Free Republic

It’s Valentine’s Day morning, and the height of the breakfast rush at the Pismo Beach Coco’s is overwhelming the small but nimble staff. At the center of the flurry is the ringmaster, the restaurant’s longtime owner and general manager, Larry Puder. Puder, 66, is simultaneously ringing up tabs, handing menus to a large party walking in, gesturing for a server to put a new pot of decaf on and attempting to explain to an anxious customer why there are no more banana cream pies. “Jesus Christ, I’m so glad I’m getting out of this business,” Puder says under his breath...

PISMO BEACH, Calif. Wounded soldiers home from wars in Iraq and Afghanistan learned to ride surfboards in the waves near the Pismo Pier. It was the second year for the surfing clinic known as Operation Restoration, which assembles a group of volunteers to teach war veterans to surf. It's part of an Operation Comfort effort to help wounded vets. A film crew from the yet-to-be-released surf movie "Shaped" and surfers from the Billabong apparel company joined veterans from Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas. "You don't have to let an injury like this get in the way of...

MODESTO INFORMATION RALLYSunday, April 27th, 2003 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM At the Fruityard Restaurant7948 Yosemite Blvd., Modesto Help Keep “Pismo” Open For All!In the 60’s you could drive 17 miles along the beach to Devil’s Slide. In 2003 you can only drive to Pole 7 – less than 5 miles (during plover season: March to October). Now they want to close it ALL! The battle rages on to save the last 1500 acres of the California coast open to OHV’s. Friends of Oceano Dunes will be holding a meeting in Modesto to inform citizens of the current lawsuit against...