SLO County News BlogGolf, Wine, Real Estate, Business & Travel NewsSLO HofficesFriday, September 30, 2005A Central Coast city considers a new type of office design that could allow people to juggle their work and personal lives from the same space.The San Luis Obispo Planning Commission will look at plans for "Hoffices"-- buildings which would allow business owners to have employees, clients and merchandise in an office attached to living space. The proposal would allow up to 2,400 square feet of office space, which is about the size of a small retail store. The living space would be on the second floor. It's a concept that could be economical and convenient for a number of professions. "Architects, engineers, artists, a gallery where they make a studio out of a residence and gallery out of commercial space," said planner Michael Codron. All businesses using "hoffices" would be required to close by 6 p.m. or get a special permit. The planning commission could make a recommendation to the city council in two weeks. If approved, they could be built and ready for use in less than two years. SLO's CERT - Community Emergency Response TeamThursday, September 29, 2005If a large-scale earthquake or fire were to rock the Central Coast, would your business be able to survive?In the wake of the Gulf Coast hurricanes, businesses on the Central Coast seeking to answer that question are reviewing their disaster plans. Some owners and managers are soliciting the help of local fire departments to make certain that employees are safe and buildings secure. All types of businesses -- small and large -- should prepare for a disaster and be able to survive without the help of emergency personnel, said San Luis Obispo City Fire Capt. Rik Grencik, who also directs the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) program. "We ask the question, 'If you called 911 and it was busy, what would you do?' " he said. Some businesses already have plans in place. French Hospital Medical Center in San Luis Obispo has training for staff every three months and is holding a natural disaster preparedness class today. "We basically come up with an emergency scenario, play it out and see how well we do," said Shara Smith, the hospital's director of emergency services. For some businesses, their wake-up call came in December 2003 when the San Simeon Earthquake rocked and destroyed dozens of businesses in the North County. Pan Jewelers in Paso Robles -- forced to move to a new location after the temblor -- has evacuation plans for its employees and customers, said June Ellart, store manager. "We always knew it was important," she said. "But, we're a lot more aware since (the San Simeon Earthquake.)" Pacific Gas and Electric trains its staff to be prepared for an emergency while at work but also at home, said spokeswoman Sharon Gavin. "We advise our employees to have a backpack ready with items to hold them over for a few days," she said. The utility conducts weekly tests and trains its staff on a regular basis at its Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant. Some employers, such as SESLOC Credit Union, The Villages, Sierra Vista Regional Medical Center and the Economic Opportunity Commission, have sent employees to programs like CERT. Organizations can prepare at work by figuring out what they would do to be ready at home, says Grencik. "Think about what you'd want to protect at your own home," he said. "Then figure out what is it going to take to keep your business intact." He advises businesses to have contingency plans for keeping back-up data, methods to keep the business running and training procedures for employees on emergency preparedness. Embassy Suites Hotel in San Luis Obispo holds regular sessions for its department managers who train their employees, said General Manager Shawn Milburn. "We've had the fire department come out and do some training in the parking lot," he said. "We continue to fine-tune our plans." Even so, many businesses put off creating an emergency plan, Grencik said. Morris & Garritano, a San Luis Obispo insurance company has evacuation plans, as well as plans if computers crash. But more could be done, said office manager Norma Crow. "It's been put on the back burner," she said. "But, after seeing how devastated things were (in the Gulf Coast), a lot more people have it on their mind." Preparing for the day local disasters strike The Tribune, Dawn Rapp To see more of The Tribune, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to www.sanluisobispo.com. (c) 2005, The Tribune, San Luis Obispo, Calif. Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News. Busy Tourist Season in SLOThursday, September 22, 2005Tourists and their dollars came to San Luis Obispo in July, pushing hotel tax returns for the city up 14 over last year.The city earned about $506,594 from the key tax that month, up from $442,947 the year before. Hotel tax, a 10 percent city surcharge tacked on to the cost of a hotel stay in the city, makes up about 10 percent of the city's $37.9 million general fund. City officials said a busy Fourth of July weekend brought visitors to town and pushed up receipts. They expect hotel tax to increase by 3 percent this year. The city's budget year starts in July, and while officials said they hope late summer vacations in August and September continue the positive trend, a good first month isn't necessarily a sign of a strong year. Last year, for example, hotel tax returns grew by 13 percent one month, only to drop by 10 percent a few months later. Ultimately, the tax outperformed last year's projection of 3 percent growth. The city actually took in 4 percent more in hotel taxes -- despite the ups and downs -- then it had the year before. From Biz Buzz, The Tribune, Leslie Griffy To see more of The Tribune, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to www.sanluisobispo.com. (c) 2005, The Tribune, San Luis Obispo, Calif. Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News. SLO Housing Gains in 2006Wednesday, September 21, 2005Driven by a strong demand for housing, single-family homes in San Luis Obispo County will continue to appreciate in 2006, say economists for the California Association of Realtors."Prices there are still relatively affordable compared to coastal metro areas like the San Francisco Bay and Los Angeles," said Leslie Appleton-Young, vice president and chief economist for the association, which released its 2006 Housing Market Forecast this week. "It's a very attractive destination for retiring, and I think in general you'll outperform other areas of the state." But residents may not see the huge increases in home value of the past four years. The association predicts that home prices across the state will cool next year. Sales also are expected to decline slightly. In 2006, California's median home price -- the statistical point where half of the homes sell for more and half for less -- will increase 10 percent to $575,500, compared with a projected median of $523,150 this year. Sales are projected to reach 630,610 residences, a drop of 2 percent from 2005, according to the association forecast. "I would feel comfortable letting people know that we don't expect to see a bubble," Appleton-Young said. San Luis Obispo County "will be characterized by a supply shortage more than anything," she said. "More people want to come than you have homes to place them in." The median price of a home in San Luis Obispo County was $559,900 in July, an increase of nearly 24 percent from July 2004, when the median price was $452,270. The California Association of Realtors will release the county's median home price for August on Monday. In July, housing affordability remained at a record low. Just 10 percent of San Luis Obispo County residents could afford the median-priced home. Jim Hamilton, the association's president, said higher home prices and interest rates will push affordability even lower. "We expect the fixed mortgage rate to rise to 6.4 percent next year, and the adjustable rate to hit 5.1 percent," he said, "which will make it more difficult for many families in California to be able to afford a home." From Biz Buzz, The Tribune, Julie Lynem To see more of The Tribune, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to www.sanluisobispo.com. (c) 2005, The Tribune, San Luis Obispo, Calif. Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News. San Luis Obispo Costco OpensMonday, September 19, 2005The years of waiting -- over. The trips to Santa Maria -- done. Costco has arrived.For many county residents, the opening of the massive membership warehouse store Saturday brings a new and welcome outlet for stocking up on household goods from toilet paper to trendy purses. For many county businesses, it brings a new and formidable competitor. And for the city of San Luis Obispo, it brings about half a million dollars in its first year in sales tax revenue that will help pay for city services. Eager shoppers filled their carts with bulk items at discount prices. Check-out lines were long, and finding a parking proved to be a hassle. To help with the grand opening, Costco brought in outside help from stores in Santa Maria and Goleta. And with any grand opening comes a traffic jam that can make even the most patient driver irritated. Some circled the parking lot for more than 20 minutes trying to find a spot. Costco officials made sure there were plenty of employees in the parking lot helping direct shoppers to the open spaces. The addition of Costco has some residents concerned about traffic delays coming off Highway 101 but officials say it should calm down over the next few weeks. SLO Red Cross VolunteersSunday, September 11, 2005On this, the anniversary of 9/11, it is heartwarming to report what a great response Katrina victims are receiving from private volunteers and donations. KSBY reports that The American Red Cross asked for an unprecedented 40,000 new volunteers to help with relief efforts today. And help from the Central Coast is on its way to meet those needs!The San Luis Obispo Red Cross held a massive training session to prepare its largest group of volunteers for the hurricane relief effort. Ninety volunteers packed the American Legion Hall in San Luis Obispo. They sat through training videos and listened to lectures that dealt with providing food and shelter for evacuees. The Red Cross says volunteers keep signing up. "Our phone has been ringing off the hook for the past two weeks now, so its been pretty crazy how many people are wanting to go," said Kelly Van Buren, American Red Cross public support director. "We're going to have these classes set up for another couple weeks to go." The volunteers will be sent out within a week. Most will head out to the Gulf Coast, others will travel to Texas where thousands of evacuees are sheltered. SLO Fundraising for KatrinaSaturday, September 10, 2005More than $7,000 was raised last weekend by eight downtown San Luis Obispo retailers to help victims of Hurricane Katrina. The fundraiser, called "Turn the Tide," was spearheaded by Coverings manager Mirjam Holt, and it raised $7,158.Other businesses in San Luis Obispo County continue raising funds to help victims of Katrina. The Tribune's Biz Buzz section will be profiling these fundraisiing efforts by local businesses in the days to come. Wineries use Labor Day as fundraiser for Katrina Oenophiles poured into the county's tasting rooms over the Labor Day weekend to also raise money for those affected by Hurricane Katrina. Members of the Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance and the San Luis Obispo Vintners Association aimed to collectively raise $100,000. Contributions ranged from a percentage of all sales or a specific product to all sales and tasting fees collected Monday. At least three dozen wineries in the Paso Robles region and a handful in the San Luis Obispo area participated. One of the largest donations came from Eberle Winery in Paso Robles, which planned to donate all tasting room profits from Monday and set a goal of $15,000. Helped by more than $7,000 from online sales, the winery raised that much by noon -- and ultimately gathered about $23,600. "I know they need so much more," Gary Eberle said. "But I'm glad I'm in a position to help them get through this terrible time." Other wineries raised several thousand dollars apiece. Justin Vineyards & Winery is donating the $4,500 its tasting room earned in sales and fees on Labor Day. Peachy Canyon Winery raised $7,500 Monday and plans to contribute all tasting fees this month, "which will be another few thousand dollars, for sure," said marketing coordinator Maura Osbourn. J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines raised $10,000 Monday -- half from tasting room and Internet sales, which was matched by Jerry Lohr. "It was a good day," hospitality manager Diane Moreno said. "The public helped." See www.sanluisobispo.com for continuing fundraising news. SLO Costco Opens next weekFriday, September 09, 2005After months of construction and planning, Costco is set to open September 17 in San Luis Obispo. The new 140-thousand-square-foot store – 10-thousand-square-feet larger than the Santa Maria location - is packed with merchandise and design features.Located off Los Osos Valley Road just across from Home Depot, the new store is highlighted by an on-the-floor pharmacy allowing customers easy and direct access to pharmacists. The wine selection is local – nearly 80-percent is from local wineries. The new store also has a 90-thousand gallon gas station, and Costco is promising to match the lowest fuel price within a five-mile radius. Costco is hoping to hire nearly 300 employees. And with flexible hours, starting pay of $10 per hour and benefits for all, new workers are excited about the opportunities. An open house event is set for September 16 from 6 PM to 8 PM. Kompolt Online Auction AgencyWednesday, September 07, 2005Jenny Kompolt is the engine behind the ultimate flea market.As the owner of Kompolt Online Auction Agency in San Luis Obispo, she manages sales for some eBay auctioneers. Using a combination of creative energy, celebrity clients and high-stakes philanthropy, she helps raise millions of dollars for charitable organizations. In four and a half years, her auctions have brought in almost $5 million for such groups as the Jackie Robinson Foundation, America's Second Harvest and Tsunami Relief. In July, she ran an auction that raised $351,000 for the Glide Foundation, a San Francisco church program for the homeless. The prize? A lunch with billionaire investor Warren Buffett. Now, Kompolt is working with "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" on an upcoming auction of a celebrity-signed Harley-Davidson motorcycle. The proceeds will go to Hurricane Katrina relief. The auction starts Sept. 19 and closes Sept. 29. Behind the scenes of the auctions, Kompolt provides graphics and marketing expertise, and processes government paperwork and bidder prequalifications. Success, she says, lies in her pre-promotion since eBay only allows 10 days for an auction. Kompolt's work isn't just for charitable groups. She's expanding into the automotive for-sale-by-owner market and hopes that her already established reputation will help to capture part of that market on eBay. The Tribune recently spoke with her about her business and why she relocated to San Luis Obispo in April 2004. The conversation is excerpted here: Big names, bigger profits The Tribune, Jeanne Kinney Learn more about Kompolt Online Auction Agency at www.kompolt.com To see more of The Tribune, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to www.sanluisobispo.com. (c) 2005, The Tribune, San Luis Obispo, Calif. Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News. Sept 10 - Pier to Pier PaddleTuesday, September 06, 2005The San Luis Bay Chapter of the Surfrider Foundation, in conjunction with Central Coast Kayaks in Shell Beach, is sponsoring the 13th annual Ken Harmaount "Pier to Pier Paddle" on Saturday, Sept. 10. The fund-raiser is organized to help raise money for the San Luis Obispo County Junior Lifeguard programs. For more info, call 773-3500.Car Theft Lowest in SLOMonday, September 05, 2005Where's the least likely place in California a car will be stolen? Right here in our county.The vehicle theft rate of the San Luis Obispo County area landed at the bottom of the state's list during the past three years in a recent study by the National Insurance Crime Bureau. The nonprofit group compares the number of vehicles reported stolen against every hundred thousand people, using numbers from the 2000 census. The study, which has been conducted for two decades, mirrors FBI statistics and looks at areas with a population of at least 100,000 people. The vehicle theft rate here last year was 169 vehicles per 100,000 people. By comparison, Modesto -- with the highest car theft rate in the state and the country -- had a rate last year of about 1,571. Read entire article at: Car theft rate is lowest in state The Tribune, Laurie Phillips To see more of The Tribune, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to www.sanluisobispo.com. (c) 2005, The Tribune, San Luis Obispo, Calif. Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News. SLO Help for Katrina victimsSunday, September 04, 2005San Luis Obispo stores put competition aside and united their cash registers Saturday to raise money for victims of Hurricane Katrina."After seeing all the images earlier this week on TV we kind of felt compelled to do something," said Mirjam Holt, Store Manager of Coverings. Coverings, Blush, Ambiance, Tails, Finders Keepers, Fanny Wrappers, Salon Lux, and Therapy will donate 20 percent of Saturday's sales for relief efforts. "It's about how much money we can make for these people so lets get all the other retailers together that we think are interested," said Holt. "We called everybody up and they graciously said, yes, lets do it." Holt says they're hoping to raise $5,000-10,000 which will be matched by Rotary de Tolosa. Giuseppe's Italian Restaurant coming to SLOSaturday, September 03, 2005Tenant improvements continue for Palazzo Giuseppe's Italian restaurant in the Court Street shopping center. A restaurant with wine bar, wine storage, martini bar with fountain, bakery, pizza bar, piano bar and outdoor seating. It's 4,400 square feet with Old World Italian influences, including a Gothic, double-vaulted ceiling in the dining area with a mural. The kitchen, described by architect Craig Smith as "very sophisticated," takes up more than one-third of the total floor area.SLO Gas Prices Rise FastFriday, September 02, 2005Prices at the pump in San Luis Obispo County jumped to more than $3 a gallon as the impact of Hurricane Katrina hit gas tanks and pocketbooks nationwide.Hurricane Katrina ripped through the Gulf Coast this week, leaving eight refineries out of service. Industry officials and analysts said flooding may have left some important refinery equipment submerged, and it will be days before a full damage assessment is completed. Crude oil prices remained close to $69 a barrel Wednesday, down from an overnight high of $70.65 on Monday. On Tuesday, oil futures had settled at $69.81, the highest closing price on the New York Mercantile Exchange since trading begin in 1983, although still below the inflation-adjusted high of about $90 a barrel that was set in 1980. Government officials announced they would release oil from reserves, but the action isn't expected to affect soaring gasoline prices, which hit record highs in California and in SLO County. Just how bad the situation becomes for motorists depends on how quickly electricity can be restored to the Gulf Coast pipelines and refineries. The average price of unleaded gasoline in San Luis Obispo County was recorded Wednesday at $2.906 a gallon, higher than the state's average of $2.844 a gallon. The national average for unleaded gasoline was $2.619 a gallon. California's prices are higher because of a special blend of gasoline used to keep the air clean. Gas costs in San Luis Obispo County are higher than in other areas of the state in part because of less competition here, she said. Read More
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