Good morning, San Luis Obispo.

Today, EV drivers must ride with a passenger or face tickets after a 60-day grace period until November 30—Pismo Beach officials lifted a weeks-long water advisory after tests met safety standards.

Local leaders held a homelessness meeting at Goleta Community Center, a Morro Bay dock remains closed after a boat accident removed support pilings, over 200 students attended a Books and Berries event at Bonita Elementary, and Habitat for Humanity opened a new ReMaker Space at its ReStore.

Cal Poly will end its Student Ombuds Services on October 6 as the university consolidates support programs into the Office of the Dean of Students; students needing help will be directed there—marking the end of 15 years of confidential service.

Big Creek Lumber announced that it will continue its School Garden Grant Program for 2026 with twelve local schools receiving garden bed kits made from sustainably harvested redwood lumber—designed for hands-on learning in science and forestry.

Schools must submit applications in person by Oct. 31 at any Big Creek Lumber yard, with two schools randomly selected per retail yard.

Cal Poly will add an A+ grade option in the fall 2026 term to meet student demands—this change gives the same 4.0 credit as an A and is meant to help students applying to graduate and law school.

Professors can choose whether to use the new scale as the college aligns with similar policies at other institutions.

The California Department of Public Health lifted its advisory against eating recreationally harvested bivalve shellfish in San Luis Obispo County after tests showed normal PSP toxin levels in mussels—sport-harvested mussels must still not be consumed due to the ongoing annual quarantine.

The 2024-2025 water year ended with most Central Coast communities receiving below-average rain—SLO Airport recorded 13.22 inches while totals ranged from 3.85 inches to over 21 inches—and weather models now favor a La Niña pattern for winter with updates coming from the weather team.

The City of San Luis Obispo installed new parking kiosks with license plate scanning in three downtown garages to help traffic move faster — the upgrades began in March and June.

City officials now ask for driver feedback — a similar system will be added to the Cultural Arts District Parking Structure, which will open early next year.

Former city manager Ty Lewis threatened to sue Paso Robles, saying that releasing an executive summary of an investigation into his harassment claim—settled with a $365,000 payout in January—would breach his settlement and harm his reputation.

City officials had discussed the matter in a closed session on Sept. 6 with no reportable action taken.

The Paso Robles Fire Department and Police Department will hold rapid response and active shooter training at the old Georgia Brown campus at 525 36th St on Oct.

7 and Oct. 9. The extra presence of emergency personnel should not alarm area residents—training is part of ongoing public safety efforts.

Cal Poly’s CalFresh Healthy Living program lost funding effective Oct.

1—caused by Congress’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act that cut SNAP Ed funding—and now must cut its nutrition lessons and cooking classes for college students.