MORRO BAY

City warns of suspicious door-to-door water treatment device sales

The City of Morro Bay has been made aware of a concerning situation involving individuals knocking on doors and claiming to sell water treatment devices “from the state.” The city received multiple reports of one or more individuals claiming to be state employees in order to gain entry into residents’ homes to test the water.

These individuals are advising people not to use the water without treating it first. They may then scare or pressure residents to install expensive water treatment equipment, even claiming they are free. If someone visits your home claiming they need to test your water, the city urges residents not to let them in.

Residents are advised to be cautious and take the following precautions:

  • Do not provide personal or financial information to unverified individuals or companies.
  • Request identification from anyone claiming to represent a company, agency, or the government.
  • Verify claims by contacting the appropriate state or local agency before making any decisions.
  • Report suspicious activity to the Morro Bay Police Department.

The Morro Bay Police Department encourages residents to please report any similar encounters or suspicious activity.

The City of Morro Bay is committed to providing all customers with safe and reliable water. Water is regularly monitored and tested throughout our service area to ensure that our water supply meets or exceeds all state and federal guidelines for safe drinking water. Read more about your water in our current Consumer Confidence Report (CCR). Please call City of Morro Bay Utility Division (805) 772-6272 with any questions. 

If you encounter door-to-door solicitors with suspicious claims, please contact the Morro Bay Police Department’s non-emergency line at (805) 772-6225. In case of an emergency, dial 911.

SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY

Driver arrested for felony hit-and-run

On Friday, Dec. 20, 2024, at approximately 1:02 p.m., the San Luis Obispo Police Department received a 911 call reporting a pedestrian had been struck by a vehicle near the 50 block of Chorro Street. Patrol officers and San Luis Obispo Fire Department responded to the location and found a 24-year-old female lying near some parked vehicles with major, non-life threatening injuries. The victim said she was struck by a passing vehicle, and the driver did not stop. The victim was taken to a local hospital for care for her injuries.  

Investigating officers were able to determine the make and model of the suspect vehicle. Through continued investigation, and with help from the San Luis Obispo Sheriff’s Office, officers were able to locate the vehicle in rural Arroyo Grande on Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024. 

An officer on the Severe Collision Investigation Detail (SCID) responded to Arroyo Grande and with San Luis Obispo Sheriff’s deputies, conducted a traffic stop. The driver, Todd Nelson, was arrested for the following charges and booked into the San Luis Obispo County Jail: 

  • CVC 20001(a) – Felony hit and run causing great bodily injury 
  • CVC 14601.4(a) – Driving with a suspended license 
  • CVC 20002(a) – Misdemeanor hit and run (parked car) 

This investigation is ongoing. If you witnessed and can provide additional information, please contact Officer Walsh at (805) 594-8052. 

County releases 2025 Community Development Needs Assessment Report

During a public hearing on Dec. 10, 2024, the San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors reviewed the findings of the 2025 Community Development Needs Assessment Report.

The report highlights the most pressing housing and public service needs across the county and represents a significant step in the county’s ongoing efforts to purposefully allocate federal funding to address key community development needs. The assessment was conducted by the County of San Luis Obispo’s Homeless Services Division within the Department of Social Services.

The Community Development Needs Assessment received 918 survey responses — a 264 percent increase from last year’s assessment — showing a high level of community engagement and participation.

The survey included questions on a respondent’s demographics, work status, and housing experiences, and then requested each person to rate the community’s need for 59 different activities based on their own knowledge and perceptions. In addition to the online survey, the county hosted five in-person workshops across the region and one virtual workshop.

The feedback from participants will guide funding recommendations for housing and service needs, helping to allocate federal grant monies received from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) by the County of San Luis Obispo from 2025 through 2029.

Key findings from the report include the following:

  • Affordable rental housing ranked as the most needed community activity, with over 78 percent of respondents citing it as a high community need for San Luis Obispo County. Health care services, mental health services, homeless prevention, and homeless services were the next four highest ranked community needs.
  • Of 738 respondents, 38 percent were identified as having a low, very low, or extremely low incomes based on household size and income bracket.
  • Of 918 respondents, 66 percent reported owning their primary residence, and 9.6 percent relied on support from friends, family, or assistance programs to own or rent their residence.
  • Single family houses were the most common type of residence (70 percent of respondents), followed by apartments/lofts (8.5 percent), condos/townhomes (7.8 percent), and manufactured or mobile homes (5.0 percent).
  • Of 453 respondents who sought housing since January 2020, 77 percent experienced difficulties securing housing. Over 90 percent of those facing challenges cited that available housing options were outside of their budget.
  • More than half of respondents reported spending 30 percent or more of their gross monthly income on housing costs, classifying them as cost-burdened under HUD guidelines.

“We clearly heard from our community that it needs more affordable housing, health services, and homeless services,” said Marge Castle, program manager for the county’s Homeless Services Division. “This largely affirms much of the work already underway and will guide the strategic investments of federal funds for the next five years.”

The findings of the Community Development Needs Assessment will inform the 2025-2029 Consolidated Plan, a HUD-mandated document that outlines funding priorities for federal community grant programs such as the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG), and HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME).

Guided by the funding priorities identified in the Community Development Needs Assessment and established by the Board of Supervisors, the county’s Homeless Services Division will invite proposals from qualified applicant agencies for review and funding consideration. Public input will continue to play a key role as the county finalizes the 2025 Action Plan, which will summarize the funding recommendations in the months ahead. The selected proposals will be announced in spring 2025, with the community beginning to see the impacts of these awards by the end of next year.

The public can access and review the full Community Development Needs Assessment Report and other related documents at slocounty.gov/CommunityDevelopment

For information on the city’s approach to addressing homelessness, visit slocity.org/Homelessness

Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan Update is in progress

The 2025 Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan Update is in progress and public input and participation in the plan development process is being requested. A public workshop and stakeholder meeting will be held on Jan. 14, from 3 to 4:30 p.m. at the Katcho Achadjian Government Center, located at 1055 Monterey St., 1st floor, Room 161, San Luis Obispo. This is an opportunity to learn about hazard mitigation and provide input into how to best mitigate the natural hazard events that can impact our county.

SLO bus service reduces hours for the holidays

Starting on Monday, Dec. 23, SLO Transit will move to its Winter/Holiday Break service schedule. This schedule will run through Sunday, Jan. 5. Academic service will resume on Monday, Jan. 6.

Winter/Holiday Break Weekday Service Hours:

  • 1A weekday service 6:15 a.m. to 8 p.m.
  • 1B weekday service 6:45 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
  • 2A weekday service 6:15 a.m. to 8:05 p.m.
  • 2B weekday service 6:45 a.m. to 6:35 p.m.
  • 3A weekday service 6:20 a.m. to 8:10 p.m.
  • 3B weekday service 6:45 a.m. to 6:40 p.m.
  • 4A weekday service 6 a.m. to 8:05 p.m.
  • 4B weekday service 6:15 a.m. to 6:50 p.m.

SLO Transit encourages riders to plan ahead and download trip information on the SLO Transit App or SLO Transit Rider Portal (a web-based version of the app). For more information on routes and schedules, please contact SLO Transit Dispatch by phone at (805) 541-2877 or online at slotransit.org

Community members needed for Atascadero’s Citizens’ Sales Tax Oversight Committee

The City of Atascadero Citizens’ Sales Tax Oversight Committee (CSTOC) was formed in 2015, after the passage of the 2014 local sales tax measure, Measure F-14. The committee also participates in the review of annual expenditures from tax revenue collected from Measure D-20, the Essential Services Transactions and Use Tax Measure. CSTOC has a total of nine members, seven of which are appointed by local Atascadero community groups, and two “at-large” members who are appointed to the committee by the City Council.

The city is currently seeking to fill three community group-appointed positions on CSTOC. Members of local nonprofit community groups interested in serving should contact their community group leaders. Representatives of all Atascadero community groups who are interested in appointing members to CSTOC are encouraged to submit an Interest Form no later than Friday, Jan. 10, at 5 p.m. Only those community groups whose member term is expiring or who do not have a current member on the committee may submit an Interest Form. The Interest Form is available on the city’s website homepage at atascadero.org under the “News” section, or by calling (805) 470-3400 to arrange for a hard copy of the form. 

Members of CSTOC are not required to be professional engineers, accountants, or finance managers. The only qualifications necessary are to be a resident of Atascadero and to have an interest in serving the community in which they live. Interested parties should be individuals who are willing to invest a little of their time as a representative. The city will assist members of CSTOC by providing them with all relevant information regarding the sales tax programs, Atascadero’s roads program, pavement engineering, and other related information and materials.

A recruitment process is also now underway for the two at-large, City Council-appointed positions to CSTOC.  Any Atascadero resident who is interested in serving is encouraged to submit an application. The application is available on the city’s website homepage at atascadero.org under the “News” section or by calling (805) 470-3400 to arrange for a hard copy of the form.  The candidates for the at-large positions will be interviewed by the City Council in January.

Questions regarding appointments to the CSTOC should be directed to the City Manager’s office at (805) 470-3400.  

Cal Poly partners announces agreement with USGS to support collaboration at new Technology Park Building

Cal Poly Partners and the U.S. Geological Survey, California Water Science Center are partnering to foster innovation and research at the newly completed Phase Two of the Cal Poly Technology Park in such key fields as hydrology, water resources, geology, biology, chemistry, geography, oceanography, geophysics and geochemistry.

The 16,200-square-foot Phase Two of the Technology Park, located on Mount Bishop Road on the western edge of the Cal Poly campus, will serve as the hub for this collaboration, offering state-of-the-art facilities to support research, technology development and knowledge exchange.

Cal Poly Partners, the university’s nonprofit auxiliary, is also seeking additional collaborators to join this vibrant innovation ecosystem, with more than 5,000 square feet of available space for groundbreaking projects and partnerships.

Under this collaborative framework, the USGS California Water Science Center and Cal Poly Partners will:

  • Establish infrastructure to pursue funding opportunities to support joint research and educational programs.
  • Develop and secure funding for future student internship programs in fields such as hydrology, geology, biology, chemistry, environmental sciences, engineering and related disciplines, in partnership with Cal Poly.
  • Organize joint technical seminars, workshops and symposia to share innovative research ideas and advancements in hydrology.