| BRIEFS $700 million The goal of Cal Poly’s largest-ever fundraising campaign publicly announced May 4. The effort, described by the university as empowering students, excellence and innovation, has already raised more than $556 million, and is slated to support new facilities, upgrades to existing buildings and the expansion of student/faculty research, project-based learning opportunities and scholarships. “We have a dynamic community of teachers committed to opening doors . . .” <strong>SLO</strong> High School teacher Greg Ross opening up about potential partnerships between local educators and the newlylaunched San Luis Coastal Education Foundation. One of the nonprofit’s major goals is to empower teachers to dream big and pursue cutting-edge innovations in learning for the benefit of K-12 students in San Luis Obispo, Morro Bay and Los Osos. #213 <strong>SLO</strong> High School’s rank among 1,579 California schools honored in the <strong>2019</strong> U.S. News Best High Schools in California report, surpassing all other public high schools in both San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties. The rankings, released in April, are based on college readiness, breadth of college curriculum, reading and math proficiency and performance, underserved student performance and graduation rates. “Can I put this in the bin?” The Facebook question of the day posted on May 9 by friendly City of <strong>SLO</strong> Utilities Department employees, who announced that they are re-stocked with counter-top food scrap pails – free to City residents. They also kindly posted “Yes” and “No” answers so you don’t have to guess (BTW, “peels, rinds and pits” are on the “Yes” list). 65 years The span between the youngest (17) and the oldest (85) of 30 clarinetists who congregated at Cal Poly to perform the Camille Saint-Saëns composition “Marche Militaire Français” as the capstone of Cal Poly’s second annual Clarinet Festival on May 5. The campus concert included Central Coast community clarinet combo The Wind in the Reeds. “50 Film Festivals Worth the Entry Fee” And the San Luis Obispo International Film Festival is one of them, according to MovieMaker magazine’s annual list announced in April. It’s the fifth time the 25-year-old festival has been included on the coveted roster, which features events from coast to coast in North America as well as a number of international festivals. 15% $4.21 The pay raise awarded the Mayor of the City of San Luis Obispo by the City Council in May. Before anyone expresses outrage over this “huge” increase, however, a close look at the actual numbers is in order: the upgrade means a whopping $225 more per month for Heidi Harmon, who currently brings home a mere $18,000 a year. Lest they be forgotten, the City Council members voted to give themselves a $24 monthly raise, bringing their annual compensation to $14,688 each. 10 The number of national awards accumulated in April by the Cuesta College Drama Department’s production of “Ghost Ship” during a national festival at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington D. C. The play received Outstanding Performance and Production Ensemble honors as well as individual prizes for crew members including playwright Philip Valle, director bree valle,*and scenic designer Richard Jackson. Last spring, the college’s theatrical production of “Man of La Mancha” received 14 national nods. “We’ve now doubled our passenger count from five years ago.” <strong>SLO</strong> County Regional Airport spokesman Kevin Bumen reporting the increase in number of passengers flying in and out of <strong>SLO</strong> County Regional Airport during the first calendar quarter of this year. According to airport statistics released in April, the numbers grew from 98,516 during the first quarter of 2018 to 113,320 in <strong>2019</strong>. That jump represents the busiest first calendar quarter in the airport’s history. The average price for one gallon of gasoline in San Luis Obispo County according to AAA. Think you’re paying more? You’re right: one year ago the average pump price in <strong>SLO</strong> was just $3.85. The average price in the state as a whole this year is 17 cents less, at $4.04, while the nationwide average is now just $2.84. <strong>SLO</strong> <strong>LIFE</strong> 28 | <strong>SLO</strong> <strong>LIFE</strong> MAGAZINE | JUN/JUL <strong>2019</strong>
a place for modern living. JUN/JUL <strong>2019</strong> | <strong>SLO</strong> <strong>LIFE</strong> MAGAZINE | 29
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