Alleged drug dealer attempts to sexually assault minor in San Luis Obispo
By KAREN VELIE Officers on Tuesday arrested a 21-year-old San Luis Obispo drug dealer for allegedly providing narcotics to and attempting to sexually assault a minor. In August, a girl under 16 years of age sought medical treatment at a local facility because of a sexual assault. She accused Arturo...
Misinformation versus morality in Paso Robles schools
OPINION by KENNEY ENNEY Paso Robles Joint Unified School District trustees Jim Cogan and Joel Peterson published an op-ed in the “Paso Robles Daily News” on Nov. entitled “Misinformation hurts our schools and wastes taxpayer dollars,” in which they accused me of “fearmongering and misinformation to scare parents into worrying...
Supervisors divert funds for temporary bridge in rural Arroyo Grande
By KAREN VELIE The San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors voted 3-2 on Tuesday to use surplus funds to install a temporary bridge on Cecchetti Road in rural Arroyo Grande, with supervisors John Peschong and Heather Moreno dissenting. A storm in 2023 washed out the Cecchetti Bridge. Since then,...
Lompoc City Council member charged with theft of city funds
By KAREN VELIE A Lompoc City Council member is facing eight felony counts which include theft of public funds, the Santa Barbara County District Attorney’s Office announced Wednesday. Stephen “Steve” Bridge was elected in 2024. His alleged criminal behavior occurred from Feb. 2024 to June 2025. The charges include forgery,...
Cal Poly holds annual Poinsettia, holiday items sale
By KAREN VELIE Cal Poly’s annual poinsettia sale, with thousands of plants in bold holiday colors, will be held on Dec. 6 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Poly Plant Shop. This year’s plants will feature three varieties: red, white and red and white variegated featuring rosy, pink-red...
Police seek public’s help identifying victims of alleged child molester
By KAREN VELIE The Lompoc Police Department is seeking the public’s help identifying additional victims of a Santa Barbara man accused of molesting a child. Last month, the Lompoc Police Department received information regarding an adult man who was allegedly grooming an underage female, which ultimately led to unlawful sexual...
Vistra withdraws plans for Morro Bay battery storage facility
By KAREN VELIE In the latest twist in the controversial plan to build a battery storage facility in Morro Bay, in late October Vistra Energy informed the California Energy Commission it is no longer “advancing the project. A month earlier, Vista withdrew its application from the California Independent System Operator...
