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 former Almond Blossom restaurant lot two miles north of Paso Robles on Highway 101 will become a 130-space recreational vehicle resort if the developer works his way through the county planning process successfully.

A longtime member of the Paso Robles wine community, Norman Vineyards, plans to sell its 40-acre property west of Paso Robles, including the winery it has operated for nearly 20 years.

When Starr Hall was forced to pull the plug on her San Luis Obispo-based company, SmartyVA, an online training program for virtual assistants who specialize in social media management, she turned her misfortune into a national news story and a learning experience for other entrepreneurs.

The Arroyo Grande Chamber of Commerce 2011 Citizen of the Year is seldom seen without her camera.

The Los Osos Chamber of Commerce has named Rodolfo “Dick” Pacaoan, a former Filipino sharecropper turned Central Coast community leader, its 2011 Citizen of the Year.

Name: Kathy Marcove

After 10 years in business, Uptown Jean Co. has closed the doors on its first — and last remaining — location, in downtown San Luis Obispo.

Tourism, younger consumers and bargain-hunters have helped drive increased wine sales for local retailers in 2011.

One of the most powerful tools the federal government has to help lowincome families move toward financial stability, the low-income tax credit, is underutilized on the Central Coast. A family of five earning less than $24,000 per year may be eligible for a credit of approximately $5,000. This infusion of money helps millions of working families nationwide stay out of poverty.

Sunset magazine wine editor Sara Schneider selected a Paso Robles wine, Roxo 2007 Magia Preta, as tops among West Coast port-style wines as featured in the December issue. The wine is produced by family-owned winery Roxo Port Cellars.

The Paso Robles Chamber of Commerce named two longtime residents with decades of local history as its 2011 Roblans of the Year.

Hoping to cut costs and reduce medical errors, Central Coast hospitals are changing the way medical records are stored and accessed.

Hoping to cut costs and reduce medical errors, Central Coast hospitals are changing the way medical records are stored and accessed.

In April 2010, The Tribune featured Captain Nemo Comics & Games in San Luis Obispo. The shop was celebrating industrywide Free Comic Book Day by passing out complimentary copies of “IronMan,” “G. I. Joe,” “Toy Story” and “The Simpsons.”

The fifth annual San Luis Obispo County Restaurant Month kicks off Jan. 2, with more than 35 restaurants offering three-course prix fixe menus for $30 per person. Wine pairings can be added for an extra charge.

Gather Wine Bar in the Village of Arroyo Grande is hosting its third annual New Year’s Eve Pre-Party on Dec. 31, said owner Kari Ziegler.

The new year will bring a new executive director for the San Luis Obispo Vintners Association.

The San Luis Obispo County Economic Vitality Corp., a regional economic development organization, is seeking input from local employers for a workforce housing survey.

Cambria’s Citizens of the Year for 2011 are super volunteers Terry and Jerri Farrell.