2024 was quite a news year, and we’re not just talking about the presidential election. Right here in SLO County, we had multiple scandals, weird weather, drone sightings, businesses coming and businesses going, some of the most expensive gas in the nation, dust-ups over what could (or could not) be said during public comment and even a Northern Lights show. Whew!
Before we say good-bye to 2024, here’s a chance to revisit some of the oddities we experienced along the way.
Multiple choice
1. A Fresno woman was threatened with an $88,000 fine after her children did what?
a) Knocked over a statue at Hearst Castle, causing irreparable damage
b) Collected 72 Pismo clams
c) Trampled over an entire field of wildflowers during Super Bloom
d) Climbed Morro Rock
2. How many Monarch butterflies were counted in Pismo Beach in fall 2024?
a) 40
b) 400
c) 4,000
d) None
3. What iconic item was stolen from the Madonna Inn?
a) The recipe for pink frosting
b) A cherub
c) A welcome mat
d) A Michelin star
4. Which SLO County businesses said a final goodbye in 2024?
a) Sensorio
b) Ike’s Love and Sandwiches
c) SLO Provisions
d) F. McLintocks
5. Who did NOT appear at this year’s Mid-State Fair?
a) Shaggy
b) Miranda Lambert
c) Rod Stewart
d) Sublime
6. What touched down in Grover Beach?
a) A Goodyear blimp
b) A tornado
c) A meteorite
d) A fleet of Chinese drones
7. Which celebrity paid a visit to a SLO County Trader Joe’s?
a) Harry Styles
b) Oprah Winfrey
c) Elon Musk
d) Ryan Gosling
8. What was SLO County’s top crop in 2024?
a) Strawberries
b) Avocados
c) Cannabis
d) Wine grapes
9. Why won’t an Ironman Triathlon be held in Morro Bay in 2025?
a) The city ran out of seafood in 2024
b) Too many complaints from locals
c) More than 300 athletes had to be assisted from the water in 2024 due to strong tides
d) Aggressive sea otters
10. Why did the Board of Supervisors change the rules for public comment?
a) Speakers were taking up too much time
b) The comments were off topic
c) A “visual aid” included images of naked men
d) This is a trick question. There was no change
11. Three SLO County communities — San Luis Obispo, Arroyo Grande and Cambria — joined the “million-dollar city club” in 2024. What does that signify?
a) At least 10% of the population is made up of millionaires
b) The median price of a home is $1 million or more
c) Each community spent $1 million on downtown beautification projects
d) Each community was under budget by at least $1 million
12. What violations did SLO County restaurant inspectors find in 2024?
a) Meat drying on a mop handle
b) Rodent droppings on a meat grinder
c) A lack of motivation
d) Dead cockroaches at a school snack bar
13. On Sept 5, a record-high temperature for that date was set at the SLO airport. How hot did it get?
a) 104
b) 107
c) 110
d) None of the above
14. What is Thrifty Beaches?
a) A local indie band
b) A lipstick shade
c) A discount surf board rental shop in Pismo
d) A vintage clothing store
15. Over the Thanksgiving holiday, what U.S. city had the highest gas prices?
a) Santa Cruz
b) Honolulu
c) Napa
d) San Luis Obispo
Who said it?
1. “One thing I have on all the other candidates up here is I’m not old.”
a) John Drake
b) Kassi Dee
c) Hunter Breese
d) J.D. Vance
2. “I moved into the city limits because I wanted to run for mayor, but I’ve lived — I have another property that’s outside of it in an unincorporated area, so I have two properties. So it’s a little bit misleading.”
a) Debbie Peterson
b) Gaea Powell
c) Caren Ray Russom
d) Kenney Enney
3. “I am willing to speak to most any group that would be kind enough to invite me.”
a) Cal Poly President Jeffrey Armstrong
b) Rep. Salud Carbajal
c) SLO Mayor Erica Stewart
d) District Attorney Dan Dow
4. “If anything is offensive to you, you can turn your head or close your eyes, but we’ve been advised to continue with public comment.”
a) Supervisor Debbie Arnold
b) San Luis Coastal Superintendent Eric Prater
c) Supervisor Bruce Gibson
d) SLO Mayor Erica Stewart
5. “It is not a conspiracy nor a crime for a reporter to overhear a conversation at a public place.”
a) Dave Congalton
b) Karen Velie
c) Tom Fulks
d) The Shredder
Answers
Multiple choice: 1) b 2) b 3) c 4) b,c,d 5) c 6) b 7) a 8) d 9) c 10) c 11) b 12) a,b,c,d 13) a 14) d 15) a (SLO was second)
Who said it: 1) c 2) b 3) d 4) a 5) b
Scoring: 20-16: Congrats! You’re a bonafide local; 15-10: Good! You’ve been sorta paying attention!; 9-5: No shame! Life gets hectic sometimes; Under 5: Just passing through? Thanks for visiting!
