Takin’ Care of Business 5-5-2022

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Written by Theresa-Marie Wilson

Theresa-Maria Wilson has been a journalist covering the North Coast and South County area for over 20 years. She is also the founder of Cat Noir CC and is currently working on a novel.

May 4, 2022

Get Involved with Cayucos Land Conservancy


Tom Edell spots a shore bird during a Cayucos Land Conservancy walk.

A local conservation group is holding a membership mixer to drum up volunteer support for its many efforts.

The Cayucos Land Conservancy is holding the mixer from 7-8:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 17 at a private home. The mixer is by invitation and if readers are interested in attending and possibly joining the CLC, email to: Hello@CayucosLandConservancy.org to sign up and receive information on the location. 

The mixer will be indoors, and want attendees to be “fully vaccinated prior to attending in order to be compliant with COVID guidance.”

The event is a chance to learn about the Conservancy’s mission to preserve the rural greenbelt around Cayucos and the community education campaign including walks and speaker events.

Recently bird enthusiasts joined the CLC and local birder and biologist Tom Edell last month for a walk from the foggy bluffs at Villa Creek down to the beach and lagoon.  Along the bluffs, walkers spotted red-winged blackbirds and a mallard perched high atop a rock.  On the beach were a wide variety of shorebirds, including the western snowy plover.

Walkers also spotted a variety of ocean birds including cormorants, oystercatchers and brown pelicans. They learned to distinguish the Brandt’s cormorant from the local double-crested cormorant—the former has a curved neck in flight. Gulls and terns were also plentiful. 

CLC was instrumental in preserving the Estero Bluffs and making it a part of the State Parks Department, and in the preservation of Dog Beach, which was taken into the City of Morro Bay. 

It is actively participating in efforts to preserve the former Chevron Estero Marine Terminal lands that border Cayucos and Morro Bay and stretch into the eastern hills.

CLC is an accredited all-volunteer land trust. Readers with professional skills that would benefit the organization, contact the board at cayucoslandconservancy@gmail.com.

Face Coverings Not Required on SLO Transit

Due to a recent federal court ruling, masks are no longer required on public transportation and at transportation hubs. As a result, and in consultation with the County Public Health Department, SLO Transit will not require face masks while boarding or riding a SLO Transit bus, or while waiting at bus stops.  

“Although SLO Transit will not require face coverings to ride on buses, we encourage our riders to continue wearing a face mask, especially if you are sick, to help support the health and wellness of our community,” said SLO Transit Manager Austin O’Dell in a news release. “We are closely monitoring federal, state and the SLO County Public Health Department’s orders and guidance and will continue to provide an affordable and healthy mode of transportation for our riders.” 

SLO Transit says they remain dedicated to maintaining the health and wellness of the community and will continue to implement rigorous cleaning and sanitizing procedures for every bus in service. 

Local bus riders are encouraged to contact Transit Dispatch at (805) 541-2877 along with visiting www.slotransit.org, or the SLO Transit app, for current service status prior to planning their trip.  

For more information on routes and schedules, contact SLO Transit by phone at (805) 541-2877, by email at slotransit@slocity.org, or online at www.slotransit.org.  

Poly Finance Team First Global Semi-Finals Competition


The team of five Orfalea College of Business students that represented Cal Poly in the annual Chartered Financial Analyst Institute Research Challenge global competition.
From left, Dominic Juliano, Samuel Paik, Alexandra Joelson (team captain), Cameron Wong and Shingo O’Flaherty

A detailed analysis of PayPal’s stock outlook, with a recommendation to sell, helped a team of Cal Poly finance students surpass hundreds of others recently in the Chartered Financial Analyst Institute Research Challenge.

Competing against more than 900 schools from North, Central and South America, the Cal Poly team was one of just 17 that advanced to the Americas’ semifinals held this month, having won the local and sub-regional stages. Cal Poly did not advance to the Americas finals that took place April 28.

“The competition is extremely competitive at the semifinal stage, and we may have been eliminated by a fraction of a point,” said faculty advisor Cyrus Ramezani, a finance professor in the Orfalea College of Business. “Still, this is the first time our students have reached this level, and we are proud of the work our team has completed.”

The project provided the students important skills that will prepare them for their future careers, Joelson said.

The global competition included over 5,000 undergraduate and graduate students from universities in more than 91 countries. Students are tested on their analytical, valuation, report writing and presentation skills.

For the competition, the students were assigned to perform an analysis of PayPal, a San Jose-based company providing financial transaction processing services. The team spent five months compiling a report — which included information about PayPal’s business model, an industry overview, risks and more — before making a recommendation to sell PayPal stock, projecting its value would decrease by over 12 percent within a year.

SLO Repertory Gets Funding

Actors, directors, audiences and more can enjoy the outcome of funding to the county’s only non-profit regional theatre.

The San Luis Obispo City Council recently approved a $3.9 million challenge grant agreement with San Luis Obispo Repertory Theatre to build its new live-performance theater in downtown SLO. To see a list of shows, camps and education opportunities, go to slorep.org.

In other theater news, the Performing Arts Center is celebrating its 25th anniversary. Check out upcoming shows at pacslo.org.

Are you or a neighbor Taking Care of Business? Submit your awesome local efforts for publication here. Is your business supporting our community? Maybe you’re launching a new business, or you’re making updates to your current business model, or re-opening. Or 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. Fill out our online form at EsteroBayNews.com.

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