Dozens of stores closed for nationwide protest today

Author

Carly Heltzel
January 30, 2026

Good morning. It’s Friday, and I’m looking at a newborn cow curled up on a couch to warm up during a deep freeze. Onto the five Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo and California stories you need to know for today.

1.

Over two dozen SLO County businesses are confirmed to be closing today in protest of federal immigration enforcement killing bystanders in Minneapolis. Several other businesses sent messages of solidarity but will remain open. The nationwide day of protest includes “no school, no work and no shopping” and was originally organized by Black and Somali students in Minneapolis. “As much as we hate closing our doors, we hate what’s happening to our country even more,” one downtown shop said.

2.

A masked federal ICE agent pepper sprayed a woman in Santa Barbara yesterday, sparking a 100-person protest at the city’s courthouse later in the day. In videos of the incident, the ICE agent grabbed the woman by the arm and pulled her aside as she films him, then he yelled “back away” at her as she continues filming, sprayed her at close range with pepper spray and continued yelling “back up.” 

3.

SLO County is building its first mental health treatment facility with youth beds. The $21.6 million, 26-bed facility will care for people with severe behavioral issues. Currently, people who are diagnosed in SLO County emergency rooms are sent to Ventura and Los Angeles Counties or even further, so this project is a huge win to keep patients local, officials said. Patients under 20 on Medi-Cal were sent to out-of-county facilities 173 times between July 2024 and June 2025. 

4.

The DMV has cracked down on drivers abusing the disabled placard to park in handicap spots in a larger operation since 2017. The problem is rampant. One in eight drivers was using a placard in California in 2017, with many faking disabilities or using ones that were not theirs. Placards appeared for sale on eBay for as low as $10. Now, the DMV requires people to reaffirm their status of being alive and having a disability every six years, with worse consequences.

5.

Police can’t charge you with an open container violation for loose marijuana leaves in your car, the California Supreme Court just ruled. The decision said if the weed isn’t readily usable and accessible to the driver, then it doesn’t count. But a rolled joint still counts as a locked and loaded method of consumption, equivalent to a beer. The case stemmed from police searching a woman’s car and charging her for the marijuana crumbs on her floorboards.