Christine Fairchild Closing Keynote at Writers’ Conference
Acclaimed writer, editor, and book doctor, Christine Fairchild, will deliver the closing keynote at the 42nd Annual Cuesta College Central Coast Writers’ Conference (CCWC).
Fairchild brings more than three decades of experience as a writer, editor, and book doctor. She’s conducted celebrity interviews, edited for technical giants, and served as a communications and marketing specialist for consumer product clients. She now specializes as a book doctor in suspense fction and helps authors take their work, and their career, to the next level through her online workshops, conference classes, and craft books. Fairchild also writes romantic suspense, mystery, women’s fiction, and historical fiction, giving her a unique understanding of the challenges authors face in the publishing industry.
“We are thrilled to welcome Christine to the conference as our Closing Keynote Speaker,” said Meagan Friberg, event director. “Her experience, knowledge, and dedication to fellow writers are commendable, and she is an invaluable addition to this year’s conference.”
In addition to serving as the Closing Keynote, Fairchild will teach breakout sessions. Her two-part “Essential Edits to Be a Bestseller” has been compared to a master class and is geared toward all levels of writers. For her “Layering Suspense Elements for Any Genre” workshop, Fairchild will share tips for including props, devices, and word choices as well as theme choices, plot points, setting, and character behavior.
CCWC will also feature Jonathan Maberry, NYTimes bestselling author, editor, poet, playwright, and comic book writer, as the Opening Keynote Speaker, and 40-plus presenters across numerous genres. In addition, master classes are available for a separate fee, and a teen program is available for ages 13-18.
Find registration details at CentralCoastWritersConference.com. Scholarships are available on a limited basis. The Central Coast Writers’ Conference is brought to you by Cuesta Community College, Kindle Direct Publishing, Launch My Book, The Salamacha Family Trust, BookFunnel, and SoCreate.
French Hospital Take Step to Expansion
French Hospital Medical Center in San Luis Obispo recently announces that the Hospital Expansion Project is making a significant leap forward, with an anticipated groundbreaking for the first phase of the project in late summer 2027
“For 80 years, French Hospital has been dedicated to providing exceptional care for our community,” French representatives said in a news release. “This ambitious expansion project is designed to elevate the quality of care available right here at home, ensuring everyone has access to the very best medical services for generations to come.”
The Plan
Phase 1 – Late Summer 2027: A new parking structure
Phase 2 – A new, state-of-the-art Patient Care Tower, designed with patient comfort and advanced medical care in mind.
• 108 single-patient rooms (following Phase 3 completion), offering enhanced privacy, comfort, and healing.
• A new, expanded Intensive Care Unit, doubling our capacity to provide critical care.
• A cutting-edge Imaging Center, equipped with the latest technology for faster, more accurate diagnoses.
Phase 3 – Extensive renovations to the existing hospital to enhance the patient experience.
“Upon project completion, these advancements will truly elevate local healthcare to an unparalleled standard of excellence,” representatives said. “This robust $270 million project is the largest undertaking in our history, and it represents a significant investment in the health and well-being of everyone living on the Central Coast. Projects of this magnitude require broad community support, and we invite you to learn more about how you can be a part of this historic effort.”
Marine Sanctuary Seeks Applications for Advisory Council Aug 31
NOAA’s Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary is seeking to fill seats on its advisory council, which represents the public’s interests in sanctuary matters and provides advice to the sanctuary superintendent.
Sanctuary staff are currently accepting applications for the following seats: Agriculture Alternate, Commercial Fishing Alternate, Diving Primary and Alternate, Education Alternate, Tourism Primary and Alternate, San Luis Obispo Citizen At Large Alternate, and Santa Cruz County Citizen At Large Primary and Alternate. Candidates will be selected based on their expertise and experience in relation to the seat for which they are applying, community and professional affiliations, and knowledge regarding the protection and management of marine resources.
The deadline for applications is Aug. 31, 2026. Applications can be obtained from the sanctuary’s website atmontereybay.noaa.gov/sac/#apply or by contacting Robbin Porter, program support specialist, at robbin.porter@noaa.gov, 831-647-4206. Completed applications should be e-mailed to Porter as well.
The Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary Advisory Council was established in 1994 to assure continuous public participation in the management of the sanctuary. The volunteer advisory council’s twenty voting members and seven ex-officio members represent a variety of local user groups, the general public, and local and state governmental jurisdictions. Alternates attend meetings when primary members are not available and assume a seat if a primary member resigns. Specifically, the advisory council’s role is to provide the sanctuary superintendent with advice on the sanctuary’s resource protection, research, education and outreach programs. Recently, the advisory council has focused on marine protected areas in federal waters and management plan review.
Assistance League Celebrates 30 Years
This year marks a milestone anniversary for the charitable nonprofit, Assistance League® of San Luis Obispo County (ALSLOC). For 30 years, this organization has transformed the lives of students and their families by providing new clothing to children in need. During this time, they have enriched the lives of more than 42,000 students, kindergarten through 12th grade, throughout the county.
The passion and dedication of the members of our organization is as strong today as it was 30 years ago,” said Barbie Butz, the founding president of Assistance League of San Luis Obispo County. “What’s changed, and what we are ever grateful for, is the expanded number of volunteers, donors, and partnerships that have all led to our ability to grow from helping 130 students in our first year to now serving more than 2,100 students in need. To bring that number to life, just think about filling the Cal Poly Performing Arts Center twice over!”
Since its founding, ALSLOC has partnered with every school district in the county to identify students in need and coordinate clothing distributions with their families through Operation School Bell®. What began as a program to clean and mend donated clothing to provide to disadvantaged students, has evolved into a modern retail-based model. Today, through partnerships with Kohl’s and Old Navy, students shop alongside member volunteers to select new, school-appropriate clothing and shoes, the value of which averages $200 per student.
“As Superintendent of Lucia Mar Unified School District, I have seen Assistance League’s Operation School Bell give our students far more than new clothes,” stated Dr. Paul Fawcett. “When students are able to choose new clothing of their own, they build confidence, dignity, and a true sense of belonging. When a child feels comfortable and proud of what they’re wearing, it positively impacts attendance, engagement, and overall academic success.”
In 2023, ALSLOC expanded its mission with the launch of the Access to Career Education (ACE) scholarship program. ACE provides scholarships to local high school graduates with financial need, who are enrolled in Cuesta College career education and trades programs. These funds help to cover costs such as required tools and materials that might otherwise be a barrier to course completion. This year, ASLSOC provided a total of $10,000 in scholarships.
Funding for ALSLOC programs comes from grants, private donations, and the revenue generated by the Assistance League Thrift Store in San Luis Obispo, which recently celebrated its own 10th anniversary. Last year, the value returned to the community was $694,015, which includes nearly 25,000 hours of volunteer service.
ALSLOC is supported by more than 125 members and community volunteers who dedicate their time and talents to operating the thrift store, raising funds, implementing Operation School Bell, and supporting additional programming. The organization is a chapter of National Assistance League, founded in the mid-1890s and formally established in Los Angeles in 1925.
More information about Assistance League of San Luis Obispo County is available at www.alslocounty.org or by visiting the Assistance League Thrift Store at 667A Marsh Street in San Luis Obispo.
SLO Chamber Announces Interim Leadership
The San Luis Obispo Chamber of Commerce announced that President & CEO Garret Olson will take a board-approved sabbatical beginning September 21 to be fully present for his wife as she undergoes cancer treatment. Olson anticipates returning to his role on February 8, 2027.
During Olson’s absence, Ermina Karim will serve as Interim CEO and Cindy Villa as Interim COO, providing leadership and continuity across the Chamber’s advocacy, member services, programming, operations and community partnerships.
“The Board fully supports Garret’s decision to put his family first during this important time,” said Aaryn Abbott, chair of the San Luis Obispo Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors. “Our responsibility is also to ensure that, during his absence, the organization, its staff and its members are in good hands. We are fortunate to have two experienced and trusted leaders in Ermina and Cindy, an outstanding staff team, and a deeply engaged Board. The Chamber’s work and priorities will continue without interruption.”
Karim previously served as president & CEO of the San Luis Obispo Chamber of Commerce from 2011 through 2018 and brings extensive experience in regional economic development, business advocacy, community partnerships, and organizational leadership.
Villa brings deep executive and operational leadership experience, including nine years at Cal Poly, where she served as Senior Vice President for Administration and Finance, overseeing the university’s complex financial, administrative and operational functions. She later returned to Cal Poly to serve as Interim Vice President for Student Affairs and is a past member of the Chamber’s Board of Directors.
“I am deeply grateful to our Board, our staff and this community for their support and understanding,” Olson said. “This was not an easy decision, but it is the right one for my family. I’m able to step away knowing that the Chamber is strong, our priorities are clear, and our members are in excellent hands with Ermina, Cindy, and our entire team. I look forward to returning in February.” “This is a strong organization with a talented team, and an engaged membership,” Karim said. “Cindy and I see our role very simply: provide continuity, support the team and keep the Chamber’s priorities moving forward. We both know this organization and community well, and we’re honored to have the Board’s trust as we work alongside the staff, Board and members during Garret’s absence.”
Olson joined the San Luis Obispo Chamber of Commerce in November 2025 and has served as president & CEO since January 2026.
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.
