Strength in numbers: Kudos to the SLO County Visitors and Conference Bureau for winning the support of the City of Pismo Beach. Now with all cities within SLO County participating, the VCB will continue to promote our county as a fabulous destination with many attractions.
When the 86,000 fans of U2 at the recent Rose Bowl concert screamed and stomped over the talents of keyboardist Terry Lawless, a couple of BCA fans in the crowd cheered even harder for the musician who also plays in local band Unfinished Business. Terry will fly from the U2 tour to play with Unfinished Business on Nov. 7 in Santa Maria for a fundraiser benefitting the Food Bank of Santa Barbara County … All roads lead to BlackHorse? Twenty-month 
old SLO cover star Viggo Brown graces the November cover of Parents magazine, beating out 40,000 entries in Parents’ Little Kid Cover Contest. Proud Mama Catheryne works at BlackHorse Coffee on Broad Street in SLO. And the gorgeous landscaping at the Edna Valley home of Jim and Jamie deYong is featured in this month’s Sunset Magazine (project designed by Ryan Fortini and photographed by Chris Leschinsky). Jim is a BCA creative whiz who spends a lot of time at…BlackHorse … Next fall’s first ever “Savor the Central Coast” food and wine event being produced by Sunset Magazine with the SLO County Visitors and Conference Bureau will have a great boost from the home team. VCB Executive John Summer has assembled a community advisory group led by Noreen Martin to help shape the celebration. Committee members include Lorraine Alban, J&L Wines, Inc.; Jim Brabeck, Farm Supply Company; Doug Filipponi, Ancient Peaks and Santa Margarita Ranch; Robert Gilson, Hotel Cheval; David Hance, Clayhouse Wines; SLO County Supervisors Adam Hill and Frank Mecham; John King, Boutique Hotel Collection, Inc.; Leah Kolt, Cal Poly; Mike Manchak, Economic Vitality Corporation; John H. Niven, Niven Family Wine Estates; John A. Ronca, Jr. Attorney At Law; Pierre Rademaker, Pierre Rademaker Design; Brian Talley, Talley Vineyards and Kristen Yetter, Promega Biosciences … Longtime Exec Director of Hospice of SLO County, Donna Keane, is retiring at the end of the year. A search is on to fill Donna’s very big shoes and duplicate her very caring heart.
Forgive us, but we’ve gotta call it the “scoop”: Beloved Doc Burnstein’s Ice Cream in the Village of Arroyo Grande is adding a second location, this one in the Santa Maria Town Center. The completely redesigned center is expected to open after the first of the year and will also include mainstays Johnson’s for Children and Tom’s Toys … Speaking of Santa Maria, when the Parade of Lights rolls through Santa Maria on Dec. 1, it will mark the 15th year of the Santa Maria and Nipomo Rotary Clubs’ extravaganza. Applications are accepted until Nov. 20, but space is limited to 105 entries. Don’t be left on the waiting list … Fowl weather friends: our pals at the Food Bank are hosting a Turkey Drive that tops off on Friday the 13th. Swing by Sierra Vista and Twin Cities hospitals and St. Pat’s School in AG and drop off foods and funds to help neighbors in need. KCOY, KSTT and Cat Country will be lending a hand. And a turkeymobile will be buzzing by doctors’ offices to beef things up. Amy, call Grandma and get her on the job … Please don’t jump on the beds, but do buy something at A&R Furniture’s Customer Appreciation party the weekend of Nov. 14 and feel like a kid. A portion of sales benefits the Children’s Museums of SLO and Paso Robles …Welcome to Mary Jacob, new executive director of the Santa Maria Valley Humane Society. Jacob is a longtime animal lover whose past positions include one with the Humane Society of the U.S., where she built the nation’s first statewide animal cruelty response system … We’ll avoid the not-so-funny cracks about homebuilders already bleeding, and instead ask you to support the Home Builders Association of the Central Coast in a three-day blood drive, Nov. 17-19. In SLO, Nov. 17 at Cannon, 1050 Southwood; in Santa Maria Nov. 18 at Celebration, Miller Street and Inger Drive, and in Paso Robles Nov. 19 at River Oaks, 2727 Buena Vista Drive. Additional info, please contact Liz Moody at 704-7912.
The City of Santa Maria will be receiving more than $4.36 million in grants from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security for help in constructing two new fire stations. A total of 8,000 agencies vied for the $210-million pool of funds. Santa Maria was one of only seven California fire agencies selected to receive grants … A $10,000 contribution from Citibank will help Mission Community Services Corporation expand its women’s business classes in Kern and SLO Counties. Homework for many first-time women-owned businesses: read up. Check out a few libraried articles provided by MCSC: Before You Use Retirement Funds for Your Startup; From Military Service to Entrepreneur: Tools for the Veteran-Owned Small Business and The Secrets to Getting Your Green Business Funded.
