Good morning. It’s Thursday, and I’m watching the behind the scenes of the FITS and Sustainable Fashion Club’s joint runway showcase. Onto the five Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo and California stories you need to know for today.

1.

Front Porch is asking for donations to upgrade its space. The barely-off-campus nonprofit hasn’t seen any major updates to the aesthetic of the space in a decade, so the owners are now investing a “little facelift.” They are hoping to raise $6,000 by the end of the school year to repaint the walls, redo the floors upstairs and provide new seating for students. The spot has become increasingly popular since the library’s closure, drawing in crowds for free coffee. 

Ty Soria / Mustang News

2.

Avila Beach is the 9th most bacteria-ridden beach in the U.S. at the San Luis Creek mouth, according to samples taken across the country and Puerto Rico. At the creek mouth, 38% of the samples came back with unsafe bacteria levels, and samples showed the presence of waste from a warmblooded animal. Families often set up near the creek mouth as the water is calmer for children to play in, adding to public health concerns from this report. The most polluted beaches are in Hawaii and Florida with three beaches seeing dangerous results in over 90% of samples. 

Hannah Poukish / The Tribune

3.

Three new wolf packs have emerged in remote northern California, signaling a major comeback since gray wolves were hunted down to nothing by 1924. While the species is native to California, no gray wolves were spotted in the state again until 2011, when a crossing from Oregon was first documented. Now, with the three new packs announced, it brings the state’s total up to 10 packs and shows that the wolves are settling down to new territories. 

Julie Brown Davis / SFGate

4.

California joined 15 other states in suing the National Science Foundation for terminating millions of dollars for research in the state, including university programs that produced initial versions of the internet, GPS and MRI technology. Plus, the NSF added fees on certain research programs, creating a larger financial burden that has crippled the state’s projects. That means across the public university systems, billions are threatened. The cuts targeted grant programs geared toward women and minorities in science, as well as research regarding diversity. 

Staff / Los Angeles Times

5.

Cal Poly’s Performance Horse Sale is this weekend, aiming to sell 25 quarter horses that were born, raised and trained by students. The proceeds fund the equine program’s immense care costs for the over 150 horses housed on campus. The auction is billed as “leading university equine sale in the U.S,” and organizers expect almost 300 buyers from across the western half of the country. Horses last year went to buyers on the Central Coast as well as Hawaii, Washington, and Texas. 

Kelly Wollschlager / KSBY