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Thursday, October 15, 2026
Public Safety · San Luis Obispo County
PG&E warned that more than 8,000 San Luis Obispo County customers, most in unincorporated areas, could face Public Safety Power Shutoffs beginning as early as Thursday morning and extending through Saturday evening due to elevated wildfire risk from dry and windy conditions. The county activated its Emergency Operations Center, with officials cautioning residents they could be without power for more than two days and that traffic signals may go dark if outages persist long enough. A PSPS watch for the City of San Luis Obispo was lifted Wednesday afternoon, but county-wide monitoring continues. Approximately 1,100 PG&E customers in Santa Barbara County were also flagged as potentially affected.
Public Safety · San Luis Obispo County
The NWS Los Angeles/Oxnard issued a red flag warning at 3:37 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 14, valid for Friday from 3 a.m. to 6 p.m., covering Cuyama Valley, San Luis Obispo County Mountains, and Santa Barbara County Interior Mountains. East winds of 15–25 mph with gusts up to 40 mph and relative humidity minimums of 8–15% are expected as moderate-to-strong Santa Ana winds peak Thursday afternoon through Friday afternoon. The NWS warns that if fire ignition occurs, conditions favor extreme fire behavior threatening life and property. Residents are urged to exercise extreme caution with outdoor fires, smoking materials, and burn barrels during the warning period.
Public Safety · San Luis Obispo County
A wildfire named the Oaks Fire was discovered at 4:38 p.m. on October 14, 2026, burning on private land in San Luis Obispo County, California. As of publication, no containment data was available and the cause had not been determined. The report is sourced from the National Interagency Fire Center.
Education · Los Osos, CA
The San Luis Obispo County Planning Commission voted 3-0 to approve the full demolition and rebuild of Baywood Elementary School in Los Osos, a roughly $50 million project funded by Measure C-22's $359 million bond. The 46-year-old school at 1330 9th St. will see about 36,000 square feet demolished and replaced with 30,000 square feet of new buildings across 7.4 acres, with construction expected to take two years in phases starting this summer. Officials cited safety concerns with the campus's open-concept design as a primary reason for the rebuild, while some residents raised environmental and disruption concerns during public comment.
Crime · San Luis Obispo County
A jury convicted 42-year-old Genaro SantanaAvalos of two felonies for contacting a minor with intent to commit a sexual offense and arranging a meeting, plus two misdemeanor drug possession charges, after he drove from Paso Robles to a San Luis Obispo park on Dec. 12, 2024, to meet what he believed was a 15-year-old girl but was actually a Sheriff's Office detective. Detectives found a condom, methamphetamine, and a pipe in his vehicle; forensic phone evidence confirmed his messages and saved directions. He faces up to five years and six months in state prison and must register as a sex offender, with sentencing set for Nov. 19.
Crime · San Luis Obispo, CA
Vanessa Rose Noblitt, 45, was sentenced Tuesday by Superior Court Judge Rita Federman to nine years and eight months in state prison for vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated in the July 23, 2024, hit-and-run death of 86-year-old cyclist Saul Goldberg of Avila Beach. Noblitt, whose blood alcohol concentration was .31 percent—nearly four times the legal limit—drifted into a bike lane on South Higuera Street in San Luis Obispo around noon, striking Goldberg and his riding companion Martin Suits before fleeing the scene. She pleaded guilty Sept. 15 to vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, DUI causing great bodily injury (a strike offense), and hit-and-run. A restitution status hearing is set for Jan. 12.
Read the full Thursday, October 15, 2026 edition (+6 more stories) →
About Your Local News in San Luis Obispo County
Every night we go through the news sites and public notices that cover San Luis Obispo County, CA. When several outlets report the same council vote, you read about it once.
The email goes out before 6am. Where the original article is free to read, we link to it.
Towns in San Luis Obispo County and nearby
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