Chimney Fire threatens Hearst Castle
The Chimney fire has burned 15,439 and is currently threatening Hearst Castle. The fire is 35 percent contained. Saturday morning tours of the castle have been canceled though the visitor center...
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Author: Karen Velie
Chimney fire burns 11,999 acres
With strong winds on Thursday, the Chimney Fire near Nacimiento Lake grew to 11,999 acres and is 33 percent contained, according to Cal Fire. While the fire continues to burn in inaccessible rugged...
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Father receives year in prison for illegal campaign donations
An 83-year-old La Palma man was sentenced today to 12 months and a day in prison for making illegal campaign contributions to his son’s bid for U.S. Congress, according to acting U.S. Attorney...
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SLO County’s great cake caper
By KAREN VELIE It turned out to be sort of a half-baked plan. On June 7, Susan Cameron, a nursing supervisor in charge of medical staff at the San Luis Obispo County Jail, brought a cake in for her...
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San Luis Obispo city inspector charged with burglary
San Luis Obispo County Sheriff deputies arrested a San Luis Obispo city engineering inspector for allegedly burglarizing a home in Nipomo. Deputies arrested Mark Williams on Sunday in Atascadero,...
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Governor Brown declares state of emergency for SLO County
Gov. Jerry Brown declared a state of emergency Monday for San Luis Obispo County because of the Chimney Fire. The blaze has burned 5,400 acres, destroyed 12 homes, damaged 20 structures and caused...
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Chimney Fire burns homes, scorches 4,300 acres
The Chimney Fire near Nacimiento Lake has scorched 4,300 acres, destroyed 20 structures including homes and injured one firefighter. The fire is 10 percent contained. The fire, which is fueled by...
Read MoreAtascadero couple injured in motorcycle accident
A motorcycle crash Saturday near Shell Beach threw two Atascadero residents off their bike, causing each to suffer major injuries. Shortly before 5 p.m., the two Atascadero residents were headed northbound on Highway 101 near...
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Armed robbery at Nipomo Smoke Shop
For the third time in two weeks, a man wielding a handgun robbed a South County business. In each case, the suspect was described as a white man, about 6 feet tall with a medium build. On Saturday...
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Fire at Lake Nacimiento grows to 1,450 acres
The Chimney Fire, burning near Nacimiento Lake, has scorched 1,450 acres as of 8:15 a.m. this morning — after a little more than 16 hours since it broke near the intersection of Chimney Rock...
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Go big on solar or go home
OPINION by ROGER FREBERG The impending draw down of Diablo Canyon raises a number of questions, not just for local government entities dependent on the huge tax windfall they’ve enjoyed for decades,...
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Armed robbery at Sycamore Springs Resort
A man wielding a handgun robbed the Sycamore Springs Resort in Avila Beach Friday night. In a replay of a robbery at the Spyglass Inn in Pismo Beach a week earlier, officers searched for the robber...
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Another View of the transportation sales tax hike
OPINION by T. KEITH GURNEE Benjamin Franklin’s famous quote “The only things certain are death and taxes” seems incomplete. These days, it should be modified by adding “and tax increases.” Having...
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Recycling center closures cost communities millions each year
By KAREN VELIE Throughout San Luis Obispo County, numerous recycling centers have closed leaving some local communities without a place to redeem their beverage deposits. These closures have cost...
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Arroyo Grande police stand with Mayor Jim Hill
OPINION by MAYOR JIM HILL In announcing my campaign for re-election as mayor of Arroyo Grande, I’m very proud to have again earned the endorsement of our Police Officers Association. I was compelled...
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