Detective solves 1983 cold case murder

Author

Carly Heltzel
January 22, 2026

Good morning. It’s Thursday, and I’m looking at photos of a white-cheeked spider monkey licking a popsicle. Onto the five Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo and California stories you need to know for today.

1.

A SLO detective solved a 1983 cold case murder by analyzing decades-old DNA evidence. He determined that the two Texas men, both who have since died, shot and killed Dorthy “Toby” Tate in her van a few miles north of Hearst Castle. The sheriff said the solve demonstrated “the power of modern forensic science” and the detective’s commitment to justice.

2.

After seven recent mountain lion sightings in SLO, officials gave a few explanations for why there’s been an uptick. For one, the big cats rely on deer and fawns for food, which are faster and larger in the winter, making them harder to catch. Another reason is young juveniles, like at least one of the cougars spotted, look for their own territory when they’re old enough, often needing to cross residential areas for a space big enough. 

3.

The SLO County airport saw an 8.7% increase in traffic last year, reaching 811,905 passengers. Officials touted the economic benefits of the increase, calling it “an economic engine for the region.” Santa Barbara’s airport saw a 4.4% increase in passengers last year, while the airport in Santa Maria saw a 7% decline.

4.

As hard as AI may try, it’s not ready to sub in for dancers, according to a visual analysis of four tools. While the tools could almost all produce a video of a person dancing, none could correctly mimic a specific dance, such as the “Apple” TikTok dance, folklorico or the Mashed Potato. About a third included errors such as extra limbs and even a head swiveled on backward. Plus, dancers say it’s impossible for AI to connect with the movement like humans can.

5.

Vineyards in the region are being ripped up and abandoned, part of the 7% of the state’s acres that are destroyed. Why the downward trend? You can blame Gen Zers who don’t like wine and are shifting alcohol markets toward more approachable products like seltzers. One recent grad in the industry said the “pretentiousness” is a major turn off for young people. “Everything has this boutique label, and I’m like, I don’t know what the hell I’m looking at,” he said.