How SLO are you? Take our annual, end-of-year quiz | Opinion
What a year, right?
While national news grabbed the biggest headlines, plenty happened right here at home. Protests. Scandals. Controversies. And to top it all off, a heck of a rainstorm.
So before we say goodbye to 2025, let’s relive some of the highlights and lowlights we experienced together.
Oh, and one final note: Thank you for sticking with us. We are humbled by your support for local news — we couldn’t deliver it without you!
So let’s get to it.
1. What did Cal Poly do to dissuade students from running wild in the streets on St. Fratty’s Day?
A) Chartered buses to Isla Vista so they could party there
B) Held a free concert headlined by artists most people over 40 had never heard of
C) Sponsored a campus-wide treasure hunt for a pot of gold
D) Offered them a life-time supply of Lucky Charms and an easy “A” in Irish lit
2. What was NOT a theme of SLO County protests held over the past 12 months?
A) Hands Off!
B) Not My President
C) Occupy Mars
D) Good Trouble
3. Some Grover Beach residents circulated petitions hoping to get what on the ballot?
A) A ban on high-rise condos
B) A new city name
C) A middle school
D) Direct election of city attorneys
4. Cal Poly President Jeffrey Armstrong was hauled in front of a congressional committee in May. Presidents from what other universities were grilled alongside him?
A) Sac State and UCSB
B) Lewis & Clark and Mills College
C) MIT and Columbia
D) DePaul and Haverford
5. The first elephant seal pup of the season was born in mid-December. What’s its name?
A) Neptune
B) Gingerbread
C) Pistachio
D) Moondoggie
6. Formal petitions were filed to remove what two books from the Arroyo Grande High School Library?
A) “Gender Queer” and “Push”
B) “This Book is Gay” and “Two Boys Kissing”
C) “Thirteen Reasons Way” and “The Handmaid’s Tale”
D) “Little Men” and “Little Women”
7. Gaea Powell was often in the news. Which of the following did she NOT do in 2025?
A) Sue the county clerk-recorder
B) Face election fraud charges
C) Announce that she is running for Arroyo Grande mayor
D) Decide to act as her own attorney
8. How much did Councilmember Chris Bausch wind up costing the city of Paso Robles?
A) Not a penny!
B) Depends on who’s doing the calculating
C) $840,000, give or take
D) $1 million and counting
9. What SLO County business did NOT close in 2025?
A) Battle Axe
B) Wilshire Health and Community Services
C) Arroyo Grande Bakery
D) Spoon Trade
10. Which of the following businesses opened in 2025?
A) Feral Kitchen & Lounge
B) HolyBelly Restaurant
C) Valley Fresh Market
D) Brandy Melville
11. What theme was chosen for the 2025 Mid-State Fair?
A) Off To The Races!
B) Endless Summer Fun
C) The Great American Road Trip
D) Come for the Cotton Candy, Stay for the Concert
12, When U.S. Sen. Adam Schiff spoke at Cuesta College in April, which group was conspicuously absent?
A) Boomers
B) Cuesta administrators
C) Cuesta students
D) The media
13. MrBeast recently paid a visit to SLO County. What was he doing here?
A) Buying a vineyard
B) Hyping a flying car
C) Checking into the Madonna Inn
D) Absolutely nothing
14. What was the latest monarch butterfly count at Pismo State Beach?
A) 14
B) 2,038
C) 471
D) None of the above
15. “I am Charlie Kirk” ranked as one of the most memorable quotes of the year. Who said it here?
A) Andy Caldwell
B) The Shredder
C) Karen Velie
D) Dan Dow
Answers
1) B 2) C 3) D 4) D 5) B 6) A 7) C 8) C 9) A 10) A, B, C and D (score one point for each correct answer) 11) A 12) C 13) B 14) C 15) D
Scoring
18-12: Congrats! You know SLO.
11-6: We get it. You’re busy.
5 and under: Just visiting, right?