Author: Karen Velie

COMMENTARY: Bugs on the wall in City Hall

Posted by Karen Velie | Apr 7, 2008 | Uncovered SLO | 0 |

By KAREN VELIE and DANIEL BLACKBURN

There’s a tight clamp on information coming out of Atascadero City Hall, what with the FBI hanging out and all, so it’s been tough to get information out of those hallowed confines, stuff like this…. While city officials have been going 12 rounds with each other, mediators have been brought in to suppress probable knockouts.

That and other reports about hush-hush stuff going on in The Colony’s inner sanctum have been gleaned from a gaggle of reliable sources, all of whom are seeing and hearing all that we report here.

New Times has new editor

Posted by Karen Velie | Apr 7, 2008 | Uncovered SLO | 0 |

San Luis Obispo’s weekly New Times has a new editor. He’s Ed Connolly, according to New Times General Manager Bob Rucker.

Ryan Miller will return to his old post at New Times’ sister publication, the Santa Maria Sun, which he edited prior to his stint at the SLO weekly. Miller will remain executive editor of both newspapers.

Quiescent county Web site stirring suspicions

Posted by Karen Velie | Apr 4, 2008 | Uncovered SLO | 0 |

By KAREN VELIE and DANIEL BLACKBURN

A Web site maintained by San Luis Obispo County’s Clerk-Recorder’s office – which provides property deed transaction data and other public information and is routinely updated weekly — has been dormant for 36 days.

The site’s lack of relevance quickly became a cause of concern for some investors who have placed funds with a troubled Paso Robles hard money lender, Estate Financial.

Following Three Bells Winery money trail helps explain why DA, FBI are interested in Estate

Posted by Karen Velie | Apr 3, 2008 | Uncovered SLO | 0 |

By KAREN VELIE and DANIEL BLACKBURN

Angry investors wondering where their money went after funding Estate Financial of Paso Robles may be on the road to an eventual explanation.

Whether that translates into returns for those who have put money into Estate is yet to be learned. What is known is that millions of investor dollars have apparently been misappropriated, misspent, or misdirected, according to an investigation by UncoveredSLO.com.

CAL POLY/SAUDI UPDATE: No-go plan pending

Posted by Karen Velie | Apr 3, 2008 | Uncovered SLO | 0 |

BY KAREN VELIE and DANIEL BLACKBURN

A controversial proposal to partner Cal Poly’s College of Engineering with a Saudi Arabian university is hurtling toward resolution next week… maybe.

Current plans, which have drawn nationwide attention and generated widespread campus debate, would establish a cooperative effort to create an engineering facility at the Jubail University College (JUC) with a $6 million contract to cover expenses.

A brief, to-the-point, formal “resolution on faculty objections” will be presented April 8 for consideration by Cal Poly’s full Academic Senate.

Dalido accelerates bid to develop his property

Posted by Karen Velie | Apr 1, 2008 | Uncovered SLO | 0 |

By KAREN VELIE

Ernie Dalidio’s legal team launched a new offensive last week to reinstate Measure J and asked a judge to reconsider a second negative ruling in the rancorous fight over development of his San Luis Obispo County acreage.

Attorney Michael Morris appealed the judicial decision which invalidated Measure J and Attorney James McKiernan filed an application to change a federal judge’s tentative ruling that tossed out a lawsuit Dalidio filed against opponents he alleged interfered unlawfully with his proposed development.

Dalidio eyes RICO lawsuit against development foes, alleges unfair business practices

Posted by Karen Velie | Mar 21, 2008 | Uncovered SLO | 0 |

By KAREN VELIE

Local developers illegally interfered with the development of Ernie Dalidio’s property, costing him millions of dollars in lost revenue, the San Luis Obispo farmer claimed in court declarations filed earlier this month.

At the same time, Dalido’s lawyers hinted at alleged racketeering by the yet-unidentified developers. The recent declarations do, however, focus on Copeland and Madonna family property developers.

EXCLUSIVE: Alleged junkyard shooter of four is son of murdered SLO woman

Posted by Karen Velie | Mar 20, 2008 | Uncovered SLO | 0 |

Lee Isaac Bedwell Leeds, arrested this week for the shooting deaths of four people at a junk yard in Santa Maria, is the 31-year old son of Sharon Ostman, a homeless woman murdered in downtown San Luis Obispo.

Ostman’s half-naked body was found partially submerged in San Luis Obispo Creek July 11, 2005. She had been beaten, sexually assaulted, and murdered. She was 59.

UPDATE: Estate Financial investors fighting back

Posted by Karen Velie | Mar 18, 2008 | Uncovered SLO | 0 |

Investors, builders and attorneys squeezed into a large, sunny conference room at a beautiful, ocean-side hotel earlier this week to talk about something most found unpleasant: How they were going to recoup millions of unaccounted-for dollars placed with Paso Robles lender Estate Financial.

(See previous UncoveredSLO.com article, “Hard money lending schemes creating fiscal chaos, devastating SLO County investors,” March 14 on this site.)

There were more than 200 people at the hastily-called meeting, many from San Luis Obispo County, and most around or well into their retirement years. The meeting was organized by Ron Cooper, a Los Angeles County contractor, to attempt unifying concerns and potential action of varied interests. A series of speakers representing contractors, other borrowers, and investors told of problems and posed solutions.

Help support good journalism

Posted by Karen Velie | Mar 14, 2008 | Uncovered SLO | 0 |

Since its launch in January, UncoveredSLO.com has carved its niche in San Luis Obispo County, reporting on subjects that other local media won’t, or can’t. We have done so in the belief that an informed public is better than the alternative, and that quality journalism and an open forum can increase transparency in government, honest business practices, and community participation.

Now it’s time for us to dig even deeper into the issues that you think are important: education, transparency in government, financial fraud, the fleecing of the American taxpayer.

Help us remain effective by advertising, or sponsoring this site.

Sponsors may remain silent angels. For more information contact velie@uncoveredslo.com or call (805) 234-1703.

Make checks payable to:

UncoveredSLO.com

P.O. Box 14809

San Luis Obispo, CA, 93406-4809

COMMENTARY: Fiscal greed, information need

Posted by Karen Velie | Mar 12, 2008 | Uncovered SLO | 0 |

Last month, the Harvard Political Review suggested there “is no doubt that if journalists can no longer fill their role as the public’s watchdog, the media’s already-declining reputation among the public will suffer.”

Cal Poly/Saudi update: Blakeslee ‘very disturbed’

Posted by Karen Velie | Mar 6, 2008 | Uncovered SLO | 0 |

By KAREN VELIE

A controversial Cal Poly/Saudi proposal has a state lawmaker “very disturbed” and the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) has stepped up pressure on Cal Poly President Warren Baker to take a closer look at the intended Engineering College collaboration.

A growing number of faculty, students and alumni have voiced concern about the scheme, which appears to exclude participation by professors or students who are women, Jewish or gay.

Cuesta College accreditation in jeopardy

Posted by Karen Velie | Feb 21, 2008 | Uncovered SLO | 0 |

BY KAREN VELIE

Cuesta College administrators said this week the institution faces the threat of finding itself without accreditation.

The Accreditation Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC), located in Novato, has issued a warning to Cuesta College to heed its recommendations or risk losing accreditation.

Rabenaldt asks for apology from Pismo council

Posted by Karen Velie | Feb 20, 2008 | Uncovered SLO | 0 |

Bill Rabenaldt has been crossing swords with his fellow Pismo Beach City Council members over their recent censure of him in response to a query he made to the California Coastal Commission.

Rabenaldt to Morem: You’ve been lying all these years

Posted by Karen Velie | Feb 15, 2008 | Uncovered SLO | 0 |

UncoveredSLO.com asked the outspoken elected city official Bill Rabenaldt to tell our readers first what he really thinks.

By BILL RABENALDT

2/15/2008

After Bill Morem’s Valentine note to me in yesterday’s paper, I sent him one, too. He simply replied, “Love ya. Bill.” To be honest with you, I really did think he liked me. I now realize he’s been lying to me about all sorts of things all these years.