SLO Film Fest Nominated, Votes Needed by March 2
The San Luis Obispo International Film Festival (SLOIFF) has been nominated for Best Film Festival as part of USA Today 10 Best’s Readers’ Choice Awards, recognizing outstanding film festivals across the country.
For the second year in a row, the nomination places the San Luis Obispo International Film Festival among an elite group of festivals celebrated for excellence in film programming, community engagement, and cultural impact. Winners are determined entirely by public vote.
Voting runs through Monday, March 2 at 11:59 a.m. EST. Readers may vote once per day. The Top 10 winners, as selected by readers, will be announced on Wednesday, March 11 at noon EDT.
Supporters are encouraged to cast their votes and help bring national recognition to the San Luis Obispo International Film Festival by going to bit.ly/4rv3Z8r.
The San Luis Obispo International Film Festival is dedicated to celebrating innovative storytelling, showcasing diverse voices, and fostering a vibrant film culture on California’s Central Coast. For more information about the San Luis Obispo International Film Festival, visit www.slofilmfest.org.
Petco Love and Woods Announce Free Quarterly Pet Vaccine
Woods Humane Society with support from Petco Love will hold new monthly and quarterly free pet vaccine availability in 2026.
The nonprofit will offer more than 100 local pet parents access to free, appointment-based pet vaccinations through quarterly, public Pet Vaccine Clinics. The first of these will be held at both Woods locations on Saturday, March 14, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The next quarterly clinics are slated for July 10, September 12, and December 11.
Additionally, Woods has announced free walk-in vaccine hours at its SLO location on the first Wednesday of each month from 2- 4 p.m., beginning February 2026.
“Vaccinations are vital to protecting our beloved pets from life-threatening but preventable diseases,” said Chelsea Staley, president of Petco Love. “Our goal is to make these critical vaccines accessible to as many pet parents as possible, breaking down financial barriers and strengthening the human-animal bond.”
The free vaccines distributed at these events are the DAPPv Canine and HCP Feline vaccines. These are made possible through Petco Love’s national vaccination initiative, Vaccinated and Loved, which is providing an additional one million free pet vaccines to existing animal welfare partners, including Woods Humane Society, for family pets in need.
Parvovirus and distemper in dogs and panleukopenia in cats — the most prevalent deadly diseases affecting pets — are preventable with a simple vaccine. An estimated 30% of pet parents do not take their pet to a veterinarian annually for preventative care. Pet parents must make an appointment in advance for the quarterly, appointment-based clinics by visiting WoodsHumaneSociety.org/Vaccines.
To qualify for free vaccines, pets must be six weeks or older, healthy, and owned (community outdoor cats do not qualify). Vaccines will not be administered if the pet has a history of vaccine reactions or has shown any signs of illness within the past 48 hours. Additionally, dogs must be on a leash; puppies under the age of four months must be carried; and cats must be in a secure cat carrier.
During clinic appointments, optional services such as rabies vaccines, Bordetella vaccines, flea treatments, microchips, dewormer, and tapeworm treatments are also available at low-cost. Woods Humane Society notes that services will be provided without a full veterinary exam. Payment for additional services is due at the time of booking the appointment. More information is available at WoodsHumaneSociety.org/Vaccines.\
“We are thrilled to help improve access to lifesaving care year-round through our new, quarterly free pet vaccine clinics and monthly walk-in hours, with the help of Petco Love,” said Woods Humane Society CEO Emily L’Heureux. “We hope SLO County pet parents will take advantage of these free resources to ensure the health and wellness of our community’s pets.”
In November 2024, Petco Love’s Vaccinated and Loved initiative reached its goal of distributing three million free pet vaccines for family pets, and the organization is determined to reach even more pets in need by providing an additional one million free vaccines. The campaign was launched in August 2021.
For more information about vaccine distribution, contact Woods Humane Society by calling (805) 543-9316, or visiting 875 Oklahoma Ave., San Luis Obispo, or 2300 Ramona Rd., Atascadero. Woods is open to the public daily from 12 – 5 p.m., with adoption hours from 12 – 4 p.m. Learn more about Petco Love’s lifesaving impact at PetcoLove.org.
SLO Buy Local Bonus Brings in Nearly $650,000 in Local Spending in 2025
The results are in, and the City of San Luis Obispo’s 2025 Buy Local Bonus program funneled $737,675 into the local business community.
For the sixth year in a row, the City partnered with the San Luis Obispo Chamber of Commerce to bring the Buy Local Bonus Program to the community and incentivize local spending during the holiday season. The City purchased more than two dozen $25 gift cards from 159 qualified local businesses, including 49 businesses participating for the first time. Then, from Black Friday on November 28 until it sold out on December 20, 2025, shoppers who spent $100 or more at local retailers and saved their receipts were eligible to qualify for a $25 gift card as a reward for supporting local businesses in the city of San Luis Obispo. This resulted in shoppers spending an additional $638,300, a 642% total return on investment.
“The Buy Local Program is really popular with our customers,” said Jenny Kompolt, co-owner of Junk Girls. “Many of them save their holiday purchasing for the Buy Local Bonus program to take advantage of the benefits for both their wallets and supporting our community. It’s a win-win all around, and we’re grateful to be a part of it.”
This year’s program was so successful that it sold out four days sooner than anticipated. Combined with the City’s investment, the total direct local economic impact reached $737,676. While $100 in local spending was needed to qualify for a $25 gift card, the average amount spent per qualification was $160.42. In total, there were 3,975 qualified entries from shoppers who submitted 6,357 receipts.
“The Buy Local Bonus program is a true win-win for our community,” said Garret Olson, president and CEO of the SLO Chamber of Commerce. “It’s fantastic and incredibly impactful to see so many people rally behind their favorite local businesses during the holiday season, and we’re thrilled to ignite our local economy in partnership with the City.”
Since 2020, the Buy Local Bonus program has generated more than five million dollars in direct local impact to businesses in SLO.
