Rise and shine, Central Coast! It’s Monday and National Coffee Day… talk about perfect timing. Let’s kick things off with your top stories on Daybreak:
- San Miguel leaders to stay on: San Miguel will keep its fire chief and general manager. The board approved new contracts for Fire Chief Scott Young and General Manager Kelly Dodds. Dodds stays on for four more years, while Young will remain for three.
- Paso Robles father back in court: Paso Robles man Briant Reyes Estrada is back in court today in connection to the death of his young son. Investigators say prolonged heat exposure caused the child’s death, and police report there was a history of suspected abuse.
- Cash for old cars: Santa Barbara County’s Air Pollution Control District is expanding its Old Car Buy Back Program. Drivers can now get $2,200 for a 2002 or older vehicle that’s registered locally, in working order, and smog-certified.
Santa Barbara native Kayla Day captured the pro singles title at the Central Coast Tennis Classic held at Templeton Tennis Ranch. She defeated Canada’s Kayla Cross, taking the first set 6-2 before Cross retired due to injury in the second set. This win marks Day’s seventh professional singles title and makes her the first Californian to win the tournament. After recovering from ankle surgery last year, she now takes home a $60,000 prize and looks ahead to more ITF opportunities.
The new roundabout near Highway 101 in Avila Beach is now open after a month-long closure for construction. The project, part of a $13.8 million contract aims to improve traffic safety and flow by replacing a two-way stop with a roundabout, adding sidewalks and crosswalks. Though the roundabout is active, additional work remains into early 2026, including a park-and-ride facility, and the region will continue to see construction in the interim.
A health advisory remains in effect at Pismo Beach near Wadsworth Avenue more than a week after it was first issued. Tests showed elevated levels of fecal indicator bacteria above safe limits, prompting the advisory on September 16. Residents and beachgoers said they were unaware initially; some are unconcerned, but officials urge avoiding the water until the source is identified. Notably, only 22 of 322 advisories county-wide over the past decade lasted beyond two or three days, making this 12-day stretch unusual.
