Cal Poly's rodeo is moving back to Spanos

Author

Carly Heltzel
January 07, 2026

Good morning. It’s Wednesday, and I’m looking at pictures of snow blanketing Hawaii’s summits. Onto the five Cal Poly, SLO and California stories you need to know for today.

1.

Nearly four times as many people will be able to attend Cal Poly’s annual rodeo this year, as it will take place in Spanos Stadium this year, rather than the usual rodeo grounds. Last year, roughly 3,000 people attended the event, and now there will be 11,000 seats available. Officials said the move back to Spanos, where rodeos previously took place, was a long time coming and will “enhance the experience for spectators.”

2.

A SLO County representative rose to the top spot in California’s Senate: Senate President pro tem, Monique Limón. She is the first Latina to head the senate and emphasized her commitment to protecting immigrants, like her parents, who live in fear. She said she carries her passport with her to avoid being profiled by immigration enforcement. She represents Santa Barbara County, parts of Ventura County and SLO County up to Grover Beach. 

3.

Work resumed on the Regent’s Slide area of Big Sur, following significant storms in the past weeks. A large mudslide took out that section of road in February 2024 and closed through traffic on Highway 1 for almost two years now — earlier 2023 storms had pulled debris onto the road, closing it temporarily. This time around, the heavy rain’s impacts were mitigated by large wire mesh that caught falling rocks and stabilizing dowels in the earth below.

4.

Thousands of elephant seals are gathered at San Simeon’s beaches for mating and birthing season. Last winter, there were roughly 4,000 pups born at Piedras Blancas Rookery, just 45 minutes north of SLO. Birthing season began with the first pup mid-December and will stretch through February. Visitors can view the seals at no costs from trails and boardwalks.

5.

Federal officials denied the trademarks “Las Vegas Athletics" and “Vegas Athletics” for the baseball team moving there in 2028, citing it as too generic and could be confused for other things. The team was formerly the “Oakland Athletics” and is currently “Athletics” based in temporarily in Sacramento, and the name dates back to the team’s roots in Philadelphia in 1901. The name might just die in California.