SLO County Roundup | San Luis Obispo Tribune

Cuesta College

The Fair Political Practices Commission fined the Friends of Cuesta College Committee and former Cuesta Vice President of Finance Ed Maduli $6,000 for violations stemming from the Measure G campaign in 2006.

The committee should have listed the Cuesta College Foundation as a major donor in its advertisements because the nonprofit organization donated more than $100,000.

The complaint was filed with the FPPC by the Citizens Awareness Program, a group of local citizens in San Luis Obispo County who research issues and ballot initiatives that will affect taxpayers in the community.

The committee was primarily formed to support the passage of the ballot measure. Maduli was the committee’s treasurer. That measure would have increased property taxes by $25 per $100,000 assessed valuation. It failed by a 56-44 percent margin.

Maduli could not be reached for comment Wednesday.

The fine was levied because the committee did not include the major donor information in two newspaper advertisements and a direct mailing advertisement, violating the Political Reform Act.

California law requires specific disclosure requirements for certain types of advertisements.

The $6,000 fine has been paid.

— AnnMarie Cornejo

San Luis Obispo

The San Luis Obispo Art Center is no more.

Beginning this summer, the facility will be called the San Luis Obispo Museum of Art.

The name change is part of a new marketing strategy that accompanies a grant from the James Irvine Foundation.

Along with the new name, the Art Center will create new marketing materials and a new Web site, both of which are funded by the grant.

After members of the community were invited to submit suggestions, more than 125 names were proposed. Then the public was invited to vote, both online and at the Art Center, from the top three candidates.

The organization, which has been around for 50 years, was first known as the San Luis Obispo Art Association. In addition to exhibiting both local and outside art, the center offers instructional classes and art appreciation activities.

The center also puts on the annual Plein Air Festival.

— Pat Pemberton

San Luis Coastal trustees on Tuesday appointed Ellen Sheffer to the school board.

Sheffer will complete the remaining 10 months of the term vacated by John Spatafore, who resigned for business reasons.

Sheffer, a paralegal, has a long history of volunteering with the district’s schools and has served as a translator for Spanish- speaking families attending school events.

She has lived in San Luis Obispo for 15 years and has a bachelor’s degree in education and Spanish from Lindenwood College.

— AnnMarie Cornejo