Sophia is your community news reporter covering the North Coast of San Luis Obispo County The Piedras Blancas Light Station has turned 150 years old “We had much more shipwrecks along the coast and it helped folks navigate up and down the coast,” said Ryan Cooper construction on the lighthouse began in 1874 was the first time that the light was lit on top of the lighthouse,” Cooper said the Salinian culture knew this area as Tewe “It was very important to all the Salinian culture out here in this region for it was one of the main areas they would congregate with their tribal communities,” said Michael Erin Woody Salinian Tribe of Monterey and San Luis Obispo counties and tribal groups were among the 100 people who attended Saturday's celebration and someone said we need to trim the trail every once in a while Bob Dees says he's found many archaeological items during his 10 years volunteering at the lighthouse says lighthouse keepers around 1875 would live on the grounds in a house with their families “There would be a head lighthouse keeper and several assistant lighthouse keepers,” Cooper said "There could be several families all living together in one house." A full multi-million-dollar restoration project is in the works Cooper says they hope to start the project within the next year or so the light tower has been newly painted for the first time in 15 years and the Piedras Blancas Light Station Association is working on engineering to do a seismic retrofit on the tower For more information on restoration efforts, click here An official website of the United States government Open Search  Mobile Menu BAKERSFIELD, Calif. — The Bureau of Land Management will host a virtual public meeting of the BLM Central California Resource Advisory Council (RAC) on Thursday, May 8, from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. The business meeting will be held via Microsoft Teams and will include a public comment period scheduled at 1:30 p.m. The business meeting agenda can be reviewed online The RAC will be updated on BLM programs and activities from the BLM Central California District and field offices the RAC will receive presentations and make recommendations on fee proposals from the USDA Forest Service in the Inyo National Forest “We are looking forward to sharing ongoing projects and priorities throughout the district we welcome the National Forests and their business plan proposals,” said Central California District Manager Gabe Garcia we all can help shape the future management of our public lands.” Public comments will be accepted during scheduled agenda items and public comments will be accepted at 1:30 p.m Time for individual public comments may be limited due to the number of persons wishing to speak Written statements to address the council maybe sent prior to the meeting to the BLM Central California District Office The 12-member council advises the Secretary of the Interior on a variety of planning and management issues associated with BLM public lands in central California The BLM maintains 38 chartered advisory committees throughout the West Each citizen-based council consists of members from diverse interests in local communities who assist in the development of committee recommendations by sharing their unique perspectives To learn more about the Central California RAC Please contact the BLM for reasonable accommodations to participate please contact BLM Central California District Public Affairs Officer Philip Oviatt at poviatt@blm.gov or 661-432-4252.  The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations Download full size photo of Piedras Blancas Light Station An official website of the Department of the Interior Pupping season has officially begun with the first elephant seals of the season arriving along the Piedras Blancas coastline “They’re just so adorable,” said Pam Rochell Rochell has been coming to the elephant seal viewing area near San Simeon every pupping season for the past 20 years and they will put their fingers in their mouth She has been staying at a hotel nearby so she can watch more pups be born every day “It’s just a chance in a lifetime to see wild animals in their natural environment,” Rochell said Other visitors arrived Monday morning to catch a glimpse of the newest additions “It’s fun to see them in their natural habitat It’s not something you get to see all the time,” said Eden Freeman the last pupping season saw around 5,000 seal pups born at the Piedras Blancas rookery which is the largest mainland rookery for northern elephant seals “That’s why we’re here because we wanted to see the pups,” said Darren Ensign Friends of the Elephant Seal says the massive waves that struck over the weekend did not affect the new seal pups another seal pup was born Monday morning at a more vulnerable location on the north part of the beach “It’s pretty cool seeing the pups and the new ones coming in The mothers are really protective of them,” Ensign said Moms will nurse their pups for about four weeks before mating again and returning to sea “You can tell the mothers are just in love with their pups,” Rochell said Pupping season for the northern elephant seals is expected to continue through February Piedras Blancas Light Station Outstanding Natural Area is part of the California Coastal National Monument Located on a rugged windswept point of land six miles north of Hearst Castle along California's scenic Highway One the Lighthouse was first illuminated in 1875 and today beckons the visitor for respite from the modern world The Light Station is named for the distinctive white rocks that loom just offshore These rocks and the rugged shoreline are home to seabirds Over 70 native plant species can be found on the 19 acres surrounding the Light Station The BLM manages the Piedras Blancas Light Station as a historic park and wildlife sanctuary Access to Piedras Blancas is by guided tours only Click on the titles and corresponding numbers below the map for interesting facts about the light station and 360 degree photos Click here to explore a 360 degree image from the top of the lighthouse. Click here to explore a 360 degree image of the buildings. Fog Signal Building and WatchroomThe fog signal building served as an engine room for the various sound mechanisms that the lighthouse keepers used to communicate with mariners and each light station had a unique fog signal The watch room served as a workshop and office for the keeper and also functioned as the main support building for maintaining the fog signal’s many mechanisms the fuel oil building was used to store kerosene that powered the engines in the Fog Signal Building Click here to explore a 360 degree image of the Whale Stop. A variety of whales migrate north and south past Piedras Blancas while others are just passing by on their journey Though grey whales and humpback whales are the most commonly seen the largest animal ever to exist on the planet these extraordinary animals are still mammals and must come to the surface of the water to breath air Watch for the heart shaped spouts in the distance Click here to explore a 360 degree image of the former wharf and elephant seal beach. WharfThe wharf was as a delivery location for the United States Lighthouse Service to deliver fuel building supplies and other necessities for the light station The large ships that  supplied the Pacific Coast lighthouses anchored off shore while smaller tenders brought the crates and barrels to the wharf Elephant SealsLooking at the beach to the left Elephant seals occupy these beaches for weeks at a time during critical life experiences like birthing Click here to explore a 360 degree image of the Historic District. their families and assistants lived together in a Victorian duplex the footprint of the duplex can be seen across from the gift shop BLM Buildings/ Coast Guard HousingBuilt in 1960 by the U.S Coast Guard to replace to original Victorian duplex and Keeper’s Cottage these are now used as office space and housing for interns and visiting wildlife researchers The site’s human history begins with native groups of Chumash and Salinan people harvesting sea life and other resources from the area the land came under a Mexican land grant and was managed as a rancho the land became a light station managed by the U.S Lighthouse Service to serve as a navigational aid for sailors traveling along the coast Earthquakes over the years had caused damage to the lighthouse An earthquake on the last day of 1948 resulted in the upper part of the Lighthouse being declared structurally unsound and lantern) were removed.           all light stations came under the management of the U.S As technology in maritime navigation improved the light station became automated in 1975 Management was transitioned to the Bureau of Land Management in 2001 In addition to still being a fully functioning automated light station the unique wildlife and natural features of the point make Piedras Blancas a key research location for NOAA I was lured by the promise of a peak “molt season” at one of California’s largest coastal rookeries he would hear more than he wanted about the annual shedding of skin and hair these massive pinnipeds undergo onshore We came for the elephant seals — molt season lasts until August — but stayed for the historic light station and spectacular views along the northern San Luis Obispo County coast The tab: $179 a night for an oceanfront room at Best Western Plus Cavalier in San Simeon Seven miles south of Piedras Blancas is the Best Western Plus Cavalier Oceanfront Resort [9415 Hearst Drive, San Simeon; (805) 927-4688, www.cavalierresort.com) From our balcony we saw leaping dolphins and a whale swimming just offshore Hardier travelers were bundled up to watch the sunset at the resort’s cliff-side fire pits but we chose the view from the cozy chairs next to our in-room fireplace Hands down: the locally recommended Sebastian’s [442 San Simeon Road We ordered a tri-tip sandwich and the (loaded) bacon avocado cheeseburger My Texas-born husband gobbled the Hearst Ranch “free-range grass-finished” beef and insisted on returning the next day for pulled pork and fresh fish tacos pointing out the silvery seals that had finished their molt and would swim away soon The area has treasures galore beyond famed Hearst Castle [750 Hearst Castle Road, San Simeon; (800) 444-4445, www.hearstcastle.org) From the newspaper magnate’s richly appointed bedroom far-away glimpse of our light station shrouded in the mist travel@latimes.com In San Ignacio Lagoon, Mexico, the whales are so close you could kiss them — or at least try Gorgeous scenery, abundant wildlife and friendly people: What’s not to like about the Black Hills? These 14 desert parks are the hottest destinations in the Southwest California Travel & Experiences Lifestyle Subscribe for unlimited accessSite Map Restoration work is underway at the Piedras Blancas Light Station to bring the historic landmark back to life The more historical sites that they refurbish and bring back the better,” said Anna Marie Avalos a Cambria resident who was touring the lighthouse on Thursday The Piedras Blancas Light Station Association is partnering with the Bureau of Land Management to restore the nearly 150-year-old lighthouse and stabilize the tower so it is safe for earthquakes To be able to eventually put the top back on the lighthouse it has to have that steel reinforcement,” said Ryan Cooper outside work has been done trying to figure out what’s under the tower “Our next job is to do brick-and-mortar testing to see how well they are holding up for the weather One of the windows is going to come out to see how much damage there is around it and gives us an idea of how much more we’re going to have to spend on it,” said Gary O’Neill The next step will be finding money to complete the project The estimated cost to completely restore the tower is around $10 million to $20 million “While we do have other lighthouses along our coastline this one is unique to Piedras Blancas and we’d like to keep it that way and we want to restore it back to the way that it was,” Cooper said The light station sees around 10,000 to 15,000 visitors every year That one-on-one after I’m done with the presentation and I walk around for a while to see if they have any questions,” O’Neill said “There’s a lot of pictures and artifacts and things like that We had a great docent that really gave us the history of everything and we really felt like we got the good picture of the history of the lighthouse,” Avalos said Cooper says he hopes those who visit the light station leave with a sense of what mariners experienced nearly 150 years ago “And then also the care that the Bureau of Land Management and our volunteers and the Piedras Blancas Light Station Association the pride that they take in this location and keeping it up and letting it be available to the public for generations to come,” Cooper said There is no timeline for when the restoration is expected to be complete unless funding is secured. For more information on where you can donate, click here This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page A proposed new California State Parks cabin and campground project on the Central Coast is in the works The site is located seven miles north of San Simeon State Parks wants to develop the project to provide more low-cost options for visitors but the plan isn’t unanimously embraced by locals Just north of the Piedras Blancas Lighthouse is a shuttered 1950s-era roadside motel with two beaches and a long stretch of shoreline A land conservancy group bought the property in 2005 and gave it to State Parks the rest of the property is open to the public for parking and beach access the California Legislature passed a law in 2001 calling for completion of the California Coastal Trail The trail - the coastal equivalent to the Pacific Crest Trail - will someday stretch 1200 miles from Oregon to Mexico Today about half of the trail is completed State Parks envisions a portion of the coastal trail to traverse its property with the old motel And it plans to build a variety of accommodations there to host hikers.  “It is a great opportunity for them to experience beautiful northern San Luis Obispo County all the way up to a motel," said State Parks District Superintendent Dan Falat who serves as the project manager for the Piedras Blancas Cabin and Camping Project and building 29 campsites and 14 cabins on four of the property’s 25 acres And a new segment of the California Coastal Trail would snake along the property's bluffs This week the public comment period ended for the latest planning phase of the campground project Falat says some people are strongly in favor of the proposal and the rest have mixed opinions about the project’s different components “As you are coming south from Big Sur or going north into Big Sur The highway was moved inland because of erosion It's the last spot in southern Central California that hasn’t been developed We don’t need to develop every inch," Moss said adding he and others worry about protecting migrating birds and endangered species and maintaining the locale’s iconic viewshed “I’ve seen other examples up on the coast.. when access is increased the areas get trammeled I know that there are other properties State Parks owns in the area if they need to expand the campgrounds that are not within the viewshed certainly not on the west side of Highway 1," Moss said But Falat says it’s important for State Parks to welcome visitors to the natural resources on the coastline especially so children can grow up with an appreciation for conservation as a result.  “Part of our mission is recreation and providing high quality opportunities for recreation - and still balancing those natural resources and just the general impact of the area and right now we are just in the planning effort of that,” Falat said State Parks staff said public comments on the project’s initial environmental study will be incorporated and the revised study recirculated the next step is going through the coastal development permit process is all the preplanning necessary to get to a point where State Parks can start finding the money to pay for the project So it could be years before the little roadside motel near Piedras Blancas once again welcomes visitors to the Central Coast.  KCBX's Greta Mart contributed to this story The Piedras Blancas Lighthouse has been standing tall on San Simeon’s coastline for nearly 150 years Ryan Cooper is with the Bureau of Land Management We met at Piedras Blancas back in November It was a bright sunny day in San Simeon with the lighthouse towering over us He was showing me around when he pointed at large rocks sitting in the ocean water “...And that's right now covered in thousands of birds and there's some sea lions on the bottom,” Cooper said Cooper said the lighthouse was built in 1875 to help mariners navigate the coast “They didn't have all the electronics and the technology that we have today,” Cooper said But the lighthouse isn’t used for navigation anymore What was once a helpful piece of machinery The Piedras Blancas Lighthouse is not preserved exactly how it was in 1875 under protection of SLO County’s Coast Guard and the Cambria Lion’s Club The cast iron and the glass that's all been beautifully ground down It's worth a look to go check it out,” Cooper said The lens used to sit unprotected and out in the open Now it sits in its own room called the Lens Lantern Room a window enclosure placed around the lens to protect it from weather and vandalism Recently the enclosure was inspected by a local engineer He has engineered some of the Central Coast’s most iconic landmarks In his engineers report he declared the Lens Lantern Room to be quote “in a state of severe deterioration,” unquote Elster said the room that’s meant to protect it is deteriorating so rapidly it's in danger of collapsing on the historical lens The Lens Lantern Room is nearly 30 years old and made of light gauge tube steel Elster said this means it's not fully weather resistant “So essentially the enclosure is believed to be sitting on the concrete slab without any resistance to sliding or overturning that maybe generated from seismic or high wind events,” Elster said Elster said erosion is building throughout the structure particularly in the base because of heavy rain And after the Central Coast was hit by a series of atmospheric rivers one of the panels on top of the enclosure flew off due to high winds He said the enclosure will continue to fall apart and possibly collapse on the lens if we continue to do nothing about it Elster said there are different ways to handle this problem We can either ignore the damage and let it collapse on the lens or send it into an environment that provides safety And another option is to hide it under plywood but you take away the public's ability to observe the lens,” Elster said.  He said these options probably wouldn’t sit right with Central Coast locals since they include getting rid of it because the Coast Guard is responsible for looking after the lens Elster said there is not too much he can do For now he is attempting to reconstruct another enclosure to give the Coast Guard time to figure out what to do with the lens “The Coast Guard has been really clear that they want the enclosure to be remediated or upgraded such that it provides a museum quality environment for the lens which would include not just structural stability but humidity and temperature control UV protection from sunlight,” Elster said It may sound silly freaking out over what to do with an old lighthouse lens Scott Addis is with the Cambria Lion’s Club They are helping the Coast Guard look after the lens “The lens was actually crafted back and you know 1784 so came from Paris France and it is one of the largest of the series of fresnel lenses that were ever placed in lighthouses around the country,” Addis said they see a history with stories of mariners Ryan Cooper from BLM said the lighthouse itself is a pretty special place right in our own backyard “We get so many first time visitors out here and I think people don't realize how neat it is but just being out here on the point where there's really no human disruption,” Cooper said To schedule a tour and learn more about the history of the Piedras Blancas Lighthouse visit piedrasblancas.org The original lens sits in the Lens Lantern Room on Cambria’s Main Street The "white rocks" of Piedra Blanca are huge sandstone formations located in the Sespe Wilderness in Southern California rising from chaparral and pines to create an alien landscape dotted with caves and the (hidden) rock art by the native Chumash tribes indicates that this is an ancient Piedra Blanca is about 2 miles from the Piedra Blanca Trailhead It can be very hot on the white reflective rocks Piedra Blanca is near the Sespe River trail This balancing rock is one of Utah's most unusual geological formations These modest Midwestern formations are kin to Niagara Falls' impressive cliffs Take a hike to this unique rock formation formed by lava flows This granite rock face is named for the magnificent reflection that occurs when the sun hits it just right This stone throne invites adventurers to observe breathtaking views of the Peak District This lone tree and dramatic sandstone outcropping are so beloved by Michiganders they can be found on one of the state’s coins A striking geological formation in Southern California High tides and intense rainstorms in California have washed away a high number of newborn elephant seals from the Piedras Blancas Rookery The atmospheric rivers that doused California didn’t just affect people and property — they also poured down on the elephant seals that come ashore on Central Coast beaches Winter is the seals’ season for giving birth Some pups were washed away during high tides this month Heather Liwanag and her team of undergraduate and graduate students at Cal Poly are keeping track So we have a general idea of at least within each beach what the fluctuation is in terms of pups Including when we do see dead and abandoned pups as well,” Liwanag said So right about now is probably peak pupping Liwanag said waves washed sand off beaches during this month’s storm reducing the amount of beach available for seal mothers and their pups they may go to other beaches to find a safe place “The females left due to that [January] storm and I don't think we had as much pup loss as just relocation But also some females have started coming back and now we've had pupping there So it's possible they've just been moving when it really washes out they just pick a different beach,” she said Every pup lost means a mother without a pup to care for the elephant seals as a species are doing well Liwanag said these storm losses probably won’t keep the seals from continuing to succeed on the Central Coast the northern elephant seals are doing quite well They're a really great example of conservation success and hopefully that buffers them a lot from some of the issues that we are seeing Because I do expect to see more storms in more King Tides with climate change,” Liwanag said Central Coast seal-watchers may encounter subdominant bulls on other local beaches especially at Hearst Memorial Beach in San Simeon as they are recovering from battles on the breeding beaches to feed and grow bigger for next year’s breeding season Highway 1 is open as far as the elephant seal viewpoint near San Simeon though it’s closed north of that spot as CalTrans repairs the highway through Big Sur after major storm damage More information on the Central Coast’s elephant seals is online at elephantseal.org ← → scientists are documenting the inexorable melting of South America’s glaciers and ice fields with Andean glaciers thinning by nearly three feet a year since 2000 The loss of ice poses a threat to water supplies and agriculture from Bolivia to Chile tens of thousands of pilgrims gather at one of Peru’s most sacred glaciers — the Colquepunco located at the heart of the Cordillera Vilcanota pilgrims from all walks of life come to join the Quyllurit’i — a festival mixing Catholic and local indigenous rituals and ceremonies which legend holds is inhabited by a divine spirit The most sacred part of the ceremony involves men dressed as mythical half-man who cut large blocks of ice from the glacier and strap them to their backs is thought to hold supernatural healing powers — down to the valley a French glaciologist who has spent more than 20 years studying Andean glaciers has joined three of these celebrations in his lifetime the ritual had changed by the last time he went “I expected them to take the ice from the glacier to bring it down on their backs,” he recalled and they said: ‘We saw that the glacier had retreated So we don’t want to cause it any more harm by removing more of its ice.’ ” Glaciers are vital resources for communities in and around the Andes and hydroelectric power — especially in arid regions and during periods of drought “The disappearance of glaciers will have an impact on the cities and people who do agriculture more broadly,” says Francou As Himalayan glaciers melt, two towns face the fallout. Read more information regarding the speed and quantity of Andean ice loss was generally restricted to more easily accessible sites with scientists manually planting stakes in glaciers and recording changes in their mass over the years But the recent satellite studies have greatly expanded scientists’ ability to track melting glaciers in the Andes and around the globe Berthier and his team were able to obtain data covering most sub-regions of Andean glaciers giving the researchers a more accurate picture of the pace of glacial retreat and enabling them to better forecast how quickly glaciers will recede in the future What the new data shows is that while Andean glaciers overall are receding they are doing so at varying rates in different regions a small number of glaciers are actually expanding or holding steady says Seehaus — though these account for only 1.3 percent of the glaciers studied Andean glaciers — from the small icy regions of Colombia and Venezuela in the north all the way to Patagonia’s glaciated expanses in the south — are rapidly shrinking The south Patagonian ice fields are the fastest-melting on the continent, thinning by an average of nearly 3.3 feet a year, according to Berthier’s study. Together with the northern Patagonian ice fields, these regions account for 83 percent of all ice loss in South America is that the low-altitude glaciers of Patagonia make them particularly vulnerable to rising air temperatures has spent his whole life in the small northern Patagonian town of Futaleufu in Chile The Futaleufu River flows from Argentina through the town and empties into long The river is surrounded by nature reserves and mountains and is fed by Andean glacial snow melt from lakes in Argentina and Chile Reyes says the signs of glacial retreat are hard to miss “We go up to see the glaciers because we like to hike and we’ve noticed the difference from when we were kids,” he recounts “There are areas of ice that have retreated around 5 kilometers.” He adds that rivers preventing locals from fishing in some areas the rapidly receding glaciers are not severely affecting the community Patagonia’s gargantuan glaciers contain large quantities of ice and it usually rains year-round so water is an abundant resource — for now But the question on the minds of some of Futaleufu’s nearly 3,000 inhabitants is this: For how long “All the rain and snow that comes during winter melts before spring begins,” explains Reyes “During the summer we subsist with the [glacial] reserve but I don’t know how much longer this will last.” highly populated cities that depend on water from neighboring glaciers during summer — such as La Paz The speed of ice loss may not be as dramatic as in Patagonia but the sheer number of people who depend on glacial water to drink and grow crops suggests the impact will be severe regions surrounded by vast glaciers will actually experience an increase in water availability as glaciers melt and the water descends into rivers and lakes Andes residents also are concerned about the impact of glacial retreat on tourism an important source of income in some regions owner of an adventure tourism agency and hostel has lived in Huaraz for 16 years and says receding glaciers are causing ice fields to develop large crevasses that make mountaineering expeditions too dangerous Tourists still flood into Huaraz every year and water availability is not yet an issue “I know the glaciers are melting and I know that will be a problem in the future,” says Juarez Reyes is skeptical that anything can be done to address the melting glaciers In Greenland’s melting ice, a warning on hard climate choices. Read more Some indigenous groups are so worried that they have turned to their most sacred cultural symbols for support and other objects they deem sacred to the glaciers “With the retreat of glaciers happening right now the Andes people ask the mountains for help,” Francou adds 2020: An earlier version of this article incorrectly identified the location of the Colquepunco glacier in Peru The glacier is located in the Cordillera Vilcanota Jonathan Moens is a freelance journalist based in New York. He writes about climate change, health, and the intersection between the two. His work has appeared in Atlas Obscura and Scienceline. More about Jonathan Moens → Never miss an article. Subscribe to the E360 Newsletter → inspiration and education of the people of California by helping to preserve the state's extraordinary biological diversity protecting its most valued natural and cultural resources and creating opportunities for high-quality outdoor recreation California State Parks continues to address interpretive programs and exhibits in California’s State Park System that fall short of fully contextualizing the state’s history The department is working with Native American Tribal Nations and the public to ensure that educational programs and exhibits support public educational standards and are grounded in contemporary research methodology Our new reservation system improves service delivery to our visitors online and in our park units You’ll be able to explore California’s outdoor recreational opportunities in a more modern way via interactive maps and other online tools Are you a frequent visitor to a favorite state park or love to sample the beauty of the state from north to south A California State Parks Annual Pass may be for you Our Annual Passes offer something for everyone Please visit our passes page for additional information this site sells California State Parks passes We have an easier way to Find a Park by simply choosing the first letter of the name by a region within the State or by a specific city Stay up to date on the latest news and announcements from California State Parks Making sure that everyone - including visitors with disabilities - has access to the natural and cultural wonders that make up California State Parks Sign up to receive the latest State Parks news directly to your email Have a question? Use the Contact Us Page. © Copyright document.write(new Date().getFullYear()); San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s deputies and State Park rangers discovered an abandoned panga boat Sunday morning near the Piedras Blancas Lighthouse outside of San Simeon The deputies and rangers discovered the abandoned boat in a remote cove north of the lighthouse around 9:30 a.m Evidence at the scene indicated that people had carried cargo from the boat away from the beach several panga boats have beached along the Central Coast including three in 2012 that landed near the lighthouse Some of the pangas that have arrived on the Central Coast carried more than $1 million worth of marijuana Sheriff’s detectives are currently investigating Sunday’s incident with help from the State Park Rangers and the U.S The comments below represent the opinion of the writer and do not represent the views or policies of CalCoastNews.com.  Please address the Policies, events and arguments, not the person. Constructive debate is good; mockery, taunting, and name calling is not.   Comment Guidelines NOT so it can be taxed but because Almost every one of you has recited the pledge of allegiance and the last line is supposed to mean something A brand new commercial for AMERICAN STANDARD just hit the airwaves And within the commercial is a clip of pin up girl JEANNE CARMEN in THE MONSTER OF PIEDRAS BLANCAS http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jeF2Vd6EhA4 Must be why I keep hearing machine gun fire and other types of gun battles in the middle of the night We have a huge drug problem here that nobody talks about and plenty of “shady characters” to carry it out Start looking deeper into the recent murder and other matters and you will begin to open the can of worms… Turn off your television before you go to bed what’s wrong with “Price is Right” It’s comforting to know that our coastline is well protected from the threat of foreign invaders It’s embarrassing that you would equate a small boat coming ashore with a equivalent of deserter bush weakening our status in the world People will believe almost anything if the right “officials” tell them it is so Although the prior findings of these boats has evidenced the transporting of drugs there is nothing in this story (or on KSBY) that says this particular boat had drugs oin it at one time Here is food for thought: what if terrorist used this method to get to our shores to do us great harm i don’t think they need to go to that much work That’s why they’re recording our every phone call Maybe that is ploy of law enforcement: keep drugs illegal in order to keep the price high so that people choose smuggling drugs over smuggling harmful things maybe the Monster from Piedras Blancas could be hired for enforcement i’ll have a pound of liver and two of bacon was going to Roku this afternoon but i think we are watching this it put these MULTI MILLIONAIRES out of business but you don’t even know what “it” was The boat could have been carrying cocaine So I’m guessing you are OK with legalizing all of those Do you really think these multi millionaires will let the legalization of one product put them out of business they will simply move on to other products   Editor Bill Loving Reporter Karen Velie, (805) 234-1703 Reporter Josh Friedman Founder Daniel Blackburn Tip Your Team tips@calcoastnews.com Advertise ads@calcoastnews.com Moderator moderator@calcoastnews.com Site Issues admin@calcoastnews.com You are viewing ARCHIVED content published online before January 20, 2025. Please note that this content is NOT UPDATED, and links may not work. Additionally, any previously issued diversity, equity, inclusion or gender-related guidance on this webpage should be considered rescinded. For current information, visit https://www.doi.gov/news/newsroom There are few landscapes as picturesque as a lighthouse along a rocky coast This iconic view conjures up quaint coastal towns and peaceful afternoons along the shore which encourages the preservation of these historic structures let’s take a tour of some of the spectacular lighthouses on public lands.  Lighthouses were built to help sailors safely navigate the waters. Today, many lighthouses, such as the Piedras Blancas Light Station serve as historic parks and wildlife sanctuaries.  These rocks and the rugged shoreline are home to seabirds Over 70 native plant species can be found on the 19 acres surrounding the Light Station.  From exploring tide pools teeming with life to witnessing Oregon’s tallest lighthouse, there is something for every visitor at Yaquina Head. Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area extends out from the Oregon coast — one mile into the Pacific Ocean.   Standing 93 feet tall at the westernmost point of the basalt headland the Yaquina Head Lighthouse has been a bright beacon of the night guiding ships and their supplies along the west coast since the light was first lit in 1873.  The Apostle Islands National Lakeshore in Wisconsin contains one of the largest collections of lighthouses in the country.   The "Showplace of the Apostle Islands" is the Raspberry Island Lighthouse. In operation since 1863 the Raspberry Island Lighthouse is the most readily accessible of the Apostle Island light stations rangers conduct tours of the historic tower the island is a popular destination for skilled sea kayakers and private boaters who are prepared for the challenges of Lake Superior.  Unlike any other place on Lake Superior, Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore in Michigan offers the opportunity to explore miles of pristine beaches view towering sandstone cliffs and experience the serenity of northern woodlands.  The Au Sable Light Station stands on Au Sable Point on the south shore of Lake Superior approximately 12 miles west of Grand Marais The Bass Harbor Head Light Station is in Tremont marking the entrance to Bass Harbor and Blue Hill Bay on the southwest corner of Mount Desert Island.   Of the nearly 80 lighthouses in Maine, few are accessible by vehicle. Acadia National Park manages three lighthouses within the park. Bass Harbor Head Light Station is the only one readily accessible to visitors by vehicle you'd probably rather be in America's great outdoors right now But don't let being stuck behind a desk stop you Your browser is not supported for this experience.We recommend using Chrome From Hearst Castle and the Piedras Blancas Elephant Seal Rookery to the rugged beaches and the Piedras Blancas Light Station, San Simeon is full of things to do Stretching from San Francisco to San Simeon and Cambria the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary is one of our nation’s largest sanctuaries encompassing more than 6,094 square miles of federally protected marine habitat traverse tide pools and be on the lookout for whales San Simeon Creek Campground and Washburn Primitive Campground explore diverse terrain that ranges from serene coastal vistas to stately pine forests rugged beaches to stroll and the iconic Piedras Blancas Light Station to visit San Simeon is a breath of fresh air.  Located just off picturesque Highway 1 in The Land of SLO CAL and escape with a rejuvenating visit to San Simeon expect a gorgeous oceanfront view along with a memorable meal 2025 Official Visit SLO CAL Visitors Magazine Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker Deputy Secretary Wayne Ogle and Director Erin McKittrick will all retain their seats West Homer Elementary students last month had their third annual tour to the Homer Senior Center which spans from Anchor Point to Baycrest Hill An abandoned panga boat was found on a beach approximately four miles north of the Piedras Blancas Light Station on Thursday a California Parks ranger driving on Highway 1 noticed a break in the fence line he discovered a panga boat beached on the sand based on the evidence they found at the scene such as articles of clothing that the boat may have been transporting both people and narcotics The latest panga is the third discovered in San Luis Obispo County this year and the 13 since early 2012 I’ve noticed that in all the photos of these landings standing around looking at the boats and obviously shooting the breeze Gotta get me a government job in my next life I like the satisfaction of actually working hard fearing that they would make there way back for another trip me while theres got to be a BUNCH of nice outboards in storage somewhere probably end up on the auction block sometime Someone in DC needs to sit down with the leaders of all of the relevant nations to our south and see if we can’t work together to shut this trend down I read today that there have been increased incidents of members of the Mexican military crossing our border and firing on American citizens Two units from the US border patrol were fired on from a Mexican Helicopter last week The suspicion is that the Mexican military is doing this to occupy the time and attention of our Border patrol to clear a path for the drug cartels The US border patrol union has petitioned the white house to make it clear to Mexico that this will not be tolerated Every boat that brings a load of Pot to our shores also brings a few bad guy’s along with it This is an on going quiet invasion…no doubt about it I guess we’re just lucky that we don’t have ships off shore sending boat load after boat load to land here similar to what’s happening in South Texas currently being overwhelmed by unaccompanied minors from Central America Meanwhile, this story, http://lasvegas.cbslocal.com/2014/06/27/report-mexican-military-chopper-crosses-into-us-shoots-at-border-agents/ I’ve noticed that the whimpy national news has started reporting only that shots were fired The local sources say that shots were fired at the Border Patrol The Mexican army probably thought the BP agents were their drug smugglers Can you imagine the outrage if our agents had fired at the Mexican army in Mexico We don’t need the ships to unload them in California Our Commander and Chief is going to send them first class Escondido and El Centro will be getting the first wave of these illegals They are going to cost this state a bucket of money as they are minors and will all need assistance counseling for what they endured at the hand of the smugglers who were paid to bring them here as it will create a whole new level of government employment Turn the plane around and send them back to their native land these kids need to go home not to child protective services What kind of people would send these little kids on these ventures should fetch a pretty good bid at the auction I’d check the Sat Data to which ships were in the shipping lane I suspect big ship off loading what ever then a short run to the beach So much for the $342,813 that the County supervisors approved for a “27-foot Defender Class response boat so the department can tow drug-smuggling panga boats from the coastline once they’ve beached” http://www.sanluisobispo.com/2014/04/22/3032214/sheriff-boat-drug-smugglers-funding.html#storylink=cpy Did the response boat arrived in time for the tow job Doesn’t sound like they found any drugs on the Panga so it was obviously offloaded Sounds like the coast is every bit as porous as Sheriff Parkinson’s jail where heroin is being snuck under the bars Sounds like we’ve got some additional productive and industrious residents – soon to be citizens – here in California  I love the technological advancements we currently have and I love the giant steps we are making for social injustices but I do wish I had lived during the drive-in era  Watching all those copy cat invasion films One of the hundreds of monster I had always heard about but never had the opportunity to watch is the 1959 film Monster of Piedras Blancas  The film was released by Olive Films sometime ago on blu  I requested a review copy and was told I would get it but when it failed to show I broke down and bought a copy just because I had always wanted to check it out **Spoiler Alert**The film follows a sleepy coastal town that is now plagued with a series of murders  One of the locals believes that it is the legend of the monster of Piedras Blancas which involves a murderous sea creature that inhabited the land before it was settled  When he is murdered the locals start investigating and learn that the monster is real and the lighthouse caretaker had been keeping him at bay with meat scraps  When he failed to feed the beast it goes on a bloody rampage killing everyone it comes in contact with I wasn’t expecting a lot from the film but I was looking forward to some cheesy monster fun the film delivers on the cheese and camp I was looking for but it was a bit of a slow burn The acting for this one is very out of place at times and over sold at others  I felt like I was watching a film consisting of a cast made up of 80s professional wrestlers  They over sold certain scenes and underplayed the important ones  I would honestly say this was due to direction but it only added to the monster movie charm  The film doesn’t try to stand out from the crowd but deliver the same monster movie tale told over and over again with a new monster  The creature feature was in full effect by 1959 and they only wanted to cash in on the fad  The story does get stale at times but the overall all delivery is still entertaining the film is not a bloody bath most would expect from a monster movie  The creature looks horrible but that is what makes this film so much fun  We do get a death scene here and there but they are boring for the most part with very cheap effects Monster of Piedras Blancas is a drive-in classic  If you can’t watch the movie in a drive-in setting then it is perfect to watch with friends with some booze and maybe a fully packed bongs (Staff Writer) Lover of all things horror and metal © Horror Society - Your Voice For Indie Horror