Compiled by Camas Frank
Student accountants with the Education and Outreach Committee for the Low Income Taxpayer Clinic at Cal Poly are offering free representation for low-income taxpayers involved in disputes with the IRS and California Franchise Tax Board. They handle disputes, such as bank account levies, or guidance as to the meaning of tax notices from the IRS. They will also provide educational resources on the rights and responsibilities of U.S. taxpayers. The program is a resource for current and past clients and they can be reached at (877) 318-6772.
Pismo Beach Chamber of Commerce ambassadors and staff welcomed a new member, DG Adventures, located on Pike Lane in Oceano, with a ribbon cutting in January. DG offers three-wheeled “CAN-AM Spyders,” motorcycles, marketed as an exciting way to discover the Central Coast. CoCo’s Restaurant was also welcomed with a ribbon cutting in January, located on 5-Cities Drive in Pismo Beach they’re open from 7 a.m. daily for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
The SLO Wine Country Association will be celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, with “Roll Out The Barrels,” a month-long set of adventures at various wineries throughout April. “This is a time to not only celebrate our roots, but also to change things up and build upon our momentum as an up-and-coming wine region,” said Heather Muran, executive director of SLO Wine Country. Roll Out The Barrels runs from the week of April 1 through May 3. The entire month will offer a variety of wine-themed activities with weekly themes such as, “Taste The Coast,” “Farm to Fork” and “Sustainability & Heritage.” See: www.slowine.com for event information and tickets.
Each month, the Human Resources Association of the Central Coast holds professional development meetings to discuss labor relations, legislation, cutting edge strategic planning options, and employer resources. To start off 2015, they’ve selected a new board of directors. Pictured are: secretary Shannon Sarver, PHR; vice president communications Kim Whittington, PHR; VP community outreach Rhonda Hunter; VP community outreach Louise Matheny, SPHR; VP operations Donna Moon, PHR; hospitality chairman Thomas Wood; VP professional development Sara Kennedy; treasurer David K. Mulder; president Erica A. Stewart, PHR; membership chairwoman Lisa Elliott; and not pictured, reservations chairwoman Gail Kissinger. See: www.hrcentralcoast.org for information.
Coast Hills, a not-for-profit credit union with 58,000 members, has announced a roster of promotions and reassignments. Rob Covarrubias has been promoted to vice president of commercial lending. He has been with Coast Hills for three years, and was previously assistant VP of business services. Kevin Johns has been promoted to VP of retail sales. He was regional manager for Coast Hills’ Paso Robles, Atascadero, San Luis Obispo and Five Cities branches. Ryun McCrory is the new Coast Hills Atascadero branch manager. James Thomas, former vice president/branch manager for Union Bank and Santa Barbara Bank and Trust, is now manager at the Coast Hills Santa Maria and Nipomo branches. Rebecca Alarcio, long-time director of public affairs at Allan Hancock College, has been hired as the credit union’s community foundation director.
The Woods Humane Society Board of Directors announced that Jill Tucker will join the organization as its new executive director on Feb. 16. Board President Lenny Jones said, “We did a national search and had dozens of highly qualified candidates from all over the country. But in the end it turned out our top candidate and unanimous first choice was right in our own backyard.” Tucker comes to Woods Humane Society from Santa Maria where she has been executive director of the Santa Maria Valley Humane Society since 2009. Woods is an animal sheltering and welfare organization based in SLO that annually places over 1,000 dogs and cats. See: www.woodshumane.org for information.
The Community Foundation San Luis Obispo County is accepting nominations for the 2014 Paul Wolff Accessibility Advocacy Awards. Every year, individuals, organizations, and businesses are considered for the award based on their contributions toward “breaking down physical, attitudinal, and informational barriers for those with disabilities.” Nomination forms are available online at: www.cfsloco.org. The deadline for nominations is 5 p.m. March 31. For more information see the website or call 543-2323
MZR Fitness in SLO celebrated its 5-year anniversary Jan. 18. Over the years, MZR Fitness has maintained a retention rate of 92 percent, while seeing a steady annual growth rate of over 60%. Located in the Pacific Coast Center in SLO (intersection of Higuera Street and Madonna Road) recently expanded by 1,200 square feet. They will host a belated anniversary party from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, March 14 featuring music, food, raffles, a slide show, and a speech from Mike Z. Robinson (the boss). For more information, call 543-9800 or see: www.mzrfitness.com.
The Gold Concept Jewelry and Design recently donated over $1,000 to Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of San Luis Obispo County. Owners Aaron and Devin Gomez partnered with jewelry company, Estenza, to give a percentage of every Estenza purchase to CASA. The Gold Concept’s aim is to provide beautiful jewelry through sustainable business practices. They’ve supported CASA for years by designing and donating jewelry for CASA fundraisers. In the photograph, CASA Grants Coordinator Susan Graves presents store owner, Aaron Gomez, with a Certificate of Appreciation.
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