Paso Robles year in review for 2023

Posted: 7:57 am, December 30, 2023 by Editor Skye Pratt

– This year was another challenging one for many, but Paso Robles once again proved resilient as a community. As we look towards the year ahead, I hope that we can continue to rebound as we move further away from the worst of the pandemic and the far-reaching impacts it had on us all.

Here is my selection of the biggest and most influential news stories in Paso Robles from 2023:

Kyle Doan has been missing since January when storm waters washed him downstream.

Weather-related havoc started off the year

Kyle Doan goes missing in storms

On Jan. 9 of 2023, 5-year-old Kyle Doan was swept away in flood waters in San Marcos Creek. Hundreds took part in search efforts for the boy for months to come.

Firefighters rescue man from raging Salinas River at 13th Street Bridge

A man in distress was rescued from the Salinas Riverbed on Jan. 16. Firefighters rescued the man using an aerial ladder and performed a high-angle rope rescue to secure the patient and bring him to safety.

Governor declares state of emergency in Monterey and SLO county due to storms

On Jan. 30, California Governor Gavin Newsom issued an emergency proclamation for the counties of Monterey and San Luis Obispo due to winter storms.

Photo of fresh snowfall on a Paso Robles neighborhood by Facebook user Karen Erickson.

Paso Robles residents wake to snowfall

Mid-February last year, North County residents awoke to a rare sight in SLO County: snow.

Royal Air Force lands at Paso Robles Airport.

Paso Robles made the national & international news

Royal Air Force lands at Paso Robles airport

Members of the British Royal Air Force landed at Paso Robles Airport in January of last year to participate in a parachuting training exercise.

Former Bearcat signs $21 million deal with Minnesota Vikings

In March, former Bearcat Josh Oliver signed a $21 million deal with the Minnesota Vikings after leaving the Baltimore Ravens, where he played for two years.

Paul Ruben Flores, 46, has been sentenced to serve 25 years to life in state prison for the murder of Kristin Smart in 1996. He was found guilty in 2022. In August, Flores was assaulted at state prison.

There were updates on high profile cases and victims

Fire destroys home of murdered Paso Robles man’s family

A destructive took everything from the parents of Trevon Perry, who lost their son to murder in Paso Robles three years ago. Their home in Chandler, Texas, filled with cherished memories and mementos of Trevon, was reduced to ashes, along with his remains, in a fire last March.

Creston shooting believed to be murder-suicide

In December, two people were found shot in Creston. According to the sheriff’s office, the incident is believed to be a murder-suicide.

Paul Flores sentenced to 25 years to life for murder of Kristin Smart

Paul Ruben Flores, 46, has been sentenced to serve 25 years to life in state prison for the murder of Kristin Smart in 1996. He was found guilty in 2022. In August of 2023, Flores was assaulted at state prison.

Council votes for paid parking in Downtown Paso Robles

In November, Paso Robles City Council Council voted 3-2 to make changes to the downtown parking program, with the “goal of making the program pay for itself,” according to a press release from the city.

Beginning in early 2024 parking will be $1 per hour from minute one of each parking session, signage and kiosk operations will be improved for clarity; the city will issue unlimited senior parking permits for residents over 65 years old within the city limits for one vehicle per household.