Traffic volume at SLO County airport continues to rebound as the economy improves. May's departing passenger traffic rose 13.2 percent compared to last year – the first double-digit increase in almost two years.

Meanwhile, SkyWest has reduced its SLO fares, some by more than 50 percent; one-way tickets to L.A. are now being offered for as low as $109.

U.S. Airways will soon begin a new 50-seat 9 a.m. Sunday flight to Phoenix. According to the USA Today, airline capacity is down nationwide by 1.1 percent. 

However, San Luis Obispo has 12.8 percent more outbound seats, or an additional 538 seats daily, this July than it did in July 2009.

In a major reorganization of its staff of 15, the San Luis Obispo Chamber of Commerce recently promoted Ermina Karim to vice president of governmental affairs and economic development. This is only the second time in 105 years that the Chamber has had a vice president position.

The change will allow the non-profit organization to be more responsive to external economic development issues as well as focus on its six-point economic strategy as illustrated in its latest Economic Vision document.

“We’re expanding our economic development efforts to create an atmosphere where people will start and expand businesses here, and Ermina will lead the way,” said David Garth, SLO Chamber president/CEO. “This effort is critical because without future-oriented, head-of-household jobs, the local economy will be stagnant.”

In addition to her role as a representative for the local business community, Karim will share in Chamber personnel responsibilities and lead the Chamber in its economic development strategies, something she already knows a great deal about.

The summer season is here, which means local businesses can expect an influx of tourists – both good and bad. Panhandlers can be a problem in summer months for local businesses, but now business people have new tools to help better handle problem behaviors. 

The City of San Luis Obispo, in partnership with the San Luis Obispo Chamber of Commerce and the San Luis Obispo Downtown Association, is distributing a Reference Guide to Laws Regarding Aggressive Panhandling.

City Clerk Elaina Cano told the e-Insider today that the local initiative to block the extension of Prado Road has gathered the necessary signatures to qualify for the November ballot and will now go to the San Luis Obispo City Council to be certified.

The council has the choice of either certifying the initiative (which puts it on the ballot) or complying with the demands of the initiative by choosing its alternate alignment (considered highly unlikely).

A point/counterpoint on this subject at tomorrow morning’s Good Morning San Luis Obispo will feature Mila Vujovich-La Barre — an initiative proponent — squaring off with Mayor Dave Romero.

Tomorrow’s program begins at 7:30 a.m., and though online registration has closed, some seats may be available on a first-come-first-served basis at 7:30 a.m. Each seat is $21 for members and $25 for non-members, which includes breakfast and the program.

Knowledgeable sources report that former business owner and 20-year-resident Kathy Smith will be running for SLO City Council.

Smith previously served on the council from 1994 to 1998. She’s credited with proposing that the city add economic development and natural resource managers to city staff, positions that still exist today.

Her campaign will be headed up by retired Cal Poly professor Richard Kransdorf and business owner Wilda Rosene.

A major mixed-use project at Monterey Street and Johnson Avenue (for years the site of Hessler’s Unocal) will be breaking ground early next month.

The four-story project will have 4,000 square feet of retail on the ground floor, 5,000 square feet of office space on the second floor, and five 1,100- to 1,400-square-feet loft-style condominium residences on the third and fourth floors.

LEED certification will be sought. Architect George Garcia is the architect/developer.

Insiders reported this morning that SLO Mayor Dave Romero has made a final decision not to run for city council in November.

Romero, 81, will be termed out after serving eight years as mayor; previously, he served for eight years on the council and 36 years as director of Public Works.

Romero has been a great friend of local business and a consistent supporter of the SLO Chamber’s vision of a beautiful, safe community with a growing base of head-of-household jobs.

Romero’s 54 years of serving the city and his depth of knowledge are unparalleled.

An emotional Mayor Dave Romero made the motion last night to approve staff’s plan to begin a significant downtown beautification program.

Romero, along with the SLO Chamber, had been pushing this for years and had made it the focal point of his last campaign.

The council unanimously allocated $640,000 to improve three blocks on Higuera Street from Morro to Broad streets with new sidewalks, pedestrian lighting, trees, news racks and trash receptacles along with some major maintenance improvements.

These upgrades are essential if SLO is to remain competitive as a shopping and tourism destination.