Sadie Dittenber

Atascadero school board announced its pick for superintendent. Why are teachers worried? The board appears poised to approve the hire Tuesday night, despite concern among the community.

I'll be covering tonight's meeting, so stay tuned for additional coverage!

Can’t go to Cal Poly? New community college program adds degrees from SLO university With the university growing more competitive, some local Central Coast students have been stuck in limbo.

It's getting a little bit easier for students on the Central Coast to earn a bachelor's degree, thanks to a new partnership between Cal Poly and Allan Hancock College:

Thousands pack Cal Poly concert, neighborhoods empty: See photos, video of St. Fratty’s in SLO Roughly 6,000 people attended an on-campus concert early Saturday morning, while efforts to start a street party in off-campus neighborhoods were unsuccessful.

More of a visual person? Check out our collection of photos and videos here:

SLO, Cal Poly beefed up enforcement for St. Fratty’s Day. Did students stay off the street? As dawn crept over the San Luis Obispo neighborhoods near Cal Poly, students scattered to avoid police patrols.

What did students think of the police presence? Find out here:

6,000 St. Fratty’s Day revelers turn out to dance the morning away at Cal Poly music festival The university said the event went “generally smoothly,” despite students pushing through the security barricades just before 6 a.m.

What did students think of the St. Fratty’s music festival? Find out here:

‘Go home or you get arrested.’ See live updates from St. Fratty’s Day in SLO Several hundred people began crowding a street in a San Luis Obispo neighborhood midway through Saturday morning.

@clojooo.bsky.social @joanlynch.bsky.social @joetarica.bsky.social @kaytlynleslie.bsky.social and I woke up in the wee hours this morning to provide live updates on the St. Fratty’s Day revelry. Here’s a play-by-play of the day’s events 🧵

‘Go home or you get arrested.’ See live updates from St. Fratty’s Day in SLO Several hundred people began crowding a street in a San Luis Obispo neighborhood midway through Saturday morning.

The Tribune had 5 people working St. Fratty's in SLO this morning. Here's our complete coverage starting before dawn. www.sanluisobispo.com/news/local/e...

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Important note: The paywall has been dropped on these stories to make them available to all readers in the interest of promoting public safety. Please consider supporting local journalism and similar coverage with a subscription to @sanluisobispo.com. www.sanluisobispo.com/subscribe

What do we know about the plans for St. Fratty's this weekend? Here's a look at our @sanluisobispo.com coverage so far (thread)

Tribune sues city of Paso Robles, Chris Bausch after councilman refuses to release records Bausch has refused to release records from his personal devices and accounts related to Ty Lewis’ conspiracy allegations.

The Tribune filed legal action against the city of Paso Robles and Councilmember Chris Bausch on Tuesday. Get the details here:

Is this SLO County main street the best in the country? You can help decide Readers can vote for their favorite pick once a day until early April.

Do you think this SLO County town has the best main street in the country? Cast your vote

Cal Coast News reporter Karen Velie sued for defamation — again. Here’s why Cal Coast News and Karen Velie were previously ordered to pay a $1.1 million judgment after a jury unanimously found her liable for libel and defamation.

Why is Cal Coast News' Karen Velie being sued for defamation? Story from @clojooo.bsky.social www.sanluisobispo.com/news/local/a...

New:

DOGE's spending has been secret.

No longer.

My colleagues have uncovered it.

www.propublica.org/article/doge...

SLO County school district won’t cut counselors amid budget woes — but other jobs will go away The district will move forward with $5.3 million in staff reductions, about $1 million short of curing the deficit.

Five counselors will be spared in the San Luis Coastal school district, after parents and staff pleaded with trustees and administrators.

THIS MATTER having come before this Court on the verified Petition of the City of Clarksdale requesting a temporary restraining order or a hearing on a preliminary injunction and after review of the verified Petition and Attorney Certification, the Court finds that the Petition is well taken. The injury in this case is defamation against public figures through actual malice in reckless disregard of the truth and interferes with their legitimate function to advocate for legislation they believe would help their municipality during this current legislative cycle. The Respondents are well aware of the accusations against them as they have already received a draft of the verified Petition and further notice is not needed until such hearing. The Temporary Restraining Order for Respondents to remove the article "EDITORIAL: SECRECY AND DECEPTION ERODE PUBLIC TRUST" from their online portals and make it inaccessible to the public is hereby granted. Petitioner shall post a bond in the amount of $100.00 as security for any damages that Defendant may incur should it be determined that this Temporary Restraining Order was wrongfully issued. This Court further orders that a hearing on the City of Clarksdale's request for a preliminary injunction is hereby set for February 27, 2025, at 9:30 am

(Conclusion of the court order.)

Wow: City of Clarksdale, Mississippi got a court order yesterday directing a newspaper to delete an editorial criticizing city officials -- without a hearing. Here's the TRO issuing the prior restraint:

Latest victim of federal cuts? $5 million in Cal Poly grants supporting SLO County teachers “It’s clearly not about producing a better working system,” an associate professor said. “It’s just about being chaotic and disruptive and punitive.”

The federal notice said the programs supporting local schools, teachers and students were "inconsistent with" Department of Education priorities.

Hi, media friends. It's me, your Journalist Work Mom Pal.

Do things seem overwhelming right now? Is there too much to cover and not enough time or resources?

Here are some things that have helped me.

amazing work

Live storm updates: Thousands without power in SLO County, numerous roads flooded The National Weather Service issued a special weather statement warning of hail in part of the county Thursday.

Want live updates as this #atmosphericriver #storm continues to drench #SLOCounty? We've got you covered right here! www.sanluisobispo.com/news/weather...

Analysis: Dispatches from the higher education culture wars This week was just another week in Idaho’s DEI legislative session. An outsized focus on red-meat higher ed politics, fully aligned with the national zeitgeist.

Analysis: This week was just another week in Idaho’s DEI legislative session. An outsized focus on red-meat higher ed politics, fully aligned with the national zeitgeist. www.idahoednews.org/top-news/ana...

Thuesday is so real 😭

Paso Robles schools to cut 54 jobs. What exactly will that look like? The district is trying to handle a lot of the reduction through attrition, but some layoffs are likely.

A nearly $5 million structural deficit in the Paso Robles school district will result in layoffs, trustees confirmed Tuesday. See which positions are on the chopping block:

Cal Poly could lose $24 million in proposed Newsom budget — and layoffs aren’t off the table The necessary budget cuts would be “extremely detrimental” to the university, Cal Poly President Jeffrey Armstrong said.

While the governor's budget has not been finalized, the university is taking precautions. Get the details here:

Paso Robles calls out councilman, says he ‘explicitly refused’ to comply with public records law But Chris Bausch says the city is “wrong” regarding his response to Tribune Public Records Act requests in the Ty Lewis case.

The Tribune is waiting on at least four unfulfilled public records requests from the city of Paso Robles, and one councilmember appears to be the common denominator in each of them. See where the city stands here:

Parents of SLO County, how can local news best serve you? Let us know Fill out our survey to let us know what stories you want covered.

SLO County parents, I want to hear from you! Use this survey to let me know your story ideas!

SLO County school district plans drastic cuts to fix budget woes. Could PG&E funding help? The district is wrestling with a $6 million budget deficit heading into next school year.

School leaders want to lobby PG&E for around $10 million in funding to avoid having to cut nearly 70 jobs, including teachers, counselors and support staff.
www.sanluisobispo.com/news/local/e...

SLO County school district plans to sell 2 former school sites. What will happen to them? Both properties have been leased to other organizations after closing in the early 2000s.

The properties are located in Los Osos and Morro Bay.

St. Fratty’s Day is coming, and Cal Poly has a plan to move the party on campus. Here’s how The university is hoping to draw thousands of students away from the residential streets of SLO. Will it work?

Cal Poly’s notorious street party could look a little different this year — or so city leaders and university officials hope.

Paso Robles city manager to retire with settlement after filing conspiracy claim Ty Lewis reached a settlement with the city on Monday after it denied his $2.275 million claim accusing Councilman Chris Bausch of harassment and creating a hostile workplace.

Paso Robles city manager Ty Lewis will retire, ending one chapter in the months of turmoil that followed his $2.275 million claim against the city.

Is Cal Poly’s diversity and inclusion office closing? Here’s a Reality Check President Trump ordered the termination of federal DEI programs Monday. The same week, Cal Poly announced a sudden change.

I followed up on a tip that Cal Poly was closing it's DEI office. See what's changing: