THE PUBLIC IS INVITED! The Downtown Association will be hosting a GRAND CELEBRATION of the completion of the Downtown Enhancement and Lighting Program. Join City staff, Downtown Association members, vendors, sponsors and all who made the program possible as we officially ‘christen’ one of Downtown’s most visible beautification projects. WHEN: WEDNESDAY, JUNE 6 7:30 PM WHERE: HIGUERA STREET AT DOWNTOWN CENTRE BETWEEN GAP AND EXPRESS WHAT: REFRESHMENTS, MUSIC, SHORT PROGRAM GRAND TREE LIGHTING CEREMONY 8 PM

MEMORIAL DAY CEREMONY Monday, May 28, 2012 11:00am Pismo Beach Pier Guest speaker: General (Ret) Michael Carns. former Vice Chief of Staff of the US Air Force. The ceremony events will include a presentation of Colors, MAI/POW Honors, a presentation of wreath, and a reading of the "Unknown Soldier".

Register for Summer Camps and Programs.

The Literacy Council for San Luis Obispo County has an ongoing and urgent need for volunteer tutors. Our 2-part, Tutor Training Workshop will take place on Saturday June 2nd and Saturday June 9th, at the Literacy Council’s office, 1264 Higuera Street, Suite 102, from 9:00am to 3:30pm. A $25 enrollment fee is required at your first session.

3 day music festival to benefit KCBX Public Radio. Camping available.

The Cross Streets: 100 Years of Downtown Businesses by Guy Crabb.

Celebrated comedian and actor Martin Short has won legions of fans and garnered accolades in television, film, and theater since his breakout season on Saturday Night Live almost 30 years ago. On Sunday, June 3, 2012 at 7 p.m. in the Performing Arts Center’s Cohan Center, Cal Poly Arts is pleased to present MARTIN SHORT in a hilarious one-man tour-de-force. The versatile comic has created a variety show based on his Broadway show, Fame Becomes Me, and is performing some of his most beloved characters (think "Ed Grimley!"). This family show comes alive with sketches, songs, and special guest interviews…

The ultimate living history experience! Explore these majestic bomber aircraft inside and out! Feel the engines power up and take to the skies in an amazing 30-minute flight experience! Walk-through tours are $12 for adults and $6 for kids 12 and under. Flight experiences start at $425.

A progress report on the local economy will be the focus of the Mid Year Update of the Central Coast Economic Forecast on Thursday, June 7, 2012. Economic Forecaster Chris Thornberg and panelists Tom Jones (PG & E), Ty Safreno (Trust Automation) and Kevin Meyer (Specialty Silicone) will anchor the event. Jones, Safreno and Meyer will participate in a panel discussion on the local job market and its role in both the success and struggle of area companies. Maggie Cox of BCA will moderate the panel. Cuesta College President, Gil Stork, willl serve as Master of Ceremonies for the Mid-Year…

SLO Botanical Garden presents Hawkeye Herman and Friends Concert. Very limited seating, reserve early at www.slobg.org or purchase tickets at Eve's Garden Shop, daily 9-5. 2:30pm: Free docent-led tour. 3:30pm doors open. 4:00pm indoor concert. Cost: $15 members, $20 non-members, $25 at door. County Parks charges $3 for parking on weekends April-October. For details, visit www.slobg.org.

A job and resource fair for veterans, National Guard, and Reservists returning from active duty. This event is designed to provide valuable information about employment opportunities and services available to veterans. WANTED: Businesses with job openings in San Luis Obispo County or Santa Maria. If you are looking for job candidates who are trained, educated, and have leadership skills, it makes sense to hire a vet. Meet candidates face-to-face, showcase your business, advertise open positions, no fee to participate. Community organizations and service providers are invited to highlight their services at the job fair. Please contact Milt Batson for more…

10 Things You Can’t Do to Collect Account Receivables. Presenter: Dr. Gene Konstant. Innocent errors collecting accounts receivable can cost hundreds of dollars. Learn ten specific things you cannot do to collect and a simple system most businesses can use to prevent the problem. Handout can be used to train your employees. A full time self-employed consultant/trainer, Gene has helped start hundreds of businesses, drafted 200+ business plans, raised $500 million CASH investments, presented 12,000+ live classes, scripted hundreds of sales / telephone presentations, consulted with 5 national franchisors, provided consulting for 8 federal government agencies and taught business for…

The 29th Annual Strawberry Festival will take place on the Saturday and Sunday of Memorial Day Weekend, May 26th & 27th. The Strawberry Festival is San Luis Obispo County’s largest free Festival and is the primary yearly fundraiser for the Arroyo Grande Village Improvement Association. (www.arroyograndevillage.org/strawberry.asp ) This family-style event brings together thousands of visitors and local residents to enjoy activities and entertainment, four carnival areas, the Strawberry Stampede, hundreds of art, craft and display booths, ethnic foods, and of course, scrumptious strawberry treats of all kinds as well as fresh strawberries by the box! Heritage Square Museums, antique…

The Morro Bay High School & Los Osos Middle School will be performing their annual Spring Concerts on Tuesday, May 22 & 23, 2012 at the Christopher Cohan Center at CalPoly's PAC at 7 pm. The Choral Choirs, under the direction of Colleen Wall will be performing on Tuesday, May 22 and the Bands, under the direction of Brynn Belyea, will be performing on Wednesday, May 23. Tickets are $10 and $9 General Admission, respectively, and will be available at the door or through the Christopher Cohen Center ticket office or by calling them at (805)756-ARTS.

‘Robots, Privacy and Society’ Topics of May 23 Lecture at Cal Poly The Ethics + Emerging Sciences Group at Cal Poly will host a talk on robots, drones and society from 10 a.m. to noon Wednesday, May 23, in Chumash Auditorium in the University Union on campus. Ryan Calo, director of privacy and robotics research at Stanford Law School’s Center for Internet and Society, will present “Robots, Privacy and Society,” as part of the Technology, Policy & Ethics Lecture Series. Robots -- sometimes called drones -- have been making headlines for years on the battlefield, but now they're starting to…

Baritone Paul Max Tipton, who has a career in opera, oratorio and chamber music, will present a vocal master class at 2 p.m. Sunday, May 27, in Room 218 of the Davidson Music Center (Building 45) at Cal Poly. Several of the Cal Poly Music Department’s leading voice students will perform and be critiqued on their performance. Faculty member Susan Azaret Davies will accompany the students on piano.

Cal Poly’s English Department will release the 22nd edition of Byzantium at 7 p.m. Saturday, May 19, at a reading and party open to the public at Sally Loo’s Café in San Luis Obispo. All winners and editors’ choice selectees will read from their pieces at the event. Copies of Byzantium, Cal Poly’s annual publication of the winners and editors’ choice selections of the Al Landwehr Creative Writing Contest, will be available at the event and around campus for free.

WEEK-LONG CHILDREN'S SUMMER PRO DRAMA WORKSHOP LED BY MISSOULA CHILDREN'S THEATRE RUNS JUNE 25 - 30, 2012 AGES: For children entering first grade through high school seniors AUDITIONS WILL BE HELD ON MONDAY, JUNE 25, BEGINNING AT 10 A.M.COST: $110 Registration now open through June 15; spaces are limited to 60 For more information, contact Denise Leader Stoeber: 756-5914; dleaders@calpoly.edu Conducted by the skilled facilitators of MISSOULA CHILDREN'S THEATRE and presented by CAL POLY ARTS, this one-week workshop experience is perfect for both the beginning actor and the most seasoned young veteran interested in all aspects of creating theater. Children…

On Sunday, May 20, 2012 at 3 p.m. in the Performing Arts Center’s Cohan Center, Cal Poly Arts proudly presents a lively and engaging Forbes Pipe Organ Recital, featuring University organist Paul Woodring. Special guest, Dave Garth, will close the program, narrating an organ solo version of Prokofiev's "Peter and the Wolf." All of the cast will be there: Peter, the Cat, the Bird, Grandfather, the Duck, and, of course, the Wolf. Student and adult tickets for the performance range from $13 to $26 and may be purchased at the Performing Arts Center Ticket Office, call 805/756-2787; www.calpolyarts.org.

The Fishtank Ensemble offers a unique and truly world beat musical experience.

The Fishtank Ensemble offers a unique and truly world beat musical experience.

POETRY AT THE BEAN WHAT: Poetry Reading Series held the first Saturday of each month. WHEN: June 2, 2012 at 7:00 p.m. WHERE: The Nautical Bean at 11560 Los Osos Valley Rd, in the Laguna Shopping Center, San Luis Obispo Featured Readers: James Cushing ( from SLO, Cal Poly) and Gregory Ramirez of Fresno Open reading to follow. More info: Kevin Patrick Sullivan at 547-1318 kpsslopoet@charter.net

Water Audit Basics for Small to Medium Sized Businesses June 21 (Thursday, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm) Atascadero--Pavilion This one-day program serves as an overview with hands-on practice to conduct basic water audits at Small to Medium Sized Commercial Facilities. The Program focuses on skill building to assist in identifying water use and water waste, standard data collection using various methods and equipment to evaluate water consumption, water use calculations, and customer reporting. A mock water audit will be conducted within the PEC facility. This training will instruct attendees in basic techniques to perform an interior water audit and will…

Cal Poly to Host UNLV Psychology Professor for May 22 Talk on Racial Identity Psychologist, professor and author William E. Cross will present “The Trayvon Martin Tragedy and the Psychology of Being Black” from 11:10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 22, in Chumash Auditorium at Cal Poly. Cross is a professor in the Department of Educational and Clinical Studies at the University of Las Vegas, Nevada, and creator of the seminal model of black racial identity development. He is the author of “Shades of Black,” one of the most frequently referenced texts on black identity. His model conceptualizing the…

Antiques. Treasures. Vintage Finds. Collectibles.