Options scraps magazine in favor of other fundraisers

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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.

• The fight for Morro Strand: Keeping a local state park open

  The fight for Morro Strand: Keeping a local state park open

  With the Morro Strand State Beach campground facing possible closure July 1, discussions are under way to find a nonprofit that will help keep the 84-space facility open.

  Nick Franco, superintendent of State Parks’ San Luis Obispo Coast District, said his department is in talks with various entities that would help keep Morro Strand open.

  “We’ve been working with Cal Poly for a while, and it would be a great fit if we can make it work,” Franco said.

• SLO County Housing Trust Fund gets $5,000 from Bank of America

  SLO County Housing Trust Fund gets $5,000 from Bank of America

  The San Luis Obispo County Housing Trust Fund has received a $5,000 grant from Bank of America, raising the bank’s cumulative donation over the years to more than $80,000 to the organization, which aims to increase the county’s supply of affordable housing.

• Bouquets and Brickbats: State should help county update court computers

  Bouquets and Brickbats: State should help county update court computers

  The decision to pull the plug on a $2 billion computer system that would have linked the state’s 58 superior courts is a setback for SLO County, which had been chosen to pilot the technology.

  In the long run, the project — which was originally estimated at $260 million — would have been a giant step forward for county courts, many of which have ridiculously antiquated computer systems.

  We agree, though, that this is not the time to sink a couple of billion dollars into a statewide computer system. As some pundits have observed, what good would a fancy new system do if courts couldn’t afford the staff to operate it … or for that matter, couldn’t afford to keep courthouse doors open?

• Letters to the Editor 1/8

  Letters to the Editor 1/8

  Resolve to improve

  In memory of my son, officer Rich May — a SLO High School graduate and Lompoc police officer who was killed on duty in East Palo Alto on Jan. 7, 2006 — I’ve been inspired to review some new year’s resolutions. You know which ones: lose weight, exercise more, eat better, drink less, etc.

  Start this new year off better than you did a year ago. It’s easy — volunteer to help others! It is time to look at a resolution that you can successfully keep and actually helps you and your neighbors. Step forward and provide assistance for a disadvantaged young person in your community. Find a local nonprofit organization that provides assistance to youth in need, and give them a little personal help.