Let’s kick this week off right, Central Coast! Here are the top stories we are tracking this morning on Daybreak:
- Cal Poly introduces new head football coach: Cal Poly is officially welcoming its new football leader. The university is holding a press conference this morning to introduce Tim Skipper, the former interim head coach at UCLA, as the new head coach of the Mustangs. The announcement event begins this morning in the Performing Arts Center lobby.
- Lane closure on Niblick Road for bridge improvements: The Paso Robles Public Works Department is making upgrades to the Veterans Memorial Bridge today from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Drivers can expect a temporary westbound right-lane closure on Niblick Road during the work. The project is part of an effort to honor local veterans and enhance community entryways.
- Atascadero Scouts launch city beautification: Atascadero Scout Troop 51 is working to brighten the community through a large-scale planting campaign. Over the weekend, scouts planted roughly 5,000 daffodil bulbs in public areas, with a goal of reaching 10,000 by the end of the project. Local businesses helped fund the effort, and proceeds from the campaign will support troop activities, including their annual summer camp.
Residents of Nipomo have until this Wednesday to submit a formal protest if they oppose a proposed increase in water rates. A recent study by the district recommends annual increases of 9.3%, which would raise the average monthly bill for a single-family household from about $142 today to roughly $212 by 2028. Some longtime residents, especially those on fixed incomes or with limited means, worry the increase will hit them hard, and a majority protest (more than 50% of customers) must be filed for the increase to be blocked.
The Coastal Discovery Center in San Simeon has reopened after being closed for about a year and half due to building maintenance issues. Staff fixed electrical problems and upgraded facilities, allowing the center, which educates visitors about marine life, local ecosystems, and conservation, to resume operations. During the closure, the center kept offering educational programming outdoors, and as part of the reopening they’ve added a new exhibit that lets visitors listen to the sounds of whales, orcas and ships.
More than 300 community leaders gathered at a luncheon in Santa Barbara to celebrate and support the work of the local Scholarship Foundation, which granted $7.7 million in aid to over 2,000 students this year. The foundation is reportedly the nation’s largest community-based scholarship provider, and organizers emphasized the growing need for financial support as tuition and living costs rise. The gathering also served to highlight the demand, the foundation receives more than 3,500 applications annually, and to encourage ongoing community support to help even more students in future years.
