Good morning, Central Coast! Here are the top stories from Daybreak:
- Paso Robles power outage: A power outage is still impacting about 1,600 customers in Paso Robles this morning. More than 2,000 lost electricity Monday evening. Crews are evaluating the system, working to identify damage and make repairs.
- SLO parking app change: San Luis Obispo has switched to just one parking app. As of Sunday, PayByPhone is now the city’s only mobile payment option, replacing ParkMobile and Honk. On-street kiosks remain available for those who prefer not to use the app.
- New downtown parking structure: More parking is on the way in downtown San Luis Obispo. The new Cultural Arts District structure is taking shape and expected to open in February. It will add nearly 400 spaces, 41 EV chargers, solar panels, bike racks, and even a rooftop event space.
Despite road construction causing traffic delays, Avila Beach was packed with visitors over Labor Day weekend. Business managers say sales surged, calling it one of the busiest times of the year. Drivers now must use the San Luis Bay Drive exit off Highway 101, where long waits and mile-long backups have been reported. Still, locals and employees remain optimistic, saying the new roundabout will ultimately improve traffic flow and benefit the community once completed. Avila Beach Drive is set to reopen September 26, with construction continuing into early next year.
Health officials are warning recreational fishers in San Luis Obispo County not to eat locally caught bivalve shellfish after dangerous toxins were detected that can cause paralytic shellfish poisoning, a potentially deadly illness not destroyed by cooking. The advisory does not apply to commercially harvested seafood, which undergoes strict weekly testing before reaching restaurants. Local business owners, including the Morro Bay Oyster Company and The Galley Seafood Grill & Bar, say they closely monitor advisories and assure customers that farm-raised oysters and other commercial products are safe. The warning comes on top of California’s annual mussel quarantine already in place.
Workers over Billionaires rallies were held across the Central Coast on Labor Day, including in San Luis Obispo and Lompoc, as part of nationwide protests. Demonstrators criticized the Trump Administration’s treatment of minority workers and the use of military forces in cities like Los Angeles and Washington, D.C. In response, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said President Trump is a voice of the working class, calling American workers the “heart and soul” of the economy and the nation’s identity.
