Major gang bust in Santa Maria
Santa Maria police arrested dozens of gang members in a sweeping crackdown on gangs, drugs and violence. [KSBY] On Thursday and Friday, police arrested 35 members of the West Park Criminal Street...
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Author: Karen Velie
Digital strip-search: Case of lost iPhone prototype shows the danger of using search warrant to seize journalists’ information
By PETER SCHEER Search warrants have always been a blunt instrument for finding evidence of crime. Think of television cop shows from the 70s and 80s: A police search of an apartment for drugs was,...
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Brown targets CalPERS officials
California Attorney General Jerry Brown filed a lawsuit against two former officials of CalPERS, the nation’s largest public pension fund, for violating security laws. [Reuters] The complaint,...
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Committee kills Blakeslee’s Gift Reform bill
A bill drafted by Assemblyman Sam Blakeslee (R-San Luis Obispo] to close a loophole allowing lobbyists to circumvent limits on gifts to legislators was killed by committee on Tuesday. In 1974, the...
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Fake ID makers arrested
Law enforcement officials arrested two people for their part in a suspected counterfeit document operation in San Luis Obispo County on Monday. Officials said 27-year-old Olivia Hernandez Ortiz and...
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Appellate court hearing scheduled in San Luis Obispo
In an unusual move, the California 2nd District Appellate Court will hear oral arguments regarding a contentious local appeal in the San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisor chambers on Thursday...
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Estate attorney’s actions called into question
Arroyo Grande probate attorney Mike Zimmerman’s actions as the trustee of a large estate led some to question his handling of a more than $2 million estate of an eccentric client.
“Zimmerman is, I felt, like a stranger who had come into our personnel lives and stole from us,” said Lora Treadwell, the deceased’s only child. “. . . Like someone’s dirty fingers had been in my personnel possessions.”
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YPNG Monte Carlo Night April 30, part one
The Young Professional Networking Group (YPNG) held a Monte Carlo night to benefit the San Luis Obispo Children’s Museum on April 30. Guests packed the children’s museum to enjoy good food, dancing...
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YPNG Monte Carlo Night April 30, part two
The Young Professional Networking Group (YPNG) held a Monte Carlo night to benefit the San Luis Obispo Children’s Museum on April 30. Guests packed the children’s museum to enjoy good food, dancing...
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More than 200 animals found at California Valley Property
There’s another case of animal cruelty in San Luis Obispo County, this time more than 75 animals have been seized. Sheriff deputies found more than 200 animals of various types, including sick...
Read MoreSan Luis Police officers guilty of drug smuggling
CalCoastNews has learned that two San Luis Obispo police officers have pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges of bringing misbranded Mexican prescription drugs into the United States at the San Ysidro port of entry south of San Diego.
The officers, Dan McDow and Armando Limon, pleaded guilty to the misdemeanors in exchange for no jail time and a year of unsupervised probation, according to court documents obtained by CalCoastNews.
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Grand Jury notes problems with elected officials
A San Luis Obispo County Grand Jury investigation has concluded that some elected city treasurers locally are unqualified to do their municipal jobs and are lax at performing them.
As a result, the grand jury is recommending that cities appoint – instead of electing — their treasurers.
Only three county cities, Arroyo Grande, Atascadero and Paso Robles, elect their treasurers. If elected, the treasurer must be a voter who resides in the city – but no other qualifications are required by law.
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Federal action against Coast National Bank
The Federal Reserve Bank on Thursday announced a regulatory action taken against Coast Bancorp, in a move to maintain financial soundness at the bank, according to the federal order issued in San Francisco.
Under a written agreement, the parent company of San Luis Obispo-based Coast National Bank cannot declare or pay any dividends without prior approval from the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco and cannot directly or indirectly take dividends or any other form of payment that would represent a reduction in capital from its bank.
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Beauty salon inspector accused of targeting minorities
A state inspector, in charge of examining beauty salons and barber shops in San Luis Obispo County, has been accused of leveling steep fines on local beauticians and disrespecting the salons’ operators.
Her behavior has caused some to question her motivation with some going as far as accusing her of bias against ethnic minorities.
A handful of local shop owners and their customers claim that the Department of Consumer Affairs inspector, Lillian Heyck, has been “unprofessional and demeaning” to minorities in shops she is inspecting.
Read MoreDeadly fungus spreading in California
A currently untreatable strain of fungus has claimed the lives of at least 23 people in California and the Pacific Northwest, researchers said Friday. [KTVU] Known as Cryptococcus Gattii, the new strain of fungus is spread by...
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