Stories from Mustang News on KCPR

When Kristine Ruiz attended the Central Coast Autism Spectrum Center resource fair with her two sons on Sunday, April 26, she was able to sign her son up for the Camp Expedition summer camp.  Featuring over 50 booths, including support services, food trucks, vendors and a silent auction, the purpose of the event was to raise awareness and acceptance for people with autism. Reporter Katy Clark tells us about the impact around the event. 

As all good things must come to an end, the Shabang Music Festival concluded on May 3rd this year with headliners Chris Lake and Magdalena Bay bringing in thousands of people to finish out the weekend. Gates opened at 2 p.m. with musical talents B & the Hive, Pollos Hermanos, Brass Mash and many more to fill out the day. Reporter Larsen Jensen takes us through day 2 of Shabang.

Thousands of Cal Poly students spent their weekend in the hills of the Dairy Creek Golf Course for the annual Shabang Music Festival, which kicked off on Saturday, May 2, at 2 p.m. Shabang had a lineup drawing massive crowds into five different stages across the venue. Reporter Larsen Jensen takes us through day one of the annual music festival.

Cal Poly Women’s Tennis’ Alexandra Ozerets officially rewrote program history in late March. Entering the dual against the University of Texas, Arlington, Ozerets was tied with former teammate Peyton Dunkle for the most career singles wins in Cal Poly history, with 52 total victories. Sports reporter Andrew Aguiniga tells us more about Ozeret's journey to her record-breaking moment.

The tide washed in yet another gem for this year's Surf Nite at the San Luis Obispo International Film Festival on April 24. Reporter Aneka Edwards takes us through the annual celebration of surf and skate on the Central Coast. 

A new program called the loop launched this week as a pop-up shop inside the surplus building warehouse. The Mustang Shuttle stops directly at the location giving students another way to access the site. Students could take up to five items and organizers weighed donations to track how much material was being kept out of landfills. Reporter Lauren Quijano tells us more about what students thought about the new thrift store.

It's less about spotlight and more about the community and people behind the scenes at the San Luis Obispo International Film Festival mixer on April 27. The event was held at Edna Contemporary in Downtown SLO, and was filled with filmmakers, SLO Film Fest crew, volunteers and a small red carpet where stories were shared from the creators themselves. Reporter Alyssa Parikh spoke to some of the voices behind this year's featured films.

Whether it’s the sway of the ocean or the bright sun flushing over your face, Shell Beach's outdoor yoga group brings a sense of reflectiveness that is hard to find in many other places across the central coast. The group’s beginnings started with Shannon Bailey, the former yoga instructor who took her original love for yoga as a young child and turned it into reality with her community group online, grossing over 1,000 individual members. Reporter Keegan Oates tells us more about the future of the group.

In downtown San Luis Obispo, finding parking can often take longer than the drive itself. A new parking structure in the City’s Cultural Arts District is aiming to change that experience, offering more spaces and an updated experience for visitors and residents alike. Reporter Dylan White tells us more about what local residents think about parking developments in San Luis Obispo.

The KCPR News team sat down with political science junior and ASI Chief of Staff Tanner Schinderle, who was recently elected as the next ASI President starting June 15. News reporter Aneka Edwards spoke with Shinderle about his campaign and upcoming plans for the next academic year.

Comedian Atsuko Okatsuka is coming to the Performing Arts Center this Wednesday at 7:30 p.m., as part of The Big Bowl Tour. The show is marketed as being for ages 18 and up.Known for her Hulu comedy standup Father and HBO Max standup special The Intruder, Okatsuka also voiced Yuri in the movie Spider Man: Across the Spiderverse, according to IMDB. Reporter Katy Clark has more on the comedian's stop in San Luis Obispo.

A group of Cal Poly students and alumni are raising money for undocumented immigrants through a series of bake sales in San Luis Obispo. Reporter Lauren Quijano tells us more about the organization behind the bake sale and their mission.

After only three months as a band, Sol Arc has landed a spot at Shabang Music Festival — a milestone many local college bands spend years chasing. Reporter Delaney Ridder spoke to the band about their journey from their fraternity to the Shabang stage.

Last Friday on Dexter Lawn, members of Cal Poly's Iran Student Cultural Organization (ISCO) hosted a candlelight vigil due to recent events in Iran, honoring the lives lost. Reporter Alyssa Parikh tells us about the event and students' reactions. 

It's a foggy day at the Morro Bay traffic circle, and a handful of Morro Bay In Bloom volunteers arrived with gardening gloves in hand, ready to work.  Founder and president of Morro Bay in Bloom Walter Heath drives to a new location each week to facilitate an organized gardening plan out of his trailer of gardening tools. The organization relies on community volunteers to help improve public landscapes across Morro Bay.  Reporter Larsen Jensen tells us more about the organization

Morning on the Green returned to Cal Poly this year as the university’s organized alternative to the long-running St. Fratty’s Day celebration, drawing thousands of students for an early-morning event built around live music, food and a more structured form of campus celebration. Reporter Dylan White tells us how the event went and spoke to students about the development of the St. Fratty's celebrations over the years.

The North Mountain Halls are tentatively set to be permanently unoccupied in Fall 2028 and torn down in alignment with Cal Poly’s Future Housing Plan, according to University Spokesperson Keegan Koberl. Some current North Mountain residents have expressed their feelings about North Mountain being torn down. Reporter Katy Clark spoke with students about the housing shift.

The stage is set, microphones are strategically placed, and music cases lie ajar as rose-colored lights reveal a recreated scene of Led Zeppelin 1969. However, it's 2026, and a crowd rushes into SLO Brew Rock awaiting Legend Zeppelin. The cover band was ready with the determination to express a raw and genuine take on the musical styling of a Led Zeppelin performance. Reporter Larsen Jensen spoke with the band about their own twist on the iconic band.

Where's West officially formed in 2022 at Chapman University, but its roots go back further. Vocalist and guitarist Zan Curleigh and Hauser grew up near each other in the Bay Area before reconnecting in college. At first, it wasn’t a formal project— just two friends plugging in and playing. Reporter Delaney Ridder spoke to the band about their musical journey.

Baker lawn transformed into a global epicenter for food Feb. 25 during the International Center’s 10th annual Taste of the World event last. The event was sponsored by Semester at Sea, Cal Poly Student Affairs and Latin American Studies. Reporter Lauren Quijano has the story on what food was featured and how students enjoyed the event.

For the third year in a row, Cal Poly Beach Volleyball celebrated the start of their season with a community- focused event, giving fans a first look at the 2026 lineup while raising money for a local children’s organization. The annual Green, Gold and Black Intrasquad Scrimmage on Feb. 13 at Swanson Beach Volleyball Complex was organized in part by redshirt senior Ella Connor. Sports reporter Charlie Wiltsee tells us more about the event.

Club sports athletes are concerned about Cal Poly’s St. Patrick’s Day music festival. The Morning on the Green — A Mustang Music Festival will be held on fields four and five of the Sports Complex Lower Fields. Club athletes voice concerns about the venue. Reporter Katy Clark has the story.

Mustang News reporter Riley Sullivan has a conversation live on KCPR 91.3 FM with Black Student Union African Diaspora Historian Alexis Lytle on the importance of Black History Month and creating an uplifting space for Black students at Cal Poly. 

Hilltop, the grocery market at Poly Canyon Village, is currently not accepting Electronic  Benefits Transfer. When Poly Canyon Village Market was rebranded to Hilltop, Cal Poly Partners needed to reapply to continue accepting EBT at Hilltop, according to Russell Monteath, the director of commercial services for Cal Poly Partners. Reporter Katy Clark tells us more about this process and how it's impacting students.

As Cal Poly is rushing through its winter quarter, students, faculty and staff celebrate Bach Week. This year’s Bach Week ran Jan. 22-24, consisting of masterclasses and performances that are devoted to the exploration of the music of Johann Sebastian Bach and his contemporaries, all while using replicas of instruments from the historical time. Reporter Sophia Moreno takes us through the musical week.

More than 70 volunteers gathered at a Johnson Open Space in San Luis Obispo with a shared goal of getting as many trees in the ground as possible before lunchtime on Feb. 7.  The event, marked by the steady sound of shovels breaking soil, was part of an ongoing community effort to expand the region’s urban forest and address climate change at the local level. Reporter Alyssa Parikh has the story.

Two Cal Poly engineers, Aaron Price Jr. and Jackson Mosley, also play for Cal Poly basketball. Keegan Oates spoke to them and found that balancing athletics with a time-consuming major at Cal Poly requires a special learning mentality that these players embrace in order to handle both sides.

Located on campus in Building 5, room 225, many students are taking on a new hobby and immersing themselves in the art of salsa dancing. The Cal Poly Salsa Club welcomes dancers of all levels to practice this dance style. Reporter Cayden Tan tells us more about the dancers in the club.

Illuminate, Cal Poly’s largest student-run dance showcase hosted by the dance team, United Movement, brings together dozens of performers representing diverse cultures for two shows on the PAC stage. While audiences see a polished production, the performance is backed by months of preparation, long rehearsals, and extensive student coordination. Reporter Alyssa Parikh takes us behind the scenes of their rehersals and prepreation for the big performance. 

As temperatures sink into the low 40’s mid-February, San Luis Obispo becomes a ghost town, with students and locals alike relishing in the luxury known as centralized heating. However, in the University Union Plaza, the steady thump of bass and synchronized footsteps wore on and on, with the echoes lasting until the early morning hours. Reporter Makena Locsin takes us through United Movement's "Hell Week" as they prepared for this year's Illuminate dance showcase.

Izzy Perez ran to be vice president of Cal Poly’s Black Student Union last spring on a platform of bringing back the club’s political activism. He hoped to help BSU move beyond its prior political stagnation, and that message that got him the seat as vice president. At their roots, Black Student Unions are traditionally politically active, but that is not the case here at Cal Poly. Reporter Suri Moreno has more on how the club is shifting towards political activism.

San Luis Obispo will not revoke or make any major changes to Libertine Brewery Company’s minor use permit, which allows the venue to host live entertainment during designated hours. Noise complaints triggered an administrative hearing where the city reviewed Libertine’s permit and made the decision. Reporter Diego Puga Escobar tells us more.

Mustang News reporter Riley Sullivan has a conversation live on KCPR 91.3 FM with Black Student Union President Jaylyn Harris on the importance of Black History Month and creating an uplifting space for Black students at Cal Poly. 

With less than 1% of Cal Poly's student body identifying as black, the Black Student Union emphasizes the importance of Black History month. They attend Cal Poly games to help establish a community and connect with Black athletes. Reporter Amanda Avila has more. 

Nearly three-quarters of the way through the regular season, Cal Poly wrestling’s rotation looks different than it did opening day. Zeth Romney and Trevor Tinker – two of Cal Poly’s five nationally ranked wrestlers at their weights – have been absent from the lineup since mid-to-late December. Reporter Andrew Aguiniga tells us more.

On Feb. 1, Cal Poly's Chinese Student Association (CSA) hosted its 68th Lunar New Year banquet, welcoming the year of the horse. This year's Lunar New Year falls on Feb. 17. Reporter Sophia Moreno tells us about the event's turnout and what is to come this Lunar New Year in San Luis Obispo.

Cal Poly men’s basketball has been winning some key games despite having a young roster. While the stars of the team are underclassmen, it doesn’t guarantee Cal Poly will have them for a long time. Reporter Ty Soria has the story on what this means for the team going forward.

Libertine Brewing Company is raising questions about a decades-old municipal code that is being applied to the city’s designated entertainment district. The conflict has become the focal point of a broader conversation about noise enforcement in downtown San Luis Obispo. Reporter Diego Puga Escobar has the story.

Highlight dunks, flashy passes and constant crowd interaction defined the Harlem Globetrotters’ visit to Cal Poly on January 16th, where the team performed a special game celebrating their 100th anniversary.  The Harlem Globetrotters, an exhibition basketball team founded in the 1920s, have been known for their entertaining style of play and their influence on shaping modern basketball. Reporter Keegan Oates has the recap of the event.

For members of Can of Worms Comedy Club, it often starts in a conference room, where students sit around a table and talk through ideas, jokes and personal stories. For many students, Can of Worms Comedy Club serves as a starting point in their comedy journey. Reporter Lauren Quijano talked to the students about their lives inside the club as comedians.

At the Fox Theater in Boulder last August, The Dirty Turkeys frontman Brad Hansen looked out at a crowd that didn’t just watch — it breathed. Then he dove in. It was proof of what The Dirty Turkeys do best: they turn a crowd of strangers into a scene of absolute chaos. Reporter Delaney Ridder spoke with the band about the ecstatic chaos that every show crowd loves. 

Students who competed in high school sports like cross country and track and field are still finding ways to keep their passion for running alive at Cal Poly. Many have turned to running not only to stay connected to the sport, but also to stay fit and manage the stress of college life. Reporter Cayden Tan talked to different runners on campus about their own personal experiences.

San Luis Obispo is home to many small businesses, including Rad Juice, a family-run company specializing in organic cold-pressed juices. Founded by Jason Plough, the business started with a focus on high-quality, natural ingredients and has since expanded its product offerings. Reporter Dylan White gives us an update on the company's most recent journey. 

A shop on El Camino Real in Atascadero didn’t always smell like honey and lavender. Life Elements is a business now dedicated to skincare, muscle recovery and holistic well-being.  The storefront has been transformed into a mini production space and retail shop, with shelves lined with all-natural products made from beeswax, honey, cannabidiol (CBD) and plant-based ingredients. Reporter Alyssa Parikh tells us about the business's origin and the mission behind their products. 

The Thrifty Beaches Vintage Market took place Jan. 24 and Jan. 25. Featuring over 60 vendors ranging from vintage clothing, mid-century modern furniture, jewelry and books. Reporter Katy Clark talked to market-goers and the Thrifty Beaches owner to learn more about the re-selling scene in San Luis Obispo.

Tucked away in Studio 3 of the Cal Poly Rec Center, a soft lull of Hawaiian music and the patter of bare feet can be heard — a staple of the Pacific Islander community at Cal Poly, the hula team of Hui O’ Hawai’i practices. Reporter Makena Locsin gives us an inside look at the team.

ASI and Campus Health & Wellbeing launched a free grocery shuttle service earlier this month to transport students between campus and local grocery stores. Reporter Giselle Espinoza takes us on the bus route and speaks with students using the new service.

Over 500 gifts were given back to those in need in the community through the Mustang Holiday Gift Drive from Nov 4. to Dec. 5. Reporter Katy Clark tells us the details on the event's turnout. 

Project Rattle Cam, founded in 2021 by Cal Poly professor Emily Taylor and Scott Boback of Dickinson College, provides YouTube live streams of rattlesnake dens in both Colorado and California. Reporter Alyssa Parikh takes us behind the cameras to the relationships between these reptiles and humans.

With an evolving sound that blends psychedelic and rock textures with story-driven lyrics, Marlon Funaki has carried the musical world in his mind from small rooms to sold-out venues across the country. Now, as his tour winds down, Funaki brings that momentum to SLO Brew Rock on Friday, Dec. 12. Reporter Delaney Ridder spoke with the artist about his journey through music and sound.