Good morning. It’s Wednesday, and I’m watching local authorities relocate a bear after it was wandering around a residential neighborhood in Orcutt. Onto the five Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo and California stories you need to know for today.

1.

SLO’s county-wide Juneteenth celebration was canceled following the permanent suspension of the county’s NAACP chapter president from the national organization. The NAACP’s National Board of Directors held a hearing for an unspecified complaint against the SLO County president which resulted her being “suspended for life.” Juneteenth national holiday celebrates the end of slavery every year, and the event was to be hosted on Mission Plaza with music, speeches, food and more. In a social media post, the local chapter said they “recognize the importance” of the event and didn’t take the cancelation decision lightly.

Chloe Jones / The Tribune

2.

Mee Heng Low Noodle House has operated for almost 100 years in SLO’s now-dwindling Chinatown. That’s why the owners are applying for a $50,000 grant to fix up the exterior and restore its iconic neon sign, a proposition that has garnered significant public support. The Backing Historic Small Restaurants grant program gives 50 businesses the money they need to keep going. “I think it would be nice to just have a little more to show,” the current owner said of Chinatown, hoping the external renovations will do just that.

Dylan Foreman / KSBY

3.

SLO County’s first battery storage plant is now operating in Nipomo, capable of powering 100,000 homes for four hours per day. Next up is educating people about what this means. The facility has battery cells in 33 containers that are spaced out according to regulations, an automatic shutdown system in case of a fire and an emergency response plan. Battery projects have not been welcome everywhere, as Morro Bay shut down a proposition for concerns over safety and toxic materials.

Stephanie Zappelli / The Tribune

4.

California’s leaders are furious. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth wants to rename the USNS Harvey Milk, which was named after a gay rights leader and city supervisor who was assassinated in San Francisco City Hall in 1978. A statement from the Pentagon said Hegseth wants names that reflect President Trump’s priorities and the “warrior ethos” of the military. Rep. Nancy Pelosi said it’s “a shameful, vindictive erasure” and Gov. Gavin Newsom said Trump’s “assault on veterans has hit a new low.” Milk was also a Korean War veteran.

Kevin Rector / Los Angeles Times

5.

Dave’s Hot Chicken was acquired in a deal valued “pretty close” to $1 billion, just eight years after its founding in an LA parking lot. Three friends paid $900 to set up a food stand with just fryers, table and chairs before quickly gaining popularity and earning reviews that claimed the chicken just might blow your mind. Drake and Samuel L. Jackson invested in the company, the franchise shot up to over 300 locations around the country and it even opened a few locations abroad. 

Suzanne Levy / LAist