral Health Administrator Anne
Robin. “Any opportunity we have to engage and intervene early with individuals
provides us the chance to help them make substantive changes in their life.”
5/21
Caltrans begins short-term safety improvements on a
stretch of Highway 101 travelled by more than 65,000
cars every day. Crews started construction on barriers to
halt left-hand turns across four lanes of the highway at
El Campo Road and three other intersections between
Traffic Way in Arroyo Grande and Los Berros Road
in Nipomo. Following a fatal accident in 2018 and 17
previous non-fatal collisions since 2012 at the 101/El
Campo Road interchange, public sentiment overcame
objections to the changes from some local businesses
and residents. In the long term, local governments are
exploring options including lowering the speed limit,
improving visibility, and even building an overpass near
the El Campo intersection. SLO LIFE
JUN/JUL 2019 | SLO LIFE MAGAZINE | 31