County settles wrongful death lawsuit and a new ‘50s diner. Today’s top stories

San Luis Obispo County saw a mix of news on June 22, from a major wrongful death settlement to a new diner opening on the North Coast.

Here’s a look at the day’s top stories from The Tribune:

• Wrongful death settlement reached: The mother of 19-year-old Elina Branco, who died of fentanyl poisoning at the San Luis Obispo County Crisis Stabilization Unit in May 2024, has reached a settlement with the county, the psych unit and some employees. Terms remain confidential and pending approval by the SLO County Board of Supervisors and insurance provider PRISM.
• ’50s-style diner coming to Cambria: Owner Victor Bahena plans to open Cambria New Diner in July at 4090 Burton Drive, filling a space vacant since Cambria Pub & Steakhouse closed. The menu will mirror a Bahena eatery, Cedar Glen Malt Shop near Lake Arrowhead, featuring burgers, fries and malts.
• Easiest Cal Poly majors revealed: Wine and viticulture, bioresource and agricultural engineering and dairy science were the least competitive majors for freshman applicants in the 2025-26 cycle. Cal Poly received 79,400 applications overall and sent acceptance letters to about 24,267 students.
• Atascadero man arrested in SLO burglary: David Hull was arrested Friday on suspicion of burglary, resisting arrest and probation violation following a June 16 residential burglary near Carpenter Street and Hathway Avenue. The case remains active and may be tied to other recent thefts in the area.
• Prescribed burn sends smoke across county: A prescribed burn east of Santa Margarita charred 37 acres beginning Sunday at 5 p.m., with Cal Fire burning an additional 23 acres Monday to reduce wildfire risk and enhance oak woodland habitat. Smoke was visible from Highway 101 and surrounding areas.

The summary points above were compiled with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists. The source reporting referenced above was written and edited entirely by journalists.

This story was originally published June 22, 2026 at 6:00 PM.