Rizzoli’s Automotive is jump-starting its second annual book drive to collect books for children in San Luis Obispo and Santa Maria through partnerships with the San Luis Obispo County Community Foundation’s Raising A Reader Program and Altrusa International, Inc. of the Central Coast.

Last year, Rizzoli’s donated 600 books to Raising a Reader, a San Luis Obispo Community Foundation initiative that supplies simple training and preschool books to low-income families in our community. Rizzoli’s also donated 700 books to Altrusa International, a global community service club with a San Luis Obispo chapter. Rizzoli’s is now calling on the community to help them exceed those numbers this year. Many families struggle financially and are not able to afford books. These local programs seek to fill that gap by providing the tools for early literacy for low-income families in our community.

Rizzoli’s will continue to collect books year-round at its locations in San Luis Obispo and Santa Maria along with its on-going food drive for the SLO Food Bank. “We live in this community and care about the people here,” says Kyle Rizzoli, president of Rizzoli’s Automotive. “It’s been rewarding to join in with our customers in supporting those in need.”

Donations can be dropped off at Rizzoli’s Automotive, located at 2584 Victoria in San Luis Obispo and 1149 W. Tama Lane in Santa Maria.

Hundreds of local leaders recently gathered at the San Luis Obispo Botanical Garden to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Leadership San Luis Obispo and donate to the Food Bank Coalition of San Luis Obispo County.

Leadership San Luis Obispo, an independent nonprofit program of the San Luis Obispo Chamber of Commerce, collected $220 and 452 pounds of food, the equivalent of 1,960 meals at the Oct. 16 event.

There’s just a week left to submit nominations for The Tribune’s annual Top 20 under 40 competition celebrating San Luis Obispo County’s best and brightest young leaders. Nominations are being accepted online at www.sanluisobispo.com through Monday. Click on “Twenty under Forty,” and be prepared to provide background information and specific accomplishments of the nominee. 

The award, now in its seventh year, honors 20 women and men younger than age 40 who are leaders in their professions and communities. To be eligible, nominees must live and work in the county year-round, be 39 or younger on Jan. 1, and demonstrate a strong commitment to community service.
Common characteristics in past years' winners include pride in community, dedication to their craft and determination to succeed.

"We're seeking individuals who are making a difference in their communities through their leadership, vision and commitment in both their work and volunteer activities," said Executive Editor Sandra Duerr.

A panel of judges from the San Luis Obispo County Community Foundation will evaluate the candidates. Only one nomination per person will be accepted.

Winners will be chosen in December, and short biographies of each will be published in The Tribune in January.

Previous winners have represented a diverse group of young talent and have been involved in finance, law, health care, education, business, local government and nonprofit organizations.

For the past 15 years, the San Luis Obispo community has generously provided our County’s homeless with a wonderful home-cooked Christmas Day dinner, live entertainment and much needed care packages containing brand new sleeping bags, hooded sweatshirts, rain gear and toiletries. The Jewish Community initiated this event in order to serve those with the greatest need on Christmas Day.

The bountiful Christmas dinner is cooked by the local Jewish congregations, however the event is not limited to any one religious persuasion. Members from the local Cal Poly Volunteer Infrastructure Program (VIP) assist with the planning and organization of the event. Business partners throughout the county donate goods, equipment and services, including San Luis Sourdough, Apple Farm, Marie Callender’s, Doc Burnstein’s Ice Cream Lab, Trader Joe’s, Ralph’s, Ride-On, Sierra Vista Regional Medical Center, and San Luis Garbage. Entertainment is provided by Billy Foppiano and other musicians, as well as a show featuring champion performers from the Claddagh School of Irish Dance.

The City of San Luis Obispo Public Works and Police Departments have completed and released the 2010 Annual Traffic Safety Report (TSR), as part of the City’s overall Traffic Safety Program. In 2010, total collisions were down 12 percent and injury collisions were down from 2009. During 2010, one traffic related fatality involved an intoxicated pedestrian crossing midblock on Santa Barbara Street who was struck by a bus; this was the first traffic related fatality on City streets since 2006.

Compared to state and national statistics, the data reported reflects a continuing downward trend in collisions within the City. Since the City of San Luis Obispo initiated the Traffic Safety Report in 2002, traffic collisions have continually decreased, with 2010 as the lowest on record, despite an overall increase in City-wide traffic volumes.

Since the beginning of the program in 2002, traffic collisions on City streets have been reduced by over 50 percent.

Stephen M. Cairns joined Rabobank, N.A.’s commercial banking team in San Luis Obispo, as a relationship analyst, announced Steven Harding, regional  president. He is located at the bank’s San Luis Obispo financial service center at 2276 Broad Street and reports to Linda Minton, commercial banking regional manager.

Before joining Rabobank, Cairns served as a financial analyst and junior lender for Heritage Oaks Bank.  He earned a bachelor of science degree in agribusiness and a minor in wine and viticulture from Cal Poly. 

The Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance Board of Directors announced the hiring of its new Executive Director, Jennifer Porter. After conducting a nationwide search, Porter, a marketing professional with more than fifteen years of experience, was selected for the lead role and will begin her work with the Paso Robles wine industry in November 2011. Porter will continue the region’s focus on generating national awareness and demand for Paso Robles wine, drawing on her extensive marketing work in a variety of industries.

“Jennifer brings a diverse industry background along with a core set of marketing skills to Paso Robles Wine Country,” said Paul Hoover, Search Committee chairman and owner of Still Waters Vineyard. “We are excited to learn how we can continue the region’s marketing innovation working with her results driven experience and passion for the wine industry.”

On September 26, the EVC Board of Directors thanked and recognized outgoing Board member Charlie Richardson, President of Richardson Properties, for fourteen years of service on the Board.

"Charlie has been one of the longest Board members, and his contributions have been great and many. Charlie is a community leader who always gives back to our community and whose leadership qualities have served the EVC and its stakeholders very well", said Kris Vardas, Chairman of the Board of Directors.