Police cracking down on electric scooter use on campus

Author

Carly Heltzel
February 26, 2026

Good morning. It’s Thursday, and I’m watching otters play in the snow in Maryland. Onto the five Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo and California stories you need to know for today.

1.

Cal Poly Police are cracking down on the use of electric scooters and other micromobility devices like skateboards on campus. There’s been a campus-wide ban in place since 2019, but Cal Poly says it started ramping up enforcement because now there are simply more of them and more complaints about them. People can use electric scooters to get to and from campus but not on it. For those cited, it’s a $234 ticket.

2.

SLO City Council is looking into creating a citywide registry for all rental properties that would track the owner information, condition of the unit, rent hikes year over year and other basic characteristics of the unit. Landlords are staunchly opposed and say they’ll pass down any costs directly to their tenants. Tenants say that relying on the “kindness of landlords to fill the gaps in our housing policies” has lead to a dire housing and affordability crisis. 

3.

Golden mussels, an invasive species known for its extensive damage to water infrastructure and habitats, have made their way into California’s most crucial aqueducts. After the mollusk’s first spotting in North America in 2024, it has spread from Sacramento all the way down to San Bernardino County. The mussels can clog pipes, ruin boat motors and cost huge amounts of money in maintenance to remove them so infrastructure can stay operational.

4.

Planned power outages protect from wildfires during hazardous wind conditions, but the at-times-sudden shut offs can leave schools in a precarious position. With no power, districts often send students home, unable to continue lessons for the day, but in low-income communities that rely on schools for child care and free meals, closures hit harder. Now, some districts are investing in back up battery system to keep the lights on.

5.

The Fremont Theater is back after a chunk of its iconic marquee fell off during a storm this month. Authorities closed the whole street as a precaution since they were concerned more pieces may crumble off, but the sidewalk is back open in one of the most interesting ways possible. The city put carved out shipping containers on either side of the theater as a buffer to block passersbys from any falling debris. On the marquee, it reads “It’s just a flesh wound.”