Photos: A sweet finish to Savor as 4-day Santa Margarita Ranch event concludes

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• Out-of-town visitors boost 2011 Savor event

  Out-of-town visitors boost 2011 Savor event

  Sunset Savor the Central Coast, the four-day food and wine event held in the fall, generated an estimated economic impact of $2.93 million — about $500,000 or 22 percent more than the initial year — primarily because of more visitors from outside the county, officials said.

  The upscale culinary event, hosted by the county Visitors and Conference Bureau and Sunset magazine, drew 8,872 people, or 20 percent more than 2010 — including 5,947 paying guests. The rest were vendors, sponsors, volunteers and media.

  About half the guests traveled from outside the county, with 24 percent from the Los Angeles area, 5 percent from 22 other states, and many from the Central Valley and the South Bay, according to Stacie Jacob, executive director of the VCB.

• Bouquets and Brickbats: Cheers for plastic bag ban

  Bouquets and Brickbats: Cheers for plastic bag ban

  We’re delivering a biodegradable bouquet to each member of the county waste management board who voted in favor of the ban on single-use plastic grocery bags. The change may take some getting used to, but any inconvenience is minor when you consider the benefits, including a reduction in ugly litter on roads, parks, beaches and waterways.

  ... and boos to threat of legal action

  Even before the ink was dry on the newly enacted countywide ban on plastic shopping bags, opponents were bombastically threatening to sue within 30 days. In addition to dire warnings about dangerous bacteria lurking in reusable bags, opponents attacked the ban as “tyranny wrapped in environmentalism” and an intrusion on personal choice.

• Discount ‘Savor’ tickets on sale

  Discount ‘Savor’ tickets on sale

  Tickets for the third annual Sunset Savor the Central Coast set for Sept. 27-30 went on sale Tuesday — featuring a $100 weekend pass to the Main Event at Santa Margarita Ranch for those who buy their tickets this month.

  The steep, 50 percent discount is designed to reward those who buy early and plan their trips to the county, said Stacie Jacob, executive director of the San Luis Obispo County Visitors and Conference Bureau, which organizes the event with Sunset magazine.

  Though the discount will expire at month’s end, the 15 percent discount for San Luis Obispo County residents to the Main Event will continue through Aug. 31, she said.

• Tickets now available for Savor the Central Coast

  Tickets now available for Savor the Central Coast

  Tickets for the third annual Sunset Savor the Central Coast Sept. 27-30 went on sale today – featuring a $100 weekend pass to the Main Event at Santa Margarita Ranch for those who buy their tickets this month.

  The 50 percent discount is designed to reward those who buy early and plan their trips to the county, said Stacie Jacob, executive director of the San Luis Obispo County Visitors and Conference Bureau, which organizes the event with Sunset magazine.

  Though this discount will expire at month’s end, the 15 percent discount for county residents to the Main Event will continue through Aug. 31, she said.

• SLO County wants to host Ironman triathlon

  SLO County wants to host Ironman triathlon

  The first full Ironman triathlon race on the West Coast in a decade could be coming to the Central Coast.

  The San Luis Obispo County Visitors and Conference Bureau plans to submit a proposal by the end of January to host the event.

  If successful, it would be the first full Ironman competition on the West Coast, attracting potentially thousands of athletes and their friends and families to the area —and give the area an economic boost.