Welcome to the Slo Coast Journal. Published online monthly, the Journal is here to bring you information specific to our part of California's Central Coast.
"The notion of a free press, of an institution that monitors those in power and those who wish to be in power, that ferrets out truth from lies, that draws public attention to the pressing issues of our times, is a cornerstone of a liberal democratic theory."
Robert McChesney in the Political Economy of the Media
Informational Town Hall Meeting on Proposed Closure of Morro Strand State Beach
The Central Coast Natural History Association (CCNHA) will be holding a
"Town Hall" meeting on the proposed closure of Morro Strand State
Beach at the Museum of Natural History at Morro Bay State Park at 6 pm
on June 7, 2011. CCNHA is seeking input from other community groups,
volunteers and interested citizens.
Morro Strand State Beach has been targeted as one of the 70 State
Parks slated for permanent closure by summer 2012. These 70 parks
represent 25% of the State Park system. Morro Strand alone sees on
average 44,000 campers per year. State Park users spend on average
$58 per day in the surrounding communities – this means an estimated
loss of $255,200 to Morro Bay and the surrounding towns. In addition
to the economic impact, critical snowy plover habitat will be left
unmanaged and unprotected.
The State Parks budget cut of $22 million in the next two years is
cited as the reason behind the proposed closures. The Town Hall will
address the question of why are parks, which comprise .003% of the
state budget and are revenue generators, are slated not only for
closure, but permanent closure. Read More
Also see the powerful opinion piece at : Fall of the Wild Excerpt: California created the state park idea with Yosemite in 1864, before it was a federal reserve; it is destroying it in 2011 with a plan to permanently close one-fourth of its parks.
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I am a resident of San Luis Obispo County, and an employee of Diablo Canyon (DCPP). Being aware of both the plant design and conditions at the Fukushima plant and DCPP, I am not worried about a similar disaster here. I could go into the specific reasons why I do not believe such a threat is credible, but that is not why I am writing to you. Read More
Nuclear Neighbors Waking Up
Local residents and most Americans seem to have been stunned by the Japanese nuclear disaster, with so many people—116 million in the United States and 465,0000 locally—having a nuclear plant in their "backyards." But they are awakening to what it all may mean, starting to recognize the dangers and beginning to ponder alternatives, thanks to an explosion of information that is offering real answers about nuclear energy. Read More
Could Morro Bay Power Plant Run Forever?
The owner of the plant, Dynegy, has submitted a required plan to comply with a new state policy aimed at phasing out the use of estuary, bay and ocean water, which kills untold numbers of fish larvae swept into plants. But when use of water from the Morro Bay National Estuary would actually be terminated under Dynegy's plan is anyone's guess. Read More
Tragedy of the Commons Revisited: The High Tech-High Risk
Wireless World
In 1968, Garrett Hardin, an eminent population ecologist from Santa Barbara, CA published an article in Science titled Tragedy of the Commons that was immediately hailed as a landmark piece of thinking. This paper reshaped prevailing views about our place in the ecological network of the planet and was pivotal in defining how pursuit of our individual actions to maximize self-interest will, across populations all doing the same thing, result in diminished and overused environmental resources. Read More
A Multi-Million Dollar Missed Opportunity
A missed deadline cost the City of Morro Bay the chance to obtain a 10-acre multi-million dollar property at no charge. The land might have been used for affordable housing, a park, or for water storage. Now, the land is to be sold at public auction and its future use is unknown. The deadline was reportedly missed because, according to the responsible city staff member, he did not have time to fill out the necessary forms. Read More
Questions Surround New Wastewater Treatment Plant Plan
Morro Bay and Cayucos have selected a consultant to develop a new plan for their proposed wastewater treatment plant, presumably to replace the project that was not accepted by the California Coastal Commission in March. But questions still remain about the process, including many surrounding Susan McCabe, who was originally hired as a lobbyist and now is scheduled to help design a new sewer plant project. Read More
Oil Tanks Removal at Power Plant Postponed
The removal of six, 32-foot tall oil storage tanks at the Morro Bay Power Plant, which had been planned and then cancelled twice over the past nine months, now is scheduled to take place in mid-August or early September, the plant owner, Dynegy, announced. Read More
Summer Solstice Family Event at Morro Bay State Park Campground Picnic Area Read More
"My family went on a whale watching boat on SubSea tours out of Morro Bay, California. Morro Bay is north of San Luis Obispo and south of Cambria and San Simeon where Hearst Castle is located. We were out a little over three hours and the whales put on quite a show for the 19 people who were lucky enough to be there. From SLO to Hearst castle, the Central Coast of California is a great place to visit and spend some vacation time. Like my grand daughter Allison says, 'Try It, You Might Like It!' "
