South American theft ring hits Ulta Beauty store in Paso Robles
By KAREN VELIE Four members of a South American theft ring are in jail after they stole more than $1,000 in products from the Ulta Beauty store in Paso Robles on Thursday. A worker at the store on Theatre Drive reported the theft, noting the men had fled the area....
The origins of the assassination culture
Opinion by ANDY CALDWELL I recently wrote about a phenomenon among the youth in America known as the “assassination culture.” In addition to Tyler Robinson, the 22-year-old who allegedly killed Charlie Kirk, we have Luigi Mangione, a 26-year-old Ivy League graduate accused of killing Brian Thompson, the CEO of United...
Atascadero City Council votes against permitting cannabis retail stores
By KAREN VELIE The Atascadero City Council on Tuesday voted 3-2 against allowing retail cannabis stores in the city. Council members Seth Peek, Heather Newsom, and Mark Dariz voted to abandon plans to allow local pot shops. City staff estimated a retail cannabis store could result in $500,000 to $1...
How a romantic message led to a murder in Arroyo Grande
By KAREN VELIE When family members asked the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office to check on a missing 50-year-old woman, it sparked an investigation that would lead deputies to discover she had allegedly been murdered by a jealous boyfriend. Isabel LucasVelasco and her 45-year-old boyfriend Alejandro SorianoOrtiz were working...
Santa Barbara County deputies seek help finding missing 9-year-old girl
By KAREN VELIE Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s detectives are asking for the public’s help locating a missing 9-year-old girl, Melodee Buzzard of Vandenberg Village. After Melodee failed to attend school for approximately a year, on Oct. 14, her school reported the child’s prolonged absence. Deputies then attempted to contact Melodee...
Driscoll’s donates $5 million to Cal Poly for farm store
By KAREN VELIE Driscoll’s, a global leader in fresh berries, pledged $5 million to Cal Poly for a state-of-the-art farm store, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo announced this week. The farm store, located within the six-acre plant sciences complex, is part of the college’s vision to create a vibrant campus...
Missing San Luis Obispo man found unresponsive, died shortly afterwards
By KAREN VELIE Deputies found an 86-year-old missing man in a field near the San Luis Obispo Country Club on Tuesday evening. James Quinn was unresponsive when he was located. Despite receiving medical attention, Quin died shortly after he was found. Quinn’s family reported him missing after he took a...
