Good morning, Central Coast! Here are the stories we are following on Daybreak:
- A judge has barred oil operations on a Santa Barbara pipeline: Sable Offshore recently restarted production at the Santa Ynez Unit and plans to sell oil through the Las Flores Pipeline in July. However, environmental groups claim state officials skipped proper safety reviews. A hearing is set for July 18 to decide if the halt should continue.
- SpaceX launch today: SpaceX is scheduled to launch a Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base today at 4:28 P.M. The rocket will carry 27 Starlink satellites into low-Earth orbit. After liftoff, SpaceX plans to land the first stage booster on a droneship in the Pacific. If the launch is delayed, a backup window is scheduled for Thursday afternoon.
- Road project completed: In Santa Barbara, city officials are celebrating the completion of a new undercrossing project on State Street. The “Vision Zero State Street Undercrossing” is designed to improve safety and accessibility from downtown to the waterfront. Crews have added new landscaping, decorative handrails, and upgraded lighting to enhance the look and feel of the area.
Mee Heng Low Noodle House, a nearly 100-year-old staple in San Luis Obispo’s historic Chinatown, is hoping for a much-needed makeover. Currently run by chef and manager Russell Kwong, whose family took over in 2009, the beloved restaurant is one of many in the area facing the pressures of change and fading visibility. Kwong, passionate about preserving the restaurant’s legacy, recently applied for a $50,000 grant from the Backing Historic Small Restaurants program to restore its iconic neon sign and revitalize the exterior. With strong community support behind the effort, Kwong says winning the grant would help keep the spirit of Chinatown alive and honor the generations who’ve made Mee Heng Low what it is today.
California State Parks hosted a guided nature walk at Moonstone Beach in Cambria, introducing locals to the iNaturalist app, a free community science platform that helps users identify and learn about plants, animals, and fungi. Participants snapped photos of sea stars, crabs, anemones, and more, uploading their observations to contribute to a global biodiversity database used by researchers for conservation. Residents like Kathryn Karako and Julie Dear found the experience both educational and exciting, appreciating the chance to explore nature while supporting scientific efforts. A similar event was also held at Leffingwell Landing to teach people how to use the app.
The Santa Maria Fire Department has added two new Type 6 fire trucks to its fleet, compact, off-road-capable vehicles designed for tactical patrol. Fire Captain Cody Joy says the trucks will be used to mop up hotspots and embers after a fire has passed and are especially useful for accessing hard-to-reach areas like the Santa Maria Riverbed, where nuisance fires and medical emergencies are common. Each truck holds about 250 gallons of water and was introduced as part of a multi-year effort to improve response capabilities in challenging terrain.
