Ribbon Cutting for Maharlika Christian Fellowship
The Los Osos/ Baywood Chamber of Commerce held a ribbon cutting for Maharlika Christian Fellowship, a Christ-centered, Filipino-based ministry located at 1805 11th Street in Los Osos.
“While our ministry has strong Filipino roots and heritage, our doors are open to everyone, and we joyfully welcome individuals and families from all ethnic, cultural, and social backgrounds,” said Pastor James Erwin Estoque. “Our mission is to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ, lead people into a life-changing relationship with God, develop disciples and servant leaders, and minister to the spiritual, physical, and social needs of individuals and families.
“We seek to be a welcoming place where people of all ages and backgrounds can encounter God, grow in faith, find encouragement, and experience the love of a caring church family. Through worship, prayer, discipleship, evangelism, community outreach, and practical support, we are committed to being a refuge for the hurting and a light in our community.”
Maharlika Christian Fellowship gathers for Sunday Worship at 11 a.m. and for Mid-Week Service and Prayer Meeting every Wednesday at 6:30 p.m.
Bioneers Returns to SLO County
The popular Central Coast Bioneers Conference, a Bioneers Pollinator event hosted by Ecologistics, Inc., is moving to a new location at Pavilion on the Lake in Atascadero. The two-day conference will take place Friday and Saturday, October 2 and 3.
The conference will focus on inspiring environmental and climate-related topics on Friday and on social justice topics on Saturday. “There is so much despair about the current political mood in our country, environmental destruction and climate change,” said conference organizer and Ecologistics CEO Stacey Hunt. “We are here to provide success stories and restore your optimism.”
Topics include the fight to save democracy, the land and food sovereignty movement, green chemistry, nature-based climate solutions, regenerative agriculture, the future of renewable energy, legal observer training, and more.
Local speakers include Jordan Lonborg of Coastal Vineyard Care Associates, Eric Veium of the SLO Climate Coalition, Russ Charvonia of the National Lawyers Guild-Central Coast Chapter, Andrea Lizama Pinto of Voces Que Sanan, and Sandra Sarrouf, Elizabeth Sine and Lata Murti of Our Roots, Our Routes. Rhizome Theater, who performed at last year’s conference, will return to perform Mawtini: Verbatim Theater, which draws from the oral histories of Arab-American residents of the Central Coast. Author Kathleen Locker will speak on reclaiming the ecological body and sign her book “Wild Inside: How Nature Protects Your Child’s Mental Health and Restores Yours.”
Keynote talks from the 2026 National Bioneers Conference that took place in Berkeley in March will also be presented on video, and include such luminaries as Michael Pollan, John Warner, Saru Jayaraman, Leah Penniman, Raj Patel, Brett KenCairn, and Terry Tempest Williams.
A pre-conference field trip on October 1 will offer a tour to Traceland Organics in Cayucos, where art meets agriculture. Jesse Trace will conduct a two-hour tour of the avocado orchard, passion fruit trellis, white sapote / asparagus, and coffee / banana agroforestry alley cropping systems. Attendees will look down on the rainwater harvesting system, set into the oak savanna restoration silvopasture and visit the native food and pollinator hedgerow and the PicoBlooms flower fields.
The Green Marketplace and the free Repair Café will return. Lunch will be provided by Gorilla Quesadilla. Thanks to dishes, cups, and cutlery provided by Tableware Share, the conference will be no-waste.
One day or two-day tickets can be purchased at adult and student rates. The pre-conference field trip is $10. Go to ecologistics.org/ccb-conference-2026/ for more information and to purchase tickets.
Central Coast Bioneers is a local, self-organized Bioneers Pollinator Event. To learn more about Bioneers go to www.bioneers.org.
Meals That Connect
On August 28, Meals That Connect hosted their first open house in Los Osos with a ribbon cutting. The event brought together community members, future diners, and volunteers to learn more about our dining program and how Meals That Connect is supporting seniors in the Los Osos community.
The event included live jazz music, appetizers and refreshments; lunch prepared by the MTC team; tours of the site; opportunities to meet staff, volunteers, and community partners; and information about services available to older adults.
MTC serves any senior, age 60 or older, who asks for their service regardless of income. They serve free noontime meals Monday through Friday, with frozen meals for weekends and holidays.
Cal Poly’s Kennedy Library Renovation Earns AIA Merit Award
Cal Poly’s Robert E. Kennedy Library renovation has earned a Merit Award at the 2026 AIA San Diego Design Awards, recognizing the transformation of a campus landmark into a welcoming, accessible and sustainable hub for student learning.
The award honors the renovation designed by The Miller Hull Partnership and delivered with Hensel Phelps. The renovation was Cal Poly’s first major project to use Collaborative Design-Build. Completed in 2025, the two-year transformation renewed the library while preserving the character of architect Robert Marquis’s original vision for the building, which opened in 1981.
“This recognition celebrates a project that brings together the best of Cal Poly: thoughtful design, collaboration and an unwavering focus on our students,” said Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs Al Liddicoat in a news release. “Kennedy Library is central to the academic experience and campus life. The renovation honors an important part of our history while creating a vibrant hub where students can learn, create, connect and thrive.”
Over time, Kennedy Library has evolved from a place known primarily for its collections and individual study to one that reflects the many ways students learn today. The renewed building provides more space for collaboration, creation and around-the-clock study, while exhibition areas bring artwork and materials from Special Collections and Archives into the daily life of the library.
The renovation reopened the library’s central courtyard, restoring daylight and views to the heart of the building. It also created a more inviting first-floor experience, featuring exhibit spaces for artwork and historical artifacts from Special Collections and Archives, an expanded café, redesigned service points and clearer wayfinding.
A new main stair improves navigation throughout the building while addressing seismic, life-safety and accessibility needs. The project also added all-gender restrooms on every floor, two seminar-style classrooms and expanded study seating. Improved exterior insulation, new high-performance glazing and upgraded heating and cooling systems reduced the building’s energy use by 30%.
Hub24, the university’s 24-hour study space, expanded to include the library’s first and second floors. Students also have access to the Digital Scholarship Studio, which offers a research help desk, group study space, computer workstations and support for data science projects.
In presenting the award, the jury said the project “brought new life to this brutalist campus landmark,” adding that the renovation “appreciated the existing building for what it was and respectfully made it better without over-renovating it.”
Enjoy Fall at Cambria Nursery
Fall has arrived at Cambria Nursery with a celebration of seasonal traditions, family-friendly activities and community spirit. Guests can enjoy the locally grown pumpkin patch, shop seasonal produce at the Nursery’s 46 Ranch Farmstand, visit the friendly goats and chickens and join hands-on fall workshops.
Starting October 1st, the streets of Cambria will be even more colorful with hundreds of handcrafted scarecrows as the beloved Cambria Scarecrow Festival returns for the season.
The Nursery’s annual pumpkin patch is open and ready for fall fun. Grown locally at 46 Ranch, pumpkins in a variety of shapes, sizes and colors are available for everything from porch decorating and carving to favorite fall recipes. From classic orange pumpkins to unique varieties, the pumpkin patch has something for everyone.
No visit to Cambria Nursery is complete without saying hello to adorable animals! Their two friendly female Nigerian Dwarf goats, along with our happy flock of chickens, are always ready to charm guests of all ages. Visitors can even feed the goats, making it a fun stop for families exploring the Nursery this fall.
In addition to these fantastic fall activities, Cambria Nursery is getting hands-on and will host a series of workshops throughout the season. The first is the Secret Fairy Garden Workshop on Sept. 26 at 11 a.m. Create a magical fairy garden with succulents, moss & whimsical details. Space is limited, $100 and includes all materials.
More workshops to be announced. All workshop materials are included. For more details, visit the Nursery’s cambrianursery.com.
Non-Profit Events Calendar Available
Spokes, an organization providing resources and support to the San Luis Obispo County nonprofit community, has launched a new Major Nonprofit Fundraising Events Calendar designed to help local nonprofits avoid scheduling conflicts when planning their most important fundraising events.
Developed in collaboration with Cal Poly’s student-run Hack4Impact, the calendar allows nonprofit organizations to post their major fundraising events and see what other organizations have planned throughout the year.
“Our SLO County nonprofit community hosts many important fundraising events each year, often drawing from the same pool of attendees, donors and sponsors,” said Michael Simkins, Ed.D., CEO of Spokes. “Having one place to see what’s already scheduled gives organizations another tool to plan strategically and set their events up for success.”
Nonprofits can create an account or use a Google login to post event details, ideally several months in advance. The calendar can be filtered by date and geographic area, making it easier for organizations to identify potential conflicts. Those who already have an account for Spokes’ Nonprofit Job Board can use the same login.
Any nonprofit can submit an event to the calendar, with postings subject to Spokes approval. Spokes members also receive additional event promotion in the Spokes newsletter.
Nonprofits can access the Spokes Major Nonprofit Fundraising Events Calendar under the Services tab at Spokesfornonprofits.org.
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.
