Elementary students throughout San Luis Obispo County will be joining schools from around the world to celebrate International Walk to School Day on Wednesday, October 5. In 2010, Walk to School Day efforts included over 3,500 schools from all 50 states. This year, participants will join nearly 4 million children and adults in 40 countries around the world. In San Luis Obispo County, approximately 21 schools will host a Walk to School Day championed by Rideshare’s Safe Routes to School Program, the SLO County YMCA afterschool program, the City of SLO Parks & Rec afterschool program, and HEAL-SLO.

The Human Resources Association of the Central Coast annual conference features keynote speaker Richard Simmons, Esq. on Friday, October 21 from 7:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Madonna Inn.

Topics include: Wage and Hour Law and Developments, Supreme Court Cases, Personnel Policies, Social Media Policies, Employment Discrimination, Legal Developments, and Legislation of Interest.

World famous photographer and Canon Explorer of Light Parish Kohanim will give a free lecture at the Embassy Suites in San Luis Obispo on Wednesday, October 12 from 3:30-4:45 p.m. as part of the California Photo Festival. Come listen and be inspired by one of the world’s most talented artists.

Parish Kohanim has been heavily involved with photography for over 25 years. His uncommon uses of colors, whether vibrant or pastel, as well as multitudes of tonalities in his stunning and luminous black & white images have become his distinctive and unique signature and style. During his career, he has worked commercially for many Fortune 500 Companies including IBM and Coca-Cola. His work has also appeared on the pages of Vogue, Time and Newsweek. Having an insatiable desire to explore and expand his artistic horizons, Kohanim still remains true to his approach to simplicity and to the visual dialogue that is intuitive and innate.
 
The California Photo Festival (also known as “Click!”), which runs from October 12-16, is five incredible days of digital photography immersion. The 150+ intensive workshops, lectures, photo shoots, demonstrations, parties and more taught by leading industry experts are designed to boost creativity, spark passion, and take photographers to the next level. Join us at CPF and “Click” with some amazing people!

Sorcerer Productions, the company that brought sold-out runs of both Forever Plaid, The Producers and The Drowsy Chaperone last year to the Clark Center is back with the hilarious dark comedy, Arsenic and Old Lace.
 
When Mortimer Brewster returns to the family home, we meet his charming and innocent spinster aunts, who have taken to murdering lonely old men by poisoning them with a glass of home-made elderberry wine laced with arsenic, strychnine, and "just a pinch" of cyanide! Add in a brother who believes he is Teddy Roosevelt and digs locks for the Panama Canal in the cellar of their home; another brother who has received plastic surgery to conceal his identity and now looks like horror-film actor Boris Karlof;  you then have a recipe for a delightfully macabre evening of entertainment!

Amazing Surf Adventures, a California Central Coast 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, is pleased to announce Operation Surf Central Coast 2011 that will take place Sept. 29 through Oct. 5, 2011 along the Central Coast beaches.

Operation Surf is a recreational and rehabilitative surfing experience for active duty military recently wounded or injured in Iraq and Afghanistan. Surf legends Van Curaza of San Luis Obispo and Richard Schmidt, Santa Cruz, along with many other stand-out professional surfers take our wounded warriors surfing while offering encouragement to help them overcome their recent life-altering injuries.

Living or working in Atascadero offers a special benefit for the next 60 days: two of four beautiful new homes located on Santa Ysabel in Atascadero are available to local Atascadero residents or employees only.

When Estrella Associates stepped up to complete and market four new homes in the heart of Atascadero, the longtime North County builder agreed to special sales conditions requested by the City of Atascadero. For the first 60 days of Santa Ysabel sales, two of the four homes in the new mini-neighborhood would be offered exclusively to current Atascadero residents or employees. A qualifying buyer must only produce proof of current residence and/or employment with a business, organization or government agency located in Atascadero.

On Saturday, October 8 at 8 p.m., the San Luis Obispo Symphony will present Opening Night at the Performing Arts Center’s Christopher Cohan Center in San Luis Obispo. Pianist Robert Edward Thies will join conductor Michael Nowak and the orchestra for this classical concert featuring Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No.2 in C minor.  The “Rach II” is one of Sergei Rachmaninoff’s most enduringly popular concertos, and has provided the inspiration for popular tunes such as Frank Sinatra’s 1945 hit “Full Moon and Empty Arms” and Eric Carmen’s 1975 ballad “All By Myself.” Also on the musical program for the evening is Stravinsky’s Firebird Suite, from the 1910 ballet that rocked Moscow, and a romantic glimpse of Shakespearean lovers in the Overture to Beatrice and Benedict by Hector Berlioz.

Paso Robles Wine Country announces the release of the latest Paso Wine Man video in support of Harvest Wine Weekend, October 21 – 23. Paso Wine Man endeavors to get to Paso Robles Wine Country, By Any Means Necessary and invites wine enthusiasts to do the same for the three-day celebration of individual events held at more than 150 wineries throughout Paso Robles Wine Country. Check out the latest Paso Wine Man video and learn more about the 2011 Harvest Wine Weekend on www.pasowine.com. 
 
Harvest in Paso Robles Wine Country is a sensation that can only be experienced among the vines. Although a photograph or stained glass window can paint a picture, you cannot feel the depth, warmth and camaraderie that flourish without a trip to Paso Robles during the most idyllic time of year. Beginning Friday, October 21 and concluding Sunday, October 23, wineries offer a variety of activities unique to the Harvest season including special barrel tastings, harvest demonstrations, vineyard and winery tours, art, live music, and much more. Experience vineyard practices in motion or take part in a blending seminar after a quick change from the symbolic purple stained grape stomp.