Good morning, Central Coast!
- Strike settlement in Santa Maria: Okonite and its workforce in Santa Maria have reportedly reached a tentative agreement, nearly a month after employees went on strike. According to Cliff Reynolds, Central Coast Coordinator for the Teamsters Union, the deal includes a new wage offer, improved health and welfare benefits, and several other enhanced conditions. Union members voted to approve the agreement on June 10th, with a final vote of 95 to 48. Workers officially returned to the job the following day, on June 11th.
- Diaper drive: Federal funding cuts are now impacting some local support programs on the Central Coast. According to Meathead Movers, San Luis Obispo County’s only diaper bank has been cut, leaving thousands of families without access to essential supplies for their babies. In response, Meathead Movers is teaming up with Pregnancy and Parenting Support of SLO County to host a three-day diaper drive. Today’s collection is happening at the Arroyo Grande Walmart. On Wednesday, the drive moves to the Target in San Luis Obispo. If you can’t make it in person, donations will also be accepted at the Meathead Movers headquarters in downtown SLO through July 10th.
- Cal Poly Swim & Dive fight continues: The push to save Cal Poly’s swim and dive program is still underway. Community reporter Dylan Foreman checked in with organizers, who have already raised $9 million in pledges and donations, but say the program's future still hangs in the balance. A new GoFundMe has been launched in hopes of building even more momentum and support.
The “Biggest Little Fair Anywhere,” also known as the Mid-State Fair, returns to the Central Coast on July 16, drawing hundreds of thousands to the Paso Robles Event Center. First-time fairgoer Riley Warren says the headliners and photos have him excited to attend. To prepare for the crowds, the City of Paso Robles has been working on improving pedestrian access and safety around the fairgrounds, installing new sidewalks, curb ramps, handrails, and crosswalk push buttons near 24th Street and Riverside Avenue. Future plans include widening a nearby bridge to create a clearer walking path. The upgrades are funded through the city's annual accessibility improvement fund.
Los Osos Community Park, along with Los Osos Middle School and Monarch Grove Elementary, is in the process of switching to recycled water for irrigation, a project that’s been a decade in the making. San Luis Obispo County Public Works prioritized the middle school due to its high use of drinking water for landscaping. The conversion, which is federally funded, will cost between $166,000 and $410,000 across the three sites and is expected to save money, as recycled water will be priced 10% lower than drinking water. Construction is already underway at the park and middle school, with Monarch Grove’s upgrade starting this week and lasting about 45 days. The switch is part of the county’s commitment under the Los Osos Water Recycling Facility Project.
President Donald Trump’s recent ceasefire announcement between Iran and Israel could lead to lower gas prices, according to GasBuddy analyst Matt McClain, who predicts a drop of at least 10 cents per gallon, possibly more. However, questions remain about the ceasefire’s stability and whether Israel will fully comply, says UCSB Professor Emeritus Mark Juergensmeyer. Even if the truce fails, experts say a closure of the Strait of Hormuz is unlikely, meaning no major supply shortages are expected in the U.S., since most of the nation's oil comes from domestic, Canadian, or Mexican sources.
