The Cove Books Launches Books & Brews, a Free Local Author Series
Join local authors Nicholas Belardes, Jeannin Counts, and Kalyn Josephson on Sunday, April 13 at Bang the Drum Brewery in San Luis Obispo at 5 p.m. as they discuss their books, writing processes, and more at the first ever Books & Brews, an author event series hosted by the newly launched The Cove Books.
Founded by local New York Times bestselling author Kalyn Josephson, The Cove is a boutique online bookstore featuring signed copies and special editions of books by some of Josephson’s favorite authors and local writers.
“The Cove is the culmination of a dream I’ve had for a very long time to own a bookstore,” Kalyn Josephson explained. “My friends and I always joked that we were going to run away and start a bookstore-cat café-tea house-bakery that would solve all our problems. After a recent move and a few big life changes, I decided to see if we were right, and I’m hoping The Cove can be that for other people too.”
With a focus on bringing readers and authors together at local businesses across SLO county, Josephson hopes for this Books & Brews event to be the first of many bringing authors and literary events to the Central Coast.
Hosted in partnership with Silent Bookclub SLO, a local chapter of the worldwide phenomenon, Silent Bookclub, where people can gather with fellow readers to chat or just read, Books & Brews takes place at Bang the Drum Brewery, 1150 Laurel Ln # 130, San Luis Obispo, from 5 – 7 p.m. An author signing will follow the discussion, and books will be for sale from The Cove.
This is a free event open to all ages.
Understanding Medicare Benefits
Health Insurance Counseling and Advocacy Program (HICAP) will sponsor free virtual presentations for people interested in better understanding Medicare benefits on Wednesday, April 16 at 1 p.m.
“HICAP is offering the presentations to help beneficiaries and caregivers better understand this comprehensive health care program,” said Tamara Broder, HICAP program manager.
HICAP offers free, unbiased Medicare information and counseling. HICAP does not sell, recommend, or endorse any specific insurance products. HICAP services are provided through the local Area Agency on Aging.
For more information on HICAP presentations contact HICAP at 1-805-928-5663 or 1-800-434 0222, hicap@centralcoastseniors.org or www.CentralCoastSeniors.org. Registration is required.
San Luis Ambulance Celebrates 80 Years by Giving Back
San Luis Ambulance, which serves Morro Bay among other areas, is celebrating a monumental milestone: 80 years of providing emergency medical services to the Central Coast.
What started in 1945 by the Kelton family as a small, family-owned operation has grown into a respected leader in emergency care, with a reputation for delivering compassionate and high-quality service.
“San Luis Ambulance has kept pace with the ever-evolving world of emergency medicine,” said
Operations Manager Kris Strommen in a news release. “The company has embraced cutting-edge technology, trained its staff with the latest medical practices, and invested in state-of-the-art tools to ensure that every call for help gets the very best care possible. But even as the technology and equipment evolve, the company’s mission remains the same: To care for the people of San Luis Obispo County like family.”
In celebration of 80 years of service, San Luis Ambulance is giving back to the community that has supported it for so long. The company will donate 80 life-saving automated external defibrillators (AEDs) to locations such as:
• Grocery stores
• Health clubs
• Shopping centers
• And other facilities across SLO County
Early CPR and defibrillation can make all the difference in a cardiac emergency, and these AEDs will help ensure that more lives are saved in critical moments.
Public Art Beautification Service Day
Volunteer with the City of San Luis Obispo’s Public Art program via a Beautification Service Day. With over 150 unique pieces of public art ranging from murals, mosaics, oil and watercolor paintings, utility box art, stained glass, sculptures, benches, bridge railings, and more volunteers can play a valuable role in preserving and protecting what brings color, story, and texture to life within the city of San Luis Obispo, honoring local artists’ visions and creative work.
On single days of service, volunteers meet with the City’s Public Art Coordinator, who remains on site with them, to learn about the piece(s) of art and how it will be cleaned. They are also provided with all tools and resources needed for a safe and successful shift.
Volunteers will, hopefully, walk away with a sense of pride for their efforts, a greater understanding (and perhaps appreciation) for public art, and a new friend or two of like mind.
Generally held over the span of two or three hours, volunteers can expect to bend, kneel, squat, and stretch to dust, buff, and polish the public art for the day. A few days before the shift, the City’s Volunteer Program will email all registrants with specifics for the day.
These days are ideal for folks looking to get out and involved in SLO, meet fellow service-minded neighbors, learn about art and how to protect it, and who don’t mind moving and grooving to get the job done. School students studying art, clubs and groups with members seeking physical volunteer opportunities, retirees with time on their hands, active professionals with employee-supported volunteer programs may find these service days especially meaningful.
For support or questions, contact the City of San Luis Obispo’s Volunteer Program: volunteer@slocity.org
Director Jay Duplass to Receive Film Festival Spotlight Award
Director/Writer/Actor/Producer Jay Duplass is the San Luis Obispo International Film Festival’s Spotlight Award recipient. His new film “The Baltimorons” will screen at this year’s edition of the SLO Film Fest following its debut at SXSW 2025.
The film marks Jay’s return to his roots of writing and directing for the first time in 14 years. “The Baltimorons” tells the story of how a newly sober man’s Christmas Eve dental emergency leads to an unexpected romance with his older dentist as they explore Baltimore together. It stars Michael Strassner, who co-wrote the screenplay with Duplass, Liz Larsen, and Olivia Luccardi.
“We are honored to celebrate such an icon in the independent film community,” San Luis Obispo International Film Festival Executive Director Skye McLennan said. “Jay Duplass and his brother, Mark Duplass, have long been champions and trailblazers in the world of independent cinema.”
Duplass began his career in the early 2000’s writing, directing and producing several award-winning independent and studio films with his brother including “The Puffy Chair” and “Cyrus.” In 2014, the brothers created the critically acclaimed television series “Togetherness,” part of an overall television deal with HBO, which produced multiple shows and series. The brothers also produced the Emmy-winning Netflix docu-series “Wild Wild Country.”
Jay’s acting credits include the hit HBO series “Industry;” Amazon’s “Transparent,” which won a Golden Globe for best comedy series, and multiple Emmys; “Percy Jackson and the Olympians,” “The Chair,” and the feature films “Outside In” and “Beatriz at Dinner.”
With a slate of over 113 films including narrative features, short films, documentary features, and doc shorts, the San Luis Obispo International Film Festival offers a broad spectrum of content for serious cinephiles, devoted film buffs, and casual movie fans both locally and across the region. The festival runs from Thursday, April 24 through Tuesday, April 29. The Spotlight Award
presentation, screening of “The Baltimorons,” and a Q & A with Jay Duplass are scheduled for Sunday, April 27.
This year’s opening film is the 2025 Sundance Audience Award winner DJ Ahmet, and the closer is Daryl Hannah’s documentary on Neil Young’s solo tour, “Coastal.”.
Also on tap at the festival are the fest’s famous Surf Nite, the popular Central Coast Filmmaker Showcase, Cal Poly Short Cuts, and Music Video Showcase. Community of Skate is returning for a repeat performance after a successful debut in 2024.
Additional programs include short films curated by R.A.C.E. Matters, Filmmakers of Tomorrow, featuring short films by those 18 and under, a program curated by The Coastal Awakening celebrating David Lynch and his passion meditation, and new this year, Ecologistics, a series of environmental documentary shorts.
Passes are now on sale and information on the film festival can be found at https://slofilmfest.org.
Are you or a neighbor Taking Care of Business. Is your business, including non-profits, supporting our community? Maybe you’re launching a new business, or you’re making updates to your current business model, or re-opening. Perhaps you have a job opportunity, or have been doing some volunteer work, or are collaborating with another business or a non-profit. Or maybe you know someone who is. Submit your awesome local efforts for publication to EditorEBN@gmail.com.
