Articles

New infographic highlights Cal Poly’s students with dependents

For most college students, a canceled class is a rare treat — an unexpected pocket of free time to sleep in or to catch up on assignments. So when Marcos Garcia, a child development and psychology senior at Cal Poly, learned one May morning that his 9 a.m. basketball class the next day was canceled, he let himself imagine a reprieve. He looked forward to a slower start to the day instead of his usual 6:45 a.m. alarm and 40-minute commute to campus.


However, his hope for rest was replaced by t...

Santa Barbara Co. Fire Dept. plans Chamberlin Ranch prescribed burn

The Santa Barbara County Fire Department has planned a prescribed burn at Chamberlin Ranch, near Los Olivos, between June 19 and 21, dependent on weather conditions.According to an advisory from the Santa Barbara County Air Pollution Control District, approximately 100 acres of sage scrub and oak woodland will be burned.This prescribed burn aims to train new Santa Barbara County Fire personnel. Prescribed burns typically burn less intensely than wildfires, help prevent the spread of wildfires, a...

CA Mid-State Fair accepting applications for youth volunteers

Online applications are now being accepted for the California Mid-State Fair's Junior Fairboard volunteer program, which consists of San Luis Obispo residents between the ages 16 and 25.According to fair officials, Junior Fairboard members assist with the daily operations of the upcoming annual fair, including but not limited to livestock and equestrian support, pageant set up, public judging, ushering, ticket scanning, and market research. They receive a Mid-State Fair jacket and shirt, admissi...

Multiple Santa Maria high schools celebrate graduations

On a day filled with jubilant cheers and palpable excitement, three local high schools marked the end of an era and the beginning of a new chapter.Righetti High School, Pioneer Valley High School, and Santa Maria High School all held their graduation ceremonies on Thursday. Pioneer Valley High School had the largest graduating class with over 700 tasseled caps, while Santa Maria High School had roughly 700 graduates, and Righetti had nearly 600 graduates. Santa Maria Joint Union High School Dist...

SLO Food Bank organizing Hunger Awareness Day events throughout the county

The SLO Food Bank, a volunteer-driven non-profit organization, is inviting community members to participate in its Hunger Awareness Day initiative on Friday, June 7.According to the organization's spokesperson, the program is aimed at raising awareness about food insecurity and alleviating hunger across San Luis Obispo County.SLO Food Bank CEO Molly Kern spoke with KSBY about the event. "So every year, on the first Friday in June, the SLO Food Bank celebrates Hunger Awareness Day, and it's this...

California Mid-State Fair offering free carnival rides on opening day

The California Mid-State Fair has confirmed the return of last year's promotion, offering free carnival rides on the opening day of the 2024 fair."We are pleased to bring back this great deal for all fairgoers," says California Mid-State Fair CEO Colleen Bojorquez. "It's a fun way to welcome the community back on our grounds."Opening day is Wednesday, July 17 and the fair will run from 4 p.m. until midnight.Officials say that on opening day, the admission fee will include all ride costs, elimina...

New vinyl and vintage store opens in Solvang

A new haven for music lovers has sprung up in Solvang, blending nostalgia with a touch of modernity in the heart of Jensen's Copenhagen Square.Off the Record Vinyl & Vintage celebrated its grand opening on May 18. The event featured live music from the San Luis Obispo-based band Doobious Company, described on the store's Instagram as sounding as "if Sublime and Amy Winehouse had a kid that was babysat by Incubus."Attendees enjoyed specialty drinks crafted by a local mixologist, snacks from local...

Mountain lion spotted in San Luis Obispo backyard

The backyard of a residence hugging the Santa Lucia Foothills in San Luis Obispo is normally a haunt for wild animals, but when security footage showed a king of the area's ecosystem roaming near the back door, the residents were "surprised."The residents tell KSBY they are used to seeing "lots of deer, foxes, and the occasional coyote," but never large cats.Their first feline sighting was on Monday when a bobcat wandered into the backyard of the home on north San Luis Drive.Then, on Thursday, t...

Meet Tide, SLO County's newest K9 on the crime-fighting side

The San Luis Obispo's County Sheriff's K9 Custody Division just welcomed their newest members to the team.Tide the dog graduated today from Gold Coast K9's training program alongside his handler, Correctional Deputy Shandi Cowan — just in time for National Correction Officer's Week, which ends on Sunday.As members of the Custody Division, the newly minted team will specialize in narcotics detection.

The San Luis Obispo's County Sheriff's K9 Custody Division just welcomed their newest members to...

SLO Cattlewomen Scholarships awarded to fourteen local students

On Thursday, fourteen local students, from high school seniors to Cuesta College and Cal Poly students, were awarded San Luis Obispo County Cattlewomen’s (SLOCCW) scholarships totaling about $20,000. These students, all pursuing degrees in agricultural-related fields, convinced SLOCCW board members of their exceptional leadership, community service, and sportsmanship through their applications. They also distinguished themselves in cattle rearing and competition at the Paso Robles Mid-State Fair...

Northbound Gaviota rest area closes again, southbound Gaviota rest area remains closed

The Gaviota rest areas, both southbound and northbound, will be closed by Caltrans from Friday to Monday.The northbound Gaviota rest area, just south of the Gaviota Tunnel on Highway 101, will be closed from Friday, May 10, to Monday, May 13, to allow for repairs to a broken water line. It is scheduled to reopen on Tuesday, May 14.The northbound Gaviota rest area has experienced several closures over the last few years, often due to the water system that feeds into the facility.The southbound Ga...

Avila Beach roundabout construction begins May 20. It will last 20 months.

Construction will start on the Avila Beach Drive at Highway 101 Operational Improvement Project on Monday, May 20, San Luis Obispo County officials announced. This is a three-pronged project. The most notable part is replacing a dangerous intersection with a single-lane roundabout at the intersection of Avila Beach Drive, Shell Beach Road, and Highway 101. County officials say construction will take about 20 months.The new Avila Beach roundabout will "ease current traffic delays at the intersect...

Paso Robles hosts Super Summer Sign-Up Party for seasonal youth aquatic programs

Paso Robles Recreation Services is hosting the Super Summer Sign-Up Party at Centennial Park on Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon in preparation for the upcoming pool-friendly season and school break.This event is free for the community and aims to provide early in-person registration for summer swim lessons as well as for all summer camps and classes for children and teens. The city's aquatic staff is scheduled to be present in order to answer questions about the summer programs.Some of the programs...

Special Olympics athletes participate in Spring Sports Expo at Cuesta College

The Special Olympics of Southern California (SOSC) hosted upwards of 600 athletes for the San Luis Obispo Spring Sports Expo at Cuesta College on Friday. This is the second consecutive year the school is hosting this competition.The 2024 games began with festivities at 9:45 a.m., including a parade of athletes, singing of the national anthem, reciting of the pledge of allegiance, and more.The competitions, including track and field, basketball, and bocce, took place from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.Local l...

Don't be alarmed: Cayucos school active shooter drill means emergency presence on campus

Personnel with the Estero Bay CAL FIRE Station #16 will be conducting an active shooter drill on Saturday, May 4 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. The drills will continue on Saturday, May 11 and Sunday, May 12, at the same time.Officials say the goal of the drill is to provide continuing education for emergency services personnel in the event of an active shooter situation. Fire personnel will hone their EMS and inter-agency response skills with local law enforcement.Multiple agencies will be training tog...

New top county official settling in, ready to tackle important matters

Newly appointed county administrative officer Matt Pontes just finished the first week in his new high-profile position and said he is eager to start facing important community issues.Near the week's close, he spoke with KSBY to explain his goals while serving San Luis Obispo County.Pontes said he plans to "be here for a long time," support rigorous initiatives, work with county collaborators and ultimately serve the community. The county administrative officer's job is to assist the board of su...

Paso Robles debuts first pump track in the county at Barney Schwartz Park

Local cyclists and skaters can now enjoy San Luis Obispo County's first-ever bicycle pump track at Barney Schwartz Park in Paso Robles. After the ribbon-cutting ceremony Saturday, attendees had the opportunity to test out both the beginner and intermediate tracks exclusively with non-motorized wheeled equipment. Chris Taranto, the Chairman of REC Foundation, which funded the pump track, said their goal was to encourage people of all ages to spend time outside. "We're seeing little kids and big k...

San Miguel celebrates Día del Niño Festival hosted by SLO County Libraries

The San Luis Obispo County Libraries hosted a Día del Niño Festival for Central Coast families in San Miguel Park Saturday. Attendees had a chance to interact with the Central Coast Aquarium's tide pool tanks, explore San Luis Obispo County's work trucks and fire engines, experience the San Luis Obispo Symphony's instruments, and view an exhibit from the Paso Robles Children's Museum. Organizers said the festival was designed to be experienced like a children's museum within the park."We wanted...

Driver in fatal 2021 DUI crash pleads guilty to 2 murder counts

Santa Barbara resident Andrew Burgher, 31, pleaded guilty Wednesday to two counts of second-degree murder for a fatal DUI crash in Goleta.On October 26, 2021, Burgher was driving eastbound on Cathedral Oaks Rd. past Dara Rd., traveling roughly 90 miles per hour in a 40 mile per hour zone, according to the California Highway Patrol. He also had a blood alcohol concentration of 0.16 when he struck a car carrying driver Gilberto Artaega and passenger Silvia Velasco.Artaega and Velasco died at the s...

Local real estate broker sentenced for embezzlement, faces $2 million fines

A Santa Barbara County man and former real estate broker has been convicted of embezzlement and sentenced to five years probation, 30 days in jail, and $2 million in fines, according to the District Attorney's Office.Adam Michael Pirozzi, 42, was convicted of embezzling more than $650,000 of his client's funds as owner of Santa Barbara Property Management, a company responsible for managing various apartment complexes.Pirozzi previously pleaded no contest to two counts of embezzlement by a real...

Lompoc nonprofit health clinic offering new services, support for Spanish speakers

A Lompoc health center, catering to low-income individuals, announced on Thursday that it will soon offer new services for all and support programs for members of the Spanish-speaking community — just in time for National Minority Health Month, which is observed throughout the month of April.Savie Health operates as a free, non-profit medical clinic dedicated to serving those without health insurance. The clinic offers a range of services including physical, behavioral, and vision healthcare, al...