Good morning, San Luis Obispo.

Traffic lights and sidewalks have been activated at Union Valley Parkway and Hummel Drive in Orcutt today after long safety concerns from parents; Carpinteria leaders are considering a 0.25% sales tax increase (to support local services), and free community events are planned across the Central Coast this weekend.

San Luis Obispo County ranked as the 4th least affordable county in the nation, with 89.7% of wages spent on housing costs in quarter one 2026 plus home prices rising 168% since 2012.

Officials plan to update policies and collect local funds to build hundreds of affordable homes.

Paso Robles High School is set to join the Airgas 2026 High School Welding Education Initiative, a program that will equip 76 schools with tools to train job ready welders.

The initiative will build industry skills for students + boost technical career readiness.

Cal Poly Track and Field has achieved 36 outdoor wins and 32 top-10 marks this season while breaking records at home meets—such as the women’s 4×100 relay setting a new time record.

The team will split up for upcoming meets before competing in the Big West Championships in May.

Ryder Barnes, an 18-year-old football recruit from Crean Lutheran who had committed to Cal Poly, died by apparent suicide on April 6 near a park on Olympiad Road and Marguerite Parkway in Mission Viejo.