South County Beat

Ella Thorp Ellis recently visited her “old stomping grounds” in Oceano and Halcyon, giving a presentation in Arroyo Grande to discuss her recent book, “Dune Child.”

In past years, sixth- graders at Branch Elementary School in Arroyo Grande have raised money to pay for items at the de Groot Nursing Home for Children, stocked the local food bank, and collected donations to build and fill a shed at the Prado Day Center for the homeless in San Luis Obispo with supplies for children in need.