Christmas will come early and often for children with special needs in the community who can now find toys and games specially designed to help them grow and develop.

In a space donated by the Paso Robles Children’s Museum, Katie’s Korner is Jack’s Helping Hand’s second Adaptive Toy Lending Library operating in San Luis Obispo County. The Grand Opening was on June 6 from 1 to 4 p.m. at 623 13th Street in Paso Robles.

The first location opened more than a year ago at Central Coast Gymnastics in San Luis Obispo, making it possible for families to use and have fun with the kinds of technically advanced and modified toys that special needs children need, but that they might not otherwise be able to afford.

The need for a second location soon became apparent. 

As our broken and bruised economy slowly emerges from this recession, the same businesses that have been forced to lay off some of their best employees are now positioned to start rehiring again, or at least to start considering the idea.

If you're one of those businesses, congratulations!

Now is a critical time in your business - you must pick and choose wisely from the large pool of qualified applicants who are in desperate need of work.

The decisions you make during any hiring process can have a huge impact on the success or failure of your business, and this is even truer as you strive to rebuild your business in a struggling economy.

Here are six strategies that we utilize when hiring during a recession; they'll guide you through the hiring process and steer your business toward growth.

Ninety percent of businesses don't have a written plan for success. Fortunately, local business owners and executives now have a powerful resource to help them easily create a compelling blueprint to transform their company. 

Failure to plan has repeatedly been identified as a major cause of business failure; an upcoming June 12 workshop is an opportunity to avoid this pitfall. To find out more about the workshop, click here.

Adrian Bray of Adrian Bray and Associates, a business consultancy based in San Luis Obispo, has now introduced the One Page Business Plan to the Central Coast. The One Page Plan is a methodology for quickly creating a compact but immensely powerful "business blueprint." 

Award-winning design and marketing firm iii DESiGN is moving its office to The Roadhouse at 811 El Capitan Way, Ste. 130. The new space will allow for more growth.

The company has grown from a one-woman shop to a five-person design studio with multiple sub-contractors in five short years.

"It is an exciting time! Lots of awesome stuff is happening for us and we are ready to take on more and larger projects," said iii DESIGN owner Missy Reitner-Cameron when asked about the move.

San Luis Obispo’s Rattler Baseball Club will open their season against the Cal Poly Ball Club at Sinsheimer Stadium on Tuesday, June 1 at 7:30 p.m.

Hathway Tech, San Luis Obispo’s premiere web development firm, is a proud sponsor of the SLO Rattlers and is reaching out to the SLO Chamber community with 200 free tickets to the game.

Anyone interested can stop by Hathway Tech offices in the SLO Business Center on South Higuera at Los Osos Valley Road and pick up a few for their staff, family or friends. Or call Hathway Tech at (805) 265 6863.

The game starts at 7:30 p.m. with Hathway Tech’s own Evan Rowe throwing out the first pitch.

Rob Meyers, MD, recently retired Chief Medical Officer at the California Men’s Colony, has joined Sierra Vista Regional Medical Center as physician liaison assisting the hospital to complete its conversion to a fully implemented Electronic Medical Record (EMR).

Throughout the upcoming year Sierra Vista Regional Medical Center will build upon its electronic medical records system to add new functions in clinical documentation, orders management, medical administration, bar coding and reporting. Certified electronic documentation and order entry in laboratory, radiology and surgery were successfully implemented during Phase I last year.

Representing schools from every district in San Luis Obispo County, this year’s 13 recipients of the Richard J. Weyhrich Leadership Scholarship are a diverse mix of deserving high school seniors who show a variety of strong leadership abilities and a desire to serve their communities.

Each one received a scholarship in the amount of $1,250 to be used toward expenses for the upcoming first year of college.

Among this year’s recipients are class presidents, community volunteers, a camp counselor, a student school board representative, and a student coach.

“It’s always a difficult selection process,” said the Community Foundation’s Director of Grants and Programs, Janice Fong Wolf. “We receive so many compelling applications. These students should feel very proud of this achievement.”

Michelle Jenkins has been appointed executive director of the San Luis Obispo Children's Museum, the Museum’s Board announced today.

Jenkins has served as interim executive director since January and was the Museum Board’s top choice for executive director following an extensive search.

"Michelle has been committed to making the Museum a resource for children and families since joining us in January 2008 to lead our fundraising efforts," said SLOCM Board President Allison Alltucker. "The Board is extremely pleased that Michelle will continue to guide and shape the Museum."

This May, Big Brothers Big Sisters of San Luis Obispo County and the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Department joined forces to celebrate National Bike Month.

Sergeant Schwiebert and Officer Bishop delivered eight donated bikes, much to the delight of the Little Brothers and Sisters.

Little Sister Marylee expressed her appreciation, saying, "I love my purple bike and helmet. I am excited to try out my new bike on bike night!"

Big Brothers Big Sisters says they couldn't agree more. Bicycling helps children achieve vital developmental assets, such as finding constructive use of time and making healthy lifestyle choices.