County Postpones Point in Time Count
Due to the current COVID-19 surge, the County of San Luis Obispo postponed the date of the upcoming bi-annual Homeless Point in Time Count from January 26 to February 23.
The County conducts a count of sheltered and unsheltered people experiencing homelessness every two years and is seeking volunteers countywide to participate in the count. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) requires local Continuums of Care to conduct a Point in Time count at least every 2 years on a single night during the last 10 days of January. This extension is due to the need to take more time to address health and staffing challenges posed by the pandemic and has been approved by HUD.
This extra time will allow the County to recruit additional volunteers, count in a post-surge timeframe, and refine efforts to count special populations such as youth, encampments, and persons in vehicles. Volunteers can register online at asr.sjc1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_6KYX5TPz9z91X4F.
Morro Bay Makes Winter Fishing List
When you think of the winter season, fishing is not usually an activity that comes to mind immediately, but an online organization says Morro Bay is one of the top places to grab your pole and head to the water.
FishingBooker, a platform for connecting anglers and fishing guides, with over 30,000 fishing trips available in more than 2,000 destinations worldwide, just released their list of the 10 Best Winter Fishing Destinations in 2022, and Morro Bay came in second.
“The stars of the fishing scene in Morro Bay are lingcod and a variety of rockfish, so from the get-go, you know that bottom fishing is on fire,” said FishingBooker in a press release. “Shore fishermen can head to one of the beaches or local parks for surf fishing. Thanks to the rocky shore and deep waters close to land, the bite is something that needs to be experienced to be believed.”
The full list includes:
• Kenai, AK
• Morro Bay, CA
• South Padre Island, TX
• Lincoln City, OR
• Orange Beach & Gulf Shores, AL
• Bristol, TN/VA
• Elephant Butte Lake, NM
• Miami, FL
• Presque Isle Bay, PA
• Bozeman, MT
Commute Advisory
A portion of Orcutt Road north of Tank Farm Road intersection will close Feb. 22 to through traffic through May for the third phase of the Tank Farm and Orcutt Road roundabout project. Work takes place from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. Some night-work will be done on an as-needed basis from 8 p.m. from 5 a.m. Monday through Friday. This segment of Orcutt Road will be closed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week throughout the anticipated construction.
During this time, Tank Farm Rd., which has been closed since September for construction, will be reopened to again provide east/west access as well as restoring access to the Islay Hill Playground parking lot. Updated information can be found at www.slocity.org/roundabouts.
Cal Poly Ranks First in the Nation in Study Abroad Survey
Cal Poly sent the most students on study abroad experiences among master’s-level institutions, according to the Institute of International Education’s annual statistical survey of U.S. campuses for the 2019-20 academic year released today in celebration of International Education Week.
“Study abroad at Cal Poly remains an integral aspect of our students’ degree programs and reflects the global mindset of our students, faculty and staff,” said Cari Vanderkar, Cal Poly’s senior international officer and assistant vice provost for international programs. “We are thrilled by the ranking and look forward to our continued strong participation in study abroad and international education generally as the world navigates out of the pandemic.”
Since 2000, Cal Poly has ranked as a top sender in the nation among master’s-level universities for internationally bound students.
In 2019-20 year, the most current numbers available, Cal Poly sent 863 students abroad to 46 nations (including some multi-country programs). Participation was through Winter 2020, as study abroad was suspended worldwide in March 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2018-19, Cal Poly sent more than 1,200 students abroad. Study abroad resumed in Fall 2021, with around 150 Cal Poly students currently abroad.
In the past two decades, the university also has ranked in the top 10 among those who study abroad for long-term (an academic year). For mid-length programs, which run for a semester or a quarter, Cal Poly ranked first in the nation for the third straight year with 786 participants. It has ranked in the top eight since 2004-05.
The Institute of International Education is the leading not-for-profit educational and cultural exchange organization in the U.S. It has conducted the Open Doors Report annual survey since 1919, and since the early 1970s, it has been aided by support from the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. Open Doors surveys about 2,000 U.S. universities and colleges with study abroad programs.
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