Diablo Canyon, ‘Trump accounts’: 5 stories that had SLO County talking last week
What had San Luis Obispo County talking last week? From the future of Diablo Canyon to a long-awaited bike path breaking ground, here are the five Tribune stories that drew the most reader comments between July 6-12.
Diablo Canyon: Safe for 60 more years?
A recent test conducted by PG&E and its contractor found that materials in Unit 1 at the Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant are unlikely to deteriorate over the next 60 years. PG&E submitted the report to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission on June 29, which plans to publish its findings by Oct. 1.
Not everyone is ready to take the results at face value. San Luis Obispo County Supervisor Bruce Gibson urged the Diablo Canyon Independent Safety Committee to have the report independently peer-reviewed.
Readers had plenty to say about whether the plant — which currently has state permission to run until 2030 and a federal license through 2045 — should keep going.
»» Read the story, see the comments
Could California go it alone?
If the Golden State broke away from the U.S., how would it fare? Pretty well, actually. As of April 2025, California officially overtook Japan to become the world’s fourth-largest economy, trailing only the United States, China and Germany. The state’s GDP hit roughly $4.3 trillion, accounting for 13.8% of the total U.S. economy.
With 39.3 million residents, California would rank 39th in the world by population. About 62% of all U.S. venture capital funding comes from the state, and nearly half the country’s vegetables and more than three-quarters of its fruits and nuts are grown here.
The comments section turned into a lively debate about statehood, secession and what it really means to be Californian.
»» Read the story, see the comments
Meet Jim Dantona, SLO County’s newest supervisor
For the first time in 20 years, the Second District will have a new leader. Jim Dantona, the former CEO and president of the San Luis Obispo Chamber of Commerce, won the seat with 53.4% of the vote against independent Michael Erin Woody after longtime Supervisor Bruce Gibson chose not to seek reelection.
“Local government is amazing, because you can actually see impact, and you can have real impact on people’s lives,” Dantona told The Tribune. “They see it, they feel it when you’re successful or when you fail.”
He’s pledged to be a “bridge-builder” focused on housing, jobs, sustainable energy and the county’s aging infrastructure. Readers weighed in on what they hope — and expect — from the incoming supervisor.
»» Read the story, see the comments
Bob Jones Trail connector finally moving forward
After years of funding setbacks and property owner disputes, the Bob Jones Pathway Gap Closure Project is officially moving from planning to construction. The San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors voted 4-0 on Tuesday to award a nearly $10.5 million contract to Souza Engineering Contracting to build the first segment.
The project will bridge the 4.5-mile gap between the Octagon Barn in San Luis Obispo and the Ontario Road staging area near Avila Beach. Construction is expected to begin by early September and take about 18 months. Total project cost: nearly $41 million.
Cyclists, walkers and skeptics all had opinions on the price tag, the timeline and what the finished trail will mean for the region.
»» Read the story, see the comments
An opinion column that got readers fired up
Sometimes it’s not the news but the take that lights up the comments. A Tribune opinion column gave President Donald Trump credit for pushing through legislation that makes every child born in the U.S. during his second term eligible for $1,000 deposited in a savings account — dubbed “Trump accounts.”
The program is estimated to cost $3 billion per year for four years. The column also noted that Michael and Susan Dell are donating $6.25 billion to give $250 to every child born between 2016 and 2024 in zip codes where median household income is below $150,000.
Whether readers agreed, disagreed or landed somewhere in between, they didn’t hold back.
»» Read the story, see the comments
This report was produced with the assistance of a proprietary tool powered by artificial intelligence and using our own originally reported, written and published content. It was reviewed and edited by our journalists.
• • •
Join the conversation. Have thoughts on any of these stories? Your neighbors are already talking. Scroll to the bottom of local articles on sanluisobispo.com to share your perspective.