Happy Friday! Here are the top stories we are following on Daybreak this morning:
- Avila roundabout reopens: The Avila Beach roundabout is reopening today after weeks of construction. Crews have been working since mid-August to improve access to Highway 101 and add sidewalks, crosswalks, and bike lanes. While the roundabout is now open, work will continue into early January, but officials say the project is on schedule.
- Highway 101 closures lifted: Overnight closures on Highway 101 through San Luis Obispo have officially wrapped up. All northbound on and off-ramps from Broad Street to California Boulevard are now open, along with all southbound ramps in the same stretch. Caltrans says the work focused on concrete upgrades.
- Cal Poly names new athletic director: Cal Poly has announced Carter Henderson as the university’s next athletic director. Henderson, currently the deputy athletics director at Stanford, will begin his new role next month. He says he looks forward to supporting student-athletes both on and off the field.
California utility customers will soon see a credit applied to their electric bills as part of the California Climate Credit program. The credit will be added automatically, no action needed by customers, and averages around $61 per household, amounting to a total of about $700 million for residential users statewide this cycle. The program is financed by investor-owned utilities that trade greenhouse gas emission allowances, and over time the refunds are expected to expand, with up to $60 billion projected through 2045.
To accommodate the 86th Annual Harvest Festival and Parade, Arroyo Grande officials have scheduled multiple road closures beginning Thursday at 5 p.m. and lasting through Sunday morning. Olohan Alley will be closed for the full festival run, with additional shutdowns Saturday including East and West Branch Streets, various segments of Mason Street, Nelson, Bridge, Short, and Poole Streets. Organizers expect large crowds downtown, and drivers are urged to use alternate routes and anticipate delays.
Veronica Cortes, who performs under the stage name “Mosa,” is blending her cultural heritage with her musical ambitions in her hometown of Santa Maria. Raised with strong influences from her father’s Michoacán roots and her grandmother’s love of Selena, she began singing at a very young age and now navigates both English and Spanish in her music. Her latest projects include a tribute to Selena and a full mariachi album, and she embraces her role as a female artist in a traditionally male genre, blending modern touches with tradition.
