Central Coast

One day after right-wing activist, Charlie Kirk, was assassinated at Utah Valley University, people across the country were still processing the news.It was an otherwise happy day for families as cars filled the parking lots and parents helped their children move in for their first semester at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.

It’s September and that means it’s National Preparedness Month, which is the perfect time to upgrade emergency supply kits and get ready for unexpected emergencies.

U.S Attorney Bill Essayli recently announced the creation of a federal animal abuse task force that aims to prosecute people for violating federal laws and regulations related to animals.The Federal Animal Abuse Task Force will focus efforts throughout seven counties in California, including San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara and Ventura.

On California’s Central Coast, Congressman Salud Carbajal is raising new concerns about local Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations. Carbajal recently toured the ICE processing facility in Santa Maria.

Farmworkers in Salinas and Watsonville are back at work after going on strike for almost a week.Workers for Eat Sweet Farms began the strike last Thursday and are continuing to ask for a number of demands, although they’re back at work as of Tuesday.

The National Weather Service is forecasting excessive heat for the Central Coast this week.Extreme heat and red flag warnings are in effect for interior parts of San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties. The National Weather Service also issued a heat advisory for areas near the coast in SLO and Santa Barbara counties.

Fire officials describe the fire as unpredictable because the topography in mountainous areas causes wind gusts to move erratically.

Students at the Paso Robles Joint Unified School District will follow new rules for student smartphone usage this school year.

Paso Robles police are investigating a wave of vandalism involving caltrops – small metal spikes designed to puncture tires – that have been deliberately placed on public roads. The department says it has documented more than 40 incidents since April, and a new wave of reports began this week.

Central Coast Congressman Salud Cabajal has re-introduced a bill that allows DACA recipients to enroll in the military.DACA is a program that allows undocumented children who were brought to the U.S. at a young age to temporarily stay and work here.