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Dear Big Sur,

After 25 years with the Big Sur Chamber of Commerce I have submitted my resignation as Executive Director and my resignation from the Big Sur Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors.

What started last century to bring the chamber of commerce into the digital age started in a converted chicken coup with a leaky roof, heated by a wood burning stove on Partington Ridge. Like everyone at the time we used a dial up modem over a copper phone line using an AOL connection with a roaring 56 kbps.

I leave the chamber of commerce website ranked at #1 in a Google search for Big Sur where I’ve had it pegged since the 1990’s. At one time I had 7 out of the top 10 websites ranked in the Google listing for Big Sur in my catalog. The catalog included in the Big Sur area, Big Sur Chamber of Commerce, Big Sur Internet, Big Sur Lodge, Big Sur River Inn, Deetjen’s Big Sur Inn, Fernwood Resort, Post Ranch Inn + Terra Mar, Red Barn Studios (Al Jardine’s recording studio), Roadhouse, Ventana Wildlife Society, Ventana Campground, Big Sur Coast Properties, John Saar Real Estate, Jerry Schiff, Redwood Grill and Big Sur Coast Foods… It has been my honor to help all of these businesses.

Throughout my time I produced the Big Sur Guide annually. This included a dominant amount of the photography, layout on my computer, getting it print ready, as well as  receiving and stacking them with a group of volunteers in the shed behind the Ranger Station. Over the course of more than two decades I produced more than four million copies of the Big Sur Guide that were distributed throughout the businesses along the coast and to visitor centers like Hearst Castle, San Simeon Visitor Center as well as to hotel concierges on the Monterey Peninsula. And of course, many Big Sur Guides were sent through the mail throughout the United States and to many foreign countries to people who were planning their vacations in Big Sur.

During my time with the chamber we’ve been through a few public disasters together to say the least. I’ve had the honor of and did my best to get accurate information out to the community and the world at large using our website and three public facing social media accounts including Facebook, Twitter, and a WordPress blog.

The major public disaster events include plenty of El Nino winter highway closures, the 2008 Basin Complex Fire, 2013 Pfeiffer Fire, 2016 Soberanes Fire,  2017 Pfeiffer Canyon Bridge failure,  2019 Mud Creek slide, 2020 Dolan Fire, and the 2022 Palo Colorado Fire. And finally, the multitude of mudslides in 2023 including Paul’s Slide which is still ongoing.

Throughout these events I’ve had the pleasure of working directly with the fine people at Big Sur Fire, Big Sur Health Center, Caltrans, US Forest Service, State Parks, CHP, and many people in the community to gather and distribute the most current and accurate information possible to enhance the public safety.

I wish everyone well and will be personally moving on effective December 31st. Happy New Year!

Good luck to everyone and thanks for the memories.

Sincerely,
Stan Russell

The photo shows my yellow mailbox, 3rd from the left (Bob Nash’s old mailbox) at the Partington Ridge maildrop where this all began.

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NEWS RELEASE
For Immediate Release
December 20, 2023
Media Contact: Andrew Madsen
(805) 895-0841
andrew.madsen
www.facebook.com/lpnf
Twitter: @LosPadresNF

Fire restrictions lifted on Los Padres National Forest

SOLVANG, Calif.— The recent rainfall across Los Padres National Forest has provided sufficient moisture to reduce fire restrictions on the forest effective immediately.

Under the reduced fire restrictions, campfires and charcoal barbeques will be allowed in all areas of the Forest. A California Campfire Permit is required to build a campfire outside of a designated Campfire Use Site. California Campfire Permits are available for free download from the Forest website (http://www.fs.usda.gov/lpnf). A list of Campfire Use Sites is available at all Forest offices.

Visitors who construct wood or charcoal fires outside of designated Campfire Use Sites also must clear all flammable material for a minimum of five feet in all directions; have a shovel available for preparing and extinguishing the fire; have a responsible person in attendance at all times; and extinguish the fire with water, using the “drown, stir and feel” method.

The following restrictions will remain in effect:

• Spark arresters are required on all off-highway vehicles, chainsaws, and other internal combustion engines and equipment.
• A permit is required for all welding, grinding, cutting, or use of explosives.
• Tracer ammunition is prohibited at all times.
• Fireworks are always prohibited in Los Padres National Forest.
• Recreational target shooting is prohibited in all areas of Los Padres National Forest except for the Winchester Canyon Gun Club and the Ojai Valley Gun Club that operate under special use permits.
• Campfires are always prohibited on National Forest System lands in the Santa Barbara Front Country from Gaviota to the Santa Barbara/Ventura County line.

Visitors are encouraged to call the Forest Supervisor’s Office or the local Ranger Station for more information on conditions and restrictions.
For additional information, please visit the Forest website at https://www.fs.usda.gov/main/lpnf/.

PDF of Press Release

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Stan Russell
Big Sur Chamber of Commerce
PO Box 87
Big Sur, CA 93920
(831) 667-2100
http://www.bigsurcalifornia.org
https://blogbigsur.wordpress.com/
http://www.twitter.com/BigSurCC
https://www.facebook.com/BigSurInformation

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Big Sur, CA – Conditions and weather permitting, CAL FIRE plans to conduct a broadcast burn at Andrew Molera State Park in Monterey County on December 13th, 2023. The project aims to restore the Coastal Prairie Plant Community in Andrew Molera State Park that has diminished due to competition from non-native grasses, encroachment by scrub, and lack of frequent, low intensity fires. The reintroduction of fire to the landscape also has the potential to enhance fire safety by reducing high fuel density. This prescribed fire project was planned as part of broader strategic efforts to protect the local community and nearby natural resources. These plans are informed by community and local stakeholder input and serve as a collaborative effort with various cooperators throughout the project. This project adds to significant work underway throughout the state. It brings California closer to meeting or exceeding state fuel reduction goals directed by the California Fire Plan and the California Wildfire and Forest Resilience Action Plan. Each operation follows a specialized burn plan, which considers temperature, humidity, wind, moisture of the vegetation, and conditions for the dispersal of smoke. All this information is used to decide when and where to burn. Smoke from prescribed fire operations is normal and may continue for several days after ignition, depending on the project size, conditions, and weather. Prescribed fire smoke is generally less intense and of much shorter duration than smoke produced by wildland fires. Smoke from this control burn will be visible from the Monterey Peninsula and surrounding cities. Weather conditions will be monitored, and burn may be postponed if burning conditions are found to be unfavorable. CAL FIRE is in close consultation with the National Weather Service’s Monterey Office and Monterey Bay Air Resources District to ensure that the burn takes place in appropriate weather conditions; the project may be postponed if conditions are not conducive to a safe burn. To track the progress being made, both in your community and throughout California, please visit the CAL FIRE fuels reduction dashboard at https://www.fire.ca.gov/what-we- do/natural-resource- management/fuels-reduction and help share important preventing and preparedness information with your neighbors at readyforwildfire.org To be added to the Prescribed Fire Notification list, Send a request to BEU.ResourceManagement or scan the QR code. For additional information on preparing for and preventing wildfires, visit www.ReadyForWildfire.org. Download PDF of this Press Release

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Date: Friday, December 8, 2023
District: 05 – Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, Monterey, San Benito, and Santa Cruz Counties
Contact: Kevin Drabinski or Jim Shivers
Phone: (805) 549-3138 or (805) 549-3237

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

UPDATE #52
ESTIMATED REOPENING OF HIGHWAY 1 AT PAUL’S SLIDE SET FOR LATE SPRING 2024

MONTEREY/SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTIES – Caltrans today announced an estimated date for a full reopening of Highway 1 at Paul’s Slide of late spring 2024.

This estimated reopening is based on multiple months of work still needed to complete repairs at the site.

Tasks that still remain include:

• The continued grading and contouring of the face of the slide to enhance stability of the slope.
• Continued delivery of fill material to the south end of the repair to support the new alignment of the road which will be elevated as much as 60 feet and slightly inland from its previous course. This new alignment also provides for an expanded catchment area on the inland side intended to keep future slide materials away from the roadway.
• Installation of a series of new culverts to convey water and debris under the roadway.
• Final surveys and paving of the road.
• Installation of protective rockfall barriers on the northbound side and guardrail in the southbound direction.

While Caltrans has confidence in the duration of the work necessary to complete the repairs, there is less certainty about how winter rains will affect this timetable.

Depending on the intensity and duration of a rain event, a single day of rain may delay production for multiple days. Production may be stopped to prepare the site in advance of forecasted rain. Once the rain event is over, resumption of production may be delayed due to saturation of the ground, or any damage caused by slide activity brought on by the rain.

Highway 1 remains closed to vehicle, bicycle, and pedestrian traffic for 1.5 miles, between Limekiln State Park to the south, and .6 miles south of the town of Lucia to the north.

Crews will continue to work seven days a week toward reopening of a road which the public can travel upon safely by late spring next year. Crews will continue to work in a manner which prioritize the safe working conditions of construction and maintenance crews.

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Press Release Contact: Big Sur Fire Administration – info, (831) 667-2113 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: December 1st, 2023 Monterey, CA – The burn permit suspension in Monterey and San Benito Counties will be TENTATIVELY lifted on Monday December 4th, 2023. BURN PERMITS WILL BE REQUIRED. Big Sur Fire no longer issues burn permits. All burn permits will be issued using the State of California-Department of Forestry (CalFire) burn permit system by visiting burnpermit.fire.ca.gov. Each day you wish to burn, you must verify it is a permissive burn day by calling 1-800-225-BURN and notify Big Sur Fire of your burn using our online form at bigsurfire.org/residential-burn-reporting. Always use caution when pile burning, follow all guidelines provided, and maintain control of your fire at all times. Individuals can be held civilly and/or criminally liable for allowing a fire to escape their control and/or burn onto neighboring property. Pile Burning Requirements Only dry, natural vegetative material such as tree trimmings may be burned. The burning of trash, painted wood, garbage, or other debris is not allowed. Do NOT burn on windy days. Piles should be no larger than four feet in diameter and four feet in height. You can add to the pile as it burns down. Clear a 10-foot diameter perimeter down to bare soil around your piles. Have a shovel and a water source nearby. An adult is required to be in attendance at the fire at all times. Safe residential pile burning of forest residue by landowners is an important tool in reducing fire hazards. State, Federal, and Local land management and fire agencies will also be utilizing this same window of opportunity to conduct prescribed burns aimed at improving forest health on private and public lands. For more information on pile burning, please visit the Big Sur Fire website at www.bigsurfire.org or call (831) 667-2113 Thank you for your adherence to these regulations and have a safe burn when the time comes! Download PDF copy of this Press Release

Stan Russell
Big Sur Chamber of Commerce
PO Box 87
Big Sur, CA 93920
(831) 667-2100
http://www.bigsurcalifornia.org
https://blogbigsur.wordpress.com/
http://www.twitter.com/BigSurCC
https://www.facebook.com/BigSurInformation

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Stan Russell
Big Sur Chamber of Commerce
PO Box 87
Big Sur, CA 93920
(831) 667-2100
http://www.bigsurcalifornia.org
https://blogbigsur.wordpress.com/
http://www.twitter.com/BigSurCC
https://www.facebook.com/BigSurInformation

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PDF of these flyers

Stan Russell
Big Sur Chamber of Commerce
PO Box 87
Big Sur, CA 93920
(831) 667-2100
http://www.bigsurcalifornia.org
https://blogbigsur.wordpress.com/
http://www.twitter.com/BigSurCC
https://www.facebook.com/BigSurInformation

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CALTRANS
Date: Tuesday, November 14, 2023
District: 05 – Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, Monterey, San Benito, and Santa Cruz Counties
Contact: Kevin Drabinski or Jim Shivers
Phone: (805) 549-3138 (805) 549-3237

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

UPDATE #51
CREWS CONTINUE TO MOVE FILL TO SOUTH END OF PAUL’S SLIDE
TO SUPPORT NEW ELEVATION OF ROADWAY

MONTEREY/SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTIES – Crews continue to work seven days a week on repairs at Paul’s Slide on Hwy. 1 on the Big Sur coast. Highway 1 remains closed to vehicle, bicycle, and pedestrian traffic for 1.5 miles, between Limekiln State Park to the south, and .6 miles south of the town of Lucia to the north.

Crews are building up the elevation of the south end of Paul’s Slide to support what will be the new course of the roadway. The repair design calls for the highway to move slightly inland and to be elevated at the southern approach.

The repair design will also increase the catchment area on the inland side of the highway which will be separated from the roadway by concrete barriers and fencing.

Geotech and hydrological engineers have completed the drainage design for the repairs which will capture water and debris and convey it below the roadway.

Due to dynamic conditions at the repair site as well as anticipated impacts associated with inclement weather in the upcoming months, there is no estimated time for full reopening of Highway 1 at Paul’s Slide at this time.

Road information and updates can also be found on Caltrans District 5 Social Media platforms: Twitter at: @CaltransD5, Facebook at: Caltrans Central Coast (District 5) and Instagram at: Caltrans_D5.

Our crews deserve to get home safely too.
Drive slowly and carefully in work zones.

CHP Traffic Incident Information Page: http://cad.chp.ca.gov
Traveler information at: https://quickmap.dot.ca.gov/

View from atop Paul’s Slide looking south.

Crews continue to build up the elevation of the south end of Paul’s Slide for what will be the new course of the roadway.

Stan Russell
Big Sur Chamber of Commerce
PO Box 87
Big Sur, CA 93920
(831) 667-2100
http://www.bigsurcalifornia.org
https://blogbigsur.wordpress.com/
http://www.twitter.com/BigSurCC
https://www.facebook.com/BigSurInformation