Good morning, Central Coast. Here are the top stories we are covering on Daybreak today:
- Free basketball program for kids: A local basketball program is now able to coach and train kids for free in Paso Robles. Community reporter Dylan Foreman looked into the 3-Ball program at Paso Robles High School, where more than 60 kids in grades 3 through 8 are participating. The clinic is getting help from Justin Winery’s $10,000 community grant, making it free for families. The founder hopes to bring the program back in the spring.
- Drivers in Lompoc could see delays: Drivers headed through Lompoc might encounter some delays over the next couple of weeks as Caltrans begins pavement repair and tree work. Starting today, the left lane on parts of Highway 1 and Highway 246 will be closed in both directions during the day. That closure will last until Thursday, and more daytime repairs next week could cause up to 10-minute delays.
- Arroyo Grande students take part in Walk and Roll to School Day: Today is National Walk and Roll to School Day, and Arroyo Grande is joining communities across the country to celebrate safe, active trips to school. The Arroyo Grande Police Department is encouraging families to bike or walk together while promoting the benefits of physical activity and safe routes. Police are reminding participants to use crosswalks, wear helmets, and stay alert.
Chevron is donating about 2,700 acres to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service near the Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes, effectively doubling the size of the Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes National Wildlife Refuge. The land was formerly part of a working oil field from the mid-20th century. Local leaders say this expansion will benefit both wildlife and the region, with hopes the refuge becomes a bigger attraction for visitors from across the country.
Two UC Santa Barbara physicists, John Martinis and Michel Devoret, along with UC Berkeley’s John Clarke, have been awarded the 2025 Nobel Prize in Physics. They were honored for experiments that “revealed quantum physics in action,” bridging theoretical work with practical demonstrations in quantum circuits. UCSB and UC Berkeley called the achievement a major point of pride for their campuses.
After hours of public testimony, the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors has postponed decisions on major proposals affecting public health and social services. The policies under discussion include a plan to disenroll thousands of undocumented patients from county clinics and a restructuring plan that could eliminate more than 100 social services jobs. Officials say the delay will allow for more community input and additional information gathering before moving forward.
