Hundreds of classic cars made their way into town for the 28th annual Cruisin' Morro Bay Car Show on Friday Classic cars made their rounds on Morro Bay Boulevard and Harbor Street through 7 p.m "And we have a couple that's been coming from British Columbia The action will continue Saturday at "Show and Shine," where cars will be lined up along Morro Bay Boulevard from 9 a.m it has turned into a cherished tradition here on the Central Coast You can learn more on the event's website A Virginia court sentenced a 30-year-old Morro Bay man on May 1 to 10 years in prison followed by and 30 years supervised release for enticing a 12-year-old child from Prince William County to engage in unlawful sexual activity He was also ordered to pay $10,000 in restitution pleaded guilty in January to enticement of a minor FBI agents began investigating Dalton after the victim’s parents discovered their daughter and Dalton had been communicating for over three months Dalton sent sexually explicit images of himself and extremely graphic sexual messages via text and email including messages directing the minor to engage in and record sexual activity Dalton and the victim also discussed meeting in person in order to have sex FBI agents executed a search warrant at Dalton’s home and found evidence Dalton had communicated with the victim as well as with three other children who were under the age of 16 The comments below represent the opinion of the writer and do not represent the views or policies of CalCoastNews.com.  Please address the Policies, events and arguments, not the person. Constructive debate is good; mockery, taunting, and name calling is not.   Comment Guidelines   Editor Bill Loving Reporter Karen Velie, (805) 234-1703 Reporter Josh Friedman Founder Daniel Blackburn Tip Your Team tips@calcoastnews.com Advertise ads@calcoastnews.com Moderator moderator@calcoastnews.com Site Issues admin@calcoastnews.com of Morro Bay was sentenced to ten years in prison and 30 years of supervised release for enticing a 12-year-old girl from Prince William County to engage in sex Dalton was also ordered to pay $10,000 in restitution and a search warrant of his home resulted in evidence that he has been in communication with three other children under the age of 16 stated the U.S Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Virginia in a press release Thursday Dalton pleaded guilty to enticement of a minor shared the U.S the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) began its investigation of Dalton after the parents of the 12-year-old girl found communications on her cell phone with Dalton The investigation showed that Dalton and the girl had been communicating for about three months that he had sent her sexually explicit images of himself "extremely graphic sexual messages via text and email" and messages directing the girl to engage in sexual activities and record herself and send those recordings to him Dalton and the 12-year-old also discussed meeting to have sex added the U.S FBI agents served a search warrant at Dalton's home and recovered evidence of the 30-year-old's communications with the Prince William County girl as well as three other children under the age of 16 detailed the U.S The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood a nationwide initiative to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse Andrew is a Digital Content Producer and Assignment Desk Assistant for News Channel 3-12. For more about Andrew, click here. News Channel 3-12 is committed to providing a forum for civil and constructive conversation Please keep your comments respectful and relevant. You can review our Community Guidelines by clicking here If you would like to share a story idea, please submit it here Terms of Service Privacy Policy Community Guidelines FCC Public File EEO Public File Report FCC Applications Do Not Sell My Personal Information A group of Morro Bay residents is calling on San Luis Obispo County to enact a moratorium on new battery energy storage system (BESS) projects The community members raised safety concerns following a string fires at similar facilities across the state At this week’s SLO County Board of Supervisors meeting members of the group Citizens for Estero Bay Preservation urged the board to follow Morro Bay’s lead and adopt a two-year ban on approving new battery storage projects "How many fires do we need to have before we decide BESS plants are not safe?" said Betsey Godet Cross during public comment referencing a recent fire at a Moss Landing facility that triggered mandatory evacuations due to air quality concerns "Other counties have adopted moratoriums in California Battery storage is increasingly used to support renewable energy systems but critics argue the risks of fire and contamination are too great warned of possible impacts on local agriculture if a fire were to release toxic materials “How can farms and wineries guarantee the safety of their products with heavy metals permeating their soil?” she said While Kreuger cited Moss Landing as an example state officials have said there were no elevated levels of metals detected in the soil after that incident county officials report there is only one operational battery storage facility in San Luis Obispo County and there are no pending applications for new ones Sophia is your community news reporter covering the North Coast of San Luis Obispo County The City of Morro Bay is one step closer to adopting a new flagpole ordinance “I believe this policy represents a gross overreach of local government and by its very nature is divisive and not inclusive,” said City Councilmember Jeff Eckles “We need to be neutral,” said Rigmor Samuelsen which has been in place for the past three years allows commemorative and non-traditional flags to be displayed at city facilities Councilmember Eckles wants the policy to be changed to display only three flags at city facilities “Which is the flag of the United States of America “It’s definitely moving us backwards in a way where Morro Bay was being more open and more welcoming of groups that have been underrepresented,” said Courtney Shepler Eckles says he wants the city to remain neutral in its stance on any topic not to signal particular beliefs or causes no matter how worthy they may seem to some,” Eckles said had the ability to display other commemorative flags It’s their ability to highlight issues that are of concern to residents,” Shepler said The Pride flag was also brought up at the last city council meeting two weeks ago and I want to make sure that I was conscious of what we do here tonight but it is about the acknowledgment of anyone in this community,” said Councilmember Cyndee Edwards Eckles said it is not about denying expression “People are free to fly any flag they wish on their own private property as they should be,” Eckles said and I love that flag with all those colors,” Samuelsen said “We also need to be sensitive to the fact that a lot of people did care about that policy and that change that Morro Bay made to fly the Pride flag during June,” Shepler said City Manager Yvonne Kimball says a motion was made to direct staff to revise the current policy and bring back a new resolution at a future city council meeting The Morro Bay City Council voted to stop a controversial Hwy 41 and Main Street roundabout project at a meeting Tuesday night “I’m glad it's RIP roundabout,” said Francine Esposito the City Council decided to block the project But they did show a drawing of it so I guess it’s doable,” said Scott Hlaudy Cecil says staff was directed to stop work on the environmental reports which were 95% done and cost a total of $400,000 "Council majority was concerned on many issues including pedestrian safety Roundabouts can provide circulation benefits but are not necessarily pedestrian friendly This is a very constrained area in regard to space and would address traffic flows on the east side but not on the west side by the school and hotels." “That’s sad because what a waste of money if it does not go forward,” Hlaudy said “I feel that we really need to pay attention to the dollars that are coming into the town and how they are being spent,” Esposito said Jenny Hlaudy has been living at Silver City Mobile Home Park since 2019 She thinks the nearby project is a good idea to alleviate traffic congestion but she does have reservations “Experienced drivers would be able to handle roundabouts but my concern is the inexperienced drivers of the high school students,” she explained which is talking pennies on the dollar,” Esposito said Cecil says the city council will officially address the intersection project at a future city council meeting Morro Bay High School's Industrial Technology program is gearing up to have a good year Especially when one of its own gets nationally recognized as one of the best instructors in automotive technology High School teacher Ritchie Wimmer has been nominated as one of six finalists in Tomorrow's Technician contest for "Instructor of the Year in Automotive Technology" “In San Luis Obispo County we have a need for technicians The whole idea here is to build the students up from a professional level so that way if they are interested in entering the job market they come prepared with the skills on day one," says Wimmer who is also the owner of Wimmers Automotive in Morro Bay The Instructor of the Year program recognizes the automotive technology instructors at high schools vo-tech programs and community colleges who think outside the toolbox "We do things a little bit different," adds Wimmer "I’m bringing those professional skills into the classroom directly we can learn book work...but we get hands-on learning from the professional side.” Wimmer will find out next month if he has secured the title of "Automotive Technology Instructor of the Year," but he feels like he's already won but just bringing national recognition to Morro Bay High School We have a great program here," said Wimmer “One of my favorite parts is greeting all the students each day Getting to know what’s going on in their lives All of that stuff comes together in a program and the learning just starts happening." A Morro Bay man was sentenced in federal court Thursday to 10 years in prison for enticing a 12-year-old girl from Virginia to engage in sexual activity Dalton and the victim had been communicating by cell phone for about three months before her parents discovered the messages Those messages reportedly included sexually explicit images of Dalton and requests that the victim record herself engaging in sexual activity Investigators say Dalton and the girl also discussed meeting in person to have sex FBI agents executed a search warrant at Dalton’s home in November 2024 and reportedly found evidence of his communications with the victim as well as with three other children under the age of 16 Dalton’s sentence also includes 30 years of supervised release and $10,000 in restitution Vistra is withdrawing its application for a proposed battery energy storage system (BESS) facility at the old Morro Bay power plant The proposed project called for a 600MW lithium-ion battery facility which would be enough to power 450,000 homes The company informed the City of Morro Bay of its decision in a letter dated April 4 Vistra’s Morro Bay BESS proposal timeline: A big question many people in the community have following Vistra’s withdrawal is if the company will be going to the State for project approval.Vistra would not answer KSBY's requests for comment on this instead directing community reporter Sophia Villalba to the letter sent to Morro Bay “When there is more to share about our redevelopment plans including the potential to use the Opt-In Certification Program to objectively review a plan to renew and reuse the Morro Bay Power Plant site a Vistra spokesperson told Sophia they had paused the application with the City citing “timelines and consideration processes that would add at least 18 months of municipal review prior to any preliminary vote.” the Texas-based company said it would be going to the state for approval of the project under Assembly Bill 205.Passed back in 2022 it allows energy companies to bypass local jurisdictions The City of Morro Bay is currently under a two-year urgency ordinance prohibiting the acceptance or processing of new BESS projects in the city This urgency ordinance will give the City two years to develop a permanent ordinance neither an urgency ordinance nor a permanent ordinance would prevent the California Energy Commission from approving a BESS facility in Morro Bay Some people in the community are happy the project won’t be moving forward Not a good deal,” said Bob Stuffelbeam of Morro Bay,  But Scott Murtishaw with the California Energy Storage Alliance says this is the kind of project the state needs for reliability greenhouse gas emissions and to meet the state’s clean energy goals “We need to reduce greenhouse gases and California needs to lead the way just like we did for solar and wind energy,” Murtishaw said “We were pioneers in developing renewable energy technologies and now we are pioneers for developing energy storage technology." Murtishaw says storage is the key to using renewable energy “We know that wind and solar energy are the cheapest forms or energy but we can’t just turn it on and off when we need them so to make that energy reliable is to store it and use it when we need it,” he said the company stated it was declining the City’s request to gift its private property to the City The City has not yet responded to Sophia’s requests for clarification on this and whether the City had Sophia has been covering this story for more than a year and will have the latest on the company's withdrawal on KSBY News at 4 p.m. Vistra recently withdrew its application from the city of Morro Bay for a proposed battery energy storage system (BESS) facility but KSBY wanted to know more about a request the city had made to Vistra prior to that decision being finalized The letter informing the city of Vistra's withdrawal also stated it was denying the city’s request for the company to donate the property “We respectfully decline your offer to gift the city of Morro Bay our private property.” After city officials would not respond to community reporter Sophia Villalba's requests for information about their desire to acquire the property Sophia submitted a public records request and received the letter this week Mayor Carla Wixom told Vistra: “We would like to explore the possibility of Vistra transferring ownership of properties to the city.” The letter went on to mention four reasons why doing so would benefit Vistra The city did not state what it planned to do if given the property the BESS facility could have powered 450,000 homes in California’s power grid The 107-acre property is located near the Embarcadero Vistra did not state whether it would still seek state approval for its application only saying it would inform the city and community when any new updates happen Two teams at Morro Bay High School are heading to Hawaii and Greece and are fundraising to make those trips happen The girls water polo team will be heading to Greece where they will participate in a skills camp and scrimmage with other European teams “I think it will be cool to see new skills and see a new way of playing that we’ve never seen before,” said water polo player Aleya Paul the team won the CIF Division 2 championships “And then we won all of our state games until the championship where we lost and got runner up but we did really well this past season,” said another player the team is hosting a fundraiser this weekend we’re hosting Mamma Mia at the Morro Bay Theatre,” Paul said The school’s varsity football team is also gearing up for a trip heading to Hawaii in August for their first out-of-state game “We’re going to be playing our week zero game against Molokai High School which is a little island off the coast of Maui,” said head football coach Robert Dougherty “It’s going to give us some skills that are needed,” said Sands Dougherty with the varsity football team the team came close to a championship but lost by four points It starts week zero versus Molokai,” Coach Dougherty said “A lot of people were heartbroken by that loss but it’s going to make us do even better next year,” Sands Dougherty said With the cost being around $30,000 for all 33 players and coaches to attend we’re hosting a Casino Night at the Morro Bay Community Center open bar and silent auction items,” the coach stated The players have been dedicated off the field to having other small fundraisers recently “We had a car wash about two weeks ago and we have one next weekend - $20 We’ve been selling them going door to door,” Sands Dougherty said Coach Dougherty says it will be more than just a game for his players “They are going to see a whole new culture a whole different style of living that they are not used to so it will be life-changing for a lot of them,” he said The girls water polo team’s Mamma Mia showing will be held on Sunday, April 13, at the Bay Theatre in Morro Bay at 1 p.m. For more information, click here The football team’s Casino Night will be held on Saturday, April 26, from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Morro Bay Community Center. For more information, click here Morro Bay beachgoers have reported seeing thousands of sea creatures resembling jellyfish wash up along the shoreline recently these little creatures are called Velella Velella Its characteristic sail gives the animal its name They catch the wind and travel on ocean currents but can get stranded on beaches in large numbers after strong winds push them ashore It's mild but experts recommend avoiding touching your face or eyes once encountering them A local business in Morro Bay closed its doors for good on Sunday Owner Geoff Montgomery opened Morro Bay Butcher & Deli five years ago at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic and people cooking more at home,” Montgomery said he says business started steadily declining “I understand when people have to choose between buying what we offer and paying their rent,” Montgomery said With his shop offering a variety of high-quality local meats the owner says prices have only continued to rise over the years “Our margins quite literally disappeared over the year and a half to two years and it was very difficult for us to keep up with those rising costs," Montgomery said "It gets to a point where it just becomes too expensive.” Montgomery added that it is hard for local businesses to survive in this economy Local residents who were visiting the shop on Sunday said they were disheartened by the closure “They brought really good food to the community but I’m just sad to see them go,” said Renco Traverso “It’s always sad to see the turnover that happens in a small town because everyone gets to know everyone,” said Kristen Wilkinson and so it was great to have something like that here in such a small town and having it being local The owner tells KSBY that his time in Morro Bay does not feel wasted but I don’t regret anything we’ve done,” Montgomery said Montgomery says he will be moving to Scotland with his family “I’m going to work for some butchers over there and work for shops that have been open for hundreds of years,” Montgomery said A new mobile sauna was recently added to Coleman Park in Morro Bay but that’s not the only place where it will be happy and enjoying the experience together It brings the community together,” said Joe O’Brien of Morro Bay The service is available for booking three days a week in Morro Bay Co-owner Ari Leva says it’s a space that can fit up to eight people at a time It recently led to Cal Poly wrestlers and some women in their 40s and 60s engaging in a conversation that otherwise would have never happened connection and storytelling erupted in a way that wouldn’t happen in a coffee shop or bar The sauna being used as a community hub has been demonstrated so well by the guests,” said Ari Leva Leva says you can show up with a bathing suit You can expect to either head into the sauna first and then cold plunge into the bay after or the other way around people will do that three times,” Leva said Ira Feinswog was trying the sauna out for the first time Thursday morning “You’re going from pretty hot to pretty cold and it’s exhilarating It felt great,” said Ira Feinswog of San Diego Joe O’Brien was trying it out for the second time he’d only used a sauna by the water while abroad “It’s amazing to have the same kind of experience right here in Morro Bay,” O’Brien said so I kept my arm under and my hand feels better,” Feinswog said With the sauna available for booking on Thursdays they’ll be moving the sauna to the SLO Ranch Farms marketplace three other days during the week “That will be a different experience because we will have cold plunges that are temperature-controlled We don’t have the ocean in SLO to be able to cold plunge,” said Darren Leva The Levas say they’re right outside the sauna every time it’s in use to monitor it and make sure nothing goes wrong For more information on how you can book a spot at this sauna, click here The San Luis Obispo County Division of Animal Services is asking cities that use their services to adopt a new ordinance to help streamline enforcement throughout the county “That is the purpose of that conformity is so that Animal Services is not playing that guessing game but is it a Morro Bay animal or a San Luis Obispo animal?” said Morro Bay Police Chief Amy Watkins Holding time for animals was a hot topic at the April 8 Morro Bay City Council meeting Current city code states animals picked up by Animal Services can be put up for adoption three days after the owner is notified or six days if the owner has not been contacted it’s one day longer if the owner has not been notified is what is currently in place and what has been in place for more than 25 years I also want to be very clear — that is just the holding period the animal will be euthanized,” said Eric Anderson Longtime Morro Bay resident Michelle Leicester feels the holding time is not long enough She wrote to the city and spoke during the latest council meeting She would like to see a minimum of seven to 10 days for the holding period especially if somebody is traveling or is ill in the hospital or can’t get a hold of anybody to get their animal out of the shelter,” Leicester said Anderson says most animals are picked up by their owners quickly with the average time for dogs and cats being about two days Another hot topic during the meeting was microchipping County code requires microchipping for adult dogs and cats that are constantly leaving the property or causing a call for service on a routine basis Microchipping for dogs over eight years old as of Jan “It’s something that should be case by case depending on the individual,” Leicester said One of the new regulations introduced this month includes not feeding animals that are not on your property “We have a huge issue with squirrels at the rock and other areas along the Embarcadero,” Leicester said Drivers who hit a domestic animal will also now be required to either stop and help the animal or notify the owner “This is really something we would do anyway but now to make it so you are not second-guessing the city council on Tuesday will discuss adding language to the city code stating animals cannot be put up for adoption until at least seven days from the time they were brought in “We do not have the ability to amend the county code It would be the same if you didn’t like a state law that you were talking about,” said Robert Schultz He stated the city could instead add language that states they are requiring seven days the goal of my motion is for the City of Morro Bay to step forward and be the first city to say this is what we want,” said Councilmember Jeff Eckles Visitors and locals flocked to Morro Rock Beach on Saturday to check out the 2025 Morro Bay Kite Festival Crowds of people were seen flying their kites and enjoying the view at the beach during the free family event lots of people struggled to get their kites off the ground; however the ones who were successful created a colorful display in the sky Several kite flyers also participated in candy drops throughout the day entertaining kids and candy-lovers on the sand This year marks the 21st anniversary of the first Morro Bay Kite Festival you can still attend the closing day on Sunday from 10 a.m Recent mountain lion sightings have been occurring in the Silver City Mobile Home Park off Highway 41 in Morro Bay “We are all seniors living here and it is concerning My dog is probably one of the bigger dogs in the park and they are the perfect appetizer for a mountain lion,” said Melissa Hayes of Morro Bay Home surveillance video has captured a mountain lion roaming an area of the mobile home park along Morro Creek in recent weeks It’s led Hayes to change her walking routine “What we do now is we walk toward the street and then we walk over to Miner’s because there are lights there in the morning We don’t walk her at night anymore,” Hayes said She says it’s concerning because the animal keeps coming back earlier each time “The first sighting is at one in the morning but the last one this week was at 10 at night Todd Gavin has been living at the mobile home park for the past four years but a lot of people have dogs and walk them around here,” he said Neighbors tell community reporter Sophia Villalba two signs have been put up this past week to warn residents in the park Morro Bay Police Chief Amy Watkins says the department has received reports of sightings over the last week or two She adds her officers would only engage the mountain lion if it was actively attacking someone A wildlife biologist with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife says only one mountain lion sighting has been reported to the department from this area and it was about a month ago They also say it’s not uncommon for mountain lions to be in the area and that if you’re in an area where deer roam pet food should not be left out to attract other wildlife that may in turn attract lions and no one should be feeding deer or any other wildlife,” said Brandon Swanson with Fish & Wildlife.” If you do happen to see one in your area, Fish & Wildlife encourages you to report it through their website The Morro Bay City Council recently requested a status update on the Highway 41 Highway 1 and Main Street roundabout project that was approved back in 2023 City Engineer Cindy Cecil says the project is currently in the environmental phase which will cost the city a total of $400,000 Cecil says the city’s financial obligations will be over The project is estimated to cost around $12 million and would be paid for by SLOCOG Some say the project is a long time coming “When you are going north on Highway 1 and getting off at the offramp here there’s always a backup because there’s a merge And then when you finally make it to the street and it’s a big hassle,” said Steve Barragar But others say it’s not needed and could cause more problems due to the nearby Morro Bay High School where we’ve got room for roundabouts," said Francine Esposito it’s going to be horrible for goings and comings of the teenagers.” the crosswalks would be pulled away and a refuge island would be installed “They would only have to look one direction and they would be at a protected refuge and then look at the other direction and continue,” Cecil said regarding pedestrians Linda Winters lives at Silver City Mobile Home Park near the intersection There’s been a fair share of accidents,” Winters said Police Chief Amy Watkins says a total of 10 collisions have occurred at that intersection over the past year There was also one vehicle versus pedestrian collision it’s planned to begin in the 2028-2029 fiscal year,” Cecil said Update March 13th at 7:30pm: Morro Bay police say the missing man has been found Morro Bay police are asking for help locating a man considered at-risk who was last seen leaving Cuesta College on Wednesday Police say Michael Lee Finley’s job coach reported that Finley got on his normal bus at the Cuesta College RTA bus stop at around 3 p.m. which would have dropped him off at the Morro Bay City Park stop Police say Finley’s cell phone is off and that his family is actively searching for him “Finley is developmentally disabled but still communicates effectively and can carry on a conversation if he is approached,” police added saying he was reported to be wearing dark pants Anyone who sees him or who may know where he is is asked to call the Morro Bay Police Department at (805)772-6225 Chris and I rang in 2025 in San Luis Obispo a full-circle moment from our eventful New Year’s celebration there in 2023 we revisited the “scene of the crime” with far less misadventure we’re cracking open that story to share it with you and an endless stream of setbacks preventing us from heading south to Mexico we turned lemons into margaritas and settled in to celebrate New Year’s Eve with friends It was special—not just because of the circumstances but because it was the first time we didn’t have work responsibilities on the holiday Chris had DJed the New Year’s Eve party at China Peak Ski Resort a family tradition passed down from his dad to his brother but instead of babysitting adults into the new year we rang it in with friends in downtown San Luis Obispo (SLO) Mai Tais—it was a strange mix for someone who doesn’t drink much the Metcalfe brothers had to carry him home scrolling my phone while our new friend Owen slept uncomfortably on a deflated air mattress a text came through: “Is Avocet okay during the wind event?” a surprise gale hit Morro Bay after we left Our oversized fenders had been tossed aside Tears rolled down my cheeks as frustration set in stumbled aboard while I assessed the damage The gray barrier paint peeked through the scratched Awlgrip a reminder of the painstaking work we’d done two years earlier Despite the internet offering no solutions for repairing Awlgrip it’s Chris.” Looking at my hungover husband but for others needing hope in “impossible” projects Before heading to the mountains for the holidays Chris’s NYE recovery pushed us to extend through the 3rd at $60/day Once Chris rebuilt the engine’s high-pressure pump where we’d spent our first weeks in Morro Bay a loud knock-knock-knock echoed through the cabin we found two sea otters cracking shells against our hull We’d arrived during prime pupping season in Morro Bay Popular viewing spots include South T-Pier avoid disturbing their natural behavior—if they swim away Morro Bay allows five free days before charging $1.50/foot/night With harbor closures limiting departure options with a working engine and the holidays behind us we were eager to head south—only to find ourselves trapped in an inescapable Groundhog Day Our batteries struggled as the solar array failed to charge and the Renogy DC/DC charger couldn’t compensate the rainy days felt cozy—perfect for movies and editing—but the endless gray soon took a toll We often joined our friend Reid from SV I’Mua The atmospheric river finally brought excitement—quickly replaced by fear Chris increased our scope to 12:1 and swapped our regular snubber for a 20-foot three-strand line Avocet bucked in the waves but held steady while chaos erupted around us praising our storm prep before rushing off to retrieve vessels that broke loose or docks that floated away claiming he thought we were “adrift.” Later “I didn’t know you were anchored” and “I’ve never seen a boat anchored there.” Both statements were equally baffling With our lithium batteries struggling from weeks of gray skies we took Brian and Breezy’s advice and called the Morro Bay Yacht Club from improving harbor conditions to hosting regattas and summer sailing lessons and began drying out after weeks of dampness but one encounter left us laughing at its awkwardness Chris was approached by a member who asked “Is that your little boat down there?” Chris replied that’s ours,” assuming the man had a mega yacht But the follow-up was stranger: “She looks good in the dark but I might have to take that back in the daylight.” Chris laughed it off I was used to such interactions and quickly thought of comebacks like “I could say the same about you.” We laughed it off and hoped for another encounter—but the moment never came our time at the yacht club was a much-needed break solving a long-standing issue with our hydraulic transmission creating drag and preventing our autoprop from feathering we could finally enjoy the full benefits of our feathering prop we noticed a serious issue: our SigmaDrive coupling was cracked which allows for up to three degrees of misalignment between the engine and shaft had already failed us once during our 2020 haul-out but now the inner sphere was cracked again we installed a rigid split coupling to keep us operational until we could get a new SigmaDrive which wouldn’t happen until Catalina Island—but that’s a story for another time soaking everything and keeping the harbor entrance closed with the gray skies weighing heavily on us often brought by visits from friends who reminded us there’s always good to be found—even when circumstances feel bleak With their company and a resilient mindset the sound of rushing tidal currents lulling us into a false sense of calm the gentle motion turned violent as Avocet began to list heavily and we realized the inevitable: we had run aground you don’t need to be underway to run aground we hadn’t accounted for the storms shifting the sandbar further into the anchorage Combined with an easterly wind and a low tide Harbor Patrol advised against pulling us free to avoid damage so Chris deployed our stern anchor using the dinghy and set up a 75-foot snubber line midship to kedge ourselves off All we could do was wait for the evening tide to rise the horizon became visible through our hatches and water crept ominously up the port side and tour boats circling us like a spectacle joking we’d careened ourselves to clean the bottom but the onlookers didn’t help our embarrassment Avocet freed herself with a triumphant pop her encapsulated keel showed no signs of distress from the sandy grounding retrieving our Fortress anchor proved a challenge—it was deeply stuck we left it as our primary anchor overnight The next morning brought sunshine and relief we recovered the Fortress and were greeted by fellow sailors who assured us we’d joined a “prestigious club” of those who’ve run aground in the Bay as the saying goes: if you haven’t been aground Our last night in Morro Bay was a modest but heartfelt celebration and promised to reunite soon—if Reid sailed south behind us and Kris visited in the summer leaving friends behind brought a familiar twinge of sadness under a golden veil of sunshine—a promise that the storms were (mostly) behind us—we sailed out with a gentle 10-knot breeze and five-foot following seas Avocet spent nearly two months in Morro Bay and countless smaller challenges that had us praying for calm Moments of joy—like mornings filled with the chatter of otters or the company of new friends—shine through Life aboard continues to teach me about perspective I’ll cherish the lessons and memories from Morro Bay as we sail forward Wishing you a year filled with perspective and silver linings A new hotel is set to go in along Main Street in Morro Bay While there are many aspects to the project it’s the building’s history that makes this project stand out Construction started three weeks ago on the Quonset Inn each room will have a patio with a fireplace,” said John Solu Solu and co-owner Brian Harvey say the current building was originally a Quonset hut built in 1941 for World War II military training there were hundreds of these in Morro Bay,” Solu said Solu says the hotel will sit along historic Highway 1 which was changed to Main Street when the state built the current Highway 1 Both owners hope to return the building to its original look “All the Quonset huts you see are built in this manner except the stucco in the front,” said Solu The hotel will also have a parking lot in the back for guests “A gathering area will be out here for customers to come out and sit We will have a huge fire pit for them to come out here and enjoy the view of the Rock,” Solu said the owners of Gaia’s Garden & Apothecary say they are hoping to see new customers once it opens “We’ve been here for three years now and noticed a lot of businesses come and go I think the inflation of rent has moved small businesses around It’s affected our business,” said Summer Birchell Birchell says most of her customers are hotel guests “It’s hard to believe that we need another hotel but they do help Morro Bay businesses,” Birchell said “We’re here to keep the history of Morro Bay as much as possible,” Solu added They are currently working on structural footings and sewer lines “We are going to maintain all the concrete that was originally here The dirt you’re seeing is going to be the hallway,” Solu said The hotel is expected to be open by summer 2026 which is proposing the Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) facility project in Morro Bay is also the same company that owns a BESS facility in Moss Landing that recently caught fire “We can never have a fire like that again,” said Assemblymember Dawn Addis The fire at Vistra’s battery storage plant in Moss Landing has some locals concerned about the project that’s being proposed in their own backyard by the same company Addis visited the Moss Landing site last week There were columns of dark black smoke,” she described the scene there have been four battery fire incidents in California She says she wants a complete stop to the battery project in Moss Landing We need to keep the plant offline until we can guarantee safety to the local community and environment,” Addis said And she wants Vistra to withdraw its Morro Bay proposal “There’s absolutely no way to support this in Morro Bay after seeing what I’ve seen,” Addis said She says she's aware the climate crisis needs to be addressed Addis is calling on the California Public Utilities Commission to conduct an independent investigation into the Moss Landing fire “And what are the preventative and accountability measures that are going to be taken,” she added Vistra addressed the Moss Landing incident saying there has continued to be a limited amount of smoldering at the Moss Landing 300 location which is consistent with previous conditions.” the Morro Bay City Council will consider adopting an urgency ordinance that would temporarily prohibit BESS systems within city limits it would not stop companies from going to the state for approval under Assembly Bill 205 and bypassing the city as Vistra has said it plans to do The Morro Bay-Cayucos connector trail has been in the works for the past 20 years the San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors will be deciding to authorize the Parks Department to apply for a California Coastal Conservancy grant for up to $2 million The Coastal Conservancy is a funding agency for local projects in the state “It would be the last piece of funding to put together a couple of different streams to make this project happen,” said Supervisor Bruce Gibson Other funding sources include grants from the Regional State Highway Account The $12 million project is currently in the design phase Parks says construction would start at the north and south ends of the dog beach in Morro Bay “They’ve got to work the trail in next to the highway," said Gibson "There’s one place where we need to shore up the seawall to make sure it’s protected from sea level rise and the ocean encroaching." Gibson says the trail will be a benefit for both coastal communities “This is some place with an e-bike you can get from Cayucos to Morro Bay to shop it’s not just a matter of folks heading to the beach or tourists enjoying a bike ride It’s really something that’s going to benefit a wide chunk of our population,” said Gibson The project faced opposition from residents living along Toro Lane at the edge of Morro Bay where the coastal trail would run through Many of the arguments centered around public easement on private roads “But our Parks Department in designing this has worked real hard to make use of existing access easements and to make sure that we’ve designed this so it doesn’t disrupt the residential neighborhoods which it’s going to traverse,” said Gibson walks his dog every day along the Toro Lane area to the beach “You meet a lot of people who have dogs,” Leitch said Leitch says the trail would be a better alternative for those who are unable to safely walk along the beach to either town “I think it will be a lot safer for people and it will be a better place for people to meet each other,” said Leitch If the Supervisors approve Parks to apply for the grant a decision on the grant award will be made by the California Coastal Conservancy board on April 17 “We’re hopeful and if that comes through then we will be fully funded to make this thing happen,” said Gibson construction is expected to start in January 2027 (KBAK/KBFX) — April is National Kite Month and the Morro Bay Kite Festival invites the public to celebrate by heading to the beach Organizers will be distributing 500 kites to attendees providing an opportunity for families and kite enthusiasts to enjoy the coastal winds and scenic views More than 200 concerned community members gathered at the Morro Rock parking lot on Saturday to protest the potential impacts of an offshore wind farm “It's a national day of action and there are sites all over the county including the East Coast and the West Coast that are having this national day of action It's all basically against offshore wind and it's to tell the incoming administration that we expect the promise to be kept to end offshore wind,” said Andrea Lueker REACT Alliance is a Morro Bay based non-profit started to protect the California Central Coast from what members believe to be the destructive impacts of offshore wind development Community members held up signs to raise awareness about their concerns “We're a lot more powerful as individuals than we think we are and we can stop this insane project that doesn't help anything The area proposed for the Morro Bay wind energy project is located 20 miles offshore and encompasses around 376 square miles “It's just a bad idea in all aspects both ecological and economic to erect this thing 20 miles off our ocean,” said another protester those favoring offshore wind say the project will address climate change and provide more clean energy sources Officials have said that the Morro Bay wind energy area together with one located off Humboldt Bay has the potential to generate enough energy to power more than 1.5 million homes Representative Salud Carbajal has expressed his support for the project “It's imperative that we move forward with those offshore wind projects because they're going to help us reach our renewable energy goals and address climate change which we are seeing in our country and our communities through fires This is going to help us address those issues,” Carbajal said Members of REACT Alliance say they plan to hold more events like this in the future “We hope the new administration ends offshore wind We don't think it's the way to go,” Williams said a group representing the offshore wind developers released a statement in response to the protest “As California’s demand for electricity continues to grow offshore wind remains critical to diversifying the energy mix in pursuit of a safe and resilient power grid while bolstering jobs across the state Californians have consistently shown their support for offshore wind as an important component of the state’s clean energy goals Offshore wind development is a public process every project is subject to public comment and rigorous review at all levels of government to ensure these projects safely deliver significant economic and environmental benefits to California Morro Bay's city council on Tuesday unanimously adopted an ordinance that temporarily prohibits certain battery-energy storage facilities within city limits The council voted 5-0 in favor of the urgency ordinance or expansions — among other actions — of grid-scale battery-energy storage systems The ordinance lasts for an initial period of 45 days The city has directed staff to return with another ordinance next month It comes in the wake of the Vistra battery-energy plant fire in Moss Landing Jan The fire sent potentially toxic smoke into the air and surrounding communities leading to the temporary evacuations of hundreds of residents The council meeting on the topic was scheduled prior to the fire but took on renewed urgency and attention as residents' concerns mounted amid a real-world example of battery-energy storage technology catastrophically failing San Jose State University researchers recently announced the discovery of "unusually high concentrations of heavy-metal nanoparticles" in marsh soils close to the Vistra plant is the same company seeking to build a battery-energy storage facility in Morro Bay The company would still be able to seek state approval for the project through Assembly Bill 205 — effectively side-stepping local authority Morro Bay councilmember Jeff Eckles previously told KSBY that Vistra has indicated its intent to seek approval through AB 205 process Assembly Bill 303 — recently introduced by Assemblymember Dawn Addis — would effectively return approval to local authorities "True climate solutions must benefit — not harm — our communities and natural environment," Addis said in a statement "We have to continue to fight for the inclusion of community voice and proper citing of battery energy storage facilities." Addis has said she wants Vistra to withdraw its proposal for the plant The 25th annual Morro Bay City-wide Yard Sale kicked off on Friday From tea kettles to mini composters to all things Lake Tahoe décor Morro Bay residents were out as early as 6 a.m “It’s a fun community event and a great way to see your neighbors and a great way to get rid of things you don’t want,” said Rebecca Running There are nearly 200 yard sales from March 21st through March 23rd I did see a couple of people driving by and taking a look and we have good traffic here,” said Casey Atchley Atchley says he will keep an eye out for things he might buy at other yards “I’m also looking forward to getting out and looking at some neighbors’ things like kids clothes and other things we might need,” he said We get a lot of people from the Central Valley too,” Running said Rebecca Running has participated in this event for the past three years and says she started setting up at 6:45 Friday morning Running recently sold her Lake Tahoe home and had the contents shipped to Morro Bay in hopes of selling them “We had it delivered in a container and it’s all here,” Running said or I would have been here earlier,” said Kathi Hooker Kathi Hooker says she checks out the sales every year with her friends “My friends come from Paso Robles and her husband is very patient and he stops and waits while we shop,” Hooker said She bought many items from Running’s sale including home décor “I’m getting eight placemats which will go in my home beautifully,” said Hooker he’s spending the first day of the yard sale buying and will be selling the next day “Last year my wife bought two things from our next-door neighbor and they came over and bought a couple of things from us,” said Jeff Fly The City-wide Yard Sale runs through Sunday A new hotel along the south end of the Embarcadero was recently approved by the Morro Bay City Council Two months after Paul Gillen's plans to demolish vacation rental cottages along the Embarcadero and build a two-story hotel were shot down by the Planning Commission he’s now been given the green light to proceed “We’re providing not only the hotel aspect but a pretty interesting finish of the Embarcadero on the south end,” Gillen said After Gillen appealed the Planning Commission's decision the City Council approved his revised plan for the Bayside Landing project this week The approval came on the condition that there are only seven rooms “There hasn’t been anything that enticed tourism or observation down on the south end,” Gillen said With the building set to be 22 feet tall with a slightly taller elevator tower one local hotel owner says he thinks the retail spaces are a good addition to the community but still has some reservations “I think it's a good addition to the community because it would be nice to get some food and beverage across the street Learning that they will add a second story and exceeding the normal height limit of the city ordinance and then the parking situation where they need eight parking spaces for the project,” said Patrick Mulholland co-owner of 456 Embarcadero Inn & Suites “There’s plenty of parking right across the street in this parking area which is pretty underutilized,” Gillen said Along with the retail space and public restrooms there will also be other new additions to the area “Continuous harbor walk starting from this area here on the south end of our project continuously around to Mariner Park on the north end We've also added an observation deck,” Gillen said A marina will also be connected to the harbor walk The Bayside Landing project will still need approval from the California Coastal Commission It’s unknown when they’ll be voting on the project The City of Morro Bay’s short-term rental ordinance was recently up for discussion There are currently 193 short-term rentals That number includes 173 full home rentals Morro Bay resident Mark Stephens owns one of them “Home-sharing is to allow the property owner to rent space in their home or ADU which we have,” said Mark Stephens Stephens says with Morro Bay being a big tourist town it drives people to want to obtain a short-term rental permit there are currently 186 properties on the STR permit waitlist “Their source of revenue would be to rent those houses out so 186 sounds like a lot but in the scheme of things I don’t think it’s out of the realm of possibility,” Stephens said According to a staff report prepared by Community Development Director Airlin Singewald “The City’s budget relies heavily on TOT revenue.” Within the 2023-2024 fiscal year transient occupancy taxes from STRs brought in $707,641 Nearly a dozen people spoke at last Tuesday’s City Council meeting some voicing concerns about STR owners who pay the minimum $500 TOT requirements to keep their permit but rarely rent out their property taking permits from people who could use them year-round “There are numerous homes that are not being used they can afford to just write a check and be done,” said Michelle the city cannot revoke permits based on how often rentals are used The city attorney advised it would have to be looked at on a case-by-case basis “It’s not just simply stating that they are going to revocate it we have to go through a process that’s outlined in state law They do have property rights,” said Robert Schultz With the help of a technology service company the city ran a search of online STR hosting platforms in September and November of last year and did not find any STRs illegally operating The city has since terminated its contract with the company and will need to decide soon on a new vendor to keep actively monitoring illegally operating short-term rentals in town “I do believe that they should enforce the policies on it,” Stephens said The city is currently conducting a permit audit for the year No new STRs will be approved until the audit is complete A new San Luis Obispo County Park in the hills of Morro Bay is now one step closer to becoming a reality after new land was recently acquired Toro Creek Park has been 10 years in the making we’d have around 1,500 acres of open space,” said Daniel Bohlman Land Conservancy of San Luis Obispo County Deputy Director the Land Conservancy of San Luis Obispo County acquired 750 acres of coastal hills that stretch from Del Mar Park in Morro Bay through Alva Paul Canyon for $5.5 million funded entirely by grants and private donations “To have more use here would be fantastic,” said Elinor Dempsey hiking and things of that nature,” Bohlman said This new acquisition marks the completion of the second phase of the project Phase one conserved 300 acres of hills and beach between Morro Bay and Cayucos which is also where a new trail will connect the two communities “That is going to be an exceptional amenity to allow pedestrians and cyclists to safely move off the highway between those two communities,” Bohlman said is the purchase of the Chevron Shore Plant off Toro Creek Road which would allow for more recreation use as well as tent and RV camping “Having more people to come to this area and see the beauty of it would be fantastic and I think it would open that up The RV camping would be fabulous,” Dempsey said County Parks is looking to pursue public access to phase 2 which will identify where and what those trails look like and where they go,” Bohlman said The Land Conservancy of SLO County and the County of San Luis Obispo both hope to complete the full land acquisition by 2030 As the storm made its way through Morro Bay on Thursday winds knocked over trash bins and runoff flowed down city streets It’s been two years since areas along Main Street were flooded by a severe winter storm a city worker said they were keeping an eye on Morro Creek during this latest storm He says the creek overflowing was part of the reason Main Street flooded in 2023 One local said they did have sandbags on hand but were hopeful they wouldn’t have to use them KSBY checked in with Morro Bay police and was told that by late Thursday morning they had not responded to any major incidents The city is hoping to demolish eight abandoned boats they’re now working to find someone to do the work “The abandoned boat issue is not anything new,” said Jeremiah O’Brien Morro Bay Commercial Fishermen’s Organization Vice President Eight boats considered hazardous and abandoned in Morro Bay are headed for demolition was given the designation at Tuesday night’s city council meeting the city has been trying to recover more than $12,000 in unpaid fees from boat owner Jason Maher and have him either pay to dock his boat at the North T-Pier or remove it “I see a future where Aquafen spends winters in Morro Bay,” Maher said during the meeting With the Aquafen at risk of sinking and an environmental hazard chances are it will sink eventually and those toxins will go in the bay,” O’Brien said adding that having a boat yard in the harbor would be a big help to some boat owners “Boat yards help people maintain their boats,” he said a $38,000 grant to the Harbor Department will help make it happen by April 3 five boats were demolished as part of the city’s surrendered and abandoned vessel program The Harbor Department says if you are interested in surrendering a boat you can go to the harbor office to take part in the program It means residents will now decide on any land use changes for four properties located at the former power plant and near the Embarcadero Morro Bay resident Glenn Silloway voted against the measure “It freezes land use zoning in a crucial area of our city when that should be done by the city council working through an established process to get public input and make the right decision for us that way That’s how it should be done,” Silloway said He believes the city should have the flexibility to adjust any proposals as they come in “We need that development down there and A-24 is going to slow it down or stop it,” Silloway added Resident Phil Bauman says the proposed battery energy storage system (BESS) project at the old power plant site is why he voted yes on Measure A I’m an electrician and we’re all for getting rid of fossil fuels but the issue seems to be location,” Bauman explained With the company proposing the project now going to the state for approval I think we need to put this storage facility away from the coast,” he said Bauman says Measure A puts the power in the hands of the people “It’s like putting Diablo Canyon in the middle of San Luis Obispo We want these things away because of the potential danger,” Bauman said “We’ve lost some of our control and we have to face that fact but work at benefiting Morro Bay the best we can,” Silloway said Morro Bay City Manager Yvonne Kimball says before the zoning code can be amended council members need to adopt a resolution declaring the results of the election A special city council meeting to do that and discuss next steps is happening on Tuesday a local dragon boat racing team made up of cancer survivors rescued a man in the water after his kayak overturned The team is already a world championship gold medalist and can now add this to their list of accomplishments It was during their weekly practice when a SurviveOars paddler spotted something in the distance south of the boat launch ramp “She noticed way off into the distance that looked like someone had capsized We had to paddle pretty far to catch up to this gentleman,” said Shannon Larrabee Larrabee says it wasn't a busy day on the water “We were lucky that we just spotted him and decided to paddle up and see what was going on We used our training and made the call to help him out He would have been in trouble,” Larrabee said “It looked like he had been in the water for a while by the time we showed We noticed he was in distress,” Larrabee said “The current was quite strong that morning A lot of people underestimate the current in the harbor because it looks so peaceful,” said Debi Thoresen Larrabee says they tossed the kayaker a rope and while paddling him back to the nearest dock so it took about four of us to pull him out of the water,” Larrabee said “His PFD (personal flotation device) was not tight enough it went way up high and he was not safe,” Thoresen added the team had purchased an emergency blanket for the boat “We quickly removed his upper clothes and put a Mylar blanket around him I touched him and he felt so cold to me that I wrapped my body around him The Harbor Department says they took the man and his kayak back to his home in Morro Bay The SuriveOars credit their regular safety trainings for knowing what to do “We worked together and we’re proud that we’re able to help somebody in need and put that to use,” Larrabee said The group says they don’t know the man’s name and haven’t had any contact with him since his rescue WATCH: Local dragon boat paddlers win 3 gold medals at world championship in Italy Editor’s Note: The following series, “Life in Radically Gentrifying Cayucos by the Sea,” to be posted biweekly includes the notes, thoughts, and opinions of an original American voice: author Dell Franklin.  Franklin’s memoir, “The ballplayer’s Son” is currently on Amazon I was talking to a friend the other day about small town niceties and acts of consideration and sometimes generosity He mentioned that at crossing walks in either Morro Bay or Cayucos when people are giving indication they are crossing he always starts slowing down way before arriving at the crosswalk instead of coming to an abrupt stop “Do people nod at you or wave in thanks?” I asked “I always wave when somebody stops for me,” I said I sometimes wonder why some people watch you slow down and give them yards of leeway and they never say thanks or nod at you He then mentioned that when the sun is behind him and low when he is driving on mornings in his neighborhood he realizes the people driving toward him or even crossing a street may not be able to see what he is going to do through the glare so he always slows down to give them a wide birth This happens a lot in Cayucos and I suppose in Morro Bay It is so easy and simple to behave this way And then sometimes people really surprise you when I stopped at the Buttercup Bakery in Morro Bay I usually go there every Saturday morning after tennis with my tennis partner and drink coffee and eat muffins and enjoy the patio enjoy sometimes engaging with tourists or people you don’t know beforehand It’s been a little over two years since my big old brown Lab Wilbur passed on and since at my age I’m not going to get another dog I keep treats in my pockets for mostly Cayucos dogs on mornings at Cayucos Coffee or the seawall I noticed a young gal sitting at a table eating while her chocolate Lab So I went back to my car and found some biscuits and asked the gal if her dog wanted a treat The dog very politely accepted two treats and the lady thanked me and I told her that just being around dogs Then I was back in the Buttercup and waiting behind a husky guy with a gray pony tail in work boots and with that I had no choice but to order a muffin I introduced myself and we shook hands and I walked off with my muffin this is the way we’re supposed to be—with everybody that need a human to bond with in their twilight years rather than living out their final days in an 8’ concrete floor and chain link You’d be doing one of these old guys and yourself a favor Dell I’m going to grade you on this story TODAY YOU EARN AN A++++++ This is exactly the life I want to try to live “Good Morning.” to each other many mornings in Cayucos The City of Morro Bay has hired a new Harbor Vitality Director Chris Munson is the first to hold the new title one of Munson’s first priorities is protecting the waterfront “We have a lot of revetments out here that are decaying docks and piers that need work on them,” Munson said “Wood is getting eaten up by the environment and critters down here Munson says they’re constantly battling maintenance and repairs so it’s just a matter of prioritizing and getting funding,” he said Munson says his previous work at Port San Luis helped prepare him for this new role “Big projects like rehabilitating the Avila pier building that new campground up on the hill so a lot of similarities and differences between the two harbors,” Munson said Twenty-eight people applied for the position which now includes a new component stretching beyond the harbor it really is a good fit to articulate our community’s desire for economic vitality,” said Yvonne Kimball Another goal for Munson is revitalizing the downtown “But the delicate balance there is revitalizing it while also maintaining the character that everyone loves about Morro Bay,” Munson said This is the top of the mountain or top of the 'Rock' I should say,” Munson concluded In an effort to block the building of three Costco-sized battery storage facilities in Morro Bay council members voted to extend the pause on the city’s ability to process permits for the plants The ordinance will be in effect the next two years applied for a permit to build a battery storage facility on the Morro Bay Power Plant lot it was met with concern from local residents local businesses and schools many residents are skeptical or outright against the company’s application Councilmember Zara Landrum praised the council’s decision to pass the ordinance “I feel like this is a really great step forward and I feel like Morro Bay is going to be a leader in our county for this kind of an ordinance,” Landrum said He said that he would like to see a similar ordinance implemented county-wide “Because if they put a battery storage thing behind Cayucos and we get the North East wind like we did the other day Multiple battery storage facilities in California have caught on fire since 2021 with the most recent flare-up last week in Moss Landing That facility is operated by Vistra—the same company that filed an application with Morro Bay it paused its attempt to build a facility in Morro Bay until all safety concerns are resolved at the Moss Landing Plant A land use measure designed to block a proposed battery storage plant in Morro Bay looks like it will pass Nearly 60% of Morro Bay voters supported Measure A-24, according to the latest ballot count This measure would change local zoning laws to prevent the company from building a battery storage facility at the old Morro Bay Power Plant site Opponents of the battery facility raised concerns about fires and other safety risks that could affect the nearby Morro Bay Estuary and Morro Bay High School Concerns stem from recent fires at battery storage facilities in California such as a lithium-ion battery fire in Escondido this May that forced hundreds of people to evacuate gathered signatures to place the measure on the ballot said he hopes this effort will inspire others to take action to protect their cities going door to door and talking to our family and friends key takeaway: democracy in action,” Branin said Measure A24 would limit the site’s zoning to visitor-serving uses However, the fight isn’t over. Vistra recently paused its local application, announcing plans to submit it to the state instead State approval could override local zoning rules After losing to Bishop Union last year in the CIF Central Section semifinals Morro Bay got revenge in the same situation winning 28-20 362 miles away on the road they lost in a nailbiter to Bishop Union on the road losing 28-26 After taking a commanding 21-6 win at half quarterback Sands Dougherty continued his fantastic season stats throwing for four total touchdowns to help take down the 1-seed Broncos in Division 5 Dougherty entered tonight's game as the 2nd leading passer in yards across California and a top-15 standing throughout the country in the same category Because of their dominant offense and a defense that is peaking at the right time the 4-seed Pirates will get a chance to head back home and host a CIF Championship game against 7-seed Selma next Friday The last time they won a CIF Central Section title was in 2021 in Division 6 this time under third year Head Coach Robert Dougherty As one of the world’s largest battery storage facilities burns just up the coast in Moss Landing residents of Morro Bay are raising the alarm over the proposed construction of a similar plant at the old Morro Bay Power Plant site “It’s horrifying to think this is something that could happen in Morro Bay,” said Nicole Dorfman The fire at the Vistra battery power plant in Monterey County has sparked widespread concern in the community with locals fearful of the risks associated with large-scale lithium battery energy storage systems (BESS) particularly near residential areas and tourist attractions WATCH: Cell phone video taken from a boat shows fire at Moss Landing Power Plant “It is the worst-case scenario and that is exactly what we were fighting against locally so it’s proof that this can happen and it was pretty shocking,” said Brenda Carlson Vistra is the company behind the BESS proposal in Morro Bay “We’re all for green energy,” added local Norm Williams “but lithium is a volatile chemical and you have to be careful where you locate the facilities.” Since the fire in Moss Landing broke out on Thursday Morro Bay City Councilmember Zara Landrum has received dozens of emails from residents voicing their concerns “There are concerns about this fire and how it would impact Morro Bay,” Landrum said “The fact that it is so close to a high school is a concern and we’re a tourist community — how economically devastating it is affecting people’s desire to come here.” “If they are going to put in battery energy facilities they need to locate it away from metropolitan areas so that we can perhaps meet our green energy goals but not put the citizens at risk,” Williams said Vistra paused its battery plant application through the City of Morro Bay shifting its focus to securing state approval instead “They wasted our time going through that whole process and then dropped it supposedly to go to the California Energy Commission,” Landrum said expressing frustration with the company’s decision to bypass the local approval process KSBY News reached out to Vistra for an update on the status of their application in response to the fire at the Moss Landing facility "Our top priority is the safety of the community and our personnel and Vistra deeply appreciates the continued assistance of our local emergency responders." say they're closely watching the situation in Moss Landing who represents the 30th District that includes Morro Bay “I am deeply concerned and have serious questions about the safety of this battery energy storage plant I will be looking for transparency and accountability for why this happened again at Moss Landing I’m exploring all options for preventing future battery energy storage fires from ever occurring again on the Central Coast.” the Morro Bay City Council will consider adopting an urgency ordinance that could prohibit new battery energy storage systems within city limits Residents are encouraged to submit comments to the city in advance of the meeting via email at council@morrobayca.gov The City of Morro Bay is looking for your input on the town’s goals and future development The survey is put out every two years and is used to help guide the city’s annual budget decisions for the next two fiscal years I picked it out of a 10-year search,” said John Creeden Creeden says he likes the idea of the public survey and is planning to take it One of the survey questions asks how people find out about city information the internet is the big thing and the website they have,” Creeden said Another question centers around how the city should keep up with the rising cost of inflation whether it’s through increasing sales tax you could catch a lot of tourists for the sales tax,” Creeden said Also on the list is the infrastructure the city should focus on One avid boater says he's noticed more recreational-based activities in the community “I think by leaning into that and upgrading our water facilities it would really benefit Morro Bay,” said Carlton Smith I think that would really help,” Smith said The 12-question survey also asks which local issues the city should focus on Resident Dan Hack says he wants to see improvements for bicyclists “I bike every day and the biggest safety concern is biking on the road with cars,” Hack said If you would like to take part in the survey, the last day to do so is February 15. You can find the survey at this link Franklin Riley Park in Morro Bay was named after Franklin Riley who founded the city in the 1870s the park is going through a makeover with some new updates “I just like the idea that it would be refurbished and a nice place to walk the dog,” said Cory Verbin of Morro Bay The city-owned open space park off Morro Avenue was established as Franklin Riley Park in 2017 it’s getting a facelift with the help of multiple organizations including the Morro Bay Historical Society “They are also contributing some interpretative panels that will inform the public about the park and who Franklin Riley was and the rock in the middle of the park,” said Carlos Mendoza Morro Bay Public Works Department Maintenance Division Manager California Conservation Corps members will be helping construct the ADA-accessible trail “They are helping us with the trail and providing one week of in-kind labor,” Mendoza said One of the project’s goals is to keep the park as natural as possible “Our intent is not to put a paved asphalt or concrete path It will be decomposed granite,” Mendoza said Grant funding and donated labor are expected to cover the cost of the $60,000 project the old trail along the cliff edge was removed The park will have three separate entrances “There are two at each end of the park and we have one at the center of the park that will have the nice big boulder,” Mendoza said Larry Stekl says he walks his dogs daily at the park “Suki gets her walk and our golden retriever gets his walk and we pretty much just loop around,” Stekl said adding that he’s excited about the updated park Mendoza says the project is expected to be completed by December 5 A new pharmacy is set to open off of Main Street in Morro Bay within the next few months “There is a huge concern in Morro Bay about only having one pharmacy It’s not meeting the demands of the population,” said Ihab Doss Doss owns Pill Save Pharmacy in Arroyo Grande With more than a decade of experience in the pharmaceutical industry he says his focus is on low-cost medications for patients “We lower the cost for over-the-counter items and lowering the cost for the co-pays by finding the cheapest medications possible,” Doss said He says there has been a growing need for another pharmacy in Morro Bay since the closure of Morro Bay Drug & Gift in 2022 “We started having some transfers from the people there in Morro Bay coming to us here in Arroyo Grande to start filling their prescriptions and delivering it to them,” Doss said we need more pharmacies and healthcare options in our community,” said Aaron Ochs Some people in the community say having one pharmacy in town has been a hassle “I’m looking forward to it because Morro Bay Gift and Drugs where I used to go The only one we have is Rite Aid and it’s a lot of long lines,” said Diann Adams A lot of residents were scrambling to find a place to get their prescriptions filled,” Ochs added Doss says they currently deliver medications to senior homes in Morro Bay and will be focusing on service at the new location we don’t have any lines and we depend on delivering the medications to the patients’ house,” Doss said Doss says he expects the pharmacy to be open on January 1 Police are asking for the public's help in finding a juvenile who was first reported missing nearly two months ago The Morro Bay Police Department (MBPD) says 14-year-old Daniel Tovar was last seen on Oct 16 and was reported missing by his father on Oct MBPD Police Commander Tony Mosqueda tells KSBY that the teen's family believed he was with someone they knew in Oregon Local authorities were reportedly in communication with law enforcement in Oregon attempting to locate Tovar since the initial report Mosqueda says the teen's family alerted MBPD earlier this week when a cell phone belonging to the family showed evidence that Tovar may have been back on the Central Coast Police and the teen's family believe that one of his friends is helping to hide him Mosqueda tells KSBY that foul play- including kidnapping and trafficking- is not suspected in this case The MBPD Police Commander says law enforcement is currently working to obtain authorization from a phone company to ping Tovar's location using his cellphone Mosqueda adds that police are trying to find the teen before schools let out for Christmas break as it may be easier to spot a juvenile in the community while other kids are in class Tovar is possibly in the County of San Luis Obispo- specifically in the Los Osos or Morro Bay area- and has been avoiding contact with his parents and law enforcement Tovar was last seen wearing a brown Pro Club T-shirt or have any information regarding his location officials are advising that you contact the MBPD non-emergency line at (805) 772-6225 or Detective Christian Galaz at (805) 772-6229.