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Local News, Your Community Arts & Entertainment, Your News Schools, Business, Environment Vol #1 - Issue #7 esteroCAYUCOS • LOSbay OSOS • MORRO B AYnews April 25, - May 8, 2019 Changes Coming to Local Get Your Motor Running Business Community Story & Photos by Neil Farrell the more distinctive in the Downtown area, was sold along with a store full of merchan- dise. A fire sale has been ongoing at the store for months with deep discounts on every- thing and sold on a cash-only basis. Cookie Crock Market has been the sub- ject of rumor of its closing for months and seeing barren shelves would attest to the rumors being true. An employee said the plan was to sell down the stock and whatev- er is left would be taken to the company’s flagship store in Cambria. The Clegg Family owns cookie Crock. They started the Morro Bay store in the 1990s after Vons closed and after the open- Photo Dean Sullivan ing of Albertsons Market just up the street. ar enthusiasts mark your calendars for across the state and beyond participate Vons and Albertson’s are part of the same Cthe Crusin’ Morro Bay Car Show May with thousands of spectators. company. 2 – May 5. This family friendly event is Organizers say important elements to There has been a push by some in the celebrating 23 years of chrome and engines the show’s success are the many volunteers, community to lobby Trader Joe’s to take roaring showcasing classic to rare to muscle business owners, and the growing number over the space but no successor has been cars. of sponsors who help offset the expenses named. The first Car Show was organized by of the show from insurance, permits, art Though no announcements have been Ron McIntosh, the late Steve Carnes and design, printing, and advertising to garbage made, a clearance sale has been in full swing the late Dave Tope in 1997 with 125 regis- removal and more. everal long-time Morro Bay businesses and the end could come as soon as this trants. All of the men were members of Ro- From the beginning, it was the objec- have closed or are closing with one cou- S weekend. The space is being advertised for tary and utilized their guidance to launch tive of the Cruisin’ Morro Bay Car Show to ple planning to retire and another leaving lease online since last August at $1.25 per the show and then created the non-profit support the community. In keeping with the entire state, fed up with California’s square foot; so the 19,500 s.f. space would organization that puts on the event every that, the following organizations serving high costs and high taxes. cost more than $24,000 a month. And the year. Today more than 500 people from Morro Bay were recent recipients of dona- Tireworks, TnT Boot Repair, Cookie lease term being advertised runs to 2030. Crock Warehouse Market and TKD Surf Mick and Michelle Thies, owners of Car Show Continued on page 17 are among the local businesses that have Tireworks & Automotive on Quintana closed or will be closing. Road, closed their shop March 7 and are Giving is Good for our Community TKD, located at the corner of Main and getting out of Dodge, literally. Harbor streets, was a long-time surf and By Theresa-Marie Wilson clothing shop. Last year the building, one of Changes Continued on page 18 wo Los Osos women are Tlaunching an organization Big Moves Afoot at Market to help those in need through- out SLO County. Avenue Property Kara Strauss and Rebec- ca Espy founded GIVEslo, a By Neil Farrell non-profit dedicated to build- ing a community network to he Morro Bay Skateboard Museum has several months ago, the City leased the donate items, time, and money Tkick-flipped its way into new digs but larger portion of the building to Ciano Real to meet essential need. Their there could be a buyer for the City-owned Estate for $1,000 a month. The space had efforts are a continuation and property. most recently housed DiStasio’s Italian expansion of the work of Sandy Formerly located in Marina Square on Restaurant. Richardson who started SLO the Embarcadero, the Skateboard Museum (The building’s bottom floor, which Womenade about 15 years ago was recently moved up the hill to 783 Mar- still has a long wooden bar from its days as and recently retired. ket Ave., in a city-owned building adjacent a nightclub, remains vacant and in disrepair. “We want to be broad spec- to the Centennial Parkway and overlooking It isn’t likely to reopen again unless some- trum, meaning we don’t want the waterfront. one can make the space handicap accessi- to be pigeonholed into one The new location comes after lengthy ble.) thing,” said Rebecca, co-found- negotiations with the City, for the space The City has listed the building, plus er of GIVEslo. “There is such that was most recently a wine tasting room a small parking lot at Market and Pacif- a demand in the county for a Kara Strauss and Rebecca Espy founders of GIVEslo but has been empty for several years. Also, Big Moves Continued on page 19 variety of needs.” that somebody is getting aid from the work Those needs can be anything from that we are doing.” helping to pay a utility bill, providing a Kara echoed that sentiment. City Facing Budget Deficit child car seat for a new mother, or helping “For the last 5 or so years, I have had with medical expenses. the spark inside to do good work of this for 2019-2020 Need referrals will come from schools, kind, to help others in need, to spread medical professionals, county health de- By Neil Farrell awareness about what the critical needs are partments, and social services. in our community and to be of service,” she Morro Bay officials are weighing op- Employee Retirement System and the issue “We want to build a very successful, said. “I am thrilled to carry on the mission tions to overcome a projected deficit for the is once again poor performance of PERS’ sustainable and transparent non-profit that of SLO Womenade with GIVEslo.” next fiscal year and beyond. investments, and lowering of the so-called truly becomes a valued resource for the Kara and Rebecca are working to get all Finance Director Jennifer Calloway “discount rate.” referring partners in this community,” said the paperwork and fees in order to officially explained that back in February they She added that it isn’t just the PERS Kara, founder of GIVEslo and owner of become a non-profit and expect that to be informed the City Council of the looming problem that the City is facing. Everything Bloom Microgreens. complete by early May. A board of directors problem during an update of the City’s 10- — from the cost for electricity and fuel for Both women say giving to others is is in the process of forming and a website year budget forecast. the city’s fleet, to payroll, office supplies, beneficial to their own lives. (GIVEslo.org) is in the works. For FY 2019-2020, they are projecting and costs for medical insurance and other “It’s just in my heart,” said Rebecca. As far as sustaining GIVEslo, they a $325,000 budget deficit “primarily due benefits, even the minimum wage — go up “I’ve always had this desire to help. I think, hope to build on the list of donors Wome- to PERS,” she said. PERS is the Public Budget Continued on page 18 innately, we all do. It brings me joy to know Giving Continued on page 19 Police Blotter Page 8 Easter Egg Dogs on Hunt Parade Page 14 Page 16 Prior to her service Additional accomplishments include her service on News at Montana State, she was the Executive Council of the Association of Public and a professor at Stanford Land Grant Universities’ Council on Research and as a University from 2007 to Fellow of the National Academy of Inventors since 2015. Neighborhood Watch 2013, directing the Center At Stanford, she served as the George D. Smith Endowed for Human Pluripotent Chair (2012-14) and as a President’s Office Faculty Fellow Meets May 9 Stem Cell Research and (2010-12). She also has received the International Award Education and the Center for Career Impact (2011, Valencia, Spain) and the Austra- orro Bay residents concerned about the safety of for Reproductive and lian Society for Reproductive Biology Founder’s Award Mthemselves and their neighbors are encouraged to join Stem Cell Biology, as well (2010, Sydney, Australia). the Neighborhood Watch organization and get informed as the doctoral program Pera earned her B.S. degree in biology from the and involved. in stem cell biology and University of Wisconsin at Superior in 1983 and M.S. Begun in March 2001, Morro Bay Neighborhood regenerative medicine. in agriculture with a specialization in entomology from Watch Association, Inc., meets monthly to discuss issues In her new role at Cal Kansas State University in 1987. She earned a doctorate and volunteer opportunities, and more. Poly, Pera will oversee in biochemistry, molecular and cell biology from Cornell “Neighborhood Watch,” reads the group’s quarterly the Grants Development University in 1993 and pursued post-doctoral work in hu- newsletter (April edition), “is homeland security at the and Sponsored Programs man genetics with the Massachusetts Institute of Technol- most local level. It is an opportunity to volunteer and works Renee A.

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