LOCAL BEAT

bca — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 18:58:39 +0000

Retired SLO Police Chief Deb Linden and husband Bill Turner (retired Santa Barbara County Sheriff Dept) met popular mystery writer Sue Grafton years ago when they were technical advisers on “Q is For Quarry.” The trio became fast friends, and Sue’s latest, “V is for Vengeance,” introduces “Sergeant Detective Turner” of the SLO County Sheriff Department on page 260 – a shout out to Deb and Bill … Good news for him, bummer for us: Tim Seidel, the terrific manager of the ConocoPhillips Refinery on the Nipomo Mesa is on the move – the company has him climbing the career ladder with a new assignment in Oklahoma. No news yet on his replacement. We wish all the best (and thanks for his community work) to Tim and family. They will be missed … Congrats to new Coast National Bank CEO Anita Robinson. Great news for community banking … Assuming the gavel as chair for the Central Coast Economic Forecast is Dick Willhoit, CEO of Estrella Associates. CCEF is at work on the Mid-Year Update event slated for early summer … Nothing square about it: Morro Bay’s tourism efforts use a jazzed up mosaic-y box QR code graphic at the bottom of its ads to give it a shot of pizzazz – a shell shape … Hospice of SLO County has announced plans to move its Concours d’Elegance to June in Madonna Meadows and is extending invitations to owners of beyond-the-pale luxury cars (think Bentleys and Rolls Royces) to come for the fun. Got car? Lots of parties and plans are shaping up for Valentine’s Day, including one to benefit the Five Cities Homeless Coalition on Sunday, Feb. 12: count on this one for a crooner (Rick Jarrett and the QuieT Knights), a chocolate buffet and an auction. For more info, call (805) 710-4330 or email liz5chc@yahoo.com … Gotta love a program that promises to “highlight how disruptive business models and new technologies, combined with the ‘lean startup’ model, have made this a great time to be an entrepreneur.” It’s on tap at Cal Poly on Feb. 13.

BCA FYI » Tourism

LOCAL BEAT