Cal Poly engineering students team with firms to tackle projects
An in-bottle wine aerator, a Spider-Man-like robot that can climb walls and a peach pit detector were among the projects on display at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo’s mechanical engineering expo on Nov. 21.
Central Coast leads the way as solar, tourism boost SLO County recovery
In remarks prepared for the 2014 SLO County Economic Forecast Breakfast on Nov. 22, Jordan Levine of Beacon Economics said only San Luis Obispo, San Jose, San Francisco and Bakersfield have gone positive when it comes to the pre-recession jobs peak.
Emissions cap prompts oil firm backlash
Santa Barbara County’s decision to impose a strict cap on carbon emissions from a proposed oil project puts the county at a competitive disadvantage in California and likely will cut into the money energy firms pump into the regional economy.
The Board of Supervisors voted 3-2 on Nov. 12 to require Santa Maria Energy to cap its carbon emissions at 10,000 tons per year. Santa Maria Energy had proposed 136 wells for a site near Orcutt.
Santa Barbara County’s oil is thick and viscous. In order to extract it, companies inject steam into wells to soften the oil. Burning natural gas to create the steam is what generates the bulk of carbon emissions.
Study: Skilled workers priced out of San Luis Obispo
The findings highlight a pervasive mismatch between the high price of even starter homes and the number of jobs that pay wages high enough to support those prices. Experts say the gap is a significant roadblock to the state’s economic growth.
Shale Oak Winery turns heads with design and green focus
Shale Oak Winery’s tasting room in Paso Robles is one of the more eye-catching in the area with its colorful, angular facade of stained glass in a geometric pattern.
Paso Robles named Wine Region of the Year
Paso Robles wine country has been named Wine Region of the Year by Wine Enthusiast magazine, beating out long-established players.
2014 Amgen Tour set to cycle through four of region’s cities
The 2014 Amgen Tour of California, the largest cycling race in the U.S., will visit four cities in the Tri-Counties in May. The eight-day annual event will roll through Cambria, Pismo Beach and Santa Barbara before concluding at the finish line in Thousand Oaks.
