Your community newspaper brought to life.

Good Morning SLO is our platform for sharing ideas, news and inspiration. A monthly program that brings community leaders, business owners, nonprofit executives and staffers together, and enables us to reconnect, engage and learn from each other.

Our goal is to provide insight into business, community and legislative issues and share the stories of those making a difference. We want audience members to leave with ideas and information about how to better their personal and professional lives.

Good Morning SLO happens on the fourth Thursday of every month except November when it is on the Tuesday before Thanksgiving.

COMPLEXITIES OF A THRIVING DOWNTOWN

Santa Barbara’s temporary, pandemic-based State Street closure was recently extended through 2026 at a challenging five-hour hearing aiming to find balance between the desires of residents and retail, office and restaurant business owners. We’ve invited Santa Barbara Mayor Randy Rowse to shed light on the decision and share how the experience could inform future direction in SLO.

WIRELESS CONNECTION

Your dog has been more anxious lately? Your horse won’t stand still at the mounting block? Your rooster won’t stop crowing at the top of his lungs? What can you do? Call Suzan Vaughn, animal communication specialist. Suzan will be joining us at this Good Morning SLO to explain how she connects with animals, creates an understanding and alters their behavior.

REAL ESTATE CONFUSION

There isn’t a lot of housing stock on the market. So real estate prices must be going up and selling fast? Buyers can’t afford high prices with the current interest rates. So prices must be going down? It seems the SLO housing market isn’t doing any of those things. Lindsey Harn, SLO County’s number one sales volume agent, will share her thoughts on the state of the local real estate market.

SLO SYMPHONY’S FUTURE

Since its founding in 1961, the SLO Symphony has been an artistic, economic, educational and community-minded entity in the Central Coast of California. Rachel Cementina Sabalboro, the Symphony’s new Executive Director, will join us to share about her new role, history with the organization and plans for the future generation of musicians and music patrons.

UPLIFTING BLACK-OWNED BUSINESS

While supporting Black-owned businesses year round is crucial to a successful and equitable economy, August is nationally recognized as Black Business Month. We’ve invited Angelic Dirden, owner of Opulence, to share about the importance of the month as well as her new size-inclusive luxury boutique in downtown San Luis Obispo.

NATIONAL RECOGNITION

Paso Robles was ranked the 2023 Best Wine region in the United States by USA Today readers and is only continuing to grow in size, stature and recognition. We’ve invited Joel Peterson, Executive Director for the Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance, to discuss how the region got here and what the future holds for this booming wine area.

DULCIE TAYLOR

We’ll close out the morning together with a performance by Dulcie Taylor. Dulcie just releases her sixth CD and has twice won the New Times Music Award for Best Songwriter. Her second CD was named one of the Best CDs of the Year by Soundstage, putting her in the company of such artists as Brian Wilson, Los Lobos and Wilco.

Thank you to this month’s featured sponsor:

Thank you to our 2023 Good Morning SLO Annual Sponsors:​