Happy Wednesday, Central Coast. Here is what we are following on Daybreak this morning.
- Lane closures on Cuesta Grade: Northbound U.S. 101 will see left lane closures from Cuesta Grade to Highway 58 this morning, 9 A.M. to 1 P.M. Southbound closures are planned Thursday during the same hours. Caltrans says delays should be about 20 minutes.
- Grover Beach plaza redevelopment: A four-story apartment complex may replace the nearly empty Beach Front Plaza in Grover Beach. Coastal Community Builders plans 40 units with ground-floor businesses. Current tenants are preparing to move out.
- Federal funding for local airports: More than $3 million in federal funding is coming to San Luis Obispo County airports. SLO Airport will build a new 315-foot taxiway, while Oceano Airport will reseal its runway. Congressman Salud Carbajal says the upgrades will boost tourism, emergency response, and economic growth.
The Los Osos Community Services District is facing a $278,000 budget shortfall in its fire and emergency medical services fund after a 25% increase in costs from CAL FIRE this year, the first deficit since the district began contracting with the agency in 2004. General Manager Ron Munds says rising labor costs statewide have driven up expenses, and the board is now considering options such as continuing with CAL FIRE, creating its own fire department, partnering with another agency like Morro Bay, or handing services over to the county. Most options would require raising the town’s special fire tax, which currently costs property owners $109 a year. While residents acknowledge the importance of fire protection, some worry about the financial burden on those with fixed incomes. Any tax increase would require a community vote, and Munds says a decision likely won’t be made until next year.
A man who was trapped in a mulching machine north of Guadalupe last Friday remains hospitalized in stable condition, officials say. The incident happened near Highway 1 and Oso Flaco Lake Road around 8:45 A.M., and it took multiple agencies nearly four hours to free him before he was airlifted with serious lower-body injuries. CAL FIRE Captain Eva Grady called it a “low-frequency, high-risk call,” noting the rescue team’s first plan worked seamlessly despite the unusual challenge. Crews are now undergoing a critical incident debriefing with witnesses and company employees, while OSHA continues to investigate. The company’s name has not yet been released.
No one hit all six numbers in Monday’s Powerball drawing, extending the streak of drawings without a jackpot winner to 40. The $1.1 billion prize has now climbed to $1.3 billion for Wednesday’s drawing, making it the largest multistate lottery jackpot of 2025 and the fifth-largest in Powerball history. Winners can choose the full payout over 29 years or a lump sum of about $589 million before taxes. While the jackpot went unclaimed, 14 players did win at least $1 million. The odds of winning the jackpot remain about 1 in 292 million, with smaller prizes ranging from $4 to $2 million. Powerball is played in 45 states and Washington, D.C.
