Cal Poly spent $1.1 million on St. Fratty's

Author

Carly Heltzel
May 05, 2025

Good morning. It’s Monday, and I’m watching puppies training to be Guide Dogs for the Blind at the SLO County airport on Saturday. Onto the five Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo and California stories you need to know for today.

1.

Cal Poly spent over $1.1 million on St. Patrick’s Day. Morning on the Green alone cost $657,657 to get talent, a stage, lighting and more, while the security for the event cost $419,660, including housing for law enforcement from out of town. In comparison, the City of SLO spent $115,000, or roughly a 10th of Cal Poly’s investment, on off-campus containment. A spokesperson said none of the money came from student tuition or fees, instead being collected over the years through “procurement activities” like rebates and credit cards.

2.

The boil-water order for the Five Cities area was lifted over the weekend after four days of impacted living for over 50,000 people. Officials are working with the state to identify the cause of a single positive E. coli test; the investigation is expected to take 30 days. The director of public works acknowledged the boil-water order was “extremely impactful” for the affected communities and that they “take our mission to provide you clean and drinkable water very seriously.”

3.

Experts erupted in opposition, and some laughter, after President Trump posted that he wants to reopen Alcatraz as an operating prison. Some 60 years after its closure, the Bay Area’s island is now a popular national park and tourist attraction that would be “totally inoperable” as a modern incarceration facility. The crumbling building has no water or sewage, and only has electricity on parts of the island. Essentially, it would have to be a demolition project. “The President’s proposal is not a serious one,” Rep. Nancy Pelosi said.

4.

Hollywood could be hit hard from President Trump’s newest tariff announcement. All films produced overseas will face a 100% tariff, surprising studio executives who have increasingly shot their movies in foreign countries that provide tax benefits to draw in filmmakers. Trump called these incentives a “concerted effort by other Nations and, therefore, a National Security threat.” The move comes after he appointed actors Jon Voight, Sylvester Stallone and Mel Gibson to be his “special ambassadors” to Hollywood.

5.

Squirrels are destroying Pismo Beach’s already-fragile cliffs. After considering baiting, carbon monoxide injections into burrows and a poison called Rozal, city officials will have to resort to some gnarly methods to get their squirrel population under control. “At this point, the only option we have is either shooting and the gas chamber,” the Public Works Director said. Shooting isn’t exactly welcome in public parks, so CO2 might be their best bet.