Stories from surrounding communities, closest first.
New Times · San Miguel, CA
Nearby: San Miguel, CAThe races for three seats on the San Miguel Community Services District (CSD) board remain close, with two candidates overtaking early leaders as additional ballots were counted. According to the Nov. 10 vote tallies, John McClure maintained his lead in the five-candidate race for two four-year seats, while Andrew Havard moved into second place, narrowly surpassing John Butler II. McClure leads with 141 votes, or 25.5 percent, followed by Havard with 129 votes, or 23.3 percent, and Butler with 125 votes, or 22.6 percent. Incumbents Rod Smiley and Owen Davis trail with 90 and 67 votes, respectively. The latest count marks a change from election night, when McClure and Butler held the top two positions. Just four votes now separate Havard and Butler in the contest for the second seat. A similarly close race is unfolding for the remaining two years of a vacant board seat.
Pacific Coast Business Times · San Luis Obispo, CA
Nearby: San Luis Obispo, CABy Stephen Ellison Special to the Business Times Economic growth in San Luis Obispo County has slowed compared with growth in neighboring counties, as well as statewide, and lack of housing is a key reason, according to economists at the Central Coast Economic Forecast event Nov. 6 in San Luis Obispo. While there have been positives in recent years – rising household incomes, gains in tourism and continued operations at the Diablo Canyon Power Plant – SLO County’s gross domestic product (GDP) has lagged since around the mid-2010s, according to data presented at the event. Before that divergence, the county’s GDP was on the same gradual trajectory as California’s. Some of the bad news includes a shrinking labor force, stalled population growth and declining small businesses, according to Niree Kodaverdian, a research manager with Beacon Economics. Kodaverdian and her colleagues agreed there is potential for greater economic growth in the years to come if more housing is built.
New Times · Pismo Beach, CA
Nearby: Pismo Beach, CAPismo Beach City Councilmember Scott Newton is the frontrunner to be the city’s next mayor, according to the latest vote counts in San Luis Obispo County’s election. A supporter of the Central Coast Blue project, Newton’s served on the City Council since 2020. As of Nov. 10, he’d won almost 68 percent of the vote share, widening the margin between himself and his most vocal challenger, Cynthia Replogle. Replogle earned 27 percent of the votes, while the third candidate, Shelby Bowen, won 5 percent. Newton didn’t respond to New Times by press time. On Facebook, he celebrated his early lead hours after polls closed on Nov. 3. “Thank you to the voters of Pismo Beach, the early results are looking extremely promising,” his Nov. 4 post read. He’s endorsed by Mayor Ed Waage, fellow Councilmembers Mary Ann Reiss and Marcia Guthrie, and the Republican Party of SLO County.
Santa Maria Sun · Santa Maria, CA
Nearby: Santa Maria, CAThree candidates vied for a seat on the Santa Maria Public Airport District board, including incumbent Michael B. Clayton. The local attorney garnered 3,390 votes—or 43 percent—of the 8,512 ballots tallied, as of Nov. 10. U.S. Army veteran Alejandro Arredondo led by 126 votes, scoring 45 percent of the votes counted, with 3,516 total. The Santa Barbara County’s Elections Division will issue updates on new vote counts Tuesdays and Thursdays around 3 p.m. Airport District Division 4 has about 17,600 eligible voters. In 2022, the last time Clayton ran, voter turnout in his race was a little more than 50 percent. Arredondo told the Sun that regardless of how the final election results turn out, he’ll continue advocating for what he wants to see implemented at Santa Maria’s airport in the future. “For the last 37 years, my family’s owned and operated a business here at the airport.
