SLO County News Blog

Golf, Wine, Real Estate, Business & Travel News

Climbing closed on SLO's Cerro Romauldo

Sunday, October 30, 2005

The world of rock climbers in San Luis Obispo County is a tightly knit one. And this month, the climbing community has been alarmed by the news that one of their favorite climbing areas - Cerro Romualdo in San Luis Obispo - will be closed.

The ban on recreational climbing on the state-owned property went into effect Oct. 1, and it has several longtime climbers upset.

There's not much climbing in the area, so when one (site) closes, it's a big deal.

Read entire article at:
Santa Maria Times
Karin Driesen

Sara Heinrichs Photography

Saturday, October 29, 2005

One of San Luis Obispo's most talented photographers is offering prints of her favorite images.

Sara Heinrichs, a local photographer who was recently diagnosed with skin cancer, is raising money through print sales to cover her new health expenses, which limited insurance coverage pays only a fraction.

Rather than throw in the towel on her recent efforts to start her photography business, and knuckle down to a 9-5 just to get benefits and watch all that she's worked so hard to achieve dribble down the drain one doctor's appointment at a time, Sara has decided to growl back. (Grrrr!) Rather than take on crippling debt, she hopes to raise the money she needs through the very thing she wants to save - her photography.

Sara has chosen a few of her favorite images to offer in this print drive, priced to move. They are all ready to be whisked your way, shipped straight from the printer to your home to be hung on your wall, placed on your desk, tacked to your forehead, or wrapped up for Christmas. If you've ever thought to yourself, "Man, I'd love a print of that one!" well, now is the time.

To view Sara's prints and to make an order, visit her website at:

www.saraheinrichsphotography.com

San Luis Obispo County is Leader in California Home Sales

Friday, October 28, 2005

Median home prices in California fell in September by 2 percent to more than 4 percent slashing $8,000 off the price of condos and $25,000 of the price of single-family detached homes in September.

Statewide, year-to-year single-family home sales were up 3.9 percent and condo sales rose 4.5 percent. Month-to-month, single-family home sales rose "2.9 percent condo sales fell 11.1 percent.

"The September median home price compared with August has fallen every year since 1993, and in 20 of the last 26 years," said CAR. President Jim Hamilton. "This year is no exception and is part of the seasonal shift to an off-peak period in the real estate market as we approach year's end.

"Despite the seasonal slow down for the market as a whole, the median price in the High Desert, Riverside/San Bernardino, Santa Barbara South Coast and San Luis Obispo regions hit record highs last month," he said.

Month-to-month prices fell in 14 of the 20 regions CAR tracks, with all the price increases occurring in regions from central California (San Luis Obispo) to the south. Only Santa Barbara County revealed a year-to-year price drop.

Fourteen of the 20 regions yielded sales drops from August to September, only nine yielded year-to-year sales declines.

Year-to-year, the biggest price jump was in the posh Santa Barbara South Coast region where home prices jumped a cool 55.3 percent, but the area also had the worst year-to-year numbers for sales which plummeted 34.5 percent.

The year-to-year sales leader was San Luis Obispo where sales soared 30.5 percent. All of Santa Barbara County turned in the largest price decline, 19.2 percent.

Read entire article at:
California Home Prices Slip Seasonally
Realty Times, Broderick Perkins

Schwarzenegger coming to SLO

Thursday, October 27, 2005

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger will be in San Luis Obispo next week to tell Central Coast residents why they should support his "Year of Reform" initiatives on the Nov. 8 ballot.

The governor will be featured Nov. 3 in a live televised appearance that will air from 7:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on KSBY, the San Luis Obispo-based NBC affiliate. The Tribune and the Santa Maria Times are co-sponsoring the event.

Dan Dennison, KSBY news director, said about 200 Central Coast residents will be invited as audience members, and some of them will be able to ask Schwarzenegger questions about the ballot measures. The event will not be open to the public, a condition sought by the governor's office.

While the event is not a debate, Dennison is trying to line up education and union officials who will speak against the propositions in order to provide those perspectives. The governor and proposition opponents will be given equal amounts of time.

The ballot measures to be discussed are those that deal with how long teachers must work before securing tenure status (Proposition 74), how unions must get consent of members to use dues for political campaigns (Proposition 75), changing state spending and school funding limits (Proposition 76) and changing how districts are drawn for elected officials (Proposition 77).

SLO Art to NO Art

Monday, October 24, 2005

This December, owner Gail Johnson will say goodbye to the cozy space she opened a decade ago in a Victorian house she restored on Marsh Street. Business at the Johnson Gallery just isn't what it used to be.

The Johnson Gallery is an artistic wonderland where guests can see an array of pieces -- from blown glass and oil paintings to silver necklaces and Peruvian funerary dolls.

"We did really well until about three years ago," said Johnson, who plans to focus solely on the framing portion of her San Luis Obispo business. "Things had started stalling, and that's something that you're willing to put up with when you can see there's going to be a turnaround soon. But if you can't visualize a turnaround, how long are you willing to continue under the circumstances?"

San Luis Obispo can be a tough town in which to operate an art gallery. While many gallery owners have done well over the years, others say luring customers is a constant challenge, even in a county that's attracting more affluent tourists and residents with disposable income.

Several commercial and co-op galleries, including the McConnell Gallery, Compact Gallery and the San Luis Artists Gallery (where artists subsidized the gallery's operation), have closed in recent years -- either because customers weren't buying enough art or artists were stretched too thin to keep it going.

As well, The John Landon Gallery closed in March to make way for seismic retrofitting of the building at 962 Monterey St. The gallery, which sells art locally and internationally, has offices in Shell Beach. Landon's art is also available at Visions gallery in Morro Bay.

John Ramos, known for his tropical scenes, moved to Baja and closed his gallery on Higuera Street last year. His work is now sold at Hands Gallery.

No one can say for certain why the gallery scene appears to be losing some of its luster. Economic uncertainty, the cost of renting gallery space, seismic retrofit construction and the increasing cost of doing business hasn't helped, some gallery operators say. Perhaps it's that San Luis Obispo, unlike artist enclaves in larger cities, doesn't have the clientele to support the galleries, especially those that sell higher-end pieces.

Read entire article at:
Vanishing art forms
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.

Paso Robles Wine Boom

Friday, October 21, 2005

Paso Robles wine country is quickly making a name for itself as one of the premier wine tasting destinations in the country. Ten years ago Paso Robles had about 30 wineries. Today the number sits at more than 100.

"Paso Robles wine country has certainly taken the industry by storm," said Kim Murphy, industry expert. "It is the third largest wine region in California with over a hundred wineries in Paso Robles alone."

The area was once thought of as an after thought, simply a place you had to drive through to get to a much more exciting place like Napa Valley, one of the finest wine regions in the world. Today Paso Robles isn't much of an after thought anymore.

"We're not just, you know, standing behind Napa. Everyone has heard of Napa and now everyone is starting to recognize Paso Robles which is really neat." Whitney Railsback, wine expert.

But with all of this growth can the region manage and maintain such a boom? Industry experts say there's still more room to grow.

"Its actually just getting stronger. Paso Robles wine country is a destination for the industry as a whole in the United States," said Murphy.

The newer wineries are the ones putting Paso Robles on the map. They've channeled their energy into producing high end wines. That wasn't always the case.

"There are a lot of wineries that have been here a very long time and have sold a lot of their grapes into value prices wines," said Steve Cass, owner of Cass Vineyards & Winery. "Lately it seems the swing has been toward premium wines."

Wineries are also holding on to their fruit. In the past, they would sell to Napa Valley. That trend is quickly dying. Now most everything stays in house.

Earlier this year, more than a dozen wineries opened in just one month.Paso Robles wine country is quickly making a name for itself as one of the premier wine tasting destinations in the country. Ten years ago Paso Robles had about 30 wineries. Today the number sits at more than 100.

"Paso Robles wine country has certainly taken the industry by storm," said Kim Murphy, industry expert. "It is the third largest wine region in California with over a hundred wineries in Paso Robles alone."

The area was once thought of as an after thought, simply a place you had to drive through to get to a much more exciting place like Napa Valley, one of the finest wine regions in the world. Today Paso Robles isn't much of an after thought anymore.

"We're not just, you know, standing behind Napa. Everyone has heard of Napa and now everyone is starting to recognize Paso Robles which is really neat." Whitney Railsback, wine expert.

But with all of this growth can the region manage and maintain such a boom? Industry experts say there's still more room to grow.

"Its actually just getting stronger. Paso Robles wine country is a destination for the industry as a whole in the United States," said Murphy.

The newer wineries are the ones putting Paso Robles on the map. They've channeled their energy into producing high end wines. That wasn't always the case.

"There are a lot of wineries that have been here a very long time and have sold a lot of their grapes into value prices wines," said Steve Cass, owner of Cass Vineyards & Winery. "Lately it seems the swing has been toward premium wines."

Wineries are also holding on to their fruit. In the past, they would sell to Napa Valley. That trend is quickly dying. Now most everything stays in house.

Earlier this year, more than a dozen wineries opened in just one month.

Paso wine boom
KSBY, Pierre Kacsinta

10% Discount at Hearst Castle

Wednesday, October 19, 2005

Hearst Castle has announced that it will offer a 10 percent discount on several of its tours to all Senior Citizens and AAA members. In addition, a 10 percent discount will be offered for any food or beverage item purchase and all retail purchases over $10 will receive a 25 percent discount. Come to the Castle with proof of age or AAA membership and enjoy the savings. For more info, call 444-4445 or go to www.hearstcastle.com.

October is Time to Visit Avila Valley Barn

Tuesday, October 11, 2005

Avila Valley Barn is the place to be in October. The barn and pumpkin fields are packed with visitors this month, choosing just the right pumpkins for Halloween.

But Avila Valley Barn has a new special treat for visitors this year - they just opened their homemade ice cream shop Saturday.

The redwood-sided shop has a cantilevered deck overlooking olallieberry and raspberry fields. More picnic tables were added for patrons who want to relax and enjoy the surroundings.

Visitors can buy candy, caramel apples, pies, coffee and seven homemade ice cream flavors, including pumpkin and raspberry cheesecake swirl.

The shop, at 560 Avila Beach Drive, will be open every day from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Avila Valley Barn closes the week before Christmas. There are no plans to keep the ice cream shop open year-round, at least not this year. For more information, call the barn at 595-2810 or 595-2810.

Avila Valley Barn has a website coming at www.avilavalleybarn.com

SLO "Make A Difference Day"

Monday, October 10, 2005

From painting to gardening, hundreds of Cal Poly students are uniting for the largest national day of community service.

There are more than 30 different events lined up around San Luis Obispo County for national "Make A Difference Day." A team of Cal Poly students, staff, and faculty will be volunteering at the Garden House in Morro Bay, which currentily houses 15 Alzheimers and dementia patients.

The Cal Poly crew has agreed to do a once-over on the house by painting hallways and rooms, spackling, fixing doors, gardening, even tackling the wear and tear on the kitchen. Garden House workers say the extra help will save them about $7,000.

"We're just so grateful and the families of our residents are so appreciative too, because many of them are just as devastated by the disease as their parent, and so it's really important that they know their parent is being loved and cared for," says Garden House co-founder Gari Cave.

"It's so worthwhile," says Cal Poly student Harmony Newman. "You just leave with such a great feeling. It's on a Saturday, so if you don't have time to squeeze it into your schedule during the weekday that's okay, you can just give us a call."

This is the 13th year Cal Poly students have taken part in this national event. "Make A Difference Day" is October 22. If you would like more information on the event or would like to sign up for help, you can contact the city of San Luis Obispo or Cal Poly. Last year, more than 3 million people volunteered for the event around the nation.

SLO Housing Shifting Population

Monday, October 03, 2005

Kirsten Flagg reports in Nipomo's Adobe Press what we've been observing - that as we approach our growth limits and the cost of housing rises in San Luis Obispo County, our communities start to look older and richer. Some excerpts from her article are included below.

It's a market real estate agents and affordable housing advocates alike contend is driven mostly by outside forces -- retired people moving here from Los Angeles, Orange County and the Bay Area.

"San Luis Obispo County is extremely unaffordable for people who live and work here," said Jerry Rioux of the San Luis Obispo County Housing Trust Fund. "Yet, it's the least-expensive housing market from the (San Francisco) Bay to Mexico. If you want to live on the coast, this is the cheap place, the most affordable place for folks who have money and assets from elsewhere."

Countywide, while the average age of our residents has risen slightly, one age group that has consistently declined over the last 15 years has been that between 30 and 39 - the age of many who service our community while raising families.

The threat of a shrinking workforce and shrinking funds for schools -- based on lost state revenue allocated on daily attendance, as fewer homes have children -- grows as communities lose their generational diversity, Rioux said.

"This is a great place to live," said Bill Vincent, president of the board of the Pismo Coast Realtors Association, who's been selling homes in Nipomo since the 1970s. "Everybody who lives here knows it. I mean, it's not like it's some secret. Just think about the weather. It's ridiculous, it's just so beautiful. So prices are just going to be high. It's gotta be."

The county encourages developers to build affordable housing through a series of incentives, including density bonuses, waivers of development fees, exemptions from yearly growth caps and permit processing assistance, although county officials are considering a more aggressive program.

However, a combination of the rising price of land, construction costs and added administrative costs associated with community opposition to high-density affordable housing projects usually overwhelm the savings developers could make through the current provisions, said Jerry Bunin, government affairs director for the Home Builders Association of the Central Coast.

Bunin said developers are discouraged from building affordable housing, even if the units are in high demand, because resistance from community members can drag out the permitting process and pile on extra costs.

"You're going to look for the path of low resistance and what the community is going to accept," Bunin said. "And they're going to accept low density."

Yet the people who work in the area continue to need places to live. About 42 percent of those employed in San Luis Obispo County work in retail, hospitality or food services. That number is 32 percent in Santa Maria, where many in Nipomo work, according to 2002 U.S. Census figures.

"I think it's really too bad that the young people can't afford to live here or stay here," said retiree Hayes. "We see young families that are moving out to places that aren't cheap, but they're cheaper than here. That's just an unfortunate thing that's part of being on the Central Coast."

Read entire article at:
Rising cost of housing causing population shifts
Adobe Press, Kirsten Flagg

Visit Golf SLO for Central Coast Golf

Saturday, October 01, 2005

For most golfers, home courses, like old clothes, offer a certain comfort. On the road, however, it's another matter. A bit of challenge and adventure is expected on new and unfamiliar ground, be it hilly or flat, coastal or desert, barren or lush. Something exotic, famous, or strikingly scenic may be in order on this, a once-a-year - or even once-in-a-lifetime - vacation opportunity.

Close to seven million Americans a year golf while traveling on vacation, and just about every destination is entered in the competition. Go to any corner of America today and you will find a golf course.

One such destination is the California Central Coast - fast becoming one of the top vacation spots, not only for its famous castle, wine tasting and beaches, but for fabulous, top-notch golf!

Central Coast wineries were recently discovered - almost overnight - by moviegoers won over by the Academy Award winning film, "Sideways". Tens of thousands of novice and veteran wine lovers, with specially made "Sideways" maps in hand, took "Sideways" bus tours, and visited the restaurants and wine tasting rooms they saw on the big screen, thirsty for Miles' favorite varietal, pinot noir.

And of course, the Central Coast's San Luis Obispo County is famous for the magnificent Hearst Castle, where tourists flock to tour this historic private 127-acre estate built by newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst.

For those who would like to add golf to their Central Coast vacation itinerary, San Luis Obispo County - recently voted #1 for golf in California by Golf Digest - offers a world-class golf destination.

Relaxed and uncrowded, over a dozen San Luis Obispo County golf courses offer a variety of terrain and levels of play. The scenic courses offer lush scenery, ocean views and challenging holes.

Come experience San Luis Obispo County's Mediterranean climate, offering excellent year-round golf conditions in addition to the most affordable golf on the California's Central Coast. You will have one of your most memorable golf vacations ever.

Visit www.GolfSLO.com to select and make reservations at any of our San Luis Obispo County golf courses.