Category Archives: SLO City News

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‘Scoop the Poop’ Campaign Hatched

dog-poop-bagsLocal cities are starting a new PR campaign to step up education on the issue of pet wastes, part of a State program to wipe up bacterial pollution in storm water run-off.
Targeting priority water pollution sources, participating communities kicked off “SLO Scoops Poop” — a county-wide campaign “to protect public health, our local waterways, and our beautiful central coast landscape,” according to a press release from the City of Morro Bay.

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Big Brothers Has New Best Pal

Big Brothers Big Sisters announced last week a partnership with Create Promotions in which local, Create Promotions events, including Winter WonderSLO Jiffy Lube Ice Rink and Bubblyfest By The Sea, will benefit the organization.
Holly Holliday, owner of Create Promotions and a Big Brothers Big Sisters Board member presented a check for $1,000 to Big Brothers Big Sisters raised during Bubblyfest By The Sea.
Holliday, owner of Create Promotions said, “I feel extremely fortunate to be able to serve as a Big Brothers Big Sisters board member and give back to their amazing program through Create Promotion’s events. Winter WonderSLO Jiffy Lube Ice Rink was created with the Big Brothers Big Sisters in mind, as a place to bring joy to kids and families during the holiday season. I am proud to give back every year, and look forward to strengthening our partnership and giving in the coming years.”
Anna Boyd-Bucy, Big Brothers’ executive director was happy. “We are so pleased Holly has chosen to work with our organization,” she said, “and help local kids through the power of mentoring. We look forward to collaborating with Create on the Winter WonderSLO Ice Rink.”

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Cuesta Oversight Board Apps Taken—By Neil Farrell

Fresh off winning a $275 million construction bond, Cuesta College now turns its efforts at putting together a citizens’ oversight committee to fulfill one promise it made during the campaign.
The Board of Trustees is “seeking qualified, interested individuals to serve on a committee of community leaders which will serve as the Independent Citizens’ Oversight Committee [COC] for the implementation of the district’s Measure L school facilities bond program,” reads a news release from Cuesta. Applications must be submitted by Jan. 31 for consideration.
In the Nov. 4 election SLO County voters passed Measure L, a $275 million bond measure funding for needed repairs, upgrades, and new construction projects at Cuesta’s two campuses. After a bond authorized under Proposition 39 is passed, state law requires that the Board appoint a committee to work with the district.
In accordance with state Education Code (Section 15278(b)), the committee will:
• Inform the public concerning the District’s expenditure of Measure L bond proceeds;
• Review expenditure reports produced by the District to ensure that Measure L bond proceeds were expended only for the purposes set forth in Measure L; and,
• Present to the Board in public session, an annual written report outlining their activities and conclusions regarding the expenditure of Measure L bond proceeds.
• All appointments will be made by the Board from applications submitted to the District.
The committee will consist of at least seven members:
• One student enrolled and active in a community college support group, such as student government;
• One member active in a business organization representing the business community located in the District;
• One member active in a senior citizens’ organization;
• One member active in a bona-fide taxpayers association;
• One member active in a support organization for the college, such as a foundation; and,
• Two at-large members of the community.
Initial appointments will be staggered, in one and two year terms. For more information and to apply for the committee, see: www.cuesta.edu and click on the “Measure L” button.

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Grizzly Academy Class Graduation—Photos by Camas Frank and Jay Thompson

100_2531The Grizzly Youth Academy graduated 202 cadets out of a starting class of 211, with a ceremony and drill held at Cal Poly. It’s the 33rd class to pass thorough the institution and this year saw two landmarks with the 94% graduation rate and only the second time they’ve broken the 200-student mark. Brig. Gen. James Gabrielli, commander of youth and community programs for the California National Guard, conducted the final inspection and praised the students for their fortitude and willing to stick through the rigorous 22-week program. Continue reading Grizzly Academy Class Graduation—Photos by Camas Frank and Jay Thompson

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Old Church Becomes New Home—By Camas Frank

SLO Broad ChurchSan Luis Obispo residents wondering just what happened to the Springfield Baptist Church on Broad Street may have noticed some changes in the neighborhood lately.
Purchased in June 2013 after years of volunteer work by Cal Coast Construction owner Caleb Lopez to maintain the structure, the contractor says he’s sunk everything he can afford into making the former House of God into a respectfully restored residence.
The 2-story building, first constructed as a Mormon Church in 1923, has changed hands, hosting several congregations, but has always historically been a church.
It’s been a Church of Christ, the Foursquare Gospel Church and became Springfield Baptist sometime around 1947. Lopez has been researching the history of the building as well as the murky dealing of San Luis Obispo’s racially segregated past.
“It was one of the first black churches in San Luis Obispo County,” he said, noting that records for the building are harder to trace because white intermediaries, including a member of the SLO City Council at the time, were often used the property rights and loans attached to the Church.
In 2009, having become acquainted with the congregation, Lopez began volunteering time and materials to keep the building up in the face of more stringent building codes, including a seismic retrofit, running in the neighborhood of $500,000 in order to continue as a public meeting place.
“There were some pretty extreme deadlines and they were about a month away,” said Lopez, so he started working with the City to get a 3-year extension that was granted on the condition that certain work was done.
Never-the-less the costs were too much for a congregation of approximately 40, mostly elderly and disabled parishioners.
“After three years we just couldn’t do the entire retrofit and the pastor decided it was time to throw in the towel,” Lopez added.
With the building still up for sale, he worked out a deal, and a development plan for the property that would no longer require the public gathering safety standards. For a time, investors looked at the feasibility of a mixed-use commercial and residential use for the property, but with the property squarely planted between two, single family homes and residential zoning on the westerly side of Broad Street, City planners were happier with the home conversion.
“The codes are much different for residential,” Lopez said. “The standard steel beams that would be required for most retrofit on buildings from the 20’s were actually in there from the original construction. It was pretty impressive.”
In fact much of the needed work to bring the building up to residential code standards was already done in the 1980s and with further retrofits in 1996. A lot of what Lopez has ended up doing with the interior is restoration, taking out modifications made in the 1960s and restoring the original design. He’s keeping the stained glass and other religious reminders too, but the exterior definitely has changed with a new snappy paint job.
“It’s very emotional work for me,” said Lopez, whose father was a pastor. “To live in a church will be as cool as it gets for me with my family history.” Construction on the site is expected to be done in February 2015.

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Ice Rink Open in SLO

Best1 BEST2 BEST3A real ice skating rink returned to San Luis Obispo’s Alex Madonna Expo Center Friday and will stay through Jan. 4. The rink is open every day in-between including the Holidays, with nine, hour-long skating sessions a day. The opening day saw a lot of young, first-time skaters, a lot of helpful volunteers and one clumsy reporter. Individual sessions are $9 for those 12-under and $13 for 13-up. Ticket includes skate rental. A “Golden Ticket” on sale for $100 is good for 17 skates. To see what you’re getting into before heading over, watch the fun online at: new.livestream.com/winterwonderslo/winterwonderslo.