Good morning, Central Coast. We have been keeping an eye on our beaches this morning following the tsunami threat, click here to see the full forecast and latest weather alerts.
Tsunami surge monitored: Port San Luis remains the main area of concern along the Central Coast. Tsunami wave heights of 2 to 3.7 feet were expected early this morning. Santa Barbara is seeing smaller waves, under one foot. Harbor Patrol continues to warn boaters of strong currents. Park upgrade celebration: Paso Robles is celebrating big improvements at Royal Oak Meadows Park today. A ribbon cutting is set for 10 A.M. at the park on Airport Road. Upgrades include a full basketball court, new playground, shaded picnic area, and enhanced walking paths. Neighbors are invited to stay and play after the ceremony. SpaceX launch set for today: A Falcon 9 rocket launch is scheduled for 11:39 A.M. at Vandenberg Space Force Base. SpaceX will send 19 Starlink satellites into orbit. The booster will attempt a landing on a drone ship in the Pacific. Live-stream coverage begins five minutes before liftoff.
If beef is on your summer menu, you’re likely feeling the price pinch, ground beef now averages $6.12 per pound, up nearly 12% from last year, while steak prices have climbed to $11.49 a pound. Experts blame a shrinking U.S. cattle herd, worsened by drought and rising feed costs, with the nations cattle count hitting its lowest level since 1951. Local rancher Grant Talley of Arroyo Grande says rebuilding herds takes years, meaning high prices may stick around. Talley and others are turning to direct-to-consumer sales, while shoppers like Kelly Zaninovich say theyre adjusting by cutting back in other areas to keep meat on the table.
Two people were injured in a fire that broke out Tuesday morning at an apartment complex in Grover Beach. The blaze started around 9:30 A.M. at 960 South 14th Street and took firefighters about 45 minutes to contain. Five units were heavily damaged. One person suffered smoke inhalation, while another was hurt after jumping out of a window to escape. The cause of the fire remains under investigation, and crews are expected to stay on scene throughout the day.
A federal court has granted the Environmental Defense Center (EDC) the right to join Santa Barbara County in a lawsuit against ExxonMobil and Sable Offshore Corp. a decision hailed as a major win by environmental advocates. The case challenges the transfer of offshore oil permits from Exxon to Sable, which would allow the company to restart the pipeline responsible for the 2015 Refugio oil spill. EDC Chief Counsel Linda Krop said the group is fighting to ensure public safety and prevent future oil spills. While Exxon and Sable argue the permit transfer was already approved by the County Planning Commission, environmentalists remain concerned about Sables ongoing work, which has reportedly continued despite cease-and-desist orders. Congressman Salud Carbajal praised the court’s decision, warning that restarting offshore drilling endangers the Central Coast’s environment and economy. A court hearing is scheduled for late September, and the outcome could impact the future of oil and gas operations in the region.