Arroyo Grande teen killed in fiery crash on Highway 101 in Pismo Beach
By JOSH FRIEDMAN A 19-year-old Arroyo Grande man was killed in a fiery crash on Highway 101 in Pismo Beach Thursday night. Shortly before midnight, CHP Officer Montelongo was on a routine patrol on northbound Highway 101 near the Highway 1 exit when he noticed a vehicle engulfed in flames...
The life and perils of a Central Coast farmer
OPINION by ANDY CALDWELL Family farms are disappearing across America including here on the Central Coast. That is because farming is subject to more risk than virtually any other sector of our economy. Nonetheless, two organizations have published a “study,” read that an attack, on our local farmers contending that...
Judge sentences Santa Barbara ship captain to four years in prison
By KAREN VELIE A federal judge on Thursday sentenced the captain of the Santa Barbara-based dive boat that burst into flames in 2019, killing 33 passengers and one crew member, to four years in prison. The Conception, a 75-foot commercial diving vessel, was anchored off the north side of Santa...
Person dies after pickup truck slams into forklift in Santa Maria
By JOSH FRIEDMAN One person died and another suffered injuries after a pickup truck slammed into a forklift in Santa Maria on Thursday. At about 3 p.m., a small pickup truck was traveling southbound on Skyway Drive at Hangar Street when it crashed into the fork of a Caterpillar telescoping...
High speed chase ends on Vineyard Drive in Templeton
By KAREN VELIE A high-speed chase with speeds of up to 140 mph ended on Vineyard Drive in Templeton on Thursday morning. The chase started when a King City CHP officer attempted to stop a motorcyclist traveling at 130 mph on Highway 101. The motorcyclist sped away and was later...
Santa Maria man arrested for murdering co-conspirator in botched robbery
By JOSH FRIEDMAN Santa Maria detectives and SWAT team members arrested a man this week for allegedly murdering his co-conspirator during a botched robbery in the northern Santa Barbara County late last year. On Dec. 17, 2023, shortly after 4 p.m., a caller reported the shooting in the 500 block...
Petition to recall San Luis Obispo County Supervisor Bruce Gibson fails
By KAREN VELIE San Luis Obispo County Supervisor Bruce Gibson won reelection against a relatively unknown opponent by only 13 votes — prompting a recall by a citizens group. The effort to recall Gibson over his his support of raising taxes and increasing fees failed this week, the group announced...