Good morning. It’s Friday, and I’m reading the hater’s guide to the Oscars this Sunday. Onto the five Cal Poly, SLO and California stories you need to know for today.

1.

Thousands of UC workers went on a two-day strike starting Wednesday to protest for livable wages. This is the second time the unions, who collectively represent service, patient care and technical employees, went on strike in three months; their contracts expired in 2024 and have been under negotiation for over a year. The unions say the UC is using illegal bargaining tactics, which the administrators have denied. “We're all understaffed, underpaid, and burning out,” one research assistant said. 

Juliet Lemar / KSBY

2.

A massive theater complex could be coming downtown. The SLO Repertory Theatre, the county’s only non-profit theater, is working to secure funding for a block-long entertainment center near the mission. A new grant promises to match all donations up to $500,000 until June, which, if fulfilled, would provide 37% of the funds needed by the end of 2025. The city is hoping to turn that corner of downtown into a Cultural Arts District — containing the art, history and children’s museums as well as the mission plaza. The SLO Rep’s current 100-seat venue serves 20,000 people per year.

Kathe Tanner / The Tribune

3.

After promising cleaner energy at a lower cost, a local clean energy provider stuck SLO County residents with hefty price tags and stirred disappointment. People who produce solar energy at their homes pay “true-ups” at the end of each year to compensate their energy company if they used more energy than they produced. One resident who normally doesn’t have to pay was slapped with a $1,500 bill. She then went out and talked to others, some who have had to pay over $3,000. “I certainly hadn’t bargained for this,” she said.

Chloe Shrager / The Tribune

4.

In a mass multi-agency bust, San Francisco officials arrested almost 90 people and confiscated 1.21 pounds of narcotics from a thriving open-air drug market. The move was in keeping with the new mayor’s tough-on-drugs approach that has largely just forced users into new areas of the city. Witnesses to the raid said there were two drones shining light into the park and a sheriff's jail bus to take people away. One person was treated for an overdose on the scene, and officers also seized six dogs and a fish.

Staff / The San Francisco Standard

5.

There’s now a furry club at Cal Poly. The furries made their debut at the winter club fair, talking to students who were curious about the community, taking pictures with people and even giving out fur-suited hugs. The club’s vice president likened the club fair to “exposure therapy” for the university, where people can get used to the furry community’s presence on campus to hopefully mitigate the online bullying. Luckily, the IRL reactions don’t match the “horrendous” internet comments. “For actual interactions I’ve had with people on campus, everyone’s been super friendly and super welcoming,” one furry said.

Jeremy Garza / Mustang News