Good morning. It’s Wednesday, and I’m reading about a Tesla Cybertruck that landed in Ventura harbor after a botched jetski launch. Onto the five Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo and California stories you need to know for today.

1.

The SLO County district attorney said those arrested on St. Fratty’s will be charged with their crimes and have to appear in court. In previous years, partygoers were offered the misdemeanor diversion program — which offers low-level, first-time offenders the opportunity to go through an educational program, pay the fees and compensate any victim damages to get the case dismissed before any charges are filed in court. But no longer. Anyone arrested during St. Fratty’s will have charges filed immediately. 

Chloe Jones / The Tribune

2.

Proposition 1 aimed to create more temporary housing money in the state. But in SLO County, it’s resulting in a $13 million funding loss and a gutting of preventative and open access mental health care. Also, nonprofits who were previously able to treat any person where they were at are now required to divert mental health and substance abuse patients to sign up for public insurance through Medi-Cal, a huge hurdle to treatment. The remedial focus of Prop 1 will ultimately lead to worse outcomes and cost the state more money, one nonprofit leader said.

Joan Lynch and Chloe Jones / The Tribune

3.

San Francisco’s spas are the newest perpetuators of anti-transgender messaging — and the latest locations for protests. As one spa came under fire for hosting a “phallic-free” ladies night, another was caught on video with spa workers questioning a patron about whether or not he was transgender before coming into the sauna when he was unclothed. He described the experience as a “violation of privacy, dignity and safety.” In the video, an employee can be heard telling him: “If they don’t have the genital parts, we cannot let them go in.”

Annie Vainshtein / San Francisco Chronicle

4.

Military defense technology is cool again. While the masses flock to AI startups and hopes of big-tech bucks, another crowd is shifting back toward government contracting and national security innovation. Previously seen as “the evil guys,” Stanford’s best and brightest are swinging the pendulum back toward more conservative defense policies as the nation shifts away from the Biden era. One Stanford student said that rather than trusting the men who have always held power, she would “rather be in the room” making those life-or-death decisions.

Jasmine Sun / The San Francisco Standard

5.

Over 100 prom kings and queens gathered for the second annual Special Education Prom in Atascadero, this year open to the whole county. The attendance double last year’s numbers, with adults of all ages gathering for this year’s theme, “Let Your Light Shine.” One organizer said people typically ask why Special Ed students can’t attend a regular prom; she said they can, but typically don’t. Second-time prom royalty have been looking forward to the event since last year’s ended. “Let’s put it this way, she wore her crown for 6 months,” one mom said of her daughter’s enjoyment.

Chloe Shrager / The Tribune