February, 2009

Erstwhile Trib publisher Visci new Cal Poly veep

By THE EDITORS Former Tribune publisher Chip Visci becomes an early beneficiary of a passed state budget by bagging a job at Cal Poly as associate vice president for strategic communications. Visci, 55, worked as a reporter and editor and Knight Ridder... (Continue reading)

Weyrich belly up, money woes widening

By KAREN VELIE In yet another sign of mounting unpaid debts for Paso Robles businessman David Weyrich and his wife, Mary Weyrich, a local lender filed a lawsuit Tuesday alleging that the Weyrichs failed to pay back a more than $1... (Continue reading)

UPDATE: Dancing Star whistleblower shown the gate

By KAREN VELIE Dancing Star Foundation has fired a fulltime employee considered a whistleblower by supporters because of his actions in bringing to light the killing of healthy animals at the Cayucos animal sanctuary. Earlier today, sanctuary foreman Jerry Smith ordered maintenance... (Continue reading)

Money problems driving sanctuary kills

By KAREN VELIE Many healthy animals entrusted to Dancing Star Foundation’s Cayucos sanctuary have been euthanized in recent months after being placed on a “kill list” -- prepared with the help of a veterinarian and weighted heavily by economic considerations. A top... (Continue reading)

Selective code enforcement: Is it ‘God’s will?’

First in a series By DANIEL BLACKBURN Dan De Vaul, meet The Apostle. While county officials pursue a vigorous (some say pernicious) criminal prosecution against high-profile De Vaul and his South County Sunny Acres Ranch for the hapless, another, longer-running code enforcement drama... (Continue reading)

UPDATE: They shoot horses, don’t they? Maybe not

By KAREN VELIE and DANIEL BLACKBURN A temporary halt in the random killing of animals at Cayucos’ Dancing Star Sanctuary has been declared by officials of the Los Angeles-based foundation that administers the facility. ... (Continue reading)

CalCoastNews.com works hard for you

We could spend a lot of space telling you how CalCoastNews.com breaks stories of local importance, day after day, week after week. But you already know that. We could list all the reasons why San Luis Obispo County needs the vigilant... (Continue reading)

Verbal swords still crossing in Atascadero

By KAREN VELIE In Atascadero, change means more of the same when it comes to contentious city council sessions, with councilmember Tom O’Malley and cohort councilmember Jerry Clay demonstrating they have enduring memories. O’Malley’s barrage of accusations aimed at Mayor Ellen Beraud... (Continue reading)

Sanctuary becomes killing field for “protected” animals

By KAREN VELIE A husband and wife team of internationally known environmentalists, paid handsomely to oversee a San Luis Obispo County sanctuary for infirm animals, has ordered the accelerating slaughter of many of their wards. Former and present employees of the Dancing... (Continue reading)

What’s changing for medical pot under Obama?

By DANIEL BLACKBURN Signs abound that federal interest in medicinal marijuana use may be diminishing under the Barack Obama Administration. There’s also no indication that such a relaxation in enforcement by U.S. drug authorities would impact San Luis Obispo County much. Or... (Continue reading)