Happy Friday, Central Coast! Here are some of the top stories we are tracking this morning:
- Alaska Airlines brings back nonstop SLO to Vegas: Alaska Airlines is bringing back its seasonal nonstop flight from San Luis Obispo to Las Vegas this weekend. Airport officials say the route is popular with both business and leisure travelers, while also boosting the regional economy. Flight details are posted on sloairport.com.
- SpaceX set for Starlink launch from Vandenberg: SpaceX is preparing for another Starlink launch out of Vandenberg Space Force Base. Liftoff is set between 6 and 10 a.m. The rocket will carry 28 satellites into low Earth orbit, with its booster expected to land on a droneship in the Pacific.
- New rebates help Central Coast homes go all-electric: Central Coast Community Energy is expanding its rebates to help families replace gas appliances with all-electric options. Along with heat-pump heaters and water heaters, new incentives now cover induction cooktops, ranges, and portable heat-pump units. Rebates range from $150 to $3,000, with bigger savings for income-qualified households. Since 2022, the program has helped fund more than 1,500 installations across the Central Coast, cutting emissions equal to taking more than 250 cars off the road for a year. Applications are open now at 3CEnergy.org.
Residents near Guadalupe are raising alarms about rail safety after a collision between an Amtrak train and a fuel tanker killed the truck driver, identified as Santiago Saucedo Sr. The crash occurred October 1 when the truck turned onto a dirt road near Highway 1 and Brown Road and was struck, rupturing some 3,500 gallons of diesel. Locals say there are too many unmarked field access points without warning signals, making visibility and reaction time poor. They’re calling for improved safety controls, like lights or signals, especially where traffic and train crossings are common.
With a November 4 special election approaching, San Luis Obispo County’s Clerk-Recorder office conducted a required “Logic and Accuracy” test, running more than 4,000 test ballots through its tabulators to ensure the count is trustworthy. The testing is part of state election code, and county officials say it’s a critical step for voter confidence in the system. The public was invited to observe the process, ask questions, and see first-hand how ballot formatting, machine reading, and tallying work in practice.
Brookshire Farms in San Luis Obispo has opened its fall attraction with a 4.5-acre corn maze designed around Sesame Street, making it one of just 35 farms in the U.S. selected for the theme. The farm has planted more than 200,000 corn seeds for the maze and is also selling over 75 varieties of pumpkins, though this year’s rising costs have forced a 4% price increase. Brookshire will remain open through October 31, and after the season closes, the corn is donated to Cal Poly for agricultural or dairy uses.
