Good morning. It’s Wednesday, and I’m reading about a war-machine robot turned DJ at a tech party. Onto the five Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo and California stories you need to know for today.

1.

One of the students arrested in 2023 for shooting guns on campus will now stand trial in the coming months. On Monday, a judge ruled there was adequate evidence to continue the case of Charles Hojaboom after he pleaded not guilty to seven felonies related to carrying and firing loaded guns on a college campus. Evidence included several videos of Hojaboom shooting at targets on campus. The second student, Brandon Pham, pleaded no contest to four felonies and has already been sentenced to 210 days in county jail. 

Chloe Jones / The Tribune

2.

A new study said SLO County’s rent could drop by around 5% this year. This would mean the median rent in the region drops from $2,564 to $2,434. But, before you jump up and down, experts say this is likely due to an oversaturation of rentals in Paso Robles and Atascadero. One real estate broker who caters to Cal Poly students said that little affects the university’s micro market other than construction of new on campus housing; he expects rent to stay stable. Overall, California’s rent is expected to rise by close to 5%.

Joan Lynch / The Tribune

3.

The National Weather Service issued a flood warning in SLO last night after heavy rains. The city was one of 14 regions in SLO County that were predicted to experience flooding. Cal Poly saw 1.52 inches of rain yesterday, the third highest amount recorded in the county. The weather service defined flood-prone zones as low-lying, poorly drained areas and roadways. It also said you probably shouldn’t drive through that giant puddle in the gutter. 

Dave Hovde / KSBY

4.

A California coastal community is sliding into the ocean. While experts have known Palos Verdes Peninsula, home to a group of cities  to be a hotbed for landslides, new research found that the land is shifting up to 4 inches per week toward the sea. Last year, a road closed after buckling under the shifting landscape and some homeowners were offered buyouts to move from damaged or threatened properties. One expert said this speed was “more than enough” to risk lives.

Silas Valentino / SFGATE

5.

You could be the next student advisor on the advisory council for the Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary. The sanctuary is the 17th established in the U.S., the second dedicated to biodiversity and the first to be co-stewarded by an Indigenous group in the lower 48 states. Of the 15 seats on the council, three are reserved for local government and Chumash representatives. The student position is unpaid and non-voting, but officials say it has influence over the group’s decisions. “You will have your opinions heard,” the coordinator said.

Natalia Young / Mustang News