California plans to fully reopen its economy on June 15 if the spread of COVID-19 continues to decline, Gov. Gavin Newsom said at a press conference Tuesday. The announcement comes after a decline in COVID-19 cases, deaths and hospitalization rates across the state. Among U.S. states and territories, California has the second-lowest positivity rate, only […]
Category: City
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San Luis Obispo hires new police chief
Rick Scott will be joining the San Luis Obispo Police Department (SLOPD) as the new police chief starting May 13, according to a city press release. According to the city, Scott, former assistant police chief in North Richland Hills, Texas, is expected to focus on community engagement, transparency and trust in his new position. “Public […]
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Police enforce city tent camping ban despite CDC homelessness guidelines
A recent increase of houseless residents living in public squares like Mitchell Park spurred San Luis Obispo city government to ban camping-style tents on park grounds. According to Greg Avakian, Director of Parks and Recreation for the city of San Luis Obispo, resident complaints and concerns for maintenance and safety have resulted in a stronger […]
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City assistance has kept some downtown businesses open
Since the first stay at home order was placed in March of 2020, downtown San Luis Obispo businesses haven’t been the same. Many went through exceptionally rough patches and others shut their doors for good. “Businesses are having challenging times,” said Lee Johnson, the San Luis Obispo Interim Economic Development Manager. “Even the ones that […]
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San Luis Obispo County halts styrofoam ban
Businesses will continue to be able to use styrofoam containers in San Luis Obispo County. Board members of the San Luis Obispo County’s Integrated Waste Management Authority (IWMA) voted Feb. 10 to postpone the ban on polystyrene and expanded polystyrene (EPS) foam food containers and products in the county. The board’s final vote was 7-6 […]
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SLO County now vaccinating entire phase 1b, making more groups eligible
Vaccine eligibility in San Luis Obispo County now encompasses all of the education sector, agricultural workers, emergency services, unpaid caregivers and people ages 16-64 who have certain health conditions, according to a March 10 press briefing. This encompasses Cal Poly employees, as the vaccine is now approved for higher education workers and student employees. San […]
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R.A.C.E. Matters SLO offering free events on diversity and social activism
This spring, local grassroots organization R.A.C.E. Matters SLO is offering multiple virtual events for the community that explore social activism and local Black experiences. Despite current COVID-19 restrictions preventing the organization from gathering, R.A.C.E. Matters SLO has been working to make their upcoming events as accessible and impactful as possible this spring. This time last […]
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City hiring a professional to support growing houseless population
Increased community homelessness within San Luis Obispo has created a demand for a new city position in order to provide relief for those in need. The city has observed an ever-increasing urgency to administer resources to those in need of support as the pandemic progresses. According to the city council, the position of Homeless Response […]
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Candlelight vigil held to remember unhoused community members who died
When art and design senior Kat Schroeder arrived at Mitchell Park on Feb. 28, she was handed a candle and a small Lego figurine. She sat on the grass as she listened to people talk about Kevin — an unhoused resident who was found dead on a sidewalk the morning of Feb. 22. One community […]
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New E-bike medic program makes it easier to rescue SLO hikers
The San Luis Obispo (SLO) City Fire Dept. introduced its new E-bike Medic Program to quicken response time for hikers in need of immediate medical attention in the open space trails area around the city. The E-bike Medic Program allows paramedics to use electric pedal mountain bikes to reach injured recreators at a much faster […]
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San Luis Obispo County to move to less restrictive red tier
Starting tomorrow, March 3, San Luis Obispo County will be in the less restrictive red tier for COVID-19 guidelines, according to the county’s emergency website. “This is a positive step in the right direction for our community, but we cannot take this gift for granted,” County Public Health Officer Dr. Penny Borenstein said in a […]