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SAN LUIS OBISPO — More than 70 California Conservation Corpsmembers and San Luis Obispo residents received free eye exams and, if needed, free prescription glasses on Nov. 6-7 thanks to a partnership between VSP Eyes of Hope and the California Conservation Corps. Many of the prescription glasses were made the same day on board the mobile clinic, allowing patients to receive eye care and eyewear in the same visit.

SAN LUIS OBISPO — Pacific Wildlife Care (PWC) is thrilled to announce that construction has officially begun on the Kim and Derrel Ridenour Wildlife Rehabilitation Center at 385 Buckley Road, San Luis Obispo. This marks the next major milestone following the successful Phase One of the Campaign for Wildlife, which raised more than $11.7 million to establish a permanent home for wildlife care and ensure long-term sustainability for wildlife care.
The start of construction is the culmination of more than five years of planning, collaboration, and community support. Phase I of the project includes:

SAN LUIS OBISPO — Lumina Nights: Dancing with Our Stars has already raised over $122,000 for Lumina Alliance—and the competition is just heating up. As the three-night event kicks off tonight at the Pavilion on the Lake in Atascadero, guests will continue “voting” for their favorite dancers by donating—each dollar a vote of support for local survivors of sexual assault and intimate partner violence.
Local stars have been hard at work fundraising, with County Supervisor Heather Moreno leading at nearly $35,000, followed by Rob Garcia of Corvus Wealth Advisors with $32,000, and Mary Verdin of Verdin Marketing at $24,000. Fellow dancers Eric Yun (Community West Bank), LeBren Harris (Downtown SLO), and Jennifer Idler (Idler’s Home) are also lighting up the stage with passion and purpose.

SAN LUIS OBISPO — Lumina Alliance has launched the Light the Way lifeline campaign, a bold three-year, $5 million fundraising initiative to ensure that survivors of sexual and intimate partner violence in San Luis Obispo County continue to have access to life-saving resources. With nearly half of the organization’s funding at risk due to potential federal funding cuts, vital services—including emergency shelter, therapy, and crisis intervention—are in jeopardy.
“For thousands of survivors in San Luis Obispo County, Lumina Alliance is their only lifeline,” said Jennifer Adams, CEO of Lumina Alliance. “Without urgent funding, we risk losing the essential services that help survivors heal and rebuild their lives.”

SAN LUIS OBISPO — Lumina Alliance is proud to announce its comprehensive campaign for Domestic Violence Awareness Month (DVAM) this October, dedicated to shining a light on the often-overlooked impact of intimate partner violence and raising awareness for underserved survivors in our community. This year’s theme emphasizes the unique challenges faced by marginalized groups, including undocumented individuals, transgender people, and those living with disabilities, who are often disproportionately affected by intimate partner violence.

The Lumina Alliance Board of Directors guides policy and oversees Lumina Alliance’s work of serving survivors of sexual and intimate partner violence in San Luis Obispo County. Lumina Alliance’s Board aims to be a diverse representation of the San Luis Obispo community and strives to include members from a wide variety of backgrounds and vocations.

SAN LUIS OBISPO — People’s Self-Help Housing (PSHH) has opened its newest affordable housing development: Broad Street Place.
Located at 3720 Broad Street in San Luis Obispo, this new construction development is comprised of 40 units with three commercial spaces available. Residents have access to a community center, shared kitchen, barbeque space, outdoor patios, laundry facilities, bike storage, playground, electric vehicle charging stations, on-site property management, free internet, and supportive services. Some units provide ADA-certified accessibility for those with mobility, hearing, and vision limitations.
“This is a very collaborative project. While we can do a lot on our own, we do so much more when we work together.” said Ken Trigueiro, CEO & President. “It’s really fun to celebrate this moment.”

OCEANO — We’re encouraging low-income customers to apply for help paying their current or past-due water and sewer bills by signing up for the Low Income Household Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP). Customers now have until March 31, 2024, to apply, and eligible households should apply now while funds last.
LIHWAP, initially established by Congress in December 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, is designed to support financially struggling low-income households to settle outstanding water bills. Originally slated to conclude in Fall 2023, the program has received a federal extension through March 2024.

There is still time to register for the upcoming exhibit talk, TUESDAY 1/9/24 at 2:00 pm, hosted by the Central Coast Veterans Memorial Museum at 801 Grand Avenue, Suite 102, San Luis Obispo.
This history presentation is FREE to attend. Please register to ensure seating is available for all.
Join the Central Coast Veterans Memorial Museum (CCVMM) to learn more about the new, special exhibit, “50 Years Beyond Vietnam,” unveiled in November 2023, specially co-curated in honor of the 50th Anniversary of the last American combat troops leaving Vietnam. This history talk will be presented by Dennis Hennessey, local US Army veteran who served in the Vietnam War, and current board member of of Central Coast Vietnam Veterans of America (CCVVA), Chapter #982, Guadalupe.
The display was co-curated by CCVMM, CCVVA and Cal Poly History intern, Grant Kolassa to highlight the United States in Vietnam from November 1, 1955 to April 30, 1975, spanning the administrations of six U.S. presidents. The display includes topics such as the Gulf of Tonkin incident, Operation Rolling Thunder, the Battle of Ia Drang, the My Lai massacre, the antiwar movement, the Battle of Hamburger Hill, the Tet Offensive, the Paris Peace Talks and the Fall of Saigon.
REGISTER TO ATTEND

Located at 3720 Broad Street in San Luis Obispo, this new construction development is comprised of 40 units with three commercial spaces available. Residents will have access to a community center, shared kitchen, barbeque space, outdoor patios, laundry facilities, bike storage, playground, electric vehicle charging stations, on-site property management, and supportive services. Some units will provide ADA-certified accessibility for those with mobility, hearing, and vision limitations.

If you have not yet attended our “50 Years Beyond Vietnam” exhibit talk, our next presentation will be take place on TUESDAY, February 27, 2024 at 2:00 pm, hosted by the Central Coast Veterans Memorial Museum at 801 Grand Avenue, Suite 102, San Luis Obispo.
This history presentation is FREE to attend. Please register to ensure seating is available for all.

SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY — Lumina Alliance is thrilled to announce its upcoming fundraising event, Lumina Nights featuring Dancing with Our Stars, set to captivate audiences on Friday, April 12th, and Saturday, April 13th, at Thousand Hills Ranch in Pismo Beach. The event, presented by BHE Renewables, promises to be a dazzling night of entertainment, all while supporting a noble cause.
Lumina Nights featuring Dancing with Our Stars is a unique and exciting showcase that brings together local celebrities, community leaders, and prominent figures who will pair up with professional dancers to compete for the coveted title. The evening will be filled with sensational dance performances, laughter, and camaraderie, all in the spirit of raising funds for Lumina Alliance’s critical services that are facing significant government funding cuts in the coming year.

In partnership with the City of San Luis Obispo, People’s Self-Help Housing is developing the former Motel 6 located at 1433 Calle Joaquin.
The project will bring 76 units to extremely low-income individuals who are unhoused or at risk of becoming unhoused. Residents will have access to a community center, laundry room, outdoor recreational spaces, on-site property management, and supportive services.
This Project Homekey program was made possible through innovative funding from the California Department of Housing & Community Development.

SAN LUIS OBISPO — On Thursday, June 22 a Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) will open in Oceano to provide resources to residents who were affected by the February and March storms. The DRC is a partnership between the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES), and County of San Luis Obispo.
The DRC will be open Thursday, June 22 through Monday, June 26 from 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM at the Oceano CSD Board Room, 1655 Front Street in Oceano.

3C-REN (The Tri-County Regional Energy Network), a partnership between the Counties of San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara and Ventura that delivers energy-saving programs and industry trainings, is launching the Multifamily Home Energy Savings program, which works with property owners and managers to identify and provide rebates for optimum energy improvements for tri-county multifamily properties.
“We are all feeling the effects of climate change with summers getting hotter,” said Marisa Hanson-Lopez, 3C-REN Multifamily Program Manager. “This new program provides significant incentives to lower the costs of property upgrades, like updating HVAC systems and replacing water heaters, that create more comfortable and affordable homes.”

The Board of Supervisors from San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, and Ventura counties on Dec. 8 issued a letter to state health officials and California Governor Gavin Newsom to request a separate Central Coast Region composed of the three counties. The letter requests that the Central Coast Region be allowed to exit the regional stay home order as a region after three weeks if the ICU capacity in the three counties exceeds 15 percent.
“The letter being sent to state officials is an accurate measure of our regional distinction through both geography and demographics,” stated Gregg Hart, Chair of the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors. “We are best positioned to understand the critical needs within our region and have existing partnerships to promote the health and economic well-being of our communities.”
SAN LUIS OBISPO — The all-new, larger The Wall That Heals exhibit will have a new activity each day while it visits San Luis Obispo March 29 through April 1. The County’s Veterans Services Office released the event schedule today.…
SAN LUIS OBISPO — Volunteers are needed to assist visitors at a memorial exhibit bearing the names of the more than 58,000 men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice in Vietnam that visits San Luis Obispo this March. The County of…
SAN LUIS OBISPO — The American Heart Association (AHA) hosted its annual Wear Red Luncheon in San Luis Obispo on Friday, February 3, 2017 at the San Luis Obispo Country Club with the goal of raising awareness about the risk…
SAN LUIS OBISPO — Independent contractors began testing at the San Luis Obispo County Regional Airport this week to determine if airport property is the source of toxic chemicals found in nearby groundwater. Roux Associates, an environmental consulting and management…
By Dave Rodriguez / State President California LULAC Last Thursday it was my pleasure to swear in our officers for the new council in Paso Robles. President Steve Orduno and his team organized opening ceremonies with a crowd of about…
By Frank X. Moraga / Amigos805 The mystery and the magic of the holiday season is upon us with groups planning celebrations up and down the coast. The first weekend in December typically marks the beginning of holiday celebrations in…
Food banks, private businesses, others lending aid this holiday season By Frank X. Moraga / Amigos805 While hunger and finding a safe and warm place to sleep remain year-round challenges for many people in the 805 region, the need is…
Workshops already in progress to prepare items for Day of the Dead celebrations throughout the region By Frank X. Moraga / Amigos805 Soon the aroma of marigolds and copal incense will waft through the air, beckoning spirits to cross over…
SANTA BARBARA — Foodbank of Santa Barbara County is seeking produce donors and volunteers for the Foodbank Backyard Bounty Day on Saturday, Oct. 25. Foodbank is calling out to community members with harvest sites (orchards or gardens) in south Santa…
SANTA BARBARA — ¡Viva el Arte de Santa Barbara! will present La Santa Cecilia, the “Best Alternative Band of the Year” (LA Weekly, 2012), in free family concerts at 7 p.m. Friday, Jan. 10 at Isla Vista School, 6875 El…
By Frank X. Moraga / Amigos805 My favorite time of the year is here. While others enjoy such holidays as Valentine’s Day, Thanksgiving Day or Christmas, for me there is no better time to both celebrate all things spooky as…
OXNARD — The Consulado de México en Oxnard is presenting mobile consulate services in Oct. 25, 26 and 27 in San Luis Obispo, officials reported in a media release. Services will only be offered for the issuing of passports and license…
SAN LUIS OBISPO — Danza Azteca, the Mexican Consulate in Oxnard, Mariachi Mexicanismo and Ballet Folklórico will participate in “El Grito de Dolores / The Cry for Independence” from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 12 at the San Luis…