Students march against Flock cameras

Author

Carly Heltzel
May 18, 2026

Good morning. It’s Monday, and I’m watching how a local donkey sanctuary celebrated World Donkey Day. Onto the five Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo and California stories you need to know for today.

1.

An inflatable frog and a crowd of 30 people marched through campus Friday to protest Flock cameras, which are automatic license plate readers that track any vehicle that passes through. Cal Poly has 17 cameras from the company Flock Safety: 10 license plate readers and seven live feed cameras, all used by Cal Poly Police. Students began demanding the cameras be removed over concerns that outside agencies, such as ICE, have accessed the data of other Flock customers.

2.

A former Cal Poly administrator charged with committing a lewd act on his 7-year old step granddaughter pleaded no contest — which carries the same weight as a guilty plea without actually admitting guilt. He now faces up to one year in county jail, three years of probation after and will be added to the lifetime sex offender registration. The plea also means the victim will not have to testify during a trial. 

3.

Since Highway 1 fully reopened, business is booming in Big Sur. Restaurants and businesses are seeing a 40% increase in guests, and ‘busy’ weekends have doubled compared to 2025. Northbound traffic increased by 900%, meaning more people are traveling through the corridor from this side of the previous closure as well. A devastating rock slide closed the road for three years while crews repaired the section.

4.

Turning Point USA exploded on California’s college campuses this year — 78 of the state’s 119 active chapters were founded after Charlie Kirk’s death in September. It’s presence nationally has grown, too, with 70% of the 1,462 chapters also post-Kirk. There’s still pushback though, with partially nude bike protests at boothing events and an outspoken conservative student who did a “Prove me wrong” booth wearing a MAGA hat later called online “the most insufferable, weird, and unf*ckable guy on the planet.”

5.

A Cal Poly senior hitchhiked across the U.S. to prove the goodness of strangers and buck the social media stigmas that have built up societal walls. From his home in Portland, Oregon to his pre-booked flight in New York City, he caught 24 rides, crossed 13 states and stayed in his tent in parks and behind businesses so he could “ball out” on food. One driver took him 100 miles before revealing he lived in the opposite direction and just thought the idea of hitchhiking was cool.